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338:. In 1908, he introduced Christian Science lecturer F. H. Leonard to a crowd of 4000 in the Dreamland Rink auditorium in San Francisco. Acknowledging the large turnout, Brisac proposed that the question on everyone's mind was “What is there in it?” and suggested that it offered what humanity was missing – “...reconciliation with god.” In 1913, he was elected First Reader in the newly built San Francisco First Church of Christ, Scientist.
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454:- left France. Sometime after he left, Felix dropped an 's' from the spelling of his last name (he may have changed his first name as well), and became a naturalized American citizen. When Timoléon died in 1848, the ducal title went unclaimed for the next thirty-five years. In 1883, the year after Felix died, the French aristocrat and author
394:
When
Virginia was nineteen, Brisac and his wife were persuaded by friend and local theatre impresario Reginald Travers to allow her to act professionally. She quickly became a headliner on the West Coast Stock theatre circuit and, in April 1906, married an actor she met while on tour in Los Angeles,
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since its founding in 1868. But his involvement with the group didn't begin until the aftermath of the earthquake in 1906, where he assisted in the rescue of trapped and injured animals and helped build water troughs for the horses used in rescue and reconstruction. He joined the
Society in 1907 and
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Known professionally as B. F. Brisac, Belnore began his career working for Murphy Grant & Company (importers and jobbers of dry goods) in San
Francisco in 1877. When his father died in 1882, he went to work as an insurance soliciter with The Liverpool & London & Globe Insurance Company
489:
As Felix Brisac's eldest son after
Camille (who died in childhood), Brisac's brother Norline could have assumed his inherited ducal title after his father died in 1882, but he had no interest in it. According to estate archivists at The Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington): "Norline
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Upon his death on
January 6, 1940, the Board of Trustees of The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals paid tribute to Brisac in a resolution which read in part: “His was a long, full and beneficent life. Kindness for his fellow men and a deep sense of consideration and
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combined to force many insurance companies to go bankrupt or abandon policy holders, but
Liverpool & London & Globe survived and Brisac became an advocate for insurance reforms, working as a member and later Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Insurance Broker's Exchange of San
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had declared martial law and issued a shoot-to-kill order for looters. To speed the payouts that would allow families to keep their property, Brisac secured a pass from the Mayor and for weeks traversed San
Francisco with a money belt and a pistol for self-protection while paying off claims.
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assumed the title of 11th Duke of
Brissac, and both the castle and the title have remained in his family ever since. In historical accounts of this lineage, Felix and his sons Camille, Norline, and Belnore are referred to only as 'successive descendants in the male line' of Timoléon de
490:
Frederick Brisac was a
California born, globe-trotting, would-be actor and bonvivant whose irresponsible lifestyle earned the disapproval of his wealthy father, who eventually refused to continue to fund his son's 'educational expenses'. He was briefly married to the actress
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was active for the rest of his life, as a member (1907–1916), Trustee (1916–1930), and
President (1930–1940). At the time of his death, he was also First Vice-President, formerly President of the State Humane Association of California and Director of the
512:(adopting the original French spelling of the family name for her stage name). Belnore Brisac, Jr. sang and was involved in occasional amateur theatricals throughout his life, and Virginia's daughter became the Hollywood screenwriter and story editor,
307:, many wealthy families abandoned the city, some never to return; Brisac chose to stay. Working from the basement of their damaged office building, he and others at LLG began processing insurance claims within days of the fire being put out. The
267:
Brisac was born Belnore Felix Brisac in San Francisco, CA in 1858, the son of Felix and Virginia (Grain) Brisac. His father was a French expatriate in the line of the Dukes of Brissac. His mother was the daughter of French-American painter and
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Theatre ran in Brisac's family. As a young girl growing up in Texas, his wife Alice had been interested in acting and passed that interest on to her children. His brother, Norline - a "would-be actor" and sometime stage manager for
259:(September 15, 1858 – January 6, 1940) was an American business executive and humanitarian known for his work with the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other humane organizations in the early 1900s.
