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William H. Wilmore, Jr (1877-1939) in his interviews with Helen Holdredge told the story of a girl who was murdered outside one of MEP’s laundry. The girl was portrayed as coy and toying with the man’s affections. Holdredge insinuated MEP had nefarious motivations in trying to have the girl marry the sailor. Wilmore said the girls name was Ann Phoebe Smith. The incident happened 17 years before Wilmore’s birth. His father and mother would work for MEP but not for another twelve years. So his tale was provided third-hand at best. The actual particulars of this murder can be found on this Post as it was committed upon MEP’s own niece Caroline F Park not Ann Phoebe Smith.
As the murder was incorrect, who was Ann Phoebe Smith? Phoebe Ann Smith appears to have been employed by MEP working at her Ecker near Jessie street laundry. Her name is found in the SF Directory 1858, 1859 and 1860.
Mrs. Smith died a few weeks before Caroline F Park. Her burial record states she was age 65, a widow, originally from Massachusetts, and died of “masmas”. Today it means wasting away, starvation. But in 1860, it meant–a foul-smelling air was thought to enter the body through respiration and skin, corrupting the blood and vital humors, thereby causing illness. Diseases attributed to it include cholera, malaria (literally mala aria — “bad air” in Italian), typhoid fever, yellow fever, and plague were all considered miasmatic diseases.
SF Public Library
MEP appears to have paid1 for her funeral and she was buried in one of her plots in the Lone Mountain/Laurel Hill cemetery.
Mr. Wilmore provided vital clues to Holdredge, but with most things, there’s a kernel of truth in the tale’s but specific points are incorrect.
Funeral Expense Page 2 (showing payment)
- Its impossible to discern if this was payment for Mrs Smith or Miss Park or both. ↩︎