USA > California > Lassen County > Fairfield's pioneer history of Lassen County, California; containing everything that can be learned about it from the beginning of the world to the year of Our Lord 1870 Also much of the pioneer history of the state of Nevada the biographies of Governor Isaac N. Roop and Peter Lassen and many stories of Indian warfare never before published > Part 10
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THE YEAR 1857
been around the station at Deep Hole during the summer, and he had on a pair of old overalls that Vary had given him. They talked with him the best they could, and he made them under- stand that he would lead them to the cattle. Hines wanted to make him carry all the beef, but Vary thought it was too big a load and he carried only a part of it. The Indian left the trail of the cattle and they soon struck a smooth Indian trail. As they were traveling along this the Indian, who was a little ahead, broke into a run. Hines yelled to him to stop, but he only looked back over his shoulder and ran faster. Hines soon caught up with him and thought at first that he would shoot him, but be- cause he might help Vary recover his cattle Hines spared his life. A little before sunset they came to a small creek. They had been without water since morning, and both they and their horses were very thirsty. They fixed the horses' bridles so they could drink, and then lay down by the stream to quench their own thirst, the Indian among them. The latter got through drinking before the others did, and jumping across the creek, he started up the hill on the other side. Hines called to him to stop and he did so. Vary said "Never mind him. I want to go up the hill myself," and Hines paid no more attention to them. Vary left his horse at the creek with his pistol hanging on the horn of the saddle, and walked with the Indian to the top of the little hill. When they got there the Indian pointed to a hole in the knee of his overalls and asked Vary for a needle and thread to mend it. The white man took out his pocket-book and sat down on a rock, and while he was doing this the other started off on the run. While this was going on, Hines had crossed the creek and was some little distance from his horse. His attention was called by hearing Vary say "There he goes." This startled Hines and he never thought of going back after his horse, but thought he would run up the hill and take a shot at the Indian. Vary had immediately started in pursuit, but before he had run very far the rowel of his spur caught on a rock and threw him down. Just as Hines got to the top of the hill Vary arose with a big rock in his hand and threw it at the fleeing red man. If it had struck him fair, it would have broken his back; but it fell a little short and just missed his heel. At first Hines could not shoot because Vary was in the way, and when he did get a chance his nerves were so shaky on account of the running he had done
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and the Indian was so far off that he missed him. After shooting three or four times without doing any execution he stopped, and the Indian disappeared from view in the brush and ravines. He had left his load of beef at the creek. The men went back to the creek and got their horses and rode to the top of the ridge. It was now almost dark, and they at once noticed a fire in the direction the Indian had gone. Beyond this fire and a little to the left was another fire, beyond that there was one, and to the right there were two or three more. Off to their right and a little beyond them was a large flat on which grew some very tall sagebrush. It was light enough to see that it was an open country away from the hills, and they concluded to camp for the night on that flat. Hines told the other two that if they would take his horse, he would go afoot to the first fire and see what was there. He walked as far as he dared and then went on his hands and knees until he was close enough to see that no one was there. He then went back to the others, and after going quite a ways out into the flat they found a place where the sage- brush grew very tall and not very close together. They spread a blanket over some of these brush and under it they built a little fire out of some dry brush which they broke into small pieces. Then one of them went off a little distance to find out if their fire could be seen. They spent the night there, dozing a little once in a while. The next morning the question arose as to whether or not they should go any further. The Indians knew where they were, and forty or fifty of them might make an attack at any time. At last they left it to Vary because it was his cattle that the Indians had stolen, and they were nearly all the property he had. After some talk he said they would follow the cattle part of the day, anyway, before giving it up. They took the direction the Indian had gone, and soon found the trail of the cattle which was still going north. They followed the trail until two hours before sunset without seeing any cattle or Indians, and then Vary said they had gone far enough and would turn back. They turned around and rode until after dark, and again secreted themselves in the sagebrush for the night. It took three days for them to get back to Deep Hole, using for food the beef they took from the Indian.
