History of California, Volume II, Part 77

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 826

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Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Bee (Henry Jubilee), 1830, Engl. sailor and blacksmith who left the Dryad at Mont. iii. 180; joined the comp. extranjera in '31. iii. 221; and perhaps went to S. José as early as '33, though his home for some years seems to have been near Mont., and his ocenpation that of guiding strangers about the coun- try; baptized as Enrique Ascension, and married in '38 to Clara Moreno. His name appears on Larkin's books and various other records nearly every year. In '36-7 Bee was one of Graham's 'riflemen.' iii. 461, 523; and in Al- varado's service performed more than one feat of valor, if we credit his own version. In '40 he was arrested but not exiled. iv. 9, 17, 23; moving soon to Sta Cruz; and living in '43 at Yerba Buena, where he got a lot, iv. 669, and another later. In '46 he carried despatches from Sloat to Frémont, v. 247, as appears from his receipt of July 12th, for $160, including the value of two horses killed in the service, in Mont. Consul. Arch., though there has been some newspaper controversy on the subject. He subsequently served under Watmough at S. José; was constable at the pueblo in '47; went to the mines in '48; served as clerk in a store till '50; raised potatoes for a few years; and worked as carpenter till '60. He lost his wife in '53, his son in '60, and at the same time a leg in an encounter with the desperado Felipe Hernandez. I:1 '77 he dictated his Recollections for my use; and has furnished many rem- iniscences for the Pioneer and other papers. Harry is inclined to draw some- what heavily on his imagination for historical details; but there is generally a substratum of fact underlying his yarns. Living in '83, and I think in 'S5.

Beebe (J. W.), 1847, named as the Ist Amer. magistrate at S. Buenaven- tura. Signal. Perhaps same as the following. B. (Wm L.), 1847, nat. of N. 1 .; one of the Ist supervisors at S. Luis Ob .; later county judge; still living in 'S3. S. Luis Ob. Co. Ilist. Beechay, 1840, doubtful name in Farnham's list of arrested foreigners. Beechey (Fred. Wm), 1826, com. of the Brit. ex- ploring vessel Blossom, and author of a Narrative of the exploration. iii. 120 B. (Rich- -5, 110, 146; i. 432; ii. 5SS, 590, 592, 599-600, 603, 610, 614-16.

ard B.), 1826, mid. on the Blossom. iii. 121. Beener (John S.), 1847, adver- tises loss of a pocket-book between S. Joaq. and S.F. in Star; still at S.F. in '54. Beere (WVm), 1848, cabinet-maker at S.F. v. 682. Beers (Wm), 1847, Co. E, Morm. Bat. (v. 469). Beeson (Henry), 1846, claimant for supplies to Frémont (v. 462). Perhaps this was ' Bee,' q.v.

Beggs (Peter), 1847, negro servant of Capt. A. J. Smith, accused of rob-

715

BEGGS-BELLOW.

bery at Los Ang. Behn (Jehn), 1841 (?), native of Baden, accredited by Wil- son to the Workman party fr. N. Mex .; but not in Rowland's list, and not remembered by Given. iv. 278-9. Appears in the records fr. '44 as otter-hunter and trader at Los Ang. He quit business in '53, and died 'GS, leaving several children. Béjar, sec 'Véjar.'

Belcher, 1848, mr of the Mary at S.F. fr. Columbia Riv. B. (Edward), 1826, lieut on the Blossom in Beechey's exped. iii. 121; in '37-9, com. of the Sulphur, and author of a Narrative of the expedition. iii. 614, 670, 690; iv. 93, 106, 142-6. B. (Lewis F.), 1847, at Mont. in company with Aram; in the gold mines '48; about '50 a large dealer in cattle. An eccentric character, native of N. Y., who acquired a large property. Murdered at Mont. in '50.

