This article was published in the Martinez News-Gazette on 02/25/2018 and is the ninth part of our continuing story about Aaron Rice and his family.When last we wrote about Aaron and his family, they were experiencing the turbulent Civil War period of California and the heartbreak they endured from the loss of their youngest son. However, we need to back track slightly too now discuss an even more impactful aspect of their daily lives. During the 1860s, newly freed African Americans built communities through churches. Within those walls they found their social, spiritual, educational and political needs fulfilled. For Aaron’s family, it was the integrated Methodist Episcopal Church (North), at the corner of Randolph and Division Streets in Napa, (where it is still located today). For obvious reasons they would have preferred their own church, but the closest was the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) in Sacramento. By horse and carriage, it would have been a day’s trip in either direction. The Methodist Episcopal Church had two distinct congregations, the North’s comprised of abolitionists who believed in equality and the South’s, aka “Southern Methodist Church”, composed of pro-slavery Southern migrants. Despite being members of an integrated church, they still needed outlets for discussing their specific communities’ issues. For political and social news, Aaron’s family would have turned to their neighbors the Hatton’s. Edward Hatton was a Napa barber and agent for both the Pacific Appeal and The Elevator newspapers from San Francisco. (If you recall from our earlier columns, Edward Hatton volunteered to be Aaron’s bail when Aaron was convicted of perjury.) The Pacific Appeal was an African American newspaper founded in 1862 by Phillip Alexander Bell and Peter Anderson. (Louis’s obituary notice appeared in its May 1862 issue.) The Elevator was another African American newspaper founded in 1865. Both newspapers were a vital component of their budding societies. Although Napa’s M.E. congregation was anti-slavery, cultural differences made it difficult for Whites and African-Americans to have agreement when it came to politics and education. With the only AME Church being so far away, African American Napans decided to found their own church. On the evening of April 25, 1867, the Daily Evening Reporter announced, “The colored people who have worshipped for some time in the M. E. church of Napa, have recently determined to organize a religious society to themselves to secure a more general religious interest among them, and to facilitate this object. The white Methodist society has agreed to sell them their present house of worship, for the very reduced price of six hundred dollars. The faithful devotion of the colored members in their connection with that church, and their Christian uprightness, and the society’s interest in the colored people’s religious welfare has induced them to deal so liberally in this church sale. They assure their white brethren that they fully appreciate their kind and Christian conduct in this movement, and shall ever endeavor to maintain toward them the warmest feelings of Christian friendship, though they worship in separate houses, and hope to have their continued Christian sympathy. Now that they have purchased the old house of worship, and are unable to raise the amount of the purchase price, and as this is the first appeal they have made to public generosity, they respectfully ask for the assistance of a liberal public and friends in this enterprise, which if successful will ensured desirable moral tendencies in this community. W. W. Pendegast and Mr. J. F. Lamdin have consented to act as Treasurers, and to receive donations for the benefit of this enterprise. Also several persons have been furnished with subscription books, who will appear before the public to receive subscriptions.” In 1867, William W. Pendegast was a Napa attorney who later became a California Democratic State Senator, while J. F. Lamdin was an express agent for both Wells Fargo & Co., and Aetna Home and Fire Insurance. On May 4, 1867, the Daily Evening Reporter stated, “Passing by that structure to-day, we found that “our colored brethren” had succeeded in moving it, about twice or thrice its breadth, from its former position. The work is slow, but seems to be carried on by expert hands, for the church, to all appearances has received no damage as of yet, with the slight exception of the falling off of some of the plastering. The masons are already engaging in laying the foundation of the new Methodist Church. From a October 2, 1867 Napa property deed we found that a Jonathan E. Pond and his wife Amanda E. Pond sold to, “E. Hatton, A. G. Jones, J. E. Nichols, Nathaniel Rice, Aaron Rice, Wm Brooks, and G. W. Beatty, Trustees of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church” for $250 the, “Northern half of Lot number four (4) in Block number nineteen (19) in the Town of Napa,” which would now be the middle of Oak between Randolph and Franklin streets. Now we know that at least by the date of this deed, Nathanial was finally free and reunited with his family. With the property sale completed, the African American community of Napa had officially begun their church. However with only 30 parishioners, finding a permanent minister was difficult. Aaron’s father Rev. Robert Rice would often officiate, despite not having any formal training. Also during the 1860’s, most schools were located within a church structure as public schools were not founded until the late 1870’s. The A.M.E. Church was no different. While the church was thriving, Robert sells two thirds of the farm (that he and Charlotte purchased in 1860) to Aaron in 1869 for one dollar. Presumably Nathaniel was to receive his third after he married, although to date we haven’t found anything to corroborate this having occurred. The year that follows has an even bigger political impact on the African American community, and their church, in Napa, CA. The authors of this column would very much like to thank Archivist Alexandria Brown for her help with our research and providing the articles quoted in this column regarding the AME Church of Napa. None of our work to date could have been achieved without the generous support and collaboration of other professional researchers. To all of them we offer a huge debt of gratitude and thanks. Judie & Joseph Palmer are two of the founding members of the Martinez Cemetery Preservation Alliance (MCPA) and the Potter’s Field Project. Both have a passion for discovery, history, genealogy, anthropology and archaeology. For more info, please visit our website MartinezCemetery.org. Do you have a Potter’s Field story to tell? We welcome any pictures or information regarding the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery or its Potter’s Field. Please email us at martinezcemetery@gmail.com or call us at (925) 316-6069. This article was published in the Martinez News-Gazette on 01/24/2018 and is the eighth part of our continuing story about Aaron Rice and his family.As we have learned more about Aaron and his family, it has allowed