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-OF- 


ofoiA  County 


CALIFORNIA. 


Containing-  a  History  <>f  tin'  County  of  Sommia  fiMm  tlic  Earliest   Period 

of  its  Occupancy  to  the  Tresent  Time,  to<,'ethev  witli   (Himpses  of 

its  Prospective  Future;    witli   Profuse  Illustrations  of  its 

Beautiful  Scenery,  Full-Page  Portraits  of  some  of 

its    most    Eminent    Men,    and   Biograjdiical 

Mention  of  Many  of  its  I'ioneers  and 

also  of  Pi-onnnent   Citizens 

of  To-day. 


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THE   LEWIS   PUBLISHING   COMPANY, 

11;!   Ada.m.n  St.,  Ciiicm.o,   Ii.linoi.^. 
1  b  8  l> . 


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IXTUODUCTORY 


CHAPTER  I. 
A  CnAPTEn  OP  C'F.NTrniF.s. 

California  Discovered— Origin  of  Name— Sir  Francis  Dralie— Monterey  Bay  Discovered  by  Viscaino— San 
Franciscan  Friars  Plant  the  Cross  at  San  Diego— Bay  of  San  Francisco  Discovered— Monterey  Founded  and 
Mission  Establislied— San  Francisco  Bay  Explored —Presidio  and  Mission  Established  al  San  Francisco— Call, 
fornia  Weak  and  Defenseless — Ceutury  Ends  and  no  Settlement  North  of  Verba  Buena  -         -        .        .        4-11 

CHAPTER  11. 

The  Kt'ssians  at  Ross. 

The  Russian  American  Fur  Companj- — Razanof  Visits  San  Francisco  in  1805 — Fishinir  for  Otter  along  the 
Coast— In  1809  Kuskof  Anchored  in  Bodega  Bay— In  1811  the  Russians  Established  Fort  Ross— What  the 
Frenchman,  Durant  ('illy,  said  of  Ross  in  1838 — Ross  a  Busy  Bee-Hive  of  Industry  -  -        -         -         12-19 

CHAPTEi;  TTI. 

The   SpANIAKtlR  NonTTT  OF  THE  Bay. 

After  Forty  Vears  the  Spaniards  Secure  Lodgment  North  of  San  Francisco — A  Branch  Mission  Established  at 
San  Rafael  in  181S— Exploring  Expedition  under  Captain  Argiiello  in  1821 — In  1823  Padre  Altimira  Visited 
Petalnma  and  Sonoma  Valleys  and  Chose  Sonoma  as  a  Mission  Site — Missicra  Dedicated  as  San  Francisco 
Solano,  April  4,  1824 20-28 

rUAlTER   IV. 

The  RrssTASs  and  Ross  to  a  CoNoi.rsiON. 

The  Russians  Realize  Ihey  have  too  Narrow  a  Fiehl — Will  Buy  more  Territory  or  Sell  their  Establishments — 
Overtures  not  well   Received  by  Mexican  Authorities — Vallejo  Comniandante  at  Sonoma  in  18:J4 — Russians 
Sell  to  Captain  John  Sutter  in  1811  and  Depart  for  Alaska— P>idwell  and  Beunitz  at  Ross — Fort  Ross  in  188S 
29-S() 


CHAITEi;   V. 

.MEXIfO    UuflES   Cor.ONTZATTON    NOUTH    OF  SaN    FuANCTSCO. 

Governor  Figueroa  Sets  on  Foot  a  Coloni/alion  Enterprise — Attempts  to  Establish  Settlements  at  Pelaluma 
and  Santa  Rosa  in  18:!:!— In  183.j  Sonoma  Laid  Out  and  made  the  Center  of  Military  Power  and  Secular  Coloni- 
zation North  of  the  Bay — Vallejo  Authorized  to  Otler  C'olonists  Grants  of  Land — Becomes  the  Controlling 
Power — Makes  an  Alliance  with  Indian  Chief  Solano — In  18:38  Sinall-Pox  Among  the  Indians-        -  37-44 


iv  CONTRNTS. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  C'ArTi'UE  of  Sonoma. 

Mexican  Kule  Neariiig  ils  EdJ — California  Leaders  Quarreling  Among  Themselves — War  Expected  Between 
United  Stales  and  Jlexico— Americans  in  a  Ticklish  Position — What  Larkin  was  Expected  to  do — What  Fre- 
mont did  do — Bancroft's  Instructions  to  Commodore  Sloal — Vallejo — Sutter — Fremont  and  Gillespie — Midnight 
Attack  by  Indians — Fremont's  Uelurn  Down  the  Sacramento  Valley — Sonoma  Captured — Capture  of  Vallejo — 
Taken  to  Sacramento — How  Received  by  Fremont Ah-M 

ciTArTER  vn. 

The  Bkah  Flag — Stars  and  STRirEs. 

Kevolutionists  Found  a  New  Government — Hear  Flag  Adopted — How  and  by  Whom  JIade — Captain  Ide  Issues 
a  Proclamation — Lieutenant  Missroon  Arrives — Killing  of  Cowie  and  Fowler  at  Santa  Rosa — Battle  of  Olom. 
Jiali — Castro  Leads  Troops  Across  the  Bay — Fremont  Hastens  to  Sonoma — Goes  to  San  Bafael — C'alilornia  Bat- 
talion Organized — Fremont  Starts  After  Castro — Captain  Montgomery  Dispatched  Lieutenant  Revere  to  Sono- 
ma with  an  American  Flag,  and  July  9  the  Bear  Flag  came  down  and  the  Stars  and  Stripes  went  up  -        57-G!l 

rilAPTER  VIII. 

The  Past  and  Present. 

The  Bear  Flag,  how  male— Names  of  Kevolutionists — State  Seal — General  M.  G.  Vallejo — General  .7.  A 
Sutter— Sonoma  District  Pioneers — Native  Sons  of  the  Golden  West  ....-.-      70-SS 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Military  and  Politicat.  History. 

Sonoma  Under  Jlililaiy  Rule — Civil  OtHcers  Appointed — How  Justice  was  Administered — Constitutional  C(Ui- 
vention — First  Election — California  Admitted  into  the  Union — Machinery  of  Civil  Government  Set  in  Motion — 
Agitation  of  County  Seat  Removal— Santa   Rosa  Chosen — Early  Court  Accommodations — County  Buildings 
- -        -        -        .       89-101 

CHAPTER  X. 

Location  and  Topograi'iiv. 

Boundaries  of  Sononia  Cnunty—Her  Mountain  Ranges — Forests  and   Valleys  ....  103-106 

CHAPTER  XI. 

American  Occvpation. 

Sonoma  a  Central  Point  after  the  Bear  Flag  Revolution— Efl'ect  of  Discovery  of  the  Mines— F.  G.  Blume's 
Staleraent— First  Settlers  at  Petaluma— Bachelor  Ranches— County  as  it  was  in  1854— Assessor's  Report  for 
1855 — First  Fair  in  Sonoma  County 107-117 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Reminiscent  of  a  Third  op  a  C'enti'ry  Aoo. 

An  Epitome  of  the  First  Year's  Record  of  the  Sonoma  County  Journal— The  Geysers  in  185(i— The  Petaluma 
Hunters  in  18(iO 118-l'i8 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
The  Coi  nty  Developing. 

Immigration  Pours  into  Sonoma  County -Products  of  Country  Between  Pelalumaand  Bodega— Santa  Rosa  and 
Russian  River  \  alleys— The  Year  18(it— Land  Troubles— Bodega  War— Healdsburg  War— .Muldrew  Shadow- 
Miranda  Grant — Bnjori|ues  (irant  -  -         - ItiO-Hl 


rjONf  Biffs. 


CHAPTEH  XIV. 

GEOI.OriY,    MiNEHALOGY    AND    FOSSII-S. 

Basalt  Rock — Asbestos — Chromic  Iron — Cinnabiir — Suli>luir — Coi^per — Fossil  Uemains — Petri  fad  ions     14'i-147 

CHAPTER  X\'. 

MExrcAN  Land  Grants  of  Sonoma  County. 

ItancUos  Musalacon — ^Colate — Giiilicos — Canada  lie  Pogolome — Llano  de  Santa  liosa— El  Molino — Ilnichica — 
Yulpa — Guenoc — Soloyome — I'odega — Blucher — Callajomi — Muniz — Lagnna  de  San  Antonio — Arroyo  de  San 
Antonio — Senode  IMalconies— Uoblar  de  la  l\[isera— Canada  de  la  loniva — Eslero  Americano — German — Peta- 
liima — San  Miguel — 'I'zabaco — Caslamayome — Cabeza  de  Santa  Kosa — Agua  Caliente         .        -        -        14y-lo6 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Haii.ways,  Highways,  Water  Courses  and  Bays. 

San  Francisco  and  Northern  Pacific  Railroad — North  Pacific  Coast  Railroad — Santa  Rosa  and  Carquinez  Rail- 
road—Public Highways — The  Last  Stage  Driver — Rivers  and  Water  Courses— Bays  and  Coves— Colonel  Peter 
Donahue  -         - -  ir)7-104 

CHAPTER  XVIL 

Events  in  Chronoi-ogicai,  Order. 

A  Record  of  Years — Incidents — Accidents — Discove.ies — Developments,  etc.  ....  ]fi.")-170 

CHAPTER  XVIIL 

Indian  Mass.^cres. 

Ill-fated  Sonoma  Countians — Doctor  Smeathman— Canfield,  Van  Ostrand  ami  Borton — Barnes — .Jndson, 
Woodworth,  Baker  and  Old  Benjamin — Leihy — Mrs.  Sallie  Ann  Canfield 171-177 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Sonoma  and  Marin  County  Agricultural  Society. 

When  Organized — Its  Changes  in  Organization — Its  Fairs  and  Officers — Change  of  Location  of  Fair  Grounds — 
Its  Good  Ett'ect  on   Our   Industries 178-1H3 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Nature's  Laboratory- The  Geysers. 

The  Geysers — Visited  in  ISOri  by  Vice-President  Schuyler  Colfax  and  Samuel  Bowles,  Editor  of  the  Springfield 
.Massachusetts,  liepuhlican — What  Mr.  Bowles  Wrote — Clark  Fos.s — The  Eartluiuake,  1808  184-188 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Redwood  Forests. 

E.\tent  of  Redwood  Forests — Lumber  Output  of  Mills — Colonel  Aimstrong's  Grove — A  ilousterTree — The  Big 
Bottom  Forests,  etc.  .        -        . 18!I-UI4 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Names  Belonging  to  History. 

President  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  Geneial  William  T.  Sherman  and  Secretary  of  War  Alexandei'  Kauisey— Culo- 
nel  Rod  .Matheson—.Iolin  Miller  Cameron — Salmi  Morse-         -  - 1!I5-'J00 

CHAPTER  XX ill. 
Zoological. 

Animals  Native  of  Sonoma  County — Grizzly,  Brown  and  Black  Bear — Panther-Fox— Wolf— Coyote— Wild 
Cat— Mounrain  Cat— Elk,  Deer,  Antelope,  etc. 201-204 

CHAPTER   XXIV. 
Our  Flora  anm   Conikera.        -        .        .        .  205-209 


OONrEWTS. 


CHAPTEll  XX\'. 
"  I.o  Till-;  Poou  Indian." 

The  Imliaus— Mission  Record  of  Tribal  Kaines— Vallejo's  Esliiuatp  of  their  Niimlier— Number  at  Time  of 
American  Settlement— Complexiou  and  Stature— How  they  Lived— Tlieir  Implements— Interview  with  Cask., 
bel  and  Jose  Viquaro — John  Walker's  Statement ;;iO-'2i:i 

CIIAPTKi;   XXVI. 
General  Htstory  to  a  CoNcirPsiox. 

From  1870  Onward — The  Southern  Counties  Open  to  Settlement— Its  Etieft— Sonoma  Prospers  Without  a 
Change  in  Iler  Industries— Grain  and  Potatoes  not  Grown  so  Largely— Stock,  Hay  ami  Fruit  Growing— Kail- 
ro.ids  Stimulate  the  Lumber  Business— Statistical  and  Otherwise — Sonoma  County's  Future  '.'H-SiO 

criAPTKR  XXVIl. 
Santa  Rosa. 

Town.ship  History- Growth  of  tlie  Cily— liusine^s  Interests- Aildress  of  Hon.  G.  A.  Johnson— Churches- 
Schools — The  Press .  2i3-242 

t'llAPTKR  XXVIIl. 

PETAT.r>rA 

Township    History— Origin    of    Name- Chronological— Business    Interests— Churches— The   Press     24:^-'2(i4 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
Township  IIistoriks. 

Mendocino— Clovcnlale— Sonoma— Analy—Boilega  —  Russian  River  —Washington— Redwood— Ocean  —  Salt 
Point — Ivuighl's  Valley  — Vallejo 2(i5-:i0(i 


^BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES,^ 


A. 

Abraham,  Isidore 20!) 

Adams,  John 43!) 

Agnew,  S.  J Cy'SH 

Aguillon,  Camille TUT 

Akers,  Stephen T3G 

Alexander,  J.  .M 2T0 

Alexander,  L.  M 311 

Allen,  Otis .SOo 

Allen,  S.I :i82 

Amesbury,  William 722 

Anderson,  L.  S (iT5 

Anderson,  T.  H.  B 48;i 

Andrews.  Robert 581 

Arata,  B 402 

Auradou,  J.  A (i:W 

.\iistin,  Charles 400 

Austin,  James 'MH 

Austin,  J.S ry.M 

B. 

Baer,G.  B 2TT 

Bailey,  J.  II 4fi(j 

Bailitr,John 588 

Baker,  A.  .M 729 

Bale,  Edward  T 70:i 

Barhani,  .1.  A .'U.5 


Barlow,  S.  Q .531 

Barnes,  E.  H fi40 

Barth,  Adam  T:^3 

Bayler,  John .")11 

Baylis,  T.  F  r,7-> 

Bell,  R.  W ()l(i 

Berry,  B.  B  818 

Berry,  S.  B ;i22 

Bidwell,  Ira 41.5 

Bloch,  George 809 

Bodwell,  C.  A 008 

Bolle,  Henry 830 

Bohlin,  F.  A" 427 

Bouton,  Andrew 477 

Bowman,  J.  H 497 

Braunern,  William 725 

Briggs,  Robert 419 

Brooke,  T.J 407 

Brooks,  Elmout 507 

Brown,  F.T 700 

Brown,  fl.  C ,507 

Brown,  John 398 

Brotherton,  T.  W 331 

Bryant,  D.  S 338 

Burnett,  A.  G    400 

Burnham,  Albert 708 

Burris,  L.  W 088 

Butt,  Allied 026 


Byce,  L.  C 548 

Byington,  H.  W .59!) 

C. 

Cady,  M.  K 434 

Caldwell,  Albert .545 

Campbell,  Joseph   578 

Campbell.  J.  T OOi 

Cantield,  W.  D 078 

Cary,  Bartley 7  Ki 

Carithers,  D.  N 42!) 

Carr,  Mark 41!) 

Carriger,  C.  C 08;i 

Caniger,  Nicholas 009 

Carroll,  Patrick  415 

Cassiday,  Samuel 2."j8 

(;assidy,  J.  W  405 

Castens,  Henry GT2 

Cavanagh,  John 560 

Chalfanl,  J.  K .554 

Champion,  John 541 

Chaniplin,  C.  C 584 

Chart,  Obed .591 

Chase,  M.  E .' 500 

Chauvet,  Joshua .525 

Clark,  Benjamin ....412 

Clark,  James 532 

Clitlord.  Rev.  G.  B 077 


CONTENTS. 


CoiUlin?,  G.  R 440 

C'otfey,  lleury ('•i4 

C'olgau,  E.  P.' 00!) 

Colson  limtliers 587 

C'orastock,  William 40'2 

Cooper,  S.  K 'UD 

Cooper,  K.  M 4:)4 

Cooper,  James ...  .004 

Conuer,  Joliu   -ilG 

Cottle,  B.  H 2o8 

Crais,  O.  W 4i;8 

Cralle,  L.  J OJO 

Crane,  Joel . .  .■"'.">(! 

Crane,  ]{i)ljert 40.') 

Curtis,  J.  II 478 

I). 

Davidson,  J.  ¥. 404 

Davidson,  S.  E 408 

Davis,  G.  W.  ikE.  W 707 

Davis,  H.  II 488 

Davis,  U.  S 403 

Davis,  \V.  S 008 

De  Haj'  Brothers 715 

Delalieia,  H.  II   440 

Dfumau,  Hod.  Ezekial   543 

De  Turk,  Isaac 310 

Dickenson,  J.  K 404 

Dickenson,  AV.  L 303 

Diet/.,  Gerhard 725 

Drayeiir,  A.  ct  Brollicr     510 

Dresel,  Julius 500 

Dunn,  M.  H 040 

Dunu,T.  M 504 

Duuz,  C.  J 452 


Eardlev,  W.  J 522 

Edwards,  J.  L 384 

Ely,  Elisha 311 

Esppy,  G.  T 590 

Evans,  E.  W.  M 450 

F. 

Farrar,  M.  C 503 

Far(|uar,  C.  H 442 

Ferguson,  J.  N 543 

Ferguson,  W.  W 542 

Fitield,  E.  J 307 

Fitield,  W.  E     390 

Fischer,  G.  F 50!) 

Fisher  it  Kinslow 005 

Fisk,  Kev  S.  b 541 

Filch,  II.  D 403 

Fowler,  E.J 026 

Fowler,  J.  E 023 

Fowler,  S.  C 623 

Fowler.  !S.L 624 

Fox,  Henry 333 

Frasee,  C.  b 407 

Fulkerson,  .lohii 328 

Fulkerson,  Kirliard 327 

Fulkerson,  S.  T 330 

KulkersoM,  T.  W 329 

Fulton,  Thomas 524 


Gale,  D.  I{ 612 

Gale,  Otis 521 

Gallaway,  A.  J 3f5 

Gannon,  J.  P 310 

Gaver,  A.  P (103 

Gearini;,  Charles 717 


Gibson,  John 565 

Gibson,  J.  K 568 

Glaisler,  T.  S 5.  9 

Glynn,  F.  B .563 

Gobbi,  P.  &  J.  J 321 

Goodman,  L.  S 702 

Goss,  Johu 605 

Grainger,  W.  C 338 

Granice,  II.  II ',81 

Grant,  C.  F 405 

Grant,  J.  I) 404 

Green,  P.  F 091 

Gregson,  James 330 

Grillith,  E.J 412 

Glover,  CD 410 

Gundlach,  Jacob 499 

Gunn,  J.  0.  B 540 

H 

llafhl,  Conrad 100 

Hall,  George 585 

Hall,  J.  W - 487 

Hall,  L.  B  487 

Hall,  Robert 517 

Haran,  Owen  428 

Hardin,  J.  A 400 

Ilardin,  L.  A 009 

Harmon,  G.  AV 485 

Harris,  Jacob 4.50 

Harris,  T.  L 300 

Harris,  G.  S 087 

Hartsock,  Mrs.  I.  M 030 

Ilasbrouck,  H.  B 484 

Haskell,  Barnabas 310 

Haskell,  W.  B 320 

Hathaway,  E.  L 731 

Hayden,  E..\\ 440 

Hayne,  W.  H 445 

Heaton,S.  O 028 

Hendri.x,  Lewis  020 

Higgins,  Asa 701 

Hill,  Dickson  it  Goodl'ellow 454 

Hill,  J.  M 451 

Hill,  William....    352 

Hilton,  W.  H 001 

Hinkle,  J.  B 530 

Hoatr,  O.  H .503 

Holloway,  J.  C 530 

Holmes,  H.  P 728 

Hoist,  Peter 582 

Hood,  William 3.'0 

Hooper,  G.  F 047 

Hopkins,  S.  J 540 

Howe,  Roben 017 

Howell,  Orrin.' 619' 

Hubbard,  Henry 504 

Hudson,  David 710 

Hudson,  11.  W 411 

Hudson,  Martin 700 

Hunt,  J.  II 444 

Huntley,  G.  W 481 

Huntley,  Will 372 

I. 

Ink,  W.  V 442 

Ivancuvich,  George 331 

J. 

Jewett,  D.  G 308 

Jewetl.  E.  G 515 

Johnson,  G.  A 3S0 

Johnson.  3.7. 421 

Jones,  W.  D 480 


K. 

Kelly,  J.  W 378 

Kennedy,  G.  H 526 

Killam,  A.  F 724 

King,  G.  F 0.50 

King,  John 435 

Kirch,  Henry 431 

Knapp,  A.  H 734 

Knapp,  W.  L 583 

Kuu.st,  Charles 714 

Kraucke,  P.  W 5.1 

L. 

Lal'ranclii,  Giuseppi   732 

Lang,  J.B (io2 

Lapum,  Hicks 537 

Laughlin,  A.  D 450 

Laughlin,  J.  H 408 

Laughlin,  J.  M 432 

Lauler,  Nathan  A;  Co 4-18 

Lee,  A.  G 731 

Le  Febvre,  O.  j>1 508 

Lehn,  Charles 5Ul 

Leininger,  Joseph. . .     6~<7 

Lewis,  J.  B 470 

Lewis,  R.  E 380 

Lewis,  W.  A 606 

Light,  E.  H 712 

Likens,  Levi 730 

Lippitt,  E  S 037 

Litchtield,  Duraiit 638 

Litchfield,  Jlarliu 600 

Longmore,  William 607 

Loomis,  F.  C 514 

Losee,  J.  A 035 

Luce,  Jirah 345 

Luce,  M.  Y 493 

Ludwig,  T.  J 370 

Lyon,  R.  B 711 

M. 

Manion,  William 370 

Mauion,  W.  U 379 

Manuel,  II.  C 676 

Martin,  Jlrs.  F.  Jlcti 642 

Martin,  W.  II ..406 

Mather,  J 348 

Matheson,  Col.  Rod   340 

Matthews,  C.  W 523 

Mayuard,  F.  T .585 

McChristian,  Owen 598 

McChristian,  Patrick 5.0 

McClelland,  Buchanan 711 

JlcCoimell,  W.  E (i.50 

McDonnell,  William 492 

McGaughev,  L.  J 401 

McGee,  J.  Il (iOO 

JIcHarvey,  Cliarles 041 

McMeaus.A.  C 344 

McNabb,  J.  II 2.57 

McXear,  J.  A  518 

Meacham,  Alonzo 643 

Mecham,  Harrison 084 

Melson,  J.R 425 

Merchanl,  T.  S 66!) 

Merrill,  J.  P 546 

Meyer,  Claus 583 

Micliaels,  Augu>l 700 

Michaelson,  L.  C .630 

Millingtou,  Setli 555 

Miller,  A.J 420 

Miller,  C.  S 66ii 

Miller,  O.  T 51(i 


COyTEXTS. 


Miller,  T.  B :547 

iMills,  A.  J 547 

Moore,  A.  P oOl 

Moore,  Koberl 6«1 

Mordecai,  ThoiiKis 480 

Morris,  J.  II.  1' 35S 

Morrow,  E.  E 574 

Mulgrew,  F.  B 691 

Mulgrew,  J.  F 351 

N. 

Nay,  S.  A 453 

Near,'C.  D ms 

Norton,  L.  A 424 

U. 

O'Brien,  Joliu 08!) 

Oliver,  J.  S U'Jo 

Ormsby,  G.  W 43:i 

On,  .Julius 718 

Overton,  A.  P :J32 

Overton,  J.  II 714 

P. 

Paulieco,  F.  J 051 

Pajre.  T.  S ()^6 

Parker,  Freman 511 

Parkerson,  C.  J 737 

Parks,  I).  H 474 

Passalacjua,  F 723 

Patty,  L.  H 570 

Pearce,  George 682 

Pepper,  J.  T 401 

Pepper.  W.  H 48!) 

Peny,  C.  A 604 

Peters,  A.  N 422 

Peters,  J.  T 482 

Peterson,  A.  .1 350 

Petitdidier,  N 728 

Philips,  Waller 575 

Piezzi,  Victor 367 

Piggott,  .1.  K 473 

Pond,  C.  H 270 

Poulson,  O.  P  721 

Pratt,  E.  F 6.55 

Pressley,  .1.  G 580 

Prindle,  William 426 

Proctor,  T.J 377 

Puniphrev,  A 671 

Putnam,  D.  W.  C 513 

Putnam,  T.  C 507 


Katkliir,  W.  G 620 

Hagle,G.  J 388 

Kagadale,  ,1.  W 309 

Range,  Charles 505 

Kankin,  .J.  II 420 

Uasthen.  Henry 472 

Keid,  .1.  B 397 

Iteiners,  C.  A ,574 

I'.icksecker.  L.  E 0.59 

Uidgwav,  .Jeremiah 436 

l!ol)in.son,  W.  .J 519 

Kodgers,  A.  W 358 

Hodgers,  J.  P 345 

Rogers,  E.  A 343 

Rose,  J.  R  .579 

Ross.  Ijo.nsoTi 55S 

Kufus,  Ernst .538 

Runyon,  Arraslead 325 


Russell,  W.  F 671 

Rutledge,  Thomas 690 

f^arguisson,  Cornelius 557 

Sauhorn,  G.  N .560 

Savage,  C.  W 735 

Sbarboro,  Andrea 48S 

Scanimon,  CM 459 

Schmidt,  Peter 727 

Schniltger,  C.  II 594 

.Schocken,  Solomon 450 

Schroder,  John   094 

Seaman,  J.  F 6.52 

Sears,  Franklin 517 

Seavey,  S.  A 391 

Shattuck,  D.  O 5.52 

Shaw,  I.  E 459 

Shaw,  S.  H 409 

Shaw,  William 690 

Simi,  G 673 

Simpson  &  Roberts 674 

Sink,  W.  D 713 

Skillman,  Theodore- 088 

Smith,  R.  P 662 

Snyder,  J.  R 413 

Soidale  &  Giacomini 4!)8 

Spencer,  B.  M ...  334 

Springer,  ChrislopI 726 

Stamer  &  FeUhneyer  065 

Stearns,  F.  R 5.!6 

Steele,  Frank 726 

Stephens,  William 705 

Stevens,  Lester 534 

Stewart,  David 497 

Stewart.  D.  R 609 

Stolen,  P.  N 615 

Stridde,  Charles 335 

Sti'ong,  John 704 

Stuart,  A   B 341 

Stuart,  A.  McG 342 

Stuart,  C.  V 430 

Sullivan,  I.  W  349 

Surryhne,  Edward 690 

S wain,  R.  ,M 392    ' 

Sylvester,  D.  n' 512 

T. 

Talbot,  Coleman .559 

Talbot,  Holmau 507 

Taylor,  J.  S 4.55 

Taylor,  O.  A 047    ; 

Thompson,  A.  J 6.54 

Thomson,  E.  P 053 

Tivnen,  John 462 

Torr,  C.  L 0.53    ; 

Torrance,  S.  H 573 

Trapet,  J.  B 551 

Trip]),  11.  L 548    I 

Tupper,  G.  A 3.55    [ 

U.  ! 

Underbill,  J.  G 3.57 

V. 

Vallejo,  M.G 72    I 

Vollmar,  P.  II 013 

M'agele,  Conrad   . .  .732 

Walden  i  Co 509     - 

AValls,  David 501 


A\'alters,  Sol 709 

Warboys,  J.  W 365 

Ward,  T.  M 667 

Ware,  A.  15 ,5.52 

Wartield,R.  H 644 

Warner,  A.  L 469 

\\'egener,  Julius 580 

Weguer,  Edward 481 

Weils,  I^leasaut 317 

Wells,  W.  R 314 

Weske,  Adolph 535 

Weyl,  Henry 443 

Whallon,  Murray 656 

V\'hite,  Harrison 381 

White,  J.  H 673 

Whitney,  A.  L.  i:  Co 617 

Whitney,  A.  P 447 

Whitney,  W.  B 681 

Wightman,  Chauncev 504 

Wilbert,  P .".   , ','77 

Wilcox,  W.  O 411 

Wiley,  J.  W 597 

Williamson,  J.  R 723 

Wilson,  J.  E : 430 

Wilton,  T.G 314 

Winans,  D.  M 6M2 

■Winkle,  Henry 619 

Winkler,  Clayton 627 

Winter,  T.  S 502 

Woodward,  C.  W 615 

Woodworth,  FA 373 

■\Voolsev.  E.  W 576 

Worth, "W.  H 3.55 

Wright,  F.  C 3.58 

Wright,  W.S.  M 479 

Y. 

Yandle.  F.  J 6.55 

York,  C.  W 6-18 

Young,  B  S 374 

Young,  J.  S 592 

Z. 

Zaitnian.  William 555 

Zimiuerniau,  George 503 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Allen,  Otis,  Residence  of 394 

Adams,  John 438 

Auradou,  J.  A 632 

Bouton,  Andrew,  Residence,    Or- 
chard and  Nursery  of 476 

'Briggs,  Robert 418 

Colgan,  E.  P 698 

Dickenson,  W.  L 360 

Dickenson,  W.  L  ,  Residence  of.  .361 
Glynn,  F.  B.,  Residence  and  Mills 

of 562 

Johnson,  G.  A Frontispiece 

McChristian,  Patrick .528 

Poulson,  O.  P 720 

Proctor,  T.  J 376 

Ragsdale,  J.  W   308 

Runyon,  Annslead 324 

Scammon.  C.  M 4.58 

Shearer,  M.  M 223 

Sonoma  County  Court-House. .  . .   99 
Stamer  &  Feldmeyer,   Residence 

and  Winery  of 064 

Stewart,  David 496 

Stuart,  A.  B 340 

Wiley,  J.  W 596 


i  INTRODUCTORY.  ^ 


-^&( 


tT  first  seeming  the  writing  of  a  county 
history  does  not  present  the  features  of  a 
difficult  task,  but  tlie  work  once  entered 
upon,  it  is  found  tliat  the  very  narrowness  of 
the  field  but  serves  to  perplex  and  render  more 
intricate  the  labor.  As  an  integral  part  of  the 
warp  and  woof  of  a  great  State  it  requires 
great  care  and  nice  discernment  to  determine 
where  the  shades  of  legitimate  county  history 
end  and  State  history  begins.  This  is  more 
particularly  true  of  Sonoma  County  than  of  any 
other  county  in  the  State,  for  she  is  the  warp 
beam  back  to  which  is  traceable  every  thread  of 
California  history  since  it  passed  under  the 
dominion  of  the  .Vmcricans.  Nowhere  else  in 
the  State  is  there  presented  such  a  tangled  skein 
of  history  to  unravel  as  in  this  same  Sonoma 
County.  At  the  very  outset  we  are  confronted 
with  four  distinct  and  different  conditions  of 
humanity,  each  fulfilling  an  allotted  life-work — 
all  living  history.  Compassed  by  different  envi- 
ronments, and  battling  with  that  destiny  that 
marks  the  fittest  for  survival,  each  has  a  claim 
for  recognition  and  Justice  from  the  pen  of 
truthful,  impartial  history.  Indians,  Russians, 
Spaniards  and  Americans  will  each,  in  turn,  re- 
ceive tliat  attention  and  consideration  that  the 
importance  of  their  respective  being  and  life- 
mission  may  seem  to  warrant.  There  is  now 
but  a  sad  remnant  of  Sonoma  County  Indians 
left.  Soon  they  will  all  have  passed  away.  Of, 
and  about  them,  coming  generations  will  have 


a  right  to  expect  to  find  in  the  pages  of  history 
some  authentic  account.  So,  too,  of  the  Rus- 
sians, who,  in  the  early  years  of  the  century, 
and  even  before  the  Spaniards  had  tempted  her 
wilds,  had  established  a  colony  in  the  northern 
end  of  the  now  Sonoma  County,  it  will  be  per- 
missible to  give  as  extended  an  account  as  can 
be  safely  vouched  for  as  being  accurate  and  au- 
thentic. This  Eussian  occupation  doubtless  ac- 
celerated the  coming  hither  of  those  under 
Spanish  authority,  and  whatever  there  was  of 
friction  on  account  of  this  seeming  joint  occu- 
pancy of  this  territory  by  Spaniard  and  Musco- 
vite, comes  within  the  legitimate  scope  of  Sonoma 
County  history.  Of  the  Spanish  occupation 
and  rule,  it  will  be  our  aim  to  use  just  discrimi- 
nation in  drawing  conclusions  between  the  con- 
flicting statements  and  claims  of  the  difierent 
historians  of  that  period.  For  two  decades  pre- 
vious to  the  hoisting  of  the  Dear  Flag  at 
Sonoma,  and  which  ultimated  in  the  termina- 
tion of  Spanish  rule  on  this  coast,  there  seems 
to  have  existed  an  anomalous  condition  of  attairs 
in  California.  Under  the  old  Spanish  rule,  the 
San  Franciscan  friars  had  been  granted  liberal 
privileges,  and  with  indomitable  energy  and  zeal 
had  extended  their  missions  coastwise  from  San 
Diego  to  the  center  of  the  Territory.  ,\s  the 
honey  bee  is  said  to  be  tlic  forerunnei-  of  civili- 
zation, so  too,  Mexican  immigration  seems  to 
have  followed  with  sleepy  stops  the  paths  made 
safe   iiy   the    mori^   detci-mincl     ['adres.      These 


UI8T0KT    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


missions,  whether  or  not  they  filled  the  full 
measure  of  expectations  in  the  civilizing  and 
Christianizing  of  the  aborigines  of  California, 
certainly  paved  the  way  for  the  advance  of  a 
higher  order  of  civilization.  These  ecclesiastical 
institutions,  under  the  exclusive  dominion  of  cul- 
tured ])riest3  of  Castilian  nativity,  were  con- 
ducted with  a  strict  regard  to  system  and 
business  methods  little  understood  by  the  im- 
migrants from  Mexico  who  followed  in  their 
wake.  Rich  in  herds  and  with  granaries  well 
stored  with  cereals,  these  missions  became  pur- 
veyors to  the  advancing  colonists,  as  well  as  the 
army  of  soldiers  sent  hither  by  the  Mexican 
Government.  In  this  thrift  of  the  missions, 
their  seeming  strength,  lurked  the  concealed 
danger  that  ultimated  in  their  doom.  As  slow 
as  had  been  the  progress  of  Spanish  coloniza- 
tion, yet  in  1821,  when  Mexico  threw  off  the 
Castilian  yoke,  a  liberal  share  of  California's 
population  were  natives  of  the  Territory.  The 
better  class  had  received  the  advantages  of  as 
liberal  culture  as  the  parochial  schools  of  the 
missions  afforded,  and,  naturally  enough,  began 
to  assert  themselves  as  factors  in  the  political 
affairs  of  the  Territory.  Mexican  independence 
achieved,  those  here,  natives  of  Spain  became 
the  subjects  of  suspicion  and  surveillance;  and 
in  this  class  was  embraced  all  the  mission 
priests,  who  certainly  laid  themselves  open  to 
watchfulness  by  stubbornly  refusing  to  take  any 
oath  of  allegiance  to  the  newly  fledged  Repub- 
lic of  Mexico.  In  setting  in  motion  the  new 
machinery  of  Territorial  Government,  as  ad- 
ministered from  the  City  of  Mexico,  there  came 
to  the  surface  yet  another  disturbing  agency, 
that  gained  force  with  the  advancing  years,  and 
that  was  a  growing  animosity  between  those 
native  of  California  and  those  sent  hither  by  the 
^lexican  Government  to  fill  either  civil  or  mili- 
tary positions.  AYith  that  superciliousness  not 
uncommon  to  those  who  have  basked  in  the 
sunshine  of  a  higher  and  more  refined  civiliza- 
tion, the  Mexicans  sent  hither  to  fill  positions 
of  honor  and  emolument,  evinced  a  contemptu- 
ous regard  for  those  whose  educational  advan- 


tages and  social  opportunities  had  been  confined 
to  the  circumscribed  limits  of  mission  and 
pueblo.  This  naturally  met  with  the  resent- 
ment at  the  hands  of  the  "  native  sons  "  that  it 
merited.  This  simply  shadows  forth  existing 
conditions  in  California  twenty  years  anterior 
to  the  commencement  of  American  rule,  and 
may  be  epitomized  thus:  The  mission  padres 
intuitively  realized  that  republican  govern- 
ment was  the  beginning  of  the  end  of  the  life- 
work  to  which  they  had  consecrated  the  best 
years  of  their  existence.  The  Government  of 
Mexico,  with  an  empty  treasury,  had  already 
set  lustful  eyes  upon  the  wealth  of  these  mis- 
sions, the  accumulations  of  years  of  depriva- 
tion, toil  and  danger,  and  as  hush-money  to 
conscience  was  willing  to  devote  a  share  of  the 
loot  to  the  aid  of  colonization  in  California. 
The  governing  classes  of  the  Territory  were  not 
averse  to  this  confiscation  of  mission  wealth, 
for  they  had  already  become  used  to  exacting 
from  the  padres  a  liberal  share  of  their  sup- 
port—  and  then  the  fact  that  the  Padres  were 
natives  of  Spain  was  sufficient  to  sanctify  the 
rigorous  end  contemplated.  And,  finally,  the 
native  Mexicans  had  a  contempt  for  native  Cali- 
fornians  and  the  latter  had  a  very  warm  hatred 
for  the  former — in  truth,  everybody  appears  to 
have  been  jealous  and  suspicious  of  everybody 
else.  A  sorry  beginning  for  experiment  of  re- 
publican government,  certainly  I  And  to  add 
to  the  seething  of  this  kettle  of  broth,  within 
the  decade  following  Mexican  independence 
there  began  to  straggle  into  the  Territory,  over 
the  crest  of  the  Sierras,  the  hated  Americans; 
more  dreaded  than  the  denizens  from  the  frigid 
north  who  had  so  unceremoniously  established 
themselves  at  Fort  Ross.  It  was  a  rather  cheer- 
less prospect,  this,  for  a  Territorial  government 
that  was  constantly  receiving  floridly  written 
orders  from  the  parent  government  to  guard 
every  avenue  of  entrance  to  the  Territory  against 
the  encroachments  of  foreigners,  with  no  seem- 
ing thought  or  attempt  to  satisfy  the  cravings 
of  an  empty,  Territorial,  military  exchequer. 
These  fulminations  from  the  ancient  city  of  the 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Aztecs,  that  were  usually  months  in  reaching 
tlie  C!alit'urnia  government  at  Monterey,  are 
only  useful  now  to  siiow  how  dense  was  the 
ignorance  then  in  reference  to  the  extent  and 
t()pogra[)hy  of  California.  AVhy,  a  thousand 
American  colonists  might  have  entered  the 
mirtlicrn  end  of  the  Territory  and  sown  and 
gathei-ed  a  cmp  witliont  the  Governor  of  Cali- 
fornia knowing  anything  al)Out  it.  As  the 
years  came  and  went  the  Territorial  authorities 
were  more  and  more  brought  to  a  realization  of 
the  fact  that  the  snow-capped  Nevadas  could  not 
1)0  accounted  a  safe  wall  of  protection  against 
invasion  from  the  P^ast.  With  but  a  few  forts 
scattered  from  San  Diego  to  San  Francisco,  and 
they  garrisoned  by  soldiers  numerically  few,  and 
they,  proverbially  on  the  ragged  edge  of  revolt 
on  account  of  arrearages  of  pay,  it  is  not  a  mat- 
ter of  wonder  that  California  became  tlie  poach- 
ing ground  of  hunters,  trappers  and  all  kinds  of 
adventurers.  The  drift  of  such  was  naturally 
toward  the  northern  end  of  the  Territory.    Tliis, 


together  with  a  view  of  circumscribing  as  much 
as  possible  the  occuj)ation  by  the  Russians,  evi- 
dently hastened  the  inauguration  of  military 
authority  on  the  north  side  of  the  bay.  While 
this  must  be  accounted  a  very  important  event 
in  writing  up  the  annals  of  Sonoma  County,  it 
should  not  1)0  allowed  to  overshadow  the  fact 
that,  as  had  been  usual  in  California,  the  cross 
had  long  jireceded  the  sword-  -in  truth,  right 
here  met,  and  were  planted  in  Sonoma  County 
soil,  the  cross  of  the  Catholic  church,  thus  far 
north  on  the  circuit  of  its  mission  from  Home, 
and  the  triune  cross  of  the  (ireek  church,  re- 
lating back  to  the  Czar  of  Russia,  and  thus  far 
southward  on  its  mission  of  pointing  weary, 
earth-laden  humanity  to  the  haven  of  peace 
and  rest  above.  In  future  chapters  will  be 
found,  as  nearly  as  possible,  in  chronological 
order,  all  mattersof  im|)ortauce  relating  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  to  Sonoma  County,  particularly, 
from  the  time  that  civilized  man  first  visited  it, 
down  to  the  ])resent  time. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


A  (dHAPTBI?  of  (dBNTURIES.    . 


'Sy®9'®'^^fe^»»»«^^*^^^^^^^^ 


CHAPTER    I. 


CAr.IKORNIA    DISCOVERED    IN    1542    BV    JlAN      RoDRIG  LEZ    CaBRII.M) ORK.IX     OF      THK     XAME SlE 

Francis  Drake  in  1579 — the  wonderful  things  he  saw  in  Marin  County — Montekev 
v>ky  discovered  by  viscaino  in  1g03 a  complete    blank    in    history  for  a  period  of 

160    YEARS THE    SaN    FrANOISCAN    FrIAES    PLANT    THE    CROSS    AT    SaN  DiEGO,    J  UNE    11,   1769 

IN  July,  1769,  a  party  start  overland  for  San  Diego  to  establish  a  mission  at  Mon- 
terey— failing  to  recognize  Monterey  they  continued  on  north,  and  on  the  2d  of 
November  discovered  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco — Monterey  was  founded,  a  mission 
established;  and  from  there  in  1772  ax  expedition  started  to  explore  the  Bay  oi- 
San  Francisco — following  around  the  eastern  shore  of  the  bay,  on  the  27th  of  March 

THEY    CAME    TO    SaN    PaIJLO    BaY,    AND    DOUBTLESS    HAD  A   VIEW  OF    SoNOMA    CoUXTV  HILLS    AND 

MOUNTAINS — IN    1775  San  Fraxcisco   Bay  was  explored  by  water — IN   1776    a   presidio 

AND    MISSION    was    ESTABLISHED    AT    SaN    FrANCISCO THE    Y'EAR    PREVIOUS      BoDEGA     BaY      HAD 

BEEN    DISCOVERED ON    SEPTEMBER    23,  1776,    AN    EXPLORATION    IN    BOATS    TOOK    PLACE    AND    AN 

ESTUARY-    OF     SaN    PaBLO    BaY    WAS    NAVIGATED     TO     ITS      HEAD — DOUBTLESS    PeTALUMA    CrEEK 

— California  weak  and  defenseless — the  century  ends  and  no  settlement  north  of 
Yerba  Buena. 


fHERE  is  nothing  more  attractive  to  the 
general  reader,  and  more  especially  those 
in  early  life,  than  thrilling  narrative  of 
danger  and  adventure  in  the  exploration  and  settle- 
ment of  frontier  territories.  A  desire  to  placate 
this  somewhat  morbid  desire  for  sensational  read 
ingsays  a  very  great  temptation  in  tlie  way  of  the 
historian  to  draw  somewhat  upon  his  imagina- 
tion for  his  facts.  However  palatable  tliis  might 
be  to  the  reader  of  the  present,  it  would  be  a 
fraud  upon  coming  generations,  who  will  have 
a  riglit  to  expect  at  the  hand  of  the  historian  sub- 
stantial accuracy  in  the  recital  of  historical 
events  to  be  handed  down  to  tliein.  With  this 
conception  of  what  should  be  the  highest  aim 
of  history,  we  turn  to  trace  the  first  rays   of 


civilization  cast  upon  territory,  now  within  the 
confines  of  Sonoma  County.  This  necessitates 
a  review  of  the  early  discovery  and  final  settle- 
ment of  California  by  the  Spaniards. 

Of  course  tliere  is  great  obscurity,  and  con- 
sequent contiicting  opinions  among  historians 
relative  to  who  was  the  actual  discovei-er  of 
California,  and  from  whence  the  derivation  of 
the  name.  The  weight  of  the  best  authority, 
however,  confers  upon  Juan  Rodriguez  Cabrillo, 
a  Portuguese  navigator  in  tlie  Spanish  service, 
the  honor  of  liaving  first  visited  the  waters  of 
our  golden  shores  and  set  foot  upon  California 
soil.  Cabrillo  had  under  liis  command  two 
Spanish  exploring  vessels,  and  there  seems  little 
doubt  that  on  the  28th  of  September,  1642,  an- 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNT T. 


cliorage  was  reached  in  what  is  now  San  Diego 
liarbor,  althongli  the  name  tlien  given  was 
'•  San  Mignel." 

Tlie  date  of  discovery,  tlms  disposed  of,  tlie 
next  consideration  is  as  to  the  probable  origin 
of  the  name,  California.  Upon  this  point  there 
is  even  a  wider  di\ergence  of  opinion  among 
writers  than  as  to  who  was  the  discoverer  of 
the  country.  Upon  this  subject  Hubert  Ilowe 
Bancroft,  who  is  in  a  position  to  arrive  at  as 
accurate  conclusions  on  disputed  historic  points 
as  any  living  man,  says:  "The  name  was  ap- 
plied between  1535  and  153U  to  a  locality.  It 
was  soon  extended  to  the  whole  adjoining  re- 
gion ;  and  as  the  region  was  supposed  to  be  a 
group  of  islands,  the  name  was  often  given  in 
plural  form, '  Las  Californias.'  "  Whence  came 
the  name  thus  applied,  or  applied  by  C(')rtez 
as  has  been  erroneously  believed,  was  a  ques- 
tion that  gave  rise  to  much  conjecture  before 
the  truth  was  known.  The  Jesuit  missionaries 
as  represented  by  Venegas  and  Clavigero,  sug- 
gested that  it  might  have  been  deliberately 
made  up  from  Latin  or  Greek  roots;  but  favored 
the  much  more  reasonable  theory  that  the  dis- 
coverers had  founded  the  name  on  some  mis- 
understood words  of  the  natives.  These  theories 
have  been  often  repeated  by  later  wi'iters,  with 
additions  rivalling  each  other  in  absurdity.  At 
last  in  1862  Edward  E.  Ilale  was  so  fortunate 
as  to  discover  the  source  whence  the  discover- 
ers obtained  the  name.  An  old  romance,  the 
Serga/<  of  Esplandian,  by  Ordonez  de  Mon- 
talvo,  translator  of  Amadh  of  GauJ,  printed 
])crhaps  in  1510,  and  certainly  in  editions  of 
1519,  1521,  1525  and  152G  in  Spanish,  men- 
tioned an  island  of  California,  "  on  the  right 
hand  of  the  Indies,  very  near  the  Terrestrial 
Paradise,"  peopled  with  black  women,  gritfins, 
and  other  creatures  of  the  author's  imagina- 
tion. There  is  no  direct  historical  evidence  of 
the  aj)plication  of  this  name;  nor  is  any  needed. 
No  intelligent  man  will  ever  question  the  ac- 
curacy of  Ilale's  theory.  The  number  of  Span- 
ish editions  would  indicate  that  the  book  was 
popular   at  the  time  of  th",  discovery;    indeed 


Eernal  Diaz  often  mentions  the  Amadis  of 
Gaul  to  which  the  esj>landi(ni  was  attached." 
This  seems  to  set  at  rest  definitely  and  forever 
the  question  of  the  origin  of  the  name  Cali- 
fornia. 

lieverling  to  Cabrillo's  discovery  of  this 
coast,  it  only  remains  to  say  that  that  intrepid 
mariner  died  on  one  of  the  islands  off  from  the 
Santa  Barbara  coast  supposed  to  be  San  Miguel, 
from  the  effects  of  a  broken  arm,  on  the  3d  of 
January,  1543,  and  there  rests  in  an  unmarked 
grave.  Theie  were  other  visitors  to  this  coast 
following  its  discovery,  but  of  their  going  and 
coming  comparatively  little  is  known,  until  Sir 
Francis  Drake  puts  in  an  appearance,  and  finds 
a  harbor,  where  he  enters  to  make  repairs  on 
his  vessel,  the  Golden  Hind,  on  the  23d  of 
July,  1579.  What  harbor  was  entered  by  Drake 
is  yet,  and  perhaps  always  will  be,  a  serious 
bone  of  contention  among  historians.  The  dis- 
putants are  about  equally  divided  between  the 
Bay  of  San  Francis^co,  Drake's  Bay  (so  called) 
in  Marin  County,  and  Bodega  Bay  in  Sonoma 
County.  Hubert  Ilowe  Bancrolt,  in  his  recently 
published  history  of  California,  seems  to  be  in 
some  donbt  himself,  but  as  he  evidently  con- 
siders Drake  a  prince  of  prevaricators,  he  gives 
him  the  benefit  of  the  donbt,  and  signifies  his 
belief  that  the  harbor  now  called  Drake's  Bay 
was  his  by  right  of  discovery.  But  this  is  of 
small  moment  now,  for  all  the  records  of  Drake's 
visit  to  the  coast  are  so  extravagant  and  dis- 
torted that  the  conferring  of  his  name  upon  an 
indentation  in  thecoast  even  as  small  as  that  just 
below  Point  Ileyes  was  more  than  he  merited. 
In  order  that  tiie  reader  ma}'  judge  for  him 
self  in  reference  to  the  degree  of  importance 
to  be  attached  to  Drake's  statements,  we  give  a 
sample  of  what  was  described  as  having  occurred 
at  the  harbor  where  his  vessel  was  being  re- 
paired. 

"  The  arrival  of  the  English  in  California 
being  soon  known  throughout  the  country,  two 
persons  in  the  character  of  embassadors,  came 
to  the  Admiral  and  informed  iiim,  in  the  best 
manner  they   were  alile,  that   the    King   would 


UISrOUY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


assist  him  if  he  might  be  assured  of  coming  in 
safety.  Being  satisfied  on  this  point,  a  numer- 
ous company  soon  appeared,  in  front  of  wliich 
was  a  very  comely  person  bearing  a  kind  of 
scepter,  on  whicli  hung  two  crowns  and  three 
cliains  of  great  lengtii;  the  cliains  were  of 
bones  and  tiie  crowns  of  net-work  curiously 
wrought  with  feathers  of  many  colors.  Next 
to  the  scepter-bearer  came  the  King,  a  hand- 
some, majestic  person,  surrounded  by  a  number 
of  tall  men,  dressed  in  skins,  who  were  fol- 
lowed by  the  common  people,  who,  to  make  the 
grander  appearance,  had  painted  their  faces  of 
various  colors,  and  all  of  them,  even  the  chil- 
dren, being  loaded  with  presents.  The  men 
being  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle,  the  Admiral 
stood  ready  to  receive  the  King  within  the  en- 
trance of  his  tent.  The  company  having  halted 
at  a  distance,  the  scepter- bearer  made  a  speech 
half  an  Iiour  long,  at  the  end  of  which  he  be- 
gan singing  and  dancing,  in  which  he  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  King  and  all  his  people — who, 
continuing  to  sing  and  dance,  came  quite  up 
to  the  tent;  when,  sitting  down,  the  King  tak- 
ing off"  his  crown  of  feathers,  placed  it  on  the 
Admiral's  head,  and  put  upon  him  the  other 
insignia  of  royalty;  and  made  liim  a  solemn 
tender  of  his  whole  kingdom.  All  of  which 
the  Admiral  accepted  in  the  name  of  the 
Queen,  his  sovereign,  in  hope  these  pi'oceed- 
ings  might  one  time  or  other  contribute  to 
the  advantage  of  England.'" 

This  dish  of  taff"y  secured  for  Drake  knight- 
hood at  the  hands  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  who,  in 
conferring  the  title,  said  "  that  his  actions  did 
him  more  honor  than  his  title.*'  And  all  this 
is  reputed  to  have  transpired  close  by  Sonoma 
County  over  three  hundred  years  ago. 

The  only  definite  discovery  of  real  merit  after 
that  of  t'abrillo,  was  the  discovery  of  Monterey 
Bay  by  Yiscaino  in  1603.  Thenceforward  for 
a  period  of  100  years,  so  far  as  relates  to  civil- 
ization, complete  silence  brooded  over  what  is 
now  called  California.  No  doubt  during  those 
long  years  the  aborigines  were  filled  with  won- 
der and  conjecture  as  to  what  had   become  of 


the  bearded,  white  strangers,  who  in  big  canoes 
propelled  by  wind  had  come  and  gone  for  the 
period  of  a  generation.  As  common  as  was  great 
longevity  of  life  to  those  untutored  children  of 
nature,  the  e^'cs  that  had  beheld  either  Cabrillo 
or  Vizcaino  had  long  been  closed  in  death  be- 
fore that  eventful  morning  of  April  11,  17G9, 
when  Juan  Perez  brought  the  San  Antonio  to 
anchor  in  the  l>ay  of  San  Diego.  On  board  of 
this  vessel  were  two  Franciscan  friars,  Juan 
Viscaino  and  Francisco  Gomez,  with  all  the 
necessary  church  appurtenances  necessary  for 
the  establishing  of  two  missions.  Aside  from 
the  crew  there  were  a  few  carjjenters  and  black- 
smiths, together  with  a  cargo  of  miscellaneous 
supplies.  The  Indians  were  friendly,  and  still 
had  a  traditional  knowledge  of  the  former  visit- 
ors to  this  coast.  In  addition  to  those  who  took 
jjassage  on  the  San  Antonio,  others  to  the 
number  of  over  one  hundred,  and  among  them 
Father  Junipero  Serra,  started  overland  from 
lower  California.  They  reached  San  Diego  on 
the  first  of  July.  It  required  some  time  for 
needed  preparation,  and  on  Sunday,  the  16th  of 
July,  with  all  the  ceremonies  common  to  such 
occasions,  Father  Serra  blessed  and  planted  the 
cross,  around  which  was  to  cluster  memories  of 
the  first  permanent  establishment  of  civilization 
in  California. 

We  have  neither  time  and  space,  nor  does  it 
come  within  the  scope  of  this  county  history, 
to  enter  into  a  minute  detail  of  the  struggles 
and  vicissitudes  which  followed  the  line  of  the 
establishing  of  missions,  and  the  slow'  march  of 
civil  government  up  the  California  coast.  Our 
object  will  have  been  accomplished  when  we 
have  made  complete  the  chain  of  Spanish  occu- 
pancy from  the  founding  of  the  first  mission, 
San  Diego  de  Alcala,  at  San  Diego,  down  to  the 
founding  of  the  last  mission  San  Francisco 
Solano,  at  Sonoma. 

On  July  14,  1769,  Tartola,  with  sixty  men, 
including  fathers  Juan  Crespi  and  Francisco 
Gomez,  started  from  San  Diego  for  the  purpose 
of  founding  a  mission  at  Monterey.  Tiieir 
wanderings  were    l)y  devious    and    sometimes 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


rugged  trails,  as  they  deemed  it  necessary  to 
keep  near  tlie  coast  in  order  not  to  miss  the 
liaven  of  their  destination.  But  mountains 
insnrnionntable'drove  tlieni  to  lower  levels,  and 
they  seem  to  iiave  coine  down  the  Salinas  Val- 
ley and  reached  Monterey  Bay  just  ojiposite  the 
present  town  of  Castroville.  Lo(jking  at  the 
bay  from  the  land,  they  failed  to  recognize  it 
as  the  object  of  their  search.  The  pine  point, 
where  is  now  Pacific  Grove  Ketreat,  served  to 
till  the  description  of  the  navigator  who  had 
tlescribed  Monterey  Bay,  but  after  exploring  it 
by  land  as  far  south  as  Carniello  they  concluded 
that  the  bay  tiiey  were  looking  for  lay  further 
to  the  north;  and,  acting  upon  this  decision, 
they  resumed  their  inarch. 

As  unfortunate  as  was  this  mistake  to  those 
weary,  foot-sore  pilgrims,  tliey  had  the  compen- 
sating honor  of  making  a  discovery  of  more 
importance  to  the  world  than  the  short  delay 
in  fonnding  a  mission  at  Monterey,  for  on  the 
2d  of  JSovember  they  discovered  the  great  Bay 
of  San  Francisco,  destined  to  become  one  among 
the  most  consequential  harbors  in  the  world. 
But  their  orders  were  to  found  a  mission  at 
Monterey,  and  like  good  Catholics  the^'  wei-e 
obedient  to  the  mandate  given  them;  and  being 
now  convinced  that  that  bay  was  the  one  lying 
under  the  shadow  of  Point  Pinos,  already  vis- 
ited by  them,  they  set  out  on  their  return  jour- 
ney, and  ou  the  28th  of  November  again  reached 
Monterey,  and  passing  over  the  hills  to  Car- 
mello  Bay,  they  pitched  camp  and  remained 
until  the  10th  of  December,  taking  a  general 
survey  of  the  surrounding  country.  Grass  was 
now  abundant  for  their  animals,  but  game 
and  even  iish  were  scarce.  A  mule  was  killed, 
and  its  flesh,  together  with  that  of  the  sea-gulls, 
was  used  to  husband  the  flour  that  was  already 
reduced  to  fourteen  small  sacks.  At  a  council 
held  it  was  decided  to  retrace  their  steps  to 
San  Diego.  On  an  eminence,  probably  near  where 
now  stands  the  old  San  Carlos  Mission,  a  cross 
was  planted,  at  the  foot  of  which  was  buried  a 
document  giving  a  brief  sketch  of  the  jouriiey- 
inifs  and  discoveries  of  Partola  and    his   com- 


pany. On  the  11th  they  started  southward 
following  the  general  road  np  which  they  had 
come,  and  without  any  serious  mishap  or  ad- 
venture reached  San  Diego  on  January  24, 1770. 
While  this  expedition  failed  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  object,  for  which  it  had  been  in- 
augurated, it  is  certainly  entitled  to  precedence 
in  the  very  fnjnt  rank  of  all  e.xplorations  ever 
undertaken  by  the  Spaniards  in  California.  It 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  years  of  over 
a  century  and  a  half  had  run  their  course  since 
keel  had  furrowed  the  Bay  of  San  Diego,  at 
the  time  the  San  Antonio  with  the  missionaries 
landed  there  in  the  spring  of  1769.  It  was 
only  three  months  after  the  effecting  of  this  foot- 
hold to  civilization  on  this  coast,  and  two  days 
before  the  formal  inauguration  of  the  mission 
at  San  Diego,  that  Partola  and  his  pilgrims 
started  forth  for  a  journey  of  several  hundred 
miles,  through  the  wilds  of  California.  They 
were  like  a  rudderless  vessel  at  sea,  without 
chart  or  compass,  save  that  on  their  left  they 
knew  that  the  waves  of  the  broad  Pacific  were 
ceaseless  in  their  throbbing  pulsations  along 
California's  shore.  Of  the  interior  they  knew 
nothing.  They  had  every  reason  to  believe  that 
it  was  populous  with  barbarians;  and  yet  with 
all  these  dangers  staring  them  in  the  face  they 
went  forth  and  achieved  the  results  already  nar- 
rated. To  erect  a  monument  to  the  memory 
of  the  members  of  that  expedition  would  be 
useless;  for  more  enduring  than  marble  or 
granite  shaft  is  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  which 
they  discovered. 

If  we  may  be  permitted  the  e.xpression,  the 
happy  mistake  of  Partola  and  his  fellow  ex- 
plorers had  added  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  to  the 
geography  of  the  world.  It  now  seems  inex- 
plicable why  it  was  not  at  once  made  the  center 
from  which  radiated  other  Spanish  occupancies  of 
the  coast.  But  it  must  be  remembered  that 
California  belonged  to  Mexico,  and  Mexico  be- 
longed to  Spain.  It  can  well  be  understood 
that  orders  and  mandates  transmitted  through 
the  course  of  so  circuitous  a  route,  and  so  ham- 
pered by  all  the  formalities  of  red  tape,  so  dear 


niSTOUY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


to  Spanisli  officials,  were  very  old,  and  some- 
times of  impossible  fulfillment  when  they 
reached  this  coast.  And  to  still  more  compli- 
cate matters  there  seems  to  have  been  little 
nnity  of  feeling  and  action  between  the  Padres 
who  were  alone  intent  upon  founding  missions 
for  the  Cliristianization  of  barbarians,  and  the 
military  who  were  looking  to  colonization  as  the 
ultimate  means  of  establishing  permanent  civil 
government  on  this  coast.  In  a  double  sense, 
it  was  a  "  house  divided  against  itself."  The 
bonds  of  sympathy  that  had  united  Spain  and 
Mexico  were  becoming  strained;  and  there  was 
a  growing  estrangement  between  civil  and 
church  polity  in  California  which  plainly  indi- 
cated that  the  twain  could  not  move  harmoni- 
ously forward  upon  parallel  lines  in  the  same 
field.  Either  left  to  a  free  territory,  would  have 
acquired  vigor  and  strength  from  the  very  diffi- 
culties to  be  surmounted;  but  occupying  a 
common  field  and  aiming  at  cross  purposes  was 
productive  of  enervation  and  inaction.  The 
Padres,  at  first  only  seemingly  fired  by  an  hon- 
est zeal  in  behalf  of  the  spiritual  welfare  of  be- 
nighted luunanity,  were  not  proof  against  the 
cravings  for  wealth  and  dominancy  when  their 
llocks  and  herds  began  to  be  numbered  by  the 
thousands,  and  they  naturally  became  obstruc- 
tionists to  the  large  acquirement  of  lands  by 
those  who  came  as  colonists  to  seek  homes  in 
this  land  of  productive  soil  and  genial  clime. 

While  missions  were  being  founded  at  incon- 
sequential places  along  the  coast,  and  inland,  to 
the  southward,  the  waters  of  the  Pacific  contin- 
tinued  to  silently  ebb  and  flow  through  the 
great  Golden  Gate.  Three  years  had  run  their 
course  since  Partola  and  his  adventurous  ex- 
plorers had  set  foot  on  the  sand  dunes  skirting 
the  Pay  of  San  Francisco,  before  further  at- 
tempt was  made  at  exploration  to  the  north. 
And  as  strange  as  it  niay  seem,  it  was  a  San 
Francisco  bay  under  the  lea  of  Point  Reyes 
that  was  yet  the  objective  point  by  the  Padres 
who  wished  to  found  a  mission  that  would  do 
suitable  honor  to  San  Francisco,  their  patron 
saint.     With   this  dominant   idea  still  in  view. 


on  March  20,  1772,  Commandante  Fajes,  with 
Crespi,  twelve  soldiers,  a  muleteer,  and  an  In- 
dian, left  Monterey  for  the  north.  The  Partola 
expedition  had  settled  the  matter  that  the  San 
Francisco  bay  of  which  they  were  in  search 
could  not  be  reached  by  a  land  expedition 
around  the  west  side  of  the  inland  sea  they  had 
encountered.  Hence  Fajes  and  his  party  de- 
termined to  pass  around  it  to  the  east.  In  this 
attempt  they  discovered  San  Pablo  Pay  on  or 
about  the  27th  of  March,  1772.  And  right 
then  and  there  is  probably  the  first  time  that 
the  eyes  of  civilized  man  had  a  view  of  the  hills 
and  mountains  now  compassed  within  tiie 
bounds  of  Sonoma  County.  They  passed  upon 
the  south  shore  of  Canjuinez  Straits,  and  on- 
ward to  the  junction  of  tlie  Sacramento  and 
San  Joaquin  rivers;  then,  turning  southward 
passed  east  of  Mount  Diablo,  going  across  the 
mountains,  striking  the  trail  up  which  they  had 
traveled  somewhere  in  Santa  Clara  Valley;  and 
thence  continued  on  their  way  back  to  Monte- 
rey. Considering  the  number  of  men,  this  was 
among  the  most  notable  expeditions  on  i-ecoi'd. 
Old  Spain,  with  a  seemingly  more  intelligent 
appreciation  of  the  importance  of  this  newly 
discovered  harbor  to  her  possessions  on  the 
Pacific  coast  than  had  either  the  Mexican  or 
California  authorities,  became  very  importunate 
to  have  it  speedily  occupied.  Orders  were 
cheap,  but  the  available  means  and  colonists 
were  not  so  readily  obtainable.  I'nt  Lieutenant 
Agala  set  out  with  an  expedition  from  Monte- 
rey, on  the  San  Carlos,  and  entered  the  harbor 
of  San  Francisco  on  the  first  day  of  August, 
1775.  He  spent  over  forty  days  in  explorations 
of  the  harbor,  but  neither  the  map  nor  diary 
of  this  survey  is  preserved.  Several  of  the 
officers  landed  several  times  on  the  iu)rthern 
shore  of  the  bay,  and  mention  is  made  that 
Canizares  was  sent  to  explore  the  noi'tliern 
branch  of  the  "  round  bay  "  (San  Pablo),  going 
up  to  fresh-water  rivers,  and  bartering  beads  for 
fish  with  many  friendly  natives.  They  may 
possibly  have  navigated  Petahima  Creek,  but 
this  is  uncerhiin. 


HISTORY    OF   aONOMA    COUNTY. 


'  The  year  following,  on  SepteiriLer  17tii,  under 
the  direction  of  Comniandante  Moraga,  the 
presidio  of  San  Francisco  was  duly  inaugurated 
amid  the  firing  of  cannons,  ringing  of  bells  and 
all  the  formalities  usual  to  typify  absolnte 
Spanish  possession.  The  San  Carlos  had  just 
arrived,  and  Captain  Quiros,  Canizares  and  Re- 
ville,  master  and  mate,  participated  in  the  lay- 
ing of  the  corner-stone  of  this  the  future 
metropolis  of  the  Pacific  coast.  Something 
over  one  hundred  persons  were  present  on  that 
occasion.  Rij^ht  then  and  there  it  became  a 
fi.xed  finality  that  civilization  held  the  keys  to 
the  Golden  Gate  to  the  Pacific  coast.  In  order 
to  punctuate  this  so  as  to  rivet  the  attention  of 
the  reader,-  we  borrow  the  language  of  a  writer 
in  the  Overland  Monthly  who  says:  "On  that 
same  17th  of  September,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
continent,  Lord  Howe's  Hessian  and  British 
troops  were  revelling  in  the  city  of  New  York." 
We  might  supplement  this  with  the  observation 
that  if  it  took  from  1776  to  1823  for  Spanish 
occupation  to  extend  its  lines  from  San  Fran- 
cisco to  Sonoma,  it  should  somewhat  break  the 
force  of  carping  criticism  in  reference  to  the 
time  consumed  by  Moses  aiul  the  children  of 
Israel  in  their  emigration  from  Egypt  up  to 
the  land  of  Canaan.  But  in  this  we  anticipate 
history. 

On  the  23d  of  September,  Quiros,  Canizares 
atid  Cambon  took  the  ship's  boat  and  went  on  a 
voyage  of  discovery  up  the  bay.  The  year 
])revious,  on  the  3d  of  October,  Bodega  y  Ca- 
dra,  in  the  schooner  Sonora.,  had  entered  the 
bay  named  at  the  time  Bodegfl.  The  parties 
who  started  out  on  this  exp)loration  of  the  bay 
from  the  ])rcsidio  of  what  is  now  San  Francisco, 
was  imbued  with  the  idea  prevalent  then  that 
there  was  a  strait  connecting  that  bay  with 
Bodega.  It  was  but  natural  that  they  should 
seek  a  satisfactory  solution  of  this  question. 
They  started  on  the  23d  of  September  and  re- 
turned on  the  29th.  Mr.  Bancroft,  in  speaking 
of  Quiros  and  this  expedition,  says:  "Although 
prevented  from  e.xploring  the  great  river,  he 
was  able  to   settle  another  disputed    (piestiou. 


and  proved  that  the  'round  bay'  (San  Pablo), 
had  no  connection  with  Bodega;  for,  sailing  in 
that  direction,  he  had  discovered  a  new  estuary 
and  followed  it  to  its  head,  finding  no  passage 
to  the  sea,  and  beholding  a  lofty  sierra  which 
stretched  toward  the  west  aiuI  ended,  as  Quiros 
thought,  at  Cape  Mendocino.  This  was  proba-/ 
bly  the  first  voyage  of  Europeans  up  the  wind- 
ings of  Petaluma  Creek."  And  thus  it  is 
probable  that  contemporaneous  with  the  date  of 
our  declaration  ot  national  independence  on  the 
Atlantic  side,  Quiros  and  his  companions  vis- 
ited the  very  site  upon  which  Petaluma  now 
stands. 

The  next  mention  we  find  that  has  any  con 
nection,  either  near  or  remote,  with  Sonoma 
County,  is  the  visit  of  Captain  George  Van- 
couver to  this  coast  in  1792.  It  will  be  remem- 
bered that  Drake,  in  his  very  florid  recital  of 
what  had  occurred  on  his  visit  to  this  coast,  had 
accepted  from  the  "  King  "  everything  far  and 
near  as  a  generous  gift  to  his  Queen,  and  in 
consideration  of  the  striking  resemblance  of 
the  sand  dunes  around  Point  Reyes  to  the 
chalky  sea  bluffs  of  Great  Britain  had  named 
his  newly -discovered  country  "  New  Albion." 
Vancouver  seems  to  have  had  faith  in  the 
Drake  fiction,  and  with  true  Briton  stubborn- 
ness persisted  in  applying  the  name  New 
Albion  to  this  coast  as  far  south  as  San  Diego. 
While  his  mission  was  ostensibly  one  of 
scientific  research  and  observation,  it  evidently 
excited  distrust  of  English  designs  in  the  mind 
of  Governor  Arrillaga.  Vancouver  had  arrived 
at  San  Francisco,  Governor  Arrillaga  being  at 
Monterey,  the  capital.  Unwittingly  the  C!om- 
mandanto  of  San  Francisco,  in  genuine  Spanish 
hospitality,  had  not  only  given  Vancouver  a 
hospitable  reception,  but  had  furnished  him  an 
escort  of  soldiers  to  guard  him  on  a  snrt  of 
picnic  into  the  interior,  as  far  iidand  as  the 
mission  of  Santa  Clara.  For  tliis  indiscretion 
Commandante  Sal  received  a  not  unmerited 
reprimand  from  Arrillaga;  for  Vancouver  in 
his  report  of  this  visit  shows  that  he  took  in 
the  whole  situation;  that  Spain,  with  a  few  rusty 


HI8T0RT    OF   SONOMA    COUNTY. 


(•aiiiKins  and  scarcely  soldiers  enough  to  man 
thein,  was  lioldinir  peaceable  possession  of 
California. 

The  story  of  British  vessels  hovering  along 
the  Pacific  coast  of  course  was  transmitted  to 
both  Mexico  and  Spain,  eliciting  the  usual  in- 
junction to  the  Governor  of  (,'alifornia  to  keep 
all  foreign  vessels  from  landing  in  Pacific  coast 
harbors.  How  such  orders  could  be  enforced 
when  there  were  not  more  cannon  at  the  San 
Francisco  Presidio  than  there  are  fingers  to  a 
human  hand  (and  at  some  of  the  sea  coast  mis- 
sions the  two  or  three  cannon  possessed  were 
not  even  mounted),  it  is  difficult  to  understand. 
Ibit  the  mainsprii  g  to  all  authority  in  Califor- 
nia had  evidently  reached  the  conclusion  that 
something  heroic  must  be  done.  The  whole 
story  is  told  by  Hubert  Howe  Bancroft  in  the 
following  extract: 

•'Together  with  his  order  reijuiring  precau- 
tions against  the  English  and  other  foreigners 
with  a  special  view  of  keeping  Spanish  weak- 
ness from  their  knowledge,  and  subsequently, 
tlie  viceroy  fmnounced  his  intention  of  remedy- 
ing that  weakness  by  strengthening  the  four 
presidios  and  by  the  immediate  occupation  of 
Bodega.  Tlie  16th  of  J  uly  Arrillaga  sent  in  a 
report  on  the  state  and  needs  of  Californian  de- 
fenses. A^ancouver,  nnwisely  permitted  to  in- 
vestigate, had  been  surprised  to  find  California 
so  inadequately  protected,  and  the  Spaniards 
seem  to  have  realized  the  utter  insufficiency  of 
their  coast  defenses  at  about  the  same  time;  but 
nothing  was  accomplished  in  171*3  l)eyond  an 
unsuccessful  attempt  to  occupy  Bodega  Port. 
Tills  Bodega  scheme  and  the  whole  project  of 
strengthening  the  California  defense  were  de- 
vised by  Viceroy  Revilla  Giedo,  and  urged  most 
ably  in  his  report  of  April  12,  1793,  a  docu- 
ment which  covers  the  whole  northern  question 
from  a  Spanish  standpoint,  and  although  little 
consulted  by  modern  writers,  is  a  most  important 
authority. 

'•After  giving  a  complete  history  of  his  sub- 
ject the  distinguished  author  argues  that  dis- 
tant and  costly  outposts   in   the  north   are  not 


desirable  for  Spain;  and  attention  should  be 
given  exclusively  to  the  preservation  and  utili- 
zation of  tiie  establishments  now  existing  in 
California,  and  to  prevent  the  too  near  appi'oach 
of  any  foreign  power.  To  this  end  Bodega 
should  be  held,  and  the  English  plan  of  making 
a  boundary  of  San  Francisco  Bay  be  thus  de- 
feated. Probably  this  one  measnre  may  suffice 
in  the  north;  Nootka  may  be  given  up,  and 
Fnca,  and  also  the  Entrada  de  Heceta,  or  Co- 
lumbia River,  unless  it  should  prove  to  aft'ord  a 
passage  to  the  Atlantic  or  to  New  Mexico.  *  * 
"  Because  of  its  supposed  excellence  as  a  har- 
bor, and  because  of  its  vicinity  to  San  Francisco, 
making  its  occupation  by  England  equivalent  to 
an  occupation  of  that  harijor  for  purposes  of 
contraband  trade,  it  was  decided  to  found  a 
Spanish  settlement  at  Bodega.  Moreover,  there 
were  rumors  that  foreigners  were  already  taking 
steps  in  that  direction.  To  this  end,  the  10th  of 
February  the  viceroy  announced  the  giving  of 
orders  to  the  commandante  at  San  Bias  to  des- 
patch a  schooner  and  long-boat  for  the  service, 
and  Arrillaga  was  directed  to  go  to  San  Francisco 
to  meet  the  vessels.  He  gave  orders  the  20th  of 
March  to  have  a  road  opened  from  San  Francisco 
across  to  Bodega.  These  instructions  came  up 
on  the  Acanzaza,  which  arrived  at  San  Francisco 
on  the  24:th  of  July.  Arrillaga  obtained  boats 
from  the  vessels,  set  across  some  thirty  liorses, 
and  on  the  5th  of  August  Lieutenant  Goycolchea, 
with  a  sergeant  and  ten  men,  set  out  to  open 
the  road  and  to  meet  at  Bodega.  Matute,  who 
with  the  Sutil  and  Me.cleana  had  probably  been 
sent  direct  to  that  port  from  San  Bias.  Unfor- 
tunately 1  have  not  found  Goycolchea's  diary 
which  was  sent  to  Mexico,  and  we  know  abso- 
lutely nothing  of  either  the  exploration  by  sea 
or  land,  save  that  Matute  returned  to  San  Fran- 
cisco on  August  12th,  and  five  days  later  Arril- 
laga informs  the  viceroy  that  the  occupation  of 
Bodega  is  put  off  for  this  year.  The  postpone- 
ment proved  to  be  a  permanent  one,  for  some 
unexplained  cause,  and  the  ten  soldiers  and  five 
mechanics  with  some  stores  intended  for  Bodega 
were  retained  by  Sal  at  San  Francisco." 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


So  nearly  came  Sonoma  County  to  civilized 
occupancy  before  the  commencement  of  the  cur- 
rent century.  The  only  other,  ami  more  defi- 
nite statement,  of  Spanish  visitation  to  territory 
now  within  Sonoma  County  jurisdiction  during 
the  early  years  of  this  century,  is  that  in  Sej)- 
tember  of  1810.  Moraga,  a  Spanish  officer, 
visited  l)odega,  '■  discovering  and  exploring  to 
some  extent  a  fertile  valley  in  that  region,  to 
whicli,  however,  lie  gave  no  name." 

Thus,  in  a  hurried  way,  have  we  followed  the 
fortunes  of  the  Catholic  cross  northward  from 
San  Diego  until  it  wtis  securely  planted  at 
Lone  Mountain.  Over  a  third  of  a  century  had 
been  marked  on  the  dial  of  time,  and  yet  that 
emblem  of  Cliristianity  was  yet  nnplanted  on 
the  northern  side  of  the   Ijay.     The  tloci<s   and 


herds  of  the  nineteen  established  missions  had 
increased  until  their  numbers  were  pressing  upon 
the  utmost  limits  of  pasture  supply.  The  opu 
lence  of  the  Padres,  taken  in  conjunction  with 
the  fact  that  they  were  being  made  largely  to 
bear  the  burthen  of  civil  and  military  govern- 
ment, seemed  to  have  somewhat  dampened  their 
ardor  in  mission  work;  at  least  so  far  as  related 
to  venturing  uut  into  new  and  unexplored  fields. 
Here,  for  the  pi-esent,  we  place  a  perioil  to 
Spanish  occupation,  and  turn  to  hyperliDrean 
latitudes  to  note  the  southward  coming  of  the 
Greek  triune  cross.  Before  the  close  of  our 
next  chapter  these  emblems  of  two  mighty 
churches,  one  being  carried  northward  and  the 
other  southward,  will  have  met  and  been  planted 
within  the  limits  of  Sonoma  County. 


HTSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


*^^'^f^ 


CHAPTER  II. 


The  IIussian-Amkuican   Frii  Company — Razanof,   its  head  JtANAUEii,  visits  San   Franiisco  in 
1805 — EETriixs   TO  Alaska  with  a  cakcii)  hf  whicat — nsiiiNci    for    sea  ottkr   along    the 

COAST    becomes    common THE    MA(;Nn'lI>E    OF    THE    lilSINKSS IN     1809,     KuSKOF,      AN      OFFICER 

OF  THE  Alaska  Fir  Company,  anchorkd  in  TIodioua  Bav,  anii  with  a  lak(;e  numiser  of 
Aleut  fishkumen  who>[  he  p,Ror(iHT  ■\vrrii  him,  spent  ekmit  months  fishixo  and  explor- 
ing— IN  Isll  THE  Russians  came  hack  to  Bodega  with  an  outfit  to  found  a  settle- 
ment— thev  establish  Fort  Ross — were  the  first  to  estap.lish  a  permanent  settlement 
IN  Sonoma  County — the  California  authorities  object,  but  the    Russians    stay — they 

MAKE  extensive  IMPROVEMENTS;    PLANT  ORCHARDS    AND    RAISE    GRAIN WHAT    THE    FRENCHMAN, 

Duiiaut  Cilly,  said  OF  Ross  in  1828 — what  varied  occupations  t.ie  Russians  followed 

THEV    r.UILT    SEVERAL    VESSELS lioSS    A     liUSY    BEE-HIVE    oF    INDUSTRY. 


1 1 1 1  jE  Spain  was  alwaj'S  in  a  state  of  nn- 
rest  coast  possessions,  slie  was  not 
bronglit  face  to  in  regard  to  the  security 
of  her  Pacific  face  witli  any  real  danger  until  in 
the  first  decade  of  the  present  century,  At  first  it 
was  England  and  France  toward  which lier  appre- 
hensions were  directed,  with  an  occasional  spasm 
of  suspicion  that  the  United  States  had  a  lust- 
ful desire  for  expansion  in  this  direction.  Of 
course  Spain  was  having  spats  and  wars  witli 
other  European  powers,  and  tlie  people  of  Cal- 
ifornia, when  informed  as  to  the  government 
with  which  Spain  for  tiie  time  being  was  em- 
broiled, naturally  felt  uneasy  when  a  vessel 
carrying  the  flag  of  such  government  was  seen 
liovering  along  the  California  coast. 

The  possessions  of  Russia  up  north  had  been 
turned  to  account  and  were  then  under  the 
dominion  of  the  Russian-American  Fur  Com- 
pany.    As  Russia  and  Spain  were  then   as  near 


at  peace  as  was  coinpatible  with  nations  always 
in  armed  expectancy  of  war,  no  serious  danger 
to  California  seemed  to  be  apprehended  from 
that  source.  Rut  there  were  causes  at  work 
that  turned  tiie  attention  of  Alaska  authorities 
southward.  The  provision  supplies  they  were 
dependent  on  from  Russia,  on  account  of  ad- 
verse winds  and  other  unavoidable  causes,  did 
not  always  reach  tliem  in  season,  and  as  a  result, 
several  times  the  gaunt  wolf  Famine  stalked  in 
their  midst.  Hunger  knows  no  law,  and  in  its 
presence  the  amenities  usually  observable  be- 
tween nations  at  peace,  are  liable  to  be  set  at 
naught.  In  1805  the  newly  appointed  Russian 
Chamberlain,  NicholiPetrovich  Razanof, reached 
Sitka  at  a  time  wiien  the  inhabitants  were  in 
sore  distress  for  food  supplies.  lie  had  a  ves- 
sel laden  with  such  articles  as  bethought  would 
be  needed  by  the  presidios  and  missions  of 
California    and    came   down    to   San    Francisco. 


IIISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Kazanof  was  too  great  a  diplomat  to  let  the 
Spaniards  know  the  real-condition  of  att'airs  at 
Alaska.  He  had  to  feel  his  way  carefully,  for 
the  authorities  were  under  injunctions  to  en- 
courage no  trade  with  foreign  vessels.  The 
missions  had  plenty  of  wlieat,  just  what  he  most 
coveted,  and  he  had  many  articles  of  utility  and 
ornament  that  the  Californians  needed  and 
wanted.  To  make  a  long  story  short,  Kazanof 
returned  to  Alaska  with  liis  vessel  well  stowed 
with  wheat.  And  more  than  this,  it  did  not 
escape  his  keen  eyes  that  the  whcjle  coast 
north  of  San  Francisco  was  lying  idle  and  un- 
productive. And  another  thing  he  did  not  fail 
to  observe  was  that  the  waters  abounded  with 
sea  otter.  This  same  thing  seems  to  have 
been  taken  in  by  the  lynx-eyed  Yankees  even 
before  Itazanof  visited  this  coast,  for  we  find  it 
recorded  that  in  1803-'4  Captain  Joseph  O'Cain, 
in  the  American  vessel  (TC'aiii,  made  a  sea 
otter  j)oacliing  expedition  along  the  coast,  going 
certainly  as  far  south  as  San  Diego,  and  being 
rewarded  with  a  take  of  1,100  otter-skins. 

Arrillaga  had  been  appointed  Governor  of  Cal- 
ifornia, and  on  his  arrival  at  Monterey,  the  cap- 
ital, in  1806,  one  of  his  tirst  pronunciamentos 
was  a  determination  to  put  an  end  to  illicit 
and  contraband  trade.  lie  expressed  liimself 
cognizant  of  the  fact  that  instructions  from  the 
head  government  had  been,  if  not  entirely 
evaded,  at  least  loosely  obeyed,  and  that  he 
should  not  connive  at  such  flagrant  abuses.  His 
intentions  were  doubtless  honest,  but  then, 
humanity  is  fallible !  Thenceforward  there 
were  always  vessels  hovering  along  the  coast, 
and  it  seemed  remarkable  how  often  they  run 
out  of  water,  or  provisions,  or  had  to  make  some 
needed  repairs,  and  found  excuses  for  anchoring 
for  a  time  near  some  coast  mission.  The  (iov- 
ernor  of  California  and  his  handful  of  military 
could  froth  and  fume  as  much  as  they  pleased, 
but  then  what  could  they  do  about  it  'i  While 
these  coast  poachers  in  Spanish  waters  may  not 
have  direct  connection  with  Sonoma  (J(jnnty 
history,  yet  their  meanderings  were  all  con- 
verging toward  IJodcgii    Bay   and    tlic   ultiiiiate 


occupation  of  the  country  from  that  point  north- 
ward by  the  Russians.  In  truth,  the  only  way 
to  convey  to  the  readers  an  intelligent  concep- 
tion why  the  Russians  made  this  long  skip  from 
Alaska  to  Ross,  is  by  taking  into  account  the 
wealth  offered  by  the  sea  as  well  as  the  pro- 
ductiveness of  the  shore.  In  1806  Captain 
Jonathan  Winship,  in  the  American  vessel 
CrCdin,  with  his  brother  Nathan  as  mate,  made 
a  seaotter  expedition  on  this  coast.  They  were 
acting  under  the  auspices  of  the  Russian-Amer- 
ican Fur  Company,  and  were  accompanied  by 
northern  Indians  and  canoes  to  do  the  lishing. 
The  Farallone  Islands  were  found  a  fruitful 
field  of  operation.  In  September  uf  that  year 
Captain  Winship  returned  to  Alaska  with  5,000 
otter-skins.  In  October  of  1806  Captain  Camp- 
bell, another  American  under  contract  with  the 
Alaska  Fur  Company,  and  accompanied  by 
Aleut  tishermen  with  twelve  bidaskes  (tishing 
boats),  passed  a  season  on  this  coast  and  re- 
turned to  Alaska  in  August  of  1807  with  1,230 
otter-skins.  In  1807  Captain  Winship  was 
back  to  the  coast  again  accompanied  by  fifty 
native  hunters  from  Alaska,  and  his  objective 
point  seems  to  have  been  the  Farallone  Islands. 
How  great  was  his  success  may  he  known  from 
the  fact  that  he  i-etnrned  north  in  April.  Sev- 
eral other  vessels  are  mentioned  as  having 
fished  along  the  coast,  and  in  every  instance 
they  are  reported  to  have  made  a  profital)le 
catch  of  sea-otter.  Although  outside  of  the 
chronological  order  of  occurrences  to  be  re- 
corded in  this  history  we,  in  order  to  make 
clear  the  magnitude  of  the  sea-otter  fisheries 
along  this  coast,  (piote  the  following  from 
Hubert  Howe  Bancroft's  History  of  California: 
"  On  April  1,  1811,  the  Albatross  sailed  for  the 
north,  leaving  the  O'Cain  to  look  after  atfairs 
on  the  lower  coast,  andreturnedto  the  Farallones 
to  leave  supplies.  Then  she  went  to  Drake  Bay. 
where  she  was  joined  by  the  (/Cain,  and  Isabel 
on  the  11th  of  May.  Here  the  two  vessels  re- 
mained a  month,  often  communicating  with 
the  different  gangs  of  hunters  l)y  means  of 
boats.        In    .June     the    AUj((tri)Ss    went    south 


HTSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


again  and  was  occupied  in  picking  up  for  tinal 
departure  the  luinters  and  the  product  of  their 
labors  for  l)oth  ships;  and  on  the  I'Jtli  she  sailed 
for  the  north,  arriving  at  the  Russian  settle- 
ments in  August.  After  repairing  the  ship  and 
discharging  his  Indians,  Winship  returned 
down  the  coast  and  anchored  on  the  27th  of 
September  at  tiie  South  Farallones.  The  2d  of 
October,  taking  on  board  all  the  hunters,  except 
Rrown  with  seven  Kanakas,  the  Albatross 
sailed  for  the  Islands,  so  loaded  with  furs  that 
some  water-casks  had  to  be  broken  up  and  the 
hemp  cables  carried  on  deck."  Ky  reference  to 
a  note  in  the  work  above  quoted  from,  we  tind 
that  the  Alhatross,  for  the  seasons  of  1810 
and  1811  took  74,526  fur  seal  skins,  of  which 
73,402  were  taken  at  the  P'arallones.  Besides 
these  there  is  enumerated  among  the  pelts  248 
beaver,  21  raccoon,  6  wild-cat,  153  land-otter. 
4  badger,  5  fox,  58  mink,  8  gray  squirrel.  1 
skunk,  11  muskrat  and  137  mole  skins.  The 
estimated  value  of  this  cargo  of  furs  at  Canton, 
China,  was  .$157,397.  A  Captain  Smith  is  re- 
puted to  have  visited  the  Farallones  in  1808 
accompanied  by  a  band  of  Kadiac  Indians  and 
quite  a  Heet  of  bidaskes,  remaining  two  years 
and  departing  with  130.000  seal,  beside  many 
otter  skins.  Alvarado  is  the  anthority  for  the 
statement  that  there  were  months  when  2,500 
sking,  worth  $90  each,  were  exported.  In 
order  not  to  speak  hap-hazard  upon  this  subject 
we  interviewed  General  AI.  G.  Vallejo,  par- 
ticularly in  reference  to  the  subject  of  sea-otter 
(»n  this  coast,  and  we  have  it  from  his  own  lips 
that  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  and  all  the  bays 
and  estuaries  along  tlie  coast  were  swarming 
with  them  in  the  early  decades  of  the  century. 
But  we  return  to  the  year  1809.  That  year 
was  made  memorable  to  Sonoma  County  from 
the  fact  that  on  .the  8th  of  January  Kiiskof,  an 
officer  of  the  Russian  Fur  Company  on  the 
Kadiac.  I'etrof  master,  entered  Bodega  Bay  and 
remained  there  continuously  until  the  29th  of 
August.  It  seems  to  have  been  a  mission  of 
observation,  exploration  and  fishing  combined. 
Friendly  relations  with  the  Indians  of  the  sur- 


rounding country  were  established  and  a  few 
temporary  habitations  erected.  While  we  sliall 
always,  in  referring  to  this  bay  designate  it 
Bodega  Bay.  the  reader  should  be  apprized 
that  the  Russians  called  it  "  Roumiantzof  Bay.'" 
Through  tlie  natives  Governor  Arrillaga  soon 
learned  of  the  presence  of  a  large  Russian  ves- 
sel at  Bodega  and  that  the  crew  had  erected 
huts  on  shore.  The  number  of  persons  given 
by  the  Governor  as  belonging  to  the  KadUic, 
were  forty  Russians  and  150  Indians,  including 
twenty  women.  Fifty  canoes  were  reported  as 
having  been  crossed  over  from  Huymenes  Bay 
to  Pt.  Boneta.  And  here  it  is  in  place  to 
explain  in  order  that  the  carrying  of  these 
canoes,  called  by  the  Russians  '•  bidaskes,'"  may 
the  more  readily  be  understood  by  the  reader. 
They  were  constructed  with  a  very  light,  flex- 
ible frame,  over  which  was  stretched  a  sheath- 
ing of  sealskins  so  sown  together  as  to  render 
the  seams  impervious  to  water.  The  hunter 
could  readily  take  his  boat  on  his  back  and 
carry  it  a  long  distance.  The  Aleuts  were  ex- 
perts in  the  handling  of  these  tiny  crafts  and 
did  not  hesitate  to  venture  quite  a  distance  out 
to  sea  in  them. 

A  stay  of  over  seven  mouths  at  Bodega  had 
enabled  Kuskof  to  form  a  very  intelligent 
opinion  as  to  wliether  or  not  there  was  any- 
thing in  that  latitude  worth  the  Russian  Fur 
Company's  further  attention.  He  seems  to 
have  reached  an  affirmative  conclusion.  As  he 
took  back  with  him  over  2,000  otter-skins  as 
tangible  evidence  to  the  company  of  the  worth 
of  the  field  in  which  he  had  been  tarrying,  it 
probably  did  not  require  much  urging  on  his  part 
to  induce  his  co-laborers  at  Alaska  to  seek  a 
foothold  in  this  more  southern  and  genial  clime. 
Referring  to  this  visit  of  Kuskof  to  Bodega  Bay, 
Air.  Bancroft  says:  "The  native  chiefs  were 
made  friends  by  the  distribution  of  petty  gifts, 
and  there  is  not  much  doubt  that  they  made, 
either  now  or  the  next  year, .  some  kind  of  a 
formal  cession  of  territory  to  the  new-comers. 
The  price  paid,  according  to  the  statement  of 
the  natives  in  later  years,  as   Payeras  tells  us, 


IIISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


was  "three  Idaiikets,  tliree  ))airsof  breeches,  twu 
axes,  three  hoes,  and  some  heads."  It  was  upon 
Russian  title  derived  through  this  jnunilicent 
purchase  price  paid,  that  Colonel  Muldrcw, 
nearly  half  a  century  later,  gave  a  great  deal 
of  disquiet  to  the  American  settlers  all  along 
the  coast  from  Toniales  Bay  to  Cape  Mendocino. 
Raranof,  the  Chamberlain  of  Alaska,  douljtless 
acting  on  instructions  from  St.  Petersburg,  took 
immediate  stejis  to  found  a  settlement  on  the 
California  coast.  To  this  end,  an  expedition 
was  fitted  out  and  placed  under  the  control  of 
Knskof,  who,  on  the  Chirikof  v{\i\i  all  necessary 
implements  and  supplies,  left  Alaska  late  in 
1811  or  early  in  1812  for  his  new  field  of 
operations.  Of  this  expedition  l>ancroft  sajs: 
"  There  were  in  the  company  ninety-five  men  of 
Russian  blood,  including  twenty-five  mechanics, 
and  probably  eighty  Aleuts  in  a  hunting  fleet 
of  forty  bidaskes.  The  arrival  seems  to  have 
been  in  March  or  April  of  1812,  though  of 
this  and  immediately  succeeding  events  there 
is  no  detailed  record.  The  Aleuts  were  sent 
out  to  hunt  otter  along  the  coast,  apparently 
with  instructions  not  to  enter  San  Francisco 
Bay,  for  it  was  best  not  to  oflfend  the  Spaniards 
just  at  this  time.  The  Russians  prepared 
timber  for  several  months.  When  all  was 
ready  the  Aleuts  were  recalled  to  aid  the  me- 
chanics, and  everybody  went  to  work  with  a 
will  on  a  foi't  and  other  necessary  buildings, 
and  in  tlie  course  of  a  few  months  a  fortified 
village  had  arisen  on  the  shores  of  New  Albion. 
The  site,  selected  probably  during  the  previous 
viirit,  was  some  eighteen  miles  above  Hodega 
Ray,  called  by  the  natives  Mad-shui-nui,  in 
latitude  38°  33',  loniritude  123°  15'  accordinor 
to  Russian  observations,  and  the  fort  with  its 
ten  cannons  was  erected  on  a  blutt'  some 
hundred  feet  or  more  above  the  sea.  *  '^  '■■ 
All  was  completed  and  ready  for  occupation 
early  in  September.  On  September  10th,  or 
August  30th  of  the  Russian  calendar,  the  name- 
day  of  Emperor  Alexander,  the  establishment 
was  formally  dedicated  with  great  festivities 
and  named    Ross,  from    the   root  (jf  the  name 


Russia,  a   name  extending   far    back  into  an 
tifpiity. 

From  that  day  dates  the  permanent  occupancy 
of  Sonoma  County  by  civilized  man.  Fort  Ross 
was  something  more  than  a  mere  station  for  the 
rendezvous  of  a  fleet  of  fishing  bidaskes.  In  a 
very  few  years  it  had  become  a  manufacturing 
community,  largely  furnishing  various  kinds  of 
supplies  to  the  less  skilled  Spaniards  south  of 
the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  Of  this  we  sliall 
speak  more  fully  hereafter.  Their  ccjining  to 
Ross  was  most  certainly  an  infringement  upon 
the  territorial  rights  of  Spain.  P>ut  they 
claimed,  or  pretended  to  claim,  that  by  right 
of  discovery  made  by  Sir  Francis  Drake  New 
Albion  extended  south  to  San  Francisco  Bay. 
The  Spaniards  on  the  other  hand  claimed  that 
Spanish  dciminion  extended  north  to  the  Straits 
of  Fuca.  Through  the  natives  (for  the  S|mnish 
authorities  at  San  Francisco  had  as  yet  made 
little  atteni])t  at  exploi-ation  north  of  the  bay), 
the  Spaniards  were  made  aware  of  the  presence 
and  operations  of  ihe  Russians  at  Bodega  and 
Ross.  As  in  duty  bound,  an  envoy  was  sent 
to  Ross  to  learn  the  objects  and  aims  of  the 
Muscovites.  The  information  olttained  was 
duly  transmitted  by  the  Comniandante  of  San 
Francisco  to  the  (lovernor  at  Monterey;  and  the 
governor  in  turn  communicated  the  information 
to  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico,  and  thus  it  was  started 
on  its  course  to  the  ultimate  end,  the  myal 
presence  in  Spain.  Back  through  this  tortuous 
channel,  after  a  long  lapse  of  time,  came  the 
injunction  to  the  Commandante  of  San  Francisco 
that  he  must  have  the  Russians  march  on.  Just 
how  he  was  to  enforce  this  order,  with  four 
rusty  cannons,  when  the  fort  at  Ross  bristled 
with  ten  cannons  of  larger  caliber,  the  King 
of  Spain  did  not  point  out.  But  ink  was 
cheaper,  and  not  half  as  dangerous  as  powder, 
and  the  result  was  a  wordy  correspondence  be- 
tween  the  (-Jovernor  of  California  and  Knskof. 

For  several  years  the  communication  between 
the  California  authorities  and  those  at  Ross 
was  as  slow  as  the  courtship  between  deaf 
mutes,  so  far  as  related  to  the  right    or   wrong 


HT8T0RT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY . 


of  Russian  occupancy  here.  It  could  not  well 
l)e  otlienvise.  The  Governor  of  CalitbrniH 
could  oidy  act  on  authority  from  the  Viceroy 
at  the  city  of  Mexico;  and  the  Viceroy  derived 
his  power  from  the  King  of  Spain.  On  the 
other  hand  Kuskof  at  Fort  Ross  looked  to  the 
Chamberlain  of  Alaska  for  his  instructions,  and 
the  Chamberlain  took  his  commands  from  the 
Czar  of  Russia.  And  thus  it  came  to  pass  that 
the  conflicting  interests  of  two  of  the  miglity 
powers  of  Europe,  for  a  time,  centered  right 
here  within  our  own  Sonoina  County.  While 
a  i:;reat  many  orders  of  a  mandatory  character, 
rei^uiring  the  Russians  at  once  and  immediately 
to  vacate  Ross  were  duly  delivered  to  Kuskof,  as 
coming  from  the  Viceroy  of  ]\[exico,  it  does 
not  seem  to  have  disturbed  the  friendly  amenities 
tiiat  appear  to  have  existed  between  the  Span 
iards  and  Russians  here,  for  they  seem  to  have 
done  a  great  deal  of  bartering  in  violation  of 
the  revenue  laws  as  intended  to  be  administered 
by  the  Mexican  authorities.  This  trade  was 
carried  on  by  means  of  Russian  vessels. 

Tiie  reader  can  keep  in  mind  that  year  after 
year  there  was  remonstrance  made  by  the 
Spanish  authorities  of  California  against  Rus- 
sian occupation  at  Ross,  always  accompanied  by 
the  fearful  admonition  that  the  Viceroy  of  Mex- 
ico would  admit  of  no  further  delay  in  the 
matter.  Moraga,  the  tirst  to  go  to  Ross  to  spy 
out  what  the  Russians  were  about,  was  sent 
back  to  Ross  late  in  1813,  and  according  to 
Spanish  account  delivered  to  Ivuskof  the  ulti- 
matum of  speed}'  departure  from  this  coast; 
while  Russian  record  of  the  same  occurrence  is, 
as  Bancroft  says:  "That  Moraga  on  this  second 
visit  brought  witl)  him  not  only  twenty  cattle 
and  three  horses  as  a  gift,  but  also  the  verlial 
announcement,  as  welcome  as  unexpected,  that 
Governor  Arrillaga  had  consented  to  an  ex- 
change of  commodities  on  condition  that  pend- 
ing the  Viceroy's  decision,  the  company's  ves- 
sels should  not  enter  the  ports,  but  transfer 
goods  in  boats.  Accordingly  Kuskof  at  once 
despatched  his  clerk  Slobodchikof  to  San  Fran- 
cisco with  a  cargo   which,  in  the  manner  pre- 


scribed, and  to  t!<e  value  of  $14,000,  was 
exchanged  for  bread-stulfs.  Trade  was  thus  con- 
tinued for  some  time,  but  no  particulars  are 
given.  That  this  traffic  was  allowed,  consider- 
ing the  urgent  needs  of  California,  is  not 
strange;  nor  is  the  silence  of  the  Spanish  record 
to  be  wondered  at,  since  the  trade  was  illicit. 
There  is  no  good  reason  to  doubt  the  accuracy 
of  the  Russian  statement. 

That  the  Russians  had  come  to  stay,  the  lo- 
cation selected  and  the  permanency  of  the  im- 
provements made,  amply  attested.  While 
Bodega  Bay,  by  them  called  Roumiantzof,  was 
a  desirable  harbor  so  far  as  ingress  and  egress 
of  vessels  were  concerned,  yet  it  did  not  seem 
to  till  Kuskof 's  conception  of  strategic  strength 
for  defensive  jjurposes.  The  site  selected  for 
Fort  Ross,  about  eighteen  miles  north  of 
Bodega,  could  hardly  be  improved  on  for  the 
purpose  designed.  The  following  pen-picture  of 
Fort  Ross  and  its  surroundings  is  a  translation 
from  a  French  book  written  by  Duhant  Cilly. 
The  author  spent  two  or  three  days  at  Ross  in 
1828.  This  is  a  very  accurate  description,  and 
the  more  to  be  prized  on  account  of  its  having 
been  written  so  long  ago: 

"At  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  June, 
1828,  we  arrived  at  a  colony  which  the  Rus- 
sians had  named  Ross.  It  is  a  great  square  sur- 
rounded by  a  solidly  built  fence  of  boards 
twenty  feet  high.  This  fence  is  crowned  by 
large,  heavy  war  implements.  On  the  south 
west  and  northeast  angles,  are  two  turrets  of  a 
hexagon  shape,  pierced  with  port-holes,  for  pro- 
tection. Upon  the  four  sides  which  correspond 
with  the  four  important  points  are  port-holes 
with  cannon.  In  the  inside  of  the  square  are 
also  tield-pieces  of  bronze,  mimnted  on  w-agons. 
There  is  a  nice  house  for  the  commander  or 
director,  good  lodgings  for  the  subordinate  of- 
ficers, while  the  remainder  of  the  square  is 
taken  up  by  store-houses  and  work-shops.  A 
chapel  and  bastion  occupy  the  southeast  angle. 
The  fort  is  built  at  the  edge  of  an  elevated  piece 
of  land  about  two  hundred  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea.      To  the  right  and  left  are  ravines 


nrsTonr  of  sonoma   covnty. 


whicli  give  protection  against  attacks  from  the 
•  north  and  south,  while  tlie  steep  blnfl'  and  sea 
defend  the  west.  The  two  ravines  open  upon 
two  little  bays  which  serve  as  a  shelter  for 
sliipping.  All  the  dwellings  of  Ross  are  built 
of  wood,  but  they  are  built  well  and  strong.  In 
the  I'ooms  of  the  director's  dwelling  are  found 
all  the  conveniences  which  are  appreciated  by 
luiropeans  and  which  as  yet  are  unknown  in 
other  parts  of  L'alifornia.  On  the  outside  of  the 
S(|uare  are  buildings  regularly  ranged  for  sixty 
Russians,  and  low  huts  for  eighty  Kadiacs. 
Adjoining  these  are  huts  of  as  many  poor 
(native  ?)  Indians.  To  the  east  of  the  settlement 
the  ground  gradually  rises  to  a  great  height, 
which  protects  the  settlement  from  eastern 
winds.  These  hills  are  covered  with  thick 
forests.  The  slopes  are  divided  into  fields, 
fenced  in  squares,  for  grain,  French  corn,  pats, 
potatoes,  etc.  These  fences  ai-e  used  as  pro- 
tectors of  the  crops  against  enemies  and  wild 
animals." 

Such  was  Fort  Ross  as  described  sixty  years 
ago.  So  far  as  location  and  general  details  are 
concerned,  it  is  very  accurate.  The  height  of 
the  mesa  on  which  the  fort  stands  is  placed 
at  too  high  a  level  above  the  sea,  and  the 
palisade  wall  of  the  fort  is  given  about  eigiit 
feet  greater  height  than  it  really  had.  That 
the  Russians  were  well  prepared  to  defend 
themselves  against  attack  is  evidenced  by  a 
note  in  Bancroft's  History  which  says:  "  Kuskof 
brought  eight  pieces  of  artillery  in  1812,  which 
number  was  soon  increased  to  fifteen  or  twenty, 
and  even  to  fort}'  of  various  caliber  by  1841  as 
it  seems.'' 

But  few  of  Sonoma  County's  most  intelligent 
citizens,  we  apprehend,  are  fully  advised  in 
reference  to  the  magnitude  and  importance  of 
the  operations  of  this  Russian  colony  that 
planted  the  standard  of  civilization  here.  The 
oldest  men  among  us  were  but  mere  boys  when 
the  whole  coast  of  this  county  from  the  Estero 
Americano  to  the  Gnalala  River  were  teeming 
with  life  and  enterprise.  Aleuts  in  bidaskes 
were  exi)ioring  every  bay,  cove  and    estuary   in 


quest  of  sea-otter,  seal  and  acqnatic  fowls. 
Coming  from  the  frigid  north  where  everything 
was  utilized  that  would  appease  hunger  or  pro- 
tect the  body  from  the  chilling  winds  of  the 
bleak,  hyjjerborean  climes,  they  gathered  and 
utilized  much  that  by  the  less  provident 
Spaniards  south  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco, 
would  have  been  esteemed  of  no  value.  But 
Fort  Ross  was  something  more  than  a  mere 
fishing  station.  As  already  stated  they  gave 
to  Bodega  Bay  the  euphonious  name,  Roumi- 
antzof;  to  the  country  and  streams  northward 
they  gave  names  of  equally  as  hard  enunciation 
to  American  tongues.  The  country  between 
Bodega  Bay  and  Russian  River  they  called 
Kostromitinof;  to  Russian  River  they  gave  the 
name  Slavianki;  while  to  the  country  adjacent 
to  Ross  itself,  they  gave  the  name  Khlebnikof. 
In  reference  to  the  character-  and  number  of 
inhabitants  at  Ross  after  it  was  founded,  Mr. 
Bancroft  says:  "So  far  as  I  can  judge  from  the 
complicated  and  contradictory  statements  of 
different  M'riters,  Russian  and  foreign,  there 
were  at  Ross,  after  the  foundation  was  fairly 
effected,  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  men  of  Rus- 
sian blood,  and  from  fifty  to  one-hundred  and 
twenty  Aleuts.  No  Russian  women  came  to 
California,  except  perhaps  the  wives  of  one  or 
twt)  of  the  officers  in  the  later  years;  but 
both  Russians  and  Aleuts  married  or  cohabited 
with  native  women,  so  that  at  the  last  the  three 
races  were  inextricably  mixed  in  the  population 
of  Ross.  This  population,  including  the  native 
Californians  who  became  permanent  residents, 
may  be  estimated  as  having  varied  from  150 
to  400.  All  to  a  certain  extent  in  the  service 
of  the  company,  though  many  cultivated  small 
pieces  of  ground  and  traded  the  products  on 
their  own  account.  The  Russians  were  ofticers, 
chiefs  of  hunting  parties,  and  mechanics;  the 
Aleuts  were  hunters,  fishermen,  and  laborers; 
the  Californians  were  laborers  and  servants;  all 
were  to  a  certain  extent  farmers  and  ti'aders  and 
soldiers."' 

AV^hile  there  was  a  (ireek  chapel,  as  already 
stated,    at  the   fort,    tJiere    is    nnthing  to  show 


IIIST(il!Y    <iF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


that  tliere  was  ever  a  regular  chaplain  assigned 
to  the  station.  Under  authorization  of  the 
bishop  one  of  tlie  officers  officiated  at  funerals, 
solemnized  marriages  and  administered  the  ordi- 
nance of  l)a])tism. 

As  this  coast  had  been  a  common  poaching 
grouiiil  tor  vessels  engaged  in  taking  sea-otter 
for  neaily  a  decade  before  the  advent  of  the 
llussians  here,  large  returns  from  that  kind  of 
hunting  were  not  of  long  duration  and  the 
Russians  naturally  turned  their  attention  to 
mixed  industries.  Bancroft,  wlio  from  his  vast 
I'esonrces  of  data  on  this  subject  is  in  a  position 
to  speak  with  great  accuracy,  says:  "As  the 
hunt  for  otter  became  less  and  less  protitalde, 
and  as  obstacles  interfered  with  perfect  success 
ill  way  of  trade,  the  agents  of  the  company 
turiKil  tlifir  attention  more  and  more  to  home 
industries  at  Itoss.  Agriculture  was  naturally 
one  of  the  most  imijortant  of  these  industries, 
and  results  in  this  brarich  are  shown  more  or 
less  complete  in  a  note.''  Referring  to  this 
note,  we  gather  the  following  information  in 
reference  to  the  Kussian's  farming  operations: 
Kuskof,  about  1821,  retired  from  command  at 
Koss,  and  was  succeeded  by  a  young  man,  Carl 
Schmidt.  Kuskof  died  in  Russia  in  1828.  In 
reference  to  farming  it  is  stated  that  all  the  fer- 
tile land  around  the  fort  was  cultivated,  and 
there  were  fields  two  miles  away.  In  182S  the 
amount  of  land  cultivated  in  various  fields  is 
stated  to  liave  been  about  175  acres.  Seeding 
was  done  in  November  and  December,  after  the 
first  rains.  Both  oxen  and  horses  werg  used  for 
farming  purposes,  and  in  rocky  places  Indians 
were  employed  to  spade  the  soil.  Vegetables 
were  raised  in  abundance  in  the  gardens,  in- 
cluding pumpkins  and  watermelons.  Pickled 
beets  and  cabbage  were  sent  to  Sitka.  Potatoes 
were  planted  twice  a  year,  but  the  yield  was  not 
large.  Wild  mustard  seed  was  gathered  for  ex- 
portation. Fruit  trees  did  well.  The  first 
peach-tree  brought  from  San  Francisco  in  1S14 
bore  in  1820.  Other  peach-trees  were  brought 
from  Monterey,  and  also  grape-vines  from 
Lima  in  1S17,  the  latter  bearino-    in    1823.      In 


1820, 100  trees,  apple,  pear,  cherry  and  peach 
were  set  out,  bearing  in  1828.  As  related  to 
wheat,  great  efforts  were  made  and  great  re- 
sults anticipated  in  1826,  but  there  was  not 
over  a  half  crop,  in  consequence  of  rust.  In 
1833  wild-oats  sprang  up,  and  thereafter  much 
of  the  land  that  had  been  tilled  around  Ross  had 
to  be  pastured.  Mice  and  gophers  had  become 
very  destructive.  Farming  was  then  trans- 
ferred to  the  month  of  Russian  River,  with 
much  success  for  a  couple  of  years;  but  received 
a  set-back  by  two  years  of  failure.  This  will 
give  a  general  idea  of  the  farming  operations  of 
the   Russians. 

In  reference  to  stock  we  find  the  following: 
Of  horned  cattle  there  were  about  sixty  in 
1817,  180  in  1821,  520  in  1829,  720  in  1833. 
and  1,700  in  1841;  horses  increased  from  ten 
in  1817  to  250  in  1829,  415  in  1833,  and  900 
in  1841;  there  were  IGO  sheep  in  1817,  800  in 
1822,  614  in  1829,  605  in  1833,  and  900  in 
1841;  and  swine  numbered  124  in  1821  and 
106  in  1829.  There  were  about  fifty  mules  in 
in  1841.  Many  cattle  were  killed  by  the  bears 
and  Indians.  I'ulls  used  to  come  into  the  fort 
with  lacerated  flesh  and  bloody  horns  after  en- 
counters with  bears.  In  the  last  fifteen  years 
216,000  pounds  of  salt  beef  and  17,(100  pounds 
of  butter  were  sent  to  Sitka.  Butter  brought 
about  thirty  cents  a  pound  at  Sitka.  Excellent 
leather  was  tanned  and  exported.  The  total 
product  in  good  years  of  cattle  and  sheep  was 
valued  at  8,000  rubles.  Bancroft  says:  "There 
was  hardly  any  article  of  wood,  iron  or  leather 
which  the  mechanics  of  Ross  in  the  early  years 
could  not  make  of  a  ijuality  sufficiently  good 
for  the  California  nuirUet,  and  to  the  very  last 
they  received  frequent  apjilications  from  the 
Spaniards.  But  in  the  later  yeai's  many^  minor 
articles  were  more  cheaply  obtained  from  Amer- 
ican and  English  traders.  Several  boats  were 
built  for  Spanish  officers  or  friars.  Timlierand 
tiles  were  not  only  sent  south,  but  north,  and 
even  in  some  instances  to  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
Pine  pitch  was  also  sent  to  Sitka  in  consider- 
able quantities,  in  barrels  which,  like  those  for 


iirsTonr  of  bonoma  county. 


iiiuat    and    other    exports,    wei'c    made    l)y  the 
Ross  coopers." 

iJut  the  Russians  were  even  more  than  fisher- 
men, farmers  and  artisans.  lii^ht  here  in 
Simonia  County  within  the  lirst  quarter  of  the 
present  century  not  less  than  four  schooners 
and  ships  were  built  and  launched,  the  carry- 
ing capacity  varying  from  160  to  200  tons. 
The  schooner  Rotnninatzof,  of  IBO  tons  burthen 
was  commenced  in  1816  and  launched  in  1818. 
Aside  from  the  labor  of  construction  its  cost 
was  20,212  rubles.  The  brig  Buldakof,  of  200 
tons  burthen,  a  copper-bottomed  vessel,  was  put 
on  the  ways  in  1819  and  completed  and  launched 
in  1820.  Its  cost  of  construction  was  about  80,- 
000  rubles.  These  vesselswereprincipally  built 
of  oak,  while  in  tlie  construction  of  the  latter 
ones  pine  and  redwood  seem  to  have  been 
])rincipally  used.  The  Vohja,  160  tons,  was 
begun  in  1821  and  was  finished  and  launched 
in  1822,  at  a  cost  of  about  36,189  rubles.  The 
Kidklifa,  of  200  tons  burthen,  was  put  on  the 
ways  in  1823,  and  completed  and  launched  in 
1824,  at  a  cost  of  35,248  rubJes.  These  vessels 
do  not  seem  to  have  been  of  long   service,  and 


this  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  when  we  take 
into  account  the  rawness  and  character  of  the 
wood  used  in  their  construction.  But  this  in 
no  wise  militates  against  the  cold  facts  of  his- 
tory that  when  oui'  oldest  men  we)-e  mere  boys, 
ship-building  was  carritd  on  right  here  in 
Sonoma  County.  We  have  been  thus  exact  in 
giving  dates  and  details  because  we  believe 
every  man,  woman  and  child  in  the  county 
ought  to  know  these  things.  Sir  William 
Blackstone  says  in  his  commentaries  on  the 
common  law  laid  it  down  as  a  rule  that  every 
English  gentleman  ought  to  know  and  under- 
stand the  groundwork  of  the  laws  of  the  country 
in  which  he  lived.  If  this  was  true  of  English 
gentlemen  as  related  to  a  knowledge  of  the  laws 
of  their  country,  how  much  more  essential  is  it 
that  every  one  laying  claim  to  intelligence  in 
our  midst,  should  at  least  have  a  correct  knowl- 
edge of  the  history  of  the  county  in  which  they 
live  !  Having  delineated  the  main  features  of 
Russian  occupation  of  Sonoma  County  up  to 
1830,  we  now  devote  a  cha]itcr  to  Sj)anish  pro- 
gress northward. 


iiismnv  OF  SONOMA   couNrr. 


t^t^<^t^t^t^'^9^ 


!>g<^i^<^tgg»t^(^t^? 


.Si^i 


*. 


SJ'thk  s;-'ANIaki'S  ^:oRTH  of  the  fay,  ;^ 


23s^3ajwi?^^rpi'^^^^^si3ag?i.;^'^^:a3a.^^33ii 


'^'^^i^^''-^i^^i^^'i-'-^i:^^(-'>'^'^^^^^%^^^ 


#fe' 


CHAl'TER  III. 


After   fortv    years  of  wattixc    the   Spaniards   sktre  a  i.ougment   north   of   Sax   F'RANnsco 

Bay A    BRANCH     MISSTON    Tn    Doi.ORES    AY  AS    ESTABLISHED    AT    SaX    RaFAKT.    IN    1818 IN    1821 

AN    EXPLORING     EXPEDITION    WENT    NORTH     UNDER     CaPTAIN     ArGUELLO     -  THEY     STARTED     FROM 

Cauqfinez;    traveled  n-   the  Sacramento  Valley,    i-iioiiAiiLY   m   Sha>ta,    then    crossed 

TOWARD    the    coast     AND    CAME    DOWN     RuSSIAN    RiVER    Vai.LKY  —  I  r    WAS     THE    MOST     EXTENDEI> 

EXPLORATION    OF    THE    SPANIARDS IN    1822    IT    WAS    DETERMINED    To    ESTABLISH    A    NEW     MISSION 

NdRTII    (IF    THE   BAY" IN    1823    PaURE    AlTIMIRA,    WITH   A   SlITAnLE    ESCORT,    STARTED  Tn    Lix  Al  i: 

A  MISSION  site;  VISITED  Petaluma  Yall]:y,  Sonoma   Yallioy,  and   finally  chose  Sonoma- 

AFTER     CONSIDERABLE     TROUBLE     AND     DELAY    THE    MISSION    AT    SoNOMA,    UNDER    TFILE    OF    "SaN 

Francisco  Solano,"  was  duly  dedicated  Sunday,  the  4rii  day  of  April,  182-1  —  the 
Russians  at  Ross  sent  articles  of  decoration  for  the  church  at  Sonoma — fruit  trees 
and  \ineyards  planted — cattle,  horses  and  sheep  Mri.Tipi.Y,  AND  San  Francisco  Solano 

GATHERS    TO    ITS    FOLD    SEVERAL    HI  NDRED    InDIANS. 


fORTY  years  had  come  anJ  gone  since  pre- 
sidio and  mission  was  founded  at  Yerba 
Buena,aiid  yet  no  fruitful  attempt  had  been 
made  to  establish  settlement  on  tlie  north  side 
of  the  bay.  And  the  lirst  movement  in  that 
direction  seems  to  have  been  impelled  by  a 
teeming  necessity.  At  the  mission  Dolores 
were  many  hundred  neophytes  who  had  been 
gatliered  in  from  the  many  Indian  tribes  south 
of  the  bay.  Among  these  Indian  converts  there 
was  an  increasing  and  alarming  mortality  from 
])ulmoHary  disease.  The  padres,  as  a  sanitary 
measure,  determined  upon  the  founding  of  a 
branch  mission  in  some  more  sheltered  and 
genial  clime  on  the  north  side  of  the  bay.  Tiie 
ju'esent  site  of  San  Rafael  was  the  location  de- 
termined upon.  The  establisliment  was  to  be 
more  in  the  nature  of  a  rancho,  witli  cliapel, 
baptistry   and    cemetery,    than   a    regularly  or- 


dained mission.  Padre  Luis  Gil  yTahoada  was 
detailed  to  take  charge  of  this  branch  establish- 
ment of  the  church.  In  reference  to  this  brancii 
mission  P>aucroft  says:  "The  site  was  proliably 
selected  on  tiie  advice  of  Moraga,  who  had 
several  times  passed  it  on  his  way  to  and  from 
Bodega;  though  there  may  have  been  a  special 
examination  Ijy  the  friars  not  recorded.  Father 
Gil  was  accompanied  by  Derran,  Abella,  and 
Sarria,  the  latter  of  whom  on  December  lith, 
with  the  same  ceremonies  that  usually  attended 
the  dedication  of  a  regular  mission,  founded 
the  assistencia  of  San  Rafael  Arcangel,  on  the 
spot  called  by  the  natives  Nanaguani.  Though 
the  establishment  was  at  first  only  a  l)ranch  of 
San  Francisco,  an  assistencia  and  not  a  mission, 
with  a  chapel  instead  of  a  church,  under  a 
supernumerary  friar  of  San  Francisco;  yet  there 
was  no  real   ditt'erence  between  its  manaij-einent 


HISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  that  of  the  other  missions.  The  luimber 
of  ncoiihytes  trausfei  red  at  first  is  supposed  to 
have  been  about  280,  but  there  is  but  very  little 
evidence  on  the  subject,  and  subsequent  trans- 
fers, if  any  were  made  in  eitlier  direction,  are  not 
recorded.  By  the  end  of  1820  the  population 
had  ineTcased  to  590.  In  1818  an  adobe  build- 
ing eighty  feet  long,  forty-two  feet  wide  and 
eighteen  feet  high  had  been  erected;  divided 
by  partitions  into  chapel,  padre's  house  and  all 
other  apartments  i'e(|uired,  and  furnished  be- 
sides with  a  corridor  of  tules.  Padre  Gil  y 
Taboada  remained  in  charge  of  San  Rafael  until 
the  summer  of  1819,  when  lie  was  succeeded  by 
Juan  Anioros." 

That  even  the  southern  eud  of  what  is  now 
Sonoma  County  was  yet  a  comparative  terra 
incognito  to  the  Spaniards,  is  evidenced  by  the 
fact  that  as  late  as  May,  1818,  on  the  occasion 
of  a  visit  of  President  Payeras  with  Comniandante 
Arguello  to  San  Rafael,  they  made  quite  an 
exploration  of  the  surrounding  country  and  re- 
ported having  seen  from  the  top  of  a  hill  "  the 
Canada  de  los  Olompalis  and  the  Llano  de  los 
Petalnmas."'  Thus,  as  Moses  viewed  the 
promised  land  from  the  summit  of  Mount  Pisga, 
did  priest  and  comniandante  from  the  summit 
of  a  Marin  County  hill  look  down  upon  Peta- 
luma  Valley  in  the  year  of  grace,  1818.  The 
comniandante  referred  to  in  this  connection  was 
Captain  Luis  Arguello.  Governor  Arrillaga 
having  died  in  1813,  Ai-guelio  filled  the  position 
of  acting  governor  until  Sola  was  appointed  to 
that  position.  Ai-guello  was  a  man  of  consider- 
able energy  and  dash,  and  it  was  but  natural 
that  Governor  Sola  should  select  him  for  a 
hazardous  enterprise.  Late  in  the  summer  of 
1821  the  Governor  determined  to  send  an  ex- 
ploring expedition  up  north.  As  this  was  one 
of  the  most  consccpiential  explorations  ever 
undertaken  under  Spanish  rule,  and  as  it  has 
an  intimate  connection  with  Sonoma  County, 
we  give  place  to  Hubert  Howe  Bancroft's  nar- 
ration of  the  meaniierings  of  the  expedition. 
which  is  as  follows: 

"Thirty  live    soldados  de  cuera  and    twenty 


infantes,  part  of  the  force  coming  from  Mon- 
terey, were  assembled  at  San  l"'rancisco.  Horses 
and  much  of  the  supplies  were  sent  from  Santa 
Clara  and  San  Jose  up  to  the  Strait  of  the  Car- 
quinez.  The  officers  selected  were  Captain 
Luis  Arguello,  Alferez  Francisco  de  Haro, 
Alferez  Jose  Antonio  Sanchez,  and  Cadet 
Joaquin  Estudillo,  with  Padre  Bias  Ordaz  as 
chaplain  and  chronicler,  and  John  Gilroy,  called 
the  'English  interpreter  Juan  Antonio.'  Some 
neophytes  were  also  attached  to  the  force,  and 
all  was  ready  for  the  start  the  18th  of  October. 
The  company  sailed  from  San  Francisco  at  11 
A.  M.  in  the  two  lanchas  of  the  presidio  and 
mission,  landing  at  Ruyuta,  near  what  is  now 
Point  San  Pedro,  to  pass  the  night.  Next  day 
they  continued  the  voyage  to  the  Carquinez, 
being  joined  by  two  other  boats.  Saturday  and 
Sunday  were  spent  in  ferrying  the  horses  across 
the  strait,  together  with  a  band  of  Ululatos  and 
Cauucaynios  Indians,  en  route  to  visit  their 
gentile  homes,  and  in  religious  exercises. 
Monday  morning  they  started  for  the  north.. 

"  The  journey  which  followed  was  popularly 
known  to  the  Spaniards  at  the  time,  and  since 
as  '  Arguello's  expedition  to  the  Columbia." 
The  Columbia  was  the  only  northern  region  of 
which  the  Spaniards  had  any  definite  idea,  or 
was  rather  to  them  a  term  nearly  synonymous 
with  the  northern  interior.  It  was  from  the 
Columbia  that  the  strange  people  sought  were 
supposed  to  have  come;  and  it  is  not  singular 
in  the  absence  of  any  correct  idea  of  distance, 
that  the  only  expedition  to  the  far  north  was 
greatly  exaggerated  in  respect  to  the  distance 
traveled.  The  narratives  in  my  possession, 
written  by  old  Californians,  some  of  whom  ac- 
companied Arguello,  are  unusually  inaccurate 
in  their  versions  of  this  affair,  on  which  they  • 
would  throw  Init  very  little  light  in  the  al)seuce 
of  the  original  diary  of  Father  Ordaz — a  docu- 
ment that  is  fortunately  extant. 

"Starting  from  the  strait  on  the  morning  of 
October  22,  Arguello  and  his  company  marched 
for  nine  days,  averaging  little  less  than  eight 
hours  a  day,   northward   up  the  valley  of  the 


niSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Sai-rainento,  which  they  called  the  Jesus  Maria. 
The  names  of  raiiclierias  1  give  in  a  note.  Tliere 
is  little  else  to  be  said  of  the  march,  the  obsta- 
cles to  be  overcome  having  been  few  and  slight. 
Tlie  natives  were  either  friendly,  timid,  or 
slightly  hostile,  having  to  be  scattered  once  or 
twice  by  the  noise  of  a  cannon.  The  neophyte 
Rafael  from  San  Francisco  had  but  little  diffi- 
cujtv  in  making  himself  understood.  The  most 
serious  calamity  was  the  loss  of  a  mule  that  fell 
into  the  river  with  two  thousand  cartridges  on 
its  back.  There  were  no  indications  of  for- 
eigners. 

"On  the  30th,  to  use  the  words  of  the  diary, 
'the  place  where  we  are  is  situated  at  the  foot 
of  the  Sierra  Madre,  whence  there  have  been 
seen  by  the  English  interpreter,  Juan  Antonio, 
two  mountains  called  Los  Cuates — the  Twins — 
on  the  opposite  side  of  which  are  the  presidio 
and  river  of  the  Columbia.  The  rancherias  be- 
fore named  are  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio 
de  Jesns  Maria,  from  which  to-morrow  a  differ- 
ent direction  will  betaken.'  Accordingly  the 
the  31st  they  '  inarched  west  until  they  came  to 
the  foot  of  a  mountain  range,  about  fifteen 
leagues  from  the  Sierra  Nevada,  which  runs 
from  north  to  south,  terminating  in  the  region 
of  Bodega.'  Exactly  at  what  point  the  travel- 
ers left  the  river  and  entered  the  mountain 
range,  now  bounding  Trinity  County  07i  the 
east,  I  do  not  attempt  to  determine,  though 
it  was  evidently  not  below  Red  Bluff.  The 
distance  made  up  the  valley,  allowing  an  aver- 
age rate  of  three  miles  an  hour  for  sixty-eight 
hours,  the  length  of  the  return  march  of  ninety- 
six  hours  through  the  mountains,  at  a  rate  of 
two  miles  an  hour,  and  the  possible  identity  of 
Capa,  reached  in  forty-four  hours  from  Car- 
quinez,  with  the  Capaz  of  modern  maps  opposite 
Chico,  would  seem  to  point  to  the  latitude  of 
Shasta  or  Weaverville  as  the  northern  limit  of 
this  exploration. 

"  For  nine  days,  the  explorers  marched  south- 
ward over  the  mountains.  No  distances  ai'e 
given,  and  I  shall  not  pretend  to  trace  the  exact 
route    followed,   though   I  give  in  a  note   the 


names  recorded  in  the  diary.  Like  tiiose  in 
the  valley,  the  savages  were  not,  as  a  rule,  hos- 
tile, though  a  few  had  to  be  killed  in  the  ex- 
treme north;  but  their  language  could  no  longer 
be  understood,  and  it  was  often  diflicult  to 
obtain  guides  from  i-ancheria  to  rancheria.  The 
natural  difficulties  of  the  mountain  route  were 
very  great.  Many  horses  died,  and  four  pack- 
mules  once  fell  down  a  precipice  together.  The 
3d  of  November,  at  Benenue,  some  l)lue  cloth 
was  found,  said  to  have  been  obtained  from  the 
coast,  probably  from  the  Russians.  On  the  6th 
the  ocean  was  first  seen,  and  several  soldiers 
recognized  the  'coast  of  the  Russian  establish- 
ment at  Bodega.'  Next  day  from  the  Espinazo 
del  Diablo  was  seen  what  was  believed  to  be 
Cape  Mendocino,  twenty  leagues  away  on  the 
right.  Finally,  on  the  10th,  the  party  from  the 
top  of  a  mountain,  higher  than  any  before 
climbed,  l)ut  in  sight  of  many  worse  ones, 
aliandoned  by  their  guides  at  dusk,  \v\\\\  only 
three  days'  rations,  managed  to  struggle  down 
and  out  through  the  dense  undergrowth  into  a 
valley. 

'•  And  down  this  valley  of  Libantiliyami, 
which  could  hardly  have  been  any  othei-  than 
that  of  the  Russian  River,  though  at  what  point 
in  the  present  Sonoma  County,  or  from  what 
direction  they  entered  it  I  am  at  a  loss  to  say,  the 
returning  wanderers  hastened;  over  a  route  that 
seems  to  have  presented  no  obstacles — doubtless 
near  the  sites  of  the  modern  Healdsburg  and 
Santa  Rosa — and  on  November  12th,  at  noon, 
after  twenty  hours'  march  in  three  da^'s,  arrived 
at  San  Rafael.  Next  day,  after  a  thanksgiving 
mass,  the  boats  arrived  and  the  w-ork  of  ferrying 
the  horses  across  to  Point  San  Pablo  was  be- 
gun. The  infantry  soldiers,  who  were  mounted 
durinor  the  expedition,  also  took  this  route 
home,  both  to  Monterey  and  San  Francisco. 
Thus  ended  the  most  extensive  northern  expedi- 
tion ever  made  by  the  Spaniards  in  California." 

By  reference  to  the  notes  referred  to  by  Mr. 
Bancroft  in  the  above,  it  is  (juite  certain  that 
Arguello  and  his  companions  reached  Russian 
River  at  or  near  the  present  site  of  Cloverdale. 


IirSTOIiT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Be  that  as  it  may,  it  is  lieyoml  cavil  that  they 
were  the  tirst  Sj)aiiianis  to  traverse  the  central 
valleys  of  Sunoiria  County.  While  the  expedi- 
tion was  not  fruitfnl  of  far-reaciiing  results,  yet 
it  furnishes  an  importaut  leaf  to  local  history. 
iJeing  the  tirst  of  civilized  race  to  traverse  the 
territory  of  the  county  its  whole  length,  entitles 
that  little  hand  of  explorers  to  kindly  reniein- 
hrance  and  honorable  mention  in  her  annals. 

I'ut  the  time  was  close  at  hand  when  Sonoma 
County  which  had  lain  fallow  all  these  years, 
except  that  jjortion  of  seaboard  under  occupancy 
by  the  Russians,  was  to  come  under  Spanish 
domination.  The  establishment  of  a  new  mis- 
sion was  determined  upon.  The  causes  which 
impelled  this  movement  northward  will  seem 
.strange  to  the  readers  of  the  present  generation. 
In  the  language  of  Bancroft,  "  In  1822  at  a  con- 
ference between  Canon  Fernandez,  Prefect  Pay- 
eras,  and  Governor  Arguello,  it  had  been 
decided  to  transfer  the  mission  of  San  Francisco 
from  the  peninsula  to  the  '  northeastern  contra 
'■osta  on  the  gentile  frontier,'  a  decision  based 
on  the  comparative  sterility  of  the  old  site,  the 
insalubrity  of  the  peninsula  climate,  the  broad- 
ness of  tlie  field  for  conversion  in  the  north,  the 
success  of  the  experimental  founding  of  tlie  San 
liafael  branch,  and  not  improbably  a  desire  on 
the  part  of  two  of  the  three  dignitaries  to  throw 
tlie  few  fertile  ranchos  south  of  San  Francisco 
into  the  hands  of  settlers.  The  matter  next 
came  up  just  before  tlie  death  of  Payeras,  who 
seems  to  have  had  nothing  more  to  say  about  it. 
March  23,  1823,  Padre  Jose  Altimira,  very 
likely  at  Arguello's  instigation,  presented  to  the 
de]>utacion  a  memorial  in  which  he  recom- 
mended the  transfer,  he  being  a  party  naturally 
interested  as  one  of  the  ministers  of  San  Fran- 
cisco. On  April  9th,  the  deputacion  voted  in 
favor  of  the  change.  It  was  decreed  that  the 
assistencia  of  San  liafael  should  be  joined  again 
to  San  Francisco,  and  transferred  with  it,  and 
the  suggestion  made  that  the  country  of  the 
Petalumas  or  of  the  Canicaimos,  should  be  the 
new  site.  The  suppression  of  Santa  Cruz  was 
also  recommended.     The  Governor  sent  these 


resolutions  to  Mexico  next  day,  and  Altimira 
forwarded  copies  to  the  new  prefect,  Scnaii,un 
April  30th,  but  received  no  response. 

"  An  exploration  was  next  in  order,  for  the 
countiy  between  the  Suisunes  and  Petalumas 
was  as  yet  only  little  known,  some  parts  of  it 
having  never  been  visited  by  the  Spaniards. 
With  this  object  in.  view,  Altimira  and  the 
disputado,  Fi'ancisco  Castro,  with  an  escort  of 
nineteen  men  under  Alferez  Jose  Sanchez,  em- 
barked at  San  Francisco  on  the  25th  of  dune, 
and  spent  the  night  at  San  Rafael.  l!oth  San- 
chez and  Altimira  kept  a  diary  of  the  trip  in 
nearly  the  same  words.  *  *  *  The  explor- 
ers went  by  way  of  Olompali  to  the  Petal  unia, 
Sonoma,  Napa,  and  Suisun  valleys  in  succes- 
sion, making  a  somewhat  close  examination  of 
each.  Sonoma  was  found  to  be  best  adapted  for 
mission  purposes  by  reason  of  its  climate,  loca- 
tion, abundance  of  wood  and  stone,  including 
limestone  as  w^as  thought,  and  above  all  for  its 
innumerable  and  most  excellent  springs  and 
streams.  The  plain  of  the  Petaluma,  broad  and 
fertile,  lacked  water;  that  of  tlie  Suisunes  was 
liable,  more  or  less,  to  the  same  objection,  and 
was  also  deemed  too  far  from  the  old  San  Fran  ■ 
cisco;  but  Sonoma,  as  a  mission  site,  with 
eventually  branch  establishments,  or  at  least 
cattle-ranchos  at  Petaluma  and  Napa,  seemed  to 
the  three  representatives  of  civil,  military,  and 
Francisian  power  to  offer  every  advantage. 
Accordingly  on  July  ith,  a  cross  was  blessed 
and  set  up  on  the  site  of  a  former  gentile  ran- 
cherai,  now  formally  named  New  San  Francisco. 
A  volley  of  musketry  was  tired,  sex'eral  songs 
were  sung,  and  holy  mass  was  said.  July  ith 
might,  therefore,  with  greater  propriety  than 
any  other  date  be  celebrated  as  the  anniversary 
of  the  foundation,  though  the  place  was  for  a 
little  time  abandoned,  and  on  the  sixth  all  were 
back  at  Old  San  Francisco." 

We  cannot  give  the  reader  a  more  correct 
idea  of  this  tirst  exploration  of  the  southern  end 
of  Sonoma  County  than  is  given  in  the  language 
of  Padre  Altimira's  diary,  which  is  epitomized 
as  follows   in   Alley,  liowen  it  Co.'s    History  of 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT F. 


Souoiiiii  County:  '•  The  I'adre  and  his  party  left 
San  Rafael,  where  a  mission  had  been  already 
founded,  on  the  25th  of  June.  1823,  and  during 
the  day  passed  the  position  now  occupied  by 
the  city  of  Petaluma,  then  called  by  the  Span- 
iards, '  Pnnta  de  los  Esteros,'  and  known  to  the 
Indians  as  '  Chocuale,'  that  night  encamping 
on  the  'Arroyo  Lema,"  where  the  large  adobe  on 
the  Petaluma  Rancho  was  afterward  constructed 
by  General  Vallejo. 

''Here  a  day's  halt  would  appear  to  have 
been  called,  in  order  to  take  a  glance  at  the 
beautiful  country  and  devise  jneans  of  further 
progress.     On  the  27th  they  reached  the  famous 

•  Laguna  de  Tolly,'  now,  alas,  nothing  but  a 
place,  it  having  fallen  into  the  hands  of  a  Ger- 
man gentleman  of  marked  utilitarian  principles, 
who  has  drained  and  reclaimed  it,  and  planted 
it  with  potatoes.  Here  the  expedition  took  a 
northeasterly  route,  and  entering  the  Sonoma 
Valley,  which  Father  Altimira  states  was  then 
so  called  by  former  Indian  residents;  the  party 
encamped  on  the  arroyo  of  '  Pulpula,'  where  J. 
A.  Poppe,  a  merchant  of  Sonoma,  has  a  large 
tish-breediug  establishment,  stocked  with  carp 
brought  from  Rhinefelt,  in  Germany,  in  1871. 
The  holy  father's  narrative  of  tiie  beauties  of 
Sonoma  Valley,  as  seen  by  the  new-comers,  are 
so  graphically  portrayed  by  himself  that  we 
cannot    refrain  from  quoting   his  own    words: 

•  At  about  3  1'.  M.,'  (June  28,  1823,)  '  leaving 
our  camp  and  our  boat  on  the  slough  near  l)y, 
we  started  to  explore,  directing  our  course  north- 
westward across  the  plain  of  Sonoma,  until  we 
reached  a  stream  (Sonoma  Creek)  of  aljout  five 
hundred  plumas  of  water,  crystalline  and  most 
pleasing  to  the  taste,  flowing  through  a  grove 
of  beautiful  and  useful  trees.  The  stream  flows 
from  some  hills  which  enclose  the  plain,  and 
terminate  it  on  the  north.  We  went  on,  pene- 
trating a  broad  grove  of  oaks;  the  trees  were 
lofty  and  robust,  aft'ordiug  an  external  source  of 
utility,  both  for  firewood  and  carriage  nmterial. 
This  forest  was  about  three  leagues  long  from 
east  to  west,  and  a  league  and  a  half  wide  from 
north  to  south.     The  plain  is  watered  by  another 


arroyo  still  more  copious  and  pleasant  than  the 
former,  flowing  from  west  to  east,  but  traveling 
northward  from  the  center  of  the  plain.  We 
explored  this  evening  as  far  as  the  daylight 
permitted.  The  permanent  springs,  according 
to  the  statement  of  those  who  have  seen  -them 
in  the  extreme  dry  season,  are  almost  innumer- 
able. No  one  can  doubt  the  benignity  of  the 
Sonoma  climate  after  noting  the  plants,  the 
lofty  and  shady  trees  —  alders,  poplars,  ash, 
laurel,  and  others — and  especially  the  abundance 
and  luxuriance  of  the  wild  grapes.  We  ^ib- 
served,  also,  that  the  launch  ma}^  come  up  tlic 
creek  to  where  a  settlement  can  be  founded, 
truly  a  most  convenient  circumstance.  AVe  saw 
from  these  and  other  facts  that  Sonoma  is  a 
most  desirable  site  for  a  mission.' 

"  Let  us  here  note  who  are  now  located  on 
the  places  brought  pi-ominently  forward  by 
Padre  Altimira.  The  hills  which  inclose  the 
valley  and  ont  of  whose  bosom  the  Sonoma 
Creek  springs,  is  now  occupied  by  the  residence 
and  vineyard  of  Mr.  Edwards.  The  forest  men- 
tioned covered  the  present  site  of  the  Leaven- 
worth vineyards,  the  Hayes'  estate,  and  the 
farms  of  Wrutten,  Carriger,  Harrison,  Craig. 
Herman,  Wohler,  Hill,  Stewart,  Wartield, 
Krous  ct  Williams,  La  Alotte,  Hood,  Kohler, 
Morris,  and  others.  The  second  stream  men- 
tioned as  flowing  northward  from  the  center  of 
the  plains,  is  the  '  Olema,'  or  flour-mill  stream, 
on  which  Colonel -George  F.  Hooper  resides, 
while  the  locality  in  which  he  states  are  innum- 
erable springs,  is  the  tract  of  country  where 
now  are  located  the  hacienda  of  Lachryma 
Montis,  the  residence  of  General  M.  G.  Vallejo 
and  the  dwellings  and  vineyards  of  llaraszthy, 
Gillen,  Tichner,  Dressel,  Winchel,  Gundlach, 
Rnbus,  Snyder,  Nathanson,  and  the  ground  of 
the  Buena  Vista  Vinicultural  Society.  The 
head  of  navigation  noted  is  the  place  since 
called  St.  Louis,  but  usually  known  as  the  Em- 
barendero.'' 

Of  this  first  exploration  of  the  country  round 
about  Petaluma  and  Sonoma,  every  incident 
will  be  of  interest  to   the   reader.     In    Padre 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


Altiinira's  diarj,  note  is  inaile  of  the  killing  of  1 
a  bear  on  the   Petaluina   flat.      Mention  is  also 
made   that  their   first    night's    camp   (probal)ly 
near  where  the  old  Vallejo  adoba  now  stands.) 
was   with    eight    or    ten     Petalumas    ^Indian?) 
hiding  there  from  their  enemies,  the  Libantilo- 
queini,    Indians    of    Santa    Ivosa    Valley.       As 
alread}-  stated,    the  exploration  extended  as  far 
east  as  Suisun    Valley,  and    .Mtiniira  mentions   | 
tliat  uu  the  30th  of  June  they  killed  ten   bears. 
(_)n  returning  they  gave  the  Sonoma  Valley  a  | 
more    complete    examination    and    crossed    the  | 
mountains  back  into  the  upper  end  of  Petaluraa 
Valley  and  back  to  where  they  camped  the  first 
uight.      From  there  they  seem  to  have  taken  a   : 
pretty  direct  route  back  to  Sonoma,   probably' 
about  the  route  of  the  old   road  leading  from 
Petaluma  to  Sonoma.     This  was  on  the  3d  of 
July,  and    the  next  day  the  mission    location 
was  formally  established  at  Sonoma. 

The  prelate  upon  whose  decision  the  Alti- 
mira  enterprise  depended  for  a  full  fruition  had 
not  yet  been  heard  from.  Altimira  represented 
to  him,  and  with  a  great  deal  of  apparent  truth, 
that  "  San  Francisco  was  on  its  last  legs,  and 
that  San  Rafael  could  not  subsist  alone."  But 
the  desired  sanction  from  the  prelate  had  not 
yet  come,  (governor  Arguello  seemed  impa- 
tient of  delay  and  ordered  Altimira  to  proceed 
with  the  work  of  founding  the  new  mission,  an 
order  that  Padre  Altimira  seemed  to  be  only 
too  ready  to  obey,  for  he  seemed  to  have  been  a 
Hery,  impetuous  mortal,  with  more  zeal  than 
pi-udence.  On  the  12th  of  August  he  took 
possession  of  the  effects  of  the  San  Rafael  mis- 
sion by  inventory,  and  by  the  2;3d  he  was  on  his 
way  to  Xew  San  Francisco  with  an  escort  of 
twelve  men,  and  an  artilleryman  to  manage  a 
cannon  of  two  pound  caliber.  He  was  also 
accompanied  by  (juite  a  force  of  neophytes  as 
laborers.  By  the  25th  all  hands  were  on  the 
ground  and  the  work  i)f  planting  a  mission  cou)- 
menced.  At  the  end  of  a  week  tlie  work  had 
so  far  progressed  that  it  coidd  be  said  of  a  surety 
that  Sonoma  Valley  had  passed  under  the  do- 
minion of  civilized   man.     But  Altimira   was 


destined  to  have  his  Christian  forbearance 
tested.  The  jirelate  refused  to  sanction  the 
wiping  out  of  the  San  Rafael  mission.  While 
he  did  not  express  a  decided  opinion  on  the 
propriety  of  the  removal  of  the  San  Francisco 
mission,  he  expressed  amazement  at  the  hasty 
and  unauthorized  manner  in  which  the  deputa- 
cion  had  acted  in  the  premises.  On  the  31st  of 
August  this  decision  reached  the  Padre  at  New 
San  Francisco,  and  for  the  time  put  an  end  to 
his  operations.  That  this  interruption  did  not 
put  Altimira  in  a  very  prayerful  frame  of  mind 
is  evidenced  by  the  vinegar  and  gall  apparent  in 
his  epistolatory  record  in  connection  with  the 
subject.  In  a  letter  to  Governor  Arguello  in 
reference  to  the  prelate's  decision,  Altimira 
says:  "  I  wish  to  know  whether  the  deputacion 
has  any  authority  in  this  ])rovince,  and  if  these 
men  can  overthrow  j'our  honor's  wise  provis- 
ions. I  came  here  to  convert  gentiles  and 
to  establish  missions,  and  if  I  cannot  do  it  here, 
where  as  we  all  agree  is  the  best  spot  in  Cali- 
fornia for  the  purpose,  I  will  leave  the  country." 
As  a  plain  missionary  proposition  Padre  Alti- 
mira was  right;  but  as  an  ecclesiastical  fact  he 
was  restive  under  a  harness  of  his  own  choos- 
ing, and  was  wrong.  Sarriawas  then  president 
of  the  California  missions.  The  seijuel  to  the 
prelate's  decision  is  thus  recited  by  Bancroft: 
"A  correspondence  followed  between  Sarria  and 
Arguello,  in  which  the  former  with  many  ex- 
pressions of  respect  for  the  governor  and  the 
secular  government  not  unmixed  with  personal 
flattery  of  Arguello,  justitied  in  a  long  argu- 
ment the  position  he  had  assumed.  The  (gov- 
ernor did  not  reply  in  detail  to  Sarria'o 
arguments,  since  it  did  not  in  his  view  matter 
much  what  this  or  that  prelect  had  or  had  not 
approved,  but  took  tiie  ground  that  the  deputa- 
cion was  empowered  to  act  for  the  public  good 
in  all  such  urgent  matters  as  that  under  con- 
sideration, and  that  its  decrees  must  be  carried 
out.  During  tifty  years  the  friars  had  made 
no  progress  in  the  conversion  of  northern  gen- 
tries or  occupation  of  northern  territory:  and 
now  the  secular  authorities  proposed  to  take 


26 


HISTORT    OF    S0N031A    COUNTY. 


cliarge  ut'  the  coiu^uest  in  tlie  temporal  aspect 
at  least.  The  new  establishment  would  be  sus- 
ta  ned  with  its  escolta  under  a  inajordomo,  and 
the  prelate's  refusal  to  authorize  Altimira  to 
care  for  its  spiritual  needs  would  be  reported  to 
the  authorities  in  Mexico. 

"  Yet,  positive  as  was  the  Governor's  tone  in 
general,  he  declared  that  he  would  not  insist  on 
the  suppression  of  San  Rafael;  and,  though 
some  of  the  correspondence  has  doulitless  been 
lost,  he  seems  to  have  consented  readily  enough 
to  a  compromise  suggested  by  the  prefect,  and 
said  by  him  to  have  been  more  or  less  fully  ap- 
proved by  Altimira.  By  the  terms  of  this 
compromise  new  San  Francisco  was  to  remain 
as  a  mission  in  regular  standing,  and  Padre 
Altimira  was  appointed  its  regular  minister, 
subject  to  the  decision  of  the  college;  T)ut 
neither  old  San  Francisco  nor  San  Rafael  was 
to  be  suppressed,  and  Altimira  was  to  be  still 
associate  minister  of  the  former.  Neophytes 
might  go  Voluntarily  from  old  San  Francisco  to 
the  new  establishment,  and  also  from  San  Jose 
and  San  Rafael,  jirovided  they  came  originally 
from  the  Sonoma  region,  and  provided  also  that 
in  the  case  of  San  Rafael  they  might  return  if 
they  wished  at  any  time  within  a  year.  New 
converts  might  come  in  from  any  direction  to 
the  mission  they  preferred,  but  no  force  was  to 
be  used." 

Under  these  conditions  and  restrictions  the 
tiery  Altimira  entered  upon  the  task  of  Chris- 
tianizing Sonoma  County  heathen.  While  he 
did  not  let  pass  an  opportunity  to  enveigli 
against  the  perverse  and  narrow-gauge  methods 
of  the  old  missions,  he  seems  to  have  entered 
with  the  zeal  of  a  Paul  into  his  missionary 
work.  Pancruft,  who  has  all  the  data  to  enable 
him  to  speak  with  absolute  certainty,  says: 
"Passion  Sunday,  April  4,  1824,  the  mission 
church,  a  somewhat  rude  structure  24  Ijy  105 
feet,  built  of  boards  and  whitewashed,  but  well 
furnished  and  decorated  in  the  interior,  many 
articles  having  been  presented  by  the  Russians, 
was  dedicated  to  San  Francisco  Solano,  which 
from  this  date  became  the  name  of  the  mission. 


Hitherto  it  had  been  properlj'  new  San  Fran- 
cisco, though  Altimira  had  always  dated  his 
letters  San  Francisco  simply,  and  referred  to 
the  peninsula  establishment  as  Old  San  Fran- 
cisco; but  this  usage  became  inconvenient,  and 
rather  than  honor  St.  F'rancis  of  Asisi  with  two 
missions  it  was  agreed  to  dedicate  the  new  one 
to  San  Francisco  Solano,  >  the  great  apostle  of 
the  Indies.'  It  was  largely  from  this  early  con- 
fusion of  names,  and  also  from  the  inconven- 
ience of  adding  Asisi  and  Solano  to  designate 
the  respective  Saints  Francis  and  Solano  that 
arose  the  popular  usuage  of  calling  the  two 
missions  Dolores  and  San  Solano,  the  latter 
name  being  replaced  ten  years  later  by  the 
original  one  of  Sonoma."' 

Elsewhere  we  have  said  that  right  here  in 
Sonoma  County  the  Catholic  and  the  Greek 
i  Cross  met,  and  it  but  lends  luster  to  the  pages 
of  history  to  record  that  though  coming  by 
different  roads  they  met  in  friendship;  for,  with 
deft  hands,  the  communicants  of  the  Greek 
church  at  Ross  shaped  gifts  for  ornamentation 
and  decoration  of  the  Catholic  mission  of  So- 
;  noma.  Altimira  remained  in  charge  at  Sonoma 
I  until  1826  when  he  was  superseded  by  Buena- 
ventura Fortuni.  Altimira  had  displayed  con- 
siderable energy  in  his  iield  of  labor,  for  at 
Sonoma  he  had  constructed  a  padre's  house, 
granary  and  seven  houses  for  the  guard,  besides 
the  chapel,  all  of  wood.  Before  the  year  1824 
closed  there  had  been  constructed  a  large 
adobe  30  by  120  feet,  seven  feet  high,  with 
tiled  roof  and  corridor,  and  a  couple  of  other 
structures  of  adobe  had  been  constructed  ready 
to  roof,  when  the  excessive  rains  of  that  season 
set  in  and  ruined  the  walls.  A  loom  was  set 
up  and  weaving  was  in  operation.  Quite  an 
orchard  of  fruit  trees  was  planted  and  a  vine- 
yard of  3,000  vines  was  set  out.  Bancroft  says: 
"  Between  1824  and  1830  cattle  increased  from 
1,100  to  2,000;  horses  from  400  to  725;  and 
sheep  remained  at  4,000,  though  as  few  as  1,500 
in  1826.  Crops  amounted  to  1,875  bushels  per 
year  on  an  average,  the  largest  yield  being 
3,945  in  1826,  and  the  smallest   510  in    182'^, 


BISTORT     OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


when  wlieat  ami  barley  failed  completely.  At 
tlio  end  of  1824  the  mission  had  693  neophytes, 
of  whom  322  had  come  from  San  Francisco, 
153  from  San  Jose,  02  from  San  Rafael,  and  9() 
had  been  baptized  on  the  spot.  By  1830,  (ioO 
had  l)een  baptized  and  375  buried;  but  the 
number  of  neophytes  had  increased  only  to 
760,  leaving  a  margin  of  over  100  for  runaways, 
even  on  the  supposition  that  all  from  San 
Rafael  retired  the  first  year  to  their  old  home. 
Notwithstanding  the  advantages  of  the  site 
and     Altimira's    enthusiasm     the     mission     at 


Sonoma    was    not  prosperous    during  its   short 
e.xistence." 

Thus  far  we  have  followed  the  foi-tunesof  the 
cliurch  in  its  missionary  work  on  tins  side  of 
the  bay.  AVhile  it  was  not  as  fruitful  of  results 
as  the  church  probably  expected,  it  at  least 
paved  the  way  for  secular  occupation.  As  it 
had  been  in  the  south,  so  too  in  the  north  an  at- 
tempt at  colonization  was  sure  to  follow  in 
the  paths  made  easy  by  the  pluck  and  persever- 
ance of  the  padres.  We  again  turn  to  Ross 
and   ti'ace  Russian   occupation   to  a  conclusion. 


28 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


^^ tig^miMjB^g^-.  _. 


^ 


11^ 


THE  EUSSIANS  AND  EOSS  TO  A  CONCLUSION, 


CHAPTER  IV. 

TlIK     RlSSIAN-i    AT      Ru>^S     IJECIX    Til     RKALIZK     THAT     THEV      H  A  \  K      lou     NAUKnW    A     FrKLI) WILI,     lU' V 

M1IKI-;    TKKKITOKV    OU    SELL    THEllJ    ESTAISI.ISIIMENTS TIIEIK    HXEKTl  KES    AHE    M  )T    WELL    KECEUED 

1!V     MkXK  AN     Al  TIK.IKITIES  — 1.\     1834:    VaLLEJO    WAS    COM.MANHAME    AT    iSi  iXUMA,    AXD    liEGAN    T(J 
L'H>K    SIIAKI'    AFIEl:     IH  K    Rl>MA.\S    AT    RoSS THE    RfSSIANS    i>I-IEl;     THEIR    I'KOPEKTV    EnK    SALE 

—  iNVE.NTtiHv   <iK  THEiK    i'i;oi'i;i;r V  —  IN  1841  THE   RrssLws    SELL  Til  Cai'taix   JdHX   A.   Sit- 
ter   AXII     lAKK    THEIli     DEl'ARTLKK     FiiR    AlASKA SuTTEK    TOi>K     MdST    (iF    THE    MOCK     AM)    MiME 

UF     THE      HOUSES    T'O     His     Sa(  RAM  i;XIc  i      ESTABLISHMENT RiDW  lOLL     AND     ReXXITZ      AT      Ri  i>s      AS 

SlTTEu's    AGENTS — A   TRII'    TO   RoSS    TWENTY-SEVEN    YEARS  AGO — ReNXITz's    STOKV    AlioUT    SHOUT- 
ING   A    (JKIZZLY'    BEAK FoRT    Ross    AND    ITS    SURROLNDINGS    IN    1888. 


^'S§(4A1N  \vt3  turn  to  tliat  busy  bee-liive  ot 
,-;xai  indiistrv,  the  Muscovite  settlement  at  Fort 
■^s^  Ross.  We  have  somewhat  in  advance  ^>f 
1880  shown  what  had  been  accomplished  by 
tliat  colony.  The  time  had  now  come  wlien  its 
futuru  u.vistence  had  to  be  determined.  There 
was  no  motive  for  tiie  Russians  to  hold  an.  occu- 
pancy limited  by  Rodetfa  Bay  on  the  south  and 
the  Gualala  River  on  the  north.  At  best, 
tiiere  was  but  a  narrow  bench  of  seaboard  avail- 
able for  either  farming  or  orazing  purposes. 
True,  there  was  a  wealth  of  forest  back  of  this 
mesa,  but  thev  had  already  learned  that  this 
timber  was  not  durable  as  material  for  ship- 
building. They  had  pretty  well  e\liauste<l  the 
sujiply  of  timber  from  which  pine  jjitch  ('(Uild 
be  manufactured.  Tan  bark  for  the  carrying 
on  of  their  tanneries  was  their  most  promising 
continuing  supply  for  the  future.  The  agents 
of  the  Alaska  Fur  Company  had  already  signi- 
fied to  the  California  authorities  a  willingness 


to  vacate  Fort  Ross  upon  payment  for  improve- 
ments. Through  the  intricate  evolutions  of  red 
tape  this  was  transmitted  to  the  viceory  of 
Mexico,  and  as  that  functionary  took  it  as  an 
evidence  that  tlie  Russian  colony  at  Ross  was 
on  its  last  legs,  refusal  was  made  on  the  ground 
that  the  Russians,  having  made  improvements 
on  ypanish  territory,  with  material  acquired 
from  Spanish  soil,  they  ought  not  to  e.xpect 
payment  for  the  same.  While  this  is  not  the 
language,  it  is  the  spirit  of  the  view  the  viceroy 
took  of  the  subject.  As  a  legal  proposition 
this  was  doubtless  true,  but  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
at  any  time  after  1825  the  superintendent  at 
Ross  had  at  his  command  sufMcieut  of  the  arma- 
ment and  munitions  of  war  to  have  marched 
from  Ross  to  San  Diego  without  let  or  hin- 
drance, so  far  as  the  viceroy  of  Mexico  was 
concerned.  These  Dons  and  Hidalgos  seemed, 
however,  to  consider  their  rubrics  to  be  more 
powerful    than    swords   or   cannon.     As    their 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


29 


overtures  for  sale  had  been  thus  summarily  dis- 
posed of,  the  cold,  impassive  Muscovites  pursued 
the  eveu  tenor  of  their  way,  and  as  the  lauds 
around  Fort  Ross  became  exhausted  by  continu- 
ous farming  they  extended  their  farming  opera- 
tions southward  between  tlie  Russian  River  and 
Bodega  Bay,  and  ultimately  inland  to  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  present  village  of  Bodega  Corners. 
At  the  latter  i)lace  there  were  sevei-al  Russian 
graves,  in  the  midst  of  which  there  stood  a 
(xreek  cross,  long  after  the  Americans  came  into 
occupancy.  The  earliest  American  settlers  in 
that  neighborhood  aver  that  the  Russians  had  a 
grist-mill  some  two  or  three  miles  eastei'ly  from 
Bodega  Corners.  Certain  it  is  that  the  author- 
ities at  San  P'rancisco  had  notification  that  the 
Russians  contemplated  occupation  for  farming 
purposes  as  far  inland  as  the  present  site  of 
Santa  Rosa.  These  rumors,  whether  true  or 
not,  doubtless  accelerated  the  movement  of 
Spanish  colonization  in  that  direction. 

Governor  Wrangeli,  now  having  control  in 
Alaska,  seems  to  have  taken  an  intelligent  view 
of  the  whole  situation,  and  realized  that  unless 
the  company,  of  which  he  was  head  representa- 
tive, could  obtain  undisputed  possession  of  all 
the  territory  north  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco 
and  eastward  to  the  Sacramento,  it  was  useless 
to  attempt  a  continuance  at  Ross.  To  achieve 
this  end  the  Alaska  Company  was  willing  to  buy 
the  establishments  already  at  San  RafViel  and 
Sonoma.  The  fact  that  the  California  authori- 
ties submitted  these  2")ropositions  to  the  Mexican 
government,  now  free  from  the  yoke  of  Spanish 
rule,  would  indicate  that  by  them  such  a  propo- 
sition was  not  considered  in  the  light  of  a 
heinous  offense.  Alvarado  was  then  at  the 
head  of  the  California  government  and  no  doubt 
lie  looked  with  great  distrust,  if  not  alarm, 
upon  the  number  of  Americans  who  were  be- 
ginning to  find  their  way  into  California.  But 
General  Vallejo,  who  was  now  almost  autocrat 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco, 
was  not,  probably,  so  averse  to  Americans,  as  he 
had  already  three  brothers-in-law  of  Yardvce 
bluciil.      Through   these   kinsmen,  who   were  all 


gentlemen  of  good  intelligence  and  education, 
A^allejo  had  become  well  informed  in  reference 
to  the  push  and  energy  of  the  xVmerican  people, 
and  hence  it  is  quite  certain  that  he  did  not 
favor  any  permanent  occupancy  here  by  any 
European  power.  In  truth,  while  the  California 
government  had  confined  itself  to  wordy  pen 
remonstrances  with  the  occupants  of  Ross,  in 
1840  A'allejo  seems  to  have  made  quite  a  show 
of  calling  Rotclief,  the  then  sujieriutendent  at 
Ross,  to  accountability  for  having  allowed  the 
American  ship  Lausanne  to  land  and  discharge 
passengers  at  Bodega  as  though  it  were  a  tree 
port.  Some  of  these  passengers,  who  went  to 
Sonoma,  were  incarcerated  by  the  irate  Vallejo, 
and  he  even  sent  a  file  of  soldiers  to  Bodega  to 
give  warning  that  such  infractions  would  lead 
to  .serious  consequences  if  persisted  in.  This 
was  the  nearest  to  an  open  rupture  of  amicable 
relations  that  ever  occurred  between  Spaniard  and 
Muscovite  on  this  coast  that  we  find  any  record 
of,  and  this  could  not  have  been  of  a  very  san- 
guinary nature,  for  it  seems  that  Vallejo  and 
Rotchef  were  on  social  good  terms  afterward. 
The  proposed  accjuisition  of  territory  by 
Governor  Wrangeli  met  with  no  encouragement 
from  the  Mexican  Government,  in  reference 
to  this  matter  Bancroft  says:  "The  intention  of 
tiie  Russians  to  abandon  Ross  and  their  wish  to 
sell  their  property  there,  had,  as  we  have  seen, 
been  announced  to  Alvarado,  and  by  him  to  the 
Mexican  government,  before  the  end  of  18-10. 
In  January  1841,  Vallejo,  in  reporting  to  the 
minister  of  war  his  controversy  with  Rotchef 
and  Krupicurof,  mentioned  the  prop(jsed  aban- 
donment, taking  more  credit  to  himself  than  the 
facts  could  justify,  as  a  result  of  that  contro 
versy.  The  Russians  had  consulted  him  as  to 
their  power  to  sell  the  buildings  as  well  as  live- 
stock to  a  private  person,  and  he  had  been  told 
that  'the  nation  had  the  first  right,'  and  would 
have  to  be  consulted.  The  fear  that  impelled 
him  at  that  time  to  answer  thus  cautiously  was 
that  some  foreigners  from  tiie  Columbia  or  else- 
where might  outbid  any  citizen  of  California, 
and  thus  i-aise  a  question  of  sovereignty,  which 


30 


HTSTOUY    OF    SONOMA    COtfNTY. 


might  prove  ti-unlilesoirie  in  the  future  to  Mexi- 
can interests.      \'allej\i  also   urged   tlie  govern- 
ment to   lurnisli  a   garrison,  and   authorize  the 
jilantino-  of  a  eolony  at  the  abandoned  post.      In 
I'el/ruarVi  Imwever,  Kostromitiiiot',  representing 
tlie  company,  proposed  to  sell   the  property  to 
Vallejo  himself    lor    !S30,000,  payable  half  in 
money  or  ijills  of  the   Hudson    Bay  Company, 
and  lialf  in  produce  delivered  at   Yei'ba  Bueiia. 
The  (xeneral  e.xpressed  a  willingness  to  make  tlie 
]iurchase,  but  could  not  pi'omise  a  definite  deci- 
sion   on    the    subject    before   July   or    August. 
I'emling  the  decision,  the  Russian  agent  seems 
to  liave  entered,  perhaps  secretly,  into  negotia- 
tions with  Joliii  A.  Sutter,  who  at  that  time  was 
not    disposed    to   buy    anything    but    moveable 
property.        Meanwhile    a    reply    came     from 
Mexico,  tiiough  by  no  means  a  satisfactory  one; 
since  the  government — evidently  with  some  kind 
of  an   idea  tliat   the  Russian  officials  had  been 
frightened  away,  leaving    a    flourishing  settle- 
ment to  be  taken  possession  of  by   the  Califor- 
uians — simply  sent  useless  instructions  about tiie 
details  of  occupation  and   form  of  government 
to  be  established.      In   July   Kostromitinof  re- 
turned from  Sitka,  and  negotiations  were  recom- 
mended.      Alvarado    was    urged    to    come    to 
Sonoma,     but    declined;     thongh     he    advised 
Vallejo  that  in  the  absence  of  instructions  from 
Mexico  the  Russians  had  no  right  to  dispose  of 
the  real  estate.     An  elaborate  inventory  of  the 
property  offered  for  sale  at  $30,000  was  made 
out,  but  Vallejo's  best  offer  seems  to  have  been 
$9,000  for  the  live  stock  alone." 

In  a  foot  note  Bancroft  gives  the  inventory  of 
property  offered  for  sale  whicli  is  as  follows: 
'•  St^uare  fort  of  logs,  1088  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence, twelve  feet  high,  with  two  towers;  com- 
mandant's house  of  logs  (old),  36x48  feet  double 
boarde<l  roof,  six  rooms  with  corrider  and 
kitchen;  ditto  (^new)  of  logs,  24x48  feet,  six 
rooms  and  corridor;  house  for  revenue  officers, 
22x60  feet,  ten  rooms;  barracks,  24x66  feet, 
eight  rooms;  three  warehouses;  new  kitchen; 
jail;  chapel,  24x36  feet,  with  a  belfry,  and 
a    well     fifteen     feet     deep.       Outside    of    the 


I  fort:  blacksmith  shop,  tannery,  liath-house, 
cooper's  shoji,  bakeiy,  carpenter's  shop,  two 
windmills  for  grinding,  one  mill  moved  by 
animals,  three  threshing  floors,  a  well,  a  stable, 
sheep-cote,  hog-pen,  dairy  house,  two  cow 
stables,  corral,  ten  sheds,  eight  baths,  ten 
kitchens,  and  twenty-four  houses,  nearly  every 
one  having  an  orchard.  At  Kostromitinof 
rancho,  house,  farm  buildings,  corral,  and  boat 
for  crossing  the  river  Slaviauka.  At  Khlebnikof 
rancho,  adobe  house,  farm  buildings,  bath,  mill, 
cori'al.  At  Tschernich,  or  Don  Jorge's  rancho, 
house,  sto  e,  fences,  etc.  At  Bodega,  warehouse 
30x60  feet,  three  small  houses,  bath,  ovens, 
corrals.  As  this  list  of  improvements  was 
made  out  by  Russian  hands  it  may  be  accepted 
as  a  true  statement  of  the  conditions  at  and  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Ross  in  the  last  year  of 
Russian  occupation  there.  The  only  omission 
of  consequence  seems  to  have  been  the  orchard 
some  distance  i)ack  of  the  fort,  on  the  hillside, 
and  a  vineyard  of  2000  vines  at  what  is  desig- 
nated "  Don  Jorge's  rancho."  In  reference  to 
this  rancho,  Belcher  in  his  notes  of  travel  in 
1837,  mentioned  a  i-ancho  between  Ross  and 
Bodega  claimed  by  a  ci-devant  Englishman  (D. 
Gorgy),  yielding  3,000  bushels  of  grain  in  good 
years. 

Governor  Alvora  as  well  as  Vallejo  evidently 
thought  that  they  had  Kostromitinof  in  a  corner 
so  far  as  his  ability  to  sell  the  Ross  property 
was  concerned,  and  their  only  real  concern  was 
lest  he  would  make  a  bonfire  of  the  buildings 
rather  than  leave  them  for  Mexican  occupation. 
But  in  this  they  were  mistaken,  for  a  purchaser 
was  found  in  Captain  John  A.  Sutter.  In  refer- 
ence to  the  sale  thus  consummated  Bancroft  says: 
"  Sutter,  like  Vallejo,  had  at  first  wished  to  pur- 
chase the  live-stock  only;  but  he  would  perhaps 
have  bought  anything  at  any  price  if  it  could 
be  obtained  on  credit;  at  any  rate,  after  a  brief 
hesitation  a  bargain  was  made  in  Septeml)er. 
Tiie  formal  contract  was  signed  by  Kostromi- 
tinof and  Sutter  in  the  office  of  the  sub-prefect 
at  San  Francisco,  with  Vioget  and  Leese  as 
witnesses,  December  13.      By  its  terms  Sutter 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUFTT. 


31 


was  put  ill  possession  of  all  the  property  at 
Ross  and  Bodega,  except  the  land,  as  specified 
in  the  inventory,  and  he  was  to  pay  for  it  in 
four  yearly  installments,  beginning  September 
1,  1842.  The  first  and  second  payments  were 
to  be  !?i5,000  each,  and  the  others  of  $10,000; 
the  first  three  were  to  be  in  produce,  cliiefiy 
wheat,  delivered  at  San  Francisco  free  of  duties 
and  tonnage;  and  the  fourth  was  to  lie  in  money. 
The  establishment  at  New  Helvetia  and  the 
property  at  Bodega  and  the  two  ranchos  of 
Khlebnikof  and  Tschernich,  which  property  was 
to  be  left  intact  in  possession  of  the  company's 
agents  were  pledged  as  guarantees  for  the  pay- 
ment. It  would  seem  that  Alvarado,  while 
insisting  that  the  land  did  not  belong  to  the 
company  and  could  not  be  sold,  had  yielded  his 
point  about  the  buildings,  perhaps  in  the  belief 
tiiat  no  purchaser  could  be  found ;  for  the  Kus- 
sians  say  that  the  contract  was  approved  by  the 
California  government,  and  it  is  certain  that 
there  was  no  official  disapproval  of  its  terms." 
It  will  be  borne  in  mind  that  Kostroinitinof, 
who  executed  this  contract  with  Captain  Sut- 
ter, was  the  head  officer  of  the  Alaska  govern- 
ment while,  at  the  time,  Liotchef  was  manager 
at  Ross.  When  it  came  to  a  delivery  of  the 
property  Sutter  seems  to  have  induced  Mana- 
ger Rotchef  to  give  him  a  writing  ante-dating 
the  contract  above  referred  to  one  day,  in  which 
Rotchef  certified  that  the  lands  held  by  the 
company  for  twenty-nine  years  was  inchuled  in 
the  sale  to  M.  Le  Capitaine  Sutter  of  the  other 
effects  of  the  comj^any  for  the  sum  of  §30,000. 
It  was  upon  the  shadowy  title  to  land  thus  ac- 
quired by  certificate  of  a  subordinate  officer 
who  haiVno  jiowcr  to  confirm  any  such  sale,  that 
Ilussian  title  to  land  along  the  coast  became  a 
stalking  spectacle  among  American  settlers  in 
after  years. 

Previous  to  this  sale  of  the  lioss  and  Uodega 
j)r()perty  to  Sutter,  a  portion  of  the  former  oc- 
cupants there  had  Ijeen  transferred  to  Alaska 
stations.  Manager  liotchef,  together  with  the 
remaining  emjdoyes  of  the  company,  took 
their  departuie  from   Ross   in    the   late  days  of 


1841  or  early  in  January  of  1842,  on  board  the 
Constantine,  bound  for  Alaska.  While  all  of 
them,  doubtless,  had  cherished  associations  and 
memories  of  the  land  to  which  they  returned, 
we  imagine  that  it  was  not  without  sore  and 
sad  hearts  many  of  them  watched  the  receding 
outlines  of  Fort  Ross  and  the  evergreen  forests 
that  forms  its  enchanting  back-ground.  Thus, 
in  a  day,  where  for  near!}'  a  third  of  a  century 
had  been  heard  the  ringing  of  hammer  and 
anvil;  the  noisy  labor  of  ship-carpenters  and 
calkers  and  the  din  of  coopers,  a  sudden  silence 
fell,  seemingly  like  that  which  hovered  over 
that  quiet  spot  just  south  of  the  fort  where  a 
(xreek  cross  marked  the  last  resting  place  of 
those  who  had  ended  their  life-work  there. 
Even  the  stock  that  had  been  reared  there  were 
gathered  together  and  driven  to  the  Sacramento 
valley  ranch  of  C!aptain  Sutter.  And  as  if  the 
hand  of  fate  had  turned  entirely  against  Ross, 
Sutter,  by  means  of  a  schooner  he  had  acquired 
in  the  purchase  from  the  Russians,  even  carried 
away  from  Ross  several  buildings  with  which 
to  adorn  the  inner  court  of  his  fort  at  New- 
Helvetia.  This  will  account  for  the  absence  at 
Ross  of  many  buildings  enumerated  in  the  cat- 
alogue at  the  time  of  sale  by  the  Russians.  As 
Fort  Ross  occupies  a  first  prominence  in  the 
history  of  Sonoma  Comity  it  will  not  be  out  of 
place  to  follow  its  history  to  its  end  in  this 
chapter. 

In  reference  to  the  departure  of  the  Rus- 
sians from  Fort  Ross,  Bancroft  says:  '-One 
Russian,  and  perhaps  several,  remained  on  the 
ranches  to  look  out  for  the  company's  interests. 
Sutter  sent  Robert  Ridley  to  assume  charge  for 
him  at  first;  but  John  J-iidwell  took  his  place 
early  in  1842,  and  was  in  turn  succeeded  iiy 
William  Bennitz  late  in  1843.  Meanwhile 
most  of  the  moveable  property,  including  the 
cannon,  implements,  and  most  of  the  cattle,  was 
removed  to  New  Helvetia.  Tiie  few  hundred 
cattle  left  behind  soon  l)ecame  so  wild  that  if 
meat  was  needed  it  was  easier  to  catch  a  deer 
or  bear.  The  Californians  made  no  effort  to 
occupy    the    abandoned   fortress;  since    having 


39 


JlIsTOnr    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


virtually  consented  to  tlie  sale  of  everytliing 
l)Ut  the  land,  the  govern nient  liail  iio  pi'ojicrty 
tu  he  jiTdtected  there." 

As  already  stated  William  llennitz  took  jios- 
session  uf  the  Ross  propei-ty  as  Gutter's  agent 
ill  1843.  He  subsequently  leased  the  property, 
ill  about  1845,  and  still  later  purchased  the 
Imildings  and  fort  and  became  possessor  of  the 
Miiniz  or  Fort  Ross  grant  e.xtending  along  tiie 
coast  from  the  Russian  River  northward  to  a 
iioiiit  just  above  tiie  present  Timber  Cove. 
Mr.  liennitz,  with  liis  family,  lived  at  i'"ort  Ross 
until  1807,  when  he  sold  the  property  and  re- 
moved tci  ()akland.  In  1874  he  went  to  the 
Argentine  Repuliiic,  and  died  there  in  187('). 

The  writer  visited  Fort  Ross  twenty-seven 
years  ago,  when  the  palisade  walls  of  the  en- 
closure were  still  in  good  preservation,  as  also 
the  buildings  within,  together  with  the  (ireek 
ehapel  and  hectagonal  block-houses  described 
above  by  Duliant  Cilly.  As  even  then  the 
country  from  Bodega  to  the  Guaiala  River  was 
comparatively  unsettled  by  Americans,  we  will 
liere  introduce  our  description  of  the  trip  as  it 
appeared  under  the  caption  of  '-Editorial  Jot- 
tings by  the  Wayside,"  in  the  Anjv-s  of  July 
30,  1861: 

"  Leaving  Petaluma  in  the  afternoon,  a  few 
hours'  ride  brought  us  to  Blooinfield,  where  we 
were  greeted  by  numerous  friends;  and  accepted 
the  liospitality  of  our  old  friend  W.  B.  Wood, 
of  the  firm  of  Wood  it  .\rthur.  It  is  hardly 
necessary  to  inform  our  readers  that  this  flour- 
ishing village  is  located  in  the  center  of  Big 
Valley,  and  that  the  valley  and  upland  sur- 
rounding is  very  prolific  in  its  yield  of  cereals, 
'  spuds,'  and  Republicans.  A  dress  parade,  in 
the  evening,  of  a  company  of  youthful  zouaves, 
who  marched  to  music  extracted  from  a  tin  can, 
convinced  us  that  the  martial  spirit  of  that  vil- 
lage was  thoroughly  aroused,  and  that  with  such 
a  home-guard  Blooinfield  can  bid  defiance  to 
Davis  and  his  emissaries. 

"At  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  we  were 
galloping  down  the  valley  in  the  direction  of 
Bodega  Corners.     On    either   side  of  the  road. 


and  as  far  as  the  eye  could  scan,  was  one  unin- 
terrupted vista  of  grain  fields,  in  every  stage  of 
harvesting,  from  the  gavels  that  were  drop]iing 
from  the  reapers  that  were  clattering  on  every 
hand,  up  to  the  shock  in  the  field  or  the  new 
made  stack  in  the  barnyartl.  Bodega  Corners 
is  on  the  Smith  grant,  and  consists  of  a  iiotel, 
two  stores,  a  Catholic  church,  blacksmith  shop, 
etc.  After  passing  the  Corners  we  were  with- 
out chart  or  compass,  having  entered  upon  a 
region  by  us  une.xplored.  For  several  miles  our 
course  lay  along  Salmon  Creek,  the  road  in 
many  places  being  arched  over  by  the  tangled 
wildvvood  through  which  it  was  cut;  then  taking 
a  bridle  trail  leading  over  a  mountain  that  over- 
looked the  deep  blue  ocean,  we  followed  its  zig- 
zag windings  to  the  month  of  the  Russian 
River.  Here  we  performed  a  feat  only  second 
to  that  of  Moses  and  his  followers  crossing  the 
Red  Sea  with  dry  sandals:  the  sea  swell  iiaving 
cast  up  a  barrier  of  sand  across  the  mouth  of 
the  river,  forming  a  bridge  upon  which  we 
crossed,  without  our  steed  dipping  his  feet  in 
water.  He  evidently  regarded  it  as  a  dangerous 
undertaking,  for  every  time  the  surf,  after  re- 
ceding as  if  to  gather  strength,  would  come 
rolling  up  hissing  and  seething,  narrowing  the 
space  down  to  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  between  the 
deep  river  on  the  one  hand  and  the  briny  deep 
on  the  other,  he  would  attempt  to  take  the  back 
track,  apparently  having  lost  all  confidence  in 
either  our  prudence  or  judgment.  Across  the 
river,  our  course  lay  along  the  coast;  and  as 
Fort  Ross  was  twelve  miles  distant,  without  a 
liuman  habitation  intervening,  we  whiled  away 
the  hours  by  noting  the  ever-varying  land8ca])e 
or  watching  tlie  surf  as  it  broke  in  a  long  line 
of  white  spray  against  the  rock-bound  coast;  or 
anon  the  eye  would  be  relieved  by  the  appear- 
ance of  a  coaster,  with  fullrspread  canvas, 
gliding  over  the  billows  with  the  grace  of  a  sea 
gull.  Passing  over  a  spur  of  the  mountain 
clothed  with  a  heav}'  forest  of  redwood  and  fir, 
we  entered  an  opening  from  whence  we  looked 
down  upon  Fort  Ross,  on  the  level  plain  below. 
"  Before   proceeding   further,   it   may  not«be 


IW^TonY    OF    SONOMA    OOUNTT. 


out  of  place  to  inroiiii  niir  reiiders  tliat  Fort 
Koss  was  tuiiiidcd  soiiiu  lil'ty  years  ago  by  Rus- 
sian!-, who  settled  at  that  point  for  the  pui'pose 
of  capturing  sea  otter;  which  pursuit  they  fol- 
lowed for  perhaps  twenty  years.  Aside  from 
the  fort  buildings,  enclosed  by  a  higli  and  sub- 
stantial palisade  wall  over  one  hundred  yards 
square,  there  was,  at  one  period,  some  sixty 
dwellings;  but  they  have  crumi)leil  and  passed 
away.  After  tliey  left  this  coast,  the  property 
changed  hands  several  times;  but  was  purchased 
by  the  present  proprietor,  Mr.  Bennitz,  eight- 
een years  ago,  and  he  has  been  in  occupation 
ever  since. 

''As  we  descended  the  slope  toward  the  Fort 
we  felt  as  if  approaching  a  spot  entitled  to  a 
prominent  place  in  the  antiquity  of  our  State. 
The  Greek  churcli  of  Russian  architecture  that 
forms  one  corner  of  the  quadrangle;  the  two- 
story  hectagonal  sentry-house  of  solid  hewn 
tiinlier,  forming  the  diagonal  corners  of  the  pali- 
sade, and  witli  loop-lioles  for  cannon  and  small 
arms;  and  the  massive  gates  wliicli  protect  the 
front  entrance;  conjured  up  to  our  mind  con- 
jectures of  the  scenes  of  which  it  was  the 
theater,  long,  long  years  ago. 

'•  Having  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Mr. 
I'ennitz,  we  dismounted,  and  the  ponderous 
gate  yielded  to  our  pressure  and  swung  back 
creaking  upon  its  rusty  liinges.  All  the  ap- 
pointments inside  were  in  keeping  with  those 
without;  strength  and  durability  predominating 
over  tlie  ornamental.  The  substantial  dwelling, 
the  outhouses  ranged  around  tlie  square,  the 
well  in  the  center,  the  four  huge  mastitis  of  the 
St.  Bernard  and  Newfoundland  l)reed  that 
fondled  around  us  as  we  approached  the  dwell- 
ing, completed  a  picture  that  came  nearer  our 
conception  of  the  surroundings  of  some  of  the 
old  feudal  barons  than  anytliing  we  ever  expe- 
rienced before.  AVe  presented  our  letter  to  Mr. 
Hennitz,  wlio  is  a  very  intelligent  German,  and 
iu!  at  once  extended  to  us  the  hospitality  of  iiis 
mansion.  Mr.  liennitz  lives  in  a  woi'ld  by 
himself;  iiaving  a  domain  that  extends  from 
the  moutli  of  Russian  River,  eighteen  miles  up 


the  coast,  and  untenanted  except  by  liis  raijueros, 
who  are  stationed  at  various  points  to  take  care 
of  his  stock.  His  isolated  position  deprives  his 
children  of  the  advantages  of  a  public  school; 
but  to  atone  for  this  lie  has  employed  a  private 
teacher,  competent  to  impart  instruction  in  both 
the  English  and  (ilerman  languages. 

"  Refreshed  by  our  night's  sojourn  at  Fort  Ross 
wo  continued  on  our  journey  up  the  coast.  The 
first  place  worthy  of  note  above  the  Fort  is 
Timber  Cove.  Here,  our  late  fellow-townsman 
Mr.  KalkitKin,is  located, and  in  company  with  Mr. 
Snaple,  owns  a  mill  which  is  turning  out  aljout 
25,000  feet  of  lumber  every  twenty-four  iiuurs. 
Two  schooners  were  taking  in  cargoes  of  lumber 
for  San  Francisco  market.  The  [)roprietoi-s 
have  constructed  a  substantial  railway  extending 
from  the  mill  half  a  mile  up  the  canon,  down 
which  they  bring  saw-logs  on  a  car. 

Four  miles  above  Timber  Cove  we  passed 
Salt  Point.  Duncan's  mill  used  to  be  located  at 
this  place;  but  has  been  removed  to  a  point  two 
miles  distant  from  the  mouth  of  Russian  River, 
in  consequence  of  which  this  Point  has  lost 
considerable  of  its  importance,  as  is  manifest 
by  its  group  of  tenantless  houses;  but  its  qnarry 
of  excellent  stone,  considerable  of  wliich  is  be- 
ing shipped  to  the  navy  yards  at  Mai-e  Island, 
may  give  new  vigor  to  the  place. 

"  b'our  miles  beyontl  Salt  Point  we  passed 
Fisk's  mill.  This  mill  cuts  about  S,000  feet  of 
lumber  daily.  Its  supply  of  timiier  is  inex- 
haustible; and  we  hope  its  proprietors  may  reap 
the  rich  reward    wliich    their  enterprise  merits. 

"  I'y  noon  we  had  reached  a  distance  of  twen- 
ty miles  above  Fort  Ross,  and  we  stopped  for 
refreshments  at  the  Ranch  House  of  Dealer,  the 
claimant  of  the  German  grant.  Here  is  a 
stretch  of  plain  extending  np  and  down  the 
coast  for  ten  miles,  that  is  unsurpassed  in  beaiitv 
of  location  or  fertility  of  soil  anywhere  between 
Point  Reyes  and  I'oint  Arenas.  The  plain 
varies  from  one-(|uarter  to  two  miles  in  breadth, 
and  with  just  sufficient  incline  from  the  footliills 
to  the  beach  to  afford  a  splendid  sea  view.  The 
mountains    borderinii;    it    arc    er)\'ered    with    a 


31 


HISTORY    OF    SONOifA    COpNTY. 


perfect  wildt-riiess  of  forest,  of  incalculable 
value. 

"Ten  miles  more  had  to  be  traversed  up  the 
coast  before  we  turned  our  face  homeward;  and 
Chris.  Stingle,  of  the  Hauch  House,  volunteered 
to  act  as  our  guide  and  companion.  AVe  were 
soon  dashing  pellniell  over  the  plain  up  the 
coast;  Chris,  in  the  meantime  entertaining  us 
by  relating  hunting  adventures  and  pointing  out 
spots  where  he  liad  killed  elk,  bear,  or  other 
game  of  lesserconsequence.  Five  miles  brought 
us  to  the  crossing  of  the  Gualala  Kiver,  where 
we  entered  Mendocino  County.  Here  the 
mountains  closed  in  upon  the  beach,  and  timber 
stood  so  close  upon  the  brink  that  if  uprooted 
it  would  fall  in  the  surf  lielow.  Up  to  this 
point  we  had  found  the  roads  and  trails  reasona- 
bly good,  but  those  five  miles  from  the  Gualala 
to  Fish  Rock  were  the  concentrated  essence  of 
break-neck  roads.  Deep  gorge  after  gorge  lay 
athwart  our  way,  and  in  many  places  a  false  step 
would  have  precipitated  both  horse  and  rider 
down  to  certain  destruction.  Before  reaching 
this  point  we  had  been  so  indiscreet  as  to  inform 
our  companion  that  we  had  had  considerable 
equestrian  experience,  and  as  he  took  the  lead 
and  did  not  dismount,  a  sense  of  honor  prompted 
us  to  remain  in  the  saddle  even  at  the  risk  of 
our  neck. 

"At  Fish  Rock  there  is  a  mill  in  process  of 
erection,  in  which  will  be  placed  the  machinery 
formerly  used  in  the  Perkins  mill,  Bodega. 
This  is  a  good  location,  thei-e  being  an  inex- 
haustible supply  of  good  timber  and  a  secure 
harbor  for  vessels  to  lay  while  receiving  cargoes 
of  lumber. 

"  We  returned  to  the  Ranch  House  that  night, 
and  as  tired  as  we  were,  we  did  ample  justice  to 
the  bachelor  fare  of  Chris,  and  his  two  com- 
panions. In  the  morning  we  were  in  saddle 
bright  and  earl}',  and  accompanied  by  our  com- 
panion of  the  previous  day,  who  accompanied 
us  several  miles  on  our  return,  started  on  our 
way  down  the  coast.  We  had  rode  about  two 
miles  when  the  practiced  eye  of  Chris,  spied 
a  grey  fox  between  us  and  the  beach.     It  allowed 


us  to  approach  within  forty  paces,  when  a  shot 
from  our  revolver  warned  it  to  seek  safety  in  the 
chapjjarel  on  the  foot-hills  half  a  mile  distant. 
The  chase  across  the  level  plain  was  spirited 
.and  exciting,  our  horses  seeming  to  enjoy  the 
sport,  strained  every  nerve  to  overhaul  his  fox- 
ship,  and  succeeded  several  times  in  doing  so 
and  attempted  to  jump  upon  him,  but  with  the 
cunning,  characteristic  of  his  tribe,  by  tacking 
and  doubling  he  finally  outgeneraled  us  and 
reached  cover.  So  ended  our  fox  chase.  A  few 
miles  further  un  we  parted  with  our  companion 
and  continued  on  our  course  down  the  coast 
alone.  At  night-fall  we  were  again  welcomed 
to  the  hospitality  of  the  Fort  Ross  mansion. 
The  next  day  being  the  Sabbath,  the  rest  for 
which  it  was  set  apart  was  needed  by  both  our- 
self  and  our  jaded  horses,  but  as  circumstances 
rendered  our  immediate  return  necessary, we  bade 
our  host  and  his  excellent  lady  good-by  at  eight 
o'clock  in  the  morning  and  at  eight  o'clock  in 
the  evening  arrived  in  Petaluma,  having  rode 
forty-five  miles  mostly  over  a  very  mountainous 
country."' 

At  the  time  of  our  visit  to  Fort  Ross  above 
described,  Mr.  Bennitz  related  to  us  many  thrill- 
ing adventures  in  connection  with  his  residence 
there.  Some  years  later  we  wrote  a  series  of 
California  sketches  entitled  "Wayside  Memo- 
ries" and  one  of  the  sketches  under  the  caption 
of  "  A  Random  Shot"'  was  a  recital  of  an  occur- 
rence near  Fort  Ross,  as  related  to  us  by  Bennitz. 
We  reproduce  it  here: 

"Said  Mr.  Bennitz:  'At  the  time  1  purchased 
the  Fort  Ross  property  there  were  around  and 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Fort  a  large  num- 
ber of  Indians.  Voluntarily  they  have  become 
almost  a  part  of  the  estate  and  as  obedient  to 
my  orders  as  if  mind,  soul  and  body.  I  then 
raised  a  large  amount  of  grain,  and  had  thou- 
sands oi'  head  of  cattle,  which  gave  me  ample 
opportunity  to  utilize  the  labor  of  these  untu- 
tored aborigines.  As  my  influence  over  them 
mainly  depended  on  the  kindness  and  considera- 
tion with  which  they  were  treated,  I  let  no 
opportunity  pass  to  give  them   evidence  of  my 


ffTSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


regard  Inr  tlifir  plunMiiu  and  welfare.  They, 
like  all  Indians  1  know  ul',  were  passionately 
fund  of  personal  decoration,  and  for  ornamenta- 
tion prized  nothini;-  more  higlily  than  the  plu- 
mage of  birds.  Ono  tlay  my  Indians  wei-e  noticing 
some  vultures,  or  ('alifornia  condors,  on  the 
pine  trees  some  distance  up  the  mountain  side 
back  of  the  Fort,  and  1  overheard  them  express- 
ing a  wisii  that   they  had  some  of  the  feathers. 

"■Saying  nothing  I  quietly  took  my  gun  and 
sallied  forth,  determined  if  possibe  to  gratify 
their  desire.  i>y  tackino;  backward  and  forward 
along  the  mountain  side  I  gradually  worked  my 
way  up  to  the  trees  where  the  vultures  were. 
The  heavy  foliage  of  the  pines  prevented  my 
getting  a  ready  view  of  the  game  I  was  seeking. 
With  my  gun  cocked  and  the  muzzle  pointing  up 
I  was  moving  cpiietly  side- wise  with  eyes  peer- 
ing into  the  canopy  of  l)oughs,  when  I  was 
startled  by  tlie  breaking  of  a  stick  close  to  my 
right. 

"  '  (_)ne  look  was  enough  to  set  every  hair  of 
my  head  on  end  I  Not  much  over  the  length  of 
my  gun  from  me  stood,  erect  on  its  hind  feet,  a 
grizzly  bear  of  monster  size — at  the  time  he 
seemed  to  me  ten  feet  high!  By  impulse,  I 
wheeled,  brought  my  gun  to  a  level,  and  with- 
out any  attempt  at  taking  aim,  fired.  The  bear 
pitched  forward  upon  me  and  we  fell  together — 
my  gun  flying  out  of  ray  hands,  and  some  dis- 
tance away.  I  was  frightened  beyond  the  power 
of  language  to  express.  The  bear  and  I  had 
fallen  together,  but  I  had  given  myself  a  rolling 
lurch  down  the  mountain  which,  for  the  moment, 
took  rae  out  of  the  reach  of  his  dreaded  jaws. 
This  advantage  w;is  not  to  be  lost;  and  1  kept 
going  over  and  over  without  any  regard  to 
elegance  of  posture,  until  I  had  got  at  least  two 
hundred  yards  from  where  1  fi'll;  and  when  I 
stopped  rolling  it  was  a  problem  with  me  which 
I  was  most,  dead  or  alive. 

'"1  ventured  upon  my  feet  and  looked  cauti(jus- 
ly  around,  but  could  see  no  grizzly.  To  borrow  a 
miner'sexpression,  'I  began  prospecting  around.' 
I  had  an  earnest  desire  to  get  hold  of  my  gun, 
but  a  dislike  to  the  neigjliborhood  in  which  we 


had  parted  company.  With  the  utmost  caution 
I  woi'ked  my  way  up  to  a  position  overlooking 
the  s|)ot  where  1  and  the  grizzly  together  fell. 
To  my  surpiise,  and  gratification  as  well,  there 
lay  the  bear  stretched  at  full  length,  and  dead. 
My  random  shot  had  proved  what  seldom  occurs 
to  grizzly  bears,  a  dead  shot.  That,'  said  Mr. 
Bennitz,  knocking  the  ashes  out  of  an  elegant 
meerschaum,  'was  the  biggest  scare  of  my 
life.'  ■• 

AVhile  we  have  carried  our  chapter  descrip- 
tive of  Ross  beyond  the  limits  of  Russian  occu- 
pation we  feel  warranted,  on  account  of  its 
historic  surroundings,  in  tracing  its  history  to  a 
conclusion  in  this  chapter.  As  already  stated, 
William  Eennitz  sold  the  Ross  property  in  1867, 
Charles  Fairfax  and  a  man  named  Dixon  being 
the  purchasers.  They  managed  the  property 
for  a  few  years,  when  Fairfax  died.  In  winding 
up  the  estate  and  business  of  the  firm  it  became 
necessary  to  sell  the  property.  J.  W.  Call  be- 
came the  purchaser  of  the  upper  and  much  the 
larger  proportion  of  the  ranch,  on  which  stands 
the  old  Fort  Ross  buildings;  and  of  the  south- 
erly end  Aaron  Schroyer  bought  a  large  'tract. 
These  gentlemen  are  practical  in  their  ideas  of 
business  and  the  property  is  now  so  handled  as 
to  yield  a  profit.  After  a  lapse  of  twenty-seven 
years  we  visited  Ross  in  October,  1888.  We 
found  a  great  change  from  conditions  as  thev 
were  when  Dennitz  lived  there.  Through  the 
very  center  of  the  grounds  once  enclosed  Iiy  a 
heavy  stockade,  now  a  county  road  runs.  The 
Bennitz  residence  is  converted  into  a  public 
hotel,  and  a  building  once  used  as  quarters  for 
Russian  officers  is  now  a  saloon.  In  an  outside 
building  is  a  store  and  postotficc.  The  towers 
in  what  was  the  diagonal  corners  of  the  fortress 
are  now  roofless,  and,  in  consequence?  of  the 
worm-eaten  condition  of  the  K>gs  are  canting 
over,  and  it  is  only  a  (picstion  of  time  when 
they  will  topple  to  the  ground.  The  (ireek 
chapel  yet  stands  erect  with  roof  and  belfry  in 
fair  preservation;  but  is  no  longei-  used  for  holy 
purposes.  Even  the  Russian  cemetery  to  the 
south  of  the  fort,  that  was  quite  plainly  visible 


uiarour  of  ho^^/oma  vounty. 


twenty-seven  years  ago  is  now  nearly  obliter- 
ated. Accompanied  by  Mr.  Call  we  visited  the 
old  liiissian  orchard  half  a  mile  back  from  the 
fort.  Tiie  fence  made  of  heavy  split  boards  by 
the  liussians  is  still  in  fair  preservation.  We 
entered  and  plucked  Spanish  bellflower  apples 
from  trees  planted  by  the  Russians,  back  of 
1820.  -The  twenty  or  thirty  apple,  plum  and 
prune  trees  yet  standing  are  moss-covered  and 
their  bark  honey-combed  by  the  busy  bills  of 
birds.  AVe  went  back  still  further  and  took  a 
walk  through  the  redwood  forest  of  new  growth 
that  has  sprung  up  from  stumps  of  trees  first 
cut  by  the  liussians  when  tiiey  settled  at  lloss. 
><'ot  over  half  a  dozen  of  the  old  redwood  forest 
trees  are  standing  in  the  grove,  and  but  for 
the  fact  that    the    stumps  are  there   yet   from 


whicli  the  present  forest  sprang,  we  should  not 
have  recognized  it  as  a  forest  growth  of  the 
present  century.  The  trees  have  made  mai'vel- 
ous  growth.  Having  a  pocket  rule  with  us  we 
measured  a  tree  that  was  four  and  a  half  feet  in 
diameter;  and  we  were  assured  by  Mr.  Call  that 
there  were  trees  in  the  grove  full  live  feet  in 
diameter.  This  grove  is,  doubtless,  of  from 
.sixty  to  seventy-live  years'  growth.  We  are 
thus  e.xact  and  explicit  in  reference  to  this  forest 
of  new  growth  because  we  know  there  is  a  wide- 
spread fear  that  in  consequence  of  the  rajjidity 
with  which  our  redwood  forests  are  being  con- 
verted into  lumber,  that  species  of  timber  will 
ultimately  become  extinct.  Kight  there,  uver- 
shadowing  old  Fort  IJoss,  is  the  refutation  (.if 
such  fallacy. 


ITTt^TORr    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


3t 


me::!co  urges  colonisati  north  of  m  mim. 


•r^r^  ,J-,1J ^r^i^rrzrr^Torr;^^^  ^^-^-^  ^'^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^  jjIzrp^J^rtJ^  ^^-^^; 


:#%:I-%:J5^ 


CHAPTER  V 


CtOVKRNoK    FkuKROA,    IX    ORF.niKNCE    Til    IXr^TRrrTIi  iXS    FROM     MkXICO    SETS    ON    FOriT    A    COI.OXIZATION 

KNTERl'RISK ATTEMPT    TO    ESTABLISH    SETTLEMENTS    AT    PeTALL'MA    AND    SaNTA  KoSA  IN  1833 

THE  ATTEMPT  AT  SaXTA  RoSA  FAILED IN  1835  SoNOMA  MAS  LAID  OUT  AS  A  PAT.LO  AND  MADE  THE 

CENTER  01'    MILITARY  POWER  AND  SECULAR    COLONIZATION    NORTH     uF  THE  1!AY YaLLE.Ki  AlTHiiR- 

IZED    TO    OFFER    COLONISTS    GRANTS    OF    LAND VaLLE.TO  BECOJIES    A    ci  iXTRi  )LI.INU    PI)\VE1£     IX    THE 

NORTH HE    MAKES    AN    ALLIANCE    WITH     InDIAN    ChIEF    SoLANO,  AND    HOLDS    ALL     nTHER    JxDIAN 

TRIBES     IN     SUIi.IEi  TIuN UNDER     HIS     MANAGEMENT    THE     MISSION     SaN     FraNCISCO     SolANO     WAS 

SKCUr.ARIZED  IN  1884-'0  AND  THE  I'ROl'ERTY  DISTRIBUTED  AMONG  THE  NEOPHYTES — THE  IxDIANS 
M'ERE  FREED  FROM  MISSION  RULE  AND  MANY  WENT  BACK  10  THEIR  TRIBES  —  YaLLE.10  HAD  Id  WAR 
WITH  SOME  OF  THE  InDIAN  TRIBES  OCCASIONALLV,  BIT  THEV  USUALLY  WERE  GLAD  T(i  EXTICR  INTO 
AND  ABIDE  BY  TREATY  STIPULATIONS — IN  1838  THE  SMALL-POX  GOT  AMONG  THE  IxDIAXS  AXD  THOU- 
SANDS DIED — ALONG  IN  THESE  YEARS  ValLE.IO  SEEMS  TO  HAVE  BEEN  ALLOWED  TO  MAINTAIN  THE 
SiiXOMA   MILITARY  AT  HIS  ciWX  EXPENSE. 


fCHEAUDIA  had  become  Governor  of 
California  by  appointment  of  the  Mexican 
(Tovernment.  He  was  ordered  as  early  as 
in  1827  to  establish  a  fort  on  the  northern 
frontier,  either  at  San  Rafael  or  San  Francisco 
Solano.  The  presence  of  the  Russians  at  Ross 
doubtle.-s  inspired  this  order,  and  then  such  a 
post  would  not  only  be  a  notice  to  those  Mus- 
covites that  they  must  not  venture  further 
south,  but  would  be  a  source  of  security  and 
protection  to  the  newly  founded  missions  as 
well.  The  (Tovernor  had  no  funds  to  put  in 
successful  execution  the  order.  The  next  year 
he  seems  to  have  ordered  a  i-econnoissance  for  a 
suitable  place  for  a  military  station,  but  nothing 
further  was  done  at  that  time. 

The  years  had  sped;  (Jalifornia  was  rent  with 
internal    disoord:   the    old    missions    Jiad    been 


looted  until  they  were  fast  going  to  ruin,  and 
on  the  14th  of  January,  1833,  Figueroa  arrived 
at  Monterey,  the  newly  appointed  (Tovernor. 
To  evolve  order  out  of  chaos  seemed  to  lie  his 
high  resolve.  B^igueroa  liad  received  special 
instructions  from  the  Mexican  Government  to 
push  occupation  and  settlement  of  the  northern 
frontier  with  energy.  In  obedience  to  these 
instructions  Alferez  Vallejo  was  ordered  to 
make  an  exploration,  select  a  site,  and  offer  land 
to  settlers.  To  aid  in  this  work  the  old  missions 
were  exjiected  to  bear  the  principal  expense. 
Either  through  inability  or  flagging  zeal  in  be- 
half ol' ;i  government  that  was  always  impecuni- 
ous, the  padres  did  not  respond  to  this  new  levy 
upon  their  resources.  Vallejo,  in  obedience  to 
orders,  made  a  tour  to  IJodega  and  Ross.  Tiiat 
fall  Vallejo  made  an  attempt  to  esta!)lisb  scttU'- 


UlSTOliY    Ub'    liONOMA    COUNT Y. 


ments  at  Petaluma  and  Santa  Rosa.  Bancroft 
says:  "Ten  heads  of  families,  tifty  persons  in 
all,  agreed  to  settle  at  the  former  place  (Peta- 
luma), hitherto  unoccupied;  but  the  padre  at 
San  Francisco  Solano,  hearing  of  the  project, 
sent  a  few  men  to  build  a  hut  and  place  a  band 
of  horses  at  that  point  in  order  to  estalilish  a 
claim  to  the  land  as  mission  property.  Two  or 
three  of  the  settlers  remained  and  put  in  crops 
at  Petaluma,  Yallejo  himself  having  ten  bushels 
of  wheat  sown  on  his  own  account.  The  padre's 
representatives  also  remained,  and  the  respective 
.claims  were  left  to  be  settled  in  the  future. 
Much  the  same  thing  seems  to  have  been  done 
at  Santa  Rosa,  where  a  few  settlers  went,  and  to 
which  point  the  padre  sent  two  neophytes  with 
some  hogs  as  the  nucleus  of  a  mission  claim.  All 
this  before  January  8, 1834:.  In  his  speech  of  May 
1st  to  the  deputacion,  Figueroa  mentioned  the 
plan  for  northern  settlement,  but  said  nothing 
to  indicate  that  any  actual  progress  had  been 
made.  Tlie  14tli  of  May,  however,  he  sentenced 
a  criminal  to  serve  out  his  term  of  punishment 
at  the  new  establishment  about  to  be  founded 
at  Santa  Rosa.  In  June  the  rancho  of  Petaluma 
was  granted  by  the  (xovernor  to  Yallejo,  and  the 
grant  approved  by  the  deputacion,  this  being 
virtually  an  end  of  the  mission  claim.  Respect- 
ing subsequent  developments  of  1834r-'5  in  the 
Santa  Rosa  Valley,  the  records  are  not  satisfac- 
tui'v;  but  Figueroa,  hearing  of  tiie  approach  of 
a  colony  from  Mexico,  resolved  to  malce  some 
preparations  for  its  reception,  and  naturally 
thought  of  the  northern  estalilishment,  which 
he  resolved  to  visit  in  person.  All  that  we 
know  positively  of  the  trip  is  that  he  started 
late  in  August,  extended  his  tour  to  Ross,  e.x- 
amined  the  country,  selected  a  site,  and  having 
left  a  small  force  on  the  frontier,  returned  to 
Monterey  the  12th  of  September.  To  these 
facts  there  may  be  added,  as  probal)ly  accurate, 
the  statements  of  several  Californians,  to  the 
effect  that  the  site  selected  was  where  Vallejo's 
settlement  and  Solano  neophytes  had  already 
erected  some  rude  Imildings,  that  the  new  place 
was  named  Santa  Anna  y  Farias,  in  hitnur  of  the 


President  and  Vice-President  of  Mexico,  and 
that  the  settlement  was  abandoned  the  next 
year,  because  the  colonists  refused  to  venture 
into  a  country  of  hostile  Indians." 

The  scheme  of  founding  a  frontier  post  at  or 
near  Santa  Rosa  seems  to  have  proved  a  failure; 
at  least  the  next  move  with  that  end  in  view 
was  in  the  direction  of  Sonoma,  where  the 
mission  San  Francisco  Solano  had  already  run 
its  course  under  ecclesiastical  rule,  and  was  then 
in  process  of  secularization  under  the  manage- 
ment of  M.  G.  Vallejo  as  cominissionado.  This 
failure  of  the  attempted  estalilishment  of  a 
settlement  at  Santa  Rosa  by  Governor  Figueroa, 
in  the  face  of  the  fact  that  eleven  years  previous 
Altimira,  taking  his  life  in  his  hand,  had  estab- 
lished a  mission  at  Sonoma,  inclines  us  to  take 
off  our  hat  in  reverence  to  that  padre,  although 
his  zeal  may,  at  times,  have  befogged  his  better 
judgment.  History  should  be  both  impartial 
and  just,  and  the  records  unmistakably  show 
that  the  Catholic  missionaries  had  occupied  the 
field  embracing  the  main  portion  of  Sonoma 
County  at  least  ten  years  Ijefore  the  military 
and  civil  authorities  exercised  dominion  here. 
Figueroa  still  adhered  to  his  policy  of  establish- 
ing a  frontier  settlement  and  garrison  north  uf 
San  Francisco  Bay. 

The  following,  the  letter  of  instruction  to 
Gen.  M.  G.  Vallejo  from  Governor  Jose  Fig- 
ueroa in  relation  to  the  locating  and  governing 
of  "a  village  in  the  valley  of  Sonoma,"  was 
transmitted  only  a  few  njonths  before  that  (Jov- 
ernor's  death: 

"  POLITICAI.  GOVEKXMENTOF   LFl'ER  CALIFORNIA . 

"  Comma  ml  ancy- General  of  Upper  California. 
"  Monterey,  June  24,  1835. 
"  In  conformity  with  the  orders  and  instruc- 
tions issued  by  the  Supreme  Government  of  the 
Confederation  respecting  the  location  of  a  village 
in  the  valley  of  Sonoma,  this  cominandancy 
urges  upon  you  that,  according  to  the  topo- 
graphical plan  of  the  place,  it  be  divided  into 
quarters  or  squares,  seeing  that  the  streets  and 
jil(i~af;  be  regulated  so  as  to  make  a  beginning. 
The  inhal>itants  are  to  be  governed  entirely  by 


HISTORY    OP   SONOMA    COUNTY. 


39 


said  plan.  This  govennnciit  ami  coiiuuandancy 
approves  entire!}'  of  the  lines  designated  by  you 
for  outlets — recognizing,  as  the  property  of  the 
village  and  public  lands  and  privileges,  the 
boundaries  of  1  Vt;iliini;i,  Agna  Culienta,  Tlan- 
chero  de  Iluertica,  l.ena  ile  Sur,  Salvador, 
Vallejo,  and  La  Vernica,  on  the  north  of  the 
city  of  Sonoma,  as  the  limits  of  its  property, 
rights,  and  privileges  —  requesting  that  it  shall 
be  commenc-ed  immediately  around  the  hillj 
where  the  fortification  is  to  be  erected,  to  pro- 
tect the  inhabitants  from  incursions  of  the 
savages  and  all  others.  In  order  that  the  build- 
ing lots  granted  by  you,  as  the  person  charged 
with  colonization,  may  be  fairly  portioned,  you 
will  divide  each  square  (inanzana)  into  four 
parts,  as  well  for  the  location  of  each  as  to  in- 
terest persons  in  the  planting  of  kitchen  gar- 
dens, so  that  every  one  shall  have  a  hundred 
yards,  more  or  less,  which  the  government  deems 
suttioient;  and  farther,  lots  of  land  may  be 
granted,  of  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two 
hundred  yards,  in  openings  for  outlets,  for 
other  descriptions  of  tillage,  subject  to  the  laws 
and  regulations  on  the  sidiject,  in  such  manner 
that  at  all  times  the  uiunicipality  shall  possess 
the  legal  title. 

This  government  and  commandancj'-general 
otters  yon  thanks  for  your  efforts  in  erecting 
this  new  city,  which  will  secure  the  frontier  of 
the  republic,  and  is  contident  that  you  will  make 
new  efforts  for  the  national  entirety. 

"(iod  and  liberty.  Juse  Frot'KKOA. 

"  I)i)n  1\[.  (-1.  A'am.k.io,  Military  (Jommandante 
and  Director  (if  C'lildiii/CMtion  im  the  Northern 
Fnmtier.'" 

Under  these  instructions  Vallejo  proceeded  to 
lay  out  and  found  the  pueblo,  giving  to  it  the 
Indian  name  of  Sonoma.  From  this  act  virtu- 
ally dates  the  real  Mexican  occupancy  of  Sonoma 
(jounty  under  military  and  civil  rule.  There  is 
but  little  of  record  during  the  balance  of  1825, 
anil  for  1826  the  most  important  mention  is 
that  Vallejo,  in  conjunction  with  Chief  Solano, 
went  on  an  exj>edition  to  punish  the  rebellions 


Yolos.  And  right  here  it  is  in  place  to  record 
the  fact  that  this  Chief  Solano  seems  to  have 
been  a  ruler  among  the  Indian  tribes  in  every 
direction.  General  Vallejo's  language  to  us 
was,  "  Solano  was  a  king  among  the  Indians. 
All  the  tribes  of  Solano,  Napa  and  Sonoma  were 
under  tribute  to  him."  Vallejo  made  a  treaty 
with  Solano  and  seems  to  have  found  in  him  a 
valuable  lieutenant  in  all  his  futui'e  dealings 
with  neighl)oring  Indians.  Now  that  a  pueblo 
had  been  established  at  Sonoma  with  Vallejo  as 
commandante  of  this  northern  district,  it  had 
become  an  important  factor  in  the  Territorial 
government  of  California.  Vallejo  was  then  in 
the  full  vigor  of  young  life,  tired  with  the  ambi- 
tion of  those  who  believed  that  to  them  belonged 
a  liberal  share  of  the  management  and  rule  in 
Territorial  government,  and  his  somewhat 
isolated  position,  which  necessitated  his  exercise, 
at  times,  of  almost  autocratic  power,  placed  him 
in  a  position  to  be  courted  by  those  even  in 
higher  authority.  That  he  should  use  his 
power  for  self-aggrandizement,  within  certain 
limits,  was  but  natural.  With  his  complicity 
in  the  revolutions  and  counter  revolutions  that 
in  rapid  succession  were  making  and  deposing 
California  governors,  forms  no  part  of  the  scope 
of  this  history,  and  we  shall  only  follow  his  acts 
in  their  Ijearings  upon  the  future  of  Sonoma 
County.  With  Vallejo  there  seems  to  have 
been  two  dominant  ideas,  and  both  had  founda- 
tion in  good,  practical  sense.  The  tirst  was 
that  the  Indians  had  to  be  subjected  to  a  strong 
hand,  and  when  so  subjected,  they  were  to  l)e 
the  subjects  of  protection  and  justice.  The 
second  was  that  the  greatest  danger  to  continued 
]\Iexiean  supremacy  in  California  was  from  the 
eastward.  While  there  may  have  been  a  degree 
of  selfishness  and  jealousy  to  inspire  it,  he  was 
none  the  less  correct  in  his  judgment  that  the 
Sutter  establishment  at  New  Helvetia  was  a 
center  around  which  clustered  dangers  imt 
properly  appreciated  by  the  (Jalifornia  govern- 
ment at  IVIouterey.  While  he  failed  to  arouse 
the  authorities  to  the  magnitude  of  the  danger, 
he  at  least  discharged   his  duty  as  an  (illicer  of 


UlsToUy    of    liONOMA    aoUNTY. 


that  government.  Tlie  triitli  was  tliat  Sutter, 
after  lie  transfen-ed  to  Jlelvetia  the  armament 
of  Ross  was  becoming  a  "power  behind  the 
tlirone  greater  tiian  the  throne  itself,"  and 
Vallejo  could  not  be  blind  to  the  fact  that  it 
was  liable  to  prove  a  "Trojan  horse  with  belly 
full  of  armed  destruction  ''  to  the  future  rule 
of  Mexico  in  California.  In  the  waning  days  of 
the  rule  of  Micheltorena,  Sutter  had  been 
clothed  with  power  which  almost  rendered  him 
potentate  of  the  Sacramento  Valley,  and  as  his 
establishment  was  the  iirst  to  be  reached  by 
immigration  from  the  east,  that  year  by  year 
was  increasing  in  volume,  he  did  not  fail  to 
improve  his  opportunity  to  add  to  the  strength 
of  his  surroundings. 

Although  somewhat  out  of  chronological 
order  it  is  in  place  to  follow  the  mission  of  San 
Francisco  Solano  to  its  end.  Bancroft  says: 
"  Father  Fortuni  served  at  San  Francisco  Solano 
until  1833,  when  liis  place  was  taken  by  the  Za- 
cuteean,  Josi-  de  Jesus  Maria  Gutierrez,  who  in 
turn  changed  places  in  March,  183i,  with  Pa- 
lire  Lorenzo  Qiiijas  of  San  Francisco.  Quijas 
remained  in  charge  of  ex-mission  and  pueblo  as 
acting  curate  throughout  the  decade,  but  resided 
for  the  most  part  at  San  Rafael.  Tiiough  the 
neophyte  population,  as  indicated  by  the  reports, 
decreased  from  7*50  to  (550  in  1834  and  550  in 
1835,  yet  there  was  a  gain  in  live-stock  and  but 
a  slight  falling  off  in  crops;  and  the  establish- 
ment must  be  regarded  as  having  Honrished 
down  to  the  date  of  secularization,  being  one  of 
the  ^tiw  missiolis  in  California  which  reached 
tlieir  iiighest  population  in  the  final  decade, 
though  this  was  natural  enough  in  a  new  and 
frontier  mission.  Mariano  C  Vallejo  was  made 
commissionado  in  1834,  and  in  1835-'6,  with 
Antonio  Ortega  as  majordomo,  completed  the 
secularization.  Movable  property  was  distribu- 
ted to  the  Indians,  who  were  made  entirely 
free,  many  of  them  retiring  to  their  old  ranche- 
rias.  A  little  later,  however,  in  consequence  ot 
troubles  with  hostile  gentiles,  the  ex-neophytes 
seem  to  have  restored  their  live-stock  to  the 
care  of  Ceneral    Vallejo,  who  iii^od  th(^  property 


of  the  ex-mission  for  their  benefit  and  protec- 
tion, and  for  the  general  development  of  the 
northern  settlement.  The  General  claimed  that 
this  was  a  legitimate  use  of  the  estate:  and  he 
would  have  established  a  new  mission  in  the 
north  if  the  padres  wouhl  have  aiiled  him. 
Doubtless  his  policy  was  a  wise  one,  even  if  his 
position  as  guardian  of  the  Indians  in  charge 
of  their  private  property  jiut  by  them  in  his 
care  was  not  recognized  b^'  the  laws.  Moreover, 
there  was  a  gain  rather  than  a  loss  in  live-stock. 
Thus  the  mission  community  haj  no  real  exist- 
ence after  183)),  though  Pablo  Ayula  and  Sal- 
vador Vallejo  were  nominally  made  administra- 
tors. The  visitador  made  no  visits  in  1839,  and 
apparently  none  were  made  in  1840.  I  suppose 
there  may  have  been  100  of  the  ox-neophytes 
living  at  Sonoma  at  the  end  of  the  decade,  with 
perhaps  500  more  in  the  I'cgion  not  relajised 
into  barbarism."'  And  here  ends  the  career  of 
the  mission  San  Francisco  Solano.  If  its  san- 
guine founder,  Padre  Altimira,  could  revisit  it, 
and  the  old  San  Francisco  mission  tliat  he 
thought  was  ••  on  its  last  legs  "  he  wouhl  learn 
how  fallible  is  human  judgment. 

Sonoma  was  now  a  pueblo  and  (Tcneral  M.  G. 
Vallejo,  ascommandante  of  the  northern  district, 
the  most  conspicuous  personage  in  this  latitude 
until  the  end  of  Mexican  i-ule.  As  such  it  is 
in  place  to  introduce  him  more  fully  to  the 
reader.  According  to  Bancroft  "he  was  the 
son  of  the  '  Sargento  distinguido  "  Jgnacio  ^'al- 
lejo  and  of  .\[aria  Antonia  l^ugo,  being,  on  the 
paternal  side  at  least,  of  pure  Spanish  blood, 
and  being  entitled  by  the  old  rules  to  prefix  the 
'Don"  to  his  name.  In  childhood  he  had  been 
*  the  associate  of  Alvarado  and  Castro  at  Monte- 
rey, and  his  educational  advantages,  of  which 
he  made  good  use,  were  substantially  the  same 
as  theirs.  Unlike  his  companions,  he  chose  a 
military  career,  entering  the  Monterey  company 
in  1823  as  a  cadet,  and  being  promoted  to  be 
alferez  of  the  San  Francisco  company  in  1827. 
He  served  as  habilitado  and  as  conimandante  of 
both  coni|>anies,  and  took  part  in  several  cam- 
paigns against  Indians,  besides  acting  as  fiscal  or 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


defensor  in  various  military  trials.  In  1830  he 
was  elected  to  the  depntacion,  and  took  a  promi- 
nent part  in  the  opposition  of  that  body  to  Vic- 
toria. In  1832  he  married  Francisca  l^enicia. 
daughter  of  Joquin  C/arrillo,  and  in  1834  was 
elected  dipntado  snjdente  to  Congress,  lie  was 
a  favorite  of  Figueroa,  who  gave  him  large  tracts 
of  land  north  of  the  bay,  choosing  him  as  com- 
niissionado  to  secularize  San  Francisco  Solano, 
to  found  the  town  of  Sonoma,  and  to  command 
the  frontier  del  norte.  In  his  new  position  Val- 
lejo  was  doubtless  the  most  independent  man  in 
California.  His  record  was  a  good  one,  and 
both  in  ability  and  experience  he  was  probal)l3' 
better  fitted  to  take  the  position  as  command- 
ante  general  than  any  other  Californian."  This 
latter  position  was  conferred  upon  Yallejo  by 
Alvarado,  who  by  a  turn  of  the  revolutionary 
wheel  had  become  governor,  (xeneral  Vallejo 
was  unquestionably  the  right  man  in  the  right 
place  when  he  was  placed  in  control  at  Sonoma 
after  the  secularization  of  the  mission  San 
Francisco  Solano.  As  a  military  man  he  would 
not  brook  any  insubordination  to  his  will  or 
commands,  but  in  dealing  with  the  Indians  he 
seems  to  have  pursued  a  policy  wise  and  just 
beyond  anything  ever  before  attempted  in  Cali- 
fornia. In  the  Indian  Chief  Solano  he  saw  the 
ready  means  to  acquire  easy  control  of  all  other 
Indians  occupying  a  wide  sweep  of  country.  In 
making  Solano  his  friend  and  coadjutor  in  keep- 
ing distant  tribes  in  respectful  submission,  he 
seems  not  to  have  compromised  himself  in  any 
manner  so  as  not  to  hold  Solano  himself  subject 
to  control  and  accountability.  Having  been 
speaking  of  the  turbulence  of  southern  Indians 
for  the  years  from  1836  to  1840  Mr.  Bancroft 
says:  "Turning  to  the  northern  frontier  we  find 
a  diH'erent  state  of  things.  Here  there  was  no 
semblance  of  Apache  i-aids,  no  sacking  of 
ranches,  no  loss  of  civilized  life,  and  little  col- 
lision between  gentile  and  ('hristian  natives. 
The  northern  Indians  were  more  numerous 
than  in  the  San  Diego  region,  and  many  of  the 
tribes  were  brave,  warlike,  and  often  hostile; 
but  there  was   a  comparatively   strong   force  at 


Sonoma  to  keep  them  in  check,  and  General 
Vallejo's  Indian  policy  must  be  regarded  as 
e.xcellent  and  effective  when  compared  with  any 
other  policy  ever  followed  in  California.  True, 
his  wealth,  his  untrammelled  power,  anil  other 
circumstances  contributed  much  to  his  success; 
and  he  could  by  no  means  have  done  as  well  if 
placed  in  command  at  San  Diego;  yet  he  must 
be  accredited  besides  with  having  managed 
wisely.  Closely  allied  with  Solano,  the  Suisnn 
chieftain,  having  always — except  when  asked 
to  render  some  distasteful  military  service  to 
his  political  associates  in  the  south — at  his  com- 
mand a  goodly  numl)er  of  soldiers  and  citizens, 
made  treaties  with  the  gentile  tribes,  insisted 
on  their  being  liberally  and  justly  treated  when 
at  peace,  and  punished  them  severely  for  any 
manifestation  of  hostility.  Doubtless  the  In- 
dians were  wronged  often  enough  in  individual 
cases  by  Yallejo's  subordinates;  some  of  whom, 
and  notably  his  brother  Salvador,  were  with 
dilKculty  controlled;  but  such  reports  have  been 
greatly  exaggerated,  and  acts  of  glaring  injustice 
were  comparatively'  rare. 

"  The  Cainameros,  or  the  Indians  of  Cainama, 
in  the  region  toward  Santa  Rosa,  had  been  for 
some  years  friendly,  but  for  their  services  in 
returning  stolen  horses  they  got  themselves  into 
trouble  with  the  Satiyomis,  or  Sotoyomes,  gen- 
erally known  as  the  Guapos,  or  braves,  who  in 
the  sj)ring  of  1836,  in  a  sudden  attack,  killed 
twenty-two  of  their  number  and  wounded  fifty. 
Yallejo,  on  appeal  of  the  chiefs,  promised  to 
avenge  their  wrongs,  and  started  April  1st  with 
fifty  soldiers  and  one  hundred  Imlians  besides 
the  Cainamero  force.  A  battle  was  fought  on 
the  4th  of  April,  and  the  Guapos,  who  had  taken 
a  strong  j)Osition  in  the  hills  ot  the  Geyser  region, 
were  routed  and  driven  back  to  their  ranches, 
where  most  of  them  were  killed.  The  expedi- 
tion was  back  at  Sonoma  on  the  7th  without 
having  lost  a  man,  killed  or  wounded.  On  June 
7th  Yallejo  conchuled  a  treaty  of  peace  and 
alliance  with  the  chiefs  of  seven  tribes — the 
Indians  of  Yoloytoy,  (iuilitoy,  Ansatoy,  Ligna- 
ytoy,  Aclutoy,  Chnmptoy  and  the  Guaiios,  who 


4-2 


ItlSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNT T. 


had  voluntarily  come  to  Sonoma  for  that  pur- 
pose. Tlie  treaty  provided  tliat  tiiere  sliould  l)e 
friendsliip  between  tlie  trii)es  and  tlie  garrison, 
that  the  Cainauieros  and  Guapos  should  live  at 
peace  and  respect  each  otiier's  territory;  that  tlie 
Indians  shonid  give  np  all  fngitive  Cluijstians 
at  the  request  of  the  commandante,  and  that 
they  should  not  hurn  the  fields.  It  does  not 
appear  that  Vallejo  in  return  promised  anything 
more  definite  than  friendship.  Twenty  days 
later  the  compact  was  approved  by  Governor 
Chico.  A  year  later,  in  June,  1837,  Zampay, 
one  of  the  chieftains  of  the  Yoloytoy — town  and 
rancheria  of  the  Yoloy,  perhaps  meaning  of 
the  'tnles,'  and  which  gave  the  name  to  Yolo 
County — became  troublesome,  committing  many 
outi-ages  and  trying  to  arouse  the  Sotoyomes 
again.  The  head  chief  of  the  tribe,  however, 
named  Moti,  offered  to  aid  in  his  capture,  whicli 
was  effect'ed  by  the  combined  forces  of  Solano 
and  Salvador  Yallejo.  Zampay  and  some  of 
his  companions  were  held  at  first  as  captives  at 
Sonoma,  but  after  some  years  the  chief,  who  had 
been  a  terror  of  the  whole  country,  liecame  a 
peiiceful  citizen  and  industrious  farmer."' 

"In  January,  1838,  Tobias,  chief  of  the 
Gnilicos,  and  one  of  his  men  were  brought  to 
Sonoma  and  tried  for  the  murder  of  two  Indian 
fishermen.  In  March  some  of  the  gentile  allied 
tribes  attacked  the  Moquelumnes,  recovered  a 
tew  stolen  horses  and  brought  them  to  Soijoma, 
wliere  a  grand  feast  was  held  for  a  week  to  cele- 
brate their  good  deeds.  In  August  fifty  Indian 
horse-thieves  crossed  the  Sacrainento  and  ap- 
peared at  Suseol  with  a  band  of  tame  horses, 
their  aim  being  to  stampede  the  horses  at 
Sonoma.  Thirty-four  were  killed  in  a  Lattle 
with  Vallejo's  men,  and  the  rest  surrendered, 
the  chief  being  shot  at  Sonoma  for  his  crimes. 
On  October  6,  Vallejo  issued  a  printed  circular, 
in  which  he  announced  that  Solano  had  grossly 
abused  his  power  and  the  trust  placed  in  him, 
and  broken  sacred  compacts  made  with  the 
Indian  tribes  by  consenting  to  tlie  seizure  and 
sale  of  children.  Vallejo  indignantly  denied 
the  rumor  that  these  outrages  had   been  com- 


mitted with  his  consent,  declaring  that  Solano 
had  been  arrested,  and  that  a  force  had  been 
sent  out  to  restore  all  the  children  to  their 
parents."  \"al]ejo's  statement  in  regard  to  this 
back-sliding  of  Chief  Solano  is  that  evil-dis- 
posed persons  have  plyed  him  with  liquor  until 
he  was  so  dazed  as  not  to  be  master  of  his 
actions,  and  that  after  being  sobered  up  in  the 
guard-house  he  was  both  ashamed  and  penitent. 
In  this  year,  1838,  there  came  a  terrible 
pestilence,  the  small-pox,  which  made  sad  havoc 
among  the  Indians.  It  is  said  that  a  Corporal 
named  Ygnacio  lliramontes  contracted  the  dis- 
ease at  Fort  Koss  and  i-eturning  to  Sonoma  the 
disease  was  soon  broadcast  among  the  Indians. 
General  Vallejo  is  our  authority  that  the  In- 
dians died  by  the  thousands.  He  thinks  that 
not  less  than  75,000  died  in  the  territory  north 
of  the  bay  and  west  of  the  Sacramento  River. 
In  some  cases  it  almost  blotted  tribes  out  of  ex- 
istence. The  Indian  panacea  for  all  ills  was 
resort  to  the  sweat-house,  supplemented  by  a 
plunge  in  cold  water.  Such  being  their  remedy, 
it  may  well  be  believed  that  the  small-pox  left 
desolation  in  its  track.  Mr.  John  TValker,  of 
Sebastopol,  states  that  when  he  reached  the 
Yount  rancho,  iXapa  County,  in  18-1(5,  Mr. 
Yount  pointed  out  to  him  an  Indian  girl,  the 
sole  survivor  of  her  tribe  after  the  small- 
pox had  run  its  course.  Yount  stated  that  lie 
visited  the  rancheria  and  that  dead  Indians 
were  lying  everywhere,  and  the  only  living 
being  was  the  girl  referred  to,  she,  an  infant, 
was  cuddled  in  an  Indian/  basket.  At  Mr. 
Walker's  ranch  is  a  very  aged  Indian,  and 
through  an  interpreter  he  recently  informed  us 
that  during  the  prevalance  of  the  small-pox  his 
people  at  Sebastopol  for  a  long  time  died  at  the 
rate  of  fi'om  ten  to  twenty  a  day.  During  the 
present  year  (1888),  while  excavating  earth 
with  which  to  grade  a  road  near  Sebastopol  a 
perfect  charnel  of  human  bones  was  found, 
doubtless  where  the  small-pox  victims  of  1838 
were  buried.  As  stated  elsewhere,  that  pesti- 
lence paved  the  way  for  peaceable  occupation  of 
this  territory  liv  immigrants.     There  were   not 


HISTORY    OF   SONOMA    COUNTY. 


43 


enough  Indians  left  to  offer  any  serious  resist- 
ance to  tlie  free  occupancy  of  their  former 
liunting  grounds  by  civilized  !naii. 

In  1830,  as  an  evidence  that  colonization  was 
advancing  northward,  it  is  recorded  that  twenty- 
five  families  had  cast  their  lot  in  the  northern 
frontier.  Some  of  these  families,  doubtless, 
came  with  the  Hijar-Padres  colony  that  came 
from  Mexico  in  1834.  Many  of  those  colonists 
visited  Sonoma — then  San  Francisco  Solano — 
but  owing  to  political  complications  Hijar  was 
looked  upon  witJi  suspicion,  and  his  scheme  of 
founding  a  colony  came  to  nanglit.  It  is  said 
that  a  few  of  his  people  remained  north  of  the 
bay,  but  most  of  them  returned  south  to  the 
older  settlements.  We  find  I'ecord  of  a  young 
Irishman  named  John  T.  Reed  locating  in 
Santa  liosa  Township,  near  the  pi-esent  place  of 
Robert  Crane,  in  1837,  but  who  was  driven  out 
l)y  the  Indians.  And  also  the  location  near 
Santa  Rosa,  in  1838,  of  Senora  Maria  Ygnacia 
Lopez  de  ("arillo.  Of  the  first  attempt  to 
found  a  settlement  at,  or  near  Santa  Rosa,  there 
is  evidence  that  it  pruved  futile,  and  yet  we 
find  little  of  authentic  record  as  to  the  reasons 
why  the  enterprise  was  abandoned,  other  than 
that  settlers  did  not  feel  secure  in  so  advanced  a 
]iosition  among  untutored  savages.  We  find, 
also,  an  accredited  rumor  that  the  mission  San 
Francisco  Solano  was  destroyed  by  the  Indians  a 
few  years  after  it  was  founded.  This  story  must  be 
founded  on  uncertain  tradition,  for  we  have 
tbund  no  authentic  record  of  such  an  occurrence. 

We  have  thus  far,  up  to  1840,  found  little 
ditliculty  in  tracing  the  lines  of  reliable  history. 
But  the  nearer  we  get  to  the  final  end  which 
culminated  in  American  occupancy  the  more  we 
are  befogged  and  in  doubt  of  the  di\  idirig  line 
between  facts  and  fiction.  What  tin  intelligent 
reader  will  most  want  to  kuoiv  will  be  as  to  the 
actual  settlement  and  occupancy  of'  Sonoma 
County  by  Californians  prior  to  the  raising  of 
the  Bear  Hag  at  Sonoma.  If  we  take  as  our 
guide  the  various  Spanish  grants  and  the  dates 
of  their  reputed  occupancy  there  was  but  little 
ot  the  arable  laud  of  the  county  that   was   not 


already  the  habitation  of  civilized  man;  and  yet 
we  find  but  little  tangible  evidence  of  such 
advanced  conditions  of  civilization.  Vallejo 
had,  with  great  enterprise  and  labor,  reai'ed  an 
establishment  on  the  Petaluma  grant  that  even 
yet  stands  as  a  monument  to  his  energy  and 
enterprise.  The  Corrillos  had  made  lasting 
improvements  at  Santa  Rosa  and  Sebasto])ol. 
Mark  West  had  established  himself  at  the  creek 
that  bore  his  name,  and  had  erected  substantial 
adobe  buildings.  Henry  D.  Fitch  had  reared 
buildings  of  permanency  on  Russian  River, 
near  the  jjresent  site  of  Ilealdsburg;  Captain 
Stephen  Smith  had  established  a  residence  and 
mill  at  Bodega,  and  Jasper  Ofurrell  had  made 
a  good  show  of  permanent  occupancy  at  his 
place  in  the  red  woods.  Fort  Ross  had  now 
passed  into  the  hands  of  William  Eennitz,  and 
was  an  establishment  of  comparative  ancient 
date.  Outside  of  the  evidence  of  occupancy 
thus  enumerated,  except  those  of  Sonoma  \a\- 
ley,  there  wei-e  only  a  few,  and  they  of  so  transi- 
tory and  ephemeral  in  character  as  almost  to 
have  jiassed  from  the  memory  of  our  pioneer 
American  inhabitants.  For  a  time  Sonoma 
had  been  I'egarded  as  an  important  frontier  mil- 
itary station  by  the  California  government,  and 
seems  to  have  received  some  fostering  care  and 
assistance,  but  dniing  later  years  the  govern- 
ment seems  to  have  acted  on  the  princii)le  that, 
as  Vallejo  had  all  the  glor^'  of  defending  the 
frontier,  he  could  do  it  at  his  own  expense,  lie 
seems  to  have,  in  time,  tired  of  this  expensive 
luxury.  Bancroft  says:  "The  ])residial  com- 
pany in  1841-'43,  and  probably  down  to  its  dis- 
bandment  by  Vallejo  in  1844,  had  between  forty 
and  fifty  men  under  the  command  of  Lieut. 
Jose  Antonio  Pico;  and  there  were  besides 
nearly  sixty  men  lit  for  militia  duty,  to  say 
nothing  of  an  incidental  mention  by  the  alcalde 
of  100  citizens  in  his  jurisdiction.  ('aptain 
Salvador  Vallejo  was  commandante  of  the  post 
and  no  civil  authority  was  recognized  down  to 
the  end  of  1843,  from  which  time  municipal 
affairs  were  directed  l)y  two  alcaldes,  Jacob  P. 
Leese  and  Jose  de  la  Rosa,  holding  successively 


44 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COVNTT 


t.lie  first  alcaldia."  Tims,  it  will  be  seen,  tliat 
there  was  virtually  only  two  years  of  civil  rule 
here  previous  to  the  Bear  Flag  revolution. 
AVliile  "N'allejo  still  had  an  armament  embracing 
nine  cannon  of  small  caliber,  and,  perhaps,  two 
hundred  muskets,  yet  the  whole  military  estab- 
lishment seems  to  have  been  in  a  condition  of 
"  innocuous  desuetude."  The  only  notable  event 
of  local  importance  in  1845  was  a  raid,  seem- 
ingly made  by  Sonoma  rancheros.  upon  the 
Ross    Indians  to  secure  laborers.      Several    In- 


dians were  killed  and  loU  were  eaptint.d. 
William  Hennitz  complained  of  outrages  coni- 
•mitted  on  the  Indians  at  his  rauclio.  That 
such  matters  were  made  the  subject  of  court 
investigation  shows  that  civil  authority  was  l)e- 
ginning  to  assert  itself.  The  leading  offenders 
in  this  last  instance  of  Indian  mention  under 
Mexican  rule,  were  Antonio  Castro  and  Rafael 
fxarcia.  AVe  have  now  reached  the  beginning 
of  tlie  end  of  ^Vfexifan  rule,  the  conclusion  of 
which  will  be  found  in  the  next  chapter. 


HltiTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Cn AFTER  VI. 


Mexican  kii.k  ix  Cafjimibma   xeakink    its   knu — tiik   Califuknia    lkadkrs    (,iuakkei,in(.    amcuMt 

TUKJ[SEI.\ES — WAK    EXl-Et  TEU    BETWEEN     THE    UnITEU    StATES  AXU   MeXICO AMERICANS  IN   CaLI- 

KORNIA   IN  a    riflCEISIl     rOSITION WHAT    L\  K'KIN  WAS  EXPECTED  TO  HO    -WHAT    P'uMoNT     DID     DO 

Bancroft's  instructions  to   Commodore  Sloat — Vallejo — Sutter — Fremont  and  Gilles- 

riE TIIEIK    MEETING    AND    THE    MIDXIUII  r    ATTACK     RY     IxDIANS FrEMoXt's    RETURN    DOWN    THE 

Sacramento  Valley — the  Americans  naturally  (;atiierei)  around  hiji — the  settlers  ripe 

FOR  action THEY  CAPTURE  A  BAND  OF  HORSES    BELON(;IX<i  TO  GENERAL    CaSTRO- -THEY  INCREASE 

THEIR  FORCE,  AND  FOUR  DAY'S  LATER,  CAl'TUKED    SoNoMA WHO  THE  REVOLUTIONISTS  WERE  AS  FAR 

AS  THEIR  NAMES  ARE    KNOWN ALL    ABOUT    THE    CAPIURE    OF    VaLLE.Io    AND    OTHERS IloW  IT  WAS 

DONE — -WHAT    TRANSPIRED    DURING  THE  NEGOTIAITOXS    BEIWEEN    THE    REYOLUTIONISTS  AXD   I'RIsox- 
ERS — THE  PRISONERS  JOURNEY  TO  SacRAMENTO — HOW  RECEIVED  AND  TREATED  I!Y     FrEMi 'NT. 


N  historic  events  like  that  of  the  taliiiig  of 
Sonoma  and  the  hoisting  of  the  bear  flag, 
we  naturally  expect  to  Unci  some  continuity 
of  antecedent  causes  leading  up  to  the  occur- 
rence. Iiut  that  great  event  stands  out,  in  Ijold 
relief,  a  conspicuous  exception  to  the  rule.  Like 
Topsy  who  averred  "  I  was  not  born'd — 1  jes 
growed  up,"  the  15ear  Flag  party  seemed  to  be 
■laboring  under  equal  perplexity  as  to  their  or- 
igin and  ultimate  destiny.  The  happy  outcome 
of  their  venture  can  be  compressed  into  the  sin- 
gle sentence,  "All  is  well,  that  ends  well." 
Search  and  sift  history  as  we  may  there  can  be 
found  no  authentic  connection  between  the 
little  band  of  adventurers  and  any  responsible 
United  States  authority.  There  has  been  a  great 
deal  said  and  written  upon  the  subject  that 
inclines  the  casual  reader  of  history  to  believe 
that  the  taking  of  Sonoma  was  but  the  first  act 


in  a  well  matured  j)hiu  which  was  to  ultiiiiate 
in  placing  California  under  the  stars  and 
stripes  of  the  United  States;  but  wu  tiiul  noth- 
ing to  warrant  such  conclusion.  The  majority 
of  the  bear  flag  party  were  frontiersmen  witii 
more  nerve  than  education  and  to  believe  them 
capable  of  carrying  out  to  a  successful  conclu- 
sion the  secret  orders  of  United  States  Govern- 
ment authorities,  and  never  after  disclosing  the 
same,  would  be  too  great  a  tax  upon  even  ex- 
treme credulity.  It  is  true.  General  Fremont 
had  been  in  California  for  some  time,  ostensibly 
at  the  head  of  a  scientiflc  expedition,  but  with 
a  force  at  his  back  ample  to  render  secure  his 
travels  while  here,  but  till  now  it  has  never  been 
revealed  that  he  was  clothed  by  the  govern- 
ment that  he  represented  with  any  powers  of  a 
revolutionary  character.  While  his  attitude 
had    been  defiant  of  California   authority  and 


46 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


liis  hoisting  of  the  American  flag  on  Gabilan 
I'eak,  ahiiost  in  sight  of  the  California  capita], 
a  l)old  affront  to  Castro,  California's  military 
chieftain,  yet  there  is  no  evidence,  as  yet,  that 
his  acts  were  otlier  than  the  efl'ervescence  of  an 
individual  disposed  to  magnify  the  importance 
of  his  mission.  The  ettects  of  Fremont's  acts 
were' two-fold.  The  Californians  believing  him 
to  he  acting  under  instructions  from  his  govern- 
ment, iiatui'ally  believed  that  he  was  here  for 
the  purpose  of  fomenting  a  revolutionary  spirit 
among  foreigners  resident  here,  and  they  were 
more  disposed  than  ever  to  enforce  the  laws 
priihibitoryof  indiscriminate  immigration.  The 
American  settlers  finding  themselves  more  and 
more  the  objects  of  suspicion  by  the  California 
authorities,  luiturally  took  it  for  granted  that  as 
Fremont  had  l)een  the  instrninent  of  inciting 
the  authorities  to  a  more  rigid  enforcement 
against  them  of  existing  immigration  laws,  lie 
knew  what  he  was  about,  and  would  stand  by 
them  if  tronble  came. 

Aside  trom  the  fact  tluit  all  knew  that  war 
was  imminent  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico,  California  was  rent  and  torn  by  internal 
discord.  The  Territorial  government  had  ever 
been,  at  best,  a  weak  one,  but  during  the  past 
decade  it  had  gone  from  bad  to  worse,  until 
chaos  seemed  to  brood  over  the  TeiTitory  from 
Sonoma  to  San  Diego.  The  government  was 
divided;  one  part  being  administered  from  Los 
Angeles  and  the  other  from  Monterey,  and  each 
wing  in  open  revolt  against  tlie  authority  of  the 
other.  In  the  very  teeth  of  a  threatened  danger 
from  without,  Governor  Pio  Pico  at  Los  An- 
geles and  General  Castro  at  Monterey  were 
seemingly  only  intent  on  each  other's  overtiirow. 
The  action  of  Fremont,  already  referred  to,  in 
flaunting  the  stars  and  stripes  upon  Gabilan 
Peak  seems  to  have  brought  General  Castro  to 
sometliing  like  a  correct  appi-eciation  of  the 
fact  that  there  was  great  need  of  unification 
and  eti'ort  among  California  anthorities.  This 
he  tried  to  impress  upon  Pico  in  the  south,  but 
the  suspicious  governor  saw  fit  to  construe  the 
efforts  of  Castro  to  get  the  military   upon  a  de- 


fensive basis,  into  a  menace  to  himself;  and  the 
people  of  the  entire  South  seemed  to  be  in  en- 
tire accord  with  him  on  the  subject.  In  truth, 
the  peojile  of  the  lower  and  upper  portion  of 
the  Territory  seem  to  have  been  as  completely 
estranged  and  soured  against  each  other  as  if 
their  origin  had  been  from  distinct  races. 
Llence,  was  witnessed  the  pitiful  endeavor  of  Pio 
Pico  to  gather  together  a  force  sufficient  to  pro- 
ceed to  Monterey  for  the  purpose  of  sultjugat- 
ing  Castro,  at  the  very  time  the  latter  was 
eqnally  intent  upon  gathering  a  force  to  meet 
what  he  conceived  to  be  a  great  danger  on  the 
northern  frontier.  To  California,  the  early 
months  of  1846  seems"  to  have  been  a  dark 
period  to  all,  fruitful  of  junto  meetings  and 
dark-i'oom  cabals,  when  all  were  suspicious  of 
.each  othei-,  and  it  seemed  politic  for  no  man  to 
let  his  right  hand  kimw  what  his  left  hand  was 
doing. 

"While  this  comlition  of  doubt  and  uncer- 
tainty was  nnmistakably  trne  as  related  to  the 
Californians,  it  was  only  less  trne,  in  a  modified 
degi-ee,  as  related  to  the  Americans  then  resi- 
dent here.  Wliile  they  were  united  in  heart 
and  sentiment,  they  were  completely  out  at  sea 
without  chart  or  compass,  in  the  face  of  a 
brewing  st<jrm.  If  Fremont's  action  in  Monterey 
County  had  encouraged  them  to  believe  that  he 
had  authority  to  raise  the  standard  of  revolu- 
tion in  California,  that  belief  must  have  re- 
ceived a  chill  when  he,  a  few  weeks  later,  with 
his  sixty  men  started  northward  to  Oregon, 
with  the  avowed  purpose  of  returning  east  by 
that  ronte.  That  this  was  not  a  strategic  move- 
ment on  his  part  is  evidenced  by  letters  he 
wrote  at  the  time  both  to  his  wife  and  his 
father-in-law,  Hon.  Thomas  II.  Benton. 

Thomas  O.  Larkin  was  the  secret  and  confi- 
dential agent  of  the  United  States  Government 
in  California  and  he  certainly'  had  no  commi>- 
sion  to  do  anything  in  the  direction  of  encour- 
aging the  raising  of  the  standard  of  revolt  in 
California.  Fremont's  conduct  seems  to  have 
been  to  him  a  complete  enigma.  Larkin's  in- 
structions were  to  feel  the  pulse  of  Californians 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


as  well  as  Americans  in  reference  to  jieaceable 
annexatiun  to  the  United  States,  and  any  demon- 
stration on  the  part  of  the  Americans  in  the 
direction  of  violence  and  force  could  bnt  com- 
plicate and  render  more  ditticnlt  his  task.  lie 
had  sagacity  enough  to  understand  this,  and 
seems  to  have  directed  all  his  energies  in  the 
direction  of  a  j)eaceal)le  solution  of  the  problem 
he  was  to  assist  in  working  out.  It  must  be 
iiorne  in  mind  that  Tliomas  O.  Larkin  had  long 
been  a  resident  merchant  in  California  and  that 
his  intimate  connection  and  association  with  the 
leading  men  of  California,  both  natives  and 
foreigners,  peculiarly  fitted  him  for  this  labor  of 
paving  the  way  for  peaceable  annexation  of 
California  to  the  United  States,  l^ut  that  he 
was  not  taken  into  all  the  secret  councils  of  the 
nation  is  manifest  from  the  instructions  of  Hon. 
George  Bancroft,  the  then  secretary  of  war  un- 
der President  Polk,  under  date  of  June  24, 1845, 
nearly  a  year  before  war  was  declared  between 
the  United  States  and  Mexico.  The  secretary's 
instructions  to  Commodore  Sloat  were: 

"  If  you  ascertain  that  Mexico  has  declared 
war  against  the  United  States,  yon  will  at  once 
possess  yourself  of  the  port  of  San  Francisco, 
and  occupy  such  other  ports  as  your  force  may 
permit.  You  will  be  careful  to  preserve,  if 
possilile,  the  most  friendly  relations  with  the 
inhabitants,  and  encourage  them  to  adopt  a 
course  of  neutrality." 

On  the  13th  of  May,  1846,  war  was  declared. 
On  that  very  day  Secretary  Uancroft  again  in- 
structed Commodore  Sloat  to  cari-y  out  his  first 
orders  "with  energy  and  promptitude."  Only 
two  days  later  we  find  Secretary  Bancroft  writ- 
ing the  following  instructions  to  Commodore 
Sloat:  "  A  connection  between  California  and 
Mexico  is  supposed  scarcely  to  exist.  You  will, 
as  opportunity  offers,  conciliate  the  confidence 
of  the  people  of  California.  Yon  will  conduct 
yourself  in  such  a  manner  as  will  render  your 
occupation  t)f  the  country  a  benefit,"  etc.  In  a 
dispatch  dated  dune  8,  1840,  the  Aincriran 
Secretary  conies  out  a  little  plainer.  Ho  says: 
"  If  California  separates  herself  from  our  enemy, 


the  Central  Government  of  Mexico,  and  estab- 
lishes a  government  of  its  own  under  the  auspices 
of  the  American  Hag,  you  will  take  such  meas- 
ures as  will  best  promote  the  attachment  of  the 
people  of  California  to  the  United  States.  Von 
will  bear  in  mind  that  this  country  desires  to 
find  in  California  a  friend;  to  be  connected  with 
it  by  near  ties;  to  hold  possession  of  it,"  etc. 
On  July  12  he  speaks  still  plainer:  "The  ob- 
ject t>f  the  United  States  has  reference  to  ulti- 
mate ])eace,  and  if  at  that  peace  the  basis  of 
i\\Q  '•  utl  puasiiJetis'  shall  be  adopted,  the  (iov- 
ernment  expects  to  be  in  possession  of  Califor- 
nia." 

While  the  instructions  to  Larkin  seem  to 
have  been  of  an  entirely  pacific  and  diplomatic 
character,  it  is  quite  evident  that  the  authori- 
ties at  Washington  did  not  intend  to  allow  the 
formalities  of  red  tape  to  stand  in  the  way  of 
the  acquisition  of  California. 

There  were  two  men  on  the  northern  frontiei-, 
both  occupying  commanding  positions,  and  each 
destined  to  fill  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  his- 
tory of  those  stirring  times.  One  was  General 
M.  G.  Vallejo,  and  the  other  Captain  John  A. 
Sutter.  At  this  time,  when  California  was 
Hearing  her  final  struggle  with  manifest  destiny, 
it  is  important  to  know  just  how  and  whei'e 
they  stood.  Much  has  been  said  and  written 
on  the  subject,  so  much  that  it  has  become  con- 
fusing and  difficult  to  always  determine  where 
history  ends  and  fiction  begins.  Vallejo  and 
Sutter  both  were  officers  of  the  California  gov- 
ernment and  as  such  owed  good  faith  and 
allegiance  to  their  country.  We  find  nothing 
to  warrant  the  conclusion  that  either  proved 
recreant  to  their  trust. 

Vallejo  evidently  had  a  very  sti-ong  premoni- 
tion that  California  had  reached  the  beginning 
of  the  end.  So  believing,  he  evidently  had  lit- 
tle heart  or  concern  about  the  personal  quarrels  of 
Pico,  Castro  and  other  factious  would-be  leaders 
of  California.  When  called  into  council  on  tiie 
alarming  condition  of  the  tiines,  he  was  free  to 
express  his  opinions,  and  so  far  as  reliable  evi- 
dence goes,  it  was  always  to  the  (jfiect  that  if 


HISTORY    OF    SONOJIA    COUNTY. 


it  eaine  to  the  worst  and  a  change  of  government 
had  to  be  made,  that  it  was  to  the  United  States 
that  California  could  look  for  the  strongest  arm 
of  jirotection   and    speedy    development  of  lier 
latent  resources.      While  those  were   his  senti- 
ments expressed  in   council    with    his   country- 
men, he  in   no  wise  seems   to    ha\e   abandoned 
hope  that  C'alif(.)rnia  might  yet  be  safely  steered 
through  her  dangers.     This  is  evidenced  by  two 
circumstances.     Governor  Pico  addressed  a  let- 
ter to  Valiejo,  probably  in  April,  in  which  he 
eluded  him  somewhat  sharply  for  his  apparent 
adhesion  to  Castro,  the  every  act  of  whom  Pico 
seemed    to   regard   as  dangerous    usurpation   of 
military'  power,  the  ultimate  aim   of  which  was 
the  overthrow  of  the  civil  government.   Vailejo's 
reply  to  Pico  was  both  temperate  and  patriotic. 
He  did  not  liesitate  to  admonish    Pico  that   he 
was  allowing  his  jealousy   to   befog   his   better 
judgment — that  Castro  was  making  an  etfort  to 
properly  face  a  real  danger,  and  he  warned  Pico 
that  the  time  had  come  when  unity  of  action 
was  imperative  if  California  would  continue  to 
exist  in  her  present  form.     He  pointed  out  to 
the  Governor  the  folly  of  expecting  a  General 
in  the  face  of  a  threatened  danger,  to  wait  for 
the  transmission  of  orders  such  a  long  distance  as 
intervened  between  Los  Angeles  and  Monterey. 
These  wise  and  temperate  counsels  of  Valiejo 
seem   to  have  been   wasted    upon  Pico,    for  he 
appears  to  have  gone  forward  in  his  endeavor  to 
marshal  a  sufficient  force  to  march  to  Monterey 
and   overthrow    Castro.      The   second    circum- 
stance which  shows  that  Yallejo  had   not  yet 
lost  all  hope  is  the  fact  that  early  in  June  Cas- 
tro visited  Sonoma  on  his  mission  uf  gathering 
war  supplies,  and  secured  a  large  number  of 
horses.     Of  these  horses  more   will   be  said   a 
little   further  on.     Of  what  occurred   between 
Yallejo  and  Castro  at  that  time  there  seezns  to 
be  little  of  record.      Intelligent  reflection  draws 
two  conclusions  somewhat  difficult  to  harmonize. 
That  a  matter  of  170  horses  was  furnished  by 
Valiejo   to  Castro   would  clearly   indicate  that 
the  former  was  willing  to  contribute  liberally 
otward  the  common  defense,  for  Castro  lacked 


the  power,  if  he  had  the  will,  to  exact  from 
Valiejo  forced  contributions.  The  next  ques- 
tion to  harmonize  with  a  cheerful  desire  of 
Valiejo  to  heartily  second  Castro's  seem i no- 
patriotic  eflbrts  is,  why  was  it  that  Sonoma 
with  an  armament  of  nine  cannons  of  various 
caliber,  and  at  least  two  hundred  muskets,  was 
not  brought  into  requisitiuii  in  a  time  of  such 
great  2ierii;  It  was  to  the  east  and  north  that 
Castro  was  looking  for  lurking  danger,  and  if 
that  General  and  Valiejo  were  working  together 
in  perfect  accord  it  seems  little  short  of  aniaziuir 
that  Sonoma  was  left  to  repose  in  sleepy  security 
without  a  cannon  shotted  or  a  musket  in  hand 
or  sentinel  to  signal  the  alarm  of  an  approach- 
ing foe. 

Of  Captain  John  A.  Sutter  little  need  be 
said.  Being  a  citizen  by  naturalization,  his 
position  was  ditferent  froni  that  of  Valiejo.  It 
is  trne  he  was  holding  position  under  the  Cali- 
fornia government,  but  his  attachment  to  the 
country  of  his  adoption  never  seems  to  have 
outweighed  his  own  personal  objects  and  aims 
in  busii.ess.  But  even  he  is  not  chargeable 
with  having  been  guilty  of  gross  perfidy  to  the 
laud  that  had  given  him  wealth  and  honor. 
This  is  evidenced  by  the  two-fold  fact  that  he 
took  pains  to  warn  the  government  at  Monterey 
that  a  man  named  Gillespie,  who  had  been  at 
Monterey  and  was  then  following  Fremont 
north,  was  a  secret  emissary  of  the  United 
States.  At  the  same  time,  and  with  possibly  a 
less  patriotic  motive,  he  again  called  the  atten- 
tion of  the  California  government  to  the  im- 
portance of  strengthening  itself  in  the 
Sacramento  Valley,  and  for  that  purpose  oft'ered 
to  sell  his  establishment  at  New  Helvetia.  This, 
on  his  part,  was  business,  simon  pure,  and 
should  not  be  allowel  to  counterbalance  too 
much  of  the  good  deeds  and  kind  offices  of  that 
historic  pioneer  to  the  weary,  travel-worn 
American  immigrants,  so  many  of  whom  en- 
joyed his  benefactions.  Sutter  was  a  man  of 
pretty  good  common  sense  and  was  not  blind  to 
the  fact  that  California  was  liable  to  be  in  an 
eruptive  state  atany  moment:  and.  like  Mic.iw- 


HISTORT    OF    SONOilA    COUNTY. 


ber,  '>  was  just  waiting  tor  something  to  turn 
up."' 

It  was  now  in  early  May  of  1846,  and  Gen- 
eral Fremont,  with  his  sixty  explorers,  was  well 
on  his  way  northward,  having  pitched  camp  on 
the  shores  of  Klamath  Lake.  General  Castro, 
doubtless  elated  at  having  achieved  a  bloodless 
victory  in  taking  the  abandoned  fort  of  F'remont 
on  Gabilan  I'eak,  was  now  seeking  new  fields 
of  glory.  Pio  Pico  was  yet  in  the  south  in- 
tent upon  marshaling  a  sufficient  force  to  war- 
rant him  in  visiting  the  northern  end  of  the 
Territory  of  which  he  was  governor.  Consul 
Larkin  was  inditing  confidential  epistles  to  all 
such  as  to  whom  he  thontrlit  could  be  entrusted 
the  secret  and  work  of  peaceable  annexation  of 
California  to  the  United  States.  General  il.  G. 
Vallejo  was  in  quiet  repose  at  Sonoma,  appar- 
ently having  converted  his  sword  into  a  plow- 
share, his  spear  into  a  jiruning  hook,  and  his 
martial  field-glasses  into  a  medium  through 
which  to  watch  his  herds  and  flocks  upon  a 
thousand  hills.  Captain  John  A.  Sutter  was 
looking  after  his  fields  of  waving  grain  at  Hawk 
Farm,  doubtless  anticipating  a  paying  harvest, 
for  the  incoming  immigration  expected  from 
over  the  mountains  was  variously  estimated  at 
from  1,000  to  5,000  souls.  The  hills  and  val- 
leys of  this  genial  clime  were  doubtless  clad  in 
verdure  and  flowers;  and  yet  the  very  air  was 
oppi'essive  with  the  forecast  of  revolution  and 
sanguinary  strife. 

A  new  Richmond,  with  closed  visor,  had  now 
appeared  upon  the  field.  He  anewered  to  the 
plain  name  of  Archibald  II.  Gillespie,  amd  had 
reached  Monterey  the  17th  of  April.  Larkin 
had  already  received  a  letter  from  James  Bu- 
chanan, the  then  Secretary  of  State,  informing 
him  that,  "  Lieutenant  Archibald  II.  Gillespie, 
of  the  marine  corps,  will  immediately  proceed  to 
Monterey,  and  will  probably  reach  you  before 
this  dispatch.  He  is  a  gentleman  in  whom  the 
President  reposes  entire  confidence.  He  has 
seen  these  instructions,  and  will  co-operate  as  a 
confidential  agent  with  you  in  carrying  them 
into  execution."'     Gillespie  was  a  month  behind 


time  in  reaching  Monterey  in  consequence  of 
unavoidable  delays  in  Mexico.  That  his  dis- 
patches to  Larkin  were  of  a  very  important 
and  secret  character  is  evidenced  by  the  fact 
that  lest  they  might  fall  into  Mexican  hands, 
Gillespie  had  memorized  them  and  then  de- 
stroyed the  paper  upon  which  they  were  written. 
On  reaching  Monterey  he  was  plain  Mr.  Gilles- 
pie, an  American  merchant,  traveling  for  the 
benefit  of  his  health.  He  was  also  the  bearer 
of  a  letter  of  introduction  from  Hon.  Thonjas 
H.  Benton  to  his  son-in-law.  General  Fremont, 
as  well  as  a  package  of  private  letters  from  the 
same  distinguished  statesman  to  the  "  Path- 
finder." After  lingering  a  little  at  Monterey, 
doubtless  to  give  color  to  his  assumed  character, 
Lieutenant  Gillespie  one  night  embarked  for 
New  Helvetia,  and  arriving  there  at  once  began 
to  arrange  for  an  escort  to  accompany  him  on 
the  trail  of  Fi-emont.  It  was  then,  as  already 
stated,  that  Captain  Sutter  conveyed  to  the  au- 
thorities at  Monterey  his  suspicion  that  Gilles- 
pie was  a  secret  emissary  of  the  United  States 
Government.  Lieutenant  Gillespie  made  all 
haste  northward.  Historian  Bancroft  gives  the 
following  graphic  account  of  this  journey  and 
the  tragic  occurrences  attending  it: 

"This  officer,  of  whose  arrival  I  will  have  more 
to  say  presently,  had  reached  Sutter's  April 
28th,  and  Lassen's  the  1st  of  May.  From  that 
point,  with  only  five  companions,  Lassen,  Xeal, 
Sigler,  Stepp  and  a  negro  servant  named  Ben, 
he  started  May  2d,  on  Fremont's  trail.  On  the 
7th  two  men  were  sent  in  advance,  and  the 
others  encamped  at  the  outlet  of  Klamath  Lake, 
unable  to  ford  the  river,  and  having  nothing  to 
eat  for  forty  hours.  On  the  morning  of  the  Oth 
a  party  of  Indians  made  their  appearance,  who, 
with  great  apparent  kindness,  gave  the  travelers 
a  fresli  salmon  for  food,  and  ferried  them  ovei- 
the  water  in  canoes.  After  a  day's  journey  of 
some  thirty  miles,  (iillespie  met  Fremont  at 
sunset,  at  a  stream  named  from  the  events  of 
that  night.  Ambuscade  Creek.  The  sixteen 
tired  travelers  retired  early  after  the  two  parties 
were  united  on  May  9th,  and  were  soon  sleep- 


UrsTDRT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


iiig  souiully-  Freiuoiit  sitting  up  later  than  the 
rest  to  read  his  dispatches  and  letters  from 
liome.  The  Indians  were  deemed  friendly,  and 
no  watch  was  kept.  Just  before  midnight  the 
cam])  was  attacked  by  savages,  Basil  Lajeunesse 
and  a  Delaware  were  killed  as  they  slept,  by 
Itlows  from  axes.  The  sound  of  these  blows 
aroused  Carson  and  Owens,  who  gave  the  alarm; 
when  the  Indians  fled,  after  killing  with  their 
arrows  a  Delaware  named  Crane,  and  leaving 
(lead  a  chief  of  their  number,  who  proved  to  be 
the  very  man  from  whom  Gillespie  had  that 
morning  been  furnislied  with  food  and  aid 
further  south.  Next  morning  they  started 
northward  to  join  the  main  body,  burying  the 
bodies  of  their  slain  comrades  on  the  way.  The 
whole  party  started  on  the  lltli  down  the  east- 
ern side  of  the  lake,  wreaking  terrible  vengeance 
on  the  innocent  natives  along  the  route,  if  we 
may  credit  the  statement  of  Kit  Carson,  who 
played  a  leading  part  in  the  butcheries.  They 
reached  Lassen's  rancho  on  their  return  the 
24th,  and  a  few  days  later  moved  their  camp 
down  to  the  Buttes." 

This  awakens  the  reflection  that  the  greatest 
of  human  events  are  subject  to  the  modifying 
influence  of  currents  and  cross-currents;  for  had 
the  Indians  who  made  that  midnight  attack  been 
successful  in  their  evident  design  to  massacre 
all  in  that  unguarded  camp,  it  is  more  than 
probable  that  the  bear  flag  revolution  would 
never  have  formed  a  chapter  of  Sonoma  County 
history.  Mr.  Bancroft  expresses  the  opinion 
that  Gillespie's  meeting  with  Fremont  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  latter's  return  north- 
ward— that  ''  the  Captain  had  nearly  deter- 
mined, on  account  of  the  difiiculty  of  crossing 
the  mountains  into  Oregon  on  account  of  the 
snow,"'  to  retrace  his  steps.  We  dissent  from 
this  view  of  the  subject.  If  Gillespie  was  only 
the  bearer  of  instructions  to  Fremont  couched 
in  the  same  language  of  diplomacy  as  that  used 
by  Secretary  Buchanan  in  imparting  to  Larkin 
the  duties  devolved  u])on  him  by  the  President, 
then  the  continued  presence  of  Fremont  could 
have  served  no  good  end.     In  truth,  his  con- 


tinued presence  would  be  detrimental  to  the 
very  object  Larkin  was  expected  to  achieve. 
Gillespie  must  have  had  full  knowledge  of  what 
Fremont  had  done  at  Gabilon  Peak,  and  as  he 
was  the  duly  accredited  secret  agent  of  the 
United  States  government  it  is  but  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  he  would  have  at  least  some  ad- 
visory influence  with  Fremont.  Then,  again, 
Fremont  and  Larkin  were  occupying  entirely 
difterent  positions,  and  it  is  quite  probable  that 
while  the  latter  was  expected  only  to  use  the 
weapons  of  diplomacy,  the  former  may  have 
been  accorded  discretionary  power,  if  circum- 
stances seemed  to  warrant,  to  use  more  weighty 
arguments.  But  outside  of  all  this  it  must  be 
remembered  that  Gillespie  had  placed  in  Fre- 
mont's hands  letters  from  Hon.  Thomas  II. 
Benton.  The  latter  was  just  as  near  to  the 
war-making  power  as  was  James  Buchanan,  antl 
he  was  under  no  trammel  to  measure  his  words 
with  red  tape.  While  he  was  not  in  a  position 
to  give  Fremont  either  instructions  or  orders,  it 
is  fair  to  presume  that  he  would  intimate  to  the 
husband  of  his  favorite  daughter  the  true  con- 
dition of  affairs  and  impress  upon  him  the  im- 
portance of  holding  himself  in  readiness  to 
improve  any  opportunities,  such  as  were  liable 
to  suddenly  arise,  for  preferment  and  position. 
To  believe  that  Fremont  had  an}'  serious  in- 
tention of  leaving  California  just  at  a  time  when 
he  mnst  have  known  that  right  here  and  then 
he  was  upon  the  very  eve  of  the  fruition  of  Ben- 
ton's most  ardent  expectation,  would  be  to  im- 
pute to  him  a  lack  of  regard  for  name  and  fame 
singularly  at  variance  with  reputed  character  of 
either  himself  or  Mr.  Benton. 

But  we  now  put  behind  us  matters  specula 
tive  and  enter  upon  the  domain  of  thrilling 
facts.  During  Fremont's  absence  north  there 
were  all  kinds  of  wild  rumors  afloat,  and  they 
lost  nothing  as  they  passed  from  mouth  to 
mouth.  Castro's  war  preparations  had  been 
magnifled  into  an  expressed  purpose  on  his  part 
to  drive  the  American  settlers  out  of  the  coun- 
try. It  was  rumored  and  so  believed,  that  the 
Indians  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  were  being 


BISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


incited  tu  an  iiprisiiifr  and  tliat  as  soon  as  the 
grain  fields  were  far  enough  advanced  to  be 
conihustible,  llie  torch  woiikl  be  applied.  Cap- 
tain Sutter  seems  to  have  given  credence  to 
these  stories,  tor  he  was  on  an  active  Indian 
campaign  against  some  of  tlie  lawless  tribes. 
Fremont  had  moved  camp  from  the  IJuttes  to 
Rear  Iliver,  near  where  Nicholas  now  stands.  It 
was  but  natural  that  his  camp  should  become 
tile  head  centre,  around  which  the  hopes  and  ex- 
pectations of  his  fellow-countrymen  should  clus- 
ter. The  settlers  knew  that  Gillespie  was  act- 
ing upon  some  authority  of  the  United  States 
government,  and  his  swift  haste  northward  af- 
ter Fremont,  and  the  latter's  e(j^ually  speedy  re- 
turn, had  to  them  a  significance  that  they  were 
close  to  exciting  times.  There  is  nothing  of  re- 
cord to  show  that  General  Fremont  either  coun- 
selled action,  or  quiet,  on  the  part  of  American 
settlers.  He  seems  to  have  been  a  passive  lis- 
tener to  the  recital  of  their  plans  and  grievances, 
but  somehow,  the  most  unlettered  of  those 
frontiersmen,  gathered  from  his  very  silence, 
assent  that  he  would  stand  between  tliem  and 
harm.  The  people  were  ripe  for  revolution  and 
the  favored  chance  to  strike  the  first  blow  op- 
portunely came. 

As  has  already  been  stated,  General  Castro's 
visit  to  General  Vallejo  in  the  first  week  of  June 
resulted  in  his  securing  170  horses.  Having 
achieved  this  much  toward  placing  himself  up- 
on a  stable  war  footing,  Castro  returned  by  boat 
to  Yerba  Buena,  entrusting  the  horses  to  the 
care  and  management  of  his  private  secretary, 
Francisco  Arce,  Lieutenant  Jose  Alaria  Alviso, 
and  an  escort  of  eight  men  for  safe  conduct  to 
Santa  Clara.  Leaving  Sonoma  with  the  l>and 
of  horses,  they  reached  what  is  now  Knight's 
Landing,  on  the  Sacramento  Iliver,  where  a 
crossing  was  effected,  and  on  June  8tli  they 
reached  Sutter's  Fort.  It  is  alleged  that  Arce 
told  some  one  on  his  I'oute  that  the  horses  were 
for  Castro,  and  to  he  used  in  driving  the  Amer- 
ican settlers  out;  but  this  was  probably  idle 
rumor.  But  whether  true  or  not,  it  served  to  in- 
tensify the  excitement,  which  was  now  at  about 


white  heat.  On  the  afternoon  of  June  9tii, 
eleven  or  twelve  Americans  started  on  the  trail 
of  Arce  and  Alviso  and  their  band  of  horses. 
These  men  are  said  to  have  started  from  the 
neighborhood  of  Fremont's  camp,  and  a  man 
named  Ilensley  is  the  authority  that  they  were 
sent  by  Fremont;  but  this  lacks  the  evidence 
that  should  back  a  historic  fact.  In  j)assing  New 
Helvetia,  this  company  was  increased  by  two 
new  recruits.  Ezekiel  Merritt  commanded  the 
expedition.  Of  its  members,  Sempel,  Henry  L. 
Ford  and  Granville  V.  Swift,  afterward  for 
long  years  a  resident  of  Sonoma  County,  are 
the  only  names  known  with  certainty.  Cross- 
ing the  American  River  late  iu  the  evening, 
they  made  their  first  stop  at  the  rancho  of  Allen 
Montgomery,  who  not  only  furnished  them  a 
supper,  but  he,  with  another  man,  accompanied 
them  to  lend  a  hand  at  striking  this  first  blow 
of  revolution.  Arce  and  Alviso  had  stopped  for 
the  night  at  the  rancho  of  Murphy,  using  his 
corral  for  their  horses.  Merritt  and  his  men 
camped  within  three  miles  of  the  place,  and  at 
early  dawn,  on  the  morning  of  the  ever  memor- 
able lOtli  of  June,  184:6,  swooped  down  upon 
the  unsuspecting  Arce  and  Alviso,  and  in  a 
trice  had  them  and  their  men  disarmed.  That 
Merritt  and  his  men  were  not  heartless  desper- 
adoes is  apparant  from  the  fact  that  they  allowed 
the  vanquished  to  retain  each  a  horse,  and  recog- 
nized Alviso's  claim  to  a  few  more  as  private 
property;  after  which  their  arms  were  restored 
to  them  and  they  were  made  the  bearers  of  a 
message  to  Castro,  that  if  he  wanted  his  horses 
he  could  come  after  them.  Arce  also  reported 
to  Castro  that  the  insurgents  had  declared  their 
purpose  to  take  Sonoma.  This  declaration  of 
their  intent  was  a  subject  of  official  announce- 
ment at  Monterey  two  days  before  Sonoma  was 
captured,  wliicli  proves  that  Arce  and  Alviso 
had  not  falsely  reported  the  utterance  of  Merritt 
and  his  followers.  The  revolutionists,  with  their 
band  of  horses,  were  back  to  the  neighborhood 
of  Fremont's  camp  within  forty-eight  hours  af- 
ter they  set  out  on  their  mission.  While  there 
seems  to  have  been   no  ]>reconcerted  action  on 


HISTonr    (IF    .sONfiMA     COUNTY. 


the  part  u\'  tlie  Aniuricau  settlers  in  this  high- 
handed act,  tliey  all  seemed  to  have  assented  to 
the  fact  tliat  tlie  bridges  had  been  burned  behind 
them,  and  all  they  had  to  do  now  was  to 
"light  it  out  on  that  line  if  it  took  them  all 
summer." 

It  was  the  lltli  of  June  that  Merritt  and  his 
followers  returned  with  Castro's  horses.  They 
seem  to  have  acted  on  the  principle  of  '•  making 
hay  while  the  sun  shines,"  for  on  that  afternoon 
the  company  was  increased  to  twenty  men,  still 
led  by  lizekiel  ilerritt,  who  took  their  departure 
in  the  direction  of  Sonoma.  That  night  they 
reached  Gordon's  on  Cache  Creek  where  they 
halted  for  refreshments,  and  then  made  a  night 
march  to  Napa  Valley,  which  they  reached  on 
the  forenoon  of  June  12th.  In  Napa  Valley 
they  remained  two  days,  evidently  for  the  pur- 
pose of  strengthening  their  force;  which  they 
did  by  the  enrollment  of  twelve  or  thirteen 
additional  men.  The  force  now  numbered 
either  thirty-two  or  thirty-three,  who,  so  far  as 
is  now  ascertainable,  i-esponded  to  the  following 
names:  Ezekiel  Merritt,  AVilliam  B.  Ide,  John 
Grigsby,  Robert  Semple,  II.  L.  Ford,  William 
Todd,  William  Fullon,  William  Knight,  Will- 
iam Ilargrave,  Sam  Kelsey,  G.  F.  Swift,  Sam 
Gibson,  W.  W.  Scott,  Benj.  Dewell,  Thomas 
Cowie,  William  B.  Elliott,  Thomas  Knight, 
Horace  Sanders,  Henry  Booker,  Dav.  Hudson, 
John  Sears,  and  most  of  the  following:  J.  II. 
Kelly,  C.  C.  Griffith,  Harvey  Porterfield,  John 
Scott,  Ira  Stebbins,  Marion  Wise,  Ferguson, 
I'eter  Storm,  Pat.  McChristian,  Bartlett  Vines, 
Fowler,  Jolin  Gibbs,  Andrew  Kelsey,  and  Benj- 
amin Kelsey.  It  was  about  midnight  of  Satur- 
day the  13tli  of  June  that  this  motley  crowd  of 
frontiersmen  took  to  saddle  and  proceeded  across 
the  hills  intervening  between  Napa  Valley  and 
the  Pueblo  of  Sonoma.  J  ust  at  break  of  day 
they  reached  that  fortified  stronghold  of  north- 
ern California,  and  neither  baying  of  watch- 
dog nor  cackling  of  goose  ai'oused  the  sleeping 
Sonomans  to  a  sense  of  impending  danger. 
Every  reader  will  e.xpect  to  hear,  in  detail,  ex- 
actly wh;it  transpired  on  that  memorable  occa- 


sion. Hubert  Howe  Bancroft  has  in  his  pos- 
session many  of  the  original  documents  con- 
nected with  that  event,  or  authenticated  copies. 
He  is  certainly  in  a  position  to  give  as  near  the 
absolute  facts  in  connection  therewith  as  will 
ever  be  attaiiiable,  as  very  many  of  the  partici- 
pants in  the  capture  of  Sonoma  are  now  dead. 
We  have  had  from  General  Vallejo's  own  lips 
a  statement  of  the  individual  part  he  played  in 
the  event,  and  it  is  substantially  the  same  as 
recited  by  Mr.  Bancroft.  Believing  that  hist- 
orian Bancroft  gives  a  true  and  reliable  version 
of  the  whole  occurrence  we  incorporate  it  here. 
It  is  as  follows: 

''  At  dayl)reak  Vallejo  was  aroused  by  a  noise, 
and  on  looking  out  saw  that  his  house  was  sur- 
rounded by  armed  men.  This  state  of  things 
was  sufficiently  alarming  in  itself,  and  all  the 
more  so  by  reason  of  the  uncouth  and  even  fero- 
cious aspect  of  the  strangers.  Says  Semple: 
Almost  the  whole  party  was  dressed  in  leather 
hunting-shirts,  many  of  them  very  greasy;  tak- 
ing the  whole  party  together,  they  were  about 
as  rough  a  looking  set  of  men  as  one  could  well 
imagine.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  any 
one  woiild  feel  some  dread  in  falling  into  their 
hands.  And  Vallejo  himself  declares  that 
there  was  l)y  no  means  such  a  uniformit}-  of 
dress  as  a  greasy  hunting-shirt  for  each  man 
would  imply.  Vallejo's  wife  was  even  more 
alarmed  than  her  husband,  whom  she  begged  to 
escape  by  a  back  door,  but  who  deeming  such  a 
course  undignified  as  well  as  impracticaljle, 
hastily  dressed,  ordered  the  front  door  opened, 
and  met  the  intruders  as  they  entered  his  sala, 
demanding  who  was  their  chief  and  what  their 
business.  Not  much  progress  in  explanation 
was  made  at  first,  though  it  soon  became  appar- 
ent that  the  Colonel,  wdiile  he  was  to  consider 
himself  a  prisoner  was  not  in  danger  of  any  per- 
sonal violence.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Prudon  and 
Captain  Salvador  Vallejo  entered  the  room  a  few- 
minutes  later,  attracted  by  the  noise,  or  possibly 
were  arrested  at  their  houses  and  brought  there; 
at  any  rate,  they  were  put  under  arrest  like  the 
Colonel.     Jacob  P.  Leese  was  sent  for  to  serve 


niSTORT    OP   SONOMA    COtTNTT. 


as  interpreter,  after  whicli  imitnal  expliuiations 
progresised  more  favorably. 

•'  Early  in  the  ensuing  negotiations  between 
prisoners  and  filibusters,  it  became  apparent 
that  the  latter  had  neither  acknowledged  leader 
nor  regular  plan  of  operations  beyond  the  seizure 
of  government  projjerty  and  of  the  officers. 
Some  were  acting,  as  in  the  capture  of  Arce's 
horses,  merely  with  a  view  to  obtain  arms, 
animals,  and  hostage — to  bring  about  hostilities, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  deprive  the  foe  of  his 
resources;  others  believed  themselves  to  have, 
undertaken  a  revolution,  in  which  the  steps  to 
be  immediately  taken  were  a  formal  declaration 
of  independence  and  the  election  of  officers, 
Merritt  l)eing  regarded  rather  as  a  guide  than 
captain.  All  seemed  to  agree,  however,  that 
they  were  acting  under  Fremont's  orders,  and 
this  to  the  prisoners  was  the  most  assuring  feat- 
ure in  the  case,  ^'allejo  had  for  some  time 
favored  the  annexation  of  California  to  the 
United  States.  He  had  expected  and  often 
predicted  a  movement  to  that  end.  There  is  no 
foundation  for  the  suspicion  that  the  taking  of 
Sonoma  and  his  own  capture  were  planned  by 
himself,  in  collusion  with  the  filibuster  chiefs, 
with  a  view  to  evade  responsibility;  yet  it  is  cer- 
tain that  he  had  little  if  any  objection  to  an  en- 
forced arrest  by  officers  of  the  United  States  as  a 
means  of  escaping  from  the  delicacy  of  his  posi- 
tion as  a  Mexican  officer.  Accordingly,  being 
assured  that  the  insurgents  were  acting  under 
Fremont,  he  submitted  to  arrest,  gave  up  keys 
to  public  property,  and  entered  upon  negotia- 
tions with  a  view  to  obtain  guarantees  of  protec- 
tion for  non-combatants. 

"The  guarantees  sought  were  then  drawn  up 
in  writing  and  signed  by  the  respective  parties. 
The  originals  of  those  documents  are  in  my 
possession,  and  are  given  in  a  note." 

The  following  are  the  documents  referred  to 
by  Mr.  Bancroft: 

"Sonoma,  June  14,  184G. 

"Be  it  known  by  these  presents,  that,  having 
been  surprised  by  a  numerous  armed  force 
wiiich  took  me  j)risoner,.  witli  the  chief  and  offi- 


cers belonging  to  the  garrison  of  this  place  that 
the  said  force  took  possession  of,  having  found 
it  absolutely  defenseless,  myself  as  well  as  the 
undersigned  officers  pledge  our  word  of  lienor 
that,  being  under  the  guarantees  of  prisoners  of 
war,  we  will  not  take  up  arms  for  or  against  the 
said  armed  forces,  from  whlcli  we  have  received 
the  present  intimation,  and  a  signed   writing 
which  guarantees  our  lives,  families,  and  prop- 
erty, and  those  of  all  the  residents  of  this  ju- 
risdiction, so  long  as  we  make  no  opposition. 
M.  J.  Valle,to, 
Victor  Prudon, 
Sai.vadot;  Yai.i.e.io.''' 

"  We,  the  undersigned,  have  resolved  to  es- 
tablish a  government  of  on  (upon?)  republican 
principles,  in  connection  with  others  of  our 
fellow-citizens,  and  having  taken  up  arms  to 
support  it,  we  have  taken  three  Mexican  officers 
as  prisoners,  Gen.  M.  J.  Vallejo,  Lieut. -Col. 
Victor  Prudon,  and  Capt.  D.  Salvador  Vallejo. 
having  formed  and  published  to  the  world  no 
regular  plan  of  governi^ent,  feel  it  our  duty  to 
say  it  is  not  our  intention  to  take  or  injure  any 
person  who  is  not  found  in  opposition  to  the 
cause,  nor  will  we  take  or  destroy  the  property 
of  private  indi\;iduals  further  than  is  necessary 
for  our  support.  Ezekiel  Merritt, 

R.  Semple, 
William  Fallox, 
Samiel  Kelsay." 

Mr.  Bancroft,  continuing  says:  "It  was 
natui-ally  to  be  expected,  under  the  circum- 
stances, that  the  arrested  officers  would  be  re- 
leased on  parole.  Such  was  evidently  the  view 
taken  on  both  sides  at  first.  Ford  says  there 
were  some  who  favored  such  a  course.  Leese. 
who  had  the  best  opportunities  for  understand- 
ing the  matter,  and  who  gives  a  more  detailed 
account  than  any  other  writer,  tells  us  that 
such  a  decision  was  reached;  and  finally,  the 
documents  which  I  iiave  presented,  Nos.  1  and 
2,  being  to  all  intents  and  purposes  regular  pa- 
role papers,  leave  no  doubt  u])on  the  subject. 
But    ut)W    difficulties    arose,    resjtectiiig    some 


HISTORY    OF    .SONOMA    COUNTY. 


phase  of  which  there  is  contradictory  testi- 
inony. 

"Thus  far  only  a  few  of  tlie  insurgent  leaders 
had  entered,  or  at  least  remained  in  the  house; 
and  the  negotiations  liad  in  reality  been  con- 
ducted bj  Semple  and  Leese  very  much  in  their 
own  way.  Ide  testifies  that  Merritt,  Semple 
and  Wm.  Knight,  the  latter  accompanying  the 
expedition  merely  as  an  interpreter,  were  the 
first  to  eTiter  the  house,  while  the  rest  waited 
outside;  that  presently  hearing  nothing,  they 
became  impatient,  determined  to  choose  a  cap- 
tain, ami  elected  John  (Trigsl)y,  who  thereupon 
went  in;  and  after  waiting  what  appeared  an 
age,  the  men  again  lost  patience  and  called  upon 
the  writer,  Ide,  to  go  and  investigate  the  causes 
of  delav.  Now  the  discrepancies  in  testimony 
begin.  Ide  describes  the  slate  of  things  which 
met  his  view  as  follows:  'The  General's  gen- 
erous spirits  gave  proof  of  his  usual  hospitality, 
as  the  richest  wines  and  brandies  sparkled  in 
the  glasses,  and  those  who  had  thus  uncere- 
moniously met  soon  became  merry  companions; 
more  especially  the  merry  visitors.  There  sat 
Dr.  S.,  just  modifying  a  long  string  of  articles 
of  capitulation.  There  sat  ]V[erritt,  his  head 
fallen;  there  sat  Knight,  no  longer  able  to  in- 
terpret; and  there  sat  the  new-made  captain,  as 
mute  as  the  seat  he  sat  upon.  The  bottles  had 
well-nigh  vantpiished  the  captors!'  Leese  also 
states  that  the  brandy  was  a  potent  factor  in 
that  morning's  event;  but  aeconling  to  his  ver- 
sion, it  was  on  the  company  outside  that  its  in- 
lluence  was  e.xerted,  rendering  them  noisy  and 
unmanageable,  though  an  effort  had  been  made 
by  his  advice  to  put  the  liquor  out  of  reach.  I 
do  not,  however,  deem  it  at  all  likely  that  the 
leaders  drank  more  than  it  was  customary  to 
drink  in  a  Californian's  parlor,  or  more  than 
tliey  could  carry;  but  that  some  of  the  rough 
characters  in  the  company  became  into.xicated 
we  may  well  believe. 

"At  any  rate,  disagreement  ensued,  the  men 
refused  entirely  to  ratify  the  capitulation  made 
by  their  former  leaders,  insisting  that  the  pris- 
oners must  be  sent  to  the  Sacramento;   some  of 


them  were  inclined  to  be  insubordinate  and 
eager  for  plunder;  while  the  lawless  spirits  were 
restrained  from  committing  outrages  by  the 
eloquence  of  Semple  and  the  voice  of  the  ma- 
jority; yet  the  leaders  could  not  agree.  Cap- 
tain Grigsby  declined  to  retain  the  leadership 
that  had  been  conferred  upon  him.  So  William 
B.  Ide  was  chosen  in  his  stead,  and  the  revolu- 
tionists immediately  took  possession  of  all  pub- 
lic property,  as  well  as  of  such  horses  and  other 
private  property  as  they  needed,  at  the  same 
time  locking  up  all  citizens  that  could  be  found. 
It  would  seem  that  the  second  of  the  documents 
I  have  presented  was  torn,  and  the  third  drawn 
up  and  signed  at  an  early  stage  of  the  disagree- 
ments, after  it  became  apparent  that  it  might  be 
best  to  send  the  prisoners  to  the  Sacramento, 
the  signatures  showing  that  it  could  not  have 
been  later.  Vallejo,  though  not  encouraged  at 
seeing  that  the  leaders  were  not  j)ermitted  by 
their  followers  to  keep  their  promises,  was  not 
very  much  displeased  at  being  sent  to  New 
Helvetia.  He  was  assured  that  the  insurgents 
were  acting  by  Fremont's  orders;  his  own  views 
were  known  to  be  favorable  to  the  schemes  of 
the  United  States;  and  he  had  no  reason  to 
doubt  that  on  meeting  Fremont  he  and  his 
companions  would  at  once  be  released  on  parole. 
"Before  the  departure  of  the  prisoners  and 
their  escort  a  formal  meeting  of  the  revolution- 
ists was  held.  That  Semple,  secretary,  made  a 
speech  counselling  united  action  and  modera- 
tion in  the  treatment  of  the  natives,  and  that 
William  B.  Ide  was  chosen  captain,  is  all  that 
is  known  of  this  meeting,  except  what  we  may 
learn  from  Ide'  snarrative.  The  leaders  differed 
in  their  ideas,  not  only  respecting  the  dispo- 
sition to  be  made  of  the  prisoners,  but  about 
the  chief  object  of  the  movement.  Evidently 
there  had  been  no  definitely  arranged  plan  of 
operations.  Fremont  bad  succeeded  in  bring- 
ing about  a  state  of  open  hostility  without 
committing  himself.  Some  of  the  men  re- 
garded their  movement  as  merely  intended  to 
provoke  Castro  to  inake  an  attack  on  Fremont; 
or  at  least   they   dreaded   the   responsibility  of 


IIIHTORY    OF    SONOMA    CdUNfy. 


engaging  in  a  regular  revDJution,  especially 
when  it  was  learned  that  no  one  con  Id  produce 
any  definite  pi-omise  from  Fremont  in  black  and 
wl'.ite  to  support  such  a  movement.  Others 
were  in  favor  of  an  immediate  declaration  of 
independence.  That  such  differences  of  opinion 
did  exist  as  Ide  states,  is  in  itself  by  no  means 
improbable;  and  it  is  confirmed  to  some  extent 
by  the  fact  that  Grigsby  did  resign  his  leader- 
ship, and  by  the  somewhat  strange  circumstance 
that  three  such  prominent  men  as  Grigsby, 
]\Ierritt  and  Semple  should  have  left  Sonoma  to 
accompany  the  prisoners.  Ide  writes  that  when 
Grigsby  heard  that  no  positive  orders  from 
Fremont  could  be  produced,  liis  fears  of  doing 
wrong  overcame  his  patriotism,  and  he  inter- 
rupted the  speaker  by  saying:  '  (Tcntlemen,  I 
have  been  deceived;  I  cannot  go  with  you;  I 
resign  and  back  out  of  the  scrape.  I  can  take 
my  family  to  the  mountains  as  cheap  as  any  of 
you' — and  Dr.  S.  at  that  moment  led  liim  into 
the  house.  Disorder  and  confusion  prevailed. 
One  swore  he  would  not  stay  and  guard  the 
prisoners;  another  swore  we  would  all  have  our 
throats  cut;  another  called  for  fresh  horses;  and 
all  were  on  the  move,  every  man  for  himself, 
when  the  speaker  [Ide]  resumed  liis  efforts, 
raising  his  voice  louder  and  more  loud,  as  tlie 
men  receded  from  the  place,  saying:  '  We  need 
no  horses;  saddle  no  horse  for  me;  I  can  go  to 
the  Spaniards  and  make  freemen  of  them.  I  will 
lay  my  bones  here  before  I  will  take  upon  my- 
self the  ignominy  of  commencing  an  honorable 
work  and  tlien  flee  like  cowards,  like  thieves, 
when  no  enemy  is  in  sight.  In  vain  will  you 
say  yon  had  honorable  motives.  Who  will  be- 
lieve if?  Flee  this  day,  and  the  longest  life 
cannot  wear  out  your  disgrace!  Choose  ye  this 
day  what  you  will  be!  We  are  robbers  or  we 
must  becon<[uerors! '  and  the  speaker  in  despair 
turned  his  back  on  liis  receding  conqianions. 
With  new  hope  they  rallied  around  the  despond- 
ing speaker,  made  him  their  commander,  their 
cliief;  and  his  next  words  commanded  the 
taking  of  the  fort."  Subsequently  "  the  three 
leaders  of  the  party   of  the    pi'imitive    plan    of 


'  neutral  eonrpiest '  left  us  alone  in  our  glory." 
I  find  no  reason  to  doubt  that  this  version, 
though  somewhat  highly  colored,  is  in  sub- 
stance accurate;  that  Merritt,  having  captured 
horses  and  prisoners,  was  content  to  rest  on  his 
laurels;  that  Grigsby  was  timid  about  assuming 
the  responsibility  of  declaring  independence 
without  a  positive  assurance  of  Fremont's  co- 
operation; that  Semple,  while  in  favor  of  inde- 
pen  lence,  preferred  that  Sacramento  should  be 
the  center  of  operations,  uidess — what  Vallejo 
and  Leese  also  favored — Fremont  could  be  in- 
duced to  establish  his  headquarters  at  Sonoma; 
or  finally,  that  Ide  and  his  associate  influenced 
the  majority  to  complete  their  revolutionary 
work  and  take  no  backward  steps.  I  think,  how- 
ever, that  Ide  and  all  the  rest  counted  con- 
fidently on  Fremont's  support;  and  that  Semple 
and  Grigsby  were  by  no  means  regarded  as 
abandoning  the  cause  when  they  left  Sonoma. 

"It  was  about  11  a.  m.,  on  June  14th,  when 
the  three  prisoners,  accompanied  by  Leese  us 
interpreter  at  their  request  and  that  of  the 
captors — not  himself  a  prisoner  as  has  been 
generally  stated — and  guarded  by  Grigsby, 
Semple,  Merritt,  Ilargrave,  Knight  and  four  of 
five  others,  started  on  horses  from  Yallejo's 
herds  for  the  Sacramento.  It  will  be  most 
convenient  to  follow  them  before  proceeding  to 
narrate  later  developments  at  Sonoma.  Before 
starting,  and  on  the  way,  Vallejo  was  often 
questioned  by  ('alifornians  as  to  the  situation  of 
afiairs;  but  could  only  counsel  them  to  i-emain 
quiet,  announcing  that  he  would  probably 
return  within  four  or  live  days.  His  idea  was 
that  Fremont,  after  releasing  hiin  and  his 
companions  on  parole,  might  be  induced  to 
establish  his  headquarters  at  Sonoma,  an  idea 
shared  by  Semple,  Grigsby  and  Leese.  Relations 
between  captives  and  captors  were  altogether 
friendly,  except  in  the  case  of  some  hostile 
feeling  among  a  few  individuals  against  Don 
Salvador. 

"  They  encamjied  that  night  at  Yaca's  rancho. 
No  special  pains  wei-e  taken  to  guanl  the  prison- 
ers, who,   with    Leese,  slept  on  a  |)ilf   of  >li:iw 


UIsroRY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


near  tlie  camp.  Yallejo  had  desired  to  travel 
all  night;  luit  the  men  declined  to  do  so,  having 
had  no  sleep  the  night  before.  Before  dawn  on 
the  morning  of  the  loth,  a  Californian  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  cai)tives,  and  informed  Yallejo 
tha't  a  company  of  his  countrymen  had  been 
organized  to  effect  his  rescue,  and  only  awaited 
his  orders.  The  Colonel  refused  to  permit  such 
an  attempt  to  be  made,  both  because  he  had  no 
reason  to  fear  any  unpleasant  results  from  his 
enforced  visit  to  the  Sacramento,  and  because 
he  feared  retaliation  at  Sonoma  in  case  an 
attempt  to  escape  should  bring  harm  to  any  of 
the  guards.  On  the  15th  the  party  reached 
Hardy's  place  on  the  Sacramento.  Here  Merritt 
left  the  others,  intending  to  visit  Fremont's  camp 
and  return  next  morning,  but  as  he  did  not 
come  back  Leese,  with  one  companion,  started 
in  the  forenoon  of  the  Itith,  also  in  quest  of 
Fremont.  Arriving  at  Allgeier's  place,  they 
Ioarne<l   that  the  Captain    had    moved  his  camp 


to  the  American  River;  and  starting  for  that 
point,  they  rejoined  their  companions  before 
arrival.  Here  Grigsby  presented  an  order  from 
Fremont  for  Leese's  arrest,  for  which,  so  far  as 
known,  no  explanation  was  given. 

"  Late  in  the  afternoon  they  reached  the 
camp,  and  the  prisoners  were  brought  into  the 
presence  of  Fremont.  That  officer's  reception 
of  them  was  very  different  from  what  had  been 
anticipated.  His  words  and  manner  were  re- 
served and  mysterious.  He  denied  when 
Yallejo  demanded  for  what  offenses  and  by 
what  authority  he  had  caused  their  arrest,  that 
he  was  in  any  way  responsible  for  what  had 
been  done;  declared  tiiat  thej'  were  prisoners  of 
the  people,  who  had  been  driven  to  revolt  for 
self-protection;  refused  to  accept  their  paroles, 
and  sent  them  that  same  night,  under  a  guard 
composed  in  part  if  not  wholly  of  his  own 
men — Kit  Carson  and  Merritt  being  sent  in  ad- 
vance— to  be  locked  up  at  Sutter's  Furt." 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    C0VNT7. 


^'  THE  BEAB  FLAG  STABUl  STRIPES.  ^, 

■  ■     11     ■■     H     K»    aA^H    IX   l\    II    H 


CTIAPTEK  VII. 


ThK    PRISONKES    OCT    iiF    TIIK    WAY,    THE     REVOLrTIONIt^TS    CAME    DOWN    TO    THE    SERIOUS     fONC'ERNS    OF 
FOrNDINO    A    NKW     (ioVERNMENT THEY    ADOPT     THE    BeAR    Fi.AG H(i\V    IT    WAS    MADE    AND    TiY 

'\vii(i>[ — tiii:y   have  nine  cannons  and  two  m'NDREn  muskets — Captain  Ide  issues  a  proc- 

I.AJtATInN LlinrENANT    MisSRdOX    FROM    THE    AMERICAN    MAN    OF    WAR,    PORTSMOUTH,    ARRI\ES 

AND     (JETS     ASSURANCE     FUnM     THE     KKVor.UTIONISTS      THAT     TIIKY      Wir.l.    IHO     I '( iNSTDEKATE    OE    THE 

RIGHTS   UF    THE    FORMER    CITIZKNS    (iF    SoNoMA THE    Kir,I.IN(;   OF    CowIE    AND    FoWLEE    AT    SaNTA 

IJos.v THi:  P.ATTI.E  iiF  Ol.oMI'AIJ CaSTRO  SENDS  TROOPS  ACROSS  THE  BAY A  SWIFT  MESSEN- 
GER   SENT  TO  Fremont -- Fremont    hastens  to  Sonoma    with    ninety  men  —  goes  to  San 

IvAFAICr. RETURNS     TO    SoNOMA    AND    CELEIJEATES    THE     FoURTH    OF    Jui.V     THERE — ON    THE    5th 

the  California  Battalion  organize  with  Fremont  and  Gieee;spie  as  officers — Fremon-i- 

STARTS  ON  THE  6tH  TO  HEAD  THE  BAY  AND  GO  SOUTH  AFTER  CasTRO — NEWS  HAVING  REACHED 

Captain-  MoNT(ioMEi:Y,  of  the  Portsmouth,  that  war  existed  p-etween  the  United 
States  and  Mexico,  he,  on  the  morning  of  the  9tii  of  Jui.y  dispatched  Lieutenant 
liEVEKE  TO  Sonoma    with  an  American  flag,  and  at  noon  of   that  day  the   bear    flag 

CAME    down    and    the    stars    and    stripes    went    IP. 


.g^^ENEPwAL  VALLEJO  certainly  had  a  riglit 
'livTP  to  lie  sHvprisid  at  tlie  foregoing  treatment 
W^  I'V  Fremont.  Tiiat  lie  appreciated  the 
real  condition  of  affairs  is  made  very  plain  by 
the  following  correspondence,  a  carefnl  perusal 
of  which  will  show  that  General  Vallejo,  when 
taken  prisoner  at  Sonoma,  felt  warranted  in 
looking  to  United  States  anthoritics  for  protec- 
tion. From  John  B.  Montgomery,  command- 
ing United  States  ship  Portsmouth,  he  certainly 
received  more  of  consideration  and  cheer  than 
from  (xeneral  Fremont,  and  yet  in  both  instances 
the  action  of  the  l>ear  Flag  party  seems  to  have 
been  repudiated  and  ignored  entirely.  Viewed 
from    tills   stniidnoint    it    is    not    a    matter    of 


wonder  that  Cajitain  Grigsby  and  others  of  the 
Bear  Flag  party  may  have  felt  a  tickling  sensa- 
tion aronnd  the  neck  when  they  ascertained 
that  their  taking  of  Sonoma  was  not  backed  by 
any  positive  anthority  from  Fremont  or  any 
body  else  clothed  with  United  States  authority. 
The  rank  and  file  of  the  Bear  Flag  party  evi- 
dently acted  npon  the  principle  that  a  "wink 
was  as  good  as  a  nod  of  assent;"  and  taking  their 
lives  in  their  hands  they  struck  the  blow,  and 
took  the  chances.  Like  John  Adams  who,  after 
affixing  his  name  to  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, remarked,  "well,  if  we  hang,  we  ail 
hang  together,"  they  captured  Sonoma,  and  left 
to  tilt'  fntiirt'   what  the  outcome  of  the  venturi' 


HISTORY    Olf    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


should  be.     Tlio  t'ollowinc;  is  tlie  eorrespinulenee 
refeiTcd  to: 

'•  HISTiiUR'AL    CoKRKSl'DNUKXCK. 

'•  (ieneral  Vallejo's  niessaye  to  Captain  Mont- 
gomery, the  daxj  of  the  capture  of  Sonoma 
—  Montijom.ery's  reply  —  Lieutenant  Miss- 
roon's  account  of  the  revolutionists — Highly 
creditahle  conduct  of  the  Bears  — ■  Ide\i 
pledge  to  Missioon. 

"  United  States  Ship  Pokts.mihtii. 
"San  Franiisco,  Au^^ust  17,  1847. 
"  My  Deae  General: — I  am  now  about  to  sail 
for  Monterey,  and  avail  myself  of  tliis  mode  of 
expressing  to  you  my  regret  that  I  shall  thus 
most  probably  be  deprived  of  seeing  you  on 
your  contemplated  visit  to  Yerba  Buena  to- 
morrow, having  anticipated  much  pleasure  from 
this  event;  Init  you  well  know  how  little  we 
servants  of  the  public  are  left  to  the  disposition 
of  our  own  time. 

'*  I  reached  the  Portsmouth  from  Sonoma  very 
coinfortably  on  Friday  last  about  ti  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  greatly  pleased  with  my  visit, 
and  gratified  by  the  very  kind  and  hospitable 
attentions  of  my  esteemed  friends  there,  the  i-e- 
membrance  of  which  I  shall  long  continue  to 
cherish. 

"  In  compliance  with  your  e.xpressed  wisiies 
while  I  was  at  Sonoma,  I  herewith  inclose  you, 
my  dear  General,  copies  of  tiie  document  for- 
warded to  yon  by  De  la  Rosa  in  tlie  commence- 
ment of  the  late  revolution,  and  those  liaving 
reference  to  Lieutenant  Missroon's  visit  to 
Sonoma  b\-  my  ordei's,  with  overtures  to  the  in- 
surgent chief  in  behalf  of  prisoners  and  the 
helpless  inhabitants  of  that  place,  which  you  are 
at  liberty  to  use  as  you  shall  think  proper. 

''  From  Monterey  it  is  most  probable  1  shall 
make  a  cruise  to  the  southward,  and  am  not 
without  hopes  of  soon  returning  with  the  pleas- 
ing intelligence  of  peace  between  the  United 
States  and  Mexico,  which  I  feel  assured  will  be 
most  welcome  tidings  for  you  and  all  who  are 
interested  in  the  prosperity  of  California. 

''  Be  pleased  to  present  my  most  respectful  re- 


gards to  Madam  Vallejo  and  all  the  members 
of  your  interesting  family,  and  express  to  them 
my  sen.se  uf  their  kind  hospitality  and  attention 
to  me  and  my  little  son  during  our  recent  visit; 
and  believe  me,  my  dear  General.  1  am  and 
shall  ever  be,  with  highest  esteem  and  friend- 
ship, sincerely  your  obedient  servant, 

"  John  B.  MoNT(io.MEKy. 
"Gen.  Guadalupe  Vallejo,  Sonoma." 

Statement  of  the  interview  hetween  Senor  Don 
Jose  de  la  Rosa  and  Vommander  John  B. 
Montgomery,  commanding  United  States 
ship  Portsmouth,  Lieutenant  W.  A.  Bart- 
lett,  United  States  Navy,  interpreter.  By 
order  of  the  commander,  John  B.  Mont- 
gomery. 

"  Don  Jose  de  la  Rosa,  on  coming  on  board 
the  ship,  desired  to  inform  Captain  Montgomery 
that  he  brought  information  from  Don  Guada- 
lupe Vallejo,  military  commandante  of  Sonoma, 
which  he  desired  to  give  the  moment  Captain 
Montgomery  could  receive  him. 

"  On  being  received  by  Captain  jMontgomery  I 
was  directed  to  act  as  interpreter,  when  Senor 
de  la  Rosa  proceeded  to  deliver  his  message, 
which  1  wrote,  as  follows: 

"  Don  Guadalupe  Vallejo  desires  to  inform 
Captain  ]\[ontgomery  of  the  proceedings  which 
took  place  at  Sonoma  yesterday  morning,  at  5 
o'clock.  There  arrived  at  Sonoma  a  party  of 
about  eighty  men,  as  they  said,  from  the  Sacra- 
mento. They  at  once  took  forcible  jiossession 
of  the  place,  and  posted  themselves  on  the 
"  Cuartel."  They  then  made  prisoners  of  Gen- 
eral Vallejo,  Captain  Don  Salvador  Vallejo,  and 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Don  Victor  Prndhon,  all  of 
whom  are  officers  of  the  Mexican  army. 

"  Then  a  Mr.  Merritt,  who  appeared  to  liave 
command  (U-  exercise  the  authority  with  the 
party,  handed  the  General  a  convention  demand- 
ing of  iiim  the  surrender  of  all  the  arms  and 
government  property  in  Sonoma,  which  place 
they  should  not  leave. 

"  The  General  replied  that  he  must  surrender 
to  the  force  in  arms,  and  did  so  surrender,  when 


niaroRT  of  sonoma  county. 


tiie  party  demanded  fiirtlier  that  all  the  above- 
named  ofticers  slionld  go  with  them  to  their 
eanip  on  the  Sacramento  liiver. 

"  General  Vallejo  tiien  re(|uested  them  to 
show  their  authority  or  determination  (ct/iajo  qtie 
jddiioy,  and  as  they  said  they  were  Americans, 
lie  desired  tliey  should  exhibit  tlieir  authority 
from  the  Government  of  tiie  United  States. 
They  replied  that  they  did  not  come  under  the 
authority  of  the  United  States;  but  having 
seen  a  proclamation  of  Gen.  Castro,  threatening 
to  drive  all  foreigners  out  of  the  country,  they 
hail  taken  up  arms  in  self-defense. 

'•  Tiiey  then  made  a  prisoner  of  the  Alcalde, 
and  told  him  that  if  any  person  in  the  place  or 
neighborhood  attempted  to  notify  other  places 
of  this  act,  or  raise  a  force  to  oppose  tliem,  they 
would  at  once  shoot  the  otKcers  they  tlien  held 
prisoners.  The  Alcalde  was  then  set  at  liberty, 
l)ut  told  that  if  he  did  not  prevent  any  opposi- 
tion to  them  he  would  also  be  shot. 

"  General  Vallejo  desires  to  inform  CJaptain 
Montgomery  of  these  facts,  and  to  ask  him  to 
use  his  authority  or  exert  his  intiuence  to  pre- 
vent the  commission  of  acts  of  violence  by  this 
party,  inasmuch  as  they  seemed  to  be  without 
any  effectual  head  or  authority.  To  this  end  he 
hoped  for  an  officer  to  be  sent  to  the  place,  or  a 
letter  that  would  have  the  effect  of  saving 
the  helpless  inhabitants  from  violence  and 
anarchy. 

'•  Senor  Don  Jose  de  la  Rosa  was  directed  by 
(Teneral  Vallejo  (at  11  a.  m.  yesterday)  to  come 
with  this  message,  but  could  not  leave  until  3 
1'.  M.  A  few  moments  jjast  11  the  party  left  a 
garrison  of  twenty-five  men  at  Sonoma  pro- 
tected by  seven  pieces  of  cannon.  The  others, 
with  the  prisoners,  left  for  the  SacraiTUMito." 

Iitij/lt/  of  VomvKmder  MonfyoiiKiij  to  tin'  mcs- 
■sriye  of  General   Vdllejo. 

"  Sik: — You  will  say  to  General  Vallejo,  on 
my  part,  that  I  at  once  and  entirely  disavo■\^  this 
movement  as  having  proceeded  under  any 
authority  of  the  United  States,  or  myself  as 
the  agent  ot    my  Government    in  this   country. 


or  on  this  coast.  It  is  a  movement  entirely 
local, and  with  which  I  have  nothing  to  do;  nor 
can  I  in  any  way  be  induced  to  take  part  in  the 
controversy  whicli  belongs  entirely  to  the  inter- 
nal politics  of  California. 

"If  they  are  Americans,  as  they  avow  them- 
selves, they  are  l)eyond  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
laws  and  officers  of  the  United  States,  and  must 
now  take  all  the  responsibilities  of  the  position 
in  which  they  have  placed  themselves,  being 
answerable  to  the  laws  of  Mexico  and  Califor- 
nia. 

"  I  have  now  for  the  first  time  heanl  of  this 
movement,  and  in  making  the  most  positive 
disavowal,  for  myself  and  for  my  Government, 
having  in  any  wise  instigated  or  aided  this.  I 
also  disavow  the  same  on  the  part  of  Captain 
Fremont,  United  States  topographical  engineer, 
now  in  the  country  for  scientific  purposes. 

"  If  my  individual  efforts  can  be  at  any  time 
exercised  to  allay  violence  or  prevent  injury  to 
innocent  persons,  it  shall  be  exerted;  but  as  an 
officer  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States 
I  cannot  have  anything  to  do  with  either  party. 
They  must  take  the  responsibilities  of  their  own 
acts.  From  what  has  already  transpired  I  think 
it  clear  that  no  violence  will  be  committed  on 
any  one  who  is  not  found  with  arms  in  their 
hands.  You  will  assure  General  Don  Guada- 
lupe Vallejo  of  my  sympathy  in  his  difficulties; 
but  I  cannot  positively  interfere  in  the  hical 
politics  of  California." 

Senor  de  la  Rosa  then  thanked  Captain  AFont- 
gomery  for  his  sentiments  and  sympatii}';  stateil 
that  all  was  distinctly  undei'sfood  and  translated, 
and  that  he  Would  place  his  statement  in  the 
hands  of  Don  Guadalupe  Vallejo  at  tiie  earliest 
moment. 

"  I  hereby  certifythat  the  ])receding  statement 
is  a  fair  translation  (^i'  the  message  and  rej)ly 
read  to  Captain  Montgomery  and  Senor  de  la 
Rosa. 

"  (Signed)  W.  A.  Ii.vkti.ktt, 

"  l>ieutenant  United  States  Navy, 

"  United  States  ship  I'ni'txiiioiitlt,  Saucelito, 
June  15,  18-1(;." 


m 


nrsTonr  of  soNo^fA  rorxrr 


[copy  of    OKDEK  to  r.IKlTENANT  MISSl{(iOX.] 

"  T^NiTKD  States  Sill  I'   Poktsnioitii, 

"San   Francisco,  June  15,  1S4G. 

"  Stir. —  IJy  an  especial  messenger  sent  to  me 
by  Don  (4nailalnpe  Yallejo.  I  am  notified  of  the 
forcible  occupation  of  tlie  town  of  Sonoma  by 
a  party  of  insurgents  (foreign  residents)  of  the 
country,  among  wliom  are  said  to  be  some  per- 
sons from  tlie  United  States,  and  that  General 
Don  Guadalupe  Yallejo,  with  several  other 
Mexican  officers,  have  been  sent  prisoners  to  the 
Sacramento  and  threatened  to  be  detained  as 
hostages  for  the  quiet  submission  of  the  sur- 
rounding country,  leaving  their  families  and 
other  inoft'ensive  persons  in  and  about  Sonoma 
in  a  painful  state  of  agitation  through  apjire- 
hcnsions  of  violence  and  cruel  treatment  from 
the  insurgent  party  in  charge  of  the  town.  In 
consequence  of  this  state  of  things.  General 
Yallejo  has  appealed  to  me,  requesting  the  in- 
terposition of  any  authority  or  influence  I  may 
possess  over  the  insurgents  to  prevent  the  perpe- 
tration of  acts  of  violence  on  their  part  upon 
the  defenseless  people. 

"1  have,  in  ray  reply  to  (General  Yallejo  (by  the 
messenger),  stated  my  previous  ignorance  of 
the  popular  movement  in  question;  distinctly 
and  emphatically  disavowed  all  agency  of  the 
United  States  Government  or  myself  as  her 
representative  in  producing  it,  and  disclaimed 
all  right  or  authority  to  interfere  between  the 
opposing  parties  or  in  any  M'ay  to  identify  my 
movements  with  theirs.  But,  in  compliance 
with  the  urgent  calls  of  humanity,  I  deem  it 
m}-  duty  to  use  my  friendl}'  endeavors  with  the 
dominant  party  to  secure  (by  the  power  of  God) 
for  the  defenseless  people  of  Sonoma  that 
security  of  life,  jiroperty  and  privilege  to  which 
all  are  entitled. 

"  In  pursuance  of  these  views,  sir,  you  are  di- 
rected to  ])roceed  in  one  of  the  sliip's  boats  to 
Sonoma,  and,  on  your  arrival  there,  you  will 
wait  on  the  officer  or  person  commanding  the 
party  having  possession  of  the  town;  and  as  it 
is  possible  he  is  not  fully  aware  of  the  extent 


and  nature  of  the  feelings  produced  in  the 
iTiinds  of  the  population  by  this  recent  move- 
ment you  will  inform  him  of  the  state  of  appre- 
hension and  terror  into  which  it  seems  to  have 
thrown  them,  and  disclaiming  all  right  or  pur- 
pose on  my  part  of  interference  between  them 
and  their  actual  opposers;  and  without  touching 
upon  the  merits  of  their  cause  further  than  may 
not  be  avoided  in  course  of  conversation,  be 
pleased  (in  such  terms  as  your  own  sense,  of 
propriety  will  dictate)  respectfully  to  request 
from  me,  that  he  will  extend  his  protecting  care 
over  the  defenseless  families  of  their  prisoners 
and  other  inoffensive  persons  of  Sonoma,  and 
exert  his  infiuence  with  others  in  order  to  secure 
to  them  the  uninterrupted  enjoyment  of  their 
domestic  and  social  privileges. 

"You  will  afterward  wait  on  the  Alcalde,  or 
presiding  civil  officer  of  Sonoma,  and  inform 
him  of  what  has  been  done  (at  the  instance  of 
Don  Guadalupe  Yallejo),  communicating  any 
satisfactory  assurances  which  you  may  have  re- 
ceived from  the  insurgent  chief  calculated  to 
allay  the  general  apprehension;  after  wliicli, 
when  sufficiently  I'ecruited,  you  will  return  to 
this  ship  and  render  to  me  a  written  report. 
"Respectfully,  I  am, sir,  yourobedient  servant 
"  (Signed),  John  B.  "Monti jomkkv, 

"  Commander. 

"  To  Lieutenant  John  S.  Missroon,  Executive 
Officer  United  States  ship  Portsiaouthy 

Al'l'ENDAGE    To    MR.    MISSROOn's    OlIDKK. 

"  Dear  Sir: — As  an  appendage  to  the  orders 
handed  you  last  evening,  I  wish  you  to  endeavor 
in  as  forcible  a  manner  as  possible,  to  represent 
to  the  person  or  persons  of  the  insurgent  jiarty 
with  whom  you  may  confer  at  Sonoma  and  to 
impress  their  minds  with  a  sense  of  the  advan- 
tages wliich  will  accrue  to  their  cause  (whatever 
its  intrinsic  merits  may  be)  from  pursuing  a 
course  of  kind  and  benevolent  treatment  of 
prisoners,  as  well  as  toward  the  defenseless  in- 
habitants of  the  country  generally,  with  whom 
they  may  have  to  do,  and  endeavor,  as  far  as 
propriety  will  permit,  to  obtain  a  promise  of 


Hr STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


kind   and    luiiiiane    treatment    toward    General 

Vallejo  and  his  conipaniuns  in  their  possession 

as  prisoners. 

"  I  am,  sir,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant 
"  (Signed)  John  B.  Mo.ntgomerv, 

>'  Commander. 
"  To  Lieutenant  John   S.   Missroon,    United 

States  ship  Portsnujath. "' 

Report  of  Lieutewnit  JIi>i»rooii  on  /lia  return 
from  Sonoiio',  ir/t/i  accoiiijiaui/hnj  docu- 
ment "  B." 

'•  Unitkd  Statks  Snii'  PuKTsMnrrn, 
"  Sa.n  Francisi(j,  June  17,  1846. 

Sir: — In  pursuance  of  your  order  of  the  16th 
instant,  to  proceed  to  Sonoma  and  endeavor  by 
all  proper  means  in  my  power  to  secure  to  the 
females  and  unoffending  portion  of  tiie  popula- 
tion of  that  district  some  degree  of  security  for 
their  persons  and  property  during  the  occupancy 
of  the  place  by  certain  insurgents,  chiefly 
foreigners,  I  have  the  honor  to  report,  in  ol)edi- 
ence  to  that  order,  that  I  left  the  ship  on  the 
day  of  receiving  your  instructions,  and  reached 
the  town  about  sunset,  where  I  found  about 
twenty-iive  men  under  arms,  and  having  six  or 
seven  pieces  of  artillery  with  several  hundred 
stand  of  arms.  The  whole  party  is  only  thirty- 
five. 

"I  waited  upon  the  commanding  officer,  Wm. 
I>.  Ide,  and  received  from  him  both  verbal  and 
written  assurances  of  his  intention  to  maintain 
order  and  to  respect  both  the  jiei'soiis  and  prop- 
erty of  all  persorrs  residing  within  the  limits  of 
his  command.  He  also  handed  nie  a  copy  of  a 
proclamation  which  he  had  issued  on  the  day 
after  his  occupation  of  the  town,  and  which  I 
herewith  present  to  you,  marked  "  A,"  in  which 
you  will  observe  that  these  promises  of  pi'otec- 
tion  are  set  forth  in  explicit  terms,  and  which  1 
would  remark  to  you,  seemed  to  me  to  have  fully 
assured  the  inhabitants  of  their  safety,  although 
Sonoma  is  evidently  under  martial  law. 

"  By  tiiis  proclamation  you  will  also  observe 
that  California  is  declared  to  be  an  independent 
republic.     The   insurgent   party  has  hoisted  a 


ffuff  with  a  white  field,  with  a  liorder  or  stripe 
of  red  on  its  lower  ])art,  and  having  a  star  and 
bear  upon  it. 

"  I  informed  the  commanding  otticer  of  the 
state  of  terror  into  which  his  movement  uiicm 
Sonoma  had  thrown  the  inhabitants  in  and 
about  the  Verba  IJuena,  as  directed  by  my 
instructions. 

"  I  then  waited  upon  the  Alcalde  of  the  place, 
informed  him  throiigh  my  interpreter  that  my 
visit  was  entirely  of  a  peaceful  character,  and 
that  it  had  been  induced  liy  the  message  which 
my  commander  had  received  from  the  late 
Mexican  commander.  General  Vallejo,  now  a 
prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  insurgents,  asking 
his  (my  commander's)  interference  for  the  pro- 
tection of  females  and  unoffending  inhabitants; 
that  assurances  of  respect  and  protection  were 
freely  given  me  by  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  party  under  arms,  and  that  I  explicity  made 
it  known  to  him,  for  the  information  of  the  sur- 
rounding country,  that  my  commander  dis- 
claimed any  and  all  interference  in  the  matter 
other  than  what  was  dictated  by  motives  of 
humanity. 

"  After  these  interviews  I  then  called  upon  the 
family  of  General  Vallejo  and  moderated  their 
distress,  by  the  assurance  of  safety  for  the  Gen- 
eral, whicli  I  had  received,  and  informing  tlain 
that  the  prisoners  were  held  as  hostages. 

"  Having  completed  the  object  for  which  I 
went  to  Sonoma,  I  left  the  place  yesterday  with 
the  thanks  of  both  parties,  about  meridian,  and 
reached  the  ship  about  sunset.  Before  taking 
my  departure  I  deemed  it  best  to  reassure  the 
Alcalde,  in  order  to  prevent  any  necessity  for 
future  explanation,  which  is  so  apt  to  grow  out 
of  a  business  transacted  with  Mexicans,  especi- 
ally through  an  interpreter.  I  therefore  ad- 
dressed the  letter  marked  "  B,''  appending  to  it 
the  written  pledge,  or  a  copy  of  the  pledge, 
which  I  had  obtained  from  the  commander  of 
tiie  foreigners  in  possession  of  the  place,  and 
whicii  I  herewith  hand  you  a  co]>y  of 

"It  only  remains,  sir,  for  me  to  add  that,  so 
far  as    I  could  judge  and  observe,   the   utmost 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


hrti-inoiiy  and  guud  order  prevail  in  tlie  camp, 
and  tliat  1  liavo  every  reason  to  believe  that  the 
pledges  of  kind  treatment  toward  all  wlio  may 
fall  into  their  hands  will  be  faithfully  obseri-ed. 

>'  Respectfully,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

"(Signed).  d.  S.  Misskoon, 

'>  First  Lieutenant  United  States  ship  Portn- 
nnnith. 

"To  Conmiander  J  no.  J!,  ^iontgoniery.  com- 
manding United  States  ship  7'"/'i.s//<'>Mi'/',  JSayof 
San   Francisco."' 

Document  "  ij,"  arcumpiunjinij  the    fdrcijiiiinj 
report. 

"  SiiN<iMA,  June  17, 1846. 

"Sik: — As  you  were  informed  yesterday, 
through  my  interpreter,  my  visit  to  this  place 
is  of  a  strictly  inediatorial  character,  and  was 
induced  by  the  application  of  General  Vallejo 
through  his  messenger,  Senor  Kosa,  to  Captain 
Montgomery,  requesting  of  him  to  '  adopt 
measures  for  tlie  protection  of  the  females  and 
peaceable  inhabitants  of  Sonoma. 

"  I  have  the  pleasure  to  assure  you  of  the 
intention  of  the  foreigners  now  in  arms  and 
occupying  Sonoma,  to  respect  the  persons  of  all 
individuals  and  their  property,  who  do  not  talve 
up  arms  against  them,  and  I  leave  with  you  a 
copy  of  the  pledge  which  the  commander  of  the 
])arty  has  voluntarily  given  to  me,  with  a  view 
to  the  pacification  of  all  alarm. 

>■  KespectfuUy,  your  obedient  servant. 

"(Signed).  J.  S.  Misskoon, 

"  Jjieutenant  United  States  Navy." 

"to  the  alcalde  of  so.nhma. 

"  I  pledge  myself  that  I  will  use  my  utmost 
exertion  to  restrain  and  prevent  the  men  in 
arms  under  my  command,  all  iif  whom  present 
acknowledge  my  authority  and  approve  the 
measure  of  forbearance  and  humanity,  from  jier- 
petrating  any  violence,  or  in  any  manner  molest- 
ing the  peaceable  inhalntants,  in  pei-son  or  prop- 
erty, of  California,  while  we  continue  in  arms 
for  the  liberty  of  California. 

"  (Signed),  Wm.  B.  Iue, 

"  Commander. 


"  AVitness  to  the  above  signature, 

"(Signed),  J.  S.  Misskoon, 

"  Lieuteiumt  United  States  Navy,  and  Execu- 
tive Otiicer  of  the  United  States  ship  l'ortt<- 
iiienith. 

"So.NOMA,  June  17,  184G." 

The  revolutionists  were  now  master  id'  the 
situation,  having  control  of  nine  cannons  anil 
about  two  hundred  muskets.  "While  AVMIliam 
B.  Ide,  then  the  leader  of  the  ISear  Flag  party, 
may  have  been  a  man  of  some  eccentricity  of 
character,  he  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  con- 
siderable culture,  and  there  is  little  room  for 
doubt  that  he  shaped  and  controlled,  to  a  large 
degree,  the  conduct  of  those  under  him.  It  was 
no  sinecure  position,  this  of  Commander  Ide. 
It  is  true,  the  prisoners  sent  to  Sacramento  were 
taken  charge  of  by  General  Fremont,  under  the 
saving  clause  that  he  had  nothing  to  do  with 
their  arrest — and  it  is  also  true  that  Commander 
Montgomery  of  the  Purtsinoiith  in  an  unofficial 
way,  and  in  obedience  to  the  dictates  of  human- 
ity, sent  Lieutenant  Missroon  to  SononiH.  to 
counsel  moderation  and  kindness  on  the  part  of 
the  revolutionists  toward  the  vanquished;  but 
in  neither  case  was  there  ought  said  or  done 
that  could  be  construed  into  leaving  the  door 
ajar  for  a  safe  retreat  of  the  Bear  Flag  pai  ty 
out  of  their  difficulty  should  their  i-ebellion 
prove  abortive.  To  stand  their  ground  and 
successfully  maintain  their  position  under  such 
adverse  circumstances  re(juired  not  only  nerve 
but  real  heroism. 

That  they  knew  that  they  were  acting  outside 
of  the  pale  of  any  responsible  authority  is  ap- 
parent from  the  fact  that  one  of  the  very  first 
matters  to  claim  their  consideration  was  the 
adoption  of  a  flag.  There  is  little  question  tJiat 
the  bear  flag  was  made  on  the  day  of  the  taking 
of  Sonoma,  although  it  is  quite  possible  it  was 
not  completed  so  as  to  be  hoisted  until  the 
morning  of  the  15tli  of  June.  As  there  has 
been  much  controversy  as  to  how  and  by  whom 
that  flag  was  made,  we  give  place  to  the  follow- 
ing which  we  believe  to  be  authentic: 

AVm.  L.  Todd  in  a  letter  to  the  editor  of  the 


HISTORY     OF    SONOMA    COCNTY. 


Los  Angeles  E,vprci<s,  under  date  of  January 
11,  1878,  gives  the  following  version  of  the 
construction  of  the  bear  Hag: 

"Your  letter  of  the  'Jtii  inst.  came  duly  to 
hand,  and  in  answer  I  have  to  say  in  regard  to 
the  nialcing  of  the  original  hear  flag  of  Califor- 
nia at  Sonoma,  in  184B,  that  when  the  Ameri- 
cans, who  had  taken  up  arms  against  the  Span- 
ish regime,  had  determined  what  kind  of  a  flag' 
should  be  adopted,  the  following  persons  per- 
formed the  work:  Granville  P.  Swift,  Peter 
Storm,  Henry  L.  Ford  and  myself;  we  procured 
in  the  house  where  we  made  our  headquarters,  a 
piece  of  new  unbleached  cotton  domestic,  not 
quite  ayard  wide,  with  stripesof  red  flannel  about 
four  inches  wide,  furnished  by  Mrs.  John  Sears, 
on  the  lower  side  of  the  canvas.  On  the  xipper  left 
hand  corner  was  a  star,  and  in  the  center  was  the 
image  made  to  represent  a  grizzly  he&r passant,  so 
common  inthiscountryatthe  time.  The  bear  and 
star  "were  painted  with  paint  made  of  linseed  oil 
and  Venetian  red  or  Spanish  brown.  Underneath 
the  bear  were  the  words  'California  Kepublic' 
The  other  person  engaged  with  me  got  the  ma- 
terials together,  while  I  acted  as  artist.  The  forms 
the  bear  and  star  and  the  letters  were  flrst  lined  of 
out  with  pen  and  ink  by  myself,  and  the  two 
forms  were  filled  in  with  the  red  paint,  but  the 
letters  with  ink.  The  flag  mentioned  by  Mr. 
Hittell  with  the  bear  rampant,  was  made,  as  I 
always  understood,  at  Santa  Barbara,  and  was 
painted  black.  Allow  me  to  say,  that  at  that 
time  there  was  not  a  wheelwright  shop  in  Cali- 
fornia. The  flag  I  painted  I  saw  in  the  rooms 
of  the  California  Pioneers  in  San  Francisco,  in 
1870,  and  the  secretary  will  show  it  to  any  per- 
son who  will  call  on  him  at  any  time.  If  it  is  the 
one  that  I  painted,  it  will  be  known  by  a  mistake 
in  tinting  out  the  words  'California  Republic' 
The  letters  were  flrst  lined  out  with  a  pen,  and 
I  left  out  the  letter  '  1,'  and  lined  out  the  letter 
'C'  in  its  place.  lint  afterward  I  lined  out 
the  letter  '  I  "  over  the  '  (^ '  so  that  the  last  syl- 
lable of  '  Republic "  looks  as  if  the  tw-o  last  let- 
ters were  blemled.  Yours  Respectfully, 

"  AVji.  L.  Todd.  "■ 


On  the  occasion  of  the  Centennial  e.vercises, 
held  at  Santa  llosa  on  the  4th  of  July,  187(5, 
General  M.  G.  Vallejo  made  the  following 
statement  in  reference  to  the  capture  of  Sono- 
ma in  1846  by  tlie  Americans  : 

"  I  have  now  to  say  something  of  the  epoch 
which  inaugurated  a  new  era  for  this  county. 
A  little  before  dawn  on  June  14,  1846,  a  party 
of  hunters  and  trappers,  with  some  foreign  set- 
tlers, under  command  of  C-aptain  Merritt, 
Doctor  Semple  and  AVilliam  B.  Ide,  surrounded 
my  residence  at  Sonoma,  and  without  flring  a 
shot,  made  a  prisoner  of  myself,  then  com- 
mander of  the  northern  frontier;  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Victor  Prudon,  Captain  Salvador  A^al- 
lejo,  and  Jacob  P.  Leese.  I  should  here  state 
that  down  to  October,  1845,  I  had  maintained 
at  my  own  expense  a  respectable  garrison  at 
Sonoma,  which  often,  in  union  with  the  settlers, 
did  good  service  in  campaign  against  the  In- 
dians; but  at  last,  tired  of  spending  money 
which  the  Mexican  Government  never  refunded, 
I  disbanded  the  force,  and  most  ot  the  soldiers 
who  had  constituted  it  left  Sonoma.  Thus  in 
June,  1846,  the  Plaza  was  entirely  unprotected, 
although  there  were  ten  war  pieces  of  artillery, 
with  other  arms  and  munitions  of  war.  The 
parties  wdio  unfurled  the  bear  flag  were  well 
aware  that  Sonoma  was  without  defense,  and 
lost  no  time  in  taking  ad  vantage  of  this  fact,  and 
carrying  out  their  plans.  Years  before  I  had 
urgently  represented  to  the  government  of 
Mexico  the  necessity  of  stationing  a  sufiicient 
force  on  the  frontier,  else  Sonoma  would  be 
lost,  which  would  be  equivalent  to  leaving  the 
rest  ot  the  country  an  easy  prey  to  the  invader. 
AVhat  think  you,  my  friends,  were  the  instruc- 
tions sent  me  in  reply  to  my  repeated  demands 
for  means  to  fortify  the  country  ?  These  in- 
structions were  that  I  should  at  once  force  the 
immigrants  to  recross  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and 
depart  from  the  territory  of  the  Ilepublic. 
To  say  nothing  of  the  inhumanity  of  these 
orders,  their  execution  was  physically  iujpossi- 
ble — first,  because  the  iirimigrants  came  in 
autumn  wheu  snow  covered  the  Sierra  so  quickly 


HISTORY    OP    iSONOMA    COUNTY. 


as  tu  make  a  ntm-ii  iiiijiractieable.  Under  the 
circiiiiiotitnces,  nut  only  1,  but  Cominandaiite 
General  Castro,  resolved  to  provide  tlie  iinnii- 
grauts  with  letters  of  security,  that  they  might 
remain  temporarily  in  the  country.  We 
always  made  a  show  of  authority,  i)ut  well 
convinced  all  the  time  that  we  had  had  no 
power  to  resist  the  invasion,  which  was  coming 
upon  lis.  "With  the  frankness  of  a  soldier  I  can 
assure  you  that  the  American  immigrants  never 
had  cause  to  complain  of  the  treatment  they 
received  at  the  hands  of  either  authorities  or 
citizens.  They  carried  us  as  prisoners  to  Sacra- 
mento, and  kept  us  in  a  calaboose  for  sixty 
days  <  r  more,  until  the  United  States  made 
itself  respected,  and  the  honorable  and  hu- 
mane Commudore  Stockton  returned  us  to  our 
hearths." 

•'  On  the  seizure  of  their  prisoners  the  revo- 
lutionists at  once  took  steps  to  appoint  a  captain 
who  was  found  in  the  person  of  John  Grigsby, 
for  Ezef<iel  ilerritt  wished  not  to  retain  the 
permanent  command;  a  meeting  was  then  called 
at  the  l)arracks,  situated  at  the  northeast  corner 
of  the  Plaza,  nnder  the  presidency  of  William 
15.  Ide,  Dr.  Robert  Semple  being  secretary.  At 
this  conference  Semple  urged  tlie  independence 
of  the  country,  stating  that  having  once  com- 
menced they  must  i)roceed,  for  to  turn  back  was 
certain  death.  Before  the  dissolution  of  the 
convention,  however,  rumors  were  rife  that 
secret  emissaries  were  being  dispatched  to  the 
Mexican  rancheros,  to  inform  them  of  the 
recent  occurrences,  therefore  to  prevent  any 
attempt  at  a  rescue  it  was  deemed  best  to  trans- 
fer their  prisoners  to  Sutter's.  Fort,  where  the 
danger  of  such   would  be  less.'' 

In  order  that  the  conijuest  of  California 
should  be  accomplished  in  a  decent  and  orderly 
way  and  the  record  thereof  be  properly  handed 
down  to  future  generations,  Captain  William  B. 
kle  formulated  the  following  declaration  of 
purposes  which  was  duly  published  to  the  world 
on  the  18th  of  June: 

''  A  proclamation  to  all  persons  and  citizens 
of  the  district  of  Sonoma  rec^uestiug  them  to 


remain     at    peace    and     follow     their     rightful 
occupations  without  fear  of  molestation. 

"The  commander-in-chief  of  the  troops  as- 
sembled at  the  fortress  of  Sonoma  gives  his 
inviolable  pledge  to  all  persons  in  California, 
not  found  under  arms,  that  they  shall  not  be 
disturbed  in  their  persons,  their  ]iroperty,  or 
social  relation,  one  with  another,  liy  men  under 
his  co7ninand. 

"He  also  solemnly  declares  his  object  to  be: 
First,  to  defend  himself  and  conipanionsin  arms, 
who  were  invited  to  this  country  by  a  promise 
of  lands  on  which  to  settle  themselves  and 
families;  who  were  also  promised  a  Republican 
Government;  when,  having  arrived  in  Califor- 
nia, they  were  denied  the  privilege  of  buying  or 
renting  lands  of  their  friends,  who  instead  of 
being  allowed  to  participate  in  or  being  pro- 
tected by  a  Republican  government,  were  op- 
pressed by  a  military  despotism;  who  were  even 
threatened  by  proclamation  by  the  chief  officers 
of  the  aforesaid  despotism  with  extermination  if 
they  should  not  depart  t)Ut  of  the  country,  leav- 
ing all  their  |)roperty,arms  and  beasts  of  burden; 
and  thus  de])rived  of  their  means  of  flight  or 
defense,  were  to  be  driven  through  deserts 
inhabited  by  hostile  Indians,  to  certain  destruc- 
tion. 

"To  overthrow  a  government  which  has 
seized  upon  the  pros[)erity  of  the  mission  for  its 
individual  aggrandizement;  which  has  ruined 
and  shamefully  oppressed  the  laboring  people 
of  California  by  enormous  exactions  on  goods 
imported  into  the  country,  is  the  determined 
purpose  of  the  brave  men  who  are  associated 
under  my  command. 

••  I  also  solemnly  declare  my  object,  in  the 
second  place,  to  be  to  invite  all  peaceable  and 
good  citizens  of  California  who  are  friendly  to 
the  maintenance  of  good  order  and  equal  rights, 
and  I  do  hereby  invite  them  to  repair  to  my  camp 
at  Sonoma  without  delay  to  assist  us  in  estab- 
lishing and  perpetuating  a  Republican  govern- 
ment, which  shall  secure  to  all  civil  and  religious 
liberty;  which  shall  encourage  virtue  and 
literature;    which    shall    leave    unshackled    by 


HISTORY    OF    SONOifA    COUNT F. 


fetters    agi-icii!tiire,    coiuinerce    ami    mainifact- 
ures. 

"  1  t'urtlier  declare  that  I  rely  upon  the  recti- 
tude of  our  iiitentious,  the  favur  of  heaven  and 
the  bravery  of  those  who  are  bound  and  asso- 
ciated with  me  by  principles  of- self-preservation, 
by  the  love  of  the  truth  and  the  hatred  of 
tyranny,   for  my  hopes  of  success. 

••  I  furthermore  declare  thai  I  believe  that  a 
government  to  be  prosperous  and  happy  must 
originate  with  the  people  who  are  friendly  to  its 
existence,  that  the  citizens  are  its  guardians,  the 
otfieers  its  servants,  its  glory  its  reward. 

•'  William  B.  Iue."' 

Thus  far  the  revolution  had  been  a  bloodless 
one,' but  it  was  not  destined  to  continue  so  to 
the  end.  There  were  two  occurrences  of  thrill- 
ing character  that  came  in  (piick  succession — 
the  killing  of  Cowie  and  Fowler  and  the  battle  of 
Olompali.  As  Ilobert  A.  Thompson,  who  has 
gathered  much  of  the  early  history  of  Sonoma 
Count}',  got  his  information  about  the  battle 
referred  to  from  one  of  the  participants  therein 
we  here  incorporate  his  graphic  account  of  those 
two  events. 

About  this  time  one  of  the  most  distressing 
events  of  the  revolution  occurred.  It  was  dis- 
covered that  the  garrison  had  an  insufficient  sup- 
ply of  powder.  It  was  known  that  Moses 
Carson,  at  the  Fitch  ranch,  on  Russian  River, 
had  some  on  hand.  Two  men  named  T.  Cowie 
and  —  Fowler,  who  had  joined  the  party  in 
Napa,  volunteered  to  go  and  get  the  powder. 
They  imprudently  took  the  main  traveled  road, 
or  returned  to  it  near  Santa  Rosa,  and  were 
capture  1  by  a  scouting  party,  or,  rather,  a  rov- 
ing band  of  cut-throats  and  thieves  under  the 
lead  of  Juan  Padillo.  The  two  men  were 
kept  in  the  Carillio  house  all  night.  The  next 
morning  they  were  taken  up  the  little  valley, 
near  the  present  county  farm,  were  first  inliu- 
nianly  treated,  and  then  shot.  Not  satisfied 
with  this,  their  bodies  were  mutilated  in  a  lior- 
rid  manner  and  were  then  thrown  into  a  ditch. 
An  Indian  named  Chanatc,  who  knew  the  men, 
told  Mose  Carson  of  their  fate  and  condition, 


and  he  came  and  buried  them  under  a  pine 
tree,  piling  up  a  few  rocks  to  mark  the  spot. 

Finding  that  Cowie  and  Fowler  did  not  re- 
turn, there  was  much  uneasiness  in  Sonoma. 
A  party  was  sent  up  the  valley  to  make  inquiry, 
who  learned  the  circumstances  of  their  cruel 
muider  and  mutilation.  Two  others  of  the 
party  who  were  out  in  search  of  horses,  had 
been  taken,  and  it  was  feared  that  thej',  too, 
would  be  killed. 

The  Bear  Flag  men  were  not  of  the  class  to 
suffer  any  indignity,  much  less  a  horrid  outrage 
like  this.  It  demanded  instant  and  exemplary 
punishment.  Volunteers  were  called  for  to  go 
in  search  of  the  murderers.  The  whole  garri- 
son volunteered.  All  could  not  go.  Twenty- 
three  were  selected  and  put  under  command  of 
Lieutenant  W.  L.  Ford.  Among  the  number  was 
Frank  Bidwell,  to  whom  the  writer  is  indebted 
for  this  account  of  the  pursuit.  Captain  Ford 
and  his  command  came  first  to  Santa  Rosa.  Pa- 
dillo had  fled.  From  Santa  Rosa  he  went  to  the 
Roblar  de  la  Miseria,  Fadillo's  ranch.  He  was 
there  told  by  some  Indians  that  the  marauding 
band  had  gone,  some  three  hours  before,  to  the 
Laguna  de  San  Antonio.  Captain  Ford  pushed  on 
to  that  point  and  bivouacked  half  a  mile  from  the 
supposed  headquarters.  He  charged  upon  the 
house  next  morning  and  found  only  four  men 
there,  whom  he  took  prisoners.  He  left  some 
of  his  men  to  guard  the  prisoners  and  horses 
which  he  had  captured. 

With  fourteen  men  he  continued  the  pursuit. 
After  a  brief  ride  of  a  few  miles  he  came  to 
the  Olompali  ranch,  now  Dr.  Burdell's  place,  in 
Marin  County.  He  saw  a  number  of  horses  in 
a  corral  near  the  house  apparently  in  charge  of  a 
vaquero.  He  dashed  up  rapidly  to  prevent  the 
man  in  charge  from  turning  them  loose,  as  he 
proposed  to  confiscate  them.  Getting  nearer  he 
was  astonished  to  see  the  Californians  pouring 
out  of  the  house  and  hastily  mounting  their 
already  saddled  horses.  He  had  run  upon  the 
combined  forces  of  Captain  Joaquin  de  la  Torre 
and  the  Santa  Rosa  murderers,  numbering  all 
told  eighty-three  men.      Both  parties  had  been 


lllSToUY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


surprised.  Fortunately  there  was  a  willow  thick- 
et about  sixty  yards  from  the  house.  Wiiile 
the  enemy  were  getting  in  motion  Captain 
Ford  ordered  his  men  to  fall  back  to  the  brush 
and  to  dismount,  tie  their  horses,  take  position 
in  the  brush,  and  by  no  means  to  fire  until 
"  sure  of  a  man."  There  was  a  mountaineer  in 
the  party  who  went  by  tlie  name  of  "Old  Red." 
lie  was  a  dead  shot,  and  was  stationed  in  the 
upper  end  of  the  wood.  Frank  Bid  well  was 
some  distance  below  him.  The  Californians, 
made  bold  by  the  supposed  retreat,  formed 
their  lines  and  came  up  handsomely.  Their  ad- 
vance was  led  by  a  gallant  young  Sergeant. 
All  was  still  in  the  willows.  The  sharp  crack 
uf  a  rifle  broke  the  silence,  followed  l)y  a  puff 
of  smoke,  which  burst  through  the  brush.  It 
was  "Old  Red,"  who  could  not  hold  his  tire. 
This  brought  on  the  tight.  Other  shots  came  in 
quick  succession.  In  a  very  few  moments  eight 
of  the  assaulting  party  lay  dead  upon  the  plain, 
two  were  wounded,  and  a  horse  with  an  ugly 
bullet-hole  in  his  neck  was  struggling  in  the 
tield.  The  young  Sergeant  was  the  last  to  fall, 
whereupon  the  whole  band  broke  for  the  cover 
of  the  hills,  receiving  as  they  left  a  volley  at 
long  range  as  a  parting  salute.  Twenty-three 
shots  had  been  fired ;  eleven  took  effect.  '•  Old 
Red's"  excuse  for  tiring  so  soon  was,  that  he  was 
"sure  of  a  man"  anywhere  in  range. 

As  soon  as  the  tight  began  a  woman  in  the 
house  cut  Todd's  bonds,  and  he  joined  his  com- 
rades before  it  was  over.  Captain  Ford  rested  on 
his  arms  for  some  time  thinking  that  the  enemy 
would  rally  and  renew  the  tight,  but  they  made 
no  sign.  It  was  enough.  He  thereupon  set 
out  on  his  return  to  Sonoma  with  his  rescued 
prisoners  and  his  caj)tives.  The  captured  horses 
he  drove  before  him  as  the  spoil  of  war.  Tlie 
murder  of  Gowie  and  Fowler  was  avenged  on 
the  tield  of  Olompali. 

On  the  20th  of  June,  Castro  made  his  tirst 
move  in  the  direction  of  trying  t(j  recover  lost 
ground  north  of  the  bay.  On  tiiat  date  Cap- 
tain Joaquin  de  la  Torre  crossed  tlie  bay  with 
about  seventy  Californians  and  being  joined  by 


Padea  and  Correo,  took  a  position  near  San 
Rafael.  Of  these  movements  F^remont  was 
speedily  apprised,  and  now  for  the  tirst  time 
gave  o])en  recognition  of  the  claims  of  the  rev- 
olutionists upon  him  for  active  aid.  On  the 
2.3d  of  June,  Harrison  Pierce,  a  pioneer  settler 
of  Najja  Valley  made  a  forced  ride  of  eighty 
miles  to  Fremont's  camp  announcing  the  pres- 
ence of  Castro's  troops  on  the  north  side  of  the 
bayand  the  consequent  peril  of  those  who  had  cap- 
tured Sonoma.  He  received  a  promise  from  Fre- 
mont to  come  to  their  aid  just  as  soon  as  he  could 
put  ninety  men  into  saddle.  Pierce,  with  this 
cheering  news  retraced  the  eighty  miles  fortnerly 
passed  over,  with  but  one  change  of  horse,  and 
soon  carried  the  news  to  the  little  garrison  at 
Sonoma,  that  I^remont  was  coming.  On  the 
evening  of  the  A&y  he  had  received  the  tidings 
Fremont  and  his  men  were  on  their  way  toward 
Sonoma.  Of  the  make-up  of  F^-emont's  force, 
one  of  the  party  wrote  as  follows: 

"There  were  Americans,  French,  English, 
Swiss,  Poles,  Russians,  Prussians,  Chileans, 
Germans;  Greeks,  Austrians,  Pawnees,  native 
Indians,  etc.,  all  riding  side  by  side  and  talking 
a  polyglot  lingual  hash  never  exceeded  in  di- 
versibility  since  the  confusion  of  tongues  at  the 
tower  of  Babel.  Some  wore  the  relics  of  their 
home-spun  garments,  some  relied  upon  the  an- 
telope and  the  bear  for  their  wardrobe,  some 
lightly  habited  in  buckskin  leggings  and  a  coat 
of  war-paint,  and  their  weapons  were  ecjualiy 
various.  There  was  the  grim  old  hunter  with 
his  long  heavy  ritie,  the  farmer  with  his  double- 
barreled  shot-gun,  the  Indian  with  his  bow  and 
arrows;  and  otiiers  with  horse-pistols,  revolvers, 
sabres,  ships'  cutlasses,  bowie-knives,  and  pep- 
per-boxes (Allen's  revolvers)."  Fremont,  with 
this  incongruous  l)and,  made  forced  marches 
and  reached  Sonoma  on  the  morning  of  June 
25th.  After  a  rest  F'remont  started  for  San 
Rafael  in  quest  of  Castro  and  Torre's  forces. 
Castro  had  not  crossed  over  as  supposed  and 
Torre  was  invisible.  A  decoy  letter  of  Torre 
fell  into  Fremont's  hands  the  purport  of  which 
was  that  Torre's  force  with  some  other  imaginary 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


67 


ally  \va>  tu  prucecd  against  Sonoma.  Fremont  at 
unce  called  tu  saddle  and  his  command  went 
toward  Sonoma  as  fast  as  muscle  and  tendon  of 
mustang  liorses  would  carry  tliem.  Arrived 
there,  Fremont  became  satisfied  tliat  lie  had 
been  deceived,  and  ma<le  swift  haste  l)ack 
toward  San  Rafael;  but  it  was  of  no  avail  — 
the  wiley  Torre  had  succeeded  in  getting  his 
troops  across  the  bay  and  was  out  of  reach  ut' 
the  clutches  of  the  "Path  Finder.'" 

It  was  on  this  occasion  of  the  return  of 
Fremont  to  San  Rafael  that  occurred  what  has 
the  resemblance  of  wanton  sacrifice  of  human 
life.  We  allude  to  the  shooting  of  Ramon  and 
Fi'ancisco  de  Haro.  They  were  of  a  i-espectable 
family  living  at  YerbaBuena.  They  reacheti  the 
San  Rafael  Embarcaduro  in  a  boat  managed  by 
Jose  R.  Berryessa.  The  llaro's  are  said  to  ha\  e 
been  (|uite  young — only  si.xteen  or  eighteen 
years  of  age.  One  version  is  that  they  were 
taken  prisoners,  as  spies,  and  were  regularly 
sentenced  and  shot.  But  the  statement  that 
Bancroft  seems  to  give  credence  to  is,  that  when 
they  were  seen  to  land.  Kit  Carson  asked  Fre- 
niiint,  on  starting  witli  a  sijuad  of  men  to  meet 
them,  whether  he  should  take  them  prisoners, 
and  that  Fremont's  reply  was,  "we  have  no  use 
for  prisoners.''  It  is  then  claimeil  that  Carson 
and  his  men  as  soon  as  in  shooting  distance 
opened  lire,  killing  them  on  the  spot.  The  late 
Jasper  O'Farrel  is  given  as  the  authority  for  this 
version,  and  claimed  to  have  witnessed  the  whole 
transaction.  Unless  there  is  more  light  cast  on 
this  transactit)!!  than  we  have  had  as  yet, 
the  killing  of  tiiosc  young  men  will  always  seem 
wantiin  and  ciiiel. 

Captain  \Villiam  I).  l*lielj)s  of  Le.\ington, 
Massachusetts,  who  was  lying  at  Saucelito  with 
his  bark,  the  '•  JIii.sc("i\"  remarks,  says  Mr. 
Lancey:   - 

''  When  Fremont  passed  San  Rafael  in  pursuit 
of  Captain  de  la  Toi're's  party,  1  had  just  left 
them,  and  he  sent  me  wonl  that  he  would  drive 
them  to  Saucelito  that  night,  when  they  could 
not  escape  unless  they  got  my  boats.  I  hastened 
back  to  the  ship  and  made  all  safe.     There  was 


a  large  launch  lying  near  the  lieach;  this  was 
anchored  further  otl',  and  I  put  provisions  on 
board  to  be  ready  for  Fi-emont  should  he  need 
her.  ^Vt  night  there  was  not  a  boat  on  shore. 
Tone's  |»iirty  must  shortly  arrive  and  show  tight 
or  snri-ender.  Toward  morning  we  heard  them 
arrive,  and  to  our  surprise  they  were  seen  pass- 
ing with  a  snniU  boat  from  the  shore  to  the 
launch  (a  small  boat  had  arrived  from  Yerba 
Buena  during  the  night  which  had  proved  their 
salvation).  I  dispatclied  a  note  to  the  com- 
mander of  the  '  Portsuwitth,^  sloop-of-war,  then 
lying  at  Yerba  Buena,  a  cove  (tiow  San  Fran- 
cisco) informing  him  of  their  movements,  and 
intimating  that  a  couple  of  his  boats  could 
easily  intercept  and  cajiture  them.  Captain 
Montgomery  replied  that  not  having  received 
any  official  notice  of  war  existing  he  could  not 
act  in  the  matter. 

"It  was  thus  the  poor  scamps  escaped.  Tliey 
pulled  clear  of  the  ship  and  thus  escaped  sup- 
ping on  grape  and  canister  which  we  had 
prepared  for  them. 

"  Fremont  arrived  and  camped  ojijiosite  my 
vessel,  the  bark  '  JLiscoir^'  the  following  nig-lit. 
They  were  early  astir  the  next  morning  when  I 
landed  to  visit  Captain  Fremont,  and  were  all 
variously  employed  in  taking  care  of  their 
horses,  mending  saddles,  cleaning  their  arms, 
etc.  I  had  not  up  to  this  time  seen  Fremont, 
but  from  reports  of  his  character  and  exploits 
my  imagination  hail  painted  him  as  a  large- 
sized,  martial-looking  man  or  persoinige,  tower- 
ing above  his  companions,  whiskered  and 
ferocious  looking. 

"  I  took  a  survey  of  the  party,  l)ut  eouM  imt 
discover  anyone  who  looked,  as  I  thought,  the 
cajjtain  to  look.  Seeing  a  tall,  lank,  Kentucky- 
looking  chap  (Dr.  R.  Semplc),  dressed  in  a 
greasy  deer-skin  hunting  shirt,  with  trousers  to 
match,  and  which  terminated  just  below  the 
knees,  his  head  surmounted  by  a  coon-skin  cap, 
tail  in  front,  who,  I  supposed,  was  an  officer  as 
he  was  giving  orders  to  the  men,  I  approached 
and  asked  if  the  captain  was  in  camp.  He  looked 
and   pointed   out  a  slender-made,   well-jiropor- 


63 


HISTOHY    OF    SONOMA    VOUNTT. 


tioneil  man  sitting  in  front  of  a  tent,  llis  dress 
a  blue  woolen  shirt  of  somewhat  novel  style, 
open  at  the  neck,  trimmed  with  white,  and  with 
a  star  on  each  point  of  the  collar  (a  man-of- 
war's  shirt),  over  this  a  deer  skin  hnnting  shirt, 
trimmed  and  fringed,  which  had  evidently  seen 
hard  times  or  service,  his  head  unincumljered 
l>y  hat  or  cap,  but  had  a  light  cotton  handker- 
chief bound  around  it,  and  deer  skin  moccasins 
completed  the  suit,  which,  if  not  fashionable  for 
I'roadway,  or  for  a  presentation  dress  at  court, 
struck  nie  as  being  an  excellent  rig  to  scud 
under  or  tiglit  in.  A  few  minutes'  conversation 
convinceil  me  that  I  stood  in  the  presence  of 
the  King  of  the  Kocky  Mountains." 

