USA > California > Solano County > History of Solano County...and histories of its cities, towns...etc. > Part 11
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When it was found that Congress had adjourned without doing anything for California, Brigadier-General Riley, by the advice, he said, of the Presi- dent, and Secretaries of State and of War, issued a Proclamation, which was at once a call for a convention, and an official exposition of the Admin- istration's theory of the anomalous relations of California, and the Union. He strove to rectify the impression that California was governed by the military arm of the service; that had ceased with the termination of hostili- ties. What remained was the civil government, recognized by the existing laws of California. These were vested in a governor, who received his ap- pointment from the supreme government or, in default of such appoint- ment, the office was vested in the commanding military officer of the de- partment, a secretary, a departmental or territorial legislature, a superior court with four judges, a prefect and sub-prefect, and a judge of the first instance for each district, alcaldes, local justices of the peace, ayuntanien- tos, or town councils. He moreover recommended the election, at the same time, of delegates to a convention to adopt either a State or Territorial Con- stitution which, if acquiesced in by the people, would be submitted for ap- proval to Congress.
105
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
In accordance with these announcements we find that the " Superior Tribunal of California " existed at Monterey in 1849, for in September of that year a "Tariff of Fees for Judiciary offices " was published, with the following order of the Court : " That the several officers mentioned in this order shall be entitled to receive for their services, in addition to their regular salary, if any, the following fees, and none other, until the further order of this Court." Here is added a list of the fees to be appropriated by Judges of First Instance, Alcaldes and Justices of the Peace, Clerks of the several courts, Sheriff, or Comisario, District Attorney, and Notaries Public.
Stephen Cooper, already alcalde of the city of Benicia, was appointed by General Riley, in August, Judge of First Instance, and commenced his labors in that function in October, 1849, as appears in the only record of the proceedings of that Court extant in the office of the county clerk, at Fair- field.
The record of one of the cases tried is reproduced as an instance of the short but quick justice that was doled out in 1849 :
" The People of California Territory,
vs. George Palmer.
" And now comes the said people by right their attorney, and the said de- fendant by Semple and O'Melveny, and the prisoner having been arraigned on the indictment in this cause, plead not guilty. Thereupon a jury was chosen, selected, and sworn, when, after hearing the evidence and argument of counsel, returned into Court the following verdict, to wit :
" The jury, in the case of Palmer, defendant, and the State of California, plaintiff, have found a verdict of guilty on both counts of the indictment, and sentenced him to receive the following punishment, to wit :
" On Saturday, the 24th day of November, to be conducted by the sheriff to some public place and there receive on his bare back seventy-five lashes, with such weapon as the sheriff may deem fit, on each count respectively, and to be banished from the district of Sonoma within twelve hours after whipping, under penalty of receiving the same number of lashes for each and every day he remains in the district, after the first whipping.
“ (Signed) ALEXANDER RIDDELL, " Foreman.
" It is therefore ordered by the Court, in accordance with the above ver- dict, that the foregoing sentence be carried into effect."
The manifesto calling a Constitutional Convention divided the electoral divisions of the State into ten districts ; cach male inhabitant of the country, of twenty-one years of age, could vote in the district of his resid- ence, and the delegates so elected were called upon to meet at Monterey, on the 1st day of September, 1849. The number of delegates was fixed at thirty-seven, five of which were apportioned to San Francisco. Those elected from the district of Sonoma, were General Vallejo, Joel Walker, R.
106
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
Semple. L. W. Boggs was also elected, but did not attend. As resolved, the Convention met at Monterey on the date above named, Robert Semple, of Benicia, one of the delegates from the district of Sonoma, being chosen president. The session lasted six weeks ; and notwithstanding an awkward scarcity of books of reference and other necessary aids, much labor was per- formed, while the debates exhibited a marked degree of ability. In framing the original Constitution of California, slavery was forever prohibited within the jurisdiction of the State; the boundary question between Mexico and the United States was set at rest ; provision for the morals and education of the people was made; a seal of State was adopted with the false Greek, though now more famous motto of Eureka, and a quantity of other matters discussed. It was submitted to the people in English and Spanish ; and on November 13th, was ratified by them.
The Constitution was adopted by a vote of twelve thousand and sixty- four for it, to eight hundred and eleven against it ; there being, besides, over twelve hundred ballots that were treated as blanks, because of an inform- ality in the printing.
