"Plague at the Golden Gate" and Records at University of the Pacific

 "Plague at the Golden Gate" 

and 

Records at University of the Pacific

I recently watched a documentary on PBS called "Plague at the Golden Gate."   About halfway through, I realized I knew where records were located that documented the difficulty health inspectors had in tracking the bubonic plague in San Francisco.

University of the Pacific Library, Holt Atherton Special Collections and Archives here in Stockton, California.

A search in their manuscript collection finding aid brought me here:

Title: San Francisco Chinatown residential inspection records

Dates: ca. 1904

Collection number: MSS 130

Four volumes of San Francisco Chinatown residential inspection records. Streets include Bartlett Alley, Brenham, Bull Run, Clay, Dupont,Fish Alley, Jackson, Pacific, Ross Alley, Sacramento, Stockton and Waverly. The registers include names, occupations and, in some cases, brief descriptions of living conditions. Occupations include: cook, store owner, barber, gambler, farmer, clerk, tailor, cigar maker, railroad worker,ranch hand, doctor, dentist and ironer. The records were probably prepared by James R. Dunn, inspector in charge of U.S. Chinese Bureau, San Francisco, or by an assistant.

According to Dr. Guenter B. Risse Affiliate Professor, Department of Medical History and Ethics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA in a 2008 email, "N.K. Foster, who was the Secretary of the California Health Board in 1904, mentions in his June 3, 1904 report to the Second Annual Conference of State Boards meeting in Washington, that there still were many difficulties in finding plague cases in their early stages among the Chinese. These people are quite reticent in reporting them, in part because of the dread of having bodies submitted to dissection but also fears that their social and business relations will be disturbed. A death from plague prompts destruction of what inspectors perceive to be rubbish, then cleanup and disinfection that they also try to avoid. To prevent this, the Chinese claim that the victim came from another place, frequently outside the district, and died as soon as he arrived.

To counter this persistent deception, Chinatown was divided into subdivisions with separate inspectors working in each of them. Moreover, each room in the district received a number, placed prominently on its door, and the particular inspector assigned to that sector possesses a book with house and room numbers, name of occupant and business. At each visit, the inspector recorded conditions and checked on the tenants whereabouts. In this methodic way, the inspectors kept track of the inhabitants and also had a better chance to find cases of sickness, although it was impossible to get around daily. Difficulties arose when sick people moved to other rooms or buildings, often unused ones.

"It seems probable that these records belong to that sanitation effort; since there was no other census of Chinatown, they could have been shared with Dunn, then in charge of the Immigration Service in SF and particularly involved with the movement of migrant Chinese under the provisions of the Exclusion Act of 1902."

CONTENT OF COLLECTION

1.1: Record book with "Jackson & Dupont Sts." on front cover, arranged by addresses, incomplete index on p. 300. Describes rooms, number of inhabitants, toilets, conditions of kitchen and toilets, arrangement of rooms, entry access, stairways, etc. Addresses of buildings include: Bartlett Alley [scattered]; Dupont Street [scattered]; Jackson Street: p. 506, 602-627, 629-632; Pacific Street [scattered]

 

1.2: "Bo-Ho" on front cover and spine. (304 p.). Alphabetical listing of names, "Boon to Hui" [Chinese characters as well as English] Index of names p. 302-303. Information includes.: name, address, occupation. Entries only on pages: 1-8,12-16,19-22, 37-57, 103-110, 138- 139,142-143,149,154, 166,169-171, 178-188,214, 218-223, 226-227, 232-238, 241, 246-265,272-279,284, 302-303.

 

1.3: "J-L" on front cover and spine. Alphabetical listing of names, "Jeoh Chew to Lou Jiu" [Chinese characters as well as English] Index of names on p. 292-293. Information includes: name, address, occupation, age, and some description of arrangement of rooms. Entries only on pages: 1-12, 34-45, 72-77,92-93. 102-103, 106- 113,115, 117, 118, 120, 126, 129-132, 134-142, 152, 187, 202-211, 234-236, 242-243, 252, 254-266, 292-293.

 

1.4: "L-W" on front cover and spine. Alphabetical listing of names, "Leow to Yuin" [Chinese characters as well as English]. Index of names on p. 298-300. Information incl: name, address, occupation, children with ages. Entries on pages: 1, 4-11, 30, 34-38, 42-44, 58-60, 66-67, 70- 80, 82, 89-90, 92-95, 100-101,106-113, 118-120, 122-126, 138-140, 144-145, 148, 150-152, 155-158, 166-176, 178- 180, 182-217, 256, 263-266, 276-278, 288-293, 295, 298- 300.

More Stories From The Sacramento Police Mug Books 1860-1948

Most of the crimes committed by people in these mug books seem to be Petite Larceny, Grand Larceny, Burglary or Robbery.  These crimes might sound like the same thing, but there is a difference.

LARCENY or theft is to take someone else’s property without the owner’s consent and with the intention to permanently deprive the owner of its use or possession.  The difference between petite (petty) larceny and grand larceny is the value of the item(s) taken. 

ROBBERY is taking something from a person and using force, or the threat of force, to do it.