Fremont  remained  in  the  neighborhood  of 
San  Rafael  until  July  ind,  when  he  returned  to 
Sonoma. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  our  national  holiday  was 
celebrated  with  due  pomp  and  ceremony,  and 
on  the  5th,  the  California  Battalion  of  mounted 
riflemen,  two  hundred  and  tifty  strong,  was 
ori>-anized.  Brevet  Captain  John  C.  Fremont, 
Second  Lieutenant  of  Topographical  Engineers, 
was  chosen^commandante;  First  Lieutenant  of 
Marines,  Archibald  H.  Gillespie,  Adjutant  and 
Inspector,  with  the  rank  of  captain.  Both  of 
the  gentlemen  named  were  otlicers  of  the  United 
States  Government,  yet  this  organization  was 
consummated  under  the  fold  of  the  Bear  flag  that 
yet  kissed  the  breezes  of  the  "  Valley  of  the 
Moon."  The  next  day,  the  Gth  of  July,  Fre- 
mont at  the  head  of  his  mounted  riflemen, 
started  to  make  the  circuit  of  the  head  of  the 
bay,  to  go  south  in  pursuit  of  Castro.  As 
there  were  now  no  California  soldiers  north  of 
the  bay  it  did  not  require  a  large  garrison  of 
the  bear  party  to  hold  Sonoma. 

l)ut  the  end  was  hastening.  On  the  7th  of 
July  Commodore  John  Drake  Sloat  having 
received  tidings  that  war  existed  between  the 
United  States  and  Mexico,  demanded  and 
received  the  surrender  of  Monterey.  The  news 
was  immediately  sent  to  San  Francisco,  where 
was  anchored  the  American  war  vessel,  PoHs- 
)iiouth.     At  two  o'clock  on  the  moniing  of  July 


9th,  Lieutenant  Warren  lievere,  left  that  vessel 
in  one  of  lier  boats,  and  reaching  the  Sonoma 
garrison,  at  noon  of  that  day,  lowered  the  l>ear 
flag  and  hoisted  in  its  place  the  stars  and  stripts. 
And  thus  ended  the  bear  flag  revolution  at 
Sonoma.  Lieutenant  Keverc  also  sent  Amer- 
ican flags  to  be  hoisted  at  Sutter's  Fort  and  at 
the  establishment  of  Captain  Stephen  Smith  at 
Bodega. 

Lieutenant  lievere  was  sent  to  Sonoma  by 
Montgomery  of  the  I'ortsmouth,  to  command 
the  garrison,  consisting  of  Company  B  of  the 
battalion,  under  Captain  Grigsby.  Lieutenant 
Grigsby  tells  us  that  "a  few  disartected  Califor- 
nians  were  still  prowling  about  the  district,  in 
pursuit  of  whom  on  one  occasion  he  made  an 
expedition  with  sixteen  men  to  the  region  of 
Point  Reyes.  He  did  not  And  the  party  sought, 
but  he  was  able  to  join  in  a  very  enjoyable  elk- 
hunt."  In  August  the  Vallejos,  Prudon, 
Leese  and  Carrillo  were  released  trom  durance 
vile,  and  restored  to  their  families  and  friends. 
That  very  amiable  relations  existed  between 
the  victors  and  vanquished  is  evidenced  by  the 
fact  that  in  September,  while  Lieutenant  Re- 
vere was  absent  on  an  expedition,  the  Vallejos 
were  commissioned  to  protect  the  Sonoma 
frontier  with  a  force  of  Christian  Indians.  Some 
date  previous  to  Septemlier  lltli.  Lieutenant 
John  S.  Mi.ssroon,  of  the  Portsnidxitli,  assumed 
command  of  the  Sonoma  garrison. 

On  the  25th  of  September,  a  meeting  of  the 
"Old  Bears  "  was  held  at  Sonoma,  at  which  J. 
B.  Chiles  presided  and  Jolin  H.  Nash  acted  as 
secretary,  and  a  committee  of  three  was  ap- 
pointed to  investigate  and  gather  all  the  infor- 
mation possible  in  relation  to  the  action  of  the 
bear  flag  party,  and  report  at  a  subsequent 
meeting.  Semple,  (Grigsby  and  Nash  were 
appointed  the  committee.  Manuel  E.  Mcintosh 
was  now  alcalde  of  Sonoma.  From  the  bear 
flag  conquest  of  Sonoma,  down  to  the  discovery 
of  gold  in  California  in  1S4S  there  is  little  to 
note  in  connection  with  Sonoma.  Grigsby, 
Revere,  Missroon  and  Bruckett  were  the  succes- 
sive   military   commaiidauts,     and    the    Indians 


in  STORY    op    SONOMA    dOUNTY.  Cfl 

were  easily   lield    in    suhjection    by  Vallejo   as       was  then  an  inten-egnuni  of  military  rule,  after 
snh-agent  of  Indian  atl'airs.      In   1848  Sonoma       wiiicli    John    II.     Nasii    liecame    alcalde,     and 

had    a    total    population    of   about    260    souls.  |    was  superseded  in   18+7  by    Lilburn  W.  Boggs, 

-losr  de  los  Santos  Berryessa  under  Me.xican  rule  ■    who,  aided  by  a  council  of  six,  administered  tiie 

had  been  at  the  head  of  municipal  affairs.   There  '    municipal  government  of  Sonoma  until  1848. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


CIIAl'TEK  VIII. 


TiiK  Beai;  Fr.AO.  now  made  —  xames  of  the  revolutionists— State  seal— General  Mariano 
(iiAHAMi-K  \'Ar.i.i:,in — Gexerai.  Johx  A.  Sctter— S"xoma  District  pioxeeus— Native  Son^ 
(IF  the  (4()i.1)i:n-   West. 


fN  the  "Admission  Day"  edition  of  tlie 
Sonoma  Coiniti/  Demoprat  of  Septeinlier  9, 
i>-  1885,  jippuars  tlie  following.  The  writer,  R. 
A.  Thompson,  with  whom  we  are  well  ac- 
quainted, is  painstaking  and  conscientious  in 
collating  facts,  and  as  he  states  that  mnch  of 
his  information  is  derived  from  actual  partici- 
pants, it  is  entitled  to  confident  credence: 

"The  Independents  were  very  proud  of  their 
flag.  The  bear  made  an  apt  illustration  of  their 
situation.  The  grizzly  attended  strictly  to  his 
own  business,  and  would  go  on  munching  his 
berries  and  acorns  if  you  let  liim  and  his  cubs 
alone.  If  you  undertook  to  crowd  him  out,  or 
to  make  him  go  any  other  way  or  any  faster 
than  lie  wanted  to  go  he  would  show  fight,  and 
when  once  in  a  tight  he  fought  his  way  out  or 
died  in  his  tracks. 

The  Independents  were  here,  had  cmne  in 
good  faith,  and  come  to  stay;  were  quiet  and 
peaceable  if  let  alone.  General  Castro  under- 
took to  crowd  them.  His  grandiloquent  proc- 
lamations were  harmless,  but  vexatious.  At 
last  the  crisis  came.  The  Inde])endents,  weary 
of  threats  and  rumors  of  war,  were  forced,  for 
the  sake  of  peace,  to  fight,  and  having  "gone 


in,"  to  use  the  identical  words  of  one  of  them, 
they  did  not  intend  to  "  back  out."  The  bear 
was  typical  of  that  idea. 

The  difl'erence  of  opinion  about  the  make-up 
of  the  bear  flag  arises  from  the  fact  that  there 
was  more  than  one  made.  The  first  was  a  very 
iMulc  affair.  It  is  described  in  Lieutenant  Miss- 
roon"s  rcjiort  to  Captain  ^lontgomery.  Lieu- 
tenant Missroon  arrived  in  Sonoma  Tuesday,  the 
Ifith  of  June,  about  forty-eight  hours  after  the 
caj)ture.  He  i-ejiorts  to  Captain  ^rontgomery 
on  the  ITtli  that  "tlie  insurgent  party  had 
hoisted  a  jlaij  with  a  white  field,  with  a  border 
or  stripe  of  red  on  the  lower  part,  and  having  a 
bear  and  star  upon  it."  The  words  "  California 
Hepuldic "  were  not  on  it  at  this  time,  or  of 
course  so  important  a  feature  would  have  been 
noted  by  Lientenant  Missroon,  who  was  on  a 
sjjecial  and  e.xceedingly  important  mission  from 
his  commander.  That  these  words  were  after- 
wards added  is  doubtless  true.  It  is  a  matter 
of  ver}'  little  importance,  luit  if  any  one  wishes 
an  exact  description  of  the  fiagas  first  raised,  he 
can  satisfy  himself  by  an  examination  of  the 
above-mentioned  report.  The  flag  with  the  bear 
standing  is  an  after  production,  as  is  also  the 


ttlSTORY    Of    80NOMA    COUNTY. 


silk  guerdon  wliich  Lieutenant  Revere  presentefl 
to  the  pioneers.  The  description  of  the  flag 
given  by  Lieutenant  Missroon  accords  witli  tlie 
account  of  several  of  the  }>arty  whom  the  writer 
has  personally  interviewed.  Of  course,  as  tliere 
were,  several  flags  made;  each  dift'ered  from  the 
other,  in  the  material,  I'rom  whom  the  material 
was  obtained,  by  whom  the  flag  was  made,  and 
just  how  the  flgures  were  placed  upon  it.  Hence 
the  confused  and  many  diverse  acconrits  of  it. 
All  are  right  as  to  what  they  describe;  but 
what  they  descril)e  is  not  the  flag  flrst  raised  by 
the  Independents.  That  was  rather  a  rude 
aflair.  In  fact,  the  representation  of  the  bear 
upon  it  resembled  the  species  j^orcxis  as  much 
as  it  did  tlie  urxux  fero.r  or  horrihlUs. 

There  were  tiiirty-three  men  in  the  Hear  l^'iag 
party,  more  than  lialf  of  whom  came  from  the 
Sacramento  Valley.  Among  the  latter  was  the 
brave  and  gallant  blacksmith,  Saraiiel  Neal,  and 
Ezekiel  Merritt,  the  captain  of  the  company. 

Following  is  the  first  list  ever  published  of 
the  names  of  all  the  party.  A  number  came 
into  Sonoma  tlie  day  after  the  capture,  and  they 
continued  to  come  in  for  some  time.  It  is  very 
ditticnlt  to  separate  these  from  the  actual  mem- 
l)crs  lit  tlie  party  who  rode  into  Sonoma  on  the 
morning  of  June  14th.  The  accompanying  list 
has  been  a  number  of  years  making,  and  has 
been  revised  many  times  and  corrected  from 
written  records  and  by  personal  interviews. 
There  are,  doubtless,  still  some  errors,  which 
may  be  corrected  upon  a  satisfactory  showing: 

Sa('ka:mknto  ^'at.lky. — Ezekiel  Merritt,  R. 
Semple,  William  Fallon,  W.  B.  Ide,  ILL.  Ford, 
(I.  P.  Swift,  Samuel  Neal,  William  Potter, 
Sergeant  Gibson,  W.  M.  Scott,  James  (iibbs,  II. 
Sanders,  P.  Storm. 

N.\i'A.  Sainnci  Kelsey,  Penjamin  Kelsey, 
John  Grigsby,  David  Hudson,  Will  Hargrave, 
Harrison  Peirce,  William  Porterfield,  Patrick 
McChristian,  Elias  I'.arrett.  ('.  Grittith,  AVilliam 
].,.  Todd,  Nathan  Coombs,  Lucien  Ma.xwell. 

Sonoma. —  Franklin  Pidwell,  Thomas  Cowie, 
—  Fowler,  W.  B.  Elliott,  licnjamin  Dcwcll, 
John  Sears,  'Old  lied.'"' 


SEAT,    o|.-    I  AI.IFOKNIA. 

The  convention  which  framed  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  State  of  California  (1849),  passed  a 
resolution  appropriating  $1,000  for  a  design  for 
the  Official  Great  Seal.  One  was  presented  by 
Mr.  Lyons,  of  which  he  professed  to  be  the 
author;  it  represented  the  Pay  of  San  Francisco, 
as  emblematic  of  the  commercial  importance  ot 
the  city  and  State,  with  the  goddess  Minerva  in 
the  foreground,  illuslrating  its  sudden  spring- 
ing into  maturity;  and  the  Sierra  Nevada  in 
the  distance  indicative  of  the  mineral  wealth  of 
the  country.  The  motto  was  the  Greek  word 
"  Eureka  "  (I  have  found  it).  This  was  pre- 
sented to  the  committee,  which  consisted  virtu- 
ally of  Hon.  John  McDougal,  his  associate, 
Hon.  Rodman  M.  Price,  being  absent.  General 
McUongal  was  ]Jeased  with  the  design,  and 
wished  it  adopted  with  little- or  no  alteration; 
but  finding  that  impossible,  he  consented  to 
several  minor  additions.  Thus  the  figure  of  the 
grizzly  bear  was  added,  as  appropriate  to  the 
only  section  of  the  country  producing  that 
animal.  This  was  especially  insisted  upon  by 
some  members,  conspicuous  among  whom  was 
the  late  Hon.  -Jacob  R.  Snyder,  then  represent- 
ing Sacramento  County.  The  native  Califor- 
nians,  on  the  other  hand,  opposed  it,  wrongly 
supposing  that  its  introduction  was  intended  to 
inimoi'talizc  that  event.  The  sheaf  of  wheat 
and  bunch  of  grapes  was  also  adopted,  as  em- 
blems of  agricultural  and  horticultural  interests 
of  the  southern  sections  of  the  State,  ]iarticn- 
larly.  With  these  exceptions  the  seal,  as  (1(>- 
signed  by  Mr.  Lyons,  was  that  selected.  After 
it  was  accepted,  some  of  the  members  claimed 
the  original  design  of  it  ft)r  Major  (iariiett, 
who,  however,  had   expresseil  to   Mr.    Lymis,  df 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Lyonsdale  (as  with  harmless  affectation  the 
eccentric  First  Assistant  Secretary  loved  to  des- 
ignate himself),  a  desire  that  he  alone  should 
he  known  as  its  author.  Dr.  Wozencraft  tried 
to  have  the  gold-digger  and  the  hear  struck 
out,  and  General  Yallejo  wanted  the  hear  re- 
moved, or  else  fastened  hy  a  lassoo  in  the  hands 
of  a  vaquero;  hut  the  original  suited  the  ma- 
jority, and  it  was  not  altered. 

September  29,  1849,  Mr.  Norton  uttered  the 
following,  which  was  adopted: 

Fesoh-ed,  That  Mv.  Caleb  Ly..n  i)e  and  he  is 
hereby  autiiorized,  to  superintend  the  engraving 
of  the  seal  for  the  State,  to  furnish  the  same  in 
the  shortest  possible  time  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  Convention,  with  the  press  and  all  necessary 
appendages  to  be  My  him  delivered  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  State  appointed  under  this  Constitu- 
tion, ami  that  the  sum  of  .si, 000  be  paid  to 
ilr.  Lyon  in  full  compensation  and  payment 
fur  the  design,  seal,  ])ress,  and  all  append- 
ages. 

Ji.'soh-td,  That  "the  (Ireat  Seal  of  the  State 
(if  Califurnia  "  be  added  tu  the  design. 

The  seal  is  thus  explained  by  its  designer: 

•'Around  the  bend  of  the  ring  are  i-epresented 
thirty-one  stars,  being  the  number  of  States  of 
whicii  the  Union  will  consist  upon  the  admis- 
sion of  California.  The  foreground  figure  rep- 
resents the  goddess  ifinerva  liaving  sprung 
full-grown  from  tiie  brain  of  ,hi]»iter.  She  is 
introduced  as  a  type  of  political  birth  of  the 
State  of  California,  without  having  gone  through 
the  probation  of  a  Territory.  At  her  feet 
crouches  a  grizzly  bear,  feeding  upon  the  clus- 
ters from  a  grape-vine,  emblematic  of  the 
peculiar  characteristics  of  the  country. 

"A  miner  is  engaged  with  his  rocker  and 
bowl  at  his  side,  illustrating  the  golden  wealth 
of  the  Sacramento,  upon  whose  waters  are  seen 
shipping,  typical  of  commercial  greatness;  and 
the  snow-clad  peaks  of  tlie  Sierra  Nevada  make 
up  the  background,  while  above  is  the  Greek 
motto,  'Eureka'  (I  have  found),  applying  either 
to    the   princijjle   involved   in   the  admission   of 


the   State,    or    tlie    success    of    the    minei-   at 
work.  Caleb  Lv<>x, 

"  Of  Lyonsdale,  New  York. 
"  AloxTE hi: V,  Cai..,  Sept.'  20,  1849." 

ANOTHER    VERSION. 

The  above  gives  the  history  of  the  adoption 
of  the  great  seal  of  the  State,  as  shown  b}'  the 
i-ecord.  Following  is  another  version  of  its 
origin : 

Major  K.  S.  Garnett  of  the  United  States 
army  actuallj-  made  the  design  of  the  seal 
whicli  was  adopted.  He  declined  to  claim  it, 
on  the  ground  that  the  knowledge  of  the  source 
from  which  it  came  would  prevent  the  adoption 
of  the  design,  owing  to  the  hostility  growing 
up  between  the  existing  military  authorities  and 
the  nascent  civil  powers  of  California.  Caleb 
Lyon  humbly  asked  leave  of  Major  (xarnett  to 
appropriate  and  present  it  as  his  own.  Major 
Garnett  replied  that  lie  had  no  idea  of  reaping 
either  honor  or  reward  from  the  design,  and  if 
Mr.  Lyon  could  reconcile  it  to  his  conscience  to 
represent  himself  as  the  author  of  another's 
work,  he  was  lieartily  welcome  to  what  he  could 
make  of  it. 

The  last  account  has  about  it  the  earmark  of 
truth,  but  as  to  which  is  the  more  reliable 
account  we  leave  to  tlie  decision  of  the  reader. 

GeNEUAI.  ^[aRIANo    GArDAI.t'PE    Vaij.e.io. 

A  history  of  Sonoma  County  with  General 
M.  G.  Yallejo  ignored  would  be  like  tlie  play  of 
Hamlet  with  Hamlet  left  out.  We  visited  him 
in  1888,  and  were  saddened  by  the  evidences 
apparent  on  every  hand  of  decayed  gentility. 
That  he  was  the  friend  of  the  Americans  is  not 
a  question  of  doubt — that  the  Americans  prof- 
ited by  his  prodigality  and  are  now  indifferent 
to  his  needs  are  lamentably  true.  But  his 
name  will  reach  farther  down  the  annals  of 
history  than  it  is  in  the  power  of  gold  to 
purchase  name  and  fame. 

Mariano  G.  Yallejo  was  born  in  Alonterey, 
July  7,  1808.  His  father,  Ignacio  Yincente 
Ferrer  Yallejo  was  a  native  of  Spain,  who  came 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


in  his  youth  to  the  State  of  Guadalajara,  Mex- 
ico. In  1774,  wlien  a  young  man,  being  of  an 
adventurous  nature,  he  secretly  joined  an  ex- 
pedition under  Captain  Rivera  for  the  explora 
tion  of  Upper  California.  He  was  probably 
with  Captain  Rivera's  party  on  the  4th  of 
December,  when  the  large  wooden  cross  was 
erected  on  the  peninsula  of  San  Francisco, 
which  his  son,  General  Vallejo,  says  he  saw 
standing  in  1829.  At  all  events,  he  was  an 
eye-witness  of  the  founding  of  the  mission  of 
San  Francisco,  which  event  occurred  October  4, 
1776. 

On  his  arrival  in  Monterey,  Senor  Ignacio 
Vallejo  saw  for  the  iirst  time  his  future  wife. 
It  was  the  day  of  her  birth.  He  then  asked 
permission  of  the  parents  of  the  infant  to  wed 
their  daughter  when  she  should  become  of  age. 
Suhsequently,  this  proposition,  made  half  in 
jest,  was  renewed,  the  sefiorita  then  heing  a 
blooming  young  girl,  and  Seilor  Vallejo  a 
bachelor  of  forty.  The  marriage  proved  a  happy 
one,  and  Mariano  G.  Vallejo  was  the  eighth  of 
thirteen  children,  the  fruit  of  the  union. 

Young  Vallejo  availed  himself  of  every  op- 
portunity to  improve  his  mind  by  reading  and 
study  during  his  minority.  He  got  possession 
of  a  library  when  quite  young,  which  was  of 
great  service.  From  this  source  he  probably 
acquired  a  fund  of  information,  which  made 
him  the  peer  of  the  learned  and  distinguished 
persons  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  with  whom 
he  was  destined  in  after  life  to  be  ass(jciated. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  was  a  cadet  in 
the  army,  and  private  secretary  of  Governor 
Arguello. 

In  l.S2y  he  was  jiIucimI  in  chargf  of  the  I're- 
sidio  of  San  Francisco,  which  ])ositi(in  he  held 
until  1834,  organizing  in  the  interval  the  first 
city  or  town  government  of  San  Francisco. 

(Tovernor  Figneroa,  the  most  ])opular  of  all 
the  Mexican  Governors,  had  control  of  affairs 
in  1834.  Having  learned  that  a  large  number 
of  colonists,  some  four  hundred  odd,  were  on 
their  way  to  (ialifornia  from  Mexico,  lie  deter- 
■  mined  to  locate    them    in    Sduoma,  partly  with 


the  view  of  shutting  out  the  Ttussians.  and 
partly  because  it  was  one  of  the  most  inviting 
spots  to  colonize  over  which  he  had  ever  cast  his 
experienced  eyes.  He  selected  Lieutenant  A"al- 
lejo  as  the  most  suitable  of  his  officers  to  com- 
mand the  frontier  and  execute  his  plans. 
Together  they  visited  the  country,  taking  in 
their  tour  of  observation  the  stronghold  of  the 
Russian  squatters  at  Ross.  Returning  to  the 
Santa  Rosa  Valley  the  Governor  selected  a 
site  on  Mark  West  Creek  for  the  future  colon}', 
giving  it  the  name  of  "  Santa  Anna  y  Ferias," 
uniting  these  names  prol)ably  because  he  could 
not  tell  which  of  the  rival  political  chiefs  would 
be  on  top  when  he  next  heard  from  Mexico.  He 
left  a  camp  of  soldiers  there  who  were  under  the 
command  of  (4eneral  Vallejo.  The  colonists 
were  under  the  direction  of  Senor  Hihas,  who 
was  a  quarrelsome,  ambitions  and  avaricious 
man.  (Tovernor  Figueroa  had  received  orders 
to  turn  over  the  control  of  affairs  to  Hihas.  On 
his  return  from  Sonoma  he  met  a  courier  with 
orders,  countermanding  the  former  instruction, 
and  continuing  the  direction  of  affairs  solely  in 
his  own  hands. 

The  colonists  arrived  in  March,  1835,  and 
were  temporarily  quartered  in  Sonoma.  Hihas 
and  his  coadjutors  among  the  colonists  wei-e 
mnch  disaffected,  and  threatened  rebellion. 
Figueroa  ordered  their  arrest.  This  order  was 
executed  by  General  Vallejo  with  much  skill 
and  judgment,  without  bloodshed  or  any  per- 
sonal collision.  Hihas  and  his  cosmopolitan 
company  were  taken  to  San  Francisco,  and  were 
soon  after  sent  Jiack  to  Mexico. 

(ieneral  Vallejo  remained  Iti  charge  of  the 
fi'ontiei'.  He  removed  his  headquurtei's  from 
Santa  Anna  y  Ferias,  on  Mark  West,  to  Sonoma, 
when,  liy  order  of  Figueroa,  he,  in  the  month 
of  June,  1835,  established  the  town  of  Sonoma. 

(ieneral  Figueroa  died  soon  after  these  events. 
His  successor,  (iovernor  Carrillo,  was  deposed 
by  Alvarado.  The  new  governor  appointed 
(Toneral  Vallejo  to  the  position  of  Command- 
ante  (Tfueral  of  the  frontier. 

In  this  position  (xeueral  Vallrjn  did  all  in  his 


74 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    GOV  NT  Y. 


powei'  to  promote  tlie  settlement  of  the  frontier. 
Expeditions  were  sent  ont  against  the  Indians, 
agricnltnral  industries  were  extendeti,  and  the 
raising  of  cattle,  sheep  and  horses  was  in  (>verv 
wa}'  en  con  raged. 

Between  1840  and  1845  a  large  numljiT  of 
immigrants  came  to  northern  California.  Tliey 
were  well  received  by  the  General,  though  the 
home  government  was  continually  "  nagging" 
him  because  he  did  not  send  tlie  foreigners  ont 
of  the  country,  at  the  same  time  giving  him 
neither  men  nor  means  to  carry  ont  their  order. 

Jn  the  early  part  of  the  vear  1840,  affairs  in 
California  were  rapidly  approaching  a  crisis. 
In  April,  a  junta  was  called  to  meet  at  Monterey 
to  consider  the  condition  of  affairs.  Revere  gives 
a  summary  of  some  of  the  speeches  made. 
That  of  General  A'^allejo  was  as  follows: 

"I  cannot,  gentlemen,  coincide  with  the  mili- 
tary and  civil  functionaries  who  have  advocated 
the  cession  of  our  country  to  France  or  Eng- 
land. It  is  most  true  that  to  rely  any  longeron 
Mexico  to  govern  and  defend  ns  would  be  idle 
and  absunl.  To  this  extent  1  fully  agree  with 
my  colleagues.  It  is  also  true  that  we  possess 
a  noble  country,  every  way  calculated,  from  posi- 
tion and  resources,  to  become  great  and  power- 
ful. For  that  very  reason  I  would  not  have  her 
a  mere  dependency  upon  a  foreign  monarchy, 
naturally  alien,  or  at  least  indifl'erent  to  our  in- 
terests and  our  welfare.  It  is  not  to  be  denied 
that  feeble  natinns  have  in  former  times  thrown 
themselves  upon  the  protection  of  their  power- 
ful neighbors.  The  I>ritons  invoked  the  aid  of 
the  warlike  Saxons,  and  fell  an  easy  prey  to 
tiieir  protectors,  who  seized  their  lands  and. 
treated  them  like  slaves.  Long  before  that 
time,  feeble  and  distracted  provinces  had 
ajjpealed  for  aid  to  the  all-conquering  arms  of 
imperial  Rome,  and  they  were  at  the  same  time 
protected  and  subjugated  by  their  grasping 
ally.  Even  could  we  tolerate  the  idea  of  depend- 
ence, ought  we  to  go  to  distant  Europe  for  a 
master?  What  possible  sj'mpathy  could  exist 
between  us  and  a  nation  separated  from  us  by 
two  vast  oceans;!     Bnt  wniving  this  insu]ierable 


objection,  how  could  we  eiulure  to  cdmo  under 
the  dominion  of  a  monarchy?  For,  althdugh 
others  speak  lightly  of  a  form  of  goverment,  as 
a  freeman,  I  cannot  do  so.  We  are  republicans 
— badly  governed  and  badly  situated  as  we  are — 
still  we  are  all,  in  sentiment,  republicans.  So 
far  as  we  are  governed  at  all,  we  at  least  profess 
to  be  self-governed.  Who,  then,  that  possesses 
true  patriotism  will  consent  to  subject  himself 
and  his  cliildrfu  U\  the  capi-ices  of  a  foreign 
king  and  his  official  minions?  lint  it  is  asked, 
if  we  do  not  throw  ourselves  upon  the  ])rotec- 
tion  of  France  and  England,  what  shall  we  do? 
I  do  not  come  here  to  support  the  existing  order 
of  things,  but  I  come  prepared  to  propose  in- 
stant and  ett'ective  action  to  extricate  our  country 
from  her  ])resent  forlorn  condition.  My  opin- 
ion is  made  up  tliat  we  must  persevere  in 
throwing  oil  the  galling  yoke  of  Mexico,  and 
proclaim  our  independence  of  her  forever.  V\e 
have  endnreil  her  official  cormorants  and  her 
villainous  soldiery  until  we  can  endui-e  no 
longer.  All  will  probably  agree  ^\itll  nic  that 
we  ought  at  once  to  rid  ourselves  of  what  may 
remain  of  Mexican  domination.  But  some 
profess  to  doubt  our  ability  to  maintain  our 
position.  To  my  niind  there  comes  no  doubt. 
Look  at  Texas,  and  see  how  long  she  withstood 
the  power  of  uTiited  Mexico.  The  resources  of 
Texas  were  not  to  be  compared  with  ours,  and 
she  was  niucli  nearer  to  her  enemy  than  we  are. 
Our  position  is  so  remote,  either  by  land  oi' 
sea,  that  we  are  in  no  danger  from  Mexican 
invasion.  Why,  then,  should  we  hesitate  still 
to  assert  our  independence?  We  have  indeed 
taken  the  first  step  by  electing  our  own  (gover- 
nor, but  another  remains  to  be  taken.  I  will 
mention  it  plainly  and  distinctly — it  is  annex- 
ation to  the  United  States.  In  contemplating 
this  consummation  of  our  destiny,  I  feel  noth- 
ing but  pleasure,  and  1  ask  you  to  share  it. 
Discard  old  prejudices,  disregard  old  customs,  and 
prepare  for  the  glorious  change  which  a^-aits 
our  country.  Why  should  we  shrink  from  in- 
corpoi-ating  ourselves  with  the  happiest  and 
freest  nation  in  the  world,  destined    soon    to   lie- 


niSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


tlie  most  wealtliy  and  powerful^  ^^'^I'y  should 
we  go  abroad  for  protection  when  this  gi-eat 
nation  is  onr  adjoining  neiglilior?  When  we 
join  our  fortunes  to  liers,  we  shall  not  become 
subjects,  but  fellow-citizens,  possessing  all  the 
rights  of  tlie  people  of  tlie  United  States,  and 
choosing  our  own  federal  and  local  rulers.  We 
siiall  have  a  stable  government  and  just  laws. 
California  will  grow  strong  and  flourish,  and  her 
people  will  be  prosperous,  happy  and  free.  Look 
not,  therefore,  with  jealousy  upon  tlie  hardy 
pioneers  who  scale  onr  mountains  and  cultivate 
onr  unoccupied  plains;  l)ut  rather  welcome  them 
as  brothers,  who  come  to  share  with  us  a  com- 
7non  destiny.'' 

Lieutenant  Revere  was  in  Monterey  when  the 
junta  met;  its  prx^ceodings  were  secret,  but  he 
says  it  was  notorious  that  two  parties  existed  in 
the  country,  and  that  General  Vallejo  was  the 
leader  of  the  American  party,  while  Castro  was 
at  the  head  of  the  European  party.  lie  says  he 
had  his  report  of  the  meeting  from  documentary 
evidence,  as  well  as  sketches  of  the  principal 
speeches.  He  also  says  that  so  soon  as  General 
Yallejo  retired  from  the  junta  he  addressed  a 
letter  to  Governor  Pio  Pico  embodying  the  views 
he  had  expressed  in  his  speech  and  refusing  ever 
again  to  assist  in  any  project  having  for  its  end 
the  establishment  of  a  protectorate  over  Califor- 
nia by  any  other  power  than  the  United  States. 

At  last  the  long  threatened  storm  broke  upon 
the  town  of  Sonoma,  and  its  commandante  and 
little  garrison  were  captured  by  the  Americans, 
(leneral  Vallejo  was  kept  as  a  prisoner  for  about 
a  month,  and  released  i)y  order  of  Commodore 
Stockton. 

General  Vallejo,  speaking  of  the  condition  of 
affairs  in  Northern  California  previous  to  the 
taking  of  Sonoma,  said: 

"  Years  before  I  had  urgently  represented  to 
the  Government  of  Mexico  the  necessity  of 
stationing  a  sufficient  force  on  the  frontier,  else 
Sonoma  would  be  lost;  which  would  be  equiva- 
lent to  leaving  the  rest  of  the  country  an  easy 
prey  to  the  invader.  AVhat  think  yon,  my 
irieiids,  were  the  instructions  sent   me   in  reply 


to  my  repeated  demands  for  means  to  fortify  the 
country?  These  instructions  were  that  1  slumld 
at  once  force  the  immigi-ants  to  recross  the 
Sierra  Nevada  and  depart  from  the  territory  of 
the  Republic.  To  say  nothing  of  the  in- 
humanity of  these  orders,  their  execution  was 
ph^'sically  impossible;  first,  because  I  had  no 
military  force;  and  second,  because  the  immi- 
grants came  in  the  autumn,  when  snow  covered 
the  Sierra  so  quickly  as  to  render  return  im- 
practicable. Under  tiie  circumstances  not  only 
L  but  Commandante-General  Castro,  resolved  to 
provide  tlie  immigrants  with  letters  of  security, 
that  they  might  remain  temporarily  in  the 
country.  We  always  made  a  show  of  authority, 
but  were  well  convinced  all  the  time  that  we  had 
no  power  to  resist  the  invasion  which  was  coin- 
ing in  upon  us.  With  the  frankness  of  a  sol- 
dier I  can  assure  j'ou  that  the  American  immi- 
grants never  had  cause  to  complain  of  the 
treatment  they  received  at  the  hands  of  either 
authorities  or  citizens." 

General  Vallejo  on  his  release  at  once  made 
his  great  influence  as  a  friend  of  the  United 
States  felt  throughout  the  country.  He  took 
active  interest  in  public  affairs  always  on  the 
side  of  order  and  good  government.  lie  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Conven- 
tion which  met  in  Monterey,  and  was  a  Senator 
from  the  Sonoma  District  in  the  first  Legislature 
of  California.  And  from  that  period  down  to 
the  present  he  has  been  an  enterprising,  useful, 
and  honored  citizen  of  Sonoma.  In  priority  of 
settlement,  he  is  the  first  of  the  35,0(10  inlialii- 
tants  now  living  in  this  county. 

On  the  6th  of  March,  1832,  he  married 
Senorita  Benicia  Francesca  Carillo,  who  still 
survives  with  her  distinguished  husband. 

In  person  General  Vallejo,  even  at  his  ad- 
vanced age,  is  a  strikingly  handsome  man.  lie 
is  tall  and  erect  in  carriage,  with  the  military 
air  of  one  disciplined  to  arms  in  his  early  youth. 
He  is  a  brilliant  conversationalist,  an  eloquent 
s]i(>aker,  even  in  English,  which  he  acquired  late 
in  lilc.  To  these  accomplishments  may  be  addi^d 
the  liT.icc  of  gesture  and    manner  wliicii   he   in 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


lierits  with  his  hinoc 
cavaliers. 


from  an  ancestry  of  Spanish 


A.   SiTTKi;. 


(Ji:nekai,  . 

As  tlie  name  of  Captain  Jolin  A.  Sutter  is  so 
intimately  woven  with  the  iiistory  of  tiie  State 
as  to  be  a  part  of  the  same,  and  as  his  purchase 
of  the  Ross  property  identified  him  directly 
with  the  early  history  of  Sonoma  County,  \vc 
give  place  to  the  following  letter  written  by 
him  in  1845.  It  is  interesting  as  showing  the 
real  conditions  in  California  at  the  time  it  was 
written : 

Nkw  Helvetia,  1st  Jan.,  1845. 

Sir  and  Dear  Friend: — My  reasons  for  not 
writing  sooner  is  that  I  lacked  an  opportunity, 
since  j-our  young  man  was  afraid  of  bad 
weather. 

I  was  in  hopes  all  the  time  that  perhaps  I 
might  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  yon  at  Verba 
Buena. 

I  spoke  to  Mr.  Snyder  and  Alemans,  M'ho 
lioth  ])romised  to  go  to  Sonoma  and  pay  yon  a 
visit.  The  representation,  etc.,  for  Mr.  ( 'astill- 
ero,  I  have  left  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Forbes,  and 
hope  that  the  former  will  have  received  them 
before  his  departure  fromCalifornia  to  Mexico. 

I  was  astonished  to  hear  over  there  the  news 
that  I  had  sold  mj'  establishment  to  the  Govern- 
ment, and  in  fact  Mr.  Estudillo  told  me  that 
yon  had  gone  to  see  those  gentlemen  at  the 
Moquelumne  River,  so  that  it  seems  that  they 
have  not  kept  the  matter  secret.  What  is  your 
opinion  about  it,  sir^  Do  you  think  that  the 
Government  \vill  buy  it?  I  wish  I  was  certain 
of  that,  so  that  I  might  take  the  necessary 
measures.  In  case  the  Government  decided 
about  this  purchase,  do  yon  think  it  would  be 
possible  to  obtain  a  part  of  the  sum  on  account. 
enough  to  pay  a  part  of  my  debts? 

1  could  put  them  in  possession  of  the  estab- 
lishment at  the  end  of  the  harvest.  It  seems 
to  me  that  the  Government  ought  not  to  neglect 
that  affair;  for  next  autumn  many  emigrants 
are  bound  here  from  the  United  States,  and  one 
thing   comforts    me,  that    there    will  be  many 


Germans,  French  ami  Swiss  amongst  them.  I 
have  received  letters  to  that  etfect  from  a  few 
friends,  through  the  last  little  party  of  ten  men. 

At  all  events,  nothing  conUI  be  more  neces- 
sary for  the  (Government  than  a  respectable  posi- 
tion here,  in  this  place. 

Among  the  emigrants  who  intend  coming, 
are  gentlemen  of  great  means,  capitalists,  etc. 

liy  some  letters  that  I  have  received  from 
New  ^  ork,  I  see  that  one  will  bring  over  all 
the  machinery  tit  for  two  steamers;  one  is 
destined  to  be  a  coaster,  while  the  other  will  sail 
the  l)ay  to  Sacramento.  The  Russians  (or 
Russe)  will  also  bring  a  little  one  for  the  Cap- 
tain Leidesdorff,  and  the  Russian  Captain  (or 
the  Captain  Russe)  Leinderherg,  my  friend,  has 
made  me  a  present  of  a  little  machine  large 
enough  for  a  sloop,  which  he  had  made  for  his 
pleasure;  tliat  will  i)e  very  nice  for  the  river. 
The  Dr.  McLonghlin,  at  Vancouver  (Columbia), 
has  retired  from  the  Hudson  Bay  Co.,  and  in- 
tends to  come  and  live  here.  He  will  give  a 
new  impnlse  to  business;  he  is  the  great  protec- 
tor of  agriculture.  A  ship  is  going  to  bring  us 
printing  material,  and  I  intend  to  have  a  news- 
paper published,  half  Spanish,  half  English. 
Such  progress  are  made  throughout  civilization, 
and  here  we  are  so  much  behind.  E]ven  in 
Tahiti,  there  is  a  lithography,  and  a  newspaper 
is  published:   FS Oceanic  Francaisr. 

We  expect  a  ship  from  New  Vork  in  the 
course  of  about  a  month;  it  will  bring  us  all  the 
necessary  implements  of  agricidture  selected  on 
purpose  for  our  valley,  comprising  many  plows, 
with  farmers'  garments,  etc.,  etc.  This  shij) 
would  enter  without  paying  the  Custom  House 
duties,  if  the  thing  was  possible,  or,  at  least,  pay 
them  at  a  moderate  rate;  or  do  you    think  that 

arrangements  could   be  made  with  Wv. 

by  paying  him  four  or  six  thousand  dollars, 
that  he  might  let  the  ship  enter  for  the  benefit 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Sacramento.  This  would 
render  him  quite  popular  among  us;  the  advan- 
tage derived  for  the  country  would  be  great;  the 
inhabitants  of would  have  the  same  ad- 
vantage as  we.      In   April   will    arrive  another 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


sliip,  witli  iiMotlier  cargo  well  suited  for  our 
valley.  The  proprietor  of  these  two  ships  are 
very  rich,  and  t'onn  one  of  the  wealthiest  firms 
in  New  York  and  I^ondoii.  They  contemplate 
l)uving  a  lot  near  the  I'ay  or  Sacramento  River, 
to  open  warehouses,  and  keep  a  stock  (.>f  articles 
we  may  need.  They  would  sell  on  credit  to  all 
tliL'  larmers  who  would  desire  their  trust,  and 
take  in  [i;iyineut  wheat  or  any  other  of  the  pro- 
ducts of  the  country,  as  well  as  a  great  quantity 
of  salted  salmon.  The  other  merchants  wJio 
transact  husiness  in  this  unfortunate  country, 
rcl'use  to  receive  anything  hut  leather  and  tallow. 
This  is  the  ruin  of  the  country.  If  there  was 
sucli  a  market  and  such  a  competition  open,  you 
would  soon  &ee  a  great  difference. 

I  liope  that  you  will  find  some  means  of  hav- 
ing that    ship  enter;   pei'haps    Mr. 

can   assist   you    in    the   matter;  (indeed  I 

have  heard  that  he  was  on  very  good  terms 
with  the  jovial  cajjtain),  and  that  affair  ought  to 
have  (juite  as  much   interest  for  him   as  for  us. 

1  regret  very  much  heing  so  far  from  you, 
and  not  having  more  opportunities  of  corre- 
sponding, which  is  e8]jeciaily  the  case  in  winter. 

I  wish  you  could  write  to  me  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, for  I  feel  convinced  that  you  would  easily 
settle  these  affairs,  since  your  position  as  secre- 
tary  to ,  and  your  friendly   terms   with 

Capt.  ■  are  advantages    which    would   soon 

lead  us  to  enrich  ourselves,  with  good  manage- 
ment. 

The  Capt.  Fremont  of  the  United  States 
Army  has  gone  to  meet  his  other  company, 
commanded  by  the  Capt.  Walker  (under  his 
orders),  who  had  been  sent  after  the  discovery 
of  another  passage  through  the  mountains, 
more  to  the  south;  I  expect  them  daily;  they 
will  spend  the  winter  here,  and  depart  again 
in  spring  for  Columbia. 

Another  small  party  of  ten  men  has  arrived 
since  from  the  United  States;  this  will  be  the 
last;  they  were  fortunate  in  escaping  the  snow 
which  fell  in  great  abundance  in  the  mountains 
at  their  arrival. 

Samuel  Smith   has    been   here  during  my  ab- 


sence to  Yerba  Huena,  and  unfortunately  I  for- 
got to  leave  orders  for  his  arrest.  They  told 
him  that  1  had  orders  to  detain  him  a  prisoner, 
and  he  answered  that  he  would  conje  another 
time  when  I  should  be  present,  but  that  he  did 
not  care  to  be  a  prisoner;  since  then  he  has  imt 
returned. 

I  believe  that  he  is  still  somewhere  on  the 
other  side,  and  that  he  is  likely  to  join,  by  and 
by,  the  company  now  preparing  to  go  to 
Columbia.  Anuuig  the  people  in  the  upper 
valley  are  a  few  bad  characters  who  stole  some 
of  my  horses,  and  some  mares  and  cows  of  Mr. 
Corelua's.  They  are  disposed  to  steal  a  great 
deal  more,  and  intend  coming  near  Sonoma  l)e- 
fore  their  departure,  to  steal  as  many  cattle  as 
possible.  We  must  try  to  imprison  some  of 
the  principal  ones,  and  I  hope  I  can  depend  on 
Capt.  Fremont  and  his  men.  He  will  doubtless 
enable  me  to  make  his  countrymen  prisoners, 
for,  to  look  over  such  acts,  would  be  the  worst 
influence  for  the  future.  However,  in  case  Air. 
Fremont  refuses  to  assist  in  the  capture  of  the 
worst  of  his  countrymen,  I  shall  try  to  do  it 
alone;  and  if  1  have  not  sutticient  power  to  suc- 
ceed, 1  shall  write  to  Mr.  Vallejo  for  an  auxil- 
iary, etc.,  etc. 

It  was  with  the  greatest  displeasure  that  I 
heard  from  Mr.  Wolfsquiell,  who  came  here 
from  Los  Angeles,  of  that  bad  rascal  Fluggo  not 
being  dead,  but  hope  that  you  will  do  your  best 
to  secure  that  lot  of  ground  which  will  )irove, 
no  further  than  next  year,  a  fortune  for  you 

I  hope  that  Mr.  Covarubias  will  assist  you. 

In  a  few  weeks  the  lauiiche  will  come  to 
Sonoma  with  some  of  Heaulieu's  garments,  and 
will  bi'ing  at  the  same  time  some  tanned  leather 
for  Mr.  Vallejo.  I  therefore  beg  that  you  would 
deliver  the  ten  fanegas  of  wheat  to  JMaintop, 
(captain  of  the  launche).  If  you  have  any 
corn,  1  shall  buy  some.  As  lor  the  deer  skins 
which  you  ha\f,  1  shall  write  by  the  same 
means  ami  tell  you  whether  I  shall  take  them 
or  not. 

How  inconvenient  it  is  for  us  in  the  north, 
that  the  capitol   should    be  so  far  distant.     It 


U  J  STOUT    OF    SONOMA    VOUNTY. 


takes  at  least  four  or  iive  mouths  before  receiv- 
iug  au  answer;  it  would  be  almost  as  well  uot 
to  write  at  all,  for  it  tires  one  so  inucli. 

I  make  uo  more  reports  to  the  Governuient, 
e.\ce[)t  to  Mr.  Castro,  as  he  is  the  nearest,  and 
he  can  make  his  statement  to  the  i;overnmeut  if 
he  judges  it  necessary. 

1  have  not  as  yet  received  an  answer  from 
the  I'adre  Real  about  the  letter  that  you  were 
kind  enoiiuli  to  write  for  me  abotit  fruit  trees 
and  vines. 

Vuu  know  that  Mr.  Castro  has  given  me  the 
permission  of  receiving  as  much  as  I  needed. 
Advise  me,  if  you  please,  un  what  1  can  do. 
Will  it  be  possibe  to  receive  "some  vine  trees" 
in  Sonoma?  If  you  could  have  them  ready  in 
about  three  weeks,  something  like  2,000  of 
them,  1  would  pay  you  as  much  as  they  cost. 

If  I  have  vines  here,  you  can  have  them 
(|uite  near  your  farm.     {^'.'iV) 

Leidesdortf  is  appointed  agent  of  the  Co. 
Amer.  Ilusse,  to  receive  the  products  from  me, 
and  iiuy  from  them.  I  had  the  pleasure  to  see 
the  Captain  de  Lion,  Mr.  I5onnet,  who  told  me 
the  troop  alone  in  Marquesas  and  Tahiti,  leav- 
ing out  the  inhabitants,  consume  (550  arobas  of 
tlour  a  day,  and  that  the  Govei'iiment  would  pre- 
fer to  send  here  for  the  provisions,  if  we  can 
sell  them  at  the  same  price  as  in  Chili,  i?;!  the* 
quintal;  we  could  very  well  compete  at  that 
price  if  that  cursed  Custom  House  ceased  to 
exist. 

If  this  country  dei'ived  any  utility  from  the 
Custom  House  one  would  not  complain  so 
much,  but  it  is  only  good  to  provide  for  a  lot  of 
useless  officers  who  devour  the  very  marrow  of 
the  country.  If  at  last  a  pajier  could  be  pub- 
lished that  would  unseal  the  blind  men's  eyes, 
1  trust  that  you  may  take  a  ])art  and  interest  in 
that  affair  of  printing. 

I  am  now  constructing  ii  mill  with  two  pairs 
of  mill-stones,  for  a  great  (juantity  of  flour  will 
be  needed  next  autumn  when  the  enugrants 
arrive. 

A  much  better  road,  some  -iOO  miles  shorter, 
has  been  discovered,  and  the  Captain  Fremont 


I  has  also  found  in  the  last  chain  of  mountains  a 
much  easier  passage  than  the  otie  known  so  far; 
every  trip  they  make  some  new  discovery.  I 
can  assure  you  that  in  five  years  more  there  will 

[   be  a  railroad    from    the   United    States  here.      1 

I  can  see  that.  Already  the  llocky  Mountains 
commence  to  be  peopled,  where  eight  years  ago 

'  I  could  see  nothing  bnt  deserts  with  Indians, 
and  where  now  stand  quite  consideraljle  cities. 
The  crowd  of  emigrants  arriving  in  the  United 
States  increase  the  population  to  such  an  extent 
that  it  will  tind  its  way  even  to  the  Pacific 
shores.  A  year  and  two  more  and  no  power 
will  be  able  to  stop  that  emigration. 

Next  week  you  shall  have  more  news  from 
your  devoted  friend, 

J.  A.  Sl'ttek. 
While  the  above  letter  shows  that  Captain 
Sutter  had  an  eye  strictly  to  business,  it  also 
shows  that  he  took  in  the  real  situation  and 
knew  that  American  rule  was  the  ultimate  des- 
tiny of  California. 

We  cannot  better  close  this  ciiajtter  than  by 
appending  the  following  names  of  those  who 
helped  to  establish  permanent  settlements  on 
the  north  side  of  San  h'rancisco  Hay: 

SONOMA    KISTKICT    I'loNKEKS. 

The  "Society  of  California  pioneers,  compris- 
ing the  counties  of  Sonoma,  Napa,  Lake,  Men- 
docino and  Marin,"  was  organized  December 
25,  1867. 

Those  who  arrived  in  California  jirior  to  the 
9th  day  of  September,  1850,  and  their  male  de- 
scendants, are  eligible  to  membership.  The 
past  presidents  have  been:  Uriah  Edwards, 
1867- 68;  Nicholas Carriger,  lS68-'72;  William 
M.  Boggs,  1872-'74;  William  McPherson  Hill, 
1874-"76;  John  Cavanaugh,  1876-"78;  Julius 
A.  I'oppe,  1878-"79;  Thomas  EaH,  1879-81; 
Daniel  H.  Davisson,  1881-'8L 

The  members  are:  William  C.  Adams,  Louis 
Adler,  Hierre  Augards,  Stephen  Akers,  John 
Abbott,  S.  J.  Agnew,  (J.  S.  Allen,  J.  M.  Arm- 
strong, Joseph  Albertson,  AV.  G.  Alban,  Thomas 
Allen,  E.  G.  Alban,  Horatio  Appleton,  N.  H. 


BISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Aiiiesbiiry,  D.  li.  Alderson,  John  Hall  Allison, 
Charles  H.  Allen,  W.  F.  Allen,  Charles  Alex- 
ander, Charles  G.  Ames,  William  M.  Boggs,  J. 
15.  Beam,  William  II.  Brady,  Herman  Barnh. 
A.  A.  Basignano,  E.  Biggs,  Louis  Bruck.  Edward 
F.  Bale,  John  Brown,  Samuel  Brown,  William 
Board,  John  F.  lioyce,  J.  8.  Brackett,  David 
Burris,  I.  S.  Bradford,  R.  Bunnell,  R.  T.  Barker, 
.W  V.  Barker,  John  N.  Bailache,  E.  N.  Boyntoii, 
Ar.  Barney,  J.  I).  Beam,  H.  H.  Brower,  Will 
mm  V.  Boyce,  M.  C.  Briggs,  H.  AV.  Baker,  J. 
W.  Boggs,  Erwin  Barry,  Sim  H.  But'ord,  San- 
ford  Bennett,  H.  E.  Boggs,  Elias  Barnett, 
AVilliam  Baldbridge,  A.  C.  Boggs,  John  M 
Boggs,  George  W.  Boggs,  Joseph  O.  Boggs, 
Theodors  W.  Boggs,  L.  W.  Boggs,  Jr.,  J.  N. 
Bennett,  P.  G.  Baxter,  Jesse  Jieasley,  Z.  Briggs, 
Robert  Brownlie,  Jonathan  E.  Bond,  Peter  D 
Bailey,  John  Bright,  T.  C.  Brown,  A.  B.  Bor- 
rell,  John  Bailiff,  William  Bradford,  11.  C. 
Boggs,  Nicholas  (!arriger,  Julio  Carrillo,  Will- 
iam Corj',  Columbus  Carlton,  John  Cavanagh, 
Howard  Clark,  G.  W.  Clark,  Solomon  H.  Car- 
riger,  W.  W.  Carpenter,  C.  C.  Carriger,  A.  E. 
Carriger,  B.  L.  Cook,  T.  S.  Coo|)er,  J.  R.  Cooper, 
W.  L.  Copeland.  R.  Crane,  J.  Clark,  O.  W. 
Craig,  (i.  AV.  Cornwall,  W.  M.  Coleman,  E. 
Coleman,  H.  K.  Clark,  S.  1!.  Carpenter,  Y .  1'. 
Cook,  D.  Chamberlin,  J.  Cairn,  O.  Clark,  W. 
R.  Coburn,  1).  W.  Carriger,  J.  L.  Cook,  J.  J. 
Cugill,  Sr.,  L.  Carson,  J.  C  Crigler,  J.  Ciay- 
niiui,  J.  Chiles,  J.  Custer,  B.  Capell,  J.  Cyrus, 
A.  J.  Cox,  S.  Clark,  L.  Clia[)nian,  JS'.  Coombs, 
\).  C.  Crockett,  Dr.  C.  Crouch,  AV.  R.  Cook,  J. 
Chauvet,  H.  Decker,  JVl.  Donohne,  H.  W.  Dick- 
inson, D.  D.  Davidson,  W.  Dorman,  B.  W,,. 
Diffendurffei-,  E.  L.  Davis,  N.  Dunljar,  J.  Dick- 
enson, A.  J.  Dullarhide,  J.  W.  Easter,  T.  Earl, 
E.  Emerson,  J>.  E.  Edsall,  L.  F.  Eaton,  AV. 
Edgington,  A.  Y.  Easterby,  W.  Ellis,  J.  Fer- 
nald,  J.  F.  Fowler,  J.  M.  Freeman,  A.  J.  AV. 
Faure,  J.  T.  Fortson,  J.  Fulton,  J.  AV'.  I'lavell, 
H.  Fowler,  AV^  Fowler,  W.  A.  Fisher,  A.  Far- 
ley, S.  AV.  Faudre,  F.  Fisher,  J.  M.  Gregson,  T. 
C.  Grey,  F.  P.  Green,  ().  Greig,  J.  Gibson,  W. 
Green,  J.  F.  (ireen,  J.Gallagher,  W.  W.  (ireen- 


ing,  A.  J.  Gordon,  J.  Griffin,  J.  J.  Goodin,  Dr. 
J.  B.  Gordon,  G.  G.  (lardner,  AV'.  Gordon,  C. 
Griffith,  J.  Grigsby,  R.  A.  Gill,  G.  Grigsby,  P. 
D.  Grigsby,  A.  J.  Galbiaith,  J.  T.  Grigsby,  E. 
Gilleii,  P.  Gessford,  J.  Henly,  AV.  Hood,  T. 
Hopper,  H.  Hall,  L.  AI.  Harmon,  C.  Humph- 
ries, H.  Hill,  W.  M.  Hill,  1).  Hudson,  J.  Henry, 
T.  B.  Hopper,  C.  Hopper,  B.  Hoen,  H.  H.  Hall, 
S.  H.  Flyman,  A.  Hixson,  A.  Harasthy,  L.  C. 
Hubbard,  H.  P.  Holmes,  J.  AV.  Harlan.  T.  F. 
Hudson,  AV.  B.  Hagans,  C.  Hazelrigg,  J.  1). 
Hollaway,  AV.  H.  Holleday,  J.  B.  Horrel,  J. 
Henry,  AV.  Hargrave,  M.  Hudson,  J.  Hudson, 
J.  Harbin,  M.  Harbin,  (4.  Hallet,  AV.  A.  Has- 
kins,  J.  Haskius,  AV.  A.  Haskins,  Jr.,  L.  Hig- 
gins,  F.  M.  Hackett,  J.  H.  Howlaud,  I.  Howell, 
J.  Howell,  D.  Howell,  P.  Howell,  M.  R.  Hardin, 
R.  S.  Hardin,  C.  Hartson,  II.  D.  Hopkins,  W. 
Houx,  A.  Henry,  L.  Jlaskell,  K.  A.  Harvey,  M. 
Ingler,  R.  Jones,  B.  Joy,  E.  Justi,  E.  K.  Jen- 
ner,  D.  Jones,  C.  Juarez,  J.  A.  Jamieson,  G.  E. 
Jewett,  A.  Krippenstapul,  F.  Keller,  H.  Kreuse, 
A.  Kohle,  J.  Knight,  R.  Kennedy,  R.  L.  Kil- 
burn,  T.  Knight,  AV.  Kilburn,  I.  Kellogg,  AV. 
W.  Kennedy,  A.  W.  King,  1.  Kilburn,  C.  AV. 
Lubeck,  N.  Long,  R.  Lennox,  G.  AV.  I.,ewis,  J. 
H.  Lane,  C.  H.  Lamkin,  J.  A.  Losse,  J.  Lut- 
gens,  H.  H.  Lewis,  II.  I).  Lay,  A.  J.  Lafevie. 
15.  Little,  J.  F.  Lainden.  J.  1>.  Lamar,  <i.  Linn, 
J)r.  T.  AL  Leavenworth,  H.  Ludolph,  J.  E.  Ale 
Litos'',  N.  E.  Manning,  R.  McGee,  W.  E. 
McConnell,  J.  McLaughlin,  AV.  Mock,  S.  AIc- 
Donough,  AV.  Montgomery,  J.  H.  McCord,  J. 
M.  Mansfield,  R.  G.  Merritt,  D.  ]>.  Alorgan,  P. 
McChristian,  (4.  W.  McCain.  A.  J.  Willis.  J. 
Munday,  M.  T.  McClellan,  J.  IMcCormick,  L. 
AV.  Mayer,  J.  AV.  Morris,  J.  R.  .Moore,  Jr.,  A. 
C.  McDonald,  AV.  J.  .March,  AV.  II.  Alanlove.  J. 
LL  Moore,  J.  .Martin,  C.  Alusgrove,  AV.  .Mc- 
Donald, J.  Aloran,  11.  Mygatt,  A.  Monmert,  G. 
McMahon,  R.  McGarvey,  \\ .  Mclieynolds,  AV. 
H.  Morri.s,  J.  Neil,  P.  G.  Norburn.  S.  S.  Noble, 
AV.  Neil,  L.  A.  Norton,  E.  Neblett,  AV.  H.  Nash, 
J.  M.  Nichols,  G.  W.  Gman,  A.  A.  Olmstead, 
A.  P.  Overton,  11.  Ousley,  S.  Orr,  J.  H.  Orr, 
W.  Ousley,  J.  N.  I'almer,  G.  I'earce,  AV.  Potter, 


ninrOKT    OF    SONOMA    COUNT r. 


J.  C.  Peavy,  11.  J.  Preston,  J.  Powell,  M. 
Powell,  A.  P.  Petit,  0.  Peterson,  G.  AV.  Peter- 
son, 1'.  II.  Plnirris,  11.  L.  Pierce,  1).  Powell,  T. 
J.  Poulterer,  E.  D.  Phillips,  S.  Porter,  J.  I). 
Patton,  J.  A.  Pngli,  T.  Partiii,  11.  Portertield, 

E.  11.  Pierce,  P.  Polsten,  J.  Y.  Porter,  D.  Pat- 
ton,  J.  Powell,  R.  Poppe,  J.  Poppe,  C.  Poppe, 
1).  Qiiinliven,  J.  Robeson,  T.  Rocliford,  V. 
Robin,  C.  Rogers,  W.  P.  Reed,  11.  Robinson,  J. 
M.  Robers,  J.  L.  Ronner,  D.  Ripley,  T.  W. 
Richards,  S.  U.  Rupe,  J.Reynolds,  A.  F.  Rede- 
nieyer,  J.  Regan,  G.  Reeve,  B.  Robinson,  J. 
Robinson,  B.  L.  Robinson,  Col.  Ritchie,  A.  J. 
Raney,  8.  F.  Raney,  W.  li.  Russell,  J.  Selling, 
R.  Spence,  J.  Smith,  F.  Starke,  D.  W.  Sroufe, 
N.  O.  Stafford,  E.  W.  Sax,  P.  Sneed,  P.  Shar- 
vein,  J.  W.  Siiarp,  D.  Spencer,  J.  K.  Smith,  S. 
M.  Shinn,  J.  Sedgley,  J.  H.  Seipp,  J.  Singley, 

F.  Sears,  J.  Stewart,  A.  Salaman.  J.  11.  Sturte- 
vant,  ('.  J.  Son,  J.  F.  Shinn,  C  Stewart,  T. 
Smith,  J.Stiltz,  W.  C.  Smith,  .1.  .1.  Swift,  J. 
Somers,  A.  Stines,  Dr.  B.  Shurtleff,  J.  Short,  S. 
D.  Towne,  G.  Tomking,  E.  Towne,  W.  S. 
Thomas,  C.  C.  Toler.  C.  Talbott,  R.  Tucker,  J. 
Tucker,  G.  Tucker,  William  Truebody,  J.  True- 
body,  John  Truebody,  W.  Truebody,  S.  Tucker, 
T.  H.  Thompson,  AVilliani  Topping,  G.  W. 
Thompson,  J.  Udall,  F.  Ulilhorn,  F.  Vanllallen, 
P.  J.  Vasquez,  A.  Von  Quitzow,  P.  Van  Berver, 
A.  J.  Van  Winkle,  M.  G.  Vallejo,  S.  Vallejo, 
D.  Wharff,  F.  Wilsey,  C.  Weise,  J.  J.  Weenis, 
L.  C.  Woodworth,  W.  Webb,  W.  S.  M.  Wright, 
Joseph  Wright,  H.  L.  AVeston,  11.  M.  Wilson,  J. 

A.  Williams,  J.  Walton,  A.  A.  White,  D.  AY. 
AValker,  J.  Wooden,  W.  H.  Winters,  J.  AYilson, 
J.  AVestfall,  R.  B.  Woodward,  C.  B.  AVines,  J. 

B.  AValdan,  J.  M.  AYhite,  P.  AVard,  1).  Yurk, 
11.  York,  J.  York,  L.  W.  Znager. 

XATCVE  SUNS  IN  SONOMA. 

The  tirst  Parlor  of  the  Native  Sons  of  the 
Golden  AVest,  instituted  in  Sonoma  County,  was 
in  the  city  of  Petaluina.  It  took  the  appropriate 
name  of  Bear  Flag  Parlor.  It  was  organized 
on  the  1st  of  March,  1884,  by  District  Deputy 
Grand   President  Charles   W.    Decker,  of  San 


Francisco,  assisted  by  I'ast  Grand  President 
Grady,  Past  Grand  Secretary  Lunstedt  and 
others.  It  is  No.  27  in  the  order  of  its  institu- 
tion. The  following  persons  were  elected  and 
installed  as  its  iirst  othcers  :  J.  B.  Schlosser, 
P.  P.;M.  E.  C.  Monday,  P.;  John  F.  Naugh- 
ton,  1st  A^  P.;  C.  R.  Peters,  2d  V.  P.;  AV.  King, 
3rd  V.  P.;  Frank  P.  Doyle,  Treas.;  L.  F. 
Ellsworth,  Roc.  Sec;  F.  C.  AVest,  P^in.  Sec; 
Fred  Chamberlain,  Marshal;  J.  Fenger,  1.  S. ; 
James  Wright,  O.  S.;  A.  Newburgh,  C.  AY. 
Brascombe  and  F.  Green,  Trustees.  Alter  the 
ceremonies  were  over,  there  v.-as  an  agreeable 
entertainment,  and  Bear  Flag  Parlor  was  fairly 
launched  on  its  career  of  usefulness.  The 
following  11th  of  May,  the  Bear  Flag  boys 
gave  a  picnic  at  Laurel  Grove,  San  Rafael.  All 
into.xicants  were  ruled  out  of  order,  and  a  most 
agreeable  day  was  spent  beneath  the  shade  of  a 
grove  of  native  laurels.  Following  is  a  complete 
list  of  the  present  officers  and  members  of  the 
Bear  Flag  Parlor,  for  which  we  are  indebted  to 
the  courtesy  of  Recording  Secretary,  1).  11. 
White  : 

Officers— Sr.  P.  P.,  AY.  E.  King;  P.  P.,  11. 
Mc  C.  Weston;  Pres.,  C.  E.  Dillon;  1st  V.  P., 
Dan  Brown,  Jr;  2d  V.  P.,  AV.  11.  Robinson;  3d 
V.  P.,  J.  1.  Jewell;  Rec  Sec,  D.  \l.  AVhite; 
Fin.  Sec,  F.  C.  AVest;  Treas.,  N.  G.  Crowley; 
Mar.,  J.  A.  Fenger;  O.  S.,  F.  E.  Dowd;  1.  S.,  R. 
J.  Facey ;  Trustees,  G.  L.  Young,  J.  F.  Dolan  and 
H.  C.  Thompson;  Surgeon,  J.  H.  Crane,  M.  D. 

JVIembers — M.  Y.  llolton,  AV.  A.  Chapman, 
W.  F.  Chamberlain,  Chas.  Towne,  M.  E.  C. 
Munday,  C.  H.  Myers,  J.  R.  Denman,  J.  T. 
Studdert,  L.  B.  Towne,  J.  ¥.  Naughton,  J.  AV. 
Cowles,  J.  Tighe,  E.  O.  Lefebre,  T.  F.  Purring- 
ton,  F.  J.  Bryan;  S.  (4.  Stockdale,  11.  J.  East- 
man, B.  E.  O'llara,  J.  E.  Mallen,  F.  A. 
Wickersham,  J.  Adler,  C.  E.  Morris. 

WKSTKKN     STAK    PAKI.HK. 

AVestern  Star  Parlor,  No.  28,  Santa  Rosa, 
was  instituted  March  the  13tli,  188-4,  by  Dis- 
trict Deputy  C.  H.  Decker,  assisted  by  Grand 
Vice-President    John     fV.     Steinback,    Grand 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


81 


Lecturer,  M.  A.  Doni,  Past  President,  Frank 
•J.  Iligj^ins,  uikI  actinii;  (irand  Secretary,  li. 
Luiistetlt.  I'acilic,  Callt'ornia  and  15ear  Flag 
Parlurs  were  represented.  President  Harmon, 
of  tlie  Historic  Parlor,  California  No.  1,  occupied 
the  chair  during  the  initiatory  ceremonies,  siip- 
})orted  by  CTrand  Lecturer  Dorn  and  Messrs. 
Yale  and  Shannahan,  of  San  Francisco,  and 
other  Grand  and  Acting  Grand  otHcers.  At 
the  close  of  the  initiatory  ceremonies  the  follow- 
ing officers  were  installed:  Past  President,  H. 
L.  Hranthaver;  President,  Geo.  Honior  Meyer; 
First  Vice  President,  W.  F.  Russell;  Second 
Vice  President,  L.  W.  Juilliard;  Third  Vice 
President,  R.  A.  Harris;  Recording  Secretary, 
Emmet  Seawell;  Financial  Secretary,  George  P. 
Duncan;  Ti'easurer,  George  Hood,  Jr;  Marshal, 
Aubrey  iiarham;  Inside  Sentinel,  Alpheus  Reed; 
Outside  Sentinel,  E.  B,  Rohrer;  Executive 
Committee,  Chas.  M.  Gstrum,  J.  McReynolds 
and  John  W.  Lambert.  After  the  installation 
there  was  an  entertainment  which  passed  most 
pleasantly.  Messrs.  Steinback,  Higgins,  Deck- 
er, Dorn  and  Lnnstedt,  Hartuian,  Meyer  and 
Jefferies,  making  timely  and  eloquent  ad- 
dresses. 

P'ollowing  is  a  complete  list  of  the  present 
otHcers  and  members  of  Western  Star  Parlor 
No.  28,  in  the  order  of  their  admission  into  the 
parlor : 

Ufticers — Geo.  I).  Duncan,  P.  P.;  W.  F.  iius- 
sell.  P.;  Don  Mills,  1st  V.  P.;  T.  J.  Hutchinson, 
2d  V.  P.;  John  McMinn,  Jr.,  3d  V.  P.;  J.  H. 
Adams,  R.  S.;  L.  W.  Juilliard,  F.  S.;  Geo. 
Hood,  Jr.,  Treasurer;  F.  (4.  Gerichten,  Marshal; 
J.  W.  Irwin,  I.  S.:  Chas.  Underhill,  O.  S. ; 
John  Hood,  W.  1!.  Atterbury,  H.  L.  Hranthaver, 
Trustees. 

Members — (ieo.  H.  Meyer,  R.  A.  Harris,  R. 
A.  Radger,  J.  A.  Harham,  J.  M.  McReynolds, 
J.  W.  Lambert,  II.  Pariiey,  W.  M.  Duncan, 
John  Creagh,  W.  H.  ilanion,  W.  M.  Irwin;  G. 
J.  Rarnett,  Emmet  Seawell,  J.  W.Adams,  J.  F. 
R.  Cook,  Douglas  I>adger,  W.  A.  Ford,  C.  H. 
Holmes,  Jr.,  J.  S.  Childers,  F.  R.  McCutchin, 
R.  L.  Adams,  F.  (i.  (Jerichten,  J.  N.  Norris,  W. 


S.  I'.  Coulter,  C.  V.  Tupper,  Dan  P.  Carter,  H. 
(t.  IJahman,  E.  P.  Colgan,  M.  F.  Ilauck;  J.  S. 
Ross,  Julian  Ilolman,  R.  D.  Cannon,  W.  E. 
Ilealey,  L.  W.  Jiurris,  W.  R.  Carithers,  W.  T. 
Spridgeon;  J.  P.  Overton,  R.  A.  Long,  Wm. 
Wilkins,  J.  S.  Titus,  Jr.,  M.  II.  Durbin,  F.  S. 
Lowell. 

On  Admission  Day,  September  1),  1885,  the 
National  Sons  of  the  Golden  West  had  a  grand 
celebration  at  Santa  Rosa.  Every  Parlor  in  the 
State  was  represented.  There  were  about  1,000 
Native  Sons  in  the  procession,  mariiiig  time  to 
the  inspiring  music  of  nine  brass  bands.  It  was 
a  gala  day  long  to  be  remembered.  The  liter- 
ary e.\ercises  were  held  at  the  Santa  Rosa  Athe- 
naMim.  J.  II.  McGee  delivered  the  address  of 
welcome,  and  Governor  Stonenian  spoke  of 
pioneer  times.  The  annual  address  was  delivered 
by  Charles  T.  Weller.     It  was  as  follows: 

His  Excellency  the  Gocernor — Ladies  and 
(Jentlemen — Natice  Sons  of  the  Golden  West: 
Fifty  years  ago  a  lonely  herdsman  looking  over 
the  (piet  harbor  of  Yerba  J>uena,  watching  the 
waves  as  they  lazily  drifted  up  to  the  shore, 
kissed  the  sand  and  then  receded  to  the  boson) 
of  their  mother,  Ocean,  watching  the  priests  as 
they  went  about  their  ditferent  tasks  in  the  little 
mission,  whilst  over  all  shone  the  rays  of  an 
almost  tropical  sun,  bathing  the  sand  plains 
with  its  radiant  splendor  and  glorifying  the 
good  fathers  as  they  taught  their  little  wards  of 
the  life  which  was  beyond. 

To  this  watcher,  statiding  carelessly  there  in 
the  sunshine,  no  dream  of  the  future  sjilcudur 
of  that  scene  could  come.  Had  you  tolil  him 
of  a  time  but  a  few  years  distant,  when  thou- 
sands of  men  from  all  the  nations  of  the  earth 
would  crowd  u)mn  that  sand,  he  would  have 
thought  you  mad,  for  what  was  there  to  cause 
this  human  floods  .  Nothing  but  vast  sandy 
plains  and  the  everlasting  hills — mute  monu- 
ments of  the  Creator's  power — presented  them- 
selves to  the  eye.  Surely  this  was  not  a  land 
that  would  tempt  a  man  to  leave  the  fertile  hills 
and  valleys  of  the  East  and  l)rave  all  dangers  to 
reach  its  barren  shores. 


lIlsTonV    (IF    SdNOMA     LUIUNTY. 


Trnly,  tlie  priests  had  come.  For  a  hundred 
years  their  missions  liad  been  planted  on  the 
coast  and  they  had  endured  privation,  suffering, 
yea,  even  deatli  itself  for  the  cause  they  held  so 
dear;  but  the  world  was  used  to  this  sight. 
Where  in  ail  the  earth  had  the  zeal  oi"  the  holy 
fathers  not  carried  them?  No  journey  was  too 
hard  for  them  to  attempt — ready  at  the  word  to 
<ro  unto  the  ends  of  the  world.  The  pages  of 
h'story  have  rarely  shown  such  perfect  organiza- 
tion. Never  such  implicit  obedience  as  they 
exhibited.  «.\nd  so  the  quiet  life  of  the  old 
missions  ran  on  one  day  so  like  another  that  the 
riight  of  time  was  scarcely  marked,  save  when 
some  old  father,  weary  with  the  burden  of  his 
years  and  the  labor  performed  for  the  good  of 
his  fellow-men,  failed  to  appear  at  morning 
prayers,  and  his  brothers  going  to  his  cell  would 
find  that  he  had  been  called  to  his  reward. 

I  love  to  dwell  on  this  phase  of  the  old  life 
of  our  native  State.  It  presents  a  picture  so 
quiet  and  restful  that  one  living  in  the  wild 
rush  of  the  present  can  hardly  realize  that  it 
is  not  all  a  dream.  Amid  the  universal  strife 
for  personal  advancement  so  prevalent  in  our 
day,  we  have  but  a  dim  light  with  which  to  dis- 
cern the  nobler  humanity  that  led  the  fathers 
of  old  to  sacrifice  their  all  for  the  good  of  their 
fellows.  "What  though  the  recipient  of  their 
life  work  was  but  an  ignorant  savage — lowest, 
we  are  told,  of  the  entire  human  race?  Enough 
for  them  to  know  that  he  had  a  soul  to  save. 
The  world's  truest  heroes  are  not  always  those 
whose  names  are  on  every  tongue,  and  to  whom 
monuments  of  marble  pierce  the  sky.  In  many 
a  lowly  grave  in  the  old  mission  churchyard, 
with  naught  save  a  simple  cross  to  mark  the 
spot,  lies,  perhaps,  a  brave,  true  heart,  who, 
having  sacrificed  liimself  without  a  murmur  for 
the  welfare  of  his  brethren,  is  more  worthy  of 
praise  than  a  Napoleon. 

But  we  must  away  from  the  pleasant  picture 
of  California  life  under  the  Padres.  Suflice  that 
now  it  is  forever  dead,  and  whilst  with  reverent 
hands  we  draw  the  curtain  over  that  calm  past, 
we    cannot  fail  to  acknowledge  what    a    noble 


lesson  to  poor  weak  humanity  the  life  and  works 
of  the  holy  fathers  have  been. 

The  history  of  California  before  the  discovery 
of  gold  and  settlement  by  Americans,  resembles 
that  of  the  South  American  liepublics  of  to-day. 
Ruled  first  by  Spain  and  then  b}'  Ale.xico, 
California  in  turn  revolted  from  each  three 
times.  The  Mexican  power  was  broken.  In- 
deed, in  1836,  the  successful  Governor,  Alvarado, 
was  aided  by  a  Tennesseeaii  named  (xraham, 
who  evinced,  at  an  early  day  in  the  history  of 
our  State,  the  fondness  Americans  are  said  to 
have  for  politics.  Alvarado  re|.iaid  his  debt  of 
gratitude  to  his  friend  by  soon  sending  him, 
with  others,  in  chains  to  San  Bias,  only  to  see 
them  return  in  a  few  months  much  the  better 
for  their  exile. 

California  at  this,  as  in  former  times,  was 
ever  ready  for  a  revolution.  As  a  rule  no  one 
w'as  hurt,  and  it  generally  required  only  one 
shot,  as  at  the  capture  of  Monterey  by  Alva- 
rado, to  establish  the  downfall  of  one  governor 
and  the  succession  of  another.  And  so  the  life 
of  the  Californians  went  on,  the  population  at 
this  time  being  less  than  15,000,  mostly  engaged 
in  stock-raisincp.  For  the  herds  of  cattle  intro- 
duced by  Governor  Portal  and  Father  Junipero 
Serra  had  increased  to  vast  numbers  and  the 
trade  in  hides  had  become  quite  extensive,  the 
Boston  traders  keeping  two  ships  on  the  coast, 
thus  enabling  the  native  Californians  to  indulge 
their  love  of  finery,  which  had  hitherto  been 
repressed. 

But  a  different  race  was  now  to  appear  upon 
the  scene,  and  henceforth  revolutions  were  to  be 
something  more  than  a  name.  Early  in  18-16 
Fremont  arrived  upon  the  frontiers  of  Califor- 
nia, and,  with  his  company  of  some  sixty  odd 
men,  halted  about  100  miles  from  Monterey. 
He  then  proceeded  alone  to  that  place  to  inter- 
view the  Mexican  General  Castro,  asking  of 
him  permission  to  proceed  to  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley,  that  he  might  there  rest  and  recuperate 
his  party,  who  were  on  their  way  to  Oregon. 
The  request  was  freely  granted,  but  no  sooner 
had  Fremont  departed  than  Castro  began  to  stir 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


ii[>  tlie  Calit'urnians.  Tlie  c.\[)lorcrs  were  be- 
bicjjed  for  some  four  days  near  Monterey,  but  tlie 
Californians  did  not  care  to  jiusli  the  iigliting, 
!-o  at  the  end  of  tliis  time  Fi'einont  and  liis  men 
took  up  tlieir  route  for  Oregon.  They  were 
soon  recalled,  however,  for  the  time  liad  at  last 
arrived,  vvlien  California  should  come  under  the 
protection  of  the  stars  and  sti'ipes. 

The  (Tovernment  at  Washington  had  long 
cast  eager  glances  westward,  and  on  the  2d  day 
of  July,  ISit),  Commodore  Sloat,  on  board  tlie 
frigate  Savannah,  entered  the  harbor  of  Monte- 
rey. His  position  was  a  trying  one,  for  if  lie 
did  not  take  possession  of  the  country  in  the 
name  of  tlie  United  States,  other  powers  might 
interfere.  At  the  time  the  Sarannah  left  Ma- 
zatlan  for  Monterey,  the  English  man-of-war 
C'lilliiKjiriioi/ t-Ailtid  from  San  Bias  for  the  same 
])ort. 

It  was  indeed  a  race  between  the  Uiiitetl 
States  and  England  on  which  perhaps  depended 
the  future  of  California. 

At  this  time  Sloat  did  iKitknuw  that  war  had 
lieen  declared  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico,  lie  therefore  hesitated  to  take  a  step 
which  must  provoke  hostilities. 

Before  this,  indeed,  the  shock  of  war  had 
been  felt  here  on  your  own  soil,  and  the  bear 
flag  had  fluttered  in  the  soft  breezes  of  the 
Sonoma  hills. 

This  occasion,  howexer,  was  ditl'erent;  the 
power  of  the  United  States  was  about  to  Ije 
invoked  and  woe  to  those  who  dared  its 
might. 

At  last,  on  the  7th  day  of  July,  181-f5,  Com- 
modore Sloat  raised  the  American  Hag  and  de- 
clared California  henceforth  a  part  of  the  United 
States,  and  on  the  lOtli  of  the  same  month  the 
stars  and  stripes  reached  Sonoma  and  were  sub- 
stituted for  the  l)ear  tiag,  under  which  our 
fathers  won  their  tirst  victory.  Much  was  still 
to  be  done  ere  the  (juestiou  was  entirely  settUnl, 
for  Flores  issued  a  prdclamation  to  the  Califor- 
nians and  gathered  together  some  three  hundred 
of  them  and  made  a  last  stand  for  independence. 
This  emeute  was  soon  tpielled,  however,  and  the 


United  States  were  in  undisturbed  possession  of 
Uj)per  California. 

In  the  spring  ot  18-18  the  treaty  of  peace.was 
ratified  between  our  country  and  Mexico,  and 
early  in  the  following  year  came  a  great  change 
to  California. 

On  the  19th  day  of  January,  184:'J,  James  AV. 
Marshall,  standing  by  a  stream  among  the 
mountains  of  the  present  county  of  El  Dorado, 
saw  something  glittering  before  him  in  the 
water.  He  gazes  for  a  moment,  then  knows  that 
it  is  gold,  sought  after  through  all  ages.  The 
secret  is  kept  for  a  little  time  but  soon  gets 
abroad,  and  flies  on  the  wings  of  the  wind  to  the 
uttermost  ends  of  the  earth.  Then  commences 
to  break  upon  our  coast  that  great  tide  of  hu- 
manity which  flowing  from  all  (piarters  of  the 
globe  passed  through  the  golden  gate  on  to  the 
golden  shore. 

Never  in  the  world's  history  has  such  a  sight 
been  presented  as  that  which  now  broke  upon 
the  vision  of  the  ipiiet  inhabitants  of  California. 
The  best  and  worst  elements  of  the  older  civi- 
lization were  set  down  on  the  sandy  shore  of 
the  old  mission  Dolores,  there  to  work  out  the 
eternal  law  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest. 

The  times  were  most  auspicious  for  the 
bringing  together  of  the  bravest  inanhood  in 
this  western  world.  The  war  with  Mexico  had 
closed  and  thousands  of  young  men  with  the 
laurels  of  victory  upon  their  brows  and  used  to 
a  life  of  adventure,  were  more  than  willing  to 
risk  their  all  in  search  of  the  hidden  treasure 
concealed  in  the  mountain  fastnesses  of  the  New 
El  Dorado. 

There  never  was,  there  never  can  be  a  i)raver, 
truer  race  of  men  than  those  Argonauts,  the 
pioneers  of  California,  bound  together  as  they 
were  by  no  ordinary  ties,  far  from  home  and 
kindred,  with  no  family  fireside  around  which 
to  gather,  with  nothing  to  call  forth  the  better 
side  of  man's  nature,  engaged  as  each  man  was 
in  the  wild  search  for  gold,  still  their  friendship 
was  heroic  in  its  trust  and  faithful  unto  death. 
And  was  it  nut  natural  that  it  should  be  sn'. 
These  men  lunl  encountered   peril    and  danger 


ursroBY  OF  sonoma  county. 


side  l)y  side,  liad  kept  guard  at  midnight  on  the 
liarren  phiins  of  Mexico  and  stood  shoulder  to 
slioulder  at  the  attack  on  Monterey.  A  thou- 
sand times  had  they  stood  face  to  face  with  death 
and  never  quailed.  Cemented  by  such  ties, 
what  wonder  that  there  existed  between  these  men 
a  trust  we  can  only  imagine.  The  name  of  the 
pioneeis  of  California  has  ever  been  a  synonym 
for  all  that  was  l)ravest  and  truest  in   manhood. 

At  this  time  through  all  the  broad  land,  from 
the  Atlantic  to  the  Mississippi,  and  from  the 
Great  Lakes  to  the  Gulf,  the  cry  was  "  West- 
ward-hol"  Old  and  young  alike  spurred  on  by 
the  hope  of  bettering  their  condition,  left  the 
(piiet  steady  life  they  had  known  so  long  and  set 
forth  with  brave  hearts  for  the  new  El  Dorado. 
The  sturdy  jS'^ew  England  lad  leaving  his  old 
home  among  the  hills  where  he  and  his  fathers 
before  him  had  scarcely  been  alile  to  make  both 
ends  meet,  went  side  by  side  with  the  college 
graduate  fresh  from  the  hills  of  Harvard. 
Whilst  from  the  plantations  of  the  South  and 
from  the  farms  of  the  then  West  came  a  human 
tide  slowly  forcing  its  way  across  the  broad 
plains  and  over  the  ocean  with  bnt  one  thought, 
one  dream,  one  aspiration — that  of  reaching 
California.  How  sad  it  is  to  realize  that  so  few 
of  all  these  countless  thousands  found  the  suc- 
cess they  hoped  for  on  these  shores. 

I  never  cross  the  beautiful  Bay  of  San  Fran- 
cisco with  its  bright  waters  reflecting  the  rosy 
tints  of  the  setting  sun  that  my  thoughts  do  not 
turn  to  the  olden  days,  and  looking  out  through 
the  Golden  Gate  I  can  picture  a  gallant  ship, 
with  all  sails  set,  slowly  coming  into  port.  Her 
sides  are  weather-stained  with  the  hard  usage 
she  has  encountered  in  beating  around  the  Horn, 
and  her  passengers  are  more  than  weary  with 
their  months'  of  continement.  Yet  the  smile 
of  hope  is  on  every  face,  for  at  last  they  are  in 
sight  of  the  long  sought  land.  Then  the  eager 
wish  to  get  ashore  and  into  the  mountains  to 
search  for  gold.  After  that  I  ah!  who  can  tell 
their  fate!  A  few  successful  in  their  search, 
but  the  great  majority  going  on  fi-oni  one  place 
to  another  until  at  last  they  sink  exhausted   by 


the  wayside,  and  the  wife  and  children  afar  off 
in  the  little  home  on  the  rough  New  England 
hillside  wait  in  vain  for  a  step  which  never 
comes;  for  a  voice  that  is  silent  forever;  wait 
until  even  hope  dies  away  and  they  know  that 
their  loved  one  is  lost  to  them. 

And  this  was  the  sad  fate  of  very  many  who, 
setting  forth  with  the  hope  of  procuring  that 
which  would  gladden  the  hearts  of  the  loved 
ones  at  home,  found  only  a  rough  grave  upon 
the  mountain  side,  and  the  sleep  which  knows 
no  waking. 

With  the  vast  influx  to  this  coast  of  Ameri- 
cans from  all  parts  of  the  United  States  came  a 
desire  to  secure  the  admission  of  California  iuto 
the  Union,  but  this  was  a  favor  more  easily 
asked  for  than  obtained.  At  the  very  threshold 
of  Congress  this  ambition  was  met  with  that 
old  question  which  had  caused  so  much  bitter- 
ness in  the  past  and  which  was  soon  to  bathe 
all  the  land  in  blood.  Slavery  stood  in  the  way. 
It  had  long  been  the  custom  in  order  to  main- 
tain a  political  balance  of  power  for  Congress  to 
admit  two  States  at  the  same  time — one  beluga 
slave  State,  the  other  free;  but  this  was  impos- 
sible at  this  time.  No  other  State  stood  knock- 
ing at  the  doors  of  the  National  Capitol,  and  the 
question  had  to  be  squarely  met. 

Attempts  to  give  a  territorial  form  of  govern- 
ment to  the  new  country  acquired  from  Mexico 
had  failed,  three  bills  having  such  an  object  had 
been  defeated  in  a  previous  session  of  Congress. 
And  in  1848,  Senator  Douglas,  of  Illinois,  in- 
troduced a  bill  admitting  California  into  the 
Union.  The  battle  waged  long  and  violent,  all 
the  old  passions  were  revived  and  sectional 
spirit  ran  as  high  as  during  the  time  of  the 
Missouri  Compromise  or  the  Wilmot  Proviso. 
Mr.  Douglas  did  all  that  man  could  do,  but  the 
opposition  was  too  strong,  and  after  an  all  night 
session,  on  Sunday  morning,  March  4,  184rU,  at 
7  o'clock,  the  Senate  adjourned  and  California 
was  still  left  without  a  State  government. 

In  the  meantime  the  people  of  California  had 
not  been  idle.  When  it  became  known  that 
Congress  had  failed  to  grant  any  relief, General 


History  op  soNo.ua   coi/Nry 


85 


Riley  called  upon  the  people  to  elect  delegates 
to  form  a  Constitution  for  the  State.  A  conven- 
tion met  for  this  purpose  on  the  third  day  of 
Septeinhei-,  1849,  at  Montert'v,  and  was  in  ses- 
sion some  six  weeks  evolving  the  first  Constitu- 
tion of  California.  This  was  soon  after  ratified 
by  the  people,  and  in  December,  1849,  the  first 
session  of  the  Legislature  met  at  San  Jose. 

The  question  of  the  admission  of  California 
came  before  Congress  again  at  its  ne.\t  session, 
and  the  fight  was  renewed  with  the  same  bitter- 
ness. Early  in  March  her  Senators  and  Repre- 
sentatives were  in  Washington,  asking  for 
admission  to  the  councils  of  the  nation. 

All  summer  the  question  engaged  the  giant 
minds  in  the  Senate,  and  at  times  the  issue 
seemed  most  doubtfhl,  but  at  last  the  friends  of 
the  new  State  conquered,  and  on  the  9th  day  of 
Septemlier,  1850,  President  Fillmore  signed  the 
bill  admitting  California  into  the  Union. 

To-day  we  are  gathered  together  to  celebrate 
the  thirty-fifth  anniversary  of  our  admission  in- 
to the  sisterhood  of  States.  Standing  in  this 
presence,  viewing  all  the  grand  accomplishments 
of  these  few  j'ears,  it  is  almost  impossible  for 
us  to  realize  that  it  is  jiot  all  a  dream;  for  thirty- 
five  years  is  as  nothing  in  the  life  of  a  country, 
and  what  wonders  has  our  fair  State  not  seen? 
Fiom  a  few  missions  scattered  along  the  coast 
have  sprung  a  dozen  cities,  and  the  old  Mission 
Dolores  has  grown  to  lie  the  empire  city  of  the 
AVest,  sitting  secure  upon  her  hills  by  the  Gold- 
en Gate,  proud  mistress  of  the  Pacific.  To  her 
has  come  trilmto  fi'mn  the  Orient  and  through 
her  gateway  gn  Inrth  ships  whose  sails  whiten 
every  sea.  ('(nild  but  the  sjiirit  of  some  old 
father  revisit  the  scenes  where  he  had  worked  in 
his  little  garden  among  the  siind  hills  he  would 
indeed  thiid<  that  tiie  age  of  miracles  had  come 
onee  more. 

Where  thirty-five  years  ago  were  a  few  scattei-ed 
ranches  with  herds  of  wild  cattle  running  over 
the  vast  plains  are  now  thriving  towns  and 
beautiful  farms.  In  no  other  land  has  nature 
been  so  lavish  in  her  gifts  to  the  children  of 
men.     With   us  all   climes  seem  to  meet  and 


blend,  and  the  hardy  pine  of  the  northern 
woods  whispers  iieside  the  orange  blossom  of 
the  south. 

We  have  often  been  ridiculed  for  boasting  so 
much  of  our  climate.  Vet  1  am  sure  we  are  fully 
justified  in  the  facts.  Stretching  as  our  State 
does  for  hundreds  of  miles  along  the  coast,  with 
its  fine  harl)ors,  that  of  San  Francisco  one  of 
the  best  in  the  world,  and  with  a  land  capable 
of  growing  almost  every  product  of  the  tem- 
perate and  torrid  zones — the  past  is  but  an 
earnest  of  what  the  future  has  in  store  for  us. 
Great  as  has  been  our  progress  during  the  past 
thirty-five  years,  I  look  forward  with  a  confi- 
dent hope  of  yet  grander  achievements. 

With  all  our  vast  resources  scarcely  un- 
touched, with  great  mines  of  wealth  yet  un- 
worked,  thousands  of  acres  of  fertile  soil 
uncultivated,  needing  only  the  hand  of  man  to 
cause  it  to  spring  forth  and  to  blossom  like  the 
rose,  we  as  a  people  are  not  faithful  to  the  great 
charge  entrusted  to  us,  if  we  are  satisfied  with 
the  glory  of  the  past  and  content  with  the  work 
done  by  our  fathers.  It  is  our  saci'ed  duty  to 
go  forward  in  the  the  patli  laid  out  for  iis  by 
the  pioneers,  building  up  the  prosperity  an<l 
greatness  of  the  grand  heritage  they  have  left 
us.  Our  task  is  much  easier  than  was  theirs; 
our  lives  have  fallen  in  pleasant  places;  for 
them  the  weary  months  of  toil  over  barren 
wastes  and  burning  sands,  the  battle  and  the 
siege;  for  us  the  pleasant  groves  and  vineyards, 
the  arts  and  civilizatitni,  and  the  security  of  the 
law. 

Shall  we  be  less  faithful,  enjoying  as  we  do 
the  fruits  of  their  labor,  than  were  they  with 
war  and  death  on  every  sid(>;  I  am  sure  I  can 
answer  for  y<in,  my  brothers,  when  I  say  that  you 
will  use  every  possilile  means  which  you  jiossess 
to  establish  stronger  the  bulwarks  of  our  beloved 
State;  that  you  will  see  to  it  that  no  act  of 
yours  will  ever  stain  the  fair  shield  of  ('alifor- 
nia;  that  accepting  from  your  fathers  as  a  sacred 
trust  the  honor  of  your  State,  yon  will  ever 
strive  to  jierpetiiate  its  glory  through  ail  the 
future. 


HISTiiRY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


The  years  that  are  crowding  fast  upon  us  are 
full  of  responsiihilities.  Whether  we  wish  to 
or  not  there  are  grave  ijuestiuns  which  must  be 
met.  Every  day  sees  some  old  pioneer  gathered 
to  his  reward,  and  the  vast  majority  of  them 
have  already  passed  over  the  divide  and  rest  on 
the  other  sliore.  Tlie  future  of  our  State  for 
weal  or  woe  is  in  our  hands,  and  there  are  prob- 
lems to  be  solved  wliicli  will  require  all  our 
knowledge  and  courage. 

Though  we  are  proud,  as  onh'  those  can  be 
who  live  ujion  their  native  soil,  still  there  are 
elements  within  our  State  which  must  be 
checked  if  we  desire  to  preserve  untainted  the 
liberty  and  equality   which   we  have   inherited. 

One  of  the  great  evils  that  lias  grown  up 
within  our  State  is  the  vast  power  exercised  by 
wealth.  We  are  too  prone  in  these  latter  days 
to  worship  the  possessor  of  monej',  caring  little 
by  what  means  it  has  been  obtained.  Let  us 
rather  return  to  the  piineiples  nf  unr  fathers, 
believing  with  tiiein  that  "an  honest  man  is 
the  noblest  work  of  God;"  for  I  fear  they  had 
a  higlier  standard  by  which  to  judge  these 
things,  and  I  believe  old  ways  are  best. 

With  all  our  improvements  in  the  past,  with 
school-houses  and  churches  on  every  hand,  1  do 
not  know  that  we  can  boast  of  a  higher  tone  of 
personal  honor  than  that  which  existed  among 
the  rough  and  hardy  pioneers  who  tirst  landed 
on  these  shores.  Then  every  .man's  word  was  his 
bond,  and  to  impugn  a  man'o  truthfulness  was 
cause  enough  for  war.  Now,  1  fear,  we  mistrust 
most  men,  and  prone  as  the  people  are  to  be- 
lieve the  worst,  they  iind  themselves  too  often 
gratified.  It  is  our  duty  to  try  and  change 
these  things.  Let  us  prove  that  the  high  traits 
for  which  our  fathers  were  justly  praised,  yet 
live  in  us,  that  honesty,  integrity  and  manliness 
are  not  things  of  the  past  age,  but  exist  now, 
and  by  our  liel|)  will  continue  through  all  the 
future. 

On  an  occasion  of  this  kind,  wlien  our 
hearts  are  full  of  tender  memories  of  the  past, 
and  our  minds  turn  again  to  the  golden  days  of 
boyhood,  when  life  seemed  all  sunshine,  and  our 


highest  dreams  and  aspirations  were  so  quickly 
gratifie<l,  ere  we  had  learned  the  bitterness  of 
defeat  or  the  hollowness  of  victory — before  we 
had  drank  of  the  cuj)  of  knowledge  which 
brings  sorrow,  who  of  us,  turning  again  to  the 
sweet  past,  has  failed  to  look  for  one  form  dearer 
than  all  others,  the  pioneer  mothers  of  our  State. 
Would  that  I  had  the  eloquence  with  which  to 
pay  a  fitting  tribute  to  their  memory — coming 
as  they  did  across  the  desert  plains  and  over 
thousands  of  miles  of  ocean,  leaving  behind 
them  without  a  murmur  all  the  comfort  and  re- 
finements of  civilization,  content  to  take  their 
place  beside  the  one  tliey  loved,  and  sufl'er  all 
for  his  sake.  Tiieir  life  work  lies  before  us  in 
the  homes  that  are  within  our  borders. 

Oh,  firesides,  dotting  mountain,  valley  and 
plain,  ye  by  your  thousand  voices  bear  testi- 
mony of  the  noble  work  and  worth  of  the  truest 
mothers  of  our  State.  A[ay  God  bless  them  to 
their  latest  day. 

Standing  here  to-day  among  the  vine-clad 
hills  of  Sonoma,  on  ground  rendered  historic 
as  being  the  place  wliere  the  first  blow  was 
struck  by  Americans  having  for  its  object  the 
Conquest  of  this  fair  land,  almost  in  sight  of 
the  spot  where  the  famous  bear  fiag  fiuttered  in 
the  breezes  of  that  summer  day  thirty-nine  years 
ago,  we  are  more  than  impressed  with  the  vast 
evidences  of  jn'ogress  tluit  meet  our  view  on 
every  hand.  Where  once  the  mountain  and 
hillside  were  covered  by  mighty  forests  inhab- 
ited by  savage  beasts  or  still  more  savage  men, 
now  we  have  the  vine  and  the  fruit  tree,  under 
the  siiadow  of  which  dwell  the  happy  and  con- 
tented liusbandman. 

The  old  pioneer,  his  life  work  almost  finished, 
here  rests  and  dreams  of  the  stirring  days  of 
yore,  happy  in  the  knowledge  that  through  his 
exertions  this  goodly  heritage  was  secured  and 
that  his  children's  children  will  rise  up  and  call 
him  blessed. 

To  the  noble  pioneers,  California  owes  a  debt 
of  gratitude  which  can  never  be  repaid.  l'>y 
their  efforts  has  she  been  placed  within  a  few 
short  years  in  a  jiosition  second  to  none  in  the 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COtTNTY. 


sister-liood  of  States.  Situated  as  we  are,  upon 
the  utmost  western  border  of  the  Republic,  far 
from  the  center  of  Federal  authority,  we  have 
not  received  the  same  amount  of  comfort  and 
assistance  from  the  general  government  that  our 
sister  States  have  enjoyed. 

Yet  our  loyalt}'  and  love  for  our  common 
country  has  never  wavered  in  the  past  nor  will 
it  ever  falter  in  the  future.  Each  star  in  tlie 
flag  is  dear  to  our  hearts  and  we  are  content  to 
bide  the  time  when  we  shall  be  better  under- 
stood. Standing  at  the  gateway  of  the  East, 
with  the  manners,  customs  and  civilization  of  an 
alien  race,  old  when  our  world  was  born,  menac- 
ing our  homes  and  institutions,  we  have  been 
forced  to  bar  the  way  to  this  servile  flood,  tiiat 
we  might  protect  our  own  flresides.  To  the 
rest  of  the  world  California  bids  a  most  liearty 
welcome.  On  our  great  fertile  plains  is  room 
for  all,  with  enough  of  food  to  All  the  hungry  of 
other  lands. 

To  those  sitting  in  the  darkness  of  a  despot- 
ism kejit  alive  by  force  in  the  old  world,  we 
oft'er  all  the  blessings  which  liberty  ever  brings 
to  its  happy  possessor. 

Founded,  as  this  State  was  by  men  of  every 
clime  under  heaven,  we  have  absolutely  no  prej- 
udices, judging  all  by  their  works  and  making 
none  responsible  for  the  errors  of  his  ancestors. 

With  these  blessings  on  every  hand  and  with 
the  vast  resources  of  our  soil,  there  is  practically 
no  limit  to  our  possibilities  as  a  people.  A 
grand  destiny  awaits  our  State.  May  each  of  us 
be  prepared  to  act  well  his  part  with  lionor  to 
himself  and  his  fatherland. 

To  you,  ]iioneer  fathers,  we  turn  this  day 
with  hearts  full  of  gratitude  for  the  l)lessings 
you  by  ydur  valor  have  conferred  upon  us.  To 
those  who  having  passed  over  the  divide,  look 
down  upon  us  from  the  heiglits  of  eternal  bliss, 
guide,  we  pray  you,  the  destinj-  of  the  State  you 
loved  so  well. 

To  others  who  are  still  with  us,  we  wish  all 
of  hapi)iness  and  peace.  May  their  last  days  be 
indeed  tlieir  best  ones,  and  when  the  sun,  for 
them,  shall   for  the  last  time  shed  liis  brilliant 


rays  upon  the  land  they  lield  so  dear,  may  its 
declining  light  guide  them  safely  into  the  eter- 
nal rest. 

And  now  to  thee.  Oh,  California,  l)rightest 
and  purest  star  in  all  the  galaxy  to  us,  we,  thy 
children, do  on  this  day  renew  our  fealty  to  thee. 
Loving  thee  as  no  other  people  can  love  thee, 
springing  from  thy  bosom  and  nurtured  on  thy 
breast,  we  pledge  our  lives,  our  honors  to  the 
pi'eservation  of  thy  liberty  in  all  its  pristine 
strength  ! 

May  he  be  greatest  among  us  wlio  does  the 
most  for  thee. 

And  through  all  the  cycles  of  the  ages,  God 
grant  that  thy  fair  shield  shall  shine  far  out 
over  the  western  waters  in  all  its  radiant  splen- 
dor. 

At  the  close  of  this  eloquent  address,  (ieorge 
Homer  Meyer,  the  gifted  Sonoma  County  Jioet, 
recited  the  following  poem: 

THE    KAISIXO    OF     THE     FT.AOS. 

With  the  flag  of  all  others  we  love  and  reveie. 

And  whose  stars  float  above  us  to-day, 
Let  us  blend  the  worn  folds  of  the  brave  pioneer, 

While  we  wreathe  it  with  laurel  and  bay. 
With  the  names  of  our  father.s  its  colors  entwine, 

And  no  shadow  its  history  mars, 
And  to-day  do  we  hold  it  as  fitting  to  shine, 

By  the  side  of  the  Stripes  and  the  Stars. 

Tho'  all  rugged  and  rude  on  that  far-a-way  morn 

Was  the  banner  they  lifted  in  air, 
Yet  the  deed  marked  the  day  when   an  Empire  was 
born, 

For  the  voice  of  God's  Freedom  was  there. 
And  the  hands  that  decreed  that  that  Freedont  should 
be, 

Were  as  rude  witli  their  labor-worn  scars 
As  the  ensign  they  raised — yet  it  flo.ated  .la  free, 

As  the  flag  of  the  Stripes  and  the  Stars. 

And  then  far  to  the  south  where  the  swift  breezes  jilay 

O'er  the  wave-broken  face  of  the  tide. 
O'er  the  crests  of  the  seas  with   their  wild  locks  ol 
spray, 

Lo  !  two  stately  sea-warriors  ride. 
And  a  banner  blood-red  from  one  lofty  mast  flows. 

With  St.  George's  crossed,  crimson-hued  bars. 
While  aflame  in  the  .sunlight  another  tliere  glows— 

The  bright  flag  of  the  Stripes  and  the  Stars. 

But  sweet  tidings  have  come  to  the  chiefs  o'er  the  sens, 
A  dark  glow  as  of  joy  lights  theii  eyes; 


IIIsniRY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Now  like  light  is  the  canvas  flung  wide  In  the  breeze, 

For  a  race,  with  an  Empire  the  prize. 
And  now  strain  every  hallianl  and  bend  every  sail. 

And  this  day  prove  the  strength  of  your  spars — 
Sliall  (he  Cross  and  the  Crown  of  proud  England  pre- 
vail, 

Or  the  flag  of  the  Stripes  and  the  Stars? 

Bnt  one  springs  to  the  front — like  a  shaft  from  the  bow 

Does  she  cleave  thro'  the  billow3'  spray, 
And  the  foam   in   her  track,  like  the  pathway  of  snow. 

O'er  the  wind  driven  sea  marks  her  waj-. 
The  wild  waves  lash    her  siiles  till  her  masts  liend  and 
reel, 

And  her  mighty  frame  trembles  and  jars. 
Hut  she  rises  erect  on  her  iron  shod  keel. 

And  above  Hoats  the  Stripes  and  the  Stars. 


And  on,  on  !  ever  on  !  the  wild  sea  rushes  by, 

While  the  Briton  comes  following  fast — 
And  there,  gleaming  before  them,  the  green  valleys  lie. 

For  the  wild  race  is  ending  at  last. 
And  now  pause,  ship  of  Britain,  the  contest  is  o'er, 

Lower  down  your  vain  canvas  and  spars, 
For  there,  rising  in  triumph  above  the  green  shore. 

Floats  the  flag  of  the  Stripes  and  the  Stars. 

And  now  speed  the  glad  ti<lings  away  to  the  north. 

Let  it  fly  on  the  winds  of  the  air; 
To  that  camp  in  the  hills  let  the  knowledge  go  forth. 

To  the  true  hearts  awaiting  it  there. 
Let  them  lay  their  brave  flag  on  the  Altars  of  Fame, 

No  dishonor  its  radiance  mars. 
For  unconqiiered  it  yields  without  shadow  of  shame, 

To  the  flag  of  the  Stripes  and  the  Stars. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


89 


^^ 


|[if'l=flF='F='l='r=^^^r=Jr=]n 


-^'^ite^: 


Military  and  Political  History. 


CIIAPTEIl  IX. 


Sonoma  under  mit.itarv  rule — General    Hiley  aitoints   civil  officers — a  si-EfiMEN  of   how 

JUSTICE     WAS     ADMINISTERED A     CONSTITUTIONAL     CONVENTION SoNOMa's     FIRST      ELECTION A 

CONTESTED    SEAT     IX    THE     Si'ATE    SeNATE CALIFORNIA      ADMITTED    INTO    THE     UxiON THE      MA- 

chixerv  (if  civil  (idvkknment  set  in  motion elections  am)  nl'mher  of  votes  i'ollkd    ix 

Sonoma  district — ueoin    to  agitate    countv    seat  kejioval — a   vote  taken   on  the  <jdes. 
TioN  IN  1854 — Santa    Eosa    declared   the  county  seat — earlv  court  accommodations  at 

the    new     county     seat AN     ATTEMPT     TO    REMOVE    THE     COUNTY    SEAT    FROM    SaNIA     KosA     A 

FAILURE COUNTY    BUILDINGS,    ETC. 


^S|S  yet,  Califoriiia  was  under  military  rule 
.toI  ^"'^  «iuite  a  garrison  was  maintained  at 
'■^^(^  Sonoma.  It  was  tiie  head  center  of  the 
northern  frontier,  and  when  the  gold  fields  of 
California  began  to  attract  immigration  it  be- 
came a  place  of  much  business  importance.  As 
a  military  post  it  was  honored  with  the  presence 
of  several  otticers,  who  afterward  achieved 
national  renown,  notable  among  whom  were 
Joe  Hooker,  Phil  Ivearney,  afterward  killed  at 
Antietam;  Ceneral  Stone,  (Tcncral  Stoneman, 
afterward  Governor  of  California;  an<l  J.ienten- 
ant  Derby,  author  of  the  Squibob  Papers. 

In  1849  (reneral  Itiley  was  commandant  on 
the  Pacific  coast,  and  appears  to  have  had  the 
power  to  appoint  civil  otticers;  for  in  August  of 
that  year  he  issued  a  commission  to  Stephen 
Cooper  as  judge  of  the  first  district,  and 
appointed  C.  J*.  Wilkins  prefect  of  the  district 
of  Sonoma.  That  the  justice  administered  by 
the    officers    so    appointed   was  both  grim  and 


swift  is  evidenced  by  tiie  first  record  in  Stephen 
Cooper's  court,  which  is  as  follows: 

"The  people  of  California  Territory  vs. 
George  Palmer — And  now  comes  the  said  people 
by  right  of  their  attorney,  and  the  said  defend- 
ant by  Seinple  and  O'AIelveny,  and  the  prisoner 
having  been  arraigned  on  the  indictment 
in  this  cause  plead  not  guilty.  Therefore  a 
jury  was  chosen,  selected  and  sworn,  when,  after 
hearing  the  evidence  and  arguments  of  couhspI, 
returned  into  court  the  tbllowiiig  verdict,  to 
wit: 

"The  jurymen  in  the  case  of  Palmer,  defend- 
ant, and  the  State  of  California,  plaintiff,  have 
found  a  verdict  of  guilty  on  both  counts  of  the 
indictment,  and  sentence  him  to  receive  the 
following  ])unishment,  to  wit: 

"On  Saturday,  the  24th  day  of  November,  to 
be  conducted  by  the  sheriff  to  some  public 
])lace,  ;uid  there  receive  on  his  bare  back  seven- 
ty-live lashes,  with  such  a  weapon  as'the  sheriff 


90 


HISTORY    (iF    SnmiMA    COUNT F. 


may  deem  fit,  on  each  count  respectively,  and 
to  be  banished  from  tlie  district  of  Sonoma 
within  twelve  lionrs  after  whipping,  under  the 
])enalty  of  receiving  the  same  number  of  laslies 
for  each  and  every  day  he  remains  in  the  dis- 
trict after  the  first   whipping. 

"(Signed)  Ai.exaniikk   Riddlk, 

•'  Foreman. 

'•It  is  therefore  ordered  l>y  the  court,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  above  verdict  that  tlie  forego- 
ing sentence  be  carried  into  etfect." 

It  may  seem  strange  to  the  reader  tiiat  the 
jury  ]ia8sed  sentence,  hut  they  could,  and  in 
case  of  grand  larceny,  a  jury  could  pass  sentence 
of  death;  as  they  did,  vide  Tanner  vs.  the 
people  of  the  State  of  California,  2nd  Col.  Re- 
ports. 

As  yet  everything  was  in  a  chaotic  fornuitive 
state.  The  civil  authority  related  back  to  mili- 
tary authority.  And  yet  the  government  seems 
to  have  been  efficient  and  conducive  to  good 
order  and  justice.  Tlie  penalties  imposed  may 
n(j\v  seem  severe  and  even  cruel,  but  we  must 
remember  that  in  taking  up  civilization  where 
Mexican  occupancy  ended  and  American  occu- 
pancy began  perfection  in  either  civil  or  crimi- 
nal practice  would  not  be  expected.  There  had 
to  be  a  gradual  shading  up  to  a  more  advanced 
stage  of  civilization.  In  due  time  this  came 
under  the  benign  influence  of  American  rule 
and  the  administration  of  American  law.  The 
whipping  post  as  a  punishment  for  petty  crimes 
and  the  gallows. as  the  punishment  for  grand 
larceny  marks  the  dividing  line  between  Cali- 
fornia as  a  conquered  province  of  Mexico,  and  a 
star  in  the  galaxy  of  the  States  of  the  Union 
of  the  United  States  of  America.  If  at  first  her 
justice  was  administered  with  a  seemingly 
vigorous  hand,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the 
civil  and  criminal  authority  related  back  to  the 
military  that  ruled  with  the  sword,  the  keen 
edge  of  which  did  not  allow  the  gordian  knots 
of  law  to  impede  the  ends  of  swift  and  summary 
punishment  for  infractions  of  law.  As  seem- 
ingly severe  as  this  administration  of  justice 
may    seem    to   those   of  later  days,   it    must  liP 


borne  in  mind  that  the  influx  to  California  of  a 
vast  horde  of  gold-seekers,  had  precipitated  upon 
this  coast  a  people  cosmopolitan  in  a  degree 
never  l)efore  concentrated  upon  God's  footstool; 
and  nothing  short  of  the  most  Vigorous  methods 
of  jurisprudence  would  meet  the  exigencies  of 
the  times.  The  interregnum  between  military 
and  civil  rule  in  California  was  a  period  fraught 
with  many  dangers  to  the  weal  of  California, 
and  it  is  a  subject  of  congratulation  that  it  was 
tided  over  with  so  few  mistakes  and  errors.  I'ut 
the  military  rule  liad  tilled  its  appointed  office 
and  the  people  came  under  the  dominion  of 
civil  rule. 

California  was  now  under  the  peaceful  folds 
of  the  stars  and  stripes.  On  February  2,  184-8. 
a  treaty  of  peace  and  friendship  was  formulated 
attTuadalupe  Hidalgo;  ratified  by  the  President 
of  the  United  States  on  March  IG,  18-48;  ex- 
changed at  Queretaro,  May  30,  and  was  finally 
promulgated  on  the  4th  of  July  ot  the  same 
year,  by  President  Polk,  and  attested  by  Secre- 
tary of  State,  James  lUielianan.  In  June,  1849, 
a  proclamation  was  published  calling  an  election 
to  be  held  on  the  1st  of  August,  to  elect  dele- 
gates to  a  general  convention  to  formulate  a 
State  constitution,  and  for  filling  the  offices  of 
judge  of  tlie  superior  court,  prefects,  sul)- 
prefects,  and  first  alcalda  as  judge  of  the  first 
instance,  such  appointments  to  be  made  by 
General  Riley  after  being  voted  for.  The 
Sonoma  district  elected  as  delegates  to  that  con- 
vention General  Yallejo,  Joel  Walker,  R. 
Seniple  and  L.  W.  Boggs.  The  number  of  del- 
egates was  fixed  at  thirty-seven,  and  they  were 
to  meet  in  convention  at  Monterey  on  the  1st 
of  September,  184!l. 

The  constitutional  convention  assembled  at 
Monterey  at  the  appointed  time  and  R.  Semjde, 
delegate  from  the  Sonoma  district,  was  chosen 
chairman.  The  session  lasted  six  weeks.  It 
seems  to  have  been  conducted  with  ability  and 
decorum.  A  seal  of  the  State  was  adopted  with 
the  motto  "  Eureka;''  a  provision  for  the  morals 
and  education  of  the  people  of  the  State  was 
made:  the  boundary  (piestion  between   Califor- 


BISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


nia  and  Mexico  deteniiined,  and  last,  but  not 
least,  slavery  was  forever  proiiibited  within  the 
boundary  of  the  State. 

The  constitution  so  framed,  was  submitted  to 
the  people  for  ratitication  at  an  election  held  on 
the  13th  of  November.  At  the  same  election 
State  officers  were  to  lie  elected.  Tlie  vote  for 
the  constitution  was  12,064  for,  and  eleven 
against  its  adoption.  For  State  officers  there 
were  two  tickets  in  the  field,  both  called  the 
peoples'  ticket.  The  first  was:  for  Governor, 
John  A.  Sutter;  for  Lieutenant-Governor,  John 
McDougall  ;  for  Representatives  in  Congi'ess, 
William  E.  Shannon,  Peter  Ilalsted.  The 
second  was:  Peter  H.  Burnett,  for  Governor; 
for  Lieutenant-Governer,  John  McDougall;  for 
Representatives  in  Congress,  Edward  Gilbert  and 
George  W.  Wright.  The  result  of  this  election 
was:  Peter  Burnett,  (Governor;  John  McDougall, 
Lieutenant-Governor;  and  Edward  Gilbert  and 
George  W.  Wright  sent  to  Congress.  The  total 
vote  polled  by  Sonoma  district  in  this  election 
was  552  votes,  of  which  424  were  for  Jiurnett. 
For  the  State  Senate  the  contest  was  between 
General  M.  G.  Yallejo  and  Jonas  Spect,  a  Meth- 
odist clergyman,  afterward  a  resident  of  Two 
Rock  Valley  foi'  many  years.  At  first  Jonas 
Spect  was  given  his  seat  on  the  claim  that  he 
had  received  a  majority  of  the  votes  cast  at  a 
precinct  somewhere  in  the  district  called  "  Lar- 
kin's  Rancho."  But  it  seems  that  Spect  had 
reckoned  without  his  host,  for  when  authentic 
returns  came  in  from  Larkin's  Ranch  it  proved 
that  Yallejo  had  lieen  elected  by  eighteen  ma- 
jority, and  Spect  had  to  vacate  his  seat  in  favor 
of  Vallejo.  The  duly  elected  Representatives  to 
the  Assembly  from  the  district  of  Sonoma  was 
J.  E.  Brackett  and  J.  S.  Bradford.  On  the  15th 
of  December,  1849,  this,  the  first  legislative 
body  convened  un<ler  American  rule,  assembled 
at  the  Pueblo  de  San  Jose,  and  the  senate  organ- 
ized with  Mr.  Cambcrlin  as  president  pro  tern., 
and  John  Bidwell  as  temporary  secretary.  The 
assembly  organized  with  Mr.  Walthall  as  chair- 
man/*/v)  fern.,  and  Mr.  Moorchead  as  clerk  pro 
tiHi.      riio  first  session  of  the  Legislature  \ipon 


which  was  devolved  the  task  of  setting  in 
motioTi  the  wheels  of  civil  government  had  a 
difficult  and  intricate  task  to  perform.  It  dis- 
charged its  duties  as  well  as  could  lie  expected 
considering  the  multiform  and  intricate  ques- 
tions pressed  upon  its  considei'ation.  At  this 
session  Robert  Hopkins  was  appointed  district 
judge  of  the  district  of  which  Sonoma  County 
was  a  part,  and  J.  E.  Brackett  Major-General  of 
the  second  division  of  militia.  Petaluma  and 
Scmoma  Creeks  were  also  declared  navigalde 
streams.  Throughout  the  proceedings  of  this 
first  legislative  body  of  California  seems  to 
have  been  harmonious,  except  that  there  was 
apparent  some  friction  over  the  charactei-  of 
memorial  to  be  sent  to  Congress  asking  for  ad- 
mission into  the  sisterhood  of  States.  The  bone 
of  contention  was  that  clause  of  the  constitution 
prohibiting  slavery.  This  led  to  much  acri- 
monious discussion  and  resulted  in  the  rejection 
of  all  the  florid  addresses  intended  as  accom- 
paniments to  the  constitution,  to  be  submitted 
to  Congress  for  ratification. 

The  Legislature  proceeded  to  divide  the  Ter- 
ritory into  counties.  The  act  sub-dividing  into 
counties  and  establishing, seats  of  justice  therein 
was  finally  passed  and  confirmed  on  the  25th  of 
April,  1851,  fixing  the  boundaries  of  Sonoma 
County  as  follows: 

"  Beginning  on  the  sea-coast,  at  the  mouth 
of  Russian  River,  and  following  up  the  middle 
of  said  river  to  its  source  in  the  range  of  moun- 
tains called  Moyaemas;  thence  in  a  direct  line 
to  the  northwestern  corner  of  Napa  County  to 
its  termination  in  ('amero  Mountains;  thence 
in  a  direct  line  to  the  nearest  point  of  Camero 
Creek;  thence  down  said  creek  to  its  entrance 
into  Napa  River;  thence  down  the  middle  of 
Napa  River  to  its  mouth,  excluding  the  island 
called  Signor, or  Mare  Island;  thence  due  south 
to  the  north  line  of  Contra  Costa  County;  thence 
down  the  middle  of  said  bay  to  the  corner  of 
Marin  County;  thence  following  the  boundary 
of  IVIarin  County  to  Petaluma  Creek;  thence  up 
said  ciTfk,  following  the  boundary  of  Afarin 
Connt\   to  the  ocean,  and    thi'ee   miles  Therein; 


insTiiRY    oF    soNoMA    diVNTY. 


thence  in  a  northerly  direction  parallel  with  the 
coast  to  a  point  opposite  the  mouth  of  Russian 
River,  and  thence  to  said  river,  wliich  was  the 
place  of  heginning."  If  we  take  a  map  and 
follow  the  meanderings  df  this  boundary  we 
will  find  it  very  dissimihir  to  the  present  boun- 
daries of  Sonoma  Oounty.  Sonoma  was  desig- 
nare<l  as  the  seat  uf  county  government.  Pro- 
vision was  made  for  a  court  consisting  of  a 
county  judge,  to  be  assisted  in  his  deliberations 
by  two  justices  of  the  peace,  they  to  be  cliosen 
by  their  brother  justices  from  out  of  the  whole 
number  elected  for  the  county.  This  court  had 
great  latitude  of  jurisdiction,  for,  aside  from 
passing  upon  matters  civil  and  criminal,  it  also 
discharged,  substantially,  all  the  functions  now 
belonging  to  a  county  lioard  of  supervisors. 
The  regular  terms  of  this  court  were  to  com- 
mence on  the  second  Monday  of  February, 
April,  June,  August,  October  and  December, 
with  quarterly  sessions  on  the  third  Monday  of 
February,  May,  August  and  November  of  each 
year. 

On  the  lull  of  September,  1850,  California 
was  admitted  into  the  Union  as  a  State.  The 
first  regular  State  Legislature  assembled  at  San 
Jose  on  January  6,  1851.  The  Eleventh  Sena- 
torial District  then  embraced  the  counties  of 
Sonoma,  S(dano,  Napa,  Marin,  Colusa,  Yolo, 
and  Trinity,  and  was  represented  in  the  Senate 
by  Martin  E.  Cook;  while  Sonoma,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  Marin,  Napa  and  Solano  counties  was 
represented  in  the  Assembly  by  A.  Stearns  and 
John  A.  Bradford. 

There  had  l)een  established  a  court  of  sessions 
at  Sonoma  with  A.  A.  Oreen  as  County  Judge 
and  Charles  Hudspeth  and  Refer  Campbell  as 
Associates.  Judge  Green  died  in  1851,  and  W- 
O.  King  was  chosen  to  till  his  place.  In  Novem- 
l)er  of  that  year  C.  R.  Wilkins  was  elected 
County  Judge,  Israel  I'rockman  was  sheriff 
and  Dr.  John  llendley  was  county  clerk  and 
recorder. 

In  July  of  1852  Refer  Campbell  and  J.  M. 
Miller  were  associate  justices  on  the  bench 
with  Judyc  Wilkins:   ami  on  the  3il  of  October 


they  were  superseded  by  A.  C  (iodwin  and 
Phil.  R.  Thompson.  The  first  Board  of  Super- 
visors for  the  county  convened  on  July  5,  1852, 
at  Sonoma,  and  took  charge  of  county  affairs 
not  coming  within  tlie  jurisdiction  of  the  court 
of  sessions.  The  members  were  D.  O.  Shat- 
tuck;  William  A.  Hereford,  of  Santa  Rosa  Dis- 
trict, and  Leonard  I'.  Hansen  and  James  Sing- 
ley  of  Retalunm  District.  I).  ( ).  Shattuck  was 
made  Chairman  of  the  Board. 

A*  the  Rresidential  election,  the  fall  of  1852, 
E.  W.  McKinstry  was  elected  District  Judge  of 
this  district,  and  J.  M.  Hudspeth,  Senator,  and 
H.  S.  Ewingand  James  McKamy,  assemblymen. 
As  an  inspiration  to  the  young  men  of  Sonoma 
County  of  the  future,  not  to  despise  the  humlde 
vocations  of  life,  we  here  mention  that  Joe 
Hooker,  the  afterward  celebrated  "Fighting  Joe 
Hooker"  of  the  civil  war,  was  elected  to  and 
filled  the  position  of  road-master  in  Sonoma 
road  district,  in  the  year  of  grace,  185H. 

In  1852  Sonoma  County  played  so  little  of  a 
conspicuous  figure  in  politics  that  we  find  no 
record  of  its  attitude  on  the  great  national  ques- 
tions of  the  day.  It  was  then  Whig  and  Dem- 
ocrat, but  we  find  notlnng  to  show  iiow  the  vote 
stood  between  Rierce  and  tiie  hero  of  "  Lundy's 
Lane,"  but  judging  from  tiie  complexion  of  the 
then  population  of  Sonoma  County,  the  vote 
was  in  favor  of  Rierce. 

In  1853  the  Democratic  convention  which 
met  at  Santa  Rosa  nominated  Joe  Hooker  an<l 
Lindsay  Carson  for  the  assembly,  and  a  fuU 
county  ticket.  The  Settlers'  convention  met  on 
Aueust  fith  and  nominated  a  full  ticket,  headed 
by  James  N.  Bennett  and  Judge  Robert  Hop- 
kins for  the  assembly.  It  was  a  tie  vote  be- 
tween Bennett  and  Hooker.  On  the  second 
election  to  decide  this  tie  vote  the  removal  of  the 
county  seat  from  Sonoma  to  Santa  Rosa  became 
a  direct  issue.  Tiie  election  came  off  on  Octo- 
ber 9,  and  Bennett,  who  lived  and  was  sponsor 
for  P.ennett  Yalley,  beat  Hooker,  a  resident  of 
Sonoma,  l)y  thirteen  majority.  Lindsay  Carson 
having  declined  the  election  to  tlie  assembly  a 
new  election  was  called   to   fill   the  vacancy  on 


HISTORT    OP    SONOMA    GOdNTY. 


93 


the  23(1  uf  December.  Tlic  candidates  were  W. 
J],  llagiuit;,  James  Siiii;;lcy  and  Joseph  W.  Bel- 
den,  and  resulted  in  the  election  of  AV.  H. 
llagans. 

Ilitlierto  we  have  had  to  grupe  amid  the  im- 
pertect  and  defaced  written  records  of  Sonoma 
to  rind  the  political  history  of  the  county.  In 
September,  1855,  there  was  a  State  and  county 
election  held.  The  AVhio-  jiarty  had  subsitled 
and  the  contest  was  a  straight  one  on  the  State 
ticket  between  the  Democratic  and  Ameuican 
parties.  The  candidates  for  Governor  were 
Rigler,  Democratic,  and  Johnson,  American. 
In  Sonoma  County  Rigler  received  988  votes 
and  Johnson  892.  In  the  county  contest  tlie 
tickets  were  Democratic  and  Settler.  The  Set- 
tler's ticket  was  elected  from  top  to  l^ottom.  At 
this  election  was  submitted  the  proposition 
"Prohibitory  Liquor  Law  yes,  and  Prohibitory 
Liquor  Law  no,''  and  the  vote  stood,  yes,  591; 
and  no,  676.  The  total  vote  polled  in  Sonoma 
and  Mendocino  counties  at  this  election  was 
1,896. 

As  stated  aliuve,  the  contest  in  1853,  between 
Joe  Hooker  and  Bennett  hinged  upon  the  pro- 
posed removal  of  the  county  seat  from  Sonoma 
to  Santa  Rosa.  This  became  a  leading  question 
in  the  political  issues  of  the  county.  To  give 
the  reader  a  correct  idea  of  the  whole  subject 
we  cannot  better  do  so  than  by  incorporating 
here  the  whole  history  in  connection  with  the 
county  seat  removal  as  lelated  by  R.  A.  Thomp- 
son in  his  excellent  history  of  Santa  Rosa  Town- 
ship.    It  is  as  follows: 

"  In  the  year  of  1850,  in  the  town  of  Sonoma, 
the  county  occupied  a  building  owned  by  II.  A. 
(Trreen,  County  Judge.  The  Court  of  Sessions 
then  transacted  the  i)usini;ss  of  the  county,  now 
entrusted  to  the  iJoard  of  Supervisors.  The 
(Jourt  consisted  of  the  County  Judge  and  a 
n\iinbcr  of  Associate  Justices.  At  the  time  of 
which  I  write  the  meinbers^of  the  court  were 
II.  A.  (4reen,  County  Judge,  J*.  Campbell  and 
Charles  Hudspeth,  associates.  On  the  I8th  of 
March,  1850,  H.  A.  Green  presents  iiis  bill  to 
his  own  court   for  rent  of  building   for  court- 


house, from  the  20th  of  May  to  the  20th  of 
Septenil)er,  1850 — four  months,  at  .S125  jicr 
month — S500.  The  bill  was  allowed,  and  wa.s 
the  lirst  transaction  of  any  kind  regai'ding  a 
court  house. 

"On  the  iS'h  of  February,  1850,  the  Court 
made  the  rollowing  oixlei',  in  the  matter  of  pur- 
chasing a  court-house:  'The  (-ourt  having  con- 
sidered the  expense  accruing  to  the  county 
annually,  foi'  rent  of  a  court-house  and  offices, 
are  of  the  opinion  that  it  would  be  a  saving  to 
the  county  to  ])urchase  a  house  already  built, 
and  recommend  the  same  to  be  taken  into  con- 
sideration as  soon  as  possible. 

"  At  the  next  meeting,  in  March,  Peter  Camp- 
bell and  Charles  Hudspeth  were  appointed  by  the 
court  to  buy  or  erect  a  suitable  building  for  a  court- 
house, jail,  otKces,  etc.  At  tlio  following  meet- 
ing this  order  was  rescinded,  and  John  Cameron 
and  A.  C.  McDonald  were  appointed  in  their 
stead.  They  reported  at  once,  and  recommended, 
quite  innocently,  the  purchase  of  Judge  Green's 
house,  as,  of  course,  was  anticipated,  for  $5,500, 
to  be  paid  for  in  seven  warrants,  three  for  iJioOO 
and  four  for  $1,000  each,  to  bear  3  per  cent, 
interest  per  month  until  paid.  The  court  ac- 
cepted the  report — generously,  liowever,  reduc- 
ing the  interest  to  2^  per  cent,  per  month. 
Judge  Green  made  a  deed,  and  the  county  took 
possession  of  the  old  '  casa.  dc  tidohe^  (juurters. 
The  interest  ran  up  more  than  the  rent,  and  was 
never  paid;  nor  was  the  principal  until  long 
after  the  death  of  Mr.  Green.  The  board  of 
supervisors  succeeded  the  court  of  sessions,  and 
they  considered  it  very  (piestioiiable  whether 
there  was  any  law  whatever  for  the  purchase, 
and  payment  hung  lire  for  a  long  time,  but  it 
was  eventually  paid,  as  will  be  seen.  The  county 
occupied  this  l)uilding  until  it  left  Sonoma. 

"  In  March,  1854,  the  bill  authorizing  a  vote 
upon  the  question  of  removal  of  county  seat 
passed  the  Legislature.  It  was  introduced  on 
the  18th  of  April,  was  approved  on  the  19th 
and  became  a  law.  It  was  entitled  •  An  act  to 
locate  the  county  seat  of  Soimma."  It  jirovided 
for  three  commissioners,  who  were  luimed  in  the 


94 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


liill:  Charles  Loper  and  Gilbert  R.  Brusli,  of 
Maiiii  Cuiiiity,  and  James  McNear,  of  Napa,  to 
locate  anew  the  county  seat  of  yonoma.  Section 
second  provided  that  the  commissioners  should 
locate  the  county  seat  '  a?;  near  the  geograpiiical 
center  of  tiie  valley  portion,  or  agricultural  por- 
tion of  said  county,  as  practicable,  having  due 
regard  to  ail  local  advantages  in  the  selection  of 
the  site." 

"  The  commissioners  wer€  to  notify  the  su- 
pervisors of  their  selection,  and  the  supervisors 
were  to  certify  the  same  to  tlie  county  judge, 
and  the  judge  was  directed  to  give  notice  to  the 
(qualified  electors  of  the  county  to  vote  foi-  or 
against  the  new  county  seat  at  the  following 
general  election,  li'  a  majority  voted  for  tiie 
new  county  seat,  the  board  were  directed  to  re- 
move the  archives  to  Santa  Rosa  and  provide 
the  requisite  county  buildings;  if  against  the 
new  county  seat,  then  it  should  remain  in 
Sonoma. 

"The  contest  for  removal  actually  Ijcgan  a 
year  ijeforc  in  the  race  between  Joe  Hooker  and 
J.  AV.  Bennett  for  the  Legislature.  In  Santa 
Rosa  Bennett  received  eighty-four  votes  to 
Hooker's  two.  Tlu;  (piestion  of  removal  gave 
him  almost  a  solid  vote,  though-  it  was  not 
publicly  mentioned,  lie  carrieil  the  county  by 
a  majority  of  twenty-two  votes. 

••  The  Sonoma  Bulletin,,  then  edited  by  that 
pioneer  journalist,  A.  J.  Cox,  very  warndy  ad- 
vocated Mr.  Hooker's  election,  and  up  to  this 
date,  in  his  admirably  edited  paper,  had  no 
reference  to  the  removal  of  the  county  seat, 
though  he  must  have   thought  about  it. 

'•The  grand  jury,  on  the  7th  of  February, 
1854,  condemned  the  old  court-house — which 
they  called  '  an  old  dilapidated  adobe  of  small 
dimensions,  in  part  rootless  and  unlit  for  a  cattle 
shed.'  They  say  it  had  cost  !«9,0U(),  of  which 
§3,000  had  been  paid  and  ^HOOO  was  still 
claimed. 

"Next  week  the  Bulletin  said,  editorially: 
•  The  old  court-house  is  about  being  deserted, 
and  high  time  it  should  be,  unless  our  worthy 
officers  of  the  law  would  run  the  risk  of  being 


crushed  beneath  a  mass  of  mud  and  shingles, 
for  we  really  believe  it  will  cave  in  the  next 
heavy  rain.' 

"AVhen  it  was  known  in  Sonoma  that  Mr. 
Bei.nett's  bill  had  been  introduced,  the  Bulletin 
of  Api-il  8,  1854,  under  head  of  '  Removal  of 
County  Seat,' said:  'Our  representatives  at  Sac- 
ramento, hitherto  inert  and  dumb,  have  at 
length  bestirred  themselves  to  action — some- 
thing to  save  appearances  at  the  close  of  the 
session.  This  effort  to  do  something,  however, 
reminds  our  citizens  that  they  are  represented 
at  the  capital  -a  circumstance  they  had  long 
since  forgotten.  The  first  intimation  we  had  of 
the  peoj)le' ft  desire  to  remove  the  county  seat 
from  Sononui  to  Santa  Rosa  was  through  the 
legislative  proceedings  of  March  28th,  which 
inform  us  that  the  bill  ha<l  been  introduced  and 
passed  for  that  purpose.  From  what  source  did 
our  representatives  derive  the  information  that 
a  change  was  demanded  by  our  people?  In  the 
name  of  a  large  body  of  their  constituents  we 
protest  against  the  measure  as  premature,  un- 
authorized and  impolitic.  The  county  cannot 
even  repair  the  miserable  building,  and  theoidy 
one  it  possesses;  how  then  can  it  bear  the  ex- 
pense of  erecting  new  ones?  Perhaps  the 
Sonoma  delegation  can  perform  a  financial 
miracle.' 

"The  session  of  the  Legislature  was  drawing 
to  a  close,  and  there  was  no  time  to  compass  the 
defeat  of  the  bill,  hence  the  rather  bitter  tone 
of  the  above  editorial. 

"  In  its  issue  of  August  19th  the  Bulletin 
said:  'The  removal  of  the  county  seat  claims  a 
large  share  of  public  interest.  Will  it  be  trans- 
ferred from  Sonoma  to  Santa  Rosa?  Of  course 
that  can  only  be  positively  known  when  the 
ballots  for  and  against  the  new  county  seat  arc 
counted.  J  udging  from  what  we  call  popular 
opinion  of  the  matter,  Santa  Rosa  has  but  a 
slim  chance  of  success,  although  every  one  con- 
siders it  a  pretty  little  town,  and  located  in  a 
pretty  spot.'  Oue  of  the  editor's  arguments 
against  removal  was  that  if  the  county  should 
be  divided,  Santa  Rosa  would  l)e  as  extreme  as 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Sonoma  now  is,  and,  like  our  famous  State  capi- 
tal, the  county  seat  would  have  to  '  roll  its  bones 
elsewhere." 

"  The  election  took  place  on  the  tith  of  Sep- 
tember, as  advertised,  and  the  vote  stood  as 
t'oliows:  for  Santa  Rosa,  716;   for  Sonoma,  ot)8. 

"  On  tiie  14th  day  of  the  same  month  the 
editor  of  the  BuUi'tin  announces  the  vote  as 
follows:  'The  county  seat — that's  a  gone  or 
going  case  from  Sonoma.  The  uji-country  peo- 
ple battled  furiously  against  us,  and  have  come 
out  victorious.  B3'  the  way,  the  people  of  Santa 
Rosa,  after  being  satisfied  of  their  success,  tired 
one  hundred  guns  in  honor  of  the  event;  that 
is  an  anvil  supplied  the  place  of  a  cannon, 
which  was  let  oft"  100  times.  A  great  country 
this,  whether  fenced  in  or  not.' 

"The  board  of  supervisors  met  in  Sonoma  on 
the  18th  day  of  September  as  a  board  of  can- 
vassers, and  declared  the  above  result.  \i  the 
same  meeting  they  agreed  to  convene  in  Santa 
Rosa  September  20th,  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
viding the  necessary  buildings  for  the  different 
county  officers,  and  for  transacting  any  otlie 
business  pertaining  to  tlie  new  county  seat. 

"The  district  attorney  was  requested  to  ac- 
company the  boa  d  on  September  20th.  A. 
Copeland,lI.  G.  Heald,  R.  E.  Smith  and  Stephen 
L.  Fowder,  constituting  a  majority  of  the  board 
of  supervisors,  met  for  the  first  time  in  Santa 
Rosa.  Supervisor  R.  E.  Smith  was  chairman  of 
the  Itoai'd. 

"Julio  Carrillo,  V.  G.  llahman,  Herthold 
Iloen  and  W.  P.  Hartinaii  appeared  before  the 
board,  they  being  proprietors  of  the  town  of 
Santa  Rosa,  and  agreed  to  furnish  free  of  rent 
three  rooms  in  the  house  owned  and  occupied  by 
Julio  Carrillo  (now  ex-Mayor  James  P.  Clark's 
residence),  to  be  used  by  the  sheriff',  clerk  and 
treasurer  until  other  buildings  were  provided. 
They  also  agreed  that  by  the  3d  day  of  Novem-. 
ber,  1854,  they  would  have  a  court-house  and 
suitable  rooms  for  county  officers,  said  building 
to  be  the  property  of  the  County  of  Sonoma  for 
one  year  gratis.  A  bond  to  carry  out  this 
agreement  was  given. 


"The  board  then  clinched  tlie  removal,  and 
fixed  the  county  seat  in  its  new  location  by  the 
following  order,  which  was  placed  upon  the 
minutes: 

" '  It  is  hereby  certified  that  at  an  election 
held  in  the  County  of  Sonoma  on  the  fith  day 
of  September,  1854,  in  pursuance  of  an  act  of 
the  Legislature  entitled  'An  act  to  locate  the 
county  seat  of  Sonoma  County  anew,'  the  new 
county  seat  received  716  votes,  having  a  major- 
ity of  the  votes  cast  at  said  election.  Now, 
therefore,  know  that  the  town  of  Santa  Rosa  is 
hereby  declared  to  be  the  county  seat  of  Sonoma 
County.' 

"  Supervisor  Stephen  E.  Fowler  offered  the 
following: 

'•^  Ii'esidra/,  l!y  order  of  the  lioaril  of  super- 
visors of  Sonoma  County,  that  the  archives  v\' 
said  county  be  moved  from  the  city  of  Sonoma 
to  the  town  of  Santa  Rosa,  by  order  of  the 
board  declared  to  be  the  county  seat  of  Sonoma 
County  on  September  22,  1854.' 

"When  the  archives  were  finally  taken  the 
irrepressibly  witty  Sonoma  editor  gets  off  the 
following:  Departed. — Last  Friday  the  county 
officei's  with  the  archives  left  town  for  tiie  new 
capitol  amidst  the  exulting  grin  of  some,  and 
silent  disapproval  (frowning  visages)  of  others. 
We  are  only  sorry  they  did  not  take  the  court- 
house along — not  because  it  would  be  an  orna- 
ment to  Santa  Rosa,  but  because  its  removal 
would  have  embellished  our  plaza.  Alasl  old 
^  caiid  de  ddohc.'  No  more  do  we  see  county 
lawyers  and  loafers  in  general,  lazily  engaged  in 
the  laudable  effort  of  whittling  asunder  the 
veranda-posts — which,  by  the  way,  recpiired  but 
little  more  to  bring  the  whole  fabric  to  the 
ground.  Xo  more  shall  we  hear  within  and 
around  it  lengthy,  logical  political  discussions, 
upon  which  were  supposed  to  hang  the  fate  of 
the  world.  The  court-house  is  deserteil,  like 
some  old  feudal  castle,  only  tenanted,  perhaps, 
by  bats,  rats  and  Heas.  Li  the  classic  language 
of  no  one  in  particular,  '  Let  'er  rip.' 

"At  the  first  meeting  of  the  lioard  District 
Attorney   McNair  put    in    a   l>ill  for  $250,  for 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


iielt)ing  the  siijiervisors  tu  get  legally  out  of 
80110111a;  he  was  allowed  slUO.  Tlie  hoard 
thought  they  did  must  of  the  work — at  least 
two-thirds  of  it.  Jiin  Williamson  modestly  put 
in  a  hill  of  $10,  for  getting  away  with  the 
records,  which  was  allowed,  without  a  groan,  as 
it  ought  to  have  heen. 

"The  first  said  about  a  jail  was  December 
13,  1855,  when  Supervisor  Harrison,  of  Geyser- 
ville,  proposed  to  cast  about  for  plans;  the 
matter  was  laid  over. 

•'  The  editor  of  the  Bullitin.  visited  Santa 
Rosa  in  October,  a  month  after  the  removal, 
and  it  is  pleasant  to  know  how  it  a])pears 
to  one  so  capable  of  estimating  it.  Mr.  Cox 
says:  '  Our  friends  at  Santa  Rosa  are  displaying 
considerable  energy  in  building  np  the  town. 
We  notice,  among  other  evidences  of  enterprise, 
the  partial  erection  of  a  court-house.  It  is  a 
pretty  building,  and.  though  seemingly  small  to 
those  accustomed  to  the  palatial  four-story  edi- 
fices of  Sonoma,  is  suthcieutly  large  for  the  pur- 
pose. The  citizens  of  the  town  certainly  possess, 
in  an  eminent  degree,  the  great  ingredients  of 
success,  industry  and  enterprise.'  This  is  a 
handsome  tribute  to  the  early  Santa  Rosans. 

"  The  next  reference  to  the  subject  appears 
November  30th,  in  which  it  is  stated  that 
>  .ludge  McKinstry  has  decided  the  mandamus 
to  remove  the  county  seat  in  favor  of  Santa 
Rosa.     Citizens,  let  the  question  repose." 

"On  Tuesday,  October  2d,  1854,  the  Court 
of  Sessions,  Judge  Frank  W.  Shattuck  presid- 
ing, met  for  the  first  time,  in  the  old  Masonic 
Hall,  opposite  the  Santa  Rosa  House.  Judge 
I*.  R.  Thompson  and  James  Prewett  were 
elected  Associate  Justices.  If  his  Honor,  the 
presiding  Judge,  did  not  make  a  joke  on  the 
novelty  of  the  situation,  then  he  was  less  witty 
as  a  '  wise  young  Judge  '  than  he  now^  is  as  the 
editor  of  the  Petaluma  Courier. 

"  Iloen,  Ilahinan  and  Carrillo,  it  will  be  re- 
membered, had  given  bonds  to  the  Board,  that 
they  would  have  a  building  suitable  for  the  pur- 
poses of  the  county  ready  by  the  3d  day  of 
J^ovember.     This  building,  which  stood  on  the 


ground  now  occupied  by  C.  D.  Frazee's  drug 
store,  on  Fourth  street,  near  the  corner  of  Meii- 
\  docino,  was  rapidly  pushed,  and  was  finished  in 
December.  The  IJoard  had  to  furnish  it,  and 
the  following  funny  order  aj)pears  upon  the 
minutes  on  the  12tli  day  of  December,  1854: 

•• '  It  is  ordered  that  the  clerk  be  authorized  to 
receive  sealed  proposals  for  the  construction  of 
twelve  benches  for  the  court-room,  seven  and 
one-half  feet  long,  and  to  be  made  of  two-inch 
stuff,  and  fourteen  inches  wide,  with  strong 
backs  to  them,  and  the  clerk  be  authorized  to 
I  set  up  for  sealed  proposals,  to  be  delivered  on 
the  26th  inst.' 

"  Whether  the  clerk  '  set  up '  all  night  to 
receive  these  proposals  is  not  anywhere  stated. 

"This  temporary  court-house  moved  down 
Fourth  street  in  1875,  to  make  room  for  im- 
provements. It  was  mounted  on  two  trucks, 
drawn  by  a  big,  six  mule  team.  The  mules 
stuck  with  it,  just  oj^posite  the  recorder's  ofKce, 
on  Fourth  street,  and  it  was  pulled  out  by  four 
little,  half-breed  mustangs,  belonging  to  James 
Shaw\  of  the  Guilicos  Valley,  all  of  which  is 
facetiously  related  by  the  chroniclers  of  that 
day. 

"The  clerk  was,  at  this  December  meeting  of 
the  Roard  of  Supervisors,  authorized  to  receive 
deeds  from  Julio  Carrillo  for  lots  406  and  407, 
upon  which  the  court-house  now  stands.  The 
lots  donated  by  Ilahman  and  Iloen  were  sold  at 
auction,  and  were  purchased  by  Mr.  Iloen,  the 
original  owMier. 

"On  the  27th  of  Deceinljer  II.  V.  MuUison 
was  ordered  to  make  a  plan  of  the  jail  by  June 
8th,  1855.  The  Board  took  no  further  steps  in 
the  matter  until  that  time,  when  they  deter- 
mined to  build  both  court-house  and  jail.  The 
plan  of  D.  II.  Huston  was  adopted,  for  which  he 
was  paid  $150,  and  the  lower  story  of  the  pres- 
ent court-house,  not  including  sheriff's  office, 
jail  or  Judge's  chambers,  was  contracted  for 
with  James  M.  Philips;  the  building  was  to  be 
set  on  the  lots  406  and  407,  deeded  to  the  county 
by  Julio  Carrillo. 

"In    iS'ovember,   1855.  H.  A.  Green's  execii- 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    (JOUNTY. 


97 


tors  presented  a  bill  for  the  old  Sonuma  two- 
iind-a-l)alf-per-ceiit-a-inouth-adol)e,  aiiiouiitiiig 
to  .<^10,843.  The  Board  did  not  see  it  as  the 
executor  did — they  finally  offered  !t^3,250  to 
settle  the  claim;  it  was  accepted.  The  Hoard 
offered  the  old  seat  of  justice,  '  Casa  de  Adobe," 
for  sale,  and  it  was  purchased  by  the  Sonoma 
Lodge,  I.  C).  U.  F.,  No.  27,  for  their  hall.  The 
erection  of  a  one-story  court-house  and  jail 
was  going  on  during  the  summer  and  tall  of 
1S55.  A  >pecial  meeting  of  tlie  l>oard  was 
calKil  to  receive  it  December  28,  1855.  They 
met,  but  would  not  receive  the  building,  on  the 
ground  that  it  was  not  built  in  accordance  with 
])lans  and  specilications.  Uoth  sides  got  mad. 
The  IJoard  offered  $7,000  to  settle,  which  was 
promptly  refused.  On  the  8th  of  February, 
1855,  the  F)oard  went  up  to  !B10,400,  which  was 
accej)ted  by  the  contractor,  and  the  county  took 
possession  of  tlie  premises.  On  the  Gtli  of 
March  Judge  W.  Clmrchman,  J.  A.  lieynolds, 
A.  C.  niedsoe  and  D.  McDonald  were  appointed 
a  cumniittcc  to  furnish  the  building  at  an  ex- 
pense of  .i;l,OOU.  A.  further  appropriation  of 
!r^500,  for  tlie  same  purpose,  was  made.  Total 
cost  of  building,  ^14,400;  and  furnishing, 
!?1,500. 

'•  After  this  there  was  no  more  court-house 
trouble  for  four  years,  when  it  broke  out  again, 
the  same  old  cry — more  room;  same  trouble  in 
getting  plans,  and  same  coniplications  in  settling 
with  contractors  was  to  follow,  but  all  this  was 
in  the,  then,  future.  The  proposition  this  time 
was,  as  the  saihjrs  would  say,  to  put  an  '  upper 
deck"  on  the  one-story  court-house  of  1855,  and 
attacli  a  jail  and  hospital  as  tender.  It  was 
ordered  to  be  done  on  the  12th  of  May,  1851*. 
Uids  were  received  on  the  14th  day  of  June, 
185U.  Tiie  contract  was  let  to  Mr.  i'hilips  and 
Joseph  Nouges;  Samuel  West  was  ajjpointcd 
sujicrintcndent;  tiie  contract  price  was  .^^15,000. 
The  building  was  to  be  completed  by  Christmas; 
that  ))ortion  over  the  jail  was  originally  in- 
tended for  a  iiospital.  The  work  pi-ogresseil 
iluring  the  summer  of  1859.  On  the  19th  of 
November  the  Board  made  an  order  that,  after- 


ward put  tliLMH  to  much  trouble;  it  was  as  fol- 
lows: 

"  'That  the  superintendent  of  construction  of 
public  buildings,  Samuel  AVest,  be  empowered 
to  make  such  changes  in  j)lan  of  jail  and  court- 
house as  in  his  judgment  is  necessary,  having 
in  view  the  best  interests  of  the  county." 
Under  this  order  radical   changes  were  made. 

'•The  Work  was  finished  in  January,  1800,  and 
a  special  meeting  of  the  Hoard  was  calleil  to  re- 
ceive the  building  and   settle   with    contractors. 

'•The  contractors  furnished  the  following  bill : 

Original  lontiatt $1.5,000  00 

Charges  extra 25,891  3:J 


By  county  lu-ilers  received iJllT.OOO 

Work  not  done I,8l:j- 


.f40,S!ll  -l-.i 
18,813  00 


liahince  due  uontrai-tors $22,078  33 

"  The  Ijoard  could  not  settle,  and  John  I). 
Grant,  II.  R.  Leonard  and  Volney  E.  Howard 
were  selected  to  arbitrate.  A  large  number  of 
witnesses  were  called,  and  finally  the  sum  of 
!r;6,000  was  awarded  to  the  contractors — making 
$26,500  paid  contractors  in  all.  Cost  of  arbi- 
tration, paid  by  county,  $1,(501;  salary  of  Super- 
intendent West,  $1,200.  Total  cost  of  building, 
$29,601.30. 

"  The  building  was  occupied  in  ISliO,  and  all 
seemed  well.  lUit  the  Santa  Kosans  had  hardly 
got  througli  admiring  the  blindfolded  statue  of 
Justice  with  equal  scales,  which  surmounted  the 
new  court-house,  when  they  found  they  had 
something  to  occupy  them  much  nearer  •  terra 
firnia." 

'•  The  question  of  removing  the  county  seat 
always  breaks  out  when  there  is  any  change 
made  in  the  court-house.  The  trouble  with  the 
contractors  and  the  expense  of  the  improve- 
ments brought  on  a  violent  attack  of  this  sym- 
pathetic disease.  Hefore  the  Santa  IJosans 
knew  it  they  were  face  to  face  with  the  same 
issue  they  had  formerly  made  witli  the  good 
j)eople  of  the  town  of  Sonoma. 

"Hon.  Henry  Edgerton  introtlucedabill  in  the 
Legislature  of  1861,  in  A])ril,  providing  that 
tlie  question  of  removing  the   county    seat   of 


HISTUltY    OF    av^OMA    U0U2iTY 


Sonoma  should  be  voted  on  at  the  next  general 
election.  He  put  it  through  under  whip  and 
spur,  and  the  Santa  Ilosans  were  put  upon  the 
defense  for  their  right  to  the  new  c-ourt-house, 
after  all  their  trouble  in  building  it.  They  met 
the  issue  fairly  and  squarely,  and  on  the  Ith 
day  of  Septeniljer  their  title  to  the  county  seat 
was  again  clinelied  by  a  direct  and  decisive  vote 
of  the  people.  If  the  Santa  Kosans  had  been  at 
all  alarmed,  the  .-e(|\iel  to  this  agitation  proved 
that  they  had  no  occasion  to  be  so,  as  the  tabu- 
lated vote  upon  the  question  will  show:  for  re- 
moval, 814;  against  removal,  1,632. 

"  For  twenty  years  after  this  verdict  there  was 
no  further  county  seat  agitation. 

"  In  1866  a  new  roof  was  put  un  the  court- 
house, and  it  was  plastered  on  the  outside,  at  a 
total  cost  of  $2,600.  In  1867  the  jail  was  re- 
built and  improvements  were  made  at  a  cost  of 
.f8,'J99.  Total  cost  of  building,  with  furniture, 
about  $60,000.  Tiie  old  structure  was  recently 
sold  for  $26,000,  which  leaves  the  net  cost  of 
the  court-house  to  the  t-ounty  $34,000. 

"  The  first  district  judge  of  Sonoma  County 
Avas  Jiobert  Hopkins.  He  was  practicing  law 
in  Sonoma  in  184n.  when  the  Legislature  met 
in  San  Jose.  There  was  a  movement  on  foot  to 
attach  the  Valley  of  Sonoma  to  Napa  County. 
The  citizens  of  Sonoma  sent  the  Hon.  George 
Pearce  and  Mi-.  Hopkins  as  a  committee  to 
countci-act  this  scheme.  AVhen  they  got  to  San 
Jose  they  found  that  the  Legislature  was  about 
to  appoint  a  district  judge  for  the  district  who 
was  a  non-resident.  Mr.  I^earce  proposed  his 
colleague  Mr.  Hopkins  on  the  committee, 
and  had  him  appointed  ti)  the  ottice.  They 
returned  home,  having  accomplished  their  object 
and  also  securing  the  appointment   of  district 

"The  Hon.  E.  W.  McKinstry  succeeded  Mr. 
Hopkins.  He  served  a  number  of  years,  and  is 
now  a  distinguished  member  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  State  of  California. 

"Judge  J.  B.  Southard  succeeded  Judge  Mc- 
Kinstry, and  he  was  followed  by  Judge  \V.  C. 
Wallace    and    Jackson  Temple.     The    superior 


judges  succeeded  under  the  new  constitution 
to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  district  judges." 

Under  the  new  organization  of  the  court 
Jackson  Temple  and  John  (r.  Pj-essley  occupied 
the  bench.  Judge  Temple  having  been  elected 
one  of  the  Supreme  Judges  of  the  State,  Thomas 
Rutledge  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy.  At 
the  election  of  1888  S.  K.  Donglierty  was 
elected  to  that  position  and  now,  with  J.  C 
Pressley,  discharges  the  duties  of  that  court. 

Lender  the  old  county  judge  system  we  tind 
that  the  following  named  gentlemen  served  in 
that  position  in  the  order  in  which  they  are 
named:  II.  A.  Green,  Charles  P.  AVilkins,  J.  E. 
McNair,  Frank  Shattuck,  P.  R.  Thompson, 
"William  Churman,  C.  AV.  Langdon,  A.  P. 
Overton  and  John  G.  Pressley. 

Sonoma  County  had  so  increased  in  popula- 
tion and  wealth  that  all  saw  and  admitted  that 
her  county  buildings  were  inadequate  to  the 
county's  need.  .Vfter  the  usual  amount  of  fric- 
tion and  sparring  about  location  and  cost  of 
court-house,  the  plaza  of  Santa  Ilosa  was  selected 
as  the  site  and  the  cost  of  building  was  fixed 
not  to  exceed  $80,000.  This  was  in  1883.  Bids 
for  constructing  the  building  were  advertised 
for,  and  the  contract  finally  awarded  to  ]\[essrs. 
Carle  ct  Croly,  at  $80,000,  with  the  condition 
that  the  building  was  to  be  cDinpleted  by  the 
1st  of  Januar}',  1885.  ( >n  the  7th  of  May,  1884, 
the  corner-stone  of  this  edifice  was  laid,  with  im^ 
posing  ceremonies,  and  in  due  time  reached  com- 
pletion. It  is  ornate  in  appearance,  and  a  credit 
to  the  people  of  Sonoma  County.  The  building  is 
classic  in  design  and  built  jarincipally  of  stone, 
brick  and  iron.  Its  form  approximates  the 
(xreek  cross  with  projecting  center  (^and  flanks), 
having  a  dome.  The  building  has  four  peudi- 
ments,  each  surmounted  by  a  figure  of  the  God- 
dess of  Justice.  The  dome  is  topped  with  a 
figure  of  Minerva.  It  will  measure  107  by 
115  feet,  exclusive  of  porticoes,  stairs  and  all 
other  projections;  besides  the  basement  and 
dome,  it  is  two  full  stories  in  height.  Base- 
ment 12  feet,  first  story  15  feet,  court-rooms 
in  second  story  22  feet,  all  other  rooms  in  upper 


■'^ijisci 


lor\orr\a  ^our\ty  (^oupt  J1o\j§q 


L.ofC. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNT F. 


story  lU  feet,  and  comprises  business  and  ju- 
dicial apartments  for  the  entire  county  govern- 
ment. The  approaches  to  the  first  story  of  the 
building  are  granite  staircases  and  !~teps  2i  feet 
in  width;  these  land  in  porticoes  laid  in  Mosaic. 
Tiien  cume  the  grand  entrances  into  the  corri- 
.iurs  li  by  112  feet. 

On  the  left  are  the  clerk's  otiices,  one  21 
feet  3  inches  by  53  feet  8  inches;  the  other  20 
I'cct  7  inches  by  '2U  feet  8  inches,  connected 
t(.)getht'r  by  an  archway;  ne.\t  the  supervisors, 
room  21  feet  3  inches  by  38  feet,  also  connected 
with  clerk's  room;  on  the  right  the  recorder's 
offices,  21  feet  3  inches  by  73  feet  9  inches,  and 

20  feet  7  inches  by  29  feet  3  inches;  the  Super- 
intendent of  public  instruction's  room,  18  feet 
(i  inches  by  21  feet  3  inciies;  the  grand  jury 
room,  21  feet  0  inciies  by  21  feet  3  inches;  stair- 
case leading  to  court-rooms  and  offices  above,  and 
also  to  the  basement.  In  the  upper  story  are  two 
Superior  Court  rooms,  one  38  feet  4  inches  by 
59  feet  4  inches,  and  one  36  feet  8  inches  by  54 
feet,  two  judges'  chambers  14  feet  10  inciies 
by  20  feet  11  inches,  two  jury  rooms   14  feet 

10  inches  by  20  feet  11  inches,  each  connected 
with  the  court-rooms;  district   attorney's  rooms 

21  feet  7  inches  by  27  feet  2  inches,  and  15  feet 

11  inches  by  19  feet  (>  inches;  hall  and  stairways 
19  by  43  feet;  janitor's  rooms  and  stairway 
leading  to  dome  15  feet  9  inches  by  19  feet; 
this  staircase  leads  to  attic,  thence  a  spiral  stair- 
case to  upper  section  of  dome;  the  dome  is  127 
I'ect  hitih  from  the  grade  line  of  Fourth  street; 
in  the  basement  is  the  sheriff's  rooms  21  feet  3 
inches  by  35  feet  5  inches,  one  14  feet  6  inches 
by  27  feet,  and  store  room  19  by  21  feet  3 
inches;  treasurer's  office  23  feet  0  inches  by  21 
feet  3  inches,  containing  a  fire  and  burglar  proof 
vault,  7  by  8  feet;  surveyor's  rooms  17  feet  2 
inches  by  21  feet  3  inciies,  and  13  feet  6  inches 
Uy  21   I'cct  3  inches;  W.  C.  21    hy  20  feet  7 


inches;  boiler  room  below,  same  size;  the  jail 
38  by  58  feet  8  inches,  with  12  iron  cells  7  by 
7  feet,  and  three  5  by  7  feet;  said  jail  is  lined 
with  plate  iron.  In  the  construction  of  this 
[  edifice,  it  required  eight  hundred  thousand 
(800,000)  brick,  two  hundred  and  forty  (240) 
tons  of  dressed  granite;  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
seven  (137)  tons  of  wrought  iron,  thirty  (30) 
tons  of  cast  iron,  three  thousand  nine  hundred 
and  twenty-two  (3.922)  feet  of  corrugated  iron — 
besides  lumber  and  other  materials.  The  founda- 
tions alone  rei^uired  eight  huiidrcd  and  fifty  (850) 
.  perch  of  basalt  rock. 

The  county  is  subdivided  into  fourteen  town- 
ships as  follows:  .Vnaly,  Bodega,  Cloverdalc, 
Knight's  Valley,  Mendocino,  Ocean,  I'etaluma, 
Redwood,  liussian  lliver,  Washington,  Salt 
Point,  Santa  Itosa,  Sonoma  and  Vallejo.  The 
county  government  is  managed  by  a  Board  of 
Supervisors  comprised  of  five  members,  each 
representing  a  supervisorial  district. 

The  county  is  at  ])resent  represented  in  the 
Senate  by  E.  C.  Hinshaw;  and  in  the  Assembly 
by  J.  AV.  Ragsdale,  Robert  Howe,  and  Plielix 
Mulgren. 

The  following  are  the  present  county  officers: 
J.  (t.  Pressley  and  S.  K.  Dougherty,  Judges 
Superior  Court;  George  Hall,  Court  Reporter; 
John  Goss,  Court  Commissioner;  Albert  G. 
Burnett,  District  Attorney;  L.  W.  Juilliard, 
County  Clerk;  W.  F.  Wines,  Deputy  Clerk; 
W.  S.  Coulter,  Deputy;  E.  P.  Colgan,  Sherifi'; 
J.  D.  Earnett,  LTnder-Sheriff;  M.  V.  Vaiidcr- 
hoof  and  11.  Groshong,  Deputies;  P.  N.  Stofen, 
Treasurer;  A.  P.  Moore,  Auditor  and  Recorder; 
A.  P.  Mulligan,  Deputy- Auditor  and  Recorder; 
Mrs.  F.  McG.  Martin,  Sup't.  Public  Schools;  W. 
Longmore,  Assessor;  P.  R.  Davis,  Surveyor; 
J.  Tivnen,  Coronor  and  Public  Administrator; 
Benj.  (ilark,  (4.  F.  .Mien,  M.  K.  Cady,  G.  V. 
Davis,  F.  A.  Smith,  Board  of  Supervisors. 


nusroJiV    OF    fONOMA    VOVNTY. 


CHAPTER  X. 


I'xHNDAKIKS    <l|-    S.iXdMA     CoUXTV IIEK    MolnIAIN     |;AX(.I> — KnKE^TS     AM)     \  AI.I.HVf 


fEOGIJAPHICALLY  coiisidertMl,  Snnoiua  1 
County  occupies  onu  uf  tliu  most  favored 
positions  of  any  county  in  the  State.  Her 
southern  limb  rests  upon  San  Pabhj  P)ay.  tlie 
connecting  link  between  tlie  Straits  of  ('ai-(|uine/. 
and  the  ]>ay  of  San  Francisco,  lieaching  in- 
land there  are  two  tidal  streams,  the  Petal unia 
Creek  and  Sonoma  Creek,  tlie  former  being  nav- 
igable to  steam  and  sailing  crafts  a  distance  U|» 
from  the  bay  of  twelve  miles,  and  the  latter  a 
distance  of  about  seven  miles.  These  arteries 
of  water  transportation  are  of  incalculal)le  value 
to  the  agriculturists  and  ihiii-vineu  of  the  sur- 
rounding country,  insuring  to  them  for  all  time 
to  Come  cheap  transportation  of  their  |ii-oducts 
to  San  Francisco,  the  great  metropolis  of  the 
Pacific  coast,  that  is  only  distant  from  the  south- 
ern limits  of  the  county  about  twenty  miles. 
Along  these  tidal  streams  are  vast  areas  of 
marsh  land,  much  of  which  has  already,  and  all 
of  which  in  time,  will  be  reclaimed  and  brought 
in  subjection  to  profitable  cultivation.  The 
meanderings  of  Petaluiua  Creek  northward  from 
San  Pablo  Hay  to  within  four  miles  of  Petaluma 
is  the  boundary  between  Sonoma  and  Marin 
counties,  where  the  boundary  line  leaves  tidal 
salt  water  and  follows  the  serpentine  course  of 
the  San  Antonio  Creek  northward  about  nine 


miles,  to  the  Lagoona  San  Antonio  (once  a  tule 
marsh  l>ut  now  drained  and  under  cultivation), 
anil  thence  in  a  direct  line  to  the  head  of  the 
Kstero  Americano,  near  Valley  Ford,  a  tidal 
stream,  that  tending  westerly,  debouches  in  the 
Pacific  Ocean  aljout  six  miles  ilistant  from  the 
latter  place.  From  this  jwint  to  the  mouth  of 
the  (lualala  River,  a  distance  of  about  thirty 
miles,  Sonoma  County  has  for  her  boundary  the 
broad  Piicitic.  The  boundary  between  Sonoma 
andMendocino  counties  commences  at  the  month 
of  the  (iualala  River  and  following  its  meander- 
ings about  two  miles  to  a  point  just  above  the 
confluence  of  South  Gualala,  takes  a  straight 
line  easterly  over  the  mountains,  about  twenty- 
four  miles  to  the  summit  of  Redwood  Mountain, 
where,  with  a  sliglit  angle,  but  with  a  still 
easterly  deflection,  the  line  continues  on  and 
across  the  Russian  River  canon  at  a  point  four 
miles  northward  from  Cloverdale,  and  in  a 
straight  line  about  twelve  miles  to  the  Lake 
("ountv  line  on  the  summit  of  tiie  Macuway 
Mountains.  From  this  point,  and  at  almost 
ricrht  angles,  the  line  of  boundary  between 
Sonoma  County  and  Lake  and  Napa  counties  it 
rnus  south  in  a  straight  line  about  forty-eight 
miles  to  the  intersection  of  the  boundary  line 
between  Napa  and  Solano  counties;  and  from 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    GOUNTT. 


103 


thence  the  boundiuy  between  Sonoma  and 
Solano  counties  runs  westerly,  about  six  miles, 
to  San  F'ablo  Bay,  the  place  of  beginning. 

It  will  tiius  be  seen  that  IVFarin  County,  with 
a  l)road  l)ase  resting  on  tlie  bays  of  San  b'ran- 
ciscoand  San  Pablo,  lays  wedge-shaped  l)etween 
Sonoma  C'ounty  and  the  Pacific  Ocean,  its  north- 
ern and  narrow  end  terminating  at  the  Kstero 
Americano,  very  near  the  middle  of  tiie  western 
boundary  of  Sonoma.  According  to  Bower's 
map  of  Sonoma  County,  which  we  believe  to  be 
substantially  correct,  i*'  is  seventy  miles  in  a 
straight  line  from  the  extreme  southerly  point 
of  Sonoma  County,  on  San  Pablo  Pa}-,  to  the 
Mendocino  County  line  at  the  mouth  of  the 
(Inalala  Piver,  and  its  breadth  gradually  in- 
creases from  about  twenty  miles  at  Petaluma,  to 
about  thirty-five  miles,  taking  Cloverdale  as 
the  base  of  a  straight  line  across.  The  fore- 
going is  a  correct  statement  of  the  present  legal 
geograjihical  boundaries  of  Sonoma  County. 
Of  course,  like  most  newly  organized  communi- 
ties, she  had  contests  over  (lis])uted  territorial 
jurisdiction,  mention  of  which  jiroperly  belongs 
to  the  general  history,  in  the  chronological 
order  in  which  they  occurred. 

Sonoma  County  has  an  area  of  1,550  S([nare 
miles,  or  about  992,000  acres,  and  ranks  among 
counties  in  tiie  State  in  point  of  territorial  scope 
as  seventh  in  magnitude.  Within  her  borders 
could  be  placed  some  of  the  principalities  of 
Europe,  and  even,  at  least,  one  of  the  older 
States  of  the  Union,  would  find  her  l)oundaries 
a  loose-fitting  garment.  A  bird's-eye  view  of 
her  topograph}'  will  reveal  the  secret  of  that 
wonderful  progress  and  prosperity  which  has 
placed  her  in  the  front  raidv  among  the  counties 
of  the  State;  for  wliere  in  the  wide  worhl  is 
presented  in  the  same  scope  of  teri'itory  so 
varied  and  diversified  a  medley  of  soil,  climate, 
scenery,  and  exhibitions  of  handiwork  from 
Nature's  laboratory  as  is  to  be  found  here? 

As  stated  at  the  outset,  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  Sonoma  County  rests  upon  the 
northern  t^hore  of  San  Pablo  Pay.  At  this  ex- 
treme point  a  line  drawn  straight  across  from 


the  ]\[arin  County  to  the  Napa  County  line 
would  be  about  twelve  miles  in  length,  and 
incist  of  the  distan<'e  would  be  across  marsh 
land,  subject  to  overflow  by  spring  tides.  Radi- 
ating from  this  focal  point  are  two  chains  of 
mountains'and  one  chain  of  hills.  The  Macuway 
Mountains,  that  extending  northward  form  the 
boundary  iietween  Napa  and  Sonoma  valleys, 
inland  about  thirty  miles  reach  their  crowning 
glory  in  Mt.  St.  Helena,  in  Napa  County,  with 
aTi  altitude  of  4,343  feet  above  sea  level,  and 
thence  onward,  forming  the  eastern  background 
to  Santa  Rosa  and  Russian  Itiver  valleys,  hold- 
ing in  its  embi-ace  the  far-famed  Geyser  Springs 
of  Sonoma  County,  where  its  greatest  elevation 
is  Sulphur  Peak,  with  an  altitude  of  3,470  feet. 

The  Sonoma  Mountains  take  their  rise  near 
San  Pablo  in  the  shape  of  smooth,  grassy  hills, 
but  with  increasing  ruggedness  to  the  north- 
ward, until  at  a  point  nearly  east  of,  a!id  about 
seven  miles  distant  from  Petaluma,  they  reach 
a  height  of  2,30(i  feet.  From  that  point  they 
gradually  shade  off  to  the  lower  levels  and  break 
into  a  jumble  of  hills  on  the  edge  of  the  Santa 
Rosa  plains  just  south  of  Santa  Rosa. 

The  range  of  hills  referred  to  have  no  specific 
geographical  name.  They  commence  near  the 
confluence  of  the  San  Anton  and  Petaluma 
creeks  and  running  northward  form  the  divide 
between  the  two  valleys  of  like  names.  They 
do  not  rise  to  the  diginity  of  mountains,  and  to 
the  northward  of  Petaluma  branching  off  in 
different  directions  form  tlie  southern  curb  of 
Two  Rock  Valley  -the  right  wing  ending  in 
the  undulating  hills  that  mark  the  boundary 
between  Petaluma  and  Santa  Rosa  ^' alleys  and 
the  left  skirting  Tomales  Valley,  ^larin  County, 
until  lost  in  the  sand  dunes  around  Tomales 
Pay. 

We  have  thus  far  bounded  tiie  valleys  of  the 
lower  section  of  the  county,  and  limned  the 
rugged  eastern  back-ground  to  the  Santa  Posa 
and  Russian  River  valleys  and  now  we  ap- 
l)roach  the  topography  of  a  section  of  the 
county  most  difficult  to  describe,  and  yet  it  is  a 
territory  every  part  of  wliich  passed   luuler  our 


tilBfORY    OF    SONoMa    C'OUNTY. 


vision  more  tiiaii  thirty  years  ago.  It  is 
bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Santa  Rosa  Valley, 
on  tlie  north  by  Russian  River,  on  the  west  by 
the  ocean  and  on  the  soutli  by  tlie  Marin 
County  line,  and  the  hills  between  Petaluma 
and  Two  Rock  Valley.  Compassed  in  tliis  dis- 
trict are  IJlucher  Valley,  Green  Valley,  Two 
Rock  Valley,  Big  Valley,  and  Bodega  Valley, 
and  the  following  towns:  Forestville,  Sebasto- 
pol,  Stony  Point,  Bloomfield,  Valley  Ford, 
Bodega,  Freestone,  and  Occidental.  Of  these 
valleys  and  towns  more  particular  mention  will 
be  made  hereafter — it  is  the  configuration  of 
the  territory  they  occupy  that  is  now  lieing  con- 
sidered. That  portion  of  this  counti-y  laying 
north  of  a  line  drawn  with  Forestville  as  its 
initial  point,  and  taking  in  Sebastopol  and  Free- 
stone on  its  course  to  i^odega.  and  from  thence 
in  a  direct  line  to  the  mouth  of  Russian  River, 
can  properly  be  designated  Redwood  Mountains 
— Russian  River  seeming  to  have  carved  them 
out  of  the  more  rugged  mountain  forests  be- 
yond. "While  these  mountains  do  not  tower 
very  high  yet  the  Blumeand  O'Ferrel  redwoods 
surmounting  some  of  them,  although  about 
twenty  miles  distant,  with  a  hilly  country  be- 
tween, can  be  ])lainly  seen  from  Petnluma. 
South  of  this  line,  commencing  with  the  low 
hills  forming  the  Mcstern  border  of  the  Santa 
Rosa  A^alley,  then  swelling  into  hills  of  consid- 
erable height,  and  again  subsiding  into  more 
gentle  undulations,  with  an  occasional  subsid- 
ence into  an  approach  to  valley  level,  they  reach 
away  to  the  west,  until  in  the  narrow  confines 
between  Bodega  Jiay  and  the  Estero  Americano 
they  are  met  by  the  waves  of  the  Pacific  ocean. 
With  a  length  of  over  fifteen  miles  and  an 
average  breadth  of  about  six  miles,  this  jumble 
of  hills  and  vales  presents  a  newness  of  appear- 
ance very  suggestive  of  tender  age,  geologically 
considered.  Except  that  the  northern  end  of 
this  territory  had  a  fail-  showing  of  oak  timber, 
the  most  of  it  was  smooth  hills,  covered  with 
indigenous  grasses,  until  the  plow  claimed  them 
i'ov  the  raising  of  cereals  and  potatoes. 

The  remaining  topograiihy  of  the  county,  so 


far  as  relates  to  hill  and  mountain  profile,  pre- 
sents only  two  subdivisions.  The  first  is  that 
chain,  almost  too  rugged  to  be  called  bills,  and 
yet  hardly  of  sufficiently  pretentious  altitude  to 
be  designated  mountains  (although  on  Bower's 
map  two  peaks  are  named),  forming  the  divide 
between  Russian  River  and  Dry  (.'reek  valleys. 
Commencing  in  gradually  increasing  nndnhi- 
tions  at  the  confiuenee  of  Russian  River  and 
Dry  Creek,  they  extend  back  tt)  a  point  just 
north  of  the  line  between  Sonoma  and  ilenilo- 
cino  counties,  where  they  are  chopped  oft'  by 
Dry  Creek  plunging  down  through  a  gorge  in 
the  hills.  These  hills  jiresent  a  mixture  of  oak 
timber,  chaparral,  and  grazing  land,  with  a 
small  showing  of  redwood  timber  along  two  or 
three  of  the  side  streams  just  bMow  Dry  ("reek 
canon. 

There  is  now  left  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
county,  bounded  on  the  east  by  Dry  Creek  Val- 
ley, on  the  south  by  Russian  River,  on  the  west 
by  the  ocean,  and  on  the  north  by  ^Mendocino 
County.  The  territory  embraced  in  this  section 
of  the  county  lias  a  length,  coastwise,  of  about 
thirty  miles,  with  an  average  breadth  of  about 
sixteen  miles.  AVith  the  exception  of  a  sea-side 
mesa  of  breadth  varying  from  one  to  two  miles 
and  extending  from  Fort  Ross  up  to  the  mouth 
of  theGualala  River,  this  whole  area  is  mountain 
and  forest,  interspersed  with  occasional  glades 
that  invite  occupancy  of  such  as  prefer  the  soli- 
tude of  rugged  wilds  fur  themselves  and  fiocks. 
Here  is  an  unliounded  wealth  of  redwood  foi-ests 
and  tanbark  oak,  with  a  possilile  treasure  of 
hidden  mineral  wealth  to  be  revealed  in  the 
future;  for  already  at  Mount  Jackson  there  is  a 
quicksilver  mine  being  successfully  antl  profit- 
ably worked.  The  grandeur  of  the  scenery  of 
this  vast  stretch  of  country  must  be  seen  to  be 
appreciated;  but,  even  to  the  great  mass  of 
Sonoma  County's  own  citizens  it  is  a  term  incfx/- 
ni.ta.  We  do  not  speak  at  random  about  the  wild 
grandeur  of  nature  as  exhibited  in  this  field,  for 
nearly  three  decades  ago  we  spent  days  and 
weeks  amid  these  scenes.  Our  impressions  and 
experiences  were  then  given  to  the  public  in  a 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


105 


coininunication  under  caption  of,  "The  Petalunia 
Hunters,"  and  will  lie  reproduced  in  another 
cliapter  of  this  work. 

Having  given  the  skeleton  (intlines  of  the 
iiills  and  mountains  of  Sonoma  County,  we  now 
turn  to  the  valley's.  Fetainma  Valley  com- 
mences at  San  Pablo  Bay  and  extends  north- 
ward fifteen  miles  and  ends  where  low  rolling 
hills  form  the  dividing  line  between  it  and 
Santa  Rosa  \'alley.  it  lias  an  average  breadth 
of  from  three  to  five  miles  and  is  of  inexhausti- 
ble fertility.  The  mountains  to  the  east  and 
the  hills  to  the  west  are  susceptible  of  cultiva- 
tion high  up  on  their  sides,  and  their  summits 
are  productive  of  indigenous  gi-asses  which  fur- 
nish a  never  failing  supply  of  a  range  to  those 
engaged  in  dairying  and  stock-raising.  The 
valley  land  is  productive  of  wheat,  barley  and 
Iniy.  The  land  immediately  along  the  foot- 
hills is  of  the  very  best  ([uality  for  orchards  and 
vineyards. 

Sonoma  Valley  has  been  so  fully  described  in 
connection  with  the  early  establishment  there  of 
the  mission  "San  l'"rancisco  Solano,"  tliat  it 
requires  little  further  description.  It  is  a  per- 
fect gem  of  a  valley,  its  foot  resting  upon  tide- 
water and  extending  inland  ten  or  twelve  miles. 
It  is  the  natural  home  of  the  \ine,  the  fig  and 
tlie  orange.  Xow  that  it  is  penetrated  by  two 
railroads,  its  real  worth  and  advantages  will  win 
for  it  that  consideration  that  its  refd  worth  and 
importance  entitles  it  to. 

Passing  north  the  wide  sweeji  of  Santa  liosa 
A'alley  comes  to  view.  This  valley  is  a  verit- 
able paradise.  Undeniably  this  is  one  of 
the  most  lovely  valleys  in  the  State.  Its 
fertility  and  geographical  position  which  secures 
it  against  the  harsh  coast  winds,  and  its  j)erfect 
adaptability  for  the  ])roductiou  of  all  kinds  of 
fruits  marks  it  for  a  bright  future  of  prosperity. 
With  an  average  breadth  of  six  miles  and  a 
length  of  eighteen  miles  it  presents  a  wealth  of 
valley  and  scenic  grandeur  worth  the  crossing 
of  a  continent  to  behoM. 

I'assing beyond  the  Santa  Rosa  Valley  north- 
ward   we  come   to   the    liussian     Uiver    Xalley. 


This  valley  is  considerable  narrower  than  the 
Santa  Rosa  Valley,  but  in  richness  of  soil  and 
variableness  of  scenery,  it  is  not  surpassed  by 
any  other  valley  in  the  State.  From  Ilealds- 
burg  to  Cloverdale  this  valley  is  becoming  one 
continuous  chain  of  vineyards  and  orchards. 
Here  it  is  that  corn  grows  with  a  luxuriance 
equal  to  that  witnessed  in  the  great  IVfississijipi 
Valley. 

The  Dry  ('reek  \'alley  that  unites  with  that 
of  the  Russian  River  near  Healdsburg,  is  of 
equal  fertility  and  has  long  been  famous  for  its 
products  of  small  grain,  corn,  fruit  and  ho^js. 
It  reaches  far  nyi  into  the  coast  mountains,  and 
is  a  favorite  place  of  resort  for  campers  and 
sportsmen. 

Cloverdale  is  at  the  head  of  Russian  River 
Valley,  but  lieyond  it  in  a  pocket  of  the  moun- 
tains is  Oat  Valley,  not  large,  but  a  gem  both 
in  point  of  scenic  surroundings  and  fertility  of 
soil. 

I-Casterly  frdui  Healdsburg  is  Alexander  \'al- 
ley,  a  side  cove  to  Russian  River  Valley.  It  is 
a  valley  of  considerable  extend  and  great  fertil- 
ity. Mr.  Alexander,  after  whom  the  valley  was 
named,  was  a  pioneer  settler,  and  in  the  early 
fifties  had  a  bearing  orchard  and  other  evideiu'es 
of  thrift  and  enterprise  around  him. 

To  the  north  and  east  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Val- 
ley is  a  perfect  nest  of  mountain  valleys  of 
great  productiveness.  The  (iuilicos  Valley  lays 
serenely  at  the  foot  of  Hood  IVIountain,  and 
now  that  its  solitude  is  broken  by  the  whistle 
of  the  Santa  Rosa  and  Carquine/.  trains  pass- 
ing through  it,  will  soon  become  a  famous  sub- 
urban resort.  Rincon  N^alley  is  a  little  nest  in 
the  mountains  three  or  four  miles  long  by  two 
wide.  Shut  in  as  it  is  l)y  surrounding  moun- 
tains it  has  a  climate  of  unusual  mildness  and 
is  famous  for  the  good  (juality  of  grapes  and 
what  that  fruit  produces.  Dennett  Valley  is  one 
of  the  largest  of  the  group  of  valleys,  lying 
easterly  from  Santa  Rosa,  its  length  being  about 
seven  miles  with  aii  average  breadth  of  over  two 
miles.  This  valley  is  almost  one  continuous 
viiK^yard.      High    ui)   in    the    mountains    is    the 


IOC 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


littlt'  Alpine  \'alley,  mostly  devoted  to  stock, 
liiit  with  a  few  vineyards.  Elliot  Valley,  so 
named  after  the  discoverer  of  the  Geyser 
Springs,  on  Porter  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Mark 
West  Creek,  is  a  small  valley  in  which  l>uth 
farming  and  fruit  raising  is  carried  on. 

Turning  now  to  the  west  side  of  the  county 
there,  are  the  following  designated  valleys: 
(xreen  Valley  is  an  extremely  rich  and  produc- 
tive belt  of  country  of  about  six  miles  in  length 
and  two  miles  in  breadth,  lying  in  the  red- 
woods north  of  Sebastopol.  _  This  valley,  on 
account  of  its  sheltered  position,  has  always 
been  productive  of  tine  fruit  and  berries.  For 
the  growing  of  peaches  and  kindred  fruit  it  is 
unrivalled.  This  was  one  among  the  earliest 
settled  valleys  in  the  county,  and  has  always  had 
a  thrifty  and  enterprising  population. 

Blucher  Valley  is  located  in  the  rolling  iiills 
between  the  Santa  Eosa  and  Two  Kock  valleys. 
It  is  a  valley  more  in  name  than  seeming  for  it 
is  difficult  to  say  where  the  valley  ends  and  the 
undulations  begin.  It  is  land  of  great  richness, 
and  for  all  standard  varieties  of  fruit  it  can 
hardly  be  excelled. 

Next  comes  Two  Eock  A'" alley,  so  named  on 
acconnt  of  twin  rocks  at  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  ranch  now  owned  by  Mr.  Kzekiel  Den- 
man.  The  Spaniards  called  it  "Dos  I'idros," 
and  so  the  name  continued  down  to  1854:-'5, 
when  it  gradually  took  on  the  American  name. 
Two  Rock.    This  valley  is  about  three  miles  long 


and  two  miles  wide.  The  soil  is  rich  alluvial- 
and  the  valley  has  always  lieen  very  productive 
of  potatoes  and  grain. 

Big  Valley  occupies  the  basin  forming  tlie 
head  waters  of  the  Estero  Americano.  The 
valley  and  surrounding  hills  for  miles  around, 
in  the  years  gone  by  have  produced  untold 
quantities  of  farm  products.  Being  ccmtiguous 
to  Bodega  where  farming  was  first  inaugurated. 
Big  Valley  naturally  invited  early  occupancy 
and  soon  took  front  rank  among  farming  dis- 
tricts,'and  has  maintained  it  to  the  end. 

The  next,  and  last  valley  to  be  noted  is  that 
of  the  San  Antonio.  This  is  a  narrow  valley 
at  best,  and  that  portion  of  it  on  the  Sonoma 
County  side  of  the  creek  is  extremely  narrow. 
But  the  head  of  the  San  Antonio  widens  out 
and  embraces  several  thousand  acres  of  com- 
paratively level  land.  Here  used  to  be  two 
chain  of  lagoons;  one  at  the  head  of  the  San 
Antonio  Creek  and  the  other  at  the  head  of  Sal- 
mon Creek.  But  these  lagoons  have  been 
drained  and  now  are  used  for  cultivatinn. 

We  have  thus  given  a  birds-eye  view  of  the 
general  topography  of  Sonoma  County.  We 
tirst  gave  a  skeleton  of  the  mountain  and  hill 
ranges  and  have  designated  and  locateil  the  val- 
leys. But  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  thiit  innch 
of  what  lias  been  designated  hills,  and  eviMi 
portions  classed  as  mountains,  is  susceptible  of 
cultivation,  and  the  remainder  is  excellent  stock 
land. 


ffTSTOnr    OF    SONOUfA    COUNTY. 


m 


?>g(gg<rr.^t^.^t^^t^.'ft.^<^--^^^.-i> 


AMERICAN  OCCUPATION 


M^riAPTErv  XI. 


Sonoma  a  central  point  avter  the  Bear  Flag  kevoli'tion — effect  of  disoovekv  of  the  mixes 
— WHO  WERE  settlers  i.\  Sonoma  County  at  the  time — F.  (t.  Bli'meV  statemicnt-  how  wild 

AND    UNIXHABITEI)    TlIK    I'Ol  NTRY    WAS Mr.    LeIGh's    lirXTINO    EXPERIENCE    NEAR    riCrAHMA 

FIRST  SETTLERS  IN   AMI  AROUNO   PlOTALFMA BaCHELOR    RANCHES THE   LIVES  AND  HABITS  OF  THE 

I'Eori.E WILD  HOItSES,   A\|i    RECKLESS    RIDERS THIC    REATTA   (I.ASSo)   A    COM!\IoX    INSTRUMENT   WITH 

WHICH  To  CArTlRi;   WILD   lIoRSES  AXD  CATTLE THE    VARIAIH.E    EXl'EIUEXCES  OF  EARLY    FARMERS 

UIOSCRII'TIVIC  OF  THIS  CorNl'i'    AS  IT  WAS  IN   1854 VsSESSOr's    RFl'ORT   I'OR    1855 THF   I'lRST    FAIR 

ol'    SciNoMA    Corxiv. 


|i,aK|;|ITII    tlie    lioistiiu 
K  Sonoma  virtually 


of   the  bear  flag    at 
came  Xo  an  end  Span- 


ish rule  here.  Althoiiu-h  it  was  two  years 
later  before  California  literally  passed  nnder 
American  rnle  by  tlie  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hi- 
dalgo, yet  so  far  as  the  territory  was  concerned 
Anierioan  rule  was  comjilete  ami  irrevocable. 
During  the  short  interre_i,''iium  that  intervened 
between  the  capture  of  Sonoma  and  the  discov- 
ery of  the  gold  mines  of  California,  the  very 
fact  that  Sonoma  was  the  center  f)f  the  revcilu- 
tionary  movement  made  it  the  head  center  of 
American  immigrants  and  adventurers.  During 
these  adventurous  and  troublous  times  many 
families  from  the  outlying  country  naturally 
sought  Sonoma  as  a  haven  of  security.  This 
inflation  of  its  jwpulatioii  gave  to  it,  for  the 
time  being,  a  marked  prominence  on  tin- 
northern  tVontier.  But  the  discovery  of  the 
gold  mines  in  1848  turned  tlie  attention  of 
everybody  mouiitainward.  F(H'  a  lime  Sonoma 
was  a  sort  of  distributi\e  ])oint  from  whence 
snp])lies  were  drawn  for  gold-seekers,  but  soon 
places  more  accessible  to  the   mines  sprung  up. 


and  Sonoma  relapsed  into  a  quiet  hamlet,  yet 
the  county  seat  ot  Sonoma  ('onnty,  but  her 
most  enduring  glory  being  that  around  her 
clustered  the  memories  of  the  flrst  successful 
revolt  against  l\[exican   rnle. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  how  manv  and  who 
were  the  settlers  in  Sonoma  County  at  the  time 
when  it  came  under  American  jurisdiction. 
General  Vallejo  as  commandante  of  the  north- 
ern frontier  had  power  to  confer  grants  of  land, 
subject  to  conflrmation  by  the  Governor  of  Cal- 
ifornia. General  Vallejo  received  this  author- 
ization in  1885.  The  first  exercise  of  this 
power  seems  to  have  been  in  the  granting  of 
lands  to  Messrs.  Mcintosh,  Black  and  Dawson 
in  what  is  now  r>odega  Township.  James 
Black  afterward  disposed  of  his  interest  to  his 
partners  and  secured  a  grant  in  what  is  now 
Marin  County.  Mcrntosh  and  Dawson  became 
naturalized  citizens  of  Mexico,  as  they  had  to 
do,  ill  order  to  get  thcii-  grant  approved.  To 
Mcintosh  was  left  the  Inisiness  of  attending  to 
getting  the  proper  papers'  for  the  grant,  and  he 
omitted   to  have    his    partner   Dawson,  maile  a 


108 


ttlSTORT    OF   SONOMA    COUNTY. 


party  tu  tlie  transaction.  Tlii>  led  to  tronble 
and  a  dissolution  of  the  tirin.  Dawson  set  up 
on  his  own  account  and  received  a  grant  for 
what  is  now  the  Poglolome  Grant.  Dawson,  on 
tliis  grant  doubtless  was  the  first,  aside  from 
tlie  Russians,  to  saw  lumber  in  Sonoma  County. 
Ho  established  a  saw-pit  and  with  a  whip-saw 
sawed  lumber  enough  to  build  a  house. 

In  184-0  Cyrus  Alexander  undertook  the 
management  of  the  Sotoyome,  or  Fitch  grant, 
on  Russian  River.  He  agreed  to  manage  the 
ranch  and  cattle  tliereon  for  a  period  of  four 
years  at  tlie  end  of  wliich  he  was  to  receive 
two  leagues  of  land  for  liis  services.  He  fulfilled 
his  contract  and  the  two  leagues  of  land  placed 
him  in  the  front  rank  among  Sonoma  County's 
substantial  mrn. 

( 'aptain  Stepiien  Smith  visited  this  coast  in 
1839  or  1840.  He  seems  to  have  been  im- 
pressed with  tlie  opportunities  here  for  a  grand 
future  for  lie  disposed  of  his  cargo  of  liorns, 
hides  and  tallow.  Wiule  on  tliis  coast  he  had 
anclinrt'il  in  jiodega  Uay  and  (loulitless  fixed,  at 
tiiat  time  upon  that  locality  for  a  future  home. 
Returning  in  ISlShe  brought  with  him  a  boiler, 
engine,  and  complete  outfit  for  a  steam  saw  and 
grist  mill,  lie  brought  with  him  an  assorted 
cargo  of  merchandise.  With  him  came  Henry 
Hegeler,  a  ship's  carpenter,  William  A.  Streeter, 
an  engineer,  and  David  D.  Dutton,  a  mill- 
wright. Arrivinj;  at  San  Francisco  some  time 
in  184:3,  he  secured  the  additional  services  of 
James  Hudspeth,  Alexander  Copeland,  Xathan- 
iel  Cooml.)s  and  .Fohn  Daubinbiss  (the  three 
former  of  wlKim  reached  prominence  in  subse- 
quent California  historyV  Anchorage  was 
reached  in  iiodega  i!ay  sometime  in  September. 
1843.  Captain  Smith  encountered  some  ditb- 
culty  on  his  first  arrival,  as  John  tJidweli,  then 
Sutter's  agent,  claimed  that  the  land  around 
Bodega  belonged  to  Ca]>tain  Sutter  1)y  virtue  of 
purchase  from  the  Hussiaiis. 

In  spite  of  these  ju-otests,  however.  Captain 
Smith  stood  his  ground  and  maintained  his 
position.  He  immediately  set  about  the  con- 
htrnctioii   of  his    mill,  destined  to  be   the  first 


steain-niill  of  California.  He  selected  as  the 
site  a  point  at  the  very  edge  of  the  redwood 
belt,  about  one  mile  easterly  from  the  present 
location  of  Bodega  ('orners.  There  were  three 
boilers,  each  thirty-si.\  feet  in  length  and  two 
and  one-half  feet  in  diameter.  Tliese  boilers 
were  set  in  masoni-y  so  that  the  fire  passed 
around  them,  instead  of  througli  them,  as  boilers 
are  now  constructed.  The  engine  was  of  equally 
primitive  construction.  The  grinding  burrs 
were  about  fonr  feet  in  diameter  and  eighteen 
inches  in  thickness,  and  encircled  with  heavy 
iron  bands.  The  saw  for  cutting  lumber  was 
what  is  known  as  a  sash  or  molding  saw,  being 
of  up  and  down  perpendicular  motion.  When 
everything  was  in  readiness  to  start  up  this 
mill,  a  grand  barliecne  was  prepared  and  peojile 
near  and  far  came  to  behold  the  wonder.  That 
it  was  accounted  a  momentous  event  is  evi- 
denced by  the  fact  that  Ceneral  Vallejo  rode  all 
the  way  from  Sonoma  to  be  present  and  partici- 
pate in  the  inauguration  of  this  new  California 
enterprise.  Up  to  1850  this  mill  did  good  ser- 
vice, and  eventually  a  circular  saw  took  the 
place  of  the  muley.  In  1855  the  old  mill 
building  was  burned  and  all  that  now  marks  its 
former  site  is  the  excavation  in  the  bank  where 
it  stood,  and  the  well  from  wliich  was  pumjied 
the  water  to  feed  its  boilers.  Captain  Stephen 
Smith  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  sagacity 
and  great  energy  of  character.  Aside  from  his 
mill,  he  established  a  tannery  in  after  years, 
which  was  in  successful  operation  down  to  tiie 
time  of  tlie  captain's  death.  His  grant,  the 
Bodega,  contained  35,487  acres,  and  so  long  as 
the  captain  lived  he  managed  it  with  care  and 
intelligence,  but  after  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  November,  1855.  the  vast  estate  was  soon 
dissipated  and  wasted  through  the  reckless 
management  of  Tyler  Curtis,  who  married  the 
widow,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  any  of  Captain 
."Smith's  children  have  much  now  to  show  of  the 
great  wealth  of  their  father.  Here  it  is  in  place 
to  give  the  reminiscences  of  a  gentleman  who 
settled  at  Freestone  in  the  very  earl }•  days.  His 
statement  covers  much  historic  ground; 


rtrfiTonr  oP  sonoma  county. 


'■K.  G.  JJluini'  of  I'"iveritone,  oiiu  of  the  early 
pioneers  of  tliis  State  and  county,  i^  a  (Tcrnian 
by  birth,  ami  was  edneateil  a;;  a  piiysieian.  In 
1S37  he  accepted  the  jiosition  of  snri^eon  on  the 
whale  ship  Alexander  Itarclay,  of  Bremen, 
whence  he  sailed  for  the  whaling  urotindsof  the 
North  Pacific.  After  a  successful  cruise,  his 
ship  dropped  anchor  in  Saueelito  harbor  the  23d 
of  December,  1843,  wdiere  she  remained  some 
time.  l'"rom  here  Dr.  ISlume  went  to  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  and  in  1847  returned  to  Califor- 
nia, taking  up  his  residence  at  Sonoma,  where 
for  a  time  he  practiced  his  profession.  He 
arrived  soon  after  the  hoisting  of  the  bear  flag, 
.and  some  months  before  the  discovery  of  gold. 
He  has  a  clear  recollection  of  many  of  the  his- 
toric events  of  that  early  period,  and  being  an 
educated  man  and  a  close  observer,  a  conversa- 
tion with  him  upon  matters  relating  to  the  early 
history  of  this  coast  is  highly  interesting 
While  engaged  in  whalingabont  Sitka, previous  to 
hisarrival  in  California,  he  and  his  shipmates  had 
frequentdealingsand  interviews  with  the  Russian 
settlers  of  that  region,  whom  he  describes  as  the 
most  generous,  kind-hearted  and  hospitable  peo- 
]ile  he  had  ever  met.  Tiiere  was  a  never-ending 
rivalry  among  them  as  to  who  should  treat  the 
stranger  with  the  greatest  kindness  and  hospi- 
tality. A  ball  given  by  the  linssian  oflicials  at 
Sitka  was  a  really  grand  affair.  Then,  as  now, 
the  principal  employments  of  the  itdiabitants 
was  the  producing  of  furs.  He  states  that 
Alaska  contains  immense  bodies  of  timber  land 
which  at  a  future  time  will  become  of  great 
value  for  ship-lmilding  and  other  ]iurposes. 

•'When  the  first  gold  dust  was  brought  to  So- 
noma there  was  much  doubt  as  to  its  genuineness. 
Governor  Hoggs  and  the  military  officers  ])ro- 
nounced  it  gold,  and  their  opinion  was  acceiitcd 
as  connect.  In  a  short  time  miners  began  to 
arrive  with  large  (juantities  of  dust,  and  it  be- 
came almost  a  drug  in  the  market,  'i'hcre  was 
but  little  coin  in  the  country,  and  Coopei'  iV 
lieasley,  hotel  keepers,  bought  large  quantities 
of  dust  at  from  four  tn  five  dollars  jier  ounce. 
Change  smaller  than  one  dollar   w.is  especiallv 


scarce,  and  a  blacksmith  named  Fling  was  often 
employed  for  hours  in  cutting  JNIe.xican  dollars 
into  halves  and  (piarters.  (Gambling  was  carried 
on  on  a  large  scale  by  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  inhabitants  and  visitors.  Company  D, 
United  States  Volunteers,  Captain  Brackett,  was 
stationed  at  Sonoma,  and  Lieutenant,  now  (Jen- 
eral  George  Stoneman,  was  there. 

"  Deer,  bear,  antelope,  elk,  and  smaller  game 
were  abundant  hereabouts  and  very  tame.  On 
more  than  one  occasion  Dr.  Illume  has  driven 
cattle  and  elk  into  a  corral  together  on  the 
Tetalnma  Ranch.  In  1847  ammunition  was 
'contraband,'  and  it  was  with  much  difficulty 
that  it  could  be  procured.  Twenty-five  cents 
was  paid  for  gun  caps,  and  but  few  would  be 
obtained  at  that  or  any  other  price.  In  the  sum- 
mer and  fall  the  valleys  and  hillsides  were 
covered  with  wild  oats  from  four  to  eight  feet 
in  height,  and  ownership  of  lands  which  are 
now  among  the  most  valuable  in  the  State  could 
be  secured  for  a  mere  trifle.  There  was  not  a 
house  in  Petaluma  Townshij),  and  the  only 
building  between  Sonoma  and  Freestone  was 
the  old  adobe,  near  this  city. 

"We  have  given  l)ut  an  outline  of  a  few  of 
the  many  interesting  events  relating  to  the 
early  history  of  the  coast  that  came  within  the 
personal  knowledge  and  exi)erience  of  this  old 
pioneer. 

"In  1848  Dr.  Illume  removed  from  Sonoma 
to  Freestone,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He 
has  been  several  times  elected  justice  of  the 
peace  'of  llodega  Township  and  is  now  servino- 
as  postmaster  of  Freestone." 

Joseph  O'Farrel  having  e.xchanged  a  ranch  in 
iEarin  County  for  the  Canada  de  Joniva  in 
.\naly  'i'ownshi]i,  and  accpiired  by  purchase 
from  Melntosh  the  grant,  in  IJodega  Township 
known  as  the  Estero  Americano,  he  established 
liis  residence  in  a  beautiful  valley  in  the  red- 
woods, wliere  he  was  living  in  good  style  with 
all  the  comforts  and  conveniences  of  modern 
life  around  him,  when  American  population  be- 
gan to  come  in.  The  Corrillio  families,  both  at 
Santa  Rosa  and  Sebastopol,  had  erected  adobe 


inSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNT i'. 


liouses  and  were  surrouiidecl  with  other  evidences 
of  permanent  residences.  Mark  West,  occnpy- 
ing  a  grant  on  the  creek  that  still  bears  his 
name,  had  erected  a  large  adobe  dwelling — so 
likewise  had  Henry  F).  Fitch  on  his  Sotoyome 
grant  on  IJnssian  River.  Excepting  the  large 
adolje  establishment  of  General  ^'allejo,  in 
\'allejo  Township,  near  Petalnnia,  the  places 
above  enumerated  were  about  the  only  ones  that 
could  be  called  permanently  established  for  any 
period  ante-dating  1850.  At  all  these  ranches 
there  was  quite  a  showing  of  cattle  and  horses. 
Ihit  taken  as  a  whole,  tiie  present  County  of 
Sonoma  was  an  uninhabited  wild  in  1850,  save 
and  except  the  small  valley  of  Sonoma.  N.  X. 
Hedges,  yet  a  resident  of  Petaluma,  and  who, 
in  company  with  Stephen  Fowler  (long  de- 
ceased), liuilt  a  house  for  Captain  Sniith  at 
liodega.  says  that  at  that  time  there  was  not  a 
panel  of  fence  on  tlie  trail  between  Petaluma 
and  liodega  except  a  corral  in  l>ig  \' alley.  As 
cioseas  was  Petaluma  t<i  San  Francisco  its  neigh- 
boriiood   did  not  lioast  a  resident  until  in  1850. 

'Die  tirst  to  come  was  Dr.  August  Heyer- 
manu,  in  the  early  part  of  that  year,  lie  reared 
a  log  cabin  on  the  old  A.  ^\ .  Rogers  place,  just 
south  of  Petaluma.  Late  that  fall  Tom  Lock- 
wood,  accompanied  by  a  party  of  hunting  com- 
panions, came  up  Petaluma  Creek  in  a  whale 
lioat  and  spent  two  months  in  camp  near  the 
head  of  Petaluma  Creek.  They  were  joined 
earlv  in  January  of  1851  by  Lemarcns  Wiatt 
and  John  JJns.  The  company  now  consisted 
of  Tom  Lockwood,  Lemarcns  Wiatt,  John  Lins, 
Levi  Pybui-n  and  a  man  named  Pendleton. 
Their  numl)er  was  afterward  increased  by  the 
arrival  of  Tiiomas  liayliss  and  David  Flogdell, 
and  all  for  a  time  continued  to  hunt  game  for 
the  San  Francisco  market. 

Knowing  that  J.  AV.  Leigh,  long  the  editor 
of  the  Monterey  Deiiiorraf  and  now  receiver  of 
public  moneys  in  the  San  Fi-ancisco  land  office, 
had  spent  several  months  of  1850  in  company 
with  other  hunters,  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  Petaluma.  at  cair  I'eqnest  he  reduced  his  re- 
miniscences of  the  same  to  writini;-.      Mi-.  Leiii'h 


and  his  companions  camped  near  the  head  of 
Petaluma  Creek,  probably  somewhere  between 
the  present  residence  of  Joseph  Gossage  and  the 
Haines  chicken  ranch.  It  will  be  interesting  to 
future  generations  to  know  the  exact  conditions 
around  where  a  populous  city  now  stands  in  the 
middle  of  the  nineteenth  century: 

"  Referring  to  your  request  as  to  my  reminis- 
cences of  your  county,  I  hardly  know  how  to 
shape  them  in  such  position  as  to  be  interesting 
to  the  ordinary  reader.  Really,  there  is  little  to 
say  except  the  mention  of  the  extraordinary 
wealth  of  game  that  then  existed  in  the  country 
— elk  b}'  the  hundred,  antelopes  on  the  plains 
like  Hocks  of  sheep,  deer  ill  the  woodlands  so 
numerous  that  at  every  clump  of  bushes  a  buck 
seemed  hidden,  jumping  out  as  we  passed  like 
jack  rabbits  in  the  Fresno  country  now.  My 
I'ecollections  of  the  face  of  the  country  is  that 
it  wore  a  smiling  and  peaceful  aspect,  suggest- 
ing nothing  of  a  wilderness,  but  looking  rather 
like  an  Fhiglish  park  or  the  prairies  of  Iowa. 
Coyotes  and  wildcats  abounded,  and  the  wood- 
lands concealed  lions  and  grizzlies  as  numerous, 
relatively,  as  the  ipnidruDeds  they  preyed  upon. 
So,  too,  there  was  no  end  of  carrion  crows, 
ravens,  turkey-buzzards  and  vultures,  the  last 
named  of  huge  size,  rivaled  only  by  the  condors 
of  South  America,  all  of  which  seemed  to  re- 
gard ns  as  cateiers  to  their  voracity,  for  they 
came  to  know  the  significance  of  the  ritle,  and 
flocked  constantly  after  its  report  to  eat  what 
we  threw  away  of  the  cjame  killed  by  us,  hardly 
waiting  until  we  had  taken  our  share,  which 
was  the  haunches  only.  It  was  strange,  while 
we  were  doing  the  murderous  work  alluded  to, 
how  calm  and  peaceful  the  landscape  looked, 
with  its  copses  of  woodland,  grassy  open- 
ings and  wide  plain,  on  which  herds  of  elk 
and  bands  of  antelope  fed  apparently  ignorant 
of  the  death-dealing  quality  of  man — a  new 
species  of  the  carnivora  who  had  come  into  their 
haunts.  My  observation  was  that  their  eyes  in- 
formed them  nothing  of  men.  When  to  lee- 
ward of  them  they  manifested  curiosity,  and 
mano'vering  to  approach    ns,  trusted    to    their 


niSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Ill 


organs  of  smell  to  make  lis  out.  They  would 
come  ()uite  close,  or  let  us  get  near,  but  showed 
littlf  of  distrust  until  thoy  got  scent  of  us, 
when  they  would  be  off  like  a  Hash,  panie- 
stricken.  From  this  performance  1  made  out 
that  man  is  like  the  lion,  tiger  and  similar 
beasts  of  pi'ey.  anil  that  liis  body  gives  out  an 
odor  which  offends  the  senses  of  his  foui'-footed 
victims  as  would  the  scent  of  blood.  We  did 
not  kill  'for  the  lust  of  killing;"  profit  was 
the  object  of  the  hunters  witli  whom  I  was,  and 
they  killed  only  the  '  bucks,'  carefully  select- 
ing such  as  were  in  their  prime.  This  was  in 
September,  ISot).  In  all  the  country  through 
which  we  ranged  -from  the  site  of  the  present 
Petaluina  to  what  is  now  the  town  of  Santa 
Rosa,  there  was  sign  of  but  a  single  '  settle- 
ment," of  some  S(iHatter,  mIio  had  fenced  a  few 
acres,  plowed  and  sowed  them  to  corn,  potatoes 
and  melons,  and  had  gone  off  to  the  mines  and 
left  crows  and  raccoons  to  reap  the  product  of 
his  labors.  My  companions  were  but  two,  men 
who  liad  been  trappers  in  the  '  Rockies,'  one 
from  the  shores  of  Chesapeake  originally,  and 
the  other  having  been  burn  on  the  banks  of  the 
Cumberland  River,  in  Tennessee.  They  had 
the  skill  of  Cooper's  '  Leather  Stockim/,"  were 
tiioroughly  versed  in  wood  lore  and  knew  the 
habits  of  their  game  as  if  'to  the  manner  born," 
but  were  rough  and  uncouth  in  speech  and 
morals  to  a  degree  that  amazed  me.  I  had  a 
tierce  quarrel  with  one  of  them,  I  rememljer,  to 
the  point  of  a  duel  a  Voutt'ciiyie,  but  patched  up 
a  truce  with  the  understanding  that  neither 
knew  what  kind  of  a  man  the  other  was  and  so 
might  give  offense  without  meaning  it." 

Such  being  the  conditions  around  the  head 
waters  of  I'etaUima  Creek,  at  that  time,  and  in 
fair  view  of  the  Vallejo  buildings  at  the  foot 
of  the  Sonoma  Mountains,  the  reader  can  well 
understand  how  game  must  have  abounded 
further  back,  where  seldom  disturbed  by  the 
presence  of  man. 

I5ut  this  was  to  be  changed  in  thi'  near 
future.  Those  who  came  to  hunt,  determined 
to  locate  here.    Wiatt  and  Linus  started  a  little 


trading  post  on  the  creek  near  the  present  "Wash- 
ington street;  I'ayliss  and  Flogdell  establislied 
a  boarding  house;  J.  M.  Hudspeth  erected  a 
warehouse  near  the  creek,  and  thus  was  started 
the  city  of  Retaluma.  There  had  been  quite  a 
number  of  new  arrivals,  and  one  among  the 
\ery  cai'liest  of  these  was  Major  James  Siiudey, 
who  is  yet  one  of  Petaluma"s  mi>st  respected 
citizens.  Among  those  of  that  eai-ly  period 
whose  names  are  at  our  command  are  (-ieorge  \\. 
Williams,  Robert  Douglas  and  family;  the 
Starkeys,  the  Tustins,  the  Lewises.  The  Mer- 
ritts  had  located  temjiorarily  in  (ireen  Valley, 
and  John  Merritt  informs  us  that  he  ])iit  ut) 
the  first  stack  of  hay  ever  seen  at  Retaluma  i.in 
the  site  now  occupied  by  the  ^[cCune  JJlock, 
corner  of  Washington  and  Main  streets.  It  is 
useless  to  attempt  to  particularize  on  individu- 
ality further.  People  were  coming  into  the 
county  in  constantly  increasing  volume,  and 
very  many  were  intent  upon  securing  liomes  in 
the  country.  Hut  where  to  find  unclaimed  lands 
was  the  rub.  Go  where  they  woidd  they  found 
the  land  i-esting  under  the  shadow  of  some 
Spanish  grant.  In  sheer  desperation  many  set- 
tled on  grants  and  ])re|)ared  to  build  their 
homes,  and  leave  the  consequences  to  the 
future.  The  settlements  thus  formed  were  dif- 
ferent in  character  from  those  ever  before  wit- 
nessed in  frontier  settlements.  It  was  largely 
made  up  of  those  who  had  tried  their  fortunes 
in  the  mines  and  becoming  discouraged  with 
the  vocation  of  gold-seekers,  determined  to  turn 
their  attention  either  to  farming;  or  the  raising 
of  stock.  As  a  rule  they  were  unmari-ied  men, 
although  among  them  were  a  few  men  wliu  had 
families  in  the  East.  Hence  it  was  that  up  to 
as  late  as  ISoo  a  large  proportion  of  the  habi- 
tations in  Sonoma  (.'ounty  were  designated  as 
"  I'achelor  ranchos.""  The  buildings,  con- 
structed in  many  instances,  as  already  stated,  on 
land  covered  by  some  Spanish  grant,  were  very 
rude  habitations.  The  most  common  structures 
were  built  by  setting  posts  in  the  ground.  The 
weatherboarding  was  of  boards  split  out  of  red- 
wood, usually  twelve  feet  long,  and  the  roof  of 


Hf^TdUT    f)F    soyo.WA    COUNT T. 


■  •lapboanls  (sliakt^i  tVnir  <ir  live  I't'ct  long.  Usu- 
ally the  grouiul  was  used  for  a  floor,  aitliotigli 
some  indulged  in  the  luxury  of  a  plank  floor, 
iiedsteads  and  bunks,  such  as  could  be  con- 
structed with  iiandsaw  and  hatciiet,  was  the 
furniture  of  the  sleeping  apartment,  while  a  few 
shelves  in  the  kitchen  made  of  split  boards  usu- 
ally 6ufficed  for  a  dish  cupboard.  AVitli  the 
addition  of  a  cook-stove  the  establishment  was 
complete.  Commencing  with  1S51,  these  rude 
tenements  sprung  uj)  like  mushrooms,  and 
inside  of  a  few  yeai's,  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  county,  were  scattered  these 
bachelor  domicils.  In  those  years  the  man 
who  did  not  do  his  own  cooking  and  washing 
was  an  exception  to  the  general  rule.  It  was 
not  a  (question  of  choice,  but  of  necessity. 
Neither  did  educatitin,  pride  or  previous  con- 
dition cut  any  figure  in  the  case.  Here  were 
to  be  found  men  of  every  walk  and  grade  of 
life  working  side  by  side,  whether  in  field  or 
kitchen.  Society  was  democratic,  simple  and 
pure,  in  a  degree  never  before  witnessed  in  any 
country,  and,  perhaps,  never  to  be  repeated 
again.  It  was  a  rough  and  rugged  experience, 
and  yet  it  was  just  under  such  conditions  that 
very  many  of  Sonoma  County's  preseiit  most 
substantial  and  respected  citizens  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  their  fortunes.  It  must  not  be  supposed 
that  even  in  those  early  years  women  and  families 
were  unknown  in  Sonoma  County;  but  they 
were  scj  few  in  comparison  to  those  who  had 
bachelor  ranches  that  they  were  the  exception 
and  not  the  rule.  In  the  slow  process  of  years, 
however,  those  cheerless  homes  of  lienedicts 
gave  ])lace  to  the  more  attractive  and  refining 
inllnence  of  the  mothers  of  the  native  sons  and 
daughters  in  Sonoma  County.  Many  of  these 
noble  women,  who  by  their  presence  and  toil 
hel])cd  to  guide  and  cheer  those  engaged  in 
pioneer  work,  have  ended  their  weary  life-mis- 
sion, but  they  richly  eai'ned  the  right  to  have 
monuments  of  enduring  marble  erected  to  their 
memories. 

We  are  describing  conditions  as  they  existed 
between  1848  and  1855.     If  the  reader  knows 


the  meaning  of  the  stock  ])lirase  "breeding 
back,"  lie  will  rightly  appreciate  the  real  condi- 
tions of  Sonoma  County  at  that  time.  Most  of 
the  men  who  took  up  ranches  and  entered  upon 
agricultural  or  stock-raising  pursuits  were  be- 
low the  meridian  of  life,  and  easily  adapted 
t  htmselves  to  the  conditions  with  which  they 
found  themselves  environed.  There  was  a  cer- 
tain degree  of  dash  and  daring  among  the  native 
Californiaus  very  captivating  to  the  young 
Americans.  .\.s  expert  riders  and  manipulators 
of  the  reatta  the  natives  excelled.  In  almost 
every  valley  thei'e  was  ii  baud  (manada)  of 
Spanish  animals  and  from  these  sources  the  set- 
tlers di'ew  a  cheap  supply  of  riding  and  work 
animals,  although  ox-teams  were  then  largely 
used.  To  break  and  handle  these  California 
horses  led  to  the  adoption  of  California  hal)its 
and  methods.  Hence  the  "  bucharo  "'  saddle 
was  in  almost  universal  use,  and  Americans  be- 
came enamored  with  the  use  of  huge  Mexican 
spurs,  that,  in  the  language  of  Chaucer,  "sounded 
'een  as  loud  as  doth  the  chapel  bell."  In  those 
days  if  a  rider,  either  Califoruian  or  American, 
was  approaching  you,  his  coming  was  heralded 
by  the  ringing  of  his  spurs.  Everybody  rode 
as  if  they  were  going  for  a  doctor.  The  native 
horses  had  a  power  of  endurance  that  would  put 
to  shame  the  nerve  of  candled  and  groomed 
horses  of  a  later  period.  If  engaged  in  the 
stock  or  dairying  business,  every  man  became 
in  a  degree  a  "  bucharo" — that  is  he  was  in  the 
saddle  a  great  part  of  the  time,  and  if  he  wished 
to  catch  a  wild  horse  or  cow,  his  ever-ready 
"reatta"  was  brought  into  requisition.  The 
Americans  soon  acfjuired  a  wonderful  dexterity 
in  the  throwing  of  the  reatta.  If  a  new  saddle 
horse  was  needed  the  manada  was  driven  into  a 
corral  and  an  animal  selected,  "  lassed,"'  blind- 
folded, saddled  and  mounted,  and  then  fun 
began!  The  animal,  if  high  metaled,  of  course 
bucked,  and  the  rider  received  commendation 
from  the  spectators  just  in  degree  as  he  main- 
tained his  position  in  the  saddle.  In  those 
early  days  we  have  seen  men  I'ide  such  "  buck- 
ius: "  mustang's  for  the  mere  editication  of  the 


lUsrORT    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


113 


si>ectiitui-s.  AVlieii  we  see  young  men  of  this 
day  riding  on  the  little  American  saddle,  with 
their  tooth-pick  shoes  crowded  into  little  iron 
stirrups,  and  rising  in  tlieir  sitting  so  that  you 
could  sine  a  hat  between  thcni  and  their  saddle, 
we  just  smile  wiien  we  think  of  what  would  be 
their  fate  if  riding  a  bucking  horse  why,  there 
would  not  be  enough  of  them  left  to  make  shoe- 
strings. In  the  short  space  of  a  third  of  a 
century  the  art  of  horse-back  riding  has  virtu- 
ally become  a  lost  art  in  California. 

The  drift  of  early  settlement  in  Sonoma 
County  was  naturally  toward  Bodega  because, 
not  only  the  Russians  had  demonstrated  its  fit- 
ness for  agriculture,  but  Captain  Stephen  Smith 
had  established  himself  there  and  was  in  a  posi- 
tion to  assist  immigrants  in  their  venture  in 
agricultural  pursuits.  It  was  a  demonstrated 
fact  that  that  region  would  produce  in  great 
abundance  potatoes,  much  needed  in  the  mines 
of  California.  Seed  potatoes  were  very  high. 
Captain  Smith  was  in  a  position  to  furnish  this, 
and  found  many  ready  to  rent  land  and  embark 
in  the  business  of  potato  growing.  In  1851 
such  reaj)ed  a  rich  reward.  In  1852  seed  pota- 
toes were  available  for  others,  and  settlers  in 
Big  Valley  and  the  coast  hills  embarked  in  the 
business,  and  with  large  profits.  This  led  to 
the  planting  of  an  increased  acreage  of  potatoes 
in  1853,  and  the  result  was  an  over-production, 
and  conse(_[uent  disaster  to  those  engaged  in  the 
business.  In  185-1  the  potato  crop  was  again 
in  excess  of  the  demand,  and  those  who  had  en- 
gaged in  the  business  of  potato  raising  were 
virtually  bankrupted.  And,  as  if  in  veritication 
of  the  adage,  "  misfortunes  never  come  alone," 
the  wheat  crop  of  the  coast  valley's  for  1854:  -'55 
were  smitten  with  both  smut  and  rust.  ^Vlien 
we  hear  farmers  of  the  present  day  growling 
about  short  crops,  or  low  prices,  our  memory 
naturally  reverts  to  those  three  years  of  unre- 
(piiteil  toil  of  our  farmcns',  and  we  wonder  as  to 
what  would  be  about  the  lengtli  of  Sonoma 
County  farmers'  faces  now  if  they  had  to  pass 
through  similar  experiences. 

The.se  early  farmers  of  Sonoma  County  had 


settled  upon  the  naked  land.  In  many  instances 
they  first  planted  their  crops,  then  turned  their 
attention  to  building  fences.  If  they  had  some 
means,  they  could  buy  slats  and  posts  in  the 
redwoods.  If  they  had  no  money,  as  many  of 
them  had  not,  it  involved  the  riving  of  slats  and 
the  splitting  of  posts  themselves,  and  then  the 
hauling  and  constructing  of  the  same  into  fences. 
The  toil  involved  was  immense,  and  none  but 
those  who  passed  through  those  experiences  will 
ever  know  wdiat  of  deprivation  and  physical 
eft'ort  it  cost  to  found  the  early  settlements  of 
Sonoma  County. 

As  this  chapter  is  mainly  intended  to  give 
the  reader  a  correct  conception  of  the  Ilcwne^s 
and  comparatively  uninhabited  condition  of 
Sonoma  County  in  the  early  fifties  we  give 
place  here  to  a  communication  written  by  us  in 
1877,  reminiscent  of  the  then  long  past: 

"Eds.  AK(iUs:  Noticing  that  you  are  about 
to  lay  upon  the  shelf  your  twenty-second  volume 
it  naturally  causes  my  mind  to  drift  back  to  that 
long-ago,  verging  close  upon  a  (piarter  of  a 
century,  the  occasion  of  my  advent  into  your 
county.  .Vs  these  memories  ante-date  the  birth 
of  your  journal,  they  may  not  be  devoid  of  in- 
terest to  some  of  your  readers.  In  brief,  the 
spring  of  1851  found  me  in  San  Francisco, 
waiting,  like  Micawber,  'for  something  to  turn 
up.'  That  something  did  turn  up  just  in  the 
nick  of  time,  and  was  nothing  more  or  less  than 
the  discoveiy  of  rich  gold  mines  on  Russian 
River. 

"  Over  three  years  experience  in  the  Sierras  hail 
failed  to  eliminate  from  my  nature  that  credu- 
lity which  kept  so  many  miners  following  every 
l(jii'iK  fatuun  bearing  the  title  of  '  new  gold 
mines.'  .\t  the  time  of  whieh  I  write  there 
were  three  steamboats  plying  between  San 
Francisco  and  Petalunni.  The  Scrrefar;/  and  a 
boat  the  name  of  which  has  passed  from  my 
mind,  were  running  a  spirited  oj>pobition.  'i'lu: 
Reindeer,  of  which  your  fellow-townsman,  E. 
Latapie,  was  captain,  was  running  free  and  easy, 
on  its  own  hook;  making  up  in  safety  what  it 
lacked  in  speed.     Un  the  latter  1  took  passage, 


lllslfiUT    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


;uul  iVoiii  it*  ilcuk  liad  my  lir^t  view  of  the  ile- 
viuiis  iiieanderings  of  Ptjtaluina  Creuk.  In  less 
than  two  weeks  thereafter  tlie  Sc-n-f'tr;/  went 
up  in  a  cloud  of  steam,  aiul.  like  a  leaden  pluni- 
inct,  to  the  bottom  of  the  bay,  carrying  with  her 
a  score  or  more  of  passengers.  There  are  resi- 
dent in  your  county  yet  some  of  those  wlio  took 
a  salt-water  bath  on  that  occasion,  but  who  were 
fortunately  rescued  by  the  boat  with  which  the 
Scci-tfar;/  was  racing  at  the  time  of  the  disaster. 
.\  t'ellow-passenger  on  the  liLUuLer.  who  knew 
all  the  ins  and  outs  of  yo\ir  then  incipient  city, 
conducted  me  to  the  -Tom  and  Da\e"s  House,' 
where  I  found  food  and  lodging.  The  title  of 
this  house  was  derived  from  a  contraction  of  the 
given  names  of  Thomas  IJayliss  and  David 
Flogdell,  who  were  its  keepers.  Proprietors 
and  house,  alike,  liave  passed  away.  As  my 
destination  was  the  Eldorado  on  Russian  River, 
1  only  tarried  one  night  in  Petaluma,  and  with 
carpet-l)ag  on  back  hastened  onward. 

"  It  was  early  in  April,  and  as  there  had  been 
copious  rains  vegetation  was  luxuriant,  and  the 
valleys  and  mountain  sides  as  far  as  visi(jn  could 
reach  were  one  undulating  sea  of  wild  oats. 
The  whole  wide  sweep  of  country  beyond  Peta- 
luma was  very  sparsely  settled  at  that  tiuie. 
About  midway  between  Petaluma  and  Santa 
Rosa  the  Moffet  Jirothers  were  dairying  upon  a 
large  scale,  and  seemed  to  have  free  range  of 
Santa  Ro-a  Valley  for  their  stock.  My  recol- 
lection at  present  is  that  between  the  old  C).  E. 
Mathews  place,  adjacent  to  Petaluma,  and  Santa 
Rosa,  there  was  l)ut  one  house  immediately  at 
the  road-side,  and  in  it  I  took  refuge  from  an 
April  shower. 

••  I  reached  Santa  Rosa  in  time  t'or  a  late  din- 
ner. E.  P.  Colgan  had  just  moved  into  the 
rooms  under  the  old  Masonic  Hall.  Everything 
was  topsyturvy — tiic  cooking  stove  having 
barely  been  got  in  place.  Mrs.  C,  notwith- 
standing it  was  two  o'clock  r.  m.,  inijirovised  a 
dinner,  and  thus  I  claim  the  honor  of  being  the 
first  traveler  to  take  a  meal  at  a  regular  public 
hotel  in  Santa  Rosa. 

"Although  weary  and  foot-sore  1  determined 


to  go  as  far  as  the  old  Mark  West  Ranch  llou>e 
that  evening.  And  just  here  I  wish  to  record 
my  impression  at  tluit  time — and  I  have  no  de- 
sire to  modify  it  now—that  in  all  my  wander- 
ings upon  tliis  earth  I  had  never  before  traversed 
so  Eden-like  a  vale  as  that  between  Santa  Rosa 
and  Mark  West.  It  was  nature's  own  park. 
Wild  oats,  clover  and  other  indigenous  grasses, 
intermingled  with  a  profusion  of  wild  tlowers 
of  every  shade  and  hue  bedecked  the  broad  ex- 
pause  of  plains,  while  the  oak  timber,  just 
sparse  enough  {o  give  it  an  orchard-like  appear- 
ance, was  putting  on  its  new  foliage  amid  the 
drapery  of  pendent  moss,  that,  like  ten  tlmu- 
sand  banners,  courted  the  balmy  breeze.  It  was 
untarnished  nature,  neitiier  marred  nor  scarred 
by  the  plowshare  of  relentless  man. 

"At  Mark  West  I  found  accommodations  for 
the  night  with  a  couple  of  Frenchmen,  who  had 
a  trading-post  in  one  wing  of  the  old  Mark 
West  Ranch  House.  Morning  again  found  me 
a  pedestrian  on  the  Santa  Rosa  plains.  My 
course  lay  some  miles  westerly  from  the  present 
road  of  Healdsburg,  bringing  me  to  Russian 
River  about  five  miles  below  Fitch's.  I  then 
traveled  up  the  river,  passing  on  the  way  a 
clapboard  shanty,  in  which  Lindsey  Carson, 
brother  of  the  famous  Kit  Carson,  liad  a  little 
store.  Arriving  at  Fitch's  it  was  necessary  to 
cross  the  river.  There  was  a  canoe  moored  at 
the  opposite  shore  and  a  number  of  Indians 
lounging  on  the  bank,  but  they  were  deaf  to 
my  entreaties  to  l)e  ferried  across.  After  wait- 
ing an  hour  one  (.)f  the  Fitch's,  a  lad  then  of 
fourteen  or  fifteen,  came  to  my  relief  and  con- 
vinced the  dusky  savages  that  they  had  better 
cross  me  over.  My  objective  point  for  dinner 
was  Heald's,  who  occupied  the  present  site  of 
Healdsburg.  1  was,  however,  doomed  to  dis- 
appointment, as  there  was  no  one  at  home. 
P'rom  this  point  onward  I  was  like  a  sailor  at 
sea  without  chart  or  compass.  A  dim  road 
alone  attested  that  civilization  liad  preceded 
me.  Mile  after  mile  was  left  behind,  and  yet 
no  sign  of  human  habitation.  Night  cast  iier 
mantle  over  the  earth,  and  I  was  alone  in  that 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


vast  solitiule.  Before  darkness  obscured  clear 
vision  I  noticed  that  the  road  was  trending; 
westward,  and  apparently  away  from  the  river 
valley.  At  eii;ht  o'clock  at  night,  by  the  star- 
light, I  could  see  that  around  me  was  an  aniplii 
theater  of  mountains,  rendered  more  somber  by 
a  forest  of  redwoods.  I  bad  about  concluded 
that  supperless  and  bedless  I  was  in  for  vigils 
during  the  silent  watches  of  the  nig;lit,  when  the 
barking  of  a  dog  further  up  the  canon  greeted 
my  eai'.  Never  until  tlieii  did  I  appreciate  the 
p  let's  rhapsody  over  '  tbedeep-iru)uthed  liaying 
of  the  watch-dog."  There  are  a  great  many 
worthless  curs  in  the  world  who  are  libels  on 
respectable  canines,  but  for  all  that  man  has  no 
truer,  more  steadfast  and  faithful  friend  than  in 
his  dog.  The  ringing  bark  of  the  dog  told  me 
as  plainly  as  though  in  articulated  words  that 
he  had  a  master,  and  acting  on  this  assurance  1 
was  soon  by  a  blazing  camp  tire,  and  the  reei|i- 
ient  of  genuine  backwoods  hospitality  from  a 
young  man  who  had  pitched  camp  there  to  get 
out  redwood  fencing  material  to  be  used  in  the 
valley.-^.  My  host  shared  with  me  his  bed,  and 
so  fatigued  was  1  that,  notwithstanding  the  in- 
formation that  the  Indians  had,  oidy  a  week 
previous,  killed  a  man  in  a  cafKin  nearby,  1  was 
soon  oblivious  to  all  worldly  care.  Tliis  young 
man  was  able-  to  give  me  positive  information 
concerning  the  reputed  gold  mines  uj)  the  river 
—  suHicient,  at  least,  to  convince  me  Ihat  on 
Russian  River  was  not  located  the  (>pliir  from 
which  Solomon  got  the  gold  for  his  temple,  and 
the  ne.\t  day  I  I'ctrcated  in  good  urdcr,  only 
varying  my  nuile  from  that  traveled  up  in  that 
I  crossed  over  from  Santa  Kosa  to  the  okl  Mil- 
ler &  Walker  store,  near  the  now  town  of  Sebas- 
topol.  and  tlicncctd  relMlnma  by  way  of  Stony 
Point. 

"A  comparisdii  nf  the  present  with  the  past 
as  outlined  by  this  hasty  reminiscence  of  that 
long  ago,  will  give  mmi:  maiked  emphasis  to 
the  character  and  degree  of  progress  made  by 
Sonoma  County  in  the  space  of  twenty- three 
years." 

We  cannot  lietter  give  a  correcl  idea  of  the 


progress  made  in  the  settlement  and  development 
of  Sonoma  ('ounty  up  to  1855  than  by  append- 
ing the  following: 

Smith  1).  Towne,  the  then  assessor  of  So- 
noma County,  furnished  to  the  Sonoma  County 
■Jdiirnul  ill  AugUht  of  1855  the  following 
statistics  relating  to  Sonoma  and  Mendocino 
counties: 

■'Tlie  ijuantity  of  the  land  enclosed  in  this 
and  Mendocino  counties,  amounts  to  ;JT.t)5:2 
acres;  about  22,400  acres  of  which  is  in  the 
cultixation  of  the  following  ])roduct8: 

"  \Vlic<t(.  -  The  number  of  acres  sown  is,  12,- 
2i33,  of  which  amount  3,500  acres  only  (mostly 
from  Chili  and  Oregon  seed)  is  good,  or  but 
very  slightly  affected  with  rust,  and  will  average 
28  bushels  to  the  acre;  making  a  total  of  98,- 
000  l)ushels.  The  remainder,  or  8,733  acres, 
was  entirely  destroyed,  or  nearly  so,  by  the 
'rust,' anil  but  a  small  portion  was  ever  har- 
\ested.  Last  year  tlie  wheat  from  Oregon  and 
Australia  seed,  was  so  badly  'smutted'  that  it 
lost  favor  with  our  farmers,  and  the  kind  coni- 
moidy  known  as  the  '  club-head,'  became  the 
favorite,  and  was  largely  sown,  but  most  unfor- 
tunately it  seems  to  have  been  the  oidy  kind 
ati'ected  this  year. 

''Oats. — The  nnmher  of  aci'cs  put  down  to 
oats  is,  3,268;  a  portion  of  which,  in  the  im^ 
mediate  vicinity  of  the  coast,  has  been  affected 
by  '  rust."  1  might  have  remarked  that  the 
scoui'ge  has  even  extended  its  ravages  to  the 
indigenous  plants  and  grasses  of  the  soil. 
From  the  many  incpiiries,  I  am  led  to  lielieve 
that  the  total  "lunnber  of  acres  will  make  an 
average  crop  of  35  bushels  to  the  acre,  which 
gives  a  total  of   104,380  bushels. 

"  liiii'leij. — This  grain  seems  to  lia\e  but  few 
friends,  and  conse<|uently  vei-y  little  was  sown 
in  comparison  with  last  year.  In  some  locali- 
ties, the  'cheat'  has  destroyed  some  kw  fields; 
with  this  exception  the  grain  is  good.  Numbei' 
of  acres  sown,  1,561;  average  yield,  32  bushels 
to  the  acre;  total,  49,952  bushels. 

'•  ('urn.  Of  this  product  thei'e  ai-e  714  acres 
jilantcil,  the  most  of   which    i.i    in    the    Kussiaii 


insninv  of  sonoma   county. 


]ii\'('r  and  l)ry  ('reuk  valleys,  where  it  seems  to 
llourish  more  luxuriantly  than  in  any  other  por- 
tion of  onr  coiintv.  From  present  indications 
there  will  undoubtedly  be  an  abundant  harvest; 
say  40  bushels  to  the  acre,  making  28,580 
bushels. 

^^  Rye. — Only  8  acres  sown,  merely  as  an  ex- 
jieriment. 

"  Bucku-hcat. — Amount  phinted,  UU  acres; 
seems  well  adapted  to  our  soil  and  climate.  As 
yet  there  has  been  none  harvested;  I  cannot, 
therefore,  tell  how  it  will  yield. 

'■' I'ean. — Number  of  acres  loC);  average  yiekl, 
80  bushels  per  acre;   total,  ■i,ti80  luisliels. 

"  Beans. — 177  acres. 

*' Potatoes. —  The  quantity  planted  is,  l.ti'.tS 
acres,  against  2,H00  last  year,  and  will  not  prob- 
al)ly  yield  more  than  40  sacks  to  the  acre,  ow- 
ing, perhaps,  to  the  extreme  hot  dry  weather  in 
June,  which  gives  us  a  total  ot  07,720  sacks,  of 
120  pounds  each,  i  think  this  the  outside  tig- 
ure.  There  is,  however,  no  indication  of  worms 
or  insects  disturbing  them  an<l  what  are  raised 
will  most  likely  be  perfectly  sound  and  good. 

"  Pumpkins,  Txirnlps,  Beets,  Onions,  ete.,a.\\([ 
almost  every  kind  of  garden  vegetaltles  are 
raised  in  abundance  and  to  spare. 

"  Fruit  Trees. — There  are  6,730  set  out, 
mostly  young,  from  one  to  three  years  old,  com- 
prising many  varieties  of  apples,  pears,  peaches, 
plums,  cherry,  iigs,  apricots,  etc.  About  one- 
third  of  the  number  have  commenced  bearing 
and  in  another  year  we  may  anticipate  an 
abundanre  of  fruit;  and  the  present  year,  I 
thiidv  our  county  will  compare  as  favorably  both 
as  regartls  i|iuintity,  as  any  other  county  in  the 
State. 

"  Vliieijarils. —  In  addition  to  the  orchards, 
there  are  many  line  vineyards,  numbering  in 
the  aggregate  some  24,800  vines,  many  of  wdiich 
arc  loaded  with  grapes.  The  estimated  quan- 
tity gathered  last  year  was  80  tons;  the  present 
season  it  will  be  fully  doubled. 

'■^Atnerican  Cattle. — JS' umber  of  milch  cows, 
5,850;  dry  cows,  2,575;  calves,  5,750;  work 
open,  2,771;  beef  cattle,  1,922;  yearlings,  4,2'J4; 


total  number  of  .\merican  cattle,  22,622.  To 
this  must  be  added  the  California  cattle,  8,588; 
which  gives  a  total  number  of  cattle  (American 
and  California)  26,250. 

'■'■Horses. — Number  of  gentle  horses,  Ameri- 
can and  Spanish,  3,708;  wild  California  horses 
(manada)  1,250;  total  number  of  horses,  4,U58. 

"Of  Mules  there  are  328;  of  //r;y.s-,  l'J,45!t; 
of  Sheep,  7,0t;5." 

The  first  fair  of  Sonoma  County  was  held  on 
the  public  square  at  Santa  Ilosa  and  which  was 
thus  reported,  and  appeared  in  the  J'etaluma 
Journal  of  October  20,  1855: 

"Our  village  was  thronged  yesterday  with 
people  from  all  parts  of  the  county  to  attend  the 
first  fair  of  the  .\gricultural  Society.  The 
shaded  plaza  in  front  of  the  court  house, 
was  selected  for  the  place  of  exhibition,  and 
here  was  gathered  a  tine  collection  of  horses, 
mules,  and  horned  cattle. 

"The  large  Durham  bull  belonging  to  Lo\ell 
&  ISrothers,  of  Vallejo  Township,  attracted  uni- 
versal attention.  This  animal  is  four  years  old; 
and  received  a  premium  at  the  recent  exhibition 
at  Sacramento.  Several  fine  stallions  were  also 
much  admired;  particularly  Sir  CIiarles,-A  dark 
bay,  seven  years  old,  Ijclonging  to  Mr.  Seabringot 
l)odega;  and  a  light  bay,  belonging  to  Mr.  Tateot 
Santa  liosa;    latter  the  took  the   first  premium. 

"  After  the  crowd  had  gazed  their  full  at  the 
animals  in  a  state  of  repose,  they  were  en- 
livened by  a  display  of  the  locomotive  jiowers 
of  the  horses,  both  under  the  saddle  and  in 
harness.  A  large  gray  horse  lielonging  to  Mr. 
Robinson  of  Petaluma.  excited  much  remark; 
with  good  training,  he  will  no  doubt  become  a 
fine  trotter. 

"At  four  o'clock  the  comjiany  adjourned  to 
the  court  house,  and  listened  to  a  few  introduc- 
tory remarks  by  Dr.  Hill,  the  president  of  the 
society,  and  an  interested  address  from  C.  1*. 
Wilkins,  Esq.,  on  the  imjwrtance  of  the  applica- 
tion of  the  sciences  to  agricnlture. 

"  The  proceedings  of  the  day  were  brought 
to  a  brilliant  and  harmonious  close,  by  a  ball  at 
the  Masonic  Hall. 


HISTORY    OF    SOXOMA     COUNTY. 


117 


"We  subjoin  a  list  of  the  premiums  awiudL'd, 
fur  which  we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Powers, 
secretary  of  the  society.  Tlie  first  premiums 
were  money,  the  second  and  tliird  were  dijiio- 
mas  of  tlie  society. 

•'  Best  stallion,  >^1U,  to  Air.  Tate  of  Santa 
IJosa;  second  best,  to  Mr.  Seabring,  of  itodega  ; 
third  best,  to  Mr.  Manning  of  Green  Valley. 

"  I>est  stud  colt,  premium  to  Mr.  McMiuu; 
second  best,  to  Mr.  McDowell. 

''Best  brood  luare,  $8,  to.Iulio  Carrillo,  of 
Santa  Kosa  ;  second  best,  to  Mr.  Stanley,  of 
I'etalunui;  third,  to  Mr.  Watson. 

"Best  colt,  $5,  to  Mr.  Seabring,  of  Bodega; 
second  to  Mr.  Tate,  of  Santa  Rosa. 

"  Best  riding  horse,  !?5,  to  Mr.  Wright,  of 
Santa  Rosa. 

"Best  buggy  horse,  So,  to  Mr.  liobin^on,  of 
Betaluina. 

"  Hest  draft  horse,  !ti5,  to  Mr.  Stanley,  of 
I'etalunia. 


"  !  Jest  mule,  premium  to  Mr.  Wright,  of  Santa 
liosa. 

"liest  bull.  !f;8,  to  Buvell  iV  i'.rothers,  of  Val- 
lejo  Township. 

"Bestcow,  !B8,  to  Mr.  Wrigiit,  of  Santa  Kosa. 

•>  Best  calf  !ji5,  to  Air.  AVright,  of  Santa  Rosa. 

"  Hest  beef  steer,  So,  to  Mr.  Clark,  of  Santa 
Rosa. 

"  Best  specimen  of  cheese,  $)J,  to  Mr.  Till'e, 
of  I'etaluma. 

"  Best  specimen  of  wheat,  S5,  to  Air.  Neal, 
of  Santa  Rosa. 

"  Best  specimen  of  saddlery,  !f;2.50,  to  Air. 
Barnard,  of  Santa  Rosa." 

While  the  above  showing  of  the  assessor,  as 
well  as  the  rejiort  of  the  County  Fair,  will 
seem  small  and  inconsequential  when  con- 
trasted with  he  products  of  Sonoma  County 
now,  yet  it  shows  that  the  people  had  accom- 
plished very  much,  considering  the  newness  of 
the  country. 


118 


HISTORY    OF    S02fOMA    COUNTY. 


'^>^~^-^S^-^^^i^^-^\^ 


CHAPTER  XII. 


EPITOME    OF    THE    FIKf-T    VEAk's    KEI  OKP    UE     THE     SuXOMA     CViT>-TY     JoUKNAI, ThX    GEYSER'^ 

1S56 — IHK    PeTALIMA    IIUNIKKs    IX    1860. 


fllE  first  newspaper  published  in  Petaiiiina 
:  appeared  on  the  18th  vi'  August.  1855, 
^'  and  was  entitled  T/ie  I'etalutna  Weekly 
Joui'iuil  and  Sonoma  County  Advertiser.  Hon. 
Thomas  L.  Thompson,  now  of  the  Santa  Rosa 
Democrat,  was  proprietor,  and  H.  L.  AVcston, 
long  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Anjus, 
and  3'et  a  citizen  of  Petaluma,  was  foreman  of 
the  otiicc,  which  was  in  a  one-story  wooden 
building  situated  on  the  present  site  of  Towne's 
drug  store.  The  only  other  paper  being  pulj- 
lislied  in  the  county  was  the  Sonoma  Bulletin, 
bv  A.  J.  Cox,  and  as  it  suspended  publication 
in  September  of  that  year,  the  Journal  became 
the  repository  of  all  matters  of  historic  concern, 
not  only  of  Sonoma,  but  of  some  of  the  adjacent 
counties  that  as  yet  had  no  public  journals  of 
their  own.  While  the  most  of  the  matter  con- 
tained in  the  tiles  of  this  ]'ournal  from  the  IStli 
of  August,  1855,  to  the  18th  of  August,  185B, 
is  local  to  Petaluma,  yet  there  is  so  much  of  it 
that  relates  to  the  whole  county  that  an  epitome 
III'  it  properly  falls  within  the  scope  of  the 
county's  general  history. 

Among  the  items  of  general  interest  in  the 
first  issue  we  find  the  annual  report  of  S.  D. 
Towne,  county  assessor,  from  which  it  is 
learned  that  within  the  territory  now  constitut- 


ing the  counties  of  Sonoma  and  Mendocino, 
there  were  87,052  acres  of  enclosed  land,  of 
W'liich  22,400  were  under  cultivation.  There 
were  12,233  acres  of  wheat,  of  which  it  was 
estimated  that  3,500  acres  would  yield  twenty - 
eight  bushels  per  acre,  the  remainder  being 
nearly  all  destroyed  by  rust.  Rust  also  ex- 
tended its  ravages  to  the  indigenous  plants  and 
grasses. 

Among  the  Petaluma  advertisers  in  this  lirst 
i'ew.issues  were:  attorneys-at-law.  AVni.  I).  Bliss, 
Wm.  A.  Cornwall,  J.  Chandlar,  and  I.  G. 
Wickershani ;  saddlery,  Samuels  &  Gedney  and 
W.  Van  Houghton;  dry  goods  and  groceries. 
Hill  ct  Lyon  and  Elder  vN:  Plinman;  painting, 
Geo.  W.  Andrews  and  J.  B.  Bailey;  lumber,  H. 
S.  Xewton  and  Geo.  R.  Perkins;  hardware, 
Derby  A:  Baldwin;  dealers  in  produce  and 
agents  for  Petaluma  line  of  packets,  Kittrell  it 
Co.;  drug  and  book  store,  S.  C.  Haydon;  Ameri- 
can Hotel,  Anthony  G.  Oakes;  general  mer- 
chandise, Calish  &  x^ewman;  steamer  Reindeer, 
Edward  Latapie,  master;  furniture,  L.  Chap- 
man; dentist,  W.  D.  Trinque;  Petaluma  House, 
Ramsey  it  Light;  stable  and  stock-yard,  C.  I. 
Robinson;  Pioneer  Hotel,  D.  "W.  Flogdell.  A. 
B.  Bowers  and  Miss  Morse  were  the  teachers  of 
the  Petaluma  public  scliool.     X,  McC.  Menefee 


ffrSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


was  county  clerk,  and  Tlioinas  IT.  Pyatt  and 
Joel  JNIiller,  deputies;  Israel  Brockiuaii  was 
slieriff  and  A.  C.  McKinnen,  deputy. 

Tiie  California  State  election  was  lield  on  the 
5th  of  Septeinher,  and  is  reported  as  follows: 
J.  Neely  Johnson,  Know  Nothing,  was  elected 
Governor  over  John  Bigler,  Democrat,  by 
a  majority  of  5,011  in  a  total  vote  of  96,885. 
In  Petaluma  the  vote  stood  Johnson  277,  Bigler 
204.  The  Settlers'  elected  their  entire  county 
ticket  by  a  large  majority.  The  following  were 
the  officers  chosen:  Assemblymen,  11.  (1.  lleald 
and  J.  S.  Rathbnrn;  County  Judge,  Wm. 
Churchman;  District  Attorney,  I.  G.  Wicker- 
sham;  County  Clerk,  N.  McC.  Menefee;  Sheriii', 
A.  C.  Bledso;  Treasurer,  W.  A.  Buster;  Super- 
intendent of  Schools,  B.  n.  Bonham;  Surveyor, 
Wm.  Mock;  Assessor,  W.G.Lee;  Coroner,  J. 
S.  Williams;  Public  Administrator,  "W.B.  Atter- 
berry.  The  total  vote  polled  in  Sonoma  and 
^[(Mulocino  was  1,890.  In  the  issne  of  the  8th 
(jf  September  the  following  mention  is  made: 
"The  county  seat  was  removed  last  fall  from 
Sonoma  to  Santa  Tiosa,  at  which  time  the  latter 
place  contained  not  more  than  one  or  two 
honses;  it  now  boasts  of  three  stores,  two  hotels, 
one  restaurant,  one  blacksmith  shop,  a  large 
livery  stable,  various  private  residences  and 
several  new  houses  in  course  of  constrnction. 
The  county  buildings  are  not  constructed  but 
lumber  is  on  the  ground  for  their  commence- 
ment." Tiie  Sonoma  BuUetin,  about  the  12tli 
of  September,  requested  the  Jcnnxil  to  an- 
nounce its  demise. 

In  Septeml)er  and  October  we  tind  the  follow- 
ing record:  The  Steamer  (rcorc/ind,  which  had 
been  running  on  the  Sonoma  and  San  Francisco 
line,  commenced  making  regular  trips  between 
Petaluma  and  San  Francisco  tlic  17th  of  Sep- 
tember. The  Kate  Na//t'.i,  under  tlie  command 
of  Captain  C.  M.  Baxter,  was  also  making  regu- 
lar trips.  Among  new  advertisers  who  put  in 
an  appearance  during  the  months  of  Septembei- 
and  October,  were  C.  P.  Wilkins,  attorney-at- 
law;  W.  L.  Anderson  and  John  S.  liobberson, 
M.  Weil  &  Co.,  U.  Samuels  and  M.  Amies,  and 


John  G.  Huff,  general  merchandise;  Thomas  L. 
Barnes,  S.  W.  Brown  and  T.  A.  Hylton,  physi- 
cians and  surgeons;  B.  Tannebaum,  dry  goods; 
A.  Skill  man  and  Wm.  Zartman,  and  Dean  & 
Bates,  wagon  and  carriage- makers.  The  co- 
partnership of  Wm.  Zartman,  John  Fritscli  and 
James  Reed,  who  were  engaged  in  lilacksmith- 
ing  and  wagon-making,  was  dissolved  the  23d 
of  October,  James  Reed  having  perished  on  the 
ill-fated  Central  Ami'rira  that  went  down  at  sea. 
The  Bodega  steam  saw-mill,  owned  by  B. 
Phelps,  of  San  Francisco,  was  destroyed  by 
tire  on  the  night  of  October  18,  the  loss  beinc 
between  $15,000  and  !!;18,000.  The  first  fair  of 
Sonoma  County  was  held  in  Santa  Rosa  on  the 
plaza,  in  front  of  the  court  house,  October  18. 
The  board  of  managers  of  the  society  consisted 
of  Dr.  J.  Hill,  President;  B.  B.  Munday, 
Vice-President;  Mr.  Jenkins,  Treasurer;  S.  T. 
Power,  Secretary;  Judge  Thompson,  Dr. 
Ornisby,  Major  Beck,  Major  Ewing,  .\.  Cope- 
land  and  J.  M.  Hudspeth,  Directors.  The 
State  fair  was  held  at  Sacramento  during  the 
last  week  of  Se|)tember.  Among  the  successful 
competitors  for  jireminms  were  the  following 
named  from  Sonoma  County:  II.  L.  Lovell  A: 
Brother,  of  Yallejo  Township,  for  the  best  bull, 
California  bred  Durham,  $50;  second  best 
cheese,  Samuel  Lewis,  $15;  best  five  acres  or 
liiore  of  corn,  H.  M.  Wilson,  Russian  River,  $50. 
Between  November  10  and  December  15, 
1855,  the  Jovrnal  contained  the  following  : 
Among  new  advertisers  were,  E.  B.  Cooper, 
groceries  ;  Rosanna  Loftus,  Farmer's  Hotel  ; 
Sam  Brown,  American  Hotel;  Harmon  Ramer 
and  J.  H.  Knowles,  Petaluma  and  IJodega  Stage 
Line;  J.  E.  Fowler,  bakery  and  restaurant; 
George  W.  Miller,  barber;  E.  \\.  Lockley,  attor- 
ney-at-la\v,  Santa  Rosa  ;  John  llandley,  dry 
goods,  groceries  and  hardware,  Santa  Rosa.  .\t 
ten  o'clock,  a.  m.,  on  the  morning  of  Friday, 
November  23d,  the  boiler  of  the  steamer  Geonj- 
iiKi  exploded  while  lying  at  her  wharf  in  the 
creek  at  the  foot  of  Fnglish  street  (now  West- 
ern avenuej,  taking  on  freight  and  passengers, 
killing  .loliii  Flood,  fireman,  and  George  Funk, 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    OOUNTT. 


and  wounding  G.  IJiisher  and  Valentine  Iken. 
Tiie  coroner's  jury  returned  a  verdict  to  the 
eftect  tliat  Flood  came  to  his  deatli  by  the  crim- 
inal conduct  and  inattention  of  the  cajitain  of 
the  steamer,  John  Tiionipson,  and  of  the  owners. 
The  Geortfina  was  owned  by  Wagner  &  I5ihler, 
of  Sonoma.  The  jury  consisted  of  J.  V>.  South- 
ard, E.  S.  McMurrj,  James  E.  Gedney,  S.  P. 
Derby,  Charles  R.  Arthur,  Jonathan  Adams,  J. 
H.  Sproule,  S.  J.  Smith,  Harrison  Stanley,  Wm. 
Shelton,  J.  D.  Bartlett,  George  Harris  and 
William  Van  Houten.  A  postoffice,  with  Seveir 
Lewis  as  postmaster,  was  estal)lished  at  Windsor 
about  the  10th  of  November.  Captain  Stephen 
Smith,  one  of  the  pioneer  American  settlers  in 
California,  an<l  owner  of  the  Smith  ranch  in 
Bodega,  died  at  San  Francisco,  on  the  Itith  of 
November.  He  was  a  native  of  Danforth, 
Massachusetts,  and  aged  sixty-nine  years.  But- 
ter from  the  Petaluma  dairies,  which  were 
already  famous  thi-oughout  the  State,  was  worth 
si. 25  per  jionnd  in  Sacramento. 

Between  the  dates  of  December  15,  1855,  and 
March  1,  185('),  appears  the  following:  On  Jan- 
nary  5th  the  following  were  installed  officers  of 
Betahima  Loili;e,  I.  ( ).  O.  F. :  1).  1).  Carder, 
N.  G.;  S.  Payran..V.  (i.;.I.  11.  Siddons,  Jl.  S.; 
J.  K.  Cramer,  P.  S.;  M.  II.  Jose,  T.;  J.  E.  (Jed- 
ney,  C;  R.  Phinney,  W. ;  Ge  irge  Harris,  li.  S. 
N.'g.;  Abraham  Ward,  L.  S.  N.  (i.:  \.  K. 
Vietz,  R.  S.  V.  G.;  John  Stiitman,  L.  .^.  \ .  (i.; 
Thomas  C.  Gray,  R.  S.  S.;  James  B.  Il.igle,  L. 
S.  S.  The  new  county  buildings  at  Santa  Rosa 
were  completed  about  the  25th  of  December. 
Among  the  new  Petaluma  advertisements  were 
E.  F.Martin,  groceries;  G.  P.  Kellogg,  dagner- 
rean  artist;  Robinson  it  Doyle,  stable  and  stock 
yard;  (tus  Harris,  groceries,  dry  goods,  hard- 
ware, crockery,  etc.  On  the  23d  of  January 
Mr.  Schwartz  exhibited  to  the  editor  of  the 
Joirrnal  half  an  ounce  of  gold  taken  from  the 
Bodega  Mines.  It  was  of  a  rough,  coarse  char- 
acter, and  of  a  rusty  color,  but  very  pure,  and 
worth  ^111  per  oimee.  On  the  31st  of  January, 
James  HoUonsby,  a  native  of  New  York,  and 
twentv  seven  vears  of  atfe  was  killed  near  Peta- 


luma by  the  accidental  discharge  of  his  gun. 
In  February,  a  military  conipanj'  was  organized, 
called  the  Petaluma  Guard,  with  the  following 
officers:  Captain  P.  B.  Hewlett;  First  Lieu- 
tenant, J.  II.  Siddons;  Second  Lieutenant, 
Frank  Bray;  Brevet  Lieutenant,  Thomas  F. 
Baylis;  First  Sergeant,  F.J.  Benjamin;  Second 
Sergeant,  M.  JI.  Jose;  Third  Sergeant,  G.  B. 
Mathews;  l'"onrth  Sergeant,  Warren  G.  Gibbs; 
First  Corporal,  O.  T.  Baldwin;  Second  Corporal, 
J.  K.  Cramer;  Third  Corporal,  B.  F.  Cooper; 
Fourth  Corporal,  Samuel  Brown.  The  company 
nninliered  forty  members,  and  offered  to  serve 
as  a  tire  company  if  furnished  with  apparatus. 
On  the  18th  of  February  tJie  Democracy  met  in 
mass  convention  at  Santa  Rosa,  and  elected  M. 
E.  Cook,  Jasper  O'Farrell,  R.  Harrison,  P.  R. 
Thompson,  Josiah  Moran,  C.  P.  Wilkins  and 
George  Pearce  as  delegates  to  a  State  Conven- 
tion, to  be  held  at  Sacramento  on  the  5th  of 
March. 

Between  March  1  and  June  7,  ISotl,  there 
was  recoriled  the  following:  At  a  meeting  in 
Petaluma  on  the  15th  of  March  it  was  decided, 
liy  a  majority  of  three,  to  incorporate.  Thei'e 
is  beginning  to  be  manifested  a  bitter  feeling 
between  sellers  and  grant  owners,  as  is  evi- 
denced by  several  communications  on  each  side 
of  the  question ;  and  on  the  29th  of  March  the 
Settler's  Bill  passed  the  California  Senate.  On 
the  5th  of  April  there  was  reported  trouble 
between  tlu'(ireeii  Valley  and  Tomales  Indians, 
growing  out  of  the  killing  of  one  of  the  former 
tribe,  by  one  of  the  latter.  The  surrender  of 
the  offending  Tomales  Indian  was  demanded — 
if  not  delivered  up  war  was  lial)le  to  ensue.  We 
find,  however,  no  record  of  the  war.  On  April 
19th  Colonel  A.  C.  Godwin,  Julio  Carrillo  and 
J.  Crane,  directors  of  the  Geyser  Road  Com- 
pany, made  a  report  in  which  they  mapped  out 
what  they  believe  to  be  a  feasible  route  for  a 
wagon  road  to  those  springs.  April  26tli 
announcement  is  made  that  Captain  Ray,  with 
a  large  force  of  Indians  is  making  rapid  prog- 
ress in  the  construction  of  a  road  os'er  Bald 
Mountains  to  the  Geysers.      In  the  Journal  ot 


mSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTi'. 


tlie  3rd  of  IVIay  appears  tlie  valedictory  of 
Tliomas  L.  Thompson,  as  editor  and  proprietor 
— H.  L.  Weston  being  his  successor.  Judge  J. 
E.  McNear,  a  pioneer  of  California,  and  formerly 
county  judge  of  Sonoma,  died  in  San  Francisco 
on  the  Cth  of  May.  Tiie  following  new  adver- 
tisements had  a|ipeared  of  new  lieginners  in 
Petahima  :  A.  Meyer,  lessons  in  music  and 
singing;  A.  Ayres,  saddlery  and  harness;  .lames 
Daly,  groceries  and  provisions;  William  R. 
Wells,  physician  and  surgeon;  Israel  Cook, 
brick-laying  and  plastering;  (leorge  J.  J>aus- 
tetter.  Union  ISilliard  Saloon;  II.  P.  lleintzel- 
man,  agent  for  steamer  Genercd  /rtfar?i(?y,  plying 
between  Petaluma  and  San  Francisco;  Ceorge 
Ross,  dealer  in  paints,  oils,  varnish,  etc.  In 
the  issue  of  June  5th  mention  is  made  of  (lov- 
ernor  Johnson's  proclamation  on  account  of  the 
vigilance  committee,  declaring  San  Francisco 
in  a  state  of  insurrection,  and  ordering  all  per- 
sons liable  to  military  duty  to  report  to  Majoi' 
General  W.  T.  Sherman.  On  the  14th  of  June 
James  King,  of  William,  of  the  San  Francisco 
BnUetin  was  shot,  and  died  on  the  20th.  On 
the  22(1  Casey  and  Cora  were  hung  by  the  vigi- 
lance committee,  and  on  the  31st  Vankee  Sul- 
livan, the  noted  prize-fighter,  held  in  durance 
vile  by  the  vigilance  committee,  committed  sui- 
cide. The  nearness  of  Petaluma  to  San  Fran- 
cisco rendered  these  occurrences  of  thrilling 
interest  to  her  people. 

Petween  the  7tli  of  May  and  2d  of  August 
the  following  record  is  made:  The  value  of  the 
butter,  cheese,  and  eggs  produced  and  sold  in 
the  vicinity  of  Petaluma,  Santa  Rosa,  and  Rus- 
sian River,  during  the  month  of  May,  was  esti- 
mated at  $i)2,39!).  The  steamers  I\at,'  ILiiji:^ 
and  General  Kearnc;/  were  rimning  in  opposi- 
tion, to  San  Francisco,  at  twenty-five  cents  and 
one  dollai-,  respectively,  for  passengers.  The 
new  advertisers  for  Petaluma  were:  Mrs.  W. 
II.  Parker,  school  for  young  ladies;  Acton, 
Ste])hens  i^'  Parker,  produce  depot,  and  W.  P. 
Ewing,  Geyser  Hotel.  St.  John's  Fpiscimal 
Chnrcli,  Petaluma,  was  organized  July  31st,  by 
the  election  of  the  following  vestrymen:  John 


Keyes,  Tomales;  Dr.  T.  Ilendley,  San^a  Rosa; 
D.  D.  Carder,  V,o\.  J.  P.  Ilewie,  P.  R.  Thomp- 
son, and  J.  Thompson  Iliiie,  V'allejo  Township; 
I.  G.  Wickersham,  S.  C.  Ilaydon,  and  O.  T. 
Baldwin,  of  Petaluma. 

The  following  is  made  up  trom  the  last  two 
nnmbers  of  Volume  I  of  the  Journal — the  re- 
spective dates  being  August  9  and  10,  ISytJ: 
At  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  August  4th, 
a  two-story  fire-proof  building  on  Main  street, 
(occupying  ground  upon  which  now  stands  the 
northern  portion  of  PhfPnix  I 'lock)  fell  to  tiie 
ground  and  was  almost  a  complete  ruin.  The 
building  was  owned  by  Gowen  &  McKay,  and 
was  occupied  on  the  first  floor  by  L.  (Chapman 
as  a  furniture  store,  and  on  the  second  by  the 
Odd  Fellows  and  Masons.  The  front  of  the 
building  fell  into  the  street  and  the  north  side 
Tipon  the  adjoining  wooden  building,  owned 
and  occupied  by  S.  V.  Ilaydon  as  a  drug  store, 
completely  demolishing  the  bnilding  and  de- 
stroying the  goods.  The  south  wall  slid  down 
an  embankment  into  the  cellars  in  the  two  ad- 
joining lots,  the  e.\cavating  of  which  caused 
the  catastrophe.  Mr.  Ilaydon  narrowly  escaped 
being  killed.  The  following  names  were  ap- 
pended to  a  call  for  a  Republican  mass  conven- 
tion to  be  held  at  Petaluma,  on  August  20, 
1850,  the  first  convention  called  by  that  j^arty 
in  Sonoma  County:  J.  Chandler,  S.  W.  Brown, 
M.  Aines,  M.  I  Human,  J.  N.  Newton,  A.  C. 
Salter,  L.  Chapman,  J.  FL  Fowler,  J.  Palmer, 
O.  T.  Baldwin,  W.  D.  Bliss,  L.  M.  Judkins, 
George  Harris,  O.  Walker,  J.  F.  Reed,  John 
Fritsch,  J.  II.  Masten,  G.  Warnei-,  F.  J.  Penja- 
min,  Hiram  Luce,  N.  ( ).  Start'ord,  (t.  (".  Trues- 
dell,  Joel  Merchant,  O.  II.  Lovett,  Jacob  (iilbert, 
John  Wells,  C.  P.  Hatch,  J.  L.  Pickett,  W.  (;. 
Gibbs,  F.  C.  Davis,  R.  Douglass,  G.  AV.  Mowci-, 
W.  C.  Conley,  (i.  W.  Barnard,  William  Z;iit- 
man,  John  .1.  Bind,  G.  Barry,  E.  Linn,  Pliilc- 
mon  Hill,  Freeman  Parker,  J.  D.  Thompson. 

With  its  issue  of  the  16tli  of  August,  lSo(i, 
the  ./o?/;vi(7/ closed  the  first  year  of  its  existence. 
This  chapter  culled  from  its  columns,  as  con- 
fuse<l   and   broken-jointed   as  it  is,    will   not   be 


lllsroKY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


devoid  of  interest  to  those  of  onr  pioneers  still 
left,  for  in  it  is  the  names  of  a  very  large  pro- 
pcrtidH  (if  those  who  helpeil  to  hiy  the  founda- 
tion of  Sonoma  County'sgreatnessand  prosperity 
— many  of  wiiom  have  already  passed  over  the 
summit,  to  the  lllimitaMe  vales  of  tlie  hitlilen 
beyond. 

rill     i.KVSKKS    IN    ISoti. 

As  an  ailendum  to  this  record  of  1855-'5t:i,  as 
collated  from  the  first  volume  of  the  Journal, 
we  can  fitly  append  the  following,  descriptive 
of  the  country  and  tiie  (ieyser  Springs  as  seen 
in  185fi.  Tlie  writer,  in  company  with  (t.  W. 
Heed,  afterward  a  rejiresentative  in  tlie  Califor 
nia  Legislature  from  Sonoma  County,  traveled 
from  Two  iiock  Valley  to  the  (leysers.  We 
rode  California  mustangs,  as  at  that  time  there 
was  only  a  hriille  trail  to  the  Geysers.  Then 
Major  Ewing  was  the  proprietor  of  those  springs 
and  the  buildings  were  all  of  canvas.  Mr. 
Reed  (long  >ince  deceased),  who  had  been  onr 
companion  in  the  mines,  wrote  for  the  Sonoma 
County  Jdiiniiil  the  following  sketch  of  our  trip: 

"  Ho,  for  the  (ieysersi"  shouted  my  friend. 
'•Aye,  for  the  (Jeysers,"  was  the  hearty  re 
spouse.  A  few  minutes  hasty  preparation  ami 
we  bade  adieu  to  our  friends,  sprang  into  oiii' 
saddles  and  soon  were  galloping  o\er  the  liills 
at  a  break-neck  speed.  The  morning  was  beau- 
tiful. A  cloudless  sky  and  a  refreshing  breeze 
lent  additional  splendor  to  the  scenery,  and 
imparted  buoyanry  and  elasticity  to  our  spirits. 
Onr  horses  caught  a  spark  of  the  enthusiasm 
that  liurned  in  the  heart,  and  beamed  from  the 
eyes  of  their  riders,  (living  them  the  rein  they 
bore  us  rapidly  over  the  undulating  hills  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Two  Uocks,  till,  descending  a 
narrow  detile,  we  entereil  the  beautiful  valley  of 
Santa  Rosa.  Here,  shaded  by  the  wide-spread- 
ing oaks,  planted  by  the  hand  of  nature  to 
adorn  this  lovely  valley,  and  refreshed  by  the 
breeze  that  played  among  their  branches,  onr 
horses  sprang  forward  with  redoubled  speed, 
and  as  we  glided  rapidly  along,  the  sturdy  old 
oaks  appeared  to  be  whirling  in  a  giddy  dance. 
Evervthino-  was  heautv  and  animation.     Numer 


ous  herds  of  horses  and  cattle  were  seen  on 
every  side;  some  luxuriating  on  the  rich  pastur- 
age, and  others  ruminating  in  the  cool  shade, 
with  an  air  of  calm  enjoyment.  Occasionally 
the  outlines  of  a  neat  white  cottage,  indistinctly 
seen  through  the  dark,  green  foliage  of  a  thick 
clump  of  oaks,  tlireiv  ijuiet  home-like  appear 
ances  over  the  whole  scene.  Delighted  with 
the  beauties  of  the  valley,  we  deviated  from  our 
direct  course,  and  arrived  at  the  village  of  Santa 
Rosa,  at  4  o'clock  v.  m.,  and  halted  for  the  night. 

"Santa  Rosa  has  a  pleasant  situation,  and  the 
buildings  look  neat  and  attractive,  in  the 
morning  we  started  early.  An  hour'rj  ride 
brought  us  to  a  low  range  of  hills,  passing 
tlirongh  which,  we  entered  the  valley  of  Rus- 
sian River,  wliich  in  appearance  is  not  less 
animated  and  l)eautiful  than  Santa  Rosa.  Tra- 
veling up  the  valley,  three  hours"  ride  brought 
us  to  the  Mountain  House,  here  we  halted  for 
i-efreshments.  At  tliis  point,  the  road  leading 
to  the  (leysers  turns  into  the  mountains.  After 
resting  an  hour,  we  commenced  the  ascent  of 
the  mount:nn.  The  road  is  good,  and  the  ascent 
was  easy.  We  soon  stood  upon  the  summit  of 
liald  Hill.  Certainly  not  a  very  poetical  name, 
yet  I  iloiiht  whether  many  of  the  mountains, 
famous  in  history  an<l  classic  literature,  can 
present  a  view  so  full  of  lieauty  and  sublimity. 
Arriving  at  the  summit  oi'  this  mountain,  the 
valleys  of  Santa  Rosa  and  Kussian  Rivei-  lay 
like  a  map  at  onr  feet.  The  country  which  we 
had  .~o  much  admired  iluring  onr  ride,  was  now 
all  presented  at  a  single  view,  and  we  stood  gaz- 
ing on  the  scene  spread  out  liefore  us,  in  mute 
admiration. 

"Reared  upon  the  Fertile  bosom  ot  the  -prai- 
rieil  west,"  from  our  earliest  childhood  we  have 
l)een  accustomed  to  contemplate  the  untarnished 
beauties  of  nature,  but  never  l)efore  did  onr  eyes 
rest  upon  a  landscape  that  excited  such  lively 
emotions,  as  the  one  now  at  our  feet.  The 
broad  expanse  of  the  fertile  valley,  covered  with 
rich  grass  of  a  golden  tint,  and  variegated  by 
groves  of  spreading  oaks,  apparently  artistically 
arrantfcd,  through    which    the   river   wound   its 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    OOUNTY. 


12:! 


serpentine  conrse,  with  its  bright  erystal  waters 
sparivling  in  the  sunlight,  contrasted  finely  with 
the  dark  cloud  of  tog  that  obscured  the  more 
elevated  hills  in  the  background.  The  whole 
gorgeously  illuminated  by  the  rays  of  the 
declining  sun,  reminded  us  of  Addison's  descrip- 
tion of  the  '  Happy  Isles '  that  arc  to  be  the 
•  abode  of  good  men  after  death.' 

"This  delightful  valley,  destined  tu  be  the 
happy  home  of  thousands,  is  but  sparsely  popu- 
lated, and  its  resources  un<leveloped.  But  the 
tide  of  immigration  is  setting  thitherward. 
The  busy  hum  of  the  industrious  pioneers  will 
soon  be  heard  in  the  valley;  and  at  the  fii-st  wave 
of  the  potent  wand  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race,  the 
earth  will  yield  her  abundance;  fields  of  grain 
will  wave  gracefully  in  tlie  breeze,  and  cottages, 
school-houses  ami  clinrches,  will  spring  up  to 
adorn  onr  land;  the  merry  voice  of  happy  chil- 
dren will  echo  through  the  valley,  and  a  pros- 
perous community,  happy  in  the  enjoyment  of 
civil  and  religious  liberty,  will  thank  heaven 
that  they  have  found  a  home  in  this  fair  region. 

"  Prom  this  ])oint  the  road  is  rough  and  im- 
pa88il)le  f'oi'  carriages.  The  scenery  suddenly 
changes,  and  nature  puts  on  her  >  rudest  form.' 
The  mountains  rear  their  bold,  rugged  fronts 
athwart  the  traveler's  way,  like  colossal  embattle- 
inents,  looking  in  this  magnificent  display  of 
nature's  wontlers, to  impede  the  ativancing  steps 
of  the  adventurous  intruder.  .Not  aware  of  the 
difKculties  we  had  to  encounter,  we  lingered  too 
long  by  the  way,  and  night  spi-ead  her  dusky 
mantle  o'er  the  mountains,  while  the  most  ditti- 
cult  part  of  the  journey  was  yet  to  be  made. 
After  a  laborious  march,  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  very  much  fatigued,  and  with  the  ardor 
of  our  enthusiasm  somewhat  abated,  we  arrived 
at  our  ilestination.  The  hearty  welcome  and 
generous  hospitality  of  the  [u-oprietors  soon 
rendered  ns  forgetful  «if  our  fatigues,  and  re- 
stored onr  usual  good  spirits.  Aftei'  a  hearty 
sujjper  and  a  pleasant  chat,  we  retired  to  our 
room,  and  forgetful  alike  of  pain  or  pleasure,  soon 
yielded  to  the  sweet  embrace  of  the  sleepy  god. 

"With  the  earliest  dawn,  we  sprang  from  our 


conch,  and  sallied  forth  with  eager  curiosity  to 
take  our  first  peep  at  the  Geysers.  We  found 
ourself  on  a  bench  or  flat  in  the  side  of  the 
mountain.  In  front,  and  two  hundred  feet 
below,  was  a  rocky  canon,  while  above  us.  on 
either  side,  the  mountains  rose  to  tlie  height  of 
a  thousand  feet,  with  their  tops  gilded  with  the 
first  rays  of  the  morning  sun,  while  twilight 
lingered  in  the  depths  below.  Dense  clouds  of 
steam,  impenetrable  to  the  eye,  obscured  the 
opposite  slo])e,  and  a  loud  stunning  noise  like 
steam  escaping  from  a  hundred  boilers,  echoed 
through  the  hills.  Descending  into  the  canon, 
we  climbed  up  through  a  narrow  chasm  in  the 
rock,  and  truly  stood  in  a  "  theatre  of  wonders." 
On  either  side,  the  rocks  rose  abruptly,  and 
steam  whistled  through  every  crevice,  while 
under  our  feet  we  could  hear  the  gurgling 
sound  of  the  boiling  fluid.  The  whole  moun- 
tain appeared  to  tremble  as  though  it  floated  on 
the  surface  of  a  boiling  lake.  Fi'oin  an  eleva- 
tion of  two  or  three  liundred  feet,  down  to  the 
bed  of  the  stream  that  flows  through  the  canon, 
boiling  water  and  jets  of  steam  are  issuing 
through  the  fissures  of  the  rock.  A  grander 
e.xliibition  of  the  wonderful  in  nature  is  seldom 
seen.  Its  contemplation  awes  the  heart  bv  a 
conscious  pi-esence  of  sn])erior  j)owers,  ami 
involuntarily  turns  the  mind  to  reflect  upon  the 
power  and  wisdom  of  the  (ireat  Author  of  the 
universe.  Innumerable  ages,  buried  in  the 
oblivion  of  the  past,  have  run  their  course  since 
these  boiling  fountains  first  burst  through  the 
rocky  liarriers  of  the  mountain.  Countless 
years  rolled  away,  while  their  sublime  thunder 
echot'il  through  the  dreary  solitude,  uidieai'd  bv 
the  ear,  or  uuaj)proacheil  by  the  footstep  ol 
civilized  man.  lint  henceforth  the  invalid,  the 
devotee  of  jileasnre,  and  the  idle  and  curious  of 
everj'  land,  will  flock  thither  ;  •  silks  rustle, 
jewels  shine,'  and  fashion's  g.ay,  heartless  throuif, 
will  move  to  and  fro,  as  though  their  ephemeral 
pleasure  were  as  eternal  as  the  hills."" 

Mr.  Ileed,  who  penned  the  above,  has  long 
since  crumbled  to  dust,  and  yet  how  prophetic 
his  words!     Of  those   who   have    visited  those 


HISTORY    Op    SONOMA    dOlTNTT. 


same  geysers  and  marveled  at  the  wonders  of 
nature's  laboratory,  liovv  many,  after  fretting  np 
and  down  life's  stage  for  a  brief  period,  have 
passed  on,  and  that  they  ever  lixed  is  only 
evideneed  liy  a  slab  of  "dull  cold  inai'blcf 

TMI':     I'K.TAIJ'MA    illXTERS. 

In  tlic  fall  of  18H0,  the  writer  in  company 
with  six  boon  companions  spent  about  half  a 
month  hunting  on  the  boundarj'  line  between 
Sonoma  and  Mendocino  counties.  The  following 
is  his  description  of  the  country  and  the  adven- 
tures of  his  party  written  at  the  time  for  the 
Sonoma  County  Journal : 

"In  life  there  is  uo  enjoyment  liowe'erit  ni;iy  ;il)oun(l, 
Like  luinting  tlirontrli  llie  wckkIIiimiIs  witli  liHes  and  wilh 
liounds." 

'•  On  Monthly  morning,  the  24th  of  Septem- 
ber, 181)0,  there  might  have  been  seen,  not  'a 
solitary'  (a  In  eJames),  but  seven  horsemen  gal- 
loping across  the  low  hills  that  intervene  be- 
tween the  city  of  Petaluma  and  the  Santa  Itosa 
plains.  The  guns  that  hung  ]iendant  tVom  the 
saddle  bows,  and  the  sable  specimen  of  the 
canine  family  that  brought  up  the  I'car.  marked 
them  as  disciples  of  Nimrod  intent  on  pleasure 
and  adventure.  In  brief,  the  object  of  our  little 
party  was  to  leave  the  haunts  of  civilization,  and 
in  the  wild  freedom  of  the  forest  and  excite- 
ment of  the  chase,  seek  oblivion  from  the  every 
day  cares  of  life.  With  a  leader  whose  name 
is  a  terror  to  bruin,  and  a  guide  familiar 
with  the  intricate  paths  and  by-ways  that  thread 
tlie  almost  nninhabited  region  lying  between 
the  head  waters  of  Dry  Creek  and  the  C!oast 
Range,  we  naturally  anticipated  rare  sport. 
Elated  with  the  pros])ect  before  us,  we  gave 
loose  rein  to  our  horses,  and  they,  as  if  imbued 
witii  the  spirit  of  their  riders,  went  dashing  up 
the  Santa  liosa  Valley,  bearing  us  over  level 
plain  and  through  orchard-like  groves,  that  con- 
trasted strangely  with  the  Sonoma  Mountains 
to  our  right,  with  their  buckskin  scenery  varia- 
gated  by  an  occasional  clump  of  evergreen  oak, 
or  the  somber  appearance  of  the  red-woods  in 
perspective  to  our  left.  About  11  o'clock  we 
passed  the  village  of  Santa  ilosa,  county  seat  of 


Sonoma.  It  is  located  on  Santa  Rosa  Creek, 
and  presents  a  neat  and  tidy  appearance.  One 
peculiarity  that  strikes  the  traveler  approach- 
ing this  village,  is  the  uniformity  disjdayed  in 
the  architecture  of  its  buildings,  and  the  an- 
tique appearance  of  its  gable  chimneys  that 
stand  like  shot  towers  exposed  to  the  weather. 
A  ride  of  five  miles  brought  us  to  Mark  West 
Creek.  At  the  crossing  of  this  stream  the 
Campbellites  were  holding  their  annual  meet- 
ing. Hitching  our  horses  in  an  adjacent 
grove,  and  (li\'esting  ourselves  of  our  hunting 
accoutrements,  we  approached  the  camp.  It 
was  at  the  close  of  11  o'clock  service,  and  tiie  \ast 
concourse  of  people  were  singing,  perhaps  with 
the  spii-it,  !)ut  with  little  i-egard  to  melody.  .V 
minister  occupying  a  prominent  position  on  a 
bench,  was  exhoi'ting  the  impenitent  to  'l)e- 
lieve  and  be  ba])tised,'  and  some  ten  or  twelve 
responded  to  the  call.  As  impressive  as  was 
the  scene,  its  effect  upon  ns  was  connteraoti'd 
l)y  one  of  the  ministers  volunteering  the  admo- 
nition to  the  new  converts,  that  they  must  re- 
gard their  •  religious  neighbors  as  their  reli- 
gions enemies.'  Such  illiberality  might  justly 
be  regarded  as  a  relic  of  that  proscripti\e  age 
that  must  e\er  be  remembered  as  the  gloomy 
morn  that  heralded  the  dawn  of  a  brighter  day. 
The  attendance  at  this  meeting  was  greater  than 
perhaps  at  any  meeting  of  similar  charactei-  in 
this  region,  and  we  were  informed  that  between 
eighty  and  a  hundred  had  united  with  the  church. 
"As  we  wished  to  reach  Healdsburg  in  season 
to  perfect  our  arrangements  for  camp  life,  we 
remonnted  and  rode  toward  Russian  River.  The 
mountains  on  either  side  gradually  closed  in, 
narrowing  the  valley  down  until  lost  in  undu- 
lating hills,  which  indicated  our  approach  to 
the  river.  Russian  River  is  a  stream  of  con- 
siderable magnitude  when  swollen  by  the  winter 
rains,  but  at  present  is  almost  lost  by  filtering 
through  the  cobble-stone  and  sand  over  which  it 
flows.  The  bottom  land  along  this  river  is 
justly  celebrated  for  the  corn  it  produces.  We 
have  seen  tall  corn  on  tlie  western  prairies,  but 
none  that  would  bear  comparison  with  the  corn 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


135 


of  Russian  River.  At  five  in  tlie  evening  we 
lialted  before  tiie  Sotoyome,  tlie  only  lionse  of 
public  entertainment  in  Ileaklsbnrg.  This  vil- 
laj^e  might  with  propriety  be  dubbed  the  '  Vil- 
lage of  Woods,'  as  it  is  completely  embowered 
in  a  grove  of  oak  and  madrono,  giving  to  it  an 
air  of  quiet  and  seclusion  really  inviting  to 
those  used  to  the  bustle  and  confusion  of  more 
populous  places.  Occupying  a  position  just 
al)ovc  the  continence  of  Dry  Creek  and  Iiussian 
River,  it  is  the  natural  channel  through  which 
the  produce  of  both  valleys  must  pass,  thus 
giving  to  it  superior  advantages  as  an  inland 
town.  Here  it  was  necessary  to  lay  in  our  sup- 
ply of  provisions  and  ammuintion,  as  there  was 
no  trading  post  higher  up  on  the  route  we  de- 
signed taking.  A  couple  of  sacks  of  Hour,  tea, 
coffee,  and  necessary  condiments,  with  a  keg  of 
powder,  lead,  shot,  etc.,  completed  our  outtit; 
and  as  we  had  already  bargained  for  a  pack  ani- 
mal til  convey  it  to  its  destination  in  the  moun- 
tains, we  smoked  our  jdpes  and  retired  to  i-est, 
felicitating  ourselves  on  the  pi'ospect  of  an  early 
start  in  tlie  morning.  In  this,  however,  we 
were  disappointed,  for  when  ready  to  start,  the 
Hibernian  that  presided  over  i/iat  livery  stable 
informed  us  that  the  horse  he  designed  ns  to 
have  was  on  a  ranc/io  some  distance  from  town, 
that  he  had  sent  after  it,  and  was  confident  it 
would  be  brought  in  sometime  during  the  day. 
This  was  annoying — it  overcame  our  captain's 
usual  ecjuanimity,  causing  him,  we  are  sorry  to 
say,  to  use  language  7U)t  to  be  found  in  the 
Westminister  catechism.  We  remonstrated — 
we  threatened-  informed  him  that  one  of  our 
number  was  a  lawyer  by  profession,  and  heavy 
on  livery  stable  practice,  but  it  was  no  go,  and 
only  called  forth  a  proposition  that  he  would 
let  us  have  a  horse  if  we  would  pay  doul)le  the 
stipulated  price.  This  did  not  tend  to  molify 
us,  and  we  left  that  stable  vowing  that  we  would 
jiatronize  some  other  establishment  on  our  re- 
turn. After  a  delay  of  a  couple  of  hours,  we 
started  up  Dry  Creek  Valley  with  our  muni- 
tions packed  by  an  ill-visaged,  iiall-faced  animal 
tliat    wonlil  havi'    passed   as  a  duplicate  of  the 


famous  '  Rosinante.'  A  youthful  and  inconsid- 
erate member  of  our  company  was  in  the  hal)it 
of  urging  him  forward  by  exclaiming  'git  u]> 
and  git,  old  bally,'  but  our  captain  very  prop- 
erly checked  him,  by  reminding  him  of  the  fate 
of  forty  rude  boys  in  a  land  that  aliounded  in 
bears. 

"  It  is  about  twelve  miles  from  Ilealdsbui-g  to 
the  canon  at  the  head  of  Dry  Creek  ^'alley. 
This  valley  consists  of  a  rich  loam  formed  by 
the  decayed  vegetation  that  is  annually  boi'ue 
down  and  deposited  by  the  mountain  streams. 
Its  luxuriant  fields  of  corn  indicated  its  capacity 
to  }noduce,  and  we  are  much  mistaken  if  the 
(lay  is  far  distant  when  hop  and  tobacco  culture 
will  claim  the  attention  and  jirove  remuner- 
ative to  those  disposed  to  engage  in  it.  At  the 
head  of  the  valley  we  bade  adieu  to  ci\ilization 
and  wagon  roads,  and  taking  the  pack  trail,  be- 
gan the  ascent  of  the  rugged  mountain.  Onward 
and  upward  we  toiled  our  way,  some  leading 
their  horses,  others  preferring  to  let  their's  go 
ahead,  therelty  giving  them  the  advantage  of 
'tail  holt'  to  assist  them  in  their  ascent. 
Before  we  reached  the  summit  bandanas  were 
ill  requisition,  and  standing  collars  were  meta- 
morphosed into  drooping  '  I'yrons.'  .\s  htbor- 
ions  as  was  the  ascent,  we  were  amply  i-opai<l 
by  the  extensive  prospect  that  was  opened  to 
us,  for  as  far  as  the  e^'c  could  scan  there  was 
one  confused  jumble  of  mountains,  clad  with 
forests  of  redwood  and  fir,  whose  spiral  to]  s 
seemed  to  pierce  the  clouds.  Ten  miles  ot 
rough  roads  lay  between  us  and  tlu'  springs 
whei-e  we  designed  ])itcliing  camji  that  night, 
and  urging  oui'  jaded  hoi'ses  forwartl  along  a 
tortuous  trail  that  was  liedg('(l  in  by  chaparral 
and  manzaneta  thickets,  we  lialtcil  at  fi\e  in  tiie 
evening,  weary  and  hungry.  To  picket  oni' 
horses  and  build  a  camjt  fire  claimed  our  first 
attention;  then  camt;  a  scene  worthy  the  jiencil 
of  an  artist.  Men  who  were  wont  to  turn  up  their 
noses  at  better  victuals  than  graced  the  table  ot 
'Dives,'  might  be  seen  devouring  with  avidity 
slices  of  bacon  they  had  liroiled  before  the  fire 
on  the  end  of  their  ramroils;   fratjrant  coti'ee  was 


I9fi 


iriHTOIlY    OF    SONOMA    GOFNTV 


sipped  from  tin  cups,  and  the  clatter  of  knives 
and  forks  upon  tin  plates,  gave  evidence  that 
ample  justice  was  done  to  the  repast,  notwith- 
standing tiie  absence  of  delf.  Spreading  oiii- 
•blankets  upon  the  earth,  and  witii  our  heads 
pillowed  upon  our  saddles  and  the  starry 
heavens  for  a  canopy,  we  consigned  ourselves 
to  the  embrace  of  '  tired  nature's  restorer.'  We 
were  up  by  early  dawn  and  ready  to  take  the 
trail  leading  to  Flat  Ridge,  ten  miles  distant. 
The  springs  at  which  we  camped,  our  guide  in- 
formed us  were  without  a  name,  and  we  chris- 
tened them  'Hunter's  Springs.' 

"  As  we  ascended  a  sharp  ridge  that  towered 
above  the  surrounding  mountains,  the  sun  rose 
bright  and  clear  above  the  mountains  to  the 
eastward,  and  its  retlection  upon  the  dense  sea- 
fog,  that  had  settled  in  the  canons  and  gorges  of 
the  mountains,  gave  iis  a  view  grand  and  sub- 
lime. Seas,  l)ays,  and  friths,  were  mixed  to- 
gether in  admirable  confusion.  Their  placid, 
mirror-like  surface  was  unrippled  by  a  breeze, 
and  Minfurrowed  by  a  keel.'  l''or  an  hour  we 
enjoyed  the  illusion,  when  the  rays  nf  •  Sol  ' 
began  to  troulde  the  waters;  at  first,  ripples 
appeared  on  the  surface,  then  billow  chased  bil- 
low, and  finally  rising  in  fleecy  folds,  it  floated 
heavenward  revealing  the  wilderness  of  forest 
that  had  apparently  iieen  submerged.  I'assing 
down  a  steep  declivity  toward  Flat  Ridge,  we 
met  with  a  mishap  that  might  have  materially 
atfected  the  sport  of  our  company.  Our  keg  of 
powder  broke  loose  from  its  lashings,  and  went 
rolling  down  the  mountains.  As  it  disap])eared 
from  view,  disappointment  and  chagrin  was 
visible  on  every  countenance.  The  course  it 
had  taken  was  marked  l)y  a  trail  through  the 
wild  oats,  with  which  the  side  of  the  mountain 
was  clad,  as  if  a  boa-constrictor  had  taken  its 
flight  down  the  mountain.  Taking  the  trail  of 
our  fugitive  casket,  we  found  it  on  a  bench  of 
the  mountain  five  hundred  yards  distant,  snugly 
ensconced  in  a  bunch  of.  fern.  We  halted  at 
Flat  Ridge,  and  cooked  dinner;  then  resumed 
our  march  for  the  Buckeye  Springs,  eight  miles 
distant,  where  we   designed  going  into  perma- 


nent (juarters.  Crossing  the  east  fork  of  the 
Gualala  and  bearing  toward  the  coast  in  the 
region  of  •  Point  Arenas,'  we  arrived  at  Buck- 
eye and  pitched  camp  at  four  in  the  evening. 
As  late  as  the  hour,  we  could  not  restrain  our 
impatience  for  the  chase,  and  hurriedly  unsad- 
dling our  horses,  and  turning  them  loose  to 
graze  upon  the  lu.xuriant  oats  and  clover  with 
which  our  camp  was  surrounded,  we  sallied 
forth,  some  with  rifles,  others  with  shot-guns, 
each  intent  mi  some  daring  e.xploit;  but  our 
zeal  resulted  in  nothing,  save  that  one  of  jiarty, 
armed  with  a  fowling-piece,  was  reconnoitering 
a  manzaneta  grove  for  quail,  when  he  suddeidy 
found  himself  face  to  face  with  a  hugh  bear, 
who  was  standing  upon  his  hind  legs  quietlv 
reconnoitering  him ;  but  as  his  piece  was  charged 
with  quail  shot,  he  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to 
get  into  an  affray  with  him,  and  acting  on  the 
principle  that  •' discretion  was  the  better  part 
of  valor,"  he  made  tracks  for  camp.  His  bear- 
ship,  notwithstanding  his  Heenan  attitude,  did 
not  appear  to  be  pluck,  for  u])(in  i-etu ruing  to 
the  spot  armed  with  rifles,  it  was  discovered  he 
had  ingloriously  forsaken  the  field.  (>urcam]) 
was  on  a  ridge  that  formed  the  divide  between 
tlie  east  and  west  Gualala,  and  had  been  occu- 
pied by  some  adventurous  stockjnan,  who  had 
erected  and  occupied  a  temporary  shanty,  but 
finding  it  an  unprofitable  speculation,  had 
moved  with  his  flocks  to  some  other  section  ot 
the  countiy,  leaving  the  '  liuekeye  House '  as 
a  standing  monument  to  his  folly.  We  took 
formal  possession  of  the  premises,  and  made  the 
house  answer  the  doul)le  purpose  of  dining 
room  and  sleeping  apartments,  whilst  a  hollow 
redvvood  tree  close  by  was  converted  into  a 
magazine.  After  the  usual  routine  of  camp 
duty  was  dispatched,  all  hands  were  busy  in 
running  balls,  cleaning  guns,  and  making  all 
needful  preparations  for  the  next  day's  sport. 
One  after  another,  after  having  put  their  rifles  in 
a  condition,  as  they  believed,  to  drive  the  center 
at  any  given  distance,  joined  the  circle  around 
the  camp  fire,  and  the  wreaths  of  smoke  tliat 
circling  aloft  from  half  a  dozen  pipes,  assuming 


EISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


all  kinds  of  fantastic  sliajjes,  appeared  to  be  the 
signal  for  stories  of  adventure  and  hairbreadth 
cscajjes.  Our  LTuide  took  the  lead  by  recounting 
iticideiits  that  had  occurred  in  that  region-  of 
two  brothers  out  luinting.  one  shooting  the 
other's  arm  ott",  mistaking  him  for  a  deer;  of  a 
man  hitciiing  his  mule  close  to  the  chaparal, 
to  hunt  down  a  cafion,  and  retnrning  was  de- 
ceived as  to  locality,  and  seeing  his  mule  in  tiie 
brush  shot  him  supposing  him  to  be  a  grizzly 
i>car:  and  several  other  incidents  of  like  nature. 
Another  member  of  the  company  related  an 
instance  of  a  hunter  shooting  a  cow  mistaking 
her  for  a  sijuinvl;  but  the  palm  was  awarded  to 
our  captain  who  relateil  a  circumstance  of  a 
jiarty  of  hunters  of  Santa  Clara,  going  to  the 
mountains  to  hunt  bear,  taking  with  them  a 
donkey  to  pack  bear;  but  who  returned  in  a 
ehort  time  bringing  with  them  the  pack-saddle, 
the  bears  having  unceremoniously  packed  off 
the  donkey.  The  next  day  we  scoured  the 
forests  and  delved  into  dark  canons  in  i^uest  of 
^auie.  AVe  did  not  find  deer  as  plenty  as  w'e 
had  anticipated,  l)ut  every  member  of  our  com- 
pany managed  to  get  a  shot  during  the  day,  and 
each  maintained  that  he  had  hit  his  deer,  but 
owing  to  causes  he  could  explain  satisfactorily 
to  themselves,  the  stricken  deer  eluded  their 
grasji.  Two  of  our  company,  however,  more  for- 
tunate than  the  rest,  brought  in  substantial 
tokens  of  tlieir  skill  with  the  ritle.  aixl  that 
night  there  was  atlded  to  the  liill  of  I'arc  of  the 
I  Buckeye  House'  roast  \enison.  venison  stew, 
venison  steak  and  broiled  venison.  The  reverber- 
ations of  our  rifles  through  the  mountains, 
awaked  the  solitudes  and  rendered  the  game 
weary.  Deer  had  to  be  hunted  from  their  lair 
in  the  underbrush,  and  the  bear  scented  danger 
when  afar  off,  and  when  seen  were  generally 
out  of  range  of  rifle  shot,  and  showing  a  dis- 
position to  avoid  close  ])ro.ximity  to  their  new 
neighbors.  Two  of  our  company,  hunting  to- 
gether one  day,  however,  were  fortunate  enough 
to  surprise  a  black  bear  when  up  a  tir  tree 
lopping  acorn's  from  an  oak.  whose  branches 
intei'locked  the  fir.     A  AmA  from   a    small    riHe 


that  carried  a  ball  but  a  size  larger  than  a  buck- 
shot, caused  him  to  let  all  holds  go  and  drop  to 
the  earth,  but  did  not  prevent  his  flight. 
Hunter  number  two,  to  use  his  own  language, 
'shot  at  the  dust  bruin  kicked  up,'  but  with 
no  other  effect  than  to  accelerate  his  speed 
down  the  mountain. 

"At  the  end  of  the  week  the  >  smoke  house' 
wc  had  extemporized  was  filled  to  overflowing 
with  snmked  venison,  and  we  decided  to  move 
camji  to  '  iiear  liidge,'  eight  miles  distant, 
hojiing  there  to  gratify  our  penchant  for  bear 
hunting,  as  we  had  already  began  to  regard  deer 
as  rather  small  game.  We  did  not  take  our 
departure  from  Buckeye  without  regret,  and  the 
week  we  spent  there  will  always  be  looked  back 
to  by  us  as  an  oasis  in  life's  desert.  There  is 
much  in  that  region  well  calculated  to  arouse 
the  enthusiasm  of  descriptive  writers,  but  as  we 
have  neitbei'  space  nor  talent  wc  consign  'llie 
task  to  some  more  facile  pen.  The  most  prom- 
inent land-mark  in  that  region  is  the  ■  Uock 
Pile,'  three  miles  west  of  Buckeye,  it  being  a 
conical  shaped  mountain  fornied  of  massi\e 
rocks,  and  entirely  destitute  of  vegetation.  It 
both  serves  as  a  guide  to  hunters,  and  stands 
sentinel  over  a  grave  at  its  base,  where  rests  an 
unfortunate  adventurer,  who  was  murdered  hy 
an  Indian  two  years  since. 

"On  our  arrival  at  Bear  Kidge,  wc  found,  a-  at 
Ibickeye,  an  untenanted  cabin,  of  which  we 
took  possession;  but  there  was  a  history  con 
nected  therewith  that  was  recorded  with  the 
crimson  current  of  life  upon  the  floor  and  rude 
bed  in  the  corner,  that  for  a  time  cast  a  shadow 
o\er  our  party.  Our  guide  informed  us  that 
al)out  si.x  months  pi-evious  two  men  not  resi- 
dents there,  were  luinting  on  the  ridge — that 
one  was  shot  by  the  accidental  xlischarge  of  his 
rifle,  the  ball  tearing  ott"  one  of  his  hands  and 
entering  his  side.  He  was  borne  to  the  caliin 
and  a  surireon  sent  for  from  Healdslmrg.  lie 
lingered  thirty  hours,  and  the  surgeon  arrived 
just  in  time  to  see  him  breath  his  last.  Beneath 
the  wide  spread  branches  of  a  chestnut-oak.  a 
short  distance  from  the  cabin,  he  sleeps  his  last 


niSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


long  sleep.  Kemoviiig,  as  far  as  possilile,  all 
traces  of  the  unfortunate  sufferer,  we  occupied 
tlie  cabin  four  days.  As  yet,  we  had  failed  to 
t-iglit  a  bear  on  i>ear  Ridge,  altliough  we  had 
added  the  carcasses  of  several  deer  to  our  larder. 
Our  ease  was  becoming  a  desperate  one,  for  we 
had  baked  the  last  of  our  flour,  and  worse  still. 
our  supply  of  tobacco  was  exhausted.  It  was 
Saturday  morning,  and  we  debated  tlie  pro- 
priety of  subsisting  upon  meat  alone  for  one  day, 
rather  than  enter  Healdslturg  on  Sabbath  even- 
ing; but  tobacco  turned  the  scale,  and  it  was 
voted  to  pack  up  and  start,  when  it  was  dis- 
covered that  one  of  our  horses  liad  decamped 
during  the  night.  By  means  of  a  trail  made  by 
a  picket  rope  attached  to  the  horse  it  was  dis- 
covered tiiat  it  had  taken  an  opposite  direction 
from  tiie  trail  by  which  we  had  entered,  and 
three  of  our  party  started  in  pursuit.  After  an 
absence  of  two  hours  they  returned,  not  only 
having  the  good  fortune  to  lind  the  horse,  but 
having  shot  a  deer  and  also  a  large  brown  bear. 
This  streak  of  good  luck  was  hailed  with  delight 
by  all,  for  it  had  not  only  enalded  our  company 
to  return  with  a  bear  skin  as  a  trophy  of  the 
chase,  but  quieted  the  nerves  of  individual 
members  who  disliked  to  return  to  their  '  lady- 
loves' without  the  promised  bottle  of  '  bar's 
ile,'  with  which  to  anoint  their  raven  or  golden 
locks,  as  the  case  might  be.  "We  had  achieved 
the  object  of  our  party, — our  success  was  equal 
to  our  anticipations,  and  loaded  down  with 
venison,  we  commenced  our  homeward  iiiiiieh. 
Before  bidding  a  tinal  adieu  to  I'ear  liidge, 
we  wish  to  note  the  existence  on  that  and 
surrounding  ridges  of  a  species  of  timber  we 
had  supposed  did  not  exist  in  California,  we 
refer  to  the  old-fashioned  chestnut.  The  fruit 
is  not  yet  ripe,  but  the  ground  under  some  of 
the  trees  is  covered  with  !)urs  that  have  been 
detached  by  the  wind  and  birds.  Some  of  the 
trees  are  two  feet  in  diamater  and  remarkably 
tall,  which  to  our  mind  precludes  the  idea,  as  sug- 
gested by  some,  of  their  being  •  chincapins.' 
"We  halted  at  Flat  Ridge,  and  were  laid  under 
lasting  obligations  to  a  resident  stockman,  who 


shared  with  us  his  tobacco  and  flour.  "We  will 
ever  hold  him  in  grateful  remembrance,  and 
may  his  shadow  never  grow  less.  As  we  had 
to  make  a  forced  march  in  order  to  reach 
Ilealdsburg  that  night,  we  were  in  the  saddle 
bi-ight  and  early,  and  had  soon  surmounted  a 
ridge  from  which  we  had  a  last  view  of  our 
hunting  grounds.  Here  our  attention  was 
called  to  a  large  madrone  tree,  close  to  the  trail, 
npon  which  were  carved  various  initials,  wliich 
were  almost  obliterated  by  the  growth  of  the 
tree;  but  high  up  and  in  legible  characters,  was 
inscribed  1841.  As  we  rode  onward,  we  could 
not  but  contrast  the  present  California  with  the 
California  of  1841,  and  wonder  if  they  who  left 
their  record  on  the  madrone  tree  have  been 
spared  to  witness  the  change.  As  we  drew 
near  to  Ilealdsburg  the  cravings  of  appetite 
increased  our  desire  to  patronize  '  mine  host ' 
of  the  Sotoyome;  but  again  we  were  doomed  to 
disappointment  in  Ilealdsburg;  for  the  Sotoy 
ome  and  many  other  buildings  had  crumbleil 
before  that  ruthless  element  that  has  prostrated 
so  many  of  California's  fair  villages;  and  so 
complete  had  been  our  isolation,  that  a  week 
had  elapsed  since  it  was  destroyed,  and  yet  we 
had  no  intimation  of  the  occurrence  until  we 
entei'ed  the  village.  In  the  absence  of  a  hotel, 
we  resorted  to  a  restaurant,  and  if  the  propri- 
etor made  a  profit  on  that  meal,  we  are  inclined 
to  believe  he  will  get  rich,  for  seven  hungrier 
men  never  entered  that  burg.  We  returned  to 
Petaluma  after  an  absence  of  sixteen  days,  feel- 
ing refreshed  and  rejuvenated  by  our  camp  life. 
In  conclusion  we  will  say  to  those  afllicted  with 
the  dyspepsia,  or  any  other  fashionable  disease, 
try  Buckeye  Camp  two  weeks,  and  if  it  does  not 
effect  a  cure,  why  then  prepare,  for  your  end 
draweth  nigh." 

Such  was  the  experiences  of  the  writer 
twenty-eight  years  ago  in  the  regions  described; 
and  yet,  long  after  he  has  passed  away  the  sharp 
report  of  the  sportsman's  rifle  will  ring  through 
those  same  forests,  for  those  dark  canons  and  chap- 
arral covered  mountanis  will  ever  aft'ord  a  safe 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


r;j,jp,JH^rJ,-',J^,^';3;:jPrJ^r^r>.-'l-'rJrJ|-lrJrJ?»?Ji, 


m 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

iMMIi.KATiii.N     I'olKS    I.NTn    SiiNnMA     ColNTV KVKKV     \(H)I<     AM)    COKNKK    OK    TMK    COINTY  UCI  ITIED 

THK    (ML.Mln-     DKIWIIKN     I'ETAr.U>[A     AND    l>Ol)E(;A     KKl  IIKII.    ilK     I'dTATuKS,     liAKI.KV,     WHEAT    AM) 

DAIS     Santa   Rosa    and  Rissian  Rivkk  Valleys  i-uodijc  the  he  wheat  axd  ( ok.n — ihe  yeak 

1864  —  LAM)    TKOUIiLES — THE  Boi)E<;A    WAR       THE  II  KA  LI  )Sllli  IK,    W  Ali Th  E  MuLDUEW    SlIAUoW 

THE  Miranda  <;i;axt  -the  T'o-ioRtjuEs  (iHANT. 


rf>TP  to  1855  SoiioHiii  roiiiity  was  in  a  coiuli- 
:*l}'jl  tion  of  confused  transition  from  almost 
^5P^  iiiitivo  wilds  to  permanent  civilized  occn- 
]);unjy.  AVliili'  the  county  was  largely  covered 
hy  y|)aiiisli  yrants.  yet  the  holders  of  such,  as  a 
class,  had  not  yet  accjuired  flocks  and  herds  to 
occupv  their  broad  acres,  and  the  adventurous 
Americans  very  often  located  within  the  lines 
of  such  grants  with  as  little  reverence  as  though 
settling  upon  government  land.  The  grant 
holders,  as  a  class,  had  little  idea  of  land  value, 
and  many  of  them  were  willing  to  accept  from 
settlers  on  their  domain  very  moderate  prices 
for  the  laud.  Many,  if  not  most  of  the  settlers, 
got  their  land  at  prices  not  much  above  what 
they  Would  have  had  to  pay  had  it  been  go^ern- 
inent  land.  There  were  c.vccptions,  however,  to 
tills  rule,  and  in  a  few  instances  there  was  con- 
sideral)lc  friction  and  trouble  between  settlers 
and  grant  owners,  but  this  will  be  referred  to 
later  on. 

.Vbout  1855  a  tidal-wave  of  immigration  seemed 
to  sweep  over  yonoma  County,  and  it  was  really 
a  marvel  how  soon  every  nook  and  corner  of  the 
county  available  for  farming  or  grazino;  was 
ferretted  out  and  occupied.      It  was  now  families 


seeking  homes  who  came,  and  following  their 
coming  school-houses  and  churches  began  to 
multiply.  In  truth,  within  the  space  of  a  few 
years,  Sonoma  County  became  one  of  the  most 
I  prosperous  agricultural  counties  of  the  State. 
At  first,  famous  for  her  Bodega  potatoes,  she 
I  soon  took  first  rank  among  the  graiii-growini,'' 
and  dairying  counties  in  the  State. 

In  tlie  space  of  a  few  years  towns  and  villages 
came   foi-ward   with  marvelous  growth.      J'eta- 
luma  as    a  shipping   point  made  rapid  strides. 
Santa  Rosa  as  the  county  seat  was  making  siib- 
\  stantial  progress.     Ilealdsburg,  where  in   185-1 
!   had   been  but  a  residence  and  blacksmith  shop, 
I   became  a  thriving  village,  and  Cloverdale  began 
to  show  evidence  of  its  future  destiny.     Sonoma, 
;   ever  famous  as  a  center  around  wiiich  clustered 
historic    memories,  became   far-famed    for    her 
productive   veneyards.      l^odega,  old   in  her  de- 
velopment   there    in    connection    with    Russian 
occupation,  took  a  new  lease  of  life,  and  Hoilega 
Bay  was  whitened  by  a  fleet  of  sails  that  carried 
her    products    to    the    San    Francisco    market. 
lUoomtield  surrtuinded  by  as  fei'tile  a  country  as 
the  sun  ever  sone  upon  became  the  center  of  a 
populous  and  pros|)erous  farming  district. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


In  tlmse  days  the  fatness  was  exuding  from 
tlic  !-t-iil  of  Sunoina  County,  and  tlie  crops 
gathered  tlierefroin  were  abundant  to  the  full 
measure.  While  the  growing  of  potatoes  coast- 
wise, e(_immencing  with  Two  Rock  Valley  and 
extending  to  iJodega  was  yet  a  large  industry, 
the  irrowing  of  wheat,  barley  and  oats  soon 
took  precedence  and  became  a  source  of  great 
profit  to  farmers.  Farming  of  whatever  kind, 
whether  the  growing  of  potatoes  or  cereals  was 
usually  conducted  on  a  large  scale.  Fifty  or  a 
hundred  acres  of  jiotatoes  was  not  considered  a 
large  plant,  and  of  grain  it  was  no  uncommon 
thing  for  a  farmer  to  plant  any  where  from  one 
to  three  hundred  acres,  and  a  large  farmer  often 
went  far  beyond  this.  Our  favorable  sea- 
sons for  seeding  and  planting  of  such  vast 
crops  was  made  easy  by  the  improvements  in 
farming  imj)lemeuts,  but  the  gathering  of  such 
vast  crops  often  taxed  to  its  utmost  capacity  the 
labor  attainable.  For  potato  digging,  the  rem- 
nant of  the  almost  extinct  Intlian  tribes  of  this 
region  were  brought  into  re(juisitioti,  and  be- 
came quite  effective  aids  in  farming.  The 
writer  once  had  in  employ  twenty-two  Russian 
River  Indians,  and  found  them  excellent  potato 
diggers.  During  the  season  tif  gathering 
potatoes  these  dusky  childi-en  of  nature  used  to 
perform  a  large  portion  of  that  kind  of  labor. 
But  the  vices  of  civilization  was  fast  thinning 
their  ranks,  and  in  the  course  of  years  Chinese 
labor  stepped  in  and  did  the  main  portion  of  the 
drudgeries  ot  farm  work. 

The  main  valleys  through  the  center  of  the 
county,  Petaluma.  Santa  Rosa  and  Russian 
River  were  always  devoted  maiiily  to  the  grow- 
ing of  grain.  The  wealth-  of  grain  produced 
by  the  virgin  soil  of  these  rich  valleys  is  almost 
incalculable.  Russian  River  Valley  in  a  very 
early  day  jiroved  its  worth  as  a  corn  producing 
region,  and  in  later  years  became  famous  for 
the  ])roduction  of  hops.  A  writer  some  years 
ago  drew  the  following  pen  picture  of  the  Rus- 
sian River  Valley: 

"  For  more  than  sixty  miles  in  length  Russian 
River  before  taking  its  tinal  westerly  course  to- 


ward the  ocean,  perambulates  from  Mendocino 
County  southerly  through  one  of  the  widest 
and  truly  alluvial  valleys  in  the  State.  As  a 
corn  growing  country  it  is  probably  without  a 
rival  on  the  J'acitic  coast,  and  a  good  corn 
country  can  always  be  relied  upon  as  suitable 
for  a  large  share  of  the  staple  products  of  tem- 
perate climes. 

•'We  see,  therefore,  along  this  great  alhnial 
belt,  the  whole  family  of  cereals  cultivated  with 
singular  success,  and  in  the  main  cjuite  free 
from  smut,  or  injury  from  climatic  influence. 
As  far  as  any  attemj)ts  have  been  made  to  grow 
fruit,  it  succeeds  admirably.  Along  the  bor- 
ders of  the  \  alley,  at  the  foot  of  the  range  of  hills 
that  bound  it  on  either  side,  the  vine  flourishes 
luxuriantly,  i)roducing  grapes  of  fair  size  and  a 
flavor  of  peculiar  richness;  and  we  cannot  but 
believe  that  the  time  is  near  at  hand  when  the 
acres  of  vineyards  aloug  this  great  valley  may 
be  counted  by  hundreds,  if  not  thousands. 
What  the  effect  of  climate  may  be  upon  the 
health  of  vines  and  fruit  trees  along  the  more 
central  [iortions  of  the  valley,  remains  to  be 
seen.  Of  the  indigenous  forest  trees,  the  decid- 
uous oak  predominates  largely;  and  throughout 
nearly  the  entire  extent  of  the  valley  may  be 
seen  this  monarch  of  our  lowland  forests,  in  its 
wide-spreading,  but  varied  and  beautiful  forms, 
standing  apart  and  alone,  or  clustered  in  beauti- 
ful groups  of  a  score  or  more  upon  a  single 
•acre;  and  though  at  this  season  of  the  year 
without  a  single  leat,  all  are  draped  in  their 
beautiful  pale  green,  mossy  livery,  that,  pendu- 
lous from  every  twig  and  limli,  imparts  a  mel- 
lowed softness  to  the  breeze,  that  alike  in 
summer  and  winter  gently  sweeps  along  the 
valley." 

Taking  the  decade-aiid-a-half  between  1855 
and  1870,  farming  in  Sonoma  County  achieved 
its  greatest  results.  Of  course,  there  were 
variableness  of  seasons  and  prices,  but  taken  as 
a  whole  the  results  were  more  tlian  highly  satis- 
factory. In  the  single  season  of  18B4  the 
farmers  literally  gathered  a  harvest  of  gold. 
That  yea)'  the  whole  southern  portion  of  Cali- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


tbrnia  was  made  barren  by  a  drought.  Here 
tlie  crops  were  good,  and  wheat  was  sold  at  all 
the  way  from  three  to  four  iiiul-a-half  cents  pur 
liouiid.  Even  renters,  who  had  [)ut  in  large 
crops  on  shares,  found  themselves  coniparatively 
rich  at  the  end  ot"  the  season. 

The  productiveness  of  our  farms  and  the  ac- 
cumulatinir  wealth  from  dairy  products  and 
Ntock-raising  were  promotive  of  other  industries 
and  created  in  the  people  a  desire  for  advance 
from  the  primitive  surroundings  that  had 
marked  their  early-life  struggles.  Ornate  coun- 
ti'y  homes  began  to  multiply,  and  the  county 
from  end  to  end  began  to  show  the  evidences  of 
])ermanency  and  solidity.  This  was  not  con- 
fined to  the  large  valleys  along  the  line  of  lead- 
ing tlioroughfares;  in  every  little  gem  of  a 
valley,  sandwiched  in  among  the  hills  and  moun- 
tains, there  was  manifested  a  growing  taste  in 
the  direction  of  more  comfort  and  convenience 
in  home  surroundings. 

This  advancement  was  made  in  the  lace  and 
teeth  of  ditticulties  and  discouragements  seldom 
encountered  by  the  pioneer  settlers  of  any  other 
country.  As  lias  already  been  stated,  many  of 
the  settlers  went  upon  lands  claimed  as  Spanish 
grants,  hut  of  which  the  titles  had  not  yet  been 
adjudicated  by  the  United  States  Government. 
In  the  early  fifties  a  commission,  consisting  of 
three  members,  had  been  appointed  to  investi- 
gate these  titles,  and  otdy  such  as  passed  mus- 
ter under  their  examination  got  standing  in 
court,  and  were  started  on  the  tortuous  way  to 
the  court  of  final  resort  at  Washington  City. 
The  ijcnnineness of  title  to  niany  of  these  yrants 
\\eri;  nf  very  fishy  odor.  Cnder  the  treaty  of 
(Tuadalupe  Hidalgo  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment had  plighted  its  faith  to  give  due  credence 
to  all  genuine  grants  made  by  duly  accredited 
authority  of  the  Mexican  go\ernment.  This 
the  government  certainly  did  to  the  full  measure. 
Elsewhere  is  published  a  list  of  the  Spanish 
grants  that  in  whole,  or  in  ]iar%  fell  within  the 
lines  of  Sonoma  County.  We  have  also  j)ointed 
out  the  evidences  of  pwmaneiit  habitation  witiiin 
the  boundai'ies(jf  the  county  at  the  time  Sonoma 


was  captui'etl.  It  was  for  the  courts,  and  nut 
the  histoi'ian,  to  j)ass  upon  the  validity  of  these 
giants.  Jf  there  was  wholesale  perjury  in- 
dulged in  to  secure  many  confirmations,  that  is 
now  a  matter  between  the  consciences  of  wit- 
nesses and  their  (4od.  It  is  now  all  happily 
passed,  and  all  land  titles  are  in  perfect  I'ejiose. 
All  now  buw  to  the  rule.  Stare  (lecisi-<. 

I!ut  it  is  the  province  of  history  to  recite 
events  the  outgrowth  of  these  confiicting  lanil 
titles.  There  were  numerous  "Settlers'  Leagues" 
organized  to  resist  the  confirmation  of  many  of 
these  grants.  Lawyers  were  always  to  be  found 
who  would,  for  a  liberal  fee,  give  "squatters" 
on  grants  positive  assurance  that  the  grant  was 
fraudulent  and  that  he  could  "  knock  the  bottom 
out  of  it."  These  leagues,  in  many  instances, 
became  secret  conclaves,  with  all  the  pass-words 
aifd  paraphenalia  of  secret  oi-ganizations.  That 
they  should  ultimate  in  resistance  to  legally 
constituted  authorities  was  but  natural.  And 
even  the  claimants  of  grants  sometimes  were 
guilty  of  the  assumption  that  they  were  higher 
than  the  law.  While  there  had  been  a  great 
deal  of  friction  between  settlers  and  grant  hohl- 
ers  the  first  serious  collision  occurred  at  Bodega. 
There  was  no  end  of  land  troubles  in  Sonoma 
County,  growing  out  of  occupation  by  settlers 
on  what  was  believed  to  be  fraudulent  Sj)anisli 
grants.  This  led  to  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  and 
ultimately  to  resistance  to  the  mandates  of  law. 
To  give  the  reader  a  clear  conception  of  the  real 
temper  and  feeling  of  the  public  at  that  time  on 
this  momentous  (question  we  give  the  language 
of  an  editorial  which  appeared  in  the  I'etaliima 
Journal  of  ]''ebruary  18,  IHSH: 

"It  is  boldly  asserted  tliat  there  are  eighty 
land  grants  in  this  State,  which  can  be  proved 
to  have  been  forged  and  sworn  thus  far  through 
the  courts  by  perjury.  They  lie  it  is  stated,  in 
twenty-seven  counties,  and  cover  the  homes  of 
nearly  5,000  settlers.  AVhether  there  are  any 
located  in  this  county,  we  are  not  informed.  It 
would  be  a  strange  transaction  if  there  are  not. 
Our  location,  and  the  wull-known  i-ichno^s  of 
soil,  would  certainly  be  a   >trong   bait   t"   tempt 


132 


HIliTOnT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


the  palate  of  the  greedy  land  cormorants  wlio 
have  perpetrated  these  wholesale  frauds.  It 
therefore  becomes  all  well-ineaiiiiig  and  right- 
thinking  citizens  to  join  wit!)  their  brethren  of 
San  Francisco,  in  the  work  of  ferreting  ont  and 
exposing  these  fraudulent  grants.  To  this  end 
let  every  person  remonstrate  against  the  j)assage. 
by  the  Assembly,  of  tlie  iniquitous  and  unjust 
resolution  which  was  spawned  by  Senator  Will- 
iams, petitioning  Congress  for  the  passage  of  a 
law  to  prevent  reviews  in  cases  wliere  patents 
have  issued;  or  in  other  words  asking  of  Con- 
gress to  screen  the  actual  robber,  and  protect 
the  receiver  of  stolen  property  under  the  name 
of  '  bona  tide  purcliasers  and  encumbrancers.' 
Where,  we  ask,  can  a  parallel  be  found  to  this 
act?  Rob  and  defraud  Uncle  Sam  of  the  public 
domain  and  then  ask  him  to  desist  from  investi- 
gation, the  object  of  which  is  to  prove  the  theft; 
and  all  because  the  receiver  of  stolen  goods  may 
lie  a  sufferer  I  As  infamous  as  are  the  inten- 
tions of  Mr.  Williams'  move,  we  nevertheless 
see  the  Senate  passing  favorably  upon  it.  If  we 
mistake  not,  our  own  representative  in  that  body 
was  among  its  supporter.  A  knowledge  of  the 
unscrupulous  intentions  of  these  landgrabbers' 
has  clearly  disclosed  to  settlers  the  precipice 
over  which  they  are  being  rutldessly  hurried. 
A  just  and  proper  spirit  of  resistance  to  the 
attempt  is  beginning  to  manifest  itself  in  vari- 
ous sections.  Meetings  are  being  lield,  reso- 
lutions of  disproval  of  Mr.  Williams'  '  substi- 
tute '  passed,  and  Anti-Grant  Leagues  formed. 
If  moderation  and  temperance  of  action  pre- 
dominate, as  we  trust  will  be  the  case,  immense 
good  will  result  to  the  people  at  large.  The 
recent  developments  in  the  Santillan  claim,  is 
conclusive  evidence  of  this  fact.  Let  a  union  of 
action  be  made  and  time  and  investigation  will 
rend  the  screen  that  now  obscures  and  darkens 
the  homes  of  scores  of  the  people  of  California. 
We  shall  look  with  confidence  to  our  representa- 
ti\es  in  the  Assembl)',  to  aid  in  arresting  the 
passage  of  the  resolution  by  that  body." 

In  continuance  of  the  same  subject  the  -Jvur- 
«'^?  of  Februarv  25,  1859,  said: 


"Bv  reference  to  another  column,  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  people  in  this  locality  are  begin- 
ning to  move  in  the  work  of  exposing  the  alleged 
land  frauds,  and  of  heading  General  Williams 
and  Judge  lialdwin  in  their  infamous  attempt 
to  rob  and  despoil  the  people  of  California.  In 
the  eagerness  of  these  pliant  tools  of  Liinantour, 
I'reinont,  etc.,  to  do  the  bidding  of  their  heart- 
less and  unscrupulous  masters,  they  have  moved 
in  so  bold  and  hasty  a  manner  as  to  neglect  that 
precaution  so  necessary  to  successful  villainy — 
the  covering  up  and  secreting  of  all  evidence  of 
evil  intent.  The  object  sought  is  too  obvious 
to  pass  unnoticed  by  the  most  obtuse.  As  a 
natural  conse(|uence,  this  course  on  the  part  of 
the  land  claimants,  has  aroused  a  just  and  pro- 
per spirit  of  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  people. 
The  final  result  of  this  struggle,  will,  we  believe, 
be  the  securing  to  the  public  domain  of  leagues 
upon  leagues  of  land  now  claimed  by  land 
sharpers  under  forged  titles.  That  many  of 
these  fraudulent  claims  are  located  on  this  side 
of  the  bay,  we  are  told  there  no  longer  e.xists  a 
doubt.  Justice  then  demands  that  our  people 
move  with  a  united  effort  in  exposing  these 
frauds. 

"A  brief  reference  to  the  land-claim  history  of 
California,  presents  some  startling  facts.  In  the 
year  1849  William  Cary  Jones  was  sent  to  Cali- 
fornia by  the  authorities  at  Washington,  with 
instructions  to  ascertain  the  number  and  extent 
of  Spanish  land  grants.  In  his  report  he  states 
the  result  of  his  investigation  to  be  the  dis- 
covery of  five  hundred  and  seventy-six  grants, 
large  and  small,  several  of  which  was  unfinished. 
Of  this  number,  several  were  afterward  proved 
fraudulent  and  rejected.  Upon  the  establish- 
ment of  the  land  commission,  no  less  than  eight 
hundred  and  thirteen  claims  were  filed  in  before 
it  for  action  !  A  writer  in  the  Alta.,  asserts 
that  Mr.  Jones  informed  him  that  after  he  had 
returned  to  Washington,  he  was  offered  *20,000 
to  insert  in  his  rejiort  one  grant — fraudulent  of 
course,  and  for  which  they  wished  a  record  in 
order  to  give  it  some  show  of  validity  I  Com- 
ment is  unnecessary.     The  facts   alone  tell  the 


HIbTOBT    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


133 


whole  story,  and  bid  our  (iitizens  to  be  up  and 
doing." 

The  tii'st  of  these  coiitliets  over  land  titles 
tiiat  assuuietl  a  very  tlirealeiiiiig  aspect  was  in 
June  of  1859,  and  the  scene  of  the  disturl>ance 
was  Hodega  ranch.  The  foiiovving  in  a  state- 
ment of  the  case  and  what  occurred  as  touiid  in 
tiie  Sonoma  County  Jonriinl  of  June  3d,  185'J: 

IIIE     lioDKOA     WAl:. 

"The  original  grantee  of  tliis  ranch  was  Caj)- 
tain  Stephen  Smith,  who  claimed  by  grant 
eight  leagues  of  land,  which  amount  was  con- 
firmed to  him  In'  the  Hoard  of  Land  Commis- 
sioners. He  tlien  leased  to  Uethuel  Phelps  & 
Co.  the  right  to  cut  and  manufacture  into  lum- 
ber tlie  red-wood  belonging  to  the  said  eight 
leagues  of  land,  for  a  term  of  ninety-nine  years, 
for  the  sum  of  $65,000.  Phelps  &  Co.,  imme- 
diately took  possession  of  the  lands  so  leased, 
and  still  continue  in  possession  of  the  same. 
After  setting  apart  to  I'helps  &  Co.  their  leased 
portion  of  the  claim,  there  was  left  a  large  tract 
of  agricultural  lands  outside  of  said  eight 
leagues,  claimed  l)y  no  one.  which  was  then  set- 
tled upon  and  divided  up  into  (piarter  sections. 
Thus  matters  stood  at  the  death  of  Captain 
Smith.  We  would  here  state,  that  various  sur- 
veys have  lieen  made  from  time  to  time  by  dif- 
fererit  parties  and  among  them  one  by  Clement 
Co.\,  United  States  Deputy  Surveyor,  in  accord- 
ance with  which  the  grant  was  finally  patente<l. 
Some  time  after  the  death  of  Captain  Smith. 
Mr.  Curtis  married  the  widow  of  Captain  Smith, 
and  became  administrator  of  the  estate  and 
guardian  of  the  minor  heirs,  thus  becoming  a 
party  interested  in  the  dispute. 

'•  Some  three  months  since,  Mr.  Tyler  Curtis, 
on  beiialf  of  himself  and  the  heirs  of  Captain  S. 
Smith,  obtained  judgment  on  a  writ  of  eject- 
ment (by  default)  against  forty-eiglit  of  the 
settlers  on  the  Bodega  ranch.  Tlie  writ  of 
ejectment  and  restitution  recpiired  the  sheritt' to 
dispossess  the  settlers,  and  keep  possession  for 
ei.xty  days.  ( )n  Tuesday  evening  the  sheriff, 
nnaccomj)'inie<l     by  any  one,   went   to    Bodega 


intending  to  execute  the  writ  on  Wednesday 
morning. 

"On  Tuesday  evening  Mr.  Curtis,  accom- 
panied by  Mr.  Nuttman,  of  San  Francisco,  and 
forty-eight  men,  arrived  here  and  immediately 
took  passage  in  coaches  ft)r  Bodega,  where  they 
arrived  at  live  o'clock  on  Wednesday  morning. 
The  citizens  of  Petaluma,  being  ignorant  of  all 
the  })roceedings  in  the  case  were  at  a  loss  to 
know  the  why  and  the  wherefore  of  this  great 
influx  of  armed  men;  and,  failing  to  get  satis- 
factory replies  to  their  interrogatories,  furtiier 
than  that  the  j)arty  were  bound  for  Jiodega, 
were  at  once  led  to  suppose  that  the  crowd  had 
been  brought  here  for  the  purpose  of  taking  for- 
cible possession  of  Bodega  ranch.  By  nine 
o'clock  in  the  evening  the  e.xcitement  ran  high, 
and  about  twenty  men,  armed  and  accoutred, 
started  for  the  scene  of  action,  arousing  all  the 
settlers  as  they  passed  along,  who  at  once  joined 
them,  to  render  aid  to  their  brethren,  if  found 
necessary.  A  messenger  had  been  promptly 
dispatched  to  Bodega  to  inform  the  settlers  on 
that  ranch  of  what  was  going  on.  lie  reached 
there  at  midnight,  and  found  them  entirely 
ignorant  of  the  movements  of  Mr.  Curtis  and 
his  satelites.  So  rapid  and  prompt  were  their 
movements  that  by  the  time  Curtis'  '  fighting 
men'  had  arrived  some  eighty  or  ninety  set- 
tlers had  collected,  which  number,  by  nine 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  was  augmented  to  250  or  300. 

"Early  in  the  morning,  it  being  ascertained 
that  the  sheriff  had  arrived  tlie  evening  pre- 
vious, a  conimittee  waited  upon  him  to  ascer- 
tain the  object  of  his  visit.  lie  stated  that  he 
came  there  to  discharge  his  duty  as  an  officer, 
which  was,  to  put  Mr.  Curtis  in  possession  of 
his  property;  lie  denied  having  anything  to  do 
with  the  forty-eight  men  brought  there  by 
Curtis,  or  even  having  any  knowledge  of  their 
coming;  and  promised  as  soon  as  l)reakfast  was 
over  to  go  where  the  settlers  were  assembled 
and  see  them.  This  he  did.  A  committee  of 
ten  was  appointed  ti)  confer  with  him.  which 
resulted  in  a  stay  of  all  proceedings  for  two 
hours,  giving  Sheriff  ( ireen  time  to  confer  with 


HrSTiiRr    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Mr.  Curtis,  and  convey  to  liini  the  wishes  and 
will  of  the  assemblage.  Before  the  expiration 
of  the  two  hours  the  sheriti'  returned  without 
any  (Satisfactory  answer,  so  far  as  Mr.  Curtis 
was  concerned;  but  for  himself,  declining  to  do 
anything  in  the  matter,  believing  that  the  inju- 
dicious course  pursued  by  Mr.  Curtis,  absolved 
him  from  the  necessity  of  attempting  to  carry 
out  liis  instructions  at  that  time. 

"  ,\  committee  of  the  citizens  was  then  ap- 
pointed to  wait  on  Mr.  Curtis,  whose  instruc- 
tions were  to  inform  him  that  tiiey  considered 
he  had  committed  a  gross  outrage  upon  the  citi- 
zens of  this  county,  and  the  settlers  in  particu- 
lar, in  having  brought  there,  from  a  neighboring 
town,  an  armed  body  of  citizens,  in  violation  of 
law  and  good  order,  and  for  purposes  which 
could  not  be  recognized  or  tolerated;  and  to  de- 
mand their  immediate  return  to  the  place  from 
whence  they  came.  To  this  peremptory  demand 
Mr.  Curtis  demurred,  believii^g,  as  he  said,  that 
tlie  citizens  were  misinformed,  and  were  unnec- 
essarily excited,  and  acting  from  a  mistaken 
sense  of  duty;  and  that  if  they,  the  committee, 
would  guarantee  him  protection  from  insult,  he 
and  I\[r.  Nuttman  would  accompany  them  to 
the  place  of  meeting,  and  explain  the  cause  and 
motive  of  their  procedure.  Tiiey  accordingly 
accompanied  the  committee  and  made  an  ex- 
planation, Mr.  Curtis  alleging  that  in  employing 
these  men,  he  did  so  with  no  intention  of  otter- 
ing an  indignity  or  insult  to  the  citizens  of  this 
county,  but  merely  for  the  purpose  of  aiding 
himself  in  retaining  possession  of  property 
which  he  thought  to  be  justly  his  by  the  de- 
cisions of  the  legal  tribunals  of  his  country, 
when  Sheriff  Green,  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty, 
siiould  give  him  such  possession;  and  not  for 
the  purpose  of  taking  forcible  possession,  or 
doing  any  overt  act;  and  that  he  was  willing  to 
meet  the  settlers  at  any  time  and  compromise 
all  matters  at  variance,  and  lease  them  the  lands 
on  which  they  reside,  at  one-half  the  price  for 
which  lands  on  other  ranches  are  leased.  Mr. 
Muttinan  then  repudiated  all  connectiim  with 
the  'lighting-men,"  and  stated  tiiat   his  visit    to 


the    county  was    for  no    particular   or   special 

object. 

"The  demand  for  the  removal  of  the  armed 
forces  was  again  made  to  Mr.  Curtis,  with  a  re- 
fusal to  treat  on  any  subject,  until  after  their 
return.  xVfter  a  few  minutes  conference  with 
the  sheriff,  and  one  or  two  others,  Mr.  Curtis 
consented  to  their  return,  he  paying  the  ex- 
penses of  their  transjiortation  from  there  to  »San 
Francisco.  This  ended  the  matter,  so  far  as  he 
was  concerned.  Wagons  were  then  procured, 
and  the  'deceived  braves"  and  their  two  boxes 
of  i/ovemment  rifles  (previously  shipped  from 
San  Francisco,  and  directed  to  Tyler  Curtis, 
Bodega),  together  with  their  ammunition  and 
thirty  days'  outfit,  started  for  Petaluma,  accom- 
panied by  one  hundred  or  more  of  the  settlers, 
where  they  arrived  a  little  after  dark,  and  were 
received  by  the  firing  of  cannon  and  the  liveliest 
demonstrations  of  joy  at  the  happy  and  peaceful 
result  of  the  injudicious  and  uncalled  for  move- 
ment. On  Thursday  morning  they  took  their 
departure  from  this  city  for  San  Francisco, 
where  it  is  to  be  hoped  they  will  safely  arrive, 
wiser,  if  not  better  men.  In  justice  to  the 
party  we  would  state  that  those  of  them  with 
whom  we  conversed,  said  that  they  were  de- 
ceived in  regard  to  the  object  of  their  mission — 
they  believing  it  to  be  one  of  peace  not  war. 
During  their  sojourn  liere  their  deportment  was 
gentlemanly  throughout." 

THK    UKALIiSIUHG    WAR. 

In  1862  the  difficulties  growing  out  tif  sijuat- 
ter  settlement  on  the  Sotoyome  Rancho,  near 
Healdsburg,  culminated  in  a  resistance  of  the 
county  authorities  l)y  the  settlers.  J.  M.  Bowles, 
yet  a  respected  citizen  of  Petaluma,  was  their 
sheriff.  Resistance  was  made  to  writs  of  eject- 
ment placed  in  his  hands.  The  Petaluma  An/us 
of  July  19,  18(52,  said  editorially: 

'■Governor  Stanford  having  declined  tu  inter- 
pose the  gubernatorial  authority  until  it  had 
been  made  apparent  that  our  county  authorities 
are  uueipial  to  the  task  of  enforcing  the  laws, 
Slieritf  Uowles  has  summoned  fi  posse  eiDuitctux 


IITSTOnY    op    l<OKOMA    COVNTY 


of  about  300,  wlio  are  notified  to  report  tliem- 
selves,  'armed  and  equipped  as  the  law  directs,' 
at  Healdslmrcr  (yesterday I  Tuesday,  tlie  IJtli 
inst.  As  ominous  as  this  nntbrtnnate  dithcnlty 
may  seem  to  persons  abroad,  we  do  not  appre- 
liend  tliat  any  very  serious  consequences  will,  at 
present,  result  therefrom;  but  it  is  one  of  those 
peculiar  cases,  so  common  in  California,  which 
may,  unless  remedied  l)y  wholesome  and  just 
legislation,  eventuate  in  scenes  of  anarchy,  de- 
structive alike  to  the  moral  and  industrial  well- 
being  of  the  inhabitants  of  our  fair  State." 

The  result  of  this  actiou  of  Sherift'  Bowles  is 
thus  graphically  described  by  the  Healdsburg 
correspondent  of  the  Ari/i/s  under  date  of  July 
15th: 

'•At  9  o'clock  this  morning.  Deputy  Sheriff 
Latapie  mounted  a  stump  in  front  of  the  Sotoy- 
ome  Hotel  and  called  the  names  of  several 
hundred  men;  when  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty  answered  to  their  names  -pei'haps  one-half 
of  the  whole  number  summoned.  Sheriff  Bowles 
then  explained  the  nature  of  liusiness,  inform- 
ing them  that  seven  writs  of  restitution  and 
ejectment  were  to  be  served  on  the  settlei's — 
Scaggs.  Rice,  Miller,  and  others.  The  jwsse 
was  notified  to  be  readj'  to  march  to  the  scene 
of  action  in  fifteen  minutes — and  much  to  the 
disgust  of  the  crowd,  they  were  ordered  to  pro- 
ceed on  foot;  which  was  not  very  agreeable  as 
the  sun  was  pouring  down  in  tropical  style — 
the  thermometer  standing  at  ninety-two  in  the 
shade. 

"x\t  about  half-past  ten  o'clock  the  sheriff  took 
his  jiofixr  ti>  the  place  occupied  by  Mr.  Rice's 
family,  about  one  mile  northwest  of  Healdsburg. 
We  arrived  at  Rice's  at  11  o'clock,  where  we 
found  about  fifty  resolute  settlers  insi<le  of  tlie 
yard  fence,  well  armed  and  apparently  deter- 
mined not  to  allow  us  to  proceed  further  in  that 
direction.  We  advanced  holdly  up  to  said 
fence — it  being  understood  that  the  settlers 
were  not  to  shoot  until  we  crossed  the  line, 
which  no  one  seemed  inclined  to  do — when  Mr. 
L.  D.  Latimer  read  some  kind  of  a  document — 
probably  the  'riot   act' — we  were  not  able   to 


hear  a  word  from  our  position.  Sheriff  Bowles 
then  read  some  papers,  which  we  were  also  un- 
able to  hear — supposed  to  be  the  order  of  the 
court.  The  sheriff  then  commanded  \\\s  2)osse 
to  assist  him  in  the  execution  of  his  writs — 
2X)s-se  mum — backward  movement  perceptible 
— settlers  cocked  their  guns — leaders  addressed 
them — another  backward  movement  on  the  part 
of  posse,  explained  on  the  ground  that  the  atmos- 
phere was  purer  under  the  oak  trees.  Sheriff 
again  demanded  possession  of  the  premises — 
most  of  hisj^w*«6'  seated  themselves  on  logs  and 
the  grass  under  the  oaks.  Considerable  parley- 
ing between  sheriff  and  settlers — when  it  beinff 
apparent  to  everybody  that  nothing  could  be 
done  without  the  effusion  of  blood,  the  sheriff 
wisely  dismissed  his  posse.  Cheer  upon  cheer 
went  up  from  the  crowd — both  j[«>ss<?  and  settlers 
joining  in  it  heartily.  The  immense  crowd  then 
started  back  to  town,  ap]>arently  satisfied  with 
the  day's  woi'k. 

"It  was  generally  believed  that  from  two  to 
four  hundred  armed  settlers  were  in  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  the  house  during  the  time — 
though  not  more  than  fifty  were  to  be  seen.  A 
friend  informed  me  that  he  saw  a  large  number 
of  armed  men  in  a  ravine  back  of  the  house 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  off. 

"Not  one  of  the  men  composing  the  posse 
carried  a  gun,  and  but  few  of  them  had  small 
arms. 

"The  greatest  order  prevailed — not  a  drunken 
or  disorderly  man  to  be  seen.  Mr.  (leo.  Hran- 
stradder  received  a  severe  cut  under  the  arm  by 
falling  from  a  stumj)  and  coming  in  contact 
with  a  jiicket  fence.  No  other  accident."!  hap- 
pened." 

The  sheriff  with  his  ^w^wc  having  failed  to 
vindicate  the  law.  the  strong  arm  of  the  State 
was  invoked  as  a  denier  resort.  AVhat  steps 
were  taken  is  thus  stated  editorially  in  the 
Ar(/ns  of  the  24th  of  September: 

"The  public  mind  is  again  being  agitated  bv 
the  settlers'  ditficulties  in  the  nfigliburluio<i  of 
Healdsburg.  In  compliance  witii  the  re(iuisi- 
tion     of     Sheriff    Bowles,    (iovernor    Stanford 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


ordered  out  the  two  military  eouipanies  of  this 
city,  the  Petahiina  Guards  and  JMninet  (iuards, 
to  enforce  the  writ  of  ejectment  against  IMilier, 
liice,  Scatfgs  and  others.  The  two  companies 
aliove  nameil.  under  tlie  respective  command  of 
Captain  1".  B.  Hewlett  and  Captain  T.  F.  Baylis, 
took  up  their  line  of  march  from  this  city  for 
the  scene  of  ditiiculty  on  Monday  last.  By  a 
gentleman  who  came  down  on  the  Ilealdsburg 
stage  yesterday,  we  learn  that  the  military  were 
at  A[ark  West  Creek.  The  same  gentleman 
also  informed  us  that  he  conversed,  just  hefore 
leavino-  Ilealdsburg,  with  several  of  the  settlers, 
and  they  avowed  their  determination  to  resist  the 
force  sent  against  them.  We  sincerely  trust 
they  will  think  better  of  it,  and  listen  to  the 
dictates  of  cool  judgment.  The  late  decision 
of  the  courts,  in  favor  of  Bailhache,  has  done 
away  with  the  pretext  on  which  they  predicted 
their  right  to  resist  the  sherif!"'s^w.w<^.  We  ask 
our  fellow  citizens  to  retiect  what  serious  conse- 
(piences  the  resisting  of  military  might  lead  to. 
If  in  this  instance  law  is  set  at  defiance,  there 
is  a  combustible  element  in  ('aliforiiia  which 
would  accept  it  as  a  license  for  guerrilla  warfare. 
We  cannot,  however,  believe  that  our  neighbors 
of  Ilealdsburg  will  be  guilty  of  lighting  the 
torch  of  civil  war  in  our  midst." 

The  Aiqux  oi  Ocioher  1st  gives  the  following 
account  of  tlie  termination  of  this  vexed  land 
trouble: 

"On  Monday  morning  last  the  military  com- 
panies which  were  ordered  by  the  Governor  to  as- 
sist Sheritf  Bowles  in  enforcing  writs  of  ejectment 
against  settlers  near  Healdsburg,  returned  to 
this  city  having  faithfully  discharged  the  duty 
for  which  they  were  ordered  out.  The  majesty 
of  the  law  has  been  asserted  and  maintained, 
and  the  serious  consequences  which  it  was 
feared  might  result  therefrom  have  been  averted. 
Our  citizen  soldiers,  with  their  etticient  otJicers, 
deserve  much  credit  for  the  decided  and  yet 
humane  manner  in  which  they  discharged  the 
unpleasant  task  assigned  them.  Those  families 
that  have  had  to  relinquish  homes  that  cost 
them    years   of  toil,   are   now    the    subject    of 


sympathy,  and  should  be  encouraged  and  assisted 
in  their  endeavors  to  find  new  and  more  ]>erma- 
nent  homes.  Let  the  difficulties  just  past  be 
remembered  only  to  guai'd  against  the  recur- 
rence of  like  scenes  in  the  future." 

SgUATTEKS    ON    TUK    (;EKM.\N    (iRANT. 

In  1801  there  were  about  eighteen  settlers 
who  located  on  the  (German  grant,  on  the  coast 
bordei-ing  on  the  (iualala  Kiver  and  extending 
southward  toward  Fort  Ross.  The  claimant  was 
William  Beihler,  and  being  a  foreigner,  he 
commenced  suit  of  ejectment  in  the  United 
States  District  Court.  The  writer,  then  a 
United  States  Deputy  Marshal,  had  occasion  to 
serve  papers  on  those  squatters  in  1861  and 
knows  how  "  sultry  "  they  threatened  to  make 
it  for  Beihler  if  he  over  dared  to  "  materialize 
in  that  neck  of  woods."  Beihler  got  his  ranch, 
notwithstanding,  but  he  has  seldom  visited  it. 
The  grant  has  now  largely  passed  into  other 
hands. 

Tin:    Mrr.nuKW  shadow. 

By  reference  to  the  last  chapter  on  Russian 
occupation  at  Fort  Ross  it  will  be  seen  that 
reference  is  made  to  a  bill  of  sale  given  to  Cap- 
tain John  A.  Sutter,  ])urporting  to  convey  to 
him  Bussian  title  to  laud.  Tiiis  title  was 
a  source  of  considerable  trouble  to  Sonoma 
County  settlers  along  about  1S60-'1.  One  Col- 
onel Muldrew  turned  up  then  with  that  title 
and  created  quite  a  panic.  The  Joiirtnil  of  Alay 
11,  1860  said: 

"The  Sutter,  or  Aluldrew  claim,  lying  be- 
tween Cape  Mendocino  and  Cape  Drake,  or 
Punta  Reyes,  and  about  which  considerable  in- 
terest is  at  present  manifest  by  the  people  of 
this  section,  covers  about  two  hundred  and 
eighty  leagues  of  land,  and  embraces  within  its 
bounds,  in  addition  to  a  large  area  of  public 
domain,  several  confirmed  Spanish  grants.  As 
most  of  our  readers  are  aware,  this  is  tlie  so- 
called  Russian  American  Fur  Company's  claim; 
but  we  suggest  that  the  territory  should  here- 
after  be   known  as  the  "Muldrew  Principality. 


UtaTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY 


Onr  reason  for  this  is.  that  the  Colonel  claims 
that  the  Russian  Fur  Company  held  and  exer- 
cised exclusive  control  of  the  territory  during 
a  certain  number  of  years  (about  thirty-three, 
we  think),  and  then  transferred  their  rights, 
privileges  and  immunities  to  Captain  J.  A. 
Sutter,  who  in  turn  sold  to  the  present  claimant, 
he,  Muldrew,  should  of  right  now  be  entitled 
to  exercise  all  the  rights  and  privileges,  l)oth  civil 
and  political,  which  belonged  to  the  said  original 
claimants.  Let  the  claim  then  be  known  as  the 
'Muldrew  Principality,  and  let  its  rightful 
]triiice  assert  and  exercise  his  authority!  True, 
Uncle  Sam  may  not  relish  the  thing  much,  but 
how  is  he  to  help  himself?  It  was  Mexican 
territory  alone  that  he  conquered,  and  not  that 
of  the  Russian  Fur  Company !  What  right 
then  has  he  to  complain,  though  this  principal- 
ity does  lay  'adjacent  to,'  and  is  surrounded  by 
his  potato  patch?  '  Hy  the  law  of  nations"  [ior 
the  interpretation  of  which,  and  in  further 
proof  of  the  soundness  of  our  arguments,  we 
refer  the  reader  to  the  articles  in  the  Argus, 
over  the  signature  of'  Veritas,'  which  we  think 
cannot  fail  to  convince  all  as  their  author  is 
known  to  be  no  less  a  person  than  the  valiant 
Colonel  Zabriskie,  Colonel  Muldrew's  legal  ad- 
viser and  expounder),  the  Russians  acquired 
sovereignty  over  it,  and  by  the  right  of  pur- 
chase, Colonel  Muldrew  is  now  the  legitimate 
prince  and  ruler;  but,  like  the  '  Nephew  of  his 
Uncle,'  we  ojiine  he  will  tind  Jordan  a  hard 
road  to  travel,  ere  he  is  permitted  to  grasp  the 
golden  scepter  of  this 

'  Kiiiiiilom  liy  the  sea.'" 
Colonel  Muldrew  began  to  force  his  claim  to 
this  vast  estate  with  much  vigor.  He  had  as 
his  attorney  Colonel  .1.  C.  Zaliriskie,  who  as 
author  of  the  "  Laiul  Laws  of  California"  was 
recognized  as  a  lawyer  of  much  ability.  Several 
settlers'  meetings  were  held  in  Big  \'alley,  at 
which  Colonel  Zabriskie  was  present  and  ex- 
plained the  nature  of  the  title  upon  which  his 
client  set  up  a  claim  to  lands,  much  ot  which 
had  already  been  purchased  by  the  settlers  from 
grantees  holding  under  Mexican  title.     Most  of 


the  settlers  failed  to  see  the  potency  of  the  ar- 
guments used  and  Hatly  refused  to  give  any 
countenance  to  the  Muldrew  claims.  Some, 
however,  seem  to  have  been  fearful  that  his 
claim  was  something  more  than  a  mere  shadow, 
and  we  have  been  informed  that  Mr.  Rennitz  of 
the  Fort  Ross  grant  was  $6,000  poorer  on  ac- 
count of  his  credulity.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the 
Muldrew  title  reached  a  final  disposition  in  a 
decision  rendered  by  Judge  ISIcKiiistry  in  Octo- 
ber of  1860,  which  was  as  follows: 

•'Curtis  vs.  Svtfer,  et  al. — This  is  a  motion 
to  dismiss  the  bill  npon  the  pleadings.  I  grant 
the  motion,  assuming  that  all  the  facts  stated 
in  the  complaint  are  true.  The  complainant  does 
not  content  himself  with  stating  that  the  de- 
fendants set  up  some  claim  or  demands  to  his 
lands,  but  specitically  decribes  their  alleged 
title  from  the  Russian  Fur  Company  to  the  de- 
fendant, Sutter.  Admitting  that  the  averment 
that  the  other  defendants  'claim  under  Sntter,' 
as  sufficient  allegation  that  they  have  receiveil 
deeds  from  Sutter,  still  the  •  Russian  Fur  C'oin- 
pany '  is  not  a  legitimate  source  of  title.  If  an 
action  of  ejectment  were  Ijrought  by  defeiulants 
against  a  party  in  possession  upon  the  deeds 
named.,  as  referred  to  in  the  bill,  those  deeds 
could  not  constitute  a  color  of  title;  the  defend- 
ant in  possession  would  not  be  required  to  in- 
troduce any  testimony  to  impeach  or  rebut  the 
deeds.  Hence,  upon  the  authority  of  Ctiiiin  cs. 
Sntter,  et  al.,  and  Pi.vleij  rs.  irii(/f//ns,  1  am  of 
opinion  that  no  preliminary  injunction  should 
have  been  issued  in  the  present  case,  and  that 
the  injunction  already  issued  ought  not  now  to 
be  made  final  or  jierpetuaj.  And  since  the  only 
other  remedy  sought  by  the  bill  oi-  whicli  I'Luild 
be  obtained  after  a  feigned  issue,  had  been  de- 
cided in  favor  of  j)laintit}  is,  that  the  deeds  of 
defendants  be  canceled,  which  is  not  iMily  a 
more  effective  remedy  tlian  an  injunction,  it 
a])](ears  to  me  that  if  the  Supivme  Couit  lia\e 
decided  that  no  injunction  should  issue,  they 
have  also  decideil  that  no  decree  ol  cancelfitioii 
should  be  rendered. 

"  Atfaiii,  this  bill  does  not  show  bv  anv  definite 


138 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


description  of  what  portion  of  the  rancho  the 
plaintitf  is  in  the  actual  possession.  It  admits 
tliat  large  portions  of  it  are  held  adversely  by 
persons  not  yiarties  to  this  suit.  This  is  not  a 
case  wliere  any  <locti'ine  of  constructive  posses- 
sion can  apply,  nor  does  it  follow  that  because 
in  order  to  remove  a  cloud  from  a  portion  of 
which  the  plaintiff  is  in  possession,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  examine  the  validity  of  the  title  to  the 
whole  Bodega  Rancho — therefore,  the  court  will 
interfere  to  remove  a  cloud  from  that  of  which 
third  parties  are  in  possession.  Such  examina- 
tion into  the  validity  of  the  liodega  title  is  in 
no  degree  binding  upon  those  third  parties  hold- 
ing adversely.  l!eing  in  possession  they  must 
be  considered  (until  a  judgment  in  a  direct  pro- 
ceeding against  them)  as  tlie  actual  owners  of 
the  land  they  occupy.  The  pnr])ose  of  such  a 
bill  of  peace  is  to  remove  a  cloud  from  the  title 
which  threatens  to  disturb  the  quiet  and  peace- 
able possession  of  a  plaintiff  in  the  actual  oc- 
cupancy of  land,  and  since  i*^  is  inijiossible  to 
ascertain  from  this  bill  that  the  ]iresent  plaintiff 
is  in  the  actual  occupancy  of  any  particular  foot 
of  land,  the  cause  must  be  dismissed. 

'>  K.     ^V.    Ml   KiNSTRY, 

"  District  Judge." 
This  decision  seems  to    have   effectually  and 
forever,  laid  the  ISIuldrew  title  to  land  acquired 
through  Finssian  occupancy  at  Foil  Ross. 

TUK    AKUOVO   UK  SAN    AN'ni.N'lu. 

This  grant  was  a  source  of  much  disijiiict  and 
unrest  to  settlers.  Originally  there  were  two 
claimants  before  the  board  of  land  commission- 
ers, Ortega  and  Miranda.  Ortega  had  l>een  a 
Mexican  sicklier,  and  married  the  daughter  of 
Miranda.  He  claimed  to  have  received  a  grant 
of  the  Arroyo  de  San  Antonio,  and  placed  his 
father-in-law,  Miranda,  in  occupancy  thereof 
On  account  of  domestic  infelicity  Ortega  went 
to  Oregon  and  was  there  when  gold  was  discov- 
ered in  California.  In  the  meantime  Miranda 
seems  to  have  received  a  grant  for  the  same  land 
on  the  ground  of  abandonment  by  Ortega.  The 
two  titles  passed  into  the  hands  respectively  of 


James  F.  Stnart  and  Thomas  I>.  Valentine. 
They  were  both  laid  before  the  land  commis- 
sioners, but  ultimately  Valentine  witlxlrew  his 
claim,  alleging  as  a  reason  that  he  was  satisHed 
that  the  Miranda  claim  was  without  good  foun- 
dation. Stuart  litigated  the  Ortega  claim  to 
the  highest  tribunal  in  the  land,  and  it  was  re- 
jected. The  land  was  then  declared  subject  to 
entry  as  go\ernmeut  land.  The  outside  lands 
were  so  entei'cd,  and  the  lands  embraced  within 
the  city  of  Petaluma  were  entered  in  lots  under 
what  is  known  as  the  "town  site  bill."  Now 
it  was  that  Valentine  went  to  Congress  and 
sought  the  passage  of  a  special  bill  to  restore 
the  Miranda  grant  to  a  hearing  in  court,  claim- 
ing that  he  had  discovered  new  evidence  which 
showed  the  genuiness  of  that  grant.  For  sev- 
eral years  the  settlers  on  the  land  and  residents 
of  Petaluma  combatted  and  defeated  every  at- 
tempt to  have  the  case  reopened.  Finally  a 
compromise  was  made  whei'eby  Valentine  agreed 
that  if  he  made  his  title  to  the  Arroyo  de  San 
Antonio  grant  he  would  accept  "  lien  scrip " 
from  the  government  for  the  same,  and  not  at- 
tempt to  disturb  the  title  of  settlers  organized 
through  government  to  lands  embraced  in  that 
grant.  The  years  had  run  their  course  and  in 
1873  this  compromise  was  reached.  In  the 
Petaluma  Argvs  of  December  19,  1878.  we  find 
the  following  in  relation  thereto: 

•'  The  cloud  that  has  hovered  over  the  lands 
on  which  the  city  of  Petaluma  is  situated  is 
foi  tiinately  fast  dispelling.  The  history  of  the 
various  struggles  for  title  that  have  involved  the 
settlers  here  would  form  a  voluminous  book,  and 
the  inconvenience,  dread,  uncertainty  and  possi- 
ble insecurity  of  our  title  have  in  no  small  de- 
gree retarded  our  growth  and  prosperity  as  a 
city.  The  time  seems  to  have  arrived  at  last 
when  perfect  security  of  title  can  be  claimed, 
without  possibility  of  being  overwhelmed  or 
being  alarmed  at  some  further  period  by  a 
'trumped  up  claim."  The  'Ortega'  has  been 
killed  by  the  Supreme  Court,  and  the  '  Miranda' 
will  soon  be  tfoatel  off  on  the  public  domain,  no 
more  to  annoy  or  irritate  people.       Then,  with 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT Y. 


