The Political Graveyard: San Francisco city & county, Calif.
political biography history genealogy 
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Lawrence Kestenbaum
A database of political history and 
cemeteries, with brief biographical entries for 320,919
U.S. political figures, living and dead, from the 1700s to the present.
Politicians formerly buried here: Andrew Jackson Bryant (1831-1888) — of San Francisco, Calif. Born in Effingham, Carroll County, N.H., October 30, 1831. Democrat. Gold miner; wholesale liquor merchant; importer and dealer in safes and locks; insurance business; mayor of San Francisco, Calif., 1875-79. Jumped or fell from the ferry steamer Encinal, and drowned in San Francisco Bay, May 11, 1888 (age 56 years, 194 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif.

Presumably named for: Andrew Jackson See also Wikipedia article — Find-A-Grave memorial

James Otis (1826-1875) — of San Francisco, Calif. Born in Boston, Suffolk County, Mass., August 11, 1826. Republican. Went to California for the 1849 Gold Rush; importer and exporter; candidate for Presidential Elector for California; delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1872 (delegation chair); mayor of San Francisco, Calif., 1873-75; died in office 1875. Unitarian. Died, of diphtheria, in San Francisco, Calif., October 30, 1875 (age 49 years, 80 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif.

Relatives: Son of George Washington Otis and Hannah Leavitt (Waters) Otis; married 1858 to Lucy Hamilton Macondray; second cousin twice removed of Samuel Allyne Otis; third cousin of John Otis and William Shaw Chandler Otis; third cousin once removed of Harrison Gray Otis (1765-1848) and Charles Augustus Otis, Sr.; fourth cousin of Oran Gray Otis, Asa H. Otis, David Perry Otis, Harris F. Otis and Harrison Gray Otis (1837-1917). Political families: Kellogg-Adams-Seymour-Chapin family of Connecticut and New York; Otis family of Connecticut (subsets of the Four Thousand Related Politicians). See also Find-A-Grave memorial

Frederick Ferdinand Low (1828-1894) — also known as Frederick F. Low — of California. Born in Winterport, Waldo County, Maine, June 30, 1828. Republican. U.S. Representative from California at-large, 1862-63; Governor of California, 1863-67; U.S. Minister to China, 1869-73. Died July 21, 1894 (age 66 years, 21 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — National Governors Association biography — U.S. State Dept career summary

Aaron Augustus Sargent (1827-1887) — also known as "The Senator for the Southern Pacific Railroad" — of Nevada City, Nevada County, Calif. Born in Newburyport, Essex County, Mass., September 28, 1827. Republican. Newspaper editor; lawyer; member of California state senate, 1856; delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1860; U.S. Representative from California, 1861-63, 1869-73 (at-large 1861-63, 2nd District 1869-73); U.S. Senator from California, 1873-79; U.S. Minister to Germany, 1882-84. Died in San Francisco, Calif., August 14, 1887 (age 59 years, 320 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; Cremated; ashes scattered; cenotaph at Pioneer Cemetery, Nevada City, Calif.

Relatives: Son of Aaron Peaslee Sargent and Elizabeth (Stanwood) Sargent; married, March 14, 1852, to Ellen Swett Clark; second cousin once removed of Charles Rowell; second cousin thrice removed of Daniel Davis; third cousin twice removed of Abel Merrill and Noah Davis; fourth cousin once removed of Anthony Colby, James Shepard Pike, Frederick Augustus Pike, Joseph Pomeroy Root and Sanford Winslow Abbey. Political family: Sargent-Davis-Pike-Flanders family of New Hampshire (subset of the Four Thousand Related Politicians). See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article — U.S. State Dept career summary — Find-A-Grave memorial

John B. Weller (1812-1875) — of San Francisco, Calif. Born in Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio, February 22, 1812. Democrat. U.S. Representative from Ohio 2nd District, 1839-45; colonel in the U.S. Army during the Mexican War; candidate for Governor of Ohio, 1848; U.S. Senator from California, 1852-57; Governor of California, 1858-60; U.S. Minister to Mexico, 1860-61. Died in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La., August 17, 1875 (age 63 years, 176 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

Relatives: Son-in-law of John Alexander Bryan. Political family: Bryan-Weller family. See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — National Governors Association biography — Wikipedia article — U.S. State Dept career summary

James Peter Van Ness (1808-1872) — also known as James P. Van Ness — of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La.; San Francisco, Calif.; San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County, Calif. Born in Burlington, Chittenden County, Vt., 1808. Lawyer; mayor of San Francisco, Calif., 1855-56; member of California state senate, 1871. Dutch ancestry. Died in San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County, Calif., December 28, 1872 (age about 64 years). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