us to gain personal insight into the history we all thought we knew. “History as prolog” is a very common sentiment and as we reexamine the American Civil War, perhaps more relevant today than ever. Being in California during the war had a profound effect on the Rice family. As a free state, it had brought about their freedom and enumerated them as citizens in the 1860 census, years before the ratification of the 14th Amendment. In addition, they were able to purchase a 160-acre farm and for the first time celebrate the Holidays as they saw fit. In November 1860, they observed the election of a tall, skinny lawyer named Abraham Lincoln as the 16th President of the United States. However, with the turmoil of the approaching war, tension and great consternation befell California residents, as about twenty percent were Southern sympathizers. The majority of those living in Southern California and Tulare County supported succession along with large numbers in Monterey, San Francisco, San Joaquin and Santa Clara Counties. California’s African-American population would have been especially anxious. By 1861, industry had taken hold in the North without the need of slavery, while the South still relied on it for farming. The South slowly watched their livelihood dwindle and their belief of slavery as their entitlement come under immense pressure from new industry, westward expansion, the bloody Kansas troubles, and the election of an anti-slavery Republican president. All of which Aaron and his family experienced firsthand. Shortly after Lincoln’s inauguration, eleven southern states broke away from the Union forming the Confederate States of America. On March 28, 1861, the newly formed Arizona Territory voted to separate from the New Mexico Territory and join the Confederacy. This further inflamed tension in Southern California, as it was widely known that it wanted to secede as well. On April 12, 1861, the Confederacy carried out the attack on Fort Sumter officially starting the Civil War. Although most of the country learned within hours of the strike, it took 12 days to reach California. Soon after, Southern California residents voted to secede forming their own territory, joined the Confederacy and began raising militias. Their rebellion was quickly quashed with the arrival of federal troops from Oregon and California Forts Mojave and Tejon preventing its ultimate secession. Meanwhile in Northern California, a larger number of pro-Union volunteer regiments soon formed and were sent to Southern California permanently suppressing its revolt despite numerous attempts. They were also sent to the New Mexico Territory for protection. As a result, the North was able to largely abandon its western territories and focus the full weight of its military against the South. Additionally a large number of Californians joined the 71st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, resulting in its reference as the California Regiment. On September 4, 1861, California elects its first Republican Governor Leland Stanford, (founder of Stanford University) and goes on to play a significant financial role in the war. With its lucrative gold fields, it bank rolls a large portion of the US Government. It was common to have ships leaving San Francisco with more than $1,000,000 worth of gold (over $28,170,644 today) headed to the US Treasury with regularity. Due to the threat of Confederate Privateers with the potential of England siding with the South and attempting to capture California, great measures were taken to secure the San Francisco Bay and its gold shipments. Artillery batteries were set up on the islands of Alcatraz, and Yerba Buena (Treasure Island), Fort Point (Presidio), Lime Point Bluff and Rincon Point. Although England never entered the conflict, there were several unsuccessful conspiracies and attempts to steal the shipments by Southern Pirates. In January of 1862, the Great Flood occurs affecting California, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho and more, ruining a large portion of Napa farmland. We currently do not know what happened to Aaron’s family property and wither their crops were destroyed. However, they would have still been affected, as many of their neighbors needed assistance just to survive. Additionally, that same year brought yet more heartache for them. From the Pacific Appeal’s May 1862, issue was Louis’s obituary, “In Napa Valley, April 21st, of consumption, Lewis, son of Aaron and Charlotte Rice, aged 11 years and 8 months.” Despite all of the hardship and heartbreak their family had endured, this was the most devastating. Not only had they lost their son at such an early age, Nathaniel was still being enslaved by William Rice leaving them childless. Meanwhile, the North’s interest in the war centered on keeping the Union intact. By mid-1862 Aaron would have heard that abolishing slavery had become its focus as thousands of slaves began to run away in order to join Union forces, believing a Union victory would end it. On September 22, 1862, President Lincoln issued preliminary Proclamation 95, better known as the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that if the Confederacy did not cease their rebellion by January 1, 1863, then it would become official. When his threat does not work and the war continues to rage on, he issues another proclamation declaring African-Americans, “of suitable condition would be received into the armed service of the United States.” In May of 1863, the War Department issued General Orders No. 143, which established the U.S. Colored Troops. On April 9, 1865, Robert E Lee surrenders to Ulysses S Grant at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Unlike before, when news from the war only reached California by horseback taking 12 days, the account arrived much sooner as Telegraph poles now connected both coasts. Less than a week later, the announcement of President Lincoln’s assassination on April 15, was both devastating and unsettling causing a riot in San Francisco. Pro-Union mobs raided a pro-Confederate newspaper and assaulted anyone on the streets thought to have sympathized with the Confederacy. Artillerymen from Alcatraz were ordered in to put down the riots and arrest anyone who dared to celebrate his death. On May 13, 1865, the Civil War finally ends. Later on June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger in Galveston, Texas reads “General Order No. 3”, officially ending slavery throughout the entire United States. The date becomes commemorated as Juneteenth or Freedom Day, a national state holiday recognized in 45 states. Judie & Joseph Palmer are two of the founding members of the Martinez Cemetery Preservation Alliance (MCPA) and the Potter’s Field Project. Both have a passion for discovery, history, genealogy, anthropology and archaeology. For more info, please visit our website MartinezCemetery.org. Do you have a Potter’s Field story to tell? We welcome any pictures or information regarding the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery or its Potter’s Field. Please email us at martinezcemetery@gmail.com or call us at (925) 316-6069.
