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 7

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 786

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President and Vice-President of Mexico, and that the settlement was abandoned the next year, because the colonists refused to venture into a country of lostile Indians."

The scheme of founding a frontier post at or near Santa Rosa seems to have proved a failure ; at least the next move with that end in view was in the direction of Sonoma, where the mission San Francisco Solano had already run its course under ecclesiastical rnle, and was then in process of secularization under the manage- ment of M. G. Vallejo as commissionado. This failure of the attempted establishment of a settlement at Santa Rosa by Governor Figueroa, in the face of the fact that eleven years previons Altimira, taking his life in his hand, had estab- lished a mission at Sonoma, inelines us to take off our hat in reverence to that padre, although his zeal may, at times, have befogged his better judgment. History should be both impartial and just, and the records unmistakably show that the Catholic missionaries had ocenpied the field embracing the main portion of Sonoma County at least ten years before the military and civil anthorities exercised dominion here. Figueroa still adhered to his policy of establish- ing a frontier settlement and garrison north of San Francisco Bay.

The following, the letter of instruction to Gen. M. G. Vallejo from Governor José Fig. ueroa in relation to the locating and governing of "a village in the valley of Sonoma," was transmitted only a few months before that Gov- ernor's death :

" POLITICAL. GOVERNMENT OF UPPER CALIFORNIA. " Commandancy-General of' Upper California. " MONTEREY, June 24. 1835.

" In conformity with the orders and instruc- tions issued by the Supreme Government of the Confederation respecting the location of a village in the valley of Sonoma, this commandancy urges upon you that, according to the topo- graphical plan of the place, it be divided into quarters or squares, seeing that the streets and plusus be regulated so as to make a beginning. The inhabitants are to be governed entirely by

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

said plan. This government and commandaney approves entirely of the lines designated by you for outlets-recognizing, as the property of the village and publie lands and privileges, the boundaries of Petaluma, Agua Calienta, Ran- chero de Iluertiea, Lena de Sur. Salvador, Vallejo, and La Vernica, on the north of the city of Sonoma, as the limits of its property, rights, and privileges -- requesting that it shall be commenced immediately around the hill, where the fortifieation is to be ereeted, to pro- teet the inhabitants from incursions of the savages and all others. In order that the build- ing lots granted by you, as the person charged with colonization, may be fairly portioned, you will divide each square (manzana) into four parts, as well for the location of each as to in- terest persons in the planting of kitchen gar- dens, so that every one shall have a hundred yards, more or less, which the government deems sufficient; and further, lots of land may be granted, of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred yards, in openings for outlets, for other descriptions of tillage, subject to the laws and regulations on the subjeet, in sneh manner that at all times the municipality shall possess the legal title.

This government and commandaney-general offers you thanks for your efforts in erecting this new city, which will secure the frontier of the republic, and is confident that you will make new efforts for the national entirety.

" God and liberty. JOSE FIGUEROA.

" Don M. G. VALLEJO, Military Commandante and Director of Colonization on the Northern Frontier."

Under these instructions Vallejo proceeded to lay out and found the pueblo, giving to it the Indian name of Sonoma, From this act virtu- ally dates the real Mexican ocenpaney of Sonoma County under military and civil rule. There is but little of record during the balance of 1825, and for 1826 the most important mention is that Vallejo, in conjunction with Chief Solano, went on an expedition to punish the rebellious

Yolos. And right here it is in place to record the fact that this Chief Solano seems to have been a ruler among the Indian tribes in every direction. General Vallejo's language to ns was, "Solano was a king among the Indians. All the tribes of Solano, Napa and Sonoma were under tribute to him." Vallejo made a treaty with Solano and seems to have found in him a valuable lieutenant in all his future dealings with neighboring Indians. Now that a pueblo had been established at Sonoma with Vallejo as commandante of this northern district, it had become an important factor in the Territorial government of California. Vallejo was then in the full vigor of young life, fired with the ambi- tion of those who believed that to them belonged a liberal share of the management and rule in Territorial government, and his somewhat isolated position, which necessitated his exereise, at times, of almost autocratic power, placed him in a position to be courted by those even in higher authority. That he should use his power for self-aggrandizement, within certain limits, was but natural. With his eomplieity in the revolutions and counter revolutions that in rapid succession were making and deposing California governors, forms no part of the scope of this history, and we shall only follow his aets in their bearings upon the future of Sonoma County. With Vallejo there seems to have been two dominant ideas, and both had founda- tion in good, practical sense. The first was that the Indians had to be subjected to a strong hand, and when so subjected, they were to be the subjects of protection and justice. The second was that the greatest danger to eontinned Mexican supremacy in California was from the eastward. While there may have been a degree of selfishness and jealousy to inspire it, he was none the less correet in his judgment that the Sutter establishment at New Helvetia was a eenter aronnd which clustered dangers not properly appreciated by the California govern- ment at Monterey. While he failed to aronse the anthorities to the magnitude of the danger, he at least discharged his duty as an officer of

