History of Mendocino and Lake counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading, men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 12

Author: Carpenter, Aurelius O., 1836-; Millberry, Percy H., 1875- joint author
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company
Number of Pages: 1090

USA > California > Mendocino County > History of Mendocino and Lake counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading, men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 12
USA > California > Lake County > History of Mendocino and Lake counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading, men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 12

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In 1894 apportionment of land was made to individual Indians and fami- lies: To heads of families, ten acres (valley land) ; each child, ten acres; wife, five acres. In 1909 further apportionment was made of sixty acres mountain land; and to those who had received no land at the previous date seventy acres was allotted. They are not allowed to alienate the land for twenty-five years. Rations are issued to twenty-five old, helpless Indians ; otherwise they are supposed to be self-supporting, except those in the school, who are kept in boarding.

At one time, when Philo Handy was head farmer, the reservation threshed 30,000 bushels of grain, all the product of Indian labor. In 1881 the production was 3150 bushels wheat, 1060 oats, 1850 barley, 1500 corn, 20,980 pounds hops. There were of stock ninety horses, thirteen mules, one hundred and forty-nine hogs, thirty oxen, four hundred and fifty-two cattle. At the same time the Indians owned one hundred and ten horses, seven mules, one hundred and fifteen hogs, and produced 672 bushels wheat, 148 oats, 325 barley, 600 corn, 60 beans, 12,000 melons, 3000 pumpkins and 90 tons hay. They built 410 rods board fence, 320 rods rail fence and re- paired fourteen and one-half miles of fence. The mill ground 250,000 pounds wheat for agency and 2500 pounds for the Indians, and 411,000 pounds wheat and 32,000 of barley for settlers, almost entirely Indian labor, even to the engineer. The sawmill cut 177,000 feet.

The land is extremely fertile, producing everything without irrigation : Alfalfa, three cuttings of two, one and one-half and one ton, respectively ; twelve sacks of wheat, thirty sacks of barley, fifty bushels corn, watermelons of seventy-five pounds weight, etc.

Covelo

Covelo was so named by C. H. Eberle, after a Swiss village of that name. The beginning of the town was the Lawson and Arthur house. Dorman & Hornbrook erected a saloon next and Jacob Updegraff a black- smith shop. The first store was by Lieut. B. S. Coffman in 1860, suc- ceeded by Riley & Bransford, and a hotel by Thomas White. A company of regulars came into the valley late in 1856, and added zest to the society. They remained ostensibly to protect the settlers from the Indians, but their officers reported that the protection was needed the other way. They re- moved at the opening of the Civil war, and were replaced by a company of California volunteers.

After 1862 building proceeded as rapidly as the one sawmill could supply the lumber. Up to that time logs, split shakes or whipsawed stuff supplied the building material. In 1861 some trouble was experienced from raids made upon stock by the outside Indians, and in an attack on one of their camps L. D. Montague was shot in the ieg, the only white wounded, but a dozen Indians were killed. In 1861 500 Wylackies drove off thirty-seven horses and were overtaken at Horse Canon by ten whites and forty Indians; one hundred and twenty of the raiding party were killed. Of the pursuing party only two were wounded, L. D. Montague and H. J. Abbott. On the 6th of August, 1862, Wylackies again attempted to drive off stock, and were

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routed with a loss of twenty-two killed. L. D. Montague was seriously wounded and Shade Lamb killed. The next summer the raid was repeated and nearly all the band of Indians killed, and Sharman and another white man killed. The following winter George Bowers was killed by his Indian servants, after he had killed two of them. These raids employed the settlers' attention to such an extent that building was slow. In 1866 L. D. Mon- tague erected a hotel and saloon. Ira Hoxie built a livery stable, and a meat market was erected by C. H. Eberle ..

