USA > California > Sacramento County > History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1913 > Part 38
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and hotel. S. B. Lemon opened a hotel in 1854, which was closed in 1861 or 1862, and Calvin Bates opened one in 1863, on the Michigan Bar or Laguna road, which closed in 1866.
The first school in the township was a private one, kept by George H. Stringfield, in 1857, which lasted one term, and in 1858 a public schoolhouse was built by private parties, Miss Mary McConnell being the first teacher.
The soil of the bottom lands is a black loam. The upland is gravelly, mixed with adobe, and considerable red loam and sandy soil. The chief industry was stock raising until the passage of the "no- fence" law, since which time the land is more profitable for farming than grazing. Thompson and James brought several herds of cattle into the township in 1853, and until 1860 "Unele Billy" Hicks, of Hicksville, also had considerable cattle. In 1858 sheep-raising ob- tained a hold and has ever since proved profitable. After 1877 barley, wheat and hay began to be raised profitably. Very little fruit has hitherto been raised in this township, but of late the large ranches have been purchased and are being cut up into small tracts, with the idea of colonizing them for the purpose of intensive farming and planting vineyards. Dry creek is a torrential stream coming down from Amador county, which carries water only in the winter and spring. The Lagoon, as it is known, carries a great deal of water in winter, sometimes overflowing its banks, half a mile wide. It runs nearly through the center of the township.
AMERICAN TOWNSHIP
On July 30, 1851, the court of sessions cut off from Sacramento township all of the land north of the American river, creating it into a township to be known as American township. On the 20th of October, 1856, the board of supervisors of this county established the boundaries of the different townships as they now exist, all except Riverside township, which was carved ont of Sutter township in 1909. In 1874 the supervisors changed the boundaries of Sacramento city, throwing all the land north of A and North B streets into American township. At present almost all the land in the township is swamp and overflowed land, comprised in Old Swamp Land District No. 1. The Natomas Consolidated Company, however, has obtained ownership of most of the overflowed land, and has begun the work of reclaiming many thousands of acres, at a cost of several million dollars, and the day is not far distant when the township will be the site of hundreds of small holdings of alluvial land of great fertility and will make a thickly settled section tributary to the city of Sacramento. The township contains about fourteen thousand acres of the Norris Grant, or Rancho del Paso. This also is being subdivided, and many set- tlers are making improvements on it. The Southern Pacific station at Arcade is situated near the southeast corner of the township.
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The Six-mile House on the old Marysville road was built by Mr. Holmes in 1852 or 1853, but sold in 1857 under foreclosure to H. C. Harvey, who was interested in a stage line from Sacramento to Marys- ville, and who kept it as a hotel and farmhouse. It is now the head- quarters of a game club. The Arcade Hlouse was about two miles from the American river bridge. The Star hotel was on the Nevada road on the Norris Grant. It was a favorite stopping place for team- sters and was owned by a Mr. Pitcher in 1857. The Twelve-mile House was a stage station on the Nevada road. The land, being sedi- mentary deposit, is very rich on the bottoms, and much sediment was deposited on it by the '62 flood, which nearly ruined the farms over- flowed, carrying away barns, houses, tools, etc., and the indications are that at some time previous to the American river occupation the water was much higher than in 1862.
This township was the scene of one of the early dnels-that be- tween Philip W. Thomas, district attorney of Placer county, and Dr. Dickson, one of the physicians of the State Marine hospital of San Francisco. Thomas had made some remarks derogatory to the char- acter of J. P. Rutland, one of the clerks in the office of State Treas- urer McMeans, and Rutland sent a challenge, which Thomas declined, saying he did not regard the challenger as a gentleman. Dr. Dickson appropriated the insult to himself, and sent a challenge to Thomas in his own name, which was accepted, and a hostile meeting was ar- ranged for four A. M. March 9, 1854. The parties left the city at two-thirty A. M., but found they were pursued by the sheriff and his deputies, and it was arranged that a mock duel should take place be- tween two of their friends, H. O. Ryerson and Hamilton Bowie. They took position and exchanged shots, and Ryerson was immediately ar- rested and taken to the city, where he gave bonds. The principals proceeded to the ground, about two hundred yards from the residence of H. M. LaRue, where Bowie acted as second for Thomas and Judge McGowan as second for Dickson. The distance had been fixed at ten paces, but was changed to fifteen, in hopes of saving their lives. The weapons used were dueling pistols, and both fired promptly at the word, Thomas being a little the quicker of the two, which prob- ably saved his life, as Dickson's hullet struck the ground at Thomas' feet. Dickson fell and was brought to the city, where he died at midnight. James H. Hardy was then district attorney, and the other participants were indicted, but through the exertions of Col. P. L. Edwards, their counsel, the indictments were quashed. Thomas was later twice re-elected district attorney of Placer county, and in 1860 was elected to the state senate, but resigned before the expiration of his term. He died in Auburn in 1874 or 1875.
