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 46
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With this force, I left the bar bearing my name. I had with me 120 head of cattle, with an abundant supply of other provisions. After about six weeks' work, parties came on from Oregon who at once protested against my In- dian labor. I then left the stream and returned to my home, where I have since remained, in the enjoyment of the tranquil life of a farmer."
Reading worked at Reading's Bar about six weeks, and it is said that he made about $80,000.
Mr. Gross, a French agent, reported that he wound his way across to Trinity mountain early in the spring of 1849, and on his way met two men, apparently Americans, who claimed to have sojonrned on Trinity River since the fall of 1847, and that each carried back with him $20,000 in gold dust. Mr. Gross also reported that he found treasures of gold that year (1849) at the place now known as Rich Gulch. He continned work there until the water gave ont; then he removed to Evans' Bar, on the Trinity, where he built the first log cabin in the county; but Weaver & Co. may have preceded him in the erection of a building.
Scott Mountain and Scott Valley are charac- terized by most beautiful scenery; but many unfortunate travelers have been caught in the snows of winter in those wilds and fastnesses, and of these many have succumbed to the Ice King never to be redeemed.
Among the prominent settlers were Curry and Noyes in 1854, a mile below the mouth of Coffee Creek. Two miles further down Buck- eye ranch was occupied by John Christy. Near him was Meyers' ranch. Trinity Center, one of the most populous and thriving mining camps in the county, was first settled by Moses Chadbourne in 1851, but was of little note until 1853. Chadbourne built a saw-mill and took possession of a ranch. Then there was the Norwegian ranch, Sinith's ranch, Robinson's and Hall's ranches, etc. Big Bar was settled in 1849, Sturtevant's ranch in 1850, Felter's ranch at the month of Oregon Gulch, Big Flat, Milltown, McGillivray's or Cooper's Bar, etc.
A great deal of mining was done at hundreds of points about this region.
In 1851 the Arkansas Dam Company, of thirty men, organized themselves for the pur- pose of diverting the water of the Trinity so that they could work the bed of the stream; but after the dam was about completed, and be- fore they tried its virtues, a flood carried it away. They constructed another dam which, after some discoveries had been effected with its aid, was also carried away. These discoveries were sufficiently enconraging to warrant another effort. The third dam was substantial and did good work; but in 1857 it was removed to give place to other works of utility. The river bed, however, proved unprofitable; yet claims in that vicinity continued to pay well for a long time.
Trinity was legally one of the original conn- ties of February 18, 1850; and from that time to 1851 Trinity County was attached to Shasta for judicial purposes. In the spring of this year the ditchers and anti-ditchers, becoming aware that their difficulties ought to be settled by homespun justice, without calling npon Shasta authorities, bethonght theinselves to meet the demand of the times, and an election was had, withont dne authority of law. This election begat two justices and three constables as the legitimate issue of one faction playing "roots" on the other. The justices elected were Johnson and Sevier. Johnson declined to serve, with the hope of higher office at the hands of the people of the State; but Sevier took the office. Colonel John Anderson, one of the constables, was killed the following year.
Pursuant to an act of the Legislature, ap- proved May 28, 1851, this county, then includ- ing also what is now Humboldt, was publicly freed from Shasta tutelage, and five commis- sioners appointed by the act to superintend the election; but none of these were from what is now Trinity County. The first officers elected were: Dr. Johnson Price, Judge; William Cunningham, District Attorney; John C.
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Burch, Clerk; William H. Dixon, Sheriff; J. W. McGee, Assessor; Thomas L. Ball, Treas- nrer.
Weaverville was chosen by the same election as the county-seat instead of Eureka, although one poll-book made the majority seem to be for the last named place. A new election was ordered, with the victory more definitely for Weaverville. Nevertheless, Judge William R. Turner compelled the officers of the county to repair to Eureka for possible District Court favors. The first court held at Weaverville was in 1853, presided over by Judge Peters.
In the fall of 1850 Weaverville was settled with miners, who prospered well. Mr. and Mrs. Houghton kept the hotel, James Howe a large butchery and Mrs. Walton a cake shop. In 1851 a one-horse express and a banking establishment were kept by a Mr. Hinkle. In the spring of 1852 R. Reading, agent of a San Francisco establishment, opened business in the commercial line. F. Blake, as agent for Rhodes & Lusk, ran an express, and in November added banking. It was said that these two houses, during the following season, averaged $15,000 of gold receipts per week.
