USA > California > San Joaquin County > An illustrated history of San Joaquin County, California. Containing a history of San Joaquin County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its future prospects; > Part 4
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were a large number of servants and Mexicans in the employ of Captain Weber.
But the cry of gold, like the calling " cluck- cluck " of the domestic fowl on discovering a. little inorsel of food, immediately brought immi- grants to this territory by the tens of thousands. The first impulse was, of course, to the mines, and the second to the initial settlements on good lands, including Stockton and vicinity. But before the rebounding wave could strike the agricultural sections, Stockton began rapidly to grow, on account of its becoming an entrepôt for the transportation of goods and miners' sup- plies to the gold fields. By December, 1849, it became a city of over 1,000 inhabitants, with many vessels lying in the slough.
There is one account very explicit as to the settlement of Mormons in Castoria Township in 1846. It is probably correct, although we do not find it elsewhere. It must be given as part of this narrative. It says in substance: In the fall of 1846 the Mormon's made an attempt at settlement. They came, some thirty of them, up the San Joaquin river in a schooner, land- ing on the east bank near where the Central Pacific Railroad crosses, and then went over the country to the north bank of the Stanislaus river to a point about one and one-half miles from its mouth, where a location had been pre- viously selected by Samuel Brannan, under whose orders the settlers were acting. The party, all of whom were well armed with rifles and revolvers, had come intending to stay. The little schooner that brought them, the first probably that ever ascended San Joaquin river, was loaded with wheat, a wagon and implements necessary to found a settlement and put in a crop. They soon completed a log house, cov- ered with oak shingles made on the ground. They erected a Pulgas red-wood saw-mill and sawed the boards from oak logs with which to lay the floor. As soon as the building was com - pleted they plowed ground and sowed wheat, fencing it in. In this way, by the middle of January, 1847, they had eighty acres sowed and enclosed. The fence was made by cutting down
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
and cutting up oak trees, rolling the butt and large pieces into a line and covering them with limbs. The native Californians made their fences in this way. Then dissensions arose among them, and the leader, Stout, lett the country. The author states that this was the first permanent settlement in the valley, as Lindsay's house had been burned and he killed ; but it could hardly be regarded as permanent from what followed.
The account continues: The valley was filled at this time with wild horses, elk and an- telope, which went in droves by thousands. Deer were very plenty. The ground was cov- ered with geese; the lakes and rivers with ducks, and the willow swamps along the river banks were filled with grizzly bears. The paths of the bears were as much worn and well defined as the paths of cattle or horses. A bear's path can never be mistaken. They travel with their legs wide apart, and in going over a road a thousand times they invariably step in the same place, so that a regnlar grizzly bear's path is nothing but two parallel lines of holes worn in the ground. Bear's oil took the place of lard in cooking.
The only provisions sent for the colony was . unground wheat, sugar and coffee. All else had to be procured with the rifle. They had a mill with steel plates instead of buhrs, driven with a crank by hand. The wheat was cut or ground up in this way, but not bolted. Every man had to grind his own supply and do his own cooking. The winter of 1846-'47 was very wet and stormy. In consequence of the rain the river rose very rapidly. Eight feet an hour " on the perpen- dicular" was marked. About the middle of January, 1847, the river overflowed its banks and the whole country was under water for miles in every direction. The San Joaquin river was three miles wide opposite Corral Hollow. After digging their first meagre crop of potatoes, which were mostly rotten, the en- terprise was abandoned. Mr. Buckland, who afterwards bnilt the Buckland House in San Francisco, was the last of the little colony to leave the place. W. H. Fairchilds, afterward 3
county supervisor, moved him to Stockton in 1847. The balance of the colony had gone to the lower country, but when the gold excite- ment broke ont they concentrated at what is known as Mormon Island, and worked the mines, depositing their dust with Samuel Bran- nan " in the name of the Lord," and when they wanted their money it is said he told theni he would be happy to honor their check signed by the Lord, and until this was done he should keep the deposit secure.
Subsequently in the early settlement of Stock- ton, a small company of Mormons settled near the bulkhead of Mormon channel, and after them the channel was named. Somewhat corrobora- tive of this account of the settlement in Castoria Township, it is known that in 1846 eighty acres was sown to wheat in that township, but there was no yield; and here let us stop to make a little inquiry into the early experiments in grain growing in this county. In the year 1847, Joe Bussel sowed about sixteen acres to wheat near Lindsay's Point, but it was not worth cutting. In 1851 W. L. Overhiser raised sixteen acres of barley on the Calaveras river north of Stock- ton, and this he harvested, and this would seem to have been the first crop liarvested in San Joaquin County. Mr. Sargent grew between forty and fifty acres near where Woodbridge now stands, and harvested it, and it was after the driest winter ever known in the State; and these were the only fields cut in the county.
