USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 6
USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79
THE COAHUILLAS. The first chief of the Coalquillas, a tribe always closely connected with the history of the San Bernardino Valley, was known as Razon.14 He was a man of peace and industry, who endeav- ored to instill in his people a liking for farming and a desire to live like their white brothers. Juan Antonio, his successor, was a man of a dif- ferent type, being more inclined toward the military. For his services in leading the Indians in the fight with Irving's band, in 1851, he was rewarded by the county supervisors, to the extent of $100 worth of cloth and supplies. He demanded the most absolute obedience from his people and during the Mexican war received the title of "General" from General Kearney, after which he never appeared before the white people without some military insignia upon his person. He died of smallpox
16 "White Man."
17
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
in 1863 and was followed by Cabezon, who was well known in San Bernardino and was respected as a law-abiding, peace-loving man, who on several occasions prevented differences culminating into trouble between his people and their white neighbors. He died in 1886, prior to which he had to undergo the humiliation of appealing to the county supervisors for aid, so poverty-stricken had his people become. The Coahuila Indians, having never come under mission influence, retained their old, savage superstitions and hahits until they came into direct contact with the Americans, and even as late as 1885 a trial for witch- craft took place in the City of San Bernardino among the members of this tribe.
CHIEF CABEZON, WITH HIS CAPTAINS, FRIENDS OF THE WIIITE MAN
Of the Coahuilla Indians of more recent times, David Prescott Bar- rows, who made an exhaustive study of this tribe, had the following tribute to report:17 "I am certain that from any point of view the Coa- huillo Indians are splendid types of men and women. Physically they are handsome, often large of size, many being six feet or over, with splendid shaggy heads and faces of much command and dignity. Their desert home has given them great powers of endurance and enormous toleration of hunger and thirst. With rare exceptions, and those always young men who have frequented the settlements, they are absolutely honest and trustworthy. Unlike the Mojaves and Cocapahs, they know neither heggary nor prostitution. Their homes and persons are orderly and clean. The fine pools and springs of warm mineral waters through- out their habitat are most gratefully prized possessions. Probably not less than two centuries ago the ancestors of these Indians entered the great range of territory still occupied by their descendants. They came from the deserts north of the San Bernardino Range and the stock from which they came belong to a desert people, but the Colorado valleys and surrounding mountains raised new difficulties and presented new oppor-
17 Ethno-Botany of the Coahuilla Indians of Southern California, by David Prescott Barrows.
Vol. 1-2
18
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
tunities. Their adaptations to these conditions, their utilization of what- ever there was to be secured, raised their standard of culture until, as it seems to me, it will compare favorably with that of any Indians in the western United States, save the Pueblo builders. After having explored with some completeness the various portions of their country and realized the difficulties attending life in certain portions, and the call upon courage and endurance that the desert always makes, the knowledge gained by this people, the culture they attained, seem to me to be a remarkable triumph for men of a low and barbarous inheritance. Their splendid wells, unique perhaps among the Indian tribes of America, their laborious though rude irrigation of the maize, their settled com- munity life, with its well-built houses and basket granaries, their effective pottery, their exquisite basketry, their complete and successful exploita- tion of all the plant resources throughout hundreds of square miles of mountains and plains-these are not insignificant nor contemptible steps toward civilized life."
The Coahuillas now occupy several villages in the northwestern portion of the Colorado desert, enclosed by the San Bernardino Range and the San Jacinto Mountains, known as the Coahuilla or Cabezon Valley.