At Weaverville the first church was built by the Catholics, in 1853, at a cost of $4,500, and was furnished with a bell worth $700. Among the Protestants no religions services were kept up, except by the Methodists, until 1858.
The first newspaper in the county was the Times, in 1854, established by Rowe & Conway. They were succeeded by Cressent. Dr. Trask, Williams, Crowningshield, Smart, Howard, etc. In politics the paper was independent. Those were the times when Know-nothingism seemed to be in the ascendant in that region; Demnoe- racy rested on its oars and Republicanisin was rising but still very unpopular. In August, 1855, the Democrat was started by 11 .. J. Howe and J. Crawford, but lived only a short time. January 26, 1856, the Journal was started, also independent, at Weaverville.
The first school, a private one, was established
in 1854, by J. Adams. In 1856 Mrs. Niblett started another, and this year a public school- honse was erected. In 1856 an " indigent sick fund" was established, and also a German hospital at Weaverville.
In 1854 an outbreak among the Chinese re- sulted in the death of seven on both sides and the wounding of some fifteen or twenty.
Trinity County was the dwelling-place of the celebrated James W. Denver in 1851-'52, after whom Denver, Colorado, was named. He was born in Frederiek County, Virginia, in 1818, and was an officer in the war with Mexico. Here in Trinity County he was elected to the State Senate, in 1852, while he had charge of the Emigrant Relief Train. He and Governor Bigler were charged with grave offenses in the management of this train, by the Alta Califor- nia. Gilbert, the editor of that paper, chal- lenged Denver to a dnel. They met at Oak Grove, near Sacramento, August 2, 1852, and used rifles, at a distance of forty paces. Gilbert was killed. Shortly afterward Denver was ap- pointed Secretary of State by Governor Bigler. He was elected to Congress in 1854. In the fall of 1856 he was appointed by President Buchanan Secretary of Kansas to Governor Shannon, and then became Governor of that Territory in 1858. In 1861 he became Brigadier General of Union Volunteers. He is still living, in Washington city.
Trinity County has been represented in the State Assembly by the following named gentle- men: Fordyce Bates, 1859; John C. Burch, 1857; J. C. Dorr, 1865-'66; T. E. Jones, 1867- '68; A. C. Lawrence, 1860; W. C. Martin, 1853; J. H. Matthews, 1862; S. F. Mckenzie, 1852; George O. McMullin, 1852; John McMurray, 1869-'70, 1881; J. C. Montagne, 1877-'78; John Musser, 1854; E. Neblett, 1858; M. W. Personette, 1863-'64; J. S. Pitzer, 1853; R. G. Reading, 1853; E. A. Rowe, 1855; T. W. II .. Shanahan, 1887; W. J. Tinnin, 1871-'74; W W. Upton, 1856; F. Walter, 1861; John Yule, 1885, and perhaps by others, named under head of adjoining counties elsewhere.
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
YOLO COUNTY.
Yolo is a corruption of the Indian word " Yoloy," signifying a place abounding in rushes, with which the Indians composed the term "Toloytoy," or Tuletown, which was sit- uated in early days on the western shore of the Sacramento River.
The history of this county extends well back to the earlier years of this century, it being on the direct highway from north to south, and hence visited by almost all the older hunting and exploring expeditions, many of which have doubtless been forgotten. In 1820 Arguello led a party through the county on an exploring expedition on behalf of the missions, and in 1825 the famous old trapper, Jedediah S. Smith, spent innch time hunting and trapping within the confines of the county. In 1832 Ewing Young's band of trappers are recorded to have camped on Cache Creek at the mouth of Capay Valley. In the spring of 1841 a party of twenty-five persons in all came to California, including in their number William Gordon, William Knight and others. In that same year Gordon obtained a grant of two leagues of land on Cache Creek, and in the following year (1842) moved upon it, thus becoming the first actual settler in Yolo County. Gordon relates that when he came to the country he found two or three half-breed Indians at Grand Island, the descendants of a Scotch sailor who thirty years previously had deserted his ship, made his way to the Indians and became one of them. This story is thought to be corroborated by the dis- covery in 1851 of a stone on Feather River bearing this enigmatical inscription " 1818- Gold Cave, in this M. ship-Lodes L. M." This stone is now in Pioneer hall, San Fran- cisco. Gordon was a genuine character, and a mighty hunter and retailer of hunting stories. Ile was extremely hot-tempered and obstinate. For many years he was a Justice of the Peace. He was a native of Ohio, born in 1800, and had led a very wandering life.
