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 6
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48
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
49
UNDER MEXICAN RULE.
CHAPTER X.
DOMESTIC GOVERNMENT AND THE FINAL FATE OF THE MISSIONS.
The Spanish archives in San Francisco contain many documents that are interesting to the student of California history, and show how carefully the officials treasured even trivial things. Among the articles we have been shown, is a copy-book sent by a schoolmaster to the Governor, to exhibit the proficiency his pupils were making in their studies. Passages of the Old Testament, of which the following are a sample, were used for initiating youth into the mysteries of the un-Spencerian and un-Paytonian hands of those days : "The Ish- maelites having ;" " Jacob sent him to see his brothers ;" " Abimilech took from Abraham."
As might be expected from so primitive-minded a people, there were many silly complaints obtruded on the Alcaldes, Prefects and Governors. Some of those have been translated, and are calculated to provoke a smile at the present day. One poor fellow complained to the Alcalde that he had been badly treated by his wife, who had carried her injustice and contempt for him so far as to refuse him his marital rights. Another document tells how a young Lothario had been caught by a young lady's mother in a very suspicious position, and how he, to save himself from summary chastisement, hastily declared that his intentions were "honorable and matrimonial." Another relates, with great gravity, in a communication to the Governor, how an Indian woman at one of the missions had given birth to " dos perritos" or puppies, and this the Governor thought of sufficient importance to transmit to the Viceroy in Mexico, for the savans of Spain to investigate.
There are some documents there, however, that have more particu- lar interest for the reader than those referred to.
The one hereunder produced will amuse as well as instruct. Forty-one years have elapsed since it was written. It is a record of proceedings had by the residents in the vicinity of San Francisco (Contra Costa), praying that they might be allowed to belong to the jurisdiction of San José Guadalupe, instead of that of San Francisco. It is as follows :
4
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
To His Excellency the Governor :
The residents of the adjoining Ranchos of the North, now belong- ing to the jurisdiction of the port of San Francisco, with due respect to your Excellency, represent : That finding great detriment and feeling the evils under which they labor from belonging to this juris- diction, whereby they are obliged to represent to your Excellency that it causes an entire abandoning of their families for a year by those who attend the judiciary functions and are obliged to cross the bay. Truthfully speaking, to be obliged to go to the port by land, we are under the necessity of traveling forty leagues, going and com- ing back ; and to go by sea, we are exposed to the danger of being wrecked. By abandoning our families, as above stated, it is evident that they must remain without protection against the influences of malevolent persons ; they are also exposed to detention and loss of labor and property and injury by animals. There is no lodging to be had in that port where, for a year, an ayuntamiento is likely to detain them, and, should they take their families, incurring heavy expenses for their transportation and necessary provisioning for the term of their engagement, there is no accommodation for them. Wherefore, in view of these facts, they pray your Excellency to be pleased to allow them to belong to the jurisdiction of the town of San José, and recognize a commission of justice that will correspond with the said San Jose as capital for the people in this vicinity ; wherefore we humbly pray your Excellency to favor the parties inter- ested by acceding to their wishes.
San Antonio, San Pable, and the adjacent Ranchos of the North, May 30, 1835.
Antonio Maria Peralta, Joaquin Ysidro Castro, Blas Narboes, Z. Blas Angeleno, Sanuago Mesa, Juan José Castro, Gabriel Castro, Antonio Castro, Candelario Valencia, José Peralta, Fernando Feles, Antonio Amejar, Juan Bernal, Marcano Castro, Antonio Ygerce, Ygnacio Peralta, Bruno Valencia, Joaq'n Moraga, Ra- mon Fovero, José Duarte, Francisco Pacheco, Bartolo Pacheco, Mareano Castro, Felipe Briones, Julian Veles, Rafael Veles, Francisco Soto, Franco Amego.
Several of these names can readily be recognized as the proprietors of ranchos, but quite a number of them are those of retainers. The document is indeed a curious one. It shows that the bay, which we now cross in thirty minutes, was to these people "a sea of trouble,' the passage of which exposed them to the dangers of the deep-to shipwreck and disaster ! How changed, how different is all this now ? Instead of no place to lodge, San Francisco to-day boasts the finest hotels in the world ; while the means of transportation consists of floating palaces and endless trains of steam cars. And only forty.
