USA > California > Sonoma County > History of Sonoma County : including its geology, topography, mountains, valleys, and streams > Part 8
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Roads sought the mining camps, which did not stop to study roads. Traders came in to supply the camps, and, not very fast, but still to some extent; mechanics and farmers to supply both traders and miners. So, as if by magic, within a year or two after the rush began, the map of the country was written thick with the names of settlements.
Some of these were the nuclei of towns that now flourish and promise to continue as long as the State is peopled. Others, in districts where the placers were soon exhausted, were deserted almost as hastily as they were begun, and now no traces remain of them except the short chimney-stack, the broken surface of the ground, heaps of cobble-stones, rotting, half-buried sluice boxes, empty whisky bottles, scattered playing cards and rusty cans.
The "Fall of '49 and Spring of '50" is the era of California history which the pioneer always speaks of with warmth. It was the free-and-easy age when every body was flush, and fortune, if not in the palm, was only just beyond the grasp of all. Men lived chiefly in tents, or in cabins scarcely more durable, and behaved themselves like a generation of bachelors. The family was beyond the mountains ; the restraints of society had not yet arrived. Men threw off the masks they had lived behind and appeared out in their true character. A few did not discharge the consciences and con- victions they had brought with them. More rollicked in a perfect freedom from those bonds which good men cheerfully assume in settled society for the good of the greater number. Some afterwards resumed their temperate and steady habits, but hosts were wrecked before the period of their license expired.
Very rarely did men, on their arrival in the country, begin to work at their old trade or profession. To the mines first. If fortune favored, they soon quit for more congenial employments. If she frowned, they might depart disgusted, if they were able; but oftener, from sheer inability to leave the business, they kept on, drifting from bar to bar, living fast, reckless, improvi- dent, half-civilized lives; comparatively rich to-day, poor to-morrow ; tor- mented with rheumatisms and agues, remembering dimly the joys of the old
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homestead ; nearly weaned from the friends at home, who, because they were never heard from, soon became like dead men in their memory; seeing little of women'and nothing of churches ; self-reliant, yet satisfied that there was nowhere any "show" for them; full of enterprise in the direct line of their business,¿and utterly lost in the threshhold of any other; genial companions, morbidly craving after newspapers ; good fellows, but short-lived."
Such was the maelstrom which dragged all into its vortex thirty years ago ! Now, almost the entire generation of pioneer miners, who remained in that business, has passed away, and the survivors feel like men who are lost and old before their time, among the new comers, who may be just as old, but lack their long, strange chapter of adventures.
No history of a county in California would be complete without a record of the rush to this coast at the time of what is so aptly named the "gold fever ;" hence use has been made of the graphic pen-picture quoted above.
Where there were so many homeless, houseless wanderers, the marvel is not so much that thousands should have succumbed to sickness, as that there was no epidemic to sweep off the entire reckless population.
After the gold excitement, 'twas then that the State became settled. In the year 1849 there came and located near Occidental, in Bodego township, William Howard, whose name is given to the railroad station at that town ; and to Mendocino there came William T. Allen and Hiram W. Smith. In the following year immigration was still on the increase. Charlie Hudspeth arrived in Bodega; George Miller to Mendocino; to Russian River, J. W. Calhoon, Henry J. Paul, and Henry L. Runyon, to Cloverdale, John Dixon ; and to Santa Rosa, W. B. Roberts. In the year 1851 towns commenced to make a start. In Analy township there arrived W. D. Canfield, William Abels, William Jones, Edward Thurbur, G. Wolff; to Sonoma came Frank- lin Sears, Coleman Talbot, and many others; to Cloverdale, J. G. Heald ; to Santa Rosa, John Adams and Joseph Wright; while to Petaluma, which had then sprung into existence, there came Robert Douglas, J. H. Lewis, James Singley, Lemarcus Wiatt, Tom Lockwood, George B. Williams. In the fol- lowing years settlers still poured in; they found the cultivable portions of the soil up to their highest expectations, and so they built habitations, and to-day no more flourishing people are to he found in any part of California.