Relatives: Son of Cornelius Peter Van Ness; father-in-law of Frank McCoppin. Political family: VanNess family of New York City, New York. See also Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier

Lorenzo Sawyer (1820-1891) — of Chicago, Cook County, Ill.; San Francisco, Calif. Born in Jefferson County, N.Y., May 23, 1820. Lawyer; district judge in California 12th District, 1862-63; justice of California state supreme court, 1864-69; chief justice of California state supreme court, 1868-69; Judge of U.S. Circuit Court for the 9th Circuit, 1870-91; died in office 1891; Judge of U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, 1891; died in office 1891. Died in San Francisco, Calif., September 7, 1891 (age 71 years, 107 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

See also federal judicial profile — Biographical Directory of Federal Judges

William Morris Stewart (1827-1909) — also known as William M. Stewart — of Virginia City, Storey County, Nev.; Carson City, Nev. Born in Galen, Wayne County, N.Y., August 9, 1827. Republican. California state attorney general, 1854-56; delegate to Nevada state constitutional convention, 1863; U.S. Senator from Nevada, 1864-75, 1887-1905. Died April 23, 1909 (age 81 years, 257 days). Cremated; ashes originally interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page Image source: American Monthly Review of Reviews, July 1908

John Percival Jones (1829-1912) — also known as John P. Jones — of Gold Hill, Storey County, Nev. Born in England, January 27, 1829. Republican. Member of California state senate, 1863; U.S. Senator from Nevada, 1873-1903. Died November 27, 1912 (age 83 years, 305 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page

Milton Slocum Latham (1827-1882) — also known as Milton S. Latham — of San Francisco, Calif.; New York, New York County, N.Y. Born in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, May 23, 1827. Democrat. Lawyer; U.S. Representative from California 1st District, 1853-55; U.S. Collector of Customs, 1855-57; Governor of California, 1860; U.S. Senator from California, 1860-63. Died in New York, New York County, N.Y., March 4, 1882 (age 54 years, 285 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif.

See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — National Governors Association biography — Wikipedia article

David Colbreth Broderick (1820-1859) — also known as David C. Broderick — of New York; San Francisco, Calif. Born in Washington, D.C., February 4, 1820. Democrat. Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York, 1846; went to California for the 1849 Gold Rush; member of California state senate, 1850-52; Lieutenant Governor of California, 1851-52; U.S. Senator from California, 1857-59; died in office 1859. Irish ancestry. Mortally wounded in a duel on September 13, 1859 with David S. Terry, chief justice of the California Supreme Court, and died in San Francisco, Calif., September 16, 1859 (age 39 years, 224 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment in 1942 at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif.

Relatives: Son of Thomas Broderick and Honora (Colbert) Broderick; cousin *** of Andrew Kennedy and Case Broderick. Political family: Broderick-Kennedy family of Indianapolis and Muncie, Indiana. The former town of Broderick, now part of West Sacramento, California, was named for him. See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier

John Franklin Miller (1831-1886) — also known as John F. Miller — of San Francisco, Calif. Born in South Bend, St. Joseph County, Ind., November 21, 1831. Republican. Member of Indiana state senate, 1860; general in the Union Army during the Civil War; candidate for Presidential Elector for California; U.S. Senator from California, 1881-86; died in office 1886. Died in Washington, D.C., March 8, 1886 (age 54 years, 107 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment in 1913 at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.

Relatives: Uncle of John Franklin Miller (1862-1936). See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article

William Sharon (1821-1885) — of Carrollton, Greene County, Ill.; Sacramento, Sacramento County, Calif.; Virginia City, Storey County, Nev. Born in Smithfield, Jefferson County, Ohio, January 9, 1821. Republican. Lawyer; went to California for the 1849 Gold Rush; banker; mining business; real estate business; U.S. Senator from Nevada, 1875-81. Died in San Francisco, Calif., November 13, 1885 (age 64 years, 308 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif.

Relatives: Father of Clara Adelaide Sharon (who married Francis Griffith Newlands). Cross-reference: Francis G. Newlands — David S. Terry See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article

James Graham Fair (1831-1894) — also known as James G. Fair — of Virginia City, Storey County, Nev. Born in County Tyrone, Ireland (now Northern Ireland), December 3, 1831. Democrat. Went to California for the 1849 Gold Rush; real estate business; U.S. Senator from Nevada, 1881-87; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Nevada, 1888 (member, Credentials Committee). Died in San Francisco, Calif., December 28, 1894 (age 63 years, 25 days). Originally entombed at Laurel Hill Cemetery; re-entombed at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Colma, Calif.

