Main Street Melee -- The Death of Lewis A. Collier (Amador & Calaveras County History)

San Joaquin Republican, 9/17/1851

Most people don't realize that Amador County originally was part of Calaveras County. Needless to say, there was contraversy about where the County Seat would be initially from its inception. According to the book, "A History of Amador County," by Jesse D. Mason, the County of Calaveras was "organized in the session of the Legislature, in 1849-50. It is said that it took its name from an immense number of skulls found on that river.......the county took its name from the river."

William Fowle Smith was the County Judge; Colonel Lewis A. Collier was the County Clerk; John Hanson was the Sheriff, A.B. Mudge was the Treasurer; and H.A. Carter was the Prosecuting Attorney. These men basically made up the local government of early Calaveras County. At that time Double Springs was chosen as the County Seat. 

According to an 1849 edition of the Placer Times, there were advertisements for the sale of  "four wooden houses, 12x24 feet, two rooms each," on their way from China, on a schooner by the name of Petrol. It has been assumed these houses were for Double Springs; However, there are historians who disagree and claim that three houses, not four, were actually purchased at Sam Brannan's Sacramento store, which was located in present day "Old Sacramento." 

By 1850, the three houses were erected as one large building which were used as a Courthouse, small living spaces for the government officials, and of course, a saloon. Driving by Double Springs today, you will only see a roadside marker that states you are driving through an historic spot. Little is left of any trace of Calaveras County's first County Seat. 

Moving along, by April 26th of 1851, there was a Democratic County Convention held at Double Springs, organizing the Democratic Party of the County. Judge Smith was elected President and Col. Collier was elected Secretary. There were many named in the San Joaquin Republican, listing just who would be the committee members and that they were "appointing committees of three in each judicial district, to act as town committees and to report to the county committee from time to time, as the interest of the Democratic party shall seem to require." 

With Smith and Collier having to work together on this committee besides their regular work for the County, it is quite possible that they both got on each others nerves, or worse.

Later, there was an election to change the county seat to Mokelumne Hill, while others wanted Jackson's Creek (present day Jackson). This was where things turned for the worse between Smith and Collier.

In Larry Cenotto's book, Logan's Alley (Volume IV) he briefly mentions this story on page 7, stating that "voting shenanigans" had taken place which led up to the story I am about to share with you.

Going back to the History of Amador County, Jesse D. Mason brought up that: 

"When the first count or estimate was made up, Mokelumne Hill was said to have been the successful town and a team was sent to Double Springs to remove the archives; but a subsequent count by Judge Smith made Jackson the county seat. Smith was openly charged with fraud in the second counting. The whole affair was probably as near a farce as elections ever get to be. The seat however remained at Jackson until 1852, when it was transferred by election to Mokelumne Hill."

This was the first time Collier and Smith butted heads over the election results. From July of 1851 to May of 1862, the County Seat was in Jackson.

In regards to the personalities of Smith and Collier, Mason also notes:

"Very contradictory reports are current in regard to the characters of the officers. "Fowle Smith," an eastern man, was represented by some as a miserable concentration of all meanness that was supposed to characterize that kind of men; stinginess, cowardice, and "all that sort of thing." Others say that he was honest, and would not countenance Colonel Collyer's peccadillos, hence, their mutual dislike. He has since taken to preaching, and is said to be causing great revivals ins ome of the Eastern States.

Colonel Collyer, according to the same authority, was a southern man, with southern virtues in exess; pompous, portly, genial, brave, and reckless, with a habit of calling everybody, who crossed his will, a "d---d son of a -----" and threatened to cut his heart out; a treatment be had applied to Judge Smith, until the latter was seriously afraid the Colonel was in earnest. Among the peculiarities of Collyer, was the pocketing of all fees received in his official capacity, leaving Judge Smith to collect his salary, or extras, as he might.

Collyer is said to have naturalized sixty foreigners in one day, charging them one ounce each, all of which he applied to his own benefit. "---

So, what was this incident that happened on Main Street in September of 1851?

The details on the exact date that it occurred are sketchy at best. Some newspapers claimed the event took place on September 11th, 1851, which would have been a Thursday, while some say Monday, which would have been the 15th, but I am obliged to believe the other two newspapers which stated that it was Saturday, September 13th when the event took place. 

Judge Smith had been in Sacramento on County business and arrived in Jackson to collect the return of votes that were cast in their latest election, one of which determined the possible re-election of Col. Collier as County Clerk against Joseph P. Douglass who was also running for the position of County Clerk. According to this account, Judge Smith came on that date, being that the 10 days that were allotted to collect the votes had expired and the votes were past due for counting. 

Smith arrived at the clerks office at around 9 o'clock in the evening. So where was the clerk's office?

You must remember, at this time Jackson didn't have a courthouse or regular offices as we did later on.  The Calaveras County Court of Sessions or supervisors were held in the French Hotel which was located where present day 105 Main Street is located, on the westerly side of Main Street where the "Main Event Bar" is today. It appears that the clerk's office would have been adjacent to the Frech Hotel.  You have to remember, our courthouses and government offices for Amador County hadn't even been built yet, because we were still part of Calaveras County at the time.  The old jail site, which was a small log cabin, was actually located on or around where present day 16-18 Court Street is located.

When Judge Smith got there he was met by Judge Williams, who said that he was in charge of that office and Collier was not there. Smith told Williams he would go "canvassing" for votes but it had to be done before midnight. Judge Smith and J.T. Powell and Deputy Sheriffy Chovan canvassed for less than an hour, also looking for Collier to no avail. So they returned to Collier's office.  Chovan and Powell saw that no one was there, so Smith sent for them to look for Judge Williams to open the office so Smith could collect the voting returns.

Around 10 p.m., Judge Smith broke into the office on his own to search for the returns himself. This is when Chovan and Powell came back and found Smith inside the office. Smith then orders the two men to help him search for the returns, which they did reluctantly. According to the newspapers of the time, they claimed that Smith found nothing. Smith then handed Powell a paper to file with the court and he left the office empty handed.

Jesse D. Mason's account written in 1881, stated that Smith broke into Collier's desk,  counted the returns and issued the certificates of election to the successful candidate, Joseph P. Douglass, who, according to Mason's account, received the larger number of votes. According to this account, it was Collier who was in the wrong, hiding the votes to prevent the results showing that he had lost the election to Douglass.

A little after Midnight, Collier finally returned to the clerk's office to find out from Powell and Chovan that Smith had broken into it. He became infuriated, and Powell stated that Collier even drew a pistol on him for telling him the story, forcing Powell to arrest him. As Collier was being taken to jail, he swore he would shoot Judge Smith "upon sight."

It appears that Collier was released in the morning, and once Judge Smith and Powell were going about their daily activities, Powell "proposed a walk with Judge Smith, and he first declined upon the ground that the route suggested would lead them past the clerk's office, that he was courting a collision, but finding that the clerk's office was closed he consented to go."

