Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- The Andrew S. Church Papers
- Dates:
- 1901 July 26
- Abstract:
- This folder contains the original hand written, 71 page, autobiographical reminiscence that was created as an "institutional record for the Society of California Pioneers." Mr. Church was born in New York City on July 26th, 1829 and arrived in San Francisco, on board the "Bark Vernon" on "October 9th, 1849."
- Extent:
- 1 folder 1 Folder (2 handwritten manuscripts)
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
The Andrew S. Church Papers. The Society of California Pioneers.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This folder contains the original hand written, 71 page, autobiographical reminiscence that was created as an "institutional record for the Society of California Pioneers." Mr. Church was born in New York City on July 26th, 1829 and arrived in San Francisco, on board the "Bark Vernon" on "October 9th, 1849." The vivd and detailed account describes Church's arrival in, and impressions of, San Francisco in it's earliest years. He details his meals, a few gambling halls, and the state of housing in the growing city. He recalls the vessel maintained a "drunk captain, a cowardly crew, and lack of provisions." At Colusa they met angry miners among the mining camps and he recalls animal attacks, hunting, Indian warfare,medicine, and his operations mining for gold are noted. In 1853, he joined a posse to find a man killed by Indians in the Yosemite Valley and in 1856 he details the Vigilance Committee and it's involvement in the storming of the prison after James King of William's murder. This Autobiography and Reminiscence is digitized and available online at the OAC.
- Biographical / historical:
-
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, then 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. The Society also has Institutional Records on Church.
- Acquisition information:
- Source and Date of Acquisition not known.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2017-11-01 18:06:05 +0000 .
Access and use
- Preferred citation:
-
The Andrew S. Church Papers. The Society of California Pioneers.
- Location of this collection:
-
300 Fourth StreetSan Francisco, CA 94107, US
- Contact:
- (415) 957-1849 ext. 160