HENRY CLAY WILEY

FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE

Henry Clay Wiley was born on April 8, 1829 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and died on October 25, 1898, in Los Angeles, California. According to Henry, his parent's were Alexander and Elizabeth Wiley.(1) It was reported in the Los Angeles Herald in an article about Henry's death that his father's name was Capt. I. A. Wiley.(2) His father may have been a captain, but his name was definitely Alexander. The Wiley's moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, in the early 1830's.(3,6) The only Wiley (owning property) listed on an Lockerbie's Assessment List of Indianapolis (4) in 1835 was Alex Wiley. Alex was apparently a captain in the army and a tailor.(5,6,8)

Of Henry's early years, Dr. James C. Fletcher writes:(6)

"My earliest recollections of him were in the thirties, about 1832. He was a small boy when his father came to Indianapolis. His father was a merchant tailor, and he was a fine-looking man. I went to school with two of Henry's brothers. His eldest brother was a man of fine parts, and a well-known citizen (now deceased) of Indianapolis, whose daughter married the son of Gov. Wright of Indiana. The next older brother, James, entered the navy; and I last saw him as an officer, in 1853, on the U.S. steam man-of-war Saranac at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was distinguished as a good officer and a fine, benevolent man."

James F. Burns was the L.A. County Sheriff from 1868-1872. Henry C. Wiley was his undersheriff (deputy). Burns writes (7) that Wiley was:

"born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1829; here, and later at Indianapolis, he received a liberal education, when, at the age of 18 year, he joined the commissary department of the United States army in the campaign against Mexico; and he faithfully served his country until the close of the Mexican war. Leaving the army, he resided and traveled in all the coast States of Mexico, till 1852, when he arrived at San Diego, Cal., where he resided during the 50's."

Henry had three brothers, William, James, and Alexander.(8)

William Y. Wiley was born on March 28, 1816, in Pennsylvania. In the 1850's and 60's, William was a real estate agent in Indianapolis, Indiana.(9) On March 10, 1863, he was commissioned a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in the Ordinance Corps.(10) He reached the rank of captain. In his career, he was Commander of the Indianapolis Arsenal, an ordanance storekeeper, and a paymaster.(11) William resigned his commission and was discharged on October 1, 1870.(12) On January 29, 1873, William was killed in a freak railroad accident in Georgia.(13)

James Wiley was born on June 11, 1820, in Pennsylvania. James had a long career in the Marines. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps on January 9, 1847, in Indiana. He reached the rank of Captain in 1861 as an Assistant Quartermaster. From 1849-1850 he sailed on the USS Constitution with the Mediteranean Squadron. He retired on June 20, 1872.(14) James died on July 7, 1895, in Pennsylvania from "apoplexy".(15) Henry was at his brother's funeral.(16)

Capt. James Wiley not long before his death.(16b)

Little is known of brother Alexander Wiley except his death. He committed suicide by drowning himself in the White River in Indianapolis sometime between 1834 and 1842. A fight with his father was evidently the cause of the suicide.(17)

I have found no official records of Henry Wiley's service in the army. J. F. Burns wrote (see above) that Wiley "faithfully served his country" and "leaving the army...", so Burns, his future boss, was apparently satisfied that Wiley was in the army. Later evidence (mentioned below in the 1870's section) also suggested that he was in the army.

The 1850 US Census of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, taken in August, has a "Henry Wily" working as a clerk. The 1850 US Census for Santa Fe, New Mexico, taken in December, has an "H. C. Whiley" also working as a clerk. Both men were born in Pennsylvania and both men were the same age that our Henry Wiley would be. Working in the commissary department probably required a lot of clerical work. Maybe after the Mexican War Wiley lived for a while in his hometown in Pennsylvania and then moved west to New Mexico and then to San Diego, California. Or maybe this is a different H. C. Wiley.

SAN DIEGO AND MARRIAGE

Henry Wiley was not on the California census of 1852, in San Diego taken in October, so he must have arrived in San Diego in late 1852 or early 1853.

On June 5, 1853, 24 year old Wiley married teenager Ana Maria Reyes.(1) After the marriage, she consistently used the name Anita, but sometimes Anna. San Diego Mission baptism records(1b) show that Ana was born in July of 1835 in San Diego, California. She died on January 7, 1901, in Los Angeles. The 1852 census listed 16-year old Ana Reyes in San Diego. On the census, she was right after Maria Feliciana Reyes Valdes, whose house hosted Ana's marriage. Ana was probably living in the house in 1853 and Maria Feliciana Reyes was probably her aunt, the older sister of Marta Reyes. It is not known if mother Marta Reyes was at the wedding. On the 1852 California census, Marta was living in Los Angeles County as a laborer.

There is little doubt that Anita was the illegitimate daughter of Andres Pico. Many references state this.(20) She had to have been conceived in September of 1836. At this time Andres Pico was in charge of Rancho Jamul (21), which was located about 30 miles east of San Diego. Anita might have been born there. Her mother's name was Marta Reyes.(1) Unfortunately, we do not know if Marta was working on Rancho Jamul at that time. Anita was also the half-sister of Romulo Pico, another illegitimate offspring of Andres, who had no "legitimate" children and never legally married. However, while Andres adapted Romulo, he did not adapt Anita.

Anita Pico on the right and Catarina Moreno on the left. [The Seaver Center description has Catarina, but this is probably Catalina Moreno, the wife of Andres Pico. She was about 6 years older than Anita.] General Photo File Collection, Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.	Anita Pico. General Photo File Collection, Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

Henry first appeared in a newspaper (and there was only one at that time - the San Diego Herald) in August of 1853 as an election judge in San Diego Township for the September election.(18) In 1854, Wiley was listed as a Grand Juror for the County of San Diego (22) and would also be listed again in 1856.(23)

1854 newspaper ads for the Jolly Boy Saloon mention Shelby and Wiley as the owners.(24) However, whether this was our Henry Wiley is not known. It was similar to his future endeavours of being a partner in a pool hall and a real estate business, so it is possible. The Jolly Boy Saloon is actually still in business today.

In the San Diego Herald of May 5, 1855, a Sole Trader notice (25) was published by Anita Wiley:

"Anita Wiley, wife of H. C. Wiley, now a resident of the county of San Diego, hereby gives public notice of her intention and design to carry on and transact business in her own name and on her own account, after this date, in accordance with an Act approved April 12, 1852. The same, including my declaration duly certified to, has been recorded in the office of the County Clerk of the County of San Diego aforesaid. Anita Wiley. San Diego, April 4, 1855."

In June of 1855, H. C. Wiley announced that he was a candidate for Sheriff of San Diego County in the coming election.(26) Soon after that, Wiley published an administrator notice for the estate of Feliciana Reyes asking any creditors of Reyes to present their claims to him for payment.(27) Wiley's wedding had taken place in Feliciana Reyes' house just two years before. She died at the age of about 54 and was the aunt of his wife Anita.

The final results for the election of September 1855 show that Wiley finished second to Joseph Reiner.(28) Reiner had 80 votes to Wiley's 67. Reiner would be sheriff for only one year, but Wiley would never be sheriff of any county (29), although he would soon be a constable of San Diego County and later an undersheriff (or deputy) of Los Angeles County

In December of 1855, Wiley applied to probate court for an order of sale of the estate of Feliciana Reyes.(30) An adminstrator's notice was published by Wiley in the San Diego Herald of February 23, 1856, and March 1, stating that a public auction would be given at the Court House door on March 3rd for the property of Dona Feliciana Reyes.

