Watts Hospital was the first and only Black hospital in Oakland. It was established in 1926 by Dr. William Watts, a Black physician from Houston, Texas.
Portrait of William Watts c 1910 – Watts (William M.) Papers African American Museum & Library at Oakland
William M. Watts (1885-1980) was born on February 15, 1885, in Lodi, Texas, to Perry and Jane Watts. He earned a medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1915. Watts died in 1980 while living in Arkansas.
Dr. Watts arrived in Oakland in 1924 after living in Fresno, CA.
California Eagle 1922
William Watts standing next to car c 1920s – Watts (William M.) Papers African American Museum & Library at Oakland
Watts Hospital functioned as a hospital, sanitarium, and training school for Black nurses. At the time, local hospitals refused to train Black nurses.
Oakland Tribune
The modern 22-bed located at 3437 Harlen Street in North Oakland,
Dr. William Watts and three nurses standing before Watt’s Private Hospital, Oakland, California – Watts (William M.) Papers African American Museum & Library at OaklandThe location today on Google Maps
“Expert diagnois, expert surgery, expert treatment and expert nursing with good will to all.”
I hope you enjoy this. I had written about Medau before, but the post was messed up when I changed my blog to a new host. I hope this post will get me back into the swing of things; I have had a lot on my plate these last few months. Dorothy
In 1857, J.H. Medau purchased approximately 500 acres in what was then Piedmont, or hills in the back of Piedmont. He bought the property as a ranch. Some of the land was priced at $30.00 an acre, and “the poorer land,” located in East Piedmont, sold for $10.00 an acre.Oakland Tribune 1916
The ranch was located in what is now the Montclair Business District,Montclair Park, and part of Piedmont.
J H Medau -Thorn Road – Oakland Directory 1898
When Medau first bought the land, it was covered with weeds, grass, flowers, and rattlesnakes—lots of rattlesnakes! He spent the next 36 years cultivating the land to be one of the finest of its kind at the time.
Ad for Medau Dairy – Alameda County: The Eden of the Pacific 1898
The Medau’s home was located in what is now Montclair Park. Beautiful gardens surrounded it and it was a stone’s throw from the pond, stocked with German Carp and Trout.
His herd consisted of forty-five cows. He also grew grain and hay on the ranch.
“famous Medau Ranch”
Oakland Tribune Oct 1916
Undated photo of the Medau Family in front of their home on the ranch. (Courtesy of Oakland History Room)
He was a school trustee for Fruitvale and Hays Districts for over twenty years, and some of his children attended the Hays School.
May Day Festival
In 1879, Medau hosted a May Day Festival and invited the children from Fruit Vale School.
Scenic Park
In 1897, Medau offered to sell his land (476 acres) to the city of Oakland for a park.
The land is less than four miles from city hall. The county road to Contra Costa County passes through nearly the entire length of his land.
Oakland Tribune November 22, 1897
From Valley to Hillside
The lower part of the ranch comprises stretches of level and slightly rolling land; to the northward, the land extends up the sloping hillsides to the crest of the ridge, where the dividing line between Alameda and Contra Costa counties is located. The highest peak of the land is 1,300 feet above sea level.
Oakland Tribune November 22, 1897
The views from the highest point are unrivaled. A sweeping of the Contra Costa, San Joaquin, and Sacramento Valleys. Both Mount Diablo and Hamilton can be seen.
Many Natural Advantages
Oakland Tribune November 22, 1897
A mountain stream flows along the eastern border. Near the Meadau residence, a natural lake (the pond in Montclair Park) of an acre in extent is fed by springs from the adjacent hillside.
He said he would sell the 476 acres for $210 an acre.
For Sale
Oakland Enquirer July 9, 1901
In 1901, Medau sold his ranch for $95,000 to the Reality Syndicate.
He retired to a new home he had built on East 12th near 2nd Avenue, where he lived for the rest of his life.
Oakland Tribune October 25, 1905
The Medau Family
John Heinrich “Henry” Medau (1831-1918) was born in Holstein, Germany, emigrated to the United States in 1851, and became a naturalized citizen in 1857.
San Francisco
When Medau was sixteen and still in Germany, he apprenticed to learn the trade of a tobacconist, and he did that for about three years. In 1851, he and his brothers set sail for the United States, first staying in New York and then heading to San Francisco. He first took any available jobs, then in 1853, he purchased a cigar store and worked it for several years with his brothers. He retained interest in the store until 1864.
In June 1860, he married Regina Raubinger (1860-1916), also born in Germany. They had the following children, all born at the ranch.
Edward 1863-1918
Pauline 1865-1930
Matilda 1866-1954
Adelphine 1868-1958
Theodore A. 1870-1953
Edith S. 1872-1962
Henry 1874-1874
Louisa 1875-1954
Henry O. 1880-1970
California Daily Alta June 12, 1860
Regina Raubinger came to San Francisco at 18, married Medau a year later, and moved across the bay to Oakland.
Oakland Tribune June 12, 1910
Medau passed away in 1918; his wife preceded him in 1916.
