USA > California > Alameda County > The centennial year book of Alameda County, California : containing a summary of the discovery and settlement of California, a description of the Contra Costa under Spanish, Mexican, and American rule, biographical sketches of prominent pioneers and public men > Part 46
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Then followed Mendenhall's warehouse, Stevens' flour-mill, the Livermore hotel, McLeod's store, Catanich's Golden Star Hotel, Bar- dellini's Washington Hotel, Bowle's skating rink, now Anspacher's large store. Then followed the Collegiate Institute building, in 1870, the Catholic church in 1872, the Odd Fellows' Hall in 1873, and the Union Presbyterian and Methodist church in 1874; the Livermore Enterprise newspaper in the same year ; and the first brick building, erected by A. Esden, in 1875. In the same year water was brought into the town by the Livermore Spring Water Company, and in 1876 by the Arroyo Valle Water Company. On April 30th, 1876, the town was incorporated ; on the 7th of May the election of Town Trustees took place, and on the 14th of May the first meeting in Exchange Hall ; and on the 4th of July took place the Centennial celebration, when the area of the town was set down at 950 acres, with a resident population of 830 souls, occupying 234 buildings, 143 of which were private houses, and 91 classed as follows : one post-office, seven gen- eral stores, one dry goods store, two tailors, four milliners, two laun- dries, three shoemakers, two bakeries, one flour mill, four butchers, three fruiterers, two cabinetmakers and undertakers, four black- smiths, one tin and stove store, one architect and builder, one lumber yard, one Water Co.'s workshop, two harnessmakers, three jewelers, one stationer, two photographers, four barbers, four livery stables, thirteen saloons, six hotels, one brewery, one soda factory, four doc tors, two druggists, one dentist, three grain warehouses, one fire- engine house, one printing office, three public halls, one Justice Court, four lawyers, one jail, one public school, one fine College Institute, two churches, one passenger and freight depot and one railroad office. Of corporations and companies there were four-two coal and two water. The aggregate value of town property was estimated to be $600,000.
499
MURRAY TOWNSHIP.
South-east of the Livermore Valley is Corrall, or Carroll, Hollow, on the San Joaquin margin. This place is noted for possessing a Pass, but more so for its coal mines. Coal was discovered here in 1860 by Captain John O'Brien, and worked by a company. It is of bituminous quality, light, and impregnated with clay, slate, spar and sulphur. The vein was about eight feet thick, and would pay to work ; but the owners sold out to William Coleman & Co., San Francisco, who have not worked it. The railroad company worked a claim belonging to a Stockton company for a couple of months on trial, for their own use, hauling it in wagons. The quality is the same as the Black Diamond mine of Mount Diablo. On March 4th, 1874, coal was discovered near the Arroyo Mocho, by Thomas Harris, and a company organized and incorporated the following May, to work it, named the Livermore Coal Mining Company. A subse- quent discovery was made in the same locality and another company organized, called the Summit Company, which is now in successful operation.
There is a very remarkable formation a few miles north-east of Livermore, called Brusha Peak, the front of which forms a conspic- uous, brush-clad eminence, rising high above the surrounding hills. Back of it is a handsome valley, in which is situated a city of im- mense rocks, now weather-beaten and full of caves, from the action of the wind and weather. These rocks look as if they had been laid down there on the soft earth bodily, by the hands of giants, and un- less by glacial action, it is hard to account for their presence. Fol- lowing up the creeks to their sources are some productive valleys, which are cultivated up in the foothills for several miles, and the spurs of the mountains and low, grassy hills, make some pleasant places of settlement. Sheep-herding is still largely followed in the hills, but it is not now so profitable as formerly. A feature of this township, not met in any other, is the Angora goat, of which there are several flocks, amounting to 1,200 or 1,500 animals, which, how- ever, have not yet proved as profitable as expected. There is no more conglomerate community to be found anywhere than that of the Livermore Valley, nearly all nationalities being represented, but yet working harmoniously together on terms of the most perfect equality.
