Days of the Dons. Reminiscences of California's Oldest Native Son; Call Bulletin 1918 ; Steve Richardson's Narrative.

no place: no publisher (c 1999). 1999. 1A-3A intro; 280 leaves; photocopy of typescript manuscript, with corrections; brad bound black binder. One copy located at the Sonoma County Library. Prepared by Wilkins and originally published in installments in the San Francisco call and post, beginning April 22, 1918. Recollections of his father, William A. Richardson, and his mother, Maria Antonia, daughter of Ignacio Martinez. William A[ntonio]. Richardson arrived in San Francisco from England as a first mate aboard the whaler Orion. He remained at Yerba Buena, was baptized a Catholic, and married the daughter of presidio commandante, Ingacio Martinez, adopting her given name Maria Antonia as his middle one. Mariano Vallejo appointed him Captain of the Port in 1835 and he built the first habitation there, a tent, followed by a board house and finally an adobe in 1836. His large Rancho bordered on the bay named for him. These reminiscences by his son give wonderful first person accounts of the life of the Californians and the founding of San Francisco, interaction with the native population, the depredations of John Fremont, the Vigilance Committee, business and commerce, etc. Does not appear to have been formally published in book format. .