This file contains the papers pertaining to Peter H. Burnett who was the first Gov. of California. He lived in the California from 1848 until his death in 1895. The papers contain: a letter to John Sutter, copies of Burnett's Inaugural Address, a short note about his rise through the Supreme Court system, and some other correspondence concerning his membership in The Society of California Pioneers.

Peter H. Burnett was the first Gov. of California, the first to resign and a Supreme Court Judge in Oregon in 1845. He received no formal education beyond elementary school, but educated himself in law and government. He arrived in California on November 5th, 1848 for gold and joined the Society of Pioneers March 2nd, 1863. He originally made money selling lots of land in Sacramento, then moved to San Francisco. Burnett was known for his push to exclude blacks from California, and also to heavily tax foreigners and immigrants. He also served on the California Supreme Court, 1857-58.

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