USA > California > Lassen County > Fairfield's pioneer history of Lassen County, California to 1870 > Part 5
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In December, John W. Davis re-located the Hulsey claim; Joseph Libler located east of O'Laughlin, and A. U. Sylvester, east of Morton. The claims of Haviland, Morton, and Sylvester extended on the north side of the river from a mile and a half east of Roop, down below where the Johnstonville bridge crosses the river. Manley Thompson located a section east of Lynch, and built a cabin on it that winter. The middle of his south line was near where Buntingville is now. Before Weatherlow took the place left by Mason, E. Roop claimed it; but he was afraid of the Indians and left it in a short time.
Late in the spring of 1856, L. N. (Newt) Breed came into Indian valley and bought a small stock of goods from E. D. Hosselkus and I. J. Harvey, and hired them packed into this valley. He put up a tent on the flat across the creek from
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THE YEAR 1856
Lassen's cabin, and sold goods that summer. In the fall he had a trading-post for emigrants at the crossing of Willow creek.
In 1853, when he was seventeen years old, Fred Hines crossed the plains with Dr. Minor. He passed through this valley over the Noble road; and went on to Shasta, and mined there until July, 1856. Then he, Ladue Vary, and A. U. Sylvester came to this valley; Vary to prospect, and the others to trade with the emigrants. They went out to Lassen's Meadows on the Hum- boldt, and stayed there until the last of September, or the first of October. During that time, Hines and Vary came back to Deep Hole springs with a pack train. When they went back, Hines concluded to go straight across from Granite creek to Rabbit Hole, and save a good many miles of travel. They did this, and about midway between the two places found some hot springs. Shortly after they got back to the Humboldt, an emi- grant train came along. They were going over the Noble road, and Hines told them how to keep his trail and find the hot springs. They followed his directions, and made a new road which was traveled after this instead of the old one.
THE DROWNING OF ISADORE MEYERWITZ AND HIS WIFE
The following was told by F. and S., A. G. (Joe) Eppstein, and W. H. Clark.
In the month of July, 1856, Isadore and his Indian wife were drowned in Honey lake. He and Sailor Jack built a sail- boat out of a wagon box or some old boards, something more like a box than a boat. It was a crazy affair, and their neighbors warned them against risking their lives in it. Evidently no attention was paid to their advice, for soon after it was finished, Isadore and his wife, George Lathrop, R. J. Scott, Reed, and Sailor Jack took a sail in it, starting out from near Isadore's ranch. When they had reached quite a distance from the shore, a sudden gust of wind upset the boat and threw them all into the water. They all managed to get back to the boat, and some of them clung to it, the others getting up on the bottom of it. The Indian woman kept slipping from the boat, and every time she did this Isadore would put her back. Finally he got tired out, and she drowned. Soon after this, he gave up and let go of the boat. Lathrop left the boat and started for the shore. He swam until he was completely tired out, and gave up the
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HISTORY OF LASSEN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
fight for his life. When he stopped swimming, he went down a little ways and then struck bottom. He then stood up and found that the water was only waist deep. The lake was very low at that time, and probably he had swum half a mile where he might have waded. The others stuek to the boat, and finally it drifted ashore near the mouth of the Big Slough. A few days afterwards Eppstein and two others rode entirely around the lake looking for the bodies of Isadore and his wife, but they were never found.
Of course different stories are told about this. Thos. B. Doyle says he has the following from good authority: There were seven persons in the boat-their names were given-and the boat was made out of the trunk of a tree. (Others tell this, too.) They started out on the lake near the Ebenezer Smith place. Perhaps William Goose was one of the men with Eppstein, and it took them a day and a night to ride around the lake.
F. and S. say : "The first entry of any nature whatsoever made upon the civil records of the territory of Nataqua was in the matter of the estate of Isadore Meyerwitz, who had been drowned in Honey lake." The following quotations are from F. and S., and are from Roop's record of public meetings, etc. : "Estate of Isadore Meyerowitz VS. Geo. Lathrop, Admr.
"At a meeting held this 15th day of July, A. D. 1856, Geo. Lathrop was duly elected administrator for the Estate of Isadore Meyerowitz, Dec., and Wm. Reed, R. J. Seott, and John W. Cushing were elected Appraisers.
"Isaac Roop, Recorder." .
The next entry is as follows :
"July 27, A. D. 1856.
"Isaac Roop was this day sworn in by due process as Re- eorder.
"Peter Lassen was this day sworn as Surveyor by Recorder.
"Geo. Lathrop was this day sworn as administrator by the Recorder.
"Roop, Recorder."
