Pierre Sainsevain

Candidate Biography:

Born: November 20, 1818 in Béguey, Gironde, France
Married: Paula Suñol (m. 1845)
Died: October 4, 1904 in France

• As a delegate to the 1849 Constitutional Convention, he was identified as "Pedro Sansevaine"
• With Charles Roussillon, Sainsevain owned the building that served as the first state Capitol (in San Jose)
• PLACENAME: The Don Pedro Reservoir was named after a mining site used by "Don Pedro Sansevaine"
• Sainsevain was the first producer of sparkling wine in California.
• Some biographies indicate that Sainsevain was born in Bordeaux, but he was actually born in the town of Béguey (26 miles south).