USA > California > Humboldt County > History of Humboldt County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, etc., from original drawings, including biographical sketches > Part 38
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NEW PRICES
CLOTHING
ORIGINAL CHEAP
BOOTS & SWMS
CHACCRES
HARDWARE
ORY GOODS
CASH STORE CEKENYON.PROB>
FLOUR
BACON
FISM
BUTTER
EGGS
SC. &C.
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SUBURBAN RESIDENCE OF GEO.L.BENEDICT,FERNOALE,HUMBOLDT CO.CAL.
STORE OF J. G.KENYON, AT ARLYNDA, HUMBOLDT CO.CAL.
Copre 16 HALL
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FERNDALE HOTEL, & HALL.FERNDALE,HUMBOLDT CD. CAL. PROPERTY OF D.R. ROBERTS W. J. Mº COLLUM PROP.
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"PLEASANT VIEW"HOMEOF LEANORD. S. HICKS. ON THE ISLAND 3 % MILES FROM FERNDALE, HUMBOLDT CO.CAL.
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HUMBOLDT COUNTY PIONEER SOCIETY.
aims for personal success. For this he strives within the lim- its of legitimate business incthorls, and as a useful and active citizen, has practically shown that those methods cannot well be independent of the public welfare.
In politics Mr. Ricks is a Democrat. In 1854 lic visited the East, where he was married to Miss Adaline A. Fouts, of Clark County, Indiana. He has a family of three children.
JAMES HANNA.
James Hanna was born on the 2d of February, 1806, in that part of the county of Philadelphia then called the District of Sonthwark and now included within the limits of the city. Both of' his parents were from the County of Down, Ireland. He received such education as the private schools afforded and in 1820 was placed as a clerk in a large merchandise house, where he remained until 1826, having during the intervening time inade two voyages to tho West Indies as supercargo. In the latter part of the saine year be made his first political speech. It was hostile to General Jackson, then a candidate l'or the Presidency. As far as it was delivered the speech was most uproariously received and the speaker pitched out of the hall. 'This troatment, of course, intensiliod his admiration of Jackson and the kind of democracy he established !
In 1829 he commeneed the study of law and was married to Clarissa Sidney, grand-danghter of Betsey Ross, who assisted in designing and made the first American flag as established by Congress. In 1832 he was admitted to the Philadelphia bar and elected as a Whig to represent the county in the Legisla- ture of the State. The next year he was the Whig candidate for the State Senate and was deleated. In 1835 he was again nominated by tho Whig party for the Senate, and received a certificate of election. He was admitted to a seat but was afterwards ousted, his election having been contested.
In February, 1850, he lelt Philadelphia and by the way of the Isthinius and sailing vessel from Panama, arrived in San Francisco in May of the samo year. His eldest sou had pre- ceded him, but his wife and eight children remained in Phila- delphia. Tho family, excepting his wife, who died, were afterwards all nnited in San Francisco.
In Jannary, 1854, he left San Francisco for Hnmboklt County and arrived in Eureka on the 2d of February, where, with his children and several of his grand-children, he still resides. He has been District Attorney of the county for one term, and one year he volunteered as a candidate for District Judgeship against the Know-nothing nominec. Mr. Hanna received a majority in this county, but Trinity County, at that timne a much more populons county, gave a larger majority for the opposing candidate who was a resident of that county.
As long as there was a Whig party he was a member of it, then voted for Bell and Everett and afterwards became a Black Republican. He was always and perhaps is yet a Stalwart, always voting as he was ordered from regular headquarters without reading his ticket. He, however, once voted under
protest. He was required by the Whig party to vote in the Congressional District in which he lived for the lex, objection- ahle of two Democratie candidates for Congress. He kieked but submitted to the harness. He voted a ticket endorsed Dein- ocratie, but before touching it he put on his gloves. Notwith- standing this precaution he fancied for a month afterwards that his fingers smelt.
11. 11, BUHNK.
H. H. Buline was born in Flensburg, Denmark, Inne 27, 1822. His father was a scafaring man, owning at one time thirteen vessels and their cargoes. Young Bulme attended school until he was sixteen years of age, when he embarked in a seafaring life as cabin boy. One year after was promoted, and the following year shipped in a whaler for the South Pacific. After a cruise he returned to his native home in Demnark, in 1845, with a full shipload of oil and bones.
