Extrait de Viande de la Cie Liebig Trade Card

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Trade card in french, circa 1927.

Price:  $5.00             Size:  About 4 and 1/4 x 2 and 3/4″

Les Navires À Voiles À Travers Les Âges – Sailing Ships Through The Ages

This was one of a ship series for (and perhaps by) the Liebig’s Extract of Meat Company. Glorious colors in this one. The back is talking about Antoine Flettner having invented a more efficient way of propelling ships, using rotating metal cylinders.

Regarding the date for this trade card – we’re going with the circa 1927 date, as that year is showing up on at least two other websites for the same card, and of course, we know it would have to be after Flettner’s invention, stated on the reverse as 1924/25.

Sources:  Liebig’s Extract of Meat Company. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebig%27s_Extract_of_Meat_Company (accessed October 10, 2024).

Anton Flettner, German Inventor. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anton-Flettner (accessed October 10, 2024).

Passing Bell Buoy, Boston Harbor

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Trade card. Copyright, Bufford, Boston, Massachusetts. Circa 1890s.

Price:  $4.00

Nellie Lee’s Card

An illustration of a paddle wheel steamer passing a bell buoy in Boston Harbor:  This trade card was never printed with any particular company information. It’s just a sample card that had come into the possession, as we see from the reverse, of young Nellie Lee.

On the subject of buoys, there were a number of different types:  gas, whistling, can, nun, ice, spar and bell – this is info from a 4-column spread in The Boston Globe in 1889. The article’s author, John Collier, had gone out on Verbena, one of the steamers used for buoy supply and inspection, and had interviewed her captain, Charles I. Gibbs. Here are just a few excerpts, if you have time:

Buoys are like boys….

Below, Captain Gibbs, explaining some of the different buoys, the maintenance and some of the problems encountered:

Illustrations of an old bell buoy and an automatic whistler:

Sources:  Collier, John. “On the Verbena…Buoys and Beacons Visited by a Reporter….” The Boston Globe, June 9, 1889. Sunday, p. 17. (Newspapers.com).

Fog bell. n.d. wikipedia.org. (accessed September 22, 2024.)

S.S. Vesterlide, 1917

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Old photo, white border. Circa March, 1917, Portland, Oregon.

Price:  $100.00           Size:  5 and 1/2 x 3 and 3/16″ 

A short-lived career….

This is a rare photo of the S.S. Vesterlide. At the time of this post, we’re not finding any others online. And, as it turned out, there was a very small window of time for photo ops, though, to be fair, her construction was pretty high-profile, so we wonder if more photos might have survived. Launched March 31, 1917, Vesterlide’s name was changed to War Baron shortly afterward. Then on May 1st, 1918, War Baron was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine.

Many articles appear in newspaper accounts, along with photos. We’ll let them tell most of the story…..

The ship’s name, Vesterlide, translates as Westerner in Norwegian. Originally commissioned by a Norwegian firm, she was the first steel steamer to be built in Portland, Oregon – a momentous event for the city’s steel industry, and a source of pride for Portland. Throngs were on hand. Mayor Albee had declared it a “half-holiday,” people were up on rooftops and boys had climbed telephone poles. The launching took place at the Northwest Steel Company’s yards, and the spectators yelled their appreciation as the ship was sent gracefully into the Willamette River.

Below, March 31, 1917, Miss Marian Virginia Bowles, daughter of J. R. Bowles, president of Northwest Steel Co., gets ready to break the champagne bottle over Vesterling’s prow:

A photo montage from The Sunday Oregonian:

Looking down the ship launch path. Vesterlide entering the water:

But shockingly, a couple of the hawsers, the thick ropes helping to keep the 8,800 ton ship in check, failed – and Vesterlide was sent diagonally across the river, striking the sternwheeler, Ruth, in her mid-section. The collision:

More details…..From The Sunday Oregonian:

Surprisingly, the riverboat Ruth was raised and able to be completely restored. An official investigation found her officers not at fault. 

