A memorial and biographical history of northern California, illustrated. Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy...and biographical mention of many of its most eminent pioneers and also of prominent citizens of today, Part 19

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1000

USA > California > A memorial and biographical history of northern California, illustrated. Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy...and biographical mention of many of its most eminent pioneers and also of prominent citizens of today > Part 19

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

There is much more rain in Amador County, than in the valley, and during the winter the temperature sometimes falls ten to fifteen de- grees below freezing point. The desiccating and destructive north wind is not so bad as in the plains below. While much irrigation is not needed for fruit culture in the foot-hills, there is very little land in this county which cannot be irrigated. The water problem, which is a canse of so much trouble and expense in the southern part of the State, is no bugbear here, as thousands of inches of water that could be utilized are running to waste. On the south the county is bounded by the Mokelumne River, and on the north by the Cosuinnes River. Jackson, Sutter, Rancheria, Amador and Dry Creeks flow through it, having numerous branches. Numerous canals and ditches take ont the water, which primarily is used for min- ing purposes, but which can again be taken up and used for agriculture. The MeLaughlin ditch property of Volcano in its various branches carries 3,000 inches of water, nearly all of which could be applied to irrigating the twelve miles width of country between Volcano and Jackson. The Amador Canal carries 4,000 inches from the Mokelumne River to the mines, and could all be utilized below the mineral belt, after it has done service in running the

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mills, for purposes of irrigation. So could the Empire Mine Ditch, of Plymouth, which takes water from the Cosumnes River. Other ditches take water from the different creeks, and in all the present water supply of the county will not fall short of 13,000 to 15,000 inches. This supply could be largely increased by conserving the supply in the higher Sierras by means of reservoirs. The water supply is immense and capable of supplying the wants of many times the present population, and its purity is not excelled, as the major portion of it is fed from the snow-clad mountains to the east. In the towns of Jackson, Sutter, Amador and Plym- outh, the water supply for domestic purposes is furnished by the Amador Canal.

The grains and decidnous fruits do well in Amador County; and fine timber is inexhaust- ible. Commencing four miles above Volcano the forests run up thirty miles into the high Sierras. They are of spruce, fir, yellow and the beautiful and rare sugar pine, towering from 200 to 300 feet skyward, many feet in diameter, and which provide a quality of lum- ber whose superior is not to be found. These forests are ample for the requirements of the county forever, and it would require very heavy export drafts to cause any perceptible diminn- tion of the supply. Four saw-mills supply the local market.

In 1887 $5 to $8 per acre would bny good uncleared fruit land, and $10 to $30 improved property near the towns; but the land is of course rising permanently in value.

The taxable property in 1887 was over four million dollars, and the debt of the county was bnt $11,000. Population, about 4,000.

The Amador branch of the Central Pacific Railroad runs from Galt to Ione, within twelve miles of the principal towns of the county. The San Joaquin & Sierra Nevada Narrow Gauge Railroad runs through the northern part of San Joaquin County to a point within twelve miles of Jackson. Both these roads are now operated by the Southern Pacific Com- pany.

The location of the county-seat at Jackson, in 1854, gave that place great prosperity; but the town lost heavily by a flood in 1861, which carried away some twenty houses and destroyed property to the amount of about $50,000; and August 28, the very next year, the place was alinost totally destroyed by fire. In 1878 an- other flood occurred, causing as great a loss as that of 1861. For several years past Jackson has been improving substantially. Besides the court-house, it has also the county hospital, erected in 1887 at a cost of $8,000 to $10,000. Three newspapers were then published there,- the Sentinel, Ledger and Dispatch. The Gin- occhio Brothers have a large Alden fruit-drier.

Ione Valley, one of the most beautiful in California, is situated abont twelve miles west of the county-seat, and is formed by the junc- tion of Dry Creek, Sutter Creek and Jackson Creek, soon after they leave the mountains. The first white men to settle in this valley were William Hicks and Moses Childers, in 1848, who had crossed the plains five years previously in company with J. P. Martin. Hicks built the first house, an adobe covered with poles and hides, on the knoll where Judge Carter's house now stands. He and Martin bought cattle in Southern California and fattened them here for the market. The grass was " as high as a man's head." In the spring of 1849 Hicks converted his house into a store, the first in the valley, with Childers as manager.

