USA > California > Siskiyou County > History of Siskiyou County, California > Part 57
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HISTORY OF SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
WILLIAM SULLAWAY
Is a son of Joseph and Susan (Sargent) Sullaway, who were natives of New Hampshire, his father having been born at Bellows Falls, and his mother at Hookset. They reared a family of twelve chil- dren, viz .: John, Joseph, Susan, Jacob, Dorethea, Jason, Sarah, Harriett, Benjamin (who died, and was followed by another son, whom they called Benjamin, and who also died), Mary, and William, the subject of this sketch, who was born at Spring- field, New Hampshire, May 16, 1823. When thir- teen years of age he went to Massachusetts, where he engaged in business in a public house, near Cambridge, in a village called Fresh Pond. From here be removed to Rhode Island, and on the eighth day of August, 1845, was united in marriage to Miss Mary Parker, daughter of John H. and Armah Parker, who were natives of Goshen, New Hamp- shire, where Mrs. Sullaway was born. For some time after marriage he continued to drive stage from Pawtucket to Providence. In the month of October, 1849, he sailed from Fall River, Massachu - setts, for California, on the vessel Delaware, intend- ing to come around Cape Horn, but owing to bad seamanship was compelled to abandon that route, and put in to the West India Islands, and then by way of the Isthmus to San Francisco, where they landed in April, 1850. He went then to Stockton, and began driving an ox-team at $200 per month; afterwards mining for a short time in Calaveras county, and in 1852 removed to Siskiyou county. He engaged in mining, then started an express wagon between Yreka and Hawkinsville, and was the founder of the pioneer stage line from Yreka to Shasta, in 1857, which runs via the Sacramento river road, being carried from Soda Springs to Shasta by pack-mules. After two and one-half years he closed this line, and started one through to Red Bluff. Tired of stage managing he sold out, purchased the place he now owns, at that time and since a station on the line, called Forest Ranch, beautifully located in a fine pine forest, near the base of Mount Shasta. A view of the residence can be seen on another page. Mr. and Mrs. Sulla- way have reared a family of five children, viz .: Joseph Edwin, now at Kelton, Utah, John W., Charles F., Mary, and Ned F.
DAVID DETER
Is a son of George and Maria Deter, and was born near Hanover, Adams county, Pennsylvania, Octo- ber 17, 1817. His parents were limited in means and young David was obliged to look out for him- self, and to gain a livelihood worked at whatever his hands could find to do, until 1837, when he emigrated to Wayne county, Ohio, when, in a short time, he was united in marriage on the twenty- fourth day of December, 1838, to Susan Ziegler. In 1850 he learned of the rich gold fields in Califor- nia, and on the twenty-fifth of March started across the plains, behind an ox-team, in pursuit of a fort- une. After a good trip, arrived at Hangtown, El Dorado county, on the eighteenth day of August, 1850, and went at once to mining at Coloma. In
this he was not successful and removed to another locality, and after a few months again moved to Shasta county. Later he began mining on Mad Ox creek, which mines he was the discoverer of. From here he moved to French gulch, and went on to Yreka. Here he encountered the "starvation times," the stories of which are too often repeated and sufficiently written of in this volume to require mention here. Suffice it to say, Mr. Deter suffered his share of the privations of that time. For some time he was engaged in mining and packing. In 1854 he located on the place he now lives on. In 1859 he returned to the States for his family, with whom he returned to California in 1860. His wife had died in 1848 leaving their children while all were young. After many years of singleness, and after his children had grown up and married, Mr. Deter chose a second companion for his declining years. He was married March 23, 1880, to Miss Virginia A. Wilkinson. In business Mr. Deter has been successful, and now is happy and content in the enjoyment of a good and well-kept home. He is quite enthusiastic in growing blooded stock, of which he has some of the best in the State. In 1872 he purchased three head at Sacramento which when delivered in Shasta valley cost $1,060. They were the first blooded stock brought into the valley. On his farm are found as good barns as there are in the county. One is one hundred and ninety-two feet long, seventy eight feet wide, and twenty-five feet high. There are two others one hundred and ten feet and one hundred feet long respectively. A view of the residence can be seen on another page.
