USA > California > Sonoma County > History of Sonoma County : including its geology, topography, mountains, valleys, and streams > Part 56
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
teams to California. While on the road, and passing through Humboldt cañon, they were attacked by Indians, who killed all their stock, except one yoke of cattle, which compelled our little party to make a two-wheeled vehicle out of their wagon, on which their baggage was transported, together with those persons who were unable to walk. All the men, also Mrs. Greg- son and her mother, traveled on foot the entire distance from Humboldt to Johnston's ranch on Bear creek, the party arriving there on October 20, 1845. Mr. Marshall did not walk over twenty miles. The hardships and sufferings which these two women endured on this journey can better be imagined by those who have passed through a like experience than described by us. All honor to these ladies, who braved all the dangers of an overland trip to this State, and at a time when few had dared to make the journey in order to become permanent settlers, and who have lived to see the then wilderness of California subdued to a garden of beauty. Mr. Gregson at once proceeded to Sutter's Fort, where he was employed by Captain John A. Sutter to work at blacksmithing. During his stay here he enlisted in a company, to join General Fremont at Monterey, taking with them a drove of horses. In 1846, while at the fort, Mr. Gregson was guard over General Vallejo, who was at that time a prisoner of the Bear Flag party. He was also engaged in a battle at Salinas, and followed the movements of Fremont to Los Angeles, when he, together with other members of his company, were honorably discharged; after which, Mr. Gregson returned to Sutter's Fort, where he remained till February, 1848, when he was sent by Captain Sutter to Coloma to assist in erecting the mill which that gentleman was building at that place. It was while the subject of this sketch was working on the mill that gold was discovered. Mrs. Gregson has now a small nugget of the precious metal, which was given her by some Indians in exchange for a shirt. While this family were residents of Sutter's Fort, their daughter Anna was born on September 3, 1846. After their arrival in Coloma, the Indians would come a distance of forty miles to see the baby, and could not be induced to believe it a real child until they had pinched it, or in some other way made it ery. In October, 1848, Mr. Gregson came to Sonoma, having moved there partly to regain his health, which had become impaired while living at Coloma, but, on recovering which, he returned to Coloma in 1849; thence to the middle fork of the American river, but was again compelled to leave the mines on account of ill-health; going to Sacramento, there engaging in house-building in Sutterville, which he continued till late in the Fall of 1849; thence to Sonoma, and in January, 1850, settled on his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres, situated in Green Valley, Analy township, and was the first to break land and raise grain in the valley. We will here note that Mrs. Gregson's mother and sisters settled in Sonoma in 1846. No man in this State is more respected than Mr. Gregson, and his name is everywhere the synonym of probity, honor and business integity.
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Uniting to the frankness and generosity of an Englshman the intelligence and polish of the highest type of a gentleman, his name and pioneer career will ever be associated with all that is most agreeable in the early settle- ment of Sonoma county. The names and births of his children are as fol- lows: Annie, the first white child born in Sutter's Fort, as above. She is now Mrs. Reid of San Luis Obispo county, this State; Mary Ellen, born at Coloma, September 25, 1848, now Mrs. McChristian; William F .. a resident of Stanislaus county, California, born September 24, 1850; John N., born September 1, 1852, and resides in San Luis Obispo county; Eliza Jane, now Mrs. Butler, of Mark West, born May 31, 1854; Henry M., born October 5, 1856; Adelia J., born March 28, 1858, now Mrs. George Fraits, of San Luis Obispo county ; Caroline, born October 29, 1862, and Luke B., born March 27, 1868.