As the newspaper accounts go, as they were walking by the office, Collier walked up on them and started screaming obsenities to Smith. Collier claimed he was going to let the world know what a "dead villain" Judge Smith was. After this first confrontation, Smith started to walk back towards his hotel. This was when Collier came back on his horse, with a revolver on his waist, and as he dismounted and was tieing his horse up to the hotel, he started to scream at Smith again. 

When Collier approached him, Smith "threw up his hand and said "Col. Collier, I don't want you to come near me; stand back, sir, and let me alone." Collier however, advanced and struck the Judge a severe blow in his face, whereupon Smith drew a small revolver from his pants pocket and fired at Collier, wounding him in the right arm, piercing his body between the liver and kidneys, and wounding him also in the left shoulder. Collier did not have time to draw his pistol, and Judge Smith, in extricating his from his pants' pocket had one barrel discharge itself through his pocket. Col. Collier died about 12 o'clock on Monday last."

Smith was arrested, and some accounts said he turned himself in immediately. He was then taken before Judge Bayrington, but requested Judge Williams to oversee this case, and requested his counsel, Captain Ward for legal defense. Judge Smith was tried for Col. Lewis A. Collier's death on September 17, 1851. On September 23, 1851, Judge William Fowle Smith was acquitted of all charges as the jury returned a verdict of "justifiable homicide" given the circumstances of the case.

After looking over all of the particulars surrounding this case, I see that there was election tampering, and it appears that it may have been occurring on both sides. Being that Smith was openly accused of fraud in the previous election in 1850 determining the county seat situation, shows he was capable of doing it again; However, the fact that Collier hadn't turned in the votes in time, possibly to collect more votes in his favor, and it also appears he was hiding the collected votes to prevent revealing the actual results, was also illegal.

Both men's personalities clashed like oil and vinegar according to the previous accounts mentioned, so it is not hard to see that there was likely to be a bad skirmish between the two at one point or another. Sadly, though this one ended with one person dead, all because of election results. 

Do I think that Judge Smith should have been put in prison for Collier's death? No, I do not. Collier was a hot head, and even if Smith had done something wrong, Collier knew the law, and he went after the Judge with the intent to kill him, and ended up being the one dead himself. 

According to Jesse D. Mason,  by the time he was writing his book on the history of the county, and claimed that Smith had "taken to to preaching, and is said to be causing great revivals in some of the Eastern states." Did Judge Smith have a change of heart, and left politics? It is quite possible, however, I found a W.F. Smith in Alameda in the 1860 census listed as a Lawyer, so it is possible that he just moved away. 

In 1851, California was still very much living in the "Wild West," and many times, simple disagreements ended up in horrible stabbings, attacks and even duels. Remember the infamous duel of Judge David S. Terry and Senator Broaderick? What about the unfortunate murder of Judge Gordon Belt on the streets of Stockton? There are so many, I cannot even begint to list them all. 

With that being said, I do not believe Col. Lewis A. Collier was an innocent victim in this affair. His hot temper ultimately sealed his own fate.  Documented accounts show that both of these local politicans were crooked in their own ways. Smith, having committed fraud in an election, while Collier collected fees for various reasons during his time as County Clerk only to pocket the money himself, and more than likely he was trying to hide the election results himself. It seems to me that both men were not on the up-and-up when this unfortunate incident occurred. A lesson to be learned that politics can literally kill, and that election fraud and tampering has been going as long as elections have been around. It sure goes to show that some things never change!

(Copyright 2024, J'aime Rubio www.jaimerubiowriter.com)

Sources available upon request.  

Horrific assault prompts suicide at old Amador County Courthouse

For several months there has been talk of paranormal tours taking place at the old courthouse in Jackson. For the record, I am not a part of any sort of paranormal tour at this location, but it came to my attention that some of the history being discussed on said tours was not accurate, and it bothered me that erroneous history was being shared. 

Thankfully, one of the persons involved in the tours has reached out to me and seems sincere about revising her tour to depict a more accurate telling of the courthouse's history. However, there are still a few people out there, who are also advertising paranormal tours, whom I worry may continue to share  inaccurate information not only regarding the history of the courthouse but also around Jackson itself. This is worrisome to me, because I actually care about the true history of this beautiful area and I am a firm believer in facts. Please remember, anything you read online or hear from another person regarding local history, I strongly urge you to take with a grain of salt unless they can back their story up with documented facts to suppor their story. I am a huge believer in facts, not sensationalism. Why create fictitious stories about our beloved historical landmarks when these locations have plenty of real history all on its own?

I had planned on sharing this story solely in my upcoming book, "Stories of the Forgotten III: Tales of the Mother Lode," but given the fact the old county courthouse has been the focus of many posts lately on Facebook and other social media platforms lately, I decided to share my research on a factual story that did take place there, and I can back up my story with sources.

On Monday, February 22, 1909, a man by the name Joseph Coholich committed a very heinous crime. Now, the newspapers reported his last name as Chahalich or sometimes Chachalich, and even his Find-a-Grave memorial spelled his name as Choalich, but his death record in the California Death Index was recorded as Coholich.

Per the Amador Dispatch, dated February 26, 1909:

"Early in the afternoon of Monday a horseman, greatly excited rode into town and notified Sheriff Gregory that Mrs. Lintillac had been shot by Chahalich. Gregory and Leverone immediated started for the Lintillac place. Upon their arrival there they found Chahalich gone and questioned the woman, learning from her the following particulars: Mrs. Lintillac shortly after dinner, was hanging out clothes near the house, and Chahalich, who had worked about the place, approached her carrying a shot-gun and demanded of her $25.50 which he claimed was coming to him for wages.

She replied they did not owe him that much as he had not worked for a time during the rainy weather, and also that he was indebted to them for baord in the sum of $20, besides $2 for brandyl that all he had coming was $7, and told him he had better see her husband about it. Chahalich, who was standing about six feet from the woman, raised his gun and shot her in the legs twice."

The article, which is lengthy, goes on to state that the Sheriff went on to the Campanola's cabin where the suspect had been known to stop by for the past two weeks. The authorities found the shot-gun and a blue short that the suspect had been wearing, and so they knew he had stopped there before moving on. When questioned, Campanola denied any knowledfge of the situation. It was ascertained that Joseph Coholich had walked across Campanola's property, through the fields approximately seven miles, all the way westward to Jackson, avoiding roadways.

