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 22
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IN MORE MODERN TIMES
Colusa County enjoyed the reputation of being the banner wheat connty of the State, half of
its area of some 3,000 square miles being the rich, dark, deep alluvium of the Sacramento River basin, of an almost incredible fertility. The balance of its acreage seems almost as rich, being made up of the low rolling hills and rounded valleys of the Coast Range.
The history of the county has proceeded in three leaps or bounds, so to speak. It was first a great cattle and sheep country, this stage of affairs holding until about 1870, although there was some grain-raising along the river as early as 1852. As late as 1868 some of the best lands in the county were subject to private en- try at $1.25 an acre. About that time they learned to plow deep and raise the small grains, and then land began to rise rapidly in value. The second stage was as a grain-raiser, and this is only now beginning to give way to manifest destiny in the way of fruit, grape and similar growths.
It is as a great grain country that we must first consider Colusa County. Statistics places this wonderful county thirteenth in the entire United States, and first in California, in the value of agricultural products. It is the coun- ty of immense grain farms and wheat fields. The fame of the great Glenn farm has gone over the world, and has only been surpassed in the new northwestern States of late years. This farm is only one of many such. On these farms the fields cover square miles; plowmen, sowers and reapers move by battalions. Every thing proceeds on a gigantic scale, and here at harvest time are seen a score of horses shoving before them the great machines that reap, thresh and sack the wheat all at one process. The third stage is slowly coming in. The building of the Northern California Railroad in the seventies from Woodland straight as a line across these level plains to Red Bluff in the north, gave too high a value to these lands for any but the very rich to continue on at wheat- growing, and now, under the energetic prompt- ings of Will S. Green, the pioneer editor of Colusa and almost the father of the county, the owner of the Colusa Sun, a great ditch has
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been surveyed from the Sacramento to irrigate the bulk of the level lands. This is now being dug, and when water runs through it, as it will ere 1891, the days of grain-growing as a chief industry will be numbered, and the still richer future of fruit-raising will be begun.
Before leaving this matter of grain-growing, however, let us see what it has done for Colusa. The county has produced as high as 10,000,000 bushels of wheat in a year, the plump, įpale hard California berry that commands the high- est prices in the markets of the world. It has made enormous fortunes for many men, who usually drift off to the centres of population, there to employ their capital; but it has also made every one in the county wealthy. The as- sessment roll shows an assessed valnation of over $1,400 apiece, for man, woman and child of population. This is almost wholly an as- sessment, too, of farming lands, for Colusa County has no cities yet, although she probably will have soon.
The subdivision of lands is proceeding slowly yet surely along the Sacramento River, es- pecially near the town of Colusa, and along the line of the railway, where smart towns are springing up. The planting of fruit trees fol- lows hard on the subdivision and the fame of Colusa County peaches and pears and prunes, as well as other fruits, such as figs, citrus growths, vines, etc., is already being heard, and the fruit cannery lately established in Colusa has a rushing business.
In the matter of transportation this county enjoys unusual facilities, being most fortunately situated as regards both rail and and water communication. The Sacramento River passes through the entire length of the county and furnishes the means of low freights to San Francisco, a constant check upon overcharges by rail. She is traversed from end to end also by the Northern Railroad, about midway be- tween the river and foot-hills, connecting with the Oregon lines, and thus throwing the whole of the northern travel through the county. The Colnsa & Lake Railroad, chartered in 1882
and built in 1885, E. A. Harrington being the moneyed man, is projected from Colusa westward toward Lake County, through the Coast Range. It is now in operation a distance of twenty-five miles well into the foot-hills in the western part of the county. When fully completed it will open up a vast and virgin field. The West Coast & Mendocino road is projected from Willows northwestward through the Coast Range toward Mendocino and Humboldt coun- ties. It is now built to Fruto, twenty-two miles, to a rich fruit and grain region.
Some attention has been paid to mining in the western part of the county, and one or two wild huzzas for a little time, over copper and quicksilver, but nothing to speak of is now being done.
