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 60
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The military freebooter, Sanchez, was at this time creating a reign of terror in the district conterminous to San José ; neither man, horse, nor
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stock of any kind, being free from his predatory band. Concealing themselves in thicket or ravine they were wont to fall upon the unsus- pecting traveler, who, after being robbed, was too often most foully mur- dered. In the month of December, 1846, about the 8th day, a party under Lieutenant W. A. Bartlett of the sloop-of-war Warren, and six men, among them being Martin Corcoran, now of San Jose, Richard Watkins, at present a Judge in Mono county, William Leavens, and three others, started from Yerba Buena to purchase beef for the United States forces. When arrived in the vicinage of that locality, where now stands the Seventeen-Mile House on the old San Francisco and San Jose road, and when in the act of driving together some cattle, thirty of Sanchez' men rushed from an ambuscade, captured them, and carried them off to their camp in the redwoods in the Coast Range of mountains, but after a space removing to another portion of the same chain in San Mateo county, he increased his corps to a hundred men and one piece of artillery-a six- pounder-and commenced a succession of marauding expeditions in the country between San José and San Francisco. Intelligence reaching the former place of these depredations of Colonel Sanchez, Captain Weber, without delay sounded the "call" to boot and saddle, and about Christmas Day was in full pursuit. Learning, however, of the recent addition to the enemy's strength, he avoided an encounter with a force so much his superior in numbers, and pushed on to San Francisco, where he reported to the Commandant.
Still retaining his seven prisoners under close guard, Sanchez advanced into the Santa Clara valley by way of the head of the Bay of San Fran- cisco, and called a halt about ten miles from San José, which place he came to after a rest of forty-eight hours. Aware full well that Weber and his company were not in the town, and nothing remaining for its defense save a few marines, he thought that it would fall before his mighty presence, even without firing a shot. He therefore dispatched a note to Lieutenant Pinkney, calling upon him to surrender and withdraw his men ; in which event the Americans would be permitted to retire unmo- lested ; should he refuse, an attack would be forthwith made and all put to the sword. But Pinkney was not to be intimidated by such shal- low bravado. As the sun sank into the west on that day, he formed his Inen in line and read to them the arrogant communication of the robber chief, which being ended he said if there were any there who did not wish to fight, they had full liberty to rejoin the ship at San Francisco. Such, however, happily is not the spirit of the American people or their forces, else the glorious Union would not be in the lead of nations as it is to-day. Pinkney's men raised their voices as one man, and elected to stay and let Sanchez do his worst, while their gallant commander vehemently asserted : "Then, by G-d, Sanchez shall never drive me out of here alive !" and
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then there burst from the throats of that handful of heroes one hoarse cheer that made the welkin ring. Like a true soldier, the Lieutenant gave not an order the carrying out of which he did not personally superin- tend. He divided his force into four squads, who were, on the alarm being sounded, each to press for a particular side of the breast-work, already arranged upon; if, however, the enemy should be found in a body trying to effect an entrance at any one side, then were the four divisions to rush en masse to that spot. That night Pinkney doubled the guard, and his men slept on their arms. It was his expectation to be attacked by a force immeasurably superior to him in numbers ; but at dead of night Sanchez rode around the pueblo, reflected deeply, and wisely determined that to be valorous was to be discreet, therefore he withdrew his men, leaving our forces in full possession. Lieutenant Pinkney was a tall, well- proportioned man, over six feet high, with sandy whiskers and hair. He was as straight as an arrow, and looked the soldier all over. His very appearance showed where he would be in a hot contest. There was not a man among his little band that did not have the utmost confidence in him,
Let us now return and see how fared it with the prisoners captured near the Seventeen-Mile House. To try and effect their release, the British Consul, James Alexander Forbes, visited Sanchez' band, where his brother-in-law was serving, and strove to obtain the liberation of the captives, but with no success. After a good deal of palaver, however, Sanchez consented to Lieutenant Bartlett being permitted to accompany Forbes to his residence in Santa Clara, but on no account was he to be handed over to the American authorities, while, as to the other six, he was willing that they all should be surrendered to their nationals, but Captain Weber, who had, before the commencement of hostilities between the United States and Mexico, been in the service of the latter Govern- ment, must be given up to him. Consul Forbes transmitted the result of his diplomatic mission to the commanding officer at San Francisco, who replied that he unconditionally refused such terms, and Bartlett could be returned to Sanchez.
