William B. Ide
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rutland, Massachusetts
Red Bluff, California
William Brown Ide (March 28, 1796 - December 19 or 20 1852) was a California pioneer and president of the short-lived California Republic.
Contents
[edit] Biography
William Ide was born in Rutland, Massachusetts to Lemuel Ide, a member of the Vermont State Legislature. Ide, a carpenter by trade, married in 1820. He and his wife Susan lived at first in Massachusetts, but soon began moving westward - to Kentucky, then to Ohio after converting to Mormonism, and finally to Illinois. They farmed in Springfield, with Ide supplementing his income by teaching school.
[edit] Ide in California
In 1845, after the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, Ide sold his farm and joined a wagon train in Independence, Missouri headed for Oregon. On the advice of a mountain man named Caleb Greenwood, Ide and a group of settlers split off and headed to Alta California, then a province of Mexico. They arrived at Sutter's Fort on October 25, 1845.
[edit] The California Republic
In 1846, learning the Mexican government was threatening to expel all settlers who were not Mexican citizens, about thirty settlers conducted what was to become known as the Bear Flag Revolt. On June 14, Ide and the other settlers seized the pueblo of Sonoma and captured the Mexican Commandante of Northern California, Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, who in fact supported American annexation. On June 15, Ide released the Proclamation he had written the night before.[1] By noon of June 17, the rebels raised the new California Bear flag, proclaiming the Mexican province to be the California Republic. Ide had been chosen to serve as commander.
The Bear Flag Republic lasted until July 9, 1846, just 25 days, until the U.S. Flag was raised at Sonoma. Ide and other "Bear Flaggers" joined John C. Frémont and the U.S. armed forces in taking possession of California from Mexico.
[edit] Last years
After the Mexican–American War, Ide returned to his home near Red Bluff, California, where he resumed his partnership with Josiah Belden at his rancho. He bought out Belden in 1849, and was successful in mining.
Ide died of smallpox in December, 1852 probably during the night of the 19th -20th, at the age of 56.
William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park, comprising a restored adobe house and other buildings near Red Bluff, commemorates his life.[2]