In the San Diego Herald of March 1, 1856, Henry C. Wiley was reported to be a Constable. A list of the San Diego Township officers was published in the San Diego Herald of April 19, 1856, also showed H. C. Wiley as a Constable. He was still a Constable in 1857 (31). Historically, sheriffs and constables (and marshals) served different courts and had different non-court functions.

In 1859, he was listed as a lighthouse keeper in San Diego with Henry Hancock as the lighthouse superintendent. Wiley received a $600 annual compensation. It is unknown when he started as the keeper.(31b)

The San Diego Herald of January 28, 1860, listed property owned by H.C. Wiley and Anna Maria Wiley, a rare mention of Anita's (Ana's, or Anna's) middle name.

NORTH TO SAN FERNANDO

Although they still owned land in San Diego, according to his obituary he moved to Los Angeles County in 1858. There, Henry became the mayordomo, or superintendant, of the ranchero of Andres Pico in San Fernando. Pico's ranchero consisted of the lands and buildings of the ex-mission of San Fernando. Wiley probably obtained such an important position because his wife Anita was the daughter of Andres. In 1859, Wiley was an election inspector in August (32) and the foreman of a jury in November.(33)

The 1860 U. S. Census for the part of Los Angeles County where Wiley and Pico lived was taken on July 21, 1860. H. C. Wiley and Anita are listed right after Andres Pico. Pico's family included Catalina, who lived as his wife. They never legally married, which prevented Catalina from becoming heir to Pico's estate after he died. Also listed is Pico's illegitimate adapted son Romulo (also spelled Romolo). The Wiley's have a 6 year old son named Jose, who would become Joseph on the 1870 census. There is also a 1 year old girl named Catalina. However, she was not the daughter of the Wiley's or of Pico. She was the illegitimate daughter of Joseph Lancaster Brent, a one-time lawyer and friend of Andres Pico. After Catalina was born, Brent travelled east to fight for the Confederancy and never returned.(34) He left Catalina with Pico who probably had the Wileys help raise her. In 1874, 28 year old Romulo would marry 15 year old Catalina. The census shows that Wiley was financially well off with $5000 worth of real estate and $7000 worth of personal estate. Andres Pico was very wealthy at this time.

There was not much news about Wiley for the years he worked for Andres Pico. The Los Angeles Semi-weekly Southern News of September 26, 1862, listed Wiley as selling 3201 pounds of wool to Corbitt & Barker. It was probably Pico's, but it might have been his. In February of 1863, the Los Angeles Star(35) reported on a pigeon shooting match which Wiley participated, and did well, in. He became noted as an excellant marksman and competed in many matches throughout his life. In May of 1864, it was reported that Andres Pico and H.C. Wiley were leaving Los Angeles to return to Pico's ranch in San Fernando in a two horse buggy when the horses became frightened and bolted causing the driver, Pico, to fall out of the buggy. As soon as Pico fell out, Wiley jumped out. Except for a few scratches, no one was hurt.(36)

NEW HOME AND PETROLEUM

In 1864 H.C. Wiley decided to make a change. On May 28, 1864, he leased a ranch located on the Rancho San Francisco from Jose Ygnacio Del Valle.(37) This was the ranch that was, in the past, used by Josiah Hart from about 1854 through 1858 and became a stage stop for the Butterfield Overland Stage Line.(38) In the future, it would be purchased by Sanford Lyon and become Lyon's Station. For now, it would be the Wiley's new home.

In January of 1865, petroleum was discovered in Pico Canyon by Jesus Hernandez and Ramon Perea. This created some excitement and instigated the exploration of the surrounding mountains. With Henry Wiley living nearby, it was relatively easy for him to explore for himself. On March 18, 1865, Wiley, as the discoverer, filed two 1000 foot claims in the records of the Los Angeles Asphaltum and Petroleum Mining District (39), with a copy recorded later in the Los Angeles County Recorders Office (40). He called his claim the Wiley Lead and it contained what was called Wiley's Springs and was located in the soon-to-be-named Wiley Canyon. On the same day, Darius Towsley and Myron E. Everts, as locators, each took one 1000 foot claim on the Wiley Lead just north of Wiley's claim (41).

Also on March 18, Darius Towsley (also spelled Tousley) made two claims as the discoverer of what he called the Towsley Lead in what would be called Towsley Canyon. Henry C. Wiley and Myron E. Everts also took up one claim each there (42).

On March 21, 1865, Wiley, Towsley, and Everts, contracted to Lewis Jaszynsky (spelling varies) the petroleum rights to the Wiley and Towsley claims with certain conditions. These conditions were (a) that within 30 days Jaszynsky would pay them $1000, (b) that within 8 months Jaszynsky would begin to bore wells at his cost, (c) that 1/10 of any crude oil Jaszynsky found would go to the three claim holders, and (d) Jaszynsky would pay to have a man hold the possession of the claims until he started to bore for oil. If Jaszynsky failed to obey any of the conditions, the contract would be null and void.(43) On April 10, 1865, Jaszynsky added seven other men to to the contract, he retaining only 1/6 interest and the others either 1/6 or 1/12 interest.(44)

On March 27, 1865, Myron E. Everts quit-claimed all his rights to both the Wiley Lead and the Towsley Lead to Henry Wiley for $100.(45)

One of the first newspaper articles mentioning the wells in Wiley Canyon come from the Sacramento Daily Union of March 31, 1865:

"At Wiley's Wells, about ten miles from San Fernando, there are more than one hundred springs on both sides of a creek, where the petroleum exudes out of the stratum of sandstone and decomposed slate which pitch down toward the creek, and runs off with the water for more than a quarter of a mile, and sinks into the sand or evaporates, without leaving any hard brea. I am told that several hundred gallons of petroleum are discharged from these springs daily. It floats off on top of the water till both sink or disappear."

The following map was surveyed on April 28, 1865. It shows Touseley [sic] Gulch (Towsley Canyon), Wiley Gulch (Wiley Canyon), Arroyo Rincon (South Fork of the Santa Clara River), and East Branch of Arroyo Rincon (Gavin Canyon). This is a part of the Wiley Canyon sketch map from the Solano-Reeve collection, Maps, Huntington Digital Library. Full map can be seen here.

Wiley must have been pleased with the favorable assay of the Wiley Spring petroleum reported in the Daily Alta California of June 13, 1865. It said that after refined "it is equal to the best imported oils in illuminating power." The Wilmington Journal of February 10, 1866, reported that Dr. Vincent Gelcich met with Wiley at his home on January 31, 1866. After resting there, they proceeded to Wiley Springs, where Wiley gave him a tour of the work going on. There were about 50 springs, many enlarged four to six feet deep to collect the oil.

On March 7, 1866, Darius Towsley sold 1/2 interest of his claims on the Towsley and Wiley Leads to Sylphina Rushmore of San Francisco for $75.(46)

On March 12, 1866, Towsley then sold his remaining interest on his claims in both canyons to Henry Wiley "in consideration of the satisfaction and settlement of all claims and accounts which the party of the second part [Wiley] may have or claim against the party of the first part [Towsley] and for the consideraton of one horse delivered to the party of the first part by said party of the second part."(48)

There may have been some confusion as to how much interest in the two claims Rushmore actually owned, so also on March 12, 1866, Wiley and Rushmore came to an agreement that Rushmore owned 1/4 interest on the claims in both canyons with Wiley owning the remaining 3/4 interest.(49)

On June 18, 1866, Stephen F. Peckham visited the canyons. Peckham reported that the Wiley Springs Oil Company had been operating both the Wiley and the Towsley Canyon claims since August of 1865. In Wiley Canyon, Peckham reported that there was a 175-ft deep well producing a very small quantity of oil . There was also a 180-ft long tunnel and three others were just started. He also reported that the two claims had produced 260 barrels of oil since August of 1865. The superintendant of all the work going on was Mr. Rushmore.(47) Was he related to Sylphina Rushmore, the owner of 1/4 interest? Seems likely because the 1880 U.S. Census for San Francisco has an Albert, age 57, and Sylvania Rushmore, age 53. Albert was the brother of Sylvania and his occupation was a contractor. Sylphina could easily have been misspelled as Sylvania, it is an unusual name.

