History of Placer county, California, Part 8

Author: Angel, Myron; Thompson & West, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West
Number of Pages: 558

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He believed that he and his people had been wronged by the Spanish, and he would never smoke the pipe of peace with them. Ile would swoop down upon the plains and carry off their stock, taking it to his stronghold in the foot-hills of the Sierras; and if the missions or settlers of those valleys saw fit to attempt a rescue, he fought them, and was univers- ally victorious. The San Joaquin river divided his ter- ritory from the Californians, and when east of that stream he was upon his native heath; and it was rare indeed that the pursuers followed him into his own country. They had learned better in their battle on the banks of the Stanislaus in 1829, when " Estanisloa." the former chief of the Si-yak-um-nas, defeated their combined San Jose and Yerba Buena forces.

It will be seen that Ho-za Ha-soos was so circum- stanced as to receive favorable advances from a peo- ple who gave as one of their reasons for desiring his friendship the probable hostility that might in the future exist between them and the Spanish people of the country. He believed that he was strengthening himself against his old foe. It will also be observed that the line beyond which the native Californians,

even in armed parties, found it dangerous to pass, was the San Joaquin river. Beyond this it was con- sidered and understood by them to be savage and inhospitable wilds. Ha-soos had made them respect that river as the practical north boundary line of their territory. Hence the propriety or policy of the foreign population in selecting this river as the south boundary of the country they proposed. under eer- tain circumstances, to make into an independent state, along the borders of which they would have a picket line of Indian allies.

In this connection we will mention two instances in which Ha-soos demonstrated his good will to the Americans, carrying out, on his part, the spirit of the alliance he had made with Captain Weber ; and we mention these with some hesitancy, not because of any doubt of the facts, but because it is hitherto unwritten history that may be questioned. The incidents referred to were related to us by Captain Weber, who says that when Captain Sutter passed through the country, in the Winter of 1844, to join and aid Manuel Micheltorena against the revolution- ary General, Jose Castro, !Ia-soos joined him with a number of warriors. And later, when Gen. J. C. Fremont passed through the San Joaquin valley south to help take this country from Mexico, that this chief was again on hand, and accompanied him to San Jose, to fight his old foes, in the interest of his friends, the Americans. Whether he actually performed any military act of hostility to the enemy on either occasion does not appear, but that be was ready so to do was demonstrated by his presence with his warriors.

On the 13th of January, 1844. the Governor of California complied with the petition of Mr. Gulnac. and issued to him the grant of land known as " El Rancho del Campo de los Franceses," which in Eng- lish means " The French Camp Ranch." After the issuing of the grant, the next event worthy of note in the county was the passage through it of Capt. J. C. Fremont, who. on the 25th of March of that year, camped over night at the place since known as the village of Liberty. on the south side of Dry creek. It was in his memorable first expedition to the Pacific coast. He had been at Sutter's Fort re- cruiting and had started south on his way through the San Joaquin valley en route for the States. The following taken from the published history of his expedition, will have peculiar interest to the residents of this county :-

"March 25th-We traveled for twenty-eight miles over the same delightful country as yesterday, and halted in a beautiful bottom at the ford of the Rio de los Mukolemnes, receiving its name from another Indian tribe living on the river. The bottoms on the stream are broad, rich, and extremely fertile ; and the uplands are shaded with oak groves. A showy lupinus of extraordinary beauty, growing four or five feet in height, and covered with spikes in bloom, adorned the banks of the river, and filled the air with a light and grateful perfume.

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY FROM 1841 TO 1847.

"On the 20th we halted at the Arroyo de las Calaveras (Skull creek), a tributary to the San Joaquin-the pre- vious two streams entering the bay between the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers. This place is beau- tiful, with open groves of oak, and a grassy sward be- neath, with many plants in bloom; some varieties of which seem to love the shade of the trees, and grow there in close, small fields. Near the river, and re placing the grass, are great quantities of ammole (soap plant), the leaves of which are used in California for making, among other things, mats for saddle eloths. A vine with a small white flower (melothrin.) called here la yerba buena, and which from its abundance, gives name to an island and town in the bay, was to-day very frequent on our road-sometimes running on the ground or climbing the trees.

