Isaac Smith Kalloch

Who was Isaac Smith Kalloch?

Isaac Smith Kalloch was the 18th Mayor of San Francisco serving from December 1, 1879 to December 4, 1881. He was born at Rockland, Maine and was a native of Maine. Kalloch was a Baptist minister and came to California looking to spread the Baptist religion.

In 1879, he decided to run for mayor of San Francisco. It wasn't long before he came under attack from the San Francisco Chronicle's editor-in-chief, Charles DeYoung, who was backing another candidate. DeYoung, with the hopes of taking Kalloch out of the mayoral race, accused the minister of having an affair. Kalloch responded by accusing Charles' mother, Amelia, of running a brothel. In response, Charles DeYoung ambushed Kalloch in the streets of San Francisco and shot him twice. Kalloch survived the wounds and with the sympathy of voters was elected the 18th Mayor of San Francisco. He served from 1879 until 1881. On April 23, 1880, Kalloch's son, Isaac Milton Kalloch, entered the Chronicle building and shot and killed Charles DeYoung. After his time in office, Kalloch left San Francisco and moved to the Washington Territory. He died of diabetes in Bellingham, Washington, aged 55.