Colusa, the county-seat, has known many fluctuations. It is at the head of deep-water navigation on the Sacramento River and pos- sesses a large shipping trade. The town has known periods of depression and want of confi- dence that seriously hindered the march of prog- ress. As a consequence it is ten miles from, when by a reasonable bonus it might have been upon, the trunk line of railroad, and until the past few years was united to it only by stage. The dawn of better things has risen now, how- ever, and the town is fighting for her own with pronounced success. In the way of manufact- ures she has a flour mill of large capacity, a large and busy fruit cannery, a foundry, is well lighted and drained, and has a good system of water-works. The school system is excellent, the buildings new and handsome, and a three- story college, St. Aloysius, under Catholic aus- pices, that promises great efficiency. The conrt-house and hall of records are handsome buildings standing in spacious and well-kept grounds. The Colusa Bank is one of the strong financial institutions of the county, with a paid up capital of $500,000. Churches are strong and numerous, and the town supports a Normal and Commercial Institute that has good reputa- tion.
Willows ranks next to Colusa in size, and is
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growing, being the product of the railroad. It has large grain warehouses and is an important shipping point. It has good schools and churches, a well-established bank, a foundry and live business men. During the last couple of years it has enjoyed quite a " boom."
Orland, the most northerly town in the county, also a product of the railroad, has an energetic and thriving population. It has a bank, good public schools, churches, and possesses a Normal College that is a successful enterprise.
Germantown is in the northern portion of the county, also on the line of the Northern Rail- way, in a fine farming district; has excellent warehonse and shipping facilities, good business houses, and a new public school building.
Maxwell is a thriving railroad town and an important shipping point for grain, having fine storage capacity. It has a $10,000 brick school- house and good churches. The town is cen- trally located, and in the midst of a rich farming territory.
Williams is also a flourishing young railroad town, with a fine, large, brick public school building, churches, substantial and well con- ducted stores, good hotels, and large warehouse capacity.
Arbuckle is an important railroad point in the southern part of the county, with rich tribu- tary farming land. It has a good school-house and church.
College City lies three miles east of Arbuckle, and is a flourishing little town. It is the seat of Pierce Christian College, founded in 1874 and handsomely endowed by the will of Andrew Pierce, a prominent educational institution of the State. The inhabitants constitute a strictly tem- perance community, the selling of intoxicating drinks being prohibited within a radins of one mile.
Butte City and Princeton are important river villages, prominent shipping points, and in a very rich section of the county.
St. John, Jacinto, Syracuse, Grand Island, and Grimes' Landing are also river villages and shipping points.
Leesville, in Bear Valley; Smithville, Elk Creek, and Newville, in Stony Creek Valley; Sites, in Antelope Valley; Sulphur Creek, in the mining district, in the southwestern part of the county; and Fruto, in the foot-hill region northwest of Willows, are trading points of importance.
The newspapers of the county are live and fearless exponents of their section, comparing well with the journals of other parts. The list is as follows: In Colusa, the Sun. daily and weekly, founded in 1862, and oldest paper in county; Gazette, daily and weekly, established in 1889; and Herald, in 1886. At Willows are published the Journal, issued first in 1877, daily and weekly, the Republican and Review, weeklies, established in 1889 and 1890. At Orland is the News, date, 1885; at Arbuckle, the Autocrat, date, 1890; at Maxwell, the Mer- cury, date, 1888, and at Williams the Farmer, founded in 1887.
In the earliest day the county was Whig in politics, but after the formation of the Repub- lican party it became Democratic; and during the war was almost what some people denom - nated " secession."
The Assemblymen from Colusa County have been: Robert Barnett, 1885; G. W. Bowie, 1854; T. J. Butler, 1863; George Carhart, 1853; Reuben Clark, 1883; H. W. Dunlap, 1859; D. P. Durst, 1861; Henry L. Ford, 1852; W. S. Green, 1867-'68; Thomas J. Hart, 1875-'78, 1887; S. Jennison, 1863-'64; E. J. Lewis, 1856, 1858; William S. Long, 1865-'66; W. P. Mathews, 1880-'81, 1887; J. L. Mc- Cntcheon, 1855; L. Searce, 1869-'70; John Simpson, 1873-'74; D. M, Steele, 1857; F. A. Stephenson, 1860; Joseph W. Thompson, 1862; Loomis Ward, 1871-'72.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
embraces 490 square miles of hill and moun- tain and 150 square miles of valley land, and 110 of tule and marsh lands, making a total of 750 square miles. The land is well adapted to the raising of grain, fruits, vegetables and live
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
stock. The name "Contra Costa " signifies opposite coast, meaning the coast opposite to San Francisco. It was at first proposed to name it Mount Diablo County, but the present name was adopted after a warm debate in the Legislature. Mount Diablo is about in the center of the county.
Many stories are connected with the moun- tain, and several are told as the origin of its diabolical name. Its height is 3,400 feet. Very seldom is snow seen upon its summit.
