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Frederick Alonzo Bee was a Gold Rush pioneer, miner, merchant, manager of the Pony Express, builder of the telegraph over the Sierras, developer of Sausalito, lobbyist for the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, official at the Chinese Consulate, and vineyardist near Martinez, California.

Early life and education
Frederick Alonzo (F. A. ) Bee was one of nine children born in Clinton, Oneida County, New York to John Bee and Mary (Wilson) Bee on September 9, 1825. Frederick Bee’s parents had emigrated from Northumberland, England.

F. A. Bee studied law and was admitted to the bar. Frederick Bee died on May 26, 1892.

Family life
Catherine M. Bee, wife of Frederick Bee, was born on August 18, 1889 in Ballston Spa, NY and died on August 18, 1889 in San Francisco, CA.

Frank M. Bee, son of Frederick Bee, was born on August 11, 1851 in New York and died on June 22, 1895 in San Francisco, CA.

Willie Howard, son of Frederick Bee, was born on December 20, 1853 in Placerville, CA and died on November 10, 1855 in Placerville, California.

Willie Bee gravesite is located in Placerville, CA.

Albert Bee, brother of Frederick Bee, (1821 - 1863)

Sophronia Louisa Clapp, wife of Albert W. Bee, (1830-1925)

Albert W. Bee, Jr. (1854 – 1924), son of Albert Bee

Everett Newton Bee (1861- 1935), son of Albert Bee

Albert W. Bee's four daughters died before the age of two.

Lizzie Bee 6/20/55 to 5/26/56

Annie Bee 8/10/56 to 6/24/58

Kitty Bee 3/15/59 to 3/25/60

Mary Bee 3/18/63 to 11/4/64

Richard Bee (1810 – 1862), brother of F.A. Bee, purchased the ranch owned by Thomas Robertson and located in Coloma, CA after Mr. Robertson’s death in 1859.

Gold Rush
Elizabeth Ellen sailed from New York on February 16, 1849 with F A Bee.

228 days later, Frederick Bee arrived in San Francisco in August, 1849.

Frederick Bee arrived in New York City on September 23, 1850 on the Ohio.

Catherine Maxwell and Frederick Bee were married in Ballston Spa, New York on Thursday, October 17, 1850. The marriage announcement in the Ballston Spa Journal, Oct 22, 1850 (vol IV, no 27) indicated, "In this village, on the 17th inst. by David Maxwell, Esq. Mr. Frederick A. Bee to Miss Catharine Maxwell, both of this village."

Frederick Bee and family returned to San Francisco on April 30, 1852 on the Winfield Scott.

South Carolina sailed from New York on January 24, 1849 with A W Bee.

Albert W. Bee (A. W. Bee) (1821 – 1863) arrived in San Francisco on June 30, 1849.

Albert Bee left for Massachusetts on May 31, 1852.

Albert Bee married Sophronia Louise Clapp (1830 – 1925) on December 21, 1852.

Albert Bee and wife returned to San Francisco on February 6, 1853 on the Oregon. F.A. Bee and his brother, A. W. Bee, worked as merchants in Placerville, California.

In 1853, F A Bee and W Wadsworth started the Placerville Herald.

F.A. Bee departed the editorial staff about six weeks later.

James M. Hutchings was employed by the Placerville Herald.

In late 1855, F A Bee had successful mining operation while employing 20 Chinese workers on Ledge Bar.

F. A. Bee received 2,767 votes as an American Party candidate to be a member of the Assembly for El Dorado County in the election of 1856.

Albert W. Bee moved to San Francisco in 1856.

Postal roads, telegraph and Pony Express
Starting in 1857, F. A. Bee concerned himself with overland mail, telegraph construction, and the Pony Express.

F. A. Bee and Mr. Brockliss graded the road, Slippery Hill, in July, 1857.

“The first overland mail stage arrived in Placerville on Monday, July 19, 1858, at 10 o'clock p. m., and many who were aware of the event hailed it with ardent manifestations of joy. Mr. W. M. Cary illuminated his new hotel; from the lateness of the hour however, many had retired and from their ignorance of the arrival had not the satisfaction of expressing their joy upon the occasion. In order that all might have an opportunity of expressing their sentiments, large posters were distributed through the city next day, announcing that a grand jubilee would be held on the plaza that evening. The time was remarkably propitious for such a meeting, the city being crowded with people who had come here to attend to the various conventions just in session. But the petty strifes and bickerings of politics were forgotten, at least, for awhile in general warmth of general rejoicing. The large assemblage was called to order by F. A. Bee, Esq., who briefly stated the subject of the meeting. W. F. Stewart was called to the chair, and the people were addressed by G. D. Hall, D. K. Newell, and S. W. Sanderson, who acquitted themselves creditably and to the entire satisfaction of the audience, who manifested their appreciation by vehement cheers. The celebration was completed by Dr. Pettit, who sent a beautiful balloon into the ethereal regions.”

