USA > California > Solano County > History of Solano County...and histories of its cities, towns...etc. > Part 3
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In conformity with this enactment, the court held a special term on March 13th, 1851, when it was decreed that Benicia township, which was of an unwieldy size, should be divided into two portions, the division line to commence where the western corner of the town tract of Benicia strikes the bay, thence to the north-western corner of said town tract of Benicia, thence due north to the boundary line of the county of Solano, and all the territory lying east of said division line, shall hereafter be known as Benicia township; and all the territory lying west of said division line shall hereafter be known as Vallejo township. This is the first mention we
30
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
have of the Vallejo township; at the time, the city of that name was known as Eden, but on account of the strenuous efforts made by General Vallejo to have the seat of government removed thither from San Jose, the claims of the spot made itself felt, and it was therefore given township rights.
In 1852 emigration had set into the fertile valley of the county ; it was therefore found necessary to apportion once more the large extent of terri- tory comprised in the Suisun township into two divisions ; to this end, the Court of Sessions, at a special term held at Benicia on November 1st, directed that Suisun should be partitioned off into two townships, the lines to run as follows : "Commencing at the southwest points of the Potrero Hills; thence in a direct line to the branch opposite (on the west side) the house of Mr. Cutler; thence up said branch to its source ; thence in a north- west direction to the county line, and all the county east of said line, and south and south-west of Putah creek, is called Vacaville township. With this last apportionment, Solano county was divided into four parts, but still it was found to be of too vast proportions for official purposes; there- fore, we find the court once more holding a sederunt, on August 8th, 1853, and establishing a new township, to be taken off those of Benicia and Suisun. The limits were described and designated as follows :
" To commence at the Tule, on the southwest end of Mr. Thompson's farm, and running in a direct line to the Jerry House, as it is called, on the south-west edge of Green Valley; thence following the edge of the Tule, east to the mouth of the Suisun creek; thence up said creek to the cross- ing of the county road, near L. Alford's ; thence along said road west to the house of Mr. S. Martin ; thence due north to the county line; thence fol- lowing said county line west to place of beginning." This tract was named the Green Valley Township.
Affairs had not yet, however, righted themselves; the districts were still too unwieldy in size. A further contraction had therefore to be inaug- urated ; hence we find the Court of Session ordering, on August 15th, 1854, that Solano county shall be divided into townships, as follows :
MONTEZUMA TOWNSHIP.
" A new township is hereby created and established, to be called Monte- zuma township, which said township is designated and bound as follows : Commencing at a point in Suisun bay, where the meridian line running north from Monte Diablo crosses the line of Solano county; thence north with the meridian line to the north-east corner of Section 25 of Township 5 N. R. 1 W. according to the government survey ; thence due east to Cache Creek Slough, or the eastern boun dary of the county or Cache Creek slough to the Sacramento river; thence down said river and Suisun bay with the line of the county to the place of beginning."
31
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
SUISUN TOWNSHIP.
" And the township heretofore known as Suisun township is hereby changed in its boundaries so as to conform to the following description, to-wit: Commencing at the point where the meridian line running north from Monte Diablo crosses the county line of said county ; thence north with said line to the north-east corner of Section 25 of Township 5 N. R. 1 W. thence in a direct line to the white point of Long's mountain ; thence in a direct line to the residence of E. B. Witt, including his resi- dence; thence in the same direction to a direct line to the northern boundary of the said county; thence with said northern boundary in a westerly direction to the foot of the hills on the west side of Suisun creek; thence down said creek along the foot of said hills to a point opposite the residence of William B. Brown, in Suisun Valley; thence down the middle of Suisun creek to its mouth; thence continuing the same general course to the southern boundary of the county in Suisun bay; thence up said bay with the line of the county to the point of beginning."
GREEN VALLEY TOWNSHIP.
" And the township known as Green Valley township is hereby changed in its boundaries so as to conform to the following description, to-wit : Commencing at the mouth of Suisun creek and running from thence up the middle of said creek to a point opposite the residence of William B. Brown; from thence in a northerly direction running with the foot of the hills on the west side of Suisun creek to the boundary line between Solano and Napa counties; thence in a south-west direction, following said boundary line to the point where the public road leading from Benicia to Napa City crosses Suscol creek ; thence easterly to the house near the tule on Suisun bay, and on the road leading from Benicia to Suisun Valley, known as the 'Jerry House;' thence east to the county line in Suisun bay to the southwest corner of Suisun township ; thence in a direct line to the mouth of Suisun creek, the place of beginning."
