USA > California > Sonoma County > An illustrated history of Sonoma County, California. Containing a history of the county of Sonoma from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time > Part 44
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border of the redwood belt, and its inhabitants are mostly wood-choppers and lumbermen. The Guerneville branch of the North Pacific Rail- road passes near by affording ready communi- cation with San Francisco. It is said that the town derived its name from its founder, and first settler, A. J. Forrester. There is a good public school in the town, a Methodist Episcopal church, and an Advent church near by. The business interests are represented by one general store, one blacksmith shop, one saloon, one hotel, one meat market, ete. ete. The rustic-ehair factory is located here. Forestville is now developing into a great frnit-growing center; grapes and olives being a specialty.
Taken as a whole, Analy is one of the most productive townships in the county. Extending as it does from the Santa Rosa Valley to a point within a few miles of the sea-shore, it presents a diversity of soil and climate seldom com- passed in the boundaries of a township. At a very early day it became one of the most pop- ulous districts in the county. There are now some very consequential counties in the State that have not been as produetive of real wealth as has the single township of Analy. The western portion for long years was mainly de- voted to potato and grain raising, and the land paid for itself over and over again. Of late years the land has been largely nsed for dairy- ing and stoek-raising. This is a good paying industry. Bnt even yet the people of that region do not seem to have a full appreciation of the real worth of that country. The day will come when all that region from Two Roek Valley northward will be ent up into small holdings; and apple and berry orchards will be common where now are stock ranges. The east- erly end of Analy Township is already famous for its fruit orchards.
BODEGA TOWNSHIP.
In early times no portion of our State gained a wider reputation than Bodega for butter and potatoes. It contains 45,032 aeres, assessed at 8689,120 or $153 per acre. Total assessed value
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of all property 8950,209. Its population in 1880 was 1,385. It is located on the southwest coast line of the county, being bounded on the north by Ocean and Redwood townships, on the east by the Pacific Ocean. The Estero Americano is the dividing line between this township and Marin County. It ineludes the towns of Bodega Corners. Bodega' Port, Free- stone, Occidental, Ilowards and Valley Ford. Its products are varied and inelnde potatoes. cereals and all kinds of vegetables, fruits, dairy produets, lumber of all kinds and wood. The North Pacific Coast Railroad runs through the eastern portion of the township. The popula- tion of the township has increased, but at what ratio we are unable to aseertain.
Elsewhere has been recorded the early oecu- pation of the Bodega country by the Russians -- also the settling of Captain Stephen Smith, and his enterprise.
We will now take up the settlement of this township by the Americans, as distinguished from the Russians. The first settlers of this kind of which there are any records were: James Dawson, James Black, and Edward Manuel MeIntosh. These three men came to California probably as early as 1830 with Cap- tain Juan B. R. Cooper, brother-in-law of Gen- eral M. G. Vallejo, as sailors on board of his vessel. Once here, and getting into the free and careless habits of the natives, they pre- ferred to remain on shore. We find that Daw- son and MeIntosh applied for citizenship under the Mexican government as early as the year 1833. General Vallejo says that upon assuming the position of commandant of the military of California in 1835, he was ordered to extend his settlements as far in the direction of Fort Ross as possible, and to thus encroach upon the Russian territory and usurp their claims. For this purpose he chose the three hardy pioneers mentioned above, and promised to give them cach a large grant of land provided they would go and settle right upon the border limits of the Russian claim. The gentlemen consented as they were sure they could live on amicable
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terms with the Russians. Black settled upon what is now known as C'añada de la Jonive Rancho, while Dawson and MeIntosh settled npon the Estero Americano Rancho.