Henry Medau, the last remaining son, died in 1970.
Oakland Tribune Aug 31, 1970
From the Montclarion
From Henry Medau – Printed in the Montcarion April 1960
In 1963, Henry Medau, one of Medau’s sons, was interviewed by the Montclairion. He loaned the above photo for use in the article. This is the same ad as the photo at the beginning of this post.
Top- left – the family orchard
Top- middle – cows grazing in hills.
Top- right – a corner of the pond with cedars in the background
Middle-left Medau family home, which faced Moraga Road.
Middle- some of the dairy buildings
Middle-right, another view of the Medau home.
Bottom-left view of the yard around the home
Bottom-middle the pond created by springs a view of “Indian hill.”
Bottom-right Moraga Road is lined with eucalyptus.
Kenneth P. Green Sr.’s Photographs of the 1960s and 70s.
Multiple women outside a West Oakland Methodist Church in 1967. (Kenneth P. Green Sr.)
ABOUT THE ARCHIVE (from the Website)
The Kenneth P. Green, Sr. Photography Archive seeks to preserve and present the collected work of photojournalist Kenneth P. Green, Sr. As a lifetime Oakland resident and the first African-American staff photographer for the Oakland Tribune (1968-1982), Mr. Green captured some of the most consequential social changes occurring not only in the Bay Area, but in our time. His photographs reflect the best of photojournalism and photography —a chronicle of the here and now and a collection of personal portraits that illustrate the timeless human side of the people involved. What separates the Green Archive from conventional journalistic sources are the thousands of additional images Green captured as a participant and member of a dynamic community mobilizing during turbulent years. His true artistry lies in his ability to capture the multifaceted organic expression of the African American community in the Bay Area—unrehearsed portraits of movement leaders, interactions of families, students, and community members, and the full range of people who participated in the daily work of social change.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
The Kenneth P. Green, Sr. Photographic Archive is maintained by Sugga’s Eye, Images, A Green Family Foundation. In 2015 the Green family opened The Kenneth P. Green, Sr. Archive to the public with the expressed purpose of preserving the rich history captured in these images and returning it to the community. Many who lived through these moments remain in our community and have shared their personal recollections and stories, further documenting the historic importance of the images.
The Foundation is also committed to engaging younger generations in confronting today’s problems through the lens of a history not often told. The stories these images tell have the power to inspire today’s teens by documenting an empowered black community working together to achieve self-determination and social change.
“Kenneth P. Green Sr. attended Laney College from 1965–67, majoring in Photography. During that time, he developed a close relationship with students and student associations at Laney, as well as Merritt College. These Oakland-based campuses had substantial student bodies of color and were both vibrant community colleges as well as centers of activism and community organizing. His images capture all facets of campus life.”
OAKLAND COMMUNITY
“Kenneth P. Green Sr. was the staff photographer at the Oakland Tribune from 1968-1982. Prior to, and even during, his tenure at the Tribune, he was a keen observer of his community. This gallery highlights a set of personal portraits that capture the multifaceted organic expression of the African American community in the Bay Area.”
Current Show
CURRENT
Toward A Black Aesthetic: Kenneth P. Green Sr.’s Photographs of the 1960s and 70s. SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, 25 January-21 April, 2024
The exhibition, titled Toward a Black Aesthetic and on view through April 21, 2024, features Green Sr.’s mostly never-before-seen images capturing Bay Area Black women’s beauty and style in the 1960s and ’70s.
Jewett Gallery – Lower Level African American Center Exhibit Space – 3rd Fl, 100 Larkin Street SF CA 94102
More Info:
The Oakland Tribune’s First Black Photojournalist – KQED
A few years ago, someone in a Facebook group I belong to asked if anyone else remembered a story or rumor about Montclair in the mid-50s. The story was about a guy who owned a repair shop on La Salle Ave and was a spy for the FBI.
It took me a while, but I found it.
There are a few different versions of how they started working for the FBI.
Double-Lives
Oakland Tribune
Dickson P. Hill, an Oakland radio store owner, said he and his wife Sylvia lived “double lives’‘ as Communists for the FBI from 1945 to 1949.
They joined the Alameda County Communist Party in 1945 and rose to the positions of membership chairman and education chairman receptively while serving as undercover agents.
Oakland Tribune Dec 1952
Approached By Communists
Dickson P. Hill said he and his wife were approached by communists in 1944 and asked the FBI what they should do. The FBI told them to try to join the Party so they could do the country “a great service.”
The Montclarion 1952
He named more than 50 one-time Reds in the Oakland-Berkeley area; he said he had met personally and identified 36 organizations as Communist Party clubs during his time as a member.
They finally quit as Communists for the FBI in 1949 because of the “tremendous mental pressure” of concealing their FBI connections from the Reds and his Red connections from their customers and family.
Clubs They Joined
The Hills were members of several clubs during this time. One was the North Oakland Communist Club, which held its meetings at Technical High School. Another was the 16th Assembly District Communist Club in Montclair. Some of the names he named were Montclair Residents, and one stood out to me because of the family’s history in Montclair.
