San Diego City Father William Augustus Begole: Story of a Workhorse Pioneer

William Augustus Begole stepped from a side-wheel steamer onto Hortons Wharf in New Town San Diego on September 24 1869. For the next thirty-two years he helped shape the citys governance politics commerce civic institutions and fraternal life. Forgotten in most San Diego histories the authors long-lost 19th Century Cousin Gus Begole was discovered accidently in 2009 while the author was reading Richard Pourades well-known series The History of San Diego. There in The Glory Years Pourades fourth volume was her mothers rare Huguenot surname -- glamorously attached to a member of an 1875 sheriffs posse. Intrigued the author invested the next five years researching the details of her ancestors life as he travelled from his birthplace in New Yorks Genesee Valley to California Gold Country in 1849 and to San Diego in 1869 where he served as one of five elected City Trustees during New San Diegos formative years and played both leadership and support roles in most of the citys foundational institutions.This biography of William Augustus Begole is the product of the authors search for his place in her family history and in the history of San Diego and of her exhilarating discoveries along the way of the many members of his generation of intrepid 19th century cousins -- all grandsons (and granddaughters) of the American Revolution who helped build the American West.