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 7

Author: W.W. Elliott & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: San Francisco : W.W. Elliott
Number of Pages: 344


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 7


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).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48


FIRST WINDMILL FOR GRINDING WHEAT.


To the northward of, and near the village, situated on an eminence, was a windmill, which was the motor for driving a siugle run of buhrs, and also for a stamping machine used for grinding tan-bark. The windmill produced all the flour used in that and the Bodega settlements, and probably a consid- erable amount was also sent with the annual shipment to Sitka.


FIRST TANNERY ERECTED.


To the south of the stockade, and in a deep gulch at the debouchure of a small stream into the ocean, there stood a very large building, probably 80x100 feet in size, the rear balf of which was used for the purpose of tanning leather. There were six vats in all, constructed of heavy, rough redwood slabs, and each with a capacity of fifty barrels; there was also the usual appliances necessary to conduct a taunery, hut these implements were large and rough in their make: still with these they were able to manufacture a good quality of leather in large quantities.


The front half of the building, or that fronting ou the ocean, was used as a work-shop for the construction of ships. Ways were constructed on a sand beach at this point leading into deep water, and upon them were built a number of staunch vessels, and from here was launched the very first sea-going craft built in California. Still further to the south, and near the ocean shore, stood a building 80x100 feet, which bore all


*


GRIST- MILL OF EARLY SETTLERS.


the marks of having heen used as a store-house; it was, how- ever, unfortunately blown down by a storm on July 16, 1878, and before many years there will be nothing left to mark its former site


THE RUSSIAN FARMERS.


The Russians had farined very extensively at this place, having at least 2,000 acres under fence, besides a great deal that was not fenced. These fences were chiefly of that kind known as rail and post.


Their agricultural processes were as crude as any of their other work. Their plow was very similar to the old Spanish implement, described on page 31, so common in this country at that time, and still extant in Mexico, with the exception that the Muscovite instrument possessed a mold-hoard. They em- ployed oxen and cows as draft animals, using the old Spanish yoke adjusted to their horns, instead of to their necks. We have no account of any attempt at constructing either cart or wagon by them, hut it is probable that they had vehicles the same as those described heretofore, as being in use among the Californians at that time.


36


THE RUSSIANS ABANDON CALIFORNIA.


THRESHING AS DONE BY RUSSIANS.


Threshing was done on a floor composed of heavy puncheons, circular in shape, and elevated somewhat above the ground. Between the puncheons were interstices through which the grain fell under the floor as it was released from the head. The threshing was done in this wise: A layer of grain, in the straw, of a foot or two in thickness, was placed upon the floor. Oxen were then driven over it, hitched to a log with rows of wooden pegs inserted into it. As the log revolved, these pegs acted well the part of a flail, and the straw was expeditiously relieved of its burden of grain. It was, douht- less, no hard job to winnow the grain after it was threshed, as the wind blows a stiff breeze at that point during all the sum- mer months.


The Russians constructed a wharf at the northern side of the little cove, and graded a road down the steep ocean shore to it. Its line is still to he seen, as it passed much of the way through solid rock. This wharf was made fast to the rock on which it was constructed with long irou bolts, of which only a few that were driven into the hard surface now remain; the wharf itself is gone, hence we are unable to give its di- mensions, or further details concerning it.


FIRST LUMBER MADE NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO.


1812 .- These old Muscovites, doubtless, produced the first lumber with a saw ever made north of San Francisco Bay, for they had both a pit and a whip-saw, the former of which can be seen to this day. Judging from the number of stumps still standing, and the extent of territory over which they extended their logging operations, they evidently consumed large quan- tities of lumber. The timber was only ahout one mile distant from the ship-yard and landing, while the stumps of trees cut by them are still standing, and beside them from one to six shoots have sprung up, many of which have now reached a size sufficient for lumher purposes. This growth has been remarkable, and goes to show that if proper care were taken, each half century would see a new crop of redwoods, suffi- ciently large for all practical purposes, while ten decades would see gigantic trees.


For more than a quarter of a century they continued to hold undisturhed possession of the disputed territory, and prosecuted their farming, stock-raising, hunting, trapping and ship-building enterprises, and whatever may have been the causes which led to it, there finally came a time when the Russian authorities had decided to withdraw the California colony ..


RUSSIANS SELL OUT TO GENERAL SUTTER.


