USA > California > Lassen County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 56
USA > California > Plumas County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 56
USA > California > Sierra County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 56
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Great excitement was caused by these reports, and at daylight the next morning William Dow, E. V. Spencer, B. B. Gray, Charles Drum, and Joseph Hall, all well mounted and armed, started in pursuit of the fleeing savages. On the evening of the third day, after having followed the trail for 150 miles, and been led back by it to Eagle lake, within twelve miles of their starting point, they discovered the Indians in a little valley near the southern shore of the lake, called now Papoose valley. Thinking themselves beyond pursuit, the Indians had camped for the night by some springs, near which their horses were picketed. The five men quietly retired behind a hill to await until daylight in the morning before attacking the savages. They had ridden all day without food, and now, tired and hungry, they stood all night in a cold, drizzling rain, fearing to either lie down or make a fire. Just at daybreak they crawled up to within a few yards of the camp, and when one of the Indians rose to get a drink from the spring, they rushed into the camp with a yell, and began the work of death with their revolvers. Of the eleven savages that slept there that night, but one escaped to exhibit his wounds to his comrades on Pit river. The victors made a hearty meal off the game captured in the camp. Leaving the ten bodies for the coyotes to feed upon, the men returned to Susanville with the captured ponies, and a large stock of ammunition which the Indians had procured in their trade with the Honey Lake and Indian Valley natives.
The chief of the band of Indians living in Honey Lake valley was called Captain Tom, and during the absence of the five men in pursuit of the Pit River fugitives, he and some of his follow- ers visited a number of the ranches and expressed their dissatisfaction with the interruption of their traffic in powder and lead, and threatened to make trouble. A number of the citizens joined the five raiders upon their return, and set out to find Captain Tom's band and learn their intentions. When they came upon them, the Indians started to run. The whites rode after them, calling upon them to stop and have a talk, but to no effect. They then fired upon the fleeing natives, killing Captain Tom, and wounding a few others, who all made good their escape. After this the Indians were all given to understand that if they appeared in the valley again, no matter to what tribe they belonged, they would be sent to join the spirit of Captain Tom in the happy hunting-grounds.
During the winter of 1867-68, an English family lived in a cabin at the east end of the valley, and near Honey lake. The family was composed of Thomas W. Pearson, his wife Maria, and their daughter Hattie, a handsome young lady of eighteen years, of the brunette type of beauty. On the morning of the seventeenth of April, 1868, Samuel C. Cooper, an employé of W. S. Hamilton, was engaged in helping the family move their household goods to Red Rock, where Mr. Pearson was going to locate. The cabin was completely surrounded with water, caused by late severe storms, and the goods had all been loaded upon wagons drawn by a powerful team belonging to Mr. Hamilton. They started through the water to the shore some 300 yards distant, Cooper driv- ing the team, and the others following close behind. They had just emerged from the water, and were standing in front of a sheep-pen, when seven or eight Indians rose up suddenly from behind the corral, and fired a volley of bullets and arrows that mortally wounded Cooper, and brought him to the ground. As the Indians rushed upon him he drew a revolver that hung in his belt, and succeeded in wounding two of them before he breathed his last. When the firing commenced, the Pearsons started to run up the road towards Mr. Fry's place, eight miles distant. After dispatch- ing Cooper, the savages pursued the fleeing family, and from the position of the bodies it is evident that they overtook the old gentleman first. They filled his back full of arrows and bullets, and he fell forward upon his face. They next overtook the wife, and killed her in the same way. Nearly all her hair was pulled out, her head was badly beaten, and she wore a look of desperation and horror, as though she had died while in the agony of a death struggle. Near her was the body of
JAMES BRANHAM.
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Hattie, with an arrow through the heart, and another through the neck. The expression on her face was as happy and peaceful as though she had laid herself down to sleep. The body of Cooper was horribly disfigured, probably because of his desperate resistance, and because of the fact that he had with him a robe taken from a brave slain in a raid by a party of which he was one. The head was severed from the body, his body was gashed horribly, and the brave heart had been torn from the breast. Cooper was born in Ashland county, Ohio, October 11, 1826.
