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 5
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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
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POLITICAL SKETCH.
very late day, and being generally attracted by the name of Democracy, the weight of their influence went to swell the tide of victory for the Dem- ocratic party. The national administration being generally Democratic, also, helped the organization and power of that party in California, having all the spoils of office, and, therefore, the material power to drill and keep a party together. Democratic orators perambulated our county, the speeches of some of whom are remembered for ignorance and vulgarity, and, indeed the times was not remarkable for any great degree of refinement on the part of political speakers to whatever party they might belong. Both the Whig and Democratic parties were loosely held together in 1854, on account of sectional feelings. The advent of a secret organization in that year helped to disrupt the parties still more. The Know Nothings polled that year more than twelve hundred votes, although they were unknown in the county till a few weeks before the election. Their influence was marked in that canvass, and became more so the next year, sweeping the Whig name from the political field, and under the name of American party, overthrow- ing the Democrats signally at the polls. Their triumph was, however, temporary. Southern influence procured the indorsement of the Kansas- Nebraska Bill and other Democratic notions, and left no distinctive differ- ence between the parties on which to make an issue, except the question of proscription or liberality to foreigners. As hundreds of the members of the American party had joined its ranks more out of opposition to the Democracy and its principles and tendencies than because of prejudice against foreigners, there was little to attach them to the party any longer. The indorsement of the cardinal principles of Democracy would have de- stroyed the party, if ideas of national importance had not conspired to bring into the field a new party whose aim was the restoration of the rights of man over the whole Union, and more particularly the saving of the virgin soil of the territories from the curse of slavery.
In 1856 the Republican party took the field, and for a new organization, exhibited great strength in the canvass. The earnestness and energy of its leaders, and the soundness of its principles insured ultimate success. But not in the contest of that year. Nevada county went for Buchanan, and indorsed all the Kansas iniquities, border ruffianism, the prostitution of the National Government to the slave power, and all, by a tremendous vote. For four years the Democrats maintained their power in the county, divided, however, in 1857, when an issue was made by Douglas with tho Administration. The debris of other political organizations in the county took sides with the Douglas and Broderick wing, or the Buchanan and Gwin faction, as interest, feeling or personal relations seemed to dictate, till the opposition to Democracy in general began in earnest in the National
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POLITICAL SKETCH.
canvass of 1860. Then a separation of the progressive elements from all others was made, and the first decisive battle fought for freedom. The county was carried for Lincoln, and three members of the Assembly elected out of five. The next year the Republicans swept everything before them, electing their whole ticket, county and legislative. Before, however, going into the canvass of that year the Republican County Central Committee proposed to the Douglas wing of the Democrats, which professed to be for the Union, a fusion of all the elements opposed to secession, and placing all, of whatever political antecedents, on equal grounds. The offer was rejected, and that wing of the Democracy as well as the other, nominated a distinct ticket. Three sets of candidates were in the field. Conness, re- garded as the exponent of the Douglas faction, took the stump, and in a speech at Nevada occupied the same position he did in his speech of the 16th of August at Folsom, which was as essentially copperhead as any delivered during the war. The same sentiments, condemnatory and abusive of the Administration of Lincoln, were retailed over Nevada county, but without success. The Republicans were victorious, electing their entire ticket. On the 12th of March, S. H. Chase, State Senator from Nevada, introduced certain resolutions into the Senate of a very facile character. He proposed the adoption of the Crittenden compromise, the plan of adjust- ment suggested by Mr. Rice of Minnesota, the Border State plan, or, if the people of the South were for a separate Government, to allow them the privilege. Undoubtedly he spoke the sentiments of a large number of the weak hearted of his constituency, in his speech supporting his resolutions. But, there were truc Union men in the county determined to sustain the Government in any emergency. A meeting was called to assemble at the theater in Nevada for the purpose of declaring the sense of the Union men of the county. Niles Scarls, District Judge, was chosen Chairman. The secessionists were on hand in force. By the appointment of the chairman, a number of uncertain men were put upon the committee on resolutions. John R. McConnell was there to sow the seeds of Calhounism and taint the Union sentiment of the meeting. Others were there to assist. On the other hand A. A. Sargent was for vigorous action on the side of the Union. He, also, had worthy supporters. But, the resolutions passed were not entirely satisfactory to the uncompromising foes of secession. Union clubs were soon formed, to obtain admission to which was a matter of more diffi- culty than to attend a public Union meeting, and the work of organization for the support of the Government began. The county had three presses, the Journal, Democrat, and North San Juan Press, that were bold and unmistakably Union, and the cause advanced rapidly. Some parts of the county were too hot for disunionists before the year closed.