BODEGA PORT .- This was a shipping place at- the head of the bay of that name. It was here that the first faint attempt at founding a town in this township ocenrred. As was stated above, the Russians had erected two buildings on this bay, but they were near to the mouth of the bay, and hard of access to those who came to the port from the interior, hence settlers natu- rally built their stone houses at a point the most accessible. Captain Smith owned a small schooner called the Fugarray, which plied reg- nlarly between the port and San Francisco, in the early days. We do not know how long this was continued by him, or what beeame of the vessel. Ile used it principally in shipping his lumber to market. In the year 1850, two men named John Keyes and -- Noble, put in a crop of potatoes. This was the first erop of the kind that had ever been grown in that section. They were merely squatters, not having leased the land of Captain Smith. They raised the crop on the headland known as Bodega Point. After the erop was matured they had to get a vessel to take it to market. A small schooner of abont fifteen tons burden was purchased and run by John Keyes. It was called the Spray. Keyes continued to run this vessel until the spring of 1857. The fare on this schooner was 88 to San Francisco and $15 for return. Some- time during this year one Captain Tibbey began to run a schooner, which he called the Mary, in this trade. This schooner was built in Aus- tralia. The principal exports from the port at this time were lumber, shingles and potatoes. Cattle and sheep were sometimes shipped, also.
A schooner called the Sheriff, in 1553, Cap- tain Tibbey, master, went ashore near Cape Mendocino, and all on board perished. In the fall of 1850, or spring of 1851, a large schooner called the Caroline, with a valuable cargo on board, bound for Trinidad, went ashore on the sand-pit which projects into Bodega Bay. The
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vessel and cargo were lost. but the officers and sailors escaped. Captain Andrew Rutherford ran a propellor between the port and San Fran- cisco a few trips about 1858. but could not make it pay, and hence discontinued the trips. From 1852 to 1860 there were several vessels plying in this trade, there being often as many as six at one time making weekly trips to the city and return. The first man to rent land of Captain Smith was Edward Cheeney. Ile leased 200 acres from him during the winter of 1850-'51, on the point. This land had been cultivated previously, first by the Russians, and during the previous season by Keyes and Noble. The terms of this lease were that Cheeney was to pay $2 per acre for rent, payable when the crop was sold; Smith would allow five cents a rail for fencing the land. Smith sometimes rented land on shares, furnishing everything to the renter and taking half the erop. This was really the better way for him to rent his land, as the half of the crop would net from 850 to $100 per acre. If a man were poor and appeared to be honest, Captain Smith would advance him the necessary amount of money to put in his crop, without interest. It is said that many of his renters took advantage of his liberal terms, and reward- ed his kindness by disposing of the erop and leaving the Captain's claims unsettled. This land in that early day was very productive. Mr. Cheeney raised sixty bushels of wheat and 100 bushels of oats to the acre, and one renter had an acre of potatoes which brought him $500. February 20, 1851, Stephen L. and James E. Fowler, two brothers, and Messrs. Loper and Hedges arrived at Bodega. We have at hand a diary which was kept by Stephen L. Fowler at that time. To it we are indebted for a number of facts contained in this sketch.
The four men mentioned above formed a com- pany, and styled themselves the " Suffolk Com- pany." for the purpose of farming. They located about two and a half miles from the port. aeross a ercek (from Captain Smith's house), and on a traet which would not need to be fenced. This was quite an objeet. This company planted
ynite an extensive crop this year, and the yield was very good both in quantity and price. The seed they used for their garden came from the colonies (Australia). A box for which they paid $15, contained six quarts of peas, two of beans, four ounces of onion seed, five ounces of cabbage seed of different kinds, celery, raddish. broccoli, mustard, spinage, cueumber. beets. carrots, capsicum, pepper-grass, lettuce, all in small parcels; also one-half pound each of three different kinds of turnip seeds. All these seeds were planted, and all throve well in the rich soil of that section. AAs high as eight eents a pound was paid by them for seed potatoes that spring. It rained until very late into the season that year. They mowed wild oats for hay. This hay was easily cured, and served the purpose well. They raised quite a crop of barley. It was harvested and threshed in the month of July. The following description of the modus operandi of threshing the grain is copied from the diary mentioned above: " A corral is con- structed of poles driven in the ground in a circle. Several cart-loads of barley are then drawn in and placed within the corral. Forty or fifty horses are then turned into the corral, and driven around at a furious rate of speed. As soon as the grain is tramped out of the upper layer the straw is thrown ont, and the process repeated until the bottom is reached. The grain is then removed, and carefully cleaned by hand."
