George Gordon Belt
Encyclopedia
George Gordon Belt soldier, 49er
, businessman, judge, Confederate sympathizer who organized the Mason Henry Gang
in California during the American Civil War.
. George Belt had joined Colonel
Jonathan D. Stevenson
's First Regiment of New York Volunteers that were raised as part of the American occupation army in California
, during the Mexican-American War. Colonel Stevenson raised ten companies or 770 men to go to California with the understanding that they would after their service muster out and stay in California. Belt held the rank of quartermaster-sergeant when he was discharged in 1847 and settled in California.
On April 7, 1848, George G. Belt married Bebiana Asorca and they had nine children by 1869.
in 1849, opening a tent store. In 1850 he was appointed as a licensed trader at the Merced Indian Reservation. Belt's Ferry and store
on the Merced River
were about seven miles up-river from Snelling's Ranch. This tent-store was used mostly for supplying the Indians in that part of the San Joaquin Valley
under contract with the federal government.
He became the first alcalde
or judge of Stockton, California. On one occasion he rode with the posse that caught and hanged the stagecoach
robber Tom Bell
near Firebaugh's Ferry on October 4, 1856.
and "Jim Henry
" and sent them out to recruit more men and pillage the property of Union men in the countryside. For the next two years the Mason Henry Gang
, as they became known, posed as Confederate partisan rangers but acted as outlaw
s, committing robberies, thefts and murders in the southern San Joaquin Valley
, Santa Cruz County
, Monterey County, Santa Clara County, and in counties of Southern California
.
49er
49er: A prospector or other settler that came in the California Gold Rush who arrived before or during 1849, the early part of the rush, before the state was established.49er also may refer to:- Sports :...
, businessman, judge, Confederate sympathizer who organized the Mason Henry Gang
Mason Henry Gang
Mason Henry Gang 1864-1865, a bandit gang that posed as Confederate partisan rangers but acted as outlaws, committing robberies, thefts and murders in the southern San Joaquin Valley, Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, Santa Clara County, and in counties of Southern California.- Mason and Henry as...
in California during the American Civil War.
Early Life and California
George Gordon Belt was born on September 25, 1825 in Beltsville, MarylandBeltsville, Maryland
Beltsville is a census-designated place in northern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,691 at the 2000 census. Beltsville includes the unincorporated community of Vansville.-Geography:...
. George Belt had joined Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Jonathan D. Stevenson
Jonathan D. Stevenson
Jonathan Drake Stevenson was born in New York; won a seat in the New York State Assembly ; was the commanding officer of the First Regiment of New York Volunteers during the Mexican-American War in California; entered California mining and real estate businesses; and died in San Francisco on...
's First Regiment of New York Volunteers that were raised as part of the American occupation army in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, during the Mexican-American War. Colonel Stevenson raised ten companies or 770 men to go to California with the understanding that they would after their service muster out and stay in California. Belt held the rank of quartermaster-sergeant when he was discharged in 1847 and settled in California.
On April 7, 1848, George G. Belt married Bebiana Asorca and they had nine children by 1869.
Belt's Ferry
Belt then settled in Stockton, CaliforniaStockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
in 1849, opening a tent store. In 1850 he was appointed as a licensed trader at the Merced Indian Reservation. Belt's Ferry and store
Merced Falls, California
Merced Falls is an unincorporated community in Merced County, California. It is located on the north bank of the Merced River east of Snelling, at an elevation of 348 feet .A post office operated at Merced Falls from 1856 to 1957...
on the Merced River
Merced River
The Merced River , in the central part of the U.S. state of California, is a -long tributary of the San Joaquin River flowing from the Sierra Nevada into the Central Valley. It is most well known for its swift and steep course through the southern part of Yosemite National Park, and the...
were about seven miles up-river from Snelling's Ranch. This tent-store was used mostly for supplying the Indians in that part of the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
under contract with the federal government.
He became the first alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
or judge of Stockton, California. On one occasion he rode with the posse that caught and hanged the stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
robber Tom Bell
Tom Bell (outlaw)
Tom Bell was a western outlaw and physician known as the "Outlaw Doc". He is the first outlaw to organize a stagecoach robbery in the United States.-Biography:...
near Firebaugh's Ferry on October 4, 1856.
Civil War
A dedicated southern sympathizer, in early 1864 Belt used his ranch on the Merced to organize a group of partisan rangers including John MasonJohn Mason (outlaw)
John Mason, was one of the leaders of the Mason Henry Gang organized by secessionist Judge George Gordon Belt, that posed as Confederate partisan rangers but acted as outlaws, committing robberies, thefts and murders in the southern San Joaquin Valley, Monterey County, Santa Clara County, Santa...
and "Jim Henry
Tom McCauley
Tom McCauley, better known by his alias as James Henry or Jim Henry , was one of the many California Gold Rush criminals in Tuolumne County convicted of murder with his brother in 1857 and imprisoned for ten years...
" and sent them out to recruit more men and pillage the property of Union men in the countryside. For the next two years the Mason Henry Gang
Mason Henry Gang
Mason Henry Gang 1864-1865, a bandit gang that posed as Confederate partisan rangers but acted as outlaws, committing robberies, thefts and murders in the southern San Joaquin Valley, Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, Santa Clara County, and in counties of Southern California.- Mason and Henry as...
, as they became known, posed as Confederate partisan rangers but acted as outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s, committing robberies, thefts and murders in the southern San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
, Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
, Monterey County, Santa Clara County, and in counties of Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
.