USA > California > San Joaquin County > An illustrated history of San Joaquin County, California. Containing a history of San Joaquin County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its future prospects; > Part 1
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1500.
Class lass F 868. Book SITI3
1
1
41 1827
WAShifue
-AN
ILLUSTRATED
HISTORY
OF
AN JOAQUIN COUNTY
CALIFORNIA.
Containing a History of San Joaquin County from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Future Prospects; with Full-Page Portraits of Some of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of Many of its Pioneers and also of Prominent Citizens of To-day IBRARY
CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1890.
1
F868
8080 .02
2-7476
YHARBU 3HT
BARLOW . SINCLAIRJPRINTING CO. CHICACO.
CHAPTER I.
TOPOGRAPHY, NATURAL HISTORY, ETC .-
Name, Position, Boundary, etc ..
17
Rivers ..
18
Soil. ..
18
Geology and Mineralogy.
19
Vegetation
20
22
Wild Animals.
Meteorology (Temperature and Rainfall).
22
Floods .. ..
23
Healthfulness of the Valley.
24
CHAPTER II.
MEXICAN TIMES- 25
Early Discoveries.
Indians .. . 25
Scourge of 1833. 28
First " Americans " and Foreigners .. . 29
Weber and the Conquest of California. 34
Weber and the Indians.
38
Mexican Customs.
40
CHAPTER III.
PIONEER SOCIETY-
Organization and Officers. 42
List of Members 43
Sketches of Deceased Members. 45
Some Prominent Living Pioneers. 54
CHAPTER IV.
STOCKTON IN EARLY DAYS-
Names for the Place.
59
Survey. 59
Discovery of Gold. 60
Weber's Expedition 61
Weber's Return and First Boom of Stockton. 62
First Buildings and Enterprises. 62
Development of Manufactures. 64
Other Improvements. 66
Gambling Establishments 66
Scarcity of Women.
Contrast-General View in 1849. 67
Channel Crowded with Vessels .. 68
Incorporated. 69
First Officers ...
69
Revival of Business in 1850.
List of Business Men. 70
More Buildings 71
Pioneer Ruffianism
72
" Mickey " and other Villains.
73
Pit River Bill.
76
CHAPTER V.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT-
Rush of Immigration. 78
Organization of the State 79
The San Joaquin District 79
First Constitutional Convention 79
First Legislature
80
Formation of the County, 80
First Officers .. 80
Irregular Election 81
Court of Sessions. 81
List of Officers. 82
List of Supervisors.
85
State Chronology
86
CHAPTER VI.
POLITICAL-
First Contest. 88
Democrats and Whigs 88
San Francisco Vigilance Committee. 89
Republicanism. .. 89
General Political Complexion of the County 90
Sketch of Hon. David S. Terry.
90
Sketch of Hon. D. J. Oullahan .
93
CHAPTER VII.
LAND TITLES-
Mexican Laws and Usages. 94
Mexican Grants. 95
Moquelemos Grant. . 95
Moquelemos " War" 96,99
Court-House Square.
100
Mokelumne IIill Road.
102
CHAPTER VIII.
AGRICULTURE, ETC .-
The Soils. 105
Early Mining Period. . 106
Reclamation of Swamp Lands 108
Irrigation ...
111
Transition from Grain to Other Products ...
118, 665
Artesian Wells.
116, 125
iv
CONTENTS.
Grain Raising. 117
The Specialties. 119
Agricultural Society. 122
Board of Trade ... 122
Farmers' Union. 124
Grangers' Union. 124
Natural Gas
125
CHAPTER IX.
TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION-
Primitive Methods
128
Navigation.
129
Mokelumne River 132
Railroads.
133
Lockeford. 196
Elliott, Clements and Linden 198
Farmington
199
Lathrop. 200
Tracy ..
201
CHAPTER XV.
TOWNSHIPS-
Castoria. 203
Dent 206
Douglass. 208
Elkhorn 211
Elliott 213
Liberty 215
Tulare. 217
Union
$20
CHAPTER XVI.