On the 7th of June, 1845, he began a course at a navigation school, and October 20th received his diploma and went to sea on the same whaler ship he previously made a cruise in, and was promoted to first inate and officer of the first boat. They set sail for the South Sea, October 28, 1845. On their passage out, calling for fresh water and provisions, they were ship- wrecked on Cape Verde Islands. In the afternoon they anchored under Fort St. Luz, but iu the uight a heavy sea caused the vessel to drag her anchors, and she went ashore. The vessel was a total wreck, and two days thereafter nothing was to be seen of her. From there they went on board a small schooner for the Island Salt, another of the Cape Verde Islands. After their arrival they embarked in the Bremen bark Active for Rio Janeiro. He there shipped before the mast on a bark com- manded by Captain Fallesen, for Hamburg, Germany, When they arrived at Hamburg he returned home, about the first of May, 1846.
After remaining at home a couple of months he left for Bremen and shipped as third officer in the whaling ship Clementine, Captain Hashogen commanding, for the Arctic Ocean. After a cruise in the Arctic they left there about October 8th.
SAN FRANCISCO IN 1847.
They arrived in San Francisco in November, 1847. When they entered the Golden Gate they looked for San Francisco where their chart located it, and saw only a few houses, and one ship lay at anchor. They looked then over towards South Saucelito, where they saw two large buildings, and three vessels were lying at anchor. They then concluded to anchor there instead of San Francisco, as they inferred it was the largest business place. After they got to anchor Captain Richardson came on board and told them that the largest business place was at "Yerba Buena," now called San Francisco. The next day they hove anchor and sailed to Yerba Buena and cast anchor close to a Boston harque that was loading with hides and tallow.
While there he hecame acquainted with a family named Ellis, and with the old pioneer " Bob Parker." Also
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get acquainted with Captain Sutter, on board of the first steamer that was ever built in or run on the San Francisco Bay. It was built by the Russian Goverment, and presented to General Sutter. While in San Francisco the ship's doctor, Heyermann, deserted and went on the little steamer to Sonoma, and Mr. Buhne and a boat's crew, accompanied by a constable, pursued him. They came near him several times, but the Dr. was always provided with a fresh horse by the ranchers, and as Mr. B. says, the Dr. would laugh at them on their jaded steeds, and ilve faster than before. Alter a chase of two days they returned to Sonoma withont the fugitive. When Mr. B arrived at Sonoma lie found that his boat's crew had deserted and he and the constable were left alone to get to San Fran- cisco as hest they could, and finally, after camping on Mare Island one night, they arrived the night following on board of their ship in San Francisco. After three weeks spent in San Francisco they sailed for Magdalena Bay on a whaling voyage, and had fair success. A voyage was taken to the Sandwich Islands whenee they arrived the middle of March of 1848. There Mr. B. left the ship Clementine and re-shipped as second officer on the Dutch ship Zudipole, Captain Meier commanding. On the first of April they set sail for Okhotsk Sea and the Bay of Kamtchatka for a whaling season. After the season was ended they sailed for the Navigators' Islands, and arrived there in the latter part of December, 1848. While there they were informed of the discovery of gold in California, and after a couple of weeks they sailed for Talcowana, on the coast of Chili. They shipped a part of their oil and whalebone for Amsterdam, where they opened negotiations for carrying pas- sengers and freight for San Francisco. Here Mr. B. was pro- moted as first officer of the ship Zudipole, and sailed with passengers and freight for Valparaiso where forty more passen- gers caine aboard, and in the first part of April they sailed for San Francisco with ahout thirty cabin passengers and one hundred and twenty in the steerage, and a full load of freight.
In the first part of June, 1849, they were safely anchored in San Francisco Bay. Mr. B. remained a short time on the vessel and then concluded to change his life from a sailor to that of a miner. He says that was the greatest mistake of his life. He and his party left San Francisco for the dry dig- gings at Auburu. The day after he arrived in Sacramento he purchased a couple of mules to pack the mining outfit, and succeeded quite well in loading the first mule, but when they came to load the second mule they found they had more goods than he could carry, but they continued to load goods on until they had, as Mr. B. says, " more goods on the upper deck than on the lower one," and the consequence was that the mule com- inenced bucking and was not contented until all the load was strewu over the plains of Sacramento. The mule ran away. After a hard chase they succeeded in overtaking him, and com- menced re-packing. By this time they had learned to humor the mule's whims and uot overload him. After several days they
arrived in the mining vicinity of Auburn, where they commenced to dig gold, and had very fair success as long as it lasted. After mining ahout a month he was taken down with the fever and dysentery. After a fourteen days' sickness he finally got into Auburn and found two persons in a tent, one who had been third officer with Mr. B. on the Zudipole. He took up his quarters with them until a friend from his native town who was teaming from Sacramento to the mines, placed them in his wagon and hauled them to Sacramento and assisted them on board a little steamner which took them down to Benicia, and on arriving there they got aboard a schooner and went to San Francisco, where they arrived ahout the middle of October, 1849. They went to a board- ing house kept by Edward Youug and Clavieter, who had been a shipmate of Mr. Buhne. The house was managed hy Young & Clavieter, both of whomu had been shipmates of Mr. Buhne.