A day of reckoning was now fast drawing nigh, for a little army, with the destruction of Sanchez and his band in view, was being formed in San Francisco under command of Captain Ward Marston, of the marine corps attached to the United States ship Savannah. The force was composed as follows: Assistant Surgeon J. Duvall, Aid-de-Camp; detachment of Marines, under Lieutenant Robert Tansil, thirty-four men ; artillery, one field-piece, six-pounder, under charge of Master William F. D. Gough, assisted by Midshipman John Kell, ten men ; interpreter, John Pray; Mounted Company San José Volunteers, under command of Captain Charles M. Weber, Lieutenant John M. Murphy, and Acting Lieutenant
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John Reed, thirty-three men ; Mounted Company of Yerba Buena Vol- unteers, under command of William M. Smith and Lieutenant John Rose ; with a small detachment, under Captain J. Martin, of twelve men, the whole being in the neighborhood of one hundred men of all arms. The little army marched out of San Francisco on the 29th December, their course being southward and through the Santa Clara valley. On the morning of January 2, 1847, they came in sight of the enemy, who, upon learning of their approach, had dispatched their prisoners, on foot, for no horses for them to ride could be provided, into the mountains in charge of an escort of twelve men, who, having proceeded a couple of miles, halted.
Upon the force of Americans coming up with the enemy, at ten o'clock in the morning, orders were given to open fire at two hundred yards' range, which was done with telling effect, the first one or two volleys entirely breaking the line in which Sanchez chose to fight. Finding his alignment cut in twain, Sanchez wheeled his men so as to bring each of his sections on either flank of Captain Marston's corps, but still making a retrograde movement, while the latter advanced. Ever and anon would the desperate Colonel rally his already demoralized troops in front, and again wheel them on the flanks of his opponents, thus alternately fight- ing in front and on flank, but still keeping up the order of his retreat, for two or three hours.
Lieutenant Pinkney, from his fortified position in San José, hearing the firing, gave orders for the making of hundreds of cartridges, and placed everything in a state of defense, in case Sanchez should be vic- torious and come down on the pueblo, while he waited anxiously for news of the battle, for he believed the Americans were outnumbered, and had some doubt as to how the fortunes of the day might turn ; while, at the Santa Clara mission, people crowded the roof-tops and there witnessed the engagement, to which place the retreat tended. Here Sanchez was met by Captain Aram, who sallied out to check his falling upon the settlements. Finding this new force to contend against he drew off, unwilling to renew a fight of which he had already too much, and found his way to the Santa Cruz mountains, whence he dispatched a flag of truce and a communica- tion stating the terms on which he would surrender. The reply was, his surrender must be absolute, and notwithstanding that he said he would die first, an armistice was agreed upon, and dispatches sent to the Com- mandant at San Francisco, asking for instructions.
Meanwhile Lieutenant Pinkney's suspense was put to an end by the receipt of a message as to the outturn of the action, while Marston march- ed his men to the Santa Clara Mission, where they were received with demonstrative joy by the American ladies and children there assembled. Captain Aram now received permission to proceed in quest of certain
John Sichall
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horses, which had been stolen from the American settlers in the valley, some of which he knew to be in the cavalcade of the enemy, and while engaged in this duty, he was informed by Sanchez that another body of United States troops was on its way from Monterey. This information could scarcely be credited by the Captain, who, ascending a commanding point, perceived the intelligence to be correct. This accession to the fighting strength of the Americans made Sanchez tremble lest he should be attacked by them ; he therefore begged Aram to advance and inform them of the situation of affairs, which he did, much to the chagrin of the new-comers, who were longing to have a brush with the enemy. This force was under the command of Captain Maddox of the United States Navy, and consisted of fifty-nine mounted sailors and marines.
The courier sent to San Francisco returned on the 6th with instruc- tions to Captain Marston that the surrender of Sanchez must be uncon- ditional, a copy of which he transmitted to the Colonel, whereupon the terms of capitulation were agreed upon. Another reinforcement arrived under Lieutenant Grayson on the 7th, and on the 8th, Sanchez and his whole force laid down their arms, and the seven anxious prisoners were returned to the hands of their countrymen. The Mexican Colonel was taken to San Francisco and held as a prisoner, for a time, on board the U. S. ship Savannah, while his men were permitted to return to their respective homes, and thus was the curtain dropped upon the closing act in the warlike drama, as enacted in the northern part of Upper California during the hostilities between the United States and Mexico.