MISCELLANEOUS-
Public Free Schools
Military 224
Societies
171
CHAPTER XIII.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS-
Court-House. 182
Jail. . 183
County Hospital. 183
State Asylum for the Insane .. 184
Dr. Clark's Asylum for the Insane. 189
Land Office 189
CHAPTER XIV.
VILLAGES-
Lodi .. 190
Woodbridge. 194
CHAPTER X.
STOCKTON IN LATER TIMES-
Business
137
Education. 1.13
Public Library.
145
Fire Department.
146
Water- Works 149
Cemeteries 149
Municipal
150
CHAPTER X1.
THE STOCKTON PRESS-
Principal Periodicals
154
CHAPTER XII.
STOCKTON CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES-
Churches
165
Capital Executions
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Abbott, A. M
564
Basilio, L
289
Budd, James II . 417
Alberti, A
594
Beckman, C
.484
Budd, Joseph II.
.358
Alegretti, G
431
Beckman, Ilenry II .489
Buflington, 1. M. .561
Alegretti, J. B
.562
Beckman, II. W
290
Bugbee, Wm. D). 509
Allen, William
.562
Beer, John. 501
Bulson, II. R. 461
Alling, N. E .. 345 Ashley, L. E ... .514
55
Bennett. P. W
363
Butters, Ezra. 4×9
Ashley, J. P.
654
Benton, HI. A
260
Buttrick, W. II. 565
Atherton, G. A.
533
Bigger, J. M. .305
Byers, J. C. 378
Bachman, Adam 558
Bischof berger, J 403
Blanchard, C. T 565
Cady, Stoel. .338
Bacon, E. C .. .479
Blankenship, lohn MI 49
Campbell, C. A 396
Baggs, W. MI .445
Blondin, Arthur
Campbell, J. A. 319
Bailey, C. K. 628
Boggs. P. Il 595
Campbell, P D. .326
Bailey, Noyes. .470
Boice, S. W. .509
Campbell, W. P. II. 534
Baird, B. P .358
Boisselier, II. G. 53
Carlon, G. C. 596
Baird, E. E 468
Bowers, Michael .566
.433
Carter, William 395
Barnhart, Henry 55
Brown, A G ..
459-
Cary, C. II. .655
Barr, Jas. A. .173
Brown, B. Howard .434
Castle, C. C. 356
Castle, J. U 639
Barthman, Charles 411
Buckley, W. S. 375
Cadle, E. F. 140
Bachman, C. A. .525
Behaps, John. 595
Bunch, John 564
Belding, Charles 389
Burgun, Stephen 48
Ashley, Wm. D
Billinghurst, W. 11. 563
Carter, S. L ... .373
Bamert, Charles. 499
Brandt, (' 11. W.
V
CONTENTS.
Cavis, J. U .. 367
Farrington, H. L. 52
Hay, Wm. B 366
Chagal, N. P. .385
Favinger, George 569
Hayden, W. W .. 239
Chase, Gilman 295
Ferduu, S ... 512
Heck, V. V. .
.322
Fischer, J. H 45
.299
.621
Cicinato, M
.638
Foster, B. F
510
Clapp, P. .536
Foster, Geo. A
490
Henderson, John. 609
Clark, A .. .656
Clements, Thomas. .500
336
Frankenheimer, B
.515
Herrmann, John
601
Clowes, E C
481
Freeman, Clara M
615
Cobb, F. D. 479
Freeman, W. F.
537
Hewett, Samuel .651
Coffee, Robert. 567
French, Mrs. Sarah A. .451
278
Hickman, Edward .642
Cogswell, E. B.
258
Coleman, J .
456
Collins, J. J.
505
Colnon, E. S
156 Gambetta, J. 599
Hogan, George. 590
Commings, C. W
439
Confer, S. L ..
Garvin, M. J. 523
Holden, I. D.