The proposition was made first by them to the government authorities at Monterey, to dispose of their interests at Bodega and Fort Ross, including their title to the land; hut, as the authorities had never recognized their right or title, and did


not wish to do so at that late date, they refused to purchase. Application was next made to General M. J. Vallejo, but on the same grounds he refused to purchase.


They then applied to Captain John A. Sutter, a gentleman at that time residing near where Sacramento City now stands, and who had made a journey from Sitka, some years before, in one of their vessels. They persuaded Sutter into the belief that their title was good, and could be maintained; so, after making out a full invoice of the articles they had for disposal, including all the land lying between Point Reyes and Point Mendocino, and one league inland, as well as cattle, farming and mechanical implements, also, a schooner of 180 tons bur- then, some arms, a four-pound brass field-piece, etc., a price was decided upon, the sum being $30,000, which, however, was not paid at one time, but in cash installments of a few thou- sand dollars, the last payment being made through Governor Burnett, in 1849.


All the stipulations of the sale having been arranged satis- factorily to both parties, the transfer was duly made, and Sutter hecame, as he thought, the greatest landholder in Cali- fornia. In 1859, Sutter disposed of his Russian claim which was a six-eighths interest in the lands mentioned above, to William Muldrew, George R. Moore and Daniel W. Welty; hut they only succeeded in getting $6,000 out of one settler, and the remainder refusing to pay, the claim was dropped.


EVACUATION OF FORT ROSS.


Orders were sent to the settlers at Fort Ross to repair at once to San Francisco Bay, and ships were dispatched to bring them there, where whaling vessels, which were hound for the northwest whaling grounds, had been chartered to convey them to Sitka. The vessels arrived at an early hour in the day, and the orders shown to the commander, Rotscheff, who immediately caused the bells in the chapel tower to be rung, and the cannon to be discharged, this being the usual method of convocating the people at an unusual hour, or for some special purpose, so everything was suspended just there-the hushandman left his plow standing in the half-turned furrow, and unloosed his oxen, never again to yoke them, leaving them to wander at will over the fields; the mechanic dropped his planes and saws on the hencb, leaving the half-smoothed hoard still in the vise; the tanner left his tools where he was using them, and doffed his apron to don it no more in the State of California.


As soon as the population had assembled, Rotscheff arose and read the orders. Very sad and unwelcome, indeed, was this intelligence; but the edict had emanated from a source which could not be gainsaid, and the only alternative was a speedy and complete compliance, however reluctant it might be-and thus 400 people were made bomeless by the fiat of a single word. Time was only given to gather up a few household effects.


-


HUGH ROMADIT


FEED


DAAN


FE


-


BLOCKSBURG HOTEL, CAP. H.H.TICKNOR, PROPRIETOR. BLOCKSBURG, HUMBOLOT CO.GAL.


SALMON BROWN'S SHEEP RANCH, TWO MILES FROM BRIOGEVILLE, HUMBOLOT GO. CAL.


37


NUMEROUS SETTLERS BEGIN TO ARRIVE.


Foreigners Begin to Come.


THE early success of the missions advertised the attractive- ness of California to the world. It became known not only in Mexico, hut through the early adventurers and traders, in the United States. They not only traded in hides and tallow, hut told the story of tho mission wealth-the herds and flocks and fruits, and they told of the furs to be procured.


The valleys of California were, during the early part of this century, occupied and traversed by hands of trappers in the employ of the American and foreign fur companies. The sto- ries of their wanderings and experiences are mostly related in the forin of sensational novels, whose authenticity and accu- racy must be taken with a great degree of allowance.


Few records concerning these fur hunters remain which are within the reach of the historian, and the information given has been gleaned, in part, from personal interviews with those whose knowledge of tho subject was gained by actual experi- ence or by a personal acquaintance with those who belonged to the parties. In many cases their stories differ widely in regard to facts and names.


We here give the date of arrival of some of the most imn- portant of tho pioneers, and incidents connected with their movements.


1814 .- John Gilroy arrived at Monterey on the 5th of Feb . ruary, 1814. His baptismal name was John Cameron; but he assumed tho name of John Gilroy in consequence of certain circumstances connected with his birth.


He spent most of his life around Monterey, and resided at what is called "Old Gilroy," a short distance from Gilroy, in Santa Clara County, which places are named from him.


UPPER SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY EXPLORED.