In a little, the contest was at an end, peace wasa greed upon, and the war- clouds dispelled ; yet the country was without a government, and without that there was no order. True, from the office of Colonel Mason, at Mon- terey, there flowed out appointments of Alcaldes and Justices of the Peace, but these were furnished with no laws to guide them, and curious indeed were the mistakes perpetrated by some. The innocent verdict of a court that was ruled by the silver-headed cane of an Alcade was sufficient to instill fear into the mind of the ingenuous Californian-something a little more cogent was needed to satisfy the American, but all this took time to effect. So soon as the hatchet was buried, the immigrants considered what was their next course to pursue. By inter-communication, the geography of the country had become more or less familiar ; some elected to go to Monterey, others to Santa Cruz, San José had its appreciators, while one said he would settle willingly in Yerba Buena (San Francisco) were it not for the three miles of sand that lay between Mission creek and the town, which then was bounded on the south by Clay street, with very little to the north of it. Mr. Brown chose the San Antonio red- woods, where there was plenty of hard work, and there he passed the Summer of 1847, whip-sawing lumber, which he hauled to the San
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Antonio creek and transported across the bay to San Francisco. During that time he unceasingly sought a tract of land on which to commence farming operations. He tells us the Californians were bound by a most solemn pledge not to sell, or even give information in regard to the lands. They said : " If we can't fight these heathens out, we can starve them ; for we can keep them from a permanent settlement here." In the Fall he learned that Wm. A. Leidesdorff, a trader in San Francisco, had a ranch for sale which he had purchased from a Spaniard named Valencia. This is the Rancho Acalanes, on which he now resides at Lafayette. Mr. Brown at once entered into negotiations for its purchase, which were con- summated, he at the same time buying three hundred cows that Leides- dorff had obtained from Vasquez at Half Moon Bay. He built a strong corral on the ranch, and employed an American and his vaqueros to bring the cattle up to it. When they arrived at the Rancho of Vasquez, the horses, as was customary, were put for safe-keeping in the corral, situated about half a mile from the house. During the night a California lion, a ferocious and formidable animal, not rare in those days, got into the inclosure, wounded some of the horses and scattered the rest so that the strangers had scarcely a sufficient number of mounts to get home with. To put an end to such mishaps he now hired Amador, who understood the ways of lions and wild cattle. Under his supervision the latter pros- pered, they being for the first few months corraled during the night and herded in the day-time ; soon, however, they were permitted to roam at will over the hills and valleys. Their increase was wonderful, while they were good beef at any season of the year. Mr. Brown states that he found a marked difference now from his former experience in stock-raising ; in the States he had to feed from six to seven months during the year.
But there was something more to look to than the raising of stock. The sailor looks to the winds and the clouds; the thoughtful landsman also looks to every surrounding with equal diligence and care. We have already said there was no government except the military authority vested in Colonel Mason, and he manifested much delicacy in using that authority. The confusion of national affairs, caused by the close contest in Congress on the slavery question-one party opposing, and the other favoring its extension-prevented any action by that Body towards a law for organizing a Territorial or State government. Generel Riley, who superceded Mason in 1848, issued a proclamation to the people to hold an election to elect delegates to a Convention. What a relief to those who had lived in the country for some time without any courts or legal tribunals and government. Hope revived in those who fully realized the condition of things.
The Convention, which consisted of thirty-seven members, convened
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and organized in Monterey, September 1, 1849. The members were mostly immigrants, from almost every State in the Union, with many of the preferences and prejudices of those days. Yet sound sense prevailed. It was a great blessing to the mixed throng then in California, and to those who came soon afterwards. There were in the Convention men of sterling merits; in favor of, and against slavery. Yet, in sober council, they wisely ignored that subject, and with unity formed a State Consti- tution that stood the test, with only a few amendments, for over thirty years. It was adopted by a vote of the people. It provided for the election of a Governor and Members of a Legislature. San José was selected as the seat of government, and Peter H. Burnett was elected Governor.
