USA > California > Napa County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 35
USA > California > Lake County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 35
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CHILES VALLEY .- This is a lovely little valley, high up in the moun- tains, lying between Berryessa and Napa Valleys. It was named for Col. Joseph B. Chiles, who led a party of thirty daring men across the plains in 1841, among whom were Charles Hopper, the Kelseys and many others, mention of whom will be found in the body of this work. Ben Kelsey's wife accompanied the party, and was thus the first white woman who ever came over the Sierra Nevada Mountains into California. He visited the valley in 1842, but the Catacula grant was not ceded to him until Novem- ber 9, 1844. His first house, which was the first one ever erected in the valley, was built about that year, and was made of rough logs, and was 15 x 20 feet in size. It is still standing, but is housed in to protect it from the ravages of the tooth of time. The Colonel guards it with jealous care as a relic of by-gone pioneer days. William Baldridge was at first a partner with him, and he built the mill in the valley in 1848. The valley is now settled very thickly, and with a very enterprising and intelligent class of men, who have done mnuch to develop its resources.
A writer in the Napa Register gives the following interesting historical
Mathew Vann
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sketch of Chiles Valley : "Across a slight divide from Pope Valley, reached by the grade starting in at Van Arsdale's, Chiles Valley is reached, which is named after one of California's pioneers. In 1841, Col. J. B. Chiles, then a citizen of Missouri, read an account, written by Dr. Marsh, then living at the foot of Mount Diablo, of the wonders of the California climate and productions, and with thirty companions, (John Bidwell and others), he started out to find the land where winters were always as pleasant as sum- mers in their own State. They reached the Pacific slope in safety, and the next year Chiles and others returned for their families. They came out again in 1843, and then Chiles commenced exploring for a vacant tract of desirable land to get a grant of. The next year-1844-after examining the country thoroughly, from Monterey north, he located upon the fertile valley which has since borne his name, and at once applied for a grant of it from the Mexican Government, which he received under the name of the ' Rancho Catacula,' an Indian name.
" At that time all the land in Napa Valley was taken up. Dr. E. T. Bale, had it from Calistoga to Bale Slough, George C. Yount from this to Dry Creek, and Nicolas Higuerra, Cayetano Juarez and others thence to the tide- land ; even Pope Valley was gone, William Pope having located upon it with his Spanish family two years before. The grant of Catacula included two leagues, one square league in the lower part of the valley, and the balance extended up the valley to near its head. The Colonel settled at the present site of the old family house, at the head of Chiles Canon, and the original dwelling, a log-house, is still standing, though removed a short distance from its first location, and converted into an out-house. It is now carefully roofed in and preserved from the weather, a relic of the pioneer days. In the same year the large adobe house, which is 46 x 60, still the family man- sion of the place, and in an excellent state of preservation, was begun, as also the mill, which, through various mutations and improvements that have completely obliterated the original structure, has survived the lapse of a third of a century, to rise at this late day into one of the important enter- prises of the country, and supplying, under its favorite Catacula brand, the breadstuffs of all the country around.
" The beginning of this mill was in consonance with the general rude order of things in those days of primeval California. A rude wooden block procured from the woods was mortised by William Baldridge, who is still living near Oakville, into a tub wheel, and a shaft running from this, had on the other end of it one of the stones that did the grinding. Probably no other than a pioneer of Chiles' stamp, accustomed from early boyhood and wild adventures to accommodate himself to every emergency, could have fashioned from these rude materials the requisites of a flouring mill. But to him the elements of nature were as the tools of civilization, and he could
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find abundance where the child of a more advanced age would be as help- less as a babe. Col. Chiles was a very large man, being over six feet in height, and of a commanding presence."
CONNS VALLEY .- This is a lovely little dale lying to the east of Napa Valley, and latterly in the range of mountains which skirts the latter valley on the east. It is neither very wide nor very long, but is indeed a charming place. It was named after John Conn, who came into it at an early day. It is not known now in what year he came there, but it was evidently somewhere back in the '40's. He was at one time very wealthy, owning a large tract of land and much stock, but the fiend of intemperance obtained possession of him, and made a total wreck of his manhood and his fine estate as well. His last days were spent in the county hospital, and in May, 1864, he was removed from earthly scenes by what he doubtless con- sidered the kindly hand of death.
