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 8
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In September, 1839, the company reached Oregon, and so-
41
IMPORTANT PIONEER PARTY ARRIVE.
journed there during the winter of that year; but in May, 1840, a vessel arrived with missionaries from England, design- ing to tonel at California on her return. Mr. William Wiggins, now of Monterey, the narrator of this expedition, and his three companions from Missouri, among whom was David D. Dutton, at present a resident of Vacaville, Solano county, got on board.
The vessel put in at Bodega, where the Russians were. The Mexican commandant sent a party of soldiers to prevent then from landing. At this erisis, the Russian Governor ordered the Mexican soldiers to leave or be shot down. They then retired.
Here our travelers were at a stand-still, with no means of proceeding on their journey, or of finding their way ont of the inhospitable country ; they therefore penned the following com- munication to the American Consul, then at Monterey :-
PORT BODEGA, July 25, 1840. " To the American Consul of California-
"DEAR SIR :- We, the undersigned citizens of the United States, being desirous to land in the country, and having been refused a passport, and been opposed by the Government, we write to you, sir, for advice, and claim your protection. Being short of funds, we are not able to proceed further on the ship. We have concluded to land under the protection of the Rus- sians; we will remain there fifteen days, or until we receive an answer from you, which we hope will be as soon as the circum- stances of the case will permit. We have been refused a pass- port from General Vallejo. Our object is to get to the settle- inents, or to obtain a pass to return to our own country. Should we receive no relief, we will take np our arms and travel, con- sider ourselves in an enemy's country, and defend onrselves with onr guns.
" We subscribe ourselves, " Most respectfully, " DAVID DUTTON, "JOHN STEVENS, " PETER LASSEN,
WM. WIGGINS,
J. WRIGHT."
IMPORTANT PIONEER PARTY.
1841 .- May 8, a party of thirty-six persons left Independence, Missouri, bound to California. They passed near Salt Lake to Carson river, and then to the main channel of Walker's river. Near its sonree they crossed the Sierras, and descended into the San Joaquin valley. They crossed the San Joaquin river at the site of the present railroadl bridge; and, reaching the ranch of Dr. Marsh, at the base of Mount Diablo, the eyes of the party were refreshed with the first signs of civilization which had greeted them from the time of leaving Fort Laramie.
Of this adventurous little band who braved the hardships and dangers of a journey, then ocenpying months, which can now he compassed within a weck, a number are still living in Cali- fornia, among whom may be mentioned General John Bidwell, of Chico-of which he is the honored founder-having filled
high public stations which mark the esteem and confidence reposerl in him by his fellow-citizens, not only of his own imine- dliate home, but of the entire State ; Captain Charles M. Web- ber, one of the most prominent of the pioneer citizens of Stoek- ton ; Josiah Beklen, one of the oldest residents of San Jose.
This party disbanded at Dr. Marsh's, and became seattered throughout the State. Many of these emigrants have played such important parts in the early history of California that a list of their names is appended :-
COL. J. B. BARTLESON, Captain of the party. Returned to
Missouri. Is now dead.
GEN. JOHN BIDWELL,
Resides in Chico, Butte county.
CUL. JOSEPH B. CHILES,
Resides in St. Helena, Napa county.
JOSIAH BELDEN,
Resides at San José and S. F.
CHARLES M. WEBBER,
Resides in Stockton.
CHARLES HOPPER,
Resides in Yountville, Napa county.
HENRY HUBER,
Resides in San Francisco.
MICHAEL C. NYE,
Resides in Oregon.
GREEN MCMAHON,
Resides in Vacaville, Solano county.
NELSON MCMAHON,
Returned to Missouri.
TALBOT H. GREEN,
Resides in Pennsylvania.
AMBROSE WALTON,
Returned to Missouri.
JOHN MCDOWELL, and died. ¥
GEORGE HENSHAW,
COL. ROBERT RYCKMAN,
and died.