This valley was named before the town was started, by Thomas Brown, who had read a his- torical romance of Bulwer entitled Hercn- laneum, or The Last Days of Pompeii, one of whose heroines was a beautiful girl named Ione. The town, however, was first named Bed-Bug, and then Freeze-Out. It is 270 feet above tide water.

The first flour-mill in Ione Valley was built in 1855, by Reed, Wooster & Lane. There are now two well-equipped flouring-mills. This town has the fair-grounds of the district agri- cultural association.

Sutter Creek, four miles north of Jackson, is

John Bidwell

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one of the prettiest towns in the foot-hills. Quartz-mining has recently been revived there. Two foundries are in operation, also an ice- factory, etc.

Amador City, a mile and a half north of Sutter Creek, is also a thriving town.

Drytown, three miles north of Amador, is in the " warin belt," and most favorably situated for fruit-raising. Sulphuret works exist here, and also at Sutter Creek.

Plymouth, three miles farther on, is also pros- perous, is the seat of a consolidated mining com- pany which employs 225 men, mostly men of families. Their mine has paid nearly $2,000,- 000 in dividends. There are also other mines in that vicinity.

At Oleta, six miles east of Plymouth, the curious-minded can see two genuine cork trees (Quercus suber), twenty-eight years old.

Clinton, six miles east of Jackson, is in the midst of a fine vineyard section.

Volcano is a mining town twelve miles from Jackson.

Pine Grove, Aquednet City, Buena Vista and Lancha Plana are other towns in Amador County.

BUTTE COUNTY. GENERAL JOHN BIDWELL.

In the person of General John Bidwell is exemplified, perhaps more fully than ever be- fore, the adage that truth is stranger than fiction. It does not seem possible to one who meets him for the first time and marks his up- right form, elastic step and military bearing, that he has been a witness of and actor in the chief parts of all the scenes that go to make up the history of California, from the quiet pastoral days of Mexican rule and the mission domina- tion, through the tremendously exciting times of the gold discovery and the invasion of the Argonauts, down to the present with its wealth of orchard and grain field. Yet such is a fact, and indeed amid all the people of the State, no one has been a more effective worker for prog- ress, or deserves so highly the thanks and ap-

preciation of the people than General Bidwell. Ilis life has been a romance; yet through it all there runs such a thread of reality that one rec- ognizes from the first the presence of a master- mind and listens intently to the " strange, true tale." We present here, as a leading figure in our sketches of pioneer California biography, a short outline of the General's life, but from in- formation obtained from him is made up a great part of our picture of early days and early doings; and we take this opportunity to record our obligation.

General Bidwell was born August 5, 1819, in Chautauqua County, New York, of the sturdy New England stock that has made itself felt throughout the history of this continent, and has always been in the van of progress. His father, Abraham Bidwell, was a native of Con- necticut, and a farmer of no great means, but of thoroughgoing and energetic, traits that have been still further developed in his son. His mother, whose maiden name was Clarissa Griggs, was a native of Massachusetts, a mem- ber of the old family of that name. His youth- ful life was full of change, very few opportu- nities being presented for education or advance- ment. The principal and last schooling he received was obtained at Kingsville Academy, in Ashtabula County, Ohio, walking 300 miles to reach it, and working a whole summer to get means to go through, at wages of $7 a month. This lack, however, has been no real disadvan- tage to the General, for he has learned so well from the school of experience and of wide and general reading, that there are few men better informed or with better applied knowledge than he.

In 1839, at the age of nineteen years, he left his home to seek his fortune in the West, single-handed and without means other than a brave heart, backed by right resolves. He went first to Iowa and to the rich new lands just thrown open to settlement on the western frontiers of the State of Missouri. Here in this lovely spot he intended to make his home, and took up some lands. This was in Platte County,

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at a point abont nine miles from Fort Leaven- worth, but on the Missouri side of the river. The General secured a claim to 160 acres, and then went down to St. Louis for supplies. The trip was a long one, occupying about four weeks. Meantime another jumped his land, and having built a cabin his claim was upheld at law, when an attempt was made in the winter to prove it. While in the state of indecision cansed by this faet, he met a man who had been to the then unknown lands of California. He described it as a paradise, and great enthusiasm was aroused among the people, some 500 signing an agree- ment to arm and set ont for the western shore. Just at this time Farnham's celebrated letter detracting from California was published, and as a result the people all except himself backed out, and for a time General Bidwell found him- self unable to reach the place of rendezvous. He had a wagon bnt no horses. As luck would have it a certain George Henshaw happened along on horseback, traveling westward in search for health. He had a horse and a little money (twelve or fourteen dollars), which he placed at the disposal of our adventurous young hero. He traded the horse for a yoke of oxen for his wagon, and a one-eyed mule for the invalid, and finally reached the rendezvous, to find only a few gathered.

