Title:

Autobiography and Reminiscence of Andrew Smith Church, San Francisco, 1901.

Institutional Records Digitization Project: Reminiscences of Early Pioneers: 1900-1904

Description:

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.

Creator/Contributor:

Church, Andrew Smith, 1827-1912, creator

Date:

1901 (issued)

Contributing Institution:

Society of California Pioneers