ELIJAH T. KEYSER,
Son of Christopher and Priscilla (Tyson) Keyser, who were natives of Montgomery county, Pennsyl- vania, was born January 5, 1826. His parents were farmers, and on the farm he worked, attending the public school some in winter. On the thirty-first day of January, 1849, he sailed from New York, via Nicaragua to California, arriving at San Fran- cisco on the sixth day of October of the same year. He went at once to Hangtown (Placerville), and engaged in mining with very good success, until 1857. Then he removed to Yreka, and there fol- lowed mining for some time, from which place he went to Soda Creek, east of Soda Springs, where he spent six years working in one claim. From there he removed to his present home in the fall of 1869. His principal business is dairying, to which purpose his lands are well adapted, being bountifully sup- plied with the purest water and excellent pasture. After something over one year spent in California Mr. Keyser returned to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was united in marriage to Miss Angeline Stru- ble, daughter of William and Henrietta (Lingfelter) Struble. He shortly returned to California with his wife and purchased the Philadelphia House at Placer- ville, which he kept for a short time. They have one son, George Tyson, born November 26, 1853, at Placerville. A view of their home can be seen on another page of this work. It is located on the Oregon and California stage road, in what is called Clover valley, and close by the base of Mount Shasta.
HISTORY OF SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
SAMUEL MUSGRAVE
Was born at Grinton, Yorkshire, England, in April, 1815. He was the son of Mark and Elizabeth (Spence) Musgrave. In early childhood his parents removed to Kessick, Cumberland county, and later on to Durham, in the north of England, where they remained. While a young boy, Samuel was taken into the mines, and worked at mining while he stayed in England. The educational facilities at his com- mand were good, but young Musgrave did not avail bimself of these opportunities, only attending school two days, and one of those under protest, by force of circumstances compelled to do so. Not the punish- ments or solicitations of a fond mother could induce him to go longer. His unwillingness to attend school grew out of his being whipped, unjustly as he thought, for knocking down another boy in school for having stuck pins in him. In 1845 he sailed for the United States on the good ship Queen of the West, and after a voyage of thirty days landed in New York on the thirteenth of August. He went at once to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, remained one year, then removed to Nesquehoning, Carbon county, where he continued to reside until February 1, 1852, when he started to California via the Isthmus, embarking from New York in a steamer and from the Isthmus in a sailing vessel, which was twenty-six days en route to San Francisco. During that time twenty-seven men died on board from fever. Upon his arrival he went at once to the mines on the American river, and from there to Scott valley, where he engaged in farming. During the starvation times of 1852-53, while he was out in pursuit of something to eat, his claim was jumped. He then came to Yreka and mined until 1855; then he removed to Little Shasta and located where he now resides. In 1840 Mr. Musgrave was united in marriage to Miss Eleanor Murton, a native of Durham county, England. By this union there have been born four children, viz .: Mark, Mary Ann, Elizabeth Jane, and George. The last died in Pennsylvania, and is buried in the Mauch Chunk cemetery. In his younger days Mr. Mus- grave was a Whig, and is now a Republican. He was reared in the faith of the Church of England. He has been school trustee and road overseer in his present neighborhood. He owns one of the fine farms of Little Shasta, well improved, with good buildings, fences, etc. Mr. Musgrave is a capable, upright man and is highly thought of by everybody.
STEPHEN H. SOULE,
Son of Ebenezer and Cornelia (Hogaboom) Soule, was born at Barrington, Yates county, New York, September 8, 1836. His father died when Stephen was but three weeks old, and from the time our subject was eight years old, he was thrown upon his own resources. At that time he went with his grandfather's family to Illinois, who settled on the line of Kane and DeKalb counties, part of the prop- erty lying in each with the residence in DeKalb. Here young Soule remained until he was sixteen years of age, when, becoming dissatisfied, he left his grandfather's home and did farm labor for others at one dollar and fifty cents per week. In one year he had saved enough to return to his mother's home in New York, which he did, afterward returning with her to Illinois and locating in the vicinity of his grandparents. In one year he again left the parental roof and went to work by the month for twelve dollars, attending a school in winter. On the twenty-fifth of July, 1858, he was married to Miss Lucinda M. Boyes, daughter of Samuel and Diadamia Boyes, the former a native of New York, and the latter of Massachusetts. After marriage Mr. Soule worked on a farm for two years, when he started with his family across the plains, in com- pany with his brother and others. He drove a four- horse team. The party left Illinois on the twenty- third of April and arrived at Little Shasta on the third of September, 1861. Mr. Soule traveled over Oregon looking for a home, but finally located in Little Shasta, where he now resides. At first he purchased only eighty acres, being all that his means would allow him to pay for, having made it a rule of his life never to go in debt. Since that time he has prospered, and now owns 400 acres all under cultivation, well fenced and admirably adapted to grazing and grain-growing. He has an ample barn and granary. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Soule, viz .: George, Stella, Damia, Cor- nelia, Ernest, Annie, Charles, John and Ray. George, the eldest son, is now in New Orleans attending school and living with his uncle George Soule. Mr. Stephen Soule is a Republican in politics, and Protestant in religion. A view of his residence may be seen on another page.