397
Conrad, G. A ..
255
Cooper, J. B. L.
46
Geddes, John. 155
48
Holt Bros.
644
Cowell, H. W
567
Cowell, John
567
Cowell, W. W.
463
Gibbons, Wm. E. .615
Hook, T. K.
408
Crittenden, Jolın L 50
662
Gillingham, H. C .594
Houser, Daniel
371
Cross, S. N
.253
Cunningham, T. 617
Cutting, L. M .. .393
Darra, Mrs. Amelia. 474
Dasher, S. D. .627
Daubney, Geo J 47
Davis, Edward. 288
Davis, Franklin 597
Davis, G. M ... 259
Davis, Stephen H. 50
De Costa, A. 506
Denig, Wm. M. 157
Gray, George A.
.578
De Vinny, C. L 446
Gray, J. D.
257
De Vries, M .. 420
Dickinson, G. D 46
Dinning, T. H. .420
Doak, J. K ..
492
Dodge, Jonathan H.
55
Dohrmann, C. W.
620
Dorland, L. L ..
421
Dorrance, H. T. 407
Douglass, D. F.
47
Douglass, J. B. 618
Doyle, J. T. 460
Driscol, John 568
Drullard, A .. .350
Ducker, John. 511
Dudley, W. L. 378
Hall, J. E
469
Hall, John .. .327
Hamilton, I. D. 428
Kaiser, Henry 590
Kaiser, V. 472
Hansel, Louis. 421 Kallen bach, O. P. .293
Hansen, A. W 593 Kasson, George M. 589
Harelson, J. B. 592 Keen, H. J 384
Harkness, Geo. S. 485
Keeno, Zotlı. 50
Keller, John 399
Kenefick, J ..
.302
Keniston, C. M.
.346
Harrold, A. M. .614 Kerrick, J. W. .250
Harrold, A. W 614 Ketchum, T. E. 251
Harrold, C. II. 277
Harrold, N. S. 613
Kidd, James E 449
Kile, J. M. 659
Kile, Joseph
49
King, Geo. W.
51
377
Howell, C .. 363
Howland, H. S ..
.460
Golden, Wm 593
Howland, L. W.
461
Gooke, Benedick
414
Gordon, C. H.
562
Graham, R. L
490
Hull, O. H .. . 498
Hummel, T. W .384
Humphrey, W. G.
598
Grattan, Jolın.
.235
Gravem Bros.
.531
Hunting, Chas ..
.397
Huntley, L. L. 640
Hurey, Geo. W 50
Hutson, J. L. 589
Hyatt, G. C .. 530
Inglis, Wm.
610
Irvin, W. H
302
Jack, E. H. 558
Jackson, J. A. 46
Jahant, P. F 467
Jefferson, Joseph H. 300
Jolinson, R. S. 309
Jolinson, W. B. 335
Jones, Hiram M. 308
Jones, J. W. .652
Jones, W. J. 653
Due, E. II. . 336
Dunham, J. S .. .619
Durham, Shubael. 619
Earl, R. T. .627
Eaton, M. D. 624
Eddy, A. L .330
Eliot, Patrick . .623
Ellenwood, W. B. 381
Elliott, E. R. 506
Elliott, S. W. .623 Ellis, F. E .. 192
Ellis, H. M .. 382
Emslie, J. J. .437
Endich, Nicholas.
.623
Fairchild, W. H
241
Fanning, II. T. 47
Hatch, F. S. .617
.413
Green, R. F. 278
Green, W. C. 498
Gremaux, Eugene. 654
Grotyohn, J. N 341
Grupe, J. C .. 267
Gruwell, J. D. 430
Guernsey, A. A 382
Guernsey, D. A 364
Gumperiz, Gustave. .487
Hahn, A. J. .259
Haines, Geo. W.
