USA > California > Yuba County > History of Yuba County, California, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, public buildings, fine blocks and manufactories > Part 28
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This large township, in the extremo eastern portion of the county, lies umid the beautiful hills of the Sierras, It is well watered by numerous winding crooks, the largest, of which are Willow, Mill. Clear, Beaver, Oregon, and Mosquito. Snow lies in some places the whole year through, and in the winter season covers the hills to a great depth, furnishing, as it molts in the spring and suunnor, a never-failing sup- ply of water for the use of the miner and husbandman. Although in the numerous small valleys considerable farming is done, the chief occu- pation has always been mining. Many rich placer, quartz. and gravel mines have been discovered, and the gravel mines being worked at presout around Camptonville are of great richness and are the lead- ing industry of the region. Tho township received its name from a Inrgo luxl of shto formation in its northern part. The soil in the little vulloys is quito fertile. When the Court of Sessions subdivided the county into fifteen townships. August 21. 1850, this section was included in the town of Foster. there being no town of the present uwe formed. Tho next division, made Angust 7, 1851, after the formation of Nevada county, was into eleven townships, the western half of this being in Oak Valley, and the eustern in Goodyear's Bar Township. When Sierra county was taken from Yuba, the court again, October 7, 1852. divided the county intoten townships. Thistime the Slate Range was formed, and included all the present township.
except the southwest corner, which was in Foster Bar. It also included all of the present North East Township, lying east of Shte creek. The Board of Supervisors again subdivided the county, October 10, 1856, giving to Slate Range all the territory included between the north and middle forks of Yubariver, and the Sierra county line. August 14, 1558, the line from the mouth of Willow creek to the mouth of Middlo Yuba, was changed to a straight line. May 13, 1867, the strip between the Yuba river and the line from Mill creek to a point one thousand fret below the month of Oregon creek, was cut off aml given to Foster Bar Township.
The present boundaries are :- Commencing where the North Yuba intersects the Sierra county line; thence sonth on said line to Mid- dlo Yuba river; thence down said stream to a point one thousand feet below the mouth of Oregon creek ; thence in a straight line to a point six hundred feet above the mouth of Mill creek; thence down said creek to North Yuba river; thence up said stream to the place of beginning.
CAMPTONVILLE.
This thriving mountain town is situated on the southeast one-half of section two, township IS N., R. eight E., and covers one hundred and fifty-nine acres of ground. The oldl trail to Downieville led through this place, and as early as 1851, and perhaps 1850, J. M. & J. Camp- bell built a small mountain hotel here, called tbe Nevada House. Early in the spring of 1852, a company from Nevada, Sam. White- sides, J. Compton, Wm. Cowan, Wm. R. Dixon, Hiram Buster, Chas. O'Harma, and Jeff. Van Metre came here prospecting, and at the instance of Whitesides a shaft was sunk on the hill and gold struck in paying quantities. This was the opening of the rich bill diggings through this region. The hill was named Gold Ridge. In 1852, there was a log cabin belonging to a man who had built a little ditcb for the pur- pose of irrigating his potato patch. The Campbell Brotbers built a store in 1852, which was put under the charge of Mr. Fuller. In the spring of 1853, the place had grown to considerable size, and a large number of miners commenced work on Gold Ridge, which extended several miles. The Campbell Brothers built that year a large three- story hotel, the finest by far in the town. It was called the National Hotel. In 1861, or 1862, the ground on which it was built was sold for mining purposes and the building torn down. Ed. Brooks built a store 1853, and in 1856 erected a large brick building, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. J. R. Meek has owned the property sinee 1866. The Masonic Hall is located in the second story of this build- ing. In 1853, the Van Metre and Arcade saloons were built. Over the latter was a hall for dancing and entertainments. Miss Goodwin gave a dramatic entertainment in this hall in October, 1854, the first in the town. A bowling alley was built in 1853 by William Green.
The alley was made from one-half of a tree trunk, cut by a whip- saw. Robert Campton came in 1852 or 1853, and opened a blacksmith shop. He was a general favorite, and in 1854 the town was named Camptonville, in honor of the sturdy artisan.
At a miners' meeting, hold in tho bowling alley in the spring of 1854, it was decided that mining claims should be 75x75 feet, and town lots 75x150 feet. In the fall of 18544, the wagon road was fin- ished to Camptonville, and in 1855, tho California Stage Company commenced to run stages to the town. Previous to this, pack trains were the only means of transportation. Isaac Green started an eppo- sition line, and finally compellod tho other to abandon the route. When the road was completed to Dowieville, the stages ran also to that city. Warren Green sueceoded his brother in the stage business. In 1855, the town had become a place of considerablo importance, the population was over three hundred, and in the voting precinct there were six hundred people. Thoro wero four hundred votes cast that year. There were four stores for mining supplies, ono clothing stere, four hotels, two livery stablos, one brewory, two large and a number of small saloons, two blacksmith shops, one tin shop, one bowling alley, postoffice, and express office.