Belden (Josiah), 1841, nat. of Conn., b. in '15, who after a varied commer- cial experience in N. Y., La, and Miss., came to Cal. in the Ist immig. party under Capt. Bartleson. iv. 207, 270, 275, 279. Going to Mont., he took charge for Larkin of a branch store and lumber business at Sta Cruz in '42-4, taking part in the raising of the U.S. flag at the time of the Con. Jones affair. iv. 312, 340, 651, 602-4. I have many of his original letters of these and later years. In '44 he obtained naturalization papers, and a grant of the Barranca Colorada rancho in the Sac. Valley. iv. 670. The firm of B. & Chard appears at Mont. in '44-5; B. took some part in preserving order during Gov. Micheltorena's absence; and in Dec. '45 went up to his rancho, returning in March '46. N. Ilele. Diary, 22, 37. For some months in '46 B. took charge of a store for Capt. Paty at S.F., v. 682, and later in '46-7 worked as clerk and collector for Wm H. Davis, obtaining lots at S.F. and Benicia. v. 672, 676; also inter- ested in a quicksilver mine. Larkin's Doc., v. 361. In '48 he opened at S. José a branch store of Mellus & Howard, but soon followed his customers to the mines for a few weeks, leaving the store in charge of Branham. In '49 he closed up the business, and married Miss Sarah M. Jones, a pioneer of '46. In '50 he was the Ist mayor of S. Jose, being later member of the council, and in '76 a delegate to the republican national convention. Fortunate purchases and judi- cious management of S. F. real estate made Belden a capitalist. He continued to reside at S. José with his wife, two sons, and three daughters until about 'S1, when he changed his residence to New York, where he still lives in 'S5. A good sketch of his life, with portrait, is found in the Contemp. Biog., i. 246; and in '78 he dictated for my use his Historical Statement, a MS. of 70 pp., just such a narrative as might be expected from a clear-headed man of business.

Bell (Alex.), 1842, nat. of Pa, who since '23 had lived in Mex. provinces, becoming a citizen. He came from Sonora on the Esmeralda, iv. 341, settling at Los Ang., where he married Nieves Guirado in '44, and engaged in trade for many years. He was prominent in '45 among the foreigners who opposed Micheltorena and Sutter. iv. 495; in '46-7, being sindico at L. Ang., v. 625, served as capt. in the Cal. Bat., v. 360, apparently quitting the town with Gil- lespie and returning with Stockton; and he had 'Cal. claims' of about $3,500 (v. 462). In '49 Bell built a warehouse at S. Pedro; and in later years was prominent among the vigilantes. He seems to have retired from trade about '54, but continued to reside at Los Ang. till his death in '71, age 70. B. (Geo. W.), 1845, doubtful name of an overl. immig .; perhaps went to Or. iv. 578. B. (John H.), 1831, mr of the Whalehound, said to have discov. oysters in S.F. bay. iii. 699. B. (Richard H.), 1847, Co. F, 3d U.S. artill. v. 519. B. (Wm), 1843, named at Los Ang., perhaps by error.

Bellomy (Geo. W.), 1843, Virginian fr. Or. in the Hastings party, wounded by Ind. on the way. iv. 390-1, 399. In '44 he got a carta de seguridad, and next year had a shop at S. José, where he complained of being robbed. and signed the call to foreigners in March. iv. 599. He does not seem to have served in the Cal. Bat. '46, but had a claim of $42, which was paid; in '47 was imprisoned for disobedience to decrees of Judge Burton's court; in '48 owner of the Sta Clara House, still in legal troubles. His wife from '45 was María de Jesus Bernal, later wife of J. T. Perez. Bellomy-or Bellamy- died in '62. Bellow (J. Mitch.), 1846, said to have come in the navy; nat. of La, who was long a policeman at S. Jose, and died in '79. S. J. Pion.

716

PIONEER REGISTER AND INDEX.

Belt (Geo. Gordon), 1847, Q. M. sergt N.Y. Vol. v. 503; alcalde at Stock- ton '49; became a rich trader, and was murdered at Stockton by Wm Dennis in '69. Beltran (Nicolas), corporal 1776-SI, killed on the Colorado. i. 304, 303. Belty (Wm), 1841, German immig. from Mo. in the Bartleson party. iv. 270, 275, 279. Some say he went back and died in the east; but a man of the same name served in Co. A, Cal. Bat. (v. 358); is named on Larkin's books at Mont. in '47-8; and acc. to Dally, who helped to bury him, was killed by a fall from his horse in the mines in '48.