The beginning of the massacre was witnessed by John Wallenberg, a German lad of eighteen years, who was herding sheep near by for Pearson. He immediately started on the run for Fry's ranch, and when the Indians observed him and gave pursuit, he had gained such a start that he made good his escape. He was so badly frightened that he never could give a clear account of the manner of his escape; and as he was four hours in getting to the ranch, it is probable that he wandered around considerably. The morning after the massacre, a company of men started out in pursuit of the perpetrators, but failed to overtake them. Two Indians were found dead not far from the scene of the massacre, and it is supposed that some whites had killed them, and their comrades took revenge upon the innocent Pearsons and the brave Cooper.
The Potato War of 1857, previously alluded to, was a trouble between the settlers and the Washoe Indians, happening at the time that Captain Weatherlow's company, aided by Chief Winnemucca and his Pah-Ute braves, were absent on their raid against the Pit River Indians. Trouble with these two tribes happening at one time made things appear very dark to the settlers, and some of them left the valley. Had Winnemucca taken up arms against the whites, instead of for them, it is probable that the whole valley would have been depopulated.
In October, 1857, about 100 Washoes made a raid upon the ranch of William Morehead, about two and one-half miles north-west of Milford. Morehead was in Susanville, and the Indians har- vested his.three acres of potatoes so completely, that upon his return not a tuber was to be found. The despoiled rancher reported his loss to his neighbors, and A. G. Eppstein, W. Hill Naileigh, Henry Denney, William Jackson, and two Robinson brothers went to the camp of the marauders, some four miles south of the scene of spoliation, Morehead being lame, and remained behind. The result of their expedition was an encounter, ending in the death of three savages, the wound- ing of another, and the retreat of the party to Naileigh's cabin, closely pursued by the Indians, where they fortified. The Indians retired to the side of the mountains, and the whites all gathered in Goodwin's log fort, to the number of twenty. They made a dash upon the Indian camp one day, killing no one, but capturing about a ton of the tubers that were causing so much difficulty. E. G. Eppstein soon came with ten recruits from Indian valley, whither he had gone for assistance, and an attack upon the Indians was decided upon. Their camp had been removed down the valley about nine miles, and the settlers proceeded thither, under cover of darkness, and made an attack at daybreak. The savages were found in three camps at considerable distance apart, and the attacking party was divided into three divisions, each selecting a camp. By mistake, the smallest division, only three men, attacked the largest camp, and the three men, A. G. Eppstein, W. H. Clark, and George Lathrop, had to fight their way back to the fort. Eppstein was wounded in the thigh, and was carried in a blanket by his companions a distance of four miles. The fight was maintained all the forenoon, and during its propress Captain Weatherlow, with his company and Pah-Ute allies, appeared upon the field, and rendered good assistance. They had just returned from their raid upon the Pit River savages. Seven of the Washoes were killed and fourteen wounded. When the Pah-Utes first appeared, one of them was shot in mistake for a Washoe, and it took considerable talk and a number of presents to mollify the feelings of Chief Winnemucca, and prevent a rupture with him.
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Soon after this battle the Plumas Rangers appeared, to aid the settlers, but the Wahoes had .. withdrawn from the valley, and the Potato War was at an end.
THE OVERLAND AND IDAHO ROUTES.
The manner in which a large stream of emigration was turned in the pioneer days from the Carson and Truckee routes to pass through this county and Noble's pass has already been detailed in the early history, as also has the exploration of a route for an overland railroad by Lieutenant E. G. Beckwith, in 1854. A few years later the war department decided to lay out a military wagon road across the continent, following from the Humboldt river the line laid out by Lieutenant Beckwith and terminating in Honey Lake valley. It was while engaged in laying out this road, in the summer of 1860, that Colonel F. W. Lander arrived at the valley, and was enabled to render such valuable assistance in terminating the war with the Pah-Utes. The particulars of an attempt made in 1857 to construct a road from Oroville to Honcy Lake, to connect with the military road, will be found on page 237.
