SQ Captain Rivera Smith served nearly 4 decades

January 15, 2026

When Rivera Smith, top right, started at San Quentin in 1912, horses and mules were still the preferred method of transportation. Above, the San Quentin stables are shown circa 1910. (Photo credit: Marin Public Library, Anne T. Kent California Room)

Rivera Smith was the longest serving staff member at San Quentin (SQ) when he passed away in 1950, serving nearly four decades.

Smith arrived in California in the early 1900s. Some reports claim he arrived in 1911, but he appears on California documents as early as 1900.

In 1912, he became a guard at the state’s oldest prison. Smith held multiple positions and titles during his 38 years at the prison, working his way up from guard to captain, secretary to the warden (similar to an administrative assistant today), and senior supervising clerk.

During his career, he saw the guard position be reclassified as correctional officer when the department was established in 1944.

While employed at the prison, he worked under numerous wardens, witnessed the formation of the department, and survived harrowing ordeals. During his time, he also saw the prison transition from horse-drawn wagons to motor vehicles.

A photo in our archives simply shows a man sitting behind the desk with the words, “Captain Smith, SQ, undated.” When CDCR headquarters relocated to Elk Grove, another version of the photo was uncovered, containing his name, full job title, and a time range of the 1930s.

Armed with this recently re-discovered information, Inside CDCR went behind the photo to learn more about Rivera Smith.

Rivera Smith: Longtime California prison employee

Man in uniform sits behind a desk in the Captain of the Guard office at San Quentin in the 1930s. — *San Quentin Captain of the Guard Rivera Smith, circa 1930s.*

A 1900 census shows Smith as a 17-year-old plumber apprentice living with his mother in Oakland. A dozen years later, he was hired as a guard at San Quentin. Back then, the prison was overseen by Warden John Hoyle.

Other officials at the prison included Captain of the Guard E.V. Ellis and Captain of the Yard S.L. Randolph. There were 55 guards employed at SQ at the time, earning $780 per year plus board.

By the mid-1930s, he had promoted to Captain of the Guard.

Smith foils great lemon caper

Lemonade stand, Fourth of July at San Quentin, 1925-35. Bancroft Library. — *Lemonade stand, Fourth of July at San Quentin, 1925-35. (Photo credit: UC Berkeley Bancroft Library.)*

Fourth of July festivities at the prison typically included a rare treat for the population: lemonade. Then, shortly before the scheduled event in 1935, the lemons mysteriously disappeared.

Luckily, three people were caught with the buckets full of lemons. They were William Cayhill, 23, a San Francisco burglar; Jose Pema, 37, Sonoma County murderer; and Madaleno Torrez, 41, Riverside County killer, according to a newspaper report.

“The lemons (were) restored to their rightful custodian,” the Associated Press reported on July 3, 1935. “‘Lemonade as usual,’ Captain Rivera Smith … informed fretful inmates, worried (the) day (would) pass without the traditional ceremony (and) lemonade stand.”

Smith recalls Egan as going out on a song

In 1947, Smith was interviewed about some of the people who were executed at the prison. He spoke about many but a story regarding a record player strung a chord with the reporter.

“Old Rivera ‘Cap’ Smith, one time captain of the guards, keeper of the (execution) book and now a record clerk at the prison can spin many stories of the men who walked the 13 steps to be hanged,” reported the San Francisco Examiner, Oct. 26, 1947.

Dallas Egan mugshot with numbers 53375, San Quentin, sentenced to death, executed in 1933. — *Dallas Egan was executed in 1933.*

“The (calmest) man I ever saw was Dallas Egan,” he told the newspaper. “He killed a man in Los Angeles (while) holding up a jewelry store. A fellow walked in to compare his watch with the time in the store. Egan (told him) to get in the back room. The fella said no. (Then,) Egan went bang.”

He went on to describe the moment Egan was being taken to the gallows.

“Egan was playing a tune on the phonograph. They strapped his right arm (and the) phonograph needle ran off the record,” Smith said. “Well sir, he reached over with his untied left hand, picked up the arm with the needle and set her back on the groove at the start of the record. He said, ‘This is a good tune to go out on.'”

Egan was received Dec. 24, 1932, and executed the following year. He served four sentences in various prisons: two in Folsom, one in Oklahoma and one in Kansas.

Last records for Smith

In 1948, he was named supervising clerk for the prison. By 1949 and 1950, he began having health issues.

The US Census for 1950 shows Smith and his wife Josephine living at San Quentin. His occupation is listed as “record clerk” for the state prison.

“Rivera ‘Cap’ Smith, 66, once captain of the guard at San Quentin prison and more recently, supervising clerk there, died yesterday at San Rafael General Hospital after a lengthy illness,” reported the San Francisco Examiner, Oct. 30, 1950. “No other guards at San Quentin had as much service as Smith.”

He served as secretary to three wardens: James B. Holohan, Court Smith, and Clinton Duffy.

Smith passed away Oct. 29, 1950, and was buried at Mount Tamalpais Cemetery in San Rafael.

He was survived by his wife, Josephine, and three sons: Sidney, James, and Raymond. Josephine was buried by his side when she passed away 25 years later.