Pleasanton, situated six miles west of Livermore, in what was originally known as the Valley of San José, is the next place in im- portance. Mission Indians have resided in the vicinity since the Fathers pastured their cattle there. It was originally known as
500
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
Alasal, or the sycamores, on account of the numerous large trees of this species that lined the bed of the Arroyo Valle, in its course to the Laguna, close by. There is no more delightful location to be found for a town, and is well named Pleasanton. It is in the south- western opening of the great valley, and nestles in the warm earth, moistened by the Laguna and the Valle, at the foot of a high, pre- cipitous and beautifully-wooded mountain, whose evergreen trees and shrubs are a constant refreshment to the eye. The climate is genial and warm, and the location free from harsh winds, while the sur- rounding valleys are of the most fruitful description. The first set- tler in the vicinity of Pleasanton was Augustine Bernal, who moved there from Santa Clara in the spring of 1850. Before him, of his own race, in other parts of the township, were Sunol to the west of him, Amador, six miles to the north, Francisco Alviso, across the Laguna, and Noreiga with Livermore.
The original grant was to Antonio Maria Pico, Antonio Sunol, Augustine Bernal and Juan Pablo Bernal, and consisted, all told, of 48,435 acres, which was subsequently subdivided. Pico sold his fourth to Juan Pablo Bernal. This grant extended from the Sunol to the Livermore Valley, and reached nine and a half miles east and west, and twelve and a half north and south. The center of the grant was near Duerr and Nussbaumer's house, just eighteen miles from the center of Mount Diablo. The parties first applied for the grant in 1832, but it was not made until 1839. The Bernals had been Presidio soldiers, serving at San Francisco and San José, and were entitled to grants. Stock-raising was the only occupation, and in a short time 15,000 cattle covered the hills and valleys, ex- tending from the Mission San José to Livermore. Only a little corn, beans, &c., were raised, exclusively for domestic use. The next settler was John W. Kottinger, a native of Austria, who came to California in September, 1849. In 1850 he married a daughter of Juan Bernal, brother of Augustine, and one of the grantees. He removed to Alasal from Santa Clara, his object being to raise stock. Juan Bernal came in 1852, and there were soon Bernals in abund- ance. A blacksmith named Gamble put in an early appearance in the place, but did not stay long. A Mr. Whitman came in 1854. Ladd had been living at the junction of the two roads, near Duerr and Nussbaumer's, before that. Kottinger removed to Alasal, from his ranch, in 1855, built the first house and started store. In 1857 he rented his house and sold his goods to Duerr & Nussbaumer, and
501
MURRAY TOWNSHIP.
they started the first public-house in the place, at the same time carrying on the store.
In 1854 Samuel and J. West Martin bought the Alviso or Santa Rita rancho, adjoining the San Jose ranch on the east. They pur- chased it at administrator's sale for $10,000. They got a great bargain, for it is said there was cattle enough sold from it to provide the purchase money. The extent of land in this original grant was 8,858 acres, of which the Martins got about 5,000 acres. Never stood better land out of doors, and it goes on cropping year after year, without much apparent diminution in its productiveness. It has been known to yield as high as 75 and 80 bushels of wheat to the acre.
In 1861 J. A. Neal, one of the pioneers of Murray Township, and one of the founders of Pleasanton, settled there. He had previously ranched at a point north of Livermore's, but had been engaged in the Livermore ranch as overseer, and soon acquired a knowledge of the Spanish tongue. He was not long in his new location before he con- tracted a matrimonial alliance, having the next year married a daughter of the lord of the soil, Augustine Bernal, and by which alliance he acquired 530 acres of land in the immediate vicinity of the present town of Pleasanton.
Chas. Garthwait was one of the early settlers in this vicinity, where he located in 1859, and lived four years opposite Augustine Bernal's, on the county road, keeping store.