On August 15, 1866, the contract to Jaszynsky (and the many others that he had added to it) from March 21, 1865, was sold back to the Wiley Springs Oil Company for $1 to each man.(50) One of the men was A. Rushmore.

Sometime between 1866 and 1872, Sylphina Rushmore must have sold her 1/4 interest to Wiley (I haven't been able to locate the document) because on January 18, 1872, Wiley leased the Wiley and Towsley Oil Springs to Samuel B. Caswell, John F. Ellis, and W.P. Davis for one year with a monthly rental of fifty dollars. They were going to work both petroleum springs. On the third of October, 1872, Wiley filed suit over unpaid rent and refusal to vacate the premises. On October 19, Wiley won by default because the defendants failed to appear or answer the suit and on October 23, Los Angeles County Sheriff Rowland removed the three defendants from the property.(51)

The men must have made up quickly, because the Los Angeles Herald of January 13, 1874, reported that the owners of the "Tousely" well were Wiley and Caswell. However, on December 12, 1878, Wiley sold Caswell 1/4 interest in the Towsley claim for ten dollars(52), so it's doubtful that Caswell was an owner in 1874. Also on December 12, 1878, for ten dollars, Wiley sold 1/4 interest to Mary L. Ellis.(53) She was the widow of J.F. Ellis (who had died of typhoid fever in 1877). Then, on January 21, 1879, Mary Ellis sold all her interest on the Towsley claim to Caswell for one dollar.(54) Also on January 21, 1879, Wiley sold all his interest on the Towsley claim to Caswell for one dollar.(55) On January 22, 1879, Caswell sold 1/3 interest to Charles J. Ellis.(Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 67, pp. 46-47.)

On August 20, 1879, S.B. Caswell, J.F. Ellis and H.C. Wiley were granted a patent by the U.S. General Land Office for the Towsley Petroleum Mine.(56) The application must have been filed before Wiley sold out to Caswell. On February 10, 1881, Caleb and Abigal Ellis, the parents of J.F. Ellis, sold all of their son's interest (probably from the patent) in the Towsley claim to Charles J. Ellis for $50.(Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 149, pp. 597-598.) Then on May 7, 1884, Caswell sold 1/3 interest of the Towsley Petroleum Claim back to Wiley for one dollar.(Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 122, pp. 500-502.) On January 25, 1886, Wiley sold his 1/3 interest to Charles J. Ellis for $4000.(Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 149, pp. 595-597.) At this point, Charles J. Ellis appeared to own 2/3 and S.B. Casewell 1/3 of the Towsley claim, but more probably Ellis was the sole owner. There is a possibility that I missed a transaction.

A note on names: Samuel B. Caswell (1828-1898) and John F. Ellis (1843-1877) were partners in a general merchandise store, which was opened in July of 1866.(Los Angeles Herald, October 29, 1873) Charles J. Ellis (1845-1907) was an attorney in Los Angeles who was, as far as I could tell, not related to John F. Ellis.

Below is a map is from 1876 and shows the Towsley Petroleum Mine, Lot No. 40, on the south side of the Narrows in Towsley Canyon. Lot 40 was patented in 1879. It also shows Wiley Canyon, Sanford Lyon's house in Lyon Canyon, Michael Brophy's house, and the mouth of East and Rice Canyon . From Map of Township 3 North, Range 16 West, SBM, Surveyor General's Office, San Franciso California, March 8th, 1876 (downloaded from General Land Office records website).

On August 7, 1878, Wiley sold 1/4 interest in the Wiley Oil Claim to Caswell for one dollar.(57) On the same day, Wiley also sold 1/4 interest in the Wiley Oil Claim to Mary L. Ellis for one dollar (and other valuable considerations).(58) The next day, Wiley again sold 1/4 interest in the Wiley Oil Claim to Joseph Wiley, his son, for one dollar.(59) On August 15, the four owners filed for a patent on what they called the Wiley Petroleum Mine.(Los Angeles Herald, January 1, 1889) There are no records of the patent ever being approved. Not needing a patent, on January 15, 1879, the four owners sold the Wiley Oil Claim to Charles N. Felton of the Pacific Coast Oil Company for $1000.(60) Felton would eventually receive a patent on October 6, 1891.(61)

Henry C. Wiley was now out of the petroleum business. See a summary of the Wiley and Towsley oil transactions here.

UNDERSHERIFF AND LOS ANGELES

To resume Wiley's non-petroleum story, we must go back a few years. In 1865, H.C. Wiley was nominated to run for Los Angeles County Sheriff by the Bolter's Convention. These were unsatisfied members of the Los Angeles Union Convention.(62) However, Tomas Avila Sanchez was elected sheriff over Wiley.(29)

On June 8, 1866, Henry Clay Wiley registered to vote. He was a 37 year old farmer from Pennsylvania.

In the Los Angeles County election of September 1867, James Frank Burns (1831-1921) was elected sheriff (63) over Tomas Sanchez and would remain so until 1871.(29) Wiley had run for county assessor, but had lost.(29b) Burns selected Henry C. Wiley to be his undersheriff (or deputy).(29c)

Wiley moved to Los Angeles at this time, but I am not sure exactly when. On January 24, 1868, Wiley purchased lots in the City of Los Angeles within Second, Spring, and Fort Streets from J.F. Burns for $1000.(64) The deed said that he was a resident of the City of Los Angeles at that time.

J.F. Burns, from Newmark, Sixty Years in Southern California, 1916, p. 155.

As a side note, Sanford Lyon (and not with brother Cyrus) would purchase Wiley's vacated ranch on Novermber 30, 1868, from the Philadelphia & California Petroleum Company(65), the new owners of Rancho San Francisco. Lyon planned to raise sheep and open a tavern. The tavern would be called Lyon's Station.

An interesting land transaction occured on June 17, 1868. H. C. Wiley and J. F. Burns sold 5/24 of Rancho Encino to William F. Somers for $2500.(66) According to Wikipedia, Rancho Encino was owned by James Thompson from 1867 to 1869. It appears from the deed that Thompson actually owned only 7/12 of the original Rancho Encino(67). So somebody else owned 5/12 or 10/24. That somebody (and I can't find any records of who) sold Burns and Wiley half of what they owed - 5/24. Thompson was the Sheriff of Los Angeles County from 1858 to 1859. Burns was the current sheriff.

Some of Wiley's exploits as an undersheriff were reported. On October 3, 1868, Wiley led a four man posse to arrest a man named Vicente Alvitre for two charges, horse stealing and threatening murder. At Alvitre's house, Alvitre refused to give up and instead a shootout erupted. When it was all over only Alvitre and a horse were killed. It was not known whose shot actually killed Alvitre since so many shots were fired.(68) On December 10, 1868, Wiley arrested William Swartz, who had just killed a man.(69) In April of 1869, Wiley arrested Tom Stewart on charges of concealing stolen property.(69b) In September of 1869, Wiley arrested a Captain Barry for stealing a horse. Barry was on the steamer Senator when Wiley arrested him.(70) In November of 1869, Wiley and others arrested four stagecoach robbers who had got away with nearly $8000. They were eventually convicted and sent to San Quentin for ten years.(71)

Wiley was also still involved in shooting matches. The San Francisco Examiner of February 7, 1870, (in the Los Angeles news section) reports that Wiley won the first pigeon shooting match of the season at the race track by killing fourteen out of fifteen birds.