The following are two of the tickets which were voted at the time and were destributed in and around Sacramento and the upper portion of the State.
PEOPLE'S TICKET.
FOR THE CONSTITUTION.
FOR GOVERNOR, John A. Sutter.
FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, John McDougal.
FOR REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, William E. Shannon, Pet. Halsted.
FOR STATE SENATORS, John Bidwell, Upper Sacramento, Murray Morrison, Sacramento City, Harding Bigelow, Sacramento City, Gilbert A. Grant, Vernon.
FOR ASSEMBLY,
H. C. Cardwell, Sacramento City, P. B. Cornwall, Sacramento City, John S. Fowler, Sacramento City, J. Sherwood,
Elisha W. Mckinstry,
Madison Walthall, Coloma,
W. B. Dickenson, Yuba, James Queen, South Fork, W. L. Jenkin, Weaverville.
PEOPLE'S TICKET.
FOR THE CONSTITUTION.
FOR GOVERNOR,
Peter H. Burnett.
FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, John McDougal.
FOR REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS,
Edward Gilbert, George W. Wright. FOR STATE SENATORS,
John Bidwell, Upper Sacramento, Murray Morrison, Sacramento City, Harding Bigelow, Sacramento City, Gilbert A. Grant, Vernon.
FOR ASSEMBLY,
H. C. Cardwell, Sacramento City, P. B. Cornwall, Sacramento City, John S. Fowler, Sacramento City, H. L. Ford, Upper Sacramento, Madison Walthall, Coloma, W. B. Dickenson, Yuba, James Queen, South Fork,
Arba K. Berry, Weaverville.
107
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
The result of the election was : Peter H. Burnett, Governor ; John Mc- Dougal, Lieutenant Governor ; and Messrs. Wright and Gilbert were sent to Congress. In regard to our especial subject General Vallejo was then elected to the Senate, his seat, however, was first given to Jonas Spect, but on the 22d of December the official return from one of the polls gave Spect but two votes instead of twenty-eight, a total of but one hundred and eighty- one votes against General Vallejo's one hundred and ninety-nine. Mr. Speet then gave up his seat to the General, who during that session of the Legis- lature, made his memorable report on the derivation and defination of the names of the several counties of the State ; a report unsurpassed in its style and its store of interesting and valuable information.
On Saturday, December 15, 1849, the first Legislature of the State met- it will, however, be unnecessary here to enter into its movements until finally located at Sacramento, such will be found fully discussed in the history of the city of Vallejo.
The earliest record of an election in Solano is one held on April 1, 1850, to chose the following State and county officers, viz .: Clerk of the Supreme Court, District Attorney, County Judge, Clerk, Attorney, Surveyor, Sheriff, Recorder, Assessor, Coronor, and Treasurer. L. B. Mizner being appointed Inspector ; William MeDaniel and Sarshel Cooper, Judges; with Joseph Winston and W. Rowe, Clerks. The officers being duly sworn by Stephen Cooper, Judge of the District of Sonoma, the polls were opened, and one hundred and seventy-six duly qualified electors deposited their ballots.
The result of the election was :
Votes.
For Clerk of Supreme Court.
E. H. Tharp 142
For District Attorney
R. A. Maupin 107
For County Judge
James Craig. 88
For County Clerk. Sarshel Bynum 107
For County Attorney D. R. Wright. 94
For County Surveyor
Benjamin W. Barlow. . 137
For County Sheriff. Frank Brown. 86
For County Recorder
Sarshel Bynum 143
For County Assessor
Stephen Cooper .. 174
For County Coroner
W. F. Peabody .. 178
For County Treasurer
David F. Beveridge. .100
The foregoing poll included the votes of officers and soldiers of the United States Army, and the officers and sailors of the Navy, to the number of forty-three, as is shown by the statement submitted by the President and Canvasser, on April 8th. The election was held pursuant to an Act of the Assembly of the State, approved March 2d, 1850.