Ben, 1846, negro servant with Gillespie. v. 24. Benavides (Elias), 1847, at N. Helv. B. (José), soldier at S. F. '44; grantee of a lot '46. v. GS0. B. (José M.), settler at S. F. 1791-1800, prob. father of the preceding. i. 716. B. (María), 1847, had bonnets for sale at S. F. Star. B. (Miguel), soldier at S. F. '27-31; in '41 living at S. José, age 29; wife Josefa Garcia; child., Patricio, José Ant., Concepcion, Antonia, Nanita, Trinidad. Benedict (C. L.), 1847, owner of a house at Benicia. v. 672. Bengachea (José Ign.), set- tler at the Colorado Riv. pueblos 1780-1. i. 359, 362. Benitez (José M.), B. '24-6. ii. 532, 537.

1803-7, surgeon of the forces at Mont. ii. 140. Benito, neoph. rebel at Sta .

Benitz (Wm), 1841-2, German in Sutter's employ. Arrived Oct. '42 acc. to rolls of the Soc. Cal. Pion .; but in applying for naturalization in '44 le claimed to have come in '41. iv. 341. After being for a time in charge of Hock farm, in '43 he took charge of the Ross estate for Sutter, succeeding Bidwell. iv. 186, 679. In '44 grantee of the Briesgau rancho in Shasta co. iv. 670; in '45 he rented the Ross rancho from Sutter, and later bought a part of it; bondsman for some of the Grigsby-Ide immig. iv. 679, 544, 581. Benitz is said to have been the man who was swindled to the extent of $5,000 by the Sutter-Muldrow claim. He lived at Ross till '67; then moved to Oakland; and in '74 went to the Argentine Republic, where he had a brother. He died there in '76, at the age of 62, leaving a family. Benjamin (Fordyce J.), 1846, Co. H, N. Y. Vol. (v. 499); alcalde at N. Helv. '48; at Sonoma '74.

Bennett (A. B.), 1846, Co. F, Cal. Bat., enlisting at S. Juan Oct. (v. 358). B. (Charles), 1847, at Sutter's Fort fr. Or .; at the Coloma mill in '48 when gold was found; said to have been killed by Ind. in Or. about '53. B. (Dennis), 1843, prob. son of Vardamon, fr. Or. in the Hastings party. iv. 300, 399. Named in a S. F. padron of '44 as an Amer. carpenter, age 19. B. (Jackson), 1843, brother of Dennis, age 17 in '44, said to have been slightly wounded at the 'battle' of Sta Clara in '47. iv. 390, 400; v. 381. B. (Nar- ciso), grantee of land at Sta Clara in '45; perhaps another son of Varda- mon, who came in '43. iv. 587, 673. B. (Thomas), 1816, sailor on the Lydia. ii. 275. B. (Titus), 1847, Co. G, N. Y. Vol. (v. 499).

Bennett (Vardamon), 1843, nat. of Ga, who went to Ark. '30, crossed the plains to Or. '42, and came to Cal. in the Hastings party with a large family. iv. 300, 399. After a brief stay in the Sac. Valley B. went to S. F., where he appears in the padron of '44 as an Amer. carpenter, age 40; where he appears in other records of '43-7, including a petition for naturalization in '46; and where he kept a grog-shop, bowling alley, etc. v. 685; being also owner of a Benicia lot. v. 672. He died at S. F. in '49. His wife, Mary, was a good woman, but one of masculine attributes, who had a 'mind of her own,' and body also, in many respects head of the family. In '45 she asked for a separation, complaining to the authorities of her husband's failure to provide for herself and S children. In '46 she and some of the children were living at S. José, having a 'Cal. claim' (v. 462). She married Harry Love, and died near Watsonville in '68, age 66. B. (Wm), 1845, doubtful name of an overl. immig. iv. 578. B. (Wm), 1844, immig. fr. Or. in the Kelsey party. iv. 414, 453. Seems to have settled near S. José, where acc. to Hittell he was a wealthy man in '60; perhaps same as Wm H. on the rolls of the Soc. Cal. Pion., as having arr. March '44.

