San Mateo County Places : West Union pt 2

from the Collections of the San Mateo County History Museum

Although this blog covered West Union Township a few months ago the recent discovery of a fantastic map located in the archives of the San Mateo County History Museum dictates an update.  It seems that the map was drawn by Don and Phillip Kreiss in 1956, although there appear to be updates added in the 1980s.

I've included two photographs of the map here, the one above should give a good idea of where the schoolhouse stood.  The junction of Canada and Edgewood is a good point of reference.  The map shows the home of JV Swift among others and also some business, natural and man-made landmarks.

Unfortunately there is no mention of the cemetery on the map.  Most likely it was long gone before the Kreiss brothers explored the area. It also seems likely that it was

Quick phone camera pictures don't do this map justice!  What a treasure.  What other maps are hiding in the SMCHA archives?  I definitely need more time to explore.

Early Northern San Mateo County Settlers

Russell Brabec has finished a number of biographies on the early settlers of Northern San Mateo County.  You will find links to the pdf files below.  Look for another list of families later this spring.  

Mother Minerva 1927
OpenSFHistory.org

Along with the early settlers you will find a biography of John Patrick (Jack) Lawson: Mayor of Bayshore.   Bayshore was a short lived city located near the border of San Francisco behind where the Cow Palace is located today.  Incorporated in 1932 to "...ensure a local government friendly to the racetrack and bookies. Dog racing was the town's purpose."  Dog racing was outlawed in 1939 under pressure from  horse racing interests and the city unincorporated. You can read more about Bayshore City in the San Mateo Daily Journal article, Bayshore City was built for the dogs, of 5 Mar 2007.


Don't miss the biography of Mother Minerva Hartman 1832-1937, a nurse in the Civil War, the Crimea, the Spanish American War.... and more.  A late settler in the area, Mother Minerva died in a fire at the age of 104 in Colma, where she had lived for about 30 years. 

Early Settlers of Northern San Mateo County

• Bepler -  Justice and Louise H Christaine Bepler
• Brown - Henry Ward Brown and Margaret Pauline Brown
• Carter - Charles D Carter at Visitacion Valley
• Comerford - Michael Comerford
• Daly - Michael Daly (John Donald Daly's father)
• Doncks - Peter Herman Doncks, Johanna G Doncks and their Daughters
• Gardner - John & Ellen Gardner
• Haquette - Isabelle Daly Haquette (John Donald Daly's Sister) 
• King - Jacob and Mary Ann King
• Knowles
  • Isreal Graham Knowles & Mary Sanderson Knowles
  • Knowles Matson Marriage Mystery 
• Locker
  • John Wesley Locker, Elizabeth Rachel Atkinson Locker
  • ​Levi W. Locker (brother)
• Matson  - Knowles Matson Marriage Mystery
• Prince - William Tyron Prince
• Walbridge - Hiram Waldbridge at Visitacion Valley
• White - Samuel Stetson White and Marry Ladd White

SMC Databases Online: School Records 1

Redwood City School 
Courtesy San Mateo County History Museum 

Funding (or lack thereof) of schools and teachers is not a new problem.  In 1907 the following petition was filed.....

To the Honorable Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo.

Gentlemen:

The Undersigned respectfully represent that they are citizens and taxpayers of and within San Mateo County; that the salaries paid the teachers in the grammar schools of San Mateo County are less than the average salaries paid in corresponding  counties in the State of California; that as your Board is well aware, the expenses of living have increased twenty-five per cent. And over, and there has been a corresponding increase in wages paid laborers and other employed persons; that the salaries of teachers in the grammar grades have not increased except in rare instances and that the salaries paid such teachers are disproportionately low when compared to other occupations.

Your Board is in a position to grant a measure of relief by increasing the County School tax XXXXX which tax at the present time is below the average school tax in the State of California.

WHEREFORE your petitioners respectfully pray that your Board increase the rate of school taxes to be levied by your Board on the third Monday in September, next, five (5) six (6) cents above the rate levied last year, for the purpose of providing funds for bringing the salaries of teachers up to the average paid in this State.

Respectfully submitted, -

Dated August 29, 1907

Included in the records found in Drawer 31 in the SMC Record Repositories are signatures from 391 individuals living in San Mateo, Burlingame, Pigeon Point, Pescadero, Redwood City, Jefferson, and San Bruno districts.  List of Signers

In 1920 the trustees of the school districts signed the following petition

To the County Superintendent of Schools, San Mateo County, Cal.,

Dear Sir, -

In order that our schools may have sufficient funds to pay fair salaries and to provide for proper maintenance, we the trustees of the following School Districts respectfully request that you ask a sufficient tax rate to cover all expenses. The tax rate for the past year was inadequate.

List of signers