ITncIe  Sam's  title  in  our  pockets,  Me  can  say, 
'  These  are  onr  lands;  this  is  onr  heritage;  here 
we  will  hnild  onr  homes  and  fonnd  a  city  that 
will  rank  first  among  the  mnnicipalities  of  the 
State.' 

"Below  will  lie  found  jnililislied  entire  the 
the  decree  issned  in  the  C!irciiit  Court  for  San 
Francisco,  confirming  the  Miranda  claim  hut 
snhjecting  the  claimant  to  the  proviso  of  the 
act  of  Congress,  which  says  he  '  may  select,  and 
shall  be  allowed  patents  for  an  equal  quantity 
of  unoccupied  and  unappropriated  public  lands 
fif  the  United  States  '  elsewhere. 

"  Following  is  the  decree  which  is  in  sub- 
stance the  same  as  urged  ujkju  the  court  by  the 
(Tnited  States  District  Attorney  Lattimer: 

" '  In  this  case,  on  hearing  the  proofs  and 
allegations,  it  is  ordered,  adjudged  and  decreed 
that  the  said  claim  of  the  petitioners  is  valid, 
and  that  the  same  be  and  hereby  is  confirmed; 
but  this  decree  and  confirmation  are  hereby 
made  subject  to  the  restrictions  and  limitations 
prescribed  in  the  act  of  (!ongress  entitled,  '  An 
act  for  the  Ilelief  of  Thomas  15.  A^alentine, 
approved  June  5,  1872. 

"'The  land  of  which  confirmation  is  made  is 
the  same  which  was  granted  by  Manuel  Mich- 
eltorena,  in  the  name  of  the  Mexican  Govern- 
ment to  Juan  Miranda,  on  the  8th  day  of 
( )ctol)er,  1844,  and  on  which  he  resided  in  his 
life-time,  and  is  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Kanclio  Arroyo  de  San  Antonio,  and  bounded 
by  the  Lagnna  and  Arroyo  of  the  same  name, 
and  the  pass  and  Estredo  of  retaluma,  and  is 
in  extent  three  square  leagues,  if  that  quantity 
is  to  be  found  within  the  exterior  boundaries, 
and  no  more;  and,  if  a  less  quantity  is  included 
in  said  boundaries,  then  said  lesser  (piantity  is 
confirmeJ. 

"  JjOEE.N/.o  Sawyer, 
"  Circuit  .Intlge.'  " 
in  January   of  1S74    the    following  editorial 
relating  to  the  Miranda  grant  appeared  in  the 
I'etaluina   Argvs,   and    was    conclusive    of  nil 
further  trouble  alwut  Valentine's  claim : 

•■When    there   is  a   shadow  upon    the  title  to 


oiir  homes  there  is  always  an  uneasiness  tliat 
periodically  breaks  into  downright  fear,  and 
oftentimes  panic.  There  seems  to  be  no  secu- 
rity. \Vc  build  elegant  residences  and  beautify 
our  grounds,  but  so  long  as  there  is  a  question 
to  the  title  of  our  lands,  there  is  a  lurking  fear 
always  that  some  day  in  our  lifetime  or  of  our 
children,  the  lands  may  be  wrested  from  us,  and 
we  would  have  our  '  trouble  for  onr  pains." 
Again,  in  event  of  a  desire  to  sell  our  realty, 
the  shadow  comes  up,  and  our  property  is  depre- 
ciated thereby.  And  this  has  been  the  case 
with  Petaluma  from  the  very  day  of  its  settle- 
ment. First  we  had  the  Ortega  and  Miranda 
grants  to  fight.  As  if  to  double  teams  against 
the  settlers  the  Miranda  claimant  withdrew 
from  the  United  States  Commission  upon  a 
compromise  and  helped  to  fight  the  battle  for  the 
Ortega  claim,  which,  after  passing  the  Ctnnmis- 
sion,  was  adjudged  a  fraud  by  the  Supreme 
Court.  The  Government  then  issued  its  pat- 
ents to  the  land  claimed  by  the  grant,  and  our 
people  with  Uncle  Sam's  title  in  their  pockets, 
felt  comparatively  secure.  But  the  trouble  had 
not  yet  ceased.  T.  B.  Valentine,  the  claimant 
under  the  Miranda  saw  that  he  had  made  a  mis- 
take in  his  alliance  with  the  Ortega,  rushed  to 
Washington  and  endeavored,  by  an  act  of  C'on- 
gress,  to  get  his  claim  reopened  and  before  the 
courts.  Here  was  trouble  and  vexation  again. 
The  Miranda  claim  was  believed  by  many  to  be 
valid,  while  others  took  the  countrary  view. 
Whoever  was  right  recent  events  go  to  show 
that  it  would  have  been  a  dangerous  experiment 
had  the  bill  l)een  passed  as  it  was  first  inti'o- 
dnced.  Through  the  influence  of  onr  represen- 
tatives, however,  the  bill  was  beaten.  This  ditl 
not  seem  to  satisfy  the  claimant.  At  nearly 
every  successive  ('ongress  he  was  on  hainl  with 
a  bill  for  his  relief.  Finally  to  put  tlie  matter 
forever  at  rest,  a  bill  passed  Congress  allowing 
him  to  jiresent  his  claim  to  the  courts,  and  in 
the  event  that  he  should  ])rove  the  validity  of 
his  title  he  was  to  execute  a  deed  to  the  lands 
claimed  under  the  grant,  and  in  lieu  thereof 
take  a  corresponding  amount  of   public    lands 


140 


HISTORV    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


wlierever  lie  might  find  tliein  ami  elect.  The 
suit  was  accordingly  coniinenced  in  the  Circuit 
(^oiirt  in  San  Francisco,  and  npon  trial  a  decree 
was  issued  to  tiie  piaintitl',  when  it  was  taken 
on  appeal  to  tiie  Supreme  Court  of  tlie  I'liited 
States  for  tiiuU  adjudication.  Many  rumors 
have  been  rife  that  Mr.  Valentine,  haviiiii-  ijot 
into  court  and  proven  liis  claim,  was  not  neces- 
sarily compelled  by  tlie  terms  of  the  act  to  take 
lien  lands,  hut  might,  upon  the  atHrmance  of 
liis  case  at  Washington,  come  ujion  and  dispos- 
sess the  settlers  here.  A  good  deal  of  talk  has 
been  made,  and  a  great  deal  of  fear  endured  by 
our  people  over  these  complications. 

'•  Finally,  however,  like  all  our  worldly 
troubles  this  vexed  and  complicated  question 
has  been  finally  settled  by  Mr.  Valentine  giving 
a  deed  to  government  through  our  energetic 
and  faithful  Senator,  Mr.  Sargent,  as  the  follow- 
ing dispatches  will  explain: 

"  •WASuiNtiToN,  Jan.  5. — Senator  Sargent  has 
received  from  T.  B.  Valentine,  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, to  be  held  in  trust,  a  deed  in  favoi-  of  the 
United  States,  executed  by  \'alentine  and  wife, 
conveying  the  Miranda  grant,  in  Sonoma 
( bounty;  the  deed  to  be  delivered  to  the  t'om- 
missioners  of  the  (leneral  Land  Office  on  affirm- 
ance by  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  judgment 
recently  rendered  in  Valentine's  favor  by  the 
Circuit  Court  of  California  in  an  action  autlior- 
ized  by  Congress.  The  deed  conveys  to  the 
United  States  all  of  A^alentine's  interest  in  said 
grant,  and  Valentine  by  the  law  of  last  session, 
is  to  receive  land  scrip  to  the  same  extent  on  un- 
occupied puldic  land.  This  quiets  title  in  favor 
of  purchasers  from  the  Government  on  thegrant.' 

"'W.\suiNuT()N,Jan.7. — The  United  Slates  Su- 
preme (Jourthavingconfirmed  the  decision  of  the 
Circuit  Court  upholding  the  validity  of  the 
Miranda  grant,  its  mandate  to  that  effect  was 
sent  to  California  to-day,  and  the  deed  executed 
by  Valentine  conveying  all  his  i-ight  and  title 
to  the  United  States  in  trust  for  the  settlers, 
was  delivered  to  the  Commissioner  of  the  (len- 
eral  Land  Office  this  afternoon.  This  action 
perfects  tlie  settlers'  title  to  all  lands  covered  by 


the  grant,  including  the  town  of  Pctaluma.  and 
puts  an  end  to  all  litigation  ai\d  further  uneasi- 
ness in  the  matter.' 

"  AV^e  may  state  also  in  this  connection  that 
i>ur  fellow-townsman,  lion,  (ieorge  Pearce,  met 
Mr.  A'alentine  on  the  streets  of  San  Francisco 
on  Wednesday,  when  Valentine  tul<l  him  per- 
sonally that  he  had  executed  and  delivered  the 
deed,  thereby  confirming  the  above  dispatches. 
All  hail  to  our  homes,  which  are  now  withuut  a 
cloud  of  uncertainty." 

L.\i:i;.\A     UK    SAN    ANTdNld. 

This  land,  as  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the 
chapter  on  grants,  was  conceded  to  I'artolenius 
Bojorques,  and  embraced  over  24,000  acres  of 
land.  Nearly  half  of  this  lay  in  Sonoma 
County,  embracing  the  fertile  Two  Rock  Valley. 
There  never  was  any  conflict  over  the  confirma- 
tion of  that  grant.  It  passed  to  final  confirma 
tion  without  let  or  hindrance.  IJojorques  %vas 
quite  old  when  the  Americans  began  to  come 
in  and  settle  on  his  grant,  lie  had  eight  sons 
and  daughters,  all  grown  up  and  married.  To 
each  of  these  he  executed  a  deetl  of  one-ninth  of 
his  grant,  reserving  to  himself  a  ninth.  There 
was  no  partition,  bnt  father  and  children  alike 
had  an  undivided  ninth  of  the  vast  estate.  Each 
sold  land  to  the  settlers  as  opportunity  offered, 
and  at  prices  nierely  nominal.  Bnt  few  of  the 
settlers  took  the  precaution  to  get  other  than 
the  signature  of  the  party  from  whom  they 
purchased  to  their  deed.  When  the  grant  was 
all  absorbed  by  such  loose-jointed  titles,  the  out- 
come was  inevitable.  Some  had  barely  title 
enongh  to  cover  their  holdings — some  had  moie 
than  enough,  and  others  had  not  a  shadow  of 
title.  In  the  early  sixties  a  suit  was  commenced 
for  partition,  and  over  two  hundreil,  persons 
were  parties  to  the  suit.  Most  of  the  settlers 
banded  themselves  together  in  what  was  called 
the  "  Bojorques  League"  and  maile  common 
cAuse  for  an  adjustment  of  title.  The  suit 
jilayed  shuttle-cock  back  and  forth  thiough  the 
courts  for  a  sjiace  of  over  twenty  years.  It  was 
one  of  the  most  tangled  skeins  of  land  title  tver 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


141 


adjudicated  by  the  California  courts.  It  finally 
lendered  a  conclusion  very  recently,  and  may 
he  ranked  among  the  things  of  the  past — 
although  the  "  Bojorques  League"  still  has  an 
organized  existence. 

In  dismissing  the  subject  of  Spanish  grants 
it  is  in  ])lace  to  say  that  of  all  those  vast  estates, 
there  is  now  only  one  in  the  county,  the  "Cotato 


grant,"'  that  remains  unbroken,  the  balance 
liaving  all  been  subdivided  and  sold  to  settlers. 
Of  the  original  owners  of  these  grants  there  are 
but  few  who  are  now  even  moderately  well  otl'; 
and  very  many  are  in  really  straitened  circum- 
stances. The  manner  in  which  these  vast  prop- 
erties were  dissipated  shows  how  evanescent 
anti  Heeting  is  what  the  world  calls  wealth. 


iirsronr  of  sonoma  county. 


^-:i2^^^ai!s^!^)!;i^2!<M^:!i:>^^ 


^R^gfiSi 


SKky^gMMBBE 


\   GEOLOGY,  MINERALOGY  AND  FOSSILS.  \ 

,  ^^•V^^^V^^^x^<^v.A'^A^•v•^?F^.^A.^•^^A^•^,v^s=g;^Y:  


VWW'l'VAl  XIY. 


HasAI.T      RimK ASlJK-ilV 

I  ACTMNS. 


-CHROMIC      IRON OINN'AliAR SILI'MIR <  ol'IM'.R    —FOSSIL  ,   KKMAIN? 


fi  1 1'^i  late  Dr.  AV.  W.  Oarpenter,  wlio  was  a 
student  of  science,  speaking  of  tliis  soc- 
•^-  tion  of  California  said: 
•'The  county  of  Sononialias  never  Iteen  honored 
with  a  jjeological  survey.  It  is  jn-etty  evenly 
divided  lietween  xalley  and  niountiiin.  The 
valleys  having  formerlv  heen  suhinertfcd  with 
the  waters  of  the  ocean,  were  left  upon  their 
sulisidenee  with  a  soil  of  adohe,  hut  have  since 
received  a  coat  of  sedimentary  deposit  of  allu- 
vium. The  soil  of  the  eastern  part  of  Sonoma 
Valley  rests  upon  a  hard-pan  of  secondary  for- 
mation. The  sandy  loaua  comprisinu;  the  coun- 
try lying  hetween  Petaluma  and  the  coast  is 
modern  alluvium.  The  redwood  forests  adjacent 
to  tlie  coast,  helong  to  the  second  epodi  of  the 
tertiary  period — the  miocene  of  ]V[r.  Lyell.  The 
soil  of  the  Russian  River  A' alley  largely  foi-med 
through  glacial  inHnence,  helongs  to  the  sec- 
onilary  period.  The  mountains  are  volcanic. 
Trap,  or  basalt  is  tlie  leading  rock,  although 
]iorphyry,  sienite,  granite,  slate,  ami  especially 
carbonate,  or  magnesian  limestone  are  found. 
The  mountain  range  of  basalt  dividing  the  i'et- 
aluma  and  Sonoma  valleys  was  poured  out  ot 
the  crater  of  St.  Helena  and  rolling  onward,  u 
mighty  river  of  molten  lava,  couletl  and  hanl- 
ened  where  we  now  find  it.  The  streets  of  San 
Francisco  are  largely  paved  with  this  i-ock.  In 
quarrying  it  small   caverns  are    levealed    most 


beautifully  lined,  ami  crystalized  with  carbonate 
of  lime.  Notwithstanding  that  Sonoma  is 
classed  as  an  agricultural  county,  its  mineral  re- 
sources are  varied,  and  in  the  near  future  will 
be  a  source  of  great  profit. 

•'('<)(//,  of  not  by  any  means  a  superior  (jiiality, 
has  been  found  near  the  surface  on  Sonoma 
l\[ountain  not  more  than  five  miles  from  IVt- 
aluma.  Practical  exjierieuce  has  upset  many 
scientific  theories.  Science  taught  that  the 
native  deposit  of  gold  was  exclusively  in  quart/.. 
The  miner  reveals  some  of  the  richest  leads  in 
slate  rock.  Science  formerly  taught  that  the 
coal  deposit  was  exclusively  in  the  carboniferous 
formation.  The  same  autliority  now  teaches 
that  it  may  be  found  in  any  geological  strata. 
It  is  true  that  all  the  coal  thus  far  found  be- 
longs to  the  tertiary,  or  secondary  formation  — 
lignite  or  brown  coal — yet  competent  observers 
ai'e  sanguine  in  the  belief  that  when  sutiicient 
depth  shall  have  heen  reached  coal  of  good 
quality  and  in  i-easonal)le  abundance  will  be 
tbund. 

•>  J^'trnleum,  a  sister  product,  is  also  known 
to  exist  in  this  county.  It  is  a  question  whether 
oil  wells  will  ever  prove  as  productive  in  Cali- 
I'ornia  as  they  are  in  Pennsylvania,  for  the  reason 
that  the  horizontal  wheels  of  the  palaeozoic  age 
confines  the  oil  beneath  the  surface  in  the  latter 
State,   while    the    tertiary    rocks   of  California, 


HTSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


143 


turned  up  ^m  edge,  allow  it  to  lie  forced  to  the 
surface  by  liydrostatic  pressure,  and  capillary 
attraction,  and  thus  wasted.  Hence  larj^c  quan- 
tities of  oil  on  the  surface  is  an  unfavorable  in- 
dication for  well-boring. 

•'  It  is  for  tills  reason,  and  not  because  oil  in 
quantities  does  not  exLst,  that  the  oil  business  has 
not  a  promising  out-look  on   the   Pacific  coast. 

'' ^«ic'^'.<.;7/'c/'.  -  Quicksilver,  j)rincipally  in 
the  form  of  cinnaliar,  e.xists  in  this  county  in 
large  quantities.  During  the  (juicksilver  ex- 
citement of  four  or  five  years  ago  many  rich 
deposits  were  developed,  and  worked  until  the 
in)mense  (quantities  of  the  article  found  in  every 
section  of  the  State  reduced  its  price  below  the 
cost  of  extraction,  which  necessarily  compelled 
a  discontinuance  of  operations. 

"The  composition  of  ciimabar  being  81| 
grains  of  (piicksilver  and  19.^  grains  of  sul|ihur 
to  the  hundred,  implies  the  existence  of  an 
abundance  of  the  latter  article  also  in  the  county. 
When  (quicksilver  exists  where  there  is  no  sul- 
phur it  must  needs  be  in  its  native  form.  In 
the  Rattlesnake  mine,  above  Cloverdale,  is  the 
only  place  that  it  is  found  in  this  county,  other- 
wise than  in  the  form  of  cinnabar.  In  that 
mine  the  pure  glolniles  ai-e  interspersed  thi-ough 
soft  tulcose  rock. 

"  Boriw.  -Borate  of  soda  has  been  found,  liut 
not  in  paying  quantities. 

"'Kaolin.  -This  article  is  found  in  this 
county,  but  kaolin  being  decomposed  feldspar, 
and  the  pure  atmosphere  of  California  not  pos- 
sessing the  power  of  decomposing  and  disin- 
tegrating that  article  from  its  native  rocks  like 
the  murky  air  of  England,  the  (juantity  is  cor- 
respondingly small.  So  rapidly  does  the  atmos- 
phere of  England  decompose  feldspar,  that 
granite,  or  sienite,  exposed  to  the  air.  bec(;mes 
honey-coinbed  in  a  few  years.  The  reader  is 
aware  that  fine  porcelain  ware  is  made  of  finely 
))ulverized  (juartz  crystals,  kaolin,  and  the  ashes 
of  ferns — the  fern  ashes  containing  enough 
alkali,  in  the  form  of  bicarbonate  of  potassa  to 
produce  the  requisite  effervescent  action,  in 
union  with  the  silisic  acid  of  the  (piartz.  to  dc- 


velope  the  beautiful  finish  of  that  elegant  ware. 
The  kaolin  for  the  immense  quantity  of  porce- 
lain ware  manufactured  in  England  is  gathered 
in  Cornwall,  where  it  is  decomposed  and  disin- 
tegrated from  the  granite  quarries. 

"  Hod  ami  YMoio  Cinher  (terrd  ih  xleitJia), 
as  well  as  other  ochreous  coloring  earths  of  a 
sn|)crior  quality,  and  in  great  abundance,  are 
found  in  this  county.  No  better  material  for 
paints  exist  upon  the  earth. 

^^  Petrifactlonx  are  found  in  this  county 
and,  in  fact,  everywhere  on  the  coast — under 
circumstances  which  upset  the  accepted  theory 
that  petrifaction  can  (inh/  occur  by  saturating 
the  wood  in  thcriiiHl  waters.  Petrifaction  takes 
place  on  the  surface  of  the  earth — necessarily 
beyond  the  reach  or  intiuence  of  thermal  waters. 
The  large  amount  nf  silex  in  the  soil  mav 
account  for  this  in  some  instances,  as  there  arc 
many  cases  in  which  an  excess  of  that  element 
causes  wood  to  petrify  instead  of  carbonize, 
even  in  the  carboniferous  formation.  Still  the 
proposition  holds  that  petrifactions  are  found 
under  circumstances  which  would  seem  to  im- 
ply that  atmospheric  conditions  mu^L  have 
something  to  do  with  their  transfornialion. 

"  Afi/entlferoii,^  (jalena  exists  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  county,  and  in  the  near  future  will 
become  a  paying  industry. 

^•Copper. — Some  rich  deposits  of  c(qiper-- 
jirincipally  in  the  form  of  red  oxide — have  also 
been  discovei-ed  in  the  northern  section  of  the 
county. 

"  I nni  —  Iron  is  found  nearly  everywhere,  but 
the  UKist  valuable  yet  unearthed  are  the  chromic 
iron  oi'es  in  the  mountains  near  ('lo\erdale. 
where  the  rock  formation  is  mainly  st^rpentine. 
Some  of  these  ores  have  been  in  the  process  of 
extraction  for  several  years  with  profit  to  the 
owners.  .\  small  amount  of  hematite  ii'on  \\a» 
found  near  Santa  Ilosa.  Magnetic  and  Titanic 
iron  is  found  in  more  or  less  abundance  as  is 
usual  in  all   volcanic  rocks. 

••  I'ixolltex,  OolUcx,  and  Oh.sidiiui  aw  among 
the  pi-odncts  found  in  attestation  of  the  volcanic 
period. 


144 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


"  Boiling  i<pruiiis  exist  in  several  localities, 
the  most  noted,  and  reniarkableof  whicli  are  the 
geysers.  These  springs  are  among  the  most 
wonderful  and  magnificent  displays  of  nature  in 
the  world.  Notwithstanding  that  the  springs 
are  located  within  close  pro.ximity  of  each  other, 
the  chemical  properties  differ  much.  We  have 
not  at  hand  a  chemical  analysis  of  these  waters, 
init  chloritle  of  sodium  (table  salt),  borate  of 
sodium  (borax),  carbonate  of  sodium,  sulpluu'i 
iron,  and  sulphate  of  sodium  predominate. 
There  is  a  trace  of  silica  in  all  of  them  we 
believe.  LittoTi  springs  and  Mark  West  are 
well  known  places  of  resort  for  pleasure-seekers 
and  invalids. 

"Imperfect  skeletons  of  several  mastotlonshave 
been  found  protruding  from  the  l)ank8  of  I'eta- 
luma  (Jreek,  a  short  distance  above  the  town  of 
I'etaluma,  where  the  floods  had  exposed  them 
to  view;  and  one  tusk  found — and  now  in  a  cabi- 
net in  the  latter  city — is  ten  inches  in  length. 
They  were  perhaps  mired  down  while  seeking 
water.  Their  discovery  was  merely  accidental, 
paleontological  research  never  having  leceived 
any  more  attention  in  the  county  than  its 
kindred  sciences. 

Blo(Hhtone  ami  aytttc  are  the  only  valualile 
varieties  of  the  quartz  family,  so  far  as  we  know, 
that  have  been  found  in  this  county. 

Suljihate  of  lime  (gypsum)  is  found,  but  in 
comparatively  small  (juantities  to  that  of  the 
carbonate,  or  magnesian  lime." 

As  the  ijuarries  of  basalt  ])aving  blocks  in  the 
neighborhood  of  i'etaluma,  8anta  llosa  and 
Sonoma  have  become  one  of  Sonoma  County's 
profital)le  industries,  the  following  from  the 
Sonoma  County  Jonriud  of  September  25, 1857, 
is  of  interest: 

>'  On  the  summit  of  a  hill  some  threc-tjuarters 
of  a  mile  to  the  south  of  I'etaluma,  a  very  sing- 
ular ledge  of  rocks  has  recently  been  discovered 
by  some  persons  engaged  in  (juarrying  stone  for 
building  purposes.  The  singular  structure  and 
wonderful  uniformity  that  prevails  throughout 
the  ledge,  is  the  feature  that  renders  it  pecu- 
liarly interesting  to  the  curious.     It  is  well  cal- 


culated to   impress  the  mind  with  the  idea  of  its 
being  the  work  of  art. 

"The  ledge  is  composed  of  regular  prismatic 
columns,  inclined  but  a  few  degrees  from  the 
perpendicular  toward  the  center  of  the  hill. 
The  columns  generally  have  five  sides,  but  we 
observed  some  that  had  but  four.  They  are 
usually  about  twenty  inches  in  thickness,  and 
are  divided  into  blocks  varying  from  one  to  four 
feet  in  length,  which  are  so  closely  joined  and 
so  firmly  cemented  together  that  it  is  (juiteditH- 
cult  to  separate  them.  The  columns  are  bound 
to  each  other  by  a  layer  of  grayish  colored 
cement,  about  an  inch  in  thickness.  The  rock 
is  very  hard,  and  of  a  dark  color,  and  belongs  to 
that  class  of  rocks  denominated  basalt  by  ge- 
ologists. The  whole  ledge  presents  the  appear- 
ance of  a  solid  structure  of  masonry,  reared,  like 
the  Jigyptian  pyramids,  to  perpetuate  the  works 
and  memory  of  man,  in  defiance  of  the  flight  of 
ages.  So  abundant,  indeed,  are  the  appearances 
of  design,  that  we  are  not  surprised  that  many 
persons  have  unhesitatingly  pronounced  it  the 
work  of  art.  There  is  abundant  evidence,  how- 
ever, tharf;  precludes  the  possibility  of  such  being 
the  case.  This  columnar  structure  of  rocks  is 
not  unfrequent.  It  is  seen  along  the  margin  of 
Snake  River,  and  in  the  passage  of  the  Columbia 
River  through  the  Cascade  Mountains,  perpen- 
dicular walls  of  this  columnar  structure  are 
often  seen  rising  to  the  height  of  forty  or  fifty 
feet.  The  basaltic  columns  of  Lake  Superior, 
Fingal's  Cave,  in  the  island  of  Staft'a,  and  the 
Giant's  Causeway  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  are 
all  examples  of  similar  columnar  structure. 
Geologists  also  speak  of  its  occurring  quite  fre- 
quently west  of  the  Ilocky  Mountains.  We  are 
too  incredulous  to  look  upon  this  singular  struc- 
ture as  other  than  the  work  of  the  Divine  Arclii 
tect,  and  as  such  it  presents  a  wide  range  for 
human  thought  and  study. 

''  The  discovery  of  this  ledge  of  rocks  so  near 
town,  is  particularly  fortunate  for  Petaluma. 
The  rocks  arc  easily  quarried  aiul  brought  to 
town,  but  the  greatest  advantage  of  all  is  their 
thorough  adaptability  to  the  construction  of  fire- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


proof  Iniildings neither  tire  nor  water  affecting 
them  in  the  least.  We  saw  a  cliip  from  one  of 
the  rocks  subjected  to  fire  until  it  became  heated 
to  a  bright  red  color,  after  which  it  wa.s  im- 
mediately thrown  into  cold  water.  No  chantje 
whatever  from  its  original  appearance  could  be 
perceived." 

In  March  of  18H8  there  was  considerable  ex- 
citement ill  I'etaluma  conseijuent  upon  the  un- 
earthing at  the  head  of  I'etaluma  Creek  of  the 
fosi^il  remains  of  some  animal  of  large  propor- 
tioii^i.  In  reference  to  these  bones  h  corres])ond- 
ent  of  the  Ar<jni<  under  date  of  March  12th  says: 

"To  the  question,  '  AVhat  is  ItV  when  ap- 
plied to  the  jawbone  which  has  excited  so  much 
curiosity,  the  following  answer  is  submitted: 

"It  is  assumed  that  the  bone  in  question  is 
unmistakably  a  lower  jawbone,  and  from  thennm- 
ber  and  conformation  of  the  teeth,  it  is  not  the 
jaw  of  a  hippopotamus,  for  that  animal  has  six 
grinders  on  each  side  of  both  jaws,  also  fonr 
incisors  above  and  below,  and  a  canine  tooth  on 
each  side,  above  and  below.  Again,  it  cannot 
be  the  jaw  of  a  rhinoceros,  for  that  has  seven 
grinders  on  each  side  of  both  jaws,  and  from 
two  to  four  incisors  in  each  jaw.  The  number 
of  grinders  in  this  jaw,  the  pairs  of  conical  pro- 
jections on  the  same,  the  entire  absence  of  in- 
cisors and  canine  teeth,  together  with  the  length 
(22  inches)  of  the  shinbone  exhibited,  induces 
the  writer  to  believe  that  it  belongs  to  a  narrow- 
toothed  mastodon  (mastodon  angustidens). 
The  dimensions  of  these  grinders,  seven  inches 
in  breadth  by  three  inches  in  thickness,  answer 
to  the  name.  The  word  mastodon  is  derived 
from  two  (Treek  words,  meaning  conical-shape 
and  tooth.  There  were  two  species  of  mastodons, 
namely:  the  great  mastodon  ( M.  giganteus)  and 
the  narrow-toothed  mastodon.  The  last  s])ecies 
\\a>  one-third  less  in  size  than  the  great  masto- 
don, and  much  lower  on  the  legs.  It  was  not 
unlike  the  elephant,  being  furnished  with  a 
trunk  and  two  huge  tusks,  and  fed  upon  the 
rank  vegetation  of  the  early  world.  Thi>  was, 
probably,  a  juvenile  of  about  seven  years,  its 
age  lioing  determined  from  the  number  of  pairs 


of  conical  jioints  found  on  the  molar  teeth, 
while  his  height  is  estimated  to  have  been  only 
about  eight  feet,  the  estimation  being  based  up- 
on the  supposition  that  the  large  bone  e.xhibited 
last  week  was  a  shinbone.  The  imperfections 
of  that  bone  render  its  identity  somewhat  difh- 
cult,  still  its  superior  articulations  and  triangu- 
lar shaft,  lead  to  the  belief  that  it  is  a  tibia. 

"It  is  hoped  that  other  discoveries  will  soon  be 
made  that  will  throw  more  light  upon  this  in- 
teresting problem." 

In  the  Petahiuia  Anjus  of  Feljruary  25,1869, 
ajipears  this  mention  of  fossil  bones: 

"On  Thursday  last  Messrs.  Dickey  and  (-Jil 
more  discovered  the  skeleti.m  of  a  mastodon  on 
Petaluma  Creek  about  two  miles  north  of  tlii^ 
city.  Portions  of  a  tusk  projected  from  the 
bank  where  the  late  storm  had  washed  the  dirt 
away.  They  (jomnienced  excavating  and  have 
removed  the  dirt  from  the  head  which  i.-  nf 
enormous  size.  The  tusk  measures  twenty-two 
inches  in  circumference,  and  the  width  of  the 
skull  is  nearly  three  feet.  It  is  well  worth  the 
investigation  of  scientific  men.  It  will  be  re- 
membered that  about  a  year  ago  |)ortions  of 
undoubtedly  the  same  skeleton  were  washed  out 
at  the  same  locality,  and  that  we  published  an 
account  of  the  same.  Discoveries  of  fossil  re- 
mains have  become  so  common  in  CaliforniH, 
that  they  liave  almost  ceased  to  excite  comment, 
save  in  scientific  circles."' 

Again  referring  to  the  unearthing  of  fossil 
remains,  the  A/yiis  of  March  4,  1869,  says: 

"Last  week  we  mentioned  the  fact  of  the 
discovery  of  portions  of  a  gigantic  skeleton  in 
the  bank  of  Petaluma  Creek.  From  Mr.  S.  li. 
Dickey,  one  of  the  discoverers,  w'e  receive 
further  particulars.  We  have  also  received  let- 
ters from  several  scientific  gentlemen  requesting 
information  on  the  subject,  which  we  cheerfully 
give.  These  bones  cannot  be  a  part  of  those 
found  last  s])ring,  being  found  fifty  yards  further 
up  the  stream,  imbedded  eight  feet  deep  in 
coarse  gravel.  They  are  undoubtedly  horns,  the 
ii|)per  part  of  the  head  being  found  with  them. 
The  ilimensioiis  are:      From    the  lower  part  of 


146 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


the  clieek  Ikhic  to  the  tip  ot'  the  liurii, 
8  feet;  eaxity  nl  the  liraiii.  iJ  I'eet,  making 
I'.t  I'oet  from  ti|i  to  tip  of  the  horns,  which 
measuri'd  ~2  ineiies  at  tlie  base.  One  only  was 
t'ounii.  hut  a  eavitv  in  tlie  earth  corresponding 
in  size  plainly  showed  the  former  existence  of 
another.  Two  feet  ot  the  point  was  solid,  also 
8  inches  of  the  base;  the  balance  crumbled  to 
pieces  on  exposure.  There  were  two  teeth  on 
each  jaw  measuring  11  inches  in  lentjth,  and  3^ 
inches  in  width.  They  are  solid  in  the  jaw,  of 
a  darkish  color,  but  resembling  ivory  in  sub- 
stance. The  cheek  bones  are  solid,  18  inches  in 
length.  The  lnu-iis  shot  outward  from  the  head, 
curving  to  the  >ide  until  within  about  18  inches 
of  the  point,  where  they  turned  forward,  the 
point  being  a  little  in  front  of  the  head  as  if 
for  a  means  of  defense.  An  outside  shell  simi- 
lar to  that  upon  the  horn  of  the  common  cow 
covered  the  horn.  If  the  rest  of  the  skeleton 
bore  a  proportio'iiate  size  to  the  head  and  horns, 
the  animal  was  indeed  a  monster. 

The  fossil  remains  found  near  Tetaluma  was 
the  subject  of  discussion  by  the  California 
Academy  of  Natural  Sciences.  What  those 
scientists  thought  on  the  subject,  as  well  as  the 
opinion  of  the  I'etaluma  editor,  appeared  in  the 
Petahnna  Aiyns  of  Api-il  1,  ISi;',),  aud  is  as 
follows : 

"At  a  lecent  meeting  of  the  Califoi'uia  Acad- 
emy of  Natural  Sciences,  at  ISan  Francisco,  the 
subject  of  the  recent  discovery  of  the  remains 
of  the  gigantic  animal  at  Petaluma  was  brought 
up.  Mr.  Yale  said  he  had  been  corresponding 
with  the  -discoverer  of  the  skeleton  of  the 
mastodon  lately  found  near  I'etaluma;  the 
bones  he  understood  were  being  i-enioved,  and 
the  Academy  ought  to  take  some  step  toward 
preserving  the  remains.  The  head  had  been 
entirely  carried  away,  and  other  )iorti<uis  dis- 
turbed. Mr.  Carlton  remarked  that  the  aninial 
was  said  to  have  been  horned,  but  that  which 
was  taken  for  horns  was  more  probably  tusks. 
Dr.  Cooper  said  the  creature  w'as  either  an  ele- 
phant or  a  mastodon,  aud  probably  the  tusk  had 
been  taken  for  horns.     Mr.   Yale  said   that  a 


similar  discovery  had  been  made  last  year  in 
the  vicinity  of  SaJi  Jose.  Dr.  Cooper  stated  that 
Mr.  llotimau.  a  membei'  of  the  society,  had  ex- 
amined the  remains  of  one  of  these  animals 
which  had  been  discovered  in  the  valley  of  Saii 
Jose,  and  that  upon  its  being  exposed  it  cruuj- 
bled  to  pieces." 

The  Ar(jui<  said:  •'  As  to  the  question  whether 
the  bones  found  \\:ei'e  tusks  or  horns,  we  are  de- 
cidedly of  the  oj)iniou  that  they  are  horns,  as 
they  grew  from  the  top  of  the  head,  curving 
horizontally,  for  some  distance,  when  they 
turned  to  the  front  as  if  for  a  means  of  defense. 
Mr.  Dickey  drew  for  us  a  diagram  of  the  head, 
showing  the  position  of  the  root  of  the  horns, 
which  was  the  same  as  in  ordinary  cattle.  Had 
they  been  tusks  they  would  have  grown  from 
another  portion  of  the  head." 

The  Ar(ju8  of  a  still  later  date  said :  "  So- 
noma and  adjacent  counties  ajjpear  to  be  a  j)er- 
fect  mine  of  interesting  curiosities  in  the  shape 
of  petrifaction  belonging  to  both  the  animal  and 
vegetable  kingdom.  What  is  the  most  re- 
markable in  relation  thereto  is  the  fact  that 
these  relics  of  liygone  ages  are  often  found  in 
the  alluvial  deposits  so  near  the  surface  of 
the  earth  as  to  frequently  be  revealed  by  the 
plow.  We  have  before  us  a  petrifaction  re- 
cently plowed  up  on  the  ranch  of  Patrick  J.,aw- 
lor  on  the  Sonoma  Mountains,  four  or  five 
miles  from  this  city,  and  at  an  altitude  of 
several  huiulred  feet  ai)ove  the  valley  or  tide 
level.  The  specimen  is  the  head  and  neck  {vs 
fei/iorls)  of  the  fumur  or  thigh  Iione  of  a 
mastadon  or  some  other  mammoth  animal  be- 
longing to  the  pre-historic  period.  It  is  a  com- 
plete petrifaction  nearly  six  inches  in  diameter 
across  the  crown  and  alioiit  seven  inches  from 
apex  of  crown  to  base.  It  is  virtually  the  head 
(os  feinor'n<\  with  not  more  than  two  or  three 
inches  of  the  neck  remaining.  Looking  at  its 
crown  it  has  very  much  the  resemblance  of  the 
somewhat  round  skull  of  a  nearly  grown  person. 
It  weighs  eight  pounds.  We  have  seen  several 
specimens  of  large  bones  found  in  tliis  vicinity 
but  this  is  the  most  perfect  petrifaction  of  the 


HI  STOUT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


kind  that  has  come  under  our  notice.  As  this 
was  found  so  near  the  surface  we  doubt  not  that 
witli  but  little  labor  other  bones  belonging  to 
tiie  same  monster  animal  of  which  this  is  a  part, 
can  be  found.'' 

One  of  the  wondrous  freaks  of  Nature  in  this 
country  and  one  which  is  well  worth  a  visit  by 
every  one  who  cares  for  such  sights,  is  the  ])et- 
ritied  forest  of  Sonoma.  Away  back  in  some 
pre-historic  age,  Mount  St.  Helena  was  an  act- 
ive volcano  and  threw  out  vast  bodies  of  scoria 
from  its  heart  of  living  tire.  Some  of  this  scoria 
fell  upon  a  forest  of  large  trees  and  in  this  mass 
as  if  cast  in  a  mold  we  have  great  bodies  of 
vegetable  matter  while  retaining  their  shape  and 
fibre  turned  in  lapse  of  ages  into  stone.  These 
trees  of  stone  lie  in  two  tiers  in  a  parallelogram 
a  mile  in  extent  from  east  to  west  and  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  north  to  south,  the  roots 
of  these  prostrate  trees  being  toward  the  north. 
They  lie  at  an  angle  of  from  live  to  thirty-live 
degrees,  the  butts  being  on  the  lower  ground. 
When  discovered  they  were  almost  covered  with 
volcanic  ashes  or  tnta,  and  the  ground  sparkled 
with  atoms  of  silica.  IMucli  of  llic  brush  has 
been  cleared  awav  and   the    loose  superincum- 


bent  deposit  removed  principally  liy  Charles 
Evans,  "Petrified  Charley,"  a  Swede,  who  seeing 
its  value  for  exhibition  purposes,  enclosed  the 
ground  in  1871,  and  charged  a  small  fee  to  vis- 
itors to  requite  him  for  his  labor  in  excavating 
around  the  trees.  The  largest  tree  thus  ex- 
cavated is  eleven  feet  in  diameter  at  the  butt 
and  sixty-eight  feet  in  length,  but  is  broken 
into  several  pieces.  Much  laljor  has  been  spent 
on  the  place  in  improvements  until  the  thou.sands, 
who  have  visited  the  place  pronounced  it  not 
only  one  of  the  great  wonders  of  the  world,  but 
"one  of  the  prettiest  places"  in  the  hills  of 
California.  The  forest  can  be  reached  and  ex- 
amined in  a  day  by  taking  the  Santa  Rosa  and 
Calistoga  stage,  it  being  only  sixteen  miles  from 
the  former  place.  Visitors  to  the  Geysers  liy 
the  Cloverdale  route,  after  they  have  exhausted 
the  curiosities  of  that  wonderful  region,  with  its 
curious  productions  of  one  of  Nature's  under- 
ground laboratories,  can  reach  the  petrilied 
forest  by  taking  the  stage  which  runs  between 
the  Geysers  and  Calistoga.  No  Eastern  or 
European  tourist  can  truly  say  that  he  "  has 
done  California"  unless  he  has  seen  the  petrified 
forest. 


HlsruRY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XV. 
Ranchos  MrsALAcoN — CoTATE — GuiLicos — Canada  ue  Pogolome — Llaxo  1)E  Santa   Rosa — El 

MOLINO HuiCHICA YuLPA GdENOC SOTOYOME BoDEGA BlLCHER CaLLAYOMI— MuNIZ 

— Laguna  de  Sax  Antonio — Aeeoyo  de  San  Antonio — Senode  Mai.comes — Roblar  de  la 
MiSEKA — Canada  de  la  Ioniva — Estero  Ameeicano — Geeman — Petaluma — San  Migvel 
— TzABAfo — Caslamayome — Cabeza  de  Santa  Rosa — Agca  CALfi;NTi:. 


tT  will  be  of  interest  to  future  generations  to 
know  what  value  the  Mexican  government 
'■^  placed  upon  its  public  domain.  When  the 
reader  of  the  next  century  scans  these  grants  as 
listed  below,  and  sees  that  these  pioneer  colon- 
ists of  California  asked  for,  and  got  land  by  the 
league,  he  will  naturally  conclude  that  the  first 
half  of  the  nineteenth  century  must  have  been 
a  period  of  regal  splendor  here.  But  such  was 
not  the  fact.  The  people  were  land  and  stock 
poor.  They  had  but  few  of  either  the  comforts 
or  conveniences  of  civilized  life,  and  could  not 
stand  the  liglit  of  a  higher  civilization.  Like 
the  Indians,  they  have  passed  on. 

The  United  States,  Appellants  vs.  Johnson 
Hokrell,  claiming  the  Rancho  Musalacon. — ■ 
This  was  a  claim  for  two  leagues  of  land  in 
Sonoma  County,  situated  in  Cloverdale  Town- 
ship, confirmed  by  the  Board  of  Commissioners 
and  appealed  by  the  United  States.  The  claim- 
ants in  this  case  produced  the  original  grant 
made  by  Governor  Pio  Pico  to  Francisco  Ber- 
ryesa  on  May  2.  1846.  The  record  of  the 
approval  of  the  Departmental  Assembly  was 
dated  June  3,  1846.  No  doubt  is  suggested  as 
to  the  genuineness  of  any  of  these  documents. 
The  grantee  appears  within  the  year  prescribed 


by  the  grant  to  have  entered  into  possession  ut 
his  land  and  to  have  resided  in  a  wooden  house 
built  by  him  upon  it.  He  also  placed  upon  it 
cattle,  and  commenced  its  cultivation.  There 
is  no  difficulty  in  identifying  and  locating  the 
lauds  by  means  of  the  description  in  the  grant 
and  the  inaj)  to  which  it  refers,  and  which  is 
contained  in  the  expedient.  The  commis- 
sioners in  their  opinion  on  this  case  observe 
"  that  although  the  title  was  executed  hut  a 
short  time  before  the  American  occupation,  it 
appears  to  have  been  made  in  good  faith  and  with 
due  regard  to  the  requirements  of  the  law." 
The  decision  of  the  board  was  attirmed  and  a  de- 
cree entered  accordingly.  On  page  80  of  the 
appendix  we  find:  "Johnson  Horrell.  etui., 
claimants  for  Rincon  de  Musalacon,  two  S(juare 
leagues,  in  Mendocino  and  Sonoma  counties, 
granted  May  2,  1846,  by  Pio  Pico  to  Francisco 
Berryesa,  claim  filed  February  11,  1853,  con- 
firmed by  the  Commission  December  12,  1854, 
by  the  District  Court,  January  14,  1856,  and 
appeal  dismissed  April  2,  1857.  containing 
8,866.88  acres. 

The  United  States,  Appellants  rs.  Thuma- 
S.  Page,  claiming  the  Rancho  Votate. — This 
claim   which  was   for  four  leagues  of  land  in 


HJSTORT    OF    SOaoilA    (JOUNTT. 


Suiioiiia  Cuunty  situated  partly  in  Vallejo  and 
partly  in  Santa  Rosa  townships,  was  cojilirmed 
l>y  tlie  Board,  and  appealed  by  the  United 
States.  Ill  this  case  the  original  j^rant  was  not 
produced,  hut  its  existence  and  loss  are  proved 
beyond  all  reasonalde  doubt  by  the  depositions 
uf  the  witnesses  and  tiie  pioduction  of  the  expe- 
diente  from  the  archives  containing  the  usual 
documents,  and  also  a  certificate  of  approval 
by  the  departmental  assembly.  The  grant  is 
also  mentioned  in  the  index  of  grants  by  the 
former  government.  j\o  doubt  was  entertained 
liy  the  commissioners  as  to  the  sutticiency  of  the 
proofs  on  these  points,  nor  is  any  objection 
raised  in  the  District  Court  in  regard  to  them. 
The  evidence  discloses  a  full  compliance  with 
the  conditions,  and  the  description  in  the  grant 
and  map  determined  its  locality.  No  objection 
is  raised  on  the  part  of  the  appellants  to  the 
confirmation  of  this  claim,  and  on  looking  over 
the  transcript  the  court  did  not  perceive  any 
reason  to  doubt  its  entire  validity,  I'age  48  of 
the  appeiuiix  tells  us:  "Thomas  S.  Page, 
claimant  for  Cotate,  four  s<piare  leagues  in 
Sonoma  County,  granted  July  7,  1844,  by  Man- 
uel Micheltorena  to  Juan  Castanida;  claim  filed 
September  21, 1852,  confirmed  by  the  Commis- 
sion August  27,  1854,  by  the  District  Court 
January  14,  1856,  and  appeal  dismissed  March 
21,  1857,  containing  17.238.60  acres.  Pat- 
ented." 

Thk  Uniteo  States,  Appellant)!  i»i.  J  lan 
Wilson,  claiming  the  liaiicho  Guilico.s.  —Claim 
for  a  tract  of  land,  supposed  to  contain  four 
leagues,  in  Sonoma  County,  situated  in  Santa 
Rosa  and  Sonoma  townships,  confirmed  by  the 
Hoard  and  appealed  by  the  United  States.  The 
claim  in  this  case  was  confirmed  by  the  Board. 
iS'o  doubt  is  suggested  as  to  the  authenticity  of 
the  dociiniciitary  evidence  submitted,  and  the 
only  point  upon  winch  a  (piestion  was  made 
was  whether  the  grant  anil  map  accompanying 
it  sutticiently  indicate  the  granted  laiui — there 
being  no  designation  of  the  quantity  or  nuni- 
bef  of  leagues  in  the  original  grant.  The  grant 
bears  date    November  13,    1839,  l)ut    was  not 


issued  until  the  20th.  The  signature  of  the 
Governor  to  the  original  grant  is  fully  proved, 
and  the  expediente  produced  fnun  the  archives 
containing  the  proceedings  upon  the  petition, 
the  various  orders  of  the  Governor,  and  the 
decree  of  approval  by  the  Departmental  Assem- 
bly. The  requirements  of  the  regulations  of 
1828  seem  to  have  been  substantially  complied 
with,  and  the  land  cultivated  and  inhabited 
within  reasonable  time.  AVith  regard  to  locat- 
ing the  ti'act,  there  seems  to  be  no  difficulty. 
The  grant  describes  it  as  the  parcel  of  land 
known  by  the  name  of  "  Guilicos,''  within  the 
boundaries  shown  in  the  map  which  accom- 
panies tlie  petition.  On  inspecting  the  map, 
those  boundaries  appear  to  be  indicated  with 
tolerable  certainty,  and  it  is  presumed  that  by 
means  of  it  no  practical  difficulty  will  be  found 
by  the  surveyor  in  laying  off  to  the  claimant 
his  land.  A  decree  of  confirmation  must  there- 
fore be  entered.  Page  5  of  the  appendix  says: 
"Juan  Wilson,  claimant  for  Guilicos,  four 
square  leagues,  in  Sonoma  County,  granted 
November  13,  1839,  by  Juan  B.  Alvaralo  to 
John  Wilson;  claim  filed  P'ebruary  10,  1852, 
confirmed  by  the  Commissioner  Deceember  27, 
1853,  by  the  District  Court  March  3,  1856,  and 
appeal  dismissed  December  8,  1856,  containing 
18,833.86  acres.  Patented." 
j  TuE  United  States,  Appellants  m.  Antonia 
j  (Iazakes,  claiviiiKj  the  Hancho  Canada  <1e  Po- 
I  (jolome. — "Claim  for  two  leagues  of  land  situ- 
:  ated  in  Marin  (and  Sonoma]  County,  in  Borlega 
j  and  Analy  townships,  confirmed  by  the  Boai'd, 
and  appealed  by  the  United  States."'  It  ap- 
pears from  the  documentary  evidence  in  thi.s 
case  that  James  Dawson,  the  deceased  husband 
of  the  present  claimant,  on  December  27,  1837, 
presented  a  petition  to  the  commanding  Gen- 
eral, setting  forth  that  he,  together  with  Mc- 
intosh and  one  James  Black,  had  obtained  a 
grant  for  the  place  called  "  La  Punta  del  Este- 
rodel  Americano;"  that  he  had  built  a  house 
upon  it,  and  planted  a  large  vineyard  and  an 
orchard  with  more  than  200  fruit  trees,  and  had 
placed  upon  it  cattle,  horses,  etc.      He  further 


Hisroltr    OF    HOl^OMA    COUNTY. 


represented  that  the  grant  had  been  obtained  in 
partnership  with  the  two  persons  mentioned,  but 
that  Mcintosh    was   attempting   to   eject   him. 
lie,  therefore,  prayed  that  he  might  be  protected 
in  his  rights.     The   petitioner,  though    he  had 
long  resided  in  the  country,  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  naturalized  at  the   time  of  making 
this  petition,  but  the  documents  show  that  let- 
ters of  naturalization  were  obtained  by  him  on 
December  29,  1841.     On  September  18,  1843, 
he  renewed  his  application  to  be  put  in  posses- 
sion of  the   land,    and    the  Governor,   U>  wliom 
this  second  petition  was  addressed,  referred  it 
to  the  Secretary  for  information.  By  the  reports 
of  that  officer  it  appears,  that  althougli  tlie  pe- 
tition for  the  land  had  been  in  tlie  name  of  the 
three  applicants,  yet  the  grant   had  been  made 
to  Mcintosh  solely,  as   he  alone  possessed  the 
essential  requisite  of  being  a  naturalized  Me.xi- 
can  citizen.     The  Secretary,  therefore,  suggests 
that,  although  the  request  of  Dawson  cannot  be 
granted,  yet,    inasmuch   as  he   had  since  been 
naturalized,  and  had  married  a  Mexican  woman, 
his  application  for  another  piece  of  land  should 
be  favorably  considered.     The  Governor,  in  ac- 
cordance with  this  suggestion,  on  October  21, 
1843,  ordered  the  proceedings  to  be  returned  to 
the  party  interested  for  his  information.       It  is 
presumed  that   it  was  in   this   way  that  these 
documents  came  into  the  parties'  possession,  and 
are  not  now  found  among  the  archives.    It  does 
not  appear  that  Dawson  petitioned  for  a  grant 
before  liis  death,  which  occurred  very  soon  after; 
but  a  grant  is  produced  in  which  it  is  recited 
that    his    widow,    the    present    claimant,    has 
sufficiently  proved  the   right    of   her  deceased 
husband  to  petition  for  the  land  which  she  then 
occupied,    and    in  consideration    of  the    great 
losses  sustained  by  her  husband   on   separating 
himself  from  Mcintosh,  and  the    favorable  re- 
ports, etc.,  the  Governor  grants  to  her  the  land 
solicited,  known  by  the  name  of  •  Canada  de 
Pogolome,'  to  the  extent  of  two  square  leagues, 
a  little  more  or  less.     It  is  this  land  which  is 
now  claimed  by  the  appellee.     This  grant  was 
issued  on  February  12,  1844,  and  it  appears  to 


have  been  approved  by  the  Departmental  As- 
sembly on  September  26,  1845.  The  genuine- 
ness of  the  above  documents  is  fully  proved,  and 
it  is  also  shown  that  the  land  was  long  occu- 
pied by  Dawson  before  his  decease,  and  since 
then  by  the  present  claimant.  Although  the 
expediente  for  this  grant  is  not  among  the 
archives,  yet,  as  observed  by  the  commission- 
ers, 'its  notoriety,  the  long  possession,  and  the 
circumstances  surrounding  it,  relieves  it  from 
any  suspicion  of  fraud  or  forgery.'  The  boun- 
daries, as  well  as  the  extent  of  the  land,  are 
specified  in  the  grant,  and  indicated  with  evi- 
dent precision  on  the  map  to  which  it  refers. 
We  think,  therefore,  that  the  claim  is  valid  and 
ought  to  be  confirmed."'  Of  this  case,  page  3, 
of  the  appendix,  says:  "  Antonia  Cazares, 
claimant  for  Canada  de  Pogolome,  two  square 
leagues,  in  Marin  and  Sonoma  Counties,  granted 
February  12,  1844,  by  Manuel  Micheltorena  to 
Antonia  Cazares;  claim  filed  February  3,  1852, 
confirmed  by  the  commission  April  11,  1853, 
by  the  District  Court,  March  24,  1856,  and  ap- 
peal dismissed  December  8,  1856,  containing 
8,780.81  acres.'" 

The  United  States,  AppeUaiits  vs.  Joaquin 
Carrillo,  claiming  the  Raiicho  Llano  de  Santa. 
Rosa. — Claim  for  three  leagues  of  land  in  So- 
noma County  (situated  in  Santa  Rosa  and 
Analy  Townships),  confirmed  by  the  board  and 
appealed  by  the  United  States.  "  It  appears 
from  the  expediente  in  this  case  that  the  claim- 
ant, on  June  22,  1843,  petitioned  Governor 
Micheltorena  for  a  grant  of  land  on  the  plain 
adjoining  the  rancho  of  his  mother.  The  Gov- 
ernor, however,  suspended  action  on  the  subject, 
as  no  judicial  measurement  had  been  made  of 
the  adjoining  ranchos,  and  the  extent  of  the 
sobrante  or  surplus  reserved  was  not  ascer- 
tained." "  On  March  12,  1844,  the  claimant 
applied  to  the  district  for  permission  to  sow, 
and  build  a  house  upon  the  laud,  during  the 
pendency  of  his  application  to  the  Governor  for 
a  grant.  The  Alcalde  granted  him  leave  to  sow 
the  land,  holding  himself  responsible  to  the 
owners  of  the  land  if  there  should  be  any  dam- 


niSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


151 


age,  but  he  refused  him  permission  to  build  the 
house.  On  March  26,  1844,  the  claimant  re- 
newed his  application  to  the  Governor,  stating 
tliat  his  petition  still  remained  unacted  upon  on 
account  of  tlie  neglect  of  the  colindantes  or  ad- 
joining proprietors  to  have  their  lands  meas- 
ured according  to  law.  The  secretary  to  whom 
this  second  petition  was  referred,  reported  favor- 
ably to  it,  and  advised  a  grant  of  not  more  than 
three  square  leagues,  subject  to  the  measure- 
ments of  the  adjoining  proprietors.  In  accord- 
ance with  this  report  the  grant  now  produced 
was  made;  and  it  appears  in  evidence  that  he 
built,  first,  a  small  house  and  afterward  a  very 
large  one  on  the  land,  on  which  he  has  contin- 
ued ever  since  to  reside.  He  has  also  cultivated 
from  100  to  300  acres  of  it  with  corn,  barley, 
wheat,  etc.  The  handwriting  of  the  grant  in 
the  possession  of  the  party  is  fully  proved,  and 
there  seems  no  reason  to  doubt  the  entire 
validity  of  this  claim.  The  map  and  the  desig- 
nation in  the  grant  of  the  colindantes  or  con- 
teminous  owners  abundantly  show  the  locality 
of  the  tract  granted;  and  the  claimant's  title  to 
the  land  solicited  must  be  confirmed  to  the  ex- 
tent of  three  leagues,  subject  to  the  measui'e- 
inents  of  the  land  previously  granted  to  the 
colindantes.  The  decision  of  the  board  must, 
therefore,  be  affirmed."  In  reference  to  this 
case  we  find,  on  page  35  of  the  appendix, 
"  .loaquin  Carrillo,  claimant  for  Llano  de  Santa 
liosa,  three  square  leagues  in  Sonoma  County, 
granted  March  29,  1844,  by  Manuel  Michelto- 
rena  to  Marcus  West;  claim  tiled  May  31, 
1852,  contirmed  by  the  commission  ()ctol)er21, 
1><53.  by  the  District  Court,  March  24,  1850, 
and  appeal  dismissed  January  13,  1857,  con- 
taining 13,33ti.55  acres.'' 

Tmk  U.mtki)  i^T.vi-Ks,Ajj/H'//(//it.n,'\s.  Jim.N  B.  li. 
('ooPKK,  rlaihiintj  the  Rancho  El  Molina. — 
Claim  four  leagues  of  land  in  Sonoma  County 
(situated  in  Santa  Rosa,  Analy  and  Russian 
River  townships),  contirmed  by  the  board  and 
appealed  by  the  United  States.  The  claimant 
in  this  case,  a  naturalized  Mexican  citizen,  ob- 
tuiiieii  in    December,   1833,  a    grant    from    the 


Governor  for  the  place  called  Rio  Ayoska. 
This  grant  was  approved  by  the  Departmental 
Assembly,  and  certificate  of  its  confirmation  de- 
livered to  the  grantee,  as  appears  from  the 
testimony,  and  the  expediente  filed  in  the  case. 
"  He  subsequently  appealed  to  the  Governoi' 
for  an  exchange  of  the  land  granted  for  that 
now  claimed  by  him.  Rroceedings  on  this  ap- 
plication were  commenced  by  Governor 
Figueroa,  and  the  new  grant  was  made  as 
desired  by  the  petitioner,  by  Governor  Gutierrez, 
on  February  24,  1836.  These  facts  are  proved 
by  the  testimony  of  Harnell  and  Yallejo,  whose 
evidence  is  corroborated  by  the  expediente  on 
file  in  the  archives.  The  genuineness  of  the 
grant  is  fully  established.  Previously  to  ob- 
taining the  last  grant,  the  claimant  had  gone 
into  possession  of  the  tract  solicited,  and  had 
bnilt  a  house  upon  it.  He  also  had,  as  early  as 
1834,  placed  a  considerable  number  of  cattle 
upon  it  and  had  commenced  the  erection  of  a 
mill,  upon  which  he  expended  more  than  ten 
thousand  dollars.  He  also  erected  a  blacksmith 
shop,  and  for  two  years  had  employed  upon  his 
rancho  men  to  the  average  number  of  sixteen, 
and  sometimes  thirty  or  forty  Indians.  It  is 
clear  that  the  grantee  fulfilled  the  conditions 
and  carried  out  the  objects  of  the  colonization 
laws  to  an  extent  very  unusual  in  the  then  con- 
dition of  the  country.  AVith  regard  to  the 
location  of  the  land,  it  appears  from  the  testi- 
mony of  O'Farrell  and  other  witnesses  who  are 
acquainted  with  the  adjacent  country,  that  there 
is  no  difficulty  in  ascertaining  its  locality  by 
means  of  the  diseou  which  accompanies  the 
grant.  O'Farrell,  who  had  long  been  a  surveyor 
under  the  Mexicans,  testifies  that  he  has,  by 
means  of  the  grant  and  the  diseon,  made  a  sur- 
vey of  the  land,  and  that  it  contains,  as  surveyed 
by  him,  only  the  quantity  specified  in  the  grant. 
The  claim  was  held  to  be  valid  by  the  Moard. 
No  objections  to  it  are  suggested  on  the  part  of 
the  United  States,  aiul  we  are  of  opinion  that 
the  decision  of  the  board  should  be  affirmed." 
Page  27  of  the  appendix,  in  regard  to  this  grant, 
remarks:  -'John    1!.  R.  Cooper  claimant  for   El 


152 


ni8T0RT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Molino  or  Rio  Ayoska,  ten  and  one-half  square 
leagues  in  Sonoma  County,  granted  December 
81,  1833,  by  Jose  Figueroa,  February  24,  1880, 
by  Nicholas  Gutierrez,  to  J.  IJ.  R.  Cooper; 
claim  filed  April  20,  1852,  confirmed  by  the 
commission  November  14, 1854,  by  the  District 
CJourt,  March  24,  1866,  and  appeal  dismissed 
December  15,  1856,  containing  17,892.42  acres. 
Patented. " 

Thk  United  "Atktyis,  AppeUants  vs.  Jacob  i'. 
Lkese,  ehimhig  the  Rancho  IhileMca. — Claim 
for  live  leagues  of  land  in  Sonoma  County  (sit- 
uated in  Sonoma  Township),  confirmed  by  the 
Board  and  appealed  by  the  United  States. 
"The  claimant  in  this  case  obtained  on  October 
21,  1841,  a  grant  from  Manuel  Jiineno,  acting 
Governor  of  California,  for  two  scjuai-e  leagues 
of  land  as  designated  on  the  map  which  accom- 
panied his  petition.  Juridicia!  possession  was 
given  of  the  tract  as  delineated  on  the  map,  but 
the  extent  of  land  measured  to  iiim  largel}-  ex- 
ceeded the  quantity  mentioned  in  the  grant. 
He  thereupon  petitioned  for  an  augmentation 
and  July  (5,  1844,  he  obtaineil  from  (governor 
Micheltorena  an  additi<inal  grant  for  three  and 
one-half  leagues,  making  in  all  five  leagues  and 
a  half  The  proofs  show  that  as  early  as  1839 
tlie  land  was  occupied  and  u  house  built  upon 
it.  The  grantee  also  placed  tiiere  cattle  and 
horses,  and  cultivated  about  two  hundred  acres 
of  land.  He  has  ever  since  continued  to  occupy 
it.  The  authenticity  of  the  grant  is  shown  by 
])ror)f  (jf  the  genuineness  of  the  signatures,  and 
the  production  of  the  expediente  fnim  the 
archives  of  the  former  government.  The  claim 
was  confirmed  by  the  Board  and  no  objections 
to  it  are  suggested  in  this  court.  A  decree  of 
confirmation  must  therefore  be  entered."  We 
find  on  piige  23  of  the  appendix  the  following: 
"Jacob  P.  Leese,  claimant  for  Huichaca,  two 
square  leagues  in  Sonoma  County,  granted  Octo- 
26,  1841,  by  Manuel  Jimeno,  and  July  6, 1844, 
by  Manuel  Micheltorena,  to  J.  P.  Leese;  claim 
filed  April  6,  1852,  confirmed  by  the  commis- 
sion April  18,  1853,  by  the  District  Court, 
April   22,   1856,  and   appeal  dismissed   Decem- 


ber 24,  1856,  containing  18,704.04  acres. 
Patented." 

Mariano  G.  A'ai.le.io,  claiming  the  Rancho 

Ynhipa  i'.<i.  THK  Umtei)  States. — Claim  for 
three  leagues  of  land  in  Sonoma  County,  re- 
jected by  the  Board,  and  appealed  by  the  claim- 
ant. "The  claimant  iu  this  case  has  produced 
the  original  grant  by  Governor  IVricheltorena  to 

Miguel  Alvarado,  dated  November  23,  1844. 
This  grant  was  apjiroved  \)y  the  Departmental 
Assembly  on  February  18, 1845.  The  genuine 
ness  of  the  grant  is  fully  proved, and  the  occupa- 
tion of  and  the  cultivation  of  a  portion  of  the 
land  established  by  testimony.  The  claim  was 
rejected  by  the  Board  for  the  reason  that  the 
tract  granted  was  not  segregated  from  the  public 
domain.  The  land  is  described  in  the  grant  as 
known  by  the  name  of  Yulupa,  and  bounded  by 
the  ranchos  of  Petaluma,  Cotate,  Santa  Rosa 
and  Los  Guilicos.  Jasper  O'Farrell,  who  was  a 
government  surveyor  in  1847  and  1848,  and  as 
such  surveyed  raiudios  in  the  vicinity,  states 
that  he  knows  tiie  latter  well,  and  that  the 
Rancho  Yulupa  is  situated  between  them ;  that 
it  is  near  tlie  town  of  Sonoma,  and  can  easily  be 
segregated  from  the  adjoining  ranchos.  Julio 
Carrillo  testifies  that  he  has  known  the  lands  of 
Yulupa  since  1838;  and  that  it  lies  between  the 
ranchos  of  '  Petaluma,'  '  (lotate,'  ■  Santa  Rosa,' 
and  '  Guilicos;'  that  it  contains  about  three 
leagues  and  is  well  known.  Tiie  witness  further 
states  that  Alvarado  built  a  house  on  the  land, 
and  occupied  it  with  cattle  and  horses  in  1843 
or  1844.  The  evidence  of  these  and  other  wit- 
nesses whose  testimony  has  been  taken  in  this 
court  on  appeal,  sufticiently,  in  my  (>])inion, 
establishes  the  identity  of  the  land  granted  to 
Alvarado,  and  removes  tiie  only  objection  urged 
to  a  confirmation  of  the  claim.  A  decree  ot 
confirmation  must  therefore  be  entered.  On 
page  35  of  the  appendix  it  is  recorded:  "  Mari- 
ano Guadalupe  Vallejo  claimant  for  Yulupa, 
three  square  leagues,  in  Sonoma  Count}',  granted 
November  23,  1844,  by  Manuel  ^[icheltorena  to 
Miguel  Alvarado;  claim  filed  May  31,  1.S52,  re- 
jected by  the   commission    May   10,  1854  ;  con- 


1JI8T0RT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


153 


firmed  by  the  District  Court  January  21, 1857; 
decree  reversed  liy  the  ITiiited  States  Supreme 
Court  and  cause  remanded  for  further  evidence." 
So  far  unfortunately  do  tliese  cases  go,  we  are, 
therefore,  constrained  to  proceed  to  what  in- 
formation can  be  gleaned  out  of  the  appendix, 
from  whicli  tlie  following  are  taken: 

Archiljald  A.  Ritchie,  claimant  for  Guenoea, 
six  square  leagues,  in  Sonoma  County,  granted 
May  8,  1845,  by  Pio  Pico  to  George  Kock; 
claim  filed  January  27,  1852;  confirmed  by  the 
commission  December  IS,  1852,  and  appeal 
dismissed  December  15,  1856;  containing  21,- 
220.03  acres.  Vide  page  3,  Appendix  Hoff- 
man's Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Josefa  Carrillo  Fitch  et  al.,  claimants  for 
Sotoyome,  eight  square  leagues,  in  Sonoma  and 
Mendocino  counties  (situated  in  Mendocino  and 
Russian  River  townships),  granted  September 
28,  1841,  by  Manuel  Micheltorena  to  Henry  D. 
Fitch;  claim  filed  February  2,  1852,  confirmed 
by  the  commission  April  18,  1853,  and  appeal 
dismissed  November  17,  1857;  containing  48,- 
836.51  acres.  Patented.  Vide  page  3,  Ap- 
pendix Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Stephen  Smith  and  Maiiuela  T.  Curtis, 
claimants  for  Bodega,  eight  square  leagues  in 
Sonoma  County  (situated  in  I'odega  and  Ocean 
townships),  granted  September  14,  1844,  by 
Manuel  Micheltorena  to  Stephen  Smith;  claim 
filed  February  9,  1852,  confirmed  by  the  com- 
mission P'ebruary  21,  1853,  by  the  District 
Court  July  5,  1855,  and  appeal  dismissed  April 
5,  1857;  containing  35,787.53  acres.  Patented. 
\'ide  jiage  4,  App.  Hofi'inan's    Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Ste])hen  Smith,  claimant  for  lUucher,  six 
square  leagues  in  Sonoma  C'ounty  (situated  in 
Analy  Township),  granted  October  14,  1844,  by 
Manuel  Micheltorena  to  Juan  Vioget;  claim 
filed  February  9,  1852;  confirmed  by  the  com- 
mission ( )ctober  31,  1854,  by  the  District  Court 
January  21),  1857,  and  a])peal  dismissed  Novem- 
ber 24,  1856;  containing  22,976.66  acres.  Vide 
page  4,  Appendix  Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Archibald  A.  Ritchie  and  Paul  S.  P'orbes, 
flairiiant^  for  (Jallayome,  three  square  leagues  in 


Sonoma  County  granted  January  17,  1845,  by 
Manuel  Micheltorena  to  Robert  F.  Ridley  ; 
claim  filed  February  12, 1852;  confirmed  by  the 
commission  December  22,  1852,  and  appeal 
dismissed  December  8,  1856;  containing  8,- 
241.74  acres.  V^ide  page  6,  Appendix  Hoff- 
man's Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Manuel  Torres,  claimant  for  Muniz,  four 
square  leagues  in  Mendocino  County  (now 
Sonoma,  situated  in  Ocean  and  Salt  Point  town- 
ships), granted  December  4,  1845,  by  Pio  Pico 
to  Manuel  Torres;  claim  tiled  February  17, 
1852;  confirmed  by  the  commission  December 
27,  1853;  by  the  District  Court,  October  17, 
1855,  and  appeal  dismissed  May  7,  1857,  con- 
taining 17,760.75  acres.  Patented.  Vide  page 
7,  Appendix  Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Bartolome  J)OJorquez,  claimant  for  Laguna 
de  San  Antonio,  six  square  leagues  in  Marin 
County  (a  great  part  in  Sonoma  County,  Pet- 
aluma  Township),  granted  November  5,  1845, 
by  Pio  Pico  to  B.  Bojorquez;  claim  filed  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1852;  confirmed  by  the  commission 
October  12,  1853;  by  the  District  Court  Septem- 
ber 10,  1855,  and  appeal  dismissed  November 
24,  1856,  containing  24,903.42  acres.  Vide 
page  7,  Appendix  Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Thomas  !>.  Valentine,  claimant  for  Arroyo 
de  San  Antonio,  three  square  leagues  in  Marin 
and  Sonoma  counties,  part  in  Petaluma  Town- 
ship, and  embracing  the  city  of  Petaluma. 
Granted  October  8,  1844,  by  Manuel  Michel- 
torena to  Juan  Miranda.  Claim  filed  February 
17,  1852,  and  discontinued  February  6,  1855. 
The  land  was  then  eutei'ed  by  settlers  as  gov- 
ernment land,  and  the  lots  in  Petaluma  were 
entered  under  the  "Town  Site  liill."  \'alen- 
tine,  by  special  act  of  Congress  in  1873,  got  his 
claim  reinstated  before  the  courts,  conditioiu-d 
that  if  he  made  good  his  claim  to  the  Arroyo  de 
San  Antonio  grant,  he  would  not  disturb  the 
title  of  the  settlers  on  the  grant,  but  accept 
from  the  government  "  lien  scrip,"  which  could 
be  located  on  government  land  elsewhere.  Valen  ■ 
tinereceived  a  confirmation  of  his  grant,  accepted 
his  lien  scriii  in  1S74,  ami  so  the  matter  ended. 


154 


UIsrORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT T. 


Jose  de  los  Santos  Berryesa,  for  Seno  de 
Malaconies  or  Moristal  y  Plan  de  Agna  Cali- 
ente,  four  leagues  in  Sonoma  County  (situated 
in  Knight's  Valley  Township),  granted  October 
14,  1843,  hy  Manuel  Miciieltorena  to  J.  de  los 
Santos  Berryesa;  claim  filed  February  20,  1852; 
confirmed  by  the  commission  June  27,  1854; 
by  the  District  Court  December  24,  1850,  and 
appeal  dismissed  November  24,  1856,  contain- 
ing 12,540.22  acres.  Vide  page  9,  Appendi.x 
Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Lovett  P.  Rockwell  and  Thomas  P.  Knight, 
claimants  for  portion  of  Malacoines  or  ISIoristal, 
No.  58,  two  square  leagues  in  Sonoma  County 
(situated  in  Knight's  Valley  Township),  granted 
October  14,  1843,  by  flannel  Micheltorena  to 
Jose  de  los  Santos  Berryesa;  claim  filed  Feb- 
ruai-y  20,  1852;  confirmed  by  the  commission 
August  29,  185+,  and  ajipeal  di.<missed  Novem- 
ber 24,  1850,  containing  8,328.85  acres.  Vide 
page  9,  Appendix  Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 

David  Wright  ef  al.,  claimant  for  Roblar  de 
la  Miseria,  fonr  scpiare  leagues  in  Sonoma 
County  (situated  in  PetalumaTownship),  granted 
November  21,  1845,  by  Pio  Pico  to  Juan  Ne- 
pomasena  Padillo;  claim  filed  February  24, 
1852;  confirmed  by  the  commission  February 
14,  1853;  l)y  the  District  Court  September  10. 
1855,  and  appeal  dismissed  December  8,  1856, 
containing  1G,S87.45  acres.  Patented.  Vide 
page  10,  Appendix  Ilotfmau's   Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Jasper  O'Farrell,  claimant  for  Canada  de  la 
Jonive,  two  square  leagues  in  Sonoma  County 
(situated  in  Analy  and  Bodega  Townships), 
granted  February  5,  1845,  bj'  Pio  Pico  to  James 
Black;  claim  filed  l\[arch  2,  1852;  confirmed 
by  the  commission  April  18,  1853;  by  the  Dis- 
trict Court  July  16, 1855,  and  appeal  dismissed 
December  22,  1856,  containing  10.786.51  acres. 
Patented.  Vide  page  12,  A])pendi\-  llotfman's 
Reports,  Vol.  1. 

M.  G.  Vallejo,  claimant  for  lot  150  by  130 
varas,  in  Sonoma  City,  granted  July  5,  1635, 
by  Jose  Figueroa  to  M.  G.  Vallejo;  claim  filed 
March  30,  1852;  confirmed  by  the  commission 
January   17,  1854,  by   the   District  Court   Feb 


ruary  18,  1856,  and  appeal  dismissed  February 
23,  1857;  containing  3.81  acres.  Vide  page  19, 
Appendix  Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1.  The 
patent  for  this  property  is  on  record. 

Jaspar  O'Farrell,  claimant  for  Estero  Ameri- 
cano, two  square  leagues  in  Sonoma  County  (sit- 
uated in  Bodega  Township),  gi-anted  September 
4,  1839,  by  Manuel  Jimeno  to  Edward  Manuel 
Mcintosh;  claim  filed  March  30, 1852;  confirmed 
by  the  commission  April  11,  1853,  and  appeal 
dismissed  February  2,  1857;  containing  8,849.- 
13  acres.  Patented.  Vide  page  19.  Appendix 
Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Charles  Mayer  et  al.,  claimant  for  German, 
five  square  leagues  in  Mendocino  County  (now 
Sonoma  County,  and  situated  in  Salt  Point 
Township),  granted  April  8,  1846,  by  Pio  Pico 
to  Ernest  Rufus;  claim  filed  April  27,  1852, 
confirmed  by  the  commis.^ion  December  22, 
1852,  by  the  District  Court,  September  10, 
1855,  and  by  the  United  States  Supreme  Court; 
containing  17,580.01  acres.  Vide  page  28,  Ap- 
pendix Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Mayor  and  Common  Council  of  Sonoma, 
claimant  for  Pueblo  of  Sonoma,  four  square 
leagues,  granted  .June  24,  1835,  by  M.  G.  Val- 
lejo to  Pueblo  of  Sonoma;  claim  filed  May  21, 
1852,  and  confirmed  by  the  commission  Jan- 
nary  25,  185(5.  Vide  page  33,  Apperulix  Hoff- 
man's Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Mariano  Guadalupe  Vallejo,  claimant  for 
Petaluma,  ten  square  leagues,  in  Sonoma 
County  (situated  in  Vallejo  and  Sonoma  town- 
ships), granted  October  22,  1843,  by  Manuel 
Micheltorena  to  M.  G.  Vallejo  (grant),  and  five 
square  leagues,  June  22,  1844,  by  Manual 
Micheltorena  to  ^I.  (t.  Vallejo  (sale  by  the  gov- 
ernment); clain:  filed  Maj'  31.  1852.  confirmed 
by  the  commission  May  22,  1855,  by  the  Dis- 
trict Court,  March  16,  1857.  and  appeal  dis- 
missed July  3.  1857;  containing  66,622.17 
aci-es.  Vide  page  35,  ApjitMidix  llotfman's  Re- 
ports, \i<\.  1.     Patented. 

Guadalupe  Vasqnez  de  West  et  al.,  claimant 
for  San  Miguel,  six  square  leagues,  in  Sonoma 
I'uunty    (situated     in    Sautu    Rosa    Tuwuship), 


HISTORT    OF    aONOAfA    COUNT T. 


granted  November  2,  1840,  by  Juau  B.  Alvara- 
do,  and  October  14,  1844,  by  Manuel  Michel- 
torena  to  Marcus  West,  claim  tiled  May  31, 
1852,  rejected  by  the  commission  April  24, 
1855,  confirmed  by  the  District  Court,  June  2, 
1857,  and  decree  confirmed  by  the  United  States 
Supreme  Court  tor  one  leagne  and  a  half.  Vide 
page  35,  Apjiendix  lloti'nuin's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 
J.  Jesus  et  al.,  heirs  of  J.  G.  Pena,  claim- 
ants for  Tzabaco,  four  square  leagues,  in 
Sonoma  (!onnty  (situated  in  Medocino  and 
Washington    townships),  granted    October  14, 

1843,  by  Manuel  Micheltorena  to  Jose  German 
Pena;  claim  filed  August  5,  1852,  confirmed 
by  tlie  commission  June  26,  1855,  l»y  the  Dis- 
trict Court,  March  9,  1857;  and  appeal  dis- 
missed April  2,  1857;  containing  15,439.32 
acres.  Patented.  Vide  page  41,  Appendix 
Hotiman's  Report's,  Vol.  I. 

William  P'orbs,  claimant  for  La  Laguna  de 
los  Crentiles  or  Caslamayome,  eight  square 
leagues  in  Sonoma  County  (situated  in  CMover- 
dale  and  Washington  townships),  granted 
March  20,  1844,  by  Manuel  Micheltorena  to 
Eugenio  Montenegro;  claim  filed  September  7, 
1852,  and  rejected  by  the  commission  Septem- 
ber 26,  1854.  Vide  page  45,  Appendix  llofl:'- 
man's  Report,  Vol.  1. 

John  Hendly  et  al.,  claimants  for  Llano  de 
Santa  Rosa,  one  square  league  in  Sonoma 
County  (situated  in  Santa  Rosa  Township), 
granted  March  20,  1844,  by  Manuel  Micliel- 
torena  to  Joaquin  Carrillo;  claim  filed  Decem- 
ber 24,  1852,  rejected  by  the  commission 
January  23,  1855,  and  aj)peal  dismissed  for 
failure  of  prosecution  April  21,  1856.  Vide 
page  68,  Appendix   Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Jacob  P.  Leese,  claimant  for  Lac,  1,000  varas 
square,  in  Sonoma  County,  granted    July  25, 

1844,  by  Manuel  Micheltorena  to  Damaso  Rod- 
riguez; claim  filed  February  21,  1853,  confii-med 
by  the  commission  December  12,  1854,  and  by 
the  District  Court  December  28,  1857,  and  ap- 
peal dismissed  December  28,  1857.  A^ide  page 
84,  Appendix  llottnuin'a  Reports,  \'ol.  1. 
Patented. 


Julio  Carrillo,  claimant  for  part  of  Cabeza  de 
Santa  Rosa,  in  Sonoma  County  (situated  in 
Santa  Rosa  Township),  granted  September  30, 
1841,  by  Manuel  Jimeno  to  Maria  Ygnaeia 
Lopez;  claim  filed  Feb.  28,  1853,  confirmed  by 
the  commisson  April  4,  1854;  by  the  District 
Court,  March  2,  1857,  and  appeal  dismissed 
March  27,  1857;  containing  4,500.42  acres. 
Vide  88,  Appendix  Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 
Patented. 

Jabob  R.  Mayer  ef  al.,  claimants  for  part  pf 
Cabeza  de  Santa  Rosa,  in  Sonoma  County  (sit- 
uated in  Santa  Rosa  Township),  granted  Septem- 
ber 30, 1853;  confirmed  by  the  commission  April 
4,  1854,  by  District  Court  March  2,  1857,  and 
appeal  dismissed  March  27,  1857;  containing 
1,484.82  acres.  Vide  page  88,  Appendix  Hoff- 
man's Reports,  Vol.  1. 

James  Eldredge,  claimant  for  part  of  Caabez 
de  Santa  Rosa,  in  Sonoma  County,  situated  in 
Santa  Rosa  Township);  granted  September  30, 
1841,  by  Manuel  Jimeno  to  Maria  Ygnaeia 
Lopez;  claim  filed  February  28,  1853;  con- 
firmed by  the  commission  April  4,  1854;  by 
the  District  Court  March  2,  1857,  and  appeal 
dismissed  March  27,  1857;  containing  1,667.68 
acres.  Vide  page  88,  Appendix  Hofi'man's 
Reports,  Vol.  1. 

F^elicidad  Carrillo,  claimant  for  part  of  ( 'abeza 
de  Santa  Rosa,  in  Sonoma  County  (situated  in 
Santa  Rosa  Township);  granted  September  30. 
1841,  by  Manuel  Jimeno  to  Maria  Ygnaeia 
Lopez;  claim  filed  February  28, 1853;  coiifirmed 
by  the  commission  April  4,  1854,  and  by  the 
District  Court  March  2,  1857.  Vide  page  88, 
Appendix  Hoffman's  Reports,  \o\.  1. 

Juan  de  Jesus  Mallagh,  claimant  for  part  of 
Cabeza  de  Santa  Rosa,  in  Sonoma  County  (situ- 
ated in  Santa  Rosa  Township);  granted  Sep- 
tember 30,  1841,  by  Manuel  Jimeno  to  Maria 
Ygnaeia  Lopez;  claim  filed  February  28.  1853; 
confirmed  by  the  commission  April  4,  1854, 
and  by  the  District  Court  March  2.  1857,  and 
apjieal  dismissed  March  27,  1857;  containing 
25<').1(^)  acres.  \'ide  page  8S,  Appendix  IJoH' 
maiTs  Ki"pi>rts,  Vol.  1. 


156 


HiaTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Martin  E.  Cook  et  al.,  claimants  for  part  of 
Maiacoines  or  Moristal,  two  miles  square  in 
Sonoma  (,'onutj  (situated  in  Knight's  Valley 
'rownship);  granted  October,  1843,  by  Manuel 
Miclieltorena  to  Jose  los  Santos  I'erryesa;  claim 
tiled  February  28,  1853;  confirmed  by  the  com- 
mission August  7,  1855,  and  appeal  dismissed 
April  It),  1857;  containing  2,559.94  acres. 
Patented.  Vide  page  90,  Appendix  lloft'man's 
lieports.  Vol.  1. 

John  Henley,  claimant  for  part  of  Cabeza  de 
Santa  Rosa,  one  mile  square  in  Sonoma  County 
(situated  in  Santa  Rosa  Township);  granted 
September  30,  1841,  l)y  ^lanuel  Jijneno  to 
Maria  "^'gnacia  Lopez;  claim  tiled  February  28, 
1853;  confirmed  by  the  commission  December 
19. 1854;  by  the  District  Court  March  2,  1857, 
and  appeal  dismissed  March  27,  1857;  con- 
taining 640.19  acres.  Vide  page  90,  Appendix 
Hoffman's  Report.s,  \o\.  1. 

.Joseph  Hooker,  claimant  tor  part  of  Agua 
C^aliente,  in  Sonoma  County  (situated  in  Son- 
oma Township);  granted  July  13,  1840,  by 
Juan  B.  Alvarado  to  Lazaro  Pena;  claim  tiled 
March  2,  1853;  confirmed  by  the  commission 
April  24,  1855;  by  the  District  Court  March 
2,  1857,  and  appeal  dismissed  March  27,  1857; 
containing  550. 8B  acres.  Vide  page  100,  Hoff- 
man's Reports,  \'ol.  L.      Patented. 

Mariano  Guadalupe  Vallejo,  claimant  for 
Agua  Caliente,  in  Sonoma  County  (sitviated  in 
Sonoma  Township);  granted  July  13,  1840.  by 
Juan  B.  Alvarado  to  Lazaro  Pena;  claim  filed 
March  2,  1853;  rejected  by  the  commission 
December,  1855,  and  by  the  District  Court 
July  18,  1859.  Vide  page  100,  Appendix 
Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Thaddeus  M.  Leavenworth,  claimant  for  part 
of  Agua  Caliente,  in  Sonoma  County  (^situated 
in  Sonoma  Towhship);  granted  July  13,  1840, 
by  Juan  B.  Alvardo  to  Lazaro  Pena;  claim  tiled 
March  2,  1853;  confirmed  by  the  commission 
April  24, 1855,  by  the  District  Court  March  2, 
1857,  and  appeal  dismissed  April  3.  1857;  con- 


taining 320.33  acres.  Vide  page  102.  Appen- 
dix Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol.  1. 

Oliver  iioulio,  claimant  for  part  of  Cabeza  de 
Santa  Rosa,  640  acres  in  Sonoma  County  (situ- 
ated in  Santa  Rosa  Township);  granted  Seji- 
tember  30,  1841,  by  Manuel  Jimeno  to  Maria 
Ygnacia  Lopez;  claim  filed  Marcii  2,  1S53; 
rejected  by  the  commission  January  30,  1855, 
and  appeal  dismissed  for  failure  of  prosecution 
April  21,  1856.  Vide  page  102,  A].pen(li\ 
Hoffman's  Reports,  Vol  1. 

C.  P.  Stone,  claimant  for  part  of  Agua  Cali- 
ente, 300  acres  in  Sonoma  (/ounty  (situated  in 
Sonoma  Township);  granted  July  30,  1840,  by 
Juan  B.  Alvarado  to  Lazaro  Pena;  claim  filed 
Marcli  2,  1853;  confirmed  by  the  commission 
April  24.  1855,  by  the  District  Court  March  2, 
1857,  and  appeal  dismissed  March  31,  1857. 
Vide  page  104,  Appendix  Hoffman's  Reports, 
Vol.  1. 

Cyrus  Alexander,  claimant,  part  of  Sotoyome, 
two  square  leagues  (situated  in  Mendocino 
Township);  granted  September  28,  1841.  by 
Juan  B.  Alvarado  to  Henry  D.  Fitch;  claim 
filed  March  3,  1853;  rejected  by  the  commis- 
sion February  8,  1855,  and  appeal  dismissed 
for  failure  of  prosecution  April  21,  185().  A'ide 
page  106,  Appendix  Hoffman's  Reports,  \(A.  1. 

James  A.  Watmough,  claimant  foi-  part  of 
Petaluma  grant,  one  square  mile  in  Sonoma 
County,  granted  October  22,  1843,  by  Manuel 
Miclieltorena  to  M.  G.  Vallejo;  claim  tiled 
March  3,  1853;  rejected  by  the  commis- 
sion January  30,  1855,  and  appeal  dismissed  for 
failure  of  prosecution  April  21,  1856.  Vide 
page  107,  Appendix  Hoffman's  Reports,  N'ol.  1. 

Jose  Santos  I'erryesa,  claimant  for  200  by 
300  varas,  in  Sonoma  County;  granted  May  30, 
1846,  by  Joaquin  Carrillo  to  J.  S.  Berryesa; 
claim  filed  March  3, 1853;  rejected  by  the  com- 
mission October  17,  1854,  and  appeal  dismissed 
for  failure  of  prosecution  April  21,  l!i56. 
V^ide  page  108,  Appendix  Ifntf'mnn's  itejioits. 
Vol.  1. 


BISTORT    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


157 


P^' 


fcyp  cagji^Aw,A\jn 


,tfir^tg^'-ir*»ffr')tg?)n?*i';7ii^6 


'^a5)^(^^^:fr::'r:,ir:.\'^,-'^^< 


§    RAlim  HWAYS,  mnOURSES  AND  BAIS,    ^ 


ciiAPTEPt  xvr. 

The  San  Fkanoisco  and  Northkrn  Pacifk'  Ha ilroad-  -North  Pacific  Coast  Railroad — Santa 
Rosa    and   Carquinez    RAir.itoAn — m  lu.ic    highwavs — thk   last  stauk    driver — rivers  and 

water  CoTRSES — BAVS  AND  COVES — CoLoNEI.    PetKR     DoNAHIte. 


fHE  Sail  I'^ranciseo  and  North  Pacific  liail- 
rt)ad  has  been  tlie  means  of  ilevelo|>ing 
tlie  County  of  Sonoma.  It  has  extended 
its  soutliern  terminus  to  Point  Tiburon.  The 
original  terminus  was  at  Donahue,  eigiit  miles 
l)elow  Petaluina,  and  about  thirty-four  miles 
from  San  Francisco,  at  which  point  the  steamer 
connected  for  San  Francisco.  The  passengers 
from  Sonoma  also  connected  with  this  steamer 
by  stage,  coming  for  about  eight  miles  over  the 
divide  between  the  waters  of  Sonoma  and 
Petaluina  Creeks. 

Donahue  was  named  after  the  founder  of  the 
road,  C!olonel  Peter  Donahue.  Here  was  situ- 
ated all  the  workshops  connected  with  the  road, 
with  hotel  and  cottages  for  workmen. 

TratHc  and  travel  outgrew  his  terminus,  and 
the  road  was  extended  on  the  west  side  of 
Petulama  Creek  to  San  llafael,  where  it  con- 
nected by  transfer  to  the  cars  of  the  San  Fran- 
cisco and  North  Paciiic  (Joast  Railroad.  The 
terminus  was  not  found  adequate  for  the  rapidly 
increasing  traffic  of  the  road,  and  in  1883  Colo- 
nel Donahue  pushed  his  broad  gauge  over  the 
track  of  the  S.  F.  &  N.  P.  C.  R.  R.,  and  fixed 
its  terminus  at  Tiburon.  And  to  Tiburon  has 
been  removed  the  buildings  from  Donahue. 

Leaving  San  Francisco  on  the  magiiiticeiit 
donlile  eiiiler   stcnnier     Tdntidii,    |iasst'iigers     in 


twenty  minutes'  time  are  transferred  to  the  cars 
at  Tiburon.  A  run  of  nine  and  a  half  miles 
through  several  considerable  tunnels,  brings 
the  train  to  the  beautiful  city  of  San 
Rafael,  overlooking  the  broad  expanse  of  the 
bay.  Steaming  on  through  the  suburbs  of  the 
town,  up  a  grade,  the  train  suddenly  disappears 
in  a  tunnel  bored  through  one  of  the  ranges 
which  encircle  this  pretty  village.  Emerging 
on  the  north  side  of  the  range,  the  scene  has 
completely  changed.  Glimpses  of  the  bay  may 
be  had  as  the  train  speeds  along,  now  on  tlie 
edge  of  the  marsh,  now  over  an  intervening 
point,  until  the  line  between  Sonoma  and  Marin 
counties  is  passed.  The  road  next  trends  along 
the  shore  of  I'etaliiin.i  (!reek.  Opposite  and  in 
bold  relief,  stands  out  the  old  terminus  of 
I  )onaliiie. 

(.Crossing  Petaluma  CJreek,  after  a  run  oi 
twenty-one  miles  from  San  Rafael,  the  train 
bowls  into  the  commercial  city  of  I'etaliiiiiu,  at 
the  head  of  navigation.  I't'talnina  is  beaiitifullv 
and  eligibly  located.  It  is  surrounded  by 
country  homes  and  orchards  in  the  highest  state 
of  cultivation,  and  is  distinguished  for  its  pro- 
gressive and  intelligent  population.  It  is  well 
drained,  neatly  built,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
prospe  ous  interior  towns  in  California. 

I'Voiir   I'etuhiina   the  train  proceeds  northerly. 


158 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COVNTT. 


passing  Ely's,  Penn's  Grove,  Cotate  and  Oak 
(rrove  stations  for  fifteen  miles  over  an  ex- 
tremely fertile  country  which  brings  us  to  the 
center  of  the  County  of  Sonoma,  and  to  its 
capital  town,  Santa  Rosa. 

Santa  Rosa  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  Santa 
Rosa  Creek,  and  is  almost  hidden  in  groves  of 
trees  and  luxuriant  shrubs  and  flowers.  It  has 
a  rapidly  increasing  population,  and  is  claimed 
by  all  who  have  seen  it  as  one  of  the  prettiest 
towns  in  the  State  of  California.  It  stands 
upon  an  alluvial  jilain,  sloping  gradually  from 
the  hills,  and  is  surrounded  by  farms,  orchards 
and  vineyards.  Santa  Rosa  is  the  passenger 
station  for   Mark  West  Springs. 

Leaving  Santa  Rosa,  the  next  station,  four 
miles  distant,  is  Fulton,  and  here  a  branch  road 
runs  to  Guerneville  in  the  redwoods  district, 
distant  sixteen  miles  from  Fulton.  Trains  to 
anil  from  (Tuerneville  connect  with  the  main 
line  going  north  and  south  every  day. 

From  P^ilton,  going  north,  the  train  passes 
through  the  village  of  Mark  West  to  Windsor, 
distant  four  miles  from  I'ulton,  then  by  Grant's 
Station  to  Healdsburg,  distant  six  miles  from 
Windsor. 

Healdsburg  is  situated  in  the  center  of  the 
wide-famed  Russian  River  Valley,  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  farming  country  of  unsurpassed 
fertility. 

Beyond  Healds])urg  the  road  follows  directly 
up  the  Russian  River  Valley  to  Geyserville, 
eight  miles  north  of  Healdsburg.  Geysei'ville 
is  a  pretty  village,  in  the  midst  of  a  fruit-grow- 
ing country.  It  is  also  the  station  where  pas- 
sengers take  stages  for  Skaggs'  Warm  Springs, 
one  of  the  popular  summer  resorts  in  the  State. 
From  Geyserville  to  Cloverdale,  the  north  ter- 
minus of  the  road,  the  distance  is  ten  miles. 

Cloverdale  is  situated  on  Russian  River,  just 
south  of  the  boundary  line  between  Mendo- 
cino and  Sonoma.  Here  stfiges  connect  with 
tlie  train  for  Ukiah  City,  Round  Valley,  Pot- 
ter Valley  :ni(l  Humboldt  County;  also  for  the 
Great  Geyser  Springs,  about  .«ixteen  miles  from 
Cloverdale;  also   the   Highland  Springs,  Lake- 


port,  Kelseyville,  Soda  Ray,  Bartlett  Springs  and 
the  Blue  Lakes.  There  is  also  a  large  freight 
traffic  at  Cloverdale,  hence  it  is  one  of  the 
busiest  towns  in  the  county. 

The  entire  length  of  the  road  by  way  of 
Donahue,  with  water  connection,  is  ninety 
miles.  By  way  of  San  Rafael  it  is  eighty-four 
miles,  as  follow.'?: 

Miles. 

From  San    Francisco  to  Tiburon (i 

From  Tiburon  to  San  Rafael  •  •  ■  • 9 

From  San  Rafael   to  Petal uma 21 

From  Petaluma  to  Santa  Rosa 15 

From  Santa  Rosa  to  Fulton 4 

From  Fulton  to   Windsor 5 

From  Windsor  to   Healdsburg 6 

From  Healdsburg  to  Geyserville 8 

From  Geyserville  to  Cloverdale 10 

84 
But  Cloverdale  will  soon  lose  its  position  as  a 
terminal  city,  for  the  track  is  already  graded  and 
the  mountains  pierced  with  tunnels  for  an  ex- 
tension of  the  road  to  Ukiah,  the  county  town 
of  Mendocino  Count}'.  This  extension  will  be 
in  running  order  early  in  1889,  and  will  open 
up  to  more  complete  development  a  county 
that  has  hitherto  been  without  any  facilities  for 
convenient  or  ra|)iil  communication  with  the 
outer  world. 

Following  is  a  description  of  the  ferry-boat 
connecting  the  S.  F.  it  N.  P.  R.  R.  with  San 
Francisco.  The  Tifiuroii's  dimensions  are: 
Length  between  perpeiuliculars.  224  feet;  beam, 
34  feet;  length  of  cabin,  155  feet.  She  is  of 
the  pattern  known  as  the  *•  (louble  ender,"  and 
is  nearly  a  duplicate  of  the  Bay  OUy,  with 
slightly  increased  speed.  She  is  equipped  with 
powerful  machinery  by  the  Union  Iron  Works, 
the  cylinder  of  the  engine  being  tifty  inches  in 
diameter,  with  eleven  feet  stroke.  Two  low- 
pressure  boilers  of  the  most  approved  pattern 
afford  the  driving  power;  speed  twenty  miles  an 
hour.  There  is  an  uppei--deck  (•ai)in,  like  that 
of  the  (Kthlini(L  The  keel  of  the  Tilnnon  was 
laid  on  the  2yth  of  May,  1883,  and  the  hull  was 


HrsTonr  of  sonoua  county. 


launched  eight  mouths,  lacking  one  clay,  after- 
ward. The  Tibui'ou  is  the  only  douhle-ender 
that  has  ever  been  employed  on  this  liay,  outside 
the  Oakland  and  Alameda  terries. 

NORTH    I'AcIFH;    C<).\ST    UAILKhAIi. 

Of  this  road  the  San  Francisco  JoariMl  of 
t'ouiiiieiTc  says: 

"  The  scenic  route  of  the  8tate  is  on  the 
North  Pacific  Coast  Railroad.  Every  variety 
and  change  is  encountered  on  this  line.  Leav- 
ing the  foot  of  Market  street,  San  Francisco, 
by  one  of  the  fast  ferry  steamers  of  the  com- 
pany, a  rapid  trip  is  made  across  the  liay  to 
Saucelito,  where  the  ti'ain  is  awaiting  passengers 
and  freight  for  the  north.  '  All  aboard !' and 
the  train  moves  out  of  Saucelito  and  rolls  along 
the  shores  of  Richardson's  Bay.  Rounding  the 
noted  Mount  Tamalpais  into  the  beautiful  Ross 
Valley,  it  arrives  at  San  Anselmo  station,  where 
transfer  is  made  to  San  Rafael  and  San  Quentin 
and  thence  to  Fairfax,  one  of  the  finest  and 
most  noted  picnic  resorts  of  the  State.  From 
this  point  on  the  scenery  becomes  wilder, 
grander  and  more  varied.  Climbing  the  steep 
canon  sides,  through  tunnels,  across  trestle 
liridges  hundreds  of  feet  above  the  creek  below, 
thence  winding  its  way  down,  the  train  skirts 
along  the  hill-sides  near  Point  Reyes  to  the 
shores  of  Tomales  Bay.  These  are  followed  for 
a  distance  of  fifteen  miles,  when  a  rich  agricul- 
tural district  is  entered  and  the  thriving  com- 
munities of  Tomales,  Valley  Ford,  Bodega 
Roads,  Freestone  and  Howards  are  passed  in 
(juick  succession  and  the  ascent  of  the  moun- 
tains of  north-western  Sonoma  is  begun.  iVgain 
the  grand  scenery  of  deep  canons  and^  redwood 
forests  is  continued  until  the  thriving  town  of 
Duncan's  Mills  is  reached  and  then  to  Ingrams, 
the  present  terminus.  Camp  Taylor  is  on  the 
line  of  this  route,  and  is  one  of  the  linest  iish- 
ing,  camping  and  picnicing  localities  of  the 
State. 

"The  road  cost  over  three  millions  of  dollars, 
and  is  a  magniticient  piece  of  engineering  skill. 
For   its   length    we    believe    it    possesses    more 


varied  scenery  than  any  road  in  the  United 
States.  In  a  distance  of  80  miles,  hills,  moun- 
tains, dales,  valleys,  deep  canons,  rivers,  forests, 
follow  each  other  in  bewildering  succession, 
and  are  presented  to  the  view  of  the  traveler  as 
he  passes  through  the  most  picturesque  part  of 
this  State.  It  is  a  splendid  field  for  the  sports- 
man. The  mountains  and  hills,  valleys  and 
canons  abound  with  game,  and  the  creeks  and 
rivers  are  favorite  resorts  for  the  fisherman,  who 
linds  his  time  well  occupied.  During  the  sum- 
mer months  the  various  places  on  the  line  of 
the  road  are  resorted  to  l)y  thousands  of  campers 
from  the  metropolis  of  the  coast.'' 

TUK    SONOMA    VALLEY    KAILKOAl). 

This  road  is  a  branch  of  the  Northern  Pacilic. 
It  now  connects  with  the  main  Donahue  line  at 
Pacheco  Station.  It  runs  northward  to  the  old 
town  of  Sonoma,  and  from  thence  to  Glen  Ellen, 
which  is  located  in  the  north  end  of  Sonoma 
Valley  in  a  vale  surrounded  by  sloping  hills, 
which  presents  as  desirable  a  location  for  a  pros- 
perous community  as  could  be  selected.  It  is 
located  in  the  heart  of  the  wine  section  of  the 
county,  and  for  miles  on  both  sides  of  the  valley 
are  to  be  seen  hills  clad  with  vines.  In  summer 
it  is  a  great  reso.t  for  camping  parties  bent  on 
pleasure  and  to  try  their  skill  with  the  rod  and 
gun.  As  many  as  1,500  have  camped  in  this 
vicinity  at  one  time  during  the  camping  season. 

SANTA     UdSA    AND    rAKyllXK/,    KAILKoAI>. 

This  road  was  completed  in  1887.  It  is  a 
branch  of  the  Central  Pacilic  road.  It  leaves 
that  line  at  Napa  Junction;  passes  up  the  whole 
length  of  the  Sonoma  Valley  to  Glen  Ellen;  passes 
on  through  the  Guilicos  Valley  and  terminates 
at  Santa  Rosa.  This  road  is  of  incalculable 
value  to  Sonoma  County,  as  it  affords  a  dii'ect 
and  continuous  connection  with  the  eastern 
lines,  and  thus  opens  a  way  to  ready  market  for 
the  excellent  fruit  of  this  section  of  the  State. 
There  is  now  oidy  needed  a  couple  of  branch 
roads,  one  to  Sebastopol  and  (-Jreen  Valley,  and 
the  other  to  Big   Valley    to    reiidei'    the    whole 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


county    well    i)rovided    with    conveniences    for 
travel  and  the  conveyance  of  freight  to  market. 


HimiWAV! 


lU'l'ore  the  advent  of  i-aiiroads  the  jmlilic  high- 
ways of  the  county  were  the  mediums  of  travel 
and  traffic.  The  central  and  most  consequential 
road  was  that  leading  from  Petaluma,  taking  in 
its  way  Santa  Kosa,  Windsor,  llealdsburg,  Uey- 
serville  and  Cloverdale.  Tho.se  were  the  days 
of  staging.  Large  coaches  drawn  by  six  horses 
made  the  trip  daily.  The  stage  driver  was  then 
a  consequential  man,  courted  and  conciliated  by 
those  who  had  much  traveling  to  do.  .V  scat 
with  the  driver  was  a  seat  of  honor,  to  secure 
which  it  was  generally  necessary  to  make  a 
special  engagement.  But  the  occu|)ation  id' 
driver  was  not  entirely  a  sinecure  position,  iiain 
or  shine  he  had  to  mount  his  seat,  and  in  ex- 
cessively wet  winters  he  generally  reached  the 
end  of  his  route  in  a  terribly  mud-bedraggled 
condition.  Then  lie  was  occasionally  stopped 
by  foot-pads,  receiving  a  peremptory  order  to 
throw  out  the  express  box.  Occasionally  a 
driver  would  escape  l)y  giving  lash  to  his 
team,  but  as  one  such  got  a  bullet  through  his 
cheek  and  had  a  passenger  killed  on  the  seat 
along  side  of  him,  drivers  concluded  that  such 
foolishness  did  not  pay.  and  ever  after  they 
accorded  to  foot-j)ads  that  deference  that  their 
vocation  seemed  to  entitle  them  to.  The  rail- 
road came,  however,  and  ran  close  t(.>  and  paral- 
lel with  this  great  artery  of  ti'a\el.  This 
put  an  end  to  staging  on  that  road,  anil  it  is 
now  mainly  used  for  local  purj)Oses  by  the  in- 
habitants along  its  line. 

The  next  public  highway  of  importance  is  the 
one  leading  from  Petaluma  up  the  coast.  It  takes 
in  its  route  Two  Rock,  Ploomlield,  Valley  Ford, 
Bodega  Corners,  Bodega  Bay,  Markhams  Mills, 
I'ort  Ross  and  Gualala.  That  portion  of  this  road 
from  I'odega  to  Petaluma  has  been  the  medium 
of  transportation  of  a  vast  amount  of  produce 
to  market  in  the  years  gone  by.  but  the  Narrow 
Guage  Coast  Line  Railroad  now  carries  much  of 
the  Bodega  produce  direct   to    San    Francisco. 


From  near  the  mouth  of  Russian  River  north- 
ward this  road  is  graded  along  the  elifls  over- 
hanging the  ocean.  For  a  distance  of  several 
miles  the  traveler  looks  down  into  the  surt 
breaking  ujion  the  rocks  below,  and  occasionally 
the  eye  is  I'elieved  by  seeing  in  the  distance  a 
jet  of  water  thrown  up  by  some  sportive  whale. 
When  this  spur  of  the  Ross  Mountain  is  passed 
the  road  is  of  comparatively  easy  grade  to  the 
Gualala  River,  the  boundary  line  between 
Sonoma  and  Mendocino  counties. 

One  among  the  oldest  roads  in  the  county, 
but  not  extensively  traveled,  is  the  one  leading 
from  Petaluma  to  Sonoma,  thence  to  Glen  Ellen 
and  so  on  through  Guilicos  Valley  to  Santa 
Rosa.  This  road  is  through  a  country  of  his- 
toric interest  and  at  every  turn  the  traveler 
encounters  new  and  enchanting  scenery.  All 
along  the  line  of  this  thoroughfare  are  delight- 
ful retreats,  and  it  is  becoming  a  favorite  line 
of  resort  to  pleasure  seekers. 

The  road  from  Petaluma  to  Sebastopol  and 
thence  to  Green  Valley,  although  an  old  one  in 
point  of  use,  did  not  for  many  years  receive  that 
care  and  consideration  that  its  importance  and 
utility  entitled  it  to.  Lately  it  has  been  much 
improved,  and  in  time  it  will  come  into  more 
general  use  as  the  shortest  route  to  the  redwood 
forests. 

The  roads  mentioned  all  have  a  general  course 
north  and  south,  or  lengthwise  of  the  count}'. 
Of  course  there  are  many  lUteral  branches  to 
these  roads  leading  to  valleys  and  settlements  on 
either  hand.  From  Cloverdale  a  good  road  ex- 
tends easterly  to  the  far-famed  Geysers;  and 
westerly  to  Dry  Creek  Valley,  and  thence  into 
the  coast  mountains.  From  Geyserville  a  road 
leads  to  the  Skaggs  Springs,  a  celebrated  place 
of  resort.  From  Healdsburg  roads  running 
both  east  and  west  tap  a  wide  range  of  country. 
Santa  Rosa  is  the  focus  of  a  regular  system  of 
lateral  roads.  The  most  important  of  these  is 
the  road  by  way  of  Forestville  to  Guerneville, 
and  from  thence  by  way  of  Ingrams  to  Fort 
Ross.  That  portion  of  this  road  between 
Guerneville    and  Ross    is   through   a   country 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


161 


of  mountains  and  forests  whicli  will  ever  be  a 
paradise  to  sportsmen.  With  two  lines  of  rail- 
road, one  ending  at  (Tuerneville  and  tlie  otlier 
at  Ingrams,  these  wilds  of  Sonoma  County  are 
rendered  easy  of  access  to  those  who  seek  a  res- 
pite from  the  cares  and  toil  of  business  life. 

Above  mention  is  made  that  as  the  railroads 
advanced  tlie  stage  coaches  retired.  With  the 
exception  of  on  a  short  line  on  the  coast  in  the 
e.xtreme  upper  end  of  the  county,  and  that  be- 
tween Cloverdale  and  the  Geyser  Springs,  the 
stages  have  entirely  disappeared — they  are  a 
thing  of  the  past.  For  many  years  after  our 
raih'uads  were  completed,  a  man  named  Wash- 
ington Gilliam,  who  had  long  been  a  driver  on 
our  stage  route,  continued  to  run  a  two-horse 
thorough  brace,  taking  a  cross-route  which  gave 
accommodation  to  people  between  Stony  Point 
and  Tomales.  At  best,  he  made  bnt  a  precari- 
ous living,  but  it  was  liis  vocation,  and  he  fol- 
lowed it  to  the  end.  On  the  occasion  of  his 
death,  in  1882,  his  friend,  Tom  Gregory,  of 
Bloomfield,  penned  the  following  graceful  lines: 

"  WASH.    <;II,HAJI    SI.EKl'S. 

"The  old  stage-driver  came  (juietly  into  town 
just  as  he  had  done  off  and  on  for  some  fourteen 
years.  P>)it  this  time  he  came  slower  than 
usual.  He  had  a  new  team,  but  the  horses 
tramped  solemnly  along  as  if  they  knew  that 
pace  suited  the  occasion — or  knew  that  some- 
tiiing  was  amiss  with  the  solemn  man  behind 
them.  The  old  driver  had  a  strange  look  on 
his  face  that  we  had  never  seen  before — the 
look  of  one  who  is  moving  deeply  in  a  mystic 
spell.  He  always  was  rather  (juiet,  but  now  his 
silence  was  almost  appalling.  When  the  team 
stoi)ped,  his  old  friends  anxiously  gathered 
around  him,  but  lie  did  not  seem  to  know  them, 
for  he  spoke  not  a  word.  Gne  grasped  his 
hand,  but  no  ]ires8ure  was  returned.  The  fu- 
neral that  day  was  conducted  by  the  Masons,  and 
as  he  was  a  member  of  tluit  mystic  brntherhood, 
he  took  his  place  in  the  procession  and  with 
them  moved  toward  the  cometery.  Soon  they 
were  all  at  the  graveside.  Pausing  a  moment 
on  the  brink,  the  old  stage-driver  went  slowly 


and  steadily  down  his  last  grade;  the  silver  nail 
heads  on  the  cotHn  sparkled  star-like  in  the 
gloom  of  the  still,  dark  depths.  Dust  unto 
dust,  ashes  unto  ashes.  The  bright  little  spray 
of  evergreen  and  the  dull  valley  clods  mingled 
together  as  her  dear  mother  earth  folds  around 
and  hides  away  each  home-returning  child. 
They  spread  young  wings  for  lofty  Hights 
through  life's  warm  golden  dawn,  but  at  chill 
eve  come  wearily  back  to  slumber  on  her  broad 
and  loving  breast.  The  crowd  went  quietly 
from  out  the  enclosure  and  left  him  there  alone. 
Now  only  a  low  narrow  mound,  which  in  a  few 
days  will  be  grass-grown,  marks  the  spot  where 
Wash.  Gilham  sleeps." 

KIVKKS    AND    WATKK    ((iLKsES. 

The  rivers  and  water-courses  ot  Sonoma 
County  are  peculiar  in  character.  The  Pet 
aluma  and  Sonoma  creeks  are  estuaries  of  San 
Pablo  Pay.  The  ebb  and  How  of  tide  in  these 
streams  are  about  six  feet  in  depth.  This, 
with  the  natural  depth  of  water  at  extreme  low 
tide,  enables  vessels  of  from  sixty  to  one  hun- 
dred tons  burthen  to  navigate  them  up  to  the 
cities  of  Petaluma  and  Sonoma,  respectively. 
These  tide  streams  are  of  incalculable  \alue  as 
arteries  of  commerce.  They  atford  cheap  trans- 
portation of  freight  to  San  Francisco,  and  ati'urd 
an  effectual  bar  to  freight  extortions  by  other 
mediums  of  transportation.  Both  of  these  es- 
tuaries have,  beyond  the  reach  of  salt  water 
tides,  fresh  water  fountains  that  abound  in  tis-h 
of  various  kinds. 

The  San  Antonio  Creek  that  forms  the 
boundary  between  Sonoma  and  Marin  counties 
on  the  south  takes  its  rise  in  what  was  called 
the  Laguna  de  San  Antonio  (i)ut  now  drained) 
and  has  an  entire  length  of  not  more  than 
twelve  miles.  It  does  not  atford  much  water 
in  mid-summer,  although  in  rainy  seasons  it 
becomes  a  torrent.  The  Santa  Kosa  and  Mark 
West  creeks  are  fed  by  innumerable  tributaries 
taking  their  rise  in  the  Macnway  range  of 
mountains,  and  which  abound  in  trout.  Dur- 
ing the  summer  months  botli  these  streams  are 


HISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTT. 


lost  ill  tliu  Santa  Kusa  plains,  luit  during  tlie 
winter  or  rainy  months  they  debuiieh  into  the 
lagooiias  north  ot'  Sehastopol,  and  from  thence 
tlieir  waters  reach  the  Russian   River. 

Sulphur  Creek  takes  its  rise  in  the  (4eyser 
group  of  mountains  and  empties  into  the  Rus- 
sian River  north  of  Cloverdale. 

Dry  Creek  takes  its  rise  in  Mendocino  Coun- 
ty and  enters  Sonoma  County  just  below  Dry 
Creek  canon,  and  tiows  into  the  Russian  River 
near  Healdsburg.  During  the  suininer  it  is 
barely  a  trout  stream,  but  in  the  winter  it  often 
becomes  a  roaring  torrent. 

The  Russian  River  is  a  stream  of  peculiarly  va- 
riable moods.  It  heads  high  up  in  Mendocino 
County  and  is  the  artery  of  drainage  to  an  im- 
mense section  of  country.  In  the  summer  months, 
in  consequence  of  the  gravelly  and  porous  nature 
of  the  country  it  traverses  it  sinks  away  and  is 
easily  fordable  at  all  points.  But  in  the  winter 
months,  especially  if  the  rain  fall  has  been 
copious,  it  becomes  an  angry,  incontrollable 
river.  It  enters  Sonoma  County  just  north  of 
Cloverdale,  and  for  many  miles  has  a  southerly 
course  with  but  little  fall,  until  it  readies  a 
point  nearly  opposite  Healdsburg,  where  it  sud- 
denly deflects  to  the  west,  plunges  down 
through  the  redwood  forests,  and  reaches  the 
ocean  a  few  miles  north  of  liodega  Bay.  There 
are  not  a  few  who  l)elieve  that  Russian  River 
once  flowed  uiiinipeded  to  San  Pablo  Bay,  but 
this  is  but  the  surmise  of  scientists. 

Austin  Creek,  heading  in  the  north  on  the 
dividing  line  that  forms  the  head  waters  of  the 
southern  branch  of  the  Giialala  River,  flows 
south  and  falls  into  the  Russian  River  at  Dun- 
can's mills.  It  is  a  mild,  placid  stream  from 
Ingrams  down  in  the  summer  months,  but  in 
winter  has  its  own  way,  and  puts  on  the  airs  of 
a  very  consequential  stream. 

The  southern  limb  of  the  Gualala  River 
takes  its  rise  in  the  mountains  immediately 
east  of  Fort  Ross.  It  runs  in  an  e.xactly  oppo- 
site direction  from  the  Austin  Creek,  and  after 
traversing  a  country  for  many  miles  of  the 
moBt  wild  and  {'''atid  scenic  ifrandeur  it  falls  into 


the  main  Gualala  River  about  three  miles  above 
where  the  latter  river  flows  into  the  Paciflc 
Ocean.  The  country  traversed  by  the  South 
Gualala,  and  its  fountain  streams,  will  ages 
hence  be  the  resort  of  those  who  seek  com- 
munion with  the  untarnished  grandeur  of  Na- 
ture. Locked  ill  those  fastnesses,  beyond  the 
sordid  grasp  of  pelf  and  gain,  is  a  wealth  of 
respite  from  the  toil  and  moil  of  life  that  will 
be  appreciated  by  the  generations  of  the  future. 

The  Estero  Americano  is  a  tide  stream  up 
to  Valley  Ford,  and  from  thence  upward  is  but 
the  water  conduit  of  the  streams  leading  from 
Big  Valley  westward.  These  streams  are  in- 
consequential except  in  the  winter  season. 

The  latest  water-way  to  be  noted  is  that  drain- 
ing the  water-shed  of  country  compassed  in 
Two  Rock  Valley.  The  water  of  these  various 
streams  And  their  way  into  an  estuary  of  the 
ocean  in  Marin  County,  about  midway  between 
Tomales  Bay  and  the  Estero  Americano. 

There  is  a  peculiarity  of  the  topography  of 
the  country  right  here  worth  mentioning.  The 
ranch  at  present  owned  by  Allen  Rosebnrg, 
about  eight  miles  north  from  Petaluma,  is  the 
saddle  of  a  tridant.  The  water-shed  of  the 
northerly  portion  of  the  ranch  sends  its  water 
down  through  Two  Rock  Valley  and  thence  to 
the  ocean  through  the  channel  last  above  de- 
scribed. The  waters  from  the  southerly  slope 
of  this  ranch  flow  into  the  Petaluma  Creek; 
and  the  water  from  the  western  side  of  the 
place  flows  westerly  and  through  the  medium  of 
Salmon  Creek  falls  into  Tomales  Bay. 

BAYS    AND    COVES. 

Along  the  ocean  line  of  Sonoma  County  are 
several  bays  and  coves  affording  good  anchor- 
age for  vessels.  Bodega  l!ay  is  a  land-locked 
harbor  affording  good  anchorage  for  vessels.  It 
is  about  two  miles  long  and  one  mile  wide.  Its 
entrance  is  somewhat  narrow  and  dithcult  of 
access  in  stormy  weather,  but  vessels  once  inside 
are  safe  and  secure.  About  ten  miles  north- 
ward, at  Russian  Gulch,  there  is  a  cove  where 
vessels  land  and  take  on  lumber  by  means  of  a 


HI8T0RT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


chute.  At  Fort  Ross  there  is  a  very  good 
landing,  and  vessels  come  and  go  with  great 
regularity,  carrying  to  San  Francisco  railroad 
ties,  cord  wood  and  tan  bark.  At  Timber  Cove  is 
also  a  landing  for  vessels.  Salt  Point  has  a  very 
good  landing  for  vessels,  so  also  has  Fisk's  and 
Stuart's  Points.  At  all  these  places  are  chutes 
for  sliding  lumber  and  freights  of  various  kinds 
down  into  the  vessels  moored  Ijelow.  The 
traveler  along  the  coast  is  constantly  astonished 
to  beliold  the  masts  of  vessels  close  in  shore 
where  lie  would  least  expect  to  see  them.  These 
bays  and  coves  on  the  northwest  coast  of  Sono- 
ma County  are  the  mediums  of  a  lumber  trade 
both  vast  and  protitiible. 

coLONKr.    TETEIl    UnXAHUK. 

As  Sonoma  County  was  largely  indebted  to 
the  late  Col.  Peter  Donahue  for  her  railroad 
facilities  we  account  it  but  just  to  afford  his 
name  some  space  in  Sonoma  County  history. 
Of  his  death,  the  Petaluma  Argus  of  November 
28,  1885,  said: 

"Col.  Peter  Donahue  died  at  his  ri'sidence  in 
San  Francisco  at  10  o'clock  Thursday  evening. 
He  had  been  ill  several  days,  but  a  fatal  ter- 
mination was  not  anticipated  until  within  a  few 
hours  of  his  death.  He  seemed  to  have  had  a 
complication  of  ailments,  but  diabetes  is  given 
as  the  immediate  cause  of  death.  Thus  has 
come  to  an  end  a  remarkably  active  aii<]  useful 
life.  Peter  Donahue  was  eminently  the  archi- 
tect of  his  own  fortune.  The  foundation  of  his 
fortune  was  laid  with  his  own  brawny  arms 
while  toiling  at  the  forge.  AVith  far-seeing 
sagacity  he  made  investments  and  inaugurated 
enterprises  that  not  only  brought  himself  rich 
returns,  but  gave  lucrative  employment  and 
prosperity  to  thousand  of  others.  With  all  his 
vast  accumulations  of  wealth,  Peter  Donahue 
never  forgot  or  looked  down  superciliously  upon 
those  occupying  the  walks  of  life  he  himself 
once  trod.  We  have  neither  time  nor  space  for 
more  extended  mention  of  the  deceased  at  this 
time,  and  conclude  by  saying  that  in  the  death 
of  Peter  Donahue,  San  Francisco  and  California 


has  lost  a  most  enterprising  and  valuable  citi- 
zen." 

Continuing  the  Argus  said:  '•  We  last  week 
announced  the  death  of  Colonel  Peter  Donahue. 
To  the  San  Francisco  BuUetiu  we  are  indebted 
for  the  following  biographical  sketch: 

"  The  deceased  was  born  of  Irish  parents  in 
Glasgow,  Scotland,  on  the  11th  of  January, 
1822.  In  1835  he  emigrated  with  his  mother 
to  America,  settling  at  Matteawan,  which  is  now 
a  portion  of  Fishkill  Township,  Dutchess 
County,  New  York.  He  worked  some  two 
years  in  a  cotton  factory  and  then  entered  a 
locomotive  manufactory  in  Patterson,  New 
Jersey.  In  1847  he  was  appointed  engineer  of 
the  Peruvian  war  steamer  Itimal.  Mr.  Donahue 
arrived  in  San  Francisco  on  the  steamer  Oregon, 
June  18,  1849,  and  proceeded  to  the  mines. 
Snlisequently  he  returned  to  this  city,  where  he 
met  his  brothers  James  and  Michael.  lie  and 
James  established  a  blacksmith  shop  on  Mont- 
gomery street,  and  about  a  year  afterward  they 
removed  to  First  street.  In  1852  tlie  firm 
obtained  the  franchise  for  lighting  the  city  with 
gas,  and  within  two  years  gas  works  were  estab- 
lished. 

•'  Peter  Donahue  also  established  a  line  of 
steamers  on  the  Sacramento  River.  In  18(')1 
he  obtained  a  street  railroad  franchise  and  estab- 
lished what  is  known  as  the  Omnibus  line.  The 
same  year  he  obtained  a  contract  for  raising  and 
rebuilding  the  sunken  monitor  Comanche  for  the 
defense  of  this  harbor.  The  first  casting  melted 
and  molded  in  this  State  was  done  at  the  Union 
Foundry,  by  Messrs.  Donahue,  for  the  old  pio- 
neer steamer  McK'un,  the  blasts  for  the  furnace 
being  prepared  by  three  blacksmiths'  bellows, 
which  are  now  the  jT'operty  of  the  Mechanics' 
Institute.  The  first  quartz  mill  constructed  in 
this  State  was  made  at  the  Donahue  foundry. 
A  building  is  now  in  the  course  of  construction 
where  the  old  Donahue  shop  and  wharf  existed 
on  First  street  in  1850.  In  1862  Mr.  Donahue 
and  a  few  associates  built  the  railroad  from  this 
city  to  San  Jose,  and  subsequently  continued  it 
to  Gilroy,  a  distance  of  about  eighty  miles.  This 


HISTOar    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


road  was  subsequeutlj  sold  to  Stauford  &  Co. 
A  broad  gauge  road  was  also  built  by  Mr. 
Donahue  from  the  town  of  Donahue,  on  Peta- 
luma  Creek  to  Cloverdale,  a  distance  of  fifty 
miles.  All  of  the  rolling  stock  for  this  road 
was  constructed  at  the  Donahue  foundry.  A 
branch  road  was  built  from  Fulton  to  Russian 
River,  a  distance  of  eighteen  miles,  and  from 
Petaluma  to  San  Rafael  twenty-two  miles  in 
length.  This  latter  branch  has  been  extended 
from  San  Rafael  to  Point  Tibnrou  on  Raccoon 
Straits,  which  is  connected  with  this  city  by  a 
ferry  line.  In  1879  Donahue  and  his  associates 
purchaseil  the  unlinisiied  narrow  gauge  from 
Sonoma  to  Sonoma  Creek,  which  they  completed. 
For  a  quarter  of  a  century  Mr.  Donahue  was 
director  of  the    Ilibernia   Bank,   and    for   over 


twenty  years  a  director  of  the  iS'^ational  Gold 
Bank.  He  was  a  life  member  of  the  Pioneer 
Society. 

"The  deceased  married  Miss  JaneMcGnire  in 
New  York  in  1852,  by  whom  he  had  four  chil- 
dren, two  of  whom  are  living.  A  few  years  ago 
the  daughter  married  Baron  von  Scliroeder,  and 
until  recently  lias  resided  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  State.  The  son,  Mervyn,  a  few  years  ago 
married  the  daughter  of  ex-Supreme  Judge 
Wallace,  and  resides  at  San  Rafael.  On  the  death 
of  the  first  wife,  Mr.  Donahue  married  Miss 
Anna  Downey,  sister  of  ex-Governor  Downey. 

"  The  deceased  was  a  courteous  and  companion- 
able gentleman  who  well  represented  the  dignity 
of  labor  as  an  intelligent  and  industrious 
mechanic." 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


165 


^V^ 


■>-j»t^'«^. 


mijk 


'^^::t^ 


m  EVENTS  IN  CHEONOLOGK  AL  OEDEE. 


^i^ 


ClIAPTEPv  XVII. 

A    RECORD    OF    TKARS rNCFDENTS ACCfDKNTS — ociT  RRENclOS — niscoVERIKS DEVELOPMENTS,    ETC. 


N  anotlier  chapter  has  been  given  an  epitome 
of  all  the  occnrrences  of  a  year,  as  recorded 
^  in  the  only  journal  then  published  in  the 
county.  We  now  take  up  the  thread  of  current 
events  where  these  dropped,  and  follow  it  to  the 
end. 

September  I'.l,  1856 — The  first  Republican 
uiass  convention  assembled  in  the  dining-room 
of  the  old  Petaluma  House. 

September  26,  1856 — The  settlers  held  a  mass 
convention  at  Santa  Kosa. 

(October  3,  1856  -The  subject  of  opening  a 
road  north  to  AV^eavervillc  was  being  agitated. 

December  9,  1856— Dr.  H.  B.  Bonham, 
county  superintendent  of  public  instruction,  re- 
ported the  condition  of  the  schools  in  the 
county. 

January  23,  1857 — W.  A.  I)\ister,  county 
treasurer,  proved  a  defaulter  for  several  thou- 
sand dollars — was  tried;  sentenced  to  the  peni- 
tentiary for  five  years,  and  pai-doned  by  the 
Governor  at  the  end  of  three  years. 

April  10,  1857— The  Round  Valley  Indian 
i-eser\atioti,  Mendocino  County,  established  an 
agent.  John  Hendley  reported  several  thou- 
sand Indians  there,  and  doing  well. 

June  5,  1857 — J.  A.  Rudesill  commenced 
running  a  stage  from  Petaluma  to  the  Geyser 
Springs. 


June  12,  1857— At  Bodega,  an  Indian  killed 
one  of  his  tribe — confessed  the  crime,  and  was 
hung  by  order  of  "Judge  Lynch." 

September  4,  1857 — A  large  camp-meeting 
was  held  at  Liberty  school-house. 

September  16,  1857 — Three  Indians  were 
hung  near  Fort  Ross  by  a  vigilance  committee. 
A  peace  ofiicer  was  present  and  forbade  the 
hanging,  but  it  was  of  no  avail. 

October  23,  1857 — There  was  (|uite  an  ex- 
citement over  the  supposed  discovery  of  coal  in 
Two  Rock  Valley. 

November  27,  1857— An  elk  weighing  800 
pounds  was  killed  near  Healdsburg.  This  was 
the  last  elk  that  there  is  any  record  of,  and 
probably  the  last  one  ever  in  the  county. 

February  12,  1858 — There  was  some  excite- 
ment over  the  supposed  disco\ery  of  cinnabar, 
near  Petaluma. 

April  23,  1858— The  beginning  of  trouble 
about  squatters  on  the  Sotoyome  grant,  near 
Healdsburg. 

October  4,  1858 — The  celebrated  comet  that 
had  for  weeks  been  blazing  in  the  heavens,  be- 
gan to  wane. 

April  8,  1859 — A.  B.  Bowers  was  workino- 
on  a  map  of  Sonoma  County.  When  completed 
it  was  a  most  excellent  farm  maji,  vei'v  accurate 
in  every  detail. 


160 


HISTORY    (IF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


September  9, 1859 — The  animal  fair  was  lield 
at  Healdsburg,  and  the  interest  manifested  in 
Sonoma  County  industries  was  highly  satisfac- 
tory. 

February  10,  1860  —Discovery  of  quicksilver 
near  Mount  St.  Helena  and  the  Geysers. 

June  15,  1860 — A  monster  grizzly  bear  was 
killed  on  Salmon  Creek,  Marin  County,  by  J. 
S.  Brackett,  the  Estee  brothers,  and  others.  It 
was  brought  to  Petaluma  and  exhibited.  It 
weighed  1,000  pounds,  and  had  been  very  de- 
structive to  stock. 

July  6,  1860 — The  boundary  line  between 
Sonoma  and  Marin  counties  was  finally  placed 
as  located  by  Surveyor  William  Mock  in  1856; 
that  is,  following  a  straight  line  from  the  head 
of  the  Laguna  de  San  Antonio,  to  the  head  of 
the  Estero  Americano  at  Yalley  Ford. 

August  10,  1860 — A  quarry  of  asbestos  was 
found  near  Windsor. 

April  12, 1861 — The  Legislature  passed  a  bill 
submitting  the  question  of  county  seat  removal 
to  a  vote  of  the  people. 

May  24,  1861 — Joe  Hooker,  of  Sonoma,  left 
for  the  theater  of  the  civil  war.  He  became 
the  celebrated  "  Fighting  General  Joe  Hooker  " 
of  that  unfortunate  conflict. 

Ifoveniber  26,  1861 — Lady  Franklin,  relict  of 
the  ill-fated  Sir  John  Franklin  of  Arctic  Ocean 
fame,  visited  Sonoma  County,  accompanied  by 
her  niece.  Miss  Craycroft. 

January  21,  1862 — From  Petaluma  and  other 
portions  of  the  county  liberal  aid  was  sent  to 
the  sufterers  by  flood  at  Sacramento. 

February  11,  1862— Charles  Minturn,  of  the 
Steamer  line,  straightens  a  couple  of  bends  in 
the  creek,  below  Petaluma. 

June  25,  1862 — There  was  considerable  pros- 
pecting for  coal  in  the  easterly  side  of  Santa 
Rosa  Yalley,  opposite  the  old  Half-way  House. 

November  9,  1862 — Judge  McKinstry  re- 
signed the  position  of  judge  of  the  seventli 
judicial  district,  and  Hon.  J.  B.  Southard  was 
appointed  to  the  position. 

December  3,  1862 — Suit  was  commenced  for 
the    partition  of  the    Rancho    Laguna  de    San 


Antonio,  comprising  over  24,000  acres.  This 
ranch  was  familiarly  known  as  the  "  Bojorques 
Rancho,'"  and  the  history  of  this  litigation  is 
scattered  through  over- twenty  volumes  of  the 
California  Supreiue  Court  Reports. 

August  5, 1863 — There  was  great  excitement 
about  the  discoveiy  of  copper  in  the  mountains 
about  eighteen  miles  westerly  from  Healds- 
bui'g.  Copper,  in  small  quantities,  in  a  pure 
state,  was  found,  and  much  prospecting  was 
done,  but  with  no  paying  results. 

November  2, 1865 — A  railroad  company  was 
organized  in  Petaluma  for  the  purpose  of  build- 
ing a  railroad  from  Petaluma  to  Cloverdale. 
There  were  various  moves  and  counter-moves 
about  railroads.  The  question  of  location,  and 
the  granting  of  a  subsidy  of  85,000  a  mile  came 
to  a  vote  on  the  10th  of  September,  1868.  The 
subsidy  was  voted,  and  the  route  from  Petaluma 
to  Cloverdale  selected.  Work  was  prosecuted 
for  a  time  in  1869.  then  was  stopped.  Colonel 
Peter  Donahue  bought  the  road  and  franchise  on 
August  10,  1870,  and  on  October  29,  1870,  the 
first  cars  ran  between  Petaluma  and  Santa  Rosa. 
In  1872  the  road  was  completed  to  Cloverdale. 

November  9,  1865 — There  was  a  heavy  rain- 
storm northward  along  the  coast.  At  the  Gua- 
lala  River  the  saw-log  boom  of  the  Rutherford 
Milling  Company  broke,  and  about  4,000,000 
feet  of  lumber  went  out  to  sea.  Three  schooners 
were  wrecked  upon  the  coast. 

March  29, 1866 — Michael  Ryan  was  executed 
at  Santa  Rosa,  for  the  crime  of  killing  his  wife. 
This  is  the  only  case  of  capital  punishment  yet 
on  record  in  Sonoma  County. 

November  15,  1866 — A  destructive  lire  oc- 
curred at  Sonoma,  and  a  number  of  buildings 
were  destroyed. 

November  7,  1867 — Mineral  paint  of  good 
quality  was  found  near  the  mill  of  O.  A.  Olm- 
stead,  in  the  redwoods. 

November  28,  1868  —  A  stage  robbery 
occurred  near  Cloverdale. 

December  10,  1868— The  schooner  C.  P. 
Heustis,  Captain  H.  Piltz,  went  ashore  near 
Fort  Ross,  and  was  a  total  wreck.  No  lives  lost. 


BISTORT    OF   SONOMA    COUNTY. 


167 


January  21,  1869. — A  petrified  tree  was 
found  while  grading  for  tlie  railroad,  on  the 
Cotate  Branch. 

March  18,  18(39 — According  to  the  school 
census  Sonoma  County  had  more  school  chil- 
dren than  any  other  comity  in  the  State,  except 
San  Francisco. 

August  19,  1871 — A  daring  attempt  was 
made  to  rob  the  Cloverdale  stage.  The  driver, 
Sandy  Woodworth,  would  not  stop,  and  as  a 
consequence  got  a  bullet  tlirough  his  cheek,  and 
a  young  man,  named  Cofhn,  on  the  seat  beside 
him  was  killed. 

F^ebruary  24,  1872 — A  large  whale  was 
stranded  on  the  shore  near  Timber  Cove,  and 
the  coast  residents  laid  in  a  supply  of  whale  oil. 

March  16,  1872— The  Donahue  line  of  rail- 
road was  completed  and  in  running  order  to 
Cloverdale. 

May  25,  1872 — This  was  an  era  of  road  im- 
provement around  Petaluma  and  in  the  county 
at  large.  Many  miles  of  excellent  macadam- 
ized roads  were  constructed. 

September  6,  1872 — A.  Doty  &  Co.  estab- 
lished a  broom  factory  near  Penn's  Grove. 

August  1,  1873 — Elijah  McMurray,  a  former 
resident  of  Two  Rock  Yalley,  had  a  fearful  en- 
coTinter  with  a  wounded  buck,  and  finally  proved 
victor,  although   badly  wounded  and  lacerated. 

November  21,  1873 — A  telegraphic  line  was 
completed  from  Petaluma  to  Humboldt  Bay, 
and  there  was  Fraternal  greeting  between  the 
presses  of  Sonoma  and  Humboldt  counties. 

May  1,  1874  -The  schooner  Horace  Tem,- 
plcton  was  wrecked  in  Petaluma  Creek  on  what 
is  known  as   the  "  sunken  rock.'' 

May  29,  1874— The  basalt  blocks  of  Sonoma 
County  began  to  be  used  extensively  for  paving 
in  San  Francisco. 

June  26, 1874— The  Forestville  Chair  Factory 
becomes  an  important  manufacturing  industry. 

Sept&mber  18,  1874 — A  destructive  fire 
occurred  at  Bodega  Corners. 

November  27,  1874 — This  was  a  season  of 
floods  to  Sonoma  County,  on  account  of  excessive 
rains. 


April  16,  1875 — The  steamer  James  M. 
Donahue  was  completed  and  commenced  run- 
ning between  San  Francisco  and  Lakeville. 

April  30,  1875— Granville  P.  Swift,  one  of 
the  "  Bear  Flag  party,"  and  once  a  wealthy  citi- 
zen of  Sonoma  County,  who  had  money  buried 
by  the  thousands  of  dollars,  was  found  with  his 
neck  broken,  in  Solano  County  —  his  mule 
having  stumbled  and  fallen  over  a  precipice. 

June  4,  1875 — A  new  townshi  p  was  created 
by  the  county  board  of  supervisors  called 
"  Knight's  Yallej'." 

June  18,  1875 — A  test  case  was  agreed  upon 
to  settle  the  disputed  boundary  question  be- 
tween Sonoma  and  Napa  Counties.  The 
decision  was  in  favor  of  Sonoma  County. 

October  27,  1876— The  Petaluma  and  San 
Rafael  Narrow  Guage  Railroad  was  sold  and 
transferred  to  Colonel  Peter  Donahue. 

January  18,  1878 — This  was  a  season  of  un- 
usual floods  to  Sonoma  Covmt^',  and  considera- 
ble damage  was  done. 

April  19,  1878 — The  up-coast  stage  was 
robbed  at  a  point  near  the  Gualala  River. 

December  27,  1878 — Congress  was  petioned 
for  $25,000  to  aid  in  improving  Petaluma  Creek. 
The  subsidy  was  granted  and  tlie  creek  much 
improved. 

January  30,  1880 — The  valleys  of  Sonoma 
County  were  covered  with  snow,  a  very  unusual 
occurrence. 

August  20,  1881 — A  destructive  fire  occurred 
at  Sebastopol. 

February  3,  1882 — Foot-pads  robbed  the 
Cloverdale  stage. 

September  1,  1882— J.  R.  Jewell  of  Peta- 
luma Township  Iniilt  the  first  silo  in  the  county. 

March  17,  1883— The  Pacific  Narrow  Guage 
Railroad  was  extended  to  Ingrams. 

October  6, 1883— The  Northern  Pacific  Rail- 
road was  completed  to  deep  water  at  Tiburon. 

The  new  steamer  Gold,  to  run  between  San 
Francisco  and  Petaluma,  was  completed. 

December  8,  1883 — The  first  stone  of  the 
new  court-house  at  Santa  Rosa  was  laid. 

September     25,    1886 — The     first    canning 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


establislniient  at  Santa  Rusa  was  destroyud  by 
iire. 

June  18,  1887 — Tlie  work  of  building  a 
branch  railroad  from  Pacheco  Station  to  con- 
nect with  the  Sonoma  Valley  Railroad  was  com- 
menced. 

July  30,  1888~The  northern  end  of  the 
count}',  from  Santa  Rosa  upward,  has  a  large 
showing  of  new  vineyards  and  orchards. 

Below  we  give  a  full  list  of  the  present  towns 
and  villages  of  Sonoma  County,  in  alphabetical 
order,  outside  of  Petaluma,  Santa  Rosa,  Sonoma 
and  llealdsburg,  that  are  i-egularly  incorporated 
cities: 

America  is  ten  miles  north  of  Santa  Rosa; 
including  the  immediate  vicinity;  it  has  a  popu- 
lation of  250.  It  is  more  wideh'  known  as 
Mark  West  Springs.  It  has  a  hotel  and  post- 
ottice  and  is  a  resort  for  tourists  and  invalids. 
A  stage  line  affords  communication  with  Santa 
Rosa. 

Bloomfield  is  a  thriving  comumtiity  at  the 
head  of  Big  Valley,  twelve  miles  north  of  Peta- 
luma. The  population  is  about  350.  The 
village  has  a  full  complement  of  stores,  churches 
and  societies;  a  good  hotel  is  maintained.  It 
has  communication  by  stage  with  Petaluma. 
It  is  growing  and  offers  inducements  to  settlers. 

Bodega  is  eighteen  miles  north  of  Petaluma, 
and  located  on  Bodega  Bay  in  the  midst  of  a 
line  dairy  country  from  which,  with  the  fishing 
business,  it  derives  its  support.  It  boasts  of  a 
hotel,  postoffice  and  express  office. 

Clahr'dJe  is  located- twenty  three  miles  north- 
west from  Santa  Rosa  on  the  line  of  the  S.  F. 
cV-  N.  P.  It.  li.  If  is  in  the  midst  of  a  farming 
an<l  vino  growing  disti'ict.  There  are  sevei-al 
wineries  in  the  inimediatt'  neighborhdod.  It 
has  a  population  of  l."U.  Skaggs"  S]irin<;s  are 
six  miles  distant  fnun  tiiis  point  with  which 
communication  is  maintained  liy  stage. 

Cliiverdale. — Cloverdale  is  fourth  in  point  of 
wealth  and  population  amongst  the  towns  of 
Sonoma  County.  It  is  the  present  terminus  of 
tlie  San  Francisco  and  North  Pacific  iiaiiroad, 
and  is  distaut  thirty-three    miles  northwest  of 


Santa  Rosa  and  eighty-four  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco. It  is  in  the  midst  of  a  large  and  pro- 
ductive region,  and  is  the  center  of  trade  for 
the  wool  interest  and  extensive  hop  fields  of 
this  part  of  the  country.  The  climate  here  is 
more  bracing  than  in  the  southern  portion  of 
Sonoma,  and  is  especially  adapted  to  the  growth 
of  the  hardier  varieties  of  fruits.  The  popula- 
tion is  about  1,400  and  is  steadily  growing. 
The  leading  denominations  have  places  of  wor- 
ship with  good  congregations.  All  the  leading 
secret  and  fraternal  orders  and  societies  have 
flourishing  organizations.  Hotel  accommoda- 
tions are  good.  The  town  is  amply  supplied 
with  water  furnished  by  the  Cloverdale  Water 
Company.  Real  estate  is  low,  and  the  oppor- 
tunities offered  to  the  settler  are  unexcelled  by 
those  of  other  places.  Stages  leave  here  for 
Ukiah,  Mendocino  City,  Eureka  and  other  points 
on  the  North  Coast,  and  for  all  points  in  Lake 
County  and  northern  Napa.  A  railroad  will, 
in  a  few  months,  connect  it  with  Ukiah,  Men- 
docino County.  The  Cloverdale  Reveille  ably 
advocates  the  interests  of  the  community.  It 
is  published  weekly. 

Cozzens. — A  small  burg  located  a  i^^^  miles 
distant  from  Healdsburg.  It  has  a  population 
of  150  and  is  surrounded  by  a  prosperous  farm- 
ing and  wine  growing  community.  A  sawmill 
is  located  here  and  a  general  merchandise  store 
supplies  the  needed  requirements  of  the  village. 

JJuncan'x  M\U><  is  located  fhirty  miles  north 
from  Petaluma.  It  has  communication  with 
San  Francisco  by  the  North  Pacific  Coast  "Rail- 
road. It  is  supported  by  important  lumber, 
dairy  and  stock  raising  interests.  The  Duncan's 
Mill's  LantI  and  Lumber  t'omjiany  saw  mills  are 
located  here.  The  population  is  about  250. 
The  surrounding  coiintr}-  is  noted  for  its 
romantic  and  pictures(jue  scenery,  and  abun- 
dance of  game  and  fish.  It  is  a  favorite  resor- 
for  the  tourist,  the  sportsman  and  for  camping 
parties  during  the  summer  months.  Stages 
leave  here  for  all  points  in  ^Lendocino  anil  Hum- 
boldt (tonnties. 

J''is/i<ri'iiiitii's    lln/    is    located    on    the   coast 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


above  Fort  Ross.  A  population  of  200  is  sup- 
ported by  the  farming  interest  and  employment 
at  the  saw  ami  shingle  mills  which  are  located 
liere. 

/'Isk's  Mills  is  a  small  village  of  about  150 
population,  in  Salt  Point  Township,  distant 
about  twelve  miles  north  of  Fort  Ross.  Com- 
munication is  had  with  Duncan's  Mills  by  stage. 

Forestville  is  distant  twelve  miles  northwest 
of  Santa  Rosa,  on  the  S.  F.  tte  N.  P.  R.  R. 
Large  quantities  of  tan-bark  are  shipped  from 
this  point.  A  rustic  chair  factory  is  located 
here.  The  business  community  consists  of  a 
hotel,  blacksmith  shops  and  two  general  mer- 
chandise stores.  The  surrounding  country  is 
devoted  to  farming. 

Fort  lioss  is  a  small  settlement  forty-two 
miles  north  of  Petaluma.  It  contains  many 
reminders  of  the  early  days  wdien  a  Russian 
colony  was  located  here.  It  is  one  of  the  old- 
est settlements  on  the  northern  coast  of  Califor- 
nia. The  population  is  about  130,  who  are 
principally  engaged  in  stock  raising  and  farm- 
ing. It  is  connected  with  Duncan's  Mills  by 
stage. 

Freestone  is  on  the  line  of  the  North  Pacific 
Coast  Railroad.  The  population  is  about  175, 
supported  by  the  dairying  and  farming  carried 
on  in  the  vicinity. 

Fvlton. — An  ambitious  and  growing  village 
on  the  line  of  the  S.  F.  &  N.  P.  R.  R.,  four 
miles  from  Santa  Rosa,  is  surrounded  by  a  rich 
agricultural  district.  Considerable  fruit  is 
raised  here.  The  population  is  200,  dependent 
upon  the  fruit  and  farming  interests  of  the 
vicinity.  From  this  place  a  branch  of  the  S. 
F.  it  N.  P.  R.  R.  extends  to  (xuerneville. 

(jreyser  Springs  are  located  sixteen  miles 
from  Cloverdale,  from  whicli  place  they  are 
reached  by  stage.  It  is  a  noted  health  and  pleas- 
ure resort.  The  numerous  mineral  springs  in 
the  vicinity  are  the  chief  attraction. 

GuerneviUe. — The  progressive  and  j^rosperous 
town  of  GuerneviUe  is  situated  in  the  midst  of 
a  large  lumber  producing  district,  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  forests  of  redwood;  a  branch  of  the 


8.  F.  &  N.  P.  R.  R.  has  its  terminus  at  this 
point.  The  town  derived  its  name  from  one  of 
its  pioneer  residents  who  is  engaged  in  the  large 
milling  interests  of  the  town.  There  are  four 
extensive  lumber  mills  located  in  the  town,  em- 
ploying a  large  number  of  men.  The  present 
population  is  variously  estimated  at  from  750  to 
900.  As  the  forests  are  being  cleared  oft'  the 
land  is  put  under  cultivation,  producing  fine 
crops  of  vegetables  and  cereals,  and  a  large  yield 
of  fruit.  The  Korbel  mills  located  about  three 
miles  up  the  Russian  River,  are  the  most  exten- 
sive lumber  mills  in  the  county.  Considerable 
attention  has  of  late  been  paid  to  the  vine,  and 
many  acres  have  been  set  out.  In  addition  to 
the  lumber  mills,  there  is  also  a  box  factory  and 
shingle  mill  in  active  operation.  The  prospects 
of  this  town  are  very  bright.  Its  rapid  growth 
and  prosperity  are  assured. 

Kellogg. — A  summer  resort,  sixteen  miles 
from  Santa  Rosa,  witli  which  it  is  connected  by 
stage. 

Lakeside  is  a  thriving  and  growing  village, 
twenty-two  miles  southeast  of  Santa  Rosa. 
There  are  large  farming,  dairy  and  stock  raising 
interests  in  the  vicinity ;  the  population  is  about 
150. 

Litton  Springs. — A  noted  health  and  pleas- 
ure resort,  four  miles  from  Healdsburg,  on  the 
S.  F.  &  N.  P.  R.  R.  The  water  of  the  mineral 
springs  located  here  is  bottled  and  finds  a  mar- 
ket all  over  the  State.  The  Litton  Sprino-s 
College  is  located  at  this  point.  The  countrv 
in  the  neighborhood  is  rich  and  productive,  and 
inviting  to  settlement. 

Mark  West  is  on  the  line  of  the  S.  F.  ct  N. 
P.  R.  R.  six  miles  north  of  Santa  Rosa.  The 
leading  interests  of  the  vicinity  ure  farmiiio-, 
fruit  and  vine  growing.  The  population  is 
about  100.  I'he  surrounding  country  is  I'ich 
and  fertile  and  excellently  ada])te(l  to  the  growth 
of  vines  and  fruit. 

Occidental.  — This,  growing  and  prosperous 
town  is  located  on  the  line  of  the  North  Pacific 
Coast  Railroad,  about  thirty  miles  north  of  Peta- 
luma.      Farming,    fruit   growing   and    lumber 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


iDamifacturing  are  the  principal  industries  in 
wliicii  tlie  inhabitants  are  engaged.  Tiie  popula- 
tion is  225. 

Penn^s  Grove  is  a  sinall  .<ettlen)ent  live 
miles  north  of  Petalnina  mi  tlif  line  of  the  S.  F. 
&  N.  I'.  R.  R.  It  is  in  the  midst  of  a  large 
vine  gniwiiig  an<l  wine  producing  district.  The 
population  is  125. 

Timlier  Core  is  foi-tj'-tive  miles  north  of 
Petahima,  and  has  a  popidation  of  100.  The 
occupation  of  the  residents  is  mainly  farming, 
stock  raising,  and  dairying.  It  is  known  by 
the  Post  Oftice  Department  as  ISeaview. 

iSkaf/ffs'  Sjyringfi, — Has  long  been  noted  as  a 
liealtli  and  pleasure  resort,  twenty-nine  miles  dis- 
tant from  Santa  Rosa.  A  stage  connects  it  with 
Clairville,  si.x  miles  distant.  Tiie  jiopulation  is 
about  115,  who  are  principally  engaged  in  wool 
raising. 

Smith's  Iian<]i,  or  more  generally  known 
as  Bodega  Roads,  is  twenty-five  miles  north'  of 
Petaluma,  and  is  on  the  line  of  the  North  Paci- 
fic Coast  Railroad.     The  people  of  the  surround- 


ing country  are  principally  engaged  in  dairying 
and  farming,  from  which  their  support  is  chiefly 
derived.     The  population  is  about  is  250. 

Stiiiiy  Point — Is  located  seven  miles  north  of 
Petaluma  in  the  midst  of  a  large  fruit,  dairy  and 
farming  region.  Thepopidation  is  about  20U,  in- 
cluding those  residing  in  the  immediate  vicinity. 

Valley  Ford  is  one  of  the  prosperous  com- 
munities of  Sonotna.  It  is  on  the  line  of  the 
North  Pacific  Coast  R.  R.,  eighteen  miles  north 
of  Petahima.  It  boasts  of  a  flouring  mill.  The 
population  is  about  250.  It  is  snppoi-fed  by 
the  large  dairying,  farming,  and  stock  raising 
interest  by  which  it  is  surrounded. 

Windsor  is  another  of  the  large  aud  thrifty 
villages  of  Sonoma  County.  It  is  ten  miles 
northwest  of  Santa  Rosa,  in  the  midst  of  a  large 
farming  and  fruit  growing  section.  There  are 
many  vineyards  in  the  neighborhooil  aud  several 
nurseries.  It  has  a  population  of  400.  The 
village  boasts  of  a  brick  manufactory,  several 
fruit-drying  establishments,  and  other  industries 
of  minor  imnortance. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    GOUNTT. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTEFl   XYIIl. 


Ill-fated^  Sonoma  Countians — -Doctor  Smeathman — Canfield,  Van  NosTRANn  and  Borton 

Barnes — Judson,   Woodworth,  Baker  and  "Old  Benjamin" — Leihy — Mrs.   Sai.lie    Ann 
Canfield. 


flHE  early  American  settlers  of  Sonoma 
W.  Count}'  luckily  escaped  the  clangers  and 
J  bloody  episodes  of  Indian  warfare  so  com- 
mon to  those  who  follow  close  upon  the  foot- 
steps of  receding  barbarism.  Their  immunity 
from  these  usual  accompaniments  of  frontier 
life  are  traceable  to  three  causes.  As  early  as 
1811,  as  has  already  been  shown,  the  Rus- 
sians had  secured  a  lodgment  on  this  coast, 
and  held  real,  if  not  undisputed,  sway  from 
Bodega  Bay  to  the  Ciualala  River.  Those  Mus- 
covites came,  not  only  prepared  with  ample 
munitions  of  war  to  make  their  presence  felt 
and  respected,  but  they  liriHight  with  them 
quite  a  little  army  of  Koiliac  Indians  who,  like 
all  the  Indians  of  the  northern  latitudes,  were 
much  superior  in  intelligence  and  physical 
courage  to  the  dull  apathetic  Indians  of  Cen- 
tral California.  AVhatever  there  may  be  yet  of 
unwritten  history  clustering  around  Fort  Ross, 
it  is  quite  probable  that  the  shortest  chapter 
would  be  that  compassing  the  recital  of  Indian 
warfare  against  the  Russians.  Then,  again, 
for  several  years  by  actual  official  Dccupancy,  the 
California  government  had   exercised  complete 


dominion  over  all  the  southern  portion  of  the 
county  and  up  the  valleys,  inland,  as  far  north 
as  the  present  site  of  Cloverdale.  But  there 
was  another  factor,  the  third  and  last,  more 
effectual  than  the  combined  power  of  Spaniards 
and  Russians  in  paving  the  way  for  a  peaceable 
and  bloodless  occupation  of  this  fair  county  by 
settlers,  and  that  was  the  pestilence  of  1837. 
Before  its  destroying  breath,  there  is  good 
reason  to  believe  many  thousand  Indians  per- 
ished within  the  territory  now  embraced  in 
Sonoma,  Marin,  Napa  and  Solano  counties. 
Where  tribes  were  not  entirely  swept  away, 
they  were  so  reduced  in  numbers  as  to  virtually 
put  an  end  to  organized  tribal  distinctions. 
Before  they  had  time  to  rally  from  this  broken 
and  shattered  condition,  the  tidal  wave  of  ad- 
vancing civilization  engulfed  them.  While  the 
historian  of  Sonoma  County  is  spared  the  re- 
cital of  bloody  and  tragic  deeds  consequent 
upon  civilization  and  barbarism  meeting  upon 
debatal)le  grounds,  they  to  whom  shall  fall  the 
task  of  embalming  in  volumes  the  histories  of 
Mendocino  and  Ilumbolt  counties  will  have  to 
dip  their  pens  deep  in  blood. 


BISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


While  the  boundaries  of  Sonoma  County  was 
ever  a  sliield  to  lier  citizens  against  danger  from 
Indians,  not  a  few  wandered  fortli  and  tVli  vic- 
tims to  Indian  savagery  elsewliei-c.  It  is  due 
to  the  memory  of  such  to  give  their  names,  and 
tragic  manner  of  death,  a  place  in  this  volume. 
They  are  given  in  chronological  order,  and  with 
all  the  minuteness  of  time,  place  and  attendant 
circumstances,  at  command. 
•  In  the  early  sixties  Rev.  H.  O.  G.  Smeatli- 
inan  was  installed  rector  of  St.  John's  Episcopal 
Church,  Petal uma.  He  was  an  Englishman  by 
birth,  and  had  a  tinished  education,  being  a 
regular  graduate  of  a  medical  college  of  the 
land  of  his  nati\ity.  lie  was  a  gentleman  as 
unassuming  and  honorable  as  he  was  a  Chris- 
tian kind  and  exemplary.  In  1863  he  resigned 
the  rectorship  of  his  church  and  went  to  the 
tlien.  Territory  of  Nevada.  Having  a  good 
knowledge  of  mineralogy  he  entered  with  zeal 
into  the  search  for  hidden  lodes  of  silver  which 
just  then  was  the  center  of  attraction  to  the 
mining  world.  He  was  in  the  habit  of  ventur- 
ing forth  alone  and  penetrating  the  depths  of 
solitary  wilds.  The  following  brief  letter, 
signed  '-J.  M.  Case,''  and  addressed  to  Mrs. 
Smeathman,  tells  the  rest: 

"Star  City,  N.  T.,  March  30,  1864. 

"Mrs.  Sarah  Smkatuman,  Dear  Friend:  — 
"  The  party  who  went  out  to  see  after  the 
remains  of  your  husband  liave  just  returned. 
Although  it  stormed  every  day  they  were  gone, 
they  succeeded  in  iinding  his  remains,  unmo- 
lested by  any  wild  beasts  or  anything  after  the 
Indians  left  him.  They  found  that  he  was  shot 
by  aritle  ball,  entering  the  back  of  his  head  and 
coming  out  at  his  right  eye.  He  had  no  other 
marks  or  bruises  on  his  body,  but  his 
clothes  were  entirely  stripped  from  him  and 
taken  away.  The  party  found  it  impossiJile  to 
bring  the  remains  in  without  a  wagon  and  a 
coffin,  but  they  buried  him  as  well  as  they 
could,  so  that  if  it  is  still  the  wish  of  his  friends 
to  have  him  sent  to  California  it  can  be  done, 
but  it  will  cost  considerable."' 

Close  followiutf  the  cruel  fate  of  the  ill-starred 


Dr.  Smeathman,  three  more  of  Sonoma  Coun- 
ty's sons,  citizens  of  Eloomfield,  fell  victims  to 
savage  atrocity,  near  the  same  place,  and  at  the 
hands  of  the  same  Indians  who  killed  the  former. 
Hon.  E.  F.  Dunne,  a  former  Representative  in 
the  California  Legislature  fi-om  Sonoma  County, 
in  a  letter  of  date.  Star  City,  N.  T.,  May  9, 
1864,  addressed  to  the  "  Wells  Fargo  Agent, 
Rloomlield,"  wrote  as  follows: 

"  We  have  had  another  Indian  massacre  here, 
and  three  of  your  townsmen  are  killed — II.  I>. 
Cantield,  Perry  Van  Nostrand  and  J.  W.  Borton. 
E.  M.  Noble  is  shot  in  three  places,  and  has 
almost  miraculously  escaped  death,  the  slightest 
show  that  ever  a  man  lived  on  in  this  world. 

"The  above  named  persons  were  on  their  way 
to  Boise,  and  on  Queen's  River,  distant  about 
seventy-five  miles  from  here,  fell  in  with  three 
persons  who  were  out  prospecting.  They  had 
stopped  for  dinner,  and  had  turned  their  horses 
out  to  graze,  having  taken  oft'  the  saddles. 
They  were  surprised  by  a  band  of  sixty  Indians 
who  fired  upon  them  from  behind  some  rocks. 
It  was  certain  death  to  attempt  to  run  away 
on  foot,  so  they  made  for  their  horses.  Noble 
got  his  horse  sooner  than  the  rest  and  had  him 
saddled,  having  only  taken  oft'  the  bridle,  and 
might  have  escaped  without  a  shot,  but  he 
turned  and  with  a  six  shooter  in  each  hand  stood 
his  ground  and  kept  the  whole  band  at  bay  till 
his  comrades  should  get  their  horses  and  saddle 
them.  While  standing  thus  he  was  struck  in 
the  neck  with  a  ball,  entering  a  little  behind 
the  left  ear  down  below  the  hair,  and  coining 
out  about  the  middle  of  the  back  of  the  neck, 
barely  missing  the  neck  bone.  A  few  moments 
later  he  was  struck  in  the  abdomen,  on  the  left 
side,  in  the  lineof  the  navel, some  five  inches  dis- 
tant therefrom.  He  thinks  both  these  shots 
were  fired  by  the  same  marksman,  as  he  noticed 
him  taking  sight.  He  watched  for  his  appear- 
ance the  third  time,  and  as  he  showed  his  head 
above  the  rock  behind  which  he  was  concealed, 
he  fired  at  him,  and  thinks  he  hit  him,  as  he 
saw  him  no  more.  But  the  boys  were  not 
ready  yet,  and  he  still  stood  his  ground.     He 


HT8T0RT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


173 


was  not  knocked  down  by  either  shot.  The 
otliors  who  were  not  yet  killed,  were  now  ready. 
Bnt  just  as  Xohle  was  preparinn;  to  mount,  he 
was  struck  again,  e.sca])ing  inure  wonderfully 
than  before.  Tlie  ball  entered  from  the  front, 
on  the  left  side,  striking  right  at  tlie  base  of  the 
])elvi8  and  passing  under  it,  came  out  a  little 
back  of  the  right  hip  joint,  and  yet  apparently 
not  injuring  him  in  the  least,  further  than  the 
pain  of  a  ilesli  wound,  (/antield,  Van  Nostrand, 
and  I'orton,  with  Dodge  one  of  the  pros- 
pecting party,  were  already  dead.  The  remain- 
ing two  with  Noble  now  jumped  to  their 
horses  and  escaped.  The  affair  occurred  Tues- 
day, May  3.  The  parties  left  struck  for  the 
Jjoise  River  trail,  to  get  help  to  go  back  for 
the  bodies,  and  met  with  Mr.  Jordan  (after 
whom  Jordan  Creek  is  named)  and  some  men 
with  him,  some  of  whom  took  care  of  Noble, 
and  Joi^dan  and  others  with  Gates  (who  was 
along  and  who,  by  the  way,  is  an  intimate  friend 
of  mine,  and  from  whom  1  learn  these  particu- 
lars) went  back  to  recover  the  bodies.  But 
there  had  fallen  fifteen  inches  of  snow  during 
the  night  and  they  could  not  find  them,  and  the 
horses  could  not  live,  so  they  brought  Noble 
down  here,  and  a  party  will  set  out  immediately 
from  here  to  recover  the  bodies  of  the  dead. 
Borton  was  killed  the  first  shot.  Canfield  and 
Van  Nostrand  were  hit.  The  broke  from  their 
horses  and  ran,  and  a  number  of  Indians  after 
them,  and  no  more  was  seen  of  them.  Dodge 
was  killed  on  the  second  volley." 

The  Petaluma  Argus,  of  same  date  in  which 
the  above  appeared,  said  editorially: 

"  In  another  column  will  be  found  a  letter 
from  K.  F.  Unnne,  Esij.,  giving  an  account  of 
the  murder,  by  Indians,  of  J.  W.  Borton,  Berry 
Van  Nostrand  and  II.  B.  Canfield,  of  Bloom- 
field,  in  this  county.  J.  W.  IJorton  was,  prior 
to  the  departure  for  the  mines,  our  agent  at 
J'loomtield;  and  when  he  bade  us  good-bye,  we 
little  dreamed  that  sucli  an  untimely  fate  was 
in  store  for  him.  Since  Mr.  Dunne's  letter  was 
placed  in  type  we  have  received  a  communica- 
tion from  our  Star  City,  Nevada  Territory, corre- 


spondent in  relation  to  the  same  subject.  The 
only  apparent  discrepancy  between  the  two 
statements  is  in  reference  to  i'orton.  We  make 
the  following  extract  from  the  communication 
of  our  correspondent:  'While  Dodge  was  sad- 
dling his  horse  he  received  a  shot  in  the  head 
and  died  instantly.  Gates  had  the  pi-esence  of 
mind  to  grab  the  ammunition,  and  he.  Noble 
and  Kendall  threw  themselves  on  their  horses 
and  charged  through  the  ranks  of  the  savages 
who  were  fast  closing  around  them,  and  under 
a  perfect  shower  of  balls  and  arrows — all  their 
horses  being  pierced  with  several  arrows  each. 
Dodge  was  dead,  Canfield  and  Van  Nostrand 
dead  or  dying — while  poor  Borton  was  sitting 
where  he  was  when  shot — not  even  blessed  with 
the  sweet  relief  of  a  speedy  death,  with  only 
his  faithful  watch-dug  by  his  side,  which,  when 
last  seen  was  determined  tojierish  in  defense  of 
his  dying  master.' " 

Cotemporaneous  with  the  chronicling  of  the 
above  bloody  episode,  the  Argun  contained  the 
following  brief  mention: 

"  James  D.  Barnes,  who  used  tu  reside  in  Two 
liock  Valley,  in  this  county,  and  brother  to  Dr. 
T.  L.  Barnes,  of  this  city,  was  killed  by  Indians 
near  Areata,  Humboldt  County,  California,  un 
the  fifth  inst.  He  was  out  some  three  miles 
from  home  looking  for  horses  when  he  was  at- 
tacked and  wounded  twice, once  in  the  shoulder 
and  once  in  the  back.  He  succeeded  in  reach- 
ijig  home,  but  died  soon  after.  He  was  buried 
by  the  Masonic  fraternity,  of  which  order  hi; 
was  a  member." 

Only  eighteen  months  bud  run  their  ccjurse 
when  another  requisition  was  made  upon  the 
citizens  of  I'loomfield  and  Big  Valley  for  blood 
to  slake  savage  thirst  -the  treacherous  A})aches 
of  Arizona  Iteing  the  instrumentality,  this 
time,  of  placing  crape  at  the  door  of  several 
Sonoma  Countj'  homes.  In  the  early  part  of 
186t)  there  was  much  excitement  over  reported 
rich  deposits  of  gold  and  silver  in  the  Territory 
of  Arizona.  To  every  new  liehl  of  mining  ex- 
citement Sonoma  County  liad  furnished  her  full 
(juota  of  seekers  after  the  "  golden   fleece,''  and 


BISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


many  of  them  were  in  the  vanguard  of  pros- 
pectors lured  to  Arizona.  Andrew  Jmlson, 
Ira  D.  AA'^oodworth  and  Metcalf  iiaker,  all  from 
the  neighborhood  of  Bloomfield,  were  betruiled 
by  the  stories  of  mines  of  almost  fahnlous  rich- 
ness, to  abandon  tlie  qniet  pursuits  of  agricul- 
ture, and  seek  in  Arizona  a  speedier  road  to 
wealth.  After  much  prospecting  they  at  length 
staked  their  chances  upon  a  mineral  ledge  in 
Sacramento  district,  some  distance  from  Hardy- 
viile  in  tliat  Territory.  In  this  mining  enter- 
prise tliey  had  associated  with  them  a  Mr. 
Noodles  and  a  man  known  by  the  sobriquet  of 
"  Old  Benjamin."  That  they  had  earnest  faith 
in  the  richness  of  their  mine,  is  evidenced  by 
the  fact  that  through  the  stubborn  rock  they 
had  excavated  a  shaft  to  the  depth  of  about  100 
feet.  Whether  inistaken  or  not  as  to  the  wealth 
of  mineral  below  them,  it  can  well  be  under- 
stood that  in  that  desert  place,  surrounded  by 
somber  rocks  that  had  been  placed  in  their 
settings  by  the  mighty  forces  of  Nature,  was, to 
them,  centered  much  of  hope  and  expectation  in 
life.  On  the  morning  of  the  29t]i  of  October, 
18i)6.  they  repaired  to  their  work,  doubtless, 
little  dreaming  that  they  were  under  the  shadow 
of  an  impending  calamity.  Andrew  Judson 
(we  knew  him  well  from  sunny  boyhood  up  to 
estate  of  manhood)  had  been  lowered  to  the 
dark  depths  of  the  shaft,  while  his  companions 
stood  ready  to  winze  up  the  tub,  as  filled  with 
rock  below.  Their  horses  were  picketed  in  the 
flats  close  by,  wherever  forage  was  to  be  found. 
The  first  intimation  they  had  that  the  treacher- 
ous Apaches  lay  concealed  behind  the  rocks  was 
the  ringing  report  of  rifles  upon  the  morning 
air.  Woodworth,  Baker  and  " Old  Benjamin'' 
bit  the  dust,  and  Noodles,  although  shot  through 
the  body,  made  swift  foot,  and  with  knife  in 
hand  severed  the  picket  rope  of  a  horse,  and 
vaulting  upon  his  back,  was  the  only  one  to 
escape  to  recount  the  tragic  occurrence.  Of 
the  balance,  human  tongue  never  told,  and  only 
the  recording  angel  knows  what  was  the  agony 
of  poor  Judson  when  his  murdered  companions, 
and  jagged  rocks,  were  tumbled  down  the  shaft 


upon  him  by  cruel  Apache  hands.  That  now 
deserted  shaft,  hewn  down  through  rock,  will 
perpetuate  the  story  of  one  of  Arizona's  most 
tragic  scenes. 

Wiieii  calamity  came  t<i  Sonoma  •citizens 
abroad,  at  tiie  hands  of  Indians,  the  first  seems 
always  to  have  presaged  the  swift  coming  of 
anotiier.  In  less  than  two  months  Ironi  the  oc- 
currence above  narrated  the  Ari/i/.t  chronicled 
the  following: 

'■There  apjiears  to  be  a  singular  fatality  that 
marks  citizens  of  this  county  as  victims  of 
the  iu\tred  and  fiendish  barbarity  of  the  Indians 
of  adjacent  territories.  Only  a  few  weeks  since 
we  clironicled  the  killing  of  three  of  our  citizens 
in  Arizona  Territory,  and  again  we  are  pained 
by  the  intelligence  that  another  of  our  citizens 
has  fallen  a  victim  to  the  treacherous  foe.  G. 
W.  Leihy,  of  this  city,  Indian  agent  for  Arizona, 
and  H.  C.  Everts,  his  clerk,  were,  Mhile  on  the 
road  from  Prescott  to  La  Paz,  on  the  18th  of 
November,  killed  by  the  Indians,  and  tiieir 
bodies  subjected  to  all  the  atrocities  peculiar  to 
savage  barbarity.  Mr.  Leihy  was  a  resident  of 
this  county;  and  his  wife  and  only  child  have 
resided  in  this  city  during  his  absence  in 
Arizona.  *  *  *  We  knew  him  well,  and 
esteemed  him  highly  as  a  gentleman  and  friend. 
Only  a  few  months  since  he  visited  our  oftice, 
and  gave  us  much  valuable  information  about 
Arizona;  and  when  he  bade  us  good-b}'  we  lit- 
tle thought  that  we  would  so  soon  be  called 
upon  to  chronicle  his  death,  under  circumstan- 
ces so  painful. 

"  Since  the  above  was  placed  in  type,  the  fol- 
lowing letter,  written  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Stewart, 
who  used  to  reside  near  Petaluma,  has  been 
handed  us  for  publication: 

"  '  Sax  Bernaedino,  Dec.  3,  186(5. 

'•'Mrs.  Sarau  Leihy — Dear  Madam: — I 
have  a  task  to  perform,  the  most  unpleasant  of 
my  life.  I  have  been  putting  it  off"  for  two 
days,  and  during  that  time  I  have  scarcely  slept 
at  all ;  the  news  has  fairly  stunned  me.  George 
is  dead — killed  bj'  the  Indians,  as  also  his  clerk, 
Mr.    Everts.     They   were    killed    this    side   of 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    GOUNTT. 


175 


Prescott,  at  a  place  called  Bell's  Canon,  the 
same  place  that  Mr.  liell  and  Mr.  Sage  were 
killed  last  year.  They  were  traveling  alone 
with  two  Indians;  one  of  them  was  his  old  ser- 
vant, the  other  was  one  of  the  River  Indians, 
who  was  taken  prisoner  at  Skull  Valley  this 
summer.  It  is  supposed  that  they  were  attacked 
by  a  large  number  of  Indians.  I  have  got  my 
news  from  men  that  I  am  acquainted  with. 
They  left  Prescott  two  days  after  Mr.  Leihy 
left,  and  came  to  the  ground  two  days  after  the 
murder  and  saw  his  grave.  They  were  buried 
by  one  citizen  and  some  soldiers.  They  knew 
Mr.  Leihy.  He  had  left  their  camp  about  an 
hour,  when  the  mule  that  Mr.  Everts  rode  came 
back  to  camp.  They  then  followed  on  and 
found  them  dead.  They  took  them  near  the 
station  and  buried  them.  The  two  Indians  who 
were  with  thera  have  not  been  found.  The 
Indians  killed  one  of  George's  horses  and  cut 
all  the  ineat  off  of  it  and  took  the  other  with 
them.  They  also  burned  his  carriage  and  de- 
stroyed or  carried  off  all  that  he  had  with  him. 
You  may  hear  of  his  death  before  you  get  this 
— I  hope  that  I  may  not  be  the  first  to  break 
the  dreadful  news  to  you,  but  I  thought  you 
would  rather  hear  some  of  the  particulars  from 
me.  I  probably  know  more  in  regard  to  his 
affairs  than  any  one  else,  and  I  wish  you  to 
communicate  with  me  freely  and  I  will  do  all 
for  you  that  I  can.'  " 

As  stated  above,  the  two  Indians  accompany- 
ing Leihy  and  Everts  were  not  found — and 
opinion  was  divided  as  to  whether  they,  in  con- 
certed treachery,  had  led  their  over-conliding 
companions  into  an  ambuscade  of  fellow  savages; 
or  whether  they  had  themselves  been  taken 
prisoners,  and  reserved  for  still  more  cruel  tor- 
ture and  mutilation  than  that  which  had  been 
visited  upon  the  lamented  Leihy,  whose  head 
had  been  literally  pounded  to  a  pulp  with 
stones.  Some  six  months  after  the  tragic  occur- 
rence above  narrated,  the  Arizona  Miner  pub- 
lished the  following,  which  would  seem  to 
exonerate  the  missing  In<lian  companions  of 
Leihy  fiom  the  suspicion  of  treachery : 


"Among  some  Apache  prisoners  lately  cap- 
tured by  Colonel  Ilgis  in  the  Mazatzal  Moun- 
tains and  taken  to  Fort  McDowell,  was  a  squaw 
who,  through  an  interpreter,  gave  the  following 
particulars  concerning  the  murder  of  George 
W.  Leihy,  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  for 
this  Territory,  at  Bell's  Canon,  November  18, 
1866.  From  the  circumstantial  and  connected 
way  in  which  they  are  told  they  are  believed  by 
the  officers  at  Fort  McDowell  to  be  entirely 
correct : 

"  A  band  of  Apaches  from  the  Sierra  Ancha 
Mountains  (probably  Tontos)  had  been  visiting 
the  Colorado  River  Indians,  and  were  on  their 
return,  with  passes  given  them  upon  the  river. 
Upon  reaching  Bell's  Canon  they  proposed 
coming  to  Fort  Whipple  for  rations,  thinking 
the  passes  would  protect  them  and  also  procure 
the  supplies  they  were  in  need  of.  While  in 
consultation  upon  the  subject,  an  Indian  in 
their  company,  who  had  spent  much  time  on 
the  Colorado,  saw  Leihy  and  his  clerk.  Everts, 
approaching  by  the  road,  and  announced  to  tiie 
band  who  they  were.  It  was  then  concluded  to 
kill  Leihy;  to  kill  the  great  chief  of  the  whites, 
as  they  thought  him  to  be,  would  alarm  the 
whole  white  population  and  soon  restore  tlie 
country  to  the  peaceable  possession  of  the  In- 
dians. Acting  at  once  upon  this  idea,  they 
brutally  murdered  the  superintendent  and 
Everts;  and  to  make  the  work  more  shocking 
to  the  whites,  the  bodies  were  mutilated  in  the 
most  terrible  manner.  The  Indian  taken  in  the 
famous  Skull  Valley  tight  (August  13,  1866), 
for  whom  Mr.  Leihy,  in  mistaken  kindness,  had 
obtained  a  release  from  Fort  Whipple,  and 
whom  he  was  taking  to  La  Paz,  is  reported  by 
the  squaw  to  have  been  an  Apache  Mohave, 
and  to  have  been  killed  in  the  attack.  She  does 
not  state,  however,  whether  it  was  intended  to 
kill  him.  The  other  Indian,  a  Mohave,  who 
went  from  here  with  Leihy,  was  taken  by  the 
band  to  be  a  Maricopa.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  he  had  just  been  on  a  visit  to  the  Marico- 
pas.  He  insisted  that  he  was  a  Mohave,  but 
the  baud  denied  it  and  charged  him  with  being 


^ 


BISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


afraid  to  acknowledge  his  tribe.  He  was  taken 
some  distance  in  the  hills  and  tortured  to  death, 
according  to  the  usual  manner  in  which  the 
Apaches  deal  with  the  Maricopas.  His  scalp 
was  taken  and  the  band  started  for  their  ran- 
cheria,  near  Meadow  Valley,  where  they  had  a 
grand  dance  over  it.  A  sub-chief,  the  husband 
of  this  siiuaw,  was  sent  to  Big  Rump's  village 
on  the  Saliscus  River,  near  tli,e  mouth  of  Tonto 
Creek,  with  a  request  that  Big  Rumj)  would 
have  mescal  ready  by  the  next  full  moon,  when 
the  band  from  the  Sierra  Anchas  would  be 
there  to  have  a  jubilee  over  their  killing  of  the 
white  chief,  his  clerk,  and  the  Maricopa.  On 
his  journey  upon  this  mission,  this  sub-chief 
and  his  companion,  including  iiis  wife  (the 
squaw  in  question),  were  attacked  by  Colonel 
Hgis's  party.  The  sub-chief  and  the  other  were 
killed;  the  squaw  and  others  captured,  as  already 
stated." 

Thus  ends  all  that  will,  probably,  ever  be 
known  in  reference  to  the  motive  and  manner 
of  the  massacre  of  Leihy  and  his  companions. 
In  this  act  of  perfidy,  the  Indians  of  Arizona 
struck  down  their  best  friend,  for  Mr.  Leih}',  in 
honest  faith,  was  their  confiding  friend,  and  we 
know  it  from  his  own  lips  that  he  believed  that 
the  Indians  of  the  Pacific  Coast  were  "  more 
sinned  against  than  sinning."  We  account  it  a 
duty  discharged  to  place  this  token  of  remem- 
brance upon  that  lonely  grave  in  Arizona,  in  the 
deserts  of  which  Aztec  semi-civilization  seems 
to  have  met  its  sunset. 

MRS.    SALLIE    ANN    CANKIELD. 

We  cannot  more  fitly  close  this  chapter  of 
Indian  horrors  experienced  by  Sonoma  County 
residents  than  by  appending  the  following 
obituary  notice  taken  from  the  Petaluma  Anjus 
of  Mrs.  Sallie  Ann  Canfield,  an  aged  lady  whose 
name  was  almost  a  household  word  in  Sonoma 
County,  and  who,  although  dying  peacefully 
surrounded  by  her  family,  had  passed  through  ex- 
periences  of  savage  atrocity  such  as  will  give  her 
name  a  certain  passport  to  future  generations: 

"  It  is  with  deep  regret  that  we  announce  the 


death  of  Sallie  Ann  Canfield,  beloved  wife  of 
William  D.  Canfield,  of  Blucher  Valley,  which 
occurred  at  10  o'clock  Tuesday  evening,  April 
3,  1888.  Mrs.  Cantield's  maiden  name  was 
Sallie  Ann  Lee.  She  was  born  at  Arlington, 
Vermont,  August  20,  1810,  and  married  to  Mr. 
Canfield  June  10,  1828.  In  1837  they  moved 
from  Arlington  to  Springfield,  Pennsylvania, 
where  they  remained  two  ycj^rs  and  then  re- 
moved to  Jensen  County,  Illinois.  In  1812 
they  again  took  up  their  westward  line  of  march 
and  settled  in  Iowa,  upon  the  present  site  of  the 
now  flourishing  city  of  Oskaloosa.  Here  Mr. 
Canfield  erected  the  first  house  and  laid  out  the 
public  square,  the  lines  of  which  has'e  not  been 
changed  to  this  day — though  the  city  has  an 
estimated  population  of  40,000.  In  May,  1817, 
Mr.  Canfield  started  through  the  wilderness  with 
his  wife,  five  children  and  a  small  party  of 
friends,  for  (Oregon.  They  reached  Whitman's 
Mission  in  Walla  Walla  Valley,  in  October  of 
that  year,  where  they  proposed  to  spend  the 
winter  and  look  around  for  a  favorable  location. 
In  this  they  were  doomed  to  disappointment, 
for  in  a  little  more  than  one  month  from  the 
time  of  their  arrival  the  treacherous  Indians 
surprised  them  and  killed  all  the  men  of  the 
settlement  except  Mr.  Canfield  and  a  man  by 
the  name  of  Osborn,  who  made  his  escape.  Mr. 
Canfield  was  badly  wounded,  but  managed  to 
conceal  himself  in  an  old  adobe  house  until  the 
fellowing  night,  when  he  was  informed  by  some 
children  that  the  Indians  intended  to  hunt  him 
up  and  put  him  to  death  in  the  morning.  He 
made  a  heroic  effort,  on  foot,  and  reached  Lap- 
way  Station,  in  Washington  Territory,  a  dis- 
tance of  140  miles,  in  a  few  hours  less  than  one 
!  week.  The  women  and  children  were  all  made 
i  prisoners  and  servants  of  the  Indians,  except 
Mrs.  Whitman,  who  was  killed.  When  it  was 
ascertained  that  Mr.  Canfield  had  escaped  the 
red  devils  put  on  their  war  paint,  surrounded 
the  house  that  contained  the  poor  women  and 
children  and  were  on  the  point  of  massacring 
them  all,  when  '  Old  Beardy,'  a  former  chief, 
rode  suddenly  into  camp  and  standing  upright 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


upon  his  lioi-fje  pleaded  eloquently  for  the  lives 
of  the  prisoners.  The  savajres'  after  listening 
spell-bound  to  the  old  man's  oration,  informed 
the  prisouers  that  their  lives  would  be  spared. 
Here  a  long  story  could  be  told,  if  space  per- 
mitted, of  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Canfield,  and  the 
trials  of  the  party,  but  it  is  sufficient  to  state 
that  he  interested  the  men  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
I'ur  ('(iiiipany,  in  behalf  of  the  prisoners,  and  in 
one  month's  time  the  good  Peter  Ogden,  chief  of 
that  Company,  arrived  from  Vancouver,  and  after 
an  ett'ort  of  three  days  and  nights  succeeded  in 
purchasing  their  freedom — paying  the  Indians 
in  blankets,  guns,  ammunition,  knives  and 
trinkets.  After  getting  possession  of  the 
prisoners  he  made  a  contract  with  the  Nez 
Perces  to  bring  Mr.  Canfield's  family  to  Fort 
Walla  Walla  where  he  joined  his  grief-stricken 
wife  and  children  who  had  mourned  him  as  dead. 
Peter  Ogden  took  the  remainder  of  the  party 
down  the  Columbia  River  in  three  small  boats, 
landing  at  Oregon  City  January  12,  1848. 
Mr.  Cantield  and  family  had  lost  everything  ex- 
cept the  scanty  clothing  upon  their  backs,  but 
as  soon  as  they  were  comfortably  situated,  he 
joined  a  party  and  went  back  to  punish  the  In- 
dians.    The  chief  and  four  of  the  Indians  were 


brought  in  and  afterward  hanged  at  Oregon 
City.  March  4,  1849,  Mr.  Cantield  and  family 
sailed  for  San  Francisco,  where  they  landed  on 
the  10th  of  that  month.  They  remained  in 
San  Francisco  until  August  1,  1850,  when 
they  became  residents  of  Sonoma  County,  first 
settling  in  the  oM  town  of  Sonoma.  They  have 
occupied  their  present  Ijeautiful  home  in  Blucher 
Valley  ever  since  January  1,  1852.  Here  they 
have  been  honored  and  loved  for  all  these  lorn/ 
years  by  all  who  came  in  contact  with  them. 
Here  the  good  old  lady  passed  awa}',  surrounded 
by  all  the  surviving  meyibers  of  her  family,  and 
thus  closed  an  eventful  life.  Her  daughter, 
Mrs.  James  H.  Knowles,  of  this  city,  and  her 
son  Oscar,  who  arrived  from  Idaho  a  few  days 
before  her  death,  are  the  only  surviving  children. 
We  now  have  before  us  an  invitation  to  their 
'  Golden  AVedding,'  which  was  celebrated  June 
10,  1878,  and  it  recalls  many  pleasant  reminis- 
cences of  the  past.  Mrs.  Canfield  will  have  been 
laid  away  in  the  family  burying  ground,  on 
their  own  place,  before  this  notice  reaches  our 
readers.  If  there  is  any  reward  beyond  the 
grave — and  we  trust  there  is — -for  a  long  life  of 
virtue,  honor  and  unselfish  usefulness,  our  friend 
is  well  provided  for  now." 


178 


BISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


M*    '  SONOMA  AND  MARIN  DISTRICT 

'^1,,  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY.  JP'"^ 


j>m.. 


'^^ 


CPIAPTER  XIX. 


"When  uKliANIZED — its  CHANGE.S  IX  organization lis  FAIRS  AND  OFFICERS — CHANGE  OF  LOCATION     OF 

FAIR    (JROCNOS — ITS  GOOD  EFFECT  ON  OIK   INIHSTRIES. 


'HE  history  of  this  society  i>^  a  part  of  tlic 
;  liistory  of  Soiioiim  County,  and  among  its 
^^    iiroinotors  in  tiie  early  days  will  bo  found 
many  names  of  Sonoma  County  pioneers. 

Tiietirst  organization  of  the  society  was  made 
under  tlie  name  of  the  Sonoma  Agricultural  and 
Mechanics"  Society,  on  April  12, 1859.  Pursu- 
ant to  a  call  made  by  publication  a  large  num- 
ber of  snbscribers  to  the  Sonoma  County  Fair 
met  at  the  Masonic  Hall,  Uealdsburg,  on  Thurs- 
day evening,  March  24,  1859,  to  devise  the 
necessary  ways  and  means  of  carrying  out  the 
enterprise.  A  temjwrary  organization  being 
deemed  advisable,  Hon.  W.  I'.  Ewing  was  called 
to  the  chair,  and  stated  the  object  of  the  meet- 
ing, .lames  B.  IJoggs  appointed  secretary.  A 
committee  of  two  from  each  township  was  ap- 
pointed to  solicit  further  subscriptions.  A 
committee  of  live  was  appointed  to  report  per- 
manent organization  and  rules  and  regulations, 
to  report  at  a  future  meeting.  Meeting  then 
adjourned  to  April  12,  1859,  at  which  time  the 
society  was  duly  organized,  with  the  following 
officers:  President,  Washington  P.  Ewing,  and 
nine  Vice-Presidents  ;  Secretary,  J.  B.  Boggs  ; 
Corresponding  Secretary,  G.  W.  Granniss; 
Treasurer,  Lindsay  Carson;  and  a  Board  of  nine 
Directors,  consisting  of  Colonel  A.  Haraszthy, 
Major  J.  Singley,  C.  J.  Robinson,  Josiah  Mnrin, 
G.  P.  Brumtield,  J .  ]S\  Bailhache,  Julio  Carrillo, 


J.  W.  Wilbur,  and  D.  I).  Phillips.  The  first 
fair  was  held  at  Healdsburg.  At  the  election 
of  officers  for  the  next  year,  J.  Q.  Shirly  was 
elected  President,  and  I.  G.  Wickersham,  Secre- 
tar}'.  At  a  meeting  of  the  society  held  March 
3.  1860,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Weston,  a  committee 
of  live  was  appointed  to  confer  with  agricultural 
societies  of  the  counties  of  Marin,  Mendocino, 
Napa  and  Solano,  and  in  case  uo  society  e.xist 
in  those  counties,  then  with  some  ol  the  promi- 
nent agriculturists  and  stock-raisers  therein, 
upon  the  subject  of  establishing  a  District  Agri- 
cultural Society,  to  be  known  as  the  Sonoma  and 
Napa  District  Society.  II.  L.  Weston,  I.  G. 
Wickersham,  Jasper  O'Farrell.  .1.  S.  Robbersoii 
and  Rod  Matheson  were  appointed  said  com- 
mittee. The  second  fair  was  held  at  Petaluma, 
on  the  grounds  of  Uriah  Edwards,  and  for  it 
premium  lists  were  prepared  under  the  direction 
of  Mr.  Wickersham.  Col.  Haraszthy  made  the 
opening  address.  Petaluma  Band  gave  the 
music  for  the  occasion,  at  the  price  of  four  hun- 
dred dollars.  The  records  of  the  society  for  that 
year  are  very  full  and  complete,  made  by  the 
secretary,  S.  D.  Towns,  who  had  been  elected  to 
till  the  place  of  Mr.  Boggs.  E.  Latapie  was  the 
marshal  of  the  week. 

At  the  election  held  at  the  close  of  the  fair. 
Dr.  John  Hendley  was  elected  President;  Wing- 
field   Wright,  Vice-President;  W.  H.  Crowell, 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


179 


Secretary,  and  J.  II.  Iloliiics,  Treasurer,  and  it 
was  resolved  to  hold  the  next  fair  at  Santa  Rosa. 
Thereafter  the  fair  was  held  at  different  points, 
until  1867,  wlien  the  society  was  reorganized, 
witli  J.  li.  Rose,  I'resident.  and  Phillip  Cowcn, 
Secretary.  That  year  the  pavilion  was  erected, 
and  a  large  part  of  the  cattle  stalls  and  horse 
stalls  constructed,  and  the  society,  under  its 
management,  held  its  first  fair;  J.  P.  Clark  was 
marshal;  X.  C.  Stafford,  superintendent  of  the 
pavilion,  and  il.  JJoyle.  superintendent  of  the 
stock  gnninds.  To  make  the  purchase  of  per- 
manentgrounds  about  250  life  memberships  were 
sold  at  the  price  of  $25  per  share,  with  privilege 
of  free  admission  to  all  subsequent  fairs  and  right 
to  exhibit.  The  old  race-track,  about  two  miles 
from  the  city,  was  still  used  for  all  races.  The 
second  annual  election  of  the  society  was  held 
on  the  second  Saturday  of  May,  1868.  The 
counties  of  Sonoma,  Marin,  Mendocino  and  Lake 
constituted  the  district  at  this  time.  J.  R. 
Hose  was  re-elected  President;  Andrew  Mills, 
Vice-President,  and  Phil.  Cowen.  Secretary, 
with  nine  Directors.  The  fair  for  1868  was 
lield  at  the  new  grounds,  September  Slst  to 
25th,  inclusive.  George  Pearce  made  the  open- 
ing address,  and  E.  S.  Lippitt  the  annual  ad- 
dress. J.  P.  Clark  acted  as  marshal,  and  F.  W. 
Lougee  and  M.  Doyle  as  superintendents  of  pavil- 
ion and  stock  grounds.  This  year,  for  the  first 
time,  the  society  confci-red  diplomas  for  meri- 
torious exhibits. 

At  the  annual  election,  in  May,  l86'J,  J.  R. 
Rose  was  unanimously  elected  President;  A. 
Mills,  Vice-President;  P.  Cowen,  Secretary;  I. 
G.  Wickersham,  Treasurer;  with  the  same  num- 
ber of  Directors.  The  fair  this  year  was  held 
September  27th  to  October  1st.  N.  L.  Allen 
acted  as  marshal,  D.  W.  C.  Putnam  was  super- 
intendent of  pavilion,  and  Thomas  Rochford, 
superintendent  of  stock  grt)unds.  The  fair  was 
very  creditable,  and  the  society  felt  the  need  of 
more  room.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  secure 
more  ample  grounds  for  the  fair  and  race-track. 

On  the  15th  of  January,  I.  (i.  Wickersham 
presented  a  petition  to  send  to  the  liegislature 


to  solicit  State  aid,  and  a  meeting  of  life  mem- 
bers was  called  to  meet  April  2,  1870,  to  select 
new  grounds  for  the  fair.  The  result  of  the 
action  of  the  meeting  was  to  l)uy  grounds  adja- 
cent to  the  old  fair  grounds,  and  upon  them 
construct  a  half-mile  race-track,  grand  stand,  and 
other  conveniences  for  a  permanent  fairground. 
The  new  board  of  officers  were  elected  in  Dec- 
eml)er,  1870,  and  consisted  of  E.  Dunnian, 
President;  Lee  Ellsworth  and  II.  Mecham,  Vice- 
Presidents;  J.  Grover,  Secretary;  and  Williaui 
Hill,  Treasurer.  Society  during  this  year  duly 
incorporated,  and  J.  R.  Rose,  to  whom  tho 
several  parcels  of  land  of  the  fair  ground  had 
lieen  deeded,  as  trustee  for  the  society,  deeded 
them  to  the  society.  A  committee,  of  E.  Den- 
man  and  C.  Tempel,  was  also  appointed  to  make 
arrangements  to  pay  the  large  indebtedness  of 
the  society. 

The  fair  for  1871  was  held  September  25th 
to  BOth,  and  was  well  attended.  The  third  stage 
of  the  society's  existence  had  now  commenced. 
The  receipts  were  largely  in  excess  of  former 
years,  amounting  to  .S3,370.  The  annual  meeting 
for  1871  was  adjourned  until  January  6,  1872, 
when  an  election  of  officers  was  had,  with  the 
following  result:  President,  Lee  Ellsworth:  E. 
Denman  and  J.  R.  Rose,  Vice-Presidents;  Frank 
Lougee,  Treasurer;  and  J.  Grover,  Secretary. 
The  great  expeiise  of  the  new  purchase  and 
grand  stand,  and  construction  of  race  track,  had 
been  met  by  the  generous  action  of  the  public- 
spirited  citizens  of  the  city  of  Petaluina  and 
county,  who  assumed  the  liabilities  by  their 
joitit  note,  amounting  to  about  812,000.  About 
forty  signed  the  note.  This  amount  was  after- 
ward ])aid  by  them,  as  the  note  became  due'  ex- 
cept 85,000,  which  was  paid  by  the  city  of 
Petaluma.  The  j)ayment  of  this  debt  by  these 
men  relieved  the  society  from  a  great  burden. 

The  society's  fair  for  1872  was  held  Septem- 
ber (ith  to  llth,  inclusive.  B.  Ilaskel  was 
superintendent  of  pavilion.  The  receipts  of  the 
society  this  year  were  larger  than  any  preceding 
year,  amounting  to  -85,841,  besides  the  sum  of 
82,000  appropriated  l>y  the  State.    At  the  annual 


UIsrORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


election  held  December  7,  1872,  the  retiring 
Tresident,  L.  Ellsworth,  made  a  report  to  the 
society  of  their  progress,  from  its  reorganization 
in  18(37  to  date,  by  which  it  appeared  that  the 
total  receipts  of  the  society  had  amounted  to 
s29,633,  and  that  the  society  had  expended,  for 
grounds,  pavilion,  grand  stand  and  premiums, 
the  sum  of  §40,751  leaving  an  indebtedness  of 
$11,118,  secured  as  heretofore  stated.  The  fol- 
lowing officers  were  elected  for  ensuing  year: 
Tresident,  E.  Denman  ;  Vice-Presidents,  L. 
Ellsworth,  William  Zartman;  Secretary,  E.  S. 
Lippitt;  Treasurer,  Kobert  Seavey. 

The  fair  for  1873  was  held  October  6th  to 
lltli,  inclusive,  Captain  Watson  acting  as  mar- 
shal. Ilev.  G.  B.  Taylor  delivered  the  annual 
address.  The  receipts  for  the  year  were  $6,- 
200  besides  s2,000  received  from  the  8tate,  most 
of  which  was  expended  in  enlarging  the  accom- 
modations for  stock  and  enlargement  of  the 
grand  stand.  The  annual  meeting  for  1873 
was  held  on  December  7th,  and  the  following 
officers  were  elected  to  serve  for  the  ensuing 
year:  President,  J.  E.  Rose;  Vice-Presidents, 
Lee  Ellsworth  and  IT.  Mecham;  Secretary,  E. 
S.  Lippitt;  Treasurer,  A.  J.  Pierce;  Directors, 
A.  Morse  and  Robert  Seavey. 

The  fair  for  the  year  187-1  was  held  Septem- 
ber 14th  to  19th,  inclusive.  D.  W.  C.  Putnam, 
was  elected  superintendent  of  pavilion,  and 
Judge  Shafter  delivered  the  annual  address.  At 
the  annual  meeting  in  1874  the  following  othcers 
were  elected  to  serve  for  the  ensuing  year:  Pres- 
ident, J.  R.  Rose;  Vice-Presidents,  H.  Mecham, 
G.  D.  Green;  Secretary,  E.  S.  Lippitt;  Treasurer, 
A.  Morse;  Directors,  P.  J.  Shafter  and  Robert 
Crane.  The  district  was  enlarged  now  by  taking 
in  Napa  and  Solano  counties,  and  exhibitors 
restricted  to  the  district. 

At  the  fair  held  in  1875  Prof.  Fitzgerald, 
State  Superintendent  of  Public  Schools,  deliv- 
ered the  annual  address.  This  year  the  pavilion 
was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  agricultural 
and  horticultural  halls.  The  receipts  amounted 
to  S5,614.  At  the  annual  election  in  1875  the 
following  othcers    were  elected  for  the  ensuing 


year:  President,  L.  Ellsworth;  Vice-Presidents, 
A.  P.  Whitney  and  P.  J.  Shafter;  Secretary,  E. 
S.  Lippitt;  Treasurer,  A.  Morse;  Directors, 
Robert  Crane  and  H.  Mecham.  Mr.  Ellsworth 
having  resigned,  H.  Mecham  was  afterward 
elected  by  the  Board  of  Directors  to  till  his  place. 

The  fair  for  1876  was  held  from  October  9th 
to  14th,  and  was  in  extent  and  quality  greatly 
in  excess  of  any  heretofore  held.  The  display 
of  stock  was  the  finest  exhibited  at  any  of  the 
fairs  of  the  State,  and  the  departments  of  agri- 
culture and  horticulture  were  greatly  in  advaiice 
of  former  fairs.  Major  Armstrong  acted  as 
marshal.  Judge  Shafter  delivered  the  annual 
address.  At  the  annual  meeting  held  December 
2,  1876,  the  following  ofHcers  were  elected: 
President,  li.  Mecham;  Vice-Presidents,  A.  P. 
Whitney,  P.  J.  Shafter;  Secretary,  E.  S.  Lip- 
pitt; Treasurer,  A.  Morse;  Directors,  G.  D. 
Green,  Robert  Crane.  By  action  of  the  society 
the  district  was  enlarged  to  take  in  the  counties 
west  of  the  Sacramento  and  north  of  the  bay, 
including  Humboldt  and  Yolo.  The  fair  for 
1877  was  held  September  24-29.  M.  D.  Bo- 
rnck  delivered  the  annual  address,  James  Arm- 
strong acting  as  marshal.  The  receipts  were 
the  largest  ever  held  by  the  society,  amounting 
to  $7,577.  The  pavilion  was  enlarged  by  ex 
tending  the  west  wing  forty  feet.  A  large 
number  of  stalls  for  horses  and  stock  were  Iniilt 
and  the  whole  grounds  thoroughly  overhauled 
and  repaired,  which  not  only  absorbed  the 
large  receipts  but  entailed  a  debt  of  $1,385. 
At  the  annual  election  this  year,  1877,  the  old 
board  of  officers  were  re-elected  and  the  time  of 
fair  fixed  for  September  21st  to  28th  inclusive. 
During  this  year  the  grounds  had  been  greatly 
adorned  by  the  planting  of  trees.  An  art  gal- 
lery was  built  twenty-tive  feet  wide  by  eighty 
feet  long  and  other  permanent  imjirovements  of 
the  grounds  and  buildings. 

The  fair  held  in  1878  was  the  largest  and 
most  interesting  of  the  whole  series.  The  re- 
ceipts amounted  to  $7,665.  The  expenditures, 
$8,436.  Leaving  a  small  debt  subsisting  against 
the  society. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


181 


Tlie  Legislature  at  the  session  of  1877-'8 
enacted  a  new  law  in  regard  to  agricultural 
societies,  making  the  president  and  two  directors 
to  be  chosen  eacli  year  and  the  treasurer  and 
secretary  to  be  other  than  members  of  the  Board. 
At  the  last  election  held  December,  1878,  the 
following  Board  of  Directors  was  elected:  Pres- 
dent,  A.  P.Whitney;  E.  Denman  and  K.  Crane, 
Directors  forone  year;  J.  McM.  Shafter  and  PI. 
Mecham,  for  two  years;  A.  Morse  and  R.  Seavey, 
for  three  years.  F.  W.  Lougee  was  by  the  Board 
elected  Treasurer  and  W.    E.    Cox,  Secretary. 

During  the  last  year  the  same  enterprising 
spirit  has  been  exhibited  by  the  Board — new 
gates  to  the  park  have  been  built  and  a  new 
ticket  office  and  treasurer's  office.  The  grand 
stand  was  enlarged  one-half  its  former  dimci- 
sions.  jVew  trees  planted  and  new  stalls  erected. 
The  last  fair  was  equal  to  any  that  preceded  it. 
J.  P.  Clark  was  marshal  of  the  week;  D.  W.  C. 
Putnam,  superintendent  of  the  pavilion.  E.  S. 
Lippitt  delivered  the  annual  address. 

The  fair  of  1880  was  held  during  the  week 
commencing  Monday  the  6th  of  September. 
Hon.  A.  P.  Wliitney  was  the  president  of  the 
society.  The  fair  that  year  was  largely  at- 
tended, and  made  memorable  by  the  presence  of 
President  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  General  Wm. 
T.  Sherman,  Secretary  of  War  Ramsey  and  Gov- 
ernor George  Perkins. 

In  1881  the  district  fair  was  held  at  Petal u- 
ma,  commencing  Monday  the  5tli  of  Septemlier. 
A.  I'.  Whitney,  President;  P.  J.  Shafter,  H. 
Mecham  and  Wm.  Zartman,  Directors.  A  very 
able  annual  address  was  delivered  iiy  Rev.  E.  R. 
Dillee. 

Notwithstanding  t)ie  large  amount  of  money 
that  had  been  cxpendeil  in  fitting  up  tiie  "  old 
fair  grounds'"  in  the  northern  portion  of  the 
city  of  Petaluma,  it  was  found  that  the  society 
was  cramped  for  room.  The  race-tr.ack  was  a 
half  mile  one.  and  tlie  exhiiiitsof  stock  was  get- 
ting beyond  the  possii)le  accommodations  of 
stall  room.  Something  had  to  be  done.  The 
society  determined  to  sell  the  old  grounds  and 
purchase  elsewhere.     This  change  was  made  in 


1882,  and  the  grounds  selected  was  a  tract  of 
100  acres  in  the  eastern  edge  of  the  city  limits. 
A  mile  track  was  graded  and  put  into  excellent 
condition;  and  the  pavilion,  grand  stand  and 
other  movable  buildings  from  the  old  grounds 
were  put  up.  On  the  western  side  of  the 
grounds,  between  the  pavilion  and  grand  stand 
was  planted  several  acres  of  miscellaneous  shade 
trees.  There  is  now  nearly  a  running  mile  of 
stall  room,  with  space  for  further  additions,  as 
may  be  required.  Taken  as  a  whole  this  is  now 
one  of  the  finest  fair  grounds  in  the  State,  in 
all  its  appointments.  In  truth,  it  is  a  conceded 
fact,  that  the  Sonoma  and  Marin  district  fairs  only 
rank  second  to  the  State  fairs  at  Sacramento. 

The  fair  for  1882  commenced  on  the  28th  of 
August  and  continued  for  a  week.  It  was  fully 
up  to  the  standard  of  former  fairs.  A.  P. 
Whitney  elected  President;  Henry  Lawrence 
and  H.  T.  Fairbanks  elected  Directors.  The 
annual  address  was  delivered  by  Professor  A. 
G.  Burnett,  then  of  Healdsburg. 

In  1883  the  annual  fair  commenced  on  Mon- 
day, 28th  of  August.  The  list  of  entries  and 
premium  awards  were  unusually  large.  A.  P. 
Whitney,  President;  Robert  Crane  and  E.  Den- 
man were  re-elected  Directors. 

The  annual  fair  of  1884  commenced  on  the 
27th  of  August.  Jiulge  James  McM.  Shafter 
was  president  of  the  society  and  delivei-ed  the 
opening  address.  Professor  A.  G.  Burnett,  the 
accomplished  orator,  delivered  the  annual  ad 
dress.  A.  P.  Whitney,  President;  M.  Page  and 
P.  J.  Shafter  were  elected  Directors. 

On  Monday,  August  24,  1885,  the  district 
fair  opened  under  most  favorable  auspices  and 
was  an  entire  success.  J.  H.  White,  President; 
J.  H.  White,  II.  F.  Fairbanks  and  ,1.  E.  Gwin, 
elected  Directors.  Hon.  E.  C.  Munday  deliveretl 
the  annual  address. 

The  annual  fair  for  1886  fell  on  Monday, 
the  23d  of  August.  .1.  II.  White,  President; 
George  P.  McNear,  John  Switzer,  elected  Di- 
rectors. L.  C.  Byel  was  stijierintendent  of  the 
pavilion.  P.  J.  Shafter,  of  Marin  County,  de- 
livered the  annual  address. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Ill  1887  the  I'iiir  wa.s  held  as  usual  in  the 
last  week  of  August.  It  showed  au  increased 
attendance.  J.  H.  White  was  still  President. 
J.  E.  Gwiu  and  Wilfred  Page  were  re-elected 
members  of  the  Duard  of  Directors. 

The  fair  of  1888  was  by  far  the  most  suc- 
cessful one  ever  held.  Notwithstanding  the 
ftreat  room-capacity  of  the  stock-grounds,  it  was 
inadcijuate  to  meet  all  the  requirements  of  ex- 
hibitors. The  ]>avilion  exhibits  were  better 
than  Gw.v  before.  Tliis  society  has  done  a  good 
work  in  pi-omoting  Sonoma  County  industries. 
Its  present  otticers  are:  II.  Mecham,  Presi- 
dent; A.  L.  Whitney,  A.  W.  Foster,  T.  C.  Put- 
nam, W.  H.  Gartman,  O.  Hubble,  Directors. 

At  this  fair  of  1888,  Hon.  J.  Iv.  Dougherty, 
now  one  of  Sonoma  County's  Superior  Judges, 
delivered  the  following  annual  address: 

Mi:.  Pkksidknt,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen: — 
This  association  has  done  ine  mucli  honor  in 
inviting  me  to  deliver  the  annual  address  upon 
this  occasion.  In  accepting  the  task  I  was 
aware  of  the  responsibility  incurred,  and  I  had 
no  grounds  of  encouragement. 

I  remembered  that  the  subject  of  agricultural 
fairs  and  festivals  of  this  nature  was  one  upon 
which  I  was  not  in  the  habit  of  bestowing  much 
thought. 

I  remembered  that  from  a  crowd  of  people 
upon  the  grand-stand,  where  there  is  so  much 
else  to  occupy  its  attention,  I  could  not  expect 
close  attention  or  be  heard. 

I  remembered,  too,  that  my  closest  listeners 
would  be  those  most  interested  in  the  fair  and 
better  qualiiied  and  more  capable  of  addressing 
you  than  I  myself.  So  that  it  is  with  a  feeling 
of  awe  that  I  undertake  the  task,  and  I  would 
that  I  were  more  qualified  to  do  justice  to  the 
theme,  that  iny  appreciation  of  the  honor  might 
lie  better  shown. 

AVlien  I  begun  to  revolve  the  subject  over  in 
my  mind,  to  determine  what  1  should  say,  the 
first  question  that  I  naturally  asked  myself  was, 
what  is  the  origin  of  the  American  fair?  Is  it 
a  legacy  from  some  foreign  country  or  the  pro- 
duct of  American  enterprise,  ambition  and  in- 


genuity. Wherein  docs  it  diti'cr  from  the 
prehistoric  harvest  festival  or  the  fairs  of  ancient 
and  modern  time  of  other  countries. 

Py  some,  the  word  fair  is  derived  from  a 
Latin  word  nicaning  holiday,  a  day  exeni[)t 
from  labor;  by  others,  from  a  Latin  word  mean- 
ing to  trade,  to  barter. 

There  were  festival  occasions  in  early  times, 
the  object  of  which  would  make  either  deriva- 
tion acceptal)le. 

Heathen  mythology  aixuinds  with  allusions  to 
the  festivals  held  in  honor  of  their  gods.  Under 
the  inspiration  of  a  false  yet  beautiful  theology, 
it  was  the  custom  at  stated  intervals  to  render 
homage  at  temples  consecrated  to  their  deities. 

Gifts  were  brought  to  propitiate  the  all-pow- 
erful Demeter  —  the  fabled  representative  of 
Mother-Earth. 

We  read  of  the  corn  and  harvest  festivals 
held  in  honor  of  Ceres. 

Horace  sings  from  his  Sabine  farm  of  the 
festival  of  golden  fruits  in  honor  of  Pomona. 

When  the  harvest  season  was  over,  when  the 
wine  press  had  been  laid  away,  Italia's  vine- 
dressers used  to  meet  at  some  nook  on  the  vine- 
clad  hills  and  tap  the  last  year's  cask  in  hoiun- 
of  Bacchus. 

The  old  Roman  used  to  seek  the  excitement 
of  the  hippodrome  and  witness  the  horse  races 
and  chariot  races. 

These  were  purely  holiday  festivals.  There 
is  another  class  of  festivals  in  foreign  lands  of 
early  origin  and  now  common  in  many  parts  of 
Europe  and  Asia.  It  is  called  the  Fair.  Lord 
Coke  defines  it  as  ''a  greater  species  of  market 
recurring  at  more  distant  intervals  "  and  calls 
them  legalized  public  places  for  the  sale,  ex- 
change and  barter  of  commodities. 

These  fairs  originated  because  of  the  want  of 
proper  communications  between  producers  and 
consumers. 

One  of  the  most  noted  of  these  is  that  of 
Hurdniar,  on  the  upper  course  of  the  Ganges. 
A  quarter  of  a  million  of  people  annually  visit 
the  exposition,  and  every  twelfth  year  a  million 
or  upward  make  a  special  pilgrimage  from  all 


HISTORY    OF    SONO\tA    COUNTY. 


18:? 


parts  of"  Asia  taking  tliithor  Persian  shawls, 
rugs  and  carpets,  Indian  silks,  Cassimere  shawls, 
preserved  fruits,  spices,  drugs,  et  cetera,  together 
with  immense  numbers  of  cattle,  liorses,  slieep 
and  camels. 

The  annual  fairs  of  Beaucaire  in  France,  of 
Nihni  Norgorod  of  Russia,  the  German  fairs  of 
Frankfort  and  Leipsic,  wliere  gather  the  pro- 
ducers and  traveling  merchants  from  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth,  bringino;  with  them  their 
fabrics  and  costly  wares,  are  all  the  outgrowth 
of  a  necessary  common  center  of  exchange. 

The  American  Agricultural  i'^airis  peculiarly 
an  American  institution.  We  come  not  here  to 
do  sacrifice  to  an  imaginary  protectress  or  .scat- 
ter offerings  npon  her  saci'ed  shrine. 

We  come  not  here  solely  to  barter  our  own 
jiecnliar  productions. 

Ours  the  better  part  to  meet  together  for 
mutual  counsel  and  improvement,  to  compare 
e.xperiences,  to  witness  the  achievements  of  the 
present,  and  seek  to  expand,  enlarge  and  perfect 
our  capacities  for  future  usefulness. 

The  harvest  having  closed,  the  season's  work 
being  over,  it  is  a  holiday  week  when  the  farmer 
throws  aside  his  tools,  selects  the  choicest  of 
his  grain,  vegetables  and  live  stock;  the  fruit 
grower  brings  his  peach,  jiear,  apple,  fig,  apri- 
cot, plum  aad  olive;  the  wine-grower,  the  pure 
juices  of  his  press;  the  merchant,  his  stock  of 
goods,  wares  and  merchandise;  the  stock-raiser 
liis  finest  herds  of  imported  cattle  and  thorongh- 
l)red  standard  work  and  ti'otting  horses;  the 
mother  brings  the  little  baby,  the  daughter  her 
needlework,  to  exhibit  them  to  the  world,  to 
compare  them  with  their  neighbors,  and  with 
frietully  rivalry  contend  for  a  prize. 

How  grand  is  the  scene  before  ns!  a  mile  of 
stalls  filled  with  blooded  horses  with  ears  erect 
and  nostrils  extended  ready  for  a  race.  Live 
stock  of  every  description  from  every  nook  and 
corner  of  the  district,  and  a  pavilion  filled  to 
overflowing.  *  •'■  "  *  * 

In  belialf  of  this  association  and  its  directors, 
a  cordial  welcome  is  extended  to  all. 

This  association  has  great  cause  to  rejoice  at 


the  rapid  progress  which  our  j)eople  are  making 
in  all  that  tends  to  build  up  a  great  and  powerful 
district. 

The  lively  interest  which  is  now  manifested 
in  the  improvement  of  all  sorts  of  stock  has 
given  us  in  our  genial  climate  the  best  variety 
of  animals  in  tiie  world. 

Our  rich  lands  are  largely  under  cultivation, 
and  we  are  not  dependent  upon  others  for  the 
necessaries  of  life. 

The  yearly  reports  which  this  society, is  com- 
pelled to  make  to  the  State  Board,  show  a  vast 
increase  in  every  department  of  agriculture 
from  year  to  year. 

Indeed  we  have  within  our  own  district  com- 
prising the  counties  of  Sonoma  and  Marin  all 
the  elements  of  true  greatness. 

With  a  population  nnsurpassed  for  intelli- 
gence and  patriotism,  with  as  rich  and  pro- 
ductive lands  as  the  world  affords,  and  sufficient 
rainfall  to  insure  annual  crops  without  irriga- 
tion, if  we  act  wisely  and  use  properly  the 
means  which  have  been  so  profusely  spread 
before  us,  there  is  for  ns  a  glorious  future. 

I  am  asked  by  members  of  this  association  to 
extend  to  its  courteous  president,  active  secre- 
tary and  able  board,  its  thanks  for  their  liberal 
attention  and  successful  work  in  its  behalf. 

The  management  and  work  of  the  year  must 
necessarily  fall  upon  them,  but  there  is  work 
for  every  man  and  woman  in  the  district. 

If  we  are  to  have  a  good  fair  and  pleasing 
exhibition,  we  must  bring  sometluTig  here  to 
exhibit. 

The  larger  and  more  varied  the  exliiliit  the 
better  the  record  among  the  archives  of  State, 
the  better  pleased  the  visitors,  the  better  its 
financial  condition. 

County  and  county,  city  and  city,  town  ami 
town  must  all  co-operate  in  order  that  each  an- 
nual meeting  shall  sur[iass  the  last  and  iiiipai't 
an  abiding  good. 

It  is  not  for  to-day  or  for  to-morrow,  nor  for 
tlie  brief  period  of  existence  allowed  to  those 
who  particii)ate  here  to  day  that  wo  perpetuate 
these  fairs. 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Natukh's  Laboratory— ThI'  Geysers 


h^^;jl3Tj;j  jp  j^  ^'^  ^^^^  j^a  j^  ^  jjatx: 


iS^'  '^■i^^^^^zri^-^^^^c::::^:::^^^'^  ><^^: 


CHAPTER    XX. 


ThK     (tEYSERS THEY     WERE     VISITED     IN    1S65    liY    ViCE- PRESIDENT  ScHUYLER  CoLFAX  AXD  SaMDEI. 

Bowles,  editor  of  the  Si>KiN(;FiKr.ii,  ]\[as-;aohi'setts.  Republican — what  Mr.  Bowles  wrote 
— Clark  Foss — the  kahtiujuake,  1808. 


fHE  present  terininns  of  tlie  Donalme  Roail, 
otherwise  tlie  San  Francisco  A:  North 
Pacific  Railroad,  is  Cloverdale,  jnst  eiglity 
miles  from  the  city  of  San  Francisco.  A  pleas- 
ant journey  of  three  hours  in  the  handsome  new 
cars  with  which  the  company  have  lately 
equipped  the  road  will  land  the  traveler  all  safe 
and  sound  at  that  place.  Leaving  San  Fran- 
cisco at  8  A.  M.,  the  journey  is  finished  by  11 
o'clock,  in  time  for  noon  refreshments.  As  the 
dinner  progresses,  the  sound  and  hustle  of  the 
preparation  of  many  lines  of  stages  with  passen- 
gers for  the  upper  coast  of  Mendocino,  the 
Geysers,  Flighland  Springs  and  other  splendid 
summer  resorts  fill  the  air.  The  Geysers  of 
Sonoma  County  are  pre-eminently  the  one  un- 
paralleled wonder,  the  something  which  no  other 
country  in  the  world  can  duplicate,  illustrati\e 
of  the  wondrous  waj's  of  Providence  visible  in 
this  world  below.  FVom  Cloverdale  to  the 
Geysers  is  sixteen  miles,  making  the  whole  dis- 
tance from  San  Francisco  ninety-six  miles  and 
al)out  six  hours'  journey. 

A  distinguished  European  geologist  describes 
the  California  Geysers  as  "  fearful,  wonderful." 
The  visitor  is  surrounded  by  all  kinds  of  con- 
tending elements,  boiling,  roaring,  thundering. 


hissing,  bubbling,  spurting  and  steaming  here 
extremes  meet  in  a  most  astonishing  way — if  a 
diversity  of  mineral  springs  can  be  called  ex- 
tremes— as  there  are  over  three  hundred  in 
number  that  possess  every  variety  of  character- 
istic. Some  are  hot;  others  icy  cold;  some  con- 
tain iron;  some  soda;  others  sulphur.  Side  by 
side  boil  and  bubble  the  hottest  of  hot  springs 
and  the  coldest  of  cold  ones,  being,  frequently, 
but  a  few  inches  apart.  Indeed  so  closely  do 
they  lie  together  that  the  greatest  care  must  be 
exercised  lest  one  should  step  knee-deep  into  a 
"  cauldron  ''  or  an  "  icy  bath.''  Even  the  rocks 
become  thoroughly  heated,  and  quantities  of 
magnesia,  sulphur,  alum  and  many  other  chemi- 
cals lie  thickl}'  strewn  about  the  lava  beds, 
making  a  sort  of  druggists'  paradise.  The  noise, 
too,  and  the  smell  are  as  diversified  as  the  char- 
acter of  the  springs.  Of  the  lioiling  springs 
and  steam  receptacles,  one  is  known  as  the 
"  Devil's  Grist  Mill,"  another,  "  The  Calliope," 
then,  the  "Steamboat  (xeysers,"  the  "Witches' 
Cauldron,"  the  "  Mouutain  of  Fire,''  the  latter 
of  which  contains  several  hundred  apertures. 
In  all  of  these  are  shown,  each  for  itself,  some 
interesting  and  remarkable  peculiarity. 

It  is  a  place  that  recalls  to    our    mind    the 


HTsrORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


1S5 


Witches"  Retreat  in  Shakespeare's  Macbeth. 
The  water  in  a  pool  of  the  stream  forms 
Nature's  Cauldron,  and   one  cannot  liut  repeat: 

"  Round  about  the  CiUlUli-on  go; 
In  tlie  poisoned  entrails  throw — 
Toail,  that  under  coUlest  stone, 
Days  and  nights  has  thirty-one. 
Swelter'd  venom  sleeping  got, 
Boil  thou  first  i'the  cliarmed  pot ! 

Double,  double,  toil  and  trouble; 
Fire,  burn;  and  cauldron  biililile. 

"  Fillet  of  a  fennj'  snake. 
In  the  cauldron  boil  and  bake; 
Eye  of  newt,  and  toe  of  frog. 
Wool  of  bat,  and  tongue  of  dog, 
Ailder's  fork,  and  blind-worm's  sting, 
Lizzard's  leg,  and  owlet's  wing, 
For  a  charm  of  powerful  trouble. 
Like  a  hell-broth  boil  and  bubble. 

Double,  double,  toil  and  trouble ; 
Fire,  burn  ;  and  cauldron  bubble." 

(Jf  tlie  Geysers,  the  most  enjoyable  features 
is  the  stage  ride  from  Oloverdale  through  Sul- 
piiur  Creek  Canon.  The  road  is  of  easy  grade, 
and  the  scenery  inost  picturesque. 

Samuel  Bowles  (since  deceased),  editor  of  the 
Springfield,  Massachusetts,  liepuhliean,  accom- 
]ianied  Vice-President  Colfa.x  to  this  county  in 
1865,  and  they  visited  the  Geysers.  The  fol- 
lowing is  Mi;.  I)Owles'  description  of  what  they 
saw  in  their  journeyings: 

"Similar  and  prolonged  experience,  with 
some  added  and  fresh  elements,  came  from  a 
rai)id  three  day's  journey  northerly  to  see  the 
Geysers  or  famous  boiling  springs,  and  the 
neighboring  valleys,  famous  for  farms  and  fruits 
and  vineyards.  A  steamer  took  us  up  through 
San  Pablo  Uay,  one  of  the  widen ings  of  the 
outcoiTiing  waters  of  the  interior,  and  Petaluma 
Creek,  to  the  thriving  town  of  the  latter  naine. 
I  took  a  sharp  look  at  it  because  of  its  persistent 
desire  to  steal  your  neighbor,  llev.  Mr.  Harding, 
away  from  Longmeadow,  and  found  it  one  of 
the  most  prosperous  and  pleasant  of  California 
towns,  at  the  foot  of  one  of  the  richest  agricul- 
tural regions  of  the  coast.  The  rest  of  the  day 
we  rode  through  driest  dust  and  reposing 
nature,  up   through    the    Petaluma  Valley  and 


over  into  that  of  the  Russian  River,  famous  and 
peculiar  here  for  its  especial  kindliness  to  our 
Indian  corn,  also  for  its  toothsome  grouse,  first 
cousin  to  our  partridge;  stopping  at  the  village 
of  Healdsburg  for  brass  band,  speeches  and 
supper,  and  after  a  rapid  hour's  drive  by  moon- 
light, at  a  solitary  ranch  under  the  (Teyser 
Mountain  for  the  night. 

"Sunrise  the  ne.xt  morning  found  us  whirling 
along  a  rough  road  over  the  mountains  to  the 
especial  object  of  the  excursion.  But  the  drive 
of  the  morning  was  the  more  remarkable  fea- 
ture. We  supposed  the  Plains  and  the  Sierras 
had  exhausted  possibilities  for  us  in  that  re- 
spect, but  they  were  both  outwitted  here.  For 
bold  daring  and  brilliant  execution,  our  driver 
this  morning  must  take  the  palm  of  tl'ie  world, 
1  verily  believe.  The  distance  was  twelve  miles, 
up  and  down  steep  hills,  through  inclosed  pas- 
tures; the  vehicle  an  open  wagon,  the  passen- 
gers six,  the  horses  four  and  gay,  and  changed 
once;  and  the  driver,  Clark  T.  Foss,  our  land- 
lord over  night  and  the  owner  of  the  route. 
For  several  miles  the  road  lay  along  the  llog's 
Back,  the  crest  of  a  mountain  that  ran  away 
from  that  point  or  edge,  like  the  side  of  a  roof, 
several  thousand  feet  to  the  ravine  below,  and 
so  narrow  that,  pressed  down  and  widened  as 
much  as  was  possible,  it  was  rarely  over  ten  or 
twelve  feet  wide,  and  in  one  place  but  seven 
feet,  winding  in  and  out,  and  yet  we  went  over 
this  narrow  causeway  on  the  full  gallop. 

"  After  going  up  and  down  several  inountains, 
having  rare  views  of  valleys  and  ravines  and 
peaks,  under  the  shadows  and  inists  of  early 
morning,  we  came  to  a  point  overlooking  the 
Gej'sers.  Far  belovv  in  the  valley  we  could  see 
the  hot  steam  pouring  out  of  the  ground,  and 
wide  was  the  waste  arouml.  The  descent  was 
alinost  j^erpendicular;  the  road  ran  down  1,600 
feet  in  the  two  miles  to  the  hotel,  and  it  had 
thirty-five  sliarp  turns  in  its  course.  'Look;it 
your  watch,'  said  Foss,  iis  ho  started  on  the 
steep  decline;  crack,  crack,  went  the  whip  o\(>r 
the  heads  f)f  the  leaders,  as  the  sharp  corners  came 
in  sight,  and  they  plunged   with  seeming  reck- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    GOUNTY 


lessness  aliead,  and  in  nine  minntes  and  a  lialf 
they  were  pulled  up  at  the  bottom  and  we  took 
breath.  Going  l)ack,  the  team  was  an  liour  and 
a  ijuarter  in  the  same  passage.  Wlien  we  won- 
dered at  Foss  tor  liis  perilous  and  rajiid  di'i\ing 
down  sucli  a  steep  road,  he  said:  'Oh,  there's 
no  danger  or  ditiiculty  in  it.  All  it  needs  is  to 
Ivcep  your  liead  cool,  and  the  leaders  out  of  the 
way."  l)Ut  nevertheless  I  was  convinced  it  not 
only  does  require  a  quiclc  and  cool  Ijrain,  but  a 
ready  and  strong  and  experienced  hand.  The 
whole  morning  ride  was  accomplished  in  two 
hours  and  a  quarter,  and  thougii  everybody  pre- 
dicts a  catastrophe  from  its  apparent  dangers, 
Foss  has  driven  it  after  this  style  for  many 
years,  and  never  liad  an  accident. 

"The  Geysers  are  exhausted  in  a  couple  of 
hours.  Tiiey  are  certainly  a  curiosity,  a  mar- 
vel, but  there  is  no  element  of  beauty;  there  is 
nothing  to  be  studied,  to  grow  into  or  upon 
you.  We  had  seen  something  similar,  but  less 
extensive,  in  Nevada,  and  like  a  three-legged 
calf,  or  the  Siamese  twins,  or  P.  T.  Ijarnum,  or 
James  Gordon  Hennett,  once  seeing  is  satisfac- 
toi-y  for  a  life-time.  They  are  a  sort  of  grand 
natural  chemical  shoj)  in  disorder.  In  a  little 
ravine  from  ofi' the  valley  is  their  jirincijial  the- 
ater. The  ground  is  white,  and  yellow,  and 
gi-ay,  poi-ous  and  mtten  with  long  and  high  heat. 
The  air  is  also  hot  aiul  sulphurous  to  an  un- 
pleasant degree.  All  along  the  bottom  of  the 
ravine  and  up  its  sides  the  earth  seems  hollow 
and  full  of  boiling  water.  In  frequent  little 
cracks  and  pin  holes  it  finds  vent,  and  out  of 
these  it  bubbles  and  emits  steam  like  so  many 
tiny  tea  kettles  at  high  tide.  In  one  place  the 
earth  yawns  wide,  and  the  'Witches' Cauldron,' 
several  feet  in  diameter,  seethes  and  sprouts  a 
black,  inky  water,  so  hot  as  to  boil  an  egg  in- 
stantly, and  capable  of  reducing  a  human  body 
to  pulp  at  short  notice.  The  water  is  thrown 
up  four  to  si.K  feet  in  height,  and  the  general  ef- 
i'ect  is  very  devilish  indeed.  The  '  Witches' 
Cauldron '  is  reproduced  a  dozen  times  in  min- 
iature— handy  little  pools  for  cookinfr  your 
breakfast  and  dinner,  if  they  were  only  in  your 


kitchen  or  back  yard.  Farther  up  you  follow  a 
puffing  noise,  exactly  like  that  of  a  steamboat  in 
progress,  and  you  come  to  a  couple  of  volumes 
of  steam  struggling  out  of  tiny  holes,  but 
mounting  high  and  spreading  wide  from  their 
force  and  heat. 

"  You  grow  faint  with  the  heat  and  smell, your 
feet  seem  burning,  and  the  air  is  loaded  with  a 
mixture  of  salts,  sulphur,  iron,  magnesia,  .soda, 
ammonia,  all  the  chemicals  and  compounds  of  a 
doctor's  shop.  You  feel  as  if  the  ground  might 
any  moment  open,  and  let  you  down  to  a  genu- 
ine hell.  You  recall  the  line  from  Milton,  or 
somebody:  'Here  is  hell — myself  am  hell." 
And,  most  dreadful  of  all,  you  lose  all  appetite 
for  the  breakfast  of  venison,  trout  and  grouse 
that  awaits  your  return  to  the  hotel.  So  you 
struggle  out  of  the  ravine,  every  step  among 
tin}-  volumes  of  steam,  and  over  bubbling  pools 
of  water,  and  cool  and  refresh  yourself  among 
the  trees  on  the  mountain  side  beyond.  Then, 
not  to  omit  any  sight,  you  go  back  through  two 
other  ravines  where  the  same  phenomena  are  re- 
peated, thougli  less  extensively.  All  around  by 
the  hot  pools  and  escape  valves  are  delicate  and 
beautiful  little  crystals  of  sulphur  and  soila,  and 
other  distinct  elements  of  the  combustibles  be- 
low, taking  substance  again  on  the  surface. 

"  All  this  wonder-working  isgoing  on  day  and 
night,  year  after  year,  answering  to-day  exactly 
to  the  descriptions  of  yesterday  and  five 
years  ago.  Most  of  the  waters  are  black  as  ink, 
and  some  as  thick;  others  are  quite  light  and 
transparent;  and  they  are  of  all  degrees  of 
temperature  from  150  to  500.  ^sear  by,  too, 
are  springs  of  cold  water,  some  as  cold  as 
these  are  hot,  almost.  The  phenomena  carries 
its  own  explanation;  the  chemist  will  reproduce 
for  you  the  same  thing,  on  a  small  scale,  by 
mixing  sulphuric  acid  and  cold  water,  and  the 
other  unkindred  elements  that  have  here,  in 
nature's  lal)oratory  chanced  to  get  together. 
Yolcanic  action  is  also  most  probably  connected 
with  some  of  the  demonstrations  here.  There 
must  be  utility  in  these  waters  for  the  cure  of 
rheumatism  and  other  blood  and  skin  diseases 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


187 


The  Indians  have  long  used  some  of  the  pools 
in  this  way,  with  results  that  seem  like  fables. 
One  of  tiie  pools  has  fame  for  eyes;  and  with 
clinical  examination  and  scientific  application, 
doubtless  large  benefits  might  l)e  reasonably 
assured  among  invalids  from  a  resort  to  these 
waters.  At  present  there  is  only  a  rough  little 
bathing-house,  collecting  the  waters  from  the 
ravine,  and  the  visitors  to  the  valley,  save  for 
curiosity,  are  but  very  few.  It  is  a  wild,  unre- 
deemed spot,  all  around  the  Geysers;  beautiful 
with  deep  forests,  a  mountain  stream,  and  clear 
air.  Game,  too,  abounds;  deer  and  grouse  and 
trout  seemed  plentier  than  in  any  region  we 
liave  visited.  There  is  a  comfortable  hotel;  but 
otherwise  this  valley  is  uninhabited. 

"  Back  on  the  route  of  our  morning  ride,  we 
then  turned  off  into  the  neighboring  valley  of 
Napa,  celebrated  for  its  agricultural  beauty  and 
productiveness,  and  also,  for  its  Calistoga  and 
Warm  Springs,  charmingly  located,  the  one  in 
the  plains  and  the  other  close  among  mountains, 
and  consisting  of  the  fashionable  summer  resort 
for  San  Franciscans.  The  water  is  sulphurous; 
the  bathing  delicious,  softening  the  skin  to  the 
texture  of  a  babe's;  the  country  charming;  but 
we  found  both  establishments,  though  with  ca- 
pacious headquarters  and  family  cottages, 
almost  deserted  of  people.  I'assed  farms  and 
orchards,  through  parks  of  evergreen  oak  that 
looked  as  perfect  as  the  work  of  art,  we  stopped 
at  the  village  of  Napa,  twin  and  rival  to  Peta- 
luma,  and  from  here,  crossing  anothing  spur  of 
the  West  Range,  we  entered  still  another 
beautiful  and  fertile  valley — that  of  Sonoma. 

"Here  are  some  of  the  largest  vineyards  of 
northern  California,  and  we  visited  that  of  the 
Enena  Vista  Viiiicultural  Society,  under  the 
management  of  Colonel  Ilarasztliy,  a  Hunga- 
rian. This  estate  embraces  about  5,000  acres 
of  land,  a  princely-looking  house,  large  wine 
manufactory  and  cellars,  and  about  a  million 
vines,  foreign  and  native.  Tiie  whole  value  of 
its  property  is  half  a  niillii)n  dollai's.  including 
$100,000  worth  of  wine  bratidii's  ready  and  in 
preparation  for  market.      We  tasted  the  liquors, 


we  shared  the  generous  hospitality  of  the  estate 
and  superinteiident;  bnt  we  failed  to  obtain, 
here  or  elsewhere,  any  satisfactory  information 
as  to  the  success  of  wine-making  yet  in  Cali- 
fornia. The  business  is  still  very  much  in  its 
infancy,  indeed;  and  this  one  enterprise  does 
not  seem  well  managed.  Nor  do  we  find  the 
wine  very  inviting;  they  partake  of  the  general 
character  of  the  Rhine  wines  and  the  Ohio 
Catawba,  bnt  are  rougher,  harsh  and  beady — 
needing  apparantly  both  some  improvement  in 
culture  and  manufacture  and  time  for  softe?iing. 
I  have  drank,  indeed,  much  better  CJalifornia 
wine  in  Springfield  than  out  here.'' 

As  a  Knight  of  the  Whip,  Clark  Foss  had  a 
wide  reputation  only  equalled  by  that  of  "  Hank 
Monk."  But  he  was  caught  by  death  on  the 
down  grade,  and  his  foot  could  not  reach  the 
break-bar.  The  Santa  Rosa  Democrat  of  Sep- 
tember 5,  1885,  said: 

"James  P.  Clark  received  a  dispatch  from  J. 
A.  Chesboro,  of  Calistoga,  announcing  the  death 
of  Clark  Foss,  which  occurred  at  his  residence 
near  Kellogg,  (ui  Tuesdaj'  afternoon.  Mr.  Foss 
was  one  of  the  most  widely  known  men  on  the 
Pacific  coast.  Ilis  reputation  as  a  skillful 
driver  was  second  only  to  Hank  Monk  of  the 
old  Overland  stage  line.  For  the  past  thirty 
years  he  has  run  stages  to  and  from  the  Geyser 
Springs.  He  was  for  a  long  time  a  resident  of 
Ilealdsbui'g,  and  ran  stages  from  there  to  Ray's 
Station,  from  whence  passengers  were  taken  over 
the  Geyser  Peak  to  the  springs.  When  the 
railroad  was  completed  up  Napa  Yalley,  he 
moved  to  Calistoga,  built  a  toll-road  over  the 
mountain  by  way  of  Pine  Flat  and  thence 
down  Sulphur  Creek  to  the  springs,  and  put  on 
a  line  of  six-horse  wagons.  Until  the  comple- 
tion of  the  Donahue  mad  to  Clovurdale  all  travel 
went  by  that  route.  .Mr.  I-'oss  was  a  man  of 
great  nerve,  and  you  could  not  rake  up  six  of 
the  most  vicious  mustang  tribe  that  he  would 
not  tone  down  after  a  very  short  experience.  He 
would  whirl  around  the  curves  on  his  grand 
road  at  a  gait  that  would  stiffen  the  hair  on  the 
head  of  a  timid  tourist." 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


A^  the  forces  of  nature  as  exhibited  by  tiiese 
tkr-taiiied  Geysers  are  very  siio^gestivp  fif  vol- 
canic ornptions  and  eartiiquakes,  we  cannot 
more  titly  close  tliis  chapter  than  with  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  heaviest  earthquake  experienced  in 
California  since  its  occupancy  by  Americans, 
that  of  October  27.  1868.  Its  force  and  effect 
at  Petaluma  is  tlius  described  by  the  Anjus  : 

'•  Yestenlay  moining,  at  abont  nine  minutes 
to  eight  o'clock,  an  earthquake  was  felt  in  this 
city  wliich  for  severity  and  damaging  results 
surpassed  anything  of  the  kind  ever  before  ex- 
perienced in  this  vicinity.  The  oscillation  of 
the  earth  seemed  to  be  from  east  to  west,  and 
there  were  three  distinct  shocks,  following  each 
other  in  rapid  succession,  lasting,  we  should 
think,  from  ten  to  fifteen  seconds.  liuildings 
seemed  to  sway  back  and  forth  like  reeds  in  a 
storm,  and  onr  excited  and  panic-stricken  citi- 
zens of  conrse  made  hurried  movements  to  get 
in  the  streets.  Horses  plunged  and  fretted  as 
the  earth  trembled  beneath  their  feet.  All 
nature  seemed  for  the  moment  to  tremble  in 
fear  at.  the  threatened  convulsion.  Several 
buildings  were  badly  damaged  on  Main  street, 
though  none  fell — the  most  of  the  damages 
done  being  in  the  stores  wherein  were  piled 
goods  of  a  perishable  nature,  ^fany  chimneys 
were  toppled  and  thrown  down,  and  a  stone 
dwelling  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  city  had 
its  front  shaken  out,  but  the  family  occupying 
it  being  abed  when  the  shock  occurred,  miracu- 
lously escaped  injury.  A  great  deal  of  crockery 
ware  was  also  broken,  and  most  of  the  clocks  in 
the  town  stopped;  in  fact,  for  the  moment,  it 
looked  like  the  end  of  all  time.  From  all  we 
can  leai'n  before  going  to  press,  the  following 
are  the  names  of  those  suffering  damaofes:      F. 


T.  Maynard,  breaking  of  bottles  and  loss  of 
drugs,  §1,000;  8.  I).  Towne,  ditto,  !?l()0;  Man- 
ning &  Son,  $20;  DeMartin  &  Co.,  $200; 
Symonds,  !f;75;  Lamoreaux  ^  Cox,  $20;  A.  !'. 
Whitney,  $150;  Carothers  A:  Todd,  $100;  and 
several  others  whose  damages  are  comparatively 
trivial.  During  the  whole  forenoon  of  yester- 
day light  shocks  were  felt,  and  every  one  seemed 
to  be  more  or  less  nervous  lest  another  heavy 
shock  might  visit  us  with  more  disastrous  re- 
sults. There  were  no  casualties.  Up  to  present 
writing  everything  is  quiet,  and  the  fright  of 
our  people  is  diminishing.  There  was  a  report 
that  the  brick  school-honse  was  badly  damaged, 
but  this,  like  a  thousand  other  reports,  is  totally 
without  foundation  or  truth." 

In  continuation  of  matters  in  relation  to  that 
memorable  earthquake,  the  Petaluma  Anpix  of 
October  211th,  said: 

'•  In  this  city  the  earthquake  did  little  damage 
outside  of  what  was  mentioned  in  last  week's 
paper.  A  brick  kiln,  in  the  lower  part  of  town, 
the  property  of  C.  A.  Hough,  sustained  consid- 
erable damage,  there  being  about  twenty  thou- 
sand brick  broken.  We  have  experienced 
several  shocks  since,  but  none  that  compared  in 
severity  with  the  one  on  Wednesday  of  last 
week.  The  effect  on  San  Francisco  turns  out 
not  to  be  so  damaging  as  at  first  reported.  ( )nly 
five  persons  were  killed  outright.  The  damages 
to  property  is  quite  large,  and  will  probably 
reach  over  two  millions  of  dollars.  In  other 
portions  of  the  State,  at  San  Jose.  San  Leandro, 
Oakland,  Napa,  Ilaywoods  and  Gilroy  the  shock, 
was  more  or  less  severe,  doing  considerable 
damage  and  resulting  in  the  loss  of  two  or  tliree 
lives.  At  Sacramento  and  above  tlie  shock  was 
felt,  but  was  comparatively  light." 


HISTORY    OF    SOl^OMA    COUNTY. 


189 


CHAPTER   XXI. 
Extent  of   ekdwood  forests — the   lumber  output  of    mills — Coloxel    Armstrong's  grove — 

A    MONSTER  tree THE  J>IG    IjOTToM  FORESTS,  ETC. 


IXTENDTNG  from  Mendocino  southward 
long  the  coast  line  of  the  county,  to  a 
distance  averaging  about  ten  miles  inland, 
is  a  magniticent  redwood  belt  of  timber.  There 
are  considerable  quantities  along  Russian  River 
and  tlieGualalaand  at  intermediate  points,  possi- 
bly' one  thousand  millions  of  feet  of  lumber  if  all 
the  lumber  is  accessible. 

The  soil,  generally  throughoit  this  region  is 
very  fertile.  The  valley's  are  mainly  sandy  loam, 
the  deposits  of  ages.  The  hillsides,  usually 
a  dark  loose  mold  of  vegetable  matter,  some- 
times with  gravel,  and  clay  and  rocks.  It  would 
seem  as  if  the  earth  that  produces  this  enor- 
mous growth  ought  to  raise  almost  any  kind  of 
vegetation,  and  so  far  as  tried,  it  does.  There 
is  no  better  land  in  the  State  for  general  farming 
purposes.  Fruit,  grapes,  alfalfa,  corn,  vines, 
etc.,  grow  to  perfection.  The  land  too  is  cheap 
as  compared  with  other  more  vaunted  localities. 
But  it  is  rough  and  laborious  work  to  put  these 
raw  clearings,  left  by  the  loggers,  in  shape  for 
the  plow.  Rears,  apj)les,  peaches,  figs,  grapes 
and  especially  French  prunes  flourish  in  perfec- 
tion, and  produce  with  unbroken  regularity. 
It  is  a  section  of  the  State  little  heard  from 
heretofore  and  destined  to  become  better 
known. 


To  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  resources 
of  tiie  redwoods — what  is  left  of  them — it  may 
be  stated  that  Occidental,  Duncan's  Mills  and 
Guerneville  are  villages  which  are  sustained 
mostly  by  saw-mills  and  lumber  industries. 
The  daily  average  .shipments  from  Guerneville 
are  about  eighteen  carloads,  of  which  ten  are 
lumber  furnished  by  the  Rig  Bottom  saw-mill. 
The  annual  output  of  lumber,  ties, posts,  pickets, 
shingles,  cordwood,  bark  and  piles  is  about  half 
a  million  dollars  from  these  little  stations  on 
Russian  River.  Near  the  mouth  of  the  Gualala 
River  there  is  a  fine  mill,  owning  an  immense 
tract  of  15,000  acres  of  timber,  and  making 
extensive  shipments. 

NotwithstaTiding  the  great  value  of  this  tim- 
l>er  for  exj)ort,  its  chief  value  is  its  proximity 
to  the  Santa  Rosa  and  Petaluma  valleys,  which 
extend  from  fifty  to  sixty  miles  northward 
from  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  Throughout 
that  entire  country  all  the  fencing  and  building 
lias  been  furnished  by  thcs.'  redwoods.  The 
first  settlers  went  there  and  camped  while  they 
made  rails,  shingles  and  ])ickets  on  Uncle  Sam's 
domain.  It  was  common  property.  When  the 
first  saw-mill  was  built  by  Powers  on  the  river, 
and  after  he  had  taken  up  the  land,  he  was 
powerless  to  keep  the  farmers  of  the  valley  from 


HISTORY    (iF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


felling  the  timber  under  his  nose  and  carrying 
it  ott".     Things  are  l)etter  managed  imw. 

liedwodds  are  far  taller  than  the  xequoia 
(jujantea  of  Calaveras,  whicli  do  not  attain  a 
greater  heiglit  than  about  250  feet.  J. umber 
men  have  cut  timber  here,- and  can  still  show  it 
in  Big  Bottom,  over  350  feet  high.  The 
diameter  is  less,  ranging  from  saplings  to  18 
feet  across  the  stump.  Fifty  acres  of  this  heavy 
timber  lias  been  set  apart  for  a  public  park  by 
Colonel  Armstrong,  with  an  extension  of  the 
Donahue  Itailroad  leading  to  it,  and  completed 
but  for  a  link  in  the  line  crossing  lands  owned 
by  parties  who  will  neither  lease  nor  sell,  near 
the  village  of  Guerneville.  The  road  will  doubt- 
less be  finished  after  resorting  to  the  courts, 
when  future  generations  can  have  free  access  to 
the  picnic  ground.  It  will  be  the  last  remnant 
of  a  mighty  forest  before  ten  years,  and  the 
nearest  one  accessible  (seventy  miles  distant  by 
rail)  to  the  city  of  San  Francisco. 

The  Petaluma  ^[/yus  of  October,  1S82,  says: 
"  Some  months  ago  mention  was  maile  in  the 
Aiyii.'^  of  the  felling  of  a  mammoth  redwood 
tree  on  the  land  of  John  Torrence,  near  Guerne- 
ville, in  this  county.  The  following  additional 
particulars  concerning  this  giant  of  the  forest  is 
furnished  us  by  Wm.  L.  Van  Doren,  of  this 
city:  The  standing  heiglit  of  the  tree  was  34:7 
feet,  and  its  diameter,  near  the  ground,  was  14 
feet.  In  falling  the  top  was  broken  off  200  feet 
distant  from  the  stump,  and  up  to  the  point  of 
breaking  the  tree  was  perfectly  sound.  From 
the  tree  saw-logs  were  cut  of  the  following 
lengths  and  diameters:  1st,  14  feet  long,  9  feet 
diameter;  2d,  12  feet  long,  8  feet  diameter; 
3d,  12  feet  long,  7  feet  7  inches  diameter;  4tli, 
14  feet  long,  7  feet  G  inches  diameter;  5tli,  10 
feet  long,  6  feet  10  inches  diameter;  7tli,  10 
feet  long,  6  feet  6  inches  diameter;  8tli,  10  feet 
long,  0  feet  4  inches  diameter;  9tli,  10  feet 
long,  0  feet  3  inches  diameter;  10th,  18  feet 
long,  0  feet  diameter;  11th,  12  feet  long,  5  feet 
10  inches  diameter;  12tli,  18  feet  long,  5  feet 6 
inches  diameter.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  180 
feet  of  this  remarkable  tree  was  converted  into 


saw-logs.  As  the  length  and  diameter  of  each 
log  is  given,  the  reader  can.  at  leisure,  figure 
out  the  quantity  of  inch  lumber  the  tree  con- 
tained. If,  instead  of  being  cut  into  lumber,  it 
had  been  worked  up  into  seven  foot  pickets  it 
would  have  afforded  fencing  material  to  enclose 
a  good  sized  ranch." 

A  correspondent  of  the  Healdsburg  Fla<j, 
who  some  years  ago  visited  the  saw-mill  of 
Guerne  it  Heald  in  the  l^ig  Bottom  redwood 
forest  on  Russian  liiver,  thus  describes  what  he 
saw : 

"The  mill  has  been  running  in  its  present 
location  about  one  year.  It  is  a  very  substan- 
tial and  well  arranged  structure,  the  workman- 
ship of  ilessrs.  Bagley  and  Goddart  of  this 
town.  It  has  a  new  48-horse  power  engine, 
14  cylinders  and  18  inch  stroke,  and  runs  a 
double  circle  saw — the  lower  one  02  and  the 
upper  one  70  inches — edger  and  planer.  The 
capacity  of  the  mill  is  20,000  feet  per  day. 
The  mill  is  twenty  miles  from  Healdsburg  by 
the  road — about  twenty-five  miles  by  the  course 
of  the  river.  J.  W.  Bagley  is  head  sawyer. 
We  remained  but  one  niglit  at  the  mill,  and  the 
next  morning  penetrated  into  the  foi-est  for  the 
pur])ose  of  seeing  one  of  the  resources  of 
Sonoma  County — her  redwoods.  Three  and  a 
half  miles  from  the  mills  we  found  •  Outch 
John  "  making  shingles.  This  stalwart  speci- 
men of  Teutonic  muscle  eats,  sleeps,  cooks, 
lives  and  battles  with  the  giants  of  the  forests 
alone.  Sometimes  he  does  not  see  a  human 
form  or  hear  a  human  voice,  but  his  own,  for 
weeks  at  a  time.  He  has  felled  trees.     Two 

of  them  are  nearly  worked  up,  and  he  has  now 
on  hand,  made  from  them,  over  200,000  shingles. 
He  informed  us  that  on  his  place  trees  that 
would  make  180,000  shingles  are  common. 
Some  will  go  to  200,000.  I  applied  the  tape- 
line  to  one  tree  that  measured  07  feet  in  cir- 
cumference two  feet  above  the  ground.  This 
monster  of  the  forest  measures  nearly  200  feet 
in  height  to  the  first  limb,  at  which  point  it  is 
about  ten  or  twelve  feet  through.  Mr.  Bagley 
made  a  calculation  upon  this  huge  trunk,  from 


HTSTOAT    of    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


191 


wliicli  lio  says  it  would  cut  180,000  feet  of 
luiulicr,  make  pickets  to  fence  a  ten  acre  lot 
and  fifty  cord  of  wood.  The  Plaza  church  in 
IlealdBljurg  is  80x40  feet,  and  has  a  steeple  20 
feet  higli;  it  contains  aI)out  30,000  feet  of  lum- 
ber. This  tree,  then,  would  cut  luinf)er  enough 
to  make  six  such  buildings. 

"  Near  Ileald's  mill  is  a  very  large  tree,  kuowji 
as  'The  Htable,'  which  is  hollow  at  the  ground, 
inside  of  which  a  man  can  stand  upright  and  walk 
fifteen  feet.  It  measures  inside  twenty  seven  feet 
across,  and  is  capaljle  of  staliliiig  twelve  horses, 
with  a  haymow  to  supply  them  for  one  winter. 

"  Not  far  from  this  is  the  '  Bean  Pole.'  This 
is  a  large  tree,  but  it  is  somewhat  tall.  A  meas- 
urement taken  by  professional  mechanics  gives 
this  sprout  a  height  of  844  feet.  This  is  one  of 
the  finest  bodies  of  timber  on  the  coast,  and  is 
of  a  superior  quality. 

"  Mr.  J.  G.  Dow  has  taken  a  section  of  the  bark 
from  around  one  of  these  trees — thirteen  feet  in 
diameter — in  pieces  three  feet  long  and  one  foot 
wide,  which  may  be  set  up  .like  the  staves  of  a 
tub,  showing  the  size  of  the  tree.  This  bark  is 
from  live  to  ten  inches  thick,  lie  also  had  a 
piece  of  bark  six  feet  long  and  about  two  feet 
wide,  which  is  twenty  inches  thick,  lie  designs 
taking  these  barks  East  for  exhibition.  They 
will  be  on  exhibition  at  the  Mechanics'  Pavilion 
in  San  Francisco  during  the  fair  this  fall.  He 
will  perhaps  give  the  people  of  llealdsburg,  who 
may  wish  it,  an  opportunity  of  seeing  this  won- 
derful.growth  before  removing  it  to  the  city.  He 
has  had  the  tree  photographed  and  will  have  for 
sale  the  pictures,  in  sizes  to  suit  the  wishes  of  all. 

"  We  visited  the  Steamer  Jititei'prise,  lying  one 
mile  below  the  mill.  Captain  King  is  quite 
confident  that  he  will  visit  llealdsburg  by  steam- 
er before  Christmas.  Says  he  intends  next  sum- 
mer to  make  regular  trips  three  times  a  week  to 
llealdsburg.  Next  Saturday  he  intends  making 
his  first  trip  to  the  mouth  of  the  river." 

In  speaking  of  these  redwood  forests,  J.  P. 
Munro-Frascr  a  few  years  ago  penned  the  follow- 
ing in  reference  tn  the  lumbiTing  business  in 
Ocean  Township: 


"There  are  several  very  large  saw-mills  in 
this  townshij),  in  fact,  there  is  more  mill  capac- 
ity in  it  than  in  any  other  in  the  county  at  the 
present  time,  aggregating  about  150,000  feet 
daily.  The  Duncan's  Mill  Land  ami  J^umbcr 
Association's  mill  will  cut  30,000  feet  a  day. 
The  mills  owned  by  the  llussian  River  J^and 
and  Lumber  Association  at  Moscow,  Tyrone, 
Russian  River  Station,  and  at  other  points  in 
the  Howard  Canon,  will  eacli  cut  30,000  feet 
daily;  none  of  the  mills  belonging  to  the  last- 
named  association  are  running  at  the  present 
time,  but  the  mill  of  the  first  named  is  in  ope- 
ration. To  give  a  history  of  Duncan's  mill,  we 
must  needs  go  back  to  the  pioneer  days  both  of 
California  and  of  saw-milling.  In  1840  a  num- 
ber of  carpenters,  employed  in  the  erection  of 
the  barracks  at  Beuicia,  conceived  the  idea  of 
forming  into  a  company  and  starting  a  saw-mill. 
Lumber  at  that  time  was  worth  $;300  per  1,000 
feet,  and  of  course  at  that  rate  the  business 
would  pay  far  better  profits  than  even  mining. 
The  company  was  organized  under  the  name  of 
the  Blumedale  Saw-mill  and  Lumber  Company, 
in  honor  of  F.  G.  Blume,  of  whom  they  leased 
the  timber  land.  It  was  located  on  Ebabias 
Creek,  in  Analy  Township,  a  few  miles  east  of 
the  present  site  of  Freestone.  Clias.  McDer- 
mot  was  president,  and  John  Bailiff,  secretary 
of  the  company.  They  formed  the  company 
and  rented  the  land  in  1848,  but  it  was  not  un- 
til November  of  1840  that  the  mill  was  got  into 
operation,  but  by  this  time  the  price  of  lumber 
had  so  materially  decreased,  and  the  expense  of 
getting  it  to  market  was  so  great,  that  but  little 
lumber  was  ever  cut  by  this  company.  In  1850 
General  George  Stoiieman  (then  lieutenant), 
Joshuallendy,  and  Samuel  Al.  Duncan  purchased 
the  property  of  the  Blumedale  Mill  and  Lumber 
Company,  and  continued  to  run  it  at  that  place 
until  the  spring  of  1852.  In  the  meantime, 
however,  either  late  in  1851  or  early  in  1852, 
Stoneman  disposed  of  his  interest  to  his  part- 
ners, and  they  continued  in  business  under  the 
firm  name  of  Ilendy  A:  Duncan. 

In  1852   Messrs,   Ucndy  iV    Duncan    moved 


193 


HTSTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


their  mill  to  a  mining  camp  known  as  Yankee 
Jim's.  Here  they  remained  a  year,  and  in  1858 
tlie  macliineiy  was  moved  to  Michigan  Blutt's, 
another  mining  town.  In  1854  they  brought 
the  machinery  back  to  Sonoma  County,  locating 
at  Salt  Point,  and  establishing  the  first  steam 
saw-mill  in  Sonoma  County,  north  of  Russian 
[liver.  Up  to  this  time  the  capacity  of  the  mill 
had  only  l)een  5,000  feet  per  day,  but  the  new 
boilers  were  procured,  making  it  a  sixteen-horse 
power  engine,  and  increasing  the  capacity  to 
12,000  feet  a  day.  In  1855  Joshua  Ilendy  dis- 
posed of  his  interest  to  Alex.  Duncan,  and  un- 
der the  firm  name  of  Duncan  IJrothers,  the  bus- 
iness was  conducted  very  successfully  at  this 
point  until  1860,  when  the  mill  was  moved  to 
the  old  mill  site  near  the  mouth  of  Kus?ian 
River. 

While  at  Salt  I'oint  they  sawed  30,000,000 
feet  of  lumber,  being  an  average  of  5,000,000 
per  year.  At  the  time  the  mill  was  moved  to 
Russian  Ri\er,  its  machinery  was  greatly  en- 
larged and  improved,  and  its  capacity  increased 
to  25,000  per  diem.  While  tiie  mill  was  locat- 
ed at  this  place,  tliey  cut  about  100.000,000  feet 
of  lumber.  No  one  has  any  conception  of  what 
those  figures  mean,  or  how  much  luml)er  it  is; 
yet  even  that  great  number  would  iiave  been 
greatly  increased,  had  it  not  been  that  almost 
every  year  large  quaTi titles  of  logs  were  carried 
out  to  sea  during  the  freshets.  The  winter  of 
1862  was  the  worst,  carrying  away  probaljly 
7,000,000  feet  of  lumber  in  the  logs.  It  seemed 
almost  impossible  to  construct  booms  strong 
enough  to  withstand  the  mighty  force  of  the 
raging  floods  of  water.  In  1877  the  Duncan's 
Mill  Land  and  Lumber  Association  was  formed, 
and  the  mill  moved  to  its  present  location.  At 
that  time  it  was  enlarged  to  a  capacity  of  35,- 
000  feet  per  day.  whicli  is  about  the  greatest 
capacity  of  any  mill  in  this  section.  The  ma- 
cliinery  in  the  mill  consists  of  one  pair  of 
doulde  circular  saws,  each  sixty  inches  in  diam- 
eter; one  pony  saw,  forty  inches  in  diameter; 
one  muley  saw,  capable  of  cutting  a  log  eight 
feet  in  diameter;    two   planing    machines,  one 


picket  lieader,  one  shingle  machine,  together 
with  edgers,  jointers,  trimmers,  and  all  the  nec- 
essary machinery  and  appliances  for  conducting 
the  business  of  sawing  and  working  up  lumber 
ex]>editioiisly. 

We  will  now  give  a  detailed  description  of 
the  modux  operandi  of  converting  monster 
redwood  trees  into  lumber,  as  we  saw  it  done 
at  this  mill.  We  will  begin  with  the  tree 
as  it  stands  on  the  mountain  side.  The 
woodsman  chooses  his  tree,  then  proceeds 
to  build  a  scaffold  u])  Ijeside  it  tliat  will 
elevate  him  to  such  a  height  as  he  may  de- 
cide upon  cutting  the  stump.  Many  of  the 
trees  have  been  burned  about  tlie  roots,  or  have 
grown  ill-shaped  near  the  ground,  so  that  it  is 
often  necessary  to  build  the  scaffold  from  ten  to 
twenty  feet  liigh.  This  .scaffold,  by  the  way,  is 
an  ingenious  contrivance.  Notches  are  cut  at 
intervals  around  the  tree  at  the  proper  height, 
deep  enough  for  the  end  of  a  cross-piece  to  rest 
in  securely.  One  end  of  the  cross-piece  is  then 
inserted  in  the  notch,  and  the  other  is  made  fast 
to  an  upright  post,  out  some  distance  from  the 
tree.  Loose  boards  are  then  laid  upon  these 
cross-pieces,  and  the  scaffold  is  completed.  The 
work  of  felling  the  tree  then  begins.  If  the 
tree  is  above  four  feet  in  diameter  an  ax  is  used 
with  an  extra  long  helve,  when  one  man  works 
alone,  but  the  usual  method  is  for  two  men  to 
work  together,  one  chopping  "right-handed" 
and  the  other  "left-handed."  When  the  tree 
is  once  down  it  is  carefully  trimmed  up  as  far 
as  it  will  do  for  saw-logs.  A  cross-cut  saw  is 
now  brought  into  re(juisition,  which  one  man 
plies  with  case  in  the  largest  of  logs,  and  the 
tree  is  cut  into  the  reijuired  lengths.  The 
logs  are  then  stripped  of  their  bark,  which  pro- 
cess is  accomplished  sometimes  by  burning  it 
off.  Then  the  ox-team  puts  in  an  apj)earance. 
These  teams  usually  consist  of  three  or  more 
yoke  of  oxen.  The  chain  is  divided  into  two 
parts  near  the  end,  and  on  the  end  of  each 
part  there  is  a  nearly  right-angled  hook.  One 
of  these  liooks  is  driven  into  either  side  of 
the  log,  near  the  end  next  the  team,  and  then, 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNT F. 


193 


witli  many  a  surge,  a  gee,  and  a  liaw.  and 
an  occasional  (^)  uatli,  the  log  is  drawn  out  tu 
the  main  trail  to  the  landing-place.  If  on 
the  road  there  should  he  any  up  hill,  or  other- 
wise rough  ground,  the  trail  is  frequently  wet, 
so  that  the  logs  may  slip  along  more  easily. 
Once  at  the  landing-place,  the  hooks  at  the  end 
of  the  ciiain  are  withdrawn,  and  the  oxen  move 
slowly  hack  into  the  woods  for  another  log. 
The  train  has  just  come  up,  and  our  log,  a  great 
eight-foot  fellow,  is  carefully  loaded  on  one  of 
the  cars.  As  we  go  along  the  track  on  this 
novel  train  on  our  road  to  the  mill  let  us  exam- 
ine it  a  little.  Beginning  at  the  foundation,  we 
wilj  look  at  the  track  first.  We  find  that  the 
road  bed  has  been  well  graded,  cuts  made  where 
necessary',  fills  made  when  practicable,  and 
trestle  work  constructed  where  needed.  On  the 
ground  are  laid  heavy  cross-ties,  and  on  them  a 
six  by  six  square  timber.  On  this  an  iron  bar, 
about  half  an  inch  thick  and  two  and  a  half 
inches  wide,  is  spiked  the  entire  length  of  the 
track.  The  two  rails  are  five  feet  and  live  inches 
apart,  and  the  entire  length  of  the  tramway  is 
five  miles.  Mow  we  come  to  the  cars  which  run 
on  this  (pieerly-constructed  track.  They  are 
made  nearly  scjuare,  but  so  arranged  that  by 
fastening  them  together  with  ropes  a  combina- 
tion car  of  almost  any  length  can  be  formed. 
And  lastly,  but  by  no  means  the  least,  we  come 
to  the  peculiarly-contrived  j)iece  of  machinery 
which  they  call  a  "dummy,"  which  is  the  motor 
power  on  this  railroad.  This  engine,  boiler, 
tender  and  all,  stands  on  four  wheels,  each  about 
two  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter.  They  are  con- 
nected together  on  each  side  by  a  shaft.  On  the 
axle  of  the  front  pair  of  wheels  is  placed  a 
large  cog-wheel.  Into  this  a  very  small  cog- 
wheel works,  which  is  on  a  shaft,  to  which  the 
power  of  the  engine  is  applied.  There  is  an 
engineer  on  either  side  of  the  boiler,  and  they 
have  a  reverse  lever,  so  that  the  dummy  can  go 
one  way  as  well  as  another.  By  the  cog-wheel 
combination  great  power  is  gained,  but  not  so 
much  can  be  said  for  its  speed,  though  a  maxi- 
mum of  five  miles  an  hour  can  be  obtained.  On 


our  way  to  the  mill  we  passed  through  a  little 
village  of  shanties  and  cottages,  which  jiroved 
to  be  the  residences  of  the  choppers  and  men 
engaged  in  the  woods.  Farther  on  we  pass 
through  a  barren,  deserted  section,  whence  the 
trees  have  all  been  cut  years  ago,  and  naught 
but  their  blackened  stumps  stand  now,  grim  ves- 
tiges of  the  pristine  glory  of  the  forest  prime- 
val. Now  we  pass  around  a  grade,  high, 
overhanging  the  river,  and,  with  a  grand 
sweep,  enter  the  limits  of  the  mill-yard.  (Jur 
great  log  is  rolled  off  the  car  on  to  the  plat- 
form, and  in  his  turn  passes  to  the  small  car 
used  for  drawing  logs  up  into  the  mill.  A 
long  rope  attached  to  a  drum  in  the  mill  is 
fastened  to  the  car,  and  slowly,  but  surely,  it 
travels  up  to  the  platform  near  the  saw.  Our 
log  is  too  large  to  go  at  once  to  the  double  cir- 
cular, hence  the  "muley,''  a  long  saw,  similar 
to  a  cross-cut  saw.  oidy  it  is  a  rip  saw,  and 
stands  perpendicular,  must  rip  it  in  two  in  the 
middle  to  get  it  into  such  a  size  that  the  double 
circular  can  reach  through  it.  This  is  rather 
a  slow  process,  and  as  we  have  nearly  thirty 
minutes  on  our  hands  while  waiting  for  our 
log  to  pass  through  this  saw,  let  us  i)ay  a  visit 
to  the  shingle  machine.  This  we  find  on  a 
lower  floor.  The  timlter  out  of  which  shingles 
are  made  is  cut  into  triangular  or  wedge- 
shaped  pieces,  about  four  feet  long,  and  about 
sixteen  inches  in  diameter.  These  are  called 
"bolts.'"  The  first  process  is  to  saw  them  off 
into  proper  lengths.  These  blocks  are  then 
fastened  into  a  rack,  which  passes  by  a  saw,  and 
as  the  rack  passes  back  a  ratchet  is  brought  into 
requisition,  which  moves  the  bottom  of  the 
block  in  toward  the  saw,  just  the  thickness  of 
the  thick  end  of  the  shingle  and  the  top  end 
to  correspond  with  the  thickness  of  the  thin 
end.  The  l)lock  is  then  shoved  past  the  saw, 
and  a  shingle  is  made,  except  that  the  edges  are 
of  course,  rough,  and  the  two  ends  probably  not 
at  all  of  the  same  width.  To  remedy  all  this, 
the  edge  of  the  shingle  is  subjected  to  a  trim- 
mer, when  it  becomes  a  first-class  shingle. 
They    are  packed  into  bunches,   and  arc   tlien 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


ready  fur  tlio  market.  We  will  now  return  to 
(lur  ki^-.  It  lias  just  lieen  run  back  uii  the  car- 
ria>j;e,  an<l  awaits  further  processes.  A  rope  at- 
tached to  aside  drum  is  made  fast  to  one-half  of 
it,  and  it  is  soon  lying  on  its  back  on  the  car- 
riage in  front  of  the  double  circular  saws. 
Through  this  it  passes  in  rapid  rotation  till  it 
is  sawed  into  l)road  slabs  of  the  proper  thick- 
ness to  make  the  desired  lumber.  It  is  then 
jia^sed  alonjj^  on  rollers  to  the  "pony'"  saw, 
when  it  is  a^•ain  cut  in  jiieces  of  lumber  of  dif- 
ferent sizes  as  required,  such  as  two  by  four, 
four  by  four,  four  by  si.\,  etc.  It  is  then  piled 
u]«)ii  a  truck  and  wheeled  into  the  yard,  and 
piled  up  ready  for  the  market.  The  other  half 
of  the  log  is  sawed  into  boards,  three-quarters 
of  an  inch  thick.  At-the  "pony'"  saw,  part  of  it 
is  ripi)ed  into  boards,  ten  inches  wide,  and  part 
into  plank,  four  inches  wide.  The  boards,  ten 
inciies  wide,  pass  along  to  a  planing  machine, 
and  it  comes  out  rustic  siding.  The  four-inch 
plank  passes  through  another  planing  machine, 
and  comes  out  tongued  and  grooved  ceiling. 
The  heavy  slabs  which  we  saw  come  off  the 
tirst  and  second  time  the  saw  passed  through 
are  cut  into  different  lengths,  and  sawed  into 
the  right  size  for  pickets.  They  are  then  passed 
through  a  planer,  then  througii  a  picket-header, 
a  machine  with  a  series  of  revolving  knives, 
wliich  cut  out  the  design  of  the  picket-head  the 
same  as  the  ditierent  niembersof  a  molding  are 
cut  out.  Thus  have  we  taken  our  readers 
through  the  entire  piocess  of  converting  the 
mighty  forest  monarchs  into  lumber.  We 
hojie  we  have  succeeded  in  making  the  dcsci'ip- 
tion  of  the  process,  in  a  small  measure  at  least, 
as  interesting  to  our  readers  as  it  was  to  us 
wlien,  for  the  first  time,  we  witnessed  it.  AVheti 
you  have  witnessed  the  process  of  making  lum- 
ber in  one  mill  you  have  seen  it  in  all,  with  the 
e.xception  of  here  and  there  a  minor  detail. 
There  are  but  few  mills  which  use  a  "dum- 
my" engine  to  draw  their  logs  to  the  mill, 
most  of  them  using  iiorses  or  cattle  on  the 
tramwavs.       The  lumber  and   wood   industi'ies 


of  this  township  will  always  n.iake  it  of  con- 
siderable importance,  and  a  prosperous  future 
may  reasonably  be  expected. 

In  reference  to  these  redwood  forests,  the 
engineer  of  the  California  State  Board  of  For- 
estry recently  said: 

'•  r  am  indebted  to  J.  AV.  Jiagley,  C.  E.  of 
Guerneville,  for  interesting  figures,  lioth  as  to 
the  size  of  trees,  and  yields  of  redwood  lumber 
near  that  formerly  famous  vicinity.  Mr.  Hag- 
ley  measured  one  tree  84!)  feet  nine  inches  in 
height,  and  another  nineteen  feet  in  diameter 
underneath  the  bark,  and  states  that  the  yield 
of  one  measured  acre  scaled  in  milled  lumber 
1,431,530  feet  board  measure." 

There  are  thousands  of  acres  that  will  yield 
this  amount.  During  the  past  few  years  many 
thousand  acres  of  redwood  timber  land,  as  fast 
as  surveyed,  have  been  taken  by  individuals  in 
160  acre  locations  under  the  act  peculiar  to 
the  Pacific  States  and  Territories,  for  tlie  sale 
of  public  timber  lands,  and  under  the  home- 
stead and  pre-emption  laws.  Tracts  from  160 
to  640  acres  in  extent  of  land  as  good  as  any 
that  has  yet  been  cut  over,  can  be  found  in  the 
hands  of  the  original  locators,  for  sale  at  prices 
varying  with  the  individual  financial  needs  or 
business  shrewdness  of  the  owners.  To  secure 
larger  tracts,  however,  requires  a  constantly  in- 
creasing amount  of  perseverance,  energy  and 
capital,  in   consolidating  these  small    holdings. 

The  exports  of  redwood  from  California  have 
until  within  two  or  three  years,  been  merely 
nominal,  and  yet  with  only  the  local  demand, 
over  one-third  of  the  redwood  timber  area  has 
been  cut.  As  an  evidence  of  the  growing  scar- 
city of  the  wood,  we  will  mention  that  around 
Guerneville,  in  Sonoma  County,  the  price  of 
stumpage  has  appreciated  to  ^-4.50  per  1,000 
feet.  Eight  hundred  acres  at  Willow  Gulch, 
in  Sonoma  County,  were  sold  some  time  ago  by 
the  -North  Pacific  Coast  Ilailroad  Company,  to 
Mr.  A.  Markham,  of  Duncan's  Mills,  at  the 
rate  of  $3.00  ]ier  1,000  feet  stumpage.  This 
tract,  it  is  estimated,  will   cut  100,000,000  feet. 


IIISTORT    OF -.SONOMA    COUNrT. 


^^&>s®=^.. 


Pk 


Names  Belonging  to  Histoey.  i^ 


-•^-^F- 


(^ji) 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

PKK-IDKNr    RuTIIKRKORn      I).    IIaYK-<,    (tENKKAI,     Wlf.LIA^r     T.    SlIKKMAX    AND    SkcBKTARV    <iF    WaK, 
Ar.liXANDKB    IlAM-iKV CuI.ONKL      RoD     MaTIIKSOX — JullX      MlLLEU      CaMKKOX SaI.MI    M'HtSE. 


X  tliu  I'ctiiluiiia  AnjKS  of  Septeiiilier  lOtli, 
<]1  1880,  the'  folluwiiig  iiieiitioii  is  made  of 
-V  several  di.-jtiiiguislieil  visitors  to  Sonoma 
(Joiiiity; 

"  According  to  aunouncumeiit  I'resideat 
Hayes  and  party,  together  with  Governor  Per- 
kins and  staff,  arrived  in  this  city  at  11  o'clock 
a.  m.,  Friday.  The  news  ot"  their  coming  had 
been  widely  made  known  both  ijy  telegraph 
and  the  daily  Anjas,  and  as  was  to  be  expected 
there  was  attracted  to  Petaluma  the  largest  con- 
course of  people  ever  seen  here  before.  At  an 
early  hour  the  people  came  pouring  in  from  all 
parts  of  the  surrounding  country,  and  from 
every  part  of  this  and  contiguous  counties  easy 
of  access  to  railroads.  On  the  arrival  of  the 
cars  from  San  Rafael  conveying  our  dis- 
tinguished visitors,  together  with  the  commit- 
tee of  our  citizens  who  met  them  at  San  Rafael 
to  escort  them  up,  a  jjresident's  salute  of  twen- 
ty-one guns  was  tired  from  the  eminence  at  the 
western  end  of  Washington  street.  While  the 
cannon  was  looming  forth  a  welcome,  the  pro- 
cession, consisting  of  a  long  train  of  coaches 
and  carriages  of  all  kinds,  moved  through  our 
streets  in  the  direction  of  the  fair  grounds. 
The  |)rocessioii  was  led  by  the  Petaluma  Cornet 
Hand,  llewston  (Guards,  St.  Vincent  Cadets  and 
the  Swiss  Society.  The  carriage  in  which  Pres- 
ident Hayes  rode  was  drawn  by  four  elegant 
caparisoned  iiorses;  tiien  followed  carriages  with 
(feneral   Slieririan,  Secretary  li.imsey,  Ciovernor 


Perkins,  Burchard  Hayes,  Colonel  John  AIc- 
Comb  and  other  distinguished  visitors.  The 
streets  along  which  the  procession  moved  were 
a  perfect  cloud  of  banners.  Considering  the 
short  notice,  we  have  reason  to  feel  proud  of 
our  city's  holiday  attire.  Arriving  at  the  grand 
stand  a  large  number  present  paid  their  respects 
to  and  took  by  the  hands  our  national  digni- 
taries. When  the  first  flutter  of  excitement 
had  passed,  and  the  vast  audience  had  become 
settled,  Hon.  J.  McM.  Shafter,  in  a  few  well- 
timed  and  elo(^uent  i-emarks,  referred  to  the  dis- 
tinguished gentlemen  present  on  the  stand,  and 
introduced  President  Hayes,  who  was  received 
with  hearty  applause.  Mr.  Hayes  spoke  about 
an  hour  a'ld  his  expression  of  encomium  and 
sallies  of  wit  called  forth  repeated  ajiplause. 
Secretary  of  War  Alexander  Ramsey,  was  next 
inti'oduced,  and  made  a  pungent  speech  of  about 
fifteen  minutes,  which  produced  both  mirth  and 
applause.  General  Wm.  T.  Sherman  was  next 
presente<l  and  hailed  with  enthusiastic  applause. 
His  speech  was  short,  and  related  mainly  to  his 
visit  to  this  part  of  the  Pacific  Coast  in  1848. 
TheCieneral  expressed  his  utter  astonishment  at 
the  change  that  has  taken  place  in  thirty  years. 
Governor  Perkins,  who  was  to  delivei-  the  an- 
nual address  of  the  fair,  was  then  iiitroduceil, 
and  spoke  for  about  half  an  hour  in  a  vein 
which  kept  the  audience  in  a  continuous  uproar 
of  merriment,  lie  exhiliited  tjic  adilress  in 
nninuscript,  wliii-h    lie   bad    iiiteiiile(|  u>  (jeliver. 


llISToHY    (IF    SONOMA     COi'NTY. 


but  said  it  would  answer  for  some  other  fair, 
and  he  would,  like  the  gentlemen  who  preceded 
him,  rest  content  witli  an  extemporaneous  eilbrt. 
After  witnessing  the  races,  our  visitors  repaired 
to  the  residence  of  Professor  E.  S.  Lippitt, 
where  lunch  was  served,  and  at  four  oVdock,  \: 
M.,  were  escorted  to  tlie  cars  and  departed  for  San 
Francisco.  This  is  necessarily  but  brief  mention 
of  an  event  whicli  will  long  be  remembered  by 
our  citizens  as   a  noted  day   in  l^etaluma. 

Cill,ONEI.    KOI)    MATUESllX. 

Wiien  civil  war  came  it  found  Rod  Matlieson 
the  principal  of  an  academy  he  had  established 
at  Ilcaldsburg  in  this  county.  From  tlie  very 
outset  he  had  identified  himself  with  tlie  Free 
Soil  party  and  when  the  civil  war  came,  incited 
as  lie  believed  by  the  slave  power,  lie  was  not 
long  in  determining  tliat  his  duty  lay  at  the 
front.  Taking  his  life  in  his  hand  he  went 
forth  to  battle  for  tlie  right,  as  God  gave  him 
to  see  the  right.  His  intelligence  and  dash 
marked  him  fur  a  leadfer,  and  he  was  made 
Colonel  of  the  First  California  (Tliirty-secoml 
New  York)  llegiment.  lie  led  his  regiment  in 
the  memorable  battle  of  South  Mountain  on  the 
14th  of  October,  1S()2.  Like  the  true  and 
bi-ave  man  that  he  was,  although  in  tlie  face  of 
defeat  and  disaster,  he  only  left  the  field  when 
borne  away  "  on  his  shield.'"  The  following  com- 
memorative of  his  worth  and  the  esteem  in  which 
he  was  held  by  ins  neighbors  and  fellow-citizens 
legitimately  belongs  to  Sonoma  County  history. 

In  September,  18(51,  a  war  coirespondent  of 
the  San  Francisco  Alt<(  wrote:  •'  1  visited  Hod 
Matheson"s  regiment,  composed  alinust  exclu- 
sively of  returned  Californians, and  a  finer  body 
of  men  I  never  saw.  They  are  drilled  like 
veterans,  and  have  a  happy  facnlty  of  getting 
along  better  than  most  uf  the  other  regiments 
about  them.  1  was  impressed  into  their  service 
for  four  days,  and  became  the  guest  of  tlie 
Colonel  and  Major  l-"rank  Lemon.  They  seem 
to  live  off  tiie  fat  of  the  land,  have  a  theatrical 
company  among  their  members,  a  band  of 
serenaders,  and  seem  to  have  more  fun  going  on 


in  their  encampment,  than  all  the  others  put 
together.  Strict  discipline,  while  on  diity,  is 
maintained,  and  the  men  appear  cheerful  and 
contented.  George  Wilkes  and  Tom  IJattel. 
and  other  choice  spirits,  make  tliis  regiment 
their  headcpiarters.  At  the  battle  of  Bull  Run, 
about  150  outsiders,  all  Californians,  well  armed, 
did  duty  as  irregulars  with  the  regiment.  It 
rendered  the  most  effective  service  in  covering 
the  retreat  of  the  Union  forces,  dro\e  back  the 
pursuing  secession  cavalry,  and  were  the  last 
to  return  to  Alexandria,  which  they  di<l  not 
till  the  next  day,  in  good  order,  saving  150 
wagons,  most  of  the  artillery,  and  the  best  por- 
tion of  the  baggage.  The}'  elected  Matlieson 
General  pro  fuu.^  when  ever}'  other  (reneral  had 
left  the  field,  and  being  joined  by  Col.  IJlen- 
ker's  (ierman  regiment,  succeeded  in  holding 
in  check  any  attempt  of  the  rebels  to  pursue. 
These  two  regiments,  alone,  saved  several  mill- 
ions worth  of  property.  They  had  a  battery  of 
liglit  artillery  in  the  command,  and  did  good 
service  with  it.  They  lost  none  killed,  but  sev- 
era  Islightly  wounded." 

The  death  of  Col.  Rod  Mathesun.  and  the 
events  preceding  and  following  it  are  thus 
described  in  Washington  correspondence  of  the 
New  York  Ilerahl,  dated  October  5,  18ti2: 

"The  body  of  Col.  Matlieson,  of  the  First 
(Jalifoi'Tiia  (Thirty-second  New  York)  Regiment, 
was  brom/ht  here  and  embalmed  to-day  by  Doc- 
tor>  Ibiiwn  and  .Mexander.  Col.  ^[athesmi  was 
wiiundfd  while  leading  his  regiment  in  the 
meiiKirable  battle  of  South  Mountain,  on  the 
l-lth  lilt.  It  was  found  impossible  to  shell  the 
rebels  out  of  Coinpton  (/iap,  and  General  Slocum 
determined,  after  consulting  with  his  I'rigadier 
(xenerals,  to  take  by  assault  with  iiit'antry  the 
mountain  which  commanded  the  gap.  It  was 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  atiairs  of  the  war.  The 
division  cliarged  up  the  steep  mountain  side,  on 
which  the  rebels  were  posted  behind  three  stone 
walls,  with  batteries  placed  on  the  crest  of  the 
mountain.  The  division,  composed  of  l>artlett's, 
Newton's  an<l  Torbett"s  brigades,  advanced  in 
line   steadily   up   the  hill    under  a  terrible  fire, 


HIsrollY    OF    tiONoMA     VOliNTT. 


197 


forming  upon  tlieir  colors  after  passing  tlie  bar- 
riers successfully,  and  drove  the  rebels  from  the 
]iositiun.  A  rebel  J\[ajor  who  was  wounded  and 
t.iken  prisonei',  said  the}'  had  been  told  that  the 
Union  troops  to  come  against  them  were  green; 
but  when  they  saw  their  steady  advance,  in 
which  they  moved  as  if  on  dress  parade,  the 
word  ran  through  the  rebel  lines:  '  These  are 
no  recruits — these  are  from  that  damned  old 
Army  of  the  Potomac.'  In  this'charge  Colonel 
Matheson  was  wounded,  while  in  front  of  his 
regiment  calling  them  on.  A  ball  lacerated  the 
arteries  of  his  right  leg  and  fractured  the  bone. 
He  died  of  secondary  hemoi'rhage. 

"  Tiie  Californians  in  this  e,\ty  met  to  day  at 
the  residence  of  Mr.  William  Dayton,  and  passed 
resolutions  expressing  their  sense  of  the  high 
cliaracter  and  gallant  conduct  of  Colonel  Mathe- 
son. Senator  McDougall,  who  presided,  paid 
an  eloquent  tribute  to  the  excellent  qualities  of 
the  deceased,  and  Cajjtain  Fish,  of  the  First 
California  Regiment,  spoke  feelingly  in  praise  of 
his  late  commander. 

"  Atameeting  of  Californians  now  here.  Sena- 
tor McDougall,  chairman,  the  following  named 
gentlemen  of  this  city  were  a])pointed  a  com- 
mittee to  receive  the  remains  of  the  gallant 
dead:  Messrs.  C.  K.  Garrison,  (4eorge  Wilkes, 
W.  T.  Coleman,  Warren  J-eland,  Charles  X. 
Stetson  and  Alfred  E.  Tiiton.  These  gentle- 
men are  expected  to  meet  at  the  Astor  House 
on  Sunday  to  make  the  necessary  arrangements 
to  carry  into  effect  the  part  assigned  them. 

"The  body  will  be  conveyed  to  New  York 
this  afternoon,  where  it  will  lie  in  state  a  few  days 
before  l)eing  carried  to  San  Francisco  for  burial.'" 

When  tlie  news  of  the  <lcath  of  Colonel  Math- 
eson reached  Ilealdsburg  on  <  )ct(ibcr  24,  1802, 
a  public  meeting  was  at  once  called,  which  was 
presided  over  by  Captain  L.  A.  Norton — J.  J. 
Maxwell,  secretary — at  which  the  following 
action  was  taken: 

On  motion  of  i)r.  I'iper  a  conimittee  of  five 
was  appointed  to  draft  resr)lutions  expressive 
of  the  feeling  of  the  meeting.  The  |]iesi(lcnt 
appointed  Dr.  Tiper,  Ju<lge  Spencer,  J.  .J.  .May, 


J.  A.  Bagley,  and  the  president  was  added  by 
the  meeting. 

The  president  said  he  would  bu  glad  to  hear 
from  the  gentlemen  present.  Mr.  Fenno,  in 
behalf  of  the  Sotoyome  Guards,  of  which  Col- 
onel Matheson  was  a  member,  moved  that  the 
membei-s  of  the  guard  wear  mourning  upon  the 
right  arm  thirty  days  in  memory  of  the  deceased. 

Kemarks  were  offered  by  various  gentlemen 
present,  after  which  the  committee  on  resolutions 
made  the  following  report  which  was  adopted: 

WnicKEAs,  Recent  telegraphic  dispatches  have 
contirnied  therumored  death  of  our  fellow-towns- 
man, Colonelllod  Matheson,  while  bravely  and 
heroically  defending  the  honor  of  onr  national 
tlag;  therefore, 

liexidi'ed,  That  we  bow  submissively  to  this 
atHictive  dispensation  of  Divine  Providence, 
and  in  common  with  others,  nionni  the  loss  of 
a  pure  patriot. 

Rcsiili-ed,  That  in  the  death  of  Colonel 
Matheson,  the  nation  has  lost  a  brave  defender, 
the  army  an  etttcient  othcer  and  daring  soldier, 
the  people  of  California  one  who  has  nobly  rep- 
resented them  on  the  field  of  battle,  his  parents 
a  ilutiful  son,  his  wife  an  affectionate  husband, 
his  children  a  kind  and  indulgent  parent,  and 
the  people  of  Sonoma  a  worthy  citizen,  whose 
name  will  be  long  cherished  and  honored. 

liesoli'ctl,  That  we  sincerely  and  heartily 
sympathize  with  the  family  of  the  deceased  in 
their  deep  atHiction,  and  that  a  committee  be 
a])pointe(l  by  this  meeting  to  tender  them  the 
sympathy  of  this  meeting,  and  a  copy  of  these 
resolutii)ns. 

Ri'siilr,',!,  That  a  committee  of  three  be  ap- 
pointed to  confer  with  the  mayorof  the  city  of  San 
Francisco  with  regai-d  to  the  conveyaTice  of  there- 
mains  of  the  deceased  to  this  place  for  interment. 

A  committee  to  report  the  proceedings  ot 
this  meeting  to  the  widow  was  appointed  by 
the  president.  William  i)ow,.ludge  Spencer  and 
P.   Griost.  were    a])j)oiiitcd  on  that  (;c.mmittee. 

Committee  ap|>ointed  liy  the  jiresident  lo 
confer  with  the  mayor  cjI'  San  Francisco:  Mr. 
Ilhjoni,    Mr.  I'iehls  and  .I..J.  May. 


198 


IlISTOHY    OF    60N0UA    COUNTY. 


In  the  Petaluma  Argus  of  xsovember  12, 
1862,  the  following  appeared: 

"On  Thursday  evenint^  last  tlie  remains  of 
Colonel  IJoderick  Matlieson,  who  died  troiii 
wounds  roeeired  at  the  battle  of  Cheat  Moun- 
tain, Octoljer  '2d,  arrived  in  San  Francisco  on 
the  steamer  Sonora.  The  remains  of  the  fallen 
hero  were  borne  to  i'latt's  Ilall  and  laid  in 
state,  whither  vast  throngs  of  people  repaired 
to  take  a  last  look  at  all  that  remained  of  the 
lamented  Matlieson.  The  funeral  pageant  was 
solemn  and  imposing.  Rev.  Starr  King  deliv. 
ered  the  funeral  oration  on  Saturday,  after  which 
the  body  was  conducted  aboard  of  the  steamer 
PcUiluind  with  due  milit.iiry  and  civic  lionors. 

'•The  steamer /'e^<?^««i'«  with  the  remains  of 
Colonel  Matlieson,  in  charge  of  a  detachment 
of  the  National  (Guards,  of  San  Francisco, 
reached  her  landing,  below  the  city,  at  7  o'clock 
Saturday  evening.  His  remains  were  escorted 
to  this  city  from  the  boat  by  the  Healdsbnrg 
Band,  retaluma  Gurds,  Emmet  Rifles  and  eight 
pall-bearers,  consisting  of  E.  F.  Dunne,  Will- 
iam Ordway,  Captain  Creorge  E.  Lovejoy, 
George  Campbell,  T.  K.  Wilson,  F.  D.  Coltoii, 
II.  L.  Weston  and  Samuel  Cassiday.  .Night 
had  cast  her  sable  mantle  over  the  earth,  thus 
lending  additional  solemnity  to  the  occasion. 
The  plaintive  strains  of  the  funeral  marches 
played  by  the  band  floated  mournfully  on  the 
still  night  air;  with  slow  ami  measured  tread  the 
procession  entered  our  city,  and  passing  up 
Main  street  halted  in  front  uf  ^[(-('une's  Ilall. 
Tiie  pall-bearers  received  the  cothn  from  the 
hearse  and  bearing  it  up  the  flight  of  stairs  to 
the  hall,  ]ilaced  it  on  the  eatafahjue  prepared  foi' 
the  occasion.  A  guard  of  honor  was  detailed, 
and  stationed  in  the  hall,  after  which  the  cottin 
was  opened,  and  for  several  hours  there  was  a 
throng  of  visitors  to  look  at  the  corpse  of  the 
gallant  soldier  whose  life  has  l)een  sacriflced 
upon  the  altar  of  his  country.  Although  con- 
siderably emaciated  the  features  of  the  deceased 
had  not  undergone  sufficient  change  to  prevent 
thosewhokncw  him  from  recogniziiifj  his  familiar 
face. 


"  About  9  o'clock  Sunday  morning,  the  pro- 
cession was  again  formed — the  coffin  was  placed 
in  the  hearse  and  escorted  out  of  the  city.  A 
detachment  of  the  Petaluma  (iuards,  in  con- 
iunction  with  the  detachment  from  the  National 
(iiiards,  proceeded  witli  the  body  to  Ilealdsliurg. 
Six  pall-bearers,  selected  by  the  citizens  of 
Santa  Rosa,  met  and  escorted  the  corpse  to  the 
2)laza,  in  that  town,  where  an  appropriate  ad- 
dress was  delivered  by  General  O.  Hinton.  Tlie 
procession  again  took  up  its  line  of  march  for 
liealdsburg.  arriving  at  tlie  residence  of  the 
lamented  Roderick  Matheson  at  8  o'clock  in 
the  evening.  The  citizens  of  liealdsburg  had 
made  every  necessary  preparation  to  pay  suita- 
ble honor  to  the  memory  of  their  esteemed 
fellow-citizen,  who  was  to  lind  a  last  resting 
place  in  their  midst.  At  11  o'clock  on  Monday, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Thomas,  of  San  Francisco,  deliv- 
ered an  appropriate  and  touching  funeral  dis- 
course, after  which  the  body  of  Colonel 
Matheson  was  consigned  to  its  mother  earth, 
and  a  military  salute  flred  over  his  grave. 

"  He  sleeps  his  last  sleep,  he  has  fought  his  last  baule. 
Xo  sound  can  awake  him  to  glory  again." 

.loHN    yi.    CAMEKOX. 

The  following  sketch  of  the  life  of  John  Mil- 
ler Cameron,  who,  together  with  his  wife,  re- 
poses in  the  Sebastopol  Cemetery,  is  worthy  a 
place  in  this  history,  not  only  on  account  of  liis 
own  merits  and  Worth,  but  because  in  his  family 
young  Abraham  Lincoln  made  his  home,  all  un- 
conscious of  the  measure  he  was  to  till  in  the 
drama  of  life.  In  all  the  histories  of  Lincoln 
mention  is  made  i)f  his  residence  witli  the  Cam- 
eron family: 

"  Rev.  John  Miller  Cameron,  a  resident  of 
Sebastopol,  Sonoma  County,  California,  and  a 
minister  of  the  gospel  in  I'acific  Presbytery,  of 
the  C.'umberland  Presbyter/an  Church,  was  born 
in  Elbert  County,  Georgia,  on  the  12th  of 
August,  17111,  and  died  at  his  residence  at  Se- 
bastopol, Sonoma  (bounty,  after  a  painful  and 
distressing  aflliction  of  two  months,  on  the  12th 
of  February,  1878,  being  eighty-six  years,  six 
months  and  nine  days  old, 


IITSTORY    OP    SONChUA    COUNTY. 


"  The  deceased  went  with  his  t'atlieraud  i'umily, 
while  a  youth,  to  Kentucky,  in  the  year  1S04. 
and  settled  near  the  mouth  of  the  Green  River, 
in  Henderson  County,  at  which  place  he  was 
married  to  IMary  (^reiidorrt',  in  l>Sll;  from 
which  place  he  removed  to  the  Territoi'y  of  Illi- 
nois, and  settled  in  what  is  now  White  (Jonnty, 
in  1813.  He  removed  from  there  to  JJellviliu, 
in  St.  Clair  County,  in  ISKJ,  and  from  there  to 
Sangamon  County  in  1818.  This  last  move 
was  made  about  the  time  Illinois  was  admitted 
into  the  Union.  He  stopped  for  a  time  near 
Springfield,  after  whicli  he  settled  on  Uock 
Creek,  in  the  same  county.  lie  was  at  the  time 
a  candidate  for  the  ministry  in  the  bounds  of 
Sangamon  Presbytery,  and  about  the  year  1827 
was  licensed  to  preach,  and  devoted  the  principal 
part  of  his  life-time  to  the  ministry  until  1S32, 
when  he  removed  to  Fulton  County,  Illinois, 
where  he  was  instrumental  in  buildino;  up  seve- 
ral church  organizations.  He  remained  there 
until  1887,  when  he  removed  to  the  Territory 
of  Iowa,  and  settled  in  Jefferson  County,  whei-e 
he  was  instrumental  in  building  several  more 
church  organizations.  Shortly  after  the  admis- 
sion of  the  State  into  the  Union,  he  again  re- 
moved to  Oskaloosa,  Mahaska  County,  Iowa, 
and  at  that  place  built  up  an  organization  and 
erected  the  first  house  of  worship  in  the  place, 
devoting  a  portion  of  his  time  to  preaching  in 
the  counties  of  Mahaska,  Wa'pello,  Van  Huren, 
Jefferson,  Ivcokuk,  Henry,  Jasper  and  others. 
He  was  always  punctual  in  attendance  to  the 
appointments  of  the  church,  and  seldom  failed 
to  meet  his  own.  In  the  spring  of  1840  he 
started  with  his  family  across  the  plains  to  (,'al- 
ifornia,  and  arrived  at  a  place  known  as  Fre- 
mont about  the  1st  of  October  the  same  year, 
remaining  there  but  a  short  time.  He  then 
went  to  Sacramento,  wiierc  lie  remained  during 
the  winter.  In  the  summer  of  185(J  he  removed 
to  Martinez,  preaching  occasionally  until  the 
fall  of  1851,  when  he  removed  to  Sonoma  ('oun- 
ty,  near  the  present  town  of  Sebastopol,  where 
he  purchased  a  farm,  on  which  he  has  since  re- 
sided.    He  was  set  a])art  to  the  whole  wf)rk  of 


the  ministry  by  California  I'l-esbylery  of  tlie 
Cumberland  Fresbyterian  Church  in  1854,  after 
which  his  time  was  mostly  spent  in  visiting 
destitute  places,  preaching  and  organizing 
churches,  and  after  the  organization  in  visiting 
and  supplying  said  chui'cjies,  until  prevented  by 
affliction  and  extreme  old  age. 

•'  His  wife  died  after  a  short  illness,  at  her  home 
in  Sonoma  County,  on  the  25th  of  March,  187t'), 
at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years.  He 
and  his  wife  had  eleven  children — ten  daughters 
and  one  son.  Nine  of  the  daughters  are  still 
living,  all  but  one  in  California.  Thomas  Por- 
ter Cameron,  his  son,  was  killed  by  the  explo- 
sion of  the  steamer  Secretary  in  1854,  near  San 
F]-ancisco.  One  daughter,  the  wife  of  A.  Mc 
Namer,  died  at  the  family  home  in  1855;  one 
resides  with  her  family  near  Cincinnati;  the 
others  are  Mrs.  Judge  B.  B.  Berry,  Mrs.  S.  M. 
Martin.  Mrs.  liev.  B.  JS'.  i'onham  and  Mrs.  C. 
Purvine,  of  Sonoma  County;  Mrs.  Judge  T.  A. 
Brown,  of  Contra  Costa  County;  Mrs.  Hr.  B. 
B.  I'onham,  of  Butte  County;  Mrs.  Henry  Lys- 
tor,  of  Monterey  County  and  Mrs.  Cynthia  War- 
ner, of  Petaluma,  the  widow  of  the  son  deceased. 
The  deceased  liad  at  the  time  of  his  death  filty- 
one  grand-children  and  sixty-live  great-grand- 
children. Since  the  deatli  of  the  wife  of  tic- 
ceased,  he  has  seemed  to  be  broken  down  in 
spirits,  discontented,  lonely  and  dejected. 
Father  Cameron  was  eminently  a  pioneer  at  the 
time  of  his  settlement  in  Illinois  in  1813,  in 
Iowa  in  1837,  and  in  California  in  1849;  those 
States  respectively  not  having  been  admitted 
into  tiie  Union.  His  life  has  been  spent  upon 
the  frontier,  and  his  occupation  practically  to 
clear  the  way  for  those  who  would  follow.  He 
was  a  devoted  husband,  kind  and  affectionate 
fathci'  and  generous  neighbor.  He  died  as  he  had 
lived,  faithful  to  every  obligation;  was  beloved 
Ijy  all  who  knew  him,  and  a  large  number  of  rel- 
atives ;ind  friends  mourn  hisloss.  He  wasamem- 
ber  111'  the  Masonic  fraternity  about  fifty  years." 

SAI.MI    MoliSi:. 

The  Petal nma  Arytis  of  March  1,  1884.  said 
editorially:    •'  On  last  Saturday  a  telegraphic  dis- 


iriSTOnY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


patch  from  JS'ew  York  announced  tiie  liii(iingol'the 
body  of  Salmi  Morse  in  tlie  Hudson  River  under 
circumstances  strongly  indicating  deliberate  sui- 
cide. For  several  years  past  the  name  of  Salmi 
Morse  has  been  prominently  before  the  people  of 
United  States  in  connection  with  his  persistent  the 
etforts  to  gain  for  his  "  Passion  I'lay,"  the  right 
of  exhil)ition.  His  long  and  fruitless  struggle 
to  achieve  this  end  in  New  York  City  is  familiar 
to  all  who  keep  posted  on  the  current  news  of 
our  country,  but  we  hazard  little  in  saying  that 
many  persons  in  Sonoma  and  adjoining  counties 
who  personally  knew  Mr.  Morse,  have  never 
once  thought  of  associating  him  with  the  Salmi 
Morse  of  '  Passion  Play '  fame.  The  attention 
of  the  writer  was  first  attracted  to  Mr.  Morse 
at  a  Methodist  camp-meeting,  near  Liberty 
school  house  in  this  county,  the  summer  of 
either  1856  or  1857.  After  the  usual  sermon 
the  exercises  consisted  in  alternate  singing  and 
prayer.  A  call  was  made  for  Brother  Morse  to 
lead  in  prayer.  As  is  usual  in  Methodist  meet- 
ing the  entire  membership  assumed  a  kneeling 
posture,  when  Mr.  Morse,  a  man  small  in 
stature  and  bald-headed,  stepped  upon  a  bench 
and  with  his  head  thrown  back,  delivered  a  very 
earnest,  eloquent  invocation,  to  which  emphasis 
was  given  l)y  a  rapid  forward  and  backwai-d 
movement  of  the  head.  At  that  time  we  got 
the  impression  that  he  either  was  or  iiad  been 
a  Baptist  minister.  Time  sped  on  and  in  a  few 
years  we  were  involved  in  civil  war.  Mr.  Morse 
was  a  Unionist  of  the  most  radical  type.  He 
contributed  many  communications  to  the  Argus 
on  national  politics.  He  was  a  vigorous  and 
forcible  writer,  but  so  ultra  that  even  the  Argus, 
accounted  among  the  most  radical  of  journals, 
often  found  it  necessary  to  tone  down  and  ex- 
tract some  of  the  vinegar  and  gall  from  his 
articles.  His  whole  soul  seemed  to  be  wrought 
up  to  a  white  heat  of  righteous  indignation  over 
the  iniquity  of  human  slavery,  and  he  never 
seemed  to  tire  in  anathematizing  that  accursed 
institution.  He  was  a  frequent  visitor  of  the 
Argus  sanctum   dnriiig    war  time,  and  lie  never 


departed  without  leaving  it  vapory  with  his  in- 
vective against  those  who  were  trying  to  found 
a  government  with  human  slavery  as  its  'chief 
corner-stone.'  He  was  a  great  reader,  and 
evidently  a  close  student  of  the  Bible.  One  of 
his  most  telling  shots  was  the  calling  the  atten- 
tion of  the  ri'aders  of  the  Argus  to  the  12th 
chapter  of  Nnmliers  as  an  unanswerable  refu- 
tation of  the  pro-slavery  theoiy  that  the  black 
race  was  to  be  servile  and  despised  on  acconnt 
of  the  curse  of  God  visited  upon  Ham  and 
his  descendants.  During  the  closing  j'ears  cif 
the  civil  war,  Mr.  Morse  had  a  ranch  in  the 
upper  part  of  Mendocino  County,  from  whence 
he  sent  occasional  contributions  to  the  Argus. 
That  his  ranching  business  was  not  a  financial 
success  will  readily  be  inferred  from  the  fact 
that  in  the  spring  time  of  each  year  he  usually 
came  to  the  lower  valleys  and  devoted  his 
time  to  grafting  and  budding  fruit  trees. 
From  and  after  186t)  the  Argus  lost  sight  of 
Mr.  Morse  for  more  than  a  decade,  and  only  had 
knowledge  of  him  again  when  there  w-as  a 
furor  over  the  introduction  of  the  '  Passion 
Play'  in  San  Francisco.  H  was  during  this 
lapse  of  years,  probably,  that  he  traveled 
abroad  and  visited  the  Holy  Land,  from  whence 
he  drew  the  inspiration  for  his  biblical  play. 
His  career  has  certainly  l)een  a  most  checkered 
one.  Earnest  and  zealous  in  all  his  undertak- 
ings, his  life  became  essentially  a  '  warfare.' 
Even  before  his  great  life  struggle  had  fairly 
begun,  there  was  a  glint  to  his  eyes,  when 
aroused  to  earnestness  on  any  subject,  that  be- 
tokened a  brain  very  sensitive  to  morbid  influ- 
ences. His  was  not  an  organism  fitted  to 
challenge  the  '  slings  and  arrows '  of  a  great 
city  like  New  York.  What  the  outcome  would 
be  was  only  a  question  of  time.  The  time  came 
at  the  noon  of  night.  On  the  one  hand  was  the 
city  that  he  thought  had  wrongfully  proscribed 
the  '  Passion  Play,'  the  crowning  work  of  his 
life,  and  on  the  other  the  placid  Hudson. 
Of  the  latter  Salmi  Morse  asked  and  received 
rel)ii~e  friun  the  moil  of  life." 


EtSTOltY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT y. 


201 


r 


0  D 


r: 


-j-^at^^ 


J^'. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Animals    xati\k    of    Sonuma    Coixtv — gkizzi.v,    urown    and     black    ukak — paxthkr — fox — 

WOLF COYOTE wrLD-CAI' l[(irXTAIN-CAT ELK.   DEEl:,    ANTELOPE,  ICTC. 


tITTELL,  who  is  good  authority,  enumer- 
ates the  indigenous  animals  of  California 
as  follows:  The  grizzly  bear  ;  the  black 
bear  ;  the  cinnamon  bear;  the  elk  ;  one  deer  ; 
one  antelope  ;  the  mountain-sheep;  the  panther  ; 
the  wild  cat ;  the  gray  wolf  ;  the  coyote  ;  three 
foxes  ;  the  badger  ;  the  raccoon  ;  the  opossum  ; 
the  mountain-cat ;  the  weasel  ;  two  skunks  ;  one 
porcupine  ;  three  squirrels  ;  two  spermophiles  ; 
two  ground-squirrels  ;  three  rats  ;  three  jumping- 
rats  ;  one  jumping-monse  ;  nine  mice  ;  one  mole; 
three  hares  ;  two  rabbits  ;  the  seal  ;  the  sea- 
otter  ;  the  sea-lion  ;  the  beaver  ;  two  vultures  ; 
the  golden  eagle  ;  the  bald  eagle  ;  the  tislih;iwk; 
eighteen  other  hawks  ;  nine  owls  ;  the  road- 
runner  ;  twelve  woodpeckers  ;  four  humming- 
birds ;  eleven  tlyeatchers  ;  one  hundred  and 
nine  singers  ;  one  pigeon  ;  two  doves  ;  three 
grouse  ;  three  quails  ;  one  sandhill  crane  ;  forty- 
one  waders  ;  sixty-six  swimmers,  including  two 
swans  and  five  geese  ;  about  two  dozen  snakes, 
including  the  rattlesnake  ;  half  a  dozen  salmon  ; 
two  codlish  ;  and  one  mackerel. 

Of  these,  all  were  indigenous  to  Sonoma 
(bounty  except  the  oj)08sum,  the  jnmping-rats, 
the  mountain-sheej),  and  possibly  a  few  varie- 
ties of  the  birds  and  salmon.  Our  grizzly  bear 
(^f'rxii.t  horriliiliti)  is  the  largest  an<l  most 
fnnniilablc  of  the  (iiiadnijicds.      lie  grows  to  be 


four  feet  high  and  seven  feet  long,  with  a  weight, 
when  very  large  and  fat,  of  a  thousand  pounds, 
being  the  largest  of  the  carnivorous  animals, 
and  )nuch  heavier  than  the  lion  or  tiger  ever 
get  to  be.  The  grizzly  bear,  however,  as  ordi- 
narily seen,  does  not  exceed  eight  hundred  or 
nine  hundred  pounds  in  weight.  In  color  the 
l)ody  is  a  light  grayish-brown,  dark  brown  about 
the  ears  and  along  the  ridge  of  the  back,  and 
nearly  black  on  the  legs.  The  hair  is  long, 
coarse,  and  wiry,  and  stiff  on  the  top  of  the  neck 
and  between  the  shoulders.  The  "  grizzly."  as 
he  is  usually  called,  was  at  one  time  exceedingly 
numerous  for  so  large  an  animal  ;  but  he  offered 
so  much  meat  for  the  hunters,  and  did  so  much 
damage  to  the  farmers,  that  he  has  been  indus- 
triously hunted,  and  his  numbers  have  been 
greatly  reduced.  The  grizzly  is  very  tenacious 
of  life,  and  he  is  seldom  immediately  killed  l)y 
a  siuirle  bullet.  His  thick,  wirv  hair,  toiiyfli 
skin,  heavy  coats  of  fat  when  in  good  condition, 
and  large  bones,  go  far  to  protect  his  vital 
organs  ;  but  he  often  seems  to  preserve  all  his 
strength  and  activity  for  an  hour  or  more  after 
having  been  shot  through  tlie  lungs  and  liver 
with  large  rifle  balls.  He  is  one  of  the  most 
d-angerous  animals  to  attack.  There  is  much 
probability  that  wlicn  shot  he  will  not  be  killed 
ontficrbt.      Wlien    mei'dy    wounded   he   is   fero- 


IIISToHY    OF    SONOMA     COUNrV 


cious  ;  liis  weight  and  strength  are  so  great  that 
lie  bears  down  all  opposition  before  him  ;  and 
he  is  very  quick,  his  speed  in  running  being 
nearly  equal  to  that  of  the  horse.  In  attacking 
a  man,  he  usually  rises  on  his  hind-legs,  strikes 
his  enemy  with  one  of  his  powert'u!  fore-paws, 
and  then  commences  to  bite  him. 

The  black  bear  ( Ursus  Ameiicanns)  is  found 
in  the  timbered  portions  of  the  county.  Dr. 
Newberry,  speaking  of  the  food  of  the  black 
bear,  says:  "The  subsistence  of  the  black  bears 
in  the  northern  portion  of  California  is  evid- 
ently, for  the  most  part,  vegetable.  The  man- 
zanita,  wild  plum,  and  wild  cherry,  which  fruit 
profusely,  and  are  very  low,  assist  in  making  up 
his  bill  of  fare. 

The  brown,  or  cinnamon  bear,  is  also  common 
to  Sonoma  County.  The  panther,  supposed  by 
Dr.  Jsewberry  t(j  be  the  Felis  conrolor — the 
same  with  the  panther  found  on  the  Atlantic 
slope  of  the  continent — has  a  body  larger  than 
that  of  the  common  sheep,  and  a  tail  more  than 
half  the  length  of  the  body.  Its  color  is  dirty- 
white  on  the  belly,  and  elsewhere  a  brownish- 
yellow,  mottled  with  dark  tips  on  all  the  hairs. 
The  panther  is  a  cowardly  animal,  and,  except 
when  driven  by  some  extraordinary  motive, 
never  attacks  man.  The  jianther  is  nocturnal 
in  his  habits,  and  always  prefers  the  night  as  a 
time  for  attacking  colts,  which  are  a  favorite 
prey  with  hiin. 

Tlie  American  wild-cat  {Lyn.r  ruftis)  is  com- 
mon here. 

The  gray  wolf  [L!anis  occidcntalis)  is  found 
here,  but  is  not  abundant. 

The  coyote  used  to  be  very  common,  and 
occupied  the  same  place  here  with  that  occupied 
in  tlie  Mississippi  Valley  by  the  prairie-wolf.  Dr. 
Xewberry  thinks  the  two  belong  to  the  same 
species  (( 'a /lis  latrans).  The  color  of  the  coyote 
has  a  reddish  tinge.  His  food  consists  chiefly 
of  rabbits,  grouse,  small  birds,  inice,  lizzards, 
and  frogs  ;  and  in  time  of  scarcity  he  will  eat 
carrion,  grasshoppers,  and  bugs.  lie  is  very 
fond  of  poultry,  ])igs,  and  lambs,  and  will  destroy 
almost  as  nnuiy  of  tiiem  as  would  a  fnx.      lie  is 


one  of  the  worst  eneiiiies  and  most  troublesome 
pests  of  the  farmer. 

The  gray  fox  {Vu/j>es  Virghi'nouis]  is  the 
only  animal  of  that  species  we  know  to  exist  in 
Sonoma  County,  although  many  years  ago,  we 
heard  that  a  black  fox  had  been  killed  in  the 
northern  end  of  the  county. 

The  American  badger  {Ta.cidea  Americavr/) 
used  to  be  common  here,  but  they  are  now 
nearly  extinct. 

The  black-footed  raccoon  (^Proycon  hernande:;- 
sii)  is  very  common  in  the  forests  and  along  the 
water  courses  of  the  county. 

Of  the  yellow-haired  porcupine  [Erethison 
epixantJnis),  a  few  have  been  found  in  Sonoma 
County,  but  they  are  very  rare. 

The  mountain-cat,  or  striped  bassaris  [Bks- 
saris  astida),  is  occassionally  found  liere,  but 
are  not  numerous.  The  body  is  about  the  size 
of  that  of  the  domestic  cat,  but  the  nose  is  vevy 
long  and  sharp,  and  the  tail  very  long  and  large. 
The  color  of  the  animal  is  dark  gray,  with  rings 
of  black  on  the  tail.  The  miners  call  it  the 
"mountain-cat,"  and  frequently  tame  it.  It  is 
a  favorite  pet  with  them,  becomes  very  playful 
and  familiar,  and  is  far  more  atlectionate  than 
the  common  cat,  which  it  might  replace,  for  it 
is  very  good  at  catching  mice. 

The  yellow-cheeked  weasel  (^I'tdoriiix  .nintho- 
fjenyif)  is  found  here,  but  are  not  numerous. 

The  common  mink  {Put<irini<  r/.w/zlhasa" 
skin  as  valuable  as  that  of  •the  beaver  ;  the  fin- 
is of  a  dark,  brownish,  chestnut  color,  with  a 
white  spot  on  the  end  of  the  chin.  They  exist 
here,  but  are  very  rare. 

California  has  two  skunks  (^Jlejy/titis  orci- 
denfalis  and  Mephitis  bicolor'),  very  common 
animals.  The  Jlejdiitis  bicolor,  or  little  stri])ed 
skunk,  is  chiefly  found  south  of  latitude  3!)°  ; 
the  other  in  the  northern  and  central  parts  of 
the  State.  The  colors  of  both  are  black  and  white. 
They    both    have    a    place  in   Sonoma  C'ounty. 

T/ie  S<iuirrei  Faiiidij. — The  California  gray 
squirrel  (iSciurui  fossory  the  most  beautiful 
and  one  of  the  largest  of  the  squirrel  genus, 
inhal>its  all  the  jjine  forests  of  tlie   State.      Its 


nrsToRT  OF  sotroMA  county. 


203 


color  on  tlio  hack  is  a  tiiiely-Lrfizzled  l)luisli 
fj;ray,  and  white,  heneath.  At  tiie  haso  of  the 
ear  is  a  little  woolly  tuft,  of  a  chestnut  culor. 
The  sides  of  tiie  feet  are  covered  with  hair  in 
the  winter,  hut  are  l)are  in  the  summer  ;  the 
hod}'  is  more  slender  and  delicate  in  sliape  than 
that  of  the  Atlantic,  gray  squirrel.  It  some- 
times erows  to  he  twelve  inches  long  in  the  head 
and  hody,  and  fifteen  inches  in  the  tail,  making 
the  entire  length  twenty-seven  inches.  Dr.New- 
herry  says:  "The  t'alifornian  gray  squirrel  is 
eminently  a  tree-squirrel,  scarcely  descending  to 
the  ground  but  for  food  and  water,  and  it  sub- 
sists almost  exclusively  on  the  seeds  of  the 
.largest  and  loftiest  pine  known  (^2mius  lamher- 
tiana),  the  '  sugar-pine  '  of  the  Western  coast. 
Tliese  squirrels  inhaliit  the  forests  of  Sonoma 
County." 

The  Missouri  striped  ground-squirrel  has  five 
dark-brown  stripes  on  the  iiack,  separated  by 
four  gray  stripes;  the  sides  are  reddish-brown, 
the  belly  grayish-white,  and  the  tail  rusty-black 
above  and  rusty-brown  beneath.  The  animal  is 
four  or  five  inches  long.  It  is  found  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  State.  It  eats  acorns  and 
the  seeds  of  the  pine,  inanzanita,  and  ceanothns, 
in  the  thickets  of  which  last-named  bush  it  prefers 
to  hide  its  stores.  This  species  of  squirrel  is 
e.\ceedingly  rare  in  Sonoma  County. 

The  Sj)cr)iio2>hile  has  two  species  in  Califor- 
nia, which  resemble  each  other  so  closely,  that 
they  are  usually  sup])0sed  to  be  the  same;  the}' 
are  popularly  known  as  the  California  ground- 
squirrels,  the  little  pests  which  are  so  destruc- 
tive to  the  grain  crops.  Their  bodies  arc  ten  or 
eleven  inches  long  in  the  largest  specimens;  the 
tail  is  eight  inches  long  and  bushy,  the  ears 
large,  the  cheeks  pouched,  and  herein  consists 
the  chief  difference  between  them  and  squiri-els; 
the  color  above  black,  yellowish  lnown,  and 
brown,  in  indistinct  mottlings,  hoary-yellowish 
on  the  sides  of  the  head  and  neck,  and  pale  yel- 
lowish-brown on  the  under  side  of  the  body  and 
legs.  They  dwell  in  burrows,  and  usually  live 
in  communities  in  the  open,  fertile  valleys,  pre- 
fering  to  nnike  their  burrows  under  the  shade  of 


an  oak  tree.  Sometimes,  iiowover,  single  spcr- 
mophiles  will  be  found  living  in  a  solitary  man- 
ner, remote  from  their  fellows.  Their  burrows, 
like  those  of  the  prairie-dog,  are  often  used  by 
the  rattlesnake  and  the  little  owl.  Dr.  New- 
berry says:  ''The}'  are  very  timid,  starting  at 
every  noise,  and  on  every  intrusion  into  their 
privacy  dro])])ing  from  the  trees,  or  hurrying  in 
from  their  wanderings,  and  scudding  to  their 
hole's  with  all  possible  celerity;  arriving  at  the 
entrance,  however,  they  stop  to  reconnoitre, 
standing  erect,  as  squirrels  rarely  and  spermo- 
philes  habitually  do,  and  looking  about  to  satisfv 
themselves  of  the  nature  and  designs  of  the  in- 
truder. Should  this  second  view  justify  their 
flight,  or  a  motion  or  step  forward  still  further 
alarm  them,  with  a  peculiar  movement,  like  that 
of  a  diving  duck,  they  plunge  into  their  bur- 
rows, not  to  venture  out  till  all  cause  of  fear  is 
past.  The  scpiii'rels  of  this  species  were  exceed- 
ingly rare  in  Sonoma  County  until  within  the 
past  decade.  They  seem  to  have  effected  an  en- 
trance from  the  valleys  to  the  east,  and  are  iu>w 
multiplying  along  the  foot-hills  of  the  Sonoma 
range  of  mountains.  The  farmers,  as  yet,  seem 
not  to  realize  the  magnitude  of  the  damage  these 
squirrels  will  ultimately  accomplish. 

The  California  gopher  (  Thonionii/s:  bidljirorus) 
is  the  most  al)iindant  and  most  troublesome 
rodent  of  the  county.  AVhen  full  grown,  it  has 
a  body  six  or  eight  inches  long,  with  a  tail  of 
two  inches.  The  back  and  sides  are  of  a  chest- 
nut-brown color,  ])aler  on  the  under  parts  of  the 
body  and  legs;  the  tail  and  feet  are  of  grayish- 
white;  the  ears  are  very  short.  In  the  cheeks 
are  large  jjouches,  covered  with  fur  inside,  white 
to  their  margin,  which  is  dark-brown. 

Of  rats  and  mice  there  are  many  species  in 
Sonoma  County.  There  is  very  common  in 
the  forests  a  wood-rat  that  builds  conical- 
shaped  burrows  l)y  means  of  piling  up  sticks 
and  i)ramble.  ^Ve  have  seen  these  rat  houses 
as  much  as  ten  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base  and 
five  or  six  feet  high.  Of  mice  there  are  many 
species  of  both  field  and  house  pests.  We  have 
seen  here  two  or  three  specimens  of  the  Jerboa 


204 


IIIf^rORY    OF    SONOAfA    COUNTY. 


family,  called  by  some  kangaroo  mice,  on  ac-. 
count  of  their  great  length  of  hind  legs,  from 
whicli  they  spring,  as  does  the  kangaroo. 

The  American  elk  [Cermis  atnadensix)  used 
to  be  ])lentifiil  in  Sonoma  County,  but  is  now 
extinct.  Tliis  animal  was  nearly  as  hirge  as  u 
horse.  It  freiiiiently  readied  the  weight  of 
from  six  hundred  to  one  thousand  pounds. 
The  color  was  a  chestnut-brown,  dark  on  the 
head,  neck,  and  legs,  lighter  and  yellowish 
on  the  back  and  sides.  The  horns  were  very 
large,  sometimes  more  than  four  feet  long,  three 
feet  across  from  tip  to  tip,  measuring  three 
inches  in  diameter  above  the  burr,  and  weigh- 
ing, with  the  skull,  exclusive  of  the  lower  jaw, 
forty  pounds.  The  horns  of  the  old  bucks  had 
from  seven  to  nine,  perhaps  more,  i)rongs,  all 
o-rowing  forward,  the  main  stem  running  uj)- 
ward  and  backward. 

In  Sonoma  County  there  never  were  any 
white-tailed  liuei-,  l)ut  instead,  we  have  the  black- 
tailed  deer  [i'erriix  ri>lir>/i/>ianus),  which  is  a 
little  larger  and  has  brighter  colors,  but  does 
not  furnish  as  good  venison,  the  meat  lacking  the 
juiciness  and  savory  taste  of  the  venison  in  the 
IVIississippi  Valley.  The  average  weight  of  the 
buck  is  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds, 
and  of  the  doe  one  hundred  pounds,  but  bucks 
have  been  found  to  weigh  two  hundred  and 
seventy-five  pounds.  The  summer  coat  of  the 
black-tailed  deer  is  composed  of  rather  long  and 
coarse  hair,  of  a  tawny  brown,  approaching 
chestnut  on  the  back,  in  September  this  hair 
becrins  to  come  otf,  exposing  what  the  hunters 
call  the  '•blue  coat,"  which  is  at  tirst  fine  and 
silkv,  and  of  a  bluish-gray  color,  afterward  be- 
coming chestnut  brown,  inclining  to  gray  on  the 
'  sides,  and  to  l)lack  along  the  back.  Occasion- 
ally deer  purely  white  are  found.  The  horn, 
when  long,  is  about  two  feet  long,  and  forks 
near  mid- length,  and  each  prong  forks  again, 
making  four  points,  to  wdiicli  a  little  spur,  issu- 
ino-  from  near  the  base  of  tiie  horn,  may  be 
added,  making  five  in  all.  This  is  the  general 
form  of  tlie  burn;  sometimes.  howe\er.  old 
bucks  are  fouml  with  but  two  points. 


The  prong-horned  antelope  (^ji7itilocajria 
americana)  used  to  range  the  valleys  of  Sono- 
ma (bounty  like  bands  of  sheep.  They  are  new 
extinct.  In  size  the  antelope  was  not  quite  so 
large  as  the  California  deer,  which  it  resembled 
closely  ill  form  and  general  appearance.  They 
were  distinguished  at  a  distance  by  their  mcition; 
the  antelope  canters,  wliile  the  deer  runs;  the 
antelope  went  in  herds,  and  moved  in  a  line 
following  the  lead  of  an  old  buck,  like  sheep, 
to  which  they  are  related,  while  deer  more  fre- 
quently are  alone,  and  if  in  a  herd  they  are 
more  independent,  and  move  each  in  the  way 
that  suits  him  best.  In  color,  the  back,  upper 
part  of  the  sides  and  outside  of  the  thighs  and 
forelegs  were  yellowish-brown;  the  under  parts, 
lower  part  of  the  sides,  and  the  buttckos  as 
seen  from  behiiul,  were  white.  The  hair  was 
very  coarse,  thick,  spongy,  tubular,  slightly 
crimped  or  waved,  and  like  short  lengths  of 
coarse  threads  cut  otf  bluntly.  The  horns  were 
very  irregular  in  size  and  form,  but  usually  they 
were  about  eight  inches  long,  rose  almost  per- 
pendicularly, had  a  short,  blunt  prong  in  front, 
several  inches  from  the  base,  and  made  a  slioi-t 
backward  crook  at  the  top.  The  female  had 
horns  as  well  as  the  male.  The  hoof  was  heai-t- 
sliaped,  and  its  jnint  upon  the  ground  could  be 
readily  distinguished  from  the  long,  narrow 
track  of  the  deer.  The  antelope  was  about  two 
feet  and  a  half  high,  and  four  feet  long  from  the 
nose  to  the  end  of  the  tail. 

'  Audubon's  hare  (Zejcw-v  auduhonii)  is  the 
most  common  species  in  Sonoma  County.  Its 
tail  is  about  three  inches  long,  and  its  color  is 
mixed  with  yellowish-brown  and  black  above, 
white  beneath,  thigiis  and  rump  grayish. 

The  sage  rabbit  [LepuK  arfe>nlsi</)  is  also 
found  here. 

Of  the  birds  and  fish  of  Sonoma  County  we 
will  not  undertake  to  speak.  Of  the  former 
there  is  almost  an  infinite  variety,  and  to  at- 
tempt to  classify  and  describe  each  would  re(|uire 
a  vast  amount  of  labor  and  research.  Of  fresh 
water,  salt  water  and  shell  tish,  the  varieties 
nearly  equal  that  of  the  birds  and  fowls. 


BISTORT    Of   SONOMA    COUNTt. 


205 


,  -i'     ^  -til 


-^Msjl     OUR  FLORA  AND  CONIFERA. 

5i-^»>ri "    ' '^'  ^^-''-^- —  ,. 7,~ 


m 


CHAPTER   XXIY. 


fori  the  flora  and  conifera  of  Sonoma  County 
we  are  indebted  to  W.  A.  T.  Stratton,  the 
Of  Fetahuiia  florist,  who  has  given  the  sub- 
ject years  of  patient  research  and  study: 

"The  emerald  sheen  of  hill  and  dale,  the 
gorgeous  kaleidoscopic  picture  whifli  no  pen  or 
brush  could  ever  portray,  in  justice  to  nature's 
bounteous  gifts,  should  engage  a  far  more  facile 
])en  than  mine.  Indeed,  so  inexpressibly  beau- 
tiful are  all  our  primitive  flora,  the  multiplicity 
of  forms  and  colors,  my  effort,  no  matter  how 
exhaustive  it  might  be  to  even  faintly  mention 
the  more  jjrominent,  would  be  wholly  inade- 
(piate  to  do  justice  to  so  glorious  a  sulyect. 

"  In  early  spring,  our  golden  A'sehsc/iolfzias 
dancingly  nod  and  kiss  the  morning  breeze  in 
wavy  masses,  the  first  to  tell  us  of  nat\ire's 
awakening,  while  in  sheltered  vales  delicate 
ferns  come  forth  anew  clotiied  as  it  were  in  na- 
ture's wedding  garb  of  faultless,  yet  exquisite 
loveliness.  Then  successively  come  our  Bi'o- 
diaeafi,  our  Tritdeiai^,  our  C'atiKtsaias  and  Stni- 
hiciimx,  intersj)ersed  and  commingled  with 
Lupins  in  charming  shades  and  forms,  while 
Fr'ilUltii'hifi  and  the  butterfly  tuli[)S  [Cdlvo- 
limidn)  in  countless  myriads  bleml  their  beati- 
ful  colors  so  bright,  so  lovely,  that  'language  is 
useless,  its  expression  dumb.' 

"  Nothing  was  known,  comparatively,  of  our 
tbira,  till  D(jugl:iss  made  his  first  exj)lririiti(jn  in 


tlie  year  179().  Menzies,  Lindley,  Lowson  and 
Michaux  had  traversed  Puget  yonnd.  and  fol- 
lowing down  the  coast  to  the  Columbia,  and 
some  of  them  penetrated  the  northern  portion 
of  our  State;  but  Douglass,  the  energetic  En- 
glish botanist,  followed  down  the  coast  range  to 
San  Francisco  Bay,  and  has  said  in  his  report 
no  section  of  the  world  ever  presented  so  ricii 
and  varied  a  flora  as  that  section  of  country 
lying  adjacent  to  and'  north  of  the  bay;  and 
more  especially,  its  coast  i-ange  and  valleys; 
and  in  honor  to  his  eminent  services  our  peer- 
less conifera  Ahies  DoiitjUisxil  was  named,  one 
of  our  most  beautiful   native  evergreen  trees. 

"  IVEany  enthusiastic  explorers  then  visited 
our  region,  and  Alta  California  soon  gave  the 
world  many  floral  treasures,  for  which  our  cool, 
moist  climate  was  so  favorable  for  the  devel- 
opment of.  And  yet  what  a  sad  remnant  of  the 
past;  vandalism,  the  greed  for  gain,  so  rapidly 
obliterated  our  forests  of  those  noble  structures 
that  nature's  effort  took  centuries  to  build; 
our  hills  and  vales  swej)t  as  it  were  by  flames, 
are  nearly  obliterated  of  all  those  gems  of  crim- 
son and  gold,  and  the  cottage  and  trellis  deck 
the  once  primitive  scene.  Our  choicest  flora  is 
cast  aside  for  the  less  l)eautiful  forms  of  other 
climes. 

"Of  the  evergreen  trees  indigenous  to  our 
section  may  be  prominently  mentiuncd  our  red- 


306 


IIISTORT    OF    SONOMA    OOVNTY. 


wood  Seijno'ui  tSenipervi'rens,o{  whose  mam  moth 
proportions  all  are  well  a&niainted,  forming 
as  it  were  so  extensive  and  valuable  forests  all 
over  our  county;  but  it  is  not  generally  known 
that  its  relative  S.  Gigantea,  also  grows  here, 
but  in  ver^'  limited  quantities.  Some  years  ago, 
a  gentleman  hunting  along  on  our  northern 
boundary  found  a  small  grove  on  a  tributary  of 
the  Russian  Kiver,  and  very  thoughtfully 
brought  me  a  small  liml)  and  some  cones,  to  be 
certain  of  their  identity.  The  trees  were  very 
small  comparatively,  growing  less  than  100  feet 
high  and  very  stunted  in  habit.  Abies  Douglassii 
is  very  plentiful,  growing  to  regal  proportions 
near  the  coast  in  sheltered  places,  and  we  can 
justly  feel  proud  of  this  beautiful  conifera  as 
the  most  beautiful  of  all  trees  i.ative  of  Cali- 
fornia. I  have  seen  natural  specimens  of  this 
noble  tree  nearly  150  feet  high,  clothed  from 
near  the  ground  in  natural  graceful  outlines,  as 
perfect  in  form  as  the  hand  of  man  could  make, 
and  vet  how  few  are  ever  to  be  found  in  culti- 
vation. It  is  I  if  \ery  rapid  growth  and  worthy 
of  attention.  In  the  vicinity  of  Sebastopol  it  was 
very  plentiful,  the  ynung  trees  being  largely  used 
for  Christmas  trees.  A.  Pattonlana  (Patton's 
giant  spruce),  is  also  foimd  sparingly.  It  is  of 
a  bright  glaucous  green,  growing  150  feet  high, 
existing  only  near  the  coast.  I'hiun  Murt<ata 
(Bishop's  jiine),  a  s])aringly  clothed  tree  of 
medium  size,  may  be  found  only  in  the  more 
southern  [Kirtion.  It  is  of  no  use  in  the  arts  or 
for  ornament.  /'.  i//t>i)/ti/x  (Oregon  pitch  pine), 
is  a  very  beautiful  species  plentiful  all  over  our 
county  especially  in  the  middle  and  northern 
part,  but  a  few  comiiaratively  are  found  in  cul- 
tivation, though  for  some  years  quantities  were 
grown  for  forest  culture;  but  its  value  for  tim- 
ber is  worthless.  /'.  tuherculata  in  stunted 
form  may  be  found  along  the  Mark  West  Creek, 
growing  70  to  100  feet  high;  it  is  of  very  slow 
growth,  though  lieautiful  in  lorm,  color  and 
outline.  /'.  Sah'uina,  Sabine's  pine,  is  one  of 
the  most  l)eautinil  of  all  our  native  ])ines.  It  is 
only  found  in  the  nortjiwestern  portion,  growing 
in  natural  tapering  outline  100  to  150  feet.      It 


is  more  commonly  known  as  bull  piue,  tiie  seed 
or  nuts  being  very  large  and  are  gathered  by 
Indians  as  a  staple  article  of  food.  P.  radiatn, 
grows  only  over  in  canons  near  the  coast;  it  is 
a  small  tree,  but  the  timber  is  said  to  be  val- 
uable, being  exceedingly  tough  and  strong.  J'. 
nuicrocarj>a,is  vevy  near\y  related  to  J',  insignis 
and  is  the  variety  so  largely  found  in  our  yards 
and  gardens.  There  may  be  other  species  of 
the  pine  family  to  l)e  found  in  scattered  local- 
ities, but  I  have  luentioned  all  of  those  I  have 
personally  found  growing  here.  I  had  forgot- 
ten a  beautiful  species  of  the  pine  sub-family, 
ahies  nohilis,  noble  silver  lir;  and,  as  its  name 
implies,  is  one  of  our  most  magnificent  pro- 
dtictions.  It  is  a  singular,  majestic  tree  grow- 
ing along  our  most  northern  border,  producing 
timber  of  fine  quality,  in  some  localities  grows 
200  feet  high;  but  further  northward  to  Oregon 
thence  to  the  Columbia,  its  size  increases,  be- 
comes nmre  plentiful,  occupying  almost  ex- 
clusive entire  tracts  of  countrj'.  It  is  a  fitting 
companion  to  ^1.  Poiiglassii,  two  of  the  most 
magnificent  evergreens  of  the  Pacific  coast.  We 
can  boast  of  one  jnnipev ./an Ijieni.i  <iri<h'iit((li.-<, 
a  small  tree  of  about  filfy  feet  high,  growing 
sparsely  along  Jhe  San  Antonio  Creek.  It  is  a 
handsome  tree  and  well  suited  for  dry,  rocky 
locations. 

"  Some  few  specimens,  I  am  told,  may  be  found 
of  Thttja  Gigantea,  giant  arbor  vitiK,  over  near 
the  mouth  of  Russian  River.  In  more  favored 
locations  it  grows  200  feet  high  and  -10  feet  in 
diameter.  In  cultivation  it  is  of  majestic  ap- 
pearance, of  most  pleasing  contour  and  color, 
and  well  worthy  of  attention. 

'•  Of  the  cypress  family  we  have  cuj)resfiti>i 
Laiusoniana,  a  very  beauitful  ornamental  tree 
so  well  known  in  our  gardens.  It  is  found  sc> 
far  as  I  know  only  in  tiie  most  northeastern 
portion  of  our  county.  C.  fragrdns  is  a  small 
tree  of  about  forty  feet  high,  of  a  bright  glaucous 
green,  and  exceedingly  beautiful;  its  slender 
branches  droop  gracefully  down,  and  form  a 
charming  tree.  I  have  found  it  over  near 
Sonoma,  in   the  upper  end  of  the   valley.      It  is 


HISTOBT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


!i<)t  generally  known  that  our  California  nut- 
meg-tree is  a  conifer.  It  belongs  to  the  yew 
sub-family,  botauically  known  as  To/rei/  t'al- 
ifoiiini'ii.  There  is  imtiiing  very  beautiful 
about  it,  but  it  is  a  plant  to  be  seen  but  to  be 
let  alone,  as  it  possesses  in  a  large  degree  the 
unpleasant  odor  of  the  family;  and  hence  is 
called  the  stinking  yew. 

"Of  other  prominent  trees  of  our  county  men- 
tion must  be  made  of  the  noble  family  of  oaks. 
Ot  the  genus  Queix-nx,  we  have  (J.falcata,  the 
tanbark  oak;  (J.  ii'kji'u,  the  black  oak;  Q.  alba, 
the  white  oak;  C/  aijtiafica,  the  water  oak;  Q. 
liiurifolio,  the  laurel-leaf  oak;  and  Q.  ile.i\  the 
holly-leaf  oak.  There  several  sub-species  of 
these  interesting  trees,  all  well-known  to  'the 
native  born.' 

"We  now  mention  a  more  interesting  group, 
our  flowering  plants,  of  which  we  have  countless 
numbers;  and  as  the  lily  deservedly  is  the 
(pieen  of  our  native  tiora,  it  sliall  have  the 
jirecetience  in  these  brietly  written  notes. 

'■'■  L'dhuii  Washingtoiilaniiiii.  This  beauti- 
ful species  is  found  only  on  the  highest  hill- 
tops. It  is  an  Alpine  plant,  and  when  grown 
in  low  localities  slowly  pines  away.  It  is  of  a 
p"nre  white  color,  becoming  of  a  purj)lish  cast 
with  age;  often  delicately  dotted.  To  tiiosewho 
attempt  its  cultivation,  let  me  waiii  them  it  is 
sensitive  to  all  stimulants,  and  must  be  gi-own 
in  a  cool,  shady  place.  It  is  our  most  lovely  na- 
tive species,  and  worthy  of  generous  care,  in  the 
hopes  of  ultimately  succeeding  in  its  more  suc- 
cessful culture.  L.  ruheKceiis  is  in  reality  a  sub- 
species of  the  foregoing.  It  has  been  found  on 
the  moutitains  near  Sonoma  and  in  iJedwoods 
near  Guernevilie,  often  seven  fert  high,  flowers 
nearly  white,  ciianging  to  purple  or  rose  lilac 
in  coloi'.  /,.  parrHin,  is  another  pretty  variety 
of  an  orange-yellow  color.  It  is  of  easy  cul 
ture  and  grows  well  in  any  cool,  di-y  soil.  /,. 
Pardalinuia  is  of  a  bright  orange  color,  and 
enjoys  a  very  moist,  deep  soil.  I  have  seen 
large  quantities  of  these  i)eautil'iil  lilies  on  the 
banks  of  the  San  Antonio  that  at  times  of  the 
year  must  be  subirjerged    by    overHowing  wa- 


ters. It  has  succeeded  well  with  me,  and  well 
repays  any  generous  attention.  L.  IlximhohUii 
may  be  found  only,  as  far  as  I  can  learn,  on  the 
coast  near  Foi't  Iloss.  It  grows  three  to  four 
feet  high,  much  resembling  our-tiger  lily  in  col- 
or. A  sub  variety  of  this  lily,  L.  Colauibiamnn, 
was  sent  nie  from  Ilealdsburg  some  years  ago, 
having  broad,  flats  terns  and  massive  large,  creep- 
ing root-like  bulbs.  In  fact,  all  our  California 
lilies  possess  this  characteristic  form  more  or  less, 
that  so  plainly  distinguishes  them  from  the 
more  common  forms  of  lilies.  Of  the  lily  sub- 
family the  Vaiochortus  ranks  ne.xt  in  beauty  of 
our  native  flora.  They  are  more  commonly 
known  as  Mariposa,  or  Butterfly  Tulips,  so 
named  from  their  gaudy,  showy  colors;  of  these 
we  have  C.  jia/o/igllus,  of  a  beautiful  orange- 
yellow  color,  with  darkliloches  on  each  petal.  It 
comes  very  late  in  flower,  generally  in  July  and 
August,  and  is  plentifully  found  in  tiry  pas- 
tures and  hill-sides. 

"  C  jViuIus,  a  very  beautiful  dwarf  species, 
scarcely  one  foot  in  height,  of  a  delicate  lilac, 
and  white  color,  grows  only  in  the  shade  of 
trees.  ('.  yialii  is  of  a  deep  yellow  color, 
blooming  in  June,  often  we  have  seen  it  spot- 
ted a  pure  magenta,  giving  it  a  unique  ap- 
pearance. V.  Lupins  is  of  a  deep  yellow  color, 
spatted  brown  and  purple,  exceedingly  showy. 

'•f)f  our  Fi'itillarias,  also  a  sub  variety  of  our 
lilies,  and  more  popularly  known  as  Cn.iwn  Im- 
perials, we  have  some  most  beautiful  species, 
and  to  those  who  know  of  them  we  heartily 
commend  them  as  well  worthy  of  extended  cul- 
tivation. They  all  have  most  beautiful  flow- 
ers, and  succeed  well  ill  most  any  position:  in 
fact,  are  one  of  the  lew  that  don't  c.-ire  what 
treatment  they  recei\'e,  only  jilant  them  in  th(> 
ground.  7''.  r<-fnri\i.  is  \ery  lieautil'ul,  beiuLCol' 
a  yelluw  spotted  brown  color,  generally  found 
in  dry  pastures  in  loose,  sandy  soil.  Cultivation 
largely  improves  the  flowers,  they  being  fully  as 
beautiful  as  anyof  the  foi-eign  species.  F.  hlffora 
has  flowers  of  a  darl<-l)rowii  purple, I  inted  green, 
and  grows  oidy  over  near  the  coast.  W'e  often 
have  seen  it  in  the  dry,  sliilting  sands  on  the  sea 


H/STOUr    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


sliore,  indifferent  to  exposure  alike,  be  it  spray 
from  the  ocean  ur  the  dry,  parching  winds  and 
sunsliine.  F.  L<inreolaf<t  is  of  tlie  most  deli- 
cate structure  and  habit.  Its  dark  purple  flow- 
ers mottled  with  greenish  yellow,  so  frail  and 
slender,  seem  incapable  of  withstanding  the 
rough  frontier  life,  yet  its  delicate  chalice, 
drooping  modestly,  seems  indifferent  to  the 
praise  of  its  admirers.  F.  plurlliora  is  of  a 
reddish  purple  color,  and  to  us  the  more  beauti- 
ful of  the  species.  It  may  be  found  only  in 
the  shade  of  fences  or  trees  or  on  tiie  north 
side  of  rocky  hill-sides.  Some  lovely  speci- 
mens may  be  found  in  April  or  May  on  the 
shady  banks  of  dry  creeks,  and  possil)]y  many 
other  similar  locations  all  over  our  county.  Its 
l>entlnlous,  drooping  flowers  are  of  most  ex- 
ijuisite  loveliness,  and  as  it  takes  kindly  to  cul- 
tivation, should  be  more  extensively  grown. 

"The  next  most  interesting  genius  of  flower- 
ing bulbous  plants  are  the  Brodiaeas.  All  the 
species  are  of  the  easiest  cultivation  an<l  will 
repay  the  most  simple  attention.  Many  of  them 
grow  with  me  in  hard  walks,  dry  corners,  where 
they  get  no  care  or  attention;  but  when  tlie 
slightest  interest  is  given  tiiem,  most  amply  re- 
pay, with  grateful  appreciati<^n.  /*.  M idtiliour 
is  of  a  most  lovely  violet-purple  color,  growing 
about  one  foot  in  height, and  the  earliest  variety 
to  flower.  B.  CviHjeMn,  is  of  a  lovely  purple 
color,  often  flowering  when  two  or  three  inches 
high.  It  is  the  easiest  grown  of  the  species,  and 
in  cultivation  blooms  almost  continuously  from 
May  to  August.  B.  Capitata  blooms  the  eai'- 
liest  of  all,  generally  from  January  to  May.  Its 
dark  purple  flowers  are  \ery  attractive  and 
showy,  usually  growing  one  and  a  half  feet 
high.  (Tather  some  bulbs  of  Itrodeas,  friends, 
no  matter  if  in  full  flower,  give  them  kiml  at- 
tention, and  a  rich  reward  awaits  you. 

"  1  now  chauge  to  a  highly  interesting  group 
of  plants,  one  admired  by  all — Ferns — which 
our  county  possesses  in  matchless  beauty.  I 
shall  not  attempt  a  botanical  description.  The 
reader  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge  must  inter- 
view a  more  competent  teacher.  Our  California 


Botany,  edited  by  the  gifted  Prof.  Asa  Gray,  and 
the  California  Flora,  are  authorities  of  unques- 
tionable character.  The  most  noble  and  majes- 
tic of  all  our  species  is  Woodwordia  radican.s. 
I  have  gathered  fronds  of  this  beautiful  variety 
fully  ten  feet  long.  In  dark,  moist  canons  near 
the  coast,  sheltered  from  winds  and  sunshine, 
it  may  be  found  in  its  best  estate.  In  cultiva- 
tion it  seems  to  pine  out  a  miserable  existence, 
growing  at  best  not  more  than  four  feet  high. 
Near  the  head  of  Bear  Valley  in  Marin  Coiiii- 
ty  some  massive  beauties  were  growing  a  few 
years  ago.  Their  graceful,  arching  fronds  made  a 
leafy  bower  of  fairy  splendor.  One  specimen  I 
measured  covered  a  space  of  twenty  feet  across. 
Another  beautiful  fei-n,  not  by  any  means  plen- 
tiful, is  Lomari'i  Sj^irant.  At  the  base  of  Spring 
Hill,  a  few  miles  from  our  city,  some  most  love- 
ly specimens  may  be  found,  the  fronds  growing 
six  to  seven  feet  high;  the  beauty  of  this  fern  is 
the  finely  dissected  leaves  or  fronds. 

"There  are  but  few  ferns,  however  small  in 
structure,  so  delicately  divided  in  formation,  and 
though  large  and  massive  ini'orm,  is  of  most  ex- 
(juisite  grace  and  loveliness.  Of  the  Adiantuni, 
or  maiden-hair  ferns,  we  have  only  two  species. 
A  jhjdatuiii  or  bird-foot  fern,  or  nnjre  common- 
ly known  as  five-ttnger  fern,  is  a  most  graceful 
and  attractive  plant.  Under  good  culture  its 
delicate  fronds  gi'ow  to  regal  beauty.  A.  Va^i- 
illxs  reui'-r/n,  often  known  as  ,1.  Cliilensis,  is 
of  low  growth,  yet  most  beautiful  and  attractive. 
It  does  not  take  kindly  to  cultivation  and  much 
prefers  the  wilds  of  its  I'ocky  hoioe.  In 
Eurojje,  however,  it  is  a  variety  of  deep  in- 
terest, where  it  appears  to  stand  on  its  good  be- 
havior. PeJlea  denna  is  indeed  a  most  ex- 
quisite and  lovely  fern.  Years  ago  I  found  this 
variety  near  Ilealdsburg,  almost  completely 
covering  a  huge  rock.  Interspersed  in  cracks 
and  Assures  was  one  matchless  CheUimtheH 
Cidiforihica  or  lace  fern,  almost  completely  cov- 
ering from  sight  the  little  mossy  covering  that 
seemed  to  alone  give  life  and  nutrition,  while  at 
its  base  were  tine  specimens  of  l'(dyj>odiiiiii 
Vahjare,  I*.  T'a/ca^itm  and    1'.   Cal-iforicuvi, 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


209 


stately,  grand  sentinels  of  tlieir  more  delicate 
relatives  above  tlieni.  Of  other  species  of  ferns 
found  growing  in  our  county,  1  mention  Gi//n- 
noijiHinvie  t/'ian(/ul(trh<i,  the  gold-back  fern, 
Che'dnntheS(jraeUliinr(,J'i'Ue<iAndiriiae(hi'foUa, 
and  possibly  some  others.  1  have  often  sent 
specimens  for  identification  to  different  botan- 
ists, and  their  classification  often  caused  con- 
fusion. 

''As yet, much  remains  to  be  learned  as  to  the 
botany  of  our  State.  Changes  are  repeatedly  l)e- 
ing  made  by  savants,  showing  conclusively  of 
tlieir  indecision,  and  years  must  elapse, — years 
of  study,  and  a  comjjarison  of  notes  and  speci- 
mens,— before  a  final  permanent  basis  is  reached. 

"  I  have  very  hastily  and  very  briefly  sketched 
these  rambling  notes  of  history,  and  though 
but  a  mere  mention  of  our  vast  flora  has  been 
noticed,  it  is  to  l>e  hoped  it  may  afford  some  lit- 


tle pleasure  to  onr  readers.  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  at  no  distant  day  an  earnest  effort  may  be 
made  to  collect  and  classify  the  many  different 
genera  of  plants  growing  in  our  county. 

"  It  would  be  of  great  interest  to  the  student 
of  nature,  and  a  valuable  auxiliary  for  all  fu- 
ture generations  in  learning  of  uur  primitive 
flora.  Such  a  monograph  could  be  easily  ac- 
complished by  the  higher  academic  classes  of 
onr  schools.  In  fact,  when  elementary  botany 
is  taught,  students  should  be  instructed  to  bring 
in  specimens  of  all  jilants  they  could  And  at  all 
times  of  the  year.  These  should  be  mounted 
and  exchanged  with  different  sections,  thus  se- 
curing many  different  forms  froni  all  locations. 
Let  me  suggest  a  permanent  herbarium  for  all 
our  schools,  be  they  of  a  primary  or  more  ad- 
vanced graile,  and  if  need  be  it  should  lie  com- 
pulsory.'' 


210 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT F 


"LO,  THE  POOR  INDIANI 


M' 


Bi  11 


VM?i>Miii''!ii1 1^  »»fe^<?jriii'(it  ife'»g 


4^t^^^  i^^'m<(Mi>  i  'fs>  i'Vitii'^l^) 


CHAPTER  XXV 


Tin;    Indians — mis-kin   kki  oki>  mi-    ri;ii!Ai,  xamks — Yai-le-ih's  estimaii:  oi--  tiikik   ximrkr — thkik 
Ni  mi;i;k  at  timk  oi-  Amkrhan  sKiri.KMKNr  —  iiikiu  c  imitjixiox  and  stati  kk — iiuw  tiiev  j.i\  ed 

TIIEIK     IM1'LEMI;MS  —  INTKin  lEW      WITH     CasKIUEL     AND     Jo-E     VivlAK)  —  JolIN     Wai.KEk's 

statement. 


N  those  chapters  historic  of  Padre  ^Vltiiiiira's 
tbiiiiding  tlie  mission  San  Francisco  Sohiiio 
^  at  Sonoma,  and  the  iirst  colonization  of  tliis 
county  by  tlie  Spaniards,  necessarily  appeared 
most  of  what  is  authentic  history  in  connection 
with  the  Indian  tribes  occupyino;  tlie  territory 
embraced  in  the  subject  of  this  history.  It  is 
to  be  regretted  that  much  of  this  is  su  indefi- 
nite as  to  preclude  a  possibility  of  writing  with 
specific  e.xactness  in  reference  to  the  names  of 
tribes;  their  numerical  strength,  or  the  bounda- 
ries of  the  territory  over  which  each  triljc 
claimed  jurisdiction. 

According  to  the  mission  books  of  Sonoma 
the  following  named  Indian  tribes  furnished 
neophytes  to  that  institution:  Alocjuiomi,  Aten- 
oniac,  C'anoma,  ("arcpiin,  C^anijolmano,  Caymus, 
Chemoco,  Chichoyoini,  CliinMivi'iii,  Coyayomi, 
Iluiluc,  Ilnymen,  Lacatiut,  Loiujuionii  Libayto, 
Locnoma,  Afayacma,  Mnticoimo,  Malacu,  Na- 
pato,  Oleomi,  Putto,  Polnomanoc,  Pacjue,  Peta- 
luina,  Suisun,  Satayonii,  Soneto,  Tolen, 
Tlayacma,  Tamal,  Tojiayto,  L'lulato,  Zadow  and 
Utinonianoe. 

But  tlie  heathen  thus  gathered  in  evidentlv 
took  the  wide  range  between  Toniales,  Afarin 
County,  and  Canjiiiiicz  Straits.  There  were 
uniniBtakably      tribes     bearing     the;    following 


names:  The  Petalmnas,  occupying  the  country 
north  of  San  Pablo  Pay  and  contiguous  to 
the  Petaluma  Creek.  This  is  evidenced  by  the 
record  of  the  expedition  of  I'adre  Altiniira.  in 
which  mention  is  made  that  their  first  encamp- 
ment in  Petahinia  Valley  was  with  some  Peta- 
luma Indians  who  were  hiding  from  their 
enemies,  the  Cainemeros  Indians  of  the  now 
Santa  Rosa  I'e^-ond  the  Cainemeros  of  Santa 
Rosa  were  the  Soteomelos,  or  Yapos  (braves), 
who  occupied  the  Russian  River  country  from 
the  neigliborliood  of  the  present  Healdsburg 
northward  to  Cloverdale.  That  this  was  a  pow- 
erful and  aggressive  tribe  is  evidenced  by  tJie 
fact  that  they  overcame  and  slaughtered  a  large 
number  of  the  Cainemeros,  whose  wrongs  were 
avenged  by  the  assistance  of  Salvador  Vallejo 
and  his  troops  in  battle  np  in  the  (Peyser 
Mountains,  as  appears  in  another  chapter.  Thus 
it  would  seem  that  the  centi'al  valleys  of  the 
County  from  Petaluma  northward  was  occupied 
by  three  distinct  tribes  of  Indians:  the  Peta- 
lumas,  the  Cainemeros  and  the  Soteomelos  or 
\  apos. 

Wliile  every  lateral  valley,  subsidiary  to  these 
main  valleys,  in  the  early  days  seem  to  have 
been  the  center  of  an  Indian  rancharie,  yet  it 
is  doubtful   if  they  had   separate  and   distinct. 


HIHTOUY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


i\'i'  ti'ilial  L'xititoiicu.  (icDd'al  Vallt'jcj  lirst  vis- 
itod  tliu  territory  now  uuibraced  in  Sonuiiia 
Coiiiity  in  1828,  and  we  liave  it  direct  from  his 
li]is,  that  in  every  little  valley  was  a  rancharie 
ot' Indian?.  To  use  his  exact  lanonage:  ''The 
Indians  were  swarming  every  where.'"  In  refer- 
ence to  the  possible  nnniber  of  Indians  here  as 
late  as  in  1835,  the  reader  is  referred  to  an  ad- 
dress of  (General  Vallejo  delivered  on  the  occa- 
sion of  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the 
iK'W  court-l'.ouse  at  Santa  llosa  in  1884. 