BURGLARY is often a crime that involves theft, you don’t necessarily have to take any property to be convicted of this crime. To commit a burglary you must enter a structure or dwelling with the intent to commit a crime within it. You can be convicted without actually committing a crime within the building, and the crime you intend to commit does not have to be theft or robbery.


Here is an example of petite larceny from 1899:  ED COLLINS

Once the police decided on a name for Ed (see photo for how many times they crossed out his name), he was charged with stealing paintbrushes, convicted and spent 90 days in the Sacramento County jail.

When I first looked at Frank Pederas' record from 1898 and saw that he was sent to Folsom Prison for 15 years for stealing chickens, I thought there must be more to his story.  That's a harsh punishment for being a chicken thief.

Of course there was more to his story.  Frank had been released nine months earlier from San Quentin Prison after serving two years for stealing horses in San Diego County.  To make matters worse, two weeks previously he had sliced open the cheek of the woman he was living with.  She refused to press charges and the matter was dropped.

Still, 15 years for stealing chickens?  Well turns out it was 5000 chickens he had taken and was caught when he was trying to sell them to local restaurants.

Then, from 1895,  we have the story of the "Little Firebug who Could" - George Bittner.  Apparently George's brother-in-law wanted to buy a restaurant from owners who did not want to sell.  So to help out, George started a fire at the restaurant to pressure the owners into selling.  He did this twelve times over a one week period!  The last fire he set he admitted that he went a little too far because the entire building burnt to the ground.  George spent two years at Folsom Prison for playing with fire.

Sacramento Police Mug Books 1860-1948

The Center for Sacramento History uploaded police mugs books dated from 1860 to 1948 to Internet Archive.  

I can't tell you how many hours I have spent turning the pages of these books.  For some reason, I have found them absolutely fascinating.  There's even one that contains only Chinese men dated around 1860-1870.

Here are a few that I couldn't resist doing a bit of research on their stories.

SNAPPING ANDY

From the Daily Alta dated 24 August 1871:

"Probably the most accomplished burglar on this coast is Andrew Johnson, alias "Doc" Johnson, alias "Snapping Andy."  He is considered the most espert in his profession and is better known and watched more by police throughout the entire State than any other thief."


He was given his nickname because he evidently would snap his fingers at the police each time they had to let him go for lack of evidence.

HELEN  MARX

Mrs. Helen Marx, a cashier and bookkeeper for an automobile company, was arrested and charged with Grand Theft.  She was alleged to have embezzled $981.  She pled guilty on two charges and was given probation after serving 12 months in the county jail.  Her probation officer reported AFTER she was sentenced, that Helen admitted to embezzling 13 times in 1926, 16 times in 1927, 12 times in 1928, and 7 times in 1929.  She estimated she had taken over $10,000 in those four years.

MARY  ETTA  SLAYBACK

Mary Slayback was arrested and charged with the murder of her ex-husband Herbert Slayback.  She shot him four times.  It was a sensational trial, a packed courtroom every day.  Newspapers across the country carried the story on a daily basis.  Mostly because she was a very pretty young woman.

The 1929 sanity trial of Mary Slayback set a new precedent in criminal procedure in California courts.  It marked the first time since the legislature of 1927 enacted the law permitting a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity to be heard by a jury different than the jury in the original case.

I was unfamiliar with a term used in this court case - ALIENIST.  So I asked the Google and it is what today we call a psychiatrist.  No matter what the person was called, his antics in the courtroom did not help Mary at all.  She had to serve one year in the Napa State Hospital.

Simpson & Swan - Part 5

The newspaper articles and the chapter in the 1861 California State Statutes mention slave children in Missouri.

The affidavits from Zachariah Simpson's probate file say that Zachariah was a slave from Kentucky and that his master's name is James Simpson.

William Jones testified in the corner's inquest that Zachariah was born in Madison County, Kentucky and he was 42 years old.  Zachariah would have been born about 1818.

I started in Kentucky, looking for Simpson's that owned at least 5 slaves in 1820.  The affidavit of William Jones said that he was a slave along with Zachariah, his brother Squire and their parents Timothy and Gracey Jane in Kentucky and their owner was "Judge Simpson."

In 1820 there was only one man named Simpson in Madison County, Kentucky that owned at least 5 slaves.  Richard Simpson had 26 slaves.

In 1830 there were more Simpson's in Madison County that owned slaves:
Richard Simpson owned 14 slaves
Martha Simpson owned 25 slaves
Duke Simpson owned 16 slaves and there was 1 free colored man

The affidavit of Sallie Drisdom, the wife of Squire Drisdom, said that Zachariah's master's name was James Simpson.  It isn't until 1850 that we see a James Simpson who owns slaves in Kentucky.  There is one James Simpson who lives in Clark County and owns 9 slaves.  There is another James Simpson who lives in Marion County and owns 19 slaves. 

Nothing is falling into place with search results from Kentucky.  

Because the information in the Senate bill mentions Missouri, that is where I looked next.

In 1820, there are no Simpsons in Missouri that own slaves.

