*** Sheriff of Monterey County, CA ***
Sheriff William Nesbitt, or "Bill", as he became known later on, was born in Fayette County, Illinois in 1852.
He was orphaned early in life and was taken in by an Aunt. At the age of thirteen he struck out on his own, working as a laborer and farm hand. In 1870, he was working as a laborer in Cedar Falls, Iowa, but by 1871 he had moved to California, working on a ranch near the northern boundary of San Luis Obispo County.
Bill moved to the Salinas Valley in 1878 and became a Deputy Sheriff, working under Sheriff John C. Franks. In 1880, he was living in Castroville, and in 1882 he was elected Marshal of Salinas. That same year Bill married Frances "Fannie" Camilla Durham, whose Father was originally from Pennsylvania and Mother, from Iowa. Together, they started their family and raised four children: Benjamin, Winifred, Forrest and Mildred.
In 1884 he was became Constable of Alisal, which at the time was a separate township, later to be incorporated into ever growing Salinas. Soon afterwards, he became a Deputy under Sheriff John L. Matthews. Later, Bill again became Salinas City Marshal and in 1902 was elected as Sheriff of Monterey County.
One of Bill's earliest exploits was the arrest of an infamous robber named Amos Virgin.
During 1893 many robberies befell the people of Monterey and Pacific Grove. Senior citizens, including women were roughed up , bound and gagged. Several persons were shot at in the streets.
This seems to have gone on for a year and it got to the point that the people of the two towns were afraid to be out on the streets after dark. Suspicion finally pointed to Amos Virgin, a prominent citizen of the town of Pacific Grove, and a leader in one of the churches.
Virgin somehow suffered a bullet wound to his leg and went to a local doctor for treatment. The Sheriff's Office found out and they began working on a case that, eventually implicated Virgin as the perpetrator of the crimes that had brought terror to the local citizenry.
Confronted with the mass of evidence, Virgin broke down and confessed to Nesbitt. Virgin was sentenced to life imprisonment, and then was charged with other crimes besides the six on which he had been sentenced. He was taken from the penitentiary and tried on the other charges, receiving an additional sentence of ninety-five years. People, no doubt, slept better from then on.
In 1899, Nesbitt, who was the Salinas City Marshal, was responsible for capturing George Suisser after Suisser had murdered Sheriff Henry Reed Farley.
One of Bill's most colorful and capable Deputies was Gil Refugio Cano. Please take a minute to read about his life.
An interesting note is that Sheriff Nesbitt was paid $3,000 per year from 1903 to 1915 without a pay raise. His Deputies were paid $2,100 per year.
Bill was a well known lawman, loved by many and feared by those outside the law.The County Jail was often affectionately referred to as, "Hotel Nesbitt"
Sheriff Nesbitt continued his excellent service to the county as Sheriff until 1923, when he retired. He died at home in 1933, age: 80. His house at 66 Capitol Street, Salinas, CA., still stands.
Sheriff William Nesbitt, or "Bill", as he became known later on, was born in Fayette County, Illinois in 1852.
He was orphaned early in life and was taken in by an Aunt. At the age of thirteen he struck out on his own, working as a laborer and farm hand. In 1870, he was working as a laborer in Cedar Falls, Iowa, but by 1871 he had moved to California, working on a ranch near the northern boundary of San Luis Obispo County.
Bill moved to the Salinas Valley in 1878 and became a Deputy Sheriff, working under Sheriff John C. Franks. In 1880, he was living in Castroville, and in 1882 he was elected Marshal of Salinas. That same year Bill married Frances "Fannie" Camilla Durham, whose Father was originally from Pennsylvania and Mother, from Iowa. Together, they started their family and raised four children: Benjamin, Winifred, Forrest and Mildred.
In 1884 he was became Constable of Alisal, which at the time was a separate township, later to be incorporated into ever growing Salinas. Soon afterwards, he became a Deputy under Sheriff John L. Matthews. Later, Bill again became Salinas City Marshal and in 1902 was elected as Sheriff of Monterey County.
One of Bill's earliest exploits was the arrest of an infamous robber named Amos Virgin.
During 1893 many robberies befell the people of Monterey and Pacific Grove. Senior citizens, including women were roughed up , bound and gagged. Several persons were shot at in the streets.
This seems to have gone on for a year and it got to the point that the people of the two towns were afraid to be out on the streets after dark. Suspicion finally pointed to Amos Virgin, a prominent citizen of the town of Pacific Grove, and a leader in one of the churches.
Virgin somehow suffered a bullet wound to his leg and went to a local doctor for treatment. The Sheriff's Office found out and they began working on a case that, eventually implicated Virgin as the perpetrator of the crimes that had brought terror to the local citizenry.
Confronted with the mass of evidence, Virgin broke down and confessed to Nesbitt. Virgin was sentenced to life imprisonment, and then was charged with other crimes besides the six on which he had been sentenced. He was taken from the penitentiary and tried on the other charges, receiving an additional sentence of ninety-five years. People, no doubt, slept better from then on.
In 1899, Nesbitt, who was the Salinas City Marshal, was responsible for capturing George Suisser after Suisser had murdered Sheriff Henry Reed Farley.
One of Bill's most colorful and capable Deputies was Gil Refugio Cano. Please take a minute to read about his life.
An interesting note is that Sheriff Nesbitt was paid $3,000 per year from 1903 to 1915 without a pay raise. His Deputies were paid $2,100 per year.
Bill was a well known lawman, loved by many and feared by those outside the law.The County Jail was often affectionately referred to as, "Hotel Nesbitt"
Sheriff Nesbitt continued his excellent service to the county as Sheriff until 1923, when he retired. He died at home in 1933, age: 80. His house at 66 Capitol Street, Salinas, CA., still stands.