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Letter of reference (Murphy Grant & Company, January 20, 1882) and Offer letter (Resident Secretary of Liverpool & London & Globe Insurance Company, January 20, 1882). In Virginia Brissac estate
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Brisac was involved in San Francisco's reconstruction efforts for over a decade. In 1914, he chaired the Insurance Broker's Committee of the World's Insurance Congress, and invested in the 1914
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responsibility for the welfare of helpless creatures were primary precepts upon which he based his conduct and living. As a humanitarian, his loss will be felt throughout the entire country.”
299:
B. F. Brisac (left) with others working in the basement of the damaged offices of Liverpool & London & Globe Insurance company after the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire in 1906.
287:. He owned stock in the Olympic Salt Water Company (1894) and was vice president and general manager of the Boulder Creek Electric Light and Water Company which he helped found in 1903.
399:, who lived with them for over ten years before finally rejoining her mother in 1922. Brisac continued to be a surrogate father and mentor to his granddaughter until his death in 1940.
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of 1791. He was rescued by friends of his parents who managed to escape and take him with them to New York, where he grew up and, ultimately, became a painter. His brother
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Along with other survivors, Brisac struggled to come to terms with the death and destruction caused by the earthquake, and he found consolation in the teachings of the new
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and lay in ruins for half a century until a restoration project was begun by the surviving heirs of Roda de Brissac in 1844, the same year that Felix - a child of the
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Alice Brisac died in 1924 after a long illness. B. F. remarried in 1930, and he and his second wife continued living in San Francisco until his death ten years later.
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508:- seeded his niece's interest with autographed photo postcards of famous actors. Daughter Virginia went on to become the professional stage and screen actress
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969:
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Brisac's grandfather, Frederick Grain (1790–1864), was an orphaned infant son of French colonials killed in the overthrow of French rule during the
276:(LLG), filling the position his father had held there. He later became a broker and continued his affiliation with LLG for the next thirty years.
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774:"Gifts Received by the Society: December 1, 1939, through February 29, 1940." California Historical Society Quarterly 19, no. 1 (1940): 84.
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641:"Norline Frederick Brisac (LMC 2687), Biographical Note (based on letters and other memorabilia contained in the estate of Mary Shaw)"
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and witnessed the routine abuse of dray horses and mules on San Francisco streets, and he had known about the work of the
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60:
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677:"Official Programme, the Olympic Club Fair, Revival Ancient Graeco-Roman Games [April 17th to 22nd, 1893]"
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His ashes were interred in the Brisac family niche, along with those of his wife and others in his family, in the
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Brisac's father, Felix (1811–1882) is believed to have been a descendant of Timoléon de Cossé-Brissac, 9th
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California. When the marriage failed in 1911, Brisac made a home for Virginia's four-year-old daughter,
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Our Animals (Publication of the San Francisco Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
534:. Although supportive, there is no evidence that B. F. Brisac himself had any interest in it.
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The Bancroft Library presents The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire (Online Exhibit)
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Brisac also invested time and money in Bay area development ventures. A proponent of the
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was described by one critic as being among the best theatre scenic artists of their day.
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Fredrick Grain. He had two brothers, Camille (1851–1855) and Norline (1856–1903).
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It may require cleanup to comply with Knowledge's content policies, particularly
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Virginia Brissac family history and estate records (courtesy of Stefani Warren).
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972:. Vol. 114, no. 158. The San Francisco Call. November 15, 1913.
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327:, and he continued to contribute to disaster relief efforts such as the
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958:. Vol. 105, no. 7. The San Francisco Call. December 7, 1908.
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Brisac married Alice M. Hain in 1878 and they had two children -
816:"Lloyd's sees 1906 San Francisco earthquake as a turning point"
934:"Contributors to the Hemet and San Jacinto Earthquake Fund"
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Clayton, Merle. "The Coast Defender: Virginia Brissac".
