USA > California > Contra Costa County > History of Contra Costa County, California, including its geography, geology, topography, climatography and description; together with a record of the Mexican grants also, incidents of pioneer life; and biographical sketches of early and prominent settlers and representative men > Part 44
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The home life of the ranchero was one of superlative indolence, indeed, so was that of his satellites. Let us for a moment glance at them. In the front of the house is a court-yard of considerable extent, with the front sheltered by a piazza. Here, when the vaqueros have nothing to call them to the field, they pass the day looking like retainers of a rude court ; a dozen wild, vicious-looking horses, with wooden saddles on their backs, stand ever ready for work ; while, lounging about, the vaqueros smoke, play the guitar or cards, else twist a new riata of hide or horse-hair. When the sun gets lower they go to sleep in the shade, and the little horses that remain in the sunshine do the same apparently, for they shut their eyes and never stir. Presently, a vaquero, judging the time by the sun, gets up and yawns, stag- gering lazily towards his horse, gathers up his riata, and twists it around the horn of his saddle-the others awakening, rise and do the same, all yawning, with eyes half open, looking as lazy a set as ever were seen, as indeed they are when on foot. "Hupa ! Anda!" and away they go in a cloud of dust, splashing through the creek, waving their lassos around their heads with a wild shout, and disappearing from sight almost as soon as mounted. The vaquero wants at all times to ride furiously, and the little horses eyes are opened wide enough before they receive the second dig of their riders' iron spurs.
The derivative of the first of the two Ranchos mentioned above is apparent. It is derived from Saint Paul (San Pablo), who was one of the most enthu- siastic, as he was one of the favorite disciples of the Saviour. The other takes its name from Pinole (meal), it being related that here some hungry Mexi- can soldiers who had been in pursuit of a band of predatory Indians in the vicinity of Mount Diablo, had their hunger appeased at a small village of friendly natives when on their way to the mission of San Rafael. After passing through the valley of El Hambre (the Vale of Hunger) their first food was a mess of meal obtained on the shore of the San Pablo straits, which they named Pinole, and when Ignacio Martinez received the grant, he perpetuated the name given by the famished soldiers.
In the year 1832 a Scotchman named William Welch obtained the tract of land known afterwards as the Welch Rancho, on a portion of which the town of Martinez is built, but he fixed his abode in Township Number Two, and has been dealt with in that portion of our work.
385
Township Number One.
The next we hear of the township now under consideration is from the diary of that distinguished pioneer, the late General John A. Sutter. After stating that it took him eight days before he found the mouth of the Sacra- mento river, he describes his arrival at the point where he subsequently constructed his famous fort, and entered in his journal : " Before I came up here I purchased Cattle and Horses on the Rancho of Señor Martinez, and had great difficulties and trouble to get them up, and received them at last on the 22nd of October, 1839. Not less than eight men wanted to be in the party, as they was afraid of the Indians, and had good reason to be so."
From the period last mentioned up until the date of the discovery of gold, but few if any foreign settlers came to Township Number One to reside. In 1848, however, Doctor Samuel J. Tennent arrived from the Sandwich Islands, whither he intended returning, but on his travels arrived at the Pinole Rancho, married a daughter of Don Ignacio Martinez, and has since resided there. A portrait of this gentleman will be recognized in our pages as he was before years had told on him; he is still, however, hale and hearty, with every chance of surviving many younger men.
" Colonel William M. Smith, as agent of the family of Ignacio Martinez," says Judge Thomas A. Brown, " caused to be surveyed and located the town of Martinez, on the west side of the Arroyo del Hambre, and sold quite a number of lots to persons residing in San Francisco and elsewhere. A few months afterwards the family of the deceased William Welch caused to be surveyed into town lots a few hundred acres of land on the east side of the same stream as an addition to the town of Martinez.
" During the Summer of 1849, and prior to the organization of the State Government, quite a number of persons who had purchased lots in Martinez built houses thereon ; a few of the buildings first constructed are still to be seen, one an old building in the inclosure of Mrs. Bent, which is now used as a hay-barn, was the first house built." We have since learned from Judge Brown that the present residence of Dr. Leffler was the first actual build- ing to be erected in Martinez-but of this subject fuller information will be given further on.