VACAVILLE TOWNSHIP.
" And the township known as Vacaville township is hereby changed in its boundaries so as to conform to the following description, to-wit : commencing at the north-east corner of Section 25 of Township 5 N. R. 1 W. according to the government survey, being the north-west corner of Montezuma township, running from thence to the white point on Long's mountain ; thence in a direct line to the residence of E. B. Witt; thence in the same direction in a direct line with the eastern boundary of Suisun township to the northern boundary of the county; thence north-easterly with the boundary of the county to Putah creek ; thence down said creek
32
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
to its sink in the tule, and continuing with the line of the county in a south-easterly direction to a point due east of the point of beginning ; thence west to the point of beginning."
BENICIA TOWNSHIP.
" And the township known as Benicia township is hereby changed in its boundaries so as to conform to the following description, to-wit: commenc- ing at the south-west corner of a tract of land purchased by Robert Semple and Thomas O. Larkin, from M. G. Vallejo, and on a part of which is situ- ated the city of Benicia; from thence with the western boundary of said tract of land to the north-west corner of the same; from thence due north to the line of Green Valley township ; thence in a south-easterly direction on said boundary line to the ' Jerry House,' so called, near the tule on Suisun bay ; thence due east to the boundary line of the county in Suisun bay ; thence down said bay and the Straits of Carquinez to a point due south of the point of beginning ; thence due north to the point of beginning."
VALLEJO TOWNSHIP.
" And the township known as Vallejo township is hereby changed in its boundaries so as to conform to the following description, to-wit: commenc- ing at the south-west corner of a tract of land purchased by Robert Semple and Thomas O. Larkin, from M. G. Vallejo, and commonly known as the Benicia tract; thence with the western boundary line of said tract to the northwest corner of the same; thence due north to the boundary line of Green Valley township; thence in a north-westerly direction with said boundary line of Green Valley township to the boundary line between Solano and Napa counties, at the point where the public road crosses the Suscol creek ; thence with said creek to Napa bay; thence down said bay and up the Straits of Carquinez, including Mare Island, to the southwest corner of Benicia township ; thence due north to the place of beginning."
In 1855 a change had come o'er the spirit of the governmental dream of the county. The Court of Session was abolished and an Act passed on March 20th, entitled " An Act to create a Board of Supervisors in the counties of this State, and to define their duties and powers." For better reference the ninth section of the above Act is quoted in full : " The Board of Supervisors shall have power and jurisdiction in their respective counties: First, to make orders respecting the property of the county, in conformity with any law of this State, and to take care of and preserve such property. Second, to examine, settle, and allow all accounts legally chargeable against the county, and to levy, for the purposes prescribed by law, such amount of taxes on the assessed value of real and personal property in the county, as may be authorized by law : provided the salary of the County Judge need
U.G. Paly .
33
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
not be audited by the Board ; but the County Auditor shall, on the first judicial day of each month, draw his warrant on the County Treasurer in favor of the County Judge for the amount due such judge as salary, for the month preceding. Third, to examine and audit the accounts of all officers having the care, management, collection or disbursement of any money belonging to the county, or appropriated by law, or otherwise, for its use and benefit. Fourth, to lay out, control and manage public roads, turnpikes, ferries, and bridges within the county, in all cases where the law does not prohibit such jurisdiction, and to make such orders as may be requisite and necessary to carry its control and management into effect. Fifth, to take care of and provide for the indigent sick of the county. Sixth, to divide the county into townships, and to change the divisions of the same, and to create new townships, as the convenience of the county may require. Seventh, to establish and change election precincts, and to appoint inspectors and judges of elections. Eighth, to control and manage the property, real and personal, belonging to the county, and to receive by donation any pro- perty for the use and benefit of the county. Ninth, to lease or to purchase any real or personal property necessary for the use of the county; provided no purchase of real property shall be made unless the value of the same be previously estimated by three disinterested persons, to be appointed for that purpose by the County Judge. Tenth, to sell at public auction, at the Court-house of the county, after at least thirty days' previous public notice, and cause to be conveyed, any property belonging to the county, appropri- ating the proceeds of such sale to the use of the same. Eleventh, to cause to be erected and furnished, a court-house, jail, and such other public build- ings as may be necessary, and to keep the same in repair ; provided that the contract for building the court-house, jail, and such other public buildings, be let out at least after thirty days' previous public notice, in cach case, of a readiness to receive proposals therefor, to the lowest bidder, who will give good and sufficient security for the completion of any contract which he may make respecting the same; but no bid shall be accepted which the Board may deem too high. Twelfth, to control the prosecution and defense of all suits to which the county is a party. Thirteenth, to do any and per- form all such other acts and things as may be strictly necessary to the full discharge of the powers and jurisdiction conferred on the Board. To these various duties, in themselves of a most difficult nature, were added the oner- ous responsibilities of canvassers of election returns the investigation of bonds required to be given by newly elected officers, and a general superin- tendence of all the monetary transactions in which the county, through her officers, has any interest. The members of these supervisors were three, and held their first meeting at Benicia, on May 7, 1855.