By the time Joseph Coholich reached Jackson, he made the steep trek up Summit Street to the old Courthouse. According to testimony by eye-witness Thomas Lemin, Coholich was walking back and forth in front of the courthouse at about 5 p.m. that evening. The two men struck up a conversation, as Coholich sat down on the steps and began eating an orange.  Shortly thereafter, Coholich belted out a painful groan and fell backwards into convulsions. When the onlooker tried to help him, he shook his head and stated that it was "too late." Still, two doctors arrived to the scene, Dr. Sprague and Dr. Gall, who both realized that he had been poisoned. They moved Coholich to the courtyard of the jail, and he expired within about 10 minutes. 

When the body was searched, they found a vial of strychnine in his pocket and about 25 grains were missing. They believed he had put the poison in the orange that he ate, committing suicide instead of facing the legal consequences for his actions. Joseph Coholich had no family in the states, and it was assumed his wife was still home in the "old country." The newspapers stated that he was originally from Austria, yet his Find-a-Grave states he was from Italy. It is obvious that he may have been from Austria, having travelled to the U.S. by way of Italy, but by the spelling or pronunciation of his name it is obvious he was of Serbian or Croation descent. 

Joseph Coholich was buried without a marker in the Jackson City Cemetery just next door to the Catholic Cemetery.  

While continuing my research, I discovered that Mrs. Lucie Lintellac was forced to have her limbs amputated due to her grave injuries;  one limb being amputated just below the knee, while the other just at the ankle bone. Sadly, it appears that her wounds never healed properly that her health continued to decline. As of the March 12, Amador Ledger, her funeral notice appeared. Although the newspapers stated she was buried in St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, I have been unable to locate her gravesite as of yet. I am still avidly searching for that piece of the puzzle, as I would really like to pay my respects to this innocent victim of this very wicked assault.

In my line of work, I stumble upon some of the saddest stories. I share them for one reason, so that their names and their lives will not be forgotten. Mrs. Lintellac, and even Joseph for that matter, have been forgotten in the pages of archived newspapers and old dusty death indexes that have been shelved for over a 100 years. My effort is to bring back those people's stories, to give them back a voice. To share their story for them, since they obviously can no longer share it on their own. 

I hope that although this history was a bit dark, and unfortunately did not have a happy ending, that you can appreciate it is still a part of local history, nonetheless.  Thank you for taking the time to read this and to remember the stories of the forgotten."  (J'aime Rubio, Copyright 2024)

Some of my sources: California Death Index, Amador Ledger, 3/12/1909; Amador Dispatch, 2/26/1909; Bluelake Advocate, 2/27/1909; Stockton Independent, 2/23/1909; Union Democrat, 2/27/1909; San Francsico Call, 2/23/1909. 

Deaths at the Gate -- Jackson Gate, Amador County

Today, we are going to delve into a couple of the deaths that took place at the area known as Jackson Gate. Many years ago, I had stumbled across an old newspaper clipping mentioning that in the early days,  several people had died from cholera after drinking in the creek near the Gate after something had been contaminating it. As it turns out, when I went back recently to research that, I couldn't find the clipping, so as of right now, I am still trying to find that specific reference. When I do find it, that will be cited for reference with more details. For now, that is part of the lore at The Gate. 

Well, this memory of finding that clipping is what led me to the interest in learning more about the history of that specific spot known to locals as "The Gate," or Jackson Gate, and if anyone else had died in that general area. 

After more research, I found a couple of documented deaths, and so I wanted to share them with my readers.

One of the stories that I dug up during my research into the history of the old hangman's tree on Main Street in Jackson was the murder at Squaw Gulch.

In 1851, two Frenchmen were butchered in Squaw Gulch which was "near Jackson Gate." As the history of Amador County states "One was stabbed with a long bowie-knife thirteen times, dying immediately. The other, though cut five or six times, lived for several days." 

According to Larry Cenotto's research records, "Monsieur Pontanier and an unknown French "companion" on  May 20, 1852, were attacked while they slept in their tent in Squaw Gulch near the Gate." The men had been stabbed to death. The deaths of these two men was what led up to the formation of the Jackson Vigilance Committee. The committee offered a $300 reward to anyone who helped apprehend or deliver the murderer(s).

Initially, another man Gregorio Soberano was arrested while at a bistro in downtown Jackson, but he was later exonerated. Later on, another man was brought on charges. His name was Cheverino. He had been examined and sent to the "log jail," to be held until he could stand trial, but that night a mob of people (let me make this clear it was NOT the Vigilance Committee) broke into the jail and dragged Cheverino out to the oak tree on Main Street.

The first of two hangings took place around 8:30 p.m. on the evening of June 10th, 1852. He would be the 3rd execution by way of the hanging tree in Jackson. 

According to records, the rope was put around his neck and he was pulled up while his hands were free. So, he began clenching onto the rope around his neck, struggling to survive. This allegedly went on for about ten minutes before they dropped the rope, and tied his hands behind his back and then raised the rope again. It was said that Cheverino had admitted guilt in the murder of Pontanier.

His accomplice, Cruz Flores had been found out by chance when another Mexican, Mariano, who had been arrested for horse theft in Sacramento, implicated Cruz Flores, as the other man who murdered a Frenchman near Jackson Gate, or "The Gate."

Flores, the 4th man to be one of the Hanging Tree's executions, was hanged the next day on June 11th, 1852.

Another tragedy that took place near "The Gate" was the death of William Holder. His story is a little bit more detailed, as I was able to find a lot more about him than the last two mentioned above.

William Holder was born in England in 1855, and had immigrated to the United States in his early adulthood. By 1880, he was living in the home of William Bryant and family in Pine Grove, working as a blacksmith. By July 3, 1881 he married Frances "Fanny" Hawkins Younglove, who had just been divorced by her 1st husband Dwight Younglove, who appeared to have been habitual womanizer, getting married only to divorce shortly after. 

Perhaps William was Fanny's "knight in shining armor," and even though she had a young son from the previous union, it did not deter William from marrying her. Sadly, on February 22, 1884, Fanny passed away from what appears to have been a short illness, and was buried at the Ione Cemetery. She was originally from Missouri, and grew up in Lancha Plana, currently where Lake Camanche rests. 

Interestingly, it appears that William loved his wife so much, as he fought over the custody of his stepson, Albert, against Albert's father, Dwight Younglove, upon Fanny's passing. Per Fanny's will, she named William and her brother, Melville as executors of her estate, and requested that her young son to remain with her mother, Mary Ann.

Only 8 months after Fanny's death, it appears that William or "Billy" as locals called him, fell in love again, this time to Margaret "Maggie" Guerra. Maggie's mother was from Mexico while her father Deonisio Guerra was from Chile, and worked in the mines, as did her brothers Frank and Albert. 

Maggie and William married on October 22, 1884.

Maggie ran a local laundry business out of her home at 156 Main Street in Jackson, where she would wash and iron clothes for locals to make money. When she purchased her home in 1878 from then owner, George Stasal, she paid $450.00, which would have been equal to $14.323.17 today as a "real price" as measured by inflating the amount by the Consumer Price Index or (CPI.) 

