USA > California > Alameda County > Past and present of Alameda County, California, Volume I > Part 6
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In the year 1839 the Rancho Las Pocitas was granted to Don Salvio Pacheco who also owned the Rancho Monte del Diablo. During the early part of 1839 he transferred his interest to Livermore and Noriego who took possession thereof April 10, 1839. That same year they erected an abode house near the Pocitas creek, which stood until about the year 1875, when it was torn down. Here it was on this grant of two leagues of land that Livermore fixed his permanent
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
abode and commenced a life that was truly patriarchial. In a few years his flocks and herds were counted by thousands, while they roamed about at will over a territory that vied in magnitude with many a principality. True, he was sur- rounded on every hand by frequent dangers, but these would appear to have added zest to his life. His eminent courage and infectious good-nature, however, soon made him friends among the families of the ranchos. In 1844 he planted a vine- yard as well as a pear, apple and olive orchard on the flat near his house. He also raised wheat-the first produced in the valley-and by means of a ditch brought water from the Pocitas Springs for the purpose of irrigation. In addi- tion to the occupation given to these enterprises, he killed his cattle for their hides and tallow ; the meat not being saleable was left on the ground. When not engaged in this wise he turned his attention to the manufacture of bear's grease from grizzlies that fell victims to his unerring rifle. Thus he dwelt for nearly fifteen years in the splendid valley which bears his name, while his cattle roamed untamed from the Amador valley to the San Joaquin river. Here he brought up a family of sons and daughters and lived in peace with all men, unmolested and honored. On September 14, 1846, Livermore purchased the Canada de los Vaqueros grant, the greater portion of which lay within the boundaries of Contra Costa county. This rancho was originally granted in the year 1836 to Miranda Higuera and Francisco Alviso, and comprised three square leagues of land.
Of the original grantees of land, J. D. Pacheco received in 1839 the Santa Rita Rancho, located between that of San Ramon and Las Pocitas, but he did not place any building of a permanent nature thereupon, although it was occupied in 1844 by Francisco Alviso as majordomo. About the same time, towards the east end of Livermore valley, grants of land were made to Antonio Maria Pico, Antonio Sunol, and Augustin Bernal.
During the gold excitement he extended an unstinting hospitality to all. The immigrants found him ever ready to hold out the right hand of fellowship, to fill their exhausted larders, and otherwise aid them with practical knowledge of an unknown country. This discovery of gold was also the means of bringing to him communication with people speaking his native tongue, and brought him forcibly back to his youthful days. The first structure of these days was erected in the year 1849, on the site of the Mountain House, not far from the spot where the three counties of Contra Costa, San Joaquin, and Alameda come to a point. It took the form of a "Blue Tent," and being on the direct road to the mines was opened and kept as a house of entertainment by Thomas Goodale (or Goodall). Here McLeod's stage from Stockton changed horses. For ten years it was a kind of special camp for stockmen, rancheros, and immigrants. Goodale subsequently constructed an adobe house, in the building of which he employed Indians, and this edifice Simon Zimmerman occupied for twenty-seven years. He added to it in 1868 by putting a frame building in front, finally, however, pulling it down and erecting a large residence on its site.
In April, 1850, Augustin Bernal brought up his family from Santa Clara county, built an adobe house on the west side of Laguna creek, and there took up his residence. About the same time Michael Murray, after whom the township is named, located near where Dublin stands, built a house and planted an orchard. With him came one Jeremiah Fallon, who settled on a place in the Amador valley. Also in this year came four brothers named Patterson who located in
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
what was known as Patterson Pass. One of them, Nathaniel Greene Patterson rented the Livermore adobe and started the first permanent house of entertain- ment in the district. In this year, too, Jose Sunol came up to reside on his father's possessions. There also dwelt here as majordomo an old Mexican named Diego Celaya. In this year also Joshua A. Neal was as a resident majordomo for Robert Livermore. In 1850 A. Bardellini, the subsequent proprietor of the Washington Hotel in Livermore, probably first cast his lot in the district.
