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 6
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The free trappers were paid ten shillings sterling for a prime beaver skin, while the Indians received a moderate compensation for their services.
The outfits and portions of their food were purchased from the company.
HUDSON BAY COMPANY.
The Hudson Bay Company employed about ninety or one Inındred 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 1841, the com- pany bought 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 snieide in 1845. His death, and the scarcity of beaver and otter, caused the company to wind up their agency and business in the territory.
FIRST ENGLISH HISTORIAN OF CALIFORNIA.
Mr. Forbes was for a long series of years the British consul at San Francisco, and by his genial manners, superior culture, and finished education, made a record which places him among the noted men of the State. This gentleman now resides in Oakland; aud, although seventy-five years of age, his faculties are as strong as ever. His memory is wonderful, and this power of retention, with the vast fund of knowledge possessed, has been of great service to the historian. He has the honor of being the first English historian of California, his " California," published in London in 1839, being written in Mexico four years previous to the date of its publication.
1832. - In 1832 came 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 flag than any other man.
1833 .- James Peace, a Scotchnan, came into the country in 1833, having left a ship of the Hudson Bay Company He was of a somewhat roviny disposition, and became ac- 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 lumberman in the San Mateo redwoods, as he was whip-sawing lumber there long before the Mexican war, during which he was taken prisoner and conveyed to Mexico.
FIRST AMERN'AX RESIDENTS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
1835. - William A. Richardson moved from Saucelito to Yerba Buena (San Francisco), opened a store, and began trad- ing in hides and tallow in the summer of 1835.
Jacob P. Leese, for a number of years a resident of Los Angeles, in July, 1836, built a store in Yerba Buena. He had previously met 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 EMNIRATION 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 emigrants journeyed across the rocky and snowy mountains, enduring toils and hardships indescribable, to settle in California and Oregon.
32
SETTLERS ORDERED TO LEAVE CALIFORNIA
Others enme by the way of Mexico or Cape Horn, and soon the valleys of the northern rivers were peupled by American agriculturists; and the southern and coast 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 population.
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 time unmerons 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 ediets into excention.
FIRST SAW-MILL ERECTED.
1833 .- Isaac Graham came from Hardin county, Kentucky, to C'alifornia, in 1833. Ile settled near Monterey, and his name is intimately associated with Santa Cruz and vicinity.
It is said that he erected on the San Lorenzo, somewhere in the neighborhood of where the powder works now are, the first saw-mill in California.
Early in life he went to New Mexico, and Benjamin D). Wilson met Hi 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 Hee that State to escape the consequences of some offense be had committed.
EARLY DISTILLERY IN MONTERKY.
He reached Los Angeles in company with Henry Naile about 1835, and remained there until the following year, when he removed to the " Natividad." Monterey county, and (according to Mr. Wilson) " established a small distillery in a tule hint, which soon became a nuisance owing to the disrepu- table character of those who frequented it."
Graham was a brave and adventurous man, a thorough frontiersman, at home with his rifle in his hand, and this had become known to the native California officials in Monterrey.
When. in 1836, Juan 1. Alvarado, a snkordinate customs officer, was plotting revolution and contemplated the expulsion of Governor Guiterres, he came to Graham and sought his ! assistance, and that of the foreigners who neted with him in the matter.
INDEPENDENCE OF MEXICO CONTEMPLATED
And 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- ment of the promise of independence of Mexico.
But Mexico, instead of punishing Alvarado, proposes to con- firm him in his nsurped authority. Alvarado, pleased and flattered by this, quickly breaks his promise to Graham.
But in 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 DE FLARED.
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 ont secretly to all the Alcaldes in this part 1 of the country simultaneously, on a certain night to arrest foreigners and bring them to Monterey. Jose Castro himself "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 (fraham him- . If, discharged a pair of pistols aimed at his heart, the muzzle touching his cloak, which he haul hastily thrown over his shoulders
This assassin was amazingly surprised afterwards on 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 lowled. and that it was that saved Isaac Graham from instant death.
He was however hurried to Monterey, and placed in confini- ment, as also were other foreigners, arrested on that same night.
What followedl 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 nul lost time.
We quote from an unpublished manuscript, which Rev. S. 11. Willey obtained in Monterey, in ISE !;-
APPEAL TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
"To his Excellency, John Tyler, President of the United States; " On the morning of the sovouth of April, one thousand eight Inundred and forty, we, your petitioners, citizens of the United States of North Amerien, and umy more of our country men, together with several of HI. B. M. subjects, engaged in business
On condition that all connection with Mexico should be severed, and that California should become independent, the in Monterey and its vicinity, were, without any just cause or assistance of Graham and others was promised.
provocation mest illegally seized, taken from our lawful oven-
S. F. PUBLIC LIBRARY
.