For the record, there is no evidence of Maggie being a madam or prostitute as some people may have insinuated on other websites. I feel that is not only disrespectful to the memory of Maggie and her family, but is also very ignorant to make assumptions without having documentation to back up said claims. The records show Maggie was just a normal lady, living in Jackson, working in the laundry service business, and I have found nothing to suggest she was a "lady of the night."

William would go on to have a child with Maggie, a son, William Jr., who was born on November 21*, 1885. 

(*What is neat about this story, is that their son was born on my son's birthday, and their marriage took place on my father's birthday, so that was interesting.) 

Their newfound happiness would end in tragedy though, as young Billy died at the age of 2 years old on June 8, 1888. The couple would go on to have two more children, daughters Della and Amelia, born in 1888 and 1892.  These two would grow up into their adulthood.

The Amador Ledger shows that by 1893, William was selling wagons that he was manufacturing and advertising in the newspaper. 

Going back to the story.....

The death of William Holder took place Tuesday evening, January 12, 1909. According to the Amador Dispatch,  Holder had been found that following morning, "lying face downward in the sand and the mud of the north fork of Jackson Creek, the lower limbs partially in the water."

His boss, V.J. Chichizola, whom Holder was working as a blacksmith for, discovered his body that morning around 8 a.m.  He was found just west of the Chichizola store, across the road where the creek is located.  Upon examination by Coroner Potter, it was ascertained that Holder had been seen at Casazza's saloon the evening prior. Witnesses stated that he came to the bar around 8 p.m. already very inebriated, and although he stayed for about an hour he didn't drink any more while there. He left the bar around 9 p.m. and stumbled out of there on his way home to his small cabin across the creek just north of Teresa's Place. 

I am not 100% certain, but I think it is possible that William's drinking habits may have put a strain on his marriage at some point before Maggie's death in 1896, because I couldn't find any records of their dwelling together in the same home in the 1890's, plus they are not buried with one another, nor are they even at the same cemetery. She's in the Catholic Cemetery in a large plot, while William in a very small spot at the Jackson City Cemetery nearby.

At the time of his death in 1909, William was living in this little cabin near his job, while his two young daughters were being raised by Maggie's family.

The weather that night was very stormy and the creek had risen significantly. It was stated that "instead of using one of the foot bridges one some distance above and another below the blacksmith shop, Holder attempted to cross at a point near the cabin ass was his custom when the water was low." The article goes on to mention that Holder was "carried off his balance by the current, he had fallen into the muddy water from which he was unable to rise owing to the stupor of his condition, and was drowned."

So basically, he tried to cross the creek and it knocked him off his feet, and being as drunk as he was, he didn't have the strength or stamina to pull himself up and he drowned. The sand in his hair and the pockets of his clothes were evidence enough that the water had risen up higher than normal in the night, and sadly, Holder didn't make it.

Just to quell any suspicions of foul play -- the Coroner determined based on evidence that it was an "Accidental Drowning." Holder wasn't murdered and no one robbed him, in case anyone wants to make those assumptions.  There would be no reason to have killed him. He didn't have any enemies, and he didn't have anything of value on him, except the new shoes on his feet, which were found on his person when they discovered his body. In fact, he had just purchased those shoes that day at the Chichizola Store.  

Holder was known around Jackson, and everyone seemed to like him. Only on one documented occasion was he involved in anything that made the newspapers, and it really wasn't his fault. It appears that on the Fourth of July, 1907, during the festivities an Indian (native American), who was overly inebriated, assaulted William in public and they duked it out, which landed the Indian in jail. William walked away from the altercation with his hands clean, (meaning he didn't go to jail).  

Although he was known for his intemperate habits towards the end, he was spoke of as "unassuming, courteous, always cheerful, never boistress.... and was liked for his better qualities, while pitied for the degenerate condition to which his appetite dragged him."

It appears that in his early years he had been a very hard working man, and had even owned two shops, one of which included the wagon making business, and was considered a "prosperous business man," so it is very sad to see how he ended up.  With all of that potential, he allowed his bad habits and addictions to get the best of him, which ultimately led him to losing his family, his businesses, his prosperity and eventually his life.

He was buried at the City Cemetery in Jackson in a small plot. Hopefully now he has the peace he struggled to find at the end of a bottle.

Photo: Courtesy of Steve Jones on Find-a-Grave

May William Holder rest in peace....

(Copyright 2023, J'aime Rubio, www.jaimerubiowriter.com) 

Three Men Killed In the Kennedy Mine - Peter Garcia, Sam Martinez & Liberto Mendes

 

No matter what I do, my work always seems to come full circle. Almost 11 years ago, I published my first historical non-fiction book, "Behind The Walls." based on the history of the Preston School of Industry (a.k.a. Preston Castle), little did I know that while researching for my 5th historical non-fiction book "Down Below: A History of Deaths at the Kennedy Mine," I would find stories that are intertwined with Preston in one way or another.

One such story is the horrific explosion at the Kennedy Mine that took place on February 13, 1932, when four miners: Peter Garcia, Sam Martinez, Liberto Mendez and Felix Achavan were victims of an unfortunate dynamite accident.

According to the Amador Dispatch, it was an explosion at the 4800 foot level of the mine that took place around 4 a.m. in the morning on Saturday, February 13, that caused the fatalities.

The miners were prepping the area for blasting, and while rounding the holes, they found that the water leaking down the walls of stope was preventing several of the fuses to ignite. So in order to fire the fuse, they had to re-cut them. Unfortunately, they re-cut them too short, and since they had about 46 fuses to fire, by the time they lit the last fuse, the first one went off.

According to the only surviving witness, Felix Achavan, the supervisor on duty overseeing their work, Peter Garcia, had warned them he thought it was time to go, and just as he spoke those words the explosion went off. Both Peter Garcia and Sam Martinez died instantly, while Liberto Mendes and Felix Achavan were rushed to the hospital at the Preston School of Industry, in Ione. Sadly, within hours of arriving to Preston, Liberto succumbed to his injuries. Felix stayed several days at the hospital but recovered.

The dead were brought to Daneri's Funeral home and the funerals for the miners were all held individually at St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery in Jackson. Sadly, none of the miners have marked graves, and you can only know they were buried there because of the newspaper clippings and cemetery records showing they were buried there.

Peter Garcia was only 39 years old and was a native of Spain. He had lived in Amador County for many years and was very much a beloved member of the community. Sam Martinez was only 23 years old at the time of his death, and was also a native of Spain. while Liberto Mendes was 36 years old and a native of Mexico.

You can visit their virtual graves here on Find-a-grave and leave them virtual messages and "flowers" here:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176567415/peter-garcia

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176567489/sam-martinez

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176567551/liberto-mendez

After recovering from his injuries, Felix was interviewed for the Coroner's Inquest and his story was published in the local newspaper which is posted below.

