Monday, July 29, 2013
Julia E Saviers
If there is one thing I can say about Cousin Julia, aside from being the most notorious ancestor so far, is that she knew how to avoid being in public records during her lifetime.
Researching Julia has been quite a challenge, with the exception of her notorious act in Stockton, California in 1871. The only records I could find for her was the 1870 and 1880 U.S. Federal Census, a marriage in Shasta County in 1855, a San Francisco Directory listing in 1889, the mortuary bill from San Francisco when she died, and one possible marriage record in Burlington, Vermont from 1854.
Information from the Census records state Julia was born about 1831 in New York. If I recall correctly, one newspaper article from Northern California stated she was born in LeRay, Jefferson, New York. Julia's parents were Ira Glynn and Rhoda Russell.
Ira Glynn was born in Vermont. He served in the army but the experience was not a positive one. He was convicted of theft and, later, was sentenced to prison for desertion. His profession was as a dentist and he moved his family to Placerville, California, opening up his dentistry office and becoming a well-respected member of the community.
Rhoda was born to Reuben Russell and Lydia Vaughan, making her the sister of my 4th great-grandmother. As far as we know, when Ira and Rhoda removed to California, Julia, along with her brother, Frederick, moved with them. The entire family are found living, at one time or another, in Placerville.
According to newspaper reports, it was reported that Julia was married 3 times - Frank Guy Seeley, Arthur J Spencer and Nelson James Saviers. It was her third marriage to Nels Saviers that resulted in the public notoriety in 1871.
The 1870 Census reports that Nels and Julia were living in Carson City, Nevada. Nels was a telegraph operator by trade, but the census indicates that they may have been operating a boarding house or some sort as Nels was listed as the head of household and there were several unrelated single people living in the household, too.
In the same 1870 Census for Carson City is a listing for G.M. Lake and his wife, J.A. This is Augustus aka Gus Lake and his wife, Julia. Also living in the household are Julia's two young sons from a previous marriage.
Why did I mention the Lake family? Because in June of 1871, Nels Saviers and Julia Lake arrived by stagecoach in Stockton claiming to be husband and wife. Nels gained employment at the Telegraph office and the couple took up residence at the Grand Hotel.
Approximately one month and 11 days later, on the 31st of July, Julia Saviers arrived by stagecoach and immediately procured a room at the Yosemite Hotel.
After making inquiries around town concerning her husband - where he worked, where he resided and with whom = she secured a room at the Grand Hotel, insisting on a room on the same floor that her husband's room was located on. One newspaper reported the room being across and down the hall from Nels.
At approximately 8:30 pm, Julia knocked on the door of her husband's room. Mrs. Lake answered and after a short conversation, Julia drew a six-shooter and shot Mrs. Lake 3 times. Julia left the hotel and went to the telegraph office accompanied by a man who had agreed to show her where the Sheriff's office was located.
Julia told Nels that she had shot her 3 times and will now shoot him, drawing the pistol, but the man who accompanied Julia to the Telegraph office wrestled the gun from her. Nels accompanied his wife to the Sheriff's office, where both were arrested after discovery of the shooting.
Mrs. Lake stayed at the hotel, attended by a doctor, until she died from her injuries two days later. Nels was released from custody and stayed by her bedside until her passing. Afterwards, he left for Sacramento.
Newspaper reports state that Ira and Rhoda arrived by stagecoach to attend to their daughter during her incarceration and subsequent trial. There were also reports that Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton visited Julia while in jail, but the reports ere false and the papers printed a retraction. The two famous women were in San Francisco, but had gone to Yosemite National Park and knew nothing of the shooting.
Julia was described in the papers as fragile and sickly. She was attended by a doctor while in jail and, during her trial, was taken from the courtroom after falling ill. Public sentiment was on the side of Julia at first, being the scorned woman; but after Mrs. Lake died, sentiment turned against her. Newspapers across the country reported disdain for Julia, California and law enforcement, stating that society was tired of these types of crimes and not enough was done to prevent them. One particular article from a newspaper in Arizona stated, in essence, that in California, if you don't like your marital situation, it was okay to shoot your spouse.
Aside from public opinion, Julia was acquitted of all charges by reason of temporary insanity. In other words, she got away with murder.
