2507

San Francisco,CA - c1875 - Associated Pioneers of the Territorial Days Silver Medal, Edward C. Kembl

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Western Americana Start Price:3,750.00 USD Estimated At:7,500.00 - 10,000.00 USD
San Francisco,CA - c1875 - Associated Pioneers of the Territorial Days Silver Medal, Edward C. Kembl
This silver medal has a rectangular hanger embossed “California” and engraved with the date 1846 below it. It was presented to Edward C. Kemble. The date engraved on the medal, July 31, 1846, reflects the date of Kemble’s arrival in California at Yerba Buena.

Edward C. Kemble is another very important figure in the history of California, in more ways than one. While on one hand he was an influential newspaperman, coming to California at a young age to start his career as a journalist, he also played a key role in the political and vigilante movement in San Francisco in the 1850’s, much like James King of William. In fact, he can be compared to James King of William in many ways.

Kemble was born in Troy, New York, the son of newspaper editor and former state Senator, John Cleveland Kemble. Like James King of William his interest in journalism began young and by 16 years of age Edward was in the employ of Sam Brannan, owner of the New York Mormon newspaper, The Prophet.

Although Kemble was not a Mormon, his thirst for adventure took him to California on the ship “Brooklyn” with Sam Brannan, who hoped to start a Mormon publication in the West, free from religious persecution. The group took the name of the “Brooklyn Company” after the name of ship that safely delivered them to the Pacific Coast not because they were from Brooklyn. (They were not listed in the 1845 Brooklyn Directory.) The men arrived in California on July 31st, 1846 with San Francisco’s first press and over the following ten years Brannan can be credited with existence of the numerous newspapers, starting with the California Star. Brannan sold his interest in the California Star to Kemble in 1849. Kemble also acquired the Californian and combined the two papers under the name of the Star and Californian. This paper later became the Alta California and then the Daily Alta California. This is where the story gets interesting.

Sam Brannan is one of the most important figures in the early history of California. He is referred to as the first publicist of the California Gold Rush and its first millionaire. After the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, Brannan collected the first tithes from the workers there for the Church of Latter Day Saints, as well as becoming a merchant for the miners. He was elected to first town council in San Francisco and to the California State Senate a few years later in 1853. In fact, Brannan is credited with heading up the first Committee of Vigilance in San Francisco in 1851. Not surprisingly, John Jenkins, the first man lynched by the 1851 vigilantes, happened to be hanged in the front yard of The Alta California, which was located on Portsmouth Plaza next to the office of Burgoyne & Co. and the Old Adobe Customs House from which Jenkins’ body was suspended. Sam Brannan’s house was just behind the newspaper office. Historical records show that Edward Kemble was a member of the 1851 Vigilance Committee. In fact, The Alta California called for the formation of a citizen’s committee two days before Jenkins was lynched. Kemble’s close involvement with the vigilantes offers some evidence that the reports of The Alta California may have been biased and used as a tool to sway public opinion, just as James King of William’s controversial editorials roused citizen support for the vigilante movement.

Kemble went on to become a well-known, influential newspaperman throughout the state of California heading up several journalistic efforts such as the publication of the first issue of The Placer Times in Sacramento and eventually publishing his work on the “History of California Newspapers.” His call to duty during the Civil War found him working as a war correspondent for The Union. This was not his first military assignment; he had served with the California Battalion under John Fremont acting as a correspondent for The Star. After the war, Kemble returned to New York and became the Assistant Manager of the Associated Press off