USA > California > Solano County > History of Solano County...and histories of its cities, towns...etc. > Part 36
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from Vallejo. It is located upon the banks of a navigable slough which falls into Suisun bay, and is situated at the entrance to Green valley. It has one Episcopal church, a school, railroad depot, hotel, box factory, etc., and possesses a population of about three hundred souls.
ROCKVILLE :- This hamlet lies on the old stage road about five miles west of Fairfield. A stone church, a school house, and a solitary village blacksmith's establishment make up the present city. It formerly had a post office, hotel, and store, but now, Ichabod, the glory is departed ! Rock- ville is a veritable " deserted village." It has a slight history, however, if little else, for here was the headquarters of the Suisun Indians, and indeed in this locality was the first cultivation of grain carried on. Here, too, was the anvil's music first heard from the forge of John M. Perry, who was wont to produce in those good old days, a rude ground tearer or plough at the moderately low figure of $65.
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
ELMIRA.
Geography :- On May 22, 1871, it was ordered by the Board of Supervi- sors that a new township should be formed out of portions of Vacaville, Silveyville, and Maine Prairie townships, the boundaries being: "Beginning at the south-west corner of the south-east quarter of section No. 3, town- ship 5 N., R. 1 W., Mount Diablo meridian and base ; running thence north seven miles to the quarter-section corner on the north line of section 3, township 6 N., R. 1 W .; thence along said township line six miles ; thence along quarter-section lines south seven miles."
Topography :- The topography of Elmira township is not hard to desig- nate. It is that portion of the plain of Suisun valley described in the foregoing boundaries. Comparatively speaking, not an inch of it is there but what will fructify and produce ; still, from its position and the want of any perennial streams, it is a matter of difficulty, in the seasons of drought, which, happily, though rare, will occur in California, to find water save by the digging of wells, and this has been done to some purpose.
Settlement :- The settlement of Elmira township is coeval with that of the Suisun valley. In the days when it was settled, and for many years later, Elmira was still a portion of other townships. As the increase of population made itself felt, the necessity to make a new partition arose, and thus, those who erst belonged to the adjacent townships, suddenly found themselves included in entirely new boundaries.
ELMIRA .- The thriving little town on the line of the California Pacific Railroad, formerly called Vaca Station, was renamed after the city of Elmira, in the State of New York. It is the junction of the above named railroad, which passes in a direct line through Solano county ; and the Vaca Valley and Clear Lake Railroad, which, up to the present time, has thirty miles of track laid to Madison, in Yolo county, with stations, of much com- fort and easy of access, at Vacaville, and Winters, on the Yolo county side of Putah creek, on the route to its terminus. Elmira is located on the south-west quarter of section 19, township 6 N., R. 1 W. The plat of the city was filed for record October 20, 1868. The site comprises about forty acres of ground, and was originally the property of Stephen Hoyt, who laid out the town in 1868.
The settlement of the county may be said to have commencd with . the
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
location of Stephen Hoyt, Charles Pearson, and Jediah Williams in 1853. In 1854 Hazen Hoyt and Allen Van Fleet settled near the present town site, while, at much about the same time, Wellington and James Boone became settlers on what is usually known as the Hawker's place. The first crops of barley were raised by Stephen Hoyt and A. Van Fleet. Sacramento, at the time, was the principal market for the products of the township. Elmira is distant ten miles, in a north-easterly direction, from the county seat of Fairfield. The population is about 500.
The churches, and schools as well, are creditably represented ; while its commercial relations are fairly prosperous, there being two stores, doing a general merchandise business, two hotels, two warehouses, a lumber yard, livery stable, and three blacksmiths' shops, as well as extensive premises, the property of both railroad companies.
In connection with the prosperity of Elmira, we should not omit to mention the name of John H. Barrett, the present County Assessor. His residence is in the town. He was the first Justice of the Peace elected for the township; has the welfare of the embryo city in his thoughts ; while a community may well feel grateful at having so energetic a member in its midst.
I. O. O. F., Elmira :- This Lodge was organized January 15, 1873, the first officers being : John H. Barrett, N. G .; M. D. Cooper, V. G .; L. David- son, Recording Secretary ; J. A. Collier, Treasurer.
A. O. U. W .;- This is a new order in the country, and had been only instituted but a short time when we made our appearance.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
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VALLEJO. .
