Monday, May 25, 2009

John B. Frisbie


General John B. Frisbie died one hundred years ago this month – in May, 1909. Although the City of Vallejo is named for General Mariano G. Vallejo, it is Gen. Vallejo’s son-in-law, John Frisbie, who is widely accepted as the city’s true founder. John Frisbie was married to Vallejo’s oldest daughter, Epifania, also known as Fannie. After his father-in-law donated land to the State of California for the construction of a new state capital, it was John Frisbie who set out to make the city successful by promoting business in the fledgling community. He donated land for the construction of Vallejo’s first public school, city park, and cemetery. Frisbie also donated land to many of Vallejo’s early churches for the construction of their houses of worship. Frisbie’s death was reported in the Vallejo Evening Chronicle on May 11, 1909:

"J.R. English received a telegram this morning from J.B. Frisbie Jr. announcing the death of his father, Gen. J.B. Frisbie, which occurred in the City of Mexico at 3 a.m., today. And with his passing one of the founders of this city was numbered with the great army of the dead, for during the years that he made Vallejo his home General Frisbie worked untiringly for its good. He was the builder of the Bernard Block, and developed the White Sulphur Springs, his original investment there exceeding $100,000.

"The deceased was a native of Albany, New York, where he was born May 20, 1823. He studied law and enjoyed a lucrative practice in his home state until 1846 when he was elected captain of the Van Rensselaer Guards, acknowledged then to be the best drilled body in the state. War then existed with Mexico and as many of the young men of Albany were desirous of entering the service in defense of their country, Captain Frisbie recruited a company, which under the name of Company I, joined Col. J.D. Stevenson’s regiment at Governor’s Island and, embarking for San Francisco, reached the little hamlet of Yerba Buena after a six month’s trip.

"The regiment continued in service until July 1848 when it was mustered out, General Frisbie then associating himself with General Vallejo and occupying himself with the management of the latter’s extensive estates. From that time dated Frisbie’s extensive work for the advancement of the interests of Vallejo and Benicia. He was largely instrumental in securing Mare Island as a location for the navy yard and was also the promoter of the California Pacific Railroad, designed to connect Vallejo with the interior of the state, touching at Marysville, Sacramento and other points. The road was speedily built and, with indications of its success, it was further extended, the plan being to run branches into Napa Valley, Sonoma and the Russian River territory.

"The project was too great for that time, however, and it brought financial embarrassment to those who had hoped for so much from it. General Frisbie was not the man to succumb to temporary embarrassments, and the fact that he was at this time dispatched by the President and Secretary of State to the City of Mexico, where his missions resulted in amicable relations being established between the two countries and the government of General Diaz being recognized, led him to determine to make that land his adopted country and it it there that he has since made his home.

"In Mexico, as in California, he was ever a progressive, enterprising citizen, and his loss will be felt by many. He is survived by three sons and four daughters, all married and all residents of Mexico." [note: Fannie Vallejo Frisbie preceded her husband in death, passing away in 1905. Both are buried in Mexico City].

6 comments:

  1. My name is Hector L Frisbie. I was born in Mexico City. I'm a grand-grandson of John B Frisbie. My Granfather was J.B. Frisbie Jr. My mother's name is Fannie Frisbie.
    I'm planning to travel to San Francisco and spend some time around there. Is really nice to read about my history.
    Hector L. Frisbie MD
    hlfrisbie@gmail.com

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    1. I have in my posession a metal box that once belonged to John
      B. Frisbie. It came from the estate of Marie Williams, daughter of J.R. English, as you may know, was a freind of General J.B. Frisbie. My mother and father purchased property from Marie Williams located on the shore of Clear Lake in Calif. in the year 1963. Marie lived in a cabin directly behind the cabin she sold to my parents. We often fed Marie and helped her in many ways as she was in her nineties and nearly deaf and blind. Upon her passing she left in her will that my parents had the first option to purchase her estate, and they decided to do just that. When my father aqnd I were going through the basement of Maries home we came across this metal box that had the name "J.B.Frisbie" hand painted on the front of the box. I would be honored to return the box to you and your family should you like to posess it.














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    2. Mariano Vallejo was a traitor to his country. I would be ashamed of having him as an ancestor. He helped USA to take California from us.

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  2. hello hector frisbie,my name is scott jillson stevens i live in el dorado county ,placerville a little history you might or might not know about,alright well when your gg grandfathers unit disbanded they were in san diego now without work i believe gov mason,sf gave the members of that unit the jobs of scouting the incampments of the internal not yet californias populous,i now he work for charles webber daylor,and mccoon first known gold discovers of gold in and around placerville,your gg grandfather went around and collected the gold on webber creek from the indians,then brought it to webbers rancho near latrob ca that job was seasonal,I inhearited a musaleum in napa my father used to talk about frisbie well there is a frisbie inside the musoleum there is also a carlos jillson on the greens theres also a frisbie buried there {tulacae cemetary napa]my number is 530 3443701 or gratefulgd@yahoo.com we can talk hopefully soon,my family jillsons owned half a dozen hard rock mines 1870s til 1914 hornbrook ca french gulf near reading..

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  4. He was a freemasonry for sure like the others that gave up California to the Anglo Americans.

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