Vesterlide renamed War Baron – Spring of 1917

SS War Baron 

The exact date of rechristening, from Vesterlide to War Baron, is unclear. An article in The Oregonian, dated April 10th, mentions the new name, and by another report, in the same paper, dated May 12th, the steamer was getting her finishing work completed at the Willamette Iron & Steel Works.

Below, a nice photo with text that appeared in The Sunday Oregonian, July 8, 1917:

A good showing…..and what seems like a foretelling of fate:

War Baron was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U55 on May 1, 1918; Atlantic Ocean, eight miles northeast from Godrevy Lighthouse, St. Ives Bay, Cornwall, UK. Two lives were lost.

Sources:  “Steel Ship To Dip.” The Morning Oregonian. March 28, 1917. Wednesday, p. 18. (Newspapers.com).

“First Steel Craft Built In Portland Yards Is Launched.” The Oregon Daily Journal. April 1, 1917. Sunday, p. 12. (Newspapers.com).

“Big Cunarder Is Launched In City.” The Sunday Oregonian. April 1, 1917. Sunday, p. 16. (Newspapers.com).

“Lines Fail to Check Big Vessel; Steamer Ruth Sinks Quickly.” The Oregon Daily Journal. March 31, 1917. Saturday, p. 1. (Newspapers.com).

“Versterlide Sinks Ruth; 3 Injured.” The Sunday Oregonian. April 1, 1917. Sunday, p. 40. (Newspapers.com).

“First Steel Craft Is Launched. Vesterlide Hits River Boat.” The Oregon Daily Journal. April 1, 1917. Sunday, p. 1. (Newspapers.com).

“Raising Of Sunken Steamer Ruth Will Be Started At Once.”  The Oregon Daily Journal. April 2, 1917. Monday, p. 12. (Newspapers.com).

“War Baron Is Title.” The Oregonian. April 10, 1917. Tuesday, p. 16. (Newspapers.com).

“Cunard Crew Here.” The Oregonian. May 12, 1917. Saturday, p. 16. (Newspapers.com).

“British Steamer War Baron.” The Sunday Oregonian. July 8, 1917. Sunday, p. 24. (Newspapers.com).

“Cunarder Exceeds Rating At Trial.” The Tacoma Daily Ledger. July 17, 1917. Tuesday, p. 6. (Newspapers.com).

“Torpedoing of War Baron Is Told In Letter.” The Oregon Daily Journal. April 2, 1917. Monday, p. 12. (Newspapers.com).

SS War Baron. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_War_Baron (accessed August 19, 2024).

Tennent, A. J. British Merchant Ships Sunk by U-Boats in World War I. (1990) Periscope Publishing, Ltd. Google.com books.

RPPC of Pier 7, Alakea Wharf, Honolulu, Hawaii

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Real Photo Postcard, unused. AKO stamp box. Circa 1924 – 1930. Photo image circa late 1910s.

Price:  $15.00   (As is – note the pieces of the postcard missing from the left corner and bottom border.)

Two steamers (names unknown) flank Honolulu’s Pier 7 and a portion of a third is visible on our left.

A few thoughts…..

I keep thinking someone should write a book about the history of this particular wharf, or maybe better yet, about all of the Honolulu wharves. (Alas, that can’t be me.) It’s just that in researching old newspaper accounts and searching Google books, etc., I’m hit with that poignant feeling of something having been forgotten. So much to re-learn so-to-speak….thinking of how Hawaii was such a crossroads, a stopover for ships from all over the world…..Mention of the wharf shows up in thousands of articles, too many to delve into, but we’ll include some of them here that will tell part of the story. (And I don’t know how you’ll feel, but I’d like to time-travel back to that masquerade ball in 1910).

