. ▁B . ▁Lar ue ▁was ▁a ▁California ▁business man ▁and ▁politician ▁who ▁founded ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁San ▁Antonio ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Oak land , ▁California . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁work ▁Lar ue ▁was ▁born ▁James ▁Bus k irk ▁Lar ue ▁in ▁Franklin , ▁New ▁Jersey ▁on ▁February ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 8 0 0 . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 5 , ▁Lar ue ▁migr ated ▁from ▁New ▁j er sey ▁to ▁P ip estone ▁Township , ▁Michigan , ▁where ▁he ▁purchased ▁land ▁and ▁built ▁a ▁saw mill . ▁From ▁ 1 8 4 0 ▁to ▁ 1 8 4 1 , ▁Lar ue ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁representative ▁in ▁the ▁Michigan ▁legisl ature . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 0 ▁he ▁left ▁Michigan ▁for ▁the ▁California ▁gold ▁r ush . ▁▁ ▁Once ▁in ▁California , ▁Lar ue ▁purchased ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁Ran cho ▁San ▁Antonio ▁lands ▁from ▁Luis ▁Maria ▁Per al ta ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁building ▁a ▁wh arf ▁and ▁store ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁location . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 7 , ▁Lar ue ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁California ▁State ▁Senate ▁representing ▁the ▁county ▁of ▁Al amed a . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 8 , ▁Lar ue ▁began ▁the ▁Oak land ▁and ▁San ▁Antonio ▁Ste am ▁Navigation ▁Company , ▁operating ▁a ▁cut - rate ▁passenger ▁fer ry ▁ ▁between ▁Oak land ▁and ▁San ▁Francisco . ▁Lar ue ▁was ▁su ed ▁by ▁his ▁compet itor ▁M int urn , ▁who ▁claimed