The next year Sargent and Overhiser each harvested about sixty acres of grain, and quite a number of others grew grain in small fields, so the assessor's returns show there was 4,001 acres of grain. There was of wheat 5,145 bushels; barley, 111,489 busliels; oats, 1,625 busliels; corn, 1,245 bushels; potatoes, 42 3-10 tons. And this grain was ent with cradles which cost $150 apiece.
In October, 1847, a company of overland emigrants arrived at the place, on their way to the lower country. Mr. Weber persuaded them to stop for a time and look over the valley, to see if they would not consider it to their ad-
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
vantage to remain. W. H. Fairchilds, since a connty supervisor, was of this party, as well as Nicholas Gann and his wife Ruth, who, while they were camping on the point where Weber's honse now stands, in October, gave birth to a son, to whom they gave the name of William. This was the first child born of white parents in the county. With the exception of Mr. Fair- childs, the parties all decided to move farther sonth.
It was during that year that Captain Charles Imus undertook to carry out a "wild horse scheme." He selected a point on the San Joa- qniu river, where San Joaquin city now stands, which he considered favorable, and then went to the mountains west of the valley and com. menced cutting timber to build a corral, into which he proposed driving wild horses, and there to capture them; when Pico, on whose grant he was cutting the timber, put a stop to his visions of corraling the " untamed steeds of the desert," by singing to him the pathetic song of " Wood- man, Spare that Tree," and the Captain, not caring to verify the old saw of " a nod is na sae good as a kick for a blind horse," folded up his tent like the Arab, and departed into the lower country. Captain Imus was the leader of the party that crossed the plains in 1846, of which the Pyles, Isbels, Elders, and Rhoads were members.
In 1847 Eli Randall, Joseph Bussell, An- drew Baker, John Sirey (variously spelled), R. B. Thompson, John H. Webster, Mr. McGee, George Frazer, W. H. Fairchilds and Mr. Pyle, are mentioned as being in and about Stockton, and at that time there was no settlement in the county whatever outside of Stockton, and this was tre until 1849, with the exception of a few transients already mentioned,-Boswell, Scott and Doak at the ferry, and Dr. I. P. Isbel, and there were no women or children with them.
Samuel Catts, who settled permanently in Stockton in January, 1849, first stopped at San Francisco in 1847, then in the military service. The next year he passed through here on his way to Mokelumne Hill, with a very rudely-
constructed cart hauled by oxen. The team hauled the load by a piece of wood being at- tached to their horns, to which the cart or load was hitched. These California carts were made entirely of wood, composed of two wheels and box, the wheels being abont two and a half feet in diameter.
WEBER AND THE CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA.
Soon after Mexico gained her independence from Spain a party of revolutionists obtained control of the government and formed a new constitution, which deprived the Mexican States of many of their former privileges. This angered the Californians, and in Monterey they arose in a mass and declared themselves inde- pendent until the re-adoption of the old consti- tution. Efforts were made to incite the people to arms, and a body of men under General Val- lejo disbanded the American troops and trans- ported the Government officials to Mexico. Peace was restored in 1837, and the people took the oath of allegiance; but in their hearts there was a feeling of hatred against the Mex- ican government which time could not beal. Governor Alvarado and General Vallejo fell into an angry dispute, each asking for the other's removal. The home government con- cluded to stop tronble by displacing both of the grumblers. In Angust, 1842, Micheltorena arrived in San Diego with an army, and with two-fold power-that of civil and military gov- ernor-and was generally welcomed by the people. During this happy period Commodore Jones, of the United States government, sailed into Monterey and promptly hoisted the Ameri- can flag, which excited the Mexicans for a time; but upon the Commodore's taking down the flag all was again qniet. Both General Vallejo and ex Governor Alvarado, not liking this movement;by the liome government, united their forces with those of Castro, and attempted to drive Micheltorena back into Mexico.
