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HISTORY OF
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF
The leading men and women of the County, who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present time.
HISTORY BY EDWARD MARTIN
ILLUSTRATED Complete in One Volume
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA
A A
F808 53M37
288780 1 20 4
21-12/48
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
BOUNDARY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. 5
CHAPTER II.
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. 7
Early Settlers-Pueblo Branciforte-Mode of Living-Naming the County-Government-Selecting Court House Site-Fires- Earthquakes-Means of Travel-Railroads.
CHAPTER III.
POPULATION, MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 31
Increase in Population Since 1850-Progress of Last Decade- Variety of Products Raised in County-Industries-Principal Towns.
CHAPTER IV.
THE FIRST COURT HOUSE. 44 Its Location-Prominent Lawyers of Early Days-Court Notes- County Hospital-Earliest Settlers of County-Pioneer Days.
CHAPTER V.
ROADS 53
County Divided into Two Townships-Roadmasters Appointed- Source of Road Funds-Schools-Newspapers-Some Political and Literary Notables of Santa Cruz County.
CHAPTER VI.
PAJARO VALLEY AND WATSONVILLE. 61
Evolution of El Pajaro-Immigration into Valley in Early '50s- Financial Conditions of That Period-Watsonville-Beet Sugar Factory.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER VII.
CITY OF SANTA CRUZ. 71 Charter Granted in 1866-Progress Slow at First-Cliff Drive- Bridges-Pacific Ocean House-Beach and Its Attractions-Pub- lic Library-Population-Society of Santa Cruz Pioneers-Father Quintana-Señora Alzina.
CHAPTER VIII.
BIG BASIN REGION
85
Location of Big Basin-Reminiscences of Stage Traveling Days -Banking Facilities of County-Relic of Slavery Days-Squatter Troubles-Spanish Documents.
CHAPTER IX.
STATISTICS OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY . . .100
Report of Agricultural Society.
CHAPTER X.
HISTORY OF FRUIT INDUSTRY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY .. 103
First Fruit Trees Planted in County-First Planting of Grapes- Apple Cultivation-Struggle against Insect Pests and Diseases Affecting Fruit Trees-Assistance of Agricultural Department of State.
INDEX.
-
Abbott, Col. A. G. 133
Albright, Thomas J. 290
Alexander, T. D. 244
Aston, Joseph F.
253
Baldwin, F. D.
146
Bardmess, Abram
286
Baxter, John W.
297
Beechler, James, M. D.
247
Bennett, M. V.
276
Bockius, Hon. Godfrey M.
126
Boyle, M. O.
217
Burland, Robert
295
Canfield, C. E.
278
Cassin, Charles M.
280
Chace, J. D. .
333
Congdon, Willis R., M. D.
140
Covell, John H.
320
Cox, A. W.
284
Cox, Louis M.
282
Dake, L. J.
234
DeLamater, G. B. V.
289
Drullard, Hon. T. W.
207
Fagen, Pierce B., M. D.
348
Freiermuth, Harry D. .
292
Grimes, Michael
160
Grimmer, J M.
342
Hall, Hon. James A.
200
Hartman, Isaiah
303
Hassett, Rev. P.
173
Heath, Frank L.
153
Helmer, Lawrence P.
251
Hodgdon, George R.
305
Horstman, William F.
254
Horton, William A.
326
Ingham, James
242
Jordan, Albion P.
301
Joy, A. E.
239
Judd, A. N.
182
Kelly, Edward J.
270
Knight, Benjamin K.
274
Krough, Fred P.
260
Lamb, Hon. William H.
193
Lee, Julius
155
Leibbrandt, John
335
Liddell, George
341
Lynch, Sedgwick J.
317
McCornick, L. B.
308
McGowan, Matt. J.
262
MacQuiddy, F. S.
186
Maher, David F.
264
Maher, Hon. J. B.
213
Makinney, Hampton E.
209
Martinelli, Stephen
163
Menasco, J. S.
204
Miller, Fred W.
354
Miller, Samuel E.
328
Morehead, George A.
299
Morgan, John W.
310
Myrick, Mrs. Nancy
337
Noble, Augustus
123
Oliver, William
355
7
INDEX
Palmer, Hon. S. A. 211
Peery, Joseph W.
143
Perkins, J. B.
315
Petersen, Henry A.
266
Porter, John T.
166
Porter, Hon. Warren R.
148
Prettyman, F. D.
331
Swanton, Fred W.
