USA > California > San Benito County > History of San Benito County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, and mines : with biographical sketches of prominent citizens > Part 16
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THE BIRTH OF THE COUNTY.
" An Aet to ereate the county of San Benito, to establish the boundaries thereof-approved February 12, 1874,"-is the title of the organic Aet, which gave to the people of this county the right to administer their own local affairs through officers of their own selection, as one of the political sub-divisions of the State. By the terms of the Act the new county was earved out of territory formerly belonging to Monterey county.
The " division " question had not been agitated prior to the year 1868. In that year the east half of the rancho San Justo was purchased by the " San Justo Homestead Associa- tion," a corporation.
The object of the association was to subdivide its purchase into small farms, to cultivate the same, and if deemed advis- able by the incorporators, to establish a town for the conven- ienee and profit of its members.
The incorporators were nearly all industrious, energetie, and practical farmers. The raneho was subdivided into two elasses of farms, agricultural and grazing. The whole number of lots was fifty-one; lot number fifty-one was set apart as a town site, and subdivided into town or building lots.
The farming lots were sold at public anetion, for a premium for choice of lots. The premiums went into a common fund that was to be devoted to satisfying, in part, the purchase price of the rancho.
At the sale of lots the bidding was spirited and determined. John Wright, one of the original ineorporators, opened the sale with an offer of five hundred dollars for the first choice, but
79
THE TOWN OF HOLLISTER IN ITS INFANCY.
T. S. Hawkins, now President of the Bank at Hollister, finally became the purchaser for the sum of six thousand five hundred dollars. This was at the time consideral to be an extrava- gant price, but subsequent events have demonstrated that the investment was judicious and well considered.
The spirited bidding, and the prompt measures taken to utilize their property, made it manifest that the new settlers had come here to stay.
HOLLISTER IN ITS INFANCY.
The determined spirit of the little colony, and the extension of the Tres Pinos branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad, which extended to the new town of Hollister, thereby opening up a market for the produce of the country, established the San Justo Homestead Association and its incident, the town of Hollister, beyond a doubt.
Before the advent of the railroad, the new colony, and its struggling town, had been spoken of sometimes patronizingly, sometimes commiseratingly, and always iudifferently, by the peo- ple of the adjoining towns and the neighboring and more favored sections.
About this time Gilroy and San Juan, the nearest towns, were at the height of their commercial prosperity. They had been commercial rivals since the advent of the railroad to Gilroy. Prior to that time Gilroy was not commercially important, but being the terminus of a line of railroad, it naturally became the depot aud distributing point for a large section of country. San Juan was being worsted iu the fight for business; she was no longer the rendezvous for the traders who did business with southern California, nor the starting- point and base of supplies for seven lines of daily stages, and the immense business of the New Idria Quicksilver Mining Com- pany, as she had been in former years.
HOLLISTER GAINS PROMINENCE.
When the line of the railroad was extended beyond Gilroy, towards Tres Pinos, it tarried long enough at Hollister to bring that place prominently before the public, as the base of sup- plies, and the shipping point for a section of country extending at least a hundred miles east and south.
By this change, the condition of Gilroy was not improved but that of San Juan was made infinitely worse, and it soon became apparent that Hollister would thereafter be the Mecea of its immediate vicinage, whither would flock the good, the bad, and the indifferent-the natural elements of every new town. The good seeking to profit by honest efforts, and to avail themselves of the natural business advantages offered ; the bad sceking, as they always will under similar circum- stanees, to live, as parasites, by the efforts and errors of others; while the indifferent will drift aimlessly with the tide where- ever it may lead.
HOLLISTER GROWS RAPIDLY.
'The population in and about the new towu grew as surpris- ingly rapid. as it was gratifying to the projectors of the San Justo Colony. The census returns of 1870 showed a popula- tion in Hollister of about three hundred; three years later, the most careful did not estimate its population at less than two thousand persons; to this, as a factor to be considered in esti- inating the town's importance, was to be added the great increase in the population of the outlying districts, which showed a gain of a hundred-fold in the same tiune.
PETITION FOR DIVISION OF MONTEREY.