36
POLITICAL SKETCH.
The defeat of the Union Democracy left some of that party in bad humor with the Republicans, from which they never recovered ; but most of the party, seeing no prospect of success with their old organization, fused with the Republicans in 1862 and some of the leaders immediately set about controlling the entire party to their own purposes. Their pretensions were resisted, but the majority of the fusion party wanted peace in the ranks for the sake of the Union, and in 1863 the most important offices in the county were bestowed upon the late opposers of the Administration of Lincoln. Taking advantage of their positions as officers of the county, they started a press to assail the men who had been first in all the movements to sustain the Government in its defence against treason. In 1865 these men, attempting to perpetuate their offices two years longer, were driven from authority by the strong hand of the people, and most emphatically rebuked.
It is proper to remark that the course of John R. McConnell at the outset of the war of rebellion was such as to recommend him to the Breckinridge or secession Democracy, and he was nominated in 1861 for Governor of the State. Nevada county, however, gave her vote for Stanford, the Republi- ean and successful candidate.
We append to this political sketch a list of the persons who have been elected to various positions in the county since its organization. The fol- lowing Representatives of the county in Senate and Assembly were elected in the years given, except the Senators holding over :
SENATE.
1851-James Walsh, Democrat.
1852-Wm. H. Lyons, Democrat.
1853-Wm. H. Lyons, Democrat, J. T. Crenshaw, Democrat.
1854-J. T. Crewshaw, Democrat, E. F. Burton, Whig.
1855-E. F. Burton, Whig, E. G. Waite, American.
1856-E. G. Waite, American, S. H. Chase, Democrat.
ASSEMBLY. 1851-E. F. W. Ellis, Whig, J. N. Turner, Whig, Wm. H. Lyons, Democrat.
1852-J. T. Crenshaw, Democrat, Phil. Moore. Democrat, J. H. Bostwick, Democrat.
1833-E. F. Burton, Whig, I. N. Dawley, Democrat, Wm. H. Lindsey, Whig, H. P. Sweetland, Democrat, J. H. Bostwick, Democrat.
1854-E. G. Waite. Whig, E. H. Gaylord, Whig, W. J. Knox, Democrat, Jonathan Phelps. Democrat, H. M. C. Brown, Democrat.
1855-T. B. McFarland, American, Daniel Dustin, American, V. G. Bell, American, G. A. F. Reynolds. American, S. W. Boring, Democrat. 1856 -- E. M. Davidson, Democrat, W. H. Wood, Democrat, Parker H. Pearce. Democrat, Phil. Moore, Democrat, Michael Cassin, Democrat.
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POLITICAL SKETCH.
SENATE.
1857-S. H. Chase, Democrat, E. F. Burton, Independent.
1858-E. F. Burton, Independent, C. J. Lansing, Buchanan Dem.
1859-C. J. Lansing. Enchanan Dem, S. II. Chase, Douglas Dem.
1860-S. II. Chase, uncertain Democrat, Wm. Watt, Douglas Democrat.
1861-Wm. Watt. Democrat. Joseph Kutz, Republican.
1862-Joseph Kutz, Republican. J. C. Birdseye, Republican.
1863 -Joseph Kutz, Republican. E. W. Roberts, Union.
1865-Joseph Kutz, Republican, D. Belden, Union.
