USA > California > Monterey County > History and biographical record of Monterey and San Benito Counties : and history of the State of California : containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume I > Part 40
USA > California > San Benito County > History and biographical record of Monterey and San Benito Counties : and history of the State of California : containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume I > Part 40
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were cold and a better city arose from the ashes of the first. After the wild rush of mining days was over, Stockton drifted into a center of agri- cultural trade and it also became a manufactur- ing city. Its growth has been steady, devoid of booms or periods of inflation, followed by col- lapse. Its population in 1890 was 14,424; in 1900, 17.506.
SAN DIEGO.
In former chapters I have described the founding of the presidio and mission of San Diego. A pueblo of twenty-five or thirty houses grew up around the presidio. This is what is known as Old San Diego. In 1858 it was in- corporated as a city. March 18, 1850, Alcalde Sutherland granted to William Heath Davis and five associates one hundred and sixty acres of land a few miles south of Old Town, in con- sideration that they build a wharf and create a "new port." The town of New San Diego was laid out, the wharf was built, several houses erected, and government barracks constructed. A newspaper was established and the Panama steamers anchored at the wharf. San Diego was riding high on the wave of prosperity. But the wave broke and left San Diego stranded on the shore of adversity. In 1868, A. E. Horton came to San Diego. He bought about nine hundred acres of pueblo lands along the bay at twenty-six cents an acre. He subdivided it, gave away lots. built houses and a wharf and soon infused life into the sleepy pueblo. In 1884 the Southern California Railroad was completed into the city. In 1887 San Diego experienced a wonderful real estate boom and its growth for several years was marvelous. Then it came to a standstill, but has again started on the high- way to prosperity. Its population in 1890 was 16,159; in 1900, 17,700.
FRESNO CITY.
Fresno City was founded by the Southern Pacific Railroad in May, 1872. The road at that time was in the course of construction. The outlook for a populous town was not brilliant Stretching for miles away from the town site in different directions was an arid-looking plain. The land was fertile enough when well watered,
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
but the few settlers had no capital to construct irrigating canals.
In 1875 began the agricultural colony era. The land was divided into twenty-acre tracts. A number of persons combined together and by their united capital and community labor con- structed irrigating canals and brought the land under cultivation. The principal product is the raisin grape. Fresno City became the county seat of Fresno county in 1874. It is now the largest and most important city of the Upper San Joaquin Valley. Its population in 1890 was 10,818; in 1900, 12,470.
VALLEJO.
Vallejo was founded for the state capital. It was one of several towns which had that tem- porary honor in the early '50s, when the state capitol was on wheels, or at least on the move. The original name of the place was Eureka. General Vallejo made a proposition to the leg- islature of 1850 to grant the state one hundred and fifty-six acres of land and to donate and pay to the state within two years after the ac- ceptance of this proposition $370,000, to be used in the erection of public buildings. The legisla- ture accepted his proposition. The location of the state capital was submitted to a vote of the people at the election on October 7, 1850, and Vallejo received more votes than the aggre- gated vote of all its competitors. Buildings were begun, but never completed. The legisla- ture met there twice, but on account of insuffi- cient accommodations sought other places where they were better cared for. General Val- lejo's proposition at his own request was can- celled. In 1854 Mare Island, in front of Val- lejo, was purchased by the general government for a United States navy yard and naval depot. The government works gave employment to large numbers of men and involved the expendi- ture of millions of dollars. The town began to prosper and still continues to do so. Its poput- lation in 1890 was 6,343; in 1900, 7,965.
NEVADA CITY.
No mining town in California was so well and so favorably known in the early '5os as Nevada City. The first discovery of gold near it was
made in September, 1849; and the first store and cabin erected. Rumors of rich strikes spread abroad and in the spring of 1850 the rush of gold-seekers came. In 1851 it was estimated that within a circuit of seven miles there was a population of 30,000. In 1856 the business sec tion was destroyed by fire. It was then the third city in population in the state. It has had its periods of expansion and contraction, but still remains an important mining town. Its population in 1880 was 4,022; in 1890, 2,524; in 1900, 3,250.
GRASS VALLEY.