Eventually a party of sixty-nine men, women and children, set out to attempt the unknown wilderness. They fortunately obtained the gnidance of a missionary party then on its way to the West, and with them started on the long journey. This was in the spring of 1841, when young Bidwell was in his twenty-second year only. It must be remembered that this was the first train to venture npon the dreary trip across the plains. The whole country was prac- tically unknown, even the maps being far astray. On them Salt Lake was represented to be 300 or 400 miles long and with two immense outlets to the Pacific. Indeed, a friend of Gen- eral Bidwell seriously advised him to take along tools to make canoes, in which to descend one of those rivers to the ocean. The route taken

was first up the Platte River, thence a day's journey up the South Fork, then across to the North Fork and up it to the Sweetwater and its head. Thenee over to Green River and across to one of its forks, and up to the divide separat- ing the waters that find their way to the Pacific Ocean, down the Colorado River from those flowing into Salt Lake, by the Bear River, the principal stream from the north; thence along the Bear River to Salt Lake. The missionary party left them at Soda Fountain at the most northern bend of Bear River, and from that point they explored the way for themselves.

Meantime the party had divided, all but thirty-two of them striking off for Oregon. The remainder, nothing daunted, pushed their way into the unknown. It must be remembered that Fremont's survey was not made until two years later, and at that time all the well-known rivers and other land-marks of the country were unnamed. They were finally forced to abandon their wagons at a short distance beyond Salt Lake, and after manufacturing as best they could pack saddles for mules, horses and even some of their oxen, they pushed on, -one of the most adventurous journeys that history has ever known. It was the fall of the year and the air was full of smoke, so that they could get no clear view ahead, and consequently were unable to pick out the road with ease. They pushed on, nevertheless, crossed the Sierras, being the first party that ever did so, to the head waters of the Stanislaus River, and made their way down to the San Joaquin Valley. At that time, General Bid- well thinks there were not over 100 foreigners (Americans, British, Germans and other nationalities) from San Diego to Sonoma.

It was in camp at Mount Diablo that General Bidwell first heard of General Sutter, who at that time had begun a settlement (and afterward erected a fort) near the Sacramento River, within the present capital city of the State, to which the General made his way. Since that time General Bidwell's life has been a series of notable, stirring events. lle engaged and re- mained in the employ of Sutter; enlisted in

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defense of California against insurrection of the native chiefs Castro and Alvarado, in the revolt of 1844 and 1845, and acted as aid-de-camp to General Sutter till the war ended by the ex- pulsion of the Mexican Governor Micheltorena. Near what was supposed to be the closing scenes of the Mexican war in California, in the latter part of 1846, young Bidwell, then but twenty- seven years of age, was appointed by General Fremont as Magistrate of San Luis Rey district. In 1849, at the age of thirty, he was chosen a member of the first Constitutional Convention of California, but owing to his absence in the mountains he did not receive notice in time and failed to attend. In the same year he was elected to the Senate of the first California Legislature. In 1850 Governor Burnett ap- pointed General Bidwell and Judge Schoolcraft to convey a block of native gold-bearing quartz to Washington, as California's tribute to the Washington monument. In 1860 he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention at Charleston. Three years later he was ap- pointed by Governor Stanford to command the Fifth Brigade, California militia, serving till the close of the civil war. In 1864 he was a de- legate to National Republican Convention at Baltimore, which renominated Abraham Lin- coln, and on the committee to notify the Presi- dent of his renomination. In 1864 also he was nominated and elected to the Thirty-ninth Congress. Two years later he might have had the renomination, but he had decided not to be a candidate. In 1875 he was nominated for Governor of California on the anti-monopoly or non-partisan State ticket. He was a delegate to the anti-Chinese convention held in Sacra- mento in March, 1886. Besides these he was the recipient of many other honors equally . great.