GORDON VALLEY .- This is a small valley lying on the eastern side of Napa County, and was named after William Gordon, a pioneer of 1843. Gordon first settled on Cache Creek, and his place was one of the land- marks of the country before and for several years after the discovery of gold. It is not now known when he came to Gordon Valley to reside, but certainly at an early day, as he was the first settler in it. He died in 1876 at his residence in Cobb Valley, Lake County. The valley is a rich and fer- tile section of the county, and many most estimable citizens reside there.
CAPT. JOHN GRIGSBY .- This old pioneer citizen of Yount Town_ ship came to California in the spring of 1845, coming in company with John York, Benjamin Dewell, David and William Hudson, W. B. Elliott, William B. Ide, Mrs. Delaney and sons, Messrs. McDowell, Ford, John Brown and others. At Fort Laramie, John Grigsby was elected captain of the company, and they arrived at Sutters Fort in October. Capt. Grigsby located soon after on a place near the Napa River, and a little south-east of where Yountville now stands. At the breaking out of the Bear Flag War, he was among the very first to take active measures in the matter; and it was he, in company with W. B. Elliott, who went to Sutter's Fort to hold a consultation with Fremont in regard to the matter, before the movement was inaugurated. It fell to his lot to take charge of the first prisoners of war captured by the Bear Flag Party at Sonoma, and to convey them to Sutters Fort. These prisoners were M. G. Vallejo, then Commandante General of Upper California, the late Capt. Salvador Vallejo, Victor Prudon, who held the commission of Colonel in the Mexican army, Jacob P. Leese, brother-in-law of the Vallejos, and Alcalde of Sonoma. Capt. Grigsby was placed in charge of these prisoners, with only five or six men to guard
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them. An attempt was made to rescue the prisoners near Napa, as they were on their way from Sonoma to Sutters Fort; but owing to the cool presence of mind of Capt. Grigsby, the attempt was thwarted. He threat- ened to shoot his prisoners rather than to suffer them to be rescued by the Mexicans; and the would-be rescuers were warned off by General Vallejo, and the prisoners were safely conducted to their destination. The Captain was afterwards in command of a company in Fremont's battalion, and served for six months, being one of the most efficient and trustworthy offi- cers. He was discharged honorably from the service at Los Angeles on the receipt of the news of the treaty of peace. He was one of the first settlers and farmers of Napa Valley, and was permanently identified with many of the enterprises of the early days. He was one of the early members of Yount Lodge, F. & A. M. In 1861 he returned to the East, and was said to have spent most of his time in Texas. He died in March, 1876, in Mo- selle, Franklin County, Missouri, at the advanced age of seventy.
REDWOOD FALLS .- Among the natural curiosities of Napa County · probably none are more worthy of mention than these falls. They are romantically located about twelve miles from Napa near the head of Mill or Napa Creek, in the redwood belt of Napa County. Striking the stream a few hundred feet above the upper fall, and following it down, we find ourselves walking upon a solid body of stone, with walls of rock rising perpendicularly on either side to a height reaching from ten to fifty feet, and not more than five feet apart. This rocky chasm leads to the upper fall, which is a nearly perpendicular descent of fifty feet, and it must make a magnificent waterfall in the winter season when the stream is swollen. The rocky, precipitous walls tower high above the falls, and as one looks up and down from the head of the falls, he sees little but a clear-cut rock forming the walls of the deep abyss. Retracing our steps and making a detour down the line of the stream, its bed is reached at a point a few rods below the lowest of the three falls. This fall is some twenty feet in height, and its head is reached by a little hard climbing up a short, cir- cuitous path. We then find ourselves at the foot of the middle fall, in the most picturesque little grotto imaginable, bounded by precipitous stone walls, apparently from thirty to one hundred feet in height. The middle fall makes a descent of some twenty-five feet perpendicularly, and at its foot there is a pool some six feet across and nearly twenty feet in depth. A few square yards of solid rock constitute the floor of this rocky chamber. A visit to this romantic spot will well repay any one.
YOUNT MILL .- This mill is located about half a mile to the north-east of Yountville, and was erected by George C. Yount in 1853, or thereabouts.
