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t
HISTORY
OF
DEL NORTE COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
WITH A
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
AND
TRAVELER'S GUIDE.
BY A. J. BLEDSOE.
-
BURKÅA : HUMBOLDT TIMTA PRINT -- WYMAN & CO., PORLNMEES. 1881.
HISTORY
SAN FRANCISCO HISTORY CENTER
979.411 3615
San Francisco Public Library
ROOM CASE
REFERENCE BOOK
Not to be taken from the Library
3 1223 90194 1824
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from California State Library Califa/LSTA Grant
http://www.archive.org/details/historyofdelnort00bled
-
HISTORY
OF
DEL NORTE COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
WITH A
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
TRAVELER'S GUIDE.
BY A. J. BLEDSOE.
-
EUREKA : HUMBOLDT TIMES PRINT ... WYMAN & CO., PUSLUnym. 1881.
To the Pioneers of California, those hardy ad- venturers, who bravely met untold hardships, cruel privations, and sometimes even death itself, that a new Empire might be founded on the Pacific Coast, this book is respectfully dedicated, by THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
It was with many misgivings and doubts of success that I commenced the preparation of this book.
" What! A history of Del Norte!" exclaimed the large family of the " oldest inhabitant," " why, what is there in Del Norte to write about?" Of course, these people were always ready to tell everybody by word of mouth all about the past history of Del Norte, so that it was folly to write it up. And as for the resources, indus- tries, climate and scenery of the county, they passed by unnoticed. Whether these truthful story-tellers were color-blind, or whether, like the man who was viewing a beautiful landscape, and upon being asked what he saw, answered: " What do I see? Why, trees!" Whether, like him, the " oldest inhabitants " saw " trees," and nothing else, I know not; but certainly the "oldest in- habitants" saw nothing of the above, and it was a diffi- cult task to gather reliable data for this work.
In my search for information I found the Know-Noth- ings in a very small minority, while the Know-Every- things were in such a large majority that it was almost impossible to arrive at the facts in some instances.
However, no pains have been spared to procure the best and most reliable information possible, and I cheerfully acknowledge my obligations to Benj. West, Peter Peveler, Peter Darby, Asa Thompson, W. H. Woodbury, J. K.
PREFACE.
Johnson, M. G. Tucker, J. L. Lake, F. Knox, D. Haight and W. A. Hamilton.
If this book shall be the means of awakening the citi- zens of Del Norte to a knowledge of the inexhaustible wealth which surrounds them on every side, waiting for the mighty arm of capital to bring it to light; if it shall direct the attention of capitalists in a single instance to the advantages offered for investment in Del Norte, then I will feel that my task has not been in vain, and that I have received an adequate compensation.
THE AUTHOR,
CRESCENT CITY, Jan. 1st, 1881.
.
HISTORY
OF
Del Norte County,
CALIFORNIA.
--
CHAPTER I.
DEL NORTE -- ITS SETTLEMENT BY THE WHITES -- EARLY SCENES AND EARLY PIONEERS -- HAPPY CAMP -- CRESCENT CITY -- SMITH'S RIVER VALLEY -- FROM THE YEAR 1851 TO 1855.
Del Norte, signifying "the north," is situated in the north-west corner of California, and is bounded on the east by Siskiyou county, on the west by the Pacific, on the north by Curry and Josephine counties, Oregon, and on the south by Humboldt and Siskiyou counties, Cali- fornia; and although far removed from our metropolis, and lying in a remote part of the State, not easily acces- sible from the outside world, yet it was one of the first counties in the State to be settled by the whites.
In the spring of 1851 a party, consisting of Capt. S. R. Tompkins, Robt. L. Williams, Capt. McDermott, Charles Moore, Thos. J. Roach, Charles Wilson, Charles Southard, the Swain brothers, - Taggart, Geo. Wood, W. T. Stevens, Wm. Rumley, W. A. J. Moore, Jerry Lane, John Cox, S S. Whipple, J. W. Burke, James Buck, and several others started from Trinidad, worked their way up the
8
HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
Klamath river, camping on every bar which showed the color of the gold they were seeking, and continually com- pelled to keep guard against the prowling and treacherous Indians. Nor was the settlement of the county effected without loss of life. For while the party were camped, some on Wingate's Bar and some on Wood's Bar, (the two bars near each other,) about eight miles below the now town of Happy Camp, three young men, named re- spectively Barney Ray, Moore, and Penny, coneluded to go up the river on a prospecting tour. They went, and were foully murdered by the Indians, who had all along made many professions of friendship, and had in fact en- deavored to induce the party to move further up the river, saying that at a distance of less than "one half a sleep" there were good camping grounds and gold dig- gings.
