March 9, 2002 —
Mr. Constant Lebrun, 1824-1888, a native of France. Grave marker at Ruiz Cemetery.
According to reader Lauren Parker, Constant and his wife, Matea, were parents to Frank LeBrun,
who had a ranch in San Francisquito Canyon where a well was used to wash and separate gold from ore-bearing
gravel that was hauled by burros out of the so-called Gold Bowl between San Francisquito and Bouquet canyons.
LeBrun's ranch, like the Harry Carey Ranch to its south, was wiped out in the St. Francis Dam disaster of March 12-13, 1928.
Constant and Matea were also parents to August "Gus" LeBrun, who was killed in a shootout with
the local police after murdering a deputy constable in the gun battle.