Relatives: Son of Susanna Margaret (Graham) Fair and James Hay Fair; married to Theresa Rooney; father of Theresa Alice 'Tessie' Fair (who married Hermann Oelrichs). See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page

Rollin Mallory Daggett (1831-1901) — also known as Rollin M. Daggett — of Nevada. Born in Richville, St. Lawrence County, N.Y., February 22, 1831. Republican. U.S. Representative from Nevada at-large, 1879-81; U.S. Minister to Hawaiian Islands, 1882-85. Died in San Francisco, Calif., November 12, 1901 (age 70 years, 263 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — U.S. State Dept career summary

Alvan Flanders (1825-1884) — of San Francisco, Calif.; Wallula, Walla Walla County, Wash. Born in Hopkinton, Merrimack County, N.H., August 2, 1825. Republican. Member of California state assembly 5th District, 1861-62; Delegate to U.S. Congress from Washington Territory, 1867-69; Governor of Washington Territory, 1869-70. Died in San Francisco, Calif., March 14, 1884 (age 58 years, 225 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

Relatives: Son of David Flanders and Rachel (Kent) Flanders; married, June 14, 1848, to Nancy Acorn; married, December 7, 1855, to Elizabeth M. Smith; first cousin twice removed of Ralph Edward Flanders; second cousin of Francis Durrell Flanders; fourth cousin once removed of Benjamin Franklin Flanders. Political family: Flanders family of Vermont (subset of the Four Thousand Related Politicians). See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Find-A-Grave memorial

Aaron Harlan (1802-1868) — of Yellow Springs, Greene County, Ohio. Born in Warren County, Ohio, September 8, 1802. Member of Ohio state house of representatives, 1832; member of Ohio state senate, 1838; candidate for Presidential Elector for Ohio; delegate to Ohio state constitutional convention from Greene County, 1850-51; U.S. Representative from Ohio 7th District, 1853-59; delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio, 1856. Died January 8, 1868 (age 65 years, 122 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

Relatives: Cousin *** of Andrew Jackson Harlan. See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page

Sherrod Williams (1804-1876) — of Monticello, Wayne County, Ky. Born in Pulaski County, Ky., 1804. Member of Kentucky state legislature, 1829; U.S. Representative from Kentucky 4th District, 1835-41. Died in San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif., November 1, 1876 (age about 72 years). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif.

Relatives: Father of Thomas Hansford Williams and George E. Williams. Political family: Williams family of Monticello, Kentucky. See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page

Thomas Hansford Williams (1828-1886) — also known as Thomas H. Williams — of California. Born in Monticello, Wayne County, Ky., May 18, 1828. California state attorney general, 1858-62. Died in San Francisco, Calif., February 28, 1886 (age 57 years, 286 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif.

Relatives: Son of Sherrod Williams; brother of George E. Williams. Political family: Williams family of Monticello, Kentucky.

Thompson Campbell (1811-1868) — of Jo Daviess County, Ill. Born in Ireland, 1811. Democrat. Member of Illinois Democratic State Committee, 1841-46; secretary of state of Illinois, 1843-46; delegate to Illinois state constitutional convention from Jo Daviess County, 1847; U.S. Representative from Illinois 6th District, 1851-53; candidate for Presidential Elector for Illinois; member of California state assembly 8th District, 1863-65. Died in San Francisco, Calif., December 6, 1868 (age about 57 years). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page

Joseph Pendleton Hoge (1810-1891) — also known as Joseph P. Hoge — of Galena, Jo Daviess County, Ill.; San Francisco, Calif. Born in Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio, December 15, 1810. Democrat. Lawyer; U.S. Representative from Illinois 6th District, 1843-47; delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1876; delegate to California state constitutional convention, 1878; superior court judge in California, 1889-91; died in office 1891. Died in San Francisco, Calif., August 14, 1891 (age 80 years, 242 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page

Robert Augustine Thompson (1805-1876) — of Virginia. Born in Virginia, 1805. Democrat. Member of Virginia state legislature, 1840; U.S. Representative from Virginia 14th District, 1847-49. Slaveowner. Died in 1876 (age about 71 years). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

Relatives: Father of Thomas Larkin Thompson. See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page

Gordon Newell Mott (1812-1887) — Born in Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio, October 21, 1812. State court judge in California, 1850; justice of Nevada territorial supreme court, 1861; Delegate to U.S. Congress from Nevada Territory, 1863. Died April 27, 1887 (age 74 years, 188 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page

Edward Gilbert (c.1819-1852) — of San Francisco, Calif. Born in Cherry Valley, Otsego County, N.Y., about 1819. Democrat. Printer; newspaper editor; delegate to California state constitutional convention from San Francisco District, 1849; U.S. Representative from California at-large, 1850-51. Killed in a duel with Col. James W. Denver, near Sacramento, Sacramento County, Calif., August 2, 1852 (age about 33 years). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location.

