Thomas Fallon
Encyclopedia
Thomas Fallon was an Irish
-born, Canadian
-raised American
capitalist
and politician, the tenth Mayor
of San Jose, California
.
, where he joined the expedition of John C. Frémont
to Alta California
. Early in 1846, Fallon stayed in Santa Cruz
after Frémont visited the area. In June 1846 he joined the Bear Flag Revolt, raised a group of 22 volunteers in Santa Cruz, and appointed himself captain. The force crossed the Santa Cruz Mountains
to capture the Pueblo of San José without bloodshed, on July 11. On July 14, 1846 he received an American Flag
from Commodore John D. Sloat
, which he raised over the juzgado of San Jose, the pueblo's administrative building. Fallon's force then joined Fremont's California Battalion
for the remainder of the Mexican-American War.
After the war, Fallon returned briefly to San Jose, then back to Santa Cruz where he established a business as a saddler. At the beginning of the California Gold Rush
in 1848, Fallon took a cargo of iron picks made in Santa Cruz to sell to the gold miners. With his share of the profits, he built a combination residence/workshop/hotel on the Mission plaza
and married Carmel (Carmelita) Castro Lodge (1827–1923), daughter of local landowner Martina Cota Castro (1807–1890) and her husband Michael Lodge, owners of Rancho Soquel
.
Thomas and Carmel , then after a short time, they moved their family to Texas. Following the death of several of their children, they returned to San Jose. In San Jose, Fallon began buying land in the area and built the Fallon House (1855) in Downtown San Jose
. The house is preserved as a museum, across from the Peralta Adobe
.
In 1856, Fallon was elected to the San Jose Common Council. In 1857, he was elected to the city's Board of Trustees (which had replaced the Common Council) for one year. He was elected Mayor of San Jose in 1859, and served a single one-year term.
In 1876, after 26 years of marriage, Carmel found Thomas and the family maid in a compromising position, and filed for divorce. Carmel used the divorce settlement to build several hotels and other buildings, including the Carmel Fallon Building (1894) at 1800 Market Street
in San Francisco, now part of the San Francisco LGBT Community Center
. Thomas Fallon died in San Francisco in 1885.
had the city commission a statue of Fallon raising the U.S. flag in San Jose at a cost of over $800,000. The statue was completed in 1988, and was scheduled to be located in the City Park Plaza (now known as Plaza de César Chávez
) near the site of the flag raising. However local groups, including Hispanic Americans, protested that Fallon represented American imperialism and repression of the Mexican population. The statue was stored until 2002, when it was finally displayed in a small park northwest of the original proposed location, near Julian and St. James Streets.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
-born, Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-raised American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
capitalist
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
and politician, the tenth Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
.
Biography
Fallon's family moved to Canada when he was a child. When he was 18, he moved to TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where he joined the expedition of John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
to Alta California
Alta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
. Early in 1846, Fallon stayed in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
after Frémont visited the area. In June 1846 he joined the Bear Flag Revolt, raised a group of 22 volunteers in Santa Cruz, and appointed himself captain. The force crossed the Santa Cruz Mountains
Santa Cruz Mountains
The Santa Cruz Mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are a mountain range in central California, United States. They form a ridge along the San Francisco Peninsula, south of San Francisco, separating the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco Bay and the Santa Clara Valley, and continuing south,...
to capture the Pueblo of San José without bloodshed, on July 11. On July 14, 1846 he received an American Flag
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
from Commodore John D. Sloat
John D. Sloat
John Drake Sloat was a commodore in the United States Navy who, in 1846, claimed California for the United States.-Life:...
, which he raised over the juzgado of San Jose, the pueblo's administrative building. Fallon's force then joined Fremont's California Battalion
California Battalion
The first California Volunteer Militia was commonly called the California Battalion was organized by John C. Fremont during the Mexican-American War in Alta California, present day California, United States.-Formation:...
for the remainder of the Mexican-American War.