CHARLES FLUGGE,
GWINN PATTON,
WILLIAM BELTY,
Unknown.
BENJ. KELSEY, and wife, Reside in Santa Barbara county.
ANDREW KELSEY,
Killed by Indians at Clear Lake.
JAMES JOHN,
Went to Oregon.
HENRY BROLASKI,
Went to Callao, thence to Missonri.
JAMES DAWSON, Drowned in Columbia river.
MAJOR WALTON,
Drowned in Sacramento river.
GEORGE SHORTWELL,
Accidentally shot on the journey.
JOHN SWARTZ,
Died in California.
GROVE C. COOK,
Died at San José, Cal.
D. W. CHANDLER,
Died at San Francisco. Dead.
NICHOLAS DAWSON,
THOMAS JONES,
ROBERT H. THOMES,
Died March 26, 1878, at Tehamna.
ELIAS BARNETT,
Lives in Youutville, Napa county.
J. P. SPRINGER,
Died at or near Santa Cruz.
FIRST SETTLEMENTS IN THE VALLEY.
1841 .- It is a fact that there was not a honse in the Sacra- mento or San Joaquin valleys in 1841, except Sutter's. He had one adobe house and a few huts, but his fort was not com- pleted until some time afterwards.
After the settlement of New Helvetia, the next point where a dwelling was located was about two miles north-cast of the
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and died.
42
PIONEERS SETTLE IN ALL PARTS OF STATE.
fort, on the American river, in 1841. This was settled by John Sinclair for Captain Elias Grimes and Hiram Grimes, to whom Sutter afterwards sold it. It made a fine ranch and farm, and was extensively stocked.
1842 .- Nicolaus Allgeier, in 1842, was placed on what is known as the town of Nicolaus, on the east bank of Feather river. The next two piaces were settled almost simultaneously in the fall of this year. Hock Farm, which subsequently became the home of Captain Sutter, was established and made his principal stock-farm, the animals ranging over that part of Sutter county lying west of Feather river, and south of the Butte mountains.
The land in the vicinity of Marysville was lcased to Theo- dore Cordua. Cordua made a stock-farm of it to a limited extent. Marysville is located where he erected, at what is now the foot of D street, an adobe dwelling-house, a store-house or trading room, culinary department and out-houses. The walls of the dwelling were thick, and well constructed for withstand- ing a siege. The spot was named " New Mecklenburg " by Captain Sutter, in honor of the place of nativity of Cordua. It soon became known, however, as Cordua's Ranch.
William Gordon settled on his ranch on Cache creek, in Yolo county, in the fall of 1842. The place now known as Vacaville was settled about the same time by Manuel Baca. from New Mexico.
THE PARTY OF 1843.
In the fall of 1843, a party arrived across the plains vint. Fort Boise and Pitt river. They came down the west bank of the Sacramento river into what is now Colusa county, and crossed the river below the mouth of Stony ereck and went over to Feather river.
Major P. B. Redding, who was with this party, sketched the land about the mouth of Stony creek, and not being entitled to receive a grant himself, gave the map to the wife of Dr. Stokes, of Monterey, who was a Mexican woman, and she obtained n grant, giving Redding two leagues, or perhaps half the grant, for his locations. This was the first grant made within the limits of Colusa county, and the first settler on the grant was a man by the name of Bryant, who built a house and raised some corn in 1846.
Wolfskill settled on his grant on Putah creek, south of Cache creek, and south of Gordon's grant, in 1843.
General John Bidwell says: " In my trip up the valley, in 1843, I went as far as the present town of Red Bluff. I was in pursuit of some stolen animals, and was in haste to overtake a party going to Oregon, which I did, and recovered the animals. My party consisted of l'eter Lassen, James Brn- ham, and an Indian.