When the Idaho excitement broke out, in 1862, the people of this section realized the advan- tages of establishing a route for the transportation of passengers and goods to the new mines by the way of Noble's pass, and began to take steps to secure such a route. By the Act of April 14, 1863, the legislature granted a franchise to John Bidwell, J. C. Mandeville, R. M. Cochran, E. B. Pond, and John Guill, to construct a toll road from Chico to Honey lake, on the eastern boundary of the state. They incorporated the following year as the Chico and Humboldt Wagon Road Company, and completed their road to Susanville. Early in the spring of 1865, parties went from Susanville to Ruby City and return, going by the way of Shaeffer's, Mud Springs, Deep Hole, Granite Creek, Soldier Meadows, Summit lake, Mint springs, Gridley springs, Pueblo, Trout creek, Willow creek, White Horse Creek, Crooked river, Castle creek, Owyhee river, Jordan creek valley, and Wagontown to Ruby City, a distance, as measured by a rodometer, of 332 miles. The same spring Pierce & Francis, backed by General Bidwell, started a weekly saddle-train from Chico to Idaho, by this route, to carry passengers and mail. Later in the year Major John Mullen became manager of the enterprise. Several stages were constructed, the route stocked, and on July 11, 1865, the first stage from Chico to Ruby City passed through Susanville. I. N. Roop was advisory agent of the line, and W. N. DeHaven local agent. This trip occupied sixteen days, because of the newness of the road and the hostility of the Indians. This latter difficulty was so exaggerated by the newspapers that the new route met with but little favor from the traveling public.
On the seventh of July, 1865, a convention of 300 teamsters was held in Sacramento, at which a committee was appointed to investigate the Susanville trail. The committee reported it the best route yet found, and the consequence was that many loads of freight passed over the road that fall. In September a meeting was held in Susanville, subscriptions were taken, and the money so obtained was expended in improving the road. The government stationed a few troops along the road, but not enough to be of much use in case the Indians were determined to make trouble. On this account, and because the road was not well prepared for winter travel, the stage line was discontinued in the fall. This, and the natural suspension of freighting during the winter, greatly discouraged the citizens of Honey Lake valley.
Major Mullen went to Washington that winter, and with the assistance of General Bidwell,
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who then represented his district in Congress, and the delegate from Idaho, secured a tri-weekly mail route from Chico to Boise City, which was let for $45,000 per year. The same influence secured the passage through the House of a bill appropriating $50,000 for a military road from Susanville to Ruby City ; but the bill was referred back again to the committee, and died a natural death. The discovery of the Black Rock mines about this time, and the great rush to that region, also increased the importance of the Susanville route. In May, 1866, the Sage Brush said:
" The immigration to Idaho and Montana has commenced. Every day trains of men, mules, horses, and sometimes jackasses, pass through our town on a weary pilgrimage to the distant min- ing camps." In another article the following: " We must pause in our account of the discovery of the Black Rock mines, in order to give some account of the town of Susanville-a town which, by reason of these discoveries, and its situation on the great thoroughfare leading from California to Black Rock, Idaho, Montana, and Humboldt, bids fair to become, next to San Francisco, the most important town on the Pacific coast."
In May, also, the California and Idaho Stage and Fast Freight Company was incorporated, with a capital stock of $200,000. John Mullen was president. About midnight, July 1, 1866, the first stage left Chico, and arrived in Ruby City in three days and five hours, a distance of 427 miles. Susanville soon acquired considerable importance as a staging center. Eight stages per week arrived there from Chico, Red Bluff, Oroville, Virginia City, and other points. The reports of the fabulous richness of the Black Rock and Owyhee mines drew a constant stream of travel through this section, and it was necessary to increase the facilities of the stage line. This was done, a daily stage was put on, and James D. Byers was appointed general superintendent of the line. They ran daily till winter set in, and then the deep snows so interfered that only about two trips a week could be made.
When the contract expired the next year, the Central Pacific had completed its track east of the Sierra nearly to the big bend of the Humboldt, reducing the distance to be staged by one-half. For this reason, the government refused to renew the mail contract, freight and travel were diverted to the new route, and Susanville was compelled to relinquish its dream of rivaling San Francisco in wealth and importance.
HANGING OF SNOW, EDWARDS, AND LUCKY BILL.
In 1857 a Frenchman named Henry Gordier bought a band of cattle, and ranged them on the ranch now occupied by Thomas Mulroney, near the head of the lake. Early in 1858, John Mullen, Asa Snow, and William Combs Edwards, known here simply as William Combs, began negotiating for the purchase of this stock. They soon after took possession of Gordier's log cabin and cattle, and reported that the Frenchman had sold to them, and gone immediately to Genoa, and from there to San Francisco, whence it was his intention to sail at once for the East. The neighbors thought such a hasty departure a rather strange proceeding, and wrote a letter to the missing man's brother on Feather river, asking if he knew of the intended departure of his brother. An answer in the negative deepened their suspicions, and they began to search for the missing man. They found a place on the ranch where there were evidences of a struggle, and upon raking away the ashes of a fire near by, blood-stains were found and a metal button discovered. A careful search of the river resulted in finding the body, which had been placed in a sack and sunk with a large stone.
