USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > History of the San Francisco Committee of vigilance of 1851 : a study of social control on the California frontier in the days of the gold rush > Part 38
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107 [105]. Henry F. Teschemacher came to California from Boston in 1842. His work as a member of the Executive Committee was inconspicuous,
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Vigilance Committee of 1851
but he became a man of wealth and sufficiently important in the city to serve as president of the board of supervisors from 1859 to 1861, and as mayor, 1862 to 1863. Much of his later life was spent in foreign travel. Bancroft found surprisingly little record of so prominent a pioneer (Califor- nia, V, 745. See also, Swasey, Early Days, 270; Alta, 1863, July 2 1/s ; obituary, San Francisco Chronicle, 1904, Nov. 29 136).
116 [115]. William H. Graham was a man of notable pugnacity. In January, 1851, he had fought a duel with William Walker, one of the editors of the Herald ( Alta, Jan. 14 %). For this he was tried and acquitted (Herald, Aug. 11 2%). On July first the Herald printed in its advertising columns the following :
Card .- Old Alcalde's Building, west side of Portsmouth Square, July 1, 1851.
I hereby post and publish George Frank Lemon as a scoundrel, villain, liar and poltroon, and declare him to be out of the pale of gentlemen 's society.
WILLIAM H. GRAHAM.
The issue of July 3 noted that the editor understood that Mr. Graham was doing very well, and though suffering much from his wounds was entirely out of danger. Later allusions showed that this encounter was a rather plebeian street fight that resulted in arrest for assault with intent to kill (Herald, July 26 3%; Sept. 14 2%). The ethics of the code were finally observed in a pistol duel at Benicia, where at the seventh round Graham satisfied his honor by slightly wounding his antagonist (Herald, Sept. 15 24). Fortunately the truculent gentleman developed no quarrel within the ranks of the Committee.
126 [125]. Owen P. Sutton was born in 1821 in the state of New York. He arrived in California in April, 1849, mined for a time, and then estab- lished himself in business in San Francisco. He was vice-president of the Democratic mass meeting held October 25, 1849. When his firm was burned out in the fire of May, 1851, their loss was estimated at $125,000. From 1853 to 1858 he was an appraiser of the port, and in 1863 he was a member of the state assembly. He died September 1, 1881 ( Annals, 236; San Fran- cisco Call, 1890, Sept. 8 34.
129 [128]. Alfred J. Ellis was born in New York in 1816. He came to San Francisco in April, 1847, after some years in New Zealand and the Pacific islands. He was a member of the popular legislative assembly in San Francisco in the spring of 1849, took part in the trial of the Hounds, joined the California Guard, was elected to the ayuntamiento in Angust, and was a delegate to the constitutional convention. He was an active member of the Executive Committee of the Committee of Vigilance but resigned in November, 1851, as a sequel to his election to the legislature. In 1852 he received seventeen votes as a delegate to the presidential con-
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Biographical Notes
vention of the Whig party (Swasey, Early Days, 272; Davis, Political Con- ventions, 16; obituary, San Francisco Call, 1883, July 30 3%).
132 [131]. Captain Henry M. Naglee, a native of Philadelphia, was a graduate of the Military Academy at West Point. Although he was engaged in civil pursuits at the outbreak of the Mexican War, he came to California as a captain in Stevenson's Regiment, and distinguished himself in active service in Lower California. In January, 1849, he opened the first banking house in San Francisco, but was obliged to suspend payment in a financial panic, September, 1850. He took no active part in the business of the Com- mittee until near the close of its existence. He received a commission as brigadier general of volunteers iu the Civil War, and after his return to California at its close, made a great success in the culture of wine grapes, the manufacture of brandy, and the development of the agriculture of the Santa Clara Valley. In politics he was a Democrat (Swasey, Early Days, 219-229; Annals, 289; Love Life of Brig. Gen. Henry M. Naglee, 1867).
136 [135]. Alfred L. Tubbs was a member of the state senate, 1865- 1868.
144 [142]. Thomas K. Battelle was of a different type. At the time of the first fire, December 24, 1849, his gambling saloon was destroyed, and while the city was still blazing he rented another building, extinguished the flames that already threatened it, and opened for business without delay. In 1850 he was an assistant fire engineer in the volunteer department. Dur- ing the term of the Committee of Vigilance he was proprietor of the Pioneer Club House and furnished refreshments, more or less spirituous in their composition, to his fellow Vigilantes (Annals, 617; Schenck, MS Statement, 49-50; notice of his departure from San Francisco, Alta, 1855, June 16 21).