WWW. ELLIOTT &CD WITH 100 LEIDESDORF ST SF CAL
MOUNTAIN VIEW RANCH, AND RES.OF D. M"
NNON, SALINAS CITY, MONTEREY CO.CAL.
I. M
33
CAPTURE AND IMPRISONMENT OF SETTLERS.
pation, (many being married to natives of the country), and incarecrated in a loathsome prison in Monterey. The number was subsequently increased by the arrival of others for the space of some ten or twelve days. No warrant or eivil process was either read or shown them (at the time of their seizure) nor has the Government of California coneeded to this present day in any official manner, why or wherefore that our persons were thus seized, our property taken from us, what erime we had committed, and why transported like so many criminals to a province of Mexico.
" The perpetrators of this most outrageous action against the 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 undersigns have licard and firmly believe), of his Excelleney, Don Juan Bautista Alvarado, Governor of the two Californias. " Some of us were mareled ou foot to prison, some foreed to go on their own animals, and, on their arrival at the prison door, said 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 and offensive, thereby endangering onr health, at times. One had to stand while another slept, and during the first three days not a mouthful of 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 conseience to acknowledge that he assisted us not only in fooil, but in what other necessaries we at the time stood in need of and what was allowed to be introduced; some of us were taken out of prison from time to time and 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 occupation 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- acled 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 iron bar, and in that condition put into the hold of said vessel all 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 canse being assigned, why or wherefore.
" On arriving at Santa Barbara, we were landed and taken some distance; three of us in irons were put into an ox-cart, the remainder on foot; among the latter some were chained in pairs, in consequence reached the prison with much difficulty. Here we were put into a room without light or means of air entering only through a small hole in the roof. For th: first twenty-four hours we were not allowed food or water, although we had been some time walking in a warm sun. One of the prisoners became so completely prostrated, that for some 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 much difficulty, obtained admittance to the sufferer. By his ' influence and some Americans in the place, food and water were at last sent us.
VIEW OF MONTEREY IN 1846.
" In Santa Barbara our number was increased by the addition , of more of our countrymen; svine of those brought from Mon- terey were dischargel and received passports to returu; the remainder were marched to the beach, again put in the hold of at vessel (in irons), and in this manner taken to the port of San Blas, lauded, and from thence, iu the midsummer of a tropical climate, marched on foot sixty miles to the city of Tepic, 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 dlay 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 hall on; and not once during our said imprisonment in Monterey, althoughi in a filthy and emaciated condition, per- mitted to shave or wash ourselves.
" When in prison, in the hold of the vessel, and on our marehi, we were frequently threatened, prickel and struck with swords by the subaltern officers of the Mexican Gov- ernment
34
SETTLERS RELEASED AND INDEMNIFIED.
SUFFERINGS 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 exhaustedl by the heat and dust, surpass our power of description, and none but those who were with us can 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 caused death to some, and rendered unhealthy for life, others of our companions.
" Up to this time the undersigned sufferers, as aforsaid, have receiveil no redress of their wrongs and losses sustained, nor have they been so much as allowed common facilities for prov- ing accounts and establishing just claims, several of the Alcaldes of California having positively refused to examine claims or take testimony against the Government, or to otherwise and 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 periols, 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 tvo short to effect any good. The Governor's promise, orally, made by a deputy to Captain Anlick, 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 Alcables, not. to listen to the complaints of Americans, i. e., citizens of the United States.
" In conclusion, we beg leave toadd that our grievances huve not heen a little heightened by the apparent negleet of our native country. The Government of the United States, so far as we are apprised nie 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 un H M, subjects.
" We, the undersigned, citizens of the United States, aforesaid, were minung the prisoners, some of us to the Inst duy, and have uever given provocation to the Mexican Goverment for anch ernel treatment, nor do we know of my given by our compan ious, and respectfully submit to your notice, the foregoing statement of fuets, 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 seeure to us indeumity l'or 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,
" CHARLES BROWN,
AMBROSE Z. TOMILSON,
HENRY NAILE.
" Monterey, Upper California, the 9th of November, 1842."
Two years later these persons were returned to Califo nia, the charges not having been proven; and Mexico was obliged to pay them a heavy indenmity to avoid serions complication with the American Government. All these died several years agu.
It appears that after Alvara to, Castro and company, had got their drended company of foreigners in confinement on board a vessel ready to sail to Mexico, seven citizensof note, of Califor- nia, signed and ixsned the following proclamation, which is a enriosity in itself and illustrative of the men and the tiules ;---
A SPECIMEN PROCLAMATION,
' PROCLAMATION MADE BY THE UNDERSIGNED.
" Eternal Glory to the Instrious Clmummpion and Liberator of the Department of Alta California, Don Jose Castro, the Guardian of Order, and the Suporter of our Superior (Ex- ernment.
