he married 21-year-old Elizabeth "Lizzie" Fry (born Elizabeth Red, in Illinois, 1837-1929), the niece and adopted daughter of Colonel (by courtesy) John D. Fry, who had been sheriff of Greene County, Illinois, and a member of the Illinois General Assembly, before moving to California in 1849 with William Sharon and was associated with Ralston in various businesses. They had four children together. Death and legacy The day after the collapse, his body was found in the San Francisco Bay on August 27, 1875. He was the victim of either a stroke during his regular swim, or suicide. About 50,000 people were said to have watched his funeral procession, and 8,000 of his friends were said by Robert Brereton to have attended the public meeting held in Union Hall on September 8, 1875 to express the community's loss. His partner, U.S. Senator William Sharon, acquired many of his assets, including the Palace Hotel and Ralston Hall. He was buried at Lone Mountain Cemetery (which had recently been renamed Laurel Hill Cemetery) in San Francisco, and later moved to Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma. Namesakes Ralston Avenue is one of the principal roads in Belmont, California. Ralston Street in Reno, Nevada is named for William Ralston. There are Ralston Avenue exits from both Highway 92 and Highway 101. Ralston Middle School, Ralston Hall, and the William Chapman Ralston Award are all named for him. A small mining town in southwest New Mexico was named Ralston City in honor of William Ralston, its largest investor, but has since been renamed Shakespeare. A very small (pop. 70) town in Iowa is named Ralston. Ralston Lane in Redondo Beach,CA, 90278. is named for him. The town of Modesto was to be named for Ralston; he declined, however, and it was called Modesto as one of the Spanish-speaking workers at the naming ceremony for that town said he was "muy modesto" or very modest. Modesto is home to Ralston Tower, an 11-floor building for the elderly. It is the second-tallest building in the city. Popular culture Ralston was portrayed by Ronald W. Reagan in a 1965 episode of Death Valley Days, "Raid on the San Francisco Mint." The episode dramatizes an 1869 event in which Ralston gets the head of the mint drunk in order to persuade him to authorize an exchange of bullion for coins. Vaughn Taylor was cast as financier and adventurer Asbury