William Bowers Bourn II
William Bowers Bourn II | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | July 5, 1936 (aged 79) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Oversaw Empire Mine and San Francisco Gas Company; investments in Spring Valley Water Company; role in creation of Pacific Gas and Electric Company; developer of Filoli estate |
William Bowers Bourn II (May 31, 1857 – July 5, 1936) was a prominent American businessman and social figure. He oversaw operations at the Empire Mine and the San Francisco Gas Company, made investments in the Spring Valley Water Company, and played a leading role in orchestrating a merger that ultimately created the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Bourn was also responsible for developing significant estates in California, notably including Filoli located in San Mateo County, California.
Biography
Bourn was born in San Francisco, California as the second child of mining magnate William Bowers Bourn and Sarah Esther Chase. His education included studies at Union College, St. Augustine's College in Benicia, and the University School in San Francisco. Following his father's accidental death in 1874, he pursued classical studies at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.
Upon returning to California in 1878, he took on management roles within his family’s enterprises, restructured the Empire Mine to enhance its efficiency, established a bank in Grass Valley, California, and secured a position on the board of the San Francisco Gas Company. By 1887, he divested from his mining ventures. In 1888, Bourn collaborated with E. Everett Wise to construct the expansive Greystone Cellars in Napa Valley, eventually buying out Wise’s share before selling the property in 1894 amid the phylloxera infestation crisis.
In 1896, Bourn reclaimed ownership of the Empire Mine. Throughout the 1890s, he spearheaded consolidations among San Francisco’s electricity and gas providers that culminated in the formation of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. His substantial investment in the Spring Valley Water Company began in 1890; this company was later acquired by San Francisco’s municipal government in 1929 and became its principal water supplier following the contentious expansion of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Despite facing criticism from the San Francisco Chronicle regarding water pricing, Bourn defended the necessity for fair returns and strategic planning for future development.
Personal life
In 1881, Bourn married Agnes Moody. The couple had two children: a son named William Bowers Bourn III who died shortly after birth in 1882, and a daughter named Maud born in 1883. Together with his wife, he constructed their rural estate Filoli in Woodside, California, completed in 1915. After suffering a stroke in 1922 that confined him to a wheelchair, Bourn faced personal loss when Maud passed away from pneumonia in Manhattan in 1929. That same year, he sold the Empire Mine to Newmont Mining Corporation. Bourn died at Filoli and was interred alongside his wife and daughter on the estate grounds.
Estates and properties
- Asilo (Villa Eden Del Mar), located at 3270 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, California. Designed by architect George Washington Smith in Spanish Revival style and built in 1924 for Bourn’s daughter Maud.
- Filoli, situated at 86 Cañada Road, Woodside, California. Erected in 1915 on company-owned land by architect Willis Polk; currently open to visitors as an exemplary American country estate.
- Muckross House, on Muckross Peninsula, Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland. Originally constructed in 1843 by Scottish architect William Burn; acquired by Bourn in 1911 as a gift for his daughter and her husband. In honor of Maud’s memory, he donated it to the Irish government in 1932; it now forms part of Killarney National Park.
- Empire "Cottage", located within Empire Mine State Historic Park, Grass Valley, California. Commissioned by Bourn in 1897 with design by Willis Polk.
- Bourn Mansion, found at 2550 Webster Street in Pacific Heights, San Francisco. Built using clinker brick by Willis Polk in 1896.
- Greystone Cellars, situated at 2555 Main Street, St Helena, California. Constructed in 1888 under Willis Polk’s direction; currently houses The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.
See also
- North Star Mine and Powerhouse – under Bourn II's ownership between 1884 and 1887
- Sunol Water Temple – constructed at the direction of Bourn II in Sunol, California
- Pulgas Water Temple – built by the San Francisco Water Department during Bourn II’s tenure, situated in Woodside, California