Elder Jones settled in. the town in 1854 and held the first religious services in tho school-room. There was no regular church organiza- tion. Elder Jones doparted in 1857, and the same year Eldor Sey- mour came and held regular services in the school house for two years. From this date there were occasional sorviees, but no resident minister nntil 1873, when Rev. Joshua Beven, a Baptist clergyman, began preaching in Good Templars' Hall. He moved away in 1876, and another minister of the same denomination, Rov. M. D. Gage, Prin- cipal of the School, held services every Sunday in the same hall. In 1857, Elder Seymour instituted a Sunday School with about twenty scholars, of which he was Superintendent. The school now has from sixty to seventy scholars, and is presided over by Rev. M. D. Gage. The first school in Camptonville was a private one in 1854, taught by Mrs. A. Brookes, at her residence. The same year a publie school was opened, where the drug store now stands. Miss Budden, who still resides in town, was the teacher,. In 1852, the Goll Ridge Diteli Company was formed. The company brought water in a ditch from Oregon ereek to Gold Ridge mining distriet. The owners of the diteb were N. A. Watson, Jos. Demars, Bennet Demars, Wm. Wag- ner, Jas. Graham, Aaron Calvin, David Calvin, and Geo. Myers. Forthe first six months they charged fifty cents an inch for water, then reduced to twenty-five cents for the next two years. It was then reduced fifty per cent which price remained fixed. The great gravel mines were opened in 1857 by the Camptonville Ravine Tunnel Company. This company was composed of William Elwell, Charles Twig, J. H.
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RESIDENCE AND RANCH OF J. H. BOYER. LINDA TP. YUBA CO. CAL.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
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HISTORY OF YUBA COUNTY CALIFORNIA.
Verril, Ellis Elwell and three others. After many trials a tunnel some two hundred feet long was run into the hill, and the rich gravel beds opened up. The hydraulic mining process has since that time been usedl here on a large scale.
CAMPTONVILLE WATER COMPANY.
The necessity of having good water in Camptonville was early re- cognizal by Sanford Hall, and in 1857 he undertook the task of sup- plying it. From a large spring, two and a half miles east of the town, he constructed a fhinne, through which wator was brought to a reservoir within the town limits. This reservoir Ind a capacity of twelve thousand gallons and was built of plank, at a cost of two hun- dred dollars. Another flume ran from the reservoir over the tops of the houses, frem which wator was drawn off' in supply pipes for use by the citizens. In 1858, he laid down seven hundred fort of four inch pipe, at a cost of fiftoon hundred dollars. In 1859, he sold the property to J. D. Androws. In 1860, Everett, Mcclellan & Elwell Imilt a flumo from a spring on Oregon creek, two and three-fourths milos distant, and brought water into two reservoirs, 16x24 fect in xixo mul ten feet deep. They laid twolve hundred feet of six inch min pipo in the town and eight hundred feet of supply pipe. They also furnished four fire plugs. These improvements cost six thousand five hundred dollars, In 1861, these gentlemen benght out Andrews, nad consolidated the water business. The property is all owned at the present time by J. P. Brown.
YUBA LIGHT INFANTRY.
Company E. First Battalion, Fourth Brigade N. G. C. was organ- ized November 7, 1863, with eighty member's, thirty of whom are still in the company. The first officers were: J. P. Brown, Captain; J. G. MeClellan, First Lieutenant; S. W. Wardner, Second Lieuten- ant; Charles Gray, Junior Second Lieutenant. The company is sup- plied with the regulation Springfield breach-loading innskets. The regular drills are hold the second Saturday evening of each month. The company has n strength of seventy-two men, and is commanded by J. P. Brown, Captain; J. G. McClella, First Lieutenant; J. II. Fuller, Second Lieutenant. Mr. Brown is the senior Captain in the State, holding the oldest commission. The building in which was the old armory was built for a shingle manufactory by O. P. Brown. ] 1862, it was bought by J. H. Berrill for a carpenter shop. In 1863, the building was rented by the company, and in 1864 they purchased it at a cost of four hundred and fifty dollars, which was raised by subscription by tho members. In the same year they enlarged it, and it was used both as an armory and a hall for dancing. In 1877, they hilt a new armory on the old site, size 26x92 feet at a cost of twenty- five hundred dollars. It was fitted up also for a dancing hall and
theater. The military give two grand balls each year in the army, in May and September. The tirst trompe that played on the new arinory stage was the " Wilbur & Mills' Minstrel Troupe." in the spring of 1877. The company have a military band of nine pies that was organized in 1878 as the Camptonville Brass Band. The company bought the instruments and the umsicians enlisted and were then formed into a military band. They also have a target range on the bedrock near tho town. The company was the outgrowth of a Union League Club organized in 1863. which was formed to counter- act an organization of the: Knights of the tiolden Circle, said to exist at that time in the county.
