Author Archives: nancyleek

About nancyleek

Nancy is a retired librarian who lives in Chico, California. She is the author of John Bidwell: The Adventurous Life of a California Pioneer.

Rotchev and Bidwell (not)

Posted on April 15, 2014 by nancyleek

I was hoping that John Bidwell met Alexander Rotchev before the latter left California, but evidently not. Rotchev, having sold the assets of the Russian-American Company in California to John Sutter, departed for Sitka on January 1, 1842. Bidwell had … Continue reading →

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Another Russian in California

Posted on April 13, 2014 by nancyleek

From 1838 to 1841 Alexander Gavrilovich Rotchev was the last manager at Fort Ross, the Russian-American Fur Company’s outpost in California. The Company sold the Fort and all its assets to John Sutter in 1841, and Rotchev was the man … Continue reading →

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Bidwell’s Diary, 1871

Posted on March 27, 2014 by nancyleek

Every so often I post an entry from John Bidwell’s diary on the Bidwell Mansion Association’s Facebook page, just to give folks a taste of what he was doing all those years ago. Here are three days from the end … Continue reading →

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Nikolai and Conchita, the Conclusion

Posted on March 10, 2014 by nancyleek

Sorry that it’s taken me so long to get around to the end of the story. But it is no where near as long as Conchita had to wait to learn the fate of her lover, Nikolai Rezanov. Rezanov left … Continue reading →

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Nikolai and Conchita, continued

Posted on February 22, 2014 by nancyleek

Nikolai Rezanov must have looked pretty impressive in his dress uniform, with the diamond Order of St. Anne on his breast and a laced bicorne hat under his arm. He went out of his way to be charming and courteous, … Continue reading →

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Nikolai and Conchita

Posted on February 21, 2014 by nancyleek

In 1805-06 Nikolai Rezanov spent a miserable winter in the Russian outpost at Sitka. Life in the Russian colony was beyond wretched: the log cabins were cold and damp, the food stores were dwindling, the clothing was infested with vermin, … Continue reading →

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The Russian-American Company

Posted on February 8, 2014 by nancyleek

Nikolai Rezanov had a vision that went beyond helping his father-in-law corner the fur market in Siberia. To successfully expand the fur trade and make Russia the dominate force in the North Pacific, he would follow the example of British … Continue reading →

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The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!

Posted on February 7, 2014 by nancyleek

With the Winter Olympics taking place in Sochi, Russia, now is a good time to look at the Russians in California. Although that’s not really my motivation; my inspiration comes from an excellent new book: Glorious Misadventures: Nikolai Rezanov and … Continue reading →

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John Bidwell, Ag Promoter

Posted on February 7, 2014 by nancyleek

A few paragraphs from an Address by Major John Bidwell to the California State Agricultural Society, 1860: There is no reason why we cannot supply ourselves with the thousands of barrels, boxes, hogsheads, and casks, of dried apples, peaches, nuts, … Continue reading →

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One Grand Fruit Orchard

Posted on February 2, 2014 by nancyleek

I think this state is to be largely a fruit garden. I don’t think it is to be used continuously for the production of grain. Of course we will always produce cereals, but the capabilities of California are in the … Continue reading →

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