The Legislature met, and the Senate and Assembly organized, and went to work on the Herculean task before them. The State was divided into counties; the judges and other officers to be provided for, with the duties prescribed to each. A full code of civil and criminal laws had to be framed, and that without much aid from books or refer- ences. The whole fabric of government had to be framed. The minority were the workers in both houses, and, for new hands, the task was well done.
A new State was framed and organized, but it was not classed among the other States, for the Government of the nation had refused to aid or act in the matter. It was a gracious boon to California, and a great relief to the sober-thinking people, for the gold mines were attracting thousands of adventurers of all colors and nationalities.
Mr. Brown was a member of the Convention that framed the State Constitution, and also of the first two Legislatures after its adoption. What he lacked in ability and knowledge he made up in industry and economy. In 1852 he was strongly urged to run for the Senate ; but as all was safe, he declined the offer, preferring his former occupation of im- proving new farms, leaving politics, not principles, to those who enjoyed such things. He has often attended mass meetings, but was never a delegate to a political convention. He was always free to speak his mind, and allowed the same privilege. He says : " Amid all the various surroundings and positions through life I have never struck or been struck ; never run for or from man or boy. I have had but few lawsuits or contentions. I have never bet a cent on a race or cards, and never dealt in stocks. I was never intoxicated by liquor, although I was raised in a tavern; but I have never dealt in the article since. I have never cheated a man, knowingly, out of a dollar ; but the reverse has occasion- ally occurred. I do not intend this as a boast, but as an acknowledgment of the blessing bestowed on me through a long life by my good and benevolent Creator."
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What gratitude is due from one who has been permitted to see a vast region of country-from Wheeling, on the Ohio, to San Francisco, on the Pacific Coast-redeemed from the wilds of nature by the enterprise and arts of civilization ! Mr. Brown has been one of the participators. He began early, and held out late, and, no doubt, has earned his reward.
He says : " Discouragements have seldom crossed my path. But allow me to relate one instance. While on guard, one cold, rainy night, in Santa Clara, during that memorable week of the siege, expecting every moment that the Spaniards would charge in from the north or south ; and to make the surroundings more gloomy the Mission Indians were howling over a dead comrade, and as many dogs as Indians were engaged in the howling. Amid all that there came into my mind this thought: I had committed an error that had involved my children as well as my- self. I had brought them from a good home and a land of safety; had left a sick son at Fort Bridger, doubting his recovery; had a son and daughter in the Mission, likely to be butchered by the Spaniards. The fate of Travis and Fanning came fresh in my mind. For half an hour or more I was a homesick man, strolling up and down the muddy streets of Santa Clara. Sound reason and resolution came to my assistance, and I became my own man again. I have been blessed with buoyant spirits and a strong will. These properties have added much to my comfort of mind and success in business. My own and the family of Nathaniel Jones were the first Americans that settled within the present bounds of Contra Costa county. There were no white families nearer than San José Mission. I settled on my present farm in 1848, and I expect to remain on it the balance of my time on earth. I was eighty-five years old'on the tenth day of last June. In this narrative the reader may think that some of the smaller incidents should have been left out. I labor under the same embarrassment that the hunter did who could not shoot a duck; for when he took aim at one another would put its head in the way. I find much less difficulty in collecting than in selecting incidents."
Mr. Brown disclaims any praise over the tens of thousands who have equally participated and aided in the great work of reclaiming the vast waste of wilderness, that eighty years ago was almost entirely occupied by the native Indians and wild beasts, but now covered over with organ- ized States, counties, cities, towns and farms, with all the comforts and conveniences of art and science that civilization confers. Being an eye- witness in the front line of a long march, the picture is plain. The work is large to those who have seen the beginning and the end of the whole extraordinary advance of settlement and civilization in America from the year 1804 to 1882.
Daniel Boone did not drive the Indians out of Kentucky alone, but was one of the foremost who aided to drive them out. So it is with all
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others who have assisted in reclaiming the vast wilderness. If praise is due, it should be divided according to merit. Many of Mr. Brown's contemporaries, who saw the wilderness before them, have lain down in death's sleep, but few have been permitted to see the great work from the beginning to the present as he has seen it. No person does nor can anyone appreciate the result more than he does. " Industry and economy exalteth a nation." In America they have built up an empire in the age and before the vision of one man. How wonderful to contemplate ! Yet it is truly so ! Reader, you cannot wonder that he looks back over these scenes with gratitude and pleasure at the result of the enterprise. He thinks that thousands would join him in exultation if they would only stop to look at the great picture.
