land, which at that time constituted almost the only
Russian establishment in America, the other stations being little more
than outlying trading posts. He left their dominion an empire in extent,
reaching from the Seal Islands in Bering Sea, at the edge of the ice
pack of the Arctic, to Fort Ross, among the sunny hills of Golden
California. Captain Hagmeister came to relieve him, and in his 72nd year
the old chief manager, bent with the weight of years and of long and
arduous service, closed his accounts and set sail on the "Kutusof," one
of the Company's vessels, for his far-off home in Russia.

When the time arrived for Baranof to take his departure from the land he
had made his home for so many years, sorrowfully he took his leave of
the associates with whom he had so long shared the dangers and hardships
of the uncivilized land. Upon being relieved of the duties of his office
he first considered building a home at the Ozerskoe Redoubt and spending
the remainder of his days in the place he had learned to love. Later he
decided to return to his native land and sailed on the "Kutusof" for
Kronstadt. A delay at Batavia in the tropics proved too severe for his
advanced years. The day after leaving Batavia he died and was buried at
sea in the waters of the Indian Ocean.

Captain Leontius Andreanovich Hagemeister succeeded to the office of
chief manager but remained only a short time at Sitka, then sailed for
Russia, leaving Captain Simeon Ivanovich Yanovski in charge.

Captain Yanovski became enamored with the beautiful daughter of Baranof,
and if you search the old records of the Cathedral of St. Michaels at
Sitka you will find the entry as made of the marriage of Simeon Ivanof
Yanovski "with the late head governor of the Russian American
possessions, Collegiate Adviser and Cavalier Baranof's daughter Irina,
one of Creoles."

In 1830, Baron Ferdinand Petrovich Wrangell, scientist and explorer,
came to administer the office. He had sailed the frozen ocean along the
northern shores of Siberia as an explorer, and Wrangell Island,
Wrangell Strait, etc., on the maps of today perpetuate his name.

Under Baron Wrangell, as assistant to the manager, served Adolph
Carlovich Etolin, a native of Finland, who came to the colony as an
officer on the war sloop "Kamchatka" in 1817, who sailed in the service
of the Company to nearly every port from the Seal Islands of Bering Sea
to Chile, who made several voyages around the world,