Making  due  allnwance  for  exti'avaganee  of 
estimate  of  Indian  population  in  what  is  now 
embraced  in  Sonoma  County,  in  1835,  there 
must  have  been  several  tiionsand  of  these  dusky 
children  of  nature  here.  I>ut  the  small-pox 
pestilence  in  1838  must  have  made  sad  havoc 
among  them,  for  never  since  American  occu- 
]taney  could  they  have  mustered  1,000  all 
told.  In  185-4  the  writer  traveled  afoot  and 
alone,  with  only  a  small  pocket  pistol  as  a 
weapon  of  defense,  from  Petaluma  to  a  point 
twelve  miles  above  Ilealdsburg,  a  total  distance 
(if  over  forty  miles,  and  he  did  not  see  fifty 
Indians  in  the  whole  distance.  At  that  time 
there  was  (jnite  a  rancharie  at  Cioverdale;  one 
near  Ilealdsburg,  another  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  lagoonas  about  Sebastopol  and  a  small 
number  of  Indians  who  made  a  precarious  living 
by  hunting  around  Smith's  Ranch  and  Hodega 
r>ay.  As  hiW.  as  1854  "55  there  was  finite  a 
rancharie  of  Indians  at  Toinales  !!ay.  Marin 
(Jounty;  and  a  very  small  lancharie  in  the 
edge  of  Marin  Countv,  about  tive  miles  distant 
from  Petaluma.  The  last  Indians  we  find  any 
trace  of  as  living  apart  by  themseKcs  in  a 
rancharie,  in  the  neiglibiji-lidod  ot'  Petaluma, 
was  on  what  is  now  known  as  tlie  l'"i-('il  Starkie 
place,  about  two  miles  nm-tb  nf  that  citv.  At 
the  present  wi'iting  tbci-e  is  mil  to  exceed  100 
Indians  left  in  the  county.  Most  of  these  are 
hovering,  like  the  last  shadows  of  their  race, 
around  Ilealdsburg  and  Cioverdale,  eking  out 
a  miserable  existence  as  the  servitors  of  the  race 
that  has  supplanted  then). 

Tlie  Indians  of  this  regic>n  are  very  ^imilal•  in 


stature,  complexion,  and  habits  of  life  to  those 
of  other  portions  of  California.  They  arc  very 
thick  in  the  che.st,  and  have  voices  of  wonderful 
strength.  The  children  are  clumsy,  and  heavy 
set.  The  women  are  very  wide  in  the  shoulders 
and  hips,  and  strongly  built.  Men  and  women 
are  large  in  the  body,  and  slim  in  the  legs  and 
arms,  as  compared  with  Caucasians.  They  are 
physically  and  intellectually  inferior  to  their 
relatives  in  Nevada  Territory,  and  far  inferior 
to  the  Indians  who  dwelt  during  the  last  cen- 
tury east  of  the  Mississippi  River.  They  are  of 
a  very  dark  com])!exion,  and  their  hair  always 
black,  is  coarse  to  the  verge  of  that  of  a  horse's 
mane.  The  women  (niohalas)  cut  their  hair 
straight  across  the  forehead  just  above  the  eye- 
brows, inueh  as  their  Caucasian  sisters  do  for 
"  bangs."  In  their  native  state  the-se  Indians 
were  far  from  models  of  neatness  or  cleanliness; 
bTit  now  that  most  of  them  wear  modern  gar- 
ments and  often  seek  labor  on  ranches,  they 
have  in  a  measure  ahjured  their  former  filthy 
habits.  Their  rancharie  habitations  were  of  the 
rudest  and  cheapest  possible  construction.  The 
indispensable  sweat-house,  however,  was  a  sort 
of  joint-stock  structure,  and  as  it  generally  con- 
sisted of  an  excavation  in  the  ground,  with  a 
surface  structure  made  tight  by  baid<ing  up  the 
earth  arouml  it,  its  construction  cost  some 
labor. 

Their  food  was  composed  chiefly  of  acorns, 
clover-grass,  grass-seeds,  grasshoppers,  hr)rse- 
chestnuts.  fish,  game,  ])ine-nuts,  edible  roots, 
and  berries.  The  acorns  are  large,  abundant, 
and  some  (jf  them  not  unpleasant  to  the  taste, 
but  they  do  not  cimtain  mncb  nutriment  as 
compared  with  an  ei|ual  imlk  of  those  articles 
conininnly  used  bir  loixl  by  the  Caucasian  race. 
The  aci.i-iis  were  gathered  by  tli('  scjuaws,  and 
preserved  in  various  methods.  The  m(;st  coiri- 
mon  plan  was  to  build  a  basket  with  twigs  and 
rushes  in  an  oak-tree,  and  keep  the  acorns  there. 
The  ac(jrns  were  ])repared  for  eating  by  grind- 
ing them  and  hoiling  them  ^ith  watci-  into  a 
thick  paste,  or  by  baking  them  in  bread,  'i'lin 
oven    was  a  hojc  in  the  ground   about  eighteen 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


inches  cubic.  Ked  liot  stones  were  ])laci'd  at  the 
liottdui  of  the  liole,  a  little  dry  sand  ur  loam 
llitdwii  over  them,  and  next  came  a  layer  of  dry 
leaves.  The  dough  or  jwste  was  poured  into 
the  hole  until  it  was  two  inches  or  three  inches 
d<'e[).  Then  came  anotiier  layer  of  leaves,  more 
sand,  red-hot  stones,  and  finally  dirt.  At  the 
end  of  five  or  six  hours  the  oven  had  cooled 
down,  and  the  bread  was  taken  out,  an  irregular 
mass  nearly  black  in  color,  not  at  all  handsome 
to  the  eye  or  agreeable  to  the  jialate,  and  mixed 
through  with  leaves  and  dirt.  l''or  grinding 
the  acoi'us  a  stone  mortar  was  used.  This  mor- 
tar was  sometimes  nearly  Hat,  with  a  iiollow  not 
more  than  two  inches  deep;  and  occasionally 
one  will  be  seen  fifteen  inches  deep,  anil  not 
more  than  three  inches  thick  in  any  part  of  it. 
The  pestle  was  of  stone,  round,  ten  inches  long 
and  three  thick. 

llorsechestnuts  were  usually  made  into  a  gruel 
or  soup.  After  being  ground  in  the  mortar, 
they  were  mi.xed  with  water  in  a  waterproof 
basket,  into  which  redhot  stones  were  thrown, 
and  thus  the  soup  was  cooked.  As  the  stones 
when  taken  from  the  fire  had  dirt  and  ashes  ad- 
liering  to  them,  the  soup  was  not  clean,  and  it 
often  set  the  teeth  on  edge. 

(-irass-seeds  were  ground  in  the  moi'tar  and 
I'oasted  or  made  into  soup. 

Grasshoppers  were  roasted,  and  eaten  without 
further  preparation,  or  mashed  U])  with  berries. 

Fish  and  meat  were  broiled  on  the  coals. 
The  intestines  and  l)lood  wei-c  eaten  as  well  as 
the  muscle. 

Clover  and  grass  were  eaten  i-aw.  The  In- 
dians would  go  out  into  the  clover  patches,  pull 
up  the  clover  with  their  hands,  and  eat  stalks, 
leaves,  and  flowers.  They  considered  clover  a 
great  blessing,  and  got  fat  on  it.  The  [)ine- 
nnts,  edible  roots,  and  ben-ies  were  eaten  raw. 
Bugs,  lizards,  and  snakes  were  all  considered 
good  for  food.  In  those  places  where  the  tnles 
grow,  the  roots  of  those  rashes  were  eaten. 

They  used  very  few  tools.  The  bow  was  the 
only  weapon  for  killing  quadrupeds.  It  was 
tixidn  of  a  v«ddish   wood,  and  on  th«   Itack   the 


bow  was  strengthened  by  a  covering  of  deer's 
sinews,  which  gave  to  it  greater  strength  and 
elasticity.  Salmon  were  killed  with  stones  and 
clubs  in  shallow  water,  and  were  caught  with 
spears.  Their  most  ingenious  spear  had  a  head 
of  bone  about  one  inch  and  a  half  long  anil 
sharp  at  both  ends.  To  the  middle  was  fastened 
a  string,  which  was  attached  to  the  spear-sliaft. 
One  end  of  the  head  tit  into  a  socket  at  the  end 
of  the  spear-shaft.  When  the  spear  was  thrown 
the  head  came  out  of  the  socket  and  turned 
cross-ways  in  the  fish,  and  then  there  was  no 
danger  that  it  would  tear  out.  The  Indians 
rarely  hunted  the  grizzly  bear."  .VIong  the 
ocean  Ijeach  they  got  barnacles.  Their  method 
of  catching  grasshoppers  was  to  dig  a  hole  sev- 
eral feet  deep,  in  a  valley  where  this  species  of 
game  abounded.  A  large  number  of  the  In- 
dians then  armed  themselves  with  bushes,  and 
commenced  at  a  distance  to  drive  the  grasshop- 
pers from  all  sides  toward  the  hole,  into  which 
the  insects  finally  fell,  and  from  which  they 
could  not  escape.  The  pine-nuts  were  sought 
at  the  tops  of  the  pine-trees,  whicli  the  "bucks'' 
ascend  by  holding  to  the  rough  bark  with  their 
hands,  and  pressing  out  with  their  legs,  so  that 
they  do  not  touch  the  body  to  the  trunk  of  the 
tree  in  going  u[).  Is  is  more  like  walking  then 
climbing. 

The  bow  and  arrow,  the  spear,  the  net,  the 
obsidian  knife,  the  mortar,  and  the  basket  were 
the  only  tools  made  by  the  Indians.  The  obsi- 
dian knife  was  merely  a  piece  of  obsidian  as 
large  as  a  hand  and  sharp  on  one  side.  The 
baskets  wei-e  all  made  of  wire-grass,  a  grass 
with  a  round  jointless  stem,  about  a  sixteenth 
of  an  inch  thick  and  a  foot  long.  The  basket- 
work  made  with  this  wire-grass  resembled  the 
te.xture  of  a  coarse  Panama  hat,  and  was  water- 
proof. All  the  basket-work  of  the  Californian 
Indians  was  made  of  this  material.  Tlie  most 
common  shape  for  the  basket  was  a  perpendicu- 
lar half  of  a  cone,  three  feet  long  and  eighteen 
inches  wide,  open  at  the  top.  The  basket,  car- 
ried on  the  back  of  the  squaws,  was  used  for 
carrying  food,  miscellaneous  articleg,  and  chil- 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


dren.  This  outline  of  tlie  lives  and  habits  of 
the  aborigine  nice  that  once  held  undisputed 
sway  in  Sonoma  County  will  be  of  interest  to 
future  generations. 

Only  a  few  months  ago  the  writer  visited  the 
ranch  of  Mr.  John  Walker,  near  Sebastopol, 
where  is  now  the  last  rancheria  of  Indians  south 
yf  Healdsburg.  Fifteen  Indians,  all  told,  now 
constitute  the  tribe.  Mr.  Walker,  who  speaks 
Spanish,  and  Jose  Viquero,  the  head  Indian,  a 
chief  who  speaks  very  good  English,  accom- 
panied us  and  did  the  interpreting.  Our  mis- 
sion was  to  interview  an  Indian  named  Caski- 
bel,  wlio  is  now  supposed  to  be  100  years  old. 
Mr.  Walker  has  known  him  forty  years,  and  has 
no  doul)t  al)ont  his  being-  a  centenarian.  Cas- 
kibel  has  been  stone  blind  for  twenty  years. 
He  was  sitting  tlat  on  the  ground  busily  remov- 
ing the  hulls  from  acorns,  his  native  and  favor- 
ite food.  It  was  Sunday  morning,  and  as  we 
took  a  seat  with  note-book  in  hand  to  jot  down 
such  information  as  might  be  elicited  from  Cas- 
kibel,  every  nieml)er  of  the  tribe  stood  by,  ap- 
parently interested  spectators.  From  him  we 
gathered  the  following  information  about  the 
long  past:  When  the  Americans  catne  to  Cali- 
fornia, the  chief  of  his  tribe  was  named  Francis- 
co, and  the  Chief  of  the  Russian  River  Indians 
was  named  Ocata.  In  those  days  creeks,  rivers 
and  mountain  ranges  marked  the  boundaries  be- 
tween Indian  tribes.  It  was  nut  permissible 
for  the  Indians  of  one  tribe  to  enter  upon  the 
territory  of  another  tribe  to  hunt  or  lish,  with- 
out permission.  The  tribes,  so  far  as  Caskibel 
knew,  spoke  the  same  language — that  is,  they 
could  make  eacli  other  readily  understood.  Tlie 
different  tribes  had  (jccasional  wars.  It  was  a 
common  thing  for  Indians  of  different  tribes  to 
inter-marry.  Tattooing  was  practiced.  This 
was  tlonc  witli  jnilverized  charcoal  made  trom 
willow  wood.  They  only  had  knives  made  ot 
obsidian,  and  for  killing  small  game  they  used 
bows  and   arrows.     The   most   common  way  of 


capturing  elk,  deer  and  antelope  was  by  means 
of  snares.  We  questioned  Caskibel  particular- 
ly in  reference  to  the  pestilence  that  swept  away 
the  Indians.  He  could  not  give  the  year,  but 
said  that  it  was  long  ago,  and  the  Indians  of  his 
tribe  for  a  long  time  died  to  the  number  of  from 
ten  to  twenty  a  day.  In  some  tribes  nearly  all 
died.  He  describes  the  Indians  as  having  been 
very  numerous  previous  to  that  pestilence, 
which  he  said  was  small-pox. 

Jose  Viquero,  through  whom  we  elicited  this 
information  from  the  aged  Caskibel,  must 
be  sixty  years  Old  himself,  but  he  seems  to  be 
in  full  vigor  of  middle  age.  He  informed  us 
that  he  was  at  Sonoma  when  it  was  captured  by 
the  Americans,  and  that  he  received  from  Fre- 
mont a  pass  which  allowed  him  to  go  and  come 
as  lie  chose.  Mr.  Walker  stated  that  Viquero 
was  virtually  the  chief  of  all  the  Indians  now- 
left  in  Sonoma  County.  He  also  gave  informa- 
tion as  to  a  custom  prevalent  among  the  Indians 
when  he  came  to  the  county  over  forty  years 
ago.  In  the  fall,  after  having  gathered  in  store 
their  winter's  supply  of  acorns  and  other  food, 
each  rancheria  gave  what  might  be  termed  a 
harvest  feast,  inviting  to  it  the  Indians  of  neigh- 
boring rancharies.  On  such  occasions  a  large 
fire  was  built,  and  when  everything  was  ready 
for  the  feast,  but  befoi-e  anyone  partook  of  food, 
the  eliief,  together  with  the  aged  men  and 
squaws,  marched  in  procession  around  this  fire, 
each  casting  into  it  handfuls  of  acorns,  grass  seed, 
and  in  fact,  some  of  each  and  all  kinds  of  the 
provisions  that  had  been  laid  in  store.  From 
whence  came  this  custom  of  a  burnt-offering 
among  these  untutored  children  of  nature? 

It  was  not  without  a  feeling  of  sadness  that 
we  turned  away  from  that  little  group — the  last 
remnant  of  a  race  soon  to  become  extinct. 
They  arc  rapidly  melting  away,  and  their  rude- 
ly fashioned  stone  mortars  and  pestels  will  be 
the  only  material  evidence  that  generations  ot 
the  future  will  have  that  they  ever  existed  at  all. 


214 


UlUTOliY    OF    aoNOMA    COUNT i'. 


^tggit^'^'giit^t^'^^^ 


^^^(^i^i^e^^f^i^^ 


^Sl^^^^A.^.KSi's^^ss^sxia!^^ 


GENERAL  HISTORY  TO  A  CONCLUSION.     -^ 


.^Sy^^^^Ti^^il^^^^^^^p^^^' 


^asjiaaa 


\t^^ 


~^i?(^^iiif\&fti^ii<f'&>^^^ 


^^^<^i^^^{~i^^^ii^iii^iiii^^v'^::^\ 


CHAl'TER   XXVI. 

FkoM     1870     o.NWAKI) Tilt;    SUITIIIJUN-    (  I  untied  Ol'EXEI)    TO  S^ETTLKMKNT ITS  EFFECT  — SoNOMA    TRUS- 

I'KKS    WlTllnlT     A     CUAN'tUi    I.N     HER    INDLSTUIES  —  UKAIN    AM)   l>i>TATOES  XUT  (iKOW.N    S^i  i  EAK(.Er.Y 

Si'Ol  K,    IIAV   AND   FKUIT  GROWING    -RAILROADS  SIIMl  LATE  THE   I.lMIiER  BUSINESS STATISTICAL    ANU 

OTHERWISE Sonoma  CoLNTv's  FITUKE,    FTI'. 


fN  a  previous  chapter  we  brought  the  general 
developments  of  Sonoma  County  forward  to 
^  1870.  AVe  now  continue  it  to  the  end. 
Elsewhere  it  has  been  shown  that  at  that  period 
Sonoma  County  ranked  next  to  the  County  of 
■San  Francisco  in  number  of  school  children. 
As  one  among  the  youngest  counties  of  the 
State  she  had  thus  suddenly-  come  to  the  very 
front  in  population  and  productiveness.  We 
hazzard  nothing  in  saying  that  up  to  1870 
Sonoma  County  liad  been  productive  of  more 
wealth  to  the  State  in  the  shape  of  cereals,  pota- 
toes, butter  and  cheese  tiian  the  three  counties 
of  Los  Angeles,  San  I'ernardino  and  San  Diego 
combined.  This  wealth  of  products  gave  to  her 
land  a  li.xed  value,  and  hence  it  was  that  lands 
came  to  be  valued,  even  at  tliat  early  day,  at 
from  $50  to  .*!75  an  acre,  according  to  its  near- 
ness to  or  remoteness  from  market. 

.\t  tiiat  time  ]irincipal]y.  the  whole  State 
south  of  Santa  (Jiara  County  was  yet  in  a  com- 
parative state  of  nature.  .Vround  town.s  an<l 
old  missions  were  orchards  and  vineyards,  but 
the  most  of  the  country  was  yet  an  open  range 
for  bands  and  herds  of  Spanish  horses  and  cattle. 
Tlie  lands  were  yet  lield  in  large  grants  and  the 
holders  thereof  liad  little  seeming  concejition  of 
the  real    value   of  tlieir   broad   acres.     In   the 


years  leading  up  to  1S70,  men  who  had  learned 
the  real  value  of  laud  in  Sonoma  ami  adjacent 
counties  began  to  spy  out  the  laiuls  of  the 
southern  portion  of  the  State,  and  many  of 
them  secured  large  tracts  at  prices  varying  from 
%1  to  %'b  per  acre.  In  the  space  of  a  very  few- 
years  the  wlude  southern  country  from  IMonterey 
to  San  Diego  County  was  an  inviting  field  for 
immigration.  The  sudden  opening  up  of  so 
wide  a  Held  lor  occujiancy  was  most  certainly 
not  conducive  to  the  material  prosperity  of 
Sonoma  County.  The  number  of  former  resi- 
dents here  who  now  rank  among  the  wealthy 
and  intliieiitia]  nion  of  those  southern  counties 
attest  how  imich  Sonoma  County  contributed 
toward  building  up  that  jjortion  of  the  State, 
now  famous  for  oranges  and   "booms." 

But  even  with  all  this  drain  upon  her  vitality 
and  resources  '-Old  Sonoma"  ))ursned  the  even 
tenor  of  iier  way,  making  stea<]y  and  permanent 
progress.  Tlie  developments  in  other  portions 
of  the  State  ileprived  her  (jf  a  monopoly  of  the 
grain  and  potato  growing  industry,  lint  with 
a  facility  of  expedients  rendered  easy  by  her 
wmiderful  diversity  of  soil  and  climate  her  peo- 
ple readily  adapted  themselves  to  new  conditions 
and  have  largely  taken  to  the  channels  of  new 
indu.stries. 


HISTORY    OF   SOlflOMA    COUNT y. 


I'ruiii  Two  lluck  \  iillty  to  IJodujfu,  once 
almost  a  continuous  i^rain  aiul  potato  field,  the 
c'onnttT,  almost  entire,  is  now  devoted  to  dairy- 
ing and  stock-raising.  Tiiis  is  now  a  good  pay- 
ing industry,  and  will  so  continue,  as  the  rapid 
settling  of  the  southern  portion  of  the  State 
insures  a  never  failing  market.  In  the  southern 
end  of  the  county  grain  has  largely  given  place 
to  the  growing  of  hay,  that  is  a  ci'op  easily 
handled,  and  that  finds  a  never  failing  market 
in  San  Franci.sco   and  at  remunerative  prices. 

The  upper  valleys  of  the  central  portion  of 
the  county  are  being  largely  devoted  to  grape 
and  fruit  growing.  The  most  marked  develop- 
ments in  this  direction  is  noticeable  from  Santa 
Jiosa  northward  to  Cloverdale.  That  region  be- 
gins to  assume  the  appearance  of  what  the 
whole  county  ought  to  present — that  is,  small 
holdings  with  cheerful  home  surroundings. 

The  completion  of  the  Northern  Pacific  liail- 
road  in  1872  to  Cloverdale,  had  much  to  do 
with  changing  the  currents  of  old-time  habits 
and  customs  of  the  people,  and  the  hinging  of 
life-conditions  into  nearer  harmony  with  the 
great  metropolitan  center  to  which  they  were 
brought  so  near  by  rapid  communication.  And 
this  was  soon  supplemented  by  the  building  of 
the  Coast  Narrow  (Tauge  Railroad,  that  entered 
Sonoma  County  at  ^'alley  Ford,  and  after  rest- 
ing for  a  time  at  Duncan's  Mills,  again  pushed 
forward  to  Cazadero,  in  the  very  heart  of  forest 
wilds.  The  building  of  these  roads  for  a  time 
may  have  proved  damaging  to  the  few,  but  to 
the  great  mass  of  Sonoma  County's  citizens  they 
but  heralded  the  dawn  of  a  yet  more  prosperous 
future.  The  e.xtensions  of  the  Donahue  line  to 
Sonoma,  and  thence  to  Glen  Ellen,  as  also  the 
building  of  the  recently  constructed  road  be- 
tween Santa  Rosa  and  Napa  Junction,  are  addi- 
tional avenues  of  commerce  and  travel  of  incal- 
culable value  to  the  county.  With  one  or  two 
branch  roads  to  meet  the  requirements  of  that 
fertile  belt  of  country  interme<liate  between  the 
San  Francisco  and  North  Pacific  and  the  Coast 
Line  Narrow  Cauge  railroads,  the  whole  of 
Sonoma  County  will  be  brought  into  close  rela- 


tionship   Willi    the    very    center    of  wealth  and 
commerce  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

We  cannot  better  emphasize  the  progress 
made  in  the  development  of  Sonoma  County 
than  by  giving  the  following  extract  from  an 
opening  address  delivered  before  the  agricultural 
society  at  retaluma  in  186U  by  Hon.  George 
Pearce,  who  came  to  California  with  General 
Phil.  Kearney  in  1847.  Mr.  Pearce,  taking  a 
then  retrospective  view,  says: 

"  We  meet  here  to  exhibit  and  compare  the 
products  of  our  labor  and  the  soil,  and  to 
challenge  competition  with  each  other  and  the 
world  in  both.  Some  bring  for  exhibition  pro- 
ductions of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  others  of 
the  animal;  while  others  bring  productions  of 
and  improvements  in  the  mechanic  arts,  the 
handi-work  of  man,  but  all  come  for  the  same 
purpose,  viz.:  mutual  improvement  of  each  in 
his  particular  vocation — one  in  the  manufacture 
and  improvement  of  machinery,  another  in  the 
more  perfect  specimens  of  the  animal  king- 
dom, and  others  still  greater  varieties  and  more 
perfe.ct  productions  of  the  varied  climates  and 
soils  with  which  the  peojile  of  this  region  are 
blessed. 

"  Hut  a  few  short  years  ago  little  else  than 
the  antelojie,  the  elk,  the  deer,  the  droves  of 
mustangs,  the  herds  of  wild,  inferior  cattle,  and 
an  occasional  adol)e  habitation,  would  have  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  the  stranger  travelino' 
through  Sonoma  at  this  season  of  the  year.  He 
would  naturally  have  inquired  how  these  ani- 
mals subsisted  in  a  region  apparently  so  sterile, 
barren  and  dry,  and  liave  shaken  the  dust  from 
his  feet,  and  left  this  region,  impressed  with 
the  belief  that  it  was  unfit  for  the  habitation 
of  an  energetic  and  enterprising  stock-grower, 
much  less  mechanics  or  agriculturists. 

"  The  speaker  visited  this  region  very  little 
in  advance  of  the  periotl  indicated  by  the  fore- 
going remarks,  and  well  remembers  the  first 
impressions  made  on  his  mind  by  the  then  gen- 
eral appearance  of  the  country,  and  although  he 
here  pitched  his  tent  and  has  remained  ever 
since,  no  small  fortune  would  then  have  induced 


216 


liisronr  of  sonoma  couNty. 


his  cunsent  to  do  so.  13iit  as  time  passed  aloug 
lie  witnessed  first  the  experiments,  tlien  the 
successes,  and  afterward  the  almost  miraculous 
improvement  in  the  animal  and  vegetable  king- 
doms, and  still  later,  the  wonderful  progress 
and  development  in  agricultural  and  the  me- 
chanic arts.  He  could,  therefore,  speak  of  them 
both  from  observation  and  some  slight  practical 
experience.  But  it  would  consume  too  much 
time  and  weary  your  patience  to  give  a  detailed 
history  of  tliese  things;  let  it  snfKce  to  note 
some  of  the  singular  changes  wrought  by  the 
progress  and  development  referred  to.  Then 
we  usually  went  to  tlie  valleys  of  the  Sacra- 
mento and  its  tributaries  on  the  mustang:  to 
San  Francisco  on  what  was  commonly  called  a 
launch,  taking  generally  from  two  to  four  days 
in  crossing  the  bay;  and  as  long  as  we  pleased 
in  going  to  Sacramento,  but  nearly  always 
giving  the  mustang  his  natural  gait — a  lope  or 
a  gallop.  AVe  generally  carried  our  bed  with  us, 
and  slept  wherever  dai'kness  overtook  us.  Every 
one  carried  a  jiistol  and  knife — indeed  it  was 
considered  a  crime  to  go  without  them.  Now 
we  go  to  San  Francisco  in  four  hours,  on  steam- 
boats; to  Sacramento  in  ten  hours,  on  steam- 
boats and  railroads;  we  iind  no  necessity  for 
taking  a  bed,  or  even  sleeping  on  the  journey, 
and  we  punish  men  for  carrying  knives  and 
pistols.  Then  it  was  considered  impossible  to 
cultivate  the  soil  without  irrigation;  now  it  is 
well  known  to  be  quite  injurious  to  irrigate. 

"The  great  valleys  of  this  region  were  then 
thought  to  be  adapted  to  and  lit  for  grazing 
purposes  only,  except  as  they  could  be  irrigated; 
and  now  they  are  devoted  almost  exclusively  to 
agriculture,  and  without  a  thought  of  irrigation. 
The  mountains  and  hills  then  believed  to  be 
barren  waste  are  now  known  to  be  the  best 
grazing  lands,  and  in  some  instances  even  for 
agricultural  purposes.  Then  iifty,  or  at  most, 
$100,000,  would  have  purchased  all  the  landed 
estates  of  piivate  individuals  within  what  is  now 
known  as  the  County  of  Sonoma.  Now  a  single 
vineyard  on  the  mountain  side  will  almost,  if 
nut  i|uite,  command  iIkiI  sum.     Tlicii  the  entire 


taxable  property  in  her  liorders  wotiid,  perhaps, 
have  reached  !f<200,000;  now  it  reaches  about 
18,000,000. 

"  Wild  grasses  covered  her  plains  and  valleys 
then,  now  corn,  wheat,  oats,  barley  and  rye. 
Extensive  orchards  abound  in  almost  every  sec- 
tion, and  vineyards  have  taken  the  place  of  the 
barren  patch;  the  corral  has  been  supplanted 
by  the  commodious  stable  and  barn;  the  rude 
adobe  habitations  by  handsome,  comfortable, 
and,  in  many  instances,  almost  palatial  brick, 
wooden  and  stone  edilices,  beautilied  and 
adorned  with  all  the  improvements  in  modern 
architecture  and  mechanic  arts. 

"  Sonoma  Valley,  '  the  valley  of  the  moon,' 
from  which  this  county  takes  its  name,  forms 
but  a  small  though  important  portion  of  the 
region  now  called  Sonoma  County.  Sonoma 
proper  is  where  '  Old  Pap  Merritt,'  as  he  was 
familiarly  called,  Mcintosh,  Cooper,  Nicholas 
Carriger,  Brockman,  Griffith,  and  others,  first 
picked  their  flints  for  the  contest  which  ended 
in  the  acquisition  of  this  State,  and  gave  birth 
and  rise  in  a  very  great  degree  to  the  progress, 
improvement   and  development    which  ensued. 

"Old  Sonoma!  her  memory  is  dear  to  me  I 
May  she  and  heir  many  noble  citizens  be  long 
and  abundantly  blessed." 

Such  was  the  languageof  lion.  George  Pcarce 
in  1869,  reminiscent  of  the  then  psist,  and  yet 
he  has  lived  to  see  the  day  when  he  can  step 
aboard  of  cushioned  cars  and  reach  San  Francisco 
in  two  hours  from  Petaluma,  or  in  less  than 
two  hours  and-a-half  from  Santa  Rosa,  and 
when  the  assessed  value  of  the  property  of 
Sonoma  County,  instead  of  being  !?8,000,000. 
has  reached  the  sum  of  $80,121,898. 

With  the  exception  of  the  phihixera  that 
proved  destructive  to  the  old  vineyards  of  Sonoma 
Valley,  frcan  the  year  1870  down,  the  entire 
County  of  Sonoma  has  made  slow  but  sure  pro- 
gress in  material  prosperity.  For  a  long  series 
of  years  she  had  but  little  market  for  her.sujier- 
abundance  of  fruit.  As  h  consequence  much 
fruit  went  to  waste,  and  orchards  were  uiioared 
foi'  and  neglected.      Tiie  discovery  I'f  the  process 


H/.STOnr    OF    SONOMA    VOUNTY. 


of  fruit  cauuiug,  howe\er,  lias  worked  a  eoiii- 
plete  revolution  in  the  matter  of  fruit-growing. 
Old  oi'chards  have  been  pruned  and  cultivated, 
and  new  orchards  are  being  planted  on  every 
hand.  This  is  now  coining  to  the  front  as  one 
of  Sonoma  County's  most  enduring  industries. 
Here,  without  any  irrigation  whatever,  all  kinds 
of  deciduous  trees  grow  luxiiriaiitij.  So,  too, 
with  grape-vines.  And  in  many  portions  of 
the  county  even  semi-tropical  fruits  grow  in  a 
high  state  of  perfection. 

The  following,  compiled  from  the  assessor's 
reports  for  1887-88,  will  give  the  reader  an 
accurate  estimate  of  the  present  and  future  of 
Sonoma  Count}': 

The  cultivation  of  wheat  has  decreased  con- 
siderably, having  fallen  in  the  interval  between 
1870  and  1887  from  45,000  acres  to  21,785 
acres  according  to  the  assessor's  report,  or  a  de- 
crease of  over  50  [)er  cent.  The  yield,  however, 
in  1888,  an  admittedly  dry  season,  is  estimated 
at  about  550,000  to  600,000  bushels  or  only  a 
reduction  of  about  30  per  cent.  This  is  prob- 
ably due  to  the  better  system  of  cultivation  and 
more  general  practice  of  summer  fallowing. 
The  breadth  of  land  sown  to  barley  in  1887  ac- 
cording to  the  same  official  was  22,8fi'J  acres 
against  21,213  in  1870;  a  trifling  increase  of 
7|  per  cent,  in  area,  but  a  iiiiich  larger  one  in 
yield,  the  crop  being  estimated  at  762,450 
l)usliels  against  424,200  eleven  years  before. 
Oats  are  not  much  grown  in  Sonoma,  e.xcept  on 
the  coast  and  the  acreage  accordinjc  to  the  asses- 
sor  in  1887  was  only  4,6U5  acres.  Hay  had 
increased  from  47,744  acres  to  80,561.  In 
1887  the  assessor  reported  seventy-two  thorough- 
bred horses  and  364  graded  horses  and  all  other 
kinds  7,624.  To  any  one  who  has  seen  the  ex- 
hibits of  stock  at  the  Sonoma  and  Marin  Agri- 
cultural Fairs  and  been  much  in  the  streets  of 
the  towns  and  visited  farms  where  breeding  is 
not  made  a  specialty,  it  seems  absurd  to  put 
down  the  number  of  graded  horses  at  364,  but 
if  farmers  have  a  grailed  horse  or  two  they  are 
not  likely  to  boast  of  it  to  the  assessor.  Mules 
were  set  down  at  386. 


Thoroughbred  cows  were  repoited  at  eighty, 
a  ridiculously  small  number  considering  the 
many  herds  of  Jersey,  Holstein  and  short-horns 
there  are  in  Sonoma,  but  we  suppose  only  those 
whose  owners  had  had  them  registered  in  the 
herd-books  were  mentioneil  as  thoroughbreds. 
American  cows  were  reported  18,21!t;  stock 
cattle  at  3,066;  beef  cattle  at  430;  calves  at 
1,730;  hogs  at  15,450;  Cashmere  and  Angora 
goats  250  ;  slieeji,  including  1,935  graded, 
150,710  head,  and  lambs  12,460. 

The  assessor  reports  656,657  fruit  trees;  this 
at  eighty  trees  to  the  acre  would  only  give 
about  8,208  acres  which  was  probably  much 
below  the  facts  at  that  time  and  hardly  two- 
thirds  of  what  it  now  is,  with  the  new  trees 
that  have  since  been  planted.  Luther  Eurbank. 
a  well  versed  and  reliable  nursery  man  of  Santa 
Rosa,  after  a  careful  estimate  of  the  fruit  and 
n«t  trees  planted  in  1887,  says  the  following 
statement  is  a  fair  and  close  approximate  of  the 
number  and  ditierent  varieties  of  trees  planted 
in  Sonoma  County:  ( )lives,  20,000  trees;  apples, 
12,000;  pe^trs,  30,000;  plums,  6,000;  prunes, 
15,000;  cherries,  6,000;  apricots,  4,000;  peaches, 
25,000;  nuts,  mostly  walnuts  and  chestnuts, 
15.060. 

These  figures  do  not  include  old  orchards, 
most  prominent  among  which  is  Warren  But- 
ton's prune  orchard  of  20,000  trees — the  largest 
in  the  world — situated  near  Santa  Rosa. 

The  Italian-Swiss  colony  near  Heaklsburg 
has  also  a  very  extensive  orchard.  Prune  trees 
were  in  such  demand  last  year  that  the  supply 
failed  or  the  acreage  would  have  been  greatly 
increased  and  the  demand  this  spring  has  not 
fallen  off  but  rather  enlarged. 

The  assessment  roll  showed  in  1887  21,683 
acres  set  out  in  vines.  Viticulturists  estimate 
that  the  planting  of  vines  last  season  exceeded 
anything  in  the  history  of  the  county,  being  not 
less  than  8,000  acres.  This  would  bring  the 
acreage  in  vines  up  to  29,683  acres.  As  asses- 
sors' figures  are  generally  below  rather  than 
above  the  facts,  it  is  not  stretching  figures  to 
estimate  the  total   number  of  acres  at  35,000, 


218 


HI  STORY    OP    SONOMA     COVNTV. 


iiicludiiig  table  grapes  and  non-bearing  first  and 
second  year  vines  from  cuttings  or  rooted  plants. 

The  assessor's  report  shows  the  production  of 
wine  in  1886  Ity  districts,  was  as  follows: 
Cloverdale,  200,000  gallons;  Geyserville,  150,- 
000;  Ilealdsburg,  200,000;  Windsor,  150,000; 
Fulton,  40,000;  Santa  Rosa,  500,000;  Fountain 
Grove,  80.000;  Laguna  and  Korbell,  100,000; 
Sebastopol,  80,000;  Petaluma,  40,000;  Glen 
Ellen,  500,090;  Los  Guilicos,  200,000;  Sonoma, 
1.000,000;  Bennett  Valley,  200,000.  Total, 
3,500,000  gallons. 

The  State  Board  of  Eijualization  makes  a 
very  moderate  estimate  in  giving  the  following 
report  of  the  vines  in  Sonoma  County:  Table 
and  raisin — One  year,  fifty  acres;  two  years, 
400  acres  ;  five  years,  1,450 ;  total,  1,900. 
Wine  grapes — One  year,  7,000  acres;  two 
years,  5,272  acres;  three  years,  3,640  acres; 
four  years,  1,225  acres;  five  years,  6,046;  total, 
23,183;  grand  total,  25,083.  It  is,  however,  as 
the  Board  admits,  the  first  in  respect  to  the 
area,  under  wine  grapes  of  any  county  in  the 
State. 

Sonoma  County  enjoys  a  perfect  imnninity 
from  drouths,  as  the  following  iiietereological 
report  will  show: 

In  the  records  of  Sonoma  County  since  rain 
guages  were  established,  we  find  that  in  1853- 
'54,  29  inches  fell  in  Santa  Rosa,  which  city 
may  be  accepted  as  a  central  locality  that  gives 
the  mean  precipitation,  leaving  the  wooded 
slopes  facing  the  ocean  out  of  consideration.  In 
1854-'55,  30  inches  fell;  in  1855-'56,  25  inches; 
in  1856-'27,  25  inches;  in  1857-'58,  23  inches; 
in  1858-'59,  23  inches;  in  1859-'G0,  21  inches; 
in  1860-'61,17  inches;  in  18Bl-'62,  46  inches; 
in  18()2-'63,  17  inches;  in  1863-'64,  12  inches; 
in  1864-'65,  '2()  inches,  and  yet  the  two  latter 
seasons  were  the  driest  ever  known  in  California, 
and  while  the  crops  and  grasses  were  an  abso- 
lute failure  in  the  great  valleys  and  in  all  South- 
ern California,  yet  in  Sonoma,  especially  in  the 
latter  year,  and  as  regards  other  parts  of  the 
St>ate,  driest  season  ever  known,  the  yield  was 
enormous.      In  the  seasons  of  lS()5-'66.  the  fall 


was  30  inches ;  in  1866-'67,  40  inciics  ;  in 
1867-'68,  50  inches;  in  1868-'69,  26  inches;  in 
1869-70,  25  inches;  in  1S70-'71, 17  inches;  in 
1871-72,  40  inches;  in  lS72-'73,  21.58  inches; 
in  1873-'74,  29.54  inches;  in  1874-'75,  23.30 
inches;  in  1875-"7t'),  over  32  inches,  showing  a 
mean  annual  raintall  in  the  twenty-three  years 
of  which  we  give  a  record,  of  over  twenty-seven 
inches  each  season,  with  a  maximum  of  fifty 
inches  from  autumn  to  spring,  and  a  minimum 
of  twelve  inches.  It  has  been  truly  said  of 
Sonoma,  that  no  crop  ever  failed  for  want  ot 
moisture.  Corn  is  planted  on  the  rich  bottom 
lands  in  April,  and  though  often  it  does  not  re- 
ceive one  drop  of  rain  after  it  appears  above  the 
ground,  yields  from  eighty  to  100  bushels  to  the 
acre. 

Ilavinw  siven  a  record  of  the  rainfall  for  the 
twenty-three  years  beginning  in  the  season  ot 
1853-'54,  and  ending  with  that  of  1875-76, 
according  to  observations  made  in  Santa  Rosa, 
we  will  now  give  the  record  for  the  succeeding 
period  of  ten  years,  from  1876-'77  to  1885-'86, 
as  observed  at  Petaluma, 'oy  Major  James  Sing- 
ley,  at  the  office  of  the  San  Francisco  &  >sortb 
Pacific  Railroad  Co.  In  the  season  of  1876- 
'77,  13.15  inches  fell;  in  the  season  of  1877-'78, 
39.24  inches;  in  the  season  of  1878 -'79,  20.83 
inches;  in  the  season  of  1879-'80,  26.83  inches, 
in  1880-81,  24.55  inches;  in  1881-82,  17.04 
inches;  in  1882-83,  19.15  inches;  in  1883-'84, 
24.55  inches;  in  1884-'85,  14.96  inches,  and  in 
1885-'86,  28.89  inches.  In  the  ten  rainy  sea- 
sons, ending  June  30,  1886,  the  average  rainfall 
was  23.14  inches  in  the  southern  or  Petulaina 
end  of  the  great  valley. 

While  the  above  relates  mainly  to  the  annual 
direct  products  of  her  soil,  Sonoma  County  has 
a  wealth  in  her  forests  and  mines,  the  accumu- 
lation of  the  ages.  Previous  to  1870,  her  lum- 
ber and  timber  industries  were  largely  confined 
to  her  belt  of  seaboard,  where  water  transporta- 
tion oflfered  facilities  for  transportation  of  her 
forest  products  to  market.  The  building  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  and  the  Coast  Line  Narrow 
Gauire  Railroads  cbangeil  all  this,  for  they  pen- 


ItlsTORT    OP   SONOMA    COUNT f. 


otratcd  tliebe  fields  of  wcaltli,  ami  snoii  tlie  liiim 
of  Imndreds  of  saws  was  heard  wiiere  silence 
had  reigned  supreme  for  untold  ages.  Else- 
where extended  mention  has  heen  made  of  the 
inagnitude  of  the  forests  of  Sonoma  County, 
also  the  process  of  manufacturing  these  giants 
of  tlie  forest  into  marketable  lumber.  Taking 
the  wealtli  of  these  forests  alone  as  represented 
bv  lumber,  railroad  ties,  posts,  pickets,  cord- 
woo<l  and  tanbark,  and  it  is  immense,  to  say 
nothing  about  the  untold  wealth  of  minerals, 
that  in  time  will  be  exploited  from  mines  of  en- 
during richness.  The  successful  operations  of 
the  Mt.  Jackson  (Quicksilver  Mines  in  those 
wilds  is  tangible  evidence  of  the  hidden  wealth 
locked  up  in  those  forest-clad  mountains. 

No  section  of  California  has  acquired  such 
fame  in  producing  fine  stock  as  Sonoma  County, 
especially  superior  horses.  Wherever  you  travel 
in  California,  in  fact  anywhere  on  the  Coast,  if 
you  see  a  very  fine  animal,  and  inquire  where  it 
came  from,  the  answer  most  likely  will  lie  Peta- 
luma  or  Santa  Rosa.  Hordering  upon  the  bay, 
and  with  a  large  ocean  frontage,  with  the  ex- 
tensive bottom  land,  and  grassy  mountain  slopes 
and  hill  sides,  together  with  the  regular  period- 
icity of  rains,  nearly  all  portions  of  this  county 
are  celebrated  for  producing  fine  horses,  cattle 
and  sheep.  The  hilly  and  lower  mountain  sec- 
tions of  the  northern  part  of  the  county  are  the 
wool  growing  districts.  The  section  bordering 
on  the  Pacific  is  noted  for  dairying,  while  the 
southern  l)ay  section  for  producing  fine  horses. 
Two  hundred  and  fifty  carloads  of  live  stock  are 
shipped  annually  by  railroad  from  this  county. 
Sonoma  County  has  been  noted  from  its  earliest 
settlement  for  the  amount  and  superiority  of  its 
dairy  products,  which  have  always  brought  the 
highest  prices  in  the  San  Francisco  market. 
The  annual  yield  of  butter  is  about  1,500  tons, 
or  3,000,000  ])oun(ls,  giving  an  income  of  over 
s()00,000.  J'etaluma  is  one  of  the  largest  ship- 
ping points  in  the  State,  of  dairy  products. 

In  another  place  reference  has  been  made  to 
the  basalt  rock  (juarrics  of  Sonoma  C!ounty.  In 
the  past  ten  years  the  making  of  liasalt  paving 


blocks  for  the  San  I'rancisco  market  has  grown 
into  a  large  and  lucrative  industry.  These 
quarries  are  found  near  Petaluma,  Santa  IJosa 
and  Sonoma,  from  Santa  Ilosa  they  are 
shipped  by  rail  to  Tiburon,  and  thence  by  water 
to  San  Francisco.  I'^rom  Petaluma  they  are 
shipped  direct  l)y  water,  several  schooners 
being  re(juired  to  do  the  carrying.  FroiTi  Sono- 
ma they  are  shipjied  by  rail  to  a  point  on  Peta- 
luma Creek,  below  Tikeville,  and  from  thence 
by  water.  From  these  three  points  the  quanti- 
ty (jf  paving  blocks  shipped  annually  amounts 
to  many  thousand  carloads. 

The  present  material  wealth  of  Sonoma  Coun- 
ty is  best  told  in  the  annual  report  of  the  State 
Board  of  Equalization  of  California  for  the  year 
1888.  As  is  well  known,  the  assessed  valuation 
of  property  is  usually  gieatly  under  the  real 
value.  Sonoma  is  not  an  exception  to  the  rule. 
The  following  figures  are  taken  from  the  report: 

Yalue  of  real  estate,  personal  property,  money, 
solvents  and  assessments  of  railroads,  !!;30,121,- 
898,  an  increase  of  .«!3,000,000  over  last  year; 
nnmber  of  acres  sown  to  wheat,  lit.S-iO;  oats, 
4,960;  barley,  24,950;  corn,  29,230;  hay,  8(),- 
370;  number  of  growing  frnit  trees,  940,800; 
number  of  acres  of  table  grapes.  1,100;  wine 
grapes,  22,845  acres;  raisin  grapes.  350  acres. 

Put  while  we  are  thus  careful  to  note  the 
growth  and  material  prosperity  of  Sonoma  Coun- 
ty, we  are  not  unmindful  of  her  educational  and 
moral  advancement.  This  has  kept  pace  with 
her  growth  and  development.  The  people  with 
no  niggard  hand  have  liberally  contributed  to- 
ward the  maintenance  of  all  institutions  that 
mai'ch  in  the  van  of  a  higher  civilization.  On 
every  hand  churches  and  scliool  houses  liave 
multiplied,  and  now  the  county  can  boast  of  an 
educational  system  and  organizations  promotive 
of  public  morals,  second  to  none  in  the  State. 

That  this  is  true  is  evidenced  by  tlie  follow- 
ing: 

We  are  indebted  to  Mrs.  F.  McG.  ilai'tin, 
County  Superintendent  of  Public  Scliools,  for 
the  following  information  on  matters  in  lier  de- 
partment.    'I'hcre  are  128  school  districts  and 


220 


nifiroUT    OF    SONOMA    COVNTY. 


tlie  last  census  sliowed  8,441  children  between 
five  and  seventeen  years  of  ajre.  The  value  of 
the  school  huildings  is  !5;22S,121,  exclusive  of 
the  ^18,000  building  going  up  in  Petaluma. 
The  number  of  children  enrolled  in  the  public 
schools  is  6,'J41t  and  the  average  attendance  4,- 
32t).  Of  high  schools  there  are  four,  of  gram- 
mar schools  there  are  fifty-six,  of  primary  120. 
There  are  thirty-one  male  teachers  and  149 
ladies,  making  a  total  of  180.  The  average 
monthly  salary  of  the  male  teachers  is  $74.19 
and  of  the  lady  teachers  is  $53.51;  119  districts 
maintain  schools  eight  months  and  over  in  the 
year.  The  county  school  tax  is  fourteen  cents 
on  the  $100  assessed  value,  which  yields  $42,- 
345.40.  The  State  apportionment  is  $54,000, 
which  makes  the  total  school  income  for  county 
purposes  $96,345.40. 

In  Santa  Ilosa  Court  House  District,  there 
are  1,400  children  between  five  and  seventeen 
and  4()9  under  five  years  of  age.  The  number 
of  enrolled  pupils  of  the  public  schools  is  1,014 
and  the  average  attendance  723.  The  number 
of  pupils  attending  private  schools  is  132  and 
the  number  attending  no  school  is  261. 

In  Petaluma  there  are  l,04t)  children  between 
five  anil  seventeen  years  and  under  five  284. 
The  number  of  scholars  enrolled  is  848,  and  the 
average  attendance  is  621.  The  number  of 
scholars  attending  private  schools  is  twenty-two. 
The  number  who  have  attended  no  school  dur- 
ing the  past  year  is  176. 

In  llealdsburg  there  are  485  children  between 
five  and  seventeen  years  and  189  under  five. 
The  number  between  five  and  seventeen,  who 
have  attended  school  within  the  year  is  400,  be- 
sides fifty-two  who  have  attended  private 
schools.  The  number  now  enrolled  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  is  319  with  an  average  attendance  ot 
301.  Ten  white  children  and  three  Indians  at- 
tended no  school. 

In  Cloverdale  there  are  3(')1  childron  between 
five  and  seventeen,  of  whom  273  are  enrolled 
scholars,  with  an  average  daily  attendance  of 
200  schola  s.  The  number  of  pupils  attend- 
ing   private  schools   is   twenty-five,    and   sixty- 


three  children  attending  no  school  during  the 
year. 

"  In  Sonoma  City  there  are  336  children  be- 
tween five  and  seventeen  and  under  five  years 
eighty-six.  Tlie  rolls  show  that  140  have  at- 
tended within  the  year  and  the  average  attend- 
ance has  l)een  118.  The  number  attending  pri- 
vate acliools  is  seventy-one  and  attending  none 
125." 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  school  dis- 
tricts of  Sonoma  County: 

Alder  Glen.  Alexander,  Alpine.  American 
Valley,  Austin  Creek,  Bay,  Bliss,  Bloomtield, 
Bodega,  Burns,  Burnside,  Canfield.  Cinnabar, 
Cloverdale.  Coleman  Valley,  Copeland,  Court 
House.  Creighton  Ridge.  Davis,  Dirigo,  Dry 
Creek,  Dunbar,  Dunham,  Eagle,  Enterprise,  Eu- 
reka, Fisk's  Mills,  Flowery,  Fort  lioss,  Franz. 
Freestone.  Fulton.  Creyser  Peak,  Geyserville. 
Goodman,  Grape,  Green  N'alley,  Gaulala,  Guil- 
ford, Hall,  Hamilton,  Harvey.  Healdsburg. 
Ilearn,  Hill,  lloricon,  Huichica,  Icarir,  Inde- 
pendence, Iowa,  Jonive,  Junction,  Knight's 
Valley,  La  Fayette,  Laguna,  Lake.  Lakeville. 
Laurel  Grove,  Lewis,  Liljerty,  Llano,  Lone  Ked- 
wood,  Madrona,  jSIanzanita,  Mark  West,  Marin, 
Mayacama,  JMeeker,  Mendocino,  Mill  Creek. 
Miriam,  Monroe.  Mountain,  Mountain  View, 
Mount  Jackson,  Mount  Vernon.  Muniz,  Oak 
Grove,  Occidental,  Ocean,  Ocean  A'iew,  Oriental. 
Payran,  Pena,  Petaluma.  Finer,  Pine  liidge. 
Pine  Mountain.  Pleasant  Hill,  Porter  Creek, 
Potter.  Iledwood,  Ilideidiour,  Rincon,  Rodgers, 
Rose  Hill,  Russian  River,  San  Antonio,  San 
Luis,  Santa  Rosa,  Scotta,  Sheridan,  Sonoma,  So- 
toyome,  Spring  Hill,  Star,  Steuben,  Stewart's 
Point,  Stony  Point,  Stra>vberry,  Summit,  Sum- 
mit Point,  Table  Mountain,  Tarwater,  Timber 
Cove,  Todd,  Two  Rock,  Vine  Hill,  Walker,  Wal- 
lace. Washington,  Watmaugh,  Watson,  Waugh, 
W^heeler,  Wilson,  Windsor,  Wright. 

There  are  sixty  churches  in  this  county,  rep- 
resenting the  following  religious  denominations, 
with  the  number  of  organizations  of  eacli: 
Methodist  Episcopal,  13;  Methodist  Episcopal 
South,  8;   German  Methodist,  2;    Presbyterian, 


BISTORT   OF   SONOMA    COUNTY. 


U,  with  one  mission;  Catliolif,  (i;  ('liristiuii,  7; 
CoiigregationaU  3;  Baptist,  8;  Episcopal,  8, 
witli  two  embryo;  miscellaneous,  fi;  total.  HO, 
with  three  einbrjo-missions. 

Tn  tlieso  chapters  we  have  endeavored  to 
t'aitiifiiii}'  delineate  the  progress  made  by  So- 
noma County  since  it  came  under  American 
occupancy.  AVe  found  it  a  comparative  wild, 
with  elk.  deer  and  antelo[ie  grazing  in  perfect 
security  on  the  shores  of  San  Pablo  Bay,  and 
we  leave  it  with  orchards  and  vineyards  sur- 
rounding Cloverdale,  a  thriving  incorporated 
town  on  her  northern  border.  While  we  may 
seem  to  have  been  boastful  of  the  progress  made 
in  less  than  four  decades,  yet  we  now  east  the 
horoscope  of  the  future  of  Sonoma  County,  and 
predict  that  the  historian  ot  her  next  four 
decades  will  have  the  pleasing  task  of  recording 
more  remarkal)le  strides  in  growth  and  material 
prosperity  than  it  has  been  our  privilege  to 
record  ;  for  then  thousands  upon  thousands  of 
acres  of  land  now  used  as  sheep-walks  and  cow- 
pastures  will  be  devoted  to  orchards  and  vines, 
and  a  happy,  thrifty  population  will  be  found 
where  now  large  land  holdings  present  a  bar  to 
progress  and  development.  The  present  large 
land-holdings  is  sim])ly  an  aftermath  of  Spanish 
granti*,  and  as  those  grants  like  the  Roman 
Empire,  fell  to  pieces  of  their  own  weight,  so 
too  will  these  accumulations  of  broad  acres  be  a 
thing  of  the  past  within  the  next  generation. 

There  is  no  extravagance  in  claiming  that 
Sonoma  County,  as  a  whole,  is  one  of  the  most 
favored  counties  in  the  State.  l*'or  diversity  of 
soul,  climate,  scenery  atul  productions,  she  can 
challenge  comparison  with  almost  any  territory 
of  like  scope  in  the  world.  This,  taken  in  con- 
nection with  her  geographical  position  and 
ready  facilities  for  rapid  and  cheap  communica- 
tions with  San  Francisco,  the  great  metropolis 
of  the  Pacific  Coast,  predestines  her  to  grand 
achievements  in  the  line  of  population  aiul 
wealth.  With  her  southern  extremity  washed 
by  San  Pablo  Bay  and  a  long  stretch  of  her 
western  border  laved  by  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and 
at   short    intervals   coves   iind   estuaries    artbrd- 


ing  safe  mooring  to  coasting  vessels,  it  gives  a 
facility  for  cheap  transportation  which  jtrecludcs 
the  possibility  of  her  ever  lieing  forced  to  pay 
tribute  to  exacting  freight  moiuipolies.  In  con- 
junction with  these  advantages  her  geographical 
position  places  her  in  a  most  favored  situation 
as  relates  to  rain  and  moisture.  The  unerring 
testimony  of  the  weather-guage  for  a  long  series 
of  years  is  that  Sonoma  ('Oiinty  represents  the 
etjuitable  mean  betwixt  the  excessive  humidity 
of  the  northern  tier  of  counties  and  the  tendency 
to  periodic  droughts  of  the  southern  portion  of 
the  State.  Here  there  is  no  scanning  of  the 
heavens  with  wistful  gazeand  the  watching  with 
solicitude  every  cloud  that  flecks  the  sky  wearied 
with  conjecture  as  to  whether  or  no  seed  time 
and  harvest  will  come.  AVitli  Sonoma  County 
there  never  has  lieen  and  never  can  be  any  fear 
of  failure  of  crops  on  account  of  drought.  There 
mijy  be  variableness  of  seasons  and  light  crops 
contradistinction  to  heavy  crops,  but  a  total  crop 
failure,  never.  Many  there  are  in  this  county 
who,  we  apprehend,  do  not  themselves  fullv 
appreciate  the  blessings  they  enjoy  in  this 
respect.  Such  have  become  so  accustomed  to 
gathering  where  they  have  not  strewn,  and  reap- 
ing where  they  have  not  tilled,  that  they  have 
come  to  accept  these  bounties  as  a  right  rather 
than  a  great  and  priceless  boon  to  be  thankful 
for.  As  yet  our  people  have  been  mainly  con- 
tent to  gather  the  fat  that  has  spontaneouslv 
exuded  from  an  over  generous  soil.  This  skim- 
ming process  has  had  its  day  and  a  new  condi- 
tion of  affairs  is  slowly  but  surely  obtaining, 
and  the  adaptability  of  our  soil  to  an  almost 
infinite  variety  of  products  of  farm,  orchard  and 
garden,  cannot  fail  to  invite  a  population  such 
as  will  take  a(l\antage  of  all  these  favorable 
conditions  and  woo  aiul  win  from  the  eartli  its 
yet  reserved  treasures.  Our  twenty-five  miles 
of  breadth  and  fifty  miles  of  length  of  county  is 
in  itself  a  principality  in  point  of  diversified  re- 
sources. While  our  field  for  husbandry  alone 
is  ample  to  insure,  in  time,  a  dense  population, 
yet  we  are  possessed  of  other  and  inexhaustible 
sources  ot'  industry   and  wealth.     Our  vast  red- 


232 


nrsTonr  op  sonoma  cotTNTY. 


wood  forests  arc  iniiies  ol'  untold  wealth,  wliicli 
for  ages  to  oome  will  jrive  employinciit  to  laljor 
and  capital.  The  (quicksilver  mines  in  our 
mountain  fastnesses  arc  deveio])ing  into  im- 
portance, and  their  jjroducts  are  goin<^  forth  to 
swell  the  commerce  of  tlic  world.  Lever  and 
last  have  unlocked  our  vast  quarries  and  tlie 
time  is  drawing  near  when  a  wliole  fleet  of 
small  vessels  will  be  requisite  to  supply  the 
demand  of  San  Francisco  for  our  indispensahle 
pavinir  blocks.  This  industry  is  in  its  infancy 
yet  ;  but  that  our  durable  sipiare  paving  mater- 
ial is  destined,  in  time,  to  wholly  supplant  the 
liitherto  rough  and  noise-producing  cobble  pave- 
ments of  San  Francisco  is  fust  as  certain  as  that 
the  steam  thresher  has  supplanted  the  tlail  on 
the  farm.  These  are  only  a  few  of  the  manj' 
growing  industries  adjunct  to  our  staple  pro- 
ducts of  farm  and  dairy.  And  in  conjunction 
with  all  this  where  in  the  wide  world  is  pre- 
sented in  the  same  scope  of  territory  so  varied 
and  diversitied  a  medley  of  climate  and  scenery  ? 
The   fnrnuT   embi-aces   every    deiJree   from    the 


ciiol  and  invigorating  hcasliore  climate  to  a 
degree  of  warmth  verging  upon  tropical  heat. 
The  latter  presents  a  pleasing  panorama,  enibrac- 
ing  every  shade  of  scenery  from  placid  valleys 
mellowed  by  the  golden  tints  of  ripeiungharvests 
to  mountain  gorges  and  beetling  cliffs  where  tlie 
murmering  of  evergreen  foi-ests  have  for  untold 
ages  been  the  harp-like  accompaniment  to  the 
music  of  rippling  streams  and  thunderincr  cata- 
racts. For  all  time  to  come  the  mountains  of 
Sonoma  (njunty  will  be  a  favorite  place  of  resort 
for  thdsc  ill  quest  of  health  and  ])leasu.-e.  In 
her  mountain  wilds  are  innumerable  mineral 
springs,  many  of  which  have  already  attained 
wide  celebrity  on  account  of  their  health-restor- 
ing properties.  Thus  in  a  very  brief  way  we 
have  made  mention  of  our  country's  resources 
and  her  possible  future.  "We  have  seen  her  first 
third  of  a  century's  progress,  and  feel  confident 
tliat  she  has  but  just  entered  upon  the  threshold 
of  a  brighter  future  yet  in  store  for  her.  We 
leave  her  resting  to  the  future,  for  ••  the  eternal 
years  of  (iod  are  hers." 


'^^-^^^^^ 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT F. 


^¥m^ 


3H  Jffi  i£^SZP-i?  FITPPlFSBfgHSIgESHgJ 


BANa"A  Rosa,  i 


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CllAlTEIl  XXYII. 


ToWNSHH-    HIsroKV — -(.KOWTH  OF    THE    CITY BUSINESS  INTEKEST^ — AI)DKK>S  uF    IIuN.   G.   A.     JnHj\>UN 

Cll  L'KCIIES SCHOOLS THE    PRESS. 


fANTA  liOSA  Towiislii])  has  a  wealtli  of 
soil  and  climate  that,  as  yet,  is  not  Cully 
appreciated,  and  the  "City  of  Roses"  has 
a  I'uture  of  greatness  and  prosperity  ahead  of  it 
which  this  generation  little  wots  of.  In  de- 
lineating the  history  of  this  township  and  city 
we  have,  by  permission,  drawn  largely  upon  the 
excellent  history  of  it  written  by  Hon.  II.  A. 
Thompson,  who  is  a  long  resident  of  that  place, 
and  as  County  Clerk,  was  in  a  position  to  speak 
with  great  accuracy  upon  all  subjects  upon 
which  he  used  his  facile  pen. 

■'Santa  Rosa  Township  is  in  the  heart  (if  the 
County  of  Sonoma.  It  extends  from  the  sum- 
mit of  the  high  range  separating  Napa  from 
Sonoma  County  across  the  great  Central  Valley 
of  Santa  Rosa  to  the  Laguna,  which  is  its 
western  boundary.  On  the  north  it  is  bounded 
by  Knight's  Valley  and  Russian  River  Town- 
ship, on  the  south  by  retahnna,  Vallejound  So- 
noma 'J'ownships. 

"  It  has  a  larger  proportion  of  level  than  of  hill 
land,  and  a  number  of  beautiful  subsidiary  val- 
leys tributary  to  the  main  valley,  all  of  which 
will  hereafter  be  fully  described. 

>' The  honor  of  giving  the  beautiful  name  of 
Santa  Rosa  to  this  section  is  due  t(j  I'athcr 
.Juan    .\nior<jso,  the  foumler   of  the   Mission   i)\' 


San  Rafael.  This  zealous  priest,  on  the  8()th 
day  of  August,  182U,  was  in  this  region  on  a 
proselyting  expedition,  in  company  with  one 
Jose  Cantua.  He  was  driven  otf  by  the  hos- 
tiles  while  in  the  act  of  conferring  upon  a  young 
Indian  woman  the  rite  ot  baptism.  The  priest 
and  his  companion  took  hurriedly  to  their 
horses,  and  Hod  with  all  possible  speed  down 
the  valley,  escaping  their  pursuers.  It  being 
the  day  on  which  the  church  celebrated  the 
feast  of  Santa  Rosa  de  Lima,  I-"atlier  Amoroso 
named  the  stream  from  that  circumstance.  The 
valley  then  came  to  be  called  after  the  stream 
--the  Valley  of  Santa  Rosa  -  fortunately  one  ot 
the  most  beautiful  names,  as  its  original  was 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  eharacters  in  the 
calendar  of  American  saints.  It  is  related  of 
Father  .\moroso,  who  must  have  had  some 
poetry  as  well  as  piety  in  his  nature,  that  he 
named  the  horse  which  bore  him  so  swiftly  over 
the  ])lain,  "Centella,"  meaning  lightning  in 
the  English  vernaculai'.  All  honor  to  the  gal- 
lant friar  and  his  companion  Jose,  to  whose 
courageous  spirit  we  owe  the  legacy  which  this 
expedition  left  us — the  name  of  Santa  Rosa. 

"  The  first  settlement  was  made,  and  the  first 
furrow  was  turmiil  in  Santa  itosa  Township  by 
a   plucky    young    Irishman,    whose    name    was 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


John  T.  Read.  He  was  born  in  Dublin  in  1805. 
He  had  an  uncle  wlio  was  a  sea-faring  man. 
Young  Read  left  Ireland  with  hini  at  the  age  of 
fifteen  years,  bound  upon  a  voyage  to  Mexico. 
He  sailed  from  Acapulco  for  California,  and 
reached  this  State  in  1820,  just  after  he  had  at- 
tained his  majoi-ity.  He  settled  in  Sancelito, 
and  applied  for  a  grant  there,  but  failed  to  get 
it  on  *^he  ground  that  the  land  was  wanted  for 
the  use  of  the  Government.  He  was  not  discour- 
aged, nor  was  he  timid.  He  came  into  what  is 
now  Sonoma  County,  and  made  the  first  settle- 
ment outside  the  mission  at  Sonoma.  Moreover, 
he  was  the  lirst  English-speaking  settler  in  the 
count}',  and  was  the  first  Irishman  who  settled 
anywhere  in  the  State.  He  made  application 
in  1827  for  a  grant  of  his  settlement,  which 
was  in  the  vicinity  of  the  residence  of  Robert 
Crane,  but  before  he  could  perfect  it  the  In- 
dians drove  him  off,  burning  his  crop  of  wheat 
and  all  of  his  improvements.  He  was  set  back, 
but  not  disheartened.  Soon  after  this  disaster 
he  engaged  with  Padre  Quivas  as  mayor-domo 
of  San  Rafael.  In  1832  he  went  to  reside  at 
Saucelito,  and  sailed  a  small  craft  iietween  the 
peninsula  and  San  Francisco — the  first  ferry  es- 
tablished on  the  bay  or  in  the  State  of  California. 

•'  Young  Read  made  a  second  effort  to  get 
a  grant  at  Saucelito,  and  failed.  He  then  uni- 
ted himself  in  marriage  with  one  of  the  hand- 
some hijasdel  2M>^i  and  soon  after  was  granted 
the  rancho  Cort  de  Madera  del  Presidio,  in 
Marin  County.  He  established  himself  on  his 
ranch,  but  in  1843,  seven  years  after  his  mar 
riage,  he  was  taken  with  a  fever,  and  dieil  at  the 
age  of  thirty -eight  years. 

''This  brief  notice  is  due  .^[r.  Read,  who  was 
the  very  first  settler  of  any  nationality  in  San- 
ta Rosa  Township.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that 
lie  did  not  live  to  enjoy  the  reward  of  his  per- 
severance, and  to  have  seen  the  future,  of  which 
he  must  sometimee  have  mused  and  dreamed  in 
his  lonely  settlement  under  the  shadow  of  Co- 
tatc  Peak. 

•'  The  next  settlement  in  Santa  Rosa  Town- 
ship was  in  the  Guillucos  Rancho;     The  next, 


and  first  permanent  settler  in  the  neighliorhood 
of  the  present  town  of  Santa  Rosa,  was  Senora 
Maria  Y'gnacia  Lopez  de  Carrillo. 

''This  lady  came  upon  the  invitation  of 
(jeneral  Vallejo,  as  a  colonist  from  San  Diego, 
al)ont  the  time  of  the  Hijar  colonization  scheme. 
She  reached  Sonoma  in  1837,  resided  there  onv 
year,  and  came  to  Santa  Rosa. 

"  Senora  Carrillo  was  a  woman  of  more  than 
average  courage  and  energy,  as  is  proven  be 
her  settlement  on  the  frontier,  in  the  midst  of 
hostile  Indians.  She  had  a  large  family — five 
boys  and  seven  girls — and  she  carved  for 
them  out  of  the  wilderness,  but  a  beautiful 
wilderness  it  was,  a  local  liabitation  and  a  home. 
That  she  had  good  taste  and  judgment,  as  well 
as  courage  and  industry,  is  evidenced  by  her 
choice  of  Santa  Rosa,  when  all  the  valleys  of 
this  county  were  open  to  occupation.  The  pio- 
neer mother  in  Santa  Rosa  died  in  iN^li,  ami 
her  estate  was  divided  among  her  children.  All 
of  the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Santa  Rosa 
was  included  in  the  boundaries  of  the  grant 
made  to  Senoi'a  Carrilhi. 

•'  It  is  said  that  at  the  time  of  the  occupation 
of  the  valley  by  Senora  Carrillo  there  were 
3,000  Indians  living  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
present  city.  The  principal  rancheria  was  on 
the  Smith  farm,  just  below  the  bridge,  at  the 
crossing  of  Santa  Rosa  Creek,  on  the  road  lead- 
ing to  Sebastopol.  Upon  this  site  a  mission 
was  commenced,  probably  by  Father  Amoroso, 
whose  zeal  in  the  cause  of  Christianity  kept 
him  always  on  the  debatable  line  between  the 
natives  and  •'  la  gente  de  razon,'"  as  the  Cali- 
fornians  were  called,  or  called  themselves. 

"  The  Indians  rose  up  and  destroyed  the  in- 
cipient mission  buildings  about  the  same  time 
that  the  mission  of  Sonoma  was  devastated. 
Tiiere  was  not  one  adobe  left  upon  another. 
Julio  Carrillo  says  that  when  he  came,  in  1838. 
the  uuirks  where  the  buildings  stood  were  plain- 
ly discernable. 

"  The  chief  of  the  Cainemeros  tribe,  when 
the  first  settlement  was  made  in  Santa  Rosa, 
was  called  Junipero — his  baptiamal  name^aft^ 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


er  tlie  founder  of  the  missions  of  Alta  Cali- 
fornlH.  His  tribe  was  munerous  and  powerful. 
Tliere  were  many  tliousands  Indians  in  the 
county  at  this  time,  but  they  were  doomed  to 
!-]ieedy  destruction,  and  even  tlien  were  under 
tlie  shadow  of  an  approaching  pestilence. 

"  In  the  year  1838  a  corporal  by  the  name  of 
Ygnacio  Miramontes  contracted  the  disease  of 
small-pox  at  Ross.  It  spread  to  the  Indians. 
They  fled  to  their  "  temescales  "  or  sweat-houses, 
and  from  thence  to  a  cold  bath.  Death  speedily 
came  to  the  relief  of  the  plague-stricken  native. 

''Tliey  burned  their  dead.  Julio  Carrillo 
says  he  has  often  seen  the  process.  They  would 
build  up  a  mausoleum  of  dry  wood  and  twigs, 
lay  the  body  upon  it,  and  cover  it  over  with 
other  inflammable  material.  They  would  then 
collect  around  the  burning  pyre,  lacerate  their 
flesh,  and  utter  dismal  moans  as  the  body  slow- 
ly consumed.  When  the  burning  was  over, 
which  took  but  a  short  time,  they  gathered  up 
the  ashes  of  the  dead  and  strewed  them  over  the 
ground,  and  thus  returned  to  the  dust,  from 
whence  it  sprung,  the  ashes  of  the  aborigines, 
who  came  into  possession  of  the  soil  with  the 
sequoias  which  shaded  the  rivei's  in  which  they 
trapped  the  iridescent  trout,  and  the  oaks  which 
furnished  the  acorns  upon  which  they  fed. 

"There  was  nothing  of  interest  connected 
with  this  section  from  1841  to  1840,  when,  on 
the  14th  day  of  June  of  that  year,  the  revolt  in 
Sonoma  began,  which  was  to  terminate  only 
with  the  transfer  of  the  sovereignty  of  the 
whole  of  Alta  California  to  the  United  States, 
which,  with  a  rapidity  unecjualed  in  the  history 
of  the  world,  had  extended  her  frontier,  in  flfty 
years,  from  the  Alleghany  Mountains  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean." 

Among  the  earliest  farmers  in  Santa  liosa 
Township  may  be  enumerated  S.  T.  Coulter, 
"William,  David  and  Martin  Hudson,  James 
Xeal,  James  and  Charles  Hudspeth,  John 
Adams,  Itobert  Smith,  John  Ingrew,  J.  N.  Ben- 
nett, the  Elliotts,  Ben  Dewell,  Achilles  and  Joe 
Richardson,  Wesley  Matthews  and  Peterson 
Urothersi 


Santa  Rosa  Township  is  thus  accurately  de- 
scribed by  li.  A.  Thompson  in  his  "Township 
History: "' 

"  Santa  Rosa  Township  contains  an  ai-ea 
equal  to  fifteen  miles  square,  about  13().()00 
acres  of  land,  one-half  of  which  is  rich  alluvial 
soil,  occnpying  the  center  of  the  groat  central 
valley  of  Sunonia  (bounty..  The  l)ottoin  lands 
are  of  unsurpassed'  fertility,  suited  to  the  growth 
of  wheat,  corn,  oats,  rye,  barley,  hops,  and 
especially  for  stone  and  seed  fruit  culture.  The 
remaining  lands  in  the  township  may  be  classed 
as  hill,  foothill  and  tributary  valley  land — the 
latter  meaning  a  number  of  valleys,  of  greater 
or  less  extent,  tributary  t(j  the  central  valley. 
In  each  of  the  smaller  valleys  there  is  alluvial 
soil  along  tlie  water  courses  and  volcanic  soil  in 
the  foothills.  They  are  largely  devoted  to  grape 
culture.  In  these  valleys,  and  upon  the  sur- 
rounding hill  lands,  the  best  of  the  celebrated 
vineyards  of  Sonoma  County  are  located.  .\o- 
where  is  the  planting  of  the  vine  so  rapidly  in- 
creasing as  in  this  class  of  lands. 

"The  climate  is  better  than  in  the  main  \ al- 
ley, which,  being  lower,  catches  more  frost  in 
winter,  and  is  more  exposed  to  the  fog  and  sea 
breeze  of  summer.  For  staple  crops  and  hardy 
fruit-,  prunes,  plums,  pears,  apples  and  berries, 
the  rich  alluvial  of  the  bottom  is  especially 
adapted.  To  ubtaiii  the  delicate  flavor  of  the 
grape,  upon  which  the  wine  depends,  the  vol- 
canic soil  and  more  genial  climate  of  the  up- 
lands is  essential.  The  two  locations  combine 
conditions  rarely  met  in  the  same  locality, 
covering  a  wide  range  of  agricultural  pro<luots, 
from  the  gross  feeding  hardy  staples  tu  the 
most  <lelicate  of  the  fruit  and  nut  trees,  includ- 
ing the  almond,  apricot  and   the  olive.  ^ 

'•  The  valleys  tributary  to  Santa  Rosa  are  the 
Guilioos,  liennett,  Pleasant,  or  Chaiiate,  Rincoii 
and  Elliott. 

"The  first  of  these,  the  (iuilicos,  is  on  the 
southeasterly  fork  of  Santa  Rosa  Creek.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  locations  in  the  State. 
Hood  Mountain  overlooks  it.  At  the  base  of 
this  peak   is   the   celebrated  Guilicus  vineyard, 


220 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    GOUNTT. 


now  tlie  property  of  Mrs.  William  Iloud.  It 
includes  350  acres,  and  lias  long  been  culcbrated 
for  the  superiority  of  its  wine  and  brandy.  The 
soil  is  red  in  color>  and  very  productive.  In 
this  section  there  are  a  number  of  vinegrovver.-;, 
Samuel  Hutchinson,  Henry  Bolle,  James  I^. 
Clark,  AV.  15.  Atterbury  and  others.  The  area 
in  grapes  is  rapidly  extending. 

"The  stream  fiowing  from  the  Guilicos 
northward,  unites  with  the  Alamos  branch, 
coming  into  the  valley  from  about  due  east. 
The  united  w.iters  take  the  name  of  Santa  Rosa 
Creek,  and,  soon  after,  this  stream  debouches 
on  the  Santa  Rosa  plain,  across  wliich  it  flows 
in  a  westerly  direction  to  the  Laguna.  Before 
reaching  the  plain,  however,  Santa  Rosa  Creek 
cuts  across  the  face  of  two  other  valleys  of 
considerable  e.xtent  and  importance,  the  Rincou 
and  r>enuett  valleys. 

"The  'Alamos'  branch  of  Santa  Rosa  Creek 
rises  in  the  high  hills  separating  Napa  from 
Sonoma  County.  Mark  West  Creek,  which 
biiunds  Santa  Rosa  Townshij)  on  the  north, 
I'ises  in  the  same  crest,  flows  north  and  then 
turns  across  the  plain,  uniting  with  the  Laguna, 
antl  ultimately  fimling  its  outlet,  through  Rus- 
sian River,  to  the  sea.  Sonoma  Creek,  which 
partly  bounds  Santa  Rosa  Township  on  the 
south,  rises  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  same 
hills.  It  flows  southwesterly,  then  almost  due 
^iiuth,  through  Sonoma  Valley  into  the  Ray  of 
San  Francisco.  In  all  these  streams  trout  are 
caught,  affording  good  sport  to  lovers  of  the 
rod   and    reel. 

"  Rincon,  in  the  Spanish  language,  means  a 
corner,  and  Rincou  Valley  is  literally  a  corner 
in  the  hills.  It  is  a  rich  corner,  a  jiockct,  out 
of  which  a  considerable  sum  of  coin  is  taken 
year  after  yeai',  in  agricultural  jiroducts. 

"The  Rincon  lies  north  of  Santa  Rosa  Creek, 
and  is  about  two  miles  in  width  and  three  and 
a  half  or  four  miles  in  length.  Tlie  climate  is 
mild  and  the  soil  is  well  adapted  to  gra|>(^  and 
fruit  culture. 

"  It  is  becoming  quite  a  favorite  location  for 
fruit  and    vine  culture.     The  celebrated   Wells 


vineyards  are  in  the  hills,  at  the  head  of  the 
Rincon,  one  of  the  very  best  grape  plantations 
in  Sonoma  County.  This  vine3'ard  was  recently 
purchased  by  Charles  Duntz,  and  contains,  old 
and  new  vines,  145  acres.  The  total  acreage  of 
old  and  new  vines  in  the  valley  is  527  acres. 

"  The  Rincon  is  separated  from  Santa  Rosa 
Valley  by  a  ridge  known  as  Rincon  Heights, 
which  forms  the  background  of  the  city  of 
Santa  Rosa.  Guy  E.  (-Jrosse,  Esq.,  the  owner  of 
the  land,  built  a  grade  road  over  the  heights  at 
his  own  private  cost.  This  drive  is  a  great  ad- 
dition to  the  suburban  attractions  of  the  city. 
From  the  summit  of  the  heights,  about  two 
miles  from  the  city,  the  view  is  one  of  e.xti-aor- 
dinary  beauty.  The  roofs  of  the  taller  houses, 
church  and  college  steeples,  show  up  through 
the  trees  in  which  the  city  is  embosomed.  The 
great  plain  of  Santa  Rosa  extends  north  and 
south  of  the  city  for  a  distance  of  twenty-five 
.miles.  Scattered  groves  of  oak  grow  over  the 
plain,  giving  an  artistic  finish  to  the  landscape. 
On  the  west  the  view  is  arrested  by  the  Coast 
Range,  at  whose  notched  and  rock-pinnacled  base 
the  restless  sea  leaps  and  falls  back  with  un- 
ceasing moan. 

"  Turning  eastward,  Bennett,  (Tuilicosand  liin- 
con  valleys,  interlaced  amid  mountains,  meet 
the  view.  The  Yulupa,  or  Bennett  Beak,  Hood 
ilountain  and  its  twin  volcanic  sister,  on  the 
south  side  of  Sonoma  Creek,  stand  up  in  l>old 
relief,  and  challenge  admiration.  If  there  is 
anything  finer  than  tlie  west  view  from  Rincon 
Heights  it  is  the  grouping  of  valley  and  mount- 
ain, which  makes  up  the  landscape  on  its 
southeasterly  side. 

"  Bennett  Valley  is  -the  largest  of  the  valleys 
tributary  to  Santa  luisa.  It  has  an  average 
length  of  seven  miles  and  is  from  two  and  a 
half  to  three  miles  in  width.  It  opens  out  a 
wide  frontage  on  Santa  Rosa  Creek,  the  stream 
which  flows  through  the  valley,  emptying  into 
Santa  Rosa  Creek  within  the  corporate  limits  of 
the  city.  This  stream  is  called  Matanzas  Creek_ 
South  of  the  town,  the  range  which  separates 
Bennett  from  Santa  Rosa  Valley  appears.     It  is 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


a  spur  of  the  main  Sonoma  Range.  Tliis  ridge 
is  of  open  land  of  considerable  value;  first,  be- 
cause tlie  soil  is  good,  and  next,  because  it  lies 
just  within  the  warm  belt  and  is  exempt  from 
frost. 

"  I'ennett  Valley  is  largely  devoted  to  grape 
culture.  In  the  center  of  the  valley  is  the  vine- 
yard of  Mr.  De  Turk,  one  of  the  State  Viticult- 
ural  Commissioners,  and  the  owner  of  the 
superbly  equipped  wine  cellar  in  Santa  liosa, 
whicii  lias  a  capacity  for  the  manufacture  of 
300,000  gallons  of  wine. 

"  Bennett  Valley  has  about  15,000  acres  of 
land,  and  has  a  population  of  300;  there  is  an- 
nually produced  500  tons  of  grapes,  5,000 
boxes  of  apples,  4,000  boxes  of  other  fruit, 
1,450  tons  of  hay,  25,000  bushels  of  wheat,  600 
bushels  of  oats,  15,000  bushels  of  barley,  400 
horses,  1,000  head  of  cattle,  4,000  sheep,  2,000 
hogs. 

"  Bennett  Valley  can  justly  claim  the  honor 
of  having  a  school  and  a  school-house  among 
the  first,  if  not  the  very  first,  in  the  township. 
It  was  called  Santa  Rosa  District,  took  prece- 
dence in  the  name,  and  forced  the  district  in 
Santa  Rosa,  which  was  organized  afterward,  to 
adopt  the  not  very  happy  name  of  court-house 
district.  This  school  was  first  taught  in  an  old 
building  on  the  Glen  Cook  place.  David  Ogan 
was  the  teacher,  and  received  a  salary  of  .^100 
a  month.  In  the  fall  of  1853  a  good  building 
was  put  up  near  the  bridge.  When  it  was  built 
there  were  just  thirteen  contributoi's  to  it 
there  was  no  school  fund  out  of  which  to  Iniild 
school-houses  in  those  days.  Thirty  children 
attended  the  school. 

"  Alpine  Valley  is  distant  aliout  six  miles 
from  Santa  Rosa.  It  is  reached  by  a  road  from 
the  Rincon,  over  a  low  divide,  wliich  separates 
the  two  valleys.  It  is  not  large,  Init  has  a  con- 
siderable stock  interest,  and  some  vineyards. 

"  Elliott  Valley,  on  Porter  (^reek,  a  branch  of 
Mark  West,  lies  east  of  the  Mark  West  Springs, 
and  about  nine  miles  from  Santa  Rosa.  This  is 
a  small  but  fertile  valley,  inliabited  by  a  number 
of  eiiterprising  farmers,  among   whom  may  be 


mentioned  M.  W.  Tarwater  and  W.  J.  Arnold 
This  valley  has  no  especial  name,  and  might 
most  appropriately  be  called  Elliott  Valley. 

•'  W.  I>.  Elliott,  the  discoverer  of  Geyser 
Springs,  and  a  daring  hunter  and  pioneer,  re- 
sided at  this  place  in  1846,  when  the  bear  fiag 
war  began.  He  related  to  me,  just  prior  to  his 
death,  the  particulars  of  his  residence  there  and 
his  discovery  of  the  Geyser  Springs. 

"Considerable  farming  is  done  in  this  valley, 
and  there  is  an  increasing  fruit  and  grape  inter- 
est. The  hills  surrounding  Elliott  Valley  are 
covered  with  a  soil  having  very  marked  charac- 
teristics, and  it  would  not  be  surprising  if  the 
grapes  from  this  section  should  produce  a  wine 
of  great  excellence.  Not  far  from  here,  n])on 
like  soil,  the  Schramm  vineyard,  which  pro- 
duces the  celebrated  Schramm berger  wine,  is 
situated.  It  is  possible  that  the  Elliott  Valley 
wine  may  prove  of  equal  value. 

"There  is  a  small  valley  near  Santa  Rosa  in 
which  the  County  Farm  is  located,  known  as 
Pleasant  Valley.  It  is  largely  devoted  to  grape 
culture.  This  valley  is  principally  noted  for 
being  the  scene  of  the  assassination  of  the  Bear 
Flag  party  by  the  Californians.  There  is  a  large 
grape  interest  just  north  of  Santa  Rosa,  in  the 
foothills,  bordering  the  Santa  Rosa  plain  on  the 
east,  extending  to  Mark  West  Creek.  Follow- 
ing are  the  principal  grape-growers  and  the 
number  of  acres  set  out:  T.  L.  Harris,  Fount- 
aingrove  farm,  380  acres,  one  of  the  largest 
vineyards  in  the  county;  II.  P.  Holmes,  ninety 
acres;  H.  II.  Harris,  thirty;  J.  Stewart,  fifty; 
R.  Forsythe,  twenty-five;  W.  J.  Breitlauch. 
twenty-five;  M.  Maillard,  forty.  Total  acreage 
in  that  district,  640  acres. 

"The  country  we  have  described  is  the  back- 
ground of  Santa  Rosa.  The  principal  agricult- 
ural wealth  of  the  township  is  in  the  level 
plain  extending  west  of  the  town  to  Sebastopol, 
for  about  eight  miles,  and  north  and  south  foi' 
a  greater  distance.  This  laud  is  principally 
deep  alluvial  soil,  which  in  the  season  of  1882 
produced  in  the  main  fifty  bushels  of  wheat  to 
the  acre.     That  was  an  extra  good  wheat  year; 


338 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


but  it  will  average  thirty  bushels  one  season 
with  another.  This  land,  which  has  heretofore 
been  largely  devoted  to  the  growth  of  wiieat  and 
otiier  staple  crops,  is  now  being  snl>divide<l  into 
small  tracts,  and  is  now,  or  will  be,  set  to  fruit, 
to  the  growth  of  which  it  seems  to  be  especially 
adapted.  It  will  produce  any  crop  reijuiring  a 
strong  soil.  Grapes  and  some  fruits  make  too 
much  wood,  but  for  pears,  prunes,  and  other 
fruits,  it  cannot  be  surpassed." 

Santa  Rosa,  designated  as  the  "  City  of 
Roses,"'  is  well  entitled  to  the  appellation,  for 
it  certainly  ranks  next  to  San  Jose  and  Santa 
(^lara  as  a  Sylvan  retreat.  It  has  an  energetic, 
wide-awake  population  wlio  know  that  their 
lives  have  been  cast  in  a  pleasant  place,  and 
they  are  willing  to  have  others  come  and  enfoy 
it  with  them. 

It  was  founded  in  iSoS  and  became  the 
county-seat  of  Sonoma  County  in  1854:.  The 
first  house  built  in  the  town  of  Santa  Rosa  was 
built  by  John  Bailiff  for  Julio  Carrillo.  A 
town  had  already  been  started  at  wliat  is  now 
the  junction  of  the  Sonoma,  Bodegar  &  Russian 
River  roads,  called  Franklin  Town,  and  some 
business  houses  started  there;  but  this  town  was 
drawn  into  the  vorte.\  of  Santa  Rosa,  and  its 
projectors  Ijecame  active  participants  in  found- 
ing a  fcity  that  has  made  marvelous  progress 
According  to  R.  A.  Thompson's  Township  Ills-' 
tory  among  the  very  tirst  residents  of  Santa 
Rosa  were  Obe  Rippeto,  Jim  Williamson,  J.  M. 
Case,  John  Ingram,  Dr.  Boyce,  the  late  William 
Ross,  Judge  Temple,  W.  B.  Atterbur}',  S.  G. 
and  J.  P.  Clark,  and  Charles  W.  Wliite. 

ilr.  Ilahman  sold  out  his  business  to  B. 
Goldfish.  He  was  joined  by  Morris  and  Henry 
A¥ise,  under  the  firm  name  of  Wise  &  Goldfish. 
Mr.  William  Wilson  bought  into  tiie  firm  witliin 
the  past  few  years,  and  it  is  now  Goldfish,  Wil- 
son &  Co.,  the  oldest  established  business  in 
Santa  Rosa. 

Judge  Jackson  Temple  and  the  late  Colonel 
William  Ross  came  to  Santa  Rosa  with  the 
county  seat.  The  late  William  Williamson,  of 
the  Samoan  Islands,  tauglit  the   first  school  in 


the  old  Masonic  Hall.     Donald  McDonald  was 

postmaster  at  the  "  Old  Adobe."  He  Was  suc- 
ceeded l)y  F.  G.  Ilahman,  who  first  servc^d  as  Post- 
master in  tlic  city  of  Santa  Rosa.  Barney  Iloen 
was  the  agent  of  Adams  iV  Co.'s  Express;  J. 
W.  Ball  built  a  small  house,  II.  Beaver,  a  black- 
smith shop,  C.  C.  More,  a  house  and  wagon 
shop,  W.  S.  Burch,  a  saddle-tree  factory.  The 
old  Masonic  Lodge  Hall  was  the  first  public 
building  in  the  town. 

Among  the  very  first  merchants  in  Santa 
Rosa  were  B.  Marks,  now  of  Ukiah,  and  his  part- 
ner, M.  Rosenberg,  still  residing  here. 

Mr.  Iloen  sold  out  his  business  to  G.  ^'. 
Miller,  who  was  an  original  character,  but  very 
popular.  He  was  succeeded  in  business  by  the 
late  Dr.  John  Henley. 

The  growth  of  Santa  Rosa  was  slow  but 
steady  for  about  fifteen  years,  when  it  suddenly 
went  forward  with  amazing  rapidity — doubling 
its  population  in  the  decade  between  1860  and 
1870;  and  from  that  time  onward  its  progress 
has  been  steady  and  substantial.  In  1867  Santa 
Rosa  was  incorporated  as  a  city  with  the  follow- 
ing officers:  C.  W.  Langdon,  J.  F.  Boyce,  T.  B. 
Hood,  B.  Marks,  A.  P.  Petit,  Trustees;  E.  T. 
Turner,  Treasurer;  H.  E.  Parks,  Marshal;  J. 
H.  Richardson,  Assessor. 

In  1869  Santa  Rosa  secured  the  location  there 
of  the  Pacific  Methodist  College  that  had  lon^ 
been  conducted  at  Yacaville,  Solano  County. 
This  naturally  attracted  to  the  place  many  fami- 
lies on  account  of  the  educational  advantages 
offered. 

In  1870  the  o^s^orthern  Pacific  Railroad  was 
completed  to  Santa  Rosa  and  it  seemed  to  give 
to  it  an  impetus  that  lasted  for  years,  and  what 
had  been  a  modest  village  of  the  plains  l)egan  to 
take  on  the  form  of  a  wide-awake  bustling  city. 

The  completion  of  the  Santa  Rosa  »fc  Carqui- 
nez  Railroad  to  that  place  in  1887  has  made  it 
a  fixed  finality  that  Santa  Rosa  is  to  grow  into 
the  magnitude  of  one  of  the  most  populous  in- 
land cities  in  the  State.  It  has  made  marvelous 
strides  in  the  last  decade,  aiul  will  round  u{) 
the  century  with  a  showing  of  progress  such  as 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


is  seldom  seen  exliibitcd  by  a  city  of  its  age. 
Alrea<ly  it  presents  a  sliowinji  of  iron  front 
Imildings,  paved  streets  and  patent  stone  side- 
walks tliat  gives  to  it  quite  a  metropolitan 
appearance.  Its  street  railroads  are  great  con- 
veniences, and  are  great  aids  in  attracting  a  de- 
sirable class  of  residents  to  the  place.  It  is  a 
veritable  "  City  of  Roses,"  an<l  to  its  enterpris- 
ing people  are  to  be  congratulated,  for  most 
assuredly  "  their  lives  have  fallen  in  pleasant 
places." 

Santa  llosa  has  fostered  and  built  up  a  large 
number  of  manufacturing  industries.  Every 
line  of  mechanical'  art  is  well  represented.  These 
industries  are  so  varied  and  numerous  as  to  pre- 
clude description  and  speciticatiou  of  each.  So, 
too, every  line  of  general  business  is  fully  repre- 
sented, and  conducted  on  a  scale  worthy  of  that 
prosperous  and  growing  city. 

We  note  a  few  of  the  most  important  institu- 
tions of  that  city: 

Santa  Rosa  Bank.- -The.  oldest  bankinghouse 
in  the  city  of  Santa  Rosa  was  incorporated 
August  20,  1870,  and  opened  its  doors  for  busi- 
ness November  21st  of  that  year  with  a  capital 
stock  of  $100,000.  Owing  to  the  rapid  develop- 
ment of  tlie  country  and  the  consequent  growth 
of  business,  it  was  found  necessary  to  increase 
the  capital  stock  in  1873  to  s300,000,  its  present 
volume.  The  iirst  board  of  directors  was  com- 
posed of  E.  T.  Farmer,  A.  Thomas, T.N.  Willis, 
David  Hnnis  and  C".  G.  .\mes.  E.  T.  Farmer 
was  president  of  the  bank  from  its  organization 
till  his  death,  in  October,  1885.  AVilliam  E. 
McConnell  was  then  elected  president  and  has 
filled  the  otKce  up  to  the  present  time.  C.  G. 
Ames  was  the  iirst  cashier,  and  was  succeeded 
in  December,  1878,  by  W.  B.  Atterberry,  who 
served  in  that  capacity  until  Sejttcmber  1882, 
when  bo  resigned  and  Mi-.  L.  \V.  liunis,  the 
present  cashier,  was  elected.  •  In  1878  thenum- 
berof  directors  was  increased  from  five  to  seven; 
the  board  is  now  coMij)osed  of  AVilliam  \\.  Mc- 
Connell, Thomas  Hopper,  James  II.  Laughlin, 
John  S.  Taylor,  David  iJunis,  J.  C.  Maddox  and 
Allen  A.  Curtis.     In  addition  to  the  gentlemen 


above  named  E.  II.  Barns,  David  Clark,  John 
A.  Paxton,  J.  Temple,  W.  E.  Cooke  and 
Richard  Fulkerson  have  been  members  of  the 
board  of  directors  since  the  bank  was  opened. 
From  its  inception  Santa  Rosa  Bank  has  always 
been  under  the  control  of  some  of  the  oldest 
and  most  judicious  business  men  of  Sonoma 
County,  and  the  policy  of  the  management  has 
ever  been  conservative  and  safe.  Hence  it  has 
done  a  large  business  and  its  career  has  been  one 
of  uninterrupted  prosperity.  The  stock,  on 
which  the  bank  has  been  and  is  now  paying 
eight  per  cent,  dividends,  is  nearly  all  owned  by 
citizens  of  this  county.  The  bank  has  an 
accumulated  reserve  of  §85,000  and  a  surplus 
of  over  $20,000.  Having  been  the  first  bank 
organized,  and  for  a  number  of  years  the  only 
one  in  Santa  Rosa,  it  lias  had  much  to  do  with 
the  important  public  enterprises  connected  with 
-  the  city.  The  bank  is  situated  on  Exchant^e 
Avenue,  opposite  the  court-house.  The  first 
bank  building  was  erected  in  1872,  and  occupied 
by  the  bank  until  September,  1888,  when  it  was 
moved  into  the  more  commodious  new  building 
then  completed  for  the  purpose,  one  door  north 
of  the  old  one.  The  new  twostory  building  is 
beautifully  and  tastefully  finished  and  furnished, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  elegant  banking  houses 
in  the  State.  It  is  furnishetl  with  a  large  safe 
deposit  vault,  10x20  feet  in  size  inside  and  two 
stories  in  height.  It  is  fitted  up  with  nearly 
400  private  safe  deposit  boxes  of  the  most  aj)- 
proved  patterns  and  convenient  in  arrangement 
for  the  accommodation  of  patrons,  the  whole 
being  both  fire  and  burglar  proof. 

Santa  Rosa  Savings  Bank. — The  Santa  Rosa 
Savings  Bank  was  organized  in  1873,  with  a 
cajjital  stock  of  $100,000.  A.  F^.  Overton  was 
elected  first  president  of  the  bank,  and  has  held 
that  position  down  to  the  present  day.  The  late  F. 
(4.  Ilahman  was  the  first  cashier.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  ])reseut  cashier,  Mr.  G.  I'.  Noo- 
nan,  a  gentleman  of  high  st;uiding  and  thorough 
business  capacity.  The  assistant  cashier  is 
Mr.  John  P.  Overton.  Since  its  organization 
the  bank  has  increased  its  capital  stock  to  $150,- 


230 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


000.  The  bank  was  a  success  from  its  start, 
under  the  intelligent  tinancial  management  of 
Mr.  Overton. 

Sonoma  Voiinti/  A<jricultiiral  Park. — In  tlie 
latter  part  of  1878  a  number  of  prominent 
citizens  determined  to  organize  an  association 
uiidei-  the  corporate  name  of  "Tlie  Sonoma 
County  Agricultural  Park  Association."  On 
the  3()th  day  of  December,  1878,  the  following 
persons  signed  the  articles  of  incorporation: 
Dr.  W.  Finlaw,  J.  P.  Clark,  James  Adams,  II. 
AV.  Byington,  Baker  &  Ross,  Jos.  Wright,  W. 
(i.  Atkins,  Murphy  Bros.,  E.  Latapie,  U.  P. 
Quackenbusli,  G.  W.  Savage,  J.S.Taylor,  Rags- 
dale  Bros.,  E.  T.  Mills.  '  The  articles  of  incor- 
poration were  filed  in  the  office  of  the  county 
clerk  on  the  9th  day  of  January,  187i).  Follow- 
ing were  the  first  directors  of  the  association: 
Jos.  Wright,  James  P.  Clark,  James  Adams, 
Wm.  Finlaw,  H.  AV.  Byington,  E.  Latapie, 
Wymau  Murphy.  The  capital  stock  of  the 
corporation  was  fi.xed  at  $25,000.  Tiie  sum  paid 
in  amounted  to  $7,000 — about  $500  apiece  for 
each  of  the  original  promoters.  A  tract  of 
eighty  acres  of  land,  adioining  and  partly  in 
tlie  city  limits,  was  purchased  of  the  estate  of 
Dr.  John  Hendley  for  the  sum  of  $5,000.  For 
tiie  purpose  of  constructing  a  mile  track,  erect- 
ing fences,  stalls,  grand  stand,  etc.,  a  further 
assessment  was  levied  and  collected,  aggregating 
tlie  sum  of  $5,000.  During  the  following  year 
the  track  and  necessary  buildings  were  com- 
pleted. 

The  fair  of  1888  was  largely  attended  and 
was  a  decided  success.  Hon.  George  A.  John- 
son, State  Attorney-General,  delivered  the  fol- 
lowing able  address: 

Mr.  President,  Ladiks  and  (ii:NTi.i:MEN: — It 
is  pleasant  to  meet  together  again  on  this  an- 
nual occasion,  to  witness  the  exhibit  of  the 
growing  industries  of  Sonoma  County,  and  talk 
over  its  retrospect  and  its  prospects.    . 

Some  of  yon  when  you  first  came  hither  were 
young  men  flushed  with  excitement  and  hope 
amid  your  new  surroundings,  but  however  rose- 
colored  were  your  dreams  as  to   the  future  of 


this  county,  tiiey  have  been  more  than  realized, 
thus  proving  that  at  times  truth  is  stranger 
than  fiction.  Time  and  again  you  have  liad  to 
take  back  your  dogmatic  assertions  as  to  Cali- 
fornia's possibilities  and  impossibilities,  in  the 
face  of  the  all-convincing  facts.  In  honor  of 
you,'  the  early  projectors  of  our  present  pros- 
perity, I  will  have  sometliing  to  say  in  regard 
to  Sonoma's  ^last,  and  then  in  honor  of  you  all, 
including  this  greater  grouping  of  young  men 
and  women  of  native  sons  and  daughters,  I  will 
have  something  to  sa}'  in  regard  to  Sonoma's 
present  and  future. 

AVc  refer  with  conimendalile  pride  to  the 
fact  tliat  here  in  this  county  the  first  steps  were 
taken  to  found  a  Republic  in  California.  Here, 
first  of  all,  Americans  severed  their  relations 
with  their  sister  country  Mexico,  and  deter- 
mined to  set  up  for  themselves.  And  they  had 
no  sooner  so  determined  than  with  characteristic 
energy  they  made  a  successful  assault,  took 
prisoners,  and  raised  a  flag.  The  bear  flag 
meant  that  they  were  in  earnest;  it  typified  per- 
sistence and  down-right  stubbornness.  It  was 
no  gala-day  flag,  or  flag  appealing  to  esthetic 
principles  or  wants.  It  \vas  uncouth  in  its  de- 
sign and  texture,  but  there  was  something  about 
it  that  rallied  together  a  few  hardy  men  to  strike 
for  liberty  and  self-government.  Sloat  in  Mon- 
terey Bay  soon  hoisted  another  flag,  the  flag  of 
our  common  country,  the  bear  flag  w-as  at  once 
taken  down,  and  in  its  place  the  star  spangled 
banner  run  up.  Then  came  others  to  Sonoma, 
whose  names  have  since  become  national — Per- 
sifer  F.  Smith,  Philip  Kearney,  George  Stone- 
man,  Tecumseh  Sherman,  Old  Joe  Hooker, 
Halleck,  Fremont  and  Stone.  Hooker  was 
elected  road  overseer,  but  got  defeated  when  his 
ambition  led  him  to  aspire  as  high  as  a  seat  in 
the  Legislature  of  California.  Sherman  capt- 
ured a  justice  of  the  peace  by  the  name  of 
Nash,  because  he  was  so  pretentious  as  to  claim 
to  be  chief  justice  of  the  country,  and  took  him 
before  Governor  Mason,  who  proceeded  to  repri- 
mand severely  the  chief  justice,  and  then  re- 
leased him.     Besides  these  leaders  and  generals 


niSTOBT    OF    SONOMA    COUNT T. 


there  were  others  who,  though  not  written  up 
in  history,  were  equally  heroic.  I  mean  the 
privates  in  the  ranks,  many  of  whom  have  be- 
come a  part  of  the  hone  and  sinew  of  Sonoma's 
strength,  and  some  of  whom  I  see  before  me 
to-day.  Afterward  others  came  to  add  laurels 
to  her  civic  wreatli.  A  young  man  all  the  way 
from  Massachusetts  settled  at  Petaluma,  having 
lirst  taken  the  precaution  to  appear  in  high-top 
boots  in  honor  of  her  tiien  muddy  streets,  which 
liave  been  since  converted  into  the  best  of 
tliorough fares,  nailed  np  his  law  sign  and  began 
to  look  about  for  business.  He  has  since  be- 
come a  distinguished  jurist,  of  whom  Sonoma  is 
justly  proud.  Among  her  lawyers,  by  common 
consent,  Wilkins  was  brilliant  and  Thomas  pro- 
found. 

But  it  is  not  so  much  of  the  men  of  Sonoma 
of  whom  I  am  to-day  to  speak  as  of  her  general 
industrial  development,  the  improvement  of  her 
general  well  being;  it  is  of  her  rise  from  a 
wilderness,  from  her  primitive  adobe  buildings, 
lier  mustang  horses,  her  long-horned  Spanish 
cattle,  to  the  Sonoma  of  today,  with  the  prize 
given  her  at  the  last  Mechanics'  Kair  for  the 
best  display  of  citrus  fruits,  with  her  vine- 
covered  hills  and  valleys,  with  her  palatial  resi- 
dences, the  homes  of  thrifty  culture,  with  her 
blooded  stock,  with  her  communication  by  rail 
with  the  North  and  South,  and  lastly  with  the 
East,  and  with  the  symmetrical  development 
under  the  best  of  climatic  influences  of  a  vigor- 
ous manhood  and  lovely  womanhood.  Thus  we 
have  fully  realized  the  prophesy  of  Bayard  Tay- 
lor in  respect  to  Sonoma,  e.xpressed  in  those 
matchless  words: 

"The  wild,  barbaric  beauty  of  llij'  face 
Shall  round  to  classic  lines." 

The  little  town  of  Sonoma  was  at  one  time 

the   most  prosperous  city  north  of  the  Bay  of 

San  Francisco.     Here,  in  this  county,  was  first 

erected  a  church  north  of  the  ])ay,  the  (Ireek 

Church  at  Fort  Ross,  and  here  north  of  the  bay 

were  first  grown   fruits  and  grain,  planted  or 

sown  by  the  Russians  from  Sitka.      Now,  how 

changed  is  the  landscape.     Over  the  great  cen- 


tral valley,  embracing  the  Petaluma,  Santa  Rosa 
and  Russian  River  valleys,  has  budded  forth 
into  loveliness  opening  flowers  of  urban  beauty 
all  along  the  line  of  the  San  Francisco  &  North 
Pacific  Railroad;  and  the  picturesque  valleys  of 
the  Rincon,  Los  Gruilicos  and  Sonoma,  so  long 
hidden  from  the  view  of  the  traveler,  are  brought 
into  direct  communication  with  the  East  by  the 
new  Carquinez  Railroad.  The  earlier  settle- 
ment at  Sonoma,  though  it  has  not  kept  pace 
with  the  luxuriant  development  of  other  towns, 
will  always  be  rememliered  for  its  historic  in- 
terest, and  for  the  general  culture  of  the  people, 
who  have  their  happy  homes  in  the  country 
around  it.  As  great  as  has  been  the  progress 
of  this  country  from  the  times  when  Charles  V 
sent  forth  his  galleons  to  Mexico  and  Peru  to 
carry  the  Spanish  arms  to  success  under  Cortez 
and  Pizarro;  as  great  as  has  been  its  ])rogress 
froin  the  time  when  Mexico  declared  her  inde- 
pendence of  Spain,  and  the  Monroe  doctrine  was 
officially  announced,  which  gave  a  final  quietus 
to  the  encroaching  claims  of  Russia  in  these 
borders;  as  great  as  has  been  its  progress  since 
the  bear  Hag  was  raised  and  the  star-spangled 
banner  gave  the  protection  of  a  great  people  to 
these  far-off  occidental  shores;  still  greater  will 
be  onr  development  in  the  future,  when  the 
fertility  and  adaptation  of  our  soil  shall  have 
become  better  known,  when  the  fact  that  here 
degrees  of  latitude  make  no  appreciable  diflei-- 
ence  in  climatic  deinarkation  shall  have  become 
better  understood,  and  that  Riverside  and 
Sonoma  have  nearly  the  same  winter  and  sum- 
mer temperature,  although  the  latteris  hundreds 
of  miles  further  to  the  north;  when  more  per- 
fect and  expeditious  shall  have  become  our 
communication  with  the  East,  by  new  discover- 
ies and  appliances,  such  as  better  motor  power, 
and  the  practical  realization  for  long  distances 
of  the  newly-discovered  electric  pneumatic  tube 
in  sending  parcels,  with  the  aid  of  the  improved 
phonograph  in  transmitting  messages. 

Agriculture  is  the  greatest  industry  of  the 
world.  Labor  is  the  source  of  all  wealth,  and 
Sonoma  County  is  specially  adapted  for  agricult- 


HISTORY    (IF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


lire.  Our  rainfall  is  oue-fourth  greater  tliau 
that  around  San  Francisco,  and  even  without  it 
the  dews  of  heaven  are  sufficient  to  fructify  our 
crops.  The  husbandman  need  not  sow  or  plant 
here  as  in  many  localities  with  uncertain  hopes, 
for  a  failure  would  be  almost  an  anomaly  in 
life's  experience.  This  of  itself,  with  the 
protection  furnished  by  our  coast  range  against 
unpleasant  and  destructive  winds,  should  concen- 
trate attention  on  Sonoma.  Tlie  inter-commun- 
ication by  rail,  which  I  have  already  spoken  of, 
opens  up  to  us  all  tlie  avenues  of  trade  and 
commerce.  No  better  sanitarium  can  be  found 
for  the  invalid,  nor  more  healthful  airs  to  give 
bloom  to  the  cheek  or  tension  to  the  muscles. 
Our  people,  too,  are  a  moral  people,  yielding 
cheerful  obedience  to  the  laws.  The  young 
generation  among  us  is  growing  up  nnder  the 
sheltering  care  of  enlightened  schools  and  col- 
leges and  the  Christian  church.  When  this 
enumeration  of  our  advantages  is  borne  in  mind, 
it  is  no  extravagance  to  predict  the  great  appre- 
ciation in  landed  property,  which  is  destined 
inevitably  to  come,  and  that,  too,  in  the  near 
future. 

Every  male  person  should  have  an  art  or 
trade,  and  let  not  the  generous  soil  of  Sonoma 
be  forgotten  by  our  young  people  in  making 
their  selection.  If,  in  after  years,  they  should 
turn  their  attention  to  purely  professional  or 
intellectual  pursuits,  the  trade  will  be  an  aid 
instead  of  an  obstrnction. 

It  was  in  the  shipyards  of  England  that  Peter 
the  Great  learned  how  to  teach  the  builders  of 
his  navy.  Henry  the  Eighth,  with  many  other 
accomplishments,  was  proficient  in  laying  the 
keel  of  a  vessel.  The  present  Prince  of  Wales 
and  his  brother,  the  Duke  of  Edinburg,  passed 
their  apprenticeship  like  any  other  midshipman 
ill  liritannia's  waters. 

Let  our  large  holdings  be  subdivided,  and 
our  young  men  have  an  opportunity  to  give  in- 
creased productiveness  to  the  soil.  If  it  is  true 
anywhere  it  is  true  of  many  parts  of  old  Sonoma, 
that  every  rod  of  ground  can  be  made  to  main- 
tain her  man.      When   this  condition  of  things 


can  be  realized,  even  this  successful  tenth  an- 
nual fair  of  your  association  will  be  thrown  far 
into  shadow  by  the  princely  outcome-of  Ilnssian  . 
River  and  Dry  Creek  bottoms.  The  people  may 
hereafter  call  some  of  your  boys  from  turning 
what  is  metaphorically  the  stubborn  glebe,  to 
the  halls  of  legislation,  the  seat  of  justice,  or 
the  government  of  the  great  State  itself.  Cin- 
cinnatus  was  taken  from  the  plow  to  honor  the 
headship  of  the  Roman  legions.  Elisha  was 
holdino-  well  in  hand  his  yokes  of  cattle  when 
the  mantle  of  Elijah  fell  upon  him.  Cromwell, 
amid  the  fadeless  glories  of  his  Ironsides,  and 
the  discomfiture  of  the  fiery  Rupert,  sighed  for 
the  pastoral  ditties  of  the  home-land,  where 
jocund  he  used  to  drive  his  team  afield.  Joan 
of  Arc,  amid  the  splendors  of  the  coronation  of 
her  King  at  Rheims,  preferred  to  doff  her  un- 
sullied suit  of  white  armor  and  tend  the  sheep 
which  had  been  her  care  in  the  Vosges  forest. 
And,  lastly,  our  Washington,  who  was  called 
from  rural  life  to  the  leadership  of  our  armies, 
sheathed  the  sword  which  had  won  freedom  for 
a  nation,  and  betook  himself  again  to  his  home 
at  Mount  Vernon,  where  he  could  see  from  his 
porches  the  traucpiil  flow  of  the  Potomac  and 
dispense  a  varied  culture  and  boundless  hospi- 
tality among  the  scions  of  old  English  stock. 

Although  the  husbandman  has  his  days  of 
toil,  yet  they  have  been  greatly  lessened  by 
modern  discoveries  and  appliances  ;  and  he  has 
many  opportunities  for  (piiet  research  and  suc- 
cessful observation  and  experimentation. 

The  greatest  discoveries  have  been  made  in 
this  way,  not  only  in  the  fleld  of  agricultural 
labor,  but  in  all  great  inquiries.  Many  a  man 
following  in  the  footsteps  of  Archimedes  of  old, 
has  exclaimed  "  Eureka '"  as  he  has  seen  all  at 
once  the  object  for  which  he  has  so  long  striven 
attained. 

Noticing  the  falling  of  an  apple  ultimately 
settled  the  question  of  universal  gravitation. 
The  swinging  of  a  church  lamp  enabled  Galileo 
to  grasp  at  the  idea  of  the  pendulum  and  the 
exact  measurement  of  time,  and  tins  siiould 
operate  as  an  incentive  to  some  of  you   who  are 


ItlSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


presumably  a  little  lax  in  your  church  attend- 
ance. Jacob  not  only  learned,  but  lias  fought,  a 
lesson  in  seeing  his  piebald  flock  disporting 
themselves  among  the  peeled  poplars  and  hazels. 
Indeed,  you  have  nothing  to  do  in  order  to 
verify  these  observations  but  to  look  upon  your 
vineyards,  whicli,  standing  with  the  old  Mission 
stock,  have  been  improved  by  grafts  from  Italy^ 
Spain,  France  and  Germany,  until  Sonoma  lias 
now  become  the  recognized  habitat  of  the  most 
successful  viticulture.  You  know  that  the 
potato  was  once  a  semi-poisonons  tuber,  that 
the  apple  has  grown  into  all  its  lusciousness 
from  its  dwarfed  paternal  crab,  and  that  even 
the  sheep  with  its  soft  merino  wool  had  its  great 
ancestor  with  a  different  coating,  like  the  hair  of 
a  goat.  Our  modern  flowers,  with  their  rich 
varied  hues  and  perfumed  essences,  liave  been 
the  outgrowth  of  constant  labor  in  propagation 
and  successful  experimentation. 

The  age  is  an  utilitarian  age.  It  is  the  age  of 
positive  and  appreciable  results.  If  men  set 
their  heads  together  to  breed  ahorse  which  will 
lower  the  record  of  Maud  S  and  trot  his  mile  in 
two  minutes,  the  chronicles  of  some  subsequent 
fair  will  tell  you  the  feat  has  been  accomplished. 
If  the  object  to  be  attained  is  an  orange  more 
luscious  than  that  of  Riverside,  if  a  flower  more 
delicate  than  the  \iolet,  if  a  perfume  nmrc 
sweetly  diff'using  tiian  the  helioti-o])e,  if  a  rose 
redder  than  the  jacqueminot,  if  a  grajje  more 
flaming  than  the  Flaming  Tokay,  the  result  of 
continued  observation,  experiment  and  compari- 
son of  views  will  be  the  attainment  of  these 
new  fruits  and  flowers  to  be  added  to  the  present 
wealth  of  our  horticulture  and  floral   kingdoms. 

It  requires  patience,  intelligence,  persistence, 
hopefulness,  but  the  end  will  sooner  or  later  be 
reached,  and  the  man  who  succeeds  has  done 
something  to  increase  tlie  blessings  of  mankind, 
and  to  perpetuate  his  name  to  posterity. 

I'"()r  successful  agricultural  work  where  it 
accords  with  your  children's  inclinations  and 
aptitudes,  they  should  be  sent  to  the  liigher 
technical  schools,  where  they  may  learn  the 
principles  of  applied  science,  become  skilled  in 


electralysis  or  the  analysis  of  soils,  be  taught 
meteorology  even  if  there  is  no  danger  of  our 
weather  becoming  cyclonic  as  in  the  East,  and 
become  learned  in  insects  and  their  parasites, 
which  is  all  important  in  our  fruit-growing  and 
wine-producing  counties.  The  French  Govern 
ment  has  a  standing  reward  of  a  large  amount 
offered  for  the  discovery  of  an  antidote  to  the 
phyloxera.  Such  a  discovery  would  not  only 
revitalize  old  French  vineyards,  but  would  re- 
clothe  or  maintain  in  their  pristine  luxuriance 
and  prolificness  the  vineyards  of  California. 

If  the  orange  suffers  from  the  scale,  some- 
thing should  be  found  to  act  as  the  scale's  evil 
genius  and  destroy  the  destroyer. 

Even  our  purely  cereal-producing  counties  are 
interested  in  arresting  the  ravages  of  these  little 
pests  or  discovering  some  insectivorous  parasites. 

These  discoveries  will  be  made,  and  a  crown- 
ing triumph  yet  awaits  the  discoverers,  not  only, 
it  is  to  be  hoped,  in  universal  benediction,  and 
a  memory  which  the  world  will  not  willingly 
let  fade  from  the  long  roll  of  its  benefactors,  but 
also  in  well-earned  compensation. 

But  if  any  one  has  no  aptitude  or  inclination 
for  this  kind  of  labor  and  research,  it  should 
not  be  enforced,  for  science  delights  in  always 
having  a  free  and  voluntary  homage  from  the 
votaries  at  her  shrine. 

There  are  two  departments  of  scientiflc  in- 
(piiry,  and  neither  should  be  despised  ;  one  is 
the  imaginative  or  theoretical,  the  other  the 
mechanical  or  practical.  Some  of  the  greatest 
discoveries  have  been  made  as  if  by  intention, 
and  without  any  previous  training  of  thought. 
Other  men  took  up  the  idea  and  practicalized  it 
in  the  workshop,  the  laboratory  or  on  the  forge. 
One  workman  was  the  compliment  of  the  other, 
and  neither  could  be  a  success  without  the  other's 
assistance.  Both  combining  their  eff'orts,  t.be 
civilization  and  well-being  of  the  age  have  been 
immeasurably  advanced.  Morse  could  see  clearer 
than  others  that  the  electric  telegraph  would 
work  successfully,  and  that  all  that  was  neces- 
sary to  do  was  to  make  it  work.  It  took  the 
cool  head  and  plastic  touch  of  a  mechanician 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


like  Aaron  Vail  to  surround  it  with  the  jiruper 
appliances  and  adaptations  and  thus  the  com- 
bined efforts  of  tlie  two  have  given  the  world 
substantially  the  working  telegraphy  of  the  pres- 
ent day. 

We  are  to  perform  a  mission  here  according 
to  our  respective  talents.  Let  them  not  be  kept 
buried,  but  burnished.  "We  need  clearly  to  ap- 
prehend the  wants  of  the  time,  and  then  to 
move  on  to  the  attainment  of  the  best  results. 
Let  the  poor,  crazy  Knight  of  La  Mancha  do  all 
the  fighting  with  the  windmills.  Our  aim 
should  be  to  deal  with  the  practical  and  tangi- 
ble. We  should  take  advantage  of  the  con- 
quests of  others,  of  all  the  discoveries,  endeavor 
to  add  to  them,  and  not  fight  over  again  the 
same  old  battles  when  there  is  no  foeman  to 
strike. 

Let  our  civil  and  religious  liberties  severely 
alone.  They  are  doing  well  enough,  baptized 
as  they  are  in  blood,  written  in  charters  nearly 
a  thousand  years  old.  and  now  secured  by  the 
double-plated  armor  of  constitutional  law. 

These  contests  ha^'e  had  their  day,  and  the 
right  finally  triumphed.  There  was  a  principle  at 
stake  and  the  principle  was  won.  The  names  of 
the  heroes  are  written  in  history,  consecrated  in 
song,  and  the  mention  of  them  still  stirs  our 
hearts  like  a  trumpet,  as  Sidney's  heart  was 
stirred  by  the  old  story  of  Percy  and  Douglass. 
To  tight  for  and  acquire  these  rights  was  indeed 
true  glory;  not  the  false  glory  which  inspired 
an  Alexander,  a  Ca;sar  or  a  Napoleon,  who  little 
recked  of  the  thousands  and  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands who  fell  in  their  bloody  triumphs  to  gain 
for  them  pelf,  power  and  place.  The  country  is 
exposed  to  no  stern  alarums  that  may  be  bounded 
by  some  border  foe.  It  will  not  do  to  trifle  with 
the  majesty  of  a  great  nation,  which  at  almost 
a  moment's  call  can  have  three  millions  of  sol- 
diers marching  from  center  to  circumference  for 
the  purposes  of  a  common  defense. 

Therefore,  we  should  dismiss  all  cliimerical 
conceits,  and  address  ourselves  to  important 
questions,  questions  which  concern  our  material 
development,  the  furnishing  of  a  Itctter    well- 


l)eing,  tiie  adding  of  home  comforts  and  fireside 

joys. 

Are  you  aware  of  tlie  fact  that  our  niotlier 
country  had  no  fireside  till  aliout  tlie  reign  of 
Queen  Elizabeth?  Then  the  hearth  was  laid 
and  the  mantle  covered  with  ornaments  instead 
of  smoke  curling  among  tlie  rafters  or  lilacken- 
ing  the  unglazed  windows.  It  was  the  com- 
mencement of  the  rude  home  life  of  our  fore- 
fatiiers,  the  influences  of  whicli  were  destined 
to  radiate  from  the  domestic  circle  for  the  better- 
ment of  the  State. 

Here,  in  this  far-away-  land,  under  your  own 
vine  and  fig  tree,  with  a  generous  soil  and  a 
genial  climate,  or  rather  an  aggregation  of  cli- 
mates, made  still  more  genial  by  the  appliances 
of  drainage  and  arboculture,  you  can  greatly  add 
to  the  happiness,  the  conveniences  and  beauty 
of  your  homes.  You  can  place  on  your  tables 
for  reading  the  best  of  our  magazines  and  peri- 
odicals that  deal  in  the  literature  of  the  farm. 
By  these  aids  and  your  daily  observation  you 
can  inaugurate  a  thorough  experimentation  that 
will  afterward  bear  fruit  in  improved  agricult- 
ural methods,  better  and  more  varied  products, 
thoroughbred  stock,  and  general  home  comforts. 
A  society  or  neighborhood  with  such  facilities  as 
you  have  or  can  have,  by  frequent  interchange 
of  views,  enlightened  l)y  special  reading  and  a 
comparison  of  results,  will  not  oidy  leave  its 
impress  upon  the  immediate  local  community, 
but  will  afiect  favorably  the  county  and  State  at 
large,  and  add  to  the  thoroughness  and  success 
of  these  annual  occasions.  It  will  also  tend  to 
implant  a  more  general  desire  in  others  for  the 
cultivation  of  the  soil  and  rural  comforts. 
Young  men  will  gradually  be  drawn  away  from 
the  vortex  of  city  dissipation,  and  will  begin  to 
build  up  for  themselves  some  lofty, bucolic  ideal. 
Many  a  panorama  of  scenic  beauty,  as  yet  un- 
disclosed, will  be  opened  up.  A  succession  of 
charming  villas,  the  abode  of  thrifty  culture, 
will  dot  the  landscape  over  and  remind  us  of  the 
far-famed  beauties  of  the  Hudson  and  the  Rhine. 

This  picture  is  destined  to  be  the  future  of 
much  of  this  conntv,  which  is  situated  near  the 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


iiietropolis,  and  which  is  so  admirably  and  con- 
veniently located,  with  reference  to  the  avennes 
and  centers  of  trade. 

As  Sonoma  Connty  was  first  among  the  early 
settlements  of  this  State,  as  it  is  greater  than 
any  other  county  in  its  early  historic  associa- 
tions and  interests,  so  let  it  be  our  endeavor  to 
make  it  stand  forth  in  the  fore-front  of  the  pro- 
ducing counties,  crowned  not  only  with  its  well- 
deserved  citrus  wreath,  but  with  other  agricult- 
ural wreaths  as  well,  the  proud  aiiiding  place 
of  intelligent  and  cultured  farmers,  wide-awake 
to  every  imjM'overaent,  unceasing  in  experimen- 
tation, characterized  by  a  thorough,  thrifty  and 
cleanly  husbandry,  with  peaceful,  happy  and 
charming  homes  scattered  all  along  these  pictur- 
esque hills  and  valleys.  Don't  forget  that  a 
subdivision  of  your  lands  into  smaller  holdings, 
where  they  are  suitable  for  viticulture  or  fruit, 
is  of  prime  importance  and  will  be  attended 
with  the  most  beneficial  results.  Twenty-acre 
or  forty-acre  farms,  planted  to  the  vine,  the 
peach,  the  pear  or  the  prune,  would  be  the 
crowning  glory  of  old  Sonoma.  It  woidd  place 
on  her  brow  a  richer  diadem  than  that  which 
sparkles  even  on  the  front  of  the  mining  coun- 
ties. It  would  mean  thoroughness  in  farming, 
beautiful  gardens,  architectural  models  and  dis- 
play, a  general  lauded  appreciation,  huiiie  com- 
forts and  the  security  of  our  liorticuUnral  au<l 
viticultnral  renown. 

When  we  bear  in  mind  the  I'icli  soil  from  the 
decomposed  granite  and  slate  in  the  foot-hill 
counties,  their  eligible  location  on  the  line  of 
eastern  travel,  their  growing  amhitioii  for  the 
cultivation  of  the  vine  and  of  fruits,  and  their 
climatic  equability,  it  must  he  ackiujwledged 
that  they  are  formidnblc  rivals  U\  Sonoma  and 
may  yet  eclipse  her. 

By  a  judicious  sul)di\i(ling  of  our  large  hold- 
ings we  may  retain  the  vintage  that  we  now 
enjoy;  otiierwise,  sooner  or  later,  the  finest  dis- 
plays will  be  seen  at  the  Placer,  El  Dorado  and 
Nevada  fairs,  or  in  the  sunny  land  of  Southern 
('alifornia. 

The  farmer's  life  can  be  made   more  pleasant 


and  successful  than  almost  any  other.  1  refer 
to  the  enterprising  and  enlightened  farmer.  He 
can  surround  himself  with  all  the  conveniences 
of  life,  keep  abreast  of  the  general  culture  of 
the  times,  maintain  his  independence  and 
dignity,  live  on  the  best  productions  which  his 
farm  will  permit  of,  and  market  the  remainder. 
He  can  have  his  cool  grottoes,  his  shady  nooks, 
his  books  within  his  cultured  home.  He  ought 
to  grow  happy  and  joyful  with  his  opeti-air  feel- 
ings, soothed  by  wild-wood  notes,  and  in  some 
little  natural  or  artificial  forest  of  .\rden  be- 
come philosophical  as  he  meditates: 

'■  And  this  our  life,  exempt  from  publio  haimt, 
Finds  tongues  in  trees,  books  in  the  running  l)roolis, 
Sermons  in  stones,  and  good  in  everything. 
I  would  not  change  it." 

Ilefreshing  slumbers  come  to  him  unsouo-ht, 
and  the  morrow's  sun  finds  him  like  some  oiled 
Olympian  wrestler  ready  for  the  fray. 

I  want  to  see  our  young  men  aspiring  after 
these  rural  pleasures  and  building  up  for  them- 
selves homes  in  the  country,  where  they  can  fol- 
low out  some  lofty,  bucolic  ideal,  instead  of 
lieing  lured  away  by  the  city's  falsetto  tones  and 
iTiaddening  strife.  It  is  the  way  to  enjoy  a 
healthful  and  successful  manhood,  an  honorable 
and  contented  old  age.  Cicero  was  never  so 
much  delighted  as  in  his  Tiisciiluin  villa,  and 
Horace  on  his  Sabine  farm.  And  the  coinin<>' 
generations,  as  long  as  time  shall  last,  will  be 
taught  to  read  the  praises  of  agriculture  in  the 
beautiful  and  finshed  poetic  numbers  of  Man- 
tua's bard. 

The  Sonoma  Democrat  was  first  issued  Octo- 
ber 16,  1857,  by  A.  W.  Kussel.  The  following 
year  he  sold  the  paper  to  E.  R.  Budd  and  L.  TI. 
Fisher.  Mr.  Fisher  sold  his  interest  to  B.  F. 
Pinckham.  Hudd  and  Pinckham  could  not 
agree  politically,  and  Mr.  I'.udd  purchased  the 
interest  of  Mr.  Pinckham  and  became  sole  pro- 
prietor. Mr.  Kudd  issued  a  very  good  paper, 
neat  in  its  appearance  and  well  edited.  At  the 
close  of  his  volume,  October  13,  185!),  he 
says:  "  For  two  years  we  have  labored  with  a 
zeal  that  deserves  a  degree  of  success;  we  have 


236 


RiaTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


grappled  with  nearly  every  question  of  im- 
portance brought  to  our  notice,  and  liave 
decided  for  onrselves  on  their  several  merits. 
Hitherto  onr  paper  has  been  an  experiment;  it 
is  now  an  established  fact."'  In  1860  the  iJem- 
ocrat  was  purchased  by  T.  L.  Thompson,  and 
was  much  enlarged  and  improved.  In  1866  a 
Hoe  cylinder  press,  the  first  in  Sonoma  County, 
was  added  to  the  office,  the  paper  at  this  time, 
having  very  hxrgely  increased  in  business  and 
in  general  circulation.  From  18(58  to  1871  the 
Democrat  was  run  by  Peabody,  Ferral  »S:  Co. 
In  the  latter  year  it  was  rejiurcliased  Ijy  Mr. 
Thompson.  K.  .\.  aiul  I'".  P.  Thompson  were 
associated  with  him  until  1877.  The  Sunoma 
Democrat  has  devoted  much  space  to  the  in- 
dustrial development  of  Sonoma  County.  The 
paper  is  now  under  the  management  of  T.  L. 
Thompson.  The  Daily  Democrat  was  begun 
in  1875,  was  discontinued  in  1877,  and  reissued 
in  187'J.  It  is  now  published  daily.  The  weekly 
edition  is  issued  every  Saturday  morning. 
Theofiice  is  provided  with  steam-power  presses, 
and  a  job  office  com])lete  in  all  its  appoint- 
ments. 

Daihj  ami  Weeklij  Republican. — This  paper 
was  established  as  the  Press  by  W.  A.  AVheeler. 
In  January,  1875,  it  was  purchased  by  Ceo.  II. 
Mari',  anil  the  name  changed  to  the  Times.  Mr. 
(i.  11.  Marr  was  the  publisher  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  March,  1878.  It  was  then 
purchased  by  T.  N.  and  J.  W.  llagsdale,  who 
commenced  the  publication  of  the  Daily  Times. 
Mr.  T.  X.  Kagsdale  died  in  December,  1879, 
and  shortly  after  the  paper  was  jnirchased  by 
Colonel  J.  13.  Armstrong.  Colonel  Armstrong 
gave  the  paper  its  present  name — the  Repub- 
lican. He  is  a  writer  very  much  above  the 
average  of  men,  and  had,  besides,  a  large  ex- 
perience as  correspondent  of  some  of  "the  leading 
eastern  papers.  Under  his  control  the  Repxib- 
lican  at  once  took  rank  as  one  of  the  best 
country  papers  in  this  State.  The  editor  was 
especially  well  up  in  agriculture.  He  devoted 
also  much  attention  to  local  matters.  Colonel 
Armstrong,  haviiii;  other  aft'airs   to   engage  liis 


attention,  sold  the  pajjer  to  J.  W.  llagsdale,  who 
soon  after  sold  a  half  interest  to  John  Fitch. 
Mr.  Fitch  and  Mr.  James  O'Meara  purchased 
the  remaining  interest  of  Mr.  Kagsdale,  and 
the  paper  was  run  for  some  months  under  their 
management.  In  the  fall  of  1883  the  interest 
of  the  latter  gentleman  was  purchased  by  Mr. 
E.  W.  Davis,  who,  on  account  of  failing  health, 
sold  the  establishment  to  Richard  Cannon,  who 
published  the  paper  until  1887,  wlien  he  sold 
to  the  present  proprietor,  A.  B.  Lemnion. 

The  Graml  Hotel  is  a  first-class  house,  situ- 
ated at  the  corner  of  Main  and  E  streets.  It  is 
a  large  bi'ick  building,  in  the  center  of  the  city, 
and  it  accommodates  a  large  and  regular  cus- 
tom from  all  parts  of  the  county  and  State. 

The  Occidental  Hotel  is  situated  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Fourth  and  B  streets.  It  is  a  commodi- 
ous brick  building,  and  handsomely  furnished. 
G.  A.  Tupper  is  a  widely  known  citizen  of  So- 
noma, public  spirited,  attentive  to  his  guests,  and 
deservedly  one  of  the  most  popular  landlords  in 
the  State. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  principal  cor- 
porations doing  Ijusiness  in  Santa  liosa,  other 
than  banks  and  railroads: 

Santa  Rosa  Gas  Light  Company. — John  A. 
Paxton,  deceased,  President;  Santa  Rosa  Bank, 
Treasurer;  A.  G.  Murdock,  Secretary  and  Su- 
perintendent. 

Santa  Rosa  Athena>um  Company. — B.  M. 
Spencer,  President;  Guy  F.  Grosse,  Vice-Pres- 
ident; C.  A.  Wright,  Secretary;  L.  W.  Burris, 
Treasurer;  Trustees:  B.  M.  Spencer,  S.  Hutch- 
inson, J.  C.  Mailer,  I.  DeTurk,  (tuy  E.  Grosse, 
AV.  C.  Good,  C.  A.Wright. 

Ayricultural  Park  Association. — J.  N.  Bail- 
liache.  President;  S.  T.  Allen,  Vice-Pre.sident; 
G.  A.  Tupper,  Secretary;  E.  W.  Davis,  Treas- 
\irer;  Directors:  B.  M.  Spencer,  Jas.  H.  Laugh- 
lin,  S.  I.  Allen,  J.  N.  Bailhache,  I.  DeTurk, 
Guy  E.  Grosse,  E.  W.  Davis. 

Masonic  Hall  Association. — John  S.  Taylor, 
President;  E.  Noblet,  Vice-President;  B.  M. 
Spencer,  Secretary;  L.  W.  Burris,  Treasurer; 
Directors,  B.  M.  Spencer,  J.   S.   Taylor,  W.  C. 


BISTORT    OF    SONOMA    OOUNTT. 


237 


(4ood,  A.  D.  Laughliu,  E.  NoUlet,  11.  \..  Trij.p, 
(iiiy  E.  Grusse. 

Stock  Breeding  Association. — I.  DeTiirk, 
President;  L.  W.  P>nrris,  Secretary;  J.  II.  Laugli- 
liii.  Treasurer;  Directors,  1.  DeTiirk,  \\.  Mur- 
phy, J.  II.  Laughlin,  Geo.  E.  Gufrne,  (Tuy  E. 
Grease. 

F'niit  and  Grape  Growers'  Association. — 
Jonathan  Roberts,  President;  W.  C.  Kellogg, 
Secretary;  Guy  E.  Grosse,  Treasurer. 

llojy  Growers'  Association. — Guy  E.  Grosse, 
President;  Ferdinand  lienzel,  ^'ice- President, 
Fulton  District;  J.  P.  Graham,  Vice-Presi- 
dent, Mark  West  Creek  District;  Lossen  Ross, 
Vice  President;  Green  Valley  District;  T.  P. 
Miller,  Vice-President,  Santa  Rosa  Creek  Dis- 
trict; J.  E.  Hall,  Vice-President,  Santa  Rosa 
Creek  District;  Otis  Allen,  Vice-President,  Se- 
bastopol  and  Laguna  District;  V.  ^yatson,  Vice- 
President,  F^'eestone  District;  C.  R.  Farmer, 
Treasurer;  N.  AVinants,  Secretary. 

Santa  Jiosa  Water  Cornpanij. — Mark.  L. 
McDonald,  President  and  Manager;  Directors: 
M.  L.  McDonald,  T.  J.  Proctor,  1.  G.  Wicker- 
sham,  R.  Press  Davis. 

Santa  Rosa  Street  Car  Company. — Operates 
on  Fourth  sti'eet  and  McsDonald  avenue;  Mark  L. 
McDonald,  President  and  Managtsr. 

People's  Street  /iailwai/  Coinjiani/. — Presi- 
dent, A.  Shaw;  Vice-President,  S.  I.  Allen; Secre- 
tary, J.  D.  Iiarnett;  Treasurer,  J.  W.  Warboys; 
Directors:  J.  I).  Parnett,  A.  Sliaw,  S.  I.  .Mien, 
J.  W.  AV'arboys,  P.  M.  Spencer. 

Santit  Jiosa  Woolen  Mills  Conipa/u/.  —  John 
Walker,  President;  P.  M.  Walker,  Secretary  and 
Treasurer;    F.  X.  Longhery,  Superintemlent. 

Santa  Jiosa  J'aekimj  anil  Caiinimj  Coin- 
pany. — A  branch  of  the  Cutting  Packing  (Jom- 
]iany,  of  San  Francisco.  J.  l»lack.  President; 
C.  A.  i'erry,  Secretary,  Ti-easnrcr  and  Su|ierin- 
tendent. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Chai'rli,  Sajita  liosa. — 
Organized  about  1855;  among  the  first,  if  not 
the  first,  pastors  was  Rev.  R.  Williamson.  The 
deed  to  the  property  secured  December  15,1858, 
deeded  by  lloen,  Ilartman   and   Ilahman,  as  a 


donation  from  them.  Property  comprises  four 
city  lots  on  the  corner  of  Third  and  D  streets. 
The  first  church  building  was  erected  in  1861, 
under  the  supervision  of  Rev.  James  Corwiii, 
it  was  enlarged  in  1877  by  Rev.  Lovejoy,  in- 
cluding a  prayer  room  and  a  pastor's  study. 
Tiie  auditorium  has  a  seating  capacity  of  2t)-t: 
persons.  The  following  are  the  pastors  who 
have  ministered  to  the  church:  Rev.  R.  W. 
Williamson,  John  Walker,  James  Corwin, 
Noah  IJurton,  Wm.  Hulbert,  A.  L.  S.  P.ate- 
inan,  George  Clifford,  Wm.  Anguin,  George 
Walter.  G.  D.  Pineo,  Lovejoy,  C.  E.  Rich, 
E.  I.  Jones,  George  Adams.  T.  H.  Woodward, 
Geo.  Clifford.  The  present  parsonage  was 
erected  in  1884  under  the  supervision  of  Rev. 
T.  II.  Woodward.  The  present  membership  is 
about  150.  The  Sunday  school  has  100  scholars 
enrolled  and  the  regular  attendance  is  about  118. 

The  Christian  Church.,  Santa  Rosa. — To  El- 
der Thomas  Thompson  is  the  honor  due  of  or- 
ganizing this  congregation  in  November,  1854, 
and  preaching  the  first  sermon  to  them  in  that 
month.  The  original  members  of  the  church 
were:  T.  P..  Hood  and  wife,  Mrs.  C.  E.  Hood, 
Joel  Miller,  Sarah  Miller  (now  Mrs.  Shane), 
Elizabeth  Miller,  Harrison  Valentine,  W.  R. 
O'llowell,  J.  M.  Case,  Samuel  Hand  and  wife. 
Mrs.  Coleman  Talbot,  and  R.  Fulkerson  and 
wife.  Services  were  then  held  in  the  town  of 
FVanklin,  in  the  Paptist  church,  and  continued 
there  until  the  town  was  moved  to  Santa  Rosa, 
when  the  congregation  met  in  the  court-house, 
but  after  the  removal  of  the  church  building 
from  Franklin  to  Santa  Rosa  in  1S5(),  then  in 
that  edifice,  where  they  prosecuted  their  devo- 
tions until  the  erection  in  1857  of  their  own 
place  of  worship  on  the  corner  of  F'ourth  and  B 
streets,  which,  in  187J,  was  transferred  to  its 
present  position  on  Fifth  street.  The  entire 
cost  of  the  church,  inclusive  of  lot,  bell,  fixtures, 
etc.,  was  about  $3,000,  while  its  size  is  38  .\  GO 
feet. 

J'resbyterian.  Charch.~(h\  J\Iarch  17,  1850, 
Mr.  Woods  organized  the  Presbyterian  ("hurch, 
consisting  of  twelve  members:  Cyrus  Alexan- 


iirsTonr  of  sonoma   countt. 


(ler.  A.  P.  Wilson,  John  Barbour,  Joliii  Tread- 
way,  Mrs.  Henrietta  Treadsvay,  Mrs.  E.  A. 
Woods,  Mrs.  JaneOrrnsbj,  Mrs.  Ilattie  Hendly, 
Mrs.  Jane  Drum.  ilrs.  Elizabetli  Bledsoe, 
]V[rs.  Ivate  Green,  and  Mrs.  Louisa  McDonald. 
CjM-us  Alexander  and  John  Treadwa}-  were 
elected  ruling  elders.  Mr.  Alexander  was  or- 
dained and  installed,  and  Mr.  Treadway,  having 
been  previously  ordained,  was  duly  installed. 

Bcqjtist  Church. — Early  in  the  year  1873 
the  tru.-;tees  of  the  Baptist  CMiureh  of  Santa  Rosa 
pnrcliased  a  lot  on  tiio  corner  of  I!  and  Cen- 
ter streets  on  which,  in  the  month  of  Febrnar\\ 
they  commenced  the  erection  of  a  building,  Gotii- 
ic  in  style  of  architecture,  and  of  the  following 
dimensions:  The  main  church  building,  5(ix.37 
feet,  with  an  elevatiim  of  thirty-two  feet.  Ad- 
ioining  the  main  building,  in  the  rear,  is  a 
chapel  30x40  feet,  containing,  besides  accom- 
modation for  the  Sunday-school,  the  library  and 
committee  rooms.  Over  the  front  entrance  to 
the  church  is  a  large  G(^thic  window.  From 
the  base  to  elevation  of  tower  and  spire,  located 
at  the  left  front  corner  of  the  edifice,  is  sixty- 
nine  feet.  The  building  cost  about  $5,000. 
Tlie  first  house  of  worship  was  built  in  1854  at 
Franklin,  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Santa  llosa, 
but,  in  1855,  it  was  removed  with  the  rest  of 
tiiat  short-lived  village  to  this  town  and  placed 
upon  the  lot  on  Third  street  where  it  now  stands, 
being  used  as  a  tenement  lH)Use.  It  was  the 
third  Protestant  churcli  erected  in  the  county, 
James  Crane  being  tiie  contractor.  Tlie  cost  of 
the  building  was  defrayed  by  public  subscription, 
with  the  provisions  that  it  should  be  free  to  all 
denominations  when  not  in  use  by  the  Baptists. 
Klder  J.  McCorkle  hold  tlie  first  services  in  the 
Imilding. 

Kpm'oi>al  Church. — On  the  14th  of  Octol)er, 
1872.  the  preliminary  steps  were  taken  to 
organi/.c  a  parish  at  Santa  Rosa  under  the 
Episcopal  Church,  by  electing  the  following 
gentlemen  as  officers:  Dr.  R.  !'.  Smith,  Senior 
Warden;  W.  H.  Bond,  Junior  Warden;  E.  W. 
Maslin,  G.  W..  Jones,  F.  G.  Nagle,  L.  A. 
Martin  and  F.  P.  Thompson,  Vestrymen.     The 


Rev.  G.  C.  Lane,  who  bad  been  officiating,  noti- 
fied the  bishop  of  the  election  of  church  officers, 
and  re(piested  his  consent  to  the  organizatitm, 
which  was  granted  by  Bishop  Kip  on  the  ISth  of 
December,  and  tlie  vestry  formed  by  electing  F. 
G.  Nagle,  Secretary,  and  L.  A.  Martin,  Treas- 
urer, the  parish,  on  the  motion  of  Dr.  Smith, 
receiving  the  name  of  "  The  Parish  of  the  In- 
carnation," and  Rev.  G.  C.  Lane  appointed  Rec- 
tor for  the  ensuing  year. 

Santa  Rosa  Water  CoinjMiiy. — Articles  of 
incorporation  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Water  Company 
were  filed  on  February  27,  1873,  the  capital 
stock  being  $100,000  divided  into  1,000  shares 
of  8100  each,  the  Directors  being  E.  T.  Farmer, 
C.  F.  Juillard,  F.  G.  Ilahman,  Jackson  Temple 
and  James  P.  Clark;  term  of  existence  fifty 
years.  In  reference  to  this  undertaking  the 
water  is  taken  from  the  junction  of  the  Alamo 
and  Santa  Rosa  creeks  and  conveyed  on  the 
south  side  of  the  latter  to  the  reservoir,  one  mile 
below,  on  the  lauds  of  the  Gibb's  estate.  The 
fall,  from  where  the  water  is  taken  at  the  creeks, 
to  the  reservoir  is  thirty-five  feet;  the  supply 
pipe  to  the  reservoir  is  eleven-inch,  and  the 
mains,  from  the  reservoir  to  the  town,  are  nine- 
inch  for  a  portion  of  the  way  and  seven-inch  for 
the  remainder.  The  reservoir  has  a  cajiacity  of 
not  less  than  30,000.000  gallons. 

Santa  Rosa  Gaslight  Cvuipany. — The  Max  ■ 
im  Gas  Company  was  incorporated  April,  1872, 
the  citizens  of  Santa  Rosa  taking  one  half  the 
stock,  and  the  Maxim  Gas  Company  of  San 
Francisco  holding  the  balance.  The  whole  stock 
was  subsequently  purchased  by  the  citizens  and 
the  Maxim  Works  run  by  them  until  the  spring 
of  1876,  when  they  were  disposed  of  to  Santa 
Rosa  Gaslight  Company,  which  had  been  incor- 
porated March  i),  187t),  under  the  supervision 
of  L.  A.  Kelly.  The  new  company,  at  an  ex- 
pense of  s30,000.  erected  their  works  on  First 
street,  just  below  Main,  which  consist  of  a  large 
brick  retort-house,  with  iron  roof,  brick  purifying 
house  in  the  rear,  office  and  workshop,  with 
large  holder,  20,000  cubic  feet  capacity,  with 
brick  cistern. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


239 


Santa  Rosa  Commandery  of  Knights  Tem- 
plar.— This  order  was  organized  under  dispen- 
sation March  11, 1878,  the  charter  being  granted 
April  11,  1879.  The  charter  members  being 
Sir  Leonard  Harrison  Buckland,  Sir  Thomas 
Piiipps  I'axter,  Sir  Samuel  Hard,  Sir  Arthur 
Lockard  Co.x,  Sir  Miln  Suiitli  Davis,  Sir  (iuy 
Emanuel  (irrosse.  Sir  (ieorge  Ashbury  Jolinson, 
Sir  John  Mcllmoil,  Sir  James  Clark  ^[ailer.  Sir 
Byron  M.  Spencer.  The  original  othccrs  were: 
Sir  George  Ashbury  Johnson,  Eminent  Com- 
mander; Sir  Byron  M.  Spencer,  Generalissimo; 
Sir  Leonard  Harrison  J>nckland,  Captain-Gen- 
eral; Sir  Thomas  Phipps  Baxter,  Pi-elate;  Sir 
(luy  Emanuel  Grosse,  Senior  AVarden;  Sir 
James  Clark  Mailer,  .Junior  AVarden;  Sir  Sam- 
uel Bard,  Treasurer;  Sir  .Vrthur  Lockard  Cox, 
Recorder;  Sir  Milo  Smith  Davis,  AVarden;  Sir 
John  McHmoil,  SentineL 

Santa  Rosa  Encantpment,  No.  J-A  1  .(>.  (J.  V. 
— This  order  was  instituted  in  Santa  Rosa  on 
December  14,  1875,  the  charter  members  be- 
ing: J.  J.  McClelland,  A.  G.  Shannon,  A.  P. 
Petit,  George  T.  Gregg,  C.  D.  Frazie,  AV.  II. 
Morris,  AVilliam  Strom;  the  original  officers 
being:  C.  D.  Frazie,  C.  P.;  A.  (4.  Shannon,  H. 
P.;  J.  J.  McClelland,  S.  AV.;  William,  Strong; 
AVilliam  R.  Morris,  Treasurer;  A.  P.  Petit,  J. 
AV.;  S.  T.  Coulter,  Guide. 

Santa  Rosa  Lodge,  No.  ■'>■!.  1.  (>.  <>.  F. 
Tliis  lodge  was  instituted  February  ^S,  1856, 
the  following  being  the  charter  members:  John 
llendley,  Jacob  M.  Gallagher,  Adam  Shane,  AV. 
R.  Smith,  James  A.  Reynolds,  Horace  B.  Alar- 
tiu,  Julio  Carrillo  and  AV.  M.  Menefee.  The 
order  held  their  meetings  in  Good  Templars' 
Hall,  No.  222  Third  street,  until  the  comple- 
tion of  their  own  building,  at  a  cost  of  !f^l8,()0(), 
on  the  corner  of  Third  street  and  Exchange  ave- 
nue. The  first  officers  were:  John  Hendley, 
N.  G.;  AV.  R.  Smith,  V.  G.;  Adam  Shane,  Re- 
cording Secretary;  N.McC.  Menefee,  Treasurer. 

I'urltii  Lodge,  No.  ,iJ,  /.  ().  G.  T.— AVas 
first  organized  May  14,  1861,  in  Temperance 
Hall,  222  Third  street,  there  l)eing  seventeen 
charter  members.     The  following  were  elected 


offiers:  AVilliam  Churchman,  AV.  C.  T.;  Maud 
Latimer,  AV.  V.  T.;  Frank  AV.  Brown,  AV.  S.; 
T.  J.  Smith,  AV.  F.  S.;  Caroline  E.  Hood,  AV. 
T.;  AV.  AV.  Morrow,  AV.  M.;  J.  W.  Town,  AV. 
L  G.;  C.  G.  Ames,  AV.  O.  G. 

Santa  Rosa  Lodge,  No.  370,  L  <).  (J.  T.— The 
charter  members  being:  Harry  Rich,D.  S.  Lacey, 
Harry  T.  Case,  C.T.Barnes,  T.  H.  Barnes,  Ben- 
jamin Farmer,  James  AForrow,  Jr.,  S.  Cliilders,J. 
D.  Stockton,  Rebecca  Stockton,  P.  B.  Owen,  Mrs. 
L.  R.  Latimer,  Miss  A.  Small,  James  Roberts, 
AV.  Churchman,  J.  M.  White,  O.  D.  Metcalf, 
Miss  S.  M.  Baxter,  J.  T.  Littaker,  Mrs.  Dora 
Metzler,  AV.  H.  Alead,  AValter  Ferrall,  Mrs.  E. 
Hodgson,  \^.  Fortson;  the  officers  a})pointed 
were:  D.  S.  Lacey,  AV.  C.  T.;  AH-s.  S.  R.  Lati- 
mer, AV.  V.  T.;  Rev.  G.  D.  Pinneo,  AV.  C; 
Walter  Ferrall,  W.  S. ;  Miss  Fannie  Farmer, 
AV.  A.  S.;  O.  D.  Aletcalf,  AV.  F.  S.;  Miss  T. 
AL  Baxter,  AV.  T.;  James  Morrow,  Jr.,  AV.  AI.; 
Miss  Abbie  Small,  AV.  D.  M.;  Rebecca  Stock- 
ton, AV.  I.  G.;  James  Roberts,  AV.  O.  G.;  Airs. 
Dora  Aletzler,  AV.  R.  H.  S.;  Aliss  Lizzie  Fort- 
son,  AV.  L.  H.  S.;  L  D.  Stockton,  P.  W.  C.  T. 

Par'ifia  Methodist  College. — The  first  regu- 
lar session  of  the  college  was  opened  in  July, 
1861,  with  Professor  C.  S.  Smyth,  department 
of  mathematics;  Professor S.  B.  Morse,  depart- 
ment of  languages,  and  Aliss  A.  E.  Caldwell  in 
charge  of  the  primary  department.  The  first 
day  showed  an  attendance  of  only  thirteen 
students;  within  four  months  the  number  had 
increased  to  forty-six.  Three  weeks  before  the 
close  of  the  session  Rev.  AV.  T.  Lucky,  who  had 
been  elected  president,  arrived  and  took  charge 
of  the  institution.  The  first  annual  catalogue, 
published  in  May,  1862,  contained  the  names  of 
over  eighty  students.  There  was  a  period  of 
uninterrupted  prosperity  from  1862  to  April, 
1865,  when  the  main  college  building  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire — the  work  of  an  incendiary. 
Provision  w'as  made  for  the  accommodation  of 
classes,  and  the  exercises  of  the  institution  went 
on  without  the  loss  of  a  single"  recitation.  Af- 
ter a  3'ear  and  a  half  of  zealous  effort  on  the 
part  of  the  agent,  Rev.  AV.  M.  AVinters,  another 


340 


UIHTOUY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


building  was  erected,  at  a  cost  of  §16,000.  In 
December,  1860,  Dr.  Lucky  tendered  bis  resig- 
nation, to  take  etlect  in  May,  1867.  At  tlie 
annual  meeting  of  tlie  board  of  trustees,  iti  Mny, 
Dr.  .1.  R.  Tbomas,  of  Emory  College,  Georgia, 
was  elected  president.  The  institution  contin- 
ued its  session  in  Vacaviile  until  May,  1870, 
when,  by  vote  of  the  trustees,  it  was  removed 
to  Santa  Hosa.  The  citizens  of  Santa  Kosa 
donated  ten  acres  of  land  and  erected  thereon  a 
college  l)uilding,  at  a  cost  of  !?25,O00.  The 
present  value  of  the  building  and  grounds  is 
estimated  at  S30,000.  The  college  grounds  are 
situated  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  city. 
The  building  is  commodious,  aftbrding  accom- 
modations for  300  students.  There  are  two 
literary  societies  connected  with  the  college. 
The  libraries  of  the  two  societies  contain  about 
800  volumes.  The  tirst  regular  session  in  Santa 
Rosa  was  opened  in  August,  1871,  with  A.  h. 
Fitzgerald,  A.  M.,  president  and  professor  of 
mental  and  moral  science;  C.  S.  Smyth,  pro- 
fessor of  mathematics;  Charles  King,  professor 
t)f  languages.  In  July,  1876,  President  A.  L. 
Fitzgerald  tendered  his  resignation,  to  take 
effect  in  October,  when  Rev.  W.  .\.  Finley  was 
elected  to  take  charge  of  the  institution.  I'lie 
prospects  of  the  college  are  now  encouraging. 
At  no  time  in  its  history  have  its  friends  been 
more  determined  to  sustain  it  with  their  means 
and  influence.  The  graduates  niimlier  101.  The 
larger  portion  of  tiie  interest-bearing  debt  has 
been  paid.  Tiiree  gold  medals  are  given  annu- 
ally, one  for  best  declamation,  one  for  the  best 
select  reading,  and  one  for  excellence  in  scholar- 
ship and  deportment.  The  medal  for  scliolar- 
ship  and  deportment  has  been  endowed  by  T.J. 
Brooke,  and  is  known  as  the  Brooke  medal;  that 
for  select  reading  by  T.  II.  1!.  .Vnderson,  and  is 
known  as  the  Anderson  medal:  the  one  for  best 
declamation  by  Senator  Cx.  A.  Johnson,  and  is 
known  as  the  Johnson  medal.  The  situation  of 
the  college  is  all  that  could  bu  desireil.  At  no 
place  in  California  are  students  under  better 
influence  than  in  Santa  Rosa.  The  course  of 
instruction  consists  of  Greek,  Latin,   Cierman, 


French,  Spanish,  and  a  course  of  English  mathe- 
matics, philosophy  and  the  natural  pliysical 
sciences.  Colonel  J.  M.Austin,  A.  M.,  is  presi- 
dent, with  the  following  corps  of  professors  and 
teachers:  Rev.  S.  M.  (iodby,  A.  M.,  Ferdinand 
Kenyon,  Rev.  George  B.  Winton,  A.  M.,  E. 
Lerch  and  Miss  Callie  Brook.  This  institu- 
tion is  deservedly  popular.  The  college  building 
is  a  fine  structure. 

The  Ursuliiie  Academy  is  beautifully  located 
on  B  street,  surrounded  by  large  and  commodi- 
ous grounds,  beautifully  ornamented  with  trees, 
shrubs  and  flowers.  The  building  is  a  fine  ar- 
chitectural structure  in  a  six-acre  plot  of  ground 
in  the  center  of  the  city.  Sister  Alphonse  Cas- 
tillo is  superioress,  assisted  by  seven  other 
sister.  Latin,  French,  Spanish,  and  vocal  and 
instrumental  music  are  taught  in  this  academy. 
There  are  quite  a  number  of  boarders.  Xear 
the  academy  and  adjoining  St.  Rose  Church,  is 
a  large  free  day-school  in  charge  of  Sisters 
Angela  Gallagher  and  Crsuline  Maxwell. 

o  CD 

The  Santa  Rosa  Ladies  Sem'marij  is  owned 
and  presided  over  the  Misses  Chase,  two  excel- 
lent educationists,  who  give  a  thorough  course 
of  instruction  and  have  made  this  a  popular 
institution  of  learning.  The  ^[isses  Cliase  have 
two  assistants. 

The  Santa  Ju/Sfi  Yvunij  Ladies'  Collcije  is 
an  excellent  institution  of  learning  of  a  very 
high  order,  with  Rev.  W.  A.  Finley,  A.  M.,  D.  D., 
president,  assisted  by  an  able  corps  of  professors 
and  teachers.  This  college  stands  deservedly 
high. 

I'lre  JJejxiftyneitt.  The  Santa  Rosa  tire  de- 
partment is  one  of  the  most  notable  and  the 
most  deserving  institution  in  this  city.  It  never 
balks  or  sulks,  liut  answers  every  call  upon  it, 
whether  tu  save  life  or  property,  regardless  of 
any  risks  to  its  meml)ers.  Tiie  Santa  Rosa  en- 
gine company  was  organized  in  1860.  T.  L. 
Thompson  was  the  first  foreman,  C.  Kessing  first 
assistant,  M.  Wise  second  assistant,  J.  Doycliet 
secretary,  and  Joe  Richardson  treasurer.  The 
present  officers  of  Engine  Company  ^o.  1  are: 
i  E.  P.  Colgan,  president  ;    Henry  Baker,  fore- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


man  ;  L.  Keser,  Jr.,  tirst  assistant  ;  J.  F.  Fick, 
second  assistant  ;  M.  J.  Steining,  secretary,  and 
J.  n.  Kicliardson,  treasurer.  The  Santa  Rosa 
liook  and  ladder  company  was  organize(l  in  1871:. 
A.  Korhel  was  tirst  foreman  and  J.  lioyal  was 
lirst  assistant. 

City  Hall. — In  1883  a  very  neat  building 
for  a  City  Hall  was  erected.  Tlie  lower  part  is 
used  for  the  engine  of  Santa  Kosa  Engine  Com- 
pany No.  1,  and  the  upstairs  for  a  council  cham- 
ber and  library  rooms.  The  building  is  located 
on  the  east  side  of  the  plaza,  and  is  i]uite  an  or- 
nament to  that  heretofore  neglected  part  of  the 
town.  It  was  built  by  T.  J.  Ludwig,  at  a  cost 
of  $-1,500.  It  was  a  graceful  and  proper  thing 
to  do,  to  house  in  comfortable  and  roomy  quar- 
ters tlie  engine,  and  to  give  the  brave  fellows 
who  guard  the  property  of  the  people  a  respect- 
able room.  It  was  Justly  due  them,  and  no  one 
should  for  a  moment  complain  of  the  outlay. 
If  there  is  anything  to  complain  of,  it  is  that 
the  building  is  not  so  good  as  the  company 
deserve. 

One  of  the  most  important,  if  not  the  most 
important  enterprise  in  Santa  Rosa,  is  I.  IJe 
Turk's  winery.  The  buildings  occupy  an  entire 
block  between  Railroad  and  Adams  streets.  Mr. 
Isaac  L)e  Turk  is,  we  believe,  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  commenced  planting  vines  in  181)3 
and  laid  out  a  vineyard  of  twent}-  acres  near 
Santa  Rosa,  lie  increased  this  vineyard,  and 
added  a  wine  cellar.  Later,  to  take  advantage 
of  the  great  (juantity  of  grapes  coming  in  from 
small  vineyards  in  the  vicinity,  he  established  a 
branch  winery  in  Santa  Rosa.  The  Santa  Rosa 
winery  soon  exceeded  the  home  place  in  extent 
of  business.  A  few  years  ago,  the  buihling  be- 
ing wood,  was  partially  destroyed  by  fire,  and 
water  being  scarce,  the  contents  of  the  vats  were 
useil  to  extinguish  the  flames.  Mr.  Do  Turk 
immediately  rebuilt  with  Itrick.  This  building 
is  the  lower  one  in  the  roar  of  the  main  and 
larger  cellar,  and  is  100  feet  by  6ti  feet,  two 
stories.  This  building  is  also  of  brick,  and  like 
the  first  one  two  stories  high,  but  lias  more 
elevation.     The  two  buildings  with   tlie  yard, 


offices  and  distillery  occupy  the  entire  block, 
and  tiie  capacity  of  the  establishment  is  1,000,- 
000  gallons,  and  the  estimated  stock  of  wine  on 
hand  at  the  beginning  of  this  year  was  said  to 
be  700,000  gallons.  The  cooper's  shop,  which 
is  necessarily  a  large  establishment,  is  on  the 
block  opposite  to  the  winery.  The  winery  is 
.said  to  be  the  largest  in  California,  that  of  Sena- 
tor Stanford,  at  Vina,  excepted.  The  crushing 
room  is  furnished  with  two  crushers  and  stem- 
mers  each  having  a  capacity  of  six  tons  an  hour, 
fed  by  tramway  trucks  running  up  from  the 
scales.  The  distillery  is  in  a  detached  building 
and  is  fitted  with  two  stills,  one  for  pummace 
and  one  for  wine.  Mr.  De  Turk  has  been  for 
years  recognized  as  one  of  our  leading  viticul- 
turists.  For  two  terms  he  has  held  the  honor- 
able position  of  State  Viticultural  Commissioner 
for  his  district,  and  has  always  been  respected 
as  one  of  the  most  experienced  and  practical 
members  of  that  body.  The  wines  of  Mr.  De 
Turk  are  well  known  all  o\'er  the  United  States, 
and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  see  a  train  load 
of  cars  leave  his  warehouse  loaded  with  wine  for 
Chicago,  St.  Louis  or  New  York.  Mr.  DeTurk 
has  gained  a  reputation  for  the  purity  of  his 
wines,  and  has  always  been  an  uncompromising 
ojiponent  of  advocates  of  stretching,  flavciring, 
cohjring  and  other  schemes  of  that  demon  of  the 
wine  cellar,  the  so-called  "  chemist."  Mr.  De 
Turk's  great  specialty  is  his  clarets,  but  it  is 
hard  to  decide  whether  his  choicest  product  is 
his  claret,  or  his  Riesling  or  his  brandy.  Mr. 
De  Turk  makes  sweet  wines,  both  red  and  white, 
and  sherries.  Santa  Rosa  may  well  be  proud 
of  its  enterprising  citizen,  Isaac  De  Turk. 

'Tlie  Santa  Rosa  Holler  Floui'liuj  MUIh  has 
a  capacity  of  200  barrels  of  Hour  a  day,  besides 
grinding  meals,  feed,  etc.,  anil  would  be  a  credit 
to  any  city  of  five  times  its  population.  This 
mill  affords  a  home  market  for  much  of  the 
grain  raised  on  Santa  Rosa's  fertile  plains. 

TIte  Santa  Rosa  Woolen  2Iilh  is  an  enter- 
prise of  primary  importance  to  this  ])lace,  as  it 
opens  up  a  home  market  for  the  iminense  wool 
product  of  Sonoma  County.     The  looms  are  of 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT T. 


the  latest  design  and  the  inacliinery  of  the 
most  improved  kind.  It  employs  foi'ty  hands, 
and  has  a  capacity  of  using  1,400  pounds  of 
wool  a  day.  The  fabrics  it  turns  out  are  first- 
class. 

T/ie  Santa  Horn  Tannery  is  the  largest  in 
Sonoma  County;  its  yearly  product  is  $50,000. 
This  industry  is  of  great  importance  liere,  as 
Sonoma  is  a  great  stock-raising  county. 

The  Santa  Rosa  Planing  Mill  is  an  im- 
mense establisliment,  and  of  great  importance, 
as  it  is  so  near  the  great  lumber  regions  of  So- 
noma County  and  as  there  is  a  large  demand  for 
the  tanks,  casks,  etc.,  which  it  manufactures 
for  wine  and  water  pur])Oses,  liesides  the  im- 
mense amount  of  building  material  it  tarns 
out. 

The  Gas  Works  ha\e  a  capacity  of  20,000 
cubic  feet  a  day.  They  use  a  Cummer  engine, 
of  150  horse  power.  In  the  electric  light  de- 
partment are  four  dynamos  with  a  combined 
capacity  of  ninety-seven  lights.  They  are  run- 
ning eighty-five  lights  now.  They  use  the 
Thompson  ct  Houston  system.  They  intend  soon 
put  in  an  incandescent  dynamo  to  run  sevei'al 
hundred  lights  at  a  much  less  e.xjtense  to  the 
consumer.  The  late  John  A.  Pa.xton  Mas  pre- 
sident of  this  corporation  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  A.  G.  Murdock,  secretary  and  super- 
intendent, and  the  Santa  llosa  Bank,  Treasurer. 


SANTA  KOSA  OFFICERS. 

li.  W.  Byington,  Mayor;  II.  II.  Churchill, 
Clerk;  ^\\  F.  Russell,  Attorney;  W.  X.  Seawell, 
Recorder;  Jacolj  J.  Lowery.  Marshal;  E.  F. 
Woodward,  Treasurer;  R.  McGeorge,  Assessor; 
W.  J.  Steadman,  Street  Commissioner.  City 
Council:  J.  W.  Warboys,  Orin  Howell,  W.  J. 
Doggett  J.  F.  Smith,  L.  W.  Burris,  Win.  Doran. 

Council  meets  in  regular  session,  in  city  hall, 
first  Tuesday  of  each  month. 

Police  Force — Night  Patrol:  I.  B.  Charles, 
E.  Gardner,  W.  S.  Mead,  S.  R.  Yoho. 

Public  Library:  C.  E.  Ilutton,  Rresident; 
R.  M.  Swain,  Seci'etary.  Mrs.  Binkley,  Lib- 
rarian. Open  every  day  (except  on  Sundays), 
from  1  to  5  and  7  to  9  o'clock  r.  m. 

Board  of  Health:  Dr.  R.  Press  Smith,  Pre- 
sident; J.  J.  Lowery,  Health  Ofiicer. 

Fire  Depirtment:  J.  A.  Doubleday,  Chief 
Engineer;  W.  II.  Lee,  First  Assistant  Engineer; 
J.  K.  Piggott,  Second  Assistant  Engineer;  W. 
J.  Steadman,   Fire  Marshal. 

Board  i>f  Education:  J.  U.  Barnett,  Presi- 
dent; George  Hall,  Secretary;  L.  E.  lloud.  As- 
sessor and  Collector. 

Santa  liosa  Board  of  Trad,':  A.  P.  Overlon, 
President;  B.M.  Spencer,  First  Vice-President; 
S.  I.  Allen,  Second  Vice-President;  J.  W. 
Warboys,  Secretary;  W.  E.  McConnell,  Treas- 
urer. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


t-^- 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

ToWX-ilHP    HISTOKV — ^nKIiaX   OF  NAME ClIKOXOLOdlCAL Bl'SIXESS  INTERESTS CHURCITES THE  PRESS. 


f[L8EWlIERE  mention  has  been  made  of 
tlie  earliest  residents  and  fonnders  of  Peta- 
.  luma.  Also  an  epitome  of  the  record  fur- 
nished by  the  Sonoma  County  Journal  from 
August,  1855,  to  August,  1866,  gives  the  prog- 
ress made  up  to  that  date,  and  the  names  of 
most  of  those  identified  with  the  founding  of 
Petaluma.  We  now  give  a  resume  of  the  most 
important  events  historic  of  both  Petaluma 
Township  and  the  city  of  Petaluma. 

The  origin  or  meaning  of  the  word  "  Petalu- 
ma" is  yet  a  mooted  question,  but  it  is  agreed 
that  it  is  an  Indian  word,  signifying  either 
'•duck  hills,"  or  '-little  hills."  Petaluma  is 
situated  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Peta- 
luma Creek,  a  tide-stream  that  is  an  arm  of  San 
Pablo  Bay.  The  first  authentic  history  extant 
of  the  navigation  of  tliis  creek  is,  that  it  was 
ascended  in  1776,  by  Captain  Quiros  and  a 
party  of  explorers,  with  the  expectation  of  find- 
ing in  it  a  connecting  channel  between  the  bays 
of  San  Francisco  and  Podcga.  The  next  authen- 
tic record  of  a  vi.iit  to  this  valley  is  that  of 
Father  Altimira,  in  1823,  in  search  of  aplace  to 
found  a  mission.  In  1836  General  M.  G.  Val- 
lejo  built  the  first  house  in  Petaluma  A'alley. 
The  building,  a  large  adobe  structure,  now  fast 
crumbling  to  ruins,  stands  in  fair  view  three 
miles  eastward  of  Petaluma.  While  as  early  as 
1850  there  svei'e  but  a  few  Americans  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  present  site  of  Petaluma, 

16 


mostly  engaged  killing  game  that  abounded 
here  in  great  profusion,  yet  the  first  permanent 
locations  were  made  here  for  business  and  trade 
in  1851.  Some  time  in  the  latter  part  of 
1851,  or  the  early  part  of  1852,  the  first  move 
was  in  the  direction  of  platting  a  town  and  of- 
fering lots  for  sale.  The  location  was  happily 
chosen,  for  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Pet- 
aluma Creek  was  to  the  vast  scope  of  rich  agri- 
cultural and  grazing  lands  lying  l)ack  of  it  what 
the  Bay  of  San  F'rancisco  was  to  the  balance  of 
the  State.  As  population  poured  into  the  sur- 
rounding country  it  accelerated  the  growth  and 
business  of  Petaluma.  This  growth  has  been 
of  a  steady,  healthy  clniracter,  and  now  when 
having  reached  a  population  of  over  5,000,  it 
can  be  truthfully  said  that  Petaluma  is  \\\  as 
prosperous  and  thrifty  a  condition  as  any  other 
city  of  its  size  on  the  Pacific  coast.  Its  growth 
has  not  been  spasmodic  and  forced,  but  healthy 
and  permanent.  For  an  interior  city  of  a  little 
over  thirty  years'  growth,  the  people  have  rea- 
son to  be  proud  of  Petaluma,  and  feel  that  her 
future  growth  and  development  will  not  be  a 
discredit  to  her  jjast  history. 

Turning  to  the  journals  of  the  day  we  cull 
the  following,  which  we  give  in  tlie  chronologi- 
cal order  in  which  we  find  them  recorded: 

November  7,  1856 — Rev.  A.  A.  Baker,  pastor 
of  tlie  Congregational  Church,  makes  a  plea  in 
behalf    of  improving    the  Petaluma  cemetery. 


344 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


December  5,  1856 — Mr.  J.  Dickinson,  broth- 
er of  the  afterward  famous  Miss  Anna  Dickin- 
son, was  teaching  a  private  school  in  Petaluraa. 

November  20,  1857— The  Petaluma  Hook 
and  Ladder  Company  was  organized. 

July  17,1857 — The  Congregational  Church, 
Petaluma,  M-as  dedicated  —Rev.  J.  A.  Benton, 
of  Sacramento,  delivering  the  discourse. 

August  13,  1857 — At  the  close  of  term  of 
the  Petaluma  public  school,  Mr.  James  Den- 
man,  principal,  delivered  an  able  address. 

May  14,1857 — A  draw-bridge  was  completed 
at  the  crossing  of  the  Petaluma  Creek,  on 
Washington  street. 

January  15,  1858 — The  first  flour-mill  of 
Petaluma  commenced  operations. 

On  the  12t]i  of  April,  1858,  the  California 
Legislature  enacted  a  city  charter  for  Petaluma. 

On  April  23rd,  1858,  the  first  city  election 
was  held  and  the  following  otticers  elected: 

Trustees:  W.  L.  Anderson.  "Wm.  Elder, 
Sam'l.  Tustin,  E.  IJ.  Cooper,  AVm.  Ordway; 
Recorder,  William  Haydon ;  Treasurer,  L.  Lam- 
berton;  Marshal,  J.  H.  Siddons;  Assessor, 
Moses  Arms. 

Ordinance  No.  1,  formulated  by  this  Board  of 
Trustees,  was  promulgated  on  the  21st  of  May. 
Of  these,  the  first  officers  of  the  city  of  Peta- 
luma, W.  L.  Anderson  and  E.  B.  Cooper  are 
the  only  ones  now  living. 

June  25,  1858 — McCune"s  Hlock,  and  several 
otlier  substantial  buildings  completcil  in  Peta- 
luma. 

July  4,  1858 — This  was  a  memorable  natal 
day  in  Petaluma.  The  eloquent  orator.  Colonel 
E.  D.  Baker,  delivered  the  oration.  There  were 
banner  presentations  by  the  ladies  of  Petaluma 
to  the  Fire  Engine  and  Ilook  and  Ladder  com- 
panies, and  also  a  banner  presentation  to  the 
Congregational  Sabbath-school. 

September  24,  1858 — The  Congregational 
Church  procured  a  600  pound  bell. 

(October  8,  1858— The  Baptist  Church  pur- 
chased a  bell  weighing  1,000  pounds.  It  is  the 
bell  used  by  tiie  San  Francisco  A'igilance  Com- 
mittee in  1856. 


June  17,  1859 — The  steamer  Rambler,  built 
to  run  between  Petaluma  and  San  Francisco, 
was  completed. 

July  1,  1859 — Colonel  E.  D.  Baker  and  Be- 
laud Stanford  addressed  a  Republican  meeting  at 
Petaluma. 

August  12,  1S59 — The  corner-stone  of  the 
Petaluma  brick  school  building  was  laid  with 
appropriate  ceremonies. 

September  2,  1859 — The  ladies  of  Petaluma 
2)resentetl  a  banner  to  the  Petaluma  Guards. 

September  23, 1859 — The  celebrated  traveler. 
Bayard  Taylor,  lectured  in  Petaluma. 

October  14,  1859 — Announcement  was  made 
that  a  new  Journal,  the  Petaluma  Argu'<,  was  to 
be  published,  J.  J.  Pennypacker,  proprietor. 

December  9,  1859-^Dr.  T.  A.  Ilylton,  a  pio- 
neer physician  of  Petaluma,  died  suddenly  while 
crossing  the  mountains  to  Nevada  Territory. 

February  10,  1860  —  St.  John's  Episcopal 
Church,  Petaluma,  was  consecrated. 

Novemljer  30,  1860 — The  schooner  Elsie  J. 
Cline,  twenty-two  tons  burthen,  liuilt  at  Peta- 
luma, was  safely  launched. 

December  21,  1861 — A  savings  and  loan 
society  was  organized. 

April  20,  1861 — A  tannery  was  started  in 
Petaluma  by  C.  II.  Bailey. 

February  4,  1862 — Dr.  S.  W.  Brown,  one  of 
Petaluma's  most  respected  and  esteemed  citizens, 
and  a  sterling  patron  of  education,  died  very 
suddenly. 

April  9,  1862 — The  Legislature  amended  the 
city  charter  of  Petaluma. 

September  17,  1862 — The  Ortega  claim  to 
the  Arroyo  de  San  Antonio  grant  finally  rejected. 

April  15,  1863 — J.  C.  Bradbury  was  found 
dead  in  his  room.  lie  was  a  brother  of  W.  B. 
Bradljury.  the  noted  composer  of  music.  Mr. 
Bradl)ury  was  an  architect,  and  built  the  Congre- 
gational Church  in  Petaluma  and  the  Two 
Rock  Church.  He  had  many  friends,  and  was 
his  own  worst  enemy.  He  sleeps  in  an  unmarked 
grave  in  the  old  cemetery. 

June  3,  1863 — The  Petaluma  Guards  pre- 
sented a  sword  to  Captain  P.  B.  Hewlett. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


245 


July  4r,  1863— Hon.  Newton  Booth  delivered 
the  oration  at  Petahuna. 

December  23, 1863 — Arteiniis  Ward  (Charles 
Brown),  the  celebrated  wit, lectured  in  Petaluina. 

December  23,  1863 — Fetaliima  for  the  lirst 
tinje  was  lighted  with  gas. 

May  26, 1864— McN ear  BrotliL^rs  built  a  brick 
warehouse  150  feet  square. 

July  21,1864: — Rev.  Doctor  Uellows  acknowl- 
edges the  receipt  of  $2,000  from  the  ladies  of 
Petaluma  in  aid  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  for 
tlie  relief  of  Union  soldiei's  during  the  civil  war. 

September  8,  1864 — The  steamboat  Ware- 
house, owned  by  Colonel  Joshua  H.  Lewis,  was 
burned,  together  with  a  large  amount  of  freiglit. 

April  20,  1865 — Petaluma  was  draped  in 
mourning  on  account  of  the  assassination  of 
Lincoln.  There  was  a  funeral  procession,  and 
I'rofessor  E.  S.  Lijjpett  delivered  an  elorpient 
oration. 

It  may  not  be  inappropriate  here  to  quote  the 
following  tribute  from  the  Petaluma  Argus  of 
April  20,  1865: 

"Fullness  of  speech  may  not  be  indulged, 
while  a  sable-clad  nation  weeps  at  the  tomb  of 
its  mighty  fallen.  Pearly  drops  from  humid 
eyes  speak  a  language  that  tongue  cannot  utter, 
nor  pen  indite;  the  language  of  the  heart  as  it 
has  been  since  the  stars  sang  together  on  the 
morn'of  creation.  As  Mary  knelt  weeping  by 
the  sepnlclire  of  the  world's  Pedeemei',  eigh- 
teen hundred  years  ago,  even  so  now  a  nation 
mourns  at  the  tomb  of  its  saviour.  The  harsh 
notes  of  trumpet-tongued  courier  did  not  blazon 
his  fall,  but  from  where  the  boisterous  Atlantic 
hurls  its  crested  waves  against  Plymouth  liock 
to  where  the  placid  Pacific  laves  our  golden 
shores,  the  swift-winged  messenger,  with  the 
rapidity  of  thought,  and  the  low  cadence  of  sum- 
mer winds,  told  the  story  of  tlie  assassin's  deed; 
and  scarce  had  the  vaulted  arch  of  Heaven  been 
cleft  to  receive  his  noble  spirit  up  on  high,  liefore 
around  a  million  hearts  sat  unmanned  manhood 
weeping,  as  it  is  seemly  that  women  alone  might 
weep.  Never  since  the  earth  reeled  as  if  rocked 
by  a  mighty  tempest,  and  the  vail  of  the  temple 


was  rent  in  twain,  has  mankind,  universal,  bled 
in  the  representative  of  principle  so  pure,  so 
lofty,  and  so  God-like  in  their  adaptability  to  all 
the  wants  and  requirements  of  humanity',  the 
world  over,  as  in  the  person  of  Auk  ah  am  Lincoln. 
Not  like  the  meteor's  fitful  gleam  athwart  the 
sky,  fading  into  the  dark  chaos  of  night,  has  been 
his  going  out;  but  as  the  bright  orb  of  day 
sinking  to  rest  behind  the  western  hills  leaves 
its  last  golden  rays  illumining  the  mountain 
gorge,  and  beetling  clitf,  so  too  will  the  light  of 
his  pui"e  self-sacrificing  devotion  to  justice  and 
freedom,  irradiate  the  dark  corners  of  the 
earth,  and  the  history  of  his  life,  and  the  story 
of  his  death,  will  be  assigned  a  place  in  the 
world's  archives;  will  be  read  by  the  glare  of 
lamps,  trimmed  by  servile  hands,  and  do  the 
bidding  of  those  who  claim  to  rule  by  right 
Divine;  will  be  studied  by  peasants  on  sunny 
plains  and  Alpine  hills;  and  yet  farther  on, 
where  day  and  night  comes  and  goes  but  ouce  a 
year,  the  fur-clad  Laplander,  by  the  amber 
light  of  the  Aurora  Borealis  will  read  the  story 
and  pray  that  the  assassin  who  struck  him  down, 
may  be  exiled  to  some  frigid  clime,  where  even 
the  rays  of  a  polar  sun  may  be  denied  him.  A 
chieftain  has  fallen ;  his  grave  is  in  the  hearts 
of  his  countrymen;  let  those  pay  heed  whose 
foul  tongues,  in  unbridled  license,  have  aspersed 
his  name!  The  assassin  has  done  your  work! 
Leave  us  alone  with  our  dead!"  Thus  had  the 
mighty  fallen! 

"  Hush,  tlie  Dead  March  wails  iu  the  people's  ears  ; 
The  dark  crowd  moves,  aud  there  are  sobs  and  tears; 
The  black  earth  yawns ;  the  mortal  disappears, 
Ashes  to  ashes,  dust  to  dust; 
He  is  gone  who  seemed  so  great — 
Gone;  but  nothing  can  bereave  him 
Of  the  force  he  made  his  own 
Being  here,  aud  we  believe  him 
Something  far  advanced  in  stale. 
And  that  he  wears  a  truer  crown 
Than  any  wreath  that  man  can  weave  him. 
Speak  no  more  of  his  renown, 
Lay  your  earthly  fancies  down. 
And  iu  the  vast  cathedral  leave  him. 
God  accept  him,  Christ  receive  him.'' 

June  15,  1865 — The  cornerstone  of  the  new 


246 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  laid,  liev.  M. 
C.  Briggi^  officiating. 

Deeeiiiljcr  7,  18(55 — A'ice- President  Sclniyler 
Colfax  visited  relatives  in  Petahuiia,  and  was 
waited  upon  l)y  a  large  delegation  of  her  people, 
to   whom  he  delivered   an  eloquent  address. 

June  28,  1866 — A  fire  occurred  in  I'etaluina 
destroying  several  buildings,  among  tlicm  tlic 
Franlilin   and  Sullivan  hotels. 

August  30,  1860— The  boiler  of  the  locomo- 
tive that  was  used  for  the  carrying  of  passen- 
gers and  freight  between  Petaluma  and  the 
"  Haystack  Landing,"  exploded  at  the  l^eta- 
luma  warehouse,  killitig  the  engineer;  Dodge, 
the  warehouse  keeper;  J.  II.  Lewis,  the  owner 
of  the  building,  and  a  boy-  named  Thompson. 
Several  otliers  were  injured. 

December  20,  18(i6 — Tiburico  A'asquez,  the 
afterward  notorious  banditti,  was  arrested  by 
city  marshal,  James  H.  Knowles,  for  burglar- 
izing a  store.  County  Judge  C.  W.  Langdon, 
sentenced  him  to  four  years  at  San  Quinten. 
lie  served  his  time  out,  aud  developed  into  a 
full-Hedged  robber.  He  paid  the  penalty  of  his 
crimes  on  the  gallows  at   San  Jose  about  1875. 

January  3,  1867 — A  public  library  was  or- 
ganized under  the  auspices  of  the  Odd  Fellows 
society.  It  was  finally  merged  into  a  city 
library,  aud  now  has  several  thousand   volumes. 

January  10,  1867 — AVm.  Ordway,  one  of 
I'etaluma's  most  widely  known  and  successful 
mechanics,  passed  away. 

April  4,  1867 — The  convent,  school  ij^  the 
Catholic  Church  was  duly  inaugurated,  and  for 
many  years  was  a  prominent  educational  institu- 
tion under  thedirection  of  the  Sistei-s  of  Charity. 

June  13,  1867 — The  ladies  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church  presented  the  Petaluma  Guards, 
Captain  James  Armstrong  con:mandiiig,  an 
elegant  banner. 

August  1,  1867 — A  planing  mill  and  sash 
factory  was  put  in  succesful  operation  in  East 
Petaluma. 

September  12,  1867 — Petaluma  lost  one  of 
her  oldest  and  most  enterprising  citizens,  by 
the  deatli  of  Captain  T.  F.  Baylis. 


September  26,  1867 — The  city  of  Petaluma 
added  a  new  engine  tu  its  fire-department. 

September  26,  1867 — Professor  E.  S.  Lippitt 
started  a  high    school  in  Petaluma. 

October  10,  1867 — Solomon  Pearce,  a  higidy 
respected  citizen,  met  witli  a  railroad  accident 
in  Napa  Valley,  which  resulted  in  his  death. 

March  12,  1868 — A  soap  factoi-y  was  estali- 
lished  in  Petaluma. 

June  25,  1868 — E.  Z.  C.  Judson  (Xed  Bunt- 
line)  delivered  a  temperance  lecture  in  I'etaluma. 

July  16,  1868 — Petaluma  was  scourged  with 
the  small  pox.     There  were  ten  or  fifteen  deaths. 

July  23,  1868 — Petaluma  had  a  pottery  in 
successful   operation. 

October  1,  1868 — Petaluma  was  visited  with 
a  disastrous  fire.  The  American  hotel  and  sev- 
eral other  valuable  buildings  were  destroyed. 

October  8,  1868 — Uriah  Edwards  fell  a  victim 
to  the  small-pox.  He  was  an  old  and  lionored 
citizen,  having  served  the  county  in  the  State 
Legislature. 

October  22,  1868  -The  Mutual  Relief  Associ- 
ation of  Petaluma  was  organized. 

September  9, 1869 — Mr.  and  Mrs.  TomThumli 
visited  Petaluma. 

March  15,  1870 — A  company  was  organized 
to  build  a  theater.  A  fine  edifice  was  erected 
and  opened  to  the  public  on  the  10th  of  October. 

April  9,  1870 — Petaluma  lost  a  good  and 
valuable  citizen  by  the  death  of  Dr.  "Wm.  15ur- 
nett.  He  was  a  State  Senator  at  the  time  of 
his  demise. 

January  21,  1S71 — Louis  Parnes  (colored) 
died  at  a  ri]>e  old  age.  He  had  been  a  slave  the 
most  of  his  life.  He  was  esteemed  by  all  who 
knew  him. 

July  22,  1871 — The  corner  stone  of  Odd 
Fellows  Block  was  laid,  with  appropriate  cere- 
monies. 

Xovember  11,  1871--Captain  J.  S.  Cutter, 
one  of  the  firm  of  Baylis  cV:  Co.,  passed  away. 
He  had  been  a  good  and  useful  citizen. 

March  23,  1872--Petalnina  was  visited  by  a 
destructive  fire  whicrh  swept  away  ^75. 000  worth 
of  property. 


niSTORY    0^   SOIfOJtA    COVlfTf. 


247 


April  20,  1872 — The  water  t-uinpanies  uf 
Petalnma  were  consolidated,  and  action  was 
taken  to  secure  a  larger  supply  of  water. 

^[ay  18, 1872 — This  was  a  season  of  great  im- 
provement in  Petaluma.  The  estimated  cost  of 
the  buildings  erected  was  ift225,0O0. 

June  22,  1872 — S.  Levy,  one  of  I'etaluma's 
larii;est  dry  goods  merchants,  died. 

July  0,  1872 — A  joint-stock  manufacturing 
company  was  formed  iti  Petaluma.  A  full  out- 
fit was  purchased  and  a  woolen  mill  was  set  in 
operation. 

September  13,  1872 — (Jencral  Joseph  Hook- 
er visited  Petaluma,  where  he  spent  several 
days,  the  guest   I.  G.  Wickersham,  and   family. 

October  25,  1872 — The  new  Washington 
Hotel  was  completed  and  oi^ened  to  the  public. 

January  10,  1873 — The  Miranda  claim  to 
the  Arroyo  de  San  Antonio  grant,  on  which 
Petaluma  stands,  was  finally  confirmed  by  the 
United   States  Supreme  Court. 

April  25,1873 — Simon  ("onrad,  oneof  Pet- 
aluma's  most  energetic  mechanics,  who  carried 
on  a  large  blacksmithing  establishment,  died. 

June  27,  1873 — Petaluma  was  visited  by  a 
destructive  fire,  and  the  American  Hotel  ai.d 
adjacent  buildings  were  again  reiluced  to  ashes. 

July  4,  1873 — Petaluma  was  again  called 
upon  to  part  with  one  of  its  respected  and  pioneer 
citizens,  Dr.  J.  L.  Bond. 

July  25,  1873 — The  last  member  of  the  old 
firm  of  T.  F.  Paylis  &  Co.,  Captain  1).  SnlHvan, 
paid  the  last  debt  of  nature. 

January  2,  1874 — Petaluma  was  again  visited 
with  a  destructive  fire. 

January  23,  1874 — E.  C.  Thomas,  a  promi- 
nent citizen  of  Petaluma,  and  a  son  of  liev.  E. 
Thomas  who  was  killed  in  the  (ieneral  ('anby 
massacre  by  tlie  Modnc  Indians,. died  in  Peta- 
luma. 

March  13,  1874 — Uev.  John  L.  Stephens, 
who  had  grown  up  in  Petaluma,  was  most  foully 
murdered  in  Ahulco,  ^Mexico,  where*  he  had 
gone  as  a  Protestant  missionary.  His  remains 
were  brought  back  and  now  repose  in  (^ypress 
Hill  Cemetery. 


May  1,  1874 — Charles  Cobb  died,  why  was 
long  a  machinist  in  the  foundry  of  C.  P.  Hatch, 
Petaluma. 

May  22,  1874.^John  J.  Ellis,  formerly  a 
citizen  of  Petaluma,  and  once  sheriff  of  Sonoma 
County,  was  frozen  to  ileath  in  Nevada  Territory. 

September  25, 1874— The  First  National  Gold 
Pank  of  California  was  organized  at  Petaluma, 
with  I.  G.  Wickerham  as  president,  and  H.  H. 
Atwater  as  cashier. 

January  1,  1875— J.  P.  Lookie,  one  of  i'eta- 
luma's  valued  citizens,  passed  away. 

January  1,  1875 — Tiie  new  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  was  formally  dedicated. 

January  15,  1875 — Petaluma  lost  an  old-time 
and  valued  citizen  in  the  person  of  Deacon  Jacob 
Gilbert. 

July  (),  1875 — 1'he  coriier-.'^tone  of  the  new 
Catholic  Ciiurch  of  Pi'taluina  was  laid  with  be- 
coming ceremonies. 

September  24,  1875  ('.  P.  Thomas,  a  son  of 
Ezra  Thomas,  killed  in  the  Canby  massacre  by 
the  ]\[odoc  Indians,  died  in  Petaluma. 

March  3,  1870 — The  centennial  building  of 
John  Pfun  was  completed. 

April  21,  1876— Captain  C.  M.  Baxter,  long 
acaptainon  the  Minturn  line  of  steamers  i)lying 
between  Petaluma  and  San  Francisco,  died. 

May  19,  1876— The  Petaluma  Catholic 
Church  was  formally  dedicated. 

July  14,  1870— A.  C.  St.  John,  a  prominent 
dealer  in  improved  breeds  of  stock,  died. 

Septendier  22,  lS76-Wm.  Elder  died,  who 
was  one  of  Petaluma's  most  respected  jiioneer 
merchants. 

September  29,  1876— .\.  G.  Medley,  who  was 
one  of  Petaluma's  earliest  jewelers,  died. 

December  29,  1876 — Wm.  B.  Spear,  a  prom- 
inent capitalist  of  Petaluma,  died. 

January  19,  1877 — Stephen  I 'ay  ran,  long  a 
resident  of  East  Petalnma  and  for  many  veai\s 
a  justice  of  tlie  peace,  died. 

April  20,  1877  Petaluma  has  an  exciting 
time  in  deciding  whether  or  not  a  colored  boy 
answering  to  the  unusual  name  of  "Jones,"  shall 
be  admitted  to  the  privilege  of  iier  public  schools. 


248 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


June  8,  1877 — Parker  E.  Weeks,  an  old-time 
resident  of  Petaluma,  passed  on. 

August  24,  1877 — "  Cogniac,"'  a  Norman 
stallion  that  acquired  the  title  of  the  "  man 
eater,"  killed  a  man  at  the  Petaluma  Fair 
Grounds.  Cugniac  took  tlie  man  and  shook 
him  like  a  dog  would  a  rabbit,  until  he  was 
dead.  The  horse  was  valued  at  810,000,  but  he 
was  a  terror  to  humanity. 

October  12,  1877— F.  D.  Colton,  long  a  law- 
yer of  prominence  in  Petaluma,  died  in  San 
Francisco. 

February  22,  1878 — J.  N.  McCune,  a  former 
resident  of  Petaluma,  but  for  many  years  a 
commission  merchant  of  San  Francisco,  died. 

March  15,  1878 — D.  D.  Cardie,  a  lawyer  and 
one  of  Petaluma's  pioneer  citizens,  died. 

Jnue  14,  1878— X.  O.  Stafford,  a  pioneer  res- 
ident of  Petaluma,  died  at  Tustin  City,  Los 
Angelos  County. 

August  9,  1878 — J.  M.  ]>owles  started  a  new 
flowering  mill  in  Petaluma. 

September  6,  1878 — Martin  llarr,  the  manu- 
facturer of  the  celebrated  saddle-trees  bearing 
his  name,  died. 

September  0,  1878 — Kev.  Henry  Ward 
Beecher,  the  eminent  pulpit  orator,  delivered  a 
lecture  in  Petaluma. 

October  IS,  1S78— Petaluma  sent  sl,u97.25 
to  the  yellow  fever  sufferers  of  the  South. 

November  29,  1878 — Daniel  S.  Lane,  who 
for  eight  years  had  been  a  principal  writer  on 
the  Argus  staff,  died. 

November  14,  1879 — Captain  Edward  Lata- 
pie,  long  of  Petaluma,  until  elected  county 
sheriff',  died. 

April  30,  1880— F.  P.  McNear,  assistant 
cashier  of  tlie  l>ank  of  Sonoma  Count}',  died. 

March  4,  1881 — Harlow  Hinkston,  an  aged 
gentleman  of  Petaluma,  died. 

May  13,  1881— Captain  Weimer  sold  tlie 
steamer  Pilot  to  A.  McFnrland  &  Co. 

June  3,  1881 — Wm.  II.  Dalton,  one  of  Peta- 
Inma's  most  valued  business  men,  died. 

June  22,  1881 — A  California  lion  of  large 
size  was  killed  within  the  limits  of  Petaluma. 


May  12,  1882 — The  new  water  reservoir  for 
Petaluma,  with  a  capacity  of  2,500,000,  was 
completed. 

June  2,  1882 — Captain  Oliver  Allen,  an 
esteemed  citizen,  died. 

July  28,  1882— Josiah  Chandler,  one  of  the 
oldest  citizens  of  Petaluma  and  a  lawyer  of  good 
ability,  died. 

March  3,  1883 — A  company  was  organized 
and  a  fruit  caimer}'  started  in  Petaluma. 

May  19,  1883 — A.  J.  J.  Pearce,  a  young  man 
of  prominence  in  Petaluma,  died. 

May  26,  1883 — The  steamer  Pilot  blew  up  a 
few  miles  below  Petaluma,  and  seven  lives  were 
lost. 

December  8,  1883 — The  Main  street  of 
Petaluma  was  being  paved  with  basalt  blocks. 

February  16,  1884— Hon.  A.  P.  Whitney, 
one  of  Petaluma's  most  stirring  business  men, 
died. 

July  5,  1884 — G.  R.  Codding,  who  had  long 
been  identified  with  Petaluma,  died. 

August  16,  1884 — A  fruit  dryer  was  put  in 
operation  in  Petaluma. 

September  13,  1884 — Dr.  J.  B.  Christie,  one 
of  Petaluma's  most  cultured  professional  men, 
died. 

September  27,  1884 — Colonel  Robert  Inger- 
soll,  the  great  orator,  lectured  in  Petaluma. 

December  6,  1884 — Dr.  Isaac  L.  Dias,  a 
dentist  and  quite  an  inventor,  was  killed 
accidentally  while  hunting. 

December  13. 1884 — Captain  James  Kennell  v, 
a  well-known  and  much  respected  mechanic, 
died. 

December  27,  1884— The  Petaluma  Golden 
Eagle  Flour  Mills  were  burned. 

April  18,  1885 — Dr.  A.  P.  Lovejoy,  a  dentist 
and  for  many  years  telegraph  operator  in 
Petaluma,  died. 

September  19,  1885— "Josh  Billings"  (H. 
W.  Shaw),  the  humorist,  lectured  in  Petaluma. 
It  was  ne.xt  to  the  last  lecturS  he  ever  delivered, 
as  he  died  very  suddenly  at  the  Hotel  Del 
Monte,  Monterey,  a  few  days  thereafter. 

October  17,  1885 — Captain  Cornelius  Iloyer, 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


249 


wlio  bad  liad  long  experience  as  a  sea  captain, 
died  at  a  rijie  old  age. 

April  24,  1886— William  L.  Van  Doren,  an 
old-time  resident,  and  a  pioneer  hotel-keeper  in 
Petaluma,  died. 

September  4,  1886 — Tbe  residence  of  Mr. 
Henry  Homes,  of  Petaluma,  was  burned,  and 
his  little  daughter  Pearl,  nine  years  of  age, 
perished  in  the  flames. 

October  9,  1886— Henry  (ioldstein,  who  had 
been  in  business  in  Petaluma  over  a  quarter  of 
a  century,  died. 

October  10,  1886 — Jerome  B.  Gossage,  an  old 
resident  near  Petaluma,  died. 

October  25,  1886— J.  McA.  Brown  was 
thrown  violently  from  his  vehicle  and  sustained 
injuries  that  resulted  in  death. 

October  30,  1886— C.  P.  Bigsby,  one  of  the 
first  niembers  of  the  Congregational  Church  in 
Petaluma,  died. 

November  6, 1886— AVilliam  D.  Bliss,  one  of 
Petaluma's  most  cultured  citizens,  and  a  lawyer 
of  long  practice,  died.  His  mother,  now  de- 
ceased a  few  years,  was  the  wife  of  George 
Bancroft,  the  American  historian. 

December  3,  1887 — Jolin  i'owman,  an  octo- 
genarian, and  esteemed  by  all,  died. 

December  17,  1887 — Ifenry  Gregory,  a  good 
and  useful  citizen,  died  suddenly  at  his  brother's 
ranch  in  the  country. 

December  24, 1887 — Julius  Bloom  was  killed 
at  Petaluma  by  a  railroad  accident.  He  was 
city  marshal  of  Petaluma. 

December  31,  1887— AVilliam  L.  Keys,  than 
whom  amore conscientious  man  never  lived,  died. 

January  22,  1888— H.  Haskell,  an  old-time 
merchant  of  Petaluma,  died. 

January  22,  1888 — James  D.  Thompson,  one 
of  Petaluma's  oldest  citizens,  died. 

February  4,  1888 — Joshua  S!  Brackett,  one 
of  Sonoma  County's  pioneers,  died. 

March  3,  1888 — Deacon  David  Stuart,  a  good 
and  exemplary  citizen,  died. 

May  5,  1888 — The  corner-stone  of  the  Catho- 
lic convent    buildinj;  was  laid   with  the    usual 


ceremonies. 


July  28,  1888— By  the  death  of  Dr.  W.  W. 
Carpenter,  Petaluma  lost  one  of  its  most  cul- 
tured citizens. 

AVe  have  given  in  their  chronological  order 
the  deaths  of  many  of  Petaluma's  pioneer  and 
prominent  men.  It  is  in  place  to  mention  the 
names  of  some  of  the  matrons  who  were  pioneer 
residents  of  Petaluma.  In  the  Petaluma  Argus 
of  June  11,  1880,  we  find  the  following: 

"  Thursday  last  was  the  occasion  of  a  very 
pleasant  gathering  of  aged  ladies  in  this  city,  at 
the  residence  of  Mrs.  Jacob  Gilbert,  who  on 
that  day  had  reached  her  seventy-eighth  birth- 
day. Some  seventeen  of  her  aged  lady  friends 
organized  a  surprise  and  in  a  body  called  upon 
Mrs.  Gilbert.  Although  it  may  not  be  con- 
sidered very  gallant  in  us  to  give  to  the  world 
the  respective  ages  of  these  mothers  in  Israel, 
yet,  as  we  have  them  from  one  who  knows,  we 
give  them  as  follows:  Mrs.  Button,  Vermont, 
70;  Mrs.  Colby,  Vermont,  73;  Mrs.  AVeber, 
A^ermont,  75;  Mrs.  Otis,  Vermont,  71;  Mrs. 
Pierce,  Vermont,  06;  Mrs.  Donaldson,  New 
York,  70;  Mrs.  Pickett,  New  York,  78;  Mrs. 
Gilbert,  New  York,  78;  Mrs.  Cooper,  New 
York,  66;  Mrs.  Sweatland,  Massachusetts,  79; 
Mrs.  Eickert,  Massachusetts,  64;  Mrs.  Mc- 
Curdy,  Maine,  76;  Mrs.  Lewis,  Virginia,  62; 
Mrs.  (Barrett,  Maine,  60;  Mrs.  AVilliams,  Maine, 
88;  Mrs.  Galispie,  Indiana,  60;  Mrs.  Keys, 
England,  06;  Mrs.  Brown,  Ohio,  79.  Total 
ages,  1,287;  average  ages,  seventy-one  years 
and  six  months.  Of  the  eighteen  assembled 
sixteen  were  widows.  AYe  presume  that  these 
now  aged  matrons  little  dreamed  in  the  long 
ago  that  life's  sunset  would  find  them  on  the 
golden  shores  of  the  Pacific." 

Of  these  aged  ladies  who  met  in  social  re- 
union in  1880,  at  the  present  writing  (1888), 
the  feet  of  two  thirds  of  them  have  pressed 
already  the  summit  between  earth  and  the  illim- 
itable vales  of  the  great  evermore. 

Below  we  give  a  fair  statement  of  the  magni- 
tude and  importance  of  Petaluma,  its  industries 
and  advantages: 

Petaluma  lias  a  present  population  of  nearly 


250 


BISTORT    OP   SOlfOMA    OOXJNTf. 


5,000.  She  is  located  about  thirty-eight  miles 
by  rail,  north  of  San  Francisco.  She  commands 
the  head  of  navigation  on  an  arm  of  San  Pablo 
Kay,  and  occupies  a  position  of  freight  advant- 
ages, considering-  the  vast  amount  of  produce  of 
which  she  is  the  shipping  center,  enjoyed  by  no 
other  city  of  the  size  in  the  State.  Back  of, 
and  tributary  to  Petaluma,  is  an  extent  of  rich 
teri'itory  of  an  average  of  twelve  miles  in  width 
and  twenty  miles  in  lengtii,  that  sends  all  of  its 
]iroduce  this  way,  including  nuicli  produced 
outside  of  these  lines  that  seeks  IVtaiunia  for 
vheap  transportation. 

Referring  back  to  statistics  published  we  find 
the  foHowing  in  reference  to  the  magnitude  of 
the  railroad  tratHc  between  Tetaluma  and  San 
Francisco:  In  1877  the  railroad  company  took 
in  for  passenger  fares  !?213,879.23;  fur  freight, 
i^208,25G.OO ;  for  other  items,  §;8,546.13 ;  a 
trrand  total  of  $-1:30,081.36.  By  reference  to  a 
statistical  article  it  will  be  seen  what  the  traffic 
on  the  creek  mute  was  in  1880.  By  combining 
these  figures  of  the  two  carrying  routes  the 
reader  will  get  an  approximate  idea  of  the  busi- 
ness of  I'etaluma  and  surrounding  country  at 
the  present  time. 

In'  order  that  people  of  future  generations 
may  rightly  understand  the  extent  of  Petaluma 
as  a  trade-center  we  submit  the  following  com- 
pilation of  statistics  for  the  year  1880.  These 
statistics  were  prepared  by  I.  G.  AVickersham, 
.John  A.  McNear  and  A.  P.  Whitney  (since  de- 
ceased) and  submitted  to  the  city  rrustees  of 
Petaluma  at  the  time  Congressional  aid  was  be- 
ing asked  to  straighten  tlie  creek.  The  report 
is  prefaced  by  saying:  "The  steamer  Pilot 
makes  daily  trips  to  and  from  San  Francisco, 
and  in  addition  to  her  freight,  has  carried  13,000 
passengers.  Thirty  schooners,  of  an  average 
tonnage  of  lifty  tons,  are  engaged  regularly  in 
the  trade,  and  about  twenty  other  transient 
schooners  a  portion  of  the  year.  AVe  have  not 
included  in  our  estimate  shipments  made  over 
the  railroad  by  way  ot  Donahue,  many  shippers 
preferring  that  route  on  account  of  the  delay 
and    uncertainty   of  time   by  tiie  creek."     The 


following  showing  was  then  made  for  the  year 
on  the  creek  route  alone: 

Wheat,  28,825tons;  barley,  3,000  tons;  oats, 
3,425  tons;  potatoes,  9,997  tons;  bran  and  mid- 
dlings, 375  tons;  corn,  250  tons;  hay,  5,700 
tons;  coal,  1,800  tons;  fruit,  G0,000  boxes, 
1,333  tons;  butter,  1,277  tons;  cheese,  129 
tons;  salt,  200  tons;  wool,  81  tons;  leather,  80 
tons;  other  and  mixed  merchandise,  31,200 
tons;  eggs,  95,6(58  dozen;  wood,  1,000  cords; 
tan-bark,  250  cords;  brick,  100,000;  lumber, 
1,230,000  feet;  lime,  1,000  barrels;  basalt  pav- 
ing blocks,  1,583,000;  live-stock,  53,200  head; 
poultry,  5,380  dozen;  quail  and  other  game, 
5,100  dozen;  hides  (green),  6,418;  sheep  pelts, 
5,110. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  all  these  figures 
relate  to  the  ti-affic  for  one  year  by  water  route 
between  Petaluma  and  San  Francisco,  and  that 
there  must  be  added  thereto  the  heav^-  business 
done  by  way  of  the  railroad. 

Another  great  advantage  which  Petaluma 
possesses — and  which  can  never  be  taken  from 
her — is  competition  between  rail  and  water  in 
getting  her  products  to  market.  There  are  no 
hydraulic  miners  on  the  high  ground  to  fill  up 
the  channel  with  debris.  Xo  farmers  are  im- 
poverishing the  soil  hy  washing  the  finer  par- 
ticles into  the  stream  by  irrigation,  for  here 
irrigation  is  unknown  and  entirely  unnecessar}-, 
as  nature  abundantly  sup23lies  us  with  the  neces- 
sary' moisture  from  the  clouds  to  produce  a  crop 
in  the  drj^est  years.  For  a  town  of  only  5,000 
inhabitants,  Petaluma  enjoys  a  very  large  trade. 
The  merchants  of  Petaluma,  in  consequence  of 
the  low  freights  to  San  Francisco,  can  pay  a 
higher  price  for  produce  than  otliers  not  so  well 
situated.  The  town  is  surrounded  b}' a  rich  and 
productive  country,  and  all  tlie  produce  of  this 
region  is  shipped  from  here.  Among  the  many 
advantages  J^etaluma  possesses  as  a  place  for 
residence,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  the  death 
rate  is  as  low  here  as  it  is  in  any  town  of  its 
size  that  we  have  any  account  of.  The  climate  is 
as  near  perfect  as  could  be  reasonably  desired. 
The  temperature,  as  will   be  seen  by  the  table 


fflSfOSY   OF   SONOMA    OOtrNff. 


^51 


furnished  by  the  accommodating  agent  of  the 
S.  F.  &  N.  P.  R.  II.,  appearing  in  another  col- 
umn, is  ahout  as  even  as  at  San  Diego.  It  is 
rarely  below  32°  in  the  winter  or  above  90^  in 
the  summer  months.  Petalnma  lias  more  clear, 
sunny  days  tlian  any  place  on  the  Pacitic  coast 
from  which  the  Signal  Service  makes  reports — 
except  Fort  i'uma.  Petaluina  is  abundantly 
sujiplied  with  good,  pure  water  from  the  Sonoma 
Mountains.  The  manufacturing  industries  are 
quite  an  important  item — and  constantly  grow- 
ing. The  public  and  private  schools,  the  high- 
school,  are  a  credit  to  tlie  place,  and  our  school 
facilities  will  soon  be  materially  enlarged.  She 
lias  a  tine  public  library,  and  churches  of  all 
denominations — e.xcept  Mormon.  The  business 
streets  are  paved  with  basalt  rock  blocks,  and  all 
the  streets  are  liberally  lighted  with  gas.  Liv- 
ing is  clieap  in  Petaluma,  and  the  markets  well 
supplied  with  fresh  vegetables  every  month  in 
the  year,  that  are  raised  in  this  city  and  its  im- 
mediate vicinity.  In  order  to  reach  Petaluma 
from  San  Francisco,  get  on  the  Tiburon  ferry- 
boat at  the  foot  of  Market  street  and  it  will 
land  you  at  the  cars  which  run  through  the 
M'hoie  length  of  Sonoma  County.  You  can  ob- 
tain an  excursion  ticket  to  Petaluma  and  return 
for  $1.  If  you  have  plenty  of  time  and  wish 
-to  see  the  splendid  bays  of  San  Francisco  and  San 
Pablo,  and  the  fine  scenery  on  the  way,  take  the 
steamer  (fol(/,  which  leaves  Jackson  -street  wharf 
every  day  at  2:30  v.  m.  The  fare  by  this  route 
is  50  cents,  including  the  ride  in  the  'bus  from 
the  steamer  landing  to  the  hotels  in  Petaluma. 
There  is  not  another  city  in  the  State  of  its 
size  that  has  as  good  a  system  of  water-works  as 
lias  Peteluma.  The  water  comes  pure  from  the 
streams  of  the  Sonoma  Mountains  about  four 
miles  distant  and  rills  a  reservoir  of  near  three 
million  gallons  capacity.  This  reservoir  is  at 
such  an  altitude  as  to  give  great  pressure  upon 
the  water  pipes  of  the  city.  As  a  consequence 
our  numerous  hydrants  give  almost  absolute 
security  against  tires.  This,  in  addition  to  our 
excellent  lire  department,  reduces  tire  insurance 
to  the  lowest  rate. 


Petaluma  has  as  complete  a  system  of  gas 
works  as  is  to  be  found  in  the  State.  All  the 
leading  streets  are  illuminated.  On  account  of 
the  cheap  transportation  of  coal  the  gas  is  fur- 
nished at  prices  as  low  as  in  any  city  outside  of 
San  Francisco.  The  gas  works  are  of  capacity 
sufficient  to  accommodate  a  large  increase  ot 
population. 

The  health  of  a  city  is  largely  dependent 
upon  good  sewerage.  Petaluma,  in  this  respect, 
occupies  a  most  favored  position.  Twice  a  day, 
with  a  rise  and  fall  of  six  feet,  salt  water  fi-esh 
from  San  Francisco  I'ay  ebbs  and  Hows  through 
the  city.  The  streets  have  ample  grade,  and  a 
thorough  system  of  stone-pipe  sewers  precipi- 
tates the  drainage  into  this  ever  moving  salt 
water.  Tiiere  are  inland  cities  of  California 
that  would  gladly  give  $100,000  for  Petal uma's 
drainage  facilities. 

Masonic  Temple  is  an  imposing  sti-ucturc 
erected  by  the  Masonic  lodges  of  IMastei-  Ma- 
sons of  Petaluma  fit  a  cost  of  about  ife40,000. 
It  is  a  three-story  building,  and  the  hall,  proper, 
is  one  of  the  most  ornate  rooms  in  the  State,  in 
which  two  lodges  of  JVEasons,  the  chajiter  of 
Iloyal  Arch  Masons,  the  Knights  Templar  and 
the  Eastern  Star  hold  their  stated  meetings. 

The  Mutual  Relief  Association  of  Petaluma, 
out  of  its  reserve  fund,  has  built  one  of  the 
finest  three-story,  tire-proof  buildings  in  the 
county. 

The  new  city  hall  is  a  very  imjiosing  struct- 
ure, and  cost  the  city  over  $16,000.  It  is  an 
ornament  to  the  city,  and  strangers  visiting 
here  will  see  in  it  a  sample  of  Petaluma's  thrift 
and  prosperity.  But  few  cities  in  the  State  can 
afl;brd  so  elegant  an  editice  simply  for  municipal 
purposes. 

The  Petaluma  Tannery  is  an  old  and  well 
established  manufacturing  establishment  of 
Petaluma.  The  out-put  of  leather  from  this 
establishment  is  very  large  every  year,  and  it 
takes  rank  with  the  best  leather  manufactured 
west  of  the  Rocky  Jfountains.  This  tannery 
has  been  in  successful  o]ieration  tor  twelve  or 
tifteen  years. 


252 


BISTORT    OP   SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Mr.  W.  Worth  who  had  previously  occupied 
the  position  of  superiuteudent  and  foreman  of 
tiie  great  Union  Iron  Works  of  San  Francisco, 
came  to  Petahuiia  in  1880  and  bouglit  out  the 
foundry  business  then  owned  by  Mr.  Hatch. 
On  his  actpiring  possession  he  turned  liis  at- 
tention to  the  wants  of  Sonoma  and  Marin 
counties,  the  former  being  largely  interested  in 
grape  growing  and  wine  making,  and  the  latter  . 
principally  dairying.  Mr.  Worth,  who  pos- 
sesses more  than  ordinary  genius  for  mechanical 
appliances,  has  patented  his  justly  celebrated 
dairy  horse-power,  which  has  proved  a  great 
success  and  can  be  found  in  nearly  all  well 
e(iuipped  dairies  in  the  State.  He  next  turned 
his  mind  to  assist  the  vigneron  in  the  produc- 
tion of  wines,  and  therefore  manufactured  a  wine 
press,  which  he  had  invented  and  patented  in 
1884.  Previous  to  Mr.  Worth's  introducing 
his  press  there  was  in  use  the  old  Spanish  style 
of  press,  consisting  merely  of  a  timber  20x24 
inches  thick  and  about  thirty  feet  long,  built 
usually  where  they  could  find  a  tree  for  a  ful- 
crum using  a  basket  held  by  two  hoops  with  the 
staves  bolted  to  them,  leaving  spaces  between 
for  the  juice  to  escape. 

The  Petaluma  Woolen  Mills  have  the  rcjiuta- 
tion  of  turning  out  theltest  flannels  and  blankets 
manufactured  in  the  State.  Its  flannels  are  in 
such  demand  that  our  local  merchants  can  hardly 
secure  their  fair  share  for  4he  home  trade.  As 
time  progresses  its  manufacturing  capacity  will 
be  enlarged  and  we  expect  to  see  the  day  when 
the  woolen  goods  manufactured  in  Petaluma 
will  be  sought  for  far  and  wide.  The  wool  from 
Sonoma,  Mendocino  and  Humboldt  counties  is 
the  best  and  cleanest  in  the  State,  which  enables 
this  mill  to  do  superior  work. 

Petaluma  is  not  behind  any  city  in  the  State 
of  her  size  in  reference  to  her  capacity  to  turn 
out  good  merchantable  flour.  The  Oriental 
Mills  have  for  long  years  turned  out  a  good 
quality  of  domestic  flour,  and  have  built  up  a 
wide  trade.  The  Golden  Eagle  ililling  Co.  has 
established  a  large  manufactory  by  the  roller 
process,  which  is  turning  out   flour  of  as  good 


quality  as  can  be  found  in  the  State.  This  mill 
is  a  four-story  brick  structure  with  one  of  the 
largest  warehouses  in  the  county  from  whicii 
it  draws  choice  grain  for  milling  purposes. 

Petaluma  has  become  famous  for  its  manu- 
facture of  wagons  and  carts.  All  up  and  down 
the  State  her  wheeled  vehicles  are  in  common 
use.  This  attests  that  our  various  manufactur- 
ers in  this  line  have  the  capacity  and  mechani- 
cal skill  to  mar.ufacture  all  kinds  of  wheeled 
vehicles  of  best  quality  and  pattern.  Wher- 
ever you  go  in  California  you  see  Petaluma 
inscribed  upon  the  axles  of  vehicles. 

K^ext  to  natural  advantages  a  manufacturing 
enterprise  is  conducive  to  the  welfare  of  any 
community  in  which  it  is  situated,  but  when  one 
like  the  Petaluma  Fruit  Packing  Company, 
purchasing  the  products  of  the  surrounding 
country,  paying  the  highest  market  price  there- 
for, and  producing  an  article  that  is  in  demand 
all  over  the  land,  is  there  situated,  it  becomes 
an  institution  such  that  the  benefits  resultant 
therefrom  can  hardly  be  computed.  In  this 
respect  the  citizens  of  Petaluma  have  special 
cause  for  congratulation,  and  regard  the  Peta- 
luma Fruit  Packing  Company  as  one  in  which 
they  take  an  individual  pride;  and  not  only  is 
the  industry  of  local  interest,  but  it  is  one 
whose  renown  is  as  wide  as  the  boundaries  of 
the  State.  The  company  was  organized  in  1883. 
The  firm  of  De  Long,  Ashby  tt  Co.  succeeded 
to  the  interests  of  the  Petaluma  Fruit  Packing 
Company  about  three  years  ago,  and  have  under 
the  able  management  of  j\Ir.  D.  E.  Ashby,  estab- 
lished a  business  that  is  equal  to  any  in  the  State. 

The  Odd  Fellows  have  a  fine  iron  front  block 
in  which  they  have  a  large,  commodious  hall. 
This  organization  has  a  large  membership,  and 
is  financially  prosperous.  It  is  one  of  the  solid 
and  enduring  institutions  of  Petaluma. 

For  long  years  a  planing  mill  has  been  in  suc- 
cessful operation  in  Petaluma.  In  all  Peta- 
luma's  vast  improvements  it  has  turned  out  the 
sash,  doors,  moldings,  cornice  and  brackets  for 
local  use.  It  is  one  of  her  useful  and  perma- 
nent industries. 


SISTORT    OF   SONOMA    COffNTT. 


253 


There  are  hut  few  cities  on  the  Pacific  coast 
with  the  pojiulation  of  Petaluina  (ahout  5,000) 
that  has  four  hanks.  Petahima  lias  fonr  hanks 
capitalized  as  follows:  First  National  Bank, 
paid-up  capital,  8200,000,  surplus,  $75,800; 
Hunk  of  Sonoma  County,  paid-up  capital  §300,- 
000,  surplus,  820,000;  Pctaluma  Savings  Bank, 
paid-up  capital,  $100,000,  surplus,  §00,000; 
Hill  &  Son,  capital,  §150,000.  It  will  thus  he 
seen  that  the  capital  of  our  hanks  aloneamounts 
to  over  §1)00,000. 

There  is  not  a  city  in  the  State  of  like  popu- 
lation that  has  a  hetter  showing  of  public  school 
edifices  than  Petaluma.  She  had  already  five 
school  edifices,  but  to  meet  a  growing  need,  a 
new  building  costing  over  §16,000  is  just  near- 
ing  completion. 

The  outlying  country  around  Petaluma,  em- 
braced in  Petaluma  Township,  amounts  to  over 
40,000  acres  of  good  farming,  fruit  and  dairy 
lands.  Immediately  north  of  Petaluma,  and 
bordering  on  the  city  limits,  are  several  thou- 
sand acres  of  choice  fruit  land.  Two  Rock  Val- 
ley is  in  this  township,  and  it  is  oneof  the  ricli- 
est  and  most  productive  little  valleys  in  the 
county.  West  of  Petaluma,  and  extending  to  the 
San  Antonio  Creek,  is  a  fine  dairy  and  stock  re- 
gion. The  assessed  value  of  property  in  city  and 
township  is  over  §3,200,000. 

Stony  Point  (sometimes  designated  Washoe 
House)  is  in  Petaluma  Township.  It  is  in  the 
midst  of  a  productive  fruit  country,  and  has  a 
hotel,  postoftice  and  blacksmith  shop. 

The  following  members  of  the  medical  jiro- 
fession  have  occupied  the  Petaluma  field: 

Dr.  S.  W.  Brown,  died  in  1.SG2. 

Dr.  Wm.  Wells  is  a  pioneer  of  Petaluma. 

Dr.  T.  A.  Ilylton,  died  on  his  way  to  Neva- 
da, in  1859. 

Dr.  T.  L.  Barnes  left  Petaluma  about  1805, 
and  went  to  Ukiah,  where  he  now  resides. 

Dr.  Hoffman  staid  but  a  short  time. 

Dr.  Bond  died  here  about  1870. 

Dr.  Burnett  was  elected  State  Senator  and 
died  liefore  his  term  expired. 

Dr.  Cluness  was  partner  of  Dr.  Burnett;  went 


to  Sacramento  in  1870,  to  succeed  Dr.  J.  F. 
Morse,  and  still  resides  there. 

Dr.  Voellen  went  to  Sacramento,  and  is  there 
at  present. 

Dr.  Alex.  Stewart  succeeded^Dr.  Wells;  went 
to    San   Francisco  about  1875  and   died  there. 

Dr.  Gildersleave  succeeded  Dr.  Stewart,  and 
left  aljout  1878  for  Arizona. 

Dr.  Patty  succeeded  Dr.  Gildersleave,  and  is 
now  in  Petaluma. 

Dr.  McTaggert  resided  in  I'etaluma  a  short 
time,  then  went  to  Sonoma  and  from  there  to 
San  Francisco. 

Mrs.  Dr.  S.  Nichols  resided  in  Petaluma 
about  seven  years  and  left  in  1887;  is  now  in  San 
Diego  County. 

Dr.  McWhinnie  came  to  Petaluma  from  New 
York,  practiced  two  or  three  years  and  died  at 
Petaluma. 

Mrs.  Perkins  practiced  in  Petaluma,  wlieiv  she 
is  now^  living. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Remarque  have  been  in  Peta- 
luma for  twenty  years  and  still  remain. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Fifield  have  been  in  Petaluma 
five  or  six  years. 

Dr.  Ivancovich  has  been  in  Petaluma  about 
eight  years. 

Dr.  Proctor  came  to  Petaluma  about  two 
years  ago  and  is  still  practicing. 

Dr.  J.  B.  Smith  came  to  Petaluma  from  Ukiah 
about  fifteen  years  ago  and  is  still  in  practice. 

Dr.  Trenholtz  has  been  in  Petaluma  three  or 
four  years. 

Dr.  G.  B.  Davis  succeeded  ]\[rs.  Nichols  and 
is  still  practicing  here. 

Dr.  W.  W.  Carpenter  came  here  about  twenty 
years  ago  and  died  lately  in  San  Francisco. 

Dr.  Goshen,  specialist. 

Dr.  ]\r.  Donald,  specialist. 

Dr.  Warren  came  to  Petaluma  from  Valley 
Ford;  died  recently  in  San  Francisco. 

Dr.  Shepperd  lias  been  in  Petaluma  over 
twenty-five  years  and  is  now  liere. 

Dr.  Christie  came  to  Petaluma  from  Canada; 
practiced  a  few  years  and  died. 

Dr.  McGuire  practiced  a  few   years  in  Peta- 


254 


UtSTOMT    OP  SONOMA    COtTNTY. 


liiiiui,  tlieii  went  to  (iiierucvillc,  where  he 
died. 

George  Walker  Graves,  M.  D.,  born  in  Vir- 
ginia, near  lliclimond,  in  1831;  commenced 
medical  studies  in  1855;  entered  Medical  College 
of  Virginia  and  graduated  March  9, 1858;  caine 
to  Fetaluma  in  spring  of  1869;  been  liere since. 

Josiah  II.  Crane,  M.  D.,  born  in  Warren 
County,  Ohio,  August  31,  1820,  near  Lebanon; 
commenced  the  study  of  medicine  in  St.  Louis; 
graduated  from  St.  Louis  Medical  College  in 
1844;  located  in  the  spring  of  1844  in  St.  Jos- 
eph, Mo.;  came  to  Petal u ma  in  1805. 

In  the  following  we  summarize  a  few  of  the 
most  important  institutidus  and  in<lustries  of 
Petaluma: 

Petaluma  Lochje  F.  cL'  .1.  M. — Organized 
January  15,  1855;  with  Dr.  T.  L.  Ilarnes,  S.  J. 
Smith,  W.  R.  Swinerton,  Uriah  Edwards,  II. 
iiassett,  15.  Newman,  A.  I\  Barton,  L.  Han- 
cock, L.  Walker,  Wm.  t'onley,  James  Samuels, 
J.  G.  Ilntf,  I.  K.  Walker  and  J.  C.  Derrick,  as 
charter  members. 

PetaJidiia  Chcqjter,  Nv.  ~~',  li.  A.  J/. — This 
chapter  was  organized  under  dispensation  and 
granted  a  charter,  the  members  applying  for 
such  being  Thomas  L.  Barnes,  Philip  R.  Thomp- 
son, L.  E.  Brooks,  M.  R.  Evans,  William  Bur- 
nett, P.  W.  Eandle,  S.  Powell,  Job  Cash, 
AV^illiam  Ross,  and  others.  The  first  holders  of 
otlice  were:  High  Priest,  Thomas  L.  Barnes; 
King,  Philip  R.  Thompson;  Scribe,  L.  E.  Brooks. 

Areturus  Lothje,  No.  ISO,  F.  c6  A.  J/".— This 
lodge  was  organized  c)n  Octobler  11,  1866, 
and  a  charter  granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
California  to  Right  Worshipful  Master^  C.  Sim- 
mons; Senior  Warden,  Simon  Conrad,  and 
.luniiir  AVarden,  Benjamin  F.  Tuttle,  who  hehl 
utbce  under  dispensation.  The  lodge  now  has  a 
roll  of  seventy-five  members. 

Relief  Encainjjineiit,  No.  ,19.,  I.  0.  0.  F. — 
Was  instituted  July  11,  1868,  the  charter  mem- 
bers being  David  Sullivan,  G.  Warren,  B.  Bow- 
man, J.  S.  Cutter,  L.  Ellsworth,  James  K. 
Knowles,  William  Zartman,  Moses  Korn.  The 
first  officers  of  the  encampment  were:    G.  War- 


ren, C.  P.;  J.  S.  Cutter,  II.  P.;  L.  Ellsworth, 
S.  W.:  B.  Bowen,  Scribe;  William  Zartman. 
Treasurer;  David  Sullivan,  J.  W. 

I'etaluma  Lodfje,  Wo.  -JO,  1.  0.  <).  F. — This 
lodge  was  instituted  on  September  30,  1854, 
with  the  following  charter  members:  Daniel 
McLaren,  S.  C.  Hayden,  S.  M.  Martin,  Thomas 
M.  Murray,  E.  S.  ]\IcMurray,  Stephen  Payran, 
Charles  Purvine,  William  Ayers.  The  original 
officers  were:  Daniel  McLaren,  N.  (r.;  S.  C. 
Hayden,  V.  G.;  S.  M.  Martin,  R.  S.;  William 
Ayers,  Treasurer. 

Fetaluma  Lodge,  No.  IGl,  I.  0.  (J.  T. — 
This  lodge  is  the  result  of  the  consolidations  of 
the  lodges  Star  of  the  AVest,  No.  380,  and  Star- 
light, No.  101,  which  was  effected  February  3, 
1879.  The  number  of  charter  members  was 
thirty-five,  and  the  officers  under  that  grant: 
AVilliam  C.  Ordway,  AV.  C.  T.;  Clara  Wright. 
AV.  A".  T.;  J.  S.  Fillmore,  Chaplain;  Ella  Gale, 
AV.  S.;  A.  G.  Twist,  AV.  A.  S.;  L.  D.  (iale,  ^\ . 
F.  S.;  Mrs.  C.  A.  Ten  Eyck,  W.  T.;  Gordon 
Cameron,  AV.  M.;  Jennie  Cameron,  W.  D.  M.; 
DoUie  Schlosser,  AV.  I.  G.;  Aleck  Connelly,  AV. 
O.  G.;  Sadie  Wright,  AV.  R.  S.;  Ella  Benja- 
min, AV.  L.  S.;  J.  15.  Schlosser,  P.  AV.  C.  T.;  II. 
II.  Jessup,  L.  D. 

Methodist  Fpiscojxil  VInireh. — In  August, 
1855,  a  church  was  organized  at  Petaluma,  and  a 
building  erected  where  now  stands  the  new  city 
hall.  In  the  very  early  days  Rev.  Jonas  Speck 
was  the  minister  in  charge  of  the  Petaluma  cir- 
cuit as  was  also  Rev.  A.  L.  S.  Bateman.  Pcta- 
Inma  was  then  made  a  station  and  Rev.  James 
Hunter  was  the  first  ])astor.  It  has  always  been 
a  prosperous  church.  The  church  building,  on 
tUe  northwest  corner  of  Keller  street  and  AVest- 
ern  avenue,  was  begun  in  1865,  and  finished  in 
1874,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  A.  J. 
Nelson.  It  is  of  brick,  gothic  in  style  of  archi- 
tecture, is  85  by  56  feet  in  dimensions,  and  35 
feet  from  floor  to  ceiling.  It  is  handsomely 
finished  and  furnished,  and  is  lighted  with  gas, 
b}'  means  of  two  large  sun  burners.  It  has 
gallery,  orchestra  and  class-rooms.  The  build- 
ing was  erected  at  cost  of  $18,000. 


niSTORt    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


The  J*'irst  liaptint  Church,  I'etaliinia. — On 
Stibljatli,  the  ITtli  day  of  July,  1853,  in  Bodega, 
yoiioina  County,  uj)on  a  call  made  by  Hev.  A.  A. 
(Tuernsey,  the  Ibllowinir  brethren  and  sisters 
presented  themselves  for  the  purpose  of  being 
organized  into  a  liajjtist  churcli:  John  C. 
Hughes,  Jane  iliifrhes,  ^^'orhanl  Easley,  Eliza- 
beth A.  Easley,  Ari  Hopper,  Susannah  Hojiper. 
The  church  was  duly  organized  as  the  First  Ijap- 
tist  Church  of  Bodega.  Rev.  A.  A.  Guernsey 
was  elected  pastor,  and  AVorliani  Easle\',  clerk. 
Articles  of  faitli  and  practice  were  adopted.  The 
church  lield  its  regular  monthly  meetings  at 
liudega  until  the  second  Saturday  in  October, 
185B,  when  it  was  voted  to  adjourn,  to  meet  in 
Petaluma.  The  meetings  were  continued  in 
Petaluma  statedly.  On  the  Saturday  before 
the  first  Saljbath  in  November,  1854,  the  church, 
by  vote,  changed  the  name  from  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church  of  Bodega  to  the  First  Baptist 
Churcli  of  Petaluma.  In  February,  1855,  a 
movement  was  set  on  foot  to  secure  a  suitable 
lot  and  procure  funds  to  erect  a  meeting- house. 
In  March,  1855,  a  corporation  by  the  name  of 
the  Baptist  church  and  society  was  formed, 
witli  James  Hogal,  William  Conley  and  Mr. 
Mathews  as  trustees,  Fleming  Sjiencer,  clerk, 
and  deacon  Michael  Barnes,  treasurer.  During 
the  year  1857,  a  church  edifice,  40  by  60  feet, 
was  completed,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  about 
400.  The  same  edifice,  with  some  improve- 
ments, remains  to  the  present  time. 

Methodist  Church,  Sov.th. — This  chui'ch 
which  is  situated  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
Liberty  street  and  Western  avenue,  Petaluma, 
was  the  outgrowth  of  the  labors  of  Samuel 
Brown,  who  came  to  this  city  by  direction  of 
the  Pacific  Conference,  commenced  preaching 
in  the  fall  of  1859,  and  finally  established  a 
church  undei-  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the 
above-named  body.  The  organization  was  rep- 
resented by  about  twenty-five  members,  who  held 
their  first  services  in  the  Baptist  Church  and  Mc- 
Cune's  Hall  until  the  present  edifice  was  erected 
in  the  year  1800.  This  structure  is  40  x  GO  feet, 
built  of  brick,  and  lias  a  seating  capacity  of  250. 


St.  John's  Kphvopal  Church  is  located  at 
the  corner  of  C  an^  Fifth  streets.  The  church 
is  gothic  in  its  style  of  architecture,  with  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  from  300  to  400.  The  interests 
of  the  parish  of  St.  Julin  were  first  entrusted  to 
Rev.  G.  B.  Taylor,  who  after  a  time  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Siueathman,  the  vesti'y 
being  at  that  period  com])osed  of  Messrs.  Jliiie, 
Wickersham,  Carder,  AVeston,  Sprague,  Sweet- 
land  and  Cooper.  Messrs.  Carder,  Cooper, 
Sprague  and  Wickersham  being  nominated 
treasurer,  secretary,  and  wardens  resijectivelv. 
On  January  29,  18tjO,  the  church  was  declared 
ready  for  consecration,  which  was  didy  dime  by 
the  Right  Reverend  W.  Ingraham  Kip,  bishop 
of  the  diocese  uf  California,  before  a  large  con- 
gregation. 

Coiigregutioiud  Church. — This  is  one  of  tiic 
oldest  cliurch  edifices  in  Petaluma.  It  is  on  the 
corner  of  l-'ifth  and  B  streets.  The  building 
was  erected  in  1857,  Rev.  A.  A.  Baker  being 
its  first  pastor.  After  a  few  years  the  building 
was  found  inadequate  for  the  size  of  the  congre- 
gation and  it  was  enlarged.  Around  it  cluster 
a  great  many  pioneer  memories. 

St.  1^1710611^8  Catholic  Church.  —The  old 
Catholic  church  stood  on  the  hill,  on  Prospect, 
between  Liberty  and  Walnut  streets.  The  pres 
ent  fine  edifice,  at  the  junction  of  Howard  and 
Liberty  streets,  was  completed  and  dedicated  in 
May,  1876.  Father  Cleary  has  been  in  charge 
for  many  years. 

J^^irst  I'reshjterian  C hutch. — This  is  a  neat 
edifice  on  Fourth  street,  Rev.  W.  H.  Darder 
pastor.  The  church  edifice  was  completed  in 
1885,  and  has  a  seating  capacity  for  275  people. 
The  first  elders  were:  David  Stuart,  C.  S.  Gib- 
son, John  P.  Twist,  I)a\i(l  licjss,  William  C. 
Dunning  and  Dr.  J.  II.  Crane.  The  trustees 
were:  David  Stewart,  .\.  Iliggins,  John  Todd, 
John  E.  Gwin  and  X.  J\[.  Hedges. 

Christian  Church. — The  neat  edifice  of  this 
denomination  is  located  on  Western  avenue. 
The  building  was  completed  in  1887,  and  the 
society  is  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

Two  Rock  Presbyterian  Church. —  Was  or- 


U I  STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


ganized  October  21. 1860.  The  church  building 
was  built  in  1863.  The  church  was  organized 
by  Rev.  Thomas  Frasier,  of  the  i^enicia  Pres- 
bytery, and  assisted  by  Rev.  Frederick  Buel,  of 
the  Presbytery  of  California.  There  were  taken 
in  on  the  organization  fourteen  members,  as 
follows:  i\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Stephen  H.  Fowler, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Schuler,  Samuel  Schuler, 
Alexander  James  AVaddel,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert 
Andrews,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Morton.  Mrs. 
W.  11.  Dalton.  :Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  S.  "Wigam,  and 
R.  A.  Morton.  The  following  persons,  Stephen 
Fowler  and  Robert  Andrews  were  elected  elders 
on  the  organization;  also,  David  Morton.  The 
present  church  building  is  at  Two  Rock,  eight 
miles  west  of  Petaluma.  The  membership  at 
the  present  time  numbers  fifty-two  persons, 
seventeen  males  and  tliirty-five  females.  The 
present  elders  are:  Robert  Andrews,  Silas  M. 
Martin,  and  Solomon  Q.  Barlow.  Rev.  George 
"\V.  Hays  has  been  the  stated  supjily  for  the 
past  three  years. 

Lihrary  Association. — The  public  library  in 
Petaluma  was  organized  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  of  Pet- 
aluma, in  January,  1867,  the  first  ofheers  licing: 
T.  F.  P)avlis,  President;  L.  Ellsworth,  Vice 
President;  Dr.  J.  11.  Crane,  Secretary;  "William 
Zartman,  Treasurer.  In  October,  1878,  the  in- 
stitution was  turned  over  to  the  city  and  organ- 
ized as  a  public  library.  The  library  now 
contains  several  thousand  volumes.  The  rooms 
are  on  the  upper  floor  in  the  new  City  Hall 
building,  and  are  as  line  library  rooms  as  can 
be  found  outside  of  Sau  Francisco.  Mrs.  J.  P. 
Lackie,  who  has  been  librarian  for  more  than  a 
decade,  keeps  everything  in  good  order. 

Washington  Hall  Association. — This  com- 
pany was  incorporated  February  22,  1870,  the 
first  officers  being:  Lee  Ellsworth,  President; 
Philip  Cowen,  Secretary;  C.  P.  Hatch,  Treas- 
urer. It  consists  of  a  theater,  stage,  side  and 
end  galleries,  auditorium  and  basement  of  the 
following  dimensions:  Stage,  twenty -four  feet; 
two  dressing  rooms  under  the  stage,  and  one  on 
each  side  of  the  first  entrance,  14  x  20  feet;  the 


whole  is  lighted  by  140  burners,  the  gas  being 
generated  by  a  pneumatic  gas  macliine.  The 
building,  which  was  opened  on  September  7, 
1879,  includes  an  auditorium  56  x  66  feet  while 
its  entire  dimensions  are  60  x  100  feet,  erected  at 
a  cost  of  $25,000. 

Cyiyi'ess  Hill  Ceinetery. — To  the  northwanl 
of  the  city  of  Petaluma,  on  an  eminence  com- 
manding a  beautiful  prospect  of  the  fertile  val- 
leys and  bold  mountains,  is  situated  this  hand- 
some cemetery.  This  cemetery  is  the  result  of 
the  private  enterprise  of  one  of  Petaluma's  most 
prominent  citizens,  John  A.  McKear.  Previous 
to  1866  there  had  not  been  any  very  suitable 
place  for  a  cemetery  provided  for  by  the  citizens 
of  Petaluma.  but  in  that  year  Mr.  McNear  put 
into  execution  a  project  for  providing  for  th^B 
pressing  necessity.  Accordingly  the  present 
site  of  Cypress  Hill  was  chosen  and  burial  lots 
laid  out.  Thousands  of  trees  were  planted  and 
miles  of  road  made,  and  other  work  done  at 
great  expense,  to  make  it  as  attractive  and  well 
adapted  as  possible  for  a  cemetery. 


XEWSPAl'KKS. 


The  Petaluma  Wocklij  xiryus  is  a  representa- 
tive journal  of  Sonoma  County,  having  not  only 
a  good  home  circulation,  but  a  liberal  pati'onage 
in  surrounding  counties.  As  it  is  the  outgrowth 
of  a  combination  of  journals,  its  history  very 
fitly  illustrates  the  mutations  and  changes  at- 
tending journalism  on  this  coast.  In  chrono- 
logical order  the  Sonoma  County  Journal  is 
entitled  to  precedence,  its  publication  commenc- 
ing on  the  18th  of  August,  1855,  with  Thomas 
L.  Thompson  as  editor  and  proprietor.  It  was 
strictly  neutral  in  politics,  and  soon  won  for 
itself  a  high  standing  as  a  news  and  family 
journal.  In  1856  Mr.  Thompson  sold  the  jour- 
nal establishment  to  II.  L.  "Weston,  who  con- 
tinued its  publication  as  an  independent  journal, 
enlarging  it  from  time  to  time  as  the  growth  of 
the  population  of  the  county  seemed  to  re(iuire. 
It  held  Petaluma  as  its  exclusive  field  until  the 
fall  of  1859,  when  the  Petaluma  An/us,  under 
the   proprietorship  of  J.  J.  Pennypacker,  as    a 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


257 


liepiiljliciin  journal,  made  its  appearance,  to 
sliare  tlie  tield  vvitli  the  Joitrnal.  The  latter, 
under  the  continued  and  exclusive  pro])rietor- 
ship  of  Mr.  AVeston,  pui'sued  the  even  tenor  of 
its  way  without  change  or  variableness  until 
February  uf  18G4.  During  these  years  the  Argus 
passed  through  many  changes.  Pennypacker 
having  become  involved,  the  Argus  material  was 
sold  under  execution  in  May  of  1860.  Samuel 
Cassiday  getting  possession  of  the  material,  in 
June  following  started  the  Petaluma  BejniMi- 
can,  six  issues  of  which  appeared,  when  Penny- 
packer  recovered  back  the  material,  and  on  the 
2oth  of  August  of  the  same  year  resuscitated 
the  Petaluina  Argtis.  In  December  of  the  same 
year,  Pennypacker  sold  the  Argus  to  A.  Drouil- 
lard,  who  on  the  4th  of  January,  1801,  formed 
a  partnership  with  J.  II.  McXabb.  Drouillard 
cV:  Mc-N'abb  continued  the  publication  of  the 
Argus  until  July,  when  Drouillard  retired  from 
the  paper,  and  Samuel  Cassiday  became  Mr. 
McNabb's  partner  in  the  proprietorship  and 
editorial  management  of  that  journal.  From 
this  time  until  February  of  18G4,  the  Aiy/us 
and  Journal  divided  a  field  between  them  which 
it  required  but  little  practical  business  sagacity 
to  see  was  not  more  than  equal  to  the  support  of 
one  good  paper.  As  a  consequence,  at  that 
time  the  two  journals  were  united  under  the 
name  of  the  Petaluma  Journal  and  Argus,  Mr. 
Weston  retiring  from  the  management,  but  re- 
taining a  third  interest  in  the  paper.  From 
this  time  until  June  of  1860,  McNabb  &  Cassi- 
day published  the  Journal  and  Argus,  when 
the  former  retired,  and  Cassiday  remained  as 
sole  editor  and  publisher  until  February  of  1869, 
when  he  sold  the  establishment  to  II.  I..  "Weston. 
For  a  year  Mr.  Weston  remained  sole  proprie- 
tor and  publisher,  when  in  February  of  1870, 
he  took  in  as  partner  J.  E.  Guild,  who  tilled 
the  office  of  business  irianager.  This  partner- 
ship was  terminated  in  May  of  1871,  by  Mr. 
Guild  selling  out  to  James  II.  McNabb  and  N. 
AV.  Scudder,  who  became  equal  partners  with 
Weston  in  the  Journal  and  Argus  establish- 
ment.    Under  the  firm  name  of  Weston,  Scud- 


dur  &  Co.,  the  paper  for  a  brief  period  was 
under  the  management  of  these  three  gentle- 
men, when  Mr.  McNabb  receiving  the  apjioint- 
ment  of  Deputy  Collector  of  the  Port  of  San 
Francisco,  retired  from  the  management,  leav- 
ing Weston  and  Scudder  sole  publishers  and 
editors  of  the  Journal  and  Argus.  During 
1872-3,  Messrs.  Weston  &  Scudder  published  a 
daily  paper  in  connection  with  their  weekly. 
At  the  commencement  of  their  new  volume  of 
date  February  7,  1873,  the  name  Journal  was 
discontinued  from  the  title  of  the  paper,  and 
from  thence  forward  its  title  has  been  77ie 
J*etalu7na  Weekly  Argus.  Under  the  proprie- 
torship of  Weston  6i  Scudder  the  Argus  was 
enlarged  to  its  present  size,  and  its  office  fur- 
nished with  all  the  appointments  of  a  first-class 
country  journal.  In  April  of  1879,  Mr.  Scud- 
der sold  his  interest  in  the  Argus  and  retired, 
giving  place  to  Samuel  Cassiday,  who,  after  a 
rest  of  ten  years  resumed  his  connection  with 
that  journal.  In  August  of  1881,  the  firm  be- 
came Weston,  McNabb  &  Cassiday.  In  1883, 
II.  L.  Weston  having  been  appointed  postmaster 
of  Petaluma  retired  from  the  firm  and  Ilast.  A. 
Downer  became  a  partner  for  a  year.  Then  S. 
P.  Weston  became  a  member  of  the  firm  for  a 
short  time,  and  afterward  Harry  McC.  Weston 
was  of  the  firm.  In  November,  1887,  B.  li. 
Cottle,  long  of  the  San  Jose  l/errurg,  bought 
the  Weston  interest,  and  the  firm  is  now  Mc- 
Nabb, Cassiday  Sl  Cottle. 

Following  are  sketches  of  tiie  members  uf  the 
above  firm : 

JAMKsIlENKvMrNAiiinvas  born  in  Springfield, 
Illinois,  in  1833.  His  father,  James  Crawford 
McNabl),  was  born  near  the  city  of  liichmond, 
in  Virginia,  of  Scotch- Irish  parentage.  His 
mother,  Ann  Ilebecca  Watson,  was  born  at 
Maysville,  Kentucky.  Mr.  McNabb  took  the 
"gold  fever"  in  the  spring  of  1849  and  crossed 
the  plains  as  an  ox-driver  that  year,  landing 
in  the  Territory  of  California  September  17tli, 
1849,  at  tiie  point  on  the  Sacramento  River  now 
called  Viiui.  He  mined  with  good  and  bad  luck 
for  a  few  years  and   then  bought  an  interest  in 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


a  printing  office  and  completed  the  trade  of 
printer.  He  pnblislied  a  paper  called  the 
Plumas  Ai'ffm,  at  Qiiincy,  J'lumas  County, 
which  he  disposed  of  in  the  spring  of  1860,  and 
during  tlie  same  year  he  removed  to  Petaluma, 
and  became  interested  in  the  retahima  Argus, 
with  whicli  he  has  been  connected  ever  since, 
except  from  June,  1866,  to  June,  1871.  He 
has  held  several  otticial  positions,  and  so  far  as 
we  know,  always  came  out  clean.  He  was 
justice  of  the  peace  and  associate  justice  of 
tlie  Court  of  Sessions  in  Plumas  County,  where 
he  also  served  one  year  as  assessor.  He  served 
one  term  as  State  Senator  from  Sonoma,  1862-'3. 
He  was  Deputy  Collector  of  Customs  in  San 
Francisco,  in  charge  of  the  Warehouse  Depart- 
ment for  nine  years,  from  July,  1872,  to  July, 
1881.  In  18511  he  was  married  to  Mary  E. 
Scudder,  at  Quincy,  California.  His  wife  was 
born  in  ]\[orris  County,  ^"ew  Jersey.  They  have 
had  six  children  born  to  them,  and  five  are  now 
living.  Adelaide  and  May  Louisa,  the  eldest 
daughters,  are  compositors  in  the  Anjus  office. 
Samikl  Cassiu.w  was  born  Ajiril  12th,  1830, 
near  Reedsburgh,  Wayne  County,  Ohio.  Of 
iiis  grand  parents  three  were  natives  of  the  north 
cf  Ireland,  and  the  fourth  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania.  His  father,  John  Cassiday,  M'as 
a  native  of  Washington  County,  Pennsylvania, 
and  his  mother's  maiden  name  was  Sarah 
McGee,  a  native  of  Jefferson  County,  Ohio.  In 
1841,  when  eleven  years  of  age,  he  moved  with 
his  parents  overland  to  the  then  Territory  of 
Iowa,  settling  near  LibertyviJle,  Jefferson 
County,  and  within  fifteen  miles  of  the  boundary 
between  government  and  the  hunting  grounds 
of  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians.  From  this  time 
until  1847  he  worked  upon  the  farm  nine  months 
out  of  the  year,  receiving  the  benelit  of  such 
education  as  the  rude  log  school-house  of  the 
frontier  afforded  during  the  winter  months.  In 
1847  he  entered  the  office  of  the  Dcs  Moines 
Valley  W/n'rj,  published  at  Keosaunua,  to  learn 
the  printer's  trade.  Having  completed  his 
apprenticeship  the  winter  of  1849-"50,  lie  tilled 
the    position  of  assistant  teacher  in  a  private 


academy  at  Oskaloosa.  From  that  place  he 
started  overland  the  spring  of  1850,  and  arrived 
at  Sacramento  in  the  early  part  of  September. 
From  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  California  up  to 
the  spring  of  1854  he  was  engaged  in  various 
mining  operations,  mostly  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Pough  and  Ready,  Xevada  County,  and  Parks 
and  Long  Pars,  Yuba  County.  In  1854  he  came 
to  Sonoma  County,  and  from  that  time  until 
1861  he  Mas  engaged  in  farming,  dairying,  and 
stock  raising.  In  1861  lie  embarked  in 
journalism  as  one  of  the  editors  and  proprietors 
of  the  Petaluma  Argus.  In  1866  he  assumed 
the  entire  proprietorship  of  that  journal,  which 
he  retained  utitil  1869  when  he  sold  that 
establishment  to  11.  L.  Weston,  Esq.,  and  leas- 
ing over  11,000  acres  of  land  in  ifonterey 
County,  for  a  term  of  years,  moved  to  that 
portion  of  the  State  where  for  ten  years  he 
followed  the  varied  pursuits  of  farming,  sheep 
raising,  and  general  real  estate  business.  With 
the  exception  of  a  brief  residence  at  Gilroy, 
Santa  Clara  County,  he  resided  most  of  this  time 
at  Salinas  City.  In  18(58  he  passed  an  exami- 
nation and  was  admitted  to  the  practice  of  law 
in  the  District  Court  of  the  Twentieth  Judicial 
District.  In  the  spring  of  1870  he  returned  to 
Petaluma,  and  resumed  his  connection  with  the 
Petaluma  Argvs.  In  1864  ilr.  Cassiday  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Cynthia  Francis 
Denman,  a  native  of  Sullivan  County,  New 
York.  Her  father's  name  was  William  Den 
man,  a  native  of  England,  and  her  mother's 
maiden  name  was  Nancy  Curry,  a  native  of 
New  York.  He  has  five  children;  the  oldest, 
Sarah  Francis,  born  June  18,  18()6;  the  sec- 
ond, Elizabeth  Louisa,  born  May  29th,  18(58; 
the  third,  Benjamin  Franklin,  born  January 
16,  1870;  the  fourth,  Samuel  Denman,  born 
August  14,  1873;  and  the  fifth,  Minnie  liclle, 
born  May  2,  1875. 

Bknmamin  Hi.xi  klkv  Corrr.E  was  born  in 
lennebec  County,  Maine,  in  1833.  His 
parents,  Isaac  and  Abigail  (Hinckley)  Cottle, 
were  natives  of  the  same  State.  He  was  brought 
up  on  a  farm  until  he  was  seventeen  years  of 


UISTOUT    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


age,  when  he  began  tu  learn  tlic  printer's  trade 
in  Gardiner,  in  his  native  county.  In  ISofi  he 
came  to  California  by  tiie  Nicaragua  route; 
was  delayed  in  Nicaragua  about  six  weeks  on 
account  of  the  filibustering  ojierations  of  William 
Walker.  After  mining  gold  for  awhile  in 
Stanislaus  ("ounty,  Mr.  Cottle  settled  in  Stock- 
ton, at  his  old  trade  of  printing,  continuing 
there  for  a  period  of  three  years.  Next,  after 
visiting  in  tlie  East  for  a  year  he  returned  to 
the  Colden  State  and  settled  in  San  -fose,  where 
he  became  one  of  the  pro])rietors  of  the  San 
Jose  Mercunj,  in  partnership  with  ,1.  J.  Owen, 
whicli  relation  he  sustaineil  for  thirteen  years. 
He  then  employed  himself  in  the  job  printing 
business  in  that  city  until  the  latter  pai-t  of 
1887,  wlien  he  came  to  Petaluma  and  iMirchased 
the  interest  of  II.  L.  A\"eston  in  the  Petaluma 
Argus.  Mr.  Cottle  has  ever  been  a  zealous  and 
consistent  Republican,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Orders  of  Odd  Fellows  and  Knights  of  Honor. 
AVhile  in  San  Jose  he  was  a  memijer  of  the  cit}' 
council  for  a  mindjer  of  years.  In  IStiT  Mr. 
Cottle  married  Miss  Nellie  D.  Skinner,  who  is 
a  native  of  Wisconsin  and  a  danghter  of  Judge 
II.  C.  and  Susan  Skinner.  Her  parents  came 
across  the  plains  in  18-49  and  located  at  San 
Jose,  where  her  mother  is  still  living;  herfather 
died  at  San  Diego  in  1877.  Tiie  children  of 
Mr.  Cottle  are  I'ertha,  Claire,  Ilarrold  and 
Estelle. 

Tin:  L'ttal'nina  Wceklij  Courier  was  started 
by  Wm.  F.  Shattuck,  October  5,  1876.  I'rom 
a  small  patent  outside  sheet  it  soon  grew  to  be 
a  pretentious  eight-column  paper  and  an  estab- 
lisiied  institution,  being  considered  one  of  the 
reliable  Democratic  journals  of  the  State.  The 
first  year  of  its  existence  the  L'lmrhr  was  edited 
by  Professoi'  E.  S.  Lippitt,  a  gentleman  well 
known  tliroughout  the  coast.  His  vigorous, 
well-written  editorials  brought  tlie  jiaper  into 
notice,  and  gave  it  coti8ideral>lc  influence.  Mr. 
l.ippitt  was  succeeded  by  F.  AV.  Shattuck  in  the 
editorial  management,  a  prominent  attorney  of 
Sonoma  County.      l!y  an    independent  style  the 


('<nn 


won    it.-  ^way    to    public    favor.      Mi 
n 


Shattuck  continued  t<i  publish  the  paper  until 
December,  1H88,  when  he  sold  the  establishment 
to  Woodbury  tk  Kavencroft,  who  are  now  the 
])ublishers. 

Th,  Dnlhj  MoniiiKj  Iiiifrlnivil  was  estab- 
lished December  loth,  1884,  with  J.  AV.  Hoag, 
11.  I>.  Hiid<le  and  J.  T.  Studdei-t  as  publishers 
and  proprietors.  The  interest  uf  Hiid<le  and 
Studdert  has  been  pnrchased  by  J.  W.  Iloag, 
and  the  paper  changed  from  a  morning  to  an 
evening  publication.  It  is  the  only  daily  paper 
published  in  Petaluma,  and  is  prosperous. 

The  Orchard  and  Fana  is  a  monthly  illus- 
trated journal  that  has  just  reached  its  third 
number.  It  is  a  neat  publication  and  is  gaining 
a  good  circulation.  Samuel  E.  AVatson  is  pub- 
lisher and  proprietor. 

The  First  National  Hank  of  J'etalaaut. — 
This  banking  institution,  which  holds  a  ju-omi- 
nent  and  honorable  position  in  financial  circles 
not  alone  witliin  the  limits  of  Sonoma  County, 
but  likewise  througliout  the  Pacific  coast  gen- 
erally, was  originally  established  as  a  private 
bank  by  I.  G.  AVickersham,  and  was  first  oj)ened 
to  ilo  l)usiiiess  on  Februai'y  1,  1865,  in  a 
building  on  the  northeast  corner  of  AVashington 
and  Main  streets.  In  1868  the  building  still 
occupied  by  the  baidc  was  erected,  being  the 
first  bank  building  in  Petaluma.  It  is  a  solid 
and  substantial  structure,  with  fire  and  burglar 
proof  vaults,  etc.,  and  elegant  and  tasteful  fit- 
tings. On  September  23,  1874,  the  bank  was 
organized  as  a  national  l)ank,  leceiving  its 
charter  and  entering  em  business  on  .January  1, 
1875.  It  is  the  (ihlest  bank  in  existence  north  of 
the  bay  and  is  the  first  that  was  established  in  So- 
noma County.  Its  history  of  now  nearly  twenty- 
four  years  has  been  one  of  continued  progress, 
])0ssessitig  to  the  fullest  extent  the  confidence  of 
the  community.  It  has  been  conducted  upon  a 
liberal  3'et  conservative  basis,  meeting  with  but 
few  losses,  but  employing  its  capital  where  it 
woukl  manifestly  benefit  the  county,  both  i-i 
the  way  of  develojiing  its  natural  resources  and 
of  extending  its  trade.  This  bunk  has  been  the 
most   pi-oniineiit    t'eutu)-e.  indeed,  iii  thi-   i-ee'urd 


260 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


in  Sonoma  County,  as  when  no  other  institution 
of  its  kind  was  in  existence  in  this  part  of  the 
State,  its  money  was  freely  loaned  to  those  who 
were  laboring  to  huild  up  the  material  interests 
of  this  section,  at  a  time  when  without  it  the 
wheels  of  jn'ogress  would  have  met  with  serious 
delays.  The  capital  stock  of  the  bank  fully 
paid  in  consists  of  s2()0.000,  and  in  addition  to 
that  a  ;<urplus  fund  has  been  accumulated  of 
s80,000;  this  larj^e  surplus  fund  showing  the 
careful  and  conservative  management.  The  to- 
tal assets  of  the  bank  amounts  to  the  large 
sum  of  s5r)3,955.61  at  the  close  of  husiness, 
October  4:th  of  this  year.  As  sliowing  the 
trust  reposed  in  this  bank  by  the  people  it 
should  be  stated  that  there  are  private  deposits 
in  the  bank  of  almost  a  quarter  of  a  million 
dollars.  Hon.  1.  G.  AVickersham  has  always 
been  the  president  of  the  bank,  and,  ndeed,  it 
is  largely  with  his  capital  that  it  has  been  car- 
ried on.  ilr.  II.  11.  Atwater  has  been  its  trusted 
cashier  since  the  spring  of  186t),  and  Mr.  Fred 
A.  "Wickersham  has  been  assistant  cashier  since 
1883.  The  board  of  directors  consists  of  Messrs. 
Wichersham  and  Atwater  already  mentioned, 
and  of  Messrs.  L.  Ellsworth,  L.  (t.  Xay,  Dan- 
iel Brown,  C.  P.  Hatch,  and  Anton  Meyer, 
gentlemen  well  known  and  of  the  highest  stand- 
ing in  this  section. 

Mutual  Relief  Amoi.iation  of  I'etaluma. — 
It  is  with  peculiar  pleasure  that  the  writer  un- 
dertakes a  description  of  this  well-known  in- 
stitution, which  is  not  only  the  oldest,  but  is 
also  the  most  successful  of  all  societies  of  its 
class  upon  tliis  coast,  and  has  aided  more  than 
anything  else  by  its  careful  management  and 
solid  career,  to  prove  the  efficacy  and  necessity 
of  this  method  of  life  insurance.  The  thinking 
public  has  long  tired  of  paying  tlie  enormous  pre- 
miums  rei^uired  in  advance  by  the  old-line  stock 
companies  to  be  used  by  them  for  the  support 
of  a  horde  of  high  priced  oflicials  and  other 
unnecessary  expenses,  and  turns  with  relief  and 
gratitude  to  an  institution  such  as  this  which 
affords  the  same  safe  and  reliable  insurance 
at    the    real    cost    of    such   insurance,    and    on 


the  fair  and  e(^nitable  principle  of  calling  for 
funds  only  when  needed  to  meet  claims.  In 
the  long  life  of  this  association,  which  has  now 
extended  over  almost  nineteen  years,  the  benefi- 
cial working  of  its  methods  have  been  completely 
proven  and  its  practical  and  successfid  career 
has  demonstrated  not  only  the  correctness  of 
its  plans  but  also  its  wise  and  careful  manage- 
ment. During  its  existence  it  has  paid  in  the 
shape  of  benefits  the  large  sum  of  s460,00()  to 
its  bcniticiaries.  relieving  many  destitute  wid- 
ows and  orphans  from  want  at  a  jjeriod  when 
most  in  need — luimely,  upon  the  removal  of  the 
bread-winner  and  head  of  the  household.  It 
has  also  accummulated  during  the  same  period 
a  reserve  fund  of  680,000  which  is  securely  in- 
vested, thus  placing  it  on  a  sound  financial 
basis  and  assuring  paj'ment  of  all  just  claims 
against  it.  It  has  also  erected  a  tine  building 
for  its  own  use  on  the  corner  of  Western  ave- 
nue and  Kentucky  street  in  Pet.ihima.  It  is 
the  finest  erection  in  town  and  a  credit  archi- 
tecturally to  the  county. 

The  Mutual  Relief  Association  of  Petaluma 
is  incorporated  under  an  act  passed  April  22, 
1850,  entitled,  "An  Act  for  incorporating  Re- 
ligious, Social,  Beneficial  and  Literary  Associa- 
tions," and  reincorjjorated  under  the  act  passed 
March  23,  1874,  entitled  "  An  Act  relating  to 
Mutual,  Beneficial  and  Relief  Associations." 
This  latter  act  was  passed  especially  for  the  pro- 
tection of  this  and  similar  societies  and  to  guard 
them  against  the  unjust  encroachment  of  the  life 
insurance  companies.  These  statutes  are  very 
strict  in  their  requirements  especially  in  regard 
to  the  funds,  whch  cannot  be  a])plied  in  any  other 
manner  than  that  set  forth  in  the  act  of  incor- 
poration. If  they  should  be  wrongfully  diverted 
from  their  proper  use,  they  can  be  reclainied  at 
any  time  within  six  years  upon  the  complaint 
of  any  member  of  the  association — thus  secur- 
ing an  absolute  safeguard  to  the  members. 

A  few  words  may  not  be  amiss  as  to  the 
origin  of  this  method  of  life  security.  This 
class  of  mutual  associations  originated,  it  is 
believed,  with  the  Episcopal  clergy  for  the  pro- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


tection  of  tlieir  families.  Otlier  deiioininations, 
as  also  tlie  Masons,  Odd  Fellows  and  other 
orders,  soon  adopted  the  same  j)lan.  It  gave 
such  general  satisfaction,  accoiHplishing  its  do 
signs  with  such  a  certainty  and  at  sucii  a  trifling 
expense  that  it  has  steadily  and  rapidly  grown 
in  favor  throughout  the  eastern  States  for  more 
now  than  a  third  of  a  century.  Ilealizing  these 
facts,  the  citizens  of  San  Francisco  formed  an  as- 
sociation, confining  its  memljership  to  that  city. 
Some  citizens  of  Petaluma  applied  to  become 
members,  and  having  been  denied,  by  reason  of  its 
restrictions,  they  determined  to  organize  an  as- 
sociation in  Petaluma,  but  on  a  more  liheral 
scale.  A  meeting  was  accordingly  called  by  a 
numlier  of  its  leading  citizens,  and  the  result 
was  the  organizing  of  the  Mutual  Ilelief  Asso- 
ciation, embodying  all  the  best  principles  of  its 
predecessors.  .  Notwithstanding  it  has  met  with 
the  most  strenuous  opposition  on  the  part  of 
the  old-line  life  insurance  companies,  misrepre- 
senting it  in  the  most  subtle  and  stealthy 
manner  by  every  means  fair  and  unfair  in  their 
power,  through  almost  innumerable  publications 
and  their  hundreds  of  paid  agents,  still  this 
association  has  steadily  .  increased  in  numbers 
and  intiuence,  until  it  is  known  throughout  the 
land,  and  has  had  the  satisfaction  of  relieving 
the  needy  to  the  extent  already  mentioned,  and 
has  a  list  of  members  that  steadily  averages 
about  2,000,  which  are  all  that  are  sought. 

The  following  in  reference  to  the  objects  of 
the  association  is  clipped  from  their  paper,  the 
Miitual  Relief: 

"The  object  of  the  association  is  to  secure 
pecuniary  aid  of  !»^2,000  to  the  families  or  de- 
pendents of  deceased  members.  This  is  accom- 
plished in  the  most  perfect  and  substantial 
manner,  as  has  been  substantiated  within  the 
last  few  years  by  this  and  kindred  societies: 
and  that,  too,  with  an  expense  so  light  that  it 
has  not  proved  a  burden  upon  its  members, 
which  fact  not  only  increases  its  popularity  Imt 
brings  it  within  the  reach  of  those  most  need- 
ing its  protection  anil  aid. 

"Any  person,  may   lieconie  a  member  of  the 


association,  if  in  good  health  and  not  under 
eighteen  nor  over  forty-live  years  of  age. 

''  Each  member  pays,  according  to  age,  four  to 
eight  dollars  annually,  and  one  dollar  on  the 
death  of  a  member. 

"On  proof  of  the  death  of  a  member  of  the 
association,  his  family,  or  the  person  he  has 
appointed  as  his  nominee,  receives  immediately 
from  the  association  s2,000  in  case  the  deceased 
has  been  a  member  for  ten  years,  or  if  not,  a 
like  proportion  to  the  number  of  members. 

"  All  surplus  funds  are  loaned  on  good  and 
sntticient  security  (on  real  estate)  to  form  a  '  per- 
manent reserve  fund,"  the  interest  on  which 
annually  reverts  to  members  in  the  form  of  a  divi- 
dend. In  case  of  death  a  notice  is  sent  to  each 
member.  Agents  in  each  to\vn  receive  the 
assessments. 

••  The  association,  as  well  as  its  funds,  is  under 
the  ciintrol  of  a  board  of  twelve  directors,  who 
are  elected  annually  by  the  members  of  the 
association,  and  is  also  incorporated  under  the 
beneficiary  act  of  the  State,  which  act  does  not 
allow  any  funds  to  be  used  for  purposes  other 
than  set  forth  in  the  rules  and  regulations, 
while  the  secretary  and  treasurci-  are  required 
to  give  heavy  bonds  for  the  faithful  performance 
of  their  duties. 

"The  officers  and  directors  of  the  association, 
receive  no  compensation  whatever  for  their  ser- 
vices except  the  secretary,  who  is  simjily  paid 
for  keeping  the  books  of  the  association. 

"  The  association  is  designed  to  save  money, 
not  to  spend  it.  None  will  feel  poorer  for  belong- 
ing to  it,  while  many  will  bless  the  day  that  their 
father,  mother,  husband   or  brother  joined  it. 

"  The  annual  pa}«ments  are:  For  those  under 
thirty  years  when  they  join,  §4;  over  thirty 
and  under  thirty- five,  ij^o;  over  thirty-five  and 
under  forty,  sC);  over  forty  and  under  forty- 
live,  ss.     These  payments  arc  not  raised. 

If  a  member  prefers,  he  can  make  the  fol- 
lowing full  payments  in  advance,  and  not  be 
re(|uired  to  make  any  further  annual  payments: 
For  those  under  thirty  years  at  time  of  joining, 
!i;30;    over  thirtv   and    under  thirty-five,   ^.35: 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


over   thirty-live    and    under   forty,    %\^\    over 
forty  and  under  forty-five,  $45. 

"Do  not  confound  this  association  with  life 
insurance.  It  is  a 'protective  association,"  and 
does  husiness  in  a  differentway,  for  thcsaine  pur- 
pose, but  for  one-half  the  expeuse   to  members. 

"The  board  of  directors  is  a  representative  list 
of  some  of  the  most  prominent  business  men  of 
I'etaluma.  They  are  all  residents  of  tliis  place, 
and  are  men  of  means  and  integrity.  The 
names  of  the  officers  and  board  of  directors  are 
as  follows:  I).  W.  0.  Tutnam,  Tresident;  E. 
iS'ewburgh,  Vice-President;  \\  1!.  Gilbert, 
Secretary;  A.  V>.  Hill,  Treasurer.  M.  Walsli, 
Wm.  Canim,  11.  L.  Weston,  D.  AV.  ('.  rutnam, 
E.  Newburj^h,  John  Cavanagh,  AVm.  /artman, 
J.  L.  Dinwiddle,  Kelly  Tighe,  Wm.  Uoliinson, 
II.  Johnson,  P.  P.  (lilbert,  directors." 

The  Parip'c  Beneft  Association. — This  asso- 
ciation incorporated  November  18,  1880,  was 
designed  to  afford  a  cheap  and  safe  means  of  in- 
surance for  those  unable  or  unwilling  to  pay 
the  cost  of  a  policy  in  one  of  the  old-line 
companies.  Its  inceptor  and  founder,  G.  li. 
Codding  (since  deceased"),  at  the  time  of  its  or- 
ganization liad  been  engaged  in  the  insurance 
business  some  ten  years  as  secretary  of  the  Mu- 
tual Relief  Association,  and  had  made  a  care- 
ful study  of  the  various  plans  of  the  mutual  or 
co-operative  insurance  companies.  This  associ- 
atio:i  was  the  result  of  his  labors.  It  combines 
some  of  the  best  features  of  the  mutual  relief 
(now  in  successful  operation  nearly  twenty  years) 
with  that  of  graded  assessments  now  so  popular. 

During  the  few  years  it  has  been  in  existence 
it  has  paid  in  benefits  over  §100,000.  Its  pres- 
ent officers  are:  F.  A.  Meyer,  President;  J.  A. 
Cowen,  A'ice-President;  Geo.  C.  Codding,  Sec- 
retary, and  li.  B.  Iligbee,  Treasurer. 

The  Heal  Instate  Association  of  Petal  uma,Cal- 
ifornia,  was  organized  and  incorporated  in  187G 
with  a  ca])ital  stock  of  $50,000.  Its  object  was 
and  is  to  buy  and  sell  real  estate  for  cash 
and  on  the  installment,  to  loan  money  on  real 
estate  or  other  security  and  to  carry  on  generally 
the  l)usiness  of    trading    and    dealing    in  real 


estate.  G.  R.  Codding,  its  organizer,  was  its 
first  secretary,  and  L.  F.  Carpenter  its  first  pres- 
ident. They  iiave  done  much  for  the  city  in  the 
way  of  subdividing  tracts,  opening  sti-eets  and 
building  houses  for  those  unable  to  do  so  with- 
out help.  Its  present  officers  are:  T.  A.  Gilbert, 
President;  S.J.  Hopkins,  Vice-President;  Geo. 
C.  Codding,  Secretary,  and  I^liilip  Cowen, Treas- 
urer. 

Williai/i  Hill  tb  fSon,  Bankei's.  —  Organ- 
ized January  1,  1887;  Wm  Ilill,  President;  A. 
B.  Hill,  C'ashior;  was  organized  with  capital 
stock  of  $100,000,  which  was  afterward  in- 
creased to  $150,000. 

Statement  made,  July,  1888: 

Capital,  $150,000;  profit  and  loss  account, 
$ll,03(;i;  deposits,  amount,  $125,882;  real  es- 
tate of  bank  premises,  $11,000;  loans  on  real 
estate,  $111,745;  loans  on  personal  security, 
$148,000;  money  on  hand,  $27,800. 

Alfred  Borel  ^  Co.  is  their  San  Francisco 
correspondent.  The  bank  draws  direct  on  New 
York,  London,  German  and  other  European  cities. 

Bank  of  iSonoiiui  C'lninti/. — This  bank  was 
incorporated  May  10,1806,  with  an  authorized 
capital  of  $100,000  in  one  thousand  shares  of 
$100 each.  The  incorporators  were:  J.  A.  Mc- 
Near,  G.  W.  McNear,  W.  Hill,  W.  Dutton,  E. 
Uenman,  J.  R.  Rose,  A.  Mills,  G.  W.  Case,  A. 
B.  Case,  II.  Mecham,  C.  Railsback,  G.  R.  Cod- 
ding, II.  Hall,  W.  S.  M.  Wright,  R.  P.ailey,  W. 
R.  Roberts,  W.  P.  llinshaw,  G.  AVoodward,  I. 
Bernhard,  E.  Newl)urgh,  S.  C.  iloag,  J.  E. 
Fowler,  -I no.  Sroufe  and  A.  Sweetland.  The 
first  Board  of  Directors  were:  J.  A.  McNear, 
W.  Hill,  W.  Dutton,  E.  Denman  and  A.  Mills. 
Wm.  Hill  was  elected  President  and  E.  Sprague, 
Cashier.  The  prosperity  of  the  new  bank  was 
remarkable;  only  90  per  cent,  of  tlie  capital 
stock  being  actually  paid  in.  The  remaining  10 
per  cent,  was  capitalized  from  the  earnings. 

In  November,  1872,  the  bank  took  possession 
of  the  present  location  on  the  northwest  cor- 
ner of  Main  and  AVashington  streets,  the  build- 
ing having  been  especially  erected  for  its  use. 
February  1, 1877,  the  capital  was  increased  in 


HTSTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


pursuance  of  tlie  certificate  of  tlie  Secretary  of 
State  from  $100,000  to  $300,000.  No  assess- 
ments were  levied  on  tlie  stockholders  as  there 
had  accrued  a  surplus  of  $'200,000  from  earn- 
ings subsequent  to  April  22,  1867. 

Since  organization  the  bank  has  paid  $340,- 
500  in  dividends,  besides  ca})italizing  the  above 
mentioned  $200,000. 
The  present  officers  are: 

Directors:  E.  Denman,  Geo.  P.  McNear,  J. 
I'l  Gwin,  Thos.  Hopper  and  T.  C.  Putman.  E. 
Denman  is  President;  Geo.  P.  McNair,  Vice- 
President;  Frank  H.  Denman,  Cashier,  and  H. 
r>.  liigbee,  Assistant  Cashier. 

Tiie  bank  is  now  in  a  very  flourishing  con- 
dition with  a  constantly  increasing  business, 
having  the  entire  confidence  of  the  public. 

I'etalnma  Savings  AV<?;^'.-— Incorporated  by 
H.  T.  Fairbanks,  J.  M.  Bowles,  A.  P.  Whitney, 
B.  F.  Tuttle,  A.  Poverton,  J.  II.  Crane,  F.  T. 
Maynard,  Win.  Zartman  and  S.  I'.  Carpenter 
on  August  30,  1S70. 

Tlie  first  president  was  J.  M.  Bowles,  who 
filled  the  office  until  January,  1871,  when  he 
was  succeeded  by  II.  T.  Fairbanks,  who  has  filled 
the  position  to  the  present  time. 

The  first  cashier  was  ().  V.  Walker,  who  i-e- 
inained  with  the  bank  till  1874.  W.  B.  Haskell 
then  folhiwed  until  January.  1878,  when  D.  I>. 
Fairbanks  was  elected,  and  has  been  in  continual 
service  till  the  present  writing. 

The  officers  of  the  bank  are:  II.  T.  Fairbanks, 
President;  J.  M.  Bowles,  Vice-President  and  D. 
B  Fairbanks,  Cashier.  The  finance  committee 
is  composed  of  II.  T.  i-'airbanks,  president,  and 
Messrs.  J.  M.  Bowles  and  V.  T.  Maynard.  \ 

Tlie  bank  does  agencral  banking  business  and 
was  the  first  to  establish  the  rule  of  paying  in- 
terest on  deposits.  It  has  met  with  unvarying 
success,  occupying  conimodious  and  well  fur- 
nished quarters  on  Main  street,  and  having  bur- 
glar and  fire-proof  vault  with  Hall's  patent  steel 
burglar-proof  safe  and  time  lock.  The  capital 
stock  is  $100,000,  and  the  stockholders  have 
been  paid  sixty-one  dividcids  amounting  to 
$205     per  share   since  the   Imnk   started.      The 


surplus  now  carried  amounts  to  $71t,000.  The 
correspondents  of  the  bank  are:  The  Bank  of 
California,  San  Francisco;  Agency  Bank  of  Cal- 
ifornia, JSew  York;  N.  M.  Ptothscliild  &  Sons, 
London,   Englantl. 

The  I'tiiilunvi  I iicuhator,  one  of  the  leading 
manufactures  of  the  county  was  awarded  med- 
als at  the  California  State  Fair  in  1881-'82-'83 
and  '84.  The  first  one  a  silver,  the  others  gold 
medals.  Also  a  gold  medal  at  the  Sonoma 
County  Agricultural  Park  Association,  1883, 
besides  eleven  diplomas  of  merit  at  various 
district  fairs. 

The  machine,  in  its  original  form,  was  intro- 
duced by  I.  R.  Jacobs  and  I.  L.  Dias,  the  former, 
liowever,  withdrew  before  the  business  assumed 
any  practical  shape,  and  was  soon  after  suc- 
ceeded by  L.  C.  Byce.  The  business  was  there- 
after conducted  under  the  name  of  the  Petaluina 
Inculiator  Company. 

Afr.  Dias  died  in  November,  1884,  since 
which  time  the  business  has  been  owned  and 
conducted  by  Mr.  P>yce,  under  the  same  name. 
The  first  year  there  was  less  than  fifty  ma- 
chines sold,  but  the  practicability  having  been 
so  thoroughly  demonstrated,  the  demand  lias 
steadily  increased  until  the  .sales  for  1888  ex- 
ceed 1,000  machines. 

Mr.  Byce  is  the  original  patentee,  to  whom 
several  additional  patents  have  been  granted  for 
improvements.  AVitli  many  of  the  machines 
there  are  solii  from  one  to  three  brooder,-. 

The  factory  is  large  and  commodious  and  oc- 
cupies a  prominent  location  on  Main  street. 

Petaluma  Woolen  Mills — Torr  i*c  New- 
burgh,  proprietors.  Was  built  April,  1875,  and 
started  as  a  stock  company;  it  run  as  a  stock 
company  for  about  a  year,  when  they  rented  it 
to  R.  II.  Duncan  ^  Co.  They  had  it  for  about 
eighteen  months.  It  then  laid  idle  for  about 
two  years  and  a  half.  It  was  then  taken  in 
charge  by  Charles  L.  Torr,  who  bought  the  con- 
trolling interest.  In  January,  1880,  Mr.  Man- 
rise  Newbiirgh  came  in  as  partner,  under  the 
present  firm  name.  They  made  e.\tonsiv(>  ad- 
dition bv  enlarging  the  IniiJiliM'''  and  nuttiiin-  in 


204 


BISTORY    Of   SONOMA    COtTNTT. 


two-thirds  new  inueliiiiL'ry.  Previuus  to  tliu 
time  Mr.  Torr  toolv  the  mill  the  most  they  niii 
per  day  was  IGO  yards  of  flannel;  he  increased 
it  l)y  improving  the  machinery  to  about  350 
yards  per  day.  Since  Mr.  Newburgh  came  in  it 
lias  still  increased,  so  at  present  it  turns  out  750 
yards  per  day.  At  present  turning  out  forty- 
five  pair  of  scarlet  blankets  per  day,  and  250 
yards  of  flannel.  The  plant  cost  the  stock  corn- 
pan}',  when  put  up,  !r^22,500.  There  has  been 
in  the  neighborhood  of  ^1,800  added  since  in 
tiie  machinery,  addition  of  buildings,  and  other 
improvements.  They  have  their  own  artesian 
well,  which  also  supplies  the  railroad  with  water. 
American  Hotel. — This  is  the  oldest  hotel  in 
the  city  of  Petaluma,  dating  its  history  since 
the  latter  part  of  1852,  when  it  was  erected  by 
Mr.  George  !>.  Williams.  It  was  then  little 
better  than  a  boarding-house,  T)ut  being  the 
only  place  where  shelter  was  furnished  to  strang- 
ers it  enjoyed  an  extended  patronage.  It  was 
then  a  small  story  and  a  half  wooden  building, 
witli  not  over  three  or  four  rooms.  It  has 
grown  since  then,  until  now  it  is  a  substantial 
brick,  three  stories  in  height,  and  containing  no 
less  than  titty  i-ooms.  Twice  it  has  been 
burned;  the  first  time  when  it  was  a  wooden 
building,  being  entirely  consumed,  and  the 
second  time  wlien  a  brick,  being  gutted.  It 
lias  had  many  owners  and  proprietors,  nearly 
all  of  them  popular  with  the  public,  but  none  so 
much  so  as  the  present  proprietors,  Messrs. 
Soldate  &  Giacomini,  mention  of  whom  is  made 
in  another  place.  A  list  of  the  various  proprie- 
tors is  given,  although  it  is  not  certain  whether 
the  catalogue  of  the  earlier  times  is  quite  com- 
]ilete.  After  (ieorge  R.  Williams  came  Doug- 
lass &  Adams,  in  1852,  who  ran  it  until  it 
came  into  the  bands  of  Anthony  (4.  Oaks,  the 
well-kniiwn  ••Toney,"'  now  of  Alameda  County. 
On  Deceniiier  1,  1858,  the  men  who  kept  the 
American  were  I5rown  it  Re.xford,  well  known 
by  all  the  old-timers.  The  building  had  been 
rebuilt  in  brick  by  this  time  and  was  owned  by 
William  Ordway.  I'rom  his  hands  it  passed 
into  those  of  J.    M.    Dowles,  and  then   to  the 


banker,  II.  T.  Fairbanks;  and  from  him  to  Mr. 
J.  A.  McNear,  the  present  owner,  through  i[r. 
Matzenbach,  who  kept  the  hotel  for  a  loner 
time  and  was  one  of  the  most  popular  bonilaees. 
In  1883  the  lessees  were  Roberts  &  Smith; 
then,  in  quick  succession,  Messrs.  Beggs  it  Sol- 
date,  J>eggs  it  Tornasini,  F.  \l.  Shield,  M. 
(Tiaconiini,  and  now  Soldate  it  Giacomini,  who 
took  possession  on  the  lltli  of  December,  188-i, 
and  in  their  management  leave  nothing  to  be 
desired.  Since  they  have  had  the  house  it  has 
been  thoroughly  overhauled  and  partially  re- 
furnished, and  has  been  placed  upon  a  modern 
and  popular  l)asi8.  It  is  a  three  story  brick 
building  of  solid  and  substantial  construction, 
having  a  fine  Gothic  front  on  Main  street,  sup- 
ported by  massive  fluted  iron  pillars.  The 
rooms  are  large  and  airy,  and  are  arraiuJ-cd  so 
as  to  be  used  either  single  or  en  suite.  The 
dining-room  will  seat  eighty  guests,  and  the 
t"ommissary  department  is  not  the  least  im- 
poi'tant  of  the  house.  The  cuisine  is  presided 
over  by  a  skilled  <-Jief,  and  the  service  and  at- 
tendance is  perfect.  Connected  with  the  house 
is  a  well  stocked  bar,  a  spacious  billiard-room, 
commodious  sample-rooms,  barber  shop,  and 
other  Conveniences.  In  short,  the  house  jios- 
sesses  all  customary  modern  conveniences,  and 
is  a  thoroughly  first-class  establishment.  Lastly, 
we  must  not  forget  to  mention  what  is  certainly 
not  the  least  attractive  feature  of  the  house,  and 
that  is  the  genial  Joe  Soldate,  who  knows  so 
well  how  to  make  his  guests  at  home. 


rwv:  CITY 


'KT.W.rM  A. 


John  Cavanaugli,  Recorder;  .IdIiii  I'.  Rod- 
gcrs,  City  Attorney;  Charles  I'olk',  Assessor; 
F.  M.  Collins,  Marshal;  II.  11.  Iligbee,  Treas- 
urer; W.  Worth,  George  V.  Allen,  John  A. 
McNear,  J.  L.  AVinnans  and  AVilliani  Lewis, 
Trustees.    11.  I'imm  is  chief  of  Fire  Department. 

Citij  JjO'irtl  (if  KiUuMtion:  James  Singley, 
President;  Henry  P.  P>rainerd,  Frank  H.  Den- 
man,  Joseph  Campbell;  Frank  T.  ^[aynard. 
Secretary. 

P.  Hall  is  the  present  postmastei' of  I'etaluma. 


HTSTORT    OP   SONOMA    OOUNTi'. 


2fi.-, 


.^-tf^lA^C^^ 


^Ij^-T^v-^^-T^  -^  , 


ciiaptf:ii  xxix. 


MkN  I )()(_'!  NO  -  -  Cl,(i\  KTiDALE SoxOSCA AnALY BoilK(iA RlSSTAN  RlVEIi Wasi|IN(; 

WOOD — 0':'EA.\ — Sai.t  Point — KNrcarrs  Vaij.ky — Valuvio. 


PvKn. 


MENDOCINO  TOWNSHIP. 

fXOLUSIYE  of  Healdsbarg,  tliis  township 
includes 7SI, 232  acres,  assessed  at  !ti77n,850, 
an  average  of  $10  per  acre.  Tiie  entire  tax- 
roll  of  the  township,  excluding  Ilealdsbiirg,  is 
!H1,242,056.  The  taxable  property  of  Healdsburg 
amounts  to  $595,338,  which  makes  the  assessed 
valueof  the  property  of  the  township  $1,837,394. 
In  shape,  it  is  the  most  irregular  of  all  the  town- 
ships in  the  county.  It  is  bounded  by  Lake 
County  on  the  northeast,  and  following  the 
meandering  of  steams  or  convolutions  of  moun- 
tain ranges  it  encompasses  Cloverdale  and 
Washington  townships  on  three  sides,  winding 
between  them  and  Mendocino  County  on  the 
north,  with  Jvnights  A'alley,  Russian  River, 
Analy  and  Redwood  townships  on  the  south, 
and  Salt  Point  and  Ocean  on  the  west,  llealds- 
burg,  containing  a  i>opulation  of  2,000  is  the 
principal  town,  and  is  splendidly  situated  on  the 
north  bank  of  the  Russian  Rivei-.  Property  in 
this  section  is  changing  hands  very  rapidly,  its 
fertile  plains,  fine  grazing  lands  and  splendid 
fruits  and  vine-growing  areas  being  justly  ap- 
preciated. The  products  of  this  township  are 
almost  as  varied  as  the  wants  of  man,  and  in 
(juantity    and    (piality    arc   not   surpassed.      Its 


population  in  1880  was  2,874;  now  about  8,500. 
There  is  not  a  vacant  house  or  store  in  Ilealds- 
burg,  and  building  is  progressing  rajiidly.  In 
common  with  all  parts  of  the  Russian  River 
Valley  the  farm  houses  are,  many  of  them,  fine 
substantial  structures,  and  many  improvements 
are  continually  being  made.  In  this  section  no 
little  attention  is  being  paid  to  hop  raisin^. 
The  celebrated  Geyser  Springs  are  in  the  eastern 
part  of  this  township. 

As  Cyrus  Alexander  had  settled  in  flii.s  tiiwn- 
ship  at  a  very  early  day,  Americans  coming  in 
were  naturally  attracted  to  his  neighborhood. 
Of  those  who  came  to  California  previous  to  the 
discovery  of  gold,  were  the  Gordons,  Morrow, 
Storey,  and  W.  J.  March,  who  all  found  their 
way  to  the  Russan  River  Valley  and  in  1848 
settled  on  lane!  now  comprised  in  this  town- 
ship. As  month  followed  month,  and  year 
succeeded  year,  so  did  the  population  increase. 
In  1849  arrived  William  T.  Allen  and  others  ; 
in  1851,  Richard  E.  Lewis  and  many  more. 
In  these  years  the  gold  fever  iiad  stocked 
California  with  denizens  from  every  known  part 
of  tiic  globe  ;  every  tongue  sj)oken  on  the  face  of 
tlin  globe  was  to  be  heard  in  the  gold  mines, 
wliilr  all    wcri'    bent    on    aciiuii'ini;' a  bircri'   and 


260 


niSTORY    OF    SONO.VA    COUNT V 


rapiil  fortune.  Failure  or  success  caused  uiany 
to  leave  the  pursuit  of  treasure  and  look  for 
somewhere  to  settle,  and  thus  in  the  next  five 
years  every  portion  of  the  State  recx'ived  a  mar- 
velous increase  to  the  iiiiinher  of  its  residents. 
In  Mendocino  Townshiji  tiie  few  residents  that 
were  not  taken  with  the  gold  disorder,  watched 
carefully  passing  events  and  tilled  their  ground, 
and  planted  tlieir  produce,  waiting  for  a  certain 
liarvest  of  dust.  Our  old  pioneer  Cyrus  Alex- 
ander knew  that  wealth  was  now  within  his 
grasp;  he  sent  his  cattle  to  the  mines  and  there 
received  fabulous  prices  for  them.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1850  he  succeeded  in  raising  a  good 
crop  of  large  sized  onions — about  two  tons  in 
all  ;  these  he  dispatched  to  the  mines  by  an  ox- 
team  and  cleared  about  !i;l,'.200  on  the  venture 
b\  retailing  them  at  from  40  to  75  cents  per 
jionntl.  Hog's  Hesh  had  been  up  to  that  time  a 
scarce  commodity  ;  they  had  been,  however, 
introduced  by  Alexander  in  1S50  or  before  then. 
At  any  rate,  in  that  year  a  di-over  named  Olm- 
stead  came  from  the  mines  and  wanted  to  sti'ike 
a  bargain  with  Alexander  for  certain  pigs,  the 
price  wanted  being  s50  each.  After  much  hag- 
gling, Olmstead  paid  the  !S1,000  and  took  the 
twcnt}'  pigs. 

Some  of  the  immigrants  coming  to  the  Rus- 
sian River  Valley  at  this  period  cast  longing  eyes 
upon  the  fertile  lands  of  Alexander  Valley,  and 
taking/  it  for  granted  that  they  knew  all  the 
intricacies  of  the  land  law  as  relating  to  Califor- 
nia, occupied  such  portions  as  they  had  a  mind 
to;  among  others  who  were  thus  honored  by 
the  presence  of  self-invited  guests  was  Cyrus 
Alexaiulei-.  With  these,  liowever,  he  never 
(piarrelled,  but  would  simply  warn  them  off, 
advising  them  of  the  consecjnences  should  they 
remain.  As  a  rule  they  went  away  (juietly, 
Alexander  always  ]Kiying  them  a  fair  jirice  for 
any  imjH-ovements  made.  Afterward,  finding 
that  his  property  was  absolutely  needed  by  those 
who  wotdd  pay  for  it,  he  concluded  to  dispose 
of  all  his  wild  cattle  and  have  the  ranch  surveyed. 
This  he  did,  dividing  it  into  two  reserves,  and 
offering  the  remainder  for  sale   in  lots  to  suit 


purchasers.  The  valley  in  this  wav  became  soon 
peopled  by  immigrants  from  Illinois,  Iowa, 
Tei  nessee,  Missouri.  Indiana,  and  New  York. 

IlKALDSuuitu. — "  As  the  crow  flies,"'  Ilealds- 
Inirg  is  about  sixty-five  miles  west  of  north  of 
San  Francisco,  being  thirty-five  miles  from  Teta- 
luma  and  fifteen  from  Santa  liosa  liy  the  rail- 
road. It  occupies  a  beautiful  location  on  Rus- 
sian River,  near  its  confiueuce  with  Drj'  Creek, 
and  rests  pleasantly  on  rising  ground  between 
the  two  valleys  of  Russian  River  and  Dry  Creek, 
near  to  it  being  the  eminence  nsually  known  as 
Fitch  Mountain,  though  there  are  those  who 
name  if  by  the  more  euphonious  tide  of  Sotoy- 
ome,  the  name  given  to  the  grant  made  to  Cap- 
tain Henry  D.  Fitch.  It  is  a  hill  of  much 
symmetry,  the  upper  portion  being  well  wooded, 
while  at  its  base  are  rolling  lands,  offering  the 
advantage  of  magnificent  pasturage;  around  the 
foot  of  it  meanders  the  Russian  River,  clinging 
to  the  fertile  region  as  if  loth  to  part  with  the 
Inxnriant  vegetation  on  its  slopes. 

The  site  of  the  city  was  originally  a  portion 
of  the  grant  named  above.  In  the  year  1852 
Harmon  lleald,  who  had  crossed  the  plains  in 
18i9,  and  settled  in  the  connty  in  1850,  not  far 
from  the  position  of  the  future  city,  located  the 
land,  the  proper  ownership  of  which  was  at  that 
time  in  dispute.  Ileald  arguing  that  shouM  it 
turn  out  to  be  (Jovernment  property  he  could 
pre-empt  it,  and  if  owned  privately  he  would 
have  a  like  oppoitunity  offered  for  purchase. 
On  this  grou!Ki  he  erected  a  small  cla]iboard 
cabin,  placing  it  on  the  side  of  the  main  road 
to  Mendocino  and  the  counties  to  the  north, 
then  tlie  only  artery  for  wagon  travel  in  this 
part  of  thcconntry;  he  thus  seized  the  oppor- 
tunity, anil  jirocuring  a  small  assortment  of 
goods,  opened  a  store  in  the  fall  of  the  year, 
ami  that  winter  disjiosed  of  them,  principally  to 
the  Indians,  of  whom  there  were  a  great  num- 
ber, who  usually  paid  for  their  purchases  in  cash, 
and  the  travelers  on  the  route.  This  election 
stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  express  office  of 
Wells,  Fargo  A:  Co.,  the  original  building  Iieing 
until    lately  still  standing,  a  little  to  the  rear 


UTSTORY    OP    fiONOAfA    (JOirNTY. 


2(;V 


tliereuf.  Tliis  was  tlie  first  building  in  Healds- 
l)iirg.  In  tliis  winter  there  caine  to  live  with 
Ileald,  Thomas  W.  Hudson  and  wife,  who  as- 
sisted hini  in  his  household  and  other  cares,  and 
in  the  following  sjiring,  having  disposed  of  his 
original  stock  in  trade,  he  set  to  work  to  re- 
])lenish  his  shelves,  the  goods  being  procured 
in  San  Francisco,  and  thence  transj)orted  by 
steamer  to  Sonoma,  and  by  wagon  or  pack,  or 
both,  to  their  destination.  A  blacksmith's  shop 
was  shortly  after  built  I)y  a  man  of  the  name  of 
Morse,  on  the  site  of  the  store  now  kept  by  Sam 
Myers;  he,  however,  was  succeeded  by  William 
Hodge  and  William  Dow,  who  had  moved  their 
smithery  business  from  the  Russian  River 
bardvS,  thus  making  the  second  building  in  tlie 
embryo  city.  The  third  house  was  constructed 
by  August  Knaack, on  the  ground  now  occupied 
liy  the  eastern  end  of  the  Sotoyome  House, 
where  he  estaljlished  himself,  making  chairs  and 
re])airing  wagons.  This  house  adjoined  the 
blacksmith  shop  already  mentioned;  Knaack,  it 
is  said,  performing  all  the  woodwork  in  connec- 
tion with  that  business.  Tiiis  was  in  the  winter 
of  1853-'4,  at  which  time  there  also  came  H. 
M.  Wilson,  who,  with  A.  B.  Aull,  entered  into 
jtartnersliip  with  Harmon  Heald,  who  built  an 
iuhlition  to  the  store,  the  business  of  which  was 
afterward  controlled  by  Wilson  alone  for  eight- 
een months.  Early  in  the  year  1853,  Harmon 
Ileald  lost  his  3'oungest  Ijrother,  who  had  crossed 
the  plains,  with  his  mother,  sister,  and  another 
brother,  in  1851,  his  being  the  first  funeral  in 
the  little  settlement,  lie  was  interred  by  the 
side  of  a  cluster  of  madronas,  in  what  is  now 
tlie  school  lot,  then  apparently  far  away  in  the 
backwoods,  now  surrounded  on  every  side  by 
houses.  His  remains  along  with  those  of  many 
others,  were  afterward  removed  to  Oak  Mound 
(Jemetery.  In  May  of  this  year  there  also  hap- 
]>ened  tlie  first  birth  in  the  city,  in  the  jierson  of 
Henry  II.,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  W. 
Hudson,  who  soon  after  moved  from  the  little 
settlement,  for  we  find  that  in  1854:  the  town, 
which  at  that  time  know  no  other  name  than 
that  of  Ileald's  Store,  was  com]>ose(l  oi'  the  build- 


ings mentioned  above,  with  their  occupants, 
Harmon  Heald  ami  his  wife,  for  he  had  married 
at  Mark  West  Creek  in  the  previous  year  ;  H. 
M.  Wilson,  AVilliam  Dow,  William  Dodge,  and 
August  Knaack.  About  this  period  was  estab- 
lished in  Ileald's  store  the  first  postal  station, 
the  nearest  office  prior  to  tliat  time  being  at 
Sonoma,  whence  the  mail  service  was  conducted 
by  private  enterprise,  at  a  charge  of  two,  and, 
sometimes,  four  bitx  a  letter. 

Nothing  of  any  importance  transpired  in  the 
following  year;  in  March,  1850,  however,  .Mc- 
Manus  moved  his  store  from  its  position  in  Rus- 
sian River  Township,  making  the  second  store 
within  wliat  is  now  known  as  the  cor])orate 
limits  of  the  city  of  Ilealdsburg.  There  was 
still  another  store,  but  outside  the  limits,  kept 
by  a  man  named  Engle. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1S57,  the  town  site 
was  surveyed  by  H.  P.  Mock,  and  the  lots,  with 
the  exception  of  those  donated  for  a  district 
school,  cemetery,  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
Baptist  church,  Methodist  Episcopal  chnrcli, 
South,  Presbyterian  church,  and  plaza,  sold  by 
private  contract. 

In  the  year  18()7,  the  town  was  incorporated 
under  the  law  of  the  State  as  it  then  existed, 
but  during  the  twentieth  session  of  the  J^egis- 
lature  a  S])ecial  law  was  passed  incorporating 
the  city  of  Ilealdsburg,  which  was  adopted  by 
the  vote  of  the  city  on  April  18,  1874. 

I'/ie  First  Jiajifisf  (  7i  11  rc/i.— This  church  was 
first  organized  at  a  school  house  about  four 
miles  below  Ilealdsburg  in  the  summer  of  185-1, 
with  a  membership  of  ten  persons,  under  the 
pastoi'al  care  of  Rev.  S.  S.  Riley.  Subse<jnently 
a  house  of  worship  was  erected  in  Ilealdsburg, 
where  the  congregation  Iiold  their  meetings. 
The  building  was  located  about  two  blocks  south 
of  the  plaza,  near  West  street.  In  1868,  a  new 
church  edifice  was  constructed,  and  dedicated 
on  July  31,  18G!t,  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Saxon,  who 
labored  in  Ilealdsburg  for  six  years  or  there- 
abouts. The  new  building,  which  is  the  one 
now  occupied,  is  34x55  feet,  and  has  a  seating 
capacity  of  300. 


*(58 


ifrstony  oP  soifoxtA  coUNft, 


The  Firxt  Prcshijtcriaih  Chxtrch  of  Ilealds- 
Itury. — The  history  of  this  church  begins  with 
the  early  history  of  tiie  place — being  among  the 
tirst  of  the  churches  established.  It  was  or- 
ganized on  tlie  10th  of  October,  1S58,  by  the 
Kev.  James  Woods.  Tlie  foUowiug  named  per- 
sons formed  the  church:  i[rs.  Elizal)eth  Bled- 
soe, Mrs.  Jane  Drum,  Mrs.  M.  Af.  Bonham, 
Mrs.  E.  A.  Woods,  Cyrus  Alexander,  A.  P. 
Wilson,  Charles  Shult,  A.  B.  Boiihaiu,  H.  M. 
Wilson.  Cyrus  Alexander  was  chosen  ruling 
elder,  and  having  previously  l)een  ordained  in 
the  Tresbyterian  church  of  Santa  Kosa,  was 
immediately  installed  in  office. 

The  Church  of  Christ.-^T\\h,  usually  desig- 
nated as  the  Christian  church,  was  organized  in 
Ilealdsburg  on  December  5,  1857,  by  Polder  F- 
M.  Marion,  upon  the  Bible,  and  tiie  Bible  alone 
as  its  foundation.  The  building  is  situated  in 
North  Ilealdsburg,  on  West  street.  Originally 
the  membership  was  few,  only  ten;  William  11. 
Tombs  was  elected  bisliop  and  Natiian  ^fore- 
house,  deacon. 

Adcettt  Churrh,  I/ealil.yf/ii/y. — The  Seventh- 
Day  Adventists  of  this  place  have  a  comfortable 
house  of  worship,  free  from  debt,  built  in  a.  n. 
1871,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  200.  Tlie  or- 
ganization was  effected  by  Elder  J.  X.  Loiigh- 
borougii,  November  5.  1809. 

J'ro/estunt  I'Jpisciqxil  i'hvrch. — The  Episco- 
pal parish  at  Ilealdsburg  was  first  founded  as  a 
mission  early  in  the  year  1878,  with  the  Rev. 
T.  W.  r>rotherton,  M.  D.,  as  Missionary;  F.  C. 
S.  l>agge,  Seinor  Warden;  John  ^'.  Baiihaclie, 
Junior  Warden,  and  K.  11.  Warfield,  Treasurer 
and  Secretary.  Services  were  held  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South.  One  year 
afterward  it  was  changed  to  a  parish,  with  liev. 
Dr.  T.  W.  Brotherton  as  rector:  F.  C.  S.  Bagge, 
Secretary,  and  H.  (t.  Lathrop,  Dr.  J.  M.  Willey, 
ii.  n.  Warlield,  R.  D.  Moore  and  W.  G.  Swan, 
Vestrymen. 

Sotoyoine  Lodge,  -Xo.  1-2J,  F.  A  A.  M. — 
The  tirst  meeting  of  this  lodge  was  held  under 
dispensation  on  January  28,  1858,  the  charter 
beinsj    subserjnently  granted    under  date.   May 


13th  of  that  year,  the  members  making  applica- 
tion being  John  N.  IJailhache,  Worshipful  Mas- 
ter; E.  Sondheimer,  Senior  Warden  and  Ran.soni 
Powell,  Junior  Warden.  Tlie  fir^t  meeting 
under  the  charter  was  had  on  May  ;iO,  1858; 
the  officers  at  the  time  being,  John  N.  Bail- 
hache.  Worshipful  ilaster;  E.  Sondheimer-, 
Senior  AVarden;  R.  Powell.  Jnnior  Warden;  J. 
Ct.  McManus,  Treasurer;  A.  B.  A.ull,  Secretary; 
Joseph  Albertson,  Senior  Deacon;  Johnston 
Ireland,  Junior  Deacon:  AVilliam  Thornton, 
Tyler. 

TIealdshury  Kticampment,  No.  50,  J.  O.  ().  ]•'. 
— This  encampment  %vas  instituted  March  7, 
187G,  the  charter  members  being:  J.  II.  Cur- 
tis, J.  F.  Seaman,  J.  L.  Bates,  George  J.  Tur- 
ner, William  B.  Tucker,  George  Allison  and 
John  R.  Paul.  The  first  officers  were:  John  IJ. 
Paul,  C.  P.;  (ieorge  J.  Tni'iiei',  II.  P.;  (ieorge 
Allison,  S.  AV.;  William  1!.  Liuker,  J.  W.; 
John  L.  Bates,  S.;  Jesse  F.  Seaman,  T. ;  J.  II. 
Curtis,  Sentinel. 

Healdslntnj  Lodge,  So.  67/,  /.  (>.  (>.  F.- 
This  lodge  was  originally  started  in  Analy 
Township,  the  meetings  being  for  the  most  part 
at  the  town  of  liloomfield.  Its  number  then 
was  the  same  as  that  borne  by  it  now,  Init  in 
the  year  1803  it  was  moved  from  that  jilacc  to 
Healdsburg  and  its  name  changed  fioiii  Analv 
Lodge,  by  the  Grand  Lodge,  to  that  which  it 
now  bears.  The  following  officers  served  from 
their  election  in  November,  1803,  when  the 
lodge  was  moved,  and  M'ere  re-elected  on  January 
1,  1804,  their  names  also  appearing  on  the 
charter  granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge:  II.  M. 
AVilson,  N.  G.;  John  Yonng,  V.  G.;  I).  Lam- 
phier,  Secretary;  Ransom  Powell,  .1.  .1.  Piper 
and  G.  Allison. 

Stav  of  Hope  Lodge,  No.  32,  I.  1).  (•' .  T. — 
This  lodge  was  instituted  May  12,  1801,  by  D'. 
S.  Cutter,  of  San  Francisco,  the  following  being 
the  charter  members:  Mary  Jane  Downing, 
Mary  E.  Fenno,  f].  .Vntoinette  Bagley,  Livonia 
M.  Lombard,  Vesta  L.  Macey,  John  D.  Hassett. 
Henry  D.  Ley,  J.  H.  Colwell,  T.  O.  Thompson, 
AV.  A.  Maxwell,  llenrv  Sargent,  Edwin  Collins, 


niSTOBY    OP   BOifOMA    CntNTY. 


S.    E.     Jlatjsctt,    Thomas    ii.     Ley,    John    W. 
P.ayley. 

The  Bank  of  Healdshurg. — This  institution 
was  organized  on  June  3,  1874,  with  a  capital 
of  ,'?100,000,  ]iai(l  up,  in  United  States  gold  coin. 
Its  original  management  was  under  W.  S.  Ca- 
nan.  President,  and  Charles  E.  Ilutton,  Casliier; 
the  directors  being  W.  S.  Canan,  J.  B.  Smith, 
John  D.  Ilassett,  II.  M.  Wilson  and  J.  N. 
Uailhache.  The  bank  building  occupies  a 
prominent  position  on  the  northwest  corner  of 
the  Plaza,  wliere  a  general  iianking  and  ex- 
change business  is  transacted.  It  issues  letters 
of  credit  available  in  all  parts  of  the  United 
States  and  Europe,  while  its  correspondents  in 
San  Francisco  and  New  York  are  hazard  Freres 
and  Lazard  Bros.  &,  V.o.  in  London. 

The  Sonoma  Voiinfy  Trihvne  was  founded 
by  Isidore  Abraliam  and  Louis  Meyer  in 
liealdsburg,  California,  on  March  21,  1888. 
On  that  day  tlie  first  number  of  the  paper 
was  issued.  It  has  a  fair  circulation,  and.  has 
found  a  permanent  footing  in  tlie  confidence  of 
the  people  in  Northern  Sonoma.  The  first- 
named  is  an  attorney  at  law  and  graduate  of 
Hastings  College  of  the  law  (State  University 
law  department),  class  of  '84.  He  is  now 
practicing  law  in  conjunction  with  the  editing 
of  the  TrUmne,  and  is  its  editor-in-chief.  He 
has  been  a  resident  of  this  county  for  about 
eighteen  years,  during  which  time  he  was  a 
merchant  in  CJloverdale,  and  as  a  lawyer,  prac- 
ticed resjjectively  at  Cloverdale  and  Santa  liosa 
and  Healdsburg.  Louis  Meyer  is  a  young  man 
of  eighteen,  and  a  practical  printer.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  at  the  Litton  Springs  Col- 
lege (now  located  in  San  Mateo  County)  under 
the  care  and  guidance  of  its  eminent  head.  Prof. 
John  (Tainble.  lie  is  young  in  years  but  old 
iii  experience  as  a  printer,  his  entrance  into 
that  profession  dating  almost  Ijack  to  his  in- 
fancy. The  TrUmne  is  a  stanch  advocate  of 
Republicanism,  and  its  columns  were  devoted 
during  the  last  campaign  to  the  advance- 
ment of  that  party  to  power  and  to  its  old-time 
prestige. 


IsiDOKK  AiiKAUAM,  editor  in  chief  of  the 
Sonoma  County  Tribune,  ha.  native  of  Eastern 
Prussia,  l)orn  March  14, 1859,  his  parents  being 
Casper  and  Sojdiia  Al>raham.  The  father  fol- 
lowed mercantile  j)ursuits  in  his  native  countrj'. 
In  186()  the  family  came  to  America,  locating 
for  a  time  in  San  F^rancisco.  Afterwai'd  they 
removed  to  Oregon,  and  after  a  residence  there 
of  two  years,  they  came  to  Sonoma  County, 
locating  in  Santa  Rosa  where  the  father  engaged 
in  business.  Isidore  Abraham,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Santa  Rosa  and  Cloverdale.  In  1872 
he  came  to  llealdsbui-g  and  engaged  as  clerk 
with  ills  brother-in-law,  Samuel  Meyer.  In 
1875  he  went  to  Cloverdale  and  there  took  the 
place  of  an  elder  brother  (who  had  gone  to  Ore- 
gon) in  his  father's  store.  By  1878  he  had 
accumulated  enough  to  buy  his  father's  interest, 
and  the  firm  became  R.  Abraham  A:  Bm.,  and 
so  continued  until  1883.  In  the  meantime  he 
had  decided  to  adopt  the  profession  of  law,  and 
in  1881  went  to  Ukiah,  ]V[endocino  County, 
where  he  read  with  Thomas  L.  Carothers,  a 
gentleman  25'"0"ii"ent  in  legal  and  political 
circles.  After  seven  months  of  close  applica- 
tion he  entered  Ilasting's  College  of  the  Law 
(law  department  of  theState  Universit}'),  from 
which  institution  he  graduated  in  May,  1884, 
and  on  motion  of  I'rofessor  Poniero}',  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  in  the  Supreme  Court  of 
California,  lie  soon  commenced  practice  in  the 
firm  of  Abraham  &  Schlessinger,  San  Francisco. 
Eight  months  lat(>r  he  returned  to  Sonoma 
County,  and  after  a  short  time  spent  in  practice 
at  Cloverdale,  removed  to  Santa  Rosa,  and  in 
January,  1888,  located  at  Healdsburg. 

On  the  2l8t  of  March  following,  in  <-om- 
pany  with  Louis  Meyer,  he  issued  the  first 
number  of  the  Sonoma  Countij  Tribune,  which 
was  soon  established  on  a  paying  basis.  Mr. 
Abraham  is  conductor  of  Lodge  No.  64,  I.  O. 
O.  F.,  Healdsburg,  and  a  member  and  officer 
of  Encampment,  No.  56.  He  is  Past  Master 
Workman  of  Cloverdale  Lodge,  No.  32,  -\.  O. 
U.  W.,  and    belongs   to    Bay    City    Lodge,    No. 


370 


niSTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


117,  ]v.  of  P..  Sail  Francisco,  of  which  lie  is 
Past  Chancellor.  He  is  alsu  a  member  of 
Curtis  Lodge,  No.  140.  A.  F.  iV:  A.  M.,  Clover- 
dale.  Politicallj',  he  is  a  Republican,  and  sup- 
ports the  party  in  an  able  manner  through  the 
columns  of  his  paper.  He  conducts  his  Jour- 
nalistic and  legal  business  with  singular  skill  and 
success,  and  his  high  character  and  unimpeach- 
able record  as  inei'chant,  lawyer  and  journalist, 
extending  over  a  period  of  eighteen  years,  have 
placed  hiin  high  in  the  estimation  and  confi- 
dence of  the  people  in  tlie  county. 

ITealdshurrj  Enterjirise. — This  is  a  combina- 
tion of  the  Fl<-iij  and  Enterpritie.  There  have 
been  many  changes  of  proprietors.  The  present 
proprietors  are  J.  M.  Alexander  and  C.  11. 
Pond.     They  publish  a  good  local  journal. 

.III. us  ^r.  Ai.KXAXDEK,  of  Healdsburg,  is  a 
native  of  Sonoma  County,  having  l)een  born  in 
Alexander  Valley,  October  14,  1S57.  His 
father,  Charles  Alexander,  came  to  California 
from  Illinois  in  1850,  and  for  eleven  years  re- 
sided in  Sonoma  County.  In  1801  he  went  to 
San  Jose,  three  years  later  came  back  to  So- 
noma ('ounty  and  has  lived  at  lleahlsbnrg  ever 
since.  The  mother  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  whose  maiden  name  was  Achsah  Smith, 
was  born  in  Wayne  County,  New  York.  Julius 
M.  Alexander  was  reared  mostly  at  Healdsl)urg 
and  received  his  early  school  training  in  Alex- 
ander Academy.  He  afterward  attended  Napa 
College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  the  class 
of  1S78,  with  the  degree  of  0.  S.  After  leav- 
ing school  he  entered  the  oftice  of  Wells,  Fargo 
A:  Co.  In  the  year  1882  he  was  car  express  and 
baggageman  on  the  Carson  »k  Colorado  Railroad. 
After  this  he  located  at  Sonora,  Tuolumne 
County,  where  he  was  operator  and  express 
agent  for  a  year.  He  then  came  to  Healdsburg 
and  became  a  member  of  the  general  mercantile 
firm  of  Alexander  Bros.  A;  Co.  That  partner- 
ship continued  until  1883,  when  he  liought  out 
the  dry  goods  department,  and  ran  it  alone  un- 
til the  firm  became  C.  II.  Pond  iJc  Co.  His 
next  undertaking  was  in  the  newspaper  busi- 
ness.    He  is  Past  President  of  Sotoyome  Parlor, 


N.    S.  (i.  W..  anil    is    \'ice  Commandci-    of  the 
local  lodge,  l^'giuii  of  the  AVest. 

CiiAKLKs  II.  Po.Mi,  of  the  Enterprise  Publish- 
ing Company,  Healdsburg.  is  a  native  of  Cali- 
fornia, born  at  Todd,  Placer  County,  Fel)ruary 
13,  1858,  his  parents  being  A.  A.  and  Olive  M. 
(Constable)  Pond.  His  father  came  to  Califor- 
nia in  1849,  and  located  in  Placer  County.  In 
the  early  days  he  ran  a  pack  train  between  Sac- 
ramento and  the  mines,  and  became  a  large 
mine  owner  and  operator.  He  died  in  1880. 
Charles  II.  Pond,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  re- 
ceived a  public  school  education  in  Placer 
County,  and  afterward  attended  Napa  College, 
where  he  graduated  in  1877.  For  three  years 
after  he  was  engaged  in  mining  in  Placer 
County,  and  then  went  to  Ilollister,  San  Benito 
County,  where  he  was  in  the  drug  business  for 
a  year  and  a  half.  He  then  went  to  San  Fran- 
cisco to  complete  his  education  as  a  druggir-t 
and  pharmacist,  but  his  father's  death  caused 
his  return  home  to  settle  up  the  estate.  He 
next  opened  a  general  merchandise  estaljlish- 
ment  at  Los  Gatos,  and  after  a  year  returned 
home.  In  May,  1880,  he  came  to  Ileahlsburg 
and  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  in  the  firm 
of  C.  H.  Pond  k  Co.  With  Julius  Alexander 
he  became  a  partner  in  the  publication  of  the 
Healdsburg  Enterprise,  the  first  numiicr  being 
issued  by  the  firm  March  2,  1888.  .Mr.  Pond 
is  a  member  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W.,  1.  O.  O.  F.. 
and  is  President  of  vSotoyome  Parlor,  X.  S.  Cr. 
W.  In  the  latter  order  he  is  District  Deputy 
for  Sonoma  and  Marin  counties,  having  been 
elected  in  April,  1888. 

iMiNA  .losKFA   I'rrcn. 

As  history,  at  best,  deals  mostly  in  dry  de- 
tails of  prosaic  occurrences,  it  is  a  leal  relief  to 
the  reader  to  be  relieved  by  an  occasional  inter- 
polation of  the  spice  of  romance.  Mrs.  Dona 
Josefa  Fitch,  who  long  resided  in  Mendocino 
Township,  and  who  is  yet  living,  a  very  aged 
matron,  is  the  heroine  of  the  following  romance, 
as  related  by  Hubert  Howe  Bancroft: 

•'  Here  I  may  introduce  the  romantic  episode 


IITfiTOHT    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


of  Henry  Fitch's  inarriage  to  a  daiigliter  of  Cal- 
ifornia, a  lady  still  living  in  1889.  The  young 
American  sailor  liad  first  arrived  in  182(),  and 
had  soon  surrendered  to  the  chai'uis  of  Dona 
Josefa,  dautjhter  of  Juacjuin  ("arrillo,  (jf  San 
Diego,  who  in  turn  \va>  won,  as  she  states  in  a 
narrative  written  iifty  years  later,  l)y  the  liand- 
soinc  person  and  clashing  manners  of  the  Cap- 
tain. In  1827  he  gave  her  a  written  promise 
of  marriage.  There  were  legal  impediments  on 
aecount  of  the  fact  that  Fitch  was  a  foreigner; 
hut  the  3'oung  lady's  jiarents  ajiproved  the 
match,  and  a  Dominican  friar  consented  to  per- 
form the  cei'emony.  It  was  hoped  there  would 
lie  no  interference  by  eitiier  civil  or  ecclesiastical 
authorities,  yet  a  degree  of  secrecy  was  observed. 
As  an  essential  preliminary.  Padre  Menendez 
iiaptised  the  American,  April  14,  182U,  at 
the  presidial  chajiel  of  San  Diego.  The  friar 
promised  to  marry  tlie  couple  the  next  day; 
preparations  were  made  and  a  few  friends  as- 
sembled late  in  the  evening  at  the  house  of  the 
Carrillos.  xVt  the  last  moment,  however,  Dom- 
ingo ('arrillo,  uncle  of  the  bride,  refused  to 
serve  as  witness;  the  friar's  courage  failed  him, 
and  the  ceremony  could  not  proceed.  Neither 
the  arguments  and  angry  ravings  of  the  Yankee 
nui-h)  nor  the  tears  and  entreaties  of  the  nana 
could  overcome  the  padre's  fears  and  scruples; 
but  he  reminded  Fitcli  that  there  were  other 
countries  where  the  laws  were  less  stringent, 
and  even  offered  to  go  in  person  and  marry  him 
anywhere  beyond  the  limits  of  California. 
"  AVhy  don't  yon  carr}'  me  off,  Don  Enriijue?'' 
naively  suggested  Dona  Josefa.  .Captain  IJarry 
approved  the  scheme,  and  so  did  Pio  Pico, 
cousin  of  the  lady.  The  parents  were  not  con- 
sulted. Fitch,  though  somewhat  cautious  on 
account  of  his  business  relations  and  prospects 
on  the  coast,  was  not  a  man  to  rerjuire  urging. 
Kext  niglit,  Pio  Pico,  mounted  on  his  best 
steed,  took  his  cousin  Josefa  up  on  the  saddle, 
and  carried  her  swiftly  to  a  sjiot  on  the  bay 
sliore,  where  a  boat  was  waiting;  the  lovers 
were  soon  reunited  on  board  the  Y iiitiir:  ;  and 
])efore  morning  were  far  out    on    the    Pacilic. 


They  were  married  on  the  evening  of  July  8, 
at  Valjjaraiso,  by  the  curate  Orrego,  Captain 
Barry  being  one  of  the  witnesses.  Subsequently 
they  returned  to  Callao  and  l>ima. 

"The  elopement  of  Senorita  Carrillo  was  nat- 
urally much  talked  of  in  California;  rumors. 
were  current  that  she  hail  been  forciiily  abduct- 
ed from  her  home,  and  the  ecclesiastical  author 
ities  w-ere  greatly  scandalized.  Ne.xt  year, 
however,  Fitch  made  liis  appearance  in  command 
of  the  Le<nun\  having  on  board  also  his  wife  and 
infant  son.  lie  touched  at  San  Diego  in  duly, 
1830,  and  thence  came  uj)  to  San  Pedro.  Here 
he  received  a  summons  from  Padre  Sanciiez  at 
San  Gabriel,  vicar  and  ecclesiastical  judge  of  the 
territory,  to  present  him>elf  f(.)r  trial  on  the  most 
serious  charges;  but  he  merely  sent  his  marriage 
certificate  by  Virmond  for  the  vicar's  inspection, 
and  sailed  np  the  coast  for  Santa  I'arbara  and 
Monterey.  Sanchez  at  once  sent  an  order  to 
!  Monterey  that  Fitch  be  arrested  and  sent  to  San 
(labriel  for  trial,  ]J)ona  Josefa  being  '  de])osi ted  ' 
in  some  respectable  house  at  the  capital.  This 
order  was  e.xecuted  by  Echeaiidia,  at  the  end  of 
August  on  the  arrival  ^yi  \\\g  Leonov.  The  lady 
was  sent  to  Captain  Coojier's  house,  and  the  hus- 
band was  placed  under  arrest.  lie  claimed, 
however,  to  be  unable  to  travel  by  land.  He 
protested  against  imprisonment  as  ruinous  to 
his  business,  complained  that  the  trial  had  not 
been  begun  at  San  Diego  and  asked  that  at  least 
he  might  be  allowed  to  travel  by  sea.  Jose  Pa- 
lomares,  to  whom  as  fiscal,  Padre  Sanciiez  sub- 
mitted this  rerjuest,  gave  a  radical  report  against 
Fitch.  Sej)tember  17th.  declaring  him  entitled  to 
no  concessions,  his  offences  l)eing  most  heinous, 
and  his  intention  being  evidently  to  run  away 
again.  Yet  Sanchez  concluded  to  permit  the 
trip  by  sea,  on  Yirinond  becoming  bondsman 
for  the  culprit's  presentment  in  due  time;  and 
on  December  8th,  Fitch  arrived  at  San  (Tabriel 
and  was  made  a  prisoner  in  one  of  the  mission 
rooms. 

Meanwhile  .Mrs.  Filch  petitioned  Fcheaudia 
at  the  end  of  October  for  release,  and  permis- 
sion to  go  south  by  sea.     The   tiovernor   con- 


IIISTony    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


sented,  ami  iJoiia  Joseta  sailed  on  tlie  Ayacucho 
tor  Siiuta  liiirbara,  whence  she  proceeded  on  tlie 
Pocahontas  to  San  Pedro,  arriving  at  San  (th 
l)riel  on  November  24tli,  where  she  was 
committed  to  the  care  of  Enlaiia  Perez  of  later 
centenarian  fame.  AVhen  her  husband  came, 
the  house  of  Dona  Eulalia  was  deemed  too  near 
his  prison,  and  Josefa  was  transferred  to  the 
care  of  Mrs.  William  A.  Kichardson.  The  tiscal 
pronounced  Echeaudia's  act  a  gross  infringment 
(in  ecclesiastical  authority,  declared  him  a  cul- 
jirit  before  God's  tribunal,  and  urged  that 
he  be  arrested  and  brought  to  trial.  But 
Vicar  Sanchez,  though  taking  a  similar  view  \ 
of  Echeaudia's  conduct,  thought  it  best,  in 
view  of  the  critical  condition  of  affairs  and 
the  nearness  of  the  time  when  Victoria  was  to 
take  command,  not  to  attempt  the  Governors 
arrest. 

In  December,  Fitch  and  his  wife  were  repeat- 
edly interrogated  before  the  ecclesiastical  court, 
and  Fiscal  Palomares  for  a  third  time  ventilated 
his  legal  learning,  lie  now  admitted  his  belief 
that  the  motives  of  the  accused  had  been  honest 
and  pure,  also  that  the  affair  might  be  settled 
without  referring  it  to  the  bishop,  but  still 
maintaining  the  nullity  of  the  marriage.  I'itch 
presented  in  his  own  behalf  an  elaborate  argu- 
ment against  the  views  of  the  fiscal,  complaining 
of  his  business  losses,  and  of  the  threatened 
illegitimacy  of  his  son,  but  for  which  he  would 
lie  glad  to  have  the  marriage  declared  nnll  and 
to  marry  over  again.  Many  witnesses  were  ex- 
amined, both  at  San  Gabriel  and  San  Diego.  On 
the  28th  of  December  the  vicar  rendered  his 
decision,  Christi  nomine  invocato, that  the  fiscal 
had  not  substantiated  his  accusations;  that 
the  marriage  at  A'alparaiso,  though  not  legit- 
imate, was  not  null,  but  valid;  that  the  parties  [ 
be  set  at  liberty,  the  wife  being  given  up  to  the 
husl)and;  and  that  they  be  reladoa  the  ne.xt 
Sunday,  receiving  the  sacraments  that  ought 
to  have  pireceded  the  marriage  ceremony.  Yet, 
considering  the  great  scandal  which  Don  i 
Enrique  has  caused  in  this  pirovince,  I  con- 
demn  liiin    to  give  as  n  penance  and  reparation 


a  liell  of  at  least  lil'ty  pounds  in  weight  for 
the  church  at  Los  .\ngeles,  which  barely  has  a 
l)orrowed  one.  Moreover,  the  couple  must  pre- 
sent themselves  in  church  with  lighted  candles 
in  their  hands  to  hear  high  mass  for  three  flios 
festii'os,  and  recite  together  for  thirty  days  one- 
third  of  the  rosary  of  the  holy  virgin.  Let  us 
hope  that  these  acts  of  penance  were  devoutly- 
performed.  The  vicar  did  not  fail  to  order  an 
investigation  of  the  charges  against  Padre 
Menendez,  who  had  acted  irregularly  in  ail- 
vising  the  })arties  to  leave  the  country,  but 
nothing  is  recorded  of  the  result." 

TMl;    WII  KKKSHAM  TKAOEII^. 

To  Mendocino  Township  can  be  accredited 
one  of  the  most  tragic  occurrences  in  coiinecti(;u 
with  Sonoma  County  history.  The  Petaluma 
Ai(jus  of  January  23,  1881).  contained  the  fol- 
lowing: 

"  About  three  o'clock  r.  m.  Thursday,  the  citi- 
zens of  Petaluma  were  shocked  by  the  receipt  (jf 
a  telephone  from  Skaggs'  Springs  to  I.  G. 
Wickersham,  announcing  that  his  nephew,  J. 
C  Wickersham,  had  been  found  munlered  on 
his  mountain  ranch,  about  twenty  miles  west  of 
Cloverdale.  The  news  was  carried  from  mouti] 
to  mouth,  and  soon  the  horror  was  the  theme  of 
conversation  on  every  hand.  Following  the  tele- 
phone came  a  dispatch  to  Coroner  King  similar 
in  import,  but  with  the  additional  information 
that  it  was  supposed  that  Mrs.  Wickersham,  who 
is  a  sister  of  the  wife  of  I.  G.  AVickersham  of 
this  city,  was  also  mui'dered.  This  but  intensi- 
fied the  e.xcitement,  and  added  to  the  gloom  of 
our  people. 

"  xis  it  was  near  time  for  the  up-train,  Fred 
Wickersham, Coroner  King  and  Marshal  Plume 
got  ready  and  started  for  the  scene  of  the 
tragedy." 

The  down  train  Saturday  morning  brought 
tidings  that  but  lentdensity  to  thegeneral  gloom. 

The  news  came  in  the  shape  of  a  letter  from 
F>ed  Wickersham  to  his  father,  I.  G.  Wicker- 
sham. the  wfll-knciwn  banker.  It  was  as  fol- 
lows: 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


>*  Ci.ovKKDAi.K,  Satui-tlHy,  1  A.  .M. 

'•  J/y  JJeiir  Father:  I'luine  and  1  have  just 
ari'ived  liere  alter  an  eight-hour  ride.  We  found 
the  dispatcli  too  true.  Uncle  Jesse  and  Auntie 
are  no  more.  W'c  ;;()t  to  the  ranrli  at  !.l  o'elock 
Friday  nioi-nintr,  an<l  went  innncdiateiy  to  the 
liousc.  Jesse  sat  in  his  accustomed  place  at  the 
talilc.  with  a  talilc-cloth  wrapped  around  his 
liead  and  Hve  huckshut  woumls  hack  of  liis  ear, 
and  a  charge  of  the  same  in  liis  side. 

'•  Auntie  was  found  in  her  bedroom  in  liori'i- 
ble  condition.  I  have  made  all  arrangements 
to  have  them  taken  to  Ilealdshnrg  to-day  (Sat- 
urday), and  will  have  them  placed  in  plain 
boxes  for  shijiment,  unless  otherwise  ordered 
by  you,  and  they  will  be  down  on  the  4  o'clock 
train. 

"  Meet  us  at  the  dejiot  with  all  necessary 
preparations.  Without  a  doubt  the  Chinese 
cook  committed  the  act,  as  he  has  not  been  seen 
tliis  week,  ile  fired  the  fatal  shot  while  stand- 
ing about  seven  feet  from  Jesse,  tlirough  a  crack 
in  tlie  door.  AVill  be  with  you  this  evening, 
and  will  explain  further.  Jireak  this  as  gently 
as  possible  to  mother.  1  have  everything  of 
value  belonging  to  them  with  me.  lie  was 
killed  ifonday  evening  at  the  supper  table. 
Must  go  to  bed  and  catcli  a  few  hours'  sleep. 
Blumc  is  doing  everything  possible  to  catch  the 
Chinaman.     Good-by.  FKi:r)." 

The  first  information  in  reference  to  the 
tragedy  was  througli  J.  ]v  Jewell,  who  has  a 
ranch  adjoining  the  Wickersliam  place.  It 
seems  that  there  were  four  Indians  who  had  a 
camp  on  the  latter  ranch  and  were  engaged  in 
cutting  wood  for  Mr.  Wickersliam.  Mr.  Jewell 
states  that  about  half-past  five  o'clock  on  Wed- 
nesday evening,  two  of  these  Indians  visited 
his  place  and  aski'd:  "  You  see  Wickersliam  T' 
'•  Js'o."  I  answered.  ••  I  no  see,"'  was  the  reply. 
Tlien  they  asked  for  some  tobacco,  which  I  gave 
them,  when  tliey  again  queried:  "Where  Wick- 
ersliam f'  and  then  again:  '•  You  come  Wicker- 
sliam'il''  I  jiacified  tliein  by  saying  that  I  would 
go  over  the  next  day.  1  rode  over  early  the 
next  morning  and  got  as  tar  as   to  the  barn, 


when  I  looked  over  the  picket  fence  and  deter- 
mined to  go  and  get  the  two  Indians  who  had 
been  to  see  me  to  accompany  me  to  the  house. 
They  were  encamped  some  300  yards  away.  I 
asked  tlicm  again  when  they  had  seen  AVicker- 
sham,  and  they  replied  10  a.  m.  Monday,  but 
not  since.  They  said  they  had  gone  down  to 
the  liouse,  and  fearful  of  aj)proachiiig  it,  they 
had  stood  afar  off  and  hallooed  for  Wickersliam, 
but  without  an  answer.  Taking  tlie  two  In- 
dians witli  me  I  attempted  to  open  the  door  of 
the  sitting  room,  but  found  it  locked.  The 
window  was  down  and  I  pulled  out  the  sash. 
The  Indians  suggested  that  I  should  come  round 
to  the  dining-room.  I  did  so.  The  door  did 
not  yield.  I  went  to  the  window,  i)ullei|  a^ide 
the  lilind,  and  there  my  eyes  fell  ni>oii  the  rigid 
form  of  my  old  fiiend — a  Itlanket  aliout  his 
head  and  hi.s  feet  in  a  jiool  of  blood.  1  was 
liorror-strickcn.  I  left  the  spot  immediately, 
knowing  that  the  foulest  of  foul  crimes  had 
been  committed,  and  I  hastened  to  Skaggs' 
Springs  to  give  the  alarm."' 

From  the  time  to  which  the  above  relates 
until  0  o'clock  Friday  inoiTiing  the  stillness  of 
death  reigned  in  tlie  recently  liap2)y  Wicker- 
sliam home. 

At  about  «  o'clock  Thursday  night,  F)-ed. 
Wickersliam,  Marsiial  lilume,  and  Constable 
Truett,  of  Ilealdsburg,  with  a  man  named  Mar- 
tin as  guide,  left  Ilealdsburg  for  the  tragic 
scene.  In  consequence  of  tlie  darkness  and 
swollen  condition  of  Warm  Spring  Creek,  they, 
with  great  ditiiculty,  reached  Skaggs'  S])rings 
late  in  the  night.  Early  in  the  morning  they 
started  forward,  joined  by  J.  E.  Jewell  and 
George  Skaggs.  and  reached  the  Wickersliam 
liouse  about  0  o'clock  in  the  forenoon. 

They  found  Captain  J.  C.  Wickersham  rigid 
in  death,  and  in  the  same  position  in  the  cliaii- 
at  the  (lining-table  as  he  had  been  seen  by  the 
horrified  J\Ii-.  -lewell.  Search  was  then  made, 
and  Airs.  AVickersham  was  found  in  her  bed- 
room murdered  in  the  most  cruel  and  atrocious 
manner.  So  black  and  shocking  would  be  tlie 
recital  that  it  is  but  charity  to  the  stricken  ivl- 


HISTOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Mtives  living  in  our  midst  lu  rutVaiii  from  p;ir- 
ticuiarizing 

Ail  siin-oundiiig  circumstiuices  clearly  pointed 
to  tlie  missing  ("liinesc  coolc,  Ang  Tai  Due,  as 
the  i)erpetrator  uf  the  deed;  and  the  statement 
of  the  Indians  taken  in  conjunction  witli  the 
fact  lliiit  the  diary  of  Captain  Wickersham  was 
written  up  to  Sunda\-  evening,  indicated  that 
the  fiendish  deed  was  perpetrated  at  the  time 
tlir  unsuspecting  \ictinjs  had  taken  their  places 
at  till'  talile  for  their  Monilay  evening  meal. 
The  hiscuits  were  on  the  table  and  the  stove, 
and  were  but  little  eaten.  Fried  potatoes  were 
on  ^Frs.  AVickersham's  plate,  and  the  cake  and 
])ie  were  untouched.  Tlie  oun  stood  in  the 
corner,  close  to  or  in  the  kitchen.  The  China- 
man Hi-ed  through  the  partly  open  kitchen 
door,  where  he  was  evidently  out  of  sight  of 
Mrs.  Wickersliam,  wlio  sat  opposite  to  her  hus- 
band. The  shot  evidently  killed  the  Captain 
instantly.  His  plate  and  food  were  overturned 
in  his  lap.  Mrs.  Wickersham  jumped  up, 
turned  over  her  chair,  dropping  her  najikin  on 
the  tloor,  and  ran  to  her  bedroom.  Ilasing  re- 
loaded the  gun  he  tired  both  charges  at  her,  the 
shot  passing  through  her  body  under  the  arms. 
Two  emi)ty  cartridges  found  on  the  stove  liad 
evidently  been  removed  from  the  gun  when  it 
was  reloaded  after  the  shooting  of  the  Captain. 
The  Chinese  cook  took  a  few  tilings  from  l)is 
trunk,  leaving  a  Chinese  memorandum  book 
and  several  bottles  of  whiskj-.  iTarshal  Blume 
also  found  in  the  Chinaman's  trunk  a  melano- 
tv])e  of  a  grouj)  of  four  Chinamen,  conspicuous 
among  whom  was  Ang  Tai  l)uc,  the  missing 
cook.  So  far  as  known  the  murderer  got  about 
s80  in  coin,  but  left  ]\[rs.  "Wickersliam's  gold 
watch  and  other  jewelry,  together  with  some 
odd  pieces  of  coin. 

The  ne.xt  thing  was  to  ])ay  the  last  kind 
offices  to  the  dead.  Fred.  Wickersham.  and 
those  who  attended  him  on  this  sad  pilgrimage, 
had  the  deceased  each  habilitated  in  appropriate 
apparel,  and  arrangements  made  for  their  con- 
veyance to  lleahlsburg,  and  from  thence  to 
I\'taluina  by  the  cars. 


Those  in  charge  of  the  bodies  started  Satur- 
day morning,  using  a  covered  wagon  as  a  con- 
veyance, and  aiming  to  reach  Jlealdsburg  by 
way  of  .Skaggs'  Springs.  Tlie  storm  and  tempest 
was  rioting  in  the  mountains,  and  the  winds 
crooning  in  dirge-like  notes  tlirough  the  forests 
seemed  a  fit  accompaniment  to  this  lonesome 
funeral  march.  The  mountain  streams  were 
swollen  into  migiity  toi-rents,  and  altiiough 
every  effort  was  made  to  combat  and  overcome 
the  obstacles  interposed  by  the  elements,  the 
bodies  did  not  reach  this  city  until  four  o"clock 
Sunday  evening. 

At  that  hour  hundreds  of  our  citizens  were 
congregated  at  the  depot,  and  sorrow  and  sad- 
ness brooded  over  the  assembled  throng.  On 
the  arrival  of  the  cars  the  boxes  containing  the 
bodies  were  (quickly  transferred  to  the  vehicles 
in  waiting  and  taken  to  the  undertaking  estali- 
lishment  of  C.  Blackburn,  wiiere  the\'  were 
placed  in  elegant  caskets  and  conveyed  to  the 
residence  of  1.  G.  Wickersham,  Es(j.,  on  Sixth 
street. 

Ten  o'clock  Monday  was  fixed  uj)on  as  the 
time  for  the  funeral,  to  take  place  from  the  St. 
John's  Episcopal  Church.  From  that  hour  to 
one  o'clock  v.  >r.,  every  place  of  business  and 
the  hanging  of  fiags  at  half  mast  attested  the 
high  esteem  in  which  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wicker- 
sliaiii  w(U'e  held  by  all.  ■  The  services  at  tiie 
church  were  short,  but  most  solemn  and  impres- 
sive. At  the  church  the  members  of  Petaluina 
Lodge,  No.  77,  !•'.  ».*c  A.  M.,  of  wliich  lodge 
Mr.  Wickersham  was  a  member,  took  charge, 
and  the  two  hearses  with  their  precious  burthens, 
followed  by  a  long  procession,  wended  their  way 
to  Cypress  Hill  cemetery.  There  this  ill-starred 
and  deepl}- mourned  couple  were  laid  peacefully 
to  rest  in  the  lap  of  mother  earth. 

We  close  this  sad  cliapter  about  these  two  so 
ruthlessly  stricken  down  in  the  prime  and  use- 
fuhiess  of  life  with  a  few  words  biographical. 
They  were  both  fifty-three  years  of  age.  .Vt  the 
commencement  of  the  late  civil  war  Mr.  Wicker- 
sham eiili.sted  in  the  Second  Iowa  Infantry, 
and  when  discharged  with  Sherman's  army  after 


iriSTOUY    OF    ISONOMA     COUNTY. 


the  war,  was  Regimental  Quartermaster  of  his 
regiment,  with  rank  of  Captain.  At  tlie  close 
of  the  war  in  1865,  lie  came  to  Petalnma  and 
was  with  his  nncle,  I.  G.  Wickersham,  presi- 
dent of  the  First  National  Gold  Bank,  and  for 
some  years  was  assistant  cashier  of  that  insti- 
tution. Mrs.  Wickersham,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Picket,  and  who  was  a  younger  sister  of 
Mrs.  I.  G.  Wickersham,  came  to  Petaluma  in 
the  latter  j'ears  of  1850,  being  then  Mrs.  Lins- 
ley.  Her  husband  died,  and  after  a  widowhood 
of  many  years  she  married  Captain  J.  C.  Wick- 
ersham. Both  husband  and  wife  were  in  rather 
poor  health.  Mr.  AVickersham  purchased  the 
ranch  where  tliey  met  their  tragic  death,  and 
stocking  it  with  sheep,  the  twain  decided  to 
seek  a  renewal  of  hcaltii  in  mountain  life.  From 
the  lips  of  both  the  writer  of  this  had  the  as- 
surance that  their  health  was  never  better  than 
in  their  chosen  mountain  home.  Neither  earth 
nor  heaven  gave  to  tliem  or  their  many  friends 
any  portent  of  the  terrible  calamity  impending. 
Joyous  and  ha])py  together  in  life — but  a  brief 
period  intervened,  and  they  were  united  in 
death.  They  sleep  in  one  grave.  Peace  to 
their  ashes. 

Ang  Tai  Due,  the  perpetrator  of  this  black 
crime,  in  the  meantime  had  reached  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  before  his  victims  were  buried  was 
well  out  to  sea,  on  his  way  to  China.  But  the 
swift-winged  electricity  was  put  upon  iiis  track, 
and  when  the  vessel  reached  Yokohama,  Japan, 
Ang  Tai  Due  was  arrested  and  sent  on  to  China 
to  beheld  until  a  requisition  for  him  could  be 
sent  from  the  United  States.  An  otiiccr  armed 
witli  the  necessary  papers,  and  accompanied  by 
S.  P.  Weston,  of  Petalnma,  to  identify  the 
criminal,  started  to  China,  1)ut  before  they 
reached  Hong  Kong,  Ang  Tai  Due  had  hung 
himself  in  his  prison  cell. 

CLOVERDALE  TOWNSHIP, 

Situated  at  the  most  northern  point  in  the 
county,  ('loverdale  Township  is  a  gateway  to 
Mendocino  and  Lake  counties.  It  contains  ()2,- 
4Uf)  acres,  asses.sed  !i>;5-lo,ll(),  or  an   average   of 


.'?5.50  per  acre.  Total  assessed  value  of  all 
property  $820,660.  Much  of  this  land  is  cov- 
ered with  chemisal,  with  iiere  and  there  "  bald 
liills  "  and  grassy  glades  where  cattle  and  sheep 
pasture.  Russian  River  extends  along  the 
center  of  the  township,  forming  one  of  the 
most  lovely  and  fertile  vallej's  in  the  State.  Its 
population  in  1880  was  1,265,  increased  to  over 
2,000  since  then.  The  only  town  within  its 
limits  is  Cloverdale,  comprising  about  1,000  in- 
habitants, and  at  the  present  northern  terminus 
of  the  San  Francisco  &  North  Pacific  Rail- 
road, and  from  here  wagons  haul  freight  and 
the  stages  convey  passengers  north  through 
Mendocino  County,  northeast  through  Lake 
County  and  west  to  the  Geysers  center.  Wool, 
wine,  fruit,  cattle  and  cereals  all  are  produced 
in  abundance.  The  climate  is  superb.  Clover- 
dale  was  named  by  the  late  F.  G.  Hahman,  of 
Santa  Rosa.  A  railroad  has  been  graded  and 
most  of  the  rails  already  laid  which  will  unite 
Cloverdale  with  Ukiah,  the  county  seat  of  Men- 
docino County. 

Cloverdale. — Tiiis  is  the  only  town  in  the 
township,  and  had  its  commencement  in  this 
wise:  In  the  year  1856,  R.  B.  Markle  and  W. 
J.  Miller  purchased  850  acres,  which  included 
the  present  site  of  Cloverdale,  from  Johnson 
Horrell,  who  claimed  a  portion  of  the  Rancho 
de  Musalacon.  In  1850,  J.  A.  Kleiser  bought 
the  property  of  the  above  named  parties  and, 
in  October  of  that  year,  had  the  site  surveyed  and 
the  town  laid  out  by  J.  B.Wood,  county  surveyor. 

A  man  named  Levi  Rosenburg  opened  the  first 
store  in  this  part  of  the  country,  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Russian  River,  near  its  confluence 
with  Sulphur  Creek,  some  time  early  in  1851). 
In  Octoiier  of  that  year  J.  H.  Ilartman  and  F. 
Ci.  Haiiman  of  Santa  Rosa  conceived  the  idea 
of  establishing  a  trading  post  at  Markle's 
place — by  which  name  Cloverdale  was  then 
known — it  being  on  the  route  taken  by  travelers 
to  Mendocino  and  Humboldt.  The  first  hotel 
was  opened  l)y  R.  B.  Markle  about  this  time  in 
the  house  now  occupied  by  John  Fields  on  East 
street,   and    was    called   the    Cloverdale    Hotel. 


HISroUY    OF    SONOMA    COCNTY. 


On  Kleiser  becoming  possessed  of  the  property 
he  succeeded  Markle  in  the  hotel  business  as 
well,  and  kept  it  for  one  year  from  September, 
1859.  Tlie  first  house  within  the  town  of 
(Moverdale  was  an  adohe,  owned  liy  a  Spaniard. 

On  February  28,  1872,  an  act  ineorporatinu- 
tlie  town  of  Cloverdale  was  apjjroved.  Under 
this  act  the  following  were  appointed  trustees 
in  May,  1872:  Harry  Kier,  Amasa  Morse,  John 
Field,  W.  E.  Crigler  and  Theodore  Harper. 

Tlie  town  is  coziiy  nestled  among  the  hills 
and  possesses  a  number  of  neat  i-esidences,  more 
in  proportion  than  in  most  places  of  no  greater 
jiopulatioii. 

Of  the  piinciple  business  hlocks, Union  Block, 
located  on  the  corner  of  AVest  and  First  streets, 
deserves  special  inention.  It  is  a  two  story 
well  appearing  brick  building.  The  tirst  floor 
is  divided  into  three  large  store  rooms,  occu- 
pied by  Piuschower  »fc  Humbert,  dealers  in  dry 
goods  and  notions;  Fred  Yordi,  groceries,  etc.; 
post-ofHce,  real  estate  office  of  J.  F.  lloadley, 
Sr.,  and  A.  C.  Walsh,  dealer  in  stationery.  A 
tine,  laree,  commodions  town  hall  and  theater 
is  on  the  second  floor,  also  lodge  room  used  by 
the  A.  O.  U.  W. 

Another  imposing  block  is  the  ('loverdale 
]^>anking  and  Commercial  Company's  building, 
corner  West  and  Second  streets.  It  is  a  two- 
story  brick  building;  tlie  lirst  floor  is  used  en- 
tirely in  the  display  of  goods  carried  by  the 
coni])any,  as  is  seen  by  their  advertisement  else- 
where, and  the  banking  department,  with  $200,- 
000  authorized  capital.  Tiie  second  floor  is  one 
of  as  finely  equipped  lodge  rooms  as  is  found  in 
the  State.  It  is  used  by  the  Masons,  Odd  Fel- 
lows, Knights  of  I'ythias,  Chosen  Friends  and 
Indejjcndent  Order  of  (Jood  Templars.  Tiiese 
two  buildings  would  reflect  creditably  to  towns 
of  larger  population. 

Besides  the  above  mentioned,  with  other 
prominent  houses,  there  is  the  Carrie- Moulton 
brick  block,  occupied  by  W.  T.  Brush,  dealer 
ill  groceries,  hardware,  etc.,  and  J.  A.  Carrie, 
dealer  in  dry  goods  and  notions. 

I'^lrst     CoHijreyntliinal    Churcti. — The     uut- 


growth  of  this  church  was  from  the  labors  of 
Rev.  James  S.  Burger,  a  missionary  of  the 
American  Home  Mission  Society,  who  com- 
menced his  labors  in  that  district  on  November 
1,  ISliS.  A  congregation  was  organized  by 
Rev.  James  H.  W^arren.  1).  !).,  tlien  agent  in 
California  for  that  society,  uii  January  17.  1809, 
consisting  of  tlie  following  members:  Rev. 
James  S.  Burger  and  Mrs.  Burger,  Mrs.  Charles 
Coole^',  Mrs.  J.  A.  Carrie,  Mrs.  II.  F.  Gerkhart, 
Mrs.  Sarah  Hall  and  Mrs.  John  Edwards.  It 
was  then  resolved  to  erect  a  place  of  worship. 
and  a  building  committee  appointed,  consist- 
ing of  David  C.  Brush,  Charles  II.  Cooley, 
James  A.  Kleiser,  Thomas  S.  Calvin  and  Harry 
Kier.  This  edifice  was  commenced  in  187<)aud 
completed  during  the  following  year,  being  sit- 
uated in  Block  L,  West  street,  and  cost  about 
$2,500.  It  is  30.\50  feet,  and  has  a  belfry,  in 
which  hangs  a  well-toned  bell,  presented  by  J. 
B.  Ford,  of  Mendocino  City,  which  cost  .s800. 

Catholic  Church. — This  church  commenced 
holding  services  about  the  year  1870,  in  tiie 
Cloverdale  Hotel  and  other  places  till  1878, 
when  tlie  present  beautiful  little  church  on 
Block  A,  corner  Main  and  Broad  streets,  was 
erected.  It  was  dedicated  May  7,  1870,  by 
Archbishop  Aleniany,  of  San  PVancisco.  Ser- 
vices are  held  once  a  month  by  Father  J.  ^I. 
Conway,  of  Santa  Rosa. 

SociETiKs.— f  M/'i'/.s  Lodije,  A"».  1(;0,  F.  cL- 
A.  M. — This  lodge  commenced  work  under 
dispensation,  August  8,  1859,  with  William  II. 
Hollis,  W.  M.;  Eli  Lester,  S.  W.;  T.  J.  Gould, 
J.  W. ;  J.  B.  Estees,  Treasurer;  Thomas  John- 
son, Secretary;  James  Rainey,  S.  1).;  N.  L. 
Morrey,  J.  D. ;  Samuel  Larson,  Tyler,  wiio  with 
J.  W.  P.elden,  were  the  charter  members.  The 
first  meetings  were  held  in  a  building  now  occu- 
pied by  Charles  Cook  as  a  saloon  in  block  J. 
On  May  10,  1860,  the  charter  was  granted.  In 
tiie  summer  of  1870,  the  lodge  moved  into  a 
building,  the  tirst  one  north  from  their  former 
room,  where  they  are  now  located. 

Cloverdale  Lodge,  No.  193,  I.  O.  (J.  F.— 
Tills  lodge  was   organized  December  2,  1871, 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


with  li.  A.  Ziinmennan,  N.  G.;  J.  L.  Dough- 
erty, V.  G. ;  Jasper  A.  Linville,  Recording  Sec- 
retary; F.  D.  Mize,  Treasurer;  wlio  were  with 
Philip  How,  the  charter  metnljers. 

Vlorerdale  Loihje,  No.  32,  A.  <>.  U.  W.— 
The  Lodge  of  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men at  Cloverdale  was  granted  its  charter  May 
3,  1878,  the  following  being  the  officers  at  the 
time:  Isaac  E.  Shaw,  i\  M.  W.;  C.  A.  Will- 
iams,  M.  W.;  W.  D.  Sink,  G.  F.;  W.F.  Brush, 
O. ;  C.  FI.  Bean,  Recorder;  J.  A.Carrie,  Finan- 
cier; J.  F.  Hoadley,  Receiver;  John  B.  Cooley, 
Guide;  W.  N.Waite,  I.  W. ;  Frank  Spencer,  O.  W. 

The  Cloverdale  Reveille  is  a  well  established 
journal,  and  is  well  conducted.  Baer  &  Wilbert 
are  its  present  proprietors,  and  they  make  of  it 
a  good  newsy  local  jonrnal. 

(teoe(je  B.  Baer,  of  the  Cloverdale  Receille, 
was  born  in  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania, 
March  31,  1863,  his  parents  being  II.  L.  and 
Lucy  E.  (Schall)  Baer.  Both  parents  were  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  paternal  great- 
grandfather on  his  mother's  side  was  a  Huguenot 
exile,  and  on  his  father's  side  of  German  de- 
scent. George  B.  Baer  was  reared  in  his  native 
county,  and  was  educated  at  the  Elderidge 
Academy,  Elderidge,  Pennsylvania.  He  had 
in  the  meantime  learned  the  printer's  trade  in 
the  office  of  the  Somerset  Herald.  In  1884, 
after  finishing  liis  education,  he  came  to  Cali- 
fornia, and,  locating  at  Cloverdale,  February, 
1885,  embarked  in  the  newspaper  business.  In 
September,  1887,  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
P.  Wilbert  in  the  real  estate  business,  and  in 
August,  1888,'  the  two  became  associated  also 
in  the  newspaper  business.  While  residing  in 
Cloverdale  his  business  relations  have  been  as 
newspaper  publisher,  real  estate  broker  and  in- 
surance agent.  In  1887  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Sarah  Markell,  a  native  of 
Wales,  Storniont  County,  Ontario,  Canada.  Mr. 
Baer  is  master  of  finance  of  the  local  lodge, 
K.  of  P.,  secretary  of  the  Cloverdale  fire 
dej)artment,  and  chief  councilor  of  the  order 
of  Chosen  Friends. 

P.  Wii.uEur,  of  tiie  firm  of   liacr  cV    Wiliiert. 


Cloverdale,  is  a  native  of  Fairfield  County,  Ohio, 
born  September  12,  1849,  and  a  son  of  Valen- 
tine and  Elizabeth  (Kling)  Wilbert,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  His  father 
was  born  in  1792,  and  was  a  soldier  in  the  war 
between  Russia  and  Prussia  in  1812,  and  lived 
to  the  age  of  eighty-six  years,  settling  in  Ohio 
in  the  year  1882.  P.  Wilbert  resided  in  his 
native  county  until  1869,  when  he  came  o\it  to 
California,  locating  for  a  time  at  San  Francisco. 
He  obtained  employment  on  Government  work, 
and  was  for  some  time  engaged  in  building  light 
houses,  also  on  the  Fog  Signal  at  Point  Reyes, 
Marin  County.  He  next  went  into  the  em- 
ploy of  the  California  Pacific  (now  Donahue) 
Railroad,  as  engine  wiper,  and  after  six  weeks 
was  employed  at  firing.  He  w-as  promoted  to 
be  engineer  in  1873,  and  remained  on  the  road 
in  that  capacity  until  1881.  Then  he  went  on 
the  South  Pacific  Coast  Railroad,  on  which  he 
was  engaged,  and  was  next  employed  in  the 
same  capacity  on  the  Central  Pacific,  running 
for  a  time  out  to  Sacramento,  then  out  to  Los 
Angeles.  At  the  latter  place  he  was  taken  sick, 
and  went  to  Bartlett  Spi'ings.  Recovering  his 
health,  he  came  to  Cloverdale  in  September, 
1887,  and  entered  into  partnership  with  Mr. 
Baer  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business. 
In  August,  1888,  he  became  a  partner  in  the 
newspaper  business.  Mr.  Wilbert  was  married 
in  1876  to  Miss  Carrie  Petty.  She  died  in  Oak- 
land, in  February,  1885.  Mr.  Wilbert  is  a 
member  of  Garden  City  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  San 
Jose,  and  of  the  encampment  at  Petaluma.  He 
has  passed  all  the  chairs  in  the  Pacific  Lodge, 
No.  7,  A.  O.  U.  AV.,  Oakland,  and  is  a  member 
of  Leland  Stanford  Division,  No.  283,  B.  of  L. 
E.  Mr.  Wilbert  is  an  enterprising,  active  man, 
and,  with  Mr.  Baer,  has  done  his  share  toward 
advancing  the  interests  of  Cloverdale. 