About our postcard:

The photo used for this card was definitely taken earlier than 1924:  Another RPPC was found online of the same view that was postmarked 1921. That particular postcard had been mislabeled as the subject of a New York City pier. (Correction submitted August 2024.) It really goes to show how crucial it is to always look at the details, because when you click to enlarge the image, you’ll see the wording “Alakea Wharf” spelled out just a little below “Pier 7″……and Alakea Wharf was located in Honolulu, Hawaii:

Our postcard date estimate comes from the excellent Playle’s website, which identifies this particular AZO stamp box, (on the reverse) with its squares in each corner, as being from 1924 – 1949, however it’s probable that the card was produced in the 1920s. But, getting back to when the actual photo for the card was taken – I’d say mid-to-late 1910s, due to the look of the clothing styles. The car in the photo would be the best reference but it’s proving difficult to get a model and year for it since a crop of the vehicle is not very clear.

A little history from newspapers and books. Backtracking to 1893 – Alakea Street and the Pacific Mail Wharf:

Summer of 1907, Alakea Street Wharf completed

Alakea Wharf was named after its location, Alakea Street, which runs perpendicular to the waterfront. (It’s unclear whether it actually intersected.) From what we surmise from the article above, the Alakea Wharf appears to have replaced the Pacific Mail Wharf. Bidding for the new pier’s construction started in April 1906 and the work was completed around June or July of 1907:

Exterior and interior photo of the newly constructed wharf building, 1907 – from Governor Carter’s report for the fiscal year ending June 1907 (printed 1907). Note the lack of  “Pier 7” signage:

Below, February 1910, when the Elks Club put on their carnival and masquerade ball:

September 1910, Prince Tsai Hsun arrives in Honolulu: 

Heavy security at Alakea Wharf. Below, a couple of clips from a long account. The “knothole” referred to the press’ restrictions in attending a meeting that took place on board ship with officials and dignitaries.  

August, 1912. Friction starts a fire:

November 1912, discharged cargo holding up ships:

Name change – Alakea Street Wharf becomes Pier 7 in 1914:

On January 6, 1914, the Board of Harbor Commissioners unanimously voted that each of the nineteen Honolulu wharves should be called by a number. (There were twenty if you count Piers 5 and 5a as two separate entities.) See Maritime Hawai’i’s web post in sources.

Opium tins and an elusive diamond ring in, “Placer Mining in Honolulu.” Below, a portion of the January 1921 write-up:

March, 1922. During Prohibition, drinkers on board ship were toasting those below stuck in “dry-dock.”

Pier 7 today, 1988 – 2024

Today, the structure that was the Alakea Wharf/Pier 7 as it appeared in our postcard is no longer there. Pier 7 exists, but certainly, (as one would expect over a century later) not in the same capacity. When was the original building renovated or replaced? The answer would be in newspaper accounts, but the more recent decades in Newspapers.com are restricted due to copyright legalities. (Access to those years costs extra per month and are out of my price range.)

From 1988 – 2009, Pier 7 housed the Hawaii Maritime Center.

Falls of Clyde docked at Pier 7:

For some decades (start date not found) Pier 7 has been home to the historic vessel, Falls of Clyde. Built in 1878, she’s iron-hulled, four-masted full-rigged and is the last of her kind. She was registered as a National Historic Landmark in 1989, but unfortunately had to be unregistered in 2024, due to condition issues. See the prior link (Wikipedia) and this 2023 KITV news article for her proposed fate.

Sources:  “Real Photo Postcard Stamp Boxes. A-B. https://www.playle.com/realphoto/photoa.php (accessed July 19, 2024).

“Honolulu’ New Dock.” Hawaii Herald. April 6, 1906. Thursday, p. 6. (Newspapers.com).

“Carter to Return In July.” Hawaii Herald. May 23, 1907. Thursday, p. 3. (Newspapers.com).

“Late Wireless News.” Hawaii Herald. February 23, 1910. Wednesday, p. 6. (Newspapers.com).

“Alakea Wharf” and “Interior of Alakea Wharf Shed.” Report of the Governor of Hawaii to the Secretary of the Interior for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30 1907. Washington:  Government Printing Office. (1907). Google.com/books. 

“Prince Tsai Hsun Reaches America.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser. September 14, 1910. Wednesday, p. 1. (Newspapers.com).

“Sulphurous Fumes Start A Stampede.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser. August 28, 1912. Wednesday, p. 12. (Newspapers.com).

