USA > California > Merced County > History of Merced County, California with biographical sketches of prominent citizens > Part 27
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HOT WEATHER.
The weather this week has been exeeedingly hot, the mer- enry standing above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. On Thursday there prevailed a hot, dry wind, the air filled with sand and fine dust. similar to the simoons of the Arabian deserts. During the eon- tinuanee of this wind the heat was almost intolerable. With the mereury at 104 degrees above zero, and a suffoeating wind which earried with it sand and dust which filled the eyes, nose and mouth, it was impossible for man or beast to perform the labors of the day without experieneing inueh diseomfort. As for ourselves, we found that we were sufficiently employed in wiping the dust from our eyes and nostrils, This morning, however, the sun is obseured by elouds, and the atmosphere is eool and pleasant,
IMPROVEMENTS IN SNELLING.
The building of F. Prinee, on the site of Prince's Hotel, and that of A, B. Anderson, on the opposite eorner, each designed to be usel as a hotel, are being rapidly ereeted, and in a few weeks, at most, there will be two good hotels in our town,
The restaurant and lodging-house of Messrs, Solomon & Co. is so nearly completed that those gentlemen have moved iuto it and eommeneed to do business, and those who want good meals ean get them at any hour by ealling at the restaurant.
RES. OF JOB WHEAT, 3 MILES WEST OF MERCED, MERCED CO. CAL.
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PIONEERS OF MERCED COUNTY.
PIONEERS OF MERCED COUNTY.
Names of Pioneers, Nativity, Date of Arrival, Incidents of Early Times, Etc.
A FEW years more, and all the pioneers will have passed " over the river." Mauy now lie among the golden sands that allured them hither. Let no unmerited blot be cast upon the grand army of adventurers who covered these western shores, and brought with them the foundation of our society, schools and homes. Their years of honorable toil have transformed the wild lands iuto harvest-laden fields. They peopled the Pacific slope with a new civilization. They added untold wealth to a mighty empire. No wonder everything connected with them is now revered by the new generation as sacred to antiquity. A generation in time has made the young man old, and laid away those of middle age in their last home. The pioneers have covered the hill-sides and dotted the plaine with their graves. Theirs were days such as never will have a counterpart in the world's history.
In the following, says the Express, is thought to be a com- plete list of the old settlers of Merced county, who now (1880) reside in this county, and who came to California previous to September 9, 1850, this being the date at which California was admitted into the Uuiou. We give biographical notices of as many of these as would furnish us the required data :-
Aiken, William R., Mississippi. Leggett, T. A., New York. Montgomery, J. M., Kentucky. Marsh, J. B., Massachusetts. McErlane, Hugh, Ireland.
McCreary, W. A., Alabama.
McFarlan, N., Tennessee. McFarlan, Jobn L., Tennessee. Clongb, A. W., New Hampshire. Nelson, William.
Blackburn, J. C., Ohio. Bennett, P. B., Ireland. Bost, J. W., Mississippi. Carroll, Patrick, Ireland. Chapman, Joseph, Maryland. Chamberlain, A., New York.
Cargile, Thos. B., Kentucky. Chandler, R. T., Georgia. Cox, isom J., Tennessee.
Openheim, Ben., Germany. Ostrander, H. J., New York. O'Dounell, John, Ireland.
Cocunour, J. B., Pennsylvania. Peck, James B., New York. Chapman, Harry, New York. Peak, L., Illinois. Dean, T. C., Kentucky. Powell, George W., Texas. Russell, George, Connecticut. Rogers, G. W., New York. Robertson, J. W. Mississippi. Anddle, John, Missouri. Reynolds, Rube, Georgia. Dickenson, Samuel, Missouri. Dickenson, G. W., Missouri. Dowst, W. B., Massachusetts. Evans, Chas. E., Louisiana. Fee, Peter, Norway. Griffith, Joshua, Pennsylvania. Rolfe, Nelson, Virginia. Gardenhire, F., Pennsylvania. Stoneroad, N. B., Alabama. Spears, S. K., New York. Stevenson, James J., Missouri. Stevenson, Col. A., Kentucky. Smith, Edward Il., New York. Scott, Samuel, Kentucky. Smith, John C., Ohio. Steele, Robert J.,North Carolina Turner, George, New York. Thurman, M. H., Tennessee. Thurman, Eli, Tennessee. Turner, Nicholas, Tennessee. Tyson, Ed. H., North Carolina. Turner, W. C., North Carolina. Wilson, L. P., New York. Wheat, Job, New York. Ward, George W., Missouri. Yates, Adam, New York.