BRIGHTON TOWNSHIP
Brighton township, as originally established by the court of ses-
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sions February 4, 1851, was described as follows: Beginning at the southeast corner of Sacramento township, thence along the eastern line of said township to the county line of Sutter county; thence east- erly along said line for three miles; thence in a sontheasterly direc- tion to Murray's ranch and including the same; thence in the same direction to the intersection of San Joaquin, Sutter and Cosumnes townships; thence along the northern line of Sutter township to the place of beginning. This inchided part of what is now known as Center township. In 1856 the board of supervisors changed the boundaries.
The town of Brighton was started in 1849 by a party of Sacra- mento speculators, the town plat made, lots staked off, a race track and the Pavilion hotel built by the originators of the enterprise. It was located on the bank of the American river, nearly a mile north of the location of what is now known as Brighton. In 1849-51 it was a lively place. The Pavilion hotel burned down in 1851, and another hotel, the Five-mile House, with John and George Berry as propri- etors, was started, but closed in 1856. There were two stores and several dwellings in the town, but in 1852 it was abandoned, on ac- count of land troubles, defective title and other reasons.
The station and postoffice now known as Perkins was called Brighton until the early '80s, when the name was changed. At one time the postoffice at Brighton was moved to what is now called Brighton Junction, remaining there for four years, and then going back to its present location. T. C. Perkins built the first store and was the first postmaster there in 1861, and his son, C. C. Perkins, still carries them on. S. H. Pugh built the Washington hotel and the first blacksmith shop in 1874.
Hoboken, or Norristown, was laid off by Samuel Norris in 1850 on the south bank of the American river. Very little was heard of it till the flood of 1852, when Sacramento was cut off by water, and Sac- ramento merchants had to move to the high ground in order to reach their customers. The town was rechristened Hoboken, and grew quickly. January 10, 1853, there were from thirty to fifty houses and tents. Prominent business houses of Sacramento swelled the popula- tion to several hundred. In January of 1853 the vote for the election of mayor of the town stood, after an exciting campaign: E. L. Brown, 613; Samuel Norris, 546; J. B. Starr, 598. Mayor Brown made a speech to the voters, promising to faithfully perform the duties of his office, "provided I am paid for it." When the waters subsided Hoboken was deserted and became farm land.
Routier postoffice, named in honor of Joseph Routier, is on the Placerville railroad. Routier settled there in June, 1853, as the agent of Captain Folsom, occupying the house built by Leidesdorff in 1846. He bought part of the property and lived there until his death in 1898. The first railroad station in this vicinity was at the American Fork
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House, or Patterson's. A few years later the station was moved to Mayhew. In 1871 Mr. Patterson lost his new house by fire, and re- built at Routier's. In 1872 Mrs. Mayhew, postmistress at Mayhew, resigned, and the office was moved to Routier's and Patterson was appointed postmaster.
A. D. Patterson came to this conntry in 1849 and started the American Fork or Ten-mile House on the Coloma road, remaining there until 1871. The honse was constructed principally of cloth, and was about ten miles from Sacramento. It became popular, and flour- ished so that in 1850 he built a wooden house costing, it was said, about $40,000, owing to the cholera season in that year. On Christmas Eve, 1850, a ball was held that realized $1500, of which Patterson paid $250 to Lothian's band for music. In 1853 the "Plank Road," built on the continuation of J street, reached Patterson's hotel, which was its eastern terminus. The house immediately became a great place of resort, and flourished till he sold it in 1872.
The Magnolia, also known as the Five-mile House, was built orig- inally in 1849, on the old Placerville and Jackson stage road, and was well known in its day. It was burned twice in 1863, and rebuilt the second time. The Twelve-Mile House was built in 1853 by a man named Caldwell, and was known as the Antelope ranch. The Four- teen-mile House was built on the old Coloma road in 1850, and sold to John Taylor in 1854.