Amador Dispatch – 2/26/1932

“Lone Survivor Tells Story of Mine Accident—

At an inquest conducted on Monday evening by Coroner J.J. Daneri, Felix Achavan told the story of the recent accident at the Kennedy mine when three miners lost their lives and Achavan miraculously escaped a like fate.

According to the story told by the witness at the hearing, he was working in a stope on the 4800 foot level of the mine and with companions had prepared a round of 46 holes for blasting. He stated that after loading had been completed, he was assisted by Foreman Garcia in lighting the fuse. Samuel Martinez and Foreman Garcia standing by to give assistance that might be needed; that difficulty was experienced in lighting some of the fuse because of dampness from water that had dripped upon the fuse, making it necessary to again “spit” them, at operation causing considerable delay. Finally Garcia made the statement “we have been here too long, let’s get out” and barely had the word been uttered when an explosion occurred.

Mr. Achavan stated that all were thrown to the ground by the force of the explosion. His position on the opposite side of the stope from the first explosion afforded him a measure of protection and probably accounted for his escape from death. He expressed the belief that the others were in the direct path of the flying rocks rendering escape impossible. He immediately crawled from the scene. Peter Garcia and Samuel Martinez were killed instantly and Liberto Mendez died a few hours following his removal to the Preston Hospital. Achavan gave a vivid recitation of the experience but the recollection of the unfortunate accident was one that unnerved the man and caused him to leave the room sobbing. 

Following the hearing of the testimony the following verdict we rendered by the jury: “The cause of death was the discharge of powder when the deceased were delayed in their work by damp fuses while they were employed in blasting in the north drift of the 4800 foot level of the Kennedy mine near Jackson.”---

May these miners, and the rest of the 43 miners who have all lost their lives at the Kennedy Mine during its years of operation rest in peace, never forgotten. 

TO READ MORE STORIES ABOUT THE MEN AT THE KENNEDY MINE, PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK HERE! 

(Copyright 2023- J'aime Rubio, www.jaimerubiowriter.com) 

Sources:

Amador Dispatch – 2/26/1932

Amador Dispatch – 2/19/1932

Amador Ledger - 2/13/1932

Colusa Herald, 2/13/1932;

Healdsburg Tribune 2/13/1932

The Argonaut Mine Disaster - Part 3

Going back to the first burials of the 46 miners discovered, those burials took place at the Protestant Cemetery (Jackson Public Cemetery, as well as at St. Patrick's Cemetery (The Catholic Cemetery), and lastly at St. Sava Serbian Cemetery. Of course, when Fessel was discovered a year later, he too, was brought to the Protestant Cemetery and interred there along with his fellow mining friends. 

Miners Buried in the Protestant Cemetery (Jackson City Public Cemetery):

Charles Fitzgerald, who is buried next to his best friend James Clayton, had been living a double life for some time. 

Apparently, he and his wife, Frances had been somewhat estranged for a period of time. They had two children, but at the time that he was working at the Argonaut, she had been staying in Oakland. She had their daughter, while he had their son. 

When news broke that Charles was among the trapped miners, Frances rushed to support the rescue effort and apparently when she arrived she was met by another woman who was claiming to also be Charles’ wife.  No, he wasn’t a bigamist, but he had been living with another woman, Emily Ludekins.

According to the San Francisco Call, Frances paid Emily a visit at her cottage near the Argonaut.  There was no record of what was exactly spoken between the two women, but on September 18, 1922, the newspapers claimed that Charles' wife attempted to kill herself by way of poison. The Sacramento newspaper said it was Frances who made the suicide attempt. However, the San Francisco Call states that it was actually Emily who took the poison, as she could not bear life without Charles. 

Thankfully, Amador County Physician, Edwin Eugene Endicott came to her aid early enough and successfully saved her life. Interestingly, Dr. Endicott, who was also the physician at the Preston School of Industry, is buried only feet from where Charles Fitzgerald is interred at the Public Cemetery in Jackson.

James Clayton, was a native of California and only 36 years old at the time of his death.  Not much is known about his life besides the fact that he served in World War I, and that he was engaged to a young widow, Myrtle Richards, who had just lost her 1st husband the year before in a similar mining accident. 

Elmer Lee Bacheller, was a native of California, and originally lived in Stockton. His occupation was listed as a Carpenter. A lodger at the Gallino Boarding House in Sutter Creek, and he was not even an employee of the mine. He had volunteered to work the shift of a friend (fellow lodger) who went on vacation and it just so happened the shift he filled in was the day of the mine disaster.

Ernie Miller, the Jigger Boss on shift that night, was just 37 years old. A native of Illinois, Ernie left behind a wife and 2 children. He had survived the Speculator Mine Disaster – aka Granite Mountain Mine Disaster in Butte Montana just a few years earlier.  

Charles & Arthur O'Berg, Father and son. Charles was Level Boss that night. Charles was a native of Sweden, and Arthur was born in Washington. The saddest part of their story was that both men had never worked same shift before. Charles had only arranged a few days earlier to have the same shift, as he was planning to retire in 1923. Charles and Arthur’s bodies were discovered hugging onto one another up against the wall, their bodies had been fused to one another so they were buried in the same grave.

Edward William "Bill" Fessel was just 44 years old. Fessel is the miner who was found one year after the other bodies were discovered. Fessel left behind a wife, Ruth and one son, Herbert.  He was a native of Germany. He had been an interpreter for the U.S. Government when he immigrated to the U.S. Prior to that he had worked as a chemist in Germany. He had also worked in the State Parks services (National Forestry) and later went into mining from the Kennedy to the Argonaut.

Evan Ely was 29 years old, who left behind a wife and 4 children. He was a native of Texas, and the only Mormon who died in the disaster.

Bert Seamans was a California native, former resident of Stockton, and only 38 years old. Both Seamans and Bacheller do not have a marker, and are only noted on the plaque. 

Miners Buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery (Catholic Cemetery)

Peter Bagoye, 24 years old. Native of Austria. Had only been in the U.S. for four months prior to his death. He didn't even have a chance to send for his young wife to be with him in the states.

Rafaelo Baldocchi, was 29 years old and a native of Italy.

D. Boleri, was a native of Italy.

Eugene Buscaglia, was 25 years old.  Eugene was living at the Buscaglia's Boarding House on Jackson Gate Road, so I am assuming he was related given the same surname. He was also listed as single in the census records. 

John Caminada, was 24 years old, and also a native of Italy.

Peter Cavaglieri, 40 years old, a native of Italy and he was married, with three children.

Paul De Longa, was a native of Austria and was 31 years of age.

A. Fazzina, was 37 years old and was a native of Italy.

V. Fidele, was 38 years old and a native of Italy.

Simone Francisconi, age 48, and also a native of Italy.