344
Tait, R. S. 324
Thompson, Peter J.
224
Thurwachter, Frederick
323
Trafton, George A.
135
Trafton, Howard V.
129
Tuttle, Owen
176
Reynolds, William W.
268
Rodgers, Winfield S.
219
Volck, William H.
215
Schwan, Jacob
230
Walti, Fred R. 339
Scott, Hiram D.
197
Waters, James
189
Silliman, Charles O. 238
Weisenburger, H. C. 257
Sinkinson, John H.
236
White, Edward
227
Smith, Charles
221
Wood, Hiram J.
272
Stoesser, Otto
350
Young, Wesley P.
313
wod Martin .
History of Santa Cruz County.
CHAPTER I.
BOUNDARY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
Beginning at the south corner of San Mateo county at a point in the Pacific ocean south forty-five degrees west, three miles from the intersection of the east line of rancho Punta del Año Nueva with said ocean forming the western corner, thence north forty-five degrees east to said point of intersec- tion thence northerly, following the eastern line of said rancho to its intersection with the south line of township eight south, range four west, Mount Diablo base and Meridian; thence east to the southeast corner of said township, thence north to the northeast corner of section 25 of said township, thence east to the northeast corner of section 26, township 8 south, range 3 west, thence north to the summit of the Santa Cruz mountains being the western line of Santa Clara county ; thence southeasterly along the summit of said mountains on the western line of Santa Clara county to the Pajaro river, forming the southeast corner on the north line of Monterey county, thence westerly along said river on the northern line of Monterey county to the Bay of Monterey, and three miles westerly into the ocean forming southwest corner, thence northwesterly along the shore to the point of beginning.
In 1850 the boundary as then established took in a little be- yond the town of Pescadero, now in San Mateo county. In 1867 the people who were living in Pescadero petitioned the
6
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
legislature to have a certain portion of Santa Cruz county set off to San Mateo county. An act was passed granting the re- quest of the petitioners. This was granted by reason, as stated in the petition, that there was no good road leading from Pescadero to Santa Cruz. Had there been good com- munication along the coast road Santa Cruz would probably have retained this portion which was taken. From Waddells creek the road ran then, and does now, along the beach. Dur- ing a severe storm the road is sometimes impassable. At the present time there is no improvement in this portion of the county in the shape of a good road.
7
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
CHAPTER II.
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
Some one has written that "all history is a lie." Another saying is "That you must not believe all that you hear and only half that you see." That inaccuracies and misleading statements may creep in and be incorporated in local histories are not to be wondered at; oftentimes the events related have been colored to suit the narrator. In writing a history of the county of Santa Cruz I believe it will be better to set forth events that have transpired since the occupation of Cali- fornia by those who came here in a very early day, some of them prior to the change of government from Mexico to that of the United States of America, and therefore I preface this with a brief sketch of Mission history. Pioneer history is a source of attraction to many persons, especially to those of the present generation who like to read of the labors of their pioneer fathers and of the part that was taken by them in the upbuilding of this great commonwealth.
Sir Francis Drake, one of the famous navigators and a grand sea-grafter, is supposed to have come very close to San Francisco bay, but appears to have missed entering that magnificent harbor and anchored at the place now called Drake's Bay, where he met the natives. Drake imagined from certain ceremonial performances that the Indians were inviting him to take possession of their lands and accept them as subjects of Great Britain. Drake gladly accepted their proffered allegiance and formally took possession of the country in the name of the English Queen, Elizabeth; this was in the year 1579. After a stay of fifty-six days
8
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Drake took his departure, much to the regret of the Indians. It is said that after a stormy voyage he arrived at Plymouth, England, from which port he had sailed about three years before. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth and accorded many honors. A large stone cross was erected in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, a few years ago in commemora- tion of Sir Francis Drake, as having held the first service of the Church of England on the coast of California. The early Spanish navigators and explorers apparently paid more at- tention to Monterey than other portions of California. On the 30th of June, 1770, the Mission of San Carlos Borromeo de Monterey was formally founded with solemn church cere- mony, accompanied by the ringing of bells, the crack of musketry and the roar of cannon. Governor Portola took possession of the land in the name of King Charles III. On July 9th Portola sailed in the San Antonio for San Fran- cisco; he never returned to Alta California.
