Brown, Charles
Charles Brown (1820-1888) [dates from History Journal Number 4] was a 49er who came to Santa Cruz from San Francisco in the early 1860s, having made a small fortune in the gold fields. In our county he became a financer of development projects, including the property on Laurel Street where R. C. Kirby built/expanded his tannery. Brown also financed construction of a Mission Street building that evolved into the St. Charles Hotel. Brown later ran out of money, and died in poverty.
A grievance letter written in 1842 by men imprisoned and/or otherwise involved in the 1840 "Graham Affair" was signed by Isaac Graham and nine others, including one named "Charles Brown" (see Elliot, p.10). It's possible that this Charles Brown was in California that early, although obituaries described Brown as a "pioneer of '48".
- John L. Chase, The Sidewalk Companion to Santa Cruz Architecture (4th ed. 2023), Chapter Four, item (10), page 86.
- History Pages: 15 - Uptown and Downtown
A different Charles Brown, with minimal local connections, is briefly profiled in Riptide.
