The two families, paternal and maternal, represented among the pioneers of
California by the late George W. Brett, were named among the founders of our
country, his first American ancestor on the paternal side, Seth Brett, having
located in the colonies in 1712. Descended from him and likewise prominent in
the development of whatever section they made their home, were Simeon, Rufus,
Ezra and George W. In 1775 Rufus Brett married Susanna Cary, the sixth in
descent from John Alden, and thus on the maternal side the family are descended
from Mayflower ancestry. Ezra Brett married Alice R. Robinson, and George W.
Brett married Susan Wharff.

George W. Brett was born in Paris. Me., April I4, 1810, and in the common
schools of his native state received a very limited education, years of
experience, reading and observation tending to make of him the well-informed and
helpful citizen of maturer years. His father was a blacksmith and he learned
this trade under his instruction, living, however, with an uncle from the age of
ten years. He followed his trade in Auburn, Me., for many years, was there
married and reared a family of fourteen children, of whom six are now living.
A brother of Mr. Brett, John R. Brett, came to California in an early day and
became a wealthy merchant of Marysville, and through his representations and
those of other of his relatives George W. was induced to come to the Pacific
coast, which he did in 1857. Upon his arrival in California he at once
established a blacksmith shop in San Antonio and there carried on his business
for about three years. Disposing of his interests at that time, he went to
Carson City, Nev., and there assisted in the operation of a stamp mill for the
period of a year. Returning to California, he established a business in San
Francisco, but finally located again in his old home in Auburn, Me., where he
passed the remainder of his years, attaining the ripe age of ninety-three.

But one of Mr. Brett's children is located in California, she being Mrs. Alice
R. Chase, who was born in Maine and there educated, after which she came to
California in 1860 via the Isthmus of Panama. Here she married Amos L. Bangle,
also a pioneer of California, and had four children, namely: Newton Brett, who
died at the age of nineteen months; Martha Amy, who was born in Oakland,
educated in the public schools, then married E. F. Richardson, a noted attorney
of Denver, and has four living children; George Edgar, a jeweler, who is married
and has two children; and Amos Lincoln. professor of music in Oakland, who is
married and has one child. Their first home in Oakland was at the comer of
Nineteenth street and Eleventh avenue, where Mr. Bangle died February 25, 1872.
Mr. Bangle was one of the early pioneers of Oakland and established the first
drug store here; he was a cornetist of unusual ability, also of an inventive
turn of mind, having patented a printing press. Mrs. Bangle married Ducan
McFarlane, a pioneer of Oakland, a railroad man and miner, and his death
occurred in 1887. September 7, I903. she became the wife of Christopher Columbus
Chase: he was born in Maine July 8, 1833, and there learned the trade of painter
and paper hanger. He came to Oakland in December, 1876. returned to Maine in
1877, and then in November. I902, once more located in Oakland, where he has
since resided, their home having been erected in 1877 by Mrs. Chase. Ur. Chase
is a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted in Company I, Twenty-second