In 1830, there is one man named Robert Simpson who lives in St. Louis and has 12 slaves.

In 1840, there is a Richard Simpson who lives in Jackson County, Missouri who owns 12 slaves.  There is a James Simpson who lives in Warrensburg, Johnson County, Missouri who owns 12 slaves.  

And finally there is a man named Duke Simpson who lives in Jackson County, Missouri and owns 19 slaves.  Is this the same Duke Simpson from Madison County, Kentucky in 1830?

Simpson & Swan - Part 4

I was able to follow the history of Senate bill 84 somewhat through the newspapers:

Mr. Heacock gave notice that at an early day he would introduce a bill to authorize the administrator of the estates of Nicholas Swan, deceased and of Zachariah Simpson, deceased to apply the money in his hands for certain purposes.
Sacramento Daily Union, 6 Feb 1861

Introduction of bill by Mr. Heacock - An Act to authorize the administrator of the estates of Nicholas Swan, deceased and of Zachariah Simpson, deceased to apply the money in his hands for certain purposes. Read twice and referred to the Judiciary Committee.
Sacramento Daily Union, 7 Feb 1861

Senate Bill No. 84 - An Act to authorize the administrator of the estates of Nicholas Swan, deceased and of Zachariah Simpson, deceased to employ money for a certain purpose, with amendments, and recommended that it pass as amended.
Sacramento Daily Union, 16 Feb 1861

The Following bill came up in a message from the Senate:
An Act to authorize the administrator of the estates of Nicholas Swan, deceased and of Zachariah Simpson, deceased to apply the money in his hands for certain purposes. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Public Morals.
Sacramento Daily Union, 1 Mar 1861

Mr. Briggs, from the Committee on Public Morals, reported back favorably the bill to authorize the administrator of the estates of Nicholas Swan, deceased and of Zachariah Simpson, deceased to apply the money in his hands for certain purposes. 
Sacramento Daily Union, 2 Mar 1861

The Governor in a message informed the Senate he had approved Senate Bill No. 84 - An Act to authorize the administrator of the estates of Nicholas Swan, deceased and of Zachariah Simpson, deceased to apply the money in his hands for certain purposes.
Sacramento Daily Union, 18 Mar 1861

The Office of the Chief Clerk of the California State Assembly website has archived journals, statutes, histories, and indexes available for download.  I read through 1860-1862 journals, histories and statutes and did not find any more information than I already had.  I sent an email to the Chief Clerk's office asking if detailed information about Senate Bills were extant in their holdings.

While I wait for a response, it's time to take a look at Kentucky and Missouri.

Simpson & Swan - Part 3

I found the probate for Nicholas Swan in Sacramento County.  It contained the usual petitions, claims, and receipts.  There is no mention of using money from the estate to buy the freedom of slave children in Missouri.


To the Hon. Robert Robinson Judge of the Probate Court for the City and County of Sacramento
The petition of the undersigned Public Administrator of said city and county represents that Nicholas Swan departed this life on or about the ____ day of April A.D. 1860 Intestate and who was at the time of his death a resident of said county.  Your petitioner further represents that the deceased was possessed of personal property and indebted and has left within the State of California no heirs or relatives entitled by law to apply for and receive letters of administration on said estate.  Wherefore your petitioner prays by reason of the above recited facts and the law in such cases made and provided letters of administration on said estate may be issued to him and he will ever pray, etc.
Jared Irwin
Public Administrator
Sacramento County, California


Neither Zachariah Simpson's or Nicholas Swan's probates contain any information regarding freeing the deceased's children from slavery in Missouri.  

But we have this newspaper article.

A deeper dive into the the California State Assembly and Senate records is needed.

Simpson & Swan - Part 2

I found another newspaper mention for Zachariah Simpson - a tiny little paragraph.

Who was Squire Drisdom and why was he opposing the petition of the public administrator to probate the estate?

A search of the probate records for Sacramento County was next. The probate file for Zachariah Simpson contains 244 pages.  I read through all 244 pages and there is no mention of slave children in Missouri.  There is however an explanation of who Squire Drisdom is.  It is interesting that it takes over 6 years for this estate to go through probate.

August 1865 - Petition from John E. Miller asking to be granted letters of administration because the public administrator who had been given the case (Jared Irwin) had died.  An inventory and appraisement of the real and personal property of Zachariah Simpson is valued at $1766.75.   Among the items that were inventoried was a note (IOU) from Squire Drisdom (colored) for $70.

The next items in the probate file are affidavits that tell a story.

9 November 1866
William Jones being first duly sworn on oath says I was born in Charleston South Carolina on the 16th day of March 1800.  I was sold when about the age of seventeen years to Judge Simpson of Kentucky. I knew Timothy Drisdom and Gracy Jane Drisdom his wife they belonged to the Simpson family.  I also knew Squire E. Drisdom and Zachariah Drisdom their children they also belonged to the Simpson family as well as myself we were boys together.  The Drisdoms had no other children but the said Squire E. and Zachariah.  I also knew the said Squire E. Drisdom and the said Zachariah Drisdom (alias Simpson) in this state since the year 1852 up to the time of their death.  I was very intimate with both of them in Kentucky as well as in California up to the time of their respective deaths.  The said Zachariah assumed the name of Simpson after coming to this county that being his former master's name.  He was never married to my knowledge and left no wife nor children nor father nor mother nor sister living at the time of his death and the said Squire E. Drisdom was his only brother.

