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 38

Author: Davis, Winfield J., 1851- 4n
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 916

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 38

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Elk Grove Lodge, No. 173, F. & A. M., was organized at Old Elk Grove, August 6, 1864, the first meetings being held at the house of O. S. Freeman. The charter members were: A. S. Ferris, James B. Ilogle, A. J. Painter, O. S. Freeman, G. W. Chaplin, Thomas McConnell, B. F. Weathers and W. B. Sullivan.

Elk Grove Lodge, No. 274, I. O. O. F., was organized May 2, 1878, with the following charter members: John Wittich, Henry Hill, J. D. Hill, E. W. Walton, W. E. Everson, W. T. Wilson, A. Coffman, I. Iliggins and N. W. Rollins, all of whom are now active members. The first officers were: Henry Hill, N. G .; John Wittich, V. G .; W. E. Everson, Sec .; A. Coff- man, Treas .; J. D. IIill, Warden; E. W. Wal- ton, Con .; N. W. Rollins, I. G ; I. Higgins, O. G.

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

Elk Grove Lodge, No. 110, A. O.U. W., was organized June 16, 1879, with W. E. Everson, J. Everson, L.Foster, N. W. Rollins, J. C. Turley, R. J. Ferguson, W E. Ulman, A. Ross,C.S. Brad- ford, C. P. Bartholomew, F. M. Shultz, as char- ter members. The first officers were: W. E Everson, M. W .; C. S. Bradford, G. F .; Alex- ander Ross, O .; R. J. Ferguson, G .; F. M. Shultz, Rec .; J. C. Turley, Financier; N. W. Rollins, Recorder; W. E. Ulman, I. W .; L. Foster, O. W .; J. Everson, P. M. W. This so- ciety has been discontinued.

Elk Grove Lodge, No. 449, I. O. G. T., was organized November 9, 1872, W. E. Carothers, M. A. Sherwood, G. W. Fox, H. B. Ulinan, Lizzie Babcock, J. H. Kent, L. H. Green, G.L. Babcock, Susie Fox, W. S. Corwin, L. Howland, S. B. Green, Ed. Corwin, M. A. Kent and Miss L. C. Nelmes being the charter members. The first officers were: W. E. Carothers, W. C. T .; M. A. Sherwood, V. C. T .; W. S. Corwin, W. Chaplain; G. W. Fox, W. S .; Lizzie Babcock, W. O. S .; H. B. Ulman, W. F. S .; J. H. Kent, W. Treas .; G. H. Green, W. M .; E. A. Corwin, W. D. M .; Lizzie Fox, W. I. G .; G. S. Babcock, W. O. G .; Lizzie C. Nelmes, W. R. H. S .; S. B. Thompson, W. L. H. S .; R. S. Greer, P. W. C. T. This lodge has been suffered to go down.

FLORIN .- This is a small town on the Central Pacific Railroad, about eight miles from the Sacramento postoffice, and on the dividing line between Brighton and San Joaquin townships. The name of Florin was given to the locality about 1864, by Judge E. B. Crocker, owing to the great number of wild flowers which grew in the vicinity, and the name was given to the vil- lage in 1875, when it was commenced. The railroad station was established in 1875; a post office was also established the same year, F. Sug- den, Postmaster. Johnson & Sugden opened the first store, general merchandise, in 1875; Fred Sugden, successor, in October, 1879. A school-honse was built here in 1877. The only hotel in Florin was opened by Leonard Goddard in 1875.

The soil in and around Florin, for about four

miles wide and ten miles long, lies upon a for- mation of hard pan, averaging from four to five feet in depth. It is well adapted for the raising of sinall fruits, but it is necessary to irrigate them.

Florin Grange, No. 130, P. of H .- This grange was organized December 17, 1874, with the following officers and charter members: Caleb Arnold, M .; J. J. Bates, O .; W. A. Smith, L .; David Reese, S .; Charles Lee, A. S .; W. H. Starr, C .; I. Lea, T .; W. Scholefield, Sec .; G. H. Jones, G. K .; Mrs. M. J. Castle, Ceres; C. A. Taylor, Pomona; T. A. Buell, Flora; C. A. Starr, L. A. T .; Mrs. E. Reese, D. H. Bnell, Daniel Buell, Mrs. P. Arnold, Charles Jackson, C. A. Phillips and E. J. Taylor. This grange still flourishes.