In the year 1849, there were residing in the township, Thomas A., and Warren Brown, Napoleon B. Smith, Colonel William M. Smith, Nicholas Hunsaker, J. C. Boorham, Thomas S. Dana, Howard Havens, N. Jones. while, in the following year, there were resident, as is gleaned from the list of voters at the first election (1850), Juan D. Silvas, F. M. Warmcastle, Al- bert G. Robb, Thomas Allen, W. H. Popple, J. F. Williams, Martine Berry- essa, Absolom Peak, Leonard Eddy, John A. Piercall, Daniel Hunsaker, Na- thaniel Jones, Angel Soto, Josiah Gorham, John Carnes, William Hendricks, Jas. F. Quin, José Galindo, Charles J. McIlvaine, Ira B. Stebbings, P. S. Brow- nell, Elijah Darling, R. S. Thomas, William T. Hendricks, H. A. Overbeck, A. F. C. Debast, Napoleon Degalon, James C. Hunsaker, Joseph Swanson,
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History of Contra Costa County.
A. V. H. Ellis, Vicente Martinez, José de J. Martinez, Theodore Kohler, Lyman H. Hastings, Joseph Rothenhausler, William K. Leavitt, B. R. Holliday, H. M. Holliday, William Allen, Francisco Berryessa, Dr. George Lawrence, John H. Livingston, Josiah Sturges. Most of the residents of this period were migratory, the allurements of the mines preventing anything like permanency of habitation ; the settlers were few, yet progress of a ma- terial nature commenced.
In the Fall of the year 1852, that respected citizen, M. R. Barber, pur- chased his present beautiful location about two miles from Martinez, then consisting of land across which had never been drawn a furrow, and here he has since resided, having from absolute sterility produced one of the most beautiful places in the county. He had, however, been a resident of the county before this, for he had, prior to 1851, toiled in the redwoods near San Antonio, and afterwards came to Martinez and assisted in building several of the first houses erected in that town. It is a fact, too, that should not be forgotten, that the tickets for the first election for County officers in Contra Costa, were in the hand-writing of Mr. Barber. In July of the same year, Antonio Perry Silva settled in San Pablo on the place where he now resides, he having subsequently acquired it by purchase in 1857.
Among the residents who arrived in 1853, we have that well-known pioneer, E. W. Hiller. In December of that year Mr. Hiller located at San Pablo, but in the following year moved to Martinez, where he has since resided. Hiram P. Hardy, too, came in this year, and first found employ- ment with Dr. Strentzel; he has now a beautiful home near Martinez, the reward of long years of industry. In the month of August, 1854, there settled at Pinole, Bernardo Fernandez. After many ups and downs, he here started a local trade, which has sprung into great proportions ; he owns vast warehouses, a wharf twenty-three hundred feet in length, a large and well-stocked store, and several sailing craft, plying between San Francisco and the inner waters of the State. In November of the same year Martin Woolbart arrived in Martinez, having come to California with Mr. Fish of that town and Mr. Majors of Ygnacio valley, two of Contra Costa's most prominent citizens. Mr. Woolbart settled on his present place in 1863. In the Fall of 1854, the late F. H. C. Dohrmann came to the township, and for two years conducted the San Pablo Hotel. In 1856 he moved to the property where his widow now resides, Mr. Dohrmann having died October 24, 1873. In this year, too, the ever-to-be-remembered Colonel W. W. Gift, after holding high office in the State, purchased property near Martinez, and entered upon a farmer's life. Here he embarked into the breeding of blood horses, his love for that stock almost amounting to a passion. The elegant mansion he erected was consumed by fire July 18, 1867. The Colonel died in Martinez at the residence of his son, W. A. J. Gift, April 17, 1881.
Richard. D. Veale
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Township Number One.
Simon Blum, in 1854, settled in Martinez, having purchased the business of Captain Fogg. Here Mr. Blum has amassed wealth and resided ever since.
