Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-06-05
INDUSTRIOUS DEAD.
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATES
CEMETERY PLAT.
Brief Sketch of the Lives of those
who are Buried Therein-Rem-
iniscences of Pioneer Days.


trance to the City Cemetery, is what is
known as the State plat. In size it is
about so feet square, bricked up, filed in
and Enclosed with a neat, strong iron fence.
1t is nicely sodded with grass, and contains
eight graves. five Of which are marked with
elegant marble monuments. The grounds
are well kept, and no doubt but the next
Legislature will provide for the erection of
monuments over the graves of those whose
last resting place is now marked only with
a rude piece of redwood board. Below is
given a sketch in brief of the lives of the
men whose services to the State entitled
them TO interment in this plat:
HUGH c. MURRAY.
The first to be buried in the State plat
was Hon Hugh C. Murray Chief Justice
OF the Supreme Court of California who
died at his residence ON L street, near
Third, this city, on Friday morning, Sep
TENDER Is, 1857. He had been suffering
for some time of disease of his lungs
and his death was not unexpected. Hugh
G. Murray was born of Scottish parents in
st. Louis, Missouri, on the Odd of April
1926, and was therefore about 30 years end
D months of age at the time of his death.
He received his education III Alton, Hi
nois, where he studied the profession of the
law OF an ardent and adventurous dis
position, he sought position in the army
of his country during the war with Mexico,
and received the appointment of a Lieu
tenant in the Fourteenth regiment of in
fantry. The discovery of gold in Cali
fornia opened a new field to his rest
less spirit and he was among the first
to leave the home of his youth
for the shores of California. He
came by the way of Panama, but not hay
ing secured a through passage. embarked
at that point on the brig Two Friends for
San Francisco. The vessel was old, slow
and her voyage one of the most adverse
that occurred at that period. In company
with some of his companions, he left the
vessel at Cape st. Lucas, and walked the
entire distance from that point to San
Francisco where he arrived in September,
1S49 Just six months from the time he left
Panama. He Immediately commenced
the practice of law, and upon the organiza-
ton of the Superior Court of the city and
county of San Francisco, in 1850, he was
elected an associate with Judges Smith and
Morse. In 1851, upon the resignation of
Judge Bennett he was appointed by Gov
ernor McDougal as one OF the Associate
Justices of the Supreme Court His term
of office expired in 1858, when he received
the nomination of the Democratic party
for the same position, and was elected by
the people. Upon the resignation of Judge
Lyons that year. he became Chief Justice
of the Court. The term for which he was
elected expired in 1855, when he was NOM
mated for the term ofsix years by the Amer
lean party and elected by small majority,
and acted in the capacity of Supreme Judge
until his untimely death. As a man Judge
Murray was noted for his extremely posi-
tive character. No enc in the State pos
sessed more warm and devotedly attached
friends, and probably no one more bitter
enemies. He sought no disguise of his
likes or dislikes, and was consequently
subjected to the severest criticism, as much
so perhaps as any man who has occupied
so exalted position. The violence of as
sault hal, on the other hand, the effect of
drawing TO him more closely his friends
As a jurist he occupied an unequivocal
position. No one-not even his most Bit
ter enemy-has ever questioned his capa-
city. He had peculiarly legal mind,
sufficient to grasp all the points of a case
with wonderful scope. His legal knowl-
edge seemed to be almost intuition From
chaos he drew forth order, and resolved
the most intricate propositions into clear
and concise forms. His decisions were
always terse and pungent. clear from cir
cumlocution and directly 10 the point
The last judicial act of his life-the deci-
sion in the case of WEIGH VS.. Sullivan
was his most elaborate one, and serves bet
ter than any commentary to diplay the
strong positive character of the Judge and
the man.
The District Court, Judge Bolts presid-
ing, adjourned out of respect to Judge
Murray's memory.
James H. Hardy, member of the bar,
in addressing the Court upon this occasion
paid high eulogium to the deceased He
said the State has lost treasure, the pro-
fession one of its brightest ornaments, and
the Supreme Bench Judge whose place
we can hardly dare to hope will be filled
with the same integrity and ability He
has been cut off in the midst of a brilliant
and useful life. Though comparatively
young, he had made for himself reputa-
ton as jurist which stands higher than
any in the State, and which can vie, with
out any disparagement, with any in the
nation. or in the world. AT meeting of
the Sacramento Bar, Jos. W. Winans de-
livered an address upon the life and char
acter of the deceased, an oratorical effort
seldom surpassed, closing with the follow
ing: Nor can it be denied by those who
loved him least, that i'll the brilliance of
his intellect, the vehemence of his invee-
tive, the force of his reason, and the
soundness of his judgment, he was
unsurpassed, almost unrivaled by any of
the pioneers of California. So long as this
commonwealth endures, his decisions as a
body will continue to be models of clear
ness and propriety, and while the equita-
BILE principles by which they are every
where pervaded-the carnations of mind
singularly talented and just, will give to
them lasting influence upon the public
the remembrance of his social qualities will
endear bis memory to multitudes of those
who now survive him."
The State has erected marble monu-
ment over his grave, 20 feet in hight, upon
which is the following inscription I" Hugh
G. Murray, Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of the State of California Born, st.
Louis, Mo, April %, 1925; died, Septem.
Der 49, 1857. Actis serum implet non seginbu.
anRis."
WILLIAM I. FERGUSON.
On September II, 1853, William
Ferguson, State Senator of Sacramento
county, died in San Francisco, from the
effects of wound he had received in O
deul fought with George Pen Johnston, on
the Dist OF the month preceding. Both
parties to the duel were prominent men
and the part that each had taken in the
exciting political events of the three pre-
ceding years had made them widely known
Ferguson was q remarkable man, then in
the prime of life and the full flush of his
splendid talents The son of a carpenter
born in Pennsylvania, he removed tc
Springfield, Illinois, where he studied law
under Colonel E. ID. Baker, and rose to 8
level at the bar with such associates as
Lincoln, Douglas, Baker and Logan. From
Illinois he removed to Texas and finally
to Sacramento, where he took anO
maintained his position among the bright
est men at the bar, excelling especially in
the department of criminal practice. Pos
sessed of great ambition, brilliant genius
one of the most eloquent and fascinating
orators California has ever held IN citizen
ship, he entered politics. and soon became
one of the most conspicuous characters IL
public life He was elected to the State
Senate on the KnowNothing ticket He
renowned Know-N othingism on the tiool
of the Senate, and at the time OF his deatf
was Douglas Democrat. The duel grew
out of ocular remark made by Ferguson
about some lady friends of Johnston 3
while the two were taking friendly drink
with others in the Bank Exchange saloor
in San Francisco. Johnston demanded
an apology. Ferguson refused to make 1t
Johnston challenged, Ferguson accepted
Il --.lo a