"March 27th-To-day we traveled steadily and rapidly up the valley ; for with our wild animals any other gait was unpossible, and making about four miles an hour. During the earlier part of the day, our ride had been over a very level part of prairie, separated by lines and groves of oak timber, growing along dry gullies, which are filled with water in seasons of rain ; and, perhaps, also by the melting snows. Over much of this extent, the vege- tation was sparse; the surface showing plainly the action of water, which, in the season of flood, the Joaquin spreads over the valley. At one o'clock we came again among innumerable flowers ; and a few miles further, fields of the beautiful blue flowering lupine, which seems to love the neighborhood of water, indicated that we were approaching a stream. We have found this beautiful shrub in thickets, some of them being twelve feet in height. Occasionally three or four plants were clustered together, forming a grand bouquet, about ninety feet in circumference, and ten feet high; the whole summit covered with spikes of flowers, the perfume of which is very sweet and grateful. A lover of natural beauty can imagine with what pleasure we rode among these flowering groves, which filled the air with a light and delicate fragrance. We continued our road for about half a mile, interspersed through an open grove of live- oaks, which, in form, were the most symmetrical and beautiful we had yet seen in the country. The ends of their branches rested on the ground forming some- what more than a half sphere of very full and regu- lar figure, with leaves apparently smaller than usual. The Californian poppy, of a rich orange color, was numerous. To-day, elk and several bands of ante- lope made their appearance.

"Our road was now one continued enjoyment; and it was pleasant, riding among this assemblage of green pastures with varied flowers and scattered groves, and out of the warm, green Spring, to look at the rocky and snowy peaks, where lately we had suffered so much. Emerging from the timber we came suddenly upon the Stanislaus river, where we hoped to find a ford, but the stream was flowing by. dark and deep, swollen by the mountain snows; its general breadth was about fifty yards.

" We traveled about five miles up the river, and encamped without being able to find a ford. Here we made a large corral, in order to be able to catch a sufficient number of our wild animals to relieve those previously packed.

" Under the shade of the oaks, along the river, I noticed erodium cicutarium in bloom, eight or ten inches high. This is the plant which we had seen the squaws gathering on the Rio de los Americanos. By the inhabitants of the valley, it is highly esteemed for fattening cattle, which appear to be very fond of

it. Here, where the soil begins to be sandy, it supplies to a considerable extent the want of grass.

# Desirous, as far as possible, without delay, to include in our examination the Joaquin river, 1 returned this morning down the Stanislaus, for seventeen miles, and again encamped without having found a fording-place. After following it for eight miles further the next morning, and finding ourselves in the vicinity of the San Joaquin, encamped in a handsome oak grove, and, several cattle being killed. we ferried over our baggage in their skins. Here our Indian boy, who probably had not much idea of where he was going, and began to be alarmed at the many streams we were putting between him and the village, deserted.

" Thirteen head of cattle took a sudden fright, while we were driving them across the river, and galloped off. I remamed a day in the endeavor to reeover them; but finding they had taken the trail back to the fort, let them go without further effort. Here we had several days of warm and pleasant rain. which doubtless saved the crops below. :

In August, 18-41. David Kelsey, with his wife and two children, a boy and a girl, settled at French Camp, and built a tule-house. Mr Gulnac, who was stopping at the Cosumnes river, had offered to give Mr. Kelsey a mile square of land if he would stop at that place, and live one year; he turned over to him the " swivel" that Sutter bad given him. Every night Mr Kelsey throw this piece of ordnance " into battery," and fired an evening gun; which he did to frighten the Indians, on the same principle that a boy sometimes whistles as he is going through the woods after dark. At that time there was only one other house in the county, also constructed of tule, occu- pied by Thomas Lindsay, at Stockton.