“Discharged Cargoes Choke All Honolulu Wharves And Make Proper Berthing Of Ships A Problem.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser. November 15, 1912. Friday, p. 16. (Newspapers.com).

“From Names to Numbers.” December 23, 2020. maritimehawaii.com. (Accessed August 1, 2024.)

“Captain Berger Will Have A Busy Week.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser. January 10, 1914. Saturday, p. 6. (Newspapers.com).

“Placer Mining in Honolulu.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser. January 28, 1921. Friday, p. 7. (Newspapers.com).

“Nothing to Brag About.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser. March 12, 1922. Sunday, p. 48. (Newspapers.com).

Hawaii Maritime Center. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_Maritime_Center (accessed August 19, 2024).

Falls of Clyde (ship). n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falls_of_Clyde_(ship) (accessed August 17, 2024).

Drewes, Paul. (2023, June 28). “State wants Falls of Clyde to go, to revitalize Honolulu Harbor pier.” Island News, kitv.com.

Old Photo of S.S. Northwestern

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Old photo, circa 1920s.

Price:  $25.00             Size:  About 5 and 1/2 x 3 and 1/4″

The S.S. Northwestern – a cargo and passenger ship running the Alaskan Coast

This one was found in a bin of loose photographs at a paper fair or antique store. No writing on the back and, at the time of looking through said bin, no potential relations stood out; none that would noticeably link themselves to this item, though they well could have been there. Knowing this, when singling out one photo to take home, there’s always that feeling of – possibly separating the poor individual from its home group. An integral portion of some family’s story is now being orphaned (sob!). Well no, not orphaned really, but adopted out. And then there’s always the flip side with its mysterious forces at play:  “One is better than none and if I don’t get this one, who will?”  In these situations, you can almost feel your purchase automatically opening a door (somewhere in the universe) with someone in the future finding the item (in delighted discovery), and relaying info to us such as, “My great-grandfather worked on that ship,” or “I have relatives that traveled up to [such-and-such] on this ship.” …..Back to the blank reverse, probably most of us have that tendency – to not take the time to put anything on the back. No judgement – it can definitely be tedious, and with all good intentions, often gets put off till “later.” And dealers (thousands of pieces passing through their hands) cannot realistically be expected to document where their acquisitions have come from. (Though once in great while you get lucky.) Fortunately, with this photo, we at least have the ship’s name which clearly shows. Here’s a crop, and I believe that’s a woman standing there – appearing for us just below the name and above the cargo in the netting. (Click to enlarge.) We’ll estimate the time-frame to be the 1920s, just due to the look of the clothing styles.

Source:  SS Northwestern. n.d.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Northwestern#/media/ File:S.S._Northwestern_moored_in_Seward,_Alaska.jpg (accessed July 16, 2024).

Firenze – Cattedrale e Panorama

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Italian postcard, unused. Circa 1950s. Publisher:  Gino Giusti, Florence, Italy. Artist-signed.

Price:  $5.00          Size:  5 and 7/8 x 4 and 1/16″

Florence, Italy – Panoramic view of Florence (Firenze) including the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (aka Florence Duomo). The unknown artist’s signature appears at the bottom right. I’m basing the 1950s estimated date for this card on a couple of postmarked cards that are currently appearing on eBay by the same publisher.

Note:  It’s unfortunate – the foxing marks that show on the reverse of this one, so if you’re a buyer, just be advised. Best storage is in an acid-free container away from other items. And, we do get buyers that only want digital copies – just let me know, if so.

Sources:  Florence Cathedral. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Cathedral (accessed July 13, 2024).

Foxing. n.d. Wikipedia.com. (accessed July 13, 2024).

Bronze Lion’s Head

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Divided back, unused postcard. Photographer:  Guido Bernardi, Genzano di Roma, Italy. Circa 1920s – 1930s. 

Price:  $15.00

A nice lion! Look at those eyes, they look human.

