USA > California > Lassen County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 60
USA > California > Plumas County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 60
USA > California > Sierra County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 60
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73
JOSEPH LYNCH .- Mr. Lynch is the only survivor of the six men who wintered in Honey Lake valley in 1855-56. He was born in County Dublin, Ireland, May 9, 1812. Being left an orphan when quite young, he went to sea at the age of thirteen ; a year later he stopped in Canada, and remained seven years on a farm. At the age of nineteen he married Miss Achsa Finland. She died about two years afterwards, and their only son, William, died in New York when fourteen years of age. In 1833 Mr. Lynch moved to New York, and two years later to Wisconsin. He arrived in San Francisco, from around the Horn, March 17, 1852. He mined until the summer of 1855, when he came to Honey Lake valley with Peter Lassen, and has ever since resided in the log house they built at that time. He has been engaged in mining and ranching constantly. He is a demo- crat in politics.
JAMES MCDERMOTT .- He was born in Clark county, Missouri, June 11, 1842. In 1859 he came overland with his brother Thomas, and spent that winter in El Dorado county. The next year he went to Virginia City, and teamed three years. He bought the stock ranch of Thomas Smith, eighteen miles south of Milford, Lassen county, to which he has added until he now owns 400 acres. He is engaged in the stock business. Mr. McDermott is a republican. He belongs to the Masonic lodge at Janesville. April 22, 1865, he married Miss Katie Gardner of Long valley. They have five children : Emma I., born February 19, 1866; Andrew J., January 4, 1868; James W., July 24, 1871; George T., May 4, 1873; Maud A., September 1, 1880.
N. S. McKINSEY .- The editor of the Advocate was born in Downieville, California, in 1855. He received a business education, and learned the art of telegraphy. He made his first appearance in Lassen county in 1877, having charge of the construction of the first line of telegraph to this county. After its completion, he remained in charge of the Susanville office one year. He then went into the newspaper business in Modoc county, in which he is now engaged with D. C. Slater. In 1881 they purchased the Lassen Advocate, since which time Mr. McKinsey has lived in Susan- ville, and occupied the position of editor and manager of that paper. He was married December 23, 1879, to Miss Louisa B. Slater, born in Janesville, in this county, September 29, 1861.
J. T. MASTEN .- He was born in Jacksonville, Morgan county, Illinois, April 19, 1835. Two years later his parents removed to Adams county, where he remained most of the time until he came overland to California, arriving in Amador county August 15, 1852. Until the spring of 1860 he mined in Amador, El Dorado, and Sacramento counties, when he bought a farm in Yolo
411
county, and engaged in farming there for thirteen years. In the spring of 1873 he sold out, and bought 760 acres of John W. Kelley, twenty miles east of Susanville, on which he has since resided. Mr. Masten is a member of the Masonic and A. O. U. W. lodges at Janesville. He is a republican in politics. December 24, 1863, he married Miss Amelia D. Terrill of Elgin, Illinois, born in Yates county, New York, December 18, 1843. Their children are Minnie L., born November 16, 1868 ; Elbertia A., March 9, 1878. The former was born at Knight's Landing, Yolo county, and the latter in Lassen county.
J. H. MAXWELL .- He was born in Du Page county, Illinois, June 20, 1837. In 1859 he came overland to California, and mined in Rich gulch, Plumas county, for one year. He then engaged for twelve years in the stock and butchering business in Indian valley. In 1874 he bought the Greenville hotel, and conducted it until 1877, when he sold out and came to Susanville. He bought the Stewart House, and ran it three years, when he sold it, and purchased his farm three miles east of Susanville. He is a member of the Masonic lodge and commandery at Susanville. November 22, 1871, he married Miss Joana Huntsinger of Taylorville, born in White county, Illinois, in 1853. Maggie May, their only child, was born in Plumas county, November 30, 1872.
ANDREW MILLER .- This gentleman was born in Bavaria, Germany, June 8, 1826. He, with his parents, removed to the United States in 1839. Settled first in Harford county, Maryland, where they remained three years, and then removed to Pike county, Illinois, where his father engaged in farming. Here Andrew remained until 1849, when he came overland to California, arriving in Sacramento in the summer of that year, and in the fall removed to Hangtown, where he mined until the next spring, from which time for the next twelve years he engaged in merchan- dising, packing, and other branches of business. In the spring of 1863 he came to Susanville, and, in partnership with Rufus Kingsley, built the first fire-proof store in the town. Four years later he sold out and removed to Longville, Plumas county, and settled on a farm which he had bought in 1859, where he has ever since made his home. In April, 1871, he was appointed receiver for the U. S. Land Office at Susanville, which position he still holds. He is a member of the Masonic lodge, chapter, and commandery at Susanville. In politics, he is republican. Mr. Miller was married August 25th, 1862, to Miss Lydia Russell, born in Maine, August 20, 1838. Their children are Maud, born August 9, 1863 ; Russell Keith, April 12, 1865; Frank Leon, August 3, 1866; Mabel L., February 11, 1868; Perley, January 6, 1870; Mark, December 30, 1872-all born in Plumas county.
THOMAS J. MULRONEY .- He was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, August 15, 1838. Nine years later the family emigrated to the United States, settling in New York, where Thomas lived until 1857, spending some time in Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Georgia. He came to California in 1857, via the Isthmus, arriving in August. He mined for a year on Soda bar, in Plumas county. In the fall of 1858 he came to Lassen county, and engaged in farming and packing. He bought an interest with his brother Edward in a ranch near Susanville, in 1860, which he sold in 1864. In 1862, with Edward and two others, he bought a ranch of 320 acres, four miles east of Janesville. Since 1865 he has been the sole owner of this property, where he still resides. In politics, Mr. Mulroney is a democrat. He married Miss Sarah Thompson, April 6, 1866. She was born in Monroe county, New York, June 9, 1849. Their children were all born in Honey Lake valley : William, January 12, 1868, died July 15, 1869; Ellen, August 18, 1869; Alice, January 24, 1872; Thomas, January 14, 1874; Mary, February 12, 1877; Edward, November 12, 1881.
S. H. PAINTER .- June 17, 1830, Mr. Painter was born in Knox county, Ohio. He worked on the farm and attended school until the fall of 1850, when the family moved to Andrew county,
412
Missouri. June 1, 1851, he married Miss Jane Kincaid, born in Knox county, Ohio, January 5, 1829. In the spring of 1854 he left the new home for California, reaching Marysville in September. For five years he engaged in farm-work and butchering. In the winter of 1859 he went back for his family, and crossed the plains again the next season, arriving in Honey Lake valley in August. The next year he went to Colusa county, and farmed three years. He then returned to Susanville, and in July, 1864, bought T. H. Epley's claim of 160 acres of land, three miles south-east of Janes- ville, on which he has since lived, and been engaged in farming and teaming.
JOHN C. PARTRIDGE .- He was born in Whitefield county, Maine, May 12, 1837. He attended Kent's Hill seminary until fourteen years of age, when he commenced clerking in a store in Gardner. He remained there until twenty years old, and then went to Illinois, and attended the Rock River seminary two years. In the spring of 1859 he came overland to California, arriving in Susanville in August. A few months later he went to Plumas county, and engaged in mining on Feather river. Two years later he returned to this county, and kept the Deep Hole station two years, when he sold out and kept books for a firm in Susanville, taught school, and was deputy in the clerk's office until September, 1868. He then bought the Sage Brush, and published it nearly ten years. During that time he was county surveyor two years and U. S. surveyor five years. In 1875 he became postmaster at Susanville, and at the same time engaged in merchandising, and continued thus until his death, June 22, 1881. He was a member of Lassen Commandery No. 12, K. T. February 16, 1869, he married Miss Eva Slater, born in Batesville, Arkansas, in 1850. The union was blessed with six children : John S., born June 22, 1870; Karl C., August 7, 1872; Henry, January 14, 1874; Beatrice L., January 24, 1876; Jennie M., June 14, 1879, died October 18, 1879; Maria, October 22, 1880.