9 November 1866
John Gale being first duly sworn on oath deposes and says that he knew Squire E. Drisdom and Zachariah Simpson in their lifetime to wit from the early part of 1854 up to the time of their death that he frequently heard them say in each others company that they were brothers born of the same father and mother in the state of Kentucky and that he heard the said Zachariah say that his real name was Drisdom and that he assumed the name of Simpson from the fact that that was his master's name and that Squire E. Drisdom was his only brother and had no other kindred living that he knew of. 

9 November 1866
In the matter of the estate of Zachariah Simpson, deceased
Sallie P. Drisdom being first duly sworn on oath deposes and says that she is the widow of Squire E. Drisdom.  That the said Squire E. Drisdom died in Dry Town, County of Amador and State of California on the 23rd day of April A.D. 1863 leaving surviving him this affiant his widow and eight children to wit Eveline, Maria, Joseph, Giles, Elizabeth, Squire E., Samuel William, and Mary Melinda ages respectively 25, 19, 12, 11, 9, 8, 6 and 4 years.  That her said husband was the lawful and only surviving brother of Zachariah Simpson deceased. That the said Zachariah Simpson died intestate in the County of Sacramento on the 29th day of November 1860 that at the time of his death Squire E. Drisdom her husband aforesaid was his sole surviving heir at law.  That the said Squire E. Drisdom and the said Zachariah were the lawful children of Timothy Drisdom and Gracy Jane Drisdom that the said Zachariah, before coming to California was a slave and that his master's name was James Simpson that he assumed his master's name coming to California and was known by that name up to the time of his death while her husband Squire E. Drisdom aforesaid always retained his father's name. Affiant further swears that the children aforesaid are now living with her in Sutter Creek Amador County and State of California.


William Jones - the same man who testified at the coroner's inquest.  I wonder why he didn't mention at the inquest that Zachariah's surname was Drisdom?

All of the parties involved seem to be former slaves.  How did they get to California?  Did they purchase their freedom from their master?  Are they runaways?  For Zachariah and William Jones this might be possible, but I would think very difficult for a family of 10.  

There is no mention in all the 244 pages of the probate file about children of the deceased that are slaves in Missouri.


With all the additional questions I now have, I did learn a bit more.  The name of Zachariah's master is James Simpson from Kentucky.

Simpson & Swan

In the 1861 California State Statutes (chapter 76, page 59) there is an act authorizing the public administrator, Jared Irwin, to sell the real and personal property of Zachariah Simpson and Nicholas Swan and that the money from these sales should be used in procuring the manumission of the children of the deceased from slavery in the State of Missouri.

I have been extracting genealogical information from the California Statutes for a couple of years and I have never seen anything like this before.  This brought to mind all kinds of questions:

A public administrator is assigned by the court when a person dies intestate and there is no next of kin.  How did this public administrator know these two men had children that were slaves in the State of Missouri if there was no will left by either man and no next of kin in the area?   

Were these two free men of color?  Were they runaway slaves?

How did they get to California?  

The deceased owned real estate?  I thought that minorities in the State of California at that time were not allowed to own real estate.  

I needed some historical background before I went any further.

Despite its ratification in 1850 as a free state prohibiting slavery and indentured servitude, California wavered on the status of enslaved people.  California's legislators attempted to dissuade people of color from coming to California by enacting laws that deprived them of civil rights, denied citizenship, they could not legally homestead public land, they were forbidden from voting, holding public office, giving court testimony against whites, serving on juries, sending their children to public schools, and using public transportation.  In 1852, the state legislature passed the California Fugitive Slave Law, legalizing the arrest and removal of runaway enslaved Africans who arrived with their enslavers before statehood. Many African Americans were captured by bounty hunters paid to return them to owners. The law mandated that any slave brought to the territory before 1850 statehood was not guarded by new constitutional decrees protecting blacks in the state. African Americans won the right to testify in California in 1863 but the right to vote came only with the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870.

So Blacks could own land, but not homestead public land.  

Next, I went to the newspapers and found an article about a coroner's inquest for Zachariah Simpson and his funeral notice.

These two articles tell me alot about Zachariah Simpson: 

• Zachariah was colored.
• A man named William Jones testified that Zachariah was 42 years old, was born in Madison, Kentucky and been in Sacramento for 9 years - 1851.
• Someone cared enough for him to place a funeral notice in the newspaper and arrange for funeral services.

I did not find any mention in newspapers in 1860 for Nicholas Swan.

Where would you look next for information?  Tomorrow's post will continue the research.