-
On August 11th, 1855, the Board of Supervisors directed that yet another township be formed, to be named
3
34
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
TREMONT TOWNSHIP,
to be made, formed, and constituted on Putah creek, in Solano county, bounded as follows, to-wit : commencing at and including the farm of Mr. Priddy, on Putah creek, about two miles above the crossing of said creek, near Manuel Vaca's; thence running south on the township line to the inter- section of the dividing line between Montezuma and Vacaville townships; thence east to the boundary line of Solano county; thence in a northerly direction, following the boundary line of Solano county, to the sink of Putah creek; thence up Putah creek to the place of beginning. The county was now divided into seven townships, and on August 21, were apportioned into supervisorial districts, as under:
District No. 1, comprised the townships of Vallejo and Benicia.
District No. 2, comprised the townships of Green Valley and Suisun.
District No. 3, comprised the townships of Vacaville, Montezuma, and Tremont.
In the following years the upper part of the county had become thickly populated, while the towns of Suisun and Fairfield had commenced to spring into prominence, and some feeling had begun to evince itself in res- pect to a new location for the county seat. Benicia was found to be at too great a distance from the townships of Vacaville and Tremont ; a more cen- tral position was therefore sought, and a County Seat Convention was formed, which, having appointed delegates to canvass the matter, held a meeting, a report of which is now extracted from the Solano County Herald, of August 14th, 1858.
COUNTY SEAT CONVENTION.
Pursuant to notice, the delegates elected met at Suisun City, August 7, 1858, for the purpose of selecting some suitable and central location, to be voted for at the next election, for the County Seat of Solano County.
" The convention organized by electing the following temporary officers : H. G. Davidson, President; Phillip Palmer, Vice-President ; Geo. A. Gilles- pie and H. B. Ammons, Secretaries.
" Upon motion of A. M. Stevenson, the Chair appointed a committee on credentials, one from each township. The committee consisted of P. Palmer, E. A. Townsend, Wm. G. Fore, Samuel Martin, and R. S. Phelps. Having retired for a few moments they returned into the convention and reported the following named gentlemen as duly elected delegates to this convention:
"Suisun Township .- Phillip Palmer, R. D. Pringle, H. Russell, P. O. Clayton, John Wayman, John Smithers, John A. Payton, V. Hawkins, Frank Aldridge, and J. P. McKissick.
" Vacaville Township .- H. B. Ammons, F. J. Bartlett, W. G. Fore, H. G.
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
Davidson, E. L. Bennett, E. S. Silvey, Mason Wilson, J. M. Dudley, J. W. Anderson, and Geo. A. Gillespie.
" Montezuma Township .- E. A. Townsend, C. J. Collins, and John B. Carrington.
" Tremont Township .- R. S. Phelps and J. B. Tufts.
Green Valley Township .- G. B. Stevenson, A. M. Stevenson, Samuel G. Martin, W. P. Durbin.
" Upon motion, report received and committee discharged.
" On motion of A. M. Stevenson, the temporary officers were declared the permanent officers of the convention. The following resolution was then offered and adopted :
"Resolved, That we, the delegates assembled in convention, for the pur- pose of selecting a suitable location, to be voted for at the next annual election, hereby pledge our votes and influence for whatever place the convention may select.
