San Francisco County
Biographies
Hon. Paris Kilburn
Hon.
Paris Kilburn, Surveyor of the Port of San Francisco, was born in Tioga county,
Pennsylvania, of
Pennsylvanian ancestry, and was brought up on a farm; and this
occupation he followed after coming to California in 1852. His uncle, General Kilburn, now on the
retired list and living in Germantown, a suburb of Philadelphia, is well known
on this coast, for he was stationed during a long period at the presidio
here. The General has had a
distinguished career. As an officer of
the regular army he fought through the Seminole war in Florida, the Mexican war
and the last civil war. A brother of Mr.
Kilburn is a graduate of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, and is now a
Lieutenant in the navy.
The
subject of this biographical outline came to the coast with the family to join
the senior Mr. Kilburn. They came by way of Panama, and on this side
had quite an exciting experience, as they were passengers on board the North
America, which was wrecked at Acapulco.
The passengers, however, were safely landed. After his arrival here Mr. Kilburn spent a
little time at the mines. More, however, as an inquirer than
as a laborer, especially at Grass Valley. He was among the first to
enter the pioneer industry of wheat-growing, and he has been conspicuous in
developing that industry, following it more or less until the present
time. For some twenty years he resided
in Napa Valley, where and in Contra Costa and San Joaquin counties he has owned
much land. For some fifteen years he has
been a resident of Monterey county, where he now holds
extensive interests. He has also tried
his hand at merchandising, but his main occupation has been grain-growing and
stock-raising. In county associations,
etc., he has taken an active part.
In
politics Mr. Kilburn has always been a consistent Republican. He was elected to the Assembly in 1881, from
Monterey county, receiving a very flattering vote; and
in the Legislature he was noted for his staunch advocacy of all popular
measures, and strenous and efficient opposition to
all jobbers. The next political position
which has been tendered to Mr. Kilburn is the present on where he is rendering
entire satisfaction. In 1888 he was a
delegate to the National Republican Convention at Chicago,
that nominated President Harrison, and had the pleasure of being one of
the committee to repair to Indianapolis and notify Mr. Harrison of his
nomination. Mr. Kilburn is a member of
the A. O. U. W. and of various agricultural associations, etc.
Transcribed Karen L. Pratt.
Source:
"The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 1, page 647, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2005 Karen L. Pratt.