When their friends saw them they threw up their hats and shouted for joy. Several days before this the men left in camp
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had made up their minds that the three men had been killed by the Indians. Lewis took possession of Hines and Sylvester's property, and sent a man to Honey Lake to get men to come out there and hunt for them. The next day after their return they sent another man to stop the help from coming. During that day they discussed the utility of a plan to have the men come on and have an Indian hunt as they had plenty of provisions. The next day they sent another man out to tell theni to come on, but he met the other two coming back and they all returned to camp. The man sent out by Lewis reported that the Potato War was going on, and that he could get no men to come with him. The whole party then came on to Honey Lake valley.
This story shows the desperate chances that men took with the Indians in those days. Their safe return was due to good luck more than anything else. Half a dozen Indians could have ambushed them in the brush or rocks, and filled them full of arrows at short range without much danger to themselves.
ELLIOTT AND FERRY'S SHOOTING SCRAPE
In the early part of the winter of 1857-8 while J. H. Ferry, always called Blackhawk here, was working in the blacksmith shop at Roop, McNaull & Co's. sawmill, Rough Elliott was haul- ing lumber from there. One day the two men had a dispute about something, and a few days afterwards Elliott went into the shop and being younger and stronger than Ferry, who was a gray- haired man, backed him over the anvil and beat him up consider- ably. Not long after this a dog that Ferry knew belonged to Elliott came into the shop. As soon as he saw the dog Ferry said "I know whose dog that is", and went into a little room where he slept, got his pistol, and stepped outside. Elliott was close by, and as soon as he saw Ferry come out with his pistol he jumped behind a big stump near by. They went to shooting at each other, Ferry being in the open and the other man dodging around the stump. Ferry kept going toward Elliott, shooting at him whenever he saw enough of him to shoot at, and finally emptied his pistol. He then said "I'll get him now", and started back to the shop to get his rifle, Elliott shooting at him as he walked away. Before he came out with his gun the boys came down from the mill and stopped the fight, probably saving Elliott's life.
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BARBER SPRINGS
In the fall of 1857 a man named Barber who lived in Carson valley and who had been mining on Gold Run started for home. One night he camped at the springs just over the divide between Honey Lake and Long valley. At that time the trail ran over the hill through a low pass to the west of where the road runs now. The next morning a gun was fired from a pile of rocks close by, and Barber was shot through the arm. The Indian caught up a gun and fired at some one he saw in the rocks, but with what effect was never known. Barber came back to the ranch of N. Clark and stayed there until he was able to resume his journey. For a long time after that the springs where he was shot were called Barber Springs.
FIGHT OVER THE NOBLE ROAD
During the year 1857 the Noble Road was the favorite route with emigrants going into northern California, especially with those who knew something about the different routes. John Kirk was superintendent of the western end of the Wagon road, and the Never Sweats, not having trouble enough with the Indians and the Plumas county authorities, entered into a wordy war with him about this road. At that time Honey Lake valley was the western terminus of the road because the railroad survey made by Lieut. Beckwith passed that point, and because it was thought by Col. Noble the best for entering California. The Honey Lakers were afraid that Kirk's report would cause con- gress to change the terminus to Carson valley; and they claimed that he said and did all sorts of unfair things to make it appear that the Honey Lake road was not a good one, and that he was a great friend of the Carson route. "The Butte Record" says that a great number of emigrants raise their voices in indignation about the way that John Kirk tried to force them to take the Carson route. "The Sacramento Union" quotes the foregoing and then expresses the opinion that the complaints did not come from the emigrants, but from the friends of the Honey Lake route and from the traders on that route. The trouble appears to have begun and ended in words.
CONDITIONS IN HONEY LAKE AT THE CLOSE OF 1857
The permanent settlement of the valley began this year and it was not deserted when winter came on. Men brought in their
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families and the best land in the valley was taken up and settled on, but it was held in large tracts and the houses were far apart. The names of the women who came into the valley this year, as far as could be ascertained, have already been given. Possibly there may have been a few more of them. There was only one house built of boards in the valley. The others were log cabins covered with shakes and having a fireplace, sometimes partly made of logs covered with mud. There was at least one stove in the valley, and there may have been one or two more. Cooking was done at the fireplace, and this was sometimes helped out by a "Dutch oven." The furniture was generally home-made; and before the sawmill was built it was made out of whipsawed lum- ber, or planks split out with an ax. Merchandise, tools, imple- ments, etc. were scarce and prices high. Everything of that kind was brought in with pack trains over the Diamond Mountain trail. Ned Mulroney and Robert Wisbern had a packtrain that brought goods into the valley. Orlando Streshly also had one and so did L. F. Hough.
