USA > California > Contra Costa County > The history of Contra Costa County, California > Part 12
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
Don Salvio Pacheco died at his residence at Concord, August 9, 1876, at the age of eighty-five years. He was born near San Diego, and his entire life was spent in California. For a number of years he was alcalde of the Pueblo de San José and also several times a member of the Departmental Assembly, earning an honorable reputation in the dis- charge of public duties. The grant of Monte del Diablo, embracing four leagues of land, was made to him by Governor Micheltorena in 1834, but it was some ten or twelve years later when he established his resi- dence on the property, where he continued to reside till the time of his death.
In the laying out and the opening up of the town of Concord it was
AL Bancroft
III
CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
decided by the donors to give those of the residents and business men of Pacheco who would locate in the new town a certain number of lots free. Among the first to take advantage of this new scheme was Samuel Bacon. He had suffered from the floods of Pacheco, where he had a store. He therefore came to the new town, and in June, 1869, com- pleted his store, which will be remembered by many of our citizens as standing on the location of the present First National Bank building. Later he erected a residence next his store, and here Samuel Bacon and his wife continued to reside until his death, which occurred about twen- ty years ago. This dwelling was also removed to make room for the bank building.
In the summer of 1869 Charles Lohse erected a machine-shop oppo- site Bacon's store, and Henry Loring (now deceased) erected what was first known as Klein's Hotel, now called the Concord Hotel. During that summer several buildings were erected and there sprang up a num- ber of business establishments.
John Brawand and George Gavin, both deceased, were among the first settlers in Concord, and their children and grandchildren are now prominently identified with the business and social welfare of the com- munity. Charles Lohse is perhaps the only one now living (1916) of those who came to the town in its infancy. He resides on his fine farm in Ygnacio Valley, and is hale and hearty in spite of the fact that he is over ninety years old.
Where the Bank of Concord building now stands was located a frame building occupied by Foskett & Elsworthy as a butchershop, which they occupied until the January block was completed, when they moved to the store formerly occupied by Levinson.
Where the café of the Concord Inn now stands was located the Mount Diablo Hotel, now on Mount Diablo Street, corner of Lincoln. The old Mount Diablo Hotel continued for years under the manage- ment of John Wichers until his death, after which many managers con- trolled its destinies, until some years ago, when it was sold to make way for a more important structure, and the Salvio-Street portion of the Concord Inn was erected thereon.
In 1898 Joe F. Rosa took charge of the Concord Hotel. Although en- larged and modernized, it still retains some of its old-time features.
Concord's first bakery was opened by John Lambert in a small frame
II2
HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
building on the site of Manuel Nunes' property. In 1889 he built the frame building which has served since then as his bakery. In later years he erected two brick buildings upon his adjoining property.
In 1892 the present grammar school was built, and in 1906 the pres- ent high-school building was erected.
Concord continued upon the even tenor of its way until, on February 5, 1905, it became an incorporated city, and then and there Concord awoke. The first step in the march of progress was electric lights for both streets and buildings. Next came the inaugurating of a water sys- tem for both fire and commercial purposes, to be closely followed by a modern sewer system, and last of all of the great improvements, that of street-work. Concord has completed its streets, having every thor- oughfare within its incorporated borders paved, and it is doubtful if there is another city of its size in the State of California that can make such a statement.
With the advent of the Oakland, Antioch & Eastern Railway, in 1912, Concord experienced quite a boom, during which time many old landmarks gave way to large modern buildings.
Concord is a city well worth seeing, with its paved streets, its fine business buildings and pretty residences, its nice park, and, above all, its mild and agreeable climate.
During the last few years poultrymen have realized the advantages of the climate for the rearing of poultry, and its easy access to the large bay cities makes it an ideal country. They are fast locating in central Contra Costa adjacent to Concord, and already many poultry ranches are located within these confines.
