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Author: Dwinelle, John W.
Title: The Colonial History of the City of San Francisco: Being a Narrative Argument in the Circuit Court of the United States for the State of California, for Four Square Leagues of Land Claimed by that City and Confirmed to It By That Court
Place Published: San Francisco
Publisher:Towne & Bacon
Date Published: 1866
Description:

xlv, [1], 106, 391 pp. With 2 (of 3) lithographed plates; 2 maps, 1 of them double-page and hand-colored; additional large folding map, backed with linen, tipped to rear pastedown. 23x14.5 cm. (9x5¾"), period half straight-grained morocco & cloth, spine ruled & lettered in gilt. Third Edition.

The folding map at the end of the book, "City and County of San Francisco, compiled from official surveys and sectionized in accordance with U.S. Surveys, Drawn by V. Wackenreuder," 1861, is noted by Howes as "inserted in come copies but does not properly belong to them." Following the Land Act of 1851, the city of San Francisco, the successor to the pueblo of Yerba Buena, filed a claim for four leagues of pueblo or town lands. The United States contended that the pueblo of San Francisco never existed, which would have invalidated the city's claim for thousands of acres. Dwinelle, the city's special counsel, successfully argued against the federal government in both the district and circuit courts, and in so doing amassed a mountain of documentary evidence on the history of San Francisco during the Spanish and Mexican periods. Cowan notes that most of the documents supporting Dwinelle's argument "are now either inaccessible or destroyed." Additional material was added to later editions as the case moved from trial to appeal. This is the first issue of the third edition, without inserted material that caused pagination irregularities in the second issue. Cowan notes that "200 copies was the extent of the third edition." Cowan (I), p. 75; (II), p. 189; Howell 50:783; Howes D614; Norris 1024; Rocq 7961; Zamorano 80:32. Tipped to the front endpaper is an old, typed description of the book on letterhead of Newbegin's Bookshop, John J. Newbegin, proprietor, one of the great bookstores of old San Francisco. Tipped to the front flyleaf is a two-page autograph letter signed by Herman Dwinelle, son of the author, presenting the book, dated 1877. Tipped to the facing page is a newsclipping of memorial address by John S Hittell on the passing of John Dwinelle. Old signature of George Barron on the front flyleaf.

Some rubbing and wear to covers; top of title page clipped off, not affecting printed portion, but taking away an ink signature, leaving only the place, San Francisco; very good condition overall.