Under these circumstances it was not surprising that the "peo- ple beyond the mountain," as they were called by the citizens of Monterey, Castroville and Salinas, the principal towns of Monterey county, should be ambitious to set up for themselves, and ask for a division of the common territory, and the crea- tiou of a new county. When, in connection with the facts already adverted to, the further fact is considered, that the two sections are separated by a range of mountains, which serve as a natural barrier to trade and intereourse, the prayer and just demands of the divisionists were unanswerable.
But the petition was inet by the anti-divisionists with the plea of inexpediency: The fact was dwelt upon, that Monterey county, as a whole, had grown to be politically and commer- cially important, and that sub-division, aud the creation of two counties, would lessen the importance of both sections. This was in a measure true, but it was treated as a matter of sec- ondary importance by the friends of division. The great con- venience of the people of the eastern section was the primary consideration. The new county would best subserve this end, and this they were determined to have, or nothing.
CONTEST OVER THE NEW COUNTY.
And so the sectional fight was inaugurated. It was waged fiercely, and with determination, but never with rancor, or a degree of feeling that was not naturally or excusably engen- dered by the local importance of the measure discussed. The citizens of neither section were actuated by malevolent feelings toward the other. "Division" and "No-Division " were the shibboleths, respectively, of the eastern and western sections. 'The election of a representative in the Legislature was made to hinge on the one important question. Republicans, for the time being, forgot their fealty to their party, and Democrats were found counseling with their traditional enemies-the Repub- licans.
The divisionists were iu the minority, and were defeated at the ensuing election, but they were not conquered. In the election which followed, they returned to the charge. No
80
THE COUNTY OF SAN BENITO ORGANIZED.
divisionist would accept a nomination for any office on either political tieket, though the brihe was often tendered in the shape of nominations for the most desirable county offices, on both tlie Democratic and Republican tickets.
An illustration of the unanimity of feeling that prevailed among the people of San Benito county, may be found in the recorded fact that, at one of the elections, wliereat an Asset- blyman was to be chosen, Mr. J. R. Hibbron, the anti-division candidate, and a gentleman of excellent private character, and unexceptionahle public and political record, received at Hollister precinct, out of a total of several hundred, the "beggarly amount " of eight votes-this, too, notwithstanding the fact that the United States Senatorship was one of the issues, and it was said that there was money in the fight.
FRIENDS OF NEW COUNTY SUCCESSFUL.
Finally, as a result of persistent and united effort, and by the exercise of superior political tactics, the divisionists elected their candidate hy a small majority. This result transferred the contest from the political arena of Monterey county to the Legislative halls at Sacramento, but did not end it.
The divisionists secured their next victory, after a most determined fight, in the Assembly, where the bill creating the new county originated. Next, the Senate approved of the measure, hut this was hy a bare majority.
The friends of division were jubilant, guns were fired, and many other signs of approval were manifested by the citizens of Hollister. But these rejoicings were premature, for still the fight went on. Governor Booth was importuned-as only " members of the third house " know how to importune, and make the executive's life miserable-to veto the hill. And it is said that the Governor had, at one time, determined to withhold his official sanction from the measure. But the array of facts, data and figures which was submitted to him, could not be answered or contradicted by the enemies of the bill.
SAN BENITO COUNTY ORGANIZED.
On the 12th day of February, 1874, Governor Booth approved the Act, and the County of San Benito was privileged to embark on her career of prosperity, in which there has been no permanent halt up to this day.
Where so many were equally interested, and where all lahored so zealously and so well, it would seem to be an invid- ious discrimination to name any person in particular as entitled to the credit of bringing about the happy consummation.
The Act creating the county provided that the Governor should appoint five commissioners, who were charged with its organization. As suchı commissioners, T. S. Hawkins, Jesse Whitton, Mark Pomeroy, John Breen, and H. M. Hayes were appointed.
This commission met at Hollister on February 18, 1874, and organized hy electing John Breen as its President and H. M. Hayes its Secretary.
COUNTY DIVIDED INTO FOUR TOWNSHIPS.
The new county was subdivided into four townships, viz .: Hollister, San Juan, San Benito, and Paicines, and three super- visoral districts, designated as one, two and three. District number one was composed of Hollister township, district num- ber two of San Juau township, and district number three of San Benito and Paicines townships.