" In the summer of 1843, a company arrived from ' the States' via, Oregon, where they had wintered. This party was under the lend of L. W. Hastings, and N. Coombs, of Nupu, was onvid
the party. Hastings was so well pleased with the land lying on the west bank of the Sacramento river just below the present town of Colusa, that he got me to make a map of it, intending to apply for a grant. He did not succeed, however. Some two or three of Hastings' party-their names I do not now recall-were in the habit of shooting at Indians, and had killed two or three before reaching the Colusa village, which was the only known point within about forty miles above, and thirty miles below, where horses could be watered from the river. At last the Indians became alarmned, and the tribe ahead had notice of the coming of the Oregon party. On attempting to approach the river at Colusa the Indians attacked them. For this they were reported hostile, and Sutter went with about forty men- mostly Indians whom he had taught the use of fire-arms and whom he employed as hunters and trappers-and punished them severely. Many Indians were killed-mostly of the Willy tribe. Sutter's forces crossed the river six or seven miles above Comisa on a bridge built by the Indians-the Duc-Dues, I believe-for fishing purposes. This bridge was about sixty feet wide and very long, for the river was wide but not ileep.
GENERAL BIDWELL GIVES NAMES TO STREAMIS.
" On my return from Red Bluff in March, 1843, I made a map of this upper Sacramento valley, on which most of the streams were laid down, and they have since borne the names then given them.
FIRST SETTLEMENT NORTH OF SUTTER'S FORT.
1844-" Peter Lassen then selected what became his grant on Deer creek (now in Tehama county), and it was the first. place selected and settled north of Sutter's grant. He startel there in Decenter, 1843, but camped at Sutter's Buttes now called Marysville Buttes or Butte mountains) till January or February, 1844, before proceeding to his destination. Several other places were examined and mapped in 1843, but little was done in this line till 1844, because those who wanted the land had not been here long enough to become citizens and be entitled to receive a grant."
Knight's grant, on the Sacramento river, was settled by himself, in 1844.
The next settlement was by Peter Lassen, in Tehama county. on Deer creek. Lassen started to take possession of the land in December, 1843, Imit did not reach his destination till Janu- ary or February, 1844. The settlement by Samuel Neal and David Datton ou Butte creek, about seven miles south of Chico, was made in 1844. About the same time Edward A. Farwell, with Thomas F'allon, settled on his grant on Chico ereek, about a mile below the present town site of Chico. The same year, but. a little later, a settlement was made on the present property of General John Bidwell, by William Dickey, who obtained the grunt.
RESIDENCE OF S. F. GEIL. CALIFORNIA ST. SALINAS, MONTEREY CO. CAL.
RESIDENCE OF HENRY JOHNSON. SALINAS CITY CAL. 1879.
1009.7.2
43
UNLIMITED POWER EXERCISED BY ALCALDES.
THE PIONEER PARTY OF 1844.
1844 .- A band of hardy pioneers worked their laborious way through the drifting snow of the mountains, and entered the beautiful San Joaquin valley, one of them remaining in his snow-bound camp at Donner lake until returning spring made his rescue possible.
The party consisted of twenty-three men: John Flomhoy; Captain Stevens, now a resident of Kern county, California; Joseph Foster; Dr. Townsend; Allen Montgomery; Moses Schallenberger, now living in San José, California; G. Green- wood and his two sons, Jond and Britt; James Miller, now of San Rafael, California; Mr. Calvin; William Martin; Patrick Martin; Dennis Martin; Martin Murphy and his five sons; Mr. Hitchcock and son.
They left Council Bluff's May 20, 1844, enroute to California, of the fertility of whose soil and the mildness of whose climate glowing accounts had been given.
TRUCKEE, THE INDIAN GUIDE.