Hall, Henry. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, is a native of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and born February 7, 1813, being the sixth child and eldest son of Parker and Polly Hall, who belonged to the Society of Friends, better known as Quakers. At the time Mr. Hall, Sr., was married he was a farmer, and his father gave him sixty acres of poor land, which afterwards, by a high state of cultivation on the part of its owner, became valuable. On this farm was the subject of this sketch reared till eighteen years old, when he determined to learn a trade. After driving an ox-team for his father for a time, he was rewarded with eighteen cents, and at once proceeded to Bristol, Rhode Island, and bound himself to George H. Reynolds, as an apprentice to the blacksmith's trade till twenty- one years old, and to receive twenty-five dollars per year, his mother furnish- ing him with sufficient under-clothing during the time. At the expiration of his service he had fourteen dollars and eighty cents to his credit, and was employed for three months by Mr. Reynolds, after which he returned to his home, and was engaged with his father on the farm for three more months, then again hired by Reynolds for eight months, at Bristol, and five months at New London, Conn., after which he purchased the blacksmith shop of his employer, and conducted the business till December, 18+1, when he returned to Bristol with his family. Here he joined partnership with J. N. Miller, which continued till April, 1844. Once more we find Mr. Hall in New London, doing business, till March, 1850, and on the 11th of the month took passage on the ship "Corea," Capt. Charles Prentice, commanding, and sailed from New London harbor via Cape Horn, arriving in San Francisco August 27th of that year. As Mr. Hall owned a thirty-second interest in the cargo, he was necessarily detained, and remained with the ship three months after she landed. In December following, he boarded the old " Hart- ford " and proceeded to Sacramento city, and from there to the Coloma mines at Pilot Hill. After mining here for three months he was one of a company of ten men who set out for the north fork of the American river,
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
where they prosecuted mining for nine months, when Mr. Hall lay down his pick and shovel, bid adieu to the mines, and hied himself to San Francisco, where he "struck the iron while it was hot," and succeeded, in one year's hard toil, in hammering out over the anvil eighteen hundred dollars. In Feb- ruary, 1853, he came to this county and settled on his present estate, located in Analy township, about one-half mile from Bloomfield, where he resided alone for three years, when he returned East, and brought back with him his eldest son, W. P. In April, 1859, he again repaired to his Eastern home, and in July following returned with his wife and family to this county. Mr. Hall is one of Sonoma's well-to-do farmers, and a more quiet and charitable man is not to be found, as all can testify who know him. He married, April 2, 1838, Miss Hannah N. Swan, daughter of Capt. Thomas Swan, a native of Bristol, Rhode Island. She was born October 23, 1815. William P., born May 13, 1839; Mary E., born February 1, 1842; Charles T., born December 17, 1843; Benjamin P., born February 26, 1846, and died April 3, 1846; Maggie C., born May 20, 1848; Henry M., born August 30, 1850, are the names and births of their children.
Hall, Henry M. Born in New London, Connecticut, Aug. 30, 1850 came with mother to California in 1859, and has since been engaged in farming. Married Miss Maggie E. Wiggins on December 31, 1875, she being a native of Ireland, born Feb. 18, 1851, by which union they have one child living, Oliver P., born Nov. 19, 1877, and two children deceased; Josephine, and an infant daughter.
Hall, William P. Was born in New London, Connecticut, May 13, 1839, where he resided till 1856 when he came to California with his father and settled in this county, since which time he has been engaged in farming, and is now one of the substantial farmers of Analy township, owning six hun- dred and forty acres of land. Married on January 1, 1866, Augusta P. Corey, she being born at Strambridge, Canada East, September 22, 1847, by which union there are four living children, William S., born Nov. 11 1866; Harriett R., born March 1, 1870; Lester P., born January 25, 1876; Lena C., born December 19, 1878; Charles E., born January 7, 1873, and died January 27, 1873.
Hinshaw, E. C. A native of Yadkin county, North Carolina; born May 30, 1830; received his education at Normal College, in Randolph county, from which he graduated July 17, 1856. He then returned to his native county and taught school one term, and in January, 1857, he proceeded to Jackson county, Missouri, where he remained until the April following, when he, in company with his brother, W. P. and H. E. Lawrence, started across the plains, with ox teams, for California, and arrived in this county in October following. Spending the winter in Two Rock valley, Mr. Hinshaw embarked in merchandising in Petaluma under the firm name of Hinshaw & Co. After
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
conducting this business for about eight months, he engaged in school teach- ing for some time, when he settled in Big valley and prosecuted farming three years, after which he located on his present farm, comprising three hundred and ten acres, in Two Rock valley, about three miles from Bloom- field. Mr. Hinshaw has served three times in the California Legislature. He married, July 1, 1864, Miss Lou Taylor, a native of Johnson, Missouri, born February 6, 1843. By this union they have three living children, James N., born April.18, 1865; Bite B., born June 14, 1868; Fannie D., born August 12, 1877. One deceased, Mary A., born June 6, 1873, died August 18, 1876.