In 1868 Dan Stephens, William Mantle and an Indian drove cattle to Sonoma county; returning, Stephens was drowned and Mantle was killed by an Indian arrow as he was swimming Eel river. These were the first deaths among the whites in the valley. The same year Kettenpum valley, thirty miles north, was raided by what was called the "gun" Indians from Humboldt, and a white man and squaw killed, the ranch plundered and burned. A week later the same band attacked the Hayfork and Douglas toll house, but were driven off, after wounding one man and killing a dog.

In 1872 Riley and Bransford were merchandising in Covelo, soon chang- ing to Fairbanks and Bransford. J. M. Ellis stocked a store there in 1873, and Henley Bros. in 1877.

Thompson and Updegraff supplied a sutler's store on the reservation in 1877, and a drug store in Covelo in 1879. In 1873 the road was built from the valley to Ukiah, mostly by private subscription, S. Hornbrook. who was also the first postmaster, superintending the work. In 1879 bridges were built across both Eel rivers, but only stood a few months. The con- tractors would not believe the tales of high water given them by old settlers, hence built too low. This mistake has been repeated on the state highway, as also on the extension of the Northwestern above Willits. In August, 1881, fire destroyed the business part of the town, entailing a loss of $55,000; insurance $19,000. The stores destroyed were Marks and Rosenberg, Henley Bros., Thompson's, Bransford's, and Cunningham's hotel, Chambers and White's saloons. Rebuilding proceeded rapidly, and Prising block was fin- ished in December. With thousands of acres of range at this time, the reser- vation advertised to buy 100,000 pounds of beef. The Methodist Episcopal church at this date relinquished the care of the reservation. In 1882 George E. White built a hotel and other buildings. The cook house at the Indian school on the reservation, August 23, 1883, was burned. Twenty buildings were erected in the town in 1883, among them a hotel by Enoch Gibson com- pleted in February, 1884, at a cost of $12,000. United States Inspector visited the reservation, remaining six weeks. H. B. Sheldon resigned, having been superintendent six years. Two hundred and sixty-nine acres of hops in the valley at this date, and the result was the bankruptcy of most of the owners.

A new road was opened from Eden valley to South Eel river in 1884, increasing the distance some miles, and bettering the grade slightly. Super- intendent Wilsey resigned in 1886, and C. H. Yates assumed the duties Jan- uary. 1887. In September forty-two soldiers, Battalion I, from the Presidio, in command of Captain R. G. Shaw and Lieutenants Davis and Mott, were ordered into the valley to remove the settlers' stock from the reservation, but were ordered out again in October.

Congress appropriated $100,000 to buy out settlers on the reservation, and commissioners were appointed to appraise their improvements, etc. The coal field on South Eel river was being worked spasmodically by the land-

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owners, or by those having options on the purchase of it. The vein is trace- able for twenty miles along the western side of the valley and makes a bar across the river twenty feet thick. The coal is a lignite of good heating quality. Tunnels have been run in seventy-five and one hundred and forty feet, and some two tons taken to the city. The extension of the Northwestern passes within six miles of the vein. In 1891, contract was let for the building of a bridge on Main Eel river, on the road to Laytonville, which was opened in 1887, for $18,349.

March 11, 1892, Captain Daugherty and seventy-two soldiers arrived in the valley, remaining only a short time. All kinds of rumors regarding the coal mine reported to have been bonded-that Flood and Mackey bought out all other holdings, that contract was let for railroad to it, etc., all proved myths. In December, 1897, Captain R. G. Shaw with forty-one sol- diers and seventeen wagons, marched into the valley, after a strenuous time on the road. September 5, 1898, William Russell and an Indian "Hacka" met on the street on horseback, and both being tuned up each wanted the whole road in which to show off his horsemanship. A duel ensued between both men and horses. The Indian was dismounted, but no serious injury inflicted.

A fire in July, 1899, destroyed Yourie's barn, two saloons, and the old Henley house was torn down to prevent further spread of the flames.

J. L. Burchard retired from the agency in 1900, after nine years' service, regretted by all, both Indians and whites.

Gas was discovered in June, 1901, but no use made of it, except talk.

