The finding aid for the George Henry Armstrong Dimpfel papers. C057902

J. Davis
Society of California Pioneers
10/10/2017
101 Montgomery Street, Suite 150
Presidio of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA 94129
pkeats@californiapioneers.org

Note

B002182 / B-2-1b


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: Society of California Pioneers
Title: George Henry Armstrong Dimpfel Papers
creator: Dimpfel, George P.
Identifier/Call Number: C057902
Physical Description: 1 folder 1 Folder (1 typed letter; 1 handwritten letter, 7 pages)
Date (inclusive): 1903-1914
Abstract: This file contains one type written letter and one hand written letter. The type written letter is addressed to a W. C. Burnett of San Francisco, is dated January 26th, 1903, and signed by Geo. C. Pardee. This letter is in response to a request by Burnett for Dimpfel to become a warden at one of the state prisons. The second letter is hand written and is addressed to the Society of California Pioneers and is dated December 29th, 1914. The hand written letter was written by George Henry Armstrong Dimpfel's son, George P. Dimpfel, and seems to be at the request of the Society for a brief sketch of his father's life.

Scope and Contents

This file contains one type written letter and one hand written letter. The type written letter is addressed to a W. C. Burnett of San Francisco, is dated January 26th, 1903, and signed by Geo. C. Pardee. This letter is in response to a request by Burnett for Dimpfel to become a warden at one of the state prisons. The second letter is hand written and is addressed to the Society of California Pioneers and is dated December 29th, 1914. The hand written letter was written by G. H. A. Dimpfel's Son and seems to be at the request of the Society. The hand written letter was written by George Henry Armstrong Dimpfel's son, George P. Dimpfel, and seems to be at the request of the Society of California Pioneers, for a brief sketch of his father's life. It is addressed to Mr. E. H. Sawyer, Marshal, Society of California Pioneers. In the hand written letter Dimpfel's son recounts that his grandfather and father came to California from New York City on March 10th, 1849 on board the ship "Helena" around Cape Horn, arriving in San Francisco on September 22nd, 1849. He and his son soon left for the gold mines in Calaveras and Toulomne Counties. The two left the mines in 1855 eventually settling in Benicia. In 1861 he received a commission from President Lincoln to the rank of Captain, serving as storekeeper with the quartermaster corps. In 1865 he left for a new duty station at Fort Yuma, Arizona where he supervised the construction of "camp Verde". In 1868 he was sent to Fort Vancouver, Washington and then onto Sitka, Alaska, eventually being honorably discharged from the army in 1872. He would marry in 1877 one "Miss Anne Augusta Emerson", a cousin of Ralph Waldo Emerson. After his military career ended he became the Commandant of the Veterans Home in Yountville, Napa Co., and later would be the Secretary of the Oakland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Biographical / Historical

George Henry Armstrong Dimpfel was the only son of George Lewis Dimpfel and Henrietta Franklin Burns, and was born in New York City, on February 11, 1832. At the age of 12, the family moved to Niack, Rockland County, New York. He was attending the Irving Institute at Tarrytown, N.Y. on the Hudson River, when he left for California with his father. In the hand written letter G. Dimpfel's son recounts that his grandfather and his father came to California from New York City on March 10th, 1849 on board the ship "Helena" around Cape Horn arriving in San Francisco on September 22nd, 1849. He and his son soon left for the gold mines in Calaveras and Toulomne Counties. The two left the mines in 1855 eventually settling in Benicia. G.H.A. Dimpfel became an accountant and assistant paymaster for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and eventually he accepted a position at the Custom House at San Francisco. In 1861 he received a commission from President Lincoln to the rank of Captain, serving as storekeeper with the quartermaster corps. In 1865 he left for a new duty station at Fort Yuma, Arizona where he supervised the construction of "camp Verde". In 1868 he was sent to Fort Vancouver, Washington and then onto Sitka, Alaska, eventually being honorably discharged from the army in 1872. He would marry in 1877, one "Miss Anne Augusta Emerson", a cousin of Ralph Waldo Emerson, and they had one son who was living in Oakland. After G.H.A. Dimpfel's military career ended he became the Commandant of the Veterans Home in Yountville, Napa Co., and later would be the Secretary of the Oakland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Captain Dimpfel was a member of The Society of California Pioneers, and according to one of our records, Dimpfel is a Colonel, and joined the Society in 1890. This record notes much of the same information, but also adds Dimpfel was a member of the millitary order of theLoyal Legion, and a member of the George H. Thomas Post no. 2, Grand Army of the Republic. Funeral services were held at the Oakland Cremation Association on December 10, 1914. (Taken from the Marshall Record, vol.I, p. 289).

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source and date of acquisition unknown.

Existence and Location of Originals

The Society of California Pioneers, 101 Montgomery St., Suite 150, Presidio of San Francisco , San Francisco CA, 94129

Preferred Citation

The George Henry Armstrong Dimpfel Papers. The Society of California Pioneers.

Related Materials

The Society of California Pioneers owns the following Institutional Records on G.H.A. Dimpfel, who was a member, joining on Sept. 1, 1890: Archives Record, vol. 5, p.124; Marshall Record, vol. I,p.289; and Mortuary Record, 1906-1933, p.283.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Frontier and pioneer life – California
Society of California Pioneers
Pioneers -- California -- History -- 19th century
United States. Army.
Gold mines and mining -- California -- Tuolumne County.
Dimpfel, George Henry Armstrong, Capt., 1832-1914
Dimpfel, George P.