USA > California > Napa County > Historical and descriptive sketch book of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino : comprising sketches of their topography, productions, history, scenery, and peculiar attractions > Part 10
USA > California > Lake County > Historical and descriptive sketch book of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino : comprising sketches of their topography, productions, history, scenery, and peculiar attractions > Part 10
USA > California > Sonoma County > Historical and descriptive sketch book of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino : comprising sketches of their topography, productions, history, scenery, and peculiar attractions > Part 10
USA > California > Mendocino County > Historical and descriptive sketch book of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino : comprising sketches of their topography, productions, history, scenery, and peculiar attractions > Part 10
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Instructors-Miss Sarah F. McDonald, Principal, and Instructor of Higher English Branches ; Miss S. M. Holland, Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Latin ; Miss E. A. Follansbee, French and Italian Languages and Instrumental Music ; Miss Mary Mulholland, Drawing and Painting ; Miss Flora A. Rasche, Vocal and Instrument- al Music and German ; Miss Ella Lamb, Teacher of Preparatory De- partment and Gymnastics.
These are all the educational institutions that by their past succes- ses have become permanent. But it must not be supposed that the educational facilities of our county are confined to these. Many pri- vate schools in various parts of the county, under the management of able educators, have at various times been opened. but all ceased. The cause was not that the teachers were not in every respect capa- ble, nor that the people were not disposed to patronize the schools, but simply that the public schools have been so good, the teachers, especially in the towns, such superior educators, that the people found that their children progressed better here than in the private schools. Prof. Blake, as elsewhere in this volume noted, recently
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opened a high school for boys in Napa. The number of scholars is limited, and the course of instruction thorough. The Professor is one of the ablest educators in the county, and so far his school prom- ises to become one of our permanent institutions and be of great benefit to the community. Mr. W. A. C. Smith, of St. Helena, for several years that he has been Principal of the school in that place, has had private classes in the higher English branches and in the Classics. He has done an excellent work in educating the community to the importance of thorough schools. Similar re- marks might be made about other teachers and other schools in our county, but this must suffice.
THE BANK OF NAPA.
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
ST. HELENA MOUNTAIN, FROM CALISTOGA.
CHAPTER XI.
GEORGE C. YOUNT.
The great beauty, salubrity and fertility of this part of California caused its early settlement by Americans. Several years before the conquest of the country, a number of American emigrants had chosen homes for themselves in Napa Valley and others adjacent to it. As early as February, 1831, George C. Yount reached Napa Valley and settled here, having come out with a party of trappers from Missouri which arrived at Fort Yuma in 1827. He was a representative of the pioneers of the Mississippi Valley in the last century. At the age of 18 he had served under two sons of Daniel Boone, against the Indians, in the war of 1815, and had conversed with the venerable Daniel Boone himself. Inspired with the love of adventure, as a trapper he took up the trail on the border of the Missouri, and pro- ceeded westward through the valleys of the Platte, the Arkansas,
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NAPA COUNTY AS IT WAS AND IS.
Green River, the Colorado, the Sacramento, and finally the Valley of Napa. So far as is now known he was the earliest pioneer of American civilization from the Sonoma Mission in. California to the distant hunting grounds of the Hudson Bay Company, unless we may count as such occasional deserters from whale ships along the coast of the north Pacific, and the Russians who established a colony near Bodega in 1812. Further south a few settlers preceded Mr. Yount. The country at the time of his arrival was filled with hostile tribes of savages. As many as 10,000 or 12,000 occupied the country now forming Napa and Lake counties, of which 3,000, and possibly 6,000, according to Mr. Yount, were dwellers in this valley. Grizzly bears were found in great numbers, and indeed are not unfrequently met with among the mountains even at this day. To use the words of Mr. Yount, "they were everywhere-upon the plains, in the valleys and on the mountains, venturing even within the camping grounds, so that I have often killed as many as five or six in one day, and it was not unusual to see fifty or sixty within the twenty-four hours." The streams abounded with fish and the hills with deer and small game, while in the low and marshy tule grounds along the rivers were the favorite haunts of the gigantic elk. Mr. Yount continued his occupations of hunting, trapping and catching the sea otter until 1834, and then spent two years in various occupations in different places, sometimes taking charge of the Sonoma Mission while the Padre was at San Rafael, where another Mission required his atten- tion. In 1836 he finally settted upon "Caymus Ranch," a tract of two leagues of land in the heart of Napa Valley, which was granted to him by the Mexican Government. In the Fall of 1836 he here erected the first log house and raised the first chimney ever built in California by an American. His house was not only a dwelling, but a fortification-having a room 18 feet square below, and another 20 or 22 feet square above it fitted with port holes, and through these Mr. Yount was often called upon to defend himself by firing upon the savages who from time to time came down from the mountains to attack him. He also erected the first flour and saw-mill in Cali- fornia. At this time his only companion was an old Frenchman who had fought under Napoleon, and his only neighbors five or six fami-
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lies of friendly Indians, who had taken up their abode near by. He had no other neighbors nearer than the Sonoma Mission on one side and the Hudson Bay Company on the other. This brave old pioneer had numerous fights with the hostile savages, but with the aid of a few friendly Indians always succeeded in defending himself.
