History of Sonoma County : including its geology, topography, mountains, valleys, and streams, Part 1

Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. 4n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: San Francisco : Alley, Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1008


USA > California > Sonoma County > History of Sonoma County : including its geology, topography, mountains, valleys, and streams > Part 1


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Gc 979.401 So5h 1204153


M. L:


GENEALOGY COLLECTION


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01067 7091


M. Ransom from


, Harting


1


Hallunea


Sonnen ler


JEb 17.18.80


Forel.


K. g. Valley


HISTORY


-OF-


SONOMA COUNTY ,


-INCLUDING ITS-


Geology, Topography, Mountains, Valleys and Streams ;


-TOGETHER WITH-


A Full and Particular Record of the Spanish Grants; Its Early History and- Settlement, Compiled from the Most Authentic Sources; the Names of Original Spanish and American Pioneers; a full Political His- tory, Comprising the Tabular Statements of Elections and Office-holders since the Formation of the County; Separate Histories of each Township, Show- ing the Advancement of Grape and Grain Growing Interests, and Pisciculture ;


ALSO, INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE ; THE RAISING OF THE BEAR FLAG ; AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN ;


-AND OF ITS-


Cities, Towns, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc., Etc.


ILLUSTRATED.


SAN FRANCISCO : ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1880.


Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1879, by ALLEY, BOWEN & Co., in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.


PACIFIC PRESS,


Oakland, Cal.


Printers, Stereotypers and Binders.


PREFACE.


1204153


-


IN presenting this work to our patrons we disclaim all literary mcrit. We offer no apology for the want of those elaborate dissertations, thrilling incidents, or poetic descriptions to be found in the pages of Macaulay, Prescott or Irving.


From the outset of our labors we have given the public to understand that our volume should contain naught but a pure and unvarnished record, as far as it was within our power to obtain, of the chief doings in Sonoma, which have been instrumental in placing her in that proud position among the other counties of California which she holds to-day.


To do even this has been no easy task, yet, if the task has been laborious, it still has been a toil in which we have received much kind assistance.


To the old settler, to the pioneer citizen, the events recorded in these pages, many of them in which he has figured, and which have been gradually and surely fading from the mind, will be as a revival of by-gone associations. The emulation of the sire will be revived, in the son. The ground that he rescued from the wilderness will be made holy, while the infant will be taught to look with reverence upon the book which holds the annals of his parents' wanderings, and the rise and progress of his native Sonoma.


In a county of magnificent distances, every inch of which is replete with interest, and every township of which teems with historic lore, it may be said that more should have been accomplished. Should remarks of such a nature be made, we grant them, but reply, not in the limited space to be found in a volume of a little over seven hundred pages.


More, much more, could have been effected had the county records from the beginning been extant; they were not, therefore it is no fault of ours if this particular portion of our work would appear to have received less attention than others. Still, what we have effected we are not ashamed to give to our readers; our pride is that what is told in the History of


vi


PREFACE.


Sonoma County will be found correct, and above all valuable, not only as a matter of interest to the general public, but also as a work of reference.


It may happen that some may cavil at what might appear to them the excessive use of quotations. To our thinking it is no evil, in a volume which purports to be a history, to seek the aid of those minds that have already given mature thought to an especial subject.


. In conclusion, we would here tender our best thanks to those ladies and gentlemen of Sonoma county who aided us with appropriate suggestions and valuable information, while our acknowledgments are more especially due to the veteran General Vallejo and to R. A. Thompson, County Clerk of Sonoma, from whose admirable work on the county we have received much excellent assistance. To Messrs. Weston & Cassiday, of the Petaluma Argus ; Frank W. Shattuck, of the Petaluma Courier; Thomas L. Thomp- son and Will Acton, of the Sonoma Democrat; Ragsdale Brothers, of the Santa Rosa Times; L. A. Jordan and F. C. S. Bagge, of the Russian River Flag; Mulgrew Brothers, of the Healdsburg Enterprise; W. S. Walker, of the Cloverdale Reveille, and Ben Frank, of the Sonoma Index, are our thanks due for many kind notices and other courtesies; while we owe our gratitude to L. L. Palmer, A. M., of Suisun, Solano county, for his very valuable chronicles of Analy, Bodega, Ocean and Salt Point townships. We are also deeply indebted to Doctor W. W. Carpenter, of Petaluma, for his interesting and instructive contribution on the Geology of the county; while lastly we must not forget our own staff, W. A. Slocum, and L. L. Bowen, who have given much zealous labor in our behalf.