FIRST VIEW OF HUMBOLDT BAY.
After his suffering six months, and his money all spent he left his sick hed and went on board the Laura Virginia, Captain Ottinger commanding. He shipped as second officer, and the second day out they passed Eel River and saw from the masthead the Bay of Humboldt. They went to anchor about four miles south west of Table Bluff, and to the best of Mr. Buhne's recollections, the next day two schooners hove in sight, and anchored at the mouth of Ecl River, near the Laura Virginia. One of them proved to be the General Morgan, of San Francisco, which put out a boat and started for Eel River Bar. The Laura Virginia at the same time put out two hoats, one with Captain Ottinger in command, and the other with Captain Swain in command (who lives at present on a farm on Elk River, Humboldt County). The intention was to follow the General Morgan's hoat into the mouth of Eel River. Captam Swain's boat capsized in the hreakers on the bar. Captain Ottinger turned hack to the vessel in his hoat and asked Mr. Buhne to go in connand of his boat to the rescue of those who were in the breakers. He succeeded in saving the crew with the exception of a gentleman who was drowned before he arrived.
They started north, and arrived at Trinidad Bay the day following. They left some of the passengers there to explore the coast south and north of Trinidad Bay, and the vessels con- tinued north in search for the mouth of Trinity River. They were rewarded hy finding the Klamath River, which they sup- posed was the month of the Trinity River. As the sea was rough they continued on their course, and the day following cast anchor in Crescent City Bay, where they found the hrig Kamehameama loading with piles, and the schooner Patigo- nian high and dry on the beach. After remaining a couple of days, started on their course south again, and sounded the har of the Klamath, hut had orders from the captain not to enter the river. They then sailed for Trinidad, and arrived there
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on the 8th of April, 1850. Here learned that the party wlio had been left to explore the country south of Trinidad, had seen a good entrance into Hininbobit Bay, and the next day they set sail for the entrance
FIRST BOAT ENTERS THE BAY.
When off' Humboldt Bar the Laura, Virginia enine to anchor on the afternoon of the 9th. The morning following, Captain Ottinger asked Mr. Buhne if he thought it safe to cross the bar in the ship's boats. He said he thought it was. Io then asked him if he would take one of the boats and enter the bay ? He answered him by stating that if he would stay by him with his hoat he would try. About 9 o'clock, A. M., they set out in their boats for the bar. After Mr. Buline got inside the breukers with the poorest bont, Captain Ottin- ger turned about and struck out for the vessel. Mr. Buhne way compelled to continue his course iuto the bay. The boat way filled twice before they got inside the bay. When in the bay they went onto Humboldt Bluff (now called Buhue's Point), and saw a fine entranco to the bay.
When on the bluff, about 400 Indians came running along the beach flashing their polattes. One of the company called out to Mr. B. to hurry down as that was a sure war sign, but upon his getting down the Indians had them surrounded; they were very friendly.
They then started for the north Peninsula in their boat, the Indians following in their canoes, and upon their arrival, kindleil a fire to cook their diuner, which consisted of roasted salt pork and hardtack. The Indians were very anxious to trade with them, but they possessed nothing except a sailor's knife which they traded for a couple of smoked cels. By that time ebb tide was making, and they started to take soundings of the channel. After that they went on board the vessel and reported to the captain what they had done. In the afternoon (same day), they took all the passengers who could get into the boats with their baggage and provisions without overload- ing the bonts, and started again for the bay.
Mr. Buhne was in command of the first boat, and Captain Swaiu was in commaud of the other.
Wheu off the bar, the passengers were frightened, and did not wish to proceed further. Mr. B. told them that if they did not go on that evening, he would uot bring them the next day. The other boat came along side and they held a meeting and appointed a chairman, aud balloted to determine whether to euter or not. The majority were iu favor of entering, and they proceeded, the other boat following. Mr. Buhne landed safely after entering the bay near where the light house now stands, at about 7: 30 P. M.