108
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
It was found, however, that James Craig, the nominee for the County Judgeship, had failed to qualify according to law ; the office was therefore declared vacant, and a new election called in accordance with the above quoted Act, by F. M. Warmcastle, Judge of Contra Costa County, to be held on May 11, 1850, at two precincts in Solano County, which he had named, viz., the Court House at Benicia, and the residence of Daniel M. Berry, in Suisun Valley, the Inspectors being respectively George H. Riddell, of Benicia, and D. M. Berry. The result was the election of Joseph Winston, with sixty-six votes, as against forty-seven for William McDaniel. Thus, Judge Winston was the first Judge for Solano County who actually took his seat; and on the assumption of his office, almost his first duty was the organizing of the county into the two townships of Benicia and Suisun, and fixing certain boundaries, consequent on the necessity to elect two Justices of the Peace and one Constable for the newly partitioned districts. This election was called for May 25th, and on June Ist the elected Justices were directed to meet at the City Hall, in Benicia, for the purpose of electing two of their number as Associate Justices, to sit with the County Judge, to form the Court of Sessions of said County of Solano. There is, unfortunately, no record of the names of the Justices then elected. In the meantime, the office of County Attorney was declared vacant, and C. Gillis, being the only candidate, was duly elected July 22, 1850. On October 7, 1850, another election was held for the appointment of a Clerk to the Supreme Court; Superintendent of Public Instruction; Attorney General; District Attorney, for the district composed of the counties of Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano and Mendocino; Senator for the district composed of the counties of Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Mendocino, Yolo, Colusa, and Trinity ; and a Member of the Assembly, for the District composed of the counties of Marin, Sonoma, Napa, and Solano, while the votes of the people were called to settle the location of the seat of government, with the following result :
Votes.
For Clerk of the Supreme Court .. . E. H. Tharp. 96
For Superintendent of Public Instruction. . Fred. P. Tracy. 56
For Attorney General James A. McDougal . 98
For District Attorney J. D. Bristol 132
For Senator
Martin E. Cook. 101
For Member of Assembly
John S. Bradford 113
While, for the location of the seat of government, Vallejo received one hundred and eighty-six votes, as against one for each of the cities of San Jose and Monterey. Shortly after this, the offices of Sheriff and County Sur- veyor, held by Messrs. Francis Brown and Benjamin W. Barlow, had become vacant; another election was held on December 21st, when B. C. Whitman was chosen for the first named office, and A. F. Bradley for the latter.
109
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
Thus the electoral interests for the year 1850 were brought to a close. In this year party spirit had not yet run very high. The bulk of the early settlers were pretty evenly divided between the Whigs and Democrats, while of the officers elected, the opposing factions shared the honors more or less equally.
On January 25, 1851, Calvin Brown and J. G. Dennis were respectively elected to the offices of Justice of the Peace and Constable for Benicia Township, while, in March, two more vacancies occurred in the offices of Sheriff and County Attorney, consequent on the resignation of Messrs. B. C. Whitman and C. Gillis. To fill these offices a special election was called, as also to choose two Justices of the Peace and one Constable for each of the . townships of Vallejo, which would appear from the Petition of Electors to have then been named Eden and Suisun. At this epoch of the county's history, the list of votes was: For Benicia Township, 174; for Vallejo, 29; and for Suisun, 72. The result of this election, which was held on March 24th, was :
For County Sheriff Paul Shirley .. .. 83
Votes.
For County Attorney Thomas M. Swan. . 128
For Justice of the Peace, Vallejo Township. William Barnett .. . 27
James Wyatt ..... 26
For Justice of the Peace, Suisun Township. U. P. Degman .. . . . 63
Daniel M. Berry .. 67
For Constable for Vallejo Township .. .. William E. Brown, D. C .. 28 For Constable for Suisun Township .. .. William Munn 69
On the 9th September, 1850, California was admitted into the Union, and the pleasing, though foreordained intelligence, was hailed with much enthusiasm when brought to San Francisco, on the 18th October, 1850. On September 3, 1851, the first gubernatorial election was held under the new order of things. The event being so important a one, we reproduce the entire vote throughout Solano County, as gleaned from the official records of the county.
110
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
FOR GOVERNOR.
READING, PIERSON B.
No. of Votes. Total.
Benicia. 182
Vallejo.
93
Suisun.
67
Vacaville. 51
BIGLER, JOHN.
Benicia
98
Vallejo
77
. .
Suisun
41
·
Vacaville
17
233
LIEUT. GOVERNOR.
BALDWIN, DRURY P.
Benicia.
166
Vallejo
91
Suisun
67
Vacaville
49
. .
373
PURDY, SAMUEL.