During the year 1851 several new-comers put in an appearance, and the opening of the spring of 1852 saw the greater portion of the land near the port taken up by renters. Of these but few remain in that section now. and their names have passed into oblivion. In fact, no name but a niek-name was known for many of them. Of those mentioned above, Mr. Cheeney still resides near this [port. a genial old gentleman, with whom it is a pleasure to meet and talk of the early days. James E. Fowler is now a re- tired merchant. living a life of leisure upon a handsome competence gained in this township. His beautiful home is located at Valley Ford. He, too, is a most estimable and pleasant gentleman.
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.
The first warehouse at the port, at the head of the bay, was built by Captain Smith, in 1848. This was a small buikling, and was erected rather for the purposes of a freight- house than a store-house. It was only 16x20. The next warehouse was built in October, 1851, by the Suffolk Company. It was 24x18, with ten feet studding. This company also construct- ed a boat at this time in which to ferry their potatoes over the creek mentioned above. This creek has its debouchure just north of the point where the landing was at the head of the bay. This boat was a sort of a lighter, 36x10 feet, and one foot deep. In 1852, Samnel Potter built a warehouse 30x60 feet in dimensions. During the same year Stephen Smith, a nephew of the captain, and Mr. Cheeney erected a ware- house 40x25. This building is still stand- ing. The first store was built at this point in 1853, by Donald MeDonakl. It was a small affair, with its foundation ex- tending into the bay, causing the whole buikl- ing to stand over water at high tide. It was reached by a platform extending from the main land. The building is still standing, but in a most dilapidated condition. In the same year or the next, Jasper O'Farrell built a warehouse 50x100. In 1858 James Stumpf creeted a warehouse which was 60x50; and during the same year Tyler Curtis constructed one which was 40x150. In 1852, Captain Smith erected the buildings for a hotel and bowling alley. In 1860 Tyler Curtis erected the last building ever put up there. It was a warehouse, 30x80. After this the glory of Bodega Port departed forever.
BODEGA CORNERS .- We will now pass from the port of Bodega to the town of the same name. This is situated near the site of the Smith Ranch House, and of course he was the first settler in that section. It took its first start in 1853. A man by the name of George Robinson went up from Bodega port and opened a saloon at this point that year. It was a place where three roads mnet, hence the name of C'or- ners was applied to it. A man named Hughes
soon followed, and built a blacksmith shop. He was soon joined by another named Bowman and the two built the first hotel in the place, which was afterward burned. Donald MeDon- ald had a store at the port, which he moved to the new town quite early in its existence. The Rositer Bros., also opened a store about the same time. The old settlers of that vicinity were: Jas. Watson, ex-Sheriff Samnel Potter. M. Hagler, J. L. Springer, Dr. A. K. Piggott, Thomas Murray, James Stumpf and William Il. Stewart.
Bodega Corners, so-called, is virtually Smith's Ranch, and the latter is the postoffice name of the place. On the 20th of February. 1851, Stephen L. Fowler wrote as follows in his diary: "We walked from Bodega port to Captain Smith's, a distance of about five miles. He has a very pretty valley to live in. The most of the buildings were erected by the Russians. The old captain is very hospitable. He has been here about eight years. Ile has quite a great deal of poultry, a number of hogs, and a great many eattle." Ile next gives us a glimpse at the domestie economy of the Smith household: " They have coffee about sunrise, at ten o'clock, breakfast, and dinner at dark. This is a Span- ish custom." Ile next pays a visit to the mill: " We walked to the Bodega steam saw-mill. where we were kindly treated. We took dinner, and they showed us through the mill. They put the saw in motion. and explained what we did not understand. There are a number of build- ings near the mill. The place is called . Mount Pleasant.' I think it very appropriately named. as it is a very pleasant place."