ALVORD, LUKE, was born in Syracuse, State of New York, on Septem- ber 16, 1812, and remained in that city and neighborhood working at his trade and farming until February, 1850, when he sailed in the " Tennes- see" for California, arriving in San Francisco in April, having been detained in Panama three weeks awaiting her arrival. At once went to Tuolumne county, at Wood's creek, four miles above Jacksonville, and remained there engaged in mining until July 12, 1851, when he left to return home. In February, 1853, he again left Syracuse for California, on this occassion accompanied by his family. On his arrival he went back to the mines, moving from place to place, principally in Sacramento and Amador counties, having lived for twelve years in Volcano. In 1867, he came to Sacramento city and in the following year took up his resi- dence in Vallejo, where he has remained ever since. Is a carpenter by trade, and was foreman on the grain elevator when it was built. Mr. Alvord married at Syracuse on November 12, 1834, Miss Henrietta S. Childs of Saratoga, New York, by whom he has: Cass, born September 13, 1836 ; Marion, born May 9, 1840, died 1844; and Helen Burnett, born August 30, 1845, married at Volcano, 1867, Professor W. H. Tripp, of Vallejo.
ANDERSON, M. D., WALTER DUNCAN, was born in Tatamagonche, Colchester county, Nova Scotia, April 17, 1840. At fourteen years of age he moved to Canada, where he resided for seven years, at the expiry of which he returned to Nova Scotia ; thence to Boston, Massachusetts, where he studied medicine and graduated at the Harvard Medical School on March 9, 1864. Dr. Anderson practiced for three months in the Magda- len Islands, two years in Wallace, Nova Scotia, and on December 23, 1866, came to Vallejo, where he still resides. Married Mary Jane, daughter of Thomas Wallace, machinist, on 5th February, 1879.
ASPENALL, WILLIAM, arrived from Panama, in the ship " Harriet Rock- well," in June, 1850. On landing in San Francisco, he found letters in- forming him of the whereabouts of former friends and companions in arms, of the Mexican campaign, among them being Col. James M. Stuart, Postmaster of the present House of Representatives, Major Cooper and
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N. K. Swope, ex-Captain of Mexican fame. Mr. Aspenall soon after started for the southern mines, and . arrived in Jamestown, Tuolumne county, in July, 1850, and there engaged in mining, with some success, for two years. In 1852, the Scott-river excitement broke out and he, with five others, determined to organize themselves into a party and pro- ceed thither. At that time, provisions were exhorbitantly high. They purchased a pack train of mules, in Sacramento, consisting of fifteen head besides saddle animals, loaded them with flour, sugar and tobacco, and made a successful voyage to Trinity valley. When here, the Indians stampeded the animals belonging to the expedition, when everything was lost save two mats containing two hundred pounds of China sugar. The entire party got snowed in when crossing the Trinity mountains, being twenty-one days in working their way to the summit, which is known as the Devil's Backbone. They endured many hardships on this occasion ; food was scarce ; they, therefore, contented themselves with mule's flesh and sugar; yet, ultimately, arrived at Scott's river bar in time to take a hand in the Rogue-river war, which was then being carried on against the Indians ; the hostilities were soon terminated on the capture of fifty squaws by Governor Joe Lane. We next find Mr. Aspenall in Oregon, on the banks of the Willamette river, where he had built himself a log cabin, but, getting weary of the solitude of the Oregonian forests, in 1852, he once more returned to California and, for a second time, proceeded to Jamestown, Toulumne county, where he was appointed Deputy, under his friend, Sheriff Swope. In March, 1853, he was joined by his family from New Orleans, who had sustained shipwreck on their journey. In 1854, Mr. A., with others, took a prominent part in the contest which re- sulted in the location of the county seat of Tuolumne county, at Sonora, whereupon, he, with Charles M. Scott, ex-Member of Congress, James M. Stuart, already mentioned, and Captain Arnix, left Jamestown, the two first going to the county seat at Sonora, while the latter came to Vallejo, where they purchased some property, Arnix, after a while, giving up all his possessions, on account of faulty titles. Mr. Aspenall now erected a store in Vallejo, which was opened on June 1, 1855. It was his original intention to make this a one-storied building, but, finding a few Brother Masons in the city, he added another story to it and helped to start a Masonic Lodge in September, 1855, and the Odd Fellows' Lodge in the same building in October of that year. Was elected a Justice of the Peace, in 1856, for Vallejo Township, and, on the incorporation of the city of Vallejo by the Legislature, in 1865, Mr. Aspenall was on the first Board of Trustees. In 1874, he once more was elected to the Board of Trustees and became their President for two years, and, in 1877, was again elected a Justice of the Peace for Vallejo township, a position which he still holds.