On February 15, 1855, Barnes Holloway purchased and located on the place where he now dwells, about seven miles from Martinez. Mr. Hollo- way, however, is a " forty-niner." In 1850 he settled at Mountain View, Santa Clara county, and in partnership with others, among whom was Cornelius Yager, once County Clerk of, and member of Assembly from Contra Costa, rented land from Mariano Castro. After serving in the ses- sions of 1854-55 as Senator from the Twelfth Senatorial District, Colonel W. B. May settled on the place where he now resides, in 1855. He informs us that when he arrived in the Fall, Dr. Goodale lived on the land now owned by the widow of Mr. Stowell, and Henry Benson resided at the mouth of the San Pablo creek ; Weatherby & Poole had a store in the village of San Pablo; John Wilcox was there at the time, and Peck & Dohrmann kept the San Pablo Hotel, which was an adobe house, and stood next to where the Union saloon now stands. John Galvin lived where his widow now resides, and John Davis at his present place. At what is called " Point Conch-shell" there resided the McKee family, who were the only residents between San Pablo and Pinole. According to the best of the Colonel's recollection, his place was originally occupied by a man named Knowles and his partner. On the place now occupied by Mr. Thode there was a house belonging to Captain James Gill, while that gentleman dwelt between what is known as the O'Connell place and the Bay. Two brothers, John and Robert Kennedy, also resided in the vicinity. On San Pablo creek a man named Clark had a dairy ranch; it is now occupied by Mr. Quin. Where Messrs. Abrott, Weyhe and O'Neil now live was occupied by two Americans named Timothy Ingles and - Isham; and still above, the brothers Major and William Dowling had their habitation. Still farther up the creek was Ira Grover, who owned a large tract of land. On the old Telegraph Road from Oakland was what is now called the Houston Ranch. Walter Mills was then farming (1855) near where the railroad depot at San Pablo stands, while Captain Black owned the landing where the Terrills now are, and ran a sloop to that point. The "Red House" was where it still is, and in 1855 was kept by Mrs. Lewis; it afterwards became a stage station, while it has since maintained its name. There were but a few houses between San Pablo and Ocean View (Berkeley), and thence to Oakland.
In 1855 William Hoffman settled on his place in the suburbs of Mar- tinez, and has transferred it from its native wildness into a veritable para- dise. In this year Dr. E. F. Hough commenced practice in Martinez, having disposed of his place in Ygnacio valley. A notice of the paint discoveries made by the Doctor will be found elsewhere. In the same year W. A. J. Gift joined his father, and has since resided in the township.
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History of Contra Costa County.
In the Fall of 1856 we have settling on the place he now occupies James McHarry, who came from San Mateo county; while in the month of Octo- ber of the same year Azro Rumrill located on a parcel of land about a fourth of a mile from his present residence. Mr. Rumrill is one of the Justices of the Peace for Township Number One. In May, 1857, Michael Kearny located near the dividing line between Contra Costa and Alameda counties; he afterwards moved to the farm now occupied by Mr. Jones, and finally, in 1865, purchased his present property. During the Fall of the same year John Nicholl located on his present ranch near San Pablo, while in the month of October, L. C. Wittenmyer took up his domicile in Martinez, and has resided there ever since. In 1858, in the month of October, Joseph Boyd purchased the property on which he now resides. In 1859, Henry Blume settled near Pinole, where he dwelt until 1862, when he moved to his present place; in the Fall of the same year William Krieger also located; while Samuel W. Johnson, who had passed through the site of the town of Martinez in 1846, came from the San Joaquin valley and permanently located in Martinez. In 1860, Daniel Clancy purchased and took up his residence on the farm he now occupies.
Of course, there have been many more settlers than those mentioned above, but we have failed to learn their names; we trust, however, that what has preceded and what follows will be of interest to the reader.
MARTINEZ .- Lying snugly nestled at the foot of a gentle vale, and close by the sleeping waters of the Carquinez Straits, is the town of Mar- tinez, the county seat of Contra Costa county. It is one of the most delightful towns of California's inland valleys-perhaps the most delightful of all-and is situated on the south shore of the Straits of Carquinez, nearly opposite the now thriving town of Benicia, and about thirty-seven miles from San Francisco.
The mountain range through which the Straits of Carquinez have found their way, just below Benicia, so effectively breaks the force of the cold sea breezes, as to produce a marked modification of the temperature on the two sides of the water at that point-the straits affording a free passage up to Benicia, which makes it a windy place, while the mountains form an effec- tual barrier against the approach to the valley in which Martinez is located, and also to the entire chains of valleys with which it is connected, their sheltered condition thus rendering the surrounding slopes most admirable locations for vineyards, orchards and residences.
The town has changed a little since its more pretentious rival "over the way " boasted of it as its suburb. Since that time Martinez has improved, and, although in the heart of a strictly rural district, and compelled to rely wholly on its own resources for its prosperity, it gives evidence of more than ordinary vitality with a bright future before it.
389
Township Number One.