Mr. Yount obtained another extensive grant of land from the Mex- ican Government, called "La Jota," situated chiefly in the moun- tains and broken country on the east side of the valley opposite the town of St. Helena. Both his grants, after long delay and annoyance with squatters and law suits, were confirmed by the United States. Their value was of course enormously increased by the American occupation and the subsequent discovery of gold. He lived long enough to enjoy for a season his large estate, and the universal re- spect of all who knew him. He was a great hearted, true man, of unbounded generosity, and his house was ever open to dispense hos- pitality. Even during the later years of his life, notwithstanding his many trials and sufferings, he retained almost the energy and elas- ticity of youth, and his memory seemed as vivid as ever. He was in manners simple and unassuming, and would relate incidents of his life of the most thrilling nature, without the least display of vanity or egotism. When in the mood, sitting at his own fireside, with a cir- cle of neighbors or visitors, he would allow himself to be "drawn out," and relate his many adventures on the Plains and among the savages with a simplicity and evident truthfulness that charmed all who listened. The writer of this article remembers with pleasure more than one such occasion. Many of the incidents of this sketch were collected and published by the gifted Mrs. F. H. Day, in the Hesperian for March, 1859.
Mr. Yount was born in North Carolina in 1794, and died at his residence on Caymus Ranch, Oct. 5th, 1865. He was buried with Masonic honors in the cemetery at Yountville (a town situated upon the same ranch and named after him), and a suitable monument erected to his memory. On the four sides are sculptured represent- atives of his life as a trapper, hunter and agriculturist.
The white settlers in Napa Valley next after Mr. Yount, were Sal- vador Mundo Vallejo, Cayetano Juarez and José Higuera-the first a
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native Californian and the two others natives of Mexico-who came about 1838. Each obtained a grant of land; the Vallejo grant being north of the site of Napa City, the Juarez grant east, and the Higuera grant southwest. About a year later, Dr. E. T. Bale, an English- man, married to a native California lady, obtained and settled upon a grant-the "Carne Humana"-north of Yount's grant. These with the Soscol, made six ranches, all of which have been confirmed. Pope Valley was granted at an early day to Antonio Pope and Berry- essa Valley was also a Mexican grant. Both the grantees are long since dead. Salvador M. Vallejo and Cayetano Juarez are still liv- ing ; also the widow of Dr. Bale. The Yount grant, as well as a subsequent one called " La Jota," have been disposed of under the provisions of his will. The widow of Dr. Bale still resides upon the ranch granted to her husband, but a considerable portion of the land has been sold. Cayetano Juarez has sold a portion of his ranch, and still resides upon the remainder. All the other ranches named have passed entirely into the hands of Americans.
It was the custom of the Indians to establish their rancherias upon the grants of the settlers in order to make a livelihood by their la- bor. In 1843 there were from fifty to one hundred upon the Bale ranch, about 1000 upon the Yount ranch, a large number upon the Juarez and the Higuera grants, and a still larger number at Soscol. A few may be still left upon some of these ranches.
Charles Hopper and Joseph B. Chiles first came out in 1840 over- land in the same party with John Bidwell, of Butte county, and others. Both are still hale and vigorous men, and large landholders.
The valley was visited in 1841 by Wosnessensky, a Russian nat- uralist, who recorded his visit upon a plate of copper at the summit of St. Helena. The plate was removed for preservation by the of- ficers of the geological survey.
William Baldridge, a pioneer of 1843, resides upon his farm near Yountville. Ralph Kilburn, who resides near Calistoga, arrived in 1842.