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
AYLWARD, THOMAS, was born in Quebec, Lower Canada, where he re- mained till October 6, 1837, when he left for New York, arriving there in the same month, where he bound himself apprentice sailmaker with Stout & Blackledge, 144 South street. In 1846 he went to Virginia, being employed in the Gosport Navy Yard as sailmaker for five months and twenty-seven days, where he assisted in fitting out the men-of-war "Mississippi," "St. Lawrence" and "St. Mary's." Returned to New York in May, 1847, when he was dispatched' in charge of some men to New London, Connecticut, where he worked for three months. He then was removed to Sag Harbor, remaining there three months, and was again changed to Greenport, Long Island, when, at the end of six weeks, he went back to New York, and shortly afterward returned to Greenport, where he stayed till November 5, 1848. It was Mr. Aylward's intention to have left Greenport on November 3d, but owing to a terrific snow- storm which prevailed he delayed his departure, and well for him that he did so, for the train which he should have traveled by was run into and more than twenty lives lost, and a large number wounded, those who escaped having done so by jumping into the snow. He remained in New York till March 12, 1849, when he sailed in the ship "Salem," owned by a stock company, who were on board, the captain, George Douglas, being part owner. Spending eighteen days in Rio de Janeiro and fifteen at Talcahuana, they arrived at San Francisco October 12, the voyage having occupied precisely seven months. The day after Mr. Aylward arrived he set to work at his trade, making as high as one hundred dollars a day, but this he was forced to relinquish on account of a neuralgie affection, which the fogs of San Francisco enhanced. He therefore got his party together, chartered a schooner and sailed for Stockton, en route for the mines. From Stockton they went to the Chinese Camp in Tuolumne County, where he remained a fortnight, and then removed to Murphy's Camp, prospecting; and, returning to Chinese Camp, took his whole party back to Murphy's, in Calaveras County, in March, 1850, and there re- mained until November 21, 1853, when he left for San Francisco. It was now Mr. Aylward's intention to go to the Amazon, but he did not. Sev- eral of his party started thither, however, but nearly all of them perished from cholera, in Callao. One month after returning to San Francisco he went into business as a sailmaker, on the corner of Clay and Davis streets, which he carried on till May, 1856. He then sold out, and recommenced mining operations in Oroville, Butte County, remaining there six days, when he moved to Forbestown. In October he left this district for San Francisco, and commenced working as a journeyman sailmaker, and as such continued till 1858, having occasional jobs in the Mare Island Navy Yard. In the Spring of that year he restarted on his own account, at the corner of Clark and Davis streets, remaining in business there till May,
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
1860, when he left his partner in charge and once more went himself to the mines, his destination 'being Washoe, now known as the district around Carson and Virginia Cities. Remained there till October 20, and again returned to San Francisco, remaining at his business till the Spring of 1861, when he was called to the Navy Yard at Mare Island as a jour- neyman sailmaker, was put in charge of the sailmakers' department in 1865, and remained in charge till the 23d of February, 1872, when he was superseded, along with fourteen others. In 1876 Mr. Aylward visited the Centennial Exhibition-his first trip to the Eastern States since he first left them in 1849. He sojourned there three months, during which he visited Missouri, Kentucky, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Portland, Quebec, Montreal, and elsewhere, and started for California on the 13th of July, 1876. Is a member of the Society of California Pioneers, of which association he is one of the charter members ; he being also a member of the Vallejo Lodge, No. 64, I. O. G. T. Mr. Aylward has made nearly all the sails for the several vessels which have been built in Vallejo.
BERGWELL, GUSTAF, (deceased), born in Sweden in 1810, and came to America in or about the year 1840, and to California via Panama, arriving at Monterey July 4, 1849. In that year he commenced the dry-goods business in San Francisco, which he continued up to the fire of 1851, when he moved to Sonoma, where he remained till 1855, and moved to Vallejo in the following year, where he died on July 10, 1871; since which time his mercantile affairs have been carried on by his widow. Mr. Bergwell was a member of the Vallejo Pioneer Association, being Vice-President of the society for some time. He was also a member of the Scandinavian Society of San Francisco. Married in Grace Church, in that city, April 20, 1852, Miss Laura Kamp, a native of Denmark, by whom there are two children-Jennie, born in Sonoma, February 4, 1853, married William York, April 17, 1873; and Gustaf A., born in Vallejo, July 14, 1861.
