On Monday, December 17, 1849, the California legislature met for the first time in San Jose. They were actually scheduled to meet on December 15th, but it had rained steadily since October, and the roads were so muddy that many of the delegates had trouble reaching San Jose. At last on the 17th they had a quorum and could begin deliberations.

Keep in mind that California was not actually yet a state. But the people wanted statehood and they were anxious to get an established government and code of laws, so they forged ahead. General Bennet C. Riley, the military governor of California, had called a Constitutional Convention, which was held in Monterey in September. Elections were held in November and 36 Assemblymen and 16 Senators were elected.

During that first session, Assemblyman John S. Bradford asked his fellow legislators to write down some particulars about themselves. Thirty members complied and penned brief autobiographies of themselves. Here is John Bidwell’s:

Born Chautauqua Co. N.Y. 5 Aug. A.D. 1819 — emigrated to Penn. – thence to Ohio — thence to Missouri — thence in 1841 to California — Single — term in Senate one year — Democrat — etc. etc. J. Bidwell

Since all but two members were born outside California, they always indicated their home state. The two native-born senators were Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo and Pablo de la Guerra who wrote their statements in Spanish. Bidwell was the earliest immigrant from the States, having arrived in 1841. Several of the men had only arrive in California in 1849, just months before their election to the legislature.

Some of the men added a touch of humor to their statements. Here is Benjamin Cory:

Benj’n Cory M.D. Born Nov. 17, 1822 vegetated and bloomed into full manhood in the Buckeye State. Emigrated to the golden state in 1847. Residence now henceforth and forever in the valey of San Jose.

Dr. Cory did indeed reside the rest of his life in San Jose, and after a long and successful career died in 1873.

Here is Alexander P. Crittenden:

A.P.Crittenden. Born in Lexington Ky. Raised and educated, if at all, in Ohio, Alabama, New York & Pennsylvania. Married in Virginia. Settled in Texas in 1839. Has left a wife and six children there. Came to California in 1849. Misrepresents the County of Los Angeles. Intended residence San Francisco. Died 18-

He even left a space for his death date — a death that became more famous than his life, when he was shot by his lover, Laura Fair, as he sat by his wife on the Oakland-San Francisco ferry in 1870. But that is a tale for another time.