The new county was to get her complement of officers by appointment from the Governor and special election. James F. Breen, who had resigned the County Judgeship of Monterey county, was appointed by the Governor to the same position in San Benito county; while the commissioners, under the pro- visions of the organic Act, ordered and proclaimed an election to be held throughout the county, on the 26th day of March, 1874, whereat the required county officers were to be chosen, and the county seat was to be permanently located by popular vote.
FIRST COUNTY OFFICERS ELECTED.
Pursuant to the proclamation, the election was held, and the official canvass of the vote, hy the commissioners, showed the popular candidates for the various offices to have been the following: Benjamin F. Ross, Sheriff and ex-officio Tax Col- lector; H. M. Hayes, County Clerk and Recorder; N. N. Briggs, District Attorney; Thomas McMahon, Treasurer; Hayden Dowdy, Assessor; F. P. McCray, Surveyor; H. Z. Morris, Superintendent of Schools; J. M. Black, Coroner and Public Administrator. The following Supervisors were elected: For district number one, Mark Pomeroy ; for district number two, Hon. Thos. Flint; and for district number three, D. J. Watson.
Thus was consummated the division of Monterey county, and the creation and organization of the new county of San Benito.
Irreconcilable differences having arisen between the two counties with respect to the adjustment of the debt, and the distribution of the assets of the old county, and it appearing that the provisions of the Act of the Legislature, passed for that purpose (Cal. Statutes, 1873-4, p. 428), could not solve the ditti- eulty, an Act amendatory of the foregoing, was approved March 10, 1876. (Cal. Statutes, 1875-6, p. 177.)
COUNTY INDEBTEDNESS ARRANGED.
Under the provisions of the last-named Act, the Boards of Supervisors of Monterey and San Benito counties jointly selected a commission consisting of five members. Of this com
PLEASANT VIEW RANCH, RESIDENCE OF C. H. WATERS, I MILES FROM HOLLISTER, SAN BENITO CO. CAL.
11NOW 730
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TOWN RESIDENCE OF C.H.WATERS, MONTEREY ST HOLLISTER.CAL.
81
GENERAL FREMONT AND HIS OPERATIONS.
mission, two were named by Monterey, two by San Benito, and the fifth by the Judge of the Twentieth Judicial District Court. The commission met at Salinas City ; inventoried and appraised the property and assets of each county ; ascertained the amount of the indebtedness of Monterey county on the 12th day of February, 1874, the date on which the Aet ereat- ing San Benito county became a law. It was found that the amount of the county debt exceeded the value of the property and assets in both counties. Following the requirements of the statute, the commissioners deducted the total value of assets from the total indebtedness, and ascertainedl the proportion of the debt due from San Benito county to be $5,808.36, for which amount bonds bearing interest at the rate of seven per cent. per annum, and payable in five years, were issued and made payable to the order of Monterey county. And thus was severed the last tie of a politieal or business character that connected San Benito county with its parent, Mouterey county. True, San Benito county " went into the world without a 'portion,'" and in lieu thereof she was compelled to shoulder a part of the respon- sibilities of her parent. But her people did not complain. The arrangement seemed to them to be equitable; and as in their bitter fight for division they had always claimed to be demanding only justice, they were equally willing to do that which seemed to be just. They did not stop to inquire if the large debt hauging over the mother couuty was the result of mismanagement or improvidence, as was sometimes charged, but becoming satisfied that the debt was legally acknowledged, they willingly contributed their portion. If West. Virginia could boast of such a record, the "mother of States and of presidents " would be happier to-day, than she seems to be, and perhaps, the dead lock would not exist in the United States Senate.
FIRST AMERICAN FLAG OF CONQUEST IN CALIFORNIA.
The San Benito Advance of January 29, 1881, contains the following item :-
" The soil of San Benito county claims the honor of having sustained the first American flag of conquest ever unfurled to a California 'breeze.' General Fremont having floated the U. S. flag on the Gabilan peak in March, 1846."
This statement has heen often challenged as not being a his- torical fact. But I believe a careful examination of the facts connected with the conquest and possession of California by the United States, will justify the assertion.
It is to he borne in mind, however, that the taking of Mon- terey, and the raising of the American flag over that town, by Commodore Jones of the U. S. Navy, on October 19, 1842, does not enter into the account; inasmuch as the action of the Com- modore was premature, and in no sense a justifiable taking, because his Government was on friendly terms with Mexico And, moreover, the United States authorities repudiated the
act ; and the Commodore himself, on the following day, hanled down the Stars and Stripes and saluted the Mexican flag, which he caused to be ruu up in its place; while he in person made full and ample apologies to the then Governor of California, Micheltorena.