Of the Mojave Indians, Doctor Booth, of Needles, speaks as follows : "Whether deserved or not, all Indians have the reputation of being thievish and lazy. Not so with the Mojaves. They are honest and indus- trious. Should one of them find property of any kind lying upon the ground he would consider it abandoned and its ownership relinquished, and therefore might take it ; but one's coat, or hat, or utensil of work, if hung upon a tree, or carefully cached, would never be molested. The younger members of the tribe, or nearly all of them, can read, write and converse in English. The boys are particularly expert in writing, and their chirography is, as a rule, better than that of the whites, while the girls have learned to run sewing machines, to cut and make their own clothing and to ape their white sisters generally, except in the matter of wearing shoes. No squaw has ever been seen yet who could walk while shod with more grace than a crab. At the Fort Mojave School there are now18 about 150 pupils, all bright and studious, all fairly fond of the discipline maintained. Maj. John J. McKoin, an experienced Indian teacher and a gentleman of many accomplishments and rare executive ability, is the superintendent, and is assisted by a capable corps. Pupils turned out of this school are educated, but with the education is too frequently imbibed the triflingness of the white man, and the thrifty educated Indian is an exception to the rule."
The Serrano tribe, as a tribe, has practically disappeared. For some years there was maintained a little reservation in the foothills above Redlands, the San Manuel Reservation, popularly known as "Manuel's Village," situated about one mile north of the State Insane Asylum at Highland. In 1904 there were about seventy-five Indians belonging to this reservation, all that remained of the descendants of the original owners of the valley.
CEREMONIES AND SUPERSTITIONS. In the matter of the ceremonies and superstitions of the Indians of the San Bernardino Valley, Father Juan Caballeria, in his History of San Bernardino Valley, said: "Among the principal dances were those known as the Hawk-Feast, the Dance of Peace, the Dance of Plenty, the Dance of Victory, and the Dance of Deprecation. Another of their peculiar ceremonial dances was desig-
18 In 1904.
19
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
nated by the padres as 'tatamar ninas' or 'roasting young girls.' This cus- tom filled the padres with great horror and they made every effort to induce the Indians to abandon the practice. The ceremony of 'tatema' took place upon the first evidence of maturity. A hole was dug in the ground and filled with stones previously heated in the fire until very hot. Over this was spread a covering of leaves and branches and the girl laid upon it and then nearly covered with heated earth. The result was a profuse per- spiration which was kept up for twenty-four hours and sometimes longer. At intervals the girl was taken out, bathed and again imbedded in the earth. During the whole time constant dancing and chanting was kept up by young girls, attended by hideously painted old women who had charge of the ceremonies. At the close, a great feast was prepared in which all joined and which lasted several days and nights. The girl was then considered ready for marriage, which usually took place soon after.
"The Dance of Deprecation took place when a member of the tribe fell sick with some unusual disease. The disease was always attributed to the influence of an evil spirit. The whole tribe would assemble, each person bringing a food offering, and all the gifts were placed in a basket. The dancing would then begin. Significant words were chanted by the women, children and old men, while the younger men kept up the dance in the ordinary way, beating time with arrows. After a while the sorcerer would arise and present the offering to the supposed offended spirit. In making the offering he moved from left to right, mumbling mysterious words. During the time the sorcerer was engaged the people observed complete silence. At the close of the cermony the dance broke up. The offerings would be cooked and left until the following day. This act was believed to appease the evil spirit, whose baneful influence would then be removed and the sick person allowed to recover in the usual way.
"The Indians looked upon their medicine men as being endowed with superior knowledge and skill in the art of healing. The medicine men practiced their art through mystical incantations and also used various herbs, balsams and healing leaves to effect their cures. When a person was taken sick the medicine men were always called. They approached the patient with an air of solemn mystery, and after diagnosing the case and locating the pain proceeded to work a cure. The principal point was to first impress the patient, and those around him, with their importance, and in order to do this incantations, passes, contortions and gesticulations were made by the medicine men, after which it would sometimes be announced that the disease was due to some extraneous matter, where- upon one of the medicine men would apply his lips to the affected part and soon produce the alleged cause of the disease. This cause was usually a stick, stone, thorn, flint or piece of bone. The patient often experi- enced immediate relief and a marvelous cure followed. There is no doubt but some wonderful cures were effected in this way. Modern materia medica admits the potency of the imagination as a factor in both the cause and cure of diseases.
"The Indians of San Bernardino Valley were fully aware of the medicinal properties of the hot springs in the vicinity of the valley. They regarded these springs with much veneration and believed them to be a cure for many diseases. The springs were also visited frequently by Indians from a distance.