Among the early settlers in the township we have gathered the following: N. J. Stevens settled near Patterson in 1850. Charles Malby settled here in 1849, and kept the Nine-mile House on the Coloma road. James T. Day came in 1849. Israel Lnce came in 1850. James Allen came with his family on the American river, and was driven out in the Squatter riot, the sheriff having been killed at his house, as heretofore narrated, and an adopted son of his having also been killed. He returned, and sold his place in 1861. W. B. Whitesides settled in the township in 1850, on what is known as the Rooney place. A. B. Hawkins came in 1849. A. Cerytes came in 1850, but moved away later. A. Kipp and. Charles Petit settled on the Allen place in 1851, but when he returned they gave it up to him. John Rooney came in 1851. W. S. Manlove and Dr. Kellogg settled there in 1849.
Mills station, formerly known as Hangtown Crossing, has a store kept by John Studarus, and a gristmill from which it takes its name.
Walsh's station is situated on the Jackson road about nine miles from Sacramento, and a postoffice was established there in 1873, J. Walsh, who kept the store, being postmaster. Enterprise Grange hall was built there the same year by a business association connected with the Grange.
CENTER TOWNSHIP
Center township was established by the court of sessions in 1851, and comprised part of the present township, as well as parts of
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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY
Brighton, Granite and Lee townships. The supervisors in 1853 changed the boundaries of Brighton and Center townships, making the portions of both lying north of the American river, Center town- ship. In 1856 new boundaries were established. The township is al- most entirely composed of Spanish grants. About thirty thousand acres of the Norris grant, known now as the Rancho del Paso, are in the township; also about eight thousand acres of the old San Juan grant, the latter having been subdivided and sold in smaller parcels. During the past two years the Rancho del Paso has been sold by J. B. Haggin to eastern capitalists, and is being rapidly cut up and sold in small farms to settlers. The price paid for it is stated to have been about one and a half millions. For fifty years its forty-four thousand acres has stood like a stone wall in the way of the city's expansion on the north, as Mr. Haggin refused to sell it, except as a whole. It is being rapidly settled up at present. The proprietors of the Norris grant made three separate attempts to reach artesian water or to find a flowing well, but were unsuccessful, and the last of the three wells was abandoned in 1879. The depth of these wells was, respectively, nine hundred feet, six hundred and forty feet, and twenty-one hundred and forty-seven feet.
The Auburn road runs diagonally through the township, and in the early days houses of refreshment were located along it at short intervals, the most prominent of them being the Oak Grove House, about seven miles from Sacramento, which was a popular resort in 1851-52. It was kept by D. B. Groat, and was the one at which the parties of the Denver-Gilbert duel took breakfast on the morning of the tragedy, the ground being only a few yards away. The house disappeared long ago. This was one of the most noted duels in the early history of the state, and had its origin in a newspaper con- troversy in 1852. Denver was at the time in charge of the supplies for overland immigration, and Gilbert attacked him editorially, charg- ing members of the expedition with dishonesty. He finally sent Den- ver a challenge, which was accepted, Denver, as the challenged party, choosing rifles, and the distance thirty paces. At sunrise August 2, 1852, the combatants met on the ground, and in the toss for choice of position Denver won, and placed his back toward the rising sun. Ex- Mayor Teschemacher was Gilbert's second and V. F. Geiger was Den- ver's, while Dr. Wake Briarly was surgeon. The first fire resulted in the bullets of each striking the ground in front of the other. At the second shot Gilbert was shot in the bowels and fell into the arms of his friend, dying without a struggle. His body was carried to the Oak Grove House. Gilbert was born in Troy, N. Y., and worked him- self up from the printer's case to a seat in congress. He came to California with Stevenson's regiment in 1847, having previously been associate editor on the Albany Argus, though at the time of his death he was only thirty years of age. Early in 1849 he combined the
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('alifornia Star and the old Californian, from which sprung the Alta California. He was a delegate to the first constitutional convention, and the first man from the Pacific coast to take a seat in congress. His body was taken to the residence of J. H. Nevett in Sacramento, and impressive funeral services held by Rev. O. C. Wheeler at the First Baptist church, the procession being headed by a company of cavalry under command of Captain Fry. The body was taken to San Francisco, and final services held at Rev. T. Dwight Hunt's church. every newspaper editor and reporter in San Francisco attending the funeral.
Antelope is a village on the Southern Pacific railway. In 1876 a large brick warehouse was built by J. F. Cross, costing $3000. The first store was started in 1877 by the Antelope Business Association, and the second by R. Astile in 1879 in the hotel building. The post- office was established in 1877, Joel Gardner being postmaster. For many years it has been a shipping place for hay and grain into the mountains, and of late fruit and almond raising is increasing in that section. Arcade is a way station on the Southern Pacific. Within the past three years the Western Pacific railway and the Northern Electric railway have been built through the township and have estab- lished some way stations.
