USA > California > Tulare County > History of Tulare County, California with biographical sketches > Part 17
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AN IMMENSE TERRITORY.
We find by examining Gibbs' map of California, printed in 1851, that the north boundary of Mariposa was the 38th parallel on the east side of the Sierra, which corresponds nearly with the north line of Mono, as now organized, and in- cluded Mono Lake. The line extended down the Sierra to the head-waters of the Tuolumne, and thence followed that
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AN IMMENSE TERRITORY DIVIDED.
river westerly to the San Joaquin and on to the Coast Range. It followed the Coast Range to a point opposite the mouth of King's River, and thence followed King's River to the Sierra and to the Nevada line.
COUNTY BOUNDARIES.
At this time Tulare County extended south from the King's River line just mentioned to a point which is now the south- west corner of Kern County.
The population of this large territory was, by the census of 1850, 4,379. Out of this territory was formed Merced County, in 1855, with the county seat at the "Ranch of Turner & Osborn," on Mariposa Creek, about eight miles fromn Merced. Lieut. Gov. Samuel Purdy was at that time President of the Senate, and W. W. Stow, Speaker of the House. Mari- posa County was represented in the Senate by Major A. Mc- Neill, and by E Burke and Thos. Flournoy, in the Assembly. In 1856, Fresno County was formed from the territory, and in 1863 Mono County was organized ; Kern and Inyo in 1866.
The broad plains and beautiful rivers of the section had attracted many Mexican rancheros, who with their fatted herds enjoyed the greatest freedom; and who exhibited in person a royal hospitality toward the wayfarer, often furnish- ing guides and horses, at the command of a stranger, for many days' journey, with the only injunction, "Cuando vuelva no dye de venier a verme."
Later the mining interest predominated, only for a brief period, however, as the husbandman's plow no sooner turned the soil than a bountiful yield gladdened the hearts of the many households whose habitations began to deck the plains, and in a few years hamlets and villages took the place of lowing herds.
FIRST SETTLERS IN TULARE COUNTY.
Tulare County reached on the north to King's River. Amongst the foremost settlers at Upper King's River were Mr. Poole, who established the first ferry across that river; Wm. Y. Scott, the second Sheriff of Fresno County, and after whom the settlement once known as Scottsburg was named; Wm. W. Hill, the Smoot family, the Akers family, P W Fink, John A. Patterson, A. M. Darwin, E. C. Ferguson, Win. Hazleton, C. F. Cherry, Wm. C. Caldwell, Jesse Morrow, now proprietor of the popular " Morrow House," in Fresno, Richard and Wm. Glenn, Wm. Deakin, and others. They all engaged in agricult- ure and the raising of all kinds of stock, and in a few years after the first settlers had located there, the settlement became the largest in the county, and for a few years held in its hand the balance of power, politically; and any candidate for office who could secure a fair majority at the King's River Precinct, considered himself sure of his election.
CHARACTER OF EARLY SETTLERS.
They were good, old-fashioned people, who cared very little
for politics, or the outside world: they stayed at home, tilled their farms, raised stock, made money, and were contented and happy; and while they formed the largest settlement in the county, its history is stained with less crime or deeds of violence than many smaller communities. Polling a large vote, during every canvass that settlement was fairly besieged by importun- ing candidates. The good people would listen to them all, but promise none, but would look for advice to one or two of the most prominent men in the settlement, and cast their votes accordingly, caring but very little which candidate was elected or defeated.
A few early settlers of King's River, now Centerville, are still left, and residing there and doing well, for instance: Wm. Hazleton, C. F. Cherry, P. W. Fink, Wm. Deakin, Wm. Glenn, and last but not least, old Gabriel Moore, the darkey, who has contributed more toward the fun and amusement of those peo- ple than any other man in the settlement.
FIRST FERRY ON KING'S RIVER.
In about 1854, Whitmore established the first ferry at Lower King's River, at a place where the town of Kingston now stands; it was for a long time known as Whitmore's Ferry. Subsequently, Whitmore was killed, and the property passed into the hands of O. H. Bliss, who maintained the ferry for several years, but afterwards discontinued the ferry and built a substantial bridge across the river. Bliss sold out in 1873 and removed to Los Angeles, and all his fine property was sold to John Sutherland, Sr.
FORT MILLER ESTABLISHED.