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UNDER MEXICAN RULE.
one years ! It is hard to realize the wonderful transformation that has taken place within this brief period.
The document was duly received at Monterey. Its history is as follows :
Under date Aug. 12th, 1835, it was endorsed : “ Let it be kept to be reported to the deputation." Under date of Sept. Ist, it was endorsed : " On this day the same was reported and referred to the Committee on Government." Over date of Sept. 5th, the committee reported as follows : " Most Excellent Sir : The Committee on Gov- ernment being required to report upon the memorial, with the parties subscribed thereto, made to the Political Chief on the 30th day of May last, finds that the said memorial is grounded upon good reasons and public convenience ; but, as the subject should be considered upon proper reports for a due determination, the Committee is of opinion that the reports of the Ayuntamientos of the towns of San José and San Francisco are required for that purpose. Therefore, the Committee offers, for the deliberation of the most Excellent Deputation, the following propositions : 1st. That this expediente be referred to the Ayuntamientos of the towns of San José and San Francisco, in order that they report upon said memorial. 2d. That after which, the same be returned for determination. Signed, MAN'L JIMENO. SALVEO PACHECO."
" MONTEREY, Sept. 10th, 1835 .- At the session of this day the most Excellent Deputation has approved the two propositions made in the report of the Committee on Government. MANUEL JIMENO."
" MONTEREY, Sept. 28th, 1835 .- Let this expediente be forwarded to the Ayuntamiento of the town (pueblo) of San José Guadeloupe for a report upon the prayer of the foregoing memorial, and to that of San Francisco for the like purpose. The Ayuntamiento of the latter town will moreover give a list of the residents of the vicinity of the same. Don José Castro, senior member of the Most Excel- lent Territorial Deputation and Superior Political Chief of the Upper California, thus commended, decreed and signed this, which I attest. JOSE CASTRO. FRAN'CO DEL CASTELLO NEGRETE, Sec'y."
"In pursuance of the foregoing Supreme Order of Y. E., this Ayuntamiento begs to state the following : That with regard to the residents on the northern vicinity, now under jurisdiction of San Francisco, and who in their memorial prayed to be exempted from belonging to that jurisdiction, owing to most notable detriment occa- sioned to them now and then from having indispensably to cross the
52
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
Bay, or to travel upwards of forty leagues, while on half their way they can come to this town (pueblo), under the jurisdiction of which they formerly were, which was most suitable and less inconvenient to them, this Ayuntamiento thinks that their prayer should be granted, if it is so found right. ANTONIO MA. PICO, IGNACIO MAR- TINEZ, Sec. JOSE BERREYESA. Town of San Jose Guadalupe, Nov. 4th, 1835."
The response of the Ayuntamiento of San Francisco (which in fact was a remonstrance) was lengthy, and treated the complaints of the petitioners as frivolous. They were rebuked for their want of patriotism, and were asked if they could compare their service of traveling forty leagues with that of others, who, for the purpose of serving their country, had traveled many leagues in the interior of the republic, and others who had traveled from San Francisco to San Diego in the performance of public duties. It indignantly asks : " Which are those Peraltas and Castros that have been wrecked on attending to their business affairs every time that any vessel comes to anchor in the Bay of Yerba Buena ?"-and denies that up to that time any such calamitous event ever happened. The charge that there were no accommodations at the Presidio for them is denied, and the declaration made that the officers of the present Ayuntami- ento were provided with accommodations by the Commandant of the Presidio at the time the same were installed. The proximity of the Castro and Peralta ranchos, opposite the Presidio, is alluded to, and the jurisdiction of San Francisco insisted upon. The document is signed by FRANCISCO DE HARO, and is dated, Port of San Francisco, Dec. 20, 1835.
The whole of this is interesting as exhibiting the routine observed in the management of public business, and the length of time it took, in that circumlocutionary day, to accomplish anything. It has, also, all the appearance of having been the first of our county seat quarrels, of which we have had, surely, a sufficiency ever since.