Joseph F. Black, one of the leading farmers in the county, and one of its largest landholders, settled near Pleasanton in 1864, after having farmed near Dublin three or four years. He was the first to rent land, and paid Augustine Bernal $2,000 a year for his present ranch, of which he cultivated about 800 acres. The first year he got a splendid crop of wheat, barley and potatoes. The land yielded 40 sacks to the acre, and some 50 sacks. Land was then selling for $4.00 an acre, but people had no correct idea of its value. Soon it went up to $7.00 and $8.00, and now the same land is worth $100 per acre, although some can be purchased for as low as $15.00 to $25.00.
Some trouble occurred with squatters on the Bernal and Alviso ranches in 1859, parties having come in and settled upon them in the belief that they were government land ; but they soon moved away . or purchased, discovering that the land was private property.
The first school was opened at Pleasanton in 1864, and the teacher was a man named Powell. The present handsome school-house was built in 1870.
502
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
The first survey of the town of Pleasanton was made for Mr. Neale by Mr. Duerr, in August, 1868, and on Dec. 1st, 1869, a revised map was made ; and filed in the County Recorder's office, Feb. 24th, 1870. J. W. Kottinger's map was made Sept. 20th, 1869. The land on which the town is laid out belonged to Neale and Kottinger. Pleasanton has undergone considerable improvement during the past few years, and is now in a flourishing condition, as the large ranches in the vicinity are being constantly subdivided, thus making way for increased population. Pleasanton has a couple of fine hotels, some good stores, Post-office, express-office, grain warehouses, and everything that goes to make a prosperous town, and has a bright future before it.
The Suñol is a deep valley, situated between Pleasanton and Mission San José, rimmed around with mountains, and a more beau- tiful and inviting spot does not ornament the earth. The attractive- ness of its appearance is such that, a few years ago, an English noble- man, traveling on the cars to San Francisco, was so much struck with the glimpse he got of it, passing hurriedly by, that he made it his business some days afterwards to go back and visit it, in order to deliberately discuss its beauties. The Suñol Valley formed part of the great Valle de San José grant, and is called after one of the grantees, Antonio Suñol, who was a mayor-domo at the Mission. He never settled on the ranch himself, making his home at San José. The partition line between Suñol and Augustine Bernal's ranches was a little north of the railroad bridge across the Laguna creek, near Duerr and Nussbaumer's. The Sunol grant covered the Suñol Valley, the Vallecitos, and a portion of the lower range of the Mission hills. It extended abont six miles east along the San An- tonio creek, among the mountains, and four miles south, along the Alameda creek, making altogether over 14,000 acres. The country is very rugged. The general character is high hills and small val- leys. The mountains culminate in Mission Peak, 2,566 feet above the sea, according to Whitney. Eight miles east of Mission Peak is Mount Louis, with at least an equal elevation. The mountains are generally unfit for cultivation, being steep and poor soil, hardly fit for cattle-ranges. When Ladd came to Suñol Valley, in 1851, there was no house there but young Antonio Sunol's. Ladd built a frame house, with six rooms, on Augustine Bernal's property. He lived there six years and sold out to José Higuera. The following year, or 1852, one Bertrand built the house now occupied by Madam Argenti. The next settler was George Bidner, who still resides there.
503
MURRAY TOWNSHIP.
Samuel Mossman was an early settler, having lived in the house now owned by Duerr and Nussbaumer. Young Sunol lived in an adobe on the premises now occupied and owned by Charles Hadsell. It is claimed that Robert Livermore cultivated the earth of the Suñol Valley, and lived in the Suñol house, before he took up the Las Po- sitas rancho, and that it was here Noreiga, an old acquaintance and his subsequent partner, met him. The murder of Suñol by a man named Wilson is detailed elsewhere. The last rodeo was held in the Vallecitos, in the spring of 1851. A man named Pedro de Sessett married Suñol's widow, who owned 3,251 acres. Duerr and Nuss- baumer purchased over 3,000 acres of the Suñol grant.