The above name of Mount Pleasant is proba- bly the writer's translation of the name " Buena Vista," which was applied to a high hill in the neighborhood of the Smith Ranch, and being a stranger he probably supposed it to apply to the entire immediate seetion. Hle remarks, further on: " Near Captain Smith's there is a brook where salmon are eaught during their season. We saw here a Russian dog, said to be forty years old. The Captain's nephew (Stephen Smith) has charge of the ranch. The Captain
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is about to start a tannery." On the 23d of June, 1851, the contract for the woodwork on adobe house, which now stands there, was let to Stephen L. Fowler and one of his partners, Mr. N. M. Hedges. An extract from the diary of that date says: "To-day IIedges and myself (S. L. Fowler) rode to Captain Smith's, to make arrangements about doing some carpenter work. We contracted to do the work of an adobe house. 27x70 feet. We have two floors to lay. ceil it overhead, partitions to run to make six rooms, twelve windows to ease, besides casing doors and hanging them,and putting in and trim- ming a front door, and ceiling under the piazza. We are to be boarded and receive 8450 for the job." While at work on this contract and boarding at the house he gives us another glimpse at the internal management of the do- mestie affairs of the family; also, a bill of fare tor one day: " We eat four meals a day. At sunrise we have a most excellent cup of coffee, with bread and butter: at ten o'clock we have breakfast, which consists of coffee, soup, meat, vegetables. and bread; at one o'clock we have a lunch of roast beef, bread, etc., and at six o'clock we have dinner, which consists of about the ean have a cup of tea any time during the even- ing, and brandy and water when we wish. We do not eat with the family, as they have much company. and the table is generally full." On the 5th day of August, 1951, we find the fol- lowing entry: "We had a very good dinner to-day, it being Mrs. Smith's birthday. We had roast turkey and pig, with plenty of veget- ables and a good pudding. To-night the ladies came into the building, and the children danced several Spanish dances to the musie of a guitar. James (E. Fowler) declaimed, ' Richard the Third, and, with singing, etc., we passed the evening very pleasantly. There were several bottles of wine sent in by the Captain and Mrs. Smith." Being sixteen at the time of her mar- riage in 1543; she was born August 5. 1527. Two days later, on the ith, we find the follow- ing entry: . To-day the Captain has given us
the dimensions of the two buildings he wants built for his tannery. One is twenty-four feet square, and ten feet studding: the other is 24x50 feet, and two-stories high." For this contract they were to receive 8450. We find that a man by the name of Watson was the tan- ner; that he had a birthday, when the boys got a little jolly. T. B. Cary, long of l'etaluma, and now a resident of Lake County, was Smith's head tanner for several years. It was doubtless in this tannery that the first real leather was made in Sonoma County by the American pro- eess of tanning. Of course the Russians tanned leather in their way, and probably made a good artiele; too. After them, and using their appli- ances, eame Major Ernest Rufus. Cyrus Alex- ander, of Alexander Valley, is reputed to have tanned some leather in a erude way. It would therefore seem that to Captain Smith belongs the honor of establishing the first successful tannery in the county. This tannery afterward passed into the hands of James Stewart. After him came a man hy the name of Ilenry Lane. The building was destroyed by fire in 1968, after doing duty for seventeen years.
Bodega Lodge. F. d. I. M .- Bodega Lodge. same as the breakfast, except the coffee. We & No. 213, F. & AA. M., was organized December 17, 1870. The following named gentlemen were charter members: William Il. Manefee. A. S. Patterson, N. R. Shaw, L. S. Goodman. A. S. Perrine, II. M. Barnham, C. C. Robert- son, G. N. Sanborn, D. Ilakes, M. Kiernan, W. W. Gilham, E. O. Stratton. William Hamilton, and W. M. Doran. The first officers were: W. II. Manefee, W. M .: A. S. Patterson, S. W .; N. R. Shaw. J. W .; L. S. Goodman, Treasurer, and G. N. Sanborn, Secretary.