Some vegetables were raised, and ruta-baga turnips grew so well that for several years after this they were called "Honey Lake currency." Perhaps a little wheat and other grains were raised, but until 1860 all of it had to be thrashed with a flail. The nearest gristmill was at Taylorville where Jobe Taylor had built one in 1856. Once in a while when a person was out of flour wheat was ground in a coffee-mill. Of course flour was high. Charles Lawson says that he paid a trader who was located on the north side of the valley this fall $2.50 for flour enough to make one meal of biscuits for four persons. A fortunate thing was that game was abundant, and for the first few years people lived on it more than they ever have since that time. Another lucky thing was that the first two or three winters were easy ones. There was very little chance to make money, and those who had any brought it with them from the mines of California. Nothing was raised that could be sold excepting a few cattle, and they were cheap and there was not much market for them. The placer mines near Lassen's place paid quite well for a few years, but they were never very extensive. While there was a large emigration, in the fall quite a number of Never Sweats strung out along the emigrant road between the valley and the Humboldt river and up that stream for a hundred miles, or more,
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and traded with the emigrants. They took with them flour and other provisions, ammunition, whiskey, and tobacco; and these goods they sold to the emigrants, or traded them for their foot- sore and tired-out animals. When these were rested they traded them for other wornout animals, of course getting a good trade; and at the end of the season brought these animals into the valley. It can easily be imagined that these traders did not go out for their health, and between necessity and the traders the poor emigrants were ground between the upper and nether millstones.
There were no light vehicles and the most of the traveling was done on horseback. Almost every one kept travelers over night, because there were no hotels excepting at some place like Rooptown. People generally carried their own blankets, and if much of a journey was to be taken, provisions were carried, too. There was no regular mail brought in. Whenever any one went to Quincy he brought back with him what mail there was for the valley.
There was very little law excepting what the settlers made for themselves, and less Gospel than there was law. Everybody went armed with a six-shooter, and some men carried two of them and a big knife. If a man had to go very far from home, he carried a rifle. A man was supposed to defend his life and property and "shooting scrapes" were quite frequent. The frontier is always the resort of criminals and desperate characters, and on account of the doubt as to where its territory was located and the absence of any officers of the law, Honey Lake had its share of them. The newspapers published at that time say that some of the worst horse-thieves on the coast rendezvoused in this valley. They stole horses from the settlers and from the emigrants passing through here, and the Indians were blamed for a good deal of it. But white men were caught at it once in a while and they were quickly treated to a dose of frontier justice; for in the new settle- ments of the West, horse-stealing and counterfeiting have always been considered the worst of crimes.
In conclusion, though the settlers were kind and helpful to each other and to newcomers, there was very little social life. The only amusement was a dance once in a while when a few women could be found at attend. A great deal of whiskey was drank and gambling was carried on almost every where.
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CHAPTER IV
1858. SETTLEMENT
I N January G. Craft claimed all the vacant land on Susan river lying between the Walden and Coulthurst ranches near Willow creek; W. H. Watson sold an undivided one half of his ranch to J. H. Scott; Scott claimed forty acres which Watson had relinquished from the southeast corner of his ranch the pre- vious October and a tract lying north of Watson and Wickhan; Hasey and MeNaull located two sections at the head of Willow creek and the "mill seat that is up and down said creek far enough to raise the water 18 feet;" Frank Rinard claimed the land located by Cornelison and forfeited by him; Thomas Dawsen took a claim on the north bank of Susan river about three fourths of a mile west of the Adams claim.
In February W. H. Watson recorded a claim to a section of land, taken four days after Hasey and McNaull made their claim, on the head of Willow creek and a millsite on the creek; John Ferry claimed McMunchie's half of the section located by him and Williams west of Haviland; Hasey claimed all of Antelope valley; Storff located a tract on both sides of the river between Coulthurst and Walden & Co .; R. F. Cahill took a claim about three fourths of a mile square southwest of Streshly's ranch. There was recorded in Quincy a deed from A. D. McDonald to T. G. Harmon for all of the former's interest in the 1200 acres in Elysian valley east of the Bass ranch. This tract was owned by McDonald and the Wilmans Brothers. The consideration was $300.