"In the appraiser's inventory of the deceased man's estate, his ranch, a section of unimproved land, was put in at $400; one
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THE YEAR 1856
boat (probably the one from which he was drowned), $12.50; one set of double harness, $8.00; two spurs, $4.00; one purse with cash, $1.50; and numerous other articles, such as farm and house utensils, clothing, etc., amounting in all to $625.75. The inventory was filed July 30, 1856."
Lathrop's notice was written out on a little piece of paper, and tacked up on Roop's cabin by the side of the door.
"The first civil cause that came within the jurisdiction of the high tribunal, to be organized in accordance with sections 9 and 11, was the following: (For these sections see Honey Lake Politics, 1856.)
"Florency Smith VS Be it remembered that on the 7th day of August, 1856, Florency Smith filed her J. B. Mankins Complaint of Forcible Entry and Detainer against J. B. Mankins before me, I. Roop, Recorder, in the words and figures as follows: 'That J. B. Mankins, on or about the 5th day of August, A. D. 1856, did willfully and knowingly take possession of a certain tract of land belonging to her, Florency Smith. The said land is fully described and boundaries defined in Record Book A page 3. And thereupon, on the same day and date, a call was made to the citizens to meet at the Roop House on the 10th day of August, 1856, and try said cause.
"I. Roop, Recorder.' "
"August 10, A. D. 1856.
"The citizens appeared in pursuance of the above call, and on being organized into a board of arbitrators, neither of the parties appearing, it was resolved to proceed with the cause; and the proofs and allegations concerning said cause, together with the Record, being fully heard and examined by said Board (about this time the defendant J. B. Mankins appeared), and upon a consultation by said Board, the Verdict was as follows :
"That the said Florency Smith recover and have restitution of the premises; and further, that the said Florency Smith shall cause said premises to be surveyed within fifteen days from the date hereof, and that the Recorder make out a quit Deed to her for said premises, and signed by all present; and further, that if the said Florency Smith shall fail and neglect to have said premises surveyed within the time specified, then in that case
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HISTORY OF LASSEN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
she forfcits all her right, title, and interest in and unto the same. Reed, Scott, Breed, Morehead, Hasey, Weatherlow, Cushing, Kingsbury, Ely, Grout, Devol, and Hank.
"Three o'clock P. M. this tenth day of August, A. D. 1956. "Isaac Roop, Recorder."
"On the 29th day of August, 1856, Isaac N. Roop, who had been acting in the capacity of recorder, appointed I. Ely and J. H. Patty his deputies, with full power to act in his stead, himself placing their appointment on record; and soon after went to Shasta to remain until the following spring. J. H. Patty had placed but six claims on record when he was summarily ousted from his position by the following proceedings which appear on the record :
"Honey Lake Valley Nov 16/56
"As it became necessary to hold an Election in this valley for the purpose of electing a Recorder pro tem to fill the vacaney of Mr I Roop until his return to the Valley or until tim vacates his office the Citizens therefore proceeds to Elect a Recorder pro tem
"Wherein Wm Hill Presids President
"W W L Lennox Secty.
"On Motion Mr Goodwin, Hasey & Davis was put in nomina- tion to fill the office.
"they then proceeded to take the Ballot when Mr Hasey was declared unanimously Elected to fill that office.
"there being no important business be four the meeting a motion of Mr Morton it was adgourned sine die.
W W L Lennox Secty."
"The reason these proccedings were held does not fully appear ; but it may be judged that a change was desired by some for personal reasons. This thought is suggested by the fact that on the twenty-ninth of the same month W. W. L. Lennox copied verbatim the notice Roop had posted up and placed on record of the first location in the valley, and caused it to be recorded by the new official. He thus relocated, or "jumped," Roop's claim, including that portion which had been designated as a town site in section six of the laws adopted by the first assembly of the territory of Nataqua. It might have been done for other and better reasons." When Roop came back in the spring, Len-
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THE YEAR 1856
nox told him he thought that he had left the valley for good; and that he (Lennox) might as well have the claim as any one else. He gave the claim back to Roop without making any trouble about it, and probably this was one of the best things he ever did in his life for the good of his health.
