The more posts the Belmont Historical Society REMOVED, the more radical posts – I posted! This in itsef is – HISTORICAL – considering Kamala Harris is the presidential candidate, and Robert Kennedy Jr. ended his bid for president – and endorsed Donald Trump – to the horror of Cheryl Hines. Denny Lawhern Little Private Culture War that he conducted in the City of Belmont – reeks of Jim Crow. Dukes of Hazard comes to mind. Denny turned Belmont into a closed racist city that some towns in Alabama would admire. OMG! I wrote Kamala and bid her to BEGIN her campaign for Vice President – at Defremery Park! This is – HUGE!
I am going to invite Henry Gates to come to Oakland and investigate my family tree. We can stay at the Oaks Motel, the film crew and all. I will show Henry – MY ROOTS! Then, we will go to Belmont with Ed Howard and behold Denny’s ‘Living Rock of White Power’ and interview the dudes who were immortalized – while still alive! We will ask – WHY? Will they tell – THE TRUTH?
Above is a pic of me and my 72 Caddy. I just took Michael Harkin for a tour of ‘Johnny’s Oakland ‘ as he titled it. We went into West Oakland, and drove down 7th Street. Sly and the Family Stone considered hiring Michael as a their drummer. He was good friends with Michael McClure, and Jim Morrison. We need an old Cadillac Limousine. I will treat Henry to a Kaspar’s hotdog.
Famous Last Words. Denny held the Great White Line as long as he could – with Cynthia’s help.
Greg Presco Hi Greg , I have been enjoyed some of your posts and photos that are directly related to the Belmont area and you have provided some new photos and information that will be put in a file, but please try not to post anything that is off topic or is not Belmont Area related.Thank you , Denny Lawhern Belmont Historian
“My name is Cynthia McCarthy and you can blame me and me alone, not the Belmont Historical Society. You can email me at carthy@gmail.com.
Denny’s Turf War……. or is not Belmont Area related.
John Presco
President: Oakland Johnny’s Tours’
EXTRA! When my bare feet hit the carpet I had a vision of Herny Gates and I standing of the grave of Carl Janke, we both having to raise our voices because of the freeway noise – that some folks use to fall sleep! WTF? The founder of Belmont thought he and his loves ones would be hearing birds chirping for an eternity.
Our Vision Quest will begin with lunch at Kaspar’s with several members of the Hell’s Angels who will talk about their search for their roots.
“Are three of your ancestors – in one grave?”
“I have a theory. They pretended to dig up three bodies in the middle of the night. They turned over the top soil with shovels. They then moved the large monument to a pauper’s graveyard next to the Union cemetery, because burials were CLOSED. Then, they lay out the route for the Woodside Highway, and, they found the poor graveyard. They might have snuck some tombstones inside the Union. It looks like the BHS came down here in the middle of the night – and moved the Janke Founder – just inside the Union. “
“Are you suggesting there was a ruse, and, your ancestors are under the Bay tree in Belmont?”
“Yes! The only other possibility is, they did dig up and rebury THE FOUNDERS, but, did not dig them up again to put them – HERE!”
“Wait a minute. Is it possible, they are under ten thousand tons of concrete – OVER THERE? These are Oddfellows! Doesn’t this corrupt everything they stand for?”
Twin Pines Park Dedication Plaque, Belmont, California
It is 8:33 A.M. May 27, 2023 – and I am still in shock having discovered my grandparents are buried in the same grave! I saw TWO flags put on one gravestone. That was a half hour ago. THEN – I see another flag! There are three of my ancestors buried in the same grave! WHY? Did the caretakers conclude this was a very poor family? William Stuttmeister knew they were Belmont before he died. At great expense to himself, he moved the Jankes to Colma after they were evicted from the Odd Fellow cemetery – at great expense! This was a wealthy pioneer family whose graves keep being defiled! They were moved to the Union cemetery i 1972?
1of56November 30, 1964: Hells Angels kissing. Big man on the right is “Puff.” The caption for this photo, that appeared in the Chronicle, read as follows: “We’re ‘kiss-me, baby’ angels from hell and here’s a smack to prove it.”