ALLEY, BOWEN & CO.


J. P. MUNRO-FRASER, Historian.


San Francisco, January 1, 1880.


-


INDEX.


GENERAL HISTORY.


Geographical Situation and Area 17


Derivation of Name 18


Topography 18


VALLEYS 19


Alexander Valley 19


Bennet Valley


19


Big Valley 20


Dry Creek Valley


20


Green Valley 20


Guilicos Valley 20


Knight's Valley 20


GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY 21


CLIMATOGRAPHY


23


WATER COURSES


26


TIMBER


27


SPRINGS AND MINES 29


The Geysers 29


Skagg's Springs 34


Litton Springs 35


Mark West Springs 35


White Sulphur Springs 35


Alder Glen Springs 705


THE MINES 35


Oakland Mine 36


Cloverdale Mine 36


Great Eastern Mine 37


Mount Jackson Mine 38


EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. 39


Public Schools 70


Churches 71


Agriculture 72


Viniculture


74


Squatting Troubles 82


RAILROADS. 85


San Francisco and N. P. R. R. 85


North Pacific Coast R. R. 85


Sonoma Valley R. R. 88


THE BEAR FLAG WAR 90


LEGISLATIVE HISTORY 119


Organization of the County 119


Analy 122


Bodega 123


Cloverdale


123


Mendocino 123


Santa Rosa 124


Sonoma 124


Petaluma 125


Vallejo 125


Russian River 126


126


St. Helena


126


Salt Point


127


Hall of Records 129


County Hospital 130


Post Offices 131


POLITICAL HISTORY


131


MEXICAN GRANTS


146


Musalacon 146


Cotate


147


Guilicos


147


Canada de Pogolome 148


Llano de Santa Rosa 149-156


El Molino 150


Huichica 151


Yulupa


152


Guenoc 153


Sotoyome 153-158


Bodega


153


Blucher


153


Callayome


153


Muniz 153


Laguna de San Antonio


154


Arroyo de San Antonio 154


Seno de Malacomes 154


Malacomes


154-157


Roblar de la Miseria


154


Washington


viii


INDEX.


Canada de la Jonive 154


Estero Americano 155


German 155


People vs. Bird Brumfield 164


Shooting of Cameron 164


People vs. C. Sweitzer 164


San Miguel 155


Tzabaco


People vs. Penito 165


People rs. Lodie Brown et al 165


People vs. James F. Renfro 165


Killing of Wenton 166


People vs. Benj. Edwards 166


People vs. Pedro Soto 166


People vs. Joseph R. Gibbons 166


Murder of Mrs. Lee


166


Killing of George Andrado


167


People vs. James K. Brownlee


167


People vs. T. A. Heflin 167


People vs. H. S. Epperlee 167


People vs. Osman Fairbanks


167


People rs. Jose Sorano


162


People vs. John Sharon 162


People vs. Thos. B. Berger 163


People vs. Jackson L. Epperson


168


Killing of J. G. Hill


168


TOWNSHIP HISTORIES.


