San Francisco Bridge Medal to Jack Penderboy, Man of Mystery

WillieBoyd2

Samuel Bridge Medal awarded to Jack Penderboy in 1913
Silver, 42 mm, 24.40 gm, medal mounted in silver bezel
Obverse: Samuel Bridge facing left, GIFT OF SAMUEL BRIDGE MLCCCLXXVIIII (1879)
Reverse: Scroll with AWARDED TO followed by engraved "Jack Penderboy" and stamped "1913"

The Samuel Bridge silver medals were awarded to the top male students of the San Francisco public schools from 1879 to 1915. They were usually known as "Bridge Medals." Bridge medal awardees were usually in the school ninth grade and around fourteen years old. The Denman Medal was a similar medal awarded to female students.

This medal is mounted in a silver bezel and the above measurements include the bezel. These medals were 34 mm in diameter and weighed around 18 grams.

Usually the names of Bridge Medal recipients appear in internet searches, the San Francisco newspapers, or San Francisco city directories.

However there is no information about a Jack Penderboy on either the internet or in San Francisco city directories.

Internet searches were made for various spellings of "Penderboy" without success.

And why is the medal encased in a bezel?

He is a Man of Mystery.

CaptHenway

He might have died in World War One or from an accident or natural causes before making a name for himself. Spanish Flu? The 1910's were hazardous years.

JBK

I'd have to agree that if no later record of him can be found then he might well have fallen in WWI or from the flu pandemic.

The bezel was obviously added so it could be worn as a necklace. It is very possible that it served as a memorial piece, worn by his mother, sister, or wife.

A couple other observations: Jack might well have been a nickname (I knew a John who went by Jack), and I can't see the engraving clearly but are you sure that's an R in his last name and not another N?

Edit: I just found the auction where you won it (with better photos ). The second letter formation does look a little different than the first one, so probably an R.

wev

There is a Jack Penduboy, age 11, in the 1910 San Francisco census living at 715 M Street. His parents, Jack and Louise were both from France and his father worked as a watchman.
If this is the mystery man, he was born 25 January 1899 in San Francisco and died 2 April 1969 in
San Mateo CA.

BLUEJAYWAY

Interesting history.

WillieBoyd2

Wev, thank you for the Jack Penduboy information.

JBK

@wev said:
There is a Jack Penduboy, age 11, in the 1910 San Francisco census living at 715 M Street. His parents, Jack and Louise were both from France and his father worked as a watchman.
If this is the mystery man, he was born 25 January 1899 in San Francisco and died 2 April 1969 in
San Mateo CA.

Great research.

And BTW, there can be spelling errors on those census forms, and also alternate spellings. (Being a French name, it might be an E before the U, etc.).

291fifth

Different spellings of names were not unusual during that period. Jack Penduboy is probably the recipient of the medal. Great research by wev!

yosclimber

I agree with what @wev already posted.
Jacques Joseph Pedeuboy II
in some records his name was transcribed as
Jack Pendenboy
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/105063983/jack-pedeuboy
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/L699-1CJ (requires free registration to view)
Occupations shown in Census:
1930 - Cashier, Investment Co.
1940 - Asst. Controller, Invest. Banking
1950 - Cashier, Investment Banking

Namvet69

I found that @WillieBoyd2 has one of these with a more classic top mount.

WillieBoyd2

John Pedeuboy appears in several San Francisco City Directories until around 1935 when he moved to Burlingame.

In 1910 his father Jacques, a butcher, was listed as living at 715 M South. (Mendell?)

In 1920 Jacques was a foreman at Bayle Lacoste & Co (an Emeryville meat packing plant) and lived at 715 Mendell
John Jr Pedeuboy was a teller at the French American Bank of Savings and also lived at 715 Mendell

In 1930 John Pedeuboy was a cashier at the Bank of America and living at 1563 McKinnon Avenue

In 1935 Jack Pedeuboy was an assistant treasurer for the Association American Distributors and lived in Burlingame.

In 1940 There were no listings for Jacques, John, or Jack but for another John Pedeuboy, a butcher.

It looks like he is the man of the medal.

Thank you for all of your help in identifying the recipient.

DCW

This is what makes tokens and medals so much fun. The research. Uncovering the unknown.
The mystery behind an average, unidentified American boy that won a school medal 111 years ago!
Love it!