Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must be obtained by the reader.
Description
Available also in the original handwritten form in the member's Biographical File, and online Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must be obtained by the reader Autobiography & Reminiscence of William Lorenzo Duncan , San Francisco, 1901. The Society of California Pioneers William Lorenzo Duncan was born June 11, 1827 in Washington College, Maryland. His early childhood was spent in New York City. After the death of his mother, the family moved to South Central Illinois, going into business with his brother in Springfield and Bloomington. In 1846, as war broke out with Mexico, Duncan served in Company B of the 4th regiment of Illinois Infantry as 2nd Lieut. His company went to New Orleans and left on the "Sea Lion" for Brazos, marching to a point on the Rio Grande (Camp Belknap). Duncan commanded his regiment after the Captain and other 2nd Lieut. died and took part in the capture of Tampico embarking on a Steamer for Vera Cruz. The regiment was in the siege of Vera Cruz and the battle of Cerro Gordo. After the war, Duncan resumed business in Bloomington with his brother. On April 20, 1849 Duncan started overland for California with a train of 14 wagons and entered California on September 20, 1849. He mined on Bear River, went to Sacramento and stayed until flooded out. He and a partner opened a store in Jackson, Amador County. From 1851-1853, Duncan shared a business, the "Chinese Sales Room", with his brother and a partner in San Francisco. In 1853 he sold out going into real estate, buying 80 acres of land in the Western Addition. In 1864, Duncan bought a seat in the S.F. Stock and Exchange Board Autobiographies and Reminiscences of California Pioneers, p. 26-37, Vol. 6. This is a typed transcript, bound into a volume, of the member's autobiographical reminiscence created as an institutional record for the Society of California Pioneers. The original handwritten version exists in the member's biographical file. This reminiscence includes a reference to a photograph of the member in a set of bound volumes. It appears that the photographs in this set were dispersed throughout the regular photography collection, but the photographs referenced in the related materials may or may not be these same photographs. This biography spans 1827-1869 and begins with Duncan's description of his youth in New York City and Illinois, and discusses his service in the Mexican War. The account ends with Duncan's overland journey to California, the hardships encountered, and an overview of his later life in mining, commerce, and real estate.
Duncan William Lorenzo--1827-1907 United States. Army. Illinois Infantry Regiment, 4th (1846-1847)--Biography Pioneers--California--Biography Overland journeys to the Pacific Frontier and pioneer life Soldiers--Illinois--Biography Mexican War, 1846-1848 Mexican War, 1846-1848--Mexico--Tampico (Tamaulipas) Sacramento (Calif.)--History San Francisco (Calif.)--History
Place
Pioneers California Biography Soldiers Illinois Mexican War, 1846-1848 Mexico Tampico (Tamaulipas) Sacramento (Calif.) History San Francisco (Calif.)
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
