USA > California > Monterey County > History of Monterey County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, and mines : with biiographical sketches of prominent citizens > Part 26
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His father started for California in the fall of 1849, and arrived in January, 1850. In 1854, the family, consisting of mother, a sister and brother younger than John K., set out to join the father, which they did at Sacramento in August of that year. They came by the Panama route, on the steamer El Dorado from New Orleans, and from the Isthmus to San Francisco by the steamer California. Immediately on arrival in San Francisco, they went to Sacramento hy the steamer New World, and joined the father, who was a citizen of Sacra- mento and a contractor.
In 1858, the father of John K. was interested in the Wood- house Quartz Mill Company, in Calaveras county, and here the subject of this sketch did his first mining for about a year. He afterward lived in Diamond Springs, Amador county, where he acted as clerk for the firm of A. & G. P. Merrill.
John K. attended the Sacramento High School, and after- wards studied law under George R. Moore, and was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of California, on motion of M. M. Estee, October 7, 1862. In the fall of 1869 he was nominated hy the Democracy of Sacramento county for the office of District Attorney, to which position he was elected by a majority of 683 votes, although said county was then, as now, overwhelmingly Republican. This position he held for two years, commencing March, 1870. While still District At- torney, he was nominated for County Judge of Sacramento county, in 1871, but was not elected. He has always made his home in Sacramento until he removed to Monterey county in August, 1874. His father and mother are now (1881) living in Sacramento City. His father was born in South Carolina, January 28, 1811, and his mother in Tennessee, Oct. 10, 1822.
He practiced law in Sacramento as the partner of G. R. Moore, J. W. Armstrong and A. C. Freeman, the law author and com- piler.
He married Miss Sallie B. Carothers in August, 1865, who was a native of Carthage, Illinois. Their children are named Elmer Pendleton Alexander, born June 15, 1871, and Roy Lamar Alexander, born June 20, 1876.
He came to Salinas City August 9, 1874, and engaged in the practice of law, which business increased on his hands, and his practice became extensive and lucrative. He is a law- yer of acknowledged ability.
In September, 1879, he was elected to the Superior Judge-
ship, having been nominated by the Democrats, and endorsed by the Republicans, and assumed its duties in January, 1880.
He has had no decisions reversed, and quite a number affirmed by the Supreme Court. He received the highest com- pliment ever paid to a Judge by the Supreme Court, in the case of the People vs. Wall, as reported in Pacific Law Journal, page 882. The Court says: "We have examined that part of the transcript with great care, and are obliged to say, in justice to the learned judge who presided at the trial, that the charge to the jury is a very clear and able statement of the law of the homicide. It is a lengthy charge, completely covering all the points in the case, and is, in our opinion, entirely correct."
JOHN WIKHAM LEIGH.
JOHN WIKHAM LEIGH is a Virginian by birth, and was educated at the University of that State. He had just gradu- ated when, in 1847, he was commissioned First Lieutenant in a regiment of riflemen, in United States army. He served two years in the Mexican war as commander of a company whose Captain was killed. He was hrevetted Captain, and also served as aid-de-camp. The regiment heing one of the " ten " added to the " line " for the war, went out of service at its close. In 1849 he read law with Judge Kent, son of the chancellor, in N. Y.
Being dyspeptic from the change of life, he came to Califor- ma the following year, 1850, "around the Horn," in clipper ship Sea Witch, arriving in San Francisco in July of that year. Still dyspeptic and unable to work in the city, he went in the fall, to the mines of Agua Fria, Mariposa county. There, and in mines to the southward, working with pick and shovel, he remained until the next fall, when he returned to San Fran- cisco and found employment in the city ; first as law reporter of the San Francisco Herald, John Nugent editor. He was then promoted to editorial staff as assistant editor. He had three years' experience as such.
He then quitted the journalistic profession, became stock- grower in Santa Clara county and subsequently in Monterey county. In 1861, married Miss Bowie, daughter of Hamilton Bowie, once Treasurer of San Francisco.