Goldman, M., Prussia. Givens, E. T., Kentucky. Herne, Levi, Missonri. Hulse, A. W., New York. Howell, W. L., Pennsylvania. Hicks, James E., Missouri. Hayes, George, Maine. Huffman, C. H., Louisiana. Halstead, G. W., New York. Ivett, Jobn, England, Ingleshy, Albert, New York. Jones, J. Y., Virginia. Johnson, Thomas, Ireland. Kihby, James, New York. Kelsey, Erasins, New York. Keys, John, Virginia. Kahl, Adam, Pennsylvania. Larkin, Frank, New York.
HON. J. W. ROBERTSON.
James Wood Robertson was born near the City of Brandon, in Rankin County, Mississippi, March 29, 1833. He was left an orphan at the age of six years. His mother died 1837, and father 1839. On the death of his father he was placed under tbe guardianship of' an uncle who lived in Issaquena County. Here he attended the common schools and worked on a farm until near his sixteenth year. He tben started for California in February, 1849, and arrived in San Francisco on the fourth of August of that year. Left New Orleans on the fifteenth of February for Corpus Christi, Texas, and remained at this point about a month. Then via San Antonio to Mexico. He arrived in Mazatlan on tbe fourteenth of June, and sailed on the six- teentb for San Francisco, being on shiphoard forty-nine days. On the voyage up from Mazatlan on the Greyhound, their supply of provisions and water became exhausted, and passen- gers were put ou an allowance and were forced to distil water. There were about seventy-five passengers, mostly from Lowell and New Bedford, Massachusetts. Mr. Robertson says he knows of bnt oue who still lives, George Cadwalader, of Sacramento.
After a short stay in San Francisco he started for the mines, and reached Jacksonville, on the Tuolumne River, August 17th. He mined at that place and vicinity until the rainy season, . when he returned to Stockton. He remained in Stockton until January, 1850, and again struck out for the mines, reach- ing the old California Ferry* on the Merced River, in the latter part of that month, and there remained until the summer. In tbe fall of 1850 he took a trip to the northern mines.
The next winter and summer he tried mining at Canon Creek, near Georgetown, in El Dorado County, bnt returned again in 1857 to the Merced River, and has remained there ever since.
In 1855, on the organization of the county, he was elected Assessor, and held the office until 1858. For two years he was Justice of the Peace, and subsequently was Under Sheriff of the County during the second term of George Turner. In the meantime read law with L. W .. Talhott, and was admitted to the District Court in 1861.
In 1862 he was elected to the Assembly for the counties of Merced and Stanislaus, serving in the session of 1863.
At the judicial election held in 1863 be was elected County Judge, which office he held until January, 1880. He is now practicing law at Merced.
He was married in November, 1872, to Mrs. Jobanna Pittman, a native of Arkansas. They have one boy aged nine months, named James Campbell Robertson.
Mr. Robertson informs us that he never made any money in mining. From 1851 to 1855 he mined and did farm lahor. Mr. Robertson has been identified with many enterprises for
* This ferry was afterwards known as Young's Ferry.
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HISTORY OF MERCED COUNTY.
the advancement of the interests of Merced County. At one time be was engaged in editing and publishing a newspaper at Snelling. During tbe long time ho held the office of County Judge he commanded the confidence and respect of his con- stituents.
SAMUEL SCOTT,
This pioneer of Merced was born in Kentucky, in 1809. He came to Santa Clara and engaged in merchandising in 1847, and in 1849 came to Merced, then Mariposa Couuty, and entered into the stock business. He went from Santa Clara to where Placerville now stands, and engaged in mining. He built the first house in Placerville, a log cabin. A village soon after sprang up.
He was quite successful in mining. We have often heard the story told how he and his partuer, Mr. Montgomery, tied a pair of leather brecches filled with gold-dust on a mule, and started on a journey to San Francisco. The mule strayed away; after a three days' search they found him quietly graz- ing in the tules, the precious burden all right.
TRIALS OF EARLY MINERS.
They had great difficulty in taking care of their dust and coin. Robberies were frequent. On one occasion, Montgomery started to San Francisco with about $10,000, to deposit in the bank. He stopped at the ferry at the mouth of the Merced River. While he slept, some person or persons, dug under and entered the house, and robbed him of the whole amouut. It was well for him that he slept well, for he learned afterward that a pistol was pointed at his head, and had he but stirred it would bave been discharged.
