James Witt Dougherty facts for kids

James Witt Dougherty (born 1813, died 1879) was an important person in California. He was a leader in politics, a big farmer, and owned a lot of land in the mid to late 1800s. He and his family helped develop an area called Murray Township. This area is in the eastern part of Alameda County, California.

Early Life and Moving West

James Witt Dougherty was born on April 26, 1813, in Liberty, Tennessee. In the 1840s, he owned businesses in Raymond, Mississippi. He tried to become the sheriff of Hinds County, Mississippi in 1843 but did not win. In 1846, he worked as a clerk handling important legal papers for the county.

In 1849, he traveled to California. He went through Panama as part of the exciting California Gold Rush. By 1850, he was working with a business called B. F. Hastings & Company in Sacramento, California. He also worked in the gold fields near Grass Valley, California.

Settling in California

James Dougherty returned to Mississippi in 1851. But he came back to California in 1852 with his wife, Elizabeth Argyll, and their two children. In December 1852, he and his partner, William Glaskins, bought about 10,000 acres of land. They paid Jose Maria Amador $22,000 for this land. This area later became the town of Dublin, California. James Dougherty later bought out Glaskins' share. He also bought even more land from Amador and others.

A Leader in the Community

Soon after Alameda County was created in 1853, James Dougherty helped set up the new county government. In 1855, people in Murray Township voted for him to represent them. That same year, he became the chairman of the Board of Supervisors. This group managed the county.

He was elected supervisor again in 1856, 1857, and 1859. He ran for election one more time in 1861 but lost. After that, he stopped being involved in local politics.

Building the Local Economy

Around 1860, James Dougherty helped the local economy grow. He had a two-story wooden hotel built in the community then known as Dougherty. This hotel was at the main crossroads. It competed with another hotel, a general store, and a blacksmith shop.

The hotel also had the local post office after 1860. James Dougherty himself was the postmaster, meaning he was in charge of the post office, from 1862 to 1874. He ran one of the biggest ranches in Murray Township. In 1860, his land was worth $115,000, and his other belongings were worth $71,000.

His Legacy

James Dougherty passed away on September 30, 1879. He left most of his property to his son, Charles, and his wife, Elizabeth. He also left some property to his grandchildren. His estate included 18,000 acres of land. This land was in and around Dublin, in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The land was valued at $550,000. Other items like crops and farm tools were worth $160,000.

Because the Dougherty family was important in politics and owned so much land, several places are named after them. These include Dougherty Valley, Dougherty Road, and Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon, California. These places are named for James Witt Dougherty or his family members.