Bennett (Winston), 1843, son of Vardamon, whom he accomp. to Cal. in the Hastings party. iv. 390, 400. IIe is named in the S.F. padron of '44 as 25 years of age; but he did not remain long at S.F. or in any other place; roam-

717

BENNETT-BERNAL.

ing from the Sac. Valley to Marin Co., Yerba Buena. Sta Clara, and Sta.Cruz, and taking some slight part in the troubles with Micheltorena in '45. iv. 486 -7. In'46 he enlisted in Co. G, Cal. Bat. (v. 358), took part in the fight at Nati- vidad, and went to L. Ang. with Fremont. In '48-9 he had an adventurous career in many places as miner and trader; lived at Sta Clara and Sta Cruz in '50-3, being constable and deputy sheriff part of.the time; on a rancho at Pes- cadero '53-63; at Sta Clara with his mother '63-72; and again on his rancho fr. '72, having married María J. Perez in '71. His Pioneer of '43, a narrative of his overland trip and experiences in Cal., was printed in the S. José Pio- neer of '77, containing many interesting details. He seems to have been a very unlucky man in respect of accidents, the breaking of a leg or arm being by no means a rare occurrence; and it appears that this luck with his old propensity to roam is still retained; for as I write, in 'S5, the papers announce the accidental breaking of his leg at Silver City, N. Mex.

Benschoten (John W.), 1848, New Yorker who served in the Mex. war, coming to Cal. prob. with Graham's dragoons (v. 522); worked in the mines, and finally settled in S. Joaquin, where he married Jessie Mckay in 'CG. Benson (Christian), 1847, perhaps one of the N. Y. Vol. under another nainc. B. (Geo.), 1847, Co. F, 3d U. S. artill. (v. 518). B. (John), 1840, Amer. sailor of the Morse at S.F., to be shipped on the Don Quixote. Bent (Silas), 1848, mr of the Preble. Bentley (John), 1847, Co. E, Morm. Bat. (v. 544). Ben- ton, 1848, firm of Ross, B. & Co. at S. F.

Bercier (Francis), 1847, Engl. at N. Helv. Berdle (John), 1836, arms in his possess. seized at L. Ang. Berenback (Antoine), 1847, Co. F, 3d artill. (v. 518). Berier, 1847, at N. Helv .; prob. same as 'Bercier.' Beristain, 1847-8, mr of the Concepcion. v. 577. B. (Máximo), 1829, at S. Diego. iii. 1.11. Beritzhoff (Alex.), 1847, named in a newspaper as mate of the Joven Guipuzcoana. iv. 587; went from N. Y. to Valparaiso on ship Zenobia. From Val. to Mont. on brig T'hos H. Benton in '47. Owner of Stockton Independent '05-75. Later U.S. storekeeper int. rev. at S.F.

Bermudez (Antonio, Atansio, Dolores), at L. Ang. '46. B. (Domingo), 1832, at Sta B. B. (Francisco), 1832, soldier at Sta B., wife Concepcion Pico, 2 child. B. (José), at L. Ang. '15-28. ii. 349, 354, 560; two or three of the name at S. Bernardino and S. Gabriel '46. B. (José), at rancho na- cional, Mont., '36, age 28, wife Ana M. Martinez, child. José and Martiana. Bernabé, 1824, rebel neoph. at Sta B. ii. 532, 537. Bernaci (Juan), 1791, lieut in Malaspina's exped. i. 490.