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The building is a large and substantial one, and has undergone but little changes since it was first erected. When it was built it was truly a mam- moth structure. It is run by water power and with a wide overshot wheel. There are two run of stones in the mill, and the capacity is about thirty harrels per day. The machinery is all first-class in every respect. The flour from this mill used frequently to receive the premium, and the mill was long known as "The Star of the Pacific Premium Mill." Mr. Yount conducted the mill till his death, in 1865, when Fred. W. Ellis leased it for five years. In 1870 he purchased it and has since conducted it in a most successful manner.
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Hot Springs Township.
HOT SPRINGS TOWNSHIP.
GEOGRAPHY .- This township is bounded on the north by Lake County, on the east by Knox Township, on the south by Yount Township, and on the west by Sonoma County. July 17, 1873, the Board of Super- visors of Napa County established the following as the boundary lines of Hot Springs Township :
Beginning at a point on the western boundary of Napa County, due west from the head of Dry Creek; thence along the line of Yount Town- ship, north-easterly and northerly, to the old line between Napa and Lake Counties ; thence westerly along said line to the middle of Putah Creek ; thence up said creek to the present line between Lake and Napa Counties : thence along said line, southerly and westerly, to the north-west corner of Napa County ; thence south-easterly along the line between Napa and So- noma Counties to the place of beginning.
TOPOGRAPHY .- The topography of this township is very simple in its main features. In the center lies the beautiful Napa Valley, skirted on either side by a high range of mountains. Piercing these ranges are a host of lateral valleys and cañons. Napa River runs through its entire length and affords an outlet for its water-shed.
GEOLOGY .- This township presents many very interesting geological features, many of the most interesting being outside of the study of the rocks and their formations. The study of the lava-flows, the mineral deposits, and the extinct volcano of St. Helena would furnish subject-mat- ter for a whole volume. The lava-flows from St. Helena came out quite early in the earth's existence, and the rocks found under them are all of very ancient origin. There is a great deal of volcanic matter around St. Helena, of course, and all the adjacent mountains, and this is true of both sides of Napa Valley in this township. There is some sandstone on the western side, of the Tertiary period, and some sand and limestone of the same age on the eastern side. There are a host of fissues and dikes in the mountain sides here, which resulted from the eruptions of St. Helena, and some of them are filled with lava, but many of them are filled with detritus and are now lovely quartz leads in which more or less precious metal is being found. The action of ages, yea, eras, has entirely obliterated all
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evidences of a crater on the summit of St. Helena, but the lava and scoria which it vomited forth all over the face of the county is still visible on every hand.
SOIL .- The soil in the upper end of this township is generally quite good, but is light in many places, even in the valley. It is a loam in most places near the center of the valley. It is mostly made up of volcanic products, hence it is white or reddish. It is often cold and not so very pro- ductive, and in the summer time gets very hard, and in the winter is rather impervious to water. There are a few spots of adobe, especially on the eastern side, near Mount St. Helena. South of the Lodi Ranch the soil as- sumes a different character, and becomes warmer, lighter, more friable and more productive. Here the valley is mostly a rich loam, and is well adapted to all kinds of products. Flanking the foot-hills the soil is of a gravelly nature, and mostly of a volcanic formation also ; hence is better adapted to the growth of grapevines. In all the mountains of this town- ship, the soil is of the whitish or reddish caste, which betokens a volcanic origin, and is remarkably well adapted to the production of wine grapes. The time is not far distant when all these mountains will be covered with vines, and even now large vineyards are being planted on Howell Mountain.
CLIMATE .- The climate of this township is superb throughout, being mild, warm and gentle. At the upper end of the valley it gets quite warm during the summer season ; still the heat is not oppressive. The air is light and dry, so that the heat does not become burdensome. Farther south, in the vicinity of St. Helena, the weather gets quite warm during the summer, but there is generally a breeze blowing, which serves to make one feel more comfortable than at Calistoga, although the thermometer may indicate the same degree of temperature. In all this section the nights are mostly cool and pleasant, and, in fact, it is a joy to exist during the delightfully lovely moonlight nights of the summer months. Sometimes the wind comes howl- ing down from the north, and then are "the days of our discontent," for this wind is like a sirocco, scorching and withering everything in its path- way. But, fortunately, these visits of the fiery north wind are not fre- quent, and never of more than three days' duration, and generally of not more than one. In the winter season it gets quite cold at the upper end of the valley, and snow is on the brow of St. Helena for many days during that season. It does not get cold enough, however, to interfere with the growth of grapevines to any great extent, and it is claimed, and with apparently good grounds, that there is frost in Napa City oftener than in Calistoga. There is what is known as the thermal belt, about half way up the mountain sides, where it is much warmer than it is either in the valley
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below or on the mountain tops above. Here figs, oranges and delicate flowers grow unmolested by the frosts.