ASSEMBLY. 1857-W. H. Hill. Democrat, Jno. Caldwell, Democrat, J. B. Warfield, Democrat, G. A. Young, Democrat, J. K. Smith, American,
1858-Jno. Caldwell. Douglas Democrat, C. Callahan, Buchanan Democrat, G. A. Young. Buchanan Democrat, Phil. Moore, Buchanan Democrat, W. R. Armstrong, Buchanan Dem.
1859-Phil. Moore, Buchanan Democrat, Chas. F. Smith. Buchanan Dem , Henry Ilayes, Buchanan Democrat, M. P. O'Connor. Douglas Democrat. S. T. Curtis, Buchanan Democrat, 1860-E. F. Spence, Republican, J. M. Avery, Republican, E. W. Councilman, Republican, N. C. Miller. Douglas Democrat, J. C. Eastman, Douglas Democrat. 1861-James Collins. Republican, J. M. Avery, Republican, W. II. Sears, Republican. Reuben Leech, Republican. 1862 -- James Collins, Republican, W. II. Sears, Republican, Setlı Martin, Republican, J. W. Rule, Republican.
1863-W. H. Scars, Republican, Seth Martin, Republican, A. A. Sinitb. Republican, J. W. Rule, Republican.
1865-Jobn Pattison, Republican, G. D. Dornin. Republican, Reuben Leech, Republican, II. L. Hatch, Union.
A new apportionment was made by the Legislature of 1853, by which Nevada county was given two Senators instead of one, and five Assembly. men instead of three. This representation was maintained till the Legis- lature changed it in 1861, when Nevada lost one Assemblyman.
Birdseye held his office but one year, a change in the Constitution having been made. Roberts, under the new order of things, held his office one year, drawing the short term as Senator. The term of a Senator since the Constitution was changed and biennial sessions inaugurated, is four years, and that of Assemblymen two.
The following list of officers of the county will be valuable for reference :
DISTRICT JUDGES-
W. T. Barbour, 1850 to November 1855-Democrat. Niles Searls, 1855 to November 1861-Democrat. T. B. McFarland, 1861, (present incumbent,)-Union. Barbour was Judge of the Eighth District, composed of the counties of
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POLITICAL SKETCH.
Yuba, Sutter, Nevada and Sierra. Nevada and Sierra and Plumas were erected into a new Judicial District, in 1855, and Niles Searls was elected to the Judgeship. Plumas and Sierra were afterward lopped off, and Nevada became a District of itself. When the constitutional change took place the Judicial Districts of the State were reorganized, and Nevada and Placer were associated in one District, and so remain.
COUNTY JUDGES-
Thomas H. Caswell, Democrat, 1851 to 1859.
David Belden, Democrat, 1859 to 1863.
Addison C. Niles, Republican, 1863-present incumbent.
SHERIFFS-
John Gallagher, Whig, 1851 to 1853.
William H. Endecott, Democrat, 1853 to 1855.
W. W. Wright, Democrat, 1855 to Nov. 3, 1856 .*
William Butterfield, Democrat, 1856 to 1857. Samuel W. Boring, Democrat, May 1857 to Nov. 1859. J. B. Van Hagen, Democrat, 1859 to 1861. N. W. Knowlton, Republican, Nov 1861 to March 1864. Charles Kent, Union, 1864 to 1866.
Richard B. Gentry, Republican, 1866 to 1868.
#Wright was killed and Butterfield appointed to fill the vacancy.
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS-
John R. McConnell, Democrat, 1851 to '53.
William M. Stewart, Democrat, 1853 to '54-resigned.
Niles Searls, Democrat, 1854-appointed.
S. W Fletcher, Democrat-elected to fill vacancy.
A. A. Sargent, Whig, 1855 to '57. W. F. Anderson, Democrat, 1857 to '59.
E. W. Maslin, Democrat, 1859 to '61. E. H. Gaylord, Republican, 1861 to '64. Thomas P. Hawley, Union, 1864 to '66. John Caldwell, Union, 1866 to '68.