Before the " days of gold " were, Benicia was. In 1846, Doctor Robert Semple founded the town, the first house being built by William I. Tustin, the second having been erected by the Doctor himself. The name of Doctor Semple is so interwoven with the early history of this portion of California, that we may be pardoned introducing him to the reader. He was one of the remarkable men of his day and generation. When standing erect he was about seven feet in height, and being rather spare in figure, did not impress one as being well-proportioned. His hands and feet were large, as well as his mouth, which was seldom untenanted by a chew of his favorite tobacco. He was so long-limbed that when astride of a mustang or mule, his feet nearly reached to the ground (within six inches), rendering it nec- essary for him to attach his spurs to the calves of his boots, instead of to his heels. From having to stoop so much when entering or leaving doors of ordinary dimensions, his form was somewhat bent, and it seemed neces- sary for him not to stand upright, in order the more conveniently to carry on a conversation with his fellow-men. In temperament he was sanguine and impulsive, in disposition kind and considerate, but quite determined to have his own way, in judgment rather erratic, and disinclined to accept the counsel or advice of others, feeling convinced that he knew better than they.
It is related of him that early in 1848, business called him to Monterey; he therefore crossed the Straits with his horse on the open scow ferry-boat, which he had established, and left directions with the ferryman to be on the look- out for his return. After wending his way through the valleys of San Ramon, Santa Clara and Salinas to his destination, in the course of two or three weeks he was back again to where Martinez now stands, but the boat was on the Benicia side, and all the signals he could make failed to induce Captain Davis to venture out against the strong head wind that was blow- ing, and the Doctor had to sleep on the ground in his blankets. This state of things continued for two days, and on the third the patience and endu- rance of the Doctor having been tried to the utmost, he considered that something must be done to enable him to reach home. He could not swim, and even if he could, a swim of two or three miles was a hazardous under- taking, so he finally managed to secure two or three pieces of scantling and a plank, with which, by the aid of his riata, he improvised a raft, on which, with a fair wind and tide, he set out astride, pushing himself along as best he could. An hour or two later he was discovered by some of his friends on shore, who did not know what to make of the strange-looking object arrayed in a bright-colored serapa, and holding aloft a signal violently waving. A boat was immediately manned and sent to his relief, and great was the surprise and joy of the men when they found they had rescued the foremost man of the village. His objurgations on account of the apparent neglect to which he had been subjected were rather more emphatic and
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History of Contra Costa County.
vehement than classic or polite, but good humor was soon restored, con- gratulations extended, jokes cracked, and the Doctor's health drank in something stronger than water-in fact, the Doctor had had water enough in crossing.
A year or two later the Doctor had his scow ferry-boat worked by horse- power, he having come into possession of two such machines, while on the establishment of the steam-ferry, he was heard to apostrophise steam, and sing in praise of Fulton, who had first succeeded in harnessing it to such use.
In the year 1849, Colonel William M. Smith, as agent for the Martinez family, from whom the place derives its name, determined to build a town, hoping to rival its opposite neighbor in importance. To this end he em- ployed Thomas A. Brown, now the honored Superior Judge of the county, to survey and lay out one hundred and twenty acres on the west side of El Hambre creek. The blocks and lots, having been divided, they were. quickly sold, the building of houses commenced, the first being that now occupied by Doctor Leffler and erected by Nicholas Hunsaker, and the second by Thomas A. Brown, built for mercantile purposes, where the Judge with his brother Warren, and Napoleon B. Smith, opened the first trading- post in the county. This structure was afterwards sold to the Roman Cath- olic Church, who used it for some time ; it is a barn on the homestead tract of Mrs. Bent. The house where E. W. Hiller now lives was built by Messrs. Boorham & Dana as a store, also in 1849, while, about the same time, a build- ing, still standing near Bray's Lumber Yard, was put up by Howard & Wells as a mercantile establishment, and managed by Howard Havens, the present cashier of Kelly & Donohue's Bank, of San Francisco.
In the year 1850-51, an addition to the town was surveyed by Mr. Brown, under instruction from the proprietor of the Welch Rancho. This tract consisted of from five to six hundred acres, and was also laid out in blocks and lots. It will thus be seen that provision was early made for the growth of a large city. The first houses to he built on this portion of Martinez, and which were erected all about the same time, were those now occupied by Mr. Wise, Mr. Douglas, Mr. Lawless, Mr. McMahon, Dr. Bolton, and the printing office of the Contra Costa News. The house of Mr. Doug- las was used as the first office of the County Clerk. The house now owned by Mr. Lawless was built by Nathaniel Jones in the fall of 1850; but he had, prior to this, occupied the little cottage next the Berryessa adobe (built in 1849), which he put up in the Fall of the previous year.