The Indians gave a grand dinner, on the 4th of July, 1900, barbecuing five beeves. In 1903, a movement was inaugurated for the establishment of a union high school, and in 1904 bonds were voted to the amount of $6000, and classes were organized. Game continued abundant, especially the preda- tory kind; bear and wildcats were common. Two bear were killed close to town ; on January 18, 1904, Dave Mackey killed three bears, three panthers, and a coyote.

There are three families in the valley on the Rooseveltian basis, having respectively seventeen, sixteen and fourteen children. Long may they live.

In April, 1905, a body of Japs were brought up from San Francisco, for work in the hop fields, but were peremptorily ordered "deported," and they were.

Major J. McLaughlin arrived in the valley, August 17, 1905, to appraise the 66,000 acres to be thrown open for settlement. It was expected to be open for filing upon by January, 1906. Dos Rios bridge declared unsafe. Half the town of Covelo, and nearly all the business portion was destroyed by fire July 26, 1905. Rudee's store, $12,000 loss ; insurance $4000; Rohrbough's five buildings, loss $8000; W. Grist, $1500; Goldberg, loss $300; Perry, $300; Shutler, $500, etc. Total insurance $10,000. Total loss $35,000.

Grasshoppers innumerable northerly of the valley. A sale of reservation cattle brought five and a quarter cents per pound.

Stewart & Zeek sawmill sending in lumber. A big storm the third week in March, 1907, raised the water to an extremely high stage. Congress ap- propriated $8000 for clearing the outlet creek. August, the Buck mountain section survey is helping the valley. A party of eastern capitalists arrive to examine the coal fields. Work on coal fields progressed during 1909, as the option was to expire May 1st : 9000 acres belong to the Flood estate, and about 6

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1000 acres to local settlers. May 20. 1909, road to Sacramento Valley opened for travel. Further subdivision of the reservation by H. J. Johnson in Janu- ary, 1910. Contract let for three miles on new road from Dos Rios to the south end of the valley to Henley ranch, on a grade of six' per cent, and 1000 feet below the old road. April 10. 1912. six inches of snow fell in the valley. Bond election of $1500 April, 1912. High school (Union) built with bonds of $6000.

Ed Gibson, D. English, H. B. Hayden and Henry Henley (Indian) all have artesian wells, water rising to the surface with about seven gallons flow per minute. A creamery has been in operation for some years. President, Ed. Gibson : vice-president. J. S. Rohrbough : F. F. Spurlock, E. A. Gravier, George H. Ells, secretary and treasurer.

The town now consists of three general stores, candy store, two black- smith shops, shoe shop, barber shop, butcher shop, saddler, two hotels, two restaurants, flour mill, two drug stores, one millinery store, high school and grammar school. and about thirty dwellings. The town having voted dry the second time, several saloons have now become residences. The flour mill has a capacity of twenty-five barrels in a twelve-hour run. It is roller style, but is to be superseded by a better one, capable of a larger output in another season.

Round Valley has been a turbulent community from early days to the present. Land disputes, cattle stealing. and kindred feuds have been the cause of several homicides. Some of them have been attributed to the machi- nations of George E. White, who for many years dominated the country north of the valley, and at one time claimed title to nearly 30.000 acres of range land. And, though he is dead and gone to his long account, the aftermath of the old feuds still takes toll of individuals, and of the public through expensive criminal trials.

In an early day, as before mentioned, a flourishing lodge of Good Temp- lars existed, but when the saloons began using its passwords, it broke up in disgust. At present there are in the valley the following societies :

Covelo Lodge, No. 231, F. & A. M. Instituted June, 1873. The first officers were: J. M. Ellis. W. M .: T. L. Barnes, S. W .; J. Updegraff, J. W .; J. Anthony. Treas .: WV. L. Bransford. Secy. The present officers are: George M Biggar, W. M. ; Charles Hurt. S. W .; L. B. Tuttle, J. W .; Walter Hargrave, Secy .; E. A. Gravier, Treas.