On the 28th of September, 1870, Burns and Wiley happened upon a screaming woman in Los Angeles. The woman was screaming because she just found the body of her mother, who had committed suicide.(72)

The most famous event that Wiley was involved in was the lynching of Michel Lachenais on the evening of December 17, 1870. Wiley was the deputy guarding the jail where Lachenais was being held when a mob of about two hundred armed members of a vigilance committee approached. They demanded the keys to the jail from Wiley, but he refused. The mob then pushed past him, broke into the jail, and removed Lachenais. After taking Lachenais a few blocks away, he was hung.(73)

On the 1870 United States Census of the Los Angeles Township (see below), his wife's name was Anna M. and they had a 16 year old son named Joseph (Jose from 1860). Jesus Martinez is a 12 year old female. Her status is unknown. Catalina from 1860 is missing. Wiley's occupation is Under Sheriff. His wealth had remained about the same since 1860.

A word on Joseph. Not much is known about Joseph Wiley. He was born in 1854. On California voter registrations he was a mechanic in 1875, a machinist in 1879, and a driver in 1884, each time living in Los Angeles. On each of those records, he was listed either before or after Henry C. Wiley. We know that Henry conveyed 1/4 interest of the Wiley Oil Claim to him on January 16, 1879. However, he was not reported as being at either his father's or his mother's funeral or even mentioned as their son. He was apparently not included in Henry's will. I don't know when or where he died. Like the majority of people, his life was just not newsworthy.

Los Angeles County Offical Directory in May of 1871 showing Sheriff Burns, Under Sheriff Wiley, and Deputy Sheriff Burdette
(from the Los Angeles Daily News of May 19, 1871)

THE 1870'S

1871 was the last year that Wiley was an Under Sheriff. In the 70's, Wiley was very active in Los Angeles affairs. Here are some of them grouped by category.


REAL ESTATE:

In October of 1873, Wiley and Daniel M. Berry formed a partnership in the real estate business.(74) They advertised extensively.

On January 19, 1876, the leading real estate brokers of Los Angeles met at the office of Wiley & Berry and decided to form the Los Angeles Board of Real Estate Brokers. Wiley's partner D.M. Berry was one of the men appointed to prepare a Constitution and By-Laws for the new board.(75)


ASSOCIATIONS & COMMITTEES:

On September 27, 1873(76), the Los Angeles Society of Veterans of the Mexican War was organized. Henry C. Wiley was a charter member. In April of 1876, he, along with the other Mexican War veterans living in Los Angeles, received a special medal from the society.(77)

The Los Angeles Fruit Belt Association was incorporated on April 2, 1875.(78) H. C. Wiley and his old petroleum partner S. B. Caswell were two of the seven Directors.

In January of 1876, Wiley was elected to the Board of Managers of the Southern District Agriculture Society.(79) In November of that year, Wiley was appointed as one of the members of a committee to subdivide and sell land that the society owned.(80) In January of 1877, Wiley was elected to the Board of Trustees.(81)

From the Los Angeles Herald, March 5, 1876.

The Temple & Workman Bank went bankrupt in 1876. There were bank panics throughout the country in 1875. The state economy was hit hard by a Nevada silver mining stock speculation that drained bank cash reserves. The Temple & Workman Bank ran out of cash, closed, obtained a loan, but had to close again after they ran out of cash again. They had to go into bankruptcy. It was then discovered how poorly managed the bank was. They had a too liberal lending policy and had over invested in many projects. H. C. Wiley was nominated to be on the advisory committee for the bankruptcy.(82) See wikipedia for more info on Temple & Workman.

From the Los Angeles Herald, March 5, 1876.

There was a meeting of the Olive Lodge No. 26, Knights of Pythias, held on December 28, 1876, where Wiley was elected as an M. & E. (most excellent) officer.(83) The Knights of Pythias were similar to the Freemasons.

From the Los Angeles Evening Express, December 19, 1877.

SPORTS:

Late in 1875, Wiley won a pigeon shooting match in Santa Monica by picking off 12 of 13 birds.(84) Besides shooting, Wiley was also occasionally a racetrack timer.(85) There was a big pigeon shooting match on March 5, 1876, between Wiley and C.A. Loud of Massachusetts. Wiley won by one bird.(86)

From the Los Angeles Evening Express, March 6, 1876.

In September of 1876, a shooting match was arranged between Wiley and Los Angeles City Councilman Huber with special rules making it harder for Wiley.(87) Wiley would win.

Notice of Huber vs. Wiley match from the Los Angeles Evening Express, September 4, 1876.	Results of Huber vs. Wiley match from the Los Angeles Evening Express, September 11, 1876.

POLITICS:

In August of 1875, he was one of the many Vice-Presidents of the Independent County Central Committee. Other notable Vice-Presidents of that committee were Major Horace Bell, Major Henry Hancock, and Romulo Pico.(88) On February 1, 1877, Wiley was selected to serve on the Los Angeles County Grand Jury.(89)

In July of 1877, Wiley was nominated by the Republican party as their candidate for Sheriff of Los Angeles County.(90) Unfortunately for him, the Democratic candidate, H.M. Mitchell, was elected.(29)

From the Los Angeles Evening Express, August 3, 1877.

In 1878, Henry C. Wiley was the Secretary pro tem of the Central Committee of the Republican Party.(91) In December of 1878, the Los Angeles City Council was due to select a Chief of Police. One of the four leading candidates was Henry Wiley.(92) But, on December 18th, Wiley dropped out for unknown reasons.(93) The Council selected Henry King on December 20th.(94)


INSURANCE:

In June of 1878, Henry C. Wiley became an insurance agent for California Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company.(95)

From the Los Angeles Evening Express, August 3, 1877.

1879:

One might wonder what ever happened to Henry Wiley's wife Anita? With so many activities in the 1870's, how did he even find any time to be with her? He finally mentioned her in a newspaper article in January of 1879. While preparing a chicken for dinner, Mrs. Wiley found a piece of gold in the chicken's gizzard, which had happened twice before.(96)

Anita is also mention in a January 22, 1879, deed from Henry and Anita Wiley to John E. Hollenbeck. For $11,425.00, the Wileys sold Hollenbeck a large amount of property in Los Angeles.(97)

But a very significant event happened in February of 1879, that would be the start of big changes in Henry C. Wiley's life in the early 1880's. The Los Angeles Herald of February 5, 1879, said that Wiley was planning a prospecting tour of Arizona.

---

ARIZONA AND DIVORCE

In Arizona, the tour having started, it was reported the H. C. Wiley along with Tray McClarey and J. K. Musick owned a couple of good silver claims about 50 miles from Tucson.(98) They planned to ship the ore to San Francisco.(99)

On March 16, 1880, the Common Council of Tucson passed an ordinance giving H. C. Wiley and his associates a franchise to build and operate street railways on certain streets in Tucson. The ordinance had certains terms and conditions that were required to be followed, such as they had to start within the next six months and they had to construct and commence operating within two years.(100) At that time, street railways were carriages pulled by one or two horses along rails laid on the streets.