Benicia 112
Vallejo
78
Suisun
41
Vacaville
17
248
JUSTICE SUPREME COURT.
HEYDENFELDT, SOLOMON.
Benicia.
110
·
Vallejo
77
Suisun
43
.
Vacaville 17
247
ROBINSON, TODD.
Benicia
159
Vallejo.
92
. .
Suisun
65
. .
Vacaville.
50
. .
366
ATTORNEY-GENERAL.
HASTINGS, S. C.
No. of Votes.
Total.
Benicia
114
. .
Vallejo.
78
. .
Suisun
44
..
Vacaville 16
.
.
FAIR, W. D.
Benicia 162
Vallejo.
90
Suisun
64
Vacaville
50
366
STATE COMPTROLLER.
PIERCE, WINSLOW T.
Benicia 111
.
Vallejo.
78
. .
Suisun
42
. .
Vacaville
17
. .
ABELL, A. G.
Benicia 166
Vallejo
90
. .
Suisun
64
. .
Vacaville
49
·
HOUSTON, JOHN S.
Benicia 1
. .
1
SURVEYOR-GENERAL.
EDDY, WM. M.
Benicia 119
. .
Vallejo ..
77
. .
Suisun
41
. .
Vacaville 17
.
254
HERRON, WALTER.
Benicia 159
.
Vallejo.
89
.
Suisun
66
. .
Vacaville.
49
.
363
.
.
252
393
.
.
·
248
369
. .
·
111
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
STATE TREASURER.
ROMAN, RICHARD.
No. of Votes.
Total.
Benicia 118
Vallejo
130
Suisun 43
Vacaville. 27
318
BURT, J. M.
Benicia 159
Vallejo. Suisun.
38
. .
Vacaville
39
GIFT, COL. W.
Benicia . 2
.
CONGRESSMAN.
MCCORKLE, JOS. W.
Benicia. 107
.
Vallejo
82
Suisun
42
Vacaville. . 19
250
MARSHALL, E. C.
Benicia 118
Vallejo
86
·
Suisun
43
Vacaville.
27
274
KEWEN, E. J. C.
Benicia
170
Vallejo
87
Suisun
65
.
Vacaville. 49
371
MOORE, B. F.
Benicia 157
Vallejo
88
Suisun
64
·
Vacaville. 38
347
BRYAN, D. C.
Benicia .
34
Vallejo ..
4
Suisun. .
18
.
Vacaville.
7
63
DORLAND, JAMES.
No. of Votes.
Total.
Benicia 48
. .
Vallejo. 8
Suisun. . 47 . .
Vacaville.
.
103
STATE SENATOR TO REPRESENT THE COUNTIES OF SOLANO AND NAPA.
BRADFORD, JOHN S.
Benicia 157
. .
Vallejo
9
. .
Suisun 50
. .
Vacaville. 5
221
ESTELİ, JAMES M.
Benicia 129
Vallejo
147
. .
Suisun
52
. .
Vacaville.
46
. .
LONG, JAMES H.
Vacaville. 2
. .
2
SAWYER, JESSE.
Benicia .
1
. .
Vacaville. 1
. .
2
SEMPLE, ROBERT.
Vacaville 1
. .
1
MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLY TO REPRESENT SOLANO COUNTY.
GRAHAM, JAMES S.
Benicia 122
. .
Vallejo 117
. .
Suisun. 28
.
Vacaville. 45
. .
312
SEMPLE, ROBERT.
Benicia. 85
. .
Vallejo ..
28
Suisun. 17
. .
Vacaville.
15
. .
145
.
. .
. .
374
.
2
65
. .
301
112
HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
COUNTY SHERIFF.
SHIRLEY, PAUL.
No. of Votes.
Total.
Benicia 195
Vallejo.
122
. .
Suisun .. 84
Vacaville. 62
STOCKER, JAMES.
Benicia.
91
Vallejo.
38
. .
Suisun.
26
. .
COUNTY CLERK.
BYNUM, SARSHEL.
Benicia . 259
Vallejo.
148
.
Suisun.
107
Vacaville. 65
.
579
JONES, J. W.
Benicia 1 .
1
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
SWAN, THOS. M.
Benicia 145
. .
Vallejo. 102
. .
Suisun 65
Vacaville. 43
355
BLAIR, J. D.
Benicia 134
Vallejo
48
. .
Suisun
35
Vacaville
14
. .