Crime, Punishment and Pardons in California 1861

The Journal of the Assembly During the Thirteenth Session of the Legislature of the State of California for 1862

LIST OF PARDONS GRANTED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA BY GOVERNOR JOHN G. DOWNEY 1861

John Daniels - El Dorado County - burglary - 1 yr
Charles C. Glenn - Yuba County - assault to rape - 14 yrs
Thomas McCauley - Tuolumne County - manslaughter - 9 yrs
Alexander Griffin - Nevada County - murder 2nd degree - 15 yrs
Michael McGee - Nevada County - murder 2nd degree - 10 yrs
Christian Brunner - Sonoma County - murder 2nd degree - 11 yrs
Chester C. Bowker - El Dorado County - manslaughter - 5 yrs
Louis Strehtz - Sacramento County - assault to kill - 5 yrs
James Kenney - San Francisco County - burglary - 8 yrs
John O'Brien - San Francisco County - burglary - 8 yrs
Lafayette Cholser - Mariposa County - manslaughter - 5 yrs
Isaac Lipstane - Placer County - grand larceny - 5 yrs
G. F. Seely - Butte County - assault to murder - 1 yr
Frank Ward - Sonoma County - grand larceny - 10 yrs
William S. Brown - Sonoma County - grand larceny - 10 yrs
Augustus Stoltz - Calaveras County - murder 2nd degree - 10 yrs
Frederick Phelps - San Diego County - grand larceny - 2 yrs
John Gardner - Nevada County - crime against nature - 10 yrs 
Philander Loomis - Yuba County - grand larceny - 2 yr
William F. Hobson - Sacramento County - assault to murder - 2 yrs
Thomas Grabildi - San Francisco County - murder 2nd degree - 15 yrs
Ah Poth - Alameda County - murder 1st degree - death 
Juan Valenzuela - Santa Clara County - grand larceny - 10 yrs
William Wilson - San Francisco County - attempt to kidnap - 2 yrs
Juan Bernal - Santa Clara County - rape - 10 yrs
Cherino Revera - San Joaquin County - grand larceny - 10 yrs
Juhen M. Avery - Sacramento County - burglary - 1 yr
John Collins - Marin County - assault to murder - 8 yrs
Michael Henley - Sacramento County - assault with intent to do bodily injury - 1 yr
James Allen - Napa County - murder 2nd degree - 21 yrs
Domingo (Indian) - Santa Barbara County - murder - 10 yrs
James Mulholland - Sierra County - murder 2nd degree - 10 yrs
L. Grace - Mariposa County - assault with a deadly weapon - 3 yrs
Henrique Welch - Contra Costa County - assault with a deadly weapon to inflict great bodily injury, etc. - 1 1/2 yrs
Ho Fung - Nevada County - burglary - 3 yrs
Edward Crough alias Henderson - Placer County - manslaughter - 10 yrs

PARDONS FROM COUNTY JAILS

Hilario Sohs - Tuolumne County - gaming - $100 fine, $79.25 costs
James Gallagher - Sacramento County - petty larceny - 450 days or $900 fine
Daniel McLaughlin - Butte County - assault and battery - 3 months and a $200 fine
Francisco de Avalos - San Francisco County - bigamy - 2 yrs county jail
Reese Jenkins - Sacramento County - assault and battery - $100 fine or 50 days

INSANE CONVICTS SENT FROM STATE PRISON TO STATE INSANE ASYLUM

Joseph Chauncey - Trinity County - grand larceny 4 yrs

RESPITES

Michael Hargain - San Francisco County - murder - death - execution delayed until 28 Apr 1861
Armanda Cardinez - Plumas County - murder - death - execution delayed until 27 Sep 1861
Michael Escabosa - Yuba County - murder - death - execution delayed until 14 Feb 1862

COMMUTATIONS

Jesus Bealoba - Calaveras County - murder - death - 18 Mar 1860 life in prison
William Price - Sacramento County - murder - death - 25 Apr 1861 life in prison
Michael Hargain - San Francisco County - murder - death - 23 Jul 1861 life in prison

RESTORATION TO CITIZENSHIP

John Coleman - Butte County - manslaughter - 1 yr - 10 Jan 1861
George F. Wyman - San Mateo County - manslaughter - 1 yr - 31 Jan 1861
James B. Clark - San Francisco County - grand larceny - 5 yrs - 7 Feb 1861
Elijah Woodward - San Francisco County - assault with intent to commit rape - 2 yrs - 5 Mar 1861
Leonard L. Tuffts - San Francisco County - forgery - 7 yrs - 6 Mar 1861
James Skelton - Yuba County - forgery - 1 yr - 11 Mar 1861
Philip Leggett - Santa Cruz County - assault with a deadly weapon - 1 yr and $500 fine - 4 Apr 1861
Peter Nicholas - Tuolumne County - murder - 7 yrs - 4 Apr 1861
John Kean - Napa County - forgery - 1 yr - 19 Apr 1861
Edward R. Jones - El Dorado County - assault to murder - 1 yr - 11 Jul 1861
Daniel Dooling - Nevada County - assault with intent to do bodily injury - 150 days or $300 fine - 25 Jul 1861
Juan Jose Chapman - Los Angeles County - assault to murder - 1 yr - 9 Oct 1861
Andrew McNeely - El Dorado County - assault with a deadly weapon - 6 mo - 9 Oct 1861
John E. Haught - San Luis Obispo County - assault with a deadly weapon - 6 mo - 19 Nov 1861