This article was published in the Martinez News-Gazette on 12/3/2017 and is the seventh part of our continuing story about Aaron Rice and his family.When we last wrote, Aaron and his family had gained their freedom from William with the exception of Nathaniel. Aaron succeeded in bringing William to court to force Nathaniel’s release from William’s custody. Alas, the cards were stacked against them and in the end; Nathaniel remained under William’s control. While in the midst of the current holiday season, we wondered what it might have been like for Aaron and his family’s first celebration of Thanksgiving and Christmas as free people. Despite the trial’s outcome, Aaron’s family had many things to be thankful for that year. They were newly minted landowners while living together (with Nathaniel not far away). A signed copy of a September 19, 1860 Napa property deed shows that Aaron’s wife, Charlotte, and his father, Robert, purchased 160 acres of land from a William Russell for $100. In 1860, it was rare for African Americans to own California real estate. Also, it was the last Christmas prior to the Civil War. Although we have not yet found any information on William Russell, we have a theory on how he acquired the property. The U.S. Preemption Act of 1841 allowed individuals to acquire up to 160 acres of federal land at the government price of $1.25 an acre ($200 total), before it went to auction. To keep the parcel, he would have needed to live on it for five years while making constant improvements. The U.S. California Survey Act of 1853 stated that only surveyed (defined as improved) property could be purchased or offered for sale with few exceptions. Since most of California had not been surveyed, real estate acquisition was therefor made more difficult. Perhaps, Mr. Russell in the late spring of that year hired Aaron’s family to work his land allowing a natural connection to be made. At this time, we do not know what Aaron and his family grew on the 160-acre farm, but they were familiar with growing and harvesting wheat, fruit, and nuts among other crops. With their combined savings, and most likely Mr. Russell moving out of the area, Charlotte and Robert Rice were able to purchase the parcel. Aaron most likely was left off the deed due to his record acquired from William’s trial. As for the Holidays, we were curious to know what they might have been like for Aaron’s family during their enslavement in North Carolina and Missouri. Pre-Civil War traditions between the North and South were very different. We found most Northern states emphasized Thanksgiving while the South focused on Christmas. In addition, before Christmas became a federal holiday in 1870, it was not celebrated by all Christian faiths and in fact was actually illegal in the U.S. to do so. Indications perhaps of a religious civil war already occurring throughout the United States. (For example, Alabama was the first state to legalize Christmas in 1836.) Therefor, the Slave-owner’s religious beliefs might have determined whether their slaves received any special privileges. According to information we collected, if a slaveholder during 19th Century America was Anglican, Moravian, Dutch Reformed, Lutheran, Catholic or Episcopalian, they observed Christmas. For the enslaved, it might have meant a better cut of meat, days off as long as the Yule log they had to fetch burned, permission to visit family at other plantations, or keeping the extra money they made during Christmas. The in-house slaves would not have had these so-called luxuries as they would have worked as butlers, maids, cooks and servants for the lavish parties their slave-owners held. Quaker, Puritan, Separatist, Baptist, Presbyterian or Methodist Slaveholders did not celebrate Christmas. Up to the middle of the 1800s, Baptists viewed partying, dancing, and merry making as unchristian and preferred the removal of Christmas from Christianity. Methodist and Baptist churches were closed, as the day was not considered a holy one. After moving to Missouri, William Rice and his family became Baptists in 1833. If Archibald and William were true Baptists, we can speculate that Aaron and his family had to work through Christmas and received no special privileges. Instead, there might have been a great deal of prayer. Can you imagine the mixture of emotions Aaron’s family experienced in 1860 knowing that they now had choices without the dictates of a slave-owner? Napa was populated with a mish mosh of Northerners, Southerners, and residents from foreign countries, each with their own traditions. From the early 1800s, Spanish\Mexicans celebrated Christmas by going to midnight mass and holding grand fiestas during the next several days. The silver rush of 1858 brought many Europeans to the Napa valley holding beliefs of “good will towards men” much like in Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” published in 1843. While Germans brought their tradition of the evergreen (Christmas tree). From various Napa church records, we found the existence of the First United Methodist, First Presbyterian, and the First Baptist (started that year). As noted earlier, William Rice and his family probably attended Napa’s First Baptist church before moving to Walnut Creek. Also noted earlier, all three churches were unlikely to celebrate Christmas. To understand what food may have been served during these joyful events, we explored Napa’s agriculture at the time. Napa was not only known for its grapes and cattle ranching, but was one of the largest contributors of wheat, barley and oats. It was also known for fruit orchards such as apples, apricots, peaches, and pears along with olives, walnuts, almonds and tomatoes. Other available meat would have included chicken, wild turkey, pig, sheep and fish. If Aaron and his family did celebrate Christmas, they might have decorated their home with wild berries, evergreen boughs, fruits, nuts and homemade paper decorations. They would have had the freedom to celebrate with other African Americans and been treated to turkey, beef or boiled ham. Side dishes might include potatoes, onions and pickled items. For dessert, it would have been fruit pies, mince pie, and homemade bread lathered with jam. Our wish for all of our readers is to “have the choice on how to spend this holiday season, have plenty to eat, and be among good people.” Happy Holidays! Judie & Joseph Palmer are two of the founding members of the Martinez Cemetery Preservation Alliance (MCPA) and the Potter’s Field Project. Both have a passion for discovery, history, genealogy, anthropology and archaeology. For more info, please visit our website MartinezCemetery.org. Do you have a Potter’s Field story to tell? We welcome any pictures or information regarding the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery or its Potter’s Field. Please email us at martinezcemetery@gmail.com or call us at (925) 316-6069.
This two part article was published in the Martinez News-Gazette on 11/12/ & 11/19/2017Reprinted in two parts with special permission from Los Californianos newsletter, Noticias para Los Californianos Vol 49 No 4 October 2017. She is the niece of Salvio Pacheco (founder of Concord & Pacheco) and former partial landowner of the Alhambra Cemetery. Dr. Damian Bacich is a professor at San Jose State University and leading researcher of Californianos pioneers for the Potter’s Field Restoration Project: Historians frequently spend time building a narrative to organize the seemingly unrelated pieces of data they come across in their research. But often the beauty of historical research lies in uncovering the stories of so-called “ordinary” people, the individual dramas that resist easy categories or grand narratives. As a researcher of early California documents, I have always been drawn to such stories, and my most recent project involves the life of a woman named María Sylveria Pacheco de Coles, a Californiana who grew up at Mission Santa Clara. Out of the Shadows I came to know Sylveria as I was investigating the life of Fray José María Suárez del Real, the last Franciscan priest at Mission Santa Clara. Fr. Real (as his contemporaries knew him) arrived in Alta California in 1833, as a member of a group of