The following are General Bidwell's political sentiments as expressed by himself: " My politics are intensely Republican, in the sense of that terin as used to bring that party into existence in its mission to preserve the Union, but I am more than a Republican; I am a Pro-

hibitionist, a native American and anti-Chinese, in the sense of wholesome restriction of all un- desirable foreign immigration, and anti-monop- olist in the truest sense of the term."

Personally, General Bidwell is tender, kind and benevolent to a fanlt, and a strict Presby- terian. By his benefactions he has acquired the sobriquet of the "Father of Chico." Among his most noteworthy donations are a $10,000 site for the Northi California Forestry Station, a $15,000 site for the Northern State Branch Normal School, and also valuable building sites for the different churches, the Presbyterian of Chico, the Roman Catholic, the Methodist Epis- copal, the Methodist Episcopal South and the African Methodist Episcopal, each of them re- ceiving as much land as they asked for, often supplemented by liberal money donations.

The Chico Flouring Mill, erected and carried on by General Bidwell, and one of the famous mills of the State, were the first water mills in the Sacramento Valley, being preceded only by Peter Lassen's horse-mill. The General began also at an early day to set ont his magnificent orchards. These now cover 1,500 acres of land, and are being yearly increased. They are among the oldest, the most extensive and the most valuable in the State, some of the older trees being of gigantic size. His estate, the Rancho del Arroyo Chico, is one of the finest stretches of land on the continent. It is largely devoted to grain-raising, but the portion near Chico is magnificently improved, the walks, drives and grounds surrounding his handsome residence being a worthy home domain. It is a pleasing combination of park, garden and orchard, the idea being to preserve as far as possible the wilderness and the native growths. The wonder- ful old fig-trec before the house should be espe- cially noted. Banyan-like it has sent its branchies downward to the earth, where they have again struck root. A space of nearly 3,000 square feet is shaded now,-a curious and interesting freak of nature.

We conclude this sketch with a little incident that shows most clearly the high standard of

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morality and the conscientious determination for the right which marks General Bidwell at once as one of California's bravest and most worthy citizens. Some years ago he set out to make pure wine for communion use and similar purposes, being advised to do so by clergymen and others. To that end he employed a first- class wine-maker. After an absence of two years he returned home to find that sure enough he had as pure wine as is made, having in storage abont 1,000 gallons of the best quality besides considerable material for inferior grades. He was not long in discovering, however, that his wine-maker had numerous friends whose number seemed constantly increasing. In fact their business with him was so urgent that they had to come while he was engaged in the wine cellar! He observed too that their business kept them a good while, and with his own eyes he saw that men began to go away with unsteady steps. It then dawned upon him that he was actually engaged in the business of manufactur- ing drunkards. His first impulse was to knock the casks in the head and spill the wine on the ground. From this he was dissnaded, however, on the plea the wine would be useful in a hos- pital at San Francisco. As soon as he learned that this was the case, he sent all the good wine as a present to that institution, while the poorer stuff he had manufactured into vinegar. He then dug up and burnt all the wine grapes and washed his hands of the whole business.

OUTLINE OF HISTORY.

By Jesse Wood, ex-Superintendent of Schools and editor of the Chico Chronicle-Record.

Note .- Items have been interspersed by the editor of this volume from other sources.

In company with Peter Lassen and James Benheim, General Bidwell made a trip up the Sacramento Valley as far as Red Bluff, in pursuit of a party bound for Oregon, to recover some stolen animals. After his re- turn from this trip Mr. Bidwell made a map from memory of the country passed over, show-

ing its extent and the streams flowing into the- Sacramento River.

From this map various locations of land were. made and grants obtained from the Mexican Government. Peter Lassen selected his grant on Deer Creek, in what is now Tehama County.

In 1844 Edward A. Farwell and Thomas Fallon settled on the Farwell grant, on which a- part of the city of Chico now stands. Samnel Neal and David Dutton settled on Butte Creek,. seven miles south of the present site of Chico. William Dickey settled on the north side of Chico Creek, on the " Rancho del Arroyo Chico," the present property of the above named John Bidwell. A number of other locations were soon made in all parts of the great Sacramento. Valley. These were simply great cattle ranges, whose boundaries were defined by creeks,. rivers and mountains, and their extent esti- mated in leagues.