In May, 1858, the Placerville and Humboldt Telegraph Company was formed with F.A. Bee as one of the incorporators. The mission of the Company was to build a telegraph from Placerville, CA to Carson Valley, Nevada Territory to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. “The first practical movement toward the construction of the overland telegraph was made by California. The Placerville and Humboldt Telegraph Company was organized in 1858 and the first pole of the line from Placerville across the Sierra Nevada mountains was erected on the 4th of July of that year. During the autumn of the same year the line had reached Genoa then in Utah Territory now in the State of Nevada and by the spring of 1859 it had reached Carson from which point a branch was extended to Virginia City soon after the discovery of the silver mines.”

In September, 1858 the Placerville and Humboldt Telegraph Company elected F. A. Bee as President and became a corporation. George Chorpenning and his brother were the largest shareholders. A.W.Bee, Catherine Bee, and F.A. Bee were also shareholders.

On November 30, 1858, F.A. Bee wrote to William M. Gwin to encourage a government subsidy to complete the telegraph to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory.

In January, 1859, Legislative Assembly of Utah Territory approved the incorporation of Placerville, Humboldt and Salt Lake Telegraph Company.

Colonel F A Bee, President of SF and Overland Telegraph, announced impending completion of telegraph at San Francisco in August, 1859.

“Leavenworth & Pike's Peak Express, the organizers of the Pony Express applied for articles of incorporation by the legislature of Kansas territory, which were passed by that body and approved by Gov. S. Medary on February 13, 1860. Besides the three original members of the firm the incorporators included General Superintendent BF Ficklin together with FA Bee ,WW Finney and John S Jones, all tried and trustworthy stage employees ,who were retained on account of their wide experience in the overland traffic business."

In March, 1860, T.D.Judah, William Gwin, A. W. Bee, Mr.Chorpening, Manuel M. Noah and F. A. Bee were sojourning in Washington, D.C.

First Pony Express rider headed west out of St. Joseph, Missouri, on April 3, 1860. He arrived in Carson City at 3:30 pm on the 12th and cut the news time to nine days.

June 16, 1860 Pacific Telegraph Act of 1860 was approved.

September 24, 1860

“By some management probably understood by the the bidders and profitable to all concerned, the contract for the construction of the Pacific Telegraph line has fallen into the hands of Hiram Sibley of Rochester, NY, instead of John Harmon of Detroit, the lowest bidder. Mr. Sibley is the President of the Western Union Telegraph Company, which now owns between eleven and twelve thousand miles of wires, and also the controlling stock in the lines west of St. Louis, now being rapidly extended under the management of C. M. Stebbins, toward California. Isaac R. Elwood of Rochester is Secretary and Treasurer, and J. H. Wade of Cleveland, the General Agent. The Commercial says: The General Superintendant is Anson Stager, formerly of Cincinnati, now resident at Cleveland, one of the most accomplished Telegraphers of the time. E. Cobb of Chicago and Charles Davenport of Cincinnati are Assistant Superintendants. The fact that the contract for the payment of forty thousand dollars per annum for ten years, on the part of the United States Government, for the conveyance of its dispatches between the western borders of the Missouri and the Pacific coast, is not to be executed until the line is completed, has secured this great undertaking from falling into the hands of such parties as are accustomed to speculate upon government contracts, and has given it into the charge of those legitimately engaged and interested in the business of telegraphing - From such observation as we have been able to make for a number of years, of the management of the affair of this company, and from its acknowledged reputation of a sort of sturdy progressive energy, we cannot but feel strongly disposed to commend the judgement of Secretary Cole in making the award. We learn that it is with the expressed consent and approval of all the important telegraph interests of the country, that the Western Union Company has assumed the accomplishment of this splendid project.”

May, 1861 Pacific Telegraph Company formed in Rochester, NY and A.W. Bee was elected as a director.

The Pony Express ended on October 24, 1861.

At 10 pm on October 26th, 1861 this message from San Francisco was received by Cyrus W Field in New York, “The Pacific telegraph calls the Atlantic cable AW Bee”.

November, 1861 A.W. Bee resigned from Pacific Telegraph Company.

November 14, 1863 Death of Albert Bee, “The sad intelligence reached us that Major A W Bee, a pioneer of Placerville, had died in Austin, NT, on Sunday morning last. Major Bee settled in this place early in 1849, as always, manifested a deep interest in the welfare of our city. He was liberal, enterprising and successful in business, honorable in his dealings, correct in his deportment, and courteous in manner. He was an estimable citizen, a good neighbor, and an indulgent husband and father. In connection with his brother, Col. F. A. Bee, he labored zealously to construct the overland telegraph and his name and that of his brother, will be forever memorialized with that grand enterprise. At the time of this death he was largely and profitably engaged in mining at Reese River and owned some of the best claims, in that rich region. He leaves a wife and children in San Francisco and a large circle of friends in this county to mourn his loss. “

Railroads and Steamships
In 1865, F.A. Bee testified in front of the Committee on Railroads, Nevada Legislature. He indicated he was involved in railroad construction.

