John Paul Cowan: Remember HMB’s 19th Century Schuyler Hotel?

[Image below: First called the Schuyler Hotel; later the site of the Occidental Hotel.]

Occihotel

Story by John Paul Cowan

Email John: [email protected]

Hi June,

It is a delight to find the website “halfmoonbaymemories”. I purchased your book several years ago after researching my mother’s history.

I could write a dozen pages but will refrain from immediately boring you. In brief, I am a direct descendant of James Monroe Schuyler of Half Moon Bay. My mother and grandmother were both born in Half Moon Bay – my mother (Lorraine Adams) born April 3, 1916 and HER mother (Winnie Schuyler) born July 25, 1882 to James Wesley and Ellen Elizabeth Schuyler.

Nine years ago when my mother was 84, I “discovered” her family while doing research. My mother never knew her birth family as her mother (Winnie) passed away June 20, 1919 when my mother was only three. My mother’s father (John Paul Adams) never spoke about Winnie after she passed away and never gave ANY history or family info to my mother. He remarried within 2 years and refrained from ever discussing his former marriage to Winnie Schuyler. He moved to Antioch in the 1920’s. As a result, my mother – her whole life – had no idea of the rich heritage and history she had relating to Half Moon Bay. I had the incredible joy of discovering my mother’s family (your book helped significantly) and telling her about it. She of course cried and said “You mean I’m not alone?” At that point – I was crying too.

I have spent the past nine years doing extensive research on the Schuyler family. I have spent hundreds of hours in the California State Library Archives room reading every article from San Mateo papers that mentioned Half Moon Bay in the 1870’s and 1880’s and especially the Schuyler family. It has been a pure joy. I have spent dozens of hours at the San Mateo County History Research room and have uncovered dozens and dozens of documents and photos relating to my family history.

My purpose in writing you is to see if you have any documents in your files relating to the Schuyler family.  My wife and I are both teachers – she a high school special education teacher and me a middle school music teacher. We both turn 60 this year and are looking towards retiring within 5 years or so. Once I retire – I will spend FULL time doing family history research. I feel I have enough in my files now to do a history of Half Moon Bay – but wait – you already did that!

I thank you in advance for ANY help you can provide in documenting my Schuyler family history.

Warm Regards,

John Paul Cowan

I could write a dozen pages but will refrain from immediately boring you. In brief, I am a direct descendant of James Monroe Schuyler of Half Moon Bay. My mother and grandmother were both born in Half Moon Bay – my mother (Lorraine Adams) born April 3, 1916 and HER mother (Winnie Schuyler) born July 25, 1882 to James Wesley and Ellen Elizabeth Schuyler.