Pierre ( or Pietro ) Mezzara also became a sculptor , but moved to the United States , possibly because of the California Gold Rush . He lived in San Francisco , and was known for his work as a cameo cutter . He created the first memorial statue of Abraham Lincoln . It was dedicated ( in plaster ) in San Francisco in 1866 , and destroyed ( in bronze ) by the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 . Pietro Mezzara was involved with the California Art Union and the San Francisco Art Association , and helped found the San Francisco School of Design
San Francisco earthquake of 1906
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Angélique Mezzara