" Diablo " is Spanish for devil. and the mount was so named iu Jesuitic times on ac- count of some Spaniards, among whom were Catholic priests, employing a cannon and other fire-arms there to keep off hostiles.
The highest summit of this mountain is made the initial point of land survey toward all directions by the United States Governinent for Northern California. The geologist, Whit- ney, has declared that from its suminit a grander and more extended view is probably obtained than from any other peak in the world, covering an area that can hardly be less than 40,000 square miles and commanding an uninterrupted view for over 300 miles.
In 1863 a great excitement was occasioned by the report of the discovery of copper in the cañons of Mount Diablo. Clayton was the center of the mining operations, and town lots sold at high prices. All at once the bubble burst, the specimens supposed to be copper be- ing found to be only a worthlesss rock. Simi- lar excitement, but less intense, has been occa- sioned by the alleged discovery of silver, petro- leum, salt, etc., about that mountain. As to its coal, see under head of " Modern Times " a few pages further on.
In April, 1874, a stage route was established to the summit of Mount Diablo, but some time afterward it was discontinued.
The heaviest earthquake in the county occur- rek October 21, 1868, when several houses were damaged. The Indians have an interest- ing legend concerning the opening of the Gold- en Gate, by earthquake action.
The San Joaquin River, gently flowing through a level plain on the northern border- line of this county, is remarkable for its " crookedness." It is regularly reliable for steamboat navigation from its mouth, near the middle of the northern boundary of the county np for a hundred miles or more, namely, to Stockton. In early days rafts of Inmber were "tided " up to that point, that is, they were permitted to be carried up a distance by the in- flowing tide, and then held fast until the next influx, and so on; and only a week or two was required to make the trip.
A very low-grade of Indians used to inhabit this region. Dr. Marsh described them as be- ing very hairy and full-bearded, with short, broad faces, wide noses and mouths, thick lips, extremely low foreheads, the hair of the head nearly meeting the eyebrows, and a few having a strikingly Mongolian eye. They wore no clothing and lived like the Diggers. Epidemic diseases decimated them, and civilization com- pleted their destruction. Their music was de- scribed by a graphic writer thus: "A thousand cross-cut saws filed by steam power, a multitude of tom-cats lashed together and flung over a clothes-line, innumerable pigs under a gate, all combined, would produce a heavenly music compared to it!" Of their filth he says: "Talk of the thousand stinks of the city of Cologne! here are at least 40,000 combined in one grand overwhelming stench, and yet every particular odor definable;" and oh, such convul- sions as they would have in their dances, with the sweat streaming from every pore!
The first white American settler of Contra Costa County was Dr. John Marsh, a native of Massachusetts and a graduate of Harvard, who resided for a time in Wisconsin and Missouri, and in 1837 arrived in California, settling soon after upon his ranch, Los Medanos, at the east- ern base of Mount Diablo, near the modern Antiochi. Here he built a rude hut and spent the rest of his life, somewhat hermit-like, grad- nally accumulating wealth in live-stock. In 1841 he received the first immigration party,-
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Bartleson's, of which the celebrated Captain Weber was a member, but his parsimonious- ness with them did not redound to his honor. He took but slight part in the troubles of 1846-'47, but much interest in politics, desiring to see California become a part of the United States. In 1848 his house was robbed, and he tried his fortune in the mines. He was finally murdered for his money, by a party of young Californians, on the road between his ranch and Martinez, about September 24, 1856, at the age of fifty- two years. One of the murderers was ten years later sent to prison for life. Although a man of honesty and more than ordinary ability, his persistent parsimony kept him constantly in trouble. His ranch is still known by his name. He was the first to raise grain in the county, but Elam Brown was the first to raise it on a large scale for the market.
Enormous yields of wheat are reported for those early days,-50 to 105 bushels per acre! About two-thirds of the cultivated land in the county is now devoted to wheat.
Before the advent of Dr. Marsh, in 1823, Francisco Castro and Ignacio Martinez obtained grants of land and the next year settled upon them,-the former upon the San Pablo Rancho and the latter upon the Pinole. These were the actual pioneer settlers of this county. Their nearest neighbors were the Peralta family at San Antonio and the Castros at San Lorenzo. In 1826 Jose Maria Amador settled npon the San Ramon Rancho. In 1828 Valencio occupied the Acalanes rancho (Lafayette), Felipe Briones, the rancho that bears his name, and Moraga the redwood rancho, or Lagunas Palos Colorados. Briones was afterward killed by the Indians. In 1828 came also Salvio Pacheco.
