of the last political duel fought in California, on the afternoon of May 25, 1861, between State Assemblymen Daniel Showalter and Charles W. Piercy. Though Fairfax served them lunch and tried to dissuade them, the two men walked to a grassy meadow and fired rifles at 40 paces; Piercy was killed by the second volley. Death Charles S. Fairfax died suddenly, at age 40, at Barnum's City Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland, after having traveled east as a chairman of the California delegation to the Democratic National Convention, which was assembled in New York City. He is interred in Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C., as is his widow. Fairfax was thoroughly identified with the state of his adoption, and was well known and respected on the Pacific coast. He stood high in the Masonic fraternity, the members of which arranged to send a large delegation at the time of his death. References Sources New York Times, April 7, 1869, from the Baltimore Sun, April 5, "Death of a Lineal Descendant of Lord Fairfax in Baltimore," p. 11. Aberdeen Journal, Notes and Queries, Vol. I, "The Fairfax Peerage," p. 158. 1860 Sacramento Co., CA, U.S. Federal Census, Sacramento Ward 1, June 11, sht. 44, p. 43 B, line 18. San Francisco Ship Passenger Lists, Volume I (1850–1864), p. 17. California Inter Pocula, by Hubert Howe Bancroft, "Duelling," p. 776. Fairfax, by William Sagar and Brian Sagar, "Charles Snowden Fairfax," Ch. 3, pp. 15–17. New York Times, September 30, 1900, "Titled American Dead," p. 7. Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, District of Columbia, sexton records. Lord and Lady Fairfax, Fairfax Historical Society, Fairfax California, July 2002 More about Charles and Ada Fairfax, Fairfax Historical Society, Fairfax California, Fall 2004 External links Charles S. Fairfax at the Political Graveyard MarinDirect.com – Bio. of Charles S. Fairfax with photo California Historical Landmark 679: Home of Charles S. Fairfax Journal of San Diego History – Showalter and Piercy 1829 births 1869 deaths 19th-century American Episcopalians American people of English descent American people of Scottish descent Burials at Rock Creek Cemetery County supervisors in California Charles S People from Fairfax County, Virginia People from Fairfax, California People of the California Gold Rush Speakers of the California State Assembly Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly Lords Fairfax of Cameron