In the beginning of April, 1851, a military fort was estab- lished on the south bank of the San Joaquin, about a mile above the town of Millerton. It was called Fort Barbour, in honor of one of the commanders. It was soon after changed to Millerton. Here the Indian treaty was signed.
Fort Miller was established under General Miller. The name of Rootville, by which the mining camp, situated about a mile below the fort was designated, was changed to Millerton, in honor of General Miller. At the fort everything went on swimmingly ; the men were a good lot of boys, and the officers were gentlemen. Captain Jordan was quartermaster. He was shrewd, cunning, and crafty, and always kept his weather-eye open for the main chance-in fact, he was for Jordan, first, last, and all the time.
FIRST DAM ON THE SAN JOAQUIN.
In 1853 Jordan began constructing a dam across the San Joaquin River, just opposite the fort, and dug a ditch on the south bank of the river, for mining purposes; the remains of both dam and ditch can be seen to-day. On this work a great number of hands and teams were employed, but the undertak- ing proved a failure, at least to those who were employed to do the work; some lost all their earnings, others one-half, and all lost more or less, and no one came out ahead except Jordan.
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THE KERN RIVER GOLD EXCITEMENT.
IMMENSE HAY STACK.
But cunning and shrewd as he was, he was check-mated by one John Newton. Newton had foresight enough to see that a large quantity of hay and grain would be required during the coming winter, to feed all the animals kept at the fort. Jordan entered into a contract with Newton, agree ng to take all the hay Newton could furnish, at $50.00 per ton, Jordan to haul the hay to the fort himself. Some distance east of Jerry Brown's old place (now Hildreth's), there stands an immense rock; here Newton went to work in the spring, cutting hay, and after having cut and cured about ten tons, he covered the rock with the hay, and when completed, the pile presented the appearance of an immense hay-stack. N.wton, Jordan, and some of his men, went to measure and inspect the stack, which Jordan accepted at fifty tons. They then went back to the fort, where Newton obtained his money for fifty tons of hay, and decamped. Shortly afterwards, Jordan ordered his team- sters to haul in that hay; but the first load that was taken off the pile laid bare the fraud and a portion of the rock. What Jordan said on discovering the swindle cannot be recorded here; suffice it to say that he did not pray with great devo- tion, but perhaps in a humiliated spirit; but there was no remedy.
KERN RIVER GOLD EXCITEMENT.
Few old settlers can have forgotten the Kern River excite- ment, which for a time threatened to depopulate the northern part of the State. Stages from Marysville and Sacramento were crowded day after day, and new lines were established from Los Angeles, Stockton, San Jose, and various other points; but such was the pressure of travel in search of this grand depository, in which it was represented the main wealth of the world had been treasured by a beneficent Providence, that thousands were compelled to go on foot, and carry their blankets and provisions on their backs. From Stockton to the mining district, a distance of more than 300 miles, the plains of the San Joaquin were literally speckled with "honest miners." It is a notable fact that of those who went in stages, the majority returned on foot; and of those who trusted originally to shoe-leather, many had to walk back on their natural soles, or depend on sackcloth or charity.
The Kern River excitement was one of those periodical visi- tations of a mild species of insanity, with which the people of California seem to have been afflicted from time to time, ever since the early days. It originated out of vague reports of gold in the gulches of the Kern River country, and in the course of a few months all the avenues leading to the region were crowded with adventurers. Miners passed daily on their way thither; but it was not long before they began re- turning, disappointed in their anticipations of sudden wealth, and deeply cursing the infatuation which had induced them to go so far with so little profit.
FATE OF A PIONEER OF 1837.
At the time of the discovery of gold, and for several years afterward, very little was known of the Tulare Valley, except the western side and the vicinity of the lakes. This part was occasionally visited by native Californians from Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties for the purpose of hunting wild horses which then abounded, but they could give very little information in regard to the eastern side or the mountains in the vicinity. They represented it as filled with hostile Indians and of a forbidding aspect. But it is probable it was more familiar to the hunters and trappers of the great plains and the skirts of the Rocky Mountains who, it is well known, often penetrated into California, impelled by the desire to look on the Pacific, and the vanity of having it in their power to say they had traveled to the extreme western verge of the continent.