Cloverdale  is  now  well  supplied  with  hotels 
and  all  kinds  of  business  houses.  It  is  a  favor- 
ite resort  for  people  in  quest  of  health  and  pleas- 
ure. Its  close  proximity  to  several  resorts  at 
mineral  springs,  and  being  close  to  mountainous 
regions   that  will    always   afford   amusement  to 


HISTORY    OF    SOXOMA    COL'SrT. 


sportsmen,  it  will  ever  be  a  place  where  will 
coiii^regate  people  of  means  and  leisure.  The 
(Moverdule  liereille  says: 

As  a  summer  resort  ('loverdale  is  a  most 
desirable  place.  Xestled,  as  it  is,  among  the 
mountains  of  tlie  t'oast  Range,  it  aifords  amuse- 
ment and  recreation  for  all  classes  of  people. 
Game  of  every  description,  including  bear,  deer, 
and  a  large  variety  of  smaller  game,  abound  in 
the  vicinity,  and  the  mountain  streams,  well 
stocked  with  trout,  invite  unlimited  sport  for 
the  angler.  The  artist  is  in  his  glory  amid  the 
romantic  scenes  that  abound  in  the  surrounding 
mountains. 

l^ocalities  with  refreshing  springs,  atfording 
delightful  shady  nooks  for  picnic  parties  and 
campers,  are  found  with  surroundings  to  suit 
the  taste  of  the  pleasure  seeker,  and  in  close 
proximity  to  town,  so  that  headquarters  can  be 
had  in  Cloverdale,  while  your  time  can  be  most 
enjoyably  spent  among  nature's  handiwork. 

Mineral  springs  in  great  number  are  to  be 
fuuiid  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  town.  The 
most  conspicuous  of  which  we  could  mention  is 
Alder  Glen,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from 
town.  There  is  no  place  in  the  State,  we  can 
truthfully  say,  so  beautifully  and  conveniently 
located  as  Alder  Glen.  There  is  a  line  drive- 
way to  the  place,  and  as  you  enter  the  glen  you 
are  at  once  impressed  with  the  grandeur  of  the 
place.  The  mammoth  redwoods  afford  a  most 
cool  shade.  The  water  is  indeed  sparkling  and 
bursts  forth  from  four  springs,  each  containing 
different  minerals.  The  soda  and  sulphur 
spring  is  most  prized  for  its  health  giving 
properties.  Around  the  springs  the  grounds 
are  laid  out  and  pleasant  walks  are  made  through 
the  canon.  Arrangements  are  being  made  to 
build  a  hotel  to  accommodate  those  who  go  there 
to  enjoy  its  waters  and  beautiful  mountain  scen- 
ery. This  place  is  destined  to  become  a  very 
popular  resort. 

The  most  popular  and  famous  health  resorts 
of  the  State  abound  in  this  vicinity.  The  Gey- 
sers, whifh  rank  witli  the  Vosemitc  in  grandeur 
of  seenery,  only  sixteen    miles  distant,  i.-  oiiu  of 


nature's  greatest  wonders,  and  attracts  thousands 
of  people  yearly  to  witness  these  seemingly 
demoniacal  demonstrations.  His  Satanic  maj- 
esty seems  to  be  near  the  surface  in  that  section. 
The  eternal  fire  tliat  is  produced  by  chemical 
action,  and  the  water  from  the  mountain  stream, 
causes  steam  to  emit  from  the  crevices  of  the 
rocks,  and  as  the  creek  continues  in  its  course 
the  water  boils  and  bubbles  furiously,  and  great 
clouds  of  steam  are  continually  arising. 

Hood's  Warm  Springs,  some  ten  miles  north- 
west of  Cloverdale,  is  one  of  the  finest  camping 
grounds  in  this  section  of  the  State,  and  hun- 
dreds of  people  steal  away  from  the  cares  of 
business  and  the  humdrum  of  city  life  to  spend 
a  few  weeks  or  months  among  the  pleasant 
scenes  that  surround  the  springs.  A  number  of 
bath  houses  have  been  erected  for  the  accom- 
modation of  those  who  wish  to  enjoy  the  medi- 
cinal properties  of  the  waters.  The  neighboring 
mountains,  valleys  and  streams  are  a  paradise  for 
both  hunters  and  anglers, as  deer,  rabbits,  grouse, 
quail  and  brook  trout  are  plentiful,  and  an  oc- 
casional opportunity  is  offered  to  hunters  to  try 
their  nerves  and  skill  on  a  bear  or  jianther. 
Lovers  of  honey  will  be  pleased  to  learn  that 
these  mountains  abound  in  bee  trees,  and  in  one 
canon  of  only  two  miles  in  length  a  person  can 
count  over  two  hundred  of  these  trees,  each 
occupied  b}'  a  colony  of  bees. 

Oak  Mountain,  the  home  of  Madame  Preston 
and  her  religious  followers,  is  located  on  the 
sidehill  about  two  miles  from  Cloverdale.  A 
prettier  site  cannot  be  found  in  Califortiia.  The 
prominence  of  the  location  commands  a  view 
down  the  valley  that  is  indeed  impressive.  The 
result  of  man's  labor  is  seen  throughout  tlie 
length  and  breadth  of  the  fertile  valley.  Gnly 
•a  few  years  ago,  comparatively  speaking,  you 
could  have  stood  on  the  same  prominence  and, 
looking  upon  the  valley,  all  that  could  have  been 
seen  to  break  the  monotony  of  scenery  was  a 
continuous  sheep  and  cattle  range,  ^'ow,  how 
changed,  the  view  presents  an  extensive  chess- 
board laid  out  in  blocks  of  orchards,  vineyards 
and  fields  of  green  alfalfa.     But  the  king  of  the 


JflSTOIiY    OF    /SONOMA    VOUNTY. 


valley  is  luaking  cuiispicous  moves,  and  ere 
long  it  will  checkmate  all  of  its  contemporaries 
for  ])restige,  antl  drive  them  oft"  the  board. 
Wine  is  kinif,  and  his  kingdom  will  grow  and 
become  more  popular  every  year.  Madame 
Preston  has  devoted  her  life  to  the  sufl"erings  of 
poor  humanity.  AVhether  rich  or  poor,  and  of 
whatever  nationality,  when  in  sickness  and  pros- 
tration, a  panacea  for  the  ills  that  our  mortal 
body  is  heir  to,  as  well  as  kind  and  gentle  assist- 
ance can  always  be  found  on  Oak  Mountain. 
A  church  lias  been  established,  and  a  large  and 
attractive  building  erected,  which  is  called  the 
Covenant  Meeting  House.  A  tower  clock  in 
the  dome  rings  out  the  hours,  and  foretells  the 
cheerfulness  and  contentment  of  the  people' that 
live  there.  The  home  of  the  Madame  is  a  most 
inviting  one.  Dr.  Henry  Hubbard,  Frederick 
Rindge  and  Mr.  Clark  also  have  handsome  resi- 
dences on  Oak  Mountain.  Extensive  vineyards 
and  prune  orchards  are  to  be  found  in  these 
foothills,  which  are  very  productive  under  the 
management  of  Colonel  Preston. 

Near  Oak  Mountain  is  the  boarding  house  of 
C.  Worth.  Mr.  Worth  has  the  largest  tig  and 
almond  orchard  in  the  district.  The  tigs,  when 
well  dried,  command  a  good  price  and  are  very 
marketalile. 

There  are  a  number  of  tine  ranches  in  Oak 
Valley,  and  to  mention  one  is  to  mention  them 
all,  and  when  we  say  that  J.  G.  Heald,  John 
Cooley,  William  Sink  and  D.  Wambold  have  as 
well  improved  places  as  you  see  anywhere,  it  re- 
mains for  you  to  more  tlioroughly  convince 
yourself  by  a  personal  visit. 

Of  the  suburban  places,  Conrad  Ilaehl  has  a 
winery  and  well  cultivated  and  profitable  vine- 
yard. The  winery  is  built  on  a  slight  rise  of 
ground  and  commands  a  view  of  the  surrounding 
valley.  The  dwelling  house  faces  the  town  and 
is  surrounded  by  a  good  variety  of  fruit  trees. 

William  Calilwell,  residing  south  of  town,  is 
surrounded  by  a  ranch  that  compares  favorably 
in  improvements  to  any  in  the  county.  His 
extensive  vineyard,  reaching  across  the  valley, 
and  tlie  large  orchard  of  excellent  fruits  near  the 


dwelling-house,  are  all   in   the  highest  state  of 
cultivation. 

McElarney  and  Smith  have  the  finest  strip  of 
land  in  this  section  reaching  from  the  foothills 
to  West  street  in  the  town.  The  vineyard  is 
located  on  the  best  of  foothill  land,  and  is  just 
coming  into  bearing.  The  dwelling-house  and 
improvements  are  situated  in  a  sheltered  nook 
of  the  hills,  and  is  a  delightful  jjlace  to  live. 

Prescott's  Grove,  adjoining  the  town  limits, 
is  a  very  picturesqne  and  delightful  retreat.  A 
moi'e  natural  park  is  hard  to  find  in  close  prox- 
imity to  a  town,  and  its  cooling  shade  during  the 
warm  summer  days  extends  a  pressing  invita- 
tion to  the  weary  mortal  to  pass  a  few  pleasant 
hours  under  the  protecting  foliage  of  its  grand 
old  oaks  and  laurel  trees.  It  is  the  scene  of 
many  a  pleasant  picnic  party  and  is  the  pride 
of  our  townspeople. 

SONOMA  TOWNSHIP. 

Sonoma  Township  in  the  southeastern  part  of 
theconnty,  is  bounded  by  Napa  County  on  the  east 
and  south,  Vallejo  Township  on  the  west  and 
Santa  Rosa  on  the  northwest.  The  principal  \o\\  n 
is  Sonoma,  in  the  south,  near  which  is  San  Lnis 
or  the  Eml)arcadero.  In  the  northern  part.  Glen 
Ellen  is  rapidly  becoming  an  important  center. 
This  section  is  the  pioneer  wine-producing  re- 
gion of  the  State,  and  is  better  known  on  ac- 
count of  this  fact  than  most  other  portions. 
Its  history  in  connection  with  the  early  settle- 
ment of  the  State  has  also  brought  it  into 
notice.  The  township  includes  66,695  acres, 
assessed  at  $977,225,  or  !j;14r|  per  acre.  The 
total  assessed  value  is  i?2, 124,225.  Its  popula- 
tion according  to  the  last  census  was  2,153, 
which  has  considerably  increased  since  then. 
The  whole  township  may  be  said  to  be  in  a  high 
state  of  cultivation. 

There  were  some  notable  exceptions  to  the 
Mexican  system  of  hides,  horns  and  tallow 
farming;  among  them  was  General  M.  G.  Val- 
lejo, so  often  quoted  in  this  history.  General 
Vallejo  was  not  a  man  to  rest  satisfied  with  so 
crude  a  system.     He  was  far  above  the  average 


JtlSTOBT    OF    SONOMA    GOtTNTT. 


of  his  conntryinen  in  native  ability,  wliich  had 
been  improved  by  intercourse  with  all  the  promi- 
nent men  who  liad  visited  California  from  the 
various  parts  of  the  world.  He  cultivated  on 
his  large  Petaluina  and  Sonoma  ranches  all  the 
staple  crops,  fruits  and  vines.  Sir  George 
Simpson  gives  a  very  interesting  account  of  the 
General's  farming  operations  in  1841.  lie  says 
that  "a  water-spout  that  year  had  burst  in  the 
valley,  sweeping  away  the  newly-sown  grain 
from  several  large  fields  of  wheat.  These  fields 
had  been  highly  prized  by  General  Vallejo,  as 
the  grain  had  been  purchased  from  Columbia 
River,  and  was  superior  in  quality  to  his  own. 
As  the  surface  of  the  plain  presents  so  few  ob- 
stacles to  cultivation,  the  same  land  is  never 
cropped  for  more  than  two  successive  years;  and 
as  the  General's  farm  consists  of  many  hundreds 
of  acres,  he  annually  breaks  up  about  300 
acres  of  what  may  be  called  wild  lands,  either 
fresh  from  the  hand  of  nature,  or  refreshed  by 
rest."  General  Vallejo  had  also  a  fine  fruit 
orchard,  had  revived  the  Mission  vineyard,  ex- 
tended its  area,  and  was  a  manufacturer  of  both 
wine  and  brandy.  Commodore  Wilkes,  in  1842, 
was  in  San  Francisco  with  his  fleet,  and  being 
in  want  of  supplies,  dispatched  an  officer  with 
a  note  to  General  Vallejo.  He  says  the  Gen- 
eral treated  the  officer  with  great  politeness, 
and  returned  for  answer  that  he  could  supply 
us  with  Lima  beans,  wheat,  potatoes  and 
other  vegetables  which  we  had  been  unable  to 
obtain. 

The  beautiful  Sonoma  Valley  is  one  of  the 
richest  and  most  productive  districts  of  the 
State.  Jjeing  within  a  short  distance  from  San 
Francisco,  and  having  superior  transportation 
facilities,  it  is  above  all  comparison  with  other 
valleys  in  the  State.  The  climate  is  mild,  equa- 
ble and  delightful.  F"'ogs  and  harsh  winds  are 
shut  out  by  the  mountain  barriers  and  high  hills 
on  the  east  and  west.  Nature  seems  to  smile  on 
this  gem  of  (California  valleys,  and  has  endowed 
it  with  all  the  gifts  within  her  disposal.  Here 
the  orange  tree,  heavily  laden  with  its  golden 
fruit   and    decked   with  bridal    blossoms,    nods 


lazily  in  the  balmy  air.  The  olive — the  em- 
blem of  peace,  the  sacred  tree  of  the  ancients — 
takes  firm  root  in  this  soil  and  bears  most  pro- 
lifically.  The  sloping  hills  are  mantled  with 
the  foliage  of  the  vine,  the  fruitage  of  which 
yields  a  rich  harvest  of  wine. 

The  vine-clad  hills  and  citron  groves  of 
Southern  Europe  find  their  exact  counterpart  in 
the  valley  of  Sonoma.  The  soil  is  of  volcanic 
formation,  impregnated  with  iron,  magnesia  and 
other  minerals,  which  give  flavor,  color  and 
strength  to  the  wine.  The  soil  is  similar  to 
that  of  F'rance,  Spain  and  the  Rheinish  grape- 
growing  provinces.  In  the  growth  of  the  wal- 
nut, almond,  peach,  pear,  prune  and  apricot  this 
valley  cannot  be  excelled. 

The  display  at  the  mechanics'  fair  made  by 
the  Sonoma  Valley  for  the  year  1887,  was  mag- 
nificent, fi'om  the  diversity  of  productions  pre- 
sented. Of  grapes,  over  300  varieties  were 
shown.  There  were  five  pyramids  of  wine  in 
bottles — Clarets,  Burgundies,  Rieslings,  Gute- 
dels  and  Hocks,  with  Brandies. 

Dried  and  preserved  fruits  occupied  an  im- 
portant place.  The  exhibit  of  natural  silk 
worms  in  all  stages,  from  the  larva-  to  the  eggs, 
excited  much  interest.  Olive  oil  and  pickled 
olives  were  shown.  Every  variety  of  pickles, 
cucumbers,  melons,  English  marrows,  corn 
(some  of  it  fourteen  feet  high,  with  four  ears 
on  each  stalk),  Japanese  persimmons,  English 
hawthorne,  Scotch  rowan  tree,  tomatoes,  pep- 
pers, gigantic  sunflowers,  plants,  wild  flowers, 
ferns,  grasses,  mosses,  cereals  in  sheaves,  sacks 
and  bottles,  Indian  chutney,  building  stones, 
chalk,  cork,  oak,  cotton,  wool,  bamboo,  cheese, 
butter,  milk,  leather,  charcoal,  coal,  hops,  argols, 
150  specimens  of  native  rocks,  mineral  waters, 
natural  fire  and  petrified  woods,  Rhus  tox,  and 
fourteen  samples  of  earth  and  vine  cutting  were 
exhibited. 

It  can  be  truthfully  said  that  a  more  com- 
plete or  magnificent  exhibit  of  the  resources  of 
a  district  was  never  made  in  California  than  that 
of  Sonoma  Valley.  The  fact  was  established 
that  Sonoma  Valley  in    its  climate,  fei-tility  of 


Rr STORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNT r. 


soil,  and  proiiuctions  has  no  superior,  and  few, 
if  any,  equals. 

S()XO>irA  CiTv — Tiie  main  Ijusiiiess  of  tlic 
town  is  done  on  tlie  bloclvs  surrounding  the 
historical  plaza,  and  many  of  the  old  adobes  re- 
main, some  in  ruins  but  mostly  in  excellent 
preservation.  There  are  a  number  of  e.xcellent 
two-story  Iniildings  of  stone  or  brick  including 
the  Union  Hotel,  Poppa's  Hall  and  others.  An 
octagon  one-story  building  used  as  a  city  hall, 
occupies  the  center  of  the  plaza,  and  on  a  strip 
on  the  northern  side  the  railroad  depot  is  built, 
but  the  larger  part  is  laid  out  in  grass  with 
trees,  walks  and  a  good  fence.  This  square 
with  its  evergreens,  grass  plots,  broad  gravel, 
walks,  famous  flag  pole,  framed  by  two-story 
adobe  buildings  and  modern  masonry,  alternat- 
ing between  Mexican  and  American  architect- 
ure, with  its  back-ground  of  everlasting  hills, 
makes  a  picture  worth  looking  at.  The  water 
supply  of  the  town  comes  from  a  small  cement 
reservoir  fed  by  the  famous  spring  Lachryma 
Montis,  which  bursts  from  the  hills  immediately 
behind  General  Valleju's  house.  The  city  vote 
of  Sonoma  at  the  last  election  was  125.  Neither 
the  city. nor  the  school  district  are  in  debt. 
The  State  and  county  taxation  within  the  city 
limits,  taxpayers  being  relieved  from  taxation 
for  the  district  road  fund,  is  !t;1.10,  and  the  mu- 
nicipal tax  is  thirty-five  cents  on  the  .^100  of 
assessed  values.  Tiie  ijoi'soual  ])roperty  in  the 
muiuci])ality  is  valued  by  the  assessor  at  -^1*2,- 
r)49,  and  the  real  estate  and  improvements  at 
$266,805  or  a  total  of  $359,454:.  The  total 
revenue  of  last  year  was  $2,500. 

Temple  huhje,  No.  /},  /''.  d-  A.  J/.— This 
lodge  was  organized  on  April  '.',  iNol,  with  the 
following  charter  members:  J.  Hendley,  George 
H.  Derby,  James  K.  Long,  M.  Pelty,  Jesse 
Davidson,  William  P>urris,  P.  Hicklin,  Stephen 
Acres,  Jason  Smith,  E.  I'eabody  and  George 
Stevenson. 

Sonoma  Lodtje,  iVo.  ,.'S,  I.  <>.  ().  /''.  This 
lodge  was  instituted  July  1,  1854,  with  J.  .\. 
Brewster,  P.  G. ;  F.  Rohrer,  P.  (i.;  W.  Ayers. 
S.   C.    Ilayden    and    ('alvin     Ifohrcr   as    charter 


members.  The  inaugural  ceremonies  were  pre- 
sided over  by  Edward  B.  Eaton,  D.  D.  G.  M.  of 
Napa  district,  and  the  following  ofKcers  elected: 
J.  A.  Brewster,  N.  G.;  Fred.  Ptohrer,  V.  G.; 
Martin,  Secretary;  G.  W.  Miller,  Treasurer. 

Soiionia  Valley  Bank. — This  institution  was 
incorporated  in  June,  1875,  with  a  paid-up  cap- 
ital of  $53,100,  and  commenced  business  on 
July  12,  1875. 

Newspapers. — The  first  printing  done  in 
Sonoma  County  were  two  small  pamphlets  in 
the  Spanish  language,  published  in  1838  by  the 
Government  press  in  Sonoma.  One  of  them 
contained  a  list  of  remedies  for  the  common 
complaints  which  all  flesh  is  heir  to,  even  in 
this  favored  clime;  the  other  is  a  series  of  I'e- 
ports  made  by  General  Yallejo  to  the  Governor 
of  Alta  California. 

The  Sonoma  Bulletin. — This  was  the  first 
periodical  published  in  Sonoma  County,  its 
initial  number  being  issued  June  12,  1852,  by 
A.  J.  Cox,  who  had  been  a  resident  of  the  town 
of  Sonoma  since  1847,  having  been  a  member 
of  a  company  of  Stevenson's  regiment,  which 
was  stationed  there.  Mr.  Thompson  says:  It 
was  a  very  lively  sheet  for  several  years,  and 
would  have  done  credit  to  a  much  later  period 
in  the  history  of  the  State.  Contributions 
from  the  inimitable  Derby,  and  other  army 
officers  stationed  at  Sonoma,  were  not  infre(juent 
in  its  columns.  The  paper  was  continued  at 
intervals  up  to  1855,  when  the  editor,  in  a 
characteristic  notice  in  the  Petaluma  Journal 
of  September  15,  1855,  announces  its  final  de- 
mise as  follows:  "Hon.  (}.  Smikes  wishes  to 
return  his  thanks  to  the  editorial  fraternity  for 
the  kind  notices  of  his  debut,  and  to  the  public 
generally  (the  rest  of  mankind  included)  for  their 
liberal  patronage,  and  to  aimounce  that  the 
Blunderbuss  has  dried  up." 

The  Sonoma  Lnded'-Trihune  has  run  the 
gauntlet  of  several  proprietors,  and  H.  H. 
(tranice  is  now  at  the  helm.  He  makes  of  his 
journal  a  representative  local  paper. 

Hakrv  H.  Graxice. — The  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  the  able  and  enterprising  owner  and 


383 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT)'. 


editor  of  the  Sonoma  Inch.'- -Tribune,  the  only 
newspaper  publislied  in  Sonoma  Valley.     This 
paper  was  first  established  in  1879  as  the  Index, 
edited  by  Benjamin  Frank.     It  seemed  to  have 
had   a    rather    precarious    existence,    changing 
hands  nearly  a  dozen   times  until  1884,  when 
Mr.  Granice  purchased  it.     Immediately  upon 
his  assuming  the  editorial  chair  he  changed  the 
name  to  the  Index-Trihune,  and  determined  to 
make  a  paper  worthy  of  the  support  of  the  peo- 
ple of  the  valley.     In  this  he  has  been  eminently 
successful.     Ilis  paper  is  issued  each  Saturday, 
and  is  a  live,  newsy  and  readable  paper,  devoted 
to  the  general  interests  of  Sonoma  Yalley  and 
County.     Mr.  Granice  has  also  one  of  the  most 
complete  job  printing  offices  in  Sonoma  County. 
He  is  a  practical  printer,  fully  conversant  with 
all  the  details  of  his  calling,  and  to  this  must  be 
attributed  much  of  his  success.     Mr.  Granice  is 
also  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Kasclien  &  Gran- 
ice, real  estate  dealers  of  Sonoma.     As  an  intel- 
ligent,   energetic   citizen,    whose   interests  are 
closely  identified  with  Sonoma  County,  a  brief 
sketch  of  his  life  is  of  interest  in  a  work  of  this 
character.     He  is  a  native  of  New-  York,  and 
dates  his  birth  December  3,  1849.     When  five 
years  of  age  he  accompanied  his  widowed  mother 
to  California.     She    took  up  her  residence  in 
San   Francisco,  and    afterward   in   Sacramento, 
where,  in  1861,  she  married  E.  J.  Steele.    Their 
home  was  then  established  in  Auburn,  Placer 
County,  where  Mr.  Granice  first  engaged  in  his 
present  calling  as  a  printer.     He  worked  at  this 
until  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  then  spent  a 
year  in  the    Pacific    Business    College  of  San 
Francisco.     After  graduating  from  this  college 
he  located  in  Merced,  Merced  County,  where  he 
established   the  Merced    People,   a  newspaper 
which   he  conducted  for  some    months.     This 
paper  he  sold  to  Mr.  Steele,  who  consolidated  it 
with   the  San   Joaquin    Valley   Argus.     Mr. 
Granice  then  entered  the  employ  of  Mr.  Steele, 
remaining  with  him  until  1874,  in  which  year 
he  went  to  San  Francisco  and  followed  his  pro- 
fession as  a  journeyman    printer    until    1884, 
eight  years  of  the  time  being  in  the  employ  of 


the  San  Francisco  Bulletin.  In  l!S84  he  located 
in  Sonoma  and  purchased  the  Index,  as  before 
stated.  Although  the  Index-Trihune  is  inde- 
pendent and  fearless  in  politics,  Mr.  Granice, 
personally,  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  member 
of  Sonoma  Lodge,  No.  28,  I.  O.  O.  F. ;  also  of 
the  Clay  Literary  Society  of  Sonoma,  in  which 
he  takes  a  deep  interest.  Mr.  Granice  is  a 
strong  believer  in  the  future  prosperity  of 
Sonoma  Yalley,  and  is  always  ready  to  support 
any  enterprise  tending  to  develop  its  resources. 
In  1879  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Katie  Keogh,  daughter  of  Kichard  J.  and  Kate 
Keogh,  residents  of  Stanislaus  County.  From 
this  marriage  two  children  have  been  born — 
Cecilia  and  Julie. 

Los  GuiLicos  is  situated  in  Sonoma  Yalley, 
being  eighty  miles  distance  from  Santa  Rosa.  It 
is  partly  encircled  by  a  high  and  imposing 
mountain  known  as  "  Hood's  Mountain,"  which 
has  done  good  service  to  the  traveler  in  the 
early  days  as  a  land  mark.  It  is  at  the  very 
base  of  its  peak,  which  rises  to  an  altitude  of 
3,000  feet  or  more,  tliat  the  home  proper  is 
located,  and  this  together  with  many  beautiful 
features  which  we  will  endeavor  to  describe 
lends  enchantment  to  a  tout-ensemble  which  go 
to  make  Los  Guilicos  Ranch  one  of  the  prettiest 
spots  in  California. 

Elvekano  is  a  new'ly  laid  out  town  on  tiie 
line  of  the  Santa  Rosa  &  Carquinez  Railroad, 
about  two  miles  north  of  Sonoma,  and  near  the 
Calienta  Springs.  Its  future  is  undetermined. 
Glen  Ellen  is  a  little  paradise  of  resort  at 
the  north  end  of  Sonoma  Yalley.  It  was  laid 
out  about  five  years  ago,  and  has  good  accom- 
modations for  tourists. 

ANALY  TOWNSHIP. 
Analy  Township  contains  57,681  acres  at  an 
assessed  value  of  §1,222,340,  an  average  of  !r;21 
an  acre;  the  assessed  value  of  all  the  property 
is  $1,779,412.  According  to  the  census  of 
1880,  this  township  contained  1,851  souls.  At 
the  present  time  its  population  will  not  fall 
short  of  2,500.      It  is  bomuled  on  tlie  north  by 


HTSTonT    OF    SONOMA    VOUNTT. 


Kussiaii  River,  Mendocino  and  liedwood  town- 
ships, east  by  Santa  Rosa  and  ^''allejo  town- 
sliips,  sonthwest  by  Marin  Count}'  and  west  by 
Bodega  and  Redwood  townsliips.  It  inclndes 
the  towns  of  Sebastopol,  IMoomfield  and  Korest- 
ville.  Its  name  is  said  to  be  given  by  Jasper 
O'F'arrell,  in  lionor  of  his  sister.  Its  soil  is 
mainly  a  sandy  loam,  and  its  products  are  fruits, 
vegetables,  cereals,  wine,  wood,  hops  and  dairy 
products.  During  the  past  few  years  tlie  area 
in  fruits  and  vines  has  been  increased  at  least 
twenty-five  per  cent.  The  real  valne  of  the 
land  for  orchards  and  vineyards  seems  not  to 
have  been  ajipreciated  until  now;  and  lands 
have  advanced  in  price  fully  200  per  cent, 
during  the  past  five  years.  Cosy,  comfortable 
and  ])ermanent  homes  are  characteristic  of  its 
residents,  and  it  rivals  in  this  respect  all  other 
portions  of  the  county.  The  improvements  now 
under  way  and  contemplated  will  make  tiiis 
section  boom  during  the  coming  years. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  to  Joaquin  Car- 
rillo  belongs  the  honor  of  being  the  first  settler 
in  Analy  Township.  lie  located  and  a]iplied 
for  a  grant  to  the  "  Llano  de  Santa  Rosa "'  rancho 
as  early  as  184-4.  In  1846  he  built  an  adobe 
house  on  the  western  end  of  the  rancho,  within 
the  present  limits  of  the  township,  and  near  the 
present  site  of  the  town  of  Sebastopol.  This 
was  doubtless  the  first  house  ever  iaiilt  in  the 
township.  The  remains  of  it  are  still  standing. 
The  tidal  wave  of  American  enjigration  did  not 
seem  to  strike  this  township  until  1850.  During 
that  year  quite  a  number  of  families  settled  in 
the  nortliern  end  of  it  in  what  is  now  known  as 
Green  Valley.  Among  those  wiio  settled  there 
during  that  year  may  be  mentioned  J.  ]\I.  Hud- 
speth, P.  McChristian,  and  Judge  Josiaii  Morin. 
Farther  south,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Sebastopol,  Otis  Allen,  James  De- 
laney,  M.  Gillian,  James  M.  Miller,  John 
Walker,  and  Orlamlo  Sowers  settled  also  in 
1850,  while  AN".  D.  Canfield  was  the  only  settler 
in  that  year  in  what  is  known  as  IJIucher  Valley. 
It  was  not  until  the  next  year  that  any  one 
made  any  permanent   settlement  in  liig  Valley, 


in  the  extreme  soutli  end  of  the  township,  'i'he 
very  Urst  man  to  pitch  his  tent  upon  a  claim  in 
that  valley  was  William  Abels.  He  was  a  man 
of  family,  and  he  and  his  estimable  wife  are 
still  in  the  enjoyment  of  fine  health,  and  are 
residents  of  Santa  Clara  County.  Their  chil- 
dren and  grandchildren  are  living  in  different 
parts  of  the  State,  and  point  to  the  fact  of  first 
settlement  in  this  section  l>y  their  hardy  ances- 
tors with  a  just  degree  of  ]iride.  During  the 
same  year  Elliot  Coffer,  Henry  Hall,  "William 
Nutting,  Robert  Railey,  (Jeorge  Woodson,  G. 
W.  Wolf,  Edward  V.  flinrber,''Mr.  Larlcin,  W. 
P.  Henshaw,  L.  D.  Cockrill,  Jacob  McReynolds. 
Mr.  Turtelot  and  Mr.  McAllen  came  into  this 
valley  and  settled.  Nearly  if  not  quite  all  of 
these  men  were  unmarried,  however,  and  did 
not  prove  to  be  permanent  settlers.  There  set- 
tled in  Blncher  Valley  during  1851,  Martin 
Reed,  Dr.  W.  G.  Lee,  John  White,  Samuel 
Powers,  Thomas  Miller,  Gideon  Miller,  John 
Rice,  George  Campbell,  and  W.  Easeley.  AVe 
are  unable  to  discover  the  names  of  any  who 
settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Sebastopol  that  year, 
but  in  Green  Valley  we  find  that  James  Greg- 
son,  John  Marshall,  Henry  Marshall,  Major 
Isaac  Sullivan,  and  Mitchell  Gilliam  became 
permanent  settlers  during  1851.  Some  time 
during  this  year  Major  Sullivan  and  Miss  Polly 
Gilliam  linked  their  destinies  together  in  the 
silken  bonds  of  marriaoe.  This  was  proliably 
the  pioneer  marriage  in  the  townshij),  an<l  a 
right  royal  jolly  time  was  had  at  the  wedding. 
In  1852  A.  Stark,  Robert  Gordon,  William 
Jones,  AV^illiain  II.  AVhite,  and  a  great  many 
others  came  into  Pig  A^illey;  in  fact,  all  the 
land  was  taken  up  during  that  year.  During 
that  year  A.  T.  Davidson,  S.  J.  Smith,  and  D. 
AVoodworth  settled  near  Sebastopol.  During 
this  and  the  next  year  or  two  the  settlement  of 
the  township  was  very  rapid.  The  settlers  of 
those  early  days  were  very  migratory  in  their 
habits,  and  but  few  of  them  remained  more  than 
a  year  or  two.  The  title  to  the  land  was  not 
very  good,  and  many  of  them  were  merely 
sipiattcrs;   so  that  when  ordered  otl' tlicy  Iia<l  t<> 


284 


ni STORY  OF  sokoma  countt. 


g(i.  In  liliicher  N'alley  tlie  only  original  bct- 
tlcr  there  now  is  W.  I).  Canfield.  In  1852  a 
postottice  was  etstablislied  at  i\[iller  &  Walker's 
store,  tlien  located  about  one  mile  south  of 
where  Sebastopol  now  stands.  The  commission 
was  issued  February  20th,  and  James  M.  Miller 
was  tlie  postmaster.  The  name  of  the  office  was 
Bodega,  and  it  supplied  all  the  section  of  the 
county  lying  west  and  northwest  as  far  as  the 
(xualala  Kiver. 

P)i.ooMFiKi-ii. — ]>loomtield  is  situated  at  the 
head  of  Big  Valley,  or  the  Valley  of  the  Estero 
Americano,  on  the  Rancho  Canada  de  Pogo- 
lome,  and  was  named  in  honor  of  the  owner  of 
that  grant,  F.  (i.  Blume.  The  first  house  was 
built  in  the  town  by  AVm.  Zellhardt.  in  1853. 
He  soon  afterward  built  a  blacksmith  shop.  L. 
D.  Cockrill  built  the  next  house  here,  also  in 
1853.  In  1854:  a  man  by  the  name  of  Horace 
Lamb  opened  a  store,  using  a  part  of  Mr.  Cock- 
rilTs  house  for  tlie  purpose.  During  the  year, 
however,  he  erected  a  building  of  his  own  and 
occupied  it.  Two  years  later,  July  12,  185(5, 
a  postoffice  was  established  at  this  point,  with 
Horace  J^aml)  as  postmaster.  During  thisycar 
also  the  town  was  laid  out,  ('.  and  J.  Iloag  own- 
ing the  western  jiart  of  the  site  and  Isaac  Kutfel 
the  eastern  portion.  From  this  time  on  the 
town  rlourished  as  well  as  could  be  expected 
under  the  circumstances.  It  was  an  inlaml 
trading  point,  with  no  direct  communication 
with  San  Francisco  for  a  number  of  years. 
Stores, liotels,black8mith  shops, churches,schools, 
etc.,  were  established.  The  cemetery,  which  is 
situated  to  the  westward  of  the  town,  and  on  an 
eminence  commaniling  a  beautiful  view  of  the 
town  and  adjacent  country,  was  laid  out  in  181)0. 
The  iirst  person  buried  in  it  was  Nfrs.  StejJien 
C'.  Fowler,  daughter  of  L.  D.  Cockrill. 

Valleii  Ford  Lodc/e,  I.  <).  O.  /'.—Valley 
Ford  Lodge,  No.  I'Jl,  I.  ().  ().  F.,  was  organized 
September  7,  18l)'J,  at  N'alley  Ford;  hence  the 
name.  Its  charter  menibLMv  wei-e  William  Ham- 
ilton. A.  S.  Perrine,  .\.  C.  AVn.ul.  S.  X.  llu<lson, 
Edward  Hare  and  William  Withrow.  The  first 
officers  were:   William  Hamilton,  N.  (t.;   Will- 


iam Withrow,  \.  G.;  S.  N.  Hudson.  Secretary, 
and  Edward  Hare,  Treasurer. 

Bloomfield  Fni'aiiijitnent. — Bloomfield  En- 
campment, No.  61,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  organized 
January  10,  1877,  with  the  following  charter 
members:  H.  C.  (inwder,  B.  F.  llicklennm. 
Bruce  T.  Cockrill,  S.  11.  Manzy.  Valentine  Wil- 
son. O.  M.  LeFebvre,  A.  II.  Knapp.  (J .  W.  Knap]i 
and  Chas.  Iloag. 

Vitrui'ious  Lodye,  J'\  d- A.  M. —  Vitruvious 
Lodge,  No.  145,  F.  it  A.  M.,  was  instituted 
under  dispensation  May  31, 1860.  The  charter 
members  were  as  follows:  T.  G.  Cockrill,  R. 
Dickens,  J.  M.  Hinman,S.  IIonigsberger,I.  Kuf- 
fel.  D.  Markel,  J.  R.  Iloss,  J.  W.  Zuver.  The 
officers  U.  D.  were  J.  M.  Hinraan,  W.  il.;  I). 
Markel,  S.  W.;  I.  Kuifel,  J.  W.;  and  T.  G. 
Cockrill,  Secretary.  The  charter  was  granted 
June  7,  1861,  and  the  first  officers  under  charter 
were:  D.  Markel,  W.  M.;  I.  Kutiel,  S.  W.;  C. 
R.  Arthur,  J.  W. ;  R.  Dickens.  Treasurer,  and 
T.  G.  Cockrill,  Secretary. 

Bloomtreld  Lodye,  I .  <>.  G.  T. — Bloomfield 
Lodae,  No.  250,  I.  O.  G.  T.,  was  organized  Aujj- 
ust  19,  1878.  Following  is  the  list  of  charter 
members:  W.  11.  Ilaskins.  James  Iloag,  C.  C. 
F'arnsworth,  D.  L.  Knapp,  Ada  Haskins,  Louis 
McKeynolds,  Albert  Crose,  Horace  Lamb,  Ed- 
w-ard  McIJeynolds,  Lizzie  Gregory,  Ida  M.  Has- 
kins, Chas.  McReynolds,  Carrol  Jones,  John 
McAllister,  Emil  I'-aker,  A.  E.  Kellogg,  W.  W. 
Parks,  Sarah  Stone,  Ernestine  Walker,  Anna 
Crose,  E.  M.  Sharon,  Maggie  Sharon,  Clara 
Farnsworth,  Mary  Jones,  Alice  Pharis,  Clarence 
AVilson,  Frank  Lamb,  ThoTiias  (^regory,  F.  L. 
McReynolds. 

Blwnnlidd  ScliiioL-  The  first  school  in  this 
section  was  taught  in  what  was  known  as  the 
Big  Valley  school  ilistrict.  The  school-house 
was  situated  about  one  mile  east  of  the  present 
site  of  Pdoomfield.  The  first  school  ever  taught 
in  the  town  was  under  the  charge  of  James  Har- 
low, and  was  inthe  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
building.  The  present  large  and  commodious 
building  was  erected  in  1806.  It  is  two  stories 
high,  and  is  amply  large  for  all  the  requirements 


n I  STOUT  OF  hoi^oMa   uountt. 


285 


of  the  town.  Tliere  are  two  teacliers  employed, 
and,  of  course,  two  grades  in  the  school. 
There  is  a  good  lihrary  of  over  200  volumes 
attached  to  the  school.  Among  those  who  have 
taught  there  in  days  gone  hy  may  be  mentioned: 
A.  II.  Hall,  James  lladclifttN  T.  II.  Hopkins.  A. 
II.  Pratt,  J.  JI.  AVilmer,  T.  C.  Powers.  E.  D. 
Roberts,  and  others. 

Churches. — A  gentleman  known  as  Father 
Walker  organized  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  at  this  place  in  1857.  lie  was  the 
pioneer  minister  of  this  county. 

SEiiAsToroL. — This  is  a  beautiful  little  hamlet 
lying  near  the  foothills,  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Santa  Rosa  Valley.  As  has  been  stated  above, 
to  Joaquin  Carrillo  belongs  the  honor  of  being 
the  first  settler  in  this  section  of  the  township, 
coming  here  as  early  as  1846.  It  seems  that 
James  M.  Miller  and  John  Walker  followed 
him,  coining  as  early  as  1850.  They  erected 
a  building  and  opened  a  store  about  one  mile 
south  of  the  site  of  the  present  tnwn.  In  this 
store  was  a  postoflice,  and  it  seemed  that  if  a 
town  ever  sprang  up  in  that  section  it  would  lie 
near  it.  Rut  in  1855,  J.  II.  P.  Morris,  a  man 
of  enterprise  and  energ3%  entered  a  ti-act  of 
(Tovernment  land,  consisting  of  120  acres,  north 
of  the  store  site.  Mr.  Morris  came  to  Sonoma 
in  1853,  and  was  in  Ijusiness  for  a  while  at  the 
Miller  A:  Walker  store.  After  locating  his  claim 
upon  this  tract  of  land,  lie  moved  a  building, 
which  he  procured  of  Miller  »t  Walker,  to  his 
claim,  in  which  he  opened  out  a  grocery  store 
and  saloon  combined.  That  sameyear  he  deeded 
to  John  Dougherty  a  h)t,  upon  the  conditions 
that  he  should  put  a  store  iipcjn  it.  Tiiis  was 
complied  with.  iMr.  Morris  called  the  embry- 
otic  town  Pine  Grove,  a  very  appropriate  luime 
indeed,  as  it  is  surrounded  by  a  perfect  nursery 
of  young  pine  trees.  We  are  informed  by  Mr. 
R.  A.  Thompson  that  its  present  formidable 
name  of  Sebastopol  originated  in  this  way:  A 
man  named  Jeft"  Stevens  and  a  man  named 
Ilibbs  had  a  fight;  Ilibbs  made  a  quick  retreat 
to  Dougherty's  store,  witii  Stevens  in  hot  pur- 
suit.     Dougherty  stoj)ped   Stevens,  and  f.irbade 


him  to  come  upon  his  premises.  The  (Jrimean 
war  was  raging  at  that  time,  and  the  allies 
were  besieging  Sebastopol,  which  it  was  thought 
they  would  not  be  able  to  capture.  The  Pine 
Grove  boys,  who  were  always  keen  to  see  a 
fight  —  chagrined  at  the  result  —  cried  out 
that  Dougherty's  store  was  Hibbs'  Sebastopol, 
and  from  this  incident  the  town  eventually 
took  its  name.  As  stated  above,  Dougherty 
opened  the  second  business  place  in  the 
town.  George  II.  Jacobs  began  the  business 
of  blacksmithing  and  wagon-making  next. 
Marion  Howe  was  his  wagon-maker.  Captain 
Auser  then  erected  a  hotel  building  on  the 
present  site  of  the  Wilson  Exchange.  Other 
business  and  dwelling-places  followed  in  rapid 
succession,  until  the  town  has  now  probably 
300  inhabitants.  It  has  a  daily  stage  connect- 
ing with  the  railroad  at  Santa  Rosa,  which  car- 
ries both  the  United  States  and  Wells,  Fargo  ^ 
Co.'s  mail. 

Lafaijette  Lo(hjt!,  F.  A  A.  M. — Lafayette 
Lodge,  No.  120,  F  A:  A.  M.,  was  organized 
under  dispensation  January  8,  1858.  At  the 
time  of  its  organization  and  until  August  25, 
1860,  the  lodge  convened  at  a  place  known  as 
Pleasant  Ilill,  some  two  and  one-half  miles  south 
of  Sebastopol.  Since  the  last  named  date  its  com- 
munications have  been  held  in  Sebastopol,  where 
they  have  a  very  nice  lodge-room  over  the  Pres- 
byterian church.  The  charter  members  were 
Wm.  G.  Lee,  Jacob  I'Outs,  Losson  Ross,  Renj. 
S.  Burns,  Wm.  Henry,  John  Ryan,  R.  Dick- 
ens, Andrew  Fife,  Wm.  Ely,  J.  11.  P.  Morris 
and  Wm.  L.  Taber.  The  charter  was  granted 
May  13,  1S58.  The  first  officers  were:  Wm. 
(t.  Lee,  W.  M.;  Jacob  I'outs,  S.  W. ;  Losson 
Ross,  J.  W.;  Wm.  Henry.  Treasurer,  and  R. 
Dickens,   Secretary. 

Evenjreen  Lodge,  I .  <>.  (>.  F.  Evergreen 
Lodge,  No.  161,  I.  O.  O.  F..  was  instituted 
July  12,  1861),  with  the  following  charter  mem- 
bers: I>.  I>.  Berry,  W.  1*.  Berry,  Wm.  Wilson, 
John  K.  Smith,  M.  Edwards,  Mathew  A.  Will- 
iams, and  James  Rurnett.  The  first  officers 
were  W.  P.  P.erry.  N.  G.;  Wm.  Wilson,  V.  G. 


2S6 


itisronr  of  sonoMa   county. 


M.  Edwards,  Treasiirt-r;  and  15.  JJ.  lit-rry, 
Secretary. 

Sehastopol  lieheccn  Detjree  Loihje. — This 
lodsje.  No.  44,  was  organized  June  20,  1878. 
Tlie  cliarter  members  were  as  follows:  B.  B. 
I'.errv,  G.  H.  Stowell,  Clias.  Solomon,  S.  B. 
Berrv,  W.  F.  Elliott,  M.  Y.  Morin.  M.  H. 
Chenoworth.  J.  IT.  lierry,  A.  Crawford,  V. 
Piezzi,  T.  G.  Wilton,  J.  M.  Dockham,  D.  See- 
ley,  and  J.  S.  Jones,  Mesdames  Elizabeth  Ber- 
ry, E.  A.  Stowell,  Sarah  A.  Solomon,  L.  J. 
l;ei-ry,  Jane  M.  Elliott,  M.  Donner,  Emma  G. 
Wilson,  Minerva  A.  Berry,  Mary  L.  Crawford, 
Luella  Piezzi  and  Ilarmonia  Jones.  The  first 
officers  were  T.  G.  Wilton.  N.  G.;  Jane  M. 
Elliott,  V.  G.-,  Mary  L.  Crawford,  Treasurer, 
and  B.  B.  Berry,  Secretary. 

Cumherland  Presbyterian  Church. — The  Se- 
hastopol Cumberland  Presbyterian  chnrch  ^yas 
organized  October  2,  1851.  It  was  knoM-n  nntil 
Septeml)er,  1870,  liy  the  name  of  the  Bodega 
Cumherland  Presbyterian  church,  at  which  time 
the  name  was  changed  to  Sehastopol.  The 
orcranizino-  me  nbers  were  Rev.  J.  M.  Cameron, 
Mrs.  Mary  Cameron,  C.  Kavanagh,  William  M. 
Reed,  L.  Clyman,  Mrs.  Harriett  Morin,  Mrs. 
Nancy  Hudspeth,  J.  C.  Thompson  and  J.  M. 
Reed. 

Sehastopol  Lnhj,,  I.  O.  C  T.— This  lodge. 
No.  167,  was  organized  January  21,  1S79.  The 
following  names  appear  upon  the  charter:  J. 
II.  P.  Morris.  Fannie  AVadsworth,  Emma  Berry, 
Mary  llulbcrt,  Ira  ^Sfanville,  C.  S.  Berry,  Lizzie 
Ik'rrv,  W.  T.  Cromwell,  Rebecca  Cromwell, 
Hannah  Thompson,  Lou  Berry,  R.  Ewing,  C. 
i'xmham,  H.  Ilulbert,  Cico.  S.  Uriggs,  B.  B. 
Derry,  Elizabeth  Berry,  Julia  Ilulbert,  Grace 
Wadsworth,  L.  B.  Bonham,  J.  T.  Bonham,  Jas. 
r..  Bonham,  II.  M.  Grayson,  H.  P.  Ilulbert, 
Mary  B.  Ilulbert,  Wm.  Marshal,  D.  M.  Kelly, 
Bertha  Grey  land,  George  L.  Allen,  Thomas 
Hale,  Hattie  Ross,  Emma  Lee,  Alice  Crawford, 
Emma  Ilensley,  and  Clara  Hensley. 

FoKKKSTViLLK. — This  is  a  little  village  situated 
near  the  extreme  north  end  of  this  township,  in 
what    i>   known   as   (4j-eon  Vallov.     It  is  on  the 


border  of  tlie  redwood  belt,  and  its  inhabitants 
are  mostly  wood-choppers  and  lumbermen.  Tiie 
Guerneville  branch  of  the  North  Pacific  Rail- 
road passes  near  by  affording  ready  communi- 
cation with  San  Francisco.  It  is  said  that  the 
town  derived  its  name  from  its  founder,  and  first 
settler,  A.  J.  Forrester.  There  is  a  good  public 
school  in  the  town,  a  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  an  Advent  church  near  l>y.  The 
business  interests  are  represented  by  one  general 
store,  one  blacksmith  shop,  one  saloon,  one  hotel, 
one  meat  market,  etc.  etc.  The  rustic-chair 
factory  is  located  here.  Forestville  is  now 
developing  into  a  great  fruit-growing  center; 
grapes  and  olives  being  a  specialty. 

Taken  as  a  whole,  Analy  is  one  of  the  most 
productive  townships  in  the  county.  Extending 
as  it  does  from  the  Santa  Rosa  Valley  to  a  point 
within  a  few  miles  of  the  sea-shore,  it  presents 
a  diversity  of  soil  and  climate  seldom  com- 
passed in  the  boundaries  of  a  township.  At  a 
very  early  day  it  became  one  of  the  most  pop- 
ulous districts  in  the  county.  There  are  now 
some  very  consequential  counties  in  the  State 
that  have  not  been  as  productive  of  real  wealth 
as  has  the  single  township  of  Analy.  The 
western  portion  for  long  years  was  mainly  de- 
voted to  potato  and  grain  raising,  and  the  land 
paid  for  itself  over  and  over  again.  Of  late 
years  the  land  has  l)een  largely  used  for  dairy- 
ing and  stock-raising.  This  is  a  good  paying 
industry.  But  even  yet  the  people  of  that 
region  do  not  seem  to  have  a  full  appreciation 
of  the  real  worth  of  that  country.  The  day 
will  come  when  all  that  region  from  Two  Rock 
Valley  northward  will  be  cut  up  into  small 
holdings;  and  apple  and  berry  orchards  will  be 
common  where  now  are  stock  ranges.  The  east- 
erly end  of  Analy  Township  is  already  famous 
for  its  fruit  orchards. 

BODEGA  TOWNSHIP- 

In  early  times  no  portion  of  our  State  gained 
a  wider  reputation  than  Bodega  lor  butter  and 
potatoes.  It  contains  45,032  acres,  assessed  at 
Sf58n,120  or  ^15'4  per  acre.    Total  assessed  value 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


of  all  property  !?950,209.  Its  population  in 
1880  was  1,385.  It  is  located  on  the  southwest 
coast  line  of  the  county,  being  bounded  on  the 
nortli  by  Ocean  and  Redwood  townships,  on 
the  east  by  tlie  Pacific  Ocean.  The  Estero 
Americano  is  tlie  dividing  line  between  this 
tdwnsliip  and  Marin  County.  It  includes  tJie 
towns  of  Eodega  Corners.  Bodei^a  Port,  Free- 
stone, Occidental,  Howards  and  A'alley  Ford. 
Its  products  are  varied  and  include  potatoes- 
cereals  and  all  kinds  of  vegetables,  fruirs,  dairy 
products,  lumber  of  all  kinds  and  wood.  The 
North  Paciiic  Coast  Railroad  runs  throngh  the 
eastern  portion  of  the  township.  The  popula- 
tion of  the  township  has  increased,  but  at  what 
ratio  we  are  unable  to  ascertain. 

Elsewhere  has  been  recorded  the  early  occu- 
pation of  the  Bodega  country  by  the  Russians 
— also  the  settling  of  Captain  Stephen  Smith, 
and  his  enterprise. 

We  will  now  take  up  the  settlement  of  this 
township  by  tiie  Americans,  as  distinguished 
from  the  Russians.  The  first  settlers  of  this 
kind  of  which  there  are  any  records  were: 
James  Dawson,  James  Black,  and  Edward 
Manuel  xMcIntosh.  These  three  men  came  to 
California  probably  as  early  as  1830  with  Cap- 
tain Juan  B.  R.  Cooper,  brother-in-law  of  Gen- 
eral M.  G.  Vallejo,  as  sailors  on  board  of  his 
vessel.  Once  here,  and  getting  into  the  free 
and  careless  habits  of  the  natives,  tliey  pre- 
ferred to  remain  on  srlmre.  We  find  that  Daw- 
son and  Melntd.^h  a])|)lieil  fi'ir  citizenshij)  undei- 
the  Me.xican  government  as  early  as  the  year 
1833.  (general  N'allejo  says  tiiat  upon  assuming 
the  position  of  commandant  of  the  military  of 
California  in  1835,  he  was  ordered  to  extend 
his  settlements  as  far  in  tlu^  direction  of  l-"ort 
Ross  as  possible,  and  tn  thus  encroach  upon  the 
Russian  territory  and  usurp  their  claims.  For 
this  purpose  he  chose  the  three  hardy  pioneers 
mentioned  above,  and  ))roiiiised  to  give  them 
each  a  large  grant  of  land  provided  tiiey  would 
go  and  settle  right  upon  the  border  limits  of  the 
Russian  claim.  Tiie  gentlemen  consented  as 
they   were    sure    thi-y    could    li\e  on    aiuicalile 


terms  with  the  Russians.  Black  settled  upon 
what  is  now  known  as  Canada  de  la  Jonive 
Rancho,  while  Dawson  and  Mcintosh  settleil 
upon  the  Estero  Americano  Rancho. 

Boi)K(;a  Port. — This  was  a  shipping  place  at- 
the  head  of  the  bay  of  that  name.  It  was  here 
that  the  first  faint  attempt  at  founding  a  town 
in  this  township  occurred.  As  was  stated  above, 
the  Russians  had  erected  two  buildings  on  this 
bay,  but  they  were  near  to  the  mouth  of  the 
bay,  and  hard  of  access  to  those  who  came  to 
the  port  from  the  interior,  hence  settlers  natu- 
rally built  their  stone  houses  at  a  point  the 
most  accessible.  Captain  Smith  owned  a  small 
schooner  called  the  Faijuicai/,  which  plied  reg- 
ularly between  the  port  and  San  Francisco,  in 
the  early  days.  We  do  not  know  how  long  this 
was  continued  by  him,  or  what  became  of  the 
vessel.  He  used  it  principally  in  shipping  his 
lumber  to  market.     In  the  year  1850,  two  men 

named  John  Keyes  and Xoble,  put  in  a 

crop  of  potatoes.  This  was  the  first  crop  of  the 
kind  that  had  ever  been  grown  in  that  section. 
They  were  merely  squatters,  not  having  leased 
the  land  of  Captain  Smith.  They  raised  the 
crop  on  the  headland  known  as  Bodega  Point. 
After  the  crop  was  niatured  they  had  to  get  a 
vessel  to  take  it  to  market.  A  small  schooner 
of  about  fifteen  tons  burden  was  purchased  and 
run  by  John  Keyes.  It  was  called  the  Sjifui/. 
Keyes  continued  to  run  this  vessel  until  the 
spring  of  1857.  The  fare  on  this  .-ciiooner  was 
!k8  to  San  Francisco  and  !j;15  for  return.  Some- 
time during  this  year  (jne  Ca])tain  Tibbey  began 
to  run  a  schooner,  which  he  called  the  j\/(irij,  in 
this  trade.  This  schooner  was  built  in  .\us- 
tralia.  The  principal  exports  I'rom  the  puii  wi 
this  time  were  lumber,  shingles  and  potatoes. 
Cattle  and  sheep  were  sometimes  shippeij,  also. 

A  schooner  called  the  Sherlf,  in  1853,  Cap- 
tain Tibbey,  master,  went  ashore  near  Cape 
Mendocino,  and  all  on  boai-il  perished.  In  the 
fall  of  1850,  or  spring  of  1851,  a  hu-ge  schooner 
called  the  Caroline,  with  a  valuable  cargo  on 
board,  bound  for  Trinidad,  went  ashore  on  the 
saiul-j)it  which  projcrls  into   lioili'ga  Bay.      The 


niSTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


vessel  and  cargo  were  lost,  but  the  officers  and 
sailors  escaped.  Captain  Andrew  Rutherford 
ran  a  propellor  between  tlie  port  and  San  Fran- 
cisco a  few  trips  aliout  1858.  but  coiiiil  not  make 
it  pay,  and  hence  discontinued  tlie  trips.  From 
1852  to  1860  there  were  several  vessels  plying 
in  tiiis  trade,  there  being  often  as  many  as  six 
at  one  time  making  weekly  trips  to  the  city  and 
return.  The  tirst  man  to  rent  land  of  Captain 
Smith  was  Edward  Cheeney.  lie  leased  200 
acres  from  him  during  the  winter  of  18o0-'51, 
on  tlie  point.  This  land  had  Ijeen  cultivated 
previously,  tirst  by  the  Russians,  and  during  the 
jircvious  season  by  Keyes  and  ^oble.  The 
terms  of  this  lease  were  tliat  Cheeney  was  to  pay 
$2  per  acre  for  rent,  payable  when  the  crop  was 
sold;  Smith  would  allow  live  cents  a  I'ail  for 
fencing  the  land.  Smith  sometimes  rented  land 
on  shares,  furnishing  everything  to  the  renter 
aiul  taking  half  the  crop.  This  was  really  tlie 
better  way  for  him  to  rent  his  land,  as  the  half 
of  the  crop  would  net  from- §50  to  SlOO  per  acre. 
If  a  liian  were  poor  and  appeared  to  be  honest. 
Captain  Smith  would  advance  him  the  necessary 
amnnnt  of  money  to  put  in  his  crop,  without 
interest.  It  is  said  tiiat  many  of  his  renters 
took  advantage  of  his  liberal  terms,  and  reward- 
ed his  kindness  by  disposing  of  the  crop  and 
leaving  the  Captain's  claims  unsettled.  This 
land  in  that  early  day  was  very  productive. 
Mr.  Cheeney  raised  si.xty  bushels  of  wheat  and 
100  bushels  of  oats  to  tlie  acre,  and  one  renter 
had  an  acre  of  potatoes  whicli  brought  him  .§500. 
February  20,  1851,  Stephen  L.  and  James  E. 
Fowler,  two  brothers,  and  Messrs.  Loper  and 
Hedges  arrived  at  Bodega.  We  liave  at  hand  a 
diary  which  was  kept  by  Stephen  L.  Fowler  at 
that  time.  To  it  we  are  indebted  for  a  number 
of  facts  contained  in   this  sketch. 

Tlie  four  men  mentioned  above  formed  a  com- 
pany, and  styled  themselves  the  "  Suffolk  Com- 
jiany,"'  for  the  purpose  of  farming.  They  located 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  the  port,  across 
a  creek  (from  Captain  Smith's  house),  and  on  a 
tract  which  would  not  need  to  be  fenced.  This 
was    quite    an   object.     This  company  planted 


quite  an  extensive  crop  this  year,  and  the  yield 
was  very  good  both  in  quantity  and  price.  The 
seed  they  used  for  their  garden  came  from  the 
colonies  (.\ustralia).  A  box  for  which  they 
paid  §15,  conlained  si.x  (juarts  of  peas,  two  of 
Vieans.  four  ounces  of  onion  seed,  live  ounces  of 
cabbage  seed  of  different  kinds,  celery,  raddish, 
broccoli,  mustard,  spinage,  encumber,  Iieets, 
carrots,  capsicum,  pepper-grass,  lettuce,  all  in 
small  parcels;  also  one-half  pound  each  of  three 
different  kinds  of  turnip  seeds.  All  these  seeds 
were  planted,  and  all  throve  well  in  the  rich  soil 
of  that  section.  As  high  as  eight  cents  a  pound 
was  paid  liy  them  for  seed  j)otatoes  that  spring. 
It  rained  until  very  late  into  the  season  that 
year.  They  mowed  wild  oats  ibr  hay.  This 
hay  was  easily  cured,  and  served  the  purpose 
well.  They  raised  quite  a  crop  of  barley.  It 
was  harvested  and  threshed  in  the  month  of 
July.  The  following  description  of  the  modus 
operandi  of  threshing  the  grain  is  copied  from 
the  diary  mentioned  aliove:  "  A  corral  is  con- 
structed of  poles  driven  in  the  gmund  in  a  circle. 
Several  cart-loads  of  barley  are  then  drawn  in 
and  placed  within  the  corral.  I'orty  or  lilty 
horses  are  then  turned  into  the  corral,  and  driven 
around  at  a  furious  rate  of  speed.  As  soon  as 
the  grain  is  tramped  out  of  the  upper  layer  the 
straw  is  thrown  out,  and  the  process  repeated 
until  the  bottom  is  reached.  The  grain  is  then 
I'einoved,  and  carefully  cleaned  by  hand." 

During  the  year  1851  several  new-comers  put 
in  an  appearance,  and  the  opening  of  the  spring 
of  1852  saw  the  greater  portion  of  the  land  near 
the  port  taken  up  by  renters.  Of  these  but 
few  remain  in  that  section  now,  and  their  names 
have  passed  into  oblivion.  In  fact,  no  name 
but  a  nick-name  was  known  for  many  of  them. 
Of  those  mentioned  above,  Mr.  Cheeney  still 
resides  near  this  [port,  a  genial  old  gentleman, 
with  whom  it  is  a  pleasure  to  meet  and  talk  of 
the  early  days.  James  E.  Fowler  is  now  a  re- 
.tired  merchant,  living  a  life  of  leisure  upon  a 
handsome  competence  gained  in  this  township. 
His  beautiful  home  is  located  at  Valley  Ford.  He, 
too,  is  a  most  estimable  and  pleasant  gentleman. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


289 


Tlie  tirst  warehouse  at  the  ]X)rt,  at  the  head 
of  the  bay,  was  built  by  Captain  Smith,  in 
1818.  This  ^\•as  a  small  building,  and  was 
erected  rather  lor  the  ])ur|)Oses  of  a  freight- 
house  than  a  store-house.  It  was  only  ll).\20. 
Tlie  ne.xt  warehouse  was  built  in  ()ctul>cr,  lS51, 
by  the  Suffolk  Company.  It  was  24xlS,  witii 
ten  feet  studdinir.  This  company  also  construct- 
ed a  boat  at  this  time  in  wliich  to  ferr}'  their 
potatoes  over  the  ei'eek  mentioned  above.  This 
creek  has  its  debouchure  just  north  of  the  point 
where  the  landing  was  at  the  head  of  the  bay. 
This  boat  was  a  sort  of  a  lighter,  36x1(1  feet, 
and  one  foot  deep.  In  185'~J,  Samuel  Potter 
built  a  warehouse  30x60  feet  in  dimensions. 
During  the  same  year  Ste])heii  Smith,  a  nephew 
of  the  captain,  and  Mr.  Cheeney  erected  a  ware- 
house -iOx25.  This  building  is  still  stand- 
ing. The  tirst  store  was  built  at  this 
point  in  1853,  by  Dunald  JIcDonald.  It 
was  a  small  attair,  with  its  foundation  ex- 
tending into  the  bay,  causing  the  whole  build- 
ing to  stand  over  water  at  high  tide.  It  was 
reached  by  a  platform  extending  from  the  main 
land.  The  building  is  still  standing,  but  in  a 
most  dilapidated  condition.  In  the  same  year 
or  the  next,  Jasper  O'Farrell  built  a  warehouse 
50x100.  In  1S58  James  Stumpf  erected  a 
warehouse  which  was  (>(lxSI);  and  iluring  the 
same  year  Tyler  Curtis  constructed  one  which 
was  40x150.  In  1852,  Captain  Smith  erected 
tlie  buildings  for  a  hotel  and  bowling  alley.  In 
1860  Tyler  Curtis  erected  the  last  building  ever 
]iut  up  there.  It  was  a  warehouse,  30x80. 
After  this  the  glory  of  liodega  Port  departed 
f(jrever. 

I'oDKOA  (Jdii.Muts. — We  will  now  pass  from 
the  ])ort  of  I'.odega  to  the  town  of  the  same 
name.  This  is  situated  near  the  site  ol'  the 
Smith  Ranch  House,  ;iiid  of  course  In;  was  the 
lirst  settler  in  that  section.  It  took  its  tirst 
start  in  1858.  A  man  by  the  name  of  George 
liobinson  went  up  fi'om  I'odega  ])ort  and  opened 
a  saloon  at  this  point  that  year.  It  was  a  place 
where  three  roads  met,  hence  the  name  of  Cor- 
ners was  applied  to  it.     A  man  named  Hughes 


soon  followed,  and  built  a  blacksmith  shop.  He 
was  soon  joined  by  another  named  Bowman 
and  the  two  built  the  first  hotel  in  the  place, 
which  was  afterward  burned.  Donald  McDon- 
ald had  a  store  at  the  port,  which  he  moved  t<j 
the  new  town  ijuite  early  in  its  existence.  The 
Rositer  i^ros.,  also  opened  a  store  about  the  same 
time.  The  old  settlers  of  that  vicinity  were:  Jas. 
Watson,  ex-Sheriff'  Samuel  Potter.  M.  Ilagler, 
J.  L.  Springer,  Dr.  \.  K.  Piggott,  Thomas 
^lurray,  James  Stumpf  and  William  II.  Stewart. 

Bodega  Corners,  so-called,  is  virtually  Smith's 
liancli,  and  the  latter  is  the  ])ostoliice  name  of 
the  place.  On  the  20th  of  February,  1851, 
Stephen  L.  Fowler  wrote  as  follows  in  his  diary: 
"We  walked  from  Bodega  port  to  Captain  Smith's, 
a  distance  of  about  five  miles.  He  has  a  very 
pretty  valley  to  live  in.  The  most  of  the  buildings 
were  erected  by  the  Ilussians.  The  old  caj)tain 
is  very  hospitable.  He  has  been  here  about 
eight  years.  He  has  quite  a  great  deal  of 
poultry,  a  number  of  hogs,  and  a  great  many 
cattle."  He  next  gives  us  a  glimpse  at  the 
domestic  economy  of  the  Smith  household : 
"  They  have  coffee  about  sunrise,  at  ten  o'ckick, 
breakfast,  and  dinner  at  dark.  This  is  a  Span- 
ish custom."'  He  next  pays  a  visit  to  the  mill: 
"  We  walked  to  the  Bodega  steam  saw-mill, 
where  we  were  kindly  treated.  We  took  dinner, 
and  they  showed  us  through  the  mill.  They  put 
the  saw  in  moti/jn,  and  explained  what  we  did 
not  understantl.  There  are  a  nund)er  of  Iniild- 
ings  near  the  mill.  The  place  is  called'  Mount 
Pleasant."  I  think  it  very  ajipropriately  named, 
as  it  is  a  very  j)leasant   place."" 

The  above  name  of  I\Iount  Pleasant  is  prcjlia- 
bly  the  writer"s  translation  of  thi' name  "  Buena 
Vista,"  which  was  applied  to  a  high  hill  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Smith  Ranch,  and  being  u 
stranger  he  probably  supposed  it  to  ajiply  to 
the  entire  immediate  section.  He  remarks, 
further  on:  "Near  Captain  Smith "s  there  is  a 
brook  where  salmon  are  caught  during  their 
season.  AVe  saw  here  a  liussian  dog,  said  to  be 
forty  years  old.  TheCai)tain"s  nephew  (Stephen 
Smithj  has  charge  (jf  the    ranch.     The  Captain 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


is  about  to  start  a  tannen*."  On  tlie  23(1  of 
June,  1S51,  the  contract  for  the  woodwork  on 
adobe  house,  Mhicli  now  stands  tliere.  was  let  to 
Stephen  L.  Fowler  and  one  ot  iiis  partners.  Mi-. 
X.  M.  Hedges.  An  e.Ktract  from  the  diary  of 
that  date  says:  "To-day  Hedges  and  myself 
(S.  L.  Fowler)  rode  to  Captain  Smith's,  to  make 
arrangements  about  doing  some  carpenter  work. 
We  contracted  to  do  the  work  of  an  adobe 
house,  27.\70  feet.  We  have  two  floors  to  lay. 
ceil  it  overhead,  partitions  to  run  to  make  six 
rooms,  twelve  windows  to  ease,  besides  casing 
doors  and  hanging  them, and  putting  in  and  trim- 
ming a  front  door,  and  ceiling  under  the  piazza. 
We  are  to  be  boarded  and  receive  ^450  for  the 
job."  AVhile  at  work  on  this  contract  and 
lioarding  at  the  house  he  gives  ns  another 
crlimpse  at  the  internal  management  of  the  do- 
mestic ati'airs  of  the  family;  also,  a  bill  of  fare 
tor  one  day:  "  We  eat  four  meals  a  day.  At 
sunrise  we  have  a  most  excellent  cup  of  coffee, 
with  l)read  and  butter:  at  ten  o'clock  we  have 
breakfast,  which  consists  of  coft'ee,  soup,  meat, 
vegetables,  and  bread;  at  one  o'clock  we  have  a 
lunch  of  roast  beef,  bread,  etc.,  and  at  six  o'clock 
we  have  dinner,  which  consists  of  about  the 
same  as  the  ])reakfast,  except  the  coifee.  We 
can  have  a  cup  of  tea  any  time  during  the  even- 
ing, and  1)randy  and  water  when  we  wish.  We 
do  not  eat  with  the  family,  as  they  have  much 
company,  and  the  table  is  generally  full.''  (^)n 
the  uth  day  of  August,  1851,  we  find  the  fol- 
lowing entry:  "We  had  a  very  good  dinner 
to-day^  it  being  Mrs.  Sniitli's  liirthday.  We 
had  roast  turkey  and  pig,  with  jilenty  of  veget- 
ables and  a  good  pudding.  To-night  the  ladies 
came  into  the  building,  and  the  children  danced 
several  Spanish  dances  to  the  music  of  a  guitar. 
James  (E.  Fowler)  declaimed,  '  Richard  tiie 
Third,'  and,  with  singing,  etc.,  we  passed  the 
evening  very  pleasantly.  Tiiere  were  several 
bottles  of  wine  sent  in  by  the  Captain  and  Mrs. 
Smith."  Being  sixteen  at  the  time  of  her  mar- 
riage in  1843;  she  was  born  August  5,  1827. 
Two  days  later,  on  the  Tth,  we  find  the  follow- 
ing entry:      "To-day   the  Captain  lias  given  ns 


the  dimensions  of  the  two  buildings  he  wants 
built  for  his  tannery.  One  is  twenty-four  feet 
square,  and  ten  feet  studding;  the  other  is 
24x50  feet,  and  two-stories  high."  For  this 
contract  they  were  to  receive  $450.  We  find 
that  a  man  by  the  name  of  AVatson  was  the  tan- 
ner; that  he  had  a  birthday,  when  the  boys  got 
a  little  jolly.  T.  B.  Cary,  long  of  Petalnma, 
and  now  a  resident  of  Lake  County,  was  Smith's 
head  tanner  for  several  years.  It  was  doubtless 
in  this  tannery  that  the  tirst  real  leather  was 
made  in  Sonoma  Comity  by  the  American  pro- 
cess of  tanning.  Of  course  the  Russians  tanned 
leather  in  their  way,  and  probably  made  a  good 
article,-  too.  After  them,  and  using  their  appli- 
ances, came  Major  Ernest  Rufus.  Cyrus  ^Vlex- 
ander,  of  Alexander  Valley,  is  reputed  to  have 
tanned  some  leather  in  a  crude  way.  It  would 
therefore  seem  that  to  Captain  Smith  belongs 
the  honor  of  establishing  the  first  successful 
tannery  in  the  county.  This  tannery  afterward 
passed  into  the  hands  of  James  Stewart.  After 
him  came  a  man  hy  the  name  of  Henry  Lane. 
The  building  was  destroyed  by  lire  in  1808, 
after  doing  duty  for  seventeen  years. 

Bodega  Lodge,  F.  tt  A.  M. — Bodega  Lodge, 
-  No.  213,  F.  k,  A.  M.,  was  organized  December 
17,  1870.  The  following  named  gentlemen 
were  charter  members:  William  H.  Manefee, 
A.  S.  Patterson,  N.  R.  Shaw,  L.  S.  (Toodman, 
A.  S.  Perrine,  H.  M.  Barnhain,  C.  C.  Roi)ert- 
son,  G.  N.  Sanborn,  I).  Hakes,  M.  Kiernan,  W. 
AV.  (rilham,  E.  O.  Stratton,  AVilliam  Hamilton, 
and  W.  M.  Doran.  The  tirst  officers  were:  AV. 
H.  Manefee,  AV.  M.:  A.  S.  Patterson,  S.  AV.; 
N.  K.  Shaw,  J.  AV.;  L.  S.  Goodman,  Treasurer, 
and  G.  IN.  Sanborn,  Secretary. 

J^o  Surrender  Lodge,  /.  O.  (i.  T. — This 
Lodge,  No.  375,  was  organized  November  1*, 
1875,  and  had  the  following  names  on  its  char- 
ter: C.  N.  Andrews,  James  II.  Brown,  John 
Cunningham, Theo.  AA'^right,  Tim  Keegan,  James 
Piggott,  John  Piggott,  Alf.  Sayton,  Cordelia 
A.  Brown  and  A'esta  Nickols.  The  first  otiicers 
were:  C.  N.  Andrews,"  AA".  C.  T. :  A'esta 
Nickols,  W.    V.   T,;  James  H.  JJrown,  \V.  S. ; 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Joliii  Piggott,  "W.  F.  S.;  Cordelia  A.  Brown, 
W.  T. 

Catholic  Church.  T\\e  first  mass  was  cele- 
brated in  this  place  in  March,  1860,  by  Kev. 
Father  Kosse.  This  mass  was  celebrated  in  the 
school-house.  In  October,  18(30,  the  church 
building  was  erected,  but  was  not  dedicated  un- 
til 18()2  or  1803.  This  is  a  very  neat  church 
building,  and  serves  the  purpose  of  the  congre- 
gation admirably.  The  following  pastors  have 
olficiated  here:  Fathers  Rosse,  Onetta,  Welch, 
Fagin,  Slattery,  Kelly,  Cullen  and  Gushing. 

Freestone. — This  charming  little  village  is 
located  near  the  eastern  line  of  the  township, 
and  on  the  line  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast 
Railroad,  and  near  the  corner  of  three  ranchos, 
viz.:  Jonive,  Pogolome  and  Estero  Americano. 
Tlte  early  history  of  these  ranches  has  already 
been  given,  but  a  few  more  points  of  interest 
are  related  here.  James  Dawson  made  appli- 
cation for  the  Pogolome  grant,  but  before  it 
was  conlirmed  to  him  he  died,  llis  wife  under 
lier  maiden  name,  Donna  Maria  Antonia  Cazares, 
secured  the  confirmation  of  the  grant  to  her- 
self as  the  widow  of  Santiago  (James)  Dawson. 
This  confirmation  was  made  by  Manuel  Michel- 
torena  on  the  12th  day  of  Feliruary,  184-4,  and 
was  approved  by  the  Departmental  Assembly 
December  2(3,  1845.  The  grant  contained 
8,788.81  acres.  In  November,  1847,  F.  G. 
i>lume  married  Mrs.  Dawson,  and  the  charge  of 
the  property  passed  into  liis  liands.  lie  resided 
in  Sonoma  at  that  time,  and  was  engaged  in 
mercantile  pursuits.  He  sent  liis  brother-in- 
law,  Henry  Hagler,  to  the  ranch  as  his  agent. 
Hagler,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  the  man 
who  came  from  Baltimore  with  (-aptain  Smith 
as  a  ship's  carpenter.  He  remained  in  charge 
until  1848,  when  ^Ir.  lUume  and  his  wife  moved 
upon  the  rancho  and  took  charge.  They  have 
resided  continuously  in  the  same  house  ever 
since.  About  this  time  his  father-in-law,  Fran- 
cisco Cazares,  with  his  family,  came  from  Mon- 
terey and  settled  on  the  banks  of  the  Ebabias 
Creek.  The  settlers  league  forced  Mr.  Blume 
to  sell  much  uf  his   valuable  estate  a(    nominal 


figures,  so  that  he  now  owns  but  a  small  portion 
of  the  original  grant. 

The  town  of  Freestone  derived  its  name  from 
a  kind  of  easily  worked,  or  free,  sandstone 
quarry  which  is  near  the  place;  this  rock  is 
used  extensively  for  building  purposes  on  ac- 
count of  this  quality.  After  a  town  had  been 
started  and  the  dwellers  therein  were  casting 
about  for  an  appropriate  name,  one  Frank 
Harris  bethought  himself  of  this  freestone 
quarry,  and  at  once  suggested  it,  which,  after 
due  consideration,  was  adopted.  Mr.  Blume 
had  kept  a  small  stock  of  goods  in  one  room  uf 
his  residence  since  1848,  but  tlie  first  business 
house  erected  in  the  town  was  a  saloon  with  a 
small  store  attached  kept  by  Ferdinand  Har- 
bordt.  This  was  in  1849.  Probably  during 
the  same  year  or  tlie  next  at  least,  S.  Brugger- 
man  erected  a  large  store  building  at  (.)'Farreirs 
place.  In  1853  Mr.  lilume  built  a  large  two- 
story  hotel,  which  he  rented  to  James  Dobson. 
During  tlie  same  year  W.  H.  Sailhardt  built  a 
blacksmith  shop.  The  town  is  nicely  located, 
and  is  fast  becoming  popular  for  country  resi- 
dences for  city  people.  It  is  within  easy  reach 
of  San  Francisco. 

Valley  Ford. — This  thriving  little  village  is 
situated  on  the  Estero  Americano,  four  miles 
from  its  mouth.  It  received  its  name  from  the 
fact  that  an  old  Indian  and  Spanish  ford  across 
this  stream  was  located  at  this  place.  Stephen 
L.  and  James  E.  Fowler  were  the  first  settlers 
here,  Iiaving  purchased  of  Mr.  Blume  (340 
acres  lying  between  the  Estero  and  Ebabias 
creeks.  In  July  of  1852,  they  built  a  house 
about  200  yards  from  the  old  ford.  The  same 
year  Thos.  Smith  built  a  cabin  near  where  John 
Vanderleith  now  lives.  Sanford  &  Webber 
located  across  the  creek.  They  received  a  port- 
able grist-mill  from  the  east,  and  during  that 
winter  were  kept  busy  grinding  grain  for  the 
neighbors.  The  Hour  was  coarse  and  unbolted. 
Whitehead  Fowler  and  E.  Thurber  also  located 
in  this  part  of  Big  Valley  during  that  year. 
During  the  next  year  the  greater  portion  of  the 
valley  land  was  taken  up.      In    1854   a   crop  uf 


BISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


oats,  yielding  100  bushels  to  the  acre,  was 
raised  on  the  present  town  site.  During  this 
year  Stephen  C.  Fowler  and  his  family,  consisting 
of  his  wife  and  sons,  John  11.  and  Nathaniel, 
arrived  at  Valley  Ford.  Mrs.  Fowler  was  the 
first  lady  resident  of  that  section.  In  185(i  the 
Thos.  Smith  above  mentioned  began  operations 
with  a  grist-mill  on  a  small  scale.  He  had  two 
run  of  burrs,  and  used  twelve  horses  as  a  motor. 
Two  years  later  a  steam  engine  was  placed  in 
tlie  mill,  and  it  soon  became  famous  for  its 
extra  brands  of  flonr.  In  the  fall  of  18B1 
Daniel  Hall  opened  a  blacksmith  shop.  That 
same  year  J.  11.  Fowler  and  O.  M.  Perkins 
opened  a  general    merchandise  business;    Jas. 

F.  Fowler  opened  a  lumber  yard,  and  E.  B.  and 
J.  AV.  I'almer  built  a  carpenter  shop.  J.  N. 
liien  built  the  Valley  Ford' Hotel  in  1861.  In 
the  summer  of  1876  the  North  Pacific  Coast 
Railroad  Company  extended  their  line  through 
the  town  and  erected  a  neat  depot.  This  brings 
the  people  of  this  place  within  four  hours  of 
San  Francisco,  instead  of  the  old-time  tedious 
route  via  Petaluma.  The  populati  2  of  the 
place  is  about  100. 

Valley  Ford  I.  <>.  0.  T.— This  lodge.  No. 
150,  was  organized  March  2,  1865.  The  char- 
ter members  were:  Rev.  J.  R.  Hammond,  Mary 
E.  Stanley,  Benj.  Harrington,  A.  M.  Huntley, 
Miss  Lizzie  Mills,  Geo.  P.  Stanley,  Wm.  Hunt- 
ley, Rev.  A.  Fairbairn,  E.  D.  Mills,  Wm.  With- 
row,  A.  J.  Blainey,  Mrs.  C.  E.  Fowler,  Mrs.  A. 
E.  Huntley  and  E.  M.  Dibble.  Rev.  J.  R. 
Hammond  was  the  first  W.  C.  T.,  and  Benj. 
Hammond  the  first  Secretary. 

Presbyterian  Chnreh. — This  church  organi- 
zation was  efiected  December  5,  1863,  by  Rev. 
Thomas  Eraser,  as  the  Old  Scliool  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Big  Valley,  under  the  Presbytery  at 
Benicia,  and  the  Synod  of  the  Pacific  Coast. 
Tile  organizing  members  were  Stephen  C.  Fow- 
ler, Mrs.  Rebecca  Fowler,  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Palmer, 
Mrs.  Olivia  N.  Gordon,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Pettit, 
Mrs.    Laura  Mecham,   Miss  Olivia  E.   Mechain, 

G.  W.  Case,  Mrs.  Adelaide  L.  Case,  Mrs.  Hannah 
N.  Hall,  Mrs.  H.  Cain  and  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Palmer. 


OrciDENTAT.. — This  is  a  beautiful  little  village 
situated  in  a  most  delightful  location.  It  is  on 
the  line  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Railroad, 
at  the  point  where  it  crosses  the  divide  between 
the  waters  whicii  flow  into  the  0"Farrel  Valley 
on  the  south,  and  into  tlic  Russian  River, 
tiirough  Howanl's  canon,  on  tlic  north.  Fiom 
this  fact  the  place  is  called  Summit.  The  rail- 
road company  have  named  the  station  Howards, 
in  honor  of  William  Howard,  the  oldest  settler 
living  in  that  section  and  on  whose  land  a  por- 
tion of  the  town  is  situated.  The  other  portion 
of  the  town  is  built  upon  land  belonging  to  M. 
C.  Meeker.  The  first  start  of  this  town  was 
far  different  from  most  California  towns,  and 
we  hasten  to  record  the  fact  that  the  first  build- 
ing in  the  place  was  a  church.  The  committee 
who  were  appointed  to  choose  a  location  for  the 
proposed  church  building  met,  and  after  select- 
ing the  site,  took  into  consideration  what  natne 
they  should  give  to  it.  They  decided  upon  Occi- 
dental. The  postoffice  was  also  petitioned  for 
under  that  name,  hence  the  place  is  mentioned  in- 
difi'erently  as  Howard's  Station,  Meekers,  Sum- 
mit and  Occidental.  The  town  lies  in  the  heart 
of  a  redwood  forest,  and  the  old  stumps  still 
stand  in  the  streets.  One  hundred  and  twenty 
thousand  shingles  were  made  out  of  a  tree  which 
stood  on  the  town  site.  The  church  building 
mentioned  above  was  erected  in  1876.  That 
same  year  the  railroad  reached  this  point,  and 
the  first  passenger  train  arrived  here  October 
16,  1876.  M.  C.  Meeker  erected  a  hotel  build- 
ing whicli  was  occupied  by  J.  W.  Noble.  He 
begaT)  operations  in  January,  1877.  The  first 
store  was  opened  by  McCaughey  &  Co.,  April  4, 
1877.  Other  buildings  followed  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, and  now  Occidental  is  a  lovely  moun- 
tain town  and  a  delightful  summer  resort. 

The  first  permanent  settler  in  this  immediate 
section  was  Michael  Kolmer.  He  arrived  in 
California  in  1846,  having  with  him  his  family, 
consisting  of  his  wife,  two  daughters  and  one 
son.  They  spent  that  winter  at  Sutter's  Fort, 
then  went  to  Fort  Ross,  and  spent  the  year  of 
1847.       In    1848    he   came    down    and    leased 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


293 


land  of  Captain  8inith,  on  the  Bodega  Eancho. 
This  tract  of  land  was  located  about  tivo  and 
one-half  miles  west  of  the  present  site  of 
Howard's  Station,  in  what  is  known  as  Cole- 
man Valley.  The  original  name  was  Kolmer 
Valley,  taking  its  appellation  from  the  Kolmer 
family,  it  has  since  been  moditied  to  Coleman. 
One  of  the  daughters  married  William  Howard, 
and  still  resides  with  her  husband  at  their 
homestead  near  Occidental.  The  other  daugh- 
ter married  William  Bennitz,and_is  now  residing 
in  the  Argentine  Republic.  A  man  named 
Patrick  McCue  was  the  ne.xt  settler.  He  lo- 
cated in  a  little  valley  just  east  of  Howard's 
Station  in  1849.  McCue  came  to  California  in 
1847  with  Samuel  Brannan  and  the  Mormons 
in  the  ship  BrocMiin.  He  came  to  Bodega 
and  worked  at  the  blacksmith  business  for  some 
time  for  Captain  Smith  on  his  rancho  and  at 
his  mill.  He  soon,  however,  came  to  the  mill 
run  by  James  ])lack  and  others,  near  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Freestone.  He  followed  his  trade 
here  for  a  while,  and  finally  settled  as  stated 
above.  In  1852  he  left  the  country.  The  next 
permanent  settler  was  AV^illiam  Howard,  who 
came  to  California  in  1848,  and  located  on  his 
present  homestead  in  184!*.  He  was  the  first 
settler  who  actually  owned  the  land  he  was 
upon,  and  is  the  only  old  settler  who  still 
resides  in  this  vicinity.  Mr.  Howard  had  a 
l>artncr  by  the  name  of  Charles  Romer.  They 
remained  together  until  1855.  During  the 
next  few  years  several  squatters  came  and  went, 
but  none  made  permanent  homes.  From  that 
time  on  till  the  advent  of  the  railroad,  nothing 
occurred  to  cause  a  ripple  upon  the  even  tenor 
of  its  way.  The  town  has  assumed  quite  an 
importance  as  a  shipping  point,  cord-wood, 
fence-posts,  tan-bark  and  charcoal  form  the  bulk 
of  the  exports. 

Methodist  Episi'opal  Vlturch.-  -'Y\\ii  Occi- 
dental (M.  E.)  church  edifice  was  erected  in 
187t),but  a  church  organization  was  not  efl'ected 
till  the  following  year. 

Salmon  Creek  Lodge,  I.  0.  ().  F. —  This 
Lodge,  No.  2ii4,  was  organized  August  3,  1875, 


at  Bodega  Corners,  and  was  moved  to  Occidental 
May  25,  1878.  The  charter  members  were: 
J.  K.  Smith,  G.  C.  Taylor,  J.  H.  Brown,  A. 
Willis,  David  Robinson,  H.  Samsel,  AV.  J. 
Lewis,  L.  F.  Wormell  and  J.  Sutter.  The  first 
officers  were:  J.  K.  Smith,  N.  G.;  G.  C.  Taylor, 
V.  G.;  J.  H.  Brown,  Secretary,  and  D.  Robin- 
son, Treasurer. 

Saio-Mllls. — As  has  already  been  stated,  the 
first  attempt  to  make  lumber  in  this  township 
was  made  by  James  Dawson,  in  1835,  with  a 
saw-pit  and  hand  rip-saw.  The  first  mill  was 
that  of  Captain  Smith,  which  was  the  first 
steam  saw-mill  in  California, established  in  1843. 
The  next  saw-mill  was  located  on  the  Jonive 
Rancho,  and  was  put  in  operation  sometime  pre- 
vious to  1849.  We  find  no  record  of  when  the 
mill  was  built,  but  find  that  it  was  disposed  ol 
in  1849.  This  mill  was  situated  on  the  little 
creek  which  passes  through  Freestone,  very 
near  the  present  site  of  the  town,  and  was  run 
by  water  power.  Edward  M.  Mcintosh,  James 
Black,  Thomas  Butters,  William  Leighton,  Fred- 
erick Llegel,  Thomas  Wood  and  a  pioneer  who 
was  known  by  the  peculiar  name  of  "  Blinking 
Tom,"'  put  the  mill  in  operation.  In  1849  it 
is  said  that  they  disposed  of  their  mill  and  lum- 
ber to  F.  G.  Blume  and  went  to  the  mines. 
The  next  milling  enterprise  was  inaugurated  in 
1848,  and  was  known  as  the  "Benicia"  or 
"  Blumedale  Mill  and  Lumber  Company."  This 
company  was  composed  of  mechanics  who  were 
at  work  on  the  Government  barracks  at  Benicia. 
Charles  McDermot  was  President  and  John 
Bailiff,  Secretary;  Lieutenant,  now  Genei-al 
George  Stoneman,  and  a  Mr.  McKnight,  and 
others,  were  members  of  the  company.  F.  G. 
Blume  rented  the  land  to  this  company,  hence 
the  name  of  "Blumedale."  It  was  a  circular 
saw  and  the  power  was  steam.  It  was  put  in 
operation  in  1849.  The  site  of  the  mill  was  on 
Ebabias  Creek,  about  one  mile  south  of  Free- 
stone. The  next  mill  built  was  what  is  now 
known  as  the  Joy  mill.  It  was  put  in  opera- 
tion in  1855,  by  three  luMthers  by  the  name  of 
Thurston.     It  is  located  northward  from  iiodega 


294 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Corners,  and  is  still  standing  on  the  original 
site,  and  is  doing  good  service  yet.  It  has  a 
capacity  of  about  3,000  feet  per  day.  Messrs. 
Mndge,  Phelps  and  Perkins,  the  parties  who 
purchased  Captain  Smith's  mill,  aiul  leased  tlie 
timber  land  for  ninety-nine  year.*,  niDved  tlieir 
mill,  in  18513,  to  a  site  about  one  mile  south  of 
Occidental.  In  18G2  they  removed  it  to  Men- 
docino County.  In  1866  M.  C.  Meeker  put 
his  mill  in  operation.  It  is  located  near  the  old 
site  of  the  last  named  mill,  south  of  Occidental. 
It  is  a  fine  mill,  and  has  a  capacity  of  15,000 
feet  daily.  There  is  one  pair  ot  double  saws  in 
it,  the  bottom  saw  being  si.xty  inches  in  diame- 
ter, and  the  top  one  fifty-eight.  It  is  also  sup- 
plied witii  a  full  outfit  of  all  the  necessary 
machinery  and  appliances  to  make  it  a  first-class 
mill  in  every  respect.  In  1867  Mr.  Smith 
built  a  mill  in  Coleman  Valley.  It  has  a  capac- 
ity of  12,000  feet,  and  is  a  first-class  mill. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Sonoma  Counti/ 
Journal  in  1860,  gave  the  following  account  of 
the  death  and  burial  of  an  Indian  at  Bodega: 

Died,  Xovember  23,  1860,  at  the  Rancharie, 
near  Bodega  Hanch  House,  Juan  Urande,  for 
many  years  a  faithful  vaquero  of  the  Bodega 
rancho. 

Juan  Grande  is  dead,  and  his  dusky  sons  and 
daughters  and  gray-haired  kindred  stand  around 
his  lifeless  body,  tearing  their  hair,  beating 
their  breasts  with  stones,  throwing  themselves 
upon  the  earth,  and  weeping  and  wailing  with 
frantic  violence  over  the  lost  and  gone. 

Juan  Grande  had  been  sick  for  several  days, 
and  one  night  as  he  lay  awake  in  his  cabin,  he 
thought  he  heard  his  old  squaw — who  died  a 
short  time  previous — calling  upon  him  to  go 
and  live  with  her  in  the  sjiirit  land.  He  took 
his  knife,  drove  it  to  the  hilt  in  his  body,  turn^ 
ing  upon  his  side,  and  died. 

Many  years  ago,  before  the  advent  of  '•  the 
pale  faced  Yankees,"  when  these  hills  were  all 
covered  with  elk  and  antelope  and  deer,  and 
from  every  valley  curled  the  smoke  over  the 
Rancharies  of  his  people;  in  that  golden  age  of 
diggerdom,   when   the  priests  fed  and  clothed 


their  bodies  and  looked  after  their  souls,  and 
received  in  return  their  easy  labor,  Juan  Grande 
had  listened  to  the  teachings  of  the  good  old 
padre,  and  been  christened  at  the  Mission  of 
San  Ilafael.  His  body,  therefore,  could  not  be 
consigned  to  tiie  flames,  but  must  receive  an 
attempt,  at  least,  at  Christian  burial. 

In  a  rough  board  coffin,  fashioned  by  un- 
skilled hands,  they  bear  his  remains  to  the 
burial  place  of  his  fathers — a  small  enclosure 
set  apart  by  the  old  padre,  and  marked  by  a 
rude  cross  as  consecrated  ground.  There,  with 
loud  lamentation  and  a  weird  like-chant,  said  to 
be  an  incantation  to  the  spirits  of  evil,  he  is 
lowered  to  his  rest.  His  clothes,  beads  and 
other  trinkets  are  laid  in  his  coffin.  The  stone 
mortar  and  pestal,  with  which  he  ground  his 
aide,  is  broken  and  placed  by  his  side.  One 
by  one,  with  noisy  demonstrations  of  grief,  they 
cast  a  handful  of  earth  upon  his  coffin,  and  then 
the  grave  is  quickly  filled  up  with  a  spade. 
Again  they  raise  tlieir  wild  incantation,  beat 
their  breasts,  pull  their  hair,  and  dash  them- 
selves violently  upon  the  ground,  giving  them- 
selves cuts  and  bruises  that  must  last  for  weeks. 
Then,  silently,  one  by  one,  in  different  direc- 
tions, they  disappeared.  But  morn  after  morn, 
at  break  of  da}',  they  revisit  the  spot,  and  as  the 
first  rays  of  the  sun  rest  upon  his  grave,  the 
sound  of  lamentation  floats  down  the  valley  on 
the  morning  air. 

Martin,  one  of  the  old  man's  sons,  was  ab- 
sent; but  he  saw  a  circle  around  both  sun  and 
moon,  and  he  knew  that  his  father  had  been 
killed.  Silently  he  shouldered  his  rifle  and 
hastened  to  avenge  his  death.  He  is  just  ar- 
rived at  the  Rancharie,  thirsting  for  vengeance. 
But  his  brothers  all  tell  him  that  the  old  man 
died  by  his  own  hand,  that  he  might  rejoin 
their  mother;  and  Martin,  pacified,  lays  down 
his  rifle  and  says,  ••  7'odo  esta  bucno,"  it  is  all 
right. 

The  Petaluma  jbyan  of  April  15,  1869,  says: 

"  A  correspondent  writing  us  from  Bodega 
relates  the  following  singular  incident.  He 
says:     A  novel  sight  was  witnessed  a  few  days 


HISTORY    OP    SONOUfA    COUNTY. 


29o 


since  by  Mr.  Gaft'any,  who  lives  near  Bodega 
Bay.  While  plowing  near  the  coast  his  atten- 
tion wa.'i  directed  to  an  nnusual  commotion  in 
the  water,  nearly  a  mile  from  f-iiore,  which 
proved  to  be  a  conflict  between  five  sword  fish 
and  a  sperm  whale.  The  ocean  was  qnite  calm, 
and  as  they  iieared  the  shore  their  movements 
could  be  plainly  seen.  The  whale  was  no  match 
for  his  smaller  antagonists,  who  seemed  to  un- 
derstand his  only  means  of  defense,  and  dis- 
played considerable  knowledge  of  tactics  in 
parrying  with  their  formidable  adversary.  In 
making  their  thrusts  into  his  sides  they  would 
keep  clear  of  his  tail,  one  blow  of  which  would 
have  been  fatal  to  them.  With  maddened  fury 
the  huge  monster  of  the  deep  would  strike  right 
and  left,  causing  the  water  to  boil  by  the  force 
of  the  blow — and  then  he  would  dive  deep  to 
escape  the  relentless  fury  of  his  tormentors,  but 
he  was  followed  and  soon  l)rought  to  the  sur- 
face. Deep  gashes  could  be  seen  in  his  sides, 
and  the  blood  flowing  freely.  The  fight  was 
witnessed  for  nearly  an  hour,  when  the  wliale  in 
the  agony  of  despair,  started  for  the  shore,  fling- 
ing himself  upon  some  low  rocks,  and  soon  died 
from  the  effects  of  his  wounds.  Gashes  two 
feet  deep  and  si.\  feet  long  were  made  iu  his 
sides.  Many  in  this  vicinity  went  to  see  him. 
He  was  between  fifty  ami  sixty  feet  long.  The 
third  day  tiie  tide  rose  high  enough  to  float  him 
from  the  rocks  and  he  floated  out  to  sea." 

A  recent  writer  on  the  past  and  present  of 
J'odega  Bay  says:  "  I'"rum  the  daysof '49  until 
well  up  tovvard  18G0,  one  of  the  most  active 
and  important  shipping  points  along  the  Pacific 
Coast  was  that  of  i'odega  I'ort.  From  iiere 
during  the  early  days  of  California  were  sent 
into  the  San  Francisco  market  the  largest  por- 
tion of  all  the  potatoes  consumed  not  only  in 
the  great  commercial  metropolis  of  tiie  State, 
but  along  the  Sacramento  and  iu  the  mining 
camps  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  In  tliose  days 
the  waters  of  iiodega  P>ay  were  whitened  with 
the  canvas  of  a  fleet  of  schooners  and  sloops 
employed  in  the  transportation  of  the  celebrated 
"  Bodega  Spuds."     Tlien   it  was   that    Bodega 


was  honored  by  being  declared  a  port  of  entry, 
and  the  ponderous  Mike  Doherty  tilled  the  re- 
sponsible and  arduous  position  of  collector.  Its 
warehouses  and  wharves  were  tilled  with  the 
products  of  the  surrounding  hills  and  vales,  and 
all  was  alive  with  the  bustle  and  activity  inci- 
dent to  its  receipts  and  sliipments.  P>ut  a 
change,  a  sad  cliaiige  has  come  over  the  scene  I 
Bodega  Bay  has  tilled  and  shallowed  until  it  is 
no  longer  navigable  ;  the  white-winged  fleet  has 
disappeared  from  its  placid  waters;  its  hills  and 
plains  are  the  homes  of  herds  of  lowing  kine; 
its  people  have  departed ;  its  bustling,  busy 
wharves  fallen  to  decay,  and  its  rubicund  collec- 
tor sought  other  climes  ;  in  short,  the  stillness 
of  death  well-nigh  reigns  round  about  Bodega 
Port  and  Bay  !  " 

RUSSIAN  RIVER  TOWNSHIP 

Lies  between  Mendocino  on  the  north  and 
east.  Knight's  Valley  on  the  east,  and  Santa 
Rosa  and  Analy  on  the  south.  It  contains 
41,423  acres,  assessed  at  $729,495,  or  $17|  per 
acre.  The  total  assessed  value  of  all  property 
is  $994,160.  It  includes  the  towns  of  Windsor 
and  Mark  West.  Its  population  in  1880  was 
1,076.  The  present  population  is  about  1,200. 
The  town  of  Windsor  and  the  country  about  it 
has  taken  a  start,  owing  to  the  increase  in  the 
area  of  vineyards  and  orchards.  A  new  winery 
has  been  erected,  and  improvements  of  all  kinds 
are  noticeable  on  every  hand.  Every  variety  of 
agricultural  and  pomological  or  viticultural  pro- 
duct is  raised  easily  and  in  abundance. 

Allen,  Bowan  &  Co.,  in  their  excellent  history 
of  Sonoma  County,  give  the  following  historic 
reminiscences:  "  In  the  year  1840  Cyrus  Alex- 
ander completed  his  arrangements  with  Fitch, 
took  charge  of  the  ranch,  and  selected  a  spot 
whereon  to  build  a  house.  This  he  found  on 
the  east  side  of  Russian  Kiver,  opposite  to  the 
site  now  occupied  by  the  flourishing  town  ot 
Healdsburg.  In  the  construction  of  the  domi- 
cile, access  was  had,  as  may  be  imagined,  to  but 
few  mechanics'  tools,  and  no  nails,  the  sidings 
were  split  and  hewed  from  the  well  known  red- 


B I  STORY    OF    SONOMA    OOUNTT. 


wood,  a  timber  somewhat  similar  to  white  pine, 
but  not  so  heavy  nor  close-grained,  still  it  is 
easily  worked  and  of  wonderful  durability  ; 
grooves  were  cut  in  the  sills  and  plates,  and 
after  framing  these,  the  sidings  were  set  up  in 
the  grooves  and  aforesaid  sills,  and  the  plates 
being  placed  on  top  of  the  sidings,  all  were 
firmly  bound  together  with  raw-hide.  The  only 
sawed  lumber  used  throughout  the  construction 
of  this  dwelling  were  two  planks,  subsequently 
procured  from  the  town  of  Sonoma,  which  were 
made  into  doors.  Thus  we  find  the  first  settler 
in  Kussian  Eiver  Township  was  Cyrus  Alex- 
ander, and  the  first  house  erected  in  it  was  by 
the  same  pioneer.  What  a  change  has  come 
o\er  the  spirit  of  the  dream.  When  we  look 
around  and  see  the  elegant  structures  which 
have  since  sprung  up,  we  can  hardly  realize  that 
so  few  years  can  have  worked  such  magic. 
Alexander's  life  was  now  one  of  care;  he  had  his 
fiocks  to  tend,  and  himself  to  keep  from  despond- 
ency, lie  taught  the  Indians  to  place  confidence 
in  the  word  of  a  white  man;  he  fed  them  to  the 
best  of  his  ability,  spoke  kindly  to  them,  for  he 
had  acquii'ed  the  Spanish  tongue  while  a  resi- 
dent of  Southern  California,  and  Digger  Indians 
conversed  in  a  j)atois  of  that  language,  and  in 
time,  so  truly  had  he  worked,  they  aided  him  in 
bis  labors,  and  became  company  for  him  in  his 
solitude.  The  only  suit  of  clothes  which  he  had 
brought  with  him  soon  showed  signs  of  wear 
and  tear,  therefore,  in  order  to  manufacture  new 
ones  he  must  start  a  tannery;  this  he  did  on  a 
suitable  location  on  Fitch  Mountain.  lie  sank 
his  vats  and  went  to  work,  with  nothing  but  his 
indomitable  will  as  his  aid.  The  bark  he  ob- 
tained in  the  immediate  vicinity;  the  hides  were 
not  far  to  seek,  but  he  found  the  obtaining  of 
lime  an  almost  insurmountable  difficulty.  A 
few  moments'  reflection  solved  the  impediment; 
he  despatched  some  Indians  to  the  sea  coast,  a 
distance  of  about  thirty-five  miles,  to  procure 
shells  from  the  shore;  these  they  brought  back 
in  their  baskets.  They  were  burned  and  pro- 
duced good  lime;  in  short,  a  superior  kind  of 
leather   was  made,  thus    ensuring    for  himself 


clothes  for  his  back  and  shoes  for  his  feet.     At 

this  •  period  let  us  note  who  were  Alexander's 
nearest  English-speaking  neighbors.  These 
were  Mr.  Cooper,  at  Bodega;  Mark  West,  be- 
tween him  and  Sonoma;  to  the  north  was  John 
Gordon,  on  Cache  Creek,  now  in  Yolo  County, 
one  hundred  miles  away;  and  east  of  all.  Cap- 
tain Sutter,  at  what  is  now  Sacramento. 

"  This  lonesomeness  was  continued  except  for 
an  occasional  visit  to  the  above  named  neigh- 
bors, until  the  year  1843,  when  Frank  Bidwell, 
the  second  settler  in  Russian  River  Township, 
appeared  on  the  scene.  His,  too,  had  been  a  life 
of  adventure,  being  passed  as  a  trapper  and  fur 
hunter  among  the  Indians.  On  meeting  with 
Alexander  he  was  induced  to  stay,  and  with  him 
made  the  following  terms:  Bidwell  to  remain 
with  him,  assisting  him  in  every  way,  for  five 
or  six  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  was  to 
receive  500  acres  of  land.  This  he  obtained  in 
he  year  1850. 

"  But  to  return  to  our  subject.  In  1842  Cyrus 
Alexander,  with  the  aid  of  some  Digger  Indians, 
commenced  the  construction  of  the  house  now 
known  as  the  Fitch  Adobe,  still  standing  on  the 
family  ranch,  near  Fitch  Mountain.  Here  he 
planted  the  first  orchard  in  this  section  (in  1S43), 
with  sprouts  from  the  Russian  settlement  at 
Fort  Ross,  whither  he  had  dispatched  Hid  well 
and  an  Indian  to  procure  them.  In  the  si>ring 
of  1844  a  Mexican  family  named  Pena  took  up 
their  residence,  while  in  December  of  that  year 
he  married  the  sister-in-law  of  his  neighbor 
Gordon,  who,  as  has  been  said,  lived  a  hundred 
miles  away  on  Cache  Creek.  This  brings  us  to 
1845,  the  year  when  the  business  compact  be- 
tween Alexander  and  Fitch  was  severed.  We 
reproduce  the  accompanying  letter,  more  as  an 
example  of  the  subject  matter  on  which  corre- 
spondence was  based  in  these  early  days: — 
"  San  DiErto,  July  14,  1845. 

"J/?'.  Cyrus  Alexander — Dear  Sir: — Yours 
of  March  25th  I  did  not  receive  until  the  27th 
of  last  month.  I  am  sorry  to  learn  that  you  in- 
tend to  leave  the  rancho  in  October  next,  con- 
sequently I  have  made  arrangements  with  Moses 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


297 


Carson  to  take  charge  of  the  ran.cho,  with  all  my 
interest  in  tlie  same;  and  have  given  him  orders 
to  that  efiect.  "Whatever  articles  I  sent  yon, 
such  as  farming  utensils,  carpenters'  tools,  etc., 
that  you  do  not  wish  to  keep,  1  will  take  back 
at  the  same  price,  provided  they  are  not  too 
much  damaged  by  wear.  The  two  large  whalers' 
tripods,  the  winnowing  machine,  and  the  Amer- 
ican cart-wheels  I  never  considered  as  sold  to 
you,  but  delivered  them  to  be  used  on  the 
rancho.  I  expect  you  to  leave  them,  also  the 
auger,  grist-mill  spindle  and  tire,  log-chain, 
screw-plates,  and  other  iron  and  steel  ware,  sent 
in  1843,  too  numerous  to  mention,  such  as  locks, 
hinges,  etc.  I  told  Mr.  Carson  tiiat  in  case  you 
wished  to  deliver  anything  lie  considered  not 
receivable,  to  give  you  a  receipt  and  to  retain 
them  as  on  deposit.  1  hope  you  have  received 
the  three  hundred  liead  of  cattle  from  Pico,  and 
those  from  Marco  Baco,  and-Pacheco,  and  have 
taken  them  to  your  part  of  tlie  rancho;  in  that 
case  you  will  deliver  all  of  my  cattle  to  Mr.  Car- 
son; you  will  also  deliver  to  him  one-half  of  the 
wool  and  one-half  of  all  the  grain  raised.  I  have 
been  disappointed  in  not  iiaving  received  a  letter 
from  you  sooner.  You  said  nothing  about  the 
crops.  You  stated  that  you  had  sent  me  fifteen 
fanadas,  one  of  beans,  eight  of  wheat.  I  ex- 
pected more  beans  and  corn,  and  I  iiave  not  re- 
ceived even  that  small  lot.  There  must  be  some 
neglect  somewhere.  1  have  not  had  a  bean  in 
my  house  for  two  months.  I  reijuested  Mr. 
Carson  to  ship  me  some  from  the  I'ancho  in  case 
there  were  any  there.  You  will  please  advise 
and  assist  Mr.  Carson,  in  so  doing  you  will  much 
oblige  me.  As  to  the  new  house  1  hope  you 
have  the  walls  up;  and  as  to  the  boards  and 
shingles,  I  do  not  care  to  engage  any  more,  but 
will  attend  to  that  myself.  Wishing  you  every 
success,  1  remain, 

'•  Yours  truly,  II.  D.  Fitch. 

"  P.  S. — According  to  my  account,  1  have 
forwarded  to  you  from  November,  1841,  to 
November,  1843,  the  following  number  of  cat- 
tle, viz:  39  oxen,  4  tame  cows,  149  cows  de 
rodeo,  408  baquias,  large  and  small,  45  novillos. 


64  bulls,  65  bakas,  88  head  of  cattle  from  Ra- 
phael Garcia,  ilr.  Leice  [sic)  delivered  922 
head;  Mr.  Larkins  delivered  some  since.  In 
1842  I  put  22  tame  horses,  3  tame  mares,  4  wild 
mares,  4  machos  and  1  colt.  I  have  the  papers 
of  the  rancho  approved  by  the  Assembly,  and 
think  all  will  be  correct. 

"  Respectfully,        H.  D.  Frrcic." 

"The  American  cart-wheels  mentioned  in  the 
above  letter  were  evidently  ihe  first  used  in  the 
county. 

"  The  trail  beaten  out  by  the  first  trappers, 
explorers  and  settlers,  followed  the  base  of  the 
foot-hills,  crossing  the  boundary  of  the  town- 
ship at  the  iSan  Miguel  adobe,  from  thence  it 
passed  through  the  present  site  of  the  town  of 
Windsor,  and  left  the  boundary  of  the  township 
a  few  hundred  yards  below  the  Fitch  House. 
This  road  was  made  by  the  Spaniards  and  In- 
dians; but  the  first  immigrants,  after  Alexander 
and  Bidwell,  had  formed  a  settlement  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  valley;  those  succeeding 
turned  westward  toward  this  settlement  at  the 
crossing  of  Mark  West,  and  soon  had  a  well- 
defined  road  through  the  open  country,  which 
passed  near  the  house  of  Henry  White,  crossed 
the  Windsor  Creek  on  the  farm  now  owned  by 
Q.  E.  Tebbs,  and  came  down  into  the  valley 
tlirough  the  hollow  on  the  ranch  of  Thomas 
Mitchell;  from  thence  turning  northward  and 
joining  the  first  meTitioned  route  atthecrossing 
of  Russian  River  at  the  locality  already  named. 
These  two  roads  were,  for  some  time,  the  only 
thoroughfares  in  the  township;  it  was  not  long, 
however,  before  settlers,  desiring  a  more  direct 
route  to  '  Felty "  Miller's  and  March's  saw- 
mill, made  a  new  ford  at  Summers  Brumfield's, 
which  remained  as  a  direct  road  to  Mill  Creek 
for  a  number  of  years. 

"  As  has  been  already  shown,  the  first  house 
in  the  township  was  erected  by  Cyrus  Alexan- 
der; the  second  was  put  up  by  Lindsay  Carson 
in  1849,  and  still  stands  on  the  estate  of  Samuel 
E.  Miller.  Both  of  these  structures  were  built 
of  adobe.  The  third  house  was  built  of  logs, 
on  the  land  now  owned  by   Benoni  Hotchkiss, 


UTSTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


i)3^  one  Louis  Legendre,  a  Frenchman,  who  ar- 
rived at  about  the  same  time  as  Lindsay  Carson, 
in  1847.  This  Frenchman,  familiarly  known  as 
Louis,  also  constructed  the  first  house  of  sawed 
lumber,  the  planks  for  which  were  procured 
from  March's  mill  on  Mill  Creek,  he  being  pro- 
bably the  first  purchaser  who  patronized  that 
enterprise.  This  house  now  forms  the  ground- 
work of  the  dining-room  and  kitchen  used  by  J. 
W.  Calhoun,  the  timber  being  to  this  day  as 
sound  and   solid  as  though  but  a  few  years  old. 

"  E.  Harrison  Barnes  and  William  Potter  in 
1850  started  a  store  in  the  adobe  by  Carson  the 
previous  year,  but  soon  after  removed  to  another 
building  of  their  own  at  the  junction  of  the  be- 
fore mentioned  Mark  West  road  and  river  route. 
This  was  the  first  storein  the  township,  as  it  was 
also  the  first  in  the  whole  county  north  of  Sonoma. 
In  1852  Lindsay  Carson  bought  the  interest 
of  Potter  and  continued  the  business  at  the  same 
place  with  Barnes  until  the  following  year,1853, 
when  the  store  and  all  its  contents  were  carried 
away  by  the  high  water  of  the  Russian  River, 
and  lodged  in  a  field  a  quarter  of  a  mile  be- 
low. Fortunately  the  building  floated  upright, 
and  the  goods  were  recovered  and  carried  out  in 
a  flat-boat,  with  but  few  articles  damaged.  The 
firm  then  continued  Inisiness  in  a  house  on  the 
farm  of  A.  B.  IS'alh-,  which  land  was  then  owned 
by  Carson.  Barnes  and  Carson  continued  this 
store  until  1856,  M'hen  in  March  of  that  year 
Barnes  had  disposed  of  his  interest  to  Carson, 
who  had  in  turn  sold  out  to  W.  G.  McManus; 
it  was  moved  to  the  just  started  town  of  Healds- 
burg  in  the  adjoining  township,  and  was  the 
second  store  in  that  city. 

"  In  1851  a  number  of  new  settlers  arrived 
in  the  township,  while  in  the  latter  end  of  that 
year  there  were  then  residing  in  its  limits, F'rank 
Bidwell,  Lindsay  Carson,  E.  Harrison  Barnes, 
William  Potter.  Tom  and  Ike  Smith,  J.  W.  Cal- 
houn, James  Campbell,  John  Pruett,  II.  J.  Pool, 
James  Brooks,  L.  Slusser,  Chitwood  Brothers 
and  Louis  Legendre.  In  this  year  the  first  local 
election  took  place,  and  resulted  in  the  election 
of  Harrison  Barnes  as  justice  of  the  peace  of 


Russian  River.  Township.      This  election  was 
held  at  the  store  of  Barnes  and  Carson,  the  fol- 
lowing one  in   1853.  being  at    Pruett's  school 
house,  now  Shiloah  Church. 

"  In  lS52-'53  settlers  began  to  fill  up  the 
township,  among  those  arriving  being  J.  W. 
Yates,  Henry  White,  Thomas  Mitchell,  Alex- 
ander Wilson,  Lee  Laughlin,  George  Brum- 
field,  and  many  others  who  then  located  on 
the  places  which  they  now  possess,  and  have 
made  so  valuable  and  beautiful.  There  were 
but  few  families  previous  to  the  year  1853, 
most  of  the  immigrants  being  single  men  who 
sought  the  accumulation  of  a  rapid  fortune  and 
a  speedy  return  to  their  ancestral  homes,  conse- 
quently the  first  marriage  was  an  event  of  no 
small  importance,  and  to  which  all  were  bidden 
from  far  and  near.  The  contracting  parties  on 
the  occasion  now  noted  were  John  Pruett  and 
Bettie  Brooks,  the  nuptial  knot  being  tied  by 
Harrison  Barnes  as  justice  of  the  neace.  The 
ceremony  took  place  at  the  residence  of  Mr. 
Chitwood,  about  one  mile  east  of  AVindsor  in 
the  fall  of  1851. 

"  In  1850  J.  J.  ]\Iay,  a  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian preacher  held  service  at  the  adobe  of  Lind- 
say Carson,  and  was  therefore  the  first  to  preach 
the  gospel  in  the  township;  after  him  came  P. 
Riley,  Baptist,  and  S.  M.  Smith,  Methodist,  and 
in  1856  '  Parson '  Cux  organized  Shiloah 
Church,  which  was  the  first  religious  institu- 
tion. In  1853  there  was  a  school  organized  on 
the  present  site  of  the  Shiloah  Church,  and  a 
small  shanty  built,  which  bore  the  name  of 
Pruett's  school-house,  the  district  formed  being 
called  Russian  River  district,  which  included 
the  whole  township.  This  district  was  divided 
in  1856  upon  the  petition  of  Robert  Cunning- 
ham, Hiram  Lewis,  H.  J.  Pool  and  others,  and 
the  portion  thus  cut  ott"  was  called  Windsor 
district,  which  was  partitioned  in  1864  into 
Hill  and  Windsor,  by  petition  of  W.  S.  Clark, 
Richard  Holloway,  H.  J.  Pool  and  others;  that 
of  Tamater  being  organized  according  to  the 
petition  of  Tamater,  Hudson,  etc.,  in  1867. 

"The  Frenchman.  Louis  Leo^endre,  and  Lind- 


ItlSTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


say  Carson  were  the  first  considerable  growers 
of  wheat,  Legendre  owning  and  farming  the 
land  now  occupied  by  J.  W.  Calhoun.  Ilis 
method  of  tilling  tiie  soil  was  rude,  hut  the  best 
then  in  practice.  The  plow  was  an  odd  imple- 
ment, consisting  of  the  fork  of  some  oak  of  the 
right  angle,  one  prong  of  which  served  for  the 
beam,  and  the  other,  after  being  shod  with  a 
small  piece  of  iron,  served  to  turn  up  the  virgin 
soil.  Two  oxen  with  a  stout  piece  of  timber, 
bound  across  their  foi'elieads  for  a  yoke,  served 
as  a  motive  power;  one  Indian  walked  before  to 
point  out  the  line  of  march,  while  another 
walked  behind  and  held  the  ?ino;le  upright 
stick  which  served  for  a  handle  to  guide  the 
plow  aright.  After  the  wheat  was  sown,  a  limb 
of  a  tree  or  brush  was  called  in  to  act  the  part 
of  a  harrow,  and  from  this  crude  tillage  Le- 
gendre reaped  from  forty  to  fifty  bushels  per 
acre." 

Events  of  a  tragic  nature  have  not  often  dis- 
turbed the  good  people  of  this  section.  Mc- 
Knight  was  the  first  man  who  met  death.  In 
1852  he  had  a  number  of  Indians  at  work  get- 
ting out  rails  in  the  field  of  J.  R.  Dutton,  then 
abounding  in  stately  redwoods.  Despite  the 
remonstrance  of  ceiiain  persons,  he  had  built 
his  cabin  in  the  line  of  aluige  tree,  wjiich  wasat 
that  time  being  felled.  The  chopping  of  the  tree 
was  finished  one  quiet  Sunday  morning  by  the 
India'is,  when  it  fell  upon  the  cabin  in  which 
McKuight  lay  asleep  and  killed  him.  Louis 
Legendre,  the  Frenchman  mentioned  above,  was 
the  second  man  killed.  lie  had  a  considerable 
sum  of  money  in  his  house,  which  aroused 
the  cupidit}-  of  a  Mexican,  who  murdered  him 
for  the  booty,  and  compelled  some  Indians  to 
bury  him  in  one  of  iiis  own  fields.  This  Mexi- 
can was  afterward  arrested,  but,  effecting  his 
escape,  was  never  caught.  Kidd  was  shot  at 
Mark  West  in  1804. 

Windsor. — The  village  of  AVindsor,  situated 
on  the  county  road  leading  from  Saiita  Rosa  to 
Ilealdsburg,  being  six  miles  southeast  of  thelat- 
ter  and  nine  northwest  of  the  former,  is  built 
on  a  plateau,  elevated   some  fifty  feet  or  more 


above  the  river  bottom,  and  is  known  locallv  to 
all,  except  the  inhabitants,  as  "  Poor  Man's 
Flat,"  a  name  applied  to  that  section  of  country 
in  1854  by  Tom  Sewell,  a  well-known  person  in 
those  days. 

Rut  "  Poor  Man's  Flat"  has  proved  to  be  one 
of  the  liest  vine  and  wine  producing  sections  of 
the  county,  and  now  land  that  a  few  years 
since  was  considered  of  little  value,  is  being 
planted  to  vines  and  fruit,  and  is  highly  valueil. 

WASHINGTON    TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  is  one  of  the  garden  spots  of 
creation.  It  is  surrounded  on  the  east,  south 
and  west  b}'  Mendocino  Township,  and  on  the 
north  by  Cloverdale.  It  includes  20,674  acres, 
assessed  at  §264,340,  or  $12|  per  acre.  The 
total  assessment  roll  foots  up  §484,960.  Geyser- 
ville  is  the  principal  town  and  is  a  thriving  vil- 
lage situated  amid  orchards,  vineyards  and  grain 
fields.  The  population  in  1880  was  548,  but  at 
present  few  would  estimate  it  at  less  than  1,000. 
This  section  has  improved  as  rapidly  as  any  in 
the  county  during  the  past  year,  and  the  area 
in  fruit  and  vines  is  still  to  be  increased. 

This  townsjiip  consists  principally  of  hill  and 
valley  lands,  the  soil  of  the  former  about  Gey- 
serville  being  well  adapted  to  fruit  culture,  and 
the  growth  of  wine  grapes;  indeed,  there  is 
every  essential  in  soil  and  climate  for  the  pro- 
duction of  the  best  varieties  of  grapes,  stone 
and  seed  fruits.  During  the  past  few  years 
thousands  of  acres  in  that  township  have  been 
planted  to  vines  antl  orchards,  and  the  work  still 
goes  on. 

Gkyskrvili.i;. — -This  has  hitherto  been  an  un- 
pretentious village,  at  which  passengers  for 
Skaggs'  Springs  took  stage.  Rut  its  fruit  in- 
dustries will  make  it  a  center  of  importance  in 
the  course  of  time. 

REDWOOD    TOWNSHIP 

Is  bounded  by  Mendocino  on  the  north, 
Analy  on  the  east,  Rodega  on  the  south  and 
Ocean  on  the  west.  It  includes  what  was  once 
the  finest  lumbering  region  in  the  county,  but 


iiisroRY  OF  sdkoma  county. 


the  land  has  been  and  is  being  rapidly  denuded 
of  timber  and  is  being  converted  into  dairy 
ranches  or  orchards  and  vineyards.  Xear  its 
northern  boundary  is  the  Great  Western  Quick- 
silver mine,  which  is  one  of  the  richest  known. 
This  townsiiip  contains  28,060  acres,  valued  at 
:5>215,515,  or  $9A  per  acre.  Tlie  total  assessed 
value  of  all  property  is  !i;364,540.  The  only 
town  in  tliis  township  is  (Tuerneville.  It  is 
thriving.  The  hills  nortli  and  west  of  it  are 
being  rapidly  settled.  Its  population  in  1880 
was  913.      Now  it  is  estimated  at  1,500. 

Ileald  &  Gnerne  established  a  large  mill  there 
in  1865.  In  the  winter  of  IStiT,  however,  the 
original  structure  was  carried  away  by  the  over- 
lldwinw  of  iiussian  River,  therefore  they  built 
th(^  present  establishment,  which  has  a  capacity 
of  producing  20,000  feet  of  lumber  per  day, 
finding  a  ready  sale  for  most  of  it  within  the 
county,  and  for  tlie  balance  in  Napa,  Lake  and 
San  Francisco.  Tiie  saw-mill  is  kept  running 
(luring  eight  months  of  the  year,  it,  with  the 
aiijacent  redwoods,  furnishing  employment  for 
about  lifty  men.  In  connection  with  the  saw- 
mill, the  manufacture  of  moldings  and  such- 
like work  is  carried  on  extensively.  Belonging 
to  the  firm  there  are  700  acres  of  timber  land, 
not  to  be  excelled  in  California. 

In  1886  Colonel  J.  B.  Armstrong  built  a  saw- 
mill of  large  capacity  about  two  miles  above 
(iuerneville,  and  has  cut  a  large  ([uaiitity  of 
lumber. 

The  cliair  factory  which  was  established  by 
S.  W.  Famlre  in  1874,  passed  into  the  hands  of 
the  present  proprietors,  Florence  it  Bruner,  in 
1877.  The  establishment  has  a  capacity  of 
manufacturing  about  seventy  chairs  per  day, 
the  uuichinery  being  run  by  an  eight-horse- 
power engine.  The  timber  used  in  this  business 
is  principally  monntain  and  live  oak,  while  the 
seats  are  made  of  rawhide  strips.  A  ready  sale 
is  found  for  this  article  of  furniture  throughout 
the  county  and  vicinity.  .\niount  of  (•a])it;il 
invested,  $2,000. 

GcKKNKviLLK. — Tliis  is  the  "uly  town  in  Red- 
wood Township,  and    is  purely  a  lumber  manu- 


facturing center.  It  is  situated  on  the  Russian 
River,  sixteen  miles  northwest  of  Santa  Rosa, 
and  was  originally  settled  by  R.  B.  Lunsford,  on 
May  1,  1860.  Connecting  with  the  main  line 
is  a  branch  of  the  San  F'rancisco  Ar  Nortliern 
Pacific  Railroad  which  runs  from  Fulton,  and 
connects  the  great  central  valley  of  Sonoma 
County  with  the  prolific  timber  section.  This 
route,  as  well  as  being  used  for  the  immense 
lumber  interests,  offers  an  opportunity  for  tour- 
ists to  visit  the  redwood  trees  of  Sonoma,  which 
are  second  only  to  thelai-ge  timbers  of  Calaveras 
and  Mariposa. 

Redwood  Lodge,  iV'o.  iiSl,  I.  0.  0.  i-'.—This 
lodge  was  organized  April  3,  1879,  with  the 
following  charter  members:  Samuel  E.  Bax- 
ter, James  Pell,  August  Ekburn,  William  H. 
Bowier,  Charles  McBee,  Edward  Stallard;  the 
original  officers  being  Samuel  Baxter,  X.  G.; 
William  Bowier,  Y.  G.;  Edward  Stallard, 
Secretary. 

Methodist  Ej^iscopal  CIntrch. — This  place  of 
worship  was  constructed  in  May,  1875,  and 
dedicated  in  June  of  that  year.  The  building  is 
28  X  44  feet,  and  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $1,200. 

Christian  Church. — This  church  was  organ- 
ized in  the  month  of  July,  1879,  the  charter 
members  being  twenty-six  in  number. 

OCEAN  TOWNSHIP 

This  mi'.y  be  called  the  west  central  township, 
as  it  lies  between  Salt  Point  and  Bodega,  and 
is  one  of  the  three  which  borders  upon  the 
Pacific.  Its  assessed  acreage  is  45,891,  valued 
at  $309,955,  or  $6-^  per  acre.  Tlie  assessed 
value  of  all  property  is  $474,009.  Its  popu- 
lation in  1880  was  675;  now  it  must  reach 
1,000.  Duncan's  Mills,  for  a  long  time  the 
northern  terminus  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast 
Railroad,  is  the  most  considerable  town  in  the 
township.  Settlements  have  been  made  about 
Russian  Itivcr  Station,  Moscow  and  Tyrone, 
also  points  along  the  railroad.  ]\[arkham's,  a 
short  distance  above  Duncan's  to  which  the 
railroad  has  recently  been  completed,  is  a  thriv- 
ing   place.     Duncan's    ami    Ocean     View    are 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


301 


favorite  places  for  sportmen.  Tlie  products  of 
tliis  township  are  varied  and  abnndant.  Lumber 
ranks  first,  the  dense  redwood  forests  supplying 
numerons  mills,  besides  posts,  pickets,  shingles, 
and  wood;  next  comes  tlie  dairy  and  sheep 
interest,  and  close  upon  these  follow  potatoes, 
cereals  and  fruit.  Shut  off  from  the  cold  winds 
and  fogs  of  the  coast,  Austin  Creek  Valley  is 
being  rapidly  settled  and  its  capal)ilities  as  a 
fruit  producing  region  are  becoming  known  and 
appreciated.     It  is  now  a  favorite  summer  resort. 

The  settlement  of  tliis  township  does  not 
date  back  as  far  as  many  others  in  the  county. 
From  the  fact  that  it  was  so  rough  and  mount- 
ainous it  did  not  appear  to  be  a  very  desirable 
location  for  a  home,  and  while  better  places 
remained  to  be  had  for  the  asking  as  it  vt'ere, 
no  one  seemed  inclined  to  locate  here.  It  is 
probable  that  Henry  Austin  was  about  the  first 
settler  in  the  township.  However,  tlie  following 
named  gentlemen  all  came  inabouttliesametime, 
185G,  and  it  is  probable  that  as  much  honor 
is  due  to  one  as  to  another:  Hugh  Breen,  Mr. 
Jackson,  Philip  Crauley,  John  Orr,  James  Sheri- 
dan, F.  Sheridan,  and  J.  Chenneworth.  All  these 
gentlemen  took  up  claims,  and  many  of  them 
remain  there  to  this  day.  Mr.  Orr  chanced  to 
locate  his  claim  where  now  tiie  beatifnl  little 
town  of  Duncan's  Mill  is  situated,  and  now  has 
the  satisfaction  of  having  seen  the  dense  wilder- 
ness of  thirty-two  years  ago  converted  into  a 
coterie  of  happy  homes. 

Duncan's  Mill. — The  establishmen  t  of  the  site 
on  which  the  town  of  Duncan's  JVIill  now  stands 
was  the  result  of  a  conference  between  the 
ofKcers  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Railroad  and 
Mr.  A.  Duncan,  the  parties  most  interested.  In 
the  spring  of  1877  Mr.  Duncan  moved  his  mill 
to  its  present  location,  and  the  railroad  con- 
structed a  handsome  and  durable  bridge  across 
Russian  River,  just  below  the  mill,  and  erected 
the  necessary  statical  buildings,  and  also  an  en- 
gine house.  Mr.  A.  Duncan,  and  his  son,  S.  M. 
Duncan,  erected  elegant  residences.  The  resi- 
dence of  Mr.  A.  Duncan  is  especially  worthy 
of  note;  being  situated  on  an  eminence  to  the 


northward  of  the  town  it  commands  a  lovely 
view  of  the  town  and  adjacent  valley.  Its 
rooms  are  spacious  and  everything  about  it  has 
an  air  of  substantial  and  ornamental  utilit}'. 
In  the  center  of  the  town  stands  the  Russian 
River  Hotel,  a  very  large  and  spacious  building, 
having  room  for  the  accommodation  of  a  great 
number  of  guests.  During  the  summer  season 
this  house  is  more  than  full  of  guests,  as  the 
town  is  fast  growing  into  favor  as  a  place  of 
resort.  It  certainly  deserves  to  be  a  favoi-ite 
with  the  pleasure  and  health  seeker.  It  lies 
nestled  amid  the  mountains,  on  the  banks  of  a 
most  beautiful  stream  of  water.  Rambles  on 
the  mountain  sides  and  boating  upon  the  stream 
can  be  indulged  in  by  the  gentler  sex,  while  a 
broad  field  for  the  operations  of  the  Nimrod  lies 
on  every  side  of  the  town.  Communication  with 
the  city  is  quick  and  comfortable.  The  North 
Pacific  Coast  Railroad  trains  make  the  round 
trip  to  San  Francisco  and  back  daily,  while  on 
Sundays  an  excursion  train  is  run  from  that  city 
to  Duncan's  Mill  and  return. 

Brotherhood  Lodge,  F.  tfc  A.  M. — Brother- 
hood Lodge,  No.  251,  F.  it  A.  M.,  was  organized 
under  dispensation,  June  8,  1878.  The  charter 
members  were  John  Orr,  Thomas  Beacom,  Silas 

D.  Ingraham,  Samuel  Rien,  A.  II.  Heffron, 
James  Sheridan,  S.  M.  Duncan,  Charles  E.  Tib- 
betts,  I!.  R.  Wiltse,  A.  S.  Patterson  and  Charles 
F.  Roix.  The  officers,  under  dispensation,  were: 
John  Orr,  W.  M.;  B.  R.  Wiltse,  S.  W.;  Charles 

E.  Tibbetts,  J.  W.;  Samuel  Rien,  Treasurer; 
and  S.  M.  Duncan,  Secretary. 

I'rt'shyteriun  Vhitrch. — The  Duncan's  Mill 
Presliyteriau  church  was  organized  in  rlutic, 
1878,  with  the  following  names  upon  the  church 
roll:  Mrs.  Alexander  Duncan,  Thomas  Beacom. 
S.  M.  Duncan,  P.  Shaw,  and  William  Fleming, 
Rev.  Hugh  McLeod  organized  the  church. 

C.\ZAi)KKo. — Cazadero,  the  "  hunting  ground,'' 
is  the  much  more  appropriately  significant  name 
with  which  the  new  owner,  (t.  S.  Montgomery, 
Esq.,  has  most  hajipily  christened  the  place 
lately  known  as  "  Ingrains,"  the  terminus  of 
the  Northern  Pacific  Coast  Railroad. 


IIIHTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


New  cottages  liave  already  gone  up,  others 
are  in  process  of  erection,  unsightly  surround- 
ings have  been  removed,  and  improved  liygienic 
conditions  carefully  secured.  Besides  all  these, 
commodious  foot-bridges  to  span  the  creeks  at 
convenient  intervals,  safe  bathing  and  boating 
pools,  created  by  the  construction  of  necessary 
dams,  and  amply  provided  with  bathing  houses, 
tents,  platforms,  rafts,  floats  and  skiffs,  winding 
ways  along  hillsides  and  through  dales  leading 
to  romantically  located  rustic  wayside  arbors, 
benches  and  tables  for  out-door  family  and 
party  lunches,  croquet  grounds,  lawn  tennis 
courts,  swings,  and  all  possible  facilities  for  safe 
and  delightful  out-door  games  are  among  the 
additions  and  improvements  already  projected 
iind  in  process  of  realization. 

Surveyors  have  already  laid  out  a  lovely  town 
site  affording  large  choice  of  most  desirable 
villa  sites,  very  far  superior  in  both  Ijeauty  and 
healtlifulness  to  anything  to  be  found  along  the 
cold  and  foggy  beaches  of  the  coast.  Austin 
Creek  itself  sweeps  musically  by,  rippling  under 
the  bridge  anti  murmuring  over  its  pebbly  bed. 
New  station,  telegraph,  express  and  postoftices, 
new  rooms,  new  dining  hall,  new  stables,  new 
cottages,  new  busses,  and  the  recent  transfer  of 
the  terminus  of  the  Great  Northern  .Stage  Line 
to  this  jwiut,  sutKciently  indicate  the  well 
merited  prosperity  of  this  ])opular  resort,  and 
attests  the  enterprise  of  the  energetic  proprietor. 
Back  of  the  hotel  rises  Ingram's  Knob  (900 
feet),  a  capital  place  to  work  up  a  breakfast 
appetite;  in  front,  across  the  bridge,  you  have 
two  other  peaks  of  nearly  GOO  feet;  while  an 
easy  ten  minutes'  walk  beyond,  up  the  bank  of 
the  Austin,  opens  the  mouth  of  Minnehaha 
Creek,  presenting  the  most  beautiful  succession 
of  tree-sheltered  trout  pools,  gravelly  and  peb- 
bly rapids,  miniature  falls  and  cascades,  and 
especially  of  gigantic  boulders,  inclosing  now  and 
then  a  cool  and  shady  cave,  anywhere  to  be  found. 
Straight  up  the  Austin,  five  miles,  lies  Trosper's. 

SALT  POINT  TOWNSHIP. 
This  is  the  extreme  northwest   township,  ami 


extends  from  Mendocino  County  and  the  Gna- 
lala  River  on  the  north  to  Ocean  on  the  south; 
from  Mendocino  Township  on  the  east  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean  on  the  west.  This  township  is 
rich  in  historic  reminiscences  of  the  time  when 
the  Russians  endeavored  to  gain  a  foothold  in 
this  realm  of  the  furtherest  west.  Its  products 
are  mainly  lumber,  pickets,  posts,  shingles,  etc., 
with  dairy  products,  ^[any  small  patches  fiii'- 
nish  vegetables,  fruits  and  grapes.  In  the  sum- 
mer seasons  all  along  the  coast  are  found  camp- 
ers and  tourists.  The  towns  are  Fort  Ross, 
Seaview,  Timber  Cove,  Salt  Point,  Fisk's  Mill 
and  Fisherman's  Bay.  At  all  these  points,  and 
a  few  others,  are  chutes  where  vessels  are 
loaded  or  unloaded.  Salt  Point  Township 
contains  97,372  acres,  assessed  at  *460,047  or 
$4.75  per  acre.  Tlie  total  assessment  is 
$683,492.  Its  population  in  1880  was  875. 
At  that  time  there  was  but  little  demand  for  the 
products  of  this  section,  and  the  present  popu- 
lation may  easily  be  fixed  at  1,000  or  more. 

The  soil  of  this  township  is  mostly  of  a  clayey 
nature,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  greater  part 
is  situated  on  the  mountain  sides.  In  the  val- 
leys it  is  a  sandy  loam.  The  clayey  soil  is  well 
adapted  to  the  growing  of  vines  and  trees,  while 
the  valleys  are  productive  of  vegetables,  etc. 
To  tell  the  truth,  there  is  a  remarkable 
sparseness  of  soil  in  almost  the  entire  township, 
except  in  the  small  valleys. 

The  general  surface  of  Salt  Point  is  very 
rough  and  broken.  There  are  no  valleys  of  level 
land  worth  mentioning  as  such  in  the  entire 
township.  There  are  no  mountains  of  promi- 
nence, yet  the  entire  section  is  very  liilly. 
Near  Fort  Koss  there  is  an  extended  section  of 
level  country. 

Mr.  Forbes,  in  his  reliable"  History  of  Upper 
California,"  says  that  the  super-cargo  of  a  Brit- 
ish ship  from  India,  bound  for  the  coast  of 
Mexico,  informed  him  that,  on  making  the  coast 
of  California,  they  touched  at  the  Ross  settle- 
ment, called  La  Bodega,  which  borders  on  the 
Spanish  territory,  or  of  right  belongs  to  it,  and, 
although   the  part  which   the   Russians  occupy 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


303 


does  not  compare  in  fertility  with  the  interior 
valleys  occupied  by  the  Spaniards,  yet  tliey 
found,  immediately  on  their  arrival,  a  present, 
sent  on  board  l)y  the  Russian  Governor,  of  most 
excellent  butter,  cheese,  fat  mutton,  and  good 
vegetal)  es — all  things  most  desirable  for  per- 
sons arriving  from  a  long  voyage. 

They  soon  after  proceeded  to  Monterey,  the 
then  capital  of  Spanish  California,  where  they 
could  tiiid  nothing  but  bull  beef.  Neither  lard, 
butter,  cheese  nor  vegetables  were  to  l)e  found. 
'•  This  was,"  says  Mr.  Forbes,  "  in  the  year  1822, 
and  I  am  assured  by  a  Me.xican  officer,  lately 
arrived  from  Monterey,  that  the  strangers  who 
compose  a  considerable  portion  of  that  town  are 
at  this  time  (1834)  actually-  furnished  with  but- 
ter and  cheese  from  the  Russian  settlement  of 
La  Bodega."  Sonoma  County  still  maintains 
its  early  celebrity  as  a  butter-pi'oduciug  country'. 
Instead,  however,  of  a  few  tubs  shipped  to 
Monterey,  its  annual  income  from  butter  alone 
is  over  ?;1,500,000. 

Captain  Hull,  who  visited  Ross  in  one  of  his 
voyages,  says  the  Russian  (Governor  sent  him  a 
tub  of  butter,  two  fat  sheep  and  some  milk,  and 
that  vegetables  were  plenty.  Ross  is  still  ship- 
ping butter  and  cheese,  and  tat  sheep  and  cattle, 
and  lumber  and  tan-bark,  and  a  host  of  other 
agricultural  and  forest  i)roduets.  Tiie  Russians 
are  no  longer  there;  but  the  old  fort,  the  work 
of  their  hands,  still  stands,  and  is  owned  and  oc- 
cupied by  Mr.  George  Call,  wiio,  though  not  as 
numerous  as  his  predecessors,  the  Russians,  has 
a  much  better  title  to  the  soil  ho  tills. 

The  products  of  this  township  are  couHnt'd  al- 
most exclusively  to  lumber,  shingles,  cord-wood, 
fence-posts,  tan-bark,  railroad  ties  and  fence 
pickets.  Not  enough  of  anything  else  is  pro- 
duced, with  the  exception  of  dairy  products,  ibr 
home  consumption.  There  are  a  few  extensive 
dairies  and  some  very  extensive  stock  farms  in 
the  tiiwnship.  Fruits,  vines  and  vegetables  do 
well  in  little  patches  here  and  there,  where  pro- 
tected from  the  fogs  and  winds,  and  reached  by 
the  warm  rays  of  the  sun;  outside  of  this,  but 
little  of  this  nature  is  "■rown. 


The  climate,  although  the  township  borders 
on  the  ocean,  is  far  different  from  that  of  Bode- 
ga. On  the  margin  of  the  ocean  it  is  very 
foggy  during  a  greater  portion  of  the  year. 
The  trade  winds  strike  it  fair,  and  of  course  this 
makes  it  very  cool  during  the  summer  months, 
and  sometimes  disagi'ceably  chilly,  but  a  few 
miles  in  the  interior  the  climate  is  as  different 
as  it  is  iifty  miles  away.  The  heavy  belt  of 
timber  which  skirts  the  ocean  seems  to  break 
the  force  and  effect  of  the  trade  winds,  while 
the  fogs  are  condensed  by  it  to  such  an  extent 
that  but  coniparitively  little  ever  reaches  the 
valleys  a  short  distance  inland.  It  is  conse- 
ijuently  warm  and  dry,  and  withal  pleasant  and 
healthful.  Mr.  Call,  who  owns  the  Fort  Ross 
property,  and  has  kept  a  rain-gauge  for  many 
years,  reports  the  annual  rain-fall  to  l)e  about 
tifty  inches. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  this  township 
may  be  named  Christian  F.  Ruotf,  who  located 
at  Stillwater  Cove  in  the  fall  of  1851.  He  en- 
tered a  tract  of  government  land  which  lay  be- 
tween the  Muniz  rancho  and  Rancho  de  Herman. 
He  died  a  few  years  later.  N.  C.  Irwin  came 
in  1857,  and  settled  on  government  land  some 
eight  miles  to  the  ea.stward  of  Timl)er  Cove. 
David  Hopper  and  R.  Moftett  came  the  sau)e 
year,  and  H.  Carson,  Richard  Temple,  Gibson, 
Clark,  Freeman,  George  Mapes,  Ira  Mapes,  and 
J.  W.  McElroy  came  in  1858.  These  all 
settled  on  the  government  land  back  of  the 
grants. 

Fort  Ross. — This  is  the  oldest  place  in  the 
township,  as,  in  fact,  it  is  in  the  county;  and 
this  whole  region  has  been  so  fully  mentioned 
elsewhere  that  there  can  be  but  little  added. 
At  Fort  Ross  there  is  a  hotel,  saloon,  store, 
blacksmith  shop,  meat  market,  post  and  tele- 
graph office.  The  ])Ostoffice  was  establishsd 
May  23,  1877,  with  George  W.  Call,  Post- 
master. 

TnriiKK  Cove.  Hack  in  the  early  sixties. 
Timber  Cove  was  quite  a  lively  place.  The 
Kalkman  Brothers  were  doing  a  heavy  lum])er 
business.     The  mill  was  Ijurued  in    180-4.     The 


304 


HI8T0RT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


place  is  now  a  mere  shipping  point  for  cord- 
wood,  fence-posts,  tan-hark  and  railroad  ties. 

Sni.LWATKR  Co\  K.-  This  place  is  a  niei'e 
shipping  point,  having  a  chute  and  (jther  conve- 
niences for  loading  schooners. 

Salt  I^)int. —  In  the  spring  of  \Hh'i  Messrs. 
Ilendy  and  Duncan  moved  the  mill  machinery 
of  the  old  Benicia  or  Blumedale  Saw-mill  Com- 
pany down  from  the  mines,  whither  they  liad 
taken  it  upon  becoming  the  owners  of  it,  and 
located  at  Salt  Point.  This  was  doubtless  the 
first  steam  saw-mill  in  the  township.  At  this 
time  the  mill  was  small,  only  having  the  capac- 
ity of  5,000  feet  per  day.  In  185J  the  engine 
was  enlarged  to  a  si.xteen  horse-power,  and  this 
increased  the  capacity  of  the  mill  to  12,000  feet. 
While  here,  Mr.  Ilendy  disposed  of  his  interest 
to  A.  Duncan,  and  the  brothers  continued  to 
run  the  mill  here  till  January,  1860.  While 
here,  it  is  estimated  that  they  cut  30,000,000 
feet  of  lumber.  In  its  prime  days  there  was 
quite  a  village  here,  but  only  a  few  straggling, 
half  tumbled  down  shanties  are  left  now  to  mark 
the  site  of  the  milling  village. 

Fisk's  Mill. — J.  C.  Fisk  came  to  this  place 
and  built  a  mill  in  April,  1860.  He  had  for- 
merly used  the  machinery  in  Napa  Valley,  it 
being  located  about  eight  miles  above  the  city. 
The  mill  was  steam  and  had  a  capacity  of  20,- 
000  feet  per  day.  It  was  run  here  for  fourteen 
years  and  then  moved  to  Cutl'y's  Cove.  It  is 
estimated  that  in  those  fourteen  years  the  enor- 
mous quantity  of  42,000,000  feet  of  lumber  was 
cut.  Mr.  Fisk  built  a  chute  at  this  place  in 
1860.  He  disposed  of  his  interest  in  the  mill 
in  1865  to  Fred.  Helmke.  The  mill  is  gone  and 
with  it  all  life. 

FisuKKMAx's  Bay. — This  place  was  first  set- 
tled ill  1858,  l)y  A.  L.  Fisk,  who  erected  a  store 
and  hotel  building,  and  put  both  in  operation. 
The  first  saw-mill  was  put  in  operation  at  this 
point  in  1867,  by  a  tirni  composed  of  II.  P>. 
riatt  and  H.  .\.  M.  Cook,  of  San  Francisco, 
known  as  the  I  Matt  Mill  Company.  The  capac- 
ity of  this  mill  was  30,000  feet  per  day.  It  was 
located  near  the  town,  and  the   building  is  still 


standing,  though  the  machinery  is  all  gone  and 
the  tramways  all  Ijroken  up.  The  Clipper  Mill 
was  put  in  opei'ation  in  1869,  by  Rutherford  ct 
Hook.  Its  capacity  was  40,000  feet  per  day. 
It,  too,  has  suspended  operations.  It  is  doubt- 
ful whether  these  mills  will  ever  be  put  in  rjpe- 
ration  again  or  not. 

Lodijes. — There  is  but  one  lodge  of  any  order 
in  the  township,  aiid  that  is  a  lodge  of  U.  A.  O. 
D.  It  is  Plantation  Lodge  No.  32,  and  is  locat- 
ed near  the  "  Plantation  House,"  a  wayside  inn 
back  from  Fisk's  Mill  about  three  miles.  This 
lodge  was  organized  October  !»,  1878.  The 
charter  members  were,  Jos.  Luttinger,  Benj.  F. 
Warren,  Simon  Von  Arx,  August  Raditi.  D.  A. 
Raymond,  AVm.  A.  Richardson,  ('has.  Tliomp 
son,  Geo.  Decker,  Victor  Durant,  Fred  Joerja- 
son,  E.  Rule,  Herman  Tucker,  J  no.  Caponah 
Angelo  Cerena,  and  Peter  Eckhardt.  The  first 
olticers  were,  P.  Eckhardt,  N.  A.;  F.  Warren, 
V.  A.;  F.  Joerjason,  Secretary,  and  J.  Luttin- 
ger, Treasurer.  The  hall  building  was  erected 
in  1878,  at  an  e.xpense  of  $2,000.  It  is  a  very 
neat  building,  and  the  lodge  room  very  cosy. 

Wayside  Jnni^: — On  what  is  known  as  the 
"  ridge  road,"'  i.  e.,  the  road  which  passes  along 
up  the  coast,  a  distance  of  perhaps  three  miles 
back  from  the  ocean,  and  on  a  sort  of  a  ridge  or 
back-bone  of  the  first  range  of  hills,  are  situated 
two  wayside  inns,  one  known  as  Henry's  Hotel, 
and  theotheras  the  Plantation  House.  Henry's 
is  situated  directly  back  of  Fort  Ross,  and  the 
Plantation  not  far  from  Fisk's  Mill.  The  latter 
was  built  in  1871.  The  present  proprietor  has 
a  fine  pond  of  trout  and  carp,  which  he  is  culti- 
vating successfully. 

The  following  exciting  narrative  of  an  en- 
counter with  a  cinnamon  bear  in  Salt  Point 
Township,  will  not  be  devoid  of  interest.  The 
Petaluma  Journal  of  May  28,  1858,  says: 

"  Mr.  David  Hopper,  who  resides  on  the 
coast,  near  F^ort  Ross,  informs  us  that  he  had  a 
spirited  little  brush  with  a  cinnamon  bear  on 
the  morning  of  the  loth  inst.,  while  out  hunt- 
ing in  the  neighborhood  of  his  ranch.  Coming 
upon  the  ti-acks  of  a  bear  he  set  his  dogs  upon 


in  STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


the  trail,  and  tbllowin!^  them  np,  lie  soon  came 
upon  a  tine  sized  cinnamon  bear.  Without 
fnrther  introduction,  he  raised  his  rifle  and 
tired.  The  ball  striking  the  animal  in  the  hind 
leg,  merely  broke  the  limb  and  served  to  arouse 
his  bearship's  anger.  At  this  stag(>  the  dogs 
closed  in.  and  thitddng  it  a  favorable  time  for 
the  use  of  his  revolver,  Mr.  Hopper  approache<l 
and  tired  his  pistol,  hoping  to  eripjile  tlie  bear 
by  wounding  liim  in  the  loins.  In  tliis  he 
failed,  this  ball  also  lodging  in  his  hind  leg, 
and  serving  but  to  still  further  ardiise  the 
already  infuriatetl  beast.  Seizing  one  of  the 
dogs  in  his  paws,  he  hurled  him  a  distance  of 
some  thirty  feet,  and  then  rushed  forward  at  the 
hunter.  As  the  bear  a])proached.  Mi'.  Hopper 
aimed  a  third  shot  at  him,  the  ball  this  time 
grazing  the  jaw.  The  pistol  now  hung  tire, 
and  tinding  that  his  only  hope  of  safety  lay  in 
liis  hatchet,  he  drew  it  from  his  belt,  and  pre- 
pared to  meet  his  antagonist  face  to  face,  and 
hand  to  hand.  AV^ith  a  terrible  growl  the  bear 
rushed  to  the  conflict.  As  he  approached  within 
reach,  the  hunter  raised  the  hatchet,  and  with  a 
cool  and  collected  mind,  and  a  steadfast  eye 
upon  the  bear,  with  one  powerful  sweep  he 
buried  the  blade  deep  into  the  brains  of  the 
beast.  With  a  howl  of  jiain,  he  tottered  and 
rolled  over  dead  at  the  feet  of  the  hunter.  Mr. 
Hopper,  who  is  an  adept  at  'corraling  these 
varmints,"  he  liaving  killed  no  less  than  forty 
within  the  past  twelve  months,  says  he  has  had 
many  exciting  'bar  hunts"  in  liis  day,  but  this 
last  one  ju;t  lays  over  them  all."" 

KNIGHT'S  VALLEY  TOWNSHIP- 

Situated  in  the  eastern  portion  of  the  county, 
its  eastern  verge  extending  up  the  rugged  sides 
of  ilouiit  St.  Helena,  lies  one  of  the  fairest  of 
California's  valleys,  from  which  this  township 
takes  its  name.  It  contains  3t'),S08  acres, 
assessed  st^'-iBiJ.oOd,  or  s7  jier  acre.  Total  assessed 
value  of  all  property,  >>385,55().  Its  [)opulation 
in  1880  was  230.  The  tide  of  immigration  that 
set  in  has  caused  numerous  settlements  to  be 
made  on  cliemisal-c<;vered   hills,  which  are  rap- 


idly being  converted  into  vineyards,  the  soil 
and  climate  for  this  purpose  being  excellent. 
It  was  named  in  honor  of  Thomas  Knight,  who, 
in  1833,  jiiirchased  a  large  tract  of  land  from  a 
Spaniard  named  Herryessa.  California's  staples 
— wine,  W'>ol,  and  wli(!at — are  produced  in  great 
abundance.  Kellogg  and  Fossville  are  two 
towns  along  the  mad  leading  from  Calistoga  to 
the  (Jeysers.  Both  are  resorts.  Many  cottages 
and  a  hotel  are  to  be  found  at  Kellogg. 

The  earliest  settler  in  Knight's  Valley  was 
William  McDonald,  who  came  there  from  Napa 
Coiintv  in  the  year  1850,  and  was  the  first  to 
act  as  guide  to  the  geysers,  vistors  to  the  springs 
being  provided  with  saddle  horses  by  him. 

The  scenery  in  Knight's  Valley  embraces  the 
characteristic  groves  of  oaks  and  other  woods  on 
the  hills  and  in  the  hollows,  which  are  to  be 
found  all  over  the  county;  walks  and  drives  of 
rare  beauty,  excelling  those  which  might  be  de- 
vised by  man's  handiwork,  intersect  the  low- 
lying  grounds  and  mountain  slopes,  while 
through  its  length  passes  one  of  the  roads — that 
from  Calistoga — leading  to  the  far-fained  gey- 
sers, the  most  marvelous  of  Sonoma's  romantic 
pictures. 

While  the  principal  industry  of  this  township 
is  wheat  growing,  sheep-raising  and  fruit  cul- 
ture, yet  it  has  mineral  wealth.  The  Great 
Western  quicksilver  mine  is  partly  situated  in 
Knight's  Valley  Township,  the  workings  run- 
ning under  the  dividing  line  between  Sonoma 
and  Lake  counties. 

Any  account,  however  meager,  of  KnigJit's 
Valley  would  be  incomplete  without  mention 
lieing  made  of  the  flne  estate  of  Calvin  Holmes, 
a  portion  of  the  original  Kancho  de  Malacomes. 
Here  Mr.  Holmes  has  erected  a  superb  mansion, 
and  magniflcent  farm  houses,  arranged  with 
every  design  to  insure  the  care  and  comfort  of 
his  stock.  Adjoining  this  farm  is  the  elegant 
residence  and  lino  ranch  of  George  liood,  of 
Santa  Rosa. 

KEr.L(i(;(i. — This  summer  resort  is  situated  in 
Knight's  Valley,  at  the  foot  of  St.  Helena 
Mountain,   about    seven    miles   from    Calistoga, 


HISTORY    OF   SONOMA    COUNTY. 


nineteen  from  tlie  Geysers,  and  seventeen  from 
llealdsbnrg.  Tlie  original  building  [now  re- 
modeled as  a  hotel)  was  built  by  Berryessa  and 
was  constructed  of  adobe  clay,  to  which  he 
made  additions  of  frame  and  stone;  it  next 
j)assed  into  the  hands  of  Knight  and  Kockwell, 
who  disposed  of  it  to  a  man  named  Hasbrook, 
who  in  turn  sold  it  with  the  Knight's  Valley 
Ranch  to  one  Stewart,  lie  incorporated  it  into 
the  Knight's  Valley  Land  and  Contract  Com- 
pany. 

FossviLLE. — This  is  a  station  between  Kellogg 
and  Calistoga,  named  after  the  late  Clark  Foss, 
then  proprietor  of  the  stage-route  to  the  Gey- 
sers, who  came  here  in  1871  and  opened  a 
hotel. 

VALLEJO  TOWNSHIP. 

Noted  for  all  kinds  of  agricultural  and  dairy 
products,  fruits  and  vines,  lies  betwee  Sonoma 
on  the  east,  Petaluma  and  Analy  on  the  west, 
and  extending  from  Santa  Rosa  on  the  north  to 
San  Pablo  Bay.  It  comprises  61,855  acres, 
assessed  at  *1,24:1,013,  or  |;20-|  per  acre.  The 
entire  assessed  value  of  the  property  in  this 
township  is  ^1,681,503.  Its  population  in  1880 
was  1,471.  The  towns  are  Donahue  and  Lake- 
ville.  It  is  a  fertile  section,  well  tilled.  Con- 
siderable land  liiirdering  on  San  Pablo  Bay  is 
being  reclaimed. 

This  township  received  its  name  from  General 
Vallejo,  who  owned  the  Petaluma  Rancho,  and 
constructed  the  famous  large  adobe  building,  a 
considerable  portion  of  which  still  stands.  The 
erection  as  originally  constructed  had  a  frontage 
of  150  feet,  with  walls  twenty  feet  in  height. 
At  the  western  end  projected  a  wing  running 
south  128  feet,  while  on  the  east  end  was 
another,  with  a  length  of  sixty-eight  feet.  All 
the  walls  wei'e  two  and  one-half  feet  thick.  In 
this  mansion  the  generous  General  was  wont  to 
keep  his  state  of  almost  potential  splendor;  his 
courts  were  full  of  Spaniards  and  Indians;  his 
rooms  were  thronged  witli  guests,  while  his 
flocks  fed  u]ion  a  thousand  hills.  In  the  vicinity 
of  this  homestead  had  he  erected,  lonK  before 


Americans  came  to  settle  in  the  country,  a  mill 
wherein  he  ground  his  grain,  a  smithery,  wherein 
were  manufactured  horse-shoes,  spurs,  bits,  and 
other  military  gear,  while  all  around  were  evi- 
dences of  his  foresight  and  unstinting  hand. 

The  earliest  American  settler  was  Frederick 
Starke,  who  settled  there  in  1845.  In  1852 
there  came  W.  J.  Hardin,  J.  M.  Palmer,  Uavid 
Wharff;  in  1853,  Abner  Clark,  Isaac  Cook,  G. 
B.  Ilickston.  and  William  Mock;  in  1854,  G. 
R.  Codding. 

As  a  matter  of  encouragement  to  aspiring 
young  men  of  the  future,  we  mention  the  fact 
that  Senator,  and  millionaire,  James  (t.  Fair  was 
once  constable  of  Vallejo  Township. 

Vallejo  Township  is  famous  for  having  some 
of  the  finest  herds  of  imported  cattle  in  the 
State. 

DoNAuiE. — This  place  used  to  l)e  the  ter- 
minus of  the  San  Francisco  ik  North  Pacific 
Railroad  and  is  situated  on  the  Petaluma  Creek, 
aljout  eight  miles  from  Petaluma;  the  cars  at 
this  point  connected  with  a  steamer  to  San 
Francisco,  which  is  distant  twenty-tive  miles. 
The  town  received  its  name  from  the  enterpris- 
ing builder  of  the  railroad,  and  here  was  situated 
the  machine  shops  and  other  buildings  of  the 
company.  It  had  a  hotel  and  many  cottages 
for  the  laborers.  But  on  the  changing  of  the 
road  terminus  to  Tiburon,  these  buildings  and 
machine  shops  were  removed  to  that  place;  and 
Donahue  may  be  classed  among  the  things  of 
the  past. 

Lakevii.le. — This  is  a  small  village  on  the 
Petaluma  Creek,  about  a  mile  above  Donahue. 
During  the  days  of  steamboats  and  stages  it  had 
some  importance,  but  its  glory  has  departed. 
The  lirst  settler  at  Lakeville  was  A.M.  B.-adley, 
who  built  the  landing  about  the  years  1852-'53. 
Bradley  sold  his  interest  to  Joshua  Chadbourne, 
George  Carter,  and  Josiah  Bacon,  he  at  the 
time  having  only  possessory  rights  as  a  squat- 
ter, there  being  no  title  from  General  M.  (-i. 
Vallejo;  this  right  he  sold  to  the  above-named 
parties,  who,  in  turn,  disposed  thereof  to  Niles 
Mills  and  Peter  Donahue. 


I 


CZ^yJ.-if^^i'ifLAjL. 


HISTORY    OF    SOMOMA    COUNTY. 


BIOGBAPHICAL  SKE 


fAMES  W.  EAGSDALE,  Uie  senior  jjiojiric- 
tor  of  the  Sonoma  County  Abstract  liureau, 
is  a  native  of  Indiana,  wiieie  lie  was  l>orn 
forty  years  ago,  but  passed  liis  boyhood  and 
youth  in  Iowa,  and  there  entered  upon  liis 
career  as  a  journalist  in  18(')7,  in  connection 
with  a  local  newspaper.  In  1872  lie  came  to 
California  and  located  in  Sonoma  Countv. 
During  subsequent  years  he  has  been  con- 
nected as  an  editorial  writer  with  three  ditferent 
newspapers  in  the  county.  In  1878  he  and  his 
brother  p\irchased  the  Santa  Rosa  Repuhlh-Ku. 
which  he  owned  and  edited  for  a  period  of  about 
si.\  years,  tcrniinatini;  liis  connection  with  it  in 
188H.  to  give  his  entire  time  and  energy  to  ilc 
vcloping  and  perfecting  the  Sonoma  County 
Abstract  ISnreau,  which,  through  his  unflagging 
zeal  and  arduous,  persistent  labors,  has  become 
one  ol'  the  most  impoi'tant  l)usiness  enterprises 
in  the  county.  Obtaining  the  exclusive  fran- 
chise of  the  I)urfee  sell'-correcting  system  for 
abstracting  for  Sonoma  County,  the  laborious 
task  ot'  making  a  com|>lete  transcript  of  the 
I'ecords  of  tiie  land  titles  in  Sonoma  County  was 
^entered  ujion  >e\t'ral  yeai's  ago  by  Mr.  Rags- 
dale,  who  was  joined  some  time  later  by  Mr.  11. 
C.  Blown,  his  present  partner  and  joint  mana- 
ger. Having  entered  upon  the  work  it  was  of 
the  utmost  importance  that  the  transcript  l)e 


pushed  to  c(mipletioii  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
Accordingly  a  corps  of  exjiert  copyists  were  em- 
ployed and  have  been  constantly  at  work  for  the 
jjast  six  years.  During  this  time  a  complete 
transcript  copy  has  been  made  of  140  deed- 
books  and  ninety-two  books  of  mortgages  of 
640  to  'JOO  pages  each,  besides  copying  the  sat- 
isfactions of  mortgages,  releases,  assignments, 
homesteads,  powers  of  attorneys,  probate  rec- 
ords, attachments,  tax  sales,  possessory  titles, 
etc.,  making  in  all  about  (iOO  large  record  vol- 
umes which  have  lieen  copied  verliatim.  In  the 
county  clerk's  office  there  are  i'ecords  of  7,000 
civil  suits,  recpiiring  an  average  of  twenty-iive 
jiages  of  foolscap  each.  There  are  also  records 
of  l,tj00  probate  cases  that  are  even  more 
lengthy,  which  have  been  copied  with  the 
utmost  care,  and  read  and  compared  word  bv 
word.  This  vast  aggregate  of  records  has  cost 
iIk'  iiro|>rietors  years  of  patient  toil  and  many 
thousand  dollars  in  money,  but  they  now  enjoy 
the  satisfaction  and  reward  of  their  completed 
eftbrts,  and  own  ajiroperty  worth  $30,000.  The 
advantages  of  the  Durfee  system  of  abstracting 
cannot  be  overestimated,  as  this  system  is  abso- 
lutely self- correcting,  thus  rendering  a  serious 
mistake  impossible.  I!y  the  old  method  of  ab- 
stracting serious  difficulties  are  not  infretjueiitly 
met  with   by  examiners  of  titles,  due   to  mis- 


rilSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


takes  iu  indexing  the  records,  many  instruments 
on  record  not  being  indexed  through  oversight, 
and  hence  are  only  discovered  by  the  searcher 
by  sheer  accident.  Again,  by  misspelling 
names  and  mistaking  initial  letters,  errors  occur 
iu  indexing  which  are  liable  to  be  overlooked. 
"While  by  the  Durfee  system  this  trouble  is 
avoided,  because  the  copyist  begins  at  page  one 
and  goes  clear  through  the  book  leaf  by  leaf. 
The  title  of  every  instrument  of  record  is  posted 
similar  to  an  account  in  a  merchant's  ledger, 
thus  enabling  this  company  to  furnish  an  ab- 
stract in  one-fifth  the  time  required  by  search- 
ers generally.  With  each  abstract  a  plat  is 
furnished  showing  the  exact  lines  and  location 
of  the  land,  making  it  plain  and  easily  under- 
stood. This  bureau  has  the  most  correct  and 
only  complete  map  of  Sonoma  County  in  exist- 
ence, being  compiled  from  all  the  private  and 
official  surveys  made  by  Government,  county 
and  private  surveys.  Bankers,  money  loaners 
and  land-holders  prefer  abstracts  made  by  the 
Durfee  system,  which  has  received  the  nnquali- 
tied  endorsement  of  all  who  have  examined  it. 
The  Sonoma  County  Abstract  Bureau  is  situ- 
ated on  Exchange  avenue,  in  the  building  lately 
occupied  by  the  Santa  Rosa  Bank,  which  is 
equipped  with  commodious  lire-proof  vanlt,  and 
furnished  with  all  the  conveniences  for  conduct- 
ing their  business.  The  company  is  incorpo- 
rated with  a  view  not  only  of  abstracting,  but  to 
do  conveyancing,  negotiating  loans  and  buying 
and  selling  real  estate.  Mr.  Ragsdale  was 
elected  to  the  General  Assembly  in  November, 
1S88,  running  far  ahead  of  his  ticket. 

f.\MES  P.  GANNON.— Among  the  well- 
known  and  representative  citizens  of  Analy 
Township  and  Sebastopol  is  the  subject  of 
this  sketch.  He  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  Kings 
County,  New  York,  April  27,  1837;  his  father, 
Michael  Gannon,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  who 
came  to  the  United  States  when  but  ten  years 
of  age.     His  mother,  Mary  (Tracy)  Gannon,  was 


born  in  the  same  country,  and  when  a  girl  came 
to  the  United  States.  Mr.  Gannon's  boyhood 
until  twelve  years  of  age  was  spent  in  Brooklyn, 
where  he  received  the  advantages  of  a  good 
schooling.  In  1816  his  father  removed  to 
Hancock  County,  Illinois,  and  located  on  a  farm, 
to  which  calling  Mr.  Gannon  was  reared  until 
the  age  of  eighteen  years.  In  1855  he  came 
overland  to  California,  arriving  in  September  of 
that  year.  Soon  after  his  arrival  he  engaged  in 
mining  in  Butte  County,  and  followed  that  call- 
ing until  1850  when  he  came  to  Sonoma  County 
and  the  next  year  engaged  to  work  for  Mr.  W. 
H.  Wilson,  in  his  hotel  (Wilson's  Exchange)  at 
Sebastopol.  He  continued  this  work  until  1860 
when  he  entered  into  partnership  with  his  em- 
ployer, and  successfully  conducted  the  hotel 
until  1862,  when  he  sold  his  interest  to  Mr. 
Wilson  and  started  for  the  Salmon  River  minc!^ 
in  Oregon.  Arriving  at  John  Day  River,  he 
stopped  until  the  fall  and  then  returned  via 
Portland,  Victoria,  and  San  Francisco  to  Sebas- 
topol. The  next  two  years  he  was  engaged  in 
farm  labor,  but  in  1864  the  Reese  River  mining 
excitement  attracted  his  attention,  and  he  left 
for  that  point.  There  he  spent  about  ten  months" 
time  and  82,000.  when,  concluding  he  had 
enough  of  that,  he  returned  home,  and  in  Jan- 
uary, 1865,  established  a  meat  market  in  Sebasto- 
pol. In  June  of  that  year  Mr.  Gannon  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Sarah  Ellen  Sebring,  daughter 
of  Thomas  and  Margaret  (Piper)  Sebring.  Mr. 
Sebring  came  with  his  family  to  Sonoma  County 
in  1853,  he  being  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and 
his  wife  of  New  York.  Mrs.  Gannon  was  born 
in  Illinois,  where  her  parents  resided  before 
coming  to  Sonoma  County.  In  1866  IMr.  Gan- 
non sold  out  his  market,  and  was  engaged  as  a 
salesman  by  Newburgh  tt  Zielcke  of  Sebastopol 
until  1868.  In  this  latter  year  he  purchased 
160  acres  of  land  in  the  Lagiuia  School  Dis- 
trict just  north  of  Sebastopol,  and  commenced' 
its  improvement  and  cultivation.  Since  that 
1  time  he  has  devoted  his  attention  principally  to 
j  agricultural  pursuits,  conducting  general  farm- 
ing operations,  raising  hay,  grain,  and    stock. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


311 


Mr.  Ganiioii  liai<  always  been  noted  as  a  public- 
spirited  and  progressive  citizeti,  one  who  lias 
gained  and  held  the  respect  of  the  coniinunity 
in  which  he  resides.  J'olitically  he  is  a  strong 
and  consistent  llepublican,  taking  a  deep  inter- 
est in  the  success  of  his  party.  In  1882  he  was 
elected  supervisor  of  his  district  and  served 
with  credit  until  the  expiration  of  his  term,  lie 
has  also  been  a  school  trustee  in  the  Laguna 
District  for  ten  years.  He  is  a  member  of 
Lafayette  Lodge  JVo.  1215,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Sebas- 
topol,  and  also  a  member  of  Sebasto[)ol  Lodge, 
No.  167,  1.  O.  G.  T.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gannon 
have  but  one  child,  James  Edwin,  born  January 
25,  186'J,  who  resides  with  his  parents. 

'^■'^^<-l^ 

mEAVIS  M.  ALEXANDER,  cashier  and 
'Mrjl  active  manager  of  the  Santa  Rosa  National 
■^^  Rank.  This  bank  though  not  old  in  years 
is  one  of  the  city's  most  substantial  and  pros- 
perous business  institutions.  This  is  the  only 
National  Bank  in  Santa  Rosa,  and  the  youngest 
bank  in  the  city.  It  opened  its  doors  for  busi- 
ness the  first  of  February,  1887,  with  a  paid  up 
capital  of  5^100,000  and  authorized  capital  of 
.s500,0U0.  The  first  otiicers  were  E.  W.  Davis, 
President;  J.  II.  Brush,  A'ice-President;  Lewis 
M.  Alexander,  Cashier.  The  present  otticers 
are  S.  R.  Cooper,  President;  A.  B.  Ware,  Vice- 
President,  and  L.  M.  Alexander,  Cashier.  The 
business  of  the  bank  grew  so  rapidly  that  it  was 
soon  found  necessary  to  increase  its  cajjital  stock 
to  1^150,000.  Being  a  national  bank  its  transac- 
tions are  purely  of  a  commercial  nature,  and  so 
marked  has  been  its  career  of  prosperity  that  it 
has  paid  four  per  cent,  semi-annual  divi- 
dends on  its  stock  since  January  1.  1888.  Its 
deposits  are  !t>25(l,00O,  and  its  loans  exceed 
that  sum.  This  bank  has  correspondents  in 
San  Francisco,  Chicago,  and  New  York,  and 
draws  direct  upon  all  the  principal  cities  of 
Europe.  Lewis  M.  Alexander  was  born  thirty 
years  ago  in  Mitcliell  County,  Iowa,  where  he 
was  educated  and  had  an  experience  of  eight 


years  in  a  banking  house  in  Usage  City.  Resign- 
ing his  position  there  he  came  to  California,  and 
engaged  in  general  merchandising  in  Ilealds- 
burg,  Sonoma  County,  nearly  three  years.  But 
not  fancying  that  line  of  business,  he  sold  out, 
and  upon  the  organization  of  the  bank,  accepted 
the  position  he  now  fills.  Mr.  Alexander  pos- 
sesses considerable  interest  in  real  estate,  and 
was  one  of  the  promoters  of  the  new  South  Side 
Street  Railway  Company  in  which  he  is  a  stock- 
holder and  a  director  of  the  company.  Mr. 
Alexander's  father,  Henry  Alexander,  moved 
from  Illinois,  his  native  State,  and  settled  in 
Mitchell  County,  Iowa,  in  1850,  where  he  re- 
sided until  1881,  then  came  to  California  and 
located  in  Healdsburg,  Sonoma  County,  where 
he  now  lives  a  retired  life.  Of  his  large  family 
of  seven  sons  and  three  daughters,  Lewis  M.  is 
the  fourth  in  age.  The  three  eldest  arc  settled 
in  Iowa  and  all  the  others  are  in  California. 
Lewis  M.  Alexander  married  the  eldest  daughter 
of  J.  II.  Brush,  who  died  of  consumption  a  few 
months  after  her  marriage. 


fR.  ELISIIA  ELY,  of  Healdsburg,  is  the 
oldest  resident  practicing  jdiysician  in 
Sonoma  County.  He  is  a  native  of  New 
York  City,  born  December  25, 1819,  his  parents 
being  Elisha,  Sr.,  and  Elouise  (Curtiss)  Ely.  On 
his  father's  side  he  is  of  English  origin,  the 
family  tracing  their  ancestry  back  to  the  Saxons 
of  the  sixth  century.  The  family  seat,  the  town 
of  Ely,  in  Cambridgeshire,  has  8,000  inhabi- 
tants.  Richard  Ely,  the  founder  of  the  family 
in  this  country,  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Lyme, 
Connecticut,  in  1060,  and  about  this  place  his 
descendants  still  center,  the  town  being  estab- 
lished by  representatives  of  the  family.  David 
Ely,  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  a  doctor  of  divinity  of  the  Presbyterian 
faith,  his  views  being  of  the  liberal  Calvinistic 
order.  He  was  an  officer  of  Yale  College.  Dur- 
ing the  Revolutionary  war  he  took  an  active 
part  on  the  patriot  side,  and    served  with  the 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTT. 


army  as  Chaplain.  Elisha  Ely,  Sr.,  father  of 
our  subject,  was  born  and  reared  in  Fairiield 
County,  Connecticut,  and  was  educated  at  Yale 
College,  of  which  institution  he  was  a  graduate, 
lie  undertook  the  study  of  theology,  but 
although  he  progressed  so  far  as  to  graduate 
from  a  religious  college,  he  did  not  cling  to  the 
pulpit,  but  going  to  New  York,  entered  upon  a 
life  of  trade,  and  became  a  successful  merchant 
of  the  American  metropolis.  Dr.  Elisha  Ely 
received  his  school  training  in  Fairfield  County, 
Connecticut,  and  in  New  York  City.  At  an 
early  age  he  entered  upon  a  business  career  as  a 
bank  clerk,  but  finding  such  a  life  distasteful, 
commenced  the  study  of  medicine  at  Roches- 
ter, New  Y''ork,  his  preceptor  being  Dr.  William 
"W.  Ely,  a  iirst  cousin.  He  attended  lectures  at 
the  medical  department  of  the  College  of 
Geneva,  New  York,  at  Buffalo  Medical  College, 
and  at  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons, 
New  York  City,  graduating  from  the  latter  in 
1847.  He  had  commenced  practice  in  the  line 
of  his  studies  while  at  Rochester,  and  after 
graduating  he  practiced  his  profession  there 
until  December,  1848,  when  he  turned  his  steps 
toward  the  golden  shores  of  the  Occident,  taking 
the  steamer  Crescent  City  as  far  as  Chagres. 
Delays  caused  him  to  spend  forty  days  on  the 
Isthmus.  At  Panama  the  Oregon  was  taken, 
and  this  vessel  took  him  through  the  Golden 
Gate  on  the  first  of  April,  1849.  He  at  once 
settled  himself  for  practice  in  San  Francisco, 
which  then  consisted  of  two  frame  buildings, 
one  brick  structure  just  finished,  and  less  than 
half  a  dozen  old  adobes,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
the  infant  city  not  fortunate  enough  to  possess 
such  substantial  houses  camping  about  in  tents. 
Until  November,  184U,  he  practiced  in  San 
J"'rancisco,  and  for  a  month  or  two  he  knew  of 
but  one  other  physician  actively  engaged  there. 
In  the  month  mentioned  he  set  out  for  Sonoma 
County  in  a  little  sail-boat,  but  owing  to  inauspi- 
cious weather  he  was  delayed  in  Sonoma  until  De- 
cember, and  he  then  vvent  back  to  San  Francisco. 
A  cataract,  which  had  formed  oti  his  right  eye, 
gave  him  much  trouble  and   interfered  with  his 


surgical  labors  to  such  an  extent  that  he  decided 
to  cast  about  for  land  to  fall  back  upon,  in  case 
his  worst  fears  slKuild  be  realized.  He  then 
came  to  Sonoma  County  and  jnirchased  a  tract 
of  land  about  one  mile  from  the  present  town 
of  Sonoma.  After  completing  his  purchase,  he 
went  back  to  San  Francisco,  going  down  the 
bay  in  a  small  skiff.  AVhile  on  the  water  the 
smell  of  smoke  became  distinctly  noticeable,  and 
on  arriving  at  the  wharf  he  found  that  San  F'ran- 
cisco  had  been  blotted  out  by  lire.  This  de- 
cided his  immediate  return  to  Sonoma  County, 
and  he  opened  an  office  at  the  town  of  Sonoma. 
In  the  fall  of  1851  he  removed  to  what  is  now 
known  as  Geyserville,  and  there  resided  until 
1873,  when,  in  order  to  secure  better  educa- 
tional facilities  for  his  children,  he  removed  his 
residence  to  Ilealdsburg.  This  city  has  since 
been  his  home.  Dr.  Ely  was  married  at  Buf- 
falo, New  Y'ork,  in  August,  1848,  to  Miss 
Asenath  Narcissa  Campbell,  a  native  of  Roches- 
ter, New  Y'ork,  reared  there,  but  whose  jwrents 
afterward  removed  to  Buffalo.  Her  father  had 
been  extensively  engaged  in  the  milling  busi- 
ness at  Rochester.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Ely  were  the 
parents  of  four  children  of  whom  two  sons  died 
in  childhood,  while  two  daughters  (twins)  grew 
to  womanhood.  Their  names  are:  Louisa  Maria, 
wife  of  Benjamin  Fowler  (residents  of  San 
Bernardino);  and  Mary  Campbell,  who  w-ere 
born  in  July,  1856,  Mary  C.  dying  in  Septem- 
ber, 1873.  Dr.  Ely  has  had  a  varied  experience 
in  Sonoma  County  since  those  days  back  in  the 
forties,  and  has  been  an  eye-witness  and  partici- 
pant in  most  of  the  stirring  scenes  in  the 
county's  history.  He  has  practiced  in  Sonoma 
County  when  there  was  no  other  physician  in 
its  borders,  and  his  professional  labors  have 
called  him  to  rides  of  many  miles,  over  untrav- 
eled  roads,  Indian  trails  and  bear  and  deer  paths, 
while  his  professional  duties  often  entailed 
visits  to  the  counties  of  Marin,  Napa,  Lake  and 
Mendocino,  as  well  as  the  county  of  his  home. 
On  one  of  his  trips  to  Sonoma,  while  a  resident 
of  Geyserville,  he  was  compelled  to  swim  nearly 
half  the  distance  of  tifty  miles,   by  the  Hooded 


in  STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


condition  of  the  country,  and  the  ronnd  trip  re- 
qnired  three  days  of  tiinc.  Like  most  of  the 
pioneers  lie  was  a  good  shot,  and  in  the  early 
days  would  as  soon  think  of  goiug  on  a  profes- 
sional trip  without  his  medicine  case  as  without 
arms.  The  Doctor  was  a  Whig  in  early  life, 
and  followed  the  fortunes  of  that  party  until  its 
disintegration,  since  which  time  he  has  been 
identified  with  the  Republican  party.  lie  is 
still  in  active  practice  of  his  profession. 

fAAFES  AUSTIN,  who  ranks  among  the 
leading  agriculturists  and  viticulturists  of 
Santa  liosa  Township,  has  a  large  ranch  in 
Ilincon  Valley  and  the  adjoining  foot-hills,  four 
miles  east  of  Santa  Rosa;  it  is  counted  among 
the  finest  properties  in  that  part  of  the  county. 
Mr.  Austin  came  to  the  county  in  1871,  and 
laid  the  foundation  of  his  present  prosperity  by 
buying  of  (ieneral  John  H.  Frisbee  a  one-fourth 
interest  in  1,178  acres  of  land  where  he  now 
lives.  Later  he  ac.piired  a  titl«  to  the  whole. 
To  the  original  estate  Mr.  Austin  has  added 
(|uite  largely,  and,  subdividing,  has  sold  from  it 
eight  small  farms,  which,  having  been  converted 
into  orchards  and  vineyards,  have  added  materi- 
ally to  the  interests  of  the  iieighborliood.  The 
ranch  is  bounded  on  the  south  and  east  by  the 
Santa  Rosa  and  Alamos  creeks,  and  now  consists 
of  1,077  acres;  125  acres  are  in  vineyards,  the 
remainder  of  the  jjroperty  being  devoted  to 
grazing,  general  farming  and  stock-raising.  In 
the  beautiful  and  picturesque  Rincon  Valley  no 
more  delightful  Imme  can  be  found  than  the 
Austin  family  home.  Witli  the  parents  live 
their  four  sons,  the  eldest  now  thirty-four  years 
of  age  and  the  youngest  fourteen  years.  Having 
said  this  much  of  Mr.  Austin's  interests  in  So- 
noma County,  we  give  in  the  following  facts  a 
brief  review  of  his  former  life.  He  was  born 
in  the  Province  of  Quebec,  Canada,  December 
2,  1824.  After  attending  the  common  schools, 
lie  was  sent,  at  the  nge  of  nineteen,  to  the  Derby 
Center  Academy,  in  the  State  of  Vermont.    His 


studious  habits  and  manly  conduct  won  the  es- 
teem and  approbation  of  his  teachers  and  fellow- 
students,  and  at  the  expiration  of  the  second 
term  he  accepted  an  o]iportunity  to  teach.  After 
teaching  one  term,  he  was  enabled  to  enter  the 
Sheffield  Academy  in  Canada.  Here  he  studied 
diligently  for  two  terms,  and  then  entered  the 
St.  Hyacinth  College.  The  following  winter  he 
taught  again,  but  resumed  his  studies  in  the 
college  at  the  end  of  one  term.  His  next  step 
was  to  teach  the  English  branches  at  Reloeil 
College,  where  he  studied  the  Franch  language. 
In  1848  he  returned  to  his  father's  home,  and 
on  TSIay  22,  1849,  inarried  Anna,  daughter  of 
Osgood  Peasley.  This  lady  was  born  in  the  Pro- 
vince of  Quebec  January  0,  1828.  Mr.  Austin 
was  elected  mayor  of  the  township  of  Bolton  in 
1858,  which  office  he  held  until  his  removal  to 
the  United  States  in  IStiS.  During  the  latter 
terms  of  his  office  he  was  appointed  warden  of 
the  board  of  mayors.  It  will  be  well  here  to 
explain  that  the  office  of  township  mayors  in 
Canada  is  similar  to  the  board  of  supervisors 
in  our  counties,  and  the  warden  is  the  chairman 
or  president  of  the  l)oard.  The  office  of  mayor 
clothed  him  with  the  dignity  and  power  of  a 
magistrate;  but  as  he  was  regularly  appointed 
to  the  office  by  the  Crown,  he  became,  therefore, 
one  of  the  "Crown's  Magistrates."  For  ten 
years  he  was  one  of  the  board  of  directors  of 
the  Stanstead,  ShefFord  &  Chambly  Railroad, 
holding  the  position  as  an  ex-officio  officer.  He 
was  twice  nominated  by  the  Liberal  party, which 
was  largely  in  the  minority,  for  the  provincial 
parliament  of  Canada,  and  at  the  first  election 
received  an  almost  unanimous  vote  in  his  own 
township.  The  entire  number  of  votes  in  his 
own  township  was  a  little  less  than  800.  and  all 
but  thirty  were  cast  in  favor  of  Mr.  Austin,  and 
he  was  beaten  in  the  county  by  only  eighty 
votes.  He  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in 
18t)8  and  settled  in  American  Canon,  (ireen 
Vallej'  Township,  Solano  County,  this  State. 
He  remained  three  years  when  he  removed  to 
Santa  Rosa  and  has  since  occupied  his  jirosent 
home.      The  names  of  the  children    ol'    Mr.  ami 


314 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Mrs.  Austin,  in  order  of  their  birth  are:  Ly- 
man r.,  born  October  22,  1850,  died  July  10, 
187(3;  Howard  J.,  born  September  3, 1852, died 
April  13,  1884;  Herbert  W.,  born  August  21, 
1854;  Osgood  E.,  born  March  25,  185(),  died 
January  14,  1861;  Florence  Anna,  born  June 
7,  1860,  died  January  24,  1861;  Malcom  O., 
born  July  25,  1863;  Sewell  S.,  born  May  21, 
1865,  and  Ashlon  E.,  born  June  29,  1874. 


fHOMAS  G.  WILTON.— The  subject  of 
this  sketch  is  the  most  prominent  mer- 
cliant  in  Sebastopol,  and  has  the  most 
complete  general  merchandise  store  in  that  sec- 
tion of  the  county.  His  stock  comprises  a  com- 
plete assortment  of  dry  goods,  groceries,  hard- 
ware, crockery,  clothing,  boots  and  shoes,  patent 
medicines,  etc.  It  is  complete  in  all  its  ap- 
pointments, and  is  a  credit  to  the  town  and  its 
proprietor. 

Mr.  Wilton  dates  his  birth  in  Plattsburg, 
New  York,  April  23,  1832.  His  lather,  M. 
James  Wilton,  was  a  native  of  Kent  County, 
Eno-land,  who  came  to  the  United  States  when 
a  youth.  His  mother,  Hulda  (Chamberlain) 
Wilton,  was  born  in  Vermont.  Mr.  Wilton 
was  reared  in  Plattsburg,  where  he  received  a 
good  education  and  in  his  young  manhood  Mas 
brought  up  to  mercant.le  pursuits.  He  was  for 
a  lono-  time  a  clerk  in  the  mercantile  house  of 
Harvey  Hewett,  of  Plattsburg.  In  March, 
1854,  he  started  for  California,  coming  via  the 
isthmus  route.  lie  landed  in  San  Francisco  in 
April,  and  immediately  left  for  the  mines  of 
Placerville,  where  he  engaged  in  mining  until 
l>iti6.  In  that  year  he  came  to  Sonoma  County 
and  located  at  Freestone,  where  he  was  engaged 
as  a  clerk  until  1867.  lie  then  came  to  Sebas- 
topol and  was  employed  in  the  hotel  until  1870. 
At  that  time  he  established  a  wholesale  and  re- 
tail liquor  store,  which  he  conducted  six  years, 
when  he  entered  into  partnersliij)  with  G.  W. 
Andrews,  and  established  the  store  he  now 
owns.     This  partnership  e.xisted  until  the  death 


of  Mr.  Andrews,  which  occurred  June  23,  1888. 
Since  that  time  Mr.  Wilton  has  been  the  sole 
proprietor.  In  1881  a  disastrous  fire  occurred 
in  Sebastopol  and  completely  de8tro3'ed  Mr. 
Wilton's  store  and  contents,  but  nothing  daunted, 
he  and  his  partner  started  again,  and  their  en- 
terprise was  appreciated,  as  their  strong  support 
and  custom  from  the  community  attests.  Mr. 
Wilton  is  the  owner  of  considerable  real  estate 
in  Sel>astopol.  among  which  is  the  store  he  oc- 
cupies and  two  houses  and  lots.  Politically  he 
is  a  strong  and  consistent  itepublican,  and 
though  never  seeking  office,  his  intluence  is  felt 
in  the  ranks  of  the  party,  and  always  for  what 
he  considers  to  be  for  the  best  interests  of  the 
majority.  Mr.  Wilton  is  a  memlier  of  the  fol- 
lowing Masonic  orders:  Lafayette  Lodge,  No. 
126,  F.  (.%  A.  M.,  of  Sebastopol  (six  years  a 
Past  Master);  Chapter,  No.  45,  Eoyal  Arch 
Masons  of  Santa  Rosa;  Santa  Rosa  Command- 
ery,  No.  14,  Knights  Templar  (of  which  he  is 
Commander);  Islam  Temple,  Ancient  Arabic 
Order  of  Nobies  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  Oasis  of 
San  Francisco.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
following  lodges  :  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows;  Evergreen  Lodge,  No.  161,  Sebasto- 
pol; Rebecca  Degree  Lodge,  No.  44,  Sebastopol; 
Relief  Encainjiment.  No.  29,  Petaluma. 

(s  '  *     *    a' 

ILLIAM  R.  AVELLS,  A.  M.,  M.  D., 
was  born  September  20,  1813,  in  North 
Stouington,  Connecticut.  His  father, 
Thomas  T.  Wells,  also  a  native  of  that  State, 
was  an  old  practicing  physician  of  North  Ston- 
ington,  and  was  an  intimate  friend  and  fellow- 
student  of  George  McClellan,  founder  of  the 
Jefferson  Medical  College  of  Philadelphia,  and 
father  of  the  late  George  B.  McClellan.  Thomas 
T.  Wells  moved  Irom  North  Stonington  to  New 
I'edford,  Massachusetts,  in  1827  or  1828,  from 
there  to  Fall'  River,  thence  to  Troy,  New  York, 
and  finally  back  to  North  Stonington,  where  he 
died  in  1S42.  He  married  Desire  Wheeler 
Randall,  daughter   of  Judge   William    Randall 


BTSTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


315 


ofStonington,  Connecticut.  She  died  about  1878 
at  tlie  age  of  eiglity  years.  They  Iiad  two  sons, 
Amos  (t.  Wells,  a  former  resident  of  New  York, 
and  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  William  R. 
Wells  was  prepared  for  college  at  the  age  of 
twelve,  under  an  able  tutor,  although  he  did  not 
take  a  collegiate  course.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine,  his  father 
being  his  preceptor,  with  whom  he  remained 
until  the  fall  of  1830.  He  then  went  to  Boston 
and  entered  the  medical  department  of  Harvard 
University,  and  graduated  at  this  institution 
February  12,  1834,  when  he  was  nearly  twenty- 
one  years  old.  There  was  a  large  number  of 
medical  students  in  his  class,  among  them  being 
Oliver  Wendell  Holmes.  This  was  at  the  time 
cholera  prevailed  so  furiously  in  Boston,  which 
gave  the  college  plenty  of  subjects  for  dissection. 
After  graduating  Dr.  Wells  went  to  Newport, 
Rhode  Island,  and  practiced  medicine  there  one 
year.  During  his  residence  there  he  had  the 
degree  of  master  of  arts  conferred  upon  him  by 
the  Columbian  College  of  the  District  of  Colum- 
bia, He  then  moved  to  New  Bedford  and  took 
up  the  practice  his  father  left,  his  father  having 
moved  to  Fall  River.  In  1841,  his  health  fail- 
ing liim,  he  took  a  trip  around  Cape  Horn  to 
Tahite,  one  of  the  Society  Islands,  and  took 
charge  of  the  United  States  Hospital,  situated 
there.  He  returned  to  New  Bedford  in  1843, 
and  found  that  during  his  absence  from  home 
his  father  and  one  of  his  own  children  had 
died.  He  practiced  in  Middleboro,  Massachu- 
setts, until  184!t,  when  he  came  to  California. 
This  was  his  third  triji  around  Cape  Horn,  and 
this  time  he  brought  with  him  his  wife  and 
family.  lie  landed  at  San  Francisco  April  28, 
1850,  after  a  long  journey  of  five  months.  Re- 
maining in  San  Francisco  only  a  short  time, 
he  went  to  San  llafael  and  located  in  that  town- 
shij),  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  known 
as  part  of  the  Murphy  grant,  which  was  sup- 
|)osed  to  be  three  miles  long  and  one  mile 
wide.  During  his  residence  in  San  Rafael  he 
was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  and  county  cor- 
oner,     in  185t)  he  siild  his  pr.)|pfrty  tn  .\i    I>:ir- 


ney  and  came  to  Petaluma,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  Dr.  Wells  is  the  oldest  resident  physi- 
cian in  the  city,  and  has  l)een  in  the  active  prac- 
tice of  medicine  during  the  most  of  the  time. 
He  is  even  now,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five,  hale 
and  hearty  and  seemingly  in  the  full  vigor  of 
manhood.  In  1870  he  made  a  trip  East  and 
was  gone  two  months,  and  in  May  of  the  next 
year  he  made  another  visit  to  the  Eastern  coast 
with  his  family,  returning  in  November.  His 
marriage  occurred  on  the  20th  day  of  Septem- 
ber, 1838.  His  wife  was  formerly  Ruzilia 
Coombs,  a  native  of  New  Bedford,  Massachu- 
setts. They  have  three  daughters  living,  and 
have  lost  two  sons  and  three  daughters. 

^fOHN  A.  BARHAM,  attorney  at  law,  has 
"Ml  passed  all  the  years  of  his  adult  life  in  the 
^^  Golden  State,  his  parents  having  come 
from  Missouri  to  California  in  his  boj'hood,  and 
settled  on  what  was  known  as  the  Sutter  tract 
on  Bear  River  in  1849.  His  father,  John  Bar- 
ham,  was  a  farmer  and  stock-grower,  and  was 
quite  successful;  but  being  a  man  of  generous 
and  sympathetic  nature  he  yielded  to  the  im- 
portunities of  neighbors  and  professed  friends  to 
assist  them  by  becoming  surety  on  paper,  and 
thus  suffered  heavy  losses,  and  died — while  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  pursuing  his  law 
studies — a  poor  man.  So  that  the  son  was  not 
only  obliged  to  support  himself,  but  to  provide 
for  his  widowed  mother,  which  he  did  largely 
by  teaching  school  for  a  period  of  several  years. 
He  studied  for  his  profession  witii  the  law  tirm 
of  Temple  &  Thomas,  in  Santa  Rosa,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  l)ar  of  the  Supreme  (!ourt  of 
California  in  1868,  The  same  year  Mr.  Barham 
opened  a  law  office  in  Santa  Cruz,  where  he 
soon  acquired  a  fine  law  practice,  whicii  con- 
tinued until  he  left  there  in  187t)  to  settle  in 
San  Francisco,  where  greater  opportunities  were 
offered  to  a  rising  young  lawyer.  His  anticipa- 
tions were  almost  at  once  rcali/.i'il  in  a  large 
l('i;al    liusincss,  wliicli    steadily  grew  during  the 


HI  STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


eiglit  years  of  his  professional  life  in  the  me- 
tropolis. Hut  the  cool  hninid  winds  from  ^the 
ocean  proved  too  trjino;  upon  liis  throat  and 
Inn^s,  and  he  was  compelled  to  seek  a  milder 
climate.  After  visiting  various  parts  of  the 
State,  including  J.os  Angeles,  he  chose  Santa 
Kosa  as  preferable  to  any  other  locality,  and 
came  liere  in  1884,  much  broken  in  health  and 
witii  tiie  expectation  of  permanently  retiring 
from  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  bought 
a  tract  of  fine  land  immediately  south  of  the 
city,  on  which  he  erected  a  nice  residence,  be- 
gan to  plant  out  choice  varieties  of  fruit  trees 
and  vines,  and  otiierwise  improve  and  beautify 
it.  The  same  year  he  settled  here  he  was 
strongly  urgetl  to  accept  the  nomination  for 
Superior  Judge  on  the  Republican  ticket  to 
which  lie  reluctantly  consented,  ami  tluiugh 
running  against  a  very  able  and  po])ular  man  - 
.Judge  Jackson  Temple,  imw  on  the  Supreme 
Bench — and  opposing  a  Democratic  majorit3' of 
more  than  500  in  the  county,  Mr.  IJarham  came 
within  seventy  \otes  of  being  elected.  After 
spending  a  year  and  a  iialf  on  his  fruit  farm, 
during  wliich  time  he  thoroughly  recovered  his 
health,  Mr.  Barham  was  induced  to  sell  it  by 
tlie  offer  of  an  extraordinary  price,  moved  into 
Santa  Rosa  and  resumed  tiie  practice  of  law, 
whicli  he  still  continues.  His  practice  has  run 
cliieHy  in  the  line  of  mercantile  and  corporation 
law.  Judge  liarliani,  as  he  is  familiai-ly  called, 
is  local  counsel  for  the  Southern  I'acilic  Rail- 
road Company,  is  attorney  foi-  the  Santa  Rosa 
Street  Car  Company,  the  Santa  Rosa  liank,  the 
Bank  of  Healdsl)urg,  and  the  Bank  of  Clover- 
dale.  Mr.  Barham  married  in  Sonoma  County 
Miss  Cook.     They  have  five  children. 


TM'^^i^'ABAS  HASKELL,  deceased,  was  a 
'  \  native  of  East  Hartford,  Connecticut.  His 
"^n^  father  was  a  seaman  engaged  in  the  mer- 
chant trade,  from  Hartford  down  the  coast  as  far 
as  New  Orleans.  The  wife  of  f)ur  subject  was 
Abigail  Goodwin,  also  a  native  of  East  Hartford, 


and  her  father,  Joseph  Goodwin,  was  one  of  tlie 
old  Ruritan  settlers  in  East  Hartford,  prior  to 
the  Revolutionary  war.  After  his  marriage, 
Barnabas  Haskell  moved  to  (Jalveston,  Texas, 
where  he  lived  for  several  years  and  afterward 
moved  to  New  York.  He  was  a  hatter  and 
furrier  by  trade,  and  there  engaged  with  Tiffany, 
the  leading  hatter  at  that  time  in  that  city.  In 
1847  he  moved  to  I'.oston  where  he  lived  about 
five  years,  and  from  there  came  to  (!alifornia,  via 
Texas,  across  the  plains.  Two  years  later  his 
wife  followed,  and  after  teaching  in  Benicia  she 
removed  to  Petal uma,  where  she  was  engagetl 
for  ten  years  as  principal  of  the  public  schools 
of  this  city.  Site  always  took  an  active  interest 
in  everything  pertaining  to  the  education  of 
the  young,  and  was  prominently  identified  with 
the  "  AVoman"s  Suffrage"  movement  in  (Califor- 
nia. Her  death  occurreil  in  1884.  Mr.  Has- 
kell, in  185(1,  opened  a  dry  goods  and  clothing 
house  in  Petalnma,  which  he  ct)nducted  until 
1878,  during  which  time  he  was  engaged  in 
active  business.  He  then  continued  his  resi- 
dence in  Petalnma  until  his  death  which  occurred 
in  January,  1887. 


fOHX  CONNER,  liveryman  of  llealdsburg, 
is  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  in  INHami 
County,  Decendter  8,  184(5,  his  parents 
being  AVilliaTu  and  Amelia  ((Uieney)  (!onner, 
the  former  of  \'ii-ginia  ancestry  and  a  native  of 
Bartholomew  County,  Indiana,  and  the  latter  a 
native  of  Kentucky.  William  Conner  went  to 
northern  Indiana  in  1827  and  cut  the  first  road 
between  Peru  and  JjOgansport.  Tiie  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his  native 
county  and  there  received  his  schooling.  At  an 
early  age  he  engaged  in  the  stock  business  with 
a  brother,  and  in  1868  went  to  Labette  County, 
Kansas,  where  he  engaged  in  merchandising. 
After  five  years  in  jnercantile  life  there  he  em- 
barked in  the  livery  business.  In  1874  he  came 
to  California,  locating  in  Napa  County,  there 
becoming  connected   with  the  stage  company. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


He  engaged  in  the  livery  business  in  Calistoga 
and  so  continued  until  1881,  when  he  came  to 
Healdsburif.  Mr.  (^>nnor  has  been  twice  mar- 
ried, lie  was  first  married,  in  Kansas,  to  Miss 
Jerusha  I'allwine,  a  native  (jf  Licking  Oounty, 
Ohio.  l>y  this  marriage  there  were  four  children, 
viz:  Walter  E.,  Daniel  R.,  Alice  (1.,  and  Jessie 
E.  Mrs.  (Jonnerdied  at  Ilealdsburg  in  1883.  Mr. 
Conner's  present  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Nelly 
Emerson,  a  native  of  Ilealdsburg.  Mr.  Conner 
is  a  member  of  the  Ilealdsburg  Lodge,  Knights 
of  Pythias,  in  which  he  lias  filled  all  the  chairs, 
and  in  1885  was  District  Deputy.  Politically, 
lie  is  a  Itepublican.  He  has  established  a  fine 
business  and  his  yotoj'ome  stables  are  well 
known  for  the  excellence  of  their  turn-outs, 
every  kind  of  a  vehicle  from  a  trotting  sulkey 
to  a  band  wagon,  being  kept  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  trade.  From  twelve  to  fifteen 
horses  are  constantly  employed.  The  Sotoyome 
stables  are  complete  in  every  a])p(iintment. 


fLEASANT  WELLS,  proprietor  of  the 
"  Vineland  Ranch,"  at  the  head  of  Rincon 
Valley,  has  been  a  resident  of  Sonoma 
County  since  1867,  and  it  is  no  disparagement 
to  others  to  say  that  no  man  in  the  county  has 
done  more  to  illustrate  its  possibilities  in  grow- 
ing a  wine  grape  not  excelled,  if  equalled,  by 
the  product  of  any  county  in  this  favored  land. 
His  life  in  Sonoma  County  is  the  history  of 
Vineland  Ranch.  From  small  beginnings 
great  results  have  been  accomplished.  The 
ranch,  in  view  of  the  quality  of  its  product,  is 
considered  the  finest  in  Sonoma  Count}',  though 
not  the  largest;  it  has  158  acres  in  bearing,  and 
fifty  acres  will  be  added  in  the  near  future.  A 
visitor  to  the  ranch,  after  passing  northward  on 
a  roatl  skirting  Rincon  Heights,  through  the 
lieautiful  Rincon  Valley,  will  find  his  road  turn- 
ing abruptly  to  the  left,  when  ascending  the 
hills  nearly  to  their  crown  a  scene  is  revealed 
of  greit  beauty,  which,  if  unprepared,  surprises 
him.      At    the   thresliuld    of  the   estate   he   will 


find  the  modest  cottage  home  of  Mr.  Wells  and 
his  famil}',  well  shaded  and  surrounded  by 
grounds  of  great  natural  beauty.  To  the  west- 
ward aiul  south  the  vineyard  stretches,  now 
climbing  elevations  and  again  sinking  from 
view  only  to  appear  again.  In  its  spi-ead  over 
hill  and  vale  it  presents  to  the  lover  of  the 
beautiful  in  nature,  adorned  by  the  ai't  of  man, 
a  most  pleasing  picture,  and  one  not  easy  to 
forget.  From  many  a  point  landscape  views 
.  equal  to  many  that  have  been  immortalized  on 
canvas  could  be  obtained.  Having  said  this 
much  of  Mr.  Wells'  present  interests,  it  is  well 
that  a  review  of  his  past  life  should  I)e  given. 
Wegi\ebriefly  the  following  facts:  He  was  born 
in  Grayson  County,  Kentucky,  son  of  Samuel  I). 
and  Matilda  (Brunkj  Wells,  February  14,  1834. 
In  1846,  he  then  being  twelve  years  of  age,  the 
family  removed  to  Davis  County,  Iowa,  a 
county  then  passing  through  the  first  stages  of 
its  pioneer  history;  there  a  life  of  industry, 
spent  in  farm  labor,  was  his  until  the  spring  of 
1853,.  when,  leaving  the  old  home  where  his 
parents  still  live,  Mr.  AVells,  filled  with  the 
spirit  of  adventure  and  a  courage  not  common 
to  a  youth  of  nineteen  years,  joined  a  party  of 
emigrants  and  made  the  overland  trip  to  this 
State,  reaching  Placerville  August  1  of  that 
year.  Of  his  life  the  next  fourteen  years  we 
have  not  the  space  to  speak  in  detail.  Suffice 
it  to  say  it  was  spent  in  hard,  laborious  toil,  in 
the  mining  districts,  principally  in  Nevada 
County.  The  fleeting  goddess  of  wealth,  though 
often  thought  to  be  in  sight,  proved  on  close 
contact  to  be  only  a  phantom;  finally  the  pur- 
suit was  abandoned,  and  Mr.  Wells,  as  stated, 
came  to  this  county  in  1867.  not  only  poor  in 
all  but  that  which  always  makes  a  man  rich, — 
spirit,  energy  and  a  determination  to  succeed, — 
but  $500  in  debt.  Soon  afterward  he  began  the 
development  of  his  present  magnificent  prop- 
erty. At  first  he  was  oldiged  to  earn  his  bread 
at  other  employment.  Some  years  passed  be- 
t'oi-e  he  could  establish  auil  maintain  his  home 
\i|i'iii  the  property.  The  buihling  up  of  the 
\iucv,inl    \\:is   a   slow,    steady    i^i'owlli ;    the   idcl- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTT. 


est  portions  are  twenty  years  of  age,  the  young- 
est live  years,  but  never  looking  backward  the 
result  has  been  satisfactory  and  remunerative. 
The  peculiarly  good  quality  of  one  product  of 
his  vineyard  owing  to  its  elevation  and  soil  con- 
stituents, has  enabled  Mr.  Wells  to  command  a 
price  fully  fifty  per  cent  in  advance  of  the 
average.  April  14,  1867,  Mr.  Wells  was  uniteil 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Maria  Ann  Bish,  a  na- 
tive of  Ohio,  but  reared  in  Davis  County,  Iowa. 
Their  five  cbililren,  Olive,  May,  Edward,  How- 
ard and  Ida,  are  all  as  yet  under  the  parental 
roof,  e.xcept  May,  who  is  the  wife  of  Cliarles 
Norris,  and  resides  in  Rincon  Valley.  In  ])olit- 
ical  action,  Mr.  Wells,  since  the  first  election  of 
Abraham  Lincoln,  has  been  a  liepublican,  and 
firm  in  upholding  the  principles  of  that  party. 
Believing  that  knowledge  is  power,  and  that 
education  is  the  one  thing  that  no  adversity  can 
rob  his  cliildren  of,  he  has  been  much  interested 
in  promoting  efficiency  in  our  public  schools, 
and  many  years  served  "Wallace"  scliool 
district  as  trustee. 

^.  : j^fe^U 


fB.  BERRY. — Among  those  grand  old 
pioneers  who  braved  the  dangers  of  the 
®  long  and  tedious  journey  across  the 
plains,  who  endured  the  hardships  of  a  frontier 
life  in  (California,  ami  who  still  live  to  enjoy  the 
fruits  of  a  well  spent  life,  no  one  is  more  deserv- 
ing of  a  place  in  this  history  tiian  lie  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch.  A  brief  outline  of  Mr. 
Berry's  life  is  as  follows:  He  was  born  in  Frank- 
lin County,  Tennessee,  October  25,  \H(M.  his 
parents  lieing  Samuel  and  .\nnie  Berry,  l)oth 
natives  of  Washington  County,  ^'irgini;l.  lie 
was  reared  to  farm  life,  receiving  such  an  ed- 
ucatioii  as  the  schools  of  that  date  .-ittbrdt'il. 
When  eighteen  years  of  age  his  parents  moved 
to  Sangamon  County,  Illinois.  He  remained  a 
member  of  his  father's  family  until  tlie  age 
of  twenty-one  years,  and  then  commenced  work 
as  a  carpenter  and  joiner  under  W.  G.  Jeter, 
and  continueil  that  occupation   until   1831.      In 


this  year  the  Indians  became  troublesome  and 
warlike  in  the  north  western  portion  of  Illinois, 
and  in  response  to  the  (Tovernor's  call  for  volun- 
teers, he  entered  the  military  service  of  the 
State.  He  served  until  the  end  of  the  campaign 
under  (xeneral  Joseph  Duncan,  after  which  he 
returned  home  and  resumed  his  calling  as  a 
carpenter.  In  1882  he  again  entered  the  State 
military  service  and  served  in  the  Black  Hawk 
war.  In  this  war  he  was  Sergeant- Major  of 
Colonel  Collins'  regiment,  under  the  command 
of  Brigadier-General  James  i).  Henry.  At  tlie 
close  of  the  war  he  returned  home,  and  on  the 
2d  day  of  October,  1832,  married  Miss  Eliza- 
beth P.  Camron,  daughter  of  John  M.  and  Mary 
(Orendorff)  Camron.  Her  father  was  a  native 
of  Georgia,  who  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  where 
he  married  and  in  1821  moved  to  Sangamon 
County,  Illinois.  After  his  marriage  Mr.  Beri-y 
settled  on  a  farm  afiout  two  miles  northwest  of 
Petersburg,  now  the  county  seat  of  JMenard 
County,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  until  183-1. 
In  that  year  he  moved  to  I'ulton  County,  Illi- 
nois, and  located  on  a  farm  near  what  is  now  the 
town  of  Barnadotte.  In  1836  he  was  elected  a 
justice  of  the  peace  and  served  in  tliat  capacity 
at  f>arnadotte  for  the  next  eight  years.  In  the 
fall  of  18-15  he  moved  to  Iowa  and  settle<l  at 
Oskaloosa,  Mahaska  County,  where  he  estab- 
lished a  general  merchandise  store.  He  con- 
tinued this  occupation  until  1848,  when  he  sold 
out  and  entered  a  tract  of  land  upon  which  he 
took  uj)  his  residence  and  followed  the  occupa- 
tion of  a  farmer  imtil  1850.  He  tlien  rented 
his  farm  and  returned  to  Oskaloosa  where  he 
resided  until  1852.  April  27  of  that  year  he 
started  overland  for  California.  C^rossing  tlie 
plains  with  o\  teams  he  arrived  in  Sacramento 
September  9  of  the  same  year,  and  ten  days 
later  he  located  in  Sonoma  County,  where  he 
leased  a  small  farm  from  Jasper  <  J"  Parrel  I,  situ- 
ated in  Analy  Townshiji  about  five  miles  west 
of  Sebastopol.  This  farm  he  afterward  pur- 
chased. There  he  built  a  store  and  engaged  in 
a  general  merchandise  business.  This  enter- 
prise he  conducted  until  1856,  when  he  sold  out. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


310 


In  1856  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Supervisors  of  Sonoma  County.  In  1859 
he  sold  his  farm  and  moved  to  Marion  County, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming  and  dairy  busi- 
ness In  1859  he  was  elected  justice  of  the 
peace  and  served  as  such  for  two  years.  In 
1801  he  sold  out  his  interests  in  Marin  County 
ant!  returned  to  Sonoma  County.  Upon  his  re- 
turn he  purchased  a  farm  near  Sebastopol  and 
engaged  in  farm  operations.  The  next  year, 
1862,  he  was  elected  j  ustice  of  the  peace  for 
Sebastopol,  an  office  he  held  for  two  years.  In 
1866-'  7  Mr.  lierry  assessed  the  western  portion 
of  Sonoma  (^ount}'.  In  1869  he  purchased 
property  in  Sebastopol,  erected  stables  and  en- 
gaged in  the  livery  business,  and  in  1870  sold  a 
half  interest  to  his  son,  John  II.  In  1872 
ills  son,  Samuel  B.  Berry,  bought  out  his 
brother's  interest  and  entered  into  the  partner- 
ship, and  they  conducted  the  business  until 
1881,  when  a  disastrous  fire  occurred  which  dis- 
troyed  their  stable,  horses,  carriages,  two  dwell- 
ing houses,  office  books  and  papers,  etc.,  in  fact 
about  all  he  possessed,  with  no  insurance.  In 
1870  Mr.  Berry  was  again  elected  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  was  successively  re-elected  and  held 
that  office  for  the  next  eighteen  years,  until 
January,  1889.  Mr.  Berry  has  served  as  justice 
of  the  peace  in  theditferentcommunities  in  which 
he  has  lived  for  thirty  years,  or  more  than  one- 
third  of  his  life  of  over  four  score  years.  Twenty 
years  of  this  service  has  been  in  Sonoma  County. 
During  his  long  residence  in  this  county  he  has 
gained  and  held  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the 
community,  and  has  always  been  regarded  as  an 
honest,  upright  and  impartial  arbitrator  of  all 
matters  that  come  before  him  in  liis  dtlicial 
capacit}'.  He  has  ever  been  one  of  the  strong- 
est supporters  of  schools  and  chui'ches,  and  in 
fact  all  enterprises  that  tended  to  promote  the 
welfare,  morals  aiul  best  interests  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  resides.  He  is  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Presl)vterian  church,  and  a 
member  of  tlie  Sebastopol  Lodge  of  Good 
TfMiiplai's,  also  a  member  of  Evergreen  Lodge, 
Nu,  161.  I.  O.  ().  K.,  of  Sebastopol.      Mr.  Berry 


is  noM'  (1888)  over  eighty  years  of  age  and  still 
in  possession  of  all  his  mental  faculties,  with  a 
mind  stored  with  the  interesting  reminiscences 
of  a  long  and  useful  life.  He  has  retired  frtun 
the  active  pursuits  of  life  and  now  engages  his 
attention  and  time  in  the  care  and  cultivation 
of  a  small  fruit  orchard  and  vineyard  surround- 
ing his  cottage  home  in  Sebastopol.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Berry  are  the  parents  of  the  following 
named  children:  John  H.,  who  married  Miss 
Minerva  Lindsey,  and  is  now  residing  in  Jack- 
son County,  Oregon;  William  P.,  who  married 
Miss  Emma  Menifee,  living  in  Sebastopol; 
Lamira  married  W.  G.  Cannon  and  is  living  in 
Lake  County;  Samuel  B.  (whose  sketch  appears 
in  this  volume);  Letitia  M.,  who  married  Charles 
M.  Young,  living  in  Lake  County;  Charles  S. 
married  Elizabeth  Ilerrington,  now  residing  in 
San  Benito  County,  and  Eva,  who  married  .lacob 
S.  Scndder,  living  in  Sel)astopol. 


tS  A.  AC  DE  TURK,  proprietor  of  the  Santa  Kosa 
Winery,  is  one  of  the  oldest  resident  citizens 
of  the  place,  having  come  here  in  the  winter 
of  1858-"9,  from  Morgan  County,  Indiana.  He 
was  born  in  Berks  County,  Pennsylvania,  from 
which  place  his  parents  moved  and  settled  in 
Indiana  when  he  was  four  years  of  age.  Tiie 
first  business  in  which  Mr.  De  Turk  engaged  in 
Sonoma  County  was  the  cultivation  of  grapes 
and  wine  making,  in  1862,  in  which  year  he 
planted  a  vineyard  of  twenty  acres  in  lien  net 
Valley,  six  miles  east  of  Santa  Ivosa,  and  in  tui- 
Jowing  yeai-s  increased  it  to  fifty  ;u-res.  This 
vineyanl,  whicji  was  cdniposeil  <if  Mission  and 
Zinfandei  \  ines  in  about  eijuai  ipiantity,  yielded 
froni  800  to  850  tons  of  grapes  per  season.  In 
1885  Mr.  De  Turk  sold  this  vineyard  and  j.ur- 
chased  1.200  acres  of  land  in  Los  (iuilicos  \'alhn\ 
on  which  he  has  100  acres  of  bearing  vineyard 
of  choice  varieties,  and  purposes  to  enlarge  it  to 
double  that  acreage.  In  1867  he  built  a  wine 
cellar  in  Bennett  \' alley,  which  lie  subseipientU 
enlarged  to  100,000  gallons  eapai'iiy  Ijefore  sell- 


Ill  STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY, 


iiiiC  it  with  the  vineyard.  In  1878  he  erected 
the  tirst  buihlings  of  liis  Santa  Rosa  Winery, 
Mild  niaiinfactnreil  that  season  100,000  gallons 
of  wines.  The  prodnct  has  been  increased  from 
vear  to  year  until  he  now  makes  300,000  to 
400,000  gallons  of  wine  and  15,000  gallons  of 
grape  bi'andy  per  season,  consuming  8,()00  to 
4-,800  tons  of  grapes  annually.  With  the  in- 
crease of  business  the  wine  cellar  has  been 
enlarged  until  il  now  comprises  an  area  of 
52,500  square  feet  on  each  of  its  two  floors, 
and  has  .<i  storage  capacity  of  1,000,000  gallons, 
being  the  second  largest  in  the  State.  The 
buildings  are  of  brick  and  of  the  most  substan- 
tial (luality,  situated  in  the  west  end  of  the  city, 
on  the  Santa  Fe  iV-  Northern  Pacific  Railmad. 
Mr.  De  Turk  makes  a  specialty  of  manufactnr- 
ino-  clarets,  riesling,  sherry  and  port  wines,  and 
grape  brandy.  Resides  the  product  of  his  own 
vines,  he  has  bought  as  many  as  3.000  ton>  of 
grapes  a  year  for  this  jnirpoM'.  He  has 
^400,000  invested  in  tlie  business.  Mr.  De 
Turk  has  been  the  State  Viticultural  C'oiniiiis- 
sioner  for  tiie  Sonoma  District — embracing  So- 
noma and  all  tiie  counties  north  of  it — ever 
since  the  oftice  was  created.  He  has  been 
identified  from  their  inception  with  the  Sonoma 
County  Agricultural  Association,  the  Stock 
Breeders"  Association,  and  is  a  director  in  both. 
lie  is  also  a  member  of  the  Athenaeum 
Company.  Mr.  De  Turk  is  unmarried  and  is  a 
typical  California  bachelor.  His  father  died  a 
few  years  ago  in  Indiana,  at  the  ripe  age  of 
ninety-five  years.  The  only  relative  he  has  in 
this  State  is  William  S.  De  Turk,  of  Petalnmn, 
a  brother's  son. 

— r^€^nli)%-# — 


:ILL1.\M  r..  il.VSKKLL,  a  prominent 
and  active  member  of  the  Sonoma 
Conntj'  bar,  was  born  in  New  York 
(Mty,  October  10,  1842,  son  of  P.arnabas  Has- 
kell, a  sketch  of  whom  appears  in  this  work. 
He  was  live  years  of  age  when  his  parents 
moved   to    Roston.  and   upon  their   leaving  for 


California,  he  remained  in  Roston,  attendino- 
the  public  schools  of  that  city.  After  finishing 
the  course  of  study  in  the  Phillips  grammar 
school  he  went  to  Urbana,  Ohio,  and  entered 
the  ITrbana  University,  where  he  remained  two 
years  and  then  came  to  this  State,  via  Panama, 
arriving  in  Petaluma  September  1,  185S.  He 
then  attended  the  public  school  in  Petaluma  for 
three  years  when,  finding  it  necessary  to  start 
out  ill  the  world,  he  obtained  employment  at 
the  dairy  of  David  Knowles,  an  old  pioneer  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  county,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Riissian  River.  There  he  remained  two 
years  and  with  the  jiroceeds  of  his  labor  he 
entered  the  law  school  at  Benicia,  which  at  that 
time  was  known  as  the  Benicia  Law  School. 
Among  his  fellow  students  there,  were  Joseph 
McKenna,  nowC'ongressman  from  the  Third  Dis- 
trict of  California;  George  A.  Lamont,  for 
many  years  a  leading  attorney  of  Solano;  Hon. 
James  .V.  Stephens,  mayor  of  Virginia  City, 
and  district  attorney  of  Story  County,  Nevada. 
After  remaining  at  Benicia  three  years,  Mr. 
Haskell  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  in  1806,  l>y 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State.  He  then  com- 
menced the  practice  of  law  in  Petaluma,  which 
he  continued  one  year,  when,  at  the  expiration  of 
that  time  he  entered  his  father's  store  as  clerk 
and  bookkeeper,  remaining  there  until  1874, 
four  years  of  which  time  he  was  a  partner  in 
the  business.  Then  desirous  of  resuming  the 
practice  of  his  profession,  he  went  to  Winne- 
mucca,  Humboldt  County,  .Nevada,  where  he 
was  appointed  Deputy  United  States  InrernaJ 
Revenue  Collector  for  that  State.  He  opened 
an  ofhce  in  the  practice  of  law,  at  the  same  time 
attended  to  the  duties  of  his  official  position; 
and  invested  what  means  he  liad  in  a  stuck 
ranch,  in  Paradise  Valley,  with  K.  11.  Scott,  an 
old  ju'oneer  of  Humboldt  County,  Nevada,  with 
whom  he  was  in  business  about  si.\  years.  Being 
offered  the  cashiership  of  the  Savings  Rank  of 
Petaluma,  in  187G,  he  accepted  the  same  and 
returned  to  this  city  where  he  filled  that  position 
two  years,  when,  in  September,  1878,  he  opened 
a  law  othce  in   the  Odd  Fellows   buildintj,  then 


irrsTonr  of  tiONouA  county. 


just  cutnplcted,  where  lie  has  since  been  iu  the 
active  practice  of  his  profession.  Mr.  Haskell 
was  married  September  8,  18()7,  to  Katie  V. 
Kelley,  only  daughter  of  Alfred  and  Eunice 
Kelley  of  this  city.  They  had  three  children 
two  sons  who  died  in  infancy,  and  a  daughter^ 
Euna  (i.  Mrs.  ilaslvell  died  in  1880,  and 
tiiree  years  later,  in  July,  1883,  Mr.  Haskell 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Emma  A.  Denny, 
widow  of  Tiiumas  Denny  of  Siskiyou  County, 
and  sistei'  of  .\.  A.  Weber,  a  large  land  owner 
of  Selma,  I'resno  County,  California.  i>y  this 
iiiiioii  they  iiave  one  daughter,  liuth   E. 


fA:  .l..l.(T()I>l>l,proi)rietors  of  the  Sotoyome 
Winery,  liealdsburg,  are  among  the  eu- 
°  terprising  men  of  their  section  of  Sonoma 
(younty.  The  Sotoyome  AVinery  was  established 
by  F*.  i*c  IJ.  (xobbi  in  1881,  and  they  carried  on  the 
business  until  1884,  when  J.  J.  (Tobbi  bought 
the  interest  of  B.  Gobbi,  and  the  firm  became  as 
at  present  known.  The  main  building  of  the 
winery  is  60.\80  feet  in  ground  dimensions,  while 
tiie  still-house  adjoining  is  20x30  feet  in  floor 
area.  The  storage  capacity  is  about  70,000 
gallons  and  from  60,000  to  65,000  gallons  of 
wine  ai-e  made  annually,  some  10,000  gallons 
being  annually  kept  over.  They  raise  no  grapes 
tiiemselves,  but  buy  from  the  farmers  of  the 
surrounding  country.  The  wine  manufactured 
by  P.  it  d .  J.  Goljbi  has  a  fine  reputation,  and 
commands  a  ready  sale  in  San  Francisco  as  soon 
as  prepared  for  market.  They  also  manufact- 
ure grape  brandies,  and  the  product  of  their 
distillery  never  lias  to  wait-for  a  market. 

Julius  J.  (iobbi,  of  this  firm,  is  a  native  of 
Italy,  born  iu  the  province  of  J^ongo,  December 
16,  1858,  his  ])arents  Ijeing  Julius  J.,  Sr.,  and 
Mary  (Maclie)  Cobbi,  the  father  being  a  vine 
grower.  In  1860  the  family  came  to  America, 
landing  at  New  York,  and  from  there  came  to 
California,  via  Panama,  landing  at  San  Fran- 
cisco March  18,  1869.  .\fter  a  residence  of  a 
short  period  at   liealdsliurg,    they   removed   to 


Ukiah,  where  the  father  bought  property  and 
started  improvements,  but  died  the  following 
year.  The  family  established  a  vineyard  there, 
and  Julius  J.  Gobbi  learned  tlie  business  of  vine 
growing  and  also  the  rudiments  t)f  wine-making 
at  Ukiah.  In  1888  he  went  back  to  Italy,  go- 
ing via  >«'ew  York,  and  after  spending  four 
months  in  Europe,  returned  to  California  and 
located  in  liealdsburg.  He  entered  the  employ 
of  1'.  &  II  Gobbi,  and  in  January,  188-1,  bought 
the  entire  interest  of  13.  Gobbi.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  this  county  April  17,  1887,  to  Miss  Ella 
Yengling,  a  native  of  Petaluma.  They  have 
one  child — Henry.  Mr.  Gobbi  is  an  active,  en- 
ergetic man,  and  takes  a  lively  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  the  community. 

Peter  Gobbi,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of 
P.  &  J.  J.  Gobbi,  was  born  in  the  province  of 
Dongo,  in  Italy,  September  4,  1853,  his  parents 
being  Charles  and  Giovannina  (Mantuva)  Gobld. 
His  father  was  an  extensive  vine-grower  and 
wine  manufacturer.  Peter  Gobbi  was  reared  in 
his  native  country  to  the  age  of  sixteen  years, 
and  acquired  there  a  knowledge  of  the  indus- 
trial pursuits  followed  by  his  father.  Early  in 
1870  he  went  to  London,  and  there  entered  the 
employ  of  an  uncle,  who  was  engaged  in  t-iic 
furniture  business.  He  was  there  engaged  un- 
til the  summer  of  1873,  when  he  took  jjascage 
on  a  vessel  bound  for  America,  and  landed  in 
New  York  on  the  7th  of  July.  lie  soon  starteil 
west  and  in  a  short  time  was  in  San  Francisco. 
From  there  he  went  to  Ukiah,  and  after  a  visit 
of  eighteen  or  twenty  days,  went  to  Petaluma. 
where  he  was  employed  in  the  dairy  business. 
In  1877  he  engaged  in  the  same  industry  for 
himself  at  Bloomiield,  and  on  the  Ist  of  June, 
1882,  started  the  Sotoyome  Winery.  Mr.  Gob- 
bi was  married  November  16,  1879,  to  Miss 
Emma  Yengling,  who  was  born  in  Petaluma. 
They  have  two  children — Chai-les  and  Ella. 
Mr.  (-iobbi,  realizing  the  desirability  of  a 
thorough  schooling,  has  determined  to  give 
them  the  advantages  of  the  best  education  to 
be  had  on  this  coast.  .Vs  for  himself,  he  has 
given   his  best  endeavors  towanl   the  buildiny: 


323 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


up  of  ail  industry  wliich  lias  circulated  tliou- 
saudsand  thousands  of  dollars  in  tliis  community, 
and  wliich  is  a  credit  to  Ilealdsburc^.  Mr. 
Gobbi  is  a  member,  and  inside  watchman  of 
Friendship  Lodge,  Xo.  34,  K.  of  P..  and  is 
foreman  of  Ilealdsburg  Lodge,  No.  31,  A.  (). 
U.  W. ;-  also  a  member  of  the  local  lodge,  L  (). 
C).  F.  He  and  a  brother  (now  a  civil  engineer 
in  Eucnos  Ayres,  South  America),  are  owners 
of  the  old  home  ])hice  in  Italy,  a  valuable  prop- 
erty. 

. ,   ,vg-|,-*     ,|-gl>-   ,; •        1^ 

fAMLEL  B.  HEKKY.  Among  the  lead- 
ing business  men  of  Sebastopol.  none  rank 
higher  than  Samuel  V>.  IJerry,  the  proprie- 
to)'  of  the  only  livery  and  sale  stable  in  that 
place,  llis  establishment  is  tirst-class  in  every 
respect,  and  he  is  also  the  owner  and  conductor 
of  th'i  United  States  mail  stage  line  from  Santa 
Kosa  to  Sebastopol,  and  from  Sebastopol  to  Free- 
stone. The  equipments  on  these  lines  are  un- 
excelled by  any  in  the  county.  Two  trips  a  day 
are  made  over  these  routes,  and  he  also  carries 
Wells,  Fargo  ct  Co.'s  express.  A  sketch  of  Mr. 
Berry's  life  is  of  interest  and  is  as  follows:  He 
was  born  in  Sangamon  County,  Hlinois,  Febru- 
ary 14,  1842.  His  father,  I!.  !'..  Berry,  asketch 
of  wliom  is  contained  in  this  volume,  is  a  res- 
ident of  Sebastopol.  Mr.  Berry  came  to  Sonoma 
County  with  his  parents  when  but  ten  years  of 
age.  Here  he  was  reared  and  eduQated.  His 
earlj-  life  was  sjieiit  on  a  farm,  where  he  became 
versed  in  the  practical  knowledge  pertaining  to 
that  callinjj  as  well  as  stock-raising.  In  18H5 
he  married  Miss  Mary  J.  Miller,  daughter  of 
John  and  Mary  (  Holman)  Miller.  Her  parents 
were  natives  of  Illinois,  came  to  California  at  an 
early  date,  and  were  pioneers  of  Sonoinai  County. 
After  his  marriage  Mr.  Berry  engaged  in  farm- 
ing about  two  miles  west  of  Sebastopol,  where 
he  remained  until  1868.  In  that  year  he  sold 
out,  moved  to  Lake  County  and  located  at  Gue- 
nock.  Coyote  Valley,  and  estaljlished  a  hotel  and 
livery  stable.     He  successfully  conducted  this 


enterprise  until  1872,  and  in  that  year  he  sold 
out  his  hotel  and  livery  stable  and  returned  to 
Sebastopol.  Ujioti  his  return  he  purchased 
from  his  brother,  John  11.  lierry,  his  interest  in 
the  livery  stable  of  Berry  «!c  Son,  and  in  part- 
nership with  his  father,  B.  B.  Berry,  entered 
into  the  livery  business.  The  stage  line  at  that 
time  was  from  Santa  Kosa  through  Sebastopol 
tu  Point  .Vrena,  but  upon  the  completion  of 
the  North  Pacific  Coast  Ilailroad  in  1879,  the 
western  terminus  was  changed  to  Freestone  on 
that  road.  January  28,  1876.  Mrs.  Berry  died, 
leaving  four  children.  September  7,  1876,  Mr. 
Berry  married  his  second  wife,  Miss  Lucinda 
J.  Purvince,  daughter  of  Jackson  Purviuce,  a 
native  of  Illinois,  in  which  State  Mrs,  Berry  was 
born.  Her  father  is  now  (1888)  a  resident  of 
Washington  Territory.  In  1881  Mr.  Berry  and 
his  father  met  with  gi-eat  losses,  their  stable, 
horses,  carriages  and  coaches  being  destroyed 
b}'  fire.  Here  Mr.  Berry  showed  the  enterprise 
and  pluck  that  is  one  of  his  characteristics. 
He  at  once  began  re-building  his  stables  and 
purchased  a  new  outfit.  In  this  enterprise  he 
was  alone,  his  father  having  retired  from  the 
business  immediately  after  the  fire.  Although 
the  fire  swept  away  all  of  Mr.  Berry's  stock, 
etc.,  he  did  not  lose  one  day  in  the  transpor- 
tation of  the  mails,  express  or  passengers.  The 
greater  portion  of  Mr.  Berry's  life,  since  ar- 
riving at  man's  estate,  has  been  spent  in  Se- 
bastopol and  vicinity.  He  is  one  of  its  promi- 
nent and  progressive  citizens,  well-known  and 
respected.  Lie  is  a  member  of  Evergreen 
Lodge,  No.  161,  I.  O.  O.  F.;  Rebecca  Degree 
Lodge,  No.  44,  I.  O.  ().  F. ;  Chosen  Friends 
Lodge,  No.  21,  and  of  Lodge  No.  5,  of  the 
Golden  West.  All  of  the  above  lodges  are  of 
Sebastopol.  He  is  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  church.  He  has  al- 
ways taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  public  schools, 
and  for  eight  years  was  a  school  trustee  of  his 
district.  In  1868  he  was  deputy  sherifi"  of  Lake 
County  and  rendered  efficient  services  in  that 
capacity  for  four  years,  or  until  he  removed  to 
Sonoma  County.       In   political  matters  he   is 


^y^'^.^^A/y^'TTy 


HISTOBT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Democratic,  but  is  lihenil    :uk1    conservative  in 
liis  views.      His  success  in  life  has  been  gained 
l.y  his  energy  and  business  tact.     Among  his 
property  in  Sebastopol,  mention  may  be  made 
uf  his  residence  and   one  acre  of  tine  orchard 
in  whicli  he  is  growing  nearly  all  varieties  of 
fruit  produced  in  the  county.     He  is  also  the 
owner  of  a  valu'able  tract  of  timber  land,  080 
acres  in   extent,  located    in   Humboldt  County. 
From  ^[r.  Berry's  first  marriage  there  are  living 
the     following    named    children:     Oliver    M., 
Charles  E.    and    Clyde    S.     The    thir<l  child, 
Martha  L.,  died  in  1887,  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
years.   From  the  second  marriage  there  are  two 
"children  living,    Elmer    I.   and    Gertrude   E.; 
one,  Lenia  M.,  is  deceased.       All  of  his  chil- 
dren   are  members   of  his    family.     His  three 
eldest  sons    are    rendering    him    great    assist- 
ance in  conducting  his  Ijusiness.     Two  of  them 
are  driving  the  coaches  on   his  stage  lines,  the 
other  being  engaged  in  the  care  and  business  ot 
the  stables. 


tUMSTFAl)  RUNYON,  deceased,  was 
born  in  the  State  of  Kentucky,  November 
25,  1800.  When  he  was  twelve  years  of 
age  his  father.  Michael  liunyon,  moved  with 
his  family  to  Ohio  and  settled  near  Dayton, 
where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  grew  to  man- 
hood and  married  a  Miss  Hornbeckcr,  and  soon 
after  went  to  Illinois,  locating  at  Lockport, 
Will  County,  before  Chicago  was  incorporated 
as  a  village.  His  father  also  brought  his  family 
to  the  Prairie  State  and  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  life  at  Lockport.  During  the  war  with  the 
Sac  and  Fox  Indians  the  few  settlers  at  that 
place  took  their  families  to  Fort  Dearborn  for 
safety,  the  men  occupying  a  block-house  con- 
structed for  their  defense  in  case  of  attack  by 
the  Indians,  while  pursuing  their  vocations  to 
earn  a  living  for  their  dependent  ones.  In 
1839  Mr.  Ilunyon  lost  his  wife,  who  died  leav- 
ing a  family  of  six  ciiildren.  On  July  7, 
1840,  he  was  joined  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary 


Crawford,  a  resident  of  Lockport,  of  Anglo-Cer- 
man   parentage  but    a  native  of    Ireland,   born 
September  25,  182-1.     She  came  with  her  pa- 
rents, Washington  and  Mary  (Geddes)  Crawford, 
to  America  when  a  small  child.     Her  mother 
died  at  Lockport,  and  her  father  afterward  went 
to  Wisconsin  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of 
his  life.     Some   years  after  their  marriage  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Kunyon   moved   to  Missouri  and  set- 
tled about  iifty  miles  soutli  of  Springfield;  re- 
sided  there  until   1848,  returned   to   Lockport, 
and  the  following   spring   Mr.  Kunyon  crossed 
the  plains  to  California,  bringing  with  him  his 
three  oldest   sons.     Unlike  most  of  the  Forty- 
niners,  Mr.  Runyon  never  went  to  the  mines, 
but  stopped   in    Sacramento  County,  at  Onisbo, 
now  Courtland,  and  engaged  in  farming,  which 
had   been  his  occupation    in  the  Fast.     In  tiie 
spring  of  1853  he  returned  to  Lockport,  and  in 
November  of   that    year    started    with   the   re- 
mainder of  his  fiimily   for   California,  via  New 
York  and  the   Isthmus  of  Panama,  arriving  in 
San  Francisco,  December  16.     They  proceeded 
to  the  farm   above   mentioned,  whicii  was  their 
home  for  many  years,  and  which  Mrs.  Runyon 
still    owns.     When    starting    with    his    family 
from  New  Y'ork  Mr.  Runyon,  having  faith  in 
CaHfornia  as  a  fruit  growing  country,  purchased 
and  shipped  !f<5,000  worth  of  fruit  trees,  which 
he  saw  securely  packed   and   prepaid  the  trans- 
portation   charges    on    them.     At    Panama   he 
employed  an  agent  to  receive  and  forward  them, 
but  from  some  cause  never  ascertained  by  him 
they   failed    to    reach    their   owner.     Not   dis- 
couraged by  this  severe  loss  and  the  futility  of 
his  iirst  eflbrt,  Mr.  Runyon  procured  trees  and 
planted  the  first  orchard  in  the  Sacramento  Val- 
ley.    In  1871  the  family  removed  to  Santa  Rosa, 
where  Mr.  Runyon  died  Septemljer  8,  187H,  and 
where  his  widow  still  resides  in  her  beautiful 
home  on  H  street.      During  the  latter  years  of 
his  life  Mr.  Kunyon   was  quite  extensively  in- 
terested   in    mining    operations,  among  which 
was  a  silver  mine  in   Mexico,  which  he  sold  for 
$t)5,000  before  coming  to  Santa    Rosa.     Their 
j  ol)ject  in  moving  to  the  city  was  largely  for  the 


326 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


purpose  of  educating  their  children,  of  whom 
Mr.  Ivuiiyou  had  six  by  his  tirst  wife  and  seven 
by  the  present  widow.  Being  interested  in  the 
cause  of  education,  he  contributed  liberally 
toward  building  the  Christian  College  (now  a 
Catholic  convent)  and  also  the  Pacific  Methodist 
College.  l[r.  Runyon  left  an  estate  valued  at 
S140.O00,  of  which  the  Sacramento  County  farm 
(if  34-0  acres  and  the  Santa  Rosa  homestead 
owned  iiy  Mrs.  Runyon,  are  a  part.  The  latter 
comprises  three  acres  of  land  and  the  family 
residence  erected  at  a  cost  of  .'Blo,000  about 
fifteen  years  ago,  the  premises  being  worth  ^20,- 
000.  -Mrs.  Ruuyon's  children  are  Victoria,  wife 
of  Arthur  Brown,  of  Oakland;  Henry  A.,  who 
was  formerly  a  comniissit^m  merchant  in  San 
Francisco,  died  February  24,  ISSO;  Albert  J., 
who  resides  in  Oregon,  unmarried;  AV.  N.  Run- 
yon, married,  living  on  the  farm  in  Sacramento 
County;  Charles  E.,  married  and  residing  in 
Portland,  Oregon;  Frederick  M.,  married,  livf^ig 
in  Oakland;  and  Emma  F.,  wife  of  F^dwin  T. 
Earl,  of  the  Earl  F'ruit  Company,  fruit  shijipers 
of  Sacramento  and  Los  .Vngeics. 


;]r^j;ii>LIAM  llOOl),  proprietor  of  Los 
"fuStll  *'i'''i"J"^  Rancii,  is  one  of  California's 
l*"^!^  pionee)' men.  No  liist<_iry  of  the  county 
or  State  could  be  well  written  without  mention 
ot'  him.  -V  full  history  of  his  more  than  merely 
active  life  would,  if  it  could  be  detailed,  be  of 
great  iiiterest;  but  lack  of  space  prevents  us  from 
giving  more  than  a  brief  review,  leaving  out 
many  an  adventure  by  land  and  sea,  and  many 
a  thrilling  narrative  of  great  danger  passed  only 
l>y  display  of  great  coolness  and  daring.  AVe  re- 
cord that  he  was  born  in  the  ancient  city  of  St. 
Andrew's,  Scotland,  September  9,  1818,  of  an 
old  Scottish  faniily.  After  receiving  a  fair 
schooling  for  a  youth  of  those  days,  he  served 
under  his  father,  James  Hood,  five  years  as  an 
apprentice  to  the  carpenter  and  cabinet-makers' 
trades,  ac(|uiriug  at  the  same  time  a  knowledge 
of  the  manufacture  of  agricultural    implements 


and  of  general  wood  work.  When  nineteen 
years  of  age  he  left  the  old  home,  and  at  Dun- 
dee, Scotland,  engaged  in  ship-carpentering  and 
and  cabinet-work,  following  that  occupation 
three  years.  He  next,  in  18-1:0,  in  the  city  of 
London,  spent  a  few  months  in  house  building; 
then  tilled  with  the  s[)irit  of  adventure  and  deter- 
mined to  try  his  fortune  in  a  new  land,  he  em 
barked  for  New  Zealand,  where  he  landed  after 
a  dreary  voyage  of  six  months.  Life  in  New 
Zealand  in  those  years  required  constant  vigi- 
lance to  guard  against  massacre  by  the  uatives, 
and  building  and  guarding  stockades  was  a  part 
of  the  duty  of  every  able-bodied  white  man.  In 
1843,  with  two  fellow  shij^mates,  Mr.  Hood 
sailed  for  Valparaiso,  Chili,  where,  owing  to  the 
city  having  been  largely  destroyed  by  fire, 
mechanics  were  in  great  demand  and  at  good 
wages.  Until  1846  he  worked  in  that  city. 
Then,  although  California  was  yet  under  Mexi- 
can domination,  the  stories  of  its  fertility  and 
genial  skies  determined  him  to  visit  the  province. 
Not  being  able  to  go  direct,  he  reached  Peru, 
where,  after  a  delay  of  two  months,  he  was  en- 
abled to  procure  a  passage  to  Monterey,  reaching 
that  place  the  week  following  the  arrival  of 
Commodore  Sloat,  who  had  i-aised  the  American 
fiag  and  by  proclamation  taken  possession  of  the 
land  in  the  name  of  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment. The  same  season  Mr.  Hood  visited  So- 
noma County  and  Los  Cuilucos  Valley.  Inex- 
pressilily  charmed  with  what  he  saw,  he  left  with 
the  determination  that  if  he  could  control  the 
future  he  would  finally  make  the  valley  his 
home.  JJefoi'e  returning  to  San  Francisco,  Mr. 
Hood  visited  Ceneral  Vallejo,  at  the  i-equest  of 
the  latter,  who  was  still  held  as  a  jjrisoner  by 
the  American  forces,  at  his  own  home.  Later 
he  passed  the  present  site  of  Sacramento,  then 
occupied  by  one  solitary  Indian  and  his  squaw. 
At  San  Francisco  Mr.  Hood  again  took  up 
the  active  life  so  natural  to  him.  Accordingly, 
the  next  two  years  he  was  a  building  contractor, 
engaged  in  house  building,  ship  repairing,  etc. 
Upon  the  discovery  of  gold  his  men  left  him  and 
he  found  himself  engaged  in  work  contracted 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


for  upon  labor  basis  of  one  dollar  per  day,  pay- 
ing eight  dollars  per  day  for  the  same  labor,  and 
a  rapidly  rising  market.  Finishing  his  last 
contract,  lie,  too,  went  to  the  mines,  but  sick- 
ness soon  compelled  his  return  to  the  city.  With 
an  increased  demand,  he  resumed  profitably  liis 
former  business,  and  rapidly  laid  the  foundation 
of  a  large  fortune.  In  December,  1849,  he  re- 
visited Los  txuilucos  Valley,  and  soon  after 
bought  all  the  land  known  and  described  as  the 
"  Guilucos  "  grant,  in  Los  Guilucos  Valley,  one 
of  the  most  picturesque  valleys  in  the  whole 
State  of  California.  Tlie  grant  was  originally 
made  by  the  Mexican  Government,  to  the 
wife  of  Don  Juan  Wilson,  a  famous  sea  captain 
under  the  old  regime,  and  his  wife,  Ramena.  Tiie 
boundaries  became  the  subject  of  litigation. 
The  final  adjudication  confirmed  Mr.  Hood's 
title  to  over  18,000  acres.  With  the  purchase 
he  became  the  owner  of  500  head  of  cattle.  The 
work  of  improvement  began  at  once,  upon  por- 
tions of  the  grant.  A  part  of  the  ranch,  was 
subdivided,  and  sold  to  men  trying  to  hold  as 
squatters,  at  a  nominal  price.  Mr.  Hood  com- 
menced the  building  of  the  splendid  home  he 
now  occupies  in  1857.  The  dwelling-house  is 
a  large  substantial  structure,  which  might  well 
be  called  a  mansion,  situated  at  the  foot  of 
Hood's  Mountain,  surrounded  by  shaded  grounds 
wiiose  great  natural  beauty  have  been  enhanced 
by  art.  All  the  building  improvements  seem  to 
have  been  erected  witii  a  view  to  utility  and 
convenience  ratiier  than  cost.  A  nf)ticeable  fea- 
ture is  the  substantial  winery  and  wine  cellars, 
where  the  product  of  200  acres  of  the  raneli  in 
vineyard  is  manufactured  and  stored.  The 
i-anch  of  to-day  contains  about  1,500  acres,  and 
altogether  makes  one  of  the  most  charming  rural 
liomes  to' be  found  in  California.  It  is  located 
on  the  Santa  Rosa  and  Sonoma  road,  nine  miles 
east  of  Santa  Rosa,  and  thirteen  miles  from 
Sonoma.  Few  persons  of  California  have  passed 
through  more  of  its  trials  tiiati  the  subject  of 
this  sketch.  Always  public-spirited,  in  many 
an  enterprise  he  has  been  engaged,  and  lias  met 
with  sad   reverses  in   fortune;  liut  throuirh   all 


has  carried  his  manly  dignity,  his  genial  kind- 
ness, his  ever  welcome  hospitality.  Suffering 
often  times  losses  through  the  unfaithfulness  of 
others,  he  has  ever  kept  his  faith  with  all  men. 
He  has  the  respect  and  confidence  of  all  who 
know  him  well  and  he  enjoys  the  consciousness 
of  having  never  wronged  any  man. 


l^ICIIARD  FULlvERSON,  deceased.  The 
1i^  subject  of  this  sketch  located  in  Santa 
■^^^  Rosa  when  that  now  flourishing  city  was 
but  a  frontier  village,  having  been  christened 
only  about  two  years.  If  only  for  the  part  he 
took  in  laying  the  foundation  of  the  present 
prosperity,  and  for  the  energetic  effort  displayed 
in  the  pushing  forward  of  the  work  of  improve- 
ment and  development,  Mr.  Fulkerson  should 
have  honorable  mention  in  this  historic  work; 
but  he  is  and  always  will  be  among  the  pioneers, 
and  early  and  later  settlers  best  remembered  for 
his  many  manly  qualities  and  kindly  nature. 
Honorable  in  business,  accommodating  as  a 
neighbor,  kind  and  indulgent  as  a  parent,  his 
memory  will  ever  be  cherished  by  all  who 
knew  him  well.  Mr.  Fulkerson  was  born  of 
one  of  the  pioneer  Kentucky  families,  in  Hardin 
County,  that  State,  February  11,  1806.  His 
father,  Fulkird  J'ulkerson,  of  German  extrac- 
tion, was  born  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
when  eleven  years  of  age  was  brought  to  Ken- 
tucky by  his  father,  John  Fulkerson,  very  sooti 
after  the  close  of  the  Revolution.  The  family 
found  refuge  from  the  Indians  upon  first  reach- 
ing that  territory  in  the  stockade  at  Lexington. 
Fulkird  Fulkerson,  reaching  manhood,  married 
Sarah  Davis,  daughter  of  another  pioneer  fam- 
ily. Of  her  children,  Richard  Fulkerson  was 
the  eldest,  and  since  his  death  Dr.  T.  S.  Fulker- 
son, of  Rincon  Valley,  is  the  only  one  now 
(1888)  living.  Richard  Fulkerson  was  reared 
to  a  farm  life,  and  had  but  limited  opportuni- 
ties for  an  education;  but,  possessed  of  a  keen 
observation  and  retentive  menmry,  he  overcame 
the  lack  of  youthful  advantages.   In  the  county  of 


UISTUliY    OF    60NOMA    COUNTY. 


his  birth,October  21, 1824,  he  married  Miss  Sally  I 
Shepherd  Clawson,  also  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
born  July  10,  1810.  She  became  the  motlier 
of  nine  children,  tive  of  whom  were  born  in  tliat 
State.  After  a  short  time  spent  in  Tennessee, 
where  two  children  were  horn  that  died  yonng, 
Mr.  Fulkerson  and  his  family,  early  in  the 
thirties',  became  pioneers  in  the  wilds  of  Mont- 
gomery County,  Indiana,  where  their  danghter 
Phebe,  now  the  wife  of  Jacob  Harris,  was  born. 
Later  they  removed  to  Vigo  County,  that  State. 
There  their  son  John  was  born.  In  that  then 
wild,  rugcfed,  heavily  timbered  country  several 
years  were  spent.  In  1844  the  family  became 
pioneer  settlers  of  Davis  County,  Iowa.  That 
now  wealthy  county  was  then  almost  as  nature 
had  made  it.  Just  ten  years  later,  or  in  the 
spring  of  1854,  with  his  family  and  all  his 
worldly  possessions,  Mr.  Fnlkerson  started  with 
o.\  teams  for  this  sunny  land,  reaching  Santa 
Rosa  October  4.  He  made  his  home  on  ground 
now  almost  within  the  city  limits.  His  capital 
was  limited,  but  sutlicient  to  enable  him  to  pur- 
chase 300  acres  of  land,  and  thus  lay  the  found- 
ation of  his  future  competence.  His  purchase 
adjoined  the  city  on  the  north,  and  is  now  par- 
tially included  in  the  city  plat.  He  added  to  the 
original  purchase  and  became  the  owner  of  a 
splendid  tract  of  600  acres.  Of  the  children 
born  in  the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fulkerson, 
four  died  in  infancy  in  the  East.  Of  the 
others  we  record  that  Ruth,  the  eldest,  died  the 
widow  of  Alexander  Barnes,  in  Santa  Rosa,  in 
1887.  Fhebe  and  her  husband,  Jacob  Harris, 
I'eside  upon  a  portion  of  the  old  homestead. 
Mrs.  Mary  Mize,  a  widow,  also  resides  upon 
tlie  home  property.  John  resides  in  the  city  of 
Santa  Rosa,  and  Stephen  T.,  upon  a  fine  ranch 
in  Rincon  Valley.  Full  si.xty  years  Mr.  Ful- 
kerson was  a  member  of  the  ancient,  honor- 
able order  of  Free  Masons.  Fully  ripe  for 
the  harvest,  past  four-score  in  years,  he  was 
gathered  to  the  fathers,  jS'ovember  24,  1887. 
Tenderly  he  was  buried,  •'  Ashes  to  ashes,  dust 
to  dust,"  with  the  beautiful  and  impressive 
ceremonies  of  the  order  so  proud  of  his  mem- 


bership. The  estimable  wife  who  had  shared 
with  him  the  trials  and  hardships  of  pioneer  life 
in  Indiana  and  Iowa,  before  coming  to  Sonoma 
County,  his  loving  companion  for  nearly  tliree 
score  years,  preceded  him  to  the  grave, her  death 
(jccurring  March  18,  1883,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
three  years.  The  old  family  residence  is  now 
owned  by  Richard  Barnes,  son  of  Mrs.  Ruth 
Barnes,  and  grandson  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fulker- 
son. 


m^^^^ 


ffOIIN  FULKERSON'  lias  been  a  resident  of 
Santa  Rosa  since  October  4,  1854.  He 
dates  his  birth  in  Vigo  County,  Indiana, 
October  17.  1835.  He  is  a  son  of  Richard  and 
Sarah  Fnlkerson.  (For  more  extended  men- 
tion of  his  parents,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the 
biography  of  Richard  Fulkerson.)  AVhen  in 
his  ninth  year  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
taken  to  Davis  County,  Iowa,  then  (1844)  an 
almost  uninhabited  wilderness  of  prairie  and 
timber.  In  that  county  the  next  ten  years  of 
of  his  life  were  spent  in  the  occupation  so  com- 
mon to  sons  of  pioneers  in  all  countries,  neces- 
sity demanding  almost  continuous  toil,  tlis 
youthful  days  afforded  none  of  the  advantages 
which  fortunately  he  has  been  enabled  to  afford 
his  children.  In  the  hope  of  bettering  his  for- 
tunes, a  hope  fully  realized,  his  father  deter- 
mined to  emigrate  to  this  favored  State.  The 
trials  of  crossing  plain,  desert  and  mountain, 
were  safely  passed,  and  the  parents  with  their 
five  children  reached  Santa  Rosa  October  4, 
1854,  since  which  time  John  Fulkerson  has 
continuously  resided  in  or  near  Santa  Rosa.  He 
has  devoted  his  life  to  agriculture,  and  in  all 
his  undertakings  has  been  successful.  It  should 
be  here  related  that,  young  as  he  was,  he  could 
not  conclude  to  come  to  California  without  one 
of  his  dearest  school-mates.  Accordingly,  he 
married  Miss  Dica  Ann  AVooldridge,  November 
17,  1853.  She  was  a  Kentuckian  by  birth,  but 
was  reared  in  Davis  Connty,  Iowa.  She  be- 
came the  motlier  of  two  children:     Abner  D., 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT r. 


who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven  years; 
Lillie,  wlio  wedded  J.  B.  Clark,  and  died  in 
February,  188-i,  leaving  two  sons.  Mrs.  Fnl- 
kerson  was  not  spared  long  to  her  husband  and 
children,  her  death,  at  the  early  age  of  twenty- 
fonr  years,  occurred  April  14,  1859.  For  his 
second  wife,  Mr.  Fulkerson  wedded  Miss  Rachel 
A.  Cannon,  daughter  of  Lewis  Cannon.  She 
was  born  in  the  State  of  Missouri  in  1846.  The 
following  year  her  parents,  passing  all  the  dan- 
gers of  an  overland  trip  in.  those  early  years, 
emigrated  to  Oregon,  thence,  in  1857,  they  came 
to  this  county.  Her  father  now  lives  in  Tehama 
County.  Of  the  nine  children  born  to  this 
union  seven  are  living,  viz.:  Uica  A.,  Robert  E; 
L.,  Ida  M.,  now  wife  of  Frank  B.  Wood;  Luda 
v.,  Charles  A.,  Daca  C.  and  Sylvester  S.  The 
deceased  are:  John  W.,  who  lived  to  be  nine- 
teen years  of  age,  and  Byrd,  who  died  in  infancy. 
Mr.  Fulkerson  is  the  owner  of  a  good  residence 
property  in  the  city  of  Santa  Rosa,  besides 
other  city  property,  two  residences,  and  a  busi- 
ness house  located  on  the  corner  of  Mendocino 
and  Cherry  streets.  One  of  the  choicest  farm 
properties  in  the  vicinity  of  Santa  Rosa  is  the 
tine  ranch  of  fifty-one  acres  owned  by  him  in 
Rincon  Valley,  situated  on  the  Santa  Rosa  and 
Sonoma  road,  three  miles  east  of  the  city.  The 
location  is  one  of  great  natural  beauty.  The 
tine  dwelling-  house  commands  fnnn  its  eleva- 
tion a  \iew  of  the  charming  valley,  and  makes 
tlie  location  one  suited  for  a  deliglitful  home. 

in  S.  FULKERSON,  M.  D.— The  subject 
^ffic  of  this  sketch,  l>oth  in  years  and  in  the 
^  '  length  of  time  devoted  to  the  practice  of 
his  profession,  ranks  among  the  oldest  physi- 
cians, if  not  the  oldest,  in  Sonoma  County.  A 
brief  review  gives  the  following  facts  relating 
to  his  history.  Jle  is  the  son  of  Fulkird  and 
Sarah  Fulkerson,  born  in  Grayson  County,  Ken- 
tucky, (October  11,  1807.  His  grandfather, 
John  Fulkerson,  was  of  German  descent,  and 
perhaps  of  (iei-man   birth,      lie  was  one  of  the 


pioneers  of  the  State  of  Kentucky,  settling 
there  from  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  very  soon 
after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  Only 
those  fully  informed  as  to  the  history  of  Ken- 
tucky have  even  a  slight  conception  of  the 
trials,  privations  and  extreme  danger  ot  life  in 
the  frontier  of  that  day.  It  was  the  "  dark  and 
bloody  ground  "'  consecrated  and  immortalized 
by  the  heroic  deeds  of  valor  in  its  defense 
against  the  red  men  by  Boone,  Harrod,  Rogers, 
Clarke  and  their  compatriots.  The  Fulkerson 
family,  with  great  ditficulty  in  extreme  danger, 
found  their  first  refuge  in  the  stockade  at  Lex- 
ington. Even  while  passing  through  the  gate 
admitting  them,  one  horse  was  shot  down  out 
of  a  team  by  the  Indians.  Fulkird  Fulkerson, 
the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
then  eleven  years  of  age.  Tlie  grandfather, 
John  Fulkerson,  lived  to  see  the  then  wilder- 
ness converted  into  a  land  filled  with  happy 
homes,  luxuriant  with  wealth,  and  the  last  of 
the  red  men  disappear.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
nearly  100  years,  leaving  a  long  line  of  ancestry 
to  revere  the  memory  of  a  noble,  heroic  ances- 
tor. Fulkird  Fulkerson  married  Miss  Sarah 
Davis,  a  native  of  Virginia.  Her  father,  Theo- 
dore Davis,  was  also  one  of  the  heroic  pioneers 
of  Kentucky,  and  one  of  the  defenders  of  Ilar- 
rachs  Fort.  He  and  his  family  had  suttered 
greatly  at  the  hands  of  the  Indians.  Five  of 
his  brothers  had  been  slain  by  the  Indians  in 
the  old  State  of  Virginia.  After  a  long  resi- 
dence in  Kentucky,  where  all  of  his  children 
were  born,  Fulkird  Fulkerson  removed  to  Mont- 
gomery County,  Indiana,  about  1829,  and  again 
commenced  pioneer  life  in  its  dense  forests. 
His  wife  passed  to  the  better  land  shortly  after- 
ward, her  death  occurring  in  February,  1830. 
About  the  time  the  family  settled  in  Montgom- 
ery County  T.  S.  Fulkerson,  whose  name  heads 
this  sketch,  commenced  the  study  of  medicine 
under  the  preceptorship  of  Dr.  William  B. 
Crook,  at  Middletown,  in  that  county.  After 
four  years  of  preparatoiy  study  he  commence<l 
the  practice  of  medicine  at  Terre  Haute,  V'igo 
County,  Indiana,  his   father  soon   after  moving 


330 


HISTORY    OF    .'iOAOilA    COUNTY. 


to  the  same  county,  where  he  died  in  1837,  aged 
seventy  years.  Here  it  would  be  well  to  state 
that  the  late  Richard  Fulkerson,  of  Santa  Rosa; 
was  the  oldest  of  liis  family  of  children,  and 
that  Dr.  Fulkerson  is  the  only  snrvivin<^  mem- 
ber of  the  family.  The  doctor  continued  in 
successful  practice  in  Terre  Haute  and  surround- 
ing country  about  twenty  years.  In  those  early 
years,  in  the  sparsely  settled  country,  with 
often  times  impracticable  roads,  the  practice  of 
medicine  was  no  easy  road  to  fortune.  It  j-e- 
(juired  a  strong  constitution,  indomitable  will 
and  an  unfailing  fund  of  energy,  and  with  all  a 
willingness  to  work  with  or  witiuMit  fee.  All 
these  qualifications  the  doctor  possessed  to  a 
remarkable  degree.  No  night  was  ever  too 
dark,  no  road  ever  too  long  or  too  deep  for  him 
wlien  called  to  relieve  the  sick.  In  1834  lie 
married  Miss  Rebecca  Morris,  daughter  of  David 
and  Falby  Morris,  also  a  Kentuckian  by  birth. 
In  1853  the  doctor,  with  his  family,  removed 
to  Iowa  and  established  his  practice  at  Bioom- 
tield.  the  county  seat  of  Davis  County.  There 
he  devoted  himself  to  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession until  18t)-4,  in  which  year  he  came  to 
Santa  Rosa,  and  the  following  year  removed  to 
his  present  home,  in  Rincon  Valley,  three 
miles  east  of  the  city,  on  the  road  leading  to 
Sonoma.  There  his  wife  died  in  1871,  aged 
lifty-three  years.  Slie  was  the  mother  of  twelve 
children,  of  whom  Mrs.  Sarah  Grider,  a  widow, 
residing  in  Tulare  County,  is  the  only  one  now 
living.  September  13,  1876,  Dr.  Fulkerson  for 
his  second  wife  married  Mrs..  Fanny  (Lock) 
Grimsley,  daughter  of  William  and  Mary  Lock. 
She  wus  born  in  Davis  County,  Iowa,  Novem- 
ber 4,  1848.  By  her  former  marriage  she  has 
one  child  living,  Eva,  now  tlie  wife  of  John  Mc- 
Knight,  of  Santa  Rosa.  Mrs.  Fulkerson  came 
to  Sonoma  County  with  her  parents  in  1875. 
Later  they  returned  East.  Her  inotiier  now 
resides  in  Alarion  County,  l\ansas,  where  her 
father  died  August  10,  1887.  Dr.  I'ulkerson 
lias  devoted  his  life  in  Sonoma  County,  up  to 
within  a  comparatively  recent  period,  almost 
exclusively  to  the    practice   of  his   profession. 


Now  over  eighty  years  of  age,  he  feels  the 
necessity  of  rest  and  proposes  to  quietly,  under 
his  own  vine  and  fig  tree,  enjoy  the  well  earned 
peace  and  quiet,  which,  if  the  prayers  of  hosts 
of  many  warm  tViends  be  answered,  may  for 
many  years  yet  be  his.  Politically,  since  the 
first  presidency  of  Andrew  Jackson,  the  doctor 
has  been  identified  with  the  Democratic  party. 
Sixty  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  and  was  one  of  the  charter 
members  of  the  Santa  Rosa  (  hapter. 


fT.  FULKERSON,  of  Rincon  Valley, 
Santa  Rosa  Township,  is  the  son  of  Rich- 
°  ard  Fulkerson,  whose  biography  will  be 
found  in  this  connection.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  l)oni  in  Grayson  County.  Kentucky, 
July  7,  1840.  His  parents  became  pioneers  in 
Davis  County,  Iowa,  in  1844.  Tliere,  in  the 
new  country,  witli  its  limited  advantages,  he 
was  reared  to  his  fourteenth  year.  In  the  spring 
of  the  year  1854  the  family  started  on  the  over- 
land journey  to  this  State,  reaching  Santa  Rosa 
the  fourth  day  of  October.  Of  the  five  children 
who  came  to  this  State  with  their  parents,  tiie 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  youngest.  He 
has  always  followed  agricultural^  pursuits,  and 
with  the  e.xception  of  a  temporary  absence  of 
eighteen  months,  has  resided  in  Santa  Rosa 
Township  continuously  since  he  was  fourteen 
years  of  age.  August  29,  1858,  lie  married 
Miss  Amanda  Ellen  Cockrill,  daugiiter  of  Har- 
rison and  Ruhama  Cockrill,  who  were  also  early 
settlers  in  the  county,  coming  in  1853.  Her 
fatherli ved  only  threeyears  after  liis  arrival  here. 
Ifer  motiier  married  Henry  A.  (iraiit,  and  is 
again  a  widow,  now  li\  ing  in  Monterey  County. 
The  fine  ranch  with  its  shaded,  commodious 
residence,  owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  Fulker- 
son and  his  famiiv,  is  located  on  tlie  east  side  of 
Rincon  Valley,  about  si.\  miles  from  the  city  of 
Santa  Rosa.  The  residence,  elevated  above  the 
level  of  the  valley,  affords  a  view  pleasing  to  the 
eye.     It  has  been  occupied  by  the  family  since 


niSTOHY    OF    tiONOMA    VOL' NT Y. 


331 


1883.  The  ranch  consists  of  312  acres,  includ- 
ing, as  it  does,  some  of  the  choicest  of  valley 
and  foot-hill  lands.  It  is  well  adapted  to  every 
vai-iety  of  production  as  well  as  general  fann- 
ing. Twenty-five  acres  are  in  vineyard  and  a 
few  acres  in  a  general  variety  orchard.  The 
rest  is  devoted  to  stock  and  general  pnrposes. 
We  give  the  names  in  the  order  of  their  births 
of  their  nine  children  (two  of  whom  are  de- 
ceased): Henry  IT.,  September  12,  1859,  who 
died  May  18,  1876;  Alice  Clara,  December  20, 
1861.  is  now  the  wife  of  Theodore  Grider,  of 
Tulare  County;  Laura  E.,  March  9,  1865,  wife 
of  Douglas  Badger,  of  Rincon  Valley;  William 
E.,  February  10,  1868,  died  July  20,  1883; 
Puchard,  February  19,  1871;  MoUie  L.,  Janu- 
ary 9,  1874;  Nora  C,  January  12,  1877; 
IJruce  (\,  August  2,  1881;  and  Ida  Helen, 
January  23,  1886. 

.„,  „,'■',  ■.,  If  „,'')|., ... 

(s    "    ^    ej 

fR.  THOMAS  W.  BROTHERTON,  pastor 
of  the  Episcopal  congregation  of  Ilealds- 
bnrg,  is  a  native  of  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
born  December  8,  1828,  and  son  of  Thomas  W., 
Sr.,  and  Phebe  (Taylor)  Brotherton,  the  former 
a  sea  captain,  and  both  natives  of  Maryland. 
The  doctor  was  reared  at  Baltimore,  and  was 
tliere  educated  for  the  medical  profession.  In 
1849  he  accompanied  his  father,  who  sailed  his 
ship  around  the  Horn  to  San  Francisco,  and 
decided  to  remain  in  California.  He  located  at 
Georgetown,  El  Dorado  County,  and  practiced 
medicine  there  until  1855,  when  he  removed  to 
San  Andreas.  He  had  given  much  time  to  re- 
ligious study,  and  in  I860  was  ordained  as 
deacon  by  Bishop  Kip  of  the  Episcopal  church, 
and  took  charge  of  St.  John's  parish,  as  rector. 
He  built  St.  John's  Church,  San  Francisco,  as  it 
stands  to-day,  and  was  for  thirteen  years  its 
])astor.  Ever  zealous  in  his  religious  work,  he 
liuilt,  in  the  mean  time,  St.  Luke's  Hospital,  and 
placed  it  on  a  firm  basis.  In  1864  he  founded 
the  Pacific  Clnin-hmnn,  and  was  its  first  editor, 
continuing  in  that  capacity  for  one  year.      11  is 


labors  and  methods  in  founding  St.  Luke's 
Hospital  are  thoroughly  indicative  of  his  char- 
acter. He  had  commenced  this  work  while  yet 
in  charge  of  St.  John's  parish,  but  having 
reached  a  certain  point  in  the  work,  he  felt  the 
need  of  a  more  thorough  accjuaintance  with  the 
practical  side  of  hospital  work.  He  went  east 
and  spent  an  entire  year  in  becoming  acquainted 
with  the  details  of  hospital  construction  and 
conveniences,  then  returned  and  resumed  woi-k. 
The  result  is  to  be  seen  in  the  noble  tribute  ^o 
humanity  which  was  soon  brought  to  completion. 
He  gave  up  the  parish  and  confined  his  attention 
entirely  to  the  direction  of  the  hospital  until 
1877,  when,  having  completely  exhausted  his 
health  and  strength,  he  was  compelled  to  re- 
sign his  labors.  He  then  removed  to  Ilealds- 
burg,  bought  the  place  where  he  now  resides, 
and  improved  it,  giving  his  time  to  denomi- 
national labors  when  able,  and  being  now  the 
pastor  of  St.  Paul's  parish,  Healdsburg.  Dr. 
Brotherton  was  married,  while  a  resident  of  San 
Francisco,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  King  a  native  of 
Washington,  D.  C.  They  have  three  children, 
viz.:  Thomas  W.,  Jr.,  who  resides  at  Los  An- 
geles;   [^anclie  M.,  and   Mary  E. 


J^lEORGE  IVANCOVIOH,  M.  D.— The 
ff|te|  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  native  of  Aus- 
W^  tria,  wliere  he  was  born  December  15, 
1848.  He  received  a  good  education  from  the 
schools  of  his  native  country  and  in  1866  went 
to  London  where  he  commenced  the  study  of 
medicine  and  prosecuted  his  labors  there  for 
four  years.  In  the  latter  part  of  1870  he  came 
to  California,  and  in  1877  entered  the  Pacific 
Medical  College  of  San  Francisco,  where  he 
graduated  in  1878.  The  name  of  this  college 
has  since  been  changed  to  Cooper's  Jledical 
College.  Dr.  Ivancovich  went  to  Grass  Valley, 
Nevada  County,  the  same  year  he  graduated 
and  soon  established  a  fine  practice,  remaining 
there  until  1884.  He  then  came  to  Petaluma, 
whore  l:o  opened  an    otlice    and    has    since   con- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTT. 


tinned  to  reside  here  actively  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  The  doctor  is  an 
intelligent  gentleman,  particnlarly  npon  qnes- 
tions  of  medical  or  snrgical  science.  He  is  en- 
jo^'ing  a  fine  practice  together  with  the  esteem 
and  confidence  of  his  friends  and  patrons.  He 
was  married  December  26,  1875,  to  Miss  Kellie 
R.  Jones,  a  native  of  Chicago,  Illinois.  They 
have  five  children,  two  daughters  and  three  sons. 


flTDGE  ALF.ERT  P.  OYERTON  can  justly 
claim  the  title  of  pioneer  in  California, 
avingbee  n  a  resident  of  the  State  over 
thirty-eight  years.  He  was  born  in  Independ- 
ence, Missouri,  in  1830,  and  grew  np  to  man- 
hood on  his  uncle's  farm  near  there.  His  father, 
Moses,  was  a  native  of  Alabama  and  his  mother, 
Mary  Turner,  of  Tennessee.  They  were  married 
in  the  latter  State  and  soon  after  settled  in  Mis- 
souri, where  they  passed  the  remainder  of  their 
lives.  They  had  a  family  of  three  sons  and  one 
daughter,  all  now  deceased  but  the  subject  of 
this  sketch.  Losing  both  of  his  parents  in  early 
childhood,  being  but  four  years  old  when  his 
father  died,  Albert  was  adopted  into  the  family 
of  his  uncle,  Jesse  Overton,  who  was  a  farmer 
and  mill  owner,  and  was  largely  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  lumber  and  Hour.  On  reaching 
his  twentieth  birthday,  the  gold  excitement  in 
California  being  at  its  height,  Mr.  Overton,  tired 
by  the  ambition  of  young  manhood,  started  from 
Dallas,  Texas,  for  the  new  El  Dorado.  Coming 
by  'the  southern  route,  he  arrived  in  San  Diego 
on  August  1,  1850,  and  obtained  employment 
in  the  Quartermaster's  Department  in  the  Gov- 
ernment service,  till  the  following  February, 
when  he  came  up  to  San  Francisco,  and  thence 
to  Sacramento,  wliere  he  stopped  a  shorts  time 
before  going  on  to  the  mines  on  Trinity  River 
to  try  his  hand  in  digging  for  the  yellow  dust. 
Three  months'  experience  dispelled  from  his 
mind  the  charm  of  gold  seeking  in  that  uncer- 
tain channel,  and  leaving  the  mines,  he  returned 
to  El  Dorado  County,  and  built  a  hotel,  on  the 


road  leading  from  Sacramento  to  Placerville. 
This  was  known  as  the  Duroc  House,  which  he 
conducted  until  August,  1852,  when  he  sold  out 
and  came  to  Petaluma,  Sonoma  County,  passing 
en  route  over  the  site  of  Santa  Rosa,  then  with- 
out a  building  in  the  place,  and  only  three  in 
Petaluma.  The  total  number  of  voters  in  So- 
noma County  which  at  that  time  included 
Mendocino  County,  was  only  a  little  over  300. 
Mr.  Overton,  in  company  with  a  man  named  P. 
B.  Smith,  purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land  two 
miles  and  a  half  west  of  Petaluma,  hired  men  to 
chop  the  timber  into  wood,  bought  teams,  all  on 
credit,  having  no  money,  and  they  hauled  the 
wood  to  town  to  be  shipped  by  schooner  to  San 
Francisco.  Getting  some  money  ahead,  after 
paying  for  their  outfit,  they  bought  a  lot  in 
Petaluma,  on  which  to  store  their  wood.  In 
the  winter  of  1853-"4  Messrs  Overton  and  Smith 
went  to  the  redwood  forests  and  cut  and  split 
timber  and  lumber,  and  erected  a  building  on 
a  part  of  this  lot.  To  get  their  finishing  lumber 
sawed  they  exchanged  work  with  George  B. 
Williams,  who  is  still  residing  in  Petaluma,  and 
who  owned  a  whip  saw,  they  getting  out  part 
of  the  lumber  for  the  Washington  Hotel.  P>oth 
of  these  still  stand,  with  some  modifications,  as 
old  land-marks  in  that  city,  When  finished, 
the  Overton-Smith  building  cost  $300,  not  in- 
cluding their  labor,  and  the  lot  %^300,  and  they 
rented  the  property  for  .$75  per  month.  About 
a  year  after  the  completion  of  the  building,  Mr. 
Overton  sold  his  interest  in  the  wood  ranch  and, 
in  company  with  two  partners,  Arthur  and 
Wiley,  opened  a  store  of  general  merchandise 
in  the  building  above  mentioned,  Mr.  Overton 
putting  it  in  as  his  share  of  the  capital,  at  -i^S.OOO. 
All  mercantile  business  was  done  in  those  days 
on  the  long  credit  system;  and  as  many  of  their 
customers  were  nomadic  stock-raisers  with  no 
permanent  abiding  place  (there  being  then  no 
established  land  titles),  Mr.  Overton  saw  that 
future  disaster  stared  them  in  the  face,  and  at 
the  end  of  three  months  proposed  to  sell  out. 
His  partner  bought  his  interest  atid  a  few  months 
later  the  colla])se  came  ami   the  house   went  to 


HISTORY    OF    .SONOMA    COUNTY. 


the  wall.  On  retiring  from  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness Mr.  Overton  resumed  the  study  of  law, 
which  lie  had  begun  in  Missouri,  and  in  1857 
was  admitted  to  the  bar.  Forming  a  partner- 
ship with  J.  B.  Campbell,  now  superior  judge 
in  Fresno,  he  opened  a  law  office  in  Petaluma 
and  commenced  practice.  Previous  to  this, 
while  reading  law,  Mr.  Overton  had  been  elected 
and  served  as  constable  of  Petaluma.  In  1860 
he  was  appointed  census  agent,  and  the  same 
year  and  for  three  years  following  was  appointed 
deputy  assessor  for  the  southern  end  of  the 
county.  In  1807  he  was  elected  district  attor- 
ney, and  was  re-elected  for  a  second  term,  mak- 
ing four  j-ears'  service  in  that  capacity.  At  the 
expiration  of  his  second  term  he  was  elected 
county  judge  and  filled  the  office  four  years, 
in  187VI  Judge  Overton  was  chosen  one  of  the 
thirty-two  delegates  at  large  to  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  which  framed  the  present 
State  Constitution,  and  which  held  its  six 
juonths'  session  in  Sacramento  in  1879-'80.  The 
152  men  comprising  that  distinguished  body 
were  among  the  ablest  minds  in  the  State.  On 
his  election  to  the  office  of  District  Attorney, 
Jndge  Overton  moved  to  Santa  Rosa,  and  has 
since  been  a  resident  of  this  place.  Some  time 
prior  to  this  he  had  organized  the  Petal nma  Sav- 
ings l^ank,  and  sold  his  interest  when  he  left. 
In  1873  he  organized  the  Santa  Rosa  Savings 
Bank,  and  has  been  its  President  till  the  pre- 
sent time.  In  the  spring  of  1887  he  was  elected 
Mayor  of  Santa  Rosa,  on  the  Democratic  ticket, 
and  held  the  office  one  term.  In  1855  Judge 
Overton  married  America  Helen,  the  daughter 
of  Coleman  Talbot,  of  a  prominent  Ifentucky 
family,  who  settled  in  Bennett  Valley  about 
1853.  ^liss  Talbot  was  a  school  teacher,  who, 
being  remarkable  for  her  l)Canty,  was  styled  tiie 
"  Belie  of  the  Redwoods."  An  anecdote  related 
of  Judge  Overton's  courting  illustrates  the  char- 
acteristic business  methods  of  the  man,  and  runs 
as  follows:  Becoming  weary  of  bachelorhood 
while  on  his  wood  rancli,  near  Petaluma,  lie  re- 
solved to  either  get  married  or  leave  California 
and  K"  I'ack  to  tiie  States;  and   kiiowinic   Miss 


Talbot,  the  Judge  decided  to  call  on  her  and 
state  his  case  in  a  business  way.  He  made  the 
call,  was  pleased  with  her  appearance  and  made 
the  object  of  his  visit  known,  giving  her  a  month 
in  which  to  decide,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
was  to  call  and  get  her  answer.  Meantime  he 
learned  there  were  several  other  suitors  for  her 
heart  and 'hand,  some  of  whom  were  men  of 
wealth  and  distinction,  and  concluding  liis  case 
was  hopeless,  he  did  not  go  back  for  the  young 
lady's  answer  for  nearly  a  year;  when,  learning 
she  was  still  unmarried,  he  determined  to  see 
her.  lie  went,  was  cordially  received,  and  after 
duly  apologizing,  renewed  his  question  to  which 
she  gave  an  affirmative  answer.  The  Judge 
never  regretted  his  second  visit  to  Bennett 
Yaliey,  for  she  made  a  model  wife  and  mother. 
She  bore  him  three  sons  and  one  daughter,  all 
of  whom  liave  been  finely  educated.  The  eldest 
son,  Theodore,  is  engaged  in  the  stock  business 
and  mining  in  Arizona.  The  second  son,  John 
P.,  is  cashier  of  the  bank  of  which  his  father  is 
President.  Tiie  other  son,  Nicholson  R.,  lost 
his  life  by  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  gun,  in 
1886.  The  daughter,  Jessie,  is  in  school  in  the 
East.  Mrs.  Overton  died  in  1869.  Several 
years  after  the  Judge  married  Jennie  A.  West, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Olmstead,  a  native  of 
Vermont  and  a  lady  who  has  been  a  model  step- 
mother, and  devoted  wife.  Jt)lni  P.  Overton 
married  Miss  Laura  Edwards,  whose  parents 
were  New  Jersey  people.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren, daughters; 


ijE-NRV  FOX  is  a  native  of  Kentucky,  born 
at  Padiicah,  October  24,  1848,  his  parents 
being  ('hristian  and  Adelia  (Kelir)  Fox. 
Both  parents  were  natives  of  Germany,  born 
near  the  river  Rhine,  and  came  to  America  early 
in  life  and  were  married  in  Connecticut.  When 
Henry  Fox  was  an  infant  his  parents  removed 
to  McGregor,  Iowa,  and  there  his  father  en- 
gaged in  the  hotel  business.  The  subject  of 
thi>  sketch  was  reared    thei-e   receivino-  liis  edu- 


BISTORT    OF    t^ONOMA    VOUNTY. 


cation  in  the  common  schools  of  McGregor. 
Hecommenceil  life  for  himself  in  the  hotel  bus- 
iness in  that  place  and  so  continued  until  1877, 
when  he  removed  to  the  Pacific  coast.  After  a 
short  stay  in  Eureka  he  went  to  San  Francisco, 
and  from  there  he  came  to  Healdsbnrg  in  Jan- 
uary, 1878.  In  that  year  he  entered  upon  a 
business  career  in  this  place.  He  purchased 
an  interest  in  the  drug  business  in  Healdsburg, 
which  was  carried  on  for  several  years,  M'hen 
Mr.  Fox  purchased  his  partner'sinterest  in  1881 
and  since  that  time  has  conducted  the  business 
alone.  He  has  a  finely  appointed  store  and  car- 
ries the  largest  stock  of  drugs  and  fancy  goods, 
stationery,  etc.,  in  the  place.  Mr.  Fo.x  is  also 
postmaster  of  Healdsburg,  having  received  his 
appointineat  to  that  position  January  29,  1887 
He  was  married  in  this  city  August  10,  1881, 
to  Miss  Lola  J.  Hall,  a  native  of  Sonoma 
County,  and  a  daughter  of  L.  J.  Hall,  one  of 
the  old  settlers.  They  have  one  child,  Christal 
F.  Mr.  Fo.x  has  demonstrated  in  the  few  years 
he  has  been  a  resident  of  Healdsburg  what  busi- 
ness sagacity  and  enterprise  will  do  in  this 
region,  and  he  now  ranks  among  the  solid  men 
of  the  city.  He  acquired  the  large  Ijrick  Ma- 
sonic block  by  purchase,  and  is  also  the  owner 
of  his  business  building  and  residence  property 
in  Healdsburg.  His  home  place  is  particularly 
attractive  and  is  worthy  of  mention.  The 
house  is  a  handsome  one  and  the  grounds  are 
very  large  and  well  cared  for.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  local  lodges,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  and  A.  ().  U. 
W.     Politically,  Mr.  Fo.k  is  a  Democrat. 


-<-H 


PYRON  M.  SPENCER,  one  of  the  repre- 
sentative business  men  of  Santa  Rosa  and 
Sonoma  County,  was  born  in  the  Empire 
State  forty-six  years  ago.  and  received  his  early 
business  training  in  one  of  the  largest  mercan- 
tile houses  of  New  York  City.  Leaving  the 
.Vmerican  metropolis  at  twenty-seven  years  of 
age,  young  Spencer  traveled  westward  to  seek  a 
fiald  of  usefulness  and  of  fortune,  and  located  in 


the  thriving  city  of  Omaha,  Nebraska.  He  re- 
mained there  about  five  years,  when  he  decided 
to  continue  his  journey  across  the  continent,  and 
arrived  in  Santa  Rosa  in  the  fall  of  1874.  The 
following  year  he  opened  a  grocery  and  general 
merchandise  store,  as  the  first  occupant  of  the 
then  new  building  on  the  northeast  corner  of 
Fourth  and  B  streets,  in  which  ^Ir.  Carither's 
dry-goods  store  is  now  located.  In  1877  he 
took  in  Mr.  S.  Armstrong  as  a  partner,  and  the 
firm  inaugurated  the  cash  system  of  doing  busi- 
ness, being  the  first  house  in  Santa  Rosa  {\i 
not  in  California)  to  adopt  that  plan,  all  com- 
mercial business  having  hitherto  been  conducted 
npon  long  credits  and  yearly  settlements.  This 
was  such  a  radical  departure  from  the  old  estab- 
lished methods,  that  the  wiseacres  predicted 
certain  disaster  to  the  new  firm,  giving  them 
six  months  existence  in  which  to  demonstrate 
their  folly.  But  even  that  short  time  proved 
the  wisdom  of  this  sound  business  policy  in  the 
rapid  development  and  growth  of  their  trade, 
and  the  firm  has  adhered  strictly  to  the  cash 
system  throughout  the  entire  iiistory  of  the 
house.  P>uying  for  cash  and  selling  for  cash 
enabled  them  to  give  their  customers  the  benefit 
of  the  lower  prices  which  always  attach  to  this 
mode  of  dealing,  and  the  new  firm  soon  stepped 
to  the  front,  while  many  of  their  competitors 
went  to  the  wall,  until,  of  the  twenty  grocery 
firms  in  business  when  Mr.  Spencer  started  ouly 
two  now  remain.  Observing  the  very  satisfac- 
tory result  of  their  experiment,  other  business 
firms  gradually  adopted  the  cash  system,  and 
now  almost  the  entire  volume  of  Santa  Rosa's 
mercantile  transactions  are  upon  the  cash  basis. 
Indeed,  the  innovation  has  spread  throughout 
Sonoma  and  other  counties,  until  the  aivtiqnated 
and  ruinous  credit  system  is  well  nigh  obsolete 
in  the  Golden  State.  During  the  intervening 
years  the  house  of  Spencer  A:  Armstrong 
changed  location  twice,  finally  moving  into  the 
very  large  and  commodious  store  Mr.  Spencer 
now  occupies  at  4B5  and  4B7  Fourth  street,  in 
1886.  The  store  is  one  of  the  largest  in  tlie  in- 
terior of  California,  Iwing  40x200  feet  in  area, 


Ill  STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  is  well  filled  with  a  stock  of  fine  staple  gro- 
ceries, glass-ware,  queen's-ware,  etc.,  of  which 
large  (iiiantities  are  sold  upon  the  V.  f).  1). 
small  ]>rolit  l)asis.  Fehniary  1,  18S8,  Mr. 
Spencer  pnrcliased  his  partner's  interest,  and  is 
now  sole  proprietor.  Mr.  Spencer's  active  en- 
ergy and  public  spirit  have  identified  him  with 
many  public  enterprises  inaugurated  in  Santa 
Rosa  for  many  years,  generally  as  oni-  of  the 
prime  movers  and  principal  worlicrs  for  its 
acliievcment.  Among  those  most  prominent  in 
which  he  was  one  of  the  projectors  and  is  a 
stockholder  and  a  director,  ma}'  be  mentioned 
the  Athena-um  Building,  dedicated  to  music 
and  the  dramatic  art,  erected  in  1885,  at  a  cost 
of  sSO.OOO,  the  finest  opera  hall  in  the  interior 
of  the  State;  the  Masonic  Hall,  which  was 
erected  in  1875,  costing  !?"2(),000,  now  worth 
830,000;  and  the  new  South  Side  Street  Kail- 
way,  built  the  past  summer,  and  extending  from 
the  plaza  on  Fourth  street  to  the  Sonoma  County 
Agricultural  Fark,  nearly  two  miles  in  length, 
which  was  constructed  under  his  personal  super- 
vision as  president  of  the  company,  and  is  a 
well  made  and  finely  equipped  j>iece  of  property, 
lie  is  also  one  of  the  members  of,  and  an  ener- 
getic worker  in  tlie  Sonoma  County  Agricultural 
Fark  Association,  as  one  of  its  directors.  He- 
sides  these  interests  Mr.  Spencer  owns  eonsid 
erablc  im])roved  and  unimproved  I'cal  estate  in 
Santa  liosa.  lie  is  a  charter  nieuilier  uF  the 
Santa  Rosa  National  Bank;  and  iA'  the  Santa 
Rosa  Building  and  Loan  Association,  suhseribed 
capital  now  nearly  8250,000. 

CHARLES  STRIDDE,  residing  three  miles 
east  of  Santa  Ro  a,  in  Rincon  Valley,  on 
the  road  leading  from  that  city  to  Sonoma, 
was  born  in  (rermany,  March  1,  1835,  son  of 
William  Stridde.  His  father  was  a  wealthy 
man  and  gave  him  a  good  education,  intending 
him  to  lead  a  military  career  in  the  service  of 
his   country.      At   the   age    of  sixteen    years  he 


entered  a  military  school,  and  at  twenty  years 
of  age  entered  the  army,  serving  five  years. 
But  an  army  life  not  being  in  all  things  con- 
sidered desirable,  i[r.  Stridde  tlien  received  an 
honorable  discharge.  February  14.  1802,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  ilaria  Cus- 
tafson,  a  native  of  Sweden.  His  father  having 
died  and  having  left  property  in  Sweden,  Mr. 
Stridde  visited  that  country  and  was  married 
there.  In  1870  he  crossed  the  ocean,  visited 
and  traveled  considerably  in  this  State.  Fleased 
with  what  he  saw.  Mr.  Stridde  sent  for  his 
family.  They  established  tlieir  home  on  Elk- 
horn  ranch,  on  the  Sacramento  River,  in  Yolo 
County.  There  they  lived  eight  years,  and 
after  a  visit  to  Germany  and  Sweden  they  came 
to  this  county  and  established  their  present  resi- 
dence in  1879.  Their  fine  cottage  home  with 
the  few  acres  of  ground,  making  the  residence 
property,  is  a  choice  location,  giving  a  fine  view 
of  the  charming  valley.  The  grounds  are 
shaded  and  utilized  in  the  production  of  choice 
fruits.  Mr.  Stridde  is  one  of  the  representative 
wine  grape  growers  of  Santa  Rosa  Township, 
and  has  given  viticidture  much  attention  since 
his  residence  in  this  county,  having  improved 
and  sold  considerable  vineyard  property.  He 
now  owns  in  the  foot-hills  two  flourishing  vine- 
yards, one  of  forty-one  acres  and  one  of  thirteen 
acres,  from  one  to  two  miles  from  his  residence, 
on  the  east  side  of  Rincon  Valley.  The  eight 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stridde  are  all  as  yet 
under  the  home  roof.  Their  names  in  order  of 
their  births  are:  Bertha  Charlotte,  born  January 
28,  1863;  Alexander  William,  born  August  2, 
I860;  Thyra,  born  April  30,  186!t;  Waldmar 
Carl,  born  January  11,  1871;  .\da  Jenny,  born 
June  22,  1873;  George  lljalmar,  born  April 
11,1875;  Matilda  Augusta,  born  May  23,  1878; 
and  Esther  Sophia,  born  August  22,  1880.  The 
family  are  all  memborsof  the  Lutheran  church, 
the  church  of  their  fathers.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Stridde  are  members  of  Council  No.  21,  of  the 
order  of  Chosen  Friends,  at  Sebastopol.  Mr. 
Stridde  is  quite  well  known  in  business  and 
social    circles,  and  is  respected   by  all  for  strict 


nisroBt  OF  soNoAfA  vouNfy. 


integrity  and  his  manly  t^ualities.  Politically 
lie  is  not  a  strict  partisan,  but  believes  in  the 
pulicy  oi  protection  for  American  industries. 


IP^EXRY  P.OLLE  is  the  owner  of  the  "Bolle 
'W)i  ^^i'leyard  and  Winery."  This  fine  prop- 
"^•l  erty  is  located  in  Los  Guilicos  Valley,  on 
the  Santa  Rosa  and  Sonoma  road,  seven  miles 
east  of  Santa  Rosa.  The  estate  contains  311 
acres,  and  was  bought  by  Mr.  l>olle  in  1880,  it 
then  l)eing  naked  land.  Commencing  the  work 
of  improvement  at  once  he  carried  it  rapidly 
forward  to  the  present.  The  winery,  a  sub- 
stantial structure,  has  a  capacity  of  100,000 
gallons,  and  is  used  for  tlie  manufacture  of  50,- 
OOO  gallons  annually:  100  acres  of  the  ranch 
are  devoted  to  the  growing  of  the  wine  grape 
and  the  rest  to  general  farm  purposes.  Mr.  Bolle 
was  born  in  Germany,  May  8,  1832.  Early  in 
life  he  was  apprenticed  to  the  cooper's  trade. 
Reaching  the  age  of  twenty- two  yeai-s,  and  de- 
sirous of  finding  a  home  in  a  land  giving  more 
of  personal  freedom  and  room  for  advancement 
than  was  derived  in  the  land  of  his  birth,  he.  in 
1854,  came  to  the  new  world.  In  the  city  of 
New  York  he  found  employment  at  his  trade. 
The  following  year,  in  1855,  he  came  to  this 
State,  and  about  three  years  was  engaged  with 
varying  success  in  mining  in  Sierra  County.  In 
1858  he  located  in  San  Francisco,  and  after  a 
time  spent  in  working  at  his  trade,  he  con- 
ducted for  several  years  the  cooper  business  on 
his  own  account.  In  that  city.  May  26,  1861, 
he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Anna 
Stacker,  who  was  burn  in  (Germany,  .\ugust  25, 
1839,  and  who  iiad  ix'sided  in  San  Francisco 
the  previous  four  years.  They  have  four  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  still  have  their  home  under  the 
])arental  roof  Their  names  are  Sophie,  William, 
Henry  and  Ernest.  Mr.  Bolle  has  an  abiding 
faith  in  the  coining  greatness  of  California  as  a 
wine  producing  State,  believing  that  interest  to 
be  yet  in  its  infancy,  and  that  the  difficulties 
and  discouragements  of  to-day  will    soon  pass 


away,  lie  proposes  to  hold  strictly  to  the  line 
marked  out  for  himself,  feeling  that  the  future  will 
bring  about  the  manufacture  of  a  better  article, 
create  a  better  demand,  and  bring  its  reward. 
Politically,  he  is  classed  as  a  liberal,  progressive 
Democrat.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Concordia 
((ierman)  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  at  San  Fran- 
cisco. 


Mel; ,  /^ 


fAMES  GREGSON.— Among  the  represent- 
ative men  of  Sonoma  County  is  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  He  dates  his  birth  from 
September  14,  1822,  in  Little  Bolton,  England. 
His  parents,  Nicholas  and  Mary  (Bowles)  Greg- 
son,  were  born  in  England,  his  father  being  of 
Scotch  descent.  11  is  parents  emigrated  to  the 
United  States,  and  settled  in  Philadelphia  in 
1834.  Here  he  was  reared  until  the  age  of  fif- 
teen years,  at  which  time  he  was  bound  to  James 
Brooks,  as  an  apprentice  to  the  blacksmith  and 
machinist's  trade,  at  which  he  served  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  October  20,  1843, 
Mr.  Gregson  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Eliza  Marshall,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Ann 
(Hughes)  Marshall.  Mrs.  Gregson  was  born  in 
Manchester,  England,  March  15,  1824.  Her 
parents  were  natives  of  England.  In  1844  Mi-. 
Gregson  moved  to  Rock  Island  County,  Illinois, 
where  he  resided  until  April,  1845.  In  that 
month  he  started  across  the  plains  for  Cali- 
fornia. In  company  with  himself  and  wife  upon 
this  emigration  were  Mrs.  Gregsou's  two  broth- 
ers, Henry  and  John  Marshall,  also  her  mother 
and  sister,  l\Iary  A.  Marshall.  The  journey 
was  slowly  made  l)y  ox  teams.  Aside  from  the 
usual  hardshi])S  and  discomforts  attending  a 
journey  of  this  character,  nothing  of  interest 
occurred  until  the  party  reached  Humboldt 
Canon.  Here  they  were  attacked  by  the  In- 
dians, who  killed  all  their  stock  except  a  yoke 
of  oxen.  Thus  deprived  of  means  of  transpor- 
tation, they  were  compelled  to  make  a  two- 
wheeled  vehicle  from  one  of  the  wagons.  Upon 
this  they  placed  their  baggage  and  such  of  their 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


337 


party  as  were  unable  to  walk,  and  continued 
their  journey.  All  of  the  men  and  Mrs.  Greg- 
son  and  her  mother  traveled  on  foot  from 
Humboldt  to  Johnston's  ranch  on  Bear  Creek, 
arriving  at  that  point  October  20,  1845.  No 
one  but  those  who  have  passed  through  a  like 
experience  can  imagine  the  hardships  endured 
by  those  two  brave  women.  Too  tnncli  honor 
cannot  be  awarded  to  these  early  pioneers — par- 
ticularly the  ladies — who  braved  the  perils  and 
hardships  of  plain,  desert,  and  mountains,  and 
paved  the  way  for  the  great  American  civiliza- 
tion which  followed.  They  are  reaping  a  portion 
of  their  reward  in  .seeing  the  wilderness  of  Cali- 
fornia subdued  and  becoming  the  garden  of  the 
world.  Soon  after  his  arrival,  Mr.  Gregson 
proceeded  to  Sutter's  Fort  and  was  employed  by 
Captain  Sutter  as  a  blacksmith.  While  at  Sut- 
ter's Fort  he  joined  the  Bear  Flag  party  and 
served  in  Captain  Edward  M.  Kern's  company 
at  the  fort.  While  there  he  was  guard  over 
General  Vallejo,  who  was  at  that  time  a  prisoner 
of  the  Bear  Flag  party.  He  was  also  one  of  the 
detail  under  Captain  Burroughs  to  take  horses 
for  General  Fremont's  command  from  Sutter's 
Fort  to  Monterey.  While  in  this  service  he 
was  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Salinas,  after  which 
he  enlisted  in  Genei-al  Fremont's  command  and 
served  under  (Captain  L.  II.  Ford.  He  served 
with  this  command  until  they  reached  Los  .\n- 
geles,  at  which  place  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged and  returned  to  Sutter's  Fort,  where  he 
remained  until  Fel)ruary,  1848.  He  was  then 
sent  by  Captain  Sutter  to  Coloma,  where  he 
assisted  in  erecting  the  mill  which  the  Captain 
was  building  at  that  place.  During  the  time 
he  was  engaged  at  ('oloma,  gold  was  discovered. 
Mrs.  Gregson  has  still  a  small  nugget  which 
she  procured  from  the  Indians  in  exchange  for 
clothing.  While  residing  at  Sutter's  Fort  their 
first  child,  Anna,  was  born,  September  8,  1846. 
This  was  the  first  white  chikl  born  at  the  Fort, 
anti  in  the  State,  and  was  the  subject  of  much 
comment  and  wonder  to  the  Indians,  who  would 
come  a  distance  of  forty  miles  to  see  the  bal)y, 
and   coulil    not   l)e   induced   to  believe  it   a  real 


child  until  they  had  pinched  it  or  in  some  other 
way  made  it  cry.  In  October,  1848,  Mr.  Greg- 
son came  to  Sonoma  County,  this  move  being- 
made  on  account  of  his  ill-health.  In  1849,  his 
health  being  much  improved,  he  returned  to 
Coloma,  and  engaged  in  mining  on  the  Middle 
Fork  of  the  American  River.  His  failing  health, 
however,  soon  compelled  him  to  leave  the  mines, 
and  he  engaged  in  house-building  at  Sutterville 
until  late  in  the  fall  of  that  year.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Sonoma  County,  and  in  January,  1850, 
settled  in  Green  Valley,  Analy  Township,  and 
commenced  tlie  cultivation  and  improvement  of 
160  acres  of  land.  Since  that  time  Mr.  Greg- 
son has  devoted  his  attention  to  agricultural 
pursuits.  He  was  the  first  to  break  land  and 
raise  grain  in  this  valley.  During  this  time  he 
has  been  engaged  j)rincipally  in  general  farm- 
ing. His  land  contains  a  fine  orchard  of  twenty 
acres,  chiefly  devoted  to  the  production  of 
apples,  but  also  contains  plums,  peaches,  apri- 
cots, and  such  varieties  as  are  grown  in  his 
section  of  the  county.  He  has  also  six  acres  in 
grape  vines,  consisting  of  wine  grapes  of  the 
Mission  variety,  and  also  tal)le  grapes,  such  as 
Black  Hamburg,  Tokay,  and  Muscat.  The  rest 
of  his  land  is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and  stock- 
raising.  Among  his  stock  is  a  dairy  of  ten 
cows.  Mr.  (xregson  is  well  known  thi-oughout 
the  whole  community  as  well  as  a  large  portion 
of  the  State.  Wherever  known  he  is  universally 
esteemed  and  respected.  His  honor  and  busi- 
ness integrity  have  ever  been  unc^uestionable. 
A  frank,  generous  and  intelligent  gentleman, 
his  name  is  associated  with  all  that  is  most 
agreeable  in  the  pioneer  settlement  of  Sonoma 
(bounty.  He  is  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  church,  of  which  he  is  a  strong  sup- 
porter. He  has  served  for  many  years  as  school 
trustee  in  his  district,  and  always  takes  a  deep 
interest  in  the  public  schools.  He  is  a  member 
of  Lafayette  Lodge,  No.  126,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of 
Sel)astopol.  In  political  matters  he  is  a  strong 
and  consistent  supporter  of  the  Republican 
party,  and  during  the  dark  days  of  the  Rebellion 
was    a    strong    suj)|iorter    of    the    Fnion.      The 


JflsTOJiy    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


names  and  births  ut'  Mr.  Gregsoii'^  children  are 
as  foll<>\^■^•.  Anna,  tlie  first  white  child  born  at 
SntterV  I-'ort,  as  before  stated,  married  Robert 
N.  Iteid  and  is  now  residing  in  Watsonville, 
Santa  Crnz  County;  ^[ary  Ellen,  born  at  Colo- 
nni,  Septeml>er  25,  1848,  married  Sylvester 
>rcC'hristian  and  is  residing  in  Green  Valley; 
William  F..  born  September  24,  1850,  married 
Miss  Lee  Ann  Miller,  and  is  now  living  in 
Stanislaus  County;  John  N.,  born  September 
1,  1S52,  married  Miss  Alma  lioyt,  and  is  re- 
siding on  the  old  homestead;  Eliza  Jane,  born 
May  31, 1854,  married  Thomas  B.  Butler,  living 
at  Mark  West,  Sonoma  County;  Henry  M. 
married  Miss  Catherine  Parks,  and  is  living  in 
Green  Valley;  Adelia  J.,  born  March  28, 1858, 
married  George  A.  Fruits  (now  deceased),  and 
she  was  married  a  second  time  to  Peter  S. 
Baker,  living  in  Fresno  County;  Caroline,  born 
October  21t,  1862.  married  Edwin  Thompson, 
residing  in  Lincoln  County,  Washington  Terri- 
tory; and  Luke  B.,  born  March  27,  1868,  re- 
sidincr  with  his  parents. 

^.^.^ 

fROFFSSOK  WILLIAM  C.  GRAINGER, 
President  ot  the  lleaklsburg  College, 
•^';:  is  a  native  of  Missouri,  born  at  AVar- 
i-cnsiiuri;-,  Johnson  County.  J.inuary  21, 
IS44,  his  parents  being  Andrew  1'..  and  Su- 
sanna (Eagan)  (irainger.  Loth  parents  were 
natives  of  Tennessee.  The  father  was  a  young 
man  when  his  parents  settled  in  Missouri,  locat- 
ing in  Johnson  County,  while  the  mother  was  a 
o-irl  of  twelve  when  she  accompanied  the  family 
to  Lafayette  County,  Missouri.  They  are  now 
residents  of  Warrensburg.  Tiie  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  reared  in  his  native  town,  and  re- 
ceived the  educational  advantages  aflbrded  by 
the  local  schools.  After  advancing  as  far  as 
those  facilities  allowed,  he  commenced  attend- 
ance at  the  State  University,  Columbia, 
Missouri,  and  comjileting  the  course,  graduated 
at  that  well  known  institution  of  learning  in 
the  class  of  1S67.      lie  had  cletenuined  to  enter 


upoti  a  professional  career,  and  read  law  in  the 
ottice  of  one  of  the  leading  firms  of  Warrensburg. 
In  1870  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Johnson 
C^oniity.  His  legal  studies  had  been  vai-ied, 
however,  by  several  terms  of  teaching,  and  the 
opportunity  which  had  thus  been  aft'orded  him 
to  judge  of  his  prefereiice  between  the  two  pro- 
fessions, determined  him  in  his  decision  to  lay 
aside  that  of  the  law  for  the  more  congenial  one 
of  letters,  lie  taught  a  number  of  terms  of 
school  in  towns  of  his  native  State,  among  them 
those  of  Ilolton  and  Warrensburg.  He  resigned 
his  position  in  the  schools  of  the  latter  place  in 
1876,  and  came  to  California.  For  two  years 
and  a  half  his  professional  label's  were  confined 
to  Ukiali  and  Manchester.  Lie  then  removed 
to  Santa  Rosa  to  engage  in  ministerial  and  mis- 
sionary labors.  On  the  organization  of  the 
Healdsburg  College,  in  1882,  he  was  chosen  to 
the  professorship  of  Natural  Science,  and  held 
that  chair  until  1887,  when  he  was  called  offi- 
cially to  the  presidency  of  the  college,  though 
he  had  previously  been  for  one  year  acting 
president.  Professor  Grainger  was  married  in 
Missouri  to  Miss  Elizabeth  J.  AVork,  a  native  of 
Lawrence  County,  Pennsylvania.  They  have 
three  children,  viz.:  Susanna  Margery,  Andrew 
B.,  and  Gertrude.  Professor  Grainger  has  been 
elder  of  the  Seventh  Day  Adventist  organiza- 
tion at  lleald.-burg  since  INSH.  lie  lias  also 
been  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  church,  and  is 
now  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  college 
board.  He  combines  in  an  eminent  degree  the 
necessary  educational  attainments  and  the  power 
of  control  by  kindness,  so  requisite  in  the  holder 
of  his  important  trust  as  president  of  the  college. 

j^^EORGE  J.  RAGLE.— Among  the  pioneers 
Wjr  of  (ireen  Valley,  Analy  Township,  none  are 
W^  more  deserving  of  mention  than  the  above 
named  gentleman,  a  brief  resume  of  whose  life  is 
as  follows:  Mr.  Ragle  was  born  in  Sullivan 
County,  Tennessee,  July  5,  182(5.  His  parents, 
Georcre  and    Margaret   (Miller)    Ragle,  were  na- 


UISTORY    OF    SOyOMA    COUNTi\ 


tives  of  Virginia,  and  both  of  German  tlescent. 
Ills  father  was  a  fanner,  to  which  life  tlie  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  was  reared,  receiving  a  limited 
education.  When  nineteen  years  of  age  he 
left  home  and  worked  at  farm  labor  in  Scott 
County,  Virginia,  until  1847,  when  he  moved 
to  Lafayette  County,  Missouri,  where  he  worked 
on  a  farm  until  IS-HI.  On  the  10th  of  April  of 
that  year  he  started  overland  with  o\  teams  for 
California,  and  after  undergoing  the  hardshijis 
and  trials  attendant  upon  an  overland  trip,  he 
arrived  in  this  State  September  1st,  ami  went 
to  mining  in  Bear  Valley.  This  life  did  not 
suit  him.  and  after  nine  weeks  of  mining  expe- 
rience he  came  to  Sonoma  County.  In  the 
spring  of  1850  he  engaged  in  teaming  from  the 
Russian  River  to  Sonoma,  and  continued  this 
occupation  until  the  fall  of  that  year,  when  he 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  in  (ireen  \'alley. 
This  land  was  in  an  entirely  wild  and  unculti- 
vated state,  but  with  characteristic  energy  he 
commenced  clearing  and  cultivating.  lie  paid 
for  a  portion  of  it  by  splitting  rails  for  Ja.sper 
O'  Farrell.  He  soon  had  a  house  erected  and 
other  improvements  made,  and  in  1854  mai-ried 
Miss  Margaret  Jane  Fruits,  the  daugliter  of  Ja- 
cob Fruits,  a  native  of  Indiana,  but  residing  in 
Sonoma  County.  Mr.  Ragle  was  successful  in 
his  farming  operations  and  from  time  to  time 
increased  his  landed  jjossessioiis.  until  \\r  now 
owns  325  acres.  His  farm  is  in  the  Spring  Hill 
School  District,  one  and  one-half  miles  west  of 
Sebastopol.  He  has  an  orchard  of  ten  acres, 
producing  apples  and  peaches;  sixty  acres  of 
timber,  the  balance  being  devoted  to  hay,  grain, 
and  stock  purposes.  The  western  portion  of  the 
farm,  132  acres,  is  under  the  charge  of  Air.  Ila- 
gle's  adopted  son,  who  has  a  dairy  of  twenty 
cows,  and  twenty-iive  bead  of  cattle  for  market 
purposes;  also  seventy  head  of  sheep  and  other 
stock.  Mr.  Ragle's  straightforward  and  consist- 
ent course  of  life,  honest  dealing,  and  maidy 
qualities  have  gained  him  the  respect  ami 
esteem  of  the  community  in  which  he  has  lived 
for  over  thirty-eight  years.  He  is  a  consistent 
member     of     the     Cuml'erland      rresbvtcriau 


church,  also  a  member  of  Lafayette  Lodge, 
No.  12t),  F.  ic  A.  M.,  of  Sebastopol.  In  politics 
he  was  a  Democrat  until  1860,  but  the  seces- 
sion movement  in  that  year  did  not  agree  with 
his  Union  principles,  and  he  joined  the  Repub- 
lican ranks,  for  a  i&w  years,  and  then  returned 
to  his  former  party.  No  children  have  blessed 
the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ragle,  but  they  have 
a  son  l)y  adoption,  Alexander  Rarnett  Ragle, 
the  son  of  Robinson  Ragle.  This  son  is  mar- 
ried to  Alice  Miller,  daugliter  of  Thomas  Mil- 
ler, of  Sonoma  County,  and  as  before  stated,  is 
conducting  a  portion  of  his  adopted  father's 
farm. 


^'  • — ^'"^FT-^y-- — •  "^ 

%R.  ABSALOM  BOYLESSTLART,theson 
in  of  James  Wesley  and  Mary  Ann  (^Boyles) 
''-10  Stuart,  was  born  at  Williamsburg,  Penn- 
sylvania, August  27,  1830.  He  was  educated 
in  Lewisburg  University,  Berkshire  Medical 
College  and  Bellevue  Hospital  Meilical  College. 
He  was  graduated  from  Berkshire  Aledical  (_'ol- 
lege  with  the  degree  of  M.  1).  in  1850,  ami  ten 
years  later  from  Bellevue.  Upon  i-eceiving  his 
first  degree  in  medicine  Dr.  Stuart  commenced 
practice  in  West  Hampton,  Massachusetts.  He 
soon  after  moved  to  Doddsville,  and  thence  to 
Macomli,  Illinois;  in  Hoddsvillc  he  married 
Aliss  .\nabel  Mc(raughey  in  1851*.  In  August, 
1801,  he  was  commissioned  Assistant  Surgeon 
of  the  Tenth  Missouri  Regiment  United  States 
Infantry;  in  the  winter  of  1862-'3  was  ap- 
pointed l)y  General  Rosecrans  Medical  Superin- 
tendent of  Hospitals  at  Inka,  Mississippi,  in 
A]iril,  1803,  was  promoted  to  Surgeon  and  as- 
signed to  the  First  Alabama  United  States 
(yavalry — a  regiment  raised  in  tiiat  State,  and 
commanded  by  northern  officers.  While  vol- 
untarily assisting  in  the  construction  of  defenses 
Dr.  Stuart  received  accidental  injuries  from 
which  he  iie\er  recovered,  and  the  etfects  of 
which  compelled  him  to  resign  and  retire  from 
the  service  in  January,  1804.  Returning  to 
Macomb,  he  slu.irtly    after    moved    to    Winona, 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Minnesota,  where  he  soon  attained  a  very  ex  - 
tensive  practice  and  took  rank  among  the  tirst 
physicians  of  tliat  State.  The  rigors  of  that 
northern  climate  proving  too  severe  for  liis  en- 
feebled health  he  immigrated  to  California  with 
Ills  family  in  1870,  settling  in  Los  Angeles. 
Not  receiving  the  desired  benefit,  he  removed 
to  iSanta  Barbara  which  afforded  liim  temporary 
relief.  Finding  it  necessary  to  again  seek  for 
climatic  benefits  they  came  to  Santa  Rosa  in 
1881,  and  here  passed  the  last  six  years  of  his 
life.  At  all  these  points  Dr.  Stuart  practiced 
his  j)rofession,  and  was  highly  esteemed  both  as 
a  physician  and  a  gentleman  of  irreproachable 
character  and  life.  Like  all  men  who  win  the 
respect  and  confidence  of  their  fellows,  Dr. 
Stuart  was  possessed  of  a  strong  individuality 
and  inflexible  integrity  in  adhering  to  his  con- 
victions of  the  right.  All  worthy  moral  and 
etiucational  enterprises  received  his  hearty  sup- 
port, as  well  as  that  of  his  esteemed  professional 
and  life- partner,  his  wife.  Mary  Stuart  Ilall, 
one  of  the  buildings  of  the  California  Baptist 
College,  was  named  for  their  lovely  deceased 
daughter  in  memory  of  a  munificent  contri- 
bution of  slO,000  given  by  Doctors  Stuart  to 
that  institution  of  learning.  AVhile  engaged  in 
active  practice  Dr.  A.  B.  Stuart  gave  especial 
attention  to  surgery,  in  which  he  achieved  con- 
siderable renown  among  the  profession  by  a 
number  of  capital  operations  he  performed.  He 
was  a  member  ot  the  Winona  County  Medical 
Society,  and  its  president  in  1872;  first  vice- 
president  of  the  Minnesota  State  Medical  So- 
ciety in  1874  and  1876 ;  served  as  secretary  in 
1873  of  the  section  on  State  medicine  and  pub- 
lic hygiene.  He  was  instrumental  in  organizing 
\\w  Minnesota  State  IJoard  of  Health  in  1872, 
and  was  its  first  president.  In  the  same  year 
he  was  elected  teacher  of  surgery  in  the  AVi- 
nona  Preparatory  Medical  School,  and  its  presi- 
dent in  1878.  In  187i)  he  was  chosen  a  delegate 
to  the  International  Medical  Congress  at  I'hila- 
delphia.  Dr.  Stuart  was  quite  a  liV)eral  con- 
tributor to  the  press  on  subjects  pertaining  to 
medical  science, among  the  most  important  being 


the  "  Annual  Report  of  the  Minnesota  State 
Board  of  Health  for  1873;"'  "  The  Upper  Epiph- 
ysis of  the  Radius,"  published  in  the  "Trans- 
actions of  the  Minnesota  State  Medical  Society  " 
in  187*).  After  years  of  severe  suffering.  Dr. 
Stuart  passed  away  July  80,  1887.  The  funeral 
sermon  was  preached  b}'  Rev.  S.  S.  Fisk,  pastor 
of  the  Baptist  cliureh  of  which  Dr.  Stuart  had 
been  a  consistent  member  for  many  years;  and 
the  burial  rites  were  conducted  by  the  Masonic 
order  and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  Of 
Dr.  Absalom  Boyles  Stuart  it  could  truly  be  said 
none  knew  him   but  to  rt'spoct  and  admire  him. 


I^XABEL  McG.  STUART,  M.   D.,  one  of 

jijv^B  the  most  prominent  and  successful  physi- 
cians in  Sonoma  County,  is  a  worthy 
illustration  of  what  may  be  achieved  by  woman 
in  the  medical  j)rofession.  with  energy  and  in- 
telligent, well-directed  etfort,  despite  of  diffi- 
culties and  trials  such  as  fall  to  the  lot  of  but 
few  people.  She  is  the  eldest  child  of  Hugh 
F.  and  Jane  (Walker)  McGa\ighey,  natives  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  born  in  IMartinsburtf, 
Virginia,  May  4, 1840.  Her  father  was  a  prom- 
inent contractor  in  the  construction  of  the 
Baltimore  «fc  Ohio  Railroad.  Li  the  fall  of 
1849  he  moved  with  his  family  to  Macomb, 
Illinois,  where  he  spent  the  last  active  years  ot 
his  life  in  farming,  and  where  both  he  and  his 
wife  died  in  1868.  The  subject  of  this  memoir 
was  educated  in  Macomb,  and  in  September. 
1859,  was  united  in  marriage  with  ^Vbsalom  B. 
Stuart,  a  j-ising  young  physician  of  that  city. 
On  the  2nd  of  August,  18()1,  her  husband  en- 
tered the  United  States  army  as  Assistant 
Surgeon  of  the  Tenth  Missouri  Infantry;  and 
during  the  two  years  and  a  half  of  his  active 
and  conspicuous  services  in  the  medical  dejiart- 
ment  of  the  army  his  young  wife  spent  many 
months  with  him  acting  as  nurse  and  assistant 
in  his  arduous  duties  in  various  ways.  Failing 
health  compelling  her  husband  to  resign  his 
position   in  January,  1864,  he  returned  home; 


Hlnruli)'     oF    SONOMA    COUSTY. 


343 


and  in  the  spring  of  1866  they  moved  to  Wi- 
nona, Minnesota.  Soon  after  tlieir  marriage 
Mrs.  Stuart's  husband  began  to  persuade  her  to 
.<tndy  medicine,  but  domestic  duties  and  her 
natural  <iislii<e  to  j)nblic  life  were  sufficient 
reasons,  to  lier  mind,  for  declining  to  accede  to 
his  requests  for  some  years.  Wishing  to  aid 
and  encourage  him  in  every  way  possible  in  his 
professional  work,  Mr>.  Stuart  linally  yielded  to 
his  importunities  and  began  studying;  and 
having  decided  upon  this  course,  she  pursued 
the  work  with  lier  characteristic  energy  and 
perseverance.  When  prepared,  she  attended  a 
course  of  lectures  at  the  Women's  Medical  (^ol- 
le^e  in  Philadelphia,  l*a.,  in  187l)-'7.  The 
latter  part  of  the  following  summer  they  came 
to  California  with  the  hope  of  restoring  iier 
husband's  broken  health,  and  located  in  Los 
Angeles.  Mrs.  Stuart  continued  her  studies, 
and  in  tlie  summer  and  fall  of  1878  attended 
the  Medical  College  of  the  Pacilic  (now  the 
Cooper  Medical  College),  and  was  graduated 
therefrom  November  5,  1878.  From  that  time 
until  the  death  of  her  husband  in  1887,  Mrs. 
Dr.  Stuart  practiced  medicine  as  a  partner  with 
him  in  Santa  Barbara  and  Santa  Rosa,  settling 
in  the  latter  city  in  1881.  Her  professional 
career  has  been  one  of  marked  success  from  tlie 
beginning,  and  she  now  enjoys  a  practice 
eijualed  in  extent  and  prollt  by  few  physicians 
in  the  interior  of  the  State.  Thus  her  skill  in 
battling  with  human  aihnents  is  demonstrated 
beyond  ipiestion.  Though  studiously  devoting 
herself  to  her  profession  Dr.  Stuart  always 
found  time  to  cherish  and  brighten  the  home 
life  of  those  whom  love  had  bound  to  her  by 
the  sacred  ties  of  wifehood  and  motiierhood. 
And  in  the  severing  of  these  ties  one  by  one 
consisted  the  bitter  sorrow  of  lier  life.  She  is 
the  mother  of  three  children  all  of  whom  she 
has  followed  to  the  grave,  each  being  the  only 
child  when  the  dread  Reaper  cut  it  down.  Two 
of  them  past-ed  away  in  infancy;  Ijut  Mary 
Stuart,  the  third  daughter,  lived  until  almost 
ready  to  bloom  into  a  charming  yonng  woman- 
hood, before  she  fell  a  victim  to  the  relentless 


destroyer.  Mary  Stuart  was  a  child  possessed 
of  those  rare  qualities  of  mind  and  heart  which 
command  "love  at  first  sigiit  "  of  every  one  who 
came  in  contact  with  her.  With  brightness  of 
intellect,  bordering  or  precocity,  was  joined  a 
sweet  amiability  of  spirit  which  drew  everyone 
to  her  as  with  the  power  of  a  magnet.  She  was 
born  in  Winona,  Minnesota,  October  31,  1871, 
and  died  August  28.  1883.  In  the  home  and 
the  hearts  she  had  filled  with  sunshine  her  death 
was  like'a  total  eclipse  of  the  sun.  Her  fond 
father  never  recovered  from  the  shock,  and  fol- 
lowed her  four  years  later;  while  her  mother 
cherishes  her  memory  as  the  jewel  of  her  life. 
Since  the  Medical  College  o(  the  Pacific  was 
merged  into  the  Cooper  Medical  College  Dr.  .V. 
McG.  Stuart  has  received  the  honorary  degree  of 
M.  D.  from  the  latter  institution.  She  is  an  hon- 
ored member  of  the  State  Medical  Societyof  Cali- 
fornia, and  of  the  American  JMedical  Association. 

^,+|.^„j..||+.^.„. 

fA.  ROGERS  resides  near  the  city  limits 
east  of  Santa  Rosa,  and  is  one  of  the 
®  county's  leading  horticulturists  and  one 
of  its  most  active  citizens.  Mr.  Rogers  dates 
his  birth  in  Wayne  County,  Pennsylvania,  May 
24, 1837,  son  of  Clayton  and  Tryphosia  Rogers. 
The  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  known  to  the 
history  of  Pennsylvania.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  a  lineal  descendant  of  JohnRogers,  one 
of  the  Penn  colonists,  who  bought  his  land  of 
William  Penn  at  6^  cents  per  acre.  A  long  line 
of  descendants,  scattered  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Pacific,  look  back  with  pride  to  their  com- 
mon ancestor,  John  Rogers,  the  sterling,  honest 
(^uakei',  one  of  the  Peim  colonists.  E.  A.  Rogers 
was  thirteen  years  of  age  when  his  father,  with 
his  family,  moved  from  Pennsylvania  and  lo- 
cated in  Dane  ('ounty,  Wisconsin.  Four  years 
later  they  removed  to  Towerville,  Crawford 
County,  the  same  State.  The  parents  tiiei'c 
passed  their  remaining  days,  tlieir  lives  of  great 
nsefidness  having  been  prolonged  to  an  ad- 
vanced age.   In  the  near  vicinity  of  the  parental 


BISTORT    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


home  tlie  family  of  children,  one  after  aiiotlier, 
commenced  life  fur  themselves,  principally  in 
Veraou,an  adjoining  county,  and  Vernon  County 
never  liad  better  men.  The  writer  of  this  sketcli, 
an  old  acquaintance  and  friend  of  the  family, 
wishes  to  record  that  for  devoted  loyalty  and 
manhood  the  family  was  excelled  by  none. 
When  the  call  for  volunteers  came  to  suppress 
the  slave  holder's  rebellion,  the  live  Rogers  boys 
at  once  entered  the  service,  and  for  soldierly  bear- 
ing under  all  circumstances  they  were  second  to 
none.  Several  of  them  held  commissions  before 
the  struggle  was  over.  The  old  Quaker  ele- 
ment in  their  blood  seemed  to  have  entirely  dis- 
appeared, lieturniug  to  the  peaceful  walks  of 
life  they  became  as  useful  citizens  as  they  had 
been  soldiers,  and  in  business,  political  and  so- 
cial circles,  have  been  ever  since  prominent.  E. 
A.  Rogers,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch, served 
in  the  engineer  corps,  attached  to  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  Returning  to  Wisconsin  he, 
February  18,  1860,  wedded  in  Vernon  County, 
that  State,  Miss  Louisa  Williams,  who  was  born 
in  Walworth  County.  Mr.  Rogers  followed 
acrricultural  pursuits  in  Vernon  County,  Wis- 
consin, until  1874,  when,  feeling  the  need  of  a 
more  congenial  climate  and  a  more  congenial 
avocation,  he  came  to  Sonoma  County.  Mr. 
Rogers  has  a  good  home,  which,  situated  as  it  is, 
only  one  and  one-half  miles  east  of  the  court 
house,  gives  him  all  the  .social  advantages  of  a 
city  residence.  Connected  with  his  residence 
are  twenty-two  and  one-half  acres  of  the  choicest 
of  Santa  Rosa  Valley  land.  Fifteen  acres  are 
devoted  to  orchard,  where  we  find  the  choicest 
peaches,  Rartlett  pears,  French  prunes,  apples, 
etc.  Although  but  fourteen  years  a  resident  of 
Sonoma  County,  l\'\v  men  are  iiioi-e  widely  or 
favorably  known  than  the  subje(!t  of  thi.s  sketch. 
Much  of  the  success  Sonoma  County  lias  had 
in  its  exhibits  at  the  Mechanics'  fair  at  San 
Francisco,  must  be  attributed  to  the  energy  and 
skill  of  its  executive  committee.  The  exhibit 
made  this  year  (1888),  in  which  the  county, 
without  the  aid  of  any  public  appropriation  was 
enabled  to   win  the  second  prize,  it^tiOO  (Santa 


Clara  County  taking  the  first),  must  largely 
be  attributed  to  ]\[r.  Rogers,  who,  associated 
with  S.  II.  Shaw  of  Sonoma,  was  in  charge. 
Sonoma  County  received  the  first  prize,  s75,on 
wine  grapes;  tir&t  prize,  -Mo,  on  olive  oil  and 
olives,  and  the  iirst  prize,  825,  on  hops.  The 
county  has  no  more  enthusiastic  believer  in  its 
grand  future  in  horticulture  and  viticulture 
than  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and  to  the  hast- 
ening of  the  ''good  time  coming"  he  devotes 
much  of  his  jireseiit.  Politically,  Mr.  Rogers 
is  a  radical  Repulilicaii.  1  n  Odd  Fellowship  he 
is  prominent,  and  affiliates  with  Santa  Rosa 
Lodge,  No.  53:  Santa  Rosa  Encampment,  Santa 
Rosa  Canton,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  both 
members  of  Oak  Leaf  Rebecca  Lodge,  No.  74. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rogers  have  four  children: 
George,  Will,  and  Flattie  and  Howard  (twins|. 


^S=^ 


i^)^ 


f>LEXAXDER  C.  M.  MEANS  is  one  of 
V  Sononui"s  most  tried  and  efficient  teachers, 
"^^  having  first  entered  the  jirofession  of 
teaching  in  this  county  in  1S65,  aTid  been  most 
of  the  time  since  then  engaged  in  educational 
work.  Jle  came  to  California  with  his  pai-ents 
from  his  native  State,  Alabama,  in  1855.  llis 
father,  Ur.  S.  A.  McMeans,  practiced  medicine 
for  some  years  in  California,  and  when  the  silver 
mining  excitement  arose  in  Nevada,  he  removed 
to  Virginia  City,  and  there  pursued  his  profes- 
sion for  manj'  years.  Dr.  McMeans  died  in 
Reno,  Nevada,  in  1876.  Mr.  McMeans  came 
to  Sonoma  County  in  1864  from  Yolo  County, 
where  he  had  been  attending  Woodland  College, 
and,  as  above  stated,  began  teaching  the  follow- 
ing year.  In  1871  he  was  elected  principal  of 
the  Santa  Rosa  schools,  which  position  he  lilled 
three  years,  resigning  it  in  1874  to  enter  upon 
the  duties  of  county  superintendent  of  schools, 
to  which  he  had  been  elected.  lie  was  re- 
elected for  a  second  term  and  served  four  years 
in  that  office,  hi  the  meantime  he  had  become 
interested  in  a  mining  company  organized  in 
Santa  Rosa,  and  known  as  the  McMillan  Mining 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


Company,  whose  property  was  situated  near 
Globe  City,  Arizona,  and  on  retiring  from  the 
office  of  county  superintendent,  was  chosen 
secretary  of  the  company.  At  the  end  of  two 
years  he  resij^ned  the  secretaryship,  and  in  1880 
opened  in  Santa  Rosa  a  private  normal  school 
for  preparing  teachers  to  pass  the  required  ex- 
aminations for  teaching.  lie  has  conducted  his 
scliool  ever  since  with  success,  except  two  j'ears, 
1883  and  1884,  when  he  was  elected  to  and 
tilled  the  office  of  recorder  and  auditor  of  So- 
nonia  County.  His  school  embraces  strictly  a 
normal  course,  and  during  its  existence  has  pre- 
pared about  250  teachers  to  obtain  certificates. 
The  past  year  he  has  ei'ected  a  building  lor  his 
school  near  his  residence  on  East  Third  street, 
wliich  has  a  capacity  of  about  torty  students, 
and  is  well  equipped  for  school  purposes.  The 
school  year  consists  of  two  terms  of  tive  months 
each.  He  has  ever  been  an  energetic  worker  in 
every  educational  held  looking  toward  the  intel- 
lectual advancement  and  moral  elevation  ot 
youth.  He  has  been  for  sevei'al  years  and  is 
now  a  member  of  the  Santa  Rosa  School  Board, 
and  was  its  president  during  the  year  1877. 
Mr.  McMeans  married  Miss  Carrie  R.  Brown, 
of  San  Jose,  in  July,  1885. 


fOHN  P.  RODGERS,  a  prominent  member 
of  the  Sonoma  County  bar  and  an  enter- 
prising citizen  of  Petaluma,  is  a  native  of 
Andrew  County,  Missouri,  and  was  born  Sep- 
tember 24,  1849.  He  is  a  son  of  Alexander 
W.  Rodgers,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  in  this 
work.  He  came  to  the  State  in  1854,  with  his 
parents,  and  to  Petaluma  in  1856.  He  attended 
the  public  schools  of  tliis  city  and  afterward  the 
Pacilic  Methodist  College  at  Vacaville,  and  sub- 
sequently the  Baptist  College  of  Petaluma,  an 
institution  which  has  since  been  closed.  In 
1867  he  retired  from  his  school  studies  and  en- 
tered the  employ  of  the  San  Francisco  &  Hum- 
boldt Bay  Railroad,  afterward  changed  to  the 
San  Francisco  cfe  North   Paciiic.      He  remained 


in  the  employ  of  the  company  until  1869,  and 
from  that  date  to  1872  was  engaged  in  the  real 
estate  business  with  his  father.  In  1872  he 
began  the  study  of  law  with  Hon.  George  Pearce, 
of  Sonoma  County,  with  whom  he  remained 
until  the  spring  of  1875.  In  April  of  this  year 
he  was  elected  assessor  for  the  city  of  Petaluma, 
and  held  the  office  until  the  following  Decem- 
ber, when  he  was  elected  copying  clerk  for  the 
Assembly  of  the  State  of  California.  After  the 
close  of  tlie  session  of  the  Legislature  of  187G 
he  returned  to  Petaluma,  in  the  meantime 
having  been  admitted  to  the  practice  of  law  by 
the  District  Court  o:  Sonoma  County.  In  July 
of  the  same  year  he  was  appointed  deputy  dis- 
trict attorney  for  Sonoma  Count}',  which  posi- 
tion he  held  under  Barclay  Henley,  W.  E. 
McConuell  and  A.  B.  Ware,  until  the  1st  of 
January,  1883.  The  same  year  he  formed  a 
co-partnership  with  Hon.  M.  E.  C.  Munday, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Rodgers  &  Munday, 
which  relation  existed  up  to  March,  1888,  when 
the  firm  was  dissolved,  Mr.  Munday  moving  to 
Los  Angeles,  and  the  business  in  Petaluma  be- 
ing prosecuted  by  Mr.  Rodgers.  In  April, 
1885,  he  was  elected  city  attorney  of  the  citj'  of 
Petaluma,  which  position  he  now  holds.  Mr. 
Rodgers  was  admitted  to  the  bar  by  the  Supreme 
Court  of  California,  November  10,  1879,  and  by 
the  United  States  Circuit  Court  March  2,  1887. 
His  marriage  to  Miss  Frances  J.  Hinkle,  a  na- 
tive of  this  State,  was  celebrated  December  3, 
1879,  by  which  union  they  have  three  children, 
one  son  and  two  daughters. 

flRAH  LUCE,  of  Healdsburg,  is  a  repre- 
sentative of  one  of  the  long  resident  fami- 
lies of  Sonoma  County.  He  was  born  at 
Vineyard  Haven,  Massachusetts,  October  3, 
1843,  and  is  the  son  of  Jirah,  Sr.,  and  Mary 
(Cottle)  Luce.  In  1849  the  father  became  one 
of  a  party  organized  to  go  to  California.  This 
company  purchased  a  small  vessel  and  made  the 
journey  around   Cape  Horn   to   San    FranciscQ. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


He  was  an  energetic  man  and  was  soon  estab- 
lished in  business.  He  followed  mining,  and 
was  also  engaged  in  the  carrying  trade  with  a 
vessel.  In  1857  he  sent  for  his  famiij,  who 
joined  him  at  San  Francisco.  In  18(i2  he  re- 
moved to  Sonoma  Connty,  locating  at  Healds- 
burg.  He  purchased  a  ranch  some  three  miles 
from  Healdsburg,  wliich  is  now  owned  by  his 
sons.  While  a  resident  of  Healdsburg  he  held 
the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  and  judge  of 
the  police  court.  His  dea:th  occurred  in  1881. 
His  widow,  who  survives  him,  resides  in  Healds- 
buri;.  Jirah  Luce,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  in  his  fourteenth  year  when  he  accompa- 
nied his  mother  to  California,  and  lie  was  reared 
to  manhood  in  this  State.  He  was  married  on 
the  10th  of  March,  1886,  to  Nina  Matheson, 
daughter  of  Colonel  Rod.  Matheson,  whose 
sketch  follows.  They  have  two  children:  Mary 
Antoinette  and  >.'ina.  Mr.  Luce's  ranch  on 
Russian  River  comprises  over  300  acres  of  land, 
and  is  devoted  to  stock-raising,  fruit  and  vines. 
On  the  place  there  are  forty  acres  of  wine  grapes, 
all  choice  varieties,  which  are  in  first-class  con- 
dition. The  orchard  consists  of  ten  acres, 
mostly  peaches,  prunes  and  pears.  Mr.  Luce's 
portion  of  the  home  ranch  consists  of  300  acres 
adjoining  Healdsburg.  On  this  place  there  are 
thirteen  acres  of  orchard,  set  out  in  1883,  con- 
sisting of  peaches,  plums  and  prunes.  There 
are  also  seven  acres  of  vineyard,  planted  in 
1884.  The  grapes  are  ])rincipally  Zinfandel, 
and  are  all  wine  varieties. 


m^m 


fOLOXEL  RODERICK  N.  MATHESON, 
one  of  the  distinguished  men  of  Sonoma 
,  -County,  whohave  passed  away,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Inverness,  Scotland,  born  in  1825,  and 
son  of  Tliomas  and  Jane  Matheson.  When  in 
his  fifteenth  year  he  accompanied  his  parents  on 
their  removal  to  America,  locating  in  New  York 
City.  Tiiere  the  father  engaged  in  a  business 
career,  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared 
in  the  metropolis.     In  1844  he  was  married  to 


Miss  Antoinette  Seaman,  a  native  of  New  York. 
He  soon  afterward  removed  to  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
and. was  there  engaged  in  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness tor  three  ^-ears.  He  then  returned  to  New 
York  City  and  resumed  his  connection  with  a 
large  importing  house  with  which  he  had  been 
formerly  associated.  He  had  given  up  mercan- 
tile life,  and  had  commenced  teaching  school, 
when  the  California  gold  fever  came  on,  and  he 
found  the  temptation  to  join  the  throng  bound 
for  tiie  west  more  than  he  could  resist.  Early 
in  1849  he  took  passage  on  a  vessel  bound  for 
California  via  Cape  Horn.  The  vo3'age  was  a 
rough  and  lengthy  one,  and  was  not  completed 
without  the  vessel  on  which  he  was  a  passenger 
being  compelled  to  })ut  into  a  South  American 
port  to  avoid  shipwreck.  After  a  brief  experi- 
ence in  the  mines,  he  located  in  San  Francisco, 
and  his  talent  soon  brought  him  into  prominence. 
He  took  an  active  part  in  every  project  cal- 
culated to  advance  the  interests  of  the  city  of  his 
adoption,  and  helped  to  organize  the  Mechanic's 
Institute,  and  became  its  president.  In  1852  he 
was  made  controller  of  San  Francisco.  He  was 
an  active  member  of  the  lire  department  and  one 
of  the  founders  of  Vigilant  Engine  Company, 
No.  9,  and  a  member  of  the  Marion  RiHes.  In 
1854  he  was  appointed  a  General  of  Division  of 
the  Mexican  army,  and  Resident  Commissioner 
of  Mexico  in  San  Francisco.  By  his  effective 
aid  in  this  capacity  he  contributed  largely  to 
the  successes  of  Alvarez  and  Comonfort.  His 
Mexican  commission  w'as  contirmed  by  Juarez, 
then  Chief  Justice  of  Mexico,  and  was  still  in 
force  at  the  time  of  his  decease.  In  1856  he 
removed  to  Sonoma  County  with  his  family  and 
located  on  a  farm  adjoining  Healdsburg.  He 
cultivated  his  land  and  at  the  same  time  was 
engaged  in  teaching,  and  founded  the  Alexander 
Academy.  He  went  to  Washington  to  attend 
the  inauguration  of  President  Lincoln,  and 
there  met  Colonel  E.  D.  Baker.  He  was  in 
New  York  City  when  the  war  broke  out,  and 
immediately  became  conspicuous  in  the  further- 
ance of  the  Union  cause,  taking  a  leading  part 
in  organizing  the  First  California   (or  Thirty- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT Y. 


second  New  York)  Regiment,  of  which  he  was 
chosen  Colonel.  He  was  soon  at  the  front  with 
the  coininand  and  participated  in  the  first  Bnll 
Una  fiujht.  Through  the  Peninsular  campaign 
he  led  his  command,  and  at  the  hattleof  Cramp- 
ton  Gap,  or  Cheat  Mountain,  on  the  lltli  of 
September,  18G2,  he  was  woundetl  so  severely 
while  leading  his  regiment  in  a  charge,  that  his 
death  resulted  on  the  2d  of  October.  His  re- 
mains were  taken  to  New  York  City,  and  lay 
in  state  in  the  (rovernor's  room  of  tlie  city  hall 
nntil  October  9,  when  the  body  was  taken  to 
Green  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Chnrch  and 
funeral  services  held.  The  Seventy-first  New 
Yorlc  Regiment  was  a  guard  of  honor,  and  the 
lollowing  noted  men  acting  as  pall-bearers: 
Generals  John  C.  Fiemont  and  John  S.  Ellis, 
Hons.  E.  F.  Burton,  C.  K.  Garrison,  F.  F. 
Low,  Samuel  B.  Smith  and  J.  A.  McUougall, 
Dr.  Eugene  Crowell,  George  Wilkes,  Henry 
Thompson  and  Eugene  Kell}-.  After  the  ser- 
vices the  remains  were  placed  on  the  California 
steamer.  Extensive  preparations  were  made 
for  the  obsequies  at  San  Francisco,  the  leading 
men  and  organizations  of  the  city  being  active 
in  the  matter.  At  the  meeting  held  to  devise  the 
j)lans  for  the  funeral,  the  following  gentlemen 
were  designated  as  pall-bearers:  His  Excellency, 
Leland  Stanford,  Hons.  Ogden  Hott'man,  T. 
G.  Phelps,  F.  M.  Pixley,  Ira^  P.  Rankin,  H.  F. 
Tischemacher,  Messrs.  J.  B.  Thomas,  R.  E. 
Rimond,  W.  Ralston,  E.  T.  Batturs,  Benjamin 
F.  Freeman,  Eugene  L.  Sullivan,  E.  W.  Leonard, 
H.  A.  Cobb,  W^  M.  Lent  and  Colonel  W.  D. 
Thompson.  The  First  California  Guard  was 
the  guard  of  honor  which  received  the  remains 
at  San  Francisco.  After  tiie  services  there  the 
body  was  taken  to  Healdsbnrg  for  interment. 
The  Petaluma  Guard  and  Emmet  Rifles  met 
the  cortege  at  Petaluma,  the  Santa  Rosa  Mili- 
tary Company  at  that  place,  and  all  that  was 
mortal  of  Colonel  Matheson  was  laid  in  its  last 
resting  place  at  Healdsbnrg  on  the  9th  of 
November,  1802,  amid  the  universal  sorrow  of 
the  community.  Colonel  Matheson  was  the 
father  of  six  chiKlren.     The  oldest,  Emma,  who 


was  born  in  Ohio,  died  when  a  mere  child; 
Roderick,  who  was  born  in  New  York,  was 
killed  in  a  threshing  nuichine  accident  at  Davis- 
ville,  July  27,  1870;  Frank  died  when  twenty- 
one  months  old,  at  Healdsbnrg;  George  was 
killed  in  November,  1887.  There  was  also  a 
child  that  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Colonel  Mathe- 
son died  the  28tli  of  February,  1884.  Mrs. 
Nina  Luce,  the  third  child,  is  the  only  one  re- 
maining of  the  children  of  Colonel  Matheson, 
one  of  California's  noblest  heroes. 


1 HOMAS  B.  MILLER.— Among  the  pio- 


rif  neer  and  representative  farmers  of  Sonoma 
^'  County  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  a  brief 
resume  of  wliose  life  is  herewith  given.  Mr. 
Miller  was  born  December  31,  1826,  in  Rhea 
County,  Tennessee.  His  father,  James  P.  Miller, 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  who  went  to  Tennessee 
in  hisyouth.  Hismother,Cliarlotte(Bell)Miller, 
was  a  nativeof  Tennessee.  In  1830  Mr.  Miller's 
father  moved  to  Alabama,  and  five  years  later  to 
Arkansas.  In  1840  he  located  in  Newton 
County,  Missouri,  where  he  remained  two  years 
and  returned  to  Benton  County,  Arkansas, 
where  lie  resided  nntil  1846,  when  he  entered  the 
United  States  military  service  as  a  Lieutenant  in 
the  Twelfth  Regiment  of  the  United  States  In- 
fantry, and  served  witli  distinction  throno-hout 
the  Mexican  war.  Resigning  his  commission  at 
the  close  of  the  war  he  returned  to  his  family, 
and  in  1849,  accompanied  by  his  sons,  Thomas 
B.  and  Gideon  T.  Miller, came  overland  to  Cali- 
fornia and  located  at  what  was  afterward  known 
as  Millerstown,  near  Auburn".  There  he  opened 
a  general  merchandise  store,  and  later  went  to 
Washington  on  the  Yni)a  River,  where  he  con- 
tinued his  mercantile  pursuits  until  1850,  when 
he  returned  East.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
upon  liis  arrival  at  Sacramento,  proceeded  to  the 
mines  in  Placer  County,  near  Auburn.  There 
he  was  engaged  until  the  spring  of  1850, 
when  he  went  to  Nevada  City,  Nevada  County, 
Califoi'iiia,  making    ijuite    a    strike  and   being 


848 


HISTORY    OF    aONOMA    COUNTY. 


very  successful  in  his  mining  operations  tiiere. 
lie  went  from  there  to  the  middle  fork  of 
the  Yiiha  River  and  was  engaged  with  thirteen 
others  in  digging  a  large  ditch  which  turned 
the  middle  fork  of  the  river  fiom  its  bed.  This 
enterprise  was  a  failure  as  far  as  finding  gold 
was  concerned.  Mr.  Miller  then  went  to  Cache 
Creek  in  Yolo  County,  and  spent  the  winter  at 
that  place  in  farm  operations.  Not  being  suited 
with  the  locatior,  in  the  fall  of  1851  he  came  to 
Sonoma  County  and  engaged  in  farming  near 
what  is  now  Sebastopol.  In  1852  he  went  to 
Bluchei  Valley,  about  three  miles  south  of  Se- 
bastopol, and  there  entered  into  farm  operations. 
April  17,  1853,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Mary  Ann  King,  daughter  of  James  and 
Elizabeth  (Horn)  King.  Her  parents  were  na- 
tives of  Virginia,  and  resided  in  Missouri  Ijefore 
they  came  to  California  in  1850.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  resided  in  Blucher  Valley  until 
1853  and  then  moved  to  a  farm  near  Tomales  in 
Marin  County.  In  1855  he  took  up  his  resi- 
dence upon  160  acres  of  land  near  Ilealdsburg, 
on  the  Ilussian  liiver.  He  iirst  bought  the  set- 
tler's claim  to  this  land  and  afterward  was  com- 
pelled to  purchase  the  claims  of  the  grant-holders. 
There  he  engaged  in  farming  and  in  stock- 
raising  on  the  coast  until  1874.  He  then  sold 
out,  came  to  Santa  Kosa,  and  purchased  320 
acres  of  land  on  the  river  road, in  the  Hall  school 
district,  about  five  miles  west  of  Santa  Rosa. 
Since  that  date  Mr.  Miller  has  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of 
his  farm,  and  now  ranks  among  the  leading  and 
successful  farmers  of  his  section  of  the  county. 
He  has  lifty-tive  acres  devoted  to  hop  cultiva- 
tion, and  two  dry  houses  for  curing  the  hops. 
These  buildings  are  each  80  x  24  feet  with  20 
feet  studding.  The  capacity  of  these  dryers  is 
four  tons  of  green  hops  daily.  He  has  also 
thirty  acres  of  orchard,  comprising  twelve  acres 
of  French  prunes,  and  twelve  acres  of  peaches. 
The  rest  of  the  orchard  is  producing  apples, 
pears,  plums  and  cherries.  He  also  has  a  family 
vineyard  which  produces  both  wine  and  table 
grapes.     The  balance  of  his  In.nd  is  devoted  to 


hay,  grain  and  stock.  Among  the  latter  are 
some  tine  JS'orman  horses,  and  cattle  improved 
with  Durham  and  Jersey  stock.  Mr.  Miller  is 
an  active  and  ])ublic-fpirited  citizen,  deeply  in- 
terested in  all  enterprises  that  tend  to  advance 
the  interests  of  Sonoma  County.  In  political 
matters  he  is  Democratic,  but  is  very  liberal 
and  conservative  in  his  views.  He  is  a  consist- 
ent member  of  the  Christian  church.  From  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  ten  children 
are  living,  viz. :  James  P.,  born  May  8.1854, 
married  Miss  Birdie  Brown,  is  living  in  Green 
Valley;  Charlotte  E.,  born  February  24,  1857, 
married  E.  H.  rarnell,  residing  in  Colusa 
County;  Thomas  B.,  born  January  6,1859,  liv- 
ing on  Mark  West  Creek;  Louisa  H.,  born 
January  8,  1861,  married  S.  "VV.  Purrington, 
residing  in  Green  Valley;  Mary  Alice,  born 
December  19,  1862,  married  Alexander  Ragle, 
living  in  Green  Valley;  Irene  B.,  born  Novem- 
ber 1,  1864,  married  S.  E.  Ballard,  residing  in 
Shasta  County;  Josephine,  born  November  14, 
1866;  Laura  E.,  born  August  27,  1869;  Hen- 
rietta, born  October  27,  1871,  and  Robert  L., 
born  June  25,  1876,  residing  with  their  parents. 

'^^^ 


?  MATHER,  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Flour  Mills, 
and  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born 
'^  in  England  and  came  to  this  country  at 
the  early  age  of  thirteen.  Landing  at  Phila- 
delphia, he  worked  his  way  to  Salt  Lake  City, 
arriving  late  in  the  fall  of  1859.  The  snow 
falling  soon  after,  he  remained  in  that  city  dur- 
ing the  winter,  earning  his  subsistence  as  clerk 
with  one  of  the  merchants.  In  the  summer  of 
1860  he  engaged  to  assist  in  driving  a  herd  of 
cattle  to  California,  and  being  cheated  out  of 
his  wages,  landed  in  the  State  without  a  cent  in 
money  or  a  coat  to  his  back.  We  have  no  doubt 
but  our  young  friend  tinding  himself  among 
strangers  in  a  strange  land,  had  many  longings 
for  the  comforts  of  his  old  home,  Init  like  many 
others  who  had  preceded  him  and  endured  the 
hardships  of  a  journey  across  the  plains,  though 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


considerably  humbled  his  liopes  were  not 
crushed;  althouirli  penniless  he  was  not  entirely 
discouraged  but  struck  out  for  work  and  got  it, 
being  employed  on  a  ranch,  where  he  remained 
for  several  months.  Having  recommendations 
and  letters  of  introduction  from  his  former  em- 
ployer in  Salt  Lake  City  to  merchants  in  Sac- 
ramento and  San  Francisco,  and  not  liking  the 
life  of  a  farmer,  when  his  earnings  were  suffi- 
cient (as  he  termed  it)  to  buy  a  ])resentable  rig, 
he  visited  those  cities,  but  received  no  encour- 
agement as  the  places  were  swarming  with 
clerks  waiting  for  engagements.  Not  having 
means  to  live  in  idleness  and  being  desirous  of 
earning  sometliing  he  returned  again  to  the 
shades  of  a  country  farm,  wliere  he  saved  up 
$500,  which  he  loaned  to  a  friend  and  lost  both 
the  friend  and  the  money.  Feeling  a  little  sore 
over  tlie  loss  lie  continued  to  work  and  com- 
menced saving  again,  but  being  oifered  a  situa- 
tion in  a  ilour  mill,  he  left  the  farm  and 
accepted  it  and  learned  the  trade.  His  wages  at 
Hrst  in  his  new  vocation  were  small,  but  were 
gradually  increased,  and  interest  being  high  in 
those  days,  by  sticking  to  work  and  loaning  out 
his  money,  the  end  of  five  years  found  him  the 
happy  possessor  of  the  snug  sum  of  $5,000 
About  this  time  his  emploj'er  and  instructor 
erected  another  flour  mill,  and  he  loaned  him 
the  money.  Reverses  came;  his  employer  died, 
and  in  the  general  wreck  he  lost  the  $5,000. 
This  last  stroke  of  ill  luck  was  a  sad  blow  to 
his  ambition  and  nearly  paralyzed  his  efforts, 
but  fortunately  he  made  the  ac(|uaintance  of  a 
gentleman  who  listened  to  a  recital  of  his  mis- 
fortunes with  interest,  and  wliose  kind  advice 
and  assistance  inspired  him  with  new  hopes, 
and  to  whose  good  counsel  and  encouragement 
Mr.  Mather  acknowledges  a  debt  he  can  never 
repay.  Through  the  influence  of  this  friend  he 
leased  a  flour  mill  he  formerly  built  and  owned 
in  partnership,  and  rati  it  successfully  for  three 
years,  when  the  mill  was  sold  to  a  miller.  He 
then  moved  to  the  adjoining  county  of  Lake, 
where  he  again  established  himself  in  the  mill- 
ing business  by  renting  a  flour  mill  and  liuying 


an  undivided  one-half  of  another.  Having  had 
a  period  of  success,  in  1873  he  bought  the 
Lower  Lake  Brewery,  which  he  operated  in  con- 
junction with  a  partner  for  a  number  of  years. 
Desirous  of  still  further  extending  his  enter- 
prises, in  1878  he  purchased  a  half  interest  in  a 
general  merchandise  store.  In  1880  the  Santa 
Rosa  mills  wereoftered  for  sale,  and  Mr.  Mather 
wishing  to  return  to  his  earlj'  associations 
bought  the  property  for  $15,000.  Taking  an- 
other miller  in  company,  they  did  a  profitable 
business  for  several  years,  when  the  roller  pro- 
cess was  introduced,  and  our  enterprising  friend 
not  deeming  it  good  policy  to  be  left  behind, 
associated  with  him  the  late  E.  T.  Farmer, 
president  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Bank,  and  had  the 
mill  enlarged  and  changed  to  the  new  system, 
putting  in  the  very  latest  and  most  improved 
machinery.  lie  bought  the  adjoining  splendid 
brick  warehouse,  incurring  an  additional  outlay 
of  nearly  $40,000,  making  it  one  of  the  most 
perfect  and  complete  milling  plants  in  the  State, 
an  honor  to  the  town,  beneficial  to  the  people 
and  a  crowning  monument  of  perseverance  and 
unyielding  resolve. 


II S  A  AC  W.  SULLIVAN.— Among  the  early 
l|  settlers  of  Green  Valley  is  the  subject  of 
■=55-  this  sketch,  who  is  one  «of  the  pioneers  of 
the  Pacific  Coast.  Mr.  Sullivan  is  a  native  of 
Knox  County,  Kentucky,  and  dates  his  birth 
March  29,  1807.  His  parents,  James  and 
Eleanor  (Wilson)  Sullivan,  were  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  Ken- 
tucky. His  father  was  a  Mefliodist  minister 
and  also  a  farmer,  and  to  this  latter  occupation 
Mr.  Sullivan  was  reared,  a  calling  which  he  pur- 
sued in  Kentucky  until  1839.  In  that  year  )ie 
came  as  far  west  as  Fort  Independence  and  e" 
gaged  as  a  teamster  and  wagon  master  wit'n  a 
party  of  traders  bound  for  Santa  Fc,  New  Mex- 
ico. From  that  place  he  returned  to  Missouri, 
in  1840.  While  engaged  in  this  service  he 
narrowly  escaped    death    at    the    hands   of   the 


nisronr  of  sonojia  countt. 


