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Note: !BIOGRAPHY: DAR California Pioneers: Unpublished records of the families of California pioneers / gathered by the various chapters from original sources.
California : State Committee of Genealogical Research, Daughters of the American Revolution, [1927-]
Calif. History Room (CS) CALL NUMBER: E202.5.C15 C2 v. 1 - 27 -- Books NC CALL NUMBER: \MICRO-\FICHE\U56\ v. 1 - 27
Larkey, John 113; Vol. 13
!BIOGRAPHY: History of Contra Costa County, California:
Including its geography, geology, topography, climatography and description; together with a record of the Mexican grants ... also, incidents of pioneer life; and biographical sketches of early and prominent settlers and representative men.
Thompson & West, Oakland, CA (1882)
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com November 27, 2005, 5:22 pm Author: W. A. Slocum & Co., Publishers (1882)
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JOHN LARKEY.—The subject of this sketch was born in Delaware county, Ohio, March 9, 1831. When but four years of age his parents moved to Illinois, and in that State resided until 1846, when they moved to Wisconsin; after a residence of two years in the Badger State they again moved, and located in Jackson county, Iowa, where his parents still reside. March 30, 1853, Mr. Larkey, then being twenty-two years of age, in company with two of his uncles, started with horse-teams to cross the plains to California, and after an uneventful trip arrived, and first located in Alameda county, where he was employed on a farm for four months. Mr. Larkey then engaged in farming for himself, and resided in that county until 1857. In that year he selected Contra Costa county as his future home, by buying his present place of seven hundred and thirty acres, situated one mile and a half from Walnut Creek, and now, after long years of labor, besides a vast outlay of money, Mr. Larkey has one of the best improved and appointed farms in the county, his beautiful residence situated on a commanding eminence being surrounded by flowers, evergreens, shrubbery and all the different kinds of fruit. Mr. Larkey, now in the prime of life, is enjoying the comforts of his happy home with the wife of his youth, beloved by his children and friends, and respected by the citizens of the county in which he dwells. He was married in Jackson county, Iowa, March 26, 1864, to Miss Martha E. Spore. By this union they have six children: Alonzo S., born December 29, 1864; George E., born December 15, 1867; Ida L. and Ada L. (twins), born May 13, 1870; Eda L., born October 28,1872; Ora E., born August 31, 1875.
!CENSUS: 1860
1860 United States Federal Census
Name: John Larkey
Age in 1860: 31
Birth Year: abt 1829
Birthplace: Ohio
Home in 1860: Township 3, Contra Costa, California
Gender: Male
Post Office: Antioch and Pacheco
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members:
Name Age
Charles Lohse 34
August Rohler 43
Albert Schimm 23
Ira Booram 22
Isaac Ily 24
Charles Barnhissel 24
Horatio Norton 28
John Larkey 31
Charles Reeves 20
John Smith 38
Marcus Wheeler 28
Richard Porter 21
Edmond N Peck 32
Maria T Peck 24
Emana Peck 4
!MARRIAGE: 1864
644
Larkey, John to Spore, Martha E.
26 Mar 1864
by A. McLaughlin, JP
http://www.rootsweb.com/~iajackso/Marriages/mgl.html
!SCHOOL: 1866-? [Whitfield pp. 210-213]
"The first Pleasant Hill School was started in 1866 in a large room in a house near the Releiz hill. The building was one of nine houses in the district neighborhood...This 1866 school site was near David F. McClellan's house, formerly Teodora De Soto's property...The 1866 school report indicated...[that] the teaching took place at home; and only a few pupils attended the first one-room schoolhouse during a two month session.
The first families living in the Pleasant Hill School District were those of David F. McClellan, R. Smith, Barnes Holloway, John Hamilton, Charles E. White, Garner Bryant, John Larkey and Commodore Nottingham" [per 1864 Contra Costa County Plat Map].
"An indenture was made for the Pleasant Hill School District on December 21, 1874, between James Condon and John Larkey, David F. McClellan, R. Bracket, trustees of the Pleasant Hill School District...The school site appeared on the 1870 map of Contra Costa County. The school was west of Locust Way, and east and south of the Lafayette Road."
"On June 30, 1881, Alonzo Larkey, son of John Larkey, received a Diploma of Graduation from the Grammar School of the Pleasant Hill School District, which was signed by A.A. Bailey."
In January 1883 the attendees of the Pleasant Hill School included Ada and Ida Larkey. Other families included Boss, Blankenship, Dukes, Dorn, Geary, Hook, Martin, and Rodgers.
