The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-03-05
Romance of a Californian-He Proves
to be an Irish Earl.

The Washington correspondent of the
San Francisco Times, in writing up the
notabilities of California who are now in
the National Capital, gives the following
bit of romance about one Of the best known
among them
Among the Californians here, James NJ
Quinn. well known to San Franciscans, is
probably the most celebrated because there
is a bit of romance attached to his history,
1t is briefly this: After an absence of
twenty years, in Mexico and California,
he returned to Charleston, his native pl3ce,
and there found his father and mother de-
ceased but an old and faithful negro w0>
man. his nurse when child, had been en-
trusted by bis mother, before her death,
with the custody of box, TO be delivered
10 her son James should be ever return.
Upon his arrival in Charleston, about two
years since, the old negress, learning OF
him, sought him out and delivered the box
which she had so long and faithfully pres
erved, and upon examination OF the con-
tents, it was found to contain papers, doc
uments and correspondents establishing
clearly bis legal right to large estate IN
Ireland, and to the title of Earl OF Dun
raven. He immediately placed his papers
in the hands Of Hughes, Denver & Peck,
law firm OF this city. and Mr.. Hughes and
Mr. Quinn will leave Tor Ireland soon, to
take possession OF the latters estate.
Who among his old friends in San Francis
CO, can fully realize that Jim Quinn, that
used to be, is now and was the Earl OF
Dunraven?
On this hint the Times specks 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 hOmGre who, alter long years Of
the yjcissitudes of life on the Pac fic coast
has tnrned up the heir TO the j1arldom of
Dunravea and the master Of a splendid
estate the peer OF the landed gentry oil
Ireland, and an important accession TO The
brilliant circles OF Hibernian nobility.
James N. Quinn is a native Of Charleston
South Caroilua, and OF Irish ancestry. lie
came to California IN early days, and was
particularly knoWn at one time as propme-
tor OF the Willows" a faVOrlse resort al
terward absorbed IN The rush Q events.
Failing IN chat, he went 10 Portland, Ore~
opened public house, made another Iall-
ure OF il, returned TO San Francisco, and
put out his single On Clay street at sa-
loon called the "ESmeraida. Mr.. Quinn
was quite a character in his way. He gen
orally attended the sessions CT the l,gisla-
lure was noted Tor his scrupulous nicely
in cu,tome, and certain reserved distant
mauuel, which, while 1t did not tend to IN,
crease the uumbtr Of his casual friends,
conveyed the idea that under his waislcoat
beat '',,odie' heart, and that he enlcr~
tanned a high estimate and lively apprecia
ti0n OF Mr.. Quinn personally, and that
sooner or later he would Isure in some
brighter Or lofter sphere. About three
years ago, becoming convinced that San
Fral cisco was no longer The adventurer 5
elysium that it had been in the more plim-
live days OF III Dorado, and beng troub-
/ led, withal, by chronic impecunioslty-un-
fortunately too frequent among forty
miners Mr. Quinn went 10 New York,
found his way thence TO his southern birth
place, aud lhere learned the agreeable fact
thai he was an Earl and a lich man.
No doubt The new made noble man vii
support his h0nors with due dignity, ant
with now and chen a pleasant remirlsence
OF his political experiences at Sacramento
and glance generally at the pieOelan Ili(
gu lbe shores OF the Pacific.