Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California)
June 26, 1939 (Monday)
"George Van Gorden, 94, Last Of 'True' Pioneers, Dies Here
[Includes portrait of George with "Pioneeer Dies" across top and "George Van Gorden, the State's 'oldest true pioneer,' died here yesterday [sic]."]
The man believed to be California's oldest true pioneer, George Van Gorden, who lacked only a month of being 94 died here yesterday [sic] at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna Kergan, 470 Ellita Avenue.
As pioneers are designated by the Society of California Pioneers, Van Gorden was the last of them. He came West in 1845 as a two-months-old baby and was settled here before the gold rush.
He was the last surviving senior member of the pioneer society.
Early Western history, particularly that of Alameda County, was made around Van Gorden. The party with which he was brought across the plains stopped as the ill-fated Donner party rolled into the mountains and perished.
A member of the party, Peter Wimmer, who was also a relative was father of the boy who claimed to have discovered the first gold at Sutter's Mill. His uncle, Henry Clay Smith, laid claim to dividing Alameda County off from Contra Costa County and was the first to go to the Legislature at Benicia from Alameda County. Van Gorden's father built their cabin in Redwood Canyon from timber cut with a hand saw.
Van Gorden was an honored guest when the golden rivet, the last one, was driven in the Golden Gate Bridge on April 26, 1937.
Ill for six weeks, Van Gorden had made his home with his daughter here for some time. His wife, Anne Van Gorden, died last March, just a month before her 86th birthday.
He is survived by the daughter, Mrs. Kergan, and by three grand-children, Durward Van Gorden, Mrs. E.L. Bruck and Mrs. W.S. Street, as well as a number of great grandchildren.
Friends are invited to attend the services tomorrow at 1 p.m. from the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Avenue, to be followed by cremation." END
See also in obituary list on page 23, column 6 of same issue: "Van GORDEN - In Oakland, June 25 [sic?], 1939; George, husband of the late Anne Van Gorden, father of Mrs. H.S. Kergan, grandfather of Mrs. E.L. Bruck, Mrs. W.S. Street and Durward Van Garden [sic]; a native of Michigan, aged 93 years. Friends are invited to attend services Tuesday afternoon, June 27, at 1 o'clock at the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland. (Albert Brown Co.)" END
June 26, 1939 (Monday)
"George Van Gorden, 94, Last Of 'True' Pioneers, Dies Here
[Includes portrait of George with "Pioneeer Dies" across top and "George Van Gorden, the State's 'oldest true pioneer,' died here yesterday [sic]."]
The man believed to be California's oldest true pioneer, George Van Gorden, who lacked only a month of being 94 died here yesterday [sic] at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna Kergan, 470 Ellita Avenue.
As pioneers are designated by the Society of California Pioneers, Van Gorden was the last of them. He came West in 1845 as a two-months-old baby and was settled here before the gold rush.
He was the last surviving senior member of the pioneer society.
Early Western history, particularly that of Alameda County, was made around Van Gorden. The party with which he was brought across the plains stopped as the ill-fated Donner party rolled into the mountains and perished.
A member of the party, Peter Wimmer, who was also a relative was father of the boy who claimed to have discovered the first gold at Sutter's Mill. His uncle, Henry Clay Smith, laid claim to dividing Alameda County off from Contra Costa County and was the first to go to the Legislature at Benicia from Alameda County. Van Gorden's father built their cabin in Redwood Canyon from timber cut with a hand saw.
Van Gorden was an honored guest when the golden rivet, the last one, was driven in the Golden Gate Bridge on April 26, 1937.
Ill for six weeks, Van Gorden had made his home with his daughter here for some time. His wife, Anne Van Gorden, died last March, just a month before her 86th birthday.
He is survived by the daughter, Mrs. Kergan, and by three grand-children, Durward Van Gorden, Mrs. E.L. Bruck and Mrs. W.S. Street, as well as a number of great grandchildren.
Friends are invited to attend the services tomorrow at 1 p.m. from the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Avenue, to be followed by cremation." END
See also in obituary list on page 23, column 6 of same issue: "Van GORDEN - In Oakland, June 25 [sic?], 1939; George, husband of the late Anne Van Gorden, father of Mrs. H.S. Kergan, grandfather of Mrs. E.L. Bruck, Mrs. W.S. Street and Durward Van Garden [sic]; a native of Michigan, aged 93 years. Friends are invited to attend services Tuesday afternoon, June 27, at 1 o'clock at the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland. (Albert Brown Co.)" END
Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California)
June 26, 1939 (Monday)
"George Van Gorden, 94, Last Of 'True' Pioneers, Dies Here
[Includes portrait of George with "Pioneeer Dies" across top and "George Van Gorden, the State's 'oldest true pioneer,' died here yesterday [sic]."]