In 1842 J. R. Wolfskill obtained a grant on
Putah Creek, going upon it in 1843. This latter year William Knight also settled on his grant where Knight's landing is on the Sacra- mento. Knight was a physician, a native of Baltimore. He built himself a house of poles and tules on the Yodoy (or Indian) mound. He died in 1849 and his heirs lost the grant because the title papers could never be found. In 1843 Nathan Coombs and others came down from Oregon. Coombs stayed with Gordon, and in the following year was married to his daughter Elizabeth. General Sutter was the nearest magistrate, and Coombs and his bride rode horseback the fifty-four miles to the fort and back the same day to have the ceremony per- formed. In 1844 George Schwartz obtained a grant of three leagues on the Sacramento, where Boruck or Washington now is. In this year several parties came down from Oregon or across the Sierras, among them the Kelseys, so well-known in connection with Lake County history, and Joseph Buzzell, whose chiefest cause of fame is that during high water in 1847 he went by canoe across the country from Sutter's Fort to Gordon's door.
The year 1845 was signalized by the fact that Gordon raised seven acres of wheat, the first grain grown in the county. In this year Thomas M. Hardy got a grant of six leagues running from Gordons to the Sacramento. He was an Englishman, very unfriendly to the Americans. His house of tules was erected where afterward the town of Fremont flashed up like a rocket and sank again as quickly. Hardy died mysteri- ously in 1849 while crossing the Sacramento in a boat. The three Berryessas, Santiago, Nemicio and Francisco, went on their grant of the Capay Valley in May of this year (1845). James Mc- Dowell, a half- witted fellow in some ways, but a clever lock and gun smith, built a log-house at Washington, where he lived with his wife. He obtained some local note for his gun-making. In January, 1846, was born William Coombs, son of Nathan and Elizabeth, the first white child born in Yolo County. In this year W. L. Todd, W. W. Roulette and wife, G. J. Scott
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
and his brother W. W. Scott, passed the season hunting in Capay Valley, and built the first house in that valley. S. U. Chase, a prominent man of the early days, who had come out in 1845, also hunted with them. The man who built this house for the party was one Francis or "Paddy " Clark, a thorough character, who had come down from Oregon with Coombs. He squatted on the Berryessas' land, but being dispossessed in 1852 he went to Bodega and for a time housed with a friend. One morning he took his gun and disappeared, never being heard of afterward-a silent, solitary man. The only event of note in 1847 seems to have been the birth, February 21, of a daughter to McDowell at Washington, the first white female child born in the limits of the county.
This brings us to the discovery of gold and a new order of things. New comers became so plentiful that we cannot mention thein all. Jonas Spect, the noted discoverer of the north- ern mines, conceived the idea of making his fortune by establishing a town at the head of navigation on the Sacramento as a point of supply for the new mines. Going down the river he noticed the existence of a heavy bar at the mouth of the Feather River, and in the high lands on the opposite side of the Sacra- mento, he imagined lie had found what he sought. March 22, 1849, he pitched his tent on the shore and named the spot Fremont in honor of the Pathfinder. In his tent he started a store and the place flourished at once. In July the town site was surveyed by W. J. Frier- son and others; tents and wooden buildings sprung up 'as if by magic. In August Spect built a school-house, and Miss Matilda McCord, of Bloomington, Illinois, was installed teacher, the first one in the county. Rev. John Braly, a Cumberland Presbyterian preacher who came down from Oregon, began to hold services, and shortly afterward came Rev. Isaac Owen, a well known early Methodist. To give an idea of the importance of the place at this time, we may state that at the Territorial election held November 13th, Fremont cast 102 votes, while
the whole of the rest of the county cast but ninety-two. C. F. Reed kept the hotel.
As illustrating forcibly the rude times, we may relate one incident. In October a company of soldiers were sent up from Benicia in guard of a supply train. Passing through Fremont, one of the soldiers drank too much and became noisy at the tent of a sick man. Being warned to desist, he would not and was thereupon promptly shot by A. R. Lovell, a Sydney man, a saloon-keeper and a character of the day. A crowd quickly assembled, but the proceedings were brought to a hasty close by these words from Lovell: " My friends, this is a very solemn occasion: let's all go in and take a drink!"
The floods of 1849 washed away the bar at the Feather River and with it the hopes of Fremont. It struggled on for a little time, but soon died out completely.