THE TOWN OF MARTINEZ
takes its name from Ignacio Martinez or his family. Ignacio was born in the city of Mex- ico in 1774, became a military man and as such came to California in 1800. In 1829 he ob- tained the rancho Pinole, Contra Costa, and in
1836 settled thereon. In 1837 he was alcalde at San Francisco. He died some time before 1852, leaving several children. The town is a pleasant place, favored as a residence of well- to-do San Franciscans. It possesses a fruit- canning establishment, and near by is a good fruit and vineyard country, much wine being made in the vicinity. It has good schools and churches. The county buildings are old and no way noteworthy. Martinez was incorporated in 1885, and has gas and water. At Antioch is a distillery. Pacheco, Concord, Clayton, Walnut Creek are lively agricultural towns, with Inch fruit and grape growing. From Byron and Point of Timber, four miles away, are shipped more chickens and eggs than from any other point in the State. Near Byron are the Byron Hot Springs, a popular sanitarium. At Martinez are published the Morning Item, established in 1884, and the Contra Costa Gazette, a weekly, 1858.
At Antioch is the Ledger (1859), weekly. At Concord the Sun (1882), a weekly. All these are lively and thriving journals.
THE MEXICAN LAND GRANTS
in Contra Costa County have been: Boca de la Cañada del Pinole, 13,316 acres, to M. M. Valencha in 1878; Cañada del Hambre y las Bolsas, 13,354 acres, to Theodora Soto in 1866; Los Medanos, 8,859 acres, to J. D. Stevenson in 1872, and Los Meganos, 13,316 acres to Alice Marsh in 1867; Las Juntas, 13,293 acres, to the heirs of William Welch in 1870; Laguna de los Palos Colorados, 13,316 acres, to J. Morgaga and others in 1878; Monte Del Diablo, 17,921 acres, to S. Pacheco in 1859; El Pinole 17,761 acres, to M. A. M. de Richardson in 1868; San Pablo, 17,939 acres to J. Y. Castro in 1873; San Ramon, 4,451 acres to Leo Norris, in 1882; El Sobrante, 20,565 acres, to J. J. and V. Castro, in 1883. In Contra Costa and Alameda connties: San Ramon, 16,517 aeres, to J. M. Amador in 1865. At the close of the Mexican war the Californians had possession of 320 square miles of land within the present limits of
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
Contra Costa County; and at the organization of the State government in 1850 the following Mexican families were the most conspicuous: Francisco Galindo, Salvio Pacheco, Silverio Soto, Ignacio Silverian, Juan B. Alvarado, V. Castro and V. Martinez.
PERSONAL.
Juan Bautista Alvarado, for several years the central figure in California's history, was born in 1809, in Monterey; 1827-'34 he was secretary of the deputacion, being named in 1831 as commisionado for San Luis Obispo, and mean- while employed as clerk by different Monterey merchants; 1834-'36 he was an appraiser in the custom-house there; in 1834 he was elected a member of the deputacion for a two-years term, and during 1836 he was president of that body. Leading a revolution against Governor Gutierez, he was revolutionary governor of California from December 7, 1836, to July 9, 1837; from that date, submitting to Mexico, he became governor ad interim as president of the deputa- cion till November 8, 1839, when he became constitutional governor by Mexican appoint- ment, and continued in the office until Decem- ber 31, 1842. From 1843 he held a colonelcy in the Mexican army, with pay; and from 1847 the position of colonel of the defensores de la patria. He was a leading spirit in the revolu- tion of 1844-'45 that mnade Pico governor, and by the latter was made administrator of the Monterey custom-house; was elected to Congress in 1845, but did not attend; being also the grantee of several ranchos, including the famous Mariposas. Though serving as colonel under Castro, he took but slight part in the affairs of 1846, being arrested and paroled in September, and residing as a citizen in 1847-'48 upon his rancho near Monterey, although he was ap pointed assistant inspector of the California presidial companies.
In the flush times and period of land litiga- tion Alvarado saved little or no money, but in 1849 moved to the San Pablo estate, north of Oakland, inherited by his wife-Martina,
daughter of Francisco Castro, whom he married in 1839-where, though the property was always in litigation, he was enabled to live com- fortably until his death, July 13, 1882, from a bronchial affection. At this time he had three sons and two daughters. His wife had died in 1875, but he left several children.