It seems that they had such institutions as primary elections in those days, for I find that an election of Electors of the Ayunta- miento (town council), in the Town of San Francisco, took place in December, 1835, at which 9 Electors were chosen by ballot, as fol- lows : Citizen Bartolo Bajorques received 16 votes ; José de la Cruz Sanchez, 14; Felipe Briones (one of the Contra Costa petitioners), 14 ; Gabriel Castro (another), 13; Manuel Sanchez, 11; Francisco Sanchez, 11; Ygnacio Peralta (another), 11; Joaquin Estudillo, 11 ;
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UNDER MEXICAN RULE.
Candelario Valencia (another), 10. The men of the "Northern Ranchos," it would seem, came very near carrying (if they did not actually do so) the " primary," and the event goes to show the political influence of this side of the bay, even at that remote day, of which we have hitherto had little idea. That the petition was finally defeated, however, is evident. At any rate, in 1835, an Auxiliary Alcalde or Magistrate was appointed for Contra Costa, in the person of Gregoria Briones. The appointment was made by the " Constitutional Alcalde," and was sanctioned by the approval of Governor Figueroa.
In 1840, Governor Alvarado issued new regulations regarding the missions, by which the office of administrator was abolished and mayordomos and inspectors instituted instead. The highest salary paid to any mayordomo was to the one at the Mission of San José, which amounted to $600 per annum ; the next highest being that of Santa Clara, with $480.
It appears that, even down to this date, the attempt to secularize the missions had not been complete, and that some of the Indians were still living in them in community. The new regulations only had the effect of completing their ruin, although three years later Micheltorena attempted their restoration. Secular priests could not be had, and there was no ecclesiastical head in the territory.
In 1845 Pio Pico, governor ad interim, by order of the Depart- mental Assembly of Mexico, issued a proclamation for the sale and leasing of the missions. They were divided into three classes : those that were to be sold, those that were to be rented, and those that could not be sold nor rented on account of indebtedness. Of the latter class were the Missions of Santa Clara and San José. The proclamation stated that "the renting of these missions shall take place when the difficulties shall be got over which at present exist with respect to the debts of these establishments, and then the Gov- ernment will inform the public ; and all shall be done agreeably to these regulations." During the following year (1846), that of the American invasion, Governor Pico made a grant of the mission lands in this county, some 30,000 acres, to his brother, Andres Pico and Ex-Governor Juan B. Alvarado. It appears that the governors and ex-governors took some care of themselves and their friends, for they divided much of the mission property among them. It does not seem, however, to have benefited them a great deal:
SHAKESPEAR & WALTER,
Wholesale and Retail Dealers in
WOOD AND COAL,
ELEVENTH STREET,
BET. BROADWAY AND FRANKLIN, OAKLAND.
Goods Delivered FREE in Oakland
and Vicinity.
UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES.
CHAPTER X.
WONDERFUL AND RAPID MARCH OF EVENTS-FREMONT AND HIS FOL- LOWERS TRAVERSE THE COUNTRY-THE RANCHEROS COMPELLED TO SUPPLY HORSES AND FORAGE-CONQUEST OF THE PROVINCE- FIRST AMERICAN SETTLERS ON THE SCENE-THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD AND THE RUSH THROUGH THE LIVERMORE PASS VIA THE MISSION-THE ROUTES THROUGH THE COUNTY AND THE HOSPITAL- ITY OF THE RANCHEROS-THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION AND WHO REPRESENTED US THERE-THE FIRST CALIFORNIA LEGISLA- TURE AND ITS PROCEEDINGS-CONTRA COSTA COUNTY CREATED AND HOW IT CAME TO GET ITS NAME-NARROW ESCAPE FROM THE DEVIL-A BID FOR THE STATE CAPITAL-CALIFORNIA ADMITTED INTO THE UNION.
