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 4
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2,500
Dolores de San Francisco. .
1,250
211
3,000
5,00
4,500
3,000
San Francisco Solano, .
1,300
70
3,000
30,650 1,450 300,400 20,020 32,1001 5,820 321,500;31,600 123,000
Tothis.
COLONIZATION PARTY.
1834 .- During the year 1834, one Jose Maria Hijar was lis- patched from Mexico with a colonization party, bound for Upper California. The ship touched at San Diego, and here a portion of the party disembarked. The remainder proceeded to Monterey, and, a storm arising, their ship was wrecked upon the beach. Hijar now presented his credentials, and was aston- ished to find that a messenger overland from Mexico had already arrived, bringing news of Santa Ana's revolution, together with dispatches from the new president revoking his (Hijar's) appointment; and continuing Figueroa in office.
In the bitter discussion that followed, it came out that Hijar had been authorized to pay for his ship, the Natalia, * in mis- sion tallow; that the colonists were organized into a company, duly authorized to take charge of the missions, squeeze out of them the requisite capital, and control the business of the terri- tory. The plan had miscarried by a chance, but it showed the missionaries what they had to expect.
With the energy born of despair, eager at any cost to outwit those who sought to profit by their ruin, the mission fathers lastened to destroy that, which through more than half a cen- tury, thousands of human beings had spent their lives to accumulate.
GREAT SLAUGHTER OF CATTLE.
Hitherto, cattle had been killed ouly as their meat was needed for use; or, at long intervals perhaps, for the hides aud tallow alone, when au overplus of stock rendered such action neces- sary. Now they were slaughtered in herds. There was no market for the meat, and this was considered worthless. The creature was lassoed, thrown, its throat cut; and while yet writhing in the death agony its hide was stripped and pegged upou the ground to dry. There were no vessels to contain the tallow, anıl this was run into great pits dug for that purpose, to be spaded ont anon, aul shipped with the holes to market.
200
19,000
7,000 10,000
Sun .Jost. .
500
1,500
San Rafael.
4,000
3,000
San Antonio ...
700
11,000
1,450
80
1,000
1,200
$0.000
2.500
50
8,000
800
1,200
1,100
2,400, 8,00x ]
1,1:00
1, 100
3.HI
4,1100
200
1,200
1.200
5,0100
1,800
1,2010
1,340
250
14,000 10,000
00
15,0100!
1,800
2,500
500
12,000
400|100,000
4,000
14,000
2,7010
500 1115,000|
700 911,17
7,000 2,000
8,000
San Fernando ..
14,000
2,000
› 500
Nostra Seuom do la Soledad,
1.2010
1,696
5,452
1,460
3,186
718
1,541
2,136
* The Identical vessel In which Napolean caraped from the Isle of Khn - 1817,
1942. 1×34.
50
FINAL DISPOSITION OF THE MISSIONS.
Whites and natives alike revelled in gore, and vierl with each other in destruetion. So many eattle were there to kill, it seemed as though this profitable and pleasant work must last forever. The white settlers were especially pleased with the turn affairs had taken, and many of them did not scruple un- ceremoniously to appropriate large herds of young eattle wherewith to stock their ranches. Such were the scenes being enacted on the plains.
MISSION BUILDINGS DESTROYED.
At the missions a similar work was going on. The outer buildings were unroofed, and the timber converted into fire- wood. Olive groves and orchards were cut down; shrubberies and vineyards torn up. Where the axe and vandal hands failed, fire was applied to complete the work of destruction. Then the solitary bell lett hanging on each solitary and dis- mantled church, called their assistants to a last session of praise and prayer, and the worthy padres rested from their labors.
When the government administrators came, there was but little left; and when they went away, there was nothing.
MISSIONS ORDERED ABANDONED.
1845 .- A proclamation of Governor Pico, June 5, 1845, provides :-
1. That the governor should eall together the neophytes of the following-named missions: San Rafael. Dolores, Soledad, San Miguel and La Purissima; and in ease those missions were abandoned by their neophytes, that he should give them one month's notice, by proclamation, to return and cultivate said utissions, which if they did not do, the missions should be de- elared abandoned, and the Assembly and governor dispose of them for the good of the Department,
2. That the missions of Carmel, San Juan Bautista, San Juan Capistrano and San Francisco Solano, should be consid- ered as pueblos, or villages, which was their present condition ; and that the property which remained to them, the governor, after separating sufficient for the curate's house, for churches and their pertinents, and for a municipal house, should sell at public anetion, the product to be applied, first to paying the debts of the establishments, and the remainder, if any, to the benefit of divine worship.
