Philip Crosthwaite
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Philip Crosthwaite (December 27, 1825 – February 19, 1903) was an early settler of
Early life
Philip Crosthwaite was born 1825, in Athy, County Kildare, Ireland, to Edward and Rachel Crosthwaite. His parents were visiting their old home, having emigrated to the United States some years before. On returning to America, Philip was left in the care of his grandparents in Ireland and lived with them until 16, when he visited his mother.
In 1843, he returned to Ireland to complete his education, and entered
Mexican–American War in San Diego
In 1846, when the Mexican–American War broke out, Crosthwaite was on an otter hunting expedition on the Baja California coast, with Julian Ames, John Post, John C. Stewart, and William Curley. Learning of the war at the Misión Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosarito de Viñacado near El Rosario, Baja California, they all returned to San Diego and served in the Battle of San Pasqual. They reached the town late at night, and were wakened by a loud knock on the door early in the morning.
It was Captain Gillespie,
San Diego under U.S. rule
In 1847 Crosthwaite was appointed
Crosthwaite married María Josefa López, daughter of Bonifacio López, of San Diego in
During the
In 1851, Crosthwaite served in the Garra Insurrection, with the rank of third sergeant. After these troubles, he was the mainstay of the citizens in preserving the peace, at the time when a gang was terrorizing the town, and was seriously wounded.
Crosthwaite held a number of offices at an early day, being the first county treasurer (1850), deputy sheriff several years, and sheriff one or two terms. He was also school commissioner in 1850, county clerk and recorder in 1853–54, and justice of the peace in 1854. He lived for several years in
Ranch and city life
Crosthwaite purchased Rancho San Miguel, near Ensenada, Baja California, in 1861 and moved there, but still spent much of his time in San Diego. He was an active in the San Diego Lodge of the Freemasons. Crosthwaite visited his sister in San Andreas, California, where her husband William Jeff Gatewood was publishing the San Andreas Register. Crosthwaite suggested that Gatewood move the paper to San Diego, which didn't have a newspaper then. He did and the first issue of San Diego Union was issued October 10, 1868. Crosthwaite was appointed Chief of Police in San Diego in 1869. The same year, he partnered with Thomas Whaley to run a store in Old Town.
Death
Crosthwaite died 1903 in San Diego. He is buried in an unmarked plot in the Masonic section of Mount Hope Cemetery, but it was since marked by the Masons in 1968. He had almost fifty grandchildren at the time of his death.
Character and personality
Crosthwaite was a well-built man, with a full beard and a remarkably deep voice. An uncle-in-law, Mr. Hempstead, stopped off at La Playa (between Old Town and
References
- Smythe's History of San Diego (1907–1908)
- "Philip Crosthwaite: San Diego Pioneer and Public Servant", The Journal of San Diego History 21:3 (Summary 1975) by Pamela Tamplain
- Thomas J. Adema, 1986, San Diego's Oldest Pioneer, Phillip Crosthwaite, 1825-1903, University of San Diego thesis
- Historia de Baja California: Playas de Rosarito, Universidad Iberoamericana