San Francisco County
Biographies
THOMAS M. QUACKENBUSH
THOMAS M. QUACKENBUSH, an honored citizen of San
Francisco and the oldest contractor and builder now engaged in
active business here, was born in Schenectady, New
York, in 1819. His parents were also natives of the Empire
State. His father was born in Maiden
Lane, was for many years a prominent merchant in
the city of New York and was
intimately associated with the old Knickerbockers residents there.
Thomas
M. attended school, and served an apprenticeship to the carpenter and joiner’s
trade, in his native State. When the gold discoveries in California
attracted the attention of the civilized world, young Quackenbush determined to
seek his fortune on the Pacific coast. He left New York
on the old steamer Philadelphia, made the Pacific voyage
in the Oregon, and arrived here
in 1850. He did not follow the throng to the mines, but at once began working
at his trade, and for the past forty years has been prominently identified with
the contracting and building interest of San Francisco Coming here when the
city was in its infancy. He has been an active agent in building it up to its
present magnitude. He has been in the same block where he is now locate since
1856, a period of thirty-five years, and in the early days the water stood from
ten to fifteen feet in front of his shop.
Few
men of his age are so well preserved as Mr. Quackenbush. He is a man of correct
habits, strong individuality and will power; was never drunk in his life, never
gambled, and for the past thirty-five years has not used tobacco. He is not
only the oldest but the most successful contractor and builder in this city,
and is now ranked among the wealthy citizens of the great metropolis he helped
to build. His investments have been made and managed with marked forethought
and sagacity, his success in life being due to his own earnest efforts, his
natural ability, his energy and his good management.
Transcribed by Kim Buck.
Source: "The Bay of San
Francisco," Vol. 2, Page
601, Lewis Publishing Co,
1892.
© 2006 Kim Buck.
California
Biography Project
San
Francisco County
California
Statewide
Golden
Nugget Library