ANALY 170


BLOOMFIELD 173


Bloomfield Flour Mill 173


Valley Ford Lodge, No. 191, I. O. O. F. 174


Bloomfield Encampment, No. 61, I. O. O. F. 174


Vitruvious Lodge, No. 145, F. & A. M. 174


Bloomfield Lodge, No. 256, I.O.G.T. 174


Bloomfield School 175


Churches


175


SEBASTOPOL


175


LaFayette Lodge, No. 126, F. & · A. M. 176


Evergreen Lodge, No. 161, I.O.O.F. 177


Sebastopol Rebecca Degree Lodge, No. 44. 177


Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 177 Methodist Episcopal Church. 177


Sebastopol Lodge, No. 167, I. O. G. T. 178


FORRESTVILLE


178


Carp Ponds of Levi Davis


178


Carp Ponds of J. R. H. Oliver 179


BODEGA 180


BODEGA PORT 186


BODEGA CORNERS


190


Bodega War


196


Bodega Lodge, No. 213, F. & A. M .. 197 Buena Vista Lodge, No. 373, I. O. G. T. 198


No Surrender Lodge, No. 375, I. O. G. T. 198


Catholic Church 198


Tanneries


198


FREESTONE


198


VALLEY FORD


199


Valley Ford Lodge, No. 156, I. O. G. T. 200


Presbyterian Church


200


OCCIDENTAL


201


Methodist Episcopal Church


202


Salmon Creek Lodge, No. 234, I. O.


O. F.


202


Altamont Lodge, No. 374, I. O. G.T. 202 Saw Mills 203


Pueblo de Sonoma 155


Petaluma


155-158


People vs. Michael Ryan 165


La Laguna de los Gentiles 156


Lac 156


Cabeza de Santa Rosa 156-157


Agua Caliente 157-158


Mission Grants 158-159


HOMICIDES


160


People vs. Christian Brunner 160


People vs. Winslow Hall 160


People vs. Thos. Stewart.


160


Killing of Mrs. Charles Aldrich


161


Stabbing of Hugh Mclaughlin


161


Shooting of David Campbell


162


People rs. Thos. Reed


167


People vs. Jose Maria Floris


167


People vs. Wm. N. Thompson


163


People vs. Jonathan Davis.


164


People vs. Russell J. Smither 164


155


ix


INDEX.


CLOVERDALE


205


First Congregational Church 206


Catholic Church


207


Curtis Lodge, No. 160, F. & A. M ...


207


Cloverdale Lodge, No. 193, I.O.O.F. 207


Cloverdale Lodge, No. 32, A. O.


U. W.


208


Schools


208


Cloverdale Water Works


208


Cloverdale Hotel


208


United States Hotel


208


The Cloverdale Reveille


209


KNIGHT'S VALLEY


210


KELLOGG


211


Fossville


211


MENDOCINO


212


HEALDSBURG


217


First Baptist Church


238


First Presbyterian Church


239


Church of Christ


240


Advent Church


240


Protestant Episcopal Church


241


Schools


242


Sotoyome Lodge, No. 123, F, & A.M. 242 Healdsburg Encampment, No. 56,


I. O. O. F.


242


Healdsburg Lodge, No. 64, I. O.


O. F


243


Star of Hope Lodge, No. 32, I. O.


G. T.


243


Fire Department


243


The Bank of Healdsburg


244


Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank


244


Healdsburg Flouring Mill


244


Geyser Flouring Mill


245


Water Works


245


Gas Company.


245


Healdsburg Brewery


245


Russian River Flag


246


Healdsburg Enterprise


246


OCEAN


247


Duncan's Mill


249


Brotherhood Lodge, No. 251, F. &


A. M.


250


Presbyterian Church


251


Schools


251


Mills


25L


PETALUMA


256


Methodist Episcopal Church


311


First Baptist Church


312


Methodist Church South


316


St. John's Episcopal Church


316


Public Schools


317


St. Vincent's Academy


322


Petaluma Chapter, No. 22, R. A. M. 323 Arcturus Lodge, No. 180, F. & A. M. 323 Relief Encampment, No. 29, I. O. . O. F. 323