The dangers of the plains and mountains were passed, and the party reached the Humboldt river, when an Indian named Truckee presented himself, and offered to guide them to Cali- fornia. After questioning him closely, they employed him as their guide, and as they progressed, found that the statements he had made about the ronte were fully verified. He soon hecame a great favorite among them, and when they reached the lower crossing of the Truekee river, now Wadsworth, they gave his name to the beantifnl stream, so pleased were they by the pure water and abundance of fish to which he had directed them. The stream will ever live, in history, as the Truekee river.
CONSTRUCTION OF VESSELS.
1845 .- William Hardy came ashore from a whale-ship in the latter part of the year 1845. He first went to work as a car- penter for Thomas O. Larkin in Monterey. He had not been employed in this way long before Rosclean and Sansevain sent over to Monterey for carpenters to come to Santa Cruz and build a schooner. Mr. Hardy came, among others, and they went to work on the vessel. The vessel was completed in 1846, and was called the Santa Cruz, and sailed to the Saud- wich Islands to be coppered. She returned, and was lost at sea.
THE FIRST GRINDSTONES.
W. C. Moon settled at " Moon's Ranch," Tehama county, in 1845, and with him a noted hunter and Indian fighter by the name of Merritt. They, with Peter Lassen, made a large canoe-load of grindstones on Stony creek in 1845, and packed them on mules over twenty miles to the river.
They sold a few at Sutter's Fort, and peddled the rest out all around the Bay of San Francisco. When the canoe left Sac- ramento, it was laden to within six inches of the top. As they proceeded from point to point, the canoe became lighter, of course; but, at first, it seemed anything but safe, even for inland navigation.
THE CELEBRATED ALCALDE.
In the year 1845, William Blackburn came to Santa Cruz. He came over the plains from Independence, Missouri, and arrived here in October. He was a native of Virginia, born in 1814. He came over the country in company with Jacob R. Snyder, George McDougal, and Harvey Speel.
They stopped together on the Zyante and went to making shingles. William Blackburn was a cabinet-maker by trade, and in the year 1844 worked at that business in New Orleans. But men arriving in California, of course, took hold of any business that would pay. So these men seem' to have been still engaged in luinbering and shingle-making when the Bear flag went up in Sonoma.
When the Bear Flag battalion came marching down towards Monterey early in July, 1846, William Blackburn and his associates joined it. Just now, too, the United States flag went up in Monterey, and the battalion went south to see that its authority was acknowledged. In due time Blackburn returned to Santa Cruz and went into the merchandising business in the adobe building fronting on the upper plaza.
In the year 1847, he was appointed alcalde by Governor Mason, and for a year or two dispensed justice in a way peculiarly his own.
BLACKBURN AS ALCALDE.
Many curious illustrations of it could be given, but we will instance one or two. Many enlarged stories have been told of Judge Blackburn, but these here mentioned are taken from the records, or from living witnesses' statements.
The alcalde records in the County Clerk's office of date of Angust 14, 1847, show that on that day a jury tried Pedro Gomez for the murder of his wife, Barbara Gomez, and found him guilty.
Sentence of the Court: "That the prisoner be conducted back to prison, there to remain until Monday, the 16th of Angust (two days only) and then be taken ont and shot."
"Angust 17. Sentence carried into effect on the 16th accordingly. W. BLACKBURN, Alcalde."
Pretty summary justice that! It should, perhaps, be stated that, according to law, Judge Blackburn ought to have reported the trial of this criminal to the higher court in Monterey, and have had the action of his court sanctioned, before the execu- tion. For some reason he did not do this, but had the criminal shot, and then reported both the trial and execution to head- quarters !
44
SCENES AND ACTS OF THE EARLY COURTS.
This did not quite suit Governor Mason's ideas of propriety, even in that lawless time, and some pretty sharp correspond- ence followed between the Governor and Judge Blackburn. This exact course of procedure does not seem to have been repeated !
A TOUCHING SCENE.
But there was a sequence, on the 21st of Angust, before the court, that is touching indeed. Josepha Gomez and Balinda Gomez, orphan children of the murderer father and the mur- dered mother, were brought into eonrt-two little girls-to be disposed of by the Court.