706:. Sacramento, CA: California State Printing Office. 1920
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Ashes interred in Mt. Olivet Memorial Park Columbarium,
391:, born in 1883, and Belnore Brisac, Jr. born in 1888.
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A major contributor to this article appears to have a
647:. The Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
476:was also a painter, as were Peter's sons, and the
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842:"Insurance Men Planning Central Conference Body"
352:Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
315:The massive earthquake damage, and the rampant
283:, he joined and later became a Director of the
1054:Animal welfare and rights in the United States
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938:San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Activities
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73:American business executive and humanitarian
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755:Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco
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624:A Biographical Dictionary of Scenographers
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346:Brisac grew up in the waning days of the
305:San Francisco earthquake and fire in 1906
61:Learn how and when to remove this message
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726:"Martial Law Declared in San Francisco"
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325:Panama–Pacific International Exposition
199: 1878; died 1924)
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970:"Christian Scientists Form New Church"
956:"Lecturer Explains Christian Science"
776:https://www.jstor.org/stable/25160864
645:Online Archives at Indiana University
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1019:"Virginia Brissac Granted Divorce".
795:. University of California, Berkeley
626:. Greenwood Press. pp. 260–262.
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168:Insurance broker, business executive
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418:at the Mt. Olivet Memorial Park in
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1039:Businesspeople from San Francisco
872:"Brokers Endorse Stock Insurance"
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703:Report of the Railroad Commission
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41:. Please discuss further on the
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986:"In Memorium: B. F. Brisac".
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622:Lacy, Robin-Thurlow (1990).
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751:"Proclamation by the Mayor"
375:B. F. Brisac with daughter
367:Family life and later years
357:American Humane Association
329:1918 San Jacinto Earthquake
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446:had been ransacked in the
422:outside of San Francisco.
379:(right) and granddaughter
912:"Items of Insurance News"
456:François de Cossé Brissac
291:Work on insurance reforms
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92:B. F. Brisac (about 1908)
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944:(21): 158. May 23, 1918.
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317:fraud following the fire
1009:(January 1971): 90–108.
876:The Eastern Underwriter
822:. Wells Media Group Inc
555:"The Castle of Brissac"
281:modern Olympic Movement
1021:The San Francisco Call
1007:The San Diego Magazine
878:: 18. August 25, 1922.
846:San Francisco Business
519:I Walked with a Zombie
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309:Mayor of San Francisco
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263:Early life and career
39:neutral point of view
890:"Broker's Committee"
383:(left), around 1922.
348:California Gold Rush
102:Belnore Felix Brisac
1023:, May 7, 1912, p. 1
994:(10). January 1940.
922:: 148. August 1915.
900:(1): 67. July 1914.
363:and Animal Relief.
359:active in American
159:Santa Clara College
916:The Economic World
852:: 31. July 8, 1921
789:"Insurance Claims"
559:World Tourism Info
470:Haitian Revolution
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112:September 15, 1858
820:Insurance Journal
598:"Frederick Grain"
448:French Revolution
420:Colma, California
406:Death and tribute
336:Christian Science
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173:Years active
148:Colma, California
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129:(1940-01-06)
80:B. F. Brisac
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1049:1940 deaths
1044:1858 births
681:Olyclub.com
607:11 December
564:11 December
474:Peter Grain
416:Columbarium
320:Francisco.
1033:Categories
856:2 December
826:2 December
799:2 December
760:2 December
735:2 December
710:2 December
686:2 December
651:2 December
542:References
514:Ardel Wray
381:Ardel Wray
243:Ardel Wray
186:Alice Hain
108:1858-09-15
730:NBC Learn
492:Mary Shaw
248:Mary Shaw
181:Spouse(s)
176:1877–1940
51:June 2019
43:talk page
666:records.
389:Virginia
228:Children
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444:castle
331:Fund.
239:Family
150:, U.S.
137:, U.S.
118:, U.S.
426:Notes
397:Ardel
216:(
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195:(
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858:2018
828:2018
801:2018
762:2018
737:2018
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653:2018
609:2018
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528:and
124:Died
98:Born
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