See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page

Thomas Oliver Larkin (1802-1858) — also known as Thomas O. Larkin — of Monterey, Monterey County, Calif.; San Francisco, Calif. Born in Charlestown, Middlesex County (now part of Boston, Suffolk County), Mass., September 18, 1802. Merchant; flour mill business; U.S. Consul in Monterey, 1843-48; U.S. Special Diplomatic Agent to California, 1845; delegate to California state constitutional convention, 1849. Died, from typhoid fever, in Colusa, Colusa County, Calif., October 27, 1858 (age 56 years, 39 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif.

Relatives: Son of Thomas O. Larkin and Ann (Rogers) Larkin; married to Rachel (Hobson) Holmes. See also Wikipedia article — U.S. State Dept career summary

Willard B. Farwell (1829-1903) — of San Francisco, Calif. Born in 1829. Republican. Member of California state assembly 5th District, 1855-56; U.S. Collector of Customs, 1863. Died February 10, 1903 (age about 73 years). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif. Edmund Randolph (1820-1861) — of California. Born in Virginia, June 9, 1820. Went to California for the 1849 Gold Rush; member of California state assembly from San Francisco District, 1849-51. Died in San Francisco, Calif., September 8, 1861 (age 41 years, 91 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif.

Relatives: Son of Peyton Randolph (1779-1828) and Maria (Ward) Randolph; grandson of Edmund Jenings Randolph; grandnephew of George Nicholas, Wilson Cary Nicholas and John Nicholas; great-grandson of Robert Carter Nicholas (1729-1780); great-grandnephew of Peyton Randolph (1721-1775); second great-grandnephew of Richard Randolph; first cousin once removed of Robert Carter Nicholas (1787-1857) and Edmund Randolph Cocke; first cousin twice removed of Francis Beverley Biddle; first cousin thrice removed of Richard Bland and Benjamin Harrison (1726-1791); second cousin of Peter Myndert Dox; second cousin once removed of Harry Bartow Hawes; second cousin twice removed of Theodorick Bland, Thomas Jefferson, Beverley Randolph, Carter Bassett Harrison, William Henry Harrison and John Randolph of Roanoke; third cousin of Thomas Marshall and James Keith Marshall; third cousin once removed of John Marshall, Henry Lee, Charles Lee, James Markham Marshall, Thomas Mann Randolph Jr., Alexander Keith Marshall, Edmund Jennings Lee, Martha Jefferson Randolph, Dabney Carr, Henry St. George Tucker and John Scott Harrison; third cousin twice removed of Burwell Bassett; fourth cousin of Francis Wayles Eppes, Dabney Smith Carr, Benjamin Franklin Randolph, Meriwether Lewis Randolph, George Wythe Randolph, Nathaniel Beverly Tucker, Carter Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901); fourth cousin once removed of John Wayles Eppes, Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, Fitzhugh Lee, Connally Findlay Trigg, Russell Benjamin Harrison, John Augustine Marshall, Richard Evelyn Byrd, Carter Henry Harrison II, Frederick Madison Roberts and William Welby Beverley. Political families: Pendleton-Lee family of Maryland; Lee-Randolph family; Harrison-Randolph-Marshall-Cabell family of Virginia; Blackburn-Slaughter-Buckner-Madison family of Kentucky (subsets of the Four Thousand Related Politicians). See also Find-A-Grave memorial

Owen Paul Sutton (1821-1881) — also known as Owen P. Sutton — of California. Born in Naples, Ontario County, N.Y., August 8, 1821. Republican. Went to California for the 1849 Gold Rush; banker; member of California state assembly 8th District, 1863; real estate business. Member, Freemasons. Died in San Francisco, Calif., September 1, 1881 (age 60 years, 24 days). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment in 1946 at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif.

Relatives: Son of Jacob Boles Sutton and Bestsey (Parish) Sutton. See also Find-A-Grave memorial

Alfred J. Ellis (d. 1883) — of California. Member of California state assembly 6th District, 1852-53. Died in 1883. Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment to unknown location. Charles Frederick Crocker (1854-1897) — also known as Charles F. Crocker — of San Francisco, Calif. Born in 1854. Republican. Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1884, 1888. Died in 1897 (age about 43 years). Original interment at Laurel Hill Cemetery; reinterment at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Colma, Calif.

Relatives: Son of Charles Crocker; brother of William Henry Crocker; father of Mary Crocker (who married Francis Burton Harrison); nephew of Edwin Bryant Crocker. Political families: Rockefeller family of New York City, New York; Crocker-Whitehouse family of Sacramento, California (subsets of the Four Thousand Related Politicians).