Sheriff Albert Jones house - Santa Cruz, CA
Posted by: 
hotshoe
N 36° 58.384 W 122° 01.790
10S E 586353 N 4092324
Pre-Victorian Santa Cruz house
Waymark Code: WM9PMD
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 09/14/2010
Views: 3
This interesting house used to be the residence of one of Santa Cruz' first sheriffs. When Sheriff Jones lived in it, it was probably still located on Pacific Avenue, about three blocks away.
The Sheriff is famous for at least one incident connected with the bandit "Charole", Faustino Lorenzana, who holed up near Santa Cruz.
"On the night of May 17, 1866, he [Charole] corralled several horses and mules from the residence of the Widow Shearer near Waddell Creek and drove them to his mountain camp above the Laguna district, north of Santa Cruz. Upon getting a report of the crime, newly-elected sheriff Albert Jones, who knew Lorenzana by sight, decided to try his hand at collecting the reward.
He rode up the coast and tracked the bandit for a couple of miles back into the hills. Upon rounding a sharp turn in the narrow trail, he was taken by surprise when "Charole" suddenly stepped into the path, covering him with a pistol. He ordered the sheriff to throw down his weapon and dismount.
The lawman hastily complied with the demands as Lorenzana continued to point the pistol in his direction. Growling that he knew the sheriff was out to get him for the reward money, the desperado warned him never to attempt it again. "It is not my intention to be captured!" he said, at the same time acknowledging that he had indeed shot and killed Jack Sloan. Then gathering up the discarded arms, he brazenly mounted the sheriff's horse and rode away leaving the fortunate, and highly embarrassed Al Jones to walk most of the way back to Santa Cruz."
The bandit was not captured before his death in a gun-battle with the law in 1870 near Carpinteria in southern California.
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visit link)
After being moved here, the small house was attached to the backside of the existing Victorian house on Walnut Avenue, and some appropriate Victorian ornamentation was added.
It shares a driveway with the Parr Apartments. The driveway is not marked "private" but clearly the residents deserve their privacy, so please be polite if walking up the driveway to view this charming house.