Person:Rafe Greenwood (1)

Records in Placer County, CA

12 April 1879 Voter Registration List: record of Rafe Greenwood having voted at age 24 in Placer County on 12 April 1879. He lived in Bath, Placer County, CA.

NAMES OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN PLACER COUNTY IN 1890:

Greenwood Alexander

Greenwood Rafe

Greenwood William

Records in San Francisco County, CA

18 July 1896 Voter Registration List: Rafe Greenwood registered to vote in San Francisco on July 18, 1896, he was described as: age 41, height 5 feet 11 3/4 inches, a fair complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair, scar on neck, a laborer born in California whose address was 1955 Market Street. He could read the Constitution and write his name..

Notes

From "The Placer Argus", Auburn, California, Thursday February 28, 1884:

Desperado Dies with his Boots on; His Slayer, Ralph Greenwood, Acquitted by Coroner’s Jury (MICHIGAN BLUFF, Feb. 22, 1884, Editor, Argus)—

About 8 AM Friday, while sitting in the Phoenix Hotel reading, I was startled by the report of a gun. Hurrying to the door and looking in the direction from which the sound came, I saw lying upon the sidewalk in front of Rolker’s saloon, the body of a man known as Lazarus John, a Greek, well known in this part of the county. The blood was spouting from a bullet hole in the left cheek, while the man who committed the deed coolly surveyed his work. He then walked down the street to deliver himself up to Constable Cooley but not finding him at home, he went to the house of the Justice of the Peace and there surrendered his arms and was placed in the care of T. Snedecor who was deputized by the Justice to take care of him. A Coroner’s jury was impaneled, consisting of J. H. Keown, M. H. Williams, Ed Polifka, P. Ford, John Moss, W. Farrier, E. Polifka, J. H. Summers, and C. P. Udell. Twenty-one witnesses were examined and from the mass of evidence offered, the following facts were gleaned. Some time ago, “Rafe” Greenwood and Porter Farley located a placer claim of 80 acres about 2½ miles above Sunnysouth and had it recorded. Others laid claim to it also and among them was the deceased, Lazarus John. Threats were indulged in by both parties, but Greenwood and Lazarus finally agreed to settle it by arbitration and came here for that purpose. For some cause, Lazarus backed out and would not settle, saying he would have the claim or Greenwood’s life. Friday morning, Greenwood started to go back to the claim and met Lazarus John. Some words passed between them. Lazarus said to Greenwood, “You are no man.” Greenwood replied, “Peel yourself, and I will show that I am a man,” and stooped to lay down his rifle and bundle. As he did so, Lazarus placed his hand to his hip pocket as if to draw a weapon. Greenwood, perceiving this, quickly raised his rifle and fired. There were several witnesses of the affair who testified substantially alike. Lazarus was considered a very dangerous man, usually being armed with a revolver and dirk knife, and when under the influence of liquor was very abusive. He had cut one or two persons, among them Greenwood’s father a few years ago, and threatened to kill several others. After hearing the evidence, the jury rendered a verdict of justifiable homicide, and the prisoner was discharged. The citizens of Michigan Bluff had made the necessary preparations to bury the remains, but some fellow countrymen of the deceased came from Bath and assumed charge of the burial. They procured a more expensive coffin so that he could be buried like a “white man,” as one of them expressed it. On Sunday afternoon, the remains were taken to the church where the funeral services were held, after which the remains were interred in the public burying ground adjoining the Masonic Hall. The lesson the affair teaches is suggestive and demonstrates in a very forcible manner the evil results of carrying weapons and making threats against human life.

1.   United States. 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M653).

   1860 United States Federal Census
   Name: Rafe Greenwood
   Age in 1860: 5
   Birth Year: abt 1855
   Birthplace: California
   Home in 1860: Michigan Bluffs, Placer, California
   Gender: Male
   Post Office: Michigan Bluffs
   Household Members:
   Name Age
   William Greenwood 42
   Mary Greenwood 43
   Emily Greenwood 12
   John Greenwood 9
   Rafe Greenwood 5
   William Greenwood 3
   Alexander Greenwood 4/12
   John Paul 26
   Robert Tarner 30
   Martin Buman 28
   James Clark 30

2.   United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publications M593 and T132).

   1870 United States Federal Census
   Name: Ralph Greenwood
   Age in 1870: 15
   Birth Year: abt 1855
   Birthplace: California
   Home in 1870: Township 6, Placer, California
   Race: White
   Gender: Male
   Post Office: Bath
   Household Members:
   Name Age
   William Greenwood 53
   Mary Greenwood 53
   Ralph Greenwood 15
   Alexander Greenwood 10
   James Greenwood 9
   James A Grant 30
   John C Jones 26
   William Moss 48
   William H Jackson 46
   Lancelot Robson 27
   William Downard 33
   Henry Dods 30
   William Heaton 42
   Sing Wing 20

3.   United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T9).

   1880 United States Federal Census
   Name: Rafe Greenwood
   Age: 24
   Birth Year: abt 1856
   Birthplace: California
   Home in 1880: Forest Hill, Placer, California
   Race: White
   Gender: Male
   Marital Status: Single
   Father's Birthplace: England
   Mother's Birthplace: England
   Occupation: Miner
   Household Members:
   Name Age
   William Greenwood 63
   Rafe Greenwood 24
   James Greenwood 18

4.   California, United States. Great Registers, 1866-1898.

   California, Voter Registers, 1866-1898
   
   Rafe Greenwood was a registered voter in Placer County, California in:
   
   1879 (age 24), 1890 (age 34), 1898 (age 43)
   Name: Rafe Greenwood
   Residence Year: 1896
   Residence Place: San Francisco, California
   Age: 41
   Birth Year: abt 1855

5.   United States. 1900 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T623).

   1900 United States Federal Census
   Name: Rafe Greenwood
   Age: 44
   Birth Date: Feb 1856
   Birthplace: California
   Home in 1900: Township 6, Placer, California
   Race: White
   Gender: Male
   Relation to Head of House: Head
   Marital Status: Married
   Marriage Year: 1890
   Years Married: 10
   Occupation: Gold Miner
   Father's Birthplace: England
   Mother's Birthplace: England
   Household Members:
   Name Age
   Rafe Greenwood 44
   Ralph Greenwood 8
   Flora Greenwood 6