I am a new subscriber, and as my first posting, I would like to see if anyone out there can help me with one of my "family mysteries." One of the mysteries is why we can find so little information on him, because we are told (unsubstantiated) that he ran for Mayor of San Francisco at one point, and nearly won the election. If that is true, and I don't know that it is, then why is it so hard to find any records on him? I suppose the '06 earthquake could be one reason, but even considering that, it seems very strange. Here is what I have been able to find on him: Joseph Francis Schottler was born in 1846 in Baltimore, Maryland. Also have a conflicting year of birth as 1847, but no date. He was a Butcher between 1870 and 1875 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. He was a Realtor between 1876 and 1888 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. He was a Clerk between 1877 and 1878 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. He was a Poultry Salesman between 1878 and 1879 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. He appeared on the census in 1880 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. He is shown in the Census as residing in the 2nd Ward. He was a Real Estate Agent in 1880 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. He was a Coal dealer in 1891 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. He was a Realtor in 1893 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. He was a Realtor in 1905 in San Rafael, Marin County, California. Although involved in other professions from time to time, he primarily worked in real estate much of the time, always returning to it after trying other things. He died, possibly of TB, on 25 Feb 1914 in Redwood City, San Mateo County, California. He was cremated in Oakland, Alameda County, California. He was cremated, but his ashes were never claimed by the family. At last report, they were still stored in the "urn room" at Mountain View Cemetery and Oakland Crematorium. This ads further mystery to this couple, as his wife Frances' life is also full of mystery, and it is almost as if she disappeared without a trace. He was married to Frances Matilda Roberts (daughter of Harrison Roberts and Lavinia Leavenworth) on 21 May 1871 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. Frances Matilda Roberts was born on 1 Dec 1850 in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana. She was living after Feb 1851 in Massachusetts Flats, El Dorado County, California. She died on 11 Apr 1879 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. She was also known as Frankie. Joseph Francis Schottler and Frances Matilda Roberts had the following children: +2 i. Francis Harrison Schottler (born on 1 Feb 1872). Joseph Francis Schottler had the following children: 3 i. Schottler. +4 ii. Alfred Schottler (born in 1883). Frances, his first wife, was simply found dead in 1879 under unknown circumstances, and we can find nothing anywhere to indicate any reason. No cause of death, nothing whatever, other than further mystery. Joseph fathered two more children in the next very few years, but we do not know the mother's name, or whether or not he even remarried. All we do know is that the family apparently "disowned" him for unknown reasons, lending more mystery to his story, and that would appear to explain why, when he was cremated in 1914, his ashes went unclaimed by the family and to this day remain in a vault in Oakland. I am sure the 1906 earthquake has something to do with the lack of information on him, but surely there must be something somewhere to lend some clues to all of the mystery surrounding him. If anyone out there has any information on him, either of his two spouses, or any other information on them other than what is listed above, I would very much like to hear from you. David E. Cann decann@infi.net