The man believed to be California's oldest true pioneer, George Van Gorden, who lacked only a month of being 94 died here yesterday [sic] at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna Kergan, 470 Ellita Avenue.
As pioneers are designated by the Society of California Pioneers, Van Gorden was the last of them. He came West in 1845 as a two-months-old baby and was settled here before the gold rush.
He was the last surviving senior member of the pioneer society.
Early Western history, particularly that of Alameda County, was made around Van Gorden. The party with which he was brought across the plains stopped as the ill-fated Donner party rolled into the mountains and perished.
A member of the party, Peter Wimmer, who was also a relative was father of the boy who claimed to have discovered the first gold at Sutter's Mill. His uncle, Henry Clay Smith, laid claim to dividing Alameda County off from Contra Costa County and was the first to go to the Legislature at Benicia from Alameda County. Van Gorden's father built their cabin in Redwood Canyon from timber cut with a hand saw.
Van Gorden was an honored guest when the golden rivet, the last one, was driven in the Golden Gate Bridge on April 26, 1937.
Ill for six weeks, Van Gorden had made his home with his daughter here for some time. His wife, Anne Van Gorden, died last March, just a month before her 86th birthday.
He is survived by the daughter, Mrs. Kergan, and by three grand-children, Durward Van Gorden, Mrs. E.L. Bruck and Mrs. W.S. Street, as well as a number of great grandchildren.
Friends are invited to attend the services tomorrow at 1 p.m. from the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Avenue, to be followed by cremation." END
See also in obituary list on page 23, column 6 of same issue: "Van GORDEN - In Oakland, June 25 [sic?], 1939; George, husband of the late Anne Van Gorden, father of Mrs. H.S. Kergan, grandfather of Mrs. E.L. Bruck, Mrs. W.S. Street and Durward Van Garden [sic]; a native of Michigan, aged 93 years. Friends are invited to attend services Tuesday afternoon, June 27, at 1 o'clock at the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland. (Albert Brown Co.)" END
June 26, 1939 (Monday)
"George Van Gorden, 94, Last Of 'True' Pioneers, Dies Here
[Includes portrait of George with "Pioneeer Dies" across top and "George Van Gorden, the State's 'oldest true pioneer,' died here yesterday [sic]."]
The man believed to be California's oldest true pioneer, George Van Gorden, who lacked only a month of being 94 died here yesterday [sic] at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna Kergan, 470 Ellita Avenue.
As pioneers are designated by the Society of California Pioneers, Van Gorden was the last of them. He came West in 1845 as a two-months-old baby and was settled here before the gold rush.
He was the last surviving senior member of the pioneer society.
Early Western history, particularly that of Alameda County, was made around Van Gorden. The party with which he was brought across the plains stopped as the ill-fated Donner party rolled into the mountains and perished.
A member of the party, Peter Wimmer, who was also a relative was father of the boy who claimed to have discovered the first gold at Sutter's Mill. His uncle, Henry Clay Smith, laid claim to dividing Alameda County off from Contra Costa County and was the first to go to the Legislature at Benicia from Alameda County. Van Gorden's father built their cabin in Redwood Canyon from timber cut with a hand saw.
Van Gorden was an honored guest when the golden rivet, the last one, was driven in the Golden Gate Bridge on April 26, 1937.
Ill for six weeks, Van Gorden had made his home with his daughter here for some time. His wife, Anne Van Gorden, died last March, just a month before her 86th birthday.
He is survived by the daughter, Mrs. Kergan, and by three grand-children, Durward Van Gorden, Mrs. E.L. Bruck and Mrs. W.S. Street, as well as a number of great grandchildren.
Friends are invited to attend the services tomorrow at 1 p.m. from the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Avenue, to be followed by cremation." END
See also in obituary list on page 23, column 6 of same issue: "Van GORDEN - In Oakland, June 25 [sic?], 1939; George, husband of the late Anne Van Gorden, father of Mrs. H.S. Kergan, grandfather of Mrs. E.L. Bruck, Mrs. W.S. Street and Durward Van Garden [sic]; a native of Michigan, aged 93 years. Friends are invited to attend services Tuesday afternoon, June 27, at 1 o'clock at the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland. (Albert Brown Co.)" END
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