USA > California > Alameda County > Washington Township > History of Washington Township, Alameda County, California > Part 4
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The several Spanish families about the Missions, composed of cultivated and refined people, formed a sort of aristocracy, having large land grants, many retainers, and herds of cattle. Their houses were of adobe, and each house had its ovenilla, tiers of shelves made of tiling to cook upon, the smoke escaping from a horizontal slit in the back of the ovenilla, and thence out through another horizontal slit in the walls. In the kitchens hung highly- polished cooking utensils. In their rooms were well-made, though rude pieces of furniture, now becoming so popular because of their genuine artistic merit, an occasional good painting, a rare rug, or bit of tapestry. Their wives and daughters had laces.
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THE MISSION OF SAN JOSE
jewels, fine china, and wore exquisite garments, for as early as 1822 the Russians began to come down to the Missions from Fort Ross to trade such goods for hides and tallow, wheat and pelts of deer, bears and foxes brought into the mission by the Indians or wandering hunters. This trading continued until Fort Ross was abandoned, in 1841, when it was taken up by the great traders from Europe and the far east, and as the Russians had done, so did they anchor off what was later known at Beard's Slough and also off Mowry's Landing. The padres owned boats at both land- ings, capable of carrying one thousand hides, and all bartering was done on board the ships, the Indians taking the goods back on their shoulders, as they had taken their goods there for exchange. Sometimes the padres drove to the landings in a "calesa" or "vo- lante," a rude two-wheeled cart, which they used on all their excursions. They drove six white mules, mules being much prized, and white mules rare.
In 1813 the Spanish Cortez passed a law to close the missions and appoint parish priests within a given time. Mexico, however, passed from Spanish rule in 1821, before the law could be enforced, and the Pious Fund, passing into Mexico's possession, the Mis- sions were continued. In 1824 Mexico became a republic, modeled after the United States government.
In 1830 there were nearly three thousand Indians in this valley. The padres built quite a large mill, and grew much wheat and corn. Horses were worth $10, cows $5, sheep $2, wheat $3 a fanega. In 1834, when the Mission was at the height of its prosperity, there were 2,300 Indians, 24,000 cattle, thousands and thousands of uncounted horses and mules, and 1,900 sheep, goats and hogs. Bands of elk and deer roamed the valley with the cattle. Various grains were planted, covering nearly a square mile. The grain was harvested by the old-world method,-piled within great corrals into which horses were driven and urged in a mad race, round and round, by the Indians upon the stacks, until the grain was all trampled out. It was cleaned by being tossed in the air upon a windy day, and the careful housewife washed the grain before she ground it.
A very pretty ceremony closed the harvest season. The Indians took four of the best sheaves of wheat, tied in the form of a cross, to the priests who, carrying the cross on high, led the way to the church, where the bells were rung and a Te Deum was chanted. The Indians possessed the true musical ear, and some- times had good voices. They took part always in the church song services. After the harvest one-third of the Indians were granted a vacation to go to the hills to gather nuts, roots and herbs, and to hunt and fish. They continued the custom handed
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
down from father to son, and held their three or four annual dances to insure success in hunting and fishing, and no game but the kind danced for could be brought into camp. The dance in Sep- tember was a very serious, ceremonial dance, lasting several days. Their dresses, worn for the dance, were very elaborate and well made, of feathers. Upon one day, the Coyote dance, a rude sort of play, was given, one of the favorite characters being Cooksuy- a clown. There must have been some meaning of a memorable character to this dance, because when asked why they danced, they always replied: "Because our fathers are dead." Their tradition of the coming of death into the world is as follows: A beautiful maiden lay in a trance, and no creature should make a sound for four days. The lark, however, forgot and began its song, "who-who." The maiden died, and death came to all there- after. Today, if an Indian kills a lark he will strike its bill with his forefinger, and say, "If you had not spoken death would not have come to us." The dances were continued annually until about twelve years ago, but as the old leaders and full-blooded Indians are nearly all gone, these dances have ceased. The very last one was given near Pleasanton in 1897. This peaceful, pas- toral life, this patriarchal care of a dependent race was soon to cease. In 1833 Mexico ordered the withdrawal of the mission- aries. This took two or three years to accomplish, and in 1836 the Pious Fund was withdrawn, parish priests were appointed and administrators were put in charge of the Missions until such time as the properties could be rented or sold, according to their financial conditions. Don Jose Vallejo, who had a large grant to the north of this Mission, was put in charge here until it could be rented, as was ordered. He made his home at the Mission of San Jose from that time until 1876, and with his family held a most interesting position in the social life of this section. The very names of the Sunols, Amadors, Alvisos, Higuerras and Vallejos who held large grants of land in this valley, conjure up stories of fair women and brave men, of bull fights and bear fights, of gay dances, of rodeos and races, of daring riders and gay trap- pings and of happy homes. How, later, these same generous, open-hearted men welcomed the Americans, helped them to secure homes; how their lands, through disturbed governments and grants lacking early confirmation, passed into the hands of others, is a matter of history, written elsewhere.
