Résumé

Principal, Portois, Peter, Architect and Civil Engineer, Sacramento, CA, c. 1858. In 04/1858, Portois maintained an office with W.W. Price in Read's Building in Sacramento. An advertisement in the Sacramento Daily Union newspaper introduced his services: "P. Portois Architect and Engineer--Proposes to open an office in Sacramento for the pursuit of his profession, and will be happy to receive orders for plans and specifications, and for the superintendence of the work. He would recommend his new patent fire proof system of construction for private residences, which will be found more healthy and less expensive than the former mode of building." (See Sacramento Daily Union, vol. 15, no. 2211, 04/28/1858, p. 1.)

Principal, Peter Portois, Architect and Civil Engineer, San Francisco, CA, c. 1861- . Portois had rooms in Naglee's Building at Montgomery Street and Merchant Street in San Francisco between 1861 and 1863. (See San Francisco City Directory, 1861, p. 371 and San Francisco City Directory, 1863, p. 295.) He maintained an office at 620 Merchant Street In San Francisco in 1865, which was probably the same address as Naglee's Building. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008, accessed 08/31/2016.) His office was recorded as being at 709 Montgomery Street in 1866, again probably another side of Naglee's Block. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008, accessed 08/31/2016.) Three years later, in 1869, he worked at 408 California Street. (See San Francisco City Directory, 1869, p. 506 and 676.)

Partner, Portois and Hillirt, Architects and Engineers, San Francisco, CA, c. 1872. He operated this firm with Frederick Hillirt. In 1872, they had an office at 604 Merchant Street. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1872, p. 534.)

Portois practiced on his own in 1879, maintaining an office at 432 Montgomery Street. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1879, p. 936.)

In 1883, Portois operated his practice at 519 Montgomery Street (between Clay and Commercial Streets) in San Francisco. (See the San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1883, p. 1106.) A classified ad in the Daily Alta California newspaper in 1884, indicated that his hours were from 12-2 and 4-5:30. (See "Architects" Daily Alta California, vol. 37, no. 12649, 11/30/1884, p. 9.)

Portois looked actively for civil engineering work during his career. A note in the Daily Alta California in 1887 stated: "The written offer of the 'valuable' services of P. Portois, a civil engineer, to superintend 'a proper scientific system of sewerage,' was placed on file." (See "The Street committee, Urgent Municipal Improvements To Be Recommended," Daily Alta California, vol. 42, no. 13839, 07/22/1887, p. 2.)

Professional Activities

The Daily Alta California reported in 1887 that Portois had been granted a patent for a new wheel fender design. (See "Patents for Calfiornians," Daily Alta California, vol. 42, no. 13887, 09/08/1887, p. 5.)

In 1868, Portois was indicted in US District Court for "doing business without a license" but this case was abandoned nolle prosequi according to a newspaper report of 03/27/1868: "Nolle prosequi was entered in the cases of the following persons, indicted for doing business without license, viz.: Peter Portois...." (See "US District Court--Hoffman, J.," Daily Alta California, Volume 20, Number 6586, 03/27/1868, p. 2.)

In 1874, Portois was on the Board of Directors of the Eureka Artificial Stone Company, 304 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, incorporated on 01/19/1874. (See "Incorporations," Sacramento Daily Union, vol. 46, no. 7112, 01/20/1874, p. 3.) Eureka Artificial Stone sought capital to expand its operations using a new variation on the French Cognet method of mass-producing low-cost concrete. (See "Eureka Artificial Stone," Los Angeles Herald, Volume 1, Number 129, 03/05/1874, p. 2.)

Relocation

Born in Belgium, Portois immigrated to the US in about 1851. He was working as an architect/civil engineer in Sacramento, CA, by 1858. He relocated to San Francisco, CA, by where he opened an architectural/civil engineering practice.

The architect lived on Agnes Lane near Dupont Street in 1872. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1872, p. 534.)

Portois resided at 1116 Taylor Street in San Francisco from at least 1888 until 1890. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 65; FHL Roll Number: 977625, accessed 08/31/2016 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 72; FHL Roll Number: 977634, accessed 08/31/2016.).) By 1896, he lived on the second floor of the apartment building at 313 Geary Street. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 104; FHL Roll Number: 977261, accessed 08/31/2016.)

In 1900, at the age of 88, Portois resided with his wife in an apartment house at 237 Geary Street in San Francisco. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 106; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0258; FHL microfilm: 1240106, accessed 08/31/2016.)

Spouse

He married a woman, Clarissa Portois (born c. 11/1851 in Chile), who was 40 years his junior.

Biographical Notes

Portois was made a naturalized US citizen in the San Francisco Fourth District Court, on 11/03/1856, according to 1896 California voting records. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 104; FHL Roll Number: 977261, accessed 08/31/2016.)

In 1867, Portois took out a classified ad in the Daily Alta California newspaper seeking an assistant. The advertisement read somewhat mysteriously: "Wanted--An Active, intelligent man, to engage in a lucrative business; one who knows the city well preferred." (See Classified ad, Daily Alta California, vol. 19, no. 6388, 09/11/1867, p. 3.)

In 1868, the Daily Alta California indicated that a "P. Portois" owned 150 shares in the Mandot Copper Company, but that these shares were to be auctioned off on 05/02/1864 due to the shareholder's failure to pay the full purchase price. (See "Mandot Copper Mining Company Classified Advertisement," Daily Alta California, vol. 16, no. 5179, 05/07/1864, p. 4.) Later ads in the same paper threatened action at an auction on 08/13/1864. (See "Mandot Copper Mining Company Classified Advertisement," Daily Alta California, vol. 16, no. 5273, 08/10/1864, p. 4.)

At age 73, Portois was described as standing 5-feet 6 inches tall, with blue eyes, a fair complexion and gray mixed hair.