William Fowler, Sr., and his sons William and Henry, and Wil- liam Hargrave, are among the earliest settlers. William Fowler, Jr., came across the plains to Oregon in 1841, and returned East.
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 129
All the parties named came to Napa Valley in 1843. Messrs. Fow- ler and Hargrave are among our most respected citizens.
Harrison Pierce settled in Napa in 1843, having landed in Ore- gon from a whaleship in 1842. He died in 1870.
The emigration of 1846 was quite numerous. Among the num- ber were Gov. Lilburn W. Boggs and family, who came overland and settled first in Sonoma, and in 1852 upon a beautiful farm in Napa Valley, seven miles above the county seat.
The same year John Cyrus, F. E. Kellogg, R. P. Tucker, David Hudson, L. Keseberg, Col. M. G. Ritchie, Arch. Jesse, Wm. H. Nash, and James Harbin became settlers in the valley. Mr. Nash is well known as the proprietor of one of the earliest orchards and nurseries in the State, and as the present owner of the beautiful Magnolia Ranch, five miles from Napa City.
A list of the early emigrants now residing in this county, and taken from the records of the Pioneer Association of Sonoma, Napa, and Marin, will be found more fully set forth at the close of this volume. To William Boggs, the President of the Association, grate- ful thanks are due for many points of information contained in this work. Also, to Henry Fowler, Esq., of Napa City.
CAPT. JOHN GRIGSBY.
This gentleman came into the county about the same time as Mr. Coombs, having been for two or three years elsewhere in the State. He carried on a large farm near Yountville until 1861, when he re- turned Eastward, and is now said to be in Texas.
NATHAN COOMBS.
Hon. Nathan Coombs, who laid out the county seat, came to this: coast in 1843, and settled in Napa in 1845. He has served in the State Legislature, and always been a prominent citizen. He has been a liberal contributor to public improvements, and is known all over the State as a raiser of blooded stock and a patron of the turf. His farm, the " Willows," two miles from Napa City, is one of the finest in the valley.
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NAPA COUNTY AS IT WAS AND IS.
GUY FREEMAN FLING.
Among the early pioneers of Napa County may be classed Guy Freeman Fling, who, at the age of eighteen, came out upon the whaleship Courier from Boston in 1825, and settled at Monterey in 1827. He piloted Mr. Yount from Monterey to Napa in 1831, re- turned to Monterey and finally settled in Sonoma, whence he came to Napa in 1850. He was at one time an armorer on the United States ship of war Portsmouth, Capt. Montgomery, and when on shore followed the trade of a gunsmith. The kind-hearted and ec- centric old man was as well known in this part of the State as any other that could be named. He died in Napa City in 1872.
SIMPSON THOMPSON.
This gentleman is well known all over the Pacific Coast as the proprietor of the celebrated Soscol Orchards, and is entitled to the honor of having first introduced the system of fruit culture in Cali- fornia without irrigation. His theory was that thorough cultivation was sufficient without any artificial supply of water, and his experi- ments demonstrated its truth. At first his experiments were derided, and few could be made to see the correctness of his views. In a short time, however, Mr. Wolfskill and Mr. Wm. H. Nash per- ceived the advantages of his system, and abandoned their costly system of irrigation. Their example has been generally followed, except in some of the Southern counties, and the practice of irriga- tion has almost disappeared.