In the fall of 1862, Charles Hadsell, the present owner and occu- pant, rented the Suñol property of 1,500 acres.
In December, 1863, Mr. Hadsell went to Washoe, and came back in July, 1864, $10,000 out of pocket, and with the conviction that the best mine was a good farm. In the Fall of 1865 Mr. Hadsell purchased of the administrators of the Sunol estate eighty -eight acres. In the Fall of 1866 he purchased onc-eighth of the estate, and in the Fall of 1867 an undivided two-eighths ; and went on pur- chasing and accumulating until he possessed, in 1874, no less than 4,500 acres belonging to the original Suñol grant. Land, at the time of purchase, was worth $5 per acre-is now worth $25 to $40. The best of it is capable of raising all kinds of grains and vegetables, and all good fruit land-growing grapes as well as other tender fruits.
In 1862, the year of the flood, when the valley was submerged, Mr. Hadsell got an idea of the advantages of the valley for a water reservoir. In March, 1873, he put up notices of intention to con- demn the waters of the Alameda and tributary creeks, for the pur- pose of supplying pure, fresh water to Oakland and San Francisco. In 1853 he formed a company with a capital of $5,000,000, and commenced cutting a dam on the 4th of April of the same year. The company subsequently consolidated with the Calaveras company, and sold their rights to the Spring Valley company of San Francisco. In October, 1873, Mr. Hadsell leased his farm to Stephen R. Mil- lard, who has since worked it successfully.
Pleasant View, at the entrance to the Vallecitos, now owned and occupied by Thomas Scott-a gentleman who twice represented Ala- meda County in the State Assembly-was first occupied by George Foscalini. Bachman, storekeeper at the Mission, was an early resi- dent of the valley. Michael Rogan settled in Sunol Valley in 1864,
504
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
and bought 1,100 acres of land, some of which he purchased of old man Suñol himself, paying $20 an acre, and higher for the remain- der, costing him in the average about $25 per acre. Mr. Rogan has farmed very successfully, and is considered wealthy ; his ranch, how- ever, is on the Washington side of the Calaveras, which marks the boundary. There is a station of the C. P. Railroad at Suñol Glen, and quite a village has sprung up there, and representatives of nearly every handicraft required in the country have established themselves about it. There is now a large grain warehouse, a post-office and ex- press-office, and about 100 families are now settled on the Suñol grant.
Dublin, originally known as Amador, and sometimes called Dougherty's Station, is the oldest place in the township. It is
situated at the West side of the Amador Valley, about six miles North from Pleasanton, where it is nearest to the railroad. It is also eight miles East of Haywards. The first settler here was José Maria Amador, a Mexican soldier, a mayor-domo at the Mission, a manufacturer, stock-raiser, etc., and one of the most enterprising of the native Californians. He was born in San Francisco, in the year 1772, and is now 94 years of age. He was the grantee of the original San Ramon rancho, of four square leagues, situated in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, and which was granted to him in the year 1835. He was the first manufacturer, as well as the first farmer in the county. He made leather, soap, wagons, saddles, harness, blankets, shoes, etc., at which he employed Indians, as well as Mexicans. His ranch, at one time, was stocked with 300 to 400 horses, 13,000 to 14,000 head of cattle, and 3,000 to 4,000 sheep. After him is called Amador County, in this State. When- Fremont rode through this section of the State, in 1846, he took 57 saddle- horses from Amador's rancho. He became embarrassed in his affairs, however, and in 1852, J. W. Dougherty, the present owner, pur- chased his vast estate for $22,000. With the exception of Chas. MeLaughlin, the railroad contractor, he is the most extensive land- holder in the county. Mr. Dougherty is a native of Mississippi, and came to California in 1849, on a sea voyage for the benefit of his health. The majority of the first settlers in the neighborhood being Irish, the place got the name of Dublin, which seems to have stuck, and some three miles east of it another hamlet was christened Limerick, and it, too, adheres.