21ST JULY 1970: HELL’S ANGELS KISSING AT A FREE POP CONCERT HELD IN HYDE PARK, LONDON IN 1970. (PHOTO BY EVENING STANDARD/GETTY IMAGES)
On June 1, 1968, I was driving my 1949 Ford down Adeline when I saw a crowd in Defremery Park. I saw a white man on truck talking to a crowd of black people. Up front were about twenty Black Panthers shouting and pumping their fists. I had pulled over, and now got out of my car and walked to the edge of the crowd. I could not believe I was hearing the voice of Robert Kennedy. In doing research on this speech I discovered John F. Kennedy spoke here on November 2, 1960. I am sure Bobby was making a statement, that he intends to walk in his brothers footsteps which is tragic for Bobby was murdered on June 5th. I had seen John drive through Oakland on his way up Telegraph. There was a light around his head. His younger brother had that same light. This park is worthy of a National Monument. I just sent Senator Kamala Harris this message.
Dear Vice President Elect: While studying the Oakland History that my friend, Ed Howard, has put together – with love – I saw that he had helped put a High School reunion together at Defremery Park in Oakland. I had driven by this park in 1968 and heard Robert Kennedy’s voice. He was speaking to a crowd of blacks. In the front were about twenty Black Panthers doing a chant, and pumping their fists. John Kennedy also spoke here on November 2, 1960. It looks like Bobby was giving the message he was walking in his brother’s footsteps which is tragic, for he was gunned down four days after he spoke to the people of Oakland where you were born. The man this park was named after married a mulatto woman. When you read John’s speech, it is the same message many Democrats are giving – this very day! We need to launch a real progressive movement here, not one that has been watered down. I know Ed Howard and I would like to see our history not go round in circles. We are in our seventies. We would like to see you come home and launch your Vice Presidency at Defremery Park that should be declared a National Park and Monument. Ed and I would like to be on the committee. We are Oakland natives with a mountain of ideas and enthusiasm.
John Presco
President: Royal Rosamond Press
Virginie was the “daughter of Leon Herckenrath, wealthy Dutch merchant and Consul of Netherlands in charge of the states of Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina during the 1820’s, and his wife, Juliette Louisa McCormick de Magnan, a beautiful mulatto slave girl whom her father had purchased when she was 11 years old, much to the shock of Charleston, So. Carolina’s social elite.
Their first child was Virginie. Her father and mother returned to Holland from So. Carolina with their family and they eventually had fifteen children.” 1
James de Fremery and Virginie Herckenrath de Fremery 8James de Fremery (February 17, 1826–1899) was a well-to-do merchant born in the Netherlands. He came to San Francisco in 1849 and was a “commission merchant.” His merchant firm was, fittingly, called “de Fremery and Company.” 2
James de Fremery married Virginie Therese Herckenrath, the daughter of wealthy Dutch merchant Leon Herckenrath and his wife Juliette Louisa McCormick de Magnan. Leon Herckenrath was also the Consul of Netherlands in charge of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, Juliette Louisa McCormick de Magnan was a former slave whom Leon purchased when she was 11 years old, then later married. The Herckenraths went on to have 15 children, of which Virginie was the oldest.
James de Fremery was the founder of the Savings Union Bank of San Francisco (which became Wells Fargo) and, like many early residents of Oakland, owned large amounts of real estate in Oakland. 1This land included an area known then as “The Point”: six city blocks between Adeline and Poplar and between Sixteenth and Eighteenth Streets. 7
James de Fremery was also president of the Chamber of Commerce (not clear if Oakland or San Francisco), involved in the Savings and Loan Society, the Giant Powder Company, the American Sugar Refining Company and the railroads. de Fremery died on a train, of heart disease. 4 de Fremery died a wealthy man: his estate was estimated between $100,000 and $500,000. 6
de Fremery built the family estate “The Grove” in Oakland, where he and the family lived for many years until the death of his son, James Leon de Fremery, who left the estate to the City of Oakland to be used as a park. The estate is now de Fremery Park, and the home, an Oakland Landmark, is the de Fremery Recreation Center.