In 1851 the first frame building was erected within the boundary of the township by Robert Livermore, the lumber having been brought from one of the Atlantic states around the horn to San Francisco and thence transported with much difficulty to its future resting place. Seven hundred dollars was paid for its construction, the carpenter work being done by John Strickland and John Tierney. In time it became known as the "Old Livermore House." John W. Kottinger came to the township in August, 1851, and found located here an Englishman named Strickland who lived five miles from Pleasanton on the El Valle creek. Near him dwelt a trapper and hunter named Cook, and Francisco Alviso resided on the eastern bank of the Laguna creek. In this year also, Juan P. Bernal built a residence on the east side of Laguna creek and completed it in 1852. On the bank of the stream known as the Old San Joaquin, Thomas Mclaughlin located in 1851. About that time Edward Carroll and a man named Wright took up a claim in the section known as Corral Hollow, where also in the same season Captain Jack O'Brien, commenced sheep-raising. Alphonso Ladd and his family also settled in Sunol valley in 1851. He built a two-story frame building, which he occupied until removing to and founding Laddsville, the eastern portion of the town of Livermore. Mr. Kottinger built a frame building on the east side of Main street, in the village of Pleasanton. In 1852 J. W. Dougherty came to the township and bought the lands of Don Jose Maria Amador. Mr. Dougherty was a native of Tennessee, and occupied the original Amador adobe until it was rendered uninhabitable by an earthquake. In this year also the Senors Lorenzo and Juan Sunol moved up into the Sunol valley. These men were nephews of the grantee and resided there for only about four years.
During 1853 Greene Patterson erected a frame house about two miles south- east from where the town of Livermore now stands, and about the same time R. W. Defrees built and opened a caravansary on the main road about one mile west from the residence of Mr. Livermore. In the same year Thomas Hart came to the district, was employed by Livermore for some time, and in 1854 bought the hostelry mentioned above and called it the Half-way House, it being popularly supposed to have been equidistant from Oakland, Stockton and San Jose. Here Hart resided until 1860, when he removed to the town of Liver- more and there died in 1871. Among the settlers who came to the township in 1853 was John Whitman, who with his family took up his residence on the west side of Laguna creek on land near Pleasanton.
In 1854 Richard T. Pope came to the township, settled on part of the ranch now owned by J. P. Smith, and there engaged in stock-raising for eleven years. Messrs. Grover and Glascock occupied a portion of the same ranch. Ben Wil- liams was also living there; John G. Griffith was a settler this year. In this year J. West Martin and others came to the section of country near Pleasanton and later were the first to embark in farming upon a considerable scale. In the
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
spring of the year Simon Zimmerman located at the Mountain House on the Stockton road fourteen miles from Livermore. In 1855 Hiram Bailey, a car- penter, came to Livermore valley. Early in 1856, Frank Heare came to the place now known as Midway and settled in what was called the "Zinc House." F. W. Lucas it is said settled near Mr. Pope.
At this period there were fully fifty thousand head of cattle and horses in the township, besides immense droves of sheep in the hills and mountains. Few attempts at agriculture were made, as it was generally believed that the soil would produce nothing but grass. At Livermore's place, Alisal (Pleasanton) and Amador's both grain and vegetables were raised, but in a very small way. Everybody in the valley was interested in stock-raising, and no other industry was in operation, nor hardly thought of. In the year 1856, however, the first blow toward the complete revolution of the industrial interests of the district was struck. Joseph Livermore had some time previously fenced a 160 acre field on the Pocitas grant, including a portion of another ranch, and that year sowed .the field to wheat. This was the first field of small grain ever raised in the Livermore valley. In this year among the new-comers were Thomas Raf- ferty, J. L. Bangs and Michael McCollier.
In 1857 Joseph Black and two brothers named Carrick began raising wheat in the west end of Livermore valley, the first-named putting in 400 acres on the ranch of Jeremiah Fallon and the brothers a like amount on the Dougherty estate adjoining. In the summer of 1857 Robert Livermore sank an artesian well near his residence. A depth of about seven hundred feet was reached at the time of Mr. Livermore's death when work was abandoned. At that sounding the water came within ten feet of the surface. A cross-pipe was put in and a flowing stream of water brought out on the hillside below the house. The cost of this well was not less than $5,000.
In the fall of 1858 John Green came to the township. Near where Dublin now stands, Edward Horan lived and four miles to the eastward was William Murray. About the same time John Martin and his family came up from San Mateo county and located among the hills about a mile and a half from Dublin. Not long after James F. Kapp and Robert Graham settled in the township. Among those who arrived in 1859 was Adam Fath, who located on land about six miles from Livermore.
