San Francisco County
Biographies
William Simmons arrived in San Francisco in 1850, and up to the present time (1891) has been closely identified with the shipping interests of this port. He is a native of Norfolk county, England, born in 1824. Being a delicate lad he was sent to sea for his health at the age of ten and one-half years, and becoming fascinated with the life, continued to follow the sea for about twenty years, being promoted to the position of sailing master. His voyages were chiefly between the United States, East and West Indies and Great Britain, with some experience upon the Western Lakes. In 1850 he shipped on board the "Hermione" from Savannah, Georgia, to California, via Cape Horn. On arrival in San Francisco he first went to the mines, but soon returned to San Francisco and took charge of several store ships for Samuel Price & Co. In the spring of 1854 he rigged the Chilean bark "Loto," and then shipped on her as sailing master, bound for Valparaiso, with a cargo of lumber and about seventy-five passengers. Returning to San Francisco in 1855, he then began the business of ship-rigger, locating upon the Main street wharf, and doing a general business in rigging and repairing, subsequently removing to his present location, No. 17 Howard street. In 1872 he placed rigging upon the "Three Brothers," then the fastest and largest ship in the world, being of 3,000 tons' burden. The ship was owned by George Howes & Co., the hull being the old Vanderbilt steam yacht, which was presented to the United States Government during the war, and subsequently sold to Messrs. Howes & Co.
Mr. Simmons is the oldest ship-rigger in the city, the pioneer in the business,
and has always been prominent in his calling. In 1888 he put boilers into
forty-three steam schooners, all of which were built in this locality.
His operations extend north to Coos Bay, Gray's Harbor and Puget Sound, and
south to the Sandwich Islands.
Mr. Simmons is now sixty-seven years of age and has passed through many narrow escapes from accident and hardships; still he
is hale and hearty and in the full management of his extended interests.
Transcribed 1-31-05
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source:
"The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 1, pageS
698-699, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2005 Marilyn R. Pankey.