Personally, Alvarado was of medium stature, stout build, fair complexion and light hair; of genial temperament, courteous manners and rare powers of winning friends. Bancroft specifies much in his character to commend and much to condemn.
Jonathan D. Stevenson, a native of New York state, and a Democratic politician there, came to California in 1847, in command of a regiment of New York volunteers. After 1848 he settled in San Francisco as a real-estate agent and made special efforts to build up New York of the Pacific, near the mouth of the Sacramento River, being also a claimant of the rancho of Los Medanos, Contra Costra. He is still living, in San Francisco.
James T. Walker, a native of Tennessee and a nephew of Captain Joe Walker, came to Cali- fornia in 1848; followed mining, teaming and trading in cattle for a year or so, returned East, and in 1850 came again to California overland, but went East again; and in 1853 he settled in Contra Costa, where he was still living in 1882, at the age of fifty-seven, with wife and three children.
Elam Brown was a delegate from the district of San Jose (including this county) to the con- vention which was organized in Monterey, Sep- tember 1, 1849, and lived to become the oldest pioneer resident of the county. In 1846 came also Nathaniel Jones, the first sheriff of the county, J. D. Taber, James M. Allen, Leo Norris, Johu M. Jones and S. J. Johnson. Most of these continued to reside in the county, and some are yet living.
At first this county included what is now Al- ameda County, according to the act of February 18, 1850. March 25, 1853, the present bound- aries were fixed. The seat of government has
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
always been at Martinez. The first officers of the county, in 1850-'51 were: W. R. Bascom, Senator; Elam Brown, Member of the As- sembly; John H. Watson, District Judge; F. M. Warmcastle, County Judge; J. F. Williams, District Attorney; Thomas A. Brown, Clerk, Recorder and Auditor; Nathaniel Jones, Sher- iff; Daniel Hunsaker, Collector and Treasurer; N. B. Smith, Assessor; R. R Holliday, Cor- oner; and Warren Brown, Surveyor.
The representatives to the State Assembly from Contra Costa County have been: Elam Brown, 1851; Thomas A. Brown, 1865-'68; Warren Brown, 1855; J. H. Carothers, 1869-'70; H. W. Carpentier, 1853; G. W. T. Carter, 1883-'85; Jos. W. Galloway 1871-'72; A. W. Hammitt. 1873-'74; Benjamin S. Hines, 1859; A. Inman, 1857; Joseph P. Jones, 1881; A. R. Melone, 1856; Clias. B. Porter, 1861-'62; D. N. Sherburne, 1880-'87; Napoleon B. Smith, 1852; F. M. Warmcastle, 1854, 1858; Charles Wood, 1875-76; T. J. Wright, 1863-'64; Cor- nelius Yager, 1860; Albert J. Young, 1877-'78.
Among the prominent citizens of Contra Costa County of the present day may be mentioned: Professors John Swett and John Muir, A. T. Hatch, H. H. Bancroft, A. L. Ban- croft, A. Hemme, Webster Treat, Paul de Martinez, etc.
MODERN TIMES.
Even did it not possess a tithe of the great natural resources that it does, Contra Costa County could not fail of being a busy and im- portant factor in the industrial progress of Cali- fornia Lying at the head of deep water navi- gation on the Sacramento River and having such close proximity to San Francisco, it is but natural to expect in it many manufacturing and other enterprises of an important nature. At the same time, the county has always grown and shipped large quantities of hay and grain, and of later years an increasing amount of fruit, grapes, wine and other of the higher products. The county is exceptionally well supplied with railroads. It is traversed throughout its entire length by the San Pablo division of the South-
ern Pacific, over which runs the trains for Stockton and southern points, while the main line of the road, now double-tracked the whole distance, runs from the county line to Port Costa, from which point trains are transhipped by ferry to Benicia. In addition the Southern Pacific has agreed to build a branch road across the county from Martinez to Pleasanton in Alameda County through the Pacheco, Ygnacio and San Ramon valleys, for which surveys were recently completed. The California & Nevada Railroad, a narrow-gauge line, now has a line running from Oakland via San Pablo to Walnut Creek, with the probable intention of complet- ing the line through the county to connect with some road, yet unbuilt, in the San Joaquin Valley. Along the whole length of the north- ern and western front of the county also extends the San Joaquin River, Suisun, San Pablo and San Francisco bays, giving it water communi- cation from a score or more landings and ship- ping points.
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