September 19, 1869 – Jamestown, California: Riot Leaves One Chinese Man Dead and Several Wounded

An anti-Chinese riot occurred in Jamestown, Tuolumne County, on September 19, 1869. One Chinese man was killed, and several others were wounded in the incident. Very little is known about this incident. No newspaper documentation of the riot was found in the research for this project. However, it does highlight a pervasive challenge with documenting anti-Chinese violence in the American West: Lynchings and riots often leave only scant evidence in the historical record. Identification of perpetrators and victims is difficult without additional resources. Further research on events like the Jamestown riot is required.