OTHER POSITIONS IN GOVERNMENT
Dutch Consul in San Francisco3
Death and burial
James de Fremery died in 1899 on a train on his way back to the Bay Area. He is buried in the de Fremery family grave in plot 8 in Mountain View Cemetery.
Fardon, GR et al. San Francisco Album: Photographs 1854-1856. Chronicle Books: 1999.
I want the people of the world to know that in 1960 a new generation of Americans is taking over, a generation committed to progress, committed to picking this country up and moving it forward. I want America to stand as a symbol around the world of what freedom can do. I want everyone in Latin America, in Africa, in Asia, to look to us, not to Khrushchev, but to us. What this country can do, fairness for all people justice – I want progress and we are going to get it. I ask your help. (Applause)
REMARKS OF SENATOR JOHN F. KENNEDY, DEFREMERY PARK, OAKLAND, CA, NOVEMBER 2, 1960
Byron Rumford, distinguished Californians, Jeff Cohelan, who I hope you are going to elect Congressman from this District — he is a great one. I want us to go all the way for him, because he is fighting for this District and the United States; George P. Miller, with whom I served in the Congress for 14 years, who speaks for this district and for the United States; Governor Brown, Allen Broussard, ladies and gentlemen — we are not discriminating against you over there. (Laughter) I am here tonight, here in California, in the closing days of this campaign, to ask your help, to ask your help in defeating the Republican Party. (Applause) I understand Mr. Nixon is coming here on Saturday. He is going to South Carolina on Thursday and here on Saturday. I want you to ask him three questions.
First, name one piece of progressive legislation in behalf of the people that he has supported that has been enacted into law, just one that served the people. (Response from the audience)
Second, I would like to have him explain why, when a bill was up seven times, seven times, in the House of Representatives, when he and I were both on the Labor Committee, seven times to provide fair employment practices, why I voted for it seven times and he voted against it seven times. (Response from the audience)
Ladies and gentlemen — we are on again. Ladies and gentlemen, this is an important election, and I come here and ask your help. I speak for the party of progress in 1960. I speak for the party that is committed to a progressive platform to advance equal opportunity for all Americans. (Applause)
Mr. Nixon represents a party which has opposed progress for 25 years. It opposed progress under Franklin Roosevelt. Mr. Nixon leads a party that voted 90 per cent in the 1930s against a 25 cent minimum wage. He leads a party that voted 90 per cent against $1.25 minimum wage in 1960. Mr. Nixon leads a party that controlled the House, the Senate and the White House in 1953 and 1954. Not a single civil rights bill saw the light of day in either body.
I am not interested in commitments to progress in 1960. I want to look at the record. I want to look at the record, and I want the people of this state and country to know the record of Richard Nixon and the Republican Party. It has stood against progress for 25 years. And we stand for progress and this country needs it. This country has to move ahead. I don’t see any reasons why here in this rich country of ours, 35 per cent of our brightest boys and girls who graduate from high school never see the inside of a college. I don’t see any reason why 15 million Americans should live in substandard housing. I don’t see any reason why a Negro baby and a white baby born side by side on the same day, that that white baby has three times as much chance of finishing high school, four times as much chance of finishing college, one fourth as much chance of being out of work, four times as much chance of owning his own home. We want opportunities for all. We want fairness for all. We want progress for all. (Applause)
Today, the most important new continent in the world is Africa. Do you know how many Negroes there are in our Foreign Service, out of 6,000 people? Do you know how many federal district judges there are in the United States who are Negroes? I think we can do better. I don’t say that everyone has the same talent, but I think everyone should have the same chance to develop his talent. That is what we say. (Applause)
We are committed to progress. We are committed to national justice. We are committed to using the talents of every man and woman. We are committed to moving this country ahead. We are committed to full employment. We are committed to going ahead. The Republican Party is committed to standing still and looking to the past. And I come here tonight in Oakland once again in the closing days of this campaign and ask your hand, your voice. I ask you to join us in moving this country ahead. (Applause)
