Résumé

Principal, Charles D. Farquharson, Building Contractor, San Francisco, CA, c. 1875. In 1879, his office was at 1 Powell Street in San Francisco. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1879, p. 311.)

Langley's San Francisco, California, Directory for 1890 (p. 473) listed Charles D. Farquharson as working as a "capitalist." The directory for 1894 (p.531) also indicated that he was a "capitalist" and no longer just a building contractor.

Relocation

Born in Montrose, Scotland, on or about 06/03/1829, Charles Dease Farquharson came to California during the Gold Rush, arriving around 1851. He accompanied his elder brother, David Farquharson (1827-1914) who worked as a renowned architect in both Sacramento and San Francsico, CA. (David was about one year older, according to 1872-1873 San Francisco voter rolls. See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 41; FHL Roll Number: 977097, accessed 08/27/2025.) In 1860, Charles lived with David and his wife, Jessie, in Bear River Township, Yuba County, CA, where they raised sheep, according to the US Census for that year. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1860; Census Place: Bear River, Yuba, California; Roll: M653_72; Page: 1010; Image: 474; Family History Library Film: 803072, accessed 10/03/2016.)

While David became a naturalized US citizen on 10/31/1856 in Sacramento, CA, Charles obtained American citizenship on 08/01/1867 in the CA's 4th District Court in San Francisco. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 44; FHL Roll Number: 977099, accessed 08/26/2025.)

Voting records of 1866 noted that he, at age, 38, lived at Hansa House in San Francisco. (Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 44; FHL Roll Number: 977099, accessed 10/03/2016.) The US Census of 1870 indicated that Charles, "a house contractor," and his wife lived in Ward 8 of San Francisco. He had a personal savings of $3,000 in that year. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: San Francisco Ward 8, San Francisco, California; Roll: M593_82; Page: 297A; Image: 260174; Family History Library Film: 545581, accessed 10/03/2016.)

The 1870 US Census located Charles living with his wife Theodosia in San Francisco. The census recorded that Charles had personal assets of about $3,000, a moderate amount for the neighborhood. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: San Francisco Ward 8, San Francisco, California; Roll: M593_82; Page: 297A, accessed 08/26/2025.) Voting rolls of 1872-1873 listed Charles residing in the Hansa Hotel in the city. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 41; FHL Roll Number: 977097, accessed 08/27/2025.)

Charles Farquharson moved around quite a bit during the 1870s and 1880s. In 1875, he lived at 2437 Buchanan Street in San Francisco, CA. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1875, p. 352.), and had his home at 922 Geary Street in 1879. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1879, p. 311.) He maintained his residence on the northwest corner of Powell and Eddy Streets in 1882. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 54; FHL Roll Number: 977203, accessed 10/03/2016.) Voter records listed his local address at 620 Sutter Street in 1886. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 60; FHL Roll Number: 977210, accessed 10/03/2016.)

The San Francisco city directory of 1889 located his residence at 923 Pine Street. (See Langley's San Francisco, California, Directory for 1889, p. 498.)

In 1890, Charles and David shared the same street address, 1011 Pine Street. (See Langley's San Francisco, California, Directory for 1890, p. 473.)

He resided at the Baldwin Hotel, 1 Powell Street, in 1892. (See Langley's San Francisco, California, Directory for 1892, p. 541.)

By 1892, Farquharson resided on the southeast corner of Pine and Jones Streets in San Francisco. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 88; FHL Roll Number: 977607, accessed 10/03/2016.)

Charles D. Farquharson died in 11/1895 at the age of 66 years, 5 months and 22 days. The Find a Grave.com website indicated that he died on 11/25/1895 at that age, but it made a 20-year miscalculation as to his birthdate

Spouse

In 1870, Charles Farquharson resided in San Francisco with his wife, Theodosia (or Theodocia) Sanders, (born 09/26/1828 in Walcot, Somerset, England). Her parents were John Arnold Sanders (born 1781 in Somerset, England-d. 09/1860 in Somerset, England) and Fanny Eliza Hippisley (born 10/21/1797 in Shepton Mallet, England-d. 01/14/1863 in Somerset, England). Theodosia's family belonged to the Swedenborgian faith when they lived in Bath, Somerset, England, at the time of her baptism on 08/28/1831. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives (United Kingdom); Kew, Surrey, England; Registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths surrendered to the Non-parochial Registers Commissions of 1837 and 1857; Class Number: Rg 4; Piece Number: 3969, accessed 08/26/2025.)

She had eight siblings, one of whom was George Hippisley Sanders (born 1844 in Canada-d. 01/22/1920 in San Francisco, CA), who worked as a partner in the firm of Wright and Sanders in San Francisco during the late 19th century,

Theodosia Sanders worked as a governess in San Francisco, living at 1213 Bush Street in 1868. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1868, p. 486.) This means that she likely married Charles in 1869 or 1870.

The English Census of 1901 recorded a "Theodosia Saunders" residing in the North London district of Saint Pancras. Sbe was 74 at this time and a widow. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: RG13; Piece: 154; Folio: 144; Page: 29 Source Information Ancestry.com. 1901 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 08/26/2025.)

Biographical Notes

According to California, Voter Registers,1866-1898, 7th Precinct, 42nd Assembly District of San Francisco, Charles D. Farquharson stood, at age 63, 5-feet 8-inches tall, with a light complexion, light eyes and gray hair. He was naturalized 08/01/1867 in the District Court #4 of San Francisco. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 88; FHL Roll Number: 977607, accessed 10/03/2016.)