155 [153]. J. Mead Huxley came to California in Stevenson's Regiment and again volunteered for military duty during the Civil War, when he served as a commissioned officer (Bancroft, California, III, 792).
157 [155]. Charles Minturn arrived in San Francisco in October, 1849. He engaged in the commission business, was an alderman in 1850, and acted as agent for Sacramento steamers. An attempt to rob his office has been described ou page 312 (Annals, 273; Kimball's Directory, 1850).
169 [167]. James R. Duff came from Boston around Cape Horn and arrived in San Francisco in July, 1849. Three days of hard work in the mines prostrated him with sunstroke, and he returned to San Francisco and started business as a contractor and builder, forming a partnership with James T. Ryan (number 24). His interesting account of one of the most exciting episodes of '51 is incorporated in an earlier chapter (see supra, p. 300). So far as he could ascertain he was the last survivor of the Committee of 1851. He died at the age of ninety-two, on August 9, 1917 (Carr, Pioneer Days, 442; San Francisco Chronicle, 1915, Oet. 3, Maga- zine p. 6).
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170 [176]. James Dows arrived from New York in December, 1849, and established himself in a wholesale liquor business. It is said that his safe was robbed by the Sydney thieves of about $10,000 before the organ- ization of the Committee of Vigilance. He was a straightforward, sincere and capable man, and was blessed with a saving gift of humor. Coleman said that at one time the Committee was discussing the fate of a Mexican boy charged with theft, and each speaker was limited to a single period of five minutes. While the prisoner's life hung in the balance, Dows, who had already addressed the chair, gained the floor by a subterfuge and drawled out: "Gentlemen, I do not wish to fatigue you; I beg merely to say that it takes no longer to hang a man than to whip one." The resulting langh cleared the atmosphere, and the culprit was released with a reprimand (MS Statement, 26-27). Dows did good service in both Committees, and suits were brought against him as a sequel to his actions in '56 (Popular Tribunals, I, 377-378; II, 127, 613-617).
172 [169]. John O. Earl, and his brother,
173 [170]. E. M. Earl, from New Jersey, were pioneers of 1849. Their business was burned out in the two fires that occurred in May, 1850 and 1851. Neither were conspicuous in '51, but John was active in the reorgan- ization of '56. He was interested in the establishment of San Francisco schools, was a well-known Mason, and so loyal to the Union that he left the Democratic party and joined the Republican after the outbreak of the Civil War (Phelps, Contemporary Biography, II, 311-314).
176 [177]. George H. Blake was a Democratic assemblyman in 1853.
178 [176]. James Neall, Jr. arrived in May, 1849, and remained in San Francisco as a merchant. He dictated for Bancroft many interesting reminiscences of the early days and a most valuable account of the first steps in the formation of the Committee of Vigilance, although, strange to say, his name does not appear in the documents, except upon the roll of members (see infra, pp. 457-458).
188. Charles V. Gillespie, a native of New York, came with his wife to San Francisco in February, 1848, after seventeen years of voyaging between New York and China, and in Oriental waters. He took charge of the Leidesdorff estate shortly after his arrival, and in September, 1848, he served on a committee to petition Congress for a mint. Baneroft described him as a quiet, intellectual man, who did more important work in '56 than in the earlier organization. He dictated a Statement for the Bancroft collection, but it touches very briefly on the work of '51 (Popular Tribunals, II, 130; Robinson, California and Its Gold Regions, Appendix, p. 126).
194. Andrew J. Grayson, from Louisiana, brought his wife and child to California in an overland wagon train of 1846. He served as a lieutenant in Frémont's Mounted Riflemen, but was stationed in San Francisco during
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Biographical Notes
hostilities, and at their close he opened a stationery store in the town. He was one of the many unnamed participants in the work of the Committee. In later life he gained scientific renown as an ornithologist. Swasey spoke with admiration of his fine physique, abstemions habits and scholarly education. He died in Mazatlan in 1869 (Swasey, Early Days, 209-210; Bancroft, California, III, 764).
193. F. C. Bennett may have been the Francis C. Bennett elected one of the city assessors in May, 1850, and a Whig assemblyman, in the second legislature, 1851 (Annals, 273).
196. Jean Jacques Vioget, a Swiss, had been in California since 1837. He made the first survey of San Francisco. He was also a sailor and a hotel keeper of some skill, spoke several languages and loved music. He removed from San Francisco and was granted leave from the Committee in February, 1852 (Bancroft, California, V, 764).