Immediately after the massacre, which occurred a few days after the young men had arrived at their new loca- tion, several men from Wood's Bar traveled up the river to a point directly opposite the place where the young men had pitched their tent. They could see the tent still standing, but being unable to see or hear anything of the occupants, and seeing numbers of Indians skulking about the premises, they surmised that some misfortune had befallen their comrades. Actuated by this belief, they returned to camp and organized a party of volunteers to ascertain the fate of their friends. Arriving at the scene of the massacre, they found that their fears were but too well founded. The body of one of the young men, Barney Ray, was buried on the spot, and another, Penney, mor- tally wounded, was conveyed down the river on a litter to Wingate's Bar, where he died a short time after. The body of the other, Moore, could not be found at the time, but several weeks afterwards the remains of a dead body, supposed to have been his, was found in the river below, so much decayed as not to be recognizable. But the per
9
HAPPY CAMP.
petrators of the deed did not go unpunished. A portion of the party, eager to avenge the death of their comrades, pursued the Indians, and following their trail, which led up the river, discovered the Indian village, consisting of a large number of huts, and indicating the home of a large band of savages. Satisfied with their discovery, they re- turned to camp, and the next morning at break of day made an attack on the Indians. It is needless to say that bows and arrows were no match for the guns of the whites, and that the savages, without exception, were given a free passage and quick dispatch to the Happy Hunting Grounds. It is believed that every one of the murderers met the fate they deserved, and that not one of them escaped.
Some two or three weeks after this tragedy the party of pioneers removed from Wingate's Bar to the place afterwards called Happy Camp. And thus, ushered in by a bloody tragedy, the first settlement in Klamath (now Del Norte) county was made. For although the county had been visited by prospectors and adventurers previous to that time, it is undisputed that the Happy Camp settle- ment was made over a year before Crescent City was lo- cated.
Happy Camp! A name suggestive of cool shades of forest trees, sparkling streams from mountain sides; it brings with it a breath of the free, bracing air from m m- tain snows which fanned the cheeks of the hardy pioneers who dared to molest the Indian in his choicest hunting grounds; it suggests a land teeming with game and fruit, and all other goodly things bestowed by nature --- a land in which the foot-sore and weary Argonaut might find rest at last, and end his days in peace and happiness.
But however pleasant and suggestive of peace the name may be. it is certain that the pioneers of Happy Camp met with as many difficulties as others of their class. Forced to keep a wary eye upon the Indians, compelled to pre.
10
HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
pare for the severe winter in store for them, theirs was no easy lot; nevertheless, they were one and all imbued with the energy and perseverance so characteristic of the early pioneers of California, and they were all disposed to make light of their hardships. Indeed, the place owes its name to the fact of a little celebration by the "boys" in honor of the place in which they had established their future homes. It appears that on a certain evening the whole party were assembled together and having a "high old time." The black bottle from which they refreshed the inner man was passing freely from hand to hand. . And through the exhilerating effects of its contents the com- pany were beginning to feel in accord with the spirit of the occasion, and disposed to cast dull care away and en- joy themselves while yet they might. Presently someone proposed that the place should have a name, when one of them, who perhaps was particularly satisfied with their location, suggested that it be named "Happy Camp." Immediately three hearty cheers were given for Happy Camp, the bottle was passed again, and thus the new mining town received its christening.
A short time after the settlement of Happy Camp, a settlement was made at the mouth of the Klamath river, a stream emptying into the ocean some twenty miles south of Crescent City. The Klamath was visited in 1850 by a schooner on a voyage of exploration, which anchored off the mouth of the river and sent a small boat with a crew of fifteen or twenty to make an attempt to cross the bar. The bar being rough at the time, the boat was swamped, and all the crew were drowned with the excep- tion of one man, who was rescued by the Indians. After- wards, in the year 1851, another schooner arrived and a settlement was formed. It was supposed that the Klam- ath river was rich in gold, and the new town soon became the headquarters of explorers, prospectors, and others. It was named Klamath City, and it had a rapid growth.