In 1846 war broke out between the United States and Mexico. It is estimated that there were 15,000 people in Upper California then, exclusive of Indians. Of these, about 2,000 were from the United States. In March of that year, Col. John C. Fremont came over the plains and across the mountains to California, on his way to Oregon. He appeared first at Monterey, and asked permission of Governor Castro to proceed thence, via the San Joaquin Valley, on his errand. Permission was granted, but was almost immediately after revoked, and he ordered to leave the country with his party, which consisted of only 42 men. He did not leave as ordered, but proceeded on his journey. His route was via Mission San José and Stockton. One of his camping places was pointed out to the writer, a few years since, by the late Henry C. Smith, who was one of his party. It was on the hill-side, near the Laguna, between Sunol and Pleasanton. At that time the whole country was covered with wild oats. Fremont continued on his journey, entered the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys, and had got as far north as the Great Klamath Lakes, when hostile demonstrations in his rear, and despatches which he then re-
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
ceived, caused him to retrace his steps. Startling events had occurred before he again entered the Contra Costa, but a few weeks later. The "bear flag" had been raised at Sonoma, the Mexican forces driven out of that part of the Province north of the Sacramento River, the guns of the old fort near the Presidio of San Francisco spiked, and the independence of California declared. Not only this. War had broken out between the United States and Mexico, and Commodore Sloat had hoisted the American flag and taken possession of the California capital, Monterey. Fremont, with a much increased force, was pur- suing the hostile Mexican bands, and levied supplies of stock and forage on the inhabitants as he went along. He marched down the San Ramon Valley and took what he wanted from the ranchos. Amador, who was then living at his place, was stripped of all his stock. The old man states that it was only after an earnest entreaty he was left even a single saddle-horse for his own use. When he asked Fremont by what right he thus deprived people of their pro- perty, he answered, "by the right of my rifles." Amador was no friend after that of Fremont. The Pathfinder, however, meant bus- iness. The country was soon conquered, and Fremont's corps dis- banded. Many of his men remained in the country; several of them settled in this county.
Before this, the only foreigners in this part of the country were Welch, at Antioch ; Dr. Marsh, on the New York Ranch ; and Livermore, on the Las Positas. Those who made their homes here after the war was ended were the Smiths, Harlans, Mendenhalls, Pattersons, &c., who shall be more fully referred to hereafter. An acquisition of American population was received from another source the same year. A company of Mormons, from New York, arrived in the ship Brooklyn, at San Francisco, on the 31st day of July, 1846, under the leadership of Samuel Brannan, some of whom soon found their way across the bay, and settled at Washington, within a few miles of the mission, where a Mormon church was afterwards built. That party furnished the materials for the first American colony, and several of its members are now respected men in this community ; some of them, however, have abandoned their peculiar notions. A member of that party, now living in Brooklyn, has informed the writer that he roamed over the Contra Costa hills and traveled down the slope that year. The parties coming from San Francisco to view the country would land in boats at the mouth of the Temescal Creek and then proceed to the residence of Vincente Peralta, two or three
·
57
UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES.
miles inland. If they called, they were sure to be hospitably enter- tained. Thence, they would proceed, following the foot-hills, to Antonio Peralta's, near Fruit Vale ; thence to Ygnacio Peralta's, near San Leandro Creek; thence to the Estudillo Rancho, on the south side of the creek; and from there to Guillermo Castro's, at the site of the present town of Haywood. Roads led thence to Amador's and Livermore's ranchos, eastward, and the Mission San José, southward. There were, however, various other places to land. San Antonio (now Brooklyn) had its embarkadero ; and each rancho its landing-place on the border of the bay. The Yankee trading vessels, or boats from them, used to come to these embarkaderos to trade for hides and tallow.