The Court gave Balinda, eleven years okl, to Jacinto Castro " to raise" until she was twenty-one years of age, unless slic was sooner married; the said Jacinto Castro obligating him- self to give her a good education, and three eows and ealves at her marriage, or when she arrives of age.
The Court gavs Josepha, nine years old, to Alexander Red- eriguez, with some similar provision for her education and care. But it is a sorry feeling that comes over us as we seem to see those poor little orphan girls parted there to go among stran- gers. It is hoped their lives have been less a grief than their childhood.
SERVED WIM RIGHT.
But in court, still further, November 27, 1847, the case of A Roderiguez vs. one C ----; plaintiff sned defendant, a boy, for shearing his horse's mane and tail off. It was proved that the defendant did the shearing.
An eye witness of the trial says, that when it came to the matter of the sentence, Judge Blackburn looked very grave, and his eyes twinkled a good deal, and he turned to his law book, and examined it here and there, as if looking up authorities touching a very important and perplexing case. All at onee he shut up his book, sat back in his chair, and speaking with a solemn tone, said :-
" I find no law in any of the stututes applicable to this case, except in the laws of Moses-' An eye for an eye, andl & tooth for a touth.' Let the prisoner be taken out in front of this office, and there by sheared elose."
The sentence was literally carried into effect. to the great satisfaction and amusement of the native inhabitants, whu expressed their approval by saying, " It served him right :"
BLACKBURN'S CAREER.
In 1845 he crossed the plains from Independence, Missouri, to California, in the company of Jacob R. Snyder, George Williams, George MeDougal, and Henry Speel, all being lead- ing inen in the company. They arrived in this county in October of that year, and settled on the Zyanto, where Bluck - furn, Snyder, and MeDougal engaged in the shingle business.
Speel left the party at Fort Hall for Oregon, but arrived in California in 1846.
Blackburn, with all of these fellow-travelers, was in F're- mont's battalion, under the Bear flag, Blackburn being First Lieutenant of Artillery, Company F,-Captain MeLaue. At the battle of Buenaventura, Lieutenant Blackburn firedl the first gun, loading and handling it. During that campaign, Snyder was the Quartermaster. They continued in the service till the treaty of Couenga, when they returned to Santa Cruz as their home, Blackburn opening a store on the Old Plaza, which was also an open hotel, for no white inan was ever asked pay for supper or lodging; but anything there was in the house was at the service of the guest; open-handed hospitality being the character of host and people in those primitive times, here as elsewhere, thironghont California. MeDougal settled in Gilroy.
BLACKBURN AS JUDGE.
Daring those stormy periods of anarchy and lawlessness, he performed the duties of the office to the entire satisfaction of all; and although his decisions cover points of all the varied questions of jurisprudence, we believe none have ever yet been reversed by any higher court. His preteusions were not based on Coke vr Littleton, but on common sense and justice. The records of his court are as amusing is the jokes of " Punch."
Blackburn, as Julge, was always anxious that the law and justice should be fully aml quickly vindicate.1, and, after passing sentence, would give no delay to its excention ; for, although it was the rule for his deeisious to be seut to the Governor for approval they were generally seut after the execution, so that there should be no chance for a delay of justice. Although that might seem to lw summary proceeding, yet it muet the approval of the people over whom he governed, but at times was the cause of some sharp and torse correspondence between himself and his superiors.
In 1848 he resignedl his office to go to the gold region. He returned to Santa Cruz in 1849, and was appointed a Justice of the Peace under the Territorial Government.
BLACKRUON'S FARMING PROFIPAULE.