The first cabin in Grass Valley was erected in I849. The discoveries of gold quartz raised great expectations. A quartz mill was erected in 1850, but this new form of mining not being understood, quartz mining was not a success ; but with improved machinery and better meth- ods, it became the most important form of min- ing. Grass Valley prospered and surpassed its rival, Nevada City. Its population in 1900 was 4,719.
EUREKA.
In the two hundred years that Spain and Mex- ico held possession of California its northwest coast remained practically a terra incognita, but it did not remain so long after the discovery of gold. Gold was discovered on the head waters of the Trinity river in 1849 and parties of pros- pectors during 1849 and 1850 explored the country between the head waters of the Trinity and Klamath rivers and the coast. Rich mines were found and these discoveries led to the founding of a number of towns on the coast which aspired to be the entrepots for the sup- plies to the mines. The most successful of these proved to be Eureka, on Humboldt Bay. was the best located for commerce and soon outstripped its rivals, Arcata and Bucksport. Humboldt county was formed in 1854, and Eu- reka, in 1856, became the county seat and was incorporated as a city. It is the largest ship- ping point for lumber on the coast. It is also the commercial center of a rich agricultural and dairying district. Its population in 1880 was 2,639 ; in 1890, 4,858: in 1900, 7,327.
It
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
MARYSVILLE.
The site on which Marysville stands was first known as New Mecklenburg and was a trading post of two houses. In October, 1848, M. C. Nye purchased the rancho and opened a store at New Mecklenburg. The place then became known as Nye's rancho. In 1849 a town was laid out and named Yubaville. The name was changed to Marysville in honor of the wife of the proprietor of the town Covilland. His wife was Mary Murphy, of the Donner party. Marys- ville, being at the head of navigation of the north fork of the Sacramento, became the en- trepot for mining supplies to the miners in the rich Yuba mines. After the decline of mining it became an agricultural center for the upper portion of the Sacramento. Its population in 1880 was 4,300; in 1890, 3,991 ; in 1900, 3,397.
REDDING.
The Placer Times of May 8, 1850, contains this notice of Reading, now changed to Red- ding: "Reading was laid off early in 1850 by P. B. Reading at the headwaters of the Sacra- mento within forty-five miles of the Trinity diggings. Reading is located in the heart of a most extensive mining district, embracing as it does, Cottonwood, Clear, Salt, Dry, Middle and Olney creeks, it is in close proximity to the Pitt and Trinity rivers. The pet steamer, Jack Hayes, leaves tomorrow morning (May 9, 1850) for Reading. It has been hitherto considered impossible to navigate the Sacramento to this height." The town grew rapidly at first, like all mining towns, and like most of such towns it was swept out of existence by fire. It was devastated by fire in December, 1852, and again in June, 1853. Its original name, Reading, got mixed with Fort Redding and it now appears on all railroad maps and guides as Redding. Its population in 1890 was 1,S21 ; in 1900, 2,940.
PASADENA.
Pasadena is a child of the colony era of the early '70s. Its original name was the Indiana Colony. In 1873 a number of persons formed a company for the purchasing of a large tract of land and subdividing it among them. They in-
corporated under the title of the San Gabriel Orange Grove Association and purchased four thousand acres in the San Pasqual rancho, sit- uated about nine miles east of Los Angeles city. This was divided on the basis of one share of stock being equivalent to fifteen acres. Each stockholder received in proportion to his invest- ment. The colonists turned their attention to the cultivation of vineyards and orange or- chards. In 1875 the name was changed to Pasa- dena, an Algonquin word meaning Crown of the Valley. The colony had become quite noted for its production of oranges. In 1887 the great real estate boom struck it and the cross roads village suddenly developed into a city. It has become famous as a tourist winter resort. Its population in 1890 was 4,882 ; in 1900, 9,117.
POMONA.
Pomona was founded by the Los Angeles Im- migration and Land Co-Operative Association. This company bought twenty-seven hundred acres of the Rancho San José, lying along the eastern border of Los Angeles county. The town was laid off in the center of the tract. The remainder of the tract was divided into forty- acre lots. The town made a rapid growthi at first, but disaster overtook it. First the dry season of 1876-77, and next a fire that swept it almost out of existence. In 1880 its popula- tion had dwindled to one hundred and eighty persons. In about 1881 it began to revive and it has made a steady growth ever since. It is the commercial center of a large orange grow- ing district. Its population in 1890 was 3.634; in 1900, 5,526.
