JOHN E. McCARTY

Bio-Sawyers

SURNAMES:CLARK, FREEMAN

As a member of a well-known family, John E. McCarty is fast making his way to the fore as a prominent surveyor and civil engineer and is now serving as city engineer of Mountain View where his excellent work has put him in the line of preferment for positions of even greater public trust. A native of Mountain View, he was born May 1, 1887, the son of Luke and Bridget (Clark) McCarty. Both parents were born and reared in Ireland, the father in County Roscommon and the mother in County Cavan. The father came to America at the age of seventeen and settled in South Carolina, but soon joined the ranks of the Argonauts and for several years was actively en-gaged in gold mining. He went on several prospect-ing trips, one being to the Kootenay, B. C., country. Later in life, however, he became a prominent con-tractor and builder. The mother came to New York City and thence to San Francisco, sailing with the family of General Conley, a retired Union general, who was appointed consul to Honolulu under Pres-ident Arthur. In Honolulu she met Luke McCarty, who was engaged in the contracting and building business for the Hawaiian government and was engaged by King Kalakua to build his palace. They were married in Honolulu in 1882 and remained there until1884, when they returned to San Francisco and the following year located at Mountain View. He worked at Jack Wright's Mills for a time and then purchased seven acres of the Castro-Calderon Sub-division of Mountain View, later acquiring thirteen acres more. He passed away at the age of sixty"four in July, 1901, and seven months later the mother died at the age of forty-eight. They were the parents of three children: Thomas, born in Honolulu; John E., of this sketch; and Clara M., deceased.

John E. McCarty attended the public schools of Mountain View, later took a course in the com-mercial high school of San Francisco, graduating with the class of 1905. He became associated with a civil engineering firm in San Francisco and was there during the great earthquake and fire and was active in the rebuilding of greater San Francisco, resurveying streets, etc. In 1910 he successfully passed the civil service examination and was assigned to the board of public works under Marsden Manson, city engineer, and served under him and his successor, M. M. O'Shaughnessy, continuing in the city engineer's office until 1919, when he resigned. Among the notable surveys he helped to make the  preliminary survey for the Hetch Hetchy and Lake Eleanor water supply.

In October, 1918, Mr. McCarty was married to Miss Eldora L. Freeman, a daughter of George and Emma (Perrins) Freeman, both living in Palo Alto, retired farmer, well known and esteemed in the community. The father came to California in 1852, locating at Tomales, Marin County, later removing to San Luis Obispo County and in 1900 settled in Mountain View. Mr. McCarthy is an active member of Mountain View Parlor, N. S. G. W., and formerly was a member of Twin Peaks Parlor of San Fran-cisco. Mrs. McCarty is past president of the EI Monte Parlor, N. D. G. W., at Mountain View. Mr. and Mrs. McCarty are the parents of two children, John E., Jr. and Robert Clarke.