Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Access Points
Contents
Biography
Correspondents
Descriptive Summary
Title: Isaiah W. Lees Collection,
Date (inclusive): 1863-1903
Box Number: 1548
Creator:
Lees, Isaiah W., 1830-1918
Repository:
California State Library
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Access
Unrestricted.
Conditions of Use
Please credit California State Library.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to California State Library. All requests for permission
to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing. Permission for
publication is given on behalf of California State Library as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which
must also be obtained by the reader.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Isaiah W. Lees Collection, California State Library.
Access Points
Lees, Isaiah W., 1831-1902.
Law enforcement--California--San Francisco.
San Francisco Mining Company (Calif.)
California Cygnet Company.
Contents
San Francisco Mining Company and California Cygnet Company (1863-1902) list of
shareholders and legal papers; Investigative files: Robert W. Souter (1973-1876), Charles
G. Mugg (1874-1878, Joseph Wrigley (1858-1872), Piper-Baldwin (1863-1900), Fair-Craven
Case (1890s); photographs; notes; correspondence; resolution book.
Biography
Isaiah W. Lees was born in Lancashire, England, December 25, 1830. When he was nine
months old, his family settled in Patterson, New Jersey. He sailed to San Francisco
aboard the
Mary Francis, arriving on December 20, 1848. He
joined the San Francisco police force on October 26, 1853. He served continuously
forty-seven years, retiring in January 1900. Mr. Lees was promoted to Chief of Police and
served as Chief of Detectives. As a criminal officer, he travelled to Scotland Yard
several times and his picture hangs there to represent one of the great criminal officers
of his day. It was Captain Lees who founded the Rogues Gallery, using his own money to
make the original collection of pictures. He died on December 21, 1902, president of the
Veteran Police Association. He and his wife had five children, two of whom survived him.
Correspondents
- Bombee, William
- Bunce, Addie
- Burr, J.B., Hyde & Company
- Gagan & Fairchild
- Harrington, Nellie
- Harvey, George H.
- Hatch, Joe F.
- Heggerty, Charles J.
- Knight, George A.
- Mugg, C. K.
- Pinkerton, Willam A. (William Allan), 1846-1923.
- Souter, Robert W.
- Stanford, Leland, 1824-1893.
- Woods, George L.
- Wrigley, Joseph.