Elk Grove Parlor, No. 41, N. S. G. W., was organized in September, 1884. The following are the officers: P. Williams, Past P .; W. J. Elder, Pres .; C. C. Bass, 1st V. P .; Frank Wardrobe, 2d V. P .; George McConnell, 3d V. P .; P. Williams, Treas .; William Sims, Sec .; L. Freeman, Marshal; Charles Kelly, I. S .; C. Bandy, O. S .; Dr. Charles Powers, Surgeon.

" SHELDON," as a town, never existed; a black- smith shop, the inevitable saloon, and two or three houses were the extent of its being in its most palmy days. It is now deserted.

McCONNELL's is a station on the Central Pa- cific Railroad. At the present time there is nothing there but a station house.

The first school district in San Joaquin Town- ship includes nearly all of Dry Creek Township, as well as San Joaquin, it all being kuown at that time as San Joaquin Township. The school was established in 1853. The first teacher for the term of 1853 and 1854 was a Mr. Sullivan; the second term, 1854 and 1855, was taught by Harvey Kerr. But the first school in Sacra- mento County was tanght by Mr. O'Brien, at the house of Martin Murphy.

SUTTER.

The original boundaries of this township, as established in 1851, were as follows: Beginning at the southwest corner of Sacramento City, and

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

thence running east along the southern line of said city to the southeast corner thereof; thence easterly to the road from Brighton to Daylor's Ranch; thence along said road in a southeast- erly direction three miles; thence in a southerly and southwesterly direction to the intersection of Cosumnes and San Joaquin rivers, excluding all ranches and settlements on the banks of the Cosumnes River; thence down the San Joaquin River to its junction with the Sacramento River; thence along said river or western boundary of the county to the beginning.

On August 14, 1854, Georgiana Township was set off from the southern portion, and Oc- tober 20, 1856, the Board of Supervisors estab- lished the present boundaries, as follows: Be- ginning on the Sacramento River, at the south- western corner of Sacramento City; thence southerly along the Sacramento River to the line between townships 7 and 8 north; thence east and along said township line to the south- east corner of section 33 and southwest corner of section 34, township 8 north, range 5 east of Monnt Diablo base and meridian; thence north and through the center of said township 8 north, range 5 east, to the American River; thence north -* erly and westerly along the American River to the northeastern corner of Sacramento Town- ship; thence southerly and westerly along the eastern and southern boundaries of said Sacra- mento Township to the beginning.

Sutter Township is situated so directly around Sacramento that it is difficult to separate their histories. The township is almost all nnder cultivation, having many fine places and farms. There are many vineyards, some of them of good size, and the number is increasing yearly. Growing hops is also a source of revenue to the inhabitants of Sutter Township.

For an account of Sutterville, see chapter on the Founding of Sacramento.

SMITHI'S GARDENS .- A. P. Smith, in December, 1849, purchased from John A. Sutter fifty acres of land on the south bank of American River, about three miles from Sacramento, and immediately proceeded to improve the same. At the time of

the location the ground was considered high, and was open, the only timber being a few oaks and cottonwoods on the banks of the American.

Smith commenced by raising vegetables, planting at the same time such fruit trees and seeds as he could procure. As fast as possible he imported other and choice varieties of fruit and shade trees, ornamental plants and flowers of all kinds. The grounds were laid out with about two miles of walk, the entire length be- ing filled in with shell brought from San Fran- cisco. This shell walk can now be found by digging down from one to three feet.

Four acres were laid ont into a flower garden, which were soon filled with rare plants. .

The rest of the ground was planted with fruit trees of all sorts. It is said that there were nearly 1,000 varieties growing at one time. The approach to the residence was reached by a winding avenne, nearly a mile in length and shaded by trees on each side. There was also a drive through and about the grounds.

Mr. Smith discovered very early that irriga- tion would be necessary, and imported a Worth- ington steam pump, throwing about 300 gallons per minute and capable of irrigating 150 acres. Pipes were laid down and hydrants put in at snch intervals that the whole garden could be irrigated with hose.

The flood of 1861-'62 spread devastation over this beautiful place; the American River ent in on its southern bank, encroached 500 feet on the gardens, swept away the family residence, and left a deposit of sediment over the whole grounds of from one to six feet in depth. The proprietor estimated his loss by that flood at $100,000. In 1862, when the new levee system was adopted, Smith made strenuous endeavors to have his place included, but failed. High water has visited the place several times since then, and though the gardens are still there, they are only the wreck of their former magnificence.

OTHER POINTS.

The Tivoli House is situated about where the railroad turns to the north to cross the Ameriena

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

River. The Tivoli is a pioneer institution, where the meetings of the Swiss Rifle Club, the Turners, Sharpshooters, etc., were held in early years. The place is still frequented, though not the resort it was in former years.