No Surrender Lodge, 1. O. G. T .- This Lodge, No. 375, was organized November 9, 1875, and had the following names on its ehar- ter: C. N. Andrews, James II. Brown, John Cunningham, Theo. Wright. Tim Keegan, James Piggott, John Piggott, Alf. Sayton, Cordelia A. Brown and Vesta Niekols. The first officers were: C. N. Andrews,' W. C. T .: Vesta NiekoJs, W. V. T .; James Il. Brown, W. S .;
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.
John Piggott, W. F. S .; Cordelia A. Brown, W. T.
Catholic Church. - The first mass was cele- brated in this place in March, 1860, by Rev. Father Rosse. This mass was celebrated in the school-house. In October, 1860, the church building was erected, but was not dedicated un- til 1862 or 1863. This is a very neat church building, and serves the purpose of the congre- gation admirably. The following pastors have officiated here: Fathers Rosse, Onetta, Welch, Fagin, Slattery, Kelly, Cullen and Cushing.
FREESTONE .- This charming little village is located near the eastern line of the township, and on the line of the North Pacific Coast Railroad, and near the corner of three ranchos, viz .: Jonive, Pogolome and Estero Americano. The early history of these ranchos has already been given, but a few more points of interest are related here. James Dawson made appli- cation for the Pogolome grant, but before it was confirmed to him he died. Ilis wife under her maiden name, Donna Maria Antonia Cazares, secured the confirmation of the grant to her- self as the widow of Santiago (James) Dawson. This confirmation was made by Mannel Michel- torena on the 12th day of February, 1844, and was approved by the Departmental Assembly December 26, 1845. The grant contained 5,788.81 acres. In November, 1847, F. G. Blume married Mrs. Dawson, and the charge of the property passed into his hands. Ile resided in Sonoma at that time, and was engaged in mercantile pursuits. He sent his brother-in- law, Henry Hagler, to the ranch as his agent. Hagler, it will be remembered, was the man who came from Baltimore with Captain Smith as a ship's carpenter. Ile remained in charge until 1848, when Mr. BInme and his wife moved upon the rancho and took charge. They have resided continuously in the same house ever since. About this time his father-in-law, Fran- cisco Cazares, with his family, came from Mon- terey and settled on the banks of the Ebabias Creek. The settlers league foreed Mr. Blume to sell much of his valuable estate af nominal 19
figures, so that he now owns but a small portion of the original grant.
The town of Freestone derived its name from a kind of easily worked, or free, sandstone quarry which is near the place; this rock is used extensively for building purposes on ac- count of this quality. After a town had been started and the dwellers therein were casting abont for an appropriate name, one Frank Harris bethought himself of this freestone quarry, and at once suggested it, which, after due consideration, was adopted. Mr. Blume had kept a small stoek of goods in one room of his residence since 1848, but the first business honse erected in the town was a saloon with a sınall store attached kept by Ferdinand Har- bordt. This was in 1849. Probably during the same year or the next at least, S. Brugger- man erected a large store building at ()'Farrell's place. In 1853 Mr. Blume built a large two- story hotel, which he rented to James Dobson. During the same year W. II. Sailhardt built a blacksmith shop. The town is nicely located, and is fast becoming popular for country resi- dences for city people. It is within easy reach of San Francisco.
