Slinkey Business Ventures and Fraternal Affiliations

The Slinkey Family Main Page

Here is an alphabetical listing of business and club affiliations of the Slinkey and Dern families from the 1870s to 1920s. Some are listed in greater details with their own pages while others are no more than a name listed in a directory or newspaper.


783 Market Street (1869-1873)

Lodging house near the corner of 4th Street. It connected on two floors to the building around the corner, No. 9 4th Street. About 30 rooms and leased by Slinkey after he changes name from Schlinke and gets out of close scrape for stealing a widow's money in 1868. When he moves to the Overland House on Sacramento in 1873, he offers it for sale, and then a month later a mysterious fire mostly guts it and Slinkey gets insurance money.


Ancient Order of United Workmen (A.O.U.W.)

AOUW logo from Harris Brothers cigars original trademark filings at the California State Archives, digitized through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). - 2019-11-22

By 1885, this fraternal benefit organization was the largest in the United States, providing insurance and burial policies. Slinkey seems to have upped his involvement with the A.O.U.W. with an effort to created a proper cemetery in Sausalito, California after his young son Francis died in 1885.

July 9, 1885: J. E. Slinkey was installed as a Trustee of A.O.U.W. Lodge No. 20 in Sausalito, California. (Sausalito News, July 9, 1885). He would later be on the Committee of Reception for an October 17, 1885 ball and be listed as being elected Financier of the Lodge. (Sausalito News, September 24, 1885 and October 1, 1885.) He resigns the position in late January 1886.


Cremorne Gardens (1879-1880)

Picnic grounds in Martinez, California, owned and run by the Slinkeys from 1879 to at least 1880. This operation was likely a good suburban training experience for their ownership of the El Monte Hotel.

April 5, 1879: San Francisco News Letter and California Advertiser, page 7 under "Amusements" lists "'Cremorne Gardens,' Martinez, Contra Costa County. This property has lately been purchased by the undersigned, who is fitting it up for Picnics, Festivals, Excursions and Rural Entertainments for the Coming Season. An immense Pavilion is in course of construction. The Grounds are very extensive, with shady trees & creek of running water, and are accessible by both steamboat and railroad. Can be secured on liberal terms by applying on the premises, or to J. E. Slinkey, Overland House."

April 12, 1879: San Francisco News Letter and California Advertiser, page 6: "Cremorne Gardens, Martinez---On Sunday, April 13th, the boat will leave Washington Street Wharf at 9am for Martinez with excursionists for the Inauguration Picnic of the Cremorne Gardens, one of the most beautiful places of resort on the whole Pacific Coast. The opening address will be delivered by Eugene N. Deuprey, and the Germania Rifles and German Dragoons will form the escort."

June 21, 1879: San Francisco News Letter and California Advertiser, page 2: "Excursion to Cremorne Gardens, Martinez, Sunday. Steamer S. M. Whipple leaves Wash. St. wharf at 9am."

August 29, 1879: San Francisco Evening Bulletin, page 2 (ad): “EXCURSION! The Fourteenth Family Excursion of the Season to CREMORNE GARDENS, Martinez, will take place on Sunday next, August 31st. The fast and commodious steamer, PARTHENIUS, Capt. Falkenburg, will leave Washington Street Wharf, at 10 A.M., and returning, will leave Martinez at 4 P.M. The boat will stop at Vallejo and Benicia both ways. Music and refreshments on the boat. Fare for the round trip, 50 cents. Children under 10 years, Free. J. E. SLINKEY, Agent.”

June 2, 1880: Entire Slinkey family enumerated at Cremorne Gardens for the 1880 U.S. Federal Census.


El Monte Hotel (1882-1897)

Large hotel in Sausalito, California run by the Slinkeys from about 1882 to 1897. See the El Monte Hotel page for more.


El Monte Hotel (1896)

Another named Slinkey-run boarding house at 501 Geary Street. After financial troubles in 1896, the family retreated to San Francisco and used the name.


Live Stock Gazette (1891-1897)

Likely a trade newspaper? The publishing company incorporated in 1891 with A. D. Ball, Ernest Heymans, John J. Slinkey [sic] and J. A. Crist as directors with a capital stock of $50,000. (San Francisco Chronicle, June 4, 1891, pg. 12.) J. E. Slinkey was called as a witness to Pinole in Contra Costa County in 1893 for a court case filed against the Gazette (Ernest Heymans, defendant) by Union Stock Yard for back rent in the Hotel and Exchange Building in Rodeo, California.

In J. E. Slinkey's listing in the 1897 San Francisco Directory he is listed as secretary of "Livestock and Butcher's Gazette, Pub. Co., 411 1/2 California Street."


Morgan House (1881)

Perhaps run in conjunction with the Cremorne Gardens? The key reference comes from 1881:

"Hotel Destroyed by Fire. MARTINEZ, April 29th. — At about 8 o'clock this evening a fire broke out in one of the upper rooms of the Morgan House, in this town, and the building was soon burned to the ground. Very little of the furniture or effects were saved. The building was insured in the Home Mutual for $2,500, and the fixtures and bar, owned by the lessee, J. E. Slinkey, were insured for $1,300 in the State Investment. The value of the building and contents was $5,000. The cause of the fire is unknown." (Sacramento Daily Record-Union, 30 April 1881, page 4, column 6.)


Overland House (1873-1879)

Hotel run by Slinkeys in San Francisco from 1873 - 1879. read more on the Overland House page.