Indians.  In  one  battle  lie  received  a  bullet 
through  his  hat,  the  ball  just  missing  his 
head.  In  18-iO  he  located  in  Cooper  County, 
Missouri,  where  he  engaged  in  fanning  and 
stock-raising  until  1843.  He  then  moved  to 
Buchanan  County,  and  there  pursued  the  same 
calling  until  1845.  In  this  latter  year  lie  came 
overland  to  Oregon.  Alter  months  of  trials  and 
hardships  upon  the  then  almost  unknown  trails 
of  plains,  deserts,  and  niountaiiis,  he  arrived  in 
Oregon,  and  located  at  Portland,  which  then 
consisted  of  but  one  log  cabin.  There  he  took 
up  government  land  and  engaged  in  farming, 
and  also  other  occupations,  among  them  work 
upon  the  first  wharf  ever  built  in  that  now 
enter]n-ising  city.  In  1847  he  joined  the  forces 
organized  for  suppressing  the  Cayuse  Indians, 
who  had  massacred  the  missionary,  I)r.  Whit- 
man and  his  family  at  Walla  Walla,  AVashing- 
ton  Territory.  He  was  First  Lieutenant  of  Cap- 
tain Thompson's  cavalry  company,  under  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Cornelius  Gilliam.  The  whole 
force  of  troops  comprised  six  companies.  He  was 
engaged  in  this  Indian  war,  called  the  Cayuse 
war.  for  six  months,  or  until  its  close,  when  the 
Indians  were  whipped  and  driven  out  of  the 
country.  As  an  officer  and  soldier,  Mr.  Sulli- 
van took  a  prominent  part  in  all  of  the  many 
iights  that  occurred  during  that  memorable 
campaign.  In  1849  he  returned  to  Portland 
and  resumed  his  w^k  until  he  came  to  Califor- 
nia. After  spending  about  a  year  in  the  mines 
in  El  Dorado  Count\%  he  came  to  Sonoma 
County  and  located  in  Green  Valley,  in  what  is 
now  the  (Jak  Grove  School  District.  He  is  thus 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  valley.  In  1851  Mr. 
Sullivan  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Alary 
Gilliam,  daughter  of  ilitchell  and  Rachael 
riaylor)  Gilliam,  who  were  residents  of  Sonoma 
County.  She  was  born  in  Kentucky,  but  her 
parents  were  natives  of  Georgia.  '  Since  Mr. 
Sullivan  has  made  his  home  in  Green  Yalley, 
he  has  devoted  himself  entirely  to  agricultural 
pursuits.  lie  is  the  owner  of  140  acres  of  land, 
devoted  mostly  to  general  farming.  Fifty-five 
acres  are  in   hay  and  grain,  six  acres  in  apples. 


four  in  peaches,  and  the  rest  in  pasture.  Mr. 
Sullivan  has  led  a  quiet  and  somewliat  unevent- 
ful life,  devoting  himself  to  his  calling  and  the 
care  and  rearing  of  his  family.  His  consistent 
course  in  all  public  and  private  matters  has 
gained  him  the  esteem  and  respect  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  resides.  Mrs.  Sullivan  died 
in  November,  1885,  leaving  eleven  children, 
viz.:  James  M.,  who  married  Miss  Elizabeth  J. 
Hicks,  living  in  Del  iS'orte  County;  John  W., 
married  Ettie  McReynolds,  and  is  residing  in 
Santa  Barbara  County;  Cornelius  G.,  married 
Frances  J.  McQuade,  living  in  Guerneville,  So- 
noma County;  iEinerva  A.,  married  Charles  E. 
Newell,  and  lives  in  Fresno  County;  Nancy  E. ; 
Sophronia  C,  who  married  James  H.  Street  and 
lives  in  El  Dorado  County;  Charles  C,  Letha 
J.,  Asa  I.,  Amanda  J.,  and  Jabez  Benjamin. 


-^' 


tNDREW  JACKSON  PETERSON.— 
There  is  probably  no  one  of  the  old  pio- 
neers of  Sonoma  County  better  known  than 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  nor  one  who  is  better 
entitled  to  mention  in  the  history  of  Sonoma 
Count}'.  Mr.  Peterson  was  born  in  Tennessee, 
August  15,  1827.  His  father,  Sterling  Peter- 
son, was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  his  mother, 
Jane  (Cooper)  Peterson,  was  born  in  North 
Carolina.  In  Mr.  Peterson's  youth  his  father 
moved  to  Washington  County,  Missouri,  and 
there  engaged  in  farming,  in  which  calling  he 
reared  his  son.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  re- 
ceived little  or  no  education  in  early  life,  but 
was  early  inured  to  the  hard  and  rugged  labors 
of  a  farm  life  in  a  pioneer  country.  In  the 
fall  of  1847  he  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Mexi- 
can war.  and  served  in  Company  B,  Sixth  Mis- 
souri Cavalry.  His  company  commander  was 
Captain  Thomas  Jones;  Colonel  William  Gil}.>in 
commanded  the  regiment.  This  regiment  was 
employed  in  service  against  the  Indians  on  the 
plains  and  in  New  Mexico.  He  remained  with 
his  company  until  the  close  of  the  war  and  was 
discharged  in  the  fall  of  1848.     He  returned  to 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Missouri  and  the  next  spring  started  across  the 
plains,  via  Santa  Fe,  for  California.  The  train 
was  drawn  by  horses  and  nniles  and  made  good 
time  to  Santa  Fe.  It  was  their  intention  to  en- 
ter California  by  the  southern  route,  but  here 
a  change  was  made  and  they  went  through 
Mexico  to  Mazatlan,  and  then  embarked  on  the 
old  whaler,  America,  for  San  Francisco.  Among 
Mr.  Peterson's  party  were  Leonard  and  James 
Boggs,  Lindley  Marshall,  Sash  Cooper,  Wash- 
ington Knox,  and  many  others  since  well  known 
in  Sonoma  County,  and  California.  After  his 
arrival  in  San  Francisco  he  started  for  the 
mines,  and  for  several  weeks  was  engaged  in 
mining  at  Gold  Run,  Nevada  City,  after  which 
he  went  to  work  for  Ed.  Drafton  in  the  old 
American  bakery  in  Nevada  City.  He  soon  re- 
turned, however,  to  mining  pursuits,  which- he 
followed  until  1850.  In  that  year  he  estab- 
lished a  boardiug-house  and  livery  stable  at 
Cold  Springs,  between  Coloma  and  Hangtown. 
In  1851  he  closed  ont  his  business  and  came  to 
Sonoma  County,  where,  for  the  next  two  years, 
he  was  engaged  in  hunting,  getting  out 
"shakes,"  rails,  etc.,  in  the  redwoods,  camping 
in  the  woods  during  this  time.  The  rails,  etc., 
found  ready  sale  among  the  settlers,  and  the 
game  a  good  market  in  San  Francisco.  Among 
the  party  engaged  with  Mr.  Peterson  in  this 
occupation  was  Dr.  Boyce,  a  well-known  physi- 
cian, now  a  resident  of  Santa  Hosa.  While 
thus  engaged  Mr.  Peterson  had  located  240 
acres  of  land  on  the  Lagoon,  seven  miles  west 
of  Santa  Rosa,  and  in  1853  he  took  up  his  resi- 
dence there.  August  15  of  that  year  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Ludencia  C.  Sebring,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Margaret  E.  (Piper)  Sebring.  Mrs. 
Peterson's  father  is  a  pioneer  of  1849,  and  is 
now  (1888)  living  in  Green  Valley.  Since  1853 
Mr.  Peterson  lias  devoted  his  attention  to  farm- 
ing and  stock-raising.  His  farm  is  located  in 
the  Hall  School  District  on  the  River  Road. 
He  has  twenty  acres  in  hops,  and  the  rest  of  the 
land,  except  a  family  orchard  and  vineyard,  is 
devoted  to  hay,  grain  and  stock-raising.  In 
the  latter  occupation    Mr.   Peterson   has  always 


taken  a  great  interest.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
to  enter  upon  the  breeding  of  improved  horses 
in  the  county.  He  formerly  paid  great  atten- 
tion to  improving  the  draft  horses,  and  was  a 
strong  supporter  of  the  Norman  stock,  but  of 
late  years  he  has  devoted  more  attention  to  tine 
roadsters.  Among  his  stock,  me:ition  may  be 
made  of  several  fine  specimens  of  the  famous 
"  Wildidle  "  stock  of  Santa  Clara  County,  also 
"Nutwood"  stock.  Among  the  improvements 
on  his  place  is  a  hop  dry-house  with  a  capacity 
for  curing  the  product  of  his  hop  ranch.  Mr. 
Peterson  has  always  been  prominently  identified 
with  every  public  enterprise  in  his  section  that 
tended  to  advance  the  welfare  of  the  community. 
He  has  always  been  a  strong  supporter  of  the 
public  schools  and  was  one  of  the  first  school 
trustees  of  his  district,  and  for  many  years 
served  in  that  capacity.  Politically  he  is  a 
strong  Democrat.  He  is  a  member  of  Ever- 
green Lodge,  No.  161,  I  O.  O.  F.,  Sebastopol, 
also  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Encampment,  No.  53, 
I.  O.  O.  F.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peterson  have  had 
eleven    children,    viz.:     Sterling  Thomas,  born 

January     15, ;    Raford     W.,     March    9, 

1858;  Bronson  L.,  February  24,  1860;  Laura 
D.,  August  25,  1865;  Andrew  J.,  January  1, 
1868;  Mark  P.,  March  8,  1870;  Lock,  Novem- 
ber 17,  1873;  Glen,  October  17,  1876;  and 
Florent  Sheridan,  October  25,  1879.  The  fourth 
child,  Harriet  D.,  born  August  26,  1862,  died 
January  12,  1880,  and  the  fifth  child,  Margaret, 
died  in  infancy.  Of  Mr.  Peterson's  brothers 
who  came  to  California  are  William  and  Augus- 
tus, -who  came  in  1850,  and  James,  in  1857.  In 
1860  his  brother,  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  B.  Peter- 
son, came,  and  shortly  after  his  arrival  died  in 
San  Francisco  and  is  buried  in  San  Jose. 


fOIIN  F.  MULGREW,  County  Clerk  of 
Sonoma  County,  is  a  native  of  Rhode  Is- 
land, born  in  October,  1851,  and  is  the  eld- 
est of  the  two  sons  of  Felix  Mulgrew,  who  came 
to  California  via    the   Isthmus  route,  when   the 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


subject  of  tliis  sketch  was  a  year  old.  He  set- 
tled in  Ilealdsbiirg  in  1857,  when  it  was  a  fron- 
tier country,  having  lived  in  San  Francisco 
three  years.  lie  died  in  1876,  leaving  a  widow, 
two  sons  and  tour  daughters;  all  of  the  latter 
except  the  youngest  have  been  teachers  in 
Sonoma  County  for  a  number  of  years.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated  in 
Healdsburg,  tirst  attending  the  public  schools 
and  later,  six  years,  the  Sotoyome  Institute,  then 
a  large  and  prosperous  school.  This  institution 
had  for  years  from  100  to  150  students  in  at- 
tendance. It  was  established  by  Professor  J. 
W.  Anderson,  now  superintendent  of  the  San 
Francisco  schools.  It  was  later  known  as  the 
Alexander  Academy.  After  leaving  school  Mr. 
Mulgrew  went  as  an  apprentice  into  the  office 
of  the  Democrnt'ic  Standard,  in  Healdsburg. 
The  paper  subsecjuently  became  the  Russian 
River  Flag,  of  which  Mr.  Mulgrew  was  fore- 
man in  two  and  a  half  j'ears  after  he  began  the 
trade,  beginning  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years.  He 
worked  for  nine  years  before  becoming  a  news- 
paper proprietor,  when,  in  1876,  he  and  his 
brother,  F.  B.  Mulgrew,  started  the  Healdsburg 
Enterprise,  with  which  he  was  connected  six 
years.  In  this  enterprise  they  met  with  fair 
suci-ess,  making  a  model  weekly  paper  mechani- 
cally, which  received  many  comments  from  the 
press  of  the  State  for  its  neat  make  up. 
Editorially,  it  was  fully  up  to  the  standard  of 
the  best  country  newspapers.  In  December, 
1881,  Mr.  Mulgrew  disposed  of  his  interest  in 
the  paper  and  office  to  his  brother,  and  removed 
to  Santa  Rosa  to  accept  the  position  of  deputy 
county  clerk,  under  Robert  A.  Thompson,  Esq. 
He  served  three  years  in  that  capacity,  and  at 
the  end  of  that  time  he  was  elected  county 
clerk  on  the  Democratic  ticket.  The  campaign 
for  the  nomination  that  year  was  hotly  contested, 
there  being  a  number  of  candidates  for  the 
place.  Mr.  Mulgrew  was  nominated  by  accla- 
mation in  the  convention.  He  was  elected  by 
a  large  majority,  notwithstanding  that  was  the 
year  of  the  great  "Blaine  boom"  in  California. 
Upon  the  expiration  of  his  term    of  two  j'ears 


he  was  again  nominated  by  his  party  by  accla- 
mation and  re-elected  in  1886  by  one  of  the 
largest  majorities  ever  given  in  the  county. 
His  last  term  expired  January  7,  1889.  He 
declined  to  allow  his  name  to  be  used  for  any 
office  this  year,  and  purposes  to  retire  from  pol- 
itics. It  is  universally  conceded  that  he  has 
made  one  of  the  most  faithful  and  efficient  offi- 
cers this  county  ever  had.  In  1876  Mr.  Mul- 
grew M-as  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary 
F.  "Wood.  She  is  a  native  of  New  York,  was 
reared  in  Wisconsin,  and  came  to  California  in 
1872.  They  have  had  three  sons,  two  of  whom 
are  living,  Frank  and  "Walter,  aged-  twelve  and 
four  years  i-espectively. 


TLLIAM  HILL.— The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  born  in  Cortland  County, 
JSfew  York,  September  8,  1829.  His 
parents,  Alexander  and  Ann  (Kenyon)  Hill, 
were  natives  of  Washington  County,  that  State, 
and  died  when  William  was  thirteen  or  fourteen 
years  old.  He  consequently  remembers  very 
little  about  them.  He  attended  the  common 
schools  of  his  neighborhood  up  to  the  age  of 
twelve  years,  after  which  he  went  to  school  but 
little.  He  had  a  good  home  and  worked  on  his 
father's  farm  until  he  was  lifteen,  when  he  left 
New  York  and  went  to  Wisconsin,  where  he 
worked  by  the  day  and  month  during  the  sum- 
mer, herding  and  driving  cattle  on  the  plains  of 
northern  Illinois  and  southern  Wisconsin.  Af- 
terward he  turned  his  attention  to  the  cooper's 
trade  and  worked  at  it  the  most  of  the  time  up 
to  1853,  when,  having  saved  his  earnings,  he  was 
able  to  procure  an  outfit  of  horses  and  mules 
and  other  equipments,  and  started  across  the 
plains  for  California.  He  left  Racine  March  25. 
and  arrived  at  Hangtown,  now  Placerville, 
August  10,  following.  Like  the  majority  of 
early  Californians  he  had  an  uncontrollable 
desire  to  visit  the  mines,  so  accordingly  went  to 
those  at  Missouri  Flat  and  Coloma,  where  he  . 
prospected   for   a   while,   until   his    money   was 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


about  gone,  when  lie  liired  out  by  the  day. 
After  he  had  been  there  about  three  muntlis, 
and  bad  earned  money  enough  he  came  down  to 
Sonoma  County.  He  took  up  a  piece  of  govern- 
ment land,  whicli  had  two  Spanish  claims 
against  it,  although  the  title  was  afterward 
proven  to  be  all  riglit.  He  put  up  a  cabin  and 
went  to  work  at  chopping  wood  which  he  sold 
to  tlie  San  Francisco  market.  In  the  fall  of  the 
following  year  he  was  taken  sick  and  was  unable 
to  do  anything  for  over  two  months.  He  came 
over  to  Petaluma  and  soon  after  went  into  the 
mercantile  business,  in  which  he  continued 
until  I860.-  During  this  time  he  had  bought  a 
farm  near  Stony  Point,  and  after  going  out  of 
business  moved  on  to  it,  remaining  there  in 
agricultural  pursuits  for  five  years,  then  return- 
ing to  Petaluma.  In  1866  the  bank  of  Sonoma 
County  was  organized  and  Mr.  Hill  was  elected 
its  first  president,  which  position  he  held  for 
twenty  years.  It  was  started  with  a  capital  of 
$90,000,  and  during  the  years  that  Mr.  Hill 
was  at  the  head  of  the  bank  there  was  some- 
thing like  $375,000  paid  in  dividends  to  the 
stockholders,  and  $210,000  of  its  earnings  cap- 
italized, which  shows  an  able  management  of 
the  affairs  of  the  institution.  He  severed  his 
connection  with  the  bank  in  August,  1886.  On 
January  1,  1887,  the  banking  house  of  William 
Hill  &  Son  was  organized,  "William  Hill,  presi- 
dent, and  A.  B.  Hill,  cashiei-.  The  bank  was 
started  with  a  capital  of  $100,000,  which  was 
afterward  increased  to  $150,000.  Mr.  Hill's 
business  career  has  generally  been  attended 
with  marked  success.  He  is  one  of  the  largest 
real  estate  owners  in  the  county,  having  at  this 
time,  in  Sonoma  and  Marin  counties,  about 
6,000  acres,  and  in  Old  Me.xico  about  100,000 
acres.  That  in  this  locality  is  all  improved 
land.  He  is  also  largely  engaged  in  grape 
growing  and  wine  making,  and  has  a  vineyard 
of  200  acres  situated  near  the  town  of  Forest- 
ville,  and  in  connection  with  this  is  a  winery. 
The  vines  are  all  in  good  bearing  condition,  the 
yield  last  year  being  about  350  tons  of  grapes, 
which  made  about  47,000  gallons  of  wine.    This 


was  produced  off  his  own  place,  and  the  amount 
made  from  otlier  grapes  would  be  nearly  double 
this.  He  is  also  largely  engaged  in  fruit  grow- 
ing, having  on  the  same  property  about  100  acres 
in  orchard,  the  most  of  which  is  bearing,  devoted 
to  the  principal  varieties  of  fruit.  Mr.  Hill  is 
a  stockholder  and  director  in  the  Sonoma 
County  "Water  Company,  having  been  identified 
with  the  corporation  since  its  organization.  He 
has  also  been  identified  with  the  railroad  in- 
terest of  the  county;  was  president  of  the  sub- 
sidy started  in  building  the  Donahue  Railroad, 
before  the  company  sold  to  its  present  managers. 
He  was  instrumental  in  starting  the  woolen 
mill  in  this  city  and  was  president  of  the  com- 
pany which  managed  it  at  the  time,  and  in  fact 
is  more  or  less  connected  with  the  history  of 
Petaluma  from  its  earliest  existence,  in  various 
ways,  and  is  always  willing  to  encourage  a  pub- 
lic enterprise  which  will  result  in  good  for  the 
city  or  county.  Mr.  Hill  was  married  in  1862 
to  Josephine  P.,  daughter  of  James  Pilkington. 
She  was  born  in  Mendota,  La  Salle  County,  Illi- 
nois. They  have  four  children:  Alexander  P., 
Raymond  P.,  "William  K.,  and  James  Y.  It 
can  be  truthfully  said  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  that  he  has  always  regarded  toil  as  manly 
and  ennobling,  and  after  passing  through  an 
honorable  yet  checkered  life,  he  is  now  enjoying 
the  comforts  of  a  happy  home  with  the  wife  of 
his  youth,  beloved  by  his  children  and  friends, 
and  respected  by  the  citizens  of  the  State  in 
which  he  lives. 


fOSEPH  H.  P.  MORRIS.— One  of  the  best 
and  most  favorably  known  men  among  the 
-vi  older  residents  of  Sonoma  County  is  the 
subject  of  this  sketch.  He  was  born  in  Miami 
County,  Ohio,  January  19,  1828,  and  is  a  descend- 
ant of  the  Massachusetts  colonists  of  1632.  His 
father,  David  H.  Morris,  was  born  in  New  Jersey 
in  1769  and  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war 
under  General  "Wayne.  He  was  also  one  of 
the  earliest  pioneers  of  Ohio,  and  was  engaged 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


in  building  the  first  house  in  Dayton,  Ohio. 
His  mother,  Eva  Ann  (Sayler)  Morris,  was  the 
daughter  of  Jacob  Sayler,  a  native  of  Germany 
who  emigrated  to  the  United  States  and  settled 
in  Virginia  (where  Mrs.  Morris  was  born)  and  in 
1798  removed  to  Ohio.  Mr.  Morris  was  reared 
upon  a  farm  at  the  same  time  receiving  such 
an  education  as  tlie  schools  of  that  date  atibrded. 
In  1843  the  death  of  his  father  left  him  an 
orphan  (his  mother  having  died  in  1835)  and 
he  went  to  Dayton,  where  he  engaged  as  a  clerk 
in  a  dry  goods  store.  He  continued  this  occu- 
pation until  1849,  when  the  gold  fever  induced 
him  to  start  for  California.  He  commenced  his 
overland  journey,  but  at  St.  Joseph,  Missouri, 
he  was  taken  sick  and  compelled  to  abandon  the 
project.  He  returned  to  Ohio,  and  the  next  year 
went  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  he  entered 
the  employ  of  the  wholesale  dry  goods  house  of 
Eddy,  Jameson  &  Company,  continuing  in  their 
employ  until  1853.  In  Mr.  Morris'  first  venture 
for  California  he  embarked  all  his  capital, 
$3,000,  in  outfit,  etc.,  but  his  sickness  and 
forced  abandonment  of  the  trip  swept  away  his 
means,  and  it  was  not  until  1853  that  he  found 
himself  able  to  carry  out  his  original  design  of 
coming  to  the  Golden  State.  In  the  spring  of 
tliat  year  he  started  overland,  arriving  in  Sep- 
tember, locating  at  Miliar  ite  Walker's  trading 
post,  now  Sebastopol,  Sonoma  County.  His 
first  employment  was  as  a  clerk  for  J.  M.  Mil- 
lar. He  was  so  engaged  until  the  ne.xt  year 
when  he  opened  a  grocery  store  on  the  present 
site  of  Sebastopol.  In  1855  he  took  uf)  120 
acres  of  government  land  and  laid  out  the  town, 
which  he  called  Pine  Grove,  and  offered  a  lot  to 
any  one  who  would  build  and  start  any  business 
enterprise.  Mr.  John  Dougherty  accepted  the 
ofier  and  in  the  same  year  started  his  store. 
Mr.  Morris  relates  a  rather  amusing  incident 
which  caused  this  embryo  town  to  lose  the  ap- 
propriate name  of  Pine  Grove,  and  take  up  the 
formidable  Russian  cognomen.  It  was  as  follows: 
Two  men,  Jeif  Stevens  and  a  man  named  Hibbs, 
got  into  a  tight.  Stevens  proved  the  better  man 
and  Hibbs  retreated  and  ran  into  Dougherty's 


store.  Stevens  followed  him,  but  Mr.  Dough- 
erty would  not  lot  Stevens  enter  the  store  after 
Hibbs.  This  was  during  the  Crimean  war  when 
the  allies  were  besieging  Sebastopol,  which  it 
was  supposed  they  could  not  capture.  The 
Pine  Grove  boys  were  disgusted  at  the  termi- 
nation of  the  Stevens  and  Hibbs  fight,  and 
cried  out  that  Dougherty's  store  was  Hibbs' 
Sebastopol.  A  great  deal  of  talk  was  made  over 
the  affair,  and  the  name  became  so  familiar  that 
the  town  itself  soon  became  known  by  the  name 
of  Sebastopol.  Mr.  Morris  continued  his  bus- 
iness at  this  point,  and  was  always  the  prime 
mover  in  building  up  the  town.  In  1858  he 
purchased  456  acres  of  land  just  west  of  the 
town  site,  and  the  next  year  sold  out  his  grocery 
store.  In  1860  he  married  Miss  Maria  L.  Bul- 
len,  a  native  of  England.  Until  1862  he  was 
engaged  in  various  enterprises,  and  in  the  latter 
year  he  went  to  the  mines  on  John  Day  River 
in  Oregon,  but  not  meeting  with  the  desired 
success  he  soon  returned  to  his  old  home  and 
opened  a  variety  store.  He  was  also  appointed 
postmaster  of  Sebastopol.  He  continued  this 
business  until  1865  when  he  sold  out  and  re- 
signed his  ofiice,  and  until  1868  was  not 
engaged  in  any  business.  In  the  latter  year  he 
took  charge  of  the  Coleman  Yalley  Lumber 
Mills,  which  lie  conducted  until  1870.  In  that 
year  he  went  to  Guerneville,  and  was  for  some 
years  the  bookkeeper  of  Heald  &  Guerne,  and 
was  also  in  charge  of  their  mills  and  yard,  and 
later  was  the  superintendent  of  Corbell  &  Bros, 
mill  on  Russian  River.  In  1875  he  returned  to 
Sebastopol  and  established  a  meat  market,  a 
business  he  has  successfully  conducted  since 
that  date.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morris  have  two  chil- 
dren, Harry  B.  and  Eva.  In  1886  Mr.  Morris 
took  his  son,  Harry  B.  Morris,  into  partner- 
ship with  him  in  his  market  business,  and  ic 
has  since  been  conducted  under  the  firm  name 
of  Morris  &  Son.  It  is  the  best  appointed  and 
equipped  market  in  the  town,  one  that  is  well 
patronized  by  the  farming  community  as  well 
as  town  people.  Throughout  Mr.  Morris'  whole, 
career  in  Sonoma  County,  he   has   been,  more 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


tlian  any  otlier  man,  identified  and  associated 
with  all  movements  that  tended  to  advance  the 
interests  of  the  section  in  which  he  has  resided. 
He  is  a  strong  su{)porter  of  schools  and  churches, 
and  in  fact  every  enterprise  that  has  tended  to 
advance  the  welfare  and  morals  ot  the  com- 
munity. In  politics  he  is  a  strong  and  con- 
sistent Republican,  and  though  never  seeking 
office,  has  always  been  a  prominent  member  of 
the  party,  always  advocating  what  he  considered 
to  be  for  the  best  interests  of  the  party,  rather 
than  individuals.  He  is  a  charter  member  ot 
Lafayette  Lod^e,  Eo.  126,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Se- 
bastopol,  also  a  charter  member  of  Sebastopol 
Lodge,  No.  167,  I.  O.  G.  T.  For  twenty-tive 
years  Mr.  Morris  was  the  efficient  secretary  of 
the  F.  &  A.  M.  lodge.  His  son,  Harry  13.,  mar- 
ried Miss  Albie  Howell,  daughter  of  L.  V.  H. 
Howell  of  San  Francisco,  formerly  a  resident  of 
Sonoma  County.  His  daughter  Eva  is  a  resi- 
dent of  San  Francisco.  Mr.  Morris  is  the 
owner  of  the  building  in  which  he  conducts  his 
business,  and  also  owns  a  fine  residence  and  25 
acres  of  land  in  Sebastopol.  Upon  the  land  are 
attractive  picnic  grounds  and  a  beautiful  park. 
He  also  devotes  considerable  land  to  pasturing 
the  stock  needed  in  his  business,  which  is  quite 
extensive  and  requires  the  constant  attention  of 
both  himself  and  son. 


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■^,f^ 


jj^  -^ 


;^KORGE  A.  TUPPER,  one  of  the  early 
'.\  (■  settlers  and  active  business  men  of  So- 
^'  noina  County,  was  born  in  Macomb 
County,  Michigan,  November  27,  1833.  In 
1850  he  left  there  and  went  to  New  York,  and 
in  the  fall  of  1852  sailed  for  California,  arriving 
in  San  Francisco  November  27  of  that  year. 
Like  nearly  all  the  California  immigrants  of 
that  day  he  sought  his  fortune  in  the  mines  and 
spent  the  years  from  1852  to  1856  in  searching 
for  the  yellow  dust.  Then  coining  to  Sonoma 
County,  he  bought  a  farm  five  miles  south  of 
Santa  Rosa  on  the  Petaluma  road,  which  he 
cultivated    si.x    years.       Desiring  a    change    of 


occupation,  he  moved  to  Santa  Rosa  and  en- 
gaged in  merchandising  in  a  general  store,  in 
which  he  continued  for  fourteen  years.  On  the 
completion  of  the  Occidental  Hotel,  he  became 
projjrietor  of  the  house  in  1876,  conducted  it 
two  years  and  sold  out,  but  bought  it  back  in 
December,  1879,  and  has  continued  as  proprie- 
tor since  that  time.  Mr.  Tupper  has  always 
taken  an  active  interest  in  politics  in  a  local 
way,  and  is  one  of  the  most  zealous  and  efll'ective 
workers  for  the  Republican  principles  in  Sonoma 
County.  Soonafter  settling  in  Santa  Rosa  he 
served  several  years  in  the  common  council,  and 
was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  during 
the  years  1873,  1874  and  1875.  In  1884  he  was 
nominated  for  treasurer  of  Sonoma  County  on 
the  Republican  ticket,  and,  despite  the  hitherto 
strong  Democratic  majority  in  the  county,  was 
elected,  being  the  first  Republican  elected  to 
that  office  in  the  coimty.  Two  years  later  he 
was  again  elected  as  his  own  successor.  He 
was  liot  a  candidate  for  the  office  in  1888,  and 
retired  from  it  January  1,  1889.  Mr.  Tupper 
is  an  active  and  energetic  worker  in  whatever 
he  undertakes;  being  naturally  public-spirited 
he  is  usually  associated  with  every  movement 
inaugurated  for  the  advancement  of  the  interests 
of  the  city  or  county.  In  1857  he  was  joined 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Harriet  Cooper,  a  native 
of  Will  County,  Illinois,  and  daughter  of  John 
and  Rhoda  Cooper,  pioneers  of  Sonoma  County. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tupper's  children  are  Emma 
(now  Mrs.  Thomas),  Charles  V.,  Hattie  (now 
Mrs.  Cooper),  Aquilla  L.,  Clinton  11.,  John  A. 
C.  and  Harry  Tapper. 


•^ 


m. 


ILLIAM  HENRY  WORTH  was  born 
March  28,  1829,  in  Troy,  New  York. 
'^)fe?-i  His  father,  William  Ellison  Worth,  a 
native  of  Burlington,  Vermont,  settled  in  New 
York  State  about  1826.  He  married  in  Ver- 
mont, Frances  Curtis,  a  native  of  that  State. 
In  1832  the  family  moved  to  Albany,  New 
York,  where  Mr.  Worth   made    his  home  until 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


1850,  when  he  came  to  California.  He  was  a 
machinist  and  followed  that  trade  in  Albany 
about  twelve  years  in  tlie  manufacture  of  fire 
engines  and  tobacco  cutting  machines.  He 
came  to  San  Francisco  and  was  engaged  in  the 
Union  Iron  Works,  run  by  Peter  and  James 
Donahue,  where  he  remained  for  about  four 
years.  He  built  the  first  hand  fire  engine  that 
was  put  up  in  California,  the  work  being  done 
by  H.  J.  Booth  on  Davis  street,  and  the  journey 
man  work  was  done  by  George  W.  Frescott. 
Mr.  Worth  then  founded  the  Fulton  Iron  Works 
under  the  firm  Tiame  of  Worth,  Hyde  &  Field. 
They  ran  the  business  on  Davis  street  until 
about  1859,  wiien  it  was  moved  to  First  street, 
to  the  place  uow  occupied  by  Horace  Davis' 
flouring  mill.  Mr.  Worth  continued  in  the 
business  until  1865  when  he  sold  out  to  Hinck- 
ley cfe  Company,  after  vvliich  he  moved  to  Oak- 
land and  lived  a  retired  life  and  died  June  30, 
1879.  His  first  wife  died  in  the  East  about  1846. 
She  was  the  mother  of  seven  children,  five,  sons 
and  two  daughters.  Four  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter died  when  children.  In  1849  he  married 
his  second  wife,  Margaret  Furguson.  They  had 
three  children,  two  sons  and  onedaughter.  One 
son  and  daughter  died  in  infancy.  In  1865  he 
married  Mrs.  Thayer.  His  third  wife  had  no  chil- 
dren. William  Henry  Worth,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  is  the  eldest  child.  When  he  was  twelve 
years  old  and  while  going  to  school,  he  built  his 
first  model  engine  of  about  five-eighth  inch  bore 
and  two  inch  stroke.  Two  years  later  he  left 
school  and  was  apprenticed  to  his  trade  in  the 
machine  shops  of  his  father  and  a  man  named 
Dwelle,  under  the  firm  name  of  Dwelle  & 
AVortli,  with  whom  he  worked  for  eight  years, 
six  of  which  were  devoted  to  learning  the  trade 
and  two  years  as  a  journeyman.  He  then  left 
and  went  to  Detroit,  Michigan,  on  the  Michigan 
Central  Railroad;  remained  about  two  years  and 
left  there  for  the  Hudson  River  Railroad  at 
Greenbush,  Xew  York,  as  gang  boss  in  the  re- 
pair of  locomotives  in  the  company's  shops, 
where  he  remained  about  two  years.  William 
Cessford,  an  engineer  on  the  Hudson  River  Rail- 


road, had  been  appointed  master  mechanic  of 
the  Michigan  Soutiiern  &  Northern  Indiana 
Railroad  at  La  Forte,  Indiana,  and  induced  Mr. 
Worth  to  come  there  and  take  the  same  position 
of  gang  boss  and  superintendent  of  locomotive 
repairs  for  the  Michigan  Southern  ct  Nortiiern 
Indiana  Railroad.  After  l)eing  there  about  a 
year  and  a  half  he  went  back  East  and  was  mar- 
ried in  November,  1853,  to  Ellen  J.  Salisbury, 
a  native  of  Bethlehem,  New  York,  a  town  ad- 
joining Albany.  He  then  returned  to  La  Porte, 
Indiana,  and  resumed  his  position  where  he  re- 
mained about  a  year  longer.  He  then  left  and 
went  to  Alton,  Illinois,  for  the  Chicago,  Alton 
tfe  St.  Louis  Railroad,  as  foreman  in  the  shops 
there.  About  a  year  and  a  half  later  the  com- 
pany sent  him  to  Bloomington,  on  the  main  line 
of  the  road,  where  the  main  shops  were  being 
built,  Mr.  Worth  acting  as  superintendent  in 
the  erecting  of  all  the  machinery.  When  this 
was  completed  the  company  gave  him  his  choice 
of  going  to  Joliet  or  Alton.  Preferring  the 
latter  place  he  moved  his  family  tliere,  where 
he  remained  as  foreman  and  master  mechanic 
in  the  shops  for  two  years.  David  Lawrence, 
master  mechanic  of  the  shops  at  Quincy,  Illinois, 
for  the  N  orthern  Cross  Railroad,  now  the  Chicago, 
Burlington  &  Quincy,  induced  Mr.  Worth  to  join 
him,  which  he  did,  and  was  superintendent  and 
foreman  of  the  erecting  and  repairing  of  machin- 
ery for  four  years.  He  then  went  to  Canton,  Mis- 
souri, and  started'a  machine  shop  with  Leonard 
Finlay,  where  they  remained  until  the  breaking 
out  of  the  war.  Being  Union  men  and  in  a 
secession  country  they  were  compelled  to  close 
their  shops  and  leave  the  neighborhood.  Mr. 
Worth  went  down  to  Hannibal,  on  the  Hanni- 
bal &  St.  Joe  Railroad,  and  acted  as  superin- 
tendent of  repairs  in  their  shops.  In  1861  and 
1862  he,  with  other  employes  of  the  railroad 
shops,  enlisted  in  the  Hotne  Guard,  being  sworn 
into  the  United  States  service  for  one  j-ear. 
When  the  time  expired  he  went  to  Amboy,  Illi- 
nois, on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  and  re- 
mained in  their  employ  as  gang  boss  until  1864. 
In  that  year  he  came  to  San  Francisco  and  went 


HISTORY    OF    SOISOMA    COUNTY. 


357 


to  work  for  his  fatlier  in  tlie  Fulton  Iron  Works, 
tlie    firm    then    heinu;    Hinckley    &    Company. 
After  being  there  about  a  year  he  went  to    the 
old    Vulcan    Iron   "Works,  and  while   employed 
there  had  an  offer  of  a  position  as  master  me- 
clianio  on  the   Western   Pacific   Railroad.     He 
run  tlie  first  locomotive  during  the  construction 
of  the  first  twenty-two   miles    of  the  road,  and 
when    the    completion    of  the  first   twenty-five 
miles  was  made  the  road  was  sold    to   the  Cen- 
tral   Pacific    Company  and    further    work   was 
stopped.       Mr.    Worth    then  returned    to    San 
Francisco  and  went  to  work  in  the  Union  Iron 
Works  as  a  journeyman,  and  after    being  there 
six   months  was  promoted  to  assistant  foi-eman. 
While  acting  in  this  capacity  he  was  sent  to  the 
i\ew  Almaden  Mines  as  chief  engineer,  where 
he    remained    about    three    years,   when    II.  J. 
Booth  &   Company,   proprietors   of  the   Union 
Iron  works,  induced  him   to  take  a  position  as 
chief  engineer  in  tlie  Eberhart  Mills  at  White 
Pine,  which  at  that  time  was  the  largest  mill  in 
the  country.     He  was  here,  however,  only  a  few 
months.     After  completing  the  mill  he  left  and 
took   charge  of  tlie  machinery    department    as 
foreman  and  superintendent  in  the   Union   Iron 
Works,  who  employed  about  500  men,  where  he 
remained  for  ten  years.     The  firm  sent  him  to 
Alvarado  for  the  company  and   took    charge    of 
tiie  erecting  of  the  machinery  in  the  Beet  Sugar 
Works,  remaining  there  four  months,  complet- 
ing  the  erection  of  the  works.     He   then    re- 
turned to  this   city   and  for  three   months   was 
superintendent    of    the    com])any's     machinery 
warehouse.       Hearing    that    the    foundry    and 
machine  shops   at  Petaluma  were    for  sale,  he 
came  here  and  purchased  them.      He  is  devot- 
ing tiie  most  of  his  time  to  the  manufacture  of 
!>i8  wine  machinery,  having  secured  four  patents 
of  his  own  invention,  and  at  the  present  time  is 
at  work    on    another.     Mr.    Worth's  first  wife 
died  in  J  une,1873.   He  was  married  again  in  De- 
cember, 1876,  to  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Lapum,  a  native  of 
Napanee  Canada.  By  his  first  marriage  tiierewere 
two  ciiildren,  who  died  in  infancy,  and  three  now 
living,  Arthur,  Frank  and   Cora.     By  his  pres- 


ent wife  he  has  one  child,  William  Ellison.  Mr. 
Worth  was  appointed  to  the  board  of  city 
trustees  May  12, 1888.  He  is  a  Mason,  having 
joined  the  Mission  Lodge  of  San  Francisco  in 
1865,  and  was  demitted  from  that  lodge  to  the 
Petaluma  lodge  in  1880. 


fOHN  G.  UNDERHILL,  deceased,  was 
born  in  Marshall  County,  Tennessee,  April 
11,  1831.  In  1843  his  parents  removed  to 
Greene  County,  Missouri, a  county  then  passing 
through  the  early  stages  of  its  history.  In  that 
county  Mr.  Underhill  spent  the  following  nine 
years  in  farm  labor.  Attaining  his  majority,  in 
1852,  with  an  ox  team,  he  set  out  on  the  long, 
weary  overland  journey  to  this  State,  being  six 
months  en  route.  He  was  not  long  in  deter- 
mining npon  Sonoma  County  as  his  future 
home.  The  winter  following  his  coming  he 
built,  for  a  man  named  Armsby  Elliott,  the  first 
house  ever  erected  in  Rincon  Valley.  This  was 
upon  the  farm  afterward  owned  and  occupied 
until  his  death  by  Mr.  Underhill.  Upon  the 
estate  still  owned  by  the  family  the  old  house 
still  stands,  used  as  part  of  a  barn.  Mr.  Under- 
hill planted  the  fii'st  orchard  in  Rincon  Valley. 
Energetic  and  ambitious,  he  led  in  man}'  a  new 
enterprise,  and  was  one  of  the  first  in  this  part 
of  the  State  to  commence  the  breeding  of  thor- 
oughbred horses.  He  was  a  great  lover  of  that 
noble  animal  and  devotedly  fond  of  the  turf,  and 
to  his  credit  we  record  that  no  horse  owned  or 
controlled  by  him  was  ever  started  in  a  race  for 
any  other  purpose  than  an  honest  trial  of  speed. 
Thoroughly  honest  and  true  in  all  else,  Mr.  Un- 
derhill made  racing  no  exception.  No  suspicion 
of  being  a  turf  gambler  ever  attached  to  him. 
Going  back  to  his  early  life  in  Sonoma  County, 
we  record  that  August  9,  1855,  Mr.  Underhill 
married  Miss  Millie  Dunbar,  daughter  of  Alex- 
ander and  Mary  Dunbar.  She  was  born  in  Dade 
County,  Missouri,  April  23,  1839,  and  came  to 
California  with  her  parents  in  1849.  They  set- 
tled in  (jJen  Ellen.  Both  are  now  deceased,  their 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


last  years  having  been  spent  in  San  Luis  Obispo 
County.  In  the  year  1863  Mr.  Uuderhill  es- 
tablislied  his  residence  near  tiie  liead  of  llincon 
Yalley  on  the  farm  where,  as  before  stated,  he 
had  erected  tlie  tirst  dwelling-house  in  the  val- 
ley. The  work  of  improving  the  estate  of  400 
acres  of  choice  land  progressed  year  by  year. 
The  comfortable,  commodious  cottage  residence 
standing  on  an  eminence  gives  a  tine  view  of 
the  lower  valley.  Few  rural  homes  in  any  coun- 
try are  more  picturesquely  located.  There  Mr. 
Qnderhi  11  passed  away  August  9,  1882.  Few 
inen  in  Sonoma  County  were  more  widely 
known,  and  sufficient  be  it  to  say,  lie  had  no 
enemy.  Ten  years  he  served  his  district  as 
seliool  trustee.  For  many  years  he  affiliated 
with  Santa  Rosa  Lodge,  Iso.  53,  L  O.  O.  F. 
Upon  the  estate  Mrs.  Underbill  and  a  part  of 
her  family  reside.  She  is  the  mother  of  seven 
children,  viz.:  William,  born  May  29,  1856,  is 
engaged  in  tbe  livery  business  i!i  Santa  Rosa; 
Charles,  born  September  15, 1857,  resides  with 
his  mother  and  is  the  manager  of  the  estate; 
Kate,  born  November  9,  1858,  died  August  8, 
1885;  Mary,  born  March  16,  1860;  Sarah,  born 
October  7,  1861;  John  Lea,  born  January  16, 
1870,  and  Neva,  born  June  9,  1877. 


^RANCIS  C.  WRIGHT,  of  Russian  River 
^H  Township,  has  a  handsome  farm  of  125 
^F'  acres,  on  the  main  highway  between  Wind- 
sor and  Healdsburg.  Of  tliis  land  he  has  seven 
acres  in  grapes,  mostly  foreign  varieties,  with 
some  Mission  grapes,  and  ranging  in  age  from 
two  to  four  years.  There  are  also  on  the  place 
some  600  fruit  trees,  mostly  pears,  apples, 
peaches,  nectarines,  almonds,  etc.,  and  nearly 
all  in  bearing.  It  is  his  intention  to  engage 
more  extensively  in  fruit  culture.  The  farm  has 
a  good  location,  convenient  to  markets,  and  the 
land  is  of  excellent  quality.  The  place  presents 
an  attractive  appearance,  and  all  the  improve- 
ments have  been  made  by  Mr.  Wrigiit.  Mr. 
Wright   is   a   native  of  New  York  City,  born 


May  5,  1845,  his  parents  being  Captain  John 
T.  and  Eliza  (Lawrence)  Wriglit.  His  father 
was  a  large  shipowner  and  was  tlie  possessor  of 
many  vessels  engaged  in  the  merchant  service. 
Among  tbem  may  be  mentioned  the  well-known 
Daniel  Webster,  Andrew  Johnson,  Peerless, 
America,  Globe,  etc.  He  brought  the  Seabird 
around  Cape  Horn  to  California  in  1849.  He 
made  this  State  his  home  for  a  number  of  years, 
but  just  prior  to  the  war  he  returned  to  his 
country  seat  at  Throg's  Neck,  New  York.  There 
he  lived  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Novem- 
ber 1,  1868.  His  wife  had  preceded  him  to  the 
grave,  having  died  at  Long  Island,  February  1, 
1852.  Francis  C.AVright  was  educated  at  Flash- 
ing, Long  Island.  His  early  life  was  spent  in 
pursuits  dictated  by  his  pleasure,  sometimes 
with  his  father  at  sea,  again  at  home.  He  was 
married  at  Santa  Rosa  to  Miss  Catherine  Kel- 
ley,  a  native  of  Pittstield,  Massachusetts.  They 
have  three  children,  viz.:  Frederick  Lawrence, 
Walter  Francis  and  Flora  Agnes.  Mr.  Wright 
is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 


imLEXANDER  W.  RODGERS, deceased.— 
'Wi  This  esteemed  and  honored  citizen,  for 
^5^5^  many  years  a  resident  of  Petaluina,  was  a 
native  of  Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
born  February  5, 1816.  His  mother  was  Rachel 
Cessna,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  February 
7,  1797,  and  was  an  aunt  of  Hon.  John  Cessna, 
who  for  many  years  was  a  Congressman  of  that 
Siate.  After  her  marriage  to  Elias  Rodgers, 
the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  death 
soon  separated  them,  after  which  she  became 
the  wife  of  Samuel  B.  Jackson,  of  Kentucky. 
She  moved  from  Kentucky  to  Ohio,  and  from 
there  to  Indiana,  thence  to  Holt  County,  Mis- 
souri, and  from  there  to  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa, 
where  she  died  January  1,  1881.  Ale.xander 
Rodgers  was  the  only  child  by  her  tirst  marriage. 
He  grew  to  manhood  in  Ohio,  and  was  married 
in  Indiana,  in  1841,  to  Mary  Rogers,  a  native 
of   Franklin    County,    that    State.     His    wile's 


^   'B<c£ 


^n^an. 


nrsrour  of  sonoma  county. 


maiden  name  was  the  same  as  his,  but  spelled 
differently.  After  a  residence  of  a  few  years  in 
Indiana,  he  moved  to  Andrew  County,  Missouri, 
and  engaged  in  the  flouring  mill  business  until 
about  1850,  when  he  removed  to  Savannah, 
Missouri,  and  conducted  a  liveiy  stable  and 
stage  line  between  Savannah  and  St.  Joseph 
until  1854,  when,  on  account  of  ill  liealth,  lie 
closed  his  business  there  and  came  to  California, 
crossing  the  plains  and  arriving  in  Snisun, 
Solano  County,  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year. 
He  had  a  residence  there  of  about  two  years, 
during  whicli  time  he  was  elected  justice  of  the 
peace,  holding  the  office  till  tlie  fall  of  1856, 
when  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Petaluma. 
He  turned  his  attention  to  buying  and  selling 
grain  for  about  three  years,  after  which  he  en- 
gaged in  farming,  and  was  so  employed  until 
1868.  He  then  established  himself  in  the  real 
estate  business  in  Petaluma,  and  followed  this 
until  liis  death,  July  15,  1873.  His  farm  of 
160  acres  was  just  south  of  the  town,  a  part  of 
which  is  now  within  the  city  limits.  His  wife 
lived  until  November  3,  1885,  when  she  passed 
away  at  the  age  of  filty-tJiree  years.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Rodgers  were  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
of  whom  all  are  deceased  but  one  daughter  and 
a  son,  J.  P.  Rodgers,  of  this  city. 


fR.  WILLIAM  L.  DICKENSON,  proprie- 
tor of  "  Brookside  Villa,"  in  Rincon 
Valley.  The  life  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  so  interwoven  with  the  history  of  the 
American  occupation  of  California,  with  the  war 
which  led  to  its  acquisition  by  our  government, 
of  the  opening  up  of  this  sunny  land  to  Ameri- 
can civilization,  and  to  the  laying  broad  and 
deep  the  foundations  of  its  present  and  ever- 
increasing  prosperity,  tliat  it  is  fitting  that  a 
brief  review  should  be  given  in  this  historic 
work.  Dr.  Dickenson  was  born  in  the  State  of 
Tennessee,  in  February,  1831,  son  of  G.  D.  and 
Isabella  Dickenson.  His  earliest  recollections 
are  connected   with  life  in  Western    Missouri, 


where  his  parents  settled  in  1834;  there  his 
boyhood  days  were  spent;  there  liis  rudimentary 
educatio.'i  was  received.  His  father,  a  man  of 
great  force  of  character,  and  endowed  by  nature 
with  the  qualities  which  tit  men  for  leaders,  and 
withal  a  man  whose  sterling  worth  and  business 
qualifications  commanded  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  all  who  knew  him,  was  possessed  of  a 
daring  sjjirit  of  adventure;  and,  having  heard 
much  of  the  genial  skies,  healthful  climate  and 
fertile  soil  of  the  far-away  Mexican  province  of 
California,  he  was  led  by  the  same  restless  ambi- 
tion which  led  him  from  the  old  State  of  Ten- 
nessee to  the  frontier  State  of  Missouri,  to 
organize  a  band  of  haidy  emigrants  for  the  long 
journey  over  almost  trackless  plains,  mountains, 
and  deserts,  to  this  coast.  May  1,  1846,  a  train 
well  supplied  for  the  long  journey,  with  o.x 
teams,  under  tlie  command  of  Captain  Dicken- 
son, left  their  rendezvous  near  Independence, 
Missouri.  At  first  about  fifty  families  -were 
together  on  the  route,  and  a  portion  of  the  time 
near  them  was  the  ill-starred  Donner  party, 
whose  sad  fate  so  tragically  illustrates  the  dan- 
gers and  perils  liable  to  be  encountered  in  com- 
ing to  California  in  those  days.  However, 
Captain  Dickenson  and  those  who  remained 
under  his  charge  after  many  battles  with  In- 
dians and  other  hardships,  safely  reached  Santa 
Clara  Mission  November  1,  the  same  year.  The 
reader  will  the  better  realize  wliat  such  a  jour- 
ney of  six  months  means  when  he  reflects  that 
now,  over  steel  roadways,  drawn  by  the  iron 
horse,  the  journey  from  ocean  to  ocean  is  made 
in  as  many  days  !  They  found  the  country  in 
the  turmoil  of  war.  William  L.  Dickenson, 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  though  but  in  his 
sixteenth  year,  at  once  offered  his  services  and 
enlisted  in  the  company  commanded  by  Captain 
Aram,  and  in  the  closing  scenes  of  the  drama  in 
Northern  California,  which  were  enacted  in 
Santa  Clara  Valley,  he  did  his  part  gallantly  and 
well.  Here  the  writer  must  digress  to  pay  a 
tribute  to  the  American  volunteer.  It  was  not 
the  paid  soldiery  of  the  United  States  army 
that  wrested  this  glorious  land  from   Mexican 


HrSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


domination,  but  the  volunteer.  Tiie  hardy 
American  settlers,  strangers  to  military  disci- 
pline but  trained  to  the  use  of  the  rifle,  sprang  at 
once  to  arms,  and  from  tlie  raising  of  the  "  bear 
flag"  to  the  end  of  tlie  war  were  its  heroes. 
To  the  hardy  men  who  had  braved  all  the 
dangers  of  coining  here,  the  work  of  wresting 
this  land  from  Mexico  was  but  a  pastime. 
Captain  Dickenson,  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  and  liis  family  remained  at  Santa  Clara 
Mission  until  peace  came  with  its  protection. 
Ke  then  went  to  Monterey,  and  there  burned 
the  tirst  kiln  of  brick  and  erected  the  first  brick 
house  built  in  Caiifotiiia.  The  building  still 
stands  in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  near  the 
Custom  House.  In  1848  the  family  moved  to 
the  mines  on  Weber  Creek,  later  to  the  South 
Fork  of  the  American  River,  thence  to  Mormon 
Island,  thence  to  Mokelumne,  and  to  Stockton 
in  1849.  There  Captain  Dickenson  erected 
one  of  the  pioneer  hotels,  the  '■  Dickenson 
House,''  and  by  General  Riley,  military  Gover- 
nor of  California,  was  appointed  prefect.  In 
1852,  with  his  family,  he  removed  to  Stanislaus 
County,  and,  securing  a  large  tract  of  land,  he 
located  on  the  Tuolumne  River  and  established 
what  was  afterward  known  as  "  Dickenson's 
Ferry;"  also  built  and  conducted  a  hotel.  There 
manyj'ears  Captain  Dickenson  led  an  active  life, 
engaged  in  stock-raising  and  general  farming. 
He  was  one  of  the  leading  men  of  that  section  and 
one  of  the  most  honored  citizens.  Besides  be- 
ing postmaster  many  years,  he  held  many  posi- 
tions of  public  trust,  serving  several  years  as 
justice  of  the  peace  and  .associate  judge.  His 
death  occurred  in  Merced  County,  in  1872,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-six  years.  For  his  manly 
integrity,  kindly  nature,  and  genuine  hospital- 
ity, he  will  be  remembered  while  life  lasts,  by 
all  pioneers  and  early  settlers  who  knew  him 
well.  His  widow  survived  him  but  two  or  three 
years,  her  death  occurring  at  San  Jose  in  her 
sixty-seventh  year.  The  names  of  her  six  chil- 
dren living  are:  James,  who  resides  in  Fresno 
County;  William  L.,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch;  Samuel,  of  Fresno  County;  George  W., 


in  Merced  County;  Mrs.  Lucy  Stoneroad,  in 
Las  Vegas,  New  Mexico;  and  Mrs.  M.  E.  Law- 
rey,  a  widow,  who  resides  in  Monterey  County. 
Doctor  Dickenson,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
has  been  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  word,  the 
architect  of  his  own  fortunes.  Deprived,  in  a 
large  degree,  of  the  early  advantages  for  an 
education  so  common  to  all  youth  of  to-day,  he 
not  only  became  liberally  educated  but  also 
proficient  in  the  practice  of  the  highest  science 
known  to  civilized  man.  He  commenced  the 
study  of  medicine  under  the  preceptorship  of 
Dr.  Z.  C.  Graves,  at  Kingsville,  Ashtabula 
County,  Ohio;  remaining  with  him  three  years, 
and  afterward  was  a  teaclier  at  the  Mary  Sharp 
Institute,  in  Tennessee,  one  year  and  later  com- 
pleted a  course  under  Professor  Goodiiough  in 
Cleveland  Commercial  College.  He  also  studied 
with  Dr.  T.  D.  John.-ou,  of  San  Jose,  for  some 
time.  Returning  to  California  early  in  185-4, 
he  commenced  an  active  professional  and  busi- 
ness cai'eer,  and  laid  the  foundations  of  the  pros- 
perity which  he  now  enjoys.  Always  interested 
in  public  aflairs,  he,  while  never  aspiring  to 
high  public  position,  has  beeu  somewhat  promi- 
nent in  the  councils  of  the  Democratic  party. 
Loyal  to  the  Nation  and  devotedly  so  to  the 
State  he  helped  to  acquire  and  build  up,  he  ad- 
hered to  his  party  throughout  the  civil  war,  and 
was  elected  to  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
State  from  Stanislaus  County,  and  was  one  of  the 
nine  Democrat  c  members  of  that  body.  At  San 
Jose,  August  28, 1865,  Dr.  Dickenson  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Luella  Jolmson,  daughter 
of  his  medical  preceptor.  From  1865  to  1873  he 
was  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession 
at  San  Jose.  He  then  abandoned  a  professional 
life  and  removed  to  San  Francisco,  since  which 
time  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  management  of 
his  lar^^e  estates,  having  one  tract  of  21,000 
acres  in  Stanislaus  and  Merced  counties,  devoted 
to  grain  culture,  and  one  of  grazing  lands  near 
Las  Vegas,  New  Mexico,  containing  13,000 
acres.  He  also  owns  valuable  property  in  San 
Francisco.  For  many  years  he  has  lived  at  the 
Palace   Hotel   in    San   Francisco,  but   in  April, 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


1888,  purchased  and  expects  to  occupy  as  a  sum- 
mer residence,  "  IJroolcside  Villa,"  three  miles 
east  of  Santa  Rusa  on  the  Sonoma  road.  This 
is  the  finest  rural  lioine  in  Sonoma  County:  140 
acres  of  choice  valley  land  makes  the  ranch  one 
of  importance  in  view  of  its  productions.  Fifty 
acres  are  in  orchard  and  twenty  acres  in  vine- 
yard. In  the  orchard  are  to  be  found  4,000 
Bartlett  pears,  and  several  varieties  of  plums, 
apricots,  peaches  and  prunes.  The  vineyard  is 
mostly  devoted  to  the  Zinfandel  wine  grape. 
The  magnificent  building  improvements  erected 
by  a  formei-  owner,  Mr.  F.  R.  Wetmore,  were 
built  in  1884-'85.  The  residence  is  commodi- 
ous and  substantial.  The  eminence  upon  which 
all  the  buildings  stand  gives  a  view  of  the 
picturesque  Riiicon  Valley, stretching  northward 
and  to  the  right  and  left,  unequaled  from  any 
other  stand-point.  One  of  tlie  most  noticeable 
features  of  the  place  is  the  large  building  three 
stories  above  its  basement,  intended  for  canning 
fruit  and  the  manufacture  of  jelly.  It  was  built 
without  regard  to  cost,  823,000  having  been  ex- 
pended upon  it.  As  yet  it  has  never  been  used 
for  its  intended  purpose.  Besides  the  residence 
occupied  during  a  portion  of  the  year  by  Dr. 
Dickenson  and  his  family,  there  is  another  fine 
commodious  two  story  dwelling-house,  and  a 
neat  cottage  of  moderate  dimensions.  The 
grounds,  possessed  as  they  are  of  great  natural 
original  beauty,  enhanced  as  they  have  been  by 
the  expenditure  in  their  improvement  of  §80,000, 
make  a  charminw  rural  home. 


i->-t>  is><-',gr'» 


fOHJs  W.  WARBOYS,  one  of  Santa  Rosa's 
most  prosperous  and  prominent  business 
men,  is  an  Englishman  by  hirth,  but  came 
with  his  parents  to  America  in  1854,  when  three 
years  of  age.  He  is  the  second  of  twelve  chil- 
dren, all  now  living,  of  John  Warboys,  who,  on 
arriving  in  this  country  settled  in  Genesee 
County,  New  York,  where  the  family  still  re- 
sides on  the  farm  he  first  purchased.  After 
finishing  a  course  in  the  public  schools,  the  sul>- 

23 


ject  of  this  sketch  attended  the  State  Normal 
School  four  years.  He  then  engaged  in  teach- 
ing for  some  time,  and  in  1876  crossed  the  con- 
tinent to  California.  Considerable  difficulty 
was  experienced  in  obtaining  employment,  but 
he  finally  secured  the  school  in  Fairfield, Solano 
County,  which  he  taught  a  year  and  a  half. 
Upon  leaving  the  school  Mr.  Warboys  passed  a 
short  time  in  the  mines,  and  in  the  latter  part 
of  1877  went  to  (Oakland  and  embarked  in  the 
drug  business,  continuing  until  he  came  to 
Santa  Rosa  in  1881.  In  locating  here  he  bought 
the  drug  store  of  Walter  Hall,  on  the  north- 
west corner  of  Fourth  and  B  streets,  where  the 
Santa  Rosa  National  Bank  now  is,  and  three 
months  later  moved  to  his  present  store  at  509 
Fourth  street.  This  store  is  25x80  feet  in 
size,  with  a  laboratory  and  wareroom  in  the 
rear,  and  is  probably  the  finest  furnished  and 
prettiest  drug  store  in  interior  California.  The 
counters,  which  are  of  Warboy's  own  designing, 
are  constructed  of  plate  glass,  with  the  interiors 
arranged  for  displaying  fine  goods,  and  hence 
are  all  splendid  show  cases  of  mammoth  size, 
filled  with  choice  fancy  and  toilet  articles, 
producing  a  very  novel  and  beautiful  effect.  Mr. 
Warboys  carries  a  large  stock  of  pure  and  staple 
drugs,  chemicals,  patent  medicines  and  toilet 
goods,  and  gives  special  attention  to  compound- 
ing prescriptions.  The  store  is  centrally  located 
and  does  a  large  volume  of  business.  Mr.  War- 
boys is  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Santa 
Rosa  board  of  trade  and  is  its  secretary;  is  an 
active  member  of  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows 
orders,  also  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W.  In  the  spring 
of  1888  he  was  elected  to  the  city  council  on 
the  Republican  ticket,  and  is  one  of  its  most 
active  and  efficient  members,  laboring  with  con- 
scientious zeal  for  the  material  and  moral  wel- 
fare of  the  city.  In  1882  Mr.  Warboys  married 
Miss  Jennie  Lemon,  daughter  of  John  B. 
Lemon,  a  prominent  farmer  and  stock-grower  of 
Solano  County,  where  he  settled  before  the 
birth  of  Mrs.  Warboys,  and  is  now  (1888)  treas- 
urer of  the  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warboys 
have  one  child,  a  son,  and  reside  in  a  cozy  home 


ycr. 


insTonV    iiF    SOSOMA     COUNTY. 


on  Fourth  street,  enjoying  themselves  as  they 
proceed  on  the  journey  of  life.  Mr.  Warboys 
is  now,  and  always  has  been,  a  strictly  temper- 
ate man. 


irprHOMAS  LAKE  HARRIS.— Perhaps  to 
\\'s  no  other  man  is  ISononia  County  more  in- 
%SJ  debted  than  to  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
for  illustrating  what  ca])ital  combined  with  well 
directed  energy  can  do  in  converting  the  appar- 
ently barren  hills  into  lands  teeming  with 
wealth  and  abounding  in  beautiful  homes.  iS'o 
one  passes  over  the  highway  leading  from  Santa 
Rosa  to  Ilealdsburg  without  noticing  with  great 
interest  the  Fountaingrove  estate  lying  in  the 
foot-hills  on  the  east  side  of  the  beautiful  val- 
ley, two  and  one-half  miles  north  of  the  first 
named  city.  Upon  a  plateau,  approached  from 
the  highway  by  an  avenue  winding  its  wa}'  over 
an  easy  and  almost  uniform  grade,  stands  the 
palatial  residence  of  Mr.  Harris.  Near  it  is 
the  residence  of  others  associated  witli  him, 
which  is  also  a  grand  structure,  and  a  little  east 
stands  the  massive  winery,  a  three-story  brick 
building,  182x112  feet,  heated  by  steam  and 
furnished  completely  throughout  with  the  best 
of  modern  machinery.  This  establishment  has 
a  capacity  for  the  storage  of  600,000  gallons. 
Tiie  output  for  18S8  was  over  200,000  gallons. 
A  brief  history  of  .the  development  of 
"  The  Fountaingrove  Vineyard  and  Winery  " 
gives  the  following  facts.  In  1875  Mr. 
Harris  was  compelled  to  leave  the  East  on 
account  of  failing  liealth,  and  decided  to 
make  Sonoma  County  his  home.  He  pur- 
chased 700  acres  of  land,  200  acres  of  which  was 
located  on  the  flats,  or  what  was  then  swamps, 
in  the  valley  west  of  the  Healdsburg  road  and 
opposite  his  residence.  He  soon  commenced  a 
system  of  drainage.  Twenty-three  miles  of 
tiling  fitted  200  acres  of  this  land  for  a  wheat 
crop,  and  in  1879  over  lifty-three  bushels  per 
acre  were  harvested.  The  planting  of  vineyards 
and  orchards  was  energetically  pushed  forward 


on  the  hills,  and  the  purchase  of  additional 
lands  made  until  the  estate  assumed-magnili- 
cent  proportions,  now  comprising  nearly  2,000 
acres,  all  of  which  when  purchased  was  in  a 
state  of  nature.  At  this  writing  (1888)  over 
400  acres  are  in  vineyards  and  a  somewhat  less 
number  of  acres  in  orchards,  nearly  all  of  bear- 
ing age.  The  vineyards  are  stocked  with  wine 
grapes  principally,  though  the  choicest  of  table 
grapes  are  raised.  In  the  orchards  almost  every 
variet}'  of  indigenous  fruits  are  found.  From 
the  valley  the  estate  reaches  over  five  plateaus 
to  the  summit  of  the  mountain  known  as  the 
"  Vine  Mountain,"  and  again  as  the  •'  Harris 
Mountain."  From  the  Healdsburg  road  a  wind- 
ing road  (passing  over  one-quarter  of  a  mile  to  the 
residence)  leads  three  miles  through  a  succes- 
sion of  vineyards  to  a  mesa  on  the  top  of  the 
mountain,  300  acres  in  e.xteut,  from  which  a 
view-  of  the  ocean  may  be  had  from  the  west. 
On  the  northeast  the  estate  borders  upon  a  crest 
of  rocks  overlooking  the  beautiful  Rincon  Val- 
ley. In  this  property  a  capital  of  over  $300,000 
is  represented.  Mr.  Harris  also  owns,  north  of 
this  property,  400  acres  as  yet  unimproved. 
The  "Fountaingrove  Vineyard  and  Winery"  is. 
in  the  possession  of  Lay,  Clark  »fe  Co.,  of  New 
York  and  Santa  Rosa.  The  Fountaingrove 
wines  have  established  a  distinguished  reputa- 
tion abroad  for  purity  and  excellence;  being 
ranked  in  merit  with  the  superior  French  Bur- 
gundies. Agencies  for  their  sale  are  established 
in  London,  Liverpool,  Manchester  and  Glasgow, 
Great  Britain.  Their  principal  sale  is,  however, 
in  the  Eastern  States,  the  depot  and  cellar  being 
at  62  Vesey  street,  New  York,  under  the  man- 
agement of  Jonathan  W.  Lay,  senior  partner  of 
the  firm.  An  illustrated  journal,  the  Fountain- 
grove 'Wine  Press,  published  in  Santa  Rosa  and 
New  York,  is  devoted  exclusively  to  these 
viticultural  interests.  Ray  P.  Clark  is  the  resi- 
dent general  manager,  while  the  junior  partner, 
Kanaye  Nagasava,  formerly  of  the  Japanese 
legation  at  Washington,  assumes  the  general 
charge  of  the  vineyards.  Dr.  John  S.  Hyde, 
M.    D.,  well  known  as  an    eminent   expert  in 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


wines,  exercises  a  supervisory  cliarge  of  the 
wines  in  tlie  cellars.  In  closing  this  sketch  a 
passing  mention  of  the  life  of  Mr.  Harris,  be- 
fore coming  to  Sonoma  County,  it  is  titling 
slionld  be  made.  He  dates  his  birth  at  Fenny 
Stratford,  England,  May  15,  1823,  and  is  a  de- 
scendant in  tiie  fifth  degree  of  Leonard  Harris, 
an  officer  under  Cromwell,  who  was  present  at 
the  execution  of  tlie  unfortunate  Charles  I. 
The  family  trace  tlieir  descent  from  a  Welsh 
knight,  who,  at  the  expense  of  his  own  life, 
saved  the  life  of  King  Edward  IV  at  Agincourt, 
and  whose  dead  body  was  knighted  upon  the 
Held  of  battle,  in  1445.  Thomas  Harris,  the 
father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  a  mer- 
chant who  came  to  the  United  States  bringing 
his  son  with  him  in  1827.  After  living  in 
New  York  City  for  a  time,  he  removed  to  the 
interior  of  the  State.  The  mother  of  Thomas 
Lake  Harris  died  when  he  was  quite  j-oung.  In 
the  fullest  meaning  of  the  words  he  may  be 
called  a  self-made  man,  commencing  life  for 
himself  at  eleven  years  of  age.  lie  became 
largely  his  own  teacher,  and  at  an  early  age  he 
showed  strong  religious  tendencies  and  a  poeti- 
cal imagination.  At  seventeen  years  of  age  he 
began  to  write  for  the  press  and  soon  became 
known  as  a  frequent  contributor.  At  twenty- 
two  he  became  the  pastor  of  the  congregation 
now  worshiping  in  the  Church  of  the  Divine 
Paternity,  on  Fifth  avenue,  Xew  York  City, 
bailing  healtli  compelled  him  to  relinquish 
his  trust  and  the  eloquent  Ilev.  Dr.  E.  H. 
Chapin  became  his  immediate  successor.  The 
writings  of  Mr.  Harris  at  this  early  period 
and  afterward  attracted  attention  in  the  New 
York  I'rihune,  Kniekerljocker,  Graliani's  Mag- 
azine and  other  popular  periodicals  of  the  time. 
He  was  also  for  several  years  editor  of  the  Gavel 
at  Albany,  and  of  the  Herald  of  Light.,  New 
York.  -  In  1861,  after  having  spent  some 
years  in  Europe,  he  .purchased  property  iu 
Dutchess  County,  New  York,  where,  at  Amenia, 
he,  established  the  First  National  Rank.  Selling 
his  interests  in  18G7,  be  established  himself  on 
the  shores  of  Lake  Erie  in  western  New  York, 


becoming  the  owner  of  large  landed  properties. 
From  there  Mr.  Harris  came  to  Sonoma  County. 
He  has  been  a  great  traveler  and  has  many 
times  visited  Europe.  During  the  reign  of  the 
Commune  in  1871  he  was  in  Paris.  Mr.  Harris 
is  the  possessor  of  perhaps  the  most  extensive 
library  in  nortliern  California.  Much  of  his 
time  is  spent  in  scientific  researches  and  the 
pursuits  of  literature.  He  is  the  author  of  sev- 
eral works  both  of  poetry  and  prose,  and  they 
exhibit  a  mind  of  extraordinary  power  and 
cultivation. 


J|jpICTOR  PIEZZL— This  well  known  and 
%\\i.   Successful  dairyman  is  a  native  of  Tesin, 

'^'  Switzerland.  He  dates  his  birth  from 
April  12,  I'SSS.  His  parents,  John  and  Lucia 
(Piezzi)  Piezzi,  were  also  natives  of  Switzerland, 
and  his  father,  a  mason  by  trade,  lost  his  life  in 
the  mountains  of  that  country,  having  been 
frozen  to  death  when  Victor  was  about  eighteen 
months  old.  Until  the  age  of  fourteen  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  attended  the  public  schools 
and  received  a  good  education.  At  that  age  he 
engaged  in  farm  labor  and  the  herding  of  stock, 
which  he  continued  until  1869.  In  that  year, 
at  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  emigrated  to  the  L'nited 
States.  Immediately  upon  his  landing  in  New 
York,  he  started  via  the  Isthmus  route  for  San 
Francisco,  at  which  place  he  arrived  June  3, 
1869.  After  a  short  stay  there  he  came  to  So- 
noma County,  and  engaged  in  work  for  Ben 
Sartori  on  the  Winfield  "Wright  dairy  farm  on 
Russian  River.  He  worked  for  Mr.  Sartori 
until  1872,  and  then  went  to  Marin  County, 
where  he  continued  his  occupation  as  a  dairy- 
man until  the  fall  of  that  year.  He  then  pro- 
ceeded to  Contra  Costa  County  and  took  up  the 
occupation  of  a  miner  in  the  Mt.  Diablo  coal 
mines,  remaining  there  until  1874.  He  then 
returned  to  Sonoma  County  and  entered  the 
employ  of  Mr.  Winfield  Wright.  The  next 
year  he  entered  into  partnership  with  I.  Sartori. 
They  rented  land  from  John  Walker,  near  Sebas- 


Ilisrour    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


topol,  and  established  a  dairy  of  fifty  cows.  Mr. 
Sartori  afterward  sold  out  his  interest  to  Will- 
iam Irwin.     In  1877  Mr.  Piezzi  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Luwella  "Wile}',  daughter 
of  Joiia  and   Lucy   (White)  Wiley,  pioneers  of 
Sonoma  County  and  residents  of  (Treeii  Valley. 
The   partnership   between    Mr.  Piezzi    and   ^Ir. 
Irwin  existed   until    1878,   when  he  purchased 
his  partner's   interest   and   since   that  date  has 
conducted   the   enterprise  alone.     In   1881  he 
purchased    160   acres    of   land    located    on  the 
Ilea'.dsburg    and     Petalunia     road.       He     still 
rented  the  Walker  lands  and  constantly  enlarged 
his  business  and  increased  his  landed  possessions 
until  he  is  now  (1888)  the  owner  of  480  acres 
of  productive    farming   land,  situated    on    the 
liealdsburg   and    Petaluma  road,  in  the    Hall 
School  District,  about  five  miles  west  of  Santa 
Ilosa.   Mr.  Piezzi  although  devoting  most  of  iiis 
attention  to  stock-raising  and  dairy  business  is 
still  interested  in   fruit  and  vine  culture.     He 
has  a  fine  orchard   of  twenty  acres,   pi'oducing 
Bartlett  pears,  apples,  peaches  and  plums,  and 
many  other  varieties.     He  also  has  twenty  acres 
of  vineyard,  in  which  are  nearly  twenty  varieties 
of  wine  and  table  grapes.     The  rest  of  his  land 
is  devoted  to  hay  and   stock  piirposes.     He  is 
greatly  interested  in  improving  the  cattle  stock 
of  Sonoma  County,  and  has  some  splendid  speci- 
mens   of  shorthorn    Durhams,  at  the  head   of 
which  is  the  famous  bull  "  Fingermark."      Ilis 
stock  has  been  awarded  several  premiums  in  the 
agricultural  fairs    of    Sonoma  County.     He  is 
also  raising  some  good  draft  and  road  horses. 
The  products  of  his  well  known  dairy  are  first- 
class  in  every  respect,  always  commanding  the 
highest    market    price.     He  has  several  times 
exhibited  his  dairy  productions  in  the  State  and 
county  fairs,  where  he  has  carried  away  the  first 
pi'ize.     Among  the  improvements  on  his  dairy 
farm  is  a  substantial  dairy  16  by  28  feet,  and  a 
cellar  20  by   20  feet,  well   supplied    with  pure 
cold  water.     Mr.  Piezzi  is  a  practical  dairyman, 
well  schooled  and   versed  in  all  tliat  pertains  to 
his  calling.      His  success  in  the  business  is  due, 
to  a  large  extent,  to  his  personal    supervision 


over  all  the  details  in  tlie  management  of  his 
dairy.  Mr.  Piezzi  came  to  Sonoma  County  a 
poor  boy,  with  no  ca])ital  but  sterling  honesty 
and  manly  qualities  coupled  with  energetic  and 
industrious  habits.  They  have  rendered  him 
successful  in  his  calling  and  secured  him  a  fair 
competency,  and  what  is  more  than  tliat,  they 
have  gained  him  the  universal  respect  and  esteem 
of  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  following  fraternal 
societies  and  orders:  Evergreen  Lodge,  Xo. 
161,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Sebastopol;  Rebecca  Degree 
Lodge,  No.  4-4,  I.  O.  O.  F.  of  Sebastopol;  Santa 
Rosa  Encampment,  No.  53,  I.  O.  O.  F. ;  Santa 
Rosa  Lodge  No.  S7,  K.  of  P.;  Santa  Rosa  Divi- 
sion, No.  18,  of  the  same  order;  Santa  Rosa 
Lodge,  No.  2208,  K.  of  H.;  Santa  Rosa  Grove, 
No.  47,  U.  A.  D.  He  is  a  Past  Arch  of  this 
Grove,  and  is  now  (1888)  Grand  Guardian  of 
the  Grand  Grove  of  California,  also  District 
Deputy  Arch  of  District  No.  34.  He  is  a 
school  trustee  in  his  district,  and  has  for  the  past 
three  years  served  as  the  clerk  of  the  board  and 
district.  In  politics  he  is  a  strong  and  consist- 
ent Republican.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Piezzi  have  the 
following  children:  Lucy,  born  June  16,  1870; 
Julius  J.,  April  5,  1881;  and  Benjamin  Victor, 
January  7,  1886. 


fAPTAlN  DANIEL  G.  JEWETT,  of 
Healdsburg,  is  a  native  of  Maine,  born  at 
Palmyra,  Somerset  County,  December  1, 
1830,  his  parents  being  David  H.  and  Hannah 
(Gale)  Jewett,  Both  parents  were  representa- 
tives of  old  New  England  families,  tiie  paternal 
and  maternal  grandfathers  of  Daniel  G.  Jewett 
having  both  removed  from  New  Hampshire  to 
Maine.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared 
to  the  age  of  sixteen  years  at  the  place  of  his 
birth;  his  parents  then  removed  to  Madison, 
Wisconsin.  There  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  on 
reaching  tiie  age  of  twenty-one  years  he  started 
out  for  himself,  going  to  work  in  the  pineries. 
His  work  there  was  varied  with  carpentering 


HlSTUliY    OF    tSONOMA    COUNTY. 


36U 


and  contracting  until  tiie  breaking  out  of  the 
Civil  war.  The  first  signal  of  the  country's 
danger  found  him  ready  to  offer  his  services  in 
defense  of  the  flag,  and  in  April,  1861,  his  name 
was  enrolled  as  a  volunteer  under  the  three 
months'  call  issued  by  President  Lincoln.  He 
jji-oceeded  to  Camp  Utley,  Racine,  Wisconsin, 
where  it  was  found  that  his  services  could  not 
be  accepted,  as  the  State's  quota  had  been  fllled 
from  other  places,  thus  barring  him  and  others 
out.  His  patriotic  ardor  was  not  dampened  by 
this  condition  of  affairs,  and  he  took  advantage 
of  the  first  opportunity  to  enlist  in  the  three- 
year  service,  being  enrolled  in  Company  I, 
Fourth  Wisconsin,  as  a  private.  He  proceeded 
with  his  command  to  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania, 
where  muskets  were  served  out,  and  then  the 
regiment  went  to  Baltimore,  and  were  stationed 
at  the  Relay  House,  and  in  dstachments  guarded 
railroads,  bridges,  and  the  Pikesville  Arsenal. 
In  the  fall  the  regiment,  with  others,  went  on 
the  Eastern  Shore  expedition,  being  on  the  pur- 
suit of  AVise.  Returning  to  JJaltimore,  at 
Patterson  Park  they  erected  the  Wisconsin 
Barracks.  In  the  spring  of  1862  they  took 
passage  opposite  Norfolk,  on  the  Great  Eastern, 
for  Ship  Island,  the  regiment  having  been 
assigned  to  Butler's  Division,  Nineteenth  Army 
Corps.  After  Farragut  bad  passed  the  forts  at 
New  Orleans,  and  the  city  had  been  siezed,  the 
regiment  went  there  as  a  part  of  the  army  of 
occupation.  The  monotony  was  broken  during 
the  summer  by  the  movement  up  to  Baton 
Rouge,  and  the  next  service  of  the  command 
was  on  the  first  canal  undertaken  to  flank  the 
defenses  of  Vicksburg.  While  there.  Captain 
Jewett  witnessed  the  passage  of  the  first  Union 
gunboat  under  the  guns  of  the  rebel  Gibraltar. 
The  following  winter  was  spent  at  Baton  Rouge, 
where  he  was  engaged  during  the  Confederate 
attempt  to  take  the  city.  From  there  he  went 
to  New  Orleans,  and  was  very  sick  in  tlie  hos- 
pital when  the  regiment  went  on  Banks'  Red 
River  expedition,  and  it  was  only  on  their  re- 
turn that  he  again  joined  his  command,  just 
before  the  investment  of  Port    Hudson.      Frum 


the  27th  of  May,  when  the  advance  on  Port 
Hudson  commenced,  he  was  six  days  under  fire 
with  his  command.  He  was  in  the  raid  to 
Clinton  on  the  3d  of  June.  He  led  Company 
I,  of  tiie  Fourth  Wisconsin,  in  the  assault  on 
Port  Hudson  of  June  14tli,  his  regiment  and 
the  Eighth  New  Hampshire  being  in  advance. 
He  led  his  company  to  the  ditch  in  front  of  the 
batteries,  which  they  gained  before  daylight. 
A  charge  of  buckshot  was  fired  at  him,  one  ball 
grazing  his  arm  and  entering  his  thigh.  While 
still  standing  in  the  same  position,  looking  down 
the  line,  he  saw  a  Confederate  soldier  looking 
over  the  works  at  him,  with  his  piece  aimed. 
He  raised  his  own  revolver  to  fire,  but  was  too 
late,  and  the  musket  ball  of  the  Confederate 
struck  him  full  below  the  left  eye,  passing  out 
behind  the  ear,  a  part  of  which  member  was 
taken  ofl".  All  that  day  he  lay  where  he  fell, 
unconscious.  When  he  recovered  his  senses  it 
was  night,  but  he  saw  lights  moving  about,  and 
he  was  soon  a  prisoner.  He  remained  in  dur- 
ance until  July  5th,  the  day  of  the  surrender. 
He  was  furloughed,  but  remained  in  the  service 
about  a  year,  and  was  mustered  out  June  24, 
1864,  at  Sparta,  Wisconsin,  his  wounds  having 
left  him  in  too  battered  a  condition  to  allow  of 
further  service  in  the  war.  From  Sparta  he 
came  to  California  in  September,  1869.  After 
three  months  at  San  Jose  he  came  to  Healds- 
burg.  On  his  handsome  place  there  are  nine 
acres  of  choice  fruit,  the  varieties  being  apples, 
peaches  and  plums.  There  are  two  acres  of 
grapes  which  had  been  planted  previous  to  his 
purchase  of  the  place.  The  attractive  appear- 
ance of  the  place  is  due  to  the  taste  and  pains 
of  Captain  and  Mrs.  Jewett.  TJieir  marriage 
occurred  at  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  September 
22,  1863.  Mrs.  Jewett  was  formerly  Miss  Mary 
Merrill,  a  nati%^e  of  Maine,  born  in  Glenbourn, 
near  Bangor,  and  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Mary 
(Cummings)  Merrill.  Her  father  died  in  Maine, 
but  her  mother,  who  was  born  in  1800,  is  now 
living  in  Wisconsin.  Mrs.  Jewett  is  a  lady  of 
fine  intellect;  was  a  promoter  of  the  Loyal 
Ladies'  League,  No.  4,  Healdsburg  (now    K<ian- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


oke  Circle,  JS'o.  4,  Ladies  of  the  6.  A.  K.),  and 
was  its  first  president.  Slie  was  elected  senior 
vice  of  tlie  State  Department  in  1887,  and  held 
the  office  one  year.  Captain  Jewett  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Rod.  Matlieson  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of 
Healdsburg,  and  is  a  past  commander.  His 
record  in  the  war  was  one  of  honorable  service 
and  promotion.  He  was  appointed  Sergeant  of 
his  company  while  yet- in  Wisconsin,  and  at 
Baltimore,  in  December,  1861,  was  commis- 
sioned Second  Lieutenant.  His  commission  as 
First  Lieutenant  was  given  him  at  Baton  Roiige, 
and  as  Captain  at  the  same  place  in  August, 
1863. 


f|f  J.  LUDWIG.— The  study  of  human 
^;  v  character,  as  presented  in  the  life-history 
•^^  ®  of  the  successful  man,  is  always  both  in- 
teresting and  valuable,  aftbrding,  as  it  does,  to 
others,  and  especially  to  the  younger  genera- 
tions, a  series  of  practical  lessons  and  examples 
of  what  should  be  done  to  make  "  life  worth  liv- 
ing." This  is  especially  the  case  where  the  biog- 
raphy presented  is  that  of  a  self-made  man, 
one  who,  in  the  face  of  odds  and  difficulties  that 
would  deter  most,  yet  manfully  presses  his  way 
onward  and  wins  victory  from  defeat,  reaping 
the  sweet  fruition  of  success  from  the  sterlie 
field  of  opposition  and  obstacle.  It  is  always 
the  most  acceptable  duty  of  the  biographer  to 
be  assigned  the  pleasant  task  of  writing  the  life 
of  such  a  one,  and  such  a  one  par  excellence  is 
the  gentleman  whose  name  heads  "this  sketch. 
He  is  a  man  of  indomitable  will,  of  persistent 
energy,  of  wonderful  business  capacity,  and  pos- 
sesses that  most  admirable  quality  of  regarding 
difficulties  and  discouragements  rather  as  the 
spnr  to  greater  effort,  than  to  yield  to  them  in 
despair.  Mr.  Ludwig  is  descended  from  an  old 
German  family  long  resident  in  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  where  his  parents  lived  near 
Carlisle  until  the  year  1823,  when  they  removed 
to  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  and  settled  at  a  point 
near  the  city  of  Tiffin.      It  was  there  that  Mr. 


Ludwig  was  born  in  1841.  His  father's  name 
was  Daniel  Ludwig  and  his  mother's  maiden 
name  was  Miss  Julia  Frost.  Mr.  Ludwig  re- 
mained at  home  until  he  reached  liis  majority, 
obtaining  his  education  from  the  schools  of  the 
neighborhood,  but  gaining  much  more  benefit 
from  the  correct  bringing  up  at  home,  and  the 
knowledge  that  a  quick  judgment  gave  him  with 
increasing  experience.  From  early  childhood 
he  displayed  a  most  remarkable  aptitude  for 
construction  and  mechanism,  and  this  proved  to 
be  the  dominant  and  motive  power  in  shaping 
his  after  career.  At  twelve  years  of  age  he 
began  to  learn  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  at  seven- 
teen he  had  full  charge  of  a  gang  of  men  as  fore- 
man, and  from  that  time  to  the  present  has  been 
actively  engaged  in  the  building  and  contract- 
ing business.  In  the  year  1861  he  married,  the 
bride  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Mary  R.  Wolf, 
also  a  native  of  Seneca  County,  and  a  playmate 
of  his  youth.  He  then  set  out  for  himself,  en- 
gaging in  contracting  and  building  in  Seneca, 
Wyandot  and  adjoining  counties,  making  his 
headquarters  in  and  about  McCutchenville. 
This  he  continued  for  some  six  years,  when  he 
perceived  that  the  field  was  too  limited  for  the 
full  scope  of  his  genius,  and  accordingly  re- 
moved to  Kansas  City,  then  in  the  fall  flood  of 
its  early  boom  days.  During  the  five  years  of 
his  residence  there,  which  lasted  from  1867  to 
1872,  he  was  undoubtedly  the  heaviest  contract- 
or and  took  and  carried  out  the  largest  under- 
takings in  that  city  up  to  and  at  that  time.  In 
1872  he  decided  to  seek  a  more  congenial  cli- 
mate and  removed  to  Colorado  Springs  in  the 
State  of  Colorado.  During  the  eigliteen  months 
stay  in  that  pleasant  little  town  he  was  busily 
engaged  in  his  profession,  putting  up  among 
other  buildings  the  well-known  hotel,  the  Mani- 
tou  Mansions,  still  the  finest  hosteh-y  of  that 
section.  Finally,  in  1874,  he  made  his  final 
change  to  this  State,  removing  hither  with  his 
family,  and  locating  permanently  in  Santa  Rosa, 
the  "  City  of  the  Roses."  The  coining  of  Mr. 
Ludwig  to  Santa  Rosa  has  been  a  public  bless- 
ing, and  in  fact  it  is  currently  said  that  "  he  has 


lIIbTOHY    OF    SONOMA    VOUNTY. 


built  the  city,"  and  tliat  "  he  has  done  more  for 
Santa  liosa  than  any  other  man."  That  this  is 
true  one  cannot  help  believing  who  will  only 
take  the  trouble  to  inquire  who  erected  these 
buildings  by  which  the  city  is  adorned.  From 
the  graceful  and  elegant  Athenfeum  Building 
and  the  substantial  business  blocks  of  the  busi- 
ness center  to  scores  of  the  handsome  residences 
and  endless  numbers  of  smaller  constructions, 
all  of  them  liave  been  built  by  T.  J  Ludwig. 
In  fact,  every  one  of  the  tine  brick  blocks  for 
which  Santa  Rosa  is  noted  have  been  erected  by 
Mr.  Ludwig  with  the  exception  of  two  only, 
while  hundreds  of  beautiful  dwellings  all  attest 
his  skill  and  energy.  From  the  day  he  first 
arrived  in  the  city  he  has  held  the  front  rank  in 
his  profession,  and  almost  without  a  competitor. 
The  mode  of  doing  business  is  an  entirely  new 
one,  and  so  meritorious  that  we  give  some  little 
detail.  Possessing  a  remarkable  talent  not 
alone  for  the  carrying  to  completion  of  prepared 
designs,  but  as  well,  asingularlj'  correct  concep- 
tion of  the  principles  upon  which  the  different 
systems  of  architecture  are  based,  and  having 
extended  practical  experience  in  combining 
them,  he  makes  rough  designs  of  buildings,  with 
dimensions,  etc.  These  are  dashed  off  hastily, 
but  not  crudely,  and  then  passed  into  the  hands 
of  a  skilled  draftsman  who  is  employed  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  elaborating  these  designs,  and 
completing  the  plans.  Scores  of  these  finished 
plans  are  kept  in  his  office  and  are  open  to  the 
inspection  of  those  contemplating  building,  for 
the  purpose  of  making  a  selection.  It  may  be 
stated  here  in  passing  that  his  otiiee  is  one  of 
peculiarly  good  taste  and  elegance  and  is  hand- 
somely and  appropriately  fitted  and  furnished. 
In  1885  he  converted  his  shops  which  stood 
opposite  his  home  on  B  street,  intoa  first-class 
livery  stable,  by  almost  rebuilding  them.  In 
connection  with  Mr.  George  C.  Tuttlehe  isnow 
running  what  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  best 
and  most  modern  livery  stables  in  the  State. 
But  the  lines  mentioned  do  not  include  the  full 
round  of  Mr.  Ludwig's  activities;  for,  besides 
lieingby  far  the  greatest  l)iiilder  and  contractor 


in  this  part  of  the  State,  if  not  the  country,  and 
interested  in  a  livery  stable,  he  is  very  exten- 
sively engaged  with  others  in  the  manufacture 
of  brick.  Tliey  are  at  present  turning  out  4.000,- 
000  a  year  and  for  a  long  time  have  been  produc- 
ing nearly  as  many.  Much  of  this  great  product 
is  employed  by  Mr.  Ludwig  in  the  erection  of  his 
own  buildings.  He  was  a  joint  owner,  also, 
until  last  spring,  in  the  Santa  Rosa  planing 
mills  and  lumber  company,  one  of  the  largest 
and  finest  mills  on  the  Pacific  slope,  which  con- 
verts millions  of  feet  of  the  Ijeautiful  and  valu- 
able redwood  timber  into  house  furnishing 
materials  of  every  kind.  They  own  extensive 
limits  of  redwood  in  the  coast  range.  Of 
course  in  all  these  varied  enterprises  a  great 
force  of  men  is  employed,  causing  a  continuous 
stream  of  money  to  flow  into  the  hands  of  the 
business  men  and  others,  and  promoting  in  a 
marked  degree  the  prosperity  of  the  section,  or 
we  may  almost  say,  creating  it.  He  disposed 
of  his  interests  in  these  mills  last  spring,  how- 
ever, in  order  to  pay  all  his  attention  to  his 
enormous  and  growing  business  of  building  in 
all  its  various  departments.  In  September,  1887, 
he  purchased  thirty-one  acres  of  land,  formerly 
owned  by  Mr.  Spridgeon,  which  lay  southwest 
of  Santa  Rosa.  This  has  been  laid  off  into  128 
building  lots  and  goes  under  the  name  of  Lud- 
wig's Addition  to  Santa  Rosa.  It  has  been  ex- 
tensively improved  in  the  way  of  graded  streets 
skirted  by  shade  trees,  and  upon  the  lots  which 
have  each  a  frontage  of  fifty  feet  have  been 
erected  and  sold  some  of  the  most  elegant  resi- 
dences in  Santa  Rosa,  and  as  this  addition  lies 
only  an  easy  ten  minutes  walk  from  the  center 
of  the  city,  it  is  l)ecoming  the  choicest  residence 
quarter.  A  most  noteworthy  home  residence 
of  great  beauty  and  elegance  has  been  lately 
erected  there  by  Mr.  Harry  Brown,  certainly 
the  finest  .of  its  kind  in  the  city.  Mr.  Ludwig 
also  owns  sixteen  acres  immediately  south  of 
that  tract,  which  he  has  laid  off  into  seventy-two 
town  lots,  and  has  already  ten  buildings  con- 
structed upon  it  or  noiv  in  course  of  completion. 
Two  mill's   southwest   of  the   citv   he  owns  KjO 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


acres  which  has  been  laid  oif  into  five  and  ten 
acre  tracts,  and  is  now  being  planted  out  in  fruit 
trees  of  various  kinds,  sucli  as  pears,  plums,  etc. 
Mr.  Ludvvig  is  a  great  fancier  of  fine  hor^e 
flesh,  and  owns  one  of  the  most  complete  and 
valuable  stables  in  the  interior  of  the  State. 
Being  a  good  judge  of  the  desirable  "  points  " 
in  an  animal,  he  has  purchased  promising  colts 
and  developed  them  into  animals  of  great  value. 
He  recently  sold  a  pair  of  Belmont  mares  for 
§1,600,  and  a  horse  of  the  Alexander  breed,  for 
wliicli  he  paid  §400,  he  sold  soon  after  for 
82,000.  "  George  W,"  a  full  brother  of  the 
latter,  with  a  record  of  2:40  as  a  two-year-old, 
is  still  owned  by  him  and  valued  at  §5,000. 
The  date  of  Mr.  Liidwig's  marriage  has  already 
been  given.  They  have  had  five  children,  of 
whom  three  sons  are  living  and  a  son  and  a 
daughter  deceased.  The  home  of  Mr.  Ludwig 
on  B  street,  opposite  his  oiSce  aud  stables,  is 
one  of  great  beauty  and  elegance,  and  will  bear 
comparison  with  the  handsomest  residences  in 
Northern  California.  Mr.  Ludwig  is  a  man  of 
the  very  highest  type  of  American  manhood, 
manly,  direct,  and  go-ahead,  with  a  pluck  and 
energy  that  cannot  be  beaten  down.  He  is  a 
man  of  fine  personal  appearance,  every  feature 
glowing  with  individuality  and  ideas  all  his  own, 
and  possessing  a  strength  of  character  all  his 
own,  and  that  magnetism  which  carries  convic- 
tion with  his  ever}'  act,  yet  withal  he  is  kindly 
in  disposition,  generous  and  public-hearted  and 
beloved  by  all.  The  citizens  of  Santa  Rosa,  as 
well  as  himself,  feel  a  pride  in  his  accomplish- 
ments, and  as  they  look  along  Fourth  street 
from  the  City  PI  all  and  the  Santa  Rosa  Bank, 
which  is  by  all  means  the  handsomest  and  most 
attractive  building  in  the  city,  down  along  to 
the  depot,  and  recollect  that  every  brick  build- 
ing on  both  sides  of  the  street  with  a  single  e.x- 
ception  of  the  Occidental  Hotel,  are  all  his 
work,  they  cannot  help  a  feeling  of  elation  at 
the  tremendous  energy  of  one  man,  who  has 
almost  built  a  city.  At  the  time  of  writing 
■he  has  under  construction  no  less  than  fourteen 
stores  with  residence  flats  above  and   nine  cot- 


tages in  different  parts  of  the  city,  and  fifty 
buildings  a  year  would  be  a  low  average  fur  his 
work. 


T^T  1  LL.  HUNTLEY,  of  the  real  estate  firm 
1/  \/     "t  Abraham  it  Huntley,  Healdsburg,  is 

I'n^yPTi  a  native  of  Meigs  County,  Ohio,  born 
July  13,  1844,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Louisa 
(Conner)  Huntley.  His  father  is  a  native  of 
New  York  ('ity,  and  his  mother  of  Meigs 
County,  Ohio.  When  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  three  j-ears  of  age,  his  parents  removed  to 
Hancock  County,  Illinois,  arriving  at  Warsaw 
the  night  that  the  Mormon  temple  at  the  neigh- 
boring town  of  Nauvoo  v,as  burned.  The 
mother  died  during  the  following  fall  at  the 
family  home  on  the  AVest  Fork  of  Crooked 
Creek,  Hancock  County.  In  1860  the  father, 
together  with  a  brother  and  his  son  Will,  set 
out  for  California  across  the  plains.  The  land 
marks  of  the  journey  were  Nebraska  City  (where 
they  crossed  the  Missouri),  Fort  Kearney  (where 
they  crossed  the  Platte),  Independence  Rock 
and  Lander's  cut-olf,  thence  to  the  head  waters 
of  the  Humboldt,  this  route  being  chosen  on 
account  of  hostile  Indians,  and  as  wagons  enough 
could  not  be  got  together  to  protect  themselves 
over  other  and  more  frequented  ways.  There 
were  but  three  wagons  in  the  party  until  they 
got  to  Independence  Rock,  when  a  train  was 
made  up  of  forty-five  men  capable  of  bearing 
arms.  After  reaching  Susan  ville  they  journeyed 
east  of  Shasta  Butte  and  Yreka,  crossed  the 
Siskiyou  to  Oregon,  and  located  at  Dry  Diggings, 
on  Rogue  River,  near  what  is  now  Grant's  Pass. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  attended  Umpqua 
Academy  at  Wilbur,  during  the  season  of 
1863-'4,  and  in  the  summer  assisted  his  father 
in  farming.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  started 
out  in  life  for  himself  and  engaged  in  lumber- 
ing on  the  coast.  The  terms  of  1864-'5  were 
again  spent  at  Umpqua  Academy,  and  during 
the  summer  of  1865  he  taught  school  at  Wil- 
bur.     He  assisted  John  M.  Eberlein  in  starting 


BISTORT    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


37a 


a  mill  on  the  South  Umpqua,  and  was  engaged 
in  the  lumber  business  for  a  time  after  its  com- 
pletion; he  also  helped  his  father  in  the  work 
of  starting  a  saw-mill  in  Cammas  Valley. 
When  the  work  was  completed  he  went  again 
to  Eberlein's  mill  and  during  the  summer  was 
engaged  in  harvesting  in  Umpqua  Yallcy. 
Next  he  drove  a  number  of  hogs  to  Ashland 
Mills,  Rogue  River  Yalley,  and  while  there  was 
employed  in  the  work  ol'  carpentering,  a  trade 
he  had  previously  become  familiar  with.  In 
the  winter  of  1868  he  returned  to  the  Umpqua 
country,  locating  at  Ten-Mile.  In  1870  he 
went  to  Portland,  Oregon,  and  after  a  month  or 
two,  to  Vancouver,  Washington  Territory. 
Thence  he  returned  to  Portland,  and  in  May 
went  to  the  Dalles,  east  of  the  Cascade  Moun- 
tains, and  from  there  to  the  head  waters  of 
North  Fork  of  John  Day  River,  thence  to 
Caiion  City,  on  Middle  Fork.  After  running  a 
saw-mill  there  two  months,  he  went  to  Camp 
Harney,  and  there  engaged  in  making  hay  for 
the  Government  for  two  months.  He  then 
served  in  the  quartermaster's  department  till 
January,  1871.  Thence  he  went  to  Canon  City, 
and  to  South  Fork  of  John  Day  River,  and  then 
taught  a  term  of  school.  In  the  summer  of  the 
same  year  he  built  a  saw-mill  for  T.  P.  Dean, 
fifteen  miles  southwest  of  Canon  City.  During 
the  winter  of  1871-'2  he  taught  school  near  the 
latter  place,  and  in  the  following  summer  ran  a 
steam  saw-mill.  In  the  fall  he  went  to  Idaho, 
and  engaged  in  teaching  school  on  Dry  Creek. 
In  the  summer  of  1873  he  built  a  large  barn 
there,  and  that  fall  constructed  a  suspension 
bridge  across  Boise  River  for  William  Litell. 
Thence  he  traveled,  mostly  afoot,  to  Kelton, 
Utah,  and  from  there  to  Salt  Lake  City,  then 
back  to  Ogden,  from  there  to  Omaha,  Burling- 
ton, Carthage,  Illinois,  and  the  vicinity  of  his 
old  home  in  Hancock  County,  at  Huntley's 
Mills.  He  spent  the  winter  there  and  in  Janu- 
ary went  to  Parsons,  Kansas,  taught  school,  and 
on  the  6th  of  May  started  back  to  California. 
He  went  first  to  San  Francisco,  then  to  Liver- 
more.     After  that  he  returned  to  San  Francisco 


and  took  an  ocean  steamer  for  Crescent  City, 
thence  overland  to  the  mouth  of  Rogue  River, 
and  was  engaged  in  mining  until  the  spring  of 
1881.  During  that  time  he  made  two  trips 
back  East,  once  via  St.  Louis  to  the  Centennial 
at  Philadelphia  and  back  by  the  way  of  Chicago. 
In  1881  he  went  to  Napa  Yalley,  and  in  the 
fall  came  to  Healdsburg,  where  he  engaged  in 
carpentering.  In  1888  he  became  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Abraham  <fc  Huntley,  real  estate,  loan 
and  insurance  brokers.  Mr.  Huntley  is  a  member 
of  the  Healdsburg  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  of 
the  local  fire  department,  being  a  member  of 
the  standing  committee.  Politically,  he  is  a 
Republican.  The  life  of  Mr.  Huntley  has  been 
an  eventful  one,  full  of  adventures  in  unsettled 
regions. 


fREDERICK  A.  WOODWOPtTH,  the  can- 
didate of  the  American  party  for  Repre- 
sentative from  Sonoma  County  in  the 
campaign  of  1888,  is  a  native  of  California, 
having  been  born  in  San  Francisco  October  12, 
1858.  The  Woodworths  rank  among  the  oldest 
of  American  families.  AValter  Woodworth, 
from  whom  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  in  the 
direct  line  of  descent,  is  on  record  as  having 
been  appointed  wolf-catcher  by  the  authorities 
of  Scituate,  Massachusetts,  in  1635.  He  was  of 
English  origin,  and  from  him  has  sprung  a 
family,  many  of  whose  representatives  have 
made  for  themselves  names  high  in  the  learned 
professions,  in  letters  and  in  mercantile  life. 
Samuel  Woodworth,  grandfather  of  F.  A.,  was 
the  author  of  the  "Old  Oaken  Bucket,"  that 
most  touching  production  which  will  ever  have 
a  place  among  the  best  of  American  songs. 
He  was  born  and  reared  at  Scituate,  and  drifted 
at  an  early  age  to  New  York,  where  he  became 
a  printer.  His  genius  soon  found  for  him  fit 
associates,  and  he  became  connected  with  Morris, 
the  poet,  and  Nathaniel  B.  Willis,  and  they  to- 
gether edited  the  New  York  Mirror.  He  died 
while  yet  a  resident  of  New  York,  but  his  re- 


HISTORY    OP    bONOMA    COUNTY. 


mains  have  foiiud  their  final  resting  place  in  the 
Woochvorth  family  vault  at  San  Francisco. 
Selim  E.  Woodworth,  father  of  F.  A.,  was  one 
of  a  family  of  ten  children.  When  sixteen 
years  of  age  he  went  into  the  navy.  When  the 
troubles  with  Mexico  came  on  in  1846,  his  ves- 
sel was  cruising  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  he 
took  part  in  the  naval  portion  of  the  war  which 
followed.  After  the  cessation  of  liostilities  he 
resigned  with  the  rank  of  Lieutenant  and  settled 
in  California.  He  was  chosen  as  member  of 
the  first  Territorial  Legislature  of  California,  at 
Monterey,  and  bore  an  honorable  part  in  its 
proceedings.  He  was  one  of  the  foremost  pro- 
moters of  the  first  San  Francisco  vigilance  com- 
mittee (1851),  and  was  its  president.  When 
the  Civil  war  came  on  he  again  volunteered  liis 
services  in  behalf  of  his  country,  and  served 
through  all  that  struggle  as  a  commander  in  the 
navy.  He  liad  become  possessed  of  valuable 
real  estate  in  the  city  and  was  tlie  owner  of  the 
100-vara  lot  on  which  the  Grand  Hotel  was 
built,  and  which  propertj'  is  now  owned  by  the 
familv.  He  was  married  in  1856  to  Miss 
Lizette  Flohr,  a  native  of  Baltimore.  He  died 
in  San  Francisco  and  his  widow  is  now  a  resi- 
dent of  Cambridge,  Massachusetts.  Frederick 
A.  Woodworth,  wliose  name  heads  this  sketch 
spent  his  early  boyhood  in  Sau  Francisco. 
For  purposes  of  education  he  was  sent  to 
Europe,  and  for  three  years  attended  the  schools 
at  Dresden,  afterward  other  institutions  else- 
where in  Germany  and  France.  On  his  re- 
turn to  America  he  attended  military  school  at 
Sing  Sing,  New  York,  and  in  1875  entered  the 
Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis,  Maryland,  and 
subsequently  entered  Trinity  College,  Hartford, 
Connecticut.  In  1877  he  commenced  attendance 
at  Hasting's  Law  School,  San  Fi-ancisco,  and 
for  two  years  prosecuted  his  legal  studies,  read- 
ing with  Delos  Lake.  After  a  trip  to  Europe, 
he  located  on  a  ranch  in  Fresno  County  and  was 
one  of  the  first  to  embark  in  grape  growing 
there.  He  afterward  removed  to  Tulare  County, 
and  from  there  to  Sonoma  County  in  May, 
1888.     Here    he    has    wliat    is    known    as    the 


Everett  ranch,  a  mile  and  a  quarter  west  of 
Healdsburg.  It  contains  247  acres,  all  of  which 
is  utilized  tor  pasture,  farming  or  tlie  cultiva- 
tion of  the  grape,  with  perhaps  seven  or  eight 
acres  of  orchard.  The  vineyard  of  sixty  acres 
contains  mainly  Zinfandel  vines,  while  the  re- 
mainder of  the  acreage  is  well  divided  between 
the  different  varieties  of  fine  Frencli  wine 
grapes.  All  the  grapes  are  made  into  wine  on 
the  place,  and  there  are  now  sufficient  in  bear- 
ing to  make  from  12,000  to  15,000  gallons  of 
wine  in  1888.  It  is  the  intention  of  Mr.  Wood- 
worth  to  keep  his  wine  a  sufiicient  length  of 
time  to  realize  for  himself  the  benefits  of  the 
added  age.  The  winery,  a  first- class  stone  struct- 
ure, with  the  best  appointments,  has  storage  arid 
capacity  and  cooperage  for  50,000  gallons.  The 
ranch  is  well  watered  by  springs,  all  of  the 
water  from  these  sources  being  collected  in  two 
reservoirs,  one  a  concrete  aflfair  of  25,000  gal- 
lons capacity.  Mr.  AVood worth  devotes  his  time 
to  the  improvement  and  proper  working  of  the 
place.  He  is  a  member  of  Fresno  Parlor,  No. 
42,  N.  S.  G.  W.,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the 
organizers,  and  also  belongs  to  the  Society  of 
California  Pioneers  at  San  Francisco.  He  is  a 
member  of  Fresno  Lodge,  No.  249,  F.  &  A.  M. 
While  at  Fresno  he  was  active  in  the  first  efforts 
toward  the  establishment  of  the  present  Amer- 
ican party  movement. 


*YKD  S.  YOUNG,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  rep- 
resentative physicians  of  this  county,  and 
president  of  Sonoma  County  Medical  So- 
ciety, was  born  of  South  Carolina  parents,  in 
Jackson  County,  Tennessee,  in  1831.  His  fa- 
ther, James  Young,  was  a  planter  and  a  mer- 
chant; served  that  count}' as  sherift'  for  a  !ium- 
ber  of  years,  and  was  also  a  member  of  the  State 
Legislature.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  began 
studying  for  the  medical  profession  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  years,  but  before  completing  tlie 
course,  on  attaining  his  majority,  he  went  into 
the  mercantile  business  with  his  l)rother,  contin- 


y /#  Hhi^tt 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTT. 


uing  several  years.  Concluding  to  complete 
the  preparation  for  his  chosen  calling,  Mr. 
Young  attended  school  at  Bnrritt  College,  Ten- 
nessee, and  commenced  practice  in  his  native 
county  with  Dr.  Paul  Clay.  Desiring  to  better 
equip  himself  by  educational  training  for  his 
profession,  Dr.  Young  went  to  Chicago  in  the 
fall  of  1857  and  entered  Rush  Medical  College, 
where  he  subsequently  graduated.  He  at  once 
began  practice  in  that  city  under  the  direction 
of  Dr.  Brainard.  In  January,  1861,  he  returned 
to  Tennessee,  and  again,  in  1864,  returning  to 
Chicago,  he  purchased  mules  and  other  neces- 
sary articles  for  an  outfit  with  which  to  cross 
the  plains  to  California.  The  train  he  accom- 
panied, composed  of  fifty-four  wagons,  left  Bur- 
lington, Iowa,  April  12,  1864,  and  Omaha  a 
month  later.  They  stopped  a  week  in  Salt  Lake 
City  and  a  week  in  Sacramento,  where  heloaded 
his  teams  for  Oakland,  arriving  there  in  Au- 
gust. He  settled  in  Oakland  and  pursued  his 
profession  about  two  years,  in  which  time  his 
health  became  seriously  impaired  by  the  trying 
sea-shore  climate,  and  he  removed  to  St.  Helena, 
Napa  County.  During  the  ten  years  of  his  res- 
idence there  Dr.  Young's  health  was  entirely 
restored,  and  he  enjoyed  an  extensive  and  lucra- 
tire  practice.  AVishing  to  give  his  two  daugh- 
ters better  educational  advantages  than  the 
Napa  Valley  aftbrded,  the  Doctor  removed,  in 
1875,  to  Santa  Rosa,  where  he  soon  secured  and 
has  maintained  a  fine  professional  business.  In 
1856  Dr.  Young  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Carrie  B.,  daughter  of  Samuel  Bell,  a 
prominent  citizen  of  Cayuga  County,  New 
York,  and  a  warm  personal  friend  of  Hon. 
William  H.  Seward.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Young  have 
two  children,  Minnie  E.  and  Neva,  both  of 
whom  are  graduates  of  the  Pacific  Methodist 
College.  The  eldest  is  married  to  Mr.  Kolliker 
and  resides  in  Sacramento.  Dr.  Young  has 
taken  an  active  interest  in  whatever  tends  to 
improve  and  elevate  society  in  Santa  Rosa,  as 
well  as  in  its  material  prosperity.  He  has  served 
eight  or  ten  years  as  a  member  of  the  city  board 
of  education;  has  been   a   trustee  of  Woodland 


College  ever  since  it  was  chartered;  was  physi- 
cian of  the  Sonoma  County  Hospital  three 
years;  is  a  member  of  the  California  State 
Medical  Society,  and  president  of  the  Sonoma 
County  Medical  Society.  Besides  their  beauti- 
ful home  on  East  Fourth  street,  Dr.  Young 
owns  real  estate  interests  in  Tulare  County  and 
some  redwood  lands  in  Mendocino  County. 


fHOMAS  JEFFERSON  PROCTOR  was 
born  April  12,1825,  in  Jessamine  County, 
Kentucky.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years  he  entered  the  Mexican  war  as  Lieutenant 
in  Company  F,  United  States  Volunteers,  un- 
der Captain  Willis.  He  fought  in  the  battle  of 
Buena  Vista  two  da^'s  and  a  night  withoutfood. 
After  serving  fourteen  months  he  was  dis- 
charged and  returned  home.  Mr.  Proctor  was 
married  May  4,  1848,  to  Joanna  P.  Thomas,  a 
native  of  Mercer  County,  Kentucky.  In  1851 
they  moved  to  Trenton,  Grundy  County,  Mis- 
souri. There  Mr.  Proctor  was  engaged  in  con- 
tracting and  building  for  twelve  years,  and  in 
that  time  did  a  great  deal  of  business.  May  4, 
1862,  they  left  Trenton,  came  across  the  coun- 
try to  Oregon,  arrived  in  Powder  River  Valley 
September  7;  resided  in  Baker  County  one 
year  and  in  Union  County  four  years.  In 
the  spring  of  1863  he  erected  a  large  liotel  be- 
tween Baker  City  and  Union,  known  as  the 
"  Kentucky  House,"  and  conducted  it  four 
years,  doing  a  large  business.  He  sold  it  and 
in  1867  catne  to  Santa  Itosa,  where  he  passed 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  Up  to  1875  he  was 
engaged  in  various  business  enterprises.  That 
year  he  opened  a  real  estate  ofiice,  founding  the 
real  estate  firm  of  Proctor,  lieynolds  &  Co.,  the 
oldest  real  estate  ofiice  in  the  city.  He  was 
appointed  mayor  of  Santa  Rosa  September  24, 
1878,  and  was  elected  supervisor  in  1883  or  '84. 
Mr.  Proctor  was  a  member  of  the  city  council 
several  years,  and  also  served  a  number  of  years 
as  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  of  Santa 
Rosa.      He  was  an  active  mover  in  securing  the 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


erection  of  the  new  court  house,  and  in  having 
the  county  hospital  moved  to  the  county  tarni. 
He  died  December  6,  1S86,  leaving  a  widow 
and  one  son,  Thomas  A.  Proctor.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Proctor  lost  two  adult  sons,  Edward  P. 
and  "William  M.  Mr.  Proctor  was  a  tine  speci- 
men of  manhood  and  would  attract  attention  in 
any  crowd.  He  was  a  man  of  s\'mpathetic  and 
benevolent  nature,  and  contriljuted  many  a  dol- 
lar, in  a  quiet  way,  to  the  worthy  poor  from 
whom  his  death  wrung  tears  of  sorrow  for  the 
loss  of  their  benefactor.  Thomas  A.  Proctor 
was  born  in  Harrodsburg,  Kentucky,  January 
12,  1855.  He  was  educated  in  Santa  Rosa  in 
tlie  public  schools,  at  the  Pacific  Methodist  Col- 
lege, and  also  took  a  course  in  a  business  col- 
lege. Leaving  school  at  the  age  of  seventeen, 
he  opened  a  gents"  furiiishing  store  in  Santa 
Rosa  in  1873.  and  successfully  conducted  the 
same  for  thi-ee  years,  when,  on  account  of  ill- 
health,  he  sold  out.  lie  was  then  employed  as 
a  bookkeeper  for  about  a  year,  after  which  he 
entered  the  employ  of  "Wells,  Fargo  &  Co.  He 
has  tilled  various  positions  for  the  company  in 
the  past  twelve  years.  October  12,  1884,  he 
took  charge  of  the  company's  office  and  business 
in  Santa  Rosa,  and  is  manager  of  the  Express 
and  Western  Union  Telegraph  business.  He 
was  married  May  14,  1884,  to  Miss  Mary  E. 
McEwen,  a  San  Francisco  lady.  In  1885  he 
built  his  beautiful  home  on  Third  street,  east  of 
D  street. 


fAMES  "W.  KELLY.— The  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  one  of  the  representative  and  suc- 
cessful farmers  and  dairymen  of  Sonoma 
County.  He  was  born  in  Cork,  Ireland,  in  1841, 
his  parents  being  "William  and  Ellen  (Kenfick) 
Kelly,  both  natives  of  the  same  country.  His 
mother  died  when  he  was  but  a  few  years  of  age. 
Mr.  Kelly  was  the  only  child  in  the  family,  and 
in  1850  his  father  emigrated  to  the  United 
States,  bringing  his  son  with  him.  L'pon  his 
arrival  he  located  in   Massachusetts,    where  the 


subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  and  schooled 
until  1854.  At  that  early  age  he  commenced 
life  upon  his  own  account.  His  first  work  was 
in  a  lumber  mill.  He  worked  there  until  1856 
and  then  went  to  Keokuk,  Towa,  where  he  re- 
mained until  the  ne.xt  year.  He  then  proceeded 
to  Monroe'  County,  Missouri,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged principally  in  farm  labor  until  IStil.  In 
that  year  he  came  to  California  and  joined  his  fa- 
ther who  hadpreceded  him  1854.  and  was  located 
in  San  Francisco.  Soon  after  ilr.  Kelly  arrived 
at  that  place  he  engaged  in  work  for  John  Mil- 
ler, in  the  furniture  factory  of  the  McDonald 
Bros,  in  that  city.  He  continued  this  occupa- 
until  1863.  He  then  went  to  Nevada  with  the 
intention  of  engaging  in  mining,  but  ill-health 
compelled  an  abandonment  of  that  project,  and 
he  proceeded  to  Oregon,  locating  at  Portland. 
There  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  furni- 
ture until  1865.  He  then  returned  to  San  Fran- 
cisco and  resumed  work  for  his  old  employer, 
]\Ir.  Miller.  In  18G7  Mr.  Kelly  married  Miss 
Mary  Pierce,  a  daughter  of  Patrick  and  Mary 
(Donlon)  Pierce,  nativesof  Roscommon  County, 
Ireland.  He  continued  his  work  in  the  furni- 
ture manufactory  until  1871.  In  that  year  he 
came  to  Sonoma  County,  and  located  at  Clover- 
dale,  where  he  rented  land  and  entered  upon 
farm  operations.  In  1872  he  moved  to  Santa 
Rosa  Township,  and  rented  a  farm  on  Santa 
Rosa  Creek,  where  he  remained  for  two  years. 
He  then  rented  a  farm  near  John  "Walker's  place 
at  Sebastopol,  which  he  successfully  conducted 
until  1876.  In  that  year  he  rented  a  farm  on 
the  Santa  Rosa  and  Sebastopol  road,  in  the 
Llano  school  district,  six  miles  west  of  Santa 
Rosa,  and  one  mile  east  of  Sebastopol.  Here 
Mr.  Kelly  entered  into  farming  and  the  dairy 
business,  a  business  which  he  has  successfully 
conducted  since  that  date.  He  afterward  pur- 
chased the  farm  which  he  rented  and  from  time 
to  time  purchased  adjoining  lands  until  he 
owned  a  tract  comprising  540  acres.  A  short 
time  ago  he  sold  off  a  portion  of  his  land  and 
now  (1888)  is  the  owner  of  815  acres  of  pro- 
I  ductive  farm  lands.     Among  the  improvements 


UISTOUY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


he  lias  made  upon  his  hiiul  is  the  planting  oF 
thirty  acres  in  grape  vines  of  the  Zinfandel  va- 
riety for  wine  purposes,  also  a  family  vineyard 
coiitaininfra  large  variety  of  table  grapes.  Hehas 
seven  acres  in  orchard  producing  apples,  peaches, 
French  prunes,  ])ears,  plums  and  other  fruit. 
One  hundred  acres  are  in  hay  and  grain,  and  the 
rest  is  devoted  to  stock-raising.  There  are  eighty 
head  of  cattle  upon  this  farm,  forty  of  which 
are  milch  cows  used  for  dairy  purposes.  These 
cattle  are  mostly  Durham  stock.  Mr.  Kelly 
raises  only  such  horses  as  are  required  on  the 
farm.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  well  known 
in  Sonoma  County  as  an  enterprising  and  pub- 
lic spirited  citizen.  His  success  in  life  has 
been  due  to  his  sterling  (Qualities  and  straight 
forward  dealing,  coupled  with  an  energetic  pros- 
ecution of  his  business.  He  is  a  member  of 
Evergreen  Lodge,  No.  161,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  at  St- 
bastopol,  and  of  Santa  Rosa  Encampment,  No. 
53,  I.  O.  0.  F.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
A.  O.  U.  W.  of  Santa  liosa,  and  of  the  Se- 
bastopol  Lodge  of  Chosen  Friends.  He  is  a 
school  trustee  of  his  district,  and  has  ever 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  public  schools. 
Politically, he  is  a  liberal  and  conservative  Dem- 
ocrat. The  following  are  the  children  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Kelly:  William  H.,  J.  P.,  Edward  T., 
Frank,  George  Ivobert  and  Thomas  E.  The 
fourth  child,  John  Josejih,  died  at  the  age  of 
eight  years. 

JI^ILLIAM  H.  MANION  is  one  of  So- 
wvtiv'll  noma  County's  favorite  sons.  He  dates 
l-!^J^  his  birth  in  Bennett  Valley,  Santa  Rosa 
Township,  October  16,  1856.  He  is  the  son 
of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Barnett)  Manion, 
early  settlers  of  Sonoma  County.  Mr.  Mat)ion 
was  reared  to  farm  life  upon  his  father's  farm, 
receiving  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
his  district,  and  later  in  the  Santa  Rosa  College. 
After  the  death  of  iiis  father,  which  occurred  in 
October,  1887,  Mr.  Manion  commenced  the  im- 
provement and  cultivation  of  his  portion  of  the 


estate,  which  is  situated  on  the  Santa  Rosa  and 
Petaluraa  road.  He  is  also  the  owner  of  400 
acres  of  land  in  Bennett  Valley,  which  is  devoted 
to  stock-growing.  Mr.  Manion  is  a  member 
of  the  Native  Sons  of  the  Golden  West,  and 
was  a  charter  member  of  Parlor  No.  28,  of 
Santa  Rosa.  He  is  also  a  member  of  Santa  Rosa 
Lodge,  No.  53,  L  O.  O.  F.  In  1887  he  was 
united  i^n  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah  Johnson, 
the  daughter  of  Snelling  and  Amanda  (Pierce) 
Johnson,  residents  of  Oregon,  but  formei'lj  of 
Napa  Count3\ 


JI^I^ILLIAM  MANION,  deceased.— Among 
'WmP  ^^^^  pioneer  and  representative  farmers 
I'-T^^I  of  Santa  Rosa  Township  was  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  a  brief  resume  of  whose  life 
is  well  fitted  to  appear  in  the  history  of  Sonoma 
County.  Mr.  Manion  was  the  son  of  Edmund 
and  Elizabeth  Manion.  natives  of  the  State  of 
Kentucky.  Mr.  Manion  was  born  in  the  same 
State  in  the  year  1816,  and  when  a  youth  went 
with  his  father's  family  to  Missouri,  locating  in 
Cooper  County  and  afterward  in  La  Fayette 
County,  where  the  father  was  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  stock-raising.  Mr.  Manion  was  reared 
on  a  farm,  receiving  such  educational  advan- 
tages as  the  common  schools  of  pioneer 
settlements  aiforded.  In  1847  he  entered  the 
Mexican  war,  enlisting  in  the  Missouri  Regiment 
of  cavalry  commanded  by  Colonel  Doniphan. 
This  regiment  was  engaged  in  Kqw  Mexico  and 
also  on  the  plains  against  the  Indians.  Mr. 
Manion  served  until  tlie  discharge  of  tiie  regi- 
ment from  the  service  in  1848.  Soon  after  his 
discharge  he  returned  home  and  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Rebecca  Hatton,  the  dau'fh- 
ter  of  Joseph  and  Millie  Hatton,  residents  of 
La  Fayette  County,  Missouri.  Mr.  Manion 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising  in  that 
county  until  1850,  in  which  year  he  crossed  the 
plains  to  California,  attracted  here  by  the  pio- 
neer instincts  that  were  born  in  him  as  much  as 
by  the  gold   fever  that  was  sweeping  over  the 


380 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


land.  As  before  stated  be  was  reared  as  a  farm- 
er, but  arriving  in  California  in  the  tall  of  the 
year,  when  hills  and  valleys  were  sere  and  brown, 
he  concluded  the  occupation  of  a  farmer  must 
be  a  hard  one  in  this  country,  so  he  turned  his 
attention  to  mining.  In  1850  he  had  the 
misfortune  to  lose  his  wife.  Slie  had  followed 
his  fortunes  even  to  the  hardships  of  a  miner's 
camp.  This  was  more  than  her  frail  system 
could  bear,  and,  after  a  brief  illness,  death  called 
her  home,  ^so  children  were  born  from  this 
marriage.  Mr.  Manion  continued  his  mining 
wilh  varying  success  until  1852,  when,  tired  of 
that  life,  he  sought  a  more  congenial  occupation 
in  the  fertile  valleys  of  Sonoma  County.  His 
first  location  here  was  in  Los  Guilicos  Valley, 
where  he  rented  land  from  Martin  Hudson  until 
1853,  when  he  located  in  Bennett  Valley.  In 
1852  he  married  for  his  second  wife  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Barnett,  the  daughter  of  Jaines  and  Rebec- 
ca (Bryant)  Barnett,  natives  of  Kentucky.  Mrs. 
Manion  came  across  the  plains  to  California  in 
1851,  accompanied  by  her  brother,  who  died  on 
the  plains,  leaving  her  to  the  care  of  her  friends 
with  whom  they  were  traveling.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  was  one  of  the  pioneer  farmers  of 
Bennett  Valley,  and  soon  came  to  be  recognized 
as  a  tine  representative  of  his  class,  taking  a  lead 
in  agriculture  and  stock-raising.  He  remained 
in  that  valley  until  1873,  when  he  moved  to 
Santa  Rosa  Valley  and  located  two  miles  south 
of  Santa  Rosa,  on  the  Petaluma  road,  where  he 
purchased  2(50  acres  of  choice  lands  upon  which 
he  continued  his  farming  operations  (also  still 
owning  400  acres  in  Bennett  Valley)  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  October  11,  1887.  In 
the  death  of  Mr.  Manion  the  community  lost 
one  of  its  most  worthy  and  respected  citizens. 
He  was  a  man  who  for  over  thirty-five  years  had 
been  identified  with  the  best  interests  of  Sono- 
ma County,  a  public  spirited,  enterprising,  pro- 
gressive farmer,  and  one  who  ever  stood  ready 
to  aid  in  any  enterprise  that  tended  to  advance 
the  welfare  of  and  benefit  the  community  in 
which  he  so  long  resided.  To  his  family  he 
was   ever   the    indulgent    husband,  father   and 


friend.  He  was  a  sincere  and  consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  Christian  church,  practicing  his  pre- 
cepts in  full.  A  strong  supporter  of  churches 
and  schools,  he  was  always  ready  to  aid  in  the 
establishing  of  both,  without  regard  to  denomi- 
nation or  sect.  In  him  the  poor  and  needy 
always  found  a  cheerful  and  liberal  benefactor. 
From  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Manion 
there  are  four  children  living:  William  Henry, 
a  sketch  of  whom  appears  in  this  work;  Sarah 
Frances,  born  April  29,  1859,  lives  on  a  portion 
of  the  old  homestead,  and  is  the  wife  of  W.  C. 
WooUey;  Lilly  Belle,  born  June  24,  1864;  and 
Louella,  born  November  27,  1866.  Mrs.  Man- 
ion and  her  two  youngest  daughters  are  residing 
on  the  old  homestead. 


I^JCHARD  E.  LEWIS,  one  of  the  substan- 
^f^\  tial  men  of  Mendocino  Township,  is  a 
•=^  native  of  Wales,  born  February  22,  1829, 
and  a  son  of  Richard  and  Rachel  (Evans) 
Lewis.  In  1840  the  family  emigrated  to* 
America  and  located  on  the  bluffs  of  St.  Clair 
County,  Illinois,  where  Caseyville  now  stands. 
In  1848  R.  E.  Lewis  took  a  trip  to  New  Mex- 
ico as  a  teamster,  and  from  there  returned  to 
St.  Clair  County,  where  he  remained  until 
1850.  In  March  of  the  latter  year  he  started 
with  a  St.  Louis  party  for  California.  The 
train  was  made  up  between  Independence,  Mis- 
souri, and  Westport,  at  which  point  they  crossed 
the  Missouri  River.  While  on  the  Platte  the 
train  became  aiflicted  with  cholera,  and  as  a  con- 
sequence, they  split  up  in  little  parties.  Mr. 
Lewis  came  via  Salt  Lake,  at  which  point  he 
and  two  friends  traded  their  oxen  for  horses,  and 
packed  across  to  California,  following  the  Car- 
son route,  the  men  walking  the  most  of  the 
way.  Before  they  had  completed  their  journey 
their  horses  had  all  either  given  out  or  had  been 
stolen,  so  that  when  they  arrived  at  Sacramento, 
on  the  20th  of  October,  they  had  little  to  en- 
cumber them  in  the  way  of  personal  effects. 
Mr.  Lewis  went  to  the  mines  at  Nevada  City, 


lIItiTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


south  of  Yuba.  He  followed  mining,  however, 
only  until  February  following,  at  which  time  he 
located  on  the  Catata  ranch,  four  miles  below 
Santa  Rosa.  In  1S5C  he  sold  out  and  took 
charge  of  the  flouring  mill  of  Felty  Millei-,  on 
Mill  Creek,  which  he  operated  for  six  years. 
He  then  bought  a  ranch  on  Dry  Creek,  and  after 
making  many  improvements,  sold  out  in  Janu- 
ary, 186S,  and  located  where  he  now  resides,  on 
the  Gnerneville  road,  four  miles  tVom  Healds- 
burg.  Mr.  Lewis's  ranch  presents  a  fine  ap- 
pearance to  the  passer-by.  The  vineyard, 
abutting  upon  the  road,  is  splendidly  kept,  and 
through  It  a  spacious  avenue  extends  back  to 
the  residence,  which  occupies  a  good  location 
near  the  center  of  the  ranch.  Back  of  this  is 
the  farming  land.  The  vineyard  covers  sixty- 
five  acres  of  ground,  and  all  the  vines  were 
planted  in  1883.  Sixty-five  acres  are  Zinfan- 
dels,  while  the  remainder  are  selected  varieties 
of  table  grapes.  Their  quality  is  excellent  and 
he  has  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  a  shipping 
market  for  them.  The  only  improvement  of 
any  note  which  Mr.  Lewis  has  not  put  upon  the 
place  is  an  orchard  of  three  acres,  which  is 
about  thirty  years  old.  The  trees,  which  are 
apple,  pear,  plum,  almond,  etc.,  are  yet  pro- 
lific, and  bear  good  fruit.  The  remainder  of  the 
place  is  devoted  to  general  farming,  corn,  alfalfa 
and  potatoes  being  the  usual  crops.  The  ground 
is  so  rich  that  these  always  do  well.  He  usually 
has  about  forty  acres  in  alfalfa,  and  this  being 
cut  three  times  per  annum  produces  an  average 
crop  of  six  tons  per  acre.  Corn,  to  which  he 
usually  devotes  froin  ten  to  twenty  acres  of 
bottom  land,  avernges  fully  forty  bushels  to  the 
acre.  All  in  all,  this  is  a  model  farm,  and  re- 
flects credit  upon  ]\rr.  Lewis,  to  whom  its  pres- 
ent prosperous  condition  is  due.  Mr.  Lewis 
was  married  January  5,  1858,  to  Mrs.  Nancy 
Poe  (whose  maiden  name  was  Gunther),  a  native 
of  McDonald  County,  Missouri,  who  came 
across  the  plains  to  California  in  1857.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Lewis  have  seven  living  children,  viz. •, 
Rachel,  wife  of  "William  Keely;  Rebecca,  wife 
of  Crook    Martin,  a  resident  of  Santa  Maria, 


Santa  Barbara  County;  Adeline,  wife  of  Clem- 
ent Mothorn;  Cashia,  wife  of  Perry  Mothorn; 
Augusta,  wife  of  Benjamin  Nichols  (the  three 
latter  are  residents  of  Sonoma  County);  Lena 
and  Prudie,  at  home.  Mrs.  Lewis  has  a  daugh- 
ter by  her  first  marriage,  Mary,  wife  of  William 
King,  of  SoTioma  County.  Politically  Mr.  Lewis 
is  a  Republican.  He  takes  an  active  interest 
in  educational  affairs  and  has  been  a  school 
trustee  in  his  district  for  twenty  years.  He  is 
one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Sonoma  County,  and 
has  been  an  eye-witness  to  most  of  the  changes 
which  have  transformed  it  from  a  wilderness  to 
its  present  conditiuM.  In  1860  he  also  located 
and  obtained  a  State  patent  of  200  acres  of 
timber  land  on  Russian  River  where  Gnerne- 
ville now  stands,  and  still  owns  258  acres  ad- 
joining. In  1872  he  discovered  and  located  a 
quicksilvei-  mine,  four  miles  north  of  Gnerne- 
ville, called  the  Great  Eastern  Mine,  of  which 
at  the  present  time  he  owns  one-fourth  interest 
and  is  manaser  of  same. 


m^ARRISOX  WHITE.— Among  the  repre- 
Hp^  scntative  and  productive  orchards  of  Santa 
^11  Rosa  Township,  that  owned  by  the  above 
named  gentleman  is  worthy  of  special  mention. 
Mr.  White  is  the  owner  of  twenty-five  acres 
located  on  the  Middle  Petaluma  road,  in  the 
Hearn  school  district,  two  miles  south  of  Santa 
Rosa.  This  orchard  was  planted  by  Mr.  White 
in  1883,  and  contains  2,878  trees,  classified  as 
follows:  1,750  French  prunes,  400  Bartlett 
pears,  200  Newtown  pippin  apples,  75  Ben  Davis 
apples,  50  each  of  winter  Nellis  pears,  Easter- 
bury  pears,  and  white  winter  pearmain  apples, 
25  each  of  Oregon  silver  prunes,  egg  plums, 
and  winter  Bellflower  apples,  100  trees  of 
peaches  and  other  varieties  of  fruit.  Berries 
of  all  kinds  are  also  successfully  grown  without 
irrigation.  The  improvements  upon  this  place 
are  first-class  in  every  respect;  among  them  is  a 
handsome  cottage  residence  of  modern  architect- 
ural design,  well  fitted  with  all  the  conveniences 


HI  STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  comforts  tliat  cliaracterize  a  well  ordered 
home.  Mr.  White  was  born  in  Buncoinbe 
Count}-,  North  Carolina,  in  1S31,  and  is  the 
son  of  William  and  Sarah  (B:iker)  White,  the 
former  a  native  of  North  Carolina  and  the  lat- 
ter of  Georgia.  In  his  youth  his  parents  moved 
to  Georgia  and  later  to  Madison  County,  Mis- 
souri, where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  as  a  farmer,  and  received  liis  education 
in  the  common  schools.  In  1852  lie  came  over- 
land to  California,  driving  his  own  team.  The 
train  to  which  he  was  attached  was  the  first  to 
enter  the  State  by  the  "  Hennis  Pass  "  route, 
and,  upon  their  arrival  at  Hennis  and  Jack- 
son's ranch,  they  found  their  further  progress 
with  wagons  impossible,  and  were  compelled  to 
disband  and  pack  their  effects  over  rough  trails 
into  Downieville.  Arriving  at  that  place  Sep- 
tember 15,  1852,  he  immediately  commenced 
mining,  which  he  continued  with  fair  success 
until  the  next  year.  He  was  also  connected  with 
White,  Thacher  &  Co.,  in  putting  in  a  mining 
flume  at  Little  Rich  Bar,  one  and  one  half  miles 
below  Downieville,  after  which  he  wenttoOus- 
ley's  Bar  and  worked  for  Jacob  Wiser.  In 
1854  he  purchased  the  well-known  Wiser  ferry 
on  the  Yuba  River,  which  he  conducted  for  the 
next  five  years,  at  the  same  time  being  engaged 
in  mercantile  pursuits,  and  having  a  store  at 
Ousley's  Bar  and  one  at  Poverty  Flat.  He  was 
also  engaged  in  other  well  remembered  enter- 
prises of  that  day,  being  largely  interested  in 
the  Goodwin  and  Story  Ditch,  the  Prairie  Ditch 
(known  as  the  Webb  and  Clark  Ditch),  and  the 
Dry  Creek  toll  bridge.  Mr.  White  was  success- 
ful in  his  business  enterprises.  He  sold  his 
ferry  in  1859  to  Elliott,  Barnes  ct  Lloyd,  who 
afterward  moved  the  same  to  Jacin  to  on  the  Sac- 
ramento River,  and  in  1862  sold  his  interest  in 
the  Dry  Creek  bridge.  In  1865  he  located 
at  Gold  Run  in  Placer  County,  and,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Mason  &  White,  he  and  his 
partner  established  stores  at  Gold  Run,  Hunt's 
Hill,  Truckee  and  You  Bet.  These  various 
enterprises  were  successfully  conducted  until 
1872,  when  he  sold  out    his  interests  and  lo- 


cated in  Humboldt  County,  where,  in  connec- 
tion with  A.  B.  lluyck,  he  purchased  the  stock 
and  ranch  of  Coleman  &  Graham,  and  for  the 
next  ten  years  was  extensively  engaged  in  wool 
growing,  keeping  from  3,500  to  4,000  head  of 
sheep.  He  was  later  connected  with  J.  B.  Caster- 
lin,  under  the  firm  nameof  White  ifeCasterlin. 
In  1882  he  sold  out  his  interests  to  Dr.  O.  S. 
Phelps,  and,  after  traveling  extensively  through 
the  State,  purchased  sixteen  acres  of  vineyard 
property  near  St  Helena,  upon  which  he  resided 
until  1883,  when  he  sold  out  and  took  up  his 
present  residence.  Mr.  White  is  an  energetic 
and  intelligent  man  with  sound  business  prin- 
ciples, which  he  is  applying  to  his  horticultural 
industry,  and,  like  his  other  enterprises,  he  is 
making  a  success  of  it.  As  a  miner,  merchant, 
stock-grower  and  capitalist,  he  is  widely  known 
in  California  and  particularly  in  the  mining 
districts.  His  consistent  course  of  life  and  his 
honorable  dealings  with  his  fellow  men  have 
gained  him  a  laVge  circle  of  friends.  Politi- 
cally, he  is  a  Denaocrat.  In  1869  Mr.  White 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sophia  J. 
Holmes,  a  native  of  Maine.  None  of  their  four 
children  are  now   livino-. 


AMUEL  I.  ALLEN,  one  of  Santa  Rosa's 
^1  most  energetic  and  public-spirited  busi- 
ness men,  was  born  in  Brown  County, 
Ohio,  forty-two  years  ago.  His  father,  John 
D.  Allen,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  July  3, 
1802.  In  the  spring  of  1875  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  left  the  Buckeye  State  for  Califor- 
nia. After  spending  two  years  in  Mendocino 
County,  he  came  to  Santa  Rosa  and  for  ten 
years  he  has  been  conducting  a  successful  busi- 
ness in  this  city,  in  the  way  of  fresh  dressed 
meats.  Mr.  Allen  is  a  man  of  positive  convic- 
tions on  all  subjects,  and  being  a  Republican  in 
politics,  has  taken  an  active  part  in  advancing 
the  interests  of  the  party  of  his  political  faith. 
He  served  in  the  Legislature  in  the  session  of 
1884-'85,  representing  the  Twenty-fourth  Dis- 


UltiTOHY    OF    hiONOMA    COUNTY. 


38;^ 


trict.  Mr.  Allen  was  chairinaii  of  the  Repub- 
licaTi  County  Central  Committee  during  the 
Presidental  campaign  of  1888. 

W%  S.  P.PtYANT,  one  of  the  old  Californians 
T  'ijj  now  a  resident  of  Sonoma  County,  was 
"Ss?  ^  born  at  Cambridge,  Massachnsetts,  Sep- 
tember 28,  1823,  his  parents  being  Amos  and 
Sophia  (Orcutt)  Bryant.  Both  parents  came  of 
old  New  England  familiL'S,  and  both  were  of 
English  descent.  The  paternal  grandfather  of 
D.  S.  Bryant  was  born  at  North  Redding,  ten 
miles  from  Boston.  When  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  a  mere  child  he  lost  his  father  by 
death.  Mr.  Bryant  was  reared  in  his  native 
town,  Cambridge,  and  in  its  public  schools  was 
fitted  for  Andover  College.  Before  his  inten- 
tion to  enter  that  well  known  institution  of 
learning  could  be  carried  out,  circnmstances  oc- 
curred which  caused  him  to  change  his  plans, 
and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  he  entered  a 
Boston  store  as  a  clerk.  This  occupation  en- 
gaged his  attention,  with  the  exception  of  one 
summer  spent  in  New  York,  until  1849,  when 
he  joined  the  tide  of  emigration  to  California. 
From  boyhood  he  had  made  natural  history  a 
study,  and  his  decision  to  go  to  California  was 
probably  induced,  more  than  from  any  otlier 
reason,  by  a  knowledge  that  this  coast  would 
present  a  good  field  for  labor  in  his  chosen  de- 
partment of  science.  Hence  it  was  that  among 
his  effects  was  a  complete  taxidermist's  outfit, 
and  some  fine  specimens  of  sea  fowl  were  capt- 
ured and  stuffed  by  him  on  the  voyage.  His 
ship,  the  Ilannihal  (Captain  Willis),  left  I>os- 
ton  in  November,  1849,  and  after  a  pleasant 
journey,  via  Cape  Horn,  cast  anchor  in  San 
Francisco  harbor  May  2,  1850.  In  that  place 
Mr.  Bryant  found  any  kind  of  labor  in  demand, 
and  at  ])rices  so  remunerative  that  natural  his- 
tory work  was  tem])orarily  laid  aside  for  more 
practical  and  more  prosaic  pursuits.  A  few 
months  after  landing  he  decided  to  go  into  the 
cattle  business,  choosing  the  Mission  Dolores  as 


temporary  headquarters  and  purchasing  a  fifty 
vara  lot  from  Jesus  Noe  about  where  the  Jewish 
cemetery  now  is.  This  lot  was  part  of  the 
Mexican  grant  to  Noe,  who  was  much  troubled 
with  squatters,  and  when  Mr.  Bryant  purchased 
the  lot,  paying  $90  for  it,  he  uidcnowingly  made 
friends  with  the  Mexicans,  who  ever  after  re- 
spected his  brand  and  gave  information  where 
any  stray  cattle  might  be  found  with  his  iron 
upon  tiiem.  It  was  not  the  amount  jiaid  for 
the  lot,  but  the  fact  of  iiis  admitting  that  Noe 
owned  the  land,  and  when  the  deed  was  made 
out  in  the  old  adobe  adjoining  the  church,  Mr. 
i^ryant  was  introduced  to  several  of  Senor  Noe's 
friends  as  the  "Americano  who  did  not  squat."' 
He  resided  at  the  Mission  for  about  six  months, 
then,  in  company  with  R.  S.  Eaton,  bought  the 
entire  Visitacion  Valley  (1,100  acres).  He 
built  there  a  small  house  lor  a  residence,  and 
continued  buying  and  selling  cattle  in  partner- 
ship with  Mr.  Eaton  for  eleven  months,  when 
he  purchased  the  latter's  interest  and  thus  be- 
came possessed  of  everything  on  the  ranch. 
After  selling  300  acres  to  Henry  Schwerin  (who 
is  still  living  on  the  land),  the  remainino-  800 
acres  was  sold  in  June,  1853,  to  Dr.  William 
Gwyn,  George  Penn  Johnston  and  Mr.  Cook  of 
Palmer,  Cook  &  Co.,  together  with  the  stock 
and  tools.  He  then  went  East  with  no  inten- 
tion of  ever  returning  to  the  Pacific  coast.  In 
1857,  however,  he  again  came  "West,  via  Pana- 
ma, and  after  a  short  stay  in  San  Francisco, 
came  to  Sonoma  County,  and  followed  ranching 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  town  of  Sonoma  for 
five  years.  He  then  went  to  San  Francisco  and 
embarked  in  the  grain  business.  After  the 
third  year  the  firm  became  Bryant  &  Cook,  so 
continuing  for  twenty  years  until  the  death  of 
Mr.  Cook  in  1886.  His  home,  however,  had 
been  in  Oakland.  In  October,  1887,  Mr. 
Bryant  purchased  twenty-eight  acres  of  choice 
land  at  Hassett's  Grove,  adjoining  Healdsburor, 
and  has  since  resided  there.  He  has  ten  acres 
of  Zinfandel  grapes,  the  vines  being  in  a  very 
healthy  condition  and  well  cared  for.  There  is 
no  better  land   in   California   than  in  this  tract, 


381 


nr^TORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  the  owner  has  made  some  substantial  im- 
provements on  the  place.  Mr.  Bryant  was  mar 
ried  at  Marlborough,  Massachusetts,  in  Decem- 
ber, 1853,  to  Miss  Susan  Hastings  Ilowe,  a 
native  of  that  place  and  a  representative  of  an 
old  New  England  family.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bryant 
were  the  parents  of  lour  children,  of  whom  one, 
Herman  B.,  is  deceased.  He  was  born  at  San 
Francisco,  graduated  from  the  high  school  in 
Oakland  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  and  from  the 
University  of  California  at  twenty-one,  and 
went  to  San  Diego.  He  died  there  at  the  age 
of  twenty-three  years  and  ten  and  a  half  months. 
The  living  children  are  Hattie  B.,  widow  of 
Melville  C.  Wilson  (who  died  in  1883);  Marcia 
L.,  who  is  a  graduate  of  Oakland  high  school, 
and  Walter  E.,  who  is  a  graduate  ot  the  same 
school,  and  has  been  connected  with  the  Academy 
of  Sciences,  in  the  department  of  ornithology, 
since  early  in  1887.  Mr.  Bryant  is  one  of  the 
successful  California  pioneers,  and  is  a  welcome 
addition  to  the  population  of  Sonoma  County. 


fOHN  L.  EDWARDS,  proprietor  of  J.  L. 
Edwards'  grocery  house,  corner  of  Main 
and  Third  streets,  is  one  of  the  sterling  busi- 
ness men  of  Santa  Rosa,  and  a  Californian  from 
boyhood.  He  was  born  in  the  town  of  Union, 
Franklin  County,  Missouri,  forty-eight  years 
ago.  In  the  spring  of  1857  his  father  started 
with  his  family,  four  men  and  three  ox  teams  to 
cross  the  plains  to  California.  On  reaching 
Fort  Laramie  they  overtook  and  joined  an  emi- 
grant train  known  as  "  Bona ''  Wood's  train, 
constituting  a  company  of  fifteen  men.  They 
also  overtook  and  traveled  with  a  train  in  charge 
of  Dr.  Burnett  until  near  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains,  where  they  separated  and  Mr.  Ed- 
wards and  family  came  on  to  California  alone. 
On  the  way  they  narrowly  escaped  several  en- 
counters with  hostile  Indians;  and  were  only 
half  a  day  behind  the  company  who  were  mur- 
dered in  what  is  known  as  the  Holiway  mas- 
sacre. Mrs.  Holiway, the  lady  who  was  scalped 


and  left  for  dead  on  the  scene  of  the  tragedy, 
was  discovered  to  be  alive  by  a  member  of  the 
Breedlove  emigrant  train  (which  was  a  short 
distance  ahead  of  Mr.  Edward's  family),  and 
was  picked  up  and  carried  by  him  half  a  mile 
to  the  company's  camp.  She  was  brought 
through  to  California  by  them,  and  lived  and 
died  at  Napa  City,  where  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  met  and  took  dinner  with  her,  on  which 
occasion  she  related  some  of  the  terrible  exper- 
iences of  that  slaughter.  The  company  which 
had  picked  Mrs.  Holiway  up,  halted  at  a  villain- 
ous trading  post  some  distance  farther  on  in 
their  journey,  where  they  discovered  Mrs.  Holi- 
way's  reeking  scalp  on  exhibition  as  a  trophy, 
and  listened  to  the  proprietor  laughingly 
tell  the  story  of  his  purchase  of  it.  He 
was  taken  by  her  indignant  rescuers  and 
tied  to  one  of  their  wagons  and  shot  to  death. 
His  effects  were  then  gathered  together  and 
converted  into  a  funeral  pyre  on  which  his 
body  was  burned.  On  reaching  the  Golden 
State  Mr.  Edw-ards'  father  settled  in  Napa 
City  and  engaged  in  merchandising  for  a  year 
and  a  half;  then  sold  his  store  and  moved 
to  St.  Helena  and  bought  a  tract  of  126  acres  of 
land  adjoining  the  village,  for  $25  per  acre.  The 
price  was  tiiought  by  the  old  settlers  to  be  e.x- 
travagant,  and  Mr.  Edwards  was  the  subject  of 
their  mingled  commiseration  and  ridicule.  He 
planted  a  part  of  the  land  to  grapes  and  was 
one  of  the  pioneer  vineyardists  of  that  region. 
The  property  for  which  he  paid  $3,150  was  sub- 
sequently sold  in  parcels,  aggregating  nearly 
$50,000.  The  subject  of  this  memoir  divided 
his  time  for  several  years  between  assisting  his 
father  on  the  ranch  and  clerking  in  stores  there 
and  elsewhere.  Leaving  St.  Helena,  he  visited 
several  points  in  the  State,  and  finally  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  Com- 
pany in  their  repair  department  at  Oakland; 
and  afterward  in  charge  of  their  freight  and 
baggage  business  at  Martinez,  Contra  Costa 
County.  He  resigned  the  latter  position  to  ac- 
cept that  of  receiver  in  the  money  order  depart- 
ment  of  the    San    Francisco    postoffice,  under 


IIISTOUY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTi'. 


General  S.  W.  Backus,  which  he  tilled  between 
five  and  six  years.  In  the  early  jiart  of  1887 
Mr.  Edwards  decided  to  engage  in  business  on 
his  own  account,  and  resigning  his  place  in  the 
postoltice,  bouglit  the  small  stock  of  groceries 
owned  by  William  S.  Hosiner,  and  moved  his 
family  to  Santa  Kosa  in  April  of  that  year.  His 
store  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Third  streets  is 
a  tine  location,  and  is  well  stocked  with  staple 
and  fancy  groceries,  crockery,  glassware,  fruits, 
vegetables,  candies  and  tobaccos.  Mr.  Edwards' 
method  of  doing  business  makes  a  friend  of  every 
customer,  and  his  trade  is  consequently  growing 
and  prosperous.  He  married  Miss  Carrie  W. 
Backus,  daughter  of  Gurdon  Backus,  a  pioneer 
of  Sacramento,  at  present  agent  for  the  Central 
Pacitic  Kailroad  at  St  Helena,  Napa  County. 
They  have  three  children.  Mr.  Edwards  is  a  Past 
Master  of  California  Lodge,  No.  1,  A.  O.  U.  W. 


^NDREW  J.  GALLAWAY,  one  of  the 
(ffllf  °'^  residents  of  Sonoma  County,  is  a 
^^4=5=-  native  of  Knox  County,  Tennessee,  born 
November  14,  1817.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
years  he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Morgan 
County,  Indiana.  Nine  years  later  he  went  to 
Missouri  and  from  there,  after  five  years,  to 
New  Mexico.  There  he  remained  about  one 
year  and  returned  to  Missouri.  In  the  spring 
of  1850  he  came  to  California,  making  the 
journey  across  the  plains  by  teams.  He  at 
once  engaged  in  mining  in  El  Dorado  County, 
and  after  three  years  went  to  Yolo  County  and 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising.  In  1857 
he  returned  to  Missouri  via  Panama,  but  two 
years  later  came  back  to  Yolo  County,  Califor- 
nia, bringing  with  him  a  band  of  cattle.  After 
a  few  months  he  came  to  Sonoma  County  and 
purchased  a  farm  about  three  miles  north  of 
Geyserville.  In  18G4  lie  located  wiiere  he  now 
resides.  He  was  married  to  Deborah  Price, 
October  14,  1857.  They  were  the  parents  of 
five  children,  viz.:  Allen  R.,  Nancy  E.,  Henry 
M.  (deceased),  Andrew  J.  and  Amandii  A.    The 


Gallaway  ranch  is  beautifully  located,  adjoining 
Dry  Creek,  and  presents  every  appearance  of 
prosperity.  Orchard  and  vineyard  are  kept  up 
in  a  manner  to  attract  favorable  attention,  and 
the  proprietors  have  found  tlie  place,  thus  man- 
aged, a  source  of  substantial  revenue.  Andrew 
J.  Gallaway,  Sr.,  no  longer  gives  his  personal 
care  to  the  place,  but  his  sons,  the  Gallaway 
■  Brothers  (Allen  R.  and  Andrew  J.,  Jr.),  man- 
age the  business  and  superintend  the  details  of 
work  about  the  place.  They  have  nearly  sixty 
acres  in  grapes,  of  both  wine  and  table  varieties. 
The  wine  grapes  are  Zinfandel,  Burgundy,  Sau- 
vignon  and  Burger.  The  table  varieties  are 
Tokay,  Coleman,  etc.  The  first  vines  were 
planted  in  18(33,  and  additions  have  been  made 
at  intervals  until  188G,  in  the  spring  of  wiiich 
year  the  last  vines  were  set  out.  Tliev  have 
about  sixteen  acres  in  choice  fruits,  mainly 
peaches,  plums  and  prunes,  though  there  are 
small  numbers  of  trees  of  many  other  kinds  of 
fruit.  The  bulk  of  the  young  orchard  consists 
of  Frencli  and  Silver  prunes.  They  have  had 
good  success  with  all  kinds  of  fruit  and  their 
exhibits  at  the  Mechanics'  Institute  Fair,  San 
Francisco,  commanded  favorable  notice.  The 
rest  of  the  land  is  devoted  to  general  farming 
purposes.  Allen  Rector  Gallaway,  the  oldest 
son  of  A.  J.  Gallaway,  Sr.,  was  born  in  Gentry 
County,  Missouri,  August  3, 1858.  He  accom- 
panied his  parents  across  the  plains  to  Califor- 
nia, where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  schools  of  Healdsburg,  at 
the  Christian  College,  Santa  Rosa,  and  at  Pierce 
College,  College  City,  Colusa  County,  graduat- 
ing at  the  latter  place  in  the  class  of  1881.  In 
order  to  make  himself  self-supporting  while  re- 
ceiving the  education  he  had  marked  out  for 
himself,  he  commenced  teaching  school  in  1878, 
and  since  that  time  lias  taught  during  every 
winter  term  except  1885.  After  graduating  at 
Pierce  College,  he  became  one  of  the  faculty 
and  held  the  chair  of  history  for  two  years 
(which  position  he  resigned  to  take  charge  of 
his  father's  farm).  The  year  1888  is  iiis  third 
year  as  a  teacher  in  Sonoma  County.     Mr.  Galla- 


JllsToIir    (IF    SONOMA    COUNT  y. 


way  is  a  Republican,  politically,  At  the  con- 
vention ol'  that  party  for  Sonoma  County,  in 
1888,  at  Santa  Rosa,  he  was  nominated  on  the 
25th  of  July  as  the  Republican  candidate  for 
the  General  Assembly  from  the  twenty-third  dis- 
trict. The  district  being  strongly  Democratic 
he  was  defeated  at  the  subsequent  election  by 
only  a  small  plurality.  He  was  married  in 
Colusa  County,  August  20, 1884,  to  Miss  Laura 
AI.  Abel,  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  reared  in 
Solano  and  Colusa  counties,  Califoi'nia.  They 
iiave  one  child— Alfred  Russell.  Mr.  Gallaway 
is  a  member  of  the  Healdsburg  Lodge,  A.  O. 
U.  AY.,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church 
of  the  same  place.  Andrew  J.  Gallaway-,  Jr., 
is  a  native  son  of  the  Golden  West,  having  been 
born  in  Sonoma  County,  March  10,  1863.  He 
was  reared  here  and  received  his  education  at 
Healdsburg,  at  Santa  Rosa  and  at  Litton  Springs 
College.  Since  completing  his  education  he 
has  given  his  entire  attention  to  the  interests  of 
the  ranch,  and  much  of  its  success  is  due  to  his 
personal  efforts.  He  is  a  member  of  Sotoyome 
Tarlor,  No.  68,  :N.  S.  G.  W.,  at  Healdsburg, 
and  has  held  the  office  of  recording  secretary 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Christian  church  at 
Healdsburg.  He  was  married  in  Gilroy,  Sep- 
tember 5,  1888,  to  Miss  Xanie  Enfield,  of  that 
place. 


tON.  GEORGE  A.  JOHNSON.— In  every 
great  department  of  active  life  there  are  a 
few  who,  by  innate  superiority  of  mind  and 
breadth  of  culture  tower  above  the  mass  of  their 
fellows,  as  the  head  above  the  body  directing 
and  controlling  its  movements,  and  giving  to  it 
power  and  character.  In  such  a  relation  stands 
Attorney-General  G.  A.  Johnson  to  the  bar  of 
California  as  one  of  its  most  eminent  and  hon- 
ored members.  He  was  born  in  Salisbury, 
Maryland,  in  1829.  His  mother  dying  in  his 
early  childhood,  he  was  reared  in  the  home  and 
family  of  his  maternal  grandfather,  Mr.  Rider. 
His  fatlier,  Joshna  Johnson,  moved   soon  after 


Mrs.  Johnson's  death  to  New  Castle,  Indiana. 
Grandfather  Rider  was  a  zealous  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episco])al  church  and  his  house  was 
the  headquarters  of  Methodism  in  the  town  of 
Salisbury.  Thus  the  grandson  w-as  surrounded 
by  those  moral  inllueiices  which  made  a  perma- 
nent impression  upon  his  plastic  young  mind, 
and  stamped  themselves  upon  his  subsequent 
character.  His  early  scholastic  training  was  in 
the  schools  and  academy  of  his  native  town,  and 
at  the  age  of  nineteen  he  went  West  to  his 
father's  home  and  began  the  study  of  law  in 
New  Castle,  Henry  County,  Indiana,  but  soon 
realizing  the  necessity  of  a  more  thorough  edu- 
cation, he  prepared  himself  and  entered  Yale 
College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  the  class  of 
1853.  Among  his  associates  were  Hon.  Wayne 
McVeigh,  President  Andrew  D.  White,  District 
Attorney  Phelps,  and  others  distinguished 
in  letters  and  statesmanship.  During  his  col- 
lege course  Mr.  Johnson  won  several  class  prizes, 
and  was  elected  and  served  as  president  of  the 
board  of  editors  of  the  Yale  Literary  Magazine. 
After  his  graduation  he  was  tendered  and  ac- 
cepted the  professorship  of  Latin  and  Greek  in 
the  Western  Military  Institute,  at  Drennon 
Springs,  Kentucky,  of  which  General  Bushrod 
Johnson  was  President.  Reniainii.g  there  but 
a  few  months,  owing  to  an  epidemic  of  typhoid 
fever,  which  closed  the  school,  Mr.  Johnson  re- 
tuned  to  New  Castle  and  resumed  his  law 
studies  with  Jehu  T.  Elliott,  subsequently 
Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Indiana.  After 
completing  his  course  of  reading  and  attending 
a  terra  in  the  law  department  of  the  State  Uni- 
versity, he  commenced  the  practice  in  1855  in 
Cambridge  City,  Indiana,  and  the  same  year  was 
joined  in  marriage  with  Miss  Juliet  M.  Wayman, 
of  that  city.  Pursuing  a  successful  legal  business 
until  1873,  and  attaining  a  high  rank  in  his  pro- 
fession, he  was  that  year  appointed  Circuit  Judge 
of  the  Seventeenth  Judicial  Circuit  by  Governor 
Hendricks.  The  following  year,  1874,  owing 
partly  to  the  ill-health  of  his  wife.  Judge  Johnson 
immigrated  to  California,  settled  in  Santa  Rosa, 
and  formed  a  law  partnership  with  Hon.  Barclay 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


387 


Henley.  In  the  spring  of  1878  he  was  elected 
mayor  of  Santa  Rosa  on  the  Democratic  ticket 
over  the  working  men's  candidate.  Upon  the 
passage  of  the  act  that  yearsuhinitting  to  tlie  vote 
of  the  people  the  question  of  calling  a  convention 
to  frame  a  new  State  Constitution  (a  measure 
which  Judge  Johnson  zealously  advocated  and 
worked  for,  which  was  carried  in  the  State,  and 
in  Sonoma  County  by  about  a  thousand  votes), 
he  was  chosen  one  of  the  delegates  to  the  con- 
vention, and  resigned  the  mayoralty.  The 
Constitutional  Convention  met  in  September, 
1878,  and  was  in  session  five  months.  Judge 
Johnson  was  at  once  recognized  as  one  of  the 
leaders  in  that  distinguished  body;  and  \vas 
chosen  to  compile  and  arrange  the  address  to 
the  people,  a  copy  of  which,  together  with  a 
copy  of  the  new  constitution,  was  sent  to 
every  voter.  He  was  also  selected  to  deliver 
the  presentation  speech  on  the  occasion  of  pre- 
senting President  Hoge  with  a  hundred  vol- 
umes of  choice  literature  by  the  members  of  the 
convention  as  a  testimonial  of  their  esteem  for 
hira  as  their  presiding  officer.  The  address  was 
a  very  appropriate  and  happy  effort.  The  labors 
of  the  convention  were  endorsed  by  the  people 
in  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  by  a  major- 
ity of  11,000  votes,  and  it  went  into  effect  Jan- 
uary 1, 1880.  In  1879  Judge  Johnson  received 
the  unanimous  nomination  of  the  Working- 
men's  Convention  for  Supreme  Judge,  but  de- 
clined to  be  their  candidate.  In  1882  he  was 
elected  to  the  State  Senate,  and  re-elected  in 
1884.  Both  terms  he  was  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  city  and  towns,  and  reported  a 
bill  for  establishing  a  uniform  system  for 
municipal  governments,  which  became  a  law  in 
1883  and  fills  about  150  pages  of  the  statute 
book.  During  the  legislative  session  of  1881- 
'85  he  was  also  chairman  of  the  committee  on 
education.  In  1880  he  was  elected  Attorney- 
General  of  California  for  four  years,  and  as- 
sumed the  office  the  1st  of  January,  1887.  In 
January,  1888,  he  went  to  Washington  City 
to  argue  the  celebrated  railroad  ta.\  cases 
in    the    United   States   Supreme   Court    against 


some  of  the  most  eminent  lawyer.s  in  this  coun- 
try, among  them  Senators  Edmunds  and  Evarts. 

Socially,  Judge  Johnson  is  pre-eminently  a 
polished  companionable  gentleman,  qualities 
which  led  him  years  ago  to  become  a  member 
of  the  order  of  Fi-ee  Masons,  and  a  Knight 
Templar,  lie  has  taken  thirty-two  degrees  in 
the  order.  He  served  as  Worshipful  Master  in 
the  lodge,  and  as  High  Priest  and  Eminent 
Commander  of  the  Commandery  in  Cambridge 
City,  Indiana.  In  1878  be  secured  a  dispensa- 
tion and  organized  Santa  Rosa  Commandery, 
No.  14,  which  has  become  one  of  the  most 
prosperous  in  the  State.  He  was  chosen  its 
first  Eminent  Commander  and  served  four  suc- 
cessive years  by  re-elections.  He  has  filled 
the  office  of  Grand  Senior  Warden  two  years 
in  the  Grand  Commandery  of  Indiana,  is  now 
Grand  Captain  General  of  the  Grand  Com- 
mandery of  the  State  of  California,  and  in  that 
capacity  will  attend  the  Triennial  Conclave  to 
be  holden  in  the  city  of  Washington  in  October, 
1889. 

Judge  Johnson's  estimable  wife,  and  the 
mother  of  his  five  children — four  sons  and  one 
daughter — passed  from  earth  in  October,  1888, 
leaving  a  large  circle  of  mourning  friends  who 
knew  her  only  to  love  her. 

The  Legislature  of  1889  employed  the  At- 
torney-General, John  F.  Swift  and  Stephen  M. 
White  to  go  to  Washington  and  argue  before 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  ex 
parte  Chae  Chan  Ping,  a  habeas  corpus  case  on 
appeal  from  this  circuit.  The  idea  was  to  assist 
the  Attorney-Cxeneral  of  the  United  States,  who 
is  opposed  by  ex-Governor  Iloadley  and  other 
eminent  counsel  for  the  Chinaman,  in  the  so- 
lution of  the  question  as  to  the  constitutionality  of 
the  Exclusion  Act  which  took  effect  October  1, 
1888,  in  excluding  a  Chinese  laborer  who  has  a 
return  certificate,  from  returning  here  after  this 
act  took  effect.  The  importance  of  this  case 
cannot  be  overestimated.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
the  State's  counsel  will  succeed,  that  the  consti- 
tutionality of  the  Exclusion  Act  will  be  upheld, 
and    that    the   Sui)i>Miie    Court    will    have    tiiis 


UISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Chinaman  remandedto  bis  ship,  to  be  carried  back 
to  China,  thus  settling  forever  the  doctrine  that  a 
later  act  of  Congress  must  prevail  over  a  treaty. 
As  an  orator  Judge  Johnson  has  few  equals 
on  the  Pacitic  coast;  and  this  fact  being  recog- 
nized, his  services  are  in  frequent  demand  to 
deliver  public  addresses  on  various  themes  and 
occasions.  Among  his  latest  etibrts  are  an  ora- 
tion delivered  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  1888,  at 
Sacramento,. and  an  address  opening  the  Sonoma 
County  Fair  in  August  of  the  same  year.  As 
a  sample  of  his  style  of  eloquence  and  his  lofty 
patriotism,  the  following  extract  is  given  from 
the  former;  and  both  for  its  oratorical  and  his- 
torical merit — dealing  as  it  does  with  Sonoma 
County — the  latter  is  worthy  of  a  place  in  these 
pages,  and  is  published  in  full  elsewhere  in  this 
volume. 

THE     ORATIOX. 

Attorney-General  George  A.  Johnson  was 
then  introduced  and  delivered  an  eloquent  ora- 
tion. He  spoke  in  an  earnest,  impressive  man- 
ner, and  his  patriotic  sentiments  were  heartily 
applauded.      He  said: 

"  Of  all  the  days  in  the  American  calendar, 
this  is  the  most  patriotic.  It  belongs  to  no 
party,  no  clique;  it  belongs  to  all  the  people. 

"  "We  have  other  anniversaries,  the  birth  of 
our  children,  of  our  mothers  and  sires,  the 
plighted  vow  to  some  tender  being.  These  we 
celebrate  around  the  home  altar,  and  bind  each 
year  with  the  circlet  of  our  hopes,  our  fears, 
our  smiles  and  our  tears. 

"  But  to-day  we  celebrate  the  birth  of  a 
nation,  the  fairest  and  bravest,  whose  home  is 
on  the  land  and  on  the  sea,  on  the  mountain 
and  in  the  valley,  wherever  waves  the  freeman's 
flag.  It  has  given  to  us  all  the  other  holidays 
that  we  usually  celebrate. 

***** 

"  It  is  meet  that  this  day  should  be  celebrated 
amid  the  salvos  of  artillery,  industrial  displays, 
the  music  of  instruments,  the  waving  of  ban- 
ners, the  smiles  of  beauty,  and  the  glad  voices 
of  children.  So  long  as  American  liberty  is  of 
any  worth  this  day  will  be  welcomed. 


"We  have  given  to  the  world  a  new  dispen- 
sation, that  all  men  are  and  of  right  ought  to 
be  free,  that  the  people  are  the  source  of  all 
power,  that  sovereign  rights  are  inherent  in 
tiiein,  and  not  the  gift  of  any  purple-clad 
Cffisar. 

"  We  have  tiirowu  aside  the  hoary  conceits 
of  centuries,  and  installed  in  their  place  new 
ideas,  ideas  which  have  unfettered  the  human 
mind,  educated  the  public  conscience,  taught 
men  to  think  and  act  for  themselves,  inspired 
the  hopes  of  the  masses,  made  life  worth  living 
for,  and  sublimated  all  human  endeavor. 

"  We  have  crowned  with  flowers  civil  and  re- 
ligious liberty,  raised  the  down-trodden,  sup- 
pressed the  fagot  and  the  stake,  and  illustrated 
history  with  the  grandest  achievements  of  war 
and  peace.  We  have  added  to  the  civilization 
of  the  age,  contributed  to  the  general  well- 
being,  made  home  happy,  government  secure, 
and  taught  a  lesson   to  all  tyrants. 

"  To  perpetuate  these  blessings,  we  need  no 
standing  army,  only  eternal  vigilance,  which  is 
the  price  of  all  liberty,  only  heroic  effort  at  all 
times  to  do  right,  only  self-discipline,  self- 
illumination,  and  if  need  be  millions  of  swords 
will  leap  from  their  scabbards  to  hand  these 
cherished  blessing  down  to  our  descendants. 
***** 

"  When  we  recall  to  mind  the  struggles  and 
privations  of  the  Revolution,  our  own  undisci- 
plined soldiery  essaying  to  cope  witli  the  first 
power  in  Europe,  with  troops  which  had  seen 
service  under  Amherst  at  Montreal,  and  Wolfe 
on  the  Heights  of  Abraham ;  when  we  recollect 
the  bloody  feet  which  stained  the  soil  at  Valley 
Forge,  and  hope  deferred  that  made  the  heart 
eick,  except  the  great  heart  of  our  Washington, 
and  even  he  was  thinking  of  a  dernier  resort 
across  the  Alleghanies — when  we  think  of  all 
this,  before  Saratoga  and  Yorktown  were  won, 
and  the  liberty  bells  rang  out  their  glad  clarion, 
we  realize  that  it  cosrs  sometiiing  to  aciiieve 
liberty,  and  that  our  free  institutions,  thus  ac- 
quired, necessitate  the  most  vigilant  care  to  be 
handed    down    unimpaired    to    our    posterity. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


When  we  recollect  that  our  now  commonest 
rights  were  denied  before  Washington  fought 
and  La  Fayette  bled  for  liberty,  the  heritage 
that  we  now  enjoy  becotne  precious  and  ines- 
timable. When  we  go  further  back  to  the  days 
when  Brutus  drove  out  the  Tarquin,  and  an- 
other Brutus  called  aloud  on  TiiUy's  name  "  and 
shook  aloft  his  crimsoned  steel;"  when,  again, 
all  was  lost  at  Philippi  and  the  imperial  purple 
was  restored;  when,  again,  another  CiBsar 
lorded  it  over  the  Roman  world  and  the  Christ 
had  not  where  to  lay  his  head — we  must  prize 
the  heroic  achievements  of  the  men  of  '76. 

"  When  we  go  further  back  to  the  days  when 
the  Persians  swarmed  over  Greece,  and  were 
held  at  bay  by  the  three  hundred  in  the  passes 
of  Thermopylffi;  when  Athens  was  abandoned, 
and  their  Academic  groves  deserted;  "  where 
the  Attic  bird  thrilled  its  thick-warbled  notes 
the  Summer  long,"  and  old  and  young  took 
refuge  within  the  wooden  walls  at  Salamis; 
when  Miltiades  led  at  Marathon — Marathon, 
blessed  name!  which  still  sheds  around  the 
world  the  aroma  of  liberty,  and  which  twenty- 
two  centuries  later  led  the  English  bard  to 
sing,  when  thinking  of  freedom  for  modern 
Greece: 

"  '  The  mountains  look  on  MaraUion, 

And  Marathon  looks  on  the  sea; 
And  musing  there  an  hour  alone, 

I  dream'd  that  Greece  might  still  be  free.' 

"When  we  recall  to  mind  all  this,  we  cannot 
forget  to  love,  cherish  and  perpetuate  our  free 
institutions. 

*  »  *  *  * 

"  Here  the  General  Government  moves  in  its 
orbit,  and  the  States  move  in  theirs,  without 
any  collision  or  impingement;  the  one  exercis- 
ing its  granted  powers  for  national  purposes, 
including  the  preservation  of  its  antonomy;  the 
other  retaining  and  exercising  the  grand  re- 
siduum of  popular  rights  to  effectuate  local  pur- 
poses and  local  amelioration  which  may  be 
denominated  home  rule.  Such  was  the  wise 
forethought  of  our  fathers  in  distributing  the 
powers    of    the    National    Government.     They 


builded  not  for  a  generation  but  for  all  time, 
and  left  their  ineffaceable  impress  upon  the 
ages. 

"With  their  success  in  establishing  free  in- 
stitutions afterward  came  the  success   of  other 

countries,  notably  that  of  France. 

***** 

"  Thus  we  have  paid  the  debt  we  owed  to 
France  for  giving  La  Fayette  as  a  co-laborer  to 
Washington  and  for  her  assistance  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary war,  by  placing  before  her  a  Republi- 
can example  to  imitate  instead  of  the  iron  rule 
of  her  Merovingian,  Carlovingian  and  Capetian 
Kings,  the  house  of  Valois,  of  Bourbon,  and  the 
imperial  monarchy. 

***** 

"  First  the  struargling  Democracies  of  Athens 
and  Rome;  then  the  gradual  acquisition  of  the 
great  common  law  rights;  then  a  General  Gov- 
ernment and  local  Governments,  each  preserving 
its  respective  autonomy;  then  other  free  States, 
or  countries  essaying  freedom  at  great  odds. 

*  *  »  *  * 

"  Never  can  we  suthciently  repay  the  debt  of 
gratitude  which  we  owe  to  the  fathers  of  '76, 
and  to  the  framers  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States. 

*  *  ■  *  *  * 

"  It  will  remain  a  standing  monument  for  all 
time,  how  these  men,  in  days  of  great  responsi- 
bility and  peril,  without  chart  or  compass,  amid 
a  new-born  nation  convulsed  with  excitement  and 
discussion,  and  full  of  the  gravest  apprehensions, 
built  up  the  sacred  edifice  of  our  liberties,  laid 
deep  and  l)road  its  foundations,  and  made  en- 
during its  superstructure,  until  its  grand  pro- 
portions stand  forth  to-day  unrivalled  by  modern 
art,  the  hope  of  the  country  and  the  despair  of 
all  etnulators.  It  could  not  have  been  done 
without  the  aid  of  Divine  Providence,  who 
makes  the  nothingness  of  man  to  praise  Him, 
who  before  had  made  distraught  the  advisers  of 
a  senile  king,  and  who,  now  that  the  fairest 
flower  of  George  the  Third's  colonial  possessions 
had  been  plucked  from  his  grasp,  would  not 
permit  old-world  ideas  to  dominate  the  cIklscii 


390 


HISTOnr    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


seat  of  a  better,  more  humane  and   more  en- 

lislitened  civilization. 


and    force  than   anywhere  on   the    face  of  the 
£rlobe. 


"  The  great  central  character  of  the  times  was 
our  George,  the  leader  of  the  American  armies, 
tiie  President  of  the  Constitutional  Convention, 
at  all  times  patient,  tlioughtfnl,  hopeful,  pi-ayer- 
ful;  whom  Thackeray,  with  all  his  British  in- 
stincts, has  characterized  as  the  greatest,  wisest 
and  best  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race. 

•'  Had  not  the  American  Kevohition  succeed- 
ed, civilization  would  have  stood  still  on  tlie 
dialplate  of  time;  history  would  have  to  be  re- 
written, and  those  grand  heroic  characters  which 
now  leap  forth  into  ruddy  life  on  its  pictured 
pages  would  not  be  so  much  as  a  name  or  a 
memory.  We  could  only  muse,  thinking  of 
what  might  have  been. 

"  '  Some  mute  inglorious  Milton  here  may  rest, 
Some  Cromwell  guiltless  of  his  country's  Wood.' 

"Had  not  the  American  Revolution  succeed- 
ed, the  courses  of  English  thought  would  have 
continued  to  run  along  the  narrow  channels  of 
old  England,  instead  of  the  majestic  rivers  and 
lakes  of  America. 

"George  Wasliington  would  have  lived  and 
died  a  quiet,  self-possessed,  well-to-do  country 
gentleman,  given  to  hunting  and  hospitality,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Potomac;  Jackson  would  never 
havebuilt  his  entrenchments  of  sandbags  at  New 
Orleans,  nor  Lincoln  have  issued  his  Emancipa- 
tion Proclamation.  Tiiis  country  would  still  have 
been  under  the  Mexican  domination;  its  untold 
mineral  wealth,  its  cereals  and  its  fruits  would 
have  existed  nowhere  except  in  the  imagination 
of  some  dreamer. 

"  But  with  American  success  came  the  bound 
less  American  endeavor  and  American  enter- 
prise, until  now  we  are  the  most  numerous,  the 
most  cultured,  the  most  flourishing,  and  the 
freest  of  the  great  English-speaking  race. 

"And  here  will  be  written  by-and-by  the  classics 
of  our  mother  tongue,  as  already  here  is  spoken 
the  English  language  in  greater  purity,  elegance 


"  Small  causes  apparently  very  often  precipi- 
tate momentous  events.  As  the  wrath  of 
Achilles  caused  the  Trojan  war;  as  a  hasty 
plate  of  soup  spoiled  General  Scott's  Presiden- 
tial prospects;  as  the  noise  and  confusion  which 
prevailed  once  upon  a  time,  when  General  Cass 
was  attempting  to  explain  his  views  afl'ected  his 
political  aspirations;  so  the  refusal  of  our  fore- 
fathers to  drink  the  English  tea  has  given  us  a 
free  and  independent  country,  and  added 
immeasurably  to  the  world's  civilization. 

"  Xow,  we  can  get  along  in  the  happiest  ac- 
cord with  our  English  brethren.  They  appre- 
ciate us  and  we  appreciate  them,  for  we  are  all 
of  one  i)lood  and  lineage.  "We  claim  kinship 
w'ith  their  Shakespeare,  their  Milton,  and  their 
Gladstone,  and  they  are  entitled  to  share  in  the 
world-fame  of  our  Washington,  our  Marshall 
and  our  Webster. 

"  In  perpetuating  these  blessings  derived  from 
our  revolutionary  forefathers,  we  need  statesmeii 
at  the  helm  of  State.  We  need  thoughtful 
men,  men  whose  sympathies  are  as  broad  as  tlie 
protecting  shield  of  the  Republic.  The  civil 
service  of  the  country  should  be  placed  on  a 
iiigh  plane,  and  should  be  the  reward  only  of  a 
conscientious  and  faithful  discharge  of  duty, 
and  competeney  for  its  performance.  Men  should 
be  taught  to  regard  the  national  honor  as  their 
own,  and  unscrupulous  money-changers  and 
their  patrons  driven  from  the  place  where  en- 
throned duty  should  sit.  Strong  moral  forces 
should  lend  a  helping  hand  to  the  government 
of  State,  and  these  must  be  backed  by  education 
and  an  enlightenment  of  the  public  conscience. 

"We  salute,  tlierefore,  this  one  hundred  and 
twelfth  anniversary  of  American  Independence, 
this  great  country  which  is  the  recognized  home 
of  liberty  the  world  over;  we  salute  her  hon- 
ored past,  her  prosperous  present,  her  promis- 
ing future,  the  destined  abiding-place  of  the 
millions  to  come  who  will  blend  with  and  add 
to  the  greatest   of  the  English-speaking   race; 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


whose  drum-beat  and  martial-tread  will  be 
heard  whenever  the  rights  of  the  humblest  of 
her  citizens  are  trampled  upon  by  any  foreign 
power,  or  when  any  one  of  the  increasing  stars 
on  her  flag  is  sought  to  be  dimmed. 

"We  salute  this  anniversary,  in  this  great 
Valley  of  the  Sacramento,  where  nature  has  done 
so  much  and  art  so  little;  where  there  is  room 
and  plenty  of  room  for  the  thousands,  I  might 
say,  the  millions  to  come;  where  on  the  one 
side  may  be  seen  an  almost  treeless  expanse  of 
waving  grain,  on  the  other  the  semi-tropical 
ruits  mellowing  into  more  than  Eastern 
lusciousness,  all  around  a  climate, 

"Where  summer  first  her  robe  unfurls, 
And  where  she  longest  tarries. 

With  a  people  as  generous  and  hospitable  as  the 
tempered  airs  which  have  grown  thein. 

"And  from  this  great  valley  we  can  point 
with  pride  to  the  unnumbered  valleys  scattered 
beyond,  and  to  the  hills  as  prolific  as  the 
valleys,  with  tlieir  grain  belts,  their  fruit 
belts,  their  mineral  belts,  their  sanitary  belts,  all 
of  which  tend  to  reward  industry,  prolong  life 
and  make  it  enjoyable;  to  our  colleges  and  ad- 
mii'able  common  school  system;  to  a  free  and 
enlightened  press;  to  a  reading  and  thinking 
peojile;  whether  amid  urban  splendors  or  rural 
homes;  to  a  fearless  and  incorruptible  judiciary, 
and    to    the    mass    of  our   population,  healthy, 

happy  and  contented. 

*  *  *  *  * 

"California  has  an  area  three  times  as  great 
as  that  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  larger 
than  that  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  with 
Portugal  added  as  a  make-weight. 

"  While,  however,  she  has  only  about  seven 
inhabitants  to  the  square  mile,  Khode  Island 
has  300  and  Belgium  has  more  than  500.  Thus 
it  will  be  apparent  what  advantages  this  State 
has  for  supporting  a  greatly  increased  popula- 
tion. She  is  among  the  greatest  of  the  wheat- 
producing  States,  far  ahead  of  any  other  in  the 
production  and  value  of  her  mines,  and  was  at 
one  time  the  greatest  gold  and  silver  producer 
in  the   Union. 


"  To  this  is  to  be  added,  among  otiier  re- 
sources, the  unrivaled  wealth  of  her  fruits,  her 
lumber  interests,  her  wool,  most  of  which  are 
constantly  increasing. 

"  From  so  much  of  retrospect,  let  us  now  look 
forward  to  tiie  coming  years,  when  the  great 
Valley  of  the  Sacramento  will  enrich  and  be 
enriched  by  the  thousands  M'ho  will  settle  here; 
when  every  valley  will  begin  to  smile  like  a 
Vaca  or  a  Capay;  when  California  will,  appar- 
ently, have  arrived  at  the  acme  of  her  material 
development;  when  from  the  dome  of  the  State 
Capitol  shall  float  the  same  flag  which  flies 
there  to-day,  and  the  same  songs  be  sung  to  tire 
the  patriot's  heart;  when  all  over  this  great 
nation  will  be  seen  the  same  patriotic  display, 
the  arts  and  sciences  prevailing,  labor  receiving 
an  adequate  requital,  and  fraternal  ties  binding 
the  States  and  people  together  stronger  than 
with  ribs  of  steel;  still  even  then,  will  we  look 
hopefully  forward  to  a  still  greater  future,  to  a 
still  more  rythmical  development,  until  we 
finally  sink  to  rest  beneath  the  sods  of  the  great 
valley. 


I^ETH  A.  SEAVY.— One  of  the  finest  sub- 
1^1  '^'^^^'^  properties  at  Santa  Rosa  is  the 
•if  orchard  home  on  Button  avenue  owned 
and  occupied  by  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
All  the  building  improvements  are  noticeably 
good,  es])ecially  so  the  tine  family  residence. 
No  better  land  than  the  twenty-tive  acres  owned 
by  Mr.  Seavy  can  be  found  in  Sonoma  County. 
It  is  all  devoted  to  fruit  culture  and  makes  one 
of  the  best  orchards  in  Santa  Rosa  Valley. 
Fifteen  acres  are  in  French  prunes,  and  the  rest 
principally  in  pears,  apricots,  peaches,  apples, 
plums,  cherries,  tigs,  choice  table  grapes,  etc. 
It  is  also  worthy  of  mention  that  berries  of  all 
descriptions  are  grown  witliout  irrigation. 
Strawberries  are  gathered  from  April  to  Decem- 
ber or  until  killed  by  frost.  The  greater  part 
of  the  orchard  was  planted  in  1884  by  J.  V. 
Franks.     The  property  was   purchased    by  Mr. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Seavy  in  1885,  since  which  time,  by  care  and 
thorough  cultivation,  he  has  produced  remarka- 
ble results.  A  few  pear  trees  on  the  place  that 
were  planted  about  1873  produced,  in  1888, 
fruit  that  sold  at  a  price  averaging  from  !?15  to 
.^25  per  tree.  Mr.  Seavy  dates  his  birth  in 
Washington  County,  Maine,  May  3,  1830,  and 
is  a  descendant  of  an  old  New  England  family. 
His  father,  Sylvanus  Seavy,  was  born  in  1795. 
His  mother,  Cynthia  O.  Seavy,  who  yet  lives  in 
Maine,  her  native  State,  was  born  in  tlie  year 
1800.  The  youthful  years  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  were  spent  in  labor  on  his  father's 
farm,  receiving  at  the  same  time  a  fair  educa- 
tion. His  first  labor  away  from  home  was  in 
the  forests  and  mills  of  his  native  State,  in  the 
manufacture  of  lumber.  He  spent  some  time 
on  fishing  voyages  in  his  early  manhood,  and 
also  became  proficient  in  the  carpenter's  trade. 
Concluding  to  try  his  fortunes  on  this  coast,  he 
left  home  in  1858.  After  reaching  San  Fran- 
cisco he  soon  made  his  way  to  Washington  Ter- 
ritory, where  he  engaged  in  lumbering  until 
1860.  In  that  year  he  returned  to  Maine,  and 
upon  the  opening  of  the  Civil  war  he  volun- 
teered in  defense  of  the  Union,  and  served  in 
General  Keyes'  division  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  participating  in  the  Peninsular  cam- 
paign until  after  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  when, 
prostrated  by  sickness,  he  soon  received  an 
honorable  discharge.  Years  passed  before  his 
health  was  sufficiently  well  established  to  admit 
of  any  material  progress  in  acquiring  more 
than  a  maintenance.  In  1864  he  again  came 
to  California  and  spent  the  following  year  on  a 
ranch  in  San  Joaquin  County.  Leaving  there, 
he  went  to  Humboldt  County  where  he  was 
employed  by  lumber  manufacturers  until  1868. 
Later  he  spent  two  years  in  San  Mateo  County 
in  farm  labor.  In  1870  he  came  to  this  county 
and  for  two  seasons  rented  and  conducted  a 
dairy  farm  near  Lakeville.  Mr.  Seavy  then 
went  to  San  Joaquin  County,  purchased  160 
acres  of  land  near  Stockton  and  engaged  in  the 
raising  of  grain.  Four  years  later  he  rented 
800  acres  and  by  a  succession  of  poor  crops  was 


nearly  ruined,  financially;  but,  with  character 
istic  energy,  he  ventured  buying  640  acres, 
which,  fortunately,  his  first  crop  paid  for. 
There  Mr.  Seavy  lived  until,  in  1885,  as  stated, 
he  left  San  Joacjuin  County  and  established  his 
present  residence.  He  still  owns  a  splendid 
ranch  of  480  acres  in  San  Joaquin  County.  In 
1855,  in  his  native  State,  Mr.  Seavy  wedded 
Miss  Eliza  G.  Baker,  daughter  of  Zebulon  and 
Deborah  (Hanscom)  Baker.  Their  six  children 
are:  Lorenzo,  who  resides  upon  the  ranch 
already  referred  to  in  San  Joaquin  County; 
Kittie,  wife  of  James  Clendenning  of  Santa 
Rosa;  Fred,  Frank,  Mattie  and  Minnie,  the 
last  four  being  still  under  the  parental  roof. 
Mr.  Seavy  is  a  member  of  Ellsworth  Post,  No. 
20,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Santa  Rosa.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  long  standing  of  the 
Methodist  church.  Politically,  Mr.  Seavy  is  a 
radical  Republican.  He  has  served  Santa  Rosa 
as  school  trustee,  and  his  church  as  trustee 
many  years.  Few  men  are  more  interested  in 
promoting  the  cause  of  religion  and  education 
than  he,  and  few,  in  proportion  to  their  means, 
devote  moi'e  time  or  money  to  these  causes. 


fcEUBEN  M.  SWAIN  is  a  native  of  Michi- 
and  was  reared  in  Massachusetts. 
His  father,  Charles  A.  Swain,  was  a  cap- 
tain of  a  whaling  ship,  and  was  in  the  harbor 
of  San  Francisco  with  his  vessel  as  early  as. 
1829.  In  1854  Mr.  Swain's  family  came  to 
California  via  the  Isthmus  route,  and  settled  in 
San  Francisco,  where,  after  leaving  the  sea,  he 
held  a  Government  position  for  eight  years. 
He  died  in  San  Francisco  five  years  ago.  Reu- 
ben M.  Swain  was  educated  in  the  University  of 
the  Pacific,  located  at  Santa  Clara,  Santa  Clara 
County,  after  having  '-kept  batch"  in  the  rear 
room  of  an  old  house,  living  on  §7.50  per 
month,  and  working  on  a  farm  for  three  years 
in  order  to  earn  the  money  with  which  to  de- 
fray his  e.xpenses  at  college.  He  and  two  other 
students  boarded  themselves,  rooming  in  an  old 


UISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNT r. 


school-house,  their  chief  diet  being  potatoes, 
griddle  cakes  and  molasses.  They  enjoyed  the 
luxury  of  coffee  every  Sunday  morning,  and 
meat  every  two  weeks.  lie  left  the  college  in 
1863,  broken  down  in  health,  and  went  to  work 
in  a  wagon  shop,  where  he  remained  several 
months.  Pie  then  obtained  a  position  as  sales- 
man in  a  mercantile  house  in  San  Francisco, 
and  while  thus  employed  began  the  study  of 
law.  While  there  his  salary  was  increased  to 
$100  per  month.  In  1869  he  went  to  Napa 
County  and  engaged  in  farming,  using  his  odd 
time  in  reading  law.  In  1871  he  was  admitted 
to  the  District  C'ourt  of  Napa  County,  when  he 
ceased  farming  and  soon  after  moved  his  family 
into  Napa  City.  Being  appointed  under-sheriff, 
he  served  the  term  of  two  years,  and  upon  retir- 
ing from  that  office  he  was  elected  justice  and 
police  magistrate  of  Napa  City,  and  served  two 
terms  of  two  years  each,  practicing  law  in  the 
meantime.  At  the  expiration  of  his  second  term 
he  was  appointed  United  States  Ganger  for  Napa 
and  Sonoma  counties.  After  serving  six  months 
he  resigned,  moved  to  San  Francisco  and  en- 
tered wholly  into  the  practice  of  law.  While 
there  he  served  over  a  year  as  assistant  prose- 
cuting attorney  in  the  police  court.  No.  1,  which 
gave  him  a  wide  experience  in  criminal  matters. 
He  continued  the  prac  ice  of  law  in  that  city 
until  May,  1887, at  which  timehe  was  compelled 
to  leave  on  account  of  broken  health,  and  came 
to  Santa  Rosa.  He  settled  here  a  total  stranger, 
and  has  already  obtained  a  fine  practice.  He 
has  successfully  conducted  a  number  of  impor- 
tant criminal  cases,  and  is  already  acknowledged 
as  among  tlie  leading  members  of  Sonoma 
County's  unusually  strong  bar.  Within  the 
year  he  has  defended  two  murder  cases,  the  first 
he  cleared,  and  the  second  was  given  man- 
slaughter. Being  a  pronounced  Republican  in 
politics,  he  lias  the  courage  of  his  convictions, 
and  is  a  live  worker  in  the  party  for  the  benefit 
of  his  friends,  but  seeks  no  office  and  wields  a 
free  lance.  He  is  chairman  of  the  twenty- 
fourth  assembly  district  for  the  Republicans. 
He    has    been   acting  as   city  attorney    several 


months,  and  is  a  trustee  and  secretary  of  the 
city  library  -board.  Refore  Mr.  Swain  began 
the  study  of  law,  while  acting  as  salesman  in 
San  Francisco,  he  married  Miss  Mitchell,  a 
member  of  the  Mitchell  family  of  Nantucket, 
Massachusetts,  who  had  lived  in  California  for  a 
number  of  years.  They  were  married  in  Octo- 
ber, 1864,  on  her  mother's  forty-first  birthday. 
To  them  have  been  born  three  sons  and  one 
daughter,  two  sons  now  deceased,  one  dying  in 
infancy.  The  other,  a  civil  engineer,  acting  as 
draughtsman  for  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad, 
died  from  the  eft'ects  of  drinking  alkali  water, 
in  southern  California,  after  an  illness  of  three 
days.  Having  fully  recovered  his  health  since 
locating  in  Santa  Rosa,  Mr.  Swain  has 
determined  to  make  this  his  permanent  home. 

fTIS  ALLEN. — Among  the  prominent 
farmers  and  representative  men  of  Green 
Valley,  Analy  Township,  is  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  a  brief  review  of  whose  life  is 
as  follows:  He  is  a  descendant  of  theearliest 
settlers  of  the  State  of  Maine,  and  dates  his 
birth  in  York  County,  that  State,  in  1829. 
His  parents  were  Amos  and  Eleanor  (Ridley) 
Allen,  both  natives  of  Maine.  His  father  was 
a  farmer,  and  Mr.  Allen  was  from  his  early 
youth  schooled  to  the  hard  labor  attending  farm- 
ing operations  in  the  comparatively  sterile  soil 
of  his  native  State,  receiving  at  the  same  time 
such  educational  facilities  as  were  afforded  by 
the  common  schools  of  that  date.  When  nine- 
teen years  of  age  he  left  home  and  took  up  his 
residence  in  Boston,  Massachusetts.  There  he  en- 
gaged in  teaming  for  about  three  years.  In  1851 
he  came  via  the  Isthmus  route  to  California, 
arriving  in  San  Francisco  in  tliefall  of  that  year. 
Soon  after  his  arrival  he  proceeded  to  Butte 
County,  where  he  engaged  in  mining.  He  fol- 
lowed this  calling  with  varying  success  until 
1853,  at  which  time  he  abandoned  mining  and 
engaged  in  teaming  in  San  Francisco.  During 
the  vears   of  1855   and    185t),  when   it  became 


U I  STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


necessary  for  the  vigilantes  to  establish  order 
and  protect  life  in  the  mining  districts,  he  was 
a  member  of.  that  organization,  and  was  promi- 
nent in  a  service  that  finally  rid  the  conntry  of 
thieves,  gamblers  and  other  criminal  elements. 
In  1858  the  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  Sonoma 
Connty  and  located  in  Green  Yalley.  At  this 
time  Mr.  Allen  became  interested  in  hop  culti- 
vation, and  entered  into  partnership  with  Mr. 
Amasa  Bushnell,  a  practical  hop  cultivator  who 
was  confident  that  Sonoma  Valley  soil  and  cli- 
mate were  well  adapted  to  that  industry.  They 
planted  their  vines  and  soon  had  a  harvest  of 
fine  hops.  Mr.  Allen  is  confident  that  these 
were  the  first  hops  ever  raised  in  the  State  and 
also  the  first  ever  produced  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
Their  first  crop  readily  sold  for  one  dollar  a 
pound.  Since  that  time  Mr.  Allen  has  been  a 
strong  advocate  for  hop  cultivation  in  Sonoma 
County.  He  conducted  the  business  with  Mr. 
Bushnell  until  about  1860,  when  they  divided 
their  property  and  Mr.  Allen  took  the  portion 
npon  which  he  now  resides.  It  is  located  in  the 
Laguna  school  district,  one  and  one-half  miles 
north  of  Sebastopol.  He  is  the  owner  of  200 
acres  of  fine  land  at  this  point,  twenty  acres  of 
which  are  in  hops.  Fifteen  acres  are  devoted 
to  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel  and  St.  Mecaire  vari- 
eties. He  has  also  a  large  variety  of  table 
grapes.  There  are  two  acres  in  orchard,  produc- 
ing a  large  variety  of  fruit  such  as  is  grown  in 
that  section  of  the  county.  The  rest  of  his  land 
is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and  stock-raising. 
Among  the  stock  are  twenty  head  of  cattle 
improved  by  Durham  and  Jersey  stock,  also 
some  fine  horses  by  "  Butler,"  "  Alexander," 
and  "Twilight"  breeds.  Among  the  many 
improvements  npon  his  farm  is  a  commodious 
dry  house  with  a  capacity  sufficient  to  cure 
and  dry  the  products  of  his  twenty-acre  hop 
field.  He  has  also  just  completed  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  and  substantial  dwelling-houses 
to  be  found  in  Green  Valley.  In  this  he  has 
placed  all  the  conveniences  and  comforts  that 
characterize  a  well  ordered  home.  Mr.  Allen  is 
well  known  as  one   of  the   most  public-spirited 


and  progressive  citizens  of  his  district,  ever 
ready  to  aid  in  all  enterprises  that  tend  to  pro- 
mote the  welfare  and  growth  of  his  section  and 
the  county.  In  political  matters,  he  is  a  strong 
and  consistent  Republican,  and  though  never 
seeking  office  his  infiuence  has  been  felt  in  the 
party,  and  always  for  its  best  interests.  A  strong 
snpporter  of  public  schools,  he  has  served  for 
years  as  a  school  trustee  in  his  district.  Pie  is 
a  member  of  Lafayette  Lodge,  No.  126,  F.  & 
A.  M.,  of  Sebastopol.  In  1863  Mr.  Allen  mar- 
ried Miss  Harriet  Sebring,  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Margaret  (Piper)  Sebring,  resi- 
dents of  Sebastopol.  The  following  named 
children  hav'e  been  born  to  them:  George  Otis, 
Margaret  E.,  Sarah  Elois  and  Mary  C. 

'^     ♦  ^^' 

Jf^ipiLLIAM  E.  FIFIELD,  M.  L».,  was  born 
Wfwl  ^"  ^'-^^'^  Kedfield,  Kennebec  County, 
l^'fi^J  Maine,  September  18,  1826.  He  was 
educated  at  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
State,  and  at  the  Maine  Wesleyan  Seminary; 
he  began  his  medical  studies  in  1848,  with  Dr. 
H.  H.  Hill,  of  Augusta,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained two  years,  during  which  time  he  attend- 
ed one  course  of  medical  lectures  at  the  Bow- 
doin  College  in  1849.  In  November,  1850,  he 
went  to  Cumberland  County,  Pennsylvania,  and 
opened  an  oflice,  where  he  practiced  until  March, 
1852.  On  the  26th  of  April  of  that  year,  he 
sailed  from  New  York  for  California,  via  Pana- 
ma, and  landed  in  San  Francisco  about  the  18th 
of  May.  His  brother,  A.  C.  Fifield,  came  with 
him  and  is  now  a  wealthy  farmer  of  San  Joaquin 
Connty.  After  being  in  the  mining  district  on 
the  Mokelnmne  River  until  185<),  he  com- 
menced the  practice  of  medicine  in  Amador 
Coant}^  and  also  opened  a  drug  store,  which  he 
conducted  in  connection  with  his  practice,  he 
being  the  only  physician  in  that  neighborhood. 
While  there  he  built  two  hotels  at  a  cost  of 
about  S12,000  each,  one  of  which  was  destroyed 
by  fire  and  the  other  is  still  standing.  He  was 
also  postmaster  of  the  place,  having  the  oflice 


///.STO/lY    OF    .SONOMA    COUNTY. 


397 


in  his  drug  store.  In  1868  lie  went  back  to 
Maine  on  a  visit,  and  while  there  obtained  the 
degree  of  M.  D.  from  the  old  college  which  he 
had  pi'eviously  atteiide<l.  In  the  fall  of  the 
same  year  he  returned  to  California,  and  soon 
after  he  left  the  mines  in  Sutter  Creek  and 
moved  to  Linden,  San  Joaquin  County,  where 
he  practiced  his  profession  until  187().  He  then 
went  to  San  Francisco  and  entered  the  Medical 
College  of  the  Pacific  (now  the  Cooper  Medical 
College),  and  graduated  there  November  2, 
1876.  The  same  j'ear  he  removed  to  Madison, 
Yolo  County,  and  practiced  there  until  March 
23, 1883,  when  he  opened  an  office  in  San  Fran- 
cisco. He  continued  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion there  until  coming  to  Fetahuna  in  -May, 
1886.  He  was  married  March  15,  1877,  to 
Ella  J.  Roice.  They  have  one  daughter,  Mary 
Ella,  born  November  10,  1880.  Dr.  Filield  is 
now  engaged  in  the  active  practice  of  medicine 
with  his  wife,  who  is  a  regular  graduate,  and 
they  are  among  the  most  prominent  and  success- 
ful physicians  in  this  city. 

^-m-^ 


f^LLA.  J.  FIFIELD,  M.  D.— This  accom- 
plished and  intelligent  lady  is  a  native 
!•  of  Wisconsin,  where  she  was  born  April 
15,  1851,  in  the  town  of  Lyons,  Walworth 
County.  She  was  a  mere  child  when  her  par- 
ents moved  to  Minnesota.  In  that  Stale  she 
was  educated  at  the  public  schools  and  later  at 
the  State  Normal  at  Mankato.  In  1872  she 
commenced  teaching  school,  and  after  teaching 
two  years  in  Minnesota  she  came  to  California, 
in  1874,  and  taught  for  two  years  more  in  this 
State.  After  her  marriage  to  Dr.  William  E. 
Fifield,  she  began  the  study  of  medicine,  in  1878, 
and  in  1880  entered  the  Cooper  Medical  Col 
lege  of  San  Francisco,  graduating  at  that  insti- 
tution on  November  7,  1883.  She  then  en- 
tered the  Chihlren's  Hospital  of  that  city  as 
attending  phy.sician,  where  she  remained  one 
year  and  a  half,  during  which  time  she  was  also 
an  attending  physician  for   the   Boys  and  Girls 


Aid  Society.  She  came  to  Petaluma,  August 
7,  1885,  and  opened  an  ofKce,  where  she  has 
been  a  most  successful  practitioner  in  the  science 
of  medicine. 


,-5^^f.,J« 


['OSEPH  B.  EEID  dates  his  birth  in  the 
State  of  Alabama,  November  4,  1835,  and 
is  the  son  of  William  F.  and  Elizabeth 
(Shores)  Reid.  He  was  reared  to  a  farm  life 
in  his  native  State  until  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
years,  when  he  emigrated  with  the  family  to 
Washington  County,  Arkansas.  From  there 
the  family,  consisting  of  the  parents  and  four- 
teen children,  crossed  the  plains  and  mountains 
to  this  State  in  1857,  making  the  journey  with 
o,\  teams.  They  established  their  hotne  in  Yolo 
County,  where  William  F.  Reid  bought  640 
acres  of  land  and  engaged  in  grain  and  stock- 
raising.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  remained 
with  his  father  until  1864.  In  that  year  he 
wedded  Miss  Louisa  Range,  daughter  of  Charles 
and  Elizabeth  (Klepper)  Range,  natives  of  Ten- 
nessee,but  at  that  time  residen  ts  of  Solano  Cou  n  ty, 
and  now  living  near  neighbors  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Reid  in  Sonoma  County.  (See  biography  of 
Charles  Range.)  After  this  marriage  Mr.  Reid 
commenced  farming  upon  his  own  account  in 
Yolo  County,  remaining  there  until  1867  and 
then  coming  to  Sonoma  County.  He  bought 
ninety  acres  of  choice  land  on  the  Ilealdsburg 
road,  one  and  one-half  miles  north  of  Santa 
Rosa,  and  established  the  residence  he  has  ever 
since  occupied.  His  purchase  in  all  respects 
was  a  fortunate  one.  The  land  so  well  adapted 
to  agriculture  became  of  great  value  by  its  for- 
tunate location  near  the  growing  city  of  Santa 
Rosa  with  all  its  commercial  and  social  advan- 
tages, and  in  1887  Mr.  Reid  sold  all  but  his 
residence  and  a  reservation  of  thirteen  acres. 
His  residence  and  other  building  improvements 
are  among  the  best  of  the  neighborhood,  and 
were  erected  by  him,  utility  and  convenience 
being  the  main  object  to  be  attained.  Fine 
family  orchards,  vineyard,  etc.,  are  a  part  of  the 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


iinproveiiieiits  to  he  t'l'und  on  the  land  retained 
hj  Mr.  Eeid.  The  parents  of  Mr.  lieid  are  yet 
living  in  Yolo  County.  His  father  was  born 
in  1812  and  his  mother  in  1816.  In  political 
action  Mr.  Eeid  is  in  full  accord  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Deniocratic  party.  His  residence 
in  Sonoma  County  has  been  marked  by  an  in- 
creasing devotion  to  the  welfare  and  true  inter- 
ests of  the  county.  Never  behind  in  co-opera- 
tion witii  any  and  all  measures  tending  to 
advance  the  interests  of  the  community,  lie  is 
now  reaping  in  [lart  hi»  reward. 


'"■-%-l"l-i"- 

fUDGE  JOHN  BROWN  is  one  of  the  old- 
est living  settlers  in  Sonoma  County,  hav- 
ing come  here  in  1855,  across  the  plains 
from  his  native  State — Tennessee.  He  arrived 
July  29,  1849,  and  opened  a  grocery  store  in 
Ringgold,  El  Dorado  County,  in  which  he 
continued  two  years.  In  the  meantime  an 
Indian  war  broke  out  with  the  Digger  Indians, 
and  he  was  appointed  quartermaster  of  the 
northern  portion  of  California  by  Governor 
McDougal.  In  the  spring  of  1851  he  was  sent 
with  supplies  across  the  Sierra  Nevada  Moun- 
tains to  Carson  Valley,  to  relieve  the  emigrants 
coming  to  Califorrda.  He  returned  in  the  win- 
ter of  the  same  year  and  stopped  in  Sacramento, 
which  he  made  his  headquarters  until  coming 
to  Santa  Rosa  in  1855.  While  in  Sacramento 
he  was  a  member  of  the  grocery  firm  of  Brown 
&  Co.,  located  on  Front  street.  April  15, 1852, 
the  firm  was  burned  out,  and  the  same  fire 
destroyed  a  large  hotel  owned  by  Judge  Brown. 
This  hotel  was  situated  on  I  street,  and  it  with 
all  the  furniture  was  completely'  consumed.  By 
that  tire  Mr.  Brown  suffered  a  loss  of  §50,000. 
He  then  spent  considerable  time  in  traveling 
and  prospecting,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  1855 
came  to  Santa  Rosa  and  has  since  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  place.  He  was  appointed  deputy 
clerk,  auditor  and  recorder  of  Sonoma  County, 
of  which  Mendocino  County  formed  a  part,  as- 
suming the  duties  of  the  office  on  April  6, 1856. 


He  had  the  entire  charge  of  the  business,  his 
elective  superior  having  turned  over  to  liim  the 
full  control  of  the  oftice.  He  served  the  term 
of  office  of  his  superior,  two  years,  and  for  a 
year  after  the  expiration  of  that  term.  Having 
been  appointed  notary  public  by  Governor  J.  B. 
Weller,  he  opened  an  office  and  began  the  prac- 
tice of  law,  to  which  practice  he  had  been  ad- 
mitted in  1858.  He  enjoyed  a  lucrative 
practice  until  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace 
in  1862,  and  has  been  his  own  successor  until 
the  present  time,  having  held  the  office  twenty- 
six  consecutive  years.  Until  the  last  few  years 
he  enjoyed  his  full  share  of  law  pi-actice,  having 
had  a  large  volume  of  legal  business  in  the 
Federal  Courts,  Department  of  the  Interioi-, 
and  the  Treasury,  in  the  Land  Department,  he 
having  made  a  specialty  of  land  practice,  of 
which  there  has  been  a  large  amount  of  busi- 
ness, owing  to  the  system  of  land  grants  in  this 
State.  In  1869  or  1870  he  purchased  207  acres 
of  land  lying  immediately  south  of  Santa  Rosa 
Creek,  embracing  what  is  now  the  South  Park 
Addition  to  Santa  Rosa,  and  a  portion  of  the 
city  contiguous  to  the  creek.  He  laid  out  that 
part  of  it  north  of  what  was  then  called  the 
Bennett  Valley  road,  in  five-acre  tracts,  being 
the  pioneer  in  that  line  of  sub-division,  antici- 
pating that  men  would  want  small  tracts  of  a 
few  acres  to  build  on  and  occupy  as  homes. 
This  was  in  1872.  The  same  time  he  sold  the 
rest  of  the  original  tract  to  John  Richards,  a 
colored  barber  and  e.x-slave,  who  afterward  died 
here,  and  in  the  settlement  of  his  estate — Judge 
Brown  being  the  attorney — sold  the  land  now 
comprising  South  Park  Addition  for  §6,000  to 
a  man  named  Fitzpatrick.  Seven  years  later, 
in  1S87,  the  last  named  gentleman  sold  it  to  B. 
M.  Spencer  and  Guy  E.  Grosse  for  $27,000.  At 
the  time  of  Judge  Brown's  coming  to  Santa 
Rosa,  soon  after  the  removal  of  the  county  seat 
to  that  place,  William  Churchman  was  county 
judge,  and  E.  W.  McKinstry  was  district  judge. 
Judge  Hopkins  was  the  first  district  judge  of 
this  judicial  district,  of  which  Sonoma  County 
formed  a  part.     Judge  Brown  has  been  identi- 


IIIsrOllT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTT. 


ficd  eitlier  as  attorney  or  in  liis  otiicial  capacity 
witli  most  of  tlie  important  trials  ami  litigation 
in  the  courts  of  this  place  for  a  third  of  a  cent- 
ury. When  he  came  here  he  only  found  two 
small  stores,  one  a  general  store  and  the  other 
a  grocery.  And  at  that  time  there  were  but 
two  lawyers,  Jackson  Temple,  now  one  of  the 
supreme  judges  of  the  State,  and  William  Ross, 
an  Ohio  man  who  came  here  in  1852  and  died 
about  eight  years  ago,  leaving  a  valuable  estate 
in  Santa  Hosa.  Both  of  the  judge's  grandsires, 
Richard  Wheeling  and  Thomas  Brown,  fought 
in  the  Revolutionary  war.  The  former,  an 
Irishman,  fought  for  the  colonists,  and  the  lat- 
ter, a  Scotchman,  combatted  for  the  crown. 
The  father  of  Judge  Brown  was  a  native  of 
North  Carolina,  and  his  mother  of  Virginia, 
born  where  Wheeling  now  is.  Judge  Brown 
grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  county  in  Ten- 
nessee, and  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  Mexican 
war,  he  enlisted  in  the  very  beginning  of  the 
conflict  as  a  member  of  the  Second  Tennessee 
Infantry,  commanded  by  Colonel  AVilliam  F. 
Haskell,  and  in  Captain  J.  D.  Lowery's  com- 
pany. He  served  the  term  of  his  enlistment, 
one  year  as  a  private  in  that  company,  and  re- 
enlisted  in  the  Fifth  Tennessee,  under  the 
regulation  of  the  United  States  army,  as  Second 
Lieutenant  of  his  company,  and  served  in  that 
capacity  till  the  close  of  the  war.  He  now 
draws  a  pension  as  a  Me.xicaii  veteran.  He  was 
in  General  Taylor's  command  until  after  the 
battle  of  Monterey.  Then  he  went  with 
General  Patterson  and  General  Pillow  to  Tam- 
pico,  there  joined  General  Scott's  command,  and 
with  it  was  in  the  battles  of  Vera  Cruz,  Cerro 
Gordo,  and  went  to  the  City  of  Mexico  after  its 
surrender.  He  was  also  at  Queretaro,  where 
the  treaty  of  peace  was  signed.  The  last  year 
of  his  service  he  was  appointed  by  the  division 
commander  to  the  position  of  quartermaster, 
and  served  in  that  capacity  till  the  close  of  the 
war,  and  went  to  Washington,  D.  C,  to  settle 
witii  the  Government.  July  3,  18G6,  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Whallen,  daughter  of  General  Murray 
Whallen,  now  a  resident  of  Petaluma.     She  was 


born  at  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  from  whence  the 
family  came  a  few  years  previous  to  her  mar- 
riage. They  have  three  sons  and  one  daugiiter, 
their  ages  ranging  from  twenty-one  to  twelve 
years.  The  eldest  son,  Frank  W.,  is  a  clerk  for 
Rohrer,  Einhorn  &  Co.  The  other  cliildren  are 
in  school  and  at  home. 


.|P[E()RGE  BLOCH  is  one  of  the  well-known 
ft^  wine  makers  of  Sonoma  County.  The 
wl-  Dry  Creek  Winery,  of  which  lie  is  propri- 
etor, was  established  in  1872  by  George  Bloch 
and  Alexander  Colson,  who  continued  its  opera- 
tion until  1884,  since  which  time  Mr.  Bloch  has 
been  sole  proprietor.  The  place  is  on  the  Dry 
Creek  road  less  than  three  miles  from 
Healdsburg,  and  among  its  features  are  3,000 
vines,  mostly  Zinfandel  with  a  few  Mission  and 
other  varieties,  and  all  in  bearing.  The  out-put 
of  the  Dry  Creek  AYinery  is  about  35,000  gal- 
lons per  annum,  a  market  being  found  at  San 
Francisco,  and  also  a  number  of  private  custom- 
ers at  different  points  on  the  coast.  The  storage 
capacity  is  35,000  gallons,  and  some  4:,000 
gallons  are  annually  carried  over  to  receive  the 
advantages  of  the  added  age.  George  Bloch  is 
a  native  of  France,  born  in  Alsace  April  23, 
1829,  his  parents  being  Francois  and  Catherine 
(Jaunt)  Bloch.  His  father,  who  entered  the 
French  army  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  was  a 
soldier  under  Napoleon  I.  George  Bloch  was 
reared  in  his  native  place  and  in  early  life  fol- 
lowed various  occupations.  In  1850  he  came 
to  America,  sailing  from  Havre  to  New  York  on 
the  Carola  America.  He  remained  in  New 
York  City  sixteen  months,  and  then  started  for 
California  on  the  steamer  Uncle  Sam.  His 
route  was  via  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  which  he 
crossed,  and  on  the  Pacific  side  took  the  steamer 
Sierra  Nevada  for  San  Francisco,  at  which 
place  he  arrived  in  March,  1853.  He  remained 
for  a  time  in  that  city,  and  then  went  to  the 
mining  districts.  He  followed  mining  on  Fra- 
zer  River,  at  Foster's  Bar,  and  then  returned  to 


JIISTonr    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


San  Francisco.  After  a  connection  of  thirteen 
years  with  a  restaurant  on  Unpont  street,  he  came 
to  Sonoma  County  in  1870,  bouglitwliere  he  now 
resides,  and  coninienced  improving  tiie  place- 
He  was  married  in  San  Francisco  to  Rosina 
Clare,  a  native  of  France  and  also  born  in  Al- 
sace. They  have  three  children,  viz.:  George; 
Rosina,  wife  of  Charles  Austin,  and  Albert. 
Mr.  Bloch  is  a  member  of  the  French  Hospital 
Association,  San  Francisco.  Politically,  he  is  a 
Democrat. 

fHARLES  AUSTIN  is  a  native  of  New 
York  City,  born  October  7,  1836,  and  a  son 
■^  of  Wiliam  and  Winnifred  (Swift)  Austin. 
His  father,  a  cotton  merchant  and  broker,  was 
a  native  of  Scotland,  while  his  mother  was  of 
American  birth,  diaries  Austin  was  reared  and 
educated  in  the  American  metropolis,  and  in  1858 
came  to  California  via  Panama.  For  three  years 
he  was  interested  in  tiie  mines  of  Calaveras 
County,  and  since  that  time  he  has  been  identi- 
fied with  various  interests  on  the  coast  and  in 
the  western  territories.  Since  1886  lie  has  been 
a  resident  of  Sonoma  County.  July  5,  1885,  he 
was  united  in  niarriauje  with  Miss  Rosina,  daugh- 
ter of  George  Rloch,  whose  sketch  precedes  this. 


tLBERT  G.  BURNETT,  a  member  of  the 
law  firm  of  Gale  &  Burnett,  is  a  native  of 
^^s=-  the  Pacific  coast,  born  in  Oregon  in  1856. 
His  father.  Rev.  G.  O.  Burnett,  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  immigrated  to  Oregon  from  Missouri, 
in  1846,  and  settled  in  the  AVillamette  Yalley, 
Polk  County,  where  he  improved  a  farm  of  640 
acres.  In  185S  he  removed  with  his  family  to  San 
Jose,  California,  and  for  twenty-five  years  there- 
after was  engaged  in  the  ministry  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  mostly  in  California,  but  partly  in 
Oregon,  wliere  he  lived  a  portion  of  the  inter- 
vening time.  Obedient  to  the  summons  of  the 
Silent  Reaper  he  passed  away  in  July,  1886,  in 


the  city  of  Santa  Rosa,  where  he  had  been  living 
since  1873,  having  done  valiant  service  for 
Christianity  many  years  as  one  of  the  pioneer 
preachers  on  this  coast.  His  brother,  Hon. 
Peter  H.  Burnett,  went  to  Oregon  still  earlier, 
in  1843,  and  from  there  came  to  California  in 
1848.  He  was  elected  in  1849  as  the  first 
Governor  of  California,  which  office  he  resigned 
in  1851.  Albert  G.  was  educated  in  Hesperian 
College  at  Woodland,  and  in  the  Christian  Col- 
lege in  Santa  Rosa  where  he  graduated  in  1875. 
During  the  summer  vacation  two  years  previous, 
when  but  seventeen  years  of  age,  he  had  begun 
teaching  school,  and  after  his  graduation  lie  re- 
sumed the  pedagogical  profession,  first  teaching 
a  year  in  the  country  schools.  He  then  accepted 
the  professorship  of  Latin  and  Greek  languages 
in  his  Alma  Mater,  the  Ciiristian  College,  filling 
that  chair  two  years.  The  college  becoming 
embarrassed  financially  and  passing  into  other 
hands.  Professor  Burnett  taught  a  year  in  the 
public  schools  of  Santa  Rosa;  was  then  elected 
to  the  principalship  of  the  Healdsburg  schools 
and  filled  thai  position  four  years.  The  two 
years  following  he  was  principal  of  the  Peta- 
Inma  grammar  school,  then  principal  of  the 
Petaluina  high  school  for  a  year  and  a  half. 
While  teaching,  Mr.  Burnett  had  devoted  all 
his  spare  time  to  the  study  of  law  and  attained 
such  proficiency  in  knowledge  of  legal  lore  that 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  California  in  1886,  six  months  before 
he  resigned  his  position  in  the  Petalnma  high 
school,  which  he  did  in  May,  1887,  to  open  a 
law  office  in  Santa  Rosa,  as  a  partner  with  D.  R. 
Gale.  Though  less  than  two  years  old  this  law 
firm  already  enjoys  a  fine  business  in  both  the  civil 
and  criminal  branches  of  their  practice.  They 
are  both  young  men  of  marked  ability,  are  close 
students,  inspired  by  a  zeal  born  of  love  for  their 
profession,  and  being  gentlemen  of  unquestioned 
integrity  of  character,  they  are  destined  to  occupy 
the  front  rank  among  the  law  firms  of  Califor- 
nia in  the  near  future.  During  the  year  1887 
Mr.  Burnett  served  as  a  member  ot  the  Sonoma 
County  board  of  education,  and  chosen  presi- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


dent  of  that  body.  lie  was  president  of  the 
Yoniig  Men's  Republican  Club  during  tlie  pre.i- 
idential  campaign  of  1888,  and  was  the  Repub- 
lican nominee  for  district  attorney,  to  which 
office  he  was  elected  November  (i,  1888.  Mr. 
Burnett  is  universally  conceded  to  have  but  few 
e(|uals  in  the  State  as  a  political  orator.  At  the 
November  election,  1888,  Mr.  Burnett  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  prosecuting  attorney. 
The  high  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  by  the 
citizens  of  this  county  is  shown  by  the  very 
large  majority  he  received  at  this  election,  run- 
ning as  he  did  far  ahead  of  the  party  vote.  Of 
the  twelve  children  composing  iiis  father's  family, 
only  one,  a  twin  sister,  resides  in  Santa  Rosa 
with  the  widowed  mother.  Mr.  Burnett  in 
1878,  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Dora 
Hood,  a  native  of  Santa  Rosa,  and  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  B.  Ilood,  pioneers  of 
Sonoma  County. 


fOIIN  T.  PEPPER,  residing  on  Dutton 
avenue,  in  the  suburbs  of  Santa  Rosa,  is  a 
new  accession  to  Sonoma  County,  and  one 
of  a  class  that  is  giving  to  the  county  an  impe- 
u  s  in  the  right  direction,  so  welcome  to  all  in- 
terested in  the  county's  best  and  greatest  good 
— fruit  culture.  Mr.  Pepper  came  to  California 
and  located  in  Marin  County  in  1875.  A  brief 
review  of  his  former  life  gives  the  following 
facts:  He  was  born  in  Genesee  County,  New 
York,  August  27,  1837,  and  is  the  son  of 
Robert  and  Lydia  (Irwin)  Pepper,  both  of  whom 
were  born  in  Ireland.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  an  infant  when  the  family  moved 
from  the  State  of  New  York  to  Oakland  County, 
Michigan.  There  he  was  reared  on  a  farm, 
spen'ding  a  portion  of  the  years  of  his  youth  in 
school  attendance.  At  the  age  of  twentj'-one 
he  left  the  parental  home  and  encountered  life 
in  his  own  behalf  About  two  j'ears  later  he  re- 
turned home  and  worked  his  father's  farm  on 
shares.  In  1869  he  engaged  in  mercantile  busi 
ness  at  Davisburg,  (Oakland  County,  Michigan, 


and  conducted  a  successful  business  until  1875. 
In  that  year  he  came  to  California.  He  rented 
a  large  dairy  farm,  with  150  cows,  of  Charles 
Webb  Howard,  in  Alarin  County.  This  busi- 
ness Mr.  Pepper  conducted  with  profit  to  him- 
self until  1888,  when,  in  October  of  that  year, 
he  bought  the  property  he  now  owns  and 
occupies,  one  of  the  finest  suburban  properties 
to  be  found  at  Santa  Rosa.  The  building 
improvements,  including  the  elegant  cottage 
residence,  are  first-class  in  all  respects.  Of  the 
forty-four  acres  of  very  choice  land,  as  yet  Init 
twenty  acres  are  in  orchard,  comprising  every 
variety  of  deciduous  fruitsand  all  showing  thrift. 
The  rest  of  the  land — now  devoted  to  general 
agriculture — will  in  the  near  future  be  appro- 
priated to  fruit  culture.  The  same  enterprise 
and  enei'gy,  combined  with  intelligent  applica- 
tion, whicli  has  characterized  his  life  in  the 
past,  will  pniduce  grand  results  in  the  favored 
Santa  Rosa  Valley  as  the  reward  of  Mr.  Pepper's 
efforts  in  horticulture.  In  1870,  in  the  State  of 
Michigan,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  wedded 
Miss  Mary  L.,  daughter  of  Frank  and  Fanny 
Skinner,  of  New  York.  Three  children  have 
been  born  to  them,  viz.:  Lydia  Evelyn,  born 
June  16,  1872;  John  Raymond,  December  30, 
1877;  Ada  Elaine,  December  11,  1884.  Mr. 
Pepper  in  political  action  is  fully  identified  with 
the  Republican  party,  having  voted  for  every 
Republican  president  since  the  party  was  formed. 


-*}--l-f 


W^ 


k 


J.  McGAUGHEY,  druggist,  corner  of 
Mendocino  and  Fourth  streets,  has  been 
in  business  in  that  location  since  May, 
1887.  She  succeeded  W.  C.  Reed  in  the  bus- 
iness, whom  she  bought  out  and  who  was  one 
of  the  oldest  druggists  in  the  city,  having 
moved  to  the  present  location  upon  the  com- 
pletion of  the  building  in  the  fall  of  1885. 
Miss  McGanghey  is  a  professional  pharmacist, 
have  attended  the  California  College  of  Phar- 
macy, a  branch  of  the  State  University.  Siie 
graduated  first  at  the  Winona  high  school,  and 


IllsniHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


then  at  the  Minnesota  normal  school  in  1878, 
and  has  been  a  teacher  tor  seven  years.  She 
came  to  California  for  her  healtl',  in  1881,  spent 
six  months  with  her  sister,  Dr.  Stuart,  in  Santa 
J3arbara,  and  then  came  to  Sonoma  County. 
Before  purcliasing  the  drug  store  she  taught 
here  between  three  and  four  years.  She  holds 
a  State  teacher's  diploma,  which  entitles  her  to 
teach  in  any  grammer  school  in  the  State. 
From  her  girlhood,  while  in  the  high  school, 
TVIiss  McGanghey  had  an  ambition  to  become  a 
druggist,  and  shaped  her  course  with  that  end 
in  view.  She  is  one  of  tlie  three  proprietresses 
of  drug  stores  in  the  State,  and  was  the  third 
lady  to  enter  the  College  of  Pharmacy.  Al- 
though the  business  was  an  old  one,  it  has  stead- 
ily increased  during  her  ownership,  and  has 
prospered  beyond  her  anticipations.  She  com- 
pounds prescriptions  and  performs  every  kind 
of  pharmaceutical  work  done  in  a  drug  store. 
She  employs  one  assistant.  With  a  woman's 
natural  tact  for  beautifying  and  improving,  she 
has  made  her  drug  store  one  of  the  handsomest 
in  the  interior  of  California.  Miss  McGaughey 
was  born  in  Macomb,  McDonough  County,  Illi- 
nois, but  since  eleven  years  old  resided  in 
Minnesota  until  coming  to  California.  Two  of 
her  brothers  and  one  sister  are  physicians.  Mrs. 
Dr.  Stuart,  and  Mrs.  Martin,  county  superin- 
tendent of  schools  of  Sonoma  County,  reside  in 
this  county. 


fARATA,  of  Ilussian  River  Township,  has 
a  ranch  of  144  acres  on  the  Santa  Rosa 
®  and  Healdsburg  road,  less  than  a  mile 
north  of  Windsor.  He  purchased  the  place  in 
1884,  and  the  next  spring  planted  fifteen  acres 
of  fruit  trees.  They  are  peaches,  pears,  apples, 
prunes,  egg  plums,  apricots,  cherries,  etc.,  and 
are  all  in  good  condition.  He  has  eighteen 
acres  in  grapes,  the  greater  portion  of  which 
acreage  is  planted  to  the  Zinfandel,  the  remain- 
der being  divided  among  a  number  of  choice 
varieties.     The    rest   of   the  place    is   devoted 


to  general  farming  purjioses.  Mr.  Arata  is 
a  native  .  of  Italy,  born  eighteen  miles  south 
of  Genoa,  October  1,  1831.  His  father  was 
a  captain  of  a  ship,  and  marine  searcher 
for  coral  all  the  time,  and  the  subject 
of  this  sketcii  was  reared  to  a  sea-faring  life, 
going  on  board  sliip  wiien  a  mere  lad  of  seven 
years.  Until  1858  he  followed  the  sea,  his 
travels  embracing  the  paths  of  commerce  all 
over  the  world.  In  1858  he  came  to  California 
to  reside,  locating  in  Calaveras  County,  where 
he  engaged  in  mining,  and  one  year  later  he  en- 
tered into  mercantile  business.  In  1870  he 
went  to  farming  in  Calaveras  County,  and  was 
thus  employed  there  until  he  came  to  Sonoma 
County  and  located  on  his  present  farm.  While 
a  resident  of  Calaveras  County  he  was  married 
to  Teresa  Alviso,  July  G,  1868,  a  native  of 
Mexico,  born  in  Sonora,  August  5,  1849,  a 
daughter  of  Juan  and  Susanna  (Banlecea) 
Alviso.  Her  father  was  a  stock  dealer  and 
owned  a  large  ranch.  In  1858  the  family  came 
to  Calaveras  County,  California,  where  the 
father  followed  ranching  until  1886,  when  he 
moved  his  family  back  to  Mexico,  where  the 
parents  now  reside.  Senor  Alviso  is  a  promi- 
nent man  and  has  held  positions  of  trust  and 
honor.  Mr.  Arata's  parents,  August  and  Cath- 
erine (Novera)  Arata,  are  both  deceased,  the 
former  having  died  in  1874,  and  the  latter  in 
1871.  His  father  was  born  at  San  Miguel, 
Italy,  eighteen  miles  south  of  Genoa,  May  1, 
1782.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arata  have  six  children, 
viz.:  Augusta,  Rosa,  Louis,  Oelestina,  John  and 
Katie.     Politically,  Mr.  Arata  is  a  Republican. 


m: 


■  1 LLIAM  COMSTOCK  was  born  in  Fair- 
field County,  Connecticut,  August  9, 
\rtj^n  1825,  the  son  of  Watts  Comstock, 
of  one  of  the  old  Connecticut  families.  The 
old  homestead  was  the  birth  place  of  the  father 
and  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
and  is  still  in  the  hands  of  the  family.  His 
grandparents  on  both  sides  were  enrolled  in  the 


IIISTOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


patriot  army  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  Will- 
iam Comstock  was  reared  to  a  farm  life,  and  edu- 
cated in  the  New  England  schools,  remaining  at 
tiie  old  home  until  reaching  manhood.  The  dis- 
covery of  gold  in  California  determined  his  future, 
and  the  family  home  for  three  generations  was  left 
Lehind,  for,  in  1849,  he  was  enrolled  among  the 
Argonauts,  and  reached  this  State  via  the  Isth- 
mus. The  following  six  months  he  was  en- 
gaged in  milling  on  the  north  fork  of  the 
American  River  and  the  nortii  fork  of  the 
Yuma  River..  Later  he  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits  in  Contra  Costa  County,  and  in  1858 
came  to  this  county,  locating  in  Vallejo  Town- 
ship. In  1860  he  wedded  Miss  Clara  Stone, 
who  was  born  in  the  State  of  Michigan  and 
came,  in  1856,  with  her  father,  Elias  Stone,  to 
this  State.  Mr.  Stone  (now  deceased)  made  his 
home  in  Contra  Costa  County.  In  1871  Mr. 
Comstock  with  iiis  family  established  their 
present  homo.  The  homestead  of  160  acres  of 
choice  valley  land  is  situated  on  the  Santa  Rosa 
and  Petaluma  road,  six  miles  soutli  of  the 
former  city.  From  almost  a  state  of  nature 
Mr.  Comstock  has  brought  the  place  to  its 
present  improved  condition.  The  homestead 
now,  in  quality  of  improvements  and  value  of 
productions,  is  ranked  among  the  best  in  tiie 
beautiful  Santa  Rosa  Valley.  Hurbert  G.  Com- 
stock, the  only  son  and  the  only  living  child  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Comstock,  has  his  home  with  his 
parents,  and  is  his  father's  assistant  in  the 
labors  and  cares  of  the  farm.  Florence,  their 
only  daughter,  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years. 
Mr.  Comstock,  in  eary  life,  was  politically  a 
Whig,  but  in  1862  became  identified  with  the 
Republican  party. 


(APTAIN    HENRY    D.    FITCH,    whose 


sp  I  of  early  events  in  Sonoma  County,  was  a 
native  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  born  in  that 
portion  of  t)ie  city  which  was  then  separately 
incorporated   under   the    name  of  Charlestown, 


May  7,  1799.  His  mother's  -maiden  name  was 
Delano.  His  father,  Henry  Fitch,  was  captain 
of  an  English  trading  ship,  and  brought  up  his 
son  to  a  sea  faring  life.  In  1822  ihe  young 
mariner  made  his  first  voyage  as  commander  of  a 
vessel.  A  captain  in  the  serviceof  the  large  ship- 
owning  firm  of  Bryan,  Sturgis  &  Co.,  of  Boston, 
had  died,  and  the  infiuence  of  Captain  Henry  Fitch 
secured  for  his  son,  Henry  D.,  the  command. 
He  took  the  vessel  around  Cape  Horn  to  the 
Pacific  coast  of  this  continent,  and  to  the  Sand- 
wich Islands.  While  in  command  of  this  ship 
and  in  harbor  in  a  California  port,  he  met  Donna 
Josefa  Carrillo,  daughter  of  a  Mexican  military 
otficer  and  native  of  San  Diego.  Tlie  result  of 
their  acquaintance  was  an  agreement  to  unite 
their  fortunes,  but  to  their  marriage  there  was 
a  serious  obstacle.  The  father  of  the  lady,  be- 
ing an  ardent  Catiiolic,  would  not  allow  an  in- 
fraction of  the  unwritten  law  which  forbade  the 
marriage  of  a  Catholic  to  a  non-member  of  tlie 
faith,  and  his  decision  was  irrevocably  against 
the  proposed  nnion.  General  Vallejo  and  Cap- 
tain Cooper,  who  had  married  sisters  of  the 
young  lady,  interfered,  however,  and  by  their 
efforts  she  was  placed  on  board  the  captain's 
vessel,  and  on  the  arrival  of  the  ship  at  Valpa- 
raiso, they  were  formally  united  in  marriage. 
The  paternal  blessing  was  finally  obtained,  how- 
ever, and  the  couple  settled  down  in  San  Diego. 
In  1844  the  Mexican  government  granted  Cap- 
tain Fitch  eleven  leagues  of  land,  whicli  was 
located  in  Sonoma  County  and  became  cele- 
brated as  the  Sotoyome  grant.  Captain  Fitcli 
sent  Cyrils  Alexander  to  take  charge  of  the 
landed  interests  here,  and  he  also  gave  considera- 
ble personal  attention  to  the  property.  He  built 
two  adobe  houses  in  that  portion  of  the  grant 
which  is  now  the  Bailhache  estate,  both  of  which 
are  standing,  and  one,  modernized,  is  the  pres- 
ent ranch  residence.  Captain  Fitch  was  a  man 
far  above  the  average  in  point  of  intellect.  He 
passed  through  many  of  the  most  stirring  scenes 
in  the  history  of  this  coast,  but  did  not  live  to 
see  California  a  State  of  the  Union,  his  death 
having  occurred  February  14, 1849.    His  widow. 


lll^TiiHY     '//■'    SOSiiMA     I'OL'NVr. 


wbo  was  born  in  April,  1810,  snrvives  him, 
making  her  home  with  her  daugliter,  Mrs.  John 
D.  Grant.  She  retains  an  intellect  and  memory 
nniinpaired,  thongh  she  has  lived  to  see  three 
nations  in  succession  control  the  land  of  her 
birtli.  I'"itch  Mountain,  which  stands  like  a 
sentinel  over  the  beautiful  little  city  of  Healds- 
burg,  will  always  be  a  monument  to  the  man 
whose  name  it  bears.  lie  built  the  Urst  mill  in 
Sonoma  County  (saw-mill  and  grist-mill  com- 
bined), bringing  the  macliiuery  from  Boston  by 
Sc'a.  A  short  time  before  his  death  be  was  ap- 
pointed as  the  representative  of  the  Pacific  Mail 
Steamship  Company,  but  never  qualified. 


fOHN  D.  GllANT,  of  Russian  River  Town- 
ship, is  a  native  of  Clinton,  Hunterdon 
County,  New  Jersey,  born  October  2i 
1828,  his  parents  being  William  and  Catherine 
(Wyckoff)  Grant,  both  of  whom  were  born  in 
New  Jtrsey.  When  he  had  reached  the  age  of 
fourteen  years  John  U.  Grant  went  to  New 
Brunswick,  Middlesex  County,  New  Jersey,  and 
there  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  In  1849 
he  became  one  of  a  company  of  thirty-eight 
who  purchased  The  Roe,  a  schooner  of  164  tons 
burden,  to  take  them  to  California.  They  sailed 
out  of  New  York  harbor  on  the  26th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1849,  and  after  a  fair  voyage,  which  took 
thetn  through  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  they 
landed  at  San  Francisco  on  the  30rh  of  June. 
The  investment  in  the  schooner  proved  a  jirutit- 
able  one  to  the  owners,  and  Mr.  Grant  who  had 
started  with  $350,  had  $700  clear  of  his  pas- 
sage after  the  sale  of  the  vessel.  He  pioceeded 
to  Sacramento  where  he  obtained  employment 
at  his  trade,  making  his  residence  there  until 
1858.  He  made  his  first  trip  to  Sonoma 
County,  however,  in  1852,  and  then  formed  ac- 
quaintances and  obtained  such  a  knowledge  of 
the  country  as  induced  him  finally  to  make  the 
county  his  permanent  home,  and  since  the 
spring  of  1859  he  has  resided  on  his  present 
ranch.     He  has  been  twice  married.     His  first 


wife  to  whom  he  was  united  in  matrimony  in 
November,  1858,  was  Isabel  Fitch,  daughter  of 
Captain  Henry  D.  Fitch,  whose  sketch  precedes 
this  article.  She  died  in  1861.  By  this  mar- 
riage there  were  two  children,  of  whom  one, 
Fred,  is  deceased.  The  other,  Henry  C,  is  an 
engineer  in  the  employ  of  the  San  Francisco  &  • 
Northern  Pacific  Railroad  Company.  Mr.Grant"s 
present  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Anita  Fitch, 
also  a  daughter  of  Captain  Henry  D.  Fitch. 
Mrs.  Grant  is  a  lady  of  rare  attainments,  and 
has  acquired  a  high  reputation  as  a  vocalist  on 
this  coast.  She  has  devoted  considerable  at- 
tention to  the  study  and  preservation  of  the 
language  of  the  native  Indian  races,  and  it  is 
due  to  her  efforts  that  these  Indian  dialects  have 
taken  a  preservable  written  form.  The  living 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grant  are:  Charles 
F.,  M.  D.,  who  is  separately  mentioned;  Josefa, 
Ben  E.,  John  and  Fred.  Mr.  Grant  is  politi- 
cally a  Democrat.  He  was  for  four  years  a 
supervisor  of  Sonoma  County;  and  is  a  charter 
member  of  the  Healdsburg  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A. 
M.  The  (xrant  ranch  consists  of  600  acres, 
occupying  a  favored  portion  of  the  Russian 
River  Valley,  on  the  Healdsburg  and  Santa 
Rosa  road,  within  two  miles  of  the  former  city. 
Mr.  Grant  was  the  pioneer  hop  raiser  of  Healds- 
burg, having  embarked  in  tliat  industry  in  1872. 
His  hop  yard  contains  twenty  acres,  and  is 
always  depended  on  for  a  good  return,  the  yield 
per  acre  having  ranged  from  1,200  to  2,000 
pound.-i.  He  has  thirty-five  acres  in  grapes, 
ranching  in  age  from  two  to  eight  years.  Of 
these  one-third  are  Zinfandel,  the  remainder 
Mission  and  several  foreign  varieties.  A  twenty- 
year-old  apple  orchard  of  eight  acres  still  bears 
well.  There  are  also  400  Bartlett  pears  and  500 
French  prunes,  planted  in  1888.  About  sixty 
acres  are  usually  devoted  to  alfalfa.  One  field 
of  ten  acres  turned  out  about  seventy  tons  in 
1888.  The  land  is  very  rich,  and  one  year  a 
corn  field  of  twenty  acres,  planted  after  the 
rains  were  finished,  turned  out  a  big  crop  of 
corn,  the  stalks  being  thirteen  feet  high,  with- 
out water   from    any   source  other  than    what 


UlSTOHY    OF    HONUMA    COUNTY. 


moisture  the  groinid  retained.  The  year  1S54 
was  the  best  he  has  experienced  for  wheat.  In 
that  year;  from  fonr  acres  he  cut  and  threshed 
280  bushels. 


fHARLES  F.  GRANT,  M.  D.,  son  of  John 
D.  and  Anita  (Fitch)  (rrant,  was  born  in 
Sonoma  County,  April  (I,  18(U.  He  at 
tended  the  scliools  of  Ilealdsbnrg  and  Litton 
Springs  Academy,  and  begun  the  study  of  med- 
icine with  Dr.  F.  M.  Sponagle,  of  Ilealdsbnrg. 
He  commenced  attendance  at  Long  Island  Hos- 
pital College  in  January,  1885,  and  graduated 
at  that  celebrated  institution  in  June,  188G. 
He  was  for  a  time  in  San  Francisco,  but  is  now 
practicing  his  profession  in  Mendocino  County. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Sonoma  County  Medi- 
cal Society. 


^jOBERT  CRAiSTE,  one  of  the  Argonauts 
and  one  of  Sonoma  County's  pioneer  ag- 
^^^  riculturists,  was  born  in  Mercer  County, 
Kentucky,  December  8,  1822,  son  of  Tarltou  L. 
and  Pally  (Beales)  Crane,  who  were  natives  of 
Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  respectively. 
Their  marriage  occurred  in  1811.  Robert  Crane 
is  one  of  a  family  of  seventeen  children,  four- 
teen sons  and  three  daughters,  he  being  the 
eighth  child  and  fifth  son  of  this  large  family. 
Eight  sons  and  two  daughters  are  still  living, 
George,  the  eldest,  now  (1888)  being  seventy- 
si.K  years  of  age.  He  lives  in  Marion  County, 
Missouri.  Nelson,  the  youngest,  is  fifty-three 
years  of  age.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  to  a  farm  life  in  Washington  County, 
Kentucky,  whither  his  j)arents  had  moved  when 
he  was  a  child.  There  he  received  his  educa- 
tion and  lived  until  he  was  seventeen  years  old. 
He  then  accompanied  his  parents  to  Marion 
County,  Missouri.  In  that  county  his  father 
died  June  21,  1849,  aged  sixty-six  years,  his 
mother  having   died   January    21,    1844,    aged 


forty-eight  years.  Besides  the  two  brothers 
already  mentioned,  another,  Richard  H.,  a 
wealthy  and  prosperous  farmer,  lives  on  a  ranch 
adjoining  the  one  owned  and  occupied  by  the 
subject  of  this  sketch.  All  the  other  living 
members  of  the  family  have  their  homes  in  Mis- 
souri. Caught  by  the  overland  ebl)  of  emigra- 
tion caused  by  gold  discovery,  Mr.  Crane,  in 
company  with  his  brother  Richard,  left  the 
Missouri  home  and  started  for  the  new  El  Do- 
rado. The  train  of  which  they  formed  a  part 
consisted  of  sixteen  wagons,  fifty  yoke  of  cattle, 
and  a  two-horse  team  and  wagon  for  cooking. 
There  were  thirty-two  men  in  the  company,  five 
of  whom  were  attached  to  the  culinary  depart- 
ment. The  day  after  crossing  the  Missouri 
River  at  St.  Joseph  ten  men  were  prostrated 
with  cholera,  of  whom  two  died.  Beyond  this 
no  unusual  sickness  occurred  and  the  journey 
was  attended  by  no  unusual  or  untoward  event. 
Fifteen  wagons  and  nearly  all  the  stock  were 
brought  through  safely.  The  party  reached 
Cold  Springs,  El  Dorado  County,  October  13, 
1849.  After  selling  off  their  stock  at  auction, 
Mr.  Crane  and  his  brother  engaged  in  mining 
in  partnership  with  others  at  Georgetown.  In 
the  spring  of  1850  they  opened  a  grocery  and 
mining  supply  store,  Mr.  Crane  being  most  of 
the  time  on  the  road  bringing  supplies,  paying  as 
high  as  $28  for  flour  at  Sacramento.  This 
business  was  energetically  carried  on  till  tl  a 
following  spring  when  the  store  was  sold,  and 
the  pan  and  rocker  was  resumed  at  Peru,  foui 
miles  below  Georgetown.  In  June,  1852,  M^ 
Crane  visited  this  county  and  made  a  claim  upon 
the  land  where  he  now  lives.  In  October  he 
returned,  driving  100  head  of  cattle  to  his  future 
home.  In  the  stock  business  he  had  for  part- 
ners his  brother  and  two  others.  In  the  au- 
tumn of  1853  the  Cranes  bought  out  the 
interests  of  the  others  and  remained  in  partner- 
ship two  or  three  years  longer.  The  original 
claim  of  160  acres  proved  to  be  part  of  the 
"  Cotato  "  grant,  Mr.  Crane  acquiring  a  title  in 
1858.  In  1864  he  added  to  his  estate  by  pur- 
chase of  326  acres.       This  fine  estate  is  located 


IIISTURY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY 


against  the  foot-bills,  in  Santa  Rosa  Yalley, 
seven  miles  south  of  Santa  Rosa,  on  the  road 
leading  to  Petalnma.  November  3,  1853,  Mr. 
Crane  married  Miss  Susan  C.  Davidson,  who 
was  born  in  Kentucky,  March  24,  1833,  and 
who,  with  her  parents,  Jacob  E.  and  Mary 
(Bolles)  Davidson,  crossed  the  plains  to  this 
State  in  1852.  Mrs.  Crane  is  one  of  a  family 
of  twelve  children,  six  boys  and  si.x  girls.  Her 
parents  settled  near  Santa  Rosa,  where  her 
father  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years  and  her 
mother  at  eighty.  Mrs.  Crane  is  the  mother  of 
twelve  children,  viz.:  Mary  Jane,  wife  of  J.  J. 
Lowry,  of  Santa  Rosa;  George  Silas,  farmer 
and  stock  ranchman  of  Morrow  County,  Oregon; 
Charles  Bnrdon,  stock  farmer  of  the  same 
county;  Martha  K..  wife  of  Thomas  B.  Ward, 
died  at  her  home  in  Santa  Rosa  Township,  June 
28,  1888;  James  Alexander,  a  resident  of  Yolo 
County;  Hattie  Forest,  who  died  December  23, 
1886;  Thomas  Jackson,  of  Yolo  County;  Rob- 
ert Lee,  residing  at  home;  Roland  Archie,  who 
died  February  18,  1874,  iu her  sixth  year;  Har- 
lan Smith,  who  died  in  February,  1874,  aged 
six  months  and  twenty-four  days;  Estella  Hope, 
who  at  this  writing  is  a  pupil  at  Highland  I'ark 
School  at  Oakland;  and  Wade  Hampton,  the 
youngest.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crau'i  are  members 
of  the  Missionary  Baptist  church.  In  politics 
Mr.  Crane  calls  himself  an  old-fashioned  Dem 
ocrat.  He  has  held  many  official  positions  of 
trust,  and  is  worthy  of  the  honor  and  high 
coniidence  so  freely  bestowed  upon  him  by  his 
friends  and  fellow  citizens.  Over  thirty  years 
ago  he  was  first  elected  a  magistrate  of  Sonoma 
County.  He  has  twice  served  the  county  on 
the  board  of  supervisors. 


tEV.  W.  H.  MARTIN',  pastor  of  the  Santa 
Rosa  Christian  church,  is  a  native  of  the 
State  of  Kentucky,  born  in  Mercer  County, 
in  1844.  After  taking  a  preparatory  course  of 
study  he  entered  the  Kentucky  University  at 
Lexington    in    186fi.     HI   health  caused  him  to 


leave  the  University  a  few  months  before 
graduation.  Li  the  s])ring  of  1873  he  went  to 
Australia  to  take  pastoral  charge  of  a  Christian 
church  in  tlie  city  of  Melbourne,  where  he  con- 
tinued his  ministerial  labors  nearly  five  years. 
The  failing  health  of  his  wife  induced  him  to 
resign  his  charge  and  come  to  California  in  1878; 
and  after  a  year's  pastoral  work  in  the  city  of 
Colusa,  he  accepted  the  professorship  of  Eng- 
lish literature  in  Hesperian  College  at  Wood- 
land, the  oldest  Christian  college  in  California. 
While  filling  the  chair  in  college  Mr.  Martin 
also  discharged  the  duties  of  pastor  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  in  Woodland,  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  flourishing  societies  of  that  denomination 
in  the  State.  Finding  those  combined  labors 
too  arduous  to  continue  them  longer,  he  resigned 
the  professorship  at  the  end  of  four  years  and 
devoted  himself  entirely  to  the  work  of  the 
church.  During  the  eight  years  which  he  had 
charge  of  the  church  it  was  exceptionally  pros- 
perous. In  October,  1887,  he  received  and 
accepted  a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Christian 
church  of  Santa  Rosa,  and  has  actively  officiated 
in  that  capacity  ever  since.  He  found  the 
church  in  this  city  suffering  from  lack  of  zeal 
and  unanimity  of  effort  and  depleied  in  nuTU- 
bers;  but  he  soon  inspired  its  members  with 
some  of  his  own  religious  fervor,  rekindled  the 
smouldering  altar  fires,  and  it  began  at  once  to 
grow  in  enthusiasm  and  numbers.  At  one  pro- 
tracted meeting  thirty  new  members  were  added, 
and  a  steady  growth  and  prosperity  have  re- 
warded his  ministerial  labors.  The  society  now 
numbers  a  hundred  and  fifty  member^  in  good 
standing.  Mr.  Martin  is  very  earnest,  impres- 
sive and  eloquent  in  his  pulpit  efforts,  command- 
ing the  undivided  attention  and  interest  of  his 
auditors  by  his  forcible  and  logical  presentation 
of  the  doctrines  of  Christianity.  Possessing  a 
highly  nervous,  sanguine  temperament,  he  is 
quick  in  thought  and  action,  doing  with  his 
might  what  his  hands  and  brain  find  to  do,  and 
always  with  the  courage  of  his  convictions.  Mr. 
Martin  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife 
was  Miss  Mary  Longmire,  whom  he  wedded  in 


UISTORY    OF    SONOMA    VOUNl'V 


Missouri  before  going  to  the  "  Dark  Continent," 
iiiid  who  died  soon  after  they  reached  California, 
leaving  two  children,  a  daughter  and  a  son.  He 
married  his  present  wife,  formerly  Miss  Carrie 
Miller,  of  Stockton.  Califurnia,  in  1884.  One 
child  blesses  their  union. 


niOMAS  JEFFERSON   BROOKE.— An 

®ff  jf  early  settler  and  representative  farmer  and 
=^^  live-stock  grower  of  California,  left  his 
birth  place  in  northern  Georgia  in  the  spring 
of  1851 — being  then  in  the  flower  of  young 
manhood  (twenty  years  of  age) — to  seek  his 
home  and  fortune  in  the  new  El  Dorado  of  the 
Pacific  coast.  Cuming  by  the  southern  route 
he  passed  up  through  the  great  San  Joaquin 
Valley,  and  was  so  impressed  with  the  beauty 
and  possibilities  of  that  vast  country  that 
he  resolved  to  become  the  owner  of  some 
of  its  fertile  soil.  But,  like  most  of  those  earlj' 
pioneers,  he  must  first  have  some  experience  in 
tlie  fascinating  lottery  of  hunting  for  gold  in 
nature's  rock-bound  repositories.  Accordingly 
he  proceeded  to  Sonora,  Tuolumne  County,  and 
there  spent  six  months  in  mining  with  quite 
flattering  success,  as  he  averaged  $8  to  $10  a 
day.  and  the  last  day's  work  yielded  him  $24. 
Mining  life,  with  its  wild,  weird  experiences 
and  rough  associations,  not  proving  agreeable  to 
his  taste,  Mr  Brooke  resolved  to  engage  in  the 
more  congenial  occupation  of  the  agriculturist; 
and,  giving  his  claim  and  tools  to  a  friend,  he 
started  eatly  in  the  summer  of  1852  for  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley  to  select  a  location  for  a  farm. 
On  the  second  of  July  he  settled  on  a  160- acre 
tract  of  land  twenty  miles  east  of  Stockton,  a 
young  friend  of  his  taking  up  an  adjoining 
quarter-section.  The  next  'stej)  was  to  provide 
a  place  of  shelter.  For  tliis  purpose  Mr.  Brooke 
bought  a  rude  structure  several  miles  distant  on 
the  St(;ckton  road,  which  had  been  nsed  as  a 
restaurant  or  lunch  room,  and,  loading  it  on  a 
wagon,  hauled  it  to  his  land  and  fitted  it  up  for 
his  habitation.     Tiiis  abode  was  neither  ornate 


nor  elegant.  No  plate  glass,  plank  floor,  nor 
even  water-tight  roof,  entered  into  its  construc- 
tion. The  front  was  composed  of  boards  and 
the  other  sides  of  canvas,  and  the  single  apart- 
ment it  comprised  served  as  kitchen,  dining- 
room,  sitting-room  and  parlor.  Having  com- 
pleted all  arrangements  for  living — including 
the  purchase  of  a  dozen  chickens,  for  which  he 
paid  $60,  to  keep  him  company — Mr.  Brooke 
and  his  partner  (the  young  man  above  men- 
tioned), waited  patiently  for  the  fall  raiits  to 
come  so  they  conld  plow  and  sow  for  the  com- 
ing year's  crop.  A  six  mule  team,  owned  by 
his  friend,  and  o.xen  purchased  from  immigrants 
served  them  for  this  purpose,  and  they  put  in 
a  hundred  acres  of  grain  that  fall  and  winter. 
Mr.  Brooke  was  the  housekeeper  of  the  Arm, 
and,  of  course,  did  the  cooking.  The  winter  of 
1852-'53  was  an  unusually  rainy  one  and  the 
roof  of  their  batchelor  home  leaked  so  badly 
tliat  tlio  mud  became  ankle  deep  between  the 
door  and  the  cook-stove.  Cyrus  McCormick 
had  not  yet  perfected  his  reaper,  which  subse- 
quently wrought  such  revolution  in  the  harvest 
flelds  of  the  world,  and  these  young  husband- 
men were  compelled  to  cut  all  their  crop  with 
cradles,  paying  $6  a  day  for  harvest  hands. 
Besides  cooking  for  nine  men — baking  a  dozen  _ 
pies  each  day,  in  addition  to  bread,  meats  and 
other  substantial,  Mr.  Brooke  made  a  hand  in 
the  field  with  his  cradle,  only  loosing  an  hour  a 
day  to  prepare  the  noon  meal.  The  first  crop 
they  raised  was  barley,  which  brought  four 
cents  per  pound  for  feed.  Little  wheat  was 
sown  until  late  in  the  fifties,  partly  for  the  rea- 
son that  there  was  at  that  time  no  general 
market  for  it,  but  chiefly  because  the  parasitic 
fungus  known  as  smut  prevailed  here  to  such  an 
extent  in  early  days  that  it  destroyed  half  the 
wheat  crop  in  California  and  damaged  the  re- 
mainder to  some  degree;  and  it  was  believed  by 
the  old  settlers  that  this  State  never  conld  be- 
come a  successful  wheat  growing  country  for 
that  reason.  But  a  remedy  for  this  blight  was 
to  be  provided,  and  to  Mr.  Brooke  belongs  the 
credit    and    the    trratitudc    of  California  wheat 


UISTORT    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


growers  for  first  introducing  the  smut  destroyer, 
tlie  use  of  which  lias  made  tliis  the  banner  State 
for  the  production  of  tiiat  great  staple  which 
dominates  the  cereal  markets  of  the  world.  He 
remembered  that  his  father,  back  in  Georgia, 
used  a  weak  solution  of  "blue  stone  " — blue 
vitriol — to  soak  his  seed  wheat  in  before  sowing 
to  prevent  the  smut,  and,  concluding  that  tlie 
same  antidote  would  be  eifective  in  California) 
he  made  the  experiment,  much  to  the  amuse- 
men-t  of  his  incredulous  neighbors.  Dissolving 
a  quantity  of  vitriol — or  blue-stone — as  it  is 
properly  called,  in  water,  he  soaked  a  portion  of 
his  seed  wheat  in  it  for  aliout  an  honr  before 
sowing  it.  The  demonstration  was  completely 
successful,  the  seed  thus  treated  producing  a 
splendid  crop  almost  entirely  free  from  smut, 
while  the  crop  grown  right  by  the  side  of  it  in 
the  same  field  from  seed  not  so  treated  was  half 
destroyed  by  the  smut.  Mr.  Brooke's  remedy 
was  at  once  recognized  and  went  into  general 
use  all  over  the  State,  and  has  been  worth  un- 
told millions  of  dollars  to  the  farmers  of  Cali- 
fornia. About  1865  the  first  ship  load  of  wheat 
was  shipped  from  San  Francisco  to  Liverpool, 
and  the  market  thus  opened  stimulated  a  rapid 
increase  in  the  acreage  planted.  In  1853  Mr. 
Brooke  erected  a  two-story  dwelling  on  his 
farm,  and  the  following  spring  returned  to 
Georgia  and  brought  back  a  young  bride  to  pre- 
side over  the  new  home.  With  a  zeal  born  of 
bright  prospects  and  new  hopes  he  resumed  the 
labor  of  improving  and  cultivating  his  farm. 
But  those  hopes  were  destined  to  be  Ijlasted  by 
the  withering  scourge  of  affliction.  Death  en- 
tered his  happy  home  and  laid  his  relentless 
hand  upon  the  wife  and  mother,  who  passed 
away  in  August,  1857,  and  within  a  single 
month  their  two  children  followed  her  across 
the  dark  river.  The  loss  of  his  entire  family 
was  a  crushing  blow  to  the  husband  and  father, 
the  light  of  whose  life  had  gone  out.  Five 
years  passed,  and  in  1862  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Mary  Worle\',  a  native  of 
Georgia,  whose  father,  Silas  Worley,  came  to 
California   during    the  early   gold    excitement, 


and  several  vears  later  brought  his  t'aiiiily  to 
this  State.  Tliey  now  reside  on  their  farm  near 
Cliico,  Butte  County.  Mr.  Brooke  remained  on 
his  farm  developing  it  and  increasing  its  acreage 
until  1873,  when  he  accepted  the  management 
of  the  granger'  general  merchandise  and  agri- 
cultural implement  store  in  Stockton,  and  moved 
liis  family  to  that  place.  A  little  more  than  a 
year  after,  upon  the  failure  of  E.  E.  Morgan  &, 
Son,  who  had  been  handling  the  farm  products 
for  the  grangers  of  California,  Mr.  Brooke  was 
solicited  to  take  charge  of  the  business  of  that 
organization  in  the  State.  He  accepted,  re- 
moveTl  his  family  to  San  Francisco  and  super- 
intended their  business  from  the  spring  of  1875 
till  the  spring  of  1877.  He  then  resigned  and 
started  a  commission  store  on  his  own  account 
and  carried  it  on  four  years.  Since  closing  it  out 
he  has  retired  from  all  active  business  save  the 
supervision  of  his  great  ranch  in  the  San  .Toa- 
quin  Valley  which  now  comprises  2,400  acres, 
devoted  to  grain  and  stock  growing,  and  is  one 
of  the  finest  farms  in  that  magnificent  valley. 
Desiring  to  give  their  children  superior  educa- 
tional advantages,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brooke  removed 
their  family  to  Santa  Rosa  in  1878.  His  wife 
and  daughters  soon  became  strongly  attached  to 
the  City  of  Roses  and  its  people,  and,  deciding 
to  make  it  their  permanent  home,  Mr.  Brooke 
purchased  half  a  block  of  land  on  Cherry  street, 
east  of  Mendocino,  and  in  1883  built  their  ele- 
gant residence,  at  a  cost,  for  all  improvements, 
of  $14,000.  This  family  home  is  a  model  of 
beauty,  taste  and  refinement.  Of  their  three 
children,  Annie  A.  and  Melissa  C.  were  gradu- 
ated from  Pacific  Methodist  College,  in  1883, 
and  Thomas  F.,  aged  fourteen  years,  is  attend- 
ing the  public  school.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brooke 
are  also  rearing  three  nieces,  Fannie  Bell  and 
Ella  and  Ettie  Worley.  Miss  Bell  is  also  a 
graduate  of  the  college.  Mr.  Brooke  has  been 
associated  with  this  institution  in  an  official 
capacity  for  a  number  of  years  as  a  member  of 
the  board  of  trustees,  and  is  now  the  secretary 
of  the  finance  committee  of  the  board.  In  the 
spring  of  1884  he  was  elected  to  the  Santa  Rosa 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


409 


city  council  and  served  fom"  years.  In  the 
spring  of  1888  he  was  nominated  for  maj'or  of 
the  city  on  tiie  Democratic  ticket,  but  his  farm 
interests  requiring  him  to  be  absent  from  home 
a  portion  of  the  time,  he  declined  the  proffered 
honor.  Mr.  Brooke  is  a  charter  member  of 
Yalley  Lodge,  No.  135,  in  Linden,  San  Joa- 
quin County.  Jolm  P.  Brooke,  the  father  of 
the  subject  of  this  memoir,  was  born  on  the 
ocean  when  liis  parents  were  en  route  to  America 
from  L'eland,  theii'  native  land.  He  married 
Miss  Esther  Bennett,  an  English  lady,  who  bore 
liim  thirteen  cliiidren,  of  whom  Mr.  Brooke  is 
the  tentli.  His  fatlier  died  in  1880  at  the  ripe 
age  of  eighty-four,  and  his  mother  died  in  1882, 
aged  eighty-six  years.  The  old  gentleman  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation. 


I^[0NRAD  HAEIIL  is  the  proprietor  of  the 
flK  Mount  Vineyard  and  Winery,  adjoining 
^■^i  Cioverdale.  The  ranch  contains  158  acres, 
of  which  twenty-two  acres  are  in  vines,  ranging 
in  age  from  two  to  ten  years.  The  varieties  are: 
Zinfandel,  Riesling,  Chasselas,  and  a  few  Mis- 
sion, Rose  of  Peru,  Muscat,  Tokay,  Black  Ham- 
burg, Black  Malvoise,  Isabella.  The  winery, 
which  is  two  stories  in  height,  and  40  x  50  feet  in 
ground  dimensions,  was  erected  in  the  spring  of 
1886.  There  is  a  storage  room  for  75,000  gal- 
lons, and  from  12,000  to  20,000  gallons  are 
manufactured  annuall}'.  The  quality  is  excel- 
lent and  the  wines  command  a  ready  sale.  Much 
study  has  been  given  by  Mr.  Ilaehl  to  the  sub- 
ject of  wine-making,  and  this  coupled  with  his 
many  years  of  experience,  has  tended  to  the 
advancement  of  the  industry  in  this  section. 
Mr.  Ilaehl  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  in  Shelby 
County,  May  11,  18-16,  iiis  parents  being  John 
Jacob  and  Catherine  (Carwine)  Ilaehl,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Bavaria.  The  father  was  in 
the  wine  business  in  Germany.  In  1832  he  came 
to  America  and,  after  a  short  stay  in  Cincinnati, 
located  in  Indiana,  where  he  was  an  early  set- 
ter, and  l)ought  Government  land   at   $1.25   an 


acre.  The  subject  of  this  sketcli  was  reared  in 
his  native  county,  and  in  1868  he  came  to  Cali- 
fornia, via  New  York  and  Panama,  taking  tlie 
steamer  Ileiiry  Chauncey  on  the  Atlantic  side, 
and  landing  at  San  Francisco  July  1, 1868,  from 
the  steamer  Montana.  After  a  short  staj'  in 
the  city  he  went  to  Mendicino  County,  where  he 
had  a  brotlier.  Two  years  later  he  went  back 
East,  and  he  and  his  brother  and  a  brother-in- 
law  were  engaged  in  the  California  wine  Imsi- 
ness  at  Indianapolis.  Conrad  Haehl  returned 
to  California  and  bought  and  shipped  wine  to 
his  partners  for  several  years.  When  on  a  trip 
to  Indiana,  in  1874,  he  was  married  and  brought 
to  California  his  wife  and  also  his  parents.  His 
mother  died  here  in  December,  1882,  and  his 
father  in  February,  1884.  Mr.  Flaehl's  wed- 
ding occurred  in  June,  1874,  and  his  wife,  a 
native  of  Brookville,  Indiana,  was  formerly  Miss 
Rosa  H.  Tirpank.  They  have  four  children 
living:  Carl,  Otto,  Fred.,  and  Edward.  They 
lost  one  by  death,  Gustav.  Mr.  Haehl  has  taken 
an  active  part  in  the  advancement  of  the  grape 
and  wine  industry  and  was  one  of  the  main  fac- 
tors in  the  organization  of  the  Grape-Growers' 
Association. 

---^-^^^ 


i'^S  ^^-  SHAW,  who  owns  and  occupies  an 
Iwl  *^''clii"'d  home  one  mile  east  of  Sonoma^ 
^^^  has  been  identified  with  the  horticultural 
and  viticultural  interests  of  Sonoma  Valley 
many  years.  In  company  with  his  brother,  S. 
W.  Shaw,  now  a  resident  of  San  Francisco,  he 
planted  the  first  vineyard  of  foreign  grapes 
designed  for  market  ever  planted  in  northern 
California.  The  cuttings  from  imported  stock 
were  brought  from  Los  Angeles  County,  where 
they  were  bought  at  S150  per  thousand.  The 
first  crops  were  sold  at  twenty-five  cents  per 
pound.  At  first  the  vineyard  comprised  six 
acres,  but  it  was  enlarged  afterward  and  is  still 
in  existence,  making  part  of  the  property  known 
as  "  Maple  Lodge,"  situated  less  than  one  mile 
east  of  Sonoma,  and  owned  by  William  Pickett. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT F. 


Mr.  Shaw  was  one  of  four  brothers  who  came  to 
California  in  the  days  of  its  early  history.  His 
brothers,  S.  ^Y.  and  S.  L.  Shaw,  were  among 
the  Argonauts  of  1849  (the  latter  is  now  de- 
ceased), and  anotlier  brother,  who  now  lives  in 
this  neighborhood,  came  in  1856.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Windsor  County, 
Vermont,  in  1835.  His  father,  Seth  Shaw, 
died  when  he  was  but  thirteen  years  of  age. 
In  1856  he  came  to  Sonoma  County,  and  until 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  his 
time  was  variously  empIo3'ed,  a  part  of  that  time 
working  in  vineyards  and  also  teaching  school. 
In  February,  1863,  he  enlisted  in  Company  E, 
California  Battalion,  an  organization  which 
later  became  a  part  of  the  Second  Massachusetts 
Cavalry.  His  service  of  eighteen  months  was 
in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  His  discharge 
for  disability  becoming  necessary,  he  became 
a  resident  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  where, 
at  Lynn  and  Gloucester  he  engaged  several  years 
in  merchandising.  At  Lynn  he  wedded  Miss 
Annie  Porter,  now  deceased.  Their  only  son, 
L.  H.  Shaw,  is  a  resident  of  Lynn,  and  is  en- 
gaged in  the  boot  and  shoe  business.  Mr. 
Shaw's  present  wife  was  formerly  of  Gloucester, 
Massachusetts.  By  her  he  has  three  children  : 
Susie  M.,  Gracie  E.,  and  Plelena  P.  In  1877 
Mr.  Shaw  again  became  a  resident  of  C'alifornia, 
and  again  made  his  home  in  Sonoma  Valley. 
The  following  year  he  established  his  residence 
at  his  present  home.  He  is  a  member  of  Temple 
Lodge,  No.  14,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  a  charter  mem- 
ber of  the  Colonel  Allen  Post,  No.  45,  G.  A. 
K.,  of  Gloucester,  Massachusetts.  The  promi- 
nent part  that  Mv.  Shaw  has  liad  the  past  few 
years  in  making  the  County  of  Sonoma  known 
for  its  horticultural  productions,  makes  recogni- 
tion of  him  in  this  historical  work  an  act  of 
justice.  AVithout  making  a  detailed  statement 
of  his  services,  we  will"  state  that  in  1887  he 
was,  as  vice-chairman,  associated  with  a  com- 
mittee in  charge  of  exhibits  from  Sonoma  Val- 
ley, J.  H.  Drummond  being  chairman,  and  R. 
A.  Poppe,  secretary.  Largely  to  his  efibrts  was 
due  the  fact  that  Sonoma  Valley,  in  competition 


with  the  State,  received  at  the  Mechanics'  Fair, 
at  San  Francisco  that  year,  the  first  prize,  $1,000 
in  cash  for  the  best  exhibits  of  fruits.  In  1888 
he  was  an  honorary  member  of  a  committee  rep- 
resenting Sonoma  County  at  the  annual  fair 
held  by  the  same  organization.  That  year  the 
county  received  the  second  premium,  §600,  the 
famous  exhibit  of  Santa  Clara  County  outrank- 
ing Sonoma  County. 

lARLTON  D.  GROVER  was  born  in  Jack- 
son County,  Michigan,  March  26,  1841. 
His  father,  Francis  W.  Grover,  was  born  in 
Cattai'augus  County,  New  York,  April  5,  1818, 
and  his  grandfather,  Asher  Grover,  was  a  native 
of  Vermont,  who  eiTiigrated  from  that  State 
into  New  York.  About  1832  the  entire  Grover 
family  removed  to  Michigan  and  settled  in  the 
neighborhood  where  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  born.  Francis  W.  Grover  married  Lucinda 
Williams,  a  native  of  New  York  State.  Her 
father  was  also  a  native  of  Vermont,  who  emi- 
grated from  New  York  into  Michigan  about  the 
same  time  the  Grover  family  moved  there,  and 
settled  in  the  same  neighborhood.  The  heads 
of  both  families  died  in  Michigan.  In  1859 
Francis  Grover  and  his  family  emigrated  to 
California,  taking  six  months  lacking  thi-ee  daj's 
to  make  the  overland  journey  from  Jackson 
County  to  Red  Blutf,  where  tiiey  first  located. 
Mr.  Grover  rented  a  hotel  at  Red  Bluft',  which 
he  conducted  for  a  while,  and  then  bought  a 
farm,  devoting  his  time  to  the  raising  of  hay, 
grain  and  stock.  In  the  fall  of  1863  he  moved 
to  Alameda  County,  and  not  being  satisfied 
with  that  location,  he  soon  after  returned  to 
Tehama  County,  where  he  resided  until  the  fall 
of  1867  when  he  came  to  Sonoma  County.  He 
rented  land  for  one  year,  after  which  he  bought 
180  acres  in  Vallejo  Township.  Mr.  Grover 
resided  here  until  the  fall  of  1871  when  he 
moved  to  Oregon  and  bought  a  farm  in  Linn 
County,  near  Brownsville,  where  he  now  re- 
sides.    They  had  a  family  of  four  children — all 


11 1  STOUT    UF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


sons:  one  died  in  Michigan,  at,  the  age  of  seven 
years;  one  in  1864,  in  the  Union  army;  Royal 
H.  Grover  lives  in  Oregon,  where  he  is  engaged 
in  fanning;  and  Carlton  D.  Grover,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  When  Carlton  D.  was  eighteen 
years  old  he  went  into  the  mines,  wiiere  he 
worked  four  months.  He  was  married  in  1869 
to  Miss  Eliza  E.  Todd,  who  was  born  in  Rush 
County,  Indiana.  When  she  was  five  years  old 
her  parents  moved  to  Lee  County,  Iowa,  where 
she  was  reared.  Her  father,  Hugh  Todd,  made 
his  liome  with  them  during  his  old  age,  and  died 
February  1,  1881,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five. 
Mr.  Grover  has  always  resided  on  the  family 
projjerty,  which  was  owned  by  them  jointly 
before  his  father  moved  to  Oregon.  He  has 
at  present  120  acres  of  fine  land  situated  in 
Vallejo  Townsliip,  just  at  the  edge  of  Petaluina. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grover  liave  had  three  children: 
Jennie  L.,  born  January  18,  1871,  and  died 
November  29,  1871;  Charles  H.,  born  May  22, 
1878,  and  died  September  6,  1873;  Elnor  May, 
born  April  27,  1881. 


-^^-^ 


l^ENRY  W.  HUDSON,  of  tlie  firm  of  Hud- 
IHl)  ®*^"  '^  Wright,  furniture  and  carpet 
^sli  dealers,  Santa  Rosa,  is  a  native  son  of  Cal- 
ifornia, born  in  Los  Guilicos,  Sonoma  County. 
His  father,  Martin  Hudson,  was  a  native  of 
Virginia,  and  his  mother,  nee  Miss  McElroy, 
of  East  Tennessee.  They  were  married  and 
lived  in  Missouri  until  coming  to  California,  in 
1848,  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their 
lives.  They  had  seven  children,  five  of  whom 
are  now  living.  Mr.  Hudson's  active  life  was 
passed  in  farming  and  stock-raising.  He  died 
in  1873,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years,  and  his 
widow  ])assed  away  in  June,  1888,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-nine.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  educated  at  Santa  Rosa  and  at  the 
State  University,  and  at  twenty  years  of  age 
started  out  upon  a  business  career  as  salesman 
in  the  house  of  Leibman  &  Co.,  and  after  being 
with  them  seven  years  went  to  Tombstone,  Ari- 


zona, and  engaged  in  general  merchandising  on 
his  own  account,  remaining  three  years.  He 
sold  out  and  returned  to  Santa  Rosa  in  January, 
1883,  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  opened  a  car- 
pet house  on  Fourth  street,  near  the  Occidental 
Hotel.      He   continued    there    until    December, 

1886,  when  S.  B.  Wright  came  into  the  firm, 
and  the  partners  bought  out  the  furniture  stock 
of  B.  Cruthers,  whose  store  was  on  Plinton 
avenue,  where  they  moved  the  carpet  depart- 
ment, and  in  the  fall  of  1886  commenced  the 
large  building  they  now  occupy  on  B  sti'eet. 
They    moved   into   the   new   building  in  April, 

1887.  The  store  is  50  x  116  feet,  and  in  addi- 
tion thej'  have  a  storeroom  20  x  40  feet.  They 
carry  a  large  general  line  of  carpets,  furniture 
and  bedding,  and  do  all  their  own  upholstering. 
Their  stock  embraces  a  very  fine  line  of  both 
carpets  and  furniture,  and  is  valued  at  about 
§20,000.  Their  sales  run  fully  §50,000  a  year, 
and  are  steadily  growing.  They  carry  much 
the  largest  stock  in  both  lines  in  this  city,  and 
the  largest  in  northern  California,  except  Sac- 
ramento. Mr.  Hudson  is  a  member  of  the  or- 
ganization of  Native  Sons  of  the  Golden  West, 
and  is  First  Lieutenant  of  Company  E,  Fifth 
Infantry,  National  Guards.  This  company  is 
composed  of  sixty-five  Santa  Rosa  men,  from 
eighteen  to  thirty-five  years  of  age,  L.  W.  Jull- 
iard  being  Captain,  and  J.  Dunbar,  Second 
Lieutenant.  The  company  has  been  organized 
three  years,  and  has  weekly  drills  every  Monday 
night.  Mr.  Hudson  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias.  He  has  one  sister  residing 
in  Sonoma  County. 


-^^ 


■=a%> 


t-^ 


< ).  WILCOX,  M.  D.— AVho  in  Sonoma 
County  has  not  heard  of  blufi',  hearty, 
iH^jjsrj "?  good-natured  Dr.  Wilcox,  the  eclectic 
physician  of  Healdsburg,  whose  eminent  quali- 
ties of  head  and  heart  liave  endeared  him  to  the 
community?  He  was  born  in  Marshall  County, 
Illinois,  in  1851;  is  the  youngest  of  four  boys 
and  son  of  Orin   and  Parmelia  (Davidson)  Wil- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


cox,  tlie  former  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  the 
latter  of  Scsotcli  ancestry  and  a  native  of  New 
York.  They  were  married  in  New  York  and 
emigrated  to  what  was  then  the  West,  settling 
in  Marshall  County,  Illinois.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  educated  at  Elgin,  and  gradu- 
ated at  the  Bennett  Medical  College,  Chicago, 
in  1873.  He  at  once  removed  to  St.  Clair 
County,  Illinois,  where  for  the  next  ten  years 
we  find  hiin  practicing  his  profession,  in  the 
meantime  having  married  Miss  Lelia  Leota 
Varner,  daughter  of  Abram  Varner,  Esq.,  an 
Illinois  farmer.  They  decided  to  east  their  for- 
tunes in  the  Golden  West,  and  came  to  this 
county  in  1883,  Avhere  tiie  Doctor  has  closely 
identified  himself  with  the  practical  interests 
of  the  community,  and  where,  with  his  interest- 
ing family,  consisting  of  two  daughters  and  one 
son,  he  still  resides.  The  Doctor  is  a  promi- 
nent member  of  tlie  K.  of  II.,  and  is  a  leading 
spirit  in  the  Republican  party.  He  has  won 
many  warm  friends  and  acquaintances  in  the 
county,  ami  lias  secure  1  to  himself  a  liberal 
share  of  patronage. 

PENJAMIN  CLARK,  of  Russian  River 
Township,  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  in 
Perry  County,  May  -4,  1825,  his  parents 
being  Robert  and  Nancy  (Masterson)  Clark, 
both  of  whom  were  Kentuckians  by  birth.  In 
1831  the  family  removed  to  Illinois,  locating  in 
Bureau  County,  and  there  Benjamin  Clark  was 
reared.  In  1853  he  joined  an  Illinois  party 
bound  for  California.  They  crossed  the  Mis- 
souri River  at  Kaneville,  and  choosing  the  Salt 
Lake  route,  arrived  in  Shasta  County  on  the 
16th  of  September,  having  been  to  that  time 
from  the  17th  of  March  in  making  the  journey. 
After  a  residence  of  four  months  in  Shasta 
County,  Mr.  Clark  removed  to  Contra  Costa 
Count}'  where  he  farmed  until  1857,  when  he 
removed  to  Sonoma  County.  At  the  time  he 
came  here  his  farm  was  covered  with  timber  and 
all  the  improvements  now  upon  the  place  have 


been  made  by  him.  Mr.  Clark  was  married  in 
Illinois  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Fletcher,  a  native  of 
Fauquier  County,  A^irginia.  They  have  five 
children:  James  H.  H.,  born  March  12,  1826; 
Jacob  S.,  Samuel  T.  (all  of  whom  reside  on  the 
home  farm);  Esther  A.,  wife  of  J.  J.  Lindsay 
of  Windsor;  and  Margaret  Melissa,  wife  of 
Philip  Wells,  resides  in  Contra  Costa  County. 
Mr.  Clark  has  been  identified  with  the  Republi- 
can party  ever  since  its  organization,  and  cast 
his  first  presidential  vote  for  Fremont.  In  1888 
he  was  nominated  by  the  County  Convention  of 
that  party  for  supervisor  from  the  third  district 
of  Sonoma  County,  and  was  elected  in  Novem- 
ber by  a  handsome  majority.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  AVindsor  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  is  the  owner  of  a  tine  ranch 
of  over  260  acres,  a  mile  and  a  quarter  from 
Windsor,  the  most  of  which  is  devoted  to  gen- 
eral farming  purposes.  Three  acres  are  in  or- 
chard, the  trees  being  about  twenty  years  old, 
consisting  of  almonds,  apples  and  chestuiits. 
There  are  two  acres  of  younger  trees — peaches, 
prunes,  apricots  and  plums.  All  are  in  good 
condition  and  yield  well.  Mr.  Clark  is  an  up- 
right, conscientious  man,  and  enjoys  in  a  high 
degree  the  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens. 


•°'^^^"f<i"»°- 

tON.  EMERSON  J.  GRIFFITH  was  born 
in  the  State  of  North  Carolina  thirty- 
seven  years  ago.  At  the  age  of  eight  years 
he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Virginia.  From 
that  time  till  sixteen  years  of  age  he  attended 
the  county  schools  and  worked  on  a  farm  alter- 
nately. He  then  taught  a  subscription  school 
in  southwestern  Virginia.  At  the  age  of  sev- 
enteen he  went  to  Kenton  County,  Kentucky, 
and  was  elected  principal  of  a  boys'  academy 
near  Independence.  The  following  year  he  re- 
turned to  Virginia  and  pursued  his  studies  on 
his  own  account,  and  taught  as  principal  of  a 
high  school  till  nineteen  years  of  age.  He  then 
entered  Emory  and  Henry  College,  Virginia, 
where  he  graduated  with  honor,  taking  the  de- 


UlSTdllY    OF    SONiiMA     COVM')' 


grees  of  A.  B.  and  A.  M.  During  his  course 
at  college  Mr.  Griffith  won  the  "  Collins  prize 
medal,"'  which  was  awarded  to  him  by  the 
faculty  of  the  University  of  Virginia  sitting  as 
a  cominiltee.  lie  also  won  the  highest  honors 
in  the  linguistic  department  and  oratory,  and 
on  receiving  ids  degrees  delivered  a  classical 
oration  in  Latin.  Soon  after  his  graduation  he 
married  Mary  Virginia  Dnnn,  of  Virginia,  and 
the  young  people  settled  in  Santa  Rosa,  Califor- 
nia, early  in  October,  1874.  In  January,  1875, 
lie  was  elected  Professor  of  the  Natural  Sciences 
and  Modern  I,iterature  in  the  Pacific  Methodist 
College,  which  position  he  filled  with  credit  to 
himself  and  to  the  institution.  Having  grad- 
uated in  international  and  mercantile  law  while 
at  college,  he  liad  a  strong  desire  to  engage  in 
the  practice  of  the  law.  Accordingly  he  re- 
signed his  professorship  in  May,  1879,  and  in 
the  following  autumn  removed  to  the  city  of 
Fresno  and  opened  a  law  otHce,  where  he  has 
since  practiced  with  more  than  ordinary  success. 
He  has  represented  Fresno  County  twice  in  the 
Assembly  of  the  State,  where,  as  a  skillful  par- 
liamentarian and  a  trained  speaker  he  was  ac- 
corded a  first  place  by  that  body.  Mr.  Griffith 
Avas  the  first  to  take  active  measures  looking  to 
a  settlement  of  the  irrigation  question,  and 
many  of  the  remedies  suggested  by  him  have 
since  become  laws.  So  much  did  his  fellow- 
citizens  appreciate  his  knowledge  and  services 
that  a  great  mass  meeting  of  the  people  in 
1884  elected  him  along  with  Judge  J.  W. 
Worth  as  a  delegate  to  go  to  Sacramento  and 
assist  in  formulating  the  necessary  irrigation 
measures.  Mr.  Griffith  was  a  member  of  the 
State  Democratic  Conventions  which  nominated 
Governors  Stoneman  and  Bartlett  for  the  posi- 
tions which  they  subsequently  held.  He  has 
always  been  a  vigorous  advocate  of  Democratic 
doctrines,  and  has  ever  been  ready  in  an  honor- 
able way  to  promote  tiie  interests  of  his  party. 
Mr.  Griffith  is  essentially  a  self-made  man, 
having  himself  earned  money  sufficient  to  ob- 
tain a  liberal  education.  In  despite  of  many 
disadvantages  he  has  succeeded  in  business  and 


has  accumulated  a  neat  sum  of  money.  He 
owns  handsome  and  valuable  city  and  country 
property  in  Fresno  County.  Some  months  since 
lie  purciiased  tiie  fine  residence  on  the  corner  of 
B  and  7th  streets,  in  Santa  Eosa,  and  removed 
his  family  to  this  beautiful  city,  which  he  avers 
he  loved  first  and  can  but  love  last.  Here  Mr. 
Griffith,  though  yet  young,  hopes  to  spend  his 
life.  He  and  his  estimable  wife  have  three 
children,  a  son  and  two  daughters,  the  two  eldest 
being  now  in  attendance  at  one  of  the  maiiv 
excellent  schools  of  Santa    llosa. 

«^^.3,  ,!.?.^>-^ 

fACOB  K.  SNYDER,  deceased.— No  histoi-y 
of  Sonoma  County  or  of  California  would 
be  considered  complete  without  more  than 
a  passing  mention  of  him  whose  name  heads 
this  sketch.  He  was  born  in  Philadelphia  in 
the  year  1812.  His  father,  John  Snyder,  was  a 
flour  merchant,  and  during  the  war  of  1812  was 
made  a  bankrujit  by  the  loss  of  three  cargoes  of 
flour  which  were  captured  by  the  British  squad- 
ron on  Chesapeake  Bay.  Shortly  after  the  close 
of  the  war  he  turned  his  attention  to  brick 
making,  a  business  he  pursued  with  great  energy 
till  his  death.  John  Snyder  was  no  ordinary 
man.  Taking  for  his  motto  that  of  the  phil- 
osophical Benjamin  Franklin,  that  a  trade 
was  a  fortune  to  its  possessor,  he  brought  up 
each  of  his  sons  to  some  useful  branch  of 
mechanical  labor,  earnestly  exhorting  them  to 
excel,  each  in  his  particular  business.  At  an 
early  age  Jacob  R.  Snyder  was  apprenticed  to 
the  carpenter  and  joiner's  trade,  but  his  longing 
desire  for  a  life  in  the  far  West  caused  him, 
during  his  apprenticeship,  to  mature  a  plan  for 
emigrating  to  the  land  of  his  dreams.  In  the 
year  1834  he  could  have  been  found  on  the 
banks  of  the  Ohio  where  the  present  city  of 
New  Albany,  Indiana,  now  stands,  at  that  time 
almost  an  unbroken  forest.  There  he  remained 
several  years,  but  the  same  adventurous  spirit 
tinit  led  him  from  the  old  home,  still  urged  him 
on,  and  in  1845,  while  California  was  vet  a  Mexi- 


HISTonV    OF    SONOMA    COUNT V. 


can  province  with  no  hope  of  its  becoming  a  part 
of  our  great  Union,  except  as  a  dream  possibly  to 
materialize  in  the  distant  future,  lie  determined 
to  make  it  his  future  home.  With  nine  others, 
early  in  thatseason,  Mr.  Snyder  proceeded  to  In- 
dependence, Missouri,  from  whence,  after  neces- 
sary preparation  for  the  arduous  journey  over 
almost  trackless  plains,  deserts,  and  mountains, 
they  started  for  this  sunny  land.  After  almost 
incredible  hardships  the  little  band  separated  at 
Johnson's  ranch  on  Bear  River,  September  23, 
1845,  Mr.  Snyder  continuing  his  journey  to 
San  Francisco,  where  he  remained  some  time. 
At  this  juncturethe  Californians  had  begun  to 
manifest  a  strong  desire  to  not  only  resist  the 
tide  of  American  emigration  but  also  to  drive  out 
those  already  here.  Mr.  Snyder,  in  1846,  ap- 
plied to  the  Governor  for  a  grant  of  land,  with 
the  view  of  building  a  fort  for  the  protection  of 
emigrants.  The  Governor,  however,  became  sus- 
picious of  the  designs  of  the  Americans,  and 
fearing  their  restless  energy  and  power,  refused 
to  make  the  grant.  The  same  year,  1846, 
Mr.  Suyder  joined  Colonel  Freinont  and,  by  his 
knowledge  of  the  country  and  acquaintance 
with  the  customs  and  habits  of  the  people,  he 
contributed  in  no  slight  degree  to  the  success  of 
the  operations  wliich  so  rapidly  and  successfully 
cleared  Califoruia  from  Mexican  domination. 
As  quartermaster  of  Fremont's  battalion  he  re- 
ujained  in  the  service  until  the  war  ended.  He 
was  then  appointed  by  Governor  Mason  Sur- 
veyor-general of  the  middle  department  of 
California.  In  the  exercise  of  the  difficult 
and  arduous  duties  of  this  office  he  won  the 
esteem  and  confidence  of  the  people,  and  re- 
signed his  office  amid  universal  regret,  after 
which  he  entered  into  business  in  Sacra- 
mento. In  1849  he  was  one  of  the  leading  men 
in  the  convention  called  by  Governor  Riley  for 
the  formation  of  a  constitution  for  the  State. 
His  firui  decided  course,  his  clear  prophetic 
vision,  showing  the  needs  of  the  future,  his 
manifest  desire  to  serve  the  interests  of  the 
people,  and  to  faithfully  perform  his  duty,  in- 
dependent   of    party    control,  gained    for    him 


almost  universal  esteem  and  confidence.  In 
1851  Mr.  Snyder  was  elected  to  the  State  Sen- 
ate from  San  Francisco  by  a  large  majority.  As 
a  Senator  he  made  an  honorable  record.  The 
previous  year  he  had  become  a  member  of  the 
well-known  banking  firm  of  James  King  & 
Company.  In  1853  he  was  appointed  by  Pres- 
ident Pierce,  United  States  Assistant  Treasurer 
at  San  Francisco,  a  responsible  position  which 
he  held  during  the  administrations  of  President 
Pierce  and  President  Buchanan.  Upon  theout- 
break  of  the  Rebellion  he  rose  above  the  level 
of  the  partisan  and  by  word  and  deed  allied 
himself  staunchly  with  the  loyal  citizens  of  the 
State  in  the  active  support  of  the  Union  cause. 
In  fact,  it  is  claimed  and  believed  that  the  atti- 
tude of  Mr.  Snyder  had  more  influence  than 
can  be  estimated  in  preventing  an  attempt  to 
overthrow  governmental  authority  in  California. 
In  1862  he  retired  from  the  cares  and  anxieties 
of  an  official  life  to  live  upon  his  splendid  prop- 
erty at  Sonoma.  There  he  passed  the  remainder 
of  his  days,  resisting  all  effijrts  of  his  friends 
who  tried  to  induce  him  to  again  enter  public 
life.  Mr.  Snyder  was  a  remarkable  man.  En- 
dowed by  nature  with  a  stalwart  frame,  he  was 
possessed  of  a  mental  strength  and  vigor  fully 
equaling  his  physical.  Perhaps  no  one  has 
passed  away  leaving  behind  so  long  a  record  of 
California  experiences.  Commencing  life  here 
as  a  lumber  merchant,  he  passed  through  mostly 
all  phases  of  business.  Shortly  before  his  death 
he  was  president  of  the  Wine  Growers'  Associa- 
tion of  the  State.  As  a  soldier  and  as  a  civil- 
ian he  ever  did  his  duty,  and  by  all  was  credited 
as  being  thoroughly  honest  and  conscientious  in 
all  his  acts,  and  to-day  his  memory  is  held  as 
fresh  and  green  as  the  loved  hills  and  valleys  of 
his  loved  home  in  Sonoma  County.  Plis  death 
occurred  April  29,  1878.  In  1850  Mr.  Snyder 
wedded  Miss  Susan  H.  Brayton,  of  Massachu- 
setts, who  died  June  20,  1871.  April  20, 1874, 
he  took  for  his  second  wife  Miss  Rachel  J.  Sears, 
daughter  of  Franklin  and  Margaret  (Swift) 
Sears,  who  was  born  at  the  home  of  her  parents  in 
Sonoma  Township.     Mrs.  Snyder  occupies  the 


IIISTOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY 


beautiful  b6me  establislied  by  her  husband.  The 
estate  of  130  acres  about  one  mile  north  and 
east  of  the  city  produces  fruits  of  all  kinds  and 
is  one  of  the  most  delightful  rural  prupertTes  to 
be  found  in  the  favored   Sonoma  Valley. 


liA  I'lUWELL,  of  AVushingtoii  Township, 
oue'of  the  old  settlers  of  Sonoma  County, 
^  is  a  native  of  Lafayette  County,  Missouri, 
born  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  Lexington, 
August  8,  1828.  He  was  there  reared  to  man- 
hood, and  in  1850  set  out  for  California,  with 
a  part}'  of  neighbors  from  Cass  and  Henry 
counties,  Missouri.  Tliey  followed  the  main 
trail  until  it  divided,  thence  by  Fort  Hall  and 
down  the  Humboldt,  and  what  was  known  as 
the  Carson  route.  After  a  journey  of  six 
months  duration,  he  arrived  at  Georgetown, 
where  he  mined  about  a  year.  A  few  days  before 
Christmas,  1852,  he  aiTived  in  Sonoma  County, 
and  located  near  the  old  Franklin  Bidwell 
ranch,  within  a  half  mile  of  Ilussian  liiver,  and 
also  near  the  Fitch  and  Alexander  land.  L-a 
Bidwell  and  Cyrus  Alexander  were  the  only 
occupants  of  Alexander  Valley  at  that  time. 
For  several  years  he  followed  the  business  of 
hunting  game  for  the  San  Francisco  market. 
He  would  haul  the  game,  principally  deer,  to 
Sonoma  by  wagon,  and  then  ship  on  a  launch 
for  San  Francisco,  thus  requiring  from  three  to 
five  days  to  get  game  to  market,  where  it  would 
bring  from  12^  to  20  cents  per  pound.  Game 
was  plentiful  and  seven  months  in  the  year 
good  shooting  was  afforded.  There  were  none 
of  the  hunters  of  that  day  who  could  excel  him 
at  hunting,  though  he  was  not  the  best  marks- 
man at  target  shooting.  Since  coming  to  So- 
noma County  he  has  killed  grizzly  and  black 
bears  to  the  number  of  twenty-three.  He  has 
not  followed  hunting  as  a  business  since  1857, 
in  fact  he  has  done  very  little  since  then.  It 
was  the  custom  to  hunt  in  parties  of  three  or 
four  in  partnership,  and  in  this  way  they  often 
secured  more  than  850  worth  of  game  in  a  day. 


After  giving  up  hunting  he  went  up  on  Block 
MouTitain,  selected  a  location,  where  George 
Jacobs  now  lives,  and  resided  there  a  year, 
making  some  iinprovements,  consisting  of  or- 
chards, etc.  He  then  bought  a  piece  of  land 
near  Franklin  Bid  well's  place,  where  he  lived 
seven  or  eight  years,  then  sold  out  and  bought 
and  improved  another  place.  In  the  spring  of 
1876  he  bought  where  he  now  resides,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1877  he  moved  on  to  it.  Mr.  1  lid- 
well  has  made  all  improvements  except  an  old 
house  that  has  been  standing  for  many  years. 
Before  moving  to  his  present  place,  he  had  a 
ranch  of  GOO  acres  stocked  with  cattle  and  sheep. 
He  turned  this  place  and  stock  over  to  his  two 
sons  in  order  to  give  them  a  start  in  life.  Mr. 
Bidwell  was  married  in  Missouri  to  Miss  Eliza 
beth  Brooks,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  who  died  in 
the  spring  of  1855.  By  that  marriage  there 
were  three  children,  viz.:  John,  James,  and 
Nancy  Jane,  wife  of  James  Anderson.  Mr. 
Bidwell's  present  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Caro- 
line Howard,  a  native  of  Missouri,  born  in  Mc- 
Donald County,  and  daughter  of  William  and 
Rachel  (Markham)  Howard.  Her  parents  went 
from  Tennessee*  to  Missouri,  and  from  there 
came  to  California  in  1854,  making  the  trip 
across  the  plains,  locating  in  Mokelumne,  thence 
to  a  ranch,  on  Russian  River,  and  two  years 
later  to  Ukiah.  ilr.  Howard  is  a  prosperous 
business  man  in  the  latter  place.  Politically, 
Mr.  Bidwell  is  a  Democrat.  He  has  witnessed 
tlie  great  change  that  has  taken  place  in  Sonoma 
County,  and  remembers  when  it  was  a  wilder- 
ness. His  present  ranch  consists  of  100  acres, 
seven  miles  north  from  Healdsburg.  This  is 
devoted  to  general  farming,  and  he  has  a  small 
vineyard  of  choice  varieties  of  grapes. 

fATRICK  CARROLL.— No  history  of 
Sonoma  ("ounty  would  be  considered  com- 
'\  plete  without  mention  of  the  well-known 
and  representative  farmer  whose  name  heads 
this    sketch.     Mr.   Carroll   was  born   in    Mon- 


410 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


aghan  County,  Ireland,  March  27, 1834,  the  son 
of  Peter  and  Mary  (Graham)  Carroll,  both  na- 
tives of  the  county  of  his  birth.  His -early  life 
was  spent  upon  his  father's  farm,  and  he  re- 
ceived at  the  same  time  a  good  schooling.  At 
the  age  of  fourteen  j'ears  he  accompanied  two 
of  his  sisters  to  New  York,  where  he  joined  his 
brother,  James  Carroll.  Upon  his  arrival  in 
New  York  he  entered  the  employ  of  his  brother 
as  a  clerk  in  his  store,  where  he  remained  until 
January  5,  1853,  when  his  brother  and  himself 
embarked  via  the  steamer  route  for  California. 
Upon  their  arrival  in  San  Francisco  they  pro- 
ceeded to  the  mines  and  there  engaged  in  min 
ing  operations.  Mr.  Carroll  was  also,  while  in 
the  mining  districts,  engaged  in  clerking, 
packing,  teatning,  etc.  In  1854  the  failing 
health  of  his  brother  James  induced  them  to 
quit  their  mining  interests  and  seek  a  more 
congenial  occupation,  and  in  that  year  tliey 
came  to  Sonoma  County  and  located  in  Big 
Yalley,  three  miles  northwest  of  what  is  now 
Bloomiield.  Here  the}'  purchased  160  acres  of 
land  from  Robert  Gordon,  and  entered  into 
agricultural  pursuits.  They  were  successful  in 
their  enterprises  and  gradually  increased  their 
landed  interests.  They  were  among  the  first  to 
recognize  the  fact  that  success  in  farm  opera- 
tions could  be  best  secured  by  diversified  farm- 
ing. Although  their  lands  produced  immense 
crops  of  grain,  the  prices  often  ruled  low, 
consequentl}'  they  established  a  dairy  and 
entered  upon  stock-raising.  They  were  also 
among  the  lew  who  made  potato-growing  a 
success  in  that  section.  This  partnership  was 
continued  until  the  death  of  his  brother,  James 
Carroll,  which  occurred  in  1869.  Since  that 
date  Mr.  Carroll  has  conducted  the  enterprise 
alone.  His-present  magnificent  farm  comprises 
1,800  acres  of  rich  and  productive  hill  and 
valley  land.  Although  much  of  his  land  is  well 
adapted  for  fruit  cultivation,  he  has  but  eight 
acres  of  orchard.  In  tliat  he  has  a  fine  variety 
of  fruit,  comprising  apples,  pears,  plums, 
cherries,  etc.  He  has  also  a  large  acreage  in 
potato  cultivation,  but  the  most  of  his  attention 


is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and  stock.  Among  his 
stock  are  250  head  of  cattle  improved  by 
Durham  breeds.  Two  hundred  head  of  his 
cattle  are  milch  cows,  forming  a  splendid  dair}', 
which  is  producing  a  superior  grade  of  butter. 
Mr.  Carroll  takes  a  great  interest  in  improving 
the  breed  of  horses  in  his  section,  and  has  spared 
neither  time  nor  money  in  securing  this.  He 
is  the  owner  of  the  well  known  thoroughbred 
stallion,  "Harry  Paton."  Fron)  him  he  has 
bred  some  of  the  finest  roadsters.  He  has  also 
some  fine  specimens  of  draft  horses  from 
Norman  stock.  In  fact  all  of  Mr.  Carroll's 
stock  is  of  the  best.  Hogs,  of  which  he  has  a 
large  number,  are  bi-ed  from  thorouo-hbred  Berk- 
shires,  and  he  also  has  100  head  of  Sjianish 
Merino  sheep  upon  this  model  farm.  The  build- 
ings upon  this  place  are  finely  located  aiid  are 
first-class  in  every  respect.  A  fine  two-story 
residence  with  a  broad  veranda  running  entirel}' 
around  the  building,  pleasantly  located  amid 
shade  trees,  etc.,  is  worthy  of  mention,  as  are 
his  commodious  barns  and  outbuildings.  All 
of  these  attest  the  successful  farmer  and  pros- 
perous man.  Mr.  Carroll's  residence  of  over 
thirty-four  years  in  his  section  has  made  him 
well  known  throughout  the  county,  and  his 
open  hearted  liberality  and  straightforward  deal- 
ing have  gained  him  hosts  of  friends.  He  is  a 
life-long  Democrat,  consistent  in  his  views  and 
taking  a  great  interest  in  his  party,  which  has 
many  times  chosen  him  as  their  representative 
in  county  and  State  conventions.  His  influence 
has  always  been  exerted  for  what  he  considers 
to  be  for  the  best  interests  of  the  party  without 
regard  to  individual  members.  He  is  a  con- 
sistent member  of  the  Catholic  church.  In 
1869  Mr.  Carroll  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Mary  Alice  Clark,  the  daughter  of  Edward 
and  Alice  (Stewart)  Clark,  natives  of  Tyrone 
County,  Ireland,  but  residents  of  Melbourne, 
Australia,  where  Mrs.  Carroll  was  born.  From 
this  marriage  there  are  five  children  living,  viz.: 
Mary  A.,  born  February  11,  1870;  James,  Nov- 
ember 3,  1871;  Agnes  J.,  January  12,  1873; 
Katie  L.,  October  23,  1875,  and  Gertrude  E., 


HI  STORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


August  24,  1876.  The  sixth  child,  Johnnie, 
born  February  1,  1878,  died  September  29, 
1885,  and  the  seventli,  Ilalenor  Eleece,  born 
June  16,  1885,  died  October  6,  1885.  Among 
tlie  representatives  of  Mr.  Carroll's  family  wlio 
are  residents  of  Sonoma  County,  are  his  three 
sisters,  viz.:  Susan,  who  married  Mr.  William 
Jones;  Catherine,  who  married  Michael  Slattery 
(since  deceased),  and  Jane,  who  married  James 
Whittaker. 


jARK  CAR K.— The  subject  of  this 
sketch,  a  worthy  citizen  of  A'^allejo 
Township,  was  born  in  the  nortli  of  Eng- 
land in  1825.  In  August,  1848,  lie  married 
Anna  Middlemass,  and  on  the  fifth  day  of 
March,  1850,  sailed  from  Liverpool,  landing  in 
New  York  May  13th,  of  that  year.  He  went 
to  Ohio  and  worked  there  three  or  four  months, 
when  he  removed  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  en- 
tered the  lead  mines  in  La  Fayette  County, 
remaining  there  until  the  fall  of  1852.  He  then 
came  to  California  by  water  and  landed  in  San 
Francisco  Uecember  3d.  He  went  to  the  mines 
at  Plaeerville,  remaining  tliere  that  winter, 
when  he  went  to  where  Folsoni  now  stands,  be- 
fore any  houses  were  built  there,  it  being 
nothing  but  a  small  mining  camp,  dotted  here 
and  there  with  miners'  tents.  Mr.  Carr  re- 
mained there  until  1858.  Folsom  by  that  time 
had  become  quite  a  place.  He  had  good  suc- 
cess in  the  mines,  making  plenty  of  money,  but 
according  to  the  customs  of  the  miners  in  those 
early  days,  their  mone}'  went  quite  as  easy  as 
they  made  it.  After  leaving  thei-e  Mr.  Carr 
came  to  Sonoma  County,  and  remained  at 
Bloomfield  a  short  time  and  then  went  over  to 
Tomales,  in  Marin  County.  There  he  rented  a 
dairy  ranch,  which  he  conducted  two  years,  then 
returned  to  Sonoma  County,  rented  a  ranch  in 
Blucher  Valley,  and  remained  there  three  years. 
On  the  eighth  day  of  September,  1864,  he 
bought  his  present  place,  which  then  contained 
145  acres,  since  which  time  he  has  added  eighty 


acres  to  it,  making  153  acres  of  as  fine  land  as 
can  be  found  in  the  Petaluma  Valley.  This  is 
devoted  to  the  raising  of  grain,  hay  and  pota- 
toes, and  he  also  has  a  fine  family  orchard  of 
about  100  trees.  When  he  first  went  on  to  the 
place  there  was  a  little  old  house  and  only  a 
small  part  of  the  land  fenced.  By  his  own  toil 
and  industry  he  has  succeeded  in  improving  and 
beautifying  his  farm  to  what  it  now  is.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Carr  have  tlu'ee  children:  Ulsnla,  wife 
of  Hector  McLean,  a  resident  of  Santa  Barbara 
County;  Thomas  M.,  a  resident  of  this  township, 
and  Mark,  Jr.,  also  of  Sonoma  County. 

l^ON.  ROBERT  BRIGGS,  Senator  from 
iW|  White  Pine  County  in  the  General  As- 
TSi(l  sembly  of  Nevada,  purchased  in  January, 
1888,  295  acres  of  land  in  Mendocino  Town- 
ship, within  two  miles  of  Ilealdsburg,  where  he 
now  resides.  Mr.  Briggs  is  a  native  of  Monroe 
County,  Missouri,  born  January  21,  1836,  and 
son  of  Samuel  G.  and  Nancy  (Wallace)  Briggs. 
Both  parents  were  natives  of  Kentucky,  who 
went,  when  young,  to  Missouri.  Samuel  G. 
Briggs  was  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  For  a 
time  he  was  engaged  in  business  in  Paris,  Mis- 
souri, then  removed  to  Scotland  Coutity,  and 
from  there  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California  in 
1852,  and  located  in  Amador  Count}'.  There 
he  became  superintendent  of  schools  and  held 
that  office  for  sixteen  years.  His  death  occurred 
June  21,  1875,  and  his  wife  died  November  23 
of  the  same  year.  Robert  Briggs,  who  was  six- 
teen years  of  age  when  the  family  came  to  Cali- 
fornia, commenced  mining  in  Amador  County, 
and  four  years  later  went  to  Calaveras  County, 
where  he  followed  prospecting  and  mining  until 
1868.  He  then  removed  to  Nevada  and  en- 
gaged in  prospecting  in  Elko  County  and  after- 
ward in  White  Pine  Count}'.  His  mining 
experiences  were  finally  crowned  with  financial 
success,  but  not  until  he  had  seen  for  himself 
the  nps  and  downs  of  prospecting.  In  1884 
Mr.  Briggs  was  placed  in  nomination   for  the 


IHSrORT    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


position  of  Senator  by  the  Democratic  Conven- 
tion of  White  Pine  County,  and  carried  tlie 
district  at  the  ensuing  election,  although  it  is 
ordinarily  strongly  Ilepublican.  He  served 
in  the  Senate  with  credit,  and  although 
in  the  minority,  soon  took  a  leading  posi- 
tion in  that  body  and  was  on  the  important 
committees  of  Mines  and  Mining,  Public  Mor- 
als and  Education,  Eoads  and  Highways,  and 
Agriculture,  and  was  also  on  the  joint  commit- 
tee on  Irrigation.  He  was  urged  by  his  party 
to  accept  the  nomination  for  Governor  of  his 
State,  but  declined  further  political  preferment, 
and  at  the  close  of  his  Senatorial  term  retired 
to  private  life  and  removed  shortly  afterward  to 
California.  Mr.  Briggs  was  married  in  White 
Pine  County,  Nevada,  to  Miss  Julia  A.  Fonts, 
a  native  of  California,  born  at  Iowa  Hills, 
Placer  County.  They  have  one  child  livings 
Daisy.  Mrs.  Briggs  is  a  daughter  of  Levi  H. 
Fonts,  who  came  to  California  from  Iowa  in 
1849.  He  was  a  native  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and 
was  but  nineteen  years  of  age  when  he  crossed 
the  plains  to  California.  His  death  occurred  in 
1863.  His  widow  is  now  a  resident  of  JSTevada. 
Her  maiden  name  was  Frances  Peters,  and  she 
was  a  native  of  Missouri,  having  come  across 
the  plains  with  her  parents  in  1850.  Mr. 
Briggs'  place  near  Healdsburg  is  now  devoted 
principally  to  stock  and  general  farming,  and  it 
also  has  a  small  vineyard.  It  is  his  intention, 
however,  to  plant  about  twenty  acres  in  fruit, 
mostly  pears  and  cherries,  in  the  winter  of 
1888-'89.  Mr.  Briggs  is  a  strong  partisan, 
always  contending  earnestly  for  what  he  thinks  is 
right,  yet  liberal  to  his  opponents.  He  is  genial 
in  his  disposition,  and  is  alwaj's  surrounded  by 
a  host  of  friends. 


§R.  JULIEN  H.  RANKIN  is  a  native  of 
New  York,  and  was  born  and  reared  in 
■^     Rochester.     His  father,  John  Rankin,  was 
a  Scotchman  by  birth,  and  his  mother  was  a  na- 


tive of  New  York.  The  Doctor  was  educated 
for  his  profession  in  his  native  city,  beginning 
at  the  age  of  nineteen  years,  and  remaining 
there  in  business  about  two  years  after  complet- 
ing his  apprenticeship.  He  came  to  California 
when  twenty-three  years  of  age  and  is  now  past 
thirty-three.  He  was  in  San  Francisco  a  j^ear, 
pursuing  his  profession,  wlien  became  to  Santa 
Rosa,  and  after  operating  three  years  for  Dr. 
Wiley,  returned  to  San  Francisco.  He  there 
entered  into  a  partnership  with  Dr.  G.  W. 
Christenson,  taking  charge  of  the  operative  de- 
partment and  remaining  there  until  1885,  when 
he  was  seriously  injured  in  a  railroad  collision 
in  Oakland.  The  accident  occurred  by  the  col- 
liding of  two  trains  running  at  right  angles  with 
each  other,  the  Doctor  being  in  the  hindmost 
car  which  was  struck  by  a  water  car  backing  to 
cross  the  track,  and  was  completely  demolished. 
Dr.  Rankin  was  the  only  one  injured,  there 
being  but  one  other  passenger  in  the  car.  The 
injuries  he  sustained  were  chiefly  of  an  internal 
nature.  His  hips  were  crushed  and  his  spine 
and  nervous  system  injured  so  that  he  was  dis- 
abled from  doing  business  for  three  years,  being 
in  bed  and  unable  to  move  except  when  lifted, 
for  five  months.  For  two  years  he  was  able  to 
walk  only  with  the  aid  of  crutches.  Thinking 
to  improve  his  chances  for  recovery,  he  took  a 
sea  voyage  to  Honolulu,  and  after  remaining 
there  about  five  months  returned  very  little  im- 
proved. In  March,  1888,  he  again  settled  in 
Santa  Rosa,  and  on  June  15th  opened  his 
dental  office,  being  able  to  work  at  the  chair  a 
few  hours  a  day.  He  is  gradually  improving 
in  health,  but  never  expects  to  fully  recover  from 
the  effects  of  the  terrible  disaster  he  ex- 
perienced. The  Doctor  has  always  made  a 
specialty  of  the  operative  branch  of  dentistry, 
and  ranks  among  the  most  skillful  of  his  pro- 
fession. Since  resuming  his  work,  he  has  had 
all  the  business  he  can  attend  to.  Doctor 
Rankin  was  married  in  May,  1888,  to  Miss 
Forsyth,  a  native  of  Kansas  and  daughter  of 
William  Forsyth,  deceased.  She  has  been 
almost   a   life   acquaintance,  and    a    tried    and 


mSTOUY    OF    SONOMA    COUNVy 


faithful  friend  during  his  afflictions.     They 
a  very  devoted  and  happy  couple. 


fOHN  Z.  JOHNSON,  deceased.—  A.mong 
the  well  known  residents  of  Sonoma  County, 
and  particularly  of  Santa  Rosa  Vallej',  was 
the  pioneer  whose  name  heads  this  sketch.  A 
brief  resume  of  his  life  is  as  follows:  Mr.  John- 
son was  a  native  of  Yirginia,  and  was  a  descend- 
ant of  one  of  the  oldest  families  of  the  Old 
Dominion.  He  was  born  in  1826,  his  parents 
being  Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Morehead)  Johnson, 
both  natives  of  the  State  of  his  birth.  In  his 
early  3'outh  his  father  moved  to  Indjana  and 
settled  in  Kosciusko  County,  where  he  engaged 
in  farming  and  other  (occupations.  He  is  still 
living  (1888)  in  tliat  county,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-six  years.  Esquire  Johnson,  as 
he  is  called,  is  a  man  of  prominence  and  is  nni- 
versally  respected  and  esteemed  in  Kosciusko 
County.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared 
and  educated  in  that  county.  His  youth  was 
spent  upon  his  father's  farm,  at  the  same  time 
receiving  as  good  an  education  as  the  common 
schools  of  the  county  afforded.  In  his  young 
manhood  he  learned  the  trade  of  miller  and 
wheelwright,  at  which  occupation  he  was  en- 
gaged until  18i9.  It  was  then  that  the  gold 
fever  swept  over  the  country  and  tired  the  ambi- 
tion of  the  young  men  and  lured  them  to  the 
new  El  Dorado.  Mr.  Johnson  was  among  the 
first  to  start  for  the  (rolden  State,  and  in  the 
spring  of  that  year  he  began  the  journey  across 
the  plains  with  ox  teams.  After  the  usual  hard- 
ships, toils,  etc., attending  such  a  long  immigra- 
tion he  arrived  in  California  in  the  fall  of  1849, 
and  immediately  located  in  the  mining  districts 
and  commenced  the  occupation  of  a  miner. 
After  some  months  of  trial  he  concluded  that  a 
miner's  life  was  not  suited  to  his  tastes,  and  not 
meeting  with  the  desired  success,  lie  abandoned 
the  mines  and  souglit  employment  at  his  calling 
as  a  miller.  He  obtained  work  at  this  in  Hoopa 
Valley,  Humboldt  County,  where  he  remained 


until  1858.  In  that  year  he  returned,  via  the 
steamer  route,  to  his  old  home  in  Indiana.  Up- 
on his  return  home,  in  1858,  he  married  Miss 
Mary  Ann  Yeager,  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Catherine  (Ut)  Yeager.  Her  father  was  a 
native  of  France,  and  her  mother  was  of  Ger- 
man descent  and  was  born  in  Pennsylvania. 
Mr.  Johnson  settled  down  in  Indiana,  and  en- 
gaged in  his  occupation  as  a  miller.  He  was 
also  during  the  years  of  his  residence  there  the 
owner  of  extensive  mills,  which  he  successfully 
conducted  until  1864.  At  that  time  being  de- 
sirous of  a  mure  congenial  climate,  he  came  the 
second  time  to  California,  bringing  his  family 
with  him.  This  time  lie  came  by  steamer  route, 
and  upon  his  arrival  in  San  Francisco  proceeded 
to  Sonoma  County  and  located  in  Santa  Rosa 
Township.  His  first  residence  in  the'  county 
was  on  the  Petaluma  road,  two  and  one-half 
miles  south  of  Santa  Rosa,  where  -he  purchased 
a  fine  farm  of  lUO  acres,  and  there  established 
a  dairy.  Mr.  Johnson  was  successful  in  his 
farming  and  dairy  operations,  and  he  resided 
upon  that  farm  until  1875.  In  that  year  he 
sold  out  and  located  in  Aiuily  Township,  in 
Redwood  school  district,  near  Forestville,  at 
which  point  he  purchased  350  acres  of  land. 
From  that  time  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
June  2,  1888,  Mr.  Johnscm  devoted  his  atten- 
tion to  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  his 
farm.  In  this  he  was  successful  as  in  all  other 
enterprises,  and  soon  ranked  as  one  of  the  lead- 
ing farmers  in  his  section.  He  was  an  energetic 
and  progressive  man,  and  with  soimd  business 
principles  these  qualities  soon  enabled  him  to 
take  the  lead.  His  long  residence  in  the  county 
made  him  well  known,  and  wherever  known  he 
was  respected  and  esteemed  for  his  straight-for- 
ward manly  qualities.  He  was  always  a  strong 
supporter  and  often  the  leader  of  any  enterprise 
that  would  inhisopinionadvancetheinterestsand 
welfare  of  the  community  in  which  he  resided. 
In  political  matters  he  was  a  strong  Republican 
and  Union  man.  In  the  death  of  Mr.  Johnson 
the  community  lost  one  of  its  most  respected 
citizens.       Mr.    and    Mrs.    Johnson    have    two 


lutsronr   cf  sonoma   couis'Ty 


children,  viz.:  Daniel  Webster  and  Rebecca. 
The  former  married  Miss  Emma  Banks,' of 
Forestville.  Her  parents  were  Lebbeus  1.  and 
Mary  (Ilurlbiut)  Banks,  early  pioneers  of 
Oi-ugon,  who  came  to  Sonoma  County  in  1884. 
Rebecca  married  James  II.  Mahme,  and  is  now 
(1888)  residing  in  Santa  Rosa.  Mr.  Malone  is 
a  well  known  engineer  and  electrician  in  that 
city.  Daniel  W.  Johnson  is  residing  with  his 
mother  upon  the  old  homestead,  and  is  engaged 
in  conducting  the  farm  operations.  The  farm, 
as  before  stated,  contains  350  acres.  It  is  situ- 
ated at  Forestville  station  on  the  Guerneville 
branch  of  the  San  Francisco  &  North  Pacific 
Railroad.  With  the  exception  of  a  fine  family 
orchard  in  which  are  grown  a  large  variety  of 
fruits,  the  land  is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and 
stock  purposes.  Among  the  stock  are  100 
head  of  fine  Spanish  Merino  sheep.  Of  horses 
and  cattle  the  farm  is  stocked  with  good  Ameri- 
can grades.  One  tiling  is  specially  worthy  of 
mention,  and  that  is  eleven  and  one-half  acres 
of  land  which  is  devoted  to  alfalfa.  This  land, 
with  no  irrigation,  readily  yields  four  crops  per 
annum,  aggregating  eight  tons  per  acre.  The 
improvements  upon  this  farm  are  of  the  most 
substantial  character,  consisting  of  a  beautiful 
two-story  residence,  in  which  are  combined  many 
of  the  modei'u  conveniences  and  improvements, 
and  also  large  and  substantial  barns  and  out 
buildings.  Mr.  Johnson,  Jr.,  has  erected  a  paint 
and  work  shop.  Besides  being  a  practical  farmer 
he  is  also  a  good  carriage  painter,  a  machinist, 
and  photographer,  to  all  which  occupations  he 
devotes  more  or  less  attention,  both  for  pleasure 
and  profit. 


tN.  PETERS,  farmer  of  Vallejo  Town- 
ship was  born  in  Fairfield,  Franklin 
,„  ®  County,  Vermont,  June  2,  1827.  His 
father,  Joseph  Peters,  was  a  native  of  New 
Hampsliire,  of  English  descent,  but  a  son  of 
Richard  and  Mary  (Cass)  Peters,  both  natives 
of  the  New  England  States,  his  mother  of  New 


Hampshire.  Our  subject's  maternal  grandpar- 
ents were  Abraham  and (Bradley)  North- 

rup,  natives  of  Connecticut,  of  English  extrac- 
tion. At  the  age  of  four  years  he  was  moved 
to  the  township  of  Armada,  Macomb  County, 
Michigan.  Flere  in  a  remote  settlement  he 
grew  to  maturity.  Though  reared  in  this 
sparsely  settled  country  where  advantages  for 
education  were  limited  in  the  extreme,  by  dint 
of  his  own  perseverance,  his  will  ]iower  and  his 
indomitable  energy,  with  which  he  was  blessed, 
he  received  a  good  education.  He  attended 
school  during  the  three  winter  months,  and  in 
the  summer  months  his  .training  was  of  a  mus- 
cular nature.  His  surroundings  also  had  a 
marked  influence  upon  his  education,  being 
brought  up  in  the  woods,  where  nature's  de- 
stroyer had  not  laid  his  hand,  he,  like  many 
men  so  reared,  took  nature  for  his  guide;  and 
his  tastes  and  likings  are  for  those  things  that 
are  natural,  and  strongly  averse  to  anything 
falling  without  the  pale  of  nature's  laws.  At 
the  early  age  of  nine  years  he  was  called  upon 
to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  sainted  mother.  She 
being  a  devout  and  pious  mother,  he  lost  that 
influence  which  more  than  any  other  molds 
the  future  of  sons,  and  on  their  lives  leaves  its 
sacred  tinges.  But  she  did  not  depart  without 
leaving  in  a  great  measure  her  impress  upon  her 
sons,  thougli  it  was  at  so  early  a  stage  in  their 
lives,  her  kindly  advice  and  counsel  always  be- 
ing the  more  forcible  on  account  of  her  absence 
— serving  to  direct  their  course  heavenward. 
When  in  the  twentieth  year  of  his  age,  he  at- 
tended school  at  Romeo,  Michigan,  a  branch  of 
Ann  Arbor  Institute.  Here  he  received  the 
polish  of  his  literary  attainments.  After  leav- 
ing college,  he  spent  some  little  time  in  pros- 
pecting in  the  valleys  of  the  Mississippi  and 
Ohio  Rivers,  with  a  view  of  following  tlie occu- 
pation of  his  family  of  past  generations  who 
were  tillers  of  the  soil.  In  his  travel  through 
the  valley  he  happened  at  Nauvoo  at  the  time 
of  the  Mormon  expulsion.  He  witnessed  their 
departure  and  becanie  acquainted  with  the  wife 
of  the  celebrated  prophet,  Joseph    Smith.      He 


IllSTOItY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


ended  his  prospecting  tour  in  the  great  agricul- 
tural State  of  Iowa,  locating  in  the  township 
of  Marion,  Linn  County,  remaining  about  two 
years  and  meeting  with  good  success,  when  he 
became  so  alflicted  with  that  pleasure  destroy- 
ing malady — fever  and  ague — that  he  was  forced 
to  dispose  of  his  property.  He  emigrated  to 
the  State  of  Wisconsin,  locating  in  the  town- 
ship of  Sheboygan.  Here  he  engaged  in  the 
fanning  and  lumbering  business  until  the  28th 
of  January,  1849,  when  his  happiness  was  again 
disturbed  by  another  fever — this  time  of  a  dif- 
ferent nature — it  being  the  California  gold 
fever.  Leaving  Wisconsin  February  1,  he 
reached  St.  Louis,  where  he  became  leader  in 
forming  a  company  which  soon  leftfor  St.  Joseph 
where  he,  in  company  with  one  of  the  partners, 
secured  and  broke  the  oxen  for  their  long  and 
tedious  journey.  This  absorbed  the  time  until 
near  the  close  of  the  month  of  March.  Then 
the  remainder  of  the  mess  came  up  with  tlie 
wagons  and  provisions.  Here  they  overhauled 
and  loaded  the  outfit.  Li  doing  so,  to  his  mor- 
tification and  disgust,  he  found  forty  gallons  of 
whisky  as  composing  a  part  of  the  store  of  pro- 
vision. Knowing  the  evil  of  this  and  the  liable 
disastrous  failure  of  the  trip  which  this  might 
cause,  he  was  determined  that  it  should  never 
cross  the  river.  But  upon  broaching  the  subject 
to  the  rest  of  the  mess  he  found  himself  to  be 
alone  in  the  opposition.  He  was  offered  the  al- 
ternative of  going  with  the  liquor  or  remaining 
at  home,  although  he  was  the  principal  owner 
and  as  before  stated,  the  leader.  His  intentions, 
however,  were  not  in  accordance  with  eitiier  of 
the  propositions.  The  climax  was  reached  when 
they  arrived  at  the  Nishna  Botany  River,  where, 
upon  appealing  to  the  captain  of  the  Indiana 
company,  whose  kindly  intervention  happily 
brought  an  end  to  the  difficulty  by  securing  the 
disposition  of  the  objectionable  article.  Har- 
mony was  restored  and  he  afterward  received 
the  thanks  of  the  entire  company  for  his  obsti- 
nate opposition.  At  this  time  a  company  was 
organized,  consisting  of  five  wagons  and  twenty- 
five   men,   with   Worncastle,   who    had    been  a 


United  States  captain  in  the  Mexican  war,  as 
their  captain.  April  2  they  started  on  their 
journey  to  the  golden  shores  of  California,  ar- 
riving in  Sacramento  August  25,  1849.  There 
the  company  dispersed,  scattering  themselves  to 
the  various  mining  districts  which  appeared  to 
them  most  promising.  Tlie  subject  of  this 
sketch  hired  out  to  drive  a  team  of  oxen  to 
Coloma  for  A.  \i.  Hurd,  receiving  $10  per  day. 
The  trip  occupied  six  days,  and  after  arriving 
there  he  purchased  a  rocker  and  proceeded  to 
Cold  Springs,  where,  with  a  partner,  he  opened 
his  first  claim,  receiving  from  the  operation  of 
said  claim  from  $16  to  $20  per  day  each.  His 
aim  was  that  of  all  those  who  came  to  Cali- 
fornia at  that  early  date, — to  become  rich  and  to 
return  to  home  and  friends, — ^who  took  for  their 
motto,  "  Let  us  be  quickly  rich,"  and  acting  on 
this  he  was  not  satisfied  with  the  above  pay 
but  shifted  from  claim  to  claim,  following  after 
the  Jack  o-lantern — better  diggings — conse- 
quently ending  his  first  experience  as  all  rolling 
stones — mossless.  In  January,  1851,  he  went 
to  San  Francisco  en  route  to  the  Salmon  mines, 
on  Salmon  Kiver,  a  tributary  to  Klamath 
Kiver.  He  arrived  there  and,  in  company  with 
two  others,  became  the  possessor  of  a  store  of 
miners'  supplies,  the  ferry  at  Red  Cap's  Bar, 
and  the  packing  route  from  Port  Trinidad  to  the 
mines,  which  they  operated  nine  months,giving 
promise  of  very  lucrative  employment.  When 
on  the  road  to  Port  Trinidad  for  supplies  he 
came  near  witnessing  and  being  a  participant 
in  a  most  dreadful  and  bloody  traged}',  which 
in  a  single  night  blasted  all  protnised  bright 
prospects.  Upon  arriving  at  Thompson  &  Mc- 
Devnott's  ferry  he  found  that  for  a  trifling  cause 
an  Indian  had  been  shot.  This  wrought  the 
rest  of  the  tribe  to  such  a  pitch  of  anger  that 
they  took  revenge  in  their  accustomed  savage 
style.  All  the  whites  about  the  ferry  were 
massacred  except  two,  a  man  and  his'wife  who 
resided  in  a  house  where  all  the  fire-arms  were 
kept,  and  with  these  they  protected  themselves 
until  day  when  the  packers  began  to  come  in. 
The  Indians  tiien  took  flight  to  the  mountains- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


The  packers  congregated  to  quite  a  number  and 
went  in  pursuit.  The  search,  howes'er,  was 
fruitless,  and  Mr.  Peters  returned  to  Red  Cap's 
Bar,  where  he  disposed  of  his  eiiects  and  re- 
turned by  tlie  way  of  Port  Trinidad  to  San 
Francisco.  From  there  he  went  to  Louisiana 
Bar  in  Placer  County,  where  he  had  other  in- 
terests. When  at  Sacramento  he  received  the 
painful  intelligence  of  the  death  of  his  father. 
This  severed  the  last  bond  which  drew  him  to 
his  home.  Six  months  had  elapsed  after  the 
father's  death  before  the  news  reached  his  son 
on  the  Pacific  slope.  He  remained  and  worked 
his  claim  until  the  latter  part  of  October,  when 
he  returned  via  the  Isthmus,  to  New  York, 
thence  to  Sheboygan,  his  old  home,  remaining 
there  during  the  winterof  1851  and  '52,  settling 
up  affairs  preparatory  to  returning  to  Cal- 
ifornia. In  the  spring  he  proceeded  to  St.  Jo- 
seph where  he  purchased  an  outfit,  but  came  in 
contact  with  a  company  to  whom  he  sold  out, 
and  engatred  as  captain  of  the  company.  This 
company  consisted  of  a  man  and  his  wife,  their 
five  children,  a  young  lady  and  five  other  gen- 
tlemen. They  passed  about  the  same  route  as 
in  '49  and  were  unmolested  until  they  reached 
the  Platte  River,  where  they  were  called  to  a 
halt  by  a  band  of  Indians.  The  party,  however, 
soon  dispersed  them  and  they  had  no  more 
trouble  until  they  reached  the  Humboldt 
River,  where  they  again  encountered  the  In- 
dians. The  redmen  were  accustomed  to  rijn  off" 
the  cattle  from  the  trains.  All  the  volunteers 
fiom  the  trains  to  the  number  of  100  were  se- 
cured, and  the  Indians  were  pursued  and  pun- 
ished; they  being  concealed  in  a  large  willow 
thicket  it  was  necessary  for  the  force  to  be 
divided;  six  of  them  were  to  ride  into  the 
thicket  and  the  remaining  ninety-four  to  watch 
the  outside,  and  shoot  them  as  they  emerged. 
On  being  driven  out  by  the  party  within,  the 
most  of  the  Indians  were  killed  and  but  two  of 
the  emigrants  were  injured.  Again  pursuing 
their  journey  they  arrived  in  Sacramento  Octo- 
ber 1,  1852.  Mr.  Peters  then  went  to  Marys- 
ville,   where,    on   the  6th  of  October,   he    was 


united  in  matrimony  to  Miss  Eleanor  Lowe, 
who  is  a  native  ot  Nova  Scotia,  born  May  28, 
1828,  in  Cornwallis  Township,  Kings  County. 
Her  ancestors  on  her  father's  side  were  Scotch 
and  on  her  mother's  American.  Her  parents 
were  Ruth  and  John  Lowe.  The  name  of  John 
Lowe's  mother  was  Martha  Gibson,  and  the  par- 
ents of  Ruth  Lowe  were  Stephen  and  Eleanor 
(Godfrey)  West.  In  company  with  his  wife 
they  moved  to  Grand  Island  where  he  ei  gaged 
in  farming,  remaining  there  for  two  years. 
From  there  they  removed  to  Dry  Creek,  Amador 
County,  following  the  same  business  as  at 
Grand  Island,  and  after  remaining  there  one 
winter  went  to  Sacramento,  where  he  engaged 
in  the  milk  and  hotel  business  for  a  year. 
They  then  went  to  Georgetown,  El  Dorado 
County,  and  engaged  in  mining,  following  that 
industry  until  the  year  1860.  In  that  year  he 
came  to  Petaluma,  and  again  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  dairying,  which  business  he  has  since 
successfully  conducted.  They  have  reared  a 
family  of  nine  children,  viz.:  Johannah, 
Charles  R.,  Frances  A.,  Cassius  M.  C,  Emma 
J.,  John  L.,  Clara  B.,  Nellie  N.  and  Jessie 
S.  Fickle  fortune  has  to  him  shown  its  bright 
and  its  dark  side,  but  through  it  all  he  has 
proved  himself  equal  to  the  emergencies  and 
has  secured  for  himself  and  family  many  of 
the  comforts  of  life,  and  has  given  to  his 
children  the  advantages  of  a  good  education. 


S*'?»-=>S^^l.-=>^ 


tA.  NORTON,  Jk.— Of  the  rising  young 
business  men  of  Sonoma  County,  we  must 
**  not  overlook  Mr.  L.  A.  Norton,  Jr.,  the 
second  son  of  Col.  L.  A.  Norton,  of  Healds- 
burg.  He  is  a  "  native  son,"  born  in  Healds- 
burg,  April  16,  1867,  and,  although  scarcely 
past  his  majority,  is  already  identified  to  a  re- 
markable extent  with  the  progress  and  enter- 
prise of  his  native  city.  Starting  out  in  life 
when  yet  a  boy,  he  engaged  in  the  cigar  and 
tobacco  business,  on  the  east  side  of  the  plaza. 
In  February,  1888,  he  associated   himself  with 


lILSTOliY    UF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


liis  present  partner  under  the  firm  name  of 
Bates  &  Norton,  in  tlie  line  of  fancy  groceries, 
and  such  is  the  energy  and  business  ability  of 
these  3'onng  men  that  they  are  rapidly  outstrip- 
ping many  of  the  older  established  business 
tirms,  and  securing  to  themselves  a  lucrative 
business  which  extends  over  the  city  and  its  sub- 
urbs. Not  only  this,  but  such  is  the  popularity 
of  Mr.  Norton  among  his  associates  that,  unso- 
licited by  himself,  he  has  already  occupied  many 
honorable  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility. 
Always  being  ready  to  extend  a  helping  hand 
to  encourage  enterprise,  he  has  been  foremost 
in  several  local  organizations,  among  which  may 
be  mentioned  the  Elites,  a  juvenile  l)ase  ball 
club,  and  the  Enterprise  Base  Ball  League,  a 
county  organization  composed  of  clubs  at  Santa 
Rosa,  Lytton  Springs,  Healdsburg  and  other 
points.  In  1886  he  organized  the  Sotoyome 
Cadets,  an  athletic  and  military  organization, 
which,  in  1887,  was  merged  into  the  Healds- 
burg Athletic  Club,  Mr.  Norton  being  its  first 
president.  He  is  foreman  of  the  Rescue  hook 
and  ladder  company;  also  assistant  engineer 
of  the  tire  department;  is  drum-major  of  the 
Healdsburg  band,  and  in  fact  it  may  be  said 
that  no  enterprise  in  Healdsburg  can  be  consid- 
ered perfected  without  the  support  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  He  is  still  unmarried,  living  at 
the  Sotoyome  Hotel,  where  he  entertains  his 
many  friends. 


fAMES  R.  MELSON,  of  the  iirm  of  Kuy- 
kendall  A:  Melson,  contractors  and  builders, 
has  been  a  resident  of  Sonoma  County  four 
years.  He  is  a  native  son  of  California,  born 
in  El  Dorado  County,  thirty-four  years  ago. 
His  father,  Isom  Melson,  came  with  his  father 
from  Indiana,  during  the  early  gold  excitement, 
to  California,  and  engaged  in  mining  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  Some  years  ago  he  returned  to 
the  East  and  settled  in  Missouri,  where  he  still 
lives.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  four 
f'hildreii,  one  sister  being  deceased  ami  two  sis- 


ters living  in  "Washington  Territory.  Mr.  Mel- 
son learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  Sutter 
County,  and  for  the  past  eight  years  has  been 
steadily  engaged  in  the  building  business.  He 
contracted  for  buildings,  in  partnership  with  a 
brother-in-law,  in  Sutter  County,  and  after  leav- 
ing that  place  in  1S83,  he  worked  one  season  in 
Mendocino  County,  where  he  erected  a  number 
of  buildings  and  then  came  to  Santa  Rosa.  After 
working  a  year  for  another  contractor,  he 
launched  out  in  Itusiness  for  himself.  In  18S7 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Kuykendall, 
which  continues  to  the  present  time.  They 
have  erected  about  twenty-live  buildings,  prin- 
cipally residences,  and  have  now  (August,  1888) 
four  under  contract,  costing  from  §3,000  to 
$4,000  each.  They  employ  an  average  of 
thirteen  skilled  mechanics,  paying  the  most  of 
them  $3  per  day.  Mr.  Melson  also  designs 
buildings  when  desired.  He  was  married  Octo- 
ber 12,  1885,  to  a  lady  who  was  born  in  Norway, 
reared  in  Minnesota  from  her  early  girlhood,  and 
who  came  to  California  some  years  ago.  Her  par- 
ents, Mr.  and  Mrs.  Swenson,were  among  the  early 
settlers  in  New  London,  Minnesota,  and  are  now 
residents  of  Santa  Rosa.  Mr.  Swenson  owns  and 
operates  a  tannery  near  the  Santa  Rosa  brewery. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Melson  have  one  child — -a  son. 


mm 


fR.  A.  J.  MILLER.  -The  subject  of  this 
sketch  plainly  shows  in  his  physique  the 
union  of  good  old  Scotch  blood  with  that 
of  the  American  pioneer.  His  mother,  Adelia 
McCook,  emigrated  to  this  country  from  Scot- 
land at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years,  and  his 
father. was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
for  many  years  a  preacher  in  the  Evangelical 
denomination,  stationed  at  Lancaster,  Fairlield 
County,  Ohio,  where,  in  1833,  the  doctor  was 
born,  and  where  his  mother  died  a  few  years 
later.  After  the  death  of  his  mother  he  re- 
moved with  his  father  to  Holmes  County,  Ohio, 
where  he  attended  school,  but  it  being  oidy  the 
ordinary   type  of  country  sclioul   at    that  early 


IIISTOUr    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


period,  and  his  father  desiring  that  he  should 
receive  better  scliool  advantages,  he  returned  to 
Lancaster,  making  his  home  with  his  grand- 
father. When  fifteen  years  of  age  lie  determined 
to  see  the  world,  and  shipped  as  a  cabin  boy  on 
board  the  ship  Auark,  of  the  Merciiants'  Line, 
spending  the  next  five  years  aboard  ship.  At 
the  expiration  of  that  time  he  returned  to  Lan- 
caster and  read  medicine  with  Professor  Fire- 
stone and  Doctor  Perkey  until  1851,  when  he 
entered  the  Western  Reserve  College  at  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  at  wiiich  institution  he  graduated 
with  high  honors  in  1854.  That  same  year  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Samantha  Woods, 
daughter  of  James  Woods,  a  farmer  of  Hancock 
County,  Ohio;  and  began  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  removing  to 
Jerusalem  in  1857,  and  returning  to  the  United 
States  in  1860.  At  the  first  call  for  volunteers 
in  18G1,  he  enlisted  as  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the 
Fourth  Ohio,  under  Colonel  Cantevell,  serving 
three  3-ears  and  re-enlisting  in  the  One  Hundred 
and  Thirty- third  Ohio,  under  Colonel  Ennis,  re- 
maining in  the  service  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  The  war  record  of  the  doctor  is  as 
varied  as  it  is  interesting.  Beginning  with  the 
first  engagement  at  Pea  Pidge  it  includes  the 
first  battle  of  Bull  Pun,  Cliancellorsville, 
Rhomany,  New  Creek,  etc.  At  Harper's  Ferry 
he  was  captured  by  Jackson,  but  happily  was 
paroled  at  Arlington  Heights  three  days  later- 
He  served  on  detached  duty  at  Georgetown  and 
again  at  Fortress  Monroe  in  the  spring  of  1864. 
Then  came  the  memorable  battle  of  the  Wilder- 
ness, Petersburg  and  the  operations  before 
Richmond  at  the  close  of  the  war.  During  all 
this  time  the  doctor's  wife  and  son  was  with  her 
father  in  Hancock  County,  Ohio.  At  the  close 
of  the  war  Dr.  Miller  returned  to  Cleveland  and 
entered  the  Cleveland  ^ledical  College  (Homeoe- 
pathic)  and  graduated  in  18GS.  He  continued 
the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Hancock  County 
until  1870,  in  which  year  he  emigrated  with  his 
family  to  Schuyler,  Nebraska,  engaging  in  the 
drug  business,  but  returning  again  to  Ohio  in 
1875.     In   November  of  1876    he   once    more 


turned  his  face  westward,  this  time  locating  in 
Harvey  County,  Kansas,  where  he  practiced  his 
profession  until  1881,  at  which  time  he  came  to 
California,  coming  via  the  Santa  Fe  route.  He 
tirrt  located  at  Los  Angeles  and  after  remaining 
there  six  months  returned  to  Kansas.  The  fall 
of  1888,  however,  he  came  back  to  this  State, 
this  time  selecting  Sonoma  County  as  a  perma- 
nent residence,  settling  at  Healdsburg,  where 
his  experience  as  a  practitioner,  his  urbane  man- 
ners and  thorough  good-fellowship  are  rapidly 
making  him  popidar.  He  is  a  member  of  I'u- 
ford  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Halstead,  Kansas;  is  a 
Mason  of  high  degree,  and  has  affiliated  with 
the  Odd  Fellows  since  1866.  The  doctor  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church,  and  politic- 
ally he  is  a  Republican. 


f^|||ILLIAM  PRINDLE,  senior  partner  of 
l|o|  Prindle  &  Seavy,  dealers  in  saddles  and 
l^=s>^  harness.  No..  518  Fourth  street,  has 
been  a  resident  of  Sonoma  County  fifteen  years. 
On  settling  in  Santa  Rosa  he  engaged  in  the 
market  business,  purchasing  an  interest  with  J. 
W.  Gray.  Failing  health  compelled  Mr.  Prindle 
to  abandon  that  occupation,  as  he  could  not  en- 
dure the  exposure  and  labor.  After  selling  his 
interest  in  the  meat  market  he  wns  out  of  busi- 
ness for  three  years,  when  he  opened  a  harness 
shop  and  store  opposite  the  Occidental  Hotel, 
buying  out  the  stock  of  G.  W.  Hamilton,  in 
1885.  About  a  year  later  he  sold  a  half  inter- 
est to  his  late  partner,  S.  A.  Seavy.  In  the 
fall  of  1886  they  bought  the  stock  of  L.  Keser, 
and  consolidated  the  two  stocks  into  the  present 
store,  since  which  time  their  business  has  pros- 
pered and  grown.  They  keep  a  tine  assortment 
of  saddles  and  harness,  the  most  of  which  they 
manufacture,  emplo3-ing  from  four  to  five 
mechanics  in  the  shop.  Their  stock  embraces 
every  grade  IVom  the  heavy  draft  to  the  finest 
carriage  harness.  They  also  carry  a  fine  assort- 
ment of  saddles,  robes,  horse  clothing,  whips, 
hardware,  horse  pads,  toe  weights,   and  every- 


nitiTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


4-37 


thing  pertaining  to  trat;l<  liorses.  In  short,  it 
would  be  hard  to  mention  an  article  used  about 
a  horse  which  cannot  be  found  in  their  store- 
They  buy  in  large  quantities  and  get  the  ad- 
vantage of  lowest  wholesale  prices.  Mr.  Prindle 
is  a  native  of  Berkshire  County,  Massachusetts, 
and  left  his  home  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years, 
to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  mines  of  California) 
coming,  in  1853,  via  Central  America.  Upon 
his  arrival  he  at  once  engaged  in  mining  and 
passed  eighteen  years  of  his  life  in  the  mines, 
the  most  of  that  time  in  Placer  and  El  Dorado 
counties.  In  1854  he  helped  to  erect  the  first 
liydraulic  machinery  erected  in  Placer  County, 
the  first  Mr.  Prindle  ever  saw.  His  experience 
was  altogether  in  gold  mines,  and  he  has  seen 
panned  out  as  high  as  thirty-six  ounces  to  a 
single  pan  of  dust,  on  the  North  Fork  of  the 
American  River,  an  ounce  at  that  time  being 
worth  $18.  On  the  other  hand,  he  and  six 
partners  put  in  a  flume  for  the  North  Fork  of 
the  American  River,  working  from  April  till 
November,  employing  sometimes  as  high  as 
twenty  men,  and  the  total  result  of  their  sea- 
son's labor  was  five  dollars  in  gold  dust.  He 
left  the  mines  in  1868,  with  about  ^15,000,  and 
went  back  to  his  native  State,  where  he  lost 
$7,000  in  buying  a  farm  near  Sedalia,  Missouri. 
He  lived  there  about  a  year  and  a  half  of  the 
two  years  he  spent  in  the  East.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Placer  County  to  take  charge  of  a 
mine  at  $5  per  day.  From  that  place  he  came 
to  Santa  Rosa.  On  the  whole,  his  mining  ex- 
perience was  satisfactory  and  successful.  He 
owned  a  number  of  mines,  some  of  which  proved 
valuable  property.  One  he  sold  for  $1,800, 
which  the  purchaser  sold  for  $20,000,  and  the 
second  purchaser  sold  it  for  $50,000.  This  was 
the  hydraulic  mine  litigated  in  the  courts  and 
closed  by  legal  process  several  years  ago.  On 
the  steamer  en  route  to  California,  Mr.  Prindle 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Nellie  L.  Ben- 
ton, a  native  of  the  same  county  as  himself,  and 
with  whom  he  was  afterward,  in  1804,  united 
in  marriage  at  Dutcli  Flat.  They  have  two 
children:  Frederick   A.,  aged   twenty-one,   who 


is  engaged  in  the  store  with  his  father;  and  a 
daughter,  Mamie,  thirteen  years  of  age.  Mrs. 
Prindle's  father  died  in  1877,  and  in  1882  her 
mother  died.  They  left  quite  an  estate  of  im- 
proved and  unimproved  property  in  Santa  Rosa, 
in  what  is  known  as  Benton's  addition.  In 
1877  Mr.  Prindle  built  a  nice  residence  on  the 
northeast  corner  of  D  and  Third  streets,  at  a 
cost  of  $3,300,  which  he  still  owns. 


— ^«::i#'^ — 

l^RANK  A.  BOHLIN  is  the  manager  of 
JK  the  Stegeman  Winery.  The  ranch  on 
"^  which  the  winery  is  located,  contains  240 
acres,  and  is  located  within  one  mile  of  Clover- 
dale.  Twenty-five  acres  are  in  vineyard,  and  of 
this  acreage  ten  acres  are  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
years  of  age,  and  the  remainder  from  one  to 
three  years  old  and  upward.  The  varieties  are 
Muscat,  Farisago,  Black  Hamburg,  Isabella, 
Tokay,  Mission,  Zinfandel,  Riesling,  Burger, 
Sweetwater,  Malvoise,  Mataro,  etc.  The  winery 
was  established  by  AVilliam  Stegeman  in  1868. 
It  has  cooperage  for  the  storage  of  26,000  gal- 
lons, while  the  annual  output  is  about  23,000 
gallons.  Some  wine  is  carried  over  each  year 
for  aging.  There  is  also  a  distillery  in  connec- 
tion and  some  excellent  brandies  are  turned  out. 
The  products  of  both  winery  and  distillery  have 
a  high  reputation  and  command  a  ready  market. 
Frank  A.  Bohlin,  who  so  ably  conducts  the  busi- 
ness, is  a  native  of  Germany,  born  in  Hanover, 
February  13,  1856,  his  parents  being  John 
Henry  and  Annie  Kathrina  (Banes)  Bohlin,  the 
father,  a  farmer.  Frank  A.  Bohlin  was  reared 
in  his  native  country,  and  attended  school  be- 
tween the  ages  of  six  and  fourteen  years.  In 
March,  1873,  he  sailed  from  Bremen  to  Balti- 
more. He  soon  went  to  Washington  and  from 
there  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Clinton  County, 
and  working  a  year  at  the  town  of  Breese.  He 
then  went  to  Florisant,  St.  Louis  County,  Mis- 
souri, and  worked  there  three  years.  After  this 
he  attended  St.  Mary's  College,  in  Indiana,  for 
nine  months.      From   there   he   went   to  Logan, 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Felix  County,  Kansas,  and  after  two  or  three 
years  went  South.  He  traveled  throughout  the 
States  of  Arkansas,  Tennessee,  Mississippi, 
Louisiana,  etc.,  and  while  in  the  South  was 
attacked  with  the  yellow  fever.  After  recover- 
ing he  went  to  Arizona,  and  was  a  resident  of 
Prescott  for  seven  months.  He  then  went  to 
San  Francisco  and  from  there  came  to  Sonoma 
County.  Mr.  Bohlin  was  married  in  this  county 
to  Mary,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  "William 
Stegeman.  She  was  born  in  Sierra  County. 
Mr.  Bohlin  is  a  Democrat  politically.  He  has 
seen  a  great  deal  of  the  world,  having  traveled 
extensively  throughout  this  country  and  Europe. 


^^k  W.  CRAIG,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is 
'IpMI  one  of  the  pioneers  of  California,  a  man 
■^^®  widely  known  and  universally  respected. 
He  dates  his  birth  in  Grafton  County,  New 
Hampshire,  April  3,  1809,  and  is  a  descendant 
of  an  old  New  England  family.  He  received  in 
his  youth  only  a  fair  practical  education,  but 
contact  with  the  world  from  an  early  age  has 
more  than  compensated  any  lack  of  youthful 
school  advantages.  He  was  reared  to  the  boot 
and  shoe  maker's  trade,  and  left  his  native  county 
when  si.xteen  years  of  age.  Afterward  he  spent 
several  years  in  traveling  through  the  Eastern 
and  Middle  States,  following  his  trade  until  he 
came  to  California,  which  was  as  soon  after  the 
discovery  of  gold  as  he  could  arrange  to  come. 
Mr.  Craig  reached  San  Frg,ncisco  July  6,  1849, 
having  left  Boston,  Massachusetts,  in  the 
schooner  Boston,  January  26,  the  same  year. 
Of  course,  as  he  had  intended  before  leaving 
New  England,  his  venture  was  in  mining,  in 
Placer  County.  Less  than  two  years  satisfied 
him  that  placer  mining  would  not  suit  him  as 
a  vocation.  He  then  came  to  Sonoma  County 
and  laid  the  foundation  of  a  goodly  fortune  by 
tiie  purchase  of  230  acres  of  the  choicest  of  land 
in  Sonoma  Valley,  on  the  west  side  of  Sonoma 
Creek.  There  on  a  gentle  eminence  giving  a 
magnificent  view  of  the  valley  in  all  directions. 


Mr.  Craig  erected  his  cottage  liome,  and  there 
he  has  ever  since  resided.  His  substantial 
building  improvements,  his  finely  cultivated 
land,  his  orchard  and  splendid  vineyard  of  thirty 
acres,  etc.,  all  betoken  thrift  and  well  earned 
wealth  on  the  part  of  the  owner.  In  1888 
upon  the  completion  of  the  Carquinez  and 
Santa  Rosa  Railroad,  which  crosses  his  prop- 
erty, he  sold  his  ranch  for  $40,000,  to  the 
projectors  of  the  promising  new  town  of  El 
Varano.  Until  late  years  Mr.  Craig  has  devoted 
his  time  and  farm  almost  entirely  to  stock-rais- 
ing and  general  farming,  growing  of  grapes, 
making  wine  and  distilling  grape  brandy.  Al- 
ways thorough,  his  efforts  in  viticulture  have 
been  very  successful,  as  is  evinced  by  the  fact 
that  he,  in  1888,  was  enabled  to  market  his 
choice  crop  of  wine  grapes,  120  tons,  from  30 
acres,  at  $30  per  ton.  Until  recently  he  has 
manufactured  largely  of  wine,  his  output  of 
wine  having  reached  as  high  as  40,000  gallons 
per  annum,  using  both  his  own  grapes  and  pur- 
chasing of  his  neighbors.  February  14,  1849, 
Mr.  Craig  was  married  in  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts, to  Miss  Sophia  T.  Clark,  who  was  born 
in  Rockport,  that  State,  October  8,  1820.  To- 
gether they  have  traveled  life's  pathway  full 
forty  years,  but  their  union  has  been  blessed 
with  no  children.  Politically,  Mr.  Craig  is  a 
Republican.  In  all  the  relations  of  life,  as  a 
citizen,  neighbor  and  promoter  of  public  good, 
he  has  ever  been  a  true,  upright  man,  and  the 
memory  of  few  of  California's  pioneers,  grand 
men  as  so  many  of  them  were,  will  be  more 
kindly  cherished  than  will  his. 


fWEN  II ARAN,  son  of  Owen  and  Bridget 
(Leonard)  Haran,  was  born  in  the  north 
of  Ireland  in  October,  1844.  There  were 
eight  children  in  the  family  of  whom  four  are 
living,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  being  the  only 
one  in  the  United  States.  In  1868  he  went 
from  Belfast  to  Liverpool  and  from  there  to 
New  York,  thence  by  water  again  to  San  Fran- 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Cisco,  where  he  landed  in  August  of  tliat  year. 
He  remained  there  nntil  1873  in  the  employ  of 
the  North  Beach  and  Mission  Street  Railway 
Company,  as  conductor.  From  there  he  went 
to  Austin,  Nevada,  where  he  engaged  in  mining 
for  a  short  time,  and  then  went  into  the  deep 
mines  of  Idaho.  From  Idaho  he  went  to  Vir- 
ginia City,  Nevaihi,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
mining  and  speculating  in  stocks.  Meeting 
with  success  he  finally,  in  1878,  came  to  Sonoma 
County  and  bought  his  present  ranch,  consisting 
of  230  acres.  He  was  married  in  1882  to 
Annie  Cassidy,  who  was  born  in  Ireland,  June 
1,  1856,  near  the  birth-place  of  her  husband. 
Mrs.  Haran  was  about  fifteen  years  of  age  when 
she  came  to  New  York  City,  where  she  lived 
with  an  aunt  until  coming  to  California  in  1882, 
the  year  of  her  marriage.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren: Elizabeth  B.,  born  September  11,  1883; 
and  Frances  W.,  born  November  27,  1880. 


fAVID  N.  CAPJTHEES,  senior  proprie- 
tor of  the  dry  goods  and  clothing  house 
of  D.  N.  Carithers  it  Son,  corner  of 
Fourth  and  B  streets,  is  the  oldest  resident  dry 
goods  merchant,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most 
successful  business  men  of  Santa  llosa.  He 
was  born  in  central  Illinois,  Fulton  County,  in 
1837,  when  that  was  a  frontier  country,  and 
there  he  was  trained  to  habits  of  industry  from 
early  boyhood,  taking  hislirst  lesson  in  business 
in  his  father's  country  store.  Robert  Carithers 
was  born  in  Cadiz,  Ohio,  of  Irish  parentage, 
and  married  Miss  Humphrey,  also  a  native  of 
the  Buckeye  State,  and  of  Scotch  ancestry. 
They  settled  in  Fulton  County,  Illinois,  in  an 
early  day,  where  Mr.  Carithers  engaged  in  mer- 
chandising and  dealing  in  live  stock.  Of  their 
family  of  living  children,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  one  of  three  sons.  He  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools  and  in  Illinois  College 
at  Jacksonville;  and  after  a  brief  experience  in 
teaching  lie  began  the  study  of  law  in  the  office 
of  the  now  eminent  lawyer  of  Chicago,  W.   V,. 