Amador did not sell all his land to one man. As settlers came in and wanted land, he sold to them. From him purchased Michael
505
MURRAY TOWNSHIP.
Murray, the man whose name has been given to the township ; Leo Norris, Joel Harlan and Fallon. Norris and Harlan were pioneers of 1846. The latter was a brother-in-law of Henry C. Smith, and died last year. Norris secured a very considerable tract. Mr. Dougherty associated with him for a time, in his farming operations, William Glaskin. Glaskin was the first man, European or Ameri- can, to put up a fence in the Livermore Valley.
Among the early settlers were M. Devany; John Green was a subsequent settler, having purchased Murray's place. Murray now resides in San Francisco, having abandoned the sheep business a few years since. He was a prominent man in politics, and while he ex- ercised an influence, the township always went strongly Democratic.
The first church in the township was built at Dublin. The first settlers in the township were mostly Catholics, natives and Irish. Dublin has not kept pace in growth with other portions of the town- ship, on account of the land being held in large tracts, but a change is now taking place in this respect. Among the other old settlers here, whose names deserve mention, is John Scarlett, who built a hotel, and followed sheep-raising ; and George Johnson, who is yet in the latter occupation. Dublin has two stores, two hotels, a wagon and blacksmith shop, a church, a school, a shoemaker, carpenter, etc. Mr. Dougherty rents a great deal of his land. He is a considerable stock-raiser, principally of Clydesdale horses, of which he was one of the first importers into the township. The population of the village of Dublin is about 250 souls.
At the late election Murray Township cast 717 votes, indicating a population of 4,302, or about the same as Eden Township. Not- withstanding the set-back caused by the dry years of 1870 and 1871, when the settlers suffered much distress, the township has since greatly advanced and increased in population. There are fewer Chi- namen to be found in Murray than, perhaps, any other part of the State, the farmers preferring to employ natives or Europeans. The Portuguese, latterly, are finding their way into it, raising vegetables, cutting wood, and cultivating small farms.
There is a Post-office at Altamont, in the Livermore hills, Liver- more, Pleasanton, Suñol and Dublin; and all are on the railroad, ex- cepting the latter place. Zimmerman's Mountain House is the out- post of the county on the north-east, and, before the railroad, was on the highway to Stockton, Sacramento and the mines.
There are 88 persons in Murray Township who pay taxes on more than $5,000 of property, the highest assessment being $275,102.
5 06
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
EVENING DEMOCRAT
Published every evening, Sundays excepted, by the
DEMOCRAT PUBLISHING CO. Office, COR. BROADWAY AND EIGHTH STS., OAKLAND.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
BY MAIL, (POST PAID), IN ADVANCE:
THREE MONTHS,
$2.00
SIX MONTHS,
4.00
ONE YEAR,
7.00
ONE WEEK, (delivered dy Carrier)
15
The only Democratic Daily in the Second District; has a larger general circulation than any other newspaper published in Alameda County, and is one of the best advertising mediums in the State.
Transient advertisements must be paid in advance.
Special Notices, 10 cents per line each insertion.
Standing Specials at reasonable rates.
Copy for Advertisements should be furnished by 11 o'clock A. M., to insure insertion in the issue of the same day.
OLDEST PAPER IN OAKLAND
ESTABLISHED IN 1863.
OAKLAND DAILYNEWS
Published every morning, (Sundays excepted) and delivered throughout the city at 6 A. M.
The NEW'S is delivered to city subscribers at the rate of 15 cents per week, and is sent by mail for $7.00 per annum.
RATES OF ADVERTISING MODERATE.
Published by the OAKLAND NEWS COMPANY, 460 Ninth Street, between Broadway and Washington St.
O. L. C. FAIRCHILD, President.
STATISTICAL.
-
CHAPTER XXXV.
-
President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant; Secretary of State, Hamilton Fish ; Senators from California, Aaron A. Sargent and Newton Booth ; Representative Second Congressional District, H. F. Page.
STATE OFFICERS.
