Aged 60 years 5 months
Along the strip of grass to the right of the main entry to City Cemetery on Broadway, there are two new shiny black markers sitting side by side, one for the Jurgens family and one for the Reeves family in memorial of the various members of the two families. The Jurgens family were originally buried at New Helvetia, but removed from that now defunct cemetery in March of 1956. By May of 1956, the last remains of a number of people, including the Jurgens family were re-interred at City Cemetery. Peter J. Jurgens was from Helgoland, Germany according to the burial listing for City Cemetery. Also noted on the marker are his wife Elsabea Jurgens, and children Mathilda and Peter. Martin Valentine Jurgens was likely the brother of Peter Jurgens. Additionally noted on the marker is a baby, Emma Brown (Braun) aged 5 months, 21 days.
In the Spring of 1880 Martin Valentine Jurgens was involved in an altercation with a Chinese person named Ah Chee which resulted in Ah Chee's death, the headlines and story condensed as follows:
HOMICIDE.
Desperate Encounter with a Chinese Chicken Thief
A Fight in the Dark - The Thief Killed -Coroner's Inquest - Jury Justifies the Act
According to an account in the local newspaper Martin Valentine Jurgens, a German, "had suffered continual depredations from chicken thieves" for some time. Even with vigilance and checking on his poultry, he would find more missing on a regular basis. He decided to sleep in the chicken-house, which he did for several nights, until one night someone arrived and started into his coop. Mr. Jurgens, later at an inquest, described in great detailed trying to contain the man and ultimately have him arrested. A hatchet came into the fray and both men were injured, Ah Chee, mortally. The newspaper account stated that the fray "resulted in the sudden termination of the exploits and career of the chicken thief." (Members of the Chinese community found the account questionable and were to pursue their own investigation into what they felt was an unlikely scenario and characterization of Ah Chee.)
Source: Sacramento Daily Union 5/4/1880)
Along the strip of grass to the right of the main entry to City Cemetery on Broadway, there are two new shiny black markers sitting side by side, one for the Jurgens family and one for the Reeves family in memorial of the various members of the two families. The Jurgens family were originally buried at New Helvetia, but removed from that now defunct cemetery in March of 1956. By May of 1956, the last remains of a number of people, including the Jurgens family were re-interred at City Cemetery. Peter J. Jurgens was from Helgoland, Germany according to the burial listing for City Cemetery. Also noted on the marker are his wife Elsabea Jurgens, and children Mathilda and Peter. Martin Valentine Jurgens was likely the brother of Peter Jurgens. Additionally noted on the marker is a baby, Emma Brown (Braun) aged 5 months, 21 days.
In the Spring of 1880 Martin Valentine Jurgens was involved in an altercation with a Chinese person named Ah Chee which resulted in Ah Chee's death, the headlines and story condensed as follows:
HOMICIDE.
Desperate Encounter with a Chinese Chicken Thief
A Fight in the Dark - The Thief Killed -Coroner's Inquest - Jury Justifies the Act
According to an account in the local newspaper Martin Valentine Jurgens, a German, "had suffered continual depredations from chicken thieves" for some time. Even with vigilance and checking on his poultry, he would find more missing on a regular basis. He decided to sleep in the chicken-house, which he did for several nights, until one night someone arrived and started into his coop. Mr. Jurgens, later at an inquest, described in great detailed trying to contain the man and ultimately have him arrested. A hatchet came into the fray and both men were injured, Ah Chee, mortally. The newspaper account stated that the fray "resulted in the sudden termination of the exploits and career of the chicken thief." (Members of the Chinese community found the account questionable and were to pursue their own investigation into what they felt was an unlikely scenario and characterization of Ah Chee.)
Source: Sacramento Daily Union 5/4/1880)
Aged 60 years 5 months
Along the strip of grass to the right of the main entry to City Cemetery on Broadway, there are two new shiny black markers sitting side by side, one for the Jurgens family and one for the Reeves family in memorial of the various members of the two families. The Jurgens family were originally buried at New Helvetia, but removed from that now defunct cemetery in March of 1956. By May of 1956, the last remains of a number of people, including the Jurgens family were re-interred at City Cemetery. Peter J. Jurgens was from Helgoland, Germany according to the burial listing for City Cemetery. Also noted on the marker are his wife Elsabea Jurgens, and children Mathilda and Peter. Martin Valentine Jurgens was likely the brother of Peter Jurgens. Additionally noted on the marker is a baby, Emma Brown (Braun) aged 5 months, 21 days.
In the Spring of 1880 Martin Valentine Jurgens was involved in an altercation with a Chinese person named Ah Chee which resulted in Ah Chee's death, the headlines and story condensed as follows:
HOMICIDE.
Desperate Encounter with a Chinese Chicken Thief
A Fight in the Dark - The Thief Killed -Coroner's Inquest - Jury Justifies the Act
According to an account in the local newspaper Martin Valentine Jurgens, a German, "had suffered continual depredations from chicken thieves" for some time. Even with vigilance and checking on his poultry, he would find more missing on a regular basis. He decided to sleep in the chicken-house, which he did for several nights, until one night someone arrived and started into his coop. Mr. Jurgens, later at an inquest, described in great detailed trying to contain the man and ultimately have him arrested. A hatchet came into the fray and both men were injured, Ah Chee, mortally. The newspaper account stated that the fray "resulted in the sudden termination of the exploits and career of the chicken thief." (Members of the Chinese community found the account questionable and were to pursue their own investigation into what they felt was an unlikely scenario and characterization of Ah Chee.)
Source: Sacramento Daily Union 5/4/1880)
Along the strip of grass to the right of the main entry to City Cemetery on Broadway, there are two new shiny black markers sitting side by side, one for the Jurgens family and one for the Reeves family in memorial of the various members of the two families. The Jurgens family were originally buried at New Helvetia, but removed from that now defunct cemetery in March of 1956. By May of 1956, the last remains of a number of people, including the Jurgens family were re-interred at City Cemetery. Peter J. Jurgens was from Helgoland, Germany according to the burial listing for City Cemetery. Also noted on the marker are his wife Elsabea Jurgens, and children Mathilda and Peter. Martin Valentine Jurgens was likely the brother of Peter Jurgens. Additionally noted on the marker is a baby, Emma Brown (Braun) aged 5 months, 21 days.
In the Spring of 1880 Martin Valentine Jurgens was involved in an altercation with a Chinese person named Ah Chee which resulted in Ah Chee's death, the headlines and story condensed as follows:
HOMICIDE.
Desperate Encounter with a Chinese Chicken Thief
A Fight in the Dark - The Thief Killed -Coroner's Inquest - Jury Justifies the Act
According to an account in the local newspaper Martin Valentine Jurgens, a German, "had suffered continual depredations from chicken thieves" for some time. Even with vigilance and checking on his poultry, he would find more missing on a regular basis. He decided to sleep in the chicken-house, which he did for several nights, until one night someone arrived and started into his coop. Mr. Jurgens, later at an inquest, described in great detailed trying to contain the man and ultimately have him arrested. A hatchet came into the fray and both men were injured, Ah Chee, mortally. The newspaper account stated that the fray "resulted in the sudden termination of the exploits and career of the chicken thief." (Members of the Chinese community found the account questionable and were to pursue their own investigation into what they felt was an unlikely scenario and characterization of Ah Chee.)
Source: Sacramento Daily Union 5/4/1880)
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