Petaluma Lodge, No. 30, I. O. O. F. 323 Petaluma Lodge, No. 161, I. O.G.T. 324


BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATIONS


324


Mutual Relief Association


324


Sanoma and Marin Mutual Bene-


ficial Association


327


Library Association


328


Temperance Reform Club


328


Washington Hall Association


330


Cypress Hill Cemetery


330


Sanoma and Marin Agricultural


Society


331


Petaluma Fire Department


336


First National Gold Bank


337


Bank of Sonoma County


337


Petaluma Savings Bank


340


NEWSPAPERS


341


Weekly Argus


341


Weekly Courier


342


WATER COMPANIES


342


Sonoma County Water Company


343


McNear & Bro.'s Warehouse


34.4


McNear & Bro.'s Mill


344


California Mills


345


Centennial Planing Mills


345


CARRIAGE AND WAGON FACTORIES 345


William Zartman & Co


345


Hopes & Cameron


346


D. W. C. Putnam & Co.


346


B. Harter


346


Gwin & Brainard's Saddle Manu- factory 347


Stair Building and Wood Turning


Manufactory


347


Soap Manufactory


347


Steam Marble Works


347


Tannery


347


Petaluma Foundry


348


Petaluma Brewery


348


J. Cavanagh's Lumber Yard


348


HOTELS


349


Washington


349


x


INDEX.


Cosmopolitan 319


Union 349


Revere 349


City 350


Two ROCK


351


Presbyterian Church 351


STONY POINT 351


REDWOOD 352


GUERNEVILLE


352


Methodist Episcopal Church 352


Christian Church


352


Redwood Lodge, No. 281, I. O. O. F. 353


Saw and Planing Mill 353


Chair Factory


353


RUSSIAN RIVER


354


WINDSOR 360


SALT POINT 362


FORT ROSS 377 I I


TIMBER COVE


378


STILLWATER COVE 379


SALT POINT


379


FISK'S MILL


379


FISHERMANS' BAY 379


BLACK POINT.


380


Plantation Lodge, No.32, U.A.O.D. 380 WAYSIDE INNS. 381


Schools 381


SANTA ROSA 382


SANTA ROSA


386


Christian Church


420


Presbyterian Church 421


Church of the Incarnation 425


Methodist Episcopal Church South 706


Brotherhood of New Life


427


Pacific'Methodist College


430


Santa Rosa Commandery of Knights Templar 433


Santa Rosa Encampment, No. 53, I. O.O.F. 434


Santa Rosa Lodge, No. 53, I.O.O.F. 434


Purity Lodge, No. 33, I. O. G. T ... 434


Santa Rosa Lodge, No. 370, I. O.


G. T.


435


Union Aid Society 435


Sonoma Democrat 436


Daily Democrat 437


Santa Rosa Times 437


Santa Rosa Bank 438


Savings Bank 438


Gas Light Company 438


Water Works 438


Street-car Railroad 439


Woolen Mills 439


440 Foundry and Machine Shops Empire Mills 440


Santa Rosa Marble Works 440


City Marble Works 441


Brewery


441


Santa Rosa Winery 441


MARK WEST


442


FULTON


442


SONOMA


443


SONOMA


444


Temple Lodge, No. 14, F. & A. M. 456


Sonoma Lodge, No. 28, I. O. O. F. 456


Locust Grove School 457


Sonoma Valley Bank 457


NEWSPAPERS


457


Sonoma Bulletin 457


Sonoma Index


458


VINEYARDS OF SONOMA


458


Buena Vista 459


Col. Geo. F. Hooper 460


Nicholas Carriger


460


Kohler & Frohling


461


W. McPherson Hill 461


PISCICULTURE


461


Carp Ponds of J. A. Poppe


462


Lenni Fish Propagating Company . 463


ST. LOUIS


464


GLEN ELLEN 465


VALLEJO


466


DONAHUE


466


LAKEVILLE


466


WASHINGTON 467


GEYSERVILLE


467


ADDENDA


704


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


ANALY.


Baker, Dloomer 470


Cockrill, L. D. 473


Canfield, William D. 470 Davis, Levi 474


xi


INDEX.


ANALY.


Gregson,"James 474


Le Febvre, O. M. 480


Hall, Henry. 476


Ross, Losson 481


Hall, Henry M 477


Sharon, John 481


Hall, Wm. P.