East Park is a suburban place of resort, situ- ated just outside of the city limits, having its frontage on the east line of Thirty-first street, the whole park containing thirty acres. The land was purchased in the fall of 1871, and has been improved with 'buildings and drives, trees and shrubbery, and is a popular place of resort for picnics and pleasure parties generally. The street railroad cars run to the gates, thus afford- ing cheap and easy transit to and from the grounds.

Riverside is situated on the east side of the

Sacramento River below the city, distant by water seven or eight miles from the landing, and by the turnpike about five miles from the court- house. It was formerly known as Hooker's Ranch, and was a favorite place of resort for boating parties in early times. The tract of eighty-five acres was purchased in 1872 by the Riverside Hotel and Turnpike Company. The company had an act passed by the Legislature in 1872, authorizing it to establish a toll-road, the rates of toll to be regulated by the Board of Supervisors of Sacramento County. Grading began in April, 1872. There are along the line of road five tanks, holding about 4,000 gallons each, used for furnishing a supply of water, with which the road is sprinkled during the summer months.

A. P. Gatlin

HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

249

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

P. CATLIN .- Since the pioneer days of Sacramento County no name has been more closely identified with its history than that with which this sketch commences; thus it is, that supplementary to the chapter on the bench and bar of the county, this article, giving a brief outline of his life and labors, be- came necessary. He was born on the Livings- ton Manor, Dutchess County, New York, at Tivoli, then known as Red Hook, January 25, 1823. The founder of the family in America, Thomas Catlin, came from Kent, England, in 1643, and located at Hartford, Connecticut; Litchfield, in the same State, finally became the family seat, and five generations of the family were born there, down to and including the father of the subject. His grandfather, David, was a captain in the Connectiont militia during the Revolutionary War, and was at Danbury when General Wooster lost his life resisting the attack of the British General Tryon. He lived to pass his ninety-third birthday. The parents of the subject were Pierce and Annie (Wine- gar) Catlin. The father was in early life a school-teacher, afterward a wagon-maker, and finally a farmer. In 1826 the family removed to Kingston, New York, where A. P. Catlin grew up, and attended the Kingston Academy, where he was graduated. He had also attended

school for a time at Litchfield, Connecticut, making his home during that time with his grandfather, Captain Catlin. When in his eighteenth year lie entered the office of the law firm composed of Judges James C. Forsyth and James O. Linderman, both of whoin were in the front rank of the legal profession of eastern New York. On the 12th of January, 1844, he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of New York, at Albany, and four days later to the Court of Chancery. He practiced law four years in Ulster County, frequently meeting in forensic battle such antagonists as John Currey, afterward Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; William Fullerton, the Judge Fullerton after- ward distinguished as counsel in the Beecher trial; and T. R. Westbrook, later one of the judges of the Supreme Court of New York. While practicing in Ulster County, he success- fully conducted an important litigation in whichi he had for his client the Spanish Consul, resi- dent at New York. He pleaded the consular privilege of answering only in a federal court, a privilege which was vigorously disputed, but he succeeded in ousting the State conrt of juris- diction. In 1848 he removed to New York city, and formed a partnership with his cousin, George Catlin, with office at No. 14 Pine street. On the 8th of January, 1849, he sailed in the

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

brig David Henshaw for San Francisco, arriving at that port on the 8th of the following July. He had brought with him a costly outfit of mining machinery, and after a month at San Francisco, proceeded to Mormon Island, where lie was soon engaged in mining. He passed the winter at that occupation, also practicing law before the alcalde of that district. In May, 1850, he formed a law partnership with John Currey and opened an office in Sacramento. They were associated but a short time, Mr. Currey being compelled to retire to San Fran- cisco on account of his health. Mr. Catlin was a witness to the squatter riots, and took a deep interest in the matters then in controversy. In the fall of 1850 he closed his Sacramento office and went again to Mormon Island to attend to his own mining interests, and to settle up the affairs of the Connecticut Mining and Trading Com- pany, successors to Samuel Brannan. While there, William L. Goggin, agent of the post- office department for the coast, visited Mormon Island for the purpose of establishing a post- office, and Mr. Catlin was requested by him to furnish a name. He suggested Natoma, the name he had already given to the mining com- pany he had organized and signifying " clear water." Goggin adopted the name and that section of Sacramento County was officially named " Natoma Township." In 1851 he was nominated by the Whigs for the Assembly, but was, with the whole ticket, defeated. In the following year he was nominated for State Sen- ator, and was elected on the ticket when General Scott was a candidate for President. He served in that capacity for two years, in the sessions at Vallejo, Benicia, and Sacramento. He was the author of the homestead bill, the same as that afterward adopted, but defeated at the time by the casting vote of the lieutenant-governor. The location of the seat of government at Sacra- mento was accomplished by Mr. Catlin, after that result had been given up by all others, by a remarkable piece of parliamentary strategy, invented by himself and referred to more fully in the proper chapter of this work. During the

