Alexander Smith Taylor (1817–1876)^[1], best known for his Indianology of California written in a column for The California Farmer and Journal of Useful Arts (1860–1861)^[2][3], was an avid collector, prodigious author and obscure, sometimes errant, historian with an obscure background, and considered the "first bibliographer of California". His father, A. S. Taylor, was a naval officer of some distinction in the War of 1812. His mother, Mary Chapman, was a native of Wapping Parish, London. is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1817 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Nickname: Motto: Aedes Mores Juraque Curat (She cares for her temples, customs, and rights) Location of Charleston in South Carolina. ... Official language(s) English Capital Columbia Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32° 2′ N to 35° 13′ N  - Longitude 78° 32′ W to 83... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1876 Pick up Sticks(MDCCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... This article is about the U.S. – U.K. war. ... Wapping Old Stairs, one of many points of access to the foreshore in the area. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

His Life and Works

He arrived in Monterey, California on September 8, 1848 on the brig Pacific. It is unknown whether he visited the "gold diggings". From 1849 to 1860 he resided in Monterey, working as "clerk of the United States District Court". He married to Rafaela Olivera de Ortega and was survived by three (3) children.^[4] For other uses, see Monterey (disambiguation). ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1848 (MDCCCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) began shortly after January 24, 1848 (when gold was discovered at Sutters Mill in Coloma). ... Map of the boundaries of the United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. ...

Noted as a collector, author and historian of California and other western topics. Historians are indebted^[5] to his rather large collection of documents. 6000 items related to California history from 1770–1846 include: 800 items dated before 1800, and 4500 items before 1840. The collection includes papers, letters, reports and proclamations from the government. // ON MAY 5 1853 MR.FADER HAD SEX WITH A MAN NAME MR WIEN THEN THEY HAD SON NAMEDMRS COTURE AND MR MANOOGIAN WENT INTO MRS HASKELLS OFFICE NAKED AND DANCED AROUND AND MASTERBATED ON HER CHEST AND SHE LICKED IT OFF THEN THEY HAD ORAL SEEX WITH NAPLOEAN OF... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

In addition to this he had other large collections. One collection includes 400 "specimens" from newspapers printed in California from 1846–1854, many short-lived and some unique. However, it should be noted that much of his collection was lost in the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906. Even with this many items remain in major collections; this along with his writings. San Francisco Earthquake redirects here. ...

Some prominent writings include:

• Discovery of California and the Northwest America. The first voyage to the coasts of California; made in the years 1542 and 1543, by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and his pilot Bartolome Ferrelo., San Francisco Herald 1853.
• The Great Condor of California, Hutchings' Illustrated California Magazine, June, July, and August 1859.
• The Grasshoppers and Locusts of California, published in both the Farmer June, July, and August 1859, and Smithsonian Report, 1859.
• Indianology of California 1860–1863, in about 140 issues in Farmer.
  • The original manuscript includes 1100 pages.
• Historical Summary of Lower California, 1532–1867, Resources of the Pacific States 1869
• Bibliography of Alaska, 1600-1867, Resources of the Pacific States 1869
• "His proudest work", Bibliografa California: or notes and materials to aid in forming a more perfect bibliography of those countries anciently called 'California', and lying within the limits of the Gulf of Cortez to the Arctic Seas, and west of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.[sic], Sacramento Daily Union June 25, 1863 (with supplement printed March 13, 1866)

Of his many unpublished works Robert Ernest Cowan writes: is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

Poor, unhappy and misguided bibliophile! Although for twenty-five years he had labored tirelessly and incessantly, but little of his work ever assumed permanent form. Some of it still-born, and more of it by his singular plans and methods suffered self-defeat. (...)

Honors

Alexander Smith Taylor received several honors while alive. In recognition of his historical researches he was elected a member of American Antiquarian Society in April 1864. And for his interest in scientific discovery, he was made an honorary member of the California Academy of Sciences. The American Antiquarian Society (AAS) is both a learned society and national research library of pre-twentieth century American History and culture. ... The California Academy of Sciences is one of the ten largest natural history museums in the world. ...

His finest tribute though comes from Hubert Howe Bancroft's who renders this, This article needs to be updated. ...

It were well to judge a man not alone by what he has accomplished, but also by what he has conscientiously tried to perform.

Taylor's Unpublished Map of 1864

An obscure 1941 article by Robert Fleming Heizer entitled Alexander S. Taylor's Map of California Indian Tribes, 1864 describes the map^[6]. For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ...

Text from opening paragraph:

Most California historians and anthropologists are acquainted with Alexander Smith Taylor's work, "The Indianology of California,"¹ which still remains hidden away in its recondite newspaper source. This early work has been widely used by later authors, notably Powers², Bancroft³, and Kroeber⁴. (It is of) value, regardless of numerous errors of various sorts, lies in the recording of a large body of source data concerning native groups now extinct, particularly many of the coastal tribes who came under Spanish mission influence.[sic]

The last sentence originally read "Its value". What Heizer meant to write becomes clear on the next page ^[7] where he writes:

Second paragraph:

Taylor's source of information constitutes the greatest single problem to be solved in order to interpret fully his major work, the "Indianology." The excellent biographical account of Taylor¹⁰ helps somewhat, but only after long and careful checking through the printed sources shall we some day be able to reconstruct his bibliography.[sic] ...^[8]

Spurious Coinage Devised

It should be noted Taylor made up several words and phrases, giving historians cause for concern. Indianology, his most quoted work, was perhaps an invention for the popular audience of his time. The term Bibliografa, which caused him the most grief, not just from this fabricated word, but because the work has some "titles that never had any existence."^[9] However, Precis India California, considered a "reputable work", demonstrates well his knack for formulating his own rules with language.^[10]

Notes

References

External links

• Biography of - another via Appletons Encyclopedia