With the withdrawal of the Pious Fund, the appointment of parish priests and of administrators in 1836, the Missions ceased to be. Abuses and disputes arose, and troublous times came for the Missions and their wards. The history of these troubles would mean the history of California for the following ten years. In
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THE MISSION OF SAN JOSE
all the years of political and religious disturbances Catholic services have never ceased to be held regularly at Mission San Jose-a church with a history of continuous worship for 107 years. How- ever earnest and anxious the priests were, they had no means to keep the Indians together and care for them. So, set adrift and uncared for, they went back into the hills, or to unclaimed bits of land by the streams. The only remaining Indian villages today in this part of the state are in this township. They are, in the native tongue, El Molino, the mill, near Niles, and Alisal near Pleasanton, with perhaps half a hundred persons in each village. In the former, the last full-blooded Indian chief died some three years ago. In Alisal, the wife of the chief still lives, and six others of full blood. There are but seven full-blooded Indians in all this part of California. Alisal is on Mrs. Phoebe Hearst's property, and that lady has always a kindly hand ready to help them when necessary. This same year, 1836, cholera carried off hundreds of Indians, doubtless from exposure and lack of care. They retained much of the training of the priests; still they fell back to old manners and customs.
All of the information appearing in these papers concerning the old Indian history and customs has been gleaned from these seven full-blooded Indians, one being the widow of the last chief, whose name was Jose Antonio. There will never be another chief. They had a curious custom called "pooish,"-throwing of prized bits of shell or cloth, or scraps of baskets upon piles of stone which were on the tops of the hills, and about which they danced at night to charm away the devil, which sometimes they drove out in the form of a great white bull, or a white snake. How- ever, they believed the padres had driven out this devil, as it had never appeared since their advent.
In 1843 the administrators and major domos were withdrawn, and the secular priests were given sole charge, but their reign was very insecure. Gov. Alvarado and Gen. Vallejo having quar- reled, two other governors followed in rapid succession. Alvarado's faction declared for English possession ; Vallejo's for independence. War between Mexico and the United States began, and upon the memorable 7th of July, 1846, Commodore Sloat raised the Amer- ican flag at Monterey. Another peaceful conquest of a wonderful country. These events all occurred in rapid succession within two years. The administrators claimed possession of the Mis- sions, as did the major domos appointed under them. The Mex- ican government also claimed them, and the priests held possession, until Kearny, in command on land under Sloat, ordered all Mis- sions to remain in charge of the priests, who should be respon- sible to the United States government. Bishop Alemany imme-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
diately applied to the United States government for a confirmation of the title of the Mission lands. The renting of Mission San Jose was given in charge of Fremont, who delegated his right to others. In due time the Mission San Jose lands were rented and paid for many times over, because of the claims of the various officials.