BINGHAM, GEORGE, was born in Philadelphia, May 1, 1820. At the age of seventeen he went to learn the trade of bookbinding, with the firm of R. P. de Silver & Co .; and the next year he shipped on board the sloop-of-war " Dale," as first-class boy, and sailed to join the Pacific squad- ron, of which Commodore Jones was in command. Was present at the hoisting of the American flag at Monterey in August, 1831, when the coast was taken by the United States Government, eight days after re- turning it to the Mexicans. Remained on the coast about two months, then sailed to Callao, where he was transferred to the "Yorktown," and proceeded to New York, where he arrived in July, 1843. From 1843 till 1846 he remained in the Eastern States, and in the latter year he volun-
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
teered for the war in Mexico. In December of that year left Philadelphia to join the expedition ; was present at the capture of Vera Cruz, Cerro- Gordo, taking of Conteras, Cherubusco, Molino del Rey, Chapultepec, and tlie storming of the city of Mexico; was with the forces two years, when, on the proclaiming of peace, he returned home, where he remained until 1849, when, on May 5th, he sailed for California, and arrivedin San Francisco September 15, 1849. On arrival, joined the police force on its first organization, under Malachi Fallon, John W. Geary being Aleade. Resigned in the spring of 1850, and went to the mines at Long bar, Yuba river, immediately prior to the discovery of gold in that part ; re- maining there one month he started for Slake creek, staying there until the Gold Lake excitement, when he proceeded thither. From there he went to Grass Valley, now American, and followed up the different ranges of mountains between the Pitt and Feather rivers to the head-waters of the latter at Goose lake, but found nothing. Returned to Nelson creek, where he struck good claims; stayed there a few day, then went to the east branch of Feather river and arrived at Rich Bar, where he re- mained two weeks, after which, he returned to San Francisco. Remained in that city five months, establishing himself in a saloon, but was burnt out in the fire of November, 1850. After this catastrophe he once more returned to Feather river; but, not being successful, he proceeded to Yreka, where gold diggings were found in Humbug creek. In 1851 Mr. Bingham again arrived in San Francisco, paid a visit to the Sandwich Islands ; returning shortly after, he proceeded to the southern mines, in Sonora, from whence he went back to Yreka, and remained there six months, at which time the Gold-beach fever started every one in that di- rection, he amongst the others. In June, 1853, he found his way to Scott's bar, and, after two months, again removed to San Francisco, staying there for some time, when he once more departed for Sonora, and lived there seven years, at the end of which he returned to San Francisco, and at the outbreak of the rebellion, enlisted in the Second Cavalry, (Sacramento Rangers) in Company F, in which he remained for nine months, serving in the Provost's Guard at San Francisco, receiving his discharge there in 1862, when he came to Vallejo. From 1865 he worked for six years in the completing of the capitol at Sacramento, and returned to San Fran- cisco, where he sojourned for one year, then locating in Vallejo in 1873. In 1876 visited the Centennial Exhibition, and finally came back to Val- lejo, where he has since resided. Is a member of the Vallejo Pioneer's Association. Mr. Bingham's grandfather served in the Revolutionary war, under George Washington, and his father took part in the war of 1812. He married in the Sandwich Islands in 1850, and has one daughter, Madeline, who was born in Honolulu in 1851. '
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BROOKS, WILLIAM S., was born in Franklin County, New York, in 1820. When quite young he removed with his parents to New Orleans, and at twelve years of age returned to Brooklyn, New York. In 1832 shipped on board the "Henry Clay," then the largest vessel sailing out of the port of New York, and made a voyage to Liverpool, England, following a sea- faring life up to 1846, when he shipped in the United States sloop-of- war "Prebble," as convoy to Stevenson's regiment, which was then on its way to California, and arrived in San Francisco in March, 1847. The vessel lay two months in that harbor, during which time a party of eight- een men, under command of Lieutenant Lanman, afterwards Commodore, was despatched up the Carquinez straits in search of a boat reported missing, which was conveying $80,000, or thereabouts, pay for the troops at Sutter's fort. (The boat has never since been heard of.) On the cruise, landed at what is now called Mare Island, where he remained about two weeks. On making the island, they saw two wigwams standing where the magazine and flagstaff now are, while on the Vallejo side, there was one at the foot of Main street, of to-day. Since then he has, on more than one occasion, dug up the bones of Indians who had been buried on the spot where Woods Hotel is built, on that street. On another occasion, a party landed where Starr's flour-mills are now, in South Vallejo, to shoot beef, but after killing one animal, the cattle gave chase, when they were driven back to the boat. Up till 1850 was in government employ, on board of men-of-war, during which time he visited China, Japan, and the Sandwich islands; then shipped on board the Revenue brig "Lawrence," and was wrecked in her outside the heads at the Golden Gate in 1852. Afterwards was employed in the Appraiser's store of the Custom House in San Francisco, where he remained seven years and four months, then came to the Navy Yard in Vallejo, in 1858, where he has ver since been employed. Has been Acting Gunner of the U. S. S. "In- dependence," guard ship at the Yard, and is now Machine Tender to the sectional docks there.