At this time Yolo was included in Sonoma district, and at Fremont Judge W. R. Turner held the first court of the county. Yolo County was set off in the early part of 1850, according to act of February 18, that year, and the first county election held in April. The county officers elected were: Judge, G. A. Margrave; county clerk, B. Frank Brown; treasurer, G. M. Keene, but he resigned and was succeeded by H. H. Hartley; sheriff, E. A. Harris, and assessor, H. Griffith. Washington, opposite Sacramento, was the first county seat and con- tinued such for several years. Then the county seat was removed to Cacheville, which had formerly been called Hutton's Ranch, the post- office being called Yolo. In 1862 Yolo City, which lay a few miles distant, was made the county town and its namne changed to Woodland, where it has since remained, Woodland becom- ing since one of the fairest and most thriving cities of Northern California.
In the Legislature of 1850 first organizing the counties, the committee recommended Fre- mont for the name of this county.
One of the carliest settlers here was James M. Allen, sheriff of Yolo County in 1850, who was a son of David Allen and emigrated from
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Missouri about 1846, and lived in Santa Clara County until 1848 with his brothers and sisters; then he was a gold-miner for a time and visited Oregon; next he was a trader in live stock; in 1849 he founded the town of Fre- mont; from 1853 he was in Contra Costa County; from 1861 at San Francisco and inter- ested in Nevada mines; 1865-'68 he was adjutant-general of California militia; subse- quently in real-estate business at Livermore, where he was recently still living. His wife was Sidesia Mendenhall, and his children Eugene and Delora (Mrs. Biddle).
The Mexican land grants in Yolo County were: Cañada de Capay, 40,078 acres, confirmed to Jasper O'Farrell and others in 1865; Quessesosi, 8,894 acres to William Gordon in 1860; Rio Jesus Maria, 26,637 acres to J. M. Harbin and others in 1858, in Yolo and Solano counties; Rio de los Pnto, 17,755 acres to William Wolfskill in 1858.
As with most other parts of the Sacramento Valley, Yolo County has known three distinct periods. In the first nothing was dreamed of but cattle and stock-growing. In the second, every energy was devoted to the raising of grain. The last is the era of fruits, grapes, etc. Yolo County now is noted for its fine fruits, raisins, etc., but even yet the growth of wheat and other cereals continues to be her leading industry, some of her citizens, snch for instance as Dr. Mer- ritt, being among the great wheat-growers of the State. It is doubtful whether there be an- other county in California with greater natural resources of soil and situation. Except for a strip a few miles wide along the western border adjoining the foot-hills, the entire county pre- sents the appearance of an almost level plain. This plain is the rich alluvium of the Sacra- mento Valley, of a fabulous fertility. Consid- erable tracts along the river front and lower parts are tule lands that every winter are cov- ered with a few feet of water. Across one strip of this, on the road to Sacramento, one J. B. Lewis in '49 and 50' had a ferry three miles long. A rope was stretched across this dis-
tance, and, wind permitting, he sailed his craft along the rope. Since then large sections of this land have been dyked and reclaimed, and opera- tions are now in progress which will reclaim many thousand acres more of this soil. Once secured from water there is no such wheat land in the world. It recalls the stories of Egyptian fertilty or of the Egypt of Illinois and its corn lands along the Mississippi. But yet it is rather the orchards and vineyards that are so characteristic a scene around the principal centres, as at Woodland, at Knight's Landing, near Winters, in the Capay Valley, etc., that give tone and value to the lands of the county. Of late years especially, rapid advances have been made in the way of the subdivision of the Spanish grants and large estates, and the setting out of the smaller farins to fruit.
A portion of the county that promises very brightly is the Capay Valley, the position and advantages of which are analogons to that of the Vaca Valley to its south. Lack of accessibility has kept it back in the march of progress, but a few years ago the Southern Pacific built a branch line from Winters to Madison, which lies at its month, and thence to Ramsey's at the head of the valley, the probability being that eventually the line will be extended to Lake County, up Cache Creek, which flows through the valley. The railroad company has pur- chased and opened to settlement at low prices the larger part of the land in the valley, and it is being rapidly taken hold of. The industrial history of Capay Valley really begins with the advent of the railroad in 1887, although it was always regarded as one of the most picturesque and charming parts of the State.