Mexican-born Franciscans sent to replace Spanish priests in the northern missions. Before serving in Santa Clara, he was the resident missionary at Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel (you can find my article on him in the current issue of California History). Like some other members of his cohort, Fr. Real was known as a colorful character, but he also gained a reputation as a person of dubious moral standards. Whether this reputation is deserved is open to debate, but he was a key figure during the tumultuous 1830s and 1840s in Alta California. While researching Fr. Real, I spent a good deal of time in the archives at Santa Clara University. There, Sylveria’s name appeared occasionally in mission records and other documents, especially during the 1840s and 1850s. I eventually came across a letter written in the early 1900s to historian Fr. Zepheryn Englehardt, in which Sylveria was accused of being the mistress of Fr. Real, and mother of his children. This, of course, piqued my curiosity, as it was directly related to the poor reputation that Fr. Real had acquired. As inflammatory as this allegation is, I was not able to find any information that would either confirm or refute it. Nevertheless, as I continued my work on Fr. Real, I kept notes on the information I found about Sylveria. What really caused me to turn my attention to Sylveria was an article from 1916 titled “The Passing of the Pachecos.” The piece appeared in the Overland Monthly, a turn-of-the-century literary journal focused on California and edited by author Bret Harte. The writer of the article, Harry Burgess, wrote about visiting Sylveria at the Pacheco family rancho in what is today Concord, California. The article depicts Sylveria as the lone survivor of a bygone age, a relic of an archaic, romantic past. In a mix of Spanish and English, Sylveria tells stories of her life growing up at Mission Santa Clara (“Days of heroism, sacrifice and joy!”), her later marriage to an American (“He was bad!”) and her property at the mission (“They took it from me . . . but it is mine!”). The article concludes by implying that Sylveria helped her American husband meet his end: “ ‘Then I sent him on a journey.’ The gesture accompanying the Senora’s [sic] word picture of the summary disposal of her Gringo consort had done credit to a Medici.” If the author truly met Sylveria Pacheco in 1916, as he claims, it would mean that she lived to be at least 105 years old. At that point, I began to seriously seek out information about Sylveria Pacheco. The fact that she had lived well into the twentieth century meant that not only had she seen the most prosperous era of the California missions, but that she had lived through the Mexican era, the US-Mexico War, and the annexation of California, long enough to witness the revival of interest in California’s mission and rancho heritage. Perhaps she could tell us something more about the lives of women in Alta California. The confirmation to my interest in knowing more about Sylveria’s life was when I presented a paper at the California Missions Conference at Mission Santa Inés in February of 2017. I received excellent feedback about my paper, and I was encouraged to pursue further research about her. Her Life What does the historical record tell us about Sylveria? She was born in the Pueblo of San José de Guadalupe (modern-day San José, California) on June 21, 1811. Records tell us that she was baptized María Sylveria Pacheco at Mission Santa Clara, just one day later. Like many Hispanic women of her time, she was given María as a first name, but among friends and acquaintances, was known by her middle name, Sylveria, sometimes spelled “Silveria.” Sylveria’s parents were Miguel Antonio Pacheco y del Valle and Juana María Sánchez de Pacheco. Miguel and Juana had a total of 12 children, of which Sylveria was the ninth. Sylveria’s mother, Juana, was born at the Presidio of San Francisco in 1776, the daughter of Anza Expedition members, and seems to have been only the second child baptized at the Presidio. Later in life, as a widow, she received a grant for Rancho Arroyo de las Nueces y Bolbones, which encompassed what would later become the town of Walnut Creek. Her Life Continued Sylveria was raised at Mission Santa Clara. Her early years coincided with the growth and prosperity of the mission under the direction of Franciscan padres José Viader and Magín Catalá. Viader was known as a vigorous and capable administrator, who left us a great amount of documentation about the life of the mission. His confrère, Fr. Catalá, was known as the “Holy Man of Santa Clara,” beloved by Californios and Indians alike. Together they oversaw life at Santa Clara for almost 30 years. Sylveria’s life took a dramatic turn in 1829, when she was 18 years old. According to mission records, her father, Miguel, was struck in the head by an ox, and died shortly thereafter. He was 74 years old at the time. Fr. Catalá also died in the same year. In February of 1832, Sylveria married a Prussian aristocrat named Karl von Gerolt. Gerolt had come to California to gather information about indigenous languages, and had been fascinated by the work of Fr. Felipe Arroyo de la Cuesta at San Juan Bautista. Karl tragically died only two months after their wedding. Sylveria, 21 years old at the time, was pregnant with Karl’s son Carlos. Little Carlos was born in October of 1832, but only lived until May of the following year. We know very little about Sylveria’s life in the 1830s, but in 1840 she requested and received a grant of a piece of land and a building she had been occupying at Mission Santa Clara. She justified her request by stating that she had been working for the mission for several years. Over the course of that decade, Sylveria became a mother to three boys: José María, born in 1845, José Osana, in 1847, and Valeriano (also spelled “Baleriano”) in 1850. She was not married at the time of their births, and the baptismal records do not say who their father was. At some point, most likely in the late 1850s, Sylveria married again, this time to an American, Charles H. Coles (sometimes spelled “Cole”). The 1860 census listed Coles as a farmer, and he and Sylveria shared a household in Contra Costa County, on the Pacheco family rancho. In 1860, according to records at Mission Santa Clara, she and Charles deeded her land back to the Mission Santa Clara, which was then home to the Jesuit Santa Clara College (later Santa Clara University).
By 1870 Coles was gone, and Sylveria was in Oakland, with her son José María, then 25 years old and working as a teamster. By 1880, however, she and her youngest, Valeriano, 29, were back on the family rancho in Concord, where she likely lived out her days, reminiscing on her intense and interesting life. After 1880, the historical record grows silent about Sylveria, until her profile in the Overland Monthly. Unanswered Questions Despite this information, there are still questions that remain tantalizingly unanswered. Among the most important are the date of her death and her final resting place. Did she really live to be over 100 years old? What became of Coles, her American husband? What about her sons, José María, José Osana, and Valeriano? Another important set of questions revolves around her property at Mission Santa Clara. In a letter conserved at the archives of Santa Clara University, Fr. John Nobili, the Jesuit priest who assumed control of the mission, mentions that Sylveria’s property was the old neophyte women’s residence. Is this true? In her petitions to Gov. Juan Bautista Alvarado, that fact is not mentioned. Nor have I been able to locate any written reference to the location of the neophyte women’s residence at Mission Santa Clara, although the existence of the men’s residence is well-documented. Furthermore, if Sylveria’s words in the Overland Monthly profile are to be trusted, she did not give the property to the Jesuits of her own accord, and believed it had been taken from her. Each piece of information brings up new questions. Thanks to the increased digitization of documents, I have been able to find a surprising amount of information starting with a simple online search. With online sources, however, it