HON. ISAAC NEWTON ROOP .- Governor Roop's grandfather was a German, and his grand- mother a native of England. His father, Joseph Roop, married Miss Susan Engle, and reared a family of nine sons and two daughters. The subject of this sketch was the fifth son, and was born in Carroll county, Maryland, March 13, 1822. In 1838 the family moved to Ashland county, Ohio. December 24, 1840, Isaac married Miss Nancy Gardner, born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, December 22, 1822, and settled on a farm adjoining that of his father, and also manufactured and dealt in lumber. Three children were born to them: Susan Engle, November 13, 1841 ; John V., November 27, 1843 ; I. J., November 30, 1845. June 20, 1850, Mrs. Roop died, and in September Mr. Roop started for California, leaving John in charge of his grandfather Roop, and I. J. and Susan with their grandfather Gardner. Mr. Roop clerked in a store at Oak Bottom until June, 1851, and then went to Shasta and kept public house. In October he went to Bear river, and lived there until March, 1852, when he was appointed postmaster as Shasta. June 14, 1853, he was burned out, and lost about $10,000, all he had. He then went over the mountains, and located a land claim in Honey Lake valley. His after history-how he made his settlement, engaged in the formation of a government for Nevada and became the governor, was admitted to practice law, and participated in all the public movements in this section-is fully detailed in the preceding pages. He practiced law in Susanville until the time of his death, February 14, 1869. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and was buried with honors, a large concourse of citizens attending his funeral. His two sons served in the Union army during the war. I. J. Roop died from the effects of a wound received at the battle of South Mountain. John V. settled in Iowa after the war, and in 1877 removed to Blue Springs, Nebraska. Susan came to California in 1862, and lived with her father. She married A. T. Arnold, December 27, 1864, and still resides in Susanville.
( For additional Biographies see page 499.)
HISTORY
OF
SIERRA COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
ASONIC-MAR
INDEX
TO THE
HISTORY OF SIERRA COUNTY.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Topography 417
Area
418
Climate
417
Altitudes
418
EARLY HISTORY OF SIERRA COUNTY.
419-422
P. A. Haven at Little Rich Bar.
419
Major Downie's Reminiscences 421
Discovery of Gold at Downieville 419
Cut-Eye Foster 421
Indian Reminiscences
420
Early Mining.
422
ORGANIZATION OF SIERRA COUNTY. 423-424
Creation of Yuba County 423
Creation of Sierra County. 423
First Townships. 423
Boundaries 424
Justices' Courts and Justices 423
First Election 424
Miners' Courts. 423
Officers elected .
424
OFFICIAL HISTORY OF SIERRA COUNTY.
425-426
Creation of Townships. 425
Northern Boundary changed 425
Naming of Townships 425
Southern Boundary changed. 426
Present Election Precincts.
425
Board of Supervisors
426
THE COURTS AND JUDICIARY 427-431
District Court. . 427
Judges and Associates. 428
District Judges. 427
County Court. 429
Court of Sessions 428
Biographies of Judges. 429
First Grand Jury
428
Superior Court.
430
First Indictments 428
Sierra County Bar
431
OFFICERS OF SIERRA COUNTY FROM 1852 to 1882
432-434
Coroners 433
Public Administrators 433
Sheriffs 432
Surveyors 434
* School Superintendents 432
Recorders
434
Treasurers.
433
Assessors 433
Board of Supervisors
434
County Clerks 432
District Attorneys. 432
Page
417-419
414
SENATORS AND ASSEMBLYMEN.
PRESIDENTIAL AND GUBERNATORIAL VOTES 436-437
COURT-HOUSE, AND HOSPITAL
First County Jail 437
Erection of Court-house 437
New Hospital 438
County Physicians
438
Condition of Hospital
438
HISTORICAL REMINISCENCES
439-445
Negro Suit 439
Extent of a Mining Claim 439
Unappreciated Eloquence 440
Pap Harris' Sale.
440
Asiatic Antics 441
CRIMINAL ANNALS
445-455
Hanging of the Spanish Woman 445
The Butler-Moffat Tragedy 451
A Forest City Fight 452
Shooting of Thaddeus Purdy 448
A Poker Flat Fiasco .452
Hanging of the Indian Pijo. 448
Tired of Life
452
Quick Work at Goodyear's
449
Execution of Michael Murray. 452
Wholesale Butchery of Chinamen 450
Lynching at Chip's Flat. 453
Hanging of Harlow 450
Express Robberies.
454
DOWNIEVILLE
Early Settlement. 456
Fire of 1864. 461
Christening of Downieville 456
Fatal Explosion . 461
First Business Houses 456
Post-office
.461
First Miners' Meeting 457
Schools 462
Langton's Express 457
Illustrious Citizens 462
Proving up. 463
Water Companies 463
Condition of Society . . 458
Fire of 1852. 459
Stage Lines . 463
Business Houses of 1852 459
Telegraph and Express 463
Fire of 1858 460
Business Houses, etc. 464
Incorporation.
460
Churches .
464
Fire Department established. 461
Secret Societies 465
GOODYEAR'S BAR
First Settlement. 465
The Taylor Brothers 468
Mining at Goodyear's 466
The Murdered Germans 468
Post-office 468
Long-bearded Kuntz. 469
Pioneer Dances.