199. George H. Hossefross was a pioneer of 1849. He was elected to the Executive Committee towards the close of activities in 1852, and renewed his connection with the association in 1856. He served as chief of the united San Francisco engine companies in 1852 and 1853 (Popular Tribunals, II, 474; Annals, 618; Alta, 1853, Sept. 14 9%; Oct. 16 %; obit- uary, Alta, 1864, March 19-21; sketches, Argonaut, 1877, June 23 54; San Francisco Call, 1890, Dec. 22 33; Pendleton, Exempt Firemen, 10, portrait ).
228. Cyrus Palmer was born in Maine in 1828. He arrived in San Francisco in August, 1849, and for three years was connected with the business of Macondray and Company, but later established with his brother an important foundry of their own. He aided in organizing the first fire company, was a Republican member of the assembly in 1857, 1858, and 1863, and was an officer of the Howard Street Presbyterian Church (Phelps, Contemporary Biography, II, 274-275).
243. E. V. Joice arrived in January, 1849 and was sufficiently prominent in the fall to serve as a vice-president of the Democratic mass meeting, October 25 (Annals, 236).
259. Dr. Galen Burdell arrived from New York in Angust, 1849, and attained a successful practice as the first scientifie dentist in San Francisco (Eldredge, California, IV, 476, portrait).
268. Henry M. Gray, born in New York in 1821, was the son of a elergyman. He arrived in November, 1849, indulged in a brief experiment in mining, and then devoted himself to medicine in San Francisco, where he is said to have built up the largest practice in the city. He was quickly identified with the Whig party, served on the general and state central committees, was considered as a candidate for mayor in 1852, and was nominated but defeated for that office in the following year. He was a man of marked generosity and of cultured tastes, a connoisseur in music, litera- ture and works of art, au eloquent speaker, a prominent Mason, and the
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eighth president of the Society of California Pioneers. He died September 24, 1863 (Shuck, Representative Men, 479-493, portrait ; San Francisco Call, 1890, Sept. 8 34 ).
273. Timothy Guy Phelps, born in the state of New York in 1824, arrived in California in December, 1849. He mined for a time, and then entered the commission business in San Francisco. He became an important Republican politician, served several terms in the state senate and assembly, was a candidate for the nomination for governor in 1861, ran for that office, unsuccessfully, in 1875; was a member of Congress in 1861-1863, and collector of the port of San Francisco in 1869. He was a man of great wealth, and a regent of the State University at the time of his death, June 11, 1899 (Eldredge, California, IV, 156, portrait; Phelps, Contempo- rary Biography, II, 15-16).
283. Arthur M. Ebbets was born in New York in 1830, arrived in San Francisco in August, 1849, and made such an immediate success as a com- mission merchant, that in 1851 he established a branch house in New York. He served as county recorder in 1861, was supervisor in 1874, a director and president of the Mercantile Library, and a president of the Society of California Pioneers. He was active in supporting the Union during the Civil War (Swasey, Early Days, 297-301; San Francisco Call, 1890, Sept. 8 3% ).
287. At the age of thirty-two, William D. M. Howard was one of the most prominent, and one of the best loved men in California. He was a native of Boston, and had been identified with the commercial interests of the Pacific Coast since January, 1839. After the gold discovery, the firm of Howard and Mellus, which had purchased the old property of the Hudsou Bay Company, had the most extensive merchandise business in the state, but Howard retired from business in 1850. Althongh unambitious for political power, he was always interested in public affairs, and his name often appeared in connection with the earlier history of San Francisco. He promoted the establishment of schools, of the first orphan asylum, and of the fire department, donated the lot for a Presbyterian church, and urged and contributed to the improvement of city streets. He was influential in founding the California Guard, and was the first president of the Society of California Pioneers. On the Committee of Vigilance he did no recorded work but was appointed to one important subcommittee, and was placed on the Executive Committee in September, 1851. He never attended any Executive meetings, and his inability to do so served as an excuse for an early resignation. He died January 19, 1856 (Annals, 779-780, portrait; Swasey, Early Days, 151-155; Bancroft, California, III, 788-789; Davis, Sixty Years, 314-327; Eldredge, California, II, 470, portrait; sketches, San Francisco Bulletin, 1897, April 3 12%; San Francisco Call, 1890, Sept. 8 33; Pendleton, Exempt Firemen, 74-77, portrait ).