About this time, and after the arrival of Weber, an alliance was formed between the pioneers and Indians, strengthened by the ar-
Charles H. Weber 2
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
rangement which he made with Jose Jesus at Sutter's Fort, and the policy of this party was that of peace, as their desire was to remain neutral. The small-pox, together with the breaking ont of the Micheltorena war, depopu- lated the county in 1844. During the latter part of this year and the early portion of the next, a serious departure was made by the for- eign population of the country from their un- dorstood policy of non-intervention between opposing factions of the country. The first in- stance of this was exhibited in forcing upon Captain Weber, at San Jose, who was conduct- ing a large mercantile business tliere, and was exposed to depredations from the outlaws and other ruffians under Micheltorena. When Micheltorena came within twelve miles of San Jose to suppress the rebellion, lie was met by Captain Weber with an armed force, Castro's army having fled from San Jose. Depending upon his friendship with Micheltorena, and re- sorting again to peace measures, he sent a note to tliat gentleman informing him that Castro had fled, and requesting him to march around the town. The Mexican general informed him that he must pass through the town in pursuit of Castro. As this meant destruction of prop- erty and possibly of life, Weber determined to resist it.
Hastily summoning the men of San Jose he told them of the condition of affairs, and said that by organizing the progress of the pursning army could be checked. A company was formed, and Weber placed in command; and they set out to ineet the enemy. He sent a message to Micheltorena, informing him what he had done, and telling him that he was acting only in de- fense of his property, and that he liad no designs whatever against him. However, when Weber met the General he relied upon strategy to ac- complish liis purpose. Commanding his inen to appear on the surrounding hills he had them ride quickly about from point to point, appear- ing and re-appearing so that he would seem to have a large armny. When the scouts of the enemy appeared Weber's force would drive
them back. These maneuvers lasted for several days, until Castro, hearing of the brave stand of this handful of inen, became ashamed of liis cowardice, and re-enforced Weber. Michel- torena, finding that lie had truly a large force in the country, made peace and agreed to leave the valley.
The next year, and just before the full inaug- uration of war between the United States and Mexico in California, Captain Weber was ap- praised of the event by the naval officers at Yerba Buena, and, to more fully satisfy himself regarding the coming events, on pretence of business started for Yerba Buena, and on arriv- ing there learned that Fremont was across the bay. Going over, he met him and learned the contents of the Government dispatches to Fre- mont brought by Gillespie, and also his plans, and particulars concerning the Bear Flag insur- rection. Weber informed Fremont of the movements of Castro and of the helpless con- dition of the families of the immigrants, and it was thought advisable to bring them together in some fortified place.
Weber then returned to Yerba Buena. On his way back to San Jose, in passing through the Redwood mountains, in June, 1846, he talked too freely with an Irish settler named John Coppinger, who had a Mexican wife, and betrayed Weber to Castro, then at Santa Clara preparing to attack the Bear Flag party. Weber began raising a force in that region to protect San Jose. Going to that pueblo one day on business, tlie Alcalde invited him to his house. He went, not suspecting danger, and he was taken prisoner, together with a Mr. Wash- burn, his blacksmith. Castro's men were then eager for liis life, and twice was he taken out of his cell to be shot; but so strongly were Castro and another officer attached to him for past serv- ices that his life was spared.
On the 7th of July came the news of the hoisting of the American flag at Monterey and the hasty departure of Castro for Los Angeles, tak- ing Weber, Washburn and Burt with him. During the flight, Castro released Washburn
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
and Burt, but kept Weber, whom he took all the way to the Rio Grande, leaving him there to find his way back afoot and alone. He ar- rived in Los Angeles some two or three days after the capture, for the first time saw Com- modore Stockton, and on that occasion the Com- inodore talked so sweetly to Captain Weber that the latter decided to name his town here in his honor.
When Castro left Los Angeles he buried all his artillery; and Weber, learning that the forces were searching for it, told Fremont that if he were provided with a detachment of men and some money, he thought he could find it. These were provided, and, finding some of his friends who had been in Castro's army, Weber handed thein a little money and the artillery was found. Among the cannon was the brass field-piece of Captain Sntter. This and other pieces were placed on board vessels at the close of the war, and Sutter's was restored to him.