372
Haines, I. S. 377
Hammond, Moses 54
Harney, J. S. 484
Harrison, J. F. 50
Harrison, Norval 627
Harshner, A. M .591
Hart, Wm 534
Hedges, E. R .. .539
Hefferman & Hefferman 249
Hemphill, John. 482
Hemphill, O. J. .479
Fowler, J. M.
.520
Henderson, R. W . 423
Fowler, W. S.
518
Henery, Samuel.
Hickinbotham, J. T. .450
Cogswell, Francis. 508
Fuqua, F. M.
Furry, Leonard. .598
Hildreth, Elias. .591
Hildreth, G. F. .361
Hillman, G. G .658
Holman, H. C. 310
Holmes, T. J. 468
Corson, C. H ..
502
Gelabert, Wm
Gerten, Jacob. 593
Hood, E. E.
.368
Gianelli Bros. .600
Hook, Anna C.
409
Gibson, W. M. 345
Horn, Alex.
.501
Cross, L. E.
Gillis, James 276
Howard, Daniel.
Gilman, J. L .. 52
Gimbel, Henry .. .593
Hubbs, Nancy.
550
Hughes, W. H. 642
Graham, R. L., Sr 483
Grant, E. F.,. .562
Hunter, Anthony 641
Graves, F. A ..
.563
Garrett, Wm. E. .357
Hoisholt, A. W 344
610
Clendinen, W. S
Chicard, Marie. 47
Christensen, Peter. .260
Fiske, Ezra.
Chrisman, John. .358
Ford, James
Fyfe, Joseph. 625
616
Gear, A. T. 53
Hersom, Wm. J 599
Keys, T. J. .256
Green, J. B.
vi
CONTENTS.
Klinger, Geo .. 290
Meyer, R. B. . 474
Rhodes, Ilenry B 47
Knight, II. B. . 514
Middlekauf, E. D 348
Rhodes, Jacob) .349
Knight, N. A. .391
Miller, Milton. 490
Rich, C. A .. .577
Knowles, E. F. .401
Kohlmoos, Johı .390
Miller, Wm. P.
263
Robbins, L. W., & Co .577
Koontz, II. C .. .660
Kneppers, Theo.
.483
Milner, N.
.636
Robinson, Wm Il
55
Robinson, W. O.
303
Ladd, Geo. S .. 362
Ladd, John S. .359
Lane, Frank E. .501
Lang, L. H 276
Langford, B. F. 245
Moshier, Geo. L.
.425
Langmaid, O. G .. 542
Langridge, G. W. 5-10
Muenter, August. 386
Rumrill, L. L 242
Ryan, J. M.
536
Nauman, W. R. .465
Neal Brothers. 463
Saalbach, E. 37.4
Salmon, Cutler .579
Salmon, Elizabeth F .253
Salmon, J. T ... .576
Sanders, Mrs. Jane . 308
Sanguinetti, J. 631
Sargent, C. S. 529
Levinsky, A L. . 686
Lewis, W. O.
53
Lewthwaite, John.
.515
Litchfield, Albert.
.393
Litchfield, Ansel.
378
Lloyd, Robert. .
.408
Locke, Delia M.
.660
Locke, Elmer H. .660
Locke, Geo. S .. .495
Odell, Daniel
O'Neil, Jerry. 585
Orr, N. M. .349
Ott, Martin. . .413
Severy, Daniel. 51
Sharp, H. W. 648
Sharp, P. G.
576
Shattuck, H. C.
314
Shaw, H. C.
.317
Shaw, T. C. 511
Sheen, D. W.
270
Sherman, E. B.
.451
Martin, D. P. 379
Martin, Irving
.157
Mathewson, S. F
317
Pearson, Wm. R .582
Simonds, J. J
Smith, Ansel
360
McCall, J. C. .635
Smith, F. II.
.629
McCarty, M. .607
Smith, Mary
575
McCuen, Nelson 634
Smith, Russell B.
47
McDade, E. J. .585
Smith, Wm. (.
267
McDougald, Sangster & Co .632
Smithson, W. D.