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Biographical Notes
299. James S. Wethered, a pioneer of August, 1849, was a Whig assemblyman in the second legislature. He did inconspicuous, but faithful work in the ranks of the General Committee, and incidentally indulged in a harmless duel with Captain Schaeffer in September, 1851. He was an inspector of enstoms in 1852, and became a brother-in-law of the Wood- worths. He died January 14, 1900 (Swasey, Early Days, 217; Parker's Directory, 1852; Herald, 1851, Sept. 14 %).
303. Henry Gerke was a German immigrant, who arrived in California August, 1847. He later became a vineyardist in Tehama County (Ban- croft, California, III, 755).
304. Francis Hoen was a member of the famous Swasey-Todd party which reached California in September, 1845. For a time he was employed by Sutter, then became a resident of Monterey and was there a candidate for treasurer in October, 1846. Later he kept a cigar store in San Francisco (Bancroft, California, III, 786; V, 295 note 5).
324. Mathew P. Burns was a well-known physician. He dictated a Statement for Baneroft.
331. Edward A. Suwerkrop was the Danish consul (Parker's Directory, 1852).
349. Samuel Fleishhacker had already placed his family name on the list of prominent merchants of San Francisco. He was an unele of Hubert and Mortimer Fleishhacker.
361. Charles L. Wiggin reached California in August, 1849. He served as an assemblyman in the legislature, 1865 to 1866.
403. William M. Lent arrived in April, 1849. He was a Democratic state senator in 1854.
414. John P. Manrow arrived in April, 1849, and participated in the trial of the Hounds. He dictated reminiscences of the Committees of Vigi- lance for Bancroft, but they are not very valuable for the work of '51.
437. Richard M. Jessup arrived in July, 1849. He was a Republican assemblyman in 1857.
440. John Middleton reached San Francisco in September, 1849, and in 1851 he was a member of a prosperous firm of auctioneers. He was a Democratic assemblyman in the legislature, 1867 to 1868 (Colville's Direc- tory, 1856).
449. James M. Taylor arrived in July, 1849. He was an assemblyman in 1853 and 1859, representing in turn the Whig and Republican parties.
466. William Sharon was born in Ohio in 1821, and practiced law in that state before he left for the gold fields in the summer of 1849. Quickly realizing the wonderful future that was before California, and anticipating speedy rail communication with the East, he devoted himself to real estate speculations in San Francisco, and by 1862 his fortune was rated at $150,000. He was an able member of the first council under the charter of 1850, and
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Vigilance Committee of 1851
inaugurated the first systematic and official survey of the city archives. His later mining and banking undertakings form a well-known chapter in the financial history of California and Nevada, and have enrolled him among the millionaires of the Pacific Coast (Bancroft, Chronicles of the Builders, IV, 23-78, portrait).
501. John A. Sutter Jr. was the son of the famous pioneer of New Helvetia.
507. Dr. Samuel Merritt was born in Maine in 1822, and on the day after the fire of May, 1850, he sailed into San Francisco Bay, the owner of a smart little brig, and of a cargo of merchandise which the devastated market quickly absorbed at a brilliant profit. He chartered his small vessel at $800 a month, and began the practice of his profession equipped with an excellent education, a happy ability to make friends, and a letter of intro- duction and recommendation from his friend, Daniel Webster. He did little in the Committee of '51, but was more active in that of '56. He was elected as a supervisor in the reform of politics that ensued, and there served as chairman of the committee of finance which accomplished marvels of economy for the depleted city treasury. He declined the nomination for mayor in 1858, but accepted a similar position in Oakland in 1867, and long maintained a leading position in that city. He was appointed a regent of the University of California in 1868. He died in 1891, and left a fortune that has endowed the great hospital in Oakland that bears his name (Phelps, Contemporary Biography, II, 92-100, portrait; obituary, San Francisco Examiner, 1890, Aug. 18 41).
509. Henry Wetherbee arrived in November, 1849, and in later years became one of the best known lumber manufacturers on the Coast.
530. Robert A. Parker was a native of Boston. He reached San Francisco in March, 1847, and became a member of the council elected in September of that year, and of the district legislature of 1849. He was for a time one of the town's most ambitious merchants, and is said to have indulged in the spectacular amusement of "salting" Clay Street with two or three thousand dollars worth of coarse gold, just as the eastern passen- gers landed from the first steamer. The prospective Argonauts panned it out with delight and sent home jubilant reports of the abundance of the precious metal. It is not surprising to find that the generous and imagin- ative pioneer failed in his commercial undertakings, and fortunately his impulsive nature seems to have exerted no influence on the affairs of the Committee of Vigilance (Swasey, Early Days, 210-211).