They deposited a large amount in Page, Bacon & Co.'s bank, which they or he lost, with hundreds of others, by the failure of that firm. After Mr. Scott located on the ranch, he sold outfits to miners; but when they were too poor to buy, as was often the case, he gave them an outfit. He was ever ready to belp a deserviug person, but he disliked idleness and profligacy, and took no pains to conceal his dislike. Mauy a mau here, and elsewhere, owe their success to his readiness to " help those who help themselves." He was a man of fine poetic taste; was a severe critic in everything relating to art. Had a natural talent for sketching landscapes, was something of a poet, and was remarkably witty in conversation, He had a highly cultivated taste for the beautiful in nature, particu- larly flowers; the tiniest flower was sure to attract his atten- tion. He hardly ever entered his house withont bringing flowers, sprays, or seed pods. He was fond of traveling, He visited every portion of the United States, Mexico, the Hawaiian Islands, and some parts of British Columbia.
Among our large illustrations will be found a view of his late residence and its surroundings. He named his home on the mound, "Balaerte," and the little cemetery, where he now
rests, "Last Camp." He died March 15, 1881, of typhoid fever. At present the farm consists of 2,000 acres, of which 1,200 is bottom-land of the Merced River, that can be irri- gated, and produces corn and cotton. Eight hundred acres is on the plains adjoining. Thirty-six acres is devoted to orchard, of apple, pear, peach, apricots, plums, figs, almonds, walnuts, gooseberries, strawberries, blackberries, and other fruits,
He married his second wife, a Mrs. Dale, March 20, 1866, She was a native of Indiana. There were three children, Robert, William, and Moses; the latter is the only one now living. William died, leaving three girls and one boy. Their names are Eliza, Samuel, Annie, and Elizabeth Scott.
We copy the following account of Mr. Scott and his home from au article written by Juanita, and published in 1873.
The traveler in passing up or down the road between Hopcton and Snelling, a few years ago, would not fail to notice an observa- tory rising above some noble, lofty trees, and commanding from its elevated situation a view of a vast expanse of country. That observatory surmounts the handsome residence of the late pioneer, Samuel Scott, wbo was a native of Virginia, where it is presumed he received his scholastic education. We know nothing of his history prior to his starting for the sbores of the Pacific, further than that he had married and lost the devoted partner of bis early manhood. He had read much about the great West, particularly about the Pacific Coast, and deter- mined in his mind that the day was not far distant when, somewhere ou the noble bay of San Francisco, a mighty city would arise, and be the commercial emporium of an empire. In his brightest dreams though, he did not behold the discovery of gold, which occurred a few months after his advent into the country, nor the grand drama that was so soon to be enacted in consequence upon the stage of the world. No-no, Scott never dreamed of such, but if gold had not been discovered, he would doubtless have had his prophetic vision blessed by looking eveu now upon a growing city on the great San Fran- cisco Bay,
With bright hopes and aspirations he started from Missouri in 1847, and reached California with Mr. J. M. Montgomery, sometime during the same year.
VISIT TO A BEAUTIFUL HOME.
We will now, says Juanita, go on a visit to Scott's beautiful and tranquil home, a short distance below that of Mr. Mout- gomery. Keeping our eye on the observatory, we crossed a dry slough on our left, opeucd a gate and walked np a road a short distance, and then fonnd ourself at the entrance of a magnificent avenue, bordered on either side by very lofty cottonwood trees, rising a few fcet eqni-distant from each other, aud whose dense, green foliage formed a grateful shade from the fervent rays of tho summer sun. The avenne wideued as we advanced, and the rows of eottonwoods at lengtlı termi- nated, each with a gigantic, glorious old oak. In the center of
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PIONEERS OF MERCED COUNTY.
the avenue was an enclosed ornamental garden with the configuration of a heart. Its area may be three-fourths of an acre. We found in this delightful, sequestered spot, fig and locust trees, the African tamarack, arbor vitæ, pine laburnum, with a very wilderness of the sweet pea-vine. The surface of the ground was covered with what we were afterwards told was called "manyaneea grass." This is, we believe, indige- nous to Italy, from where it was taken to the Sandwich Islands and ultimately spread over that region. It is a very beautiful, delicate grass, of a deep green, almost a bluish-green color, and soft as down. It is readily affected by drought, but not by frost. We stood here for a few minutes, looking on the varied beauties aud grandeur of the scene around us aud listening to the carols of many feathered songsters hidden among the foliage of the trees. To our left we could see a beautiful green meadow that had been sown to alfalfa and adorned at intervals with clusters of fine cottonwoods.