Mr. Brooks married, firstly, at San Francisco, B. M. Maguire, in 1856, (died 1858) by whom he has one son, William Charles, born 1856. Sec- ondly, Catherine Irena Coen, married 1860, by whom he has: George T., born October 30, 1862; Mary Emma, born April 8, 1865 ; James C., born June 26, 1868; John, born March 26, 1870; Gertrude B., born January 26, 1873, Loretta Anna, born January 28, 1876; and Angeles Agnes, born February 18, 1878.
BROWN, CALVIN, Civil Engineer in charge of Department of Yards and Docks, MareIsland, a gentleman of rare attainments, was educated at Rox- bury Grammar School, Mass., where he graduated in 1828. In 1834, he commenced the study of civil engineering in Boston, serving under several
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
of the leading engineers of the time, when, in 1841, he was appointed to the post of Civil Engineer to the United States Navy Yard at Kittery, Maine, where he remained five years, during which time he carried on the con- struction of the Quay wall at that place, where was first introduced into the United States the practice of blasting rocks in deep water. Thereaf- ter he was engaged in sundry works, principally railroads, until 1852, when he was appointed Civil Engineer at the Navy Yard, Norfolk, Vir- ginia. During his term of office of nine years at this post he superin- tended the erection of a large number of the buildings there, and carried on the construction of the Quay wall. In 1861 Mr. Brown was ordered from Norfolk to Mare Island, where he has been ever since, with the ex- ception of from 1864 to 1869, when he constructed the large dam and reservoir at Pilercitos valley for the Spring Valley Water Works, and ex- ecuted the surveys, designs and location of the canal and locks at the Willamette Falls, Oregon. For a portion of the time he was connected with the Board of Commissioners on the Central Pacific Railroad, and was subsequently appointed one of the Government Commissioners both on that and the Southern Pacific line of railroads.
On May 13, 1869, he was reappointed Civil Engineer to the Mare Is- land Navy Yard, and continues to hold the office. During his connection with the yard Mr. Brown has made most of the additions on that admira- bly fitted-out establishment. He has constructed a large portion of the foundry and machine shops, built the saw mill, the ordnance and the office building, one of the large timber sheds, the iron-plating shop ; superin- tended the construction of the Marine Barracks, and was one of the su- perintendentents, with Dr. J. M. Brown, U. S. N., of the Naval Hospital. Designed and built the stone Dry Dock, one of the largest in the world, as far as it has now progressed ; superintended the construction of the new powder magazine, and also that of the reservoir, known as Lake Rogers. Not the least of the many distinctions to which Mr. Brown may lay claim is that, from under his training, several of the most dis- tinguished engineers of the day have developed and are now a credit to their country as well as to the scientific preceptor, who labored with them during their tutelage. His family are among the oldest in the country, having come to America in the year 1632. The subject of this sketch was born at Roxbury, Mass., now known as Boston Highlands, on March 25, 1816, and married, in 1838, Miss Susan W. Sager, of that place, by whom he has now living Harriet E., born 1840; Frank E., born 1841, and Wilfrid L., born 1846.
BROWN, SAMUEL, born in Ireland in 1826, and came to the United States in 1843, first settling in New York city, where he remained until 1856, when he came to Vallejo. Followed the sea from 1843 till 1856, but on
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