Brown, Charles: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| (2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
'''Charles Brown''' (1820-1888) [dates from ''History Journal Number 4''] was a 49er who came to Santa Cruz from San Francisco in the early 1860s with a small fortune from selling some SF real estate. It's unclear where he made the money to buy SF property - maybe in the gold fields? In our county he became a financer of development projects. Brown financed construction of a Mission Street building that evolved into the St. Charles Hotel. Brown later ran out of money, and died in poverty. | '''Charles Brown''' (1820-1888) [dates from ''History Journal Number 4'', no place of burial found] was a 49er who came to Santa Cruz from San Francisco in the early 1860s with a small fortune from selling some SF real estate. It's unclear where he made the money to buy SF property - maybe in the gold fields? In our county he became a financer of development projects. Brown financed construction of a Mission Street building that evolved into the St. Charles Hotel. Brown later ran out of money, and died in poverty. | ||
Both Rowland and Riptide wrote that Charles Brown built the small tannery on Laurel Street that [[Kirby, Richard C.|R. C. Kirby]] bought and expanded, but an editorial note in "Pioneers" History Journal 4 disputes that claim, stating that the tannery builder was Howard Brown, brother of [[Brown, Albert|Albert Brown]]. No source is cited, however, and no info | Both Rowland and Riptide wrote that Charles Brown built the small tannery on Laurel Street that [[Kirby, Richard C.|R. C. Kirby]] bought and expanded, but an editorial note in "Pioneers" History Journal 4 disputes that claim, stating that the tannery builder was [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132342160/howard-brown Howard Brown] (1836-1875), brother of [[Brown, Albert|Albert Brown]]. No source is cited, however, and no info anyone named Howard Brown resident in Santa Cruz has been found. | ||
A grievance letter written in 1842 by men imprisoned and/or otherwise involved in the 1840 "Graham Affair" was signed by [[Graham, Isaac|Isaac Graham]] and nine others, including one named "Charles Brown" (''see'' Elliot, p.10). It's possible that this Charles Brown was in California that early, although obituaries described Brown as a "pioneer of '48". | A grievance letter written in 1842 by men imprisoned and/or otherwise involved in the 1840 "Graham Affair" was signed by [[Graham, Isaac|Isaac Graham]] and nine others, including one named "Charles Brown" (''see'' Elliot, p.10). It's possible that this Charles Brown was in California that early, although obituaries described Brown as a "pioneer of '48". | ||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
[[Category:1860-1869 arrivals]] | [[Category:1860-1869 arrivals]] | ||
[[Category:Persons with 2 historical-source biographies]] | [[Category:Persons with 2 historical-source biographies]] | ||
[[Category:no burial info]] | |||
Latest revision as of 17:30, 25 September 2025
Charles Brown (1820-1888) [dates from History Journal Number 4, no place of burial found] was a 49er who came to Santa Cruz from San Francisco in the early 1860s with a small fortune from selling some SF real estate. It's unclear where he made the money to buy SF property - maybe in the gold fields? In our county he became a financer of development projects. Brown financed construction of a Mission Street building that evolved into the St. Charles Hotel. Brown later ran out of money, and died in poverty.
Both Rowland and Riptide wrote that Charles Brown built the small tannery on Laurel Street that R. C. Kirby bought and expanded, but an editorial note in "Pioneers" History Journal 4 disputes that claim, stating that the tannery builder was Howard Brown (1836-1875), brother of Albert Brown. No source is cited, however, and no info anyone named Howard Brown resident in Santa Cruz has been found.
A grievance letter written in 1842 by men imprisoned and/or otherwise involved in the 1840 "Graham Affair" was signed by Isaac Graham and nine others, including one named "Charles Brown" (see Elliot, p.10). It's possible that this Charles Brown was in California that early, although obituaries described Brown as a "pioneer of '48".
- John L. Chase, The Sidewalk Companion to Santa Cruz Architecture (4th ed. 2023), Chapter Four, item (10), page 86.
- History Pages: 15 - Uptown and Downtown
A different Charles Brown, with minimal local connections, is briefly profiled in Riptide.