GENERAL. FREMONT'S OPERATIONS.
The facts on which San Benito county bases her claims to the honor are about as follows: In March, 1846, J. C. Fremont, who afterward acquired notoriety as the commander of the Federal forces in Missouri, during the late Rebellion, and who is now the Territorial Governor of Arizona, was a brevet captain in the corps of United States topographical engineers. He had been dispatched, by the United States authorities, ostensibly on a tour of exploration to Oregon and California ; but really holding, it is said, secret instructions with reference to the then impending trouble between the United States and the Mexican Covernments.
Captain Fremont finding that his men and beasts were in an exhausted condition, in consequence of the hardships experi- enced on the trans-continental trip, halted his eommand near tlie California line, and with a few men proceeded to San Juan Bautista, where General Castro, one of the military command- ers of California, was temporarily sojourning.
Captain Fremont declared his mission to be to get Governor Castro's permission to lead his company into the valleys of California, in order to recruit his exhausted beasts on the lux- uriant grass growing at that season of the year, and to lay in a supply of dried meat from the elk, deer, and antelope which were known to be ahundant, and easily taken with the rifle.
General Castro, who was naturally a hospitable gentleman, readily gave the desired permission.
FREMONT ORDERED TO QUIT THE COUNTY.
But refleeting later that the young Captain was in command of a company of hated Americanos, and being doubtless advised by the Home Government that the United States was nibbling at California, as it had already taken a large mouthful of Mexican territory, by fomenting the trouble that led to the loss of Texas, he countermanded the permission, and sent a per- emptory order to Fremont to quit the country or bear the con- sequences, which, it was hinted, would be death.
Captain Fremont's instructions were, in part, not to precipi- tate any difficulties with the Mexican authorities in California, and in no ease to be the aggressor. Here then, was a serious difficulty ; acting on the permission previously given, to go where he pleased, he had led his company to the vicinity of San Juan, and was remounting his men, by huying or exchang- ing for horses, with the natives, as he found most convenient and in laying in a supply of dried beef, which he found no dif- fienlty in purchasing at San Juan Mission.
82
SPOT WHERE FIRST AMERICAN FLAG WAS RAISED.
Naturally, he was somewhat alarmed, and greatly incensed hy the General's curt message. He considered that he was justified in treating Castro's conduct as a hreach of faith, and so he returned an answer as defiant as the message, to the effect that " he would go when he got ready."
As a soldier, he feared nothing; but as a diplomat, he was not sure that he was not transcending his orders, He was, doubtless, well advised that it was a foregone conclusion that California was to he acquired either by treaty, purchase or con- quest; hut his part in the game was not " to spring the mine," and he feared that he might hlunder on land as Commodore Jones had hlundered at sea a few years before. And all the time he was hopeful that General Castro would be satis- fied with the promulgation of the order, and not attempt to enforce it. But he was disappointed. No sooner had the General received the defiant answer, than he treated it as an act of hostility; he sent messengers over the country bearing the peculiarly Mexican proclamation that the soil of California was being desecrated by the Americanos del Norte, and appeal- ing to his countrymen to take horse and arıns (the Californians always fought on horsehack) and annihilate the invaders.
This appeal met with a ready response. Soon a cavalry squadron of five or six hundred inen rendezvoused on the Salinas plains near Natividad.
FREMONT RETIRES TO GABILAN PEAK.
Matters hegan to look serious, and Captain Fremont con- cluded to retire, at his leisure however, hut to leave nothing undone to make an available defense if attacked. He accord- ingly abandoned the Mission of San Juan, and led his company, with their horses, provisions, and such munitions of war as he had, up the steep acclivities leading to the Gabilan, or Fre- mont's peak as it is oftener and more appropriately called, which overlooks the towns of Hollister and San Juan. He there camped, erected a flag-staff, and unfurled the Stars and Stripes, and calmly awaited the attack. But the attack was not delivered; Castro manœuvred his command, deployed his skirmishers, and exhibited a variety of " high fantastic military tricks " at the foot of the Gahilan mountains. He issucd bourly proclamations and hulletins, relating to the ruthless invad- ers, and fixing the exact hour at which he would give the com- mand to charge (due notice of which was always imparted to the little hand hehind their improvised rampart on the hill). But as often as the command to charge was given, the courage of the soldier, like that of Boh Acres, oozed out at his fingers' end, or elsewhere.
