View source for Rountree, Almus L.

[[File:Horsecar on Pacific.jpg|right]]
'''Almus Linneus Rountree''' ([https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179184492/almus-linneus-rountree 1828-1891]), a native of Tennessee, came to Santa Cruz County in the 1850s. Timeline: 
*'''1862''' - Rountree [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18620815.1.2&srpos=1&e=-------en--20-SCWS-1-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 took over the Washington Market]] on upper Willow Street (now Pacific Avenue), "[https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18651118.1.1&srpos=10&e=-------en--20-SCWS-1-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 two doors north of the San Lorenzo Exchange]" (later site of the Pacific Ocean House). Washington Market can be seen at far right in the photo at right, from ~1880. Rountree may not have had any ownership interest by that date - an [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18780615.1.3&srpos=45&e=------187-en--20-SCWS-41-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 1878 ''Sentinel'' ad listed [[Chace, John D.|J. D. Chase]] as proprietor]. 
*'''1863''' - Rountree acquired a [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18650617.1.3&srpos=5&e=-------en--20-SCWS-1-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 large parcel of land] that included [[Point Santa Cruz]]. He sold a small plot to the U.S. government, where a lighthouse was built in 1869. 
*'''1869''' - elected County Sheriff, serving until 1871, when he [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18710722.1.3&srpos=18&e=------187-en--20-SCWS-1-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 declined to run again].
*'''1870''' - Rountree advertised himself as proprietor of the [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18701119.1.3&srpos=7&e=------187-en--20-SCWS-1-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 San Lorenzo Market on Mission Street]. 
*'''1872''' - Rountree [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18720629.1.2&srpos=30&e=------187-en--20-SCWS-21-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 left the meat business partnership he had entered in 1870].
*'''1874''' - the [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18740711.1.3&srpos=34&e=------187-en--20-SCWS-21-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 "Almus tract" was subdivided and sold in 5-acre parcels].
*'''1877''' - three of the 5-acre parcels were purchased by [[Lynch, Sedgwick J.|S. J. Lynch]]
*'''1877''' - [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18771117.1.3&srpos=42&e=------187-en--20-SCWS-41-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 Rountree leased the San Vicente Hotel] at [[Davenport Landing]] 
*'''1878''' - a ''Sentinel'' piece mention in passing that Rountree was [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18780727.1.3&srpos=46&e=------187-en--20-SCWS-41-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 proprietor of "Big Tree House" in Felton].
*'''1878''' - [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18781228.1.1&srpos=47&e=------187-en--20-SCWS-41-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 a letter to the ''Sentinel''] mentioned that Rountree had been appointed "justice of the peace at Felton" by the County Board of Supervisors. 
*'''1882''' - following a resignation, [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18821007.1.3&srpos=5&e=------188-en--20-SCWS-1-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 Rountree was again appointed J of P], and [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCWS18821118.1.3&srpos=9&e=------188-en--20-SCWS-1-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 won election to that office in November].
*'''1884''' - in an "Official Directory" printed in the ''Sentinel'', [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCS18840524.1.4&srpos=16&e=-------en--20-SCS-1-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 Rountree was listed as a county "Field Assessor (Felton)"], and sometimes as "Deputy Assessor". He was still hearing minor criminal cases as JofP in Felton.
*'''1888''' - [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCS18881113.1.3&srpos=169&e=-------en--20-SCS-161-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 finished fourth in at-large voting for County Supervisor]. No subsequent mention of him as a Supervisor was found, so there were apparently fewer than four positions open.
*'''1891''' - [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCS18910127&e=-------en--20-SCS-181-byDA-txt-txIN-Rountree-------1 ''Sentinel'' obituary]

The office of Justice of the Peace included some judicial duties, and Rountree was sometimes referred to as Judge Rountree. Several descendents also went into law enforcement, including [https://www.odmp.org/officer/11563-undersheriff-richard-h-rountree Undersheriff Richard Rountree], who died in the line of duty in 1925. The Rountree Detention Center in Watsonville is named for the family.   
*[[History_Pages:_26_-_The_Quiet_Years]]
*''[[Lighthouse Point: Illuminating Santa Cruz (2002 book)|''Lighthouse Point: Illuminating Santa Cruz'' (2002 book)]] 
*[[Tragedy on the Cliff (2018 article)|Tragedy on the Cliff]]: The Shooting of Sheriff Howard Trafton, Undersheriff Richard Rountree, and Paul Woodside", by Greg Gardner, [[:Category:Santa Cruz County History Journal Number 8|Santa Cruz County History Journal Number 8]]

[[Category:Persons]]
[[Category:1850-1859 arrivals]]
[[Category:County officers 1850-1891]]
[[Category:Santa Cruz Memorial]]