1861 California State Statutes - Name Changes, Estates, Guardians and More

A copy of the 1861 California State Statutes can be found HERE

NAME CHANGES

chapter 11, pg 8

An Act to change the name of Elise Clara Audin, stepdaughter of Pierre G. Venard of the County of San Francisco to Elise Clara Venard and it shall be lawful for her to inherit in the estate of Pierre G. Venard.

chapter 18, pg 12

An Act to change the name of Nelly H. Peters to Nelly Helen Toomes.

chapter 34, pg 29

An Act to change the name of Andreas Christian Michelsen of Placer County to William Smith.

chapter 66, pg 54

An Act to change the name of John H. D. Malson of the County of Butte to John A. Lyons.

chapter 91, pg 72

An Act to change the name of Myer Moses to Moses Myer.

chapter 136, pg 125

an Act to change the name of Daniel McDonough to James Henry Warwick.

chapter 249, pg 251

An Act to change the name of Sullivan Milton Farrer to Sullivan Milton Farren.

chapter 261, pg 265

An Act to change the name of Henrich Welhelm Christian Steghagen of Alameda County to Henry Hagen.

chapter 262, pg 265

An Act to change the name of Juan A. Suniga to Alfred J. Hermosilla.

chapter 273, pg 272

An Act to change the name of Henry Nathan to Henry Chester.

chapter 512, pg 582

An Act to change the name of Gustave Madson of Tuolumne County to John Gustave Madson.

ESTATE and GUARDIAN

chapter 14, pg 10

Encarnacion Carrillo de Robbins, femme sole, as guardian of her infant children Jose Gabriel Robbins, Isabel Robbins, Juan Jose Robbins, George Washington Robbins, Maria Antonia Robbins, Concepcion Robbins and Francisca Robbins is authorized to sell real estate in Santa Barbara County.

chapter 21, pg 15

Thomas Cutler, administrator of the estate of Albert Cutler, late a resident of the County of Tuolumne is authorized to sell real estate in the State of California.

chapter 38, pg 32

The administrator of the estate of Henry Meredith, deceased is authorized to sell real estate in the County of Sacramento.

chapter 48, pg 39

Emily Tracy, executrix and James S. Tracy, executor of the last will and testament of Frederick P. Tracy, deceased are authorized to sell real estate in the State of California.

chapter 64, pg 53

Caius T. Ryland, guardian of his infant children Ada Ryland and John W. Ryland is authorized to sell real estate in Santa Clara County.

chapter 74, pg 58

The administrator of the estate of Lilburn W. Boggs, deceased is authorized to sell real estate in the State of California.

chapter 76, pg 59

The administrator of the estates of Nicholas Swan, deceased and Zachariah Simpson, deceased both late of Sacramento County are authorized to apply all monies of said estates to procure the manumission from slavery of the children of said decedents held in slavery in the State of Missouri or any other slave states in which they may be held.

chapter 80, pg 61

The Probate Court of Los Angeles County is taking petitions of any interested parties to represent the infant heirs of Bernardo Yorba, deceased.

chapter 88, pg 71

Charles A. Keyser, administrator of the estate of R. B. Sherrard is authorized to sell real estate in Sutter County.

chapter 89, pg 71

Gustave Touchard, executor of the estate of Henry Mathey, deceased is authorized to sell real estate in the State of California.

chapter 90, pg 72

John S. Berry, administrator of the estate of J. P. Bowen is authorized to sell real estate in Butte County.

chapter 96, pg 77

James P. Sargent, guardian of Policarpia Chabolla, a minor, is authorized to sell real estate in the State of California.

chapter 150, pg 150

Peter Davidson, of the city of San Jose, guardian of his infant children Peter A. Davidson and John Davidson is authorized to convey to George W. Crane a piece of property in the city of San Jose.

chapter 153, pg 152

The administrator of the estate of Charles White, deceased, is authorized to sell real estate in the state of California.

chapter 171, pg 169

Juanna M. Estudillo, the guardian of her infant heir Jesus Maria Estudillo is authorized to sell real estate in the County of Alameda.

chapter 194, pg 186

Pacificus Ord, the guardian of his infant children Mary Elizabeth Ord and Joseph Pacificus Ord is authorized to sell real estate in the State of California.

chapter 279, pg 275

Eliza Martin, wife of Enos J. Martin, late Eliza Hall, and late executrix of the last will and testament of Edward H. Hall late of Mendocino County, deceased is hereby restored to all the powers and authority of executrix of the last will and testament of Edward H. Hall, deceased.

chapter 296, pg 293

Martha Ann Paty Dayley, the mother and guardian of Francis William Paty, a minor is authorized to sell real estate in the State of California.

chapter 326, pg 312

William T. Wallace, guardian of his infant children Richard R. Wallace and Ryland B. Wallace is authorized to sell real estate in Santa Clara County.

chapter 329, pg 315

Maria O'Conner, administratrix of the estate of Michael T. O'Conner, deceased is authorized to sell real estate in the county of San Francisco.

