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 28
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This appeal met with a ready response. Soon a cavalry squadron of five or six hundred men rendezvoused on the Salinas plains near Natividad.
FREMONT RETIRES TO GABILAN PEAK.
Matters began to look serious, and Captain Fremont con- cluded to retire, at his leisure however, but to leave nothing undone to make an available defense if attacked. He accord- ingly ahandoned the Mission of San Juan, and led his company, with their horses, provisions, and such munitions of war as he had, up the steep acclivities leading to the Gahilan, or Fre- mont's peak as it is oftener and more appropriately called, which overlooks the towns of Hollister and San Juan. He there camped, erected a flag-staff, and unfurled the Stars and Stripes, and calmly awaited the attack. But the attack was not delivered; Castro manœuvred his command, deployed his skirmishers, and exhibited a variety of " high fantastic military tricks " at the foot of the Gahilan mountains. He issued hourly proclamations and hulletins, relating to the ruthless invad- ers, and fixing the exact hour at which he would give the com- mand to charge (due notice of which was always imparted to the little hand hehind their improvised rampart on the hill). But as often as the command to charge was given, the courage of the soldier, like that of Boh Acres, oozed out at his fingers' end, or elsewhere.
GENERAL CASTRO DECLINES TO FIOHT.
Finding that something more than the " pomp and circum- stance of war" was necessary to dislodge the enemy, hut hav-
ing no other resources at his command, the General concluded to withdraw his forces. But heing somewhat careful of his reputation as a military man, he issued another hulletin, osten- sihly to Fremont, hut. really to his own command.
This hulletin was to the effect that the General and his sol- diers were anxious to fight, and to shed their blood, but that they were not disposed to elimb the mountains to do so. The hulle- tin concluded with the challenge: " Salganse al plan, yo no soy cierbo-come down to the plain, I am not an elk;" meaning that it was uot convenient for him to follow his enemy to the mountain retreat.
SPOT WHERE FIRST FLAG WAS RAISED.
The spot where Captain Fremont halted his company, and raised the flag, is on the San Benito side of the division line between Monterey and San Benito counties; and the prominent peak which rises just above the spot, is to-day hetter known as Fremont's peak than as the Gahilan peak, as it was called hy the Californians. And so it is that San Benito county claims, with justice, that her soil supported the first American flag of con- quest that was ever unfurled to a California brecze. It is to be borne in mind that Commodore Sloat did not raise the Amer- ican flag over Monterey until July 10, 1846 ; and that the famous " Bear Flag," which was American in sentiment if not in design, was not raised by Ide at Sonoma, until June of the same year .* . It is not necessary to follow the subject farther, except for the purpose of getting Fremont out of his unpleasant predica- ment. Finding that Castro had dismissed his men to San Juan and Monterey, possibly on furlough to recuperate after the arduous campaign, and heing satisfied that the " battle " would not be fought, Fremont determined to retire towards the Ore- gon line, there to await further developments. With this end in view, he struck camp and leisurely followed the summit of the Gabilan range, at no point descending to the valleys, until he reached the Cholon, now known as Bear valley, in San Benito county. From thence he struck to the north, passiug through the " Big Panoche" valley to the San Joaquin, where he was tarrying when the "stirring news," that he had been expecting, reached him, that the United States had declared war against Mexico, and that he was to seize and hold Califor- nia, with all the resources at his command.
The subsequent events relating to the conquest of California are part of the military and political history of this State, and they will not he again referred to in this sketch, unless the shifting scenes should exhibit the characters on the soil of San Benito county.
CHARACTER OF GENERAL CASTRO,
Before leaving this branch of the subject, however, I desire to do justice to the memory of Goneral Don Jose Castro, Mili-
* More fully explained it " Gouoral History," pago 45.
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THE TOWN OF SAN JUAN-ITS DECADENCE.
tary Commandant of Upper California in the year 1846. The reader may have got the impression from the foregoing remarks, that General Castro was lacking in physical courage. Sueb was not the case. He was a brave, hospitable and courteous gentleman, as the writer of this, and many others who are still living in this and Monterey county, ean testify from their personal knowledge and acquaintance with him.
No one will, when acquainted with the character and condi- tion of the opposing forces at the Gabilan, deny that Castro manifested commendable judgment and diseretion in declining to attack Fremont.
