Cast of Characters

The characters and events portrayed in this book are all real people and real events that shaped San Francisco, California, and American history. I have worked as much as dramatically possible to set down the scenes as they have been reported by multiple sources, with all their real friendships, partnerships, rivalries, marriages, swindles, betrayals, and murders— depicted in the true chronology of these happenings, and whenever possible in people’s own words.

The Dreamers

Phoebe Apperson Hearst  (age 17-26)

Theodore and Anna Judah  (age 27-36 and 25-34)

Adolph Sutro  (age 25-40)

Samuel Clemens  (age 25-34)

Mary Ellen Pleasant  (age unknown)

The Barons

George Hearst  (age 39-48)

Leland Stanford (age 37-46)

Collis Huntington (age 40-49)

Charles Crocker (age 39-48)

Mark Hopkins (age 48-57)

Judge E.B. Crocker  (age 43-52)

The Bohemians

Bret Harte (age 24-34)

Ina Coolbrith (age 19-29)

Charles Warren Stoddard (age 19-29)

Jim Gillis (age 26-35)

The Executive Committee

Philip Bell (age 51-60)

Peter Anderson (age unknown)

James Madison Bell (age unknown)

William H. Hall (age unknown)

Reverend J.J. Moore (age unknown)

The Abolitionists

Jessie Frémont (age 36-40)

Thomas Starr King (age 36-39)

Selim Woodworth (age 45-55)

The Secessionists

Senator William Gwin (age 55-60)

Asbury Harpending (age 21-31)

Henry Huntley Haight (age 42-47)

The Celestials

Moy Jin Mun (age 15-24)

Moy Jin Kee (age 18-27)

Dr. Yee Fung Cheung (36-45)

Ah Ki (age unknown)

Ah Ling (age unknown)

Los Californios

General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo (age 50-65)

Maria Amparo Ruiz de Burton (age 15-36)

The Newsmen

Charles de Young (age 13-22)

Michael de Young (age 10-20)

Gustavus de Young (age 12-22)

Joe Lawrence (age 36-40)

Joe Goodman (age 23-32)

Henry George (age 30-31)

Steve Gillis (age 23-32)

The Bank Ring

William Ralston (age 34-44)

William Sharon (age 41-48)

Thomas Bell (age 40-47)

Dark Horses

Jane Lathrop Stanford (age 34-43)

Ambrose Bierce (age 19-28)

Lisette Flohr (age 19-29)

William Randolph Hearst (age 0-6)

Leland Stanford, Junior (age 0-3)

Lizzie Ralston (age 22-32)

The Presidents

Abraham Lincoln

Andrew Johnson

Ulysses S. Grant

The Emperor

Norton I