468
Stage from Camptonville 469
Fire of 1864 469
SIERRA CITY
First Settlement 470
470
Sierra Buttes Quartz-ledge
470
Town rebuilt.
470
470-472
Demolished by Snow.
437-438
Old Hospital. 438
A Durgan Flat Incident 441
Punishment by the Lash 442
The Kelley-Spear Duel.
443
The Lippincott-Tevis Duel
444
The Slate Creek Tragedy . 447
456-465
Durgan's Saw-mill 457
Mining at Downieville. 457
Fire Department. 463
465-469
Schools and Churches 468
Page 435
415
Murder of Black 470
Express and Post Offices 471
Churches 472
Stages . .. 471
Societies 472
Telegraph 471
Hotels
471
The E Clampus Vitus 471
Schools
471
Hose Company
472
SIERRA VALLEY
Discovery and Settlement of Sierra
Randolph 261
Valley 259
Antelope District. 261
Loyalton 260
Craycroft
261
Sierraville
261
FOREST CITY AND ALLEGHANY .
473-476 First Diggings-Rapid Development-Schools and Churches-Stages-Fires-Busi- ness Houses-Societies-etc.
NORTHERN SIERRA.
476-478
St. Louis. 476
Newark 477
Howland Flat 476
Hepsidam 477
Pine Grove
477
Port Wine. 477
Gibsonville
477
Eureka City
478
MINING OF SIERRA COUNTY. 478-483
The various mines and their owners.
THE PRESS OF SIERRA COUNTY.
483-484
Newspapers and their editors.
SCHOOLS OF SIERRA COUNTY
484-485
Board of Examiners 484
Number of School Children
485
School-houses 485
Value of School Property .
485
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
485-498
Abbe, George H. 485
Crignon, A ..
487
Adams, J. C .. 271
Connolly, Patrick. 269
Bigelow, H. H. 485
Church, Isaac S .... 274
Brown, J. W. 486
Chapman, Albert P. 265
Brown, A. M. 274
Campbell, Judge William
429
Brown, J. C .. 268
Cowden, Judge D. H.
430
Burgess, William H. 486
Downer, Eugenio Kincaid 487
Busch, August C. 486
Dolley, E. P. 274
Byington, L. 486
Davis, Charles H. 273
Buxton, G. Q. 273
Davis, Aaron
270
Bringham, Marion C .. 262
Beckwourth, James P. 256
Eggleston, B. T. 488
Eschbacher, F. A. 488
Fischer, F. L. 488
Campbell, Jason 487
Fish, N. B. 488
Castagneto, G. B. 487
Forbes, Robert
488
Fagg, J. D
269
Clute, John Howard. 487
Davidson, Judge Samuel B. 429
Beaton, Alexander 263
Battelle, T. S. 270
Page
256-275
416
Freeman, Joel E. 271
Goff, Peter. .489
Newman, David D. 268
Gallagher, E. J. 275
Nicholson, James 270
Orear, J. W.
493
Osgood, L. H. 493
Heringlake, C. A. 490
Hill, S. D. 490
Hutchinson, Joseph.
490
Harris, Judge Garland
430
Humphrey, George W
. 266
Hughes, Marshall
272
Howk, Corel
Rains, W. Smith.
269
Hamlen, E. H.
275
Rawden, William B.
274'
Hardin, M ..
270
Sawyer, Dr. J. J.
494
Haines, G. P.
271
Howe, Judge A. J.
430
Jones, I. G .. 490
Scullin, S. A 495
Jump, Dr. Alemby. 491
Kennedy, Henry H
491
Stewart, J. C.
Kimball, Walter B.
492
Knuthsen, Jacob 272
Keyes, David B. 266
492
Luther, W. T. 492
Vaughn, Jerome A
496
Lewis, Hiram 269
Lemmon, B. F 273
Martinetti, I.
492
492 .
Weston, Dr. R. S.
497
Meany, N. H. 493
Wiggins, J. S.
497
Mowry, Lewis 493
Whitney, D. L. 498
Wixon, Julins S. 498
West, T. F.
269
Weston, Isaac.
268
Webber, Dr. D. G.
267
Miller, James
271
Nessler, L.
493
Pauly, Benjamin 494
Purdy, H. H. 494
Patterson, David B 268
Pettibone, Judge S. J 429
Ryan, W. 494
Rowland, Francis M. 264
Scheffer, O.