Augusta Chapter. No. 80, O. E. S .: Dora Asbill, W. M .: Walter Har- grave, W. P .; Hattie Tuttle, A. M .: Ethel Hargrave, Sec .; George H. Ells, Treasurer.

WV. O. W. Present officers: George Biggars, C. C .: Charles Bucknell, A L : Robert Redwine, Secy .; S. P. West, Treas. (since died).

A lodge of I. O. O. F. was maintained for some years, but finally suc- cumbed to inertia. There is talk of reviving it in the near future.

The educational facilities of the valley are excellent, with the high school and surrounding grammar schools, and there is probability of soon being another of the latter in the valley.

There are features worthy of note outside the valley proper. Among them the most noteworthy is the Eden Valley principality of W. G. Henshaw. Frank Asbill claims to have named this lovely valley also, and it is rightly named. Bursting on the vision of the tired traveler after forty miles of up- and-down climbing. a couple of miles of level land covered with waving

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grain, or green grass and flowers, it indeed seemed paradise before the grounds about the house were laid out by the artistic hand of Carl Purdy. A valley about two miles long, level as a floor, with a bright stream flowing the whole length until late in summer, bordered by grain and poppies, it is a rest to the eye and body. W. G. Henshaw bought the original ranch some years ago, and has added to it by purchase, two large tracts and several small ranches, until the estate now contains 25,000 acres. About 300 acres of level land surround the residence, which is modern, with water and gas distributed through the residence, and fine grounds surrounding, a carload of shrubbery and ornamental trees having been transported by rail from San Francisco and thirty miles by wagon. Three hundred fine dairy cows graze on the hill- sides, and ten Hereford bulls, several elk and a buffalo or two, provide, with the abundance of native game, both profit and sport. Reeves and Van Dusen operated a sawmill in the valley in 1881-2, but it was closed down and moved to Low Gap.

North of Round valley is another large range, a remnant of the George E. White principality, that of J. S. Rohrbough, containing 4300 acres, of fine grass country. East of Eden valley is the Squires range of 4560 acres, now owned by Oscar Cooper. West of Eden lies the Bigelow estate of 4877 acres, and there are several others running into the thousands of acres. One may judge from this what a vast country is included in the township. Scattered through the hills on all these big tracts are flats and small valleys adapted to garden and orchard culture. While in the main valley are about 25,000 acres, only about 10,000 are in cultivation. This vast country has a popula- tion of only about one thousand souls.

In 1907 eighty-four square miles were added to the Stony Creek forest reserve, nearly all from this township.

Eden valley was purchased in 1895 by a Catholic priest named Jerome and a colony of several families settled upon it. The financial part proved a failure, and Father Jerome was drowned in Eel river in 1896, and the colony was abandoned.

In 1910 a road was completed from Covelo to Elk creek on the Sacra- mento side of the mountain, crossing the ridge at an elevation of nearly 4000 feet. It is not used to any extent as a freighting outlet, being too steep in grade and narrow. Also a road extends some distance towards Trinity county.

CHAPTER X. Long Valley Township

This township was cut off from Little Lake, and its southern boundary is near a pond on the old road about a mile from Sherwood valley, the line separating it from Little Lake running nearly east and west; the western boundary is down the coast slope some distance, so that a considerable body of redwoods falls to its share, having on its western flank Ten Mile and West- port townships. On the north Humboldt county, some distance north of Laytonville, about thirty-five miles ; and on the east Round Valley township. It is extremely mountainous, having but one valley of any great size, after which the township was named, and, as its name indicates, having very little width. In extreme length it is about six miles, and nowhere over a mile

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wide, and oftener only half a mile. The soil is the ever-present wash loam, and many of the hills seem to have almost identical characteristics and are quite fertile.

Ten Mile valley is only a farm of a few hundred acres, and between it and Long valley is another.