While this was being done, Mullen and Edwards had departed, leaving the property in the
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charge of Snow. The citizens arrested Snow, and put him upon trial before an extemporized court, but before the end of the trial a mob took Snow from the house of L. N. Breed (now owned by T. H. Epley) and hanged him to the limb of a tall pine tree which stood upon the lake shore. Edwards had fled to Carson valley, and placed himself under the protection of William B. Thorrington, com- monly called Lucky Bill. He owned much valuable ranch property, and the Carson Canon Toll Road, and was one of the leading settlers of that section. As to the part played by and the char- acter of Lucky Bill there are two opinions. The people of Honey Lake valley believe him to have been the leader of a gang of robbers and cut-throats, and to have been an abettor of the murder of Gordier; while the majority of the old residents of Carson and Eagle valleys, where he resided, are as firmly convinced of his innocence. Lucky Bill claimed that Edwards had assured him that he was innocent of the murder, and that he therefore undertook to secrete and protect him.
W. T. C. Elliott went down from Honey Lake, and played the part of detective, getting into the good graces of Lucky Bill, and learning that Edwards was being concealed by him. He also became satisfied that there were bonds of union between a number of bad characters in that vicinity. Elliott was one of a committee appointed to work up the case, the others being Junius Brutus Gilpin, John Neal, Frank Johnson, and Charles Adams. When all was in readiness, thirty- two men went down from Honey Lake valley, and were joined by settlers from Washoe, Eagle, and Carson valleys, till they had a company of nearly 100 men. A night raid was made, and Lucky Bill and eleven others were arrested. Camp was made on the ranch of Richard Sides, on Clear creek, between Genoa and Carson City. The prisoners were confined in Sides' house, while the barn was used for a court-room. Settlers congregated here in great numbers to attend the trial. Three judges were chosen, John Neal from Honey Lake valley, and Dr. King and John L. Cary from Carson valley. Eighteen jurors were selected, six of them from Honey Lake valley. Elliott acted as sheriff. The judges, jurors, and spectators sat in the court-room, armed with guns and revolvers. They first tried the eleven men whom they had arrested, and against whom they could prove nothing save that they were sporting men and undesirable citizens. For this reason they were fined from $250 to $1,000 each, and banished from the settlements.
Edwards was captured through Jerome Thorrington, the son of Lucky Bill, who was told that if he would deliver up Edwards his father's life would be spared. The result was, that Edwards was decoyed from his hiding place and captured. He was placed upon the stand to testify against Lucky Bill. Of the trial, the History of Nevada says: "The evidence under oath was written down by C. N. Noteware, late secretary of state for Nevada; and the writer of this has read it all. Not a thing appears there implicating Lucky Bill in anything except the attempt to secure the mur- derer's escape. The absence of any knowledge on the part of the accused of the guilt of Edwards is a noticeable feature in that testimony ; that party, after having acknowledged his own guilt, swore positively that he had assured Lucky Bill that he was innocent, and no one else testified to the contrary." The jury believed, however, that Thorrington was cognizant of the murder, and con- victed him. He was hanged on the nineteenth of June, 1850. The same work says: " His son is now dead, and the widow is wearing out her life in the Stockton Insane Asylum, in California."
Edwards was brought back to Honey Lake valley, and placed on trial. He made a full confes- sion, and was hanged June 23, 1858, by the officers selected by the settlers. John Mullen, the third murderer, was never captured.
RESIDENCE OF HENRY SNYDER.
LASSEN MILLS.
RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM H. HALL.
PROPERTY OF HALL & SNYDER. FOUR MILES SOUTH-EAST OF SUSANVILLE, LASSEN CO., CAL.
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LASSEN COUNTY PIONEER SOCIETY.
