USA > California > Merced County > History of Merced County, California with biographical sketches of prominent citizens > Part 6
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- 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
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BIOGRAPHIES OF PIONEER SETTLERS.
year he reached Los Angeles with a number of others, and | here the party broke up. Aided by Friar Sanchez, then in charge of San Gabriel Mission, he, in company with Nathaniel Pryor, Richard Laughlin, Samuel Prentiss, and George Young. . late of Napa county, fall Americans, built a schooner at San Paulo for the purpose of hunting sea otter.
FIRST BILLIARD TABLES MADE.
1832-losoph Paulding was a native of Maryland, and entered California from New Mexico in the winter of 1832-3. 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 hilliard tables ever made in California; the first for George Rice, and the seroml for John Rhea. He died at Los Angeles, June 2. 1860.
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IT'STERS AND TRAPPERS of 1832.
1832,-Abont 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 employees into this region until about the year 1845. Their trappers in California Ilonged to the " Southern Trapping Party of the Hudson Bay Company," and were divided into smaller parties com- posed of Cunnilinns and Indians, with their wives. The traje- ping was carried on during the winter in order to secure a good class of for's.
The free trappers were paid ten shillings sterling for a prime beaver skin, while the Imliaus received a moderate compensation for their services.
The outlits 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 Indians were fugitives from the missions, and were honest and peace- ably 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 184], the com- pany hought of Jacob P. Leese the building he had erected for a store in San Francisco, and made that their business center for this territory.
The agents were Alexander Forbes and William G. Ray. The latter committed suicide in 1845. His death, and the scarcity of beaver and otter, caused the company to wind np their agency and business in the territory.
FIRST ENGLISD HISTORIAN OF CALIFORNIA
Mr Forbes was for a long series of years the British consul at San Francisco, and by his genial manners, superior enlture. and finished oluention, made a record which places him among the notel men of the State. This gentleman now robles in Oakland1; and, although seventy-tive years of age, his faculties I are as strong as ever. His memory is wonderful, and this power of retention, with the vast fond of knowledge possessed. has been of great service to the historian He has the honor of being the first English historian of C'alifornia, his " California." published in London in 1839, being written in Mexico four year, previons to the date of its publication.
1832. - In 1882 rame Thomas O. Larkin from Boston, intending to manufacture flour. Mr. Larkin's home was in Monterey, and he probably did far more to bring California under the United States Hag than any other man.
1833. - James Peace, a Seotelman, came into the country in 1833, having left a ship of the Hudson Bay Company lle was of a somewhat roving disposition, and became ar. quainted with all the earlier pioneers from Monterey to the Sonoma District. Was with his 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 Alameda county, and was at New Helvetia, the establishment of General Sutter.
Probably no foreigner antedated him as a huberman in the: San Mateo rolwoods, as he was whip-sawing Inmber there long before the Mexican war, during which he was taken prisoner and convevel to Mexico.
FIRST AMERICAN RESIDENTS OF SAN FRANCISCO,
1835. - William A. Richardson moved from Sanrelito to Yerba Buena (San Francisco), opened a store, and began trad- ing in hides and tallow in the summer of 1835.
Jacob P. Leesc, for a number of years a resident of Los Angeles, in July, 1836, built a store in Yerba Buena. He had previously inet many obstacles in obtaining a grant of land upon which to locate the building, but by the authority of Governor Chico, this was finally effected.
Previous to the location of Richardson and Leese, the only inhabitants of the pueblo and mission at Yerba Buena were Spaniards, Mexicans, and Indians.
EARLY EMIGRATION SOCIETIES.
In 1837 several societies were organized in the American States to promote emigration to the Pacific coast. During that and ensuing years, thousands of emigrant- journeyed across the rocky and snowy mountains, eminring toils and hardships indescribable, to settle in California and Oregon
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SETTLERS ORDERED TO LEAVE CALIFORNIA
Others came by the way of Mexico of Cape Horn, and soon the valleys of the northern rivers were peopled by American agricoltori-t -; and the southern an I const towns by American traders who speedily monopolized the whole business of the country, and even in some communities formed the numerical strength of the white popniation.