Battista Gamboni, a native of Switzerland, aged 33.

Timothy Garcia, 48, native of California, a widower with 2 children.

Maurice Gianetti, 44, native of Italy.

Giuseppe Giorza, aged 36, married with 5 children.

Lucio Gonzales, 28, native of Italy.

Manuel Kosta* (sometimes spelled Manuel Costa), 47, native of Portugal. *(some records state he was born actually on January 11, 1886, which would have made him 36 at the time of his death. WWII Draft Registry cards state that he had previously lived in the town of Ripon, San Joaquin County as a farmer before coming to Amador County to work at the Argonaut.)

Antonio Leon, age 33, native of Spain.

Luis Leon, aged 42, native of Spain.

Battista Manachino, age 40, a native of Italy. 

Pio Oliva, native of Italy. Aged 25, his brother Luigi also worked at the mine, but played hookie that night to go to San Francisco with friends, and ultimately that saved his life. 

Emanuel Olobardi, age 27, native of Italy.  San Francisco Call dated 9/18, Emanuel's wife spoke to the newspaper reporters that her husband had a premonition prior to the accident. 

September 18, 1922 edition of the San Francisco Call states: 

"It is also reported that O. Bardi (Emmanuel Olobardi), one of the unfortunate forty-seven, expressed his belief to his wife that “something terrible was about to happen.” He had attended a celebration of the Italian Benevolent Society with his wife. Just before leaving her to take his place with the 11 o’clock shift, he said he felt as though he ought to stay home, but, like Steinman, on second thought, he determined to cast aside his fears.” 

Aldino Piagneri, 27 years old and a native of Italy.

Giovanni Ruzzo, 28 years old. Born in Sardinia.

Domenico Simonde, 47 years old, native of Italy.

George Steinman, 48 years old. Native of Michigan. Had been married twice, and had a total of 4 children. His 2nd wife, Linda had one child with him. 

The same newspaper clipping as noted above mentioning Emanuel Olobardi's premonition, also mentions the following:

“George Steinman, one of the imprisoned miners, told his wife just before descending to work that he feared something was going to happen. Before kissing her and their children goodbye, Steinman said, “I don’t want to go down for some reason tonight, but maybe it is just a bum hunch, and I guess I’d better go. He went and his premonition soon was to be realized. -- San Francisco Call, September 18, 1922

Daniele Villia, 43 years old and a native of Sardinia.

Cesare Zanardi, native of Italy.

Miner's Buried in St. Sava Serbian Cemetery 

(**Although all of the miner's names were listed multiple times in the newspapers of the time, most of their personal information was only available due to the amazing work of O. Henry Mace, who diligently searched for these miner's countries of origin for his book, "47 Down.") 

There are not a lot of records about these fallen miners, given the fact many of them had just come over from their home countries.

Rade Begovich, 36, native of Yugoslavia.

Marko Janovich, 35, native of Serbia.

Milos Jovanovich, 36, native of Montenegro.

Jefto Kovac, 42, native of Herzegovina.

Rade Lajovich,  33, native of Montenegro.

Steve Marinovich, 46, native of Serbia.

John Maslesa, 32, native of Herzegovina.

Todore Miljanovich,  37, native of Herzegovina.

Elia Pavlovich, 40, native of  Dalmatia.

Niko Stanicich, 40, native of Serbia.

Mike Vujovich, 28, native of Herzegovina.

The Survivors

There were only 3 survivors of the Argonaut Mine Disaster, Clarence Bradshaw, Steve Pasalich and Mitchell Jogo.

Clarence Bradshaw was born in 1868, and a native of California. He lived on Stasal Avenue in Jackson near the cemetery, and was married to Sarah Bradshaw. He had been working at the Sheriff's office at one point in time. He died in 1926, around the age of 57 years old. 

According to his naturalization papers, Mitchell Joko was born in Austria on December 28, 1882. By 1911, when he was naturalized, he was living at 41 Broadway street in Jackson. Mitchell died on September 3, 1923 at the age of 39.

Steve Pasalich, is probably my favorite character in this story, not only because this story started with him, but because he is the grandfather of a dear friend, George Pasalich, and also because my parents rented the downstairs apartment (lower level) of Steve's home on Stasal Street in Jackson, many years ago, forever tying my family to the Pasalich family. 

Steve was born on March 25, 1890 in Yugoslavia.  He came over to the United States with other family members through Ellis Island. According to the ship's manifest, each of them had about $26 on them, and they were planning to come to the west coast so they had to make that money last, or work to make money to make it to California. So, Steve would shovel snow on the railroad tracks in order to make extra money. 

One of George's funny stories about his grandfather that he shared with me was that when he grandfather had made it to Chicago, he needed to purchase some food, and went into a store and wanted to get chicken but the clerk didn't understand him because he only spoke Serbian. He had to literally play charades and mimic a chicken in order to get the clerk to understand that he was asking for chicken. 

He eventually made it to California, and settled in Jackson. He started working at the Argonaut mine for many years, and later onto the Eureka Mine. He eventually passed away in 1964, and is buried at the St. Sava Serbian Church. His grave is in the front of the churchyard. 

Steve's story was very emotionally moving for me knowing that he survived such a horrific disaster. George shared a story with me a few years ago about his grandfather and his tie to the miners even in death. It was after all the miners were buried, there were little individual flags left on everyone's graves. Over time, the elements had abused the flags making them become tattered and torn, so Steve decided to remove them and took them home with him, and put them in his basement for safe keeping. (This was before he turned the basement into a second residence.) 

Soon Steve started hearing noises in the basement. The movement down there was very loud, as if someone was down there moving things around, or making loud banging sounds, even when no one was there. So he started feeling very uneasy, and he eventually he removed the flags from the basement --- and the odd occurrences suddenly stopped. 

Later on, he would turn that basement into an apartment, which my parents ended up renting years later. Of course my parents had no paranormal experience in that house, so it was safe to say that whatever paranormal occurrences that took place there were tied to the flags and stopped when the flags were removed.

Conclusion

When all was said and done regarding the cause of the Argonaut Mine Disaster, there were no real answers. The cause of the fire was never determined as a certainty, and it also brought up so many safety violations that had been overlooked.

The Report of Governor Stephen’s Committee of Inquiry on the Argonaut Mine Disaster, published in Volume 114 of the Engineering and Mining Journal, states:

“Origin of Fire – The evidence given regarding the cause of the fire leads to no one definite fact.

The following possibilities have all been taken into consideration:

Incendiarism; Defective electric wiring; carelessness with cigar or cigarette stub; carbide lamp or candle.