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

that government. The truth was that Sutter, after he transferred to Helvetia the armament of Ross was becoming a "power behind the throne greater than the throne itself," and Vallejo could not be blind to the fact that it was liable to prove a " Trojan horse with belly full of armed destruction " to the future rale of Mexico in California. In the waning days of the rule of Micheltorena, Sutter had been clothed with power which almost rendered him potentate of the Sacramento Valley, and as his establishment was the first to be reached by immigration from the east, that year by year was increasing in volume, he did not fail to improve his opportunity to add to the strength of his surroundings.

Although somewhat out of chronological order it is in place to follow the mission of San Francisco Solano to its end. Bancroft says: " Father Fortuni served at San Francisco Solano until 1833, when his place was taken by the Za- cutecan, José de Jesus Maria Gutierrez, who in turn changed places in March, 1834, with Pa- dre Lorenzo Quijas of San Francisco. Quijas remained in charge of ex-mission and pueblo as acting curate throughont the decade, but resided for the most part at San Rafael. Though the neophyte population, as indicated by the reports, decreased from 760 to 650 in 1834 and 550 in 1835, yet there was a gain in live-stock and but a slight falling off in erops; and the establish- ment must be regarded as having flourished down to the date of secularization, being one of the few missions in California which reached their highest population in the final decade, though this was natural enough in a new and frontier mission. Mariano G. Vallejo was made commissionado in 1834, and in 1835-'6, with Antonio Ortega as majordomo, completed the secularization. Movable property was distribu- ted to the Indians, who were made entirely free, many of them retiring to their old ranche- rias. A little later, however, in consequence of troubles with hostile gentiles, the ex-neophytes seem to have restored their live stock to the care of General Vallejo, who used the property

of the ex-mission for their benefit and protec- tion, and for the general development of the northern settlement. The General claimed that this was a legitimate use of the estate; and he would have established a new mission in the north if the padres would have aided him. Doubtless his policy was a wise one, even if his position as guardian of the Indians in charge of their private property put by them in his care was not recognized by the laws. Moreover, there was a gain rather than a loss in live-stock. Thus the mission community hal no real exist- ence after 1536, though Pablo Ayula and Sal- vador Vallejo were nominally made administra- tors. The visitador made no visits in 1839, and apparently none were made in 1840. I suppose there may have been 100 of the ex-neophytes living at Sonoma at the end of the decade, with perhaps 500 more in the region not relapsed into barbarism." And here ends the career of the mission San Francisco Solano. If its san- guine founder, Padre Altimira, could revisit it, and the old San Francisco mission that he thought was " on its last legs " he would learn how fallible is human judgment.

Sonoma was now a pueblo and General M. G. Vallejo, as commandante of the northern district, the most conspicnous personage in this latitude until the end of Mexican rule. As such it is in place to introduce him more fully to the reader. According to Bancroft "he was the son of the . Sargento distinguido ' Ignacio Val- lejo and of Maria Antonia Lugo, being, on the paternal side at least, of pure Spanish blood, and being entitled by the okl rules to prefix the ' Don ' to his name. In childhood he had been · the associate of Alvarado and Castro at Monte- rey, and his educational advantages, of which he made good use, were substantially the same as theirs. Unlike his companions, he chose a military career, entering the Monterey company in 1823 as a cadet, and being promoted to be alferez of the San Francisco company in 1827. IIe served as habilitado and as commandante of both companies, and took part in several cam- paigns against Indians, besides acting as fiscal or

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

defensor in various military trials. In 1830 he was elected to the deputacion, and took a promi- nent part in the opposition of that body to Vic- toria. In 1832 he married Francisca Benicia, daughter of Joquin Carrillo, and in 1834 was elected diputado suplente to Congress. Ile was a favorite of Figueroa, who gave him large tracts of land north of the bay, choosing him as com- missionado to secularize San Francisco Solano, to found the town of Sonoma, and to command the frontier del norte. In his new position Val- lejo was doubtless the most independent man in California. His record was a good one, and both in ability and experience he was probably better fitted to take the position as command- ante general than any other Californian." This latter position was conferred upon Vallejo by Alvarado, who by a turn of the revolutionary wheel had become governor. General Vallejo was unquestionably the right man in the right place when he was placed in control at Sonoma after the seenlarization of the mission San Francisco Solano. As a military man he would not brook any insubordination to his will or commands, but in dealing with the Indians he seems to have pursued a policy wise and just beyond anything ever before attempted in Cali- fornia. In the Indian Chief Solano he saw the ready means to acquire easy control of all other Indians occupying a wide sweep of country. In making Solano his friend and coadjutor in keep- ing distant tribes in respectful submission, he seems not to have compromised himself in any manner so as not to hold Solano himself subjeet to control and accountability. Ilaving been speaking of the turbulence of southern Indians for the years from 1836 to 1840 Mr. Bancroft says: "Turning to the northern frontier we find a different state of things. Here there was no semblance of Apache raids, no sacking of ranches, no loss of civilized life, and little col- lision between gentile and Christian natives. The northern Indians were more numerous than in the San Diego region, and many of the tribes were brave, warlike, and often hostile; but there was a comparatively strong force at

Sonoma to keep them in check, and General Vallejo's Indian policy must be regarded as excellent and effective when compared with any other policy ever followed in California. True, his wealth, his untrammelled power, and other circumstances contributed much to his snecess ; and he could by no means have done as well if placed in command at San Diego; yet he must be aceredited besides with having managed wisely. Closely allied with Solano, the Suisun chieftain, having always except when asked to render some distasteful military service to his political associates in the south-at his com- mand a goodly number of soldiers and citizens, made treaties with the gentile tribes, insisted on their being liberally and justly treated when at peace, and punished them severely for any manifestation of hostility. Doubtless the In- dians were wronged often enough in individual eases by Vallejo's subordinates; some of whom, and notably his brother Salvador, were with difficulty controlled; but such reports have been greatly exaggerated, and aets of glaring injustice were comparatively rare.

" The Cainameros, or the Indians of Cainama, in the region toward Santa Rosa, had been for some years friendly, but for their services in returning stolen horses they got themselves into trouble with the Satiyomis, or Sotoyomes, gen- erally known as the Guapos, or braves, who in the spring of 1836, in a sudden attack, killed twenty-two of their number and wounded fifty. Vallejo, on appeal of the chiefs, promised to avenge their wrongs, and started April 1st with fifty soldiers and one hundred Indians besides the Cainamero force. A battle was fought on the 4th of April, and the Guapos, who had taken a strong position in the hills of the Geyser region, were ronted and driven baek to their ranches, where most of them were killed. The expedi- tion was baek at Sonoma on the 7th without having lost a man, killed or wounded. On June ith Vallejo concluded a treaty of peace and alliance with the chiefs of seven tribes -- the Indians of Yoloytoy, Guilitoy, Ansatoy. Ligna- ytoy, Aclutoy. Chumptoy and the Guapos, who

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

had voluntarily come to Sonoma for that pur- pose. The treaty provided that there should be friendship between the tribes and the garrison, that the Cainnmeros and Guapos should live at peace and respect each other's territory; that the Indians should give up all fugitive Christians at the request of the commandante, and that they should not burn the fields. It does not appear that Vallejo in return promised anything more definite than friendship. Twenty days later the compact was approved by Governor Chico. A year later, in June. 1537. Zampay. one of the chieftains of the Yoloytoy-town and raneheria of the Yoloy, perhaps meaning of the tnles.' and which gave the name to Yolo County-became troublesome, committing many outrages and trying to arouse the Sotoyomes again. The head ehiet of the tribe, however, named Moti, offered to aid in his capture, which was effected by the combined forces of Solano and Salvador Vallejo. Zampay and some of his companions were held at first as captives at Sonoma, but after some years the chief, who had been a terror of the whole country, became a peaceful citizen and industrions farmer."