Hill testified that Mirian Chown, the wife of Paul S. Chown, was a member of the Montclair Club. They were both communists. Hill stated that Paul was a “special group” member and had other party assignments.
Paul was the son of Sidney Chown,who owned a 2 1/2-acre ranch off of Snake Road and grew up in Montclair. Chown was the leader/representative of the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (UE), Local 1412, and it was rumored that the union was kicked out of the CIO due to its leaning toward Communism.
Dickson and Sylvia Hill lived on Snake Road in the Montclair District of Oakland. They had three children.
From the 1956 Pacific Telephone Directory
The Hills owned and operated the Montclair Radio & T.V. Sales and Repair shop at 6127 La Salle Ave.
From the Montclarion 1960
Sometime between 1949 and 1952, the Hill’s divorced.
Joins Party to Help FBI in Roundup of Subversives
In April 1953, Sylvia Hill testified in the United States District Court in Pennsylvania that she heard Steve Nelson tell members of the Communist Party in California “to get the United States Government in as many internal difficulties as possible.”
Mrs. Hill testified that she met Nelson when she was chairman of the Communist Party in Alameda. She said she heard him address a party meeting and declared:
“It was a mistake for me to believe Communism and capitalism could. live together.”
She also testified that she joined the Communist Party in 1944 or 1945 after an FBI agent approached her and said,
“Would you like to do this? There will be nothing in it for you, but you will be doing your country a great service.”
She was the education director from 1946 to 1947 for the North Oakland Branch of the Communist Party; the name was later changed to the 16th A.D. (Assembly District) club in Montclair.
Nelson was one of five communists on trial charged with conspiring to overthrow the Government.
In 1944, Steve Nelson lived at 425 Taurus Rd in the Merriewood section of Montclair.
Oakland Tribune 1949
House Un-American Activities Committee Hearings
In 1953, Dickson was one of nine witnesses who appeared before the committee at City Hall in San Francisco. He was the only “friendly” witness.
During his testimony, he named names and organizations with communist ties.
He also testified that “the Reds backed a third-party idea in the 1948 election as a rich source of new recruits,” and made the Emeryville Westinghouse Electric plant one of their prime infiltration targets.
Klinknerville was a town in what is now the Golden Gate neighborhood. It was started by Charles Alexander Klinkner in 1885, the name was changed to Golden Gate in 1888, and it was annexed by Oakland in 1897.
Klinkner Hall, at the present-day corner of San Pablo and 59th Street, in the late 1800s. (Oakland Library History Room.)
In 1877 (or 1878), Charles A. Klinkner and a partner purchased 14 acres of dairyland in the area of what is now 59th and San Pablo. The land was subdivided into lots for building homes.
“Ring the Bell, Klink, Klink, Klink, the boom continues, “Klinknerville,” lots 50 x 150 $600.00, houses built to order on the installment plan, Apply to Klinkner before buying elsewhere.“
Klinkner built a home for his family on San Pablo Ave near 59th Street
Klinkner Family Home – OMCA
He also established a horse car line that ran from Park Avenue to what today is 62nd Street.
By 1885, the construction of Klinknerville had begun. He first built modest Victorian homes.
Tract homes under construction and offered for sale – OMCA
To attract residents to Klinknerville, he built Klinkner Hall at 5832 San Pablo Avenue, and in 1888, on the other side of the Street, he built the Del Monte Hotel.
Showing Klinknerville Hall in 1919 – Photo by Cheney Photo Advertising
Klinkner Hall was the social center of the town. There was a grocery store, a drug store, a dry goods store, a meat market on the first floor, and a large community assembly hall where the clubs and lodges would meet on the upper floor. There was a steeple clock atop the building.
A photo of Klinkner Hall with signs showing “Drugs, Insurance, Wells Fargo Express, Post Office and Real Estate.” Carts advertise Klinkner’s Rubber Stamps. OMCA H76.295.58O
Klinkner also built Eureka Park, a baseball field, which was the home of the Klinkner 9. Later on, it was the home of the Oakland Oaks, the city’s professional baseball team in the early 1900s, and the name was changed to Freeman’s Park.
Eureka Park. Johnny Maher, proprietor. Baseball grounds about 1886. OMCA
He also built about 75 houses. The houses were sold for between $3,000 and $5,000 or sometimes could be won in a raffle off a $2 ticket.
SF Chronicle 1892
Huckster
Klinkner & Co. buggy, barn in the background, ca. 1886-1893 – OMCA H77.57.26
Mr. Klinkner was one of Oakland’s earliest hucksters, if not the first. He was a staunch believer in the fact that it pays to advertise. Every Fourth of July, he would hitch up a span of mules to his cart. The mules were painted red, white, and blue, and the coach was plastered from top to bottom, advertising his business. On St. Patrick’s Day, they were green; at other times, they’d be an appropriate color for the occasion. Sometimes, he would match his colorful mules with equally bright dogs and a monkey or two.