is doubly important to verify the information you encounter. For example, I learned of a burial plot under the name of Sylveria Pacheco at a cemetery in Oakland. The year listed was 1873. Nevertheless, when I phoned the cemetery, I discovered that the grave belonged to a three-day old infant. It was not María Sylveria Pacheco de Coles, but was this child somehow related to Sylveria? Another question to be answered. I also found another grave site with Sylveria’s name attached to it, this time on the website of the Potter’s Field Restoration Project (www.martinezcemetery.org), under the auspice of the Martinez Historical Society. A phone call to Joseph Palmer, a board director of the Martinez Historical Society, revealed that it was indeed “my” Sylveria Pacheco who had owned two lots of the Alhambra Cemetery in Martinez, but she is not buried there, since she was forced to sell them due to financial difficulties. You Can Help These two examples highlight how important it is to reach out and make contact with people when doing historical research. Since starting the Sylveria Pacheco project, a number of people have provided me with help and encouragement. They include Sheila Ruiz Harrell of Los Californianos, Sheila Benedict, archivist at Mission Santa Inés, and archaeologist Glenn Farris. Perhaps you, too, have some information about the life of María Sylveria Pacheco. Are you a descendent of Sylveria Pacheco or one of her sons? Do you know of anyone who is? Do you have any information about her final resting place, or that of Charles Coles, her second husband? Any such information would be of great interest to me and would help shed light on the life of this fascinating individual. I can be reached at cdbacich@gmail.com, or through the California Frontier Project at www.californiafrontier.net. Judie & Joseph Palmer are two of the founding members of the Martinez Cemetery Preservation Alliance (MCPA) and the Potter’s Field Project. Both have a passion for discovery, history, genealogy, anthropology and archaeology. For more info, please visit our website MartinezCemetery.org. Do you have a Potter’s Field story to tell? We welcome any pictures or information regarding the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery or its Potter’s Field. Please email us at martinezcemetery@gmail.com or call us at (925) 316-6069. This Article was published in the Martinez News-Gazette on 10/22/2017After completing our last day of work for the year in Potter’s Field of the Alhambra Cemetery, we could not help but reflect on our project’s progress. We started May 9, 2015 to cleanup, restore, and preserve the site. Over the course of the project, 70+ enthusiastic volunteers have given generously of their time, knowledge, and physical work, while others have worked quietly behind the scenes to gather more recruits and spread the word verbally and through social media. It is hard to believe how much we have accomplished in just a few months regarding the Chinese Funerary Burner. The foundation brick has been completely excavated, mostly cleaned and sorted for its rebirth. We discovered that from the time the burner was built (earliest 1906) approximately two feet of silt has accumulated throughout the location. When we start up again in the New Year, who knows what gems may be discovered in its obscured grip. The delightful weather along with the large amount of advertising for the Fall Cleanup brought the most spectators we have ever seen. Fans stopped by our information booth to give us praise on the project and our articles. There was a bittersweet celebratory quality to the day as all of us were looking forward to the break that was soon to come, while missing the community we all had a hand in creating. A glitch in sand delivery did not cause the volunteers to loiter. They immediately got right back into their Zen-style brick cleaning, with others removing debris and weeds from the area. Once bags and sand arrived, they were filled and placed strategically within the empty burner space. After weed cloth and more bags were procured, the site was sealed preventing debris from accumulating while allowing moisture to evaporate. Additionally a sandbag wall was built to divert water runoff away from the location. It would have been hard for anyone passing by not to have noticed the festive decorations spread throughout Potter’s Field celebrating the Chinese Double Ninth Festival, Halloween and Day of The Dead observances. It definitely brought spice to an otherwise bland landscape. Smiles appeared on little and big kid faces as they found the Edgar Allan Crows perched on or near each original Potter’s Field headstone. Volunteers were treated to iced Chrysanthemum tea and Halloween trick-or-treats.
There is something to be said for projects that create a labor of love. On Saturday, words could not express the slight sadness everyone was feeling. After a wonderful lunch provided by E. Clampus Vitus, the crew stopped by to say their year-end goodbyes. No one talked about his or her plans for the holidays; instead, they wondered about winter site undertakings. Moreover, like an echo of those who were not able to make this replacement date, they voiced, “When do we begin again?” With one goal in mind, we had surprisingly formed a bond that protested taking time out for the inclement weather that Mother Nature would soon be providing. During the dormant months, a subcommittee will form to design the rebirth of the Chinese Funerary Burner and Altar. We will continue our articles on the history and decedents of Alhambra Cemetery’s Potter’s Field. As always, another much-appreciated "Thank You!" goes to all of our enthusiastic volunteers: Crowley Brynn, John Burgh, Kevin Crane, Carolyn & Devon Knight, Carolyn Mac Kenzie, Christopher Lowman, Dan Mosier, Shauna Mundt, Kyle Rainey, Christian Rousset, and Tamara Starr. Judie & Joseph Palmer are two of the founding members of the Martinez Cemetery Preservation Alliance (MCPA) and the Potter’s Field Project. Both have a passion for discovery, history, genealogy, anthropology and archaeology. For more info, please visit our website MartinezCemetery.org. Do you have a Potter’s Field story to tell? We welcome any pictures or information regarding the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery or its Potter’s Field. Please email us at martinezcemetery@gmail.com or call us at (925) 316-6069. This Article was published in the Martinez News-Gazette on 10/22/2017On Saturday October 28, we invite everyone to participate in the City’s fall Alhambra Cemetery Cleanup day rescheduled from the 14th. By volunteers de-weeding, removing debris, visiting headstones, and sealing the Chinese Funerary Burner’s excavation site for the winter, they will be giving reverence to its residents. It is also a chance to contemplate the world customs for honoring ancestors and appeasing ghosts of its many foreign-born decedents. HalloweenFrom the History Channel website, “The American Halloween tradition of “trick-or-treating” probably dates back to the early All Souls’ Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called “soul cakes” in return for their promise to pray for the family’s dead relatives. The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry. On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits. On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.” Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)Combining Catholic and Aztec beliefs, and coinciding with All Souls’ Day, Mexico, Latin America, Spain and Portugal immigrants would have celebrated Dia de los Muertos for a three-day celebration. On October 31 (Halloween), heaven opens up at midnight conjoining the deceased with the living for two days. On November 1, deceased children have 24 hours to visit their families while deceased adults have 24 hours on November 2. Home altars were prepared with fresh marigolds, candles, fruits, meat and bread. Altar offerings consisted of toys, candies, cigarettes or alcohol for their loved ones. Nothing was spared for this visit and included lavish parties and specialty foods. However, in California during the late 1800s to early 1900s, so much expense was difficult for many Hispanic immigrants. Decorations offered by the church were very expensive to purchase. Instead, they might have improvised with marigolds, homemade candles and sugar art. Sugar art (such as sugar skulls) was an inexpensive family activity. Sugar skulls with their loved ones name written on the forehead represented a departed loved one. On the last day of the celebration, the community would gather at the cemetery to place the sugar skulls on their ancestor’s gravesites. They would hold a picnic, play music, engage in familial activities, and tell stories about their loved ones The Hungry Ghost FestivalChinese Taoist immigrants would have engaged in the “Hungry Ghost Festival”, held on the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar. During the full moon, they believed a bridge was built between the living and the dead. This allowed some souls with attitudes and cranky ancestors to bother the living. By performing ceremonies and following specific traditions, they would appease the unwelcomed ghosts. By honoring their ancestors, they solicited their protection from the malicious ghosts. Chinese immigrants would have respected three important days of the Hungry Ghost Month. On the first day, they would visit a cemetery to offer worldly things to satisfy and keep the hungry ghosts away. Utilizing a funerary burner, they made offerings of fake money, while using an altar to burn Joss sticks and offerings of food to the ghosts. On the 14th or 15th day of the month, they held the Hungry Ghost Festival. Ancestor’s pictures were placed on a table, and then incense burned while asking for blessings or pardons. The table also held food for the attitudinal ghosts whom very hungry after two weeks of misdemeanors. On the last day of the month, the ghosts retreat to their underworld. The immigrants would use the funerary burner again to incinerate more imitation money and clothes so the ghosts could utilize these things in their hot location. They would return the pictures of their ancestors to their original location and engage in Taoist chanting to drive all ghosts home. Chongyang Festival (Double Ninth Festival)On Saturday October 28, is the Chongyang Festival. Annie Wu of China Highlights writes, “During the East Han Dynasty, there was a devil of the plague in the Ruhe River. As long as it showed up, people got sick and even died. There lived a man named Huan Jing who was told by an immortal that the devil of the plague would show up again on the ninth day of the ninth month, and he asked Huan Jing to go back to kill it. When Huan Jing went back, he asked the whole family to go to a mountain and sent everyone a Zhuyu leaf and a glass of chrysanthemum wine. When the devil of the plague emerged from the water, it got dizzy from the scent of the Zhuyu and the chrysanthemum. At that time, Huan Jing took the sword and killed the devil of the plague. Since then, climbing mountains has become a custom on the Double Ninth Festival.” Like the Hungry Ghost Festival and Dia de los Muertos, the Double Ninth Festival is also a time to remember one’s ancestors. Cemetery visits would have included bringing pork, fruit and chrysanthemum wine for the altar. Chinese immigrants, who visited Alhambra Cemetery’s Potter’s Field, would possibly have climbed to the top of the hill to drink chrysanthemum tea or wine in celebration. It is interesting to note the many similarities these different world customs possess. Despite oceans and many miles between us, we as the human race have much more in common in our traditions and ideas than one would otherwise think. Perhaps that is what we should all celebrate as we participate in our annual traditions and volunteer to maintain cemeteries and graveyards (our important cultural outdoor museums). Our next workday is Saturday October 28 from 9 am to 2 pm. Come join us to clean brick, winterize the Chinese funerary burner site, and clean Potter’s Field. Bring a chrysanthemum or marigold to celebrate the Chongyang festival and Dia de los Muertos.
Judie & Joseph Palmer are two of the founding members of the Martinez Cemetery Preservation Alliance (MCPA) and the Potter’s Field Project. Both have a passion for discovery, history, genealogy, anthropology and archaeology. For more info, please visit our website MartinezCemetery.org. Do you have a Potter’s Field story to tell? We welcome any pictures or information regarding the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery or its Potter’s Field. Please email us at martinezcemetery@gmail.com or call us at (925) 316-6069. Alhambra Cemetery Potter's Field, Martinez
(Bottom of Hill) Saturday Oct 28, 2017 9 am - 2 pm Sponsors: City of Martinez, E Clampus Vitus, Martinez Historical Society, Potter's Field Restoration Project, SOLS Pay your respects to the many people buried there. Help clean-up debris and remove weeds from around the many graves or close the Chinese Funerary Burner site for winter of those that built our communities and made them what they are today, the laborers, builders, restaurant staff, railroad workers, farmers, veterans of our past and many more. Lunch for all volunteers generously provided by E Clampus Vitus Morning Refreshments, Water, First Aid, Bug Spray & Suntan Lotion for Potter's Field Project volunteers generously provided by SOLS. Wear comfortable clothes, a pair of gloves & protective eye-wear. Tasks will include sand bagging, removing old mortar from brick and de-weeding around the gravesites. If you have any tools that you feel could be useful, please bring them. Otherwise tools will be provided. For further information, donations or to volunteer: Please contact: Joseph Palmer Potter's Field Restoration Project Coordinator Phone: (925) 316-6069 Email: martinezcemetery@gmail.com This Article was published in the Martinez News-Gazette on 10/08/2017You may have recently noticed some significant improvements and restorations on the few remaining headstones of Potter’s Field. We would like to catch you up on the past year’s metamorphosis. Many thanks go out to the compassionate volunteers, families, and organizations that donated their time, labor, and funds to preserve these historical monuments. If you wish to join us, pay your respects and volunteer for the upcoming Fall Cemetery Cleanup on Sat Oct 14th from 9 am – 2 pm, please email us at martinezcemetery@gmail.com or call (925) 335-9396. E Clampus Vitus will be providing lunch. While there is plenty of work to do to maintain, preserve and restore this very important vital outdoor museum as the old saying goes, "many hands make for light work". Nikolao Glaros 1894-1915In our April 19 article for Nikolao Glaros, we wrote, “It had braved the elements, decades of water runoff and moisture abuse. A thick rusty nail stood in place of an object that once graced the top along with a large surface fissure distorting its Ancient Greek inscription...” Restoration began when Dorothy Glaros president of the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood of America, sent his monument to a Napa headstone maker. First, they extracted the nail, cleaned the white marble stone (originally from the Vermont Marble Company (VMC), the largest monument company in the country from the late 1800’s to the mid 1900’s) and filled the remaining space and fissures with marble paste. Next leaving the original engraving untouched, they attached a second white marble stone from Georgia to its back for reinforcement and to etch the complete Ancient Greek inscription. Meanwhile, project volunteers reinforced his base with new poured cement donated by SOLS. Nikolao’s headstone reinstallation was Monday, September 18 using two new stainless steel rods for securing it to the base. We continue to search for the origin of Nikolao’s monument. We contacted Jim Lucas, president of the Greek Historical Society who checked the funeral documents of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of San Francisco, from 1904 to 1917. Unfortunately, he found no record. August Mueller 1846-1908On April 5, we wrote an article on one of our most spirited and tenacious personalities, Carl Ferdinand August Mueller, whose blue marble headstone (also from the VMC) was found separated and lying face down next to his base. After extensive