Easton & Wilson Bill of Sale, circa 1905

During the last decade of the 19th century, Kimball G. Easton and Arthur R. Wilson became partners in the firm of Easton & Wilson, a construction company engaged in street construction and paving in the vicinity of Oakland and Berkeley, California. 

Kimball Gushee Easton, the eldest of five Easton siblings, was born in Santa Cruz in 1865. A civil engineering graduate of the University of California, in 1890 he worked for the Porphyry Paving Company of Los Angeles. Arthur Wilson graduated from MIT in 1890, returned to California to begin a career in construction, and was soon partnering with the Easton brothers in road construction and quarry operation.

Kimball’s brother Stanley A. Easton partnered with Arthur Wilson in Oakland’s Leona Heights Quarry, and brother in law Warren Porter brought him in on another new venture, Granite Rock Company, in 1900. Arthur Wilson’s wife, Alice, loaned $3,500 to Kimball Easton and Arthur Wilson in 1901. The liquidation of their business, documented below, may be repayment of the loan and transfer of company assets to the Wilson family. Once Granite Rock Company was a going concern, it became a general contractor for building and road construction throughout Northern California.

“For and in consideration of One dollar, lawful money of the United States, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, we do hereby sell to Alice J. Wilson the following described property, to wit:

1. All the contractors’ tools of every description wherever situated belonging to the firm of Easton & Wilson, including 1 new Era Grader, 1 truck, 3 wagons, 1 concrete mixer, 2 Fresno scrapers, Two horses, “Barney” and “Joe”.
2. All the contractors’ tools of every description wherever situated belonging to Kimball G. Easton, including 9 wheeled scrapers, 1 Turnpiking Grading Machine, 4 Fresno scrapers, 6 Plows, 2 wagons
3. All the contractors’ tools of every description wherever situated belonging to Arthur R. Wilson, including 1 Hoisting Engine, 1 light wagon.”

Signed by Kimball G. Easton Arthur R. Wilson