The record-union., 1891-11-24
CALLED AWAY.
Death of George W. ChesIey, the
Pioneer Merchant.
Close of a Long and Useful Career-A
Sketch of Deceased's Life-An
Active Business Man.


Of action and joining the silent majority
upon the other side. With each coming
year we must expect the announcements
to be made more frequently, telling of the
life work finished of the men who laid the
foundations of the State, and have stood
by her and aided in the building of the
structure that to-day so pricl<s our pride
and makes US exult that we are Cali
fornians.
George w. Chesley is dead, at the ripe
old age of SO years. One more Of the
Pioneer band has closed his earthly ac-
counts, and the roster in the little hall on
Seventh street is one less in the number
of it's names, while the obituary tablet
bears one more. Mr.. Chesley was one of
the best-known and biggest-hearted men
of Sacramento; merchant whose busi-
ness related to the stirring times of the
earliest California days, as well as the
more staid and sedate present.
lie was man whose pride in and love
for Sacramento was of the intense order;
it never wayered, never suffered decline.
was never overcast by doubts or fears.
lie was buoyantly hopeful, genial,
courteous and of most kindly disposition.
His cquaintanceship throughout the
State was very extended, and in what
ever community he was known for any
fair time, he made host of friends. He
was not without enemies, for he was but
a man; but his friends were myriad and
his foes were few.
Mr.. Chesley will be greatly missed in
Sacramento, where nearly all the mature
years Of his life We're passed. Here he
made and lost fortunes; recovered them
again. built up a substantial business
made his firm name known throughout
all the jobbing area of Central and
Northern California and only abandoned
his mercantile career when frallty of
body drove him to retirement in the
home he had built in our midst.
His last few years have been those of
suffering, but he bore it patiently, and at
no time was so absorbed by bodily Ills
as TO forget the city of his love, or fail
when occasion offered to dwell upon its
history and pledge himself to new loyalty
TO its interests.
The following sketch of his life is taken
from a recent history of Sacramento:
Mr.. Chesley was native of Dover, n.
IL, born February 3, 1922, his parents be-
ing Richard and Mary (Twombley)
Chesley, both of whom came of old New
England families. His father. who was
contractor, died when the subject of this
sketch was mere boy in years, and after
attending school at Lynn for something
over year, the latter went to Boston to
live with a sister who had married and
located in that city. There he commenced
his first occupation in life, that of clerk
ing IN dry goods store. At the age of II
years he went to Providence, II. l., and
renamed there until the I'd of February
1S49, when he went to New Y ork, having
determined to try his fortunes Oh the
golden shores of California.
On the 9TH day Of February the Cres-
cent City steamed out of New York har-
hNr with MIR ('hnSlp low as n nj
she was the second steamer to make the
trip to Chagres, the Falcon being first.
On the 18th of May following, after hav-
ing been engaged on the 18TH
mus in the auction and ticket
brokerage business, Mr.. Chesley re-
on the steamer Oregon, Captain PiersOn.
On the 18th of June, 1849, the Oregon
steamed through the Golden Gate, and
Mr.. Chesley landed on California soil.
lie al once embarked in the auc-
ton and commission business in
connection with John a. Clark,
son of eX-Aayor Aaron Clark Of New
York, and John Johnson, under the firm
name of Johnson, Chesley d Clark. That
firm continued until March, 1850. when
it was dissolved.
Mr.. Chesley then came to Sacramento
and engaged in the auction business on
the corner of Sixth and K streets, which
market. He was burned out here in the
great fire of 1852, and this decided him TO
return to San Francisco. There he was
Interested in real estate, having purchased
some 80 and 100-vara lots and subdi-
vided them. These yielded him s., 100.
Chesley street was laid out, and took its
name in his honor.
In 1854 Mr.. Chesley came back to Sac
ramento, and in the following year, form
ing partnership with Mr.. Bradley (now
a retired capitalist of San Francisco. and
eX-Mayor Bryant, started the wholesale
house of Chesley u Bryant, in the block
below the present store on Front street
In 1860, Mr.. Bradley who had previously
sold out, came back into the firm, which
then became Chesley 6 Bradley. IN
1865 the latter's interest was purchased
by Mr.. Chesley, and the firm became G.
w. Chesley d Co.
Mr.. Chesley was married at Providence,
Rhode Island, in 1874, to Miss Alice
Whipple, a descendant of one of the
signers of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence. Mr.. Chesley was a member of
the San Francisco and Sacramento Soci-
ties of California Pioneers, and had been
for three years President of the latter
body, despite the unwritten law which
confines any member to but a single
term in the executive Office.
He was member of the Improvement
Association and of the Water Commis-
sion. In the days of the Volunteer Fire
department he was an active member of
Engine Company, No. 3, and was promi-
nently identified with the Exempt Fire
men. Last evening the fire bells were
toIled out of respect to his memory.
Mr. Chesley had always been in the
front rank in everything having a ten
dency to advance the interests of Sacra-
mento and to add TO her reputation for
hospitality. He was Chairman and an
active manager for the committee having
IN charge the entertainment of the visit
ing members of National ,Encampment
of the Grand Army of the Republic
few years ago, and the marvellous success
OF that entertainment viii always mark a
brilliant page in the history of Sacra-
mento. He was a kind-hearted. hospi-
table gentleman of the old school, who
had been an eyewitness and participant
IN the wonderful progress OF California
from the pioneer days; nevertheless he
ranked among the most active and enter
prising men of the Capital City. His
fund of information concerning the early
days of California was very great, and
his anecdotes of those times, bringing to-
gether, as they do, scenes and incidents
both humorous and pathetic, had
charm W hich made them always appre-
ciated bv his friends.
George w. Chesley will be long and
affectionately remembered by the people
OF Sacramento. The date of his funeral
has not yet been decided upon.
CTTDPERETz T.OrTDm