Mr. Kelsey remained for several months at that place, and after his family had been obliged to live for two months on boiled wheat, meat, milk, and mint tea, gathered along the banks of the creek, he buried the swivel and removed temporarily to San Jose, where he first saw Captain Weber. While at that place he unfortunately went to see a sick Indian who had the small-pox, just before returning to French Camp. After returning he was immediately taken sick, and Mrs. Kelsey desired to take him to Sutter's Fort, where he could have medical assist- ance, not knowing that he had the small-pox. When they reached Stockton, Mr. Lindsay induced them to stay over night, and while there a man by the name of James Williams gave him some medicine that caused the disease to break out. Lindsay immedi- ately vacated the premises, giving, as he left, advice that has a twang of barbarism in it; he told them it the old man died to leave his body where the coyotes would devour it. In about six days the father died, the mother and boy were prostrated with the same disease, and little America, a girl eleven years of age, was left alone with her siek mother and brother, to administer to their wants, while her dead father lay unburied in the hut; a sad introduction to the first American girl who ever saw the place where Stock- ton now stands, and a sadder one to the first white

HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

woman that visited the place; for the mother became blind from the effects of the disease, beholding that delirious, weird scene of pestilence and death as the last, to haunt the memory through the coming years of darkness; a hideous phantom, a scene of desola- tion, was that last look of the mother upon the sur- roundings of that little child nurse.

Some herders chanced to come that way, who, after considerable hesitation, assisted little America in burying her father. One of them, Geo. F. Wyman, afterwards became the husband of America. The reason why they hesitated in coming to her assist- ance was a double one,-they feared the contagion and Captain Sutter, who had said he would have any man shot who brought small-pox to the fort, or went among the Indians who had it. The father was bur- ied near where Col. Thos. R. Moseley's house now stands, aud in a few days the little nurse was stricken down with the dread disease, but recovered so as to be able to leave for Monterey in about six weeks. In about two weeks after they left, Thomas Lindsay returned to his house on Lindsay's Point, in Stock- ton, and was killed by the Luck-lum-na Indians, from Ione valley, in Amador county, who fired the tule-house with their victim's body in it, and drove off all the stock. A party of whites, Mexicans and friendly Indians, went in pursuit of the band who had committed the depredations, and overtook them at the place called the " Island," near the foot-bills, where a confliet occurred, resulting in the burning of the Indian rancheria, with what provisions and property they bad, the killing of a few of the war- riors of the hostile tribe, and the capture of one Indian boy by William Daylor, of Daylor's ranch; one Mexican by the name of Vaca, a member of the Vaca family, formerly of Solano county, was killed by the Indians in the fight. After this defeat they retreated into the mountains, where they were followed. but not overtaken .*

* The early settlers being without Government protection, necessarily banded together in quick retaliation for any outrage committed on one of their number, as it was only by such prompt movement that the predatory savages could be held in check.

D. T. Bird, who, at one time, was an officer in the California battalion under Fremont, during the hostilities that succeeded the Bear Flag war, says that he was one of the parties that pur- sned the Indians who murdered Lindsay at Stockton, and he takes the poetry all out of the conclusion given to that expedi tion. Instead of the Luck-lum-na Indians of Ione valley being chastised, they whipped the pursuing party (about thirty strong, half whites and half friendly Indians), who were under the com- mand of Captain Merrit, of Bear Flag fame. Captain Sutter organized the pursuing party, and among the white men accom- panying it, were Captain Merrit, D. T. Bird, Charles Heath, Vaca (a Spaniard), Hicks and Gillespie. The fight was a short one resulting in Vaca's receiving a mortal wound from an arrow

The small-pox and the breaking out of the Mich- eltorena war, combined, had depopulated the county.

There had been, in the latter part of 1844, and Spring of 1845, a serious departure by the foreign population of the country from their understood pol- icy, in their intercourse with the natives of Cali- fornia; which was a policy of non-intervention between opposing faetions of the country, that bad been decided upon and agreed to between the lead- ing men, as being the best calculated to produce the final result at which they were aiming. Let the Spanish population quarrel to their hearts' content, let civil war sweep over the country. and array the opposing factions against each other on the battle- field; it helped to prepare the people of all classes, foreign and native, for a change; but in every emer- gency the American, the German, the Englishman, the immigrant, whatever his native land was to hold himself aloof, reserving his strength to be used as one man for the general good of all, when the proper time should come to act. All over California, from Los Angeles to Monterey, and from Monterey to Sutter's Fort. the foreign population were few in numbers, one and two, sometimes a balf-dozen in a place, so scattered and so isolated that a false move on the part of a few might prove fatal to many; it consequently was important at that time that the policy of non-interference should be pursued. Yet. as we have previously mentioned. a serious depart- ure from that policy was inaugurated in the Michel- torena war, without, apparently, any general con- sultation or plan on the part of immigrants, those of each section or country marking out their own line of action, regardless of the probable consequent injury that might result to those of a different locality.