Goudy,  in  Lewiston,  Illinois,  and  continued 
about  three  years.  Before  being  admitted  to 
the  bar,  he  decided  that  mercantile  life  would 
be  more  to  his  taste  than  the  legal  profession, 
and  abandoned  further  preparation.  Returning 
to  his  first  love  he  engage!  in  merchandising  in 
Illinois  until  1867.  Having  beenjnarried  in 
the  meantime  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Clark,  a  native 
of  Fulton  County,  that  State,  Mr.  Carithers  de- 
cided to  cast  his  lot  in  the  Golden  West,  and 
arrived  with  his  family  in  Santa  Rosa,  in  No- 
vember of  the  above  year.  This  now  flourish- 
ing, beautiful  city  was  but  a  village  of  800 
inhabitants  when  he  landed  here.  With  a  capi- 
tal of  §2,500  he  opened  a  store  on  Third  street, 
opposite  the  court  house  plaza.  Under  his  judi- 
cious and  enterprising  management  the  business 
grew  and  prospered,  necessitatingseveral  changes 
of  location  to  secure  more  commodious  and  de- 
sirable quarters.  His  first  removal  was  to  Main 
street,  opposite  the  Grand  Hotel,  where  his  store 
remained  five  years.  From  there  it  was  removed 
to  Fourth  street,  west  of  Mendocino  street,  and 
five  years  later,  in  1881,  to  the  fine  large  store 
the  firm  now  occupies  on  the  northeast  corner 
of  F^ourth  and  B  streets,  the  building  having 
been  purchased  by  Mr.  Carithers  for  the  pur- 
pose soon  after  its  erection.  The  store  is 
40  X  100  feet  in  area,  and  is  an  elegant  commer- 
cial emporium  stocked  with  choice  dry  goods, 
clothing,  boots  and  shoes,  hats  and  gentlemen's 
furnishings  of  the  latest  and  most  approved 
patterns  and  styles.  The  firm  purchase  their 
goods  direct  from  manufacturers  or  their  job- 
bers and  discount  all  bills,  so  that  they  are  en- 
abled to  give  customers  the  benefit  of  as  low 
prices  as  the  same  class  of  goods  can  be  sold  for 
anywhere  in  the  State;  and  their  motto  is  to 
not  be  outdone  either  in  price  or  quality.  This 
wise  business  policy  has  always  kept  the  firm  of 
D.  N.  Carithers  &  Son  at  the  front  in  the  dry 
goods  trade  in  Sonoma  County,  and  has  built 
up  a  business  from  a  few  thousand  dollars  to 
$80,000  or  $100,000  per  annum,  giving  em- 
ployment to  seven  clerks  besides  the  proprie- 
tors.     During   the   historv   of  this    house    ^fr. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Carithei'S  has  had  several  partners  at  different 
periods,  whose  interests  he  has  purchased.  In 
1887  lie  took  in  his  son  and  only  child,  William 
R.  Carithers,  as  a  partner,  since  which  time  the 
firm  title  has  been  D.  N.  Carithers  &  Son. 
AYilliam  R.  Carithers  is  a  yonnginan  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  who  has  been  schooled  in  the  busi- 
ness from  childhood,  is  thoroughly  conversant 
with  every  detail,  and  gives  promise  of  becom- 
ing one  of  the  most  successful  merchants  on  this 
coast.  Mr.  Carithers  has  invested  a  large  por- 
tion of  his  accumulated  surplus  capital  in  Santa 
Rosa  real  estate,  and  owns  $75,000  worth  of 
cliuice  im])roved  city  property.  He  is  also  a 
stockholder  in  and  a  director  of  the  National 
Bank  of  Santa  Rosa.  The  residence  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Carithers,  on  B  street  near  Fifth,  is  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  of  the  many  elegant  homes 
in  this  "  City  of  Roses," 


fOSEPH  E.  WILSON.— Among  the  attract- 
ive orchards  and  vineyards  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Sauta  Rosa  is  that  of  Mr. 
Wilson.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  beautiful  tract 
of  land  1444  acres  in  extent,  located  on  the 
Redwood  road  one  and  one-half  miles  west  of 
the  business  center  of  Santa  Rosa,  in  the  Mon- 
roe school  district.  The  soil  on  his  farm  is 
a  rich  loam  carrying  a  fair  share  of  gravel,  and 
is  well  adapted  for  orchard  and  vineyard  pur- 
poses, as  is  well  attested  by  the  condition  of  his 
improvements.  Forty-five  acres  are  devoted  to 
the  cultivation  of  wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel 
and  Grey  Riesling  varieties.  He  also  produces 
table  grapes  of  the  Muscat  and  Tokay  varieties. 
Twelve  acres  are  planted  with  apples,  pears, 
cherries  and  plums,  and  also  a  variety  of  other 
fruits  too  numerous  to  mention,  all  of  which 
are  very  prolific  in  their  yield.  The  rest  of  his 
land  is  devoted  to  hay  and  grain,  and  such  stock 
as  are  required  for  farm  purposes.  Water  can 
be  procured  in  abunda  ice  upon  this  land  at  from 
ten  to  twelve  feet  below  the  surface.  Mr.  Wil- 
son has  a  fine  residence  in  which  are    all  the 


needed  comforts  that  characterize  a  comfortable 
home.  Pie  has  also  commodious  and  well 
adapted  out-bnildings.  The  general  appearance 
of  this  farm  shows  the  intelligent  care  and 
forethought  of  a  practical  business  man  as  well 
as  farmer  and  orchardist. 


^-ifej 


fHARLES  V.  STUART,  deceased.— Among 
the  pioneers  of  California,  the  men  of 
^  .  1849,  few  led  a  more  active  life  than  he 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch.  Connected,  as 
he  was,  with  the  early  development  of  Sonoma 
County  and  with  the  early  viticultural  experi- 
ments in  Sonoma  Valley,  it  is  fitting  that  men- 
tion should  be  made  of  him  in  this  volume. 
Mr.  Stuart  was  born  in  Nippenoos  Township, 
Pennsylvania,  May  19, 1819,  son  of  Charles  and 
Mary  Stuart.  His  early  life  was  spent  on  his 
father's  farm,  attending  the  winter  schools  until 
he  was  fourteen  years  of  age.  At  that  time  he  was 
placed  in  the  Owego  Academy  at  Owego,  New 
York,  where  he  completed  his  school  education, 
afterward  ertering  a  mercantile  establishment 
at  Ithaca,  New  York.  He  found,  in  1839,  his 
health  failing  to  such  a  degree  that  rest  and 
change  became  indispensable.  The  following 
year  was  spent  in  wandering  from  Maine  to 
Texas  and  from  New  Orleans  to  the  upper  Mis- 
sissippi. After  i-eturning  to  Ithaca  he  formed 
a  mercantile  connection  which  continued  until 
he  decided  to  try  his  fortunes  on  this  coast.  In 
the  last  days  of  March,  1849,  as  captain  of  a 
train  of  pack-mules,  which  he  had  becTi  instru- 
mental in  organizing,  he  left  Leavenworth,  via 
the  northern  route,  for  this  State.  Passing  en 
route  Los  Angeles,  he  reached  San  Francisco 
November  20.  The  old  Mission  Dolores  at- 
tracted him,  and  there  for  nearly  twenty  years 
he  made  his  home.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
first  board  of  aldermen  of  San  Francisco,  under 
John  W.  Geary  as  mayor,  and  he  early  became 
one  of  the  city's  leading  public  and  business 
men.  His  first  great  venture  was  the  leasing 
of  the  Berryessa  family,  the  supposed  true  own- 


llI.STO/ir    OF    SOMiMA    VOUNTr. 


ers,  of  the  famed  New  Aliriadeii  quicksilver 
mines.  After  years  of  unproductive  labor,  to 
escape  litigation,  Mr.  Stuart  sold  his  interests  in 
the  property.  In  1851  he  built  the  tirst  brick 
house  in  San  Francisco.  About  that  time  he 
purchased  property  in  Sonoma  Valley,  and  not 
long  after  began  one  of  the  earliest  essays  at 
viticulture  in  Sonoma  County.  In  1869  he 
settled  under  his  own  vine  and  tig  tree  upon  his 
Sonoma  Valley  property,  and  gave  the  name  of 
Glen  Ellen  to  his  home,  a  name  which  was 
later  given  to  the  neighborhood  postoffice,  and 
still  later  to  a  picturesque  village  three-fourths 
of  a  mile  away,  reached  by  two  lines  of  railroad. 
In  1870  Mr.  Stuart  erected  a  large  and  well 
ordered  residence  upon  his  estate.  He  was 
elected  to  the  State  Constitutional  Convention 
assembled  in  1878.  Reared  in  the  Democratic 
faith  he  loyally  supported  Abraham  Lincoln  and 
his  administration,  and  ever  afterward  acted 
with  the  Republican  party.  In  1843  Mr. 
Stuart  wedded  Miss  Ellen  Mary  Tourtellot,  a 
refined  and  cultured  lady,  daughter  of  Jeremiah 
Tourteilot,  a  French  gentleman  descended  from 
one  of  the  old  Huguenot  families  who  settled 
at  Cooperstown,  New  York.  Her  mother, 
formerly  Eleanor  Wood,  was  of  English 
birth.  After  having  witnessed  the  passing  of 
California  from  a  territory  in  a  semi-chaotic 
condition  to  a  State  teeming  Avith  wealth  and 
civilization,  in  which  he  had  manfully  acted  his 
part,  Mr.  Stuart  died  August  13, 1880.  Widely 
known  and  universally  respected  for  his  many 
good  qualities,  his  death  was  a  great  bereave- 
ment to  the  community  at  large.  Mrs.  Stuart 
survives  and  has  the  charge  and  management  of 
the  Glen  Ellen  homestead,  which  consists  of 
320  acres.  Her  eldest  son,  Robert  II.,  a  young 
man  of  great  promise,  died  in  Colorado  in  Sep- 
tember, 1878.  The  names  of  her  other  children 
are:  Mary,  widow  of  Remington  Pickett,  resid- 
ing at  Santa  Rosa;  Emily,  wife  of  Marc  Stang- 
room,  of  Whatcom,  Washington  Territory. 
The  three  already  mentioned  were  born  in  the 
East,  and  the  following  in  this  State:  Charles 
D.,  of  Pacific  Grove,    Monterey    County,  An- 


toinette, wife  of  Alfred  Vermehr,  of  Kingman, 
ArizoTia;  Ida,  wife  of  George  W.  Sessions,  of 
San  Fi'anciseo;  and  Isabell,  wife  of  Foster  S. 
Dennis,  of  New    I^edford,  Massachusetts. 


^.ENRY  KIRCH  was  born  in  Bavaria, 
^m^  Germany,  January  30,  1835,  his  parents 
^wi  being  Henry  and  Sophia  (Smith)  Kirch, 
both  natives  of  Bavaria.  Mr.  Kirch  attended 
school  in  his  native  place  until  the  age  of  fifteen 
years,  when  he  was  apprenticed  to  the  shoe- 
maker's trade.  After  working  at  that  for  two 
years,  and  being  desirous  of  improving  his  con- 
dition, he  decided  to  seek  some  newer  country. 
Accordingly,  in  1853,  he  emigrated  to  the 
United  States.  Upon  his  ari-ival  in  New  York, 
he  followed  the  occupation  of  a  shoemaker  for 
about  six  months,  then  went  to  New  Jersey  and 
engaged  principally  in  fai-m  labor  until  1856. 
In  that  year  he  returned  to  New  York  and  en- 
-  gaged  in  the  hoop  pole  business  for  one  year. 
In  April,  1857,  he  came  to  California,  via  the 
Nicaragua  route,  and  soon  after  his  arrival  lo- 
cated in  Sierra  County,  where  he  worked  in  a 
lumber  mill  until  1858.  The  Frazer  River 
mining  excitement  then  sprang  up  and  Mr. 
Kirch  decided  to  seek  his  fortune  in  that  dis- 
trict. A  trial  of  six  months  at  mining  proved 
u^atisfactory  and  he  returned  to  Sierra  County, 
where  he  continued  his  oocupation  in  the  mills 
until  1861.  In  that  year  he  went  to  Washing- 
ton Territory  and  located  at  Port  Discovery, 
where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1862,  being 
engaged  in  the  lumlier  mills  at  that  place.  His 
ne.\t  move  was  for  Arizona,  and  he  was  there  oc- 
cupied in  mining,  with  the  exception  of  a  short 
time  spent  in  San  Francisco,  until  1866.  In 
tliat  year  he  returned  to  California  and  located 
in  Marin  County  where  he  rented  a  small  farm 
ami  engaged  in  farming.  While  there  he  was 
also  largely  interested  in  building  and  con- 
structing county  roads,  and  for  three  years  was 
a  road  master  of  the  district  in  which  he  re- 
sided.    In   1870  he  came  to  Sonoma  County, 


UIsrORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


locating  about  two  and  a  lialf  miles  south  of 
Santa  Rosa  upon  lands  whicli  lie  rented  from 
Mr.  Harmon.  He  then  established  a  dairy  of 
about  fifty  cows,  which  he  conducted  until  1874, 
when  he  moved  to  the  lands  of  F.  Leddy,  on 
the  Santa  Rosa  and  Sebastopol  road,  where  he 
remained  and  continued  his  dairy  operations 
till  1884,  at  which  time  he  purchased  his  pres- 
ent farm  and  residence.  This  farm  is  located 
on  the  Santa  Rosa  and  Glen  Ellen  road  in  Ben- 
nett Valley,  about  nine  miles  from  Santa  Rosa, 
in  the  Strawberry  school  district.  He  owns 
689  acres  of  hill  and  valley  land  which  he  is 
rapidly  placing  under  cultivation  and  making 
very  productive.  A  fine  vineyard  of  fifty  acres 
has  been  planted,  which  produces  a  choice  va- 
riety of  Zinfaudel  w'ine  grapes  and  also  a  variety 
of  table  grapes.  Of  orchard  he  has  ten  acres 
in  which  is  grown  cherries,  apples,  pears,  plums, 
French  prunes,  etc.  The  rest  of  the  land  is 
devoted  to  haj  and  pasture  for  stock.  It  is  the 
design  of  Mr.  Kirch  to  largely  increase  his  vine- 
yai-d  and  erect  a  winery.  Mr.  Kirch  has  made 
a  success  in  his  agricultural  pursuits  and  this 
has  been  secured  by  an  energetic  and  intelligent 
system  of  cultivation.  He  is  located  in  a  rich 
and  productive  section  of  the  county,  and  he 
knows  how  to  reap  all  the  benefits  to  be  derived 
from  the  soil.  He  is  a  progressive  citizen,  and 
in  good  standing  in  the  community.  In  pol- 
itical matters  he  is  a  Democrat.  He  is  a  lUQ^n- 
ber  of  Sonoma  Lodge,  No.  53,  I.  O.  O.  F., 
and  also  of  the  Knights  of  Honor.  In  1868  Mr. 
Kirch  married  Miss  Helene  Y.  D.  Scheer,  a 
native  of  Germany,  the  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Catherine  Y.  D.  Scheer.  From  this  marriage 
there  has  been  born  the  following  named 
children:  Lizzie,  Henry,  William,  Julius,  Frank, 
Leonard,  Karl,  and  Peter. 


-3«-<^ 


fOHN.  M.  LAUGHLIN.— The   subject   of 
this    sketcii    dates    his    birth    in    Warren 
County,  Tennessee,  August  24,  1824.     His 
parents,    Alexander    and    Elizabeth    (McGill) 


Laughlin,  were  both  natives  of  Yirginia.  His 
father  died  in  1831,  leaving  the  family  to  the 
care  of  the  mother,  and  in  1840  she  moved  to 
Yan  Buren  County,  Iowa,  and  there  located  on 
a  farm.  Mr.  Laughlin  remained  upon  his  moth- 
er's farm  until  1850,  when  his  ambitious  spirit 
led  him  to  strike  out  in  life  for  himself  In 
the  spring  of  that  year  he  started,  with  ox 
teams,  across  the  plains  for  California.  This 
long  journey  was  accomplished  by  the  usual 
months  of  toil  and  hardships  so  well  known 
and  remembered  by  the  pioneers  of  California. 
September  6,  1850,  he  arrived  at  Placerville 
and  engaged  in  mining.  Mr.  Laughlin  con- 
tinued this  occupation  until  the  spring  of  1853. 
He  then  returned  overland  to  Iowa,  and  in  the 
same  year  married  Miss  Matilda  Faught,  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Nancy  Faucrlit,  natives 
of  Kentucky.  He  remained  in  Iowa  until  the 
spring  of  1854  when,  in  company  with  his  wife, 
mother,  brother  and  sister,  he  started  upon  his 
third  trip  across  the  plains.  This  time  he  and 
his  brother  brought  about  200  cattle  with  them. 
Nothing  unusual  occurred  upon  this  long  journey 
and  the  party  arrived  safely  in  Sonoma  County 
that  fall  and  located  on  the  Mark  West  Creek. 
Finding  immense  tracts  of  rich  land  unoccupied, 
Mr.  Laughlin  pitciied  his  tent.  He  then  went 
into  the  redwoods  where  he  split  out  shakes  and 
other  timber  which  he  hauled  to  his  claim,  and 
used  in  building  a  cabin.  Mr  Laughlin  then 
commenced  his  career  as  a  pioneer  farmer  of  the 
county,  and  siuce  that  time  has  devoted  his 
attention  to  that  calling.  The  success  that  has 
attended  his  efi"orts  is  well  attested  by  the 
various  productions  of  his  rich  and  highly  cul- 
tivated lands.  A  large  and  well  ordered  dwell- 
ing-house containing  the  comforts  and  con- 
veniences of  modern  well  ordered  homes  has 
taken  the  place  of  his  simple  cabin.  Com- 
modious out  bnildings  store  his  products  and 
shelter  his  herds.  The  evidences  of  his  pros- 
perity are  everywhere  visible  upon  this  model 
farm.  Mr.  Laughlin  now  owns  550  acres,  com- 
prising some  of  the  most  productive  land  in 
Sonoma    County,    located    in    Russian     River 


IIISTUBT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Township,  Lone  Redwood  school  district,  less 
than  one  mile  west  from  Mark  West  station, 
on  the   North    Pacific    Railroad.     Among  the 
noticeable  features  ofliis  farm  are  twenty  acres  of 
orchard  which   is  producing  a  large  variety  of 
fruits,  such   as  apples,  peaches,  French  prunes, 
plums,  pears,  and  tigs,    lie  has  also  twelve  acres  of 
vineyard  devoted  to  wine  and  table  grapes,  among 
which  are  Zinfandel,   Malvoise,  Muscat,  Tokay 
and  Rose  of  Peru.    His  alfalfa  fields  are  especially 
worthy    of  mention.      They    comprise    seventy 
acres  of  his  land  and  produce  three  large  crops 
each  year,  besides  furnishing  months  of  pasturage 
for  his  stock;  all   this  is  done  without  any  irri- 
gation.    The  balance  of  his  land  is  devoted  to 
hay,  grain  and  stock.     Among  his  stock  are  300 
sheep  of  the  South  Down  and  Shropshire  breeds. 
His  cattle,  which  he  raises  fur  market  purposes, 
are  improved  with  Durham  stock.     He  also  de- 
votes considerable  attention    to    horses  of   im- 
proved stock,  and   has  some  fine  specimens  of 
draft   and    road   horses,   the   former    being   im- 
proved    with    "  Suffolk    Punch "    and    English 
stock,  and   the   roadsters,  by  "  Anteo  "   Patchen 
stock.     Mr.   Laughlin    is    well    entitled    to    be 
styled  one  of  the  representative  farmers  of  So- 
noma County.     His  long   residence    has    made 
him  well  known,  and   his  straightforward,  con- 
sistent course  of  life  has  gained  for  him  a  large 
circle  of  friends.     He  is  a  public-spirited  and 
progressive  citizen,  a  strong  supporter  of  any 
enterprise  which   he    believes  will   advance  the 
prosperity    and    welfare  of   the    community   in 
which   he   resides.     He   has   served    for    thirty 
years  as  a  school    trustee    in    his   district.     In 
political  matters  he  is  a  Democrat,  liberal   and 
conservative  in  his  views.     He  is  a  member  of 
Santa  Rosa  Lodge,  No.  57,  F.  &  A.  M.,  also  Santa 
Rosa  Chapter,  No.  45.     Mr.  Laughlin's  wife  died 
in  187G,  and  in  1877  he  married   Mrs.  Cordelia 
(Bixby)   Sanborn,  the  widow  of  Ezra  Sanborn, 
a    native   of   Maine,    but    resident   of   Sonoma 
County.     He  has  seven   children    living,   viz: 
Alexander  D.,  who  married  Miss  Mary  Johnson, 
living    in    Santa    Rosa,     is    an    attorney -at-law 
in   that  city;    Eliza  Jane,   who    married    Mark 


Brown,  residing  in  Washington  Territory;'  Mel- 
vina,  wife  of  William  P.  Slusser,  residing  in 
Sonoma  County;  Lizzie,  wife  of  Frank  McCul- 
loh,  residing  in  Mariposa  County;  Amanda, 
wife  of  James  Bailey,  residing  in  Windsor; 
John  and  Alpheus,  living  at  home.  Mrs. 
Laugiilin  has  also  two  children  living  from  her 
former  marriage,  viz:  Willard  B.  Sanborn,  who 
married  Miss  Rose  Perkinson,  now  residing  in 
Santa  Rosa,  and  Emma,  who  married  John 
Faught,  residing  in  Sonoma  County. 


,g^!EORGE  WALTER  ORMSBY  was  born 
iriW  in  Dane  County,  Wisconsin,  April  13, 
'W^  .1848.  His  father,  John  Harper  Ormsby, 
was  born  in  Ohio,  where  lie  grew  to  manhood 
and  from  there  moved  to  Wisconsin.  He  was 
married  July  26,  1837,  to  Betsey  Ann  Carroll, 
a  native  of  New  York  State.  After  a  few  years' 
residence  in  Dane  County  he  moved  to  Mar- 
quette County,  where  he  lived  until  18G1.  In 
that  year  the  famil}',  consisting  of  Mr.  Ormsby, 
his  wife  and  five  children,  came  to  California. 
They  made  the  journey  across  the  plains,  being 
on  the  way  about  six  months,  and  first  located 
in  Big  Valley,  in  Sonoma  County,  within  a 
mile  of  Yalley  Ford  on  the  ranch  of  Stephen 
Fowler.  They  put  in  a  crop  and  stayed  there  a 
few  months,  but  left  the  place  before  the  crop 
was  harvested.  From  there  the  family  went  to 
Amador  County,  where  the  male  members 
worked  at  mining,  at  Mineral  City,  near  Forest 
Home,  a  postoflice  on  the  old  stage  route  be- 
tween Sacramento  and  Placerville.  Mr.  Ormsby 
was  engaged  there  about  a  year,  and  then  came 
down  to  Petaluma  and  stayed  tliere  about  a 
year  for  the  purpose  of  educating  his  children. 
In  1865  he  bought  the  homestead  place  in 
Vallejo  Township,  'in  the  Waugh  district,  then 
consisting  of  260  acres.  He  lived  on  the  place 
until  about  1873,  and  then  moved  to  a  ranch  in 
the  Elmore  district,  near  Petaluma,  where  he 
lived  until  about  1884.  The  family  then  moved 
to  Geyserville,  where  they  now  reside.     They 


HISTORY    OF   SONOMA    COUNTY. 


have  had  live  children,  of  whom  four  are  living: 
John  Whitney,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Prescott,  George 
Walter,  Powell  Martin,  and  Mrs.  Julia  Fill- 
more, deceased.  George  Walter  Ormsbj  was 
married  October  18,  1871,  to  Lydia  Lucetta 
Sackett.  Shortly  after  he  rented  the  whole 
ranch,  in  which  he  already  owned  an  interest, 
the  gift  of  his  father  after  he  became  of  age. 
After  renting  it  for  aboiit  seven  years  he  then 
bought  the  property,  consisting  at  present  of 
223  acres.  It  is  used  principally  as  a  dairy 
farm,  having  about  forty  head  of  cattle.  He 
milks,  on  the  average,  twenty  cows  and  makes  a 
hundred  pounds  of  butter  a  week.  Mrs.  Ormsby 
was  born  at  Fort  Walla  Walla,  Oregon,  daugh- 
ter of  David  A.  Sackett,  one  of  the  early 
pioneers  of  the  county.  Her  fathtr  first  moved 
from  Oregon  to  Yerka,  Siskiyou  County,  Cali- 
fornia, and  when  she  was  about  three  years  old 
he  went  to  Marin  County,  and  shortly  after  to 
Petaluina.  Mr.  Sackett  was  postmaster  of  Pet- 
aluma  for  eight  years,  and  in  1875  moved  to 
Calistoga,  Napa  County,  and  from  there  to 
Hayden  Hill,  Lassen  County;  then  back  to 
Napa  County,  thence  to  Alameda  County,  where 
lie  now  resides.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ormsb}-  have 
four  children:  Julia  Belle,  born  November  1, 
1872;  Ernest  Walter,  born  May  11, 1876;  Ella 
Norean,  born  March  8,  1878;  and  Edna  Gene- 
vieve, born  September  25,  1887. 


fR.  EUGENE  M.  COOPER.— Among  the 
native  sons  of  Sonoma  County,  and  the 
promising  young  business  men  of  Santa 
Rosa,  perhaps  none  are  better  known  than  Dr. 
Cooper.  He  was  born  in  August,  1860,  five 
miles  south  of  Santa  Rosa,  and  is  the  eldest 
child  and  only  son  of  three  children  of  S.  R. 
Cooper.  After  having  studied  the  profession 
of  dentistry  with  Dr.  Savage  in  Santa  Ros^,  he 
opened  an  office  in  1885,  in  Visalia,  Tulare 
County,  and  practiced  there  with  good  success 
until  January  1,  1888.  On  account  of  his  own 
and  his  wife's  healtii,  and  owing  to  the  failing 


health  of  his  fatlier,  S.  R.  Cooper,  of  this  city, 
he  moved  to  Santa  Rosa  and  opened  an  office  in 
the  latter  part  of  January,  1888,  in  the  RendaJl 
Block,  corner  of  B  and  Fourth  streets.  He 
makes  a  specialty  of  operative  dentistry,  but 
does  all  classes  of  work.  Mrs.  Cooper  is  a 
native  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  of  Scotch  par- 
entage, and  has  lived  in  California  since  her 
early  girlhood.     Her  maiden  name  was  Stuart. 


K.  CADY,  proprietor  of  the  town  of 
Agua  Caliente  and  of  the  Agna  Cal- 
^..,,^-~  ^  iente  Springs  Hotel,  was  born  in  New 
London,  Connecticut,  June  23,  1846,  son  of  M. 
K.  Cady  and  Sarah  (Holt)  Cady.  His  school 
days  were  ended  at  the  Collegiate  Institute, 
New  Haven,  Connecticut,  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
years.  At  that  age  he  encountered  life  for 
himself.  Coming  to  Calitornia  via  the  Isthmus 
of  Panama,  in  18G5,  he  spent  the  following  two 
years  in  mining  at  White  Pine  and  other  points 
in  Nevada.  He  later  spent  ses'eral  years  in 
active  business  in  Marysville,  this  State,  there 
being  the  junior  member  of  the  firm  of  Cooley 
&  Cady,  extensive  dealers  in  general  hardware, 
agricultural  and  mining  machinery,  etc.  Mr. 
Cady  sold  his  interest  and  accepted,  in  1874, 
the  position  of  chief  adjuster  in  the  United 
States  mint  at  San  Francisco,  later  being  pro- 
moted to  the  position  of  assistant  coiner  and 
acting  chief  coiner.  In  1881  he  resigned  his 
position  and  made  his  home  upon  the  property 
he  now  owns,  which  he  had  bought  the  previ- 
ous year.  This  fine  estate  consists  of  430  acres, 
100  acres  of  which  are  devoted  to  wine  culture, 
and  many  acres  to  apples,  oranges,  oli-ves  and 
other  fruit.  A  winery  having  a  capacity  for 
the  manufacture  and  storage  of  100,000  gallons, 
and  a  distillery  attached  for  the  making  of 
brandy,  are  among  the  improvements  noticed. 
This  property  includes  both  valley  and  foot- 
hills, giving  wild  and  secluded  nooks  and  again 
sightly  elevations  almost  without  number.  Five 
mineral  springs  form  part  of  the  natural  attrac- 


UlSTURY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


tioiis  of  the  favored  place,  hi  1886  Mr.  Cady 
opened  to  the  pulilie  liis  now  well  and  favorably 
known  resort.  The  sairie  year  he  platted  the 
town  of  Agna  Caliente.  It  is  already  a  place  of 
no  .small  importance.  The  magnificent  hotel  is 
provided  witli  gas  and  electric  hells.  Telephone 
communication  is  had  with  San  Francisco.  Its 
railroad  advantages,  situated  as  the  town  is, 
half  way  between  Sonoma  and  Glen  Ellen,  and 
on  the  line  both  of  the  Sonoma  Valley  and  the 
Santa  Rosa  &  Carquinez  Railroads,  are  all  that 
could  be  desired.  The  locality  is  a  land  of 
promise  for  the  sportsman,  the  hills  furnishing 
an  abundance  of  game,  and  the  streams  are  wel 
stocked  with  that  gamiest  of  all  fish,  the  speck- 
led trout.  The  hotel  itself  has  a  history  well 
worth  recording.  The  south  wing,  30x60 
feet,  though  looking  on  both  the  out  and  inside 
like  a  modern  building,  is  a  solid  adobe  strnot- 
nre,  two  stories  in  height,  which  was  opened 
as  a  hotel,  with  a  sign  svviiiging  to  the  breeze, 
in  1846.  The  landlord  w-as  one  of  the  many 
retainers  of  General  Vallejo,  and  if  the  ancient 
walls  could  speak  they  might  tell  the  story  of 
many  a  gay  fandango  which  has  taken  place 
upon  these  premises.  The  old  structure,  -strong 
as  if  new,  forms  now  the  greater  part  of  the 
south  wing  of  Mr.  Cady's  stately  resort.  It  is 
believed  that  it  was  the  first  hotel  building  ad- 
vertised as  such  to  the  traveler  in  the  State  of 
California.  General  Hooker,  who  owned  the 
ranch  adjoining  on  the  north  and  separated  by 
a  rail  fence  erected  by  him,  which  still  stands, 
lived  many  years  in  this  building,  and  left  it  to 
enter  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  old  build- 
ing has  many  historic  incidents  connected  with 
its  history.  At  different  times  it  has  sheltered 
General  Sherman,  General  Grant,  Stoneman, 
Phil  Kearney,  and  many  others  who  have  since 
become  famous  in  history.  Had  we  space, 
much  of  interest  connected  with  the  immediate 
surroundings  of  the  home  of  Mr.  Cady  could  be 
given.  We  mention,  however,  that  the  unfor- 
tunate General  Stone,  by  man}'  held  responsible 
for  the  disaster  at  Ijalls  Bluff,  which  resulted  in 
the  death  of  our  gallant  General  Baker  in  1861, 

27 


and  who  was  afterward  '-Pasha"  Stone  of  the 
Egyptian  army,  and  who  died  a  lew  years  ago 
in  that  counti'v,  owned  and  occupied  a  rancii  a 
n)ile  north  of  Agua  (Jaliente  long  before  the 
war.  Mr.  Cady  married  at  his  present  home, 
in  1885,  Gail  Freebern,  who  was  born  in  Wis- 
consin and  reared  in  Iowa.  They  have  one 
child,  a  sweet  little  daughter  bearing  her  moth- 
er's name.  At  the  general  election  of  188S 
Mr.  Cady  was  elected  supervisor  in  the  first 
district  of  Sonoma  County,  by  a  vote  compli- 
nientai-y  and  flattering  to  hinj.  To  him  belongs 
the  distinction  of  being  the  tirst  Republican 
elected  in  the  district,  and  of  having  by  his 
election  for  the  first  time  given  to  the  county  a 
Republican  board  of  supervisors.  He  is  a 
member  of  Corinthian  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  No. 
9,  Marysville,  and  of  several  other  orders. 


fOIIN  KING. — Dennis  King,  a  farmer  of 
AVashington  County,  New  York,  came 
from  Ireland  to  Montreal,  Canada,  about 
the  year  1823,  being  one  of  a  i)arty  of  seven 
young  Irishmen  who  started  out  to  seek  their 
fortunes  in  the  New  "World,  nor  did  they  tarry 
long  on  the  Canadian  border,  but  crossed  to 
Whitehall,  New  York,  where  Dennis  found  em- 
ployment as  a  farm  hand,  being  the  first  Irish- 
man ever  seen  in  that  localitj^.  Seven  years 
later  he  married  Johanna  Regan,  a  native  of 
Cork,  Ireland.  John  King,  the  oldest  son  of 
this  union,  was  born  in  the  little  town  of  Gran- 
ville, northern  New  York,  in  July,  1833.  Plere 
he  lived  on  his  father's  farm,  and  by  attending 
the  country  schools  during  the  winter  season, 
acquired  such  rudimentary  education  as  might 
be  obtained  under  such  circumstances.  In  1854 
having  arrived  at  man's  estate  and  feeling  the 
necessity  for  a  wider  field  in  life,  he,  in  company 
with  three  other  young  men  of  Whitehall, 
started  for  California,  the  golden  field  of  ])rom- 
ise  to  so  many.  They  came  via  Panama  and 
landed  at  San  Francisco  on  the  22d  of  April, 
1854,  going  directly  from  there  to  Sacramento, 


IIISTOUY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


wliere  the}'  Irid  jiromise  i>t'  einpolyinent  by  tlie 
"Water  Company.  In  tlii.s,  liowever,  tliey  were 
disappointed,  and  tliey  at  once  set  ont  on  foot 
for  Aubnrn,  Placer  County,  at  tliat  time  the 
scene  ot  active  mining  opei'ations.  His  tirst 
work  in  mining  was  done  at  New  Castle  at  81 
per  (h\y.  For  two  years  he  followed  that  occu- 
pation, and  for  two  years  more  was  interested  in 
mining  and  ranching,  going  first  to  Nevada 
County,  locating  at  Orleans  Flat  in  1858,  then 
to  Eureka  in  1860.  In  1862  he  removed  to 
Austin,  Lander  County,  Nevada,  180  miles  east 
of  Virginia  City,  buying  property  there  and 
building.  This  was  during  the  silver  mining 
e.\citement  of  1862  and  186-4  In  the  spring 
of  1866  he  came  overland  to  Sacramento  by 
•wagon  (at  tliat  time  the  only  mode  of  convey- 
ance), thence  to  San  Francisco  by  steamer  and 
ou  to  Los  Angeles,  his  object  being  the  pur- 
chase uf  stock.  He  bought  the  famous  "John 
Temiile"  brand  of  horses  and,  having  collected 
1,100  head,  left  Los  Angeles  County  in  May, 
1866,  driving  the  herd  across  the  country  to 
Nevada,  arriving  there  in  February,  1867.  The 
following  June  he  secured  a  government  escort 
against  the  Platte  Elver  Indians  and  drove  the 
whole  herd  across  the  Rocky  Mountains  to 
Omaha,  where  they  were  sold.  In  the  winter 
of  1870  he  purchased  6,000  head  of  sheep  in 
Monterey  County,  and  with  five  men  and  two 
dogs  drove  them  to  Lander  County,  Nevada, 
being  tliree  months  on  the  road.  In  1871  Mr. 
King  married  Miss  Anna  M.  Clark,  daughter  of 
R.  N.  Clark,  Esq.,  of  Austin,  Nevada,  and  con- 
tinued to  make  that  place  his  home  until  1881, 
when,  wearying  of  the  labors  of  so  active  a  life, 
he  disposed  of  his  various  interests  in  Nevada 
and  came  to  Sonoma  County.  In  June,  1883, 
he  purchased  1,080  acres  of  the  Lyttou  Springs 
property,  lying  between  the  Russian  River  and 
the  Dry  Creek  Valley,  and  there  engaged  in 
vine-growing  and  farming.  In  1884  he  bought 
the  Boggie  property,  north  of  Ilealdsburg,  a 
beautiful  building  site  on  the  west  side  of  John- 
son street,  where  his  family  residence  was 
erected  in  1885,  and  where  with  his  family,  con- 


sisting of  three  daughters  and  four  sons,  he 
resides,  enjoying  the  leisuie  wliich  comes  after 
a  well-spent  life,  and  being  respected  and 
honored  by  the  community. 


fEREMIAII  RIDGAVAY,deceased.-Among 
the  men  who  settled  at  Santa  Rosa  during 
its  early  liistory  and  became  pioneers  of 
Sonoma  County,  few  were  better  or  more 
widely  known  than  the  subject  of  tliis  sketch. 
He  brought  a  large  capital  to  the  new  country, 
and  early  became  interested  in  its  development 
and  prosperity.  Mr.  Ridjway  was  born  at 
Tuckerton,  New  Jersey,  in  1804,  of  one  of 
t'le  old  Quaker  families  of  that  State,  the  fam- 
ily being  of  English  origin.  In  his  yonth  and 
early  manhood  he  followed  a  sea-faring  life,  pass- 
ing through  all  the  grades  from  a  cabin  boy  to 
a  master  of  a  merchant  vessel.  In  the  prime 
of  manhood  he  wedded,  in  New  York  City,  Miss 
Sarah  Ann  Ridgway,  a  lady  who,  though  bear- 
ing the  same  name,  W'as  from  a  family  tracing 
no  relationship.  After  his  marriage  Mr.  Ridg- 
way became  a  merchant  at  Tuckerton,  and  a  few 
years  later  he  engaged  in  farming  near  Philadel- 
phia, afterward  moving  westward  he  engaged 
in  general  merchandising  at  La  Porte,  Indiana 
a  business  which  he  successfully  followed  for  a 
number  of  years.  Finally  determining  to  make 
the  Pacific  coast  his  future  home,  he,  in  the 
spring  of  1854,  joined  at  St.  Joseph,  Missouri, 
an  overland  train  destined  for  this  State.  From 
the  autumn  of  that  year  until  the  spring  of 
1857  he  resided  at  Sacramento.  He  then  came 
to  Santa  Rosa  and  purchased  160  acres,  one  of 
the  most  desirable  tracts  of  land  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, situated  on  what  is  now  Mendocino 
street,  adjoining  the  city  plat  on  the  north,  in 
fact  the  family  Residence  and  fift}-  acres  of  the 
homestead  are  included  now  in  the  plat  of  the 
city.  Mr.  Ridgway,  investing  his  means  in 
productive  property,  became  one  of  the  wealthy 
men  of  Northern  California.  The  great  be- 
reavement of  his  life  was  the  death  of  his  wife. 


r  rjvDi^EKT  Ci 


^oAn   J^um^i4. 


UlSTOUr    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


439 


in  September,  1869,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two 
years.  Slie  was  the  mother  of  tiiree  children, 
viz.:  Judith,  Jeremiah,  and  Joseph,  of  whom 
the  first  and  last  mentioned  reside  upon  the 
homestead,  Jeremiah  having  tiie  last  few  years 
had  liis  home  in  the  East.  Mr.  Ridgway,  thougii 
over  thirty  j'ears  a  resident  of  California,  had 
still  large  interests  in  the  East.  In  fact,  'tis 
said  that  his  investments  in  real  estate  were 
always  judiciously  made, and  never  changed.  In 
May,  1884,  he  left  his  home  on  business  con- 
nected with  his  interests  in  the  East,  destined 
never  to  return  alive.  He  died  at  La  Porte,  In- 
diana, in  February,  1885.  His  remains  were 
brought  home  for  burial.  Thus,  une  by  one, 
the  pioneers  are  passing  away. 

^   »e^.  r^.p^-^r^ ,  ^^  


fOHN  ADAMS. — There  is  no  man  iu  So- 
lioma  County  better  or  more  widely  known, 
particularly  in  agricultural  and  horticult- 
ural circles,  than  John  Adams  of  Santa  Kosa. 
A  sketch  of  his  life  is  of  more  than  passing 
interest  in  a  history  of  the  county  to  which  he 
has  devoted  the  best  part  of  his  life  in  building 
up;  briefly  stated  it  is  as  follows:  Mr.  Adams 
was  born  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri,  July  31, 
1827.  His  father,  Lynchburg  Adams,  was  born 
in  Lynchburg,  Virginia,  and  emigrated  to  Mis- 
souri in  1818.  His  mother  is  a  native  of  Mis- 
souri, and  was  born  at  Boone's  Fort  in  Boone 
County.  Mr.  Adams  is  descended  from  the 
pioneer  element  of  the  great  West.  He  was 
reared  in  pioneer  settlements  and  early  in  life 
was  inured  to  the  hardships  and  practical  labors 
of  pioneer  farming  and  stock-raising.  He  was 
engaged  in  farm  labor  ujjon  his  father's  farm 
until  1850.  May  10  of  that  year,  he  started 
for  California.  He  joined  Michael  T.  McClel- 
lau  and  worked  his  passage  across  the  plains  by 
driving  an  o.x  team.  After  months  of  toil  and 
hardship,  unavuidable  upon  such  a  journey,  he 
arrived  at  Sacramento,  October  1  of  that  year. 
There  he  was  taken  with  the  cholera,  suffering 
from  an  illness  that  lasted  until  midwinter.    In 


the  fall  of  1850  he  went  to  Shasta  and  engaged 
for  a  short  time  in  mining.  Afterward  he  pro- 
ceeded to  liush  Creek,  where  he  followed  the 
same  occupation  until  August  of  the  same 
year.  At  that  time  the  Indians  became  trouble- 
some and  he  was  compelled  to  abandon  his  min- 
ing prospects.  He  then  came  to  Sonoma  County 
and  engaged  in  farm  labor  for  James  Hud- 
speth, on  land  now  occupied  by  AV.  S.  M. 
Wright,  about  one  mile  and  a  half  west  of  Santa 
Rosa.  In  the  fall  of  1852  he  proceeded  by  steamer 
route  to  New  Orleans,  and  from  thence  I'eturned 
to  his  old  home  in  Missouri.  The  next  spring 
he  went  through  Southern  Missouri  and  Ar- 
kansas, purchasing  cattle.  After  securing  175 
fineniilch  Cows,  he  started  his  herd  across  the 
plains.  He  was  successful  in  this  enterprise 
and  arrived  with  his  stock  iu  Sonoma  ('ounty  in 
the  fall  of  1853.  He  then  located  his  herd  on 
lands  west  of  Santa  Rosa,  where  he  remained 
until  February,  1855,  when  he  took  his  cattle 
into  the  mountains  at  the  head  of  Mark  West 
Creek,  northeast  of  Santa  Rosa.  Not  suited 
with  his  hication,  in  the  fall  of  that  year  he  left 
the  mountains  and  settled  about  one  and  a  half 
miles  northwest  of  Santa  Rosa,  in  what  is  now 
the  Lewis  school  disti-ict,  on  Adams  Lane. 
There  he  purchased  a  squatter's  right  for  160 
acres  of  laud  and  established  himself  as  a  gen- 
eral farmer  and  stock-grower.  Mr.  Adams 
was  one  of  the  first  to  recognize  the  adapta- 
bility of  the  soil  of  Santa  Rosa  Valley  for 
fruit  culture,  and  was  the  pioneer  fruit  grower 
of  the  section  in  which  he  resides.  As  early  as 
1856  he  procured  grafts  from  Oregon  and 
planted  an  orchard  upon  his  lands,  and  he  has 
also  planted  a  vineyard  of  Atission  grapes.  Mr. 
Adams  increased  his  land  holdings  to  about 
350  acres,  making  extensive  and  substantial 
improvements  in  buildings,  etc.  In  1860  he 
built  a  substantial  and  commodious  residence, 
around  which  he  planted  a  large  variety  of  shade 
trees  that  have  added  greatly  to  the  beauty  and 
comfort  of  his  pleasant  home.  In  the  past  few 
years  he  has  sold  portions  of  his  land  until  his 
farm   now   (1888)  contains    236  acres.     Tuese 


iiisTony   o^'  hONoMA   county. 


lands  are  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  are 
vcrj  productive.  Among  his  improvements  is 
a  perfect  system  of  drainage,  easily  controlled 
and  applicable  to  his  farm.  His  fruit  cultiva- 
tion includes  twenty-five  acres  of  orchard,  con- 
taining a  large  variety  of  fruits,  among  which 
are  apples,  peais,  plums,  peaches,  French  prunes, 
cherries,  tigs,  almonds  and  walnuts;  also  afam- 
ily  vineyard  in  which  he  has  wine  and  table 
grapes  of  the  most  approved  varieties.  The 
rest  of  his  land  is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and 
stock-raising.  Among  his  stock  are  some  thor- 
oughbred Jersey  cattle  and  line  specimens  of 
draft  horses,  improved  by  Norman  stock.  The 
sul)ject  of  this  sketch  is  a  strong  believer  in  the 
glorious  future  that  awaits  the  agricultural  and 
horticultural  indnstries  of  Sonoma  County. 
Despite  the  progress  already  made  and  success 
achieved  in  these  industries,  he  deems  them  but 
still  in  their  infancy.  Public  spirited, energetic, 
and  progressive,  he  has  been  in  the  front  rank 
and  taken  a  lead  in  all  enterprises  that  have 
tended  to  advance  the  interests  and  build  up 
Sonoma  County.  He  was  one  of  the  originators 
of  the  system  of  county  exhibits  in  the  fairs 
and  various  cities  of  the  United  States,  whereby 
the  wonderful  productions  of  Sonoma  County 
have  been  displayed  throughout  the  country.  He 
is  a  member  of  Santa  Rosa  (t range,  Iso.  17, 
Patrons  of  Husbandry,  of  which  he  was  form- 
erly the  master.  He  is  also  the  master  of  the 
Pomona  Grange.  Taking  a  deep  interest  in  the 
public  schools,  he  has  for  over  twenty-five  years 
served  as  a  school  trustee  in  his  district.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church,  a  strong  believer  in  churches  and  the 
inlluence  which  they  exert  in  improving  the 
welfare  and  morals  cf  the  community,  and  he 
has  always  contributed  liberally  toward  the 
building  of  churches  —  without  regard  to  de- 
nomination— as  well  as  for  other  public  build- 
ings. In  political  matters  Mr.  Adams  is 
associated  with  the  Democratic  party,  and 
though  not  an  office  seeker,  he  has  always 
taken  an  intelligent  interest  in  all  political 
questions  of  the  day.     His  influence  has  always 


been  exerted  to  advance  the  best  elements  of  his 
party.  In  1852  Mr.  Adams  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Holly  D.  R.  Hudspeth,  the 
daughter  of  Charhs  M.  and  Nancy  (Draper) 
Hudspeth.  Iler  parents  were  natives  of  Ten- 
nessee, and  pioneers  of  California  and  Sonoma 
County,  having  settled  in  the  county  in  1849. 
From  this  marriage  there  have  been  born 
eleven  children,  nine  of  whom  are  living,  viz.: 
Lynchburg,  who  married  Miss  Ellen  Hill,  liv- 
ing in  Santa  Rosa;  John  H.,  married  Miss 
Mattie  Dunkley,  residing  near  Occidental;  Rob- 
ert Lee,  Albert  Sidney,  Charles  Edward,  Press 
8.,  Bettie,  Susie  and  Mattie.  The  second  child, 
James  Buchanan,  died  August  18,  1878,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one  years.  The  third,  William 
Carroll,  died  in  1862,  when  two  and  a  half 
years  of  age. 


^ON.  G.  R.  CODDING.— The  subject  of 
fffn  tlii*  sketch  was  born  in  Bristol,  Ontario 
County,  New  York,  June  14,  1826,  and  is 
of  the  old  Puritan  stock.  Here  he  received  his 
education  and  remained  until  the  year  1846, 
when  he  proceeded  to  Will  County,  Illinois,  and 
embarked  in  the  nursery  business,  which  he  fol- 
lowed until  April  1,  1849.  The  reported  fabu- 
lous discoveries  of  gold  in  California  prompted 
him  to  make  the  then  dangerous  and  tedious  trip 
to  the  Pacific  across  the  plains.  Arriving  at  the 
Platte  River  he  constructed  from  cottonwood  a 
number  of  boats  and  engaged  in  ferrying  for  four 
weeks.  There  was  a  large  travel  over  this  route 
at  this  time,  and  Mr.  Codding  was  kept  busy  day 
and  night  During  these  four  weeks  he  ferried 
500  emigrant  wagons,  including  the  noted  train 
from  Missouri  led  by  Colonel  Pope,  consisting  of 
fifty  wagon  s  and  250  emigrants.  From  this  poin 
on  he  traveled  with  a  pack-horse  via  Salt  Lake 
City,  where  he  arrived  on  the  24th  of  July.  As 
Mr.  Codding  had  been  reared  in  a  Christian  land, 
and  been  taught  from  childhood  up  to  regard 
the  Sabbath  day  according  to  the  strict  letter  of 
the  law,  he  thought  it  as  much  his  duty  to  re- 


U[t.roRY    UF    SON(J)rA     VUUNTY. 


spect  the  Holy  Writ  upon  tlie  wild  and  track- 
less plains  as  when  traveling  in  his  native  land. 
During  the  first  week  he  was  with  other 
traveling  companions,  but  as  soon  as  Sunday 
morning  dawned  he  was  deserted,  as  lie  always 
rested  on  the  Sabbath  day.  The  consequence 
was  that  he  made  most  of  the  journey  alone, 
his  only  companion  being  his  faithful  horse. 
However  slow  his  progress  seemed,  he  succeeded 
in  reaching  Sacramento  City  far  in  advance  of 
nearly  all  of  those  with  whom  lie  traveled  while 
making  the  journe}'.  He  arrived  in  Sacramento 
September  21,  1849,  where  he  remained  one 
week.  Sacramento  at  that  time  though  a  trad- 
ing post  of  considerable  importance,  was  so  new 
that  the  grass  had  hardly  been  trodden  in  its 
principal  streets.  There  were  no  churciies,  and 
the  name  of  God  was  only  heard  in  profanity; 
gorgeous  saloons  were  opened  to  allure  the  un 
wary,  and  spirituous  liquors  flowed  like  water. 
Here  Mr.  Codding  resolved  anew  to  adhere  to 
the  pledge  taken  in  his  youth  wliich  yet  he  had 
never  broken,  to  abstain  from  the  use  of  intoxi- 
cating drink.  To  this  resolve  he  attributed  the 
fact  that,  althougii  not  of  a  strong  constitution, 
he  outlived  many  of  his  friends  and  ac(juaint- 
ances,  who  have  fallen  through  the  too  frequent 
use  of  into.xicating  liquors.  After  a  week's  stay 
in  Sacramento,  Mr.  Codding,  in  company  with 
others,  proceeded  to  Napa  City  for  the  purpose 
of  establishing  a  shingle  factory,  but  after  giv- 
ing the  matter  a  thorough  canvass  they  con- 
cluded that  the  scheme  was  impracticable,  and 
abandoned  the  idea.  Late  in  the  fall  of  1849 
we  find  Mr.  Codding  at  Redding,  Shasta  County, 
prospecting  in  mining.  Here  he  was  taken  ill 
and  was  obliged  to  abandon  his  pursuit  for  the 
glittering  metal  and,  in  company  with  Mr. 
Bowles,  of  Galena,  Illinois,  found  his  way  to 
Sonoma  City.  In  the  fall  of  185-t  he  settled  in 
Petaluma  Valley  and  engaged  in  the  nursery 
business  until  1860,  when  he  became  a  resident 
of  Petaluma.  Here  he  opened  the  news  and  ex- 
change business.  In  1868  Mr.  (,'odding  was 
led  to  the  investigation  of  the  then  prevalent 
system  of  life  insurance,  his  investigation  being 


stimulated  at  that  time  by  the  loss  in  one  of 
these  companies  of  .^700.  In  studying  the 
workings  of  these  institutions,  he  became  con- 
vinced that  too  many  of  them  were  merely 
concocted  schemes  to  mislead  the  nnvvary,  and 
to  fleece  the  pockets  of  the  unsuspecting  for  the 
benefit  of  the  companies  and  their  agents,  and 
that  too  often  these  companies  became  mere  con- 
fidence men,  under  the  guise  of  life  insurance. 
These  convictions  led  his  practical  mind  to  de- 
vise some  system  that  should  carry  with  it  thu 
benefits  derived  from  life  insurance  and  avoid 
the  expense  and  uncertainty  attending  the  latter. 
After  comparing  the  ditterent  systems  of 
co-operative  associations,  he  perfected  the  plan 
and  organized  the  Sonoma  and  Marin  Mutual 
Benefit  Association  in  1868,  which  association 
distributed  before  its  disbandment  over  half  a 
million  dollars  in  lienefits.  After  it  passed  out 
of  his  management  it  fell  into  the  hands  of 
parties  who  did  not  understand  the  principles  of 
insurance  thoroughly,  and  as  a  consequence  it 
declined  in  numbers  and  influence  and  finally 
disbanded.  In  1870  ho  organized  the  Mutual 
Relief  Association  of  Petaluma,  of  which  insti- 
tution he  was  the  continuous  secretary  and  busi- 
ness manager  until  the  time  of  his  death  in 
1884,  carrying  it  upward  until  it  now  has 
assets  of  over  $100,000  and  has  paid  dividends 
of  over  $60,000.  Tiie  history  of  these  associa- 
tions will  appear  in  their  proper  place  in  this 
volume.  These  associations,  with  others  that 
soon  followed,  were  so  vigorously  attacked  by 
those  interested  in  life  insurance  companies, 
that  adverse  laws  were  attempted  to  be  enacted 
through  the  powerful  influence  of  the  wealth  of 
these  incor])o rations.  This  aroused  Mr.  Cod- 
ding again  to  the  necessity  of  protecting  these 
societies  that  he  had  labored  so  arduously  to 
build  up,  and  accordingly  in  1873  he  was  instru- 
mental in  getting  an  act  passed  by  the  California 
Legislature  especially  for  the  protection  of  these 
associations.  As  a  consequence,  the  system  of 
co-operative  protective  societies  has  become  a 
protection  now  much  sought  after  by  those  de- 
pending   uj)on    life    insurance.      In     187()    Af.i. 


UISrOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Codding  organized  the  Real  Estate  Association 
of  Petaiuma,  being  its  secretary  until  his  death. 
It  was  a  stock  company  with  a  capital  of 
850,000,  organized  for  the  purpose  of  buying 
and  selling  real  estate,  building  houses,  making 
loans,  etc.  It  has  done  very  much  for  Petaiuma 
in  the  way  of  making  its  advantages  known, 
building  it  up,  introducing  capital,  etc.  It  is 
still  actively  engaged  in  business  under  the 
management  of  its  secretary,  Mr.  George  C. 
Codding,  the  eldest  son  of  the  late  Mr.  George 
R.  Codding,  and  who  seems  to  have  inherited 
his  father's  talent  and  ability  as  a  manager  and 
successful  promoter  of  public  enterprises.  The 
Pacific  Benefit  Association  was  organized  in 
1880,  under  the  direction  and  management  of 
both  George  R.  Codding  and  George  C.  Cod- 
ding, who  have  continued  its  secretary  and  man- 
ager. Since  then  it  has  paid  benefits  of  over 
$100,000,  extending  its  business  over  the 
Pacific  slope.  Its  active  and  careful  manage- 
ment is  giving  it  a  very  prosperous  career,  and 
under  its  charter,  members  are  secured  by  ample 
and  suflicient  guarantees.  This  association  is 
considered  an  advance  upon  the  ordinary 
methods  of  co-operative  associations  in  the 
matter  of  graded  assessments  and  other  regards. 
It  is  founded  upon  the  better  and  more  siTCcess- 
ful  principles  of  the  associations  which  have 
preceded  it,  and  was  instituted  after  the  life 
study  and  experience  of  George  R.  Codding — a 
life  spent  in  the  successful  management  of 
these  associations.  On  June  28,  1865,  George 
R.  Codding  was  married  to  Miss  Millie  M. 
Colby,  a  native  of  Vermont.  There  are  six  of 
their  children  living,  as  follows:  George  C. 
Codding  was  born  at  Petaiuma,  Marcii  24,  1866, 
was  educated  in  the  same  town  and  upon  his 
father's  death  in  1884,  was  compelled  to  leave 
school  and  enter  actively  into  business  in  con- 
nection with  the  companies.  Mi'-  Codding  has 
been  appointed  special  agent  for  Sonoma 
County,  for  the  California  Insurance  Company 
of  San  Francisco,  and  as  such  he  has  established 
sub-agencies  throughout  Sonoma  County,  and 
carries  on  a  general  business  in  real  estate  and 


insurance.  The  other  members  of  the  family 
are  Charles  R.  Codding,  an  electrician,  now  in 
San  Francisco,  and  the  younger  children,  two 
boys  and  two  girls,  who  are  attending  school. 
One  of  the  most  noteworthy  of  the  elegant  resi- 
dences in  Petaiuma  is  the  newly  constructed  home 
of  this  family  on  Sixth  street.  It  is  a  handsome 
modern  construction,  showing  itself  the  home 
of  comfort  and  taste  in  its  handsome  proportions 
and  trim  surroundings. 


fS.  FARQUAR,  another  member  of  the 
Sonoma  County  bar,  is  a  native  of  North 
*  Liberty,  Ohio,  born  December  20,  1848. 
He  was  educated  at  Monmouth  College,  Illi- 
nois, from  which  he  received  a  diploma  in  the 
class  of  '73.  During  the  years  1873-'74  he 
held  the  position  of  instructor  in  languages 
and  mathematics  at  Sniithson  College  of  Logans- 
port,  Indiana.  In  the  spring  of  1875  he  came 
to  California,  and  taught  in  the  public  sciiools 
of  San  Francisco  and  Sonoma  County  for  two 
years.  Mr.  Farquar  subsequently  commenced 
the  study  of  law  and  was  admitted  to  practice 
by  the  Supreme  Court  in  1878.  He  entered 
into  a  partnership  with  W.  B.  Haskell,  Esq.,  of 
Petaiuma,  and  continued  the  practice  of  his 
profession  with  the  firm  until  1882.  Mr.  Far- 
quar then  removed  to  Globe,  Arizona,  where  he 
remained  until  the  fall  of  1884,  at  which  time 
he  returned  to  California,  and  was  the  Republi- 
can nominee  for  district  attorney  in  1886.  Be- 
ing defeated,  lie  resumed  the  practice  of  law, 
locating  at  Santa  Rosa,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided. 


['.  IXK,  Cloverdale. — Among  the  rep- 
resentative citizens  of  northern  So- 
noma County  is  the  gentleman  with 
whose  name  this  sketch  commences.  He  is  a 
native  of  Tompkins  County,  New  York,  born 
■laiinary  22, 1819,  his  parents  being  George  and 


U I  STORY    OF    SONOMA    (JOUNTY. 


Mary  (Rose)  Ink,  the  former  born  in  New  Jer- 
sey and  the  latter  in  New  York  State.  Mr.  Ink 
was  reared  in  his  native  county,  and  when  lie 
was  twenty-one  years  of  age  removed  to  Ohio, 
locating  in  what  is  now  Morrow  County.  He 
taught  school  parts  of  fifteen  years,  and  was 
elected  and  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  at  the 
county  seat,  lie  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
events  whicii  led  up  to  the  America  Civil  war, 
and  when  that  struggle  came  on  his  sympathies 
were  entirely  with  the  Union  cause.  When  he 
became  satisfied  that  the  war  was  to  be  a  test  of 
strength  and  endurance  between  the  hosts  of  the 
contending  sections,  he  decided  to  offer  his  serv- 
ices in  his  country's  cause  he  went  to  Colum- 
bus, enlisted  in  the  United  States  service,  and 
went  into  camp  at  Camp  Chase.  The  Eighty- 
fifth  Ohio  Regiment  was  then  being  made  up 
and  he  was  made  a  Sergeant.  His  health,  never 
robust,  gave  way  entirely  under  the  strain  of 
camp  life,  and  when  the  command  left  for  the 
seat  of  war,  he  was  not  permitted  to  accompany 
it.  No  improvement  taking  place,  lie  was 
honorably  discharged  in  September,  1862,  and 
in  October  following  he  came  out  to  California 
for  the  purpose  of  recuperating  his  health  and 
strength.  His  journey  was  made  by  the  steamer 
America  on  the  Atlantic  side,  then  via  Nicara- 
gua, and  on  the  steamer  Hoses  Taylor  to  San 
Francisco,  where  he  arrived  January  1,  1863. 
After  spending  a  brief  time  in  San  Francisco 
and  Marin  County,  he  went  to  Sutter  County 
and  engaged  in  stock  business  and  dairying  near 
Yuba  City,  and  while  there  was  elected  and 
served  as  justice  of  the  peace.  In  1875  he 
came  to  Sonoma  County,  and  in  1878  located  at 
Cloverdale.  He  has  a  ranch  of  3,000  acres  two 
miles  from  the  town,  where  he  is  extensively 
engaged  in  sheep  raising,  usually  keeping  from 
1,500  to  2,500  sheep  on  the  range.  He  is  prob- 
ably the  largest  wool  grower  in  Sonoma  Countv, 
and  his  animals  are  all  high  grade  Merinos. 
Mr.  Ink  is  a  Republican  politically,  and  is  one  of 
the  leading  men  in  the  councils  of  the  pai'ty  in 
the  county,  usually  having  a  place  on  the  central 
committee.      He   is   a    Kniglif  Tomjilar  in    flic 


Masonic  order,  having  passed  through  all  the 
chairs  of  Santa  Rosa  Lodge.  He  holds  member- 
ship in  the  (Jdd  Fellows  lodge  at  Yuba  City, 
in  which  he  has  passed  all  the  chairs.  Mr.  Ink 
was  married  in  New  York  State  to  Miss  Hannah 
Herald,  a  native  of  Seneca  County,  New  York. 
Both  are  members  of  the   Presbyterian  chiircii. 


ISfSkENRY  WEYL. — Among  the  representa- 
llil)!  '■'^'^  '*'^*''  progressive  business  men  of  So- 
"^(|  noma  must  be  classed  the  above  named 
gentleman.  A  sketch  of  his  life  and  association 
with  the  business  enterprises  of  Sonoma  are  of 
interest.  Mr.  Weyl  was  born  in  Bingen  on  the 
Rhine,  Germany,  May  29,  1834.  His  parents, 
Henry  and  Anna  (Beck)  Weyl,  were  natives  of 
that  place.  There  Mr.  Weyl  was  reared  and  re- 
ceived his  education,  being  brought  up  as  a 
cooper  and  distiller,  the  occupation  of  his  father. 
Being  ambitious  and  desirous  of  seeing  some- 
thing of  the  world,  in  1854  he  left  his  native 
land  and  embarked  for  the  United  States.  Upon 
his  arrival  in  New  York  he  worked  at  Iiis  trade 
as  a  cooper  in  that  city  and  in  Williamsburg, 
until  1855.  In  that  year  he  shipped  on  the 
bark  Saj>j)ho,  Captain  Seaburg  commanding, 
for  a  whaling  voyage  to  the  North  Pacific  and 
other  places.  Mr.  Weyl  remained  in  that  em- 
ploy until  1859  when  the  bark  returned  to  New 
Bedford,  her  home  port,  after  which  he  went  on 
board  the  ship  Cotiyress,  Captain  Swift  com- 
manding, for  a  whaling  voyage  around  Cape 
Horn  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Upon  the  arrival 
of  his  shi])  at  Calleo,  he  left  the  vessel  and  en- 
gaged in  work  as  a  cooper.  Being  of  an  ingeni- 
ous mind  and  skilled  in  various  trades,  he  was 
also  employed  as  a  blacksmith  and  carpenter. 
After  some  months  spent  in  labor  in  Calleo  he 
proceeded  to  (Tuayaquil,  where  he  was  engaged 
as  a  carpenter  and  stair  builder.  From  Guaya- 
quil he  went  to  Panama,  and  in  the  absence  of 
other  employment,  engaged  as  a  butcher  on  the 
steamer  Sonora.  This  steamer  was  one  of  the 
Pacific   mail    vessels,  ■  bound   to   San    Francisco, 


JI/STOliV    OF    SUSOMA    COUNTY. 


where  she  arrived  December  14,  1860.  Upon 
his  hmding  in  San  Francisco  Mr.  Wejl  sought 
work  at  his  trade  as  a  cooper  and  worked  for  P. 
Malloy  until  1862.  lie  was  then  engaged  by 
Mr.  Henry  Gerke  as  a  superintendent  and  man- 
ager in  the  manufacture  of  wine  and  brandies 
upon  liis  ranch  in  Tehama  County.  He  was 
thus  employed  until  the  fall  of  that  year  when 
ill  health  compelled  him  to  abandon  that  occupa- 
tion, and  he  returned  to  San  Francisco.  Upon 
recovei'ing  his  health  he  again  engaged  in  work 
at  his  trade,  which  lie  continued  until  1867, 
when  he  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  located  at 
Sonoma  where  he  established  a  cooper  shop.  He 
successfully  conducted  this  business,  and  as  his 
capital  increased,  established  a  winery  and  lum- 
ber yard.  These  enterprises  were  successfully 
Conducted  until  1877.  He  then  went  to  Peta- 
luma  and  established  a  wholesale  wine  and  liquor 
house.  This  business  he  conducted  in  connec- 
tion with  his  winery  at  Sonoma  until  1879, 
when  he  I'eturned  to  Sonoma  and  the  next  year 
commenced  extensive  building  improvements 
upon  his  land,  which  is  situated  on  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  plaz«>.  He  erected  a  large  two- 
story  -building,  containing  three  storerooms  on 
the  first  floor  and  a  hall  in  the  upper  story.  He 
also  completed  a  tine  two-story  residence,  and 
in  the  same  year  added  to  his  business  enter- 
prises by  opening  a  butcher  shop  and  market  in 
connection  with  Herman  Nanert.  This  partner- 
ship existed  for  about  a  year,  when  Mr.  Weyl 
bought  out  the  interest  of  his  partner  and  con- 
ducted the  business  alone.  In  1884  he  opened 
a  general  merchandise  store  in  his  block,  a  busi- 
ness which  he  is  now  (1888)  conducting.  Mr. 
Weyl,  in  addition  to  his  real  estate  in  Sonoma, 
also  owns  100  acres  of  farming  lands  two  miles 
north  of  Sonoma.  This  land  is  used  principally 
for  stock  purposes,  but  tifty  acres  of  it  are  well 
adapted  to  vineyard  or  orchard  purposes.  Upon 
this  place  he  is  engaged  in  <|uarrying  basalt  rock 
for  paving  purposes,  which  finds  ready  sale  in 
San  Francisco.  There  are  two  fine  quarries  of 
that  rock  upon  the  place,  one  of  which  he  leases. 
He  pays  considerable  attention  to  stock-raising 


and  has  some  fine  Holstein  and  Jersey  cattle, 
and  draft  horses  of  the  Norman  and  Cl^'desdale 
breed,  also  roadsters  of  Patchen  stuck.  Mr. 
Weyl  is  one  of  Sonoma's  most  progressive  and 
public  spirited  citizens.  .-V  strong  believer  in 
the  future  wealth  and  prosperity  of  the  beauti- 
ful Sonoma  Valley,  he  is  always  ready  with  time 
and  money  to  aid  and  encourage  any  enterprise 
that  will  build  up  and  develop  its  wonderful  re- 
sources. A  residence  of  over  twenty  years  in 
Sonoma  has  made  him  well  known,  and  his 
straightforward  and  consistent  mode  of  life  and 
manner  of  dealing  with  his  fellow  men  liave 
gained  him  hosts  of  friends.  In  1886  and  1887 
he  was  a  member  of  the  City  Board  of  Trustees 
and  has  also  served  for  several  years  as  school 
trustee  in  his  district.  He  is  a  member  of 
Temple  Lodge,  Xo.  14,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Sonoma. 
In  politics,  Mr.  Weyl  is  a  consistent  Republican, 
taking  an  intelligent  interest  in  all  the  political 
questions  of  the  day.  December  18,  1869,  Mr. 
Weyl  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary 
Knackstadt,  the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Amelia 
Knackstadt,  natives  of  Germany,  but  residents 
of  Sonoma  County.  From  this  marriage  there 
are  seven  children  living:  Henry  J.,  Anna, 
Gustavo,  William,  Frank,  Clara,  and  Albert  J. 


mm 


fOSEPIl  H.  HUNT,  proprietor  of  the  Santa 
Rosa  Alden  Fruit  Evaporators,  is  a  native 
son  of  the  Golden  AYest,  born  in  Sierra 
County,  California,  in  1864.  His  father,  W. 
J.  Hunt,  came  to  this  State  in  1861  from  Mis- 
souri, and  settled  in  that  county.  In  1870  he 
moved  with  liis  family  to  Green  Valley,  Sonoma 
County,  where  he  still'  resides.  He  built  an 
Alden  dryer  in  connection  with  his  orchard  in 
1876,  being  the  pioneer  in  fruit  drying  in  that 
part  of  the  county.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
having  thus  been  trained  in  the  business  from 
boyhood,  is  thoroughly  conversant  with  handling 
and  preserving  fruits,  in  which  he  is  now  so  ex- 
tensively and  successfully  engaged.  In  the 
spring  of  1887  he  built  the  Santa  Rosa   Dryer, 


UIsrOUY    OF    .SONOMA    COUNTT. 


445 


near  tlie  bridge  wliicli  spans  Santa  Rosa  Creek, 
in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  city,  putting  in 
the  process  known  as  the  Improved  Alden 
Dryer,  of  large  size.  His  buildings,  machinery 
and  appurtenances  are  of  tlie  latest  improved 
patterns  and  are  best  adapted  both  for  conven- 
ience and  the  perfection  of  the  work,  as  the 
results  deinon^strate.  The  lirst  season  his  man- 
ufactory was  in  operation,  Mr.  Hunt  dried 
twenty- five  tons  of  prunes,  fifty  tons  of  peaches, 
and  300  tons  of  apples,  seventy-five  per  cent,  of 
whicli  ranked  as  first  grade,  and  sold  in  the 
market  at  irom  two  to  five  cents  per  pound 
higlier  than  other  machine  dried  fruits.  The 
cause  of  this  superiority  of  liis  goods  is  readily 
understood  by  any  one  visiting  his  factory  and 
observing  the  perfect  order  and  cleanliness  of 
the  premises,  and  tlie  extraordinary  care  exhib- 
ited in  every  stage  of  the  work  from  the  tirae 
the  fruits  are  unloaded  from  tlie  growers'  wag- 
ons until  the  beautiful  cured  product  is  neatly 
boxed  and  labeled  in  packages  for  shipping. 
Mr.  Hunt's  dried  fruits  are  doing  much  to  build 
up  a  proud  reputation  for  California  dried  fruits 
in  Chicago,  New  York,  and  other  great  eastern 
markets  where  they  are  sold,  as  well  as  in  the 
metropolis  of  this  State,  where  many  of  them 
find  a  market.  In  the  season  of  1888  he  cured  143 
tons  of  French  prunes,  besides  other  fruits,  in 
the  Santa  Hosa  Dryer,  for  which  he  paid  the  or- 
chardists  from  one  to  one  and  three-quarter 
cents  per  pound.  lie  is  a  joint  owner,  with  his 
brother,  of  a  dryer  of  equal  capacity  at  Geyser- 
ville,  which  they  built  in  1888,  and  which 
manufactured  about  one-fourth  as  much  the 
past  season  as  the  Santa  Rosa  dryer.  Mr.  Hunt 
is  also  interested  with  his  brother  in  the 
Sebastopol  Canneiy,  in  which  they  put  up  1,500 
cases  of  fruit  in  1888,  and  expect  to  increase 
their  capacity  as  the  trade  demands.  He  and 
his  brother  have  the  largest  blackberry  ranch  in 
California,  if  not  in  the  world,  near  Sebastopol, 
from  which  they  harvest  forty  tons  of  berries  a 
year,  worth  from  $60  to  $70  per  ton.  The 
average  yield  is  three  tons  to  the  acre.  For  the 
past    two  seasons    Mr.  Hunt    has    bought    and 


shipped  to  eastern  markets  large  quantities,  ag- 
gregating many  tliousand  boxes  eacli  year,  of 
choice,  fresh  ]Mcked  fruits,  for  which  was  re- 
ceived the  highest  prices  both  by  the  producer 
and  the  shipper.  Mr.  Hunt  is  held  in  high  es- 
teem for  his  business  integrity  and  honor,  and 
is  one  of  California's  most  energetic  and  prom- 
ising native  sons. 

T-rflLLIAM  HARVEY  HAYNE  was  born 
wMM  "'  Greenville,  Darke  County,  Ohio, 
l^-f^  April  8,  1837,  son  of  Joseph  and 
Mary  (Riley)  Hayne,  the  former  a  native  of 
North  Carolina  and  the  latter  of  Virginia. 
Joseph  Hayne  moved  from  Ohio  to  Indiana  in 
1838,  and  settled  in  a  little  town  near  Elkhart, 
where  he  resided  a  few  years,  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile trade.  From  there  he  moved  to  Daven- 
port, Iowa,  remaining  there  a  short  time,  thence 
to  the  Des  Moines  River  to  a  little  town  called 
Charlestown,  where  he  taught  school  for  one 
winter;  thence  to  lowaville  on  the  river,  where 
he  again  went  into  the  mercantile  business  and 
also  did  some  trading  with  the  Indians.  He 
made  his  home  there  for  two  or  three  years, 
when  he  went  farther  up  the  Des  Moines  River 
and  took  up  a  government  claim,  living  on  it 
nearly  a  year,  then  going  to  Ottumwa.  While 
there  he  received  the  appointment  of  sheriff  of 
Wapello  County,  Ottumwa  being  the  county  seat, 
and  served  in  the  difierent  county  offices  for 
twenty-one  or  twenty --two  years.  His  death 
occurred  in  July,  1881.  Mrs.  Hayne  died  Jan- 
uary 1,  1884.  She  was  the  mother  of  seven 
children,  three  sous  and  four  daughters,  of 
whom  two  daughters  and  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  are  the  only  ones  now  living.  W.  H. 
Hayne  lived  with  his  parents  until  he  became 
of  age,  receiving  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Iowa.  In  1859  he  came  to  (^alifornia, 
leaving  Iowa  on  the  16th  of  May  and  making 
the  journey  overland  with  ox  teams,  arriving 
in  Sonoma  County  on  the  16th  of  Novem- 
ber.     He  engaged    in    farm    work   at   different 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


places,  and  from  1861  to  1863  was  in  Nevada 
working  on  ranches.  In  1865  lie  went  to  farm- 
ing for  himself,  renting  a  piece  of  land  near 
Strong  Point,  remaining  there  one  year.  He 
then  rented  land  nearPetalnma  where  he  stayed 
three  years,  after  which  he  sold  his  stock  and 
farming  utensils  and  went  back  to  Iowa,  where 
he  remained  twenty-two  months.  Returning  to 
California  again  he  remained  near  Petaluma  for 
a  while,  making  more  or  less  at  farming,  when 
in  February,  1878,  he  purchased  liis  present 
place  about  two  miles  from  Petaluma,  on  the 
Santa  Rosa  road,  known  as  the  "  Chicken 
Rancho."  He  commenced  dealing  in  poultry 
and  eggs,  buying  and  shipping  in  large  ^|uan- 
tities,  his  principal  market  being  San  Francisco. 
This  business  has  resulted  very  satisfactorily. 
Mr.  Haj-ne  has  been  an  Odd  Fellow  for  several 
years  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Honor,  a  beneficial  association.  He  was  married 
in  1866  to  Miss  Ellen  Gossage  who  was  born  in 
Iowa,  daughter  of  Zephaiiair  Gossage,  and  came 
^vith  her  parents  to  California  when  she  was  a 
small  child.  They  have  seven  children:  Mamie, 
Dallas,  Joseph,  Daisy,  Adda,  Laura  and  Clif- 
ford. 


€(i~ 


^'m 


L^a^, /^ 


'}lSr-   ^e) 


tOBERT  H.  DELAFIELD.— One  of  the 
notable  places  of  Sonoma  County  is  the 
ranch  of  the  young  gentleman  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch.  It  is  situated  in  a 
picturesque  portion  of  Knight's  Yalley,  six 
miles  from  Calistoga,  and  is  a  portion  of  the 
old  Mallacomes  Rancho.  In  e.xtent  it  embraces 
540  acres,  a  large  portion  of  which  is  still 
wooded  land.  When  Mr.  Delatield  purchased 
the  place,  the  hill  land  where  he  has  planted  his 
vineyard  was  covered  with  timber  and  under- 
brush. Though  the  latter  was  ]H-obably  the 
greatest  obstacle  to  clearing,  yet  the  timber  was 
not  to  be  despised  on  account  of  its  size:  one 
tree  had  at  its  base  a  diameter  of  twenty-five 
feet.  This  hill-side  now  bears  a  vineyard  which, 
for   excellence  of  varieties  of  grapes  and  uni- 


!  form  thrift  and  healthy  appearance  of  vines, 
certainly  cannot  be  excelled  in  California.  The 
results  achieved  here  may  truly  be  said  to  be 
remarkable.  There  are  forty  acres  in  this  vine- 
yard, rising  by  regular  ascent  from  a  point  300 

J   feet  above  the  valley  (the  elevation  of  which  is 

'  800  feet  above  the  sea  level)  to  a  height  of  1,350 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  views  to 
be  had  from  diflerent  points  at  the  summit  of 

I  the  vineyard  ridge  are  beautiful  indeed.  The 
varieties  of  grapes  are  especially  worthy  of 
mention.  They  are  as  follows:  Cabernet  Sau- 
vignon,  making  the  Chateau  Lafittewine;  Mal- 
bee  (variety  de  Bordeaux);  Mataro  (Burgun- 
dy); Semillon,  Sauvignon  Yert  and  Sau- 
vignon  Blanc,  making  the  Chateau  Yquem 
wine;  Grey  Riesling  (hock).  Golden  Chas- 
selas  (light  white  wine),  and  Burger  (Rhine 
wine).  When  these  grapes  are  in  full  bearing 
Mr.  Delafield  will  be  enabled  to  make  annually 
a  large  quantity  of  wine,  which  will  be  aged  in 
his  cellars  before  being  placed  on  the  market, 
and  which  can  compete  for  patronage  with  the 
best  imported  wines.  The  vines  were  planted 
in  1885,  and  have  shown  a  notable  growth,  the 

I  stumps  having  sufficient  body  for  a  much 
greater  age.  The  wine  cellar  is  situated  across 
the  road  from  the  vineyard  land.  It  is  a  very 
substantial  building,  the  walls  of  stone  being 
two  feet  in  thickness.  It  is  three-stories  in 
height,  and  covers  an  area  of  40x60  feet.  It 
was  constructed  in  1887.  In  addition  a  tunnel 
100  X  17  feet,  excavated  in  1888,  and  lined  with 
stone,  extends  into  the  hill-side,  greatly  adding 
to  the  storage  capacity.  The  latest  and  most 
improved  machinery  and  apparatus  is  used  in 
every  department.  The  engine,  of  twenty  horse- 
power, though  only  a  third  of  that  power  is 
needed  at  present,  was  built  in  St.  Helena.  The 
boiler  is  twenty  horse-power.  It  is  splendidly 
set,  having  been  placed  in  position,  like  every- 
thing about  the  place,  under  the  personal  super 
vision  of  Mr.  Delafield.  Cleanliness  is  the  first 
consideration  in  the  wine  cellar  at  all  times,  and 
during  the  fermenting  season  when  disorder 
might  be  expected  a  thorough  cleaning  is  given 


IITSrORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


after  every  day's  work.  The  average  annual 
out-pat  of  the  callar  is  about  100,000  gallons 
Mr.  Delaiield  also  has  thirty  acres  in  fruit, 
planted  in  1886.  Of  this  acreage  one-half  is 
planted  to  the  Kelsey  Japan  plums,  which 
might  better  be  described  as  a  peach-apricot 
plum.  This  is  an  exceptionally  fine  variety, 
and  the  acreage  exceeds  that  of  any  other 
orchard  in  the  State.  The  plums  have  a  fine, 
thin  skin,  yet  they  can  be  shipped  without  diffi- 
culty. The  skin  has  a  yellowish-white  tinge, 
with  pink  blush  on  one  side,  the  blush  extend- 
ing from  deep  to  very  light  on  either  side. 
They  bear  early,  in  fact  producing  "ome  good 
fruit  the  first  year.  He  has  about  ten  aci"es  of 
choice  Beurre  Clairgeau  pears,  besides  Bartlett 
pears,  French  prunes,  Muir  peaches,  Moorpark 
apricots,  etc.  The  residence  which  is  roomy 
and  conveniently  constructed,  was  finished  by 
Mr.  Delafield  in  1884.  It  stands  on  the  same 
side  of  the  road  as  the  vineyard,  at  an  elevation 
of  fifty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  valley.  The 
proprietor  takes  a  pardonable  pride,  also,  in  his 
horses,  which  are  JMorman  and  Yermont  Mor- 
gan, and  splendid  specimens  of  their  respective 
races.  Mr.  Robert  H.  Delafield,  to  whom  these 
improvements  mentioned  are  due,  is  a  native  of 
New  York  City.  He  received  the  advantages  of 
an  advanced  education,  beginning  with  a  two 
year's  course  at  Yevey,  Switzerland,  following 
with  five  years  at  St.  Paul's,  New  Hampshire, 
and  finishing  at  Harvard  College.  He  entered 
into  business  in  New  York  City,  but  in  1883 
came  to  California  with  the  intention  of  engag- 
ing in  the  wine  and  fruit  business.  In  order  to 
familiarize  himself  with  details  he  commenced 
at  the  bottom  and  went  to  work  by  the  month, 
thus  gaining  an  insight  into  the  culture  of  fruit 
and  grapes  and  the  making  of  wine  which  could 
not  have  been  otherwise  obtained  except  at  the 
useless  sacrifice  of  much  time  and  cajjital  after 
he  had  commenced  business  for  himself.  As  a 
result  he  has  had  to  undo  nothing  that  has  once 
been  done  on  his  Knight's  Yalley  ranch,  and 
every  dollar  invested  gives  promise  of  profitable 
return.     Mr.  Delafield's  plan  is  to  have  the  best 


of  everything,  and  he  thinks  a  poor  article  dear 
at  any  price. 


tON.  A.  P.  WHITNEY.— In  the  annals  of 
the  city  of  Petaluma,  a  name  that  stands 
pre-eminent  in  the  record  of  its  progress 
and  business  prosperity  is  that  of  the  late  lion. 
Albion  Paris  Whitney,  long  the  leading  busi- 
ness man  of  the  place.  Mr.  Whitney  was  born 
at  Corinth,  Penobscot  County,  Maine,  on  Sep- 
tember 15,  1825.  In  that  place  he  resided  un- 
til, at  the  age  of  fifteen,  his  parents,  whose 
names  were  William  and  Olive  Whitney,  re- 
moved to  the  northern  county  of  Aroostook. 
His  education  was  obtained  in  the  schools  of  the 
State,  and  his  after  knowledge  gained  from  gen- 
eral reading  as  well  as  the  great  practical  school 
of  the  woi-ld.  At  twenty  he  began  the  strug- 
gle of  life,  engaging,  as  was  natural  for  a  boy 
brought  up  in  the  pine  regions  of  Maine,  in 
the  lumber  and  milling  business.  Until  1856 
he  resided  at  "Fort  Fairfield  and  Fort  Kent, 
Aroostook  County,  pursuing  those  avocations, 
but  in  that  year  removed  with  his  family  to 
Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  where  he  I'emained  for 
one  year.  He  then  removed  to  the  new  county 
of  Meeker,  in  the  same  State,  and  laid  out  the 
now  flourishing  town  of  Kingston,  erecting 
mills  and  engaging  in  the  flouring  and  lumber- 
ing business,  and  also  opening  the  first  general 
mercantile  business  house  in  the  town.  He 
quickly  built  up  a  very  extensive  trade  in  this 
place,  and  so  won  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
his  fellow  citizens  that  in  1858  he  was  elected 
by  the  Republicans  and  Douglas  Democrats  to 
the  State  Legislature  to  represent  the  district 
comprised  in  Meeker,  Benton  and  Stearns  coun- 
ties. Deciding  to  come  to  California  he  set  out 
across  the  plains  in  1859  arriving  in  Sacramento 
in  August,  fortunately  without  serious  mishap. 
As  he  soon  found  that  the  idea  that  gold  could 
be  gathered  in  abundance  was  a  false  one,  he 
went  to  a  Placer  mining  town,  and  took  con- 
tracts for  furnishing  mining  timber,  his  skill  in 


IIISTOUY    OF    tiONOMA    VOUNTY. 


tliat  work  making  success  to  him  possible 
against  competition.  After  three  seasons  at 
tliis  work  he  came  to  Petaluma  in  the  autumn 
of  1862  with  about  $3,000  capital;  immediately 
engaging  in  the  grocery  business,  at  first  in  part- 
nership with  Mr.  (Jross,  he  soon  built  up  a 
business  of  large  and  growing  dimensions.  At 
the  time  of  his  death,  in  1884,  it  had  long 
ranked  as  the  most  extensive  in  the  county,  a 
position  that  it  still  holds  to-day  under  the 
hands  of  his  son  and  successor,  Mr.  Arthur  L. 
Whitney.  This  first  establishment  was  situated 
where  the  Masonic  temple  now  stands,  immedi- 
ately opposite  the  present  location  of  the  house. 
Shortly  after  the  groceiy  business  was  estab- 
lished, the  warehouse,  commission  and  shipping 
business  was  added  to  the  other.  This  depart- 
ment grew  to  one  of  very  extensive  dimensions, 
warehouses  being  built  as  occasion  demanded 
until  there  were  at  the  time  of  his  death  no  less 
than  nine.  Several  packets  were  necessary  in 
the  carrying  trade  from  Petaluma  to  San  Fran- 
cisco. The  great  success  of  this  house  is  note- 
worthy as  being  a  signal  instance  of  what 
invariably  follows  upon  energy,  correct  and  hon- 
orable methods  and  the  desire  to  do  fairly  and 
liberally  by  others.  As  a  consequence  of  these 
things  Mr.  Whitney  possessed  to  the  fullest 
extent  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the 
community.  In  whatever  tended  toward  the  de- 
velopment of  the  county  or  was  of  general  bene- 
fit Mr.  Whitney  was  always  found  taking  a  leading 
hand.  From  the  first  he  was  one  of  the  most  active 
supporters  of  the  Sonoma  and  Marin  District 
Agricultural  Society,  and  for  two  years  was  its 
president.  He  was  also  one  of  the  organizers 
and  was  heavily  interested  in  the  Petaluma  Fruit 
Canning  Company,  and  in  an  almost  infinite 
number  of  other  ways  his  assistance  was  given 
to  the  welfare  of  his  chosen  home.  In  politics 
Mr.  Wliitney  was  always  a  staunch  yet  liberal 
Republican.  In  1876  he  was  chosen  as  one  of 
the  delegates  from  California  to  the  National 
Convention  at  Cincinnati  that  nominated  Presi 
dent  Hayes.  In  1877  he  v.as  elected  State 
Senator  from   Sonoma  County,   winning  a  seat 


which  had  formerly  been  uniformly  Democratic. 
During  the  time  he  was  in  the  Legislature  lie 
was  upon  several  important  committees,  and  was 
a  laborious  and  prominent  member  of  the  Senate. 
Mr.  AVhitne^^  was  a  large-hearted  man  of  gener- 
ous impulses,  a  careful  and  attentive  business 
man  yet  ever  ready  to  respond  to  the  calls  of 
duty  in  whatever  direction.  During  his  life  he 
was  one  of  Sonoma  County's  leading  citizens, 
and  the  day  of  his  death,  February  11,  1884, 
was  felt  to  be  one  of  loss  and  sadness  to  all. 
Mr.  Whitney  was  married  on  February  10,  1850, 
to  Miss  Susan  D.  Eastman,  a  native  of  Jackson, 
New  Hampsliire.  Seven  of  their  children  are 
living.  Their  names  are  as  follows:  Calvin 
Eastman,  now  in  business  in  San  Francisco  and 
the  head  of  the  eminent  house  of  C.  E.  Whit- 
ney &  Co.;  Arthur  L.,  at  the  head  of  the  busi- 
ness in  Petaluma,  and  by  following  in  his  father's 
footsteps,  is  carrying  tlie  house  to  a  still  higher 
success;  Cleora  M.,  now  the  wife  of  Fred  Hew- 
lett of  the  well  known  firm  of  Ross  &  Hewlett, 
San  Francisco;  Nancy  J.,  now  the  wife  of 
George  P.  Morrow,  the  head  of  the  leading  firm 
of  George  Morrow  <t  Co.,  San  Francisco;  Ella, 
Albion  H.  and  Clara,  all  at  home.  The  com- 
fortable homestead  is  situated  at  the  corner  of 
Sixth  and  F  streets,  Petaluma,  where  Mrs. 
Whitney  resides,  enjoying  the  evening  of  life 
surrounded  by  comfort  and  the  attentions  of 
her  devoted  children.  The  adjoining  residence 
is  the  elegant  home  of  her  second  son,  Arthur 
L.,  who  is  married  and  possesses  an  interesting 
young  family.  Such,  in  brief,  is  a  sketch  of 
the  life  and  family  of  one  of  Sonoma  County's 
most  deserving  prominent  citizens. 

'^■^■•^ 


I^ATHAN  LA  LITER  &  CO.— This  firm 
fl™  opened  business  in  the  mercantile  line  in 
^  Healdsburg,  August  1,  1888.  At  that 
time  they  put  in  a  large  stock  of  goods,  embrac- 
ing dry  goods,  clothing,  boots  and  shoes,  gen- 
tlemen's furnishing  goods,  etc.,  and  almost 
immediately  a  good   trade   sprang    up.      It  was 


IIISTOHY    OF    SONOMA    OOUNTV 


found  lliat  the  best  ofguoils  in  these  lines  could 
be  pnrciiased  at  tliis  phiee  at  city  prices,  and 
nuicli  trade,  which  before  went  to  San  Francisco 
and  Santa  Rosa,  was  thus  kept  at  home.  It  was 
thought  by  many  that  there  was  not  room  for 
another  store  of  this  Idnd  in  Ilealdsburg,  but 
the  keen  business  principles  of  Mr.  Nathan 
Lauter  soon  proved  that  this  was  a  mistaken 
idea,  for  his  trade  has  constantly  increased  since 
he  came  here,  and  is  now  of  large  proportions. 
All  this  has  been  accomplished  in  a  few  months, 
and  already  tiie  firm  stands  in  the  front  rank  of 
Healdsburg  houses.  This  shows  what  courte- 
ous treatment  and  a  desire  to  please  the  public 
in  cpiality  and  prices  of  goods  will  do.  Nathan 
Lauter,  the  young  man  who  conducts  this  ex- 
tensive bi;siness,  is  a  native  of  East  Prussia, 
born  November  27,1862,  his  parents  being  W. 
and  R.  Lauter.  The  family  came  to  California 
in  1881,  locating  at  St.  Helena.  Nathan  Lau- 
ter received  his  education  in  his  native  country, 
and  there  commenced  iiis  business  career.  At 
St.  Helena  he  was  associated  with  the  firm  of 
A.  Goodman  &  Co.,  dealers  in  drj'  goods,  cloth- 
ing, boots  and  shoes,  etc.  Mr.  Lauter's  parents 
reside  at  529  Turk  street,  San  Francisco.  Na- 
than Lauter,  having  been  reared  to  a  business 
career  since  thirteen  years  of  age,  has  had  much 
more  experience  tiian  most  merchants  many 
years  his  senior.  It  is  seldom  that  so  young  a 
man  is  so  successful  in  business.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  St.  Helena  Lodge,  K.  of  P. 

■^•%-^r'l*-^ 

fNOCIl  ^Y.  IIAYDEN.— One  of  the  most 
noticeable  vineyard  and  oi'chard  properties 
in  Analy  Township,  is  that  owned  by  the 
gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  sketch.  He 
is  the  owner  of  and  resides  upon  eighty-five 
acres  of  productive  land,  situated  upon  the 
Sebastopol  and  F\'taluma  road,  in  the  Sebastopol 
school  district,  about  one  mile  south  of  Sebas- 
topol. Seventy-five  acres  of  this  land  are  de- 
voted to  ondiard  and  vineyard,  about  equally 
divided.      In  his  orchard    may  be  found   nearly 


all  varieties  of  fruit  grown  in  this  section.  The 
principal  productions  are  peaches,  apples,  pears, 
apricots,  French  prunes,  cherries  and  plums. 
Of  the  vineyai'd,  thirty-five  acres  are  devoted  to 
wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel  variety  and  about 
two  acres  to  table  grapes,  comprising  all  the 
well  known  varieties  grown  in  Sonoma  County. 
The  rest  of  the  farm  is  pasture  and  woodland. 
The  improvements  are  first-class,  comprising  a 
two-story  residence,  commodious  and  complete 
in  all  its  appointments,  suitable  outbuildings, 
and  a  dry  house  in  which  there  are  two  patent 
dryers  of  sufiicient  capacity  to  dry  and  cui-e  all 
products  of  his  orchard.  Mr.  Hayden  is  a 
native  of  Penobscot  County,  Maine,  and  dates 
his  birth  from  December  22,  1835.  His  father, 
Enoch  Hayden,  was  a  native  of  Maine,  and  his 
mother.  Relief  (Adams)  Hayden,  was  born  in 
Massachusetts.  The  suliject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  as  a  farmer,  receiving  at  the  same  time  a 
good  academic  education,  and  in  his  young 
manhood  taught  school  in  his  native  connty  for 
one  or  two  winters.  He  was  also  engaged  in 
the  lumber  woods  on  the  Penobscot  River, 
where  he  became  versed  in  the  practical  knowl- 
edge of  the  lumber  business.  In  1856  he  went 
to  Wisconsin  and  after  working  for  some  time 
in  the  lumber  ■woods  in  connection  with  his 
brother,  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  near 
Stevens'  Point,  in  Portage  County,  on  the  Wis- 
consin River.  This  business  was  successfully 
conducted  until  1864.  In  that  year  Mr.  Hay- 
den came  across  the  plains  to  California,  and 
after  a  tedious  trip  of  six  niontlis,  located  in 
Marin  County,  where  he  rented  land  on  the  De 
Long  ranch.  With  his  brother,  Amazeah  Hay- 
den, he  engaged  in  the  dairy  business,  their 
dairy  being  one  of  the  largest  in  the  county,  and 
having  from  150  to  300  cows.  While  there 
Mr.  Hayden  took  a  prominent  part  in  all  public 
enterprises  and  was  well  known  throughout  that 
section  of  the  county.  He  was  for  six  years 
postmaster  at  Black  Point,  Marin  County.  He 
also  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  public  schools, 
and  for  four  years  was  school  trustee  of  his 
district.      In  the  fall  of  1887  Mr.   Hayden   sold 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    VOUyTV. 


out  bis  interests  in  Marin  County  and  came  to 
Sonoma  Coimty.  He  then  purchased  his  pres- 
ent residence  and  at  once  entered  upon  a  career 
of  orcliard  and  vineyard  cultivation,  bringing  to 
his  new  calling  the  same  business  capacity  and 
energetic  habits  that  have  heretofore  insured 
him  success  in  his  various  callings.  It  is  safe 
to  predict  that  Mr.  Hayden  will  do  much  to  up- 
hold the  fruit  and  grape  interests  of  the  county. 
Although  never  seeking  office  he  has  always 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  political  questions 
of  the  day,  and  is  a  strong  and  consistent  Re- 
publican. He  is  a  member  of  the  Congrega- 
tional churcii.  August  27,  1870,  Mr.  Hayden 
married  Miss  Kate  i\  Johnson,  daughter  of 
Bartliolomew  and  Susan  (Cioudman)  Johnson, 
residents  of  Marin  County,  but  natives  of  Maine. 
They  have  one  child,  Eva  W.,  who  is  residing 
with  her  parents. 


fACOB  HARRIS.— This  well  known  pio- 
neer of  Santa  Rosa  was  born  in  Grayson 
County,  Kentucky,  August  24,  1827,  son 
of  Samuel  and  Phebe  (Fulkerson)  Harris,  each 
of  whom  where  born  of  families  among  the 
oldest  in  Kentucky.  In  1828  the  family  moved 
to  Vigo  County,  Indiana,  and  settled  at  Terre 
Haute.  From  thence,  when  Jacob  Harris  was 
in  liis  nineteenth  year,  they  emigrated  to  Davis 
County,  Iowa.  There,  in  1848,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  wedded  Miss  Phebe  F«lkerson, 
daughter  of  Richard  Fulkerson,  whose  history 
appears  in  this  work.  From  Davis  County  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Harris  came  to  Santa  Rosa,  accom- 
panying Mrs.  Harris'  father  and  other  members 
of  the  family  in  1854.  The  journey  was  made 
overland  without  serious  loss  or  delay.  Since 
coming  to  Santa  Rosa  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harris, 
with  the  exception  of  from  1860  to  1863  spent 
in  Sutter  County,  have  resided  near  the  city  of 
Santa  Rosa.  Their  present  residence,  which  was 
built  in  1882,  is  a  little  northeast  of  the  city 
and  is  well  located  upon  a  gentle  eminence,  giv- 
ing a  tine  view  of  the    city    and    surrounding 


country.  Mr.  Harris  has  erected  a  fine  cottage 
home  and  has  made  many  other  improvements 
ou  the  place.  The  ranch  consists  of  forty-six 
acres,  thirty  of  which  are  devoted  to  table  and 
wine  grapes.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harris  are  the 
parents  of  five  children:  Thompson  M.,  who 
lives  near  his  parents;  Isabel,  wife  of  Richard 
Weatherington  of  Santa  Rosa  Township;  Alice 
Clara,  who  died  aged  six  years;  Richard  A., 
who  is  a  near  neighbor,  and  Florence,  the 
youngest,  still  resides  with  her  parents.  The 
parents  of  Mr.  Harris  left  Davis  County,  Iowa, 
and  settled  at  the  head  of  Rincon  Valley  in  this 
county,  in  1860,  where  they  lived  with  their 
son-in-law,  Josiah  Downey.  His  father  died  in 
1864,  and  his  mother,  who  survives,  makes  her 
home  with  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  She  is 
now  (1888)  ninety-three  years  of  age  and  her 
physical  and  mental  vigor  are  preserved  to  a 
remarkable  degree.  Mr.  Harris  is  prominently 
associated  with  the  Masonic  order,  being  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Santa  Rosa,  subordinate  lodge,  Santa 
Rosa  chapter  and  commandery,  and  also  of  the 
Santa  Rosa  Lodge  of  Knights  of  Pythias.  A 
thoroughly  radical  advocate  of  temperance,  he 
is  a  member  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Lodge  of  Good 
Templars,  !Xo.  370,  and  in  1887  was  an  officer 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State.  In  politics, 
he  is  ide'-titied  with  and  prominent  in  the  coun- 
cils of  tiie  Democratic  party. 


fOLOMON  SCHOCKEN  is  one  of  the  en- 
terprising and  successful  merchants  of 
Sonoma.  His  large  and  well  stocked  mer- 
cantile establishment  is  situated  on  the  north 
side  of  the  plaza,  in  the  old  adobe  barracks, 
formerly  occupied  by  the  United  States  troops 
in  the  early  days  of  California.  These  build- 
ings have  been  repaired  and  fitted  up  until  they 
constitute  as  fine  a  store  as  there  is  in  Sonoma 
Valley.  In  Mr.  Schocken's  establishment  may 
be  found  every  article  that  the  requirements  of 
the  town  and  country  demand.  Dry  goods, 
clothing,  groceries,  hardware,  agricultural  im- 


UISTOUr    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY 


plements,  harness,  saddles,  etc.,  are  among  the 
staple  articles.  Mr.  Schocken  dues  not  confine 
himself  to  mercantile  pur.^nits  alone,  but  is  en- 
engaged  in  other  industries  that  tend  to  bnild 
up  his  town  and  section,  among  which  is  that  of 
quarryinij  basalt  rock.  His  (quarries  are  located 
upon  a  si.\ty-t\vo  acre  tract  which  he  owns  just 
north  of  Sonoma.  In  this  business  lie  employs 
over  forty  men  and  a  dozen  horses.  The  basalt 
paving  stones  find  ready  sale  in  San  Francisco, 
about  60,000  being  shipped  every  month  to  that 
point.  He  is  also  quite  largely  interested  in 
real  estate  in  Sonoma  County,  owning  five  or 
six  residence  properties.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  born  in  Prussia,  in  1843.  His 
father,  Abraham  Schocken,  was  also  a  native  of 
Prussia.  Mr.  Schocken's  earl}'  life  was  spent  in 
schooling  and  in  acquiring  the  trade  of  a  baker. 
Reing  of  an  ambitions  disposition,  he  decided 
to  seek  his  fortunes  in  the  new  world,  and  at 
the  age  of  nineteen  years,  in  1862,  he  emigrated 
to  the  United  States.  Upon  his  arrival  in  New 
York,  lie  engaged  at  his  trade  until  1863,  and 
then  came  to  California,  arriving  in  San  Fran- 
cisco in  the  spring  of  that  year.  Soon  after  his 
arrival  he  started  in  business  as  a  peddler,  a 
business  which  he  gradually  increased  until  he 
liad  a  large  and  lucrative  trade  in  the  mining 
counties.  In  1864  he  went  to  Oregon  and  en- 
gaged as  a  clerk  in  a  general  merchandise  store, 
but,  not  being  suited  with  the  prospects  in  that 
section,  he  returned  to  San  Francisco,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1865  he  took  a  trip  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  Upon  his  arrival  in  Honolulu,  not 
finding  business  suited  to  his  calling,  he  did  not 
spend  his  time  in  idleness,  but  acceptetl  a  situa- 
tion as  a  waiter  in  a  restaurant.  Soon  after 
this  he  opened  a  restaurant  upon  his  own  ac- 
count, a  business  he  conducted  until  1867,  when 
he  sold  out  and  returned  to  San  Francisco,  and 
soon  after  located  in  Napa  County,  at  Monti- 
cello,  wliere  he  was  employed  for  some  months 
as  a  clerk  in  a  general  merchandise  store.  In 
1868  Mr.  Schocken  established  himself  as  a 
merchant  in  that  place,  and  conducted  a  success- 
ful general  mercantile  business  in  Napa  County 


until  1873,  when  he  sold  out  and  located  in 
Sonoma,  establishing  a  store  and  also  engaging 
in  the  lumber  business.  He  was  nniformly 
successful  in  his  enterprises,  and  his  straight- 
forward dealing  secured  him  friends  and  custom- 
ers. In  1880  he  sold  out  his  merchandise  store 
and  devoted  himself  to  the  lumber  business  and 
other  enterprises;  again,  in  1883,  he  entered 
into  general  mercantile  pursuits  and  estab- 
lished his  present  store.  In  1872  Mr.  Schocken 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Dora  Baer,  a 
native  of  Prussia.  No  children  have  blessed 
this  union.  Mr.  Schocken  has  now  four  of  his 
nephews  in  his  family,  viz.:  Elias,  Hyman,  and 
Robert  Pasch  and  Bernard  Baer,  in  whom  he 
takes  a  great  interest,  having  established  them 
in  business.  Politically,  Mr.  Schocken  is  a 
staunch  Republican.  He  is  a  member  of  Temnle 
Lodge,  No.  14,  F.  I'c  A.  M. 


f^AMES  M.  HILL.— The  subject  of  this 
I  sketch  is  a  descendant  from  one  of  the  old 
families  of  Virginia.  His  parents,  William 
and  Catharine  (Wesley)  Hill,  were  natives  of 
Louisa  County,  that  State,  and  his  mother  was 
a  descendant  of  the  great  reformer,  John  AYesley. 
His  parents  moved  to  Madison  County,  Ken- 
tucky, at  an  early  date,  where  he  was  born  April 
3,  1810.  His  father  died  when  Mr.  Hill  was 
but  six  years  old,  leaving  the  care  and  rearing 
of  the  family  to  the  mother.  In  1822  his 
mother  moved  with  her  family  to  Missouri,  and 
located  in  Boone  County,  where  she  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock-raising.  Mr.  Hill  was  early 
in  life  engaged  in  farm  work,  and  brought  up 
in  the  rugged  life  of  pioneer  settlements,  his 
schooling  being  almost  entirely  neglected.  He 
resided  upon  his  mother's  farm  until  he  attained 
his  majority,  and,  in  1831,  married  Miss  Sarah 
Elston.  Her  parents  were  residents  of  Boone 
County,  but  natives  of  New  Jersey.  After  his 
marriage,  in  1832,  he  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock-raising  npon  his  own  account,  an  occupa- 
tion which  he  followed  until  1849.     He  was  at- 


453 


UISTORY    OF    SONOilA    COUNTY. 


tracted  by  the  glowing  accounts  of  tlie  easily 
acquired  riches  to  be  obtained  in  the  Golden 
State,  and  in  the  spring  of  that  year  he  left  his 
family  on  the  old  homestead  and  started  across 
the  plains  for  California.  Nothing  of  particu- 
lar interest  was  connected  with  this  journey,  and 
after  months  of  slow  and  tedious  traveling  of 
the  ox  teams  over  plains  and  mountains  he  ar- 
rived in  October,  1849,  in  El  Dorado  County. 
Upon  his  arrival  he  immediately  commenced 
active  operations  in  mining,  which  he  success- 
fully conducted  until  1852.  In  that  year  he 
went  by  steamer  route  from  San  Francisco  to 
New  Orleans,  and  from  there  returned  to  his 
old  home  in  Missouri.  Upon  his  return  he  sold 
his  farm,  settled  up  his  ati'airs,and  in  the  spring 
of  1853  started  upon  his  second  trip  overland, 
taking  his  family  witli  him.  Upon  his  arrival 
in  California  he  again  located  in  El  Dorado 
County,  where  he  established  a  hotel  and 
freifrhtincr  line  between  Fiddletown  and  Indian 
Diggings,  and  was  also  engaged  in  miningopera- 
tions.  He  conducted  these  enterprises  until 
1856,  when,  desirous  of  some  more  congenial 
occui)ation,  he  determined  to  take  up  his  old 
calling,  that  of  a  farmer.  With  this  in  view  he 
came  to  Sonoma  County,  and  located  on  the 
Russian  River  in  Redwood  Township,  where  he 
secured  187  acres  of  Government  land.  Upon 
this  he  took  up  his  residence  and  for  naany  years 
devoted  himself  to  clearing,  cultivating  and 
improving  it.  He  continued  his  farming  and 
stock-growing  at  this  point  until  1879,  after 
which  he  was  engaged  in  various  occupations, 
among  which  was  extensive  stock-growing  in 
San  Luis  Obispo  County.  He  was  successful 
in  his  various  enterprises,  and  in  1884  pur- 
chased 640  acres  of  land  in  Mendocino  County, 
which  he  stocked  with  600  head  of  sheep.  Mr. 
Hill  is  a  resident  of  Forestville.  His  advanced 
acre  (nearly  eighty  years)  has  iiiduced  him  to 
abandon  the  care  and  labor  attending  his  ranch, 
and  he  is  enjoying  the  well  earned  competency 
which  his  industry  and  energy  have  secured  to 
him.  He  has  always  been  an  active  and  ener- 
getic citizen,  and  his  success  in  life  has  been  due 


to  his  well  poised  intellect  and  industrious  habits 
rather  than  to  any  educational  advantages  he 
received  in  early  life.  His  long  lesidence  in 
the  county  has  made  him  well  known.  He  is 
a  strong  supporter  of  enterprises  that  will  build 
up  and  advance  the  interests  of  Sonoma  County. 
In  political  affairs  Mr.  Hill  is  associated  with 
the  Democratic  party.  He  is  a  life-long  Demo- 
crat, and  at  the  same  time  exercises  an  intelli- 
gent and  liberal  view  upon  all  the  leading  party 
questions.  He  is  a  member  of  Sotoyome  Lodge, 
No.  123,  F.  it  A.  M.,  of  Healdsburg.  From 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hill  there  are  but 
two  children  living,  viz.:  Emily,  who  is  living 
on  the  old  homestead  on  the  Russian  River,  and 
Jemima  A.,  who  married  C.  D.  Yarbrough,  and 
is  now  (1888)  living  at  Guerneville. 


fHARLES  J.  DUNZ,  of  Mendocino  dis- 
trict, has  a  ranch  which  presents  a  notable 
"^^  instance  of  what  may  be  accomplished  in 
the  way  of  impi'ovemeiit  in  a  short  space  of 
time.  This  ranch.  Laurel  Hill  vineyard  and 
winery,  comprises  344  acres,  and  is  near  the 
Dry  Creek  road,  four  miles  from  Healdsburg. 
When  it  was  purchased  by  Mr.  Dunz,  in  1884, 
it  was  nearly  all  covered  with  timber,  but  now 
there  are  nearly  150  acres  in  vines,  and  all  of 
most  desirable  varieties.  They  are  Zinfandel, 
Burgundy,  Mataro,  Riesling,  etc.,  and  are  all  in 
splendid  condition.  Mr.  Dunz  commenced  the 
erection  of  a  winery  in  1885,  and  has  since 
added  to  it  until  it  now  has  a  storage  capacity 
of  70,000  gallons.  All  his  grapes  will  soon  be 
in  bearincr,  and  when  this  is  the  case  there  will 
be  a  very  large  vintage  from  the  crop  raised  on 
the  place.  The  flavor  of  the  wine  made  from 
grapes  raised  on  this  land  is  excellent,  and  hence 
a  price  in  excess  of  the  usual  market  rate  is 
commanded.  Mr.  Dunz  also  has  ten  acres  in 
fruit,  the  varieties  being  peaches,  plums,  apples, 
apricots,  etc.  Though  young  the  trees  show 
excellent  growth,  and  are  in  healthy  condition. 
About  sixty  acres  is  cleared  and  underculti  vation. 


nisroRY     OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Mr.  Dunz  is  a  native  of  Canton  Berne,  Switzer- 
land, born  at  the  foot  of  the  Alps,  in  Than, 
January  27,  1815.  When  a  mere  buy  he 
lost  his  father  by  death.  lie  was  reared 
in  his  native  country,  receiving  his  education  at 
the  University  of  Ikrne.  In  1846  he  came  to 
America  and  located  in  St.  Louis,  but  in  1850 
came  to  Califurnia  via  Panama,  landing  in  San 
Francisco  in  March.  He  went  to  Sacramento 
in  a  whale  boat,  and  was  soon  on  his  way  to  the 
mines  of  Coloma.  From  there  he  went  to 
Placerville  and  Poverty  Bar,  where  he  was  for 
a  time  in  the  mercantile  business.  He  afterward 
was  at  the  camps  at  Rich  Bar,  Yuba,  and  was 
interested  at  Long  Bar.  About  ten  years  he 
was  in  the  assay  business  in  Nevada.  He  re- 
turned to  his  native  land  with  two  young  native 
daughters  of  a  friend  for  education,  but  after  a 
residence  there  of  six  years  came  back  to  Cali- 
fornia and  was  for  a  time  at  San  Francisco. 
Thence  he  removed  to  Santa  Rosa,  and  two 
years  later  to  his  present  residence.  Mr.  Dunz 
is  a  gentleman  of  no  ordinary  attainments,  and 
has  the  true  old  country    spirit  of  hospitality. 

^-  ■ ^^f^*? 

fAMUEL  ALFRED  NAY  was  born  in 
Hancock,  Ilillsboro  County,  New  Hamp- 
shire, February  18,  1830,  his  parents  be- 
ing Gardner  and  Amelia  (Simonds)  Nay,  both 
natives  of  New  Hampshire.  The  tradition 
of  the  Nay  family  is  that  thi'ee  brothers  came 
to  this  country  from  France  and  spelled  their 
name  Ney,  and  all  the  Nays  that  have  been 
heard  from  are  descendants  of  these  three 
brothers.  Gai'dner  Nay  had  eight  children  in 
his  family  of  whom  one  died  early  in  life. 
Three  of  the  sons  and  one  daughter  are  now 
living  in  California.  The  family  moved  from 
New  Hampshire  to  Illinois,  where  the  father 
died,  September,  1861,  after  which  Mrs.  Nay 
came  to  California  and  made  her  home  with  one 
of  lier  sons,  William  J.  Nay,  until  her  death  in 
1878.  Samuel  A.  Nay  made  his  home  with  his 
parents  as  long  as  he  I'emained  in  that  county. 


When  he  was  eighteen  he  commenced  the  car- 
penter trade  and  worked  at  it  off  and  on  until 
he  was  twenty-two  years  old.  In  1852  he  came 
to  California,  sailing  fi-om  New  York,  February 
26,  on  the  steamer  Georgia,  as  far  as  Cuba.  It 
was  discovered  by  this  time  that  the  boat  was 
leaking  so  badly  that  it  would  be  imprudent  to 
proceed  any  farther  in  her;  so  at  the  port  men- 
tioned they  met  the  steamer  Ohio,  with  which 
they  exchanged  passengers  and  cargo,  and  the 
Georgia  returned  to  New  York,  while  the  re- 
mainder of  the  passage  was  made  in  the  Ohio 
as  far  as  Aspinwall,  then  by  small  boats  up  the 
river  as  far  as  Goggoner;  thence  over  the 
mountains  to  Panama,  where  the  journey  was 
continued  in  the  steamer  Panama  to  San  Fran- 
cisco. After  his  arrival  in  San  Francisco  April  1, 
Mr.  Nay  looked  around  for  something  to  do,  and 
on  one  of  his  wanderings  around  the  town  saw  a 
card  stuck  up  in  one  of  the  windows  advertising 
for  teamsters.  He  applied  to  George  Ensign  of 
ilarin  County  for  the  position  and  hired  out  to 
him  at  a  salary  of  $70  a  month.  This  he 
thought  big  wages,  just  coming  as  he  did  from 
New  Hampshire,  and  after  working  one  month 
his  wages  were  raised  to  $90,  and  the  third 
month  to  §100.  Thus  he  continued  till  the 
month  of  August,  when  he  was  taken  sick  aiid 
was  compelled  to  abandon  teaming  on  account  of 
the  dust.  After  a  fortnight  he  was  employed, 
by  the  same  man,  in  the  mill  and  attended  to 
one  of  the  saws.  The  mill  was  running  night 
and  day,  si.x  hours  period.  After  working  there 
for  about  a  month,  ^Mr.  Ensign  came  to  him 
and  wanted  him  to  drive  the  team  again,  as  the 
other  teamsters,  not  taking  sufficient  interest  in 
the  work,  did  not  haul  logs  enough  to  keep  the 
mill  running  all  the  time,  and  he  offered  Mr. 
Nay  his  pick  of  five  out  of  thirty  yoke  of  oxen 
and  $125  a  month.  Mr.  Nay,  not  being  able  to 
staiul  the  dust  he  woidd  have  to  encounter,  re- 
fused the  offer  and  kept  on  at  work  in  the  mill 
until  October,  when  he  engaged  in  farming  on 
his  own  account.  He  leaseil  a  piece  of  land  in 
Marin  Count}',  in  1853,  in  which  year  there 
wei'e    a    great    many    potatoes    sacked    u]>  and 


Ul;<TORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


lotted,  tliere  being  no  market  for  them,  at  least 
wliut  tliere  was  did  not  offer  a  price  tliat  would 
net  anything  to  the  grower.  Mr.  Nay  sold  100 
sacks  to  the  State  prison,  for  $20.  At  the  end 
of  the  first  year's  farming  he  was  §300  in  debt 
besides  losing  all  his  hard  work  for  tlie  year. 
Tlie  ne.xt  year  he  farmed  in  the  same  county 
and  liauled  wood  for  his  brother,  William  J. 
Nay,  at  two  dollars  a  cord.  He  put  in  a  croj) 
of  potatoes  the  spring  before  and  continued  on 
tliat  farm  two  years'^.  The  last  year,  1855,  was 
tiie  year  that  potatoes  commanded  such  a  big 
jirice,  four  cents  a  pound.  He  then  gave  up 
farming  for  the  time  being,  and  with  his  brotlier 
"William,  went  to  chopping  and  hauling  four- 
foot  wood,  which  business  they  continued  till 
1858,  when  they  bought  some  cattle  and  leased 
them  out,  and  still  continuing  in  tiie  wood  busi- 
ness for  another  year.  They  then  bought  more 
cows  and  went  into  the  dairy  business  on  the 
Seise  jilace.  They  remained  there  two  years 
after  which  they  bought  a  ranch  of  600  acres  at 
Point  San  Pedro,  where  they  followed  dairying 
and  hauling  great  quantities  of  wood  ofi"  the 
place.  In  the  spring  of  1863  Mr.  Nay  bouglit 
his  brother's  interest  in  the  place  and  ran  tlie 
business  one  year  longer.  He  then  leased  the 
ranch  and  stock  and  went  back  to  the  Seise 
place,  })urchasing  more  cows  and  running  a 
larger  dairy  for  five  years,  during  which  time 
he  sold  his  ranch  at  Point  San  Pedro.  Mr. 
Nay  tlieii  came  to  Sonoma  County  in  1870,  and 
purchased  his  present  place.  During  this  time 
he  and  his  brother  bought  a  large  sheep  ranch 
of  1800  acres,  located  beyond  Guerneville, 
between  there  and  the  coast,  which  they  con- 
ducted for  eight  years  and  then  sold  it.  Mr. 
Nay  has  in  his  present  place  131  acres  devoted 
to  general  farming  and  frui-t  raising.  He  has 
an  orchai-d  of  about  thirty-four  acres  containing 
principally  winter  fruit.  Mr.  Nay  was  married 
in  November,  1858,  to  Sarah  Eliza  "Winans,  a 
native  of  Ohio.  They  have  had  five  children, 
four  sons  and  one  daughter:  Charles  James, 
born  March  14,  1860;  Ileber  Lewis,  born  May 
9,  1861,  who   married   Mary  E.  Crippen:  Isa- 


belle,  born  June  14,  1866,  and  died  December 
24,  1870;  Frank  Gardner,  born  October  26, 
1871;  Otto  Rede,  born  March  8, 1874,  and  died 
in  October  of  that  year. 


li^^ILLIAM  C.  HILL,  JOHN  M.  DIi  K- 
WM)  ^^^  -^^°  THOMAS  C.  GOODFEL- 
l^^^I  LOW,  compose  the  dry  goods  and 
clothing  firm  of  Hill,  Dickson  «fe  Co.,  one 
of  the  most  enterprising  and  prosperous  busi- 
ness firms  in  Santa  Rosa  or  Sonoma  County. 
These  gentlemen,  who  are  all  in  the  prime  of 
manhood,  have  each  had  an  extensive  experience 
in  this  branch  of  mercantile  life,  and  are  thus 
conversant  with  every  feature  of  the  retail  dry 
goods  and  clothing  trade.  The  present  co-part- 
nership was  formed  and  their  store  opened  for 
business  in  the  Byington  Block  on  Fourth 
sti'eet  in  1886.  Although  their  capital  was 
limited  and  their  stock  not  large,  they  are 
shrewd  buyers  as  well  as  fine  salesmen,  and  pur- 
chasing their  stock  at  the  lowest  cash  prices 
they  were  enabled  to  compete  successfully  with 
other  merchants,  and  enjoyed  a  liberal  patron- 
age from  the  beginning.  The  sales  of  the  house 
during  the  first  ten  months  of  its  history  ag- 
gregated $52,000;  and  the  firm  doubled  their 
capital.  For  the  year  1888  their  sales  reached 
$80,000.  The  store  in  the  Byington  Block 
being  too  small  for  their  inci'easing  volume  of 
business,  they  moved  the  1st  of  October,  1888, 
into  their  beautiful  and  commodious  store  at  No. 
6  Fourth  street.  This  store  was  enlarged  and 
fitted  up  especially  for  their  use,  with  all  modern 
appliances  and  conveniences, including  the  Lam- 
son  store  service,  the  only  one  in  the  city,  and 
is  one  of  the  most  attractive  and  elegant  busi- 
ness rooms  in  the  interior  of  California.  The 
several  departments,  of  dry  goods,  clothing  and 
fancy  goods,  are  kept  thoroughly  stocked  with 
the  latest  and  best  products  of  the  loom  and 
the  factory,  all  of  which  are  sold  on  small  mar- 
gin of  profit;  and  each  purchaser  so  treated  by 
the  gentlemanly  proprietors  and  their  salesmen 


UlSTOHY    OF    HONOMA    VOUNTr. 


that  he  becomes  a  permanent  customer.  Will- 
iam C.  lliLL  left  his  birth  place,  on  his  father's 
fiu-ni  in  teouthern  Ohio,  at  sixteen  years  of  age, 
since  which  time  he  has  depended  entirely  upon 
his  own  resources.  He  has  traveled  quite  e.\- 
tensively,  visiting  many  States;  had  live  years 
experience  as  a  school  teacher.  He  came  to 
California  in  1879,  spent  about  three  years  in 
traveling  over  the  Paciiic  slope,  and,  selecting 
S.inta  Rosa  as  his  future  home,  engaged  in  the 
dry  goods  business,  working  the  tirst  three  years 
on  a  salary.  He  married  Miss  Emma  Arnold) 
a  native  of  Sonoma  County.  John  M.  Dickson 
was  born  in  Kingston,  Canada,  and  started  in 
the  dry  goods  business  in  his  "  teens"  eighteen 
years  ago,  in  Picton  in  the  province  of  Ontario. 
He  came  to  California  in  the  spring  of  1878, 
and  to  Santa  Rosa  in  March,  1879.  Mr.  Dick- 
son married  Miss  Olive  Spence,  born  in  Sonoma 
County,  and  the  daughter  of  an  early  pioneer 
in  California.  Thomas  C.  Goodfellow  is  a 
native  of  the  province  of  Quebec,  Canada,  and 
started  to  learn  the  dry  goods  business  at  sixteen 
years  of  age  in  that  country.  He  left  Canada 
and  came  to  the  United  States  in  1878,  and  was 
engaged  in  merchandising  two  years  and  a  half 
in  Virginia  City,  Nevada.  Coming  from  there  to 
Santa  Rosa  in  1881,  he  worked  five  years  as  a 
dry  goods  salesman  before  entering  into  the 
present  co-partnership.  His  wife  was  formerly 
Miss  Kate  AVilliamson,  a  native  Santa  Rosan. 


'§^-^^^ 

fOHN  S.  TAYLOR  has  for  over  thirty-five 
years  been  identi  tied  witli  the  growth  and  de- 
velopment of  Santa  Rosa  and  the  valley.  As 
a  farmer,  stock-raiser  and  business  man,  he  is 
well  and  favorably  known  throughout  the  county, 
and  as  the  genial  host  of  the  White  Sulphur 
Springs  he  has  gained  a  large  circle  of  friends 
throughout  the  State.  Mr.  Taylor  has  large  prop- 
erty interests  in  Sonoma  County.  His  extensive 
farm,  containing  about  1,400  acres,  is  located  just 
south  and  east  of  Santa  Rosa  and  comprises 
some  of  the   richest  atid    most   ])i'oductive  hill 


and  valle}'  land  in  Santa  Rosa  Valley.  He  is 
the  owner  of  the  White  Siilpluir  Springs,  a  well 
known  summer  resort  which  is  located  about 
two  and  one  lialf  miles  from  Santa  Rosa.  These 
springs  are  beautifully  located  near  the  base  of 
Taylor  Mountain,  some  sixty  feet  above  and 
overlooking  the  city  and  valley  of  Santa  Rosa. 
Here  Mr.  Taylor  has  fitted  up  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  and  comfortable  resorts  to  be  found  in 
the  county.  In  a  beautiful  and  shaded  grove 
he  has  built  a  commodious  and  well  appointed 
hotel  and  cottages,  also  a  number  of  bath-rooms, 
which  are  supplied  with  liot  and  cold  mineral 
water.  The  mineral  waters  found  here  are 
rapidly  coming  into  favor  on  account  of  their 
health  giving  qualities,  and  each  year  brings  an 
increase  in  the  health  seeking  patrons  of  this 
favored  resort.  Mr.  Taylor's  lands  are  mostly 
devoted  to  general  farming.  He  has  sixty  acres 
in  vineyard,  producing  Zinfandel  and  Mission 
grapes,  also  about  eight  acres  of  orchard.  A 
large  portion  of  his  lands  seem  especially 
adapted  to  fruit  cultivation,  and  in  his  orchai'd 
he  is  producing  some  of  the  choicest  fruit  in  tlie 
valley.  The  farm  is  well  stocked  with  im- 
proved breeds  of  horses  and  dairy  cattle.  He 
is  also  the  owner  of  some  of  the  finest  business 
and  resident  property  in  the  city  of  Santa  Rosa. 
He  was  one  of  the  founders  and  is  now  vice- 
president  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Bank.  Mr.  Taylor 
is  a  native  of  Virginia  and  dates  his  birth  in 
Pittsylvania  County  in  1828.  His  parents, 
Mumford  S.  and  Mildred  (Schackleford)  Taylor, 
were  descendents  of  the  old  colonial  families  of 
Virginia.  In  1840  his  parents  moved  to  Mis- 
souri and  settled  in  Ray  County,  where  his 
father  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising. 
Mr.  Taylor  was  reared  as  a  farmer  and  remained 
upon  his  father's  farm  until  1849.  In  that 
year  he  engaged  as  a  teamster  and  started  across 
the  plains  for  Santa  Fe.  From  there  he  went 
to  El  Paso,  Texas,  and  then  across  Mexico  to 
Mazatlan,  and  thence  by  sailer  to  San  Francisco, 
where  he  arrived  in  May,  1850.  After  work- 
ing a  few  days  in  that  city  he  proceeded  to  the 
iriines  on  the  Snutli  Yuba   River,  and  engaged 


II I  STORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


in  milling.  Mr.  Taylor  followed  that  occpatiou 
with  varying  siiecuss  nntil  1853.  lie  then  came 
to  Sonoma  County,  located  upon  the  lands  he  now 
occnpies,  and  engaged  in  stock-raising  and  farm- 
ing. For  many  years  he  conducted  a  large 
dairy  npon  liis  place,  and  also  established  a 
meat  market  in  Santa  Kosa.  lie  was  also  en- 
gaged in  extensive  stock  dealings  in  the  county, 
and  during  the  time  developed  the  White  Sul- 
phur Springs,  and  built  up  the  resort  he  now 
occupies.  Few  have  taken  a  more  prominent 
])art  in  developing  the  resources  of  this  section 
of  the  county  than  lias  Mr.  Taylor.  He  has 
ever  been  an  earnest  supporter  of  all  enterprises 
that  tend  to  advance  the  interests  and  growth  of 
Santa  Kosa  and  the  valley.  Politically  he  is  a 
strong  Democrat,  taking  an  earnest  interest  in 
the  success  of  his  partj'.  Although  notanciffice 
seeker  he  was  chosen  in  1888  by  his  party  as  its 
candidate  for  sheriff  of  Sonoma  County.  He 
is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity 
and  is  atiiliated  with  the  Santa  Rosa  lodge, 
commandery  and  chapter.  In  1870  Mr.  Taylor 
married  Miss  IS'annie  Clark,  the  daughter  of 
David  and  Martha  (Berry)  Clark,  residents  of 
Santa  Rosa.  Her  father  is  a  native  of  Ohio 
and  her  mother  of  Tennessee.  From  this  mar- 
riage there  are  two  children,  Zana  ifildred  and 
John  S.,  Jr. 

-^-S*>«-|— 


tjLEXANDER  D.  LAUGIILIN.— The  sub- 
;  ject  of  this  sketch  was  born  October  7, 
^s*=^  1854,  in  Yolo  County,  California,  near 
where  the  present  town  of  Woodland  is  now 
located.  To  use  his  own  language,  "  this  im- 
portant event  of  his  life  occurred  in  an  emi- 
grant wagon,  having  Iowa  for  its  starting  point 
and  Mark  West  Creek,  Sonoma  County,  for  its 
destination."  In  due  time  he  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools — the  Sotoyome  Institute  at  Ilealds- 
burg,  then  under  the  management  of  Professor 
J.  W.  Anderson,  now  of  San  Francisco.  After- 
ward he  became  astudentof  the  Pacific  Method- 
ist College  at   Yacaville.  and   after  its  removal. 


at  Santa  Rosa.  In  October,  1875,  he  began  the 
study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Johnson  &  Henley, 
that  firm  being  composed  of  Attorney-General 
G.  A.  Johnson  and  ex-Congressman  Barclay 
Henley.  In  1877  lie  was  admitted  to  practice 
law  in  the  District  Court  of  the  Twenty-second 
Judicial  District  of  California,  but  did  notcom- 
inence  the  practice  of  his  p'ofession  until  1879, 
when  he  was  admitted  to  the  Supreme  Court. 
Since  this  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law  at  Santa  Rosa,  and  held  the 
office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  three  j'ears. 
In  1884  he  received  the  nomination  by  the 
Democratic  County  Convention  for  district  at- 
torney, but  was  defeated  by  Darwin  C.  Allen, 
the  Republican  nominee.  Mr.  Laughlin  is  an 
enthusiastic  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity 
being  past  higli  priest  of  Santa  Rosa  Chapter, 
No.  45,  R.  A.  M.,  and  now  master  of  Santa  Rosa 
Lodge,  No.  57,  F.  &  A.  M. 


fiDWARD  W.  M.  EVANS.— The  gentle- 
man whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of 
I-  this  article,  occupies  a  conspiciious  figure 
among  the  younger  business  men  of  Petaluma, 
being  in  the  lead  in  the  marble  and  granite  busi- 
ness in  this  vicinity.  He  descends  from  a  good 
North  of  Ireland  family,  and  dates  his  birth 
in  1801,  from  the  county  of  Tyrone,  Ireland. 
When  very  young  his  parents  moved  to  this 
country,  and  after  visiting  and  examining  var- 
ious parts  of  the  continent,  including  Virginia 
and  Colorado,  decided  fifteen  years  ago  to  make 
California  their  home.  Eleven  years  ago  his 
father,  whose  name  is  E.  K.  Evans,  purchased  a 
farm  in  this  vicinity,  where  he  was  long  a  lead- 
ing agriculturist,  and  is  now  a  resident  of 
Alameda.  It  was  in  Petaluma  that  Mr.  Evans 
learned  his  business  of  marble  and  granite  cut- 
ting and  gained  the  proficiency  that  he  now 
possesses  in  the  various  departments  of  his 
trade.  He  bought  out  the  establishment  of  W. 
S.  Brown,  formerly  the  Petaluma  Steam  Marble 
Works,  and   then,  as   it    is    now,    the    leading 


/7o.J..^& 


Qj?l^'v^^y 


IirsTOHY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY 


establisliment  of  its  kiiiil  in  this  section,  lie 
makes  a  specialty  of  the  ilner  imported  Scotch 
granites,  Italian  marbles  and  other  tii'st-class 
work,  and  his  stock  is  a  large  and  select  one. 
Being  in  direct  correspondence  with  Scotch  and 
Eastern  manufacturers  he  is  prepared  to  furnish 
granite  monuments  at  prices  absolutely  below 
his  competitors.  He  is  a  skillful  workman  and  _ 
permits  nothing  of  an  inferior  character  to  leave 
the  works.  He  is  assisted  in  the  business  by 
his  brother,  E.  J.  Evans,  who  is  now  learning 
the  business.  His  establishment  is  situated  on 
Maine  street,  Petaluma,  above  the  plaza,  and  all 
his  work,  whether  for  cemetery  purposes,  man- 
tels, wash  slabs,  etc.,  will  be  found  first-class 
and  at  reasonable  prices.  He  is  a  gentleman  of 
pleasing  address  and  a  successful  business  man. 
Mr.  Evans  is  a  married  man  and  has  three 
children,  all  sujall. 


JSAAC  E.  SHAW,  president  of- the  Clover- 
dale  Banking  and  Commercial  Company, 
one  of  the  active  business  men  of  northern 
Sonoma  County,  is  a  native  of  Potsdam,  St. 
Lawrence  County,  New  York,  born  October  24, 
1829,  his  parents  being  Salmon  and  Esther 
(Ellis)  Shaw,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Ver- 
mont. The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  in 
his  native  town  and  there  received  his  educa- 
tion. In  1852  he  went  to  St.  Joseph,  Missouri, 
and  from  there  started  for  California  on  the  6th 
of  April,  in  the  train  of  Beam  and  Pugh.  Their 
way  took  them  by  what  was  known  as  Sublett's 
cut-ofi',  and  they  came  into  California  via  the 
old  Carson  route.  Upon  liis  arrival  in  this 
State  Mr.  Shaw,  like  a  great  many  of  the  early 
settlers,  went  to  the  mines  at  Placerville,  where 
he  engaged  in  mining,  subsequently  going  to 
the  town  of  AVeber,  on  the  creek  of  the  same 
name.  There  he  remained  until  the  following 
March  when  he  went  to  Humboldt  County,  and 
engaged  in  logging  on  Elk  River.  After  being 
thus  employed  two  years,  he  went  to  Trinity 
County,  engaging  in   mining  on  Trinity  liiver, 


near  what  was  then  known  as  the  old  Reese 
Mill.  Two  years  later  he  went  to  Lewiston, 
and,  with  a  partner,  conducted  a  butchering 
business.  This  occupation  claimed  his  atten- 
tion until  1860,  in  which  year  he  went  back  to  . 
New  York  State,  remaining  there  five  year?. 
Mr.  Shaw  returned  to  California  in  1865,  ard 
engaged  in  the  forwarding  business  at  Red 
Blufl',  at  the  same  time  carrying  on  mercantile 
business  at  Lewiston.  In  April,  1872,  he  came 
to  Cloverdale,  started  in  business,  and  the  Clo- 
verdale  Banking  and  Commercial  Company,  of 
which  he  is  president,  is  the  outgrowth  of  the 
st(n'e  he  then  established.  From  that  time  he 
has  been  an  important  factor  in  the  business  of 
this  portion  of  the  county.  Mr.  Shaw  has  been 
twice  married,  the  first  time  in  18(53,  at  Pots- 
dam, New  York,  to  Miss  Louisa  Smith.  She 
died  in  Cloverdale,  leaving  two  children,  viz.: 
Charles  B.,  who  is  in  the  hardware  trade  at 
Cloverdale;  and  Ella.  His  present  wife  was 
formerly  Miss  Minerva  McCray,  a  native  of 
Missouri,  and  daughter  of  AV.  H.  McCra^'. 
They  have  one  child,  Frank.  Mr.  Shaw  is  a 
charter  member  of  the  local  lodges  A.  O.  U.  AV. 
and  Chosen  Friends,  and  has  passed  the  chairs 
in  both.  He  is  a  Republican  politically,  aTid 
takes  an  active  interest  in  public  affairs.  For 
seventeen  years  he  has  been  treasurer  of 
Cloverdale. 

II?.  'i  r  ■  ?!■  111. 

fAPTAIN  CHARLES  M.  SCAMMON.— 
Among  the  noticeably  beautiful  residence 
properties  in  Analy  Township  is  that  of 
the  above  named  gentleman.  It  is  situated  one 
mile  north  of  Sebastopol,  at  which  point  he  is 
the  owner  of  thirty-live  acres  of  rich  and  pro- 
ductive land.  Captain  Scammon  purchased  this 
land  in  1874  and  commenced  its  improvement 
the  same  year,  Ijuilding  a  beautiful  and  conven- 
ient cottage  residence  and  suitable  out  buildings. 
His  residence  is  finely  located  upon  high  ground, 
which  is  approached  by  a  beautiful  drive  way, 
and    his    grounds    are    highly    improved,  shade 


460 


niSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


trees,  flowers,  etc.,  surrounding  his  home.  The 
view  from  his  study  window  is  one  of  surpris- 
ing Leant}-,  overlooking  as  it  does  the  Lagnna 
witli  its  placid  waters  and  the  beautiful  meadows 
on  the  lower  plateau.  Captain  Scamnion  is  de- 
voting his  lands  to  general  farming.  In  fruit 
culture  lie  confines  himself  to  a  family  orchard 
a!Kl  vineyard,  in  wliicli  lie  has  some  of  the  most 
valuable  and  improved  varieties  of  fruit  and 
table  grapes  grown  in  Sonoma  County.  All  his 
stock  are  of  the  best.  The  cattle  are  improved 
by  the  famous  Ilolstein  and  Jersey  breeds,  and 
the  horses  are  improved  by  thoroughbred  stock. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  (whose  portrait  ap- 
pears in  this  work)  is  thoroughly  identified 
with  Sonoma  County,  and  a  brief  resume  of  his 
life  is  as  follows:  Captain  Scammon  was  born 
in  Pittston,  Kennebec  County,  Maine,  May  28, 
1825.  He  was  the  son  of  the  Rev.  Eliakim  Scam- 
mon, a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  who  was  well 
known  in  the  legislative  halls  of  Maine.  His 
mother,  Joauna  (Young)  Scammon, was  born  in 
Maine.  The  captain's  early  life  was  spent  in 
school,  his  opportunities  for  an  education  being 
good.  It  was  the  desire  of  his  father  that  he 
should  receive  a  college  education,  but  from  his 
childhood  he  had  a  strong  predilection  for  the 
sea,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  he  en- 
tered upon  a  sea-faring  life,  an  occupation  which 
he  engaged  in  for  nearly  I'orty  years.  Captain 
Scammon  was  young,  energetic  and  ambitious. 
A  close  attention  to  his  calling  and  study  of 
navigation,  etc.,  secured  his  rapid  promotion, 
and  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years  he  was  a 
master  in  his  profession.  The  first  vessel  he 
commanded  was  the  schooner  Phcenix,  trading 
to  the  Caroliiias.  In  1849  he  was  placed  in 
command  of  the  bark  Sarah  Moers,  of  Bath, 
Maine,  from  which  port  he  sailed  in  August  of 
that  year,  bound  for  San  Francisco,  where  he  ar- 
rived in  February,  1850.  Upon  his  arrival 
there  the  Captain  found  the  gold  fever  at  its 
height,  but  the  gold  fields  failed  to  attract  him 
from  his  calling,  and  he  continued  in  his  profes- 
sion upon  the  Pacific  coast  until  1861.  During 
this  time  he  was  actively  engaged  in  the  various 


occupations  of  his  calling,  trading,  freighting, 
whaling,  sealing — always  as  a  master,  fully 
competent  and  commanding  vessels  from  the 
coasting  schooner  to  the  largest  class  of  full- 
rigged  ships.  Among  the  vessels  he  commanded 
mention  may  be  made  of  the  following:  barks, 
Emma,  1850;  J.  A.  Thompson,  1850-'51; 
brig,  Mary  Hellen,  1852;  bark,  Rio  Grande, 
1853;  schooner,  Mary  Taylor,  1854;  ship, 
Lenore,  1855-'56.  In  1857  he  vras  in  com- 
mand of  the  brig  Boston,  with  the  schooner 
Marin  as  tender,  upon  a  whaling  voyage,  and 
in  1859-'60,  while  whaling  and  sealing  on  the 
coast  of  Lower  California,  was  in  command  of 
the  barks  Ocean  Bird  and  Carib,  with  the 
schooner  Kate  and  A.  M.  Simpson  as  tenders; 
also  in  1860  he  commanded  the  ship  Wm.  C. 
Nye,  upon  a  whaling  cruise  to  the  Okhotsk  Sea. 
Captain  Scammon's  long  years  of  service  and 
experience  had  made  him  a  thorough  master  of 
his  profession,  practically  as  well  as  theoreti- 
cally, and  in  1861  he  received  an  appointment 
from  the  United  States  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury as  a  Lieutenant  in  the  United  States  revenue 
marine  service.  He  immediately  entered  upon 
his  duties  as  an  officer  in  that  service  and  his 
promotion  was  rapid.  In  1863  he  was  placed 
in  command  of  the  United  States  revenue  ma- 
rine steamer,  Shiihrick,  so  well  known  on  the 
Pacific  coast.  In  the  winter  of  1865  the  Cap- 
tain with  his  vessel  was  transferred  to  the 
United  States  navy  for  ninety  days.  This  was 
done  in  order  that  the  vessel  might  visit  the 
Russian  American  possessions.  The  steamer 
Shtihrich  under  his  command  conveyed  Colonel 
Charles  S.  Buckley,  chief  of  the  Western  Union 
Telegraph  expedition,  to  Sitka.  Upon  arrival 
at  that  place,  the  usual  salutes  were  passed  be- 
tween the  Russian  fort  and  the  steamer.  The 
Governor  informed  Captain  Scammon  that  the 
Shuhrick  was  the  first  United  States  vessel  that 
ever  saluted  the  Russian  flag  at  that  port.  Up- 
on his  return  to  San  Francisco  the  captain  was 
granted  leave  of  absence  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  in  order  that  he  might  take  command 
of  the   "Western    Union   Telegraph  fleet.     Per- 


UISTOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


mission  was  also  granted  to  fly  the  United  States 
revenue  marine  flag  upon  the  flag-ship.  This 
responsible  and  important  command  may  be 
better  appreciated  when  we  consider  that  the 
fleet  comprised  eight  vessels  as  follows:  ship 
Nightingale,  steamer  George  E.  Wright,  barks 
Golden  Gate,  Palmetto,  Clara  Bell,  Onward, 
IF.  L.  Rutgers  and  schooner  Milton  Badger. 
Tlio  bark  Golden  Gate  was  the  captain's  flag- 
ship the  iirst  year,  and  the  Nightingale  was 
used  as  such  during  tlie  second  year.  This  tele- 
graph enterprise,  wliich  contemplated  running  a 
line  through  Siberia  and  Western  Russia,  was 
abandoned  when  the  success  of  the  Atlantic 
cable  was  assured,  and  Captain  Seammon  re- 
turned with  his  fleet  to  San  Francisco  and 
resumed  his  position  in  the  revenue  marine 
service,  taking  command  of  the  United  States 
revenue  marine  cutter,  Joe  Lane,  after  which, 
in  1868  and  1869  he  was  in  command  of  the 
United  States  revenue  marine  steamer  Wayanda. 
In  1870-'71  he  was  given  the  command  of  the 
United  States  revenue  marine  steamer  Lincoln. 
In  1872  he  took  command  of  the  revenue 
steamer  Oliver  Waloott.  This  was  the  first 
revenue  marine  steamer  ever  built  on  the 
Pacific  coast.  Captain  Seammon  had  at  this 
time  been  almost  continuously  engaged  in  his 
profession  for  over  thirty  years.  The  exposure, 
hardships  and  cares  attendant  npon  his  calling 
had  so  undermined  liis  naturally  strong  consti- 
tution, that  he  became  an  invalid  and  was  ad- 
vised by  the  physicians  to  abandon  a  sea- faring 
life  for  a  time  at  least.  The  department  readily 
granted  him  a  leave  of  absence.  While  in 
search  of  a  desirable  location  for  tlie  recovery 
of  his  health  he  visited  Sonoma  County  and  was 
so  pleased  with  its  many  attractions,  soil,  cli- 
mate, etc.,  that  he  purchased  land  and  took  up 
his  present  residence.  In  1880  lie  had  so  far 
recovered  his  health  that  ho  applied  for  active 
service,  and  in  the  spring  of  that  year  was 
ordered  on  duty  on  the  coast  of  Florida,  where 
he  commanded  the  United  States  revenue  marine 
steamer  DLn.  While  on  that  coast  he  contracted 
a  malarious  fever  and    was  ('()m])ell('d    again   to 


avail  himself  of  a  sick  leave.  He  then  returned 
to  his  California  home,  where  he  remained  until 
1882,  when  he  went  East  and  took  command  of 
the  steamer  MclMne.  This  vessel  was  engaged 
in  cruising  from  Mobile,  Alabama,  to  the  Rio 
Grande,  the  southern  bonndary  of  the  United 
States  on  the  Atlantic  coast.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  remained  in  the  active  service  until 
ill  health  again  compelled  his  retirement  from 
duty,  and  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Sonoma 
County,  where  he  has  since  resided.  The  cap- 
tain is  still  an  otficer  in  the  United  States  reve- 
nue marine  service,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  his 
health  will  ever  again  permit  him  to  enter  into 
active  service.  Captain  Seammon  started  in  liis 
profession  at  an  age  when  most  yonng  men 
are  attending  school.  He  was  naturally  of 
studious  jiabits,  and  during  all  the  years  tliat 
followed  was  a  close  observer  of  nature  and  a 
student  of  natural  history.  His  literary  attain- 
ments and  works  are  of  no  mean  order.  He 
devoted  many  years  to  magazine  and  other 
scientific  writings.  His  writings  date  back  to 
the  early  days  of  California  literature.  Among 
his  first  writings  were  several  articles  in  the 
Alta  California  upon  Southern  California,  also 
numerons  contributed  articles  for  the  Orerland 
2fonthly  of  San  Francisco,  in  the  days  of  Bret 
Plarte.  Among  the  results  of  his  study  and 
scientific  research  while  following  his  profession, 
special  mention  should  be  made  of  his  work  en- 
titled "  Marine  Mammals  of  the  Northwestern 
Coast  of  North  America,"  together  with  an  ac- 
count of  the  American  whale  fishery,  which  is  a 
full  and  comprehensive  publication,  and  to-day 
stands  as  the  only  recognized  authority  npon  tlie 
subject  upon  which  he  treats.  These  works 
have  been  published  and  extensively  circulated, 
and  the  Captain  has  a  just  reason  to  be  proud 
of  the  reputation  he  has  gained  in  the  scientific 
cii'cles  of  the  world.  Captain  Seammon  is  well 
known  in  the  community  in  which  he  resides, 
and  is  esteemed  and  respected  by  his  many 
friends  and  acquaintances.  He  is  closely  iden- 
tified with  and  a  strong  supporter  of  all  enter- 
prises tending  to  aclvaiici'   the  best   intertsts  of 


Ur STORY     OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


the  section  in  which  he  resides.  Politically,  he 
is  a  strong  and  consistent  Repnhlican.  well  read 
and  informed  upon  all  the  leading  national 
issues  of  the  diy.  He  is  a  nieniher  of  Lafayette 
Lodge,  No.  126,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Sehastopol.  In 
1848,  in  Pittston,  Maine,  Captain  Scam inon  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Susan  C.  Norris, 
daughter  of  Jeremiah  and  Harriet  (Crowell) 
Norris.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Maine,  and 
Irt  mother  of  ]\[assachusctts.  They  have  three 
children  living,  viz.:  Charles  K.,  Alexander  E., 
and  Lawrence  N.  Charles  K.  is  now  (1888) 
residing  in  Oregon.  The  other  sons  reside  with 
their  parents. 


fOllN  TIVNEN.  —  The  subject,  of  this 
sketch  was  born  in  New  York  City,  August 
23,  1832,  his  parents  being  John  and 
Nancy  (ILu-rison)  Tivnen,  natives  of  Sligo 
County,  Ireland.  When  but  eight  years  of  age, 
September  4,  1840,  the  death  of  his  father  left 
the  care  of  himself  and  sister  to  the  mother, 
and  consecjuently  Mr.  Tivnen  was  early  in  life 
schooled  to  labor.  At  the  age  of  ten  years  he 
commenced  at  such  work  as  a  boy  could  per- 
form, and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years  ap- 
prenticed himself  to  Andrew  Simpson  of 
Christopher  street  to  learn  the  trade  of  baker. 
By  close  application  and  strict  attention  to  his 
business  he  mastered  all  the  details  of  his  call- 
ing and  gained  the  confidence  of  his  employer, 
and  when  but  eighteen  years  of  age  was  given 
the  position  of  foreman  of  the  bakery  and  shop. 
He  continued  this  occupation  until  1854.  The 
death  of  his  mother,  which  occurred  in  July, 
1849,  having  broken  up  the  family,  his  desire 
to  travel  induced  him  to  start  for  California, 
which  he  did  February  4,  1854,  embarking  on 
the  steamer  Northern  Light,  via  the  Nicaragua 
route.  From  Nicaragua  hecamein  the  steamer 
Cortes  to  San  Francisco,  at  which  place  he  ar- 
rived March  4.  Soon  after  his  arrival  he  secured 
work  at  his  trade  as  a  baker  in  the  American 
Bakery  on  Pacilic  street,  and  afterward  was  en- 


gaged at  the  New  York  Bakery.  In  the  years 
1856  and  1857  Mr.  Tivnen  visited  Sonoma 
County,  and  being  much  pleased  w'ith  its  many 
attractions  decided  to  make  it  his  home.  In  ' 
1858  he  left  San  Francisco  and  located  in  Sonoma 
and  the  next  year  established  a  bakery,  and  being 
a  practical  baker  and  a  man  of  sound  business 
principles,  this  enterprise  proved  a  success.  He 
also  engaged  in  other  enterprises,  and  in  1871 
took  the  agency  for  the  Firemen's  Fund  Insur- 
ance Company  of  San  Francisco".  He  afterward 
increased  his  insurance  business  by  accepting 
agencies  in  other  fire  and  life  insurance  compa- 
nies. In  1877  he  erected  a  bonded  warehouse 
in  Sonoma,  it  being  the  only  one  in  Sonoma 
Valley.  This  w-arehouse  was  accepted  by  the 
Government  in  March,  1878.  January  1,  1878, 
Mr.  Tivnen  sold  out  his  bakery  and  has  since 
conducted  his  warehouse  and  insurance  business. 
His  warehouse  is  of  the  most  substantial  order, 
bnilt  of  concrete,  the  doors  and  windows  being 
guarded  by  strong  iron  shutters.  This  building 
is  80  X  60  feet,  and  has  a  storage  capacity  of 
60,000  gallons.  His  insurance  business  is  also 
quite  extensive,  as  he  is  representing  some  of 
the  best  known  aud  substantial  iire  and  life 
insurance  companies  in  the  country.  He  has 
also  considerable  real  estate  in  Sonoma,  both 
residence  and  business  property.  Mr.  Tivnen 
is  well  known  both  in  Sonoma  Township  and 
County.  His  residence  of  over  thirty  years,  and 
his  straightforward  business  dealings  have 
gained  him  hosts  of  warm  friends  and  the  re- 
spect and  esteem  of  the  community.  He  has 
been  called  upon  to  fill  many  places  and  oflices 
of  trust  in  the  county.  In  1879  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  fill  an  unexpired  term  as  supervisor 
of  his  district,  and  in  September  of  the  same 
year  was  elected  as  supervisor  of  the  first  dis- 
trict of  Sonoma  County,  which  includes  Sonoma 
and  Yallejo  townships.  November  13,  1878, 
he  was  appointed  notary  public.  He  was  also 
appointed  to  the  same  position  November  17, 
1884,  and  re-appointed  November  17,  1886. 
In  1886  he  was  elected  public  administrator  and 
coroner  of  Sonoma  County,  a  position  which  he 


HIHTOHY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


463 


filled  so  entirely  to  the  satisfaction  of  tlie  people 
that  he  was  re-elected  in  1888  by  one  of  the 
largest  majorities  given  to  any  otKcer  in  the 
county.  He  is  a  straightforward  Democrat  in 
politics,  taking  a  deep  interest  in  all  matters 
afi'ecting  the  success  of  his  party,  but  always 
using  his  influence  ibr  the  best  elements,  and 
for  what  he  considers  the  best  interest  of  that 
party.  Mr.  Tivnen  is  a  member  of  Sonoma 
Lodge,  No.  28,  I.  O.  0.  F.,  also  a  charter  mem- 
ber of  Bear  Flag  Lodge,  No.  97,  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  a  member  of  Pueblo  Lodge,  No. 
168,  A.  O.  U.  W.  June  2,  1881,  Mr.  Tivnen 
married  Mrs.  Sabrina  Clara  (Callaway)  Syndor, 
the  widow  of  Robert  Bailey  Syndor,  a  former 
resident  and  prominent  nierciiantof  Sacramento 
and  Stanislaus  counties.  Mrs.  Tivnen  was  born 
in  Mobile,  Alabama,  September  11,  1843.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  George  and  Eve  (Cohen) 
Callaway,  botii  natives  of  Alabama.  She  died 
April  5,  1882,  leaving  four  children,  viz.:  Mary 
Clara  Tivnen,  born  Marc!)  30,  1882;  and  from 
her  flrst  marriage,  Bertie  Syndor,  born  March 
25,  18G9;  Eva  Syndor,  born  October  25,  1871, 
and  Addie  Syndor,  born  January  29,  1877. 


ILO  S.  DAVIS,  OTie  of  the  best  known 
and  highly  esteemed  business  men  of 
^iit/jn-^  Santa  liosa,  was  born  in  Delaware 
County,  New  York,  in  1828.  In  youth  he 
learned  the  trade  of  millwright  and  pursued 
that  business  for  many  years.  When  twenty- 
seven  years  of  age  he  left  the  Empire  State, 
went  to  Minnesota,  and  for  seven  years  was 
actively  engaged  in  building  and  putting  in 
mill  machinery  in  that  greatest  milling  center 
of  the  world — Minneapolis.  In  1804  he  came 
to  California,  and,  settling  in  San  Francisco, 
formed  a  co-partnership  with  a  Mr.  Amos,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Amos  &  Davis,  and  carried  on 
a  prosperous  millwright  business  there,  which 
extended  throughout  this  State  and  into  adjoin- 
ing States  and  Territories.  The  firm  manufact- 
ured  and   put  in   the  works   for   both    flouring 


and  quartz  mills,  shipping  machinery'  as  far  as 
Central  America.  In  April,  1876,  Mr.  Davis 
closed  out  his  business  interests  and  spent  some 
time  at  the  Centennial  Exposition  in  Philadel- 
phia. Ileturning  in  the  fall  he  came  to  Santa 
Rosa  and  engaged  in  the  furniture  and  under- 
taking business,  in  company  with  T.  R.  Roller. 
Subsequently  they  dissolved  partnership,  having 
sold  the  furniture  business  to  L.  W.  Smallwood 
and  Mr.  Davis  retained  the  undertaking  depart- 
ment. Since  that  time  he  has  given  his  atten- 
tion solely  to  this  branch  of  business,  and  is  the 
only  exclusive  undertaker  and  funeral  director 
in  Santa  Rosa.  Mr.  J.  P.  Stanley,  who  has 
active  charge  of  much  of  his  business,  possesses 
rare  qualifications,  both  by  nature  and  training, 
for  performing  the  last  sad  rites  for  the  dead 
and  comforting  the  bereaved  hearts  of  the  living. 
Four  years  ago  Mr.  Davis  erected  the  portion  of 
his  fine  brick  block  in  which  his  otfice  is  situ- 
ated, on  the  south  side  of  Fourth  street  between 
A  and  B  streets,  and  the  present  year  he  built 
the  remainder  of  the  block,  which  now  com- 
prises a  hundred  feet  frontage  on  Fourth  street, 
is  two  stories  high,  and  is  one  of  the  most  at- 
tractive and  valuable  business  buildings  in  the 
city.  This  property,  including  the  lots,  is  worth 
^40,000.  He  has  also  a  fine  residence  property 
situated  at  the  rear  of  this  and  fronting  on  Third 
street.  The  office  and  undertaking  rooms  are 
admirably  adapted  and  arranged  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  are  cheerful  and  inviting,  presenting 
to  the  casual  visitor  no  suggestion  of  death  or 
the  tomb,  and  revealing  no  hint  of  the  large 
and  complete  stock  of  funeral  goods  they  con- 
tain. Mr.  Davis  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
order,  in  which  he  took  the  commandery  orders 
in  Zion  Commandery,  No.  2,  in  Minneapolis. 
He  served  as  eminent  commander  of  Santa 
Rosa  Commandei'y  the  j'ear  of  1881,  and  as  re- 
corder of  this  commandery  nine  years.  By 
virtue  of  being  a  Past  Eminent  Commander  he 
is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Commandery  of  the 
State  of  California.  He  attended  the  Triennial 
Conclave  of  Knights  Templar  held  in  Chicago 
in  1880,  in   San    Francisco   in    1883,  and  in  St. 


4Gi 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Louis  in  1886.  The  subject  of  this  memoir 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  N.  Skinner, 
in  1876.  They  are  rearing  .a  nephew  of  Mrs. 
Davis,  Herbert  H.  Moke,  who  is  seventeen 
years  of  age. 


fllEED  DICKINSON  is  proprietor  of  the 
Studio  Vineyard  School  adjacent  to  Wind- 
®  sor.  Mr.  Dickinson  purchased  the  bean- 
tiful  Studio  vineyard  in  1886,  and  at  once  set 
about  its  improvement  on  a  liberal  scale. 
Having  three  boys  and  desiring  to  give  them  an 
education  which  would  combine  all  the  advant- 
ages of  a  refined  home  with  the  discipline  and 
efficiency  of  a  first-class  school,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Dickinson  decided  to  open  an  establishment  at 
their  home  for  the  education  of  a  limited  num- 
ber of  pupils.  The  result  is  the  Studio  Vine- 
yard School.  All  tiie  branches  of  a  liberal 
education  are  taught  here  as  well  as  the  French, 
German,  Spanish,  Latin  and  Greek  languages, 
while  instructions  are  also  given  in  painting 
and  drawing.  In  all  these  respects  the  school 
fulfills  its  mission,  and  in  most  of  them  advant- 
ages are  had  that  cannot  be  found  in  any  simi- 
lar institution  in  California.  Mr.  Dickinson, 
besides  being  a  thorough  scholar,  ranks  among 
the  leading  artists  of  the  day  and  his  work  has 
commanded  the  highest  encomiums  at  the  hands 
of  the  cities  in  the  art  centers  of  Europe.  Mrs. 
Dickinson,  an  accomplished  and  refined  lady, 
gives  her  personal  attention  to  instruction  in 
the  Spanish  language.  Assisting  them  is  Pro- 
fessor Walters,  who  was  educated  in  Berlin  and 
at  tiie  University  of  Marburg.  He  is  a  tliorough 
master  of  the  English,  French  and  German  lan- 
guages. In  the  points  mentioned  are  to  be 
found  some  of  the  leading  advantages  of  the 
Stiidio  Vineyard  School.  To  have  instruction 
in  art  and  drawing  from  an  artist  who  ranks 
among  the  leaders,  and  in  languages  from  those 
who  are  themselves  proficient  in  them,  are  ad- 
vantages which  are  indeed  seldom  met  with, 
while,    it    would     seem,     essentiallv    necessary. 


When  these  facilities  are  to  be  had  by  the 
young  student  while  he  is  surrounded  by  the 
influence  of  a  refined  home,  the  inducements  to 
parents  to  send  their  children  here  to  be  edu- 
cated become  at  once  apparent.  Some  parents 
object  to  sending  their  children  to  many  board- 
ing schools  because  of  the  impression  that  the 
youth,  while  removed  from  all  surroundings  of 
work  of  a  physical  nature,  forgets  his  habits  of 
industry.  In  this  case  the  work  of  the  vine- 
yard and  farm  is  going  on  around  the  same  as 
the  rancher's  son  sees  it  at  home,  and  indeed  it 
is  made  an  object  of  interest  to  the  pupils.  As 
references  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dickinson  give  Mrs. 
Mills  and  Dr.  C.  C.  Stratton,  of  Mills  College- 
Seminary;  Mrs.  A.  P.  Hotaling,  Mrs.  Zelia 
Nutall,  Mrs.  Colonel  Holt,  Judge  and  Mrs. 
Selden  S.  Wright,  Dr.  A.  P.  Hayne,  C.  A.  C. 
Dnisenberg,  Esq.,  former  German  Consul  ; 
Charles  Bundschn,  Esq.,  W.  B.  Bourn,  Esq., 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Bixler,  W.  W.  Blow,  Oak- 
land, and  many  others.  J.  Reed  Dickinson  is  a 
native  of  London,  England.  He  comes  of  one 
of  the  oldest  families  of  the  North,  and  indeed 
the  Eeeds,  his  mother's  family,  have  been 
prominently  known  in  the  history  of  North- 
umberland running  back  150  years  before  the 
conquest.  His  father,  Robert  W.  Dickinson, 
was  a  famous  artist,  and,  while  inheriting  his 
father's  talents  for  art,  enjoyed  an  entree  into 
art  circles  which  were  of  much  value  to  him. 
He  received  his  first  instructions  under  John 
Ruskin,  and  afterward  studied  with  Herbert,  of 
Paris.  Then  he  spent  three  or  four  winters 
studying  from  life.  For  six  summers  he 
sketched  in  Britany;  also  in  Germany,  and 
finally  making  his  headquarters  in  London 
during  the  winter  seasons,  he  spent  his  sum- 
mers sketching  throughout  Europe,  in  such 
localities  as  fancy  dictated.  His  works  in  Nor- 
way attracted  much  attention,  and  in  CDnse- 
quence  he  received  a  letter  of  invitation  from 
H.  R.  H.  Prince  Arthur,  Duke  of  Connaught, 
requesting  the  opportunity  of  seeing  th©  pic- 
tures in  the  Prince's  rooms,  in  Buckingliam 
Palace.       At    the    international     exhibition    in 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


1873,  in  Albert  Hall,  London,  his  work  received 
the  highest  praise,  and  he  was  awarded  a  gold 
medal  by  the  Prince  of  AVales.  In  1879  Mr. 
Dickinson  came  to  America,  and  after  spending 
some  time  in  New  York  and  Boston,  located  in 
California,  and  in  Sonoma  County  in  1886.  He 
has  painted  over  1,000  portraits  since  coming 
jiere.  He  has  furnished  the  sketches  of  the 
black  and  white  work  for  the  London  Graphic 
from  California,  since  coming  to  the  Stale.  At 
his  studio  home  he  has  many  beautiful  studies, 
some  of  them  sketches  of  Sonoma  County 
scenery,  others  glimpses  of  home  scenes,  and 
others  too  numerous  to  mention.  Mr.  Dickin- 
son was  married  in  California  to  Mrs.  Martha 
Holland,  whose  maiden  name  was  Thede.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Dickinson  have  two  j)laces  in  Sonoma 
County:  the  Studio  Vineyard,  and  a  place  of 
160  acres  above  Skaggs'  Springs,  which  is  one 
of  the  romantic  spots  in  Sonoma  County.  It 
is  here  where  Ihey  intend  moving  the  school 
later  on.  The  home  ranch  contains  eighty 
acres,  convenient  to  Windsor.  Between  tifty 
and  sixt}'  acres  of  the  tract  are  in  grapes,  which 
range  in  age  from  four  to  twelve  years.  There 
are  twenty-tive  acres  of  Zinfandel  and  five  acres 
of  Silver  Leaf  Zinfandel,  the  remainder  being 
Muscats,  Tokay,  Mataro  and  Rose  of  Peru. 
This  place  presents  a  handsome  appearance  and 
everything  is  kept  in  the  best  of  order. 

^-^-^ 


fOHN  W.  CASSIDY.— It  was  with  con- 
siderable interest  that  the  writer  set  out  on 
a  visit  to  the  well-known  fruit  orchard  of 
John  W.  Cassid^',  which  is  cosily  situated  amid 
the  hills  adjoining  Petaluma.  It  comprises  a 
tract  of  twenty  acres,  and  lies  in  a  basin  and  on 
tiie  slope  of  gentle  hills  that  liave  an  eastern  and 
northern  exposure.  Tiie  only  winds  that  are 
found  troublesome  in  this  locality  are  those  that 
come  from  the  ocean  to  the  westward.  Against 
these  the  ranch  is  protected  by  the  crest  of  the 
hill  along  which  Mr.  Cassidy  has  planted  a  line 
of  eucalyptus  trees  as  a  windbreak.      Most  of  the 


orchard  was  set  out  in  1858  and  1859,  the  bal- 
ance since.  The  kinds  chosen  are  cherries, 
plums,  apples,  peaches  and  pears.  The  cherries 
and  the  finer  apples  are  marketed  fresh.  The 
plums  are  dried  and  the  inferior  apples  are  made 
into  cider.  In  apples  he  is  gradually  working 
out  the  winter  varieties  on  account  of  the  ravages 
of  the  coddling  moth,  and  is  substituting  the 
summer  and  fall  varieties,  such  as  the  Alex- 
ander, Astrachans,  Gravenstein  and  Holland 
pippin.  The  ranch  is  a  picture  of  thrift  and 
culture,  and  one  perceives  at  once  that  the  hand 
of  a  lover  of  the  business  and  a  careful  student 
of  the  necessities,  controls  the  place.  In  con- 
nection with  the  place  are  fruit  houses,  driers, 
cider  mill,  vinegar  works,  etc.,  so  as  to  utilize 
every  department.  As  a  result  Mr.  Cassidy 
has  the  satisfaction  of  taking  otf  his  little  ranch 
of  twenty  acres  as  large  an  income  as  is  usually 
gotten  from  the  average  farm  of  160  acres 
farmed  in  the  general  Avay.  When  the  writer 
called  on  him  he  was  on  a  step-ladder  pruning 
an  apple  tree.  During  the  busy  picking  season 
he  sometimes  employs  as  many  as  tliirty  people, 
but  less  of  course  at  other  periods.  He  uses  the 
concentrated  fertilizers  on  his  land,  finding  that 
they  give  the  best  returns.  From  the  house, 
which  is  a  comfortable  cottage,  a  lovely  view  is 
obtained  stretching  off'  over  the  Petaluma  Yalley 
to  the  Sonoma  hills  beyond.  Altogether  the 
situation  is  a  charming  one,  quite  out  of  town, 
yet  easily  within  the  city's  reach  along  a 
romantic  winding  I'oad.  Mr.  Cassidy  Js  a  native 
of  New  Jersey,  where  he  was  born  August  13, 
1822.  While  but  a  child  his  parents  removed 
to  Wayne  County,  New  York,  near  Clyde,  and 
there  he  lived  until  he  set  out  for  California. 
At  home  he  assisted  his  father,  who  was  a  manu- 
facturer in  a  modest  way  of  threshing  Tnachines 
and  other  agricultural  machinery,  and  here  he 
also  gained  a  practical  knowledge  of  engineering 
and  similar  duties.  He  began  this  work  when 
only  fourteen  years  of  age.  On  January  1, 
1852,  he  started  for  California,  accompanied  by 
his  lirother  James.  They  came  via  Panama,  and 
had  the  unpleasant  exjierience  of  a  ])assage  102 


IlISTOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


(lays  long,  in  the  latter  part  of  wliicli  they  were 
reduced  to  short  allowance,  from  that  point  up 
to  San  Francisco.  Landed  there  June  7,  1852, 
being  at  that  time  the  possessor  of  a  fortune 
consisting  of  just  S2.50.  He  obtained  a  situation 
as  an  engineer,  but  as  his  brotiier  couldn't  also 
get  a  job,  he  preferred  to  go  to  tlie  mines.  They 
went  to  Amador  County  and  they  each  got  a 
ijuartz  mill  to  run.  ITe  had  held  liis  position 
just  two  days  when  he  fell  sick  with  typhoid 
fever.  He  was  sick  four  weeks,  was  given  up  to 
die,  but  he  wouldn't  give  up,  and  his  determina- 
tion brought  him  safely  through.  He  had  a 
relapse  after  getting  up,  however,  and  was  worse 
than  ever,  and  when  he  finally  got  out  was  a 
crippled  man.  Thinking  a  change  of  air  would 
help  him  he  was  lifted  into  the  stage,  made  his 
way  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  was  wheeled  on 
a  hand-cart  to  a  liotel.  He  had  been  given  $10 
to  make  his  trip  by  a  friend,  and  in  addition 
possessed  a  silver  watch.  But  this  small  capital 
and  his  lionest  face  carried  him  along  until  he 
was  able  to  go  out  and  set  to  work.  In  March, 
1853,  we  find  him  at  Columbia,  Tuolumne 
County,  mining,  but  after  a  few  days  he  went 
back  again  to  take  a  position,  which  he  held  for 
four  years,  as  foreman  with  Stratton  &  Lane, 
contractors.  In  1853  he  in  partnership  entered 
into  the  nursery  business  at  the  head  of  Merritt 
Lake,  Oakland,  and  continued  in  this  until  1855. 
At  that  date  they  removed  their  trees  to  Contra 
Costa  County.  In  1858  he  sold  the  ranch,  dug 
up  his  trees,  of  which  he  had  about  50,000,  sold 
most  of  them  and  set  out  the  rest  of  them  on 
the  ranch  that  he  now  owns  and  where  he  has 
made  sucli  a  success.  Mr.  Cassidy  is  the  pio- 
neer nurserj'man  of  California,  being  the  first 
man  to  make  a  business  of  it,  and  to  put  genu- 
ine l)udded  and  grafted  stock  on  the  market. 
The  first  trees  they  used  were  imported  from 
New  York  and  freight  alone  in  those  early  days 
amounted  to  30  cents  a  pound.  Mr.  Cassidy 
reached  Petaluma  in  October,  1858,  since  which 
time  he  has  been  a  constant  resident  here,  save 
for  a  period  of  three  years  from  1861  to  1865, 
when  he  was  superintending  mines  in  the  inter- 


ior, and  in  1868  when  he  took  a  trip  East.  Mr. 
Cassidy  is  a  man  of  puljlic  spirit  and  a  pro- 
moter of  whatever  is  of  public  weal.  He  was  the 
prime  mover,  and  was  a  stockliolder  in  the  fruit 
packing  establishment  here,  and  has  in  other 
ways  aided  materially  in  building  up  the  county. 
He  is  an  inventor  of  some  distinction,  and  is  the 
owner  uf  patents  upon  a  dryer  that  is  a  manifest 
improvement  upon  existing  makes,  especially  in 
its  successful  employment  of  petroleum  for  heat- 
ing purposes.  He  is  a  staunch  Republican,  hav- 
ing been  a  consistent  member  of  the  grand  old 
party  since  the  days  when  the  Free-Soil  party 
originated.  He  has  n.-ver  sought  for  public 
office,  thinking  his  duty  best  subserved  by  a 
strict  attention  to  the  calls  of  business.  He  was 
married  January  1,  184S,  to  Miss  Laura  L. 
Crommett.  She  came  out  to  join  her  husband 
via  Panama,  reaching  California  Ma}'  4,  1854. 
She  was  born  April  5,  1829.  The  marriage  was 
celebrated  at  Newark,  Wayne  County,  New 
York.  They  liave  had  four  children,  of  whom 
three  are  living:  Wilmot  Abbott,  born  Octo- 
ber 31,  1848,  now  the  manager  of  the  Bachelder 
Rancho  in  Alameda  County;  Fred  Byron,  born 
March  3,  1860,  died  in  San  Francisco,  February 
6,  1863;  Ellen  Louise,  born  November  4,  1863, 
the  wife  of  Mr.  Webster,  superintendent  of 
schools,  Solano  County;  and  Albert  H.,  born 
July  7,  1868,  and  still  at  home.  It  should  be 
stated  further  that  Mr.  Cassidy  is  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Masonic  order. 


-^3-^ 


fOHN  HENRY  BAILEY  was  born  in  Here- 
fordshire, England,  October  19,  1820.  His 
parents,  John  and  Elizabeth  (Powell) 
Bailey,  were  both  natives  of  that  country.  In 
1851  the  family  came  to  the  United  •  States  and 
located  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  Mr.  Bailey 
died  the  same  year.  The  family,  however,  con- 
tinued to  make  that  their  home,  the  widow- 
dying  there  in  1868.  Their  family  consisted  of 
seven  children,  of  whom  two  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter are  still  residiuir  at  Cleveland.    John  Henry 


JII.STOUy    OF    SONOMA    COUNT  1'. 


Bailey,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  reared 
on  liis  lather's  farm  in  England,  and  when  he 
was  nineteen  years  old  he  went  to  the  C'tm- 
tinunt  and  traveled  in  dilFerent  countries 
for  a  period  of  eight  years.  lie  came  to 
the  United  States  in  March,  1851  (a  few 
months  ))revious  to  the  coming  of  the  family), 
landed  in  Philadelphia,  from  there  went  to  New 
York,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  located 
in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  engaged  in  the  mercan- 
tile business,  in  which  he  continued  for  seven- 
teen years.  He  then  came  to  California,  sailing 
from  New  York  by  the  way  of  Panama  and 
landing  in  San  Francisco  November  17,  1868. 
He  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  bought  his 
present  place,  about  three  miles  north  of  Peta- 
luma,  consisting  of  115  acres,  which  is  devoted 
to  the  raising  of  I'ruit,  hay  and  potatoes.  He 
has  about  twenty  acres  in  fruit  of  all  kinds,  but 
principally  winter  apples.  Twenty-five  acres  are 
in  potatoes  this  year.  One  of  the  great  resources 
of  the  ranch  is  the  poultry,  tliere  Vjeing  between 
four  and  five  hundred  chickens.  The  amount 
of  eggs  sold  in  1887  was  about  3,000  dozen. 
Mr.  Bailey  was  married  in  1853  in  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  to  Mary  Ann  Rothermel,  a  luitive  of  New 
York.  They  have  nine  children,  seven  sons  and 
two  daughters:  Thomas  B.,  Mary  B.,  wife  of 
J.  W.  McNally;  Frank  R.,  Alfred  G.,  Rose  E., 
Charles  E.,  Pierre,  Eugene  R.  and  Alban  L. 
The  two  eldest  sons  are  in  business  in  San 
Francisco. 

'^   \     ^ 

fHARLES  D.  FRAZEE,  the  well  known 
druggist  and  former  proprietor  of  the  old 
Pioneer  drug  store,  Santa  Rosa,  was  born 
in  Rensselaer  County,  New  York,  October  20, 
1828.  His  father,  Henry  Frazee,  was  of  Scotch 
descent,  born  in  New  Jersey.  His  mother,  Han- 
nah (Sharp)  Frazee,  was  a  native  of  New  York, 
and  a  descendant  of  an  old  family  of  that  State. 
The  subject  of  tiiis  sketch  was  given  a  good 
common  school  and  classical  education,  and  at 
sixteen  years  of  age  he  entered  upon  the  study 


of  law  in  the  office  of  Judge  Lansing  at  West 
Troy,  New  York,  lie  continued  these  studies 
for  about  three  years,  and  then  commenced  the 
study  of  pharmacy.  In  1849,  after  tiioroughly 
fitting  himself  for  a  druggist,  he  went  to  New 
York  where  he  re(nained  until  1850.  He  then 
went  west  and  spent  about  a  year  in  St.  Louis 
and  from  there,  in  1851,  went  to  New  Orleans, 
where  he  had  charge  of  a  large  retail  drug  store 
for  three  years.  In  185i  Mr.  Frazee  went  up 
the  Mississippi  River  and  attached  himself  to 
an  emigrant  train  bound  for  Oregon.  He 
worked  hard  on  this  journey,  driving  stock,  etc., 
until  they  arrived  in  Oregon,  October  1.  From 
there  Mr.  Frazee  came  into  California,  and  for 
the  next  three  years  was  engaged  in  mining  in 
Siskiyou  County.  This  i  ot  proving  successful, 
in  December,  1857,  he  went  to  San  Francisco, 
and  thence  to  Chili,  South  America.  Unable 
to  obtain  employment  in  that  country  he  was 
soon  without  means,  and  accepted  a  position  as 
steward  of  a  vessel  bound  for  San  Francisco. 
Upon  his  arrival  in  that  city,  again  being  unable 
to  find  employment  at  his  calling,  he  spent  the 
season  in  the  harvest  fields,  after  which  he  se- 
cured work  with  the  firm  of  R.  Hall  &  Co., 
of  San  Francisco.  In  1859  he  located  at 
Mokelumne  Hill  where  he  was  engaged  as  a 
clerk  and  druggist.  With  the  exception  of 
about  six  months  spent  in  Austin,  he  remained 
at  that  point  until  1804.  He  then  went  to 
Reese  River  and  engaged  in  mining  enterprises. 
These  proving  unsuccessful  he  returned  to  San 
Francisco  and  in  1805  came  to  Sonoma  County 
and  was  employed  as  a  druggist  in  Petaluma 
until  1868.  He  again  went  to  San  Francisco 
and  was  employed  with  the  well  known  firm 
of  Wakelee  &  Co.  until  June,  1869.  In 
that  year  he  returned  to  Sonoma  County  and 
located  at  Santa  Rosa  where  he  established  him- 
self in  business  as  a  druggist  in  the  Pioneer 
drug  store.  This  business  he  successfully  con- 
ducted until  August  30,  1887,  when  he  sold  out 
and  retired  to  his  present  home  in  the  court- 
house scliool  district,  one  mile  west  of  Santa 
Rosa.     Since  that  time  Mr.  Frazee  has  devoted 


UlaruHY    OF    SONOMA    VOUNTY 


much  of  his  time  and  attention  to  fruit  growing. 
The  thirty-eight  acre  tract  i)nrchat:ed  by  him 
in  1876,  under  his  care  and  direction  has  been 
fully  improved,  and  is  now  highly  productive. 
He  has  over  thirty  acres  of  orchard  containing 
2,500  French  prune,  500  pear,  300  plum,  and 
100  each  of  apricot,  peach,  cherry  and  apple 
trees.  Many  other  varieties  of  fruits,  berries, 
and  grapes  are  also  successfully  cultivated.  Mr. 
Frazee  also  owns  valuable  business  and  resi- 
dence property  in  Santa  Rosa.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  for  nearly  twenty  years  con- 
nected with  the  business  interests  and  industries 
of  Santa  Rosa,  and  during  that  time  has  gained 
a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances 
throughout  the  county.  He  is  a  progressive 
and  enterprising  citizen,  always  ready  to  aid  in 
any  enterprise  tending  to  build  up  the  city  of 
his  choice.  Politically,  he  is  a  Democrat.  In 
1871  Mr.  Frazee  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Isabella  I.  Davidson,  daughter  of  Jacob 
E.  and  Mary  (Winn)  David.-;on,  pioneers  of  So- 
noma County-  From  this  marriage  there  are  two 
children:     Edwin  Charles  and   Henry  DeWitt. 


fAMES  H.  LAUGHLIX.— The  subject  of 
this  sketch  stands  pre-eminent  as  one  of 
Sonoma  County's  representative  citizens, 
and  successful  farmers.  A  sketch  of  his  life  is 
uf  interest;  briefly  stated  it  is  as  follows:  Mr. 
Laughlin  is  a  native  of  Tennessee.  He  dates 
his  birth  June  11,  1819,  in  Warren  County  of 
that  State.  His  parents,  Alexander  and  Eliza- 
beth (McGill)  Laughlin,  were  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia. His  early  life  was  spent  on  a  farm,  where 
he  became  versed  in  the  practical  knowledge  so 
necessary  to  those  who  secure  success  in  that 
calling.  His  father  died  in  1881,  and  in  the 
fall  of  1839  his  mother  moved  her  family  to 
Hancock  County,  Illinois.  At  that  time  Mr. 
Laughlin  was  twenty  years  of  age.  He  left  the 
family  in  Illinois,  went  to  Van  Buren  County, 
Iowa,  and  spent  the  winter  in  clearing  off"  land 
and  building  a  log  cabin  into  which  his  mother's 


family  moved  the  next  spring.  Mr.  Laughlin 
was  the  oldest  of  the  children  and  was  really 
the  head  of  the  family  as  far  as  farming  and 
out-door  occupations  went.  In  1'853  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Frances  E.  Briggs,  the  daughter  of 
Jerome  and  Frances  (Wing)  Briggs.  who  were 
natives  of  Vermont.  He  continued  his  farming 
and  stock-raising  operations  in  Van  Buren 
County  until  the  spring  of  1854,  when,  in  com- 
pany with  his  wife,  mother,  brother,  and  sister, 
he  crossed  the  plains  to  California.  They 
brought  with  them  a  drove  of  about  200  head 
of  cattle,  and  arrived  in  October  of  that  year, 
locating  in  Yolo  County.  Mr.  Laughlin  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  stock-raising  there  until 
September,  1855,  when  he  came  to  Sonoma 
County  and  settled  on  the  north  bank  of  Mark 
West  Creek.  Here  he  found  a  tract  of  rich 
deep  soil  lying  in  its  wild  and  uncultivated  state, 
and  at  this  place  he  camped,  using  the  bodies 
of  his  emigrant  wagons  as  a  shelter  while  he 
went  to  the  redwoods,  and  split  out  the  lumber 
with  which  he  built  a  humble  cabin  for  his 
family.  Since  that  time,  for  more  than  thirty 
years,  Mr.  Laughlin  has  devoted  himself  to 
agricultural  pursuits.  The  wild  and  unculti- 
vated land  has  been  made  to  blossom  and  yield 
its  hidden  riches  like  the  veritable  garden  of 
Eden.  His  humble  cabin  h;is  been  replaced  by 
one  of  the  most  elegant  residences  in  Sonoma 
County,  surrounded  by  beautiful  shade  trees, 
lawns,  flowers,  etc.,  while  the  numerous  well 
filled  barns  and  stables  attest  the  success  at- 
tending his  labors.  To  bis  original  IGO  acres 
he  has  added  tract  after  tract  until  his  present 
magnificent  farm  comprises  1,200  acres,  all  in 
one  body.  As  before  stated,  this  land  is  located 
on  the  Mark  West  Creek,  in  the  Russian  River 
Township,  and  Lone  Redwood  school  district. 
The  North  Pacific  Railroad  passes  through  his 
land.  His  residence  is  located  at  Mark  West 
Station,  a  thriving  little  village  with  its  railway 
station,  postoflice,  etc.  Mr.  Laughlin  early  saw 
thai  success  lay  in  diversified  farming,  rather 
than  in  grain  raising,  and  has  conducted  his 
operations    upon    that    basis,  always  seeking  for 


HISTORY    Ob'    SOJSOMA    VOUJ^TY. 


and  p_roducin<^  the  best.  His  farm  may  well  be 
styled  a  model.  Thirty  acres  of  his  land  are  in 
vineyard,  producing  wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfan- 
del  variety,  fle  also  has  a  lartye  variety  of  table 
grapes  for  family  use,  and  twenty  acres  in  orchard, 
yielding  apples,  peaches,  and  pears  principally, 
but  also  contains  French  prunes,  plums,  cherries, 
figs,  persimmons  and  crab-apples.  He  has  also 
forty  acres  of  alfalfa,  and  despite  the  fact  that  this 
land  is  not  irrigated,  the  yield  is  noticeable.  Two 
or  three  crops  are  cut  yearly,  and  then  months 
of  pasturage  is  afforded  his  stock  upon  the  alfalfa 
fields.  A  large  share  of  Mr.  Langhlin'sattention  is 
devoted  to  stock-raising,  in  which  he  takes  a  just 
pride.  Among  his  stock  are  500  head  of  Span- 
ish merino  sheep,  and  100  head  of  high  grade 
Durham  cattle.  For  years  Mr.  Laughlin  has 
been  interested  in  improving  the  breed  of  horses 
in  Sonoma  County.  He  is  one  of  the  pioneers 
in  the  breeding  of  thoroughbred  and  improved 
stock,  sparing  neither  time  nor  expense  toward 
this  end.  Among  his  draft  horses  are  magnifi- 
cent specimens  of  "Suffolk  Punch,"  "Clydes- 
dale "  and  English  stock,  while  his  roadsters  and 
trotting  horses  show  beautiful  specimens  of 
"  Anteo "  from  Hamiltonian  stock.  He  is  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Santa  llosa  Stock 
Breeding  Association,  and  also  of  the  Sonoma 
County  Agricultural  Park  Association.  Any 
enterprise  that  tends  to  advance  the  agricultural, 
horticultural  and  stock  breeding  interests  of 
Sonoma  County  always  receives  the  hearty  sup- 
port of  Mr.  Laughlin.  He  is  also  a  stockholder 
and  director  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Bank.  In  all 
matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  and  morals  of 
the  community  in  which  he  resides,  he  has  ever 
taken  a  prominent  part.  A  strong  supporter  of 
the  public  schools,  he  has  for  over  thirty  years 
been  a  school  trustee  in  his  district.  He  is  a 
member  of  Russian  River  Lodge,  No.  181,  F.  & 
A.  M.,  Windsor.  Politically,  Mr.  Laughlin  is  a 
consistent  Repul>lican,  and  although  not  an 
office  seeker  his  influence  has  always  been  felt 
in  the  ranks  of  that  party,  and  always  for  what 
he  believed  was  for  its  best  interests.  His  lono- 
residence,  public  spirit,  and  large  business  in- 


terests have  made  him  extensively  known,  and 
have  gained  him  the  respect  and  esteem  of  a 
large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances  through- 
out the  county  and  State.  Mr.  Laughlin  has 
also  large  interests  in  Mendocino  County.  He 
is  the  owner  of  6,000  acres  of  land  in  that 
county,  which  he  has  stocked  with  over  3,000 
head  of  Spanish  merino  sheep.  P>om  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  aod  Mrs.  Laughlin  there  are  six 
children  living,  viz:  Ada  S.,  Annie  A.,  James 
Henry,  Frank  W.,  Alexander  Grant,  and  Clyde 
C.  All  are  residing  at  home  except  Ada  S., 
who  married  Heber  Thompson,  and  is  now 
living  in  Washington  Territory. 


-i»^r- 


L.  WARNER  has  a  ranch  of  110  acres 
,^,  in  Mendocino  Township,  five  miles  from 
■^i"*  Healdsburg,  on  the  road  between  that 
place  and  Guerneville.  He  purchased  the  ranch 
in  November,  1874,  and  moved  to  it  the  follow- 
ing month.  At  that  time  there  was  a  vineyard 
of  one  and  one-half  acres,  but  he  now  has 
twenty-five  acres  in  vines,  the  younger  vines 
ranging  in  age  from  tliree  to  six  years.  They 
are  mostly  Zinfandel,  Riesling,  Chasselas,  Foun- 
tainbleau,  Red  Chasselas,  Muscats  and  Tokays, 
and  find  a  market  at  [lealdsburg  and  at  San 
Francisco,  though  it  is  his  intention  to  ship  the 
finer  table  varieties  directly  East.  He  has  about 
eighteen  acres  in  orchard.  All  were  planted  by 
him  except  a  few  apple  trees  that  were  in  bear- 
ing when  he  came  into  possession  of  the  place. 
He  commenced  planting  in  1883  and  set  out 
the  last  trees  in  1880.  His  peach  trees  have 
already  yielded  heavily,  and  others  are  coming 
into  bearing.  In  1888  he  sold  ten  tons  of 
peaches,  two  tons  of  Bartlett  pears,  and  four 
tons  of  plums  to  canneries,  and  dried  more  than 
he  sold.  Ilis  peaches  are  of  the  finest  varieties, 
being  Orange  Cling,  Lemon  Cling,  Salway, 
Smocks,  Honest  Abe,  Foster,  Early  Crawford 
and  Wager.  He  has  both  French  and  Silver 
prunes,  and  Yellow  Egg,  Jefferson  and  Coe's 
Golden  Drop  plums.     There  is  also  a  variety  of 


470 


nisTony   of  homoma   county. 


tigs,  including  the  AVhite  Smyrna  packing  fig. 
Mr.  Warner,  who  has  proven  iiiinselt'a  success- 
ful  fruit  grower,   is   a  native  of  Erie    County, 
New   York,  horn   ]\Iai'eh  18,  1826,   his   parents 
being  Levi  and  Ilepsibali  (Dickerson)  "Warner. 
His  father,   a  scion  of  an    old    New    England 
family,  was  a  native  of  Rutland,  Vermont.    His 
mother   was  born   at    Amherst,   Massachusetts, 
but  removed  with   her  parents  to  New   York 
when  a  child.     The  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  the  son  of  a  Revolutionary  soldier, 
who  fought  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.     He 
cleared  up  a  farm   in  the  wilderness  of  western 
New  York  and  there  made  his  home.     A.   L. 
Warner  was  reared  in  Erie  County,  New  York, 
educated  at  the  schools  of  his  neighborhood  and 
at  the  age  of  seventeen    commenced    teaching 
school.     In    1844    he    removed    to    Wisconsin, 
locating  in    Walworth   County,   east  of  Beloit, 
and    afterward    attended    Beloit    College.      He 
followed  his  profession  of  teaching  for  a  number 
of  years  in  southern  Wisconsin  and  northern 
Illinois.     When    tlie    Civil    war    came    on    his 
every  effort  was  lent  to  the  advancement  of  the 
Union  cause.     He  helped  Farnsworth  raise  his 
Eighth  Illinois  Regiment,  and  was  offered  the 
Majorship    of   it.     After   a   conversation   with 
that  gentleman  later  he  decided  to  raise  a  com- 
pany under  the  call  for  600,000  men.      He  met 
Governor  Yates  at  the  Sherman  House,  Chicago, 
obtained    his    permit  to  raise  a  company,  and 
goino-  to  Sycamore,  De  Kalb  County,  had  the 
requisite   number   of  men    within    twenty-four 
hours.     They  were    mustered  in  at   Dixon,  as 
Company  C,  One  Hundred  and    Fifth   Illinois, 
with   Mr.  Warner  as  Captain.     They  proceeded 
to  Evansville,  and  the  regiment   was    brigaded 
alongside  of  President  Harrison's  command,  in 
Ward's  Brigade,  Twentieth  Army  Corps.   They 
proceeded  to  Kentucky,  and  were  soon  engaged 
at    Bardstown,    next    at    Bowling    Green,    and 
thence  to  Tennessee.     But  Mr.  Warner's  health 
had  been  completely  broken  down,  and  at  Gal- 
latin, Tennessee,  he  found  it  necessary  to  resign. 
His  whole  left  side  was  nearly  paralyzed  from 
the  effect  of  his  sickness.      He  returned  to  Syca- 


more, and  in  1864  came  to  California  for  his 
health,  crossing  the  plains  with  a  train,  and 
bringing  100  head  of  horses.  At  Virginia  City 
he  stopped  to  recruit  his  stock,  then  proceeded 
to  Marysville.  For  the  next  four  years  he  dealt 
in  stock  in  the  mountains  of  Sierra  County.  He 
then  wont  to  Oakland,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
hay  and  grain  business,  and  so  remained  until 
coming  to  his  present  location.  He  was  married 
at  St.  Charles,  Illinois,  to  Miss  Mary  P.  Elliott, 
a  native  of  Indiana.  They  have  four  children: 
Mary  E.,  wife  of  Seth  B.  Malone,  of  Alameda 
County;  John  E.,  of  Sonoma  County;  E.  L., 
who  is  in  tiie  railway  baggage  department,  at 
the  foot  of  Market  street,  San  Francisco;  and 
Cora  E.,  wife, of  Alartin  V.  Frost,  foreman  of 
the  Hopkins  ranch.  Mr.  AYarner  is  an  active 
and  influential  man  and  a  prominent  Republi- 
can. He  served  seven  years  in  the  City  Council 
of  Oakland,  and  in  the  East  held  many  posi- 
tions of  honor  and  trust.  His  brother,  A.  J. 
Warner,  of  Ohio,  is  one  of  the  oldest  members 
of  Congress,  in  point  of  service,  and  is  one  of 
the  leaders  of  his  party  in  the  House.  Mr. 
Warner  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church. 
He  belongs  to  the  Healdsbnrg  Lodge,  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.,  and  is  a  Knight  Templar  in  the  order. 
He  is  now  Commander  of  Rod  Matheson  Post, 
G.  A.  R.,  Healdsburg,  and  has  passed  through 
the  chairs  in  the  Grange,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Odd  Fellows  order  of  twenty  years'  standing 


fOHN  BACON  LEWIS  was  born  in  Sara- 
toga County,  New  York,  March  15,  1825. 
His  father.  Reed  Lewis,  was  a  native  of 
Vermont,  and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in 
Saratoga  County,  New  York,  where  he  died  in 
1835.  His  mother,  nee  Margaret  Bacon,  was  a 
native  of  New  York  State.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  ten  years  old  when  his  father  died. 
After  going  to  school  in  Greenbush  one  year, 
he  went  to  Farmington,  Hartford  County,  Con- 
necticut, where  he  lived  with  a  brothir-in-law, 
James  Cowles,  until  1847.      He    then   i-eturned 


Ill  STOUT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY 


to  New  York  and  entered  into  the  mercantile 
Imsiness  at  Sclmjlerville.  In  Jannary,  1849, 
he  started  for  California.  Before  leaving  New 
York  a  stock  company  was  organized,  with  its 
regular  officers  and  code  of  laws  governing  the 
same,  the  object  of  which  was  to  go  to  Cali- 
fornia and  commence  operations  in  the  gold 
fields  where  the  earnings  of  each  member  was 
to  go  into  a  pool,  after  which  regular  dividends 
would  be  declared.  No  individual  member 
could  door  control  anything  but  what  would  be 
in  joint  accord  with  the  company.  They  pro- 
vided themselves  with  everything  they  needed 
for  the  enterprise  and  started  out  on  their  jour- 
ney, not  one  of  them  expecting  to  remain  in 
California  longer  than  a  year,  by  which  time 
they  all  expected  to  be  millionaires,  and  would 
then  return  to  the  East.  The}'  reached  Chagres 
and  crossed  the  isthmus  to  Panama,  where  they 
remained  some  four  months.  Here  they  had 
some  very  exciting  times  and  many  interesting 
events  took  place,  that  if  they  were  properly 
written  up  would  form  an  interesting  work  of 
itself.  At  Panama  there  were  some  three  or  four 
thousand  people  assembled  waiting  to  be  con- 
veyed to  the  mines.  The  gold  fever  that  had 
broken  out  liad  caused  such  a  panic  and  conster- 
nation among  so  many  iidiabitants  from  all 
quarters  of  the  globe  that  those  of  this  party 
who  had  congregated  in  that  particular  section, 
realized,  or  thought  they  did,  that  fortunes  were 
being  lost  every  day  by  their  inability  to  reach 
the  land  of  paradise,  where,  judging  from  the 
reports  that  were  constantly  coming  in,  all  they 
would  have  to  do  was  to  pick  the  gold  up 
almost  anywhere.  The  Sacramento  River  was 
said  to  be  full  of  it,  and  by  dredging  the  bot- 
tom of  the  stream  great  quantities  of  gold  could 
be  taken  from  the  soil.  There  was  but  one 
steamer  plying  on  the  Pacific  coast  and  tliis  ves- 
sel could  make  but  one  trip  a  month.  It  was 
surprising  to  see  tlie  danger  some  of  them 
would  risk  in  order  to  further  their  ends.  Sev- 
eral frail  barks  were  improvised  in  any  way 
they  could  be  fashioned,  and  set  out  to  sea  with 
some  adventuresome  ])ersons  on   board;   but   in 

29 


every  case  they  would  be  obliged  to  return,  as 
that  was  not  a  day  when  miracles  of  such  a  na- 
ture could  be  performed.  Mr.  Lewis,  just  be- 
fore leaving  his  native  soil  had  borrowed  s2o  of 
which  he  gave  ^20  to  his  wife  for  her  support 
and  that  of  their  infant  child,  while  the  other 
$5  he  had  put  into  his  own  pocket  to  defray  his 
incidental  expenses.  His  experience  in  Panama 
soon  caused  hiin  to  realize  that  something  must 
be  done  in  order  to  care  for  his  wife  and  for 
himself.  Accordingly  he  opened  a  restaurant 
and  fed  the  hungry  such  as  he  could  give  them, 
and  also  offered  lodging  to  those  who  wished  to 
accept  of  the  accommodations — a  tent  over 
head  and  a  blanket  and  the  ground  for  a  bed. 
The  rates  for  lodging  were  %\  per  night.  This 
adventure,  although  only  a  temporary  one, 
proved  financially  very  successful.  By  this 
time  some  parties  had  purchased  an  old  brig 
called  the  Trco  Friends,  that  was  laying  there 
almost  rotten,  and  fitted  her  uji  fir  the  purpose 
of  continuing  the  journey  to  California.  She 
was  of  about  150  tons  burden,  single  deck,  and 
wlien  loaded  there  was  very  little  comfort  al- 
lowed the  passengers.  Tickets  for  passage  were  ' 
sold  to  the  nnniber  of  250,  and  when  the  pas- 
sengers boarded  the  vessel  the}'  realized  that  it 
would  be  impossible  for  so  many  to  be  accom- 
modated. Complaint  was  made  to  the  mana- 
gers and  the  money  paid  for  passage  was 
demanded  to  be  given  back  by  many  who  had 
purchased  their  tickets.  This  the  managers  re- 
fused to  do,  as  it  was  a  money  making  scheme 
on  their  ])art,  when  finally  one  of  them  was 
cornered  on  the  beach  and  the  demand  made  to 
him  by  the  angry  crowd,  and  in  order  to  save 
his  neck,  the  manager  fixed  the  matter  up  in  a 
satisfactory  manner  with  those  who  did  not  take 
passage.  They  left  the  Tico  Friends  at  the 
island  of  Toboga  near  Panama,  and  after  re- 
maining there  awhile,  a  Dutch  vessel,  called  the 
Alexander  Von  lluinholdt,  came  in  loaded 
with  coal.  This  vessel  was  purchased  for  §60,- 
000,  and  condemned  and  sold  in  San  Francisco 
for  $12,000.  This  vessel  was  chartered  and  the 
remainder    of  the   iournev    was    made    with    it. 


insnun'  of  s<l\oma   cocnit. 


There  were  over  300  passengers  and  200  of  them 
had    ])iirchased   cabin   tickets.     Tlie  calnn  was 
capable    of    accommodating     sixteen     persons, 
which  luxury    was  given    to  the  most  deserving 
of  the  company,  while  the  rest   had    to   fare  as 
best  they  could.     The  food   for  tlie    passengers 
was  all  cooked  in    one   large,  common    caldron. 
The  passengers  were  divided  up  into  messes  of 
til'teen  each,  and  the  steward  of  each  tness  would 
go  u])  to  the  caldron  and  get  as  much  food  as 
was  allowed   for   his    mess   and  return  to  theiti. 
The  bill  of  fare  varied  of  course,  and  they  never 
liad    more  than   one  variety   at   a   time.     Their 
allowance  of  hard-tack  was   served   out  twice  a 
week.     Sugar  was  served  in  the  same  way.  Tea 
was  made  in  the  morning  and  then  the  grounds 
thrown  ont  and  the  caldron  used  for  something 
else;  sometimes    in    making   this   change  from 
one  thing  to  another  it   would   be  cleaned,  and 
then  again    it  would  not  be;  in  fact,   whether  it 
was  01-   not    made    little   diil'erence.      Phim-daff 
was    a    I'arity    and   a  favored    dish,  which   was 
served  once  a   week,  and    only  one   meal   a  day 
was  allowed  on  the  llumhuhlt.     At  Acapulco  a 
stop  of  two    weeks   was    made,   where   the  half 
starved    passengers    feasted    on    I'm  it.      Finally, 
after  being  out  102  days  from  tlie  time  they  left 
Panama,  they  arrived  in  San  Francisco  Aug.ist 
29,  1849.     According  to  the  articles  of  the  com- 
pany they  had  to  remain  together  three  months, 
and  after  arriving  in  San   Francisco  they  found 
that  as  a  company  they  could  do  nothing.    There 
was  considerable  pro])erty  that  had  been  sent  out 
to  them,  and   which  had  to  be  disposed  of.     So 
they  opened  a  store  and  set  out  to  get  the  goods 
up  from  the  beach,  but  the  question  was  how  to 
get  them  hauled.     Mr.  Lewis  managed  to  secure 
a  horse  and  cart,  and  by  using  a  little  ingenuity, 
made    harness    which    completed    the    outfit. 
After  their  business    was  about   settled  up  Mr. 
Lewis  purchased  the  horse  and  cart  of  the  com- 
pany for  $250.     The  next.day   he   was   offered 
§1,000   for  it,  but    refused    as   the  outfit  was 
worth  to  him  at  least  S25  a  day  for  hauling  pur- 
poses.    This  was  the  beginning  of  Mr.  Lewis's 
drav  business  in    San    Francisco,   which  he  fol- 


lowed up  to  1856.  He  started  the  first  dray 
and  truck  in  San  Francisco,  and  used  to 
haul  the  sand  for  fort  gunny  bags  during  the 
vigilant  committee  times.  He  then  came  to 
Sonoma  County  and  with  liis  brother-in-law,  C. 
A.  Bodwell,  purchased  the  land  where  he  now 
lives.  They  cultivated  the  place  together  until 
1864,  when  Mr.  Lewis  bought  out  Mr.  Bod- 
well's  interest.  The  farm  contains  300  acres  of 
upland,  besides  some  200  acres  or  more  of  marsh 
land.  His  principal  business  is  dairying  and 
stock-raising.  Mr.  Lewis  became  a  Mason  in 
1868  and  has  worked  up  through  all  the  different 
degrees  to  a  Itnight  Teniplar.  He  was  married 
in  January,  1848,  in  Farmington,  Connec- 
ticut, to  Elizabeth  Bodwell,  who  died  in  1866. 
The  issue  of  this  marriage  was  two  children, 
one  of  whom  died  when  only  a  year  old.  Charles 
W.  Lewis,  the  only  son,  was  born  in  1854.  He 
was  married  in  the  fall  of  1874  at  Unionvilie, 
Connecticut,  to  Miss  Julia  Davis,  a  native  of 
that  place.     They  have  three  children. 


^^ENRY  RASCHEN  was  born  in  Vege- 
^^m\  sack,  Germany,  in  1852,  his  parents  being 
*?5li  Henry  and  Annie  Raschen,  both  natives  of 
Vegesack.  There  he  was  reared,  receiving  a 
liberal  education  until  about  fifteen  years  of  age, 
when  his  energetic  nature  and  ambition  induced 
him  to  launch  out  in  life  for  himself.  In  1866 
he  came  to  the  United  States.  His  first  year  in 
the  new  world  was  spent  in  New  York,  where 
he  was  employed  as  a  clerk  and  bookkeeper  in  a 
large  importing  house.  Still  desirous  of  change, 
in  1867,  he  came  to  California  and  located  in 
San  Francisco.  Upon  his  arriv.il  in  that  city 
he  obtained  employment  in  the  well  known 
Continental  Hotel,  corner  of  Montgomery  av- 
enue, Pacific  and  Kearnej'  streets.  Here  Mr. 
Raschen  seemed  to  find  an  occupation  well 
suited  to  his  capabilities,  and  he  was  soon  given 
full  charge  of  the  hotel,  and  in  1871  he  leased 
the  hotel  and  successfully  conducted  the  same 
until    1878,   when  he   established    a  ship-chan- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


dler's  store  in  partnership  with  L.  Iloepken. 
After  some  months  in  this  business  Mr.  Raschen 
sold  out  his  interest,  and  again  started  in  the 
hotel  business  in  the  Chicago  Hotel,  located  on 
the  corner  of  Pacific  and  Battery  streets.  This 
hotel  was  conducted  by  him  until  1882,  in  which 
year  he  came  to  Sonoma  and  leased  the  well 
known  Union  Hotel,  of  which  he  is  now  (1889) 
the  proprietor.  This  hotel  under  his  manao;e- 
ment  ranks  among  the  best  in  Sonoma  County. 
A  more  genial,  obliging  and  successful  host 
than  Mi-.  Raschen  is  not  to  be  four.d,  and  this 
fact  is  well  attested  by  the  respect  and  esteem 
in  which  he  is  held  by  the  traveling  public,  as 
well  as  by  the  community  in  which  he  resides. 
In  1885  Mr.  Raschen  increased  his  business  en- 
terprises in  Sonoma  by  the  establishment  of  a 
real  estate  and  insurance  office.  His  partner  in 
this  enterprise  is  H.  H.  Granice,  the  editor  of 
the  Sonoma //uZea;  I'ribune^and  the  firm  name  is 
liaschen  &  Granice.  Tliese  gentlemen  are  con- 
ducting a  successful  business,  and  are  the  rep- 
resentatives of  the  New  York  underwriters, 
coinjirising  the  Hanover  Fire  and  Citizens'  Fire 
Insurance  Companies  of  New  York,  also  general 
agents  of  the  German  Benevolent  Society  of 
San  Francisco.  In  politics  Mr.  Raschen  is  a 
staunch  Repul>lican.  He  is  a  member  of  several 
social  and  benevolent  organizations,  among 
which  are  the  following  of  Sonoma:  Sonoma 
Lodge,  No.  28,  I.  O.  O.  F.;  Bear  Flag  Lodge, 
No.  97,  K  of  P.,  and  Pueblo  Lodge,  No.  168, 
A.  O.  U.  W.  In  1877  Mr.  Raschen  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Eliza  Heimburg,  the 
daughter  of  E.  W.  and  Eva  S.  Heimburg  of 
San  Francisco.  From  this  marriage  there  are 
three  children  living,  viz.:  Etta,  Annie  and 
Frederick. 


— — ^^«H>— — 

fAMES  K.  PIGGOTT,  proprietor  of  the 
Souvenir  Photograph  Studio,  came  to 
Santa  Rosa  and  purchased  an  interest  in 
the  Third  Street  photograph  gallery,  on  the  8th 
of  December,  1884,  having   previously   learned 


and  pursued  the  business  for  a  number  of  years 
in  San  Francisco.  After  being  connected  with 
that  gallery  for  three  years  and  a  half,  both  as 
joint  and  sole  owner,  he  sold  his  interest  to  his 
partner  and  present  proprietor,  William 
Shaw;  and  when  the  fine  brick  block  on  the 
southwest  corner  of  Fourth  and  B  streets  was 
being  built,  he  leased  a  large  portion  of  the 
second  story,  which  was  arranged  and  fitted  up 
especially  for  art  rooms  under  his  direction. 
Every  one  of  the  several  apartments — the  recep- 
tion parlor,  operating  room,  dark  room,  stip- 
pling room,  printing  room  and  finishing  room — 
is  admirably  adapted  to  the  particular  purpose 
for  which  it  was  intended;  and  being  supplied 
with  new  and  latest  improved  instruments  and 
appliances,  the  Souvenir  gallery  is  one  of  the 
most  complete  in  the  State.  Associated  with 
him  Mr.  Piggott  has  emplo3-ed  Mr.  N.  H. 
Templeman  as  finisher,  and  Miss  Alice  Holman 
as  retoucher,  both  of  whom  possess  superior 
skill  in  their  respective  departments,  and  Mr. 
Piggott,  as  an  operator,  has  few  equals  on  the 
Pacific  coast.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  fine 
portrait  work  in  all  its  branches,  enlarging 
pictures  in  India  ink,  crayon  or  water  colors. 
He  also  executes  all  classes  of  scenic  work, 
stereoscopic  and  landscape  views,  in  the  highest 
style  of  the  photographic  art.  His  pictures  have 
been  awarded  first  prizes  for  a  number  of  years 
successively  at  the  Sonoma  County  fairs,  and  at 
the  Sonoma  and  Marin  fair  in  1887.  Since 
establishing  his  studio  at  the  present  location, 
the  volume  of  Inisiness  has  steadily  increased. 
Mr.  Piggott  is  a  native  of  Sonoma  County,  born 
twenty-eight  years  ago  at  Bodega,  in  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  county,  where  his  father.  Dr.  A. 
K.  Piggott,  settled  in  1851,  and  for  many  years 
enjoyed  a  large  medical  practice  there.  Doctor 
Piggott  emigrated  from  Illinois  to  California  in 
1844,  and  stopped  a  year  on  the  American 
River  in  Placer  County,  before  coming  to 
Sonoma.  He  is  now  retired  from  practice  and 
resides  with  his  son,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
Mr.  Piggott  is  a  past  president  of  the  Western 
Star  Parlor,  No.  28,  of  the  Native  Sons  of  the 


IIISTOliY    OF    SOXO.UA     COUNTY. 


Golden  West.  He  was  a  charter  member  of 
the  Golden  Gate  Parlor,  No.  29,  of  that  order. 
Hj  is  a  meinhjr  of  tlie  chapter  in  the  Masonic 
order,  and  of  the  encampment  in  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  served  three 
years  in  the  California  State  militia  as  a 
member  of  the  Fifth  Regiment,  infantry.  On 
Thanksgiving  day,  1885,  Mr.  Piggott  was  joined 
in  marriacre  with  Miss  Mary  Keenan,  a  native 
of  Canada,  and  daughter  of  ^Michael  and 
Elizabeth  Keenan,  of  Santa  Rosa. 


PAVID  HARRISON  PARKS  was  born  in 
Washington  County,  Pennsylvania.  No- 
vember 25,  1820,  his  parents  being  Will- 
iam II.  and  Sirabeca  (Boren)  Parks,  the  former 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  tlie  latter  of 
Maryland.  William  H.  Parks  was  a  blacksmitli 
by  trade.  In  1824  he  moved  to  Ohio  and 
located  at  Bowling  Green,  Licking  County. 
There  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  and 
received  his  education.  At  the  age  of  thirteen 
years  he  was  employed  in  a  hotel  at  that  place, 
and  continued  in  that  employment  until  eight- 
een years  of  age.  He  then  served  an  appren- 
ticeship in  the  millwright  trade  for  three  years, 
after  which  he  devoted  a  year  in  attending 
school.  In  1842  he  went  to  Marion  County 
and  engaged  in  farm  labor  forjudge  Campbell. 
He  remained  there  until  1844,  in  which  year 
lie  located  in  Memphis,  Tennessee,  where  he 
was  employed  at  his  trade  for  some  time,  and 
then  was  made  superintendent  of  their  mills 
and  yards.  After  a  two  years'  residence  in 
Memphis  he  returned  to  Marion  County.  In 
1847  he  located  in  Wabash  County,  Indiana, 
eneacrino;  in  milling  and  at  his  trade  for  some 
months.  He  then  returned  to  Ohio,  and 
located  in  Ross  County,  where  he  remained 
until  the  fall  of  1848.  In  that  year  he  went  to 
New  Orleans,  but  subsequently  returned  to 
Ross  County,  and  from  there  went  to  Mahaska 
County,  Iowa,  and,  with  Hiram  Nutting, 
engaged  in    millwriicliting.      He  finally   located 


at  Des  Moines,  Polk  County,  Iowa,  where  he 
remained  until  1850.  May  8, 1850,  Mr.  Parks 
started  across  the  plains  for  California.  Upon 
his  arrival  at  Council  Bluffs,  May  21,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Catharine  Hick- 
man, who  with  lier  lather  and  family  were 
crossing  the  plains.  Her  parents  were  Enoch 
and  Mary  (Hickman)  Hickman.  They  were 
natives  of  Kentucky,  and  descendants  of  some 
of  the  oldest  families  of  that  state.  After  this 
marriage,  his  party,  including  his  wife's  people, 
continued  their  journey  across  the  plains,  and 
upon  their  arrival  in  California  located  in  Yuba 
County,  on  the  Honcut  Creek,  about  twelve 
miles  from  Marysville.  His  fatlier-in-law,  Mr. 
Hickman,  and  himself  took  up  land  and  engaged 
in  fanning.  Mr.  Parks  was  also  engaged  in 
mining,  and  at  times  worked  at  his  trade  as  a 
millwright.  In  1853  he  moved  to  Santa  Clara 
County  and  located  near  San  Jose,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising,  but  find- 
ing the  land  titles  were  very  uncertain,  and  a 
constant  source  of  litigation,  he  left  that  county 
and  located  at  Whitlock,  Mariposa  County. 
There  he  established  a  boarding-house,  and 
afterward  bought  out  Iloskins'  store  at  that 
place  and  entered  into  mercantile  pursuits. 
Mr.  Parks  at  this  time  was  possessed  of  very 
little  capital;  but  he  found  a  good  friend  in  Mr. 
Abe  AVilliams,  who  loaned  him  all  the  money 
he  needed,  and  that,  too,  without  any  security. 
It  is  worthy  of  note  that  Mr.  Parks  svas  able  to 
show  his  appreciation  of  this  kindness,  by  doing 
Mr.  AVilliams  a  service  that  saved  him  thou- 
sands of  dollars.  It  happened  as  follows:  In 
1855,  at  the  time  of  the  failure  of  Page,  Bacon 
&  Co.,  the  great  bankers  of  San  Francisco,  Mr. 
Parks  was  in  that  city  purchasing  goods. 
Immediately  upon  this  failure  being  known  in 
tlie  city,  he  started  for  Mariposa  County,  where 
the  bankers  had  a  branch  house,  and  in  wiiich 
he  knew  that  his  friend,  Mr.  Williams,  had  a 
large  deposit.  His  aim  was  to  reach  there 
before  the  regular  mails  or  messengers  that 
might  be  sent.  He  was  successful  in  his 
under: aking,  and  his   friend  was  able  to   secure 


IIIHTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


his  money  before  the  notice  to  snspeiid  pay- 
ments reached  the  brunch  house,  but  in  doiiiij; 
it  Mr.  Parks  rode  over  one  hundred  miles 
without  food  or  rest,  getting  breal<fast  and 
feeding  his  tnnlu  at  Mr.  Pli  llips's,  and 
subsequently  continued  his  journey  to  his  own 
home,  twenty  miles  distant.  While  in  Mari- 
po.sa  County,  he  also  established  a  dairy,  find- 
ing a  ready  sale  for  the  products  in  the  mines. 
In  185()  he  drove  iiis  stock  to  Marin  County, 
where  he  continued  his  dairy  operations  until 
.Time,  1858.  He  then  can)e  to  8onoma  County 
and  located  in  Big  Valley,  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  northwest  of  Bloomfield,  where  he  has 
since  continued  to  reside.  Upon  his  arrival 
tiiere  he  purchased  land  and  continued  his  dairy 
business,  and  also  entered  largely  into  general 
farming,  making  many  improvements  in  build- 
ing, tree  planting,  etc.  Of  iiis  original  600 
acres,  Mr.  Parks  now  (1888)  retains  but  135 
acres.  Upon  this  he  has  a  fine  two-story  resi- 
dence, pleasantly  located  upon  high  ground, 
which  gives  an  excellent  view  of  the  valley 
below.  He  also  has  large  and  well  ordered  out- 
buildings, all  denoting  his  well  earned  pros- 
perity and  success.  With  the  exception  of 
about  two  and  one-half  acres  devoted  to  a 
family  orchard,  his  lands  are  used  in  the  pro- 
duction of  hay,  grain  and  stock.  Among  the 
latter  is  a  small  dairy  of  about  twenty  cows. 
He  also  has  some  fine  specimens  of  draft  horses 
of  the  Norman  stock,  in  which  he  takes  a 
■justly  deserved  pride.  His  orchard  is  very 
productive,  and  contains  a  choice  variety  of 
fruit,  com])rising  apples,  pears,  plums  and 
cherries.  Mr.  Parks  has  also  landed  interests 
in  other  sections  of  the  county  and  State,  among 
which  is  480  acres  of  timber  land  in  Salt  Point 
Township  and  320  acres  in  Tulare  County.  In 
1886  Mr.  Parks  went  to  that  county  and 
improved  a  section  of  land,  which  he  sold  at  a 
good,  round  profit  upon  his  investment.  Mr. 
Parks  is  a  progressive,  public-spirited  citizen, 
esteemed  and  respected  by  the  community  in 
which  he  has  resided  for  the  past  thirty  years. 
He  is  a  consistent  member  of   the   Methodist 


church,  and  is  also  one  of  the  prominent  school 
trustees  of  the  district,  a  position  he  has  held 
for  over  eighteen  years.  He  is  a  member  of 
Vitruvius  Lodge,  No.  145,  F.  &  A.  M..  and  is 
a  member  of  Santa  Rosa  Chapter,  No.  45.  In 
political  matters  lie  is  a  strong  Republican,  and 
was  a  strong  supporter  of  the  Union  in  the  dark 
days  of  the  Rebellion.  From  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
and  Mr.  Parks  there  arc  si.\  children  living, 
viz.:  Mary  Ellen,  who  married  William  Mc- 
Keen  (since  deceased),  and  who  is  now  living 
in  Marin  County;  William  W.,  residing  in 
Fresno  County;  Enoch  IL,  living  in  Mendocino 
County;  John  F.,  who  is  also  residing  in  the 
latter  county;  Maria  Catherine,  who  married 
Henry  Greyson,  residing  in  Green  Valley,  and 
Lottie  May,  residing  at  home.  The  second 
child,  Samantha  E.,  married  Mr.  11.  Coburn. 
She  died  in  1880,  leaving  three  children. 
Brewer  A.,  Caroline  C,  and  Lawrence.  These 
children  are  being  reared  and  schooled  by  Mr. 
Parks. 


-^^^ 


i^-7^ 


^mXDREW  BOUTON,  proprietor  of  the 
vy  "Heart's  Desire"  Nursery,  Washington 
~r~^  Township,  is  a  native  of  Cortland  County, 
New  York,  born  April  10,  1831,  and  a  son  of 
Nathan  and  Maria  (Gee)  Bouton.  The  family 
is  an  old  one  in  this  country,  and  his  great- 
grandfather (on  his  father's  side)  was  a  soldier 
in  the  Revolutionary  war.  P)oth  parents  were 
natives  of  the  Empire  State,  and  the  father  who 
had  a  good  farm,  was  also  a  surveyor  and  school 
teacher.  Andrew  Bouton  was  reared  in  his 
native  county.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years 
he  went  to  Steuben  County  and,  in  1858,  si.x 
years  later,  came  to  California.  He  chose  the 
Panama  route,  and  landed  at  San  Francisco 
June  28,  1858.  He  proceeded  to  Marysville, 
remained  there  two  months,  and  then  went  to 
Napa  Valley  to  take  charge  of  the  Oak  Knoll 
orchard.  Here  his  experience  in  the  fruit  and 
nursery  business  in  New  York  State  stood  him 
in  good  stead.     For  seven  years  he  had  control 


HISTORy    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


of  the  orchard,  and  for  the  last  two  years  of  that 
time,  of  tlie  entire  Oak  Knoll  farm..  After 
severing  his  connection  therewith,  he  engaged 
in  tlie  business  of  pruning,  grafting  and  hand- 
ling the  fruit  from  small  orcliards  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. He  was  thus  employed  until  1868, 
when  he  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  located 
on  the  ranch  where  he  now  resides,  and  which 
he  had  previously  purchased.  This  ranch  con- 
tains 120  acres  of  land,  and  is  situated  on  the 
main  highway  between  Cloverdale  and  Healds- 
burg,  four  and  three-fourth  miles  north  of  the 
Southern  place.  Ten  acres  of  the  place  is  taken 
up  by  tlie  Heart's  Desire  Nursery,  which  is 
the  especial  pride  of  Mr.  Bouton,  and  which  is 
a  credit  to  him  and  to  the  county.  The  nursery 
was  started  on  a  small  scale,  in  1868,  and  did 
not  attain  large  proportions  until  1883,  when 
Mr.  Bouton  decided  to  make  it  one  of  the  im- 
portant factors  in  his  business.  He  has  made 
no  attempt  to  repeat  here  the  experiment  so 
often  attempted,  of  keeping  in  stock  all  varieties 
of  fruit  trees  whether  suited  to  the  climate  or 
not,  but  instead  contines  his  business  to  such 
trees  as  his  experience  and  observation  have 
shown  him  to  be  best  adapted  to  the  soil  and 
climate  of  the  territory  in  which  he  sells.  Two 
other  important  rules  adopted  by  Mr.  Bouton 
are  the  selection  and  use  of  the  best  and  most 
hardy  roots,  and  tiie  use  of  the  best  systems  of 
grafting  known.  He  puts  out  seedlings,  graft- 
ing (not  budding)  them  below  ground,  with  the 
view  of  having  the  graft  take  root.  The  root 
which  it  has  been  grafted  ontcJ  drops  off,  and 
the  entire  tree  and  its  roots  will  be  from  the 
graft.  While  the  splendid  reputation  which  the 
nursery  has  acquired  has  made  a  market  for 
most  of  its  products  in  Sonoma  County,  es- 
pecially the  territory  tributary  to  Healdsburg, 
Geyserville  and  Cloverdale,  yet  Mr.  Bouton 
does  considerable  wholesaling,  and  supplies  nur- 
series and  fruit  growers  at  more  remote  points. 
Some  25,000  trees  are  sold  each  year,  though 
the  sale  sometimes  reaches  figures  considerably 
higher.  Mr.  Bouton  has  also  an  orchard  of 
twenty-five  acres,  the  trees  ranging  in  age  from 


seven  to  twenty  years,  and  all  in  bearing.  There 
are  twelve  acres  in  cherries,  ten  acres  in  plums, 
prunes  and  peaches,  and  the  remainder  in  apples. 
All  these  fruits  have  done  splendidly,  and  yield 
abundantly.  The  Centennial  cherries  raised  in 
the  orchard  are  wonderful  in  size  and  beautiful 
in  appearance.  Mr.  Bouton  has  cleared  off  ten 
acres  of  land  which  he  will  plant  to  cheri-ies  in 
the  spring  of  1889,  and  this  acreage  will  be 
added  to.  The  rest  of  the  place  is  now  pastured. 
Tiie  handsome  residence  which  adorns  the  place 
was  erected  in  1885.  It  is  elegant  in  design 
and  very  commodious.  Mr.  Bouton  has  been 
identified  with  the  Republican  party  since  its 
organization,  but  he  is  strongly  inclined  to  the 
enforcement  of  prohibition,  being  an  ardent 
temperance  worker.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  of  Healdsburg.  He  is 
secretary  of  the  Geyserville  lodge  of  Good  Tem- 
plars, No.  166,  and  has  been  lodge  deputy  for 
three  years. 


ffAMES  H.  CURTIS  has  a  ranch  of  fifty 
I  acres  just  south  of  Healdsburg,  which  he 
purchased  in  1866,  moving  on  to  it  in  No- 
vember of  that  year.  The  place  is  devoted  to 
fruit  culture  and  general  farming.  About 
twenty  acres  are  planted  to  peaches,  pears, 
plums,  prunes,  apples  and  other  fruits,  such  as 
blackberries,  raspberries,  currants  and  goose- 
berries. The  laud  is  especially  adapted  to  fruit 
culture.  He  finds  a  market  for  all  his  fruit  in 
the  canneries  of  Plealdsburg,  with  the  exception 
of  some  apples,  which  are  shipped  to  San  Fran- 
cisco. About  eight  acres  are  usually  devoted 
to  corn,  which  yields  between  fifty  and  sixty 
bushels  to  the  acre,  and  never  less  than  forty 
bushels.  The  alfalfa,  of  which  his  average  crop 
is  six  acres,  is  cut  twice  a  year,  the  two  cut- 
tings turning  out  about  four  tons  per  acre,  the 
land  being  then  in  good  condition  for  pasturage. 
Mr.  Curtis  is  a  native  of  Connecticut,  born  at 
Simsbury,  Hartford  County,  June  12,  1825.  his 
parents   being  Timothy    and    Sarah   (McComb) 


HI8T0RT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


479 


Curtis.  The  latter  was  a  descendant  of  General 
McCoinb,  and  her  father  was  an  officer  in  the 
United  States  navy.  Tlie  grandfather  of  Mr. 
Curtis,  on  his  fatlier's  side,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolutionary  war,  and  his  father  was  a  farmer. 
James  H.  Curtis  was  reared  in  his  native  town 
to  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  when  he  went  to 
New  York  City,  and  secured  a  situation  as 
cleriv  in  a  grocery  store.  He  was  afterward 
engaged  in  butchering.  In  the  spring  of  1848 
he  returned  to  Connecticut,  and  a  few  months 
later  went  to  Madison  County,  Illinois,  locating 
in  the  American  Bottom.  He  had  but  forty- 
one  cents  in  capital,  and  in  tiie  fall  of  1849 
hired  out  at  $10  per  month.  In  the  spring  of 
1850  he  worked  for  fifty  cents  a  day,  and  later 
rented  some  land  and  raised  a  crop  of  corn. 
After  two  years  there  he  settled  on  a  farm  on 
Looking  Glass  Prairie,  when  he  continued  to  rent 
land,  raising  corn,  cattle,  horses  and  mules.  In 
the  spring  of  1854  he  went  East  and  spent 
the  most  of  the  season,  having  at  this  time 
accumulated  over  $7,000.  In  the  spring 
of  1855  he  started  to  California,  making  a  part 
of  the  journey  alone,  and  as  far  as  Kearney, 
Nebraska,  was  in  company  with  another  wagon 
containing  four  Frenchmen.  From  Kearney  to 
Green  River  there  was  quite  a  train,  but  from 
there  to  California  there  were  but  two  wagons 
in  his  jiarty.  They  came  b}'  way  of  Sublett's 
Cut-off  and  Grass  Valley  to  Stockton,  thence  to 
Merced  County,  wliere  he  located  on  Merced 
River,  in  1858  he  removed  to  Smith's  ranch, 
near  Bodega,  and  engaged  in  dairying  and 
farming.  He  was  employed  tliere  until  coming 
to  his  present  location  in  1866.  Mr.  Curtis 
has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife,  whom 
he  married  in  New  York  City,  was  formerly 
Miss  Eleanor  Gallaway.  His  present  wife  was 
a  widow,  Mrs.  Sarah  Green,  nee  Miss  Sarah 
Newman,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Martha 
Newman,  of  Oakfield,  Perry  County,  Ohio,  who 
has  one  son  by  her  first  marriage,  James  Green. 
Mr  and  Mrs.  Curtis  liave  two  children,  Edson 
and  George.  Air.  ('urtis  is  politically  a  Repub- 
lican.    He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 


copal church,  and  is  a  steward  and  trustee  of 
the  local  congregation.  He  also  belong.s  to  the 
local  lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  has  passed 
through  all  the  chairs  in  subordinate  lodge  and 
encampment.  He  became  a  member  of  the 
Mechanics  Lodge,  New  York  City,  in  1846. 
May  12,  1888,  he  visited  Mechanics  Lodge,  and 
the  brethren  gave  liim  a  hearty  welcome. 


Wmm  S.  M.  WRIGHT.— Among  California^ 
fMml     P'<J'^6^i's  of  '^9'  ^"d  tli6  early  settlers 

l-c^^  ®  of  Santa  Rosa.  Valley,  is  the  well 
known  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  sketch. 
Mr.  Wright  was  born  in  Boone  County.  Mis- 
souri, in  1822.  His  father,  Sampson  Wright, 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  in  early  life  went  to 
Tennessee,  and  in  1818  located  in  Boone  Coun- 
ty, Missouri.  His  mother,  Elizabeth  (Mullens) 
Wright,  was  a  native  of  Tennessee.  Mr. 
Wright  was  reared  as  a  farmer,  receiving  only 
such  an  education  as  was  afforded  in  the  jnoneer 
schools.  Early  in  life  he  commenced  to  care 
for  himself  and  while  a  youtii  of  fifteen  years 
was  engaged  in  trading  in  stock,  etc.  At  the 
age  of  twent}'  he  began  farming  in  Lawrence 
County,  Missouri,  to  which  county  his  father 
had  moved  a  few  years  before.  In  1845  Mr. 
Wright  was  married  in  Lawrence  County  to 
Miss  Sarah  i^>oone.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Nathan  Boone,  and  granddaughter  of  the  his- 
torical pioneer  of  Kentucky — Daniel  Boone. 
In  1849  the  subject  of  this  sketch  came  over- 
land to  California  and  located  at  Marysville. 
After  a  visit  to  the  mines  he  established  a 
freighting  line,  transporting  supplies  to  the 
miners,  and  also  trading  and  selling  goods  in 
the  mining  districts.  He  continued  these  en- 
terprises until  the  fall  of  1850  in  which  year  he 
returned,  via  New  York,  to  his  Missouri  home. 
He  remained  there  until  the  spring  of  185;i  and 
then  began  his  second  journey  across  the  plains, 
this  time  bringing  with  him  his  family  and  be- 
ing accompanied  by  his  father  and  mother.  He 
also  brought  about  400  head   of  cattle.      Upon 


HISTORY    OP    aONOMA    COUNTY. 


his  arrival  in  California  he  located  in  Sonoma 
Count}',  October  22,  1853,  occupying  land  and 
taking  np  his  residence  about  on",  and  a  half 
miles  west  of  Santa  Rosa,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  Mr.  Wright  made  an  extensive  pur- 
chase of  land  and  entered  largely  into  stock- 
growing  and  general  farming,  owning  4,500 
acres  of  land  in  this  county.  He  also  engaged 
in  mining  operations  at  a  later  date  in  Arizcjna 
and  Mexico.  Mrs.  Wright  died  in  1859,  and 
in  1861  Mr.  Wright  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Mrs.  Jarena  -(Brown)  Clark,  a  resident  of 
Solano  County  and  the  widow  of  Thomas  Clark, 
a  native  of  Tennessee.  Mrs.  Wright  was  born 
in  Virginia  and  reared  in  Missouri.  Mr. 
AVriglit  has  large  landed  interests  in  Sonoma 
Connty  and  in  other  sections  of  the  State.  His 
home  farm,  the  place  on  which  he  iirst  settled 
after  his  arrival  in  the  county,  contains  960 
acres  of  rich  and  productive  valley  land.  With 
the  exception  of  ten  acres  of  orchard  and  vine- 
yard, it  is  devoted  entirely  to  hay,  grain  and 
stock.  Among  the  stock  are  140  head  of  cat- 
tle, including  a  dairy  of  ninety  cows,  and 
twenty-tive  horses.  Of  the  latter  he  has  some 
fine  specimens  of  draft  horses  from  Norman 
stock,  and  roadsters  from  the  "  Whippleton  '' 
stock.  The  improvements  upon  this  magniti- 
cent  farm  are  first-class  in  every  respect.  A 
large  two-story  residence,  commodious  barns, 
dairy  and  out-buildings  attest  the  successful 
farmer.  Mr.  Wright  owns  260  acres  of  land  in 
Lake  County,  upon  which  is  located  the  famous 
Saratoga  Springs.  He  also  owns  a  fine  farm  of 
160  acres  in  the  same  county.  During  his  resi- 
dence of  thirty-five  years  in  Sonoma  County 
Mr.  Wright  has  been  identified  with  its  best 
interests,  and  has  aided  in  many  ways  the  de- 
velopment of  its  resources.  He  is  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  an 
earnest  supporter  of  churches  and  schools.  He 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Pacific  Method- 
ist College  at  Santa  Rosa,  and  has  served  for 
many  years  as  a  school  trustee  in  his  district. 
Politically  he  is  a  Democrat  and  in  former  years 
took  a  leading  part  in   tlie  aftairs  of  his  party. 


In  1874  and  1875  he  was  a  member  of  the  State 
Legislature.  From  his  fii-st  marriage  Mr. 
Wright  has  two  children  living,  Sampson  and 
Mahala.  The  latter  married  J.  E.  Hall,  who  is 
now  (1888)  IT.  S.  Liternal  Revenue  Collector, 
residing  in  Santa  Rosa.  Sampson  Wright  is 
engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  in  Santa  Rosa, 
having  an  extensive  furniture  and  carpet  store 
on  B  street,  between  Third  and  Fourth  streets. 
He  is  the  father  of  two  children:  Lathrop 
Boone  and  Girault  Scott. 


4H^ 


HOMAS  MORDECAL  —  Among  the 
prominent  business  houses  of  Petaluina 
?^^  is  found  the  boot  and  shoe  house  of  Mr. 
Thomas  Mordecai,  the  leading  dealer  in  his  line 
in  the  city.  Mr.  Mordecai  is  a  native  of  the 
town  of  Cowbridge,  South  Wales,  near  Cardift", 
where  he  was  born  August  13,  1851.  He  came 
to  California  in  March,  1875,  making  his  way 
almostdirectlyto  Petaluma,  wherehe  has  resided 
ever  since,  and  has  been  engaged  in  his  present 
business.  For  the  first  year  he  was  in  partner- 
ship with  another,  but  then  started  for  himself. 
He  has  occupied  his  present  commodious  quar- 
ters for  the  past  four  yeai's,  having  one  of  the 
finest  sites  on  Main  street,  opposite  Western 
avenue.  Here  he  carries  on  a  general  business 
in  boots  and  shoes  and  other  goods  of  a  similar 
line.  Mr.  Mordecai  was  married  December  15, 
1881,  to  Miss  Eva  Rachel  Barlow,  the  daughter 
of  S.  Q.  Barlow,  a  well-known  and  highly 
esteemed  ranchman  of  Two  Rock  Valley,  near 
this  city,  a  sketch  of  whose  life  appears  else- 
where in  this  volume.  They  have  two  children, 
a  boy  and  a  girl,  both  little  children.  Mrs. 
Mordecai  is  a  native  of  Ellensville,  New  York, 
where  she  was  born  April  17,  1861.  Mr.  Mor- 
decai is  a  Republican  of  staunch  principles  and 
a  b.eliever  in  the  suitable  protection  of  American 
industries.  He  is  strongly  in  love  with  the 
State  of  California,  and  especially  with  Peta- 
luma, his  chosen  home.  He  is  a  gentleman  of 
pleasant  manners,  irreproachable  character,  and 


HISTORY    OF    tiONOMA    COUNTY. 


is  a  valued  and  popular  member  of  society. 
The  nauaes  of  his  children  are  Fanny  Elizabeth 
and  William  Barlow. 


fDWARD  WEGMER.— Among  Sonoma's 
most  enterprising  and  successful  business 
men  is  the  gentleman  whose  name  heads 
this  sketch.  He  is  the  proprietor  of  the  only 
drug  store  in  Sonoma  Valley,  and  is  the  only 
skilled  druggist  and  chemist  in  Sonoma.  This 
establishment  is  located  on  the  west  side  of  the 
plaza  on  the  corner  of  Napa  and  First  streets. 
The  tine  two-story  adobe  building,  located  on  a 
lot  300x165  feet,  has  been  substantially  fitted 
up  by  Mr.  Wegner,  and  his  store,  which  occu- 
pies the  south  end  of  the  building,  is  perfect  in 
all  its  appointments.  In  addition  to  his  busi- 
ness as  a  druggist,  Mr.  Wegner  combines  that 
of  a  general  merchandise  store,  carrying  a  well- 
selected  and  first-class  stock  of  such  goods  as  the 
requirements  of  Sonoma  Valley  demand.  His 
enterprise  in  this  matter  is  well  rewarded,  as  he 
is  well  patronized  by  the  community.  A  brief 
sketch  of  Mr.  Wegner's  life  is  of  interest, 
showing  as  it  does,  how  success  has  been 
wrought  by  intelligent  industry,  combined  with 
straightforward,  honest  dealings  with  his  fellow- 
men.  Mr.  Wegner  is  a  native  of  Bei'lin,  Ger- 
many, and  dates  his  birth  November  30,  1837. 
His  father,  Gustav  Wegner,  was  also  a  native  of 
Germany.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  in  the  city  of  his  birth,  receiving  a 
liberal  education  in  the  excellent  schools  of  his 
native  place  until  seventeen  years  of  age,  when 
he  was  apprenticed  to  the  trades  of  a  master 
mason,  carpenter  and  architect.  He  worked 
diligently  at  these  callings  until  twenty  years 
old,  and  then  entered  the  scientific  schools  to 
perfect  himself  in  chemical  studies.  After  a 
thorough  course  in  various  scientific  branches, 
he  left  Germany  in  18G0,  and  proceeded  to 
South  America,  locating  in  Chili.  There  he 
was  engaged  in  various  occupations,  and  finally 
was  employeil  as  a  druggist  and  chemist  in  Val- 


paraiso until  1863.  At  that  time  he  was  offered 
employment  by  the  well-known  firm  of  Gode- 
froy  &  Co.,  of  San  PVancisco,  as  an  architect 
and  builder  in  the  building  up  of  a  town  and 
trading  station  in  Eastern  Siberia,  near  Nik- 
olaevsk.  Mr.  Wegner  at  once  went  to  Siberia, 
where  he  was  engaged  for  some  time,  but  the 
building  operations  of  the  company  were  finally 
abandoned,  and  he  left  that  place  and  went  to 
Hong-Kong,  where  he  was  engaged  by  the  same 
company  as  a  clerk  in  their  commission  house 
at  that  point.  In  1867  he  came  to  San  Fran- 
cisco and  some  months  later  to  Sonoma  County. 
Locating  in  Sonoma,  he  established  himself  as 
a  druggist.  Finding  the  demands  for  drugs 
and  chemicals  rather  limited,  he  gra<iually  in- 
creased his  business  until  he  now  has  the  fine 
establishment  already  described.  For  more 
than  twenty  years  Mr.  Wegner  has  been  identi- 
fied with  the  business  interests  of  Sonoma.  He 
is  well  known  throughout  the  valley  and  has 
made  hosts  of  friends.  He  has  been  a  member 
of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  city  of  Sonoma 
since  its  incorporation  in  1883,  and  was  the  first 
president  of  the  board.  Politically  he  is  a 
Democrat.  In  1878  Mr.  Wegner  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Julia  Brandt,  a  native  of 
Germany,  but  resident  of  San  Francisco.  From 
this  marriage  there  are  two  children  living: 
Lydia  and  Frieda. 


fEORGE  W.  HUNTLY  was  born  in  Jef- 
ferson County,  New  York,  March  4,  1838, 
his  parents  being  Jason  and  Hannah 
(Consaul)  Huntly,  both  natives  of  New  York. 
Mr.  Huntly's  father  was  a  carriage-maker  and 
farmer.  The  early  life  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  spent  mostly  upon  his  father's  farm, 
receiving  at  the  same  time  fair  educational  fa- 
cilities. When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  went  to 
Toledo,  Lucas  County,  Ohio,  where  one  of  his 
brothers  was  living.  Tiiere  he  entered  a 
machine  shop  and  worked  as  a  machinist  for 
over  two  years,  after  which   he  was  engaged  as 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


an  engineer  on  a  ferry-boat.  In  1858  Mr. 
Huntly,  being  desirous  of  a  change  and  wishing 
to  see  more  of  the  woi'ld  than  his  short  travels 
had  afforded,  went  to  New  York  and  thence  by 
steamer  route  to  California,  arriving  in  San 
Francisco  in  March  of  that  year.  Soon  after  his 
arrival  he  went  to  Yuba  County,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  mining  operations  until  1863.  In 
that  year  he  came  to  Sonoma  County,  locating 
at  Valley  Ford,  where  he  was  engaged  as  an  en- 
gineer in  the  steam  ilouring  mills  of  Thomas 
Smith.  Here  he  seems  to  have  found  an  occu- 
pation and  location  suited  to  his  tastes,  for  he 
continued  that  occupation  until  1S7(X  when  he 
purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  mills.  After 
this  purchase  they  were  under  his  control  and 
management.  In  1870  he  married  Miss  Lucilc 
Button,  a  native  of  Ohio.  At  the  time  of  her 
marriage  her  parents,  Keed  and  Emily  (Culver) 
Diitton,  were  residents  of  Valley  Ford.  Mr. 
Iluntly  continued  the  successful  management  of 
his  mill  until  1882.  In  that  year  he  sold  out 
and  purchased  a  tine  orchard  property  of  eighty 
acres  at  Sebastopol  on  the  Bodega  road,  taking 
up  his  residence  thereon.  He  has  a  magnificent 
orchard  of  seventy  acres  in  extent,  containing 
some  of  the  finest  varieties  of  fruit  grown  in 
the  county,  among  which  are  plums,  apples, 
peaches,  pears,  apricots,  cherries  and  French 
prunes.  He  also  devotes  considerable  attention 
to  beri-y  cultivation,  and  has  six  and  a-half  acres 
containing  blackberries,  raspberries  and  cur- 
rants. These  berries  grow  and  give  a  large 
yield,  although  they  are  never  irrigated.  Mr. 
Huntly  early  saw  that  a  profit  was  to  be  gained 
in  drying  his  own  fruit.  He  therefore,  in  1883, 
built  a  dryer  of  the  most  approved  order.  It 
has  a  capacity  of  six  tons  per  day  of  green 
fruit,  and  thus  he  is  enabled  to  care  for  and  dry 
such  fruit  as  the  orchards  in  his  vicinity  have  to 
dispose  of,  in  addition  to  the  products  of  his 
own  orchard.  He  is  a  thorough  business  man 
and  has  achieved  a  success  in  this  enterprise  as 
is  well  attested  when  the  fact  is  known  that  his 
dryer  is  always  running  to  its  full  capacity 
throughout  the  whole  fruit  season.     The  prod- 


ucts of  this  dryer  being  first-class  in  every  re- 
spect, find  ready  sale  at  the  highest  market 
prices.  There  is  no  man  in  Analy  and  Bodega 
townships  better  or  more  widely  known  than 
Mr.  Huntly,  nor  is  there  one  whose  long 
business  associations  with  the  farmers  and  fruit- 
growers has  commanded  more  respect  for 
honest,  upright  and  straightforward  dealing. 
Not  only  in  these  townships,  but  throughout 
the  county,  Mr.  Huntly  is  well  known  and  re- 
spected. Never  seeking  office,  he  still  has  ex- 
erted a  beneficial  influence  in  the  ranks  of  his 
party.  He  is  a  consistent  Republican  and  a 
progressive  citizen,  and  has  always  been 
identified  with  an}'  enterprise  that  tended  to 
advance  the  interests  of  the  community  in  which 
he  resided.  His  support  has  always  been 
heartily  given  to  schools  and  churches.  He  is 
a  school  trustee  in  the  Laguna  school  district, 
and  also  served  in  a  like  capacity  for  years  while 
living  at  Valley  Ford.  Mr.  Huntly  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Lafayette  Lodge,  No.  126,  F.  &  A.  M., 
of  Sebastopol.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  the 
Sebastopol  Grange,  Patrons  of  Husbandry. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Huntly  are  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  viz.:  George  W.,  Mary  Maud,  Mabel 
Emily,  Frank,  Albert,  Gertrude  and   Garfield. 


fOHN  T.  PETERS,  proprietorof  the  Mervyn 
Hotel  at  Glen  Ellen,  came  to  California  at 
the  age  of  eleven  years  with  his  father, 
John  Peters,  who  settled  on  -lOO  acres  of  land, 
a  part  of  the  "  Blucher  Ranch  "  west  of  Santa 
Rosa,  in  Two  Rock  Valley,  late  in  the  year  of 
1853.  John  Peters  was  born  in  Washington 
County,  Kentucky;  was  reared  on  alarm  and 
followed  the  vocation  of  a  farmer  all  through 
his  life.  He  served  under  General  Harrison  in 
the  war  of  1812.  His  wife  was  formerly  Miss 
Elizabeth  Peters,  who,  though  bearing  the  same 
name,  was  not  a  relative.  For  a  number  of 
years  Mr.  Peters  made  his  home  in  Indiana, 
where  several  of  his  eldest  children  were  born. 
Later  he  returned  to  Kentucky,  remaining  there 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


until  1844,  at  which  time  he  moved  to  Andrew 
County,  Missouri,  engaging  in  farming  there 
until  1853.  In  the  spring  of  that  year,  with 
his  wife  and  six  children,  he  joined  and  made  a 
part  of  a  splendidly  equipped  train  consisting 
of  twenty-one  wagons  and  1,000  head  of  stock, 
destined  for  California.  Reaching  Sonoma 
County,  the  Peters  family  spent  their  first  night 
in  camp  upon  the  old  "  Sears  Ranch,"  west  of 
Sonoma,  on  the  west  hank  of  Sonoma  Creek,  in 
the  month  of  November.  From  there  he  pro- 
ceeded to  his  future  home  in  Two  Rock  Valley, 
Analy  Township.  Long  years  of  litigation  fol- 
lowed his  settlement  before  he  wa?  able  to 
secure  a  perfect  title  to  his  property.  Mr. 
Peters  was  bereaved  by  the  death  of  his  estima- 
ble wife  not  long  after  coming  to  this  State,  her 
death  occurring  in  1855,  at  the  age  of  fifty-two 
years.  She  was  the  mother  of  fifteen  children, 
ten  of  whom  lived  to  come  to  California  with  or 
before  her,  and  who  were  all  present  at  her 
burial,  and  who,  with  the  exception  of  Silas, 
the  eldest,  who  died  at  Selma,  Fresno  County, 
in  August,  1888,  are  at  this  writing  living. 
Their  father  lived  to  the  age  of  seventy-two 
years.  He  was  a  man  of  sterling  worth,  pos- 
sessed of  much  energy,  and  was  highly  esteemed 
and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  Of  his 
children,  Merriman  and  Hartford  live  at  Stock- 
ton; Jordan,  in  Del  Norte  County;  Horace,  in 
Santa  Clara  County;  Samuel,  in  Washington 
Territory;  John  T.,  in  Glen  Ellen;  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet White,  a  widow,  lives  in  Denver,  Color- 
ado; Elizabeth,  wife  of  A.  A.  Walker,  is  a 
resident  of  Washington  Territory;  Nancy,  wife 
of  George  W.  Cofer,  resides  in  Salina  County. 
John  T.  Peters,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch, 
was  born  in  Washington  County,  Kentucky, 
June  11,  1842.  His  childhood,  from  two  to 
eleven  years  of  age,  was  spent  in  Andrew 
County,  Missouri.  After  the  family  settled  in 
this  count}'  in  1853,  he  remained  at  home  assist- 
ing in  the  work  of  improving  the  large  family 
homestead  until  he  reached  his  twenty-first 
year.  He  then  went  to  Virginia  City  and 
worked  in  a  quai-tz  mill  until  called  home  by  his 


father's  death,  which  occurred  a  few  months 
later.  A  year  or  so  after  the  death  of  his 
father,  he  took  charge  of  a  force  of  Chinamen 
on  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  at  Dutch  Flat, 
camp  22.  Returning  to  Sonoma  County  he 
spent  nine  years  in  steamboat  traffic  on  San 
Francisco  Bay,  and  in  the  employ  of  the  Pacific 
Coast  Steamship  Company  in  the  San  Diego 
and  Oregon  trade,  and  later  was  two  years  on 
the  line  between  San  Francisco  and  Stockton. 
In  1879  Mr.  Peters  entered  the  employ  of  Peter 
Donahue  in  the  construction  of  the  Sonoma 
Valley  Railroad.  He  had  charge  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  line  between  Sonoma  and  Glen 
Ellen.  Later  he  was  a  conductor  on  the  finished 
road,  and  still  later,  assistant  superintendent 
with  headquarters  at  Sonoma.  Resigning  his 
position  in  February,  1885,  he  erected  and 
opened  the  Mervyn  Hotel,  a  favorite  resort  at 
the  beautiful  picturesque  •village  of  Glen  Ellen, 
where  he  yet  dispenses  hospitality  to  all  who 
are  so  fortunate  as  to  be  able  to  become  his 
guest.  In  1872  Mr.  Peters  married  Miss  Nora 
O'Sullivan,  at  San  Francisco.  Mrs.  Peters  was 
born  at  Jersey  City.  She  is  the  mother  of 
seven  children,  of  whom  five  are  living:  Mattie, 
Leland  S.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  ten  years; 
Nellie,  James  T.,  who  died  in  infancy;  Nora, 
John  F.,  and  William.  Mr.  Peters  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Temple  Lodge,  No.  14,  F.  &  A.  M.,  at 
Sonoma.  In  politics,  since  the  election  of 
Abraham  Lincoln,  he  has  been  identified  with 
the  Republican  party. 


BKV.  T.  H.  B.  ANDERSON,  D.  D.,  was 
born  in  Grundy  County,  Missouri,  May 
26,  1842.  His  father,  Josiah  Anderson, 
who  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1805;  went  to 
Missouri  in  1836;  came  to  California  in  1849; 
returned  to  Missouri  in  1851,  and  in  1858 
brought  his  family  to  California,  where  both  he 
and  his  wife  died  in  1867  and  1870  respectivelj'. 
They  had  nine  children,  six  daughters  and  three 
sons.     The  eldest  son,  and  subject  of  this  sketch, 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


is  a  self-educated  man,  never  having  attended 
school  after  he  was  fifteen  years  old.  In  1865- 
'66  he  studied  law  and  recited  his  lessons  to 
Hon.  J.  W.  Coffroth,  of  Sacramento.  He  was 
ready  for  admission  to  the  Supreme  Court,  but 
refused  to  go  further,  preferring  the  ministry, 
having  studied  law  to  supplement  deficiencies 
in  early  training.  He  began  preaching  in  18()2, 
in  Butte  County,  and  his  work  in  the  ministry 
lias  been  confined  to  California,  with  a  brief  ex- 
ception. The  doctor  says  he  believes  in  Cali- 
fornia and  her  people,  and  expects  to  live  and 
die  here.  He  has  traveled  circuits,  districts, 
and  filled  stations  at  Grass  Valley,  San  P^ran- 
cisco,  Sacramento,  Colusa,  and  Santa  Rosa.  The 
degree  of  D.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by  the 
Military  College  of  Kentucky  in  1881.  He  has 
been  Grand  Chaplain  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  F. 
&  A.  M.  of  California  for  three  years;  Grand 
Orator  one  year;  Clrairman  of  the  Committee 
on  Foreign  Correspondence,  writing  the  reports 
of  the  Grand  Lodge;  and  Chaplain  of  the  Leg- 
islature during  Governor  Haight's  administra- 
tion. He  has  been  twice  elected  delegate  to 
the  General  Conference  of  the  church.  Dr. 
Anderson  is  now^  President  of  the  board  of 
trustees  of  the  Pacific  Metliodist  College  of 
Santa  Rosa,  California,  and  has  been  president 
pro  tem.  of  the  same.  He  is  now  its  financial 
agent,  in  which  capacity  he  has  done  good  work. 
He  is  pastor  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
Soutii,  in  Santa  Rosa,  and  tliat  his  ministerial 
labors  are  appreciated  is  evinced  by  the  fact 
that  he  ahvays  has  a  full  house,  and  during  the 
past  year  he  has  had  seventy-three  accessions  to 
the  church.  He  works  six  hours  every  day  in 
his  study,  beginning  at  8  a.  m.,  and  then  writes 
and  reads  from  8  p.  m.  until  near  midnight.  He 
preaches  more  sermons  than  any  minister  in 
his  conference,  and  also  frequently  lectures.  Dr. 
Anderson  is  a  hard  student  and  an  inveterate 
worker.  Possessing  a  highly  wrought  nervous 
temperament,  he  has  one  of  those  bright,  scin- 
t Hating  minds,  that,  like  the  charged  dynamo, 
is  ever  ready  when  touclied  to  emit  an  electric 
spark.      Li   conversation    he    is    ready  and    en- 


tertaining; is  exceptionally  affable  and  frater- 
nal in  manner,  and  as  a  writer  and  pulpit  orator 
has  few  equals  on  this  coast.  Dr.  Anderson 
was  married  April  23,  1867,  to  Miss  Sarah  1. 
Brooks,  of  Marysville,  California.  They  have  a 
family  of  three  daughters  and  two  sons. 

JgilRAM  B.  HASBROUCK— There  is  no 
|n^;  one  wlio  is  more  universally  respected 
'^M  or  enjoys  a  more  prominent  position  in 
the  afi^ections  of  his  fellow  men  tiian  he  who  is 
mentioned  in  this  sketch,  an  old  pioneer  of  So- 
noma County  and  a  large  and  successful  farmer 
and  stock-raiser  of  Petaluma  Township.  Hiram 
B.  Hasbrouck  is  a  native  of  Sullivan  Cuunty, 
New  York,  born  February  4,  1829.  Regarding 
the  ancestry  of  his  family,  we  find  they  were 
originally  from  Holland,  his  great-grandfather 
having  emigrated  to  this  country  some  time 
before  the  Revolution.  His  father,  Isaiah  Has- 
brouck, was  a  native  of  Ulster  County,  New 
York,  and  after  he  became  a  young  man,  moved 
into  Sullivan  County.  He  was  married  there  to 
Elizabeth  Eller,  a  native  of  the  same  county, 
where  they  made  their  home  on  a  farm  until  their 
deatiis.  They  reared  a  family  of  four  sous  and 
five  daughters,  of  whom  one  is  deceased,  and 
four  are  residing  in  this  State.  The  children 
are  as  follows:  Benjamin,  residing  in  Ulster 
County,  New  York;  Caroline  Hasbrouck,  living 
in  Fallsburg,  Sullivan  County,  New  York;  Mrs. 
Agnes  Broadhead,  of  the  same  place;  Mrs.  Maria 
Forshay,who  came  to  California  and  died  in  Peta- 
luma; Hiram  B.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Hoyte,  of  Yerka,  Siskiyou  County, 
California;  John  Hasbrouck,  residing  near  Ne- 
vada City,  Nevada  County;  Augustus,  of  San 
Francisco;  and  Celia  Hasbrouck,  a  resident  of 
Fallsburg,  New  York.  Hiram  B.  was  reared 
in  Sullivan  County,  New  York,  and  made  his 
home  with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty-six 
years  old.  His  education  was  received  during 
the  winter  months  at  the  district  scliools  of  his 
neigiiborhood,  and  when   he  was  twenty-one  he 


niSTVRY    OF    .SOSOMA    COUNTY. 


atteiideil  one  term  at'aii  academy.  November 
5,  1855,  be  left  Sullivan  County,  for  California, 
sailingfroin  New  York  on  the  old  steamer  6^(?«»'(/<? 
LaiL\  which  name  was  afterward  changed  to  Cen- 
tral America,  and  the  steamer  was  lost  at  sea 
during  a  heavy  gale.  He  made  the  passage  via 
Panama  and  landed  in  San  Francisco  November 
29th  of  that  year,  after  a  journey  of  twenty-four 
days  from  the  time  he  left  home.  The  next 
day  after  arriving  he  went  to  the  mines  of 
Placer  Count}',  near  Auburn,  on  the  iVmerican 
River.  He,  with  two  others,  bought  out  a  bar 
claim  which  he  worked  two  summers  with  fair 
success  when   he  sold   out   his   interest,  and  in 

1857  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  bought  out 
the  ranch  where  he  now  lives,  on  the  9th  day 
of  March  of  that  year.      During  the  summer  of 

1858  he  was  affected  by  the  Fraser  liiver  ex- 
citement; so  to  satisfy  his  desires  in  this  respect 
he  sailed  from  San  Francisco  on  the  7th  of  July, 
and  after  arriving  there  mined  until  the  follow- 
ing November,  when,  becoming  satisfied  that 
the  country  had  been  over-rated,  he  returned 
again  to  San  Francisco,  arriving  there  on 
Thanksgiving  day.  He  then  devoted  his  atten- 
tion to  the  cultivation  of  his  farm,  which  he 
rented  a  part  of  the  time  up  to  1864  when  he 
made  a  visit  to  his  native  State.  Taking  the 
Nicaragua  route,  he  missed  the  steamer  at  Vir- 
gin Bay  and  was  obbged  to  lay  over  at  that 
place  four  weeks  until  the  next  steamer  sailed 
for  New  York.  He  arrived  in  the  latter  place 
January  8,  1865.  After  spending  some  time 
in  visiting  around  his  old  home,  he  made  a 
traveling  expedition  through  some  of  the  west- 
ern States;  was  in  Chicago  when  the  news  came 
of  Lee's  surrender,  and  in  liuflalo  on  the  arrival 
of  Lincoln's  funeral  train  during  tiie  last  days 
of  April.  Not  being  desirous  of  returning  to 
the  far  off  Pacific  coast  single  handed  he  decided 
to  bring  with  him  a  partner,  one  that  would  be 
a  companion  and  a  help-mate  to  him  through 
life  and  would  cause  a  California  sun  to  shine 
with  a  brighter  glow  than  ever  before,  and  to 
introduce  a  new  life  into  his  household  such  as 
he   had   never   seen   before.      He   found   such   a 


partner  in  Miss  A.  Celia  Hill,  to  whom  he  was 
wedded  at  Fremont,  Sullivan  County,  New 
York,  on  the  14th  day  of  August,  1865,  and 
on  the  same  day  started  with  his  bride,  leavinc 
New  York  on  the  16th  and  arriving  in  San 
Francisco  on  the  8th  of  September.  He  took 
up  his  residence  in  Petalnma  where  he  lived  for 
several  years.  On  the  24th  of  January,  1874, 
his  wife  died  and  in  Febi-uai-y  following  he 
made  another  trip  East.  His  father  hail  died 
and,  after  settling  up  the  estate,  he  returned  to 
California  bringing  with  him  his  sister  Maria 
who  died  in  Petaluma.  In  the  summer  of  1874 
Mr.  Hasbrouck  returned  to  his  ranch  where  he 
now  resides.  This  ranch  contains  about  300 
acres,  devoted  to  stock-raising  and  general  farm- 
ing. There  is  a  fine  orchard  on  the  place  that 
is  now  more  than  thirty  years  old.  Mr.  Has- 
brouck is  a  Kniglit  Templar,  beloTiging  to  the 
Mt.  Olivet  Commandeiy,  No.  20,  of  Petaluma. 
He  has  one  son,  Sherman  A.,  born  October  11, 
1867. 


|^[EORGE  W.  HARMON  has  a  ranch  of  ten 
Ifeff  '^^''68  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Healdsburg, 
=sif-i  as  the  road  runs,  but  considerably  less 
than  that  in  a  direct  line.  He  purchased  the 
place  in  1883,  and  removed  on  to  it  in  April  of 
that  year.  Of  this  place  eight  acres  are  planted 
to  tree  fruits,  the  trees  having  been  set  out  in 
the  spring  of  1884.  The  majority  are  French 
prunes,  the  remainder  being  divided  between 
Honest  Abe  and  Early  Crawford  peaches,  Bart- 
lett  and  Winter  Nellis  pears,  Coe's  Golden 
Drop,  Yellow  Egg  and  Jefferson  plums,  Black 
Tartarian,  Na])oleon,  Bigerean  and  Centennial 
cherries.  The  peaches  are  in  bearing,  as  are 
also  the  prunes,  but  not  fully.  He  also  has 
half  an  acre  in  strawberries,  besides  blackberries 
and  raspberries.  About  an  acre  is  usually  de- 
voted to  alfalfa.  Mr.  Harmon  is  a  native  of 
Indiana,  born  in  Floyd  County,  September  9, 
1842,  and  son  of  Matthias  and  Nancy  (Edel- 
niann)  Harmon.      Both  parents  were  natives  of 


HlaroKY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT y. 


Indiana,  and  representatives  of  early  settler 
families.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  his  native 
county  and  resided  there  until  1864,  when  lie 
removed  to  Hendricks  County,  Indiana,  and  a 
year  later  to  McDonough  County,  Illinois. 
There  he  resided  tliree  years,  then  removed  to 
Hamburg,  Fremont  County,  Iowa,  and  after  re- 
maining there  one  winter,  removed  to  Atchison 
County,  Missouri,  where  he  resided  four  years. 
In  the  spring  of  1872  the  family  removed  to 
California,  locating  at  Visalia.  Two  years  later 
they  removed  to  Kernville,  Kern  County,  where 
Mr.  Harmon  was  amalgamator  in  the  Senator 
J.  P.  Jones  Mill,  of  eighty  stamps,  for  four 
years.  They  then  removed  to  Pierce  County, 
Tacoma,  and  Mr.  Harmon  conducted  a  hop  field, 
ten  miles  from  Tacoma,  until  1882,  after  which 
he  went  back  to  Indiana.  From  there  they 
came  to  their  present  location.  Mr.  Harmon 
was  married  in  Floyd  County,  Indiana,  October 
2C),  1864,  to  Miss  Sarah  Teaford,  a  native  of 
that  county,  and  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Phebe 
(Hickman)  Teaford.  They  have  three  children: 
Clara,  Oliver,  and  Mabel.  Mr.  Harmon  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Union  army,  having  enlisted  in 
New  Albany,  Indiana,  in  July,  1861,  and  was 
mustered  in  July  12,  in  Company  C,  Tweuty- 
thiid  Indianalnfantry.  The  regiment  proceeded 
to  Indianapolis,  where  they  went  into  camp,  and 
a  few  months  later  went  to  St.  Louis,  where 
they  were  in  barracks  over  a  month,  and  thence 
were  sent  to  Paducah,  Kentucky,  where  they 
were  first  engaged,  and  ne.\t  at  Bolivar,  Tennes- 
see. He  served  all  through  the  Shiloh  cam- 
paign, and  was  engaged  at  Pittsburg  Landing, 
second  day's  tight,  under  Wallace.  Then  went 
to  Corinth,  and  was  in  the  Yicksbnrg  campaign. 
In  the  movements  about  the  beleaguered  city  he 
toCJk  an  active  part  and  participated  in  the  bat- 
tles of  Champion  Hills,  Chickasaw,  Raymond, 
etc.  At  Champion  Hills  he  served  under  Mc- 
Pherson,  and  was  one  of  those  who  cut  the 
breastworks  to  let  the  artillery  in,  and  drove  in 
the  skirmishers.  During  the  assault  on  the 
works  at  Vicksburg  he  was  in  the  charge  on 
Fort    Hill    immediately    after    the     explosion. 


After  the  capture  of  the  city,  the  regiment 
camped  for  a  time  in  Vicksburg,  and  there  vet- 
eranized, the  members  returning  to  Indiana  on 
a  thirty  days'  furlough.  Rendezvousing  at 
Corinth,  the  regiment  started  on  a  march  to 
Atlanta,  and  took  jjart  in  all  that  campaign 
with  its  many  skirmishes  and  battles.  He  pro- 
ceeded with  his  command  beyond  the  Chatta- 
hoochie  River,  and  on  the  27th  of  July  went  to 
Marietta,  where  he  took  cars  for  Chattanooga, 
turned  over  his  equipment,  and  was  there  mus- 
tered out  July  28,  1864.  From  there  he  went 
to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  thence  to  Indianapolis, 
where  he  received  his  pay  and  went  home.  Mr. 
Harmon  is  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  and  of 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  in  which  he  has  passed  all  the 
chairs.      Politically,  he  is  a  Republican. 


ILLIAM  D.  JONES.— This  gentleman. 
I  who  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Calilbrnia, 
having  crossed  the  plains  by  ox  teams 
in  1849,  is  one  of  the  best  known  and  highly 
esteemed  citizens  of  Sonoma  County.  He  was 
born  in  1825  in  Oneida  County,  New  York. 
In  1837  liis  parents  removed  to  Ohio,  taking 
him  with  them.  He  lived  there  until  the  spring 
of  1846  when  he  answered  the  call  for  men  by 
enlisting  lor  service  during  the  Mexican  war. 
He  was  a  member  of  an  independent  horse  com- 
pany, and  was  engaged  as  mail  escort,  carrying 
dispatches,  etc.,  and  took  part  in  many  skir- 
mishes, and  was  present  at  the  fiercely  fought 
battle  of  Buena  Vista.  The  company  was  known 
as  Captain  J.  R.  Duncan's  Ohio  Mounted 
Volunteers.  After  the  close  of  the  war  Mr. 
Jones  determined  to  come  to  California,  and 
came  across  the  plains  in  1849,  as  has  been 
already  stated.  Until  the  year  1852  he  mined, 
meeting  with  pretty  good  success.  This  was  in 
El  Dorado  County.  In  the  summer  of  tliat  year 
he  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  selected  a 
superior  ranch  just  west  of  Bloomfield.  He 
still  owns  the  same  farm,  a  fine  fertile  stretch 
of  1.120  acres,  and  devoted   to  grain   and  dairy 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


farming.  He  continued  upon  tliis  farm,  bring- 
ing it  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  until  1884, 
when  he  removed  with  liis  family  to  Petaluma, 
where  he  is  now  enjoying  the  evening  of  life  in 
comfort.  Ilis  comfortable  home  has  one  of  the 
best  locations  in  the  city,  being  situated  on  the 
summit  of  the  hill  on  wJiich  is  the  Baptist 
chui'ch,  and  commands  an  extensive  and  beauti- 
ful prospect  overlooking  the  city  and  the  whole 
expanse  of  the  Petaluma  Valley.  Mr.  Jones 
was  married  April  30,  1856,  to  Miss  Susan 
Carroll,  the  sister  of  Messrs.  James  and  Patrick 
Carroll,  well  known  and  popular  old  settlers  at 
Bloomfield.  They  have  six  children,  three  sons 
and  three  daughters.  Their  names  are  Walter, 
Carroll,  AVilliam,  Mary,  Martha,  and  Clara.  Mr. 
Jones  is  a  Kepublican  of  life  long  .standing, 
having  been  one  of  those  who  assisted  in  organiz- 
ing that  grand  old  party  in  this  State  in  the  early 
days.  He  is  an  extensive  land-owner  in  Marin 
and  Mendocino  counties  as  well  as  in  this,  and  is 
looked  upon  as  a  leading  and  representative  man. 

tOWRY  B.  HALL,  deceased.  One  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Santa  Rosa  Township  M'as 
the  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch.  He  was  born  in  1820  in  Kentucky, 
and  was  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  pioneer 
families  of  that  State.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm 
and  followed  the  occupation  of  farming  through 
life.  About  the  time  he  reached  his  majority 
he  wedded  Miss  Elizabeth  Holland  and  settled 
down  to  the  quiet  life  of  an  agriculturist  in 
Barren  County,  that  State;  but,  being  seized 
with  the  fever  of  emigration,  we  record  thnt  in 
1852  he  moved  to  Greene  County,  Missouri, 
with  his  wife  and  six  children,  remaining  there 
until  1857.  In  that  year  he  started  with  his 
family,  then  consisting  of  wife  and  eight  chil- 
dren, on  the  overland  journey  to  this  sunny  and 
beautiful  land,  reaching  Santa  Rosa  without 
serious  mishap  or  unusual  delay.  Mr.  Hall 
lived  in  the  Wright  school  district  about  two 
years,  and  in   1859   he   purchased   200  acres  of 


land  and  commenced  the  improvement  of  a  home 
of  his  own.  Later  he  added  to  his  purchase  and 
became  the  owner  of  a  splendid  ranch  on  the  nld 
Santa  Rosa  and  Sebastopol  road,  where  he  lived 
until  1873.  At  that  time  he  sold  out  and  moved 
into  the  city  of  Santa  Rosa,  where  he  spent  a 
few  years  of  quiet  life,  and  in  1879  again  bought 
a  country  home  on  Santa  Rosa  Creek,  three  miles 
west  of  the  city,  there  spending  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  his  death  occurring  in  the  spring  of 
1883,  attlie  age  of  sixty-three  years.  His  widow 
was  not  destined  to  battle  with  life  alone,  for  in 
a  few  days  she  was  laid  by  his  side,  her  age  at 
death  being  tifty-eight  years.  The  worthy  and 
respeced  couple  are  well  remembered  by  hosts 
of  friends,  and  their  memory  is  cherished  by  a 
large  family  of  children  and  grandchildren. 
Near  the  old  homestead  now  lives  their  eldest 
son,  James  W.  The  names  of  their  other  children 
who  came  to  this  State  are:  Mary,  now  Mrs. 
Fouschee;  Mrs.  Prudence  J.  Lake,  Mrs.  Sarah 
Mapts,  George  H.,  Mrs.  Luann  Ross,  Pressly 
M.,  and  Mrs.  Lizzie  Pickrell,who  died  in  1888. 
Attezra,  their  sixth  child,  died  in  Missouri, 
aged  four  years. 


^^^A^^ 


•E^« 


ffAMES  W.  HALL,  the  eldest  son  and  eldest 
I  child  of  Lowry  B.  Hall,  was  born  in  Barren 
County,  Kentucky,  September  25,  1842. 
He  was  but  ten  years  of  age  when  the  family 
moved  to  Greene  County,  Missouri,  and  fifteen 
years  of  age  when  he  did  the  work  of  a  man  in 
lielping  to  care  for  the  family  and  stock  in  cross- 
ing the  plains  and  mountains  to  California.  He 
helped  to  build  the  family  home,  at  which  and 
near  which,  with  the  exception  of  eighteen 
months  spent  at  Ilealdsburg,  he  has  ever  since 
resided.  November  22,  186(5,  Mr.  Hall  wedded 
Miss  Lou  Eva  Dameron,  daughter  of  John 
Dameron.  Mrs.  Hall  was  born  in  Randolph 
County,  Missouri.  She  is  the  mother  of  four 
children  living:  Harry  L.,  Sara  C,  Richard  B., 
and  Benjamin  F.  Their  tliii-d  child,  Julia,  died 
at  the  age  of  three  years.     The  homestead  of 


UISTOHT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


ninety-seven  aeres  owned  by  Mr.  Hall  is  of  the 
choicest  in  the  beantifnl  Santa  Kosa  Valley. 
Considerincr  its  extent,  location,  nearness  to 
market  and  a  city  giving  all  business  and  social 
advantages,  it  is  a  most  desirable  property.  A 
tine  hop  field  of  fifteen  acres  are  among  the 
valuable  improvements  upon  the  place. 

— ^€@=®»-^¥ — 


Mr.  Sbarboro  was  married  in  Italy  to  Miss 
Romilda  Botto.  They  have  five  children, 
xVlfredo,  Aida,  Romolo,  Romilda,  and  Remo. 


tXDREA  SBARBORO,  secretary  of  the 
Italian-Swiss  Agricultural  Colony,  and  its 
^2^5^^  founder,  is  a  native  of  Italy,  born  thirty 
miles  from  the  city  of  Genoa,  November  26, 
1839,  his  parents  being  Stephen  and  Mary 
Sbarboro.  In  1844  the  family  removed  to  the 
United  States,  locating  in  New  York  City, 
where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  to 
the  age  of  thirteen  years.  In  1852  the  parents 
went  back  to  Italy,  but  Andrea  had  decided  to 
remain  in  America  and  about  the  same  time  he 
came  to  San  Francisco,  via  the  Panama  route. 
He  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade,  and  conducted 
a  prosperous -business  until  1881,  in  wliicli  year 
lie  organized  the  colony  enterjirise.  When  lie 
came  to  this  coast,  a  mere  boy  in  years,  he  had 
iiis  own  start  to  make.  His  high  business 
qualifications  won  for  him  success  and  drew  to 
him  the  confidence  of  those  with  whom  he  came 
in  contact.  His  services  have  been  souglit  in 
tiie  business  management  of  numerous  associa- 
tions, and  he  is  now  secretary  of  the  following 
corporate  institutions:  Italian-Swiss  Agricul- 
tural Colony,  "West  Oakland  Mutual  Loan 
Association,  San  Francisco  Mutual  Loan  As- 
sociation, West  Oakland  Masonic  Hall  and 
Building  Association,  Italian -Swiss  ^lutual 
Loan  Association,  and  San  Francisco  and  Oak- 
land Mutual  Loan  Association.  Since  1860  he 
has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  the  Anti- 
Chinese  movement.  He  has  been  ibremost  in 
advancing  the  interests  of  his  fellow-countrymen 
who  have,  like  himself,  become  citizens  of  the 
United  States.  Mr.  Sbarboro  is  one  of  the  pro- 
moters of  the  Italian  scliool,  San  Francisco.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  and  A.  O.  U.  W. 


■*^>~ 


-<s- 


'^.ITGII  H.  DAVIS,  M.  D.,  was  born  in 
r  ]  Xorristown,  Montgomery  County,  Penn- 
"Kjii  sylvania,  October  10,  1841,  his  parents  be- 
ing Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  (Haraill)  Davis, 
descendants  of  some  of  the  oldest  families  of 
Pennsylvania.  Upon  his  fatlier's  side  the  family 
is  traced  back  to  the  -veteran  soldiers  of  the 
Revolution,  his  father  being  also  a  grandson  of 
John  Morton,  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence.  Dr.  Davis's  fatlier  was  a  business 
man  in  Norristown,  and  afterward  in  Delaware, 
where  he  moved  his  family  in  1860.  The  doctor 
received  the  benefits  of  »  good  education,  and, 
in  1862,  entered  upon  the  study  of  medicine; 
his  patriotism,  however,  induced  him  to  abandon 
his  studies  and  enlist  in  the  defense  of  his 
country.  Accordingly,  early  in  1863,  he  en- 
listed as  a  private  soldier  in  the  United  States 
Signal  Corp  of  the  army,  in  which  he  served 
with  credit  until  the  close  of  the  war,  having 
been  promoted  to  Sergeant  in  that  corps  before 
his  discharge.  While  in  the  service  he  was 
actively  engaged  in  the  field  with  the  Army  of 
the  James  and  Army  of  the  Potomac.  He  was 
also  in  both  engagements  at  Fort  Fisher,  first 
under  General  Butler  and  afterward  under 
General  Terry  when  the  Fort  was  captured. 
Soon  after  his  discharge  from  the  army,  in  1865, 
the  doctor  resumed  his  medical  studies,  and  in 
March,  1868,  received  his  diploma  from  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania.  He  then  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Gloucester 
Count}',  New  Jersey,  where  he  remained  until 
1869,  in  which  year  he  came  to  California  and 
located  in  Nevada  County.  He  remained  there 
until  the  next  year  when  he  again  entered  the 
United  States  military  service  as  an  acting 
assistant  surgeon,  and  was  stationed  in  Alaska, 
first  at  Sitka  and  then  at  Tongas  I^-land.  The 
doctor  remained  in   the    medical    department  of 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT F. 


489 


tlie  United  States  army  until  1874,  and  during 
that  time  was  on  duty  in  Oregon,  Idalio,  Ari- 
zona, and  California.  In  the  latter  year  he  was 
appointed  by  tlie  interior  department  as  surgeon 
of  the  Colorado  River  Indian  Reservation.  He 
therefore  resigned  liis  position  in  the  United 
States  army  and  took  up  his  residence  upon 
that  reservation  where  he  remained  until  1876, 
in  which  year  he  returned  to  Delaware  and  re- 
sumed the  practice  of  his  profession  in  civil  life 
until  1878.  He  then  entered  the  oil  business 
in  the  oil  regions  of  Pennsylvania.  This  ven- 
ture not  proving  as  successful  as  he  desired,  he 
abandoned  the  enterprise  and  accepted  the  situa- 
tion of  surgeon  of  the  Silver  King  mining  com- 
pany in  Penal  County,  Arizona,  remaining  there 
until  1884.  In  the  latter  year  he  came  to  So- 
noma County  and  located  in  the  city  of  Sonoma, 
where  he  has  since  resided,  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession.  Being  a  graduate  of  one 
of  the  best  medical  colleges  of  the  country  and 
having  had  years  of  experience  in  the  varied 
climes  of  the  United  States,  the  doctor  has  won 
tlie  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  community. 
He  is  one  of  the  public  spirited  and  progressive 
citizens,  and  is  therefore  a  desirable  acquisition 
to  any  community.  He  readily  and  promptly 
identities  himself  with  any  enterprise  that  will 
tend  to  build  up  and  develop  the  varied  re- 
sources of  his  chosen  valley.  He  is  a  member 
of  Temple  Lodge,  No.  14,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  also 
of  Sonoma  Lodge,  No.  28,  I.  O.  ().  F.  In 
political  matters  he  is  Republican.  In  1887 
Dr.  Davis  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Natalie  Hope,  daughter  of  Valentine  and 
Adelaide  Hope,  residents  and  pioneers  of  So- 
noma County. 


-t=^ 


IILLIAM  HOWARD  PEPPER,  an  old 
settler  of  Petaluma  Township,  and  pro- 
prietor of  the  largest  nursery  in  the 
county,  was  born  in  Dutchess  County,  New 
York,  January  14,  1824.  The  Peppers  are  of 
English  descent.     The  parents  of  the  subject  of 

80 


this  sketch,  Micliael  and  Mary  (Gorham)  Pep- 
per, were  natives  of  Connecticut.  They  made 
their  home  in  Fairtield  County  after  their  mar- 
riage. There  three  of  their  children  were  born. 
In  1822  or  '23  they  moved  into  Dutchess  County, 
New  York,  the  county  adjoining  over  the  State 
line,  and  made  their  home  there  abouttive  years. 
They  then  moved  to  Clinton  County,  Ohio, 
where  they  resided  two  years,  thence  to  Indiana, 
and  a  year  later  back  to  Clinton  County,  Ohio, 
where  they  made  their  home  most  of  the  time 
until  1840.  After  four  or  five  other  changes 
they  finally  located  in  Greene  County  where  the 
old  gentleman  died  in  1876,at  the  ageof  eight}-- 
two  years.  After  the  death  of  her  husband, 
Mrs.  Pepper  came  to  Petaluma  where  she  died 
in  November,  1888,  in  her  ninety-second  year. 
They  reared  a  family  of  seven  childi-en,  five"  sons 
and  two  daughters,  of  whom  three  of  the  chil- 
dren are  now  living.  W.  II.  Pepper,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  article,  lived  with  his  parents  until 
his  eighteenth  or  nineteenth  year.  He  then  en- 
tered a  cabinet  shop  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  whei-e 
he  was  apprenticed  to  the  trade  which  he  fol- 
lowed there  and  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  until 
December,  1849.  He  then  went  to  New  York 
City  and  took  passage  for  California  on  the  last 
day  of  December,  making  the  voyage  around 
Cape  Horn  and  landed  in  San  Francisco  on  the 
17th  of  June,  1850,  being  a  little  over  five 
months  and  a  half  on  the  way.  He  went  to 
BuUard's  Bar  on  the  North  Yuba  River,  where 
he  engaged  in  mining  until  the  fall  of  1851, 
when  he  went  on  to  Oregon  Creek  about 
three  miles  from  Bullard's  Bar  and,  with  his 
brother,  G.  B.  Pepper,  put  up  a  saw-mill  and 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber  until 
the  spring  of  1858,  when  the  mill  took  fire 
and  burned  down,  all  the  stock  of  lumber  be- 
ing destroj'ed.  This  incident,  as  he  says,  let 
liim  out  of  the  business,  so  he  came  down  to  San 
Francisco  in  the  summer,  and  in  the  fall  of  that 
year  purchased  and  settled  on  his  present  place 
in  Sonoma  County.  In  the  first  place  he  bought 
157  acres  of  a  squatter's  claim  and  an  undivided 
interest  in  the  Borjorques  grant,  and  later  ninety. 


490 


Ul STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


eight  acres  of  tlie  Roblar  grant,  making  his  es- 
tate at  the  present  time  255  acres.  There  are 
al)o:;t  forty  acres  devoted  to  the  nursery,  started 
hy  Mr.  Pepper  as  soon  as  he  came  here,  to  which 
business  he  has  devoted  liis  careful  attention 
ever  since.  It  is  the  only  nursery  on  this  side 
of  the  liay  that  has  been  run  continuously,  and 
is  the  oldest  and  largest  in  the  county.  Mr. 
Pepper  is  a  thorough  horticulturist,  having 
gained  his  knowledge  by  many  years  of  exper- 
ience and  by  constant  application  and  exrieri- 
ments  with  almost  every  known  tree  and  shrub. 
His  orchard  of  sixty  acres  is  one  of  the  finest 
in  this  section.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  grow- 
ing cherries  and  plums,  and  also  apples,  pears 
and  other  choice  fruits.  Mr.  Pepper  was  mar- 
ried in  1874  to  Mrs.  Phojbe  Perry,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Cooper,  a  native  of  Seneca 
County,  New  York,  and  who  came  to  Califor- 
nia in  1863.  They  have  one  daughter,  Hattie 
May  Perry,  wife  of  ^Y.  L.  Parent,  of  San  Fran- 
cisco. 


«0L.  JAMES  A.  HARDIN  i^  a  represenat- 
ti\e  of  the  best  type  of  the  American 
business  man.  Like  most  men  who 
achieve  distinction  in  their  respective  callings, 
he  started  in  life  with  but  little  capital  save  a 
fine  physical  organization  and  an  active  well 
poised  brain.  He  was  born  in  the  State  of  Ken- 
tucky, September  2,  1830,  and  was  the  fourth  of 
a  large  family  of  children,  eight  of  whom  (three 
sons  and  five  daughters)  are  still  livino-.  His 
parents,  Henry  Hardin  and  Mary  (Phillips)  Har- 
din, were  also  natives  of  the  Blue  Grass  State. 
In  1839  they  moved  to  Missouri,  and  resided 
there  until  1853,  when  they  emigrated  to  Cali- 
fornia and  settled  near  Sebastopol  in  Sonoma 
County.  There  the. remainder  of  their  lives  was 
passed,  Mr.  Hardin  dying  in  1859  at  the  age  of 
fifty-eight  years,  and  Mrs.  Hardin  in  1866,  aged 
sixty-three  years.  The  subject  of  this  memoir 
crossed  the  plains  with  his  parents,  being  then 
a  young    man    of  twenty-three  years,  and    the 


same  year  started  in  the  cattle  business  with  a 
few  hundred  dollars  capital;  and  from  that  to 
the  present  has  been  actively  and  extensively 
engaged  in  raising  live  stock.  In  early  years 
his  ranch  interests  were  confined  to  Sonoma 
County,  but  in  the  rapid  expansion  of  the  busi- 
ness under  his  masterly  management  they  ex- 
tended into  other  counties  and  finally  into  other 
States.  Awhile  there  is  quite  enough  in  such  a 
great  growing  business  to  occupy  the  mind  and 
energies  of  an  ordinary  man,  such  was  not  the 
case  with  Colonel  Hardin.  In  1859  he  opened 
a  store  in  Petaluma,  with  a  combined  stock  of 
groceries  and  staple  dry  goods.  Two  years 
later  he  took  in  Mr.  A.  "W.  Riley  as  a  partner, 
and  they  enlarged  the  stock  so  as  to  embrace 
general  merchandise.  Soon  after  the  firm  began 
to  establish  stores  in  other  towns,  and  for  some 
years  they  owned  and  conducted  a  number  of 
mercantile  houses  in  as  many  towns  in  Sonoma 
and  adjacent  counties.  The  firm  of  Hardin  & 
Riley  continued  merchandising  until  1880, 
when  they  sold  out  and  discontinued  that  branch 
of  business.  In  1870  Mr.  Riley  became  a  part- 
ner with  Colonel  Hardin  in  a  portion  of  his 
already  extensive  ranch  property,  which  rela- 
tion still  continues.  Mr.  Riley  not  being  a 
practical  stockman,  Colonel  Hardin  has  always 
had  active  supervision  and  control  of  their  vast 
and  expanding  business,  which  he  has  handled 
with  such  phenomenal  success  that  they  now 
own  great  ranges  in  California,  Nevada  and 
Oregon,  number  their  herds  and  flocks  by  the 
tens  of  thousands,  and  rank  among  the  "  Cattle 
Kings"  of  the  Pacific  slope.  Besides  their 
joint  property.  Colonel  Hardin  owns  a  large 
ranch  in  Mendocino  County,  which  has  until 
recently  been  stocked  with  sheep,  but  is  now 
occupied  by  cattle  chiefly.  During  the  thirty- 
five  years  of  his  ranching  life  in  developing  and 
managing  this  gigantic  business,  which  places 
Hardin  tt  Riley  in  the  front  rank  among  the 
wealthy  five-stock  firms  this  side  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  Colonel  Hardin  has  not  only  dem- 
onstrated his  thorough  knowledge  of  stock- 
raising,  but  has  exhibited  those  rare  powers  of 


HUSTOBT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


iniiiil  possessed  by  recognized  leaders  of  men, 
the  fuiinders  of  great  enterprises  and  the  char- 
acters whicli  shape  the  events  of  their  time. 
Such  men  wear  nature's  stamp  of  superiority 
and  leave  tlie  impress  of  their  extraordinary  in- 
dividuality upon  whatever  they  come  in  contact 
with.  In  his  more  than  third  of  a  century  of 
experience  as  a  stockman,  Mr.  Hardin  has  per- 
formed labor  and  endured  hardships  which  few 
men  could  undergo.  In  1857  he  went  East  and 
brought  a  drove  of  cattle  across  the  plains  from 
Missouri.  In  1866  he  took  a  drove  of  horses 
and  cattle  across  the  country  to  Helena,  Mon- 
tana, spent  the  summer  there  disposing  of  them, 
and  in  the  fall  went  by  steamer  from  Fort  Ben- 
ton down  the  Missouri  Kiver,  to  St.  Joseph, 
Missouri,  consuming  a  month  en  route.  Being 
joined  there  by  his  family,  they  went  by  rail  to 
Xew  York  and  thence  took  passage  by  steam- 
ship to  Calilbrnia  via  the  Isthmus  of  Panama. 
In  the  years  1870,  1871  and  1872  Colonel  Har- 
din took  droves  of  cattle  overland  from  Texas 
to  Nevada.  He  has  crossed  the  plains  six  times 
with  droves  of  cattle;  has  made  six  round  trips 
across  the  continent  by  rail,  and  has  been  in 
peri!  on  both  land  and  sea,  in  railroad  wrecks 
and  shipwrecks.  Iti  the  winter  of  1854-'55  he 
sailed  from  San  Francisco  on  board  the  steamer 
Southerner,  Captain  F.  A.  Samson  in  charge, 
for  Portland,  Oregon.  On  their  way  up  a 
heavy  storm  struck  them  off  the  coast  of  Oregon 
and  so  seriously  damaged  the  vessel  that  she 
sprung  a  leak  of  such  magnitude  as  to  reqnire 
constant  and  vigorous  nseof  the  pumps  and  bail- 
ing of  water  to  keep  her  afloat.  After  forty- 
eight  hours  of  incessant  effort  it  became 
evident  that  the  vessel  would  go  down,  and  the 
passengers  and  crew,  consisting  of  forty-five 
men,  five  women  and  three  children  were  com 
pelled  to  take  the  life-boats,  with  such  few  ar- 
ticles of  provision  as  they  could  liastily  gather 
and  carry  with  them.  On  the  2Gth  of  Decem- 
ber they  landed  near  Cape  Flattery  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Quineote  River,  and  there  on  that  bleak 
shore,  in  the  midst  of  hostile  Indians,  with  no 
shelter  to  protect  them   from  the  fury  of  the 


elements  during  the  almost  continuous  storms 
of  December  and  January,  and  subsisting  on 
quarter  rations,  they  i-emained  twenty-seven 
days,  waiting  and  watching  for  deliverance. 
The  terrible  suffering  of  body  and  anguish  of 
mind  that  shipwrecked  band  endured  during 
those  three  weeks  of  exposure  to  the  mid-win- 
ter storms — hoping  and  despairing,  tortured 
day  and  night  by  the  grim  .specter  of  death  by 
starvation — are  beyond  the  power  of  tongue  or 
pen  to  portray.  Finally,  when  the  last  meager 
ration  had  been  issued  and  eaten,  theii-  vigilant 
watch  for  a  passing  vessel  was  rewarded.  One 
was  sighted  and  in  response  to  their  signal  of 
distress  sent  her  relief-boats  and  took  them  on 
board.  It  proved  to  be  the  old  Major  Tomp- 
kins which  rendered  them  such  timely  succor. 
The  party  landed  at  Olympia,  and  from  there 
were  obliged  to  travel  through  a  wilderness 
country  about  seventy  miles  to  the  Cowlitz 
River,  which  they  descended  in  small  boats  to 
its  confluence  with  the  Columbia.  Colonel  Har- 
din was  the  first  to  reach  the  river  and  impart 
the  glad  news  of  their  rescue,  as  it  was  supposed 
that  all  on  board  the  ill-fated  Southerner  had 
perished  with  her.  Another  instance  of  the 
almost  miraculous  escape  of  Colonel  Hardin 
from  death  occurred  on  his  last  birthday,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1888,  on  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad 
at  Cisco.  He  was  riding  in  the  caboose  at- 
tached to  a  train  of  twenty  cars  loaded  with  the 
firm's  cattle,  coming  down  from  their  ranch 
in  Nevada;  his  train  had  just  come  to  a  stop 
after  passing  through  the  tunnel,  preparatory 
to  side-tracking,  when  a  heavy  freight  train 
came  dashing  through  the  tunnel  at  full  speed 
and  crashed  into  the  cabocse.  The  engine 
struck  with  such  terrific  force  that  it  literally 
crushed  the  caboose  in  which  he  was  riding  and 
plowed  half  its  length  into  the  car  filled  with 
cattle  in  front  of  it.  Some  articles  of  clothing 
of  the  train  men  which  were  lying  on  the  seat 
opposite  to  that  occupied  by  Hardin  were  torn 
to  shreds.  The  concussion  was  so  great  that 
Mr.  Hardin,  who  weighs  about  200  pounds,  was 
raised  bodily  from   his   position    in  the  caboose 


IIISTiiIiY    lit'    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  hurled  many  feet,  landing  in  tlie  front  end 
of  tlie  car  forward  among  the  cattle.  While 
very  mnch  stunned  by  the  shock,  he  retained 
sutticient  consciousness  to  realize  his  perilous 
situation  under  the  frantic  animals'  feet,  and 
dropping  through  a  hole  broken  in  the  side  of 
the  car  he  was  hurriedly  picked  >ip  in  a  state  of 
partial  syncope  just  in  time  to  save  him  from 
being  crushed  to  death  by  the  escaping  cattle. 
\j\)on  examination  of  bis  injuries  it  was  found 
tliat  he  was  suflering  from  a  dislocation  of  the 
wri>t,  several  painful  bruises  and  contusions, 
some  of  which  were  made  by  the  cattle's  feet, 
and  a  severe  wrenching  of  his  shoulder  and 
spine.  These  were  only  sufhcient  to  curb  his 
irrepressible  energies  for  a  few  weeks,  when  he 
again  assumed  charge  of  his  own  and  the  lirm's 
business  interests.  Two  years  after  coming  to 
this  El  Dorado  of  the  Occident,  in  1855,  Mr. 
Hardin  returned  to  Missouri,  and  was  there 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nannie  C.  Myers, 
a  native  of  Nashville,  Tennessee,  born  in  1834. 
Her  father  and  mother,  Charles  and  Rebecca 
(^Williams)  Myers,  were  from  Pennsylvania  and 
Virginia,  respectively.  Fivechildren,  two  sons 
and  three  daughters,  comprise  the  family  of 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  Hardin,  viz.:  C.  H.  E.  Har- 
din, j\[i5s  Eudora,  Miss  Jimella,  Amos  Riley 
Hardin  and  Miss  Ethel  C.  H.  E.  Hardin  was 
married  in  1882  to  Miss  Ursula  Mason,  of  San 
Francisco,  and  there  have  been  born  to  them 
two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter.  Miss 
Jimella  was  married  in  1887  to  William  J. 
Eardley,  of  Santa  Eosa.  The  three  unmarried 
children  reside  with  their  parents  in  the  family 
lioiiie.  Colonel  Hardin  has  been  during  his 
whole  life  an  earnest  advocate  of  higher  educa- 
tion and  has  extended  to  all  his  .children  the 
advantages  of  collegiate  and  university  courses 
of  study.  He  is  now,  and  for  many  years  past 
has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of 
Pacific  Methodist  College  in  Santa  Rosa,  and 
has  materially  aided  its  fortunes,  not  only  by 
his  advice  biit  also  by  large  contributions  of  his 
means.  Colonel  Hardin  and  family  lived  for 
fourteen  years  in   Petaluma  before  removing  to 


Santa  Rosa,  sixteen  years  ago.  Since  settling 
in  this  city  he  has  built  their  elegant  residence 
on  Fifth  and  Beaver  streets.  It  occupies  a  full 
block  of  richly  ornamented  grounds,  and  is  one 
of  the  most  charming  residences  in  California. 
Everywhere  within  and  without  abound  those 
ornaments  that  indicate  the  superior  taste  and 
culture  of  its  occupants  and  appeal  to  the  sense 
of  the  beautiful.  Spending  much  of  his  time 
in  Nevada,  as  he  does,  looking  after  their  great 
stock  interests,  he  is  considered  a  citizen  of  that 
State,  and  was  chosen  one  of  the  Presidential 
Electors  for  1888  on  the  Democratic  ticket. 
Owing  to  his  conscientious  regard  for  the  rights 
and  feelings  of  others,  and  his  courteous  gen- 
tlemanly manners.  Colonel  Hardin  commands 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  come  in  con- 
tact with  him  either  in  business  or  social  rela- 
tions. In  his  happy  home  and  on  the  ranch  he 
rules  with  the  law  of  kindness. 


ILLIAM  McDonnell,  of  Knighfs 
Valley  Township,  one  of  the  old  settlers 
Jy^rj  of  Sonoma  County,  is  a  native  of  Mis- 
souri, born  April  29,  1825,  and  son  of  Hamil- 
ton and  Ann  (Hunniford)  McDonnell.  Both 
parents  were  natives  of  Ireland,  but  they  came 
to  America  when  young,  locating  in  New  York 
City.  In  1816  they  removed  to  a  point  in  Mis- 
souri, thirty  miles  below  St.  Louis.  They  were 
there  when  Missouri  was  admitted  to  the  Union 
as  a  State.  In  1823  they  returned  to  New  York 
and  there  the  father  died.  His  widow  married 
for  her  second  husband  Robert  N.  Tate,  and  in 
1839  the  family  removed  to  Illinois,  locating  in 
Lee  County,  where  the  mother  died  in  1858. 
William  McDonnell  left  home  in  1844:,  going  to 
Jo  Daviess  County,  and  was  engaged  at  farm 
work  and  lead  mining  and  smelting  near  Galena 
until  1846.  He  made  an  arrangement  with  a 
man  named  Kellogg,  by  which  he  and  John 
Spitler  were  to  drive  Kellogg's  teams  across  the 
plains  half  the  time  and  were  to  have  the  other 
half  to  hunt  or  do  as  they  pleased.     They  pro- 


IIIHTVUY    OF    ^O^OMA    COUNT  V. 


493 


ceeded  to  a  point  fifteen  miles  below  Independ- 
ence, in  what  was  then  the  Indian  Territory, 
and  there  a  train  of  500  wagons  were  gathered 
together,  all  under  command  of  Judge  Noran. 
After  crossing  the  Blues,  they  found  such  a 
large  train  to  be  unwieldy,  and  hence  split  up 
in  smaller  parties.  Kellogg's  outfit  consisted 
of  one  mule  team,  two  ox  teams  and  three  cov- 
ered wagons.  They  followed  the  Salt  Lake 
route,,  by  Hastings  cut-off  after  leaving  Fort 
Bridger,  and  thence  up  Truckee  River,  striking 
the  first  California  settlement  at  Johnson's 
ranch.  Oregon  had  been  the  destination  of 
most  of  those  who  gathered  near  Independence 
to  make  the  trip  across  the  plains,  but  Fremont 
sent  back  tidings  of  war  with  Me.xico,  and 
suggesting  the  pmbability  of  California  being 
annexed  to  the  United  States,  also  advised  them 
to  go  there,  and  the  most  of  them  therefore  de- 
cided to  change  their  i-oute  to  California.  On 
the  way  the  provisions  of  Kellogg's  party  ran 
short  and  all  hands  were  put  on  rations,  this  on 
account  of  having  divided  with  Fowler's  family. 
They  proceeded  to  Sutter's  Fort,  and  from  there 
to  Sonoma,  where  they  arrived  about  the  first  of 
November.  Mr.  McDonnell  at  once  enlisted  in 
Fremont's  Battalion,  accompanying  the  com- 
mand to  Los  Angeles,  and  serving  all  through 
that  campaign.  He  was  discharged  after  six 
months,  at  San  Gabriel  Mission,  and  returned 
overland  on  horseback,  riding  a  pack-saddle  up 
to  Sonoma.  He  located  near  Bales'  Mill,  in 
Napa  Valley,  and  in  1850  settled  on  the  farm 
where  he  now  resides.  He  at  first  made  his 
living  by  hunting,  and  would  send  from  ten  to 
fifteen  deer  per  week  to  San  Francisco,  being  a 
good  shot.  He  was  married  in  1849  to  Miss 
Eleanor  Graves,  a  native  of  Marshall  County, 
Illinois,  and  daughter  of  Franklin  Graves.  The 
family  were  members  of  the  ill-fated  Donner 
party,  and  she  lost  both  of  her  parents  by  death 
at  Truckee  during  that  terrible  winter's  experi- 
ence, which  is  familiar  to  readers  throughout 
the  entire  country.  The  children,  six  sisters 
and  two  brothers,  all  got  through,  but  one 
brother     and   a    brother-in-law  died    from     the 


effects  of  their  longsufi'ering,  shortly  after  arriv- 
ing at  Sutter's  Fort.  Mrs.  McDonnell  was  a 
child  at  the  time,  and  was  reared  by  the  family 
of  lieason  Tucker.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McDonuel 
were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  of  whom  six 
are  living,  viz.:  Ann,  Charles,  Mary,  wife  of  L. 
D.  Green,  now  living  near  Walnut  Grove  on 
Sacramento  liiver;  Henry,  Nellie  and  Louisa. 
Mr.  McDonnell  is  a  Republican,  politically,  with 
prohibition  proclivities.  He  cast  his  first  pres- 
idential vote  for  Fillmore.  Though  averse  to 
office -holding,  he  lias  served  one  term  as  justice 
of  the  peace.  He  is  a  steward  and  trustee  of 
the  Methodist  church  at  Calistoga.  In  the  early 
days  in  this  county  Mr.  McDonnell  often  went 
as  a  guide  to  the  Geysers,  and  made  a  trail  there 
himself  He  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  ranch  of 
1,200  acres.  On  this  he  is  engaged  in  stock 
raising  and  usually  winters  frotn  700  to  800 
head  of  sheep,  sixty  head  of  cattle,  and  sixteen 
or  eighteen  American  and  Clydesdale  horses. 


eMilLTON  Y.  LUCE  is  a  native  of  Vien- 
lifyim  J^''^  Haven,  Massachusetts,  born  Octo- 
^^~  l)er  11,  1848,  his  parents  being  .lirah 
and  Mary  (Cottle)  Luce.  He  was  but  fourteen 
years  of  age  when  the  family  came  to  Sonoma 
County,  receiving  his  education  at  Healdsburg 
and  San  Francisco.  Mr.  Luce  was  married  in 
this  county,  July  3,  1879,  to  Miss  LoUie  B. 
Monmonier.  They  have  four  children,  viz.: 
Mary  Elizabeth,  Marguerite  Yale,  William 
Monmonier  and  Milton  Amerton.  Politically, 
Mr.  Luce  is  a  Republican.  He  is  the  owner  of 
a  fine  ranch  of  350  acres,  on  Russian  River, 
three  miles  from  Healdsburg,  which  is  devoted 
to  sheep  and  to  the  i-aising  of  fruit  and  alfalfa. 
He  has  nearly  ten  acres  in  fruit  trees,  ranging 
in  age  from  two  to  fifteen  years.  The  trees 
are  peaches,  plums,  prunes,  almonds,  figs,  etc. 
It  is  the  intention  of  Mr.  Luce  to  go  into  the 
fruit  culture  more  extensively,  and  he  will  plant 
a  number  of  acres  in    si-lcct  varieties.      lie  has 


494 


UISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


nearfy  twenty-two  acres  iu  vines,  about  one- 
third  of  which  range  in  age  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  years.  The  remainder  are  between  two 
and  five  years  of  age.  The  vines  are  Zinfandel) 
Mataro,  Sauvignon  Vert,  Chasselas,  Riesling, 
Liglit  Burgundy  and  Mission.  In  the  culture 
of  grapes  lie  has  been  very  successful  and  the 
vines  are  in  good  condition.  There  is  a  winerj' 
on  the  place,  and  it  is  the  intention  of  Mr.  Luce 
tomake  his  own  grapes  into  wine.  Tiie  storage 
capacity  of  the  winery  is  10,000  gallons.  About 
fifteen  acres  of  this  ranch  are  devoted  to  alfalfa, 
which  yields  in  three  cuttings,  over  three  tons 
per  acre.  After  the  third  crop  is  cut  the  land 
is  used  as  pasture  for  sheep.  Five  acres  is  his 
usual  crop  of  corn,  and  thirty  to  sixty  bushels 
to  the  acre  is  the  average  yield.  He  has  about 
200  head  of  sheep,  of  the  Merino  stock,  selling 
off  the  increase  annually  and  marketing  the  wool 
at  Healdsburg.  The  ranch,  called  Vinej'ard 
Haven,  is  well  supplied  with  water  by  the 
Russian  River,  which  almost  surrounds  it,  and 
by  never  failing  springs.  Mrs.  Luce  was  born  in 
Baltimore,  Maryland,  and  educated  in  New  York 
and  San  Francisco,  attending  the  high  school. 
She  is  a  daughter  of  William  B.  and  Ellen  (Lit- 
ton) Monmonier,  the  former  of  French  parent, 
age,  grandson  of  Viscount  de  Monmonier 
Descombecque.  William  B.  Monmonier  is  a 
native  of  Baltimore,  Marj'land,  born  January  4, 
1821.  He  followed  the  sea  in  early  life,  and  in 
184:8  came  to  California,  via  Cape  Horn,  in 
command  of  a  vessel.  He  went  into  business 
in  San  Francisco,  but  was  burned  out  in  one  of 
the  early  fires.  He  was  afterward  in  business 
at  Downieville  and  again  at  Virginia  City.  He 
has  also  resided  iu  Healdsburg,  where  he  was  in 
business,  and  still  has  property  there.  Since 
1882  he  has  been  in  business  in  Tombstone. 
Arizona,  but  has  lately  returned  to  Sonoma 
County.  He  was  married  iu  Baltimore,  April 
15,  1845,  to  Ellen  M.  Litton.  They  have  five 
children  as  follows:  Dr.  Julius  L.,  who  is  a 
well-known  physician  at  Brooklyn,  New  York; 
William  D.,  who  is  county  clerk  of  Cochise 
County.  Arizona;  Thomas  L.,  who  is  a  resident 


of  Santa  Barbara  where  he  is  in  business;  Mrs. 
J>uce,  and  Eugenie,  wife  of  Joseph  Brown,  a 
business  man  of  Tombstone,  Arizona. 


fACOB  E.  DAVIDSON.— The  subject  of 
jjj.  this  sketch  was  one  of  the  widely  known 
and  universally  respected  pioneers  of  Santa 
Rosa  Township.  AVe  give  a  brief  re  view  .of  his 
useful  life  in  presenting  the  following  facts: 
He  was  born  in  Barren  County,  Kentucky,  in 
1801,  and  was  reared  to  a  farm  life,  which  voca- 
tion he  ever  afterward  followed.  His  education 
was  very  limited,  as  was  common  to  the  sons  of 
Kentucky  farmers  in  the  early  part  of  this  cen- 
tury, but  possessed  of  quick  perceptive  faculties 
and  a  retentive  memory,  he  amply  compensated 
fur  lack  of  youthful  advantages.  In  liis  native 
State  Mr.  Davidson  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Mary  B.  Winn,  who  was  born  in  1803.  They 
emigrated  to  Hancock  County,  Illinois,  in  the 
pioneer  days  of  1835;  the  foUowiDg  year  to 
Van  Buret!  County,  Iowa;  in  1837  to  Henry 
County,  Missouri;  a  short  time  later  to  Jackson 
County,  the  same  State;  and  from  there  made 
the  long  tedious  overland  journey  to  this  State 
in  1852.  He  purchased  200  acres  of  choice 
land  one  mile  west  of  Santa  Rosa  on  the  Sebas- 
topol  road,  and  established  what  has  ever  since 
been  known  as  the  Davidson  ranch,  a  property 
now  owned  by  h  s  children.  The  reader  will 
note  that  Mr.  Davidson  must  have  possessed 
largely  those  elements  of  "which  the  true  pioneer 
is  made,  for,  before  coming  to  this  State  as  one 
of  its  early  settlers,  he  had  tried  pioneer  life  in 
three  of  the  western  States,  Illinois,  Iowa  and 
Missouri.  He  reared  a  large  family  of  children, 
all  of  whom  became  worthy  members  of  society. 
His  eldest  son.  Smith  E.  Davidson,  lives  at  the 
old  home.  Of  the  other  children,  we  record 
that  Augustus  W.  is  a  resident  of  this  county; 
Anna  P.  is  the  wife  of  G.  M.  Sheldon  of  Jack- 
son County,  Missouri;  Jane  E.,  wife  of  Joel 
Crane,  has  made  her  home  on  part  of  the  old 
homestead:     Walter    A.    returned    to    Missouri 


■yjn^ 


UISrORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  died  in  the  bloom  of  manliood;  Cliristo- 
plier  lives* in  Placer  County;  Susan  C,  wife  of 
Itobert  Crane,  lives  in  Santa  Rosa  Township; 
Mary  L.  is  the  wife  of  J.  li.  Williamson  (see 
his  biography);  Amanda  K.  resides  in  the  city 
of  Santa  Rosa;  Alexander  T.  livos  in  Santa 
Rosa  Township;  Isabella  I.  is  the  wife  of  C. 
I).  Frazee,  of  Santa  Rosa.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David- 
son lived  to  be  fully  ripe  for  the  harvest  and 
died  full  of  the  peace  and  hope  of  Christ,  her 
death  occurring  May  2!>,  1883,  and  his  Xovem 
ber  25, 1884.  Both  had  been  for  years  members 
of  the  Missionary  Baptist  church.  Fondly  is 
their  memory  cherished  by  a  large  family  of 
children  and  children's  children.  Of  •:heni  it 
may  well  be  said,  "  AV'^ell  done  good  and  faithful 
servants." 

fAVID  STEWART,  deceased,  an  old  set- 
tler of  Sonoma  County,  and  for  many 
years  an  honored  citizen  of  this  commun- 
ity, was  born  in  Blair  Athole,  Perthshire,  Scot- 
land, August  8,  1825.  He  was  a  son  of  Daniel 
and  Christie  Stewart,  and  one  of  a  family  of 
eleven  children,  seven  sons  and  fonr  daughters. 
One  of  the  sons,  Daniel  Stewart,  came  to  Cali- 
fornia in  1849,  and  was  a  resident  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, where  he  died  in  1864.  Another  son, 
Alexander  Stewart,  died  in  California  in  1872, 
after  a  residence  of  two  years.  David  Stewart 
was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  until  he  came  to 
the  United  States.  He  was  married  on  the  11th 
day  of  August,  1858,  to  Ann  Shaw,  who  was 
also  a  native  of  the  same  locality,  and  immedi- 
ately afterward  they  sailed  for  this  country. 
They  landed  in  New  York,  where  they  were 
obliged  to  remain  nine  days,  waiting  for  a 
steamer  bound  for  Panama.  They  reached  San 
Francisco  thirty-five  days  from  the  time  of 
leaving  Glasgow.  Mr.  Stewart  came  direct  to 
Sonoma  County,  and  shortly  after  purchased 
the  homestead  place  in  Vallejo  Township,  con- 
sisting of  500  acres,  where  he  afterward  made 
iiis  home.      lie  was  the  father  of  six  chihlrcn, 


as  follows:  Christie,  wife  of  James  McNabb,  of 
San  Francisco;  John,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Daniel  R.,  born  February  21,  18G5,  engaged  in 
the  grocery  business  in  Petaluma;  David,  born 
August  6,  1868,  died  August  8,  1887;  John, 
born  November  •!,  1870,  died  in  infancy;  John, 
born  November  10,  1872.  The  death  of  Mr. 
Stewart  occurred  February  24,  1888.  He  at 
one  time  was  a  member  of  the  county  board  of 
supervisors.  A  consistent  and  devoted  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  an  elder  of  the 
same,  he  was  always  found  where  duty  called, 
and  was  often  associated  in  deeds  of  charity,  and 
the  influence  of  his  kindness  of  heart  and  liber- 
ality in  financial  assistance  was  felt  in  many 
different  ways.  He  was  one  of  the  prime  movers 
and  a  liberal  donater  toward  the  building  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  in  Petaluma,  to  which 
church  he  belonged.  His  efforts  were  so  effi- 
cient, liotli  as  an  elder  and  as  a  trustee,  and  his 
influence  as  a  Christiai*  gentleman  so  whole- 
some, that  they  ever  kept  him  faithful  to  his 
friends,  his  family,  his  church  and  his  rxod. 

"^-^^-^ 


fOHN  HENRY  HOWMAN.— Among  the 
best  known  and  most  respected  citizens  of 
Sonoma  County,  was  the  gentleman,  now 
deceased,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch.  He 
was  a  native  of  Mansfield,  Ohio,  of  which  place 
his  father  had  been  one  of  the  early  settlers, 
locating  there  when  the  surrounding  country 
was  a  wilderness.  He  came  of  a  race  of  busi- 
ness people,  and  during  his  boyhood  days  his 
father  and  uncle  were  extensively  engaged  in 
mercantile  affairs  in  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania. 
When  fourteen  years  of  age  he  entered  the 
establishment  of  his  uncle  at  Uniontown,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  when,  two  years  later,  a  branch 
house  was  established  at  Wapakoneta,  Ohio,  he 
was  selected  to  take  charge  of  it.  In  1852  he 
came  to  California,  via  Panama,  and,  locating  in 
Sacramento,  engaged  in  bankiuir.  There  he  and 
his  brother-in-law.  Judge  Charles  Bryan,  were 
leading  figures  in  commercial   and    professional 


49S 


UISTOMY    OF    i:ONOMA    COUNTY. 


circles.  In  185G,  having  determined  to  cliange 
his  location,  he  obtained  a  footing  in  tlie  uier- 
cantiie  house  of  John  Love,  at  liich  Bar,  on 
Feather  River,  in  wliicii  he  soon  became  the 
principal  owner,  and  was  there  interested  until 
the  decline  of  river  mining.  lie  then  went  to 
Marysville  and  purchased  an  interest  in  the 
Bnclieye  Mill,  with  which  he  was  associated  for 
ten  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  he 
sold  out  and  removed  to  San  Francisco.  In 
1875  he  came  to  Cloverdale,  and  was  soon  again 
deeply  engrossed  in  business.  He  purchased 
an  interest  iu  the  mercantile  business  which 
after  his  death  was  incorporated  the  Cloverdale 
Banking  &  Commercial  Company;  he  also  pur- 
chased and  operated  a  lionr  mill  near  the  town, 
and  invested  largely  in  real  estate,  and  gave  his 
personal  attention  to  the  details  of  his  business 
until  shortly  before  his  death.  While  in  Marys- 
ville Mr.  Bowman  was  married  to  Miss  Frances 
Josephine  Teegarden,  daughter  of  Dr.  Eli  and 
Deborali  (Carr)  Teegarden,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Ohio,  the  latter  being  of  Quaker  ori- 
gin. Iler  father  came  to  California  in  1849, 
locating  in  Marysville,  where  he  remained  a 
prominent  factor  in  public,  professional  and 
social  life  until  his  death,  in  1884.  His  wife 
also  died  in  Marysville.  Dr.  Teegarden  served 
in  the  House  of  Representatives  and  Senate  of 
California,  and  held  the  position  of  auditor  in 
the  land  othce.  He  was  very  prominent  in 
Masonic  circles,  and  was  one  of  the  oldest 
Knights  Templar  in  California.  After  coming 
to  Cloverdale,  Mr.  Bowman  improved  the  beau- 
tiful place  known  as  "Glen  Eyre,''  the  present 
family  residence.  Here  he  died  Octoljer  26, 
1882.  In  his  death  the  community  suffered  an 
irreparable  loss,  as  his  great  business  energy 
and  ability  were  accomplishing  much  in  the  way 
of  the  development  and  prosperity'  of  Cloverdale. 
He  enjoyed,  in  a  marked  degree,  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  con- 
tact. In  politics  he  had  always  been  a  staunch 
Republican.  He  was  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O. 
F.,  and  took  an  active  interest  in  the  welfare  of 
the  order.     Mrs.  Bowman  now  gives  her  atten- 


tion to  lier  property  and  business  interests,  she 
being  a  member  and  director  of  the  Cloverdale 
Jianking  &  Commercial  Company.  She  has 
three  children,  Ilettie  Prescott,  John  Percy  and 
Robert  Braeding. 


I^MITH  E.  DAVIDSON,  the  eldest  son  of 
"l^l  Jacob  E.  Davidson,  was  born  in  Barren 
'^^  County,  Kentucky,  Ftbruary  17,  1822. 
In  1850,  two  years  prior  to  the  coming  of  his 
parents,  in  company  with  two  younger  brothers, 
Augustus  W.  and  Walter  A.,  he  came  across 
the  plains  with  ox  teams  to  this  State.  In  part- 
nership the  three  brothers  engaged  in  mining 
on  Feather  River,  at  Rich  Gulch,  and  in  Shasta 
Count)',  keeping  at  this  occupation  until  1852, 
when  all  engaged  in  fanning  and  stock-raising 
in  this  county.  Having  advice  of  the  coming 
of  his  parents  and  other  members  of  the  family, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  met  them  on  the 
plains  near  Carson  River.  His  brothers  later 
joined  the  family  and  all  came  on  to  Santa 
Rosa  together.  Many  years  Smith  E.  Davidson 
lived  with  his  parents,  and  at  this  writing  occu- 
pies the  old  homestead.  Honorable  and  true  in 
all  dealings  with  his  fellow  man,  he  deservedly 
bears  a  worthy  name. 


^OLDATE  &  GIACOMINI,  proprietors  of 
■^^  the  American  Hotel.  Mr.  Joseph  A. 
^P  Soldate  was  born  in  the  city  of  Brontallo, 
Canton  of  Ticino,  Switzerland,  in  1846.  He 
came  to  California  in  1862,  and  for  a  time 
worked  on  a  farm  in  Marin  County.  It  was  not 
to  be,  however,  that  he  should  waste  his  abilities 
in  tilling  the  soil  or  in  watching  after  the  inter- 
ests of  a  dairy  ranch.  It  Is  a  truth  that  the 
successful  hotel-keeper  is  born  and  not  made, 
and  Joe  Soldate  is  a  visible  proof  of  this  fact. 
For  the  fifteen  years  and  over  that  he  has  been 
the  proprietor  of  a  house,  he  has  kept  his  place 
the  most  popular  in   town.     For  ten  years  he 


UIHTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


409 


conducted  the  Washington  Hotel  in  this  city. 
Those  were  in  its  palmy  days.  He  has  now 
carried  on  the  American  for  four  years  and  has 
raised  it  to  a  high  state  of  favor  with  the  travel- 
ing public.  He  is  affable  and  courteous — you 
can't  make  him  mad — but  he  knows  his  busi- 
ness and  can  be  firm  and  decided.  He  is  still 
an  unmarried  man.  Mr.  M.  Giacomini,  who  is 
associated  with  Mr.  Soldate  in  the  proprietor- 
ship of  the  American  Hotel,  is  like  him  a  native 
of  Brontallo,  Ticino,  Switzerland,  and  as  a 
popular  and  successful  hotel  man  comes  only 
second  to  Mr.  Soldate.  He  was  born  in  1852, 
came  to  California  in  1867,  and  after  engaging 
for  some  time  in  the  dairy  business  was  with 
Mr.  Soldate  iu  the  Washington  Hotel  until  the 
change  was  made  to  the  American,  when  he  be- 
came a  partner.  He  is  also  an  unmarried  man. 
Messrs.  Soldate  &  Giacomini  are  among  the 
best  instances  that  can  be  brought  forward  of 
the  best  typfe  of  our  foreign  born  citizens,  and 
are  thorough  Americans  in  all  but  birth.  Their 
native  Canton  of  Ticino  has  furnished  to  Cali- 
fornia some  of  her  most  industrious  and  pro- 
gressive citizens,  men  who  do  honor  both  to 
the  land  of  their  birth  and  their  adoption. 

fACOB  GUNDLACH.— One  of  the  finest 
vine  growing  sections  of  Sonoma  Valley  is 
found  in  the  foot-hills  east  of  Sonoma.  As 
one  drives  in  that  direction  he  is  particularly 
struck  with  the  magnificent  vineyards  that  cover 
the  slopes  of  the  hills,  and  also  with  the  evi- 
dences of  the  capital  and  energy  that  has  been 
expended  in  the  erection  of  magnificent  wine- 
ries, beautiful  residences,  etc.  One  of  the  most 
noticeable  of  these  is  the  "Rhine  Farm,"  owned 
by  the  above  named  gentleman.  This  farnj, 
rich  and  productive  in  its  cliaractcr,  is  located 
two  miles  east  of  Sonoma,  upon  the  foot-hills 
sloping  to  the  south  and  west.  The  200  acres 
comprising  the  farm  are  all  under  cultivation, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  a  small  orchard,  is 
devoted  to  the  growing  of  wine  grapes  of  tlie 


most  approved  varieties.  The  product  of  this 
vineyard  is  manufactured  into  wine  in  the  large 
winery  upon  the  place,  which  has  a  capacity  of 
150,000  gallons.  This  winery  was  erected 
witliout  regard  to  cost;  the  great  object  sought 
and  obtained  was  the  fitting  it  up  with  thef 
most  approved  appliances  for  the  production  of 
pure  wines.  A  distillery  of  the  same  order  is 
also  attached  to  the  winery,  where  the  choicest 
of  grape  brandy  is  distilled.  The  wines,  etc.,  of 
this  vineyard  are  disposed  of  by  Mr.  Guudlaeh 
through  his  extensive  wine  house  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, the  well  known  wine  vaults  of  J.  Gundlach 
&  Co.  Mr.  Gundlach  established  the  "  Rhine 
Farm  "  in  connection  with  Emil  Dresel  in  1858, 
it  comprising  at  that  time  about  400  acres. 
This  splendid  tract  is  divided  as  follows:  200 
acres  to  Z.  Gundlach;  108  acres  to  Julius 
Dresel,  and  110  acres  to  Henry  Winkle.  Mr. 
Gundlach  is  a  native  of  Bavaria,  Germany, 
where  he  was  born  in  1818.  His  father,  Jacob 
Gundlach,  was  a  proprietor  of  a  hotel  and  a 
wine  grower,  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
early  in  Hie  placed  in  the  establishment  of  his 
father,  where  he  learned  the  trade  and  business 
in  ail  its  details.  This  calling  he  followed  until 
1849,  in  which  year  he  started  on  a  German 
bark,  the  Emmy,  on  a  voyage  around  Cape 
Horn  for  California.  This  voyage  was  attended 
with  shipwreck  and  disaster.  The  vessel  was 
wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Brazil,  and  Mr.  Gund- 
lach finally  readied  San  Francisco,  via  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  in  1850,  upon  a  British  vessel.  Upon 
his  arrival  in  that  city  he  established  himself  a 
brewery  by  the  building  and  conducting  of  tlie 
well-known  Bavaria  brewery.  This  is  now  the 
oldest  brewery  in  that  city,  and  its  beer  has 
ever  been  a  favorite  with  the  San  Francisco 
public.  Success  attended  Mr.  Gundlacli  in  his 
enterprise,  and  in  1858  he  began  the  cultiva- 
tion of  grapes  and  the  manufacture  of  wine, 
and  about  the  same  time  established  the  wine 
house  before  noted.  Since  that  time  he  has 
been  largely  identified  with  the  wine  industry 
of  California,  also  having  a  large  branch  house 
in  New  York  City.     In  1858  Mr.  Gundlach  re- 


insronv   of  sonoma   county. 


turned  to  Germany,  iiml  while  tlicrc.  iiiarrieil 
Miss  Eva  noffiiiiiii,  ii  native  of  that  country. 
From  tliis  marriage  tliuro  are  seven  cJiililrcn 
living,  viz.:  Francisco,  wli(>  married  (!harics 
Bniulschu,  Mr.  (Tnndiach's  ])artner  in  tlie  firm 
(if  .1.  (Mindlacli  &  Co.;  Carl,  wlio  is  at  tlieir 
liranch  house  in  New  York;  Rosa,  Freda,  Eva, 
Bertha,  and  Harry,  all  members  of  his  family, 
who  reside  in  San  Francisco.  Mr.  Gundlacli, 
although  a  rcsidfiil  and  large  jjroperty  owner  in 
San  Francisco,  still  has  a  deep  interest  in  tlie 
prosperity  and  growth  of  Sonoma  County.  He 
is  one  of  those  larn;e  minded  and  pulilic-spirited 
men  who  are  not  contiiicil  to  a  town  or  city; 
hence  any  enterprise  that  tends  to  develop  the 
industriesof  Sonoma  is  sure  of  a  supporter  in  hi  in. 

— ^€(ii"l^l^'^^ — 

[^U^^.ISS  MARTHA  E.  CHASE,  principal 
of  the  Santa  Rosa  Seminary,  who  ranks 
"■:■"'  anion<;  the  most  enterprising  and  suc- 
cessful educators  of  California,  is  a  Vermont 
lady  by  nativity.  She  is  a  graduate  of  Miss 
Aikin's  Seminary  at  Stamford,  Connecticut,  and 
studied  a  year  and  a  half  in  Europe,  where  she 
had  a  special  training  in  music.  The  seminary 
of  which  she  is  the  real  founder  and  the  honored 
head,  was  first  opened  for  pupils  in  1875,  by 
Mrs.  E.  E.  Pollok,  who  started  in  a  very  modest 
way,  with  only  two  boarding  pupils  and  a  few 
day  pupils,  making  twelve  in  all  the  first  term. 
Mrs.  Follok  struggled  along  under  very  trying 
circumstances  a  few  months  when  her  health 
broke  down,  and  in  August,  1876,  Miss  Chase 
came  at  her  solicitation  to  be  assistant  in  the 
school  work.  In  December  of  that  year  Mrs. 
I'ollok  died,  and  the  entire  burden  of  the  responsi- 
bility of  continuing  and  building  up  a  prosper- 
ous institution  of  learning  devolved  upon  Miss 
Cliase.  She  assumed  the  task  with  that  will, 
energy  and  ability  which  insure  success.  Under 
her  efficient  instructiotis  and  management  the 
school's  growth  in  popularity  and  attendance 
soon  made  it  necessary  to  secure  larger  and  bet- 
ter quarters.     In  June.  1H77,  she  moved  to  the 


present  location  of  the  seminary  on  the  corner 
of  College  avenue  and  lieavei-  street.  That 
year  her  sister  .\da,  a  graduate  of  Mount 
Holyoke  Seminary,  becan)e  associated  witli  her, 
and  continued  associate  principal  until  1883; 
and  in  1878  Mrs.  ('.  H.  Dane,  another  sister, 
joined  them  and  remained  about  five  years.  In 
1880  the  Misses  Chase  bought  an  adjoining  lot 
and  erected  a  new  building  at  a  cost  of  !?1,7()(), 
which  has  since  been  enlarged.  In  188()  Miss 
Chase  purchased  the  corner  property  and  ex- 
pended $2,300  in  enlarging  and  repairing  the 
building.  The  buildings  now  have  a  capacity 
for  fifty-five  to  si,xty  pupils,  are  commodious 
and  pleasantly  arranged,  and  appropriately  fur- 
nished. The  grounds  about  them  are  decorated 
with  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowering  ])lants,  and 
the  whole  premises  are  beautiful  and  homelike. 
The  curriculum  of  study  embraces  a  complete 
seminary  course,  including  the  Latin,  French, 
ami  (ierman  languages,  the  sciences,  and 
thorough  instruction  in  music,  together  with 
special  training  in  deportment  and  morals.  The 
academic  course  embraces  four  years.  Chris- 
tianity is  made  a  featiii'e  of  tlie  school-room,  the 
aim  being  to  educate  both  head  and  heart,  and 
develop  a  fully  rounded  character.  I'upils  are 
instructed  in  the  ])rimary  branches  also,  being 
received  either  as  boarding  or  day  pupils.  The 
department  of  music  is  in  charge  of  Miss  Chase, 
who  is  a  very  accomplished  musician  and  profi- 
cient teacher,  giving  pupils  superior  advantages 
in  this  branch  of  learning.  Her  assistant  prin- 
cipal, Miss  Alice  E.  Pratt,  graduated  from  the 
State  University  of  California  in  1881.  Two 
years  later  she  was  employed  as  teacher  in  Santa 
Rosa  Seminary,  and  has  proved  herself  an  in- 
structor of  marked  ability.  The  primary  de- 
partment has  been  in  charge  of  most  efficient 
teachers,  among  them  Miss  L.  B.  Cahoon,  Miss 
J.  E.  Thomas,  and  Miss  Rachel  Holmes.  There 
are  five  resident  teachers  in  the  institution,  not 
including  the  teachers  in  French  and  German, 
who  reside  outside  the  school  ■  With  this  divi- 
sion of  labor,  and  classes  of  convenient  size, 
special   opportunities    are    aflbrded    pupils    for 


HIHTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


thoroughness  in  every  branch  of  t-tiuly.  The 
pure,  moral  atmosphere  and  wholesome  home 
lite  of  this  flourishing  school  are  among  the 
most  valuable  of  its  numerous  advantages  in 
moulding  characters  for  usefulness  and  honor  in 
after  life.  The  Santa  Kosa  Seminary  is  an  edu- 
cational blessing  to  the  city  and  community, 
and  an  lionor  to  its  cultured  and  enterprising 
founder  and  principal. 


fAVID  WALLS  was  bcrn  in  Lincolnshire, 
Scotland,  December  15,  ISiO,  son  of 
s^e  William  and  Grace  (Iloyte)  Walls.  In 
1843  the  family  emigrated  to  the  United  States, 
and  settled  in  Oakland  County,  Michigan,  where 
the  head  of  the  family  took  up  eighty  acres  of 
government  land,  and  made  that  his  home  until 
his  death  in  1872.  His  wife  died  in  1880,  and 
was  the  mother  of  thirteen  children,  six  sons 
and  seven  daughters,  of  whom  all  but  one  son 
lived  to  be  grown.  David  Walls  is  the  only 
member  of  the  family  residing  in  this  State. 
He  lived  on  the  home  place  in  Oakland  County, 
near  the  town  of  Pontiac  until  1860,  when  he 
proceeded  to  New  York  and  sailed  from  tliat 
city  December  20th,  for  California,  and  arrived 
in  San  Francisco  January  20th  of  the  following 
year.  He  immediately  went  up  into  the  moun- 
tains in  Nevada  Conntj'  and  engaged  in  Placer 
mining,  meeting  with  good  success  on  the 
whole,  but  like  the  most  of  miners,  luck  varied 
at  different  intervals  although  some  days  he 
took  out  as  high  as  §60  and  $70,  remaining  in 
that  locality  until  1866.  In  that  year  he  went 
back  to  Michigan,  leaving  San  Francisco  in 
March  and  arriving  at  his  destination  tiie  fol- 
lowing month.  In  August  of  the  same  year  he 
again  started  for  this  State  and  landed  in  San 
Francisco  on  the  12th  of  September.  He  re- 
turned to  the  mountains  in  Nevada  County,  and 
remained  there  until  February,  1867,  when  he 
went  to  San  Francisco,  and  on  the  18th  day  of 
March  hired  out  to  the  Contra  Costa  Steam 
Navigation    Company,    stationed   at    the    com- 


pany's wharf  at  Haystack,  just  below  Petaluma, 
on  the  creek.  He  remained  there  in  their  em- 
ploy about  four  years,  when  he  quit  this  posi- 
tion and  bought  out  the  livery  stable  of  H.  B. 
Hasbrouck,  which  business  he  conducted  about 
six  months,  then  selling  it  back  to  Mr.  Has- 
brouck. He  next  went  to  Donahue,  and  for  six 
months  had  charge  of  the  railroad  company's 
wharf  at  that  point.  From  there  he  returned  to 
Hay-stack  and  took  charge  of  the  steamboat  com- 
pany's ranch  and  acted  as  their  agent,  which 
position,  although  the  business  since  tlien  has 
had  several  changes  in  owners,  he  has  held 
without  intermission  up  to  the  present  time.  In 
1883  he  bought -the  Haystack  ranch,  consisting 
of  156  acres  of  upland  and  about  eighty  acres 
of  marsh  land.  There  is  a  fine  orchard  on  the 
place,  which  was  set  out  fifteen  years  ago,  and 
consists  of  pears,  apples,  plums,  etc.  In  1886 
there  were  four  and  a  half  acres  set  out  to  Bart- 
lett  pears  which,  when  they  come  into  bearing, 
will  make  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the  place. 
Mr.  Walls  is  largely  engaged  in  dairying  and 
stock-raising,  his  market  being  principally  San 
Francisco,  where  he  receives  the  highest  cash 
prices  for  his  produce.  He  is  a  member  of  no 
less  than  seven  different  societies,  all  of  Peta- 
luma. The  first  order  that  he  joined,  however, 
was  the  Odd  P'ellows,  in  Grass  Valley,  in  1865. 
Mr.  AValls  was  married  in  1873  to  Mary  Don- 
nelly, a  Petaluma  girl,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Donnelly.  She  died  in  Februar}-,  1887,  leaving 
three  children:  Grace,  Charles  B.  and  James 
A.  He  was  again  united  in  marriage  January 
30,  1888,  to  Mrs.  Alma  R.  Hyres,  daughter  of 
Freman  Parker,  an  old  settler  of  this  county. 


fllARLES  LEHN,  of  Russian  River  Town- 
ship, was  born  at  Frankfort-on-the-Main, 
"^  March  28,  1825,  his  parents  being  Louis 
and  Katlirina  (Schwing)  Lehn.  His  father  was 
an  official  of  the  German  government,  and  had 
property  at  Frankfoi-t,  where  tiie  family  resided. 
Charles  Lelin  was  reared  in  his  native  city,  and 


HISTORY     OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


received  the  advantages  of  a  high  school  educa- 
tion. His  school  days  being  over,  he  followed 
the  pursuit  of  agriculture,  and  his  father  taught 
him  the  technology  of  irrigating  meadows 
to  which  department  of  engineering  he  subse- 
quently gave  considerable  attention.  In  1852 
he  emigrated  to  America,  sailing  from  Havre 
on  the  ship  Advance,  a^nd  landing  at  Xew  York 
after  a  voyage  of  eighteen  days.  He  remained 
in  New  York  for  some  time,  following  succes- 
sively the  pursuits  of  bookkeeper,  wine  mer- 
cliant,  etc.  While  a  bookkeeper  at  Hollaher's 
sliowcase  tactory.  No.  10  William  Street,  lie 
had  charge  of  the  extensive  business  to  a  large 
extent.  Krom  the  city  he  went  out  to  West- 
chester County,  and  was  for  a  year  and  a  half 
on  the  farm  of  George  Fehl,  whose  acquaint- 
ance he  had  formed  in  New  York  City.  In 
1855  he  came  to  Califoruia,  via  Panama,  land- 
ing at  San  Francisco  from  the  Golden  Age 
August  lU.  He  went  to  see  his  brother,  who 
was  on  a  ranch  near  San  Jose,  and  remained 
there  a  short  time,  but  observing  no  flattering 
prospects  for  himself,  he  went  to  the  city  of  San 
Jose,  and  laid  out  a  place  forjudge  Belden.  On 
the  day  of  the  festival  in  honor  of  the  successful 
laying  of  the  Atlantic  cable,  he  started  for 
Frazer  River,  but  on  arriving  at  San  Francisco, 
friends  dissuaded  him  from  his  purpose.  He 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  a  man  from  Peta- 
luma,  who  made  him  an  offer  to  take  charge  of 
a  vinej'ard  near  Santa  Hosa,  which  he  accepted. 
He  remained  there  until  1861,  and  during  that 
time  manufactured  wines.  His  work  there  was 
of  such  a  character  as  to  attract  attention,  and 
Captain  Cooper  made  an  agreement  with  him 
by  which  Mr.  Lehn  was  to  lay  out  for  the 
captain  ten  acres  of  vineyard  and  two  acres  of 
orchard.  He  advocated  the  planting  of  foreign 
varieties  of  grapes,  but  the  captain  feared  the 
experiment,  so  the  Mission  variety  was  used. 
He  improved  the  place  and  remained  in  chai-ge 
until  Captain  Cooper's  death,  and  for  some  time 
after.  In  1873  he  located  where  he  now  resides, 
on  a  ranch  of  ninety-two  acres,  which  is  about 
three  and  a  half  miles  from  Windsor.      Forty 


acres  are  in  grapes,  the  vines  ranging  in  age 
from  three  to  iifteen  years.  They  are  Sauvignon 
Vert,  several  varieties  of  Chasselas,  Grey,  Johan- 
nisberg,  Franklin  and  Traminer  Riesling,  the 
latter  variety  being  the  finest  in  the  vine^'ard. 
His  winery  was  built  in  1872.  and  has  a  capacity 
of  about  80,000  gallons,  including  the  enclosed 
passageway  surrounding  the  main  structure. 
The  present  vintage  is  in  the  neighborhood  of 
10,000  gallons' per  annum,  which  will  be  in- 
creased as  all  the  vines  come  into  bearing.  He 
prunes  closely,  and  while  this  method  curtails 
the  yield  of  grapes  it  conduces  to  a  much  finer 
quality  of  wines.  In  view  of  these  facts  his 
wines  have  an  excellent  reputation  and  com- 
mand a  ready  market.  Mr.  Lelm  was  married 
in  Santa  Rosa  to  Miss  Johanna  Stratman,  a  na- 
tive of  Hanover,  Germany.  They  have  four 
children,  viz.:  Louis,  who  is  superintendent  of 
the  Hotchkins  winery;  and  William,  Adele  and 
Stella,  at  home.    Politically,  he  is  a  Republican. 


mOMAS  S.  WINTER,  of  Mendocino 
Township,  has  a  ranch  of  160  acres  on 
^J  Dry  Creek,  which  he  purchased  in  No- 
vember, 1886,  and  removed  onto  it  the  same 
year.  When  he  bought  the  place  there  were 
between  five  and  six  acres  cleared,  but  he  has 
eighteen  acres  under  cultivation  now,  the  most 
of  which  is  in  vineyard.  He  also  has  an  acre  of 
clingstone  peaches,  which  will  be  grafted  to  free- 
stone varieties.  It  is  his  intention  to  plant  si.K 
acres  in  olives  in  1889.  Mr.  Winter  is  a  native 
of  Nottinghamshire,  England,  born  October  16, 
1857.  He  was  educated  at  Spring  Valley  Gram- 
mar School,  and  in  1874  went  to  sea  on  the 
Three  Brothers,  going  first  to  Liverpool,  thence 
to  New  Y'^ork,  and  afterward  in  the  China  and 
East  India  trade  for  about  six  years,  being 
with  eleven  different  ships.  On  giving  up  sea 
life,  he  returned  to  California,  locating  in  Kern 
County,  where  he  was  for  two  years  engaged  in 
ranching,  but  finding  that  locality  unfavorable 
to  his  health,  he  came  to  Cloverdale,  and  from 


niHTOHY    OF    fiONOMA    COUNTY. 


tlience  to  liis  present  location.  He  was  Tnarried  at 
Alameda  to  Miss  Beatrice  Ilutcliinson,  a  native 
of  England,  reared  in  Derby,  and  whose  parents 
were  fur  fonr  years  residents  of  Sonoma  County, 
and  then  returned  to  England.  Mr.  Winter  is 
a  member  of  the  Episcopal  ciuucli. 


fll.  M.  C.  FARRAR,  of  llealdsburg,  is  a 
native  of  Vermont,  born  at  Fairfa.x,  Frank- 
lin County,  July  23,  1830,  his  parents  be- 
ing James  and  Diana  (Chappel)  Farrar,  the 
former  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  the  latter  of 
Canada.  When  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
but  one  year  old,  his  parents  removed  to  Straw- 
bridge,  Lower  Canada,  and  six  years  later,  to 
Highgate,  Vermont.  When  he  had  reached  the 
age  of  si.xteen  years  he  went  to  live  with  his 
nncle,  at  St.  Johns,  Lower  Canada.  He  after- 
ward located  at  Geddesburg,  New  York,  where 
he  resumed  the  study  of  medicine,  began  in 
Vermont.  Hi  1859  he  came  to  California,  via 
Panama,  arriving  at  San  Francisco  November 
28.  He  soon  went  to  Amador  County,  where 
he  practiced  his  profession  and  resided  near 
Jackson  for  about  a  year  and  a  half.  He  then 
went  to  the  Caribou  country,  British  Columbia, 
remaining  one  summer,  then  returning  to 
San  Francisco.  From  1862  to  1869  he  fol- 
lowed mining  and  practiced  medicine  in  Idaho, 
Washington  Territory  and  eastern  Oregon. 
He  then  located  in  Humboldt  County,  bought 
a  ranch,  opened  a  drug  store,  and  attended 
to  both  interests,  as  well  as  practicing  his  pro- 
fession, until  coming  to  Healdsburg  in  1881. 
He  still  retains  a  ranch  and  herds  of  sheep  at 
his  old  home.  The  year  after  coming  to  Healds- 
burg, he  bought  a  ranch  of  twenty-one  acres  in 
Alexander  Valley,  on  which  he  has  made  many 
improvements.  This  ranch  has  a  good  location 
and  the  ^;oil  is  excellent.  There  are  seven  acres 
of  fruit,  planted  in  1884,  the  varieties  being 
pears,  peaches,  apples,  apricots,  prunes,  etc.  All 
the  trees  are  in  good  condition  and  now  coming 
into  bearing.    About  thirteen  acres  are  in  vines, 


from  three  to  five  years  old.  They  are  Mataro 
and  Zinfandel.  Dr.  Farrar  was  married  in  Ore- 
gon to  Miss  Sarah  Kniss,  a  native  of  Ohio.  Tiiey 
have  one  child,  Theodosia.  The  doctor  is  a 
member  of  the  L  O.  O.  Y.,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
K.  of  P.  In  the  Masonic  order  he  has  procrressed 
as  far  as  Chancellor  Commander  of  the  Knights 
Templar.  Politically,  he  is  a  Republican.  Since 
coming  to  California  the  doctor  has  attended 
lectures  at  the  best  medical  colleges  on  the 
Pacific  coast.  He  graduated  at  the  Medical 
College  of  the  Pacific  November  3,  1873,  and 
his  diploma  from  the  Cooper  Medical  College 
bears  tiie  date  November  4,  1882. 


lEORGE  ZIMMERMAN.  — Among  the 
'V^W  P^'^'^snt  citizens  of  Sonoma  County 
whose  personal  histories  are  selected  for 
representation  in  this  volume  is  George  Zim- 
merman, a  man  known  extensively  throughout 
the  State  fur  his  extensive  operations  in  cattle 
and  live  stock  generally,  and  who  has  now  been 
a  resident  of  Petaluma  for  twenty-four  years. 
He  was  born  May  26,  1818,  in  Germany,  but 
was  reared  in  Amsterdam,  Holland.  He  came 
to  this  country  in  1889,  landing  at  New  York. 
He  stayed  there  ten  months  and  then  removed 
to  Philadelphia,  and  from  there,  in  1847,  re- 
moved to  Peru,  Illinois,  being  always  engaged 
in  the  butchering  business.  In  1852  he  deter- 
mined to  set  out  for  California,  and  left  Peru 
with  a  band  of  horses  and  cattle,  and  with  his 
family  and  household  efl'ects  in  ox  teams.  He 
lost  a  few  footsore  cattle  on  the  plains,  but  ar- 
rived safely  with  the  majority  of  the  stock  at 
Sacramento,  where  he  sold  all  but  one  team  of 
horses.  With  these  he  made  his  way  to  San 
Francisco  and  opened  a  meat  market  on  the 
corner  of  Dupont  and  Green  streets.  It  is  still 
in  existence  under  the  old  name  he  gave  it  of 
the  Philadelphia  Market,  though  it  has  doubt- 
less changed  hands  scores  of  times  since  he 
opened  it.  In  March,  1853,  he  sold  it  out  and 
began  stock  trading  in  the  lower  country,  his 


UI^TURY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


slancrhter  house,  etc.,  being  at  San  Leandro, 
wlience  he  carried  the  meat  to  retailers  in  the 
city  by  boat.  In  1857  he  removed  to  Toniales 
where  he  had  purchased  a  ranch  tliat  is  still  his 
property.  In  1864  he  came  to  Petaluma,  and 
has  been  a  resident  here  since  that  time,  en- 
gaged in  butchering  and  the  handling  of  live 
stock.  He  owns  a  fine  property  consisting  of 
ten  acres,  at  the  head  of  D  street,  where  his  cor- 
rals, slaughter-houses,  etc.,  are  situated,  lie 
ships  all  his  meats  to  San  Francisco.  Mr. 
Zimmerman  was  married  in  1844  to  Miss  Louisa 
Kotliwang,  of  Philadelphia.  They  haveafaraily 
of  six  children.  The  eldest  son,  George  H., 
assists  his  father  in  his  business;  the  second 
son,  who  is  named  Charles,  is  a  railroad  engi- 
neer on  the  Southern  Pacific;  the  eldest  daugh- 
ter, Caroline,  is  the  wife  of  Mr.  Goldigger,  the 
owner  of  a  tine  ranch  at  Tomales;  the  second, 
Julia,  is  married  to  G.  Karevr,  the  boot  and  shoe 
dealer  of  Petaluma;  the  third,  Hannah,  the  wife 
of  C.  F.  Doehring,  the  proprietor  of  the  U.  S. 
Bakery,  Petaluma;  and  the  fourth,  Hettie,  the 
wife  of  L.  Gross,  plumber  and  tinsmith,  of  Peta- 
luma. Mr.  Zimmerman  is  a  staunch  Democrat, 
having  cast  his  first  vote  for  Van  Buren  in  his 
contest  with  Harrison  in  1840,  and  his  last  for 
Cleveland  in  1888.  He  is  a  wealthy  and  pub- 
lic-spirited citizen. 


tllAUNCEY  WIGHTMAN.—Among  the 
well  known  orchardists  of  Analy  Town- 
'^*1  ship  is  the  above  named  gentleman,  a  brief 
resume  of  whose  life  is  as  follows:  Mr.  Wight- 
man  dates  his  birth  in  Rome,  Oneida  County, 
New  York,  December  13,  1829,  his  parents 
being  Josiah  and  Silva  (Button)  Wighlman, 
the  former  a  native  of  Coimecticut  and  the  lat- 
ter of  Ohio.  In  1834  his  father  moved  to  Will 
County,  Illinois,  and  became  one  of  the  pioneer 
farmers  of  that  section.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  early  inured  to  the  labors  attending 
pioneer  farming,  and  was  deprived  of  nearly  all 
schooling  facilities,  receiving  very  little  school- 


ing. Being  of  an  ambitious  and  energetic  dis- 
position, he  sought  every  means  to  educate 
himself,  and  was  not  mucii  behind  those  of  his 
more  fortunate  associates  who  had  the  ad- 
vantages of  the  common  schools.  In  fact  lie 
was  far  ahead  of  them  in  the  practical  affairs  of 
life.  He  continued  work  on  his  father's  farm 
until  nineteen  years  of  age,  when  he  started  in 
life  for  himself.  After  engaging  in  farm  labor 
for  about  a  year,  he  began  threshing  grain  for 
the  farmers  of  the  neighborhood  during  the 
season  and  engaging  in  farming  at  other  times. 
This  he  continued  until  1852.  In  that  year  he 
came  to  California,  by  New  Orleans  and  steamer 
route,  arriving  in  San  Francisco  in  June,  1852. 
Shortly'  after  his  arrival  he  located  in  Santa 
Clara  County.  He  first  engaged  in  farming, 
then  finding  the  prospect  good  for  his  former 
occupation  of  threshing,  he  sought  for  machines, 
but  none  were  to  be  had.  He  therefore  ordered 
a  threshing  machine  and  forty  fanning  mills 
from  the  East,  these  arriving  in  January,  1853. 
In  that  year  he  rented  200  acres  of  land  and  en- 
gaged in  wheat  growing,  and  was  also  quite 
extensively  interested  in  potato  cultivation. 
Mr.  Wightman  was  successful  in  farming;  his 
crop  of  wheat  averaged  fifty-five  bushels  per 
acre.  His  threshing  machine  was  in  almost 
constant  requisition  for  months.  He  continued 
operations  in  that  county  until  the  fall  of  1854, 
when,  feeling  satisfied  with  what  he  had  accom- 
plished and  gained,  he  closed  out  his  business  in- 
terests and  returned  to  Illinois.  Upon  his  arrival 
there  he  purchased  the  old  homestead  and  settled 
down  to  farm  life.  In  1856  Mr.  Wightman 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah  Brown, 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  Mrs.  Wightman's 
parents  were  George  and  Eliza  (Whallon) 
Brown,  residents  of  Will  County,  Illinois, 
but  natives  of  New  Yoi-k.  In  the  fall  of  1877 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  returned  to  California, 
bringing  his  family  with  him,  and  located  in 
Sonoma  County.  Upon  his  arrival  here  he  pur- 
chased eighty-five  acres  of  land  on  the  Sebasto- 
pol  and  Petaluma  road,  about  three-quarters  of 
a  mile  south  of  Sebastopol,  and  commenced  its 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


improvement  aiid  cultivation.      Mr.  Wiglitm;in 
brought  to  his  new  oceui)ation  of  an  orchardist 
tile  same  energy  and  sound  business  principles 
that  had  characterized  liis  ventures  in  other  pur- 
suits.     He  soon  cleared   the    land  and   planted 
both  orchard   and    vineyard,  about  tliirty-seven 
and  a  half  acres  in  each.     These  are  unequaled 
in  Sonoma  County,  and  he  also  interested  him- 
self in    fruit    drying.     He    purchased   the  sole 
right  of  the  Button  dryer,  and  commenced  im- 
proving it.     In  this  he  was -eminently  successful. 
This  dryer  is  now  well  known  in  the  fruit  grow- 
ing districts,  and   is  conceded   by  all  as  one  of 
the  best  family  dryers.     As  an   illustration  of 
Mr.  AYightman's  success   in    his   improvements, 
it   is   worthy  of  mention    that   one  of  his    im- 
proved dryers  six  feet  and  six  inches  by  three 
feet^and  eight  feet  in  height  (thirty-three  trays) 
will   properly  and   easily  cure  1,000  pounds  of 
green  fruit  per  day.     After  ten  years  of   labor 
upon   this  land,  desirous  of  avoiding  the  cares 
attending  its  management,  he  sold  the  property 
to  Mr.  E.  W.  Hayden  in  1887,  and  purchased 
eight  acres  of  land  of  Martin  Litchfield  on  the 
same  road  (Sebastopol  and  Petaluma)  about  one 
half  mile  south  of  Sebastopol.     He  has  erected 
a  line  cottage  residence,  stable,  and  workshop  at 
this  place  and  is  now  devoting  his  attention  to 
the  manufacture  and  sale  of  his  improved  fruit 
dryer.     Mr.  Wightman  may  well    be  styled  a 
self-made  man.    His  success  in  life — and  he  has 
secured  a  reasonable  competency — has  been  se- 
cured by  the  energy,  industry,  and  good  sound 
sense  that  is  characteristic  of  the  man.     During 
his    life    in    the  county,  though  comparatively 
brief,  he  has  made  many  warm  friends,  and  has 
gained  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  neighbors 
and  acquaintances.    An  independent  thinker,  he 
has  never  allowed    party  feeling  in   politics  to 
bind  him,  only  so  long  as  he  thought  the  party 
right.     He  has  been  a  supporter  of  the  Whig, 
Republi'can,  and  Greenback  parties,  and  may  be 
styled  an  Independent.     A  strong  supporter  of 
the  public  schools,  he  has  given  his  children  all 
advantages  in  his  power  to  secure  to  them  what 
he  was  deprived  of,  a  good  education.     He  is  a 


member  of  the  Sebastopol  Grange,  Patrons  of 
Husbandry.  From  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Wiglitnjan  there  are  four  children  living, 
viz:  Silas,  May,  Oora,  and  George.  Silas  mai'- 
ried  Miss  Ida  Parks  of  Illinois,  and  is  novv 
(1888)  a  banker  in  Henry,  Dakota;  May  mar- 
ried William  Gascoign,  and  they  are  living  in 
Will  County,  Illinois;  Cora  married  Frank 
Norton,  a  commission  merchant  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, residing  in  Oakland;  George  is  engaged 
in  stock-raising  in  Kansas. 

7^ilARLES  ilANGE  was  born  in  Washing- 
fCr.  ton  County,  Tennessee,  June  30,  1819. 
^^  He  was  reared  to  a  farm  life  and  schooled 
in  his  native  county.  He  there  attained  his 
majority  and,  soon  after,  September  7,  1840, 
wedded  Miss  Elizabeth  E.  Kelpper,  who  was 
also  a  native  of  Washington  County,  born 
December  31,  1822.  In  1843  they  emigrated 
to  Macoupin  County,  Illinois,  and,  buying 
480  acres  of  land,  engaged  in  general  farm- 
ing until  18(52,  in  which  year  they  made 
the  overland  journey  to  this  State.  They 
located  in  Solano  County,  six  miles  from  Sacra- 
mento, and  there  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits. With  the  exception  of  about  one  year 
spent  in  revisiting  Illinois,  Mr.  llange  resided 
there  until  1667.  In  that  year  he  came  to 
Santa  Rosa  and  bought  a  line  properly  of  200 
acres,  one  and  one-half  miles  north  of  the  court- 
house, and  a  short  distance  west  of  the  Healds- 
burg  road.  Tiiere  he  now  resides  in  his  tastily 
arranged  cottage  home,  surrounded  by  beautiful 
and  well  kept  grounds.  The  increasing  value 
of  his  land,  and  the  demands  of  othei-s  needing 
homes,  induced  Mr.  Range  to  part  with  all  but 
fifty  acres.  Twelve  acres  of  this  are  devoted  to 
orchard  with  prunes  as  the  leading  fruit,  though 
a  variety  of  apples,  peaches,  plums,  and  pears 
are  to  be  found.  Retired  from  the  cares  of  a 
large  estate,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Range  are  now  living 
a  quiet  life.  Their  three  children  are  well  set- 
tled in  life.     Louisa,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of 


JIISTOUY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


J.  B.  Reid,  atid  lives  in  the  immediate  neigh- 
borhood; John,  who  wedded  Miss  Ella  Root, 
lives  at  Ilollister,  San  Benito  County;  Colnmbus 
C.  lives  at  Los  Angeles.  Neicrhborly  and  kind, 
honorable  and  conrteons  in  dealings  and  inter- 
course with  all,  this  worthy  couple  are  respected 
and  esteemed  by  all  who  Icnow  them.  Mr. 
Range  is  connected  by  membership  with  no 
church.  Mrs.  Range  was  reared  in  the  Presby- 
terian faith. 

IS    '    ••    a; 

fPULIUS  DRESEL.— The  magnificent  vine- 
yard, winery,  etc.,  owned  by  the  above 
named  gentleman  are  well  worthy  of  men- 
tion in  the  history  of  Sonoma  County.  lie  is 
the  owner  of  about  200  acres,  partly  of  the  well; 
known  "  Rhine  Farm,"  located  two  miles  east 
of  Sonoma.  This  land  is  situated  in  a  belt  lying 
along  the  foot-hills,  with  a  slope  to  the  south 
and  west.  It  is  comparatively  free  from  frost 
and  is  particularly  suited  to  grape  culture.  One 
hundred  and  fifty  acres  are  in  vines  of  the  re- 
sistant stock,  grafted  with  the  most  approved 
varieties  of  wine  gra|)es  grown  in  Sonoma  Val- 
ley, among  which  may  be  classed  the  following: 
from  Germany,  Rieslings,  Traminer,  Gutedel, 
Kleinberger  and  Zinfandel;  from  France,  Sem- 
illon,  Sauvignon,  Marsanne,  Sirrah,  Burgundy, 
Merlot  and  Cabernet.  This  vineyard  was  estab- 
lished by  Emil  Dresel,  a  brother  of  the  present 
owner,  in  1858,  and  was  conducted  under  the 
name  of  Dresel  &  Co.  until  the  death  of  Emil 
Dresel,  in  1869,  at  which  time  the  present  owner 
took  the  place  of  his  brother  and  continued  the 
business  under  the  firm  name  of  Gundlach  & 
Dresel  up  to  the  year  1875,  and  then  under  his 
own  name,  extending  the  winery  to  its  present 
capacity  of  250,000  gallons.  The  wines  now 
grown  are  mostly  white, which  find  a  ready  sale, 
and  the  spread  of  these  wines  over  the  eastern 
markets  owes  a  good  deal  to  the  personal  exer- 
tions of  Ml-.  Dresel,  who  for  many  years  contin- 
ued regularly  to  visit  the  States,  introducing 
the  product  of  the  Sonoma  vineyards.     He  suc- 


ceeded also  in  procuring  highly  flattering  judg- 
ments for  samples  of  our  California  wines  from 
the  foremost  connoiseurs  on  the  Rhine,  their 
good  opinion  giving  satisfaction  and  encourage- 
ment to  our  producers.  Mr.  Dresel  is  a  native 
of  Germany,  born  in  1816.  His  early  youth 
was  spent  among  the  vineyards  of  Geisenheim 
on  the  Rhine.  He  was  given  a  thorough  edu- 
cation and  studied  law  at  Heidelberg,  but  could 
not  enter  upon  its  practice  as  a  profession,  for 
being  a  man  of  broad  and  liberal  views  upon 
governmental  questions,  lie  became  involved  in 
the  political  troubles  of  1848,  and  to  evade 
prosecution  was  compelled  to  leave  his  native 
land.  He  emigrated  to  Texas,  located  in  the 
western  portion  of  that  State,  and  became  one 
of  its  pioneer  farmers.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
to  raise  without  slave  labor  cotton,  sorghum, 
wheat  and  rye,  and  to  improve  his  flock  of 
Mexican  sheep  with  Saxon  rams;  he  also  planted 
as  early  as  1850  the  first  Riesling  vineyard  on 
the  banks  of  the  Guadalupe.  Mr.  Dresel  con- 
tinued his  residence  in  Texas,  holding  store  in 
San  Antonio  during  and  after  the  war  until  the 
death  of  his  brother,  Emil  Dresel,  who  left  him 
the  vineyard  before  described.  He  then  sold 
out  his  interests  in  Texas  and  took  up  his  pres- 
ent home.  Mr.  Dresel  has  for  the  past  twenty 
years  been  identitied  with  the  best  interests  of 
Sonoma  County,  and  during  his  residence  here 
has  gained  the  respect  of  his  associates.  In 
political  matters  he  is  a  staunch  Republican,  and 
M'as  a  thorough  Union  man  during  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion,  and  that,  too,  while  living  in  a 
seceded  State,  and  at  a  time  when  it  was  any- 
thing but  safe  to  avow  such  sentiments  in  the 
Southern  Confederacy.  His  straightforward 
and  manly  course  gained  the  respect  at  least 
of  the  enemies  of  the  Union,  and  probably 
saved  him  from  serious  molestation.  Mrs.  Dresel 
died  in  Texas,  in  1864,  leaving  three  children: 
Carl,  Helene  and  Gustave.  Carl  married  Miss 
Rosa  Gundlach,  and  resides  upon  the  home- 
stead, of  which  his  father  has  given  him  full 
charge.  It  is  to  his  energetic  and  intelligent 
management  that  much  of  the  success  achieved 


UISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


507 


is  due.     (xustave  is  a  plij'sician,  !uid   is  practic- 
ing iiis  profession  in  San  Francisco. 