For the last thirty-five years Concord has been served with a weekly newspaper, the first issue of the Concord Sun having come out about that time under the editorship of S. Fargeon, now deceased. The Sun had its setting a few years later, but was immediately revived and re- named the Concord Transcript by Hart A. Downer. Succeeding Downer J. S. Taylor assumed control and for a number of years held sway, sell- ing out to H. E. Griffith, who after a few years disposed of the paper to Mrs. N. K. Cushing. This was in 1905, and Mrs. Cushing continued at the helm for five years. In April, 1910, a number of prominent citi- zens of Concord purchased the paper and formed a corporation known as the Transcript Publishing Company, employing J. R. Boothe as edi-
II3
CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
tor. In the period from the formation of the corporation until the sum- mer of 1913 a number of different editors endeavored to steer the craft, but for the company the paper was not a paying venture, and at the time stated T. G. Elbury and S. W. Holcomb bought up the stock. They remained in control less than a year, disposing of the business to the present management on March 1, 1914. The paper has been under Miss Catherine Burke's control ever since, and is counted one of the most successful newspapers, both financially and otherwise, in Contra Costa County. The Transcript is published every Thursday afternoon, and is a seven-column eight-page paper.
Concord today is well equipped with business of all kinds-two banks, several general merchandise stores, hardware-stores, good ho- tels, drug-stores, garages, machine-shops and blacksmith-shops, three churches, a good fire department, and in fact every convenience that goes to make up a city where people enjoy living. .
Salvio Pacheco, in July, 1852, was assessed for 17,712 acres of land, valued at $141,696, or eight dollars an acre.
The present board of trustees of Concord are E. J. Randall (chair- man), Clark Jaquith, Charles Dunn, Joseph Rosa, and Henry Bott.
PACHECO
In 1860 Hale & Fassett, with Doctor Carothers, purchased the site of Pacheco and laid it out in town lots. With a keen perception of the natural advantages of the situation, its proximity to an embarcadero, and its lying on the main line of travel, these enterprising gentlemen at once commenced building. Hale & Fassett erected a store and a large warehouse at the bayside, and in a short time were doing a large profit- able business. Others came in, lots were bought, and the place soon had the elements of prosperity.
Long before Pacheco came into existence, however, G. L. Walrath had in 1853 erected the residence later occupied by George P. Loucks. As far back as 1853 there was a warehouse owned by Lathrop, Fish, and Walrath, that later was possessed by Bray Brothers, of San Fran- cisco, while in 1857 Mr. Loucks built another 150 feet in length, and in 1858 there was 125 feet added to it. This stood on the bank of Wal- nut Creek, about one mile east of the town. In the fall of 1862, owing to the rapid filling in of the stream, it was moved down the creek about
II4
HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
three-quarters of a mile. In 1857 W. K. Hendricks acquired land from Mr. Loucks, and on it built the mill. These two enterprises were the primary causes of the starting of Pacheco.
At an early date the creek had its course to the rear of the store of John Gambs, while the county road ran along the line of the creek. The earliest sailing-craft to ply to the locality were those trading to the lime-kiln of F. L. Such. The first to come to Louck's wharf were the "C. E. Long," Captain Gus. Henderson, and the "Ida," Captain Lud- wig Anderson.
The land on which the town stands was surveyed by J. B. Abbott, and on it Hale & Fassett built the first house, it being the long store later occupied by John Gambs. About the same time Ludwig Anderson erected his residence, while the first brick house was put up by Elijah Hook. The first hotel was opened by Woodford, and thus the town had its start. In 1860 J. H. Troy's first fire-proof building was completed.
Almost in the year of its birth Pacheco was visited by a devastating fire. On August II, 1860, a fire broke out in the village, when the store of Elijah Hook, known as the "Farmers' Block," the concrete block of Doctor J. H. Carothers, and several other buildings were consumed, with a loss of about $26,400. A little more than seven years later an- other disastrous conflagration took place ; on August 15, 1867, the Pa- checo flour mills were totally destroyed. This loss was a public as well as a private calamity. The loss, amounting to no less than from $14,000 to $16,000, on which there was no insurance, was a very severe one to the proprietor, W. J. Ireland, and swept away the earnings of a life of industry. Besides the loss of the mills, about $2000 worth of wheat and flour was consumed, the property of various farmers in the vicinity. The next fire that occurred was the burning of Judge Warmcastle's farmhouse on April 1, 1870. The building was rented by Mr. Minaker. The last of all these conflagrations and the most destructive took place on the morning of Tuesday, September 5, 1871, when the village was once more visited by the fire fiend and damage done to the amount of $30,000 and more. The principal losers were E. Hook, three buildings and stock-loss, $18,000; L. F. Mareno, building, harness stock, and household goods-loss, $2500; Bunker & Porter, Contra Costa Gazette -loss, $2000; Odd Fellows Hall-loss, $2000 ; L. Anderson-loss, $500 ; J. H. Troy-loss, $500.