COUNTY CLERKS AND RECORDERS-
Theodore Miller, Whig, 1851 to '53.
W. S. Patterson, Democrat, 1853 to '55. J. H. Bostwick, Democrat, 1855 to '57. Rufus Shoemaker, Democrat, 1857 to '59. John S. Lambert, Democrat, 1859 to '61.
COUNTY CLERKS-
R. H. Farquhar, Rep., Nov. 1861 to March '68-twice elected. COUNTY RECORDERS-
J. I. Sykes, Republican, Nov. 1861 to March '64. Gerry Morgan, Union, 1864 to '66. John Garber, Republican, 1866 to '68.
NOTE .- The office of Recorder was separated from that of Clerk by the Legislature of 1861.
-
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POLITICAL SKETCH.
COUNTY TREASURERS-
H. C. Hodge, Democrat, 1851 to '53. William Bullington, Democrat, 1853 to '55. John Weber, Democrat, 1855 to '57. T. W. Sigourney, Democrat, 1857 to '59.
J. W. Chinn, Democrat, 1859 to '61.
E. G. Waite, Republican, Nov. 1861 to March '64. James Collins, Republican, March 1864 to July '64 .*
W. H. Crawford, Republican, July 1864 to March '66. E. F. Spence, Republican, 1866 to '68.
*James Collins died and Crawford was appointed to fill the vacancy.
Looking over the above list, I find the following names should receive cspecial mention : E. F. W. Ellis would have been prominent for Governor or Congressman had he not left the State ; he fell at Shiloh, giving his life for his country. Phil. Moore was Speaker of the House of 1860, and left the State for Confederate service in 1862. Crenshaw left the same year for the same purpose; was blown up on the ramparts of Vicksburg and his - body never found. T. B. McFarland is at present Judge of the District composed of Nevada and Placer counties. Dr. Daniel Dustin did efficient service for his country, leading an Illinois regiment as Colonel during the war of rebellion. S. H. Chase is District Judge at Aurora, in the State of Nevada. James Collins led the Second Illinois Regiment in the Mexi- can war, as Colonel, and received from the Legislature of that State a sword for meritorious services. He, also, took an active and important part in the Black Hawk war. W. H. Sears was Speaker of the House in 1863. J. R. McConnell was Attorney General of the State in 1854, and candidate for Governor in 1861. W. M. Stewart was acting Attorney General in place of McConnell during the absence of the latter from the State, and is now United States Senator from Nevada. A. A. Sargent was a member of Congress in 1862 and 1863.
Appropriate to this subject, I may add that Governor Fairchild of Wis- consin, and Governor Oglesby of Illinois, once resided in Nevada, and Governor Murphy of Arkansas, once was a citizen of Grass Valley. Lorenzo Sawyer, one of the Supreme Judges of the State, formerly resided in Nevada, and Stephen J. Field, Supreme Judge of the United States, obtained his first political position, as member of the Assembly, by the vote of Nevada county before its separation from Yuba. The county has furnished one State Treasurer, Thomas Findley, and one Clerk to the Su- preme Court, J. R. Beard. James Churchman was sent by Lincoln as Consul to Valparaiso, and L. S. Ely as Consul to Acapulco. Lola Montez, the Countess of Landsfeldt, resided at Grass Valley in 1855.
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THE PRESS.
THE PRESS.
The Nevada Journal, the first paper published in the county, and one of the first ever published in the mountains of the State, made its appearance at Nevada in April, 1851, under the auspices of W. B. Ewer & Co. It was always controlled by Whigs, or men of Whig antecedents, down to its suspension in the Fall of 1861. Perhaps, I may say no paper ever pub- lished in the mountains had a better support or more influence during the ten and a half years of its existence.
Ewer did not long remain in the concern, being succeeded as editor by A. A. Sargent, who, except at short intervals, furnished its editorials till July, 1855, when he was succeeded by E. G. Waite as editor, who generally directed the course of the paper down to October, 1861.