427
McDowell, J. F 446
Smucker, Wm. HI.
50
McGary, W. R. .459
Smyth, James II
274
McIntosh, E. J.
418 .513
Post, Wm. H. .580
Snow, William II.
.574
Mckenzie, J. T
.253
Spellman, I). ... .541
411
McMurray, Sarah .307
51
McNeil, D. P. .
49
Stafford, ( ...
453
McNeil, Ellen .
.313
Starbird, W. B ..
.513
McNoble, Geo. F.
.468 51
Raab, HI .606
Steiny, Julius ..
47
Megerle, Mrs. T. C.
.469
Ralph, C. R. 48
Stephens, C. S.
486
Mehrten, Mary
.461
Ray, D. T. . . 281
Stewart, Frank
.454
Mersfelder, L
.491 Reibenstein, R. R 241 Stockwell, E R. 412
Reyner, Francis. 344
Stockwell. W. W 413
Messick, J. B.
.254
Reynolds, D. R. .344
Stoddar, E. .630
Metcalf, R.
462
Reynolds, G. C. 340
Stowe, E. B.
.453
Meyer, Andrew .485 Reynolds, John .254
Stowe, Mrs E MI 313
Meyer, Jacob. 347 Rhoden, Augustus .579
Sullivan, J. M 50
Meyer, J. K. 53 Rhodes, Alonzo .327 Suthiff, C. B. .2.5
Schneider, M. 313
Schomp, Justus 478
Schraik, John 46
Sedgwick, Thomas 50
Long, C. C ... .587
Long, J. M .. .560
Lo Romer, J. B. .399
Louttit, James A .559
Madden, F. P .502
Magee, S L 586
March, Silas. 584
Marnell, M 524
Parker, R. B. 270
Shippee. L. U.
229
Shurtleff, G. A
.281
Matteson, D. C. . 435
Mayberry, Alex. .586
Perrin, Otis. 54
Peters, H. F. .302
Peters, J. D ..
54
Peyton, Enoch
.633
Pixley, Reuben. .581
Pope, T. J . .544
Snow, Benj
272
McKee, Wm. F
Potter, S. W. .331
Mckinnon, A ...
.471
Prather, W. F .. .252
Pratt, Joseph .500
Prugh, W. W. .606
Putnam, Joseph 400
Steinmetz, George
.514
Meeker, A. C ..
Meseroll, J ..
.500
Phelps, J. L., & C'o 155
Simon, Jacob 414 48
Peck, H. M. .362
Sellman, La Fayette 417
Oullahan, D. J 93
Oullahan, Edward. .392
Overhiser, W. L.
.555
Overholtzer, J 448
45
Sargent, J. L. .553
Sargent, J. P 554
Sargent, R. C .. .547
Sayles, A. I). .658
Schmidt, II. C. .576
Nunan, J. J. 156
Nutter, W. B. 418
46
Laury, Mrs. Sarah. .589
Lawrence, E .. .588
Leadbetter, W. R .419
Learned, D. A. .452
Needham, C. E .296
Nelson, A J
Nelson, E. E. 55
Nevin, N. 383
Lehe, Eugene .. 637
Leitch, Archibald. 353
Nicewonger, Hayes. .465
Lertora, Peter .359
Nicewonger, Levi .. 533
Nolan, James G. 383
Norcom, C. W.
Northrup, II. D. .466
Northrup, Wm. 321
Norton, O. O .. .337
Ruggles, C. L. 156 Ruhl, F. A. 601
Laumeister, Lewis .608
Murray, Isaac
383
Robinson, C. L. 47
Minta, Wesley
361
Misener, N. S.
584
Rock, Frank 47
Mollenhauer, L. F.
378
Rohrbacher, II ..