Bernal, 1826, majordomo of S. José. ii. 599. I am unable to trace defi- nitely the dif. branches of the Bernal family in Cal., but name many individ- uals. See list of those in Cal. before 1800 in i. 734. B. (Agustin), soldier at S. F. '19-27; in '37 lieut of militia at S. José. iii. 732; in '41 at S. José, age 39; wife María Juana Higuera; child. José b. '25, Guadalupe '29, Presen- tacion '32, Abelino '34, Nicolás '37, Juana '39; in '46 jucz de campo. v. 662; '53 claimant of Sta Teresa rancho. iii. 713; prob. son of Joaquin. B. (Agus- tin, Jr), son of the preceding, b. '48; mar. Francisca Soto in Alameda Co. '78. B. (Ana María), mar. 1784 to Gabriel Moraga. ii. 571. B. (Antonio), sol- dier at S. F. '41-3. iv. 667; still at S. José '50. B. (Apolinario), born in Cal. 1780-90; regidor at S. José 1802; killed by Ind. '13. ii. 134, 339. B. (Basilio), grantee of Sta Clara embarcadero '45-8; also claimant in '53. iv. 373; v. 665. B. (Bruno), in '41 at S. José, age 39 (prob. older); wife Anto- nia Ortega; children, Antonio b. in '25, Dolores '27, Francisco. '31, Pedro '33. José and Gertrudis '35, Guadalupe '36, Rufina '37, Luis '39; Cal. claim of $10,000 in '46; claimant for Alisal, Mont. Co. iii. 676. B. (Jesus), juez de campo at S. José '41. iv. 684. B. (Joaquin), soldier of S. F. at Sta Cruz 1795. i. 496; invál. '19-32; grantce of Sta Teresa rancho '34, being then 94

years old. iii. 713. B. (José), soldier at S. F. '19-30. B. (José 2d), sol- dier at S. F. '19-24. B. (José), born at S. José in '23; married Alta Gracia Higuera in '55; 10 children: living in Alameda Co. in 'S0. B. (José Ant. ), soldier at S. F. '29-'42. B. (Jose Ant.), farmer at S. José '41, age 25; wife Guadalupe Butron; children, Juan and Trinidad. B. (José Cornelio), regidor

718

PIONEER REGISTER AND INDEX.

of S. José '28. ii. 605; grantee of land at Mission Dolores '34; elector and mili- tiaman at S. F. '37. iii. 705; grantee of Rincon de Salinas, ete., and Rincon de Ballena '39. iii. 678, 712; in '42 at S. F., age 46, wife Carmen Cibrian, son José de Jesus b. '29; still living '53-4. His widow lived at the mission until after '67. i. 293. B. (José Dionisio), soldier of the Soledad escolta

1791-1800. i. 499. B. (José Jesus), grantee in '39 of the Cañada de Pala rancho. iii. 711; in '41 farmer at S. José, age 31; wife María Ant. Higuera; children, José Gabriel b. '34, Jesus M. '35, Jose Jesus '37, Dionisio '37. (Juan), cattle-owners in S. F. district 1793. i. 707. B. (Jnan), soldier at S. F.

B. '20-30; elector and militiaman at S.F. '37. iii. 705; grantee of Laguna de Palos Col. in the contra costa '35-41. iii. 712; iv. 671; in '41 at S. José, age 38; wife Encarnacion Soto (who as a widow was owner of S. F. lots fr. '44. iv. 639; v. 685); children, Guadalupe b.'31, Nicolás '35, Apolinario '37, Juan '40. B. (Juan), farmer at S. José '41, age 31; wife Rafaela Félix; child., Francisco b. '33, Juan '38, Guadalupe '39, Refugio '40; juez de campo '44. iv. 685. B. (Juan), son of Joaquin, at S. José in '77, age 67, who gave me his Memoria of several old-time occurrences; perhaps same as preceding. B. (Juan). de- scribed by Larkin in '45 as a man of some wealth and local influence at Sta Cruz. B. (María D. Castro de), at S. José '41, age 52; children, Juan b. '20, Gregorio and Francisco '27, Ramon '30.

Bernier (Baptiste), 1844, one of Frémont's men. iv. 437.

Berreyesa (Antonio), son of Nicolás, who in '77 at S. José gave me his Relacion of the murder of his uncle by Fremont's men in '46 (v. 171), and of the troubles of his father's family with the squatters and land lawyers. B.