A memorial of a visit of a party of these adventurous men may still be seen in the pass where the old abandoned military post of Fort Tejon is situated-one deeply and painfully sug- gestive of the dangers to which they were subject and the tragical fate that often overtook them. On an oak trec, about thirty inches in diameter, standing on the verge of the parade ground, may be seen, now nearly grown over by the bark, through which the letters can still be distinctly traced, the following inscription, neatly cut in capital letters, as follows :-
I HS PETER LEBECK KILLED BY A + BEAR OCT 17 1837
At the time these words were carved the tree was probably not more than half the size it now is, and the man whose fate is commemorated was probably buried at its foot. It is an object of melancholy interest to visitors to this pleasant resort. It is known far and wide as one of the objects to be seen, and is generally sought out, pondered over, and commented upon. But of the hundreds who have seen it, many of them old pioneers and mountain men, not one has been able to throw the least light on the terrible tragedy here enacted in this then remote and fearful solitude, the mere fact of which is given in these, the fewest words possible.
It was first seen, we believe, by a citizen of Los Angeles County in 1842, five years after the date of the occurrence, and twelve years before the first buildings were erected for the use of the post, and there can be no doubt of its authenticity. The locality was always known in early days as a favorite resort of grizzly bears, as it abounds both there and in the vicinity with the food upon which they principally subsist. Although, of late years, their numbers have greatly diminished, so has not their ferocity, and they are yet often met with.
RUSSELL BROS, RUSSELLBR
STORE OF RUSSELL BROS. MAIN ST. PLANO CAL. ESTABLISHED IN 188 !.
IST. PRESP. CHURCH.
WM.THOMSON.V SBOARD AND LODGING
THOMSON'S BOARDING-HOUSE. WM. T. THOMSON. PROP. PLANO. TULARE CO. CAL.
89
THE HISTORY OF A NOTED PIONEER.
NOTED EARLY SETTLER.
One of the most noted early settlers of this section was James D. Savage,* who, in the year 1850, kept a trading-post on the Fresno River, then in Mariposa County, some distance above what is at present known as Leach's old store, and on Christmas night of that year, Savage being absent and the store being in charge of two clerks and a man named Brown, the Indians suddenly revolted; they attacked the store, demol- ished it and killed the two clerks; Brown, barefooted and in his night-clothes was taken up by an Indian named Arosa, who carried him in his arms across the Fresno River; once safely across, Brown did not stand on the order of his going but went at once, and never halted until he arrived at Mari- posa. He probably made the best time that was ever made by an individual between the Fresno and Mariposa, for his speed was accelerated when he heard a dozen or more Indians, who had discovered his escape, whooping and yelling in full pursuit of him.
. About the second day of January, 1851, one Cassady and Lane kept a trading-post a few miles below Millerton, and they were engaged in mining above Millerton, at a point yet know as Cassady Bar. Here they had some thirty men en- gaged, and erected a stone fort around their mining camp; while their trading-post was surrounded by ditches and en- trenchments, for protection against the Indians. Cassady was one of those foolhardy, swaggering, thoughtless fellows, a very Georgia Major, who declared that he did not fear any Indian in the world, and apprehended no trouble from them.
But soon the redskins engaged in a general warfare, open- ing the ball by killing two teamsters on Fine Gold Gulch and driving off their stock, and killing two men just below Mill- erton.
On or about the 15th day of January, 1851, Dr. Lewis Leach now of Fresno arrived from Four Creeks at Cassady's trading-post, in company with several men, one of whom, Frank W. Boden, had received at Four Creeks several arrow wounds in his right arm, and upon arriving at Cassady's it was found necessary to amputate the arm, which was accom- plished by Dr. Leach, who then had to remain with the patient several days, and who in eight or ten days was convalescent. About the 20th of January, 1851, Cassady and Savage came down from the mining camp at Cassady Bar to see how mat- ters progressed at the trading-post. Up to this time, the men who were left in charge of the trading-post had kept a guard out every night, taking turns about, and digging ditches and entrenchments around the camp, but on this particular night Cassady refused to stand guard, saying there was no danger to be apprehended from the Indians and that he did not fear any of them. As no one's property but Cassady's was in jeopardy and he refused to take the necessary precautions for
its protection, the rest of the boys concluded that if Cassady could stand it, they could, and so they all went to bed, and no guard was put out that night, Savage sleeping in a covered wagon inside the inclosure. In the morning the first sight that greeted the boys was an arrow sticking in the canvas of the main tent, and, upon further examination, arrows were found sticking in several of the mules and horses inside the corral, and fresh Indian foot-prints were found all along the bank of the river; but, notwithstanding these unmistakable evidences of hostility on the part of the Indians, Cassady refused to be warned by them, and stubbornly persisted in his declarations that there was no real danger, and that the Indians would harm no one.