Hudspeth, James M. The subject of this sketch, one of Sonoma's oldest and most respected pioneers, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Madison county, Alabama, February 20, 1812. When quite young he accompanied his parents to Middle Tennessee and afterwards to Russell- ville, Alabama, where his father Charles was a member of the Territorial Legislature. At the end of three years, they next went to Monroe county, Mississippi, but in 1829 he proceeded with them to Hardiman county, Ten- nessee, and after residing there for a few years branched out for himself. Mr. Hudspeth's first start in life was in farming and raising at Colton, Tennessee, where he passed one year in helping to survey certain lands which had been purchased from the Chickasaw tribe of Indians. In 1835, he entered into trade with his brother John C. at Colton, Gin Port, on the Chickasaw line, Mississippi, which they continued until 1837, when he proceeded to Little Rock, Arkansas, and there began publie surveying and running township lines. In this place he resided till 1841, when he transferred his location to Fort Smith, but on April 15, 1842, left for Independence, Missouri, and there joined a train of emigran's bound for Oregon and California. Early in the month of May, the train, having been fully organized under the cap- taincy of Elijah White, an Oregon missionary, commenced the journey. At the end of the first month S. W. Hastings succee led White as captain, but they did not need a guide until they reached Fort Laramie; here they elected Mr. Fitzpatrick. No difficulty was experienced on the journey until arriving at In lependence Rock, on the Sweet Water, where Hastings and Lovejoy were taken prisoners by the Sioux In lians while in the act of cutting their names on a high rock. Their captivity was, however, of short duration, for they were brought into the camp, aboat fifteen miles further on, that same evening, the In lians receiving in return presents of tobacco and other com- mo lities. On arrival at Fort Hill, the wagons were abandoned and a . mule pack-train organize I, for no further host lities were anticipated, and here the train was divided and each company went its own way. Mr. Hud- speth proceedel to Oregon an l on October 5, 1842, arrived at the Willamette Falls, near the site of the present Oregon City. In thit State he remained until May, 1843, at which time, in company with Shadda, Sumner Bennett and
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
their families, with the number of sixteen made up by single men, he started for California with a train of pack-animals. On the journey they met Walker Kelsey and Leese who cautioned them to be on the watch for Indians while passing through Siskiyou; no contretemps, however, occurred until they arrived on the Shasta river; but, here, they were attacked by aboriginals and one of their number shot through the back by an arrow. By this mis- hap their journey was in no wise delayed, yet, on arriving near Colusa, they were attacked by a batch of the Willier or Sacramento Indians, who were met in full fight and beaten by means of fire-arms of which the natives then knew but little. Their progress was continued thereafter until Sutter's Fort was gained, where they camped for two weeks, arriving there July 10, 1843. The subject of our memoir, from this point proceeded to San Fran- cisco in one of Captain Sutter's vessels and encountered Captain Stephen Smith, who was there in his vessel on his way to Bodega to erect the machinery for a saw and grist-mill, which he had on board. Here Hudspeth, D. Dutton, John Harnes, Nathan Coombes, Alexander Copeland and John Daubenbiss were engaged by Smith as mechanics, who with him went thither and remained one month engaged in getting out the lumber for the building. At this juncture Hudspeth and Copeland returned to San Fran- cisco, leaving a sufficient force to complete the construction. A full and graphic description of this mill and its construction will be found in our chapter on the Early History of Sonoma County. Hudspeth next proceeded to San Jose, and, after a week or two, moved to Monterey, but left in November of that year, on the appearance of the small-pox epidemic. He then passed the Winter in Gilroy, and in June, 1844, returned for the Sum- mer to Sutter's Fort, where he employed himself in that district in hunting. There he stayed until October and then went to Saucelito and procured the lumber used in the construction of Captain Richardson's residence in Marin county, the timber being cut on the lands between San Rafael and Saucelito. At this employment Hudspeth and Copeland remained until Christmas, 1844, at which time there arose the misunderstanding between Governor Michel- torena, the General in command of the military forces of Mexico, and Pio Pico. Of this portion of his career, Mr. Hudspeth says: "When I left Saucelito for Sutter's Fort, the company consisted of Copeland, Wyman, Perry, McCoon, Joe Buzzle and wife and Miss Kelsey. After getting to Sutter's Fort an election was had, Gant was elected Captain. Coats, First Lieutenant and myself Second Lieutenant, all under Sutter, When we reached Santa Barbara, a scouting party was sent out under Coats, which was captured this side of San Buenaventura and were paroled. When they got back Captain Gant got the company in line and said to them if there were any of the company wished to return they could do so. Over half of the company returned home, leaving our company about forty men out of one hundred. Of those that went on to Los Angeles, were Captain
