Monthly Archives: August 2022

A Young Man Named ‘Frank’

This is the story of the case that led to the enactment of the California Fugitive Slave Law. In 1850 a man named John Calloway brought an enslaved man named Frank from Missouri to California. Frank was eighteen years old. … Continue reading

Posted in slavery, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The California Fugitive Slave Law

As a student of history, I knew about the federal Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. What I didn’t know about until recently was that California had its own Fugitive Slave Law, enacted in 1852, to deal with the unique circumstances … Continue reading

Posted in slavery | Leave a comment

Get Around, Get Around, I Get Around

I am getting around to some wonderful North State communities in the next few months. I love to talk to folks about history and am always happy to give presentations or sign books. Here’s what I have on my calendar: … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Visit to Shasta State Historic Park, Again

Last May I posted about a visit to Shasta State Historic Park, but at the time the Courthouse Museum was not open. Well, guess what? It’s open now, Thursday through Sunday. It’s a great time to visit. We went there … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

San Francisco Panorama

The Society of California Pioneers has an online exhibit of a fabulous panorama of San Francisco Bay in 1853. Take a look. The panorama is a series of five photographs taken by William Shew. The first panel shows a collection … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Whatever Happened to Sebastian Keyser?

Sebastian Keyser was granted Rancho Llano Seco in 1844 but he never lived there and never made improvements on the land. Why did he take title to a piece of land he never intended to use? No one knows. But … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Sebastian Keyser and the Llano Seco Land Grant

Sebastian Keyser was a native of Austria and a rough-and-ready mountain man in the employ of the Hudson Bay Company when he met John Sutter in 1838. Sutter was making his way to the Oregon Territory when he met Keyser … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Happy Birthday, General Bidwell!

August 5th marks the 203rd birthday of John Bidwell, California pioneer and founder of Chico.  So wish him a “Happy Birthday!” (wherever he is), and maybe pay a visit to his home, Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park, sometime soon. It … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment