USA > California > Nevada County > Bean's history and directory of Nevada County, California. Containing a complete history of the county, with sketches of the various towns and mining camps also, full statistics of mining and all other industrial resources > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
Little York. N. Dodge .... 71
Rongh and Ready .. . S. H. Sheffield 68 Washington A. F. Mason .. 64 Sweetland Wm. Menner. 57 North Columbia. Levi Ayres ... 52 48 Omega A.C. Henniken 33 I6
Patterson
M. W. Martin.
Painsville.
J. M. Quine ..
Meadow Lake
M. W. Wilson.
Red Dog.
.W.F. Ileydlauf
Indian Springs
H. L. Hatch ..
. .
North Bloomfield. . Caleb Nash. .
NOTARIES PUBLIC.
Nevada county is entitled by law to sixteen Notaries Public. The following are the names of those officers, with their places of residence, on the 1st of January, 1867 :
John I. Caldwell. . Nevada City
John Caldwell.
. Nevada City
Thomas P. Hawley
Nevada City
A. A. Sargent
Nevada City
L. W. Williams Nevada City
John C. Deuel
Grass Valley
E. W. Roberts.
Grass Valley
W. K. Spencer Grass Valley
John M. Abbott.
Meadow Lake
Edwin Fowler Meadow Lake
H. G. Rollins
Meadow Lake
D. E. Sykes
Meadow Lake
J. E. Squire
Meadow Lake
Wm. M. Eddy
French Corral
J. B. Johnson
North San Juan
O. P. Stidger North San Juan
7
MILITARY-FIFTH REGIMENT, FOURTH BRIGADE.
MILITARY ORGANIZATION.
Nevada City is the headquarters of the Fifth Infantry Regiment, Fourth Brigade of the National Guard of California. The Regiment was organ- ized on the 25th of August, 1866, under the law passed that year, with the following officers :
Field and Staff,
Grade.
Commissioned.
Residence.
N. W. KNOWLTON.
Colonel
August 25. 1866.
Nevada
C. M. KOPP
Lieutenant Colonel.
August 25. 1866.
Dutch Flat.
REUBEN LEECH ..
Major
August 25, 1866.
Grass Valley.
E. G. WAITE.
Adjutant
September 22, 1866.
Nevada
E. F. SPENCE.
Assistant Surgeon.
September 22, 1866.
Nevada
G. SCHMITBURG ..
Quartermaster.
September 22, 1866.
Nevada
I. N. WALLING.
Sergeant Major.
September 22, 1866. Rough and Ready ..
A. W. POTTER
Quartermaster Serg. September 22, 1866. Nevada
COMPANIES.
GRASS VALLEY UNION GUARD-Company A. E. W. Roberts, Captain; John D. Mcek, First Licutenant ; William Rule, Second Lieu- tenant.
NEVADA LIGHT GUARD-Company B. J. A. Lancaster, Captain; M. S. Dcal, First Lieutenant ; Joseph R. English, Second Lieutenant.
LITTLE YORK UNION GUARD-Company C-You Bet. Wm. Cuvillie, Captain ; Arthur Kecler, First Lieutenant ; F. A. King, Sec- ond Lieutenant.
AUBURN GRAYS-Company D-Auburn, Placer county. S. B. Woodin, Captain ; W. H. Hubbard, First Lieutenant; E. L. Craig, Secoud Lieutenant.
HOWELL ZOUAVES-Company E-Grass Valley. J. H. Stebbins, Captain ; Robert Flanders, First Lieutenant; Charles S. Wells, Second Lieutenant.
PACIFIC GUARD-Company F-Dutch Flat, Placer county. S. Wardner, Captain ; J. T. Staples, First Lieutenant; Thomas Teaff, Sec- ond Lieutenant.
YANKEE JIMS RIFLES-Company G-at Yankee Jims, Placer county. John Keiser, Captain; J. C. Parsons, First Lieutenant; S. M. Jamison, Second Lieutenant.
YUBA LIGHT INFANTRY-Company H-at Camptonville, Yuba county. J. P. Brown, Captain ; J. G. Mclellan, First Lieutenant ; J. R. Rideout, Second Lieutenant.
8
QUARTZ MINING LAWS.
QUARTZ MINING LAWS.
The quartz miners of Nevada county were the first to perceive the necessity of some general regulations to govern the location and holding of ledges, differing from those that had been adopted by the placer and river miners. For this pur- pose, a convention of the quartz miners of the county was called, which met at Nevada early in the fall of 1852, and was attended by parties interested from all parts of the county. At this meeting, a full discussion and interchange of opinion was had, as to the character of regulations needed, and a committee was appointed to draft the laws, with instructions as to the size of the claims, the amount of work to be done to hold them, etc. The con- vention then adjourned to meet on the 20th of December following, and invited all the quartz miners of the county to attend. At the adjourned meeting the committee presented their report, and the appended laws were adopted. These have proved eminently satisfactory, never hav- ing been changed or abrogated, and have been respected and enforced by the courts of the State, It was the first attempt, so far as we are aware, to lay the foundation of a code of quartz mining laws; and although they do not, and were never intended to, provide for every case that may arise in practice, they are the basis of the quartz mining customs that have obtained the force of law on this coast :
ARTICLE 1. The jurisdiction of the follow- ing laws shall extend over all quartz mines and quartz mining property within the county of Nevada.
ART. 2. Each proprietor of a quartz claim shall hereafter be entitled to one hundred feet on a quartz ledge or vein ; and the dis- coverer shall be allowed one hundred feet additional. Each claim shall include all the dips, angles and variations of the vein.
ART. 3. On the discovery of a vein of quartz, three days shall be allowed to mark and stake off the same, in such manner, by name of the owner and number of the claim, or otherwise, as shall properly and fully identify such claims. Parties having claims may cause a map or plan to be made, and a copy filed with the Recorder, if deemed re- quisite, to more particularly fix the locality.
ART. 4. Work to the extent of one hun- dred dollars in value, or twenty days faithful labor, shall be performed by each company holding claims, within thirty days from the date of recording the same, as provided for in Article sixth of these laws; and the duly authorized representative of a company mak- ing oath that such money has been expended, or that such labor has been performed, shall be entitled to a certificate from a County Re- corder or Deputy, guaranteeing undisputed possession of said claim for the term of one year ; and for a like sum of money or amount of labor expended or performed within the first twenty days of each succeeding year, duly acknowledged as herein named, shall entitle the claimants or company, from year to year, to further certificates of undisputed proprietorship and possession ; and a com- pany having a mill contracted for in good faith, to the amount of five thousand dollars, for the working of its claim or elaims, the proper representative of the company making oath of the same shall be entitled to receive from said County Recorder a title deed to said claim or claims, guaranteeing to the elaimants or company, their successors and assigns, undisputed possession and proprie- torship forever under these laws ; provided, that nothing in this Article shall be, at any time, inconsistent with the laws of the United States.
ART. 5. Whenever the requisite amount of money or labor, as provided for in Article fourth, has not been expended within thirty days from the adoption of these laws, the claim or claims thus neglected shall be con- sidered abandoned, and subject to be re- located by any other party or parties.
ART. 6. Any person, a citizen of the United States, or any person having taken the nec- essary steps to become a citizen of the United States, shall be entitled to hold one quartz claim as provided for in Article first, and as many more as may be purchased in good faith, for a valuable consideration, for which certificates of proprietorship shall be issued by the County Recorder.
ART, 7. The regularly elected County Re- corder of Nevada county shall serve as Re- corder for this county in quartz claims, authenticating his acts by the county seal ; he shall appoint as his Deputy such person for Grass Valley as may be elected by the district of Grass Valley ; and he shall pass his records to his successor.
ART. 8. The fees of the Recorder and Deputy shall be the same as the statute fees for recording per folio.
ART. 9. No title to a claim hereafter taken up, or purchased, shall be valid unless re- corded in the books of the aforesaid County Recorder or Deputy within ten days of its location or purchase.
Passed December 20th, 1852, at Nevada, California.
HISTORICAL SKETCH
-OF-
NEVADA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA.
BY E. G. WAITE.
DECLARATORY.
The part I am to contribute to the sketch of Nevada county makes no pretension to the dignity of a history. The limited space and time by which I am circumscribed, beside the scope and object of the work of which the sketch is to form a part, would preclude the possibility of a complete history of Nevada county, did no other obstacle prevent. Indeed, to write a full history of our county would involve, in a great degree, the history of the State of California. I am not called to so broad a field of enterprise. Yet I hope, in a humble way, to aid the future historian by gathering up the scattered fragments of history and placing them in a concise and pre- sentable shape for his use.
Although I see the moving events of a grand drama, which tells how a mountainous wilderness was conquered in spite of its manifold obstacles, and made to become, in a few brief years, the abode of civilization and refinement, and to contribute more wealth to the nation than any like portion of its territory ; although the theme is inspiring and tempting to the pen, be mine the lot to tell in the briefest way, the order of the most prominent events as they have occurred ; give some account of the appear- ance of the country that man has subdued from nature ; collect such
A
10
SKETCH OF NEVADA COUNTY.
memorials as I may of the autochthons of the soil; and, in short, present such facts bearing upon various subjects as may be of interest to the general reader.
DESCRIPTION.
Nevada county, California, extends from near the eastern edge of the Sacramento valley to the top of the Sierra Nevada, and, in general terms, has for its northern boundary the Middle Yuba, and its southern Bear river. Its area is about 1,200 square miles, or about the size of the State of Rhode Island ; and few parts of the United States can compare with it for variety of scenery or climate. Its highest elevation reaches to over 8,000 feet, while its lowest is but a few feet above the level of the ocean. The upper region is covered with snow more than half the year, and at the foot hills snow or frost is comparatively unknown. Several deep channels cut the county longitudinally, in which flow the rivers and streams from the high Sierra. These, with their tributary canons and gorges, are intervened by high and ofttimes precipitous ridges, the main ones running at right-angles with the mountain chain. As is natural, sheltered, sunny spots occur frequently among these ridges and deep depressions where the productions of a warm climate are grown to perfection, and the grape and the fig are cultivated generally on all exposures to an altitude of two thousand five hundred feet.
No large valleys of arable land are found in Nevada county. The largest do not comprise above a few hundred acres, and even these are rare. The entire soil is of a reddish ferruginous, ochre, or gray color, and consists of side-hill or table land. It is, under favorable circumstances, however, highly productive, and is yet to develop agricultural wealth equal to any other portion of the world.
When first seen by Americans, Nevada county presented the appearance of a rough mountain region, clothed in the upper part with forests of pine, oak, spruce, fir, and other trees, intermixed with manzanita, chamiso, privet, and several other varieties of shrubs in places. The timbered re- gion extended from the summit down to about an elevation of fifteen hundred feet, when the trees became stunted, and new varieties of pine began to appear, while scrubby shrubs became more prevalent. Occasion- ally a small valley of grass was seen among the hills, and near the summit were many small lakes, clear and cold. It was a wild, romantic region, the lowermost half inhabited by a few hundred Diggers, a subsequent acquaintance with whom has shown to be a harmless and inoffensive people in the lowest stage of development.
Such was the general aspect of the country now comprised within the limits of Nevada county, when the hordes of adventurous Americans,
-
11
SKETCH OF NEVADA COUNTY.
excited by the reports of discoveries of gold in California, came pouring over the Sierra Nevada, and swarmed along the rich streams and over the undeveloped hills of this region.
HISTORICAL.
Probably the first settlement ever made within the boundaries of Nevada county was between the Anthony House and Bridgeport, and called Rose's Corral, from the trader who built an adobe building there in the Summer of 1848. But, it is probable mining was done to a limited extent shortly before that time low down on the Yubas, and during the same Summer a few whites had penetrated as far as the middle region of the county. In 1849, with the great influx of population, came crowds of miners, who spread rapidly over the territory of Nevada county, as far up as Wash- ington, even as early as in the Spring. A few men worked on the Middle Ynba, and on the South Yuba during the early part of the Summer of 1849, and some with good success.
A store was established in August, of the same year, on a point of land that overlooks Bear river, near the mouth of Greenhorn, on the old Truckee trail, by an Oregonian named Findley. The object of establish- ing the post was to trade with the emigrants, and for a time it was the only store between Bear river and Salt Lake at which emigrants could obtain supplies. Here bacon was sold for two dollars a pound, and shoe tacks at ten cents apicec. Brooks & Peasley became successors to Findley, keeping up the store, and it may as well be observed, the prices also.
In September of 1849, David Bovyer established himself in Rough and Ready township, at White Oak Springs, where he traded with the Indians, who dwelt there in considerable numbers. They had learned to collect gold, which they spent with an abandon scarcely excelled by the whites.
During the same Summer, a party of Oregonians creviced for gold along the South Yuba, or Juba, as it was called, as far up as Washington. The success of this party, and of others who followed in their wake, was the means of bringing, the next Spring, a large crowd to the river from Jeffer- son, then called Greenwood's Camp, from the leader of the Oregon party, up to Washington, then named Indiana Camp, from a company of Indianians who pitched their tents there first.
It is not certain who first prospected the rich ravines about Nevada. A gentleman who grazed his stock in the valley in which Grass Valley now stands, and who came to the site of Nevada in August, 1849, saw three men at work on Gold Run, near where the stone bridge now crosses it. There may have been others working in the vicinity. About that time a few men were at work on Deer Creek, somewhere in the neighborhood of Pleasant Flat. Dr. Caldwell had a store in that vicinity, as early as Sep-
12
SKETCH OF NEVADA COUNTY.
tember, and this fact goes to show there must have been more parties at work in the region round about than at this time we can obtain any infor- mation of.
In the same month, or a little later, Captain John Pennington and party built a cabin on Gold Run, and in October Dr. Caldwell built a store near the site of the present High School building, in Nevada. The place was known for a time, from this circumstance, as " Caldwell's Upper Store ;" " Deer Creek Dry Diggings" was another name by which the locality was called.
A settlement was also effected in 1849 in Boston Ravine, and also on Badger Hill, at Grass Valley, and in several of the ravines round about. A trading post was started in the Fall of that year in Boston Ravine, by a Frenchman, Jules Rosiere. The same year, in November, Judge Walsh and two brothers (Holt) commenced building sawmills four miles below Grass Valley, from which it is clear that there were a great many miners in the vicinity, creating a demand for lumber, which up to that time had been obtained by whip-saws, and at extravagant prices.
A Captain Townsend and party built a cabin at Rough and Ready in September, 1849, and mined there successfully. Other parties followed, and quite a number of miners passed the Winter of 1849-50 there. With the addition of French Corral, the places before mentioned are the only ones that we can find which date their settlement back to a period as early as the year 1849.
The year following was one of uncommon discovery and activity. Towns were built up at Nevada, Grass Valley, Rough and Ready, and Newtown, . all of which yet remain except the last, which has fallen to decay. Per- manent camps were established at Sweetlands, Cherokee, Kentucky Flat, and on several bars of the Yubas. Hotels were opened at Nevada, Grass Valley and Rough and Ready. Sawmills were put in operation in these places. A hall was opened in Nevada for dramatic and other entertain- ments. A church was organized in the same place. The town took a permanent name. The first discovery of gold in the old river beds of the pliocene era was made in the hills above the town. The first ditches were projected and constructed. The long-tom was brought into use and soon after the sluice, superseding the rocker. Gold was discovered in quartz at Grass Valley and a crushing mill erected there.
The people of the region organized politically and put themselves within the control of law by their own option, electing officers and pro- viding for their support. Gambling saloons arose in splendor and numbers, and were thronged. Liquors were sold and fights were common. Claims were jumped ; pistols and kuives were worn and drawn; murder was com-
13
SKETCH OF NEVADA COUNTY.
mitted; lawyers came into use, and, in brief, the whole paraphernalia of civilized life gradually came to be adopted. It was not necessity alone that prompted the carly settlers of California to place themselves within the dominion of law. Self-government may be counted as one of the instincts of the American people. Wherever a few of our countrymen come to- gether organization and order are sure to follow. Every American is a lawgiver and a statesman, and must put his knowledge and theories into practice. Hence new ideas, conflicts of opinion, new States, the growth and progress of our great country.
The year 1851 was marked by great changes. Nevada county was or- ganized out of Yuba, by an act of the Legislature of May 18th, of that year. A great fire destroyed the town of Nevada on March 11th. More ditches were surveyed and dug. Several quartz mills were erected in Grass Valley and about Nevada, and a carcer of prosperity in that branch of industry begun at the former place. General laws were better executed because the Courts were nearer at hand and the expense of obtaining jus- tice had been cheapened by a county organization. Local regulations con- cerning quartz claims began to take shape, and a great impulse was given to that branch of mining. A newspaper was started in Nevada. More churches were organized and edifices erected. Families were added to the few who had taken up their residence before. Children made their appear- ance in numbers sufficient to justify employing teachers. Schools were opened. Comfortable residences began to appear on the hills. The people had commenced to see the truth of the aphorism : "a rolling stone gathers no moss," and began to cease " to fold up their tents, like the Arabs, and as quietly steal away "-and to settle down into the habits of fatherland. Up to this time as in the French there was no word in the California vernacular with the exact meaning of "home," except as applied to the dear old spot the miner had left behind him in the country far away.
During the few succeeding years there were rapid strides made in social progress, in improvements in mining, and in discoveries in various parts of the county. Excitements, inseparable from the ruling occupation, were frequent ; hopes were often elevated and as often depressed. Brick build- ings arose, gardens were planted, orchards began, families gathered around them the comforts and elegancies of life, and a character of permanence became more and more apparent. The failure of several adventures in quartz mining about Nevada in 1852 had a disheartening influence for a time, many predicting that flush times had forever passed away; but confi- dence was soon restored, and the county increased steadily in population and wealth, although millions of dollars were shipped away annually, or went to adjoining counties to develop new localities.
14
SKETCH OF NEVADA COUNTY.
In October 1853, Nevada county had for the first time telegraphic communication with the cities below, and two years after with Downieville. Grass Valley about this time took the lead of all the other quartz districts in the State and has maintained her superiority to this day.
As an evidence of the increase of population of the county, we may mention, the vote at the first election in 1851 was twenty-nine hundred, while in 1856 it was seven thousand three hundred, the city of Nevada alone casting of the number two thousand and eighty-one.
It was in the latter year that a terrible tragedy occurred at Nevada, in which the Sheriff of the county and his deputy were killed by mistake. Sheriff W. W. Wright, and Special Deputy David Johnson, went to Gold Flat on the night of the 3d of November to watch for some prisoners who broke jail the night previous. Other parties were on the watch at the same place unknown to the Sheriff's party. They came in contact, and each supposing the other to be the scoundrels for whom they were lying in wait, resorted to their arms. Wright and Johnson were shot.
The Fraser River excitement in 1857-58 had a telling effect upon the population of our county as well as upon the valuation of property Hun- dreds sold out their possessions for what they could get and hurried off to British Columbia, to a cold and inhospitable region, not one of whom can we recall to recollection who was gainer by the step. Many returned to their old haunts, sadder if not wiser men; many are yet buffeting the waves of fortune in those northern climes, and many are beyond the reach of excitements forevermore.
Nevada has had her share of all the many excitements that have so often stirred the people of the coast to abnormal action. But, that which carried away more people and capital than any other was the Washoe or silver mania of 1859. The first notice of the silver discovery near Virginia City was in the Nevada Journal of July Ist of that year. That article an- nounced the fact to the world, and the first specimens of silver ore from the mines ever distributed in California were by the editor of that paper.
On the 24th of June, Mr. J. F. Stone, who had been living for a time beyond the Sierra Nevada, brought a bag of specimens to the Journal office and related the facts in connection with their discovery. About the same time pieces of the ore had been left for assay with J. J. Ott of Nevada, and Mr. Attwood of Grass Valley. The result of the assay created a sud- den excitement. The specimens brought by Stone, distributed about, served to highten the interest in the discovery. Mr. Arthur Hagadorn, of the firm of Mulford & Hagadorn, bankers in Nevada, without a moment's delay, proceeded to dispatch some one to the new mines, and A. E. Ilead was selected for the enterprise. Judge Walsh and others from Grass Valley
15
SKETCH OF NEVADA COUNTY.
made a simultaneous start, and the Nevada and Grass Valley parties came together before crossing the Sierra. In a few days others were on the route; more soon followed, and within two years, it is probable one-third of the male adults of Nevada county had gone to the silver region, either to try their fortunes or visit the scenes that had created so intense an excitement. It is proper to add, that of the fortunate adventurers our county contributed a very generous proportion.
In the rovings of the Americans over the country in quest of more silver lodes, they came in collision with the natives. A party, among whom was Henry Meredith of Nevada, was ambushed by the Pi Uutes, routed and Meredith and many others were slain. An alarm was created at Virginia City, which extended over California, and nowhere was the excitement more intense than in Nevada county, whose citizens by hundreds were supposed to be in peril on the other side of the mountains. A large sub- scription was raised-larger than in any other county of the State-and a company of men volunteered and were on their way over the mountains to the relief of their friends with promptness and dispatch. The company took part in the defeat of the Indians. Not many days after the departure of the company, the citizens of the county were urged to do more. A meeting was called and another body of men volunteered. It is related that an ex-official, not being pleased with the smallness of the number of volunteers, made a short speech in which he declared it was a disgrace to send such a miserable squad. "Let us make up a company consistent with the pride of the county and the danger to be encountered. Yes, gentle- men," said he, "let us at least raise enough to make a respectable corpse!" It is said many of the company did not like the ghastly allusion and aban- doned the expedition.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.