In this year Lysander Stone and William Meek came to the township. In 1860 the first town in Murray township was started. This was Dublin. In 1860 Hiram Bailey sowed eighty acres of wheat on the Pocitas grant, three miles north of Livermore; the same year Joseph Black rented 400 acres from Dougherty in addition to what he was already farming on the Fallon Ranch. In that year, also, S. B. Martin, who had in 1854 purchased the Santa Rita rancho, increased his sowing area by several hundred acres.
During 1861 the acreage of sowed land was increased 1,000 acres by Alexander Esdon. Hiram Bailey added to his farming operations. In 1862 Charles Hadsell came to the Sunol valley. The Argenti Hotel was then kept by a Frenchman named Bertrand. George Buttner was here. Samuel Bonner resided near where Sunol now is. Farther down the Laguna creek was Isaac Trough, and not far from him was a man named Higgins. In this year wheat- raising was in full progress in the west end of Livermore valley; fences sprung Vol. 1-4
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
up everywhere, stock was crowded up towards the Livermore ranch (which was then thought unfit for agricultural purposes) and flour-producing grain became an established fact, the yield, in many instances, being enormous, while the general average was about a ton to the acre. The number of cattle was still on the increase, there being in that year no fewer than eight thousand head of calves branded on the rancho of the Bernals. In 1863 John Booken, Amos S. Bangs and Maas Lueders arrived.
In 1863-64, that commonly known as the "dry year," two brothers named Bean farmed about four hundred acres of the Bernal grant, two miles south- east of the Livermore House, where the yield of grain was immense. Among those who arrived at this time and made their permanent homes within the lim- its of the township, were Dr. I. N. Mark, Frederick and Charles Rose, Martin Mendenhall, Hugh Dougherty and Peter Mckeany. In 1864 W. M. Mendenhall settled near Livermore. Settlers now came in great numbers, and either by purchase or pre-emption located in the district in every direction. There was one drawback-the uncertainty of land titles. The chief cause of this was doubt regarding the boundaries of the Pocitas or Livermore grant.
The United States patent, which was issued February 18, 1859, granted "two leagues, more or less," within certain boundaries. The limits described, however, contained upwards of eleven leagues, which amount was claimed by the heirs of Robert Livermore. On March 1, 1871, this matter was definitely settled by the approval of the second Dyer survey (two leagues) by the com- missioner of the general land office at Washington, in accordance with a deci- sion by the secretary of the interior, a decision which threw open for peaceable pre-emption a large extent of country, and, coming as it did immediately after the completion of the railroad through the valley, resulted in bringing in a large population. Towns sprung up as if by magic; every year widened the extent of the grain fields, and witnessed the building of new homes. The stock interests had given way to the plow, and the hut of the Mexican vaquero was supplanted by the cozy cottage of the tiller of the soil.
S. Zimmerman was one of the first settlers of the county. His Mountain House was on the early highway between the Mission San Jose, Oakland and Stockton. To the westward the nearest habitation was that of the Livermores in the pass and valley. To the eastward, ten miles away, lived the Chamberlains. Zimmerman was not far from some of the strongholds of the Mexican bandit, Joaquin Murietta, Brusha Peak and Corral Hollow. Murietta and his band were road agents and the terror of this new country then. More than once they visited the Mountain House and carried their measures with a high and reck- less hand. Zimmerman's family consisted of himself, wife and five children. This was in 1863. On one occasion the sheriff of Alameda county arrested at Zimmerman's two road agents-one named Gibbons who had stolen two horses from Mr. Sweet of San Leandro. Two stage robbers were captured on the same visit and the stage driver found that one of them was his own brother. The four men were convicted and served out their sentences.
On January 25, 1846, John C. Fremont and party passed across Alameda county ; they crossed the hillside near the laguna between Sunol and Pleasanton. During the war of 1846-7 other armed bands crossed Alamedo county to and from the active theatre of events. Fremont's party took nearly all of Ama-
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
dor's best tame horses and paid nothing for them. Amador was allowed to keep one mustang. Amador to the day of his death denounced Fremont as a "great scoundrel."