The Hebrew nation were forty years crossing the great desert, but these others were seven months in crossing theirs in 1846, and that too without manna. The Lord aided the Hebrews in their enterprise. Were those others not likewise aided ? No human power could have carried them through that long, toilsome journey.
He says : " I was inquired of by kind friends in San José why I set- tled in that lonesome place ; why I did not settle there in that pleasant valley among white people ? The question was urgently asked by good neighbors in Missouri, when I was about to start across the plains. Again, back in Illinois, when about to leave a pleasant home for the wilds of the Platte Purchase. Again, back in Ohio, in 1846, when I went back to the place of my youthful days. I had four sisters, with families there. There, too, in the grave-yards, the white tombstones marked the resting place of father, mother and brother. There, too, with all those near and dear associations, I was urgently and earnestly entreated, as I had sold my farm in Missouri, to come and spend the remainder of my life with old friends and associates. All did not change me from my destined Western course. Again, in the most emphatic manner, was the question asked on that dreary night in the streets of Santa Clara. The answer, why, I have never found, and I believe the answer has not and never will be solved. I freely acknowledge my incapacity to solve it." Mr. Brown married, firstly, in Greene county, Illinois, January 10, 1823, Sarah Allen, a native · of Tennessee, and had: Thomas A., Warren J., Lawrence M. and Marge- lina. Married, secondly, July 1, 1847, Mrs. Margaret Allen, by whom he has no issue. Mrs. Brown has a family by her first marriage.
HON. THOMAS A. BROWN .- Whose portrait appears in this work, was born on the 16th day of October, 1823, in Greene county, State of Illinois, is the eldest of four children of Elam Brown and his wife Sarah. During his infancy the family moved to Morgan county, Illinois, where they settled on a farmi about ten miles west of Jacksonville. The family resided
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there until the year 1837, when they moved to Platte county, Missouri, where they settled on a farm near the town of Weston. During the years 1842 and 1843 the subject of the settlement of the country about the mouth of the Columbia river in Oregon, and emigration to California and other places west of the Rocky mountains was beginning to be agitated, and in May, 1843, T. A. Brown joined a party of emigrants and crossed the mountains to Oregon ; he arrived at the Willamette Falls late in the Fall of that year. On that journey the party suffered many annoyances and privations not common to travelers of the present day who cross the plains from the Missouri river to the Pacific Ocean. The band in 1843 started from Westport, near the western line of Missouri. After crossing the west boundary of Missouri the country was entirely uninhabited by white people to Fort Laramie; at that place, which was on the route, there were a few traders. Hence they proceeded to Fort Bridger, from there to Fort Hall, and thence to Fort Boise near the Grand Round valley on Snake river, which was an unbroken wilderness. A few trappers were at Fort Bridger, a few others at Fort Hall and a few at Fort Boise, and Dr. Whitman and some others at Walla Walla, were the only white people found on the route from the Missouri line to Fort Vancouver. There were plenty of Indians, but not generally troublesome. At that time Oregon was considered to be about as far away from other civilized society as it was possible to get. There were then a few hundred white people, generally very good people, in what is now the State of Oregon. To illustrate the condition of things then, the only regular communication with the United States was by sailing vessels or by the annual immigration. Messengers bearing news required about six months to make the trip in one direction or twelve months to get word in return. The people who went across the mountains in 1843 left Missouri in May of that year. The nominations of candidates for President and Vice- President were not made until afterwards; it was not known by them who was nominated or elected until late in the Fall of the year 1844, so that they did not learn who had been elected President until six or seven months after Mr. Polk had been inaugurated in that office. While in Oregon Mr. Brown resided the greater portion of the time at Oregon City, and was engaged chiefly in the business of surveying and as civil engineer. He surveyed a great number of claims for settlers in different parts of the territory, and also several town sites, among others that of of Portland, now the principal city in the State. The survey of that place was made about the year 1844, and while making which the workmen were compelled to live in a tent which they placed on the bank of the river, there being no house whatever at the place-none had ever been erected where the city now is. During the early part of the year 1847, Mr. Brown came to California on a visit to see his
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