USA > California > Yuba County > History of Yuba County, California, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, public buildings, fine blocks and manufactories > Part 7
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mation, being compelled to travel in a very indirect moammer, aml encountering a severe rain storm. On his arrival, he commenced the labor of entting timber for the mill, and the construction of suitable appliances for using the water for propulsion. The mill bing rendy for use, the machinery was started, but it was found that the race needed drepening. It was on the morning of Jammry 19, 1848, that Marshall, while examining the race to thul where it was twerssary to ent. it out. saw through the ebar water on the granite bed, bright partielos of metallic substance. These he picked up, and this proved to be the tirst important discovery of gold in California. Antter was not within fifty miles of the location of the discovery at the time, John Bidwell was the first to carry the news to San Francisco. This discovery by Marshall was entirely accidental, and although it is certain that gohl would have been fomul at a later period, yet, if any creilit is due, it should justly attach to Captain John Sutter, whose cargy oml capital were thu: primal causes of the discovery which opened out a new vista for California.
CHAPTER VIII.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS IN THE VALLEY.
Sulter's Eurleavor to Hold the Land Erubruced withiu bis Map- Settlemente In the Upper Portion of the Valley Locations South-east of Sutter's Fort - Murder of Lindsay uml Prompt Punishment of the Indians hy Sutter and his Forces.
Tux early settlements of Yuba und Sutter counties wore parts of ie series extending through nearly the whole Sacramento valley, aml au account of the most important will doubtless prove interesting. Sutter's map included a much larger area than the Mexican laws would allow, and in order to hohl the land he placed tenants ou various por- tions of the territory embraced within its limits. Subsequently, when it was thought that he could not hold all the land appdied for, he endeavored to obtain a Sobrante grant for his children, and this was partly the motive that indneed him to visit Governor Micheltorem at Monterey, in 1844.
After the settlement at New Helvetin, the next point where # dwelling was located was about two miles north-east of the fort, ou the American river, in 1841. This was settled by Julm Sinclair for Capt. Elias Grimes and Hiram Grimes, to whom Sutter afterwards sold it. It made a fine ranch and farm, and was extensively stocked.
In 1842, Nicolans Allgeier was placed on what is known as the town of Nicolans, on the east bank of Feather river. The next two places were settled alnost simultaneously in the fall of 1842. Hock Farm, which subsequently became the home of Captain Sutter, was established and made his principal stock farin, the aninals ranging over that part of Sutter county lying west of Feather river, and south of the Butte mountains. The land in the vicinity of the site of Marysville was leased to Theodore Cordua. Cordua made a stock-farin of it, and to a limited
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HISTORY OF YUBA COUNTY. CALIFORNIA.
extent, a trading post. He obtained a few otter and beaver skins, and was continually passing to and from Yerba Buena, trading, in his lanneb. The settlement of George Patterson on the opposite side of Yuba river, in 1845, was another of these locations in the interest of Sutter to hold the land.
The next grant was to Charles W. Flugge, and was located on the west bank of Feather river adjoining the northern portion of Sutter's grant, and called the " Flugge Grant." It fell into the huds, by purchase, of Thomas O. Larkin, as did also the Hernandez Grant. Larkin tried to locate the Flagge Grant in the mining regions, but failed. William Gordon settled upon his grant on Cache creek, in Yolo county, in the fall of 1842. The place now known as Vacaville was settled about the same time hy Mannel Baca, from New Mexico. Wolfskill settled on his graut on Putah creek, south of Cache creek, and south of Gordon's Grant, in 1843. Knight's Grant on the Sacra- mento river was settled by himself, in 1844. The next settlement was by Peter Lassen, in Tehama county, on Deer creek. Lassen started to take possession of the land in December, 1843, but did not reach his destination till January or February, 1844. The settlement by Samuel Neal and David Dutton on Butte creek about seven miles south of Chico, was made in 1844. About the same time Edward A. Farwell, with Thomas Fallon, settled on his grant on Chico creek, about a mile below the present town site. The same year, hut a little later, a settlement was made on thic present property of General John Bidwell by William Dickey who obtained the grant. In 1845, several grants wore selected in what is now Tehama county hy A. G. Toomes, R. H. Thomes, Joh F. Dye, aud Josialı Belden.
