Seventh Generation (Continued)
Family of Dr. Frederick Buckalew Jr., M.D. (333) & Maria Cogan

762. Dr. Frederick Woodhull Buckalew , M.D. Born on 1 June 1812 in Newark, NJ. At the age of <1, Frederick Woodhull was baptized in Old Tennent Ch, Tennent, Monmouth Co., NJ, on 26 July 1812. Frederick Woodhull died in Chambers Co., AL, on 4 September 1868; he was 56. Buried in Bethel Ch. Cem., Welch, AL, S9, T24N, R27E.

From 9 Jan 1987 ltr from Janet T. Riemer to Edna B. Taylor: "The use of the middle name Woodhull for the Frederick born in 1812 is interesting. It may have been his mother's or his grandmother's maiden name. That is a practice that has been done over many years. Another theory is that he was named to honor a friend or prominent member of the community. There was a family with that surname in the western Monmouth and the Eastern Middlesex area at the time of Frederick's birth. The pastor of the Old Tennent Church from 1778 to 1824 was Rev. John Woodhull and there was a Dr. John T. Woodhull who was identified in the church records. Another example of either theory is the christening on May 12, 1816 of Frederick Buckelew, son of Wm. Dey and his wife. Was Mrs. Dey the former Nancy, Margaret or Mary Buckelew or was the child named after a friend? Who knows!"

From Book "Monmouth County Cemeteries," "Perrineville, Pressbyterian Church and Early Settlers, 1785-1936,": "Perrineville is situated in the north central part of Millstone Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. In 1786 the First Presbyterian Church of Millstone was organized. In those days it was customary for Presbyterian ministers to have under their charge young men in preparation for the ministry. Rev. John Woodhull, D. D., passtor of Tennent Church, employed Joseph Clark, a student of theology under him, to conduct regular religious services at Perrineville....Preaching was kept up for many years by Rev. John Woodhull. Rev. William Henry Woodhull was the first pastor. A classical school was opened by Mr. Woodhull soon after he took charge...."

Christened at Old Tennent (Scotch Presbyterian Church), Tennent, Monmouth Co., NJ.

Medical license--Records New Jersey Archives (1833).

Lived Brooklyn, NY; New Jersey; Coweta Co., GA; Chambers Co., AL.

1847, 7 Oct; Chambers Co., AL, Deed: Dr. F. W. Buckelew, for $35 bought at public auction the SW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Sec. 22, T24, R27, containing 40 acres, originally belonging to James Langley/Longley.

1847, 18 Oct; Chambers Co., AL, Deed: Dr. F. W. Buckelew purchased for $500 -- 140 acres in Sec. 17, T24, R27: the SW 1/4 of the NW 1/4; NW 1/4 of the SW 1/4; the NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 & the south 1/2 of the NW 1/4.

2 Oct 1848: At the Jan. term 1850, Cullman, AL, Johnson vs The State, filed an Error to Circuit Court of Chambers Co. The plaintiff in error had previously been convicted of the murder of Elizabeth Johnson, his wife. Elizabeth had suddenly gotten sick on Sun, 1 Oct 1848, and died on Tuesday, 3 Oct. "Evidence tended to show that her death was caused by white oxide or arsenic, a deadly poison, taken Sunday. No physician was called until Monday when Dr. Buckalien was called."

1848, 2 Oct, Chambers Co., AL, Physician's Visit: At the Jan. term 1850, (Cullen) Johnson vs The State, filed an Error to Circuit Court of Chambers. The plaintiff in error had previously been convicted of the murder of Elizabeth Johnson, his wife. Elizabeth had suddenly gotten sick on Sun., 2 Oct 1848, and died on Tues, 3 Oct. "Evidence tended to show that her death was caused by white oxide of arsenic, a deadly poison, taken Sunday. No physician was called until Monday when Dr. Buckalien (sic) was called."

1850 Chambers Co., AL, Census: H478 Error...gives his initials as "W. W." With wife, "Milton" (this should be "Milburn"), "Olive," and "Cornelia." Records his owning three slaves.

1850 Chambers Co., AL, Land Sales or Grants: The Tract Book grantee entries include... 11 Dec, Frederick W. Buckalew, 40 acres in Sec. 7, cert. #4176; 21 Dec., Fred Buckalew, 40 acres in Sec. 5, Cert. #11250; 21 Dec., Frederick W. Buckalew, 40 acres in Sec. 7, Cert. #11251; 26 Dec., Frederick W. Buckalew, 80 acres in Sec. 7, Cert. #11238.

1855 Chambers Co., AL, Census: 2 white males 21-, 1 wm21+, 2 w. females 21-, 1 wf21+, 6 whites, 4 slaves, 10 total inhabitants.

1860 Chambers Co., AL, Census: H 957; Physician; R $4,000; P $15,000; Error...gives his name as "Lee W." ; living in home (children) A?M. in school, Mary C. in school, Julidus? in school, (slave?) Eviline Hudspeth, 16F P $700, GA; records his owning seven slaves.

1867, 10 June, Middlesex Co., NJ, Deed: Frederick W. Buckelew, of Chambers Co., AL, bought a lot in New Brunswick, NJ from James & Margaret C. Buckelew.

1868, 8 Oct, State of GA, Petition for Letters of Administration, Estate of F. W. Buckalew: Ansalom (Ansel M.) Buckalew, living in GA, was named as heir to the Chambers Co., AL, estate of F. W. Buckalew.

1868, 8 Oct, Heard Co., GA, Petition for Letters of Administration, Estate of F. W. Buckalew: Mary C. Powers of Randolph Co., GA (perhaps "AL"), wife of William P. Powers, was named as an heir to the Chambers Co., AL, estate of F. W. Buckalew.

1868, 8 Oct, Randolph Co., AL, Petition for Letters of Administration, Estate of F. W. Buckalew: Olive Emory of Randolph Co., AL, Wife of A. G. Emory, was named as an heir to the Chambers Co., AL, estate of F. W. Buckalew.

1 Sep 1870 Depositions: A.A. Buckelew (widow), adm'x, ...stated Dr. A.G. Emory, husband of Olive Emory, Ansel M. Buckalew & L. L. Buckalew were to take notice. Henry C. Seagraves, of Chambers Co., AL, stated he knew Dr. Fred. W. Buckalew during his life, and that he had died at his home in Chambers Co., AL, the latter part of the summer of 1865 (sic)

Buried in Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery; S9, T24N, R27E; Northwest part of Chambers Co., AL; West off of Hwy 431 at Welch, AL. Tombstone gives his name as "Bucklelew." "56 years, 3 months, 3 days." Cliff, Jan, Norma and I visited this gravesite 14 Aug 1994.

"... born in New York City in 1812, was reared there, graduated in medicine from the University of New York and practiced for several years at Cranberry, New York. Coming to Alabama, he located in Chambers Co., twelve miles north of Lafayette, at Old Bloomingdale, and was one of the earliest graduates of a medical college to engage in practice in that community. He remained there until his death in September, 1868. In addition to his large practice, extending widely over the surrounding section of the country, he owned a large plantation. ... married Augusta Ann Summerlin, a native of Best (sic: I think it should be 'Butts') Co., GA. Their children were: Ansel M.; Olive, a resident of Opelika, AL, and widow of Dr. Aurelius J. Emory, who served as a surgeon in the Fourteenth Tennessee Regiment, Archer's Brigade during the Civil War and afterwards practiced medicine at Opelika (AL) until death; Mary, who married William Powers, a farmer and both died in Heard Co., GA, she in 1868 and he in 1870; Lucien Leonidas, a farmer merchant and miller who died in Chambers Co., AL." , p. 419.

From Ellen H. Myers:

"Frederick Woodhull Buckelew (June 1, 1812 - Sept 4, 1868), son of a New Jersey physician, was born in Newark, received his license to practice medicine in 1833, and established an office in Cranbury, NJ. While visiting a friend in Georgia, he met the daughter of Lazarus (1774 - 1856) and Mary Cup (1787 - 1882) Summerlin, named Augusta Ann Summerlin (1825 l- Jan 20, 1904), whom he married in Butts Co., GA in 1840. The Buckelews moved to Chambers Co. near Lafayette, where their four children were born: Ansel Milburn in 1843; Olive Olinska, July 2, 1844; Mary Cornelia, and Lucius Leonidas, Dec 9, 1851, known as Dink. Both Augusta Ann and F. W. Buckelew, in addition to their son L. L. (1851 - 1898)and his daughter Edna (1874 - 1875), are buried in the Clark plot in the Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery.