The sandy peninsula of Oakland was covered with a dense growth of oak trees, which subsequently gave to the place its name, and beneath the trees were numerous thickets of chaparral and tangled underbrush. Some four miles to the north was the residence of Vicente Peralta, and around it were settled a few other native Californians. The only use made of the peninsula of Oak- land was to obtain from it the necessary supplies of fuel.
The first actual settler in what is the city of Oakland was Moses Chase, who pitched his tent at what became East Oakland in the winter of 1849-50, and commenced hunting. Here he was found by the Patten brothers on their arrival in February, 1850. Next came Col. Henry S. Fitch, and Colonel Whit- ney, who made an unsuccessful attempt to purchase the tract of land. In the summer of 1850 appeared Moon, Carpentier and Adams, who squatted upon the land, holding that it belonged to the Government and not to Peralta, and erected a shanty near the foot of Broadway. The Spanish owner now made an attempt to oust these men and secured a writ of ejectment from the county court at Martinez, and a posse of men, under Deputy Sheriff Kelly, was sent to eject them, but Moon, Carpentier and Adams obtained a lease of a number of acres of land on certain conditions and laid out a town. The Patten brothers (Rob- ert F., William and Edward) shortly after leased a tract of land from Peralta, and afterward went into partnership with Chase. They cleared 100 acres and planted it in barley and wheat. At the close of the litigation about the title to those lands, between the Peraltas and other, which the Peraltas won, 800 acres which had been leased by Mr. Chase, were deeded to C. B. Strode, as a part of the 6,000 acres given by them for his legal services. Strode deeded to Chase and the Pattens, 400 acres on their agreeing to survey the tract, and place it on the market in town lots. This they did, and founded the town of Clinton. In 1851, Edson Adams, A. J. Moon and Horace W. Carpentier, with- out paying the slightest regard to the rights of Peralta, the owner of the land, . squatted on the Rancho San Antonio near the foot of the present Broadway street. They made no attempt to buy or lease any of the land, but seemed to have adopted the resolution of possessing themselves of it by other means than those of right and justice. They boldly assumed that it was Government land, and proceeded to parcel it out among themselves. They were soon followed by other squatters, and the lawful owners found themselves hemmed in on everyside by the trespassers. The thousands of cattle belonging to Peralta, roaming among the oaks and feeding upon the plains, were stolen and killed. His timber was cut and carried away without being paid for. The courts at that time were unorganized and justice was tardy.
Vicente Peralta got a writ of ejectment from the county court at Mar- tinez against Adams, Moon and Carpentier, and a party of well armed and mounted men under Deputy Sheriff Kelly was sent out to enforce it. Kelly's ten or twelve men were joined by about forty native Californians and on arriving at the shanty in the Encinal grove they found Moon alone in possession. He was calm and pretended to be much astonished at the proceeding. He pro- tested that himself and his associates held Peralta in the highest regard, and
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
that nothing could be farther from their intentions than to do him injury. Any thing that Peralta desired they would do. The smoothness of his tongue and the wiliness of his way were such that Peralta was disarmed, and he con- cluded to accept Moon's promises. A compromise was effected, and the land that the three squatters occupied was leased to them. While Moon was talking so smoothly there was a party of ruffians, headed by the notorious Billy Mulligan, ambushed close by, ready to dispute the possession if necessary.
In 1850 men were sawing lumber in the redwoods of San Antonio, and between there and the Mission San Jose-a distance of over twenty miles-there were only two or three native Californian rancheros and their retainers. Jose Joaquin Estudillo's was the only residence at San Leandro. San Leandro was an Indian rancheria. Guillermo Castro had the whole site of the present Hay- wards. Jose Maria Amador had many broad acres in his rancho of San Ramon. Mount Eden was a wilderness. New Haven was the landing place of Mission San Jose, without a house in it. Centerville had in its vicinity a few settlers who had come there in 1850. John M. Horner almost alone occupied Washington Corners. The mission town had some white settlers, and a considerable number of natives. Henry C. Smith, the storekeeper, was alcalde under appointment of Governor Riley. The virtues of the Agua Caliente, or Warm Springs, were known to only a few native Californians and Indians. The son of Antonio Sunol occupied the whole valley of his name. Augustin Bernal had settled at Alisal, now Pleasanton, in 1850, and together with Joseph Livermore, Jose Noriego, Fran- cisco Alviso, and Jose Maria Amador possessed half of the county. Wild cattle roamed in thousands. The hills were covered with wild oats. Wild mustard was abundant and grew luxuriantly. Deer and all kinds of wild game were plenti- ful. Such was the condition of Alameda county in 1850-51.