Fremont's command was composed of brave, bardy pioneers, every one of them trained Indian fighters-Kit Carson being of the number. These facts were well known to Castro, whose force, though numerically greater than Fremont's, by five to one, eould in no sense be called soldiers. It was composed of native Californians from the adjoining towns and neighboring ranebos. Tbeir weapons wero the riata and a lance with a long staff. About fifty stand of the antiquated flint-lock mus- ket, wbieli was, as a rule, more fatal in its effects to him who discharged it than to the enemy, by reason of its recoil, were also at hand. But I bave been informed by a native Californian, who claims to have been of Castro's party, that the officer at Monterey wbo filled Castro's requisition for arms and ammu- nition, promptly forwarded the flint-locks, but forgot the gun- powder. Be that as it may, actuated either hy fear that the guns might be captured by tbe Americans, or perhaps indignant at the quarter-master's oversight, the General ordered the guns pitched into the Stokes lagoon, and there they remain to this day, as my informant says.
General Castro manifested his patriotism by deelining to for- swear his allegiance to the Mexican Government, as he might have done under the provisions of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. As soon as California was officially recognized as American territory, he removed to Sonora, and was there bon- ored hy his Government with the position of Military Governor of that territory. He died tbere by the hand of violence while in the performance of his official duties.
GENERAL CASTRO'S HOSPITABLE NATURE.
The reader is asked to judge for himself, as to the General's hospitable nature, when be is informed of a circumstance that oceurred at San Juan in the year 1848. A family of immi- grants-part of the Donner party-came to San Juan early in the year 1848, seeking for a place to locate. They were witb- out sbelter or provisions, or the means of procuring tbem. As soon as the faet became known to General Castro, he vacated his own house, which was the best in the town, and insisted upon the immigrants taking possession until they could make other provision, and this without pay or any expectation of reward.
To fully appreciate this generous aet, it should be borne in
mind that General Castro was one of tbe inost uncompromising opponents of the invaders, and American aggression, as he understood it. In the field as a soldier, and in the ayuntamiento as a prefeet, he was one of the foremost men of his time. He received the heaviest blows, and sustained tbe mnost humiliating defeats from the invaders. And when peace was proclaimed, so bitter was his feeling that he, and another man of his name, were the solitary exceptions among all the Mexican subjeets in California who, by a positive act and declaration, deelined the proffer of American citizenship.
Under these eireumstances, it must have been a heart full of generous impulses and kind feelings that eould prompt the man to pity the unfortunates of the alien, hated race, and so nobly minister to their wants. The writer of this was a member of that suecored family, and he will always bear in kind remem- branee the name of General Don Jose Castro.
Modern San Juan.
THE town of San Juan is sometimes designated by the appel- lation South, in order to distinguish it from a town of the same name in Nevada county, in this State. This designation is unnecessary and improper. The two towns are officially known as San Juan and Nortb San Juan ; they are so desig- nated in the post-office directory. If the mission is to be honored with a prefix, or suffix, it should be either San Juan Bautista, or San Juan Mission, the names it received from its founders, the Franciscan Friars.
It has already been remarked that San Juan has, to a very considerable degree, survived its days of prosperity. Its deea- dence is not attributable to a lack of natural advantages, but rather to artificial eauses. The railroad is indireetly tbe cause of its lack of business and prosperity. Had the line of the Southern Pacific Railroad not diverged from its projected and surveyed route, in order to reach tbe rich and never-failing Pajaro valley, San Juan would to-day be one of the prosperous towns of eentral California.
It bas advantages, botb as to site and surroundings, that few towns in California can boast of. The founders of tbe California missions manifested rare judgment and taste in loeating tbe missions. In this respect they made but one mis- take, and that was when they located San Franeiseo near tbe beach, instead of at the Mission Dolores, whither it was subse- quently removed.
SAN JUAN ADMIRABLY SITUATED.
The town of San Juan nestles on a inesa or plateau at the foot of a chain of mountains by whieb it is completely sur- rounded, the only break in this ebain being made by the San
138
PIONEER SETTLERS AND FARMERS OF SAN JUAN.