Mr. Thompson was born in Buckingham, Berks county, Pa., in 1803. His great grandfather, John Thompson, bought the old homestead farm in Berks county, directly from William Penn, and it may be remarked as something very rare in American family his- tory, that the property is still owned by his great grandson, the sub- ject of this sketch. John Willson, his great, great grandfather on the mother's side, emigrated with his family to America and settled in the same township. He was the eldest son of James Willson, who had violated the law of the realm by marrying Isabel, the daughter and heiress of the Earl of Carsik, in Scotland, and had
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
been compelled to flee with his bride to the county of Antrim, Ire- land. Of the same family, two generations removed, was Margaret Willson, who was in 1685, at the age of 18, sentenced to be drowned in the waters of the Bladnoch, near Wigton, Scotland. An aged lady of 63 years, named Margaret McLachland, was con- demned at the same time. Their only crime was refusing to take the oath of recantation, and to abandon the principles of the Scot- tish reformation. A beautiful cenotaph of white marble was erec- ted to the memory of these martyrs in the city of Stirling, and still commemorates their "faithfulness unto death." The following is an extract from the minutes of the Kirk Session of Penningham Parish, February 19th, 1711 : "Upon the eleventh day of May, 1685, these two women, Margaret McLadland and Margaret Wil- son, were brought forth to execution. They did put the old woman first into the water, and when the water was overflowing her, they asked Margaret Wilson what they thought of her in that case ? She answered, 'What do I see but Christ wrestling there. Think ye that we are the sufferers ? No, it is Christ in us, for He sends none on a warfare on their own charge.' Margaret Wilson sang Psalm XXV from the 7th verse, and the eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, and did pray, and then the water covered her. But before her breath was quite gone, they pulled her up, and held her till she could speak, and then asked her if she would pray for the King. She answered that she wished the salvation of all men, but the damnation of none. Some of her relations being at the place, cried out, ' she is willing to conform,' being desirous to save her life at anyrate. Upon which Major Winram offered the oath of abjuration to her, either to swear it, or to return to the waters. She refused it, saying, 'I will not, I am one of Christ's children, let me go.' And they returned her into the water, where she finished her warfare, being a virgin martyr of eighteen years of age, suffering death for her refusing to swear the oath of abjuration and hear the curates."
In May, 1852, Mr. Thompson came out to California via the Chagres river and Isthmus route, making part of the journey from Gorgona to Panama upon a mule, and sleeping in the open air with
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a box of medicine for a pillow. He came up the coast upon the steamer Golden Gate with 1500 passengers, among whom were some 40 or 50 store-aways, who came on board at Acapulco, and who had been wrecked upon another steamer. These were treated rath- er roughly, and made to work at whatever they were able to accom- plish. At last, Samuel Brannan, who was aboard, made a speech in their favor and headed a subscription list with $500 for their relief.
William Neely Thompson, brother of Simpson Thompson, with Thomas H., the son of the latter, had come out to California via the Horn in 1849, on the ship Gray Eagle, 120 days from Philadel- phia. William Neeley entered in a co-partnership with Mr. Black- burn in the lumber business in San Francisco, and furnished most of the material for the State House at Vallejo, and in 1851, 320 acres of the Soscol ranch was taken in payment at $12 per acre. Subsequently about 300 acres more were purchased. A town a mile square had been laid out on the property, by Gen. Vallejo. Some of the stakes on the lines are still remaining. When Mr. Simpson Thompson arrived in 1852, his brother had sent men up and planted a small lot with potatoes at a cost for plowing alone of $12.50 per acre. Nothing else was done on the farm, and the man in charge abandoned his place, being completely discouraged. Mr. Thomp- son had come out for the purpose of taking part in the enterprise of lighting San Francisco with gas, and was provided with some of the necessary fixtures, but when he found that coal cost $50 per ton, abandoned the project, and for want of anything else to do, came up to Soscol and took charge of the place. Here he spent the first six weeks under a big oak tree, making his own bread and doing his own washing. This tree is near the present mansion house, and is surrounded by a circular arbor and cherished with the greatest care. Mr. Thompson found the place in a state of nature. Soscol creek, which is now confined within artificial bounds and empties into the river, in 1852 spread over a wide area, converting it into a morass. This is now reclaimed and constitutes the richest portion of the Soscol orchards. The first trees were obtained from Roches- ter, N. Y., and from New Jersey. Seeds of trees of many kinds were brought out, but thousands of dollars were sunk by losses in
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
transportation.Trees packed in charcoal dried up and died ; those packed in wet moss mostly rotted on the way, but those packed in dry moss arrived in good condition. The first peach pits were plant- ed in April, 1853, and most of them grew vigorously. Ripe peaches were raised from these pits in sixteen months from the time of planting. The Mexican residents when they saw them put out, and preparations making for a nursery, laughed at the idea of such a thing. They said that without water it was impossible, that barley would not grow over two feet, and wheat not over six inches, with- out irrigation, while trees would not grow at all. It may be well supposed that they were somewhat astonished when sixteen months afterwards Mr. Thompson showed them finer peaches than had ever been seen in the State ! Apples were also produced from the seed in two years and a half. Garden vegetables of all kinds were pro- duced in abundance, and of great size, without irrigation. The fact stood demonstrated, that nothing more was needed to render the lands productive than deep plowing and thorough cultivation. The Mexicans admitted that Mr. Thompson had produced better results in one year than they had after twenty years of experience. All the fruit cultivated by them was from seedlings, and of course of in- ferior quality. But a new era was at hand. Mr. Wolfskill and other cultivators at once purchased trees and buds from Mr. Thomp- son's select varieties, and soon produced the best varieties of fruit in other parts of the State.