VOLUNTEERS ORGANIZED,
On the day following, Leach and Savage left Cassady's camp and went to Mariposa, where, about this time, three volunteer companies were organized, under command of Maj. James D. Savage. Captain Kuykendall commanded Com- pany A, of seventy men; Capt. John Bowling commanded Company B, of seventy-two men, and Capt. William Dill com- manded Company C, of fifty-five men-M. B. Lewis acting as Adjutant, and A. Brunston, Surgeon, who was afterwards removed and Dr. Lewis Leach appointed in his stead. In the meantime Cassady was visited with the inevitable conse- quences of his temerity and foolhardiness, for intelligence reached Mariposa that he had been killed by the Indians. A detachment of thirty men of Captain Kuykendall's company, among whom was Dr. Leach-now residing in Fresno City- was detached to go and look for the remains of Cassady, and perhaps of others. The body of Cassady was found on the bank of the San Joaquin River, a short distance below his trading-post. His legs had been cut off, his tongue cut out and pinned with an arrow over the region of his heart, and the body was otherwise horribly mutilated. He was decently interred near the place where he fell.
SOLDIERS MOUNTED ON MUSTANGS.
Here the detachment, which was composed mostly of sailors, captured a band of mustangs and cattle. The men were nearly all on foot, and when the fat, fine-looking mustangs were captured, the idea of further walking was scorned, and each of the sailors secured a horse; they had no ropes, sad- dles, or bridles, and rawhide was substituted for all these- rawhide bridles were made-blankets were lashed to the backs of the horses with rawhides, to serve as saddles, and rawhide ropes were manufactured. When everything was ready, and the detachment was ready to depart, each one mounted his untamed, fiery steed, and then the fun com- menced. The sailors, who knew as much about horses, and especially mustangs, as a baby does about a steamboat, went spinning through the air like windmills, while the mus- tangs, feeling themselves once more free, raced off into their
*One of the first officers of Tulare County.
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TREATY MADE WITH THE INDIANS
native plains with all the improvised accouterments fastened to them. Fortunately, none of them sustained serious injury, and the discomfited sailors, finding their first lesson in eques- trian exercises unsuccessful, wisely concluded that it was far better to walk than to again attempt riding such kicking, bucking brutes.
From Cassady's place, Kuykendall's company was ordered to the head-waters of the San Joaquin River, where they fought a battle with the Indians, killing thirteen and wound- ing many others. Captain Bowling was sent to the Yo Semite country, and Captain Dill was ordered with his company to the head-waters of the Chowchilla. Several battles were fought, the Indians being in every instance soundly whipped, and finding that further resistance was useless, they soon sued for peace. Tomquit, the chief of the San Joaquin tribe, and Frederico, their war chief, came in and surrendered, and soon after all the chiefs of the hostile tribes surrendered and gave themselves up; whereupon a treaty of peace, between the chiefs and three commissioners sent out by the Government, was concluded, drawn up and signed on the 29th day of April, 1851. The original treaty and the muster rolls were in posses- sion of W. T. Rumble, Esq., of Fresno, and shown us by him.
Among other stipulations of the treaty was that in con- sideration of the premises, and with a sincere desire to encour- age said tribes in acquiring the arts and habits of civilized life, the United States will also furnish them with the following articles, to be divided among them by the agent according to their respective numbers and wants, during each of the two years succeeding the said ratification, viz :--
"Two pairs strong pantaloons and two red flannel shirts for each man and boy; one linsey gown for each woman and girl; 3,000 yards calico and 3,000 yards brown sheetings; 30 pounds Scotch thread; 6 dozen pairs scissors, assorted; 1 gross thim- bles and 5 of needles, assorted; one 2}-pt. Mackinaw blanket for each man and woman over 15 years of age; 3,000 pounds iron and 800 pounds steel. And in like manner in the first year for the permanent use of the said tribes and as their joint prop- erty, viz: 75 brood mares and 3 stallions; 150 milch cows and 3 bulls; 12 yoke of work cattle, with yokes, chains, etc .; 12 work mules and horses; 30 plows (10 large and 20 small); 30 sets plow harness for horses or mules; seeds of all proper kinds for planting and sowing; 100 chopping axes; 100 hatchets, 300 mattocks or picks; 300 garden or corn hoes; 100 spades; 15 grindstones; 3 U. S. flags-one for each principal chief."