"The 'temescal' or sweat-house was another mode of curing diseases among the Indians, and it was also used by Indians in good health. These sweat-houses were built by first excavating the earth to some depths for a foundation, then building above it a hut and covering the exterior with mud until it resembled a huge mound. A hole was left at the bottom
20
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
barely sufficient to allow a person to crawl in and out of the hut. Light and air were almost entirely excluded. In the center a great fire would be built, around which the Indians would sit or lie stretched upon the ground. Here they would stay until nearly suffocated and in a profuse perspiration, when they would climb out, make a wild dash to the nearest stream of cold water and plunge into it. In many instances this heroic treatment was very successful, but in some sicknesses, like smallpox, it was quite likely to prove fatal. "The Indians of San Bernardino Valley burned their dead. Their method of cremating was similar to that employed by the desert Indians of a later date. As soon as death occurred, material was collected and a funeral pyre built. Around this the family of the deceased and members of the rancheria gathered. the body was brought forth and placed on the pile and the fire would be lighted by one of the sorcerers. All clothing, utensils and other articles used by the deceased were burned with the body. Oftentimes the house where the deceased had lived and the domestic animals belonging to him were burned in the same way. The women were especially demonstrative on these occasions; their mournful wails and lamentations, continuing for several days and nights, could be heard a long distance away.
"The early Indians did not eat the flesh of large game. This came from a superstitious belief that the bodies of the larger animals con- tained the souls of departed ancestors. This same superstitious belief was held among the Mission Indians even after they had learned to use some of the larger domestic animals for food, and they could seldom be induced to eat pork. If a wild animal devoured a dead body it was believed the soul of the deceased was then compelled to take up its habi- tation in the body of the animal. This belief was not that of palingenesis as held by ancient races, but rather an idea arising among themselves without theory or rational reason to give for the belief."
INDIAN RAIDS AND DEPREDATIONS IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY-AS WRITTEN BY ONE OF THE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS-BILL HOLCOMB.
(Note :- This truthful history of Indian raids in our country is carnestly recommended by my advisory board, for its accuracy and reliability of an exciting period in San Bernardino County, and wish you would return it to me to preserve in the archives of the Pioneer Society as its secretary, as I have no copy of it. You can place it where it properly belongs in chapters. San Bernardino or Pioneers .- John Brown, Jr.).
San Bernardino, Calif.
To the Pioneer Society, San Bernardino, Sisters and Brothers :
In reference to a communication from Hon. R. J. Waters of Los Angeles, directed to Hon. H. M. Barton and Hon. Byron Waters of this city, desiring information from them concerning the raide and depreda . tions committed by the marauding Indians from distant tribes ; and our skirmishes with them in and about the San Bernardino Mountains; and as neither of these gentlemen was present at any of our skirmishes with them, they have courteously asked me to give as much of the desired information as I am in possession of :
In obedience, therefore, to the request of these gentlemen, and with the hope of furnishing the public with some unwritten events of interest, at least to some of our citizens, I will endeavor to comply with their request.
In order to give an idea of the many troubles, trials, dangers, deaths and losses caused by those roving bands of Indians, and also with a view
21
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
of bringing some of those events to the minds of our citizens, I will, if my readers will pardon the digression, go back to the latter part of 1865- 40 years ago-and recite a few incidents and occurrences as they happened from that time on.
San Bernardino County has always been troubled by Indian depreda- tions and has suffered great losses, both in property and lives of citizens ; therefore, in recounting these events, in order to remind the old citizens of the truthfulness of this narrative, I will, if not too tedious for perusal, give the names of several persons now living and some dead who took part in those skirmishes.
The first incident I will refer to took place the latter part of 1865- 40 years ago-in the Cajon Canon at the upper Toll-gate, then owned by that brave old Rocky Mountain hunter and trapper, John Brown, Sr., now deceased, he having just removed his family to the city for safety, as much fresh Indian signs thereabouts warned him of their dangers -- leaving the Toll-gate in charge of one Dr. David Noble Smith, deceased, who subsequently started the first infirmary at what was then called the "Ace of Spades," now known as the Arrow Head, Hot Springs, and a hired man by the name of Larken Reeder.