research we found and contacted his twin great granddaughters Kristen Hawley and Kathleen Bauer, who we then had the pleasure of meeting on October 8, 2016. During our meeting we discovered that his monument was missing a large chunk from its back. As miracles happened, we found it at the bottom of the hill next to Nikolao’s stone, which immediately prompted its transit for repair. The same stone mason that worked on Nikolao also repaired August. First he reattached the wayward chunk to its parent, then filled in the cracks with matching marble paste. Next he engraved the back of the stone with the information from the front. While waiting for his stone’s reinstallation, the twins took it upon themselves to reinforce his base. On September 18, August Mueller’s monument and base were finally reunited utilizing also new stainless steel rods. Like his personality, he now glimmers in the sun with his original epitaph on the front and new itching on the back. Side note: Steve Simich (the stonemason from Napa Marble & Granite Works, Inc.) explained that unscrupulous headstone installers (in order to cut corners) would not use the iron rods. Instead they would complete their installation using only mortar. As the mortar aged and dried out, it shrank and cracked causing the stone to eventually fall from its base. There are many, many examples of this happening to monuments throughout the Alhambra Cemetery. George Homan Johnson 1870-1902While Steve was installing August & Nikolao’s stones, we asked on behalf of George’s Grandnephew Mike Hardisty to examine George’s headstone. Like Nikolao he too had an unknown small figure attached to the top of his monument. Unfortunately vandals remove the statues, exposing the nails used to attach them to their main stones. Steve explained to me that the nails then rust causing them to expand, cracking the marble. From there water penetrates the stone causing further deterioration and erosion. Fortunately George’s headstone had incurred only a small crack and no further harm unlike the extensive damage that Nikolao’s had suffered. After assessing George’s blue marble monument (also from the VMC) Steve graciously went about making repairs. First he removed the nail by drilling it out and filling in the space with matching color mortar. After letting the mortar set, he sanded the top of George’s headstone smooth insuring its beauty for years to come. When payment was offered, he declined saying it was his contribution to our project. To his Australian and English descendants, as well as ourselves, George’s headstone installation is still a mystery. However, during the time of his death it was quite common for British sailors to purchase headstones for their deceased shipmates. Aaron Rice 1819-1905Vandals most likely kicked the back of the former slave’s large blue marble monument (also from the VMC) some time ago until it broke, as evidenced by a bottom portion of his stone still attached to the base. During the 2016 Fall Cemetery Cleanup, E. Clampus Vitus volunteers reattached and repaired his stone using special glue. Recently project volunteers reinforced his base with a new cement pour supplied again by SOLS. Additionally they removed the excess glue exposing the original crack. This will be filled later using epoxy inserted with matching stone dust to hide the scar. Although we don’t know for sure who purchased and installed Aaron’s stone, we have strong circumstantial evidence pointing us in the right direction. Continue reading his bio in our upcoming columns to find out the answer. Ralph Vestor Walker 1923-1945It has been a year since Ralph’s gravestone and border were uncovered under many inches of silt. Steve mentioned that Ralph’s grave had sunk as a result of settlement over time, which also caused his cement border to crack. As a result his final resting place is in constant need of tomb sweeping to remain unburied.
Steve also revealed that his blue marble memorial headstone (source unknown) was inserted in a popular concrete form made available in the 70’s, which means that he didn’t receive his tombstone until a good twenty five or thirty years after he died. Most likely it was his mother who lived in the Bay Area at the time who made the arrangements. Judie & Joseph Palmer are two of the founding members of the Martinez Cemetery Preservation Alliance (MCPA) and the Potter’s Field Project. Both have a passion for discovery, history, genealogy, anthropology and archaeology. For more info, please visit our website MartinezCemetery.org. Do you have a Potter’s Field story to tell? We welcome any pictures or information regarding the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery or its Potter’s Field. Please email us at martinezcemetery@gmail.com or call us at (925) 316-6069. This Article was published in the Martinez News-Gazette on 10/04/2017Good Morning! How are you?Ah, autumn in Potter's Field! The warmer summer mornings gave way to the slightly cooler air as everyone agreed autumn would soon bring its warmer glow as the day progressed. Like cats in a window, the deer watched the morning proceedings from afar while munching their breakfast. The smell of Joss sticks and paper filled the air as the day's proceedings began with a Chinese ceremony to honor the ancestors who were and are buried in Potter's Field. An introduction to the project and a recap of what has been accomplished so far was needed for the many new volunteers who came this day. Dan Mosier "The Brick Whisperer"While waiting for others to arrive, Dan Mosier, our resident brick expert, introduced all newcomers to the history behind the various manufactured and handmade bricks that we have discovered so far. As the saying sort of goes, "Who says you can't teach old dogs some new bricks!" Because of our newfound education, it made our Zen task of cleaning brick much more interesting. Our Archaeology TeamIt seems you can't keep a good project hidden from the archaeologists in this area! It just takes one, like Shauna Mundt, to spread the word and suddenly we have five archaeologists looking for good "field experience" in Martinez. Did you know that archaeology promotes dirty pictures? Before the day began, we tried to take a group picture of them, but they said "No!" Their secret code is, "Never allow your picture to be taken until your hair, clothes and body have been covered with excavation dirt!" Preparing the BrickHere we have pictures of the Zen art of brick cleaning. Notice how some of the volunteers, and professional\student archaeologists prefer being close to nature instead of, as they called it, luxury metal seating. Excavation ProgressAs with any archaeological site, removing bricks from this Chinese Funerary burner requires a great deal of focus and care. As each brick is lifted, the soil and leftover mortar is placed into a bucket and brought to the sifter to check for artifacts. Though no significant artifacts were found this day, we do believe that we finally hit bottom! Extras!Our project booth stands outside of the Potter's Field Gate so that all that pass by, and our volunteers, can easily get to it. It serves as the sign in\information center, first aid station (complete with suntan lotion\bug spray), and snack shack. Besides the usual personal sized chips, trail mixes and bottled water, our specials of the day were Honeycrisp apples, Cutie oranges, boxed fruit\veggie drinks and zero sugar lemonade. We must have done the right shopping as much of it was consumed! Every project day comes with break times and a lot of good conversation and humor. Our booth volunteer decided to take some candid pictures of what happens outside of the work. Cyclists, joggers and dog walkers continuously passed by; especially Martinez resident Annie Jarrett who stopped her car and asked questions. Excited about the project and archaeology, Annie returned later with her son, Kevin Crane to volunteer and join in our merry band of dirt magnets. All had a good laugh when Edgar Allen Crow presented himself on a post in his fossilized plastic body. Even our uber volunteer Dawn Curran brought her dog Jewels to supervise. (Unfortunately, he was bored and decided to take a nap instead). A much appreciated "Thank You!" goes to