After the trial, Julia moved to Placerville with her parents. Nels went to San Francisco, where sometime later, he encountered Gus Lake in a bar. They somehow ended up in a back room of the bar when a worker walked in and prevented an ugly confrontation between the two men. Authorities ordered the two men to leave town and they complied - taking opposite directions. Nels later appears in census' after 1900 in Santa Rosa with a wife and children.
Julia stayed with her parents and caring for them until their deaths. Rhoda died in 1881 and Ira in 1883.
After her father's death, Julia moved to San Francisco where she was employed as a housekeeper at the Palace Hotel. She was later admitted to the Crockers Old People's Home. It is believed that she resided there during the 1906 Earthquake. Although, I'm not to sure on this point as I seem to recall a letter from Julia talking about the earthquake. Needless to say, the Palace Hotel where Julia was employed - was heavily damaged in the earthquake.
Julia died in 1908 at the Crocker Old People's Home of pneumonia. The Rebekah Lodge IOOF in Placerville paid to have her remains transported to Placerville. She is buried with her parents and brother in Union Cemetery. The grave marker is four sided with each side representing a member of the Glynn family.
Researching Julia has been quite a challenge, with the exception of her notorious act in Stockton, California in 1871. The only records I could find for her was the 1870 and 1880 U.S. Federal Census, a marriage in Shasta County in 1855, a San Francisco Directory listing in 1889, the mortuary bill from San Francisco when she died, and one possible marriage record in Burlington, Vermont from 1854.
Information from the Census records state Julia was born about 1831 in New York. If I recall correctly, one newspaper article from Northern California stated she was born in LeRay, Jefferson, New York. Julia's parents were Ira Glynn and Rhoda Russell.
Ira Glynn was born in Vermont. He served in the army but the experience was not a positive one. He was convicted of theft and, later, was sentenced to prison for desertion. His profession was as a dentist and he moved his family to Placerville, California, opening up his dentistry office and becoming a well-respected member of the community.
Rhoda was born to Reuben Russell and Lydia Vaughan, making her the sister of my 4th great-grandmother. As far as we know, when Ira and Rhoda removed to California, Julia, along with her brother, Frederick, moved with them. The entire family are found living, at one time or another, in Placerville.
According to newspaper reports, it was reported that Julia was married 3 times - Frank Guy Seeley, Arthur J Spencer and Nelson James Saviers. It was her third marriage to Nels Saviers that resulted in the public notoriety in 1871.
The 1870 Census reports that Nels and Julia were living in Carson City, Nevada. Nels was a telegraph operator by trade, but the census indicates that they may have been operating a boarding house or some sort as Nels was listed as the head of household and there were several unrelated single people living in the household, too.
In the same 1870 Census for Carson City is a listing for G.M. Lake and his wife, J.A. This is Augustus aka Gus Lake and his wife, Julia. Also living in the household are Julia's two young sons from a previous marriage.
Why did I mention the Lake family? Because in June of 1871, Nels Saviers and Julia Lake arrived by stagecoach in Stockton claiming to be husband and wife. Nels gained employment at the Telegraph office and the couple took up residence at the Grand Hotel.
Approximately one month and 11 days later, on the 31st of July, Julia Saviers arrived by stagecoach and immediately procured a room at the Yosemite Hotel.
After making inquiries around town concerning her husband - where he worked, where he resided and with whom = she secured a room at the Grand Hotel, insisting on a room on the same floor that her husband's room was located on. One newspaper reported the room being across and down the hall from Nels.
At approximately 8:30 pm, Julia knocked on the door of her husband's room. Mrs. Lake answered and after a short conversation, Julia drew a six-shooter and shot Mrs. Lake 3 times. Julia left the hotel and went to the telegraph office accompanied by a man who had agreed to show her where the Sheriff's office was located.
Julia told Nels that she had shot her 3 times and will now shoot him, drawing the pistol, but the man who accompanied Julia to the Telegraph office wrestled the gun from her. Nels accompanied his wife to the Sheriff's office, where both were arrested after discovery of the shooting.
Mrs. Lake stayed at the hotel, attended by a doctor, until she died from her injuries two days later. Nels was released from custody and stayed by her bedside until her passing. Afterwards, he left for Sacramento.
