Homer A. Curtiss: The Attorney Who Helped Build Shasta County’s First Government.

Homer A. Curtiss was born in New York in 1825 and received a strong education before pursuing a career in law. After completing his legal training and becoming an attorney, Curtiss was drawn westward by the excitement surrounding the California Gold Rush. Like thousands of others during this era, he left behind his eastern home in search of opportunity in the new frontier.

By the end of 1850, Curtiss had arrived in Shasta County, a region where mining camps and settlements were rapidly expanding along Clear Creek and the Sacramento River. Although the promise of easy riches had brought many men west, the reality of mining was often much more difficult. Curtiss soon recognized that his greatest opportunity was not in the goldfields, but in the profession, he already knew—law.

At the time of his arrival, Shasta County was still creating the basic institutions of government. Courts had to be established, laws enforced, and public offices organized. Curtiss arrived at a moment when men with legal experience were needed to help bring order to a rapidly changing frontier.

Above: Homer A. Curtiss (1825–1885), Shasta County’s first district attorney, helped establish the county’s early legal system during the formative years of California statehood. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society.

The Michigan Connection to Early Shasta County

Curtiss’s early years in California reveal an important connection between the development of Shasta County and a group of men who had ties to the East, particularly Michigan.

Among those who became prominent in early Shasta County government was Michael Oppenheimer, who had connections to Jackson, Michigan, before coming west. Oppenheimer would become the county’s first sheriff, while Curtiss would become its first district attorney.

One of the earliest records connecting these men comes from Curtiss himself. In a letter written from California and published in the Jackson Citizen newspaper on October 26, 1850, Curtiss reported on the results of the first county election and identified several of the men chosen to lead the new government.

Curtiss wrote:

“M. Oppenheimer is elected Sheriff of this County for the next two years. The people of this County saw fit to elect me to the office of District Attorney...”

This letter provides a rare firsthand account from one of Shasta County’s earliest officials. It confirms that Curtiss and Oppenheimer were already serving together during the county’s formative period and reveals a connection between former residents of the East and the creation of local government in California’s northern mining region.

Rather than arriving as unknown individuals among thousands of Gold Rush immigrants, Curtiss, Oppenheimer, and others brought with them previous experiences and relationships that helped shape the earliest political structure of Shasta County.

Shasta County’s First District Attorney

In 1851, the newly established Board of Supervisors officially created the office of district attorney. Homer A. Curtiss became the first person to hold that position in Shasta County. The role carried significant responsibility. In a frontier county where communities were growing faster than government could keep pace, the district attorney represented the state in criminal matters and helped establish the foundation of the local legal system.

Curtiss served as district attorney until 1852, when he was defeated for reelection by Josiah Ward. Although his first term was brief, his contribution was significant. He was among the first officials responsible for transforming Shasta County from a collection of mining settlements into an organized county with established legal institutions.

Curtiss remained active in public affairs after leaving office. In September 1853, he was elected justice of the peace and later received a commission as a notary public. He continued practicing law and remained an important figure in the community.

Above: An advertisement for Homer A. Curtiss, attorney and counselor at law and notary public, offering his legal services to the residents of early Shasta County. From the Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, April 15, 1854.

Above: Homer A. Curtiss's name appears here among the Union County nominations for district attorney, marking his return to local politics before his successful election to the office in 1864. From the July 4, 1863, edition of the Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta.

A Second Term in Office

By 1863, Curtiss was once again seeking public office. In its July 4, 1863, issue, the Shasta Courier included his name among the Union County nominations for district attorney, indicating that he remained active in local politics and continued to have the support of the community.

In 1864, Curtiss returned to the political arena and won election as district attorney. His victory made him the first person in Shasta County history to serve two separate, non-consecutive terms in the office. During his second term, Curtiss maintained a law office in Callaghan’s Block on Main Street in Shasta. He served until 1866, when he was defeated by John S. Follansbee.

Outside the courtroom, Curtiss played an active role in the civic and cultural life of early Shasta County. He supported the Shasta Library Association and helped organize the Shasta Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. He was also a member of Western Star Lodge No. 2, reflecting the important role fraternal organizations played in the social life of nineteenth-century communities.

Mining Ventures and Business Interests

Although law remained Curtiss’s primary profession, he also participated in the mining ventures that continued to shape Shasta County’s economy. By the mid-1860s, Curtiss became a partner in the Original Twenty-Six Mining Company at Bully Hill in the Pittsburg mining district.

He also invested in the Daniel Webster Gold, Silver, and Copper Mining Company. These ventures reflected the continued importance of mining in Shasta County and the willingness of many early professionals to participate in the economic opportunities created by the region’s mineral wealth.

Above: A report noting that District Attorney Homer A. Curtiss was “thrown from his horse with great violence” during a visit to Copper City, an example of the everyday dangers of frontier travel. From the Shasta Courier newspaper edition of April 30, 1854.