We have mentioned a few of the carly pioneers so as to give some idea of the extent and kind of settlers up to about 1840, at which tine numerous parties arrived, and we shall only now mention those of the most importance.
SETTLERS FORBIDDEN TO COME.
The Mexican Congress, feeling that California was about to slip from their country as Texas had done before, passed laws against the intrusion of foreigners: but there was no power in the State competent to put these cdicts into execution.
FIRST SAW- MILL ERECTED.
1833 .- Isaac Graham came from Harlin county, Kentucky, to California in 1833. He settled near Monterey, and his umne is intimately associated with Santa Cruz and vicinity.
It is said that he ereeteil on the San Lorenzo, somewhere in the neighborhood of where the powder works now are, the first saw-inill in California.
Early in life he went to New Mexico, aud Benjamin D. Wilson met him at Taos. Mr. Wilson has described him as being at that time a very disreputable character. He also says that Graham left a family in Tennessee, being obliged to tlee that State to escape the consequences of some offense he had committed.
EARLY DISTILLERY IN MONTEREY.
He reached Los Angeles in company with Heury Naile about 1835, and remained there until the following year, when he removed to the " Natividad," Monterey county, and (according to Mr. Wilsou) " established a small distillery iu a tule hut, which soon became a nuisance owing to the disrepu- table character of those who frequented it."
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Graham was a brave and adventurous man, a thorough frontiersinan, at home with his rifle in his hand, and this had become known to the native California officials in Monterey.
When, in 1836, Juan B. Alvarado, a subor liuate customs officer, was plotting revolution and contemplated the expulsion of Governor Guiterrez, he came to Graham and sought his assistance, and that of the foreigners who acted with him in the matter.
INDEPENDENCE OF MEXICO CONTEMPLATED.
On condition that all connection with Mexico should be severed, and that California should become independent, the assistance of Graham and others was promised.
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Aud in due time it was rendered. And by means of it Guiterrez was sent away, and Alvarado and his party became masters of the situation. Now was the time for the fulfill- inent of the promise of independence of Mexico.
But Mexico, instead of punishing Alvarado, proposes to con- firin him iu his usurped anthority. Alvarado, pleased and Hattered by this, quickly breaks his prourise to Graham.
But iu so doing he feels a wholesome fear of those rifles, by the assistance of which he had himself gained his promo- tion.
FOREIGNERS BEGIN TO BE FEARED.
His first care seems to have been to disable that little force of foreigners, and to put it out of their power to punish his breach of faith.
Orders are sent out secretly to all the Alcaldes in this part of the country simultaneously, ou a certain night to arrest foreigners and bring them to Monterey. Jose Castro himself I heads the party for the arrest of Graham.
GENERAL ARREST OF FOREIGNERS.
It was on the morning of the 7th of April, 1840, before light, that the party reached Graham's dwelling. They broke in the doors and shattered the windows, firing at the inmates as they saw them rising from their beds. One of the assailants thinking to make sure of Graham himself, discharged a pair of pistols aimed at his heart, the muzzle touching his cloak, which he had hastily thrown over his shoulders.
This assassin was amazingly surprised afterwards ou seeing Graham alive, and he could not account for it till he examined his holsters, then he found the reason. There, sure enough, were the balls in the holsters! The pistols had been badly loaded, and that it was that saved Isaac Graham from instant death.
He was however hurried to Monterey, and placed in confine- ment, as also were other foreigners, arrested on that saiuc night. What followed is best told in a memorial which these same prisoners afterwards addressed to the Government of the United States, asking that Mexico be required to restore their property, and compensate them for their injuries and lost time.
We quote from an unpublished manuscript, which Rev. S. H. Willey obtained in Monterey, in 1849 :-
APPEAL TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
"To his Excellency, John Tyler, President of the United States: " On the morning of the seventh of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty, we, your petitioners, citizens of the United States of North America, and many more of our countrymen, together with several of H. B. M. subjects, engaged in business in Monterey and its vicinity, were, without any just cause or provocation most illegally scized, taken from onr lawful occu-
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RES. OF THOS. J. RAMSEY 4 MILES WEST OF SNELLING, MERCED CO. CAL.