*** Sheriff of Monterey County, CA ***
Sheriff William Nesbitt, or "Bill", as he became known later on, was born in Fayette County, Illinois in 1852.
He was orphaned early in life and was taken in by an Aunt. At the age of thirteen he struck out on his own, working as a laborer and farm hand. In 1870, he was working as a laborer in Cedar Falls, Iowa, but by 1871 he had moved to California, working on a ranch near the northern boundary of San Luis Obispo County.
Bill moved to the Salinas Valley in 1878 and became a Deputy Sheriff, working under Sheriff John C. Franks. In 1880, he was living in Castroville, and in 1882 he was elected Marshal of Salinas. That same year Bill married Frances "Fannie" Camilla Durham, whose Father was originally from Pennsylvania and Mother, from Iowa. Together, they started their family and raised four children: Benjamin, Winifred, Forrest and Mildred.
In 1884 he was became Constable of Alisal, which at the time was a separate township, later to be incorporated into ever growing Salinas. Soon afterwards, he became a Deputy under Sheriff John L. Matthews. Later, Bill again became Salinas City Marshal and in 1902 was elected as Sheriff of Monterey County.
One of Bill's earliest exploits was the arrest of an infamous robber named Amos Virgin.
During 1893 many robberies befell the people of Monterey and Pacific Grove. Senior citizens, including women were roughed up , bound and gagged. Several persons were shot at in the streets.
This seems to have gone on for a year and it got to the point that the people of the two towns were afraid to be out on the streets after dark. Suspicion finally pointed to Amos Virgin, a prominent citizen of the town of Pacific Grove, and a leader in one of the churches.
Virgin somehow suffered a bullet wound to his leg and went to a local doctor for treatment. The Sheriff's Office found out and they began working on a case that, eventually implicated Virgin as the perpetrator of the crimes that had brought terror to the local citizenry.
Confronted with the mass of evidence, Virgin broke down and confessed to Nesbitt. Virgin was sentenced to life imprisonment, and then was charged with other crimes besides the six on which he had been sentenced. He was taken from the penitentiary and tried on the other charges, receiving an additional sentence of ninety-five years. People, no doubt, slept better from then on.
In 1899, Nesbitt, who was the Salinas City Marshal, was responsible for capturing George Suisser after Suisser had murdered Sheriff Henry Reed Farley.
One of Bill's most colorful and capable Deputies was Gil Refugio Cano. Please take a minute to read about his life.
An interesting note is that Sheriff Nesbitt was paid $3,000 per year from 1903 to 1915 without a pay raise. His Deputies were paid $2,100 per year.
Bill was a well known lawman, loved by many and feared by those outside the law.The County Jail was often affectionately referred to as, "Hotel Nesbitt"
Sheriff Nesbitt continued his excellent service to the county as Sheriff until 1923, when he retired. He died at home in 1933, age: 80. His house at 66 Capitol Street, Salinas, CA., still stands.
Sheriff William Nesbitt, or "Bill", as he became known later on, was born in Fayette County, Illinois in 1852.
He was orphaned early in life and was taken in by an Aunt. At the age of thirteen he struck out on his own, working as a laborer and farm hand. In 1870, he was working as a laborer in Cedar Falls, Iowa, but by 1871 he had moved to California, working on a ranch near the northern boundary of San Luis Obispo County.
Bill moved to the Salinas Valley in 1878 and became a Deputy Sheriff, working under Sheriff John C. Franks. In 1880, he was living in Castroville, and in 1882 he was elected Marshal of Salinas. That same year Bill married Frances "Fannie" Camilla Durham, whose Father was originally from Pennsylvania and Mother, from Iowa. Together, they started their family and raised four children: Benjamin, Winifred, Forrest and Mildred.
In 1884 he was became Constable of Alisal, which at the time was a separate township, later to be incorporated into ever growing Salinas. Soon afterwards, he became a Deputy under Sheriff John L. Matthews. Later, Bill again became Salinas City Marshal and in 1902 was elected as Sheriff of Monterey County.
One of Bill's earliest exploits was the arrest of an infamous robber named Amos Virgin.
During 1893 many robberies befell the people of Monterey and Pacific Grove. Senior citizens, including women were roughed up , bound and gagged. Several persons were shot at in the streets.
This seems to have gone on for a year and it got to the point that the people of the two towns were afraid to be out on the streets after dark. Suspicion finally pointed to Amos Virgin, a prominent citizen of the town of Pacific Grove, and a leader in one of the churches.
Virgin somehow suffered a bullet wound to his leg and went to a local doctor for treatment. The Sheriff's Office found out and they began working on a case that, eventually implicated Virgin as the perpetrator of the crimes that had brought terror to the local citizenry.
Confronted with the mass of evidence, Virgin broke down and confessed to Nesbitt. Virgin was sentenced to life imprisonment, and then was charged with other crimes besides the six on which he had been sentenced. He was taken from the penitentiary and tried on the other charges, receiving an additional sentence of ninety-five years. People, no doubt, slept better from then on.
In 1899, Nesbitt, who was the Salinas City Marshal, was responsible for capturing George Suisser after Suisser had murdered Sheriff Henry Reed Farley.
One of Bill's most colorful and capable Deputies was Gil Refugio Cano. Please take a minute to read about his life.
An interesting note is that Sheriff Nesbitt was paid $3,000 per year from 1903 to 1915 without a pay raise. His Deputies were paid $2,100 per year.
Bill was a well known lawman, loved by many and feared by those outside the law.The County Jail was often affectionately referred to as, "Hotel Nesbitt"
Sheriff Nesbitt continued his excellent service to the county as Sheriff until 1923, when he retired. He died at home in 1933, age: 80. His house at 66 Capitol Street, Salinas, CA., still stands.
Bio by: Ben Martinez
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