William Anthony Richardson

William Anthony Richardson (August 27, 1795 – April 20, 1856) was an early California entrepreneur, influential in the development of Yerba Buena, the forerunner of the city of San Francisco.Richardson arrived as second mate[2] aboard the British whaling ship Orion in San Francisco Bay in 1822, shortly after Mexico had won its independence from Spain.An English mariner who had picked up a fluency in Spanish during his travels, he jumped ship after meeting and dancing with a local woman, Maria Antonia Martinez, at an all-night fiesta.Before filing his claim, Richardson had already capitalized on the freshwater source by establishing a watering station near the present-day town of Sausalito.[2] Richardson's seafaring experience was instrumental in his also being appointed Port Captain, responsible for overseeing maritime commerce and often personally piloting arriving ships to their anchorage.
"Birthplace of a great city" plaque at 823 Grant Avenue , San Francisco, commemorating Richardson's erection of Yerba Buena's first housing structure in 1835
William RichardsonLondonEnglandSausalitoCaliforniaYerba BuenaSan Franciscoland grantalcaldeJosé Joaquín EstudilloRancho SaucelitoranchoSan Francisco BayMarin CountyMexicanRoman CatholicismYgnacio MartinezPresidio of San FranciscoRancho El PinoleEcheandíaheadlandsGolden GateCoyote CreekGrant AvenueTiburon PeninsulaRichardson BaypuebloPortsmouth SquarebankruptcyMartinez, CaliforniaDon Ygnacio MartinezNew York TimesSan Francisco ChronicleWindgate Press