Genzano di Roma is a town and commune in the city of Rome, Italy – and the apparent home base for the photographer. We don’t know if he had a formal studio or may have worked out of a residence. Nothing, of note, was found for him, bearing in mind, we’re looking only from our limited vantage point here in the United States, without access to much in the way of Italian records. The wording on the reverse, “Proprieta artistica riservata”, translates to “Reserved artistic property.”

The card bears the description,  “Lago Di Nemi – Bronze di nave roma a.”  Lago di Nemi is Lake Nemi, located south of Rome.

And we found a better source for our postcard image on Wikipedia, showing a different view of the lion:

Decorazione bronzo navi di Nemi with the description:  “Navi di Nemi. Elemento decorativo in bronzo per testa di trave, rappresentante una testa di leone che stringe fra i denti un anello.”

Google translation: “Ships of Nemi. Bronze decorative element for beam head, representing a lion’s head clutching a ring between its teeth.”

Sources:  Genzano di Roma. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genzano_di_Roma (accessed July 12, 2024).

Lake Nemi. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nemi (accessed July 12, 2024).

Decorazione bronzo navi di Nemi – Museo scienza e tecnologia Milano Nemi. n.d. https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Decorazione_bronzo_navi_di_Nemi_-_Museo_scienza_e_tecnologia_Milano_Nemi_156.jpg (accessed July 12, 2024).

Link Extinguisher, York, North Yorkshire, England

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Divided back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. Signed. Copyright. Series or number:  6956. Photographer and publisher:  Walter Scott, Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Circa 1910 – 1930s.

Price:  $15.00

Link Extinguisher at York

Nice publisher logo on this one (the publisher’s initials). Walter Scott was a Bradford, Yorkshire, UK photographer. We found a listing for him in that city’s directory in 1912 at 2 Barkerend Road; an ad for him in a London newspaper in 1924; and another Real Photo card by him on eBay, with a postmark of 1932. So, estimating 1910 – 1930s for the date manufactured for ours.

The subject of our postcard, the link extinguisher, would have been notable as something rather uncommon – a remnant of an earlier age, before gas street lamps lit the way. The metal cone-shaped object was used to put out the torch carried by link-boys working the streets and servants of households of the more well-to-do.

Below, a clipping from the Manchester Evening News in 1908, regarding a different residence, also noteworthy because of its link extinguisher:

Sources:  Wm Byles & Sons, Ltd. Post Office Directory, Bradford and District Business Guide, 1912. p. 454.(Ancestry.com UK, City and County Directories, 1766 – 1946).

Link-boy. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link-boy (accessed July 10, 2024).

“A Link with the Past.”  Manchester Evening News (Manchester, England). December 4, 1908. Friday, p. 6. (Newspapers.com).

Walter Scott photographer ad. Daily Herald (London, England). January 30, 1924. Wednesday, p. 6. (Newspapers.com).

“Yorkshire Bradford BAILDON c1930s RP Postcard Walter Scott.” https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174238687742. Accessed July 10, 2024.

More of Mayme E. Myers or Unknown

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Three photos. Photographer(s):  Unknown. Sizes as noted include the cardboard matting.

Prices:  $15.00 each or $40.00 for three or $50.00 for all four (includes prior post photo).

About the possible name:  This is the same girl from our prior post. That photo has writing on the back that shows, “Mayme E. Myers.”  However, there are two women in that one but only the one name, so we can’t say for certain that this is Mayme. All four were found in an antique shop in Monterey, California. 

Size:  About 4 and 3/8 x 6 and 1/4″    Circa 1890s.

The subject of our photo above, at around thirteen years old. This one has a sticker on the reverse from the antique shop where it was found, (not naming names) which shows “1852.” Really, this was not from that time-period. For one, (no need to look for additional proof) there’s no doubt that she’s the same person in both the prior posting and the three on this page – this after comparing facial features and ear shape. (Just mentioning this sticker with “date” for a potential buyer and as a caution to anyone buying old photos that have a date affixed by the seller.) I’d estimate the date as circa 1890s – fashion-wise, with all the ruffles, the large sleeves, the grand bow in back, and that excellent hat with its high ostrich plumes. (Enlarging the photo, you’ll notice the two-heart pin at the neckline – rather adorable.)