The Indians had secreted themselves on the bluff, overlooking the Toll-gate house, and just about sundown as Smith and Reeder were both busy just outside, the Indians fired upon them, wounding Smith quite severely, but luckily both succeeded in getting back in the house and closing the door.
Much excitement prevailed and much fear felt for the safety of all residents of Cajon Canon as the Indians still loitered about there, though keeping well out of sight.
A few days after this occurrence I was on my way to Holcomb Valley with my family, and when at the Toll-gate met that brave, hardy old pioneer, Jack Martin, Yank Shadrick and Dock Hemmenway, and after 3. short consultation with them, on the situation, and seeing the danger that threatened the residents in that vicinity, we at once determined to pursue the Indians and drive them away, if nothing more. So leaving my family at the Tollhouse, I jointed the three others before mentioned, and soon we were on the Indians' fresh trail.
We did not expect to be gone more than one night, so we took but a small stock of provisions, but as we followed them along, their trail seemed to grow fresher and fresher; and so we pursued them day after day, camping on their trail up through the Lytle Creek and Cucamonga Mountains, down to Rock Creek, over to Elizabeth Lake and on to Tehachapi, where we lost the trail and abandoned further pursuit. We then returned to the Toll-gate, where we separated and I joined my family again after having been out sixteen days. So closed this campaign of exposure, fatigue, hunger and thirst.
This was supposed to be a band of Owens River Indians from whom we captured a shot pouch, powder horn, some ammunition, a pair of bullet molds and some pieces of clothing.
The next raid made by the Indians some months after that, was when a band of them crossed the desert from the northeast, invading the mountains, passing through, stealing stock, plundering and destroying property, and killing a Mexican named Nestor Espinosa at his home at the foot of the mountain a few miles northeast of here.
On pursuing this band of Indians a Mexican was overcome by exhaustion and died at the top of the mountain, when the party abandoned pursuit and returned with the dead body.
22
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
The Indians made their escape, having gotten away with many valuable animals, among which were some fine mules belonging to Sam Pine, father of our present Supervisor Pine. One of those mules was killed, part dried, and part eaten, down near the mouth of Willow Canon. Along about the first of the year, 1866, another band of Indians, supposed to be of the Pah-Ute and Chimahueva tribes, crossed the desert and invaded the mountains, stealing and plundering, and causing much alarm to the residents in that vicinity, especially to the stockmen, the sawmill and the unprotected families.
At this time I resided with my family in Little Bear Valley, the present site of the great reservoir now being constructed by the Arrow Head Company ; Indian tracks could be seen every day in that vicinity. I was somewhat alarmed, but kept my fears hid from my family.
But one day I had to go to the city, a distance of about 15 miles, leaving a man by the name of Bill Kane, with my family, making the trip afoot. While in the city next day I noticed something of a commotion among the citizens, and soon learned that it was caused by the arrival of the dead bodies of three of our best known citizens who were killed by the Indians on what was then called the Dunlap Ranch (now owned by J. A. Cole) on the 25th day of March, 1866. Their names were, Pratt Whiteside, Edwin Parish and Nephi Bemis. They were gathering up their stock a little below the houses when they were ambushed and killed.
This sad news almost terrified me, as I was greatly alarmed for the safety of my family, and without delay I started back afoot, making all possible speed, and arriving home at dark, where, to my great joy, I found my family all safe, and staggered into the house almost exhausted with fatigue and fright.
As soon as possible I removed my family to a place of safety in the town and returned again to the mountains to work.
About this time another man from Salt Lake was killed by the Indians near the same ranch by the name of Woolley.
After the killing the stockmen abandoned the ranch, and the Indians took possession, killing and driving off stock, and burning up the old cabins on the ranch, and so the stockowners lost nearly all their stock.
The objective point of the Indians now seemed to be the sawmill, situated a little westward from Little Bear Valley (now the site of the great reservoir ).
The sawmill was then owned and operated by Messrs. Frank Tal- madge, William Caley, Jonathan Richardson and Garland P. Thomas.