In the year 1852, as the settlers formed the centers of communities, it was found imperative to erect churches and provide schools for the instruction of the comparatively few children that had in their tender youth crossed the plains with their adventurous parents, or faced the dangers of the deep around " the Horn," or arrived scatheless from the effects of a Panama fever. Let us note what was done.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS .- John G. Marvin, the first State Superintendent of Public Schools, was enabled to report in 1852 to the Legislature certain
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information which he had gleaned the previous year in the matter of public instruction. With respect to Sonoma county, he stated that the number of children was two hundred and fifty; that there was one school at each of the following places, Sonoma, Santa Rosa, Analy, Bodega, and Mark West; the three former being English and the rest Spanish, which were entirely supported by contributions and tuition money. To-day, there are one hun- dred and four school districts within the limits of the county, which receive an apportionment from the State of nearly eight thousand dollars, and more than four thousand from the county.
CHURCHES .- The Methodist Church .- In the fall of 1849, A. J. Heustis, A. M., a local preacher from Wisconsin, came to Sonoma with his family, and organized a class, preaching occasionally in the town during the greater portion of the following year, when, removing to Humboldt Bay, the people were without the ministration of the Word until February, 1851, excepting one occasion, when Rev. J. Owen, then Presiding Elder for the entire State, organized a Quarterly Conference, and promised to send a minister as soon as possible.
This promise was fulfilled a few weeks after, when Rev. S. D. Simonds, then but partially recovered from a severe attack of the Panama fever, was placed in charge of the work, with instructions to look after all our inter- ests north of the bay.
A few weeks previous to this the Rev. Matthew Lassetter, an English local preacher, settled in Napa valley, and preached regularly until the fol- lowing autumn at the house of Mr. Harbin.
Bro. Simonds hired a house at Benicia, and with his estimable wife, engaged with commendable zeal in the labors assigned him, making appoint- ments at the following places: Martinez, Benicia, Suisun, Vallejo, Napa City, Harbin's, Kellogg's (in Napa valley), Sonoma, Bodega, and Russian River, each to be filled every two weeks, which he generally did.
To go once around the cureuit required 180 miles of travel. At five of the appointments, Suisun, Harbins', Kellogg's, Sonoma and Bodega, Bro. S. organized Sunday Schools, which it is believed were well attended during the summer months. Sister S. also gathered around her a few young children each Sabbath at Benicia giving them faithful instruction.
On Friday 2nd May, 1851, the first camp meeting ever held in California was commenced almost one mile from Sonoma near Kelsey's garden. Bro. J. W. Brier preached the first sermon. At this meeting a number of per- sons professed religion and Bro. Owen baptized one adult by pouring.
In the following September another camp meeting was held in Napa valley on the east side of the creek below Yount's mills. The Rev. William Roberts of Oregon was present, having come to attend to his duties as Superintendent of the Mission Conference held at San Francisco immediately after the close of the camp-meeting.
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Revs. James Carwine and Alexander McLean were appointed at this con- ference to the work, the latter remaining but a few months when he was put in charge of Plumas circuit.
In the following May, Rev. J. A. Swaney, one of seven missionaries just arrived, was sent by Mr. Owen to assist Mr. Carwine. They labored very acceptably and usofully during the conference year.
During this year the work was divided into the Benicia, Napa, and Sonoma counties, and at the Annual Conference following, Bodega circuit was set off from the Sonoma work, including Petaluma and the Bodega country, Russian River, Anderson valley, and Big River, Rev. A. L. S. Bate- man in charge.
In Feburary, 1854, the Bodega Circuit ceased to exist and of it were formed Petaluma and Russian River Circuits, Bro. Bateman being appointed to the latter.
The Annual Conference held at San Jose commencing August 27, 1856, divided the Russian River Circuit and formed the Santa Rosa Circuit as recommended, placing R. W. Williamson in charge and Colin Anderson, Assistant.
There seems to be a loss of minute business, from the time of the second quarterly Conference for the year 1857-8 held at Healdsburg February 22, 1858, until the first quarterly meeting of the next Conference year held at Healdsburg December 4, 1858. Rev. E. Bannister being elder.