3. That the remainder of the missions to San Diego, inclu- sive, should be rented at the diseretion of the governor,
SALE OF THE MISSIONS.
1845 .- On the 28th of October, of the same year (1845), Governor Pico gave publie notice for the sale to the highest bidder of five missions, to wit: San Rafael, Dolores, Soledad, San Miguel and La Purissima; likewise for the sale of the
remaining buildings in the pueblos (formerly missions) of San Luis Obispo, Carmel, San Juan Bautista, and San Juan Capis- trano, after separating the churches and their appurtenances, and a enrate's, municipal and school-houses. The auetions were appointed to take place, those of San Luis Obispo, Puris- sima and San Juan Capistrano, the first four days of December following (1845); those of San Rafael, Dolores, San Juan Bau- tista, Carmel, Soledad and San Miguel, the 23d and 24th of January, 1846; meanwhile, the Government would receive and take into consideration proposals in relation to said missions.
The final disposition of the missions at the date of 1845 will be seen in the following:
TABLE SHOWING THE FINAL DISPOSITION OF MISSIONS.
No.
NAME OF MISSION.
How DISPOSED OF BY THE GOVERNMENT.
1
San Diego.
Sold to Santiago Arguello, June S, 1616.
San Luis Rey
Sold to Antonio Cut and Andres Fico, May 18. 1:46.
Sım Juan Capistrano
Pueblo, and retuainder suld to John Fuster and James
4
San Gabriel.
Sold to Julian Workman and Hugo Reid, June 15, 1546.
San Fernando
Rented to Andres Pico, for nine years from December, 1845, anil sold to Juan Celis, Jane. 1846.
6
San Buenaventura
Sold to Joseph Arnaz.
Santa Barbara
Rented lør nine years, Irom lune 8, 1816, to Vich's Den.
Santa Ynes
Biented to Joaquin Carrillo
10
San Luis Obispo
Puebla.
19
San Antonio.
Vacant.
13
Suledad ..
14
Cormel de Monterey
15
San Juan Bautista
l'ueblo.
16
Santa Cruz.
Vacant.
17
Santa ITara
In charge ol priest.
15
San Jose ..
In charge of prlest.
19
Dolores, (San Francisco).
l'ueblo.
San Rafael.
Mission in charge ol priest.
91
San Francisco Solano.
Mission In charge of priest.
LAW'S FOR THE COLONISTS.
We make the following extraets from laws sent the colonists and bearing date Monterey, March 23, 1816 :-
" All persons must atteud mass, and respond in a loud voice, and if any persons should fail to do so, without good cause, they will be put in the stocks for three hours."
" Living in adultery, gaming and drunkenness will not be allowed, and he who commits such vices shall be punished."
Another order required every colonist to possess " two yoke of oxen, two plows, two points or plow shares (see engraving of plow.), two hives for tilling the ground, and they must pro- vide themselves with six hens and one cock."
MUST COMPLY WITH PROMISE.
Government Order, No. 6, issued from Monterey, July 20. 1798, is " to cause the arrest of Jose Arriola, and send him an- der guard, so that he be at this place during the coming Sun- Jay, from there to go to Santa Barbara, there to comply with his promise he mado a young woman of that place to marry her."
The records do not inform us whether Jose fulfilled his agree- ment with the young lady or not !
La Purisima
Sold to John Temple, December 6, 1845.
11
San Miguel.
I'ncertain.
Ilouse und garden sobl to Sobranes, January 4, 1549. Pueblo.
MeKinley, December 6, 1845.
٠٠٠
SAN JUSTO RANCHO, FLINT, BIXBY & CO.P.
W. W. ELLIOTTALITH. 106 LEIOSDORFF ST. S.F.
36
ap
OPRIETORS, SAN JUAN, SAN BENITO CO. CAL.
23
AGRICULTURE OF NATIVE CALIFORNIANS
Extract from a letter dated Mouterey, June 3, 1799 :-
* % * " I send you by the wife of the pensioner, Josef Brabo, one piece of cotton goods and one ounce of sewing silk. There are no combs, and I have no hope of receiving any for three years. HERMENEGILDO SAL,
" Military Governor."
Just think of the colonists being without combs for three years !
A. Bernal, by special license, March 6, 1799, " is permitted to drive to Branciforte, from San Jose, a few cattle and sheep belonging to his father, that the former may be able to take care of them."
Agriculture in Early Times.