GRAVEL RANGE LODGE, NO. 59, F. AND A. MI.
This lodge was organized May 4, 1855, by J. R. Vance, (. .. Twigg, J. A. Din, J. W. Sterritt. P. Zimmerman, J. M. Gillespic. W. G. Lock wood, W. Stevenson, L. J. Bowlsby, J. trawford, und W. C. Gralmm. The first officers were: J. M. Winn, W. M. ; J. Gillespie. S. W .; J. A. Dunn, J. W. ; J. Crawford, Secretary. The member. ship of the lodge, once sixty-two, is now fifty-five. Regular meetings are held the Monday on or preceeding tbe full moon.
LAFAYETTE CHAPTER, NO. 24, R. A. M.
The chapter was organized May 6. 1859, with the following charter members :- P. MeNulty, H. P .; W. H. Foye, K .; J. P. Brown, S .; S. Alexander, T .; E. T. Peck, S .; H. S. Everett. B. B. Troxel, J. (1. Mcclellan, J. W. Sterritt, A. Moore, and W. J. Ford. The chapter has a membership of twenty-five, and at one time had thirty. two. The regular meetings are held on Wednesday preceding the full moon. The present officors are :-- R. Munt. H. P .; C. F. Mansur, K .; J. G. MeClellau, S .; J. P. Brown. T .; A. G. Miller, S .; O. N. Marrow, C. of H .; S. S. Baker, P. S .; N. C. MeMurray, K. A. C .; W. A. Meek, M. 3d V .; D. Calvin, M. 2d V .; J. H. Fuller, M. Ist V .; Petor Russell, Guard. The chapter has had a prosporons existence of twenty years, and has but two of the old charter members still in its manks, J. P. Brown and J. G. MeClellan.
The Masons have a fraternal cemetery near the city, and adjoining it is the city cemetery.
There is but little mining done now in the immediate vicinity of Camptonville. The most extensive operations are now carried on at Weed's Point, three miles distant. There is, however, business enough to support quite a thriving town of seme two hundred and sixty inhabitants. There are two hotels, one grocery store, two dry goods stores, two clothing stores, one drug store, one stationery and variety store, two saloons, one livery stable, two blacksmith shops, three carpenter shops, one bakery and confectionery, one meat market,
two showmaker slags, one hardware store and Bio shop, one bank. express office, telegraph other just office one school house, one armory. Iwo halls, one church, and forty nine dwelling houses, In 1835, the voting places were nt Oak Valley, Young's Hill, Galom Hill, Kail road Hill. Camptonville, Garden Valley and Fiveman's Crossing: new the voting is all done at Camptons ille.
FERRY HAR.
Work was commenced here in IS !. The lar is opposite to, and about midway between Foster Bar and Bullan's Bar. John Sumup som and J. M. Ramirez Brought a company of Chiliaus to the har in the fall of 184 !. In November of that year some minor at Fister Bar became exasperated because the thilians, who were experienced miners, could unke better wages than they. Therefore, they mise a company of about sixty men, many of whom could not even sjwuk English, and drove these interlaping " foreigners" from their work. They were som back, however, and protected by men who could both speak and shoot in the English language. One hundred and twenty. five men were once at work here, but it is now deserted. Janu's Flood, the Bonanza king, commenced his mining carerr at this bar.
GARDEN VALLEY RANCH.