At a meeting of a number of the old settlers of Honey Lake valley, at Johnston & Wood's hall, in Susanville, February 14, 1882, for the purpose of taking into consideration the practica- bility of organizing a pioneer society, Dr. H. S. Borrette called the meeting to order, and on . motion of A. A. Smith, Hon. J. D. Byers was chosen chairman; W. H. Crane was selected as secretary. A brief but feeling address was made by the chairman, concluding with the statement that the meeting had been called for the purpose of, as he understood it, organizing a society of pioneers, who settled in the territory of what is now Lassen county prior to January 1, 1860.
Dr. H. S. Borrette read the following paper :
" The territory now forming the boundary of Lassen county was but a few short months ago a wilderness occupied by the Pah-Ute and Washoe Indians. Up to the year 1856 but very few whites had permanently settled in Honey Lake valley, and those were principally occupied either in stock-raising or as traders; yet these few settlers formed a nucleus of pioneers battling for years with the savages, and undergoing the many privations and annoyances of border life, until they were finally joined by others, making the settlement of sufficient strength to compel the red man to retire, and to give to the hardy pioneer peaceable possession of the territory. But as the years rolled on, from the many exigencies and diversities of interests, many of the first settlers removed from our midst, and the few that remain are being absorbed in the general mass, and are becoming lost to view; but the ties of friendship that bound them together as pioneers for the protection of life and property can never be effaced from memory; and although seas and continents may separate them, the kindest thoughts and well wishes with the hand of friendship will always be extended to all the old friends of pioneer days; and to this end it is desirable that a pioneer associa- tion or club be formed, to be known as the Lassen County Pioneer Association, and the object to perpetuate and cement the friendship of the long-ago."
E. V. Spencer, A. A. Smith, Dr. Z. N. Spalding, N. Clark, Dr. P. Chamberlin, D. Titherington, E. G. Bangham, and W. H. Crane spoke in favor of the organization ; and on motion, a committee, consisting of W. H. Crane, E. V. Spencer, and Dr. P. Chamberlin, was appointed to draft a consti- tution and by-laws, to be submitted to a meeting to be held March 4, 1882. At the adjourned meeting the committee reported, and the regulations submitted by them were adopted. The fol- lowing gentlemen signed the roll: James D. Byers, Frank S. Strong, John C. Davis, John Baxter, Jerry Tyler, David Titherington, Dr. Z. N. Spalding, Dr. P. Chamberlin, Colonel L. N. Breed, Dr. H. S. Borrette, N. Clark, L. Woodstock, J. P. Sharp, Dr. M. P. Chamberlin, A. G. Eppstine, W. H. Clark, Robert Johnston, R. D. Bass, William Dow, G. W. Fry, S. S. Bass, J. E. Bass, W. P. Hall, E. G. Bangham, T. J. Mulroney, A. A. Smith, Leroy Arnold, John Lowe, Jr., E. V. Spencer, S. R. Hall, Philip Boody, Davis C. Hall, and W. H. Crane. (George Greeno has since united.)
The article regulating membership reads : " Eligibility to membership shall consist of being a male citizen who was born or actually settled within the territory of what is now Lassen county prior to July 1, 1860."
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JOURNALISM.
On the first day of July, 1865, the initial publication of Lassen county, The Sage Brush, a four- page, six-column weekly newspaper, made its appearance at Susanville. It was inaugurated by A. C. Longmore, an Englishman who had traveled extensively in tropical countries before coming to the United States. The articles emanating from his pen were written in a clear, forcible, pleasant style, entirely devoid of ambiguity. Politically, he espoused the principles of republicanism; and if a portion of his patrons were at variance with him in opinion, they have always done him the justice to say they believed him sincere in all his writings.
Longmore continued at the helm, advocating the interests of this section at all times, until August 10, 1867, at which time the name of A. T. Bruce, editor and proprietor, appeared at the head of the first column. Mr. Bruce, whose biography is given elsewhere, was a young man of consider- able ability, and while he continued to wield the editorial pen, the paper was conducted in an able and vigorous manner. In politics he was republican, and at the judicial election in 1867 was chosen county judge for two years, and acted in that capacity to the end of his term. He continued, however, to edit The Sage Brush until September 5, 1868, when John C. Partridge bought the establishment, changed the name to Lassen Sage Brush, and entered upon the discharge of the arduous duties of a country editor, which he did to the satisfaction of its patrons. His biography is given elsewhere.
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