The witness Mitchell Jogo, who stepped off the skip immediately after the discovery of the fire, and remained there with the hope of being able to do something toward extinguishing it, states that while there were two sets of timber, or possibly three, burning, the larger portion of the fire seemed to be coming from the manway and spreading across the shaft from there. This would warrant the belief that the fire had started in the manway. This manway, besides carrying the ladder for the men moving up and down the shaft, when traveling without the skip, contains the electric-power wires carrying 2,400 volts, and also the electric lighting wires in the mine, as well as the telephone, compressed air-line, and water pump column. If the origin of the fire was either incendiary or caused by defective wiring, this would be the natural place for it to start.  

From all the evidence considered, your committee is unable to arrive at a definite conclusion as to the origin of the fire, which still remains in doubt. Of the possible cause, as previously stated, the first two, incendiarism, or defective wiring – seem to be the most acceptable.”

Going back to my personal connection, I will always feel tied to this story from the time my dad brought home that framed photograph and hung it on our hallway wall at our home so many years ago, down to the present day. 

That day, so many years ago, started my passion to learn about local history and it also triggered the empathy and compassion I feel for those I research and write about. I want to tell their stories for them, since they are not able to do that themselves. I feel everyone has a story to tell, and I feel honored to be the one who gets to do that for them.

This August 2022, marked the 100 year anniversary of this tragic event. Roland and I met my father at the cemetery and we paid our respects to all 47 fallen miners, and the 3 survivors who lived to tell the tale.  

Sadly, we will never truly know what or whom started the fire that killed 47 miners, and destroyed many lives that night in August of 1922. We can speculate, but we will never have a definitive answer. But we can always pay our respects and share their stories, so that they will never be forgotten.

May those who perished that day rest in peace.

(Copyright, J'aime Rubio 2022 - www.jaimerubiowriter.com )

This blog was the product of a very personal interest in this part of local history going back to my childhood. I spent a lot of time and took a very extensive deep dive stemming from hundreds of old newspaper clippings, old reports from the time, and research cited and sourced by both Larry Cenotto and O. Henry Mace, who both did amazing work researching the Argonaut Mine.  For an even more in depth look at this disaster I strongly suggest you check out "47 Down: The 1922 Argonaut Gold Mine Disaster" by Author, O.Henry Mace. It is a fantastic, and very in-depth read. 

Hidden Histories - 12 & 14 Water Street, Jackson, California

Over the years I have researched and written about various people and places in the past. I have done a tremendous amount of research in Amador County specifically, since I have lived there at different times in my life, and some of my family still live there. Around the same time that I was researching the history of the National Hotel for my upcoming book, "Historic Haunts," I was contacted by the proprietress of the antique shop literally next door to the National Hotel. 

After speaking with the her, she asked me if I knew any of the history of her building, 12 Water Street as well. Unfortunately, at the time I didn't, but I assured her that I would look into it and get back to her as soon as I could.  Well, after thorough research I am now able to share some of the hidden history of the brick edifice that is adjacent to National Hotel in Jackson, California.

Image  (1)  Louisiana House & Maujer Store
  (Amador County Archives)   

Between 1853 and 1854 a one-story wooden structure with a billboard design on top that read "Maujer," an advertising design often referred to as a western false-front, was constructed for Daniel Maujer's storefront. (Imaged 1).

Maujer was partner's with Amos Barrett, who operated Barrett & Co., and who was the first Wells Fargo agent operating an office in Jackson, out of that store. It wasn't until later on that the Wells Fargo office operated out of the Odd Fellows Hall.

Sadly, on August 2, 1855, Amos Barrett committed suicide in his room at Wilson's Exchange in San Francisco. 

"Suicide - A man by the name of Amos Barrett, committed suicide at Wilson's Exchange, on Friday last. It appears he took a room on Thursday night, and was not seen again alive. The fact of his room being locked all the tie gave rise to suspicions which induced the proprietor of the house to force the door, when he was found dead.

Wilson's Exchange, S.F. (CA Library)

The deceased came to this State in 1849, and since that time has been engaged in mercantile pursuits, and for the last four years has resided at Jackson.  Amador County, where he was for a long time the agent of Wells, Fargo & Co.  The motive which induced him to the commission of the rash act seems to have been an over sensitiveness in regard to the pecuniary transactions and mercantile probity.

On the back of a letter, directed to Messrs. Wilcox & Chase, San Francisco, giving them directions as to the disposal of his property, was the following, which was signed by him:

"J.A. Kew, editor, is the cause of all this, and he ought to have known it. He will meet his reward. If all my creditors, and I was aware of it, would wait patiently, and give me time, I would not commit this rash act -- but they will or would not. -- Barrett"

A letter, written in a somewhat detached and incoherent style, was also found, which was addressed to his mother, brothers and sisters, and another gentleman in Jackson. He states that $3,000 would relieve him entirely from all pecuniary embarrassments, and also states that his property is amply sufficient to pay all his debts.

The deceased was unmarried, about 36 years of age, and a native of Long Island, N.Y., where he formerly carried on business. He also did business as a merchant in 1839-46, in Elizabethtown, Essex Co., N.Y.  He was always esteemed to be an honest, though somewhat close man in his dealings."-- Nevada Journal, August 10, 1855.

According to the Amador Ledger Dispatch, dated January 25, 1901, it states:

"Daniel Maujer was a Frenchman and was associated with Amos Barrett. After the death of the latter, and their business trouble, he left Jackson and his subsequent movements seem to have been forgotten by most of those who were familiar with the county in those days."-

Interestingly enough, the book, "Jackson" by Arcadia Publishing, has some misinformation that must be noted. In the book, the names of the original owners Daniel Maujer and Amos Barrett are incorrectly stated as Amos Maujer and Daniel Barrett (page 11), which we know is factually incorrect. The only reason I am mentioning this, is so that others who wish to research these gentleman will be able to search via their correct names, as I have stated within this blog post. 

After Barrett and Maujer were gone, the new owners of the property demolished the wooden structure and opted for a one story brick building around 1856. It is mentioned that this may have been around the time it was turned into a drug store. 

The late, great Amador County historian, Larry Cenotto mentioned in his "Walking Tour of Jackson's Historic Core" pamphlet that used to be in circulation:

"While the lower story has a faux-Western front, the top facade hasn't changed since Epley and Elderkin laid it in 1863 after the fire. Previously, in late 1853 and '54, Amos Barrett and Daniel Maujer had a store here, and Barrett began his career as Wells, Fargo & Co. Express agent. Known as Rocca's Hall, it was the long-time venue for entertainments, theatricals and even pugilistic exhibitions and fights."---

. 

The Rocca Family

Francesco "Frank" Rocca, was born around 1824 and was a native of Italy. He was considered one of the earlier settlers in Jackson, coming around the mid 1850's just in time for the tail end of the Gold Rush.