"Ansel followed in the family tradition and became a physician; Olive married one, Dr. Aurelius Grigsby Emory (Jan 7, 1839 - Sept 21, 1901), from Roanoke, in nearby Randolph Co. The Buckelew-Emory wedding took place on Feb 14, 1860 in her family home near lafayette, conducted by Justice of the Peace F.B. Holliday. A.G. Emory enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1862, in Roanoke, AL., serving as an Assistant Surgeon in Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, and was attached to Tennessee's 14th Regiment. He was captured by Union Soldiers in 1863, and held prisoner for six months. In 1864, he served at Stuart Hospital in Richmond. After the war, Emory practiced medicine in Opelika, which in 1867 was no longer in Chambers (Co.), but in Lee Co.

"Olive Buckelew and A.G. Emory, both buried at Rosemere Cemetery in Opelika, raised four children. Ida Lee, recipient of a music class merit medal in the 1877-78 session, married John M. Trammel on Oct 16, 1883 and continued to live in Opelika. Mary Olive "Molly"(1868-1934) married J. R. Hardaway, lived in Virginia and in Texas, and is buried in Navasota, TX. The two sons, George Woodhull (1870-1917) and Stonewall Jackson (1872-1941), graduated from Alabama Polytechnical Institute in Auburn in 1890. Then, both Wood and Stone attended the University of Virginia medical school for a year (1891-92) followed by a year at Tulane medical school, where they received diplomas in 1893. George Woodhull interned at Bellevue Hospital in New York, then practiced briefly in Anderson, TX, before moving to Bryan, where he married Mary Cole. He was fatally shot by an unstable syphilitic patient in 1917, and was buried in the Bryan City Cemetery. Stonewall Jackson interned at Johns Hopkins in Maryland with an eye, ear, and throat specialty and moved to Navasota, TX, where he married Annie Templeton (1872-1951) on June 26, 1897. Emory farmed, practiced medicine, and furthered his professional education in Austria in 1924, where received a diploma in eye surgery from the University of Vienna medical school.

"S.J. & Annie Emory had two children: Robert Birrell (1898-1899) and Anne Olive (1900-1985) who, in March 1924, married Douglas Wister How4ell (1899-1978) of Bryan. Their children are Ann Howell Giraud (1925-1990) and Douglas Wister Howell, Jr. (1937- ), residents of Bryan, and Wister Howell Kampmann (1927- ) and Ellen Howell Myers (1941- ), who live in San Antonio. The next generation includes D. W. Howell, III (1963- ), Joel Victor (1965-1977), George A. Kampman, Jr. (1956 - ), Ann Kampman Schneider (1960- ) and William Webb Myers (1975- ).

"Mary Emory Hardaway had one daughter, Mary Olive, who married Grey Lawrence and lived in Roanoke, VA, where their two girls were born. After the Lawrences divorced in 1926, the three generations of women moved to Houston, where Mary Olive later married Ted Hill. Mary Olive's elder daughter, Dorothy Lawrence Riggle (1921- ), daughter Molly Emory Baldwin (1974- ) live in the Roanoke area. Mary Olive (Mickey) Lawrence (1923-1989?) married Bill Harrison, had two daughters, Ann and Gail and lived in Bartlesville, Oklahoma."

On 30 December 1841 when Frederick Woodhull was 29, he married Augusta Ann Summerlin, daughter of Lazarus Summerlin (1774-1856) & Mary Cupp (1787-1882), in Butts Co., GA. Born in 1825 in Butts Co., GA. Augusta Ann died in Chambers Co., AL., on 20 January 1904; she was 79. Buried in Bethel Bapt.Ch., Welch, AL.

"...a native of Best (sic ?) Co., GA." , p. 419. I think that this should be "Butts" County, GA.

Photo on p. 557, Buckelew Traces, Issue 5.

Lived with son, Lucion Leonides, in Old Bloomingdale near present day Welch, AL, after death of Dr. Buckalew. Old Bloomingdale is only a memory today.

1868, 8 Oct., Chambers Co., AL, Petition for Letters of Administration, Estate of F. W. Buckalew: She asked that she be granted letters of Adm. because Frederick had died on or about 4 Sep 1868 without a will.

1868, 8 Oct., Chambers Co., AL, Petition for Sale of Property, Estate of Frederick W. Buckalew: Augusta asked for an order to sell the estate's perishable personal property.

1870, 8 Aug., Chambers Co., AL, Petition for Sale of Notes, Estate of F. W. Buckalew: Augusta asked that she be allowed to sell the notes due the estate to the highest bidder.

1881, 3 Jan, through 1882, 18 Sep: Postmistress at Bloomingdale, Chambers Co., AL.

Buried in Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery; S9, T24N, R27E; Northwest part of Chambers Co., AL; West off of Hwy 431 at Welch, AL. Cliff, Jan, Norma and I visited this gravesite 14 Aug 1994.

Initial information about the ancestors of Augusta Ann Summerlin was provided by Wanda Bowlin Davis.

They had the following children:
1693 i. Ansel Milburn (1843-1927)
1694 ii. Olive Olinska (1844-1928)
1695 iii. Mary Cornelia (1846-1868)
1696 iv. Lucius Leonidas (1851-1898)

763. Margaret Eliza Buckalew. Born on 11 December 1813. At the age of <1, Margaret Eliza was baptized in Old Tennent Church (Sctoch Pres.), Tennent, Monmouth, NJ, on 21 May 1814. Margaret Eliza died on 8 August 1815; she was 1.

Another source gives her baptism as being on 13 May.

764. Amanda Buckalew. Born on 27 January 1816 in NJ. At the age of <1, Amanda was baptized in Old Tennent Ch. By Rev. John Woodhull, on 12 May 1816.

Christen: Date: 12 MAY 1816 Place: Old Tennent Ch, Tennent, Monmouth Co., NJ

765. Moses Scott Buckalew. Born on 25 November 1817.

1840 Tallapoosa Co., AL, Census. Spelling: BuckAlew.1 m 20-29; 1 f slave 0-9; 1 f slave 10-24.

1860: Moved to Shreveport, Caddo Co., LA.

1860 Caddo Co., LA: M.S. Bucklew 43 M Grocer NY, M.A. 36 F GA, W.F. 18 M AL, M.C. 16 F AL, Annie 14 F GA, Geo. F. 10 M
(or 12 ?) GA.

On 5 January 1841 when Moses Scott was 23, he married Martha Angelina Norsworthy, in Tallapoosa Co., AL. Born about 1824 in GA. Nickname: Ann.

They had the following children:
1697 i. Wilver / Wilber (?) F. (1841-1911)
1698 ii. Mary C. (~1844-)
1699 iii. Annie M. (1845-1931)
1700 iv. George F. (1849-1928)

766. William Cogan Buckalew. Born on 20 December 1820 in NJ. William Cogan died in Clayton Ranch, Nr Brownsville, Yuba Co., CA, on 12 August 1869; he was 48.

From Janice Able, 06 Sep 2001: Gold Mountain Record of The Yuba Feather Historical Association Inc.; PO Box 54; Brownsville, CA 95919; November 1993:

"THE CLAYTON RANCH STORY

"John Elliot Clayton established his ranch in the fall of 1853. It was located just above the Sharon Valley Mill, later known as the Crane Mill. Today you can see where it was by taking the Challenge Cutoff Road north from the La Porte Road for .7 of a mile. The open meadow on the left is the site of the Clayton Ranch.

"The following year, 1854, he established a trading post which he sold along with the ranch to his brother-in-law, William Cogan Buckelew and a partner named Hall.

"Records tell us that W.C. Buckelew and his family came from New York, but an obituary tells us that he was a native of Pennsylvania and a brother of Congressman Buckelew of that state.

(My note: The paragraph above is in error according to reliable records. William Cogan Buckelew was from NJ, not PA, and William Cogan Buckelew and Congressman Charles Rollin Buckelew of PA were not brothers, but about 2nd cousins, twice removed.William Clayton Buckelew and wife were in Dudleyville, Tallapoosa Co., AL, when their first child was born in 1845. Their second child was born in Resaca, Murray Co., GA, in 1848.)

