Background
Biography: James Tuft was born at Nordby, Fano, Denmark on June 30, 1827. He left Denmark at age 14 shipping out as a cabin
boy. He arrived in San Francisco in 1849 and signed up with an unknown principal to search for gold under the terms of free
food and lodging plus $1.00 per year plus a percentage of gold produced. This contract lasted one year with Tuft terminating
with only the $1.00 specified. He started in business for himself carrying potatoes and onions from Sacramento to San Francisco
in a small double-ender scow gradually increasing this business to the point of purchasing several larger double-ender vessels
for this traffic. Eventually, he purchased an interest in a coastal schooner and entered into the carriage of passengers for
the Isthmus of Panama to San Francisco. Later, he established an office located at 22 California Street, investing his earnings
in shares of certain vessels, also acting as agent for certain vessels. At the time of the earthquake in 1906, Tuft's office
was removed
from San Francisco to 1402 Park Street, Alameda and shortly thereafter at age 79 he retired from active business. He died
at Alameda, California on August 18, 1909.