Bill Gates is not the richest man in the world; the Sultan of Brunai currently holds that title.

A one-time holder of the richest man in the world title lived the waining years of his life in Lititz and is buried here. When he was owner of what are now Sacramento and San Francisco, California, an honorary captain in the Mexican Army and general of the California militia, John Augustus Sutter was recognized as the richest man in the world.

Sutter was, at the time, also a wanted man in Europe where he had abandoned his wife and four small children to escape the law. As his fortune grew he sent for his wife and children whose hardships in getting to California would make an exciting movie. The trip was so hard on Mrs. Sutter that she had to be carried on a stretcher from San Francisco to his mansion, the Hermitage, in the mountains above Sacramento.

It is reported that they approached his front door and when he appeared, his wife looked up at him, said, "Master. . .", and died.

Sutter was also the founder of the Polynesian slave trade with California. His properties were tended and maintained by the largest group of slaves on the west coast. In addition, he exploited the Native American and Mexican peon populations then extant in the territory.

Most Lititz natives know that after the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, his lands were over-run and "stolen" by the masses of the 49ers. That his property claim was questionable is seldom discussed. For his services to the government of Mexico (when Mexico ruled California), Sutter was commissioned a captain in the Mexican Army and given the title, "Protector of the North" along with an extensive land grant.

When the United States took California from the Mexican government, the Mexican land grants were all brought into question. When land agents began assigning claims to the 49ers it was for land that had never been titled under the laws of the United States.

Sutter's land was being stolen, his crops were being destroyed, his storehouses ransacked, his slaves were running away and he was quickly being ruined. Asserting his ownership of the land through his Mexican grants, Sutter took the entire Republic of California, all of the towns and cities built up on his former land, all of the squatters on his land and the government of the United States to court. He was suing for nearly $300 million. The case took four years.

During that time the towns and cities grew, the mass of humanity was civilized and California became a state. Sutter was working hard to rebuild his empire and meeting with surprising success. He was making enough to pay a staff of lawyers to pursue his claims and to re-build most of his farms and villas. During a celebration on Sept. 9, 1854 he was respected enough to be named a general in the California militia and be the guest of honor at a day-long celebration.

At this event there was a grand parade with General Sutter at its head and a slate of more than 50 speakers all honoring the founder of modern California. The first mayor of San Francisco concluded his speech with, ". . . when the historian wishes to describe the suffering and the hardships of the beginning, and recount the struggle for liberty in the West, then one name will shine forth above all others: it is that of the immortal Sutter."

On March 15 of the very next year, Judge Thompson, the highest magistrate in California. In a 200-page decision ratified Sutter's land claims and awarded him the requested compensation. Recognizing that the judgment would be appealed to the U. S. Supreme Court he began a journey East to represent himself to the court before the official courier could arrive in Washington, DC. After two days of riding hard he looked back to see the sky ablaze and realized that it could only be the Hermitage.

Rioters had set fire to the courthouse. About ten thousand started out from San Francisco into the hills increasing their strength as they burned, raised, pillaged and sacked everything in their path. Once again the Sutter properties were prey to the mob. Faithful friend and blacksmith to Sutter, Jean Marchais was hanged. His children did not fare well at this time. Mina was given refuge by Judge Thompson (later she married a dentist and become a San Francisco socialite). Victor had taken ship for Europe (the ship sank enroute and all were lost). Arthur was killed by the mob while defending his father's property and the lawyer, Emile, committed suicide.

Eventually finding his way to Lititz and the home of his sister, General John Augustus Sutter built her a brick house on Main Street across from the hotel (once the Zum Anchor), which now bears his name.

From his Lititz base the general spent the remainder of his life making regular pilgrimages to Washington DC where he lobbied the Congress for a redress of his losses at the hands of the, now famous, 49ers.

I just hate it when someone tells me that Lititz is boring. Let me recommend to you the book "GOLD: being the marvelous history of General John Augustus Sutter" by Blaise Cendrars.