ALMY, MILLER

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Monday, September 29, 2014 at 07:47:56 :

The Marin Journal
Thursday, January 17, 1901
Page 3

Honorable Life Ended
Judge Joseph Almy Passed Away Monday
Burial at Bolinas Wednesday – Brief Sketch of His Career

Judge Joseph Almy, one of the first American settlers in Marin County, died at his home in San Rafael just before noon Monday, January 14, aged 78 years, 3 months, and 23 days. He was born at Tiverton, Rhode Island, in 1822. At the age of 16 he sailed on a whaling vessel. He spent most of the time during the next 8 years on the sea, and in 1842 spent 2 days, March 17 and 18, on Juan Fernandez, or Robinson Crusoe’s island. He kept a hotel at Lahaina, Maui, one of the Hawaiian Islands, for 3 years and in 1847 returned to his home. In 1849 he and a company of 80 formed the Fall River Mining and Trading Company and purchased the bark Mallory. She was loaded with lumber and in March sailed for California, landing in San Francisco September 13, 1849. The vessel was sold and the lumber brought $250 per thousand feet. Mr. Almy opened a public house on Jackson Street and called it the New England Home, but it was destroyed by fire and Mr. Almy went to Bolinas, where he remained until spring and then went to the mines and dug gold for 2 years. He then returned to Bolinas and was elected Justice of the Peace November 2, 1852, and held that office for 8 years, also serving as school trustee one year. He built and launched the schooner H. C. Almy in 1855 and made regular trips till 1864, when he sold his interest and went east for a time. Returning to Bolinas he was appointed Judge of Marin County February 18, 1867, and held that office until January 1880, when it was abolished by the adoption of a new constitution.

About that time, in speaking of Judge Almy, the Marin Journal said: “Judge Almy has presided as County and Probate Judge about 12 years, and in all the responsible service of that time he has enjoyed the confidence and respect of the bar to an extraordinary degree. A more conspicuous and upright man never sat in the office of judge and his decisions have been made with such care and acumen that they have been almost universally sustained.”

Judge Almy married in 1857 to Lucinda Miller, who was a native of Indiana, born December 13, 1834, and who still survives him. They have 5 children living – Thomas, Hattie, Amanda, Nellie and Charles. All are married except Nellie, who, with her mother, has been spending mast of the time at Bolinas. Charles and Thomas both live in San Rafael.

Mr. Almy has been in poor health for a long time and suffered from asthma, but was not confined to his bed very long.

Short services were conducted at the residence on First Street Wednesday morning, after which the body was taken to the Presbyterian Church at Bolinas for the funeral and interment.

G. T. Pierce of 317 Taylor Street, San Francisco, who was one of the company of 80 men who came around the Horn with Judge Almy 52 years ago came over to San Rafael Wednesday to take last look at his old friend before he was laid away.