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1
CAPTURE AND IMPRISONMENT OF SETTLERS.
pation, many ling married to natives of the country, and incarcerated in a loathwoon prison in Monterey. The number was sulaquently increased by the arrival of other for the ware of wine ton or twelve days No warrant or civil proces was either real or shown them at the time of their seizure nor bas the Government of California conceded to this present day in any official manner, why or wherefore that our persone won: thus weizsl, our property taken from us, what crime we had committed, and why transported like so many criminals to a province of Mexico.
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" The perpetrators of this most outrageous action against the
1 rights and privileges allowed to American citizens (according to treaty, were principally officers and soldiers appertaining to this Government and acting by authority and command as the nudersigus have heard aud firmly believe,. of his Excellency, I Don Juan Bautista Alvarado, Governor of the two California».
" Some of us were marched on foot to prison, sume forced to go on their own animals, and, on their arrival at the prison dlovi, snid animals and equipments taken from them, including what was found in their pockets, and with menacing, thrust into prison. The room in which we were confined, being about twenty feet square, without being floored, became very damp amd offensive, thereby endangering our health, at times. One had to stand while another slept, and during the first three days not a monthful uf food found or offered us by our oppressors, but living on the charity of them that pitied us.
" To our countryman, Mr. Thomas O. Larkin, we are bound in conscience to acknowledge that he assisted ns not only in ! food, but in what other necessaries we at the time stood in . need of and whit was allowed to be introduced; some of us . were taken out of prison from time to time aud released by the intercession of friends or through sickness.
PRISONERS EXAMINED BY THE AUTHORITIES.
" Eight of the prisoners were separately called upon and examined by the authorities of Monterey, having as interpreter a native of the country (who himself' frequently needs in his ocenpation one to interpret for him), there being at the same time, men far more equivalent for the purpose than he was, but they were not permitted; the above-mentioned eight were, after examination, taken to another apartment and there man- ackel to an iron bar during their imprisonment in this port. After fifteen days confinement, we were sent on board of a vessel bearing the Mexican flag, every six men being shackled to an irun bar, and in that conditiou put into the hold of said vessel anıl taken to Santa Barbara, a sea-port of this province, and there again imprisoned in company with the mate of an Amer- ican vessel, recently arrived from Boston, in the United States, (and part of the crew) said vessel being sold to a Mexican, resident in this territory. without, as before mentioned, any just or legal can-e being assigned, why or wherefore.
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On arriving at Santa Barbara, we were landed and taken wine distance; three of us in irom- were put into an ox cart, the remainder ou fost: among the latter some were chained in pairs, in consequence reached the prison with much ditli ults llere we were put into a room withont light or means of air entering only through a small hole in the roof. For the first. twenty-four hours we were not allowed food or water, although we had been some tim walking in a warm su One of the prisoner, became so completely prostrated, that for sonk time he could not speak, nor swallow when water was brought to him, and would have expired but for the exertions of a Doctor Den, an Irish gentleman living in the town who, with munch dithentty, obtained admittance to the sufferer. By his influence and a une Americans in the place, food and water were at last sent ns.
VIEW OF MONTEREY IN 1840.
" In Santa Barbara our number was increased by the addition of more of our countrymen: some of those brought from Mon- terey were discharge I and received passports to return; the remainder were marched to the beach, again put in the hold of a vessel (in irons), and in this manner taken to the port of San Blas, landed, and from thence, in the midsummer of a tropical climate, marched on foot sixty miles to the city of Topic, and there imprisoned. Some time after our arrival we were discharged by the Mexican Governor, and in the space of four hundred and fifty- five days from the commencement of our imprisonment, we again returned to Monterey. From the day we were taken up until our return we had no opportunity to take care of our property; we were not even allowed when ordered on board in Monterey, to send for a single garment of clothing, nor permitted to carry any into the prison, but such as We had on; and not once during our said imprisonment in Monterey, although in a filthy and cmaciated condition, per- mitted to shave or wash ourselves.
"When in prison, in the hold of the vessel, and on our march, we were frequently threatened, pricked and struck with swords by the subaltern officers of the Mexican Gov- ernment
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SETTLERS RELEASED AND INDEMNIFIED.
SUFFERING, OF THE PRISONERS.