Any one interested in the history of California from the time of the Spanish and Mexican regime can find ample means for their research in Bancroft's History, to be found in the public library of Santa Cruz. It will be conceded, no doubt, that California was discovered by several navigators, but nothing materialized from the discovery until later years, during our own times, in which we are much more interested. At the time of the discovery of gold in 1848 California was almost a "terra incognita" (an unknown land), but not much time was lost in reaching the land of gold, the land of prom- ise to some and of great expectations to others, and a great disappointment to a great number.
The last pueblo founded under Spanish domination was Villa de Branciforte, located on the opposite side of the river from the Mission of Santa Cruz. It was named after the Viceroy Branciforte. It was designed as a coast defense and
9
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
a place to colonize discharged soldiers; the scheme was dis- cussed for a considerable time before anything was done. Governor Borica recommended "that an adobe house be built for each settler so that the prevalent state of things in San Jose and Los Angeles, where the settlers still lived in tule huts, being unable to build better buildings without neglect- ing their fields, may be prevented, the houses not to cost over $200." (Bancroft's history of Cal. Vol. I.)
Ownership of the lands in the pueblos could not in strict- ness be affirmed. It amounted to little more than a restricted and qualified right to alienate portions to its inhabitants for building or cultivation and to use the remainder for commons for pasture lands, or as a source of revenue or for other public purposes. This right of disposition and use was in all particulars subject to the control of the government of the country. The right appears to have been common to the cities and towns of Spain from an early period of her history and was recognized in the laws governing her colonies of this country.
The Villa de Branciforte not having a sufficient population for an ayuntamiento of its own, was attached, in 1826, to the civil jurisdiction of San Jose, but in 1828 it was detached from San Jose, together with the ranchos of San Sidro and Las Animas, again becoming subject to the civil and mili- tary authorities of Monterey, the ranchos above named, Las Animas (in Santa Clara county on which is located the town of Gilroy), San Sidro, in San Benito county. The following are the names of thirty-four citizens of Branciforte, four of whom were foreigners:
Jose C. Boronda,
Jose Ramerez,
Juan Jose Castro,
Marcos Amador,
Miguel Villagrana,
Samuel Buckle,
Joaquin Pinto,
William Buckle,
10
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Jose Maria Perez,
Francisco Sorio,
Jose Maria Solar,
Jaime Mendoza,
Luis Garcia,
Juan Jose Feliz,
Julian Wilson,
Francisco Roderiguez,
Francisco Gonzales,
Jose Antonio Robles,
Jose Bolcof,
Roman Roderiguez,
Francisco Juarez,
Joaquin Soto,
Luz Garcia,
Manuel Montero,
Joaquin Buelna,
Manuel Tego,
Jose Maria Juarez,
Joaquin Juarez,
Juan Pinto,
Juan Gonzales,
Joaquin Castro,
Macedonio Lorenzana,
Martin Villa,
Serafin Pinto.
None of these are living at the present time, though numer- ous descendants are now residents of Santa Cruz county. The inhabitants of Branciforte acquired no titles to the lands of the pueblo, they simply held them by sufferance of the authorities of Monterey. We quote from Bancroft, relating to the establishment of the pueblo of Branciforte :
"After the occupation of California by Spain in 1769, the title of land vested in the crown. There was no individual ownership of land. The King held actual possession of the ground occupied by the presidios and a few adjoining lands. The aborigines were recognized as the owners under the crown, of all the lands needed for their support. This ar- rangement limited the area, thus leaving a portion open to colonization. So it was that under the general law of the Indies four square leagues or their equivalent of land could be assigned to each pueblo. Neither missions, churches or religious orders owned any land, the missionaries had only the use of the land needed for mission purposes, namely to prepare the Indians that they might in time take possession as individuals of the land they were then holding in common-
11
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
alty. This purpose once accomplished, the missions were to be secularized and made pueblos, the houses of worship nat- urally going under the control of the church and the mission- aries going to seek other fields of usefulness. It was planned from the beginning that each mission and presidio should eventually become a pueblo, and that other pueblos should likewise be founded, each having four square leagues of land assigned thereto. The settlement of boundaries was left to the future when called for by the increase of the number of the towns. The missions in their temporary occupation were not restricted as to area. The conversion of most of the presidios and missions into towns was finally affected under a law of 1834. This law, according to the spirit of the Span- ish laws, involved the distribution of the mission lands to the neophytes.