"In January, 1838, Tobias, chief of the Guilicos, and one of his men were brought to Sonoma and tried for the murder of two Indian fishermen. In March some of the gentile allied tribes attacked the Moquelumnes, recovered a tew stolen horses and brought them to Sonoma, where a grand feast was held for a week to cele- brate their good deeds. In Angnst fifty Indian horse-thieves crossed the Sacramento and ap- peared at Snseol with a band of tame horses, their aim being to stampede the horses at Sonoma. Thirty-four were killed in a battle with Vallejo's men, and the rest surrendered, the chief being shot at Sonoma for his crimes. On October 6. Vallejo issued a printed circular, in which he announced that Solano had grossly abnsed his power and the trust placed in him. and broken sacred compacts made with the Indian tribes by consenting to the seizure and sale of children. Vallejo indignantly denied the rumor that these ontrages had been com-

mitted with his consent. deelaring that Solano had been arrested, and that a force had been sent out to restore all the children to their parents." Vallejo's statement in regard to this back-sliding of Chief Solano is that evil-dis- posed persons have plyed him with liquor until he was so dazed as not to be master of his actions. and that after being sobered up in the guard-house he was both ashamed and penitent.

In this year, 1838, there came a terrible pestilence, the small-pox, which made sad havoc among the Indian .. It is said that a Corporal named Ygnacio Miramontes contracted the dis- ease at Fort Ross and returning to Sonoma the disease was soon broadcast among the Indians. General Vallejo is our authority that the In- dians died by the thonsands. He thinks that not less than 75,000 died in the territory north . of the bay and west of the Sacramento River. In some cases it almost blotted tribes out of ex- istence. The Indian panacea for all ills was resort to the sweat-house, supplemented by a plunge in cold water. Sueh being their remedy, it may well be believed that the small-pox left desolation in its track. Mr. John Walker, of Sebastopol, states that when he reached the Yount rancho, Napa County, in 1846, Mr. Yount pointed out to him an Indian girl, the sole survivor of her tribe after the small- pox had run its course. Yount stated that he visited the rancheria and that dead Indians were lying everywhere, and the only living being was the girl referred to. she, an infant. was cuddled in an Indian basket. At Mr. Walker's ranch is a very aged Indian, and through an interpreter he recently informed us that during the prevalance of the small-pox his people at Sebastopol for a long time died at the rate of from ten to twenty a day. During the present year (18SS), while excavating earth with which to grade a road near Sebastopol a perfect charnel of human bones was found, doubtless where the small-pox victims of 1538 were buried. As stated elsewhere, that pesti- Ience paved the way for peaceable occupation of this territory by immigrants. There were not

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

enough Indians left to offer any serious resist- ance to the free occupancy of their former hunting grounds by civilized man.

In 1839, as an evidence that colonization was advancing northward, it is recorded that twenty- five families had cast their lot in the northern frontier. Some of these families, doubtless. eame with the Hijar-Padres colony that came from Mexico in 1834. Many of those colonists visited Sonoma-then San Francisco Solano but owing to political complications Hijar was looked upon with suspicion, and his scheme of founding a colony came to naught. It is said that a few of his people remained north of the bay, but most of them returned south to the older settlements. We find record of a young Irishman named John T. Reed locating in Santa Rosa Township, near the present place of Robert Crane, in 1837, but who was driven out by the Indians. And also the location near Santa Rosa, in 1838, of Senora Maria Ygnacia Lopez de Carillo. Of the first attempt to found a settlement at, or near Santa Rosa, there is evidence that it proved futile, and yet we find little of authentic record as to the reasons why the enterprise was abandoned, other than that settlers did not feel secure in so advanced a position among untutored savages. We find, also, an accredited rumor that the mission San Francisco Solano was destroyed by the Indians a few years afterit was founded. This story must be founded on uncertain tradition, for we have found no authentic record of such an occurrence.

