USA > California > Sacramento County > An illustrated history of Sacramento County, California : containing a history of Sacramento County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future portraits of some of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also prominent citizens of today > Part 33
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This grange has had as many as 100 members.
CENTER.
The original boundaries of Center Township, as established by the Court of Sessions, Febru- ary 24, 1851, contained, as near as we can ascer- tain, the eastern half of the present Center Township, and portions of the present townships of Brighton, Granite, and possibly Lee. On March 1, 1853, the Board of Supervisors changed the boundaries of Brighton and Center town- ships, forming one township out of the portions of both lying north of the American River, this township to be called Center Township. The eastern line of the township ran a southeasterly course, striking the American River east of Folsom; this included the westerly four- fifths of the present Mississippi Township.
October 20, 1856, the Board of Supervisors established the present boundaries of Center Township as follows: beginning at the north- east corner of American Township, and run thence easterly along the northern boundary line of the county of Sacramento, to the range line between ranges 6 and 7, east of Mount Diablo meridian; thence south along said range line to the American River; thence southerly
and westerly along said American River to the eastern boundary line of American Township; thence north along said eastern line of Ameri- can Township to the beginning.
Center Township is mostly all occupied by Spanish grants. The Rancho del Paso, com- monly known as the Norris grant, is mostly in this township, or about 30,000 acres of it. The Rancho San Juan has about 8,000 acres in Center Township. The latter ranch is, how- ever, now being sold in small parcels, and, for the benefit of the township, it is to be hoped the Norris grant may soon do likewise.
The character of the land is essentially agri- cultural, and, where opportunity has been had to try its fertility, it has proved of good quality. The land lying around the edge of the Norris grant is nearly all under cultivation, or consti- tutes part of improved farnis.
The proprietors of the Norris grant have made three separate attempts to reach artesian water, or to find a flowing well, without, however, meeting with any success. The depth of the wells were, respectively, 900 feet, 640 feet, and 2,147 feet. The last well was abandoned in 1879.
The Auburn road ran diagonally through the township, as it now is, from southwest to north- east, and along this road, at short intervals, were located houses for the refreshment of man and beast. The most prominent of these houses was the Oak Grove House, located on the Auburn road, about seven miles from the city of Sacra- mento. This house was quite a resort at one time-notably in 1851-'52, its sitnation being about the right distance from Sacramento to make the drive and return a pleasant trip. The house was kept by D. B. Groat in early times. This house is also noted for being the one in which the parties to the Denver-Gilbert dnel took breakfast, the duel itself having taken place but a few yards from the house. This house has long since disappeared. There were several other houses along the road, none of which ap- pear to have been of any particular note. Most of the public houses were built in 1850, and
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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.
were abandoned soon after the completion of the Sacramento Valley Railroad to Folsom in 1856.
. Antelope is a small settlement, located on the Central Pacific Railroad, near the center of sec- tion 21, township 10 north, of range 6 east- The town was regularly surveyed in 1878. In 1876 a large brick warehouse, 40 x 100 feet in size, was built by J. F. Cross at a cost of $3,000. This was the first building erected. The first store was started in May, 1877, by the Antelope Business Association, an incorporated company. The association sold ont in the fall of 1878 to John Berry. The second store was started in 1879, in the hotel building, by R. Astile. The postoffice of Antelope was established in 1877; Joel Gardiner, Postmaster. In 1878 he was succeeded by John Berry. This is the only postoffice in the township. Antelope is the shipping point for large quantities of grain, both to Sacramento and the mountains.
Arcade is a flag station on the Central Pacific Railroad, situated nearly on the dividing line of American and Center townships. There are no buildings here or settlement; simply a section- house, owned by the railroad company.
The floods of 1861-'62 brought down a large number of pine trees, stumps and roots and de- posited them on the banks of the river on the " grant," and the following summer five or six men did a profitable business by extracting the tar and resin from these trees and supplying the Sacramento market. This, so far as we know, has been the only work of the kind done in any part of Sacramento County.