" Fellow-Citizens and Friends: Today, the eighth of May. of the present year of 1840, has born and will be eternally glo- rions to all the inhabitants of this soil, in contemplating the glorious expedition of our fellow-countryman. Don low Castro who goes to present himself before the Superior Government of the Mexican nation, carrying with him a number of suspi- ciou- Americans, who, un ler the mask of doesit, and filled with ambition, were warping ns in the web of misfortune ; plunging us into the greatest confusion an I danger ; desiring to terminate the life of our Governor and of all his subalterns; and, finally. to drive us from our asyhumos; from our country ; from our pleasures, and from our hearthis.
"The bark which carries this valorous here on his grand commission goes filled with laurels and crowned with triumphs plaughing the waves nud publishing in distinct voiees to the passing billows the load viens and rejoicing, which will resound to the remotest boundsof the universe. Yes, fellow .citizens aul friends, again we say, that this glorious Chief should have u place in the innermost recesses of our hearts, and be held is dear to us as our very breath. Thus we desire, and in the name of ull the inhabitants, make known the great rejseing. with which we are filled, giving, at the same time, to our Superior Government the present proclamation, which we make for stid worthy chief; and that our Governor may remmin satistie. 1, that
" WILLIAM HANCE,
RESIDENCE . SALINAS
CITY.
AL
COUNTRY RESIDENCE, OF P. ZABALA
ALISAL RANCHO. NEAR SALINAS CITY. MONTEREY COUNTY, SAL.
311809 .3.2
35
FIRST SETTLER IN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.
if he (Castro) has embarked for the interior of the Republic, there still remain under his (the Governor's) orders all his fel- low-conntrymen, companions in arms, etc., etc."
DISAPPOINTMENT AND HUMILIATION.
But a great disappointment awaited this heralded hero on his arrival in Mexico. I find the description of it in another manu. script, as follows :--
" Commandant Castro and his three or four official friends rode into Tepic in triumph, as they thought, and inquired for the house of the Governor. On their arrival at his Excellency'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 conduct to so many human beings. Castro was then ordered to the City of Mexico and tried for his life, Mr. Packenham, the English Minister, having every hope of his being sent a prisoner for life to the prison of San Juan de 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 Packenliam.
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 could, 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 and purebased the "Ranchos los Meganos" in 1837, of three square leagues of land, and settled upon it in the same year, and occupied it afterwards until his death, which occurred in 1856. The doctor lived in a small adobe honse 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 difficult now to conceive of a more lonely 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 carly emigrant parties made Dr. Marsh's ranch an object- ive point, as it was so easily sighted, being at the foot of Mouut 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 PULPUNES, NEAR ST. FRANCISCO, UPPER CALIFORNIA, 1842.
HON. LEWIS CASS-Dear Sir: Yon will probably be 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 men and things, the personal identity of ns both has probably been left. Yon will, I think, remember a youth whom you met at Green Bay in 1825, who, having left his Alma Mater, had spent a year or two in the " far, far West," and was then returning to his New England home, and whom you indneed to turn his face again toward the setting sun; that youth who, but for your influence, would probably now have been administering pills in some quiet Yankee village, is now a gray- haired man, breeding cattle and cultivating grape-vines
VIEW ON SAN JOAQUIN RIVER BY MOONLIGHT.
on the shores of the Pacific. Your benevolence prompted you to take an interest in the fortunes of that youth, and it is there- fore presumed you may not be unwilling to hear from him 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 junetion with the Gila, near the tide-water of Gulpb, and entered this territory at its southern part. Any more direct route was at that time unknown and considered impracticable.
FIRST SAN JOAQUIN RANCH.
I have now becu more than ten years in this country, and have traveled over all the inhabited and most of the uninhab- ited parts of it. I have resided eight years where I now live, near the Bay of San Francisco, and at the point where the
'This interesting letter ilescriptive of Callturniu did much to end pulite attention to this then unknown region. The lutter was written from the Marsh grant, nt the foot of Mount Diablo, In Contra Costa county.
36
IMPORTANT DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY.
rivers Sacramento and San Joaquin unite together to meet the tide-water of the bay, about forty miles from the ocean. I possess at this place a farm about ten miles by twelve in extent, one side of which borders on the river, which is navigable to this point for sea-going vessels. I have at last found the far West, and intend to end my ramblings here.
I perceive by the public papers that this region of country, including that immediately north of it, which until lately was the most completely a terra incognito of any portion of the globe, is at length attracting the attention of the United States and Europe. The world, at length, seems to have become awake to the natural advantages of California and Oregon, and it seems probable that at the same moment I am writing, their political destinies are about being settled, at least for a long time to comc. I mention the two countries together because I conceive the future destiny of this whole region to be one and inseparable. The natural conformation of the country strongly indicates it and a sympathy and fellow feeling in the inhabitants is taking place, which must soon bring about the consummation, Cali- fornia, as well as Oregon, is rapidly peopling with emigrants from the United States. Even the inhabitants of Spanish ori- gin, tired of anarchy and misrule, would be glad to come under the American Government.
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