The war with Mexico came on, and many, if not all of the above named settlers were engaged in it. Then came the discovery of gold, which occurred in January, 1848, at Sutter's saw- mill, away up in the Sierras, east of Sutter's Fort or Sacramento. It did not take long for- the news to spread. In March, John Bidwell went down from his Chico ranch to Sacramento,. learned of the discovery and took some specimens. to San Francisco. They were pronounced genu- ine by Isaac Humphrey, an experienced miner from Georgia, who at once went up to the place of discovery, constructed rockers and went to work, as did numerous others.

Returning from San Francisco, Mr. Bidwell .. whose title of Major, General and Honorable- have subsequently been won, visited the mill and satisfied himself that all the gold of Califor- . nia was not at that one place. On his way home. he camped on Feather River, where the town of Hamilton afterward stood, three miles cast of the present town of Biggs, and there washed a few paus of sand obtained from the margin of the stream. A few " colors " or scales of gold was the result, harbinger of the vast fortunes of gold subsequently found in that stream.

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General Bidwell went home and immediately fitted out an expedition, composed chiefly of Indians, and returned to the Feather River, twenty-five miles distant. After prospecting at various places, finding gold everywhere, he located at the place known as Bidwell's Bar, an extensive sand-bar named after him. The bend of the stream was found to be fabulously rich in gold. The quantities of the precious metal which he and his Indians took away tradition estimates only by the donkey-load.

The news of Bidwell's richi find soon spread to the various ranches in the valley, and there was a general rush to the Feather River. Miners also came from the lower counties. Thus, in 1848, mining camps were located at Bidwell's Bar, Long's Bar, Thompson's Flat, Potter's Bar, Adamstown and other places. In 1849 the great tide of the Argonauts came on, and Feather River, with its numerous branches, became the scene of great mining activity. Towns of from 1,000 to 3,000 population sprung up at Bidwell's Bar, Thompson's Flat, Long's Bar and Oroville, while lesser towns were sprinkled along the various branches and creeks. These mining towns have all since disappeared, only Oroville remaining, as tlie present county- seat of Butte County and the center of a fruit- growing district.

STATE AND COUNTY ORGANIZATION.

Such was the state of things-large cattle- ranges in the valley and mining camps along the streams in the mountains-when the organ- ization of the State took place. September 1, 1849, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Monterey. This entire section of the State was allotted to have eight delegates, of which John Bidwell was one, though he did not attend. When the Constitution was adopted and members of the Legislature chosen, Gen- eral Bidwell was elected to the Senate. During the session of the first Legislature, February 18, 1850, the State was divided into counties. Butte County was laid off by boundary lines extending from the mouth of Honcut Creek

west to the Sacramento River, up the river to Red Bluff, east to the State line, along the State line north to the line of Yuba County, and westward to the point of beginning, em- bracing the present counties of Butte and Plumas, and a portion of Tehama and Lassen.

March 2, 1850, an act was passed providing that county elections should be held on the first Monday in April, 1850. No formal notice of this came to the miners along Feather River, but some of them at Long's Bar heard of it, held an election, and elected a full set of county officers out of their own camp. Then it was discovered that the first Monday happened to be April 1, and a witty miner ("Old Dick Stuart") proclaimed it a " fool." It was ac- cordingly so accepted by the candidates, and no report of the election was forwarded to head- quarters.

Other counties made similar failures, and therefore another election was ordered to be held on the 10th of June, 1850, at which officers for Butte County were elected as fol- lows: Sheriff, J. Q. Wilbur; County Attorney, J. M. Burt; Recorder, T. J. Jenkins; Treasurer, J. M. Kerr; Assessor, J. C. Flint; County Clerk, W. T. Sexton; District Attorney, J. W. McCorch; Coronor, E. Wallingford; County Judge, Moses Bean. Total vote cast, 900.

At this election Bidwell's Bar was chosen as the county-seat, and so remained until the following 28th of September, when another elcction was held and Hamilton chosen as the county-seat.

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A memorial and biographical history of northern California, illustrated. Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy...and biographical mention of many of its most eminent pioneers and also of prominent citizens of today, Part 19

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1000

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1000