573. Thomas J. L. Smiley was a native of Philadelphia and arrived in October, 1849. He was a partner of John Middleton (Number 440), and took an active interest in the affairs of the Committee after he was placed on the Executive Committee, in August. He was even more conspicuous in the reorganization in '56. Bancroft quoted a fellow Vigilante who called
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Biographical Notes
Smiley prompt in action, but talkative and excitable. His dictation is an interesting item of the Bancroft collection. He became a prominent broker, was first president of the California Stock and Exchange Board, and was also well known as a Republican politician (Popular Tribunals, II, 129-130; obituary, Alta, 1873, May 4 11; records of the Society of California Pio- neers).
580. Philip A. Roach reached California in August, 1849, and served as last alcalde and first mayor of Monterey. He was registered on the rolls of the Committee as a resident of the southern port, and tendered his resignation in August because of necessary absence from San Francisco. He served as a state senator in 1852, and distinguished himself by introducing a bill authorizing married women to conduct business as sole traders. He served again in 1853 and from 1873 to 1876, filled other important offices in subsequent years, and was long a successful leader of the Democratic party. He died April 27, 1889 (Bancroft, California, VI, 657 note; Upham, Notes, 497-500).
588. Beverley C. Sanders was a "Territorial Pioneer" of 1850 and became collector of the port of San Francisco in 1852. In the Committee he appears to have done little active work, but space must be allowed to repeat a Vigilante's anecdote of a later year when Sanders was sent to St. Petersburg by the Russian-American Commercial Company to secure the privilege of transporting ice from Sitka to San Francisco. With audacity characteristic of a handsome and dashing pioneer, Mr. Sanders introduced himself as a colonel, and wore an impressive and becoming uniform. He was once inconveniently asked to which department of the army he belonged, but he preserved his dignity by promptly responding : "To the Pacific, Madam!" (Hittell, California, III, 433).
598. Isaac M. Merrill was a Republican assemblyman in 1895.
610. Henry Hiram Ellis was born in Maine in 1830, took to the sea, as had his family before him, and reached San Francisco in June, 1849. In California he experienced vicissitudes of mining life and was interested in shipping ventures. From 1855 to 1877 he was connected with the San Francisco police, became chief of the force, and left a fine record for efficiency. During the Civil War he held the position of deputy United States assistant provost-marshal (Phelps, Contemporary Biography, I, 379- 384, portrait; Alta, 1866, Feb. 4 1/1; 1871, Jan. 13 14 ; 1875, Dec. 7 1/5).
616. Herman Wohler was a German immigrant who reached California in February, 1848. He was elected a Democratic assemblyman in Septem- ber, 1851, and served again in 1856. Bancroft said that he was famous as a musician (California, V, 779).
654. John Stoneacre Ellis, and his brother,
682. Augustus Van Horne Ellis, came from New York city in 1849. They did no conspicuous work in 1851, although John was elected to the
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Vigilance Committee of 1851
Executive Committee in March, 1852. He was more prominent in 1856, and was presented with the banners of the Committee as a token of esteem and affection. The name of Augustus appears once in a report of August 31, 1851, although it is so illegible that it was printed as "Hawthorne" Ellis on page 582 of the Papers. Both of the brothers served with distinction in the Civil War, and Augustus, a colonel, was killed at Gettysburg (data furnished by a niece, Mrs. Vanderlynn Stow, of San Francisco).
662. Daniel Cronin served as one of the secretaries of the Democratic mass meeting of October 25, 1849 (Annals, 236).
665. Jacob R. Suyder was born in Philadelphia, August 23, 1812. He was one of the Swasey-Todd party that crossed the plains and arrived in California in September, 1845. For a while he made shingles near Santa Cruz, then served as a major in the California Battalion, and was appointed surveyor general of the middle department of California during the admin- istration of Colonel Mason. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Con- vention of 1849, and in 1850 became a banking associate of James King of William. His membership in the Committee was brief, as he resigned to take his seat as a Democratie senator, being one of four Vigilantes elected to the legislature in September, 1851. He remained in office for two terms, and also served as sub-treasurer of the United States mint, 1854 to 1860. He was a fearless man, sturdy and independent, made a success of commercial life and retired in 1869 to a beautiful home in the Sonoma Valley. He died April 29, 1878 (Swasey, Early Days, 172-177; Eldredge, California, III, 310, portrait; Bancroft, California, V, 726; Willey, Transition Period, 117; San Francisco Call, 1890, Sept. 8 33).
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