492
Monaco, M. .607
Rolland, A. .306
Moseley, J. F 242
Rossi, A. 339
Rucker, IL. N .. .402
Moulton, James S. .631
Learned, J. M. 364
Lee, Theodore. .588
Schmidt, P. P .335
Lomax, L. M. .396
Owen, C. E. .512
Owen, J. R. .269
Payton, Daniel. .662
Pearson, S. A. .582
Peyton, V. M .426
Spenker, Joseph
Stading, Henry
,
Millner, F. A.
Miller, W. C. 55 River Express. 326
vi
CONTENTS.
Swain, Cornelius. .249
Swinnerton, J. G. .342
Taft, E. B. 403
Tallmage, James 330
Tam, Jos. H. 400
Taylor, A. J .575
Wakefield, C. F. .571
Wilson, E. C.
422
Wakefield, C. H. .366
Wilson, John
416
Winters, J. D. 570
Walksmuth, E.
374
Wolf, Andrew .236
Wolfe, Jacob. .
.342
Thompson, J. W.
.332
Thompson, Thomas
258
Thorn, S. R.
.464
Thornton, Arthur.
.574
Thorp, Edward.
Weaver, H. W .646
Woods, Richard
569
Titus, Lyman. .578
Weber, C. M. 441
Wootten, M. A
289
Welsh, J. M .474
Trahern, G. W. 650
Treadwell, A. B .. .647
Tretheway, Earle & Dasher. 626
Tretheway, E. A. 516
Tretheway, John. .503
Tripp, D. D. .301
Tripp, W. O 53
Tschierschky, E. M. L. .482
Tumelty, Dennis. 647
Turner, James
255
White, A. C. . 663
White, Wm. B .. 410
Wiedman, W. H. .603
Van Valkenburgh, J .380
Vinet, Peter .646
Wilhoit, Geo. E .274
Visher, P. 477
Wilhoit, R. E. 273
Williams, Milo. 517
Wagner, Charles 381
Wilson, Henry .644
Taylor, Joseph. 575
Taylor, Mary J. .404
Tecklenberg, H. W. V. 573
Terry, David S.
90
Thompson, J. E. .572
Wasley, James.
287
Wolf, William
.404
Woodbridge, W. H.
.460
Waterman, S. D.
414
Woods, James .51, 165
Watrous, Benj. .521
Woods, J. N.
.543
Watson, J. A. 622
Woodson, B
438
Todman, J. M. .504
Weaver, J. A. .456
West, Fred M ..
.239
Wyman, C. H. 651
West, Geo. .525
West, W. B.
.522
Yaple, Perry 324
Wetherbee, G. W
572
Yolland, C. W
609
Wheaton, W. G. .
. 645
York, John 473
Yost, Fred. 292
Whipple, W. E .. 571
Young, L. J.
.569
PORTRAITS.
Belding, Charles. 388
Brown, A. G ... . 458
Dorrance, H. T
406
Fiske, Ezra .. 298
Harrold, N. S. 612
Houser, Daniel. 370
Johnson, W. B 334
Langford, B. F. 244
Leitch, Archibald. 352
Locke, George S. 494
Miller, William P 262
Sargent, C. S. 528
Sargent, R. C. 546
Shaw, II. C .. 316
Shippee, L. U.
. Frontispiece
~Shurtleff, G. A. 280
Visher, Putnam 476
Weber, C. M.
34
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Agricultural Pavilion. 123
Masonic Temple. 173
- Court-House. . 182
State Asylum for the Insane 184
Residence of Captain C. M. Weber in 1850. 440
Van Ness, B. H. .311
Van Pelt, E. S. .326
Wilhoit, E. L .... .274
Wakefield, L. D. .308
Ward, C. W .. .465
Waterman, Geo. E
304
.416
Woods, S. D. 415
Tone, John H .. .571
Wulff, A. L .. 508
Whipple, Edwin 49
Whitaker, Mrs. M. J. 570
17
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
TOPOGRAPHY, NATURAL HISTORY, ETC.
CHAPTER I.