Size:  About 4 and 1/4 x 6 and 3/8″      Circa 1900s.

Above, the second in this set. I think she’s a bit younger here than in the next one, and it’s another stunning shot. (She’s a beautiful girl and very photogenic.) If you enlarge the image, note that the curl that’s been allowed to drape on the shoulder seems to have fabric covering its upper portion. Unless this was altered in the photo process? Definitely possible, as it turns out there were modifications to this photo, read on to the end.

Size:  About 4 and 3/8 x 6 and 5/8″       Circa 1900s – 1910s.

Above, the third, our “Updo Girl.” I’m calling her this now in my head, after recently discovering a great movie on You Tube, called Detroit Unleaded. Check it out if you have the time. It has absolutely nothing to do with these photos and is just a phrase from the film – but fitting for her hairstyle. Enlarge to see the details on the beautiful lace blouse she’s wearing. As for the difference in skin-tone in this one compared to the others (especially the earliest) something was different in the photographic process – note the above’s slightly reddish hue. If these were modern-era photos we’d be talking about “white balance.”

Photo modification……

And having scrutinized the second photo, I’m compelled to show how it appears to have been retouched. The “dots” don’t appear to be dirt marks on the photo. The bodice of pleats with its soft polka dots looks very natural. But above that, more dots. Those look “off” or, at least, some do. Really, the full neckline trim is inconsistent – soft and flowery on our left and tighter, sort of knotted on our right. And then, we can see more telltale signs of retouching – the “scratch marks” as noted by the arrows. The changes were likely done while the image was still a negative, though “later on” they could be applied directly to the photo. We’ll get into some details on this extensive subject in an upcoming post, as time permits. But, see the last two sources below for more info.

Sources:  Hull, Rob. November 30, 2017. “White Balance:  100 Years of History.” https://thephotographeronline.com/inspiration/white-balance-100-years-of-history/. Accessed July 1, 2024.

Sears, Jocelyn. July 28, 2016. “How Photo Retouching Worked Before Photoshop.” https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/83262/how-photo-retouching-worked-photoshop. Accessed July 4, 2024.

Complete Self-Instructing Library of Practical Photography. Vol X. American School of Art and Photography. Scranton, Pennsylvania. (1909).  (Google.com book search).

Mayme E. Myers and Unknown

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Oval family photo on cardboard. Circa 1900 – 1910s. Photographer:  Mowrey.

Price:  $15.00               Size including cardboard mounting:  About 3 and 1/2 x 5″

Two lovely young women have posed for this family photo, wearing striped blouses trimmed with high necklines, and with the upswept hairdo popular in the Edwardian Era…..

Wow, it’s too bad that both names were not written on the back. We don’t know which one is Mayme, and we also don’t know, for sure, if Myers was her maiden name. I’m wondering if these two might be sisters. See the next post for three more studio-type photos of the woman on our left. And, it looks like there are too many possibilities to be able to locate Mayme in records, especially since Mayme or Mamie was sometimes a nickname for Mary.

As for the photographer, searching under the surname Mowrey, nationwide, from 1900 – 1920, three possibilities were found. Hopefully someone will be able to identify Mayme which will point us to a photographer location. In any case, the following may be of help: 

Harvey Allen Mowrey in Ashland, Ohio. Ran his own studio as of 1901.

William H. Mowrey, longtime photographer in Newport, Rhode Island.

Walter Emmert Mowrey.  Kansas native, active in Kearney and Custer County, Nebraska. Several newspaper articles show up for him. He also worked out of Salt Lake City, Utah 1909 – 1911. Died in Santa Cruz, California.

Lastly, it’s always possible he was none of the above. Since we’re not sure, we won’t go to any great lengths in sourcing the above; various records found were viewed from the list below:

Sources:  Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995.

Various census records and a family tree via Ancestry.com.

Newspapers.com. 

Findagrave.com.