"Our sufferings in prison, on board ship, and when drove on foot in a warm sun, then ordered to sleep out at night in the dew, after being exhausted by the heat and dust, surpass onr power of description, and none but those who were with us cant realize or form a just conception of our distressed situation.
" For many weeks we were fed in a manner different from the common mode, kept in a tilthy and disgusting condition, which, combined with the unhealthy state of the country where we were taken to, has can-ed death to some, and rendered unhealthy for life, others of our companions.
" Up to this time the undersigned sufferers, as aforsaid, have received no redres of their wrongs and losses sustained, nor have they been so much as allowed comnon facilities for prov- ing accounts and establishing just claims, several of the Alcaldes of California having positively refused to examine claimus or take testimony against the Government, or to otherwise aid citizens of the United States in recovering lost property, or in seeking just indemnification therefor.
"Since our return to California from our confinement in Mexico, Captains Forest and Anlick have visited this port at different periods, in command of United States vessels. Each of those gentlemen took up the subject of our claims and ill-treatment, and, as we believe, received fair promises from the Governor of the province; but the stay of those officers at Monterey having been limited to a few days only, was entirely loo short to effeet any good. The Governor's promise, orally, made by a deputy to Captain Aulick, on the eve of his depart- ure, so far from being complied with or adhered to, was, as we have reason to believe, abrogated by his orders to Alcalles, not to listen to the complaints of Americans, i. e., citizens of the United States,
"In conclusion, we beg leave to add that our grievances have not been a little heightened by the apparent neglect of our native country. The Government of the United States, so far as we are apprised up to this time, not having come forward in our behalf; whilst our fellow-sufferers, subjects of H. B. M. have had their complaints promptly attended by her Minister, resident at Mexico, and a man-of-war was sent here to demand, and promptly received redress sought for the outrage perpe- trated on H. M. subjects.
" We, the undersigned, citizens of the United States, aforesaid, were among the prisoners, some of us to the last day, and have never given provocation to the Mexican Government for such ernel treatment, nor do we know of any given by our compan. ions, and respectfully submit to your notice, the foregoing statement of facts, in hopes that through your means, this affair will be fully represented, so that the Government of the United States will take prompt measures to secure to us indemnity for the past, and security for the future, according to the rights and
privileges guaranteed to us by treaty, existing between our Government and Mexico.
"ISAAC GRAHAM,
WILLIAM BARTON,
" WILLIAM CHARD, ALVIN WILSON,
" JOSEPH L. MAJORS,
CHARLES H. COOPER,
AMBROSE Z. TOMILSON.
" CHARLES BROWN,
" WILLIAM HANCE,
HENRY NAILE.
" Monterey, Upper California, the 9th of November, 1842."
Two years later these persons were returned to California, the charges not having læen proven; and Mexico was obliged to pay them a heavy indemnity to avoid serious complication with the American Government. All these died several years ago.
It appears that after Alvarado, Castro and company, had got their dreaded company of foreigners in confinement on board a vessel ready to sail to Mexico, seven citizens of note, of Califor- nin, signed and issued the following proclamation, which is a curiosity in itself and illustrative of the men and the times :-
A SPECIMEN PROCLAMATION.
" PROCLAMATION MADE BY THE UNDERSIGNED :-
"Eternal Glory to the Illustrious Champion aml Liberator of the Department of Alta California, Don Jose Castro, the Guardian of Order, and the Supporter of our Superior Gov- erninent.
" Fellow-Citzens and Friends : To-day, the eighth of May, of the present year of 1840, has been and will be eternally glo- rious to all the inhabitants of this soil, in contemplating the glorious expelition of our fellow-countryman, Don Jose Castro, who goes to present himself before the Superior Government of the Mexican nation, carrying with him a number of suspi- cious Americans, who, un ler the mask of deceit, and filled with ambition, were warping us in the web of misfortune; plunging us into the greatest confusion and danger; desiring to terminate the life of our Governor and of all his subalterns; and, finally, to drive us from our asylumns; from our country : from our pleasures, and from our hearths.