" The following places were put in nomination : Mr. Stevenson nominated Fairfield ; Mr. Palmer, Suisun City ; Mr. Bartlett, Vacaville; Mr. Carring- ton, Denverton.
" The following propositions were submitted in writing to the convention: Suisun City, through Mr. A. P. Jackson, proposed giving $5,550 in money and a certain lot 100 by 120 feet, known as 'Owen's Tavern Stand.' He offered to enter into good and sufficient bonds for the performance of the same, provided the county seat should be located at Suisun City.
"Fairfield, through Mr. R. H. Waterman, proposed, in case the county seat should be located at that place, to deed to the Board of Supervisors of Solano county a certain piece of land containing about sixteen acres, known upon the plat of the town of Fairfield as 'Union Park ;' also, four blocks, each block containing twelve lots, to be selected as follows: two from the north and two from the south, or, two from the east and two from the west of ' Union Park ;' he offering to enter into bonds for the performance of the same.
" Vacaville, through Mason Wilson, offered to give four blocks of lots, $1,000 in money, provided the county seat should be located there.
" Denverton, (Nurse's Landing) through Mr. Carrington, proposed to run upon its own merits. After a long and animated discussion, the convention proceeded to take the vote, when Mr. Clayton, of Suisun, was appointed teller to assist the secretaries. The Chair announced the result to be as follows :
" Fairfield, sixteen votes; Suisun City, twelve votes; Denverton, one vote. Whereupon Fairfield was declared the unanimous choice of the con-
36
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
vention. Upon motion of G. A. Gillespie, a committee of five, consisting of one from each township, were elected to act in connection with the Board of Supervisors in receiving proper bonds from Mr. Waterman for the faith- ful performance of his proposition. This committee consisted of Phillip Palmer, Mason Wilson, J. B. Tufts, J. B. Carrington, and A. M. Stevenson. "Upon motion, it was resolved that the 'Solano County Herald' be requested to publish the proceedings of the convention.
" Upon motion, the convention adjourned sine die.
H. G. DAVIDSON, President.
GEO. A. GILLESPIE, - - Secretaries."
H. B. AMMONS,
In pursuance of Mr. Gillespie's motion Mr. R. H. Waterman entered into the following bond : "Know all men by these presents, that I, Robert H. Waterman, of Fairfield, in the county of Solano, and State of California, am held and firmly bound unto the Supervisors of Solano county, in the sum of ten thousand dollars lawful money of the United States, for which pay- ment will and truly be made. I bind myself, my heirs, executors, and administrators, firmly by these presents. Sealed with my seal and dated the twelfth day of August, 1858.
" The condition of this obligation is such, that whereas, the said Robert H. Waterman did agree to donate to the county of Solano, for the use of the people thereof, free of charge or cost, the following described land, situated in the town of Fairfield, county of Solano, State of California, and further described as Union Park, a public square in the town of Fairfield, and also four blocks, containing each twelve lots adjoining said park, according to plat of said town, as surveyed by E. H. D'Hemecourt, County Surveyor; these blocks to be selected by the Supervisors of the county, either on the north, east or south side of said park; and further, the said park shall be kept open and free for the use of the public; and further, the proceeds of sales of the four blocks shall be appropriated to the erection of the public buildings of the county ; and further, that the County seat of Solano county shall be lawfully located at Fairfield.
Now, therefore, if the said county seat of Solano county shall be lawfully located at said town at the coming election in September next, after date hereof, and if the said Robert H. Waterman shall, and does procure and deliver to the Supervisors of said county a good and sufficient deed to the said Union Park and lots herein described, according to the conditions of this obligation, then, and in that case, the above obligation shall be void; otherwise, of full force.
(Signed) R. H. WATERMAN. [SEAL."]
On the second day of September, 1858, the general election took place,
37
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
when the following locations for the county seat were put forth for candi- dature, with the following result :
Total votes cast.
1,730
Number of votes for Benicia
625
Fairfield
1,029
Denverton
38
Vallejo
10
Roekville
2
Suisun
26
Total votes .1,730
The consequence, therefore, was the triumph of Fairfield over Benicia. It is supposed, and with mueh reason, that Vallejo in her inmost heart had long borne a grudge against Benicia, for having in 1852 deprived her of the capital and its attendant glories ; now, there opened a chance for vengeance, and the votes of the Vallejoites went to swell the list of the voters for Fairfield, notwithstanding that by so doing they moved the county seat further away from them than if they had permitted it to remain at Benicia. In this regard, the Solano Herald, then published in that eity, announces the disaster in these words :
" In every general engagement, however glorious the bulletin of victory, there necessarily follows the melancholy supplement of casualties.