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Gant, myself, John Bidwell, four of the Williams boys, Merritt, Copeland, and others I cannot call to mind now. We were in the service of Mexico about four months." On this breaking out, Hudspeth, in common with all other Americans, repaired to Sutter's Fort. Here he joined a battalion formed by Captain Sutter to act against the Californians, and with them proceeded to Monterey where they joined the main body of the army, marching, thence, to Los Angeles. With this force he served for four months, and, after going to Sutter's Fort, returned to his timbering operations in Marin county. In 1846, in the month of April, with L. W. Hastings, Col. Clyman and the Sumner family, he crossed the mountains for the purpose of meeting and inducing immigration to California in preference to Oregon; after traveling through snow and enduring many hardships, they returned to this State in October, just in time to miss the "Bear Flag war." Captain Ha tings raised a company of volunteers, and with Hudspeth as Lieutenant, joined General Fremont at San Jose, but after reaching Los Angeles he and seven others resigned. He then came to Sonoma county and purchased land about nine miles north-east of Petaluma on the rancho now owned by Thomas Hopper, and, not long after, formed a partnership with Jasper O'- Farrell as land surveyors, their first work being the survey of the site of Benicia, Solano county, in the Spring of 1847. He was also engaged in the survey of many of the ranchos as well as laying out the city of Napa for Coombes, the city of Sonoma, and on the discovery of gold he took a turn at the mines in 1849-50 and was attended with good success. In the Spring of the latter year he settled on the land now occupied by James Watson and there resided until eighteen months ago when he sold to that gentleman and moved to his present residence. Mr. Hudspeth was elected to the Legislature in 1852 and served one term; in 1853 he was elected to the Senate and served two terms. He now occupies a pleasant estate of some seven hundred acres in the township of Analy. He married September 20, 1854, Matilda Fuller, who died October 5, 1878, by whom he had no issue.
Le Febvre, O. M. Was born in Lower Canada on December 6, 1834, where he received his education and resided until twenty two years old. In 1856 he emigrated to California, via Nicaragua, arriving in San Francisco on June 6th of that year. After clerking in a hotel in San Francisco for a few months, he came to this county and located at Bodega where he worked for a short time on a ranch, then opened a boarding-house which business he followed until 1859. He then came to Bloomfield and embarked in the business of hotel-keeping, where he at present resides. Married on December 19, 1859, Miss Helena Caseres. She was born in Sonoma in June, 1840, and died August 15, 1874. The children by this marriage are as follows: Eugene Oliver, born May 20, 1866; Louis Alfred, born August 22, 1869; Amelia, died May 31, 1877; Isabella Louisa, died when two and one-half years old. Mr. Le Febvre married on October 23, 1878, Isabella, late wife of D. H.
Almer Clark
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Jewell. She was born in New York, April 11, 1850. Mrs. Le Febvre's children by first marriage are: Emma M. Jewell, born in 1867; Jesse E., born in 1868; Isaac R., born in 1870.
Ross, Losson, Whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Floyd county, Indiana, July 22, 1828. When quite young he, with his parents, moved to Harrison county, Indiana, where he received his education. . In 1849 he went to Louisiana, where he remained until the Spring of 1850, when he moved, with his parents, to Van Buren county, Iowa, and there joined a party, on April 5th, and started across the plains for California, arriving at Placerville September 14, 1850, and carried on mining for two years, after which he was engaged with Bradley, Burdan & Co., which was organized for the purpose of conveying water from the Cosumnes river into the dry diggings, to f teilitate mining. Here he was engaged for about three years, when he opened up a general merchandise store in Coon Hollow, which business he followed two years. In February, 1857, he came to this county and settled on his present estate, consisting of three hundred acres, where he has since resided. On September, 4, 1853, he married, on Clear creek, El Dorado county, Miss Sydna Weeks. She was born May 15, 1833 a native of Beaver county, Pennsylvania. By this union they have seven children: William D., born in Coon Hollow, El Dorado county, June 30, 1854; Frank, born June 7, 1857; Kemp, August 28, 1859; Irvin, December 3, 1861; George, January 10, 1866; Benjamin, December 13, 1868; Anna Ella, November 21, 1875.