NAMING OF HUMBOLDT BAY.
After supper, the subject came up of naming the bay. Quite a number of names were suggested by different parties; some proposed to call it Buhne's Bay, hut Mr. Shaw, now of San
Frauci-co, proposed the name of Humboldt, in honor of Von HumbolIt. The next morning they took soundings of the hay allI located town. Among the rest was oue callof Hun- boldt City, now Buline's Point, which he uow owns as part of lais fine farmu.
Five days afterwards Mr. B. went out with a boat's crew a:rl piloted the schooner Laura Virginia into the bay. It was the first American vessel ever entering the Bay of How- buhlt.
FIRST HOTEL ON THE BAY.
After remaining a week in the bay he left for San Fran- cisco, and purchased cooking utensils and n tent and returned on the 1st of May as a passenger on the Laura Virginia, where they arrived on the 5th of May, 1850. Landed at Hun- holdt City and pitched their tent and made ready to keep hotel. Everything went off nicely except they were obliged to keep watch on account of the Indians, because they would steal all they couldl lay hands on.
One evening Mr. Buhne received an arrow wound between the second and third rib from an Indian's bow. He thought he would die, but recovered. His venture as a "canvas lio- tel " did not remuuerate him as he expected. He concluded to go piloting on the Humboldt Bar, and, making a few hundred dollars, went to San Francisco and purchased a stock of gro- ceries, loaded them on the schooner Caroline, Captain Sterling, for Humboldt Bay. He was shipwrecked and lost all of his goods and clothing. He started for Sonoma on foot and took passage on a steamer for San Francisco. He was sick and without a cent or a friend. He inet the captain of the brig Newcastle, who had been in Humboldt Bay, and told him of his distress. He took Mr. Buhne on board his ship to remain there until he recovered. When he recovered, he shipped on a little schooner as mate, hound for Humboldt Bay.
After arriving he started packing to the Trinity River. Ou their first trip the Indians killed fourteen mules, surrounded them in the woods on Grouse Creek and kept up the battle for four hours. When the Indians ceased fighting, they continued on their journey to the mines on Trinity River, and after a fatiguing trip returued to Humholdt Point. He says that he was satisfied with his packing experience and did not desire to repeat it.
In July, 1851, Mr. Buhne went to the mines on Trinity River and worked on the Big Bar and also Cox's Bar. While there he was not financially successful, hecame disgusted, and one fine morning he packed his blankets up and put them on his hack and struck out on foot for " Union Town," now called Arcata, and from there he took a little sail boat for Humholdt Point. Mr. Buhne says he was so disgusted with his past expe- ditions that he concluded to try his hand at hunting elk and deer; was pretty successful. Mr. Buhne took charge of the hrig Colorado. He shipped as commander.
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SHIPWRECK AND NARROW ESCAPE.
While he was in command of her, Captain Brunerhoff, of the barge Holmes asked Mr. Buhne to assist him to get his ship to sea. He reluctantly consented as the ship was drawing too inuch water to cross the bar in safety. But Captain Bru- nerhoff was determined for Mr. Buhne to accompany hiin, so on the morning of the 2d of July, 1851, they attempted to cross the bar and were cast iu breakers on the South Spit They cut away the masts and spars and threw the deck-load overboard to case the vessel, and still she pounded and soon the hold was full of water. In the night it hecame very rough and the breakers were washing her decks all night. The next lay they attempted to launch a boat, and by doing so stove the bows of the boat. Mr. Buhne and one of the sailors of the vessel jumped into the boat to bail it out. When the mate who had hold of the painter was going to drop the boat under the stern of the vessel, a breaker struck it and jerked the paiuter out of his hand. The boat then capsized and the sailor and Mr. Buhue scrambled upon the bottom of the boat and were drifting ont to sea when the breakers washed them off into the wator. The sailor caught hold of Mr. Buhne and he put him upon the upturned boat ouce uiore. That was repeated three times in succession when Mr. Buhne found his strength was leaving him, aud tho last time he put the sailor on the forward part of the boat whero the painter was and took the othor end of the boat. The next hrcaker washed them off' and he never saw the sailor again. Mr. Buhne got ou the bottom of the boat again and as he says " made the hoat as comfortablo as he could and went drifting out to sea."
Tho next morning the hoat drifted ashore about four miles south of the wreck, and when he came to his senses he found himself lying in the boat " high and dry " on the beach. He says he got ont of the boat and attempted to walk hut found ho had not strength to carry him. He then crawled up hehind tho sand-hills on the sunny side and fell asleep.