1820 .- As early as this date, Tulare, San Joaquin and Sac- ramento Valleys were occupied by trappers, who had wandered thore while searching for the Columbia River. Captain Sutter, in 1834, while in New Mexico, heard from these California trappers, of the Sacramento Valley, which afterwards hecame so reputed as his home. The disputes arising in regard to the occupation of the northern part of the Pacific Coast trapping region in Oregon, led the American hunters to occupy the ter- ritory in and ahout the Rocky Monntains.


A TOUCHING LITTLE EPISODE.


1822 .- About the year 1822, an Englishman landed at Santa Cruz, known by the uamne of William Thompson. He is em- ployed in the hide buisness. There is a touching little story connected with him. His native place was London. His father was a sail-quaker. And there lived the family- mother, hrothers, sisters and all. William went to sea. They parted with him with regret and sorrow, and after a time they ceased to hear from him. Years went hy and they could get


uo tidings of him. The family grieved; and the inother pined for her son. But time went on, and no tidings calue. By and by his brother Samuel proposed to go in search of him. Though he did not know where on the globe he inight be, if still alive, yet he thought he could go to sea, and make voyages to differ- ent parts, and somewhere fall in with him, or hear of him. His plan was agreed to, and he started. Just how long he sailed, and where he weut, is unknown; but after a while he was on a ship that came into the port of Santa Cruz. Here was anchored, at that time, another ship, taking on board a cargo of lides.


Samuel then came ashore aud inquired for the captain of that ship. When he found him, he asked him if among his crew there was one William Thompson. The captain said he didn't know certainly whether he had a man hy that name " hut there the men are," said he, pointing to them at work on the beach, carrying hides, "you can go and see." Samuel went, and the very first man he met was William! We can imagine Samuel's joy at the meeting, after so long a search ; and the joy, also, that the account of it caused in that home in London, when it reached there. But it appears, instead of Samuel getting William to go home, that they both remained on this coast. They shipped together and went down to South America, and then returned to Santa Cruz.


STRANGE MEETING ON THE MERCED.


1823 .- The Ashley expedition was fitted out in 1823, at St. Louis, for the fur trade .. This party entered the San Joaquin Valley, and hunted and trapped along the Merced, Stanislaus and Tuolumne Rivers.


Belonging to this company was Joshua Griffith and William Hawkins, who met first at St. Louis, and afterwards hunted in the San Joaquin Valley.


Years rolled on and they were widely separated, and after many vicissitudes, of wild adventure, through scenes of peril, among hostile Indians and various hair-breadth escapes -- strange to say, we find them after years had passed away, in 1874, settled down to quiet life, cach with a family, on the Merced River, which locality seems to have impressed them as the choicest of the State. They were living there as late as 1878.


Captain Juan B. R. Cooper came to Monterey in 1823, and obtained a license to hunt otters, as also did some others.


1824 .- Santiago McKinly, a native of Scotland, arrived in Los Angeles during the year 1824. He was at that time twenty-one years of age. He hecame a merchant, and his naine appears on a list of foreigners resident in Los Angeles in 1836, now on file in the city archives. He afterwards went to Monterey, and was reported dead some years ago.


From Scotland came David Spence, in 1824, with the view of establishing a packing house in Monterey for a Lima firm.


38


HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN.


SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.


1825 .- In the spring of this year, Jedediah Smith, with a party of forty trappers and Indians, started from the head- quarters on Green River, traveling westward, crossed the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and in July entered the Upper San Joaquin Valley. The country from the Tulare to the American Fork of the Sacramento River was traversed in trapping for Beaver They found at the fork another party of American trappers encamped, and located their own rendezvous near the present town of Folsom. In October, Smith, leaving the remainder of the party at the camp, returned to the company's headquarters on Green River.


1826 .- In May, 1826, Smith again set out for the new trap- ping region taking a route further south than on the first trip, but when in the Mohave settlement on the Colorado, all the party, except Smith, Galbraith, and Turner, were killed hy Indians. These three escaped to San Gabriel Mission, and Decomber 26, 1826, were arrested as spies or filibusters. They were taken to the presidio at San Diego, where they were detained until the following certificate from Americans then in San Francisco was presented :--


"We, the undersigned, having heen requested hy Captain Jedediah S. Smith to state our opinion regarding his entering the Province of California, do not hesitate to say that we have no doubt but that he was compelled to, for want of provisions and water, having entered so far into the harren country that lies between the latitudes of forty-two and forty-three west that he found it impossible to return hy the route he came, as his horses had most of them perished for want of food and water; he was therefore under the necessity of pushing forward to California-it heing the nearest place where he could pro- cure supplies to enable him to return.