Soon after the killing of Woolley, the Indians came in close to the sawmill, and skulked around there, committing depredations now and then; and one day, in broad daylight, they came in, and while the occu- pants were out at work, robbed and plundered Bill Kane's house, taking his gun, setting his house on fire, and stood guard over it till it burned down, and when Bill Kane and George Lish came in for dinner, the Indians were still there in full possession and defiant.
At that time there was a man by the name of A. J. Curry (afterward sheriff of our county) and a lad named George Miller, now a highly respected rancher in Highland, camped and working in Curry Canon close to Bear Valley, and myself, camped and working alone at the same place.
We knew nothing of the burning of the house till late in the evening, when Mr. Curry, myself and another man followed the Indians till night set in, but saw nothing of them.
This bold action on the part of the Indians greatly alarmed the mill- men, as well as all other residents in that vicinity. So the next day a
23
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES
party from the mill, consisting of Frank Talmadge, Jonathan Richardson, George Armstrong and Bill Kane went down a little below Bear Valley, near Holcomb Flats, to look for Indian signs, and here they suddenly came upon a party of Indians, who quickly opened fire on them. Bill Kane's horse was shot with an arrow and threw his rider to the ground, his gun flew out of his reach, and just at that time a big Indian rushed upon poor, helpless Kane, and with bow bent to its utmost strength, was just about to let fly, when at that critical moment brave, cool-headed Frank Talmadge pulled trigger and the Indian fell dead almost at Kane's feet. Considerable skirmishing followed, but the Indians were soon out of sight and the party returned to the mill.
The next day after this skirmish, a party from the mill, consisting of Frank Talmadge, A. J. Curry, John Welty, Bill Kane, Henry Law, George Lish, George Armstrong and Dewitt started out from the mill to reconnoiter, and intending to revisit their battlefield of the day before. So after appointing Talmadge as their captain, or leader, they started out, but instead of following the road, Talmadge led them up the hillside, as luck would have it. When only a short distance on their way, they suddenly met and encountered a party of Indians of unknown numbers, evidently on their way to attack the mill, and at once fight began. The ground was uneven and well timbered, which, of course, gave the Indians great advantage, and well they knew how to take it. But notwithstanding all that advantage, this brave party stood their ground, and after much dangerous skirmishing, succeeded in driving the Indians back, but could not then tell whether they had actually retreated or whether their dis- appearance was only a ruse; but later it was ascertained they had gone, leaving one dead on the ground and several wounded, as was shown by trails of blood leading from the battleground. But it was learned later that two of them died not far away and three of them died some time after, over near the Point of Rocks.
In this engagement John Welty was quite severely wounded and Kane slightly wounded about his leg. And now having lost sight of the Indians, and not knowing their strength, this party returned to the mill and pre- pared to protect their families and property, expecting an attack at any time. An escort was at once sent over to Grass Valley to bring in the family of Welty and others, and at the same time a courier was sent to San Bernardino for reinforcements.
When this alarming news reached San Bernardino quite a number volunteered, and prepared to rush to their rescue, and without delay took up such firearms as they were in possession of and their own ammuni- tion, and Dr. Ben Bartin, David Seeley, George Lord, Sr., and some of the merchants generously contributed a supply of provisions for the party ; and being thus equipped, the party started at once in two divisions : one going with teams and provisions, around through the Cajon Canon, the other party going direct by way of the mill through the mountains, it having been arranged to rendezvous at Brown's Ranch on the Mojave River. The latter company struck the Indians' trail near the mill and followed it on through the mountains and joined the other party at Brown's Ranch, as agreed on.
Here a few scouts were sent out to reconnoiter, and succeeded in locating the Indians in those rough, rocky and barren hills just north of a dry lake a few miles west of Rabbit Springs. A council was held and a midnight move was at once planned and agreed on with a view of surprising the Indians and attacking them on both sides at once, one party with teams and provisions to go in from the dry lake to the north, the other party to come in from the opposite direction with a view of making a simultaneous attack.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.