SHASTA
RESIDENCE OF MRS, J.S. FELLOWS STRAWBERRY, SISKIYOU CO. CALIFORNIA
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HISTORY OF SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
view of which appears on another page. A few weeks spent with Mr. Campbell will be found to be productive of both health and pleasure.
LITTLE SHASTA.
This prosperous settlement lies in the eastern end of Shasta valley, at the base of the Butte creek mount- ains, and is composed of two stores, post-office, flour- mill, church, two school houses, and a score of fertile and highly-cultivated farms.
The first regular settlement was made by John B. Rohrer, in May, 1853. Before that there had been parties cutting hay, and a man named Kellogg had built a corral. Mr. Rohrer settled where Mrs. Ranous now resides, and was soon joined by A. Dejarlais and Frank Monnier as partners. Soon after a number of places were taken up by R. M. Martin, Z. Vanorman, Frank Montre, Ferdinand Grisez, August Bossonet, Van Choate & Thornbury, Reuben Reed, David Deter, George Stilts, J. Duff, Caleb Rue, John C. Burgess, John Kegg, Henry Davis, Jesse F. Davis, Bertrand Moura, Frank Payne, and J. M. C. Smith. Other early settlers were John Miller, George Miller, Andrew Soule, R. S. Terwilliger, Mrs. Burr, Samuel Musgrave, and B. G. Bossonet.
Crops were raised in 1853 by John B. Rohrer, the Davis brothers, and John Kegg, but unfortu- nately, fire destroyed all but Mr. Rohrer's. The next year good crops were raised by a number of the settlers, and improvements have been gradually made, until Little Shasta valley is now one of the most fertile, productive and best cultivated sections of the county.
The first houses in the valley were erected by Mr. Rohrer and Mr. Vanorman. The first saw-mill was near Table Rock on the farm now owned by David Cleland, built by R. Breed and a partner. The price for sawing the lumber was seventy-five dollars per thousand feet. The first flouring mill was erected by Schlicht & Smith, on Shasta river.
There are two school districts in the valley, Little Shasta and Table Rock, both of which own good school buildings.
In 1877 subscriptions were taken up for the erection of a Congregational church. A frame church of Gothic architecture, thirty by fifty feet in size, besides the vestibule, and with a spire ninety feet from the ground, was completed in 1878. On the twenty-eight of July of that year, it was dedi- cated by Rev. J. H. Warren, of San Francisco. Over the auditorium, and reached by stairs in the rear, is a fine hall eighteen by fifty-six feet. The total cost of the structure was $3,250. The minister located here was Rev. R. Graves, who was succeeded this spring by Rev. Mr. Adams.
BUTTE CREEK AND VICINITY.
That portion of the county lying east of the Butte Creek mountains is generally known as the Butte Creek and Lava Bed country, the former being some- times designated as Ball's, and the latter as Fair- childs'. It is the great stock range of the county, and has been used for little elsc. The Balls carry on
quite a dairy business on Butte creek, at which point a post-office is established. Another office is at Fairchilds' place, a new postal route having been opened through this section to Linkville, P. F. Mc- Manus having the mail contract.
In 1858, Hyde & Rohrer drove a band of cattle into this region, but did not stay through the win- ter. The fear of raids by the Modoes and other Indians, to the east, made stockmen cautions about entering or wintering in this section, though the range was clegant and covered with a luxuriant growth of bunch-grass. In 1859 J. Hargrove drove in a large band of cattle from Oregon, and wintered at the sink of Butte creek. In 1860 James Hamp- ton drove in a band from Oregon, but failed to win- ter there and moved them to Shasta county. In 1861 J. A. Fairchilds, G. W. Hard, and I. S. Mathews, drove in about twelve hundred cattle and three hundred horses, in charge of eight or ten men, among whom was W. J. Evans. That fall John B. Rohrer camped with stock at the sink of Butte creek, where Charles Boyes lives. The next year Ball Brothers and P. A. Dorris settled there with stock. Since then great numbers of cattle, sheep, and horses, have been grazed on the hills and valleys of this region.