Newspaper reports state that Ira and Rhoda arrived by stagecoach to attend to their daughter during her incarceration and subsequent trial. There were also reports that Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton visited Julia while in jail, but the reports ere false and the papers printed a retraction. The two famous women were in San Francisco, but had gone to Yosemite National Park and knew nothing of the shooting.
Julia was described in the papers as fragile and sickly. She was attended by a doctor while in jail and, during her trial, was taken from the courtroom after falling ill. Public sentiment was on the side of Julia at first, being the scorned woman; but after Mrs. Lake died, sentiment turned against her. Newspapers across the country reported disdain for Julia, California and law enforcement, stating that society was tired of these types of crimes and not enough was done to prevent them. One particular article from a newspaper in Arizona stated, in essence, that in California, if you don't like your marital situation, it was okay to shoot your spouse.
Aside from public opinion, Julia was acquitted of all charges by reason of temporary insanity. In other words, she got away with murder.
After the trial, Julia moved to Placerville with her parents. Nels went to San Francisco, where sometime later, he encountered Gus Lake in a bar. They somehow ended up in a back room of the bar when a worker walked in and prevented an ugly confrontation between the two men. Authorities ordered the two men to leave town and they complied - taking opposite directions. Nels later appears in census' after 1900 in Santa Rosa with a wife and children.
Julia stayed with her parents and caring for them until their deaths. Rhoda died in 1881 and Ira in 1883.
After her father's death, Julia moved to San Francisco where she was employed as a housekeeper at the Palace Hotel. She was later admitted to the Crockers Old People's Home. It is believed that she resided there during the 1906 Earthquake. Although, I'm not to sure on this point as I seem to recall a letter from Julia talking about the earthquake. Needless to say, the Palace Hotel where Julia was employed - was heavily damaged in the earthquake.
Julia died in 1908 at the Crocker Old People's Home of pneumonia. The Rebekah Lodge IOOF in Placerville paid to have her remains transported to Placerville. She is buried with her parents and brother in Union Cemetery. The grave marker is four sided with each side representing a member of the Glynn family.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
The Spencers, The Curtiss', and The Russells
Before moving on to Mom's family lines, I need to tell the story of the mysterious Julia Saviers. As I mentioned before, Julia's name popped up in an excerpt from a letter she wrote to Rodolph Spencer that appeared in one of the Bundock newsletters. My Aunt, who published the newsletter, nor any one else in our family knew who Julia was or how she was connected in the family. All anyone knew was that she was a cousin.
But to tell Julia's story, a bit of family history needs to go back a few generations more to establish her connection.
George Bundock's wife, Lilla Florence Spencer, was the daughter of Rodolph Ambrose Spencer and Emma A Curtiss. Rodolph was the son of Ambrose Spencer and Mercy Ann Russell and Emma was the daughter of Kelsey Curtiss and Eliza Rebecca Sutliff.
Histories on the Spencers, Curtiss' and Sutliff's will be in later blogs, but for now I want to follow the Russells.
Mercy Ann was born to Reuben Russell and Lydia Vaughan (some say her name was Lydia Lemon Vaughan although I don't find a connection for the Lemon name).
Reuben's family originated out of Massachusetts and Lydia's family originated out of Connecticut. Of course, both family lines came from England, but both also moved on to Oneida County, New York. It was in this county that Reuben and Lydia married and produced fourteen children. Along with Mercy Ann, some of their most researched children were Calvin Follett and Cyrus Paddock, of whom both moved to Canada; Stephen Webster Russell removed to Michigan and Olive Russell who married Ozias Whitney and moved to Wisconsin.
Wisconsin was also where Reuben and Lydia moved along with their daughter, Mercy Ann and her husband, Ambrose Spencer.
But our focus will be on the little known daughter of Reuben and Lydia - Rhoda. Nothing was known about her with the exception of her birth year. That is, until the search for Julia started.
I began searching for Julia in the Federal Census' - a reasonable place to begin, although I did not know if her surname was a married or maiden name. The 1880 Census reported a Julia Saviers living with an Ira Glynn and his wife, Rhoda in Placerville and she was listed as their daughter. It wasn't until a connection with another Spencer cousin that it was discovered that Rhoda was the sister of Rodolph's mother, making Julia and Rodolph first cousins.