477


Watson, James 481


Hinshaw, E. C. 477


Walker, John


482


Hudspeth, James M


478


· BODEGA.


Blume, F. G. 484


Howard, William 491


Doran, Wm. M. 486


McCaughey, James 704


Douglass, Robert 487


McCrea, John W. 494


Fowler, Stephen C.


488


Meeker, Melvin C. 494


Fowler, James E. 489


491


Purrine, A. S. 497


CLOVERDALE.


Hoadley, James F


498 | Kleiser, J. A


498


KNIGHT'S VALLEY.


499


Holmes, Calvin H.


MENDOCINO,


Allen, 'W. T. 500


Bice, Cornelius 500


McClish, James L. 509 1


Biddle, Edwin W.


501


McClish, John N. 509 1


Bishop, T. C. 501


McClish, Thomas , 510


Bledsoe, Hon. A. C.


502


Miller, George 510 1 I


Miller, James 510 r


511


De Wiederhold, A. E. S. 504


Mulligan, William


705


Ferguson, Henry O


505


Ferguson, John N 506


Gallaway, Andrew J. 507


507


Grater, John F. 507


Gum, Isaac 507


Haigh, John B.


508


Van Alen, John J.


529


Willson, H. M.


530


Laughlin, M. N.


508


OCEAN.


Duncan, Alexander


530


Rule, John 531


Mayer, August.


531


Wood, William B.


532


Queen, Christopher


533


Laymance, Isaac C. 509


Moffet, John


1


Moreland, W. W. 512


Ely, Doctor Elisha 504


Norton, L. A.


512


Phillips, D. D. 527


Proctor, Ira. 528


Gillespie, Henry


Samuels, Hon. James 528


Skaggs, Alexander 528


Truitt, Roland K. 529


Hassett, J. D. 508


Murray, Thomas 704


Fowler, John H.


Board, William 503


Cummings, William 504


xii


INDEX.


PETALUMA.


Allen, Olliver 606


Hill, William 558


Allen, Charles D. 608


Holly, S. B. 559


Andrews, Robert.


534


Howell, David 559


Armstrong, James 535


Hynes, Hon. James 560


Atwater, Henry H


536


Jacobi, John


560


Barnes, Alfred N. 537


Lamoreaux, G. W. 561


Barlow, Solomon Q. 537


Lawrence, Henry E. 561


Bernhard, Isaac 538


Lippitt, Edward S.


561


Brackett, Joshua S.


538


Lodge, John D. 564


Brooks, Sylvester


539


Lovejoy, Dr. A. P. 564


Brown, Ralph 539


539


Mclaughlin, Michael 565


Camron, O. P.


540


MeLaughlin, Patrick 566


Canepa, Luigi 540


McNear, John A. 566


Carothers, James H. 540


Magoon, William H. 567


Carothers, William O. 540


Matzenbach, William B. 568


Carpenter, T. L.


541


Maynard, Frank T. 568


Carpenter, W. W., M.D.


54.1


Mecham, Harrison 568


Case, A. B.


542


Merritt, John 572


Cassiday, Samuel 543


Mitchener, Jonathan 572


Cavanagh, John 544


Moore, Edwin 573


Christie, Doctor John Boyd 545


Morison, S, M.ª


573


Codding, G. R. 545


Morse, A. 573


Congdon,"Joseph W. 547


Munday, B. B.


574


Denman, Ezekiel 547


Nay, L. G. 575


Doyle, Manville 547


Nay, Samuel A. 576


Ellsworth, LeGrand 706


Naughton, Hubert


576


Falkner, M. H. 549


Needham, Festus


576


Fairbanks, Hiram T. 549


Newburgh, Edward 577


Fine, Joff 550


Oman, George W


577


Freeman, John M. 550


Palmer, James M. 578


Fritsch, John


551


Parker, Freeman


579


Fritsch, John R.


552


Pepper, W, H.


579


Gale, D.