In March Daniel Dawsen claimed a tract of one hundred acres lying between Thomas Watson, the Neale Brothers, Rice & Neis- wender, and the Bald hills, but relinquished it eleven days after- wards; Nathaniel Headrick and Jasper Allison relocated the land that Libler had taken up in December, 1856, and which they claimed he had forfeited; Dolphin Inman made a location on the south side of the river joining Haviland on the north and Rice & Neiswender on the south; Antionie (Anthony) Gray relocated the southwestern part of the tract taken by Libler in December, 1856, probably bought it from him; Milton Craig claimed forty acres east of Cornelison and north of Haviland; J. Williams
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claimed half of the land taken by McMunchie in February, 1857, he having bought the other half of it; John H. Ferry took a half section between Williams and Haviland, and his notice stated that it was the piece of land taken by MeMunchie and by him for- feited. It looks as though it was the land claimed by Williams five days before that. Dawsen took a claim about four miles southeast of the Neale Brothers and just north of the Bald hill; Albert H. Smith claimed eighty acres about one mile south of the Neale Brothers.
This spring John Byrd came into the valley from Colusa county, California, and settled eight miles below the present site of Milford. He brought with him 700 or 800 head of stock horses and stock cattle. These increased rapidly and until he left here in 1866 he was the largest stock owner in this section of the country.
In April B. F. Grayham and F. Yager located a claim on the south side of the river joining the Neale Brothers on the east; Ladue Vary relocated the land north of Roop and Fredonyer which he had sold to Rinard and which the latter had relin- quished. Ella Grace, daughter of Dr. Z. N. Spalding and Wife, was born on the 18th of this month, the third child born in the valley. She died April 5th, 1860. Some time this spring Richard D. Bass, D. I. Wilmans, and Orlando Streshly brought their families into the valley.
In June C. C. Walden took a claim west of Tutt, probably a part of the land taken by Dow and Hatch in April, 1857. Dow and Hatch bought a half section of land on the lake west of the Clark ranch from Eaton and Ward. They gave a rifle, an aparejo, and a mule for it. There was a cabin on the place and it was fenced on two sides, and in the fall they got 5000 pounds of wheat and some beans, corn, and potatoes from it. Soon after Dow sold it to S. J. Hill for $1500 worth of half-breed Sam. Neale mares. Dow and Hatch built the first bridge across the river at Toadtown where the bridge is now. Thomas Brown says that he, the Neales, Hines, Spalding, Sylvester, Jolin C. Davis, and some others helped to build it. It was a primitive affair and went out when the first high water came. Thomas J. Mulroney came in and bought the Rough Elliott ranch northwest of Streshly for his brother Ned. Robert Wisbern, Ned's partner, stayed on the place the following winter. Isaac Coulthurst built a house on his place this summer.
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THE YEAR 1858
In July Rinard took a claim northeast of Tom Watson which extended east to the Neale ranch; Dr. Spalding and John E. Fuller claimed 480 acres on the north side of the river east of Hines and Sylvester. Their southwest corner was a little north- east of Curlew Butte, and their land was half a mile wide and extended down the river a mile and a half.
On the 12th an arbitration meeting was held at the Manley Thompson ranch. Joseph Lynch and Anthony Barla were partners in the place taken up by the former in 1856 and they could not agree. Dr. Slater and S. C. Perrin were chosen arbi- trators and they divided the land and water equally between the two men.
In August Samuel R. Hall, then little more than a boy, came into the valley, and in September he and Jack Demming went into Willow Creek valley and located a couple of claims at the upper end of it. Demming's place was where what is now called Summers creek comes out of the hills and Hall's was not far away. They were the first settlers in that valley. They did not spend the winter there, but the next spring Demming went back and commenced to improve his place.
In September Wm. R. Campbell took a claim between the Conkey and Neale ranches ; Edward (Ned) Mulroney claimed 160 acres, or more, near Gold Run northwest of J. P. Ford and between him and Arnold.