E. L. Beard, one of the earliest pioneers, so well known to all old timers, held the mission lands and lived there until the final patent was granted to Bishop Alemany, reading: "Mission of San Jose, 28 33-100 acres of church property, patented March 3rd, 1858." Mexico, having refused ever to pay to Upper Cali- fornia her share of the Pious Fund, since California became United States territory, suit has therefore been pending since 1868, which being placed before The Hague tribunal two years ago-the first case ever tried before that great peace court-resulted in the following decision rendered in October, 1902: That "Mexico shall pay to the Catholic Church of California the sum of $1,420,682 at once. and $43,050 in February of every year thereafter forever." On June 16th, 1903, Embassador Clayton of Mexico cabled the State Department of the United States that the Mexican govern- ment had, on the previous day, June 15th, 1903, deposited to his credit $1,420,682 on account of the Pious Fund. This early action of the Mexican government in meeting its obligations has broken all records in arbitration.
Will'that sum, or any part of it, be used to ameliorate the condition of the few remaining Indians in the state, the people for whom the sum was originally contributed?
Such vague, uncertain boundaries were given when portioning off grants and selling lands in those wonderful, large-handed days that the wonder is that lines were ever straightened or patents secured. It was not until 1864-5 that the final patents were all secured in our valley. Some of our old settlers hold valued papers with the name of Lincoln, making good their titles and papers, that because of the name, are held among their rarest possessions.
With the raising of our flag, this chapter of California history closed entirely and forever, and there it a breath of gladness that the gentle founders of the mission did not see its close. Three days after the raising of the flag in San Francisco (Yerba Buena) the good ship Brooklyn sailed in through the Golden Gate bringing 236 colonists from our eastern shores, with knowledge of trades and stores of tools. Within the year many of those sturdy fami- lies, whose names and histories will some of them appear in the following papers, crossed the bay into this goodly land, and began the work which marks the fifty years of this township history as a golden era. Today we behold this fair and goodly land, with "orchard and meadow fruited deep," filled with a prosperous and christian people.
Mission San Jose From the American Occupation
N 1846, as Col. John C. Fremont was on his way to Oregon, across the plains and mountains of California, he ar- rived at Monterey, and was given per- mission to continue his journey, via the San Joaquin Valley. This privilege was re- voked almost as soon as given ; but he kept on his route, however, through the Mission San Jose, Mission Pass and Stockton, and had gone as far north Old Mission of to day-Mission San Jose. as Klamath when trouble broke out in his rear, and dispatches which he received caused him to retrace his steps. A few weeks later the Bear Flag was raised at Sono- ma; war had broken out between the United States and Mexico, and Commodore Sloat had hoisted the flag and taken possession of Monterey, the Capital of California.
One member of Fremont's band, Henry C. Smith, occupied a prominent position in the settlement of the little town of Mission San Jose by the Americans, and was appointed Alcalde by Gov- ernor Riley. When gold was discovered at Coloma, on the Amer- ican River, in 1848, Smith went to the mines but remained only a short time. Returning to the Mission, he opened a store; the place soon became a very important trading post, as all travel to or from the "mines"-except by river-necessarily led through the Mission Pass. All travelers, therefore, were likely to "put up" at the Mission. It is reported that in a very short time Mr. Smith's accumulations in gold dust and coin were so great that their removal required a wagon.
The first money in circulation was of Mexican coinage, later gold ounces, or "slugs," were used. Slugs were large octaganol
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
minted pieces of gold, valued at ($50) fifty dollars. Smith is often called the "Father of the County," because it was partly through his efforts that the County was organized, in 1853, from territory taken from Santa Clara and Contra Costa Counties. His death took place at Livermore, in 1875.
On the return of the miners, journeying to take the steamer at San Francisco for their far distant homes in the East, many pitfalls awaited them-and these they did not escape at the Mis- sion, as a number of gamblers were always there waiting for them. Joaquin Murietta, the famous "Joaquin,"-Mexican gentleman, (?) gambler, horse and cattle thief-who figures in many a wild bor- der story, had his rendezvous about a mile and a half back of the Mission, in the Pass, and levied tribute on many a traveler. This same neighborhood also boasted of "Five-Fingered Jack," Tom Gear and other well-known cut-throats, who were later dispersed or captured by the Vigilance Committee.
A small town soon sprang up about the Mission buildings- the first American settlement, in what is now Washington Town- ship. The courtesy and hospitality of the Mission priests helped not a little in this settlement. Travelers were given food and shelter overnight, and names which are well-known in many walks of life all over our broad land to-day are inscribed in their old leather bound books, which are now carefully treasured among the archives of St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco.