In July of 1880, Wiley was reported to have recently finished building a three room house in Tucson.(101) His wife Anita was still in Los Angeles. On September 25, 1880, he registered to vote in Pima County, Arizona(102), the county that Tucson is located in. He would register in Pima County again on July 25, 1882.(103)

On September 12, 1880, the Arizona Daily Star reported that Wiley had laid the first rail for the streen railway, securing his franchise. Further expanding this story was the Arizona Weekly Citizen on September the 18th. In December, the Los Angeles Herald in its "Our Tucson Letter" section, reported that "H. C. Wiley has a franchise for a horse railroad and is doing well in mining speculations."(104) In February of 1881, Wiley sold his street railway franchise to Dr. C. H. Lord.(105) Dr. Charles H. Lord was a Civil War surgeon, coming to Tucson in 1866 and practicing briefly. He founded Lord & Williams Wholesale Mercantile Company. His company would hold franchises for gas and electric light plants, besides the street railway system.

In October of 1881, the Los Angeles Herald again reports on "our old townsman, Mr. H. C. Wiley". He had taken a trip to Sonora, Arizona, to visit some of the towns in that region. Wiley was expected to make the town of "Hermosillo his base of operations for a time."(106)

Anita Wiley finally had enough. On April 27, 1882, she filed for divorce in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.(19) In her complaint, she said that Henry Wiley had "willfully and without cause deserted and abandoned" her. Furthermore, she alleged that Wiley had committed adultery with a Mrs. Butler in Tucson and now lives with her in Tucson. In defense of Henry, "family legends state that she had a temper, and threw a knife at him."(107) Both parties waived a trial by jury, letting the judge decide the case. On June 1, 1882, Judge Sepulveda ruled in favor of Anita Wiley, granting the divorce, although he ruled that the adultery item in the complaint was not proven. The June 2 issue of the Los Angeles Times reported that "Case tried. Decree granted on the ground of wilful desertion." On June 8, all of the Los Angeles and San Diego property mentioned in the divorce was conveyed to Anita.(108) The deed was actually written on May 22, but it wasn't recorded until June 8, after the divorce was over.

Of interest is an 1881 Tucson Directory (found here) that lists both "Wiley, H. C., mining, 203 Fifth Ave." and "Butler, Mrs. G. J., 207 Fifth Ave.". So there was a Mrs. Butler and she lived two doors down from Wiley. As we will soon see, in two years Henry would marry Mrs. Nellie Butler. I can't figure out who G.J. Butler is, but he was apparently Nellie's husband just before Henry. He either died or divorced Nellie by 1881 (since he is not on the directory). I could not find any information about him.

On August 17, 1882, the Los Angeles Herald had a small article on H. C. Wiley, who was back in town. It said that he was a "millionaire in prospective like so many other of the sagacious and patient people of the territory, who are waiting for the full fruition of their labors in securing valuable mining properties." He would return to Tucson in September.(109) While away, he was selected as a trial juror for the District Court in Tucson.(110)

---

BACK TO LOS ANGELES AND NEW WIFE

Wiley was reported to be back in Los Angeles in January of 1883.(111) After returning to Tucson, he sold off his mining claims to his partners.(112)

On March 4, 1883, Wiley married Mrs. Nellie S. Butler. Below is the marriage record (from Arizona, Pima County, Marriage Records, 1877-1901, on FamilySearch.org). She was a widow with four sons.(107) She was born in Boston, Massachusettes on March 14, 1847, and died in Los Angeles on May 27, 1924. Nellie had fours sons with a previous husband named George Beardsley. Their four names were Robert (1866-1901), Henry (1868-?), Heathcliff (1870-1929), and Nathanial (1872-1898). The sons were all born in Illinois.

On April 5th, he again returned to Los Angeles from Tucson and this time with an A.L. Berry.(113) The Herald said that Wiley "will probably remain here during the summer." Actually, Wiley wasn't returning to Arizona. The Los Angeles Herald of April 27, 1884, reported that Wiley was going to San Francisco "to join his family who are in that city on a visit." He has a family already? On May 1, 1883, the Los Angeles Herald listed passengers who arrived in Los Angeles from the East via the Southern Pacific Railroad and connections the previous evening. From Tucson was Mrs. H. C. Wiley, Henry's new wife.

The Los Angeles Times of June 24, 1885, mentions "H.C. Wiley and family". Finally, on March 31, 1886, in the Los Angeles Herald, are Henry's daughters May and Belle finally mentioned. On December 10, 1887, the Los Angeles Times reports that "The fancy dancing of little Belle Wiley was as dainty an exposition of the terpsichorean art as was ever seen on any state. She will dance again tonight, with her twin sister, by special request." They were twins, but not identical.(107) I have found no birth records for the sisters, but death records for May(114) state that she was born on May 28, 1880, in Arizona. Belle's 1923 passport(115) says that she was born on May 28, 1880 in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Herald of September 13, 1895, settles the birth year. "H. C. Wiley has filed a petition to be appointed guardian of his 15-year old twin daughters, May and Belle." So they were born in 1880. Since both Henry and Nellie were living in Arizona in 1880, the girls must have been born there. Anita was correct in her charge of adultery by Henry in her divorce lawsuit.

Belle Wiley with (maybe) mother Nellie. From ancestry.com.

Belle and May Wiley, 1892. From the George Steckel Portrait Collection Seaver Center for Western History Research, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.

The Los Angeles Times of May 16, 1883, contained a list of letters for ladies that needed to be picked up at the Los Angeles Post Office. Both Nellie Wiley and Anita Wiley, Henry's new wife and ex-wife, were listed. They could have bumped into each other at the post office.

In July of 1883, Wiley purchased the Brunswick Billiard Hall from E. B. Knapp.(116) He had a partner, A. L. Berry, the man who came to Los Angeles with Wiley from Tucson earlier in April. They must have been making plans then. However, in December, Wiley bought out his partner.(117)

From the Los Angeles Herald, August 8, 1883.	From the Los Angeles Herald, December 25, 1883.

In May of 1884, Wiley left town to visit his old home in Indianapolis, Indiana, and then to visit his brother, Captain James Wiley, in New York. He also planned to stop at the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.(118) He would spend nearly a month out of town.

H.C. Wiley was still listed as a member of the Olive Lodge No. 26, Knights of Pythias in 1885.(119)

On January 1, 1886, the opening of the refurbished Wiley's billiard parlor was announced in the Los Angeles Herald.

Wiley was arrested and fined $50 for being a faro dealer in February of 1887.(120) Faro was the most popular card game of the 19th century in the U.S, far ahead of poker. Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and Doc Holliday were all faro dealers. From what I could tell, California banned all banking games (where the player bets against the house) in 1860. Faro was one of those games. It was illegal to run (i.e. deal) the game and, after 1885, it was also illegal to play the game. Of course, one could probably find an illegal game in most towns.

In July of 1887, Wiley, J. F. Burns, and M. G. Willard formed a real estate partnership. This was the second time for Wiley, who had formed a partnership with D. M. Berry in 1873. Wiley was the undersheriff for Burns when he was sheriff of Los Angeles County from 1868 through 1871. Wiley and Burns had done some real estate deals in the past.

From the Los Angeles Times, July 5, 1887.	From the Los Angeles Herald, July 29, 1887.

Wiley still owned a billiards parlor and in April of 1888 he had to pay $590 to bail out two faro dealers who were arrested when the police raided his parlor. Nineteen players were also arested. The article was unclear as to whether Wiley bailed out the players, too.(121)

The Wiley took an extended trip to San Francisco, Oregon, Yellowstone, Minneapolis, Canada, and Boston, where the rest of his family was staying.(122)

In 1888, Wiley built a three story, with basement, business building for $50,000. It was located on Fort Street between Fifth and Sixth. The architect was R. B. Young.(123) Obviously, Wiley was quite well off financially at that time. He also applied to get a sidewalk elevator built for his building, but was denied by the Board of Public Works.(124)

In 1889, Belle and May Wiley were mentioned in an article about an entertainment event they participated in at Hanna College, where they attended. Hanna College was a boarding school for girls located at the southwest corner of Eighth and Hope Streets in Los Angeles.(125)

Henry C. Wiley, ca. 1890. Photographer Frank G. Schumacher. From the Seaver Center for Western History Research, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.