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11
KLAMATH CITY.
The frames of houses, ready to be put together on arrival, were shipped by sail vessels from San Francisco, and it is said that one iron house was imported and erected in the town, For what purpose it was intended or used is not known. As the Indians were living there in great num- bers, it is supposed that the owner intended to guard against their attacks by erecting a castle which would be proof against shot and fire.
As before stated, Klamath City had a rapid growth, and soon became a place of considerable importance. But its growth was not more rapid than its decline, and it had . but a brief existence. Prospectors at the mouth of the river did not meet with the success they had anticipated, and they soon began to seek other mining localities. Ex- peditions were fitted out to explore the upper Klamath, which, with the exception of that part near its mouth, was as great a mystery as the headwaters of the Nile. In 1852 the iron house was re-shipped to San Francisco, and a short time afterwards Klamath City belonged to the list of deserted mining towns.
The California Legislature of 1851-2 provided' for the organization of Klamath county, and ordered an election to be held on the second Monday in June, 1851. The Act was approved on May 28, 1851, and R. A. Parker, W. W. Hawks, Edward Fletcher, Smith Clark and B. W. Dullitt, of said county, were appointed and constituted a Board of Commissioners to designate the election precincts for such election. The officers were duly elected and the county government took effect immediately after.
Crescent City was the next place in the county to be settled by the whites, and it seems somewhat strange that it should not have been permanently settled before the year 1852. 'As early as the spring of 1850 a schooner, the Paragon, arrived in the harbor, and was wrecked on the beach below the site of the present town; and in the same
12
HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
year, and also in 1851, parties of prospectors visited the place, but for some reason made no settlement there.
And like many other towns in California, Crescent City owes its origin to that insatiable thirst for gold which act- uated and controlled the movements of all the early immi- grants to the shores of the Pacific.
In 1849 -- 50 a story was circulated throughout the Paci- fic Coast and in many parts of the East, rivaling the legend of Captain Kidd's hidden treasure, and surpassing in imaginative qualities any fable of the "Arabian Nights." There are many versions of the story, but the one the writer remembers to have heard is as follows:
In the early days of the mining excitement in California, a miner, more adventurous than any of his fellows, armed with his trusty rifle and supplied with necessary mining implements, crossed the rugged Coast Range and pros -. pected the gulches and ravines of the foot-hills near the sea shore. One lucky day he "struck it rich." The rich earth yielded its yellow treasures in abundance, and the solitary miner, with no one at first to molest him, erected a cabin in the wilderness, with the sole thought of amass- ing a fortune and returning to home and friends in San Francisco.
And there, in the midst of the "forest primeval," with the giant trees, "standing like Druids of eld," towering above him, the lonely gold-hunter toiled as if for life; and day after day, for many weary months, added to his store of wealth, until the time drew near when he could return to his home with his pockets heavy with hard-earned gold-dust Bnt the prowling Indian, ever eager for the blood of the white man, found his retreat at last, and at- tacking him with overwhelming numbers, left him sense- less on the ground, apparently dead. The miner's treas- ure was too well hidden to be easily found, and failing in their search for it, the savages set fire to the cabin, burn- ing it to the ground. After they had left the miner re-
13
THE LOST CABIN.
covered consciousness, but not his reason-the light of his mind had gone out, and left a flickering flame of discon- nected thoughts. Bereft of his reason, he wandered out of the forest and into the home of civilization. How he succeeded in finding his way back to his friends in San Francisco the legend saith not. But (so the story goes) he did succeed in making his way back to his home, and there, after a short time, died. Before his death his reason returned to him, and calling his friends around him, he told them the story of his hidden treasure, describing minutely the locality of the cabin, and from the account he gave it was evident that the lost cabin was situated somewhere on the northern coast of California.
So runs the legend of the lost cabin. And however improbable the story may appear, it is certain that it was, in various forms, circulated far and wide, and that many parties were at different times fitted out to search for the bonanza. In the spring of 1851 a party under Capt. Mc- Dermott were searching for the lost cabin in the vicinity of what is now known as French Hill. Ascending to the top of the hill, they saw before them a broad expanse of ocean, with here and there an indentation in the coast line, and at one spot in particular a deep indentation in the rocky coast caused them to believe that there was to be found a bay of considerable extent.