Buggy. Dog, two monkeys on the back of a horse. Gift of Fred L. Klinkner H77.57.28
Golden Gate
But Klinkner and the town bearing his name did not last long. In 1888, Klinkner applied for the area post office to take the
“Klinknerville” name, “much to the disgust of the old families in the area,” who preferred the term “Golden Gate,” Thomas Klinkner wrote.
Oakland Tribune 1888
A back-and-forth ensued, with Klinkner even making a trip to Washington, D.C., to personally appeal to then-President Grover Cleveland.
The “Golden Gate” side won out, and the town’s name was changed shortly before Klinkner’s death. Golden Gate was annexed to Oakland in 1897.
The name “Klinkner” soon vanished from the area. What was once called Klinkner Avenue was changed to 59th Street.
Klinkner family: Charles seated in the wagon photo from Oakland Museum of California
Klinker’s Family
Charles Klinker was born in Ausen, Germany, in 1852. His family then settled in Iowa when he was an infant. At age 20, he came west to San Francisco and opened the Red Rubber Stamp Factory on Sansome Street.
Klinkner died in 1893, at the age of 40, from a cold he neglected. He is buried in Mountain View Cemetery.
1983
C. A. Klinkner and Co. Red Rubber Stamps 1884 “Courtesy of California State Archives.”
Klinkner married Katherine Parke, an Oakland native. She was born in the town of Clinton (later part of Oakland) in 1855. Katherine Klinkner died in 1945.
They raised seven children in their home in Klinknerville.
Charles A. Klinkner 1876-1951
Fredrick S. Klinkner 1878-1954
Herman P. Klinkner 1881-1959
Cora V. Klinkner 1887-175
Harry D. Klinkner 1889-1968
Elma I. Klinkner 1891-1984
The Klinkner family home was demolished in 1929 to make way for a brick building, which housed a drugstore owned by Klinkner’s son, Fred, before closing in 1968, taking the last remnants of the Klinkner name in the neighborhood.
Oakland Tribune 1919
Katherine then moved into an apartment on the second floor of Klinkner Hall, where she lived until selling the building in 1941. She then moved next door to a small cottage at 1064 59th Street.
The DeRome Home 1076 – 59th St., Oakland, 1886. Gift of Junior League of Oakland-East Bay H78.86.76
Her daughter, Mrs. Cora DeRome (see), lived next door at 1076, and her son, Fred, lived across the Street at 1097. Klinkner Hall was demolished and replaced with a grocery store.
“Then it was revealed that Milton Wiser was a “confidence man who had played out his racket and disappeared, owing many people in defaulted debts and checks that bounced.”
Montclarion Jan 1, 1958
Montclarion 1957
Milton Wiser and his associates were promoters of Heavenly Candies by Haas up and down the West Coast.
Their sales pitch told of up to $10,000 profits a year. The cost to the prospect was $4500 (or any amount from $1200 to $6,000), plus candy stock.
From 1956
How could they go wrong? The product was backed by daily promotion on the Queen for the Day t.v. Show. The famous Haas candy company of Oakland made the candy.
Haas Distributing Co of Oakland
When Wisser came to Oakland in 1956, he made arrangements with Louis Chiodo, the owner of Chiodo Candy Co., to provide candy for the stores.
Wiser organized Haas Distributing Co. to buy products from Chiodo. Wiser invited the name Heavenly Candies and added: “By Haas.”
Chiodo was advised by the Oakland Better Business Bureau, of which he was a sponsor, that Wisers activities should be questioned, and they were aware of Wiser’s activities elsewhere.
Chiodo became concerned about the payment for candy he sold to Haas in December 1956. At that time, he was owed $58,000. Because of this, he did not extend any more credit to any of the Heavenly Candy Stores (that Wiser started and sold). The was one exception. He provided Dolly Monks with candy for her store on credit.
Bounced Checks
The bank account at the College Avenue branch of Bank Of America was closed with many outstanding checks, which bounced.
Dolly Monks was shocked when several local Montclaions brought in “rubber checks” from Heavenly Candies.
Calls to their office were switched to a recorded message “You have reached a discontinued number.”
Unhappy Owner
Edward Topping, who opened a Heavenly Candy store on Grand Ave, told. The Montclarion (August 21, 1957) was not satisfied with the way Wiser’s outfit had not fulfilled its promises.
He had been sold on the “package deal.” which gave him for a cost of $4500 a complete store ready to operate. He was also promised a “grand opening,” including lights, a majorette to give away candy, etc. He opened his store with no fanfare, and nobody showed up from Haas Distributing Co or provided anything to give away.
Haas did provide women to help Topping get started. But they paid her with rubber checks.
Police Investigation
The Oakland Police Department’s grand theft detail began an investigation into Wiser in August 1957. They hoped to gather enough evidence of fraud that can convict the man. Wiser operated just short of breaking the law.
On the surface, they appeared to be running a legitimate business. Of the 100 stores sold on the West Coast, no more than 50 were still open after the first year. Many of the owners lost their original fees.