FARMING in California was in a very primitive state up to its occupation by the Americans. What farming the Californians did was of a very rude description; their plow was a primitive contrivance, their vehicles unwieldy. Such articles of hus- bandry as reapers, mowers and headers had not entered their dreams, and they were perfectly independent of their advan- tages.
.
Grain was cut with a short, stumpy, smooth-edged sickle; it was threshed by the tramping of horses. One of their few evils was the depredations of the wildl Indians, who would sometimes steal their horses, and then the cattle would have to perform the work of separation. The cleaning of grain was performed by throwing it in the air with wooden shovels and allowing the wind to carry off the chaff.
In a work published in London in 1839, by Alexander Forbes, are some interesting descriptions of the country about the Bay of Monterey, and the condition of farming as witnessed by him in 1835.
PLOW USED BY CALIFORNIANS.
The plow used at that time must have been of great antiquity. It was composed of two principal pieces; one, called the main piece, was formed out of a erooked branch of timber eut from a tree of such a natural shape. This plow had only one handle, and no mould-board or other contrivance for turning over the furrow, and was, therefore, only capable of making a simple eut equal on both sides.
The only iron about the plow was a small piece fitted to the point of the stile, and of the shape seen in the detached part of the engraving. The beam was of great length, so as to reach the yoke of the oxen. This beam was also composed of a nat- ural piece of wood, cut from a tree of proper dimensions, and had no dressing except taking off the bark. This beam was inserted into the upper part of the main piece, and connected with it by a small upright piece of wood on which it slides, and is fixed by two wedges; by withdrawing these wedges the beam was elevated or lowered, and depth of furrow regulated.
The loug beain passes between the two oxen like the pole of a carriage, and no chaiu is used. A pin is put through the point of the beam, and the yoke is tied to that by thongs of rawhide. The plow-man goes at one side, holding the handle with his right hand and managing the goad and cattle with his left. The manner of yoking the oxen was by putting the yoke (a straight stick of wood) on the top of the head close behind the horns and tied firmly to their roots and to the fore- head by thongs, so that, instead of drawing by the shoulders, as with us now, they drew by the roots of the horns and forc- head. They had no freedom to move their heads, and went with the nose turned up, and seemed to be in pain.
With this plow only a sort of a rut coull be made, aud the soil was broken by successive crossing and recrossing many times, Plowing could only be done after the rains came, and an immense number of plows had to be employed.
MODERN FARMING TOOLS UNKNOWN.
The harrow was totally unknown, and a bush was drawn over the field to cover in the seed; but in some places a long,
7
PLOW USED BY NATIVE CALIFORNIANS,
heavy log of wood was drawn over the field, something of the plan of a roller, but dragging without turning round, so as to carry a portion of the soil over the secd.
INDUSTRIES OF NATIVE CALIFORNIANS.
The Californians were not without their native manufac- tures, and they did not, as is generally supposed, rely altogether upon the slanghter of cattle and the sale of hides and tallow. The missionaries had taught thein the cultivation of the grape and manufacture of wine. Hemp, flax, cotton and tobacco were grown in small quantities. Soap, leather, oil, brandy, wool, salt, soda, harness, sachilles, wagons, blankets, etc., were manu- factured.
Of California it may be truly said, that before the admission of foreign settlers, neither the potato nor green vegetables were cultivated as articles of food.
DATRYING IN BARLY TIMES.
The management of the dairy was totally unknown. There was hardly any such thing in use as butter and cheese. The butter was an execrablo compound of sour milk and cream mixed together; the Imtter being made of the cream on top of the milk, and a large portion of the sour, bent up together by hand, and without a churn. It was of a dirty gray color and very disagreeable favor, and always rancid.
24
GOLDEN AGE OF NATIVE CALIFORNIANS.
They had an awkward way of milking, as they thought it absolutely necessary to use the calf to induce the cow to give milk : so they let the calf suck for some time alone, and then lay hold of the teats as they could while the calf was still sneking, and by a kind of stealth procured a portion of the milk.
The supercargo of a British ship from India, bound for the coast of Mexico, informed Alexander Forbes* in 1832, that on making the coast of California they touched at the Russian settlement, called La Bodega (Sonoma county), and which borders on the Spanish territory-or rather of right belongs to it, and although the part which the Russians possess is sterile in comparison to the fine plains occupied by the Spaniards, vet they found immediately on their arrival a present sent on board by the Russian Governor, of most excellent butter, fat mntton, and good vegetables, all things most desirable to 1 people arriving from a long voyage. They soon procceded to Monterey, the capital of Spanish California, where they could find nothing but bull heeft neither bread, butter, cheese, or vegetables could be procured. As late as 1834 Monterey was supplied with butter and cheese from the Russian settlement ! at Bodega.
