William B. Ide, President of California

by George Kirov

William B. Ide, President of California was written for the California State Senate in 1935 by George Kirov, since the Biographical Sketch of the Life of William Ide, by Simeon Ide, was not in print.  With the exception of the Simeon Ide book, which is included in the Zamorano 80, there are no biographies of this historic figure.

Some historians credit John Fremont with the early leadership of the Bear Flag group which “liberated” California from Mexican rule.  During the 1850’s there was some controversy between the adherents of Fremont and Ide over the leadership of that Bear Flag Party.  In those days, Ide fared poorly because he did not have the political connections of Fremont, who had married the daughter of the famous Senator, Thomas Hart Benton. 

Although many portraits of Fremont have been printed, no portraits of Ide were known to exist.  This book contains a portrait believed to be of William Ide, from an Ide family album.  There are no other known portraits of Ide in the possession of family or in official records.

 Hardcover, 63 pages, 8 1/2 x 11, $13.95