Ernest,
on 15 Nov 1913, now 33 years old, signed on as a Guard at San
Quentin State Prison. He stayed at the bachelor's quarters. San
Quentin, being a small town, did not have a lot of available women,
as did San Francisco. There were two young ladies that he was
interested in, both Duffy's. Grace Duffy was 25 and Alma Duffy was
19. While Alma was a "bubbly" young lady she was 14 years
younger. Grace on the other hand was mature, only 8 years younger,
refined, educated and quiet.
Ernest
and Grace started dating. On 13 May 1914 Ernest was promoted to a
Sack Inspector in the Jute Mill. On 12 Jun 1915, Grace Duffy and
Ernest Zubler were married at the Whitcomb
Hotel
in San Francisco, CA. They moved into a house directly outside the
east gate of the prison. Their first child, Dorothy, was born there.
Donald came along in 1918.
On
1 May 1919 Ernest became Superintendent of the Jute Mill at San
Quentin Prison. Shortly after the promotion the Zubler's moved into
the house on the hill, behind the Wardens mansion
on the prison reservation. Another child was born in 1921 and the
last, in 1923. He remained the Superintendent until his retirement in
1945. It is estimated that he trained between 35,000 to 50,000
inmates during his career.
When
he retired, Ernest and Grace moved into the Duffy house, on Mc
Kenzie Street, one block from the east gate. Ernest died there 16 Feb 1956.
