April 3, 2025
Introduction: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry writes about Judge William Henry Savage, who in his 93 years led a distinguished and colorful life. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.
Over the last few years, I have worked with Denise Bartholome and her cousin William Luckow to uncover intel on their family, who were among the California Pioneers who came west during the California Gold Rush and remained in the state to build businesses and serve active roles in their community.
Recently Denise and her family shared some photographs and scrapbook memorabilia on one of the ancestors: the very colorful, animated Judge William Henry Savage (1837-1930), born in County Limerick, Ireland, to Michael Henry and Ellen (Kelly) Savage, who left a trail of impressive achievements and scores of descendants.
Here is a photo of the Savage family: William Henry and his first wife Mary Agnes (White) Savage with their seven children. (Front row, left to right): Katherine “Kate” Agnes Savage, married John Fletcher Dodson; Ellen “Nellie” Gertrude Savage, married Alfred William Martin; Robert James Howard Savage, married Mary Miller; (second row, left to right): Mary Josephine Savage, never married; Willian Henry Savage; Mary Agnes (White) Savage; Clara Genevie Savage, married George Henry Nicholson; (third row, left to right): Martha Frances Savage, married Clyde Herman Boyd; and Margaret Cecelia Savage, married John Francis Dever.
This family dishes up some saucy scandal and tasty tidbits so grab the popcorn for part 2 coming soon!
The following portrait of Judge Savage is housed at the San Pedro Bay Historical Society and was on exhibit.
Below the framed image of Judge Savage was a timeline listing his military roles and civic duties, including:
- his service in the United State Marine Corps;
- a Civil War Union soldier who survived the sinking of the USS Mississippi and time in Confederate prison;
- continued military service after the Civil War;
- became a lawyer;
- member of Arizona Legislature, City Attorney, and District Attorney;
- first City Attorney of San Pedro;
- member of California State Assembly, State Senator, and Judge.
In addition, he was Commander and Grand Marshall for the San Pedro Harbor City Grand Army of the Republic.
Denise Bartholome is the great-great-granddaughter of Judge Savage.
Lineage:
- Judge William Savage and Mary Agnes White (1848-1907), daughter of Robert G. and Johanna (Driscoll) White
- Clara Genevie Savage (1884-1958) and George Henry Nicholson (1882-1956), son of Frances Henry and Elizabeth (Charles) Nicholson
- Mary Elizabeth Nicholson (1905-1982) and Samuel Henry Luitwieler (1905-1981), son of George Chichester and Mary Estelle (Dillingham) Luitwieler; you can read all about the California Pioneer lines of Luitweieler and allied families in the links at the end of this article
- Robert Paul Luitwieler (1935-1987) and Catheryn Joan Herr (1936-1994), daughter of Jacob Chandler and Willia Winzola (Ginn) Herr
- Denise (Luitwieler) Bartholome
Below is a photo of Clara G. Savage and George H. Nicholson along with newspaper headlines of their wedding announcement from the Los Angeles Herald. The pair tied the knot on 3 August 1904 in San Pedro, California, officiated by George B. Nicholson.
Here is a photo of Denise’s great grandmother, Clara Genevie (Savage) Nicholson (far right), sitting with her two sisters, Mary Josephine Savage (left) and Martha Frances (Savage) Boyd.
To conclude this article, I must mention two more tots born to Judge Savage by his 2nd marriage to Catherine Hartnett (1881-1925), daughter of Irish immigrant Patrick Bernard and Bridget T. (Cahill) Hartnett.
Below is a newsclip from the Los Angeles Herald featuring the daddy Judge with his two children.
The photo caption reads:
Judge William H. Savage of San Pedro, who is 90 years old, is appointed legal guardian of his two children, who are younger than his grandchildren, Veronica, 16, at left, and William, 19, are his children by his second wife and are younger than the children of his children by his first marriage.
Judge Savage’s two children from his second marriage both married: Veronica Patricia Savage (1912-1975) to Palmer Sherman Haroldson (1912-1943); and William Maurice Savage (1909-1987) to Dorothy Ann Borden (1910-1988).
Here is the wedding announcement of Judge Savage and his young bride, Catherine A. Hartnett, who married on 9 July 1908.
This article reads:
State Senator William H. Savage of San Padro, [70] years old, who was chairman of several important committees at the last regular session of the Legislature, was married today to Miss Catherine A. Hartnett, who is [43] years his junior, several years younger than some of the senator’s children by his first wife, who died about two years ago. The ceremony was performed at St. Vibiana’s Cathedral, Los Angeles, by Mgr. Hartnett, a relative of the bride. Senator and Mrs. Savage left tonight for Lake Tahoe, where they will remain several weeks.
Stay tuned!
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Note on the header image: close-up of Judge William Savage’s portrait. Credit: San Pedro Bay Historical Society.
Further Reading:
- Our Ancestors & the California Gold Rush (part 1)
- Our Ancestors & the California Gold Rush (part 2)
- Letters from California Gold Rush ‘49er’
- Letters from California Gold Rush ‘49er’ (part 2)
- Letters from California Gold Rush ‘49er’ (part 3)
- Letters from California Gold Rush ‘49er’ (part 4)
- Letters from California Gold Rush ‘49er (part 5)
- Luitwieler Family Comes to America in 1836
- Union Soldier’s Civil War Diary (part 1)
- Union Soldier’s Civil War Diary (part 2)