In 1862 he went to Virginia and entered the Confederate service as Major, Fourth Virginia Artillery, and served about a year in that capacity and then resigned, returning to California, where his wife had remained. He resumed stock-growing, and in 1863, in association with M. Malarin and the firm of San- jurjo, Bolado and Pujol, established a " matanza" in the town of Monterey, slaughtering cattle and sheep by the thousand for hides and tallow. The drouth of 1863-4 destroyed the live stock of the State and he abandoned that business.
In 1865 he went, with family, back to Virginia to live, but finding climate intolerahle, in 1867 he again returned to Cali- fornia, and at once assumed charge of Stockton Gazette as editor.
In December, 1868, he came to Monterey, and from that date to present has been editing; first the Monterey Democrat,
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BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF RESIDENTS.
for some years in the town of Monterey, and later in Salinas City. This is the oldest newspaper now in the county, having been established in 1867, and has always heen a leading, influ- ential, and able journal.
He was the " non-partisan " candidate for delegate to the late Constitutional Convention from his district, which returned a " Workingman."
He has seen a great deal of the world in its various check- ered phases, which has fitted him for all the duties of active life, and given him a quick and accurate mind hy which to cor- rectly estimate and decide upon passing events, either at home or abroad. He belongs to a long-lived family, and is able to undergo for many years the ups and downs of human expe- rience.
HON. W. J. HILL.
W. J. HILL, the subject of this sketch, is the editor and proprictor of the Salinas Index, and present State Senator from the Sixth Senatorial District, embracing Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties.
He is of Scotch parentage, and was horn on the farm of his father, John Hill, near Prescott, Canada West, in the year 1840. He is the eldest of ten sons and three daughters, all of whom, together with his parents are still alive. He came to California by water in 1862, arriving in San Francisco in April of that ycar. He went to the Cariboo (B. C.) mines and penetrated the wilds of Alaska the same summer, return- ing to California in the fall.
In March, 1863, he crossed the Sierras and went to the new mining camp of Aurora, Nevada, where he remained until July, and then proceeded to Virginia City; thence he went to Salt Lake City, and from there to the Boisc mines in Idaho Territory, arriving there in August, 1863.
He went over to the adjoining county of Owyhee in the spring of 1864, and kept a ferry on the Owyhee river for the three succeeding years, in the midst of perhaps the bloodliest Indian war ever waged on the Pacific coast. During a con- siderable portion of that time his only companions were his trusty dog and Henry rifle, his nearest neighbors being distant forty miles one way and seventy-five the other. Inside of three years he was hadly wounded seven times in his fights with the red men- shot through both shoulders and the left thigb, stabbed in the breast, etc., hesides receiving numerous slight wounds that he says he "never counted !" Although but a young man, it was then that the sohriquet of "Old Hill " was applied to him hy persons who had heard of his daring exploits, hard-fought hattles and hair-breadth escapes on the frontier, but who did not know him personally. Tlicy thought he must he some tough, hard old case of a mountaincer!
At the close of the Indian war in the spring of 1867, he sold . out his ferry and went to Silver City, the county scat of Owyhee county, where he purchased the Weekly Avalanche
(newspaper), which had been established there a couple of years before. He published that journal till the spring of 1876, when he came to his present home, Salinas City, and purchased the Index, which he has conducted with marked ability ever since.
In 1874 he introduced the first steam-press and run the first daily paper (Idaho Daily Avalanche) in Idaho Territory. Although always a consistent Republican, yet during his resid- ence in Idaho, his popularity was such that he was elected to the offices of county clerk, sheriff, and tax-collector by hand- some majorities in a strong Democratic county.
He was one of the Centennial Commissioners from Idaho, and was also tendered the Republican nomination to Congress from that Territory. Espousing the cause of the new Consti- tution here in 1879, the large majority rolled up in favor of that instrument in Monterey county, was greatly due to his individual efforts exerted through the columns of his paper.
At the general election two years ago, Mr. Hill was elected to the State Senate by a handsome majority, the Republican and new Constitution parties both nominating and supporting him. His course in the Senate has been such as to win the respect of his political opponents and command the admira- tion of his friends. At the last regular session he was the author, introducer and chief advocate of the famous Debris Repeal measure, known as Senate Bill, No. 27, which probably caused more commotion than any other bill ever hefore intro- duced into the Legislature of this or any other State.