The great bands of cattle and horses roamed at large as late as 1855, and among the bands deer and elk often fed in peace. The coyote, the wolf and fox, the California lion and grizzly were in the mountains and preyed upon the herds in the valley. They furnished food and sport for the early hunters and added to the stock of pelts sold each year from the Mission stores.
Bull fights and rodeos with the attendant festivities, races, dancing, feasting and the entertainment of guests from leagues away, furnished the sports and pleasures of the lovely, soft-eyed Senoritas and gallant Senors. The one street which the Mission could boast was boarded up, seats were erected on one side for the spectators, and within this enclosure the gayest sports took place. Men and women vied with each other in throwing money and jewels to the victors, and the goodly number of Americans, in the earlier years of the American occupancy, looked on with as- tonishment and wonder, enjoyed the pleasures, and were almost as lavish with their gold as the Spaniards themselves. The last bull fight took place in 1859.
With the advent of the American, in 1849, the passing of the lands into settlers' hands, the departure of the Indian into the hills and the shrinkage of the great herds, the old days departed ;
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MISSION SAN JOSE
sterner workers appeared, business according to modern ideas be- gan to flourish, the broad acres were cultivated, and social life took on a new aspect.
The Indians, who had numbered thousands in 1846, had been so reduced in numbers by disease and lack of care that they were rarely seen after 1850, except on feast days, which they always celebrated with unlimited zeal. Of these days the most attractive to them were Good Friday and the day following, known as Judas' Day. For more than thirty years the ceremony of hanging Judas was planned and conducted by old "Chileno." The figure of Judas, hanging in some conspicuous place, consisted of a bundle of straw, in which were enclosed some explosives. It was clothed in a suit of clothes, a pair of boots and hat, and had a grotesque false face. As the people came out of church, a fuse was lighted which set fire to the figure and exploded its contents, amidst a great din. This curious old custom continued from the founding of the Mission in 1779 until 1902. But poor old Chileno is dead, and there is no one to take his place. Indeed, there are few of his people left to miss the old ceremony which meant so much to them. One by one they are going fast and are laid to rest on the little hilltop, set off for their especial use more than a century ago. The funeral ceremonies are conducted to-day much as they always were; the men dig the graves, while the women march around the grave a certain number of times, then cover their heads while they sit about wailing and weeping.
In 1849, E. L. Beard, of Lafayette, Indiana, secured from Pio Pico, then Governor of California, an interest in the Mission lands and settled in the old orchard of the Padres. There he found flourishing the fig, olive and pear trees; desiring to improve the varieties he had his friend, Dr. Whaley, bring from the East in 1850, scions of the Bartlett, Seckel, Pound and other varieties of pears, which were grafted into the trees of the old orchard. He also procured young cherry trees and the first cherry currants. From this stock many of the orchards, which were planted later in the valley, were supplied.
In the midst of the old orchard it is said that a lone apricot tree grew, which the Padres called the tree of forbidden fruit, and this appellation secured its safety at the hands of the Indians. Of all the fine trees which were in this orchard, there are but a dozen great gnarled old olive trees left to-day. These are beside the avenue leading to the Josephineum Orphanage. In 1903, these trees yielded one hundred and twenty gallons of olive oil, besides several hundred gallons of pickled olives. These Mission lands, about fifteen acres in all, were afterward returned to the Catholic
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
Church, about 1865, and the priests again took up their residence on the property.
In 1850, Mrs. E. L. Beard, with her sons, Henry G. Ellsworth and John L. Beard, joined her husband. The journey from San Francisco to the Mission lay around the southern end of the Bay, and besides being arduous, was, contraste 1 with the journey today, tedious and expensive; the cost of the trip was $50. Mrs. Beard brought many. rose cuttings and other plants, which grew so lux- uriantly that everyone spoke of the place as a little paradise.
In this same year Earl Marshall went to the mines; his wife moved to the Mission and, having a few cows, conducted the first dairy, selling her butter at marvelous prices and milk at twenty- five cents a quart. She cleared, in the year her husband was ab- sent, over $2,500.