The Gilbert-Denver duel was one of the most noted that has ever occurred in the State. It originated primarily in a newspaper controversy. At this time, 1852, Denver was in charge of the supplies for overland immigration, and Gil- bert in his capacity as editor saw fit to comment very severely on the conduct of the expedition, accused members of the party of dishonesty, and finally sent Denver a challenge to fight, which was promptly accepted by the latter. Denver, being the challenged party, chose rifles; the
distance was thirty paces. On the evening pre- ceding the duel Mr. Gilbert dined at the resi- dence of R. N. Berry, in Sacramento. At sunrise on the following morning, August 2, 1852, the parties were promptly on the ground, which was a few yards above the Oak Grove House, on the Auburn road, in Center Town- ship, some seven or eight miles from Sacramento. Both parties appeared calm and collected when on the ground. Gilbert wore a small green surtout coat, buttoned tightly across his chest. Denver had on a large cloak, which he threw off before taking his position. In the choice of positions Denver secured the toss and placed his back to the rising sun. Ex-Mayor Tesche- macher was the second for Gilbert and V. E. Geiger acted for Denver. Dr. Wake Briarly was surgeon for both combatants. Just as the sun was rising the word "fire " was given. Gil- bert fired at the word "two" and Denver at the word "three." The ball from Gilbert's weapon plowed the ground in an almost direct line with the body of his antagonist. The same remark will apply to Denver's shot. Before the next attempt was made Gilbert called a friend to him and told him if he was killed at the next shot to ask his partner, Kemble, to write to his mother, informing her of the circumstances of his death. Immediately after the firing of the second shot, Gilbert dropped into the arms of his friends and expired almost without a struggle. He was shot through the bowels. The body was at once taken in a wagon to the Oak Grove House, where the party breakfasted.
Edward Gilbert was born in Troy, New York; he was emphatically a self-made man, ard worked himself up from the printer's case to a seat in Congress. He came to California with Stevenson's regiment in 1847. Before coming to California he was associate editor of the Al- bany Argus, though at the time of his death he was only thirty years of age. Gilbert early in 1849 combined the California Star and the old Californian, from which sprung the Alta California. He was regularly elected delegate to the convention to form a constitution for t
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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.
State of California, and was the first man to take a seat in Congress from the Pacific Coast. The body of Mr. Gilbert was conveyed from the dueling gronnd to the residence of J. H. Nev- ett, of Sacramento. Impressive funeral services were held by the Rev. O. C. Wheeler at the Baptist Church. The procession was headed by a battalion of cavalry, commanded by Captain Fry. The body was taken to San Francisco, where the final ceremonies were held at Rev. T. Dwight Hunt's church; every newspaper editor and reporter in town attended the ceremonies.
COSUMNES.
Cosnmnes Township, as established by the Court of Sessions, February 24, 1851, included all of Alabama Township, and parts of Lee, Dry Creek and San Joaquin townships The present boundaries were established October 20, 1856, by the Board of Supervisors, and are as follows: Beginning at the southwest corner of Natoma Township; thence east along the sonth- ern boundary of said Natoma Township to the eastern boundary of the county; thence south- erly along the eastern boundary line of the county to the township line between townships 6 and 7 north, range 9 east; thence west and along said township line to the southeast corner of Lee Township; thence north along the said eastern boundary to the beginning; embraced within the present limits of Cosumnes Town- ship are Michigan Bar, Sebastopol, Live Oak and Buckeye.
MICHIGAN BAR is so named from the fact that the first settlers were from Michigan. Gold was discovered here in the latter part of 1849; this is, at least, the first discovery that was made public. The founders of Michigan Bar were two men from Michigan, who probably made the first discovery of gold there. In the following spring some of their friends and acquaintances, formerly from Michigan, who had been mining at Placerville, and others direct from that State, joined them, and commenced mining on the bar, and in the vicinity, and the town began to grow. This was the largest mining camp in the town-
ship. The first claims were small, each man being allowed only sixteen feet; they were en- larged, by several men uniting their claims, and when hydraulic mining began, the rule was changed, the miners here, as elsewhere, making their own laws on the subject of claims.
In the autumn of 1851 the miners commenced working the gulches, hauling the dirt in carts to the river. This was the first dry mining done in this locality. In the summer the mining was nearly all on the river and bars; in the winter the miners worked in the gulches with slnices, running from six to eight inches to a sluice. The Knightsomer Ditch was the first ditch built, in 1851; the Davidson Ditch, built in 1854, both on north side of river. A small ditch was builton south side of river, by O'Brien, Dayton and others, in 1853. Hydraulic min- ing began in 1858; the gulch mining gradually decreased until, in 1862, it was practically aban- doned. This district was originally one of the best for placer-mining in California. Some 200 or 300 acres have often been denuded to a depth of over twenty feet.