552


Pearce, Hon. George 580


Pfau, Louis. 585


Gaston, Hugh


553


Pimm, Henry 585


Gaston, Martin 553


Poehlmann, Conrad 585


Gerckens, J. H. L. 553


Poehlman, Martin 585


Gibbs, Henry 554


Polk, Charles E. 586


Ross, George 587


Hale, E. W 555


Sales, John 587


Hale, P. C. 555


Harter, Bloomfield 555


Scudder, Noah W 588


Shepherd, James S., M. D., F.R.C.S.L. 589 Singley, Hon. James 590


Sloper, Willard 590


Snow, J 591


Haskins, Thomas J. / 557


Hatch, Chester P. 557


Schlosser, T. C 587


Harris, John W 555 Harris, Richard 556 Hasbrouck, H. B. 556


Haskell, William B. 557


Staedler, John G 591


Stanley, John P. 592


Gaston, Hamilton 553


Gregory, Henry 554


McClymonds, John W. 565


Buckius, William L


INDEX. xiii


PETALUMA.


Starke, D. Frederick 592


Washington, Neil 599


Sweeny, Jeremiah 593


Wells, Thomas H 600


Thompson, James D. 593


Weston, Henry L 600


Tighe, Kelly


594


Whitney, Hon. Albion P. 602


Tupper, John B 594


Wickersham, Isaac G. 603


Tuttle, Hon. B. F. 595


Wigand, Theodore 604


Van Doren, John S.


597


Williams, George B. 604


Van Doren, William L. 598


Winans, David M. 605


Vestal, Lewis


599


Zartman, William 606


REDWOOD.


Bell, Bradford


609


Johnson, Sanborn 610


Florence, Marshall


609


Manning, John 611


Heald, Thomas T


609


Manning, Nathaniel E. 612


RUSSIAN RIVER.


Barnes, E. H. 613


Laughlin, James H 621


Bedwell, Franklin


614


Laughlin, Lee 621


Bell, Henry


617


Lindsay, J. J 622


Davis, L. T., M.D.


617


Mccullough, Michael 623


Faught, Willis


617


McCutchan, J. B. 623


Graham, J. W 618


McCutchan, William C. 623


Hotchkiss, Benoni


619


Matson, Capt. Jacob 623


Jeffress, J. T.


620


Mitchell, R. T. 624


Kennedy, A. E.


620


Van Winkle, Thomas 625


Kruse, James


621


SALT POINT.


Call, G. W.


625


Haigh, Robert 627


Fisk, John C.


626


Schroyer, Aaron 627


SANTA ROSA.


Acton, William


628


Crane, Robert 638


Aikin, Matt.


628


Curry, J. L. 638


Austin, James


629


Dimmick, Rev. F. M. 639


Ballou, Isaac A.


630


Downs, Vernon 640


Ballou, Volney James 630


Farmer, C. C. 641


Barnes, William P. 631


Farmer, E. T. 641


Baum, John


631


Farmer, William 642


Bloomington, Louis J.


632


Ferguson, Russell 642


Brown, Major John


632


Fox, Charles M. 643


Campbell, John Tyler


634


Frehe, Louis 643


Chapman, La Fayette 636


Frost, C. W. 643


Clark, David 636


Fulton, James 644


Clark, D. Curtis


637


Gregg, George T. 644


Clark, Samuel B.


637


Grosse, Guy E. 645


Cook, Isaac F. 708


Harris, Jacob 645


Cralle, L. J. 637


Heisel, Paul 646


xiv


INDEX.


SANTA ROSA.


Holmes, Henderson P. 646


Roney, J. M. 656


Hood, George 647


Ross, H. J. 656


Hudson, Martin 647


Rue, James B. 656


Johnson, Hon. G. A. 647


Kerr, R. A.


648


Shively, D. C.


658


Kessing,'Clemens 648


Smith, Robert Press, M. D.


658


Lewis, Martin 648


McConnell, William E. 649


McGee, James H. 649


McMinn, John 650


McMinn, Joseph. 650


Miller, Thomas B. 651


Mizer, Henry C. 652


Neblett, Edward 652


652


Peterson, Augustus


653


Peterson, William 653


Pfister, Conrad 653


Proctor, Thomas J. 654


Quackenbush, Uriah P.