chapter 364, pg 371

Franklin Birdsall, executor of the last will and testament of George W. Birdsall, deceased is authorized to sell real estate in the County of Yuba.

chapter 371, pg 377

H. L. Dodge and George Cadwallader, administrators of the estate of Gilbert A. Grant, deceased are authorized to sell real estate in the County of San Francisco.

chapter 417, pg 480

The guardian of Jonathan P. Williams and Isaac B. Williams, minor heirs of James Williams, deceased is authorized to sell real estate in the County of Santa Cruz.

chapter 419, pg 481

The guardian of George Horton and Marshall Horton is authorized to sell real estate in the County of Tulare.

chapter 423, pg 485

Rachel Bonds, administratrix of the estate of George M. Bonds, late of the County of Stanislaus is authorized to sell real estate in that county.

chapter 461, pg 514

John F. Pope, father and natural guardian of Overton Charles Pope, a minor, is authorized to sell real estate in the County of San Francisco.

chapter 463, pg 515

Adelia Lyons, the administratrix of the estate of Julius Lyons, deceased, is authorized to sell real estate in the State of California.

chapter 471, pg 524

The administrator of the estate of Joseph K. Irving, deceased is authorized to sell real estate in the State of California.

chapter 476, pg 526

Caroline Butterfield, widow of David Butterfield late of Siskiyou County is authorized to sell real estate in that county.

chapter 484, pg 532

The Public Administrator of Nevada County is authorized to sell the real estate owned by the late Maria Smith in the County of Nevada.

chapter 504, pg 572

William M. Stockton, surviving husband of Anne Eliza Stockton, deceased, his wife, late of Los Angeles County is authorized to sell real estate in said county.

chapter 527, pg 598

John Reed, guardian of the infant heirs of Joseph Purdue, deceased is authorized to sell real estate in the County of Sacramento.

chapter 537, pg 657

Henrietta Corbett and John C. Corbett, appointed administrators of the estate of William Corbett, deceased are authorized to sell real estate in the County of San Francisco.

AUTHORIZATION TO REMOVE REMAINS FROM A CEMETERY

chapter 69, pg 55

James Camp and James L. Fry of Dillon township in Klamath County are authorized to remove the remains of John Latimer and Thomas Mooney from their present burial place and inter them in the public graveyard of said township.

chapter 168, pg 167

John Atkinson of Placer County is authorized to remove all of the remains of deceased persons interred on the courthouse lot in the Town of Auburn and reinter them in the Auburn Cemetery.

chapter 234, pg 238

Giles Bewel of Placer County is authorized to remove the remains of deceased persons interred in the Old Graveyard in the town of Michigan Bluff and reinter them in the new cemetery near the Masonic Hall in said town.

chapter 243, pg 248

John Reeves, of the city of Sacramento and sole owner of the New Helvetia Cemetery and has asked for permission to disinter some of the early burials and rebury them so the cemetery is laid out in a proper manner.

chapter 388, pg 408

R. M. Williams is authorized to remove human remains from his farm in Bucksport Township, Humboldt County to the public burying grounds in said township.

PAYMENTS MADE BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

chapter 108, pg 89

$3747.85 is paid to I. & S. Wormser, assignees of J. M. Anderson, Joseph R. Beard, C. A. Sumner, W. M. Cutter and P. Malone for copying done in the Senate.

chapter 135, pg 124

$1480 is paid to I. N. Quincy for services as State Prison Director in 1861.

chapter 137, pg 125

$241 is paid to William Greenhood for translating laws from the 10th Session of the Legislature into Spanish.

chapter 157, pg 154

$152.20 is paid to James R. Hardenbergh for postage stamps furnished the 11th Senate Session.

chapter 160, pg 156

$2790 is paid to Mary B. Russell and the Sisters of Mercy for expenses they incurred in burying patients who died in the hospital in San Francisco.

chapter 167, pg 167

$1860 is paid to Gregory Yale for services as an attorney at law in the State Prison litigation.

chapter 222, pg 223

$2000 is paid to E. J. Saunders for services in transporting arms and ammunition to Utah Territory.

chapter 242, pg 248

$194.70 is paid to John Bell for his services in the Humboldt and Klamath Indian War in 1858.

chapter 245, pg 249

$322.95 is paid to Thomas R. Eldridge for translating into Spanish the laws of 1857.

chapter 322, pg 310

$37.05 is paid to G. J. Lytle for newspapers furnished the 11th Senate Session.

chapter 435, pg 498

$19,375.81 is paid to John F. McCauley for cattle and beef furnished to the State Prison.

chapter 456, pg 512

$2500 is paid to James C. Pennie who has been disabled for life by a wound received at the State Prison in 1861 while endeavoring to suppress a revolt of the convicts.

chapter 457, pg 512

$1080 is paid to Gen. A. M. Winn for military services rendered as Brigadier General in the 2nd El Dorado Expedition against the hostile Indians on the eastern frontier of the State.

chapter 509, pg 578

$841.85 is paid to Lucy Meloney, the salary of her late husband A. R. Meloney the State Controller for the benefit of her children.