Returning East and a New Chapter in Michigan

Around 1868, Curtiss left California and returned east, settling in Jackson, Michigan—the same community that had connections to several early Shasta County pioneers.

While in Jackson, Curtiss resumed his legal career and continued his connection with the community. On August 25, 1869, he married Miss Sarah Doyle of Oswego, New York. The ceremony was performed by Rev. H. F. Spencer. A newspaper notice announcing the marriage identified him as:

“Homer A. Curtiss, Esq., late of Shasta,”

the marriage announcement read, showing that his reputation as one of Shasta County's early attorneys remained well known even after leaving California. In Jackson, Michigan, Sarah (Doyle) Curtiss established a millinery and dressmaking business, advertised in local newspapers by 1871, while Homer resumed his law practice and served as a circuit court commissioner until 1872. The family later lived in Rochester and Brockport, New York, before making their permanent home in Medina, Orleans County, New York.

His Final Years in New York

In Medina, Curtiss established another law practice and later brought his son, Medina Curtiss, into the profession as an assistant attorney. He and Sarah raised their family and remained connected to the legal community. Although his years in California represented only part of his long career, Curtiss never lost the distinction of having helped establish Shasta County’s earliest government institutions.

The Passing of a Frontier Pioneer

On Christmas Day in 1885, Homer A. Curtiss suffered a fatal accident at his home in Medina. While carrying a barrel up the steps, he slipped and fell, suffering a fractured skull. Physicians Dr. Bishop and Dr. Chapman were called to the scene, but Curtiss died shortly afterward at the age of 60.

News of his death traveled across the country, reaching communities in New York, Michigan, and California. In Shasta County, where he had helped establish the county’s earliest legal institutions, his passing was remembered with great respect. The Shasta Courier published an extensive obituary honoring Curtiss, recognizing his service as the county’s first district attorney and his role during the critical years when Shasta County’s government was being formed.

Homer A. Curtiss’s life represents the experience of many early Californians—a journey that began in the East, passed through the excitement and uncertainty of the Gold Rush, and ultimately helped build the foundations of a new frontier society. His story also reveals an important connection often overlooked in local history: the influence of earlier relationships and communities, including those from Michigan, in shaping the earliest government of Shasta County.

Resources:

1850 U.S. Census

1852 California State Census

From California written by Homer A. Curtiss  - The Jackson Weekly Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, January 7, 1852

In the District Court for the 9th Judicial District - Shasta County - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, April 2, 1853

Shasta County Democratic Convention - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 11, 1853

Election Notices - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 25, 1853

Shasta County Election Returns - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 10, 1853

Attention Citizens - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 12, 1854

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 12, 1854

Emigrant Road Meeting - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 17, 1855

1860 U.S. Census

Yancy Meeting at Briggsville - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 25, 1860

Candidates for Office - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 1, 1860

Declines It - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, November 1, 1862

The Fourth in French Gulch - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 27, 1863

Union County Nominations - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 4, 1863

Union Senatorial Convention - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 1, 1863

Notice - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 8, 1863

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, January 9, 1864

Republican Ward Caucuses - The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, March 14, 1868 

The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, April 27, 1868

The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, May 8, 1868

Political - The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, August 5, 1865

Republican County Ticket - The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, August 7, 1868

The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan - October 27, 1868

Homer A. Curtiss and James Hammill - The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, November 3, 1868

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 10, 1869

Marriages - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 25, 1869

1870 U.S. Census

Business Directory - The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, May 9, 1870

The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, February 6, 1871

The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, April 26, 1871

Appointment - The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, October 25, 1871

The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, April 30, 1872

The Jackson Citizen newspaper of Jackson, Michigan, February 1, 1873

1880 U.S. Census

Killed By a Fall - The Rochester Journal and the Post Express newspaper of New York, New York, December 29, 1885

Orleans - The Democrat and the Chronicle newspaper of New York, New York, December 30, 1885

Death of One of Shasta County's Pioneers - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, January 23, 1886

Gold & Lore: A Two-Time District Attorney: Homer A. Curtiss written by Jeremy M. Tuggle - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, November 4, 2016. 

The Temple Hotel

On June 12, 1891, the San Francisco Call newspaper published the following column about the future Temple Hotel and Masonic Lodge of Redding:

“Another Masonic Temple

The Redding Lodge Branching Out In Grand Style.

The Masonic Building Association of Redding has so far completed arrangements as to order the signing of the contract for the erection of the Masonic Temple in that place. It will be a four-story edifice, the two lower stories for rent, and third floor for Masonic uses, with lodge-rooms ample for all higher degrees, Knights Templars, etc., banquet-rooms and library rooms. It will be the finest building of its kind north of San Francisco. The Masons of Redding are hopeful that the building will be completed by September or October, before the Grand Lodge meeting. The Grand Lodge will be asked in due time to lay the cornerstone, with the Masonic fraternity and military assist. The Redding Lodge intends that it shall be the pride of the fraternity and the event of all Masonic events in the northern portion of the State.”