Sausalito Hall (1890-1896)

Social hall and bar operated by Slinkey on Water Street, below the hill and the El Monte Hotel in Sausalito.

Opening night was June 7, 1890. Had a large dance hall, "the only one of any size in the place," and rooms for overnight guests (San Francisco Chronicle, July 5, 1893, pg. 4).

May have been a joint business vernture with John Dern, as it was said to be owned by Slinkey & Dern when it burned down on July 4, 1893. Was rebuilt.

“A number of well-known society people intend accompanying Miss Susan B. Anthony and Mrs. Kate Tupper-Galpin to Sausalito this afternoon. After seeing the sights of the terraced town the party will attend a woman suffrage rally in Slinkey’s Hall at 8 o’clock in the evening. Miss Anthony and Mrs. Tupper-Galpin will both speak, and a fine musical programme will be given. Miss Anthony is also booked to speak at another suffrage rally on Saturday night at the Grand Opera-house, Martinez.” ("Woman Suffrage Work," San Francisco Call, September 30, 1896, page 5, column 6.)

Two men pose on pier with former Sausalito Hotel building in right background. J. B. Monaco photograph; courtesy of Richard Monaco. - 2019-10-13


Sausalito House (1897-1899)

Ad in The Breeder & Sportsman, April 16, 1898 - 2022-11-01

The lodging/apartment house that the Slinkeys retreated to at 110 Ellis Street in San Francisco after finances forced them out of the El Monte Hotel.

April 16, 1898: “A Model Apartment House. The ‘Sausalito,’ located at 110 Ellis street, is one of the best equipped lodging houses in the city. Under the management of Col. J. E. Slinkey, the well-known hotel Boniface of Marin County, the ‘Sausalito’ offers to the public every comfort of a well-equipped apartment house. A trial will convince the most skeptical that Col. Slinkey is the right man in the right place.—San Francisco Breeder and Sportsman.” (Sausalito News, April 16, 1898, page 3, column 3.)

Sanborn fire insurance map showing Sausalito House as three-story lodging house at 110 Ellis Street with saloon on ground floor. - 2019-10-14


Sausalito News

Housed in the Sausalito Hotel when that building burned down on July 4, 1893, "when the whole plant was destroyed." (San Francisco Chronicle, July 5, 1893, pg. 4)


Seal Lion Hunter

In 1905, J. E. Slinkey traveled with an old schoolmate from his Australia days (and their wives) to capture sea lions in the California Channel Islands. It wasn't the first time Slinkeys worked with Mallet in sea lions. In May 1891, Dan Slinkey was reported headed to Chicago from Sausalito with 30 sea lions for Mallet. State law restricting harvest of sea lions went into effect in 1909.

May 13, 1905: “IN SEARCH OF CHANNEL SEALS. Colonel Slinkey and Captain Mullet [Mallet? Spelled Mullet throughout article.] Will Spend Summer on Santa Cruz. Colonel and Mrs. J. E. Slinkey and Captain and Mrs. J. R. Mullet are in the city. Colonel Slinkey and Captain Mullet are so well known on the Pacific coast and in this city that they will not require any introduction to the readers of The Press. The former hails from San Francisco and the latter from New York, but they have been here a number of times during the last forty years and have been associated with the earliest settlers of Santa Barbara. Captain Mullet was formerly connected with Editor Harrison Gray Otis when that gentleman was editing the Santa Barbara Press, and has also written for other journals of California. The two men are old schoolmates, but it has been over forty-five years since they studied together in college.

“Colonel Slinkey and Captain Mullet are here to engage in one of the remunerative occupations of this locality—the catching of live sea lions, and they will spend the summer at Anacapa island in that pursuit. They have secured a serviceable launch and a complete seal fishing outfit from San Francisco and will make their first trip to Anacapa island within a week or ten days. They expect to capture thirty on the first trip and will then go back for more. They will then go east and to Europe with the sea lions to fill orders they have secured from circuses and zoological gardens.

“These gentlemen are not new at the sea lion catching business. Captain Mullet has the reputation of having caught over 600 sea lions off this coast, the largest part of those exhibited all over the world, and they will no doubt have success in their present undertaking.” (“In Search of Channel Seals,” Santa Barbara Morning Press, May 13, 1905, pg. 5, col. 5.)

June 29, 1905: “GET SEA LIONS. The power launch Pietra Liquore arrived yesterday from the islands with an elegant lot of fine sea lions, belonging to Mallett and Slinkey, for shipment east and to European markets. They were all lassoed by Dally and Espinosa, experts in the business.” And in column 2: “SEA LIONS SHIPPED. Twelve live sea lions were shipped to Paris, France, from this city last night over Wells Fargo Express company’s lines. They were captured at the channel islands and shipped by Colonel Slinkey. Santa Barbara s becoming an important point in the sea lion industry, as foreign shipments of these strange animals are now no uncommon occurrence.” (“News of Town and County,” Santa Barbara Weekly Press, June 29, 1905, pg. 5, col. 1. Also ran in June 24, 1905 issue of Santa Barbara Morning Press, “Brevities," page 8, col 3.)


Society of Old Friends

Fraternal organization which operated under slightly different names from the 1860s into at least the 1910s. J. E. Slinkey was almost always listed as the secretary. See the Old Friends page for more information and a great image!


United Ancient Order of Druids

J. E. Slinkey is listed as the secretary (what else) of the Panhandle Grove No. 172 of the United Ancient Order of Druids in San Francisco in August 1906. (San Francisco Call, August 24, 1906, pg. 10.)