When Wiser closed out his bank account many checks were outstanding and of course, bounced. Many other debts incurred by Wiser just simply not paid by check or otherwise.
Various Names Used
It looks like (from the articles I read) Wiser was using the name Haas as in the Geo. Haas and Sons Candy stores. Geo. Haas Candy Company went bankrupt in 1940.
Auburn Journal Sept 1958
Haas Distributing Co.
Haas Heavenly Candies of Oakland
Haas Chocolates of Oakland
J.H.Hass Distributing Co
Heavenly Candies by Haas
Now I haven’t found much else on Milton Wiser after 1958. But if I do I will update this post.
The End
Disclaimer: Now I don’t if Milton Wiser was guilty of anything or if he was a “confidence man” as reported in the Montclarion. As far I can tell he didn’t get his day in court of give his side of the story.
Sources
Candy Promoter Disappears as Checks Bounce – The Montclarion August 21, 1957
Sad Story of Milton Wiser Unwinds – The Montclarion August 21, 1957
Case Against Promoter Studied By Police – The Montclarion August 28, 1957
Wiser’s Bad Checks Paid By Ex-Aide – The Montclarion September 11, 1957
Would you like to be Queen for a Day?! Host Jack Bailey would say that the entire audience would reply: “YES!” Four or five women, each having a sob story to tell, told Bailey why they believed they should be crowned the show’s Queen. Usually, each contestant asked for a merchandise prize, such as a washer and dryer. The audience determined the winner by applause (via the “applause meter”).
On the April 11, 1957 episode of Jack Bailey’s “Queen for a Day” show. Dolly Monks of Oroville Ca was one of the four contestants. Each contestant had to talk about the recent financial and emotional hard times she had been through.
Dolly spoke about the hardships involved in raising three small children as a single parent after her husband had died of cancer. She was worried that she would not be able to provide for them as a single mother.
Dolly was chosen as the “Queen of the Day!”
The winner of that episode would qualify to win a fully stocked candy store from a participating sponsor of the show.
The participating sponsor was Haas Distributing Co. of Oakland run by Milton Wiser to promote the sales of “Heavenly Candy” stores all over the west. At the time of the show, there were about 100 stores opened.
The store would be completely stocked with Heavenly Candy and fixtures that were provided by the sponsor. She would be trained for as long as necessary in all aspects of running a candy store.
Queen of the Day to Open New Store in Montclair
The Montclarion April 1957
Mr. Wiser chose a store in the Montclair District. He worked with John Grubb Realty to lease a store on Mountain Blvd at 2034. The store had been the home of Montclair Sporting Goods, which had recently moved up the street to a larger store (where they stayed in business until 2020.) Later on, the same storefront was the home of Williams Footwear well into the early 1990s. My two friends and I all bought our “sort of” platform shoes there in the 70s.
The store was scheduled to open on July 12, 1957
Wow! This Is Big!
“with all the Hollywood razzle dazzle”
Milton Wiser 1957
Plans for the candy store opening were shaping up to be big according to Wiser in an article in The Montclarion (July 3, 1957.) Wiser tried his best to estimate and came up with a figure of slightly less than 50,000 people who might turn up in Montclair for the opening of the Heavenly Candies store at 2034 Mountain Blvd. He attributed the large estimate due to all the advanced print advertising and the daily plugs for the store on the t.v. show.
Mr. Wiser made it clear the opening would be spectacular and that he has extended an invitation to the mayor of Oakland Clifford E. Rishell and of course lots of other people including some famous Hollywood types. Because of this, the Montclair merchants asked the police department for extra protection.
Queen to Draw Throngs
Montclarion July 1957
“Friday July 12 is the BIG DAY -the grand spectacular Hollywood-type opening of the new Heavenly Candies store”
The Montclarion 1957
The opening was scheduled to start at 7 pm and was scheduled to be seen live on KRON TV in San Francisco. The Mayor of Oakland, Jerry Colona of Hollywood, and of course Jack Bailey himself was expected to be there.
Five girls were hired to help with handing out free candy to the first 1000 people to come to the store.
Los Angeles Times July 12, 1957
Store Opens with a Modest Throng
The Montclair Business Association went into action fully expecting thousands of curiosity seekers to come to Montclair. They persuaded the Chamber of Commerce to help pay for the cost of a big banner welcoming the Queen to Montclair. They held a reception at Sanford’s before the grand opening and invited the “Hollywood representatives and such folk.”
SF Examiner July 12, 1957
As the time approached for opening to begin, a modest group of about 500 people slowly assembled in the blocked-off street in front of the store. Jerry Colona and Councilman Peter Tripp (for the mayor) were there to cut the ribbon opening the store. The Oakland police department had three officers.
The Montclarion July 1957
Dolly was there in her crown and robe.
Queen for a Day from left to right Jerry Colona, Dolly Monks and Milton Wiser – 1957
Contrary to the advance information given to The Montclarion by an overly hopeful candy official, there was no live television coverage of the event. There wasn’t a public address system. It was filmed by a professional movie company to be shown at a later date on the Queen for A Day show.