654


Ragsdale, J. W.


655


Rand, William J 655


-


Wood, Ben. S, 669


SONOMA.


Biggins, James 669


Morse, E. E. 680


Burris, David


670


Pauli, G. T. 680


Burris, 'William


673


Schetter, Otto 681


Carriger, Nicholas 673


Sears, Franklin 681


Craig, O. W.


676


Shattuck, David O 682


Cutter, Capt. E. P. 676


Snyder, Jacob R. 683


Domeniconi, A. 677


Thompson, Peter H. 685


Haubert, Jacob


677


Tivnen, John 685


Hooper, George F 677


Watt, Richard L. 686


Johnson, Orrick 678


Watt, John 686


Justi, Charles


679


Leiding, C. F.


679


Mayer, Lewis W.


679


VALLEJO.


Adamson, Jacob 687


Clark, A. 690


Barnes, Jehu


687


Gregory, John 691


Benson, Josiah H


688


Hopper, Thomas 691


Bihler, William 688


Jackson, Lorenzo 692


Bodwell, C. A.


689


Kelsey, Richard 693


Campbell, George


Chapman, T. M. 690


689


Mock, William 693


Ormsby, J. H. 694


Underhill, J. G. 666


Wall, E. T. 667


Wall, Thomas H. 667


Warner, James J. 667


Weeks, Parker E. 667


Wendt, Frederick 668


Whitaker, G. W 668


Range, Charles 655


Stanley, W. B. 658


Taft, Rev. S. A., D. D. 659


Taft, H. D. 661


Talbot, Coleman 661


Temple, Judge Jackson 663


Thompson, T. L. 665


Tripp, H. L. 666


Tupper, George A 708


Nickels, Thomas A.


Shepherd, Rev. J. Avery, S. T. D. 657


Weise, Christian 686


Winkle, Henry 686


XV


INDEX.


VALLEJO.


Patton, Robert


694


Rose, James R. 696


Peoples, Nathan


694


Smalley, William H. 697


Peters, A. N.


695


Todd, John W. 698


Pierce, H. L.


696


-


Wharff, David 698


WASHINGTON.


Armstrong, Porter M. 699


Long, Isaac. 702


Bedwell, Ira 700


McDonnell, William 702


Bosworth, Calvin M


700


Stites, A. H. 702


Bouton, Andrew


701


Wisecarver, J. R.


703


Cummings, J. M.


701


PORTRAITS.


Vallejo, M. G. Frontispiece


Temple, Judge Jackson 32


Meeker, M. C. 392


Pearce, Hon. George 48


Walker, Capt. Joseph 400


Shattuck, D. O.


64


Fritsch, John 408


Bledsoe, Hon. A. C. 80


Cralle, J. S. 416


Bedwell, Franklin 96


Kleiser, J. A. 112


Holmes, Calvin H. 128


Fowler, James E. 144


Hudspeth, James M. 160


Call, G. W. 176


Rose, James R. 192


Hill, William 208


Farmer, E. T. 216 I . I


Hooper, George F 224 1 1


McNear, John A. 232


Burris, D.


240


Samuels, Hon. James


248


Wickersham, I. G.


256


Rule, John 264


Mecham, Harrison 272


Ross, Losson 544


Lawrence, H. C. 552


Board, William 560


Stites, A. H. 576


Taft, S. A., D. D 592


Brackett, J. S. 608


Kruse, James 624


Gaston, Hugh 640


Allen, Olliver 656


Hasbrouck, H. B. 672


Barnes, J. 688


Mitchell, R. T.