session of 1853 he rendered important service to the city of San Francisco, in contributing largely to the defeat of the scheme to extend the water-front of that city 600 feet further into the bay. He wrote the report of the select committee having the matter in charge in such a forcible manner as to virtually kill all chance of the project. This powerful argument is to be found in the published jonrnals of the fourth session of the Legislature. He had meantime continued his mining operations, and on Christ. mas day, 1851, located a mining canal, starting two and a half miles above Salınon Falls, and carrying the water of the south fork of the American River to Mormon Island and Folsom. This undertaking was completed early in 1853. It was then a very important work, as indeed it is now, though nsed for a different purpose- that of irrigation. He continued mining until 1865, when he permanently moved to Sacra- mento. During the interim, however, he had taken an important part in other affairs than those of mining. In 1854 he was tendered the nomination for Congress on the Whig ticket, but declined. During the height of the success of the Know-Nothing movement, in 1855-'56, he was practically retired from politics. In the summer of 1856 he and Robert C. Clark (after- ward county judge and later superior judge) were nominated by a convention of some forty persons, composed of old-line Whigs and ex- Know-Nothings, as candidates for the Legisla- ture, and having heen prevailed npon to run against apparently strong odds, both were elected. John H. McKune' was also elected at the same time on the Democratic ticket. That session of the Legislature, which commenced January 1, 1857, was a very important one. During this session Henry Bates, State Treasurer, was im- peached, and it was through Mr. Catlin that this result was brought about, and the gigantic raids upon the treasury of the State were brought to light. In March, 1872, Mr. Catlin was ap- pointed one of three members of the State Board of Equalization, and served as such until April, 1876. The most effective powers con-

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

ferred on the board by the Legislature were, after a long contest, declared unconstitutional by three of the five judges of the Supreme Court, and this led to the abolition of the board. In 1875 he was brought forward as a candidate for Governor before the Independent State Con- vention, but was defeated by the combined votes of the supporters of John Bidwell and M. M. Estee, which on the final ballot were cast for General Bidwell. In 1878 he was nomi- nated by the joint convention of the Republicans and Democrats of Sacramento as delegate to the constitutional convention, but declined. In 1879 he was one of the nominees of the Repub- lican party for one of the seven judgeships of the re-organized Supreme Court, but was de- feated with all but one on his ticket. Mr. Cat- lin has had an extensive and varied practice in the United States Circuit and District Courts in this State, in the courts of San Francisco, in Sacramento and other counties, and in the Su- preme Court of California. He was also, in times past, for considerable periods, at intervals, editor of the old Sacramento Union. He was thus employed from September, 1864, at the commencement of Lincoln's second campaign, until April, 1865. His political articles were generally recognized as fair by the opponents of the war, against whom they were aimed. His editorial on the execution of Maximilian, headed " The End of a Tyrant," attracted wide atten- tion and was copied in Spanish in the leading Mexican papers. During ten years he success- fully defended the Union in eight different ac- tions for libel. His successful prosecution of the celebrated Leidesdorff ranch case, was one of his most brilliant legal victories. When the Government eventually appealed the case to the highest legal tribunal in the land, and it came up for argument before the United States Su- preme Court, in December, 1863, Mr. Catlin proceeded to Washington and was admitted to the Supreme Court on motion of Judge Jere. Black. He was heard for the greater part of two days, and his argument won six of the nine judges, and carried the case. His further con-

nection with events in Sacramento County is omitted here to avoid repetition of matters else- where mentioned in this volume. His partners in law practice since John Currey, have been :- Judge T. B. McFarland, David A. Hamburger, Lincoln White and his present associate, Judge George A. Blanchard. Mr. Catlin was married May 1, 1860, to Miss Ruth A. C. Donaldson, a native of Iowa. She died in February, 1878, leaving four children, viz: Alexander Donald- son, John C., Ruth B., and Harry C. Mr. Cat- lin is a member of the Sacramento Society of California Pioneers, of the San Francisco His- torical Society, and of the Bar Association of San Francisco. No man who has figured in the history of Sacramento has a more honorable record than hias Mr. Catlin.