The first instance was that forced upon Capt. C. M. Weber, consequent from the loss of control, by Micheltorena, over the outlaws called soldiers, whom he commanded in 1844. The Captain was in busi- ness at the Pueblo of San Jose when the war broke out, and was acquainted with and personally friendly to both Micheltorena and Castro. He had a very large stock of goods in the place, and was anxious on account of it. Ile knew that the soldiers under Micheltorena were mostly convicts, turned loose from the prisons in Mexico, and were dependent upon the meager revenue derived from forced loans and plunder for their pay. Ilis goods

that entered his side. In attempting to draw it from his body, the arrow -head was broken from the shaft, and in an hour the nufortunate man was dead. Up to the time of his death they managed to hold their position, when, finding the enemy too strong for them, the body of the dead spaniard was laid upon a pile of brush and burned, to prevent its falling into the hands of the savages; after which they stole away in the darkness, and reached Sutter's Fort without uuneces ary delay.

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY FROM 1841 TO 1847.

would be a rich prize, and if they once entered San Jose, they would be sure to help themselves to what he had; consequently all his interests were opposed to the occupation of the town by such a body of men. As Micheltorena advanced, Jose Cas- tro became alarmed, and, leaving San Jose to its fate, retreated up the valley towards Oakland with bis forces; whereupon Captain Weber addressed a com- munication to the commander of the advancing forees, stating that Castro had left San Jose, and asked him if he would not pass to one side of the pueblo, and not enter it with his troops. Michelto- rena replied that he found it necessary to pass through San Jose in his pursuit of Castro. In the meantime the Captain received prompt information to the effect that the Governor had lost control of his soldiery, who insisted on entering the village for plunder; whereupon the Captain caused the tocsin of war to be sounded through the streets. The people assembled, and the Captain presented the position of affairs, and told them that he believed, with a force composed of the citizens and foreigners in the place, the advancing army could be checked, and forced to take a different route in their line of mareh after Castro. A company was immediately formed, placed under his command, and moved out to meet the enemy, a handful against a host. Send- ing a courier in advance to meet Micheltorena, advis- ing him of what he was doing, and that it was done, not in a spirit of opposition to him personally, or the cause which he represented, but with a deter- mination to protect their homes from plunder. The forces met some twelve miles out from the village, and for several days the entire army, numbering several hundred, was held in check by this little band of brave men under Captain Weber. Castro, hear- ing of the fact, became ashamed of himself, turned back from his retreat, joined the Captain with his forces, took command of the army, and forced Mieheltorena to surrender, and, finally, to agree to leave California and return to Mexico. For the time this ended the war. It was again revived by Mich- eltorena, who failed to comply with his agreement when he learned that Capt. John A. Sutter could he relied upon for assistance. Sutter, wishing to retain the old régime until his land titles were perfected, in December, 1844, marched to the lower country with his deluded followers, being met on the way, at the residence of Dr. John Marshe, by J. Alex. Forbes, of the Hudson Bay Company, who tried to dissuade him from proceeding further with the enterprise, but without avail, telling the Captain at the same time that in General Castro's army was a large number of Americans, and that his act was ar- raying the foreign-born population against each other. Sutter's reply to all was that he had gone too far to withdraw without discredit to himself. He pushed on towards the south, and his men, suspecting some- thing wrong, began to desert until but few remained. Finally, when the hostile armies stood face to face, a

parley was insisted upon, and it was found that the foreigners were fighting in the ranks of both armies; after which, Sutter had, practically, no followers, and fell, finally, into the hands of Castro, who, but for the strong intervention of friends, would have had him shot.