(Felix), soldier at S. F. and musician '34-42. B. (Francisco), soldier at S. F. '37; sergt '39; grantee in '46 of Cañada de Capay and Rincon de Musulacon. v. 669, 675; claimant for Rincon de Esteros '53. iii. 712. B. (José Ign.), at S. José'41, age 34; children, Jesus Maria, Jose Jesus, Adelaida, María Los Angeles, and Gabriela; grantee of Chiniles rancho '46. v. 669. B. (José Jesns), soldier at S. F. '32-3; sentenced for stealing horses at Mont. '35. iii. 674; at Sonoma, age 28, in '44; grantee of Las Putas '43, and Yacuy '46. iv. 672; v. 669. B. (José de los Reyes), nat. of Cal., son of Nicolás, b. about 1787; sold. at S. F. '19-29, sergt from '30; also employed as a teacher at S. F. in '23. ii. 591, 584; iii. 111, 701; in '31-5 see. of ayunt. at S. José. iii. 729-30; in '41 at S. José; wife María S. Bernal; children, Domingo b. '22, Francisco '26, Fernando '28, Encarnacion '30, Demesio '33, Madelina '34, but there were several others older; in '42 grantee of S. Vicente rancho. iv. 673. In June '46 while on his way to visit his son at Sonoma the old man was murdered at S. Rafael by Fremont's men. v. 171-4. B. (José de los Santos), son of José Reyes; sergt S. F. comp. at Sonoma '40-2. iii. 702; iv. 678; grantee of Malaeomes rancho '43. iv. 671-3; in '46 alcalde at Sonoma. v. 124, 154, 159, 668; in '55 a witness in the Santillan case. B. (María de la Luz), mar. to Joaq. Soto 1803, the Ist marriage at S. José. ii.

i38. B. (Martin), sold. at Sonoma '42. B. (Nasario), corporal at S. F. '19- 24. B. (Nicolás), settler at S. F. 1777-1800. i. 297, 716; wife Gertrudis Peralta, children Gabriela, María de la Luz, José de los Reyes, Nasario, Nicolás, Juan José, acc. to S. José padron of 1793. B. (Nieolás), son of pre- ceding; sold. at S. F. '19-30; grantce of Milpitas '34. iii. 712; regidor at S. José '36-7, iii. 730; at S. José '41. age 51, wife Gracia Padilla, children, José b. '18, Nicolás '22, Francisco '26, José '28, Antonio '31, Mariano '31, Agustin '36. The murder of his brother Reyes and the plundering of his cattle by the battalion in '46, the later lynching of his brother Demesio, the continued struggle with squatters and land lawyers, in which all his property was stripped from him, drove the old man to madness; and several of his sons also became insane. He died in '63. B. (Rudesindo), ment. in '42. iv. 240. B. (Santiago), at S. José '41, age 37; wife Maria Rosario Valencia, child María Josefa. B. (Sixto), soldier in S.F. comp. '38-42; grantee of Las Putas '43. iv. 672.

Berry, 1848, from Or., one of the Ist miners at Grass Valley. Ner. Co. Ilist., 52, 64. B. (Daniel K.), 1846, overl. immig. from Mo. with his family.

719

BERRY-BIDWELL.

v. 529; served in Co. C, Cal. Bat. (v. 358); fr. '48 one of the Ist settlers of Suisun Valley, where he still lived in '60. B. (James Richard), 1836, Irish- man who had lived long in Span. provinces, a great traveller and a man of many accomplishments; grantee of Punta de Reyes in '36. iii. 712; iv. 118; owner of lots at S.F. '41-4. iv. 669; v. 679; at Sonoma in '44, aged 52. I find no later record of him. Bertodano (Cosme), 1794-6, Span. com. of the l'aldés, Activa, Aranzazu. i. 523-4, 540. Bertran (Luis), Mex. at Mont. '36, age 40, wife Tomasa Carrillo. Bertrand (Emile), 1847, Co. C, N. Y. Vol. (v. 499).