494
Scott, John
495
Spaulding, Henry 495
495
Strange, H.
496
Sheer, Roy R. 273
Strang, Jared.
263
Smith, Judge Alanson
429
Ward, Alonzo 496
Weir, H. G. 497
West, John T. 497
McGuire, A. J.
McCann, Judge Ferdinand J. 429
Maddux, Theophilus 272
Myers, J. D.
274
Haskins, William 489
Haven, Philo A.
489
Page
Lefever, Dr. Josiah
266
HISTORY
OF
SIERRA COUNTY.
SIERRA COUNTY lies in the north-eastern part of the state of California, its entire area being included within the great range of the Sierra Nevadas. From its almost universal mountainous nature it has been appropriately termed Sierra, the lowest point within its confines being two thousand feet above the level of the sea. It is bounded on the north by Plumas and Lassen coun- ties, on the east by the state of Nevada, on the south by Nevada county, and on the west by Yuba and Plumas counties. The topography of the county, with the exception of Sierra valley, presents a continuous succession of lofty hills and deep cañons, many of the former rising to dizzy heights, and hundreds of the latter sinking into bewildering depths, with precipitous walls of rock and earth. Most of the hills are covered with magnificent coniferous forests of red spruce, balsam fir, cedar, sugar and yellow pine; while the valleys or canons furnish a rich growth of oak and all the varieties of trees found in the foot-hills of California. It is not uncommon to find vast pines towering up to a height of two hundred feet or more, situated at the base of hills, with soaring tops that seem ambitious to reach the highest altitudes surrounding them. Most of the mining towns in Sierra county are situated far above the snow-line, at elevations ranging from three to six thou- sand feet.
Every part of the county enjoys a climate unrivaled for healthfulness and pleasure. Malarial disorders and fevers, so universal in other sections of the state, are totally unknown here. A physician moving here is obliged to reconstruct his system of practice on another basis entirely from that which obtains elsewhere.
The water obtained from the numerous mountain streams is of the purest possible quality, being fed by the vast masses of snow melting from the summits. The crystal torrents on every side, dashing and foaming over the rocks, pursuing their serpentine ways through the wild yet always beautiful cañons of the Sierras, rushing with mighty swiftness along their narrow channels, and singing the ever-sweet song of rushing waters, are laden with countless numbers of beautiful mountain trout, choice prizes for the eager angler : all of which attractions during the summer months draw many seekers for health and pleasure to these banquet-halls of nature. The county is traversed by the Middle Yuba river on the south, the North Yuba in the center, Slate creek and Canon creek on the north, together with numerous affluents pertaining to them all. Oregon creek, Kanaka creek, and Wolf creek flow from the north into the Middle Yuba; the North Yuba forks at Downieville, causing the south fork of the North Yuba, and the middle and north forks of the
47
418
North Yuba. In addition to these streams are many small and lovely lakes scattered through the center and eastern parts of the county. Webber lake, in the south-eastern part of the county (spoken of elsewhere in this volume), is a beautiful sheet of water, remarkable for its many echoes. Gold lake, with its many lesser companions, occupies a place in the north, being reservoirs for myriads of the famous mountain trout.
The isolated peaks of Sierra county are Table Rock, Saddle Back, Mount Fillmore, Fir Cap, Mount Lola, and the Sierra Buttes. Fir Cap attains an altitude of 6,500 feet, Sierra Buttes 8,950 feet, and Mount Lola, the highest point in the county, about 9,200 feet. The Sierra Buttes moun- tain is one of the landmarks of the state, visible from a large area of the valley of the Sacramento, and rendered prominently conspicuous by the sharply-defined, cone-shaped, serrated, basaltic lava in its formation. The snows in these high altitudes fall to a great depth, obstructing the roads over the ridges for weeks at times, the only means of communication being by travel on snow-shoes. Snow is frequently found on the ridges twenty feet in depth.
Sierra county extends east and west in nearly the shape of a parallelogram. Its greatest length is sixty miles, and the greatest breadth thirty miles, embracing an arca of eight hundred and thirty square miles. The primal cause of the settlement of Sierra county was the desire for gold, almost fabulous amounts of which have been found in many parts. The proportion of agricultural to mineral land is exceedingly small, not one acre in fifty being suitable for the plow. Mining has from the first been the principal occupation, and will continue to be so for hundreds of years, as the deposits of auriferous gravel and quartz seem to be inexhaustible. Nearly every hill and mountain is a vast treasure vault of nature, needing only the brain and the hand of man to unlock the care- fully hidden combination. It was not always thus. The overflowing chests of nature dropped here and there with lavish waste enough of wealth to indicate the incomparable richness of that they kept from human gaze. Perhaps the millions dug from ancient river channel or picked from some chance crevice are but the chippings or the shavings from the rest.