Wiley registed to vote on August 8, 1890. His occupation was capitalist and his address was 309 South Hill Street. He also registered on August 9, 1892. This time his occupation was speculator, his height was 5' 10", with dark complexion, gray eyes and gray hair. When he registered on August 5, 1896, at age 67, he was finally retired.

On October 19, 1891, the Los Angeles Herald reported that, at the races, Henry Wiley had a valuable diamond stud he was wearing stolen while he was distracted. The article said that "There are some slick thieves in town now, and people cannot be too careful when they find themselves in crowds."

H. C. Wiley spent much time with his daughters over the years. In 1892, he was at the Arrowhead Hot Springs hotel in San Bernardino with them.(126)

On September 1, 1892, there was a fight between Frank Hamm and H. C. Wiley because Wiley thought that Hamm was cheating Wiley's step-son Robert Beardsley (one of the many sons of Wiley's wife Nellie from her previous marriage) in a ticket-scalping business. Wiley had bought interest in the business for Robert. Wiley lost his temper and hit Hamm with an umbrella numerous times. A constable stopped the fight. Hamm swore out a complaint and a warrant was issued for Wiley. He gave himself up.(127) The next day in court he was fined $10.(128)

The 1892 voter registrations for Los Angeles showed brothers Robert and Heath Beardsley living at 309 S. Hill Street, the residence of Henry Wiley and family. The 1896 voter registrations showed brothers Robert, Nat and Henry Beardsley living there. Heath was gone. Those were the sons of Nellie and step-sons of H. C. Wiley. All four boys were born in Illinois.

Wiley, who seemed to be in politics most of his life, was an inspector for Los Angeles Precinct No. 35 during the election of October 1894.(129) In 1895, he petitioned to have a fire alarm box placed at Third and Hill streets. There was no mention as to whether it was installed or not.(130)

On July 7, 1895, Henry's brother Caption James Wiley died in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Henry travelled east to be at the funeral.(16) According to the Allentown Pennsylvania Leader of July 26, 1895, James, who was quite wealthy, left Henry $50,000.

The Los Angeles Herald of September 13, 1895, reported that "H. C. Wiley has filed a petition to be appointed guardian of his 15-year-old twin daughters, May and Belle." This verifies the year of the girls birth - 1880, two years before Wiley's divorce from Anita. The petition was approved. Henry and Belle Wiley were reported to be in New York by the Los Angeles Times of July 15, 1896.

In June of 1897, Wiley purchased the "property on the east side of Broadway, between First and Second streets, for $55,000. The price includes the improvements."(131) The Los Angeles Times called it the Downey Block and reported that it was "sold at auction, for the benefit of the estate to H. C. Wiley, for $55,000."(132) This was another sign of Wiley's wealth. Also in June of 1897, the Herald reported that H. C. Wiley was mentioned as a posible candidate for sheriff by the Republican Party(133), but that did not happen.

In July of 1898, The Los Angeles Times reported that Henry, May, and Belle Wiley were in San Francisco after a month's stay at Bartlett Springs in Northern California. They planned to stay in San Francisco for a few weeks.(134)

But the end was near.

---

DEATH

Henry C. Wiley must have known something was wrong. In September he tranferred to his wife Nellie $25,000 worth of land in Los Angeles. He also tranferred to his daughters $55,000 worth of Los Angeles land.(135)

On September 25, 1898, the Los Angeles Herald reported that "Henry C. Wiley is seriously ill at his home."

On October 13, Nathaniel G. Beardsley died at age 26. He was one of the sons from Nellie Wiley's previous marriage.(136)

Then, on Tuesday October 25, Henry C. Wiley died at his home on Hill Street. He was 69 years old. His Death Report stated that the cause of death was cancer of the spleen.(137) Wiley's death was reported in many newspapers including: on October 25th the Los Angeles Evening Express; on October 26th the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Herald, the San Francisco Chronicle; on October 27th the San Diego Union.

The Pioneers of Los Angeles County, of which Wiley was a member, were requested to attend the funeral of "our deceased brother, Henry C. Wiley" by William H. Workman, the group's President, and J. M. Guinn, the Secretary.(138)

On Thursday,October 27th at 2pm, the funeral took place at his home at 309 South Hill Street. The remains were interred at the Rosedale (now called Angelus-Rosedale) Cemetery in Los Angeles on Washington Blvd in Section M. The pallbearers included Romulo Pico.(139)

But there was a postscript to H. C. Wiley's death. One day after he was buried, a 28 year old man who called himself Henry (should have said Harry) Clay Martin Wiley came forward and claimed that he was the illegitimate son of the dead man. His mother was Josefa Verelas. She and H. C. Wiley had a secret love affair while Henry was married to Anita. In fact, it was claimed that there were actually two illegitimate sons, but only one was still alive. H.C. Martin Wiley said that it was always understood that his father would provide for him. Although a suit over the estate was implied, none was ever filed that I know of.(140) Ancestry.com (membership required to logon) has a user's family tree with Harry Clay Martin Wiley(1871-1953) with Henry Clay Wiley and Josefa Varelas as his parents. Whether or not Harry C. Wiley was actually the son of Henry C. Wiley we will probably never know.

---

LOOSE ENDS

According to marriage records, Anita M. Wiley, Henry's ex-wife, married Adolph Muller (1836-1904) in Los Angeles on October 6, 1886.(141) But there are no newspaper accounts of the marriage. However, two newspapers reported that they were married on April 15, 1899.(142) But I can't find any marriage records for the 1899 marriage. She did get married to Muller either in 1896 or 1899.

On January 7, 1901, Anita Muller died in San Pedro, California. The funeral was held at Romulo Pico's (her half-brother's) house. She would be buried at the New Calvary Cemetery, Los Angeles, California.(143)

In eight months, 66 year old widower Adolph Muller married 39 year old Maria Antonia Pico in San Bernardino on September 2, 1901.(144)

She was baptized on July 26, 1835, so she was not born in 1837

Robert Beardsley died on February 17, 1901.(145) He was another of the sons from Nellie Wiley's previous marriage to George Beardsley.

Nellie Wiley died on May 27, 1924, at age 77 in Los Angeles, California.(146) Two of her sisters (we don't know how many siblings she had), Mrs. Alice Montgomery and Mrs. Mary Pichette, attended the funeral. Using the sisters to locate more data on Nellie was unsuccessful. Alice C. Hearn was born in Massachusetts in Dec. of 1847. Her parents were born in Ireland (from 1900 census of Arapaho County, Colorado). She married Edward Montgomery on May 1, 1876, in Littleton, Colorado. Mary Pichette was born in Massachusetts in Nov. of 1842. Her parents were born in Ireland (from 1900 census of Middlesex, Massachusetts). She married Charles Pichette around 1871. He had immigrated from Canada in 1870.

May Henry Wiley, one of Nellie and Henry's twin daughters, was married to Burton Grimditch Adams (1878-1940) on May 25, 1904, in Los Angeles, California.(147) On September 29, 1911, a son was born. His name was originally Burton Wiley Adams, but it was changed to Wiley Burton Adams on October 11, 1911.(148) May died on June 30, 1961, in Los Angeles.