In 1851 he settled on his homestend in Santa Cruz, and rommeneed farming in company with his brother, Daniel Black- burn, nud thuy planted the bottom with potatoes, and such was the enormous yield of the whole bottom that at thirteen cents per pound, tho then price of potatoes, the siell was nearly $100,000; and for several years the profits of potato mixing were enormous. Where the house now stands, four acres sichled $1,200 worth of potatoes to the acre; they were early, and brought 125 cents per pound. Next year thirteen acres were rented to Thomas Weeks ut $100 per aere, full payment in advance.
15
ACTIVE LIFE OF EARLY PIONEER SETTLERS.
BLACKBURN'S PREMIUM POTATOES.
From this place the Judge sent samples of potatoes of four pounds weight (which was a general average), to the Crystal Palace Fair at New York, and received a premium for the finest potatoes ever known. From here also was derived the fame which Santa Cruz now holds of producing tine potatoes.
In 1848 Judge Blackburn built a vessel, a schooner of about fifty tons burden, ealled the " Zach Taylor," aud Captain Vin- cent commanded it. When Monterey eeased to be the head- quarters of the Pacific, the vessel was run on the Sacramento river. He was also eoneerned in building the first saw-mill up the Blackburn Guleh.
He was considered a man of enterprise and improvement, and we find him from his start towards the Pacific to have been a inan of note, first as one of the leaders in the train with which he journeyed; agaiu a commander and soklier in the first war towards the generation of a Pacifie Government; then, as a jurist, his history is recorded in the archives of the country ; finally as an agriculturist, his mark was made and is on record ju the proceedings of the Crystal Palace World's Fair, New York, which was also probably the first visible knowledge demonstrating to the East the capabilities of Cali- fornia to raise her own food.
FIRST PROTESTANT WORSHIP.
1846 .- Mr. A. A. Heeox appears to have commented Pro- testant publie worship in Santa Cruz. He was an authorized Christian minister in the Methodist Episcopal church. Wor- ship was first hell at the house of John D. Green, in August, 1847, and after that in the house of J. G. T. Dunleavy.
Mr. Hecox thinks he preached the first Protestant sermon in California at the funeral of a Miss Hitebeock, who died at San José, about December, 1846. Feeble in body and leaning npon a staff he made his way to the house of mourning, where he found a few of the relatives of the deceased, who had assembled to bid farewell to their departed sister who had fallen far, far from home. His remarks were based upon the following words, " Remember how short my time is."
The first Methodist elass was formed the latter part of Feb- ruary, 1848, and the Rev. E. Antony elected preacher, and Mr. Hecox appointed in charge of the work in San José.
The gold discovery, however, drew off the people very sud- denly in the latter part of the year, and public worship was practically suspended for the time.
1846 .- Alfred Baldwin came in 1846. When a boy, living in Delaware county, New York, lic got very much interested in this Pacific regiou through reading Lewis and Clark's jour- nal.
The desire to see this country that was said to have no cold winters, grew upon him. Being in St. Louis in 1845 when a party was starting overland to Oregon he joined it.
They reached their destination iu the fall of 1845. Mr. Baldwin came to San Francisco early in 1846. He very soon enlisted under Purser James H. Watmough, purser of the sloop of war " Portsmouth," with others, to see that there was no resistance to. the flag of the United States, which had then just been raisedl. They were stationed at San José.
PURSUIT OF STANISLAUS INDIANS.
While they were there news eame down from the mission San Jose, that Indiaus from the San Joaquin neighborhood were making their nsual raids and stealing all the horses.
This was an old habit of the Indians, and frontier ranelios. like Marsh's or Livermore's, eould not keep horses.
The spirit of the new flag did not propose to submit to these tlepredations. So, very promptly, Captain Watmough organ- ized a party to go and look after these matters. It consisted of some twenty-five or thirty men.
They went to the Indians' lurking place on the Stanislaus river, and there eamped for the night. By and by, in the dark- ness, a band of horses eame rushing ou them.
The Indians had stolen them from around the mission, as belore remarked, and now as they thought they were driving them into their own secure retreat, they were driving them into the hands of our eneamped force.
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