"The 1860 US Census of Yuba Ckounty, York Flat Township, shows the Buckelews consisted of W.C., his wife Johanna Buckelew, and four children, Ella Marie age 12, William C.age 9, Mary age 7, and Lilly age 3. [A daughter Minnie was born later.]

"One of the earliest memories of the oldest child of William C. and Johanna B. Buckelew was of the day that she and her family arrived at Brownsville. Many years after the event, Ella Marie wrote the following story.

"'It was a bright day in 1853 in which Father, Mother, a girl of 5 years, a boy of 2 years on an old fashioned wagon stage drawn by six horses journeyed from Marysville to Clayton Rancho, 3 miles from Forbestown.

"'At Brownsville, being two miles from their destination, they were met as they alighted from the stage by a brother and sister-in-law of the children's Mother and their 5 year old little girl.

"'The little travelers were Ella and William, while the cousin who received them so warmly was named Kate.

"'As the days went on, the children became acquainted with their surroundings, but Ella and William kept very close to the house, having mortal dred of the Indians, being informed by Kate that there was lots of them in the woods.

"'A few days after their arrival the two little newcomers were startled almost into spasms by the lifting of the big gray blanket (the house had no doors) and in the opening a big brown Indian appeared with the ejaculation of, 'me want bread, me hungry.' Kate's mother gave him some broken pieces of bread, some smoked meat, and he went on his way.

"'In time Ella and William became accustomed to seeing Indians, even talking to them. Not long after their first encounter they say two Indian women unsling cone shaped baskets from their backs and sit down by a fallen tree and begin repast. Being curious, the trio drew near to see what they were eating. To their horror they found the women were eating live grubs from wasp's nests!! Their baskets also contained 'live acorns' and pine nuts. They offered the children some of their livestock; they declined.

"'They then offered them pine nuts which they accepted, as they had eaten them before. (the common Digger Pine nuts.) [Kids! If they have never eaten it they don't like it. Maybe wasp grubs are delicious. M.H.]

"'Later they saw Indian children almost without clothing; who didn't seem to mind the cold or stones underfoot. In the winter they had garments of pieces of blankets or wore cast off clothing given them by white settlers.

"'The children heard so much about the finding of gold, and one time they really thought they had found gold. On the hillside above the house was a miner's ditch carrying water to the mines. On Sunday, when the water was turned off, the children were playing in the ditch and saw the bottom full of shining sand. In great excitement, each scooped a handful and ran to the house shouting, 'we found gold.' They were quite disappointed when told it was mica - no use to anyone.'

"William C. Buckelew died at the ranch on August 12, 1869, and was buried on knoll south of the ranch. He had joined the Masonic Lodge of Forbestown 5 years earlier and was buried under their services. His crypt type grave is the only one on the hilltop and is partly above ground. A 4 by 8 foot granit slab is supported about a foot and a half off the ground by bricks and flat stones. The inscription on the slab says, 'Wm. C. Buckelew, Born Dec. 20, 1820, Died Aug. 12, 1869, Restion with Jesus.'

"In June of this year, Jim Lague, Mike Sabo and Marge Holmes made the short walk to the grave site. The area is grown up with timber, but the grave is still intact except for a few loose bricks. A search of the meadow showed signes of an old split rail fence and the remains of a building with 1930 artifacts, that could have been the site of the original building.

"What happened to the Buckelew family? Maybe they returned east or they may have moved to Oakland since records show that the second child, William, was married there on Jan 1, 1876, to Anna Grogus of Marysville.

"To date, no search has been made of deed records, but Census records show that a Mrs. Shattuck and her sons operated a store there into the 1880's."

From Dr. Don Anthony, 7 Sep 2001: "I think that the 1851 passenger list does most probably include my own great grandfather Wm. Cogan B, his wife, and his daughter Ella. Wm. Clayton B. was born in Marin County, doubtless at the ranch
owned by Benj. Rush B. -- as this was where he first settled and acquired land. From there Wm. Cogan B. went with his family apparently to Marysville, CA, where he was briefly an editor for a small paper and where he was living when he purchased the Clayton Ranch property where he's now buried (as we've recently learned!). After Wm. Cogan B.'s death in 1869, there's evidence his widow and kids lived in Marysville again for a while, before coming south to the Oakland area. I believe that Wm. Cogan
maintained Marysville connections of some sort even after the move to Clayton Ranch."

On 14 April 1844 when William Cogan was 23, he married Joanna Bruce Clayton, daughter of Rev. James Clayton (1776-) & Sallie/Sarah (?) Mixon, in Dudleyville; Tallapoosa Co., AL. Born on 17 October 1826 in Butts Co., GA. Joanna Bruce died in Oakland, CA, in 1905; she was 78. Nickname: Jo.

1850: She and her husband William C. Buckalew "went with her brother Joshua Elliott Clayton...to CA."

They had the following children:
1701 i. Cornelia Maria (1845-1846)
1702 ii. Ella Marie (1848-1930)
1703 iii. William Clayton (1851-1905)
1704 iv. Mary Foster (1854-1920)
1705 v. Lilla Cornelia (1857-)
1706 vi. Minnie Elliot (1860-1938)

767. Benjamin Rush Buckalew. Born on 13 March 1822. Benjamin Rush died in Marin Co., CA, on 18 November 1859; he was 37.

From Gerry Green's "Mary's People--The Buckelews," p. 203:

"[250] 1848 (ca) Record: Benj R BUCKELEW went to California during the Gold Rush. [I have misplaced notes taken at the Williamsburg, Virginia Restoration Library. I think it came from either a Mississippi or a Southern Historical Quarterly. It was from Vol. XXXV, page 8.]

"[251] 1850 Passenger List: Arrivals in San Francisco included: BR BUCKELEW with servant; Frederick BUCKELEW; Mr BUCKELEW with wife; J BUCKLIN; Wm BUCKLIN, Jr. From 'Passenger & Immigrant Lists Index,' Vol 2 & 1982 Supppl. Their source: San Francisco Ship Passenger Lists, Vol I & II, pp 14, 17, 143.

"[252] 1851 Passenger List: Arrivals in San Francisco included: Mr. BUCKELEW with lady, child & servant; Mrs. BUCKLIN & D. BUCKLIN. Ibid."

From Dr. Don Anthony, 31 Aug 2001: "... Benjamin Rush Buckelew, my great grand uncle..., I believe, had the family "bad heart" and died around 1859.  He was the most prosperous of the California Buckelews, having owned much property in San Francisco and Marin counties. I believe the land on which San
Quentin prison is located once was his."

Excerpt from "The Founding of a State Prison," William J. Duffy, Jr., author, found and provided by Douglas C. Buckelew:

"Shortly after California became a state of the Union, San Quentin was established as a site for a State Prison. The Gold Rush to California in 1849 and 1850 attracted people of all types...Law enforcement was haphazard and Jails' were inadequate or non-existent.

"As the state became organized and divided into counties and political subdivisions, county jails were established. But these soon became crowded and inadequate.

"An old sailing ship called the WABAN was converted into a prison ship and anchored in the northern part of San Francisco bay, not far from Point San Quentin. The ship soon became overcrowded, and its isolated position made it difficult to keep the prisoners employed at useful work. Supplies for the ship were also a problem, particularly food and water.

"On July 14, 1852, this ship was towed to Point San Quentin. An old legend says that during a heavy wind storm the ship dragged anchor and was tossed on the rocks at San Quentin Point, but we have not been able to confirm that legend. But it did arrive at the Point on Bastille Day, July 14, 1852.

"A few days earlier the State of California had purchased from Benjamin Buckelew, twenty acres of land for the purpose of establishing a State Prison..."

Douglas C. Buckelew also provided information about "THE GOLD RUSH DIARY OF FRANK McCREARY," transcribed and provided by Mrs Grace Shaw <shawgrac@wpe.com> March, 2001. In his diary, Mr. McCreary makes numerous references to a Mr. Buckelew (with a variety of spellings) already being established in the San Francisco area when he, i.e. McCreary, arrived in 1850. It is evident that the Buckelew referenced was Benjamin Rush Buckelew, along with his younger brother, Ansel Buckelew.

McCreary's diary (at least portions thereof) may be found on the worldwide web, URL: <http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/history/index.htm>

Here is a lengthy portion of that diary that contains references to, I believe, Benjamine Rush Buckelew:

THE GOLD RUSH DIARY OF FRANK McCREARY
This diary was transcribed and provided by
Mrs Grace Shaw, March, 2001...