Reaching San Jose the first of October, he received in a letter the startling news that Flores had risen in revolt near Los Angeles, and Gilles- pie, who had been left to hold that town, was a prisoner. Fears being entertained that the re- volt might excite an open rebellion of the Cali- fornians in "the middle and northern depart- ments, Captain Weber received orders to enlist as many men as possible for either three or six months. What occurred directly afterward demonstrates that Weber was a far better sol- dier than Fremont. The latter was sent on a swift coaster from Yerba Buena fast in the wake of the Savannalı to San Pedro, with 200 rifle- men, who were to land in the night at Santa Barbara and take the place by surprise. On his way down he was told by the captain of a mer- chant ship coming up that it was impossible to obtain any horses in that vicinity, as they liad all been stolen by the Californians, and he there- upon turned abont and came back to Monterey. The Americans were therefore defeated of their purpose. The news of this imbecile movement humiliated Weber. Receiving a letter from Captain Montgomery asking him to obtain
horses for Fremont's command, he replied that if horses were to be found he would have them. He got them; and with his splendid company of mounted riflemen, he rode over all the country between San Jose and San Juan, collecting more horses and driving them to that place. Captain Maddox, riding back to San Jose, immediately started on another raid in the range of monn- tains bordering on the coast west of Yerba Buena. Having heard of the coming of Weber in search of horses, the Californians and for- eigners endeavored to hide their animals in the hills, and in order to secure them it was neces- sary for Weber to divide his company in squads of two, three and four, and ride quietly through the surrounding hills. In taking horses with- ont regard for friend or foe, he chanced to take those of Wm. D. Howard & Co., which crippled their business, as they could not then travel throughout the country with their mer- chandise. Howard's horses were at this time in charge of Sanchez, and the owner remon- strated with Weber, but in vain. However, he finally went to Captain Montgomery and ob- tained relief.
Weber left all the horses in charge of the officers at Yerba Buena, and with his men scoured the opposite country as far north as Martinez for yet more. These were driven to San Jose and pastured on Weber's ranch, but soon were in the possession of Fremont, who with 300 monnted and equipped men started for Los Angeles.
During the first week in December, Lieuten- ant Bartlett ventured out of reach of the vessel's cannon at Yerba Buena and was taken prisoner by Sanchez and a force of fifty inen, who had started another " revolution." Weber, hearing of the imprisonment of his friend, made prep- aration to pursue Sanchez. For a time he was in doubt regarding his future plan of action, and even brave men were in fear. The army was 500 miles away, the force of the pueblo was small and inferior, the marines of the ves- sels were useless without horses, and the strength of the enemy was unknown. Sending
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
word to Captain Maddox at Monterey to come to Santa Cruz and intercept Sanchez should hie retreat in that direction, Captain Weber sent word by water to Captain Montgomery of his intended plan and also for a force to hold the pueblo in his absence. Lieutenant Pinckney arrived to hold the post, and Captain Weber started for Yerba Buena. On the way he learned that Sanchez had gone with his prisoners into the mountains. Arriving at Yerba Buena, he consulted Commodore Hull. now in command of the department, and they agreed upon a plan.
The force, consisting of two mounted com- panies and one of artillery, after a tedious de- lay, started on their march. Sanchez, by the tardiness of the troops, had increased his force to more than 200 men and advanced to San Jose expecting to find it unoccupied. Lieutenant Pinckney, however, was there to receive him and he again returned to the mountains. As on their marchi toward Santa Clara the troops came into a dense hedge of tall mustard, San- chez and his men came galloping over the plain and fired upon the troops as they approached, throwing them into dismay, as their position was very disadvantageous and their naval com- inander was ignorant of land tactics. Reach- ing the open plain, they brought their cannon into play, and the famous battle of Santa Clara was fought, with victory in two short hours on the side of the troops. Sanchez, the last revo- lutionist of the period, was obliged to capitu- late. While the terms of surrender were under consideration, a body of men came over the hills at a donble quick, firing upon the Sanchez party at every step. It was the brave Captain Maddox, who, tired of waiting, was advancing toward Santa Clara, and, hearing the firing, rapidly advanced, only to meet the defeated foe.
In January, 1847, the Californians were everywhere conquered, and soon afterward peace was declared between the United States and Mexico.
WEBER AND CIVIL AFFAIRS.
We will now proceed to mention the other prominent events of Weber's life prior to 1849,
reserving a formal biography of him, containing other points, for a future chapter.
Mr. Weber came to California in 1841 with the noted Bartelson party, consisting of thirty- five inen and one woman. The lady was Mrs. Nancy A. Kelsey, wife of Benjamin Kelsey, the first woman to cross the plains to this country. The Bartelson party was a combination of emi- grants for three different points. One party was destined for Oregon; another was a company of Jesuit priests going to the western wilds on a mission to the Indians in Idaho and Oregon; and of this party Father P. J. De Smet was the leading spirit. The third party was the Cali- fornia wing, numbering thirty-six, as before mentioned.