The other twin daughter, Belle Radcliffe Wiley, was married to Edward Russell Young (1876-1955) on May 1, 1907, in Los Angeles, California.(149) On September 12, 1916, they had twin daughters. Their names were Barbara Belle Young and May Wiley Young. Apparently May Wiley Young's name was changed to Gloria May Young. On their extended wedding trip in 1907, the Youngs were granted an audience before the Pope.(150) Belle died on December 19, 1967, in Los Angeles.

NOTES

(1) Marriage of Enrique (Henry) C. Wiley to Ana Maria Reyes, Source: FamilySearch.org - Parish records (San Diego, Calif.), 1771-1904.
(1b) The actual (very hard to read) record in Spanish from FamilySearch is here. This record is also listed in the Huntington Libray's Early California Population Project (ECPP) here.
(2) Los Angeles Herald, October 26, 1898.
(3) Indianapolis News, January 31, 1873.
(4) Lockerbie's Assessment List of Indianapolis, 1835, Eliza Browning.
(5) History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana, B. R. Sulgrove, Philadelphia, L. H. Everts & Co., 1884, p.129: Alexander and William Y. father's name was Capt. Wylie.
(6) Dr. James Cooley Fletcher (born April 15, 1823, in Indiana; died April 23, 1901, in Los Angeles, California) wrote in the Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, Los Angeles, Cal., 1898, Part II, Vol. IV.
(7) James Frank Burns (born September 27, 1831, in New York; died January 5, 1921, in Los Angeles, California) was the 10th sheriff of Los Angeles County. He also wrote in the Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, Los Angeles, Cal., 1898, Part II, Vol. IV.
(8) From the Los Angeles Evening Express of October 25, 1898, on the death of H.C. Wiley: "Mr. Wiley came from a good family, one of his brothers, William Y. Wiley, being a captain in the army, and another, James, a captain in the navy. The father had also been a caption in the army..." From the Indianapolis Journal of July 9, 1895, on the death of Capt. James Wiley: "He was a brother of William Y. Wiley, of this city, and had another brother in California."
From the Indianapolis Journal of August 10, 1895: "Mr. H. C. Wiley, of Los Angeles, Cal., who has been East to attend the burial of his brother, Capt. James Wiley...".
From the History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana by Sulgrove, 1884: "...a boy by the name of Alexander Wiley, a brother of William Y. Wiley, long a prominent and respected citizen, drowned himself in the river [White River in Indianapolis] somewhere below the [Washington Street] bridge, for some difference with his father, Capt. Wylie [Wiley], then a popular tailor on Washington Street...".
(9) Indiana State Sentinel, May 22, 1856; Indiana State Sentinel, March 20, 1861.
(10) Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, 1789-1903, Francis B. Heitman, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1903, p1036.
(11) Military Record of Civilian Appointments in the United States Army, Guy V. Henry, New York, Carleton, Publisher, Madison Square, 1869, p.46.
(12) Complete Regular Army Register of the United States: For One Hundred Years (1779 to 1879), Compliled by Thomas H.S. Hamersly, 1881, p. 860.
(13) Indianapolis News, January 30, 1873.
(14) The Records of Living Officers of the U.S. Navy & Marine Corps, Compiled by Lewis Randolph Hamersly, Philadelphia, L.R. Hamersly & Co., 1890, pp. 394-395.
(15) Boston Globe, July 9, 1895.
(16) Indianapolis Journal, August 10, 1895; Los Angeles Times, July 12, 1895.
(16b) From the Wiley House Timeline website. Reportedly shown in the Philadelphia Press newspaper shortly before James Wiley's death.
(17) History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana, B. R. Sulgrove, Philadelphia, L. H. Everts & Co., 1884, p.129: "Some years before it [an attempted suicide in 1842] a boy by the name of Alexander Wiley, a brother of William Y. Wiley, long a prominent and respected citizen, drowned himself in the river [White River in Indianapolis] somewhere below the [Washington Street] bridge, for some difference with his father, Capt. Wylie [Wiley], then a popular tailor on Washington Street; at least that was the universal belief at the time. The body was found a week afterwards in a drift a few miles down the river, terribly mutilated by fish or carrion-birds."
(18) San Diego Herald, August 12, 1853.
(19) Statement of Anita M. Wiley, 1st point of Complaint, Case No. 1509, Action for Divorce, Superior Court, County of Los Angeles, Anita M. Wiley vs. Henry C. Wiley, Filed April 27, 1882.
(20) From Sixty Years in Southern California, 1853-1913: Containing the Reminiscences of Harris Newmark, New York, The Knickerbocker Press, 1916, p. 493: "He finally foreclosed, but at the same time did the handsome thing when he gave Mrs. Wiley, a daughter of Andres Pico, a deed for the forty feet on Fort Street upon which the cottage stood."
From Don Francisco Rico (1844-1847) in With My Own Eyes, Five Memoirs of Old California, Brent C. Dickerson, iUniverse, 2018, p. 69: [Andres Pico] "had an illegimate daughter Anna M. Pico who married one Henry C. Wiley, and had an illegitimate son Romulo Pico."
Her obit from the Los Angeles Evening Express of January 8, 1901, stated that she was the "daughter of General Andres Pico" and "her brother Romulo Pico", who was also an illegitimate child of Andres Pico. From this obit, I calculated her birth date.
(21) "The Picos in California" by Beverly Henrickson Waid in Proceedings of the Conference of Orange County History, 1988, Chapman College, Orange, California, 1989, p. 163
(22) San Diego Herald, June 24, 1854.
(23) San Diego Herald, January 5, 1856.
(24) For example, the San Diego Herald, November 18, 1854.
(25) A feme sole trader is a married woman entitled to carry on business on her own account and responsibility, independent of her husband. Notice of the woman's intention had to be published in a newspaper and the San Diego Herald (1851-1860) was the first and only newspaper being published in the city of San Diego at that time.
(26) San Diego Herald, June 30, 1855.
(27) San Diego Herald, August 11, September 1, 1855.
(28) San Diego Herald, September 15, 1855.
(29) Sheriffs during the Wiley years (1852-1890 Wikipedia): San Diego County Sheriffs: 1852–1853 George F. Hooper, 1853–1854 William Conroy; 1854–1855 M. M. Sexton, 1856–1857 Joseph Reiner, 1857–1858 D. A. Hollister, 1858–1861 George Lyons.
Los Angeles County Sheriffs: 1858-1859 James P. Thompson, 1860-1867 Tomas Avila Sanchez, 1868-1871 James F. Burns, 1871-1875 William R. Rowland, 1876-1877 David W. Alexander, 1878-1879 H. M. Mitchell, 1880-1882 William R. Rowland, 1883-1884 Alvan T. Currier, 1885-1886 George E. Gard, 1887-1888 James C. Kays, 1889-1890 Martin G. Aguirre.
(29b) Los Angeles Semi-weekly News, September 13, 1867.
(29c) Los Angeles Semi-weekly News, March 3, 1868.
(30) San Diego Herald, December 6, December 12, 1855.
(31) San Diego Herald, September 5, 1857.
(31b) Register of Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the United States, on The Thirtieth September, 1859. Page 37. Washington, William A. Harris, Printer, 1859.
(32) Los Angeles Star, August 27, 1859.
(33) Los Angeles Star, November 29, 1859.
(34) The Convergence of Southerners and Californios in the Far Southwest, 1846-1866, Daniel Brendan Lynch, 2015 UCLA Dissertation.
Los Angeles Times, February 1, 1925.
(35) Los Angeles Star, February 7, 1863.
(36) Los Angeles Star, May 14, 1864.
(37) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office Records - Leases, Book 2, pp. 171-172.
(38) Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare, and Kern, California, Myron Angel, Chicago, Lewis Publishing Company, 1892, p.341.