"November 23, 1856, the following power of attorney was placed on record by A. G. Hasey : 'Notice-Know all men by these Presents that I the undersigned have been and is hear by appointed to act as Agent or Substitute to represent the Claim of Mrs. L. M. Ellis. J Belcher.' "
About the first of October Hines, Sylvester, and Vary, and some others, came back from Humboldt with the cattle they had obtained by trading with the emigrants. They camped on the river two or three miles below Roop's; and stayed long enough to build some corrals and brand the cattle, which they turned out and left here. Sylvester and A. D. Morton, who had come in with them from the Humboldt, each took a claim as before related. Hines went to Shasta and wintered there, and Morton went to Quincy. Sylvester stayed in the valley with Morehead, who had a cabin a couple of miles up the lake from where Milford now stands. Weatherlow stayed that winter down on the lake with E. Smith, or had a cabin near his place. Some time during the winter a big wind-storm came on; and that night a large pine tree blew down across the corner of his cabin, pinning him down to his bed. If it had not fallen across the chimney, he would have been instantly killed. Smith was not at home, so his wife started out for help, and struck out for a cabin near the edge of the timber at the western corner of the lake. The wind was against her, and it almost, blew her into the lake; but she finally reached the cabin, and some men went down and sawed off the tree and got Weatherlow out. This accident laid him up for some time.
Early in the year Hasey, Elliott, Shores, and others claimed two miles square on Gold Run, the southwest corner of the tract being about 600 yards south of west of where the Richmond schoolhouse now stands. During the summer the land was traded around, and finally L. C. McMurtre bought in; and then the whole tract belonged to him, Hasey, and Elliott. Just before Christmas they put up a log cabin near the spring at Richmond.
During the year 1856, all the good land from the mouth of
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HISTORY OF LASSEN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Willow creek to the head of the valley, from Milford around the foot of the mountain to Gold Run, and down that stream had been taken up, some of it three or four times. Claims on over 36000 acres of land had been recorded, and a good many claims were never put on record.
According to the Register kept at the Roop House that year, after August 19th 278 men, 69 women, 89 children, 323 horses, 22 mules, 4515 cattle, 3700 sheep, and 88 wagons passed through the valley going west. Probably a good many went through before that time. None of them stopped here, they were going to the mines. The most of them went on to the Sacramento valley, and then turned and came back into the mountains.
At the end of the year, Lassen, Roop, and Weatherlow each had a cabin; the last named being across the street from Roop, and not far from Main street. E. Smith had one near some springs at the edge of the bluff about a mile and a half south of Roop, and one at his place on the lake. R. J. Scott had one at Milford, Morehead one a couple of miles further up the lake, and there was one close to the edge of the timber at the west end of the lake. There was the cabin at Richmond, the miners may have had some "shacks" in the hills, and of course there may have been one or two that the writer failed to hear about, though Hines knew what was in the valley late that fall. All the settlers whose names are given in 1856 came in here that year, unless they were mentioned before that time.
THE ROOP HOUSE REGISTER
For several years the Roop House (Roop's cabin) was the only station on the emigrant road in the valley. Even when there were settlers down along the river, it was the most important place on the road; and the emigrants made it a stopping place for a time. For some years a register was kept here, and in it almost everything that took place was jotted down. It was a sort of diary, and it seems as though any one wrote whatever he pleased in it. In after years the book fell into the hands of those who used it for a scrap-book, and newspaper clippings were pasted over the most of it. A small part of the book, the record for the latter part of 1856 and the first part of 1857, had nothing pasted in it, and the most of what was written there is given here. It tells something of the life led by the few men around the
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THE YEAR 1856
station, and of the efforts made to induce some of the passing emigrants to settle here. It is quoted just as written. The date of the first extract could not be seen, but probably it was August 17, 1856.
"Kellog Orton & Heep started out Hill says he has got ten thousand potatoes Clay says money there is liquor money coming ! Cap getting Diner Lassen highly interested with Old Stephe Morehead & Roop in close conversation about Town lots Hill Gon to Sleep
Losson Gon don to Meet the Emegrant Devol Went Down to meet the Girles and got throod and came Back and sent Breed
Roops House Monday 18 1856
Charley started to go Down Without any Legins and Could not make the Rifle
Augus 1856 Monday the 18 1856
Danc Last Night Roop Went out and asked the Girles in the house and there Was thirteen Girles
Tuesday 19
Woods & Longs Train 20 men 3 women 1 child 15 horses & mules 420 cattle 5 wagons
Mitchum & Co Train 18 Men 1 Woman 2 Jacks 26 Horses & Mules 270 cattle 3 Wagons
A T Smith Train Au 19th 56 Big Meadows
130 Cattle 8 horses & mules 16 men 5 Women 7 children 5 Wagons Geo W Beers from Grand Rapids Kent Co Michigan formerly of New York City
Aug 19 1856 Thos. J Bowling, Fort Royal Va
I Was Frying Meat and A Sage Rooster Damed Hot
They Benches was crowded with Girls Roop was Fixing Some
plan to stop them in this Valley Tes and Cap Charley Devol and the Balance of the Boys could not say one Word to them nohow (Sugar no go)
Roop House Thursday 21
Barnes Train 1 Waggon 20 Cattle 6 horses 1 Woman 3 children 4 men
Elliott Train 10 Men 280 Cattle 12 Horses & Mules 1 Jack 1 Jenny 1 Waggon
Friday 22nd R. H. Stuart
Some for the Gall that Dresses Neat and Some For the Gall that Kisses Sweet
I Tomkins
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HISTORY OF LASSEN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
August 1856
Lassen & Hill Returned from Working on Emegrant Road
Breeds paek Train Came in
Weatherlow. Grout. Sailing & Devol leaves for the Humboldt River or in that vacinity
Girls very searce non coming of any amount
O I should like to mary if I could find
Some hansome young Ladie Just suited to my mind
I should like to mary I know I could fancy Say, Susan. Betty. Katey. Louisa or Nancy
It is not good for a man to be a lone Vereley. Vereley. I say unto you take unto yourself a wife that your days may be long in the land that the Lord thy God gave unto you for how can a man live to a good old age if he obey not this commandment.