PRODUCTS .- The products of this township are varied, comprising fruits, vegetables, cereals, berries and grapes. The soil is so varied in its nature that it is capable of producing almost all varieties of things that grow out of the ground to very good advantage, indeed. It is, however, especially adapted to the growth of the grapevine, as is evidenced by the fact that the St. Helena Vinicultural District .stands at the head of the grape-growing sections of California, both as to quantity and quality, and especially the latter. The wines produced in this district stand to-day at the head of the wine product of the world, and it is yet in its infancy, and the time will come when it will be unmatched. The products of this town- ship are not confined to what grows out of the ground alone, but there are vast mineral bodies here which are destined to yield large returns to the labor and skill of man. Silver and quicksilver abound and gold and iron are found. The items of cord wood and tan bark are not to be overlooked in this connection, both of which are largely represented in the list of exports.
TIMBER .- This township is fairly represented in the line of timber, there being oak, pine, fir, redwood, cedar, alder and laurel in it. The oak is represented by the usual varieties in California, viz : the live, mountain, white and black oaks. Of pines, there is the " digger " or " bull," with perhaps a few white trees on St. Helena. Of firs, there are the white and red, both stately trees and much used for lumber. Of redwoods, there have been quite extensive forests in the days gone by, but they have long since been cut out, and only their fast decaying stumps remain to tell us where the mighty monarchs of the forest once stood. Young trees are growing up to take the places of the fallen giants, but it will take at least a century for them to get to be the trees their ancestors were. The other kinds of trees are inconsiderable, and a mention of them is all that is required.
EARLY SETTLEMENT .- To that hardy old pioneer, John York, now a resident of St. Helena, belongs the honor of being the first white settler in Hot Springs Township. On the 15th of April, 1845, he, with his wife and one child started overland for California. At Independence, Missouri, he joined a company of which the following were members: Benjamin Dewell, now of Lake County, John Grigsby, David Hudson, William Hud- son, W. B. Elliott, late of Lake County, but now deceased, William B. Ide, Mrs. Delaney and sons, Messrs. McDowell, Ford and John Brown. This company arrived at Sutters Fort in October of that year, under command of Capt. John Grigsby. Later that same fall, Mr. York, in company with David
21
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and William Hudson and W. B. Elliott, came to Napa Valley and stopped a few days at Yount's ranch. He then proceeded to Calistoga where he erected a log cabin, which was the first building in that part of the country. He also put in the first crop of wheat ever sown in the vicinity of Calis- toga, and doubtless north of Yount's place.
We do not know whether or not William B. Elliott went there that fall, but he did very soon afterwards. He had a family consisting of his wife and several grown sons and daughters, one of whom is now Mrs. Benjamin Dewell, of Upper Lake. The experiences of this pioneer family would make a whole book, if fully written up. While here at Calistoga in that early day, with no neighbors but wild Indians, bears and California lions, it was no uncommon thing for the wife and children to remain alone for days at a time, while the father and older sons were away on hunting or other expe- ditions. They lived in a tent, which of course afforded no protection from the nightly intrusions of the grizzly. This brave woman was not the one to succomb to the ravenous attacks of the huge monsters without adopting some expedient to escape an encounter with them. At such times she would take the children and veritably roost in the trees, high above the reach of bruin. A scaffolding was prepared in the forks of a mammoth oak tree, and on this she would make her beds and she and her children would sleep safely if not soundly. The bears would make nightly visits to the place and eat up every scrap that could be found. She did not fear the visits of the daytime, for she could easily mount to her perch in the tree, and fetch his bearship to the ground with a well-directed shot from the rifle, which she could handle as well as a man. Such was the life those pioneer women led, and all honor is their due for the noble courage they displayed in facing the dangers they did.