OAQUIN is the Spanish spelling of an Old Testament name referred to in the Gospels of the New Testament as that of the father of the Virgin Mary, mother of Christ. It is there spelled Joachim, and its literal meaning is " Preparation of the Lord." Joachim having been made a saint by the Catholic Church, the name has come to be in the Spanishi language San Joaquin. This name in California was first given to a rivulet in the foot-ltills of the Sierra Nevada mountains by Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga, who in 1813 commanded an exploring expedition to the Vale de los Tules (Valley of tlie Rushes). From this rivulet the main river of the great interior valley of California subse- quently derived its name; and finally the county, whose history we now begin to write, derived its name. The pronunciation is in accordance with Spanish principles.
The great San Joaquin valley, extending 250 miles southeast to northwest through the State of California, containing over 10,000,000 acres, is a basin, with the Sierra Nevadas for its east- ern rim, and the Coast Range marking its limits on the west. There is one lake, Tulare, resting on 700 square miles of its bosom, while the waters falling upon 13,635 square miles of country find their surplus outlet through nu- merous rivers that flow into the great channel of the San Joaquin, which rolls majestically on 2
towards the ocean, through the center of the valley, until its waters are mingled with those of the Sacramento.
San Joaquin County, where now live about 30,000 inhabitants, is at the extreme north end of this valley; and lines of latitude 38º north and longitude 121° 20' west of Greenwich cross each other at about its center. Its eastern limits encroach upon the foot-hills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Its west limits are nearly a north and south line, taking in a large area of swamp and overflowed land in the low country through which flows the river San Joaquin, the line continuing south into the Coast Range of mountains, terminating finally at the snminit of Mount Boardman. From this mountain the south line runs in a northeast direction to the mouth of the Stanislaus river, this river form- ing the remainder of the south boundary line.
The boundary of San Joaquin County is touched by a considerable number of other counties. On the north is Sacramento; on the east Amador, Calaveras and Stanislaus; on the south Stanislaus; and on the west Contra Costa, Alameda and Santa Clara.
Mount Diablo, conspicnous in the west and situate in Contra Costa County, is 3,400 feet high,-about two-thirds of a mile. The Indians had both for it and a tribe living near it the name Bolgou. Diablo is Spanish for " devil,"
18
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
and was so named in Jesuitie times on account of some Spaniards, among whom were priests, employing a cannon and other fire-arms there to keep off' hostiles. The highest summit of this mountain is made the initial joint of land survey toward all points of the compass by the United States Government for Northern Cali- fornia. The base line runs through this county ahout a half mile south of French Camp station.
The county embraces an area of 1,452 square miles, most of which is good farm land. East- ward it extends slightly into the foot-hills of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The San Joaquin is the longest river in this valley, and empties into Suisun bay near the mouth of the Sacramento. Its principal tribu- taries are the Stanislaus, Merced and Tuolumne. The waters of all these rivers were in pre- American times clear, except during freshets; now they are turbid, but still abound in fish. The San Joaquin is navigable for 350 miles, and the lower section, from Stockton down, it is the highway for a vast trade. The imnme- diate valley of the San Joaquin is ten to fitty feet above sea level.
The Mokelunine river, which flows westward through the northern portion of the county, and forms the northwest boundary, empties into the Sacramento river. Its name, and the name Mokelko-that of a tribe of Indians formerly living near it-are probably derived the one from the other, or both from a cominon root. This stream is very winding in its course, and is continually forming sand-bars, to the detri- inent of navigation. A vigorous effort was once made by Dr. D. J. Locke and J. H. Woods, in hot but amusing competition with each other, to establish navigation on this stream as far as their towns, named respectively after them. The river proved too treacherous with its sand- bars and new channels. In 1874 an effort was inade, but with like results. to utilize the river for floating timbers down from the mountains.
The Stanislaus river, which forms the bound- ary line between this and Stanislaus counties, flows into the San Joaquin, scarcely navigable
on account of sand-bars. It is said that after a battle was fought upon this stream in 1829, in which the Indians defeated the Spaniards, the latter party substituted the present for the old Indian name.