The climate is colder than Ukiah, on account of its elevation, which is about the same as Round valley, and the degrees of heat and cold about the same, the extreme range being from º10++ to º100+ winter and summer. It is usually blessed with early rains in the fall, and later rains in the spring than the southern part of the county, which is an advantage for feed and cropping, but its excess of rain above Ukiah is a disadvantage. Snow often falls, and sometimes lies even in the valleys several days, but not often.

The first settlers in the valley were Jackson Farley, George Woodman, Harry Schroeder, George and Edward Dutton and William Poe in 1857. Dr. G. W. Sargeant brought in the first family in that year. Jerry Lambert, with wife and three children, arrived in 1858, and J. G. Wilson, wife and two children. A. Requa and wife, Clement Beattie and Thomas Smith came late in the fall. Early in 1859 Rufus Ward and B. S. Burns arrived. A daughter of Jerry Lambert's, Miss Abigail, and Richard Kenney were the first to marry in the township, in 1860. The first school was taught the same year by a Mr. Dennison, and Rev. Cox held the first church service, in 1859. In those days the Indians were a little troublesome to lone travelers, or a ranch un- guarded. Mrs. Bowman was attacked in the absence of her husband, and after killing two of her assailants guarded her children four miles to a neigh- bor's. Jack Farley lost a large band of horses, and trailing them, overtook them in charge of a band of Indians. He killed several Indians and recovered the whole drove save one which the Indians had stopped to kill and eat. Woodman made a regular business of raiding Indian villages, capturing chil- dren and taking them to Sonoma and Napa for sale. He was overhauled in Ukiah once, his prisoners taken away by the district court, and placed in the hands of the district attorney, who parceled them out among his friends, which proved no better fate than Woodman had prepared for them.

Cahto is a small valley at the edge of the redwoods west of Long valley. It was almost a swamp of about 400 acres, considerably higher in altitude than Long valley. It was drained by a ditch into a gorge, and in the course of years has washed a channel two hundred feet wide. There is another set- tlement on the creek which is the head of South fork of Eel river, farther west than Cahto, called Branscomb, where a small spot of open land has been enlarged by clearing up redwood land after the timber had been cut off. It is here that the heaviest rainfall in the county is experienced, having reached the enormous amount of 118 inches one season. There is a mill here which supplies nearly all the lumber for Long valley, and considerable is hauled to Round valley, though that entails a haulage of about forty miles over three quite difficult elevations. The mill was built in 1888, and is of 15,000 feet capacity, and has cut about 5,000,000 feet of lumber, only run- ning part of the time. It is run by an incorporated company, A. Haun & Sons. Some miles farther down the stream is the finest body of redwood timber in the county. It is estimated that two hundred and eighty acres bear 20,000,- 000 feet, easily accessible, either by railroad to the bay or to the coast. There is considerable pine timber, yellow and digger, and much has been cut into lumber ; but is poor for outside work, as it warps, swells and shrinks so much.

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There was a sawmill west of Long valley, which also ground some grain in an early day, but only the oldest inhabitant remembers its existence. There was also one about three-fourths of a mile from Cahto, which has also long gone to decay. Near the Dos Rios bridge, in the eastern part of the town- ship, a mill to cut lumber to use on road construction was erected by Fair- banks and Baechtel in 1910, of 10,000 feet capacity. The Vassars have an- other south of Laytonville, which cuts 8000 feet a day.

Laytonville is the only town in the township, and consists of two each of hotels, stables and stores, a blacksmith shop, ice cream and barber shop, telephone and telegraph station, and a dozen dwellings, scattered over much ground, and the inevitable schoolhouse. The town was founded by F. B. Layton, who built a blacksmith shop and dwelling in 1874. Viers and Rem- ington opened a store there in November, 1885. A huge panther killed at Cahto. Layton's house was burned on July 30, 1881, loss $2000. The Haas ranch of 5200 acres was sold to George A. Knight for $11,000. He has since bought two other ranches in the south end of the valley, to give him an outlet to the public road and for cropping purposes, making about 8000 acres.