MISCELLANEOUS

chapter 26, pg 19

A. W. Macpherson, Alfred Godffroy, William Sillem, John Freundt and J. B. Ford are authorized to construct and maintain booms on the Albion River, Big River and the Noyo River in the County of Mendocino.

chapter 59, pg 48

An Act to change the venue in the case of Horace Smith whereas an indictment is now pending in the 12th Judicial District Court charging him with the crime of murder of Samuel T. Newell in San Francisco.

chapter 99, pg 78

Joseph J. Cloud is authorized to construct a wharf at Punta Arena in Mendocino County.

chapter 147, pg 146

Thomas A. Talbert, J. R. Hardenburg, William S. Long, David Maddux, John P. Madden, Frank Hereford, J. B. Dayton, John S. Barrett and M. M. Estee are authorized to lay down railroad track in the city and county of Sacramento.

chapter 204, pg 204

Paul Shirley and T. B. Storer are authorized to extend the wharf owned by them in Benecia, Solano County 150 feet into the Straits of Carquines and collect tolls.

chapter 244, pg 249

Hugh S. May is authorized to construct and maintain a wharf on Petaluma Creek in the County of Sonoma.

chapter 260, pg 264

William Fitzpatrick, William D. Lawrence, C. T. Cutler, Josiah Sturgis, John Fitzpatrick, Nicholas Hunsaker and James McGovern are authorized to construct a railroad in Contra Costa County.

chapter 282, pg 278

Guillerno Carrillo is authorized to supply the inhabitants of the Town of Santa Barbara with fresh water.

chapter 298, pg 294

R. A. Pearis and L. B. Harris as trustees for Amanda Harris are authorized to construct a bridge across the American River.

chapter 306, pg 300

C. J. Collins is authorized to construct and maintain a ferry and a wharf from a point on Ringold's map of Suisun Bay as "Point Collberg" in Solano County.

chapter 311, pg 303

Charles H. Brinley, Andres Pico and James R. Vineyard of Los Angeles County are authorized to construct a turnpike road from the ex-Mission of San Fernando across the mountain of San Fernando to the Arroyo de Santa Clara in Los Angeles County.

chapter 348, pg 352

Martin T. Smith is authorized to construct and maintain a wharf at Fishing Rock in Mendocino County.

chapter 351, pg 354

C. S. Higgins is authorized to lay down gas pipes in the City and County of San Francisco.

chapter 363, pg 370

Thomas Harrigan is authorized to construct a single track iron railroad commencing at a point known as the crossing of the Upper Stockton Road and into the city of Sacramento.

chapter 373, pg 377

$378.12 is paid to B. F. Hastings for John O'Meara for the printing of the "Transactions of the State Agricultural Society."

chapter 376, pg 382

Henry M. Stow, H. H. Hartley, Mike Gray, J. H. Gass, R. H. Daly and J. D. Howard are authorized to lay railroad track in the City of Sacramento.

chapter 379, pg 387

Spencer W. Hill, Isaac P. Smith and P. S. Palmstream are authorized to construct a bridge across Big River in Mendocino County.

chapter 391, pg 411

J. C. Cissna is authorized to construct a wharf in the Bay of San Luis Obispo between San Luis Point and San Luis Creek.

chapter 398, pg 416

Henry B. Platt and James Gallagher are authorized to construct a wharf at the foot of Third Street in the City and County of San Francisco.

chapter 400, pg 418

George McCoy is authorized to construct a wharf in Contra Costa County.

chapter 408, pg 470

Davis D. Reeve, John B. Lemon and James M. Lemon are authorized to construct a wharf at Suisun City in Solano County.

chapter 470, pg 524

John J. Warner, J. G. Tomlinson and Frank Mellus are authorized to construct a wagon road from the City of San Bernardino to Holcomb and Bear Valley in the County of San Bernardino.

ASSEMBLY RESOLUTIONS

res 3, pg 669

William A. January, County Clerk of El Dorado County, is granted a 5 month leave.

res 7, pg 671

Hon. Robert McGarvey, County Judge of Stanislaus County, is granted a 3 month leave.

res 13, pg 674

Hon. Green T. Martin, Judge of Tuolumne County is granted a 4 month leave.

res 30, pg 679

Hon. S. H. Brooks, Controller of the State of California is granted a 30 day leave.

res 33, pg 679

E. Burke, District Judge of the 13th Judicial District is granted a 4 month leave.

SENATE RESOLUTIONS

res 1, pg 681

Michael Martin is appointed Fireman at a salary of $3 per day.

res 2, pg 682

John Clark, an old pensioner, is appointed to perform work in the rear of the capitol and shall be paid $2 per day.

res 5, pg 682

W. C. Kibbe, Quartermaster General , is granted indefinite leave.

res 10, pg 684

Thomas A. Brown, County Judge of Contra Costa County is granted a 4 month leave.

res 13, pg 684

Hon. Charles Fernald, County Judge of Santa Barbara County is granted a 3 month leave.

res 17, pg 686

Hon. D. W. McComb, County Judge of Klamath County is granted a 3 month leave.

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