F.E. Weston - Oakland

Francis Eusebuis (F.E. or Frank) Weston (March 27, 1825 – April 22, 1900) was involved in a variety of businesses including the Clinton Mills flour mills and the Oakland Railroad Company, the first horsecar railroad in Oakland. He was one of the initial incorporators of the railroad, and served as the first president.

Weston was born in Maine. He married Sarah Sawtelle Fletcher (Weston) (1836 – August 10, 1918), and they had 4 children: Francis F. Weston, Alice G. Weston (Moor), Charles S. Weston, and Frederick Weston. Frederick died in infancy.

Francis E. Weston was born in Skowhegan, Somerset County, Maine, March 27, 1825. In 1840, Weston moved to Illinois to live with an uncle, and in 1846 relocated to St. Louis where he was employed in the mercantile business. He left St. Louis for California in 1849, arriving August 20th. He and his party stopped in El Dorado County, Matheny's Creek, where they mined for a short time and then opened a store. Weston and two partners later opened a store in Sacramento known as "Jarrott Coons & Co.". In 1850, Weston built a 10 stamp Quartz Mill at Matheny's Creek, which he sold after a short time and moved to San Francisco and bought interest in the "Branch Hotel". In the spring of 1853 he joined a company and chartered a Schooner and went up the coast and founded the town of "Crescent City". He helped build the first house there and two Saw Mills and a Flour Mill. In 1856 the County of Del Norte was created and in May 1857 Weston was elected County Judge. In 1858 he resigned and returned to St. Louis, only to come back to San Francisco in 1859 to begin business shipping wool and hides to New York. He later purchased a tract of land in East Oakland and engaged in the Flour Mill business, the "Clinton Mills". He was the first President of the Oakland Street Railway Company and was President of the Alameda Macadamizing Company. The Flour Mills in Oakland burned down in 1878. In 1881 Weston removed to San Francisco and went into the Real Estate business. In the latter part of his life Weston invested in mining in Mexico, in the state of Sinaloa. ¹

Other ventures included the New York Bakery, previously owned by John Thompson, and a grocery business purchased from G.W. Reinhart in 1879.

Weston owned property along Broadway and the family lived in a home he had built c.1875, which stood where The King's Daughters Home now stands. ³ He sold the home in 1881, ⁴ and the family moved to Webster Street. At that point Weston's focus was on real estate, and he had an office in San Francisco.

Weston Avenue (now part of 38th Street) was named for him.

detail of 1877 map