The San Francisco call., 1896-05-01

morning at his residence on Webster
street. About a year ago his wife died and
since then he has been in failing health
and for the last four months it has been
apparent that the end was not far away.
A. K. P. Harmon's life was one continu-
ance of successes. At the time of his
death he was director of the Bank of
California, director of TIE Security Saw
ings Bank, yice-presioent of the Arctic
Steam-whaling Company, trustee of Mills
College, president of the Mountain View
Cemetery Association and president of the
Choliar, Potosi, Imperial, Silver: Hill and
Challenge mining companies. ~
He was born at Scarborough, Cum ber-
land County, Me-, in 1921. He served as
clerk in early life in Portland, Me. In
184S he left the East for California, taking
passage first to Chagres. At that time no
through tickets were sold, and the journey
was a=dangerous one. 1t did not frighten
young Harmon, though, and on arrival at
Chagres he walked across the isthmus to
Panama, where he remained six weeks and
then took passage on the Oregon for San
Francisco. ~. -: =. =: : ::
AS an idea of the discomforts of travel in
those dayslt may be mentioned that Mr.:
Harmon and his companions made the
| trip up the coast in room improYised out
OF the two forward deck boats: - =: -.
1t was April, 1S49, when Mr.. Harmon
| finally landed in San Francisco. He did
not tarIy in that settlement long but at an
early opportunity took passage on.a small.
schooner for Sacramento, paying $50 for
/ the privilege OF being on board the boat.
| An OK team was now secured, and Mr..
Harmon and his friends proceeded to
I Coloma, where they went to work in the
mines. His first day 8 labor was rewarded
I MI N on, Sc ~
encouraging conditions he. worked for
! quite awhile. Heleft the diggings, though,
to participate in the rush to Spanish Bar:
|. where he. again encountered good luck
|: and amassed quite a small fortune. u, :. :.
The subjoined biographical sketch is
| furnished by Henry b. Livingston, histori-
ographer of the Society of California
/ Pioneers. ~: =: : = =
The deceased was born in =Scarboroughr
Me-, j uly *13, 1921. His father, John M.
2Harmon, was a prosperous :: farmer of
oxford County. - =. ::
| After acquiring. the rudiments of. a
common school education in. his native
town the lad when Ia years of age went to
Portland, where: he, served as clerk in a.
grocery store during the following two
years. For a. similar period he acted in a
like capacity in Scarborough, ,and at the
expiration OF the latter ter M journeyed. to
Darien, Ca He again resumed cerking
for two years, when he began trading on.
his. own. account. 2 He:opened a furstore,
and subsequently, under the name and firm
of Boothby & Harmon, continued in busi-.
ness until 1S47. @On the dissolution of this
partnership. the young merchant met wit h
his first serious loss in the destruction of
his effects by fire. - 80. -. =
+ at the outbreak of the gold fever in
California Mr.. Harmon, with character
istic lmpulsiveness, resolved to be in the
van of the grand army of adventures
bound to the new FL Dorado of the Occi-
dent. A company of four companions
with himself was organized and daily
christened the "B. e. r. Co." Without
loss OF time they fastened to New York
and set sail for Chagres early in Decem-
Der, 1848. A tedious delay of nearly two.
months on the isthmus was happily ter
minated by the arrival from New York
via the Strait OF Magellan of the steam
ship Oregon. He had no steamer ticket.
but fortunately through the kindly offices
of Agent Randell he secured passage at
the regular rates. AS an illustration of
the exorbitant prices demanded for tickets
it may be stated that at this time the late
]. B. Bidleman paid $3.50 at auction for a
single fare..to San Francisco. Owing to the
crowd Mr.. Harmon was compelled to sleep
every night in quarter boat.
On April l. 1S49, the ship entered the
Golden Gate. She found the sister steamer
California swinging at anchor in this bay,
forlorn craft, her crew having deserted
and yamosed TO the mines. In order 10
save his own sailors Captain Pearson Of