In September, 1853, appeared at Nevada, the Young America, a Demo- cratic organ, under the control of R. A. Davidge. It soon changed its name and proprietors, becoming. the Nevada Democrat-a name retained under various changes of ownership and editors down to its decease in the Spring of 1863. After Davidge, Niles Searls was editor for a time being succeeded in June, 1864, by T. H. Rolfe, he in turn by Henry Shipley in 1855, who was soon succeeded by W. F. Anderson. T. H. Rolfe again, in January, 1857, became editor and remained as such till the suspension of the paper.
The Journal was published the first year semi-weekly, and afterward as a weekly. The Democrat was published weekly until the Fall of 1860, when it was changed to a tri-weekly, continuing such till the end.
About simultaneously with the appearance of the Young America at Nevada, Oliver & Moore started a paper called the Telegraph, at Grass Valley. W. B. Ewer and Henry Shipley succeeded in 1854. It was published as a weekly till it changed its name to The National in 1861, when it became a tri-weekly, appearing as a daily in 1864 and ever since. W. S. Byrne became editor upon the change of name, and. was succeeded by John R. Ridge, both being associated for a time in the editorial depart- ment of the paper. The office was totally destroyed by fire in June, 1862.
In 1857 J. P. Olmstead began the publication of a paper at North San Juan, called the Star. The concern was purchased and a paper called the Hydraulic Press succeeded, edited by B. P. Avery, afterward State Printer. Avery was succeeded by Wm. Bausman, who edited it till near the time of its suspension in 1864.
The daily Nevada Transcript was started in September, 1860, by N. P. Brown & Co., and is still flourishing. It was the first daily ever published in the mountains. Gen. James Allen, once State Printer, edited the paper
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THE PRESS.
till October, 1861, when he was succeeded by E. G. Waite, who ceased his connection with the paper in January, 1864, and was succeded by M. S. Deal.
The material of the old Journal was purchased in the Spring of 1862, · by B. Brierly & Co., and a tri- weekly paper started, called by the old name. It maintained an existence till the fire in November of the next year de- stroyed the office entire. Like disasters befel the Journal and Democrat offices in the fire of 1856. The tri-weekly Journal was edited by Rev. B. Brierly.
The Nevada Daily Gazette began its career under the auspices of O. P. Stidger & Co., in the Spring of 1864. Stidger is understood to have done most of the writing for the paper. W. H. Sears was the editor the year after. T. H. Rolfe was writing its articles down to November, 1866, when E. F. Bean purchased the concern and hoisted his name as editor and pro- prietor.
In October, 1864, Blumenthal & Townsend started the Daily Grass Valley Union. It was edited by H. C. Bennett for a time, and followed by W. H. Miller. Latterly it fell into the hands of Democrats and is conducted in an enlarged form by W. S. Byrne.
In June, 1866, a paper was started at Meadow Lake, by William B. Lyon & Co., called the Sun. It was published at first as a daily, but as the excitement over the new discoveries of quartz in that region subsided, it became a weekly, and so continues to this moment.
In the above account we have not given all the changes of proprietorship and temporary editors, our space not allowing all the minutiæe. The curious will find more details in the newspaper history of the State published in the Sacramento Union, on Christmas, 1859. Down to that date the changes in the various papers of the county are set forth with precision in that paper.