Lily &. Hurstimson
II5
CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
When Pacheco Fire Engine Company No. I was organized we have been unable to gather, nor do we know who its first officers were, but that there was such an organization is certain, for we find Don Sal- vio Pacheco, on February 16, 1861, presenting them with a handsome banner, trimmed with gold lace, and surmounted with a golden eagle.
On September 12, 1863, Pacheco Lodge No. 117, I. O. O. F., was or- ganized in Pacheco, with the following officers : Paul Shirley, N. G .; W. T. Hendrick, T. G .; L. B. Farish, secretary ; John Gambs, treasurer ; J. H. Carothers, warden. It was removed a few years later to Concord. In 1914 the building was remodeled throughout, and is now one of the fin- est fraternal halls in Contra Costa County.
The great earthquake which occurred at eight o'clock on the morn- ing of October 21, 1868, did considerable damage in Pacheco among the brick and concrete buildings, though a number of the frame buildings also suffered.
On May 29, 1869, the Western Union Telegraph Company completed their line to Pacheco, en route to Antioch. On June 19 in that year Mo- hawk Tribe No. 20, I. O. R. M., was instituted in Pacheco.
On December 29, 1870, the certificate of incorporation of the Contra Costa Savings & Loan Bank was filed. The following were the direc- tors : Barry Baldwin, G. M. Bryant, Walter K. Dell, John Gambs, W. M. Hale. The capital stock was laid at $50,000, and the existence of the corporation was limited to fifty years.
On February 6, 1871, the Pacheco Tobacco Company was incorpor- ated, with a capital stock of $10,000, for the purpose of curing and manufacturing tobacco.
The first church built in Pacheco was the Presbyterian, in 1862, and later a Roman Catholic church, and at a still later date the meeting- house of the Congregational church.
In the year 1859 a schoolhouse was constructed, and D. S. Woodruff was the first instructor. This continued until 1872, when it was deemed advisable to acquire a new school site, adjacent to the Catholic church, where it would be less likely to be flooded than in its former position.
The Pacheco flour-mill was erected in 1857, by W. T. Hendrick, who afterward disposed of it to W. J. Ireland.
L. Anderson's lumber yard was established by Capt. Ludwig Ander- son in 1860.
CHAPTER XII
EASTERN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
BY ROBERT G. DEAN
THAT portion of Contra Costa County lying east of the Mount Diablo Range-which includes a fringe of the great delta-has long been known and referred to as "Eastern Contra Costa," its boundaries being well defined by the Diablo Range on the west and the western branch of the San Joaquin, known as Old River, following it to its intersection with the main river, thence to Suisun Bay.
The history of this particular section is not of absorbing interest in its occupation and settlement-rather commonplace in its historical im- portance as an integral part of the State-but in the compilation of the history of Contra Costa County is worthy of a conspicuous place, inas- much as it has long been recognized as one of the garden-spots of the State and as the early home of one of California's most noted pioneers. Therefore, you who scan these pages will not expect a thrilling or tragic story of frontier life, nor yet a recital of dramatic scenes traced with the graphic pen of a Gibbon or in the elegant diction of a Macaulay, but rather in the plain, unvarnished tongue of one who came early upon the scene, will the simple story of conditions and of incidents and men who were the first to drift into this primitive and unpeopled land be told-men who had courageously braved the dangers of land and sea to reach it, and who came bringing their household gods, their traditions and civilization with them, to establish here on the Pacific Coast their homes and altars, to assist in building a new State, and to build into its foundations the principles of justice and freedom. So surely as they have done this, so surely have they made history, and so surely is the record worthy of transmission to posterity that the yet unborn may read in gratification of their pride in their ancestors who laid the foun- dations of this great commonwealth, perpetuating therein the rich and inestimable legacy they had received as a heritage from their American ancestry.