FORT BISHOP ERECTED BY SAVAGE.
In the summer of 1851, after the treaty was concluded, Savage put up a store on the Fresno River. In the following winter he moved further down the river and built Fort Bishop, doing the bulk of his trading with the Indians, who in those days dug out large quantities of gold-dust, the mines having hardly been prospected by the whites. The Indians still man-
ifested a restless and turbulent spirit, but did not resume open hostilities; but they were not admitted inside the store; and the goods which they bought with their gold-dust were handed out to them through small openings left in the walls, and which were securely fastened at night.
INDIAN RESERVATIONS ESTABLISHED.
About this time the Fresno Indian Reservation was estab- lished, Col. Thomas Henley being appointed agent, with W. B. Lewis sub-agent, and J. B. Folsom chief hunter.
Soon after the King's River Reservation was established, also under Colonel Henley, with Wm. J. Campbell sub-agent; one Judge Marvin was quartermaster at this reservation, furnish- ing all the supplies; Chas. A. Hart was his wagon-master, and E. P. Hart and D. J. Johnson were also employed here. Judge Hart still resides at Fort Miller, which property he purchased.
The Indians in the nieantime kept quiet, and everything went on smoothly and harmoniously enough until the 16th day of August, 1852.
MURDER OF SAVAGE BY JUDGE HARVEY.
Some time previous to this date, August 16, 1852, one Major Harvey, and Wm. J Campbell, either hired or incited a lot of men, who rushed into one of the rancherias on King's River and succeeded in killing a number of old squaws. Har- vey and Campbell had become jealous of Savage in conse- quence of his prosperity with, and his influence over, the Indians. Savage complained of this dastardly outrage to the Indian Commissioners, and publicly asserted that Harvey was no gentleman, which of course came to the ears of Harvey. On the 16th day of August, 1852, Savage paid a visit to the King's River Reservation, but previously to this Harvey declared that if Savage ever came there he would not return alive. Arriving at the reservation early in the forenoon, Savage found there Harvey and Judge Marvin, and a quarrel at once ensued between Savage and Harvey, the latter de- manding of Savage a retraction of the language he had used regarding Harvey, whereupon Savage slapped Harvey across the face with his open hand, and while doing this his pistol fell out of his shirt bosom and was picked up by Marvin. Harvey then stepped up to Marvin and said : "Marvin, you have dis- armed me, you have my pistol." "No," said Marvin, "this is Major Savage's pistol," whereupon Harvey, finding Savage unarmed, commenced firing his own pistol, shooting five balls into Savage, who fell, and died almost instantly. Marvin was standing by all this time, with Savage's pistol in his hands, too cowardly or scared to interfere and prevent the murder.
ACTS OF FIRST COUNTY JUDGE.
At this time Harvey was County Judge of Tulare County, and one Joel H. Brooks, who had been in the employment of Savage for several years, and who had received at his hands nothing but kindness and favors, was appointed by Harvey,
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ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THE VALLEY.
Justice of the Peace, for the purpose, it is said, of investigating Harvey's case for the killing of Savage. Of course Harvey was acquitted by Brooks-was not even held to answer before the Grand Jury. Harvey finally left, in mortal fear of the Indians, for he imagined that every Indian was seeking his life to avenge the murder of Savage. He became nervous and irritable and finally died of paralysis.
MONUMENT ERECTED TO SAVAGE.
In 1855, Dr. L. Leach, now of Fresno, who had formally been associated with Savage in the mercantile business, disin- terred the remains of Savage and transferred them to the Fresno River, to a point known as Leach's old store. A shaft about ten feet high, standing upon a pedestal, both of Con- necticut granite, and costing $800, marks the spot where Sav- age rests, and bears the simple inscription, "Maj. Jas. D. Savage."
This monument weighs many tons. It was shipped from Connecticut by water to Stockton and from there transported across the country by eight horses, and on a truck especially constructed. Great difficulty was found in placing the monu- ment, owing to want of proper tackle.
Savage had complete control over the Indians; he had mar- ried the daughters of five different chiefs; and although uned- ucated, being unable to either read or write, he amassed, within a few years, a fortune of $100,000. He was an excellent judge of human nature, a shrewd business man, fearless and generous to a fault, even to his foes; and had he lived, would have wielded an immense influence in the affairs of the coun- try, but whether for good or evil, no one can tell.
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