!CENSUS: 1870; Data Source: 1870 United States Federal Census
Sunday, January 21, 2007 5:36:44 PM
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Larkeys in Contra Costa County, California 1870 census
Only one family in Township 3, Martinez Post Office
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Name Estimated Birthplace Race Gender
birth year
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John Larkey abt 1831 Ohio White Male
Martha Larkey abt 1844 Canada White Female
Alonzo Larkey abt 1865 California White Male
Edward Larkey abt 1867 California White Male
Ida Larkey abt 1870 California White Female
Ada Larkey abt 1870 California White Female
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Source Information:
Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2003. Original data: 1870.
!CHURCH:
In 1872 the [Walnut Creek] Methodist Episcopal church was built upon the site now occupied by the James M. Stow building. The land for the site was donated by H. S. Shuey. Captain R. S. Fales and William Rice each donated $500 toward the church construction fund, with the balance subscribed by W. S. Burpee, E. A. Thumway, John Larkey, James M. Stow, Milo J. Hough, H. S. and M. M. Shuey, John Baker, J. W. Jones, Frank Webb, and Arthur S. Williams.
SOURCE: The History of Contra Costa County, California - published by The Elms Publishing Co., Inc., Berkeley, California, 1917
Walnut Creek's first house of worship was dedicated on Sunday, May 12, 1872 and erected on the site that today is 1375 North Main Street. "Among the official church board members at the dedication were store owner William Pratt, Homer Shuey, Capt. Orris Fales, and prominent local horse breeder John Larkey. Services were held in the church every Sunday until 1892." [Brad Rovanpera, Illustrated History of Walnut Creek, 1999]
!CENSUS: 1880; the population of the village of Walnut Creek was about 300 people.
John Larkey Household was enumerated in the 1880 census as follows:
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
John LARKEY Self M Male W 48 OH Farmer PA PA Martha LARKEY Wife M Female W 37 CAN Keeping House NY CAN Alonzo LARKEY Son S Male W 15 CA At School OH CAN Edward LARKEY Son S Male W 14 CA At School OH CAN Ida LARKEY Dau S Female W 10 CA At School OH CAN Ada LARKEY Dau S Female W 11 CA At School OH CAN Eda LARKEY Dau S Female W 8 CA At School OH CAN Ora LARKEY Dau S Female W 5 CA At School OH CAN Ella LARKEY Dau S Female W 17 CA At School PRUSSIA PRUSSIA George LARKEY Brother Male W 24 IA Teacher PA PA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Census Place Township 3, Contra Costa, California Family History Library Film 1254064 NA Film Number T9-0064 Page Number 641C !RESIDENCE: 1884 VOTERS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Listed are the names, age at time of registration and nativity of those registered to vote.
NAME Age Nativity
Larkey, John 34 Ohio
Larkey, George Emory 27 Iowa [this is John's brother enumerated above in 1880 census]
!ROADS: Main Street has had many names over the years. According to Whitfield, Main Street was originally called the Pacheco Road and was renamed "Contra Costa Highway" in 1892. Both Geary Road and Pleasant Hill Road were originally known as Locust Road. In 1934 the Board of Supervisors renamed a portion of Locust Road to Pleasant Hill Road on March 19, 1934. "This road was established in 1853, and was the road to Martinez and Walnut Creek, and had a cut-off to Lafayette road. The official name of Geary Road was adopted by the Board of Supervisors on July 6, 1936.
"This was the portion of road that F. Warmcastle established in February, 1878, when he asked for a change in the Road on Larkey's property." [Whitfield, p. 202 & 203]
!OBITUARY: Contra Costa Gazette, Wednesday, 5 Aug 1891
Article Title: Death of John Larkey
The sudden death of an old and well known citizen, without preliminary warning so far as the general public is concerned, is always startling and difficult to realize. Mr. Larkey was not known to be unwell, outside of his own family and neighborhood. From the meagre particulars we have been able to gather he was taken sick at his home in Walnut Creek on Saturday and his disease must have progressed rapidly, for on Tuesday morning at 5 o'clock he breathed his last.
The deceased was born in Delaware county, Ohio, March 9, 1831, and was consequently a little over sixty years of age. He came to California across the plains in 1853, at the age of twenty-two years. His first labor after his arrival was on a farm in Alameda county. In 1857 he located at his present home near Walnut Creek where he has since resided and improved his land until the estate is one of the most valuable in the county. He was apparently in the enjoyment of vigourous health when stricken down. He was a man of pronounced religious views, upright and just in his dealings, exceedingly happy in his domestic relations, and will be sadly missed by the community in which he resided.