Benito river for an entrance to, and exit from, the valley. The town overlooks every acre of the surrounding valley, the soil whereof is of the richest and most productive character. The prospect from any point on the surrounding chain of mountains is most charming. General W. T. Sherman (who was at the time a company Lientenant stationed at Monterey) gives in his recently published memoirs the impressions of his first visit to San Juan as follows :-
" We staid at Gomez's that night, sleeping, as all did, on the ground, and the next morning we crossed the hill by the bridle path to the old Mission of San Juan Bautista. The mission was in a beautiful valley, very level and bounded on all sides by hills. The plain was covered by wild grasses and mustard, and had abundant water. Cattle and horses were seen in all direc- tions, and it was manifest that the priests who first occupied the country, were good judges of land. It was Sunday, and all the people, about a hundred, had come to church from the country round about.
" Ord was somewhat of a Catholic, and entered the church with his clanking spurs, and kneeled down, attracting the attention of all, for he had on the uniform of an American officer. As soon as church was ont, all rushed to the various sports. . . . The Mission of Sau Juan bore the marks of high prosperity at a former period, and had a good pear orchard under the plateau where stood the church."
PIONEERS OF SAN JUAN.
The English-speaking pioneers in business at San Juan were Judge Beche, late County Judge of San Luis Obispo county ; McMahon & Griffin, and Daniel Harris, merchants.
Judge W. E. Lovett, well-known in San Benito county, and now assistant United States District Attorney in San Fran- cisco, was, I believe, the first to open a law office. The first hotel was opened by Patrick Breen early in the year 1849. The regular charge for entertaining a man and his beast over night was five dollars, and this was considered to be a wonder- fully low price.
A FAMOUS HOTEL.
The " Inn," as it was called, and as was proclaimed by the words painted on the half-head of a barrel swung from the eaves of the building, was a famous caravansary in the early days. The opening of the hotel was hardly a matter of choice with the proprietor. Soon after the discovery of gold at Sut- ter's Fort in 1848, the tide of emigration began to flow in a steady stream from Monterey (at that time the social and com- mercial center of California) and from all points in southern California and Mexico to the New El Dorado, the "gold dig- gins." San Juan heing a day's journey from Monterey, and a natural stopping-place for all travelers on that highway, and
Mr. Breen and his family heing the only English-speaking people in the town, it was to be expected that those who were not provided with means to camp, (and that was the condition of a majority of the travelers) would ask for entertainment wherever it could be had. At first, no charge was made, but in time, it became, not a matter of entertaining an occasional traveler, but the stream of gold-hunters and curiosity-seekers grew, aud swelled, and jostled each other on the road, like the atoms that go to make up the volumes of a river as it rushes to the sea.
This stream of human life was striking and characteristic. Although the population of California was not then as cosmo- politan as it is now, still it was sufficiently so to illustrate in a striking manner, that the pursuit (not the possession) of gold, is next to death, the great equalizer,-the great leveler of all distinctions.
The commissioned officer found his right of way disregarded, or contested by the private soldier, who the day before would not have presumed to meet him withont a "salute," the peon and the moso, ignored the presence of the amo, in whose presence they would uot have darerl to stand with covered head before the hegira hegan.
The officer's straps and spurs, the private's regulation cap and trousers, the caballero's silver-mounted calsoncros and vicunia hat, the vaquero's broad-brimmed sombrero and jingling spurs, and the Sonoranian's sandaled feet were commingled, and for the time being failed to indicate the wenrer's position in the social scale. Under such circumstances the opening of the "Inn" became quite as much a matter of self-protection, as it was an accommodation to the public and a profit to the proprietor.
The "Inn " at once established for itself a reputation as a " first-class house." Perhaps the fact that it was the only pub- lic house in that section of country, had something to do with establishing its reputation. Be that as it may, guests were often heard to express astonishment that they should be so well entertained in what was then esteemed a wilderness, as far as the common comforts of life were concerned. There was at no time a lack of patronage, but there was often a scarcity of accommodation for the guests. This condition of things lastedl until 1850-51, when the gold fever having meas- urahly subsided, many of the newcomers began to turn their attention to other industries besides digging for gold. Black- smiths, wheelwrights, and carpenters who could earn from fifteen to twenty dollars a day were satisfied to stick to their trades.
PIONEER SETTLERS AND FARMERS.
The choicest pieces of land in the lower end of San Juan val- ley was subject to pre-emption, and unoccenpied save by the herds of cattle that roamed over it at will. Practical farmers soon availed themselves of the bounty of the Government. Amoug the first to settle in San Juan valley, as cultivators of
10
RANCH AND RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM NOBLE.
NEAR HOLLISTER SAN BENITO CO. CAL.