T. REV. PATRICK MANOGUE, Bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento, Catholic. The great spiritual see over which this gentleman presides embraces the twenty-five northern and central counties of California and the whole of the western and most populous portion of the State of Nevada, and was practi- cally created for him in the year 1886, as will be more fully seen later on. For the laborious duties entailed upon the Bishop of a field so extensive and including the wild mining regions of the Sierra Nevadas, probably no one could be better fitted than the affable Bishop Manogue, on account of his life and training and his sin- gularly clear judgment of human nature. He was born in the County of Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1831. At the city of Callan, Kilkenny, he pursued his early studies, and there resided until in 1849 he came to America. After a few years spent in the Eastern States, he continued his studies at the University of St. Mary's of the Lake at Chicago. During the cholera sea- son of 1854 in that city he wore out his health in the ardnous labors of the time, and for the purpose of recuperating he for fourteen months lived the hard life of a miner in Nevada County,

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

California, learning by actual experience the privations and hardy pleasures of this rongher but sturdy phase of human life. In his own words, copying a report of an address delivered by him at the time of the laying of the corner- stone of the grand Cathedral of the Holy Sac- rament in this city, he " held a drill when at every stroke of the hammer the fire flew from the flinty quartz. Whenever hard work was to be done he referred to his associates (who had been his partners in the mines) to prove that he was ready to take a hand in its performance." But those were the days when the thrift, the brawn of the State, was in the mountains. In all, he lived for three years at the mines, and then proceeded to Paris, where at. the grand Seminary of St. Sulpice he completed his studies by a course extending over four years, and in 1861 was ordained as a priest by Cardinal Mor- lot, especially for work in the archdiocese here. Passing through Virginia City, Nevada, on his way to this State, he was appointed to his first mission there, and for twenty years occupied that field. For fifteen years previously to his being appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the dio- cese, he was Vicar-general of the whole diocese. Sharon, Mackay and Fair were personal friends, who left monuments there which will not equal those left by the Bishop. He had erected the first Gothic building in Virginia City, costing $80,000. During his priesthood at Virginia City, he built three churches, a convent, and a hospital, at a total cost of about $300,000, all of which large sum was collected by himself, and paid for. His residence there is remnem- bered with the veneration, love and affection of every one in that section irrespective of church, the kindness of heart and ready hand of Father Manogue aiding multitudes through seasons of distress. In 1880 he was appointed Coadjutor to Bishop O'Connell, of the Grass Valley Dio- cese. In 1884 he was appointed to succeed Bishop O'Connell, who, by reason of advancing years and long labor in the vineyard of the Church, was permitted to retire. In 1886, ow- ing to Bishop Manogue's representations of the

decadence of Grass Valley in its importance as a center, dne to the slackening of mining mat- ters, and the growing consequence of Sacra- mento as the political head of the State and a distributing point for trade, Pope Leo XIII de- creed that hereafter what had before been known and recognized as the Catholic Diocese of Grass Valley should be styled and acknowledged as the Diocese of Sacramento, with the seat of the episcopate in Sacramento city. At once he set personally at work, ntilizing to the fullest that rare combination of business qualifications and theological attainments by which Bishop Man- ogue is characterized, to better the state of the diocese. Recognizing the necessity for a more representative house of worship than then ex- isted, he bent his energies to the task of another edifice. The result is the grand " Cathedral of the Holy Sacrament," located at the corner of K and Eleventh streets, completed and dedicated in the summer of 1889. On another page is presented an engraving of this splendid struct- ure, which is fully described elsewhere. For grandeur, architectural magnificence, and ar- tistic finish, it has no equal in the West, and is a noble addition to the attractions of California from a scenic standpoint. Further, it should be stated that under the vigorous hand of Bishop Manogue new life has been infused into the veins of what has been heretofore the somewhat sluggish city of Sacramento. Yet not alone in a business and material sense has the episcopate of Bishop Manogne aroused life and activity. Every branch of faith has likewise stirred at sight of the vigor of the Church. Other church edifices are projected, the cause of charity meets a ready response, and cognate organizations are moving with renewed effort. Such in brief and imperfect form is a sketch of one of whom (to copy from a local paper) " little can be said that is not known wide and well the broad Pacific Coast over, throughout its hills and valleys, its mountains and plains, wherever pioneer Chris- tian labor was to be performed. Nor has an abiding love and veneration for him found lodg- ment alone in the Catholic heart; for if current

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Author: Davis, Winfield J., 1851- 4n Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 916

Author: Davis, Winfield J., 1851- 4n
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 916