Benjamin Franklin Washington

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Benjamin Franklin Washington (April 7, 1820 – January 22, 1872) was a relative of George Washington. He was involved in a duel with C. A. Washburn over articles printed in the San Francisco Herald.

Contents

[edit] Personal life

Washington married Georgia H. Ransom on October 22, 1845 in Jefferson County, Virginia[1] He studied law[2] but went west to California in the 1849 Gold Rush as the president[3] of the Charlestown Company[4][5].

He was coeditor of the Sacramento Democratic State Journal, along with Vincent Geiger.[6]

On October 7, 1863, the Democratic Press was established in San Francisco, and by June 12, 1865, it became the Evening Examiner, with William S. Moss as publisher and B. F. Washington as editor. For several years William S. Moss, Phil Roach and George Pen Johnston were its owners. Until it was bought by Senator Hearst in the 1880s, the paper had been a "highly chaste and non-sensation journal"[7]. After Senator Hearst's death the paper went to his son, William R. Hearst.

B.F. Washington died January 22, 1872 in San Francisco, California.

[edit] The duel

Washington, who at the time worked for the Times and Transcript, took offense at articles written in the San Francisco Herald. As a result, he challenged C. A. Washburn, then the editor of the San Francisco Herald, to a duel. Though Washington aimed to kill, his second shot went through the rim of Washburn's hat, and his third bullet struck Washburn in the shoulder. The duel then ended[8].

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Jn. T, A. Washington. Washington Family Bible. Retrieved on 2006-03-18.
  2. ^ Plumas County Biographies, 'Judge Joseph E. N. Lewis'. Retrieved on 2006-03-20.
  3. ^ John William Bowers. Autobiography of John William Bowers. Butte County Edition of the San Francisco Journal of Commerce. Retrieved on 2006-03-20.
  4. ^ Plumas County Biographies, 'Charles C. Thomas'. Retrieved on 2006-03-20.
  5. ^ Plumas Count Biographies, 'Robert M. Blakemore'. Retrieved on 2006-03-20.
  6. ^ Biographical Sketches Part 4. Retrieved on 2006-03-20.
  7. ^ Leigh H. Irvine. A History of the New California, ch. 10, "GROWTH OF NEWSPAPERS". The Lewis Publishing Company. Retrieved on 2006-03-18.
  8. ^ George H. Tinkham. California Men and Events, ch. 14, "PULPIT, PRESS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL". Retrieved on 2006-03-16.

[edit] External links