But the story doesn't end there. In fact, I got what was probably the first genealogical shock in my research when I did an internet search on Yahoo for Julia E. Saviers.
A picture of Julia that was shared by a Bundock cousin a few years after we discovered the story of Julia.
But to tell Julia's story, a bit of family history needs to go back a few generations more to establish her connection.
George Bundock's wife, Lilla Florence Spencer, was the daughter of Rodolph Ambrose Spencer and Emma A Curtiss. Rodolph was the son of Ambrose Spencer and Mercy Ann Russell and Emma was the daughter of Kelsey Curtiss and Eliza Rebecca Sutliff.
Histories on the Spencers, Curtiss' and Sutliff's will be in later blogs, but for now I want to follow the Russells.
Mercy Ann was born to Reuben Russell and Lydia Vaughan (some say her name was Lydia Lemon Vaughan although I don't find a connection for the Lemon name).
Reuben's family originated out of Massachusetts and Lydia's family originated out of Connecticut. Of course, both family lines came from England, but both also moved on to Oneida County, New York. It was in this county that Reuben and Lydia married and produced fourteen children. Along with Mercy Ann, some of their most researched children were Calvin Follett and Cyrus Paddock, of whom both moved to Canada; Stephen Webster Russell removed to Michigan and Olive Russell who married Ozias Whitney and moved to Wisconsin.
Wisconsin was also where Reuben and Lydia moved along with their daughter, Mercy Ann and her husband, Ambrose Spencer.
But our focus will be on the little known daughter of Reuben and Lydia - Rhoda. Nothing was known about her with the exception of her birth year. That is, until the search for Julia started.
I began searching for Julia in the Federal Census' - a reasonable place to begin, although I did not know if her surname was a married or maiden name. The 1880 Census reported a Julia Saviers living with an Ira Glynn and his wife, Rhoda in Placerville and she was listed as their daughter. It wasn't until a connection with another Spencer cousin that it was discovered that Rhoda was the sister of Rodolph's mother, making Julia and Rodolph first cousins.But the story doesn't end there. In fact, I got what was probably the first genealogical shock in my research when I did an internet search on Yahoo for Julia E. Saviers.
A picture of Julia that was shared by a Bundock cousin a few years after we discovered the story of Julia.
Friday, July 26, 2013
J.S. Bundock and the Inheritance
One of the most interesting research discoveries in the Bundock history was just how close the Bundock family came to being wealthy. In researching news articles of the day, and through family stories, Samuel's wife, Mary Ann Dister (also spelled Diester), came from a prominent family lineage although further research has been unable to document her lineage.
But, apparently, Henry and his brother, John Samuel, received a missive from a Solicitor in England sometime in the early to mid - 1890s. The Solicitor stated that the brothers were heir to an estate through their mother.
According to Dad, Henry was not interested in pursuing the claim the brothers had to the estate - but John Samuel was very interested. He procured the services of the Solicitor and, although it took several years, the claim appeared solid.
According to various news articles (all of which had facts in error in one form or another), the estate in question had been held in chancery for about 200 years. It consisted mainly of prime real estate in the heart of London among other items of value.
When the Solicitor assured John Samuel that his claim was valid and he was confident that John would inherit a portion, at least, of the estate, preparations were made for the trip to England. It had been decided that John Samuel would be accompanied by his son Emmet (John Emmet) who at the time lived in Hawaii.
Emmet sailed from Hawaii to San Francisco in 1900 and joined his father on the trip cross country to New York where they would sail to England.
Unfortunately, JS and Emmet never reached New York as John Samuel died in his sleep at the Nicholas Hotel on a stopover in Jefferson City, Missouri. According to the Coroner's Inquest, John Samuel died from a pre-existing heart or stomach ailment.
Emmet stayed in Jefferson City to take care of the arrangements for his father's remains. Apparently, it was decided to have him buried in Jefferson City rather than transport the remains back to California.
Emmet did make it to England a year later, but he came home "empty-handed". One can only surmise that it was either too late to lay claim on the estate or that he was ousted out of the claim by other inheritors. Needless to say, it was a tragedy to a family that struggled financially after the death of John Samuel.
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