Michigan Bar at one time had from 1,000 to 1,500 population, and by some it is estimated that there were over 2,000. In the '50's it polled over 500 votes; there are now only about fifty voters in the precinct.
The new iron bridge, 362 feet in length, costing $3,300, was finished April 9, 1887. A toll bridge, built by Samuel Putnam, existed here from 1853 to 1879 or 1880, when it was bought by the county and made free. Arkan- sas Creek, rising in Amador County, runs for about four miles through Cosumnes Township, emptying into the Cosumnes River at Flint & Raymond's. The old Amador & Sacramento Canal extends abont sixteen miles from its source in the Cosumnes to Michigan Bar.
The Michigan Bar Pottery was built in 1859 by J. W. Orr and moved to a point about two and a half miles southeast of the village in 1862, where Mr. Orr discovered a bank of potter's clay supposed to be the best in the State for stoneware, and still known as Orr's bank. At
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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.
present the San Francisco Sewer- Pipe Associa- tion leases the sewer-pipe department. A. M. Addington owned it from 1865 to 1884, and J. M. Williams, who had leased it iu 1881, from 1884 to the present time. He has discovered a deposit of " croll " (fire-sand) in the adjoining land of N. B. Gill, and has purchased forty-five acres of him. A measure of silicious sand also exists in it. In the autumn of 1888 he sent specimens of this sand to England, where the chemists pronounced it the best known for the purpose. Twenty-five acres of the new pur- chase has this sand on the surface. English capitalists are making overtures to Mr. Orr for a purchase. This material is specially well adapted to the manufacture of stoneware, fire- brick, sewer-pipes and white and yellow ware.
Among the early settlers of Michigan Bar were the following: A man by the name of Prothro was the first settler, who brought his family with him. The family consisted of four sons and two daughters. Prothro afterward moved to Mendocino County. Larkin Lamb and wife settled at Michigan Bar in January, 1851.
Gold was discovered at Cook's Bar almost simultaneously with Michigan Bar. It received its name from Dennis Cook, who settled here in the latter part of 1849. He remained here until 1855 or '56. He kept a trading-post, and also followed mining. Cook's Bar was located abont a mile and three-fourths below Michigan Bar, on the Cosumnes River. Quite a town was built up here at one time, having a large hotel, stores, saloons, and about 500 inhabitants. The town, as such, ceased to exist about the year 1860.
SEBASTOPOL, a mining camp, established in 1854, is located on the northwest quarter of sec- tion 16, township 7 north, range 8east. The name " Sebastopol" was chosen by a vote of the miners, the Crimean War being then in prog- ress, and its famons namesake being very prom- inent in the daily papers of that date. From 1854 to 1858 the camp thrived and the popula- tion and buildings increased. Mining, however, being the main industry, with its decline the
town gradually became deserted, till at the present time there are but four houses standing. During the lively times, from three to four hun- dred ounces of gold dust were sold weekly at this place. Since 1859 there have been no white men at work mining here. Some China- men, however, worked until 1876.
At one time Sebastopol contained one hotel, one general merchandise store, one dry-goods store, one saloon and bowling alley, one cigar store, butcher shop, blacksmith shop, shoe store, and dwelling-houses and miners' cabins contain- ing about 200 inhabitants.
Among some of the early settlers were Michael Davis, - McEntire, T. P. Horn, Dr. Bowman, - Lyon, --- McCabe and Francis Mitchell. The latter came when the town was established. There is some good agricultural land in the vicinity.
KATESVILLE was a mining camp. The limits of the district were defined in 1855, and ex- tended three miles south of Arkansas Creek and three miles east and west from the foot of Big Ravine; it also embraced the strip of Mr. Dar- med's ground, between Arkansas Creek and Cook's Bar District; was established in 1854, though there was some mining done as early as 1852. This place was never incorporated as a town, and in 1862 was deserted. At one time there was a hotel, boarding-house, store, black- smith shop, and several saloons and dwelling- houses.
LIVE OAK is located on section 10, in town- ship 7 north, range 8 east; was established in 1854, though there had been some little mining done in the vicinity previous to that time. Times were quite lively here for a few years, gold dust to the amount of $2,000 or $3,000 per week being sold for several years. Wells, Fargo & Co. had an office here from 1858 to 1861. The Hamilton Line of stages ran through Live Oak on the route from Sacramento to Michigan Bar. At one time there were three stores, two hotels, one livery stable, a blacksmith shop, butcher shop and four saloons in the town. The place went down in 1861. Among the
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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.
early settlers were B. R. Robinson, Henry Lan- caster, W. S. Crayton, Thomas Olive, J. C. Dunn, Patrick Gaffney, John Gaffney, George Freeman, R. D. Reed, Alfred Ball and V. Perry.