all of our enthusiastic volunteers, Virginia Bones, Christina Brenner, Kevin Crane, Dawn Curran, Sean Dexter, Annie Jarrett, Kierstyn Kirkus, Carolyn Knight, Nik Lucatorto, Dan Mosier, Shauna Mundt, Charli O'Malley, Ann Roos, and Christian Rousset, without whom this project would never have gotten off the ground. Our next workday is Saturday October 14 from 9 am to 2 pm. E Clampus Vitus will be providing lunch. While there is plenty of work to do to maintain, preserve and restore this very important vital outdoor museum as the old saying goes, "many hands make for light work". Join our growing community and have a good time in the process. Judie & Joseph Palmer are two of the founding members of the Martinez Cemetery Preservation Alliance (MCPA) and the Potter’s Field Project. Both have a passion for discovery, history, genealogy, anthropology and archaeology. For more info, please visit our website MartinezCemetery.org. Do you have a Potter’s Field story to tell? We welcome any pictures or information regarding the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery or its Potter’s Field. Please email us at martinezcemetery@gmail.com or call us at (925) 316-6069. This Article was published in the Martinez News-Gazette on 9/24/2017Picking up Aaron’s story from where we left off, Aaron Rice had sworn out a Writ of Habeas Corpus against William for the enslavement of Nathaniel (Aaron’s son) on Friday August 10, 1860, issued by elected Napa County Judge Pulaski Jacks. According to Farlex’s Free Online Legal Dictionary, “Habeas Corpus is a writ (court order) that commands an individual or a government official who has restrained another to produce the prisoner at a designated time and place so that the court can determine the legality of custody and decide whether to order the prisoner's release.” William is immediately arrested and forced to appear before the Napa County’s Court of Sessions on Monday August 13, 1860 the first available ordered term. According to the California Research Bureau, “The Courts of Sessions were the earliest county-level courts of record that adjudicated criminal offenses… authorized by the state Constitution.” From the California Constitution of 1850, Article VI, § 8,“There shall be elected in each of the organized counties of this State, one County Judge, who shall hold his office for four years…The County Judge, with two Justices of the Peace, to be designated according to law, shall hold Courts of Sessions with such criminal jurisdiction as the Legislature shall prescribe, and he shall perform such other duties as shall be required by law.” All of the Justices of the Peace from within the county elected the two Justices of the Peace designated as the Associate Justices of that county’s Courts of Sessions for a term of one year. From the 1850 California State Charter 86 § 5, those powers conferred to the Court of Sessions were the ability to hear, “all cases of assault, assault and battery, breach of the peace, riot, affray, and petit larceny, and over all misdemeanors punishable by fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding three months, or both such fine and imprisonment.” Here is where it gets interesting, instead of appearing before Judge Jacks who had issued the writ, the case was instead heard by Justice Silas S. Tucker. Who (it should be noted) was not an Associate Justice, had no legal background, and was new to the post of being Napa’s peace officer. Was Judge Jacks docket already full? Why was Aaron’s case not heard then by an Assoc. Justice? Only Judge Jacks had the authority to fill an Assoc. Justice vacancy by appointment, which is perhaps how Justice Tucker came to decide Aaron and Nathaniel’s fate. However, as of today we have found no evidence of this occurrence. Although the official record of the case is presently missing, we do have an account published in the Napa Register on August 20, 1860. It states, “Upon examination, it appeared that the complaint was unfounded, and on the 13th, Mr. Rice was discharged. There was no evidence that he claimed or exercised any authority over the boy in question. The facts seem to be that both Aaron and his son had been slaves of Mr. Rice at the East, and that some engagement had been entered into for their freedom on coming to California, but no coercion was used by Mr. Rice to enforce the agreement against Aaron and his son.” Remember neither Aaron nor Nathaniel by California law could legally testify against William. William could say whatever he wanted, not have it challenged and therefor make it the official record of the incident. Although a casual observer would have been able to tell that William was lying and that Nathaniel was indeed enslaved, Justice Tucker ruled in favor of William. Ironically, William immediately files charges of perjury against Aaron. The Napa Register continues, “On being discharged, Mr. Rice entered a complaint against Aaron for perjury. He was therefore arrested, and on examination before Justice S. S. Tucker, ordered to find bail in the sum of $500 for his appearance at the Court of Sessions.” This means Justice Tucker threw the book at Aaron, by charging him with the stiffest penalty he could, (valued at more than $14,000 today). The History of Contra Costa County by W. J. Slocum & Co. supports the newspaper’s version of events stating William, “…was brought to trial at once, the case was dismissed, and the negro mulcted in costs.” The Napa Register account finishes by stating, “Edward Hatton and Jack Sinclair became bail, and Aaron was discharged from custody.” We suspect Aaron was not in custody long, perhaps just over night, but it had to be disconcerting none the less. Edward Hatton and Jack Sinclair had become good friends of Aaron and his family and obviously were not going to let him sit in jail. They actually agreed to $500 worth of their own physical labor in order to secure Aaron’s freedom. How long Nathaniel was forced to stay under William’s custody is yet unknown. However a month later on September 17, 1860, Charlotte (Aaron’s wife) and Robert (his father) bought a 160 acre farm for $100 from William Russell. Perhaps Aaron was left off the deed to prevent William from retaliating and filling a claim on the property. In any case, it is yet another clear indication that Nathaniel was the only family member of Aaron’s left entrapped. On another note (according to inflation calculators) $100 in 1860 would be worth more than $2,800 today or another way of looking at it $100 today would only be worth $3.50 then. This supports our theory that back in July (when they were visited by Rev. Starr King) they didn’t give their monies to William to purchase their freedom. Instead they declared themselves free, invested those monies in themselves and their new fresh start. Back then raising $100 (above and beyond what they would need to cover their living expenses) would have been nearly impossible in that short of time with the limited opportunities available to them. Despite their obvious setbacks, Aaron’s family forged ahead and made a life for themselves in the Great State of California. Lastly the Court of Sessions was abolished by the state legislature with the passage of the 1863 California State Charter 260 §§ 47-53, 89. It replaces them with County Courts, which we know today as our Superior Court system. Judie & Joseph Palmer are two of the founding members of the Martinez Cemetery Preservation Alliance (MCPA) and the Potter’s Field Project. Both have a passion for discovery, history, genealogy, anthropology and archaeology. For more info, please visit our website MartinezCemetery.org. Do you have a Potter’s Field story to tell? We welcome any pictures or information regarding the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery or its Potter’s Field. Please email us at martinezcemetery@gmail.com or call us at (925) 316-6069.
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AuthorsJudie & Joseph Palmer are two of the founding members of the Martinez Cemetery Preservation Alliance (MCPA) and the Potter’s Field Project. Both have a passion for discovery, history, genealogy, anthropology and archaeology. Archives
October 2021
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