"The granting of land to natives or Spaniards in Cali- fornia was permitted as early as 1773. All grants, however, were forfeited, by abandonment, failure to cultivate or non- compliance with the requirements of the law. Such lands could not be alienated at all until full possession had been given. At the end of the eighteenth century there were in California eighteen missions and four presidios without set- tlers, but each was intended to become in due time a pueblo; three towns of Spaniards, so called, with about one hundred heads of families ; and finally twenty or thirty men occupying ranchos under provisional permits, which involved no legal title to the lands. In 1822, after the Spanish sovereignty had ceased, the provincial disputation passed an act estab- lishing ayuntamientos (municipal council) for towns, but the change from the old system was only in name and in the addi- tion of a treasurer and secretary to the former list of officials. After the government of Mexico became centralized and the new régime took effect in California, ayuntamientos were
12
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
suppressed, being replaced by justices of the peace and pre- fects. Monterey, a presidio since 1770, was made a town in 1820 and in 1840 was raised to the rank of a city and de- clared to be the capital of the then department of California."
The following concerning the establishment of the pueblo of Branciforte (Bancroft's Pastoral) :
"The necessity of an increase of the Spanish population being fully recognized it was contemplated to establish more pueblos of gente de razon (civilized people). In November, 1795, orders came to select a proper site to found a villa to bear the name of Branciforte, in honor of the Marquis de Branciforte, viceroy of Mexico. It was intended to be a mili- tary town, thoroughly fortified, and peopled by soldiers, though in the matter of land grants the existing pueblo regu- lation and the laws of the Indies were to be enforced. Every officer and soldier was to have his town lot, and between the lots of the officers were others to be assigned to chiefs of Indian rancherias who might wish to live among the Span- iards. The site finally chosen was Santa Cruz, because it afforded facilities for exporting merchandise, with abundance of fish and good building materials. It was concluded that the settlers should be from cold or temperate climes. Houses and granaries were to be built and made ready so that they could immediately after their coming devote themselves to the cultivation of the soil. The scheme of having Indian chiefs among the settlers was given up as impracticable, as there were no suitable chiefs at hand, but the mission Indians might be advantageously admitted in the colony to work with and learn from the gente de razon. Governor Diego de Borica, who was a man of practical views, called for four classes of settlers, to wit: robust tillers of the soil, mechanics, artisans and a few sailors to develop whale fishing, as whales abounded on the coast. The college of San Fernando ob-
13
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
jected to the site selected so near a mission, but no heed was paid to it and Borica was directed in January, 1797, to pro- ceed at once with the foundation, which he did, receiving as settlers a number from San Jose and Los Angeles who had no lands. He was promised new settlers and artisans from Mexico, but the people sent out were not the best suited to lay the foundation of a moral, law-abiding community ; per- haps it was hardly consistent with the eternal fitness of things that a colony bearing the name of one of the worst men that ever disgraced a country should succeed. Most of the new settlers were vagrants and minor criminals. The ship Con- cepcion arrived at Monterey May 12, 1797, with a party of such colonists in a most pitiable condition from ill-health and destitution.
"Gabriel Moraga, as commisionado, carried out the founda- tion. His instructions were to see that the townsmen lived peaceably; to tolerate no prostitution, gambling, drunken- ness or neglect of work. Such offences were to be severely punished. The observance of religious duties was to be en- forced; each settler had to produce from time to time a cer- tificate to the effect that he had attended to the church serv- ice, the confessional and communion as prescribed by the ecclesiastical authority. The colonists were to maintain the best relations with the friars, to have no intercourse what- ever with the natives of the neighboring mission. A number of other useful recommendations need not be detailed. Among them was one to see that the settlers prepared shelter for men and animals before the arrival there of Cordoba, the government engineer; Cordoba arrived in August, sur- veyed the lands, did something towards erecting temporary houses, began a canal for irrigation and made search for suitable materials for the permanent buildings. He fur- nished the governor with the estimate of the cost, $23,405,
14
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
which was duly forwarded to the viceroy. In October the works were suspended for want of funds and thus was the greatness of the villa de Branciforte indefinitely put off. Nevertheless the place did not remain empty, there were some temporary huts, nine settlers, the commisionado, and the military guard. These settlers were not convicts, though of a class that Guadalajara, from whence they came, could well afford to part with. They were provided with means to get along, after a fashion, for the first five years, but never showed a disposition for hard work. In 1798 Governor Borica requested Moraga to stir them up against their natural lazi- ness; indeed they were not only lazy but vicious, and the governor pronounced them a curse to the country for their dishonesty and immorality. Down to 1800 there was no change in the number, though a few discharged soldiers were added to the settlement. Moraga was in charge till 1799 and was succeeded by Ignacio Vallejo, a very just man. The crop of 1800 was 1,100 bushels of wheat, maize and beans, and the live stock had reached 500 head of horses and meat cattle. The settlement of Branciforte was the last one at- tempted during the Spanish or Mexican domination.