704


Weeks, P. E. 720


Hall, Henry 376


Hopper, Thomas 384


Doyle, M. 424


McMinn, Joseph 432


Duncan, A .. 440


Canfield, W. D .: 448


McMinn, John 456


Hoadley, J F. 464


Talbot, Coleman 472


Clark, A. 480


Benson, J. H. 488


Grosse, Guy E. 496


Gregson, James 504


Norton, L. A 512


Whitaker, G. N. 520


Watson. James 528


Ballou, V. J. 536


Blume, F. G. 280


Pauli, G. T. 288


Howard, William 296


Carpenter, W. W., M. D. 304


Carriger, Nicholas 312


Crane, Robert 320


Fulton, James 328


Fairbanks, H. T. 336


Walker, John 344


Tuttle, Hon. B. F. 352


Whitney, Hon. A. P. 360


Austin, James


368


HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.


GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION AND AREA-DERIVATION OF NAME-TOPOGRAPHY-VALLEYS-GEOLOGY CLIMATOGRAPHY-WATER COURSES-TIMBER, ETC., ETC.


SONOMA COUNTY is bounded on the south by the bays of San Pablo, San Francisco, and Marin county ; on the west by the Pacific ocean; on the north by Mendocino county ; on the east by Lake and Napa counties, and lies twenty-five miles north of the city of San Francisco. Its sea coast line, fol- lowing the indentations of the shore, is about sixty miles; its average length from north to south, some fifty miles; its width, about twenty-five miles, and its area in round numbers, eight hundred and fifty thousand acres.


The district of Sonoma originally comprised all that vast tract of territory lying west of the Sacramento river, and north to the Oregon line; at the first session of the Legislature, however, the State was divided into counties for greater facility in the transaction of business, and the northern line of Sonoma county was established along the fortieth parallel of latitude to the summit of the Mayacmas range of mountains, and thence south to the San Pablo bay, including all of the present Mendocino, and a portion of Napa. In 1859, Napa county having been already formed, Mendocino was set apart, and the limits of Sonoma contracted to its present boundaries.


The immense advantages of location, which the county possesses, may be at once observed on reference to a map of the State. It fronts on the San Francisco bay, called at its most northerly end San Pablo, and at one time known as the bay of Sonoma. The creeks, or estuaries, of Petaluma and Sonoma lead from the bay a considerable distance inland, and are navigable at high water for steam and sailing craft of considerable tonnage and carry- ing capacity, while along the coast there are numbers of shipping points with well protected harbors, all offering great advantages for the transmis- sion of produce to the markets of San Francisco.


Sonoma county is less known than other portions of the State that have fewer advantages in the way of climate, soil, and productions. The reason for this is to be found in the fact that it lies off from the great central line of travel which follows the Sacramento valley to tide-water, thence to San Francisco, and from there turns southward. Mr. R. A. Thompson says : " It has been hidden, as it were, behind the Coast Range of mountains, which


2


18


HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.


separates it from the great Sacramento valley. From San Francisco, through the Sacramento valley, you pass along the east foothills of the Coast Range; · from the same place to Sonoma county you pass along the west face of the same range. The trend of the coast is northwesterly, and the county of Sonoma lies almost entirely west of the city of San Francisco. Lying west of the greater part of the State, may account for the fact that about one- third more rain falls here than in San Francisco, and fully one-half more than in the counties south and east of the bay of San Francisco. There has never been a season in the history of the county when there was not enough rain to make a crop. There have been years of drouth in other parts of the State, but in this section, in those seasons, the crops were better than an average."


THE DERIVATION OF THE NAME .- The origin of the name which this county bears is described by General M. G. Vallejo, then a Senator, in a report made to the Legislature of California in the year 1850, on the deriva- tion and definitions of the names of the various counties in the State. In that report, which was unequalled in its style and in the amount of interest- ing information crowded into small compass, the first explanation of the Indian word Sonoma, signifying " Valley of the Moon," appeared. The Gen- eral adds : " The tribe occupying Sonoma valley was called the Chocuyens, but, in 1824, on the arrival of the first expedition to establish a mission, the name Sonoma having been given the chief by Father Jose Altimira, the Chocuyens then adopted the name, which they still retain. This tribe was subject to a great chief, named Marin de Licatiut, who made his headquar- ters near Petaluma."




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