Leaving Independence, Missouri, May 8, 1841, they all traveled together as far as Fort Hall, Dear Salt Lake, where the division took place. Bartelson's party started for California, without a guide, by the way of Mary's (now Humboldt) river. They went to Carson river, and from the latter by a branch to the main channel of the Walker's river, up which they went to a point near its source. Crossing thence the Sierra Nevada, they descended its western slope between the Stanislaus and Tuolumne rivers. Crossing the San Joaquin river, they finally arrived at the ranch of Dr. Marshe, near the eastern base of Mt. Diablo, November 4, 1841, having been about six months on the way. Here the company rested for a number of days, and then disbanded, each going to the point in the country which his interests demanded. Captain Weber and a friend started for Sutter's Fort, having letters of introduction to Captain Sutter. Passing through the country now known as San Joaquin County, he beheld for the first time the land that the result of his own labors was to people within his life-time with 30,000 souls.
Weber spent the winter of 1841-'42 at the fort, in the employ of Sntter. While there he found a quantity of seeds which had been laid away and apparently forgotten. By way of ex- periment, he planted them, and had good suc- cess. In the spring the premises seemed like
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
an enchanted fortress in the midst of perennial gardens. Besides flowers, there were three kinds of tobacco and some vegetables.
WEBER AND THE INDIANS.
During the same winter Jose Jesus, the cele- brated chief of the Siyakumna tribe, visited the fort, at which time Weber first met him, and a permanent friendship gradually grew np be- tween them, which had mach to do with the peaceable manner in which the country was afterward settled by the whites.
The Captain learned, in his intercourse with the foreigners in the country, that a sentiment was springing up among them in favor of event- ually Americanizing California, and concluded that he was fully warranted in casting his des- tinies with the other venturesome spirits who had decided to make Alta California their future home. In the spring he visited San Jose and decided to make that his home until the time should come, if ever, when it would become necessary to wrest from Mexico a portion of the country, over which to hoist a flag with the " Lone Star." The intention of those who came here previons to June, 1846, with the expecta- tion of making this their home, without regard to their nationality, was to work a political change in the country, " peaceably if they could, forcibly if they must;" and this was to be done not because of any desire to injure the native Californians, nor in a spirit of conquest, but because it was evident to those clear-headed Argonauts that to make the country a prosper- ous one (one that would warrant occupation by a people of progressive civilization), necessitated a radical change in the manner of administering the affairs of State. This change they proposed to effect in connection with the native inhabi- tants, if they could; and if this could not be done, when they became strong enough, event- ually to wrest a portion of the territory from Mexico and form a government of their own.
Captain Weber formed a partnership with Guillermo Gulnac, and soon established a credit which enabled the firmn to do a very large busi-
ness. They were the first parties in that portion of the State to build a flouring mill and manu- facture flour, combining with the business the manufacture of sea-biscuit or crackers, this mill having been erected and flour made in 1842. They also entered quite largely into the man- facture of soap and American shoes, being the first manufacturers of the latter in California. In July, 1843, Gulnac petitioned Mannel Mich- eltorena, the Governor of California, for a grant of eleven square leagues (48,000 acres) of land, to be located in the vicinity of French Camp, in the San Joaquin valley. Captain Weber was the real party who wanted the land, but not being yet a Mexican citizen he employed Gul- nac, who had the right to petition for land. About this time the commercial partnership was dissolved, the Captain becoming the suc- cessor to the business, and Gulnac, his eldest son, Jose, and Peter Lassen, with several vacaros, took the cattle belonging to them and Captain Weber, and proceeded to take possession of the applied for grant, at first making their head- quarters where Stockton now is; but owing to the fact that the Hudson Bay trappers had left for the summer, they became alarmed for their personal safety among the Indians and moved their camp up to the Cosumnes river, so as to be in reach of Sutter's Fort for protection. Gul- nac visited Sutter, and was presented by that officer with a swivel gun such as the navy used in those days when attacking an enemy in small boats, mounting the swivel in the bow. This " young cannon " was to be used by Guhuac as a warning to the Indians to "flee from the wrath to come." It would make a " heap big noise " when fired, and was respected accordingly by the aborigines.
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