Sharon, John (deceased). Was born in the North of Ireland in 1820, where he resided for some years, coming to America in early manhood, and settled in New York State, and there embarked in farming and resided till 1854, when, on March 4th of that year, he, with his young bride, sailed from New York city on the steamer "Northern Light," to Nicaragua, where they took the steamer "Sierra Nevada," and arrived at San Francisco on April 2d. They immediately proceeded to this county, and settled on the ranch which his widow now owns, consisting of nearly five hundred acres. Here Mr. Sharon resided up to the time of his death, which occurred May 26, 1870. Married Catharine T. Donahue, of New York city, on February. 21, 1854, who was born March 13, 1830. By this union there are two children: Edward M., born April 22, 1835, and Margaretta R., born March 17, 1860. To Mrs. Sharon and her children belong great credit for the business-like way the farm has been conducted since her husband's death.
Watson, James. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this volume, was born in county Donegal, Ireland, on Christmas day of the year 1811, and there received his early education. He emigrated to America in 1833, first arriving in New York, but soon after moved to New Jersey, and there engaged in teaming for two years. Mr. Watson next entered into
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
farming operations in Illinois, continuing at this until 1853, when, accompa- nied by his wife and five children, he crossed the plains to California, and directly proceeded to Sonoma county, and on the 25th day of September of that year. located two and a half miles cast of Bodega Corners, where he farmed until November, 1877, at which time he settled on his present place, in Analy township, near Freestone. He married, March 9, 1835, Hannah Jackson, a native of England, who was born June 16, 1817, by whom he has had eleven children, there being now living, John, Samuel, James, Sarah, Mary, Hannah, Josephine, and Valentine.
Walker, John. The subject of this sketch, although much of a traveler in his time, is by no means to be confounded with the noted pedestrians of the day, deriving their subsistence from their powers of endurance while " walking." On the contrary, having passed through more of life's vicissi- tudes than is usually allotted to man-his history reading almost like a romance of adventures-he is now settled down into the role of a quiet, substantial, unambitious farmer, content, like Shakspeare's " Colin," to "owe no man any- thing, to earn that he eats and wears, and to own no favors from any man." He is a genuine Missourian, being born in Jackson county in that State the 5th day of February, 1826, his age at present writing being close on to fifty- three years. He has enjoyed the pleasures of a married life since Novem- ber 6, 1851, when he was joined in holy wedlock to Miss Ellen Morin, by whom he has seven children, four sons and three daughters; two daughters dead, namely, Mary J. Walker and Ella D .; the living are: Harriett Jane, Joel M., John L., Edward L., and Willis Y. At fourteen years of age he left his native home, when (in 1840) accompanying his father's family, which at that time numbered nine souls, he crossed the plains, traveling with the American Fur Company, Captain Dripps in command, to Green river, where all the mountaineers rendezvoused, to sell their furs and buy clothing, ammunition, etc., for another year. Captain Dripps made his trips every year with about forty carts, drawn by mules, to the Rocky Mountains, leaving the rendezvous on Green river. J. P. Walker, Father Desmith, and three missionary families, Clark, Smith, Littlejohn, and their wives, no children, with two old mountaineers as guides, traveled westward until they arrived at Fort Hall, on Snake river. This fort was owned by the Hudson Bay Company. After resting there a day, they started on their journey, arriv- ing at Fort Boise, another Hudson Bay trading-post. The three Presbyterian missionary families, being more wearied than the others, stopped to spend the Winter. The Walker family arrived in the Willamette valley, Septein- ber 11, 1840, there then being a Methodist mission under the ministerial charge of Rev. Jason Lee. The Walker family, headed by the father, Jocl P. Walker, remained and planted a crop that Fall, but became soon dissatis- fied with the country. A portion of Commodore Wilkes' crew, engaged in exploring the Pacific coast, arrived in Oregon. Commodore Wilkes traveled
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
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