SAN BERNARDINO.
San Bernardino was originally a Mormon col- ony. In 1851 one hundred and fifty families were sent from Salt Lake to found a colony or a stake of Zion. The object of locating a colony at this point was to keep open a line of commut- nication with some seaport. San Bernardino was near the old Spanish trail which let out through the Cajon pass. Goods could be transported to Salt Lake from San Pedro at all seasons of the year, which could not be done to Salt Lake
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
over the central route westward or eastward during the winter. The leaders of the Mormon colony, Lyman and Rich, bought the San Ber- nardino rancho from the Lugos. A portion of the land was subdivided into small tracts and sold to the settlers. The Mormons devoted themselves to the cultivation of wheat, of which they raised a large crop the first year and re- ceived as high as $5 per bushel. The colony prospered for a time, but in 1857 the settlers, or all of them that would obey the call, were called to Salt Lake by Brigham Young to take part in the threatened war with the United States. The faithful sold their lands for what- ever they could get and departed. The gentiles bought them and the character of the settlement changed. The city of San Bernardino has an extensive trade with the mining districts to the east of it. Its population in 1890 was 4,012; in 1900, 6,150.
RIVERSIDE.
Riverside had its origin in the colony era. It began its existence as the Southern California Colony Association. In 1870 an association, of
which Judge John W. North and Dr. James Greves were leaders, purchased four thousand acres of the Roubidoux rancho and adjoining lands, aggregating in all about nine thousand acres. This was subdivided into small tracts and sold to settlers at a low price. A town was laid off and named Jurupa, but this being diffi- cult of pronunciation its name was changed to Riverside, which eventually became the name of the settlement as well. An extensive irrigating system was constructed and the cultivation of citrus fruits became the leading industry. The Bahia or Washington navel orange has made Riverside famous in orange culture. It was propagated by budding from two small trees sent by the Department of Agriculture to a citi- zen of Riverside. The city of Riverside in area is one of the largest cities of the state. Its boundaries include fifty-six square miles. Its corporate lines take in most of the orange groves of the settlement. By this means mu- nicipal regulations against insect pests can be better enforced. The population of Riverside in 1890 was 4,683: in 1900, 7,973.
MONTEREY COUNTY.
BY JACOB R. LEESE.
CHAPTER I.
. THE INDIANS OF MONTEREY.
I IN the Biblical record we read that in Eden God created the first of the human race. Assuming this declaration true, how came the Indians upon this western coast, a people un- known to the world prior to their discovery in 1492 by Christopher Columbus? It is a prob- lem as yet unsolved, a problem as mysterious as the origin of the Monterey cypress, the only specie of its kind known to the botanist. As an answer to the question, some scholars claim, be- cause the Indians have certain customs, ceremo- nies and beliefs similar to the Chinese, the In- dians are a low type of the Mongolian race, and that in some remote period a Chinese junk sailed or drifted across Behring's Straits, and the voyagers gradually worked their way south. Others assert that they crossed from Cuba to Florida and traveled westward to California, as did Alvaro Nunez Cabeza de Vaca. Be that as it may be, the "Diggers" were the original own- ers of Monterey, and a brief history of them may be interesting.
The only knowledge we have of this people is that obtained from the Spanish priests, travel- ers and early-day pioneers, for they left no mon- uments, tombs, books, picture writings or legends, and in regard to their locations J. R. Porter tells us that the Ensenes, the Runsenes and the Achasters occupied the Carmelo valley, the vi- cinity of Monterey and the Santa Lucia hills; the Ansaymus and the Nutsunes, the San Juan valley ; the Jolons, the San Antonio valley, and the Sackhones, the Kathlendarueas: and Sar- gentarucos, the territory of Soledad. These large divisions were broken up into many tribes or families, each tribe living upon a rancheria and speaking a different dialect.
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They had a common religion, believed in a god and in immortality, and each rancheria had a temple of worship or vanquech, in which stood an object of reverence or worship, generally a stuffed wildcat or a coyote adorned with feath- ers. Their god was called Chinigchinich, he ap- pearing to them in a very mysterious manner after the death of Quiot, one of their great war- riors. He was a descendant of Nocuma, an in- visible spirit, maker of heaven and earth. Strong and powerful, he became a great chief, but cruel and tyrannical in his government. The people poisoned him.