USIDENT
R&Deau
II7
EASTERN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Imagine yourself standing in the basket of a tethered baloon 3849 feet above the earth, with an unobstructed view of the world below. You would gaze with inspirations of delight upon the picture thus presented. Standing on the summit of Mount Diablo, that cone-like pinnacle that rises to the above elevation in the central part of Contra Costa County, a panoramic view is obtained that, however gifted, no artist's brush could paint or pen faithfully portray. It is simply a wonderful and in- teresting picture of valleys "cradled in the hills," of farms, orchards, hamlets, towns, cities-long stretches of watercourses, silvery in the sunlight-great bays and far-reaching inlets, with sail and steam craft crawling on their surface like flies on a gigantic mirror-vast areas of plains-the islands of the great delta of the Sacramento and San Joa- quin rivers ; and beyond, dim in the distance, the Sierras lift their lofty and luminous summits, snow-crested, into the imperial blue of uncloud- ed skies.
Westward the busy mart of San Francisco with its peopled streets and moving car-lines, its domes and steepled churches, the long lines of drifting smoke from furnace fires-the Golden Gate and the Farallon Islands, and, far beyond the shore line of the continent, the gray waste of the ocean even to the horizon's verge-in all directions, far as the eye can reach, tinted with light and shadow and rifts of color, extends this scenic picture.
It is from this viewpoint that I invite you to look down upon the eastern portion of Contra Costa County. The narrow rim of rounded and rapidly descending foothills that adjoin the mountains on the east, and which remind one of bubbles on the surface of a boiling cauldron, soon disappear, merged into a slightly descending plain that stretches away eastward to the great tule delta that from this height appears like a great splash of green on the landscape, separated into islands by glint- ing and tortuous watercourses.
Here, in a conspicuous locality on this plain, near the foothills, on the line of the Southern Pacific Railroad, stands the village of Brentwood. Its environment is the twenty-five or thirty sections of free alluvial soil created by the joint action and wash of Marsh and Kellogg creeks, that drain the eastern watershed of Mount Diablo and the Black Hills. It is a neat country village with broad smooth streets and cement sidewalks. It excusedly boasts of a beautiful hotel built of fortified concrete, in the
II8
HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Mission style of architecture, regardless of cost in construction or ap- pointment, an ornamental bank building, and, owing to the central loca- tion, a high school has been established that is modestly hidden in the heart of the village. This is supplemented by a manual-training school and all the accessories that go to constitute it an up-to-date institution of learning, duly accredited to the University of California. It has, also, a fine grammar school, two churches, stores, shops, and business houses incidental to a modern village, a large grain warehouse that handles thousands of tons of wheat and barley, the products of its fertile acres.
It would be pleasant to dilate on the future of this favored section, to speak of the splendid system of irrigation constructed and completed, to picture these broad acres, that once were waving grain-fields, painted with the living green of alfalfa and orchard, dotted with the homes of the small farmer living upon and cultivating his crops in conscious se- curity against the fickle seasons with their insufficient rainfalls, with every advantage of transportation by rail and water, with a climate free from sea fogs or chilling summer winds, and canopied for eight months in the year by cloudless skies, distant only sixty-two and a half miles from the civic center of San Francisco.
But this is not history, and it is of the past rather than of the present or future that we propose to speak. The writer drifted into this section in the summer of 1853. At that date there was no habitation between the lower crossing of the San Joaquin, near where the railroad now crosses, and Marsh Landing, except that of Doctor John Marsh, whose home was on the edge of the foothills several miles from the usually traveled road that skirted the tules. A belt of fine old oaks that grew on the delta of Kellogg Creek was a conspicuous landmark, for the reason that it was the first bunch of timber found north of the four creeks on the west side, a distance of two hundred miles, and received the ap- pellation of "The Point of Timber," a designation that still applies to that locality.
A luxuriant growth of alfilaria and wild oats covered the plains and foothills-too rank in many places to cut for hay ; and on the wash of Sand Creek, when the soil had been flooded, the oats were so tall that the antelope and cattle made trails through and underneath them, and it was possible for a horseman to lap the heads of the oats together over his shoulders while sitting on his horse.
alexander Fournes.
119
EASTERN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Doctor Marsh asserted ownership to the whole country, claiming un- der the title of a Spanish grant. His boundaries were from a round- topped hill standing in the range southwest of Byron, known as Brushy Peak, to the river, thence following the river to Antioch, thence to the place of beginning, embracing some thirty-two or more leagues of land. His cattle ran wild and in scattered bunches over this splendid domain, unbroken even to the rodeo. Not until 1852 were they handled, beyond branding and ear-marking the calves, when he let the contract to a party to gentle them. The rodeo ground was on the tule front, on what is now known as the Portman ranch, near Knightsen, and when the job was completed one man could round up the entire herd-and Doctor Marsh was out of pocket $3000. The Doctor had built a story-and-a-half cot- tage and extended a narrow wharf into the river at the eastern end of the sand bluff above Antioch. This was known as Marsh Landing, but was occupied in 1853 by a Creole Frenchman by the name of Leonard. Leonard had "jumped" the place, and a suit was then pending against him, instituted by the Doctor, for forcible entry and detainer.