On the 19th of January, 1848, gold was discovered at Coloma, on the American River. The noise of it soon reverberated across the continent and over the oceans, to Europe and to Asia. Discovery fol- lowed discovery, and a rush for the California gold mines took place in every country. It was a year of commotion. Europe had risen in a state of revolution, and many of the defeated and disappointed patriots soon turned their attention to the Pacific Coast. Mexico, Central and South America, sent their thousands this way. Even the sub- jects of the far-off Flowery Kingdom soon appeared upon our shores. The places where the precious metal was found were far in the inte- rior, in the beds of creeks and rivers, near the foot-hills. Travel, at first, was nearly altogether by land, and the " Livermore Pass," be- came one of the principal routes to the mines. The Coast Range was crossed at the Mission, and the road led through Sunol Valley, Livermore Valley, the Livermore Pass, and across the San Joaquin River to Stockton, as traversed by Moraga just after the occupation of San Francisco ; thence to Sutter's Fort, at the junction of the Sacramento and American Rivers, which soon became the city of Sacramento. By this route went people from the South-from South- ern California, from Sonora and other States of Mexico, and even many who had come from the United States via the latter country. The Mission then became suddenly an important trading place, and fortunes were soon made. Nearly all, at first, rushed off to the " diggings," rancheros and vacqueros, and everyone who could possi- bly get away. Most of the farmers, however, soon returned. A great demand for farm products sprung up, and cattle were wanted at the mines. Henry C. Smith, who is justly entitled to the desig- nation of Father of the County, returned from a short trip to the
58
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
mines and opened a store at the Mission in 1848. He made so much money in a short time that it took a wagon to remove it. Mexican silver coin was at first mostly in use, but after a while gold ounces and slugs were the fashion. At the Mission a small town sprung up, and there gathered the nucleus of our first American settlement, and the material which gave us our first county organization. Beyond the ranchos there were no settlements on the Contra Costa. Oak- land was unthought of. The giants of a thousand years' growth re- mained undisturbed by the woodman's axe. Adams, Carpentier, the Pattens, Larue and Hayward had not crossed the bay. As yet, the squatter's shanty nor the tent of the huntsman had appeared among the oaks, and wild cattle roamed at large. The songs of birds and the bellowing of the Spanish bull almost alone disturbed the air. It was the calm before the mighty, irresistible torrent of activity and life that was soon to follow. The race of giants was on the march to occupy those delightful slopes and valleys, and woe to the woods, the wild cattle, and their inoffensive owners !
In the spring of 1848 the treaty of peace was signed by which California was annexed to the United States. On the first of Sep- tember, 1849, the first Constitutional Convention was commenced at Monterey.
Brigadier-General Riley was then Military-Governor. It was he who ordered the election of representatives to the Convention. It was by districts. This section belonged to the District of San José, and Mr. Elam Brown, of Lafayette, was chosen to represent it. Among those who took a prominent part in that remarkable assem- blage were Hon. Chas. T. Botts, now of Oakland, and our late lamented fellow-citizen, J. Ross Browne, who was its official reporter. On the 13th of November the constitution was adopted by the peo- ple, and Congressmen' and State officers elected.
The first Legislature met at San Jose on the 13th of December, 1849. The first man who made a motion in that Assembly was Wm. Van Voorhies, one of the oldest politicians of Alameda County, but then representing San Francisco. As the State had not then been divided into counties, the representation, as in the case of the Consti- tutional Convention, was by districts. The first State senator who represented us was Mr. W. R. Bassham, of the San José District, who received 544 votes, and had no opposition-the only instance of the kind that occurred. In the Assembly, the District was repre- sented by Joseph Aram, Benjamin Corey, and Elam Brown, the lat-
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UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES. 1
ter gentleman having been chosen from the Contra Costa section.
The Legislature divided the State into twenty-seven counties. The first report on "Counties and County Boundaries " was made by Pablo de la Guerra, making " Mount Diablo " the name of the county in which we were to be embraced. We had a narrow escape from the devil. It was amended on the protest of the members of the district, and changed to Contra Costa. Its boundaries were drawn as follows :
" Beginning at the mouth of the creek Alameda, and running in a southwesterly direction to the middle of the Bay of San Francisco ; thence in a northerly or northwesterly direction, following as near as may be the middle of the bay to the Bay of San Pablo ; thence up the middle of the Bay of San Pablo to the Straits of Carquinez ; thence running up the middle of said straits to the Suisun Bay ; and up the middle of said bay to the mouth of the San Joaquin River; thence following up the middle of said river to the place known as the Pescadero or Lower Crossing; thence in a direct line to the northeast corner of Santa Clara County, which is on the summit of the coast range, near the source of Alameda Creek ; thence down the middle of said creek to its mouth, which is the place of beginning, including the islands of San Pablo, Coreacas and Tesoro. The Seat of Justice to be at Martinez, until removed in the manner to be pre- scribed by law."
These boundary lines were amended April 5, 1850, of the same Session, as follows :
" Beginning at the mouth of the Alameda Creek and running to the southeast corner of San Francisco County to Golden Rock ; thence up the middle of the Bay of San Pablo to the Straits of Car- quinez ; thence up the middle of said straits and Suisun Bay to the mouth of the San Joaquin River ; thence up the middle of said river to the place known as the Pescadero or Lower Crossing; thence in a direct line to the summit of the Coast Range at the head of Ala- meda Creek ; thence down the middle of said creek to its mouth, which was the place of beginning."
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