Fully convinced of this fact, the party were not long in circulating the report, and in September, 1852, another party, consisting of Capt. Bell, Major J. B. Taylor, Henry Kennedy, Thomas McGrew, James D. Mace, Richard Humphreys, Wm. Osborn, and a few others started for the coast in search of the now Crescent City barbor. They procured the necessary outfit at Althouse creek, Oregon, and were well prepared for the then perilous and fatigueing journey. They were obliged to cut trails for themselves and animals, and met with numerous obstacles which required great perseverance and labor to surmount,
14
HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
At last reaching the coast, they passed through a valley near the foot-hills, and were surprised to find large herds of elk feeding quietly by the way, seemingly unmindful of their presence. For this reason the valley was named Elk valley, which name it bears at the present time.
Arriving at the seashore, the party camped near the beach, and as winter was approaching, their first thought was to prepare for it. And as their provisions were be- coming exhausted, they dispatched a messenger, Richard Humphreys, to San Francisco, instructing him to charter a schooner from that port to Paragon (now Crescent City ) Bay.
While in San Francisco, Richard Humphreys met J. F. Wendell, and induced him to organize an expedition to Point St. George. The expedition was soon organized and equipped, and chartering the schooner Pomona, they set sail and arrived at Paragon Bay sometime during the fall of 1852,
Nothing was done, however, during the year 1852 toward laying out the town of Crescent City, and it was not until the month of February, 1853, that any move was made in that direction. During the winter of 1852-3 A. M. Rosborough purchased a land warrant in J. F. Wen- dell's name for the 320 acres of land on which Crescent City now stands, and in February, 1853, the land was surveyed by T. P. Robinson and divided up into town lots. It has always been supposed that all of the locators of Crescent City were equally interested in the purchase and distribution of these lots; but from the records on file in the County Clerk's office, it would appear that such was not the case. Lots in the new town were transferred by deed from J. F. Wendell to the following named per- sons: W. A. Thorp, A. M. Rosborough, G. W. Jordan. A. K. Ward, R. Humphreys, J. M Peters, J. K. Irving, J. D. Cook, J. B. Taylor, B. J. Bell, W. S. Watterman, F. E. Weston, P. C. Bryant, M. Martin, M. Smythe, A. Coyle,
15
CRESCENT CITY.
C. D. Poston, G. A. Guthrie, H. Fellows, T. H. MeGrew, D. C. Lewis, H. Kennedy, J. M. Pugh, J. H. Short, T. S. Pomeroy, J. H. Boddeby, S. T. Watts and H. S. Fitch; and it appears from the deeds that all the above named, except seven, received their lots for a money considera- tion, ranging from $100 to $1,000, and that but six of the party besides J. F. Wendell were originally interested in any portion of said land. The transfer to W. A. Thorp was in consideration of having "rendered services in and about Point St. George," and the following named re- ceived their deeds in consideration of having " contributed equally with J. F. Wendell of their money, labor and ma- terials in fitting out an expedition to Point St. George:" F. E. Weston, G. W. Jordan, A. K. Ward, R. Hum- phreys, J. M. Peters and J. K. Irving. Therefore, as only Weston, Jordan, Ward, Humphreys, Peters, Irving and Wendell had invested their means in the enterprise, these gentlemen should be looked upon as the founders of Cres- cent City.
The grant which Wendell had purchased from the State was, however, afterwards declared to be void, the United States Government claiming the right to the land, and those who had invested in town lots were in danger of losing both their lots and money. An arrangement was finally effected by which the Common Council of Crescent City purchased the land from the United States, at $2 50 per acre. The Council then issued certificates of title to all those who had bought town lots from Wendell, and to those who were originally interested in the location of the town. When the town was located it was named Crescent City, because the bay on which it is situated is in the form of a semi-circle.
In 1853 many people were constantly arriving at Cres- cent City, and the place was rapidly growing from a small collection of tents to a good-sized town. Among the first arrivals were James Brooking, Alexander Coyle,
16
HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
Samuel Watts, M. V. Jones, John White, Peter Peveler, Daniel Haight, James Haight, Oliver Charter, Benj. West, E. G. Hayes, Ray Wallace, J. K. Johnson, John Malone, J. G. Wall, Peter Darby, Sam. Crandall, Asa Thompson, Major Bradford, H. Davis, E, L. Magruder, W. H. Hamil- ton, and others.