Yolo County is well-served with railroads. In 1868-'69 the California Central, now a part of the Southern Pacific system, was built from Davisville to Washington, over the low lands, across the eastern end of the county, from the same point to Woodland and thence to Knight's Landing and, crossing the Sacramento and the tules, to Marysville. The high water of 1871- '72 washed away both the section between
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Davisville and Washington, and that between Knight's Landing and Marysville. The former was rebuilt at once in a more substantial man- ner, and is now a portion of the main line of the Central Pacific, while the latter is being rebuilt now (1890) and will form an important link in the railway system of the valley. This Marys- ville road was originally part of a comprehensive system of trans-continental roads that came to naught. The line from Woodland northward through Colusa County to Tehamna was com- pleted during the seventies and has been of great benefit to Woodland and the county. A branch line was extended from Vacaville to Winters in 1876, to Madison in 1877, and thence up the Capay Valley in 1887, a eut-off being now projected from Madison to Wood- land, thus making Woodland the real practical center of the county.
WOODLAND
is one of the most handsome and progressive cities in California. Its history begins in 1855 when James McClure & Son established a black- smith shop where the future city was to be. Later in the same year Henry Wyckoff built a store there. In the fall of 1857 Wyckoff was bought ont by F. S. Freeman, who has ever since resided there and been one of Woodland's most energetic citizens. In 1858 a postoffice was established, with Mr. Freeman as postmaster, the name being Yolo City. We ought to men- tion, however, that prior to achieving the dignity of a name, a whisky shop or saloon was opened there in 1857, by one By. Hall. He was run out, very shortly afterward, the sober, better, moral element having always been strong at this point. In the same year was also built a two- story school building, in the upper story of which was established a division of the Sons of Temperance,-anspieious sign,-and a Masonic lodge. In 1862 Yolo City was made the county- seat and the name was changed to Woodland. The erection of county buildings was immedi- ately begun and a handsome court-house and hospital was put up, at a cost of some $40,000.
In 1889 a fine new hall of records, built at an expense of $30,000, has been added, of most at- tractive architecture. Woodland has grown rapidly from the first, the coming of the rail- way in 1868 giving it an especial impetus. It is the home of wealthy men, having a larger number of millionaires in proportion to pop- ulation, so it is said, than any other place in California. It is noteworthy too that all this wealth has been made within the county, none of it being imported or hereditary. Woodland has an unusually large proportion of beautiful homes, set generally in ample grounds and luxuriantly surrounded by trees and flowers. Indeed the buildings generally, both public and private are of a substantial and stately character. Its system of public schools is excellent and it has also a number of private schools.
The Hesperian College, under the auspices of the Disciples or Christian denomination, bears a high reputation for efficiency. The Woodland Commercial College and St. Mary's Academy, the latter Roman Catholic, are successful insti- tutions. All these have been in existence for about ten years.
In Woodland there is a large flouring-mill, woolen-mills, an ice factory, a pork-packing establishment, a carriage factory and the large Yolo Winery, the property of the Yolo Wine and Brandy Association. She possesses also Blowers Raisin Cnring establishment. Yolo County is the scene of the first raisin-making in California, and R. B. Blowers is the pioneer. The city has an excellent system of water-works, is lighted by electricity, and at the depot are enorinous grain warehouses for shipping pur- poses.
The Bank of Woodland was organized on November 9, 1868, with a capital of $100,000. The original stockholders were: John D. Stephens, H. F. Hastings, George Snodgrass, John Hollingsworth, F. S. Freeman, Camillus Nelson, D. Q. Adams, G. D. Stephens, Frank Miller, B. F. Hastings, O. Livermore, Jeff Wil- coxon, 11. C. Hemenway, U. Shellhammer, L. D. Stephens, Charles Coil and Charles G. Day.
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This list of seventeen stockholders has been in- creased until it now numbers seventy-five, among whom are the must substantial citizens of the county.
The bank was opened for business in the building now occupied by Wells, Fargo & Co's. Express Office on February 22, 1889. The officers of the bank were: J. D. Stephens, Presi- dent; F. S. Freeman, Vice-President; C. W. Bush, Cashier. Directors, F. S. Freeman, Frank Miller, J. D. Stephens, John Hollings- worth, C. Nelson, Jeff Wilcoxon, L. D. Stephens, H. F. Hastings and C. W. Bonynge. Five of these gentleman have held their office continuonsly since that time, the present direct- orship being J. D. Stephens, F. S. Freeman, John Hollingsworth, C. Nelson, H. Fredericks, J. II. Harlan, L. D. Stephens.
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