"Sunday 22nd (Sept.1850) mouring at 8 oclock we come in sight of San Francisco harbour it is a narrow passage with high hills on both side about a mile before you see the city I was surprised see so many you vessals in the harbour they lay anchored off the city thick as they can stow in, we got in and anchored about half mile from the shore at 10 oclock . Mr. Buckilew came on board and we went a shore with him we went to his office in gold St .unpacked our trunks to kill the roaches and air out our clothes , my traps was all in good order , some of Hiram's things ware a little mouldy but I pleased to find the cotton needles sissors and other nick nacks that my dear wife put up with so much pains for me ware fresh and good as when she put then in my trunks .I could not help my feeling a little home sick when I unpacked my trunks and found my shirts and very thing down up so neat just as her careful and kind hands had left them away god bless her for her kindness , after we got through we went to dinner, on board Mr. Buckilew store ship . whare we got our meals , I find San Francisco a pleasanter place than I expected, it is very hilley and rough but thay are improving the place very much, in the lower part of the city there is a number of very hansom buildens Mr. Buckelew went acrossed the bay this afternoon to look at some land , and will not be back for a day or two , after supper I went to church the churches are all well attended , but not many ladys are to be seen, the weather is not so cold as it was out at sea, it is about the same as the last of October in New York, my health is very good and keeps improveing .

"San Francisco City

"March 3rd, I eat my breakfast and went looking up som folks I had letters for I succeeded in finding some of them, I have nothing to do yet but to look around, I weighed myself today and found myself five pounds heaver then I was when I left home.

"Friday 27th same as yesterday nothing new of any account sence we arrived , we bought a lot of old gron yesterday , and I had a good job washing up my dirty clothes that I wore sence I left home, I found washing was a very easy job, but I will have to get used to it we, have very pleasant weather now, the rainy season will set in next mounth, then look out for mud, we have don nothing about our buisness affares yet, we have first rate living I would not wish for better, most every body appears to be in good health , as for myself I keeping gaining everday.

"Sunday 29th I went to church this mourning and heard a good surmon after dinner I finished writing my letters all well up to this date.

"Sunday October 6th I have been painting some around the printing offace that Mr. Bucklew has buelt, soon as the macheriny gets here we will put it in operation, since Tuesday I have been to work in the store ship lending a hand ware and when I can make myself usefull, so the timepasses much easer when I have something to employ myself at, thay keep grocerys and take goods on storage, the ship lay at the end of the warf, with a passage way out in her side so her lower deck is on a level with the dock, they sell a quite a large quantity of provisions to the shiping and boarding homes.

"To morrow is election day and we are all going to the polls to electioneer for Mr. Bucklew as he is up for assembly man I expect we will have a great turn out , the weather keeps clear and pleasant my health is very good , the fleas is the only plague I have .

"Monday 7th today is election day we have been out electioneering for Mr. Bucklew he is sun for assembly man and if any body gets me to electionerr for them thay will know it, it all passed off very well only some of the fellows had a little fist fight once in a wile , the mail arrived this morning so I expect a letter from my dear wife.

"Tuesday 8th, I received two letters one from my wife and one from my sister Jane, How my heart jumped when I read those sweet lines, the first that I received sence I left home and found my wife and child brothers and sisters, and all was well. After reading my wifes letter I seen there must be another letter in the office. I went there twice a day and did not get a chance, on account of the crowd untill Wednesday afternoon I succeeded in getting the other letter which brought six days later news, and I wase delighted to hear how well my dear little Frank and Hanna was getting along all well all up to Thursday 10th . the letter was mis liad and not put in Bucklews box so I did not get It with the others letter.

"I still remane to work in the store ship. The weather keeps pleasant but the plaeaged fleas e,e,c.s is raising the mistchife with me I saw some of my New York accuaintances this week, Mr.Sheldon Mr. Flanigan cousin to Mr. Hanratha, and Mr. T. Norris called on us today things all looked well, My wife says I must make a drawing of crossing the isthmus I am afraid they would be to many jackasses and other kind of acies in the pictures for some of the natives goes quite naiked when they are following the boats up the river .

"Sunday13tyh I took a walk this morning up on Telegraph hill it about two or three hundred feet high it is a beautifull sight from off the hill you can see the mouth harbor and the vessels as they come in from the sea also the bay and mountains far as the eye can reach, I took little sketch of the harbor, I intend to make drawing to send home in a letter, this afternoon I made a drawing of the boat and passengers, I came up the Chargres river in, allso some of the Californians crossing the isthmus on mules which I sent home in a letter, 15th I sent a letter to my wife with a few small lumps of gold and a picture in it and I hope it will find my dear wife and boy in good health.

"Monday 21st I received a letter from my wife , I was grived to learn that she had been unwell , but it was some relife to hear befor I read to the end of her letter that she was getting well again and that my dear boy was doing well, also that my friends and relation ware all well with the exception of my Father in law he meeting with a accident cutting the end of his finger off I hope it is well again .

"Before this time it must have bothered him considerable in doing his fall work, my wife says would like to come out to California with me, I wish she was here to keep house for me I would feel much more contented, if I could turn a bout and go home and bring her back with me, I took a sail yesterday across the bay to Mr. Bucklews ranche farm he has been buying a large pice of land some fifty or sixty miles square, he paid fifty thousand dollars for it, it has a steam and water power saw mill on it besides a great number of horses and cattle, I saw some droves of them feeding on the hills, some of them are quite wild, when thay whant to catch the horses they drive them in a large pen made with railes and lassoe them. . I took a short ride on one of are coalts thay had just been breaking, the cattle are sirved the same way, we did not stay long on shore the tide began to run out and we had to keep our boat a float, we waited untill 9 oclock in the evening for Mr. B he having some buisenss to attend to on shore there is any quantity of large snipe and ducks around the bay and plenty of foxes, deer, grisly, bears, and others kinds off gaim in the place, the moon shone bright and we had a fine breeze to retuen, it was near 12 o clock at night when we reached home , the steamer arrived on Saturday 19th and brought the news that California was admited in the unoun as one of the United States, she was trimred of with flags from stem to stern , and fired guns as she run up the habour it was a beautiful sight and we knowing she brought the mail with letters for us from our homes and family made it more interesting, I still remain employed in the store my health keeps good

"Sunday 27th to day is rather cold and blustery has the appearance of rain, I wrote part of a letter to my wife and to my brothers and sisters finished a drawing of the harbour with some other small noitions, to send home in the letter

"Monday 28th I made a little speculation to night by taking some passenger out in the bay with the row boat, charley, a clerk in the store went with me, we made nine dollars in an hour and a half, I sold my violin I brought with me for $15~ it cost me 5$~ and bought another onefor two dollars, with a little fixing up was equally as good,

"Tuesday 29th we had a great celabration for the ad mishion of california in the union, as one of the United States of America making now thirty one States, thay kicked up a grate dust with firing cannon, fire works, turning out in procession making speaches.

"Thursday 31st I finished writing my letters to send home by the steamer tomorrow, I sold the 4 1¦2 bunchis of small segars I brought out here with me fir $4 dollars they cost me 18 cents per bunch, tonight I feel quite unwell I took a dose of oil and went to bed, I was quite unwell all night.

"November Friday 1st I sent letter no 6 to my wife and no 2 to my brothers and sisters, I feel about two degrees be low low water mark, rather weak with some pain in my bowls, or California belly ache, none of our machinery has arrived yet so I keep knocking around in the store ship, I met James Sheldon one day this week an old crony from New York he just came from the mines but has had rather poor success, a great many from the mines are returning home the cholera has made its appearance here quite a number has died with it, I hope it will not be any worse, it will make bad work here if the chedra seated in the city, we had a horrible steam boat blow up at long warf on Tuesday afternoon, the steam boat Sagamore as she was leaveing the dock burst her boiler killing some sixty or seventy persons, and blowed the boat all to pieces, thay picked up a barrel or two of parts of bodies, some heads bodies legs arms all blown to pieces, scattered around in the water, her bell was thrown over on a ships deck laying by the dock, it was a horrid sight to behold, Wednesday night a fire broke out on the upper part of the city burning down two or three houses with the hospitall, it a bad place here for fires, its so hard to get water in the dry season thay stoped the fire by pulling down the houses with long hooks having a chain and long rope attached so a number of man could pull on them, it is now getting late in the evening so I will swing my Hammock and go to rooust.

