Libbey (Elliott, Captain) Depositions, 1845, 1854, bulk Bulk, 1845

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Summary

Title:
Libbey, Captain Elliott Depositions
Dates:
1845, 1854, bulk Bulk, 1845
Creators:
Forbes, James Alexander, 1804?-1881
Abstract:
Handwritten depositions taken by "Her Britannic Majesty Vice Consul California" James Alexander Forbes in October of 1845, realting to the attack of Captain Elliott Libbey on 10/11/1845 by Californios. This bopund set of documents is entitled: “Documents relative to the outrage committed upon Captain Elliott Libbey of the American Barque Tasso at San Francisco California."
Containers:
Box: B001627
Folder: C058490
Extent:
1.0 folder 55 page handwritten original document ribbon bound sealed with the wax seal of the British Consul
Language:
Preferred citation:

Captain Elliott Libbey Depositions. The Society of California Pioneers.

Background

Scope and content:

This 55 page original handwritten document is bound with ribbon and marked with the wax seal of the British Consul. It contains 12 signed depositions given to the British Vice Consul in Yerba Buena on October 13, 1845 concerning the attack of Captain Elliott Libbey, Master of the American Barque "Tasso" on the night of October 11, 1845. Captain Libbey was severely wounded by two stab wounds and a saber blow to the head, and left for dead on the street. He was rescued by Antonio Osio and taken to the home of Nathan Spear. The attack was undertaken by 8 Californios who claimed they were under orders by the California Subprefect.

The depositions are from: Captain Elliott Libbey - Master of the American Barque "Tasso", Captain Peter Peterson - Master of the American Ship "Admittance", Captain William Richardson - Captain of the Port, Nathan Spear, Robert Ridley, D. Miguel Pedrona, Henry Bishop, William Fisher - Owner of the Mexican Brig "Maria Teresa", Kimakahi - Sandwich Island seaman, Maapu - alias Jim, Sandwich Island Seaman.

Also includes a note regarding the outcome of the depositions from Thomas Larkin, 04/15/1854.

Biographical / historical:

Elliott Libbey was Captain of the American barque "Tasso" in 1845, he survived his wounds from the attack on 10/11/1845. No further information is known.

James Alexander Forbes (01/06/1805–05/06/1881) was the British vice-consul to Mexican California, as well as the first British consul to the U.S. state of California. He built a flour mill outside of San Jose, California (now known as Forbes Mill), and that land eventually became the basis of the town of Los Gatos.

Thomas Oliver Larkin (09/16/1802-10/27/1858) was an early American businessman in Alta California, and was appointed to be the United States' first and only consul to Mexican Alta California. After the Mexican-American War ended in 1848, Larkin moved to San Francisco, and was a signer of the original California Constitution.

Acquisition information:
Donor and Date of acquisition unknown.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Nick Scales
Date Prepared:
05/07/2013
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2014-04-25T16:19-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection open for research.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions on access.

Preferred citation:

Captain Elliott Libbey Depositions. The Society of California Pioneers.

Location of this collection:
300 Fourth Street
San Francisco, CA 94107, US
Contact:
(415) 957-1849 ext. 160
mmdevine@californiapioneers.org
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