The Stockton steamboats were calling there, and Leonard had made some arrangement for the exchange of mail. Antioch had two or three houses ; Captain Kimball, Parson Smith, and, if I remember, J. C. Mc- Master, were the principal residents. Fowler had established a ranch over on the point and occupied it with his family. There was the hull of a dismantled ship lying in the mud at New York Landing below An- tioch, now Pittsburg. City sites in the early days were as eagerly sought after as the glittering gold of the mines. Every available point was lo- cated where it was thought a trade center could be established and city lots were staked for sale. Thus eastern Contra Costa came in for its share.
The New York of the Pacific, Antioch, and Marsh Landing were located, and sixty-five years thereafter the hopeful anticipations of their founders are in process of realization, particularly as to the former. The smoke from her many furnace fires attest the wisdom of the loca- tion of Pittsburg as a center of industry, and the more conspicuous site of Antioch that is fast assuming city proportions, with the advantages of deep water at her piers, the custom of the isles, and her railroad fa- cilities, will insure her steady and permanent growth.
Possibly the dreams of Doctor Marsh would have materialized also,
I20
HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
if the coal-croppings on his ranch had developed as anticipated-but alas! "the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft aglee."
During the year settlers began to drop in along the tule front ; John Dobbinspeck, with his family, took up a claim just east of Marsh Land- ing and built a little domicile out of split material hauled from the red- woods. His wife had brought with her several quarts of peach pits ; these were planted in the moist tule edge and made trees suitable for transplanting the ensuing spring. Perkins, a Yankee sailor with a Kan- aka wife, located on the front at a point between Oakley and the land- ing. He was elected justice of the peace, and I remember his first case.
A little Irishman had contracted to dig a certain number of rods of fence ditch, at fifty cents a rod,1 for John Osborne, who had made a lo- cation in the live oaks. Osborne thought the sturdy little fellow could dig about eight rods a day, and thus make fair wages; but "Johnny" turned himself loose in the sand and made it fly. At night he had nearly twenty rods ! Osborne refused to pay, and Johnny sued. "Perk" opened court in his living-room. There was a table and four chairs. Just before seating himself he reached into a cupboard and pulled out a half-gallon demijohn of whiskey. "Now, boys, let's all have a snootful"-and we all joined him. Then he called the case. Johnny stated his side-told what the agreement was and how much he made. "Perk," without fur- ther testimony, said, "He ought to be paid."
"D-n it," replied Osborne, "I'm ready to pay for what he has done, but I won't stand for the balance of it at fifty cents a rod."
"Be jabers, ye will, or I'll knock the face off ye," interlarded Johnny.
"Here, here!" shouted Perkins, as he jumped from his chair and threw off his coat; "you can't knock anybody's face off in this court. Sit down, both of you." And they meekly complied. "Now, see here," he continued; "you must compromise. Don't be a hog, Johnny. You can dig that ditch for thirty cents a rod, can't you ? And, Osborne, you are willing to pay that, ain't you?" They nodded approval. "Well, let it go at that. And now let's take a drink on it." This they did also, and went their way, no costs assessed, pleased with "Perk's" manner of dis- pensing justice.
1 It was the custom then in constructing a fence to dig a ditch along the line two and a half feet deep by about the same in width and lay a thick coating of brush on the bank. Of course, there were no posts, lumber, or wire available in those days, and the ditch was the only alter- native.
AB Bandon
I2I
EASTERN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
During the summer and fall other settlers dropped in. Richardson, on the Dellwood place, Fred Babbe, on the Sellers quarter, and Fulton Sanders, at the old Iron House, Drake and Dean as neighbors. Later the Dobbinspecks sold their place and went to Napa. Dean left his location with Drake and went up on the creek and located, taking the peach-trees and planting them there, for Marsh's cattle at a later time to destroy.
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.