Mission San Jose and the settlers of the vicinity constantly were sufferers from Indian raiders. Expeditions were often organized to aid the troops in punishing the plunderers. In 1838 the ranchos as far as San Juan Bautista were assailed. and in 1839 thefts of horses and other stock became so frequent and alarming that several expeditions had to march against the depredators, many of whom were killed and others taken prisoners. In 1840 the Indians became still bolder, until Yoscolo, their leader, was slain, and his head stuck up on a pole in Santa Clara. His followers then made peace, promising good behavior. A regular patrol was finally established between San Jose and San Juan to guard the ranchos.
In 1853 the squatters of the county formed an association for their mutual protection and interests under the name "The Pre-emptioner's League." One of the articles was as follows: "Every person, to become a member of this league, must be a settler within the county of Alameda, must pay five dollars into the treasury and subscribe to the following obligations, to-wit: We the undersigned do solemnly agree and by these presents bind ourselves each to the other and all to each one, that individually we will make us overtures to the land claimants for a settlement of our difficulties with them and will reject all such as may be made to us by them until such overtures shall have been submitted to and approved by this league; that we will contribute equally of money in support of this League and at all time hold ourselves in readiness to aid and assist each other to defend our homes and farms from the grasping service of land speculators."
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
In what may be termed the pre-American days there was one belt of redwoods which was known by the name of San Antonio, where the production of lumber was carried on to a great extent. The redwoods were the only forest trees in the county, save the usual clusters of oaks that give a park-like appearance to the scenery. Brooklyn township was comprised entirely in the territory known as the Rancho San Antonio, granted to Don Luis Maria Peralta for meritorious services, the lands lying within its boundaries being those given to his two sons, Antonio Maria and Ygnacio Peralta. On the San Leandro creek, in what is Brooklyn township, the two brothers erected their adobe house, the first residence built within its borders. The San Antonio redwoods were early discovered, and in the summer of 1847 they were well known, and a trade with Yerba Buena (San Francisco) had sprung up. Here many of the earlier citizens gained their first Californian experience. Then came the discovery of gold in 1848, and with it the rush of people to the Pacific coast. For the first year or two all went to the mines, but as they wearied, sickened, or lost heart, they tried fortune in the lower country, and many came to the redwood region of San Antonio to find employment in the manufacture of lumber and shingles. Steam was soon introduced.
About the year 1849 a Frenchman commenced the erection of a mill in the redwoods, which was never completed, but, passing into the hands of Harry Meiggs in 1851, was by him sold to Volney D. Moody, president of the First National Bank of Oakland. In 1852, D. A. Plummer entered the employ of Mr. Moody, and the following year purchased the concern. In 1852 two more mills were erected by William and Thomas Prince, and a man named Brown. Sub- sequently Tupper and Hamilton put up another, as did also a man named Spicer, which last stood at the head of the canyon, its neighbor being Prince's mill, and lower down the Tupper and Hamilton place; Mr. Moody's stood about a mile on the Brooklyn side of the summit. In course of time, from its convenience to the rapidly increasing city of San Francisco, the timber was in a very few years com- pletely sawed out, and the hundreds of laborers who there found work were com- pelled to depart.
In August, 1849, three brothers, Robert F., William and Edward C. Patten crossed the bay to visit the giant redwoods of San Antonio, of which they had heard much. Procuring a whaleboat they made for Contra Costa, and landing near Seventh street, Oakland, found the country a vast undulating field of lux- uriant grass, some ten inches in height.
The native Californians at this time were bound by a solemn pledge not to sell, nor even give information in regard to lands. They said : "If we can't fight these heathens out, we can starve them; for we can keep them from a permanent settlement here." Undeterred by this fact the Pattens sought the advice of a Frenchman, who had pitched his tent not far from the San Antonio creek, and, through him, entered into negotiations with Antonio Maria Peralta, at his house in Fruit Vale, which culminated in their leasing 160 acres, and, taking possession, became the first permanent American settlers in Brooklyn township.
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