Charles V. Stuart facts for kids

Charles V. Stuart (born May 9, 1819 – died August 13, 1880) was an important early settler in California. He was chosen to be a delegate at the California Constitutional Convention from 1878 to 1879. At this meeting, he was the only person to speak up and defend the rights of Chinese immigrants.

About Charles V. Stuart's Life

Early Years in the East

Charles Stuart was born in Nippenose Township, Pennsylvania. He worked on his family's farm until he was 14. Then, he went to Owego Academy in Tioga, New York, where he studied with a famous teacher named Charles Rittenhouse Coburn. After finishing school, Stuart moved to Ithaca, New York, and started working as a merchant. In 1839, he traveled around the United States. In 1842, he married Ellen Mary Tourtellot. They had three children while living in the eastern states: Robert H. Stuart, Mary (Stuart) Pickett, and Emily (Stuart) Stangroom.

Moving to California

The exciting California Gold Rush inspired Charles Stuart to move west. He led the very first mule train, called the "Ithaca Company," to California. They started their journey from Independence, Missouri, and traveled along the Arkansas River to the Rocky Mountains. After a short rest in Salt Lake City, they continued to the Cajon Pass, near what is now Rancho Cucamonga, California. From there, they went to Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, and San Joaquin, California. The group then split up, and Stuart headed to San Francisco, arriving on November 20, 1849.

Life in San Francisco

In San Francisco, Charles Stuart and his business partners, I.N. Thorne and John Center, started farming about 40 acres (160,000 m²) of land near the Mission Dolores. They built a house and dug a long canal for boats on a nearby creek. Soon after, Stuart and another partner, Robert T. Ridley, opened a tavern called the "Mansion House." The tavern was very successful. After Ridley passed away in 1851, Stuart continued to run it. He even earned enough money to build San Francisco's first brick house at 16th and Capp Streets. By the mid-1850s, Stuart lived there with his wife and their younger children: Charles Duff Stuart (born 1854), Antoinette (Stuart) Vermehr (born 1856), Ida (Stuart) Sessions (born 1859), and Isabel (Stuart) Dennis (born 1863).

Stuart was elected to San Francisco's first Board of Aldermen, which was like a city council. In 1854, he also ran for a seat in the state assembly. He tried to get a lease for the New Almaden quicksilver mine, which was California's most profitable mine. However, because of many complicated legal battles over who owned the mine, he decided to sell his share.

Starting Glen Ellen

In 1859, Stuart bought a piece of land from the Rancho Agua Caliente grant in Sonoma County. In 1868, he began building a house there. He eventually created a large 1,000-acre (4 km²) vineyard that he named Glen Ellen, after his wife. The town that grew up around the vineyard also became known as Glen Ellen. Stuart's home was later renamed Glen Oaks Ranch.

Defending Immigrant Rights

In 1878, California held its second constitutional convention to write new laws for the state. Charles Stuart was chosen as a delegate. He didn't speak often at the convention, but he gave two very important speeches. These speeches passionately defended the rights of Chinese immigrants. Many delegates at the convention wanted to pass laws that would unfairly treat Chinese people, such as stopping them from owning property or working for state companies.

On December 9, 1878, Stuart spoke out against these unfair proposals. Even though he faced criticism for his speech, the convention did not approve the most extreme laws he objected to. Later, many of the laws passed to restrict Chinese rights were found to be against the U.S. Constitution by federal courts. However, despite Stuart's efforts, the unfair treatment of Chinese people continued to worsen in California and other western states for many years.

Charles V. Stuart's Legacy

After Charles Stuart passed away in 1880, his wife Ellen Stuart continued to manage the vineyard. She joined with two other widows and asked the Sonoma County Superior Court for the right to operate their businesses as "sole traders." This was a special legal status that allowed women to conduct business on their own in the state. Their son, Charles Duff Stuart, became a writer and published a novel called Casa Grande in 1906. The Stuart family home, Glen Oaks Ranch, is still standing in Glen Ellen, California, today.