Franklin D. Roosevelt fought this same fight in the 1930’s, social security, minimum wage, housing, unemployment compensation and fair opportunity. We fight it now in the Sixties. This is your fight. You are involved in this. You hold jobs. You live in homes. You want your children educated. You want full employment. You want medical care when you are older and social security. You want progress. You know this country either moves ahead or falls back. Nobody stands still in the 1960’s. This is your country. This is your fight and I ask you to join me in retiring Richard Nixon to Whittier, California. (Applause)
I want the people of the world to know that in 1960 a new generation of Americans is taking over, a generation committed to progress, committed to picking this country up and moving it forward. I want America to stand as a symbol around the world of what freedom can do. I want everyone in Latin America, in Africa, in Asia, to look to us, not to Khrushchev, but to us. What this country can do, fairness for all people justice – I want progress and we are going to get it. I ask your help. (Applause)
I ask you to march with us. I want to make it clear that the fight in 1960 is between those who are comfortable and those who are concerned, between those who want progress and those who look to the good old days, between those who stand where Dewey stood and Landon and all the others, and those who stand where Woodrow Wilson stood and Franklin Roosevelt. I come here to Oakland in the last five days of this campaign, and I ask your help in moving California and the nation and strengthening the cause of freedom. Join us. Move with us. Let’s go. (Applause)
When I announced my political memorabilia contest last week, I neglected to tell you my own story of a political memento lost. You could call it the whale that got away from a young boy, though it didn’t quite seem like a whale then.
In early June of 1960, when I was 10 years old, my pastor father went to a Jefferson-Jackson Day Democratic dinner in Minneapolis. Among the candidates who spoke that night was Sen. John F. Kennedy, who was closing in on the presidential nomination.
My dad, who had a parish in a distant suburb on Lake Minnetonka, approached Kennedy afterward and asked for an autograph for his son. Kennedy was charming. “Mixing a little church and state, eh, pastor?” he said when he saw my dad’s collar.
In our family, that wasn’t wholly a joke. My dad was an unabashed liberal who adored Adlai Stevenson. My mom was even more active in Democratic politics. Later that summer, my father took me to the party’s convention in Los Angeles, where he was an alternate delegate (And yes, committed to Stevenson, even when the cause was hopeless).Top Articles
Around that same time, there was an attempt in his Minnesota congregation to fire him for his political activity.
It was effectively scotched when a very conservative elder stood up and said, “Yeah, I don’t like his politics either. But when my mother was in the hospital, he was the first guy there.” My father understood constituent service.
A candidate’s scrawl
At the Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner, my father thrust a program into Kennedy’s hands, and JFK inscribed it, “To Scott, with best wishes, John F. Kennedy.” His last name was only a K and a line.
I remember being stunned that someone could break so many rules in cursive. Later on, of course, I learned that Kennedy broke many more rules than that.
Certainly, I knew the autograph was special, though to me it came nowhere near matching a Hank Aaron rookie card. When we moved to Tucson, Ariz., a year later, I tossed it in with the rest of my stuff. I took no special care to preserve it.
I haven’t been able to find it since, though I occasionally paw through my childhood mementos in forlorn hope. I’ve always thought of my loss as an act of filial disrespect.
My father went to some lengths to get it. (He did, after all, distrust Kennedy’s father. In our family, the story of the Kennedys buying the West Virginia primary was recited like a chapter from Leviticus).
The contest
Ironically, my JFK autograph would win no prizes in my memorabilia contest: I’ve specified that the political keepsake — button, pen, whatever — has to be local, essentially Santa Clara County.
I tell the story, however, in the hopes that it may jog you into entering. Grab your smartphone, take a photo of your memento, and send it to sherhold@mercurynews.com.
We have four categories: Wackiest, Most Historic/Rare, Most Authentically San Jose and Best Button Ensemble. We’ve received several formidable entries — including a Joe Colla nail file and an Al Garza button — but we can use more.
After our judges have selected finalists, readers will get a chance to vote online for their favorites. The prize? Immortality. I’ll write about your entry in the absolute conviction that you have a happier back story than my own.
1of56November 30, 1964: Hells Angels kissing. Big man on the right is “Puff.” The caption for this photo, that appeared in the Chronicle, read as follows: “We’re ‘kiss-me, baby’ angels from hell and here’s a smack to prove it.”
Rosamond Press 
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