"The united population of San Jose, Los Angeles and Branciforte in 1800 was about 550 in a little over one hundred families, including twelve or fifteen men raising cattle in the vicinity, whose families mostly dwelt in the towns. About thirty of these families had been imported from Mexico and the increase resulted from children grown to manhood and discharged soldiers, some of whom were pensioners. Agri- culture and stock-raising were the only industries of the townsmen. In 1800 they had 16,000 head of cattle and horses and about 1,000 sheep and raised some 9,000 bushels of grain, the surplus of which found a ready sale at the presidios. Each settler cultivated his fields and delivered yearly to the
15
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
common fund a certain quantity of grain, which served to defray the town's expenses. At each pueblo was a guard of soldiers who were practically settlers. The alcalde and regi- dores had charge of the municipal affairs and the commision- ado a general supervision. Most of the labor was done by natives not attached to the missions. Father Salazar re- ported that the settlers were idlers and cared more for gam- bling and guitar playing than for tilling their lands or edu- cating their offspring. Branciforte was still in debt to the government at the end of 1800." The foregoing may explain why Branciforte and Santa Cruz townships on each side of the San Lorenzo river remained separate and distinct for so many years. Branciforte was founded under such differ- ent auspices, near a mission yet not regulated by the laws governing a mission, nor yet fulfilling the hope of its found- ers as a successful pueblo.
Since the American occupation it has been a township of homes, but few business houses existing, geographically just as pleasantly situated as Santa Cruz, and that it was not a part of Santa Cruz city, difficult to believe. When a special election was called in 1907 to determine if Branciforte and Seabright would become a part of the city of Santa Cruz some opposition was shown, but the necessary votes were received which made it a part of the city. Spanish families are in the minority in that portion of the city and the few remaining probably know little of the founding of the pueblo or the villa de Branciforte.
There is much in Bancroft's history "California Pastoral" that is of interest, giving one much knowledge of the struggle of the missionary friars, the Spanish and Mexican govern- ments and of the early occupation by the Americans. Ban- croft worked for years compiling his history, writing per- sonal letters to all persons known to possess interesting data.
16
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
The University of California is enriched by the Bancroft library and the county of Santa Cruz is as much an heir to that as any county in the state, more so than some, for every county had not a mission and the history pertaining to it. The mission buildings have long been extinct, but paintings of the buildings or drawings have been preserved and they are pictured today for all the world to see on the ubiquitous and useful picture post card.
October 18, 1868, the United States of America issued to Augustine W. Blair, at that time county judge of this county, a patent for 319 acres of section land in Branciforte in trust for the several uses and benefits of the occupants of the town of Branciforte, according to their respective interests under the act of May 23, 1844, and to his successors and assigns in trust as aforesaid. A. W. Blair, county judge mentioned, in pursuance of an act of the legislature of the state of Cali- fornia approved April 4, 1864, entitled "an Act to settle title to lands in the village of Branciforte," issued an order to the county surveyor to make a full and accurate survey of said village with the lots and parcels therein, designating the same by the names of the owners or occupants and to have made two maps or plats of said village deposited with the county recorder. Notice was ordered published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel "for all claimants to file in the office of the county clerk of the county of Santa Cruz, a statement of his or their claim, describing particularly the lot or lots so claimed; and within sixty days after, December 23, 1864, the grounds upon which said claims were founded and proofs of such claims and payment of the price fixed on the lots or parcels of land claimed," as in said act provided. “No claim shall be permitted to be made after the time pre- scribed." After the preliminaries were settled and complied with the county judge made and executed deeds to the parties
17
HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
who had proved their claims to the satisfaction of the judge.
By an act of Congress entitled "An act to quiet title to certain land within the corporate limits of the city of Benicia and the town of Santa Cruz in the state of California," ap- proved July 23, 1866, all the lands within the corporate lim- its of the town of Santa Cruz were "relinquished and granted by the United States to the corporate authorities of said town and their successors in trust for and with authority to convey so much of said lands as were in the bona fide occupancy upon the passage of said act by themselves or tenants," to such parties. The trustees of the inhabitants of the town of
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