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An 1847 Letter Written from Pueblo de Los Angeles
Capt. Phelps and the Bark Moscow
Francis Pliny Fisk Temple, a prominent early resident of Los Angeles, writes to his brother, Abraham Temple. The letter includes an interesting reference to Capt. Phelps and his bark Moscow, who must have been a friend of the Temple and Workman families.
The bark Moscow, captained by William D. Phelps, played a role in the Bear Flag Revolt only months earlier, on July 1, 1846, when Phelps ferried a group of soldiers led by John C. Frémont across San Francisco Bay to an old fort known as the Castillo de San Joaquín (today's Fort Point), where his men spiked the fort's cannons.
Temple and Workman Families and Early Los Angeles
The Temple-Workman family played a significant role in the early history of Los Angeles and Southern California. Through their involvement in land development and through familial and business connections with other Alta California pioneers, especially Spanish-speaking Californios, the family enjoyed unique leverage and influence on the course of the region's early growth.
Jonathan Temple (1796-1866), the first person from either of these two families to settle in Southern California, was sometimes referred to by his Californio moniker Don Juan Temple. A native of Reading, Massachusetts, he lived in San Diego for a short time before establishing an American-style store in Los Angles in 1828. In 1843, he acquired the Rancho Los Cerritos, a 27,000-acre property in the Long Beach area - his 1844 adobe is the centerpiece of the Rancho Los Cerritos historic site. During the 1840s, Temple was active in shipping and commerce along the California and Mexican west coast. Temple was also one of the first real estate developers in L.A., having constructed the original Temple Block and the Market House, which later served as city and county administrative headquarters and the seat of the county courthouse. He would go on to serve as the first alcalde, or mayor of Los Angeles after the town was captured by the United States during the Mexican War.
Francis Pliny Fisk Temple, the younger half-brother of Jonathan Temple, was another prominent early figure in the early development of Southern California. The younger Temple married the daughter of William William, an English-born pioneer who arrived in Los Angeles from Santa Fe via the Old Spanish Trail route in 1841, as part of the Workman-Rowland Party - considered the first overland party of Americans to settle in Los Angeles. Through hard work and business acumen, Workman became one of the city's most successful entrepreneurs. He co-owned a store, served as a judge, and invested in real estate. His son-in-law, Francis Pliny Fisk Temple, also made a name for himself as a landowner and businessman, even branching into banking, and becoming one of the largest landowners in the area.
In summary, the Temple-Workman family were key players in the development of Los Angeles and Southern California during the second have of the 19th century. Their business ventures and extensive social activity helped shape the city's history and culture.
The text of the letter here follows:
February 8th 1847
Dear Brother,
I have wrote you two letters and enclosed them with one of brother's L.s which were put in the government dispatches since doing so my father-in-law Mr. Wm. Workman has come in from his Rancho and was disirous of sending on one hundred dollars for his son who resides with his aunt Mrs. Agnes Vickers in Baltimore but as it is unsafe to do so, you will please do me the favour to send it to her for him stating the amount is from his father & I will return you the amount by Capt. Phelps of bark Moscow when he leaves the coast which will be probably in Nov. or December. It will be well for you to write her before you send it and have her return an answer stating the street & number, so that you can give orders where to have it taken, as Mr. Workman does not know positively in what street she now lives. In case you should ever be in that section of the country Mr. Workman would be pleased to have you call and see his sister & son.
I forgot to mention in my other letters that the trunk & other articles which you sent me out were all received. With kind regards to Mother and all enquiring friends,
I remain your affectionate brother,
F. P. F. Temple.