Here was an orchard covering an area of thirty acres, and containing a choice variety of fruit trees ; there a splendid vineyard of twenty-five acres-here a glade-there a grove, and now a cozy bower, fitting retreat for lovers to "tell the teuder tale." In a word, everything we looked on and heard was pleasing to the eye and ear. Just as we had reached the ornamental garden, the road divided into two parts, one leading to tbe right, the other to the left. We followed the left at hap- hazard and were soon stopped by an almost perpendicular rocky bluff, perhaps sixty feet in height. Running at the base was a considerable volume of water through a ditch made from the Merced River. This water is used for irrigating the orchard, vineyard, etc., and also to raise sufficient by a wheel for watering the ornamental grounds, aud to pump water from a well for domestic purposes above. We did not know whether to take the path to the right or left, but noticing a flight of steps excavated in the bluff, we ascended, and gaining the summit, stood before the lady of the mansion, Mrs. Mary Scott (the pioneer had married a second time some years ago), who was tending some flowers in front of the porch. Making known to her the object of our visit, viz .: to see the home of an early pioneer, we were at once welcomed with much suavity of manner and winning courtesy,
Among quite a variety of trees, sbrubs, plauts, flowers, etc., in the ornamental grounds, we noticed some uoble fig and Monterey cypress, oleander, Spanish dagger, pomegranate, bay trec, Australian heather, southern and northern magnolia, jasmine, verbenas, roses, Western vine (blooming) from Phila- delp! ia, manzanita, chemissal, lupine, Italian cypress, purple and white lilac, sweet pea, with beautiful flowers, pereunials, etc. The air was really heavy with fragrance. On entering the grounds, the first thing that enchanted our vision, and for a minute transfixed us to the earth, was the Scotch broom, with its well-remembered yellow flower. We had not seen it since we Were a happy, guileless boy, wandering " over the hills and
far away," aud as we looked on it there, in the grounds of the pioneer, Scott, a thousand tender associations connected with foud reminiscences arose in our mind-we conld hcar the vibrations of our own heart, and we were a boy again, But we must hurry on,
Mr. and Mrs. Scott annually take a trip in the carly days of summer to some celebrated region-sometimes to the Sandwich Islauds, or to Washington Territory, among the lakes there; sometimes to the more renowned spots of our own glorious State -to the Big Trees, Yo Semite, ete. They had returned from Yo Semite the day before we visited their home, and Mrs. Scott had taken with her from that region some mountain firs, moccasin flowers (deriving the name from the resemblance it bears to an Iudian moccasin), and several other objects of interest, and which she highly prized. It is impossible for us to couvey in a letter for a newspaper anything like an adequate description of what we beheld during our visit, We went through the numerous apartments in the mansion, all of which we found to be elegantly and comfortably furnished, and did not fail to notice the library with a handsome collection of standard works. Mr. Scott has also a museum, containing a variety of interesting objects belonging to the animal, mineral and vegetable kingdoms.
There in his peaceful and beautiful retreat, his home, tbe pioneer cheats the passing hours, while his highly intelligent and most amiable better half will delight to give welcome to the visitor, and gladden him or her with conversation at once interesting and instructive. We will not soon forget our visit, We were nearly omitting to mention that the panorama as seen from the observatory is grand and glorious, majestic, stu- pendous and sublime. We left our host and hostess with a mental prayer that their future might be calm and tranquil as the heavens at the time were peaceful and serenc.
THE SCOTT FARM.
The following is from a correspondent of the Stockton Inde. pendent :-
One of the finest places in the State of California is that of Mr. Scott, about two miles below Snelling, which friends at Snelling advised me to visit, and I was richly repaid for my trouble, as all persons will be who will take the time to do likewise. The bottom-lands of Merced are from, perhaps, one- half mile to two miles in width, while upon either side are bluffs that rise very abruptly from the level of the bottoms to a height of fifty feet. The country back from the top of the bluffs upon either side is for miles a succession of plaius and low hills, but very little of which is yet under cultivation. At that point in the valley where Mr. Scott's farm is situated, I should judge the valley to be over two miles wide. Abont midway between the bluffs there is a singular monnd that rises to about the same height as the bluffs upon either side, and ap-
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HISTORY OF MERCED COUNTY.
pears to be composed of the same material, a gray sandstone. and like the bluffs, it rises very abruptly from the valley.