231
COUNTY CORONER.
PEABODY, WM. F.
Benicia . 169
. .
Vallejo.
18
. .
Suisun 57
. .
Vacaville.
45
289
HAMM, SAMUEL F.
No. of Votes. Total.
Benicia
109
..
Vallejo ..
122
.
Suisun.
41
Vacaville.
14
286
COUNTY TREASURER.
EVANS. O. H.
Benicia 194
.
Vallejo.
77
Suisun
73
.
Vacaville.
43
387
HAYDEN, C. W.
Benicia . 73
Vallejo
52
Suisun ..
21
Vacaville.
14
LEVISTON, GEO.
Benicia .
1
.
1.
COUNTY SURVEYOR.
LORING, F. R.
Benicia 153
Vallejo
76
Suisun
67
. .
Vacaville
43
339
BRADLEY, A. F.
Benicia . 124
Vallejo
56
.
Suisun
34
. .
Vacaville
14
228
COUNTY ASSESSOR.
t
VAUGHAN, SINGLETON.
Benicia 192
Vallejo
78
. .
Suisun 47
. .
Vacaville
33
. .
350
. .
. .
463
.
Vacaville. 6
161
.
. .
160
.
. .
. .
113
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
COUNTY ASSESSOR.
HOWELL, E. P.
No. of Votes. Total Votes.
Benicia. 69
Vallejo
53
. .
Suisun
54
. .
Vacaville 25
201
COOPER STEPHEN.
Benicia
16
Suisun
7
23
. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF SOL. CO.
CURREY, JOHN
Benicia 136
Vallejo
76
Suisun
71
Vacaville 43
. . 326
LEVISTON, GEO.
Benicia . 135
Vallejo
51
. .
Suisun.
24
Vacaville. 14
224
LUCE, S. W.
Benicia . 1
1
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE FOR BENICIA.
Riddell, Alexander . . 150
Wetmore, C. E. 95
Gillis, Calvin. .199
Hyam, B. D.
62
McDougal, John
1
Lowry, Dick
1
Bennett, Bill.
1
CONSTABLES FOR BENICIA.
Brown, A. W. .188
Brown, Jno. S . . 169
Siddons, Wm .. .126
Mitchell, I ..
1
Jones, John W
1
Brown, W. C.
1
Andrews, J. H
1
DISTRICT JUDGE 7TH JUDICIAL DIST.
Total Votes.
Hopkins, Robert 1
Boggs, T. J. . 1
Whitman, B. C. 1 Lee, Harvey . 1
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE FOR VALLEJO.
Hook, Henry. 101
Tierney, E. P. 36
Leslie, Lyman 77
Shipley, David.
31
Veeder, Charles
13
Loveland, J. E
3
CONSTABLES FOR VALLEJO.
Brown, W. A. 116
Bryant, W. T. 87
Dupaix, Henry.
13
JUSTICES OF PEACE, SUISUN.
BERRY, D. K.
Suisun 67
Vacaville
9
76
DEGMAN, U. P.
Suisun
50
·
Vacaville
49
. .
BEVERIDGE, DAVID F.
Suisun
54
54
CONSTABLES FOR SUISUN.
STEVENSON, G. B.
Suisun
62
. .
Vacaville 50 .
112
MUNN, WM.
Suisun
49
LINDSEY,. WM.
Suisun
. 23
Scattering
6
8
. .
. .
99
114
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
On September 11th, notice was given in accordance with the Fourth Article of the Constitution of California, by Robert Semple, of his intention to contest the election of James S. Graham to the seat in the Assembly ; there is no reason to believe, however, that the case ever came to a recount.
The division of votes showed a democratic preponderance for the State offices ; while for those of the county, the Whig party had the majority of positions.
In this contest, Bigler, who received twenty-three thousand seven hun- dred and seventy-four votes in the State ; while Pierson B. Reading, his Whig opponent, got twenty-two thousand seven hundred and thirty-three, had the assistance of that new power which had commenced to creep into the State, in the shape of the squatting element. He was Democratic in his manners, being " hale fellow " with all. Not so his opponent, who was a gentleman of more genteel bearing than the kind-hearted, unambitious, landless Governor, who was always mindful of his friends. Bigler, in all his messages, urged economy, but found it difficult to prevent an office being made for a friend. Tuthill remarks: "It was his pet project to unite the Southern and Western men of his party, and let the free-soilers shift for themselves ; but it is not in that direction that party cleavage runs. The Southeners scorned the alliance. They were ' high-toned,' and looked down upon a Missourian as little better than a man from Massachusetts. The Governor's project would not work. He carried water on both shoulders, and spilt very little on either side."
