John Nugent (journalist) facts for kids

John Nugent (born around c. 1821 – died March 29, 1880) was an Irish journalist who later became a special agent for the U.S. government. He had an interesting career, from reporting on important news to exploring new territories and even working for the President.

Early Life and First Steps in Journalism

John Nugent was born in County Galway, Ireland. When he was young, he moved with his parents to the United States. He received his education at a Catholic college in New Jersey. In the 1840s, Nugent started his career as a journalist. He worked for a well-known newspaper called the New York Herald.

In 1848, John Nugent received a secret copy of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty was very important because it was meant to end the Mexican–American War. The U.S. Senate had to approve it first. Senators questioned Nugent about how he got the document, but he bravely refused to tell them his source.

Journey to the Gold Rush

After his time in New York, Nugent joined a group of people heading to California. This was during the exciting time of the California Gold Rush. The group was led by John Coffee Hays. They traveled from San Antonio, Texas, all the way to California. Their journey took them along a path known as the Southern Emigrant Trail.

They passed through places like El Paso and across the New Mexico Territory to Fort Yuma. Along the way, Nugent's group found a shorter path on an existing route. This shortcut saved a lot of travel time. It later became known as the Tucson Cutoff. Some places on this route, like Nugent's Pass and Nugent's Springs, were named after him. Nugent even shared his travel notes to help Lt. John G. Parke. These notes helped Parke look for a good railroad route.

Newspaper Owner and Challenges

In 1851, John Nugent became the owner and editor of the San Francisco Herald newspaper. He worked hard to make it a success. However, in 1856, he made a decision that was not popular. He did not support a group called the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance. This group aimed to keep law and order in the city.

Because of his unpopular editorial choice, the newspaper struggled. It eventually closed down a few years later in 1860. This event was a big setback for his career. Even though he continued working in journalism, he never fully recovered from this. He even tried to run for the U.S. Senate but was not successful.

Special Agent for the President

In 1858, President James Buchanan gave John Nugent a special job. He appointed Nugent as a special agent to New Caledonia. This area is now part of British Columbia, Canada. President Buchanan wanted Nugent to find out how Americans and their businesses were doing there. This was important because of the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush happening in the area.

Nugent quickly found that Americans and the British in New Caledonia generally got along well. However, he did have some disagreements with Governor James Douglas. These disagreements were about how American citizens were treated in the courts. Nugent also believed that New Caledonia and Vancouver Island should become part of the United States. While these issues caused some diplomatic talks, they mostly created problems for John Nugent himself.

Family Life and Later Years

Later in his life, John Nugent got married and had children. He married Magdalena Estudillo on August 26, 1860. Magdalena's father, Jose Joaquin Estudillo, owned a large ranch called Rancho San Leandro. The Estudillo family were important founders of the city of San Leandro, California.

John and Magdalena lived with her mother in San Leandro. They had four children together: Sybil G. (born 1862), Maud (born 1866), Elsie (born 1868), and John (born 1871).

Nugent tried one more time to bring back the Herald newspaper in 1868, but it didn't work out. Towards the end of the 1870s, he worked on writing his life story. John Nugent passed away on March 29, 1880, in San Leandro, California.