David Scott and two others settled in Garden Valley on Willow creek, in 1850. The next year they soll to the Atchison Brothers, who kept a hotel called the Garden Valley ranch. It was on the trail from the lower country to Downieville, In 1854, the Atchison Broth ers ent a road from Foster Bar to Garden Valley, mal then to thump toonville. In 1857, the Nevada Mining Company commeneed work ing in the valley, and it is now nearly exhausted, a few Chinamen only, working the ground on shares. The Nevada Mining Company built a saw-mill ou Willow creek in 1869, which they are still opera ting. John t'lay settled near tiarden Valley ranch, on the west side of the creek, in 1853. That year he raised potatoes, paying twenty. two dollars per pound for seed, and selling his crop for ten cents per ywound. lle built a house, and brought Ins family here, in 1854. In 1855, he set out some fruit trees, a proceeding considered very foolish by his neighbors, who had but little confidence in the permanency of the population in that regien. lle has a five orchard now, and raises great quantities of excellent fruit. In 1855, John Clay and John Atchison, built a school house near Willow creek, and engaged Miss Lord, now Mrs. Judge Wells, of Nevada, as teacher. There werr. seven scholars in attendance. In 1852, the school was moved nearer the river. In 1856, a Methodist minister held regular services in the school house. This little valley is now nearly destroyed by the mining debris. Twelve years ago Mr. Clay built dams across two ravines, and the ponds thus made are now stocked with fine tront.
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HISTORY OF YUBA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
WISCONSIN HOUSE.
This hotel, two and one half miles southwest of Camptonville, was first kept in 1849. In 1×53, it came into the possession of a Mr. Brown. It Turned down, and Brown built another. When the Junction House was opened this place ceused to be kept as a hotel. JUNCTION HOUSE.
in 1850, i mun muned Bogardus settled between the Wisconsin House and Camptonville. Ho kept a store there, and after Camp- tonville was settled he converted it into a hotel, and called it the Jution Ionso. In 1851, Moses Eastman took the hotel. A large business was done until the road was changed to run a mile north, when it consed to be a publie house. After the road was moved back to ils ont route, business was revived and the plnco was again kunst us a hotel. The prosent proprietor is Mr. Jones.
This gulch received its name from Mr. Parsons, familiarly called " Dad," who iliscovered it in 1851. It is situated about three miles west of Oak Valley. The diggings were very rich, and, although the dirt had to be carried some distance to find water, paid the minors well. The grentost number at work here was tifty. The gulch is still being mined by about a dozen men.
FREEMAN'S CROSSING.
A ferry was established on Middlo Yulm, near Oregon ereck, in 1850, by Matthew Sparks. The place was then called Nye's Cross- ing. Thomas less built a bridge here in 1851. which was enrrird away by the flood that winter. He built another in 1852. Thomas Fremman purchased the bridge in 1851, and the place was afterwards ealled Freeman's Crossing. Hle built n more substantial structure in 1855. This was destroyed in December, 1861, and he commenced the construction of a new one at the present location, which was car- ried away by the freshet in January, 1862, before its completion. "The prosent bridge was built the same year, and is forty miles from Marysvillo, via San Juan. Gold mining was commenced in 1851, and about seventy-tivo minors worked here in the early days. Freeman built a hotel there in 1853, In 1863, he erected a large builling which is now used for a residence and hotel by him. Freeman also built a bridge across Oregon creek in 1858, and in 1871 another, a little above the first, at a cost of twenty-five hundred dollars. The original bridge was washed away subsequent to the construction of the new One.
GALENA HILL ..
Gold was found on this hill, abont two miles north of Campion- vlile. in 1852. The discoverers were from Galena, Illinois, and
manual the hill after their Eastern lane. The hill was very easy to i of the other places. Thore aro about twenty men at work now, and work, and it is claimed that for this reason more money was made a store and saloon combined kept by a Frenchman. here than at any of the other hill diggings. In 1856, there were a CELESTIAL VALLEY. hotel, two stores and two saloons. while about one hundred miners were at work. A large portion of the hill was worked by hydranlie power. At present there is no store or business place here, and only a dozen miners at work.
YOUNG's MILL.
This hill lies three miles north of Camptonville, and was first worked in 1852 by William Young and his brother, from whom it derived its name. The first store was kept by Briggs Brothers, and the next, in 1855, by Charles E. De Long and George King. In 1856, there wero three hotels, four saloons, three stores, two blacksmith shops, two butcher shops, two dry-goods stores, and a theater, in which amateur home talent delighted the toiling miner. That year they polled four hundred and sixty-four votes. There are now two families and several single men, but no store or botel.
RAILROAD HILL,
Gold was first discovered in 1852 on this hill, on the east side of the creck, two miles south of Oak Valley. It received its name from the first iron rail used to convey dirt in the mines. The population in the height of its prosperity was one hundred. There were two stores, a saloon, and a boarding houso. There is no town here now, and only eight or ten people at work.
MOONSHINE CREEK.