Rev. M. C. Briggs was elder the previous year.
At the Annual Conference held at Sacramento September, 1858, the Santa Rosa Circuit was divided, and the northern part, including the Russian River country below the cañon, Dry Creek, Windsor, and Alexander's, was constituted the Russian River Circuit.
At the Conference held at Santa Clara September 12, 1860, the name of the circuit was changed to Healdsburg, Rev. J. W. Stump, preacher in charge, who had just arrived on the Coast, transferred from the Ohio Con- ference.
The circuit then consisted of four appointments, Healdsburg, Windsor, Geyserville, and Alexander's.
We have been unable to gather a general history of the other churches as complete as the foregoing, full chronicles of the special congregations will, however, be found in other places, for most of these annals have been pro- vided by the ministers and clergymen themselves, each of whom naturally takes a special interest in his own church.
We will now pass on to other matters which have tended to bring Sonoma county to its present state of perfection.
AGRICULTURE .- That it was not for some time after the settlement of the county that its soil was thought to be prolific there is no reason to doubt. The priests who first penetrated into these unknown regions were unaware
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of the immense resources which yet remained unrevealed in the bosom of mother earth ; they imagined that if aught could be done, it should be so attained by means of irrigation, for we find Father Altimira entering in his Journal, these remarks : - " We started from Lema on the morning of the 27th, about six o'clock, and explored the plain running east, which is exten- sive enough for a Mission, the land being fertile and covered with grass, but of little use for plants, requiring irrigation in the summer season, for in that season the springs are dried up, as is also the brook running on said plat, or plain, called Chocaimoi." This would appear to have been penned in regard to lands, near the old adobe.
The first agriculturists in the county were indisputably the Russians, and though they did not cultivate what is now considered the best wheat soil, still, they made large shipments of grain to their fur hunters in Russian America, quantities being despatched from Bodega to Sitka. At Ross they planted orchards, the trees of which to-day bear heavy crops of fruit, while the remains of their rude implements of husbandry have been found at both these places.
In succession to the Muscovite were the Spanish Priests who further devel- oped the wonderful fertility of Sonoma. Ten years after the founding of San Francisco Solano, an official report is made by them that the mission owns three thousand horned cattle, seven hundred horses, four thousand sheep, and the harvest that year had yielded three thousand bushels of grain, and this was the product of the small tract which they occupied in Sonoma Valley.
In the present day the vast resources of Sonoma is a matter of notoriety; the country around Bodega, Bloomfield, and down to Petaluma, is the renowned potato district, the northwestern part is principally devoted to stock raising, the coast line is the home of the dairy producer, while in all the level alluvial plains, grain of every kind grows to a marvellous perfection. The wheat yield for this year has exceeded that of any other since 1874, while the surplus is expected to amount to upwards of one million and a half of bushels.
The splendid prices realized this year for wool and hops have been a god- send to the producers of those staples. For several years past prices have ranged low, and a poor market this year would undoubtedly have worked the severest hardships with many. Not only are prices high now, but they promise to remain so for another season at least. The products this year will be all needed for immediate consumption, and hence no surplus will possibly remain over to drug the market next season. The best commercial authorities state that the production of wool at the East and elsewhere than the Pacific Coast, is this year many millions short of actual wants by the factories. This, coupled with the fact that a general revival of business is putting in operation many factories for years idle, would even indicate that the price of wool will remain high, for several years to come. Hops are almost certain to be high
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next year, but the prospects for their remaining so for a longer time than that, is not so encouraging as is the case with wool.
VINICULTURE .- Next to the cultivation of cereals, the vine engrosses the minds of the residents of Sonoma more than any other agricultural produc- tion. On account of the adaptability of the soil, Sonoma valley is the center of the grape-growing interest, although there are several other localities where it flourishes. Here it was that the vine was first planted, and here were first taken those measures which made the grape and wine interest one of the chiefest importance to Sonoma county.