The great historical event is the Modoc war of 1873, which will be found elsewhere in this volume.
HUMBUG CITY.
This in the early days was one of the most impor- tant points in the county. It was on Humbug ereck, a tributary of the Klamath below the mouth of the Shasta and about ten miles from Yreka. The stream forks a short distance below the old town.
One of the many prospecting parties that roamed this region in 1851, found gold on this stream as early as the month of May, and a party went over from Yreka to take up claims. They were met on the way by a company returning from the stream, who said the place was a humbug. They kept on, however, and proved that such was not the fact, but named the creek Humbug in deference to the opinion of the others. As soon as the fact became known, that good diggings were found here, there was a rush of men from Yreka, and the stream was thronged with miners. More than six hundred men were there that fall, and the general rendezvous was called Humbug City. An election precinct was established here the next spring, at which two hun- dred and two votes were cast, and the same summer the court of sessions of Siskiyou county set off a new township here, the third in the county.
The early merchants were Captain (not William) Martin, Tuttle, Isaac Merritt & Bro., Francisco, and Jerome Churchill. Harry Lockhart kept hotel, Jones had a store one mile above, and Hanna had another still further up the stream.
Two miles above Humbug City, on the north fork, there were two stores and several saloons at a loca- tion called Freetown. Half a mile above this was a store kept by Dejarlais. Freetown vanished in 1854, and the site was mined away.
On the north fork, one and one-fourth miles above the junction, was the town of Riderville. Best had a store there in the winter of 1851-52, but aban-
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HISTORY OF SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
doned it the next summer. In 1859, Petrie, Marsh & Co., opened a store, and William Courtney a saloon. It then became quite a town, and was at first called Plugtown, after an old Dr. Nichols, who wore a plug hat. It was soon named Riderville, in honor of W. G. Rider, who had a claim on Rider gulch. A town hall was built, and about sixty cabins stood in the town and vicinity. It faded away in 1866.
On the main creek, two miles below the forks, was a location called Frenchtown. It consisted for a number of years of a saloon kept by a man named Hall, and later by Frank Dumas. About 1870, Pfenninger & Co., bought the saloon and added a store to it. This place was originally known as Mowry's flat, but was called Frenchtown because a number of Frenchmen had claims there about 1864. There is still a saloon at this place.
Little Humbug is a creek that empties into the Klamath some distance below Humbug creek. There was a mining excitement that drew quite a crowd to the stream in 1855. Two stores were opened on the creek, and from seventy-five to one hundred men worked along the stream. Since 1863 there have been but few at work there.
The principal center of trade and population, how- ever, was Humbug City, which was crowded Satur- day nights and Sundays with a throng of jovial rolicking men, miners, gamblers, and roughs. A thousand men were on the stream in 1853, and the scenes that have been enacted in every mining camp in California, found their counterpart here. There were several stores, saloons and shops, and but a few residences, as the miners lived all along the creek.
At the Forks, Flannigan Brothers had a store, and later Shearer and Jacob Hansen each kept one. William Irwin and Livy Swan kept a large butcher shop there, from which they supplied the whole trade of the creek.
The Idaho mines took away a great many of the Humbug miners in 1861-62, and in 1862 a fire burned a portion of the town. The place then began to decline, and has been on the down grade ever since. A wagon road was built from Hawkinsville in 1862, to connect Humbug with Yreka, the expense being defrayed by a subscription. Previous to that it had cost thrce cents a pound to pack goods from Yreka, and lumber brought in that way sold at from eight to ten cents per foot. The first lumber used on the creek was made with a whip-saw, and sold for fifty cents a foot. For a while a small saw- mill was run in connection with Flagg & Co's. quartz mill.
In 1863 a public school was taught in an old miner's cabin, by Mrs. Crary, and the next year a school house was built by subscription. Since 1880 no school has been maintained. There has never been a church on the creek, but religious services were occasionally held by visiting ministers of vari- ous denominations.
In 1852 there was quite a quartz excitement, and a few arastras and one small mill were built. In 1858 the excitement was renewed, and a two-stamp mill was erected on Sucker creek, by Flagg & Co., which was increased to ten stamps. The engine and machinery were packed in sections across the mount- ains on mules. D. N. Lash in late years ran a
fifteen-stamp mill on the Eliza ledge, but it is now abandoned.
When miners went to Idaho in 1861-62, the claims were taken up by Chinese, who still hold the best ground. Not more than two dozen white men are now on the creek, and there is only one store there now, which is kept by Chinamnen.
