James Willoughby

James Willoughby was a banker and resident of the Willoughby home.

Background
James Willoughby was born on October 21, 1864 in San Rafael, California to a family of bankers. Very little can be said about his early years, other than him being an only child. In 1889, at the age of 25, he inherited his family home in Tamalpais Valley, on what is now on the corner of 6th Street and Montoya Avenue, as well as his family's banking company in San Francisco.

In September of 1905, on a trip to San Francisco, Willoughby met Lorena Chen in a cafe. He saw she had very little, and invited her to come work as a caretaker at his home. Lorena agreed and moved up to Tamalpais Valley with him.

Willoughby loved having Lorena at his home. He grew a fascination for her, and ultimately a love for her. In April of 1906, Lorena told Willoughby she'd be leaving for a few days. He let her go, but she never returned. A few days after her disappearance, the 1906 Earthquake struck San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area. It caused minor damage to Willougby's home, and caused Willoughby to fall and break his leg.

After his recovery, Willoughby assumed Lorena may have died in the earthquake. He spent many days in San Francisco, searching for her remains, but found none. He remembered her mentioning something about dreaming of living off in the nearby Montoya Wilderness. He tried searching for her in the Montoya Wilderness, but was unable to due to his leg.

Willoughby spent the rest of his life alone in his home. He died from pneumonia at the age of 54 on August 18, 1918. He was buried at the Santa Maria Cemetery in San Francisco.

Relationships

 * Lorena Chen - Lorena Chen was James Willoughby's home caretaker. It is rumored that they had a romantic relationship.