_%U-!.:*"re-^..^^ 


fllOMAS  C.  PUTNAM.— This  honorable 
gentleman  and  woi'thy  citizen  of  Sonoma 
^  Comity  is  a  native  of  Nova  Scotia,  wliere 
he  was  born  in  Colchester  County,  March  31, 
1888.  Originally,  about  200  years  ago,  the 
Putnams  came  from  the  old  coutitry,  possibly 
from  England,  and  settled  in  Salem,  Massachu- 
setts, and  from  there  scattered  along  the  Atlan- 
tic coast  from  Nova  Scotia  to  the  Carolinas. 
Whether  they  spring  from  one  common  source 
or  not  is  a  question  that  remains  somewhat  ob- 
scure. Timotliy  Putnam,  grandfather  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia, 
his  ancestors  having  moved  there  from  Salem, 
Massachusetts.  Timothy  Putnam,  the  father  of 
Thomas  C,  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia  as  wasalso 
the  wife  of  iiis  choice,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Pntli  Dunlap.  They  made  that  their  home  un- 
til their  deaths  which  occurred,  Mr.  Putnam's 
in  1852,  and  his  wife's  the  3'ear  previous.  They 
reared  a  family  of  eleven  children,  six  sons  and 
and  five  daughters.  After  the  father's  death 
the  property  was  controlled  by  some  of  tlie  older 
children,  with  whom  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
remained  until  1856.  His  education,  up  to  the 
age  of  sixteen,  was  received  at  the  pulilic  schools 
of  Nova  Scotia,  after  which  his  acquirements  in 
this  direction  were  received  in  a  practical  way 
and  from  the  reading  of  good  books.  In  1850 
he  went  to  P)oston,  desirous  of  learning  some 
trade.  A  guardian  had  been  placed  over  him, 
and  having  secured  his  jiermission  as  well  as  the 
sanction  of  others  interested  in  his  welfare,  lie 
■was  permitted  to  manage  liis  own  course.  lie 
engaged  in  the  carriage  making  trade  with 
Amos  Hurd,  of  Cambridge,  near  Boston,  with 
whom  lie  remained  one  year  and  a  half,  when, 
his  right  arm  became  lame  in  consequence 
of  which  ho  was  obliged  to  give  U])  work.  Hav- 
ing a  little  capital  left  him  from  his  father's  es- 
tate, he  returned  to  Novu  Scotia  and  engacred  in 


mercantile  business  for  himself  in  a  little  coun- 
try store,  which  he  conducted  until  I\[arch,  1860, 
when  he  sold  the  business  and  went  to  Austra- 
lia. There  he  engaged  in  mining  and  butcher- 
ing, then  went  to  the  New  Zealand  mines,  where 
he  remained  until  1862.  He  then  came  to  Cali- 
fornia, arriving  in  San  Francisco  in  the  month 
of  August,  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  went 
East  to  Nova  Scotia,  visiting  in  that  locality  un- 
til the  spring  of  1863.  At  that  time  lie  went 
to  the  Caribou  mines  in  British  Columbia,  and 
remained  there  four  years  and  a  half,  until  the 
fall  of  1867.  During  his  mining  experiences 
he  was  moderately  successful;  was  one  ol'  the 
first  gold  hunters  in  New  Zealand,  when  gold 
was  first  discovered  there.  Having  seen  some- 
thing of  California,  and  always  desirous  of  mak- 
ing it  his  home,  as  soon  as  he  had  collected  a 
few  thousanddollars,  became  to  Sonoma  County 
and  bought  the  ranch  where  he  now  lives,  con- 
sisting of  160  acres  of  choice  valley  land  sit- 
uated in  Vallejo  Township.  Of  Mr.  Putnam, 
we  might  say  he  has  been  moderately  success- 
ful. He  attributes  his  success  to  industry  and 
economy  and  the  conducting  of  iiis  affairs  on 
safe  business  principles  He  has  been  con- 
nected with  the  Bank  of  Sonoma  County  since 
1882,  and  for  more  than  the  past  two  years 
has  been  one  of  its  directors.  xMr.  Putnam 
was  married  in  Nova  Scotia  on  the  itli  day  of 
February,  1868,  to  Maria  Ruthford,  a  native  of 
that  place,  and  whose  ancestry  is  about  as  old 
as  that  of  the  Putnams.  They  were  reared  in 
the  same  village,  and  having  known  each  other 
in  their  childliood  days,  are  now  happily  wedded 
and  are  the  parents  of  four  children:  U'illiam 
Foster,  John  Wesley,  Ada  and  Milton. 


f~LMONT  BROOKS,  senior  partner  of  the 
dry  goods  and  clothing  house  of  Brooks 
&  Loomis,  No.  605  Fourth  street,  op- 
posite the  court  house  plaza,  Santa  Rosa,  came 
to  California  from  Michigan,  his  native  State, 
in  1852,  being  then  but  two  years  of  age.     His 


IIlsroH}'    OF    .SOyi'MA     COUNT}'. 


parents  settled  in  Butte  Countj',  where  they 
passed  most  of  tlie  remainder  of  tlieir  lives,  and 
where  he  was  reared  and  received  his  practical 
business  education  in  a  dry  goods  store.  lie 
was  for  many  j'eurs  engaged  in  merchandising 
in  Forbstown  in  that  county.-  In  1882  he  came 
to  Santa  Rosa,  and  soon  became  a  ])artner  in  the 
dry  goods  firm  of  Caritliers,  Brooks  &  Co., 
which  relation  continued  until  March  1,  1888, 
he  then  retiring  from  the  firm  to  form  the  pres- 
ent co-partnership  with  F.  C.  Loomis.  These 
gentlemen  are  well  adapted  both  by  nature  and 
education  for  mercantile  business.  Tlieir  store, 
which  is  a  model  of  order  and  attractiveness,  is 
kept  fully  stocked  with  a  variety  of  the  choicest 
dry  goods,  clothing,  furnishing  goods  and  boots 
and  shoes,  the  most  of  which  are  purchased 
direct  i'rom  manufacturers  or  tlieir  jobbers  at 
the  lowest  wholesale  prices,  and  are  sold  at  a 
small  profit,  as  their  business  is  conducted  on 
a  cash  basis.  While  every  department  of  their 
stock  is  complete  and  well  selected,  the  house 
makes  a  specialty  of  fine  dress  goods  and  cloth- 
ing, which  in  assortment  and  quality  are  not 
excelled,  if  equaled,  in  any  store  in  interior 
California.  Being  affable,  gentlemanly  and 
honorable  in  their  dealings  with  customers, 
the  firm  of  Brooks  &  Loomis  occupies  a  proud 
position  among  Sonoma  County  merchants  in 
the  esteem  of  the  public.  They  employ  two  or 
three  salesmen  besides  the  proprietors,  and  tlieir 
trade  was  between  §40,000  and  850,000  the  first 
year  the  house  did  business.  Mr.  Brooks  is  a 
member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  He  married  in 
Yuba  County,  California,  Miss  J.  E.  Waistell, 
in  January,  1872.  Mrs.  Brooks  is  a  native  of 
Wisconsin. 


flLIVER  M.  LeFEBVKE.  —  Among  the 
n)  representative  citizens  and  business  men 
»^  of  Bloomtield  is  the  gentleman  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch.  His  residence  of  over 
thirty  years,  and  his  association  with  the  busi- 
ness  interests  of  Bloomfield    have    made  him 


known,  not  only  throughout  his  section,  but 
throughout  the  whole  county.  A  sketch  of  his 
life  is  of  interest  and  is  worthy  of  a  place  in 
this  history.  Mr.  LeFebvre  was  born  near  Mon- 
treal, Canada  East.  He  dates  his  birth  from 
December  6,  1836.  His  father,  Toussaint  Le- 
Febvre, was  a  native  of  Canada,  but  of  French 
descent,  and  his  mother,  Catherine  (Roy)  Le- 
Febvre-, was  also  a  native  of  Canada.  His 
father  was  a  hotel- keeper  and  Mr.  LeFebvre  was 
reared  in  his  father's  hotel,  and  received  at  the 
same  time  a  good  education.  At  the  age  of 
eighteen  years  he  entered  into  mercantile  life  as 
a  clerk  in  a  general  merchandise  store,  continu- 
ing in  this  occupation  until  1856.  At  that 
time,  desirous  of  bettering  his  condition  in  life, 
and  also  wishing  to  visit  the  far  West,  he  went 
to  New  York  and  embarked  on  the  steamer,  via 
the  Nicaragua  route,  for  California.  This  jour- 
ney was  attended  with  many  trials  and  hard- 
ships. Upon  the  arrival  of  the  passengers  at 
Grenada  on  the  Lake  San  Juan,  upon  the  over- 
land route  across  Nicaragua,  they  found  their 
further  progress  impeded  by  the  filibustering 
troops  of  General  Walker,  who  was  at  that  time 
operating  in  that  country.  Here  they  were  de- 
tained for  weeks,  suffering  for  the  actual  neces- 
saries of  life.  Amidst  all  their  sufferings  the 
dreaded  yellow  fever  broke  out  and  over  100  of 
these  ill-fated  passengers  died  from  that  disease. 
Mr.  LeFebvre  was  also  stricken  down,  but  his 
youth,  strong  constitutiim,  and  indomitable  will 
carried  him  safely  through.  Soon  after  his  re- 
covery the  route  was  opened  to  the  Pacific  and 
the  passengers  proceeded  to  San  Francisco, 
wiiere  they  arrived  June  6,  1856,  having  been 
since  April  8  in  making  the  trip.  Upon  his 
arrival  in  San  Francisco  Mr.  LeFebvre  sought 
employment  and  was  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  the 
old  Rasette  House  for  several  months,  after 
which  he  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  located 
at  Bodega,  where  lie  remained  for  a  short  time 
on  a  ranch  with  an  old  friend,  after  which  he 
opened  a  boarding-house  and  saloon,  which  he 
conducted  until  1859.  In  that  year  he  came  to 
Bloomfield  and  purchased  the  small  hotel  of  A. 


IIISTOBT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


S.  Patterson.  Upon  his  purchase  of  this  prop- 
erty Mr.  LeFebvre  commenced  making  improve- 
ments, and  iinaliy  established  his  present  large 
and  commodious  hotel  —  the  "  Big  Valley 
House  " — the  largest  and  best  conducted  hotel 
in  Analy  Township.  Since  1859  Mr.  LeFebvre 
has  persimally  conducted  this  hotel.  His  repu- 
tation as  a  hotel-keeper  extends  throughout  the 
State,  and  he  certainly  deserves  the  well-merited 
praise  he  has  received,  for  he  is  the  man  "  who 
knows  how  to  keep  a  hotel."  He  has  also  dur- 
ing his  long  residence  been  largely  interested  in 
building  up  Bloomfield  and  establishing  indus- 
tries, and  is  the  owner  of  considerable  property 
in  the  village,  among  which  is  the  skating  rink 
hall,  a  line  structure  44  x  80  feet,  with  a  fine  lot 
two  acres  in  area.  Throughout  his  long  resi- 
dence Mr.  LeFebvre  has  ever  been  one  of  the 
progressive  and  public-spirited  citizens  of  the 
community  in  which  he  resides,  and  always 
ready  to  aid  any  enterprise  that  tends  to  de- 
velop and  advance  the  interests  of  his  section  of 
the  country.  The  straightibrward  manly  course 
he  has  always  displayed  in  his  dealings  have 
secured  him  hosts  of  friends.  He  is  a  promi- 
nent member  of  Bloomlield  Lodge,  No.  191, 
L  O.  O.  F.,  a  charter  member  of  Bloomfield 
Encampment,  No.  61,  L  O.  O.  F.,  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Miisonic  fraternity  and  has  long  been 
associated  with  the  Vitruvious  Lodge,  No.  145, 
■  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Bloomfield.  Li  pulitical  matters 
Mr.  LeFebvre  is  Democratic,  but  is  liberal  and 
conservative  in  his  views.  On  December  19, 
1859,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  married  Miss 
Helen  Caseres,  a  native  of  Sonoma  County,  born 
in  1840.  Her  father,  Francisco  Caseres,  was  a 
native  of  Spain.  She  died  August  15, 1874.  The 
children  born  to  this  marriage  were:  Amelia 
C,  born  in  1860,  and  died  May  31,  1877;  Isa- 
bella Louise,  who  died  when  two  and  one-half 
years  of  age;  Eugene  Oliver,  born  May  20, 
1866;  and  Louis  Alfred,  born  August  22, 1869. 
Mr.  LeFebvre  married  his  present  wife  October 
23,  1878.  She  was  Mrs.  Isabella  (Light)  Jew- 
ell, the  widow  of  D.  II.  Jewell.  She  was  born 
in  New  York,  April  11,  1850,  her  parents  being 


Elijah  and  Emily  (Frasier)  Light,  natives  of  the 
State  in  which  she  was  born.  Mrs.  LeFebvrc's 
children  by  her  first  marriage  are:  Emma  iM. 
Jewell,  born  in  1867;  Jesse  E.  Jewell,  born  in 
1868,  and  Isaac  R.  Jewell,  born  in  1870. 


^^OM^S  S.  GLAISTER.— The  subject  of 
w.  this  sketch  is  ranked  among  the  leading 
i=^J  vitic\ilturists  of  Sonoma  Valley.  "Green 
Oaks,"  his  home,  is  located  four  miles  southeast 
of  Sonoma,  on  the  road  leading  to  Napa.  This 
splendid  estate,  consisting  of  238^  acres,  lies 
mainly  in  the  foot-hills,  giving  every  advantage 
to  be  gained  by  diversified  production.  It  is 
well  adapted  to  hay  and  grain  culture,  and 
equally  well  to  horticulture.  No  lands  equal 
choice  locations  in  the  hills  like  his  for  the 
cultivation  of  the  vine.  Mr.  Glaister  is  one  of 
the  most  successful  grape  growers  in  the  State. 
No  disease  or  pest  has  in  the  twenty  years  he 
has  been  devoted  to  the  business  ever  reached 
his  vineyards,  which  include  the  different  varie- 
ties of  choice  wine  grapes.  He  has  150  acres, 
the  products  being  manufactured  in  his  own 
winery  which  has  a  capacity  of  100,000  gallons. 
His  brands  are  well  known  and  find  ready 
markets.  The  especial  product  of  the  establish- 
ment is  white  wine.  An  orchard  of  five  acres 
on  the  place  produces  in  abundance  almost  every 
variety  of  deciduous  fruit  indigenous  to  the 
climate.  About  100  acres  of  the  property  are 
devoted  to  general  farming  and  is  elevated  above 
tlie  valley.  No  frost  has  during  Mr.  Glaister's 
residence  ever  appeared  near  his  home.  A  very 
fine  mineral  spring  is  found  on  the  place.  An 
excellent  soil  for  all  purposes,  pure  air,  pure 
water  and  absolute  exemption  from  frosts  all 
combine  to  make  "  Green  Oaks "  one  of  the 
most  desirable  rural  homes  to  be  found  in  So- 
noma County.  Mr.  Glaister  was  born  in 
Cumberland  County,  England,  June  12,  1824, 
son  of  Thomas  and  Sarah  Glaister.  He  early 
mastered  the  ship  builder's  trade  (his  father's 
occupation).     He  was  quite  liberally  educated. 


iiitiTony   OF  soxviiA   county 


In  1849,  in  bis  native  land,  he  married  Mrs. 
Elizabetli  Metcalfe.  The  same  year  they  emi- 
grated to  the  United  States,  and  located  in 
Chicago  where  he  entered  a  drug  store  as  a 
clerk.  In  1854,  in  the  city  of  Xew  York,  he 
learned  photography,  and  fnll  of  adventure, 
sailed  for  Australia,  where  he  followed  photog- 
raphy as  a  profession  until  1869,  in  which  year  he 
came  to  California  and  at  once  established  his 
present  home.  His  eldest  child,  Skelton,  died 
in  Australia  in  1877,  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven 
years.  Blanche  E.,  the  only  remaining  child, 
makes  her  home  under  the  paternal  roof.  Politi- 
cally, Mr.  Glaister  is  identified  with  the  Repub- 
lican party.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  Free  Matons.  In  the  support  of  his 
church  (Congregational)  and  of  the  public 
schools,  he  is  liberal  and  constant.  Several 
years  he  has  served  his  (Iluieliical  school  dis- 
trict as  trustee. 

— -^I^^Hf^-^ 


fEORGE  T.  MILLER,  of  llealdsburg,  is  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  born  in  Ashe 
County,  August  14,  1831,  son  of  Henry 
and  Charity  (Welch)  Miller.  \\  hen  he  was  a 
mere  infant  his  parents  moved  to  southwest 
Missouri,  locating  in  McDonald  County.  There 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  grew  to  manhood  and 
both  parents  lived  until  their  deaths.  Tliey  had 
a  family  of  nine  children — John,  Nancy,  Will- 
iam, Marj',  James,  Isabel,  Joshua,  Susan  and 
George  T.  Nancy,  now  Mrs.  Tyre,  James, 
Joshua  and  George  T.  are  residents  of  llealds- 
burg. Susan,  now  Mrs.  Laymance,  lives  in  In- 
diana. John,  William,  Mary  (Mrs.  Gunther) 
and  Isabel  (Mrs.  Testament),  are  deceased. 
James  married  Martha  Walters,  sister  of  Sol. 
Walters,  and  Joshuo  married  Augusta  Logan, 
of  Missouri.  George  T.  Miller  came  to  Cali- 
fornia in  1857,  leaving  home  on  the  22d  of 
April,  in  company  with  Lorenzo  and  Parker 
Maddux.  They  passed  through  the  Indian  Ter- 
ritory and  followed  the  course  of  the  Arkansas 
River  in  the  direction    of  Denver.       Their  fur- 


ther journey  took  them  up  the  Green  River 
route.  Arriving  in  California,  they  turned  their 
steps  toward  Sonoma  County,  where  Mr.  Miller 
had  a  brother,  James  Miiler,  who  crossed  the 
plains  to  California  in  1849.  George  T.  Miller 
had  brought  with  him  a  drove  of  cattle,  which 
he  took  to  the  mountains  near  Skaggs'  Springs. 
There  he  remained  until  1866,  when  he  went  to 
Idaho,  locating  in  Owyhee  County,  and  driving 
cattle  there  from  Texas.  In  1871  he  entered 
into  partnership  with  Sol.  Walters  (now  of  So 
noma  County).  This  partnership  continued 
until  1878,  when  Mr.  Miller  returned  to  Sonoma 
County.  His  residence  is  in  llealdsburg,  but 
lie  has  large  ranch  interests  in  the  county,  be- 
sides being  a  partner  in  the  drug  lirm  of  Mil- 
ler &  Whitney.  He  has  a  ranch  of  sixty  acres 
adjoining  Healdsburg,  of  which  twenty  acres  are 
planted  to  fruit  of  choice  varieties,  the  trees  be- 
ino-  in  tine  condition.  The  oldest  were  set  out 
in  1883,  and  the  remainder  in  1886  and  in 
1887.  Corn,  wheat  and  alfalfa  are  also  raised 
on  this  place.  On  Dry  Creek,  five  miles  from 
Healdsburg,  he  has  another  ranch  of  110  acres, 
all  of  whic)>  is  cultivated  except  sixteen  acres, 
thirty-four  acres  being  in  a  vineyard.  On  the 
coast  he  has  a  stock  and  timber  ranch  of  953 
acres.  He  also  in  partnership  with  Sol.  AYalters 
owns  a  gold  and  silver  mine  at  Silver  City, 
Owyhee  County,  Idaho.  He  is  one  of  the 
directors  of  the  Farmers  and  Mechanics  Bank, 
at  Healdsburg.  Mr.  Miller  was  married  in 
Idaho  November  27,  1878,  to  Miss  Prudie  Hur- 
ley, a  daughter  of  William  S.  and  America 
(Leadle}')  Harley,  the  father  born  in  Maine,  in 
September,  1821,  and  the  mother  in  Ohio  in 
1831.  Mr.  Harley  was  taken  to  Ohio  in  his 
infancy,  and  from  there  to  Mississippi,  where  he 
lived  with  iiis  father's  sister,  Mrs.  Prudence 
Hunt,  until  manhood,  his  uncle,  William  Hunt, 
being  a  wealthy  man.  He  was  married  near 
Peoria,  Illinois,  in  1851,  and  in  1852  moved  to 
Oregon,  and  later  settled  in  Idaho,  where  he 
and  his  wife  still  live.  Their  family  of  ten 
children  arc  all  living,  and  with  the  exception 
of  Mrs.   Miller  and  Mrs.  Sol.  Walters,  live  in 


HISrORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Llalu;.  Tlieir  names  are  as  fullows  —  Mrs. 
Mary  E.  Peyton,  Mrs.  Julia  E.  White,  Mrs. 
Prudie  Miriam  Miller,  Mrs.  Susie  J.  Walters, 
Andrew  J.,  Mrs.  Alice  M.  Sorauiercamp,  Mag- 
gie O.,  William  Lee,  Annie  G.  and  Ida  May. 
In  politics  Mr.  Harley  is  a  Democrat.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Miller  have  four  children:  George T.,  John 
J.,  Prudie  May  and  Cecelia  Marguerite.  In 
politics  Mr.  Miller  is  Republican. 


fOHN  IJAYLER  owns  and  occupies  a  tine 
country  home  and  an  estate  of  eighty  acres 
on  Adams  Lann,  one  and  one-half  miles 
north  of  the  court-house  of  Santa  Rosa.  With 
the  exception  of  a  small  orchai-d  and  vinej'ard, 
he  devotes  his  ranch  to  tlie  raising  of  Norman 
grade  of  horses.  Mr.  Bayler  has  owned  and 
resided  upon  this  property  since  1881.  He  was 
born  in  the  Province  of  Wiirtemberg,  Achstet- 
ten  Ober  xliiet  Laupheim,  Germany,  May  2, 
1835,  and  was  reared  and  educated  in  his  native 
place.  In  1854  in  company  with  his  eldest 
brother,  Alois,  he  emigrated  to  this  great  land 
of  free  men.  He  landed  in  New  York,  then 
proceeded  to  Cincinnati,  and  later  spent  some 
time  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska;  but  in  1858  he 
came  to  California  and  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits  in  Yolo  County.  In  1864  he  came  to 
Sonoma  County  and  went  into  the  redwoods, 
engaging  in  lumbering  and  also  keeping  a  hotel, 
a  business  which  he  followed,  achieving  marked 
success  and  accumulating  wealth,  until  he  estab- 
lished his  present  residence,  as  before  stated,  in 
1881.  February  20,  1870,  Mr.  P>ayler  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Caroline  Bucher, 
who  was  also  a  native  of  the  Province  of  Wiir- 
temberg, born  June  30,  1835.  She  is  the 
mother  of  six  children,  viz.:  Joseph  A.,  John, 
Teresa,  Cresent,  Mary  and  Reinhard.  The 
names  of  the  parents  of  Mr.  Bayler  are  Joseph 
and  Teresa  (Riehsteiner)  Bayler.  Mrs.  Bayler's 
parents  were  Ernest  and  Cresent  (Schroeder) 
Bucher.  Mrs.  Bayler  came  from  (iermany 
alone   to  meet  her  future  -husband.     They  had 


been  reared  in  the  same  district  and  were  ac- 
quainted from  childhood.  Coming  via  the 
Isthmus  route,  she  landed  in  San  Francisco 
February  13,  1870,  just  one  week  before  her 
marriage.  The  family  are  consistent  members  of 
the  Catholic  church. 


-5<-^ 


f  REM  AN  PARKER.— In  the  town  of 
Orange,  AVashingtou  County,  near  Knoxes 
^  Mountain  and  in  view  of  Camel's  Hump, 
Vermont,  Mr.  Parker  was  born  April  5,  1822, 
his  parents  being  E.  P.  and  Laura  (Flanders) 
Parker.  In  1827  he  was  taken  by  his  parents 
to  Washington,  Orange  County,  wliere,  until 
seventeen  years  of  age,  he  attended  the  coninion 
schools  and  diligently  applied  himself  to  his 
studies.  He  then  went  to  Brownington  Acad- 
emy, and  afterward  taught  school  for  a  year. 
After  that  he  entered  Newberry  Seminary  and 
Theological  School,  pursuing  his  studies  here 
with  the  exception  of  the  winter  terms  when 
he  was  engaged  in  teaching.  He  finished  his 
school  education  at  Norwich  Military  Univer- 
sity, but  continued  teaching  seveial  years  longer, 
and  after  retiring  from  that  profession,  turned 
his  attention  to  farming,  lumbering  and  manu- 
facturing starch  from  ])otatoes.  October  14, 
1847,  Mr.  Parker  and  Cynthia  Adaline  Roberts 
were  united  in  marriage  by  Rev.  Ely  Ballon,  of 
Mont))elier,  Vermont.  Mrs.  Parker  was  also  a 
native  of  Vermont,  born  in  Williamstown,  June 
20,  1821.  Their  first  child,  Pitman  Wilder, 
was  born  October  1,  1848.  In  1849,  like  hun- 
dreds of  others,  Mr.  Parker  set  out  for  the  gold 
fields  of  California.  After  a  rough  passage  on 
a  steamship  from  New  York  to  Chagres,  an 
exciting  trip  across  the  Isthmus,  and  a  linger- 
ing delay  in  Panama,  he  obtained  a  passage  on 
the  steamship  Senator  wl  !ch  had  just  rounded 
the  Horn,  Charles  Minturn  being  agent.  Late 
in  October,  1849,  Mr.  Parker  landed  in  San 
Francisco  where  he  found  his  brother  Wilder, 
who  had  come  to  this  State  a  year  previous  and 
was  at  that  time  keeping  a   boarding-liouse  on 


HiarORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Sacramento  street.  Being  affected  with  the 
Panama  fever,  contracted  in  Panama  by  lodging 
in  a  room  with  eighteen  invalids,  Mr.  Parker 
was  unable  to  do  miich,  and  so  remained  in  San 
Francisco  until  February,  1850.  He  then  took 
anotiier  trip  in  the  old  Senator  to  Sacramento, 
tickets  costing  S25.  From  Sacramento  he  went 
to  Marysville  in  a  row  boat,  and  fi'om  there  to 
Long's  Bar  on  the  Yuba  River,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  mining  until  June  with  moderate  suc- 
cess. At  that  time  the  Placer  diggings  seemed 
to  be  exhausted  and  he  returned  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, arriving  there  just  in  time  to  see  the  big 
fire  of  1850,  which  consumed  most  of  the  busi- 
ness part  of  the  cit}'.  July,  August  and  Sep- 
tember were  spent  in  prospecting  on  the  river 
Tuolumne,  but,  being  dissatisfied  with  the  irreg- 
ular returns  of  the  mines,  he  again  went  back 
to  San  Francisco.  In  December,  with  two  part- 
ners, Needham  and  Allen,  Mr.  Parker  located 
on  Hoyo  Ranciio  on  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
Novato  Ranclio,  and  here  they  followed  farming 
and  stock-raising  for  two  years.  At  the  ex- 
piration of  that  time,  December,  1852,  Mr. 
Parker  returned  to  Vermont  for  his  family,  and 
in  June  of  the  following  year  arrived  in  Cali- 
fornia with  his  wife  and  son  Pitman.  During 
the  summer  one  of  his  partners,  John  Allen, 
was  drowned  in  San  Francisco  Bay  by  the  sink- 
ing of  a  boat  which  contained  four  persons. 
Allen,  Knox  and  an  Indian  were  drowned  and 
Wheeler  was  saved.  In  December  1853,  Mr. 
Parker  purchased  his  present  place.  Here  their 
other  children  were  born:  Gelo  Fretnan,  January 
17,  1854;  Alma  P.,  February  14,  1856;  Laura 
Ada,  January  25,  1858,  died  October  6,  1864, 
and  George  W.,  born  July  4,  1860.  There  be- 
ing no  school  near,  Mr.  Parker  educated  his  son 
Pitman  mostly  at  home,  liaving  him  get  and 
recite  his  lessons  aloud  to  him  while'he  was  at- 
tending to  his  milk,  butter  and  cheese.  He 
pursued  the  same  plan  through  all  the  common 
branches  of  study  from  the  spelling  book  to 
geometry.  Mr.  Parker  being  an  advocate  of 
facts  and  practical  education,  he  procured  type 
and  a  printing  press  and  established   a   family 


newspaper,  in  which  all  the  members  of  the 
family  took  an  active  part.  Mr.  Parker  is 
deeply  interested  in  educational  matters,  hav- 
ing been  a  school  trustee  for  many  years.  His 
son  Pitman  was  county  superintendent  of 
schools  in  Alpine  County,  this  State.  He  is 
now  proprietor  of  the  daily  and  weekly  Astorian 
in  Oregon.  His  son  Gelo  is  also  in  Astoria, 
Oregon,  and  is  county  and  city  surveyor.  His 
daughter  Alma  married  Hon.  James  Hynes,  by 
wiiom  she  had  two  children.  After  his  death 
she  man-ied  David  Walls,  at  the  Haystack,  or 
steamboat  landing  near  Petaluma.  George  is 
in  Oregon  engineering  and  speculating.  Mr. 
Parker's  first  wife  died  June  4,  1867.  January 
18,  1879,  he  married  Mrs.  Eliza  Jones,  a  native 
of  Ryegate,  Vermont,  but  after  one  year  they 
agreed  to  separate.  She  has  since  died.  Mr. 
Parker  is  and  has  been  for  many  years  much  iu- 
terested  in  all  true  reforms  that  tend  to  save 
time  and  money  and  elevate  the  people  to  a 
position  of  independence  and  make  them  honest, 
just,  intelligent,  thinking  and  self-reliant.  Lit- 
erature, philosophy,  short-hand  writing,  phonetic 
printing  and  the  spelling  reform  have  received 
his  hearty  support  for  many  years.  He  was 
educated  according  to  the  partial  salvation 
doctrine,  but  by  thinking  he  gi-ew  to  be  a 
Universalist,  and  finally  to  be  a  Freethinker.  He 
now  believes  that  the  more  superstitious  and 
ignorant  we  are  the  less  we  are  fitted  to  take 
care  of  ourselves  and  help  others,  and  on  the 
other  hand  the  more  we  know  the  better  we  are 
prepared  to  meet  and  manage  all  difiiculties. 
Facts  about  this  world  are  important,  but, 
"One  world  at  a  time''  is  his  motto. 


fW.  SYLVESTER,  of  GeyserviUe,  is  one 
of  the  leading  fruit-raisers  of  the 
"^  GeyserviUe  district.  He  has  a  ranch  of 
forty  acres,  which  he  purchased  in  1877,  and  on 
which  he  has  since  made  many  noteworthy  im- 
provements. In  the  winter  of  1881-'82  he  set 
out  two  acres  of  fruit  trees  and  three  acres  of 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


5i:5 


vines.  Two  years  later  lie  planted  twelve  acres 
additional  of  trees  and  four  acres  of  vines.  The 
trees  are  as  follows:  Fonr  hundred  Crawford 
and  Honest  Abe  peaches,  forty  Solway  peaches, 
thirty  Orange  Clings  and  fifty  mixed  early 
peaches;  seventy-five  apples;  100  Bartlett  pear; 
between  400  and  500  trees  divided  between  Coe's 
Golden  Drop  and  Jefierson  ])lums,  and  French 
and  Hungarian  prunes.  The  grapes  are: 
Three  acres  of  Mataro  and  Muscats,  and  the 
rest  Rose  of  Peru  and  Mission.  He  will  graft 
the  latter  two  varieties  to  table  grapes.  The 
peaches  have  been  bearing  since  1886,  and  all 
fruits  are  now  coining  into  fine  bearing  condi- 
tion. He  picked  forty-four  tons  of  peaches  from 
five  acres  in  1888,  and  on  that  acreage  only  450 
trees  were  in  bearing.  He  markets  most  of  his 
fruits  at  Santa  Rosa  canneries,  the  remainder 
being  sold  in  the  local  market.  Mr.  Sylvester 
has  received  $2.0  per  ton  at  Santa  Rosa  for  his 
Muscat  grapes.  The  remainder  of  the  place  is 
devoted  to  vegetables,  alfalfa,  etc.  D.  W.  Syl- 
vester is  a  native  of  Piscataquis  County,  Maine, 
born  at  Dover,  January  11,  1831,  his  parents 
being  Noyes  and  Elizabeth  (Wright)  Sylvester, 
both  natives  of  Maine.  The  father  was  a  mill- 
wright. D.  W.  Sylvester  was  reared  at  Dover, 
and  resided  there  until  he  reached  the  age  of 
twenty-four  years,  with  the  exception  of  a  year 
spent  in  Massachusetts.  He  learned  the  woolen- 
making  business  and  worked  at  Dexter  six 
years,  and  also  at  Dover.  In  1855  he  came  to 
California,  sailing  from  New  York  October  20, 
on  the  steamer  Empire  City  as  far  as  Aspin- 
wall.  He  crossed  the  Isthmus  and  at  Panama 
took  the  John  L.  Stephe?is,  on  which  he  arrived 
at  San  Francisco  October  14,  1855.  One  week 
later  he  went  to  Knight's  Ferry,  Stanislaus 
County,  where  he  remained  nearly  two  years, 
following  mining  and  also  teaching  one  term  of 
school.  He  then  went  to  Butte  County,  and 
was  at  Oroville  and  in  its  vicinity  for  two  years 
and  three  months,  spending  the  summer,  how- 
ever, in  Plumas  County,  mining  for  the  most 
part,  but  one  season  engaged  in  logging.  He 
then  returned  to  Kniglit's  Ferry,  and    there  re- 


mained until  1868,  mining  and  ditching,  and 
for  the  last  tijree  years  of  that  period  was  en- 
gaged in  merchandising  with  a  partner,  C.  S.  S. 
Hill.  He  removed  in  1868  to  San  Francisco, 
and  after  a  little  over  a  year  spent  in  business 
there,  he  went  to  San  Mateo  County,  where  with 
lieadquarters  at  Woodside,  he  was  engaged  in 
the  redwoods,  getting  out  cordwood,  lumber, 
etc.,  for  the  San  Francisco  market.  He  was  so 
occupied  until  coming  to  his  present  residence, 
with  the  exception  of  a  brief  period  spent  on  a 
farm  in  San  Mateo  County.  Mr.  Sylvester 
was  married  in  San  Francisco  to  Miss  Augusta 
P.  Chapin,  a  native  of  Newport,  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  daughter  of  Moses  and  Lydia  (Hard) 
Chapin.  She  was  reared  in  Massachusetts  from 
an  early  ai^e,  and  came  to  California  (her 
parents  being  deceased)  in  June,  1862.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Sylvester  have  three  children,  viz.: 
Chester  Wright,  Daniel  Hurd  and  Albert  Hale. 
Politically  Mr.  Sylvester  is  a  Republican,  with 
Prohibition  proclivities.  Mrs.  Sylvester  comes 
of  an  old  New  England  family.  Her  mother 
was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  of  English  ances- 
try. When  Mrs.  Sylvester  was  but  three  years 
of  age  her  parents  removed  to  Irving,  Massa- 
chusetts, fifty  miles  west  of  Boston.  Her 
parents  both  died  there,  and  are  buried  at 
Northfield,  near  Irving,  the  father  dying  in  the 
spring  of  1861,  and  the  mother  in  1836. 


§W.  C.  PUTNAM.— First  impressions 
are  nearly  always  the  strongest,  and  in  a 
*  majority  of  instances  they  will  generally 
be  found  the  nearest  correct.  If  a  newcomer  to 
a  town  finds  the  people  live,  energetic  and  ''go 
ahead,"  while  the  streets  present  a  scene  of  busy 
activity,  he- cannot  but  form  a  good  opinion. 
Petaluma  is  one  of  the  towns  where  one  gets 
such  a  good  impression.  Among  her  leading 
citizens  is  Mr.  D.  W.  C.  Putnam,  proprietor  of 
the  carriage  and  wagon  manufactory,  located  oi. 
the  corner  of  Western  avenue  and  Keller  street, 
i'etaluma.      Mr.  Putnam  was  born  at   Palmyra, 


UISTOUY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


New  York,  in  1830.  He  removed  t'roin  there 
ill  1852  to  Illinois,  making  that  State  his  home 
until  he  decided  in  1802  to  come  to  California. 
In  the  fall  of  1862  he  reached  San  Francisco 
a'ter  an  uneventful  journey  across  the  plains. 
He  set  out  on  a  tour  of  inspection  of  the  various 
poitions  of  the  State  in  tiie  vicinity  of  the  bay 
and  arrived  at  Petalunia  on  a  Friday  evening. 
The  town  presented  such  a  busy  appearance  and 
there  was  so  much  life  and  activity  manifested 
that  Mr.  Putnam  determined  at  ouce  to  make 
this  place  his  home — a  decision  wliich,  as  he 
says,  lie  has  never  had  occasion  to  regret.  Mr. 
Putnam  learned  the  business  of  carriage-making 
in  all  its  branches  at  Palmyra,  his  old  home, 
and  has  followed  it  up  ever  since.  His  estab- 
lishment in  Petaluma  is  an  extensive  one,  includ- 
ing not  alone  the  making,  but  also  the  repairing, 
painting,  blacksinithing  and  other  shops.  Mr. 
Putnam  is  not  alone  a  workman  and  manufac- 
turer, however.  He  is  an  inventor  of  wholly 
original  designs,  which  promise  to  make  him  a 
wealthy  man.  His  roadcart,  of  which  a  descrip- 
tion is  here  given,  has  received  a  great  deal  of 
attention,  and  the  cart  is  coming  into  general 
and  popular  use.  It  was  patented  on  Septem- 
ber 14,  1880.  Although  it  was  originally 
designed  and  made  for  a  breaking  cart,  it 
almost  immediately  found  favor  as  a  general 
business  vehicle  for  all  purposes  where  a  light 
rig  was  wanted  for  driving,  etc.  Foi"  farm 
purposes  and  for  children  attending  school  at  a 
distance,  physicians,  commercial  travelers,  mail 
carriers,  overseers  of  ranches,  sugar  plantations, 
sheep  herding,  stock  men,  livery  stables,  etc., 
and  indeed  for  almost  any  and  all  purposes 
where  cheapness,  convenience  and  durability  are 
concerned,  this  vehicle  cannot  be  surpassed.  It 
is  light,  weighing  only  200  pounds;  it  is  easy 
on  the  horse,  and  with  the  patent  foot-board 
very  easy  riding,  taking  the  place  of  the  buggy 
and  saddle  horse,  while  the  price  is  so  low  as  to 
place  it  within  the  reach  of  all,  made  either  with 
pole  or  shafts,  or  both.  He  is  receiving  orders 
for  this  veliicle  from  all  over  California,  as  well 
as    Nevada,    Oregon.    Sandwich    Islands,    New 


Zealand,  Australia  and  New  Mexico,  the  Cana- 
dian northwest  and  Manitoba.  Mr.  Putnam  is 
a  Republican  of  life-long  standing  and  has  been 
a  foreuiusl  standard  bearer  in  this  part  of  the 
State.  He  i.s  a  prominent  member  of  the  Con- 
gregational church  of  Petaluma,  and  a  worker 
in  all  matters  of  public  and  general  benefit.  He 
is  a  whole-souled  gentleman,  popular  with  a]l, 
and  is  considered  a  representative  and  leading 
citizen  of  Petaluma.  His  family  consists  of 
his  wife  and  four  sons.  Of  these  the  eldest  is 
in  business  with  his  father.  They  are  "chips 
from  the  old  block,"  take  an  active  part  in  the 
practical  work  of  the  Rejiublican  clubs,  and 
promise  to  become,  like  their  father,  honored 
and  valuable  members  of  the  community.  Mrs. 
Putnam's  maiden  name  was  Rebecca  Ann  Town- 
send,  and  they  were  married  October  27,  1859, 
and  she  is  a  native  of  Maryland.  The  boys  are 
named  Charles  Stephen,  who  assists  his  father; 
George  Clinton,  Frank  Townsend  and  Jay 
Rodney.  The  three  younger  are  all  at  home, 
and  the  two  younger  are  attending  school. 


fRANK  C.  LOOMIS,  dry  goods  and  cloth- 
ing merchant,  member  of  the  firm  of 
^  Brooks  &  Loomis,  605  Fourth  street, 
Santa  Rosa,  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  in  the 
city  of  Galesburg,  from  whence  he  came  with 
his  parents  to  California  in  1858,  then  a  boy 
six  years  of  age.  They  settled  in  Santa  Bar- 
bara when  there  were  but  three  American  fam- 
ilies in  that  place,  and  Mr.  Loomis'  widowed 
mother  and  several  children  still  reside  there. 
He  started  in  to  learn  the  dry  goods  business  at 
the  age  of  seventeen,  and  has  been  steadily  en- 
gaged in  that  branch  of  mercantile  life  for  nine- 
teen years.  In  the  year  1877  he  came  to 
Santa  Rosa  and  entered  the  employ  of  D.  N. 
Carithers  &  Co.,  and  occupied  the  position  of 
foreman  of  that  dry  goods  house  for  eleven 
years,  up  to  January  1,  1888,  when  he  formed 
the  copartnership  with  Elraont  Brooks  and 
opened  their  store  at  the  above  number.     Their 


UISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


stock  comprises  dry  goods,  clotliing,  furnishing 
goods,  hats  and  boots  and  shoes,  of  which  they 
keep  a  well  selected  assortment  in  every  depart- 
ment. The  superior  quality  of  their  goods, 
their  reasonable  prices  and  honorable  method  of 
dealing  have  created  confidence  in  the  minds  of 
the  people  generally,  and  their  business  has 
been  prosperous  from  the  start.  Situated  as 
this  popular  Urm  is,  in  the  beautiful,  growing 
capital  city  of  this  great  county  of  Sonoma — 
the  garden  of  America — with  its  marvelous  pro- 
ductiveness and  rapidly'  developing  resources, 
there  are  few  mercantile  houses  in  the  State 
that  have  so  promising  a  future.  Mr.  Loomis 
is  a  member  of  the  order  of  tlie  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons,  and  of  the  Knights  Templar 
local  commandery.  He  was  united  in  wedlock 
with  Miss  Rose  Green  in  January,  1884.  Mrs. 
Loomis  was  born  in  Canada.  Sherman  Loomis, 
the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  a 
native  of  Wilkes  Barre,  Pennsylvania.  The  old 
gentleman  died  in  Santa  Barliara  County  in 
June,  1886. 

fEOKGE  E.  JEWETT  was  born  in  Mentor, 
Lake  County,  Ohio,  February  15,  1820. 
His  father,  David  Jewett,  was  a  native  of 
New  Hampshire,  who  located  in  Ohio  in  1818. 
His  mother,  Mary  (Bosteder)  Jewett,  was  born 
in  New  Jersey,  her  parents  being  of  French  de- 
scent. In  1834  his  father  removed  to  LaGrange 
County,  Indiana,  where  he  resided  until  1838. 
He  then  moved  to  Henry  County,  Iowa,  and  in 
1843  went  to  Marion  C'ounty  in  that  State, 
where  he  took  up  government  land  and  engaged 
in  farming  and  stock-raising.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  reared  in  pioneer  settlements, 
and  early  became  inured  to  the  hard  labor  and 
privations  attending  pioneer  life.  He  was  nat- 
urally a  mechanic  and  soon  became  a  skilled 
wagon  maker  and  carpenter.  His  educational 
facilities  were  limited  to  the  common  schools, 
but  with  characteristic  energy  and  ambition  he 
schooled  and  educated   himself  with  the  aid  of 


such  books  as  he  could  procure.  In  1847  he" 
entered  the  office  of  R.  Matthews,  M.  D.,  as  a 
medical  student,  which  he  left  in  1849.  In 
1849,  when  the  gold  fever  swept  over  the  land, 
Mr.  Jevvett's  pioneer  instinct  and  desire  to"  im- 
prove his  condition,  led  him  to  seek  the  new 
El  Dorado,  and  in  the  spring  of  that  year  he 
started  across  the  plains  for  California.  His 
employment  upon  this  trip  was  driving  the 
typical  ox  team.  He  was  a  good  shot  and 
skilled  hunter,  and  consequently  was  often  em- 
ployed as  the  hunter  for  his  party.  After  the 
long  and  tedious  journey  across  the  plains  was 
accomplished  his  party  arrived  in  Sacramento 
October  5,  1849.  Upon  their  arrival  Mr. 
Jewett  left  the  party  and  located  in  Plumas 
County,  where  he  engaged  in  mining  until  late 
in  the  fall.  He  then  located  in  Tuolumne 
County,  where  he  pursued  the  same  occupation. 
For  the  next  two  years  Mr.  Jewett  was  engaged 
in  various  mining  enterprises.  His  success 
was  such  as  always  attends  that  precarious  call- 
ing— one  day  witli  riches  in  prospect  and  the 
next  day  seeking  new  fields  because  the  previ- 
ous prospects  had  vanished.  During  this  time 
he  also  engaged  in  trading  in  stock  and  mining 
supplies,  and  in  freighting  stores,  etc.,  to  the 
mines.  He  was  fairly  successful  in  these  en- 
terprises, and  in  1860,  lured  by  the  exaggerated 
stories  of  the  riches  of  the  Washoe  jnines  in 
Nevada,  he  proceeded  to  that  place,  and  there 
engaged  in  his  old  calling  as  a  miner.  This 
venture  was  unfortunate  and  not  meeting  with 
anything  but  losses  in  his  enterprise  he  deter- 
mined to  abandon  mining  and  seek  some  more 
congenial  and  surer  road  to  wealth.  In  that 
same  year,  1860,  Mr.  Jewett  came  to  Sonoma 
County  and  located  at  Stony  Point,  where  he 
engaged  in  farm  labor,  and  afterward  worked  at 
his  trade  as  a  wagon  maker  for  Mr.  Windom. 
He  worked  at  his  trade  until  1864,  when  he  en- 
tered into  farming  and  dairy  operations  near 
I^etaluma.  This  business  he  successfully  con- 
ducted for  many  years,  or  until  1881.  In  that 
year  he  located  in  Green  Valley,  Analy  Town- 
ship, where  he  purchased   eighty-nine  acres  of 


516 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


fine  fruit  land  at  Forestville,  upon  which  he 
took  up  his  residence  and  engaged  in  agricult- 
ural and  horticultural  pursuits.  This  land  was 
almost  entirely  unimproved  at  that  time,  but 
Mr.  Jewett  entered  heartily  into  fruit  and  vine 
cultivation,  in  addition  to  his  general  farming, 
until  now  (1888)  he  has  as  fine  an  orchard  and 
vineyard  as  there  is  in  his  section  of  the  valley. 
His  vineyard  consists  of  twenty-four  acres  of 
wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel  variety,  and  a 
family  vineyard  of  table  grapes  containing  the 
most  approved  varieties  grown.  He  has  a  fine 
orchard  of  eight  acres,  containing  apples, 
peaches,  pears,  apricots,  French  prunes,  necta- 
rines, plums,  cherries,  etc.  Both  the  orchard 
and  vineyard  show  the  intelligent  care  and  at- 
tention bestowed  upon  their  cultivation,  and 
Mr.  Jewett  is  well  paid  for  his  trouble,  for  they 
are  very  productive  in  yield.  The  rest  of  his 
land  is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and  stock.  Of  the 
latter  he  takes  a  just  pride  in  some  fine  speci- 
mens of  horses  of  the  Norman  breed,  and  also 
cattle,  which  are  improved  by  Ayrshire  and 
Durham  stock.  In  his  farming  and  fruit  culti- 
vation Mr.  Jewett  is  guided  by  the  same  sound 
reasoning  and  business  principles  that  have 
served  him  so  well  in  other  enterprises.  He  is 
a  firm  believer  in  the  future  prospects  of  his 
section  of  the  county,  and  is  justly  proud  of  the 
success  that  Green  Valley  has  attained  in 
orchard  and  vineyard  products.  An  energetic 
and  progressive  citizen,  he  is  always  ready  to 
aid  any  enterprise  that  will  promote  the  inter- 
ests and  welfare  of  tlie  community  in  which  he 
resides.  He  is  a  strong  supporter  of  schools 
and  churches,  and  has  long  been  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  has  served 
for  about  twelve  years  as  a  school  trustee.  In 
politics,  he  is  a  life-long  Democrat,  but  is  lib- 
eral and  conservative  in  his  views,  always  sup- 
porting the  best  elements  in  his  party.  Mr. 
Jewett  is  also  prominent  in  the  following  orders 
with  which  he  has  been  associated  for  many 
years:  Lafayette  Lodge,  No.  126,  A.  F.  &  A. 
M.,  of  Sebastopol ;  Forestville  Lodge,  No.  320, 
I.  O.  ().  F.  (a  charter  member),  and   Fern  Leaf 


Rebecca  Degree  Lodge,  No.  IIG,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of 
Forestville.  In  1862  Mr.  Jewett  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Mary  A.  Dahlman,  a  native 
of  Germany.  From  this  marriage  there  are 
eight  children  living,  viz.:  David  L.,  Eunice 
May,  Einina  Louisa,  Frank  W.,  John  Egbert, 
Robert  Enoch  Lee,  Ida  J.,  and  Carl  J.  David 
is  now  (1888)  residiinng  Iowa.  Eunice  May 
married  John  H.  Lawrence  and  resides  in  Santa 
Rosa.  The  other  children  are  residing  with 
their  parents.  The  first  child,  Alice  J.,  who 
married  John  Blake,  died  in  Bloomtield,  in 
1888,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  years.  The 
third  child,  Lydia  Augusta,  died  in  1887,  at  the 
age  of  twenty  years. 


tDRAYEUR  &  BRO.  are  the  proprietors 
of  the  "Two  Brothers"  Wine  Store 
,,-  "  Vaults,  of  Healdsbiirg.  The  business 
was  established  in  1884,  at  which  time  a  build- 
ing was  erected,  and  the  first  vintage  was  turned 
out  in  that  year.  In  1885  a  larger  building, 
45  X  75  feet,  was  erected  and  they  now  have 
twenty-five  storage  tanks  of  1,500  gallons  each. 
Under  the  residence  of  N.  C.  Drayeur  is  another 
storage  cellar  of  35,000  gallons  capacity.  About 
20,000  gallons  are  usually  kept  for  aging.  They 
find  a  market  for  all  the  product  of  the  winery 
in  St.  Louis  and  throughout  the  East.  Great 
care  is  used  in  the  selection  of  grapes  and  in 
every  process  of  manufacture,  and  the  result  is 
a  high  standard  of  wine.  Their  vintage  took 
the  premium  for  Sonoma  County  wines  at  the 
Piatt's  Hall  Exhibit  of  the  State  Viticultural 
Society,  a  result  highly  complimentary  to  the 
Messrs.  Drayeur.  Auguste  and  N.  C.  Drayeur 
were  born  in  Department  of  Loraine,  France, 
their  parents  being  John  Baptiste  and  Catherine 
(Thuret)  Drayeur.  Their  paternal  grandfather, 
a  soldier  under  Napoleon  I.,  was  mayor  of  the 
town  of  Emling.  Their  grandfather  on  the 
mother's  side  was  a  wine  merchant.  The  father 
of  the  Drayeur  brothers  died  in  France,  and  in 
1846  the  family  emigrated  to  America,  locating 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


in  New  York  City,  and  later  moving  to  Newark, 
New  Jersey.  Auguste  Dnij-enr  was  born  Octo- 
ber 11,  1841,  and  was  but  a  child  when  the 
family  came  to  this  country,  and  was  mostly 
reared  in  New  York.  On  New  Year's  day, 
1860,  he  took  passage  on  the  steamer  Washing- 
ton, bound  for  California,  and  after  a  voyage 
around  Cape  Horn,  landed  at  San  Francisco 
July  2,  1860.  He  became  connected  with  the 
Miners'  Restaurant,  and  was  employed  there  for 
fifteen  years,  after  which,  as  its  owner,  he  car- 
ried on  the  business  for  himself  for  ten  years. 
In  April,  1887,  he  came  to  Healdsburg.  He 
was  married  in  San  Francisco  to  Sophia  Koliler, 
a  native  of  Paris,  France.  They  have  one  child, 
a  son.  Constant.  N.  C.  Dj-ayenr,  the  junior 
member  of  the  firm,  was  born  December  25, 
1844.  He  was  also  reared  in  New  Jersey.  In 
1859  he  came  to  California  via  Panama,  arriv- 
ing in  San  Francisco  in  the  latter  part  of  Octo- 
ber. He  first  devoted  his  time  to  blacksmithing, 
and  afterward  to  the  liquor  trade,  which  en- 
grossed his  attention  until  coming  to  Healdsburg 
in  July,  1882.  He  was  married  in  San  Francisco 
to  Georgiana  Bernabe,  a  native  of  New  York 
City.  They  have  three  children:  August  C, 
George  N.,  and  Melina.  Mr.  Drayeur  is  a 
member  of  the  local  lodge,  A.  O.  U.  W.  The 
Drayeur  brothers  are  enterprising  men,  who 
iiave  done  their  share,  since  coming  here,  in 
developing  the  chief  industry  of  Sonoma  County. 

— '^■m-'^ — 


tOBERT  HALL.— Among  the  most  suc- 
cessful horticultural  and  viticultural  enter- 
prises in  Sonoma  Valley  is  that  of  the 
above  named  gentleman.  His  energetic  and  in- 
telligent prosecution  of  this  industry  combined 
with  the  sound  business  principles  with  yvhich  all 
his  afi'airs  are  conducted  has  ])roduced  wonderful 
results,  and  shown  what  the  soil  and  climate  of 
this  productive  and  beautiful  valley  is  capable 
of  when  properly  developed.  Mr.  Hall  first 
devoted  his  attention  to  agricultuial  pursuits 
in  1872,  when,  in  connection  with  his  partner, 


Robert  Howe  (firm  of  Howe  &  Hall  of  San 
Francisco),  he  purchased  100  acres  of  land  in 
Sonoma  Valley  about  two  miles  south  of  So- 
noma. From  the  .date  of  this  purchase  they 
devoted  time  and  money  to  developing  the  full 
resources  of  the  soil,  at  the  same  time  increas- 
ing their  possessions  by  the  purchase  of  adjacent 
lands,  until  their  holdings  comprised  390  acres. 
In  1885  a  division  was  made  of  the  lands,  and 
Mr.  Hall  is  now  the  owner  of  186  acres  lying 
on  the  east  and  west  banks  of  Sonoma  Creek, 
at  the  foot  of  Broadway  avenue.  Ninety  acres 
are  in  orchard,  the  varied  productions  of  which 
are  best  shown  by  a  brief  review  of  the  princi- 
pal fruits.  Peaches  are  a  specialty,  there  being 
2,350  trees  of  early  and  late  Crawfords  and  1,200 
Orange  clings.  Of  Royal  apricots  he  has  1,190 
trees;  Bartlett  pears,  1,000  trees;  Beurre  Clargo 
pears,  200;  quince  trees,  200;  plum,  646; 
cherries,  852.  The  rest  of  this  magnificent 
orchard  contains  a  variety  of  nearly  all  fruits 
capable  of  profitable  cultivation  in  the  valley, 
including  apples,  prunes,  nectarines,  figs,  al- 
monds, walnuts,  etc.  Ilis  success  in  vine  grow- 
ing is  also  worthy  of  notice.  His  vineyards 
comprise  fifty-six  acres,  fifty-one  acres  of 
which  are  devoted  to  wine  grapes  of  the 
Zinfandel  and  Mataro  varieties,  while  five 
acres  are  producing  table  grapes  of  the  most 
approved  and  productive  varieties.  In  his  vine- 
yard he  has  proved  as  successful  as  in  his 
orchard.  An  intelligent  mode  of  pruning, 
combined  with  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  has 
rendered  his  vineyards  highly  productive  and 
placed  them  in  the  ranks  of  the  model  vineyards 
of  the  valley.  Tlie  Santa  Rosa  and  Carquinez 
Railroad  passes  through  the  center  of  his  vine- 
yard on  the  west  side  of  Sonoma  Creek;  here  is 
a  side  track  to  load  cars  for  eastern  shipment, 
or  San  Francisco  market.  The  rest  of  Mr. 
Hall's  land  is  producing  hay  and  grain  for 
which  the  rich  deep  soil  is  well  adapted.  It  is 
worthy  of  note  that  twenty  acres  of  this  land 
yielded  ninet}'  tons  of  first  class  hay  in  1888. 
The  improvements  upon  this  fine  farm  have  all 
been   made  by  the  present  owner,  and  are  sub- 


UI^TORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


stantial  and  well  ordered  in  every  respect.  His 
tine  two-story  residence,  surrounded  by  beautiful 
shade  trees,  flowers,  hedges  and  green  lawns, 
makes  one  of  the  most  attractive  places  in  his 
section.  Large  barns  and  commodious  out- 
buildings attest  the  success  that  is  attending 
his  enterprise.  Mr.  Hall  is  a  self-made  and 
successful  man.  A  brief  review  of  his  life  is 
of  interest,  and  is  as  follows:  He  was  born  in 
Brookline,  Massachusestts,  in  1841,  in  which 
place  he  was  reared  and  received  the  advantages 
of  a  fair  schooling.  His  father,  Edward  Hall, 
a  native  of  Massacusetts,  was  a  descendant  of 
an  old  colonial  family.  He  was  a  manufact- 
urer engaged  in  business  in  Boston,  and  liis 
death  occurred  when  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  but  five  years  of  age.  His  mother,  Sai-ah 
(Stone)  Hall,  was  also  a  native  of  Massachusetts. 
In  early  life  Mr.  Hall  engaged  in  commercial 
pursuits  as  a  clerk  in  business  houses  in  Brock- 
ton, Massachusetts,  then  five  years  in  Burling- 
ton, Iowa,  where  he  remained  until  1863.  In 
that  year  he  came  to  California,  and  soon  after 
his  arrival  in  San  Francisci>,  secured  a  position 
as  bookkeeper  in  the  commission  house  of  J. 
W.  Gale  &  Co.  His  strict  attention  to  his 
duties  and  well  proved  capability  rapidly  gained 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  employers, 
and  in  1869  when  Mr.  Gale  retired  from  the 
business,  Mr.  Hall  purchased  his  interest  and 
entered  into  partnership  with  Mr.  Robert  Howe, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Howe  &  Hall.  The 
commission  business  thus  established  soon 
ranked  as  one  of  the  leading  houses  in  the  city, 
and  was  successfully  conducted  until  1882  when 
the  business  was  sold  out,  and  the  partnership 
dissolved.  The  next  year,  1883,  Mr.  Hall  took 
up  his  present  residence  in  Sonoma  Valley, 
since  which  time  he  has  devoted  his  attention 
principally  to  horticultural  and  viticultural  pur- 
suits. Mr.  Hall  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  future 
growth  and  prosperity  of  Sonoma  Valley,  and  is 
an  energetic  and  progressive  citizen.  His  well 
directed  efforts  have  done  much  in  showing  to 
the  world  the  productions  which  this  soil  and 
climate  are  capalde  of  producing.      He  is  a  de- 


sirable acquisition  to  any  community  and  his 
consistent  mode  of  life  and  straight  forward  deal- 
ing have  gained  him  the  respect  and  esteem  of 
his  associates.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity  and  associated  with  California  Lodge, 
No.  1,  and  Royal  Arch  Chapter,  No.  5,  of  San 
Francisco.  In  political  matters  he  is  a  staunch 
Republican. 

— ?^€ii"@?^*'¥ — 

fOHN  A.  McNEAR.— In  gathering  the 
personal  records  of  the  inhabitants  of  Cali- 
fornia, one  is  especially  struck  by  the  un- 
usually large  proportion  of  men  who,  by  their 
native  force  of  genius  and  their  indefatigable 
energy,  have  built  up  an  honorable  success  from 
small  beginnings,  and  in  many  instances  none 
at  all.  It  is  with  no  apology  that  the  name  of 
John  A.  McNear,  who  is  justly  considered  as 
the  representative  man  ot  Petaluma,  is  pre- 
sented as  an  illustration  of  this  fact.  In  one 
sense  indeed  it  may  be  almost  said  that  Peta- 
luma itself  stands  as  a  monument  to  his  un- 
wearying industry  and  shrewd  business  foresight, 
as  he,  more  than  any  other  man,  has  had  to  do 
with  the  progress  and  advancement,  in  a  busi- 
ness sense,  of  the  place.  He  was  born  on  the 
23d  of  December,  1882,  in  the  town  of  Wis- 
casset,  Lincoln  County,  Maine,  being  now  just 
fifty-six  years  of  age,  still  in  the  prime  of  life,  and 
health,  and  meeting  acquaintances  or  strangers 
with  the  hearty  bonhomie  so  characteristic 
of  the  successful  man  of  ati'airs.  He  comes  of 
an  old  Scotch  family,  which  came  to  America 
seven  generations  ago,  many  of  them  being  old 
sea  captains.  He  was  reared  on  the  rugged 
shores  of  his  native  State,  the  nurse  of  seamen, 
Maine,  and  hence  it  is  no  wonder  that  he  turned 
his  attention  to  old  ocean.  At  first  he  took  fre- 
quent trips  with  his  father,  picking  up  as  he 
went  a  store  of  nautical  information  that  was 
later  to  be  used  by  himself.  In  the  spring  of 
1852,  when  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  shipped 
before  the  mast  on  the  new  ship  Caj>e  Cod, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Hopkins,    Sears 


UlSTOltY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


mate,  ou  a  voyage  from  Boston  to  St.  John's, 
New  Brunswick,  thence  to  Liverpool,  and  re- 
turning to  New  York  in  tiie  fall.  On  this  voy- 
age, although  but  a  common  sailor,  he  embraced 
every  opportunity  to  perfect  and  put  in  practice 
his  knowledge  of  navigation  and  seamanship, 
taking  two  altitudes  of  the  su:i,  when  off  duty, 
to  correct  the  time,  not  being  able  to  take  the  one 
observation  at  midday  and  also  lunar  observa- 
tioii.s  at  night,  and  working  out  the  ship's  posi- 
tion without  a  chronometer  or  chart.  The 
officers  of  a  ship  take  the  sun  at  noon  when 
passing  tlie  meridian  for  latitude,  and  depend 
on  their  chronometer  and  "dead  reckoning" 
for  longitude.  On  his  return  home  he  com 
pleted  his  ediu-ation  by  a  course  of  study  at 
Pittston  Academy,  where  he  graduated  in  1853. 
lie  then,  although  but  twenty  years  of  age, 
accepted  the  position  of  master  of  the  brig 
Tiberius.  He  made  but  one  voyage  in  her, 
selling  both  vessel  and  cargo  with  such  satis- 
faction and  proiit  to  the  owners  that  they  gave 
him  the  command  of  the  square-rigged  schooner 
Coriiit]iian,\\\\ni\i  he  soon  exchanged  for  the 
Jasper,  and  engaged  in  trading  along  the  east- 
ern coast  from  Maine  to  New  York.  In  the 
fall  he  went  South  in  the  new  ship  Tlialata, 
Captain  Batchelder,  from  Bath  to  New  Orleans. 
This  trip  came  near  ending  his  sea  life,  as  the 
ship  went  ashore  and  he  was  in  an  open  boat 
with  the  captain  and  three  men  all  day,  liable 
to  be  swamped  in  the  breakers  at  any  time.  He 
then  engaged  in  sailing  a  vessel  from  New 
Orleans  to  Pascagoula,  Mobile  and  other  Gulf 
jKjrts.  This  he  continued  until  1854,  when  he 
purchased  a  one-third  interest  iu  the  large 
steam  saw-milling  business  of  Messrs.  Plum- 
mer,  Williams  &  Co.,  of  Pascagoula,  Missis- 
sippi. This  ho  continued  until  in  the  fall  ot 
185(5  lie  determined  to  come  to  California.  At 
this  time  happened  what  may  be  termed  a 
providential  occurrence.  Before  starting  for 
California  he  wislied  to  return  home  to  Maine. 
At  Mobile  he  was  offered  a  free  passage  by  sea 
on  a  vessel  ready  to  sail  for  Boston,  but  after 
putting  all  his  household  effects  on  the  vessel. 


as  he  preferred  that  mode  of  trnveling,  he  sud- 
deidy  altered  his  determination  and  took  stage 
for  Montgomei-y,  and  thence  liy  rail  at  an 
e.\tra  expense  of  over  §70.  A  storm  ibliowed 
and  the  vessel  was  never  heard  from  again.  He 
took  passage  in  the  steamer  Illinois  to  Aspin- 
wall,  touching  at  Kingston,  Jamaica,  on  the 
way.  Crossing  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  he 
took  passage  on  the  old  Sonora  for  San  Fran- 
cisco, where  he  arrived  November  3,  1S56. 
He  came  directly  to  Petalnma,  reaching  here 
on  November  6,  and  immediately  interested 
himself  in  business,  with  a  cash  capital  of 
$3,000,  dealing  in  real  estate,  loaning  money, 
etc.  In  1857  he  bought  the  Washington  livery 
stable  piroperty  iu  partnership  with  Mr.  P.  E. 
Weeks,  to  whom  he  sold  out  January  9,  18G0. 
In  1859  he  erected  the  warehouses  which  stood 
near  the  ])resent  site  of  the  woolen  mills  iu 
East  Petalnma.  Here  he  did  a  general  ware- 
house and  shipping  business,  in  all  of  which  he 
prospered  well.  During  the  fill!  of  1800  his 
brother,  George  AV.  McNear,  came  from  the 
East  and  at  once  entered  into  partnership  with 
John  A.  In  the  spring  George  W.  went  to 
San  Francisco,  where  he  has  since  resided,  and 
took  charge  of  the  large  business  interests  of 
the  firm  at  that  center  of  the  foreign  sliipping 
trade.  From  1862  to  1865  they  carried  on  an 
extensive  business,  dealing  in  hardware  and 
machinery,  in  connection  with  their  warehout-e 
and  grain  interests.  In  the  latter  year,  how- 
ever, they  disposed  of  the  hardware  business 
and  confined  tiieir  energies  to  the  grain  and 
shipping  until  August,  1874:,  when  the  lirm 
was  dissolved,  G.  W.  taking  the  San  Francisco 
business  and  J.  A.,  the  Petaluma.  In  the  fall 
of  1864  they  erected  the  tine  large  lire-proof 
brick  warehouse,  at  that  time  the  largest  in  the 
State,  now  standing  in  East  Petaluma,  and 
which  attracts  the  eye  of  the  visitor  by  its 
large  and  solid  proportions.  During  the  year 
1865  they  built  the  handsome  and  commodious 
fast  passenger  steamer,  Josie  MeNear,  expressly 
for  the  Petaluma  trade.  The  putting  lier  on 
this  line  had  the  immediate  effect  of  materially 


UISTOliY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


lowering  the  prices  uf  freight  and  passenger 
rates,  from  $2.50  to  §0.50,  proving  a  boon  in 
this  way  to  the  people  t>f  Sonoma  County.  The 
marks  of  Mr.  McNear's  energy  are  visible  in 
every  part  of  Petaluma  and  vicinity.  He  is 
the  largest  owner  of  property  in  the  town,  and 
at  the  same  time  the  most  progressive.  Had 
others  been  as  enterprising  as  he,  and  spent 
their  money  as  freely  as  he  has  done,  Petaluma 
would  be  a  different  place  and  larger.  Merely 
to  give  a  list  of  the  companies  in  which  he  is 
interested  and  the  improvements  he  has  made 
will  occupy  a  large  space,  and  it  will  be  noticed 
that  almost  every  thing  he  has  undertaken  has 
looked  toward  the  public  benefit  rather  than  to 
private  gain.  He  was  the  organizer  of  the  So- 
noma County  Water  Works,  the  Sonoma  County 
Bank,  the  strongest  financial  institution  of  the 
city,  and  the  builder  and  designer  of  many  of 
the  finest  business  blocks  in  Petaluma.  The 
Bank  of  Sonoma  County,  the  American  Stable, 
the  McNear  stores,  said  to  be  the  finest  and 
most  substantial  in  the  county,  the  architecture 
of  which  is  equal  to  any  in  the  State,  are  among 
the  number.  Other  improvements  are  also 
largely  his,  such  as  the  paving  of  business 
parts,  making  Petaluma  the  best  paved  town 
of  its  size  in  California.  Perhaps  the  work 
best  known  and  for  which  he  is  held  in  niost 
grateful  esteem  is  the  Cypress  Hill  Cemetery  in 
the  outskirts.  It  has  a  sight  unequaled  for 
its  purpose,  is  magnificently  laid  out  and 
planted  with  trees  and  shrubbery,  and  alto- 
gether is  on  a  scale  which  makes  it  superior  to 
any  private  or  public  enterprise  of  a  similar 
character  in  the  State.  A  description  of  this 
and  others  of  his  undertakings  of  a  public  nature 
will  be  found  on  another  page.  But  this  article 
would  be  incomplete  were  there  not  included  a 
description  of  his  residence,  erected  in  1867, 
situated  on  Fourth  street,  in  the  best  quarter  of 
the  city.  It  occupies  almost  a  complete  cit}' 
block,  and  at  once  attracts  attention  not  less  by 
the  beauty  of  its  grounds  and  surroundings 
than  by  its  handsome  and  substantial  appear- 
ance.    Tlie  site  has  been  artificially  raised  to  a 


height  of  several  feet  above  the  natural  level 
and  a  gradual  slope  made  from  the  center  to 
every  side,  thus  ensuring  the  most  perfect  drain- 
age, while  about  the  grounds  is  one  of  the  most 
unique  and  handsome  rock  fences  that  ithas  ever 
been  the  fortune  of  the  writer  to  see.  Gather- 
ing the  great  blocks  of  basalt  and  lava  which 
are  strewn  so  liberally  on  the  adjoining  hills, 
Mr.  McNear  has  chosen  them  for  their  suita- 
bility, breaking  the  stone  where  necessary,  and 
ranged  them  on  end,  with  smaller  blocks  to 
close  openings,  and  then  cemented  the  whole 
together  in  an  utterly  immovable  manner, — thus 
constructing  a  fence  700  feet  in  length  and  of 
immense  strength  and  everlasting  duration  as  a 
bulwark  to  the  raised  ground  within.  To  be 
appreciated  it  must  be  seen.  It  has  great 
beauty,  however,  especially  as  seen  before  the 
back-ground  of  dark  green  spruces,  cypress  and 
palms,  level  lawn  and  flowerbeds,  within  which 
is  placed  the  mansion  like  a  Jewel  in  its  settings. 
Hedges  trimmed  with  neatness  and  precision, 
flowering  shrubs,  the  glimpses  of  orchard  and 
garden  in  the  rear,  with  all  that  go  to  make  up 
a  complete  gentleman's  residence,  fau'.tlessly 
paved  carriage  ways,  etc.,  all  go  to  complete  the 
picture.  Then  when  amid  these  surroundings, 
their  master,  Mr.  McNear,  is  seen,  one  can 
appreciate  by  the  quick  and  firm  yet  kindly 
glance  of  his  eye  at  once  the  unassuming  mod- 
esty of  the  man  and  the  strength  and  decision  of 
character  by  which  he  is  characterized.  Mr.  Mc- 
Near was  married  on  September  3, 1854,  to  Miss 
Clara  D.,  daughter  of  George  B.  Williams,  now 
a  resident  of  Petaluma,  the  marriage  taking 
place  in  Pascagoula,  Mississippi.  They  had 
five  children,  of  whom  the  only  remaining  one 
is  George  P.  McNear,  who  is  in  charge  of  the 
grain  business  in  Petaluma,  and  is  in  fact  the 
manager  for  his  father  in  all  his  business.  He 
is  a  man  much  like  his  lather,  keen  and  shrewd 
in  business  matters,  yet  unassuming  and  gen- 
erous. Mrs.  McXeardied  on  January  17, 1*>66. 
On  May  15,  1867,  Mr.  McNear  was  married 
again  in  San  Francisco,  at  the  Church  of  the 
Advent,    by    Kev.  George  H.  Jenks,  to   Miss 


IIISroRT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Ilattie  S.  Miller.  They  have  had  two  children, 
John  A.,  Jr.,  and  Erskine  I).,  both  at  home. 
Such  is  a  description,  necessarily  brief,  of  a 
man,  whose  name  is  widely  known  in  California, 
for  breadth  of  view,  vigor  of  action  and  accom- 
plishment of  result.  He  is  a  typical  Californian, 
honorable  as  the  daylight  itself,  hearty  and 
free,  a  man  who  has  forced  his  way  to  the  very 
front  without  making  an  enemy  on  the  ])ath, 
and  who  is  best  liked  by  those  who  know  him 
best.  It  should  be  stated  further  that  Mr. 
McNear  is  the  owner  of  much  outside  property 
in  this  State,  including  valuable  redwood 
timber  lands  in  Mendocin<j  County,  property  in 
San  Francisco,  Santa  Clara  County,  Washing- 
ton Territory,  etc.  In  Marin  County  he  owns  an 
undivided  half  interest  in  the  splecdid  San 
Pedro  Rmch  of  1,400  acres,  devoted  to  farming 
aid  dairying,  brickmaking,  etc.,  and  possessing 
the  tinest  and  best  situated  deep  water  land  for 
raili-oad  terminus,  wharfs,  warehouses  and  town 
on  this  side  the  bay.  lie  does  an  enormous 
trade  in  floui',  grain  and  hay,  his  warehuuses 
being  connected  by  rail  and  water. 


f|TIS  GALE,  residing  on  Sonoma  avenue  in 
n  the  city  of  Santa  Rosa,  was  born  one  mile 
J"  west  of  "Worthington,  Franklin  County, 
Ohio,  in  1832,  son  of  Richard  and  Mary  Gale. 
He  was  reared  to  a  farm  life  and  early  learned 
those  lessons  of  industry  and  close  attention  to 
detail  in  agricultural  pursuits  that  to  him  be- 
came so  valuable  in  after  life,  for,  from  small 
beginnings,  he  has  been  successful  in  all  or 
nearly  all  of  his  undertakings  in  life.  In  1840 
his  parents  moved  to  Scotland  County,  Missouri, 
where  he  lived  until  1852,  when  he  came  to  this 
State.  He  became  engaged  in  teaming  in 
Placer  County,  where  he  remained  until  1856, 
when  he  removed  to  Sonoma  County.  In  So- 
noma County,  in  1802,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Maria  Merritt,  the  estimable 
wife  who  has  so  well  aided  him  in  building  up 
their  fortunes  in  this  country.     Mrs.  Gale  was 


born  in  the  State  of  Indiana,  but  when  a  child 
was  taken  by  her  parents,  Charles  and  Jemima 
Merritt,  to  Missouri.  Years  afterward,  conclud- 
ing to  make  California  their  home,  they  came 
across  the  plains  and  settled  in  Petaluma  Town- 
ship, and  later  in  Russian  River  Township, 
Sonoma  County.  Both  her  parents  are  now 
deceased.  In  1864  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gale  made 
their  home  in  what  is  now  the  Todd  school  dis- 
trict, live  miles  from  Santa  Rosa,  on  the  road 
leading  to  Stony  Point.  Mr.  Gale  began  tarm- 
ing  operations  on  160  acres  of  land,  and  has 
added  to  it  by  purchase  until  he  now  owns  410 
acres  of  choice  valley  land.  In  the  spring  of 
1877  he  rented  the  ranch  and  moved  to  Santa 
Rosa,  where,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two 
seasons  spent  upon  the  farm,  he  has  since  re- 
sided. Besides  his  fine  residence  property,  Mr. 
Gale  owns  other  houses  and  lots  in  Santa  Rosa. 
Mr.  Gale's  parents  never  came  to  California,  but 
ended  their  days  in  Scotland  County,  Missouri. 
Two  of  his  brothers,  Demus  and  Lorenzo  D., 
came  out  in  1853,  and  now  live  in  Petaluma 
Township.  Mr.  Gale  has  one  brother,  Riley, 
and  two  sisters,  Mrs.  Adelia  McPhersou  and 
Mrs.  Mary  Nuckols,  living  in  Scotland  County, 
Missouri.  Mrs.  Gale  has  one  brother,  John, 
residing  in  Petaluma  Township,  and  a  sister, 
Mrs.  Mary  Nichols,  in  Santa  Rosa  Town- 
ship, Sonoma  County;  also  a  sister,  Mrs. 
Lydia  Redemyer,  in  Ukiah,  Mendocino  County, 
and  still  another  sister,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Kemper, 
in  Humboldt  County. 


fOLOMON  Q.  BARLOW.— The  grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  War- 
ren Barlow,  emigrated  from  Connecticut 
to  Sullivan  County,  New  York,  whei'e  his 
children,  three  sons  and  three  daughters  were 
born.  Thomas  Barlow,  the  filth  child,  was 
born  June  25,  1809.  He  lived  in  Sullivan 
County  until  1856  when  he  moved  to  Ulster 
County,  that  State,  where  he  died  April  22, 
1882.     His  wife  was   Rachel  Quimby,  also   a 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


native  of  Sullivan  County,  who  died  April  16, 
1883.  In  tlieir  family  there  were  eigiU  children, 
four  sons  and  four  daughters,  as  follows:  War- 
ren, a  resident  of  San  Diego,  California; 
Solomon  Q..  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
George  Q.,  San  Jose,  California;  Mrs.  Helen 
L.  Perkins,  Houston,  Minnesota;  Mrs.  Anna  E. 
DuBois,  residing  in  Coin,  Whitman  County, 
Washington  Territory;  liuldah  L.,  deceased; 
Evalina  S.,  of  Sonoma  Count}',  California;  and 
Thomas  E.,  residing  in  Ulster  County,  New 
York.  Solomon  Q.  Barlow,  a  native  of  Sulli- 
van County,  New  York,  was  born  May  20,  1837. 
There  he  received  his  early  education,  and  as- 
sisted his  father  in  the  business  of  farming  and 
lumbering;  tinishing  his  education  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one,  at  the  Ellen ville  high  school  under 
Professor  S.  A.  Law  Post,  principal.  He  then 
purchased  the  homestead,  farm  and  saw  mill,  of 
his  father  who  liad  removed  to  Xapanoch,  New 
York.  There  he  continued  the  business  of 
farming  and  lumbering  till  1862,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Pompton,  New  Jersey,  where  he  was 
agent  for  James  Horner  &  Co.  for  two  years 
during  the  erection  of  their  steel  and  file  works 
at  that  place.  He  then  emigrated  to  California, 
via  Panama,  and  arrived  and  settled  in  Two 
Rock  'Valley,  in  this  county,  April  21,  1864. 
In  1872  he  settled  on  his  present  estate,  which 
contains  220  acres,  in  the  same  valley,  six  miles 
west  of  Petaluma.  The  ranch  is  devoted  to 
dairying,  stock-raising  and  general  farming. 
He  has  a  tine  orchard  of  six  acres  in  various 
kinds  of  fruit,  mostly  apples.  He  is  also  largely 
engaged  in  raising  poultry,  having  about  400 
hens  from  which  he  sold  in  the  year  ending 
October,  1888,  6,444  dozen  eggs.  February  8, 
1860,  Mr.  Barlow  married  Miss  Elizabeth  J. 
Denman,  a  native  of  Sullivan  County,  New 
York.  She  was  boru  March  14,  1837,  and  died 
December  3,  1874.  Their  children  are:  Eva 
E.,  born  April  17,  1861,  wife  of  Thomas  Mor- 
dccai  of  Petaluma;  William  Denman,  born 
December  29,  1862,  and  died  September  16, 
1863;  Anna  D.  and  Fannie  D.,  twins,  born 
July  4,  1865;   the  latter  is  now  the  wife  of  Rev. 


W.  II.  Darden,  Presbyterian  minister  of  Peta- 
luma; Thomas  Edgar,  born  February  2,  1867, 
and  Libbie  Louisa,  burn  February  12,  1870. 
Mr.  Barlow's  second  marriage  took  place  at 
Point  Arena,  California,  October  9,  1879,  to 
Miss  Louisa  E.  Brandon,  a  native  of  Iowa  City, 
Iowa,  born  November  16,  1841.  Hy  this  mar- 
riage they  have  two  children:  Mary  Grace,  born 
March  23,  1882;  and  Florence,  born  February 
28,  1884.  They  have  also  lost  two  children, 
twins,  Edna  Mabel  and  Edith  Elma,  born  July 
3,  1880,  and  died,  the  former  August  16,  1880, 
and  the  latter  August  23,  1880.  Mr.  Barlow 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Two  Rock 
Presbyterian  church;  also  all  of  his  children  by 
liis  first  wife  became  members  of  the  same 
church.  He  is  now,  and  has  been  for  the  past 
twelve  years,  an  elder  in  the  church,  and  on  two 
occasions  has  been  appointed  by  the  Benicia 
Presbytery  commissioner  to  the  general  assem- 
bly of  the  Presbyterian  church. 


SiLLIAil  J.  EARDLEY,  one  of  Santa 
Rosa's  most  active  and  prosperous 
young  business  men,  was  born  twenty- 
six  3'ears  ago,  and  is  the  third  of  a  family  of  six 
children  of  J.  R.  Eardley,  who  came  from 
England,  his  native  country,  after  his  marriage 
with  Miss  Sarah  J.  Jackson,  also  of  English 
birth,  and  lived  for  a  number  of  years  in  Ne- 
vada. In  1867  they  removed  to  California  and 
settled  at  Gilroy,  Santa  Clara  County,  and  since 
then  have  lived  several  years  in  both  San  Benito 
and  Monterey  counties.  The}'  now  live  in 
Montana  where  Mr.  Eardley,  Sr.,  is  engaged 
in  the  business  of  stock-raising.  William  Eard- 
ley graduated  from  the  high  school  and  at 
twenty  years  of  age  started  in  business  for  him- 
self. Six  years  ago  he  purchased  a  half  interest 
n  the  insurance  business  conducted  by  W.  S. 
Davis,  a  successor  to  one  of  the  oldest  insurance 
firms  in  Santa  Rosa.  After  a  little  more  than 
a  year  of  partnership  with  Mr.  Davis  the  latter 
was    appointed    deputy    county    recorder    and 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


sold  out  the  remaining  lialf  interest  to  Mr. 
Eardiey.  Under  his  judicious  and  energetic 
management  the  business  lias  increased  in 
volume  from  tlie  first  until  he  now  occupies  a 
prominent  place  among  the  insurance  men  of 
Sonoma  County.  He  represents  thirty-five  fire 
companies  also  life  and  accident  companies, 
many  of  them  among  the  very  highest  in  rank 
and  standing  in  the  United  States,  such  as  the 
Continental  of  New  York  the  Phoenix  of  Brook- 
lyn, the  America  of  Philadelphia,  the  Anglo- 
Xevadaof  California,  and  the  Prussian  National, 
the  strongest  German  company  on  the  Pacific 
coast.  He  insures  all  classes  of  insurable  prop- 
erty, both  real  and  personal;  and  the  premiums 
on  his  yearly  business  amounts  to  many  thou- 
sand dollars.  In  the  early  jiart  of  1887  Mr. 
Eardiey  formed  a  partnership  with  E.  B.  Cal- 
well  in  the  real  estate  business,  which  continued 
till  the  close  of  that  year.  Mr.  Eardiey  then 
bought  his  partner  out,  and  has  since  carried  on 
both  lines  of  business  himself.  His  oflice  is  in 
the  Occidental  Hotel  Block,  next  door  to  the 
Santa  Rosa  National  Bank,  on  Fourth  street, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  convenient,  cozy  and 
busy  oftices  in  Sonoma  County.  Mr.  Eardiey 
stands  high  both  as  a  business  man  and  ^citizen, 
and  few  young  men  have  a  more  promising 
future  before  them.  In  September,  18S7,  he 
was  joined  in  wedlock  with  Miss  Jimella, 
daughter  of  Colonel  J.  A.  Hardin,  and  a  native 
of  Sonoma  Countv. 


fHARLES  WESLEY  MATTHEWS,  one 
of  the  old  settlers  of  Sonoma  County,  is  a 
native  of  Warren  County,  Tennessee,  born 
July  22,"  1824,  his  parents  being  Abner  and 
Ellen  (Foxj  Matthews.  The  father  was  a  native 
of  North  Carolina,  reared  in  Virginia,  and  the 
mother  was  born  in  Tennessee.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  sixteen  years  of  age  when  he  ac- 
companied his  parents  in  their  removal  by  team 
to  Lawrence  County,  Missouri,  where  they  set- 
tled.    There  the  father  spent  the  remainder  of 


his  life,  but  the  mother  came  to  California  in 
1857  and  died  here.  When  the  gold  fever  of 
1849  came  on,  C.  AY.  Matthews  decided  to  Xry 
his  fortunes  in  the  nesv  land  of  promise,  and  in 
accordance  with  that  decision  left  Mt.  Yernon 
on  the  10th  of  April,  1849,  and  came  out  by 
ox-team,  following  the  old  Fremont  route,  and 
arriving  at  the  Feather  River  seven  months  to 
a  day  after  starting.  While  on  Lawson's  cut- 
off, in  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  the  party 
with  whom  he  was  traveling  ran  out  of  provi- 
sions, and  were  in  damper  of  starvation,  when 
they  met  a  government  train,  and  were  supplied 
with  sufficient  to  enable  them  to  complete  their 
journey.  Mr.  Matthews  stopped  foi'  a  time  at 
Bidwell's  Bar,  and  then  went  above  there  to 
Stringtown,  where  he  mined  almost  a  year.  He 
then  went  to  Nevada  City,  where  he  mined 
from  spring  until  the  spring  of  the  following 
year,  1851,  at  which  time  he  removed  to  Suisun 
Yalley,  and  farmed  there  nntil  the  fall  of  1852. 
He  then  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  located  on 
a  farm  (which  he  afterward  bought)  adjoining 
the  present  southern  limits  of  Santa  Kosa.  He 
improved  the  place,  but  sold  it  and  opened  a 
blacksmith  and  wagon-repair  shop  in  Santa 
Rosa,  having  learned  the  trade  with  his  father 
in  Missouri.  In  1865  he  bought  the  place 
where  he  now  resides,  and  has  placed  on  it  all 
the  improvements  now  to  be  seen.  The  ranch 
contains  595  acres,  and  is  located  in  Alexander 
Yalley,  seven  miles  from  Healdsburg.  He  has 
twenty-two  acres  in  grapes  in  one  vineyard, 
and  fourteen  acres  in  another.  They  are  nearly 
all  Zinfandels  and  mostly  in  bearing.  There  is 
also  a  bearing  orchard  of  eight  acres,  the  trees 
being  peaches,  plums,  apples,  and  also  a  few 
pears.  The  remainder  of  the  ranch  is  devoted 
to  general  farming.  Mr.  Matthews  was  mar- 
ried July  10,  1853,  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  McMinn, 
a  native  of  Illinois,  born  in  Blunt  County,  and 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Dixon)  McMinn. 
Her  father  was  a  nephew  of  Governor  McMinn. 
They  have  eight  children,  viz.:  Mary  Ellen, 
wife  of  John  Bidwell;  Salina  A.,  wife  of  Isaac 
Beason;  Ilattie  E..  wife  of  James  Patrick;  John 


UISrORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Wesley,  wlio  married  Martha  Johnson;  Charles 
II.;  Gerenia  E.,  wife  of  Monroe  Chitwood; 
Joseph  F.,  and  Frances  B.,  wife  of  G.  A.  John- 
son. Mr.  Matthews  is  a  member  of  the  Healds- 
bnrg  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.  Politically  he  is  a 
Democrat,  and  religioush'  he  affiliates  with  the 
Cnmherland  Presbyterian  church. 


fllOMAS  FULTON.— Among  the  repre- 
sentative men  and  well  known  citizens  of 
i^  Santa  Rosa  Township  is  the  subject  of 
this  memoir.  He  is  a  pioneer  of  the  State  and 
an  earlv  settler  of  the  county.  A  sketch  of  his 
life  will  be  found  interesting  and  is  as  follows; 
Mr.  Fulton  was  born  in  Lawrence  County,  In- 
diana, in  1823,  his  parents  being  Ricliard  and 
Rebecca  (Barnhill)  Fulton.  He  was  a  native  of 
North  Carolina  of  Scotch  and  Dutch  descent. 
His  mother's  parents  were  natives  of  Ireland. 
In  his  early  youth  his  father  and  family  moved 
to  Davis  County,  Indiana,  where  :he  resided 
until  1838.  In  that  year  he  emigrated  to  Mis- 
souri and  located  in  Buchanan  County.  There 
Mr.  Fulton  was  reared  as  a  farmer,  receiving 
only  such  an  education  as  the  pioneer  schools 
afibrded.  He  also  learned  the  trade  of  black- 
smith. Mr.  Fulton's  father  was  a  prominent 
man  in  that  county,  was  elected  sheriif,  and  also 
held  the  position  of  postmaster  for  a  number 
of  years  in  the  town  in  which  he  resided.  In 
184:4  Mr.  Fulton  accompanied  his  father  to 
Texas,  to  which  State  he  drove  a  large  band  of 
horses.  Upon  his  return  home  he  established 
a  blacksmith  shop  and  conducted  the  enterprise 
until  the  spring  of  1849.  In  that  year,  accom- 
panied by  his  father  and  brother  James,  he 
crossed  the  plains  by  ox  team  to  California, 
arriving  in  what  is  now  Nevada  County,  Sep- 
tember 13,  1849.  After  a  few  weeks'  stay  in 
that  county  they  went  to  Santa  Clara'  County 
where  they  embarked  in  the  lumber  business 
in  Campbell's  redwoods.  The  next  year  they 
returned  to  Nevada  County  and  for  some  time 
were  engaged  in  mining,  after  which  Mr.  Ful- 


ton entered  into  business  as  a  trader,  purchas- 
ing stock,  teams,  wagons,  etc.,  from  emigrants, 
which  he  placed  on  a  ranch  in  San  Joaquin 
Yalley,  where  he  was  also  engaged  in  stock- 
raising.  His  brother  aided  in  this  enterprise, 
and  in  1852  went  East  and  returned  overland 
with  a  large  drove  of  cattle.  This  enterprise 
was  conducted  until  1854  when  Mr.  Fnlton, 
with  his  father  and  brother,  came  to  Sonoma 
County,  and  located  in  Santa  Rosa  Township, 
at  what  is  now  known  as  the  town  of  Fnlton. 
Here  he  purchased  160  acres  of  land,  and  while 
he  established  a  blacksmith  shop  and  worked  at 
his  trade,  his  father  and  brother  conducted 
the  farm  operations.  Quite  a  little  settlement 
finallj'  sprang  up  around  them,  which  was 
iirst  known  as  Fulton's  Cross-Roads.  Upon 
the  completion  of  the  North  Pacific  Railroad 
through  this  place,  a  town  site  was  laid  out 
and  named  Fulton.  A  postoifice  was  also  estab- 
lished, and  from  that  time  the  town  has  grown 
and  prospered.  Mr.  Fulton  has  done  much  to 
produce  this  result.  His  liberality  and  enter- 
prise have  been  felt  in  all  public  movements 
toward  advancing  the  growth  of  the  town.  In 
1874  he  built  the  first  warehouse,  besides  being 
interested  in  other  enterprises.  He  was  for 
several  years  the  postmaster  at  Fulton  and 
also  i  s  constable.  In  politics  Mr.  Fulton  is  a 
life-long  Democrat,  but  is  liberal  and  conser- 
vative in  his  views.  He  has  several  times  been 
elected  a  delegate  to  the  county  conventions, 
and  has  always  taken  a  great  interest  in  the 
political  questions  effecting  the  interests  of  the 
county.  He  is  now  a  school  trustee  in  his  dis- 
trict, a  position  he  has  held  for  many  terms. 
He  is  a  member  of  Russian  River  Lodge,  No. 
181,  F.  &  A.  M.  Mr.  Fulton  is  the  possessor 
of  107  acres  of  land  at  Fulton,  upon  which  he 
resides  and  is  engaged  in  general  farming  and 
stock-raising.  This  land  is  in  a  desirable  loca- 
tion and  is  very  productive.  Six  acres  are  de- 
voted to  orchard  and  six  to  vineyard,  the  former 
containing  a  large  variety  of  fruit  and  the  lat- 
ter wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel  variety,  and 
also  a  variety  of  table  grapes.     The  rest  of  his 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


land  is  devoted  to  haj,  grain  and  stock.  Of  the 
latter  he  has  draft  horses  improved  with  "Pa- 
cific Punch  ■'  stock.  Mr.  Fulton  is  a  fine  speci- 
men of  the  pioneer  element  of  the  Pacific  coast 
— intelligent,  energetic  and  progressive,  en- 
dowed with  that  indomitable  will  that  overcame 
all  obstacles,  the  vanguard  of  xVmerican  civili- 
zation. He  has  lived  to  see  the  plain  where 
hut  little  over  thirty  3'ears  ago  he  pitched  his 
tent,  then  an  uncultivated  waste,  bloom  and 
yield  like  the  veritable  "Garden  of  the  world," 
while  a  populous  and  prosperous  town  springs 
up  as  if  by  magic.  He  may  well  feel  proud  of 
the  part  he  has  taken  in  producing  these  results. 
"  Honor  to  whom  honoris  due."  Let  the  future 
generations,  when  reaping  the  benefits  resulting 
from  the  work  of  our  pioneers,  fail  not  to  award 
full  honor  and  praise  to  the  Fultons  of  Fulton. 


fOSHUA  CHAUYET.  —Among  the  success- 
ful business  men  who  settled  in  Sonoma 
County  during  its  pioneer  days  must  be 
mentioned  him  whose  name  heads  this  sketch. 
Few  men  from  small  beginnings  have  equaled 
him  in  grand  results.  A  brief  review  of  his 
active  life  enables  us  to  give  the  following  facts: 
He  was  born  at  St.  Jean  siir  Moivre,  in  the 
Champaign  province  of  France,  July  20,  1822, 
son  of  Francois  Chanvet,  a  millwright  and  mill- 
owner  near  Chalons-siir-Marne.  His  youth  was 
spent  in  toil,  and  early  he  commenced  to  learn 
the  trade  of  milling.  Some  years  after  reaching 
manhood  he  resolved  upon  emigration,  and  ac- 
cordingly he  embarked  at  Havre,  February  1, 
1850,  with  thirteen  copper  sous  in  his  pockec, 
on  a  sailing  vessel  bound  for  San  Francisco,  via 
Cape  Horn.  Landing  in  San  Francisco  Septem- 
ber 17th,  he  at  once  proceeded  to  Calaveras 
County,  where  for  a  time  he  engaged  in  mining 
and  later  started  the  first  bakery  in  Mokelumne 
Hill.  In  1851  he  opened  the  first  bakery  in 
Jackson,  Amador  County;  thence,  in  the  fall  of 
that  year,  he  located  at  a  place  called  Sandy 
Bar,  on  the  Mokelumne  Kiver,  where  in  part- 


nership with  a  countryman  of  his  named  Le- 
beau.x,  he  engaged  in  general  merchandising, 
and  in  conducting  a  bakery.  He  remained  in 
Sandy  Bar  only  one  year,  and  in  the  fall  of  1852, 
he  returned  to  Mokelumne  Hill  and  again 
conducted  a  bakery  at  that  place.  While 
engaged  in  this  business  in  the  early  days  of 
California,  he  often  paid  as  high  as  $120  per 
barrel  for  flour,  and  at  the  same  time  was  sell- 
ing bread  at  §1  per  pound.  Early  in  the  year 
1853  he  purchased  in  France  a  two-runiiing 
stone  flour  mill  and  machinery,  which,  by  reason 
of  delay  in  transportation,  did  not  arrive  until 
1854.  On  its  arrival  it  was  put  up  in  Oakland, 
near  where  McClure's  Military  Academy  now 
stands,  and  was  run  by  wind  power.  This  was 
the  first  flouring  mill  operated  in  Oakland.  It 
proved  a  failure,  however,  to  the  owner,  and 
was  soon  given  up.  A  year  later  Mr.  Chauvet 
returned  to  Sandy  Bar,  but  in  1856  came  to  So- 
noma County,  and  with  his  father  purchased 
500  acres  of  laud  and  a  mill  site  from  General 
M.  G.  Vallejo,  at  the  junction  of  Sonoma  Creek 
and  Ashberry  Canon,  on  tlie  Sonoma  and  Santa 
Rosa  road,  via  Bennett  Valley,  six  miles  north 
of  the  Ibrmer  place,  and  near  the  village  of  Glen 
Ellen.  There  he  operated  a  saw  mill,  and  after 
running  it  eighteen  months,  converted  it  into  a 
flour  mill,  which  was  kept  in  operation  until 
1881.  On  this  place  also  his  aged  father  died, 
and  after  his  death  Mr.  Chauvet  sold  back  to 
General  Vallejo  300  of  the  500  acres  he  had 
purchased  from  him.  Mr.  Chauvet  early 
planted  grape  vines,  and  in  1875  began  the 
manufacture  of  wine,  increasing  the  business 
until  in  1880  his  out-put  was  125,000  gallons. 
In  this  year  he  became  associated  in  business 
with  the  firm  of  Walter,  Schilling  &  Co.,  of  San 
Francisco,  a  connection  which  was  pleasant  and 
profitable  to  both  parties.  His  present  winery, 
one  of  the  largest  in  Glen  Ellen  district,  was 
erected  in  1881  at  a  cost  of  over  $14,000  for  the 
building  alone.  It  is  three  stories  in  height, 
50x125  feet  in  size,  having  a  storage  capacity 
of  over  200,000  gallons,  two  double-heud  tanks 
having  a  capacity  of  10,000  each.     In  1888  Mr. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Cliauvet  manufoctnred  175,000  gallons.  The 
shipping  facilities  are  excellent,  his  establish- 
ment being  connected  by  a  railway  over  Sonoma 
Creek  with  the  Sonoma  Valley  and  the  Santa 
Itosa  and  Carquinez  railroads.  Mr.  Chauvet 
also  operates  a  distillery  called  the  "Egrot,''  im- 
porteil  by  bim  from  France  a  few  years  ago. 
From  5,000  to  8,000  gallons  of  brandy  is  the 
annnal  product,  of  this  establishment.  jS'o 
better  products  are  turned  out  in  the  county 
than  his,  and  the  brands  are  a  guarantee  of  ex- 
cellence wherever  known.  From  his  estate  the 
v.ater  Hows  that  furnishes  his  steam  power  that 
drives  all  his  machinery,  and  also  to  supply  the 
needs  of  Glen  Ellen,  to  which  picturesque  and 
thriving  village  Mr.  Chauvet,  in  1888,  added  a 
plat  of  fifty  acres.  In  1864  Mr.  Chauvet 
wedded  Miss  Ellen  Sullivan,  a  lady  of  Irish  birth 
who  came  to  the  United  States  when  quite 
young.  They  are  the  parents  of  two  children: 
Henry  J.  and  Robert  A.  Mr.  Chauvet  is  a 
member  of  Temple  Lodge,  Xo.  14,  F.  &  A.  M., 
at  Sonoma,  and  of  the  Society  of  California 
Pioneers,  comprising  the  counties  of  Sonoma, 
Lake,  ^[endocino,  Napa  and  Marin. 


K.  STEARNS. — Among  the  noteworthy 
5jnj  mercantile  establishments  of  the  city  of 
, i^ '^  Petaluma  that  of  the  gentleman  whose 
name  heads  this  article  is  considered  the  lead- 
ing house  for  jewelry,  optical  goods  and  kindred 
lines.  The  store  is  a  spacious  one,  centrally  lo- 
cated in  the  best  part  of  Main  street,  and  is 
quite  a  gem  itself  in  appearance,  containing  a 
large  and  well  selected  stock,  tastefully  ar- 
ranged. Mr.  Stearns  is  a  practical  optician  and 
manufacturing  jeweler  of  experience  and  hence 
commands  a  large  trade  in  these  directions, 
whilst  in  his  stock  are  found  full  lines  of 
watches,  clocks,  silverware,  etc.,  in  addition  to 
those  already  mentioned.  Mr.  Stearns  was 
born  at  Townsend,  Vermont,  April  20,  1854. 
He  received  his  education  and  learned  his  trade 
in  his  native  State,  remaininj;  there  until  in  the 


fall  of  1809  he  determined  to  remove  to  Cali- 
fornia. He  went  to  Los  Angeles,  entering  into 
business  there  and  continuing  with  success  for 
two  years  and  a  half.  He  then  went  to  Santa 
Clara,  where  and  in  the  adjoining  city  of  San 
Jose  he  conducted  a  jewelry  establishment  for 
another  two  years  and  a  half.  He  came  to 
Petaluma  ten  years  ago,  and  has  been  engaged 
in  business  here  constantly  since  he  arrived.  He 
was  married  January  1,  1876,  to  Miss  Ida 
Corner.  They  have  one  son  tjow  aged  eight 
years.  Mr.  Stearns  comes  from  an  old  Vermont 
famil}'.  His  father  served  gallantly  throughout 
the  civil  struggle,  and  after  its  conclusion 
settled  with  his  family  at  Woodstock,  Vermont, 
where  the  faniilj'  still  resides.  He  died  in  1868. 
Mr.  Stearns  is  a  very  pleasant  gentleman,  in  the 
highest  standing  in  every  circle,  and  possesses 
one  of  the  handsomest  business  houses  north  of 
San  Francisco. 


fEOPvGE  11.  KENNEDY.— Few  of  the 
pioneers  of  Sonoma  County  had  in  the 
early  and  later  days  more  to  do  with  the 
development  of  its  resources  than  the  subject  of 
this  sketch.  His  life  has  been  one  of  increas- 
ing activity  and  altogether  devoted  to  agricult- 
ural pursuits.  Mr.  Kennedy  was  born  in 
Lowell,  Massaclm setts,  September  8,  1837,  a 
son  of  James  and  Electa  (Noble)  Kennedy.  His 
father  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  Hampshire 
in  the  year  1811.  He  was  an  active,  energetic, 
pushing  New  England  man,  who,  early  in  life 
became  a  thoroughly  competent  machinist,  and 
was  for  a  time  the  foreman  of  machine  shops  at 
AYhite  River  Junction,  Vermont.  The  mother 
of  George  II.  Kennedy  was  born  in  Lamoille 
County,  Vermont,  in  1809.  James  Kennedy, 
the  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  of  Scotch  extraction,  but  was  a  native  of 
Ireland,  and  was  a  man  of  great  force  of  char- 
acter and  noted  for  his  energy.  He  came  to  the 
United  States  in  the  prime  of  manhood.  He 
was  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  the  Masonic 


'^^ 


ui/^r. 


IIISTOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


order  in  the  old  country,  and  died  in  the  East 
many  years  ago.  James  Kennedy  and  his  fam- 
ily emigrated  to  Illinois  and  located  at  Wanke- 
gan  in  1850,  and  two  years  later  crossed  the 
plains  and  mountains  to  this  State.  Mr.  Ken- 
nedy engaged  in  mining  and  hotel  keeping  in 
Placer  County.  The  following  year  (1853) 
George  H.  Kennedy,  then  sixteen  years  of  age, 
came  to  Sonoma  County  and  purchased  160 
acres  of  land,  one  mile  and  a  half  east  of  Wind- 
sor. Ilis  father  and  family,  two  years  later, 
bought  and  settled  uj)on  an  adjoining  tract. 
Here  we  record  that  Ciiarles  W.,  a  brother  of 
George  H.  Kennedy,  now  lives  at  Fort  Bidwell, 
Modoc  County.  The  improvement  of  both 
properties  was  pushed  forward  energetically. 
James  Kennedy  soon  became  widely  known  and 
was  recognized  as  a  leading  man.  He  was  one 
of  tlie  very  few  men  who  organized  the  liepub- 
lican  party  in  Sonoma  County,  and  was  promi- 
nent in  its  councils,  and  at  one  time  its  candidate 
for  county  treasurer.  After  a  life  of  great 
usefulness  he  died  at  his  home,  January  20, 
1878.  He  was  a  Mason  of  long  standing  and 
was  buried  with  Masonic  honors.  His  widow 
survives,  and  at  this  writing,  in  her  eighty- 
eighth  year,  has  her  home  at  Healdsburg.  March 
15,  1863,  George  H.  Keimedy  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Nancy  Ann  Salee,  danghter  of 
Philip  and  Mary  Jane  (Wiltley)  Salee.  She 
was  born  in  the  State  of  Missouri,  but  from 
three  years  of  age  was  reared  in  California,  hav- 
ing come  to  this  State  with  her  mother  and 
grandfather  Wilfley.  Her  mother,  the  widow 
of  Cooper  Kise,  now  resides  in  Santa  Rosa.  Mr. 
Kennedy  added  to  the  ranch  purchase  made  in 
1853  until  he  owned  a  finely  improved  ranch  of 
400  acres,  embracing  orchards  and  vineyards. 
In  1855  he  ran  the  second  grain  separator  ever 
used  in  the  county.  From  that  time  to  tliis 
he  has  extensively  operated  threshing  machines, 
owning  and  operating  some  seasons  three  steam 
threshers.  Honorable  and  scjuare  in  all  his 
dealings,  he  more  than  commands  his  share  of 
work  in  this  line.  In  1881  Mr.  Kennedy  sold 
his  home  atul    Imught   a   stock   ranch  of   1,400 


acres  at  Skaggs'  Springs.  In  February,  1888, 
he  sold  this  property,  reserving  160  acres  only, 
and  in  the  following  May,  with  his  family  lo- 
cated in  the  city  of  Santa  Rosa.  We  record  in 
the  order  of 'their  births  the  names  of  the  cliil- 
dren  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kennedy:  Alice  Cary, 
widow  of  Fred  Hazleton,  late  captain  of  an 
English  steamer  in  the  Hong  Kong  and  Cal- 
cutta line;  Charles  W.,  a  conductor  on  the  Sut- 
ter line  in  San  Francisco;  Elbert  L.  and  Edwin 
H.,  living  at  home;  Georgie  Z.,  who  died  at 
eight  years  of  age,  and  Maud  Ethel,  at  home. 
Mr.  Kennedy  is  one  of  the  prominent  members 
of  the  Masonic  order.  He  served  Russian  River 
Lodge,  jSTo.  181,  two  terms  as  worthy  master. 
In  polities,  he  is  a  strong  believer  in  protection 
for  American  industries. 

imATRICK  M.CHRISTIAN  (deceased).— 
|[M  Among  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Sonoma 
^  County  must  be  classed  tlie  subject  of  this 
sketch,  who  was  here  while  it  was  still  a  Mexi- 
can Territory,  and  who  also  took  an  active  part 
in  the  stirring  events  that  resulted  in  securing 
this  fair  land  to  the  United  States.  He  was 
born  in  Rochester,  New  York,  November  22, 
1825.  His  father,  Patrick  McChristian,  was  a 
native  of  County  Down,  Ireland,  and  came  to 
the  United  States,  locating  in  Rochester  when 
but  fifteen  years  of  age.  There  he  married 
Miss  Maria  Church  and,  in  1831  moved  to 
Perry  County,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until 
1843.  He  then  located  in  Andrew  County, 
Missouri,  and  two  years  after,  in  1845,  came 
with  his  family  overland  to  California  and  set- 
tled in  Napa  County.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  then  twenty  years  old  and  took  a  promi- 
nent part  in  the  movements  and  emigration  of 
the  family.  In  Napa  County  his  father  put  in 
a  crop  of  grain  which  they  harvested,  although 
the  feeling  of  the  Mexicans  was  so  strong  against 
the  Americans  at  the  time  that  it  was  necessary 
to  post  guards  to  protect  the  harvest  hands  while 
at  work.      Mr.  McChristian    took    part    in    the 


530 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


historic   events  of  this  period  (1846)  and  was 
one  of  Captain  Merrett's  band  tliatcaptnred  tlie 
garrison  of  Sonoma  and  made  General  A'^allejo  a 
prisoner.  He  wasalso  presentat  the  bear  flag  rais- 
ing.    The  much  vexed  question  in  regard  to  the 
material  of  which  the  bear  flag  was  constsucted 
Mr.  McChristian  lias  often  declared  to  be  easily 
settled.     Mrs.  Sears,  the  wife  of  Captain  Sears, 
furnished   the   white    cloth,  and    Mrs.  William 
Hudson,  the  red  flannel.     Of  this  he  was  confi- 
dent, as  he  himself  obtained  the  material  from 
the  ladies  above  mentioned,  and  was  present  and 
saw  Mr.  Todd    and    others    make   the   flag.     In 
the  fall  of  1848  Mr.  McChristian,  in  connection 
with  Jasper  O'Farrell,  Samuel    Norris,  Daniel 
Lehigh,  John  Rose,  George  Kenlock  and  a  man 
named  Leese,  went  to  prospecting  on  the  Yuba 
River,  and  were  the   first   to  discover  gold   on 
that  river  which  afterward   became  one  of  the 
great  placer  mining  centers  in  the  State.     He 
followed  mining  operations  until  1850,  when  he 
entered  the  employ  of  Mr.  McDougall  as  a  clerk 
in  his  store  at    Sacramento,  and    was    also   in 
charge  of  McDougall's  ferry  at  that  point.      In 
the  same  year,  in  partnership  with  James  Hayes, 
he    purchased    four    square    miles    of    land    on 
Mokelumne  River.     He  took  up  his  residence 
tliere,  but  not  liking  the  location,  he  soon  after 
sold  out  his  interest  to  his  partner  and  returned 
to   Sonoma  County.     From  his  father  he  pur- 
chased 220  acres  of  land    which   is   located    in 
Green    Yalley,   in   the   Oak  Grove  School  Dis- 
trict, about  three  miles  west  of  the  present  town 
of  Sebastopol.     Mr.  McChristian  did  not  take 
up  his  permanent  residence   here  until  1857. 
In  that  year  he  married  Miss  Sarah  McMenamin, 
daughter  of  James  and  Rosa  (Burns)  McMen- 
amin, natives  and  residents  of  Tyrone   County, 
Ireland.     After  his   marriage  Mr.  McChristian 
devoted  himself  to  agricultural  pursuits    until 
his    death,  which    occurred    in    August,    1888. 
His  widow  is  now  residing  on    the  old   home- 
stead.   Mr.  McChristian  was  well  and  favorably 
known  in  the  communit}'  in  which  he  resided 
for  over  forty  years.    Politically,  he  was  a  Dem- 
ocrat and  a  strong  Union  man.      Mr.  and   Mrs. 


McChristian  were  the  parents  of  two  children: 
one  died  in  infancy  and  the  other,  James,  grew 
to  manhood  and  died  in  1877,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-si.x  years.  The  widow  still  resides  upon 
the  home  place,  which  is  managed  by  her 
nephew,  James  !Mc]\Ieiiaiuin. 


m 


|^,()N.  J.  C.  HOLLOWAY,  of  Cloverdale, 
tfljln',  is  a  native  of  the  Genessee  Valley,  New 
'^•i  York,  liorn  in  Livingston  County,  July  7, 
1826.  His  father,  John  Holloway,  a  native  of 
Massachusetts,  was  a  son  of  a  Revolutionary 
soldier — a  blacksmith  in  a  cavalry  regiment. 
The  mother  of  our  subject,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Lucy  Burt,  was  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  of  Quaker  origin.  J.  C.  Holloway,  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch,  was  reared  in  Livings- 
ton County,  New  York,  and  received  his  educa- 
tion there.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  he 
started  out  in  life  for  himself,  and  going  to 
Marion  County,  Ohio,  was  there  for  three  years 
engaged  in  growing  and  dealing  in  live  stock. 
He  removed  to  Lancaster,  Grant  County,  Wis- 
consin, and  there  continued  in  the  same  business, 
being  the  first  one  from  Grant  County  to  send 
stock  to  the  Chicago  market.  He  gradually 
increased  the  scope  of  his  operations,  and  in  1860 
embarked  in  mercantile  trade  and  banking.  He 
subsequently  erected  woolen  mills,  oil  mills, 
etc.,  and  through  his  many  enterprises  became 
one  of  the  main  factors  in  the  development  of 
Lancaster  and  Grant  counties.  An  active  Re- 
publican, he  took  a  prominent  part  in  Wiscon- 
sin politics,  and  served  four  years  in  the  State 
Senate  and  two  years  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. In  1870  he  came  to  California  for 
the  purpose  of  choosing  a  new  location,  and  one 
year  later  located  at  Santa  Rosa.  He  has  made 
his  residence  in  Sonoma  County  ever  since,  al- 
though his  extensive  business  interests  at  his  old 
home  have  called  for  considerable  personal  at- 
tention at  intervals.  He  has,  however,  chosen 
Cloverdale  for  his  place  of  residence.  Since 
coming   to   Sonoma  County,  Mr.  Holloway  has 


IIISTOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUyTY. 


interested  himself  in  its  leading  industries,  and 
is  now  raising  some  fruit  as  line  as  any  produced 
in  the  State.  His  ranch  adjoining  Cloverdale 
contains  eighty-eight  acres,  and  on  this  tract  he 
has  planted  3,500  trees  of  selected  varieties  of 
fruits.  Among  them  may  be  especially  men- 
tioned 700  wliite  Adriatic  fig  trees,  as  Mr. 
Ilulloway  intends  to  make  the  packing  of  figs  a 
specialty  and  endeavors  to  foster  that  branch  of 
the  fruit  industry,  lie  also  has  fifty-six  orange 
trees,  which  have  shown  sj)lendid  development. 
The  remainder  are  mostly  apricots,  peaches  and 
Kelsey's  Japan  plums.  The  entire  orchard  is 
in  splendid  condition,  and  shows  that  it  has  re- 
ceived that  attention  which  alone  can  produce 
proper  results  with  fruit.  His  fruit  farm  ad- 
joining Sebastopol,  however,  being  more  ad- 
vanced, presents  a  more  striking  appearance  of 
thrift,  and  in  fact,  is  not  excelled  in  Sonoma 
County.  The  place  comprises  eighty -one  and  a 
half  acres.  On  this  tract  are  planted  10,000 
trees,  with  nearly  five  acres  of  currants  on  the 
same  ground  between  the  rows.  Of  the  trees, 
4,500  are  peaches  of  choice  varieties,  3,000  are 
French  prunes,  while  the  remainder  are  pears, 
apricots,  etc.  These  trees  were  planted  from 
1884  to  1886,  both  years  inclusive.  What  is 
probably  the  richest  portion  of  the  ranch  was 
formerly  marsh  land,  but  having  been  reclaimed, 
is  now  devoted  to  strawberries,  to  which  it  seems 
to  be  peculiarly  adapted.  From  fifteen  acres  of 
strawberries,  on  which  no  irrigation  is  required 
or  utilized,  July  and  August  are  the  only 
months  without  full  crops.  These  berries  are 
of  the  finest  quality,  and  do  not  have  to  be  sent 
to  San  Francisco  for  a  market,  as  all  are  taken 
at  Santa  Rosa  and  points  above,  at  Guerneville, 
etc.  A  third  ranch,  containing  530  acres,  is 
situated  about  three  miles  above  Fulton,  a  por- 
tion of  whicli  will  be  subdivided  and  sold.  Mr. 
Holloway's  services  liave  been  called  into  req- 
uisition by  the  Hepublican  party  in  California, 
and  he  is  now  a  member  of  the  State  Central 
Committee,  having  served  in  that  capacity 
through  the  trying  presidential  campaign  of 
1888.      He   is  a  dij/nified  gentleman    of  great 


business  and  executive  ability,  and  a  valuable 
acquisition  to  the  citizenship  of  Sonoma  County. 
Mrs.  Holloway  was  formerly  Miss  Mary  E. 
Baldwin,  a  native  of  Cooperstown,  ?lew  York. 
They  have  had  six  children  born  to  them,  but 
two  living — John,  who  is  engaged  in  the  furni- 
ture business  in  Cloverdale,  and  Miss  Addie,  liv- 
ing at  home. 


"    ■      "'  'V  V  ^^•'  ^      :    " 

lOBERT  ANDREWS.— In  sketching  over 
the  history  of  the  Andrews  family  we  find 
that  the  forefathers  were  residents  of 
Ireland,  near  the  town  of  Derry.  The  paternal 
grandfather  was  born  not  far  from  the  town  of 
Derry.  Not  much  of  the  early  history  of  the 
family  is  known  as  the  elder  Andrews  died  when 
his  son,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  child, 
and  the  latter  was  reared  by  an  uncle.  Our 
subject's  maternal  grandfather  was  Samuel  Ken- 
nedy. He  also  lived  near  Derry,  and  was  a 
ruling  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  church  over 
fifty  years.  On  a  certain  Thursday  William 
Andrews  was  united  in  marriage,  and  witli  Ids 
bride  on  the  following  day  sailed  for  the  United 
States,  and  never  saw  his  native  land  again. 
He  settled  in  Allegheny  County,  Pennsylvania, 
near  Pittsburg,  just  about  the  close  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  where  he  remained  to  within 
the  last  fifteen  years  of  his  life.  He  removed 
to  Ohio  in  1840,  and  settled  in  Guernsey  County 
where  he  died.  His  wife's  maiden  name  was 
Jane  Kennedy.  She  was  two  years  younger 
than  her  husband  and  survived  him  two  years, 
dying  in  1856  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 
They  reared  a  family  of  eight  children,  as  fol- 
lows: Samuel  and  Elizabeth,  both  deceased; 
Mrs.  Ellen  Abels,  of  San  Jose,  California; 
Robert;  J.  K.,  a  minister  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  in  Bedford,  Pennsylvania;  J.  K.,  a  resi- 
dent of  Guernsey  County,  Ohio;  Jane  and 
William,  both  deceased.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Alle- 
gheny County,  where  he  resided  until  he  was 
tweiity-i5even  years  old.      His  education  was  re- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


ceived  in  a  log  school  house,  which  was  fur- 
nished with  long  benches  witliout  any  backs  to 
them,  upon  which  the  scholars  had  to  sit  eight 
hours  per  day.  After  he  was  fourteen  he  went 
to  school  very  little,  and  was  put  to  work  on  the 
farm.  Pie  was  married  in  Ohio,  January  27, 
1842,  to  Mary  Orr,  daughter  of  William  Orr, 
a  colonel  in  the  war  of  1812.  Mrs.  Andrews 
was  born  in  Guernsey  County,  Ohio,  October  17, 
1822.  Tliej  resided  in  Ohio  until  1857,  when 
they  started  across  the  plains  bound  for  Cali- 
fornia. This  was  the  year  of  the  Mountain 
Meadow  massacre,  although  no  such  trouble  as 
this  was  e.xperienced  by  their  party,  while,  on 
the  contrary,  the  trip  was  marked  with  pleasant- 
ness. The  train  consisted  of  eight  wagons 
drawn  by  oxen,  and  was  made  up  of  six  families. 
One  birth  on  the  way  was  an  important  event 
tlnit  happened.  After  being  in  their  wagons 
five  months  and  ten  days,  they  landed  in  this 
county  and  went  directly  to  Ijloonitield  where 
Mr.  Andrews  had  a  sister  living,  whose  hus- 
band, "William  Abels,  was  captain  of  the  wagon 
train,  he  having  made  a  trip  across  the  plains 
previous  to  this  one.  Mr.  Andrews  camped 
over  night  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  his 
present  place.  He  moved  on  the  Gaston  ranch, 
which  he  rented  for  two  years,  and  then  bought 
the  place  where  he  now  lives.  At  that  time 
there  was  not  a  tree  or  shrub  growing  on  the 
place,  and  but  very  little  fencing.  They  first 
moved  into  a  tent,  dug  a  well,  and  then  put  up 
a  shell  of  a  house.  The  ranch  contains  172  , 
acres  of  land  which  is  devoted  to  dairying  and 
general  farming.  Both  Mi-.  Andrews  and  his 
wife  became  members  of  the  Two  Rock  Presby- 
terian church,  joining  by  letter  wlien  the  church 
was  first  organized,  October  21,  1860,  and  they 
are  the  only  ones  left  of  the  original  seventeen 
who  founded  the  organization.  Mr.  Andrews 
was  chosen  one  of  the  original  elders,  which 
position  he  has  filled  with  credit  to  himself  and 
to  the  organization  from  that  time  to  the 
present.  They  have  five  children,  as  follows: 
William  Clark,  born  May  5, 1844;  Sarah  Eliza- 
beth, born   Octol)er    11.   1846;   Cyrus  Newton, 


born  May  17,  1852;  Howard,  born  December 
16,  1854,  and  Rollin  Watson,  born  March  8, 
1857.  One  death  has  occurred  in  the  family, 
Sarah  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Charles  Hutton,  of 
Santa  Rosa,  died  March  25,  1873. 


.^  [AMES  CLARK. — Among  the  representa- 
«n!  tive  farmers  and  early  settlers  of  Bodega 
Township,  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
Mr.  Clark  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  in  Antrim 
County,  December  17,  1828,  his  parents  being 
Francis  and  Elizabeth  (McCrea)  Clark,  both 
natives  of  Ireland  and  of  Scotch  descent.  Wlien 
Mr.  Clark  was  but  a  youth  his  parents  moved  to 
Scotland  where  the  father  was  engaged  as  a 
farmer  and  stock-raiser.  James  was  reared  as 
a  farmer,  receiving  at  the  same  time  a  fair  edu- 
cation. He  was  also  engaged  as  a  miner  in  the 
iron  mines  of  Lenrickshire  County,  Scotland. 
At  the  age  of  twenty -three  years,  in  1851,  he 
decided  to  try  his  fortunes  in  the  new  world. 
He  therefore  embarked  for  New  York,  and  soon 
after  his  arrival  in  that  city  went  to  Connecticut 
where  he  worked  at  farm  labor  and  other  occu- 
pations until  1853.  In  the  latter  year  he  started 
via  the  Isthmus  route  for  California.  He  suf- 
fered some  weeks  delay  on  the  Isthmus  and  was 
obliged  to  traverse  the  Isthmus  on  foot,  and  was 
also  detained  on  the  Island  of  Toboga,  twelve 
miles  from  Panama,  for  about  three  weeks.  He 
finally  reached  San  Francisco  in  the  fall  of  1853, 
and  after  a  short  stay  in  that  city  came  to  So- 
noma County  and  located  at  Bodega  where  he 
secured  work  in  a  lumber  mill.  After  some 
months  of  this  labor  he  concluded  to  seek  his 
fortune  in  the  mines  and  he  visited  several  min- 
ing districts  in  the  State,  but  not  meeting  with 
the  desired  success  in  the  mines,  he  returned  to 
Bodega  Township  and  rented  a  tract  of  land 
from  Jasper  O  'Farrel,  located  between  Valley 
Ford  and  Bo'dega.  Since  that  time  Mr.  Clark 
has  devoted  himself  to  agricultural  pursuits. 
He  has  been  eminently  successful  in  his  opera- 
tions and  was  soon  able  to  purchase  the  land  he 


UISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


533 


had  rented,  and  as  the  years  rolled  by  he  in- 
creased and  added  to  his  landed  possessions  until 
now  (1888)  he  is  the  owner  of  a  rich  and  pro- 
ductive farm  comprising  904  acres.  This  mag- 
nificent farm  is  situated  on  the  Valley  Ford 
and  Bodega  road,  in  the  American  Valley  school 
district,  aboTit  one  and  one-half  miles  west  of 
Valley  Ford.  Mr.  Clark  has  spent  nearly  thirty- 
five  years  in  cultivating  and  iniprovincr  this 
farm.  When  first  occupied  hy  him  the  land 
was  in  its  wild  and  uncultivated  state.  He  has 
now  one  of  the  representative  farms  of  Bodega 
Township.  With  the  exception  of  a  family 
orchard  which  is  producing  a  fine  variety  of 
apples,  pears,  quinces,  plums  and  cherries,  his 
land  is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and  stock  grazing. 
Among  his  stock  is  a  dairy  of  150  cows.  He 
has  also  such  horses  as  are  needed  for  farm  and 
road  purposes,  among  which  are  some  fine 
specimens  improved  by  AlcClellan  and  Alexan- 
der stock.  His  hogs,  of  which  he  has  a  large 
number,  are  of  the  thoroughbred  Berkshire 
breed.  The  building  improvements  upon  this 
place  are  substantial  and  first-class,  including  a 
comfortable  and  well  ordered  residence,  com- 
modious barns,  dairy  and  other  suitable  out 
buildings.  They  all  denote  the  successful  and 
prosperous  farmer.  He  is  also  the  owner  of 
forty  acres  of  woodland  about  four  miles  from 
his  home  farm.  Mr.  Clark's  success  in  life, 
by  which  he  has  secured  a  competency,  is  due 
entirely  to  his  own  exertions.  His  energetic 
and  industrious  habits  combined  with  sound 
business  principles  have  produced  good  results. 
He  is  well  known  throughout  his  section  as  an 
intelligent  and  public  spirited  citizen,  and  he 
has  gained  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  resides.  He  is  a  member 
of  Bodega  Lodge,  No.  213,  F.  &  A.  M.  In 
political  matters  Mr.  Clark  is  associated  with 
the  Republican  party,  taking  a  liberal  and  con- 
servative view  upon  all  party  questions.  In 
1874  Mr.  Clark  married  Miss  Martha  Caughey, 
the  daughter  of  Arthur  and  Elizabeth  Caughey. 
She  was  born  in  Canada.  From  this  marriage 
there    are    six    children,    viz.:      Klizabeth    and 


Mamie,  born  February  15,  1875;  Hattie,  born 
March  5,  1877;  Annie,  born  September  26, 
1878;  James,  born  January  27, 1880,  and  George 
W.,  born  June  23,  1882. 

_    ...  ..i?,»;i  t;.?M.  ... 

fAMUEL  J.  AGNEW.— The  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  born  in  Floyd  County, 
Virginia,  in  1830,  his  parents  being  Will- 
iam B.  and  Elizabeth  (Carter)  Agnew,  both  na- 
tives of  that  State.  When  Mr.  Agnew  was  two 
years  old,  his  parents  moved  to  Missouri,  locat- 
ing in  Boone  County,  and  then  moving  to 
Livingston  County,  and  finally,  in  1844,  settling 
in  Cass  County.  His  father  was  a  farmer  and 
a  carpenter,  and  Mr.  Agnew  was  reared  upon 
his  father's  farm,  where  he  became  versed  in  the 
practical  knowledge  of  that  life,  and  also  became 
a  fair  carpenter  and  blacksmith.  During  this 
time  he  received  such  an  education  as  the  com- 
mon schools  afforded.  His  natural  inclination 
toward  mechanical  pursuits  led  hitn  at  an  early 
age  to  seek  otlier  employment  than  farm  labor, 
and  he  went  to  work  in  a  woolen  mill  where  he 
learned  the  trade  of  a  carder.  In  the  spring  of 
1850  Mr.  Agnew  decided  to  seek  his  fortunes 
in  the  Golden  State,  and  he  set  out  across  the 
plains  for  California  driving  a  mule  team.  This 
journey  was  performed  in  good  time  and  on  July 
32d  he  arrived  in  Sacramento.  Immediately 
after  his  arrival  he  turned  his  attention  to  min- 
ing, which  occupation  he  continued  on  the  Yuba 
River  and  at  other  points  until  1854.  In  that 
year  he  located  in  Solano  County  where  he 
rented  land  and  established  a  dairy,  after  which 
he  engaged  in  trading  and  peddling  tinware, 
etc.,  and  was  also  for  some  time  a  clerk  in  a 
general  merchandise  store.  In  1857  he  came 
to  Sonoma  County  and  located  in  Sonoma  Val- 
ley where  he  engaged  in  farm  labor  until  1860.  ■ 
In  that  year  he  rented  1,600  acres  of  land  from 
General  Vallejo,  upon  wliich  he  engaged  in 
farmincr  and  stock-raisina;  until  18(56.  He  then 
purchased  152  acres  of  land  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Sonoma  Creek,  atid  located  in   what  is   now 


HISTORY     OF    SONO.VA    COUNTY. 


the  Watinaugh  school  district.  This  land  was 
then  ahiiost  in  its  wild  State,  and  Air.  Agnew 
devoted  himself  to  its  cnltivation  and  improve- 
ment. In  this  he  has  been  eminently  success- 
fnl,  and  now  (18SS)  has  a  fine  farm  of  one 
hundred  acres,  having  sold  fifty  acres  to  J.  A. 
Porter  of  highly  cultivated  and  improved  land. 
With  the  exception  of  fifteen  acres  devoted  to 
wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel  aud  Berger  varie- 
ties, his  land  is  producing  hay  and  grain,  and 
supporting  stock.  Among  the  improvements 
Mr.  Agnew  has  put  upon  this  place  is  a  com- 
fortable and  well  ordered  two  story  residence. 
lie  has  also  erected  a  large  b.arn,  substantial  out 
buildings,  and  has  fitted  up  a  carpenter  and 
blacksmith  shop,  thus  being  able  to  make  all  re- 
pairs to  his  farming  implements,  etc.,  and  even 
shoes  his  own  horses.  Mr.  Agnew  is  an  intelli- 
gent and  industrious  man,  and  well  deserving  of 
the  success  he  has  achieved.  As  a  respected 
citizen  and  desirable  neighbor  he  is  above  re- 
proach. Taking  a  great  interest  in  public 
schools,  he  has  held  the  office  of  school  trustee 
in  his  districts  for  over  twenty-five  years.  In 
political  matters  he  is  a  staunch  Republican. 
He  is  a  member  of  Temple  Lodge,  No.  14,  F.  & 
A.  M.,  and  also  of  Sonoma  Lodge,  No.  28, 
I.  O.  O.  F.  In  1858  Mr.  Agnew  married  Miss 
Emma  Champlin,  daughter  of  Charles  C.  and 
Sarah  A.  (Bartlett)  Champlin.  From  this  mar- 
riage there  are  eight  children  living,  viz.: 
Lizzie,  Ida,  Mary,  Charles,  Ella,  Newton, 
Asahel,  and  Sadie.  The  third  child,  William, 
died  in  1886,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years. 
The  oldest  child  (Lizzie)  was  married  December 
25,  1882,  to  Charles  Y.  Champlin,  and  they  are 
now  living  in  The  Dalles,  Oregon.  From  this 
marriage  there  are  three  children,  Walter,  Edwin 
and  Bell. 


JP^OLONEL  J.  S.  AUSTIN,  A.  M.,  presi- 
Vj^  dent  of  the  Pacific  Methodist  College,  has 
^jn  devoted  almost  his  entire  active  life  to  the 
higher  grades  of  educational  work,  and  has  won 


an  enviable  name  and  fame  as  an  educator.  He 
is  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  born  in  Green- 
ville in  1838.  He  graduated  at  the  South 
Carolina  Military  Academy,  in  Charleston,  in 
1861.  He  filled  the  chair  of  mathematics  in  a 
military  school  in  Maryland  in  1868,  and  the 
following  year  was  elected  professor  of  mathe- 
matics in  the  Kentucky  Military  Institute, 
occupying  that  position  till  1876  when  he  re- 
signed to  accept  tiie  presidency  of  the  Franklin 
Female  College  at  Franklin,  Kentucky.  In 
1880  he  removed  to  Georgia  to  serve  as  presi- 
dent of  a  female  college  in  that  State,  and  five 
years  later,  in  1885,  he  was  elected  president  of 
the  Pacific  Methodist  College  in  Santa  Rosa. 
Since  assuming  the  duties  of  this  honored  and 
responsible  position,  Colonel  Austin  -has  de- 
voted his  best  thoiight  and  energies  not  only  to 
the  executive  and  class-room  work  of  the  college, 
but  has  zealously  and  efficiently  labored  among 
the  people  of  the  church  in  their  annual  confer- 
ences and  elsewhere,  to  build  up  an  endowment 
fund,  and  thus  lay  a  solid  foundation  for  the 
permanent  prosperity'  of  the  institution.  He 
presented  a  powerful  appeal  to  the  last  annual 
conference  in  behalf  of  the  endowment  fund, 
which  promises  to  bear  rich  fruit.  Pacific  Col- 
lege is  taking  on  a  new  era  of  prosperity  under 
President  Austin's  administration,  which  in- 
spires hope  and  confidence  among  its  friends 
and  patrons  for  its  future.  Colonel  Austin's 
accomplished  wife  was  Miss  Essie  Earle,  with 
whom  he  was  united  in  marriage  soon  after  his 
graduation.  She  is  also  a  native  of  the  Palmetto 
State.  Four  daughters  and  one  son  conipose 
their  family  of  children. 


t ESTER  STEVENS,  one  of  the  most  popu- 
lar teachers  of  Sonoma  County,  was  born 
in  Noble  Couuty,  Ohio,  April  4,  1811,  his 
parents  being  Leicester  and  Joanna  (Stone) 
Stevens.  The  father  was  a  native  of  New  York 
and  his  parents  were  born  in  Massachusetts. 
The    mother  was    born   in    .Ashtabula  County, 


HISTORY    OF   SOJSOMA    COUNTY. 


535 


Ohio,  and  was  the  first  female  white  child  born 
in  Ashtabula  Township.  Lester  Stevens  was 
but  five  years  of  age  when  his  parents  moved  to 
Washington  Connty,  Ohio,  and  when  he  was 
fifteen  thej  removed  to  "Waushara  County,  Wis- 
consin. He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  Ohio  and  at  the  public  and  normal  schools  in 
Wisconsin.  On  the  10th  of  May,  18G1,  at  the 
village  of  Pine  River,  Wisconsin,  he  enlisted  in 
the  service  of  the  Union.  The  company  ren- 
dezvoused at  Berlin,  then  proceeded  to  Madison, 
where  they  went  into  camp  and  were  organized 
as  Company  G,  Fifth  Regiment,  Wisconsin 
Volunteer  Infantry.  Th"  regiment  was  ordered 
South  immediately  following  the  first  Bull  Run 
fight,  going  to  Baltimore,  a  few  days  later  to 
Washington,  and  shortly  afterward  they  were 
encamped  before  ifanassas.  They  participated 
in  the  movements  about  that  place  and  Center- 
ville.  In  the  spring  of  18G2  they  were  sent  to 
Fortress  Monroe  on  the  Peninsular  campaign, 
in  which  they  took  part,  and  in  the  snbse^juent 
movements  about  Richmond.  Throughout  these 
movements  Mr.  Stevens  was  notably  engaged 
with  his  command  in  the  charge  of  Hancock's 
Brigade  at  Williamsburg,  in  the  seven  days' 
fighting,  and  at  Malvern  Hill,  besides  many 
other  fights  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  that 
historic  year.  When  the  army  was  ordered 
back  to  Alexandria,  he  was  taken  sick  and  went 
into  the  hospital  at  Baltimore.  After  five 
months  there  he  was  discharged  and  sent  home. 
He  taught  school  one  term  while  at  home,  but 
in  February,  ISGi,  went  to  Madison,  re-enlisted 
and  was  assigned  to  Company  B,  Sixteenth 
Wisconsin,  and  appointed  Corporal.  They  were 
ordered  to  join  Sherman's  force  at  Clifton, 
Tennessee,  and  overtook  his  army  at  Big  Shanty, 
on  the  famous  Atlanta  campaign.  He  partici.- 
pated  in  the  battle  at  Kenesaw  Mountain,  and 
from  that  on.  During  the  great  three  days' 
fight  at  Atlanta  he  was  wounded  in  the  left  arm 
and  left  lung  in  the  charge  upon  and  capture  of 
Leggett's  Hill  by  the  Union  army.  He  was 
carried  ofi'  the  field  and  taken  to  hospital  in 
front  and  thence  was  sent  to  hospital  at  Mari- 


etta, and  from  there  went  home  on  a  thirty 
days'  furlongh.  At  its  expiration  he  reported 
at  Madison,  and  was  given  twenty  days  addi- 
tional. Reporting  again  at  the  end  of  that 
time,  he  was  discharged.  He  commenced  the 
study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  J.  B.  Jewell,  and 
two  years  later  entered  Rush  Medical  College, 
Chicago.  He  resumed  teaching  in  Wisconsin 
in  1867,  and  so  continued  until  the  fall  of  1869, 
when  he  came  to  California.  He  taught  two 
months  in  Solano  County  that  year,  and  then 
came  to  Sonoma  County,  where  he  taught  pri- 
vate school  for  a  time.  He  then  went  back  to 
Solano  County,  but  after  piloting  a  school 
through  one  summer  term,  returned  to  Sonoma 
County,  where  he  has  ever  since  resided  and 
where  he  has  taught  in  the  following  named 
districts  the  stated  number  of  years:  Washing- 
ton district,  three  years;  Geyserville,  one;  Men- 
docino, three;  Grape,  one;  Oriental,  one;  Guil- 
ford, one;  Lafayette,  one;  Mill  Creek,  five  and 
one-half;  and  is  now  in  Alexander  district.  Mr. 
Stevens  is  a  member  of  Rod  Matheson  Post,  G. 
A.  R.,  of  which  he  has  been  Senior  Vice  Com- 
mander. He  is  Noble  Grand  of  Healdsburg 
Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.;  is  a  member  of  the  encamp- 
ment and  Rebecca  degree;  also  of  the  Knights 
of  Honor,  and  Ladies  of  the  G.  A.  R.  Politi- 
cally he  is  a  liepublican. 


tDOLPH  WESKE.  — Santa  Rosa  Valley 
with  its  rich  and  productive  soil,  delight- 
ful climate,  cultured  and  ])rogressive  citi- 
zens, affords  many  attractions  that  induce  the 
wealthy  city  resident  to  locate  his  country  home 
within  its  bounds.  With  this  in  view,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  purchased  fifty-four  acres  on 
the  Santa  Rosa  and  Healdsburg  road,  two  and  a 
half  miles  north  of  Santa  Rosa,  where  he  is 
making  extensive  improvements  in  building  and 
planting.  A  fine  cottage  residence  of  modern 
architectural  design  and  convenience,  large 
and  well  appointed  barns  and  other  out-build- 
ings indicate  a   comfortable    home   farm.      An 


536 


UI8T0RY    OF    t<ONOMA    COUNTY. 


orchard  with  twenty  acres  has  been  planted 
witli  a  variety  of  almost  all  the  fruits  ca- 
pable of  cultivation  in  the  county,  also  a 
fa'xiily  vineyard  of  choice  table  grapes.  Mr. 
Weske  is  devoting  the  balance  of  his  land  to 
thoroughbred  stock.  He  is  a  great  admirer  of 
fine  horses,  and  is  the  owner  of  the  stallion 
"  Prince  Imperial,''  from  the  famous  "  Black 
Prince  "  and  "  Dictator  "  stock.  He  also  has 
some  fine  specimens  of  thoroughbred  Jersey 
cattle.  For  the  training  and  speeding  of  his 
horses  he  designs  building  a  race  track  of  one 
mile  in  length.  Mr.  Weske  was  born  in  Germany 
in  1829,  his  parents  being  Henry  and  Caroline 
Weske,  both  natives  of  that  country.  He  was 
aftbrded  the  advantages  of  a  good  schooling  and 
was  educated  as  an  architect,  and  also  as  a 
practical  carpenter.  In  1850  he  left  home  and 
embarked  upon  a  sailing  vessel  for  a  voyage 
around  Tape  Horn  to  California.  Upon  his 
arrival  in  San  Francisco  in  April,  1851,  he  en- 
gaged in  work  at  his  trade  until  July,  and 
then  went  to  El  Dorado  County  and  engaged  in 
mining.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  months 
in  1853  spent  in  Sacramento,  Mr.  Weske  was 
for  the  next  nineteen  years  interested  in  min- 
ing, and  during  that  time  was  connected  with 
several  mining  enterprises  in  various  parts  of 
the  State,  one  of  the  most  important  of  which 
was  the  famous  Weske  mine  at  Michigan  Bluffs, 
Placer  County.  In  partnershij)  with  others  he 
purchased  this  mine  in  1858.  IMonths  and 
years  were  spent  in  tunneling  and  prospecting 
imtil  one  by  one  his  partners  abandoned  the 
nndertaking  leaving  him  alone.  His  faith  in 
the  mine  was  not  shaken,  and  with  a  persist- 
ency that  would  yield  to  no  argument  Mr. 
Weske  worked  in  his  drifts  and  tunnels  often 
alone  and  unaided.  He  never  abandoned  the 
claim,  and  for  years  all  his  earnings  in  other 
enterprises  and  labor  was  devoted  to  the  Weske 
mine.  In  1870  his  years  of  labor  and  waiting 
were  rewarded  by  a  remarkably  rich  strike  in 
his  mine,  taking  out  over  !B1,000  worth  of  gold 
in  one  day.  In  this  same  year,  after  a  few 
months  spent  in   (Termany,    Mr.  Weske  took  u]) 


his  residence  in  San  Francisco,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  During  his  residence  in  that 
city  he  has  been  largely  identified  with  many 
business  industries,  one  of  which  was  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  well  known  California  Cracker 
Compau}',  now  the  American  Biscuit  Company. 
Mr.  Weske  is  an  active  and  progressive  citizen, 
and  a  desirable  acquisition  to  any  community. 
In  political  matters  he  is  a  consistent  Republi- 
can, and  has  supported  that  party  since  its  or- 
ganization in  1856.  He  is  a  memberof  Mountain 
Lodge,  No.  14,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Mic'.igan  Bluffs, 
Placer  County,  and  also  of  Michigan  City 
Lodge,  No.  47,  F.  &  A.  M.  In  1873  Mr. 
AYeske  was  united  in  marriage  with  MissEloise 
Simones.  Her  father,  Silas  Simones,  died  in 
1852  on  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  while  serving 
as  a  soldier  in  the  United  States  army.  There 
is  but  one  child,  Rita,  living  from  this  marriage. 


fOIIN  B.  HINKLE.— In  the  history  of  Pet- 
aluma  and  of  Sonoma  County,  Mr.  Hinkle 
and  his  family  bear  an  important  part,  and 
are  deserving  of  extended  notice,  having  had 
since  their  arrival  here  an  active  share  in  the 
progress  of  this  portion  of  the  State.  Mr. 
Hinkle  was  born  at  Travelers'  Rest,  in  Jefi'erson 
County,  Virginia,  on  the  24th  of  December, 
1825,  his  family  being  one  of  the  oldest  of  that 
oldest  part  of  the  United  States.  Travelers' 
Rest  is  especially  noteworthy  from  the  fact  that 
there  was  erected  the  first  public  inn  for  the 
use  of  travelers  in  the  United  States — hence  the 
name.  In  1836  the  family  removed  to  Spring- 
field, Ohio,  and  there  Mr.  Hinkle  gained  his 
education  and  resided  until  coming  to  this  State. 
There  he  was  married  to  Miss  Arabella  Mc- 
Laughlin, sister  of  Mr.  Charles  McLaughlin, 
who  was  a  pioneer  in  this  State,  coming  here  in 
1849,  and  was  long  one  of  the  most  prominent, 
even  among  the  Argonauts.  He  had  engaged 
extensively  in  merchandising  in  the  mining 
camps  and  had  pack  trains  carrying  goods  to 
them   from   Marysville  and   other    distributing 


HInrOKY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


537 


points.  Tlie  first  stage  line  from  Marysville  to 
Foster's  Bar  was  started  by  liiin.  Of  late  years, 
however,  he  was  best  known  as  a  railroad  con- 
tractor and  builder,  having  bnilt  the  line  from 
San  Francisco  to  San  Jose,  which  was  the  Urst 
road  built  in  California.  lie  also  built  most  of 
the  old  Western  Pacific,  which  was  afterward 
merged  in  the  Southern  Pacific.  He  was  also 
at  the  time  of  his  death  a  very  extensive  land 
owner  and  capitalist.  In  1855  he  arranged 
that  Mr.  Hinkle  with  his  wife  and  family,  which 
then  consisted  of  three  young  children,  sliould 
come  to  this  State.  The  trip  across  the  plains 
was  without  serious  incident,  and  going  to 
Marysville  Mr.  Hinkle  engaged  in  staging,  run- 
ning lines  from  that  city  to  the  mining  camps. 
In  1857  he  decided  to  come  to  Petal uma,  and 
for  along  time  engaged  in  staging  here,  running 
a  line  to  the  Haystack,  the  steamer  landing  a 
short  distance  below  this  city.  He  opened  the 
first  mail  and  stage  route  to  Cloverdale  and 
Ukiah,  and  thence  to  Eureka,  in  Humboldt 
County.  He  was  the-  proprietor  of  this  line 
during  the  early  si.xties,  when  the  serious  In- 
dian troubles  occurred.  Serious  delays  took 
place  and  great  losses  were  experienced  from 
the  raids  of  the  savages.'  At  the  Spruce  Grove 
station  on  the  line  they  burned  the  cabins, 
stables  and  barns,  involving  a  loss  of  nearly 
$3,000  upon  Mr.  Hinkle,  in  the  shape  of  horses 
killed,  hay  and  buildings  burned,  etc.  Fortu- 
nately the  station-keeper  and  others  escaped, 
though  with  great  difliculty.  In  1866  he  sold 
out  this  line,  which  was  largely  instrumental  in 
opening  to  settlement  a  large  and  now  very 
wealthy  section  of  country,  and  for  three  years 
was  land  agent  for  Charles  McLaughlin,  on  the 
line  of  the  Central  Pacific  Pailroad.  Mr.  Hinkle 
lias  since  that  time  undertaken  several  important 
contracts,  aniong  which  may  be  especially  men- 
tioned the  long  tunnel  upon  the  line  of  the 
Santa  Fe  &  Union  Pacific  IJailroad  near  San 
Rafael,  a  work  of  great  magnitude,  which  was 
rapidly  and  successfully  completed.  For  some 
time  he  then  devoted  himself  to  agriculture 
and  kindred  pursuits.     Mrs.   Hinkle,   who  was 


formerly  Miss  Arabella  McLaughlin,  was  born 
at  Zanesville,  Ohio,  April  29,  1831.  She  was 
educated  at  St.  Mary's  Convent,  at  Somerset, 
Perry  County,  Ohio,  and  also  at  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference Academy,  Springfield,  in  the  same  State. 
On  her  trip  across  the  plains  in  1855,  her 
mother  accompanied  her.  She  died  in  Pet- 
aluma  at  an  advanced  age.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hinkle  have  had  eleven  children,  of  whom  seven 
are  living.  Their  names  areas  follows:  Charles 
A.,  who  is  thirty-nine  years  of  age  and  is  a  resi- 
dent of  San  Francisco;  Ella,  the  wife  of  Oscar 
V.  Walker,  a  well-known  business  man  of  San 
Francisco;  Jeauette,  wife  of  J.  P.  Rodgers,  the 
prominent  attorney  of  Petaluma;  Edward,  who 
is  connected  with  the  Argusm  Petaluma;  Mary, 
wife  of  F.  K.  Zook,  the  chief  engineer  of  the 
Union  Pacific  &  Santa  Fe  Railroad;  Walter, 
who  is  pursuing  the  study  of  law  with  W.  H. 
L.  Barnes,  the  eminent  attorney  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  Miss  Katie,  the  youngest  of  the 
family  and  still  fondly  termed  "  the  bab}-," 
although  nearing  the  limits  of  handsome  woman- 
hood. The'  Petaluma  residence  of  this  family 
is  a  large  and  elegant  structure,  surrounded  by 
tastefully  laid  out  grounds,  situated  at  the  corner 
of  F  and  Fourth  streets.  Over  it  Mrs.  Hinkle, 
who  is  a  lady  of  fine  presence  and  courteous 
manners,  and  is  an  acknowledged  leader  of 
society,  presides  with  tact  and  dignity.  In 
conclusion,  it  should  be  stated  that  Mr.  Hinkle 
is  a  gentleman  of  high  standing,  popular  and 
esteemed  by  all. 


^ICKS  LAPUM  resides  in  Green  Valley  in 
aMn  the  (xreen,  Valley  school  district,  Analy 
"^i  Township,  at  the  corner  of  the  Santa  Rosa 
and  Guerneville  road  and  the  west  Green  Valley 
road,  ten  miles  west  of  Santa  Rosa  and  five  miles 
west  of  Sebastopol.  He  is  the  owner  of  sixty 
acres  of  rich  and  productive  valley  land,  thirty- 
three  acres  of  which  are  planted  in  orchard,  as 
follows:  Fifteen  acres  in  apples,  seven  acres  in 
Wiley    cling    peaches,    four   acres    in    French 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


prnces,  two  acres  in  Bartlett  pears,  and  five 
acres  containing  a  large  variety  of  choice 
peaches.  Among  the  .latter  are  blackberries, 
raspberries  and  currants.  The  rest  of  his  land 
is  devoted  to  hay  and  stock,  the  latter  for  farm 
use  only.  Among  his  stock  are  some  fine 
specimens  of  Jersey  cows.  He  will  increase 
his  orchard  this  season  (1888)  by  planting  eight 
acres  of  Wiley  cling  trees.  This  peach  is  a 
favorite  with  Mr.  Lapum,  and  one  with  which 
he  has  been  noticeably  successful.  His  four- 
year  old  trees  (from  the  dormant  bud)  of  this 
variety  yielded  him,  in  1888,  8150  per  acre. 
He  is  one  of  the  most  practical  and  successful 
orchardists  in  Green  Valley,  and  justly  deserves 
the  success  he  has  attained  in  fruit  culture.  His 
orchards  as  well  as  the  whole  farm  show  the 
care  and  attention  they  receive.  A  comfortable 
cottage  residence  and  commodious  out-buildings, 
among  which  is  a  dry-house  with  the  most 
improved  dryers,  all  attest  the  successful  and 
prosperous  farmer.  Mr.  Lapum  dates  his  birth 
in  Addincrton  County,  near  Kingston,  Canada 
West,  August  29,  1833,  his  parents  being 
Stephen  and  Jane  (Darling)  Lapum,  both  na- 
tives of  Canada.  His  grandfather,  Robert 
Lapum,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm  until  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  when 
he  engaged  in  farming  ou  his  own  account  upon 
a  farm  adjoining  his  old  home,  and  conducted 
the  same  successfully  until  1864.  In  that  year 
he  came  to  New  York  City,  took  the  steamer 
route  for  California,  arriving  in  San  Francisco 
April  7,  1864.  From  San  Francisco  he  went 
to  Toulumne  County  and  took  charge  of  the 
stock  ranch  of  John  Cardinell.  In  1865  he 
went  to  Santa  Clara  County  and  engaged  in  the 
dairy  business  for  Melville  Drinkwater,  continu- 
ino-  this  business  until  1867.  He  then  returned 
to  San  Francisco  and  engaged  in  draying,  and 
afterward,  in  connection  with  M.  S.  Rice,  en- 
tered into  the  wood  and  coal  business  on  How- 
ard street,  between  Nineteenth  and  Twentietii 
streets.  In  1868  they  moved  to  the  corner  of 
Twentieth  and  Shotwell  streets,  where  they  in- 


creased their  business  and  became  quite  exten- 
sive dealers  in  wood,  coal,  hay,  grain,  etc.  July 
9,  1871,  Mr.  Lapum  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Hattie  A.  Jones,  daughter  of  James 
and  Joanna  (Heald)  Jones.  Her  father  was 
a  native  of  Vermont  and  her  mother  of  Maine, 
and  were  residents  of  Maine,  where  Mrs.  Lapum 
was  born  January  20,  1836.  Mrs.  Lapum  is  a 
descendant,  upon  her  mother's  side,  from  Oliver 
Heald,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary 
war.  She  came  to  California  in  1869.  Mr. 
Lapum  continued  his  business  in  San  Fran- 
cisco until  1872,  when  he  sold  out  his  interests, 
moved  to  Sonoma  County,  purchased  his  pres- 
ent residence,  and  commenced  its  cultivation 
and  improvement.  He  has  planted  twenty-one 
acres  of  his  orchard,  built  the  dry-house 
and  made  many  other  improvements.  Bring- 
ing to  his  present  occupation  sound  busi- 
ness principles,  a  practical  knowledge  of 
farming  in  other  localities,  combined  with 
energy  and  industry,  he  has  been  emi- 
nently successful  and  ranks  as  one  of  the 
best  farmers  in  Green  Valley.  Although  not 
a  pioneer  of  Sonoma  County,  he  is  well  known 
throughout  the  section  in  which  he  resides,  and 
wherever  known  is  respected  and  esteemed.  He 
is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  a  strong  supporter  of  churches  and  schools. 
A  public-spirited  and  progressive  citizen,  he  is 
always  ready  to  aid  in  every  enterprise  that  will 
advance  the  welfare  of  the  community  in  which 
he  resides.  In  political  matters  he  is  a  strong 
and  consistent  Republican,  taking  an  intelligent 
interest  in  all  the  political  questions  of  the  day. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lapum  have  been  born  three 
children  whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  are  as 
follows:  Harvey  W.,  born  July  23,  1872;  Oscar 
E.,  May  18,  1874;  Fanny  L.  L.,  May  1,  1877. 


fRNST  RQFUS,  deceased,  was  one  of  Cali- 
fornia's  earliest    pioneers.       His    advent 
into  the  country   was    years    before  the 
mass  of  pioneers  crossed  the  plains,  and   while 


HISTORY    OF    .SONOMA    COUNTY. 


539 


the  territory  was  still  under  Mexican  domina- 
tion. He  was  associated  with  what  is  now 
Sonoma  County  long  before  the  arrival  of  our 
])ioneers  of  'i8  and  '49.  The  few  iacts  gath- 
ered in  regard  to  his  life  are  of  particular  in- 
terest. Mr.  Rufus  was  born  in  "Wnrtemburg, 
Germany,  October  13,  1810.  He  was  reared 
to  agricultural  pursuits  until  about  seventeen 
years  of  age,  when  he  entered  the  military  serv- 
ice of  the  Pope  of  Rome  as  a  member  of  the 
Swiss  Guards.  He  was  there  engaged  for  many 
years,  finally  returning  to  his  native  country 
where  he  engaged  in  various  callings  until  1836. 
His  roving  and  adventurous  disposition  then 
prompted  him  to  seek  his  fortunes  in  the  new 
world,  and  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States. 
Upon  his  arrival  in  New  York  he  settled  down  to 
work  for  a  few  months,  and  tlien  sought  for  new 
fields,  traveling  through  the  Southwest  and 
South  until  about  1839,  in  which  year  he  was 
in  New  Oi'leans.  There  he  joined  a  party  of 
trappers  and  went  through  Texas  into  New 
Mexico  and  through  the  Rocky  Mountain  coun- 
try. After  a  long  and  hazardous  journey  of 
six  months  at  length  arrived  at  Yerba  Buena, 
the  present  site  of  San  Francisco,  in  1842. 
Upon  his  arrival  he  sought  the  rendezvous  of 
hunters,  trappers,  etc.,  of  that -date — Sutter's 
Fort.  There  he  was  employed  by  General  Sut- 
ter as  his  superintendent  or  major-domo.  There 
he  served  out  flour  and  provisions  to  the  inimi- 
gi'ants  who  crossed  the  plains  in  the  early 
forties.  The  General  early  recognized  his  mili- 
tary skill  and  training  and  employed  him  in 
organizing  and  drilling  a  force  for  the  protec- 
tion of  his  possessions.  Mr.  Rufus'  lirst  effort 
in  this  line  was  the  drilling  of  some  sailors  to 
act  as  soldiers.  This  not  proving  a  success  he 
solicited  and  obtained  tlie  consent  of  General 
Sutter  to  organize  a  company  of  Indians  of 
whom  the  General  had  hundreds  in  his  employ. 
In  this  he  made  a  success,  organizing  and  drill- 
ing 100  uniformed  Ii\dians  until  they  made  a 
very  creditable  apj)earance.  This  did  not  pass 
unnoticed  by  the  Military  Governor  of  Cali- 
fornia,  and,    in    1844,    when    the    Californiaiis 


under  Gen.  Jose  Castro  rebelled  against  Gov- 
ernor Manuel  Micheltorena,  the  Mexican  ruler, 
the  Governor  solicited  the  services  of  Mr. 
Rufus,  who  accepted  a  major's  commission 
nnder  the  Mexican  Government  and  served 
with  distinction  and  gallantry.  As  early  as 
1844  or  1845  Mr.  Rufus  was  employed  in  enter- 
prises in  Sonoma  County,  such  as  stock  raising. 
In  1846  when  the  Bear  Flag  party  captured 
General  Vallejo,  they  also  imprisoned  Mr. 
Rufus,  presuming  him  to  be  in  full  sympathy 
with  the  Mexican  Government.  However,  he 
was  released  after  a  dav  or  two,  as  it  was  under- 
stood they  had  nothing  to  fear  from  him.  In 
1846  Mr.  Rufus  located  permanently  at  Fort 
Ross,  where  he  had  been  granted  10,000  acres 
of  land  known  as  the  Rancho  de  Hermann,  given 
to  him  in  consideration  for  services  rendered 
the  Mexican  Government  in  quelling  the  revolt. 
There  he  engaged  for  years  in  general  farming 
and  also  had  a  flour-n^ill.  He  occupied  the  old 
Russian  buildings  and  fort  and  was  the  em- 
ployer of  a  large  number  of  Indians.  He  took 
a  prominent  lead  in  all  enterprises  tending  to 
develop  the  section  in  winch  he  resided,  and 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  Legislature,  be- 
sides holding  local  offices.  He  was  also  iden- 
tified with  the  landed  interests  of  Sonoma 
Valley  where  he  was  quite  a  laud  owner.  In 
1854  Mr.  Rufus  made  an  extended  tour  through 
Europe,  occupying  over  a  year  in  his  travels. 
While  in  Germany,  in  that  year,  he  married 
Miss  Frederika  Montigel,  a  native  of  Wnrtem- 
burg. In  1855  he  returned  with  his  bride  to 
Sonoma  County  and  took  up  his  residence  in 
Sonoma,  after  which  he  established  his  resi- 
dence about  one  mile  east  of  Sonoma,  and  de- 
voted himself  to  grape  cultivation.  He  was 
one  of  the  lirst  to  recognize  the  possibilities  of 
Sonoma  County  in  the  matter  of  produeitig 
wine,  and  did  much  to  cnL'ourage  and  build  up 
the  wine  industry.  Mr.  Rufus  remained  upon 
this  place  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Sep- 
tember 2,  1887.  In  his  death  the  community 
lost  one  of  its  most  respected  citizens.  A  man  of 
unblemished  character,  both  public  and  private. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Ill's  integrity  was  unquestionable,  and  it  was 
well  and  truthfully  said  that  his  word  was  as 
good  as  his  bond.  He  was  widely  known  through- 
out both  county  and  State,  and  his  funeral  was 
more  largely  attended  than  any  that  ever'oc- 
cnrred  in  Sonoma  Valley.  Of  the  family  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eufus  there  are  four  children  liv- 
ing, viz.:  Louise  M.,  Otto  E.,  Bertie  A.,  and 
Mina.  Bertie  A.  married  Henry  Wicker,  and 
is  now  (1888)  residing  in  San  Francisco.  The 
other  children  are  living  with  their  mother 
upon  a  portion  of  the  old  homestead,  which  is 
nnder  the  control  and  direction  of  Otto  R. 
Rufus. 


r^  J.  HOPKINS,  one  of  the  most  enter- 
HvH^  crising  citizens,  and  a  leading  hnnber 
'^^^  merchant  of  Petaluma,  was  born  in 
Yates  County,  New  York,  June  23,  18-43.  His 
father,  Samuel  J.  Hopkins,  was  a  native  of  Great 
Barrington,  Massachusetts,  and  his  mother, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Hannah  L.  Moore- 
honse,  was  born  in  New  York  State.  In  1852 
the  family,  consisting  of  Mr.  Hopkins,  his  wife 
and  two  children,  sailed  from  New  York  for 
California,  making  the  trip  via  Panama,  and 
landed  in  San  Francisco  February  3,  of  that 
year.  The  old  gentleman  located  in  that  city 
and  carried  on  the  lumber  business  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  May,  1868.  The 
widow  is  now  a  resident  of  Petaluma,  where 
she  is  making  her  home  with  her  son,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  seventy-live  years.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  was  about  eight  years  of  age 
when  he  came  to  this  State.  He  was  educated 
at  the  public  schools  of  San  Francisco  until 
1860,  when  he  went  to  Massachusetts  and 
entered  the  Sedgwick  Institute  at  Great  Bar- 
rington, remaining  there  about  one  year.  He 
then  returned  to  San  Francisco  and  engaged  in 
teaming  and  hauling  lumber  for  his  father  with 
whom  he  remained  two  years.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  that  time  he  went  to  work  for  the  Men- 
docino Lumber  Company — John  T.   Penneli — 


where  lie  was  employed  a  year  and  a  half.  After 
that  he  next  engaged  in  draying  in  San  Fran- 
cisco until  he  came  to  Petaluma,  June  21,  1868. 
For  three  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  milk 
business,  and  from  that  went  into  the  mercan- 
tile trade,  handling  furniture,  crockery,  etc.,  in 
which  he  remained  until  1876.  He  then 
entered  the  Rice  lumber  yard,  taking  a  five 
years'  lease  of  the  same  and  running  it  on  a 
percentage.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  he 
bought  the  entire  business,  which  he  now  con- 
trols. It  is  the  pioneer  lumber  yard  of  this 
city,  and  was  first  started  by  C.  B.  Bice.  Mr. 
Hopkins  has  on  hand  at  all  times  a  full  and  gen- 
eral assortment  of  first-class  lumber,  carrying 
on  the  average  a  stock  of  half  a  million  feet. 
Mr.  Hopkins  became  a  member  of  the  Petaluma 
Lodge,  No.  30,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  about  fifteen  years 
ago.  He  was  united  in  marriage,  June  23, 
1864,  to  Lois  W.  Raymond,  daughter  of  James 
M.  Raymond.  Mrs.  Hopkins  was  born  in  Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts,  and  came  with  her  parents 
from  New  York  to  San  Francisco  about  1854. 
They  have  one  daughter.  Lulu  W. 


♦tl'SuS' 


fO.  B.  GUNN,  of  San  Francisco,  has  a 
ranch  of  160  acres  lying  about  one  quarter 
®  of  a  mile  south  of  West  Windsor.  Of 
this  tract  118  acres  are  planted  to  vineyard,  the 
most  of  the  vines  being  from  seven  to  eight 
years  old.  One-third  of  the  acreage  is  in  the 
Zinfandel  grape,  the  remainder  being  Johannis- 
berg.  Grey  and  Franklin  Riesling,  Golden  and 
Fountainbleau  Chasselas,  and  Mataro.  The 
place  is  now  in  excellent  condition,  and  the 
vines,  nearly  all  of  which  are  in  bearing,  present 
a  uniformly  healthy  appearance.  The  winery 
is  a  large  brick  building,  well  constructed,  hav- 
ing a  cellar  with  an  area  of  69  x  43  feet,  and  was 
erected  in  1884.  The  fermenting  room,  which 
measures  36  x  50  feet  on  the  ground,  was  built 
in  1888.  The  winery  has  a  storage  capacity  of 
nearly  80,000  gallons;  every  process  of  manu- 
facture is  carefully  superintended;  and  the  wine 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


has  ail  excellenfr  reputation.  John  Champion, 
whose  main  interests  are  at  Asti,  manages  the 
business  at  the  pUuit,  and  exercises  a  general 
supervision. 


fOIIN  CHAMPION,  of  Asti,  owns  a  ranch 
of  285  acres  on  the  road  between  Ilealds- 
burg  and  Cioverdale,  three  miles  south  of 
the  latter  place.  About  seventy  acres  of  the 
ranch  are  in  vineyard,  the  remainder  being 
pasture  and  Russian  River  bottom  land,  the  lat- 
ter devoted  to  general  farming  purposes.  About 
twentj-iive  acres  of  the  vines  are  eight  years 
old,  the  rest  ranging  in  age  from  two  to  four 
years.  The  varieties  are  Poinillon,  Sauvignon 
Vert,  Black  Burgundy,  Fountainbleau  Chasselas, 
Tarrat,  Mataro,  Fehrzagos  and  Trousseau,  and  a 
few  Missions  among  the  older  vines.  Most  of 
the  improvements  are  due  to  the  present  pro- 
prietor, and  the  place  occupies  a  picturescjue  lo- 
cation and  presents  a  handsome  appearance.  He 
is  a  native  of  Nottinghamshire,  England,  and 
was  educated  at  Harrow.  In  January,  1882, 
he  came  to  America,  and  located  in  California, 
near  Los  Angeles.  From  tliere  he  removed  to 
his  present  location.  Besides  giving  his  atten- 
tion to  his  own  ranch  interests,  Mr.  Champion 
also  manages  the  business  of  the  Gunn  ranch 
and  winery,  near  Windsor. 


I^EV.  SAMUEL  S.  FISK,  pastor  of  the 
yra  Santa  Rosa  Baptist  church,  was  born  in 
^1^  Nova  Scotia,  British  North  America, 
where  he  was  educated  at  Horton  Academy 
and  Acadia  College.  Soon  after  completing 
his  collegiate  course  he  came  to  the  United 
States  and  taught  school  a  year  in  Belvidere, 
Illinois.  He  was  then  ordained  to  the  ministry 
and  took  pastoral  ciiarge  of  the  Baptist  church 
in  St.  Charles,  that  State.  After  filling  that 
pulpit  three  years  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate 
of  the  clnirch  of  that  denomination  in  Wauke- 


gan,  Illinois,  where  he  officiated  three  years. 
Both  of  these  churches  were  large  and  flourish- 
ing societies  when  he  severed  his  connection 
with  them.  In  Marcli,  1876,  Mr.  Fisk  came  to 
California,  settling  for  a  time  in  Los  Angeles, 
and  was  not  engaged  in  regular  pastoral  work, 
but  preaching  occasionally,  for  about  two  years. 
In  1879  he  was  elected  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
church  in  Santa  Barbara,  and  during  his  five 
years  of  administration  the  society  greatly  in- 
creased in  membership,  and  in  material  as  well 
as  spiritual  prosperity.  While  there  he  affected 
the  purchase  of  a  house  of  worship  for  his  con- 
gregation from  the  Episcopalian  society  of  that 
city.  Mr.  Fisk  resigned  his  pulpit  in  Santa 
Barbara,  expecting  to  return  to  the  East;  but 
received  and  accepted  a  call  to  preach  at  Duarte 
and  Pasadena.  At  the  latter  place  he  organ- 
ized a  chui'ch,  starting  with  thirteen  members, 
which  increased  to  sixty  during  the  year,  and 
in  that  time  the  members  subscribed  $1,800  to 
build  a  church  edifice  on  a  lot  which  was  pre- 
sented to  the  society.  The  labor  at  the  two  jwints 
proving  too  arduous,  Mr.  Fisk,  after  the  first 
year,  confined  his  pastoral  work  to  the  church  in 
Pasadena.  At  the  close  of  the  second  year  he 
resigned,  owing  to  the  ill  health  of  his  wife,  and 
spent  a  year  at  Long  Beach,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  Illinois  with  the  intention  of  remain- 
ing; but  a  few  months  experience  in  that  climate 
sufiiced  to  make  them  very  homesick  for  the 
Golden  State.  Determining  to  come  back  to 
this  land  of  sunshine  and  flowers,  they  reached 
Santa  Rosa  in  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  of 
1886,  and  September  1st,  Mr.  Fisk  entered  upon 
his  duties  as  pastor  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Baptist 
church,  which  relation  he  still  sustains.  The 
church  has  had  a  prosperous  career  under  his 
ministrations,  there  having  been  eighty  four 
accessions  in  the  two  years,  increasing  the  metn- 
bership  to  a  hundred  and  sixty  communicants 
in  good  standing,  while  the  congregation  has 
more  than  doubled  in  number.  Mr.  Fisk  is  a 
gentleman  of  aflfable  manners,  fraternal  and  com- 
panionable in  society;  and  in  the  pulpit  his  ser- 
mons arc  characterized  by^learness  and  logical 


EI  STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


force,  and  are  presented  with  that  sincerity  and 
Cliristian  zeal  which  impresses  and  convinces 
Ills  auditors.  Mr.  Fisk  resides  with  his  family 
on  tiie  line  frnit  farm,of  which  he  is  joint  owner, 
consisting  of  eiglity  acres  situated  two  miles 
north  of  Santa  Rosa,  and  valued  at  S400  per 
acre.  He  also  owns  two  dwelling  iiouses  on 
Culleo-e  avenue  in  tlie  city. 


W.  FERGUSON,  of  Mendocino  Town- 
siiip,  is  a  native  of  North  Carolina, 
i'^^jti-J  ®  born  in  Guilford  County,  December 
13,  1810,  his  parents  being  David  B.  and  Nancy 
(Pegram)  Ferguson,  both  of  whom  were  born 
in  North  Carolina.  They  removed  to  Pulaski 
County,  Kentuckv,  and  when  they  arrived  at 
their  new  home  the  subject  of  thfs  sketch  was 
just  one  day  less  than  three  months  old.  There 
he  was  reared  to  the  age  of  nineteen  years, 
when  he  went  to  Owen  County,  Indiana,  and 
two  years  later  was  joined  by  his  parents.  There 
the  fatiier  lived  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1834,  when  he  was  fifty  years  of  age.  The 
mother  afterward  removed  to  Iowa,  and  died  in 
Marshall  County,  the  same  State,  at  the  age  of 
eigiity-six  years.  William  W.  Ferguson  was 
married  in  Clay  County,  Indiana,  November  15, 
1832,  to  Miss  Mary  Cooprider.  In  1845  they 
removed  to  a  wild  portion  of  Iowa,  which  was 
at  that  time  unorganized.  When  the  county 
was  organized  Mr.  Ferguson  had  the  honor  of 
naming  botii  the  county  and  county  seat,  which 
are  respectively  Jasper  and  Newton.  Early  in 
1849  he  decided  to  emigrate  to  California,  and 
going  to  Okaloosa  to  obtain  an  outfit,  tliey 
started  from  there  on  the  2d  of  May,  in  a  party  of 
fifteen  wagons.  They  crossed  the  Missouri  River 
at  Council  Bluffs,  at  which  place  the  train  was 
augmented  to  forty-eight  wagons.  When  the 
train  was  attacked  by  cholera,  further  on  the 
journey,  however,  it  split  up  into  smaller  par- 
ties. Their  route  took  them  across  the  Loupe 
fork  of  tlie  North  Platte  River,  wlience  they 
proceeded  to  Fort  Laramie,  crossing  the  North 


Piatte,andgoing  through  the  Black  Hills.  They 
recrossed  tlie  North  Platte  125  miles  above  Fort 
Laramie,  then  went  in  the  direction  of  the 
Sweetwater  and  followed  that  stream  to  the  sum- 
mit of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  From  there  they 
chose  the  S\iblett's  cut  off  route,  and  to  the 
head  water  of  the  Humboldt  River,  which  they 
followed  until  within  forty  miles  of  its  sink.  At 
this  point  they  were  met  by  a  man  who  told 
them  tliit  there  was  no  grass  for  stock  the  way 
they  were  going  and  advised  them  to  take  the 
Lawson  route  by  Pitt  River.  This  they  struck 
near  its  head  within  four  miles  of  Goose  Lake, 
and  followed  it  to  Lawson  settlement,  three 
miles  above  Tehama.  They  then  went  to  Yuba 
City,  and  after  spending  a  year  there  proceeded 
to  Marysville.  From  there  they  went  to  Ohio 
Flat,  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Forbestown,  where 
they  remained  until  1857,  when  they  removed 
to  Sonoma  County,  locating  in  Alexander  Val- 
ley, where  John  N.  Ferguson  now  resides.  The 
trip  across  the  plains  was  uneventful  except  for 
some  disturbances  by  Indians.  The  savages 
killed  fourteen  yoke  of  oxen  belonging  to  the 
train,  one  yoke  being  the  property  of  Mr.  Fer- 
guson. When,  however,  they  got  within  thirty- 
five  miles  of  Lawson  settlement,  an  accident 
occurred  which  for  the  first  time  cast  theshadow 
of  gloom  over  the  party.  They  were  encamped 
for  the  7iight  at  the  point  mentioned,  and  a  man 
named  Alfred  had  put  up  his  tent  between  his 
own  wagon  and  Mr.  Ferguson's  tent.  While 
the  camp  was  wrapped  in  slumber,  without 
warning,  a  heavy  tree  fell  directly  across  the 
tents  mentioned,  and  Mr.  Alfred,  his  two  sons 
and  a  man  named  Cameron  were  killed.  Mr. 
Ferguson  had  two  daughters  wounded.  Eliza- 
beth S.  (now  Mrs.  Hagler)  was  injured  inter- 
nally, and  could  not  be  moved  for  six  days; 
Nancy  Ann  (now  deceased)  had  lier  foot  so 
badly  hurt  that  she  could  not  walk  for  six 
weeks.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ferguson  have  seven 
children  living:  John  N.,  Henry  O.,  Elizabeth 
S.  (widow  of  Paul  H.  Hagler),  Paris  Jasper, 
Mattie  (wife  of  James  Watson,  Jr.),  Dora 
(Hall),  and   William   W.,  Jr.     Politically,  Mr. 


UlUTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


543 


Ferguson  is  a  Democrat.  Re  celebrated  his 
golden  wedding  in  1882;  his  brother  John  J., 
of  Marsliall  County,  Iowa,  did  the  same  in  1885, 
and  in  October,  1888,  Josepli  IT.  Ferguson,  the 
youngest  brother  of  W.  W.,  became  the  third 
in  that  family  of  three  brothers  to  celebrate  liis 
golden  wedding.  The  hitter  lives  in  Manning, 
Carroll  County,  Iowa.  All  three  of  the  brothers 
areyet  living  with  the  wives  of  their  youth.  Mrs. 
W.  W.  Ferguson  was  born  in  Harrison  County, 
Indiana.  Her  father,  John  Cooprider,  was  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania.  He  emigrated  to  Ken- 
tucky in  1S05,  and  two  or  three  years  later  to 
the  County  of  Harrison,  in  the  Territory  of  In- 
diana, it  being  then  an  unbroken  wilderness  in 
the  possession  of  the  Indians.  His  mother-in- 
law,  who  lived  with  him,  had  seen  Cornwallis 
surrender  at  Yorktown.  In  1821  he  entered 
land  in  Lewis  Township,  Clay  County,  Indiana. 
On  account  of  a  mistake  in  the  description,  he 
had  to  go  elsewhere,  and  in  the  spring  of  1825 
removed  to  Middlebury,  Harrison  Township. 
There  in  the  fall  of  1826,  he  sowed  the  first 
wheat  ever  planted  in  Clay  County.  He  died 
there  March  19,  1877,  having  lived  to  see  the 
county  grow  from  a  wilderness  to  a  prosperous 
and  cultured  community. 


fOHN  K  FERGUrSOX,  eldest  son  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  W.  W.  Ferguson,  is  a  native  of 
Clay  County,  Indiana,  born  September  3, 
1835,  and  was  in  his  thirteenth  year  when  he 
accompanied  the  family  across  the  plains,  and 
on  their  trip  he  drove  an  ox  team.  He  made 
his  home  with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty- 
eight  year?  of  age,  and  has  lived  on  his  present 
farm  since  coming  to  this  county  in  July,  1857. 
He  was  married  at  this  place  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Moody,  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  daughter  of 
Simon  S.  and  Hannah  (Caldwell)  Moody.  She 
came  to  California  in  1803,  and  after  residing 
in  Sutter  County  one  year,  came  to  Sonoma 
County.  She  died  in  1870.  By  that  marriage 
there  were  three  children,  \iz.:  Erwin  Emmett, 


Clarence  Moody,  and  William  Homer,  the  latter 
dying  at  the  age  of  fourteen  months.  Air. 
Ferguson's  present  wife  was  born  in  Euchanan 
County,  Missouri,  September  28,  1845.  Her 
maiden  name  was  Sarah  Jane  Ellis,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Esquire  Leander  T.  and  Harriet  (Um- 
ber) Ellis,  both  parents  being  Kentuckians 
who  removed  from  their  native  State  to  Mis- 
souri. Mrs.  Ferguson  was  ])reviously  married, 
and  was  the  widow  of  Ransom  Basford.  who 
died  in  Nodaway  County,  Missouri.  She  came 
to  Calfornia  in  1870,  with  two  children,  Ida 
Ellen  and  Claudius  R.  Basford.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ferguson  have  four  children — Mary  Jestine, 
Muttie  Isadora,  Florence  Almeda,  and  Albert 
Llewellyn.  Politically,  Mr.  Ferguson  is  a  Re- 
publican. He  takes  an  interest  in  educational 
matters  and  for  a  number  of  years  has  been 
trustee  of  schools.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church  at  Healdsburff. 


— ^€(g:ii»-^ — 

tON.  EZEKIAL  DENMAN.— No  part  of 
the  United  States  has  made  such  rapid  ad- 
vancement as  California,  whether  in  the 
accumulating  of  wealth  or  the  gathering  of  the 
creature  comforts  of  human  life.  There  are  two 
reasons  for  this  fact.  The  one  is  the  immense 
natural  resources  of  the  country  and  its  un- 
equaled  climate,  and  the  other,  and  chief  one, 
is  the  fact  that  it  was  settled  by  a  class  of  men, 
active,  energetic  and  ready  to  work  hard  and 
honestly  for  the  great  results  we  see,  —  men 
of  brains  and  muscle  and  of  untiring  diligence. 
Wherever  we  look  in  California  we  find  these 
men,  most  of  whom  came  here  in  the  early  days, 
and  are  now,  having  achieved  the  competency 
they  so  amply  deserve,  enjoying  the  fruits  of 
their  hard  labor,  respected  by  all  and  looked 
upon  as  the  leading  figures  in  their  commun- 
ity. Such  a  man  pre-eminently  is  the  Hon. 
Ezekial  Denman,  the  president  of  the  Sonoma 
County  National  Bank  in  Petaluma.  He  was 
born  December  2,  1827,  in  Sullivan  County, 
New  York.     His  father,  William  Denman,  Jr.j 


UISTORY    OF    SOSOMA    COUNTY 


was  a  native  of  England,  but  came  to  America  | 
with  his  parents  when  but  tliree  years  of  age. 
He  became  a  weli-ivnown  and  prominent  farmer  " 
and  stock-raiser  in  Sullivan  County,  where  he 
brought  lip  his  large  family  of  nine  children  to  [ 
honest  diligence  and  honorable  independence.  \ 
Of  these  children  five  are  still  living,  four  of 
them  being  residents  in  this  State,  of  whom  the 
suliject  of  this  article  is  the  fourth  in  point  of 
birth.  Mr.  Dennian's  mother's  maiden  name 
was  iliss  Nancy  Curry.  She  was  a  native  of 
Sullivan  County,  IS^ew  York.  It  was  in  the 
district  schools  of  his  neighboriiood  that  he  re- 
ceived his  education,  attending  school  during 
the  winter  and  working  on  his  father's  farm 
during  the  summer.  When  twenty  years  old 
lie  began  teaching  school,  and  for  three  years 
continued  this  occupation,  chieliy  in  Ulster 
County,  although  for  a  portion  of  the  time  also 
in  Sullivan  County.  He  then  purchased  a  farm 
in  Sullivan  County,  which  he  carried  on  suc- 
cessfully for  two  years.  Being  seized  with  the 
desire  to  test  for  himself  the  truth  of  the  stories 
of  this  Golden  State  that  found  their  way  to  the 
East,  he  sold  his  farm  and  in  the  middle  of 
August,  1851,  set  out  for  California.  He  took 
the  Panama  route,  sailing  from  Xew  York 
i'ity  on  the  steamer  Georyia  for  Panama  and 
making  the  balance  of  the  trip  to  San  Francisco, 
where  he  landed  at  the  close  of  September,  on 
the  steamer  Orctjon.  He  remained  in  San 
Francisco  but  a  few  days,  but  went  at  once  to 
the  mines  at  Buckeye  Gulch  near  Mokelumne 
Hill.  Here  lie  stayed  about  eight  months;  then 
went  to  lone  Valley,  and  thence  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, reaching  there  early  in  1S52.  From  there 
until  June  of  that  year  he  engaged  in  the  milk 
business  in  San  Francisco,  when  he  came  to 
Petal uiiia  and  after  a  short  sojourn  here  pur- 
chased a  ranch  in  Two  Rock  Valley,  part  of  the 
old  Bojorqnes  Rancho,  and  also  engaged  in  the 
buying  and  selling  of  land.  3Ir.  Denman  made 
his  home  in  Two  Rock  Valley  up  to  1869, 
being  among  the  first  as  well  as  one  of  the  most 
extensive  farmers  in  that  section,  possessing  a 
farm  of  no  less   than  a     1.000  acres,  and  hav- 


ing once  no  less  than  four  hundred  acres  of 
potatoes  at  one  time.  It  might  also  be  stated 
that  the  house  Mr.  Denman  built  for  himself 
there  in  the  early  times  was  constructed  of  red- 
wood, cut  by  himself  from  the  redwood  forests. 
He  has  always  been  an  enterprising  dealer  in 
landed  property,  buying,  selling  and  bringing 
under  cultivation,  and  to-day  possesses  about 
2,200  acres  in  this  county  and  Marin,  all  fine 
land,  with  excellent  improvements  and  devoted 
to  grain  farming  and  stock-raising.  On  his 
ranch  in  Two  Rock  Valley  he  has  about  2.500 
fruit  trees,  of  which  1,500  are  plums  and  the 
balance  apples  and  other  fruit.  In  Xovember, 
1869,  Mr.  Denman  came  to  Petalhma,  where  he 
has  since  resided,  devoting  his  attention  largely 
to  financial  matters  and  to  affairs  of  a  general 
and  public  interest,  although  continuitig  the 
management  of  his  ranches  until  1887,  when  he 
rented  them.  He  was  one  of  the  first  and 
largest  stockholders  in  the  Sonoma  County  Bank, 
which  was  organized  in  1866,  and  was  its  first 
Vice-President,  holding  that  position  until  1886, 
when  he  was  elected  to  the  presidency.  He  was 
one  of  the  original  stockholders,  also,  in  the 
Petaluma  woolen  mills  when  first  organized. 
Mr.  Denman  has  never  been  a  seeker  after  pub- 
lic oflices,  yet  the  suffrages  of  his  fellow  citizens 
have  more  than  once  compelled  him  to  serve 
them.  For  several  years  he  was  a  member  of 
the  board  of  city  trustees,  and  once  their 
president.  He  has  also  been  a  member  of  the 
board  of  education.  Perhaps  the  most  note- 
worthy public  position  he  has  held,  however, 
is  the  directorship  of  the  Sonoma  and  Marin 
District  Agricultural  Society,  which  he  has  held 
for  fifteen  years.  For  two  years  he  was  also  its 
president.  This  society  has  had  remarkable 
success,  being  in  the  lead  of  any  in  California, 
and  owes  no  little  to  the  indefatigable  zeal  and 
matured  judgment  of  Mr.  Denman.  In  June, 
1855,  he  returned  to  visit  his  old  Eastern  home. 
"While  there  he  married  Miss  Xancy  Louise 
Hardenburg  of  Sullivan  County,  Xew  York, 
October  3,  1855.  She  died  January  9,  1870. 
She  was  the  mother  of  nine  children,  of  whom 


UISTOKY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


six  are  livitig.  Their  names  ars — Fntnk  H., 
Nellie  L.,  Ida  B.,  Carrie  E.,  John  R.,  and  Kate  C. 
The  names  of  those  deceased  were  Mary,  James, 
and  Martin.  Mr.  Denman  was  married  again 
October  15,  1877,  to  Mrs.  Isabella  St.  John, 
who  has  no  children.  Tiie  names  of  Mr.  Den- 
man's  brothers  and  sisters  are  as  follows:  Prof. 
James  Denman,  a  distinguished  educationalist 
of  San  Francisco,  Mrs.  Samuel  Cassidy,  of  Peta- 
luma;  Martin  P.  Denman.  a  well-known  farmer 
on  the  coast  in  Mendocino  County,  and  Michael 
in  Sullivan  County.  Such  is  in  brief  a  sketch 
of  the  life  and  family  of  Hon.  Ezekial  Denman, 
a  gentleman  who  commands  the  esteem  and 
confidence  of  all  by  his  strict  integrity  and  care- 
ful consideration  for  the  rights  of  others.  He 
has  always  been  a  leader  in  this  community,  and 
has  contributed  much  both  in  a  financial  way 
and  by  his  wise  counsels  in  upbuilding  this 
portion  of  the  county.  A  full  description  and 
history  of  the  bank,  of  which  he  is  the  con- 
trolling spirit,  appears  elsewhere  in  these  pages. 


tLBERT  CALDWELL.  —  The  genial  cli- 
mate, rich  soil, "  beautiful  scenery,  and 
many  other  attractions  of  the  Sonoma 
Valley  have  induced  many  men  to  seek  it  as  a 
place  of  residence  and  rest,  after  a  life  of  strug- 
gle, toil,  etc.,  in  other  parts  of  the  country. 
Among  them  is  the  above-named  gentleman,  a 
few  brief  facts  of  whose  history  are  as  follows. 
Mr.  Caldwell  is  a  native  of  Putnam  County, 
New  York,  dating  his  birth  in  1827.  His  par- 
ents, Absalom  and  Mary  (Ludingtonj  Caldwell, 
were  descendants  of  the  old  Knickerbocker  fami- 
lies of  that  State.  He  was  reared  as  a  farmer, 
receiving  a  good  coinmon-school  education.  At 
the  age  of  twenty-one  he  started  out  in  life, 
and,  going  west,  located  in  Washington  County, 
Wisconsin,  where  he  purchased  lands  and  en- 
gaged in  mercantile  pursuits,  also  conducting 
an  extensive  tiouring  mill.  In  1853  he  left 
Wisconsin,  and,  in  connection  with  his  brother, 
established  one  of  the  first  bankinj;  houses  in 


St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Caldwell  «fe  Co.  This  enterprise  was  successfully 
conducted  until  18G0,  and  during  that  time  they 
were  identified  with  many  of  the  enterprises 
that  developed  the  great  northwest.  Soon  after 
his  arrival  in  California  Mr.  Caldwell  turned 
his  attention  to  the  mining  industries  of  the 
Pacific  coast,  and  for  years  was  associated  with 
and  conducted  some  of  the  most  prominent 
mines  in  California,  Nevada,  Arizona  and  Mex- 
ico. In  Nevada  he  was  the  owner  of  the  "Hawk- 
eye,"  and  ran  the  first  tunnel  in  that  well  known 
mine.  He  also  built  the  Franklin  mill  on  tiie 
Carson  Kiver,  and  was  among  the  first  to  develop 
the  White  Pine  district.  Mr.  Caldwell  was 
largely  interested  in  the  development  of  the 
State  of  Nevada,  and  it  was  through  his  per- 
sonal representation  to  the  Interior  Department 
at  Washington  that  the  land  office  at  Carson 
was  established  in  1862.  Later  lie  turned  his 
attention  to  the  mining  industries  of  Arizona 
and  Mexico,  and  for  several  years  preceding 
1885  was  personally  identified  with  the  devel- 
opment of  several  mining  districts  in  those  sec- 
tions. His  long  experience  and  business  talents 
have  insured  him  success  in  many  a  mining  en- 
terprise where  others  failed.  As  a  farmer,. mer- 
chant, banker,  and  miner,  years  of  his  life  were 
passed  in  activity  and  toil  that  resulted  in  secur- 
ing him  a  competency.  Desirous  of  retiring  to 
a  more  peaceful  and  quiet  life,  in  1885  he  pur- 
chased a  thirty-five  acre  tract  of  land  in  Sonoma, 
upon  which  he  resides.  This  land  is  located 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  east  and  south  of  Sonoma. 
Mr.  Caldwell  is  enthusiastic  in  the  calling  of  a 
vine  and  fruit  grower.  To  this  occupation  ht 
applies  the  same  energies,  business  tact,  etc.,  ag 
to  other  enterprises,  and  his  success  is  notice- 
able. He  has  twenty  acres  of  table  grapes,  such 
as  Tokay,  Muscat,  and  Rose  of  Peru,  and  the 
care  and  attention  lie  has  bestowed  upon  them 
has  brought  its  reward  by  yielding  him  over 
§300  ])er  acre,  net,  in  1888.  There  are  also 
1,500  fruit  trees  upon  his  land,  comprising  a 
large  variety  of  the  most  approved  fruits  grown 
in  the  valley.     A  comfortable  cottage  residence 


546 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  suitable  out-buildings,  surrounded  by 
shaded  and  well  kept  grounds,  make  a  pleasant 
home  in  which  he  is  enjoying  a  well  deserved 
rest  after  a  long  business  career.  Mr.  Caldwell 
was  married  in  1856  to  Miss  Cordelia  Hayt, 
daughter  of  Harry  and  Thankful  (Crosby) 
Hayt.  Both  of  Mrs.  Caldwell's  parents  were 
born  in  Xew  York  and  are  from  some  of  the 
oldest  families  in  the  State.  The  old  homestead, 
so  full  of  historical  reminiscences  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary war,  is  still  held  and  cherished  as  an 
heirloom  by  her  family'.  Its  broad  acres  was 
the  rendezvous  for  General  Putnam  as  he 
crossed  the  country  to  reach  Xewburg,  Wash- 
ington's headquarters.  Mrs.  Caldwell's  grand- 
father was  a  captain  during  the  war,  and  the 
certificate  with  General  Washington's  autograph 
is  still  preserved  by  her  family.  From  this 
marriage  three  children  are  living:  Mary  H., 
Martha  H.  and  Frederick  E.  Mary  H.  married 
William  F.  Hooper,  now  a  banker  in  San  Ber- 
nardino County.  Martha  H.  married  Martin 
T.  Morton,  and  is  residing  in  Sonoma  Valley, 
and  Frederick  H.  resides  under  the  parental 
roof.  Politically  Mr.  Caldwell  is  a  strong  Re- 
publican. He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  being  a  member  of  Tucson  Lodge, 
No.  4,  of  Tucson,  Arizona. 


fOSEPH  P.  MERRILL,  of  Geyserville,  is  a 
native  of  Cumberland  County,  Maine,  born 
at  the  town  of  Falmouth,  September  2, 
1827,  his  parents  being  Daniel  and  Dorcas  Mer- 
rill. Both  parents  were  natives  of  Maine,  and 
the  grandparents  were  also  New  Englanders  by 
birth.  The  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
a  farmer,  was  a  prominent  man,  much  respected 
in  the  community  in  which  he  resided.  He 
was  one  of  the  selectmen  for  eighteen  years  out 
of  twenty,  and  represented  his  district  three 
years  in  the  State  Legislature.  He  also  settled 
up  a  great  many  estates  in  the  community.  He 
died  in  1880,  his  wife  having  preceded  him  in 


death  many  years.  Joseph  P.  Merrill  was 
reared  in  his  native  State,  attending  the  acad- 
emy at  Lewiston  Falls,  also  Kent's  Hill 
Academy  and  other  institutions  of  learning. 
Having  finished  his  education,  he  taught  several 
terms  of  school  in  the  vicinity  of  his  home.     In 

1853  he  came  out  to  California,  via  Panama, 
landing  at  San  Francisco  early  in  May.  He 
went  to  Benicia,  thence  to  Green  Valley,  and  in 

1854  to  Suisun  Valley,  where  he  resumed  teach- 
ing, which  he  followed  for  over  a  year.  He 
then  went  into  a  store  as  clerk,  and  followed 
that  occupation,  and  afterward  merchandising 
on  his  own  account  for  about  three  years.  He 
then  came  to  Alexander  Valley,  Sonoma  County, 
and  farmed  there  for  a  year  and  a  half.  From 
there  he  went  back  to  Solano  County,  and  re- 
sumed teaching.  He  then  took  charge  of  a 
flour-mill,  which  he  operated  until  1865,  when 
he  went  to  Owyhee  County,  Idaho,  where  he 
had  an  intere.«t  in  a  saw-mill  near  Silver  City; 
remained  there  about  one  year,  then  went  to  the 
region  of  the  Owyhee  River  in  Baker  County, 
Oregon,  and  located  on  a  ranch,  remaining 
there  until  1884.  At  that  time  he  sold  most  of 
his  stock  and  ranches,  and  moved  further  back 
onto  the  range,  away  from  the  road  and  from 
civilization,  and  engaged  in  horse  and  mule  rais- 
ing, moving  his  family  to  Berkley.  Early  in  1885 
he  purchased  the  site  of  his  present  residence,  on 
which  he  has  put  building  improvements  at  a 
cost  of  about  §10,000,  making  the  place  a  very 
handsome  one.  Mr.  Merrill  was  married  in  this 
State,  May  13,  1858,  to  Miss  Martha  M.  Lyon, 
a  native  of  Logan  County,  Ohio,  and  daughter 
of  Asher  M.  and  Martha  Lyon.  Her  parents 
were  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  born  near  the 
Schuylkill  River.  They  went  to  Ohio  in  an 
early  day.  In  1841  they  removed  to  Washing- 
ton County,  Iowa,  among  its  early  settlers.  The 
father  crossed  the  plains  to  California  in  1850, 
returning  two  years  later.  The  next  year  he 
lost  his  wife  by  death.  He  again  came  to  Cali- 
fornia in  1866,  locating  in  Suisun  Valley  in 
June  of  that  year.  He  died  there  in  1867. 
Mrs.  Merrill  came  out  to  California  when  a  girl, 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


with  a  married  sister.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Merrill 
have  had  seven  children,  of  whom  tive  are 
living,  viz.:  Lillie  J.,  wife  of  R.  A.  Barnes,  re- 
siding near  Los  Angeles;  Rose  Elizabeth,  wife 
of  T.  C.  Fletcher,  residing  in  Malheur  County, 
Oregon;  Ernest  L.,  a  resident  of  Passadena; 
Birdie,  a  young  lady  aged  eighteen,  died  Octo- 
ber, 1887,  and  Annie,  died  May,  1877,  aged  tive 
years  and  three  months;  Mabel  and  Maud  are 
ten  and  six  years  old.  Bolitieally  Mr.  Merrill 
is  a  Republican. 

tNDREW  JACKSON  MILLS  is  a  native 
of  Chemung  County,  New  York,  and 
dates  his  birth  February  28,  1819.  His 
father,  Thomas  Mills,  svas  also  a  native  of  the 
same  county,  and  his  grandfather  was  among  its 
earliest  settlers.  His  mother  was  Elizabeth 
(Bennett)  Mills.  Her  parents  M-ere  natives  of 
Connecticut.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  in  his  native  county,  where  his  father 
was  reared  a  farmer  and  later  became  a  lawyer. 
His  health  in  youtii  and  young  manhood  was 
such  as  prevented  his  following  the  arduous 
labors  attending  farm  operations,  therefore  bis 
time  was  spent  in  school  and  such  occupations 
as  were  afforded  in  his  father's  office,  his  father 
being  justice  of  the  peace,  an  office  which  he 
held  for  twenty-eight  years.  At  the  age  of 
twenty  years  he  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  his 
mother,  who  died  in  1839.  In  1842  he  went 
to  St.  Joseph,  Bi:(!::ii>an  County,  Missouri,  and 
joined  his  father,  wiiu  had  preceded  him  some 
years.  There  he  located  160  acres  of  govern- 
ment land,  within  a  mile  of  the  village  of  St. 
Joseph.  His  continued  ill  health,  however, 
compelled  his  abandoning  all  idea  of  a  farm  life. 
lie  engaged  in  various  pursuits  until  1846.  In 
this  year  he  went  to  Fort  Leavenworth  and  en- 
gaged as  a  teamster  in  the  United  States  employ. 
AVhile  in  this  employ  he  was  attached  to  a 
freighting  train  bound  for  Santa  Fe,  New  Mex- 
ico, arriving  at  that  place  in  the  fall.  He  found 
tlie    prospect   sucii  as  would    compell    him   to 


spend  most  of  the  winter  there.  Being  desir- 
ous of  a  change  he  engaged  as  teamster  with  a 
detachment  of  troops  bound  to  the  Indian 
country  to  join  Colonel  Doniphan's  First  Regi- 
ment of  Missouri  Volunteers,  which  was  an  ex- 
pedition against  the  hostile  Indians  in  New 
Mexico.  He  accompanied  this  command  until 
its  arrival  at  New  Orlean.s.  There  he  was  dis- 
charged and  paid  off  in  July,  1847.  He  then 
returned  to  St.  Joseph,  where  he  remained  until 
the  winter,  when  he  again  entered  the  service  as 
a  teamster,  and  was  engaged  in  hauling  supplies 
to  Fort  Mann.  The  next  spring  he  was  again 
on  the  road  to  Santa  Fe.  Upon  his  arrival  at 
that  place  he  left  the  government  employ  and 
took  up  a  tract  of  land  about  180  miles  south 
of  Santa  P^e  with  the  intention  of  establishing  a 
supply  station  for  emigrants  and  traders,  but 
finding  this  to  be  grant  lands  and  liable  to  in- 
volve him  in  litigation  with  the  grant  holders, 
he  abandoned  the  project  and  returned  to  Santa 
Fe.  He  was  then  appointed  assistant  forage 
master  in  the  government  department  of  the 
United  States  army,  and  stationed  at  San  Mig- 
uel, fifty  miles  east  of  Santa  Fe.  There  he 
remained  until  1850.  In  that  year  he  proceeded 
overland  to  Mazatlan,  Mexico,  and  from  there 
by  steamer  to  San  Francisco.  After  a  short 
stay  at  that  place  he  went  to  Sacramento,  and 
from  there  to  Nevada  County,  where  he  engaged 
in  mining.  He  was  successful  in  this  work  and 
continued  it  until  the  fall  of  1851,  when  he- re- 
turned by  the  Isthmus  route  to  Missouri.  In 
the  spring  of  1852  he  married  Miss  Nancy 
McClelland,  the  daughter  of  John  G.  McClel- 
land, a  resident  of  Missouri.  In  May  of  the 
same  year  he  started  ovei-land  with  his  bride  to 
California.  After  five  months'  of  travel  over 
plains,  deserts,  and  mountains,  he  reached  Ne- 
vada County,  California.  There  he  engaged  in 
mining  until  1855.  In  that  year  he  came  to 
Sonoma  County  and  took  up  his  residence  upon 
160  acres  of  land,  upou  which  he  has  since  re- 
sided. This  land  is  located  in  Bennett  Valley, 
in  the  Santa  Rosa  scliool  district,  about  three 
and  a  lialf  miles  from  Santa  Rosa.     The   land 


HISTOliY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


was  long  claimed  by  graut  holders;  but  Mr. 
Mills  resisted  their  demands,  and  was  one  of 
the  strongest  fighters  in  the  valley  against 
fraudulent  grants.  After  years  of  litigation  he 
was  successful  in  his  resistai»ce,  and  secured  a 
government  patent  for  his  land.  During  this 
tin)e  he  was  successfully  conducting  his  farm- 
ing operations  and  adding  to  his  landed  posses- 
sions by  purchase  of  school  lands,  etc.,  until  his 
present  (1888)  holding  comprises  a  magnificent 
farm  of  325  acres.  With  tlie  exception  ot  six 
acres  of  orchard,  Mr.  Mills  devotes  his  land  to 
the  production  of  grain,  hay  and  stock-raising. 
He  is  a  believer  in  improved  stock,  and  among 
his  stock  may  be  found  some  fine  specimens  of 
improved  "Norman"  and  "Suffolk  Punch" 
horses.  Mr.  Mills'  long  residence  and  the  in- 
terest he  has  always  taken  in  the  pi'osperity 
and  welfare  of  Sonoma-  County  have  gained  him 
a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  by 
whom  he  has  ever  been  held  in  the  highest  re- 
spect and  esteem.  His  indust)'y  and  energetic 
habits  coupled  with  straightforward,  honest 
business  dealings,  have  insured  his  success,  and 
secured  him  a  competency.  He  is  a  member  of 
Santa  Kosa  Grange,  No.  17,  Patrons  of  Hus- 
bandry. A  strong  supporter  of  the.  public 
schools,  he  has  for  many  years  been  one  of  the 
efficient  school  trustees  of  his  district.  From 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mills  but  two 
children  are  living,  viz.:  Don,  who  is  living  in 
San  Francisco;  and  Emma,  who  resides  with 
her  parents. 


tYMAN  C.  BYCE,  proprietor  of  the  Peta- 
luma  Incubator  Companj',  was  born  in 
Canada,  near  Ottawa,  June  3,  1852.  The 
Byce  family  trace  their  ancestry  back  to  Hol- 
land and  Scotland.  David  Byce,  the  father  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  a  native  of 
Canada.  He  married  a  lady  named  Jane  Storey, 
born  of  Scotch  parents  who  emigrated  from 
Scotland  to  Canada.  Lyman  C.  Byce  remained 
at  home  until   after    the   death    of  liis   father, 


which  occurred  in  1872,  his  mother  having  died 
some  years  previous  to  that.  After  receiving  a 
common-school  education  he  engaged  iti  his 
father's  saw-mills,  and  afterward  went  into  the 
business  of  manufacturing  potato  starch.  He 
had  a  starch  mill  located  at  Kempville,  near 
Ottawa,  where  he  carried  on  his  business  for 
about  two  years,  when,  according  to  the  free 
trade  laws  of  Canada,  starch  being  an  unpro- 
tected article  of  manufacture,  he  was  compelled 
to  abandon  the  business.  He  then  took  up  the 
study  of  medicine  in  Toronto,  Canada,  where  he, 
remained  two  years.  His  health  then  failing 
him  he  gave  up  his  studies,  temporarilv,  as  he 
supposed,  and  made  a  trip  to  California  in  the 
fall  of  1879,  and  after  spending  about  a  year  in 
Petaluma,  and  liking  the  place  so  well,  he  de- 
cided not  to  go  back  East,  but  to  make  this  his 
future  home.  During  his  residence  here  he 
has  been  very  successful.  In  the  spring  of 
1882  he  became  associated  with  the  Petaluma 
Incubating  Company,  of  which  business  he  is 
the  present  proprietor.  Mr.  Byce  is  a  past 
master  of  Arcturus  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  No. 
180,  also  a  member  of  Petaluma  Royal  Arch 
Chapter,  No.  22,  and  Mt.  Olivet  Commandery, 
No.  20,  K.  T.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
November  1,  1887,  to  Miss  Lily  C.  Gray,  a 
native  of  London,  England,  and  daughter  of 
William  J.  Gray,  of  Eureka,  Humboldt  County, 
California. 


H^IRAM  L.  TKIPP,  the  senior  partner  in  the 
IWl  clothing  house  of  Tripp  &  Thurston,  came 
-^3i  to  Santa  Rosa  in  1878  and  opened  the 
first  and  the  only  exclusively  gentlemen's  cloth- 
ing and  furnishing  store  in  the  city.  A 
clothing  store  in  a  town  the  size  of  Santa  Rosa 
at  that  time  was  something  of  an  experiment; 
but  Mr.  Tripp  had  had  ten  years  experience  in 
the  business  and  was  master  of  it.  He  carried 
on  a  thriving  trade  until  188i,  and  then  took 
in  J.  D.  Barnett  as  a  partner,  who  remained 
with  him  till  May   1,   1888,  when  he  retired, 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


leaving  Mr.  Tripp  again  sole  proprietor.  It 
was  only  for  a  short  time,  however,  for  his  pres- 
ent partner,  George  S.  Thurston,  soon  bought 
in.  They  carry  a  stock  of  ready-made  clothing 
and  gentlemen's  furnishing  goods  and  head 
gear,  in  their  storeat519  Fourth  street,  ranging 
from  !§lo,000  to  !?18,000  in  value,  and  which  in 
quality  and  quantity  would  be  a  credit  to  a  city 
of  20,000  inhabitants.  Their  goods  are  pur- 
chased chiefly  direct  from  Chicago  and  New 
York  manufacturers,  at  cash  prices  and  are  sold 
for  cash:  hence  they  are  prepared  to  give  their 
patrons  bargains  in  clothing.  Mr.  Tripp  is  a 
native  of  Xew  York  State,  born  April  9,  1848. 
He  started  in  mercantile  life  at  Glenn's  Falls, 
New  York,  at  the  age  of  twenty  years.  In 
1875  he  came  across  the  continent  to  California. 
He  was  three  years  in  San  Francisco  in  the 
clothing  business  before  settling  in  Santa  Rosa. 
Mr.  Tripp  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  in 
which  he  has  taken  the  chapter  and  command- 
ery  degrees,  and  is  junior  past  master  of  Santa 
Rosa  Lodge,  No.  57,  and  is  at  present  high 
priest  of  Santa  Rosa  Chapter,  No.  45,  R.  A.  M. 
He  was  married  to  an  Ohio  lady,  formerly  Miss 
Crane,  in  Santa  Rosa,  September  24,1884.  Mr. 
Thurston  is  also  a  native  of  the  Empire  State, 
born  forty  years  ago.  Most  of  his  active 
business  life  has  been  spent  in  bookkeeping. 


^^^T^ILLIAM  J.  ROBINSON.— Among  the 
■  w\T;  representative' farms  in  Blucher  Valley, 
r^ij^  Aualy  Township,  special  mention  should 
be  made  of  that  owned  by  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  He  is  the  owner  of  547  acres  of  hill 
and  valley  land,  located  in  the  Canfield  school 
district,  about  four  and  a  half  miles  northeast 
of  Bloomfield.  Upon  his  farm  is  a  family 
orchard  and  vineyard,  producing  a  large  variety 
of  fruits  and  tal)le  grapes,  showing  that  his 
lands,  the  climate,  etc.,  are  well  adapted  to  hor- 
ticultural and  viticultural  productions.  With 
the  exception  of  twenty  acres  producing  pota- 
toes,   his    land    is    devoted  to    hay,  grain   and 


stock  purposes.  Among  the  latter  are  seventy 
head  of  cattle,  fifty  of  which  are  milch  cows, 
and  used  for  dairy  purposes.  Mr.  Robinson's 
dairy  is  devoted  entirely  to  butter  making,  in 
which  he  is  very  successful,  producing  a  supe- 
rior article,  which  readily  commands  lirst-class 
market  prices.  He  also  devotes  considerable 
attention  to  breeding  improved  and  thorough- 
bred horses,  and  he  may  be  justly  proud  of  his 
success  in  this  enterprise.  Among  his  draft 
horses  are  fine  specimens  of  Norman,  Duke  de 
Cliartres  and  Pollock  stock.  His  roadsters  and 
trotting  stock  are  bred  from  Alexander,  Bell- 
ringer,  Nutwood  and  Electioneer  stock.  The 
improvements  upon  the  model  farm  are  first- 
class  in  every  respect.  A  beautiful  two-story 
dwelling-house  located  upon  high  grounds 
affords  its  occupants  a  pleasing  and  extended 
view  of  the  valley  below.  Commodious  barns 
and  other  out-buildings  attest  the  prosperous 
and  successful  farmer.  Water  is  abundant,  and 
is  conveyed  by  a  well  arranged  pipe  system 
throughout  all  the  buildings  and  over  the 
grounds.  This  water  is  from  an  unfailing 
spring,  located  among  the  hills,  about  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  from  his  residence.  The 
building  of  the  barn  and  construction  of  this 
water  supply  system  are  among  the  improve- 
ments made  by  Mr.  Robinson  since  occupying 
the  place  in  1883.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  born  in  the  province  of  Ontario,  Canada, 
April  22,  1851,  his  parents  being  John  and 
Elizabeth  (Scott)  Robinson,  both  natives  of 
Ireland.  His  mother  was  of  Scotch  descent. 
His  father  came  to  Canada  in  his  early  man- 
hood and  engaged  in  farming  occupations.  Mr. 
Robinson  was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm, 
where  he  became  versed  in  the  practical  knowl- 
edge of  farming  and  stock-raising,  that  has  been 
so  useful  to  him  in  after  life.  Before  reaching 
the  age  of  twenty  years  Mr.  Robinson  conclu- 
ded to  seek  his  fortune  in  other  climes  than  his 
Canadian  home,  and  in  1870  he  left  his  home 
and  started  for  California.  Immediately  after 
his  arrival  in  San  Francisco,  he  went  to  Marin 
County,  where  he  worked  at   farm    labor  and 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


dairying.  He  remained  in  that  county  until 
1878.  His  sturdy,  industrious  habits  and  con- 
stant labor  had  enabled  him  to  accumulate  a 
small  capital.  With  this  he  came  to  Sonoma 
County  and  rented  640  acres  of  land  from  Will- 
iam Jones,  about  one  mile  from  Bloomiield. 
This  land  he  stocked  with  seventy  cows  and 
established  liimself  in  the  dairy  business.  In 
tiiis  enterprise  he  was  successful,  and  he  con- 
ducted the  same  until  1883,  when  he  purchased 
liis  present  farm  and  residence.  Since  that 
date  he  lias  devoted  himself  to  dairying,  stock- 
raising  and  general  farming.  Mr.  Robinson 
is  an  enterprising  and  progressive  citizen,  one 
who  believes  in  the  future  prosperity  and  wealth 
of  Sonoma  County,  and  is  ready  to  aid  in  all 
enterprises  that  tend  to  advance  the  section  in 
which  he  resides.  During  his  comparatively 
short  residence  in  this  county,  he  has  gained 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances.  He  is  emphatically 
a  self-made  man,  and  the  modest  competency 
which  he  has  secured  is  the  result  of  industry, 
honest  labor  and  honorable  dealings  with  his 
fellow-men.  In  political  matters  Mr.  Robin- 
son is  a  consistent  Republican.  In  1878  Mr. 
Robinson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary 
Ann  Black,  a  native  of  Ireland.  From  this 
marriage  there  have  been  born  three  children, 
two  of  whom  are  now  (1888)  living,  viz.:  James 
and  Arthur.  Charles  died  in  1884,  aged  four 
years,  four  months  and  twenty-eight  days. 


fETII  MILLINGTON  (deceased)  was  born 
in  Herkimer  County,  New  York,  in  1819, 
his  parents  being  Ira  and  Electa  (Pad- 
dock) Millington,  both  natives  of  that  State. 
When  he  was  tiiree  years  of  age  his  parents 
moved  to  Missouri  and  located  in  St.  Charles 
County,  where  his  father  engaged  in  mechanical 
labor.  Mr.  Millington  was  reared  in  that 
county  and  received  a  good  education,  finishing 
his  studies  by  a  course  in  the  St.  Charles  Col- 
lege.    When   Hfteen  years  of  age  he   had   the 


misfortune  to  lose  his  parents,  whom  death 
called  from  their  sphere  of  action.  In  1836  he 
went  to  Iowa  where  he  engaged  in  the  United 
States  Land  Survey,  after  which  he  began  the 
study  of  law  in  Yan  Buren  County.  In  1838 
he  married  Miss  Leviza  Johnson,  a  resident  of 
St.  Charles  County,  Missouri.  She  died  in 
1846,  leaving  one  child.  Soon  after  the  death 
of  his  wife  Mr.  Millington  enlisted  in  the 
Fifteenth  Regiment  of  the  United  States  In- 
fantry, and  entered  the  Mexican  war.  He 
served  with  the  regiment  in  the  various  engage- 
ments until  the  storming  of  Chapultepec.  In 
this  battle  he  was  severely  wounded  and  lay 
xipon  the  battle-field  for  six  hours  before  re- 
ceiving medical  attendance.  He  laid  in  the 
hospital  at  Chapultepec  from  September  15,  to 
January-,  1848,  when  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged, and  returned  to  his  home  in  Van 
Buren  County,  Iowa.  In  the  same  year  he 
married  Miss  Maria  Woodward,  the  daughter  of 
Lemuel  and  Anna  (Blakemore)  Woodward,  who 
were  natives  of  Virginia.  Mr.  Millington, 
upon  his  return  from  Mexico,  entered  into  the 
practice  of  law.  He  was  also  for  years  the 
clerk  of  the  district  court  of  Van  Buren 
County.  He  took  a  lead  and  was  prominent  in 
political  affairs  of  the  county  and  was  the  editor 
of  the  leading  Democratic  paper  published  at 
Keosauqua,  the  county  seat.  Mr.  Millington 
continued  the  practice  of  his  profession  and 
other  pursuits  until  1862.  In  that  year  he 
came  with  his  family  across  the  plains  to  Cali- 
fornia, bringing  four  teams  and  quite  a  drove  of 
stock  with  him.  Upon  his  arrival  in  California 
he  came  to  Sonoma  County,  and  located  in  Ben- 
nett Valley  where  he  purchased  230  acres  of 
land,  about  two  miles  southeast  of  Santa  Rosa. 
Establishing  his  family  upon  this  farm,  he  com- 
menced the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Santa 
Rosa.  He  was  eminently  successful  in  this  enter- 
prise and  soon  took  a  leading  stand  in  the  law 
circles  of  the  county,  being  the  attorney  and 
counsel  in  some  of  the  most  important  land 
cases  of  the  period.  But  death  called  him  from 
the  scene  of  his  labors  and  he  departed  this  life 


HISTOBT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


in  March,  1867.  Altliongli  less  than  five  years  a 
resident  of  Sonoma  County  Mr.Millington  had 
by  his  legal  learning,  manly  qualities,  and 
straightfbrwaj-d  business  course  gained  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  who  joined 
his  family  in  sincerely  mourning  over  his  death. 
He  was  a  horn  leader  and  took  a  prominent 
part  in  the  political  and  legal  circles  in  what- 
ever community  he  resided.  He  was  also  a 
literary  man,  whose  talents  were  of  no  mean 
order,  and  was  a  strong  and  able  writer  upon 
the  leading  questions  of  the  day.  In  politics 
he  was  a  life-long  Democrat,  ever  intent  upon 
advancing  the  best  interests  and  elements  of  his 
party.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, being  a  Eoyal  Arch  Mason.  Mr.  Mill- 
irigton  was  the  father  of  nine  children,  one 
from  his  first  marriage,  Ira,  who  is  now  living 
in  Texas.  From  his  second  marriage  he  had 
eight  children,  viz.:  Ada,  who  married  T.  C. 
Jones,  living  in  Oregon;  Grace  married  J.  W. 
Cook,  residing  in  Los  Angeles  County;  Olivia 
(deceased)  married  A.  Linel>augh,  of  Sonoma 
County;  James  B.,  who  married  Miss  Margaret 
F.  Mackey  of  San  Francisco,  resides  at  Santa 
Rosa;  Seth,  an  attorney  at  law,  residing  in  Col- 
usa County;  John  and  Anna  E.  residing  on  the 
old  homestead,  and  Zacharia  is  at  the  Vander- 
bilt  University,  Nashville,  Tennessee.  Upon 
the  death  of  Mr.  Millington,  the  care  of  the 
large  farm,  the  rearing  and  educating  of  a  large 
family  of  children  devolved  upon  the  mother, 
and  well  has  Mrs.  Millington  fultilled  the  trust. 
She  has  displayed  a  courage,  energy,  and  busi- 
ness tact  rarely  found  even  among  the  noble 
women  of  our  day.  She  has  devoted  her  life 
to  her  children  and  is  rewarded  by  seeing  them 
grown  to  man's  and  woman's  estate  well  educated 
and  taking  honorable  ])ositions  in  life  in  the 
community  in  which  they  reside.  Mrs.  Mill- 
ington, assisted  by  her  younger  sons,  is  still 
engaged  in  conducting  her  farm.  She  lias  thirty- 
five  acres  in  vineyard,  producing  wine  grapes 
of  the  Zinfandel  and  Grey  Riesling  varieties, 
also  ten  acres  of  orchard,  producing  apples, 
pears,  cherries,  and    plums.     Thirty  acres  are 


devoted  to  hay,  and  tlie  rest  of  the  land  is  used 
for  pasturing  stock.  On  this  land  is  a  dairy  of 
forty  cows,  wiiich  is  conducted  by  James  B. 
Millington,  who  also  rents  the  lands  of  Mr. 
Taylor  adjoining  the  home  farm.  The  products 
of  this  dairy  Mr.  Millington  disposes  of  in 
Santa  Rosa,  where  he  has  a  large  nuinlier  of 
customers.  His  business  is  conducted  under 
the  name  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Dairy. 


fB.  TRAPET,  proprietor  of  the  Promon- 
tory vineyard  and  winery,  Mendocino 
®  Township,  is  a  native  of  France,  born  at 
Marey  le  Fussey,  Canton  de  Nutscote  D'or, 
November  12, 1829,  his  parents  being  John  and 
Madaline  (Martin)  Trapet.  The  father,  a 
farmer  and  vineyardist,  was  mayor  of  his  native 
town  for  nearly  thirty  years,  and  his  father  be- 
fore him  had  also  been  mayor.  J.  B.  Trapet 
grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  place,  and  was 
educated  in  that  vicinity.  He  was  brought  up 
to  understand  the  care  and  culture  of  the  vine, 
and  became  an  authority  on  matters  pertaining 
to  the  vineyard.  In  1854,  however,  he  decided 
to  emigrate  to  America,  and,  going  to  Havre, 
sailed  on  the  Notre  Dame  du  Victoires  for 
San  Francisco,  which  port  he  reached  after  a 
voyage  of  five  months  and  nineteen  days.  He 
clerked  for  two  and  a  half  years  on  Montgemery 
street,  near  Sacramento  street,  near  where 
Wells,  Fargo  &  Co.  headquartered.  Leaving 
San  Francisco,  he  went  to  the  mines  at  San 
Andreas,  where  he  engaged  in'  tnining,  and 
was  leader  of  the  brass  band,  and  afterward  to 
Trinity  County,  remaining  altogether  about 
fourteen  months.  In  1859  he  returned  to 
France,  and  again  resumed  his  connection  with 
the  culture  of  tiie  vine.  He  took  an  active  part 
in  public  aftairs,  and  from  1870  to  1877  was  a 
member  of  the  municipal  council  of  Beaune. 
He  was  also  selected  as  a  member  of  the  gov- 
ernment commission  to  inquire  into  the  causes 
of  the  decay  of  vines,  and  report  on  viticultural 
matters   generally,  serving  on   the  commission 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


with  credit  to  himself.  He  caine  baciv  to 
America  in  1877,  and  located  where  he  now  re- 
sides. Mr.  Trapet  was  married  in  France,  in 
1861,  to  Miss  Claudine  Morand.  Tliey  have 
one  child — Edmund.  Mr.  Trapet  is  a  man  who 
believes  strictly  in  the  principles  of  government 
by  and  for  the  people,  and  in  France  enjoyed 
the  full  confidence  of  the  leading  Republicans. 
He  preserves  to  this  day  the  testimonials  of 
many  men  who  have  gained  distinction  in 
France,  testifying  their  high  regard  for  him. 
When  in  San  Francisco,  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Vigilance  Committee  of  185G.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  order.  Mr.  Trapet  is 
the  owner  of  a  fine  place  on  Dry  Creek  road, 
two  and  a  half  miles  from  Healdsburg.  He 
purchased  120  acres  here  in  1877,  but  has  since 
sold  oif  seventy  acres.  He  has  a  vineyard  of 
twenty  acres,  mostly  Zinfandel,  with  a  few"  other 
varieties,  and  nearly  all  in  bearing.  Mr.  Trapet 
has  been  making  wine  since  1886.  He  has  a 
storage  capacity  for  15,000  gallons,  and  all  his 
products  find  a  ready  sale. 


tLLISON  B.  WARE,  who  holds  a  promi- 
nent position  at  the  Sonoma  County  bar, 
was  born  at  Fort  Covington,  Franklin 
County,  New  York,  April  7,  1847,  where  he 
resided  until  he  arrived  at  young  manhood  and 
where  he  received  his  education.  He  began  Hie 
a  school  teacher  and  carried  on  the  study  of  law, 
and  after  studying  for  a  period  in  an  office  at 
his  native  place  and  subsequently  at  Santa  Rosa, 
California,  he  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the 
district  court  of  the  seventh  judicial  district  of 
California  in  1872.  Having  passed  a  successful 
examination  November  13,  1887,  he  received 
his  license  to  practice  in  the  Supreme  Court  of 
California.  Afterward  he  was  admitted  to  the 
United  States  Circuit  Court.  In  the  fall  of 
1879  having  received  the  nomination  for  dis- 
trict attorney  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  he  was 
elected  by  a  large  majority.  It  being  immedi- 
ately after  the  adoption  of  tlie  new  constitution. 


his  term  of  office  was  extended  to  two  years  and 
ten  montlis.  On  retiring  from  office  he  re- 
sumed the  practice  of  his  profession  and  has 
achieved  enviable  success  tinanciaUy  and  other- 
wise. He  first  landed  in  California  November 
16,  1868,  and  during  his  long  residence  here 
his  ability  and  worth  have  constantly  been  recog- 
nized. A  short  time  ago  he  was  elected  to  the 
position  of  president  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Bank, 
but  allowed  nothing  to  be  paramount  to  the 
practice  of  his  chosen  profession. 


■*:^l**l'sr- 


fUDGE  DAVID  OLCOTT  SHATTLTCK.— 
Among  the  best  known  of  California's  lead- 
ing men  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
Judge  Shattuck  was  born  in  New  London 
County,  Connecticut,  March  21,  1800,  his 
parents,  David  and  Dorathea  (Olcott)  Shattuck, 
being  natives  of  that  State  and  descendants  from 
the  oldest  families  of  the  Massachusetts  Colony. 
His  father  was  a  blacksmith  and  small  farmer, 
and  the  subject  of  ihis  sketch  was  reared  upon 
his  father's  farm,  receiving  such  an  education  as 
could  be  gained  b^'  attending  the  winter  schools. 
At  the  age  of  nineteen  years  he  commenced 
teaching  in  the  winter  terms  of  district  schools, 
engaging  in  farm  labor  and  quarry  work  during 
tiie  summer  months.  When  twenty  years  ot 
age  he  went  to  South  Carolina,  where  he  was 
engaged  at  stone  cutting  upon  canal  work.  A 
few  months  of  this  work  broke  down  his  health 
and  he  tiien  went  to  North  Carolina,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1821  taught  school  in  Mecklenburg 
County,  after  which  he  located  in  Chatham 
County  and  engaged  in  teaching  until  1823. 
While  there  he  was  licensed  to  preach  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Upon  his  return 
to  Connecticut  in  1823  he  purchased  a  farm  and 
entered  upon  the  occupation  of  a  farmer.  In 
1824  he  married  Miss  Lydia  Wattross,  a  native 
of  Connecticut.  She  died  in  the  fall  of  the  same 
year.  A  few  weeks  after  the  death  of  his  wife 
he  returned  to  North  Carolina.  During  his  ab- 
sence from  that  State  his  name  had  been   pro- 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


posed  to  the  Virginia  Conference  of  tlie 
Metliodist  church  and  accepted,  and  he  was' 
appointed  to  the  Hanover  circuit.  This  position 
he  held  until  1827,  when  ill  iiealtii  and  a  serious 
throat  complaint  compelled  his  abandoning  the 
pulpit,  and  seeking  other  occupations.  He  then 
engaged  in  teaching  in  Johnson  County,  and 
was  also  the  principal  of  an  academy  in  Duplin 
County.  In  1827  Judge  Shuttuck  married 
Miss  Elizabeth  Sanders,  the  daughter  of  Hardie 
and  Edith  (^Turner)  Sanders,  natives  of  Wake 
County,  North  Carolina.  Mrs.  Shattuck  was 
born  January  G,  1804.  He  continued  his  occu- 
pation as  teaclier  until  1829.  In  the  fall  of  that 
year  he  emigrated  to  Smith  County,  Tennessee, 
where  lie  rented  a  farm  and  engaged  in  farming 
occupations.  During  the  time  occupied  in 
teaching  he  studied  law,  and  upon  his  arrival  in 
Tennessee  lie  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  After 
one  season  spent  in  Smith  County  he  went  to 
Brownsville,  Haywood  County,  and  there  estab- 
lished himself  as  an  attorney  at  law.  He  was 
also  at  this  time  actively  engaged  in  the  minis- 
try. In  1833  he  emigrated  to  Mississippi  and 
took  up  his  residence  in  Carroll  ton,  Carroll 
County,  where  he  engaged  in  a  lucrative  law 
practice.  "While  there  he  decided  to  take  up 
his  ministerial  duties,  and  joined  the  Mississippi 
conference,  after  which  he  was  appointed 
presiding  elder  of  the  upper  district  of 
Mississippi.  In  1837  he  was  elected  district 
judge  of  the  seventh  judicial  district  of  Mis- 
sissippi. His  judicial  duties  demanded  so  much 
of  his  attention  that  in  1838  he  resigned  his 
position  as  presiding  elder.  The  position  of  a 
district  judge  in  those  days  was  not  an  enviable 
one  for  an  upright  and  conscientious  man  like 
Judge  Shattuck.  This  was  during  the  great 
struggle  between  Jackson  and  the  United  States 
Bank.  The  judge's  courts  were  filled  with  fore- 
closure suits,  etc.,  and  the  people  almost  en 
masse  demanded  a  suspension  of  the  courts; 
but  their  threats,  intimidations,  and  even  mob 
violence,  did  not  deter  the  Judge  from  doing 
his  duty  and  carrying  out  tlie  law.  In  18-il  he 
resigned    his  otKce  as  judge  and  accepted   the 


nomination  of  the  Whig  party  as  its  candidate 
for  (rovernor.  The  great  and  important  ques- 
tion with  the  political  parties  in  that  State  was 
"Shall  the  State  pay  its  bonds?"  The  Whio- 
party  was  prompt  and  decided  in  their  answer, 
and  demanded  a  full  payment  of  all  obligations 
while  the  Democracy  split  upon  the  question 
and  put  up  an  independent  ticket,  which  was 
successful,  but  the  judge  made  a  strong  canvass 
and  was  defeated  by  over  2,000  votes  in  the 
whole  State.  He  was  then  engaged  in  law 
practice  until  1843,  when  he  was  induced  to  ac- 
cept the  position  as  professor  of  law  in  the 
Centenary  College  at  Brandon,  Rankin  County, 
Mississippi.  A  few  months  after  he  entered 
upon  his  duties  at  that  college  the  trustees 
found  it  necessary  to  remove  tiie  president  of 
the  institution,  and  Judge  Shattuck  was  elected 
to  till  the  position  thus  made  vacant.  On  ac- 
count of  financial  difficulties  this  college  had  to 
be  abandoned,  and  shortly  after  they  purchased 
the  Louisiana  State  College  buildings,  wliich 
were  afterward  known  as  the  Centenary  Col- 
lege of  Louisiana.  Judge  Shattuck  held  tlie 
position  of  president  of  this  institution  until 
1849,  and  during  that  time,  by  his  energetic 
action  and  sound  business  management,  placed 
the  financial  affairs  of  the  college  upon  a  solid 
foundation,  and  succeeded  in  securing  a  large 
and  lucrative  patronage.  While  president  of 
this  college  he  was  honored  by  having  the  degree 
of  LL.  D.  conferred  upon  him  by  the  Weslevan 
University  of  Middletown,  Connecticut.  Soon 
after  resigning  his  position  in  1849  Judge 
Shattuck  embarked  on  a  schooner  for  the  Isth- 
mus of  Panama,  en  route  for  California.  After 
many  vexatious  delays  upon  the  Isthmus,  he  se- 
cured passage  in  a  sailing  vessel  from  Panama 
to  San  Francisco,  arriving  tliere  in  April,  1850. 
Among  the  judge's  party  were  his  three  sons, 
Francis  William,  Dickson  P.,  and  David  O. 
After  some  time  spent  in  securing  occupations 
for  the  members  of  his  party,  he  entered  the 
practice  of  his  profession,  but  in  the  fall  of  1S50 
he  was  elected  judge  of  the  Superior  Court. 
At  that  time  there  were  three  superior  judges 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


in  San  Francisco,  and  there  was  not   more  than 
bnsiness   for  one,  besides  having  three  courts. 
It    naturally    caused    considerable    clashing    in 
granting  orders.     Judge  Shattuck,  believing  the 
expense  of  these  courts  useless,  in   1852  peti- 
tioned the  Legislature  that  they  be  reconstructed, 
and   that  one  judge  perform    the   whole   duty. 
This    was   accomplished    and    he    resigned    the 
judgeship,  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  located 
in  Sonoma  Valley  and  entered  upo.i  the  occupa- 
tion of  fanning  and  stock-raising,  upon  a  tract 
of  land  which  he  had  purchased  in   1850.     In 
this  same  year,  1852,  the  judge  was  joined  by 
his   family,  who  took  up  their  residence  upon 
a  farm.     In  1854  he  returned  to  San  Francisco 
and  resumed  his  law  practice,  and  in  the  fall  of 
that  year  he  was  elected   judge  of  the  Superior 
Court  as  remodeled.     He  discharged  the  duties 
of  that  office  until  1857,  when  the  act  establish- 
ing said  court  was  repealed   upon   Judge   Shat- 
tuck's    petition.     He    then    resumed    his    law 
practice,  and  established  a  partnership  under  the 
lirni   name  of  Shattuck,    Spencer  &   Eiechert, 
which    was   continued    until    1861,     when    the 
judge  sold  out  his  business  to  his  partners.     In 
that    year  he  was    prevailed    upon    to  run    for 
Congress  upon  the  Democratic  ticket,  but  was 
defeated,  and  in  1862  he  returned   to   his  ranch 
in    Sonoma  County,  where   he    remained   until 
1864.     In  1862  and  1863  Judge  Shattuck  was 
the  presiding  elder  of  the  Santa    Kosa  district 
of  the  Pacific  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  South.     In  1864  he  went  to  Mex- 
ico and  engaged  in  cotton  cultivation  until  1867, 
and  upon  returning  to  California,  iinally  retired 
from    active    business    and    political    life    and 
settled  down  upon  his  beautiful  ranch  in  Sonoma 
A'alley.     Although  Judge  Shattuck  many  years 
since  deeded   this   farm  to   his  daughter   (now 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  Spencer),  he  has  continued  to  de- 
vote his  attention  to  its  development  and  man- 
agement.    The  farm,  which  contains  200   acres 
of  the  original   300  acres  purchased   by  him  in 
1850,  is  located  two  miles  south  of  Sonoma,  and 
is    devoted    to    vineyard    and   general   I'arming. 
One  hundred  acres  are  producing  wine  grapes 


which  are  manufactured  into  wine  in  the 
commodious  winery  erected  upon  the  place  in 
1879.  This  winery  has  a  capacitj-  of  80,000 
gallons.  The  rest  of  the  land  is  devoted  to 
general  farming  and  stock  purposes.  Judge 
Shattuck,  until  his  retirement,  led  an  active  life, 
and  has  always  taken  a  leading  position  in  what- 
ever community  he  has  resided.  Possessed  of 
those  strong  characteristics  of  right,  justice  and 
religious  principles,  his  influence  has  been  of  an 
elevating  and  ennobling  character,  and  he  has 
gained  the  well  merited  esteem  and  respect  of 
his  friends  and  associates.  It  can  be  truthfully 
said  that  Judge  Shattuck  never  sought  the  nom- 
ination to  the  many  offices  and  positions  of  trust 
to  which  he  has  been  elected,  and  as  truthfully 
said  that  no  bribe,  intimidation,  or  any  other 
means  were  ever  able  to  swerve  him  a  hair's 
breadth  from  what  he  considered  his  duty 
toward  God  and  his  fellow  man.  Justice  and 
truth  reigned  supreme  wherever  and  whenever 
he  controlled.  Judge  Shattuck  is  now  (1889) 
nearly  ninety  years  of  age.  He  is  remarkably 
well  preserved  and  in  possession  of  strong  men- 
tal faculties,  with  a  mind  richly  stored  with 
reminiscences  of  over  three-quarters  of  a  cen- 
tury of  an  active,  noble  and  well  spent  life. 
Mrs.  Shattuck  died  July  9,  1875,  leaving  ten 
children,  who  are  all  living. 


fOHN  E.  CHALFANT,  of  Cloverdale,  one 
of  the  substantial  men  of  Sonoma  County, 
is  a  native  of  Chester  County,  Pennsylvania, 
born  Ai)ril  12,  1825.  His  father,  William 
Chalfant,  was  also  a  native  of  Chester  County. 
Indeed,  three  brothers  of  that  name  accompa- 
nied William  Penn  to  America,  one  of  them 
locating  in  Chester  County,  which  has  ever 
since  been  the  family  seat.  The  mother  of  our 
subject,  whose  maiden  name  was  Elizabeth  Ed- 
wards, was  also  of  Pennsylvanian  (Bucks  County) 
birth  and  parentage.  John  E.  Chalfant  spent 
his  early  boyhood  days  in  his  native  county,  and 
there  received  his  schooling.      His  early  inclina- 


UI8T0BT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


tions  were  toward  meclianical  work,  and  as  his 
father  was  a  carpenter,  he  thus  liad  access  to 
tools  of  all  kinds,   and   at  an  early  age  was  a 
skillful  workman.     When  lie  was  sixteen  years 
old  the  family    removed  to    Delaney's  Valley, 
Maryland,    on    the  Gunpowder,   thirteen   miles 
from  I^altimore,  and  tliere  he  assisted  his  father 
in    work   at    his  trade.     When  he  had    turned 
twenty-one  he  went  to  Philadelphia,  and  readily 
obtaining  employment  at  his  trade,  remained  in 
that  city  about  one  year,  then  returned  to  Mary- 
land.    The    excitement    consequent    upon    the 
discovery  of  gold  in  California  seized  upon  him 
like  so  many  other  ambitious  young  men  of  the 
East,  and  on  the  18th  day  of  January,  1849,  he 
sailed  away  from  Baltimore  on  the  bark  Kirk- 
land,  bound  for  San  Francisco  via  Cape  Horn. 
The    first    portion  of    the    trip  was  beset    with 
nautical  difficulties,  a  storm  compelling  them  to 
lay  in  Hampton  Roads  eleven  days,  before  put- 
ting to  sea,  so  that  it  was  the  month  of  August 
when  the  Kirkland  sailed  through  the  Golden 
Gate  into  the  harbor  of  San  Francisco.     He  had 
formed  an  agreement  with  five  or  six  others  on 
the  ship  to  go  to  the  mines,  and   after  he  had 
worked  a  couple  of  weeks  at  carpentering  in  the 
city,  they  proceeded   to  Stockton.     There  they 
engaged  an  ox-team   to  take  their  effects  to  the 
junction  of  AVoods'  Creek  and    the    Tuolumne 
River.     Arriving  there  tliey  went  into    camp, 
but  the  next  morning  about  sunrise  Mr.  Chal- 
fant  started  back,  taking  the  ox-team.     Arriving 
at  San  Francisco,  he  went  to  work  at  his  trade, 
and  remained  there  until  June,  1852.     He  then 
went  to  Mendocino  County  and  put  up  a  saw- 
mill for  the  now  noted  Henry  Meigs.     When 
the  construction  of  the  mill  was  completed,  he 
took  charge  of  its  operation,  and  continued  in 
this  position   until   the  failure  of   Meigs.      He 
then  went  to  San  Francisco,  but  when  work  was 
resumed  at  the  mill,  he  returned  and  again  took 
Ills  place  as  superintendent.     He  also    put  in 
planing  machinery,  and  planed  lumber  by  the 
thousand  for  several  years.     In  1871  he  went  to 
Oakland  and  remained  about  five  years.     From 
there  he  came  to  Cloverdale  for  the  purpose  of 


testing  the  advantages  of  the  town  as  a  resi- 
dence place.  In  1880  he  located  here  perma- 
nently, and  has  since  improved  a  handsome 
residence  property.  The  grounds  are  tastefully 
laid  out,  and  kept  in  beautiful  condition. 
Orange  trees  in  full  bearing  are  about  the  house, 
and  yield  heavily  of  their  luscious  fruit.  Mrs. 
Chalfant  was  formerly  Miss  Susan  Hayes,  a  na- 
tive of  Connecticut.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chalfant 
have  two  children,  viz.:  Martha,  wife  of  Will- 
iam Porterfield  of  Cloverdale,  and  Nellie 
Louisa.  Mr.  Chalfant  is  one  of  the  old-time 
Californians,  and  is  well  known  throughout  this 
section  of  the  State  through  his  early  and  long 
connection  with  the  lumber  interest.  lie  has 
witnessed  a  vast  transformation  in  this  section 
of  tiie  country,  has  kept  pace  with  its  progress, 
and  has  been  successful  in   his  business  affairs. 

— ^€@:®»'^^  - 

Is^lILLIAM  ZARTMAN.— In  such  a  work 
^uWil  ^®  t\ns,  commemorating  the  deeds  and 
I— s^^J  events  of  pioneer  life,  it  is  conceded 
that  greater  value  will  be  attached  to  it  by  the 
generations  who  will  follow  than  by  those  who 
have  a  personal  knowledge  of  these  things,  and 
in  making  any  statement  relative  to  the  pioneers 
of  this  county,  there  are  none  more  deserving 
of  mention  than  William  Zartman,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  an  old-time  citizen  and  business 
man  of  Petaluma.  He  is  a  Fennsylvanian  by 
birth,  having  been  born  in  Northumberland 
County,  October  20,  1829,  son  of  Michael  and 
Polly  Zartman.  An  incident  unusual  in  the 
lives  of  most  men  can  be  said  of  Mrs.  Zart- 
man's  father,  whose  name  was  Harb,  a  wealthy 
citizen  of  Pennsylvania,  who  was  born  in  1745 
and  died  in  1843,  lacking  but  two  years  of  be- 
ing a  hundred  years  old.  During  his  lifetime 
he  was  married  seven  times,  and  was  the  father 
of  twenty-one  children;  the  last  marriage  oc- 
curred only  a  few  years  before  his  death.  Michael 
Zartman  was  a  wheelwright  by  trade,  but  on 
account  of  poor  health  was  compelled  to  be  out 
of  doors   most  of  the  time,  his  attention  being 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT r. 


given  inostlj  to  farming  and  teaming.  He  died 
in  Minersville,  Schuylkill  County,  Pennsylvania, 
in  1846,  at  the  age  of  fifty-iive,  and  his  wife 
died  in  1888,  a  few  years  previous  to  the  death 
of  her  husband.  She  was  the  mother  of  twelve 
children,  of  whom  one  died  in  infancy  and  an- 
other when  he  was  sixteen  or  seventeen  years 
old.  Of  those  who  grew  to  man  and  womanhood, 
six  are  now  living,  three  sons  and  three  daugli- 
ters.  William  Zartman,  he  whose  name  heads 
this  article,  is  the  only  one  of  the  family  living 
in  this  State.  His  parents  moved  to  Schuylkill 
County  when  he  was  twelve  years  old,  where  he 
made  his  home  until  the  death  of  his  father. 
He  engaged  in  clerking  in  Minersville  for  a 
few  years  with  two  diflerent  firms,  Hilliering 
and  De  Haven,  until  the  spring  of  1848,  when 
he  went  into  Illinois  and  worked  at  the  carpen- 
ter's trade,  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  hired  out 
as  clerk  for  Dinsmore,  a  wholesale  merchant  on 
Water  street,  Chicago,  where  he  remained  until 
the  spring  of  1849.  He  then  went  and  served 
his  apprenticeship  in  the  carriage  making  trade 
with  William  Wayman,  and  two  years  later  con- 
tinued with  the  same  gentleman  as  a  journey- 
man until  November,  1851.  On  the  26th  of 
tliat  month  he  left  Chicago  for  New  York,  from 
wiiich  port  he  sailed  on  the  first  of  December 
for  California  via  Panama,  and  arrived  in  San 
Francisco  on  the  14th  of  January,  1852.  The 
next  day  he  went  to  the  mines  at  Carson's  Flat, 
in  Calaveras  County  and  worked  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Angel's  Camp  until  the  last  of  June, 
when  he  determined  to  enter  into  a  business 
that  would  he  more  lasting  and  on  a  surer  basis 
than  that  of  mining.  With  this  purpose  in 
view,  foreseeing  with  good  judgment  the  bright 
prospective  future  in  store  for  Sonoma  County, 
and  particularly  of  Petaluma,  then  a  little  vil- 
lage of  but  few  houses,  he  determined  to  make 
this  the  seat  of  his  labors,  and  accordingly  es- 
tablished, with  John  Fritsch,  a  blacksmith  and 
carriage  shop,  situated  on  Main  street  near  the 
site  where  the  American  Hotel  now  stands. 
This  pioneer  carriage  factory,  started  in  1852, 
has  ever  since,  with  the  exception  of  three  years, 


been  under  Mr.  Zartman's  personal  management, 
and  to-day  is  the  largest  and  most  prosperous 
business  of  this  kind  in  the  city.  In  1861  he 
with  his  partners  started  a  quartz  mill  at  Gold 
Hill,  Nevada,  which  business  they  run  up  to 
1863,  when  the  mill  was  sold.  In  1864  he 
superintended  the  Gold  Hill  mill  for  another 
company.  In  1875  he  became  the  sole  proprie- 
tor of  the  carriage  business  which  he  conducted 
up  to  1884,  when  his  son,  William  Henry  Zart- 
man, became  interested  in  the  business,  the  firm 
name  of  Zartman  &  Co.  remaining  unchanged. 
Mr.  Zartman  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Golden 
Eagle  fiouring  mill,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
a  director  in  the  Petaluma  Savings  Bank.  He 
has  been  an  Odd  Fellow  since  1856,  belonging 
to  Petaluma  Lodge,  No.  30,  there  being  only 
one  member  in  the  lodge  when  he  joined  it,  and 
was  a  liberal  donator  toward  the  erection  of 
their  fine  building.  He  has  been  a  Mason  of 
thirteen  years  standing,  is  a  director  of  that 
order,  and  was  also  instrumental  in  putting  up 
the  Masonic  Block.  In  religious  matters  he 
has  always  taken  an  active  interest,  being  a 
trustee  in  the  Methodist  church  and  a  devoted 
member  since  1858.  Mr.  Zartman  was  united 
in  marriage  January  1, 1854,  to  Rhoda  Carathers, 
a  native  of  Indiana.  Their  family  consisted  of 
six  children,  of  whom  five  are  now  living,  as 
follows:  William  Henry,  George  Washington, 
Katie  Alice,  Benjamin  Franklin  and  Belle. 


FOEL  CRANE  is  probably  the  oldest  settler 
in  Santa  Rosa  Township,  having  come  here 
September  1,  1851.  He  crossed  the  plains 
with  a  train  of  mule  teams,  which  composed  a 
passenger  train  run  by  McPike  &  Strother, 
carrying  passengers  overland  from  Missouri  to 
Sacramento  for  $200  each.  Mr.  Crane  and 
several  comrades  left  the  train  in  the  sink  of  the 
Humboldt,  and  came  the  rest  of  the  way  on 
foot.  At  what  was  known  as  Mormon  Station 
they  left  the  main  trail  and  took  a  pack  trail 
direct  for  Coloma.    On  reaching  a  point  beyond 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Georgetown  wliere  they  could  buy  provisions, 
they  found  tlic  ]irice  of  every  article  of  pro- 
vision was  ^1  a  pound.  They  asked  the  pro- 
prietor what  he  would  give  them  a  meal  for,  and 
lie  said  seventy-five  cents.  Having  been  nearly 
twenty-four  hours  without  food,  the  party  of 
emigrants  accepted  the  latter  proposition  as  the 
better  bargain,  and  they  were  correct  in  their 
conclusions,  as  the  sequel  proved,  for  the  land- 
lord said  the  ]iarty  of  eight  men  ate  twelve 
pounds  of  flour,  besides  bacon,  coffee  and  other 
eatables.  Mr.  Crane  spent  a  year  in  the  mines 
in  Placer  County,  saved  a  few  hundred  dollars 
of  the  yellow  dust,  came  to  Sonoma  County  in 
the  fall  of  1851  and  settled  about  seven  miles 
south  of  Santa  Rosa.  In  1855  he  moved  up  to 
within  three  miles  of  Santa  Rosa,  and  in  the 
fall  of  1860,  moved  into  the  upper  end  of  Rin- 
con  Yalley.  In  1865  he  came  to  Santa  Rosa 
and  resided  there  till  the  fall  of  1886,  when  he 
moved  to  his  present  home  a  mile  west  of  the 
court  house.  The  homestead  consists  of  eight 
and  one-half  acres,  mostly  in  a  bearing  peach 
orchard.  Mr.  Crane  married  Miss  Davidson, 
in  1858,  by  whom  he  has  had  eight  children, 
seven  of  whom  are  now  living.  Three  of  Mr. 
Crane's  children  graduated  in  the  first  high 
school  class  that  graduated  in  Santa  Rosa,  and 
his  eldest  son  and  two  of  his  daughters  have 
been  teachers.  Two  of  the  sons  are  in  the  real 
estate  business.  One  son  and  one  daughter  are 
married,  the  former  a  resident  of  Colusa,  and 
the  latter  of  Napa.  Mrs.  Crane  was  born  in 
Barren  County,  Kentucky,  and  came  to  Califor- 
nia with  her  parents  in  1852.  Her  father, 
Jacob  E.  Davidson,  settled  a  mile  west  of  Santa 
Rosa,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
and  died  in  November,  1884. 


fORNELIUS  SARGIUSSON  has  a  ranch  of 
thirty-two  acres  near  Healdsburg,  of  which 
eight  acres  are  planted  to  orchard,  the 
trees  ranging  in  age  from  three  to  eighteen 
years,  the  greater  portion  of  them  young,  though 


mostly  in  full  bearing.  They  are  Crawford, 
Honest  Abe,  Orange  Cling,  and  Solway  peaches, 
and  French  prunes.  The  six  year  old  peaches 
yielded  a  crop  of  ten  tons  per  acre  in  1888. 
The  trees  are  in  fine  condition  and  the  orchard 
shows  by  its  appearance  the  care  that  is  be- 
stowed npon  it.  On  the  hill  land  Mr.  Sargius- 
son  has  twenty  acres  in  grapes,  between  the  rows 
being  220  yellow  egg  plums,  to  which  will  be 
added  500  more  in  the  spring  of  1889.  The 
grapes  are  Carignau,  Mataro,  Gray  Riesling, 
Sanvignon  Vert,  Grenache,  Zinfandel  and  Seed- 
less Sultana.  He  makes  the  latter  variety  into 
wine,  for  which  he  gets  eight}'  cents  per  gallon 
when  fermented,  selling  it  all  to  private  parties 
in  Healdsburg  and  San  Francisco.  Large  quan- 
tities of  corn  and  vegetables  are  raised  between 
the  fruit  rows.  Another  important  feature  of 
the  place  is  the  nursery.  In  this  department  he 
raises  and  furnishes  all  trees  that  are  desirable 
for  planting  in  this  locality,  and  from  5,000  to 
20,000  trees  are  sold  per  annum.  This  nursery 
has  a  fine  reputation,  Mr.  Sargiusson  being 
careful  to  give  satisfaction  to  all  his  patrons. 
He  has  a  fruit  dryer  of  his  own  construction 
which  has  the  capacity  of  drying  two  and  one- 
half  tons  of  green  fruit  per  day,  and  in  the 
winter  of  1888  he  added  to  his  vineyard  a 
winery  with  a  capacity  of  20,000  gallons,  so 
that  he  is  now  able  to  make  all  his  own  grapes 
into  wine.  This,  he  considers,  is  the  only  way 
to  get  the  reputation  for  wines  that  they  justly 
deserve.  Cornelius  Sargiusson  is  a  native  of 
Lincolnshire,  England,  born  December  5,  1849, 
his  parents  being  John  and  Helen  (Payne) 
Sargiusson.  lie  was  reared  in  his  native  coun- 
try to  the  age  of  nineteen  years,  and  in  1868 
came  to  America,  locating  at  Low  Moor,  Clinton 
County,  Iowa,  where  he  engaged  at  farming. 
In  1873  he  moved  to  Nevada,  and  for  a  time 
conducted  a  hotel  at  Unionvilie.  From  there 
lie  went  to  Carson  City,  where  he  worked  at  the 
carpenter's  trade.  He  followed  the  same  voca- 
tion at  Virginia  City  for  two  and  a  half  years, 
tiien  went  to  Podie  and  conducted  the  assa}' 
office  of  the  Standard  and  Podie  Mining  Com- 


iiisTony   ()/<'  .'^<>yn.)/A   county. 


])iiny  until  1881,  wlien  lie  wont  to  Oakland,  and 
tVnni  there  came  to  Healdsbnrg,  bought  where 
he  now  resides,  and  improved  the  j)laee.  lie 
was  married  in  England  to  Miss  Sophia  Dennis. 
To  them  have  been  born  three  children,  viz.: 
]\[aude,  Edith,  and  Eva.  Mr.  Sargiiisson  be- 
liMigs  to  Occidental  Lodge,  No.  6,  A.  O.  U.  W., 
West  Oakland.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Episco- 
pal church,  and  one  of  the  building  committee 
of  the  neaklsburg  society. 


JTU^OSSON  ROSS.— Among  the  representative 
n/[i  farmers  and  business  men  of  Green  Vallej, 
■^P^  Analy  Township,  is  the  well  known  gentle- 
man whose  name  heads  this  sketch.  He  was 
born  in  New  Albany,  Floyd  County,  Indiana, 
July  22,  1828.  His  father,  William  Ross,  was 
a  native  of  Tennessee,  and  his  mother,  Sarah 
(Kay)  Ross,  was  born  in  Virginia.  They  were 
among  the  early  settlers  of  tliat  section  of  Indi- 
ana, where  his  father  was  engaged  as  a  black- 
smith and  carriage  maker.  When  quite  young 
his  parents  moved  to  Harrison  County,  in  the 
sam,e  State,  where  Mr.  Ross  received  his  educa- 
tion, and  also  learned  the  trade  of  blacksmith 
and  wagon  maker  in  the  shops  of  his  father. 
In  1848  he  married  Miss  Martha  Inman,  a  na- 
tive of  Harrison  County.  He  enjoyed  the 
society  of  his  bride  but  a  short  time  as  she 
was  stricken  with  cholera  the  next  year  and  died 
of  that  disease.  He  then  went  to  Louisiana, 
where  he  remained  until  cai-ly  in  1850,  when 
he  returned  home  and  accompanied  his  parents 
to  Van  Buren  County,  Iowa.  Leaving  his  fath- 
er's family  there,  he  joined  a  party  on  April  5, 
and  started  across  the  plains  for  California.  Tiie 
trip  was  made  by  the  usual  mode  of  travel  in 
those  days — the  typical  ox  team — and  it  was  not 
until  the. 14th  of  September  that  the  party  ar- 
rived at  Placerville,  El  Dorado  County.  Imme- 
diately after  his  arrival  Mr  Ross  engaged  in 
mining,  which  he  continued  with  varying  success 
for  about  two  years.  He  then  engaged  with 
Bradley,  Burdan  &  Co.,  in  an  enterprise  for  the 


purpose  of  conveying  water  from  the  Cosumnes 
River  to  the  dry  diggings  to  facilitate  mining 
operations.  In  1855  he  established  a  general 
merchandise  store  at  Coon  Hollow  in  El  Dorado 
County.  Thisbnsiness  he  successfully  conducted 
until  1857,  when  he  came  to  Sonoma  Valley, 
and  purchased  300  acres  of  land  frym  Judge 
Moran,  situated  in  Green  Valley,  Analy  Town- 
ship, on  the  Santa  Rosa  and  Forestville  road, 
about  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Forestville, 
in  the  Redwood  school  district.  Here  Mr.  Ross 
has  since  resided,  devoting  hiiflself  principally 
to  agricultural  pursuits.  The  most  of  his  land 
has  been  used  for  hay,  grain,  and  stock  purposes 
until  the  past  few  years,  since  which  time  he  has 
engaged  in  liop  growing  and  orchard  cultivation. 
Two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  his  land  is 
situated  on  the  road  before  mentioned  and  the 
other  fift}'  is  one  mile  west  of  his  residence. 
Upon  this  last  named  tract  he  has  erected  one 
of  the  most  complete  hop  dry  houses  to  be  found 
in  Analy  Township.  (This  is  to  replace  one 
burned  in  1887).  Upon  this  building  and  its 
fittings  no  expense  has  been  spared  in  securing 
the  modern  improvements  that  experience  has 
shown  will  improve  the  quality  of  the  products 
of  his  hop  fields.  He  has  altogether  thirty-seven 
acres  in  hop  fields,  equally  divided  between  his 
fifty  acre  tract  and  home  farm.  Upon  the  home 
farm  there  are  ten  acres  in  orchard,  producing 
peaches  principally,  and  among  the  various 
varieties  are  the  early  and  late  Crawford,  Wiley 
cling,  and  also  a  fine  peach  which  is  called  the 
Ross  cling.  The  latter  peach  is  the  I'esnlt  of 
Mr.  Ross's  cultivation  and  experiments.  It  is  a 
seedling  peach  that  was  upon  his  land  when  he 
purchased  it,  and  believing  in  its  superior  quali- 
ties, years  ago  he  commenced  its  improvement 
and  now  has  one  of  the  finest  peaches  grown  in 
his  section.  As  a  specimen  of  the  productions 
of  Mr.  Ross'  peach  orchard,  it  is  worthy  of  note 
that  from  145  four-year  old  Crawford  peach 
trees  he  took  in  1888  ten  and  a  half  tons  of 
fruit,  seven  and  three-fourth  tons  of  which 
brought  first-class  prices  at  the  cannery,  and  the 
rest   went  to   the  dry  house.     This  was  nearJy 


HISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


$250  per  acre.  Of  vines  he  has  a  tine  family 
vineyard,  producing  a  large  variety  of  table 
grapes.  Mr.  Ross  has  devoted  considerable 
attention  to  the  improvement  of  stock.  Among 
his  horses  are  fine  specimens  of  stock  improved 
by  McCIellan  and  Morgan  breeds,  and  his  cattle 
are  improved  by  Holstein,  Durham  and  Jersey. 
His  sheep  are  of  the  Southdown  breed.  Upon 
this  farm  is  a  comfortable  two-story  residence, 
and  one  of  the  most  substantial  and  complete 
l)arns  in  Sonoma  County.  Everything  about 
his  farm  denotes  the  care,  enterprise,  and  prac- 
tical knowledge  that  belong  to  the  successful 
farmer.  As  a  public  spirited  and  progressive 
citizen  Mr.  Ross  is  ever  ready  to  aid  in  all  that 
will  build  up  Sonoma  County,  and  particularly 
the  section  in  which  he  resides.  His  long  res- 
idence in  Green  Valley  has  made  him  well 
known,  and  his  straightforward  dealings  have 
secured  him  hosts  of  friends.  He  has  been  a 
life  long  Democrat,  and  though  never  aspiring 
to  ofiice  his  influence  has  been  felt  in  the  party, 
and  is  always  what  he  considers  for  its  best 
interests.  He  has  been  chosen  by  his  constitu- 
ents to  represent  them  in  the  Democratic  county 
conventions  for  nearly  every  convention  con- 
vened during  his  residence  in  the  valley.  He 
is  one  of  the  charter  members  of  Lafayette 
Lodge,  No.  126,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Sebastopol,  an 
organization  with  which  he  has  l)een  associated 
for  over  thirty  years.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
Sebastopol  Grange,  Patron!^  of  Husbandry.  A 
strong  supporter  of  churches  and  public  schools, 
he  has  served  many  terms  as  a  school  trustee  in 
his  district.  He  is  also  a  consistent  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In  El  Dorado 
County,  September  4,  1853,  Mr.  Ross  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sydna  Weeks,  who 
was  born  in  Beaver  County,  Pennsylvania,  May 
15,  1833.  By  this  union  they  have  seven  chil- 
dren whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  are  as  fol- 
lows: William,  June  30,  1854,  in  Coon  Hollow, 
El  Dorado  County;  Frank,  June  7, 1857;  Kemp 
L.,  August  28,  1859;  Irvin,  December  3,  1861; 
George,  January  10,  18G6;  Benjamin,  December 
13,  1868;  and  Annie  E.,  November  21,  1875. 


William  D.  married  Miss  Hattie  M  Lee,  daugh- 
ter of  William  H.  Lee,  of  Fore.-^tville,  and  is 
living  on  fifty  acres  of  his  father's  land.  Frank 
married  Miss  Annie  M.  Ayers,  daughter  of 
David  Ayers  of  Sonoma  County,  and  is  living 
in  Santa  Rosa.  Kemp  L.  is  a  merchant  in 
Forestville.  L-vin  married  Miss  Ida  Gardner, 
daughter  of  D.  P.  Gardner  of  Santa  Rosa,  where 
they  now  reside.  The  other  children  are  living 
at  home.  Mr.  Ross's  parents  came  to  California 
in  1855  and  finally  settled  in  Green  Valley 
where  they  died.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Ross  is 
now  (1888)  a  resident  of  Sonoma  County. 


,^^ 


"^=^ 


lOLEMAN  TALBOT.— We  commence  the 
genealogy  of  the  Talbot  family  with  the 
'^^  great-grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  Samuel  Talbot,  who  was  born  December 
30,  1717,  of  English  parentage.  He  married 
Miss  Owen  and  settled  in  Virginia.  They  had 
four  sous:  Samuel,  Daniel,  John  and  Benjamin. 
Samuel,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a 
native  of  Virginia,  born  March  17,  1756.  In 
1775  he  married  Constantine  Ragen,  daughter 
of  Nicholas  Ragen,  a  native  of  Virginia.  Nich- 
olas Talbot,  their  only  son,  was  bom  November 
10,  1776.  He  married  Miss  Aria  Kennedy  in 
Bourbon  County,  Kentucky,  May  19,  1799. 
She  was  born  May  11,  1781.  Her  father,  John 
Kennedy,  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  British  at 
the  battle  of  Guilford  Court-House,  North 
Carolina,  March  15,  1781,  and  died  soon  after 
from  bad  treatment  he  received  on  board  a 
British  prison  ship.  The  letter  he  wrote  the 
day  before  he  was  summoned  into  the  army  is 
a  very  interesting  oi>e.  It  contains  a  fervent 
spirit  of  patriotism,  and  a  prayer  for  the  success 
of  the  colonies,  and  from  its  general  tone,  its 
author,  if  the  spirits  of  the  departed  are  per- 
mitted to  look  upon  the  scenes  of  this  world, 
must  have  looked  down  with  pride  and  exulta- 
tion upon  the  sturdy  and  unflinching  patriotism 
of  four  of  his  grandsons  in  the  late  bloody 
struijo;le  to  maintain    that   which    he    died    to 


jiisTony   (IF  so.\(i.}/A   voiyrr. 


achieve.  Tlie  names  of  the  cliiUlren  wlio  coin- 
prise  the  t'aniily  of  Nicholas  ami  Aria  Talbot 
are  as  follows:  Sophia,  Louis,  Courtney,  Talli- 
tha,  Coleuian,  "Willis,  Charles  P.,  ilariah 
Louisa,  Heleu,  Kufus,  and  Nancy.  Mr.  Talbot's 
father,  Nicholas  Talbot,  died  May  1,  182S,  and 
his  mother,  January,  1862.  The  subjet;t  of  this 
sketch  is  a  native  of  Bourbon  County,  Ken- 
tucky, born  July  13,  1809.  He  was  married  in 
that  county  April  27,  1830,  to  Miss  Drusilla 
Bowles,  daughter  of  Jesse  and  Ch)e  (Parker) 
Bowles.  His  wife  was  born  iu  Bourbon  County, 
Kentucky,  May  4,  1812.  In  1830  they  moved 
to  Adams  County,  Illinois.  During  his  resi- 
dence in  that  county  he  enlisted  in  Captain 
David  Crow's  Company  and  served  in  the  Black 
Hawk  war  of  1832.  In  1850  he  crossed  the 
plains  to  California.  Upon  his  arrival  he  en- 
gaged iu  mining  operations  in  Ilangtown 
(^Colonia)  and  Diamond  Springs,  until  April  15, 
1850.  He  then  came  to  Sonoma  County,  where 
he  was  engaged  in  making  farm  improvements 
and  other  work  until  the  following  January,  at 
which  time  he  took  passage  on  the  steamer 
California  to  Panama,  and  thence  on  the  El 
Dorado  to  New  York.  From  there  he  pro- 
ceeded to  his  birthplace  in  Kentucky,  visiting 
for  the  last  time  his  aged  mother.  Again,  on 
April  20,  1852,  he  started  across  the  plains  for 
California,  in  company  with  J.  M.  Bowles,  T. 
II.  Tate,  M.  Britton,  and  others.  After  a  long 
and  tedious  journey  he  arrived  in  Sonoma 
County,  in  October  of  that  year.  In  July, 
1853,  he  settled  in  Bennett  Valley,  about  six 
miles  from  Santa  Rosa,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock-raising.  Mr.  Talbot  springs 
from  a  family  noted  for  longevity  and  great 
power,  and  though  nearly  four-score  years  of 
age  he  is  still  hale  and  hearty,  possessing  a 
mind  well  stored  with  interesting  reminiscences 
of  a  long  and  useful  life.  Family  tradition 
states  that  remarkable  feats  of  strength  per- 
formed by  Mr.  Talbot's  great-uncle  are  on 
record  in  Fairfax  County,  Virginia.  Being  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  Sonoma  County.  Mr.  Talbot 
has  a  large  circle  of  friends  and   acquaintances. 


by  all  of  whom  he  is  respected  and  esteemed. 
The  following  are  the  names  and  births  of  his 
chihlren:  Kennedy  Bowles,  born  May  1,  1831; 
America  Helen,  born  March,  1,  1833  (deceased), 
married  Hon.  A.  P.  Overton;  Ilolman  (a  sketch 
of  whom  appears  in  this  volume),  born  May  10, 
1835;  Courtney,  born  April  7,  1837;  Jesse 
Nicholas,  born  August  15,  1840;  Aria,  born 
September  17,  1842,  married  William  Ordway, 
of  Petaluma,  February  22,  1860,  and  died  Sep- 
tember, 1878;  P'liza  P.,  born  December  6, 
1845;  Cloe  A.,  born  December  29,  1848;  and 
Joseph  Martin,  born  November  6,  1854. 


;|^EORGE  N.  SAUBORN  was  born  in  Or- 
m'fj'-  leans  Countj-,  Vermont,  December  27, 
'W*-  1835,  his  parents  being  John  and  Peacy 
(Randall)  Sanborn,  both  natives  of  that  State. 
Mr.  Saniiorn's  father  was  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful and  thorough  farmei's  of  that  date,  and 
he  educated  his  son  to  that  calling.  The  prac- 
tical lessons  learned  iu  youth  have  been  the 
means  of  securing  his  complete  success  when- 
ever he  has  engaged  in  agricultural  and  horti- 
cultural pursuits.  AVhile  at  home  on  the  farm 
his  schooling  was  limited,  but  he  early  saw  that 
success  in  life  greatly  depended  upon  a  thorough 
and  practical  education.  Mr.  Sanborn  is  almost 
a  self  educated  man;  his  naturally  strong  mind 
and  indomitable  will  prompted  him  to  earnest 
study.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  taught  a  dis- 
trict school  in  his  county,  and  for  the  next  five 
years  he  worked  at  farm  labor  in  the  summer 
and  taught  school  in  the  winter,  at  the  same 
time  studying  whenever  and  wherever  he  could. 
In  1860  he  came  by  steamer  route  to  California, 
and  immediately  upon  his  arrival,  to  Sonoma 
County.  He  first  located  at  Petaluma,  and  was 
encfaced  as  a  teacher  near  that  city  for  three 
months.  He  then  came  to  Green  Valley,  Analy 
Township,  and  was  engaged  as  a  teacher  in  the 
Oak  Grove  district  until  1862.  At  this  time 
his  father's  failing  health  demanded  his  return 
East,  and  he  remained  in  his  old  home  in  Ver- 


HIHTOliY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


503 


luont  until  after  tlie  death  of  his  father,  which 
oecnrred  in  1864.  In  Jiuie  of  that  year  Mr. 
Sanborn  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Emily  J.  Dewey,  daughter  of  Chandler  Dewey, 
of  Orleans  County,  Vermont.  In  October, 
accompanied  by  his  wife,  he  returned  to  Califor- 
nia, located  at  Sebastopol,  Sonoma  County,  and 
again  commenced  his  occupation  as  a  teacher  in 
the  public  schools.  In  1866  he  pre-empted 
forty  acres  of  land  on  the  Laguna  in  the  Oak 
Grove  school  district,  building  a  house  and 
barn  and  taking  up  his  residence  there.  He 
was  still  engaged  as  a  teacher  and  only  devoted 
himself  to  farming  operations  on  a  small  scale 
during  the  vacations.  In  1876  Mr.  Sauborn 
increased  his  landed  possessions  by  the  purchase 
of  forty-seven  acres,  which  adjoins  his  first  pur- 
chase on  the  southwest.  This  land  was  entirely 
unini.proved  and  in  its  wild  state.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  in  all  these  years  continued  his 
teaching,  having  but  little  faith  in  his  ability  to 
produce  much  of  a  revenue  from  his  small 
farm.  The  schools  he  taught  were  in  Analy 
and  Bodega  townships.  In  1883  he  abandoned 
teaching,  his  last  school  being  in  Oak- Grove 
school  district.  He  then  entered  into  farming 
and  fruit  growing  in  earnest,  his  motto  being, 
"  Whatever  you  do,  do  in  the  very  best  manner, 
procure  the  very  best  varieties  of  fruits,  etc., 
and  then  devote  your  time  and  attention  to  their 
cultivation."  He  is  deserving  of  success  and 
has  gained  it,  for  at  the  present  he  is  conceded 
to  be  the  most  successful  fruit  grower  in  the 
fine  fruit  section  in  which  he  resides.  It  is  not 
so  much  the  extent  of  his  orchards  as  it  is  that 
he  produces  the  very  finest  fruits.  His  land  is 
located  about  two  miles  north  of  Sebastopol, 
twelve  acres  being  in  orchard  mostly  devoted  to 
peaches  of  the  orange  cling  variety.  This  peach 
was  formerly  known  as  Canada  cling,  and  orig- 
inated on  the  widow  Canada  Kanch,  on  the 
Sacramento  River.  Mr.  Sauljorn  has  achieved 
remarkable  success  with  this  fruit.  Four  acres 
of  five-year-old  trees  produced  in  1888,  fourteen 
tons  of  perfect  fruit.  Four  acres  are  devoted  to 
vine  cultivation  of  the  Zinfandel  variety.    These 


he  will  eventually  graft  with  Tokays.  It  is 
worthy  of  mention  that  Mr.  Sauborn  is  very 
successful  in  all  his  budding  and  is  constancy 
studying  and  experimenting  in  this  branch  of 
his  business  as  an  orchardist.  A  large  portion 
of  his  land  is  still  occupied  by  a  heavy  growth 
of  pine  trees,  and  the  rest  of  his  land  is  pro- 
ducing hay  and  is  devoted  to  stock.  He  only 
raises  such  stock  as  are  required  on  the  farm. 
It  is  mentioned  as  showing  the  productions  of 
his  hay  lands,  that  thirteen  acres,  in  1887, 
yielded  lifty  tons  of  first-class  hay.  Diversified 
farming  is  Mr.  Sanborn's  creed;  corn,  veget- 
ables of  all  kinds  are  grown,  and  anything  that 
will  yield  a  profit  he  considers  worthy  of  his 
attention.  He  has  150  hens,  which  in  eight 
months  have  netted  him  over  $250.  Mr.  Sau- 
born is  well  known  in  the  county,  but  particu- 
larly so  in  Analy  and  Bodega  townships.  His 
long  residence  and  occupation  has  brought  him 
in  contact  with  a  large  portion  of  the  inhabi- 
tants, and  has  gained  him  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances,  by  whom  he  is  greatly 
esteemed  and  respected.  He  is  a  member  of 
Lafayette  Lodge,  No.  126,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Sebas- 
topol. I'l  politics  he  is  a  consistent  Democrat. 
In  October,  1869,  Mrs.  Sauborn  died  at  the  age 
of  twenty-eight  years,  leaving  one  son,  who  is 
engaged  at  present  with  his  father  in  farm  and 
fruit  operations. 


WS  B.  GLYNN  was  born  in  New  York  State 
'pt  in  November,  1843.  His  father,  Hiram 
'  ®  Glynn,  and  his  mother,  Martha  M.  (Tib- 
bets)  Glynn,  were  also  natives  of  the  same  State. 
Hiram  Glynn  moved  to  Michigan  in  1849,  re- 
mained until  1853,  when  he  came  to  California, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  mining,  here  and  in 
Alaska,  for  a  period  of  twenty  years.  He  then 
removed  to  Iowa,  and  from  there  to  Michigan, 
and  back  to  Iowa,  where  he  died  in  1886. 
There  were  four  children.  (Jne  of  the  boys, 
Fred  A.,  is  at  the  present  time  mining  in 
Shasta  County,  California.     Clinton  A.  and  the 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


onlj^  daughter,  Addie  (Blanchard),  are  residing 
in  Michigan.  Frank  B.,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  was  the  eldest  of  the  family.  He  lived 
with  his  par'^nts  until  his  twenty-first  year,  and 
then  attended  school  for  one  year,  and  in  1867 
came  to  California  and  spent  the  better  part  of 
a  year  in  traveling  over  the  State.  Then  re- 
turned to  Michigan  and  went  to  work  on  the  old 
homestead,  and  in  the  same  year,  1868,  was 
married  to  Miss  Mary  J.  McCarty.  In  1869 
he  bought  a  ranch  near  Independence,  Iowa, 
and  lived  there  about  two  years,  and  in  1872 
brought  his  wife  and  child  to  California  with 
the  intention  of  settling  here.  Tiiey  remained 
but  three  months  in  8anta  Rosa,  when  they 
again  returned  to  Iowa  and  located  near  Glenn 
"Wood,  Mills  County;  bnt  having  the  many  ad- 
vantages of  California  so  thorouglily  impressed 
upon  his  mind,  he  detei'mined  upon  making 
California  his  future  home,  so  he  again  came  to 
Santa  Rosa,  bringing  his  family.  He  bought 
property  and  engaged  in  the  selling  of  lumber 
for  the  Murphy  Brothers.  In  1881  he  asso- 
ciated himself  with  Messrs.  Dearbon  &  Berka, 
and  bought  tiie  Jack  Smith  saw-mill  in  Cole- 
man Valley.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year 
Glynn  and  Berka  bought  Dearbon's  interest, 
and  in  1882  George  W.  Williams  came  into  the 
firm  by  buying  Mr.  Berka's  interest.  In  1883 
Mr.  Glynn  succeeded  to  the  entii'e  business. 
He  then  had  but  360  acres  of  land,  but  has 
added  to  this  until  now  he  has  419  acres,  and 
upon  this  is  one  of  the  finest  tracts  of  redwood 
to  be  found  in  Sonoma  County — estimated  at 
7,000,000  feet.  He  employs  from  twenty  to 
forty  men  upon  his  place  and  in  the  mills,  which 
are  fully  equipped  with  all  modern  improve- 
ments for  turning  out  all  kinds  of  lumber.  In 
1887  he  bought  one-half  interest  of  F.  J. 
Yandle,  Santa  Rosa,  in  his  foundry  and  ma- 
chine shop,  and  put  in  a  stock  of  lumber  also, 
and  associated  in  said  business.  Besides  his 
handsome  residence  he  has  five  other  houses 
upon  the  place  for  the  accommodation  of  the  men 
and  their  families.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Glynn  have 
had  three  children  born  to  them,  all  living — 


Mattie  E.,  George  A.  and  Burr.  Mr.  Glynn  is 
a  member  of  Santa  Rosa  Lodge,  No.  57,  F.  & 
A.  M.;  Santa  Rosa  Chapter,  No.  45,  R.  A. 
M. ;  Santa  Rosa  Commandery,  No.  14,  K.  T. ; 
I.  O.  O.  F.  Lodge  of  Occidental;  Santa  Rosa 
Lodge,  K.  of  P.;  Ancient  Order  of  Druids  of 
Santa  Rosa,  and  the  Chosen  Friends  of  Occi- 
dental. 


■-^- 


^M(\ 


▼f^lIOitAS  M.  DTJNN.— Among  the  notice- 
^(r^  jt  ably  fine  places  in  the  Sonoma  Valley  is 
^>  that  of  the  gentleman  whose  name  heads 
this  sketch.  Mr.  Dunn's  farm  of  100  acres  is 
located  about  two  miles  south  of  Sonoma.  The 
soil  at  this  point  is  rich  and  productive,  as  is 
well  attested  by  the  success  he  has  achieved  in 
vine  and  fruit  growing.  He  has  thirty  acres  in 
wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel,  Riesling,  Chas- 
selas  and  Black  Malvoise  varieties.  Ten  acres 
are  devoted  to  fruit  comprising  a  fine  variety  of 
peaches,  pears,  apricots,  apples,  etc.  The  rest 
of  his  land  is  producing  hay  and  grain,  and 
pasturing  stock.  His  farm  is  under  a  good 
state  of  cultivation  and  the  improvements  are 
first-class  in  every  respect,  and  the  fine  shade 
trees  and  well  kept  grounds  surrounding  the 
commodious  residence  and  well  ordered  out 
buildings  all  go  to  show  the  enterprise  and 
taste  of  the  owner.  Mr.  Dunn  is  a  native  of 
New  York,  born  in  1818.  His  father,  John 
Dunn,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  who  emigrated 
to  tlie  United  States  when  a  young  man,  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
there  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days,  and 
died  at  the  age  of  over  100  years.  His 
mother,  Margaret  (Crockett)  Dunn,  was  a 
native  of  New  York.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  reared  to  farm  life  and  received  a 
fair  common  school  education.  Upon  reaching 
manhood,  he  launched  out  in  life  to  care  for 
himself,  and  settled  on  Long  Island,  where  he 
engaged  in  general  farming,  and  was  also  largely 
engaged  in  raising  vegetables  for  the  New  York 
markets.     In  1862  became  to  California.    Upon 


UI8T0BT    (>V    SONOMA    OOUNTT. 


liis  arrival  in  San  Francisco  he  sought  for  em- 
ployment, and  being  something  of  a  mechanic 
and  engineer,  he  secured  a  berth  as  engineer  in 
running  a  stationary  engine  in  a  factory.  He 
was  thus  employed  for  a  year  or  two,  and  then 
went  to  Nevada  and  there  worked  in  a  quartz 
mill  until  1867.  In  that  year  he  came  to 
Sonoma  County  and  located  in  Sonoma  Valley, 
where  he  was  employed  as  superintendent  or 
foreman  on  the  ranch  of  Albert  Wheelock, 
located  north  of  Sonoma.  After  being  thus  en- 
gaged until  1869  he  rented  a  tract  oi'  land  from 
Obed  Chart,  near  Embarcadero.  In  1873  he 
purchased  thirty  acres  of  his  present  farm  and 
here  took  up  his  residence,  afterward  purchas- 
ing an  additional  seventy  acres.  Since  that 
time  Mr.  Dunn  has  devoted  himself  to  the 
cultivation  and  improvement  of  his  lands,  in 
which  he  has  been  successful.  He  is  a  con- 
sistent member  of  the  Congregational  church. 
Politically,  he  is  a  staunch  Republican,  and  was 
a  strong  Union  man  during  the  war.  While  in 
San  Francisco  he  was  a  member  of  the  Mer- 
chant's Company,  which  consisted  of  150  men 
who  were  enrolled  for  the  protection  of  that 
city  during  those  unsettled  times.  In  1857 
Mr.  Dunn  married  Miss  Fannie  Sutherland,  a 
native  of  England,  and  the  daughter  of  William 
and  Hester  Sutherland,  natives  of  Scotland  and 
England.  P''rom  this  marriage  there  are  ten 
children:  Edwin  M.,  Eobert  J.,  Charles  W.,  F. 
Josephine,  Lillie  C,  Albert  W.,  Lathrop  C, 
Harry  J.,  William  S.  and  Annie  H. 


fOHN  GIBSON.--The  old  travelers  on  the 
road  from  Sonoma  to  Santa  Rosa  through 
Glen  Ellen,  during  the  twenty  years  pre- 
ceding 1888,  well  remember  the  genial  landlord 
of  the  "  Half-way  House"  at  Glen  Ellen,  who 
is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Mr.  Gibson  was 
born  in  Chatham,  Kent  County,  England,  in 
July,  1815.  His  father,  .lohn  Gibson,  was  a 
siiip  builder,  and  later  a  surveyor  for  the  Lloyds 
Insurance    Cotnpany.       Mr.     (xibson     attended 


school  until  the  age  of  fourteen   years,  when  he 
was  apprenticed  to  the  trade  of  a  cabinet-maker 
and  upholsterer.   He  Workedatthistradeforabout 
three  years,  and  then,  in  1832,  emigrated  to  the 
United  States.     Upon  his  arrival  in  New  York, 
j   he  apprenticed  himself  to  learn  the  carpenter's 
trade.     After  serving  his  time  he   worked  as  a 
journeyman  carpenter  in   that  city  until  1839. 
He  then  went  to   New  Orleans,   where  he  con- 
I   tinued  his  calling  until  1850,  in  which  year  he 
came,    via    the    Isthmus    route,    to    California. 
!    Upon   his  arrival  in  San   Francisco  he  readily 
obtained   work  at  his  trade,  at  from   twelve  to 
sixteen   dollars  per  day.     Mr.  Gibson   pursued 
the  occupation  jf  a  carpenter  and  cabinet-maker 
in   San    Francisco,   and  occasionally  in  interior 
\   towns,  until  1856,  when    he    was   induced  by 
I   Captain  Justi  to  locate  in  the  Sonoma  Valley. 
I   He  purchased  from  the  captain  a    tract  of  land 
I    upon   the  east  side   of   the    valley  above  Glen 
j   Ellen,  and  entered  upon    the    occupation    of  a 
I   farmer,  vineyardist  and  wine  maker. ,  This  land 
!  was  afterward    proven  to  be  a  land  grant,  to 
j   which  Mr.  Gibson  could  give  no  title  without  a 
second    purchase.     He  accordingly    abandoned 
the  same,  and,  in  1868,  purchased  from  Dr.  J. 
B.  Warfield   ninety-eight  acres  of  land  located 
j   south  of  his  former  holdings  and  east  of  what 
I   is  now  the  village  of  Glen  Ellen.     Upon   this 
I  land  Mr.  Gibson  made  extensive  improvements, 
and  entered  more  extensively  into  grape  culture 
and  wine  making.     For  this  purpose  he  erected 
a  winery  and  cellar  with  a  capacity  of  75,000 
gallons.     He  also,  in   1869,  built  a  substantial 
and  commodious  hotel,  which  he  opened  to  the 
public.     This  well-known  "  Half-way    House  " 
was    extensively    patronized    by    the    traveling 
public  before  the  advent  of  railroads  changed 
the  mode  of  travel  and    freighting.     Mr.  Gib- 
son is  now  the  owner  of  about  seventy  acres  of 
land,  which  he  is  devoting  principally  to  stock 
purposes.        The     Santa    Rosa    &    Carquinez 
Railroad  passes   through  his  land,  and  event- 
ually his  property  will  be  cut  up  in  small  tracts 
which   will    form   a  part  of  the  thriving  village 
ot  (ilen  E11(!M.      Wartield   Station  is   just  north 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


of  and  adjoining  his  land.  Mr.  Gibson's  long 
residence  and  occupation  has  given  him  an  ex- 
tensive acquaintance  in  Sonoma  County,  and 
gained  him  a  large  circle  of  friends.  He  has 
always  been  an  energetic  supporter  of  such 
movements  as  tended  to  develop  his  section  of 
tiie  county,  and  has  filled  local  offices  of  trust. 
For  many  years  he  was  the  postmaster  of  Glen 
Ellen.  Politically,  he  is  a  consistent  Democrat. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  been  married 
three  times.  His  first  marriage  was  in  1837, 
with  iliss  Catherine  Parker,  who  died  the  fol- 
lowing year.  In  1844  he  married  Miss  Maria 
P.  Jamison  of  ]S'ew  York.  She  died  in  Sacra- 
mento, in  1850, leaving  two  children:  John  H., 
who  lives  in  California,  and  Eliza  M.,  who  mar- 
ried George  Guerne,  and  is  residing  in  Santa 
Rosa.  In  1864  he  married  Mrs.  Annie  E. 
Bowman. 


fOHN  CAVAK^AGH,  a  native  of  Dublin, 
Ireland,  was  born  August  23,  1824.  His 
grandfather  and  father  were  both  born  and 
reared  at  Knockbrandon,  Parish  of  Mouaseed, 
County  Wexford,  Ireland.  In  1845  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Repeal  Association  and  so  continued 
until  1847,  when  he  branched  off  with  the 
Young  Ireland  party,  known  as  the  Irish  Con- 
federation and  joined  the  Gratton  Club  in  Dub- 
lin. In  1849  he  sailed  from  Liverpool  on  board 
of  the  bark  Jane  Ttidor  for  California,  arriving 
ill  San  Francisco  in  August,  1850.  He  imme- 
diately proceeded  to  the  mines  on  the  Middle 
Fork  of  the  American  River,  mined  six  weeks 
and  returned  to  San  Francisco  where  he  en- 
gaged in  the  grocery  business  for  a  short  time. 
He  repaired  a  second  time  to  the  mines,  locating 
on  El  Dorado  Slide,  remaining  there  "until  the 
fall  of  1852.  In  that  year  he  came  to  Sonoma 
County  and  settled  on  Russian  Kiver,  near 
Windsor.  In  1857  he  sold  his  farm  and  came 
to  Petaluma.  Here  he  was  interested  in  the 
Water  Company  in  which  he  purchased  an  in- 
terest.    In  December,  1861,  he,  with  T.  F.  Bay- 


liss  and  others,  organized  a  military  company 
known  as  the  Eminett  Rifles,  composed  of  citi- 
zens of  Irish  birth,  and  the  company  was 
mastered  into  the  National  Guards  of  the  State 
of  California  the  same  month,  T.  F.  Bayliss, 
Captain  and  John  Cavanagh,  Lieutenant.  A  few 
months  later,  in  1862,  the  Petaluma  Guards 
and  the  Emmett  Rifles  were  mustered  into  ac- 
tive service  and  ordered  by  Governor  J.  G. 
Downey  to  report  to  the  sheriff"  of  Sonoma 
County,  at  Santa  Rosa,  to  enforce  the  law  and 
orders  of  ihe  district  court  in  the  northern 
part  of  Sonoma  County,  the  sherifl^  having  been 
resisted  twice  by  armed  forces  known  as  the 
Settlers'  League.  The  promptness  with  which 
the  two  military  companies  appeared  at  the 
scene  of  trouble  is  especially  worthy  of  men- 
tion, and  more  particularly  the  Emmett  Rifles, 
'  they  being  a  portion  of  the  Irish  Regiment  of 
San  Francisco.  At  that  time  one-half  of  the 
National  Guards  of  the  State  were  of  foreign 
birth  and  it  was  expected  by  many  all  over  the 
State  that  the  officers  would  resign  their  com- 
missions  and  the  companies  disband  sooner  than 
help  the  government  in  its  troubles,  the  Civil 
war  having  broken  out  in  the  East.  The  Em- 
mett Guards  was  the  last  company  attached  to 
the  Irish  Regiment  and  had  not  yet  received 
their  uniforms,  but  they  were  all  honest  "  War 
Democrats"  and  willingly  volunteered  to  help 
the  government  that  they,  in  becoming  citizens, 
had  sworn  to  support  against  all  enemies  for- 
eign or  native  born.  The  sudden  appearance  of 
those  companies  at  the  front  where  insurrection 
or  rebellion  was  expected,  together  with  meas- 
ures and  precautions  taken  by  the  State  of 
California  and  the  general  government,  saved 
California  from  the  horrors  of  civil  war.  In 
1862  Mr.  Cavanagh  was  elected  city  marshal  of 
Petaluma,  which  office  he  held  three  years,  and 
in  1866  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  and  was 
continuously  elected  justice  of  the  peace  or  city 
recorder  up  to  the  present  time,  and  now  holds 
the  latter  office.  In  1867  he  opened  a  lumber 
yard  and  at  about  the  same  time  disposed  of  his 
interest   in    the    Water    Company.      June    15, 


EIST0R7    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


567 


1860,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Delia 
Carrigan,  a  native  of  Irelaiul.  The  issue  of 
said  marriage  is  seven  children:  Thomas  James, 
John  Edward,  Stephen  P.,  Jennie,  Laura  Ann, 
Margaret  Ellen  and  Emma  Grace,  all  living  at 
this  writing.  Thomas  James  married  Miss 
Ilattie,  daughter  of  the  late  William  R.  Roberts. 
Laura  Ann  married  W.  B.  Whitney,  a  promi- 
nent druggist  of  Healdsburg.  In  1857  Mr. 
Cavanagh  became  a  member  of  Sotoyome  Lodge, 
No.  123,  F.  ife  A.  M.,  also  a  member  of  Peta- 
luina  Chapter,  No.  22,  Royal  Arch  Masons,  and 
is  high  priest  of  the  same  at  the  present  time. 
He  was  a  member  of  Santa  Rosa  Commandery, 
No.  16,  and  a  charter  member  of  Mount  Olivet 
Commandery,  No.  20,  Knights  Templar,  and  is 
captain  general  of  said  commandery  at  present. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Pioneer  Associa- 
tion of  the  counties  of  Marin,  Sonoma,  Napa, 
Lake  and  Mendocino,  and  was  elected  president 
of  the  association  in  the  years  1876  and  1877. 
He  has  held  the  commission  of  notary  public  for 
the  past  twelve  years.  He  has  been  a  director 
of  the  Mutual  Relief  Association  of  Petaluma 
for  eighteen  j'ears,  or  since  its  first  organization, 
and  has  been  an  active  member  of  tlie  Petaluma 
iire    department  for  the  past  twenty-live  years. 


tARRY  C.  BROAVN,  one  of  the  proprie- 
tors of  the  Sonoma  Abstract  Bureau,  is  a 
native  of  California,  born  in  Oakland, 
Alameda  County,  twenty-four  years  ago.  His 
father  A.  C.  Brown,  came  to  the  State  in  1854 
from  Columbus,  Ohio,  where  he  had  carried  on 
a  wholesale  boot  and  shoe  manufactory,  and  a 
wholesale  dry  goods  business  for  many  years. 
In  these  enterprises  he  had  been  successful  and 
had  accumulated  a  large  fortune.  He  was  also 
engaged  in  the  banking  business  there.  He  was 
originally  from  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  and, 
after  marrying,  settled  in  Albany,  New  York, 
starting  in  life  as  a  shoe  cobbler,  and  rapidly 
developing  into  a  large  manufacturer.  In  1840 
he  had  a  stock  of  goods  on  hand  worth  $10,000 


which  he  bet  against  an  equal  value  in  cash  on 
the  election  of  General  William  Henry  Harri- 
son. He  won,  and  it  was  the  only  bet  or  gam- 
ing he  ever  indulged  in.  He  married  a  Miss 
Taylor,  a  native  of  Zanesville,  Ohio,  by  wlmm 
he  had  four  sons  and  one  daughter.  Mrs. 
Brown  died  several  years  prior  to  the  death  of 
her  husband,  who  at  his  death  left  an  estate 
worth  $150,000.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
received  his  early  educational  advantages  in 
Oakland,  and  attended  the  Williston  Seminary 
in  Massachusetts.  His  first  business  venture 
was  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  Fred  F. 
Brown,  in  a  fruit  and  vineyard  ranch  near 
Windsor,  Sonoma  County.  After  being  there 
two  years  and  carrying  on  a  system  of  planting 
and  improving  the  place,  which  contained  about 
forty  acres  of  fruit,  mostly  pears,  prunes  and 
plums,  and  seventy  acres  in  vineyard,  Mr.  Brown 
sold  out  to  his  brother.  He  ran  for  county 
clerk  on  the  Republican  ticket  in  1886,  and  suf- 
fered a  defeat  by  Mr.  Mulgrew.  In  December 
of  that  year  he  went  to  Mexico  with  a  view  of 
engaging  in  business,  but  decided  not  to  do  so, 
and  returned  to  Santa  Rosa  in  the  early  part  of 
1887.  July  15,  1887,  he  purchased  a  half  in- 
terest in  the  Sonoma  County  Abstract  Bureau, 
which  he  still  owns.  The  partners  have  invested 
nearly  $25,000  in  the  enterprise  and  value  it 
worth  much  more.  Mr.  Brown  was  married 
in  San  Jose,  May  7,  1887,  to  Miss  E.  F.  Wors- 
ter,  who  is  also  a  native  of  California.  He  has 
erected  this  year.  (1888)  an  elegant  residence, 
in  the  Ludwig  addition,  costing  with  furnishing 
$17,000.  Mr.  Brown  is  a  member  of  the  Na- 
tive Sons  of  the  Golden  West. 


J^OLMAN  TALBOT.— Among  the  promi- 
WM)  i^^i^t  residents  of  Bennett  Valley,  and  the 
^M  representative  farmers  of  that  section  of 
Sonoma  Count}',  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
He  was  born  May  10,  1835,  in  Adams  County, 
Illinois.  His  father,  Coleman  Talbot  (a  sketeii 
of  whom  appears  in   this  volume)  is  a  native  of 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Kentucky,  and  his  mother,  Driisilla  (Bowles) 
Talbot,  was  also  born  in  Kentucky.  In  1S30 
his  father  moved  to  Adams  County,  Illinois. 
There  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  to 
farm  life  until  1852.  In  that  year  his  father 
moved  across  the  plains  to  California  and  settled 
in  Sonoma  County,  locating  in  Bennett  Valley, 
where  he  entered  upon  farming  operations.  Mr. 
Talbot  was  engaged  in  assisting  his  father  in 
farming  until  1859.  In  that  year  he  proceeded 
to  Butte  County,  where  he  engaged  in  mining 
for  about  eighteen  months.  He  then  returned 
to  Bennett  Valley  and  was  employed  upon  his 
father's  farm.  January  9,  1865,  he  married 
Miss  Frances  Steel,  the  daughter  of  Julius  A. 
and  Elizabeth  (Norton)  Steel,  residents  of  Se- 
bastopol,  and  early  settlers  of  Sonoma  County. 
Mrs.  Talbot  was  born  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  Nov- 
ember 1, 1847.  Immediately  after  his  marriage 
Mr.  Talbot  took  up  his  residence  upon  a  tract  of 
land  which  he  had  previously  purchased  from 
liis  father,  and  commenced  its  improvement  and 
cultivation.  This  tine  farm  is  located  in 
Bennett  Valley,  in  the  Santa  Rosa  school 
district,  about  six  miles  from  Santa  Rosa.  This 
farm  contains  250  acres  of  hill  and  valley  land. 
Mr.  Talbot  has  made  extensive  improvements  in 
the  cultivation  and  products  of  this  land  during 
the  last  twenty  years.  He  has  now  a  magnifi- 
cent vineyard  of  fifty  acres,  forty-two  acres  of 
which  are  devoted  to  the  production  of  wine 
grapes  of  the  Zinfandel,  Riesling  and  Mission 
varieties,  and  eight  acres  to  table  grapes,  among 
which  are  Rose  of  Peru,  Tokay  and  Muscat 
varieties.  There  is  also  a  fine  family  orchard, 
containing  a  large  variety  of  fruits.  The  rest  of 
his  land  is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and  stock-rais- 
incr.  Among  other  improvements  is  a  beautiful 
two-story  residence,  in  which  Mr.  Talbot  has 
combined  all  the  comforts  and  conveniences  that 
characterize  a  well-ordered  home.  This  resi- 
dence is  situated  upon  the  hills,  which  gives  a 
magnificent  and  delightful  view  of  miles  of  the 
beautiful  valley.  Mr.  Talbot  has  from  young 
manhood  spent  his  life  in  Bennett  Valley,  as 
well  as  in  a  large  portion  of  the  county.      His 


straightforward  and  consistent  course  of  life  has 
gained  for  him  the  well  merited  respect  and  es- 
teem of  his  associates.  Energetic,  liberal  and 
enterprising,  he  is  always  a  supporter  of  any  en- 
terprise that  tends  to  advance  the  interest  and 
welfare  of  the  county  in  which  he  resides.  He 
is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Christian  church. 
In  jjolitical  matters  he  is  a  strong  Republican. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Talbot  have  three  children,  viz.: 
Allena,  born  December  25,  1866;  Talitha 
Augusta,  born  December  30,  1876,  and  Lesley, 
born  March  13,  1885.  Mr.  Talbot  is  a  firm  be- 
liever in  public  schools  and  a  strong  advocate  for 
thorough  and  liberal  education  of  the  rising  gen- 
eration. His  daughter  Allena  is  a  graduate  of 
the  Santa  Rosa  Ladies'  College,  and  was  married 
November  21,  1888,  to  George  F.  Clark. 


►>^ 


fR.  GIBSON,  whose  home  ranch  is  in 
Mendocino  Township,  is  a  native  of  Ken- 
"*  tucky,  born  at  a  place  near  the  line  of 
Tennessee,  February  6,  1818.  His  early  boy- 
hood days  were  spent  in  the  neighborhood  of 
his  birthplace.  When  in  his  fourteenth  year  he 
accompanied  his  parents  to  Jackson  County,  Mis- 
souri, where  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  there  was 
married,  August  20,  1839,  to  Miss  Laura  Rob- 
inson, a  native  of  Kentucky,  born  in  Madison 
County,  and  daughter  of  John  R.  and  Nancy 
(Cox)  Robinson.  Her  parents  were  both  reared  in 
Kentucky,  but  her  father  was  an  Englishman 
by  birth.  When  Mrs.  Gibson  was  a  girl  of  less  . 
than  twelve  years,  her  parents  removed  from 
Kentucky  to  Missouri,  where  she  grew  to 
womanhood.  In  1853  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gibson 
crossed  the  plains  to  California  with  an  ox  team, 
and  were  six  months  on  the  journey.  They 
located  in  Solano  County,  where  they  re- 
sided until  the  fall  of  1854.  They  then  came 
to  Sonoma  County,  and  located  near  Llealdsburg. 
Two  years  later  they  removed  to  a  place  twenty- 
five  miles  west  of  Sacramento,  and  afterward  to 
the  vicinity  of  Lakeport,  where  they  resided 
nearly  fifteen  years.      From  there  they  removed 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    OOUNTT. 


to  the  vicinity  of  Bear  Valley,  their  trading 
point  being  Colusa,  from  which  they  were  dis- 
tant forty  miles.  Their  next  move  was  back  to 
Lake  County,  and  after  a  residence  there  of  one 
year,  they  located  in  the  mountains  of  Sonoma 
County,  where  they  lived  twelve  years,  and 
in  1881  settled  at  their  present  location.  Here 
they  have  116  acres  of  land  devoted  to  general 
farming  purposes.  Mr.  Gibson  also  has  a  big 
sheep  i-anch  in  Tom  Green  County,  Texas,  to 
which  he  gives  his  personal  supervision,  his 
stopping  place  being  Los  Angeles.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Gibson  have  had  three  children,  of  whom 
one — Samuel — is  deceased.  Those  living  are 
Silas  and  John  Robertson.  The  former  was 
born  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri,  and  was 
married  to  Emma  V.  Lambert,  November  22, 
1871.  They  reside  on  the  home  ranch.  John 
Robertson  Gibson  was  also  born  in  Jackson 
County,  Missouri.  He  makes  his  home  with 
his  mother  on  the  ranch.  Mrs.  Gibson  has  the 
honor  of  having  killed  the  largest  grizzley  bear 
that  was  ever  killed  in  this  vicinity.  It  was 
caught  in  a  trap,  and  Mrs.  Gibson  seized  a  gun 
and  shot  it  dead. 


■  A.LDEN  &  CO.,  propi  ietors  of  the  Gey- 
ser Peak  Vineyard,  are  late  important 
l^'^^l  additions  to  the  manufacturers  of  grape 
products  in  Sonoma  County.  The  firm  of  Wal- 
den  &  Co.  is  one  of  the  leading  houses  in  the 
United  States  in  the  line  of  importers  and  job- 
bers of  line  brandies.  Drawing  their  supply  of 
cham])agne  cognacs,  as  they  did,  from  the  cham- 
pagne districts  of  France,  it  may  be  well 
nnderstood  what  a  blow  tiieir  business  received 
when  the  ravages  of  the  phylloxera  almost 
destroyed  the  vineyards  of  that  country.  As 
the  finer  brands  disappeared  from  the  market, 
the  connoisseurs  in  brandies  withdrew  from 
brandy  drinking,  which  then  became  almost 
obsolete.  Recognizing  that  some  radical  move 
was  necessary  to  bring  back  to  the  business  its 
old-time  prestige,  lidward  Walden,  head  of  the 


firm  of  Walden  &  Co.,  began  to  look  for  a  new 
source  from  which  to  draw  supplies.  In  1880 
he  came  to  California,  and  after  a  thorough  in- 
vestigation of  the  field,  rented  distilleries,  and 
finally  bought  what  is  now  known  as  the  Geyser 
Peak  Vineyard,  with  its  winery  and  distillery. 
The  tract  consists  of  seventy-six  acres,  and  is 
about  one  mile  almost  due  north  from  Geyser- 
ville.  The  ranch  occupies  a  beautiful  location, 
with  a  gradual  rise  from  the  valley  to  the  hills. 
The  winery  was  erected  in  1876  by  A.  Quitzom, 
the  proprietor  of  the  ranch  at  that  time.  He 
was  succeeded  in  ownership  by  a  Spaniard, 
under  whose  dominion  the  winery  lay  idle  for 
two  years.  The  present  firm  purchased  from 
him.  The  process  here  followed  is  to  make  the 
grapes  into  wine,  all  of  which  is  then  used  in 
the  manufacture  of  brandies,  at  the  distillery  ad- 
joining. The  grapes  of  this  vicinity  have  a  fla- 
vor superior  to  those  of  any  other  section  of 
California,  and  by  the  use  of  the  best  materials 
and  the  employment  of  only  the  best  and  most 
ex'perienced  wine  and  brandy  makers,  together 
with  the  enforcement  of  their  own  ideas  for  the 
protection  of  the  finished  product,  brandies  are 
here  turned  out  that  defy  competition.  The 
only  brandies  known  to  the  trade  with  which 
they  cannot  compete  are  the  champagne  cognacs 
of  the  celebrated  Charente  district  of  P>ance. 
The  firm  is  strictly  wholesale,  selling  to  jobbers, 
and  the  entire  output  of  the  winery  is  sent  East, 
a  portion  of  the  product  being  kept  for  two 
years  and  the  remainder  being  soon  used  in 
their  trade.  Edward  Walden,  Jr.,  who  has 
charge  of  the  California  department  of  the  busi- 
ness, is  a  thorough  business  man,  and  exercises 
a  general  supervision  over  the  plant  here.  He 
makes  his  home  on  the  ranch  during  the  vinting 
season. 

^^^^'^^ 

I^EORGE  FRIEDRICH  FISCHER  is  the 

tS?  owner  of  ninety-two  acres  of  productive 

W^   land  located  in  Sonoma  school  district, one 

mile    south    of  Sonoma,  on   Broadway  avenue. 


570 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Mr.  Fischer  devotes  considerable  atteiuion  to 
wine  nialving,  liaving  tiiirty-four  acres  of  his 
laud  in  wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel,  Goodell, 
Chasselas,  Berger,  Riesling  and  Mission  varie- 
ties. He  has  also  a  winery  with  a  capacity'  of 
30,000  gallons,  which  enables  him  to  manufact- 
ure the  products  of  his  vineyard  into  wine. 
His  long  experience  in  this  industry  renders 
him  an  expert,  and  his  wines  are  first-class  in 
every  respect,  and  command  good  prices  wher- 
ever oflered  for  sale.  In  addition  to  his  winery 
he  has  a  distillery  with  a  capacity  suitable  to  all 
his  requirements.  The  rest  of  his  land,  with 
the  exception  of  a  small  family  orchard,  is  de- 
voted to  hay,  grain  and  stock.  All  the  improve- 
ments upon  ills  place,  including  winery,  large 
barn  and  other  out  buildings,  also  the  planting 
of  the  vines,  except  four  acres  of  Mission 
grapes,  have  been  made  by  Mr.  Fischer  since 
1877.  Mr.  Fischer  having  been  identified  with 
Sonoma  Valley  for  over  twenty  years,  the  brief 
sketch  of  his  life  herewith  given  is  of  interest. 
He  was  born  in  Baden,  Germany,  May  29, 
1831,  his  parents  being  John  George  and 
Elizabeth  (Urapach)  Fischer,  both  natives  of 
Baden.  His  father  was  engaged  in  street  paving 
and  other  contract  work,  but  he  owned  a  farm 
upon  which  he  reared  his  family.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  was  there  reared,  and  as  soon 
as  he  arrived  at  a  suitable  age  he  had  full  charge 
of  the  farming  operations.  He  followed  the 
calling  of  a  farmer  and  wine  maker  in  the  vine- 
yards at  home  until  1865,  in  which  year  he 
came  to  the  United  States.  Soon  after  his  ar- 
rival in  New  York  he  proceeded  to  Indiana  and 
located  at  Indianapolis,  where  he  engaged  in 
farm  labor  until  September,  1806.  At  that 
time  his  health  became  so  broken  with  fever 
and  ague  that  he  found  it  necessar3'  to  seek 
some  other  climate.  He  therefore  came  to  Cal- 
ifornia, and  located  in  Sonoma  Valley.  With  his 
experience  as  a  wine  maker  he  readily  obtained 
employment  in  Buena  Vista  vineyard,  as  a  cel- 
lar master.  He  was  thus  employed  until  1870, 
when,  in  partnership  with  Henry  Truch,  he  es- 
tablished a  winery  in  the  city  of  Sonoma.  This 


enterprise  was  successfully  conducted  until 
1876,  when  Mr.  Fischer  sold  out  and  returned 
to  Germany.  While  in  his  native  land  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Eliza  Vortisch, 
a  native  of  Baden,  the  daughter  of  Karl  Fried- 
rich  and  Christina  Vortisch.  Soon  after  the 
marriage  Mr.  Fischer  returned  with  his  bride  to 
Sonoma,  and  early  in  1877  took  up  his  present 
residence. .  Mr.  Fischer  is  a  fair  representative 
of  the  successful  (Terman  element  that  has 
built  up  the  wine  industry  of  Sonoma  Valley. 
By  his  consistent  life  and  industrious  habits  he 
has  gained  success,  and  well  merits  the  respect 
and  esteem  bestowed  upon  him  by  those  who 
know  him  best.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fischer  are  the 
parents  of  the  following  named  children:  Fried- 
rich,  Karl  Otto,  Elizabeth,  Ella,  and  Maria 
Louise. 

l^^^EVI  II.  PATTY,  M.  I).,  was  born  Kovem- 
Pl?  ber  27,  1832,  in  Covington,  Ohio.  His 
"^^  father,  Samuel  Patty,  was  a  native  of  War- 
ren County,  where  he  was  born  in  1806.  Prior 
to  that  the  Patty's  were  from  South  Carolina, 
and  settled  in  Ohio  when  that  State  was  a  Ter- 
ritory. Samuel  Patty  married  for  his  second 
wife  Salone  Bollinger,  a  native  of  Juniata 
County,  Pennsylvania,  who  was  the  mother  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Mr.  Patty  was  a 
mill  owner  at  Covington  and  from  there  moved 
to  Bichmond,  Indiana,  where  he  engaged  in 
mercantile  trade.  Several  years  later  he  went 
further  north,  where  he  dealt  quite  largely  in 
real  estate  and  died  in  Beamsville,  Darke 
County,  Indiana,  in  1858.  His  wife  died 
in  1852.  Levi  II.  Patfy  was  principally 
raised  in  Richmond,  Indiana.  He  was  edu- 
cated at  the  common  schools,  and  remained 
at  home  until  he  was  about  seventeen  years 
of  age.  He  then  commenced  teaching  in  the 
neighborhood  schools,  and  shortly  after  the 
death  of  his  mother  went  to  Iowa  and  from 
there  drifted  to  Omaha,  Nebraska,  where  for 
two  years  he  was  engaged  in  contracting  and 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


571 


building.  In  1855  lie  went  to  Leavenworth, 
Kansas,  and  took  up  some  land  which  he  held 
for  some  time  before  disposing  of  it.  He  during 
this  time  having  acquired  a  knowledge  of  medi- 
cine, went  to  Pratt  County,  Missouri,  where  he 
worked  up  a  successful  practice  and  remained 
five  years.  From  there,  in  1863,  he  came  to 
California,  located  in  San  Bernardino  and  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  his  profession  with 
Dr.  D.  R.  Dickey,  where  he  reniained  about 
a  year  and  a  half.  He  was  tlien  employed 
by  the  medical  directors  of  the  department  of 
California,  as  acting  assistant  surgeon  for  the 
United  States  army,  in  which  position  he  served 
from  December,  1865,  until  August,  1875, 
when  upon  the  withdrawal  of  the  troops  from 
Camp  Wright  he  had  the  contract  annulled, 
and  was  appointed  custodian  of  the  Govern- 
ment property,  remaining  at  Camp  Wright 
another  year,  until  the  property  was  transferred 
ti)  the  Indian  department.  In  the  summer  of 
1876  Dr.  Patty  went  to  St.  Louis,  and  attended 
the  St.  Louis  Medical  College,  from  which  he 
graduated  March  7,  1877.  He  then  returned  to 
California  and  settled  in  Petaluma,  where  he 
has  been  located  ever  since.  He  is  without 
question,  one  of  the  most  successful  physicians 
who  has  practiced  in  this  section.  He  first 
opened  an  office  on  Main  street  opposite  the 
American  House,  but  for  the  past  three 
years  has  occupied  his  presentcomfortable  quar- 
ters in  the  Whitney  building.  Dr.  Patty  is  a 
member  of  the  State  Medical  Society;  has  been 
a  Mason  for  thirty-five  years,  and  for  the  ])ast 
six  years  a  Knight  Tem]>lar,  lielonging  to  the 
Mount  Olivet  Commandery,  Xo.  20.  He  was 
married  in  1869  to  Adelia  Hardin,  of  Clay 
County,  Missouri.  They  have  one  son,  Levi  U. 
Patty,  Jr. 

tH.KROUCKE,  member  of  the  Santa  Rosa 
Planing  Mill  Company  and  proprietor  of 
*   Kroucke's  Park,  came  to  Sonoma  County 
in  1871  a  poor  mechanic,  and  for  several  years 


pursued  his  trade  of  carpenter.  In  1875  he 
started  a  small  planing  mill,  and  five  years  later 
purciiased  the  property  now  known  as  the  Santa 
Rosa  planing  mill,  situated  in  the  west  part  of 
tlie  city,  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  streets.  In 
1884  he  took  in  as  partners  T.  J.  Ludwig  and 
F.  Berke,  who  have  owned  and  operated  the 
mill  ever  since.  The  buildings  now  occupy 
about  200  feet  square  of  ground,  are  furnished 
with  the  best  improved  machinery  for  sawing 
and  dressing  lumber  and  manufacturing  all 
kinds  of  mill  work  for  house  finishing  in  laro-e 
quantitie.-,  and  give  employment  to  twenty  men. 
The'firm  also  manufactures  2,000,000  bricks  a 
season.  One  of  the  specialties  turned  out  at  the 
mills  are  the  large  wine  tanks  and  casks,  ranging 
from  500  to  5,000  gallons  each,  and  turning 
out  about  300  of  eacli  and  increasing  in  number 
yearly.  In  1885  Mr.  Kroucke  bought  four 
acres  and  a  half  of  land  on  Fourth  street  near 
the  Eastern  limit  of  the  city,  which  he  has  con- 
verted into  the  beautiful  breathing  spot  denomi- 
nated Kroucke's  Park.  The  place  was  a  feed 
yard  when  he  purchased  it,  but  in  three  years 
he  has  transformed  it  into  a  charming  resort. 
The  grounds  are  ornamented  with  walks,  fount- 
ains, shrubbery,  and  flowers  in  great  varietv. 
interspersed  with  shade  trees  and  rustic  seats. 
Large  buildings  have  been  erected  and  fitted  up 
for  various  purposes  of  amusement,  including  a 
fine  bowling  alley  and  a  superb  dancing  floor 
60x100  feet  in  size,  and  a  restaurant  stand. 
The  park  also  contains  a  splendid  swimming 
pool,  40  x  60  feet  in  area,  and  from  three  to  nine 
feet  in  depth,  with  a  capacity  of  60.000  gallons  of 
water,  which  is  constantly  supplied  by  the  city 
water  works.  The  pool  is  surrounded  by  neat 
private  dressing  rooms  for  the  use  of  individu- 
als patronizing  the  swimming  bath.  In  the 
purchase  and  improvement  of  the  park  Mr. 
Kroucke  has  already  expended  about  §!20,000, 
and  he  contemplates  erecting  a  commodious 
summer  hotel  on  the  premises  at  a  cost  of  some 
§20,000  more.  He  is  constantlychanging  and  add- 
ing to  the  many  features  of  his  beautiful  park. 
Thisseason  he  is  buildingabeautifulconservatory 


HISTORY     OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  mnsic  stand.  This  pretty  park  is  a  popular 
resort  for  picnic  parties  from  San  Francisco  and 
elsewhere  wiio  visit  Santa  Rosa  tor  a  da\''s  ont- 
ing.  Mr.  Krouci\e  is  a  German  bj  nativity; 
grew  to  manhood  and  learned  the  carpenter's 
trade  in  the  land  of  his  birth,  lie  landed  in 
Is'ew  York  in  December,  1809,  and  after  work- 
ing there  a  year  came  to  California.  In  1873 
he  married  Catharine  Dwenger,  also  born  in 
Germany.  They  have  four  children,  all  living: 
Annie,  Martha,  Henry  and  Edward. 


fAPTAIN  THOMAS  FULSHER  BAYLIS, 
deceased. — The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
born  in  1S23,  of  English  parents,  in  the 
city  of  Dublin,  Ireland.  His  father,  Thomas 
H.  Baylis,  was  a  soldier  in  the  British  army, 
attached  to  the  Seventeenth  Royal  Infantry, 
which  was  stationed  at  different  points,  being 
in  Dublin  at  tiie  time  of  the  birth  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch.  "When  a  mere  boy  Mr. 
Baylis  went  to  Australia,  where  he  received 
the  most  of  his  education,  finishing  at  the  Kings 
College,  Paramatta.  He,  early  in  life,  followed 
the  vocation  of  a  seaman  and  during  one  of 
these  voyages  landed  in  California  in  1847.  In 
1850,  when  Petal u ma  was  only  a  hunting 
ground,  he  made  several  trips  up  to  tiiis  place, 
and  transported  game  and  other  merchandise  to 
San  Francisco.  As  the  country  became  settled 
np  he  added  to  his  line  of  schooners,  and  finally 
put  on  a  steamer,  plying  along  the  creek  route. 
The  passenger  fare  from  this  point  to  the  city 
at  one  time  was  as  high  as  §6,  but,  by  the  ac- 
tion of  Captain  Baylis,  it  was  reduced  to  $1, 
and  at  one  time,  during  a  severe  competition, 
was  down  to  50  cents.  In  connection  with  liis 
line  of  boats  he  put  up  three  warehouses  in  the 
town,  one  of  which,  a  stone  building,  is  still 
standing.  He  formed  a  copartnersiiip  with 
Joseph  Cutter  and  David  Sullivan,  the  former 
managing  the  business  in  Petalnma  and  the 
latter  attending  to  the  shipping  and  wharfingin 
San    Francisco,  while  Mr.   Bavlis  devoted  liis 


attention  to  the  control  of  one  of  the  steamers. 
He  was  also,  previous  to  this  partnership,  con- 
nected with  David  Flogdale  in  running  the 
Pioneer  Hotel,  which  burned  down  some  years 
after.  He  early  became  a  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows  order,  and  was  instrumental  with  them 
in  starting  the  library  which  was  afterward 
turned  over  to  the  city.  Captain  Baylis  was 
twice  married,  the  first  time  to  a  lady  named 
Weise,  by  whom  he  had  three  children,  two 
daughters,  both  married  and  living  in  the  State, 
and  T.  H.  T.  Baylis,  a  young  and  energetic 
business  man  of  this  city.  His  second  mar- 
riage was  to  the  widow  of  David  Flogdale.  The 
captain  was  an  active  member  of  the  Hook  and 
Ladder  Company,  No.  1,  and  when  the  com- 
pany was  first  organized,  built  the  hook  and 
ladder  house  on  his  own  property  for  their  use. 
During  the  war  he  was  Captain  of  the  Emmett 
Rifles,  a  history  of  w.iich  is  found  in  another 
part  of  this  woi-k.  Death  claimed  him  Sep- 
tember 10,"  1867.  We  append  an  extract  pub- 
lished in  the  Petaluma  Argus  shortly  after  his 
death.  "  Captain  T.  F.  Baylis  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Petaluma  since  1850,  and  during  this 
time  has  seen  Petaluma  grow  from  an  almost 
isolated  hamlet  to  one  of  the  most  flourishing 
inland  cities  of  California;  a  great  part  of  which 
is  attributed  to  his  indomitable  will  and  enter- 
prise. In  his  public  capacity  he  has  exhibited 
great  administrative  ability  and  zeal.  In  his 
private  station  he  has  ever  enjoyed  the  reputation 
of  being  a  kind,  polite  and  humane  gentleman. 
He  was  a  grand  officer  of  the  Petaluma  Lodge, 
No.  30,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  a  most  active  and  ex- 
emplary member  in  battling  for  and  in  living 
up  to  the  principles  of  tiie  order.  He  was  an 
eminent  and  upright  citizen,  either  as  follower 
or  leader  in  the  faithful  and  zealous  discharge 
of  his  duty.  The  funeral  services  of  the  de- 
ceased were  of  the  largest  and  most  imposing 
ever  witnessed  in  this  city.  The  business  houses 
were  all  closed,  flags  were  drooped  at  half  mast, 
the  bells  tolled,  and  the  quiet  that  pervaded  the 
streets  showed  how  deeply  the  loss  was  felt. 
The  military,  fire  department  and  Odd  Fellows 


UISrORY    OF    SOUOMA    COUNTY. 


were    out    in    full    numbers    headed    by    the 
Petalnma  band  plaving  a  solemn  dirge." 


>4*-^ 


fH.  TORRAXCE,  of  Guemeville,  is  one 
of  the  old  settlers  of  Sonoma  County. 
®  He  is  nativeof  Chautauqua  County,  New 
York,  born  on  the  4th  of  March,  1832,  bis 
parents  being  Loyal  B.  and  Sophronia  (Perry) 
Torrance.  The  father,  who  came  of  an  old  New 
York  family,  was  atone  time  a  cloth  manufact- 
urer, having  extensive  woolen  mills  on  Catta- 
rautrus  Creek.  The  mother  came  of  a  family 
prominent  in  Revolutionary  times,  being  a 
dautrhter  of  Colonel  Perry,  of  Lake  Erie  fame. 
S.  H.  Torrance,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
but  a  child  of  si.x  years  when  his  parents  re- 
moved to  Missouri,  and  located  where  the  pros- 
perous city  of  St.  Joseph  has  since  been  built. 
That  country  was  then  on  the  very  outskirts  of 
civilization,  and  young  Torrance  grew  up  amid 
the  scenes  of  frontier  life  in  tho.se  early  days. 
This  life  had  a  certain  fascination  for  him,  and 
he  acquired  a  high  degree  of  skill  in  the  use  of 
fire  arms  and  in  the  ways  of  the  woodsman  and 
plainsman.  Through  long  associations  with  the 
Indians,  who  abounded  in  the  vicinity  of  his 
home,  he  became  familiar  with  their  language, 
as  well  as  with  their  character  and  habits. 
This  knowledge  soon  brought  his  services,  as  a 
guide,  into  demand,  and  when  yet  a  lad  in  years 
lie  was  often  called  upon  to  serve  in  that  capac- 
ity. His  father,  in  tlie  meantime,  had  taken 
up  the  practice  of  medicine,  which  was  there- 
after his  profession.  "VTheu  the  war  with  Mex- 
ico came  on,  S.  H.  Torrance  left  home  to  take 
part  in  that  struggle.  He  went  with  a  train  as 
teamster  from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Santa  Fe, 
and  there  enlisted  in  the  United  States  service 
in  Doniphan's  command.  With  it  he  served 
until  the  close  of  hostilities,  being  out  thirteen 
months,  and  participating  in  two  battles  and 
much  skirmisiiing.  Returning  to  Leavenworth, 
he  was  discharged  there.  In  the  fall  of  1S47  a 
party  was  organized  in  Buchanan  County,  Mis- 


souri, to  emigrate  to  Oregon,  and  Mr.  Torrance 
was  selected  as  their  guide.  He  at  once  left 
home  to  take  charge  of  the  stock  of  the  outfit 
during  the  winter.  The  following  spring  they 
started.  Mr.  Torrance  had  been  over  the  route 
taken  as  far  as  Fort  Laramie,  was  acquainted 
with  the  Indian  tribes  along  the  way,  and  was 
able  to  speak  their  language.  This,  of  course, 
was  a  great  help  to  the  expedition.  After  cross- 
ing the  Rocky  Mountains  they  followed  the  old 
Oregon  trail  by  Bear  River,  and  in  the  month 
of  October,  after  a  journey  of  six  months, 
arrived  in  Oregon  City.  On  account  of  the  ex- 
cellent management  of  the  caravan,  they  expe- 
rienced few  of  the  hardships  undergone  by 
other  parties,  and  had  only  a  little  skirmishing 
with  hostile  Indians.  Mr.  Torrance  did  not 
confine  himself  to  any  particular  locality,  but 
traveled  over  a  good  portion  of  the  Pacific  coast, 
much  of  the  time  being  engaged  in  mining  at 
Jacksonville,  on  the  Rogue  River.  In  thesum- 
mer  of  1852  a  band  of  hostile  Indians  visited 
Rogue  River  Valley,  and  massacred  fonr  or  five 
families.  Mr.  Torrance  was  one  of  a  company 
of  men  who  went  out  in  pursuit  of  them  and 
captured  eight  or  ten,  all  of  whom  were  hanged 
at  Jacksonville.  In  1853  he  crossed  the  Cas- 
cade Mountains,  and  for  some  time  was  engaged 
in  trading  with  the  Indians  and  with  immigrants. 
In  the  fall  of  1855  he  went  to  Yreka,  and  win- 
tered there.  In  the  spring  he  proceeded  down 
the  Sacramento  River,  and  later  arrived  in  So- 
noma County.  He  bought  a  ranch,  which 
proved  to  be  on  the  Walla  grant,  and  he  gave 
it  up.  In  the  fall  of  1850  he  removed  to  the 
place  where  he  now  resides,  directly  across  the 
Russian  River  from  Guerneville.  Here  he 
built  a  cabin,  and  engaged  in  trapping  beaver 
and  in  hunting.  He  would  dress  the  skins, 
manufacture  them  into  gloves,  etc.,  and  sell  the 
articles  for  a  living.  After  a  time  lie  engaged 
in  getting  out  shingles,  and  in  1800  brought 
machinery  from  San  Francisco  and  put  up  the 
firstsaw-mill  in  Guerneville.  He  operated  it  fonr 
or  five  years,  then  suld  a  portion  of  the  machin- 
ery to  Meeker  Brothers,  and  the  remainder  to 


HISTOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Guerne  &  Bagley.  After  tliat  he  gave  his 
attention  to  stock  and  farming.  Mr.  Torrance 
erected  a  very  handsome  residence  in  1882.  on 
a  spot  which  commands  a  splendid  view 
of  the  surrounding  country.  Besides  his 
line  home  farm,  he  has  within  three  miles 
another  place  of  160  acres,  and  besides 
controls  a  section  of  land  elsewhere.  He 
has  made  the  improvements  himself,  and  has 
done  more  clearing  than  any  man  in  the  county. 
Mr.  Torrance  built  the  iirst  school-bouse  in 
Gnerneville,  and  maintained  a  three  months 
school  at  bis  own  expense.  Mr.  Torrance  was 
married  in  Oregon,  in  1855,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Dukes,  a  native  of  one  of  the  Middle  States, 
reared  in  Missouri.  They  have  two  children 
living,  viz.:  Joseph  L.,  and  John  B.  Mr. 
Torrance  is  a  Republican,  politically.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  was  treasurer  of 
the  Gnerneville  lodge  for  many  years.  He 
has  many  relics  of  his  early  exjierience  in  this 
county,  among  them  a  hunting  knife,  the  blade 
of  which  is  worn  almost  away  by  his  use  of  it 
in  skirmishing  and  butchering  game  which  he 
himself  had  slaughtered.  He  has  a  medal,  a 
present  to  him  from  Congress,  in  honor  of  his 
service  in  the  Mexican  war.  It  is  made  from 
the  metal  of  cannon  captured  from  the  Mexican 
troops.  Mr.  Torrance  has  lived  to  see  a  pros- 
perous commnnity  built  up  where  he  at  one 
time  roamed  alone  in  pursuit  of  his  vocation  as 
hunter  and  tr.ipper,  and  he  is  yet  an  active  man. 


fLLIS  E.  MORROW,  proprietor  of  the 
leading  plumbing  house  of  Santa  Rosa,  13 
street,  between  Third  and  Fourth  streets, 
lias  been  in  tlie  plumbing  business  here  since 
April,  1887.  Mr.  Morrow  is  a  native  of  Mis- 
souri, was  born  in  St.  Louis;  and  in  1864  came 
to  Santa  Rosa  with  his  father,  James  Morrow, 
who  was  also  a  practical  tinsmith,  having  learned 
his  trade  in  the  great  house  of  Taylor  Bros.,  of 
Philadelphia.  James  Morrow  died  in  Santa 
Rusa  four   years  ago,  aged   eighty-three  years, 


having  been  in  the  same  business  ever  since  he 
was  sixteen  years  old,  and  forty  years  of  that 
time  in  St.  Louis.  Reared  to  the  same  calling 
as  his  father,  Ellis  E.  Morrow  has  forced  his 
way  to  the  fi'ont,  and  now  ranks  as  one  of  the 
leading  business  men  of  Santa  Rosa.  For  a 
number  of  years  he  and  his  brother  carried  on  a 
tin  manufacturing  and  hardware  business  in 
Santa  Rosa,  until  about  eleven  years  ago,  when 
they  sold  out.  Since  then,  until  he  started  in 
the  plumbing  business,  he  worked  at  his  trade 
as  a  journej'man.  His  chief  business  now  is 
plumbing,  but  he  also  carries  a  stock  of  stoves, 
tinware,  plumbing  brass  goods  and  piping — 
both  water  and  sewer  pipe.  In  his  plumbing 
business  he  employs  six  men,  being  the  only 
firm  in  the  city  to  employ  expert  scientific 
plumbers.  Being  a  practical  sanitary  plumber 
himself,  he  understands  when  the  work  is  well 
dime.  He  also  does  general  job  work,  roofing, 
pipe  work,  etc.  In  Santa  Rosa  Mr.  Morrow 
married  Miss  Rachel  A.  Barnes,  a  native  of 
Illinois.  They  have  one  child,  Wilfred  E.,  a 
bright  boy  of  eleven  years.  Mr.  Morrow  is  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of    Pythias  and  the  A. 

o.  u.  w. 


fA.  REINERS,  of  Mendocino  Township, 
has  a  ranch  of  170  acres  on  the  Dry 
,„-  *  Creek  Valley  road,  six  miles  north  from 
Healdsburg,  which  is  devoted  to  the  following 
crops,  with  the  acreage  stated:  alfalfa,  ten  acres; 
corn,  ten  acres;  vegetables,  two  acres;  orchard, 
twenty  acres;  vineyard,  forty-five  acres.  The 
rest  of  the  ranch  is  in  pasture  and  timber  land. 
Mr.  Reinerscuts  the  alfalfa  twice  a  year,  getting 
four  tons  per  acre,  and  then  pasturing  eighteen 
head  of  stock  on  the  land  till  the  rainy  season. 
The  corn  land  is  excellent,  turning  out  as  high 
as  sixty  to  eighty  bushels  to  the  acre.  With 
the  exception  of  the  silver  prunes,  the  orchard 
is  in  fine  condition.  The  trees  are  five  years 
old,  and  are  divided  among  peaches,  apricots, 
pears,  plums,  apples,  French  and  Silver  prunes. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Twelve  acres  of  the  vines  are  Zinfandels,  and 
the  rest  Riesling  and  (xolden  Chasselas.  He 
will  add  twenty  acres  more  of  the  Burgundy 
variety.  Mr.  Reiiiers  has  erected  a  winery,  and 
his  vintage  for  1888  was  l(j,000  gallons.  This 
amount  will  be  increased  from  year  to  year.  Mr. 
Keiners  is  a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany,  born 
November  14, 1836,  his  parents  being  C.  A.,  Sr., 
and  Annie  (Baar)  Reiners,  the  father  a  farmer. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  in  his  na- 
tive country,  attending  school  from  the  age  of 
six  to  fourteen  years.  He  then  went  to  work 
on  his  father's  farm.  In  1854  he  decided  to 
come  to  America,  and  on  the  fifth  of  April, 
1854,  sailed  from  Bremen  on  the  ship  Coperni- 
c^is.  Their  course  took  them  around  Scotland 
on  account  of  contrary  tides.  Going  north 
among  the  ice,  on  the  26th  of  April  they  lost 
all  hope  of  saving  the  vessel  which  had  sprung 
a  heavy  leak.  This,  however,  was  stopped  and 
the  vessel  finally  got  sal'ely  through  the  danger- 
ous locality,  but  not  without  the  loss  of  her  bow- 
sprit and  two  masts,  and  arrived  in  New  York 
harbor.  May  18.  Mr.  Reiners  was  engaged  in 
the  butchering  business,  steamboat  butchering, 
etc.,  for  the  next  eight  years,  in  New  York  City. 
At  the  expiration  of  that  time  he  went  back  to 
Germany  on  a  visit  to  his  family,  and  eleven 
months  later  returned  to  New  York  City  on 
the  steamer  New  York,  of  the  Bremen  line. 
May  3,  1863,  he  took  passage  for  California,  via 
Panama.  On  the  Pacific  side  he  was  a  passen- 
ger on  the  Constitution,  landing  at  San  Fran- 
cisco during  the  latter  part  of  May.  He  was  en- 
gaged at  the  butchering  business  one  year,  then 
established  a  restaurant,  which  he  conducted  for 
three  years.  He  then  entered  into  the  manu- 
facture of  mineral  waters,  etc.,  to  which  he  de- 
voted his  attention  until  1882,  when  he  came 
to  Sonoma  County.  He  was  married  in  San 
Francisco,  November  27,  1865,  to  Miss  Mary 
Kahrs,  a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany,  and 
daughter  of  George  and  Gertrude  (Fohrin) 
Kahrs.  The  father  died  wiien  Mrs.  Reiners 
was  a  cliild,  and  the  family  came  to  America  in 
1866.     Mrs.   Kahrs  died  in   1884,  aged  eighty 


years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reiners  have  four  children, 
viz.;  George  H.,  Charles  John,  Mary  C,  and 
John.  Mr.  Reiners  is  a  member  of  the  North 
Deutsche  Society,  San  Francisco,  in  which  he 
has  been  chairman,  treasurer,  etc.,  and  has  also 
been  connected  with  several  other  societies.  He 
has  served  as  school  trustee  three  years,  and 
clerk  of  the  board. 


PIj-ALTER  philips.— Among  the  notice- 
able and  representative  vineyards  of 
Sonouia  County  is  that  owned  by  Mr. 
Walter  Philips,  and  is  situated  in  Bennett  Val- 
ley, Santa  Rosa  Township.  Tiie  above  named 
vineyard  is  on  the  Bennett  Yalley  and  Petaluma 
road,  in  the  Strawberry  school  district,  seven 
miles  southeast  of  Santa  Rosa.  It  contains  230 
acres  of  choice  land  well  adapted  to  grape  and 
fruit  culture.  0[ie  hundred  and  thirty  acres 
are  devoted  to  vines,  producing  the  most  ap- 
proved wine  grapes  grown  in  Sonoma  County, 
among  which  are  eighty  acres  of  Zinfandel, 
twenty  acres  of  Gray  Riesling,  fifteen  acres  of 
Burgundy,  and  many  other  well  known  and 
approved  varieties.  The  products  of  this  vine- 
yard are  manufactured  into  wine  upon  the  place, 
and  for  this  purpose  Mr.  Philips  has  erected  one 
of  the  most  complete  wineries  in  his  section,  it 
having  a  capacity  of  150,000  gallons.  No  ex- 
pense has  been  spared  in  securing  all  the  latest 
improvements  needed  in  conducting  his  enter- 
prise, and  the  products  of  his  winery,  claret  and 
Riesling  wine,  always  command  the  highest 
market  rates.  Mr.  Philips  also  devotes  con- 
siderable attention  to  general  farming,  having 
one  hundred  acres  of  land  which  is  producing 
hay,  grain  and  stock.  The  improvements  on 
this  place  including  residence,  out-buildings, 
winery,  etc.,  have  all  been  made  by  Mr.  Philips. 
He  purchased  the  land  in  1871,  it  being  then  a 
comparative  waste.  The  success  which  he  has 
achieved,  has  been  the  result  of  the  energy  and 
industry,  combined  with  sound  business  prin- 
ciples that  are  characteristic  of  the  man.     He  is 


HISTOlir    OF    .SONOMA    COUNTY. 


one  of  the  representative,  public-spirited,  and 
proijressive  citizens  of  Sonoma  Count}-,  and  is 
deserving  of  his  well  earned  success. 


fZRA  W.  WOOLSEY.— Among  tiie  rep- 
resentative farmers  and  prominent  stock 
growers  of  Santa  Rosa  Township  is  the 
subject  of  tliis  sketch.  Mr.  Woolsey  was  born 
in  Siiffjlk  County,  Now  York,  in  1824-.  He 
is  a  descendant  from  old  New  England  fami- 
lies. His  father  was  Nathan  W.  Woolsey,  son 
of  John  A\'oolsey,  of  Darien,  Connecticut,  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  His  mother, 
Lettitia  (Conklin)  Woolsey,  was  a  native  ot 
New  York.  When  but  two  years  of  age  Mr. 
Woolsey's  father  died,  leaving  him  to  the  care 
of  his  mother.  He  was  reared  in  Snfltblk  County, 
receiving  a  good  education,  until  the  age  of  six- 
teen years.  He  then  started  in  life  for  himself, 
left  his  native  place  and  proceeded  to  New  York 
City.  In  the  year  1849  he  entered  mercantile 
life  as  a  clerk  for  his  brother,  which  he  continued 
until  1855,  when  he  established  a  large  whole- 
sale provision  house.  He  successfully  conducted 
this  enterprise  until  1861.  The  breaking  out  of 
the  war  and  consequent  depression  of  his  busi- 
ness, a  large  portion  of  which  was  cormected 
with  the  South,  compelled  him  to  seek  other 
pursuits.  He  then  engaged  in  the  insurance 
business,  being  connected  with  some  of  the  most 
reliable  companies  in  the  East.  He  continued 
that  business  in  New  York  until  18G8.  In  that 
year  he  came  to  California  and  located  in  San 
Francisco.  There  he  established  a  general  life 
insurance  agency,  which  he  conducted  for  several 
years.  Mr.  Woolsey's  attention  was  early  at- 
tracted to  the  wool  growing  industry  of  Cali- 
fornia, and  to  the  improvement  of  the  sheep  of 
the  State,  and  in  1880  he  established  himself  at 
Berkley,  Alameda  County,  wliere  he  engaged  in 
importing  and  breeding  some  of  the  finest 
thoroughbred  sheep  to  be  procured.  This  enter- 
prise proving  successful  and  desirous  of  enlarg- 
ing his  operations  he  came  to  Sonoma  County, 


and  in  1880  purchased  490  acres  of  land  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  Mark  West  Creek,  in  the 
Russian  River  school  disti'ict.  This  tine  farm  is 
located  on  the  Guerneville  branch  of  the  North 
Pacific  Railroad,  near  Meacham  Station,  about 
two  miles  west  of  the  town  of  Fulton.  Since 
taking  up  his  residence  here  in  1880,  Mr.  Wool- 
sey has  devoted  his  attention  to  the  breeding  of 
thoroughbred  sheep,  fruit  cultivation,  and  gen- 
eral farming.  He  has  made  many  improve- 
ments, planted  orchards,  vineyards,  etc.,  and  his 
rich  and  productive  soil  seems  adapted  to  the 
production  of  all  and  every  variety  of  products 
grown  in  tlie  county.  He  has  fifty  acres  in 
orchard  which  may  be  classed  as  follows:  Si.K- 
teeii  acres  of  peaches,  fifteen  acres  of  Frencli 
prunes,  ten  acres  of  olives  and  five  acres  of  pears. 
The  rest  may  be  styled  a  family  orchard  and 
there  are  few  fruits  grown  in  the  county  that 
Mr.  Woolsey  is  not  producing  in  this  orchard. 
Seven  acres  are  planted  in  wine  grapes,  Muscat, 
Zinfandel,  Rose  of  Peru  and  other  varieties.  As 
tending  to  show  the  productions  and  adaptabil- 
ity of  this  soil,  etc.,  for  fruit  growing,  it  is 
worthy  of  mention  that  tiie  peach  crop  upon 
this  farm  in  1888  yielded  at  a  rate  of  $400  per 
acre.  Another  remarkable  production  is  fifty 
aci'es  in  alfalfa,  which,  with  no  irrigation,  pro- 
duces from  two  to  three  crops  each  year,  and 
then  afibrds  fine  pasturage  for  stock  until  the 
next  season.  One  of  the  largest  industries  of 
this  model  farm  is  the  breeding  of  tlioroughbred 
Spanish  merino  sheep.  His  flocks  average  about 
1,000  head,  and  contain  some  of  the  finest 
specimens  to  be  found  in  the  State,  as  is  attested 
by  the  many  first  premiums  awarded  to  his 
stock  in  the  difi'erent  agricultural  fairs  of  State 
and  county.  His  wool  also  received  the  first 
premiums  at  the  Mechanics'  Institute  fairs  in 
1886  and  1887  at  San  Francisco.  Mr.  Woolsey 
is  also  devoting  considerable  attention  to  the 
breeding  of  fine  horses  and  cattle,  showing  good 
specimens  of  horses  improved  by  "Dawn," 
"  Adventure,"  and  "  Electioneer  "  stock,  also 
cattle  of  Durham  blood,  and  some  thorough- 
bred Jerseys.     The  rest  of  his  laud  is  devoted 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY . 


to  hay,  grain  and  pasture.  Mr.  Woolsey  is  an 
enterprising  and  progressive  citizen,  greatly  in- 
terested in  all  that  aft'ects  the  well-being  of  the 
community.  He  is  a  strong  advocate  of  churches 
and  public  schools,  and  is  an  elder  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  at  Fulton,  and  the  superintend- 
ent of  its  Sunday-school.  In  politics,  he  is  a 
strong  and  consistent  Republican,  well  versed  in 
all  the  political  questions  that  affect  the  indus- 
tries and  interests  of  State  and  nation.  Mr. 
Woolsey  married  Miss  Martha  A.  Weeks,  the 
daughter  of  Jonathan  Weeks,  of  New  York,  and 
granddaughter  of  George  Weeks,  of  Hempstead, 
Long  Island,  New  York.  From  this  marriage 
there  are  four  children  living,  viz.:  Edward  W., 
Louise  M.,  William  E.,  and  Frank.  William  E. 
is  residing  on  the  farm  and  is  interested  with 
his  father  in  all  the  farm  operations,  stock-rais 
ing,  and  industries  before  noted.  Much  of  the 
success  of  these  various  enterprises  is  due  to  his 
intelligent  and  energetic  management.  The 
ripe  experience,  tried,  and  matured  business 
principles  of  the  father  combined  with  the  ener- 
getic and  industrious  qualities  of  the  son  has 
made  the  name  of  Woolsey  &  Sou  the  synonym 
of  honor,  business  integrity  and  success.  They 
are  well  and  favorably  known  throughout  the 
county,  and  are  both  firm  believers  in  the  future 
prosperity  of  Sonoma  County,  and  are  ever 
ready  with  time  and  means  to  aid  in  all  enter- 
prises that  tend  to  advance  the  interests  and 
welfare  of  the  section  in  which  they  reside. 


fRANKLIN  SEARS.— In  noting  the  rise 
progress,  and  present  condition  of  Sonoma 
County,  the  old  pioneers  of  the  days  before 
'4:9  are  particularly  worthy  of  ^special  mention. 
Among  the  very  few  of  that  hardy  race  now 
(1889)  living  is  the  well  known  gentleman  whose 
name  standi  at  the  head  of  this  sketch.  He  has 
been  a  resident  of  Sonoma  Valley  for  over  forty 
years,  and  no  man  now  living  in  this  beautiful 
valley  has  more  of  the  well  merited  respect  and 
esteem  than  Mr.  Sears.    A  review  of  his  life  is  of 


interest.  Mr.  Sears  was  born  in  Orange  County, 
Indiana,  June  28,  1817.  He  is  the  son  of 
James  J',  and  Jane  (Walker)  Sears,  wlio  were 
among  the  pioneers  of  that  State.  His  father 
was  a  native  of  Tennessee,  and  his  mother  of 
Kentucky,  and  both  were  dcscendatits  of  old 
pioneer  families  of  those  States.  When  he  was 
ten  yearspf  age  his  parents  removed  to  Saline 
County,  Missouri,  where  his  father  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock-raising,  to  which  occupation 
Mr.  Sears  was  reared,  his  education  in  the  mean 
time  being  obtained  in  the  pionetr  schools  of 
that  date.  In  1844,  Mr.  Sears  being  imbued 
with  that  spirit  of  adventure  and  pioneer  daring 
that  was  so  characteristic  of  liis  forefathers, 
started  across  the  then,  almost  unknown  plains 
and  mountains  for  Oregon.  This  journey  was 
successfully  accomplislied,  and  he  remained  in 
Oregon  until  the  next  year  when  he  came  to 
California.  This  was  then  Mexican  territory, 
but  the  events  were  rapidly  transpiring. which 
were  to  wrest  the  land  from  Mexican  dom- 
ination. In  1846  Mr.  Sears  settled  in  Sonoma 
County  and  when  Captain  Fremont  called  for 
volunteers  he  was  one  of  the  first  to  join  that 
gallant  band,  and  enlisted  as  a  soldier  under 
Captain  Gillespie.  His  service  continued  until 
the  force  was  disbanded,  and  afterward  in 
1847,  he  was  enrolled  under  Commodore  Stock- 
ton, as  one  of  his  Life  Guards.  At  the  close  of 
hostilities  in  California,  Mr.  Sears  returned  to 
Sonoma  County  and  settled  upon  his  farm,  at 
once  beginning  its  cultivation  and  improvement. 
The  long  years  devoted  to  this  occupation  have 
produced  wonderful  results.  The  then  barren 
waste  has  during  this  time  been  transformed 
into  one  of  the  richest  and  most  productive 
farms  in  Sonoma  Valle}'.  Mr.  Sears'  farm  con- 
tains 600  acres  of  productive  valley  land,  lo- 
cated on  the  west  bank  of  the  Sonoma  Creek, 
in  the  Watmaugh  school  district,  about  two 
miles  southwest  of  Sonoma.  Among  the  im- 
provements is  a  vineyard  of  eighty  acres  of 
wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel  variety,  and  a 
magnificent  winery  with  a  storage  capacity  of 
150,000  gallon.     Much   attention  in    the  years 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


past  lias  been  paid  by  Mr.  Sears  to  wine  making, 
and  liis  success  iias  been  noticeable.  Fifteen 
acres  in  orchard  show  tine  results  also,  pro- 
ducing a  large  variety  of  the  most  approved 
fruits  grown  in  the  valley.  But  the  greater 
part  of  the  farm  is  devoted  to  hay  and  grain 
and  also  stock.  Among  the  latter  are  some  tine 
specimens  of  graded  horses,  improved  by  "  Nut- 
wood "  and  "  McClelland'"  stock.  A  comfortable 
cottage  residence,  surrounded  by  shade  trees, 
substantial  barns  and  out-building-^,  attest  the 
successful  farmer.  In  July,  1851,  Mr.  Sears 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Margaret 
Swift,  who  died  August  19,  1888,  leaving  two 
children:  Rachel  J.,  who  married  Jacob  R. 
Snyder  (whose  sketch  appears  in  this  history); 
and  Granville  C.  P.  The  third  child,  William 
J.,  died  in  1877.  Mr.  Sears  has  now  retired 
from  the  active  cares  of  his  farm  and  resides 
with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Snyder.  The  large 
farm  is  therefore  uuder  the  direct  control  and 
management  of  his  energetic  son  Granville  C. 
P.  Sears,  to  whom  is  due  the  credit  for  its  tine 
condition.  Granville  C.  P.  Sears  married,  in 
1879,  Miss  Mollie  P.  Walker,  daughter  of 
Jefferson  Walker,  of  Colusa  County,  a  native  of 
Kentucky  and  one  of  California's  pioneers. 
Buth  Mr.  Sears  and  his  son  are  Democratic  in 
politics,  but  liberal  in  views  and  conservative  in 
political  action.  Both  are  also  deeply  interested 
in  the  future  growth  and  prosperity  of  their 
beautiful  valley,  and  are  always  identitied  with 
any  enterprise  that  will  develop  its  resources. 

fCJSEPH  CAMPBELL.— The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  reared  principally  in  Sullivan 
County,  New  York.  When  a  mere  boy  he 
was  left  entirely  on  his  own  resources  and 
through  his  own  perseverance  and  energy  was 
able  to  get  a  good  common  school  education. 
During  the  interval  of  his  school  days  he 
chopped  wood  and  did  other  farm  work  in  order 
to  get  sufficient  means  to  defray  his  expenses. 
Being    a    natural    student   his   spare    moments 


were  devoted  to  the  reading  of  good  books  such 
as  be  could  obtain,  and  his  last  schooling  was 
received  at  an  academy,  a  private  school  taught 
by  a  man  named  Low.  Soon  after  he  was 
elected  to  teach  a  district  school  in  the  com- 
munity, and  continued  in  that  occujtation  about 
three  years.  In  the  fall  of  1S52  he  sailed  for 
California,  via  Nicaragua,  and  landed  in  San 
Francisco.  The  voyage  from  Nicaragua  was  an 
eventful  one  and  full  of  trials  and  hardships. 
Fever  raged  furiously  among  the  passengers  and 
crew,  the  result  of  which  was  nineteen  deaths, 
and  the  bodies  were  thrown  overboard.  Mr. 
Campbell  was  one  of  those  stricken  down  with 
the  disease  and  was  almost  momentarily  ex- 
pected to  be  the  ne.xt  one  to  find  a  watery  grave. 
However,  he  survived  his  illness,  and  shortly 
after  arriving  in  the  State  proceeded  to  this 
county,  and  went  up  into  the  redwoods  where 
he  recovered  his  health  and  remained  until  the 
next  spring.  He  then  went  back  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, joined  a  party  of  United  States  surveyors, 
went  into  Yuba  County,  and  remained  with 
them  in  that  neighborhood  about  four  months, 
alter  which  he  returned  to  Sonoma  County  and 
engaged  in  farming.  Every  one  was  expecting 
big  results  from  the  potato  crop,  as  the  one  of 
the  previous  year  resulted  in  large  profits  to  the 
grower.  This  year,  however,  was  quite  different 
in  the  results,  as  many  failed  entirely  who  were 
engaged  in  this  industry.  The  price  paid  for 
seed  was  five  cents  a  ponnd  and  a  team  to  put 
it  in  with  cost  ten  dollars  a  day,  besides  big 
wages  paid  for  digging  and  five  dollars  a  ton 
for  hauling  them  to  market.  After  settling  up 
the  potato  part  of  the  year's  business  Mr.  Camp- 
bell had  left  .§750  paid  him  by  one  party  the 
next  spring.  Turning  his  attention  in  another 
direction  for  employment  he  selected  teaming, 
which  seemed  to'  be  a  profitable  business,  and 
made  a  purchase  at  first  of  two  yoke  of  oxen 
and  a  wagon,  but  after  a  time  got  more  cattle 
and  another  wagon.  Being  at  this  time  in 
debt  for  everything,  after  two  years  of  constant 
toil  with  his  oxen,  he  was  able  to  pay  ofl'  every 
claim  against  him,  besides  having  a  little  money 


UISTUliY    OF    .SONOMA     COUNT Y. 


left.  Tlie  experience  which  befell  his  lot  at  this 
early  day  was  of  such  a  rugged  nature  that 
would  astonish  some  of  the  coining  generation 
and  would  perhaps  dampen  their  prospects  if 
they  had  to  pass  through  anything  similar  to  it. 
Many  a  night  Mr.  Campbell  has  slept  under  his 
wagon  or  perhaps  secured  a  night's  lodging  in 
some  friendly  shanty  that  would  happen  on  his 
way,  and  prepared  his  meals  as  best  he  could  in 
those  primitive  times,  and  as  now  only  the 
pioneers  can  understand  and  appreciate.  After 
abandoning  the  teaming  business  he  again  took 
up  the  vocation  of  teaching  and  taught,  with 
but  little  interruption,  for  about  three  years, 
the  most  of  the  time  in  Petaluma  Township. 
After  the  varied  experiences  and  occupations 
given  above  we  next  find  Mr.  Campbell  em- 
barked in  an  entirely  new  enterprise.  Going 
to  San  Francisco  he  opened  a  commission  house, 
where  he  carried  on  a  successful  business  for 
nearly  seven  years.  Disposing  of  his  interests 
there,  he  returned  to  Petaluma  and  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  trade  which  he  has  carried  on 
ever  since,  being  one  of  the  oldest  merchants  in 
the  city.  About  1856  he  bought  the  business 
property  where  he  is  now  located,  and  the  next 
year  commenced  to  improve  it,  which  he  has 
done  from  time  to  time  as  his  Inisiness  de- 
manded. Mr.  Campbell  has  always  taken  an 
active  interest  in  the  growth  and  development 
of  the  city,  and  especially  so  in  tlie  establishing 
and  improving  of  the  public  buildings  of  learn- 
ing, and  the  education  of  the  young.  Being 
an  old  school  teacher  himself,  his  ripe  expe- 
rience in  this  respect  has  been  of  valuable 
assistance  to  the  city  school  board  of  which 
he  has  been  an  active  and  earnest  member  for 
the  past  four  years.  He  has  been  a  member 
of  the  Public  Librar}-  Association  since  its  or- 
ganization and  has  held  numerous  offices  in  the 
same,  in  tiie  transaction  of  its  business.  He 
became  an  Odd  Fellow  soon  after  iiis  arrival 
in  the  State,  and  lias  been  a  trustee  in  the 
Petaluma  lodge  during  nearly  the  whole  of  his 
residence  in  the  city,  also  attending  largely  to 
the   business  manajrement  of  tlie   Odd  Fellows 


Hall  Association.  Soon  after  the  organization  of 
the  A.  O.  U.  W.  lodge  in  Petaluma  he  also 
became  a  member  of  that  order.  Mr.  Campbell 
was  united  in  marriage  July  20,  1871,  to  Lucy 
Mann,  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  of  English 
parents.     They  have  one  son,  H.  R.  Campbell. 

^-^:^-^ . 

fAMES  RUSSELL  ROSE  was  born  in 
Richland  County,  Ohio,  October  22,  1822. 
He  is  of  Scotch  and  English  descent,  his 
ancestors  coming  to  this  country  in  the  seven- 
teenth century.  Both  of  his  grandfathers  were 
veterans  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  James  Hark- 
ness,  his  mother's  father,  serving  six  years  and  his 
grandfather  Russell  Rose,  who  enlisted  at  tlie 
age  of  fifteen,  served  seven  years.  His  father, 
Enos  Rose,  was  born  March  31,  1793,  in  Poult- 
ney,  Rutland  County,  Vermont,  and  married 
Elizabeth  Harkness,  who  was  also  a  native  of  that 
State,  born  January  14,  1797.  Their  marriage 
was  celebrated  January  14,  1819,  in  Springfield, 
Bradford  County,  Pennsylvania,  after  which 
they  took  up  their  residence  in  Richland  County, 
Ohio,  where  they  remained  about  eight  years. 
They  then  removed  to  Bradford  Count}^  Penn- 
sylvania, and  lived  there  about  the  same  length 
of  time,  when  they  again  returned  to  Ohio. 
They  made  their  home  in  Huron  County,  that 
State,  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  The  old 
gentleman's  death  however  occurred  in  Lake 
County,  Illinois,  in  November,  1870.  He  was 
buried  at  his  old  home  in  Huron  County,  be- 
side his  wife,  who  died  in  August,  1855.  She 
was  the  mother  of  five  children,  of  whom  three 
are  now  living.  James  Russell,  the  eldest  of 
the  living  children,  made  his  home  with  his 
parents  until  he  was  twenty-eight  years  old. 
He  was  reared  on  a  farm,  attended  the  district 
schools  of  his  neighborhood,  served  some  time 
at  milhvrighting  under  the  guidance  of  his 
fsither,  and  also  at  the  carpenter's  trade.  Dur- 
ing his  residence  in  Huron  County  he  put  up 
a  steam  saw-mill  of  his  own  and  run  it  for 
about  five  vcars.  until  he  sold  the  mill  in  1857. 


580 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


lu  1858  he  came  to  California,  sailing  from 
New  York  via  Panama,  and  landing  in  San 
Francisco  on  the  30th  of  April.  On  the  same 
day  he  came  to  Petaluma.  About  the  iirst  of 
Jul}'  he  went  to  Bloomlield,  and  in  October 
located  in  Tomales  Township,  Marin  County, 
where  lie  successfully  followed  farming  until 
1864,  when  he  disposed  of  his  laud  there  and 
returned  to  this  county,  purchasing  his  present 
property  of  2,200  acres  near  Lakeville,  in 
Vallejo  Township.  He  lived  in  Petaluma 
about  six