COSUMNES TOWNSHIP
Cosumnes township originally embraced parts of Dry Creek and San Joaquin townships. Its present boundaries were established by the board of supervisors in 1856, and the villages of Cosumnes, Mich- igan Bar, Sebastopol, Live Oak and Buckeye are within its limits.
Michigan Bar was so named because the first settlers were from Michigan. Much mining has been done in Cosumnes township, gold having been discovered there in 1849, and it was probably discovered by the two Michigan men who founded the place. This was the largest mining camp in the district, and the first claims were only allowed to be sixteen feet. When hydraulic mining began the miners made their own rules. In the fall of 1851 the miners began working the gulches, hauling the dirt in carts to the river. This was the first dry mining done in this locality. In the summer most of the mining was done on the river and bars. The Knightsomer ditch in 1851 (the first built), and the Davidson ditch, built in 1854, were both on the north side of the river. In 1858 hydraulic mining began, and some two hundred to three hundred acres were washed off to the depth, sometimes, of twenty feet, the district being one of the best for placer mining in California. At one time Michigan Bar had from one thou- sand to fifteen hundred population, some estimating it as high as two thousand, and in the '50s it polled as high as five hundred votes. There are not more than fifty voters now.
A toll bridge, built in 1853 by Samuel Putnam, was bought by the
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county in 1879 and made free. A new iron bridge, 362 feet in length and costing $3300, was built in 1887. The Michigan Bar pottery works were built in 1859 by J. W. Orr, who discovered what was thought to be the best bank of clay for pottery in the state.
A man named Prothero was the first settler, and brought his family of four sons and two daughters with him. Larkin Lamb and wife settled there in 1851.
Gold was discovered at Cook's Bar (named after a man named Dennis Cook, who settled there in 1849) about the same time as at Michigan Bar, and quite a large town, with a large hotel, stores and saloons and five hundred population sprang up, but practically ceased to exist in 1860.
Sebastopol, a mining town, sprang up in 1854. The place was so named by the miners, the ('rimean war then being in progress. During the lively times three hundred to four hundred ounces of gold dust were sold here weekly, but the town dwindled down to four houses by 1859. Katesville, another mining town, was established in 1854 and deserted in 1862.
Live Oak was also established in 1854, and for several years gold to the amount of $2000 to $3000 was sold there weekly. Wells, Fargo & Co. had an office there from 1858 to 1861, and the Hamilton line of stages ran through Live Oak on their way from Mokelumne Hill to Sacramento. There were three stores, two hotels and other business houses, but the place went down in 1861. Among the early settlers were B. R. Robinson, Henry Lancaster, W. S. Crayton, Thomas Olive, J. C. Dunn, Patrick Gaffney, John Gaffney, George Freeman, R. D. Reed, Alfred Ball and V. Perry. George Mckinstry came to the state in 1847, and opened a store and trading post on the Cosumnes river in 1849. He owned a part of what was known as the Sacayac grant (later called the Pratt grant) on the Cosumnes river, and sold the ranch and store to Emanuel Pratt, who ran it till 1855, when he closed out the business. J. O. Sherwood settled on the south side of the Cosumnes in 1850. Jacob A. Hutchinson, Sr., crossed the plains in 1846, and settled on the Cosumnes river in 1849. He soon started on a prospecting trip to the northern mines, and was never heard of again. James Pollock came to the state in 1846 with his family, and settled on the Cosumnes in 1853. He claimed that his daughter, Mary, was the first white child born in the state, but the claim is disputed.
Jared Sheldon, the owner of the Sheldon grant, in 1851 bought a piece of land half a mile above where MeCabe's bridge was afterwards built. He built a costly dam and dug a race three-quarters of a mile long, the dam being built of square timbers, tied together with oak ties, and filled in with rocks, sixteen feet high. The miners learned of his intention and protested, on the ground that it would overflow their claims, but he disregarded their protest, and completed the dam. When the water began to reach the claims several meetings were
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held, both sides being represented. Sheldon built a fort on a point of rocks which commanded the dam, placed a cannon upon it, and em- ployed a number of men to defend it. July 12, 1851, however, the fort was surprised and taken, Sheldon being absent. IIe was sent for to come and let the water off, and arrived soon after with a dozen men, but refused to let the water off, and the miners made an in- effectual attempt to blow up the dam. When it failed, one of the miners, of whom there were about a hundred present, seized an ax, and calling on the others to protect him, walked to the edge of the dam and began chopping. There is a dispute as to who fired the first shot, one account stating that Sheldon ordered one of his men to shoot the miner who was chopping the dam, and that this man and another fired at him, whereupon the miners fired at the Sheldon party, killing Sheldon, and Johnson and Cody, the two men who fired. The only man injured on the miners' side was the man on the dam, who was slightly wounded. The dam was opened and the water let out, and it was entirely swept away by the high water of 1851-52.