" In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hand and seal, this 20tli day of December, 1826.


WILLIAM G. DANA, Captain of schooner Waverly. WILLIAM H. CUNNINGHAM, Captain of ship Courier. WILLIAM HENDERSON, Captain of hrig Olive Branch. JAMES SCOTT.


THOMAS M. ROBINS, Mate of schooner Waverly. THOMAS SHAW, Supercargo of ship Courier."


Smith was liberated, and during the summer of 1827 with his party left the San Joaquin Valley, journeying toward the Columbia River.


John J. Read, when but a mere lad, was taken hy his uncle, who was a sailor, on a voyage to Mexico, from thence to California, sailing from Acapulco, arriving in the State in the year 1826, just after attaining his twenty-first year, and, after staying a short time in Los Angeles, proceeded northward until he reached Saucelito, and there took up his residence. He next, in 1827, removed to Sonoma County, and tilled a portion of the Cotate Rancho, at the same time making application for the grant; but he was not permitted to remain, for the Indians drove him off, destroyed his crop, and huried his implements.


FIRST FERRY-BOAT ON THE BAY.


Mr. Read came to Saucelito to reside in 1832, erecting, for his accommodation, near the old town a wooden shanty, from whence he plied a small hoat regularly to the opposite shore of Yerba Buena, and established the first ferry on the Bay of San Francisco. Mr. Read married, October 13, 1836, at the Church of the Mission Dolores, the Señorita Hilarita, the youngest daughter of Don Jose Antonio Sanchez, Commander of the Presidio at San Francisco.


PIONEER MERCHANT AT LOS ANGELES.


1827 .- John Temple, who may justly rank as the pioneer merchant of Los Angeles, was a native of Reading, Mass., and for several years prior to his advent on this coast, resided at the Sandwich Islands. He came to Los Angeles ahout the year 1827, formed a partnership with George Rice, and opened the first store of general merchandise ever established in the pueblo.


ANOTHER PIONEER.


1828 .- Abel Stearns, a native of Salem, Mass., spent consid- erahle time in Mexico, and settled in Los Angeles as a merchant in the year 1828. He married Doña Arcadia, daughter of Don Juan Bandini. He obtained large grants of laud throughout the territory, and accumulated much wealth. He was a mem- ber of the Constitutional Convention, 1849, and of the State Legislature, 1851; also 1861. He died at San Francisco, August 23, 1871. His widow subsequently married Col. R. S. Baker-residence, LosAngeles.


SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY VISITED.


1830 .- Ewing Young, who had trapped with parties on the upper part of the Del Norte, the eastern part of the Grand and the Colorado Rivers, pursuing the route formerly traversed hy Smith, in the winter of 1829-30, entered the San Joaquin Valley and hunted on the Tulare Lake, and the adjacent streams.


1832 .- During the last part of 1832, or early in 1833, Young. having again entered the San Joaquin Valley and trapped on the streams, finally arrived at the Sacramento River, ahout ten iniles helow the mouth of the American. He followed up the Sacramento to the Feather River, and from there crossed over to the coast. The coast-lino was traveled till they reached the mouth of the Umpqua, where they crossed the mountains to the inland. Entering the upper portion of the Sacramento Valley, they proceeded southerly till they reached the American River. Then they followed up through the San Joaquin Valley, and passed out through the Tejon Pass in the winter of 1833-34.


Besides these parties and leaders mentioned, during this period there were several trappers, or "lone traders," who ex- plored and hunted through the valleys.


39


BIOGRAPHIES OF PIONEER SETTLERS.


FIRST SCHOONER BUILT.


1831 .- William Wolfskill was born March 20, 1798, near Richmond, Kentucky. Until the year 1831 he roamed through the great West as a hunter and trapper. In February of that ycar he reached Los Angeles with a number of others, and here the party broke up. Aided by Friar Sanchez, then iu charge of San Gabriel Mission, he, in company with Nathaniel I'ryor, Richard Laughlin, Samuel Prentiss, and George Young, late of Napa County, (all Americans) built a schooner at San Pedro for the purpose of hunting sea-otter,


FIRST BILLIARD TABLES MADE.