"Sunday 10th I have been quite unwell all last week but are quite recovered now, the cholera has been doing its sad work a monxt us, last week but is not so bad as it was and I hope will leave us all to geather, I was very much disapointed by not receiving a letter by the last mail which arrived on the 6th, but I heard by my sisters letter that my folks were well, I suppose the letter my wife was to send did not get down from the country in time for the steamer, as my sister said in her letter that it had not arrived yet when she had sent hers, I went to the post office half a dozen times in hopes to get it but was disappointed so I give up untill the next mail arrives, we are to work putting up the printing press, that was brought acrosst the Isthmus by Mr. Oconner, it was all rusted up by getting wet with salt water, so we have quite a job of cleaning it up, the weather keeps dry and pleasant , the rain has not commenced yet, I received a letter from Thom Houseworth yesterday he is at the mines in Rich Gulch Calavaras Co, Cal , I will send him answer to his letter tomorrow Mr. Bucklew has been buying some more land across the bay I think we will commence operations over there soon.

"Friday 15th nothing new worth writing about this time. I have go quite well again and are to work on the printing press, be getting wet with salt water it is very rusty, so it takes sometime to get it ready to get in operation, I sent letter no 7 to my wife today.

"Sunday 17th I got up this morning well but not very early after breakfast, I sweep out my room, put things to rights, then took a good wash and dressed my self up a little for Sunday, then went to look after my dinner, after dinner I took a little walk around the city to see the improvements, and at night I fetch up here writing. with the good fortune of bring well and in good sprits.

"Wednesday Nov20th today we are visited with a strong south easter with hard rain I suppose we take in our chimely and call it the commencement of the rainey season, and the time of mud and mire, I have quite recovered from the sick spell I had and begin to grow fat and saucy again I are to work on the printing press yet, and of all jobs I ever had to do this goes ahead, Hiram is unwell so I have to get a longe with it myself, many of the most important parts ware lost coming across the isthmus, and a number of small screw bolts wich will cost a grate deal of money and be a hard job to replace them as we have no tools to work with, besides no one that bairly under stands repairing the press, as for my self I never had anything to do with printing press work, but I will do the best I can and get her a going some how.

"Friday Nov 22nd Good New today I had the pleasure of receiving letter No 3 and No 4 from my wife it was as I expected, getting two this time to make up for none the other mail that brought me no letter, I are down on the no letter mail, I was happy to learn that all my folks was doing well, my little boy was rather ill but I hope he is well a gain before this, and my dear wife is getting a long so well I are quite delighted, how I would like to see them, I are sorry to hear that father is in bad health may his health and life be spared, that I may see him when I return if I are so fortunate.

"Sunday Nov. 24th nothing new of any account today the rainey season has fairley set in, with all of its pleasurs of wet and mud, such going I never did see, it wants a two horse power engine on each leg, to work, your way through the mud, I keep tinkering away on the old press, I wish they had split it in the drink, or left it on the isthmus with the rest of it will cost a sweet penny to get it in operation, now I must commence writing some letters to send home, I would like to go and carrey it my self, I think I could take them to the right place

"Sunday Dec 7th today I send letter no 8 to my wife with one enclosed to her father, also letter No 3 home to sister Catherun, by Mr. Cowell, nothing new last week, my health is good with the exception of a little head ache. I have been troubled with two or three days past, the weather is quite pleasant, I are to work on the printing press yet, and will now commence scribling to my lady love, to commence a new letter and then go to bed the ship Portsmouth has arrived

"Sunday Dec 8th Today I took a long walk over the hills back of the city, it is very pleasant to walk out in the country and look from the tops of some high hill and see the surrounding scenery, I finished my work on theprinting press last week my health is very good at preasant, I have been thinking about returning home next spring. I am most tired of this country I believe I perfer comfort and happyness before gold and misery.

"Wednesday night dec. 11th I beleave old harrey has got in the letters, the mail has arrived again and brought me no letters, we will soon commence taking our machinery off the old ship Portsmouth. We will put one of our small engines up to run the printing press. I have been at work to day drilling some casting for the saw mill, we paid only 40cts per pound for Iron castings and rough enough at that, the weather has been pleasant for some time but it commenced raining to day again Friday we ware visited with a heavy South Easter

"Sunday evening Dec. 15th Last night I was writing a letter to my wife a fire broke out at the foot of Sacramento st at about 9 oclock I went out to see and do what I could it was pretty underway when I arrived at the scene of confusion, several buildings burned down before it could be stopped. I lent a hand to No 1 and done all I could fore a little fellow about my size No 2 was manned by a gang of sailors thay worked like good fellows thay kept up a singing and hallowing like thay do when halling up the anchor on board the ships, at 11 oclock they got it pretty well out so I Went home and went to bed, it is an awful sight to see a fire the buildings are mostly wood and very light so thay burn like paper and the people appears almost thire is no insureance here against fire so what ever burns is all loss for the owners, the weather is rainy and the going muddy enough my health is very good for which I feel very thankfull as thire is a grate many sick around me. I was to work last week drilling some Iron castings for the saw mill we got them cast at one foundries in town and paid the small sum of 45cts per pound.

"Decr 25th Christmass I was in hopes that I would have a letter to read for my christmass preasant, but the old steamar has not made her apperance yet, she has been due for the last five days, thire is fearfull appreheusions that she with our letters has gone to the bottom, it is allmost a mounth sence I have heard from home it seems like a long time. Hiram is quite sick yet and Mr Buckelew is quite unwell so I have to be doctor and nurse for all hands my health is very good so I are getting fat and saucy but not lazey for I have not much to do, to day I went out of town and shot my rifle at a mark, I beleave I was doing nearly the same thing last year this time, but I don't think I spent quite so merrey a christmass as last year, buisness is getting very dull I begin to think I will pack up my duds and start for home we was all speaking about what we would be doing next year. this time, Mr Bucklelew sayed he supposed. I would be kissing my wife and boy. I hope I will have the chance, I are about sick of this place, the only thing doing is speculating and selling rum, we had a very pleasant day today both clear and warm, I have been trying to buy som chickens for the sick. The price is $3.00 for skin and bones including feathers, $5.00 for a good chicken, if I could get some fresh eggs I would go to getting myself it would be a good spree.

"Friday Decr 27th I went to work getting out lumber to build a small house over on the ranch, Saturday we started over with the scow sloop we run down the bay and anchored for the next tide Sunday morning we arrived at the place ware I will build the house after unloading the Lumber we went back to the creek leeding up to the ranche house, we had to anchor again for the night. Monday we starded again, we had no wind so we had row push and pull her a land, but finley got stuck on the flats so we took the small boat and went up to the house and let the old scow stick on the mud untill high tide, we got to the house just in time for dinner, with good appetites and plenty of room to stow in, and the way we laid the needfull in was a caution to empty stomicks, in the evening we made up a good log fire with eaight or ten homebreas and the pleasant company of two ladys, besides three or four little ones, with all these comforts we spent a very pleasant evening. Tuesday the boat man brought the scow up unloaded a pair of mules and some other fraight. I went a guning a little and looked around the place, evening came on and I was wondering what all of the folks was doing at home I suppose most of them was preparing for new years day. We had some hot chocolate and set up to see the old year out and the new year in wile we was setting by the fire a couple of wolves come howling about the house, one of the boat man took a boarding pik and I took a double barrel gun and went out after them, but when they heard us coming thay varmused. Last night a californian Lion killed a calf near by I saw his tracks in the mad close by the house this morning his foot prints was large as my hand it is very musical to hear the wolves and owls singing at night, a large grisely bear came in a house not fare from here, wile the folks was in the back room, he turned over some barrels of meat and eat what he wanted and then cleared out with paying his bill or making any promises to call again, neather did the insides detain him for his meals vitules, he must have been a free soiler it is sport to see. The Spainards lassoue the wild cattle thay give them a long run sometimes to catch them but when thay get the lassoue on them its all up for the poor bullock. theywill pitch at the horse but the horses are well trained to it so thay get out of the way in time, sometimes they through the ox heels over head

"January 1st 1851 I spent my New Years to day in going over Mr. Buckelews saw mill to look after some tools and machinery I got through a bout three o clock and returned to the Ranche house, we brought a few tools over with the mule team but we had to leave part on the road the hills are so steep that the poor mules could hardly draw the empty wagon.