The Temple Hotel’s cornerstone was laid on August 6, 1891, by the Redding Lodge of Masons for the Masonic Building Association, on the southeast corner of Tehama and Market Streets. In 1894 the construction on the Temple Hotel was completed and the Masonic Building Association opened their new hotel and lodge. It was a gothic style four-story building with a basement and it featured the Masonic symbol at the top of the building. The hotel included one hundred rooms for its guests and one bathroom in the entire building, however, porcelain potties were provided under each bed for their use. The third and fourth floors of the building were reserved for Masonic members. The Masons utilized the majority of the hotel. At one point, the Masonic Building Association began transporting travelers from the Temple Hotel to the Redding Depot on Yuba Street with their own wagon and it remained a custom of the hotel for many years.

The Masonic Building Association employed Henry Clineschmidt to conduct the everyday business of the hotel and Masonic Lodge. His wife Nancy (Ritchie) Clineschmidt assisted her husband when he needed her help, and of course additional employees were hired. The Clineschmidt’s were permanent residents of the hotel.

Above: the Temple Hotel of Redding, date unknown. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society.

The hotel included a barroom which was stocked with the finest liquor and cigars. The Masonic Building Association hired F.A. Nauman to tend their bar. Nauman was still employed by them in 1898. By the following year the Temple Hotel was advertised as a first class establishment with first class table service and airy and pleasant rooms. The hotel room rates were one dollar per day and upwards while meals were offered at twenty-five cents a plate.

After the turn of the century, the Temple Hotel included the Temple Barbershop owned and operated by W.J. Scott, which was located on the main floor. It was still in business by 1904; however, it was a short-lived business venture. The barroom inside the hotel always kept busy. Two years later, on January 2, 1906, the Temple Hotel and Masonic Lodge were sold by the Masonic Building Association to Henry and Nancy (Ritchie) Clineschmidt for a total of $24, 000. Now the Clineschmidt’s not only operated the hotel - they owned it.

Over the years the hotel hired a number of employees to work as bell hops for both day and night shifts and night clerks for the hotel. In 1907, a popular night clerk at the Temple Hotel, Harry Grant, disappeared after robbing the cash register of $40. The story made headlines, but Clineschmidt chose to not press charges against the young man. Henry Clineschmidt and his wife continued to operate the hotel until her death May 13, 1918, and his death February 1, 1919. At this time his son Henry Clineschmidt Jr., along with his wife Luella, became the owners.

By 1931 the Temple Hotel had a registered address at 1401 Market Street. During the 1930s, the Clineschmidt’s brought in new businesses to the main floor of the hotel. These included the Temple Barbershop, whose proprietors were Elliott & Height, and the Temple Hotel Beauty Shop, which was owned and operated by Ell Feuz Eliz Carney, and the barroom became the Temple Lounge, which was owned and operated by A.V. Pearson.

In 1940 the Temple Lounge changed hands and Charles Bragg became the new proprietor. In 1948 the Temple Hotel was one of four major hotels in the area; Redding also had six smaller hotels in operation at that time. By 1951 owning and operating the hotel became an extended family affair with Henry Jr.’s brother Robert L. Clineschmidt stepping in to help his brother and sister-in- law. The Clineschmidt’s resumed control of the Temple Lounge. Matters at the Temple Hotel and Masonic Lodge stayed the same through-out the 1950s and into the 1960s.

The Masons still used the hotel and lodge for a number of events through the years. In 1964, the Temple Hotel was torn down as part of the first phase of the downtown revitalization plan of the 1960s to create the downtown Redding Mall, which wasn’t built until 1972. Today, the only thing left of the Temple Hotel is the basement which was used to store choice wines, bourbon and other alcoholic beverages for sale in the Temple Lounge.

RESOURCES:

Another Masonic Temple – The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, June 12, 1891

New Masonic Temple – The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, August 7, 1891

The Red Bluff News newspaper of Red Bluff, March 4, 1898

1899 City of Redding Directory

Redding Hotel Man Assaults A Constable – The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, April 5, 1902

Masonic Hall Is Sold For Big Price – The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, January 3, 1906

Hotel Man Is Arrested – The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, April 6, 1906

Redding – The Chico Record newspaper of Chico, June 5, 1906

Night Clerk Gone – The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, May 5, 1907

1931 City of Redding Directory

1938 City of Redding Directory

1940 City of Redding Directory

1948 City of Redding Directory

Henry Clineschmidt Sr., Find A Grave Memorial

Images of America: Redding by Shasta Historical Society with Al M. Rocca ©2004. Published by Arcadia Publishing. ISBN: 0-7385-2934-6