After the war, Fallon returned briefly to San Jose, then back to Santa Cruz where he established a business as a saddler. At the beginning of the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
in 1848, Fallon took a cargo of iron picks made in Santa Cruz to sell to the gold miners. With his share of the profits, he built a combination residence/workshop/hotel on the Mission plaza
Mission Santa Cruz
Mission Santa Cruz was established in 1791 and named for the feast of the Exultation of the Cross, the name that the explorer Gaspar de Portolà gave to the area when he camped on the banks of the San Lorenzo River on October 17, 1769, and erected a wooden cross...
and married Carmel (Carmelita) Castro Lodge (1827–1923), daughter of local landowner Martina Cota Castro (1807–1890) and her husband Michael Lodge, owners of Rancho Soquel
Rancho Soquel
Rancho Soquel was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Cruz County, California given in 1833 by Governor José Figueroa to Martina Castro. In 1844, Martina Castro was granted by Governor José Figueroa a further grant known as the Soquel Augmentation. The grant along Monterey Bay...
.
Thomas and Carmel , then after a short time, they moved their family to Texas. Following the death of several of their children, they returned to San Jose. In San Jose, Fallon began buying land in the area and built the Fallon House (1855) in Downtown San Jose
Downtown San Jose
Downtown San Jose is the central business district of San Jose, California, United States. The area is generally located north of Interstate 280 and east of Guadalupe Parkway, which roughly parallels the Guadalupe River. The region is bound to the north by U.S...
. The house is preserved as a museum, across from the Peralta Adobe
Peralta Adobe
The Peralta Adobe is the oldest building in San Jose, California, built in 1797. It is named after Luis María Peralta, its most famous resident. The original builder was probably Manuel González, an Apache Indian....
.
In 1856, Fallon was elected to the San Jose Common Council. In 1857, he was elected to the city's Board of Trustees (which had replaced the Common Council) for one year. He was elected Mayor of San Jose in 1859, and served a single one-year term.
In 1876, after 26 years of marriage, Carmel found Thomas and the family maid in a compromising position, and filed for divorce. Carmel used the divorce settlement to build several hotels and other buildings, including the Carmel Fallon Building (1894) at 1800 Market Street
Market Street (San Francisco)
Market Street is an important thoroughfare in San Francisco, California. It begins at The Embarcadero in front of the Ferry Building at the northeastern edge of the city and runs southwest through downtown, passing the Civic Center and the Castro District, to the intersection with Corbett Avenue in...
in San Francisco, now part of the San Francisco LGBT Community Center
San Francisco LGBT Community Center
The San Francisco LGBT Community Center is a nonprofit organization serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population of San Francisco, California and nearby communities, located at 1800 Market Street in San Francisco....
. Thomas Fallon died in San Francisco in 1885.
Legacy
In the 1980s, San Jose Mayor Tom McEneryTom McEnery
Tom McEnery is an American author, businessman, and teacher from San Jose, California, who served as the 61st mayor of that city from 1983 to 1991.McEnery attended Santa Clara University, graduating with a B.A. in 1967 and an M.A. in 1970...
had the city commission a statue of Fallon raising the U.S. flag in San Jose at a cost of over $800,000. The statue was completed in 1988, and was scheduled to be located in the City Park Plaza (now known as Plaza de César Chávez
Plaza de Cesar Chavez
Plaza de César Chávez is a 2.2-acre park in Downtown San Jose, California, USA, named after César Chávez in 1993. It is surrounded by South Market Street, across which is The Tech Museum of Innovation, the San Jose Museum of Art, the Circle of Palms Plaza and the Fairmont San Jose Hotel...
) near the site of the flag raising. However local groups, including Hispanic Americans, protested that Fallon represented American imperialism and repression of the Mexican population. The statue was stored until 2002, when it was finally displayed in a small park northwest of the original proposed location, near Julian and St. James Streets.