If there be any credit or any blame attached to the inauguration of this industry, the onus must be borne by the Mission Fathers, for to them is due the introduction of the grape, which was that now ordinarily known as the Mission, then popularly supposed to be a seedling from seed sent out from Spain, and from which, in a rude way, they manufactured wine ; adding spirits thereto to keep them sweet. The early American settlers in their cultivation of the grape followed in the beaten track of the Holy Fathers, both in regard to the quality and quantity of vines planted, as well as in their location. At that time it was believed to be impossible to raise any crop without irrigation, therefore vines were only planted where the conven- ience of water could be readily obtained and rich soil was always chosen. The first person to doubt the correctness of this theory, and who was willing to put these doubts to the proof was Colonel Agoston Haraszthy, of Sonoma. This gentleman was a Hungarian Noble, of a Court lineage, who was expa- triated on account of the part he played, in a political crisis, in his native land. After residing for some time in Wisconsin he removed to California in 1849, and in 1856 came to Sonoma, and devoted his whole attention to vini- culture. His biographer tells us : "He founded a Horticultural Society, and began importing vines from abroad. He was the first to advocate the raising of vines without irrigation-planted the most extensive vineyards, and at once put himself at the head of the wine interest. He may with pro- priety be called the Father of Viniculture in California. In 1858 he wrote a treatise on the culture of the vine and the manufacture of wine, which was published by the State for gratuitous distribution. This publication gave the first impulse to this interest, and from that time California became the Wine State of the Western Continent. He was the first to adapt the red- wood timber to the making of casks for wine. In 1861 he was appointed by the Governor of California as a Commissioner to visit the wine countries of Europe, which resulted in the importation of three hundred different named varieties of grapevines, which have now been planted quite extensively in most of the vineyards of the State, from which are made the most valuable wines we now produce. The book written by Col. Haraszthy, entitled 'Grape Culture, Wines and Wine-Making,' is conceded to be one of the best yet
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written. Upon his return from Europe in 1862 he was chosen President of the State Agricultural Society, having been Vice-President for three terms prior thereto. In 1863 he organized the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society, to which he conveyed his four hundred acres of vines in Sonoma." In 1868 Col. Haraszthy transferred his domicile to Nicaragua, where he became actively engaged in different pursuits. On July 6, 1869, he mysteriously disappeared. On that day he left his house to go where he was having a saw-mill erected. His footsteps were traced to the river. It is supposed that he endeavored to cross the stream by climbing the branch of a tree, which breaking, he fell into the water and was devoured by an aligator.
But to return to our subject : In the Winter of 1858 Col. Haraszthy put into a high tract of land, east of the town of Sonoma, eighty thousand vines, the progress and growth of which was keenly watched by all interested in viniculture. The experiment succeeded beyond the most sanguine expecta- tions, and marked a new era in the cultivation of the grape in California; henceforward the rich and heavy bottom lands were abandoned for the hillsides.
About this period the securing of a wine finer in flavor, by means of the introduction of foreign grapes, commenced to be much canvassed. Connois- seurs had given as their dictum that the native wines had not the excellence of the article produced abroad ; it was either too earthy or too fiery, or too sweet and insipid. This was unquestionably owing, partially to the quality of the soil and the irrigation of the vine, and in a great measure attributable to the want of experience on the part of the grower, for, with further expe- rience and more suitable soil, the original mission grape has been made to produce wine of excellent quality. In 1861 the Legislature appointed Col. Haraszthy, Mr. Schell, and Col. Warren, as a Committee, to inquire into, and report upon, the best means of promoting and improving the growth of the vine in this State. The former visited Europe, as has been stated above, and made selections of different varieties of grapes, which he imported ; the latter reported upon the condition of viniculture as then existed in California, and Mr. Schell upon the culture of the grape in the South American States. Col. Haraszthy, on his tour, selected three hundred and fifteen different vari- eties of grapes, and brought to this country two hundred thousand rooted vines and cuttings. These were distributed to various parts of the State, and each variety matured its own peculiar kind of grape; some proved to be much superior to others, these were selected, but none have been found that in this soil do not maintain their distinctive European qualities; and the modes and conditions of wine-making being equal, produces a wine identical with what it does in Europe.