The Neale Brothers had cattle running on the south side of the river this summer, and fearing the land would be fenced up so the cattle could not get water at the river, they had their hired man, Wm. H. (Hank) Crane, plow a ditch from the river above the falls, then not far from where the Johnstonville gristmill is now, southeast across the flat to the bluff. This was the beginning of the Buggytown Ditch, but it is possible that this was done a year later.
Smith J. Hill came into the valley and bought the Baxter place about three fourths of a mile southeast of Bankhead's for a mule. Hill says that about this time he bought out Matchelor for James D. Byers. This ranch was on Baxter creck about two miles northeast of Bankhead's. Byers did not come here to live until several years after this and James Anderson had charge of the place and the stock.
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This summer Dr. Slater taught a private school at his own house. His pupils were Susan and Hugh Bankhead, Maria Stone, and his own children, Eva and Daniel. F. & S. say: "In 1858 Malcom Scott opened a private school in a small building that stood on the south side of Cottage street, about midway between Gay and Lassen streets."
Late this summer Matchelor, Henderson, and another man, who had all been living on the place Hill bought for Byers, got out some logs and put up a cabin on the west part of Manley Thompson's ranch. Thompson reported the case to the citizens of the valley, and thirty or forty men met at his place to hold an arbitration. At first the "jumpers" said they would stay there anyhow and could not be driven off; but they soon saw that it was of no use to try to fight the whole crowd, and they said that if Thompson would pay them for the logs, they would leave. Probably he did this, for that was the end of the trouble.
In October Wm. H. Crane, Wm. D. Snyder, C. W. Thompson, Robert Cochran, and Cyrus Smith located two sections east of Coulthurst and also claimed the water privilege of Susan river and Willow creek.
On October 17th, 1858, there was born to Isaac and Mary Jane Coulthurst a son, William R., the fourth child born in the valley. He died October 10th, 1876.
This fall Lassen and Albert A. Smith went to Lassen's old ranch on Deer creek after some millstones. It appears that they allowed him to take anything of that kind any time he wanted it, so he loaded up the millstones and started for home. At the same time Dr. Spalding and Fred Hines went to Red Bluff to get some drugs, the first used by Dr. Spalding in his practice here, and coming back they struck in with Lassen and Smith. Lassen's wagon was heavily loaded and Hines had to help him up the Hat Creek hill. He was up near the leaders driving and Lassen was behind the wagon carrying a big rock to chock the wheel when the team stopped. All at once a chain broke near the wagon which immediately started back down the hill. Lassen was old and clumsy and would have been run over and killed; but in his haste to get out of the way he accidentally dropped the stone where the wheel struck it, and the wagon stopped. It was a close call for Uncle Peter that time .:
Lassen rigged up a rude mill near the creek, about half way
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THE YEAR 1858
between where the road runs through Milford and the foothill, or perhaps a little nearer the hill. He ran it with a sort of horse- power; and crushed grain, but made no flour. This was the first attempt to build a gristmill in the county. This fall, some say 1857, Lassen and Kingsbury put up a house of hewn logs on the top of the hill west of where the Hulsman residence is now, and it was used as a ranch house for several years.
This year a man named Wasson settled in Long valley at what is sometimes called the Upper Hot springs, or the Hot Springs ranch. This place was six miles almost due south of the "Whitehead" Ross ranch.
This month Elizabeth A. Sharp sold to Squire Stark for $500 the ranch she bought from him the previous year. This fall Ross Lewers came in and bought the Fullbright and Crawford ranch, and soon after took in Rough Elliott as a partner. J. P. Ford sold out to Judkins and Cate.
In November M. and E. R. Scott "laid claim in and unto the whole of Antilope valley so called situated north or in the northern part of Honey Lake valley about three miles northeast from Susanville." After the record of the notice Roop stated that he told M. Scott that some other parties had claimed the same land and filed their notice for record three days before, but Scott said he wanted his notice filed and he would take the chances. This is the first time that Roop's place has been called "Susanville" in any newspaper, record, or document that the writer has ever seen. For a while before this it was gener- ally called "Rooptown," and for a couple of years afterwards it was sometimes called "Susanville" and sometimes "Rooptown."
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