COTTONWOOD, OR HENLY.
The old mining town of Cottonwood lies on Cot- tonwood flat, just north of the Klamath river, near the old Oregon trail. It has been a rich mining district, and many an ounce of dust has been taken from Stone gulch, Dan Downes' gulch, Rocky gulch, Brass Wire channel, John Hatch hill, Milk Ranch claim, Turnip Patch claim, Canuck gulch, Rich gulch, Todhunter flat, Milk Cañon gulch, Rancheria creek, Cottonwood creek, Dutch gulch, Printer's gulch, Buffalo flat, etc.
In the spring of 1851, soon after the discovery at Yreka, John Thomas and another man pros- pected on Rich gulch, about half a mile south of the town of Cottonwood. They were soon followed by others, and during that summer and winter a large number of miners were at work on the gulches and along Cottonwood creek. Trading was done principally at Yreka, but a small store was opened there, which was kept by Eddy & Pratt, in 1852. The next year the diggings became better developed, more miners were at work, and two more stores were opened, one by Evert and Charles Geiger, and one by Aaron Brothers. In the fall of 1854, Frank, Isaae, and George Merritt, opened still another store. These, with the saloons and shops, made quite a thriving camp.
For five years Cottonwood flourished, and then began to decline, as did all other mining centers. The traditions say that in 1856, in what was known as the Stile's claim, six men took out thirteen pounds of gold in one day, and that in 1864, a piece of gold weighing over $1,900 was found in Printer's gulch.
The same causes that created the hard times at Yreka and Scott Bar in the winter of 1852-53, were at work here also. The snow was from two to three feet deep all the winter; flour rose to two dollars per pound; potatoes fifty cents, and packed over the mountains from Oregon; salt, one dollar an ounce; meat, seventy-five cents per pound. The first pack-trains in from Oregon, in February, relieved the people, and the market soon sought its proper level.
The town was named Cottonwood after the creek, to which that name had been applied by the early prospectors on account of the cottonwood trees that fringed its banks. The name was a common one, and when a regular post-office was established in 1861, a new name had to be given it. The people then adopted the name of Henly, after a prominent citizen, but for all general purposes the people of the county still call the place Cottonwood.
On Thursday morning, June 20, 1861, fire de- stroyed a large portion of the town. It started in a saloon on the south side of Main street, just about sunrise. It was supposed to have been of an incen- diary origin, and that a man had thrown camphene
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on the outside of the building and applied fire to it. The proprietor of the saloon, Henry Davis, was sleeping inside, and barely escaped with his life. The fire spread rapidly, and soon burned all on the south side and nearly all on the north side of Main street, Aaron's brick store escap- ing. Anton Haserick's saloon, John Ireland's hotel, Fultz & Fox's butcher shop, Henry Davis' saloon, and a number of buildings and dwelling houses perished.
The only church building ever erected here was the small frame one on Main street, opposite the residence of George Deal, and now used as a stable. It was erected by subscription, the movement being inaugurated by Rev. Mr. Speck. No services were ever held in it, for before it was completed the subscription was exhausted, a quarrel sprang up among those interested, one of the members whipped the minister, and the whole project eame to a com- plete pause. Services are occasionally held in the school house by visiting clergymen.
Mining has been carried on generally by sluicing, though drift and hydraulic methods have been in use. The first hydraulic appliances were used by Daniel Gross and by Joseph Jakes, in 1857, being small canvas hose. The first ditch was dug in 1852 from Rancheria creek to the flats, two and one-half miles long. At first it carried about fifty inches, but was enlarged to two hun- dred. It is called the Gross ditch, belongs to Samuel Clary, and is now used by William Smith. Deal & Poindexter dug a ditch from Ditch creek to the dig- gings south of town, four miles, in 1855. That fall the Mill and Fluming Company extended it four miles to Cottonwood creek. It is now used from Ditch creek by William Smith, and carries about one hundred and fifty inches. The Reese ditch, sixty inches, was dug by Fultz & Hazlett from Cotton- wood creek, three miles, in 1857. The Holt ditch, now owned by Mathew Fultz, was dug by George Holt in 1861. It carries one hundred inches and is two miles long, from Cottonwood creek. In 186] Stephen Oster dug a ditch from Cottonwood creek to Bushy gulch, one and one-half miles. In 1864 it was extended to Cottonwood, four miles further. It carries two hundred inches, and is used by William Smith. A few small ditches were also dug, but the majority of them are now abandoned.
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