Mr. Hill's able and cxhanstive speech in support of the measure attracted much attention and gave bim a State repu- tation. He is six feet high, strongly built, and has an iron will which nothing can sway from what its possessor believes to be right. He is a gentleman of liberal education, extensive reading, and varied information, and is a ready and forcihle writer; makes no pretentions to finished oratory, but is an earnest speaker and never fails to command attention.
Mr. Hill is a married man, his wife being Miss Belle Peck, the first child of American parents born at Stockton, in this State, and whose grandfather, on her mother's side, the late Col. G. D. Dickenson, in 1847, erected in the town of Monterey the first brick house cver built in California.
The structure is still standing and occupied in tbe " old city by the sea." They have one child, a bright little boy of seven summers, and a pleasant home, a picture of which can be seen elsewhere in these pages.
Mr. Hill has had an eventful career, and is still but a young man. An account of his life and adventures would fill a large volume and be interesting reading. He promises it to the public, if he can ever find time to write it.
DUNCAN MCKINNON.
DUNCAN MCKINNON was born in York county, Canada West, June 15, 1836. His parents were natives of Scotland, and had emigrated from there in May, 1835. During his early
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youth nothing of importance happened until he was nine years of age, when his father was taken sick, and after a lingering illness of one year died, leaving bis mother a widow with seven children, Duncan being the oldest of three hoys and three girls, one girl being older than be.
From that time forward he had, to a certain extent, to over- see and manage the farm which was small, and work hard, hav- ing little or no advantages for education, what he did get heing in the winter months. After he had grown to he a man, from that time until 1862, nothing happened of any importance.
In the latter part of that year, there was a gold excitement in British Columbia. Not being satisfied with the small place at home, and the slow way of making money on it, and desir- ing to see more of the world, on the 7th of April he started by rail for New York, and there, on the 11th, took passage on the steamer Northern Light for Aspinwall. There were one thou- sand persons on board the steamer, which arrived at its destin- ation on the morning of the 22d. He crossed the Isthmus on the same day, went aboard the steamer Golden Age, and sailed that night for San Francisco, where be arrived on the 5th of May. After remaining there a few days, he took steamer for Portland, Oregon, and tbence to Victoria, Vancouver's Island, reacbing there about the 15th of May. He found many emi- grants waiting for hetter weather to start to the mines. He remained on the island some days.
At that time the only road that was properly opened to the mines was by New Westminster and Lytton, Instead of tak- ing that road, he with twenty-one others, chartered a schooner to convey them, and eight hundred pounds of freight to each person, to Bentic Arm. From there they expected to take canoes up the river, a distance of forty miles; and thence on Indians' hacks to Fort Alexander, a farther distance of one hundred and twenty miles, as they were told, but which they found to be two hundred miles. They also discovered that the contents of the Indian packs would be all devoured before they got to the end of their journey.
The schooner sailed from Victoria on the Ist of June, and when a few days out one of the passengers was taken sick, and in a day or two showed signs of small-pox, which it proved to he. Sailing near the main land, he was put ashore at Fort Rupert, but too late; he left the infection aboard. In a week, three more were taken down; hut all remained on hoard until the schooner arrived at Bentic Arm, ahout June 15th.
From there they hired Indians with canoes to carry them and their provisions up the Ballaconla river forty miles. They bad to walk most of the way, and had also to wade large branches of the river, which was high on account of the snow melting in the mountains. Some of the party were sick with small-pox at the time, among whom were the subject of this sketch, and William and Michael Lynn, also natives of Canada, tbe latter not being of age. M. Lynn became too ill to travel farther. The two brothers took their provisions and blankets
and camped thirty miles from sea and ten miles below where the Indians were to take them.