1832,-Joseph Pawlding was a native of Maryland, and en- tered California from New Mexico in the winter of 1832-33, by way of the Gila River. He afterwards traveled a good deal in both countries. He was a carpenter by trade, and made the first two billiard tables ever made in California; the first for George Rice, and the second for John Rbea. He died at Los Angeles, June 2, 1860.


HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS OF 1832.


About the middle of 1832 another band of trappers, under Michael Laframboise, came into San Joaquin Valley from the north, and until the next spring spent the time in trapping on the streams flowing through the great valley. The Hudson Bay Company continued sending out its employés into this region until about the year 1845. Their trappers in California belonged to the "Southern Trapping Party of the Hudson Bay Company," and were divided into smaller parties composed of Canadiaus and Indians with their wives. The trapping was carried on during the winter in order to secure a good class of furs.


The free trappers were paid ten shillings sterling for a prime beaver skin, while the Indians received a moderate compensa- tion for their services.


The outfits and portions of their food were purchased from the company.


HUDSON BAY COMPANY.


The Hudson Bay Company employed about ninety or one hundred men in this State. The greater part of the In- dians were fugitives from the missions, and were honest and peaceably inclined, from the fact that it was mainly to their interest to be so.


From 1832 the chief rendezvous was at French Camp, about five miles south of Stockton. About 1841, the company bought of Jacob P. Leese, the building he had erected for a store iu San Francisco, and made that their business center for this territory,


The agents were Alexander Forhes and William G. Ray. The latter committed suicide in 1845. His death, and the scarcity of beaver and otter, caused the company to wind up their ageucy and business in the territory,


FIRST ENGLISH HISTORIAN OF CALIFORNIA.


Alexander Forbes was for a long series of years the British Consul at San Francisco, aud by his genial manners, superior culture, and finished education, made a record which places him among the noted men of the State. This gentleman re- sided in Oaklaud; and, although seventy-five years of age, his faculties were as strong as ever. His memory was wonder. ful, and the power of retention, with the vast fund of knowl. edge possessed, has been of great service to the historian. Ho had the honor of being the first English historian of California, his "California," published in London in 1839, being written in Mexico four years previous to the date of its publication. He died iu 1879,


In 1832 came Thomas O. Larkin from Boston, intend- ing to manufacture flour, Mr. Larkin's home was in Mon- terey, aud be probably did far more to bring California under the United States Hag than any other man.


1833,-James Peace, a Scotchman, came into the country in 1833, having left a ship of the Hudson Bay Company. He was of a somewhat roving disposition, aud hecame acquainted with all the earlier pioneers from Monterey to the Sonoma District. Was with bis countryman, John Gilroy, in Santa Clara County; was with Robert Livermore, an English seaman, who settled and gave the name to the Livermore Valley in Ala meda County, and was at New Helvetia, the establishment of General Sutter.


FIRST CAMPERS ON TULARE LAKE.


Stephen Hall Meek, the famous hunter and trapper, wbo now resides on Scott Creek in Siskiyou County, spent the win- ter of 1833 on the sbores of Tulare Lake. He is the only one of the large trapping party now living who wintered there.


There is probably not now living a mountain man who bas had so varied an experience and so many wild adventures, hair- hreadtb escapes and battles with savage animals and no less savage men, as the veteran trapper, Stephen H. Meek. He was born in Washington County, Virginia, on the Fourth of July, 1807, and is a relative of President Polk. He attended the common schools of the day when young. When scarcely twenty years of age he became imbued with that restless spirit of adventure that has since heen a marked characteristic of his life, and left bis home for the then comparatively unknown West.


We have not space to relate his travels all over California and Oregon. In the spring of 1831 the party went up a trih- utary of the Yellowstone; then to Green River, and finally wintered on Snake River, where Fort Hall was afterwards built. In the spring he trapped Salmon, Snake and Poin Neuf, and then weut to Green River rendezvous. There he hired to Capt. B. L. E. Bouneville to accompany an expedi- tion of thirty-four men under Joseph Walker to explore the Great Salt Lake. They got too far west and finally started


40


SETTLERS ORDERED TO LEAVE CALIFORNIA.


down the Mary's or Humboldt River for California, over a country entirely unknown to the trappers. They discovered Truckec, Carson and Walker Rivers, Donner Lake and Walk- er's Pass, through which they went and pitched their camp for the winter on the shore of Tulare Lake, in December, 1833.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.