In regard to the election of officers to fill the positions required in those years, it was very hard to find those willing to, or capable of, undertaking the arduous duties : besides, everyone was on the qui vive for news of gold, on the first receipt of which, judges and constables alike, would leave their more dignified duties, and make for the mines, caring not who their succes- sors might be, or how they were appointed.
But few changes of any political moment occurred in 1852, save the establishment of a polling precinct at the Suscol rancho, at the residence of L. Curtis; and the Presidential election of November 2nd, when we find the three well-known names among the successful candidates for county honors, of Judge E. W. McKinstry, now of the Supreme Bench of Califor- nia, then elected for his first term as Judge of the Seventh Judicial District; Andrew J. Bryant, the present Mayor of San Francisco, then a Constable of Benicia township ; and Dr. Sylvester Woodbridge, Junior, the eloquent pastor of a Presbyterian Church, in San Francisco, at the time of which we write, a resident of Benicia, and the first Commissioner of Common Schools in the county.
On February 19th, of the following year, Sarshel Bynum, resigned his office, when Joseph P. Vaughn was appointed interim County Clerk, in which charge he was confirmed, at the general election of 7th September.
115
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
On May 18th, an Act, apportioning the State into certain Senatorial and Assembly districts, was passed ; the "Tenth Senatorial District," being com- prised in the counties of Solano, Napa, and Yolo, with power to elect one Senator, while one member of Assembly was to be returned from each.
It would appear that at this juncture the number of residents in the county had so increased, that greater facilities had to be given to the public for recording their votes. The distances from the principal locations of the townships being so great, new precincts were made; the city of Benicia being divided into two wards; the headquarters of one being at the Pacific Works, and the other at the Court House. The Vallejo township comprised Vallejo and Suscol. Wolfskill's and Montezuma belonged to Vacaville; while Suisun and Green Valley each had their polling places. At their De- cember term, the Court of Sessions ordered that the salary of the District Attorney should be fixed at one hundred and twenty-five dollars per month, or fifteen hundred dollars per annum, commencing from the first Monday in October.
In the year 1855, a vacancy occurring in the office of County Treasurer, by the death of John C. Guliek, Jabez Hatch was appointed in his stead. In this year, too, the Court of Sessions was abolished, and a Board of Su- pervisors created in lieu thereof. The first Board consisting of Lloyd A. Rider, A. W. Rodgers, and John C. Fisk, met at Benicia on May 7th, under the Presidentship of the first-named gentleman, when they appointed George Leviston to be a Justice of the Peace, vice Alexander Riddell deceased.
On May 4, 1855, an Act of the Legislature was approved, "to take the sense of the People of the State, at the General Election in A. D. 1855, on the Passage of a Prohibitory Liquor Law ;" the provisions of which were, that the manufacture and sale of all spirituous and intoxicating liquors, except for mechanical, chemical, medicinal and sacramental purposes, should be prohibited. On being put to the vote in Solano county, the result was :
Yes 143 votes.
No. 378
The preeinets for polling purposes were divided by the Supervisors in this year, to be as under :
Green Valley
1
Suisun
2
Vacaville 2
Montezuma 1
Tremont
1
Benicia
1
Vallejo
1
On November 13, J. W. Jones was appointed to the position of County
116
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
Coroner, vice Larkin Richardson, who had failed to file his certificate of election. On August 21, 1855, it was directed by the Board that the Su- pervisoral districts be changed, as under :
DISTRICT No. 1
Benicia. Vallejo.
Green Valley.
DISTRICT No. 2
DISTRICT No. 3
Suisun. Vacaville. Montezuma. Tremont.
In the years 1856 and '57, nothing of any moment occurred in the county, in regard to its political aspect. In 1858 the removal of the county seat occurred, a full account of which will be found in the chapter on County Organizations, in this work. On January 22, 1859, the Board of Supervis- ors accepted the Bond of Captain Waterman, in respect to the handing over certain lands in Fairfield, for county purposes. On March 14th, they opened the bids for the erection of the Court House and Jail there, viz :
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