Governor, William Irwin ; Lieut .- Governor, Jas. A. Johnson ; Sec- retary of State, Thos. Beck ; State Controller, W. B. C. Brown ; State Treasurer, José G. Estudillo ; Attorney-General, Jo. Hamilton ; Sur- veyor-General, Wmn. Minis ; Superintendent Public Instruction, Dr. Ezra S. Carr ; State Superintendent of Printing, Frank P. Thompson ; Adjutant-General, Col. F. P. Walsh.
SUPREME COURT.
W. T. Wallace, Chief Justice ; A. L. Rhodes, A. C. Niles, E. W. Mckinstry, J. B. Crockett, Associates; D. B. Wolfe, Clerk ; Chias. A. Tuttle, Reporter ; Carl C. Finkler, Secretary and Librarian.
GOVERNORS OF CALIFORNIA. - UNDER THE SPANISH COLONIAL
AUTHORITY
Eight Governors ruled California : Gasparde Partola, 1769; Felipe de Neve, 1775 ; Pedro Fages, 1782; José Roman, 1792; Diego Borica, 1795 ; José Joaquin Arrilaga, 1806 ; José Maria Arquello, 1812; Pablo Vicente Sola, 1851.
UNDER THE MEXICAN AUTHORITIES
Were nineteen Governors : Pablo Vicente Sola, 1822 ; Luis Argu- ello, 1823; José Maria Echeandia, 1825 ; Manuel Victoria, 1839 ; J. M. Echeandia (in the south), Aug. V. Zamordin (in the north), 1830; José Figueroa, 1833 ; José Castro, 1835 ; Nicolas Gutteriez, 1835 ; Mariano Chico, 1836 ; Nicolas Gutteriez, 1836 ; Mariano G. Vallejo, 1836 ; Juan B. Alvarado, 1836; Carlos A. Carillo, 1837 ;
508
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
J. B. Alvarado, M. G. Vallejo, 1838 ; M. Micheltorena, 1842 ; Pio Pico, 1844; José Castro, Com. Gen., to conquest in 1846.
Then came the Mexican war, the conquest of California, and its rule by United States Military Governors, among whom there was some contest as to rank. Mexico formally ceded California to the United States February 2, 1848; and the State was admitted into the Union September 9, 1850. Under the constitution of the State, the governor held office two years ; and this continued to be the term until the election of Low, who entered upon a four years' occupancy in 1863. Under the two years' rule the governors were inaugurated in the January following election, while it is now done in the follow- ing December.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNORS,
With the dates of inaugural, are as follows-the date opposite the name of each being the date of termination of the rule of his prede- cessor : Peter H. Burnett, December, 1848 ; John McDougal, Jan- mary, 1851 ; John Bigler (two terms), 1852; J. Neely Johnson, 1856 ; Charles L. Weller, 1858 ; Milton S. Latham, 1860; John G. Downey, 1860 ; Leland Stanford, 1862 ; Fred. F. Low, December, 1863 ; Henry H. Haight, 1867; Newton Booth, 1871; Romualdo Pacheco, 1875 ; William Irwin, 1875.
By the resignation of Burnett, in 1851, McDougal became Gov- ernor. By the election of Latham to the United States Senate, a short time after his inauguration, Downey took the office vacated. By the resignation of Booth, Pacheco succeeded as Governor.
REPRESENTATIVES IN THE LEGISLATURE OF CALIFORNIA FROM 1849 TO 1877, FOR THE COUNTIES OF ALAMEDA, CONTRA
COSTA AND SANTA CLARA.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION AT MONTEREY, IN 1849.
Elam Brown of Contra Costa, and J. Aram, K. H. Dimmick, J. D. Hoppe and A. M. Pico, of Santa Clara, representing the San José District.
MEMBERS OF SENATE. -
1850-W. R. Bassham, *W. D. Fair, representing the San José or Fifth Senatorial District, comprising Contra Costa and Santa Clara.
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