This unfortunate proceeding was the second breach in the policy of non-intervention; and it eame so near becoming disastrous, that it called forth an ex- pression of disapprobation for the course pursued; such a policy continned would Mexicanize the Amer- icans, not Americanize the Mexicans. The result was that the narrow escape demonstrated the neces- sity of an organized plan of action, so that in future they might he well advised of all contemplated movements, and act together as a body and thus make themselves felt, instead of expending their force against each other. With a view of accom- plishing this object, and thus pave the way for the future segregation of California from Mexico, a call was written, subscribed and circulated. * * *

For various causes there was not as formidable a gathering as was desired at the time designated,* and the meeting only included those within easy reach of San Jose; there was consequently nothing of importance accomplished, and there was a failure to obtain a general organization; but the purposes of the foreign population remained unchanged, and culminated, finally, in the hoisting of the " Bear Flag," which, but for the United States taking the struggle off their hands, would have proved to be what it was in fact, a premature move. It was entered upon without general consultation or ma- tured plan, and but for the occupation of the coun- try by the United States, which occurred a little later, would have proved disastrous to many for- eigners living farther south, who were wholly unadvised in regard to the movement. Had the organization been made as was contemplated by the signers of the instrument, the Bear Flag would never have been raised, but without the intervention of the United States it would have resulted in taking the country from Mexico, making San Joaquin one of the frontier counties of the State.

It is not the purpose of this work to give a State history, therefore we return to the march of events in San Joaquin, having followed those occurrences outside only which had a direct bearing upon the history of this county.

Ou the third day of April, 1845, C. M. Weber purchased of Mr. Gulnae the remaining interest in the French Camp Grant, Mr. Weber becoming it- sole owner; but no further attempt was made at settlement until 1846, when he induced a number of settlers, under the leadership of Napoleon Schmidt. to locate. They had no sooner become settled in their new homes than the war-cloud burst, which had been hanging over the country, and the settlers

* July 4, 1845.

HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

again scattered to locations where they would be .ess isolated in ease of an attack by the Mexicans.

In November, 1846, the Isbel brothers took up land on the Calaveras. that stream dividing their ranches or claims; Dr. I. C. Isbel occupying the north, and his brother James the south side of the "river of skulls," where Fremont had crossed it in 1844. The doctor ereeted a log cabin near the river, which is still standing. It is the oldest house in the county, in faet the oldest in the San Joaquin valley, and should be preserved as a relic of the past. The same month and year, Turner Elder erected a cabin on Dry creek, where the village of Liberty was afterwards laid out. Mr. Elder was a married man, and had brought his wife and three little children with him to this country. On the opposite, or north side of the creek, and a little further down, his father-in-law, Thomas Rhodes, located. Thomas Pyle settled at what is now known as Staples' Ferry, in the same year and month, with his family-a wife and two children. It was during the month of November, 1846, that Samuel Brannan established his colony on the Stan- islans, about one and one-half miles above its mouth, calling the place . Stanislaus City.

It will be observed that during this year, two dis- tinct colonies were established, and four ranehes taken up in San Joaquin county, at the points where the old Spanish trail, between Sutter's Fort and San Jose, crossed the several streams in the county. This was a strong demonstration toward settlement. Weber's party had left at the first notes of alarm ; Samuel Brannan's colony remained until the follow- ing Spring, and then all left, except Buckland-leav- ing only the ranchers on the Spanish trail and Buckland, as the inhabitants to dispute possession of the county with the Indians. The five settlers remaining were Dr. I. C. Isbel, and his brother. James, on the Calaveras; Thomas Pyle, on the Mokelumne; Turner Elder, on Dry creek; and Buckland, on the Stanislaus.

Dr. Isbel retained his claim until 1848, when he sold to the llutehinson brothers, and they m turn to Mr. Dodge.

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History of Placer county, California, Part 8

Author: Angel, Myron; Thompson & West, pub Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West Number of Pages: 558

Author: Angel, Myron; Thompson & West, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West
Number of Pages: 558