1818 – He was John McDougall born this year in Ross County, Ohio, and would later settle in California as a gold miner during the gold rush.
1849 – Shortly after his arrival, he entered into the new territory’s politics, present at the first Constitutional Convention in Monterey in this year. McDougall was one of the original signers of the Constitution of California.
1851 – He became Governor of California from January 9 of this year until January 8 of 1852. Towards the end of this year, he quarreled with the growing vigilante movement in San Francisco, openly condemning the movement’s lynching of two criminals that year in a gubernatorial proclamation, citing its complete disregard of the city’s municipal authorities.
1852 – He left office on January 8 of this year, after completing the single two-year term left vacant by previous Governor Burnett. At the time, California governors served two-year terms, a limit that would not change until the 1860s.
1866 – He died on the 30th day of March this year in San Francisco, California, USA at age 48.