"'The Ranch house, on the Widdow Reeds Ranch on the north side of San Francisco bay, California.' Drawing by B.F. McCreary on his trip to California.

"Thursday 2nd I started in company with Antersell Buckelew in a small boat, for Buckoon Straits in a small boat, for Buckoon Straits. We had fair wind out of the creek, but when we got in the Straits the tide run very hard against us, and the wind a head, so we had to pull for it besides the water was very rough so it dashed up over the bows of our boat considererable, we succeeded in reaching Allem tent, the man we will put the house up for at noon we cooked some dinner and packed upwhat he had in the tent, and started for the place ware the is to be built, after we landed our traps we went to work to build us a shanty to sleep in, Mr Allen Buckelew and my constructed our habernation in three hours under and old oak tree the branches spread out so it made a good shelter from the wind, after getting our beds fixed we cooke us some supper off fresh meat weat pancakes and coffey and then turned in for the night but I did not sleep much, the wolves Kieoters owels and one darn thing another smelt our fresh meat and came to pay us a visit, they keept up to much music for strangers to sleep by in an old shanty


"'Racoon Straits'

"Friday this morning we commenced laying the cills for the house it is 30 feet long 14 feet wide and 15 feet to the peak we had just got to work, when one of the Buckelews, from the ranche house came over after Buckelew. Mr B B Bucklelew was very sick so he had to go over to town, so Mr. Allen and myself were left alone to build the house, in the after noon we went down to the tent again after some lumber we made araft of it and pulled it aloud after that boat, the tide was soo strong around a point of rocks against us that we was oblidged to leave untill the change of tide so we tied the lumber fast on shore and went back with the boat we worked a wile, prepaired our supper and put it down about right and now I are writing this peppergram in a small book on the bottom of a tin pan, I carrey a book in my pocket to write down the events of each day with a lead pencil and coppey it off in this book at a convient oppertuinty I have my candle stuck in an empty bottle for a candle stick, I can hear the wolves howl outdoors, I say out doors, but our house has no doors only a place to go in and out. I must the outsiders, I think I will sleep better to night for, I feel a little tired and have some what used to noises, so I will turn in and try it..."

Also found by Douglas C. Buckelew on "The Gold Rush The Gold Country Today" website <http://www.malakoff.com/goldcountry/>, the Introductory page <http://www.malakoff.com/goldcountry/tcgcintr.htm>, author unknown:

      "Sutter's secret made it to San Francisco as early as March 15. The news appeared in print for the first time as a small notice on the last page of the Californian:

"GOLD MINE FOUND: 'In the newly made raceway of the Saw Mill recently erected by Captain Sutter, on the American Fork, gold has been found in considerable quantities. One person brought thirty dollars worth to New Helvetia, gathered there in a short time. California, no doubt, is rich in mineral wealth, great chances here for scientific capitalists. Gold has been found in almost every part of the country.'

      "This announcement alone didn't seem to have much effect on the population of San Francisco. What did get their attention was Sam Brannan arriving in town a few weeks later, waving a quinine bottle full of gold in the air, and shouting, 'Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River!' He was quickly surrounded as people rushed to see the gold and hear the news. Gold fever struck and within days the city was nearly empty. Mr. Buckelew, publisher of the Californian, suspended publication on May 29 as there were no readers left in town. In his last, curtailed issue he states: 'The majority of our subscribers and many of our advertisers have closed their doors and places of business and left town....The whole country, from San Francisco to Los Angeles and from the seashore to the Sierra Nevada, resounds with the sordid cry of "gold! Gold!! GOLD!!!" while the field is left half planted, the house half built, and everything neglected but the manufacture of shovels and pickaxes.' Mr. Buckelew thence went upon the mountain to have a look around for his own prospecting self."

1855 Deed (from Douglas C. Buckelew): This is what the deed states. "This deed, handwritten on two blue-legal-sized sheets folded at the top, represents transferral of land in San Francisco from Benjamin R. Buckelew of Marin County to Henry Haight of San Francisco.  It is dated February 2, 1855.    In the deed, Buckelew officially transfers to Haight all rights to land bounded by Bay Street on the north, Kearny Street on the west, Francisco Street on the south, and the waters of San Francisco Bay on the east.  The entire area measured 100 Mexican vara square (or 275 English feet on each of the four sides).  According to the deed, Haight paid Buckelew $1 plus "other valuable consideration" for the land.    The deed outlines the history of title to this land.  It was first granted by T.M. Leavenworth, Alcade of San Francisco, to Jackson Jordan.  Jordan then gave one half of the property to Thomas H. Battelle.  Buckelew purchased half of the land directly from Jordan and the other half from Battelle.    This deed is signed by B.R. Buckelew and affixed with his small orange seal.  Albert G. Randall, Notary Public, affixes his signature and large blue seal and testifies as to Buckelew's identification.  Written across the second page of the document perpendicular to the main body of the handwritten text is the information that this deed was recorded in the San Francisco County Recorder's office on February 3, 1855 at 10:45 a.m. in Liber 49, deed page 368.

More From: "douglas c. buckelew" <bdouglas_c_@hotmail.com>
To: buckles@mindspring.com
Date: Thu, 01 Nov 2001 13:44:04 -0500

    I was going thru my accumulation of thirty years of notes and found this information concerning a Buckelew in San Francisco.  I don't know who this Buckelew was, but this could have been Benjamin. It may be how he made his money in San Francisco. It was published in a book by William Heath Davis in 1929, "Seventy-five Years in San Francisco". "In the month of June, 1848, two miners came to my store with fine scale gold dust. I had seen similar gold from the San Fernando mines in Los Angeles County, but withal I was in doubt as to the genuineness of the bright metal before me.  The miners and myself called on James C. Ward, a neighboring merchant.  He proved to be incompetent to determine whether it was gold or not.  We four men went to Buckelew, a jeweler and watchmaker.  Mr. Buckelew applied the aquafortis, and at once pronounced the metal pure gold.  I bought the dust, over $100 worth, at $16 per ounce, from the two miners, and paid them half in coin and half in goods. This gold was the first to arrive in San Francisco to be used in trade and I was the first purchaser of the product of the mines.  All merchants transacted an immense business, and there was no trouble in selling goods if we had them to sell.  The receipts of gold from the mines was go great, and means of weighing it so limited, that we had trouble from the scarcity of scales.   Buckelew, being the only maker of scales, was kept at work from morning till night manufacturing to fill orders."  

My note: I think that the Buckelew "jeweler/watchmaker" referred to above was BR's youngest brother, Ansel Sanford, who was listed in the 1860 census as a "watchmaker."

From: "douglas c. buckelew" <bdouglas_c_@hotmail.com>
To: ccarh@ccrma.stanford.edu
Cc: buckles@mindspring.com
Subject: B.R. Buckelew
Date: Thu, 01 Nov 2001 12:12:32 -0500

Hello Don,    I have more information on Benjamin R. Buckelew and will e-mail you what I have located. You were interested in land that he owned in San Francisco. There was an article published in "The Semaphore" concerning Rhoda Robinson who has lived for more than thirty years in one of the few remaining Telegraph Hill cottages dating back to Barbary Coast days. She had bought a home on Francisco Street in 1964 and did some research on the deed. She found out that in 1848, Benjamin Buckelew managed to acquire the whole block of mostly empty land bounded by Francisco, Stockton, Dupont (now Grant Avenue), and what was then waterfront--now Bay Street. A man by the name of James Laflin built the first house on what was called Lot 18, one of the ten parcels owned by John C. Hays, the County Sheriff. Col. Hays' lots, according to Susan Johnson and William Kostura in "A House History", were purchased from Benjamin Edwards who had bought 28 lots in 1850 from Benjamin Buckelew for $8400.00.     Les forwarded the information I sent him to you concerning the land in Marin County. I have additional information that states that the town of Ross was part of Rancho Punta de Quintin Canada de San Anselmo (Quintin Point, Valley of Saint Anselm). Hence the name San Quintin. Benjamin Buckelew sold this land to James Ross for $50,000.00. According to the 1880 History of Marin, James Ross joined the rush to California in 1849. Instead of mining for gold, James opened a wholesale wine business in San Francisco where he worked until 1857 when he bought Buckelew's land in Marin.  Ross rebuilt the Buckelew seven acre home near the present town hall and moved there with his wife and three children.  The Estate included orchard, gardens and a windmill.                                                               
From: "douglas c. buckelew" <bdouglas_c_@hotmail.com>
Subject: Land ownership of Benjamin Buckelew
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2001 20:16:21 -0500