In the list of killed and wounded in Wednesday's battle, our eye falls mournfully on the name of Benieia-Benicia ! the long suffering, mortally wounded, if not dead-killed by Vallejo's unsparing hand ! That the people of Suisun and the adjoining region should have desired a removal of the county seat, was by no means surprising; but Vallejo ! et tu Brute ! In the house of our friends we were wounded.
While we hold in grateful remembrance the majority of the citizens of Vallejo, let us not forget those aspiring gentlemen who dealt us the deadly blow. 'Lord keep our memory green,' for good and evil."
The grass was not allowed to grow under the feet of the Supervisors. In October following, a brick building ereeted at Fairfield, by Captain Waterman, for County Clerk and Treasurer's offices, was completed and handed over to them, and at once occupied ; while at the Board meeting held January 22, 1859, Mr. Waterman's bond, quoted above, with all its provisions, was accepted. Tenders were at once advertised for to construet the necessary edifices, when, at a Supervisoral sederunt held on March 14th of that year, the undermentioned bids were ratified :
For Court-house and Jail, Larkin Richardson. ... $24,440 00 For Court-house for temporary use of County . ... 1,373 00
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
And on September 1st, the county buildings were handed over to the Board of Supervisors.
In 1862 "An Act to organize townships and regulate their powers and duties, and submit the same to the vote of the people," was approved by the Legislature on May 15th. The provisions of the act were that town- ships should be corporate bodies and have capacity :
First-To sue and be sued in the manner prescribed by law.
Second-To purchase and hold lands within its own limits for the use of its inhabitants, and for the promotion of education within the limits of the township.
Third-To make such contracts, and to purchase and hold such personal property as may be necessary to the exercise of its corporate and adminis- trative powers.
Fourth-To make such orders for the disposition, regulation or use of its corporate property as may be deemed conducive to the interests of its inhabitants.
The corporate powers and duties of these townships were to be vested in a Board of Trustees, to consist of three qualified electors of the township, to be voted for by qualified electors within said township, when, at the same time, were to be elected certain officers for especial service within the township. Such trustees were to be endowed with powers appertaining to the peace, order and good government of the townships to which they were chosen by the public vote, and were to collect taxes, which were to be paid into the office of the County Treasurer. The Act was ordered to be sub- mitted to a vote of the people at the general election. In those counties in which the affirmative should have the majority, the law should take effect ; but in those (like Solano, where the majority against it was sixty-one) in which the negative has the preponderance of votes, the act should not apply or be in force.
At the same election, September 3, 1862, the proposed amendments to the Constitution of California, suggested in the following :
ARTICLE IV-The Legislative Department.
V-The Executive Department.
VI-The Judicial Department.
IX-Education.
were put to the popular voice, with the result as stated below :
Yes
4,800
No 657
Majority for the yeas. 4,143
39
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY ..
On August 12, 1863, a petition from O. Bingham and others was pre- sented to the Board of Supervisors, when, in conformity with the prayer therein set forth, it was ordered that a new township be formed, to be called
MAINE PRAIRIE,
to be bounded as follows, to wit : commencing at the corners of Sections 7, 8, 17 and 18, in Township 5 N. R. 1 E. of Monte Diablo meridian, and running thence north to the corners of Sections 5, 6, 7 and 8, in Township 6 N. R. 1 E .; thence running east to the eastern limit of Solano county, on the line between ranges 2 and 3 east; thence with said line south to the township line between Townships 5 and 6 north ; thence with said line east, to the centre of Sacramento river, the eastern limit of Solano county ; thence down Sacramento river and Steamboat or Merritt slough to where the line between townships 4 and 5 crosses said slough ; thence with said line west to the centre of Cache Creek slough; thence up said slough to the mouth of Linda slough to the line between ranges 1 and 2 east ; thence with said line north to the north-west corner of Section 18, in Township 5 N. R. 2 E. ; thence west to the place of beginning.
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