The first basket of peaches sold from Soscol orchards, brought $23.75, or about eighty cents per pound. They were retailed at $1.25 each. The first basket of plum peaches brought $34, or $1.124 per pound. A small area, only about one-fourth of an acre, was planted with gooseberries, and the product was three tons. This fact, when reported at the East by visitors, was rejected as absurd and beyond belief. It may be of interest to some readers to note the prices of fruit at an early day, and the books of the establish- ment give the following figures. Wholesale prices of fruit in 1856 : Apricots, per pound, 70 cents ; early apples, 50 cents ; peaches, $9 to $14 per bushel of 28 pounds ; peaches, best quality, $18.75 per bushel, or 55 cents per pound ; yellow rareripe peaches, 60 cents
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NAPA COUNTY AS IT WAS AND IS.
per pound. In 1855, $3 per pound were offered for the cherry crop before they were picked and ready for market.
The prices of nursery trees were in proportion. In 1856, trees in the dormant bud by the 1000 sold for 60 cents each ; peaches one year old brought $2.50 each in 1855, and $1.50 in 1856; apple trees sold for 75 cents to $1.50 each ; a single fine tree brought $5.
It is stated by Mr. Thompson that in 1856 the trees in the origin- al orchard would have sold for a larger sum than he could now command for the land, orchard, and all included. The farm and orchard that year yielded $40,000, a sum greater than it has ever yielded since, although the area under cultivation is greatly exten- ded, and the product increased ten-fold. Prices of most kinds of fruit are now so low as to leave but a small margin for profit. Mr. Thompson does not speak very favorably of one of his experiments in shipping fruit to the East. Three years ago he shipped sixty boxes of the very choicest Fleming Beauties and Bartletts, each pear wrapped repeatedly in paper, to Chicago and New York. The fruit was of the highest excellence and brought 10 cents per pound in Chicago, and 7 to 8 cents in New York. But after paying freight, commissions, &c., there was left only 42 cents per box for the fruit, just 10 cents more than the boxes cost ! Mr. Thompson for many years carried on the establishment in connection with his two sons, Thomas H. and James M. Thompson, and more recently with the assistance of the latter alone. Indeed, James M. Thompson is really the active manager of this magnificent property. The old gentleman, surrounded by everything that could render life enjoya- ble, and held in universal respect by all, beyond the necessity or de- sire of active labor, willingly entrusts his affairs to younger hands. The family mansion in which he and his youngest son reside, is a model of convenience, widely known for its generous hospitality. The grounds are laid out with great beauty and dotted over with rare shrubs and trees from every part of the Union. It is a place of great resort for visitors who come here to admire the beauty of the place. Notwithstanding the attractions of Soscol orchard, it is a place of serious business throughout the year. Hard work and plenty of it is always in progress, and a large force of men are em-
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
ployed. The reclamation of a large body of tulé land is now go- ing forward, which is destined to add greatly to the value of the property.
GOVERNOR EDWARD STANLEY.
Governor Edward Stanley, who died suddenly of paralysis at the · Grand Hotel in San Francisco July 10th, 1872, was a pioneer and citizen of Napa County. He purchased a beautiful site between St. Helena and White Sulphur Springs in 1868, and had for many years been a large landholder in the county, although his place of business was in San Francisco. He arrived there early in 1872 from New- bern, North Carolina, the place of his nativity. He was born in ISII. Commenced the practice of law in 1832. In 1837 he was elected to Congress, and was twice re-elected. In 1844 he was elected a member of the lower branch of the Legislature, and be- came Speaker of that body. In 1847 he was elected Attorney Gen- eral of his native State. Two years afterwards he was again sent to Congress, where he strongly advocated the admission of California as a State. In 1851, in spite of much dissatisfaction among many of his constituents on account of his voting for the admission of California, he was re-elected. In 1857 he was the Republican can- didate for the Governorship of California, but was defeated by the Democratic candidate, John B. Weller. In 1862 he was appointed by President Lincoln Governor of North Carolina, and after having held the position with honor and credit for eighteen months, at a most critical period, returned to California. Governor Stanley was a sincere and upright man, a fearless and able advocate, and a zealous Christian. He held a large landed estate in this county, of which he was one of the most eminent citizens.
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