In 1845, the Hensley Grant was located between Chico and Butte creeks. Marshall, the discoverer of gold, was employed hy Hensley to make a settlement on the tract. Sicard's Grant (four leagues), and lolmuson's Grant (four leagues), on Bear river, were secured in 1844. The grant to Reading, located in Shasta county and northern part of Sacramento valley, was also settled upon in 1845, by a man named Julian. The grant to the children of Thomas O. Larkin in Colusa county, was selected in 1844, and subsequently settled upon by Jolin S. Williams. In 1844, the first settlement south-east of Sacramento, on Cos- umnes river, was made by William Daylor. The grant was originally made to one Sheldon, and Daylor was a partner. The first map of this land was cbawn by Dr. Sandels in 1843. The next settlement south of Sutter's Fort was made on the grant of Guillermo Gulnac by a man named Thomas Lindsay, in Angust, 1844, heing the tract upon which the city of Stockton is now located. He was there but a short time when be was killed by the Indians, in the spring of 1845. Sutter, having returned from the war of Castro against Micheltorena, sent an expedition to puuish the Indians who had murdered Lindsay. A number, who were
supposed to be the guilty parties, were killed in the fight, together with one of the number composing the expedition. His name was Juan Baca, a relative of the Bacas of Vacaville, and son of an Ex-governor of New Mexico. This grant soon passed into the possession of Capt. C. M. Weber. It is a fact that there was not a house in the Sacramento or San Joaquin valleys in 1841, except Sutter's. He had one adobe house and a few buts, but his Fort was not completed until sometime afterwards.
CHAPTER IX.
SETTLEMENTS IN YUBA COUNTY TO 1848.
Theodore Cordua-Theodore Sicard-Don Pablo Gutteirez-William Johnson and Sebastian Kyser-George Patterson-Charles Roether-Jack Smith-Baptiste Rouelle-An Emigrant Party of Importance-Arrival of the Donner Party-Sketch of the Life of Claude Chana- Settlements in Sutter County-Hock Farm-Nicolaus.
THE bottom lands of Ynba and Sutter counties offered special induce- ments to settlers, on account of their fertility and contiguity to Sutter's settlements. Theodore Cordua, having obtained from Capt. Sutter, in the fall of 1842, a lease for nineteen years of the tract of land npon which Marysville is now located, erected at where is now the foot of D street, an adohe dwelling house, a store-house or trading room, culinary department and out-honses. The walls of the dwelling were thick, and well constructed for withstanding a siege. The spot was named " New Mecklenburg " by Capt. Sutter, in honor of the place of nativity of Cordua. It soon became known, however, as "Cordua's Ranch," the neighboring settlers choosing the latter title in preference to tlie more European name. Many of the Indians in the vicinity gathered about Cordua, and he was able to utilize them in herding his animals, in tilling the soil and in gathering the products. Their village was located near where the railroad crosses the Yuba river. December 30, 1844, Cordua obtained from the Mexican Government a grant of land bounded on the north by the Feather river and Honcut creek, on the east by the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, on the south by tbe Yuba river and by the tract of land previously leased from Captain Sntter, and on the west by the same land and the Feather river, embracing about seven square leagues.
Cordua's house was located on the trail leading from the upper to the lower portions of the Sacramento valley, and as the country hecame more closely settled, travel on this ronte became more extensive, until finally, in 1846, Cordua conceived the idea of establishing a trading post at his adobe structure. Provisions and supplies were brought from Yerba Buena and the lower settlements in the valley, which, with the products of his own land and flocks, enabled him to provide a suitable stock for his store. It is said that in 1847 and 1848, he exported to the Sandwich Islands a large quantity of the products of
his farm. He soon found abundant opportunity to dispose of all he could produce in a nearer market-a change brought about by the discovery of gold. In the summer of 1847, when Mr. Wm. G. Murphy arrived at the ranch, Cordua had in his employ fifteen or twenty Indians and white men, among whom was Mr. Charles Covillaud, who acted as mechanic and overseer. At that time Cordua had about ten or twelve thousand cattle and five hundred wild mares. The latter were used for raising colts, while their luxuriant manes and tails furnished material for "hair-ropes." The bottom lands near the buildings were cultivated to a small extent.