Arpad Haraszthy, son of the Colonel, in the Overland Monthly (January, 1872), an able magazine, now, alas, among the things that were, contributes an article, portions of which we quote, on the advantages possessed by Cali- fornia as a wine-growing country :---
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California has one advantage over any wine producing country on the globe, and that is the certainty, constancy, and duration of her dry season. The grape is a fruit that needs, above all others, a warm sunshine, without interruption, from the time that the blossoms set forth their tender flowers, until they gradually develop into its rich, luscious fruit in October. This advantage has always existed here, as far back as our record extends, and no rain or hail ever destroyed the tender fruit. The sure and uninterrupted duration of this dry weather secures a crop without a chance of failure, and ripens the grape to perfection. One of the most serious drawbacks in all other parts of the world is the uncertainty of the seasons and entire variance from preceding ones, thus creating a great difference in the quality of the wine produced in successive vintages. This difference in quality is so great that it is quite common to find the prices vary from one to two hun- dred per cent. in the same district. The products of the renowned vineyards. are known to have fluctuated even to a greater extent. In Europe, they only reckon to secure in ten years one good crop of fine quality, but small quantity ; while seven vintages are reckoned as being of poor quality, small quantity, and total failures. In our State, the variation in quality seldom amounts to five per cent. while the most disastrous years have not lessened the crop below the ordinary yield more than twenty-five per cent in quan- tity. This very variation in quantity can be fully known three months pre- vious to the vintage, thus allowing the producer ample time to secure his casks, and furnishing him positive knowledge as to the number required. In other countries, even fourteen days before the vintage, there is no certainty of a crop, a wind, a rain, or a hail-storm is apt to occur at any moment and devastate the entire vintage. All is uncertainty there ; nor has the vintner any possible means of positively ascertaining how many casks he must pro- vide. In abundant years in the old countries, the exchange has often been made of so many gallons of wine for an equal number of gallons' capacity of casks. The disadvantages of being forced to secure such immense quantities of casks in so limited a period are two easily perceived, and we certainly can not appreciate our own advantage too much in being very differently sit- uated. Another great benefit derived from the long continuance of the dry weather, is the exemption from weeds in our vineyards after the final plow- ing. Thus all the nourishment and strength of the soil go wholly to their. destination, the vine, and hence the vigorous appearance that even the most delicate imported varieties acquire even in our poorest soils. They neces- sarily bear much more. This circumstance will also explain, in a measure, why our cultivation does not cost as much per acre as that in European coun- tries, though our labor is so much higher. The advantage of our dry weather does not end here : it precludes the possibility of continued mildew, and allows the vintner to leave his vines unstaked, the bunches of grapes actually lying, and securely ripening, upon the very ground, without fear of frost or
·
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rotting. In this condition, the grapes mature sooner, are sweeter, and, it is believed, possess more flavor. * * * *
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Above and beyond the ability and advantage we have of producing all kinds of grapes to perfection, of making from them wines that are pleasant, inviting to the taste, and which will keep, with but little skill and care, for years, whose limit has not yet been found, we still have a greater advan- tage over European vintners in the cheapness of our cultivation. Labor, materia!, and interest are all very high with us ; but, nevertheless, the setting out and cultivation of an acre of vineyard costs less in California than it does in France. For this we are as much indebted to our improved means of cultivation as to the nature of our climate. All labor, in the majority of the wine districts of Europe, is done by hand. We use the horse and plow, while they use the prong-hoe and spade, and they actually dig and hoe up their entire vineyards, with few exceptions. After our spring cultivation is over, we need not go into our vineyards, and, having 110 summer rains, weeding is not necessary, and still their freeness from weeds and clean appearance strike the stranger with surprise. Owing on the contrary, to the wet season of Europe, the vine-dressers are constantly kept among the vines, trying to give them a clean appearance, but in spite of all their efforts, they but imperfectly succeed, and their vineyards never possess that appearance of high and perfect cultivation that is so apparent in our own.
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