We have defined Civil Records to include Census records, Tax Assessments, and City Directories in which
William and Josephine appear, at Fort Ross and in Oakland. In the California census of 1852 Fort Ross
was in Mendocino county; the borders were changed and by 1860 it was made part of Sonoma county.
Census Records
Census, 8 January, 1848 Presidio Fort Ross (page 4)
(Source: Vallejo collection, Bancroft Library, Univ. of California, Berkeley)
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To view a PDF file (1.4 MB) with the entire Fort Ross census, please click:
1848-Enero 8 Nº326
Praesidio Ross. January the 8th 1848
Liste of Indians at present time.
[4 Chiefs, total of: 157 Indians]
— [Page 4] — — — — — —
Head present at the Praesidio Ross:
W. Benitz and wife
E. Rufus
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Living stock:
50 head of horses and mares
180 " " cattle
California Census, 20 Sept., 1852 Mendocino County
Blue: Mical Coleman [Kolmer] & fly.
Green: John Meyers [WBz’s Fort Ross partner]
Yellow: Mylen Benett [Wm. Benitz] & fly. Red: Likely employees
at Fort Ross
U.S. Census, 19 July, 1860 (page 693) Sonoma Co., Salt Point Township
Blue: Josephine & son John Coleman [Kolmer]
Yellow: Wm. Bennett [Wm. Benitz] & fly.
U.S. Census, 19 July, 1860 (page 694) Sonoma Co., Salt Point Township
Yellow: Frank & son Wm. Bennitz [Benitz]
Red: Likely employees at Fort Ross
U.S. Census, 18 June, 1870 Oakland, Alameda County
Yellow: Wm Benitz & fly.
Green: Likely servants
Blue: Elizabeth Howard (Josephine’s niece)
Tax Records
U.S. Tax Assessment Fiscal Year 1863 (March, 1864)
$4404 (≈ 800 U$D-2000)
U.S. Supplemental Tax Assessment Fiscal Year 1863
(We are missing the 2nd page with the amounts)
U.S. Tax Assessment Fiscal Year 1864, page 3
(We are missing the 2nd page with the amounts)
U.S. Tax Assessment Fiscal Year 1864, page 18
(We are missing the 2nd page with the amounts)
U.S. Tax Assessment Fiscal Year 1865
(We are missing the 2nd page with the amounts)
U.S. Tax Assessment Fiscal Year 1866
$53300 (≈ 9,400 U$D-2000)