(39) The Los Angeles Asphaltum and Petroleum Mining District was organized on March 6, 1865, for all of Los Angeles County. One of the mining laws was that the discoverer of a lead was allowed two 1000 square foot claims for that lead. Any other locators of the lead were entitled to one 1000 square foot claim each. The records of this mining district were lost sometime in the 20th century. The San Fernando Petroleum Mining District was organized on June 24, 1865, to encompass much of the eastern part of the Santa Susana Mountains (called the San Fernando Mountains then) in Los Angeles County.
(40) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office, Miscellaneous, Book 1, p. 206.
(41) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office, Miscellaneous, Book 1, p. 203.
(42) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office, Miscellaneous, Book 1, pp. 200-201.
(43) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Miscellaneous Records, Book 1, pp. 167-169.
(44) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 7, pp. 163-165.
(45) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 7, pp. 128-129.
(46) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 7, pp. 577-578.
(47) Geology, Volume II, The Coast Ranges, Appendix F, Examination of the Bituminous Substances Occurring in Southern California, by S.F. Peckham, June, 1866, p. 68, Cambridge, Mass., John Wilson & Son, University Press, 1882.
(48) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 7, pp. 582-583.
(49) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Miscellaneous Records, Book 1, pp. 287-288.
(50) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 7, pp. 227-229.
(51) Los Angeles County Case No. 00498, H.C. Wiley vs. S.B. Caswell, J.F. Ellis, W.P. Davis, Filed October 3, 1872.
(52) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 66, pp. 5-7.
(53) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 66, pp. 4-5.
(54) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 67, pp. 41-42.
(55) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 66, pp. 295-296.
(56) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Patents, Book 2, pp. 477-480.
(57) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 63, pp. 494-495.
(58) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 63, pp. 495-496.
(59) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 63, pp. 492-493.
(60) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 65, pp. 513-516.
(61) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Patents, Book 4, pp. 625-628.
(62) Sacramento Daily Bee, July 22, 1865.
(63) Marysville Daily Appeal (Marysville, California), September 13, 1867.
(64) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 9, pp. 236-237.
(65) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 11, pp. 534-535.
(66) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 10, pp. 103-104.
(67 )Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 8, pp. 405-407.
(68) San Francisco Chronicle, October 15, 1868.
(69) San Francisco Examiner, December 15, 1868.
(69b) Los Angeles Daily News, April 5, 1869.
(70) San Francisco Chronicle, September 28, 1869.
(71) Overland Monthly, Overland Monthly Publishing Co., San Francisco, Cal., April, 1898, Vol. XXXI, No. 184, Second Series, "Old Time Stage Drivers of the West Coast", by Major Ben C. Truman, p. 312.
(72) Grass Valley Union, October 7, 1870.
(73) San Francisco Chronicle, December 22, 1870; Sacramento Daily Union, December 23, 1870.
(74) Los Angeles Herald, October 7, 1873.
(75) Los Angeles Herald, January 20, 1876.
(76) An Historical Sketch of Los Angeles County, California, Louis Lewin & Co., Los Angeles, 1876, p. 30.
(77) Los Angeles Herald, April 18, 1876.
(78) Sacramento Daily Union, April 3, 1875.
(79) Los Angeles Herald, January 4, 1876.
(80) Los Angeles Evening Express, November 27, 1876.
(81) Los Angeles Evening Express, January 8, 1877.
(82) Los Angeles Herald, February 5, 1876.
(83) Los Angeles Evening Express, December 29, 1876.
(84) Los Angeles Evening Express, December 13, 1875.
(85) Los Angeles Herald, May 6, 1876; Los Angeles Herald, October 17, 1878.
(86) Los Angeles Evening Express, March 6, 1876.
(87) Los Angeles Evening Express, September 4, 1876.
(88) Los Angeles Herald, August 20, 1875.
(89) Los Angeles Evening Express, February 21, 1877
(90) Los Angeles Evening Express, July 30, 1877.
(91) Los Angeles Herald, November 16, 1878.
(92) Los Angeles Herald, December 7, 1878.
(93) Los Angeles Herald, December 18, 1878.
(94) Los Angeles Evening Express, December 20, 1878.
(95) Los Angeles Evening Express, June 11, 1878.
(96) Los Angeles Herald, January 14, 1879.
(97) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 66, pp. 329-331.
(98) The Daily Arizona Citizen, March 12, 1880.
(99) The Daily Arizona Citizen, May 10, 1880.
(100) Arizona Daily Star, May 13, 1880.
(101) Weekly Arizona Citizen, July 3, 1880 (There was both a daily and a weekly Citizen).
(102) 1880 Great Register, Pima County, Arizona.
(103) 1882 Great Register, Pima County, Arizona.
(104) Los Angeles Herald, December 22, 1880.
(105) Weekly Arizona Citizen, February 27, 1881.
(106) Los Angeles Herald, October 28, 1881.
(107) Personal communication from Gail Adams, relative of Henry C. Wiley.
(108) Los Angeles County Recorder's Office - Deeds, Book 91, pp. 68-69.
(109) Los Angeles Herald, August 31, 1882.
(110) Tucson Citizen, August 30, 1882.
(111) Los Angeles Herald, January 12, 1883.
(112) Arizona Weekly Citizen, January 28, 1883.
(113) Los Angeles Herald, April 5, 1883.
(114) California Deaths and Burial, 1776-2000 from FamilySearch.org.
(115) Belle Wiley Young U.S. passport issued on January 17, 1923.
(116) Los Angeles Herald, July 15, 1883.
(117) Los Angeles Herald, December 15, 1883.
(118) Los Angeles Herald, May 7, 1884.
(119) Los Angeles Times, April 14, 1885.
(120) Los Angeles Times, February 25, 1887.
(121) Los Angeles Herald, April 22, 1888.
(122) Los Angeles Herald, August 15, 1888.
(123) Los Angeles Herald, January 1, 1889.
(124) Los Angeles Herald, January 13, 1889.
(125) Los Angeles Times, June 1, 1889.
(126) Los Angeles Herald, April 4, 1892.
(127) Los Angeles Herald, September 2, 1892.
(128) Los Angeles Herald, September 3, 1892.
(129) Los Angeles Evening Express, October 22, 1894.
(130) Los Angeles Times, April 6, 1895.
(131) Los Angeles Evening Express, June 19, 1897.
(132) Los Angeles Times, June 11, 1897.
(133) Los Angeles Herald, June 23, 1897.
(134) Los Angeles Times, July 31, 1898.
(135) Los Angeles Evening Express, September 16, 1898.
(136) Los Angeles Times, October 14, 1898.
(137) Los Angeles County Recorders Office, Reports of Death Oct - Dec 1898; From familysearch.org - Collection - California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994.
(138) Los Angeles Times, October 27, 1898.
(139) Los Angeles Herald, October 28, 1898.
(140) Los Angeles Evening Express, October 28, 1898; San Francisco Chronicle, October 28, 1898; San Francisco Examiner, October 28, 1898.
(141) California County Marriages 1850-1952, from FamilySearch.org.
(142) Los Angeles Herald, April 18, 1899; Los Angeles Times, April 18, 1899.
(143) Los Angeles Evening Express, January 8, 1901.
(144) Los Angeles Times, September 8, 1901.
(145) Los Angeles Evening Express, February 18, 1901.
(146) Los Angeles Times, May 30, 1924.
(147) Los Angeles Herald, May 26, 1904.
(148) State of California, Department of Public Health, Affidavits for Correction of a Record, October 11, 1911.
(149) Los Angeles Times, May 2, 1907.
(150) Los Angeles Times, September 4, 1907.