In February, 1867, F.A. Bee was elected as a director of the Placerville and Sacramento Valley Railroad.

Frank M. Bee was attending Oakland College School in June, 1867. Oakland College School was the precursor of the University of California, Berkeley.

F.A. Bee advertised for laborers to build the San Francisco and Humboldt Railroad in Sausalito, CA in April, 1868. The Sausalito Land and Ferry Company also sold lots in Sausalito at this time. Bee Street in Sausalito was named after Frederick Bee. Potential buyers of lots in Sausalito were advised to consult with Mr. Bee about the progress of the railroad. and

F.A.Bee sued the San Francisco and Humboldt Railroad for $39,050 in February, 1870 for expenditures and money supplied to the railroad.

F.A. Bee, managing agent of the New York and San Francisco Steamship Line, met with the President in May, 1870 to discuss a subsidy for steamships to run between San Francisco and Australia.

In December, 1870 the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce appointed F.A. Bee to lobby Congress for a subsidy to run steamships from San Francisco to Australia. The subsidy was denied.

Central Polynesia Land and Commercial Company was formed in December, 1871 to build coal stations in Samoa. F.A. Bee was a shareholder.

F.A. Bee was unsuccessful in February, 1873 in obtaining subsidy for Webb’s steamship line to deliver mail to Australia.

F.A. Bee won his lawsuit against San Francisco and Humboldt Railroad in July, 1873.

Edward Salomon and F. A Bee worked for the Olympia Railroad and Coal Mining Company to ship coal from Tenino, Washington for steamships starting in August, 1873.

Samoan Commercial and Land Company took over the assets of the Central Polynesia Land and Commercial Company in March, 1874. F.A. Bee was a shareholder.

Frederick Bee was the manager of the Olympia Railway and Mining Company in 1874 and 1875.

Chinese Exclusion
The Republican National Convention in June, 1876 recommended that Congress have an investigation of Chinese immigration.

The May 27, 1892 Morning Call reported, “In July, 1876, while the sandlot anti-Chinese agitation was at its height, Congress provided for a committee of Senators and representatives to go to California and investigate The Chinese question. Governor O. P. Morton of Indiana was chairman of the committee. In anticipation of the investigation the prominent Chinese here tried to get several well-known lawyers to represent them before the commission, but none asked would serve. Governor Morton, who was an old friend of Colonel Bee, telegraphed the latter a request that he act as attorney for the Chinese, and he promptly accepted.”

12 November 1876 - Colonel Bee called witnesses before Congressional Committee to convened to investigate Chinese immigration.

February 27, 1877 -Report of the Joint Special Committee to Investigate Chinese Immigration concluded the Chinese population had few desirable characteristics.

2 November 1878 - 3000 Irish met to complain about Colonel Bee.

13 December 1878 - Chinese consulate opened in San Francisco, California.

Huang Zunxian became Consul General in San Francisco.

Huang Zunxian's (aka Huang Tsun-hsien)  poem written about Frederick Bee

Translation of the poem:

After several years of hardship, I am writing a poem about my comrade; When someone’s guts are bigger than his body, his spirit is naturally heroic and fearless. When will the days of chasing after petty gains and losses come to an end? (1)

Even in smiling, he always carried a boot dagger.

(1) Here, Huang is accusing the U.S. government of focusing on petty interests.

In his note, Huang Zunxian records one incident that he and F.A. Bee encountered.

Translation of Huang’s original note to the poem:

F.A. Bee was also the consul of the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco. When the U.S. government just started to implement the Chinese Exclusion Act, Mr. Bee and I would go out to see each time we saw a Chinese ship arrive. One day, when we passed the Customs Office, some American workers started to gather. One of them took out a pistol and pointed it at us, saying, “If you dare lead the Chinese to enter, I am going to give you this!” Mr. Bee touched the gun in his boot, and then smilingly said to him, “Do you dare?”

April, 1882 - Colonel Bee was awarded title by the Chinese government.

May 6, 1882 - Chinese Exclusion Act

Frederick Bee spent most of his time between 1882 to 1892 making appearances in the Ninth District Court in San Francisco to testify whether Chinese passengers should be allowed to stay in California and investigating killings of Chinese residents in other states.

Vineyardist
15 October 1886 - Consul Bee bought 60 acres in Martinez, California.

Frederick Bee grew 40 acres of Tokay, mixed wine, Rose Peru and Black Hamburg grapes. The Bee Ranch was on the hill between Vine Hill Way and Morello Avenue.