Sonoma-Marin-San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....Blume, Frederick Gustavus 1815 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 27, 2006, 6:52 pm

Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. (1880)

Blume, Frederick Gustavus. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in
this history, was born in Bautzen, in the Kingdom of Saxony, on the 13th of
June, 1815. His father's name was Frederick William Blume, and his mother's
maiden name was Johanna Fibiger, both natives of the above named place. His
parents were very poor, and the young lad was glad to even have the advantages
of the common schools. In that city there was an academy in which there was a
fund set apart for the free education of twelve young men whose ability in vocal
music should entitle them to receive this benefit. They were furnished with
books, and received also one dollar per week. Young Blume was blessed with such
an excellent soprano voice that he was selected to fill this position in the
academy. The weekly stipend went far to relieve the pressing wants of his
father's family. He entered this academy at the age of twelve and remained in it
till he was sixteen years of age. After leaving this school he went to Hamburg,
Germany, and became a student of pharmacy and surgery under Philip Hauptneisch,
Chief Surgeon of Hamburg. Here he remained and pursued his studies for the
period of three years. He then returned to his native country and entered the
Royal College in the city of Dresden, remaining there three years, when in 1837
he graduated as a surgeon with high honors. He escaped service in the army owing
to the fact that there was an unusual number of young surgeons ready to enter
the service just at that time. He then set out to visit his uncle in the city of
Hamburg. Upon his arrival at Hamburg he received a letter from an old college
chum, stating that he had shipped as surgeon on a South sea whaling vessel, but
had fallen ill, and desired young Blume to go in his stead. After due
deliberation he decided to accept the situation, and instead of returning to his
parents, he has never since placed foot upon his native soil. On the 19th day of
December, 1840, he sailed from the port of Bremerhaven on the whaling ship
"Alexander Barclay," as surgeon, with the provision that he could take his
discharge whenever he chose after the ship had secured a full cargo. After
making the usual voyage to the north-west whaling grounds, the vessel returned
to San Francisco bay to spend the winter, and on the 23d day of December, 1842,
Mr. Blume first set foot on California soil, at Saucelito. The vessel remained
here until the following March. As soon as it was known that a vessel was in
port with a physician and surgeon on board, he was sent for to attend the sick
on the ranchos in all the surrounding country, there being no resident physician
in the country at that time, except Dr. Sanders, who sometimes visited
California. During the season of 1843 the vessel made another cruise, and spent
the following Winter at the Sandwich Islands. During the season of 1844 the
vessel made another cruise, during which an incident occurred in which Mr. Blume
came very near having his career of life sealed forever. He secured permission
to go with the sailors to harpoon a whale, and upon approaching it and
harpooning it, their boat was struck with one of the whale's fins and crushed,
leaving its occupants at the mercy of the waves. Mr. Blume went down with the
rest of the men, but on coming to the surface he found himself close beside the
whale, to which he tried to cling to keep from sinking again. While trying to
grasp hold of the whale another boat approached and a lance was hurled at the
whale, which passed close to his head, and passed through the lower part of his
right hand. He still bears the scar of that cut. The whale was killed and Mr.
Blume was rescued from his perilous position. The vessel returned to the
Sandwich Islands at the end of that season with a full cargo, and Mr. Blume took
his discharge from there. This was in August or September of 1844. He expected
to engage in his profession on the Islands, but there being no field for it, he
engaged in mercantile business till the Spring of 1846. In May of that year he
sailed on the English schooner "Currency Lass" for San Francisco. He shipped his
stock of goods on the schooner also. He arrived in San Francisco in May or June,
1846, and at once rented a room of Dr. Jones, opposite the Portsmouth House on
the plaza, and in five days had disposed of his entire stock of goods. On the
return of the schooner to the Islands, he sailed on her. He procured another
stock of goods, and returned to San Francisco in the American schooner "General
Kearney," in October, 1846. He took this stock of goods to Sonoma city, and
opened a store there in a building owned by Salvador Vallejo. He remained in
business at this place till April 1, 1848, when he moved to the rancho Canada de
Pogolome. He has since resided in the same house, situated on a slight eminence
over-looking the beautiful little town of Freestone. The town of Bloomfield was
named in his honor, being located on the Pogolome grant owned by his wife. Mr.
Blume was duly elected to the first Territorial Legislature of California, which
met at San Jose in 1840, although he was not a citizen at that time. He was
appointed postmaster at Freestone December 14, 1870, and has held the office
continually since. He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1873, and has held the
office ever since. He has held the office of School Trustee since 1871. He is a
member of the San Francisco Pioneers; and is one of the very few who are
entitled to wear the golden bear upon his badge. When he first went upon his
ranch he kept a small stock of goods for the supply of the local trade. One
night in the winter of 1849, a band of Indians camped near his house returning
with Mr. W. Bruitz from the mines. During the night he disposed of his entire
stock of goods, receiving therefor eighteen pounds of gold dust equal to three
thousand four hundred and fifty-six dollars. He disposed of one pair of red
blankets to the chief for a nugget worth two hundred and eighty-seven dollars.
Mr. Blume was married in Sonoma city in November, 1848, to Mrs. Maria Antonio
Dawson, (nee Caseres) widow of James Dawson. She is still living. They have had
no children.



Additional Comments:
Bodega Township

Extracted from:

HISTORY
—OF-
SONOMA COUNTY,
-INCLUDING ITS—
Geology, Topooraphy, Mountains, Valleys and Streams;
—TOGETHER WITH—
A Full and Particular Record of the Spanish Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the Most Authentic Sources; the Names of Original
Spanish and American Pioneers; a full Political History, Comprising the Tabular
Statements of Elections and Office-holders since the Formation of the County;
Separate Histories of each Township, Showing the Advancement of Grape and Grain
 Growing Interests, and Pisciculture;
ALSO, INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE; THE RAISING OF THE BEAR FLAG; AND BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
—AND OF ITS—
Cities, Towns, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc., Etc.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO:
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1879, by ALLEY, BOWEN & Co.,
in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.

PACIFIC PRESS,
Oakland, Cal. Printers., Stereotypers and Binders.


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