Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-02-26
A " Rabel /" Earl.

The Washington correspondent of the
San Francisco Times, in writing up the
| notabilities of California who are now in
the National Capitol, gives the following
bit of romance about one of the best
known among them:
Among the Californians here, James
III. Quinn, we'll known to San Francis
cans, is probably the most celebrated,
because there is a bit of romance at
tached to his history. 1t is briefly this
After an absence of twenty years in Mex
leo and California, he returned to Charles
ton, South Carolina, his native place,
and there found his mother and father
deceased; but an old and faithful negro
woman, his nurse when child, had been
intrusted by bis mother before her death
with the custody of box to be delivered
to her son James should he ever return.
Upon his arrival in Charleston, about two
years since, the old Hegress, learning of
him, sought him out, and delivered the
box which she had SO long and faithfully
preserved, and, upon examination of the
contents, it was found to contain papers,
documents and correspondence, estab-
fishing clearly his legal right to large
estate in Ireland, and to the title of Earl
of Dunraven. He Immediately placed
his papers ia tho hasds Of Hughes, Den
yer q Peck, law firm of this city, and
Mr.. Hughes and Mr.. Quinn will leave
for Ireland in a few days to take posses
sion of the latter's estate. Who among
his old friends in San Francisco can fully
realize that Jim Quinn, that used to be,
is now and was the Earl of Duuraven7
On this hint the Times speaks of Mr..
Quinn as follows:
The strange freak of fortune narrated
in our Washington correspondence
brings to the memory of many an old
Californian the lucky hombre who, after
long years Of the vicissitudes of life on
the Pacific coast, has turned up the heir
to the EArldom of DunrAven and the
master of splendid estate, the peer of
the landed gentry of ireland, and an i'm
portant accession to the brilliant circles
of Hibernian nobility. James NJ. Quinn
is a native Of Charleston, South Caro-
lima, and of Irish ancestry. He came to
California in early days, and was partic-
ularly known at one time as proprietor
of the Willows" favorite resort after
Failing in that be went to Portland, Ore
gon, opened public house, msds |
another failure of it, returned to San |
Francisco, and put out his shingle on
Clay street at a saloon called the "Es-
meralda." Mr.. Quinn was quite char
acter in his way. He generally attended
the sessions of the Legislature; was
noted for his scrupulous nicely in cos
tune, and a certain reserved, distant
manner, which, while it did not tend to
increase the number of his casual
friends, conveyed the idea that under his
waistcoat beat noble" heart, and that
be- entertained a high estimate and
lively appreciation Of Mr.. Quinn, person.
ally, and that sooner or later be would
figure IN some brighter or loftier sphere.
About three years ago, becoming con-
yinced that San Francisco was no longer
the adventurer's elysium that it bad been
in the more primitive days Of FL Dorado,
aud being troubled, withal, by chronic
- unfortunately too fre-
luent among "forty-niners = Mr..
Quinn went to New York, found his way
hence to his Southern birthplace, and
here learned the agreeable fact that he
vas so Earl and rich man.
No doubt the new-made nobleman will |
cpport his bouors with due dignity, and
nth now and then pleasant reminis- I
'ence Of his political experiences at |
and a glance generally at
be plebian life on the shores Of the
'aci6e.