The Californian July 16, 1957
The Queen is a Pawn
It seems to me the whole thing was big promotional stunt for the T.V. show and Heavanly Candies, Dolly became something of a pawn between the two.
She sold her home in Oroville and moved her family down from Oroville to a rented cottage in Pleasant Hill and secured a day maid to take care of her children.
In response to to an article in The Montclarion (July 31, 1957.)
“I realize to some people this all must look like a publicity stunt, but unless you know the inside story you can’t tell where the ‘business’ ends ‘heart’ begins.”
Dolly Monks
End of Her Reign and a New King
After the fanfare of the opening had passed on. Dolly opened every morning at 9am after driving from her home in Pleasant Hill after leaving her three children with the babysitter.
The Montclarion
She found that candy sales not too brisk. In fact many weeks went by and she paid her babysitter more than she made in the store.
Then she found out the the people who bought her home in Oroville left without notice. Her car was damage when struck from behind one morning.
So, she announced through The Montclarion that she would be giving up the store.
That announcement and Halloween candy trade sales gave her a big upsurge and she decided to stick it out.
The Montclarion 1957
The just after Christmas she called The Montclarion and put in advertisement that she was selling out and closing the store on January 1, 1958.
It turns out the reason what not that the store was a failure but that she was in love. She had met her king. Ralph King that is. They planned on getting married in 1959.
The Montclarion Jan 1958
Queen for a day…and a King forever.
The Montclarion Feb 1958
Coming soon Part 2 of a “Queen for a Day” – The Confidence Man
Growing up in Montclair, there was an older woman who would walk the streets of Montclair. She would walk with her head down, minding her own business and not causing any problems.
She would walk from her home at 2779 Carisbrook Drive near Skyline to the Montclair shopping area via Chelton Drive. Sometimes she would go to the library. She would go to the McCaulous Department Store.
She sometimes would take rides from her neighbors. She was very quiet and a loner.
She just always wore a gray raincoat and red rain boots.
People have different memories of her. Some thought she was related to Jack London or the Knowland Family (I can’t find anything); Some thought she was wealthy. Some thought of her as scary, spooky, or even crazy. There were many rumors about her, especially from people who didn’t know her.
If spoken to, she would talk to people and be very nice. She would purchase Girl Scouts cookies from her neighbors or donate to a school event.
I believe she was just heartbroken and lonely.
Her name was Hazel Wells.
Early Life
She was born Hazel Beatrice Clark on June 19, 1914. She grew up in Alameda with her four sisters. From what I can tell, she led an everyday life.
Oakland Tribune Jun 19, 1925
Hazel Beatrice Clark at 16 Alameda High School
Marriage
In 1937 she married Oscar Donald Wells, who also grew up in Alameda. In 1941 Hazel gave birth to a son Oscar Donald Wells, Jr.
California, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1850-1941 – Alameda 1937
World War II
Oscar Donald Wells enlisted in the Army on December 30, 1941, in San Francisco, California, during World War II. He was 32 years old.
In March of 1943, while living in Alameda, Hazel received a letter from her husband saying he was going on leave and intended to buy their son a pet monkey. In the same mail delivery, she received a letter from the War Department saying that Staff Sargent Oscar Wells had been missing in action since March 1.
He went missing on a bombing mission in the Middle Eastern theater of operations. He is still considered missing, but they placed a marker for him in North Africa.
From the War Dept
In October 1943, two-year-old Oscar Wells was pinned with the Distinguished Flying Cross awarded to his father.
Oakland Tribune October 25, 1943
Sometime after her husband’s death, she and her son moved to Montclair, and they lived at 2779 Carisbrook Drive, close to Skyline Blvd.
Contra Costa Times Nov 1956
In the early hours of November 6, 1956, Oscar Wells Jr. stole a 1956 Lincoln from in front of the home of M.P. Kitchel on Camino Lenada just down the hill from his home. The keys were in the car. Wells was on parole from California Youth Authority.
A short time later, he was pulled over by a Walnut Creek policeman for speeding. He pulled off as the officer approached the car. The police took chase on the streets of Walnut Creek, going 75 to 90 miles per hour.
During the chase, the policeman noticed a tank truck start up after stopping. He pulled back on the pursuit. Wells didn’t see it and slammed head-on into the tanker at about 75 mph. He was pinned in the car. There were no skid marks.
“Shot me – get me out of my misery”
Oscar Wells Jr
He was buried three days later.
Aftermath
Hazel had lost her husband and son in tragic ways, and she probably never fully recovered from that. This might explain the way she was.
The Montclarion 1987
Over the years, her house has fallen in disrepair, and her neighbors step in to help her with money to turn the power, or they would hold work parties to clean up her yard or replace broken windows. She often refused help.
In 1986 the home was condemned. The electricity and water had been turned off for years. The city put an “Order to Vacate” sign on the front door. Hazel responded with a sign of her own.