GENERAL CASTRO DECLINES TO FIGHT.
Finding that something more than the " pomp and circum- stance of war" was necessary to dislodge the enemy, hut hav-
ing no other resources at his command, the General concluded to withdraw his forces. But heing somewhat careful of his reputation as a military man, he issued another hulletin, osten- sibly to Fremont, hut really to his own command.
This bulletin was to the effect that the General and his sol- diers were anxious to fight, and to shed their blood, hut that they were not disposed to climb the mountains to do so. The hulle- tin concluded with the challenge: "Salganse al plan, yo no soy cierbo-come down to the plain, I am not an elk;" meaning that it was not convenient for him to follow his enemy to the mountain retreat.
SPOT WHERE FIRST FLAG WAS RAISED,
The spot where Captain Fremont halted his company, and raised the flag, is on the San Benito side of the division line hetween Monterey and San Benito counties; and the prominent peak which rises just alove the spot, is to-day hetter known as Fremont's peak than as the Gahilan peak, as it was called hy the Californians. And so it is that San Benito county claims, witlı justice, that her soil supported the first American flag of con- quest that was ever unfurled to a California breeze. It is to he horne in mind that Commodore Sloat did not raise the Amer- ican flag over Monterey until July 10, 1846 ; and that the famous "Bear Flag," which was American in sentiment if not in design, was not raised hy Ide at Sonoma, until June of the same ycar .*
It is not necessary to follow the subject farther, except for the purpose of getting Fremont out of his unpleasant predica- ment. Finding that Castro had dismissed his men to San Juan and Monterey, possibly on furlough to recuperate after thic arduous campaign, and heing satisfied that the " liattle" would not he fought, Fremont determined to retire towards the Ore- gon line, there to await further developments. With this end in view, he struck camp and leisurely followed the summit of the Gahilan range, at no point descending to the valleys, until he reached the Cholon, now known as Bear valley, in San Benito county. From thence he struck to the north, passing through the " Big Panoche" valley to the San Joaquin, where he was tarrying when the "stirring news," that he had been expecting, reached him, that the United States had declared war against Mexico, and that he was to seize and hold Califor- nia, with all the resources at his command.
The subsequent events relating to the conquest of California are part of the military and political history of this State, and they will not he again referred to in this sketch, uuless the shifting scenes should exhibit the characters on the soil of San Benito county,'
CHARACTER OF GENERAL CASTRO.
Before leaving this branch of the subject, however, I desire to do justice to the memory of General Don Jose Castro, Mili-
* More fully explained In " Quneral History," page 47.
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THE TOWN OF SAN JUAN-ITS DECADENCE.
tary Commandant of Upper California in the year 1846. The reader may have got the impression from the foregoing remarks, that General Castro was lacking in physical conrage. Snch was not the case. He was a brave, hospitable and courteous gentleman, as the writer of this, and many others who are still living in this and Monterey county, can testify from their personal knowledge and acquaintance with him.
No one will, when acquainted with the character and condi- tion of the opposing forces at the Gabilan, deny that Castro manifested commendable judgment and discretion in declining to attack Fremont.
Fremont's command was composed of brave, hardy pioneers, every one of them trained Indian fighters-Kit Carson being of the number. These facts were well known to Castro, whose force, though unmerically greater than Fremont's, by five to one, could in no sense be called soldiers. It was composed of native Californians from the adjoining towns and neighboring ranchos. Their weapons were the riuty and a lance with a long staff. About fifty stand of the antiquated flint-lock mus- ket, which was, as a rule, more fatal in its effects to him who discharged it than to the enemy, by reason of its recoil, were also at hand. But I have been informed by a native Californian, who claims to have been of Castro's party, that the officer at Monterey who filled Castro's requisition for arms and amnmu- nition, promptly forwarded the flint-locks, but forgot the gun- powder. Be that as it may, actuated cither by fear that the guns might be captured by the Americans, or perhaps indiquant at the quarter-master's oversight, the General ordered the guns pitched into the Stokes lagoon, and there they remain to this day, as my informant says.
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