This year, 1850, two hotels were built in Mission San Jose- a name by which the little village was henceforth to be called- the North Hotel and the Red Hotel. The lumber for the Red Hotel came around Cape Horn, and was purchased by James Haw- ley who built and conducted the hotel for two years, or until he moved into the valley and into the home where he now resides. His successors as proprietors of the Red Hotel were James Threl- fall and wife, who kept it for some twenty years, or until it was burned when the town was destroyed by fire the first time. The dining-room of this hotel afforded the only dancing hall of that period.
It is said that on gala occasions Mrs. Threlfall wore a tobacco brown brocaded silk dress, ornamented with five dollar gold pieces in lieu of buttons, extending from the neck to the hem. Would that some more facile pen could tell of the gay social events of those days, of the May-day festivities, of the Fourth of July cele- brations, with grand ball following; of the New Year's balls from early evening till daylight; of the elegant suppers, with tables laden with all early day luxuries; of the close friendships formed in those happy days, and of the many happy marriages and homes established.
The men and maidens of that day who, gay, careless, lovely of mein, elegant in dress, danced the hours away to the twang of the "fiddle and the bow," under dim candle lights, now send from their dear old homes their children and grandchildren to enjoy the mod- ern gala day events, the plays, the concerts and cotillions which are danced on waxed floors, under brilliant electric lights, to the strains of an orchestra! And every day new friendships are formed and new homes are made, as lasting and as dear as those of half a century ago.
Some few of the American families living at the Mission in
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MISSION SAN JOSE
1849 and 1850 were the Jerry Fallons, the Leo Norrises, the Earl Marshalls, the H. C. Smiths and the E. L. Beards. The popula- tion, too, was constantly changing because of the gold attraction ; the total number is estimated to have been about three hundred.
The first flag-pole ever set up in the township was raised in front of Musser & McClure's store, which was then located in the old adobe, adjoining the Mission Church.
In 1853, Mary Brier Moores, the second daughter of Rev. W. W. Brier, the first American child, was born. In the summer of that year a school was opened in an adobe building north of the church; the class consisted of seven or eight small boys and girls in their ABC's. The term was three month's long, and the teacher's salary was $150 per month, collected by subscription. Of the first class, Emma Hawley, now Mrs. John Ingalls, and George Van Gordon are the only ones living. The first school supported by public funds was built at the junction of what is now the Niles road and the road leading through Stockton Pass. It was completed in 1858. The house still stands, its owner and occupant being one Pinheiro, a man after President Roosevelt's own heart, the happy father of twenty-four adult children. The present fine public school building is on land which was donated for the purpose by Beard and Ellsworth. Three teachers are employed and the aver- age attendance of pupils is one hundred and thirty.
The first musical instrument in the town was a hand organ, which was placed in the old church and played by one of Don Jose Jesus Vallejo's daughters. In 1850, Don J. J. Vallejo, who with his family lived in a large adobe directly opposite the church, purchased a piano for the use of his daughters who were all fine musicians.
In 1852, a dauguerretype of the Mission buildings by a good traveling artist was taken, at the earnest request of John L. Beard, then a little lad. This is the first and only good picture ever taken of this interesting landmark. A copy of this picture is the first illustration in this book.
About 1850, E. L. Beard, following in the footsteps of H. C. Smith, rented an adobe building from Father Federy and opened a store. He was succeeded in business by Howard & Chamber- lain, who in turn were followed by Musser & McClure. In 1865, they sold out to Ehrman & Bachman. A part of this old adobe building still stands, an interesting relic of those bygone days.
There were two stage lines in these early days between the few small towns, one conducted by Moore Bros., who used American horses, the other by the Cameron Bros., who drove mustangs. It is said the latter never failed to reach their destination on time, though they sometimes failed to accommodate would-be passen-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
gers, because once started they could not be stopped! The first express was run by one Hoag; he sold, soon, to Bamber & Co., who extended their lines to San Jose and San Antonio.
In 1853, Musser & McClure drove across the plains the first band of sheep ever brought into the county. They started from Pennsylvania and were five and a half months in making the jour- ney. They also brought good American cattle and horses.
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