Upon this mound, which contains probably from thirty to forty acres of land, is the residence of Mr. Scott, a fine, large and well-arranged dwelling, reached by winding carriage ways from two sides of the mound.' His farm, lying about this mound, contains nine hundred acres of land, a portion of which is under cultivation and part is devoted to pasturage. At the upper end of his farm he is enabled to take the water of the Merced River into ditches, and to thence carry it over the land below for irrigation. Along the foot of the mound runs a fine stream of clear water, which turns an undershot wheel that carries a force pump throwing water into the house, and also furnishes a supply for irrigating tbe grounds about the house upon the mound, which are beautifully laid out and devoted to shrubbery and flowers. At the foot of the mound are growing some of the finest oak trees, and along side of a carriage way that leads around the mound, cottonwood trees, twelve years old, eighteen inches in diameter and already taller than the original oak trees.
Here are also orchards of fruit trees, principally apple, that now completely cover the ground and produce fruit in a won- derful abundance. Mr. Scott has about thirty acres of orcbard, all bearing. From the top of an observatory upon the house, a most magnificent view is had of the farin, as well as of the surrounding country. Upon the farm are growing large patches of corn, potatoes and grain, while up and down the river the view is unsurpassed. The different crops here cultivated are very luxuriant in their growth, and there being so many kinds, it gives to the scenery a variety seldom seen, and forins a panorama of extraordinary beanty.
REUBEN REYNOLDS.
Reuhen Reynolds is another of the sturdy pioneers, now residing in Merced county. He was born in Greensborough, Mississippi, January 18, 1818. His father, Benjamin Rey- nolds, was a cotton planter, and superintendent of a large cotton ranch, requiring from 600 to 700 men to do the labor.
Before coming to this county and State, Mr. Reynolds had to experience a number of incidents, worth relating. He lived one and one-half miles east of Canton, Mississippi, prior to his start for California. Ho left, with the intention to sail via Panama, and went, accordingly, to Vicksburg, Mississippi, where, hearing that the yellow fever was raging about, he turned to take the overland route, over which be traveled, per ox-team, with a party of thirteen Mississippians, eleven Texans, and fourteen Missouri frontiersmen.
Sublette, the pioneer scout of the Rocky Mountains, was leader. They had twelve encounters with Indians, but bad sucb good luck that only two of the men received arrow wounds. The trip occupied ninety days, aud terminated at
Steep Hollow, on the Bear River, August 7, 1849. Mr. Rey- nolds commenced his career in California as a miner, making from fifty to seventy' dollars a day near Steep Hollow, which he left, for further prospecting.
HOW FIDDLETOWN GOT ITS NAME.
In Novemher, 1849, he came to Fiddletown, where he settled, be being the one to give the town its name, on account of there being so many Arkansas men living about, who could play the violin; yet the situation was not a very pleasant one. There were Indians about, who attacked the settlers several times, but were always driven back, the settlers losing only two men (killed) and one wounded.
In September, 1850, he moved to Jackson, Amador County, where he built the first house; then again, in November, 1857, to King's River, Fresno County, following the cattle business; and finally, April 16, 1870, he came to his present home, which is so pleasantly situated in the town of Plainsburg. Through- out his actions he showed what a man can achieve with a spirit of progress and industry; and deserves, surely, much credit for tbe active part he took in the settlement of the county. He is now engaged in farming and cattle raising, owning 460 acres of land, two houses and lots in Plainsburg, and one lot at Plainsburg switch. A sebool house is on the ranch, the church and post-office are within two iniles, and the county seat within ten miles. On his land, which has soil as good as can be found in the county, he keeps twenty-five head of excellent horses and mules, and receives an average yield of twenty bushels per acre of wheat. In 1855, Mr. Rey- nolds married an Arkansas lady, Miss Mary Eliza Slinkard, who is the mother of his two children, Charles and Mary Elizabeth Reynolds.
N. B. STONEROAD.
The subject of this sketch is a pioneer. When but nineteen years of age, inspired with an ambition to achieve for himself a sufficiency of this world's goods to render bim independent, and with his young heart filled with the inany aud wonderful stories of the golden State of California, he left bis boyhood home in the State of Arkansas, and together with a large com- pany of emigrants, started for his destination. He left Arkansas in 1849, taking what is known as the southern route, viu Santa Fé, New Mexico, thence by Albuquerque on the Rio Grande, thence down said river to Socarro, thence by what is known as Cook's route by way of Sauta Cruz and Tucson. At this early period in the history of the West, but few emigrants had passed over this route, and those who had failed to leave behind them a beaten track, and in consequence, Mr. Stoneroad and his party were forced in many places to make a road for them- selves. Before arriving at Tucson, buffalo chases and one or two harmless Indian engagements are the only incidents worthy of note in Mr. Stoneroad's journey across the continent. After
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