We have thus far, up to 1840, found little diflieulty in tracing the lines of reliable history. But the nearer we get to the final end which culminated in American occupancy the more we are befogged and in doubt of the dividing line between facts and fiction. What the intelligent reader will most want to know will be as to the actual settlement and occupancy of . Sonoma County by Californians prior to the raising of the Bear Flag at Sonoma. If we take as our guide the various Spanish grants and the dates of their reputed occupancy there was but little of the arable land of the county that was not

already the habitation of civilized man; and yet we find but little tangible evidence of such advanced conditions of civilization. Vallejo had, with great enterprise and labor, reared an establishment on the Petaluma grant that even yet stands as a monument to his energy and enterprise. The Corrillos had made lasting improvements at Santa Rosa and Sebastopol. Mark West had established himself at the creek that bore his name, and had erected substantial adobe buildings. llenry D. Fitch had reared buildings of permanency on Russian River. near the present site of Healdsburg; Captain Stephen Smith had established a residence and mill at Bodega, and Jasper Ofurrell had made a good show of permanent occupancy at his place in the red woods. Fort Ross had now passed into the hands of William Bennitz, and was an establishment of comparative aneient date. Outside of the evidence of occupancy thus emnerated, except those of Sonoma Val- ley, there were only a few, and they of so transi- tory and ephemeral in character as almost to have passed from the memory of our pioneer American inhabitants. For a time Sonoma had been regarded as an important frontier mil- itary station by the California government, and seems to have received some fostering care and assistance, but during later years the govern- ment seems to have acted on the principle that, as Vallejo had all the glory of defending the frontier, he could do it at his own expense. le seems to have, in time, tired of this expensive luxury. Bancroft says: " The presidial com- pany in 1841-'43, and probably down to its dis- bandment by Vallejo in 1844, had between forty and fifty men under the command of Lieut. José Antonio Pico; and there were besides nearly sixty men fit for militia duty, to say nothing of an incidental mention by the alcalde of 100 citizens in his jurisdiction. Captain Salvador Vallejo was commandante of the post and no civil authority was recognized down to the end of 1843, from which time innnicipal affairs were directed by two alcaldes, Jacob P. Leese and José de la Rosa, holding successively

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

the first alcaldia." Thus, it will be seen, that there was virtually only two years of civil rule here previous to the Bear Flag revolution. While Vallejo still had an armament embracing nine cannon of small caliber. and, perhaps, two hundred muskets, yet the whole military estab- lishment seems to have been in a condition of " innocuous desnetude." The only notable event of local importance in 1845 was a raid, seein- ingly made by Sonoma rancheros, npon the Ross Indians to seenre laborers. Several In-

dians were killed and 150 were captured. William Bennitz complained of outrages com- mitted on the Indians at his rancho. That snch matters were made the subject of court investigation shows that civil authority was he- ginning to assert itself. The leading offenders in this last instance of Indian mention under Mexican rule, were Antonio Castro and Rafael Garcia. We have now reached the beginning of the end of Mexican rule, the conclusion of which will be found in the next chapter.

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

THE CAPTURE OF SONOMA.

CHAPTER VI.

MEXICAN RULE IN CALIFORNIA NEARING ITS END-THE CALIFORNIA LEADERS QUARRELING AMONG THEMSELVES-WAR EXPECTED BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO -- AMERICANS IN CALI- FORNIA IN A TICKLISH POSITION-WHAT LARKIN WAS EXPECTED TO DO -WHAT FRMONT DID DO- BANCROFT'S INSTRUCTIONS TO COMMODORE SLOAT-VALLEJO SUTTER-FREMONT AND GILLES- PIE-THEIR MEETING AND THE MIDNIGHT ATTACK BY INDIANS -- FREMONT'S RETURN DOWN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY-THE AMERICANS NATURALLY GATHERED AROUND HIM-THE SETTLERS RIPE FOR ACTION-THEY CAPTURE A BAND OF HORSES BELONGING TO GENERAL CASTRO THEY INCREASE THEIR FORCE, AND FOUR DAYS LATER, CAPTURED SONOMA -WHO THE REVOLUTIONISTS WERE AS FAR AS THEIR NAMES ARE KNOWN-ALL ABOUT THE CAPTURE OF VALLEJO AND OTHERS-HOW IT WAS DONE-WHAT TRANSPIRED DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE REVOLUTIONISTS AND PRISON- ERS-THE PRISONERS JOURNEY TO SACRAMENTO-HOW RECEIVED AND TREATED BY FREMONT.

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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 7

Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 786

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 786