The Eastland family was involved in several significant Oakland businesses in the 1800s, including the Oakland Gas Light Company (which later became part of PG&E) and the Oakland Consolidated Street Railway. Many of the family members are buried in Plot 9 in Mountain View Cemetery.

Thomas Butler Eastland (1805 – 1864) married Josephine Green (Eastland) (1806 – 1886) in 1829 in Rutherford, Tennessee. Around 1840, Thomas went to New Orleans working in the cotton business. He later served in the Mexican-American War (1846 – 1848) as a major, serving as a quartermaster under General Zachary Taylor. Thomas and Josephine had 5 children in Nashville, Tennessee, and one born in New Orleans. The family came to California in 1864. 1

• Joseph Green Eastland (1831 – 1895) came to California with his father in 1849. He married Alice Lander (Eastland) (c.1848 – 1899) and they had three children. He became a director of the San Francisco Gaslight Company, and was president of the Oakland Gas Light Company. He settled in Mill Valley, and is considered one of the founders. He was involved with the North Pacific Coast Railroad. Sadly, Joseph and Alice's 7 year old daughter, Ethel, died in a railway accident in 1878 when a coupling broke and the car rolled free and crashed. When Alice died in 1898, she left $500,000 worth of property to their two sons. 2,3 The Eastlands purchased land in Rockridge Park in 1889, and had an estate called "Bon Air" built, but they also spent time in Mill Valley and at other properties.

• Thomas Butler Eastland (1832 – 1863) married Sarah Pearson (Eastland) in Tennessee in 1851. He served in the Tennessee infantry during the Civil War as a 2nd lieutenant, and died in 1863 of pneumonia while serving the Confederacy.

• Van Leer Eastland (1835 – 1894) came to California in 1854, then returned to Tennessee for the Civil War. He married Mary Kate Mitchell (Eastland) (1837 – 1898) and they had two children. In 1867 they came to Oakland, and by the 1869 directory, Van Leer was the superintendent of the Oakland Gas Light Company. Their daughter Florence Mitchell Eastland (Britton) married John A. Britton, who later became president of the gas light company and oversaw its merger into PG&E. 4,5c.1876 they lived on the southwest corner of 6th and Grove (now MLK) at 817 Grove (before 1912 renumbering.)

• Josephine Eastland (1841 – 1910) worked as a stenographer for a time. She never married, and was living in Santa Monica when she died.

• Andrew Jackson Eastland (c.1845 – 1887) worked as a clerk at the gas company, then later as a bank clerk. He married Amelia Fredricka Zwicker (Eastland) (1857 – 1927) in 1886 then died suddenly in 1887.

• Alfred Taylor Eastland (1847 – 1913) was born in New Orleans. He married Emma Edmonston (Eastland) (1849 – 1934) and worked for the Oakland Gas Light Company for a time. 6 The 1889 directory lists him as the secretary of the Stockton Gas Light and Heat Company. They had one daughter, Mabel Eastland (McClure), who married James W. McClure. Their son, Donald McClure married Margaret Moore, daughter of attorney A.A. Moore.

Rebecca Eastland (c.1821 – 1896) was a woman born into slavery in Nashville, who served as nurse to multiple generations of the Eastland family. When the Eastlands came to California, they brought "Aunt Becky" with them. Joseph G. Eastland had left a bequest to care for her in her later years, and directed that she was to be buried in his family plot when she died. 7,8

Links and References

  1. Full of Years Oakland Tribune January 29, 1886
  2. Death of J.G. Eastland San Francisco Call November 24, 1895
  3. Will of Alice L. Eastland Sacramento Union April 23, 1899
  4. Stricken Down Suddenly Oakland Times September 10, 1894
  5. Mrs. Eastland Passes to Her Merited Reward Oakland Tribune December 13, 1898
  6. A.T. Eastland Passes Beyond Oakland Tribune October 3, 1913
  7. Aunt Becky's Death Oakland Enquirer November 18, 1896
  8. His Last Will Oakland Times December 5, 1895
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