The early mining was entirely placer and gulch diggings, on the river and bars in sum- mer time and in gulches during the rainy sea- son. The first water ditch constructed in Co- sumnes Township was the Knightsomer Ditch, about 1851, and was the oldest water right on the Cosuinnes River. The miners used to cart the dirt to the river and use the waters of the ditch to work the "Toms." This ditch was abandoned in 1862, owing to the flood filling it up. It was located on the north side of the river. Of the new irrigating ditch, about eight miles are in this township. The cost of "four inehes " of water is 5 cents a day per acre, which would be $4.50 for a season of ninety days.
George Mckinstry came to the State in 1847; opened a store and trading-post on the Co- sumnes River in 1849. He owned part of what was called the Sacayac grant (now called Pratt grant) on the Cosumnes River. He sold in 1850 ranch and store to Emanuel Pratt, who ran the store until 1855, when he closed out the business. Pratt died in 1870.
J. O. Sherwood settled on the south side of Cosminnes River in 1851.
Jacob A. Hutchinson, Sr., crossed the plains with his family in 1846; settled in Cosumnes Township in 1849, on the Cosumnes River. He soon after started on a prospecting trip to the northern mines, and has never been heard of since.
James Pollock came to the State with his family in 1846, and settled in Cosumnes Town- ship in 1853, on the river.
Jared Sheldon, the owner of what is com- monly known as the Sheldon grant, bought a piece of land about one-half mile above the present site of MeCabe's bridge, in 1851, and proceeded to erect a costly dam and dig a race about three-fourths of a mile long. The dam was built of square timbers, tied together with oak ties and filled in with rock; the height was
about sixteen feet. The miners, learning of his intention, sent him a written protest against the construction of the dam, stating that great damage would be done to them by the overflow of their claims. Sheldon disregarded this pro- test and completed the dam. When the water began to reach the mining claims several meet- ings were held, both sides being represented. Sheldon built a fort on a point of rocks which cominanded the dam, and placed a cannon in it; he tlien employed a large number of men to protect the works at all hazards. On July 12, 1851, the sentries were surprised and the fort taken, Sheldon at the time being absent. He was sent for to come and let the water off, being told that he could do it with as little injury as possible to the dam. He arrived soon after with about a dozen men, and refused to let the water off. An ineffectual attempt was made to blow up the dam with gunpowder. On the failure becoming evident, one of the miners, of whom there were abont 150 present, seized an ax, and, calling on the others to protect him, walked out on the edge of the structure and be- gan chopping. Our informants differ as to which party fired the first shot, one account stating that Sheldon ordered one of his men to shoot the axman; the inan and one other of his party immediately obeyed, whereupon the min- ers fired on them, instantly killing Sheldon and the two men, Johnson and Cody, who had fired. From the fact that the only miner who was in- jured, out of the whole number present, was the one on the dam, he being slightly wounded, it is very probable that this account is the correct one. The dain was opened enough to let the water off, and entirely swept away by the high water of 1851-'52.
Jordan H. Lowry settled at Michigan Bar in 1854, where he still resides.
This township seems to have been well sup- plied with hotels from 1850 to 1862. The Public House, built in 1849, on the Dry Town and Sacramento road, at Coats's Ferry, on the sonth side of the river, Lewis & Travers, pro- prietors, closed in 1858. There was another
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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.
hotel on the north side of the river, at the same place, started by Coats. He rented the house to Harvey Alvord. Both house and ferry were discontinued in 1857.
The Hamilton Honse, started by Orville Ham- ilton in 1850, on the Sacramento and Dry Town road, near the river, on the land now owned by Oliver Plummer. It was destroyed by fire in 1853 and i.ever rebuilt.
The Gold Spring House, on the Dry Town road, on the Gold Spring Ranch, built in 1849 by Boyle and Page, afterward sold to J. O. Sherwood and J. A. Treadway, closed as a pub- lic house in June, 1853.
The Mountain House, twenty-eight miles from Sacramento, on the Dry Town road, was started in 1850 by James Gordon, who sold out to Johnson, Warner and Dake in 1852. Gor- don's wife gave birth to twin boys in 1850; these were probably the first white children born in Cosumnes Township.