Les,    This will clear up some of the information concerning Benjamin Buckelew and the land he owned in Marin County, California. This is an article from the Anne T. Kent California Room of the Marin County Library and concerns the town of Ross and surrounding area. "Before Ross became the exclusive, tree-lined town it is today, it was simply part of the 8,800-acre San Quentin Rancho.  The rancho sprawled across the valley between San Anselmo and the bay.  In 1840 Captain Juan Bautista Cooper acquired through a land grant and used it to farm and cut timber.  He sold the land to San Franciscan Benjamin Buckelew in 1852.  Buckelew continued chopping trees until 1857 when he sold the area to James Ross, owner of a lucrative wholesale liquor business in San Francisco.    Ross, his wife Annie and their three children moved to a house on the property in 1859.  He built a sawmill and shipping docks at Corte Madera Creek.  The area was known as Ross Landing and was in the approximate location of today's College of Marin.    When Ross died in 1862, his unusual will required that his wife pay their two daughters $10,000 each if they chose acceptable husbands.  Annie was forced to sell a majority of the real estate in order to pay them off.    But don't cry for Annie.  The 297 acres she had left make up the town of Ross today. Courtesy of Ross' will, Ross Valley began to develop.  The state brought more acreage to expand the prison.  San Rafael snagged some acres into its existing borders.  William Murray and Patrick King bought over 1,000 acres where Kentfield and Larkspur stand today.  And San Franciscans flocked to Ross Valley to build expansive summer homes.  In 1881 Annie Ross gave the North Pacific Coast 1.4 acres for a train depot with the request that they name it after the family.  With the development of the train depot, Ross was on its way to becoming a full-fledged town."   The article was written by Kristin Bartus.   

At
<http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~sanquentin/pb/punta.htm>, I found the following article that includes much information about B.R. Buckelew:

"Punta de Quintin

"Under the Mexican regime, Punta de Quintin was included in a grant to Captain J. R. B. Cooper, a seafaring man whose wife was the sister of General Vallejo. The full name of the land grant to Captain Juan Bautista Roger Cooper was - PUNTA de QUINTIN CORTE MADERA, la LAGUNA y CANADA de SAN ANSELMO. Governor Juan B. Alvarado was indebted to Captain Cooper and had paid him off with this grant.

"In a statement made in 1854, Antonio Ortega swore that the grant was 'two square leagues, more or less'. He said that Cooper had a house on the point and had horses and mares. Cooper farmed some of the inland areas and cut timber which he marketed in his ships.

"California historians have recorded very little about the early settling of Point San Quentin and the surrounding area of the northern part of San Francisco bay. We are indebted to Florence Donnelly, of a pioneer San Rafael family, for some of the story of the real beginning of the settling of the white man in this area.

"Benjamin Rush Buckelew and his wife, Martha, came west from New York in 1846 with the wagon train of Hoppe and Harlan...

[My insert from <http://heritage.uen.org/cgi-bin/websql/query.hts?type=6&tid=144>

"Pioneer General Reference:

"1846 (July 17) The Harlan-Young wagon train, numbering about 40 wagons and one Mormon family (the Weimers), was led by Hastings from Ft. Bridger down Echo Canyon to the Weber River. Hudspeth returned from the valley with two men and met Hastings at the mouth of Echo Canyon. Hastings had intended all companies to cross over Big Mountain. By this time the Bryant and most of the Harlan companies had already gone down the Weber River, so the rest followed.

"1846 (A few days later) The Hoppe-Lienhard group of young men and light wagons and followed the tracks left by the Harlan-Young train all the way to Salt Lake with little difficulty."]

"...The rigors of crossing the planes at that early date were much more severe than they were later. After much shortages of food and water and of physical exhaustion they reached San Francisco in the fall of 1846.

"Buckelew was a watchmaker by profession and he opened the first watchmaker and jewelry store in Yerba Buena. Buckelew became a prominent businessman in San Francisco and was a member of the town council. He also became the owner and publisher of a newspaper, 'The Californian'. This paper published one of the first accounts of the discovery of gold by Marshall at Captain Sutter's mill on the American River. Buckelew used his skill as a jeweler to manufacture delicate gold scales, and the demand was greater than the supply.

"This pioneer realized that land would be a better investment than gold mining and having accumulated some capital in his shop and in real estate, he decided that he would establish a town on the northern shores of San Francisco bay. He filed a claim on a grant that had been made to John Reed, called Corte Madera del Presidio. San Francisco, with its steep sand dunes, did not look to Buckelew like a satisfactory place for a port, and the Pacific Mail Steamship Company was looking elsewhere. Buckelew believed he had the ideal site and called his settlement California City, across the bay from San Quentin point. However, Benicia was selected as the port to develop by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and ironically, California City, one hundred and twenty five years later, still remains the city with a name only. Buckelew purchased the Reed Rancho and then added to his holdings by purchasing the so-called Cooper rancho. The early maps of the area identify the Cooper rancho as part of the land grants of Punta de Quintin extending inland from Red Hill to Ross Valley and Kentfield. In an Indian war in 1824 the great Indian Chief Marin was closely pursued by Mexican Lieutenant Ignacio Martinez and Sub-Lieutenant Jose Sanchez, and took refuge on two small islands in the bay, at the mouth of what is now San Rafael Canal. These islands are still called Marin Islands. The Mexican lieutenants, not being equipped to pursue the Indians on the islands, repaired to Punta de Quentin. Here they met with equally strong resistance from Marin's sub-chief, Captain Quentin, a brave and daring warrior. Chief Quintin was captured by Martinez and taken to Yerba Buena as a prisoner. He was released after two years and was employed by the fathers at Mission Dolores. Quintin served for many years, operating lighters on San Francisco bay. He was a skillful and reliable sailor.

"Through the years, the Spanish and Mexicans began calling Punta de Quintin, San Quentin. Perhaps the identifying Saint may have been added to names in California to give the place status and prestige.

"Mr. Buckelew purchased this land from Cooper and, realizing that his California City was not destined to grow, established himself on Puenta de Quentin, as his future 'empire on the bay'. He established a saw mill at what is now Larkspur. Buckelew called his new established settlement Marin City, and he moved the sawmill to point San Quentin.

"When the California State Legislature appointed a committee to investigate sites for the establishment of a State Prison, Buckelew invited them to his home and he and his wife entertained them royally. The members of this committee, impressed by Buckelew's hospitality, recommended that some of his Marin City land be purchased for the site of a state prison.

"The State of California purchased twenty acres from Buckelew on July 7, 1852 for ten thousand dollars.

"Benjamin Rush Buckelew had moved building material from his California City site across the bay and built a hotel at his new Marin city. This building was bought by Jack McRae, a Scotchman, and his Irish wife, the former Elizabeth Conlan. Their daughter, Mary, married Frank Mails, a San Quentin guard. The McRaes called their hotel, The Shepherd Hotel.

"In this home a daughter, Margeret Mails Landers, and the late Walter (The Great) Mails were born. Walter became a famous big league pitcher."

Found at <http://www.rossproperties.com/RossProp/RossHistory.cfm>:

"History of Ross, California:

"The quiet, small town of Ross, just beyond Kentfield, is a place of lovely homes and exclusive estates hidden off shady, tree-lined streets. This was a part of Rancho Punta de Quintin Canada de San Anselmo (Quintin Point, Valley of Saint Anselm), an 8,877 acre Mexican land grant awarded to Juan B.R. Cooper in 1840. After extensive logging, Cooper sold to Benjamin Buckelew. In 1857, Buckelew sold the land for $50,000 to James Ross, for whom the town is named.

"According to the 1880 History of Marin, Ross was born in 1812 in Petty near Inverness, Scotland. At age seventeen, he left for Tasmania, and island to the south of Australia, where he met and married Anne S. Grayling in 1839. The couple lived in New South Wales, Australia. In 1849, James Ross joined The rush to California leaving the family in Australia until he was established in 1852. Instead of mining for gold James opened a wholesale wine business in San Francisco, where he worked until 1857 when he bought Buckelew's land in Marin. Ross rebuilt the Buckelew seven acre home near the present town hall and moved there with his wife and three children. The Estate included orchard, gardens, and a windmill.