“Not Vacant/Occupied by Owner”
Hazel spent the rest of her life in the Salen Luthern Home in Oakland. She died in 2008.
The Monclarion Aug 1996
The house on Carisbrook was sold for $155,000 in 1992 and demolished, and a new home was built.
Oakland’s first black city councilman, Joshua Rose, served on the Oakland City Council, representing District 2 from 1965 to 1977.
Joshua Rose pictured in 1928 (University of Pittsburgh)
Early Life
Joshua Richard Rose was born in Lexington, Virginia, on September 11, 1906, to George and Mary (Charles) Rose.
His family relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where Joshua attended Schenley High School.
After high school, he enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), where he completed the required credits for a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in 1934. He did post-graduate work in economics, philosophy, and psychology at New York University.
YMCA
While at Pitt, he worked at the Hill District Center Avenue YMCA. The Y served as a residence for Black students at Pitt who were not allowed to reside at the university residence halls.
The Montclair Times Jun 18, 1935
After graduation, Rose accepted a position with the YMCA in Montclair, New Jersey.
The Pittsburgh Courier – February 23, 1935
Montclair Times – Feb 1939
In 1939, Rose moved to California with his wife Virginia and their two children, Richard and Virginia, to help establish a branch of the Oakland YMCA for the local African American community.
Oakland Tribune April 23, 1939
He helped create what was later known as the Northwest Branch, initially located at 36th and San Pablo but later moved to 3265 Market St. in the early 1940s.
Rose was responsible for introducing summer day camps incorporating arts and crafts with sports and outdoor activities, including an annual trip to Yosemite National Park.
Oakland Tribune March 28, 1943
Rose worked throughout his career to provide many Oakland youth with constructive activities and summertime employment through the YMCA’s programs. In 1967, Rose retired as Associate General Secretary of the Metropolitan Branch of the YMCA.
Board of Playground Directors
SF Examiner July 18, 1947
In 1947, the city council selected Rose as the first African American Board of Playground Directors member, a group that would eventually become the Oakland Recreation Commission.
Oakland Tribune June 1, 1959
Rose was a board member for 17 years, including serving as chairman from 1961 to 1962.
Oakland Tribune May 9, 1957
Oakland City Councilman
On August 27, 1964, Mayor John Houlihan asked Rose if he would complete Robert V. McKeen’s unexpired termon the Oakland City Council. Rose agreed and became the first African American to sit on the Council.
Oakland Tribune August 30, 1964
Rose represented the 2nd District. A Republican, he was re-elected three times in 1965, 1969, and 1973.
“I have a deep interest in Oakland’s future. To secure that future, dedication and sacrifice based on sound academic training and reliable experience are necessary.”
Joshua A. Rose April 1965
He was a respected member of the Council, particularly for his work in easing racial tensions in the city in the late 1960s when the Black Panther Party, founded in Oakland in 1966, challenged the local political establishment.
After sustaining severe injuries in an automobile accident, Rose officially retired from the Council on June 30, 1977.
Death
“Josh was a symbol for us” “A symbol of success.” Mayor Lionel Wilson Septe 1987
Joshua Rose passed on April 13, 1987, from Parkinson’s disease. He was 81.
Fannie Wall Children’s Home and Day Nursery, an orphanage and daycare center in West Oakland, was established in 1918 by African-American clubwomen. Sometimes, it is called the Fanny Wall Home.
“Charity is the Golden Chain that reaches from heaven to earth.”
from the letterhead
The Beginning
In 1914, the Northern Federation of California Colored Women’s Clubs President Fanny Wall and Financial Secretary Hettie Tilghman began working on a children’s home and day nursery to support black working mothers and care for orphaned black children. After years of planning and fundraising, the home opened in 1918 on Peralta Street in West Oakland.
“Care for the Orphans
“Shelters the Half Orphans”
“Keeps the Children of Day Workers.”
Oakland Tribune April 1920
Initially, the home was called the “Northern Federation Home and Day Nursery.” Subsequently, it was renamed to honor Fannie Wall, the first woman to run the charity daily.
The Fannie Wall Children’s Homeand Day Nursery was open to children of all races, ethnicities, and religions. It was the first facility in Northern California to provide various services, including housing, boarding, and daycare for black orphans.
It was located at 1215 Peralta Street in West Oakland from 1918-1928.
Fannie Wall ( 1860-1944) came to Oakland with her family in the early 1900s. She was born in Gallatin, Tennessee, in 1860. She was married to Archey(Archy) H Wall (18?? -1931), a staff sergeant in the US Army. They had two daughters, Lillian (Williams) and Florence (Murray), and one son, Clifton Archey, was transferred to the Presidio in San Francisco and ultimately ended up in Oakland. Wall was an early community activist who participated in several organizations that promoted African American economic empowerment.
She served several terms as the president of the California Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs.
She co-founded the Art and Industrial Club of Oakland in 1906. Under her presidency, the club joined the Child Welfare League Wall and helped establish the “Colored Y” of Oakland.