Gold was struck in 1853 by Jerry Billings, Anderson, Ferguson, and one other. They found it very rich and when " cleaning up " the " long toms " would always station a man on the hill, to give them a sig- nal if any one approached in that direction; they tben would shovel into the rocker and cover up, the gold. By this means they kept it secret for some time; but one evening, they became so interested in cleaning up that the picket was not posted, and while they were feasting their eyes on the gokl in the pan a visitor came up. This put an end to the secret and a number of miners came to Moonshine and posted then. notices on the clains. The place was soon worked out.
OAK VALLEY.
This little mining town is situated on the head waters of Oak Val- ley creek, two miles from North Yuba river, and six miles northeast from Camptonville. It received its name on account of oak timber growing in the vicinity. Gold was discovered here about the same time as at the other diggings, and quite a town sprang up. In 1855, there were one hundred men here, a store, saloon, restaurant, hotel, etc. For ten years the town thrived and then went down as did most
This locality, on Oregon creek, two miles from Midille Yuba, was so named because of the number of Chinamon here. At one time there were thirty or forty mon here and one hotel. At present half that number are engaged in mining and farming.
SLATE RANGE.
About three miles northwest of Oak Valley is the little town of Slate Rango, the center of quito an expanse of mining country. There were in its palmy days n hotel, store, saloon, etc., anul in the vicinity quite a number of minos. Thoro is to mining here now, but the hotel is kept running by William Quayle, who came liero in 1850. PITTSBURG ILILL.
In the spring of 1855, George Martin, Thomas Burke (afterwards hanged in Nevada), Rooney, William Bristow, Jack Smith, A. G. Miller aut one other, while hunting one mile back from the river discovered these very rich diggings. The hill is considered exceedingly rich, and is being worked quite oxtensively at the present time.
There were besides these a great many hills, gulches and bars all through the township, such as Grizzly Gulch, on Oregon creek, opened in 1853, High Point, south of Camptonville, iliscovered in 1852 by George Samlers and Mr. McNulty, Dempster Gulch, Wilson Gulch, Jersey Slide, once had thirty miners, now about eight, Intian Bar, and a great many that had no names, or whose appellations have been forgotten and their location now imknown.
WEED'S POINT.
Work was commenced here, three miles above Camptonville on Horse Valley creek, in 1853, but abandoned on account of tho diffi- culty of working it. The place derived its name from a miner nameil Weed. In 1865, work was resumed and bas been continuons ever since. The Weed Point mine consists of twenty fect of sand, fine gravel and pipe clay, forty feet of coarse gravel, pipe clay and sand, ten feet of boulders, gravel, sand and elay to the bed rock. The mine is riel, especially the last ten feet. The blasting is done in the sun- mer, when eight or ten men are employed. In the winter, only five men are at work. The company has its own water, and makes a clean up four or five times a year. Petrifaetions of oak and madrone and impressions of leaves are found in the clay. At one time there were a store, saloon, hotel, etc., at this place, but they have all been abandoned. There are thirty men here at present.
The Atchison Brothers first located the ranch now owned by John Ramm. They were publie spirited men, builling roads and bridges
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RESIDENCE, RANCH AND ORCHARD OF JAMES STRAIN, YUBA CO. CALA.
CITU FIÇI SMITHICO OAHLAVA PAL
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HISTORY OF YUBA COUNTY CALIFORNIA.
all through this region. D. O. Adkison worked the ranch on shares Att afterwards took charge of the dairy, peddling milk in the mines. There is but one quartz ledge being worked in the township, tbe Honeycomb. The owners are preparing to erect a stamp mill. Fre- quent fires in tho forest eall out the all population to save their homes and property from destruction.
SAW MILLS.
Jones' Mill in Camptonville was built in 1853, and was the first mill in the townships. Since moved away.
Campbell Mill was built by M. Campbell in 1854; sold to Hall & Fairbanks in 1855. In 1858, they sold to J. D. Andrews who ran it until it was abandoned.
Wued's Point Mill was built by Muutz in 1855. It was suld by him to his son-in-law in 1866, and has since been abandoned.
Onk Valloy Mill was Imilt in 1852 for a quartz mill but was never completed. In 1853, Mr. Paul changed it into a saw mill. It is being run ut prosent by James Gray, employing four or five meu.
Moonshine Mill is now owned by Mr. Trombly, employing several
CHAPTER XXXIV.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Legislative Euartinents Relating to Public Schools-Efforts of Professor Job» Swett-Noted Tonebors from Yaba Covaty -- Rov. S. V. Blakeslee Opens the First Seboul Meetings of Cltlzuns to Establish a Pablie Sebool The First Public School-The First School House- Nuucher of School Children in 1837-Changes in the Schools-Erection of New Buildings -- The Marysville High School -List of District School Trustees -Private Schools-College of Nutro Dacao Knoxdale Institute.
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