139
BUSINESS HOUSES AND SCHOOLS OF SAN JUAN.
the soil, were John Salthouse, William Preseott, Mr. Edinund- son, R. W. Canfield, Silas Twitchell, and John Breen. With the exception of Mr. Edmundson, all the above named, or their descendants, are still living where they first located. From this time forward San Juan grew in business and prosperity until the advent of the railroad, when it began to deeline as already mentioned.
But the reader must not infer that San Juan is a dead town. It has had to contend with many difficulties, but there is still vitality enough to support a population of four or five hundred persons, and its enterprising eitizens hope for better things, if not for the return of the haleyon days.
BUSINESS HOUSES OF SAN JUAN.
The business of San Juan in the various departments and industries is represented by the following: Dr. C. G. Cargill, a graduate in medieine of " old Dartmouth," is proprietor of a well appointed drug-store, in connection with which he prae- tices his profession with marked sueeess. He is likewise post- inaster and agent for Wells, Fargo & Co's. express.
Mark Regan is a mail contractor, and proprietor of the San Juan, Hollister, and Sargent's Station line of stages. The people of San Juan are indebted to Mr. Regan more than to any other person in the town for their excellent mail service, and for the regular and close connections they can make with the daily trains running north and south.
E. W. Bowman & Sons conduet a blacksmith and wheel- wright business. This firm is composed of E. W. Bowman the father, and C. E. Bowman, W. E. Bowman, and W. H. Bow- man, sons, all skilled mechanies. They have established for themselves the reputation of being able to manufacture vehi- eles that will withstand for a series of years the trying and drying elimate of the upper San Joaquin valley; and any one who has ever had occasion to drive over that valley in the suminer-time, need not be told that this is a erueial test of a wagon. W. H. Bowman, the painter and varnisher of the firm, is more than a painter, he is, though a young man, an artist of promise. Some of his " small pieces " are said by judges to show marked ability.
J. R. Allen is a blacksmith and horseshoer.
John Nagle does the house and sign-painting. and paper- hanging for the eitizens.
Joseph Bowie, F. A. Bacher, M. Gardella, M. Filouchean, and B. Samit are the merebants of the town.
The " Plaza " and " National " hotels are respectively kept by A. Camours, and George Pullen.
John Anderson, tinsmith, stoves, and hardware.
Angelo Zanetta, livery stable.
J. Breithbarth and H. Beger, keep boot and shoe stores.
S. Durin is a gun and loeksmith and a pioneer, having established himself there in 1851.
J. G. Beutler is proprietor of a well-conducted brewery.
V. Gerbet manufactures native wines and brandies of a superior quality from grapes which grow in his vineyard in tbe town.
James Stanley keeps a saddle and harness shop. Jean Lacoste keeps a bakery and fruit store.
C. Quersin is proprietor of the " French restaurant."
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
The publie sehool has an average daily attendanee of one hundred pupils, and is efficiently and satisfactorily eon- ducted by Mr. W. H. Househ, principal, and Miss Houselı, and Miss Pierpont assistants. The school building is one of the best construeted and most conveniently arranged publie school-houses in the county.
St. John's Orphan Asylum is conducted by the Sisters of the order of the Immaculate Conception. The sisters likewise eon- (luet a day school for girls, but no " boarders " are received for tuition at the institution uuless they be orpbans or abandoned children. The sisters oeeupy a three-story briek building sur- rounded by spacious and well-improved grounds. At the pres- ent time the sisters have under their charge thirty-five orphans and abandoned ebildren, ranging in age from two to twelve years. Sister Carmen Argelaga, a native of Spain, is the superior and lady in charge of the asylum; she has with her a corps of eigbt assistants, all of the same order, to eare for the little ones.
The churches are, the Catholie, Rev. V. Closa parish priest, and the Congregational, Rev. L. H. Mead pastor.
The benevolent societies and orders are the following :-- F. & A. M .- Texas Lodge, No. 46, Thomas Flint, W. M. Eastern Star-Ceanothus Chapter, No. 45, M. A. Flint, W. Matron.
I. O. O. F .- San Benito Lodge, No. 159, E. W. Bowman, N. G.
Good Templars-San Juan Lodge, No. 134, Mrs. E. L. Baker, W. C. T.
SAN JUAN AS A MILITARY POST.