" The bark which carries this valorous hero on his grand commission goes filled with laurels and crowned with triumphs, ploughing the waves and publishing in distinct voices to the passing billows the lond virus and rejoicings which will resound to the remotest bouils of the universe. Yes, fellow-citizens and friends, again we say, that this glorious Chief should have a place in the innermost recesses of our hearts, and be held as dear to us as our very breath. Thus we desire, and in the name of all the inhabitants, make known the great rejoicings with which we are filled, giving, at the same time, to our Superior Government the present proclamation, which we make for said worthy chief; and that our Governor may remain satisfied, that
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FIRST SETTLER IN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.
if he (Castro; has embarkel for the interior of the Republic. there still remain under his (the Governor's) orders all his fel- low-countrymen, companions in arms, etc., etc."
DISAPPOINTMIEST AND HUMILIATION.
But a great disappointment awaited this herabled hero on his arrival in Slexico. I find the description of it in another mann- script, as follows :-
" Commandant Castro and his three or four official friends rode into Tepie in trimnph, as they thought, and inquired for the house of the Governor. On their arrival at his Execlleney's they were refused admittance and ordered to go to prison, which one of them said could not be compared in comfort to the meanest jail or hole in all California. Here they had time to reflect on their scandalous conduet to so many human beings. Castro was then ordered to the City of Mexico and tried for his life, Mr. l'ackenham, the English Minister, having every hope of luis being sent a prisoner for life to the prison of San Juan dle Uloa in Vera Cruz, The culprit himself afterwards con- fessed that such would have been his fate had Mr. Ellis, the American Minister, exerted himself equally with l'ackenham.
After an absence of two years and expending eight or ten thousand dollars, he returned to California a wiser and bet- ter man than when he left it, and never was afterwards known to raise a hand or voice against a foreigner. His officers and soldiers returned to California in the best manner they coukl. leaving their country as jailors and returning prisoners."
FIRST SETTLER IN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.
1835,-Dr. John Marsh arrived at the foot of Mount Diablo und purchased the "Ranchos los Meganos" in 1837. of three square leagues of land, and settled upon it in the same year, und occupied it afterwards until his death, which occurred in 1856. The doctor lived in a small adobe house near where he afterwards constructed what is known as the "Marsh Stone House." So that the doctor was the first born native American citizen who ever resided permanently in this county, or within the district comprised in its territorial limits as originally defined. It would be dithcult now to conceive of a more louely and inhospitable place to live.
Until about 1847, Dr. Marsh had no American neighbors nearer than within about forty miles, and dwellings on adjoin- ing Spanish ranches were from twelve to fifteen miles distant.
All early emigrant parties made Dr. Marsh's ranch an object- ive point, as it was so easily sighted, being at the foot of Mount Diablo. All parties met with a cordial reception.
Sutter's Fort and Marsh's Ranch were the two prominent set- tlements in northern California at that date. Dr. Marsh was an educated man and an able writer, as will be seen from the following letter :-
DR JOHN MARSH TO HON. LEWIS CASS."
FARM OF PULPUSES, NEAR ST. FRANCISCO, } UPPER CALIFORNIA, IS42.
HON. LEWIS CASS-Dear Sir: You will probably In some- what surprised to receive a letter from an individual from whom you have not heard, or even thought of, for nearly twenty years; yet although the lapse of time has wrought many changes both in inen and things, the personal identity of us both has probably been left. You will, I think, rementher a youth whom you met at Green Bay in 1825, who, having left his Ahua Mater, had spent a year or two in the " far, far West," and was then returning to his New England home, and whom you induced to turn his face again toward the setting sun; thmt youth who, but for your influence, would probaldy wow Imve been administering pills in some quiet Yankee village, is now a gray- haired man, breeding cattle and cultivating grape vines
VIEW ON SAN JOAQUIN KIVER RY MOONLIGHT.
on the shores of the Pacific. Your benevolence prompted you to take an interest in the fortunes of that yonth, and it is there- fore presumed you may not be unwilling to hear from himn again.
I left the United States in 1835, and came to New Mexico, and thence traversing the States of Chihuahua and Sonora, crossed the Rio Colorado at its junction with the Gila, near the tide-water of Gulph, and entered this territory at its southern part. Any more direct route was at that time unknown and considered impracticable.
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