In the month of October, 1849, the Bradley House was completed, and early in 1850, a negro named Jones, opened a hotel where Josiah Sturges now conducts the Alhambra Hotel.
At this period the nearest house to the town site was the adobe resi- dence of Vicente Martinez, which stood on the property of Dr. Strentzel,
391
Township Number One.
and commonly known as the Redfern place. Antonio Soto had an adobe house near the Alhambra school-house, which was the next nearest, while the Widow Welch's homestead was the next. In 1851, Theodora Soto built the place known as the Hickman adobe, and these formed the nearest resi- dences to the town of Martinez in the first year of its infancy.
We have said above that the building originally built by Judge Brown as a store, and now Mrs. Bent's barn, was occupied for some time by the Roman Catholic priests as a place of worship. Between the years 1851 and 1855, they commenced an adobe church and laid the foundation, where Bartolo's vegetable garden now is, immediately below the Railroad tank ; this project they abandoned, however, in the last mentioned year, and erected a building on the northeast corner of Dr. Carothers' lot, which, being laid low by a gale in 1866, they erected their present neat edifice.
In 1851, a school was opened in the house now occupied by Judge Brown, which was, besides, then used as a Meeting House on Sunday, a Court House during the session, and a Masonic Lodge, up stairs. The first teacher was R. B. McNair; the second, Hiram Mills. It is questionable, however, if this was the first school taught in the town, for it is asserted by many old residents that to B. R. Holliday belongs that honor.
In 1852 the Union Hotel was built where the residence of James Hoey now stands, and was owned by H. M. Smith; it being subsequently con- ducted by Capt. R. E. Borden, the County Treasurer.
Before pursuing the history of the town we will first follow the efforts made to have it incorporated. On January 25, 1851, a petition of its citi- zens was presented to the Court of Sessions, through J. F. Williams, District Attorney, praying for the incorporation of Martinez, as follows :
" To the Hon. F. M. Warmcastle, County Judge :- Your petitioners, citi- zens of Martinez, pray your Honor to incorporate the following metes and bounds, to be known as the Town of Martinez, and to establish therein a police for their local government and regulation of any commons appertain- ing to such town, to wit: Commencing at a point opposite the old ferry house in the Straits of Carquinez, one-fourth of a mile from high-water mark ; thence up the Straits of Carquinez in a straight line one mile to a point one-fourth of a mile from high-water mark; thence running in a southeasterly direction at right angles with the first line, one mile ; thencc running in a northwesterly direction at right angles with the last line, one mile; thence in a northeasterly direction at right angles with the last line, to the place of beginning, so as to include one mile square."
It was thereupon directed by the Court that the Town of Martinez be duly incorporated, and the order issued that an election be held for town Trustees, February 8, 1851. B. R. Holliday, Charles Pervine, and J. C. Burrows, being appointed Judges.
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History of Contra Costa County.
About February, 1876, the attention of the inhabitants of Martinez was called once more to the subject. By the Act, the town limits were defined as follows : " Beginning at a point where the fence dividing the lands of J. P. Jones and L. I. Fish touch the Straits of Carquinez ; thence south- wardly along said fence, and continuing the same course to the line of the homestead tract of H. Bush ; thence westwardly along the north line of Bush's homestead tract to the Arroyo del Hambre ; thence southerly along said arroyo to the center of G street ; thence westwardly along G street to the western boundary of the town of Martinez as officially surveyed ; thence northwardly, following the western boundary of the town plat to the Straits of Carquinez ; thence eastwardly along the shore of the Straits of Carquinez to the place of beginning." The corporate powers and duties of the town were vested in a Board of Trustees of three members, to be elected on the first Monday in May of each year.
Thus had Martinez existed as a village for something more than a quar- ter of a century, without corporate being or authority, except for a very brief period, in 1851, when they were extinguished by a decision of the Supreme Court, declaring the Act void under which they were assumed. One or two efforts for some sort of an incorporation of the town had been made, truly, but they resulted in nothing. It might have been incorporated at any time, under the general law, but this was objected to as involving too much machinery and expense. To establish a town corporation of limited powers, the bill now under notice was prepared, and for the time being, at any rate, was thought to meet all requirements. On May 23, 1876, Thomas McMahon and L. C. Wittenmyer were elected Town Trustees, and J. R. L. Smith, Assessor and Collector, but after this date we have been unable to glean anything of the corporation or its civic dignitaries.
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