2056

Lot of collectibles and effects from the Franklin B. Austin family of early San Francisco, CA. inclu

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:100.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 400.00 USD
Lot of collectibles and effects from the Franklin B. Austin family of early San Francisco, CA. inclu
All items are as is, no warranty or claims and All SALES ARE FINAL. Please examine prior to bidding as it is the bidder's responsibilty to establish condition, age, genuineness, value or any other determinative factors.
Lot of collectibles and effects from the Franklin B. Austin family of early San Francisco, CA. including mostly original documents, envelopes, a Cofederate bond and several denominational bills in an old envelope, etc. (even a rattlesnake tail on a card with inked note: “Rattlesnake killed by F.B. Austin at Jacksons Creek Gold mines Cala May 1850). Biographical copies from 2 un-referenced books indicate a lineage of the Austin family back to the early 1600’s in New England; further indication is that Austin was born in Massachusetts in 1818, at age 13, moved to New York to find work in the dry goods trade where he remained until 1848, when he was elected President of the New York Mining Co. and sailed on its ship, the bark, Stafford (later to become a Sacramento prison ship), around the horn to San Francisco and into the gold fields, being successful in the Dry Creek mines of Calaveras until the summer of 1850. He returned to San Francisco and established himself in the shipping business, successfully operating in the South Pacific and handling general cargo and tropical fruits, etc. Austin then turned to real estate matters and was apparently a major developer of early San Francisco. He traveled throughout the world extensively (as seen by some of the documents in this lot) and was a member of a number of early California societies (ephemera also in this lot). A wealth of early California history that should be further researched. Est.: $200-$400 ++.