August 21st 1856
J. W. Johnson passed here to-day en rout for "Sweet Amer- ica" via the "big meadows" "Deer Creek" and Lassen's peak. Family all O. K.
John Smith, Thomas Brown et al are just behind with large kid- neys and extensive ab-do- mens
Regester August 1856
M Carter & Abbott arived
Black smith Tools Damned high Old Iron. Wagon tire. &c. Scarce Arkansas Fools With Black smith Tools
Crossed the Plains Without any Brains
Stoped here for a day Then went their way
Aug 25 Mr Long from Arkansas left here this morning for the "big Meadows" with his wife and two daughters. Why in "Gods Name" cant some of the women stop here ? Johnson Patty Turned Black smith shoeing all day (Abbott & Carter Leaves)
Roop House Thursday 28th
Major A. T. Smith leaves here this day for the Meadows on the other side of the Mountain. Would advise my friend Bryant. Winfield to remain at this Point for a few days and recruit his Stock and enquire for me-Mr Roop can tell you if you have any Horse Shoe Nails let. Mr Roop have enough to Shoe his damn Old Horse Smith
The Fool Killers Have Left Honey Lake Valley This Day
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THE YEAR 1856
August, 1856
very late when I got up to mad to rise early. Patty Leaves early for the Camp
Roop House Augs 29 1856 Messr Jenkins & Dobbins arrive from Shasta Roop, Jenkins & Dobbins leaves for Shasta
Roop House Sunday Aug 31st
Another Sabbath has passed on the swift pinions of Time, and we are one week nearer eternity. A few years more and we shall have passed smoothly down the stream of Life and paid the debt of nature. How different then will this far famed Elysian valley appear! What great and stupendous changes will have taken place! Where now stands Lassen's log Cabin, a modern pig sty will have been erected and round that sage covered Ranch will be a rail-worm fence, composed chiefly of piles of brush Who among this generation will be able to recognize this valley ? Echo answers "nary bugger" Brown
September 2 1856 4 foot men this for Big Medders
Sept 5 Roop House Honey Lake Valley
Cap Sailing Devol Grout left Smoke Creek on Tuesday got out nine miles from mud Creek took Johnsons Cutt off Trav- eled 75 miles on it took to the blufs 4 miles to Willow Creek Cap left to take another look at the buggy
Sept 6 Ely, John, Charley & sailing all left for Red Bluffs, by way of the Big Medders
Sept 4 1856 a Dace Givn by the sitions of Honey Lek Valley at Roops Hous. 9 Ladys in attendence all enjoyed themselves finely
9 Prepperation for a danc. and a sad Disapointment. no lady could be find. after a hard search som wer found but ingaged so they could not com Men all Got the Slipper
Roop House Sept 15th 1856
Messrs Rogers & Scimpshir left here this morning for some better country where Girls are more in demand-very sorry to see them leave but am somewhat comforted by the assurance that I have done all I could for them. Where is Roop? Poor Ike, he is losing deal.
Sept 15 5 men from over the Mountain Prospecting for Ranshes. Patty is sick with the year ake
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HISTORY OF LASSEN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
18 Kingsbury left-Flat
19 Brown's Train 1 Man 1 Woman 27 Children 4 Steers 1 Cow
Roops House Sept 22
Sept 22 The great and unterified Vigalence Committee once more in Session !! Business of all kinds is suspended and the greatest excitement prevails, causing the whole earth to shake from center to circumference! The highest Hill is to be visited and wo! wo! to the unfortunate sinner who falls into the hands of this never- to-be- forgotten and much feared Committee. Being men who have had much experience in such matters having immigrated mostly from that great receptacle of all horse-thieves and cut-throats Carson Valley, they will not fail to inflict sum- mary punishment on all offenders Johnson
Roops House Sept 27 1856 Buc skin Leavs for American Valley
Roops House Sept 30, 1856.
