William was born 16 March 1851, Ballydehob, County Cork, Ireland to Paul and Mary Anne Levis Vickery.

In 1880, he was living in San Rafael, Marin County,[1] where he was able to follow doctor's orders to lead an outdoor life of activities such as horseback riding.

After establishing himself in California and regaining his health, William wrote to his sweetheart, Sarah Keppel (1852–1917),[2] in Ireland, "come marry me".

They had 3 children: William began his art business by opening a little kiosk against the wall of the Palace Hotel on Market Street in San Francisco.

As the business became established and grew, his nephew Henry Atkins joined in 1888 and Frederic Cheever Torrey (1864–1935) in 1891 or so.

In March 1891, and again in 1893 and 1895, William Vickery supervised a series of loan exhibitions that introduced Impressionism to California.

These exhibitions included paintings by Monet, Eugene Boudin, Camille Pissarro, Pierre Renoir, and Edgar Degas.

His youngest son, Robert, recounted rushing (by ferry boat) with his father to San Francisco and the store.

They lived in a comfortable house with a sweeping view of the valley built for them by their son Robert.