!ILLUSTRATIONS: I have scanned several maps and illustrations. They include a ca. 1879 lithograph view of J. Larkey residence; Official Map of Contra Costa 1885 showing Larkey ranch at 575 acres; 1911 Subdivision map of the Larkey Ranch Subdivision No. 2; 1937 Map of Central Contra Costa showing Larkey Ranch subdivisions 1 & 2;
!RESIDENCE:
Ted Hook recalled that the Larkey property was across the road from [the Hook property]. Their piece was on both sides of Walnut Creek Road and went clear to the creek. The Larkey home was not far from the Geary Road and Walnut Creek Highway Corner, sitting up on a hill off the highway. [Whitfield, p. 76]
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The following classified advertisment was published in the Oakland Tribune of 10 Feb 1918.
15 Acres all in fine shape, good buildings, partly in young pears; this is the old Larkey residence;
very sightly location on a knoll; about 2 miles from Walnut Creek; price $15,000...
George W. Austin, Exclusive Agent, 1538 Broadway, Oakland.
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The Larkey Ranch was traded by Fred C. Korber [sic], Oakland merchant, to a Mr. Lewis and a Mr. Mitchell in exchange for the southwest corner of 22nd Street and Telegraph Avenue in Oakland. The transaction was handled through the office of George W. Austin. [Oakland Tribune, 31 March 1918]
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Contra Costa Deeds Vol 313, Page 497 DEED: THIS INDENTURE made this 23d day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighteen (1918) BETWEEN FRED C. KOERBER and SARAH E. KOERBER, (his wife), both of Berkeley, County of Alameda, State of California, the parties of the first part, and GEO. A. LEWIS and ARTHUR R. MITCHELL, (single) both of the City of Oakland, County of Alameda, State of California, the parties of the second part...[Consideration: $10]...have granted, bargained, sold and conveyed... ALL of Lot Number Nine (9) as the same is delineated and so designated on that certain map entitled, "Contra Costa Land Company, Subdivision No. 2 of the Larkey Ranch" [dated] March 1st, 1910...containing fifteen (15) acres of land, and being a portion of the Las Juntas or Welch Rancho.
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The January 17, 1920 edition of the Contra Costa Gazette had the following article: "The old Larkey Home was destroyed by fire on Thursday, January 5th 1920."
"The famous old Larkey homestead on the road leading to Walnut Creek...was completely destroyed by fire on Thursday. The cause of the blaze is unknown. The Old Larkey place as the dwelling has been known, has been one of the landmarks in that section of the county for many years. Details of the fire are not available, but according to those who were by the place after the blaze, all that is now left is the brick chimney."
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MR. SMALL'S RESIDENCE DESTROYED BY FIRE [Contra Costa Courier, Friday, January 9, 1920] The two story residence of A.T. Small north of Walnut Creek, was destroyed by fire Thursday morning, the origin was unknown. All the household goods were destroyed and the family had a close call. They will make their home with Mrs. Small's brother in Oakland, until another residence is erected.
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Mr. Small is preparing to build a modern bungalow on his place north of town, known as the old Larkey tract. Their residence was destroyed by fire about two weeks ago. [Contra Costa Courier, Friday, January 23, 1920]
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The 1964 Contra Costa Times reprint of the 1879 lithograph had a caption stating that J. Larkey home and ranch was located in the Main Street-Geary Road area. "On the west side of Main, immediately north of the canal, you can still see the grove of trees that shielded the house."
The area immediately north of the canal is Lot 9 of Subdivision No. 2 of the Larkey Ranch. This was the only 15 acre parcel located on the County Road from Walnut Creek to Martinez [Main Street]. That property has since been developed into office buildings. The highest knoll on Lot 9 is the site currently occupied by the AT&T building at 2741 North Main Street.
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The ten acre city park that today bears the Larkey name was purchased in July of 1959 by Walnut Creek from the East Bay Municipal Utility District. The park is bounded on the north by First Avenue on the east by Buena Vista Avenue, on the south by Second Avenue and on the west by Larkey Lane. Brad Rovanpera's Illustrated History of Walnut Creek [1999] states that the park was "named for early pioneer John Larkey."
A monument in the park memorializing John Larkey and family would be a fitting tribute for this important pioneer of Contra Costa County.
[Nick Cimino, Apr 2007, Walnut Creek, California]
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