The first vessel to arrive after the wreck of the Para- gon in 1850 was the schooner Pomona, which arrived sometime in the fall of '52. The next vessel to arrive was the San Francisco, Capt. Goodwin, which anchored in Crescent City harbor on the 6th of May, 1853. having on board as passengers Messrs. Gilbert, Steel, Hoover, Cran- dall, Terry, Farrington, Deitrich, Dickson, West, Myers, and a man called "Dock." Gilbert & Farrington, who established the first store here, had on board 40 or 50 tons of assorted merchandise.
The first mercantile firms who opened business at Cres- cent City were S. H. Grubler, Gilbert & Farrington, Ham- . ilton & Co,, and a short time afterward Gilkey & Co., G. W. Jordan, John Y. Valentine, Crowell & Fairfield, J. B. Rosborough, Messer & Co., J. W. Stateler and J. J. Fricd- man & Co. W. A. Hamilton, who established the third mercantile house here, arrived on the schooner Pomona, in the month of May, a short time after the arrival of the San Francisco, having with him a large stock of general merchandise. On board the schooner was a lighter, ca- pable of carrying 4 or 5 tons, which had been brought from San Francisco for the express purpose of landing the schooner's cargo. The goods were loaded on the lighter, and it being run as far up on the beach as possible, they were packed through the surf to the shore. The supplies at Althouse and other places had almost given out, and a large crowd had assembled on the beach ready to buy the goods as they were landed from the lighter. Before sun- set on the same day they were landed from the schooner, $1,500 worth of goods were sold without removing them
17
SMITH'S RIVER VALLEY.
from the beach. This was doing a rushing business on very short notice.
F. E. Weston, who it has been said was one of the party to found Crescent City, had no individual interest in the expedition, but represented R. F. Knox & Co., of San Francisco, who sent Weston to represent and take charge of their interests. They bought and shipped in his charge on the Pomona a small saw-mill, which he immedi- ately erected near what is now the corner of Cand Third streets. That mill made the lumber of which the first houses in Crescent City were constructed. A year or two later they built a larger saw-mill near the corner of G and Seventh streets, and in 1856 they added a grist mill. The first sack of flour ever ground in this county was turned out of the Crescent City Mills in October, 1856. In 1857 Mr. Weston left and S. G. Kingsland took his place in charge of the property and business. In 1860 these mills were burned down, with all the surrounding improve- ments with the exception of the house now occupied by Judge Hamilton, and a large amount of lumber and grain was consumed at the same time.
Among the arrivals. at Crescent City during the month of April, 1853, were James Haight, D. Haight, H. Davis, Dominee, and one or two others who in the month of August of the same year made the first settlement in Smith's River Valley, locating on the north side of Rowdy Creek. They found the country covered with high fern or brake, ten feet high in places. Plenty of game could be found throughout the valley. there being large numbers of elk, deer, bear, wild geese, ducks, pheasants, etc. The elk, especially, were to be found in large numbers, and for a long time furnished the settlers with the most deli- cious meat.
The south side of Rowdy Creek was soon after settled by H. W. Jones, the Wallace brothers, John Leverton,
18
HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
and others, and both sides were constantly receiving ac. cessions to their population.
Running through the valley is Smith's River, from which the valley received its name. Much speculation has been given to the subject of how the river first received its name, and no definite conclusion has ever been arrived at as to how or when it was named. It is certain that as far back as the earliest settlement of the northern country it was known by its present name.
The most generally accepted account of its origin is, that sometime in 1838 or 1839 a company of men in the employ of the Hudson Bay Company traveled down the coast from the Columbia river, and camping on the banks of the river which now bears the Captain's name, were murdered by the Indians. At the present time there are no records, or persons living to substantiate the above ac- count, and besides it is evident that it has no foundation in truth. The river undoubtedly owes its name to the ignorance of the early explorers and traders in regard to the topography of the northern coast.
In 1842 Fremont camped on the shore of Klamath Lake, Oregon, and in his account of his second voyage of explo- ration he remarks that he was forced to take extra pre- cautions to guard against the Indians, and says, "I was not unmindful of the fate of Captain Smith and party." From this it would seem certain that a man named Smith was murdered by the Indians, and it is equally certain that his name was given to another river, which empties into Rogue river, in Oregon.
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