Theodore Sicard was a French sailor, and first came to California on a voyage in 1835. At a later period he remained in the country and worked for Captain Sutter, at one time, in 1842 and 1843, superin- tending the operations at Hock Farm in Sutter county. He petitioned for and obtained from the Mexican Government a grant of four Spanish leagues, extending from opposite the month of Dry creek ten miles up the south side of Bear river. His settlement was made in 1845, and was on the south bank of Bear river, about half a mile above Johnson's Crossing. In 1844, a Mexican, Don Pablo Gutteirez, who had been in the employ of Capt. Sutter, obtained a grant of five leagues on the north side of Bear river, now known as the Johnson grant. During this year, Gutteirez built a mud house at the place afterwards called Johnson's Crossing. Gutteirez was killed in the last of 1844, or first of 1845, and his grant and cattle were sold at anction hy Capt. Sutter, as magistrate of the region, being purchased for one hundred and fifty dollars by William Jobnson and Sebastian Kyser, who settled there the same year. Mr. Johnson was a sailor and had made voyages to California quite early, and for several years previous to this purchase, had traded between the Sandwich Islands and Yerba Buena. Mr. Kyser had gone with Capt. Sutter from Missouri, accompanying him on his wandering tour from that State, through New Mexico and up to Oregon; here he remained while the Captain went on to the Sandwich Islands. When Sutter arrived in California, in 1839, Mr. Kyser came down from Oregon and again entered the service of his old employer. After the purchase, the grant was divided, Jolmson taking the east half, and Kyser the west. In 1846, they built an adobe house a sbort distance below the crossing.
In 1845, George Patterson settled on the south side of the Yuba river, opposite Cordna's, under a lease from Capt. Sutter, andI constructed an adobe house. He cultivated some land and dug a ditch, which at that period was the substitute for a fence. Jack Smith at one time lived with Patterson on this ranch. This was known as "Sutter's Garden." and the occupation of the tract was hy his proxy, Patterson. The soil was cultivate l only sufficiently to comply with the laws under whose terms tbe land was hekl. During the year 1845, Charles Roether, a
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HISTORY OF YUBA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
German, settled on the north side of Honent creek, in Butte Conuty, one half mile from the stream and about two miles from its mouth. Jack Sinith, an old sailor who had been in Sutter's employ, obtained from that gentleman, in 1844, a grant of land on the south side of Yuba river, ex- tending from the site of Limla three miles up the stream and one mile back. He settled there in 1845, and built a cabin on the location of the sulwescpient town of Linda. In 1846, Smith sokl the center mile of his tract to George Patterson. The purchaser had come to California in 1841, in one of the ships belonging to the Hudson Bay Company. He escaped from the vessel at night and took refuge on Gont Island in San Francisco Bay. An attempt was made that night by Jolm Rose to rescue him in a boat, but it was mosuccessful. Patterson found his wny to this valley and entered the employ of Mr. Sutter. In 1847, Michael Nye purchased a portion of the Sutter grant adjoining Smith on the west. Tho tinct was one mile in extent along the south bank of the stream, und one and one-lmnlf miles in depth. In the latter part of 1847, when Mr. Wm. G. Murphy moved from Cordua's ranch to Nye's place, Mr. Nyo hud soven hundred head of cattle, and Mr. Smith eight hundred; in partnership thoy owned one hundred and lifty wild horses. The heuss occupied by Mr. Smith wus of peculiar construction. Ends of stout polos wore sunk into the ground, and willows interwoven horizontally, forming n sort of hasket work; a henvy coating of soft clay wus placed on both sides, and the roof thatched with tules brought from Nicolnus. The floor was constructed of sun-burned brick and earth pounded down firm and smooth. A coat of whitowash was the ouly covering of the Inre and unsightly walls. Nye built his dwelling in 1847, mnking » more protontious and commodions structuro of two rooms. Tho walls wero thick and constructed of adobe; the roof was covereil with split shakes, brought from the river bottom opposite Cordua's ranch.
October 18, 1846, there arrived at Bear river, a company of emigrants, several members of which were to play important parts in in the settlement and development of Ynba und Sutter counties; Clande Clin, who now resides in Wheatland, was one of the leading spirits. Born in tho Department of the Ronen, France, in 1811, Clande Chan came to New Orleans, arriving March 7, 1839, where he worked ns a cooper. He wns one of the first settlers of the town of St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1841. While there, he heard from an old trapper who had been through the Sacramento valley, of the wonderful climate of California and of the flourishing settlement of John A. Sutter. In 1846, he sold his property in St. Joseph to this trapper and joined a train that was crossing the plains. This train consisted of five lumdred wagons nnd over one thousand men. They crossed the Missouri river May 10, 1846. The train contained emigrants for Oregon, Utah, Californin, and other points. The emigrants organized
into companies, according to the place of their destination, Mr. ('hana bring in what was called the California Company, and this juirty led thu train. In 1846, Mr. Chas, Covilland, who was a member of the saine company. and Mr. Michael Nye, a member of General Bidwell's party, entered the employ of Cordna; China, who had brought his cooper's tools, went to work for Sutter, at the fort, making watertanks, barrels. churns, pails, etc., for settlers throughout the whole valley.