Jordan H. Lowry settled at Michigan Bar in 1854, and lived there for many years. There were plenty of hotels in the township between 1850 and 1862. The Public House, built at Coats' Ferry, closed in 1858, and another hotel, built by Coats, on the other side of the river. was closed in 1857. The Hamilton House, on the Sacramento and Dry Town road, near the river, was burned in 1853, and never re- built. The Gold Spring House on the Gold Spring ranch, was built in 1849 and closed in 1853. The Mountain Honse was built in 1850 by James Gordon, whose wife gave birth to twins the same year, the first twins born in the township. The Wilbur hotel, built by Y. S. Wilbur in 1850, and sold to Larkin Lamb in 1851, was closed by him in 1858. The Ohio House, built by a company from Ohio, was sold in 1856 or 1857 to James Cummings, who changed its name to the Cum- mings House. It was located at Sebastopol and burned down in 1864 and was never rebuilt. The Hamilton hotel was opened at Sebastopol by J. H. Hamilton in 1857. The Prairie Cottage, about a mile and a half above Sebastopol, on the Ione road, was built in 1851 and closed in 1864. The Blue Tent House, on the Buckeye ranch, built in 1849 by Sage & Co., closed as a hotel in 1870. The Niagara House was opened in 1849 on Willow Springs creek by Moore & Ball, and closed in 1856. Cook's Bar House, opened by Chenault & Hall, in 1854, did a good business for several years, but closed in 1870.
While there is some good agricultural land in Cosumnes township and some successful hopyards along the river, most of the land is classed as mineral and is but little worked now, being largely devoted to grazing. The march of progress and the new methods of treating the land will probably in the near future result in turning it to fruit raising.
21
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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY
The first school in the township was opened in 1853, the whole township being included in the district.
DRY CREEK TOWNSHIP
Dry Creek township was originally included in San Joaquin town- ship, but was set off by itself in August, 1853, all the land sontheast of the Cosumnes river being set off. The boundaries were modified into their present form by the supervisors October 20, 1856. It is mostly included within the boundary line of the San Jon de los Mokelumne, or Chabolla grant. Dr. W. L. McIntyre came into this county in 1849, with his family, settling in Dry Creek township in 1851. He built the first frame house in the township in April, 1851, near Galt. Mrs. Rosanna MeIntyre died at the residence of Ephraim Ray in Galt, February 20, 1889, in her seventy-ninth year.
Calvin T. Briggs and John Burroughs had large herds of cattle on both sides of the river as early as 1850, and Burroughs returned to the east in 1857. Briggs built the second frame house in the town- ship in 1851, they having previously lived in an adobe house. Rev. N. Slater and family came in 1851 and engaged in stock-raising. He sold his five hundred acre farm in the Chabolla grant in 1869 and moved into Sacramento in 1876.
Grant I. Taggart and the Ringgold brothers took up a claim in 1852, but stayed only a few months. Taggart was afterwards clerk of the supreme court. Willis Wright purchased part of their elaim in 1853. Thomas Armstrong came into possession of part of the Ring- gold place in 1852, and engaged in the dairy business. Dr. Russell came in 1850, engaging in the cattle business about four miles from Galt until his death in 1861. William H. Young was among the early settlers. S. Fugitt and family settled on Dry creek in 1852 and kept a hotel for some years. Hiram Chase came in 1852. George Gray settled in the township in 1850, James Short in 1853, Andrew Whitaker in 1852 and John McFarland in 1851. Evan Evans came in 1851, Henry D. Cantrell in 1853, Thomas McConnell in 1855, Thomas Lorin in 1851, George Need in 1852, Peter Planalp in 1852, H. Putney in 1853, Peter Williamson in 1852, David Davis in 1853, P. Green and wife in 1852 or 1853, Peter Riley in 1852, Samuel Wriston and Ephraim Ray in 1852.
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