During the last days of the war of the Rebellion, two out- laws named Mason and Henry, who elaimed to be ex-Confed- erate soldiers, but who were, in faet, freebooters of the most unmitigated kind, took it into their heads to make war on the peaceable stoek.men of the Panoche valley, and the San Benito and Tres Pinos country.
Their favorite range was from the New Idria Mines down the Panoche valley to where the town of Tres Pinos now stands, and tbence up the Bitter Water and San Benito val- leys to the headwaters of the San Benito river. They boasted of several atrocious murders; but their favorite pastime was to cut off' and slit the ears of such persons as they disliked.
140
PRIVATE LAND GRANTS IN SAN BENITO COUNTY.
Knowing that at the time feeling was running high between the two contending parties, they shrewdly proclaimed (hoping thereby to gain sympatby) that they were trying to recruit a company of soldiers for the Confederacy. This ruse did not succeed. But there was no cessation of "hostilities, " on the part of the marauders; they continued to rob and plnnder at will. The civil anthorities were powerless to repress this law- lessness. The whole country south and east of San Juan was terrorized; the settlers and stock-men were compelled to seek refuge at San Juan, leaving their homes and flocks unprotected. Owing to this lawless condition, and to the vague rumors of attempts " to take California out of the Union," that were then frequently in circulation, the authorities determined to establishı a military post in some part of Monterey county, as a measure of precantion against any possible attempt at secession, andl to assist in repressing individual and unauthorized acts of violence.
San Juan was selected as the post. The National Hotel was hired by the Government to be used as a barracks; stores were accumulated, the post was named Camp Low, in honor of the then chief State executive officer of California ; and in the month of December, 1864, three military companies-two of infantry and one of cavalry-under the command of Major J. C. Cre- mony, marched into the town and bivouacked on the plaza. Thereafter San Juan put on " military airs." The reveille com- peted with the angelus; " dress parade " was a thing of daily occurrence on the plaza, and the " guard-house " never went beg- ging for a tenant. In the month of April, 1865, two or three of San Juan's citizens were guilty of some " indiscretion "-rejoic- ing at the death of President Lincoln, I believe. For this act they were arrested by order of the commander of the post, and incarcerated in the guard-house. The habeas corpus act being at the time inoperative in California, and these mirthful gen- tlemen having some business on the outside which required tbeir attention, they unceremoniously departed through a back window of the guard-house. The noise made by one of the pris- oners in dragging his chain after him aronsed the sentry, who was enjoying tbe " sweetest sleep of the night just before day-break." The alarm was given, the "long roll " was sounded on the bugles, the whole garrison was under arms in a minute, and detachments of soldiers scoured the country, and demanded admittance to every suspected house, in the prosecution of the search for the fugitives. But they were not found. While proscenting the search for the fugitives in the mountains, Lien- tenant Lafferty and a squad of cavalry came upon Mason and Henry; shots were exchanged, and a running fight was kept np for several miles; but the outlaws escaped to the mount- ains.
Soon after this, Major Cremony's command was ordered to Arizona to fight the Indians.
Mason and Henry were subsequently followed to Los Angeles connty by a company of United States Voluutcers, under com- mand of Captain Mellroy, of Paicines township, in this county,
and killed while resisting arrest. And so peace came once more to San Juan and the people in its vicinity.
PRIVATE LAND GRANTS.
The following is a statement of private land grants in San Benito county, with the names of the confirmees, date of grant, and the number of acres in each :-
Aromitos y Agua Caliente; F. A. MacDougall, et al., con- firmees; granted in 1835 ; 8,659 acres.
Ansaymas y San Felipe; F. P .. Pacheco, confirmee ; granted in 1833; 11,744 acres.
Bolsa de San Felipe; F. P. Pacheco, confirmee; granted in 1840; 6,795 acres.
Los Carneros; F. A. MacDougall, et al., confirmees; granted in 1842; 236 acres. (This rancho is partly situated in Monte- rey county.)
Cienega del Gabilan; J. D. Carr, confirmee; granted in 1843; 21,874 acres. ('This rancho is partly sitnated in Monterey county.)
Cienega de los Paicines ; A. Castro, et ul., confirmces; granted in 1842; 8,917 acres.
Llano del Tequisquite; granted in 1835; heirs of Sanchez, confirmees ; 16,016 aeres.
Lomerias Muertas; heirs of Sanchez, confirmees; granted in 1842; 6,660 acres.
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