The Calaveras (" a place of skulls ") was :0 named with reference to a battle between the mountain and the valley Indians, contending for fishing waters. The valley Indians were victo- rious. More than 3,000 were killed on both sides, and their bones bleached on the battle- field. The channel of this river is deep, but cumbered with brush, trees and logs. On ac- count of the narrowness of the channel, the river overflows a wide extent of low lands, keeping them rich with fresh deposits containing much nutriment for vegetation. Originally the chan- nel carried off all the water except during the freshet portions, but it has long since been so filled up with mining debris thatits service in this respect is greatly diminished, to the detriment of the agricultural lands immediately adjoining. The Mormon slough, issning from the channel of the Calaveras at Bellota, now carries off more water probably than the Calaveras. It over- flowed its banks every year until the levee was built in 1887. Rock creek drains the Salt Spring valley in Calaveras County. Little John and Rock ereeks at their junction a short dis- tance east of Farmington, form what is known as French Camp slough.
Dry creek and the north fork of the Mokel- mine form the north boundary line.
SOIL.
The soil of the county is so varied that a de- scription of it cannot be given in a few words. The lowest grounds generally consist of a style of clay termed adobe, while the higher grounds have such a proportion of sand as to prevent the formation of mud in wet weather, and at the same time keep the earth porous, thus giving air to the roots of plants, and being therefore best adapted, when there is sufficient moisture, to horticultural and agricultural purposes. The section adjacent to the foot-hills on either side
19
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
of the valley has a clay soil, and along the streams the soil has a sedimentary deposit by the high water, and contains in places a considerable amount of peat. Sonth of Dry creek in the northern part of the county, the surface is clay. The Mokelumne river divides the sandy loamn from the clay soil. The adobe land of the connty is chiefly south of the Calaveras and north of the French Camp slongh. South of this slough the soil is sandy. On the west side of the San Joaquin river, the soil lying between the peat and the foot-hills is adobe.
More particularly, according to a map pub- lished in 1886 by Wilson R. Ellis, tbe nortli- eastern extremity of the county, extending from Dry creek nearly to the Mokelumne, is a clay loam; the Mokelumne runs through a district of sandy loam; Stockton is near the western limit of a large adobe district, about ten miles wide, east and west, by fifteen miles nortlı and sonth; the southern and larger portion of Cas- toria Township, and the southern part of Dent is sandy land; the eastern margin of the county is characterized by reddish clay, centrally inter- rupted by a large semi-circle of dark loam; the southern and larger portion of Tulare Township is a clay loam; the western portion of the county is a sandy loam, while Roberts' Island and the extreme northwestern corner of the connty is also a clay loam.
Most of the area west of the San Joaquin River, originally swamp land, has been re- claimed, and is principally devoted to wheat- raising.
GEOLOGY.
The San Joaquin valley has been reclaimed from the sea by wash from the mountains, par- ticularly the Sierra Nevada, which might be considered the western edge of the continent, the Coast Range having been but a short time ago, geologically speaking, a range of islands. This detritus is now of surprising depth. Ar- tesian wells suuk to the depth of a thousand feet fail to reach " bottom rock." This detri- tus consists of alternate thin strata of gravel,
sand and clay of various color and consistency. As the eastern edge of the county touches the foot-hills, gold is found within our limits: but as the placer diggings found on a few river bars and along some of the shallow gulchies in the eastern part of San Joaquin have been worked out long ago, there have been left to this county neither gold mines nor, so far as known, other metalliferous deposits of value. Chinamen have been washing for gold to a limited extent along the Mokelumne river, in the northeastern cor- ner of the county. Building stone, however, of good quality, and clay, suitable for making brick, are plentiful liere, and natural gas has quite recently been obtained in the vicinity of Stockton in such quantities and nuder such con- ditions as warrant the belief that a more abun- dant and perhaps permanent supply will be obtained by deeper borings.
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