April 1, 1901, C. A. Lockhart located 150 mining claims on Red mountain, twenty miles east of Usal and about as far northwest of Long valley. Ar- rangements were made to put in a ten-stamp mill. The ledge is traceable about four miles at 3000 feet elevation. Jack Farley died in 1898, aged 103 years.

November 17, 1896, mail driver drowned in Ten Mile creek. Branscomb shot three bear in one tree in December, 1900.

Laytonville burned in August, 1904, destroying two hotels and their stables, a store and a saloon ; loss $10,000, insurance $6000. A cloud-burst on Rattlesnake creek in September, 1904. Thirteen inches of snow in the valley January, 1907. Laytonville again wiped out by fire, destroying Northwest- ern store, Helm hotel and barn and tank house, Pinches' and Yates' resi- dences, and telephone office, September 24, 1907 ; loss $15,000, insurance $10,- 000. The government bought the Braden ranch for the Indians in March, 1908, for $2500, which barely affords them a resting place.

Autos were put on the stage route from Sherwood through Laytonville in 1910. When the road down the outlet to railroad connection at Longvale, fifteen miles, was finished in 1912, autos were changed to that route through to Humboldt for summer use. J. H. Braden, a pioneer in the valley, thirty- two years justice of the peace, died July 31, 1913. Of the old original settlers none are left, and some of the families are not even represented by descendants of the name.

A celebrated bear, old Twotoes, so-called from having lost part of his foot in a trap, was killed by G. E. Lovejoy and E. G. Bigelow, September 30, 1907. He measured six feet in length, and his spread of forelegs was even greater. Such a bear works havoc with stock. Sheep will return to their sleeping place though routed out night after night by bear. J. M. Standley on a hunt in the edge of Humboldt, killed an old bear, and three cubs of 200 pounds weight each, in one pile, in less than two minutes. They were fat as hogs, having been depredating on sheep for several weeks.

On the Sargeant place a mile north of Laytonville there is a large mineral spring, which runs an uninterrupted stream of water, but is so strongly impregnated with sulphur that it cannot be used for any purpose. The valley is unique in one way, as the waters divide near the north end and flow to

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the north and south, and reach Eel river twenty miles or more apart. Fruit is an uncertain crop in the valley, but on higher ground surrounding it pears, apples and plums usually bear crops and berries flourish.

Cahto was once the only town in the township. It was founded by Rob -. ert White and John P. Simpson in 1856. They opened a hotel in 1861, and a store in 1865; and proceeded to drain the valley. They put up a small mill a short distance west, afterwards moving it down into the redwoods. H. Chadbourne put in a blacksmith shop, Isaac Smith a saloon, and it became the metropolis of the township. F. B. Layton also started a blacksmith shop, but unfortunately for Cahto, a quarrel with the town authorities led him to relocate in Long valley proper, hence Laytonville. Successive fires destroyed the hotel (which was rebuilt), the stables, store, saloon and a dwell- ing. in 1867, '79 and '91, and nothing remains but the hotel and three small dwellings and the Odd Fellows' hall. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was instituted July 20, 1872. The first officers were: J. G. Killian. N. G .: Robert White, V. G .; J. C. Grime, Secy .; J. C. Talkington, Treas., who, with M. Vassar and William Mckinney, were the only charter members. The present officers are H. F. Britt, N. G .; M. A. Norris, V. G .; Frank Purdy, Secy .: A. A. Grothe, Treas. Forty-eight members. The meet- ing place has been changed to Laytonville, as their sessions often last until late and there are no accommodations at Cahto for man or beast.

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History of Mendocino and Lake counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading, men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 12

Author: Carpenter, Aurelius O., 1836-; Millberry, Percy H., 1875- joint author Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company Number of Pages: 1090

Author: Carpenter, Aurelius O., 1836-; Millberry, Percy H., 1875- joint author
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company
Number of Pages: 1090