In 1847, Baptiste Rouelle, the discoverer of goldl in the mountains near the Mission of San Fernando, settled near Sutter's Garden on the south bank of the Ynba river. During the spring of 1847, the sur- vivors of the Donner Party arrived, many remaining at the settle. ments in this vicinity ; among these were the members of the Murphy family.
The contiguity of Yuba and Sutter counties renders the records of their carly settlement alnost inseparable, and to fully appreciate the situation of affairs during that period, it is well to understand the relative locations in Sutter county. There were only two settlements of note in that county up to 1848, at Hock Farm and Nicolaus. At Hock Farm, after its location, Theodore Sicard and a man named Dupont lived. In the spring of 1843, John Bidwell went up to take charge of the farm. He built the house during the summer, the adohes being made on the place. Sicard and Dupont sawed boards for its construction ont of the cottonwood trees. These were the only white men there until near the close of the year, when J. C. Bridges, from Kentucky, came; he died during the winter. On Hock Farm, Sutter had abont five thousand head of cattle and twelve hundred horses. He employed about twenty-five Indian vaqueros in herding the animals and breaking horses. General Bidwell remained there fourteen months to the early part of the summer of 1844, and during that time planted some trees and otherwise improved the spot. William Bennitz then took charge and continued there for a year, to the summer of 1845. Major Hensley followed, remaining till the spring of 1846, when nearly all of Sutter's force went into the Mexican War, the farm being left in the charge of Yankee Jim, a Kanaka, whom Captain Sutter had brought from the " Islands." It was not until the spring of 1850, after the discovery of gold, that Sutter moved to Hock Farm. His fort was so occupied with traders, that every available room was taken, and every suitable place was in demand for the numerous stores to supply the rush of miners into the districts. Peter H. Burnett was left as Sutter's agent for the sale of lots in Sacramento, and when the former was elected Governor, H. A. Schoolcraft was appointed in his place. Burnett received n commission of twenty-five per cent. for effecting sales and making deeds. Sutter fixed up the house on Hock Farm and built the iron structure. It was erected for a store house, and was bonght from parties who had brought it around the Horn.
In 1842. the settlement of Nicolaus Allgeier was made at the loen- tion of the present town of Nicolaus, This gentleman was born in Freiberg, Germany, in 1807, and came to America about 1830. lle went into the employ of the Hudson Bay Company as a trapper, and in that capacity spent a number of years in the wilds of British America. It was while in this service, in 1839 or 1850, that he came overland to California. A short time after his arrival lere he left the endoy of the company and engaged to work for Captain Suiter. He assisted in the construction of an adole house, about one mul a half miles below Hlock Farm, in the winter of 1841-2. This was Sutter's first estab- lishment in Sutter County, and the first settlement of any kind inde in this vicinity. The plains between the Sacramento aud Feather rivers were used by Sutter as a grazing range for immense lands of horses and cattle. The road from his establishment at Now Helvetia to the we at llock Farm crossed the river at Nicolaus, and Antter desired some one stationel at that point with a ferry to assist in the transportation of meu, cattle, horses, supplies, etc., across the stream. Ho therefore deedled to Allgeier a tract one mile square at that place, in consideration of the labor he hnd performed and of the services he should render in the future in the manner described, all valued at four hundred dollars. This land commenced four hundred yards above the okl ndobe house and extendel one mile down the stream. When Allgeier first settled there in 1842, he built a small hint of poles covered with tulo grass and dirt. In this he lived for several yoars until, in 1847, he constructed a small adobe house near the old ferry crossing, about one hundred and fifty yards ahove the present landing. A primitive ferry boat was constructed in 1843, which the Indians rowed across the river in traus- neting the business of the crossing.
CHAPTER X.
YUBA COUNTY IN 1848.
Changes in the Settlements -- Effect of the Discovery of Gold at Oglouna-Circumstances Attend- ing the Discovery in Yuba County by Jonas Spect -His Journal -- Slovements of Mesgrs. Nye and Foster-Biography of Jonas Spect-Arrival of Major 8. Cooper und Party-Sketch of the Life of Joho Rose-Chana and Party Mioe on the Yuba River -Klection of Alcaldey of the District -Sale of One- hall of the Cordua Ranch to Charles Covillaud.