Mr. McKinnon, with the rest of the party, arrived at the end of the canoe route, where they remained for two days, and then started for Fort Alexander, on Frazer river, a distance of two hundred and twenty miles through an Indian country and little known to white men. D. Mckinnon and D. McCollum, who were both sick with small-pox, did not accompany the party. The former was so ill that he lay in the woods a month before he could get out of hed. Part of the time he could not see. McCollum was not very sick. In the mean time the Lynns, hearing that the other party intended to set out for Fort Alex- ander, hired Indians with canoes and started to overtake them. While passing through a rapid portion of the river, wbere a large tree had falleu iuto it, and which they passed around and were working their way hack to the channel, the pole of one of the Indians slipped, the canoe turned, struck the tree, went under it and split in two. William caught hold of the tree, while Michael and the two Indians went under. The three got hold of one-half of the boat and worked it ashore. Michael went back to look for his brother, hut too late; the water had swept him away, and Michael never saw him again. William liad all their money on his person. All their provisions were also lost, and Michael was left alone among Indians, without money or food. Here he remained until by chance Mr. William Hood, of Santa Rosa, California, came to the Bantict river with pack animals, intending to make a road there. Lynn came up with this party to where McKinnon was, and stayed there a few days. When the train left again for Fort Alexander some time in August, both went with it until they reached the Chic- cotan river, about one hundred and twenty miles from the coast. There they took a contract for cutting wood, it heing too late to proceed to the mines. Here they formed a copartnership, to continue while they remained at the mines.
When they had completed their contract, Lynn went to the Bentict Arm, while Mckinnon remained with Alexander Mc- Donald, an old Hudson Bay trader. Their intention was to trade with the Indians, McDonald went down to the coast with his mules to meet the steamer, in order to get provisions and articles to trade with, while Mckinnon remained on the place. The steamer not being in, he was detained fourteen days, during which period snow fell so that he could not return for some time, and Mckinnon was left alone for about three months, with no white men nearer than sixty miles. The Indians got the small-pox and died hy thousands. Being superstitious, they conceived the white man to be an evil spirit, and acted in a strange and deceitful manner, with murder in their faces. One day they came and told him that the other tribe had killed Robert McCloud, his nearest neighhor, sixty miles distant, which afterward proved to he true. Mckinnon was in danger of his life, and he knew it ; hut there was no help. The snow was seven feet deep; he could not walk on snow-shoes, and to attempt
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it would be death, as the Indians would follow and kill him. At this time he never expected to see a white man again. One day, when they were the worst, he happened to find a Catholic prayer-hook belonging to McDonald, who was a Catholic. While looking it over he turned to the picture of the Saviour on the cross. The Indians saw it and commenced to cross them- selves. At once he saw his advantage. They took him for a priest. As there were many dying, there were many hurials, at which he had to officiate, and, he confesses, in a very awkward manner, heing himself a Protestant. The French priest who went there with the Hudson Bay Company, had taught tbe Indians. It saved his life.
McDonald returned and all was well. Once after this he had a narrow escape with his life from the Indians; at another time he was chased by wolves to the shore of the lake, where, finding a raft, he jumped aboard and pushed it out. Being tired out, he spread his blankets and went to sleep, and did not awaken until the sun was shining the next morning. It being a dangerous place to live in, he bade McDonald good-bye and left with his partner Lynn for the Cariboo mines. On his way thither he received news of the death of his mother. The fol- lowing year, McDonald, with eleven others, was killed by the same Indians.
They arrived at the mines in September, 1863. Like most of the miners they had high expectations and small returns, or, in other words, they did not make a " big strike." What they did make was from the shoulder at hard work.
They remained at the mines until the fall of 1865, when they left with the intention of going home to Canada. They arrived at San Francisco on the 1st of November, and put up at the What Cheer House. The next day they secured passage on the steamer to sail on the 13th of the same month. On the morning of that day the What Cheer bank was robbed, and they lost all they had. Woodward was the proprietor, and he refused to make the loss good. They appealed to the Jaw, and beat him in the Twelfth District Court. He carried it up and kept them out of it for two years.
They remained in the city for two months, when MeKinnon was taken sick. Lynn and he then dissolved partnership, the former going to the mines. Mckinnon remained in the city till May 5, 1866, when he went to Santa Clara, stopping at Cameron's botel. After paying his bill the next morning, he had but fifty cents left. At that time breakfast was fifty cents and dinner seventy-five cents. He could not get his dinner. He made up his mind that he must go to work at once. After breakfast he struck out towards Alviso, came across an old farmer mend- ing his reaper, bade him good-day and asked for work. The farmer looked at him and saw he had a gold watch and ring. His face and hands looked delicate after being sick all winter. The farmer evidently took him for a gambler or some other scoundrel. Mckinnon read his thoughts. Being the first time in his life that he had to work for another, it hurt him. He
went back to town, got his mining suit and blanket, and started out the second time. He had traveled a mile when a man hailed him and asked him if he wanted work. He said that was what he was looking for. He worked for this man only half a day, when his work was done. He engaged with another party at higher wages. Having a thorough knowledge of farming and farming machinery, he had no trouble in picking his place in harvest. He ran a separator for Jonas Statler.