In the political contests of the times, some of the above papers took im- portant parts. The Journal, though conducted by. Whigs, took no decided partisan ground till the appearance of the Democratic organ, the Young America. It was thereafter regarded as Whig, till the appearance of the American party, in 1855, when it became the county organ of that party, remaining so till the party, in State Convention, indorsed the Kansas Ne- braska Bill, when it measurably became neutral, espousing, however, somewhat the cause of Douglas and Broderick, when the issue with the administration of Buchanan was made. But it was always opposed to the Democratic party per se or its principles, only supporting some of its mem- bers as a matter of policy or for personal reasons when it had no party of its own to uphold. As the Douglas wing of the Democratic party grew E
42
THE PRESS.
strong, the Journal opposed it, and finally took up the Republican cause, defending it with earnestness to success. When the war of rebellion was about to begin, the Journal took its stand by the Government, and during the entire contest, till the suspension of the paper and transfer of its editor to the Daily Transcript, the Journal was foremost in the advocacy of all the measures that the administration of Lincoln was forced ultimately to adopt. Its radicalism on the questions of confiscation, emancipation, the draft and more vigorous prosecution of the war, was prominent and fearless.
The Democrat, after it passed from the hands of its founder, was generally in the hands of Northern men and not sectional. While edited by Shipley, in 1855, its articles were characterized, at times, by subserviency to Southern sentiment, but less so under his successor, though a Southern man. After- ward it became conservative, but always Democratic. While conducted by Rolfe it was the devoted champion of Broderick, took sides with Douglas, and against Buchanan, and finally when the war had begun, it supported the administration of Lincoln in a moderate way, till the suspension of the paper.
The course of the Transcript under its first editor was neutral or con- servative. But in October, 1861, a change took place and the Transcript became vigorous for the war and all the advance measures of the times. It was the first newspaper on the coast to declare its want of confidence in McClellan, and at first received the anathemas of many of its cotemporaries for demanding the removal of that General from the command of the army of the Potomac. It has remained under its present management the same organ of progress, supporting with zeal the cause of Congress to the present moment.
The revived Journal affected conservatism, vacillated considerably, and was soon left without influence in the cause of the Union it had avowedly espoused.
The Gazette was started as the organ of a faction of the Union party, and distinguished itself by bolting the regular nominees of the party in 1865, and denouncing the men of the county who were first and most efficient in the support of the war for the maintenance of the Government, making an onslaught on impartial suffrage, and affiliating with Copperheads, and at a later period supported Johnson and his policy. In November, 1866, it changed hands and promises to be an efficient ally in the cause of Congress.
The Grass Valley Telegraph was neutral, or not a very forcible exponent of political opinions. The National, its successor, was for a time a supporter of Buchanan's administration, but changing hands, it supported Douglas as the regular nominee of the Democratic party, yet it went with the op-
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VINES AND WINES.
posers of Lincoln's administration, and has remained on the same tack to this day,
The Union, as its name denotes, was started as a Union paper, and until it passed into its present hands was not supposed to be tinctured with Democracy. The paper was enlarged in December, 1866, and seems to be in a prosperous state.
The papers published at North San Juan took little part in politics till the rebellion broke out, when Bausman, the editor of the Press, became a vigorous and out-spoken friend of the administration of Lincoln. The paper remained so till its suspension.
The Meadow Lake Sun has been always a radical Union sheet. Its editor at present is understood to be Judge Tilford, to whom the public is indebted for the interesting sketch of Meadow Lake township which forms a part of this history.
VINES AND WINES.
One of the most important of the industrial interests of our county is raising grapes and making wines. I rank it among the most prominent branches of industry, not because of the amount of capital invested or the number of men employed in the business, but because the experiments made have proven conclusively that grapes can be grown successfully on thousands of unoccupied acres that now invite the labors of the culturist, and that wines of a noble quality can be produced, equaling the best table wines of foreign lands. It is an important interest because the field is so large and the inducements so great; the kinds of wines which the soil and climate are adapted to produce being such that no other parts of the State can compete with them in the market. But, the business of wine making in our county is yet in its infancy. Four years ago probably not a barrel of wine was produced in the county. The Assessor's Report of 1866, a paper gotten up with more accurate data than any of its predecessors, gives the number of vines in the county at 124,000, and the number of gallons of wine produced that year 10,000. The tax upon wines has decreased their production, besides giving a motive to the producers for not reporting to the Assessor all they have made. It is thought by men con- versant with the subject that at least 20,000 gallons of wine were made in the county last year.
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