San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856

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The San Francisco Committees of Vigilance of 1851 and 1856 were formed when crime became widespread in the city of San Francisco in the wake of the Gold Rush. In 1856, the murder of James King of William sparked the reactivation of vigilante activities. King, a San Francisco newspaper editor, was shot by James. P. Casey, a corrupt official, after King attacked Casey in the columns of his paper. Immediately 10,000 men hastened to join the vigilantes, and William T. Coleman was again chosen as leader. Opposition to the vigilance committee was led by California Supreme Court Justice David S. Terry, but the efforts of his group were largely ineffective. The "Great Committee" of the vigilantes functioned for five months, then surrendered its powers to a regularly constituted civil authority.

From the description of Records of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856, 1853-1858. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 122584627
Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Smiley, Thomas J. L., 1821?-1897. Statement ... on Vigilance Committees and Early Times in San Francisco : ms., 1877. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Burns, Aaron M. Vigilance Committees in San Francisco : miscellany, ms., 1877. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Fardon, G. R. (George R.), 1806-1886. [Fort Vigilance, San Francisco] [graphic]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Joseph, L. Papers relating to the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance, 1856, 1856 May - Aug. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Martenet, Jefferson. Jefferson Martenet scrapbook of newspaper clippings on the Civil War and San Francisco, 1843-1880. California historical society
referencedIn Tubbs, Alfred Lovering, 1827-1896. Recollections of events in California : ms., [ca. 1887]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Wood, William H. R.,. William H.R. Wood letter : Sacramento, Calif., to General [James William Denver], 1856 June 19. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Brown, Jared Comstock, 1825-1887. Letters, 1850-1857. California state library
referencedIn Gillespie, Charles V. Vigilance Committee : ms., 1875. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Cary, Thomas G. San Francisco Vigilance Committee of 1856 [manuscript], ca. 1870. Boston Athenaeum
referencedIn Denver, James William, 1817-1892. James William Denver papers, 1832-1925, (bulk 1832-1892) UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Coleman, William Tell, 1824-1893. William Tell Coleman statements : and other material, 1870-1893. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Francis Effingham Pinto recollections, 1894-1902 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Vigilance Committee Records, 1856 California state library
referencedIn Frink, George W. Vigilance Committee : ms., [undated]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Account of the causes and development of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856, [ca. 1856]. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Van Loan, Walton, 1834-. Walton Van Loan diaries : ms. S, 1854, 1856 & 1858. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Paul, Almarin B. San Francisco Committee of Vigilance miscellany, 1856 and [undated]. California historical society
referencedIn Oliver, Denis J. Denis J. Oliver diary, 1856. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Deane, Erastus. Erastus Deane correspondence, 1849-1856. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Watkins, William B. Statement ... on Vigilance Committees in San Francisco : ms., 1878. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Wallace, Robert B., 1830-1861. Robert B. Wallace letters : ALS, 1852-1860. California historical society
referencedIn Crary, Oliver B. Statement ... on vigilance committees in San Francisco : ms., 1877. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Ferrell, William C. Materials relating to Benjamin Ignatius Hayes, 1856,1873. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Manrow, John P. Statement ... on Vigilance Committees in San Francisco : ms., 1878. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Conklin, Dwight Plympton. Correspondence of Dwight Plympton Conklin, 1849-1857. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Ryckman, Gerritt W. Vigilance committee : ms., [undated]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Olney, James N. Vigilance Committee : ms., [undated]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Coleman, William Tell, 1824-1893. Vigilance Committee, 1856 a statement : ms., [ca. 1880]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn William A. Scott Papers, 1830-1885 Bancroft Library
referencedIn Bradt, Garret G., 1828-. Dictations from Garret G. Bradt : San Diego, Calif., 1886-1887. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn The Chinese in California, 1850-1925 Bancroft Library
referencedIn Cary, Thomas G. Vigilance Committee histories. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Cary, Thomas G. Committee of Vigilance of San Francisco, organized May 15th 1856 [manuscript], ca. 1870. Boston Athenaeum
referencedIn Green, Alfred A. Life and adventures of a 47-er of California, 1878 [microform]. Arizona State University Libraries
referencedIn Johnson, John Neely, 1825-1872. John Neely Johnson papers, 1848-1860. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Montanya, James de la, 1819-1899. Statement from James de la Montanya : ms, [1887 ca.]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Goodman, John B. (John Bartlett), 1901-1991. [Notes on Almarin Paul and "Revised and concise history of the Vigilance Committee of 1856"] / [John B. Goodman] University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Carman, William, 1819-1890,. William Carman letter : San Francisco, Calif., to Nathaniel Miller, San Francisco, Calif., 1856 June 19. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Farwell, James D. Statement ... Vigilance Committees in San Francisco : ms., 1878. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Paul, Almarin B. The Sixty Day Rule in San Francisco of the Vigilance Committee of 1856 by Number 436, an eye witness : San Francisco, Calif. : typescript, 1931. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Van Cortlandt, Augustus. Augustus Van Cortlandt letter to his Uncle William : Calaveras Co., Calif. : ALS, 1856 June 17. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Crosby, Elisha Oscar, 1818-1895. Elisha Oscar Crosby papers, 1849-1886. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Smith, Mortimer J. Mortimer J. Smith letter : to his father : ALS, 1856 June 5. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Paul, Almarin B. (Almarin Brooks), 1823-1908. Revised and concise history of the Vigilance Committee of 1856 : typescript / by Number 436 an eye-witness Almarin B. Paul. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn MacDonald, James M. Recollections of early days in California : a dictation : typescript, [1886?]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Dempster, Clancey John. Letter to H.H. Bancroft : San Francisco : ALS, 1878 Oct. 20. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856. San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856 roster, 1856. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Van Duzer, E. George. Recollections of California / by E. George Van Duzer, 1858? Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Account of the causes and development of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856, [ca. 1856]. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Burke, Martin J. San Francisco Police : ms., 1887. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Marston, Sylvanus B. Journal and San Francisco Committee of Vigilance Membership Certificate of Sylvanus B. Marston, 1849-1856. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Brown, Harvey S. Early days of California ... : ms., 1878. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Grover, James Madison, 1834-1905. James Madison Grover diary and papers, 1854-1905. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Dows, James. Statement ... on Vigilance Committees in San Francisco : ms., 1877. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Dempster, Clancey John. The Vigilance Committee of 1856 : ms. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Scott, W. A. (William Anderson), 1813-1885. William A. Scott papers, 1830-1885. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Diary of a voyage from New York to Oregon, and related material, 1856-1971 (bulk 1856). Oregon Historical Society Research Library
referencedIn Townsend, Chilla E. Chilla E. Townsend genealogical papers, 1911-1931. Maine Historical Society Library
referencedIn Cole, Richard Beverly, 1829-1901. Statement ... on Vigilance Committees in San Francisco : ms., 1877. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856. San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856 papers, 1853-1882. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Zublin, Llewellyn. Llewellyn Zublin letters to his wife and son : San Francisco, Calif., 1852-1857. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Bluxome, Isaac, 1829-1890. Statement from Isaac Bluxome : ms. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Coleman, William Tell, 1824-1893. Account of the Burdue Trial and Vigilance Committee of 1851 and 1856 / by William Tell Coleman : manuscript and typescript, circa 1877. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Page, Daniel D. Daniel D. Page correspondence, 1847-1868. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Green, Alfred A., 1899-. Life and adventures of a 47-er of California : ms., 1878. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Truett, Miers F. Statement ... on Vigilance Committees in San Francisco : ms., 1877. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Bartlett, Washington, 1824-1887. Biographies of Washington Bartlett, 1886-1890. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Rice, William P. Letter to F. Titus : San Francisco : ALS, 1856 Oct. 20. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn San Francisco miscellany, 1850-1891. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856. Records of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856, 1853-1858. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856 papers, 1856 Bancroft Library
referencedIn Crockett, Joseph Bryant, 1808-1884. Joseph Bryant Crockett papers, 1848-1879. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn San Francisco Committee of Vigilance collection, 1851, 1856 and undated. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Northam, Edward Fernandez, 1816-. Edward Fernandez Northam dictation : ms., 1887. UC Berkeley Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository

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Relation Name
associatedWith Bluxome, Isaac, 1829-1890. person
associatedWith Bradt, Garret G., 1828- person
associatedWith Brown, Harvey S. person
associatedWith Brown, Jared Comstock, 1825-1887. person
associatedWith Burke, Martin J. person
associatedWith Carman, William, 1819-1890, person
associatedWith Cary, Thomas G. person
associatedWith Casey, James P. d.1856. person
associatedWith Coleman, William Tell, 1824-1893, person
associatedWith Cole, Richard Beverly, 1829-1901. person
associatedWith Conklin, Dwight Plympton. person
associatedWith Crary, Oliver B. person
associatedWith Crockett, Joseph Bryant, 1808-1884. person
associatedWith Crosby, Elisha Oscar, 1818-1895. person
associatedWith Deane, Erastus. person
associatedWith Dempster, Clancey John. person
associatedWith Denver, James William, 1817-1892. person
associatedWith Dows, James. person
associatedWith Fardon, G. R. (George R.), 1806-1886. person
associatedWith Farwell, James D. person
associatedWith Frink, George W. person
associatedWith Gillespie, Charles V. person
associatedWith Goodman, John B. (John Bartlett), 1901-1991. person
associatedWith Green, Alfred A. person
associatedWith Green, Alfred A., 1899- person
associatedWith Grover, James Madison, 1834-1905. person
associatedWith Johnson, John Neely, 1825-1872. person
associatedWith King, James, 1822-1856. person
associatedWith MacDonald, James M. person
associatedWith Manrow, John P. person
associatedWith Marston, Sylvanus B. person
associatedWith Martenet, Jefferson. person
associatedWith McGowan, Edward, 1813-1893. person
associatedWith Mittlestaedt, Richard E. person
associatedWith Montanya, James de la, 1819-1899. person
associatedWith Northam, Edward Fernandez, 1816- person
associatedWith Oliver, Denis J. person
associatedWith Olney, James N. person
associatedWith Online Archive of California. corporateBody
associatedWith Page, Daniel D. person
associatedWith Paul, Almarin B. person
associatedWith Paul, Almarin B. (Almarin Brooks), 1823-1908. person
associatedWith Pinto, Francis Effingham person
associatedWith Rice, William P. person
associatedWith Ryckman, Gerritt W. person
associatedWith Scott, W. A. (William Anderson), 1813-1885. person
associatedWith Smiley, Thomas J. L., 1821?-1897. person
associatedWith Smith, Mortimer J. person
associatedWith Terry, David Smith, 1823-1889. person
associatedWith Townsend, Chilla E. person
associatedWith Truett, Miers F. person
associatedWith Tubbs, Alfred Lovering, 1827-1896. person
associatedWith Van Cortlandt, Augustus. person
associatedWith Van Duzer, E. George. person
associatedWith Van Loan, Walton, 1834- person
associatedWith Wallace, Robert B., 1830-1861. person
associatedWith Watkins, William B. person
associatedWith Wood, William H. R., person
associatedWith Zublin, Llewellyn. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
San Francisco (Calif.)
California
California--San Francisco
San Francisco (Calif.)
California--San Francisco
California--San Francisco
Subject
Crime
Political corruption
Vigilance committees
Vigilance committees
Vigilantes
Occupation
Activity

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