PREMITIVE TORESHING SCENK.
When the crops were ripe they were cut with a sickle, or any other convenient weapon, and then it became necessary to thresh them. Now for the modus operandi. The floor of the corral into which it was customary to drive the horses and cattle in order to lasso them, froin constant use had become hardened. Into this inelosure the grain would be piled, and npon it the manothe, or band of mares, would be turned loose to tramp out the grain. The wildest horses would be turned adrift upon the pile of straw, when would ensue a scene of the wild- est confusion; the excited animals being driven, amidst the yelling of the ruqueros and the cracking of whips, here, there. and everywhere, around, across, and lengthwise, until the whole was trampled, leaving naught but the grain and chaff.
separating of the grain from the chatl. Owing to the length of the dry season, there was no urgent haste to effert this; therefore when the wind was high enough, the Indians, whiu soon fell into the ways of the white pioneers, more especially where they were paid in kind and kindness, would toss the trampled mass into the air with large wooden forks, ent from the adjacent oaks, and the wind carried away the lighter chat, leaving the heavier grain. With a favorable wind several bushels of wheat conbt thus be winmowed in the course of one day.
How insignificant this scene appears when contrasted with a San Joaquin farmer's ontfit of a 24-horse reaper and thresher combined, which is fully described further on in this work and represented in several engravings.
GOLDEN AGE DE NATIVE CALIFORNIANS.
Mr. William Halley, says: From 1833 to 1850 may be set down as the golden age of the native Californians. Not till then did the settlement of the rancheros become general. The missions were breaking up, the presidios deserted, the popula- tion dispersed, and land coull be had almost for the asking. .Never before, and never since, did a people settle down under the blessings of more diverse advantages.
The country was lovely, the climate delightful ; the valley's were filled with horses and cattle; wants were few, and no one dreaded dearth. There was meat for the pot and wine for the enp, and wild game in abundance. No one was in a hurry. " Bills payable" or the state of the stocks troubled no one. and Arcadia seems to have temporarily made this her seat. The people did not, necessarily, even have to stir the soil for a livelihood, because the abundance of their stock furnished them with food and enough hides and tallow to procure money for every purpose. They had also the advantage of cheap and docile labor in the Indians, already trained to work at the missions. And had they looked in the varth for goll. they could have found it in abundance.
They were exceedingly hospitable and sociable. Every guest was welcomol. The sparsity of the population made them rely on each other, and they had many occasions to bring them together.
SCENES OF FESTIVITY AND GAYETY.
Church days, bull-fights, rodeos, were all occasions of festiv- ity. Horsemanship was practiced as it was never before ont of Arabia: dancing found a ball-room in every house, and music was not unknown. For n caballero to pick up a silver coin from the ground at full gallop, was not considered a feat : and any native youth eould perform the mustang riding which was lately accomplished with such credit by young Peralta in New York. To fasten down a mad bull with a lorist, or even formances. The branding and selecting of cattle in rodeos was a gala occasion.
While the young men found means to gratify their tastes for highly wrought saddles and elegant bridles, the women had their till of finery, furnished by the Yankee vessels that visited them regularly for trade every your. Few schools were rstah. lished, but the rundiments of education were given at home. The law was administered by Alcaldes. Prefvets, and Governor. Murder was very rare, suicide unknown, and San Francisco was without a jnil.
FAVORITE NATIVE LIQUOR.
Wine was plentiful, and so was brandy. There was a native liquor in use that was very intoxicating. It was a sort of cognne, which was very agreralde and very volatile, and went
1
1
The most difficult part of the operation, however, was the : sabine him single-handed in a corral, were every-day por-
25
INDUSTRIES AND HOMES OF CALIFORNIANS.
like a flash to the brain. It was expensive, and those selling it made a large profit. This liquor was known as aguacliente, and was the favorite tipple until supplanted by the whisky of the Americanos. It was mostly made in Los Angeles, where the better part of the grapes raised were used for it.
THE ADOBE RESIDENCES.