"After his death, Ross's wife Anne sold off much of the land. She also deeded one and four-tenths acres to the town for a North Pacific Coast Railroad station, now the site of Ross Post Office and a beautifully landscaped park on the north side. Residents have placed a white stone bench here dedicated to Ross civic leader Benjamin Harrison Dibble, 1876-1945.

"Mrs. Ross also donated another site near the railroad tracks for the valley's first church. This area is now a tiny park at the southwest corner of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Lagunitas Road, across the street from the town hall. A plaque reads 'On this spot stood San Anselmo Chapel, Protestant Episcopal, the first place of worship in Ross Valley.' As the Episcopalian congregation grew the tiny chapel became to small and was torn down.

"Anne Ross sold the family home and twenty-three acres in 1885, but the lovely old house burned in 1887. She lived in a small home across from the train station until her death in 1901.

"Ross incorporated in 1908, and, at the first town meeting of the town council, moved to protect the trees in the area by making it illegal to cut them without permission. Soon the street were paved, streets lights installed, concrete bridges built over the creek, and a firehouse constructed. Land for the Ross Commons was sold to the town by Ross's daughter, Annie Ross Worn, in 1911. In 1927, a town hall and new firehouse were built on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and remain in use today.

"Ross is the home of a fine private college-preparatory day school (grades nine through twelve) called The Branson School which is located on Fernhill Avenue on the old Albert Dibble estate. Dibble owned seventy-eight acres of orchards, gardens, and rolling grounds plus a mansion called Fernhill. It was one of several huge estates established in this area in the late nineteenth century.

"The school, at first coeducational and called the little Gray School, was founded in San Rafael by a group of parents in 1916. In 1920 Miss Katherine Fleming Branson came from the East Coast to be the first headmistress, and the trustees renamed the school in her honor. Two years later the school moved to its present Ross campus . In 1972, the trustees founded Mount Tamalpias School for boys on the same campus. In 1985 the school was renamed The Branson School.

"Another prominent institution in Ross, also on the site of an old estate, is the Marin Art and Garden Center, located on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. It is surrounded by an unusual red brick serpentine wall built in memory of Caroline Livermore, the original founder. The Center contains facilities for a variety of nonprofit groups that run a children's playground, (Pixie Park) display arts and crafts, sell antiques, present flower shows, sponsor theatrical productions, operate a restaurant, present summer fashion shows, and maintains a unique library.

"The Center was founded in 1945 with the purchase of ten acres from A. J. Kittle, a member of the first Ross Town Council. Kittle decided to sell his land, part of an estate once owned by Annie Ross Worn and her husband George. The Worn's house, known as Sunnyside, was remodeled by the Kittles but partially burned in 1931 and was eventually destroyed.

"Caroline Livermore, the president of the Marin Conservation League, wanted to save the lovely gardens, which contained a magnificent old magnolia tree and a giant sequoia. She organized a nonprofit group to buy the land and develop the Center's activities.

"Among the founder groups were Marin Conservation League, The Garden Society of Marin, the Marin Garden Club, Marin Society of Artist, Ross Valley Players (which celebrated its sixtieth anniversary in 1990), and the Marin Music Chest.

"Across from the Art and Garden Center at Lagunitas Road is the Ross firehouse. In front of it is a large statue of a bear compressed in marble dust, designed by the late famous sculptor, Benjamino Bufano. The bear was donated by Jerome and Perry Flax in 1971.

"Cross the bridge on Lagunitas road and turn left to reach the six-acre Ross Common Town Park, which is the center of Ross. The area is used mostly for sports for children attending adjacent Ross Grammar School. In the summer of 1989, a one-hundred year-old school house, donated by Richard and Clara Hoerkorn, was relocated to a corner of the Ross Commons.It will be restored by the Ross Historical Society and eventually opened as a museum.

"On Ross Common, there are a butcher shop, coffee house, grocery and a small restaurant.

"About a mile from the center of Ross is the lovely Natalie Coffin Greene Park, twenty-five acres beside a winding creek. There are picnic tables, an opened stone house with a fireplace, and privies.The facilities were originally constructed in 1930 by C.C.C. labor when the property was owned by the water district."

http://www.cagenweb.com/~cpl/cps1.htm lists his arrival in California as October 1846.

On 9 May 1841 when Benjamin Rush was 19, he married Martha Taylor, in Richmond, VA. Born about 1810 in MD.

1860 Marin Co., CA, Census Index: Martha Buckelew, head, p. 762, San Rafael Township.(Accelerated Index Systems)

07 Sep 2001: I took a quick drive to our downtown genealogy library, found a transcription of the 1860 (July 20) Marin Co. census, dwelling 567, Family 517. It has Martha, a rancher, as 50 years of age, with real estate valued at $5000 and personal property valued at $400. With her is a Frank, aged 18 years, a laborer. No different surname given for Frank, so I'm supposing Frank is her son, being born about one year after her marriage to B.R.

Also, there was with Martha a "Fulton," aged 5 years, born in Calif.

Dr. Don Anthony's reply to a message from me on 07 Sep 2001: "It IS possible that Frank might have been a son of B. R. and Martha. I don't know what might have become of him. But we could look. They were living on a ranch (now San Q.prison), so it's not surprising that there were workers there. But this
Frank needs some looking in to!"

And, finally, in the household there was a G.W. (or "N.") Gordan, 23 (or "25") years, laborer, born in New Hampshire.

Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 09:32:44 -0700
From: Mary Inglis Sims <inglis@pacbell.net>
Subject: RE: Martha BUCKELEW
....
1870 California census, Marin Co. Village of San Rafale, 8 June 1870, pg 49, # 28-33:
BUCKELEW, Franklin 25 male white painter b OH
residing in household of Frances Alcaraz 35 b TN and her 5 children.
Also residing there was George CLAYTON 42. Franklin and George
apparently boarders.

1870 California census, Marin Co., San Rafale Twp, 17 Jun 1870, (I failed to copy page)
# 176-182 BUCKELEW, Martha 54 b PA keeping house
" Martha 22 b CA keeping house
" Fulton 15 b CA at school

Hope this helps, but looks like it brings up a question about who the younger Martha is in 1870.

Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 11:58:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: CCARH <ccarh@ccrma.stanford.edu>
Subject: RE: Martha BUCKELEW (Request Interpretation)
....
First of all I suspect that Frances Alcaraz might be a misspelling of Alvaraz or Alvarez. Alcatraz as a proper name for people doesn't seem to have been popular. The word means "pelican" and was applied to places where these birds were found -- like the famous "Alcatraz Island"!

"Frank" in the 1860 census is puzzling to me. Here he's supposed to be 18. Could he be the Franklin Buckelew in the 1870? But if he were the 1860 Frank, he should be 28, not 25. (Of course census takers weren't always careful either.) I don't know about the Ohio birth of the 1870 Franklin either. I haven't any evidence that B. R. Buckelew and his wife Martha were ever Ohioans.

The 1860 Fulton Buckelew, at 5, and the 1870 Fulton, at 15, jibe and may well have been a child of B.R. Buckelew and Martha! He might be worth a followup in looking for descendants of B. R. Buckelew. The younger Martha in the 1870 census is mysterious, and the elder Martha's age is a bit too low. However, it wasn't at all uncommon for woman to shave their ages in those days. (My own grandmother Minnie Buckelew Anthony kept her age a
secret, and my dad and his brother were most surprised to find out how old she actually was from looking at the [long put away] Bible!)

Whether the Clayton in the 1870 census was one of our Claytons I don't really know. He might have been a member of the Joshua Clayton family.

Right now, at first look, it seems as if Fulton at 5 in 1860 and at 15 in 1870 is the best lead. For all his wealth and importance, the B. R. Buckelew family seems surprisingly difficult to run down!

They had the following children:
1707 i. Frank (~1842-)
1708 ii. Fulton (~1855-1874)

768. Ann Maria Buckalew. Born on 12 June 1824.

769. Cornelia Buckalew. Born on 9 August 1826. Cornelia died on 28 February 1835; she was 8.

770. Matilda Buckalew. Born on 24 July 1828.

On 28 January 1850 when Matilda was 21, she married Capt. Henry Wicks.

From Long Island.

771. George Innis Buckalew. Born on 28 September 1830.

772. Ansel Sanford Buckalew. Born on 26 May 1833 in NJ. Occupation: 1860 Census, "Watchmaker".

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