Solomon Bailey BOSWELL

 

Solomon Bailey BOSWELL wrote his name among California pioneers through an active and successful career as a business man in San Francisco, where his memory is still cherished by the old timers and where some of his family still resides.

 

He was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1828.  He acquired an academic education there, and as a young man of twenty-two started for California in 1850.  For about two years he was a miner for Grass Valley, where twice he was flooded out.  He and his partner slept with their gold dust under their pillows at night.  In 1852, Mr. BOSWELL moved to San Francisco, and was engaged in the produce business, joining the old firm of SHATTHOCK and GEDDES, which then became BOSWELL, SHATTHOCK and GEDDES.  The firm owned a sailing vessel, the Brother Jonathan, and on one of its trips up the Columbia River Mr. GEDDES was drowned.  The firm was then dissolved, and Mr. BOSWELL engaged in the stock brokerage business, and for many years the firm S. B. BOSWELL and Company enjoyed a high reputation as dealers in mining stock.

 

The late Mr. BOSWELL was a Knight Templar Mason.  He was a republican in politics, and his party once requested him to become a candidate for mayor of San Francisco, but he refused.  He died in 1884, at the age of fifty-six.

 

In 1853 he married Catherine DOWNES.  Their two children were daughters, May Frances BOSWELL and Edith Marie BOSWELL.  May Frances BOSWELL married Hugh B. JONES, of Montreal.  Edith became the wife of Frederic R. KING, a son of Thomas Starr KING.  Mr. Hugh JONES is in the real estate business in San Francisco.  Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. JONES: Hugh Beaven, Edith Boswell, Gladys Katherine, Monta J. and Rhoda Boswell.