The Wilbur Hotel, built by Y. S. Wilbnr in 1850. Wilbur sold to Larkin Lamb in 1851, who closed the house in 1858; located on the Dry Town road.
The Ohio House, built by a company from Ohio in 1855. Dr. Woodford had the manage- ment; sold in 1856 or 1857 to James Cuni- mings, who changed the name to Cummings' Hotel. It burned down in 1864, and was not rebnilt; located at Sebastopol.
The Hamilton Hotel, at Sebastopol, opened in 1867 by J. H. Hamilton.
The Prairie Cottage, situated abont one and one-half miles above Sebastopol, on the Sacra- mento and Ione road, was built in 1851, closed in 1864.
The Blue Tent House, on what is now known as the Buckeye Ranch, built in 1849 by Sage & Co., from Ohio; it was closed as a hotel in 1870.
Niagara House, opened in 1849, located on Willow Springs Creek, near the Amador County line, was built by Moore and Ball; closed as a hotel in 1856.
Cook's Bar House, opened by Chenanlt and
Hall in 1854, at Cook's Bar. They did a good business for several years; business was discon- tinued about 1870.
There is very little agricultural land in Co- sumnes Township. Along the Cosumnes River the greater portion of the township can be classed among the mineral lands, most, if not all, being gold-bearing gravel hills.
The first school in this township was organ- ized in May, 1853, the district including the whole township as then located.
DRY CREEK.
Dry Creek Township was originally included in San Joaquin Township, and was set off as an independent township in August, 1853, by the Court of Sessions, the order reading that "All that part of San Joaquin lying southeast of the Cosumnes River be erected into a township, to be called Dry Creek." The Board of Super- visors modified the boundaries, October 20, 1856, giving it the lines as they now stand, which are as follows: Commencing at the junc- tion of the Cosumnes and Mokelumne rivers, thence northeasterly, following the course of the Cosumnes River to its intersection with the range line between ranges 6 and 7 east, United States Government survey; thence south and along said range line to its intersection with Dry Creek; thence westerly along said Dry Creek and the Mokelumne River to the be- ginning.
This township is mostly included within the original lines of the San Jon de los Moque- Iumnes, or Chabolla grant.
Dr. W. L. McIntyre came to the county in 1849, with his family, and settled in Dry Creek Township in January, 1851. McIntyre built the first frame building in the township, in April, 1851, near Galt. Mrs. Rosanna Mcln- "tyre died at Galt, at the residence of Ephraim Ray, February 20, 1889, in her seventy-ninth year.
Calvin T. Briggs, an old mountaineer, and John Burroughs were engaged in the stock- raising business as early as 1850; they had
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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.
large herds of cattle on both sides of the river; they dissolved partnership in 1857, Burroughs returning East. Briggs built the second frame house in the township, in 1851; previous to this time the family and Burroughs had lived in an adobe hut.
Rev. N. Slater and family moved into the township in 1851, engaged in the stock and dairy business. He removed to Sacramento in 1867; sold his ranch, an undivided 500 acres of the Chabolla grant, in 1869.
Grant I. Taggart and the Ringgold brothers took up a claim about one-half mile west of McIntyre, in 1852; they remained only a few months. Taggart was subsequently clerk of the Supreme Court of the State of California.
Willis Wright purchased part of their claim in 1853.
Thomas Armstrong, a widower with two daughters, came into possession of a part of the Ringgold place in the fall of 1852, and engaged in the dairy business; removed to San Francisco some years later, and his son-in-law carried on the dairy business.
Dr. Russell came to the township in 1850; owned a ranch about four miles west from Galt; was engaged in the cattle business until his death in 1861.
William H. Young and family were among the earliest settlers in the vicinity of Galt; he is a large land-owner in the township now.
S. Fugitt and family settled on Dry Creek in 1852; he built the fourth honse in the town- ship. He kept a hotel for some years; was also engaged in stock business.
Iliram Chase came to the township in 1852; returned to the East in 1856, coming back to Dry Creek Township in 1869.
George M. Gray settled in the township in 1850, James Short in 1853, Andrew Whitaker in 1852, and John McFarland in 1851.
Evan Evans settled in Dry Creek Township in 1851, in that portion near Dry Creek known as the pocket; he bought out parties by the name of Donaldson, and William and L. Mc- Alta.
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