The walls were fashionul of large sun-dried bricks, made of that black loam known to settlers in the Golden State as adobe soil, mixel with straw, with no particularity as to species, measuring about eighteen inches square and three in thickness; these were cemented with mnd, plastered within with the same substance, and white-washed when finished. The rafters and joists were of rough timber, with the bark simply peeled off and placed in the requisite position; while the residences of the wealthier classes were roofed with tiles of a convex shape, placedl so that the one shoul.l overlap the other, and thus make a water-shed; or, later, with shingles, the poor contenting them- selves with a thatch of tule, fastened down with thongs of bullock's hide. The former modes of covering were expensive, and none but the opulent could afford the luxury of tiles. When completed, however, these mnd dwellings will stand the brunt and wear and tear of many decades, as can be evidenced by the number which are still occupied.
There were occasional political troubles, but these did not much interfere with the profound quiet into which the people hal settled. The change from a monarchy into a republic scarcely produced a ripple. The invasions of the Americans did not stir them very profoundly. But they received such a shock in their slumbers that they, too, like their predecessors, the Indians, are rapidlly passing away.
SPANISH OX-CART.
The form of the ox-cart was as rude as that of the plow. The pole was of very large dimensions, and fastened to the yoke and oxen the same as the plow. The animals had to bear the weight of the load on their heads. This added greatly to the distress of the poor animals, as they felt every jerk and twist of the eart in the most sensitive manner ; and as the roads were "full of ruts and stones, it is a wonder that the animals' heads were not twisted off.
The wheels of this cart were of the most singular constrne- tion. They had no spokes and were made of three pieces of timber. The middle piece was hewn out of a large tree, of size to form the nave and middle of the wheel, all in one. The other two pieces were inade of timber bent and joinal by keys of wood. There does not enter into the construction of this cart a partich of iron, not even a nail, for the axle is of wood and the lynch-pin of the same material.
Walter Colton says: " The ox-cart of the Californian is quite
unique and primitive. The wheels are eut transversely from the butt end of a tree, and have holes through the center for a huge wood axle, as seen in our engraving. The oxen draw by the head and horns instead of the chest; and they draw enormous loads.
" On gala days it was swept out and covered with mats: a leep body is put on, which is arched with hoop-poles, and over these a pair of sheets arc extended for a covering. Into this the ladies are tumbled with the children, and they start ahead."
An old settler writes to us that " Many of our people will recollect the carts used in early days by the Californians. They usnally. traveled from place to place on horseback ; It when the family desired to visit a neighbor or go to town, the family coach was callsl into use. That vehicle consisted of two imntense wooden wheels, eut or sawed off a log, with holes as near the center as convenient for the axle-tree, with a tongue lashed to the axle with rawhide thongs. Upon this a frame as wide as the wheels would permit, anl from seven to twelve feet in lengthi, was placedl, upon which was securely fastened one or two rawhides with the flesh side down, and a rude frame
OLD FASHIONED SPANISH OX-CART.
over the top, upon which to stretch an awning, with rawhide thongs woven around the sides to keep the children from tumbling out.
" The female portion of the family, with the small children, would seat themselves in the cart, to which was attrebed a pair of the best traveling oxen on the ranch. An Indian would drive, or rather lead the oxen (for he usually walked ahead of them). In this simple, rude contrivance the family woukl travel twenty or thirty miles in a day with as much comfort, appar- ently, as people now take in risling in our modern vehicles. Sometimes several families wonk ride in a single eart, and visit their friends, go to town for the purpose of shopping. or to attend church, etc."
SPANISH GRIST-MILI ..
Wheat and corn were generally ground or pounded in the common hand stone mortar; but in larger settlements horse- power was used in turning or rolling one large stone npon another, as shown in the engraving on page 27.
Water-power mills for grinding flour in Upper California were but few, and of the most primitive description; but none better are to be found in the other parts of Spanish America,
26
THE RUSSIANS OCCUPY CALIFORNIA.
not even in Chili where wheat abounds. These mills consist of an upright axle, to the lower end of which is fixed a horizontal water-wheel placed under the building, and to the upper end of the mill-stone; and as there is no intermediate machinery to increase the velocity, it is evident that the mill-stone can make only the same number of revolutions as the water-wheel. This makes it necessary that the wheel should be of very small diameter, otherwise no power of water thrown upon it could make it goat a rate sufficient to give the mill-stone the requisite velocity. It is therefore made of very small dimensions, and is constructed in the following manner: A set of what is called cucharas (spoons) is stuck in the periphery of the wheel, which serve in place of float-boards; they are made of pieces of timber in something of the shape of spoons, the handles being inserted into mortises on the edge of the wheel, and the bowls of the spoons made to receive the water, which sponts on them laterally and forces the small wheel around with nearly the whole velocity of the water which impinges upon it. Of this style of mill even there were not more than three in all Califor- nia as late as 1835.
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