After harvest, he rented Mr. Statler's farm on the Lexington road. He finished seeding on the 26th of February, 1867, and on the 5th of March was on board steamer, bound for his old home in Canada. He arrived at Toronto on the 29th of March. His oldest brother and sister were married; many of the young people he was acquainted with were gone or married! Mother was gone! The old home had lost its charms for him.
He sold his place and left for California with his youngest brother Anthony, in May. They arrived in Santa Clara in time to harvest his crop. He made well on it, proving that farmers could make money faster and surer than any other class in California, and that if they would only apply the same dili- gence, forethought, and study as others do in business, they would be the wealthiest men in the State.
After harvest D. MeKinuon, went to Monterey county in search of land. He was favorably impressed with it for farm- ing purposes, returned to Santa Clara, and with his brother moved to Monterey county on the 18th of October, 1867, rent- ing land from J. M. Soto, it being part of the "Santa Rita Rancho." They continued to farm that and a part of the San- sal rancho until 1874.
In this year they bought eleven hundred acres of the Sausal rancho, paying sixty thousand dollars for it; and afterwards two hundred acres of the Natividad ranch. In March, 1876, he made one more trip to his native home, and returned to Cal- ifornia in June.
January 1, 1877, Duncan Mckinnon was married to Miss Alice Maud Hebbron, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Hebhron, of Natividad, Monterey county, formerly of London, England. Mr. Hebbron is at present a prominent stockholder in Monterey county. (On the same day and at the same place, his eldest daughter, Miss Ida C., was married to Mr. J. M. Walker, of Canada.)
Mr and Mrs. McKinnon have one child, horn December 6, 1877, named Duncan Florent MeKinnon, and one born May 12, 1880, named William Elmer Mckinnon.
Duncan Mckinnon bought out his brother in January, 1881, and is now farming thirteen hundred acres, as level as the sea, heautifully located within two and one-half miles of Salinas City, the county seat, and ten miles from Moss Landing. They have the most improved machinery on it, and are among the first farmers of the county. Anthony Mckinnon is now living in Walla Walla, Washington Territory.
Blographical Notices are continued elsewhere.
PHOTO. J. REDWAY
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PERSONAL AND HISTORICAL REMINISCENCES
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SAN BENITO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
-BY A PIONEER.
A Few Introductory Words.
WHEN the first Napoleon was fighting under the shadows of the Egyptian pyramids, he feared that there was nothing, either in his presence, or the history of his past achievements, to inspire his soldiers with enthusiasm, and believing that inspiration was as necessary to the French soldier, as gun- powder or the bayonet, he appealed to his army in that memor- able phrase, " Soldiers of France, remember that centuries are now looking down upon you!" And yet, the comparatively obscure general was then dreaming of the day, when he hoped to be, as he afterwards described his great adversary, the Iron Duke, as " too great a man to be a subject."
So it is, in some respects, with San Benito county.
As one of the political sub-divisions of the great State of Cal- ifornia, San Benito county is too young in years, and her nat- ural resources are in too undeveloped a condition to have such a history, that could pretend to interest the casual reader, or be a source of much gratified pride to her own citizens. But her citizens may with pardonable pride, and without making too much of a discount on the future, look forward, to the not greatly distant day, when their county will take rank with some of her more forward sisters. Her rivers tecm with min- eral wealth, yet undeveloped, her hills and valleys yield abun- lantly in pastoral and agricultural remuneration. Nature has done for us her part generously and well; all that is required in addition, is time and well-directed energy to make the county blossom as the rose, and abundantly reward the worker with mineral and agricultural wealth. And if this be not enough he may appeal to the fact that the soil of his county is one of the battle grounds whereon civilization first met barbarism, and conquered it.
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