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 Andrew Smith Church, San Francisco, 1901. The Society of California Pioneers Church was born in N.Y. City July 26, 1827. A cashier in Boston, he caught "the fever" and left for California on the "Vernon", arriving in S. F. on Oct. 9, 1849. In Nov., he went to Corte Madera for work, the Mission S. Rafael then back to S.F. In 1849, he left S.F. for Benecia with "gastric fever". Church and his uncle sold goods in the Northern mines and he worked on the "Colusa". In 1851 at Stockton mining he joined a friend in "Barstow & Church". In 1853, he opened a grocery in S.F., "Barstow, Church & Co.", but soon left the business for N.Y. via Nicaragua. Church returned to S.F. via Panama and worked in Columbia. Back in S.F. and the grocery business, he was elected an officer of the Vigilance Committee (1856). In 1860, he went to Virginia City to open a trading post (Church & Co.). In 1862-74 he owned the O.F. Giffin and Brother business in S.F Autobiographies and Reminiscences of California Pioneers, p. 41-98, Vol. 4. This is a typed transcript 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 account (1849-1901) describes Church's arrival in and impressions of San Francisco - meals, gambling halls, and housing. He recounts life as mate on the "Colusa" (July 1850): a drunk captain, a cowardly crew, and lack of provisions. At Colusa they met angry miners and mining camps, animal attacks and hunting, Indian warfare, grizzly hunting, medicine and gold are noted. In 1853, he joined a posse to find a man killed by Indians (Yosemite Valley). In the 1856 Vigilance Committee, he tells of storming the prison after James King of William's murder.
Church, Andrew Smith--1827-1912 Olympic Club (San Francisco, Calif.) Pioneers--California--Biography Voyages to the Pacific Coast Gold mines and mining--California--Mariposa County Crime--California--History--19th century Indians of North American--California Steamboats--California Pacific coast Indians, Wars with--1847-1865 California--History--1846-1850 California--Social life and customs--19th century California--Ethnic relations--History--1846-1850 San Francisco (Calif.)--History Sacramento (Calif.)--History Colusa (Calif.)--History
Time Period
Crime -- California -- History -- 19th century Pacific coast Indians, Wars with -- 1847-1865 California -- History -- 1846-1850 California -- Social life and customs -- 19th century California -- Ethnic relations -- History -- 1846-1850
Place
Pioneers California Biography Gold mines and mining Mariposa County. Crime History 19th century. Indians of North American California. Steamboats 1846-1850. Social life and customs Ethnic relations San Francisco (Calif.) Sacramento (Calif.) Colusa (Calif.) Yosemite Valley (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.