VALLEY FORD .- This thriving little village is situated on the Estero Americano, four miles from its mouth. It received its name from the fact that an old Indian and Spanish ford across this stream was located at this place. Stephen L. and James E. Fowler were the first settlers here, having purchased of Mr. Blume 640 acres lying between the Estero and Ebabias creeks. In July of 1852, they built a house about 200 yards from the old ford. The same year Thos. Smith built a cabin near where John Vanderleith now lives. Sanford & Webber located across the creek. They received a port- able grist-mill from the east, and during that winter were kept busy grinding grain for the neighbors. The flour was coarse and unbolted. Whitehead Fowler and E. Thurber also located in this part of Big Valley during that year. During the next year the greater portion of the valley land was taken up. In 1854 a crop of
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.
oats, yielding 100 bushels to the acre, was raised on the present town site. During this year Stephen C. Fowler and his family, consisting of his wife and sons, John Il. and Nathaniel, arrived at Valley Ford. Mrs. Fowler was the first lady resident of that section. In 1856 the Thos. Smith above mentioned began operations with a grist-mill on a small scale. He had two run of burrs, and used twelve horses as a motor. Two years later a steam engine was placed in the mill, and it soon became famous for its extra brands of flonr. In the fall of 1861 Daniel HIall opened a blacksmith shop. That same year J. H. Fowler and O. M. Perkins opened a general merchandise business; Jas. E. Fowler opened a lumber yard, and E. B. and J. W. Palmer built a carpenter shop. J. N. Rien built the Valley Ford Hotel in 1864. In the smminer of 1876 the North Pacific Coast Railroad Company extended their line through the town and erected a neat depot. This brings the people of this place within four hours of San Francisco, instead of the old-time tedious route via Petaluma. The populati _ of the place is abont 100.
Valley Ford I. O. G. T .- This lodge. No. 156, was organized March 2, 1865. The char- ter members were: Rev. J. R. Hammond, Mary E. Stanley, Benj. Harrington, A. M. IInntley, Miss Lizzie Mills, Geo. P. Stanley, Wm. Hunt- Jey. Rev. 1. Fairbairn, E. D. Mills, Wmn. With- row, A. J. Blainey, Mrs. C. E. Fowler, Mrs. A. E. Huntley and E. M. Dibble. Rev. J. R. Hammond was the first W. C. T., and Benj. Hammond the first Secretary.
Presbyterian Church .- This church organi- zation was effected December 5, 1863, by Rev. Thomas Fraser. as the Old School Presbyterian Church of Big Valley, under the Presbytery at Benicia, and the Synod of the Pacific Coast. The organizing members were Stephen C. Fow- ler, Mrs. Rebecca Fowler, Mrs. Mary J. Palmer. Mrs. Olivia N. Gordon, Mrs. Elizabeth Pettit, Mrs. Laura Meeham, Miss Olivia E. Mecham, G. W. Case, Mrs. Adelaide L. C'ase, Mrs. IJannah N. Hall, Mrs. H. Cain and Mrs. Sarah B. Palmer.
OCCIDENTAL. This is a beautiful little village sitnated in a most delightful location. It is on the line of the North Pacific Coast Railroad, at the point where it crosses the divide between the waters which flow into the O'Farrel Valley on the south, and into the Russian River, through Howard's canon, on the north. From this fact the place is called Summit. The rail- road company have named the station Howards, in honor of William Iloward, the oldest settler living in that section and on whose land a por- tion of the town is situated. The other portion of the town is built upon land belonging to M. C. Meeker. The first start of this town was far different from most California towns, and we hasten to record the fact that the first build- ing in the place was a church. The committee who were appointed to choose a location for the proposed church building met, and after select- ing the site, took into consideration what name they should give to it. They decided upon Ocei- dental. The postoffice was also petitioned for under that name, hence the place is mentioned in- differently as Iloward's Station, Meekers, Sum- mit and Occidental. The town lies in the heart of a redwood forest, and the old stumps still stand in the streets. One hundred and twenty thousand shingles were made out of a tree which stood on the town site. The church building mentioned above was erected in 1876. That same year the railroad reached this point, and the first passenger train arrived here October 16, 1876. M. C. Meeker erected a hotel build- ing which was occupied by J. W. Noble. He begau operations in January. 1877. The first store was opened by McCaughey & Co., April 4, 1877. Other buildings followed in rapid sue- cession, and now Occidental is a lovely monn- tain town and a delightful summer resort.
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