Among other early settlers in this township may be mentioned William Fowler and his sons William, Jr., and Henry, who came there in 1846 and purchased four thousand acres of the " Aqua Caliente" grant. William Hargrave, who was a partner with them in the stock which was put on the place, John Cyrus, F. E. Kellogg, R. P. Tucker, David Hudson, William Hudson, L. Keseberg, a survivor of the ill-fated Donner party, Col. M. G. Ritchie, Arch. Jesse, William H. Nash, James Harbin, Enoch Cyrus, all of whom came there in 1846. In 1847 S. J. Tucker, J. W. Tucker and G. W. Tucker, located about three miles south of Calistoga. In 1850 William Moore and William Dinning, and in 1852 Peter Teale settled near Calis- toga. There are other names which should be included in this list, but they are not obtainable now as they have passed out of the memory of the old pioneers. This list comprises about all, however, who came in previous to 1852 and became permanent settlers.
Through the kindness of Messrs. J. H. McCord, John York and others,
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we are able to give the names of all the settlers in the township in 1849 and their locale. Beginning at the head of the valley the first settler was John Cyrus, who lived in a log house about one and a half miles north-west of Calistoga, on the road leading to Knights Valley. He had a wife and six children. The next place was occupied by the Fowlers, William, Sr., William, Jr., and Henry, and their associate, William Hargrave. Their house was a log one, and stood just at the foot of the mountain west of Calistoga. Calvin Musgrove also lived on the premises with his wife. The next place was owned by Wells and Ralph Kilburn, and they lived about one mile south of Calistoga. They both had families, and both lived close together. About a mile south of the Kilburn place a man by the name of Owsley lived in a frame house. He had a log-house at first, but in 1849 he had built a frame one. He had a wife and eight children. He had the oldest orchard in that end of the valley.
William Nash was the next settler that we come to passing down the valley, and his place was about half a mile south of Owsley's. He had a family, consisting of a wife and fourteen childreen, and lived in a split- board house. M. D. Ritchie lived half a mile south of Nash's place. He had a wife and five children, and lived in a log-house. Reason Tucker lived across the road from Ritchie's place, in a split, redwood board house ; he had a wife and three or four boys. Irvin Kellogg lived about half a mile south of Tucker's, in a frame house. He settled there in 1846, and had a wife and seven children. David Hudson lived up on the hills, about half a mile west of where the Berringer brothers now have their vineyard, and also owned the land on which it is now planted. He had a family, consisting of a wife and one child, now Judge Rodney Hudson, of Lake County. His house was built of split redwood, and was located on the north side of Hudson Creek. John York lived on the south side of Hud- son Creek, and further up in the hills. He had a wife and two or three boys, and lived in a split redwood house. Dr. Edward T. Bale was the last settler who lived in this township, going south, as we have done. He had an adobe house, about three miles south of where St. Helena now stands and what is still known as the Bale place. It is stated that he came to California in 1832, as a ship-carpenter on a whaling vessel, which he there deserted. He was married to one of the daughters of Nicolas Higuerra, and died in 1849 or 1850. He received a grant for the Rancho Carne Hu- mana from the Mexican Government, and did much to start the ball of im- provement to rolling in Napa Valley.
L. Keseburg, who was one of the pioneers of this township, was the last man rescued from the Donner Camp, and he is the man about whom such horrid stories are related in the sensational papers concerning his relations with Mrs. Donner, and his connection with her death, ctc. It is not our
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purpose here to review this matter, and only mention it to call to mind the wonderful privations which those early pioneers were called upon to endure, and to what dire extremities they were sometimes driven. Nothing but the records of God will ever reveal all that occurred at that fearful place, and it is time that the mantle of charity was drawn over the whole affair. Put yourself in his place, kind reader, and say to yourself, what would you do ? Life is sweet to all, and self-preservation is the first law of nature. A man may be willing to lay down his life for his own wife in almost any exigency, but he will not starve in the heart of the Sierra Mountains, thirty feet under the snow, while there is a weaker party to succumb. Neither robbery nor rape could possibly have been his prompting motive, when death from sheer starvation was staring him in the face. There is no evidence that he did commit any act of violence, and as he says he did not, he must have the benefit of the doubt.
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