After awhile some Indians awakened bim and he asked them to assist him to get across to Humboldt Point. At first they could not be persuaded to assist him, but after a brief pow- wow amuoug themselves they motioncd for him to get up and follow them ; but when they found his total inability to arise, two of them came to his assistance and hy putting his arms on the shoulders of two Indians they finally succeeded in dragging him half-way across the sand-spit, when his strength left him and he dropped upon the ground. While lying there three of the Iudiaus who had a single-barrel shot-gun went off hehind a sand-hill aud he hecame convinced that they intended to shoot him where he lay.
After they had the gun loaded they went to the heach as he supposed to see whether there were any white men around . and as luck happened two of the sailors, who had gotten ashore from the wreck, were in search of Mr. Buhne's hody, One of the sailors took him upon his hack and after carrying
him some two miles came to where there chanced to he a boat, and brought him across to Humboldt Point.
After ahout a week's careful nursing under Dr. Clark's care, he recovered. While he was lying on the beach all parties sup- posed him to be drowned and all the vessels in the bay put their Hags half-mast in honor. When they learned of his safe return the flags were hoisted to the mast-head and it is safe to say that never were flags hoisted with more pleasure than ou that occasion.
When he recovered he left the brig Colorado and engaged himself to the numerous mill-owners of Humholdt Bay to pilot the ships in and out of the bay, in which he was very suc- cessful, considering they had nothing hut a ship's boat to cross the bar in.
The 10th of November, 1852, Messrs. Ryan and Duff brought the tug-boat Mary Ann, of which Mr. B. took command soon after her arrival. While piloting he had many narrow cscapes, hut fortunately none terminated disastrously to him or his boat. At the present time Mr. Buhne is part owner of the tugs in the bay, the Mary Ann and the H. H. Buhne.
At one time Mr. Buhne owned the bark Watcher that plied between San Francisco, Japan, China and Australia. It is from this venture that he dates his successful financial career.
He owns some 1,000 acres of farming and grazing land aud 4,000 acres of good redwood timber land, also is part owner in four different vessels, and one-third owner with D. R. Jones & Co. in two saw-inills, and one-sixth interest in the Fresh-Water logging railroad, and a two-thirds interest and senior partner in the hardware business of H. H. Buhne & Co., and other valuable property in the city of Eureka.
He has a fine residence of which we have made an illustra- tion. Mr. Buhne is a public-spirited citizen and a self-made man in all meaning of the namc.
In height he is six feet, one and a half inches, and weighs 208 pounds, and he is well proportioned and enjoys good health. He is of light complexion, hut years have changed his heard and hair to a gray tinge. He hids fair to enjoy his many pos- sessions for years to come.
In 1853, April 10th, he was happily married to Mary Mar- garet Ohlsen, who was a native of Flensburg, Denmark, hy whom he has had five children, all of whom are at home at the present time. Their names are Mary, Henry, Alexander Humholdt, Sophia and Georgia Buhne.
HON. J. E. WYMAN.
Judge Wyman was well known. Perhaps there is not a man, woman, or child in the county that has not heard his name repeatedly.
He was a pioneer. We who are enjoying the hlessings of our civilization can scarcely understand what is meant hy " pioneer." It means lahor, privations, vexations, emharrass- ments, failures, with which this generation is unacquainted. It means indomitahle courage, Herculean lahor, hroadness of ideas,
Nathaniel Bullock.
Jos & Smiley
Isaac Amor
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and a spirit of prophecy and heroism. Judge Wyman did not subdue the forest, nor break up the wild lands, nor drain the swamps, nor build ships or railroads, nor open up miines; but he was a builder, and in a sphere that was essential to the wel- fare of the county.
Justus Edwin Wyman was born in Woburn, Mass., October 21, 1823; afterwards removed to Maine and was educated in the college at Gorham in that State. At the age of nineteen years he went to sea, and during his maritime life made sev- eral voyages across the Atlantic. He subsequently resiled in Now York; studied law with Judge Lott Clark, and was achinitted to practice before the Supreme Court of that State.
In the spring of 1850 he came to California by way of the Istlunus, landing in San Francisco the day after the big fire, in May. Mined on the Feather, Yuba and American Rivers during the summer and winter of 1850; and in the spring of 1831 moved to Arcata (then Uniontown), Humboldt County, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits and the practice of his profession.
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