In 1936 Archie Williams her grandson (Lillian)won a gold medal in the 400-meter run in Berlin.
Oakland Tribune August 8, 1936
Fannie Wall died on April 14, 1944, in her home on Telegraph Avenue. She is buried in the same plot as her husband in the San Francisco National Cemetery.
Oakland Tribune April 20, 1944
Linden Street Site
In 1928, having outgrown its original location, they moved to a new one on Linden Street.
Fannie Wall Children’s Home, 815 Linden – 2nd site -Courtesy The African American Museum and Library Oakland
The handsome house at 815 Linden Street was purchased for $5000. Charlie Man designed the upper-middle-class house in the 1880s. It was one of five buildings built by Frances Reichling, a surveyor who subdivided his property at the corner of Linden Street and Eighth Street. The most prominent building became the family home; the others were rentals.
Linden Street 1948 -African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
The home could accommodate up to 20 children and 8-15 children for daycare services. It would be operated by a professional staff of over ten employees, including social workers and a volunteer psychiatrist.
They considered this house a step up from the one on Peralta Street and was across the street from the “Colored Y.”
Women and children seated around the piano at the Fannie Wall Children’s Home and Day Nursery- updated -African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
New Look
The Linden Street site was given a face-lift in 1953. The “new look,” a two-room addition, was used as the administrative offices, releasing the old offices and reception room for nursery classes and a future library. They provided room for 47 children.
In 1962, the Oakland Redevelopment Agency purchased 815 Linden St. and demolished the building for the Acorn Project.
Management
“Fannie Wall is Calling”
From the annual report
The Northern Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs operated the Fannie Wall Home until 1941 when it was incorporated as an independent organization. At that time, it was the only home in California that primarily cared for African-American children.
The home was admitted as an agency of the Community Chest-United crusade in 1923
Fannie Wall was elected the first president and served for over twenty years as the head of the 21 board of directors. She succeeded Mrs. Lydia Smith Ward, whom Mrs. Chlora Hayes Sledge followed in the 1940s.
The home was managed by a Board of Directors mainly consisting of members of the Northern Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs, a community advisory committee, and an executive director who oversaw its day-to-day operations.
The Board of Directors of the Fanny Wall Home – Chlora Hays Sledge, President, center-left.Courtesy The African American Museum and Library Oakland
Girls with fans at the Fannie Wall Home in the 1940s.Courtesy The African American Museum and Library Oakland
Fundraising
The home received funding from various sources, including rent from an apartment in Berkeley donated by Josephine Sutton, Community Chest, and the Dreiser Trust, and fundraising events coordinated by the home.
Ticket to chicken dinner for Fannie Wall Home Benefit-1944 -African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
Fannie Wall Children’s Home and Day Nursery, Inc. charity ball program – 1946 – African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)- Identifier MS162_B1_F6_001
Oakland Tribune 1958
The third charity ball was held on January 19, 1948, at the Oakland Auditorium.
In 1959, Slim Jenkins held a fashion show to raise money for the building fund. Models displayed the latest styles.
A Haven For Children
Rodeo artists Schwartz and Grodin entertain children with finger paints at the Fannie Wall Children’s Home and Day Nursery – circa 1947 -African American Museum & Library at Oakland Photograph Collection.
Oakland Tribune 1949
In 1949, the Fannie Wall home had 30 children who received daycare while their parents worked, Ranging in age from 3 to 14 years. During the summer, the children took swimming lessons at the de Fremery Park pool, enjoyed story hours at the West Oakland Branch Library, and had special excursions to other city parks and playgrounds.
Birthday Party 1946
Monthly parties were held to honor the children whose birthdays occurred during the month. They would dress up for a special dinner or an afternoon party.
Oakland Tribune August 8, 1948
Integrated Playground at the Fanny Wall Home, the 1950s Courtesy The African American Museum and Library Oakland
The Final Location
1964, they purchased a house at 647 55th Street for $19,000. However, they initially struggled to obtain a license from the Social Welfare Department, and the home wasn’t reopened until 1967 as part of a placement program for the Alameda County Welfare Department.
Fannie Wall Children’s Home 55th Street – 3rd site Courtesy The African American Museum and Library Oakland
The home closed again in 1970 for remodeling and reopened in 1978 as a child daycare facility and Head Start Center. It is now called Fannie Wall Head Start.
Group photograph of attendees at Fannie Wall Children’s Home and Day Nursery mortgage burning ceremony (first row, left-right): Annie Mae Smith, Albertine Radford, Silvia Parker, Mildred McNeal, Marge Gibson (second row, left-right): Bessie Watson, Euna Tucker, N. Adams, Lela Posey (third row, left-right): Eugene P. Lasartemay, Roy Blackburn, Kermit Scott, Harold Adams – 1981 -African American Museum & Library at Oakland Photograph Collection
Fannie Wall Pre-K Program – 647 55th Street Oakland, CA
More Info:
Under Siege: Construction and Care at the Fannie Wall Children’s Home and Day Nursery – Marta Gutman – Researchgate.net
The Montclarion 1952