THIS year proved a period of unusual importance in the history of this vicinity. On the nineteenth of January, the discovery of gold was made at Coloma, and was followed in less than four months by the finding of the precious metal within the limits of the present Yuba county. During this year Rouelle abandoned his place on the south side of the Yuba river, and settled again on Feather river near Charles Roether, and Nye occupied his old house. Patterson soll to Sicard the land he had purchased in 1846 from Smith. In the spring, Foster moved his family from Yerba Buena, and in partnership with Nye bought Smith's ranch. During this year Charles Covillaud married
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HISTORY OF YUBA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Miss Mary Murphy, sister of Mrs. Nye and Mrs. Foster. Nothing of notas excured in this region until the discovery of gold on the American river, when all eyes were turned in that direction; but the heat of the wining fever was not yet becoming apparent. The people were suspicions regarding the quality and amount of the gold. As the weeks passed, contidence was gained and the belief that there might possibly be precious minerals in other localities was strengthened. Propretors gradually poslal ont beyond the narrow limits of the first mining district, and thus commenced the opening up of the vast mining fields of California and the Pacific Coast.
There seems to Ir sonw: dispute regarding the first discovery of gold worth of the American viver and in the vicinity of Marysville. Mr. Jonas Speet, who kept a dinry ut the time, is a reliable gentleman and undoubtedly his narrative of the tiruling is true, and his claim as the discoverer just. The ciremmstances which led to the event and which transpired during the period ure peculiar. Californians returning to the States at that time could only go in companies of twenty or thirty mon, tlnes affording mutual protection against the Indians, and they could not crous the mountains before the lutter part of June, or first of July, ou ueconut of the snow. On the sixth of April, 1848, Mr. Jonas Spect, accompanied by two young men, being anxious to return East, loft Yerba Buona with the intention of journeying to Johnson's Cross- ing on Bear river, the usnul place of rendezvous. Each had three horsos, one to ride nud the other two for pack animals. The route was around the Bay of San Francisco, through San Jose, and thence up to Curquinez straits. The party traveled slowly in order to recruit the horses, nud arrived at the place now enlled Martinez on the thirteenth of April. As the ferry boat was a fint scow and could only cross the struits in cahn wenther, they campod till tho eighteenth, when the voyngo was accomplished and a successful landing made at Benicia. The journey was continued leisurely until the twenty-fourth, when they camped on the banks of the Sacramento river near Knight's Landing. The remainder of the narrative is best related in the words of Mr. Sport.
" Up to this time there had been no excitement about the gold " diggings; but at that place we were overtaken by Spaniards who " were on their way to Sutter's Mill to dig gold, and they reported " stories of fabulously rich diggings. After discussing the inatter, we " changed our course to the gold mines and hurried on, arriving at the " Mill on the thirtieth of April. It was true that several rich strikes " had been made, but the miners then at work did not average two and "a half dollars per day. Marshall and Sutter claimed the land and " rented the mines. Every one supposed gold was confined to that " particular locality. We did not engage in mining, and concluded to " resiune our journey across the plains. On our return trip we learned
" that gold had been found on Mormon Island. But we took no " further notice of it, and on the twelfth of May arrived at Johnson's " Ranch. We found one man there waiting our arrival, but we ex- " jeted inany others in a short time. We waited until about the " twenty-fifth when we learned that there was another rush to the " miles, and then vanished all prospect of any company crossing the " mountains that snunger. My partner left for the American river, and " I proposed to Johnson that we should prospect for gold on Bear river. " We went some distance up the stream und spent three days in the " search withwnt any satisfactory result. I then suggested to Johnson " that he should send his Indian with me, and I would prospect the " Ynba river, as that stream was about the size of the Sonth Fork of " the American river. We prepared the onthit, and on the first of June " we strnek the Yuba near Long Bar. After a good deal of prospect- " ing, I succeeded in raising " color." That night I camped in Timbnetoo " ravine, a little above where we first found the gold. The next day, " June 2, I continued prospecting up the strean, finding a little gold but " not enough to pay. The Indian was well acquainted, and he piloted " me up to the location of Rose Bar, where we met a large number "of Indians, all entirely nude and eating clover. I prospected on the " bar and found some gold, but not sufficient to be remunerative. " Greatly discourged, I started on my return home. When I arrived "at a point on the Yuba river a little above Timbuctoo ravine, I " washed some of the dirt and found three lumps of gold worth abont " seven dollars. I pitched my tent here on the night of June 2, and " sent the Indian home for supplies. In about a week I moved down " on the creek and remained there until November 20, when I left the " mines forever. June 3, the next day after the location of my camp, " Michael Nye and William Foster came up the creek prospecting for " gold.
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