In bygone days and ere this land of golden dreams was known
Ere men from every clime and strand had sought it for their home.
A stranger came and in these wilds did make himself a ranch This valley claimed for many miles and likewise all the branch,
One day the stranger sought the brook and sunk a hole I'm told
From which some particles he took which proved to be pure gold
Then came a rush and every man from all adjoining stations Did seek this place with pick and pan provided with their rations
Then Carson valley grew quite sick and certainly did vomit And forth she sent in time quite quick some fellows who were "on it."
To be Continued J. W. Brown.
Roop House Octo 9th C. C. Walden Tehama Sylvester Shasta Fred Hines Shasta Ladue Vary Trinity F. Batchellor alias Piccayune A. D. Morton 2 Wagons 1 Indian 3 dogs 50 head Cattle 15 horses 1 mule Nary woman
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THE YEAR 1856
Roop's Ranch Oct 14, 1856.
Honey Lake Valley about "gone in", Whiskey just "gin Eaut" Walden leaves tomorrow for Tehama in Company with Vary, Pick & H only 1/2 Gal of Gin to carry them over the mountain "Halo" Chamuc Buckskin going over the mountain for Whiskey
Roop's Ranch Oct 24th 1856
The last train from Pike County has just Arrived.
A. D. Morton Left the Humboldt Sept 28 Arrived in the valley Oct 10 1 man 1 Hors 2 Catle 0 women 0 Children"
The "Roop House Register" says that Wood & Long's train reached there Aug. 19th. This train came from Arkansas under the leadership of General Allen Wood, a veteran of the Mexican War. He and Wm. B. Long, his son-in-law, had been partners for several years, but Long came to California first. W. B. Long, Thos. N. Long, and John Clemmens went from Humbug valley to meet the train on the Humboldt river. A few days before this train reached Roop's, a couple of men went from there out to- ward Big Meadows, and cut out the brush at the places where creeks were crossed. When the train left Roop's, Cap. Hill and Lassen went with them on horseback as far as Clear creek. This was the first emigrant train, or any heavy wagons, to go from Honey lake to Humbug valley; but there was a trail, and light wagons had gone over it. There was a road from Humbug to Oroville. A. L. Harper crossed the plains with this train. T. N. Long says that when the train got to Roop's, there were two or three board shanties there, besides the cabin; and twelve or fifteen men around the place.
Two men not previously mentioned, Asa Adams and Henry Talbert, came into the valley this year.
Of those who came into the valley before 1857 I. N. Roop, Weatherlow, Wilcox, Meyerwitz, Lynch, Lassen, Lawrence, Nai- leigh, Eppstein, Nixon, Lanigar, Sylvester, and Hines virtually lived here the rest of their lives and died here. L. N. Breed lived here about thirty years, and sold goods most of the time. Hines held the offices of Supervisor and Sheriff, and for several years before his death was President of the Bank of Lassen County.
Vary, Thompson, Asa Adams, Storff, Hasey, McMurtry, El- liott, Lathrop, Crawford, Haviland, and Tutt lived here from eight to eighteen years.
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HISTORY OF LASSEN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
HONEY LAKE POLITICS. 1856
It has been told that early in 1856 settlers came into the valley and began to take up land. It was not long before they saw there must be some rules, or laws, made in regard to taking land, so they might get along without trouble. They also saw the necessity of establishing some sort of government.
As to location, they did not know just "where they were at." The valley was so near the line between Utah and California that it seemed a hard matter to decide which one they were in. Probably they knew that the 120th degree of west longitude was the eastern boundary of California in this locality, and that the line crossed lake Tahoe near its center; but they took no pains to find out whether they were east or west of that line. A very small part of the trouble and expense this question caused them and Plumas county in the years that followed, would have made a rough survey of the line from lake Tahoe to this valley, and settled it for all time to come. But neither they nor the Plumas county authorities seem to have thought about this. Probably the Never Sweats didn't think, or care, much about it. They guessed they were too far east to be in California, and they didn't want to be in that state anyway. They were east of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and for several months in the year were practically shut off from intercourse with the people of California; and they believed they had nothing in common with them. So they decided to create a new territory east of the mountains, and have a government of their own; and have it where it was handy to get at.
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