Beston (Thos), 1847, at N. Helv., with family; apparently an immig. v. 556. Bestor (Norman S.), 1846, assistant to Lient Emory with Kearny's force. v. 337; at Mont. Feb. '48; had a store at Coloma '48-9. Sherman. Beuseman (Chris. M.), 1817, Prussian in the Russ. service, noble of the 4th class; mr of the Chirikof, and Baikal, '11-12, '23-8. ii. 298, 312, 648; iii. 146. Beverley (Mckenzie), 1847, owner of S.F. lot; murderer of Dornte; later a desperado at large. v. 586, 646, 663, 676, 684.

Bianchi (Nicholas), 1834-5, mr of the Rosa. iii. 384. Bichioll (John), 1843, Amer. in charge of Sutter's cattle at Hock; naturalized '44. iv. 400; name written 'Bignol' and also 'Rignoll.' Bickmore (Gilbert), 1847, Co. A,

Morm. Bat. (v. 469). Biddle (James), 1847-8, com. of the Pac. squadron U. S. N. on the Columbus. v. 437-8, 450, 577. Bideler (Thos), 1836, Amer., doubtful name at Los. Ang. Bidilton (John), 1828-9, Engl. catholic at Mont.

Bidwell (John), 1841, nat. of N. Y., born in 1819, who went with his parents to Penn. and Ohio; a school-teacher in Ohio and Iowa; an immig. from Mo. to Cal. in the Bartleson party. For an account of this party, including much about Bidwell personally, and about his diary sent east and published as A Journey to California, now of great rarity, see iv. 266-76, 279, 346-7. I have the original bond signed by Thos G. Bowen in B.'s favor on Nov. IS, '41. He entered Sutter's employ, and in '42-3 was in charge of the Ross estate at Bodega. iv. 186, 233, 665, 679; in '43-4 at Hock farm. I have much of his original corresp. of these and later years. In '44, visiting Mont. with a recom- mend. from Sutter to the gov., he obtained naturalization papers and a grant of the Ulpinos rancho. iv. 674. In return Bidwell was active in support of Micheltorena, going south with Sutter's army, being taken prisoner at the 'battle' of Cahuenga, and even having something to say 40 years later in de- fence of that most unwise movement of the foreigners. iv. 366, 479-83, 485- 6, 50S. Returning to N. Helvetia, he continued in Sutter's service as agent and clerk, being the writer of portions of the N. Helv. Diary, and his movements from day to day being recorded in other portions; also grantee of the Colus rancho in '45. iv. 516, 671. His travels in the valley and foothills were exten- sive, and he had many narrow escapes from making the grand discovery of gold. Early in '46 he made arrangements to open a school at Mont., Larkin's Doc., iv. 54; but circumstances occurred to prevent this. He did not at first take an active part in the settlers' revolt, being a Mex. citizen and apparently not warmly in sympathy with this most senseless filibusterism; but he was at one time in charge of the prisoners at the fort, and in July was sec. at the for- mal organization at Sonoma. v. 100, 123, 128, 179. He went south with Fre- mont; was put in com. of S. Luis Rey in Aug., and made a perilous trip by sea from S. Diego to S. Pedro for supplies during the Flores revolt; ranking as capt. in the Cal. Bat., and serving as quartermaster with rank of major under Stockton in '46-7. v. 286, 317-18, 324-5, 361, 385, 420, 620-2. Return- ing to the Sacramento, Bidwell continued his labors as Sutter's agent and surveyor in different parts of the valley until the discovery of gold, when he became the pioneer miner on Feather River, where Bidwell's Bar was named for him. Of his mining experience, as of his official career in later years, I shall have occasion to say something in vol. vi .- vii. of this work. Becoming owner of the Arroyo Chico ranchos granted to Dickey and Farwell, he made here his permanent home, site of the town of Chico from '60, becoming a man of great wealth, and one of the most prominent agriculturists of the state. He was chosen as a member of the constit. convention of '49, though not serving; a senator in the Ist legislature of '43-50; a delegate to the national democratic

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History of California, Volume II, Part 77

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 826

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 826