During the time that the Rocca family owned the building, 12 Water Street was inhabited by the Jackson Theatre, where they held plays and other entertainment venues, including boxing fights and athletic events. There was also a saloon and a store at the corner which was also owned by Rocca. The 1880 Census lists Frank as the "bar keeper" of his saloon. Although, the two buildings are side by side, there was also a residence in the back along the creek where the Rocca family lived. 

The newspaper from 1889, stated that the west side of the building was known as the "Theatre brick building," while the south side of the property was known as the "Frank Rocca frame dwelling house." Lastly the corner brick building was known as the "Frank Rocca grocery store and bar brick building."

According to Larry Cenotto's research, Frank Rocca purchased both of the brick buildings on Water Street around 1859. You see, at the time all of that was considered one giant property. It was known as Lot 13, Block 3.  The upper level of the corner building at 14 Water Street was sold to the Masonic Lodge after the great fire of 1862, and that part of the building was rented out to the County while they were rebuilding a new court house. By 1864, the Masons went back to the upper levels of the brick building when the county offices moved into their new building elsewhere.

Frank Rocca owned the downstairs of both buildings, and the upstairs of 12 Water Street, (as well as his house). While he was alive he ran the Jackson Theatre for many years, and was well known within the community. 

The Death of Frank Rocca 

In the wee hours of Thursday, November 25th (night of the 24th) which also happened to be Thanksgiving, Frank Rocca had a terrible accident at his home in the residence which was located behind the brick building on Water Street/Broadway.  The newspapers originally published that he had fallen from the back porch balcony of his residence into the creek behind the buildings and that he had busted up his nose and scratched up his face. Unfortunately, Frank Rocca didn't walk away from that fall that easily. The newspaper dated, December 3, 1887 explains more:

"Mr. Francesco Rocco [SIC], one of our pioneer residents, and proprietor of the Jackson theatre, died in this place last Tuesday night, from the effects of injuries received by a fall from the back porch of his building on Thanksgiving night. It was at first thought that he was not dangerously hurt, but he never entirely recovered  from the shock. He was a native of Italy and about 60 years of age. He leaves a family and many warm friends to mourn his loss. He was buried on Thursday afternoon by the Masonic fraternity, of which he was a member of long standing."  - The Amador Dispatch 

Mr. Rocca was buried at St. Patrick's Cemetery in Jackson, just off of Church Street. Although Mr. Rocca's grave states he died on the 25th of November, the newspapers claimed it wasn't until Tuesday, the 29th when he succumbed to his injuries. The newspaper also published several ads that ran continually for quite some time shortly after his death, announcing the theatre and parts of the building itself were up for sale. 

Dispatch, 1/21/1888

Literally the same week that the patriarch of the family, Frank Rocca passed away, the Levy family, from S. Levy & Co. opened a new store at the location on the corner at 14 Water Street. They obviously were renting out the space, as the property still belonged to the Rocca family at the time.

Dispatch, 1/21/1888

The city had also just put in a v-shape sewer line that ran from the front of the building to the back and into the creek, to clear away all the nasty water which would form unsavory "mud puddles" just outside the Theatre. This new development was also mentioned in the newspaper.

After the death of Frank, the Rocca family were intent on selling the bottom level corner building (14 Water Street) as well as the Theatre. The ad appeared in the Dispatch in February 2, 1889, when Attorney's Lindley & Spagnoli who represented the estate of Frank Rocca c/o Carrie Deletis (his widow) published the notice.

It appears though that the family kept their home in the back, as the 1910 Census shows that Victor remained living with his mother Carrie at the house on Broadway (behind the brick building), and Victor is the proprietor of a saloon. Victor eventually left bar keeping and went on to work next door at the National Hotel as a clerk for many years. His WWI draft cards listed him as working at the National hotel in 1917 and he continued to work there well up into the 1930s. Victor Rocca eventually passed away in 1934. 

According to the newspapers, by 1913, the property at 12 Water Street was being used for a restaurant and lodging rooms under the business name Home Restaurant & Lodgings.  On the evening of June 17, 1913, a gentleman by the name of Tom Belenchia, 45, from Mokelume Hill, went to his room and never came back. He had been working in the hayfields at J.A. Laughton's property just outside of town. Laughton had hired workers for the job, and most of the men were lodging at the same establishment. When the men all came back, everyone went to the restaurant for supper, except for Tom.  When one of his friends realized he had never came down to eat, he went to check up on him and found he was very sick. They called for the doctor, but it was too late. He died in his bedroom in the building. According to the newspaper, he died from "gasses forming in the stomach and stopping the action of the heart."- 

So far, Frank Rocca and Tom Belechnia are the only two deaths I have found that took place on the property, but there could be others. I will continue to keep searching the archives for more hidden history on this location. According to my sources, the Masons eventually purchased both buildings (upstairs and down).

12 Water Street, Jackson

Moving forward, as the years went by, the lower level of the buildings at 12 & 14 Water Street hosted business after business, store after store. People came and people went, and like all businesses eventually do, many closed forever, while others began anew. 

Sometime around the mid-to-late 1940's a lady name Clara Ericson opened a bar/restaurant called "The Klondike," in this location. She later sold the business to Guido Tofanelli in 1951, who had returned from the Richmond Shipyards after working there for several years around the end of  World War II.  

Guido, or "Guy" as everyone knew him by, would later become Jackson's Chief of Police. Guy ran the bar with his brother, Steve Tofanelli, who was considered a "silent" partner. Guy also opened a boxing gym in Jackson. Was the boxing gym here at this location, given it's past history as an athletic/boxing location? Or was it on the third floor of the Krabbenhoft Building, which is where the present day Hein & Co. Book Store is located? I haven't been able to answer that question just yet.

Newspapers accounts show that at one point during the late 1950's when the State was cracking down on prostitution, the Klondike found itself in hot water, when it was discovered that the club was "allegedly" being used as a front for "John's" to be "pointed in the right direction" to one of the cat houses located at another building downtown (not 315 N Main Street, as some have insinuated, that house has never been a brothel despite the claims.).

By the 1960's the brick building was home to a store called the "Westerner," and I still remember an old stationary store at the corner building (14 Water Street). 

So many amazing events happened here at these two brick buildings and so much hidden history has been discovered!

Now, this property at 12 Water Street is home to an amazing antique store, and the proprietress has taken an interest in preserving the history of this building, which I am sure the Rocca family would have appreciated so very much. I hope that her business continues on into the future and that the history within its walls continues to be shared for others earnestly looking for it.

I hope that you enjoyed learning a little bit more about the history of this property, and because I am still researching the history of this amazing property, hopefully soon I will be able to add more to this blog as I intend to chronicle as many establishments and events that took place at those two buildings.

Thank you for taking this trip with me down Water Street in Jackson! 

Happy History Hunting!

(Copyright 2022- J'aime Rubio  www.jaimerubiowriter.com)