San Francisco County
Biographies
WILLIAM E. LANE
WILLIAM E. LANE
is a prominent figure in his line of work in San Francisco,
as was his father before him. For twenty-five years the Lane Plumbing
establishment has been located at 505 Kearney Street.
It was first started, however, at 11 Post Street.
Mr.
Edmund Lane, father of the subject of our sketch,
was a native of Bristol, England,
and learned his trade of Plumbing in London.
Being a natural mechanic, he became very skillful in his profession and did
much work for royalty. In 1852 he emmigrated with his
family to Australia,
and for several years lived in tents and followed the fortunes of a miner’s
life. In 1858, accompanied by his family, he started for California
in the sailing vessel Milwaukee, and after a trip of about
six months arrived safely in San Francisco.
Then returning to his trade, he found employment with J. K. Prior, one of the
early Plumbers of San Francisco, and remained with him until 1860, when he
established the business referred to at the beginning of this article. After
engaging in business for himself his first work was the plumbing of the Lick
House on Montgomery street, and he afterward did all of Mr. Lick’s plumbing
until 1868; also did the plumbing for General Vallejo, Thomas H. Selby. The Atherton’s
of Menlo Park, and other families
of distinction. He worked for the Government on the Benicia Arsenal, Black
Point (now fort Mason)
and the Presidio. In 1865 he moved his office to 505
Kearney Street; from year to year his business
increased, and he became the leading plumber of the city. He continued actively
engaged in business up to the time of his death, September 16, 1876. He left a
widow and nine children besides a large circle of friends to mourn his
departure.
William
E. Lane was born in London, England,
March 16, 1852, but his earliest recollections are of Australia,
and his education was conducted in California.
At the age of fourteen years he began learning the plumbing business in his
father’s shop. And under his guidance became very skillful in his profession.
At his father’s death, he succeeded him in business, continuing in the same
with marked success. He has completed large contracts for J. D. Speckles &
Sons, Leland Stanford, Paul McAllister and Adolph Sutro.
For the last-named Gentleman he set tanks about his beautiful grounds at Sutro Heights,
The contract exceeding $10,000. Mr. Lane
employs an average of twenty-five hands in his general plumbing business.
He
is unmarried, and resides with his mother and family. In his business career he
has met with signal success. Socially he is connected with the blue lodge and
chapter, F. and A. M..; is past Grand of the I. O. O. F. and Past Master Workman in the A. O. U.
W.
Transcribed by Kim Buck.
Source: "The Bay of San
Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages 597-598, Lewis
Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2006 Kim Buck.
California
Biography Project
San
Francisco County
California
Statewide
Golden
Nugget Library