Following is a list of altitudes of the various points of interest in Sierra county, obtained by Mr. E. K. Downer, junior editor of the Mountain Messenger, who used one of Muller's most accurate aneroids. The figures given are approximately correct.
Feet.
Feet.
Downieville. . 3,000
Sheehan's Ranch
. 4,600 Eureka .5,150 McMahon's. 5,000
Mt. Pleasant Ranch.
4,750
Port Wine 5,100
Summit of ridge between Eureka and Me-
Mahon's . 5,600
Scales'. . 4,400
Slate Creek bridge 4,350
Gibsonville
5,600
Newark 5,850
Slate Creek bridge No. 2 5,650
Highest point on road to Howland Flat ... 6,050
First ridge above Howland Flat .5,800 Sears' Union Ditch Crossing .5,925
Summit of second ridge 6,000
Potosi.
.5,800
Howland Flat (Becker's) 5,800
McFarland's
5,750
Sears' U. W. Co.'s office (Pine Grove) . . 5,600
Table Rock
7,050
St. Louis (Schwartz's hotel) .5,200
Morristown bridge crossing
4,250
Morristown
5,150
Craig's Flat
5,100
Cañon Creek bridge
4,325
John Yore's bridge 2,900
Goodyear's Bar 2,750
Watering trough . 4,125
Mountain House
4,700
Forest City
4,600
419
Feet.
Feet.
Pliocene shaft 5,575
Main Summit. 6,800
Barnhardt's 3,125
Yellow Jacket point. 6,050
Fowle's ranch. 5,350
H. K. Turner's 4,975
Shoo Fly . 3,325
Whitney's lower saw-mill . 3,375
Adam Weitzell's .3,500
Frank Beaver's 3,575
A. Kaiser's . 3,950
J. Hutchinson's 4,200
Sierra City (Scott's). .4,250
Sierra Buttes office.
5,375
Summit Sierra Buttes 8,950
J. H. Bassett's
5,400
Slap Jack ranch . 6,200
County Cabin
6,600
Ridge between Turner's and Toomy's. 5,050
Toomy's .5,000
Boyle's . 5,000
Chapman's. . 5,075
James Miller's 4,980
Sierraville
5,000
Loyalton .
.5,000
Randolph . 5,020
Campbell's Sulphur Springs . 5,050
Webber Lake . 6,800
Haskell's Peak.
8,126
EARLY HISTORY.
The first explorers of this region are not all known. Along the canon of the North Yuba men were mining as early as the summer of 1849. Philo A. Haven came up the North Yuba early in Sep- tember, 1849, and at that time found notices of seven different claims posted on Big Rich bar, signed by Hedgepath & Co. He located on Little Rich bar, and was joined by Francis Anderson, who, on the fourteenth of September, found the first gold discovered in the neighborhood of Sierra's capital town. Several other settlements were made within the present confines of the county, either prior to the discoveries on the North Yuba, or simultaneously with them. By November several of them were quite populous camps. A few days prior to Mr. Anderson's dis- covery at the Forks, he was in Indian valley with John C. Fulton and - Elliott. There they abandoned their mules, and packed their culinary and mining utensils over to where Mr. Haven was on Little Rich bar with his party. Among these was a rocker, so invaluable in those days for a guaranty of large returns. On their way thither they met an Indian, who, being unable to communicate in the English tongue, indicated to them, by laying his head three times on a rock, that there were three men working on the river a short distance off. In this way they discovered the near proximity of Mr. Haven and his companions. On the fourteenth, as previously stated, Mr. Anderson went up to the Forks, and discovered gold at a point immediately above where the Jersey bridge at Downieville now stands. The value of the find was not large-about four dollars -but it encouraged him to proceed farther up in hopes to discover larger pay. The traces of Indians were apparent everywhere. A tree on Jersey flat was still burning, while a white log lay across the river on which were a number of deer skulls. Other indications were seen of a fishing party having been there. Anderson was standing in the water taking out from ten to twenty dollars to a pan, when he heard a loud noise on the hillside, and saw a party of men dressed in various bright colors descending towards him. They were whooping and yelling as they clambered
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.