Chinigchinich then appeared and proclaimed himself "All Powerful," said he possessed three personalities, that of Saor, Quogour and Tobet. "When my work is finished I will become invisi- ble, and when I depart I shall ascend upward to the stars. From there I will always see you, and to those who obey my commands I will give all they ask, but those who disobey or disbelieve my teachings I will send bears to bite them, serpents to sting them. They will have no food to eat and disease shall overwhelm and destroy them."
The people accepted him as their sacred ruler, and in each tribe he appointed certain persons to priestly offices, those of the medicine men and sorcerers. Soon afterwards Chinigchinich died and ascended to the stars, and the people, with reverence and fear, worshipped him as a god.
The government of the rancheria was vested in the medicine men, the sorcerers, the elders or wise men and the chief, they comprising the pup- lem, or governing power. They were permitted to wear the sacred robe, or tobet. to enter at any time the vanquech and dance before the god. They were the advisers, nay, the power above the
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
throne, and they had the power to declare war, elect a new chief and exercise a general super- vision over the rancheria affairs.
The office of chief was hereditary and de- scended from father to son. Sometimes the son was appointed chief before the father's death, but the latter continued his office through life. If a chief died or was killed, leaving an infant son, his widow became chief regent until her son became of age, the puplem, however, holding the controlling power. The chief was held in high honor by the tribe, as he was supposed to be a favorite son of the god, and the children were taught to venerate lıim. To injure or speak ill of him was a most serious offense, sometimes punishable with death.
The tribes were frequently engaged in war over the possession of the best producing land, the recovery of a stolen wife, and sometimes for the most frivolous causes. If, for instance, a Jolon stole a rabbit or a basket of acorns or insulted a Sackhone, it was considered a cause for war. The matter was referred to the pup- lem, and if they so declared the warriors were commanded to prepare their weapons and the women to prepare sufficient pinole, pounded seed, for the campaign. Sometimes a secret attack was planned, but generally an open fight was made, and, painted and dressed in their war costume, they advanced upon the enemy, the youngest and strongest braves in the lead. Advancing in a single column, shooting their arrows, they would jump and dance so as to prevent the foe from taking deadly aim. Their battles were of short duration, for they were too lazy and cow- ardly to long contend for a victory, and the wounded were few in number. No quarter was given; the old men decapitated and scalped the dead and badly wounded of the enemy. If wom- en or children were captured they were held as slaves.
The men were extremely lazy, doing no work except to fish, hunt small game and mend their bows and arrows, snares and nets, but the women were never idle. They gathered and cooked the food, brought the water and firewood, pounded the seed and acorns and wove the baskets in which the food was prepared, carrying on their
backs one and sometimes two pappooses while performing their work.
When their lords went forth to battle, they followed, carrying the food, the baggage and the babies upon their backs. As the arrows fell thick and fast they picked up those of the enemy and their warriors swiftly returned them. If a brave was badly wounded or killed, it was their duty to remove the body to a place of safety and minister to the wounded. Here the Red Cross movement of the Civil war had its incep- tion, and perhaps a "Jenny Lind" was there. In their battles their principal weapons were bows and arrows pointed with sharpened bone or flint. Clubs were used occasionally. They made long spears pointed with bone for the spearing of fish, and a knife of obsidian for the skinning of game.
These people, according to all accounts, were the most degraded, filthy and repulsive of the human race. In height they were not over five and one-half feet, thick-set and badly propor- tioned, with low, retreating foreheads, deep-set black eyes, a nose depressed and wide-spreading nostrils, a large mouth, with thick, protruding lips and large white teeth. Their complexion was nearly black, and their bushy and matted hair was cut or burnt short in front. The menl were almost beardless, some travelers declaring the hairs had been pulled out in youth and oth- ers that it was natural.
Their dress was scant and inexpensive. The men in their summer costume wore nature's garb only, but in winter they usually wore a rabbit or deer skin cloak over their shoulders. The women, more modest, in summer wore a closely woven petticoat of grass material, open at the side, they also wearing a cloak in winter. The ornaments which they wore were of bone and shell, some wearing shell ear-rings. In the warm climate(a) of Monterey clothing was not a neces- sity, not even warm houses, hence their teepees
(a) The Indian's ability to withstand cold was sur- prising, and the reason was given in "Lo's" answer to General Vallejo. He one frosty morning, meeting an Indian almost naked, said to him, "Are you not cold?" "No." replied the Indian; but Vallejo doubting his word, the Indian asked, "Is your face cold?" "No, said the general. "Well, my body all face."
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
were of the cheapest construction. They con- sisted of a large tree pole set on end and fas- tened at the top with grass rope, an opening being made for the escape of smoke. The poles were covered with bark or brush for summer use and plastered with mud to keep out the rains. In this wick-ey-up the entire family huddled, like swine in a pen, until it became too filthy with refuse, food, dirt and vermin for further habita- tion. Then the family moved out, built a new hut and burned the old.
Regarding the number of Indians in Monterey at any one time, we have no definite account pre- vious to the census of 1852. At that time 636 Indians were reported, 291 only being over twenty-one years of age.
The four missions in the height of their pros- perity registered quite a large neophyte popula- tion, Carmelo in 1794 claiming 971 Christian Indians, Soledad in 1805 counting 725, San Juan Bautista in 1825 having 1,246 and San Antonio in 1834 claiming 1,400. As the padres made no effort to estimate the number of wild Indians within the county this report is not satisfactory, as the Spanish soldiers were at all seasons driving wild Indians into the missions from all parts of the territory and as hundreds yearly escaped and many died it was impossible at any time to cor- rectly estimate the Indian population.
Economists tell us that marriages and births were governed in a measure by the food supply and possibly this factor was considered by the Indians, but in the rich fertile territory they had an abundance of food. Porter says that the coast Indians lived on fish, aulons, muscles and oft- times on the dead whale or sea lion that had floated to shore. In the interior they subsisted on wild oats, acorns, grass, clover and 'roots. They also occasionally shot deer and elk and . snared birds, ducks and geese and they readily devoured grasshoppers, snakes, lizards and ver- min. Bears were plentiful, but they dared not attack them. Kooser says the strawberries, gooseberries and blackberries were plentiful in certain places in the valley.
When the season drew near for the gathering of acorns, seeds and clover the chief sent for a crier to announce the harvest time. Then the
people assembled, the puplem painted and decor- ated in appropriate costume and in front of the vanquech they performed the harvest dance. As the Indians danced they presented their baskets to the god, thus beseeching him to grant them a bountiful harvest. The dance concluded, men, women, and children marched forth to gather the supply of food.
Marriages were common and it was the custom for the women to very rudely receive the bride, unless she was the choice of a chief or his son. On the marriage day, the bridegroom with con- siderable ceremony, was seated in a bower or dec- orated booth and the puplem accompanied by a few of the old women then escorted the bride from her teepee into his presence. She was ad- orned with the marriage robe and with feathers and as she approached the bridegroom the women, grasping her person, tore from her body the mar- riage raiment and divided it among themselves. The bride, naked and unadorned, was thien seated beside the bridegroom. If the bride was the chosen wife of the son of the chief then she was not only respectfully received, but seated by tlie side of her lord ; she was adorned with a feather dress resembling somewhat the tobet. Sometimes a young warrior courted the girl of another tribe and as his expression of good will he gave pres- ents to her parents. If the girl was willing, then with great ceremony she was taken to her new wick-ey-up. If unwilling, she was kidnapped and this sometimes was a cause of war. Polygamy was commonly practiced, and sometimes a brave would marry the entire family of girls from the oldest to the youngest.
The death rate of the aborigines must have been exceedingly heavy and it is stated that in five years, 1810-1816, the Indian mission popula- tion south of San Francisco was 19,467, this in -. cluding 3.324 births; yet of this number 7,394 had died. Their average life was not over forty years, yet some of them were very long lived. Carson says in 1852 there were six Indians over one hundred years of age, and one of them, "Old Gabriel," died in March, 1890, at the age of one hundred and fifty-one years. Kooser tells of "Old Ned," who was baptized in a mission in 1776. He first saw him in 1847 and he had then
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been blind for forty years from old age. His hands and feet were hard and horny, almost pet- rified, and he supported a family and made a good living by the charity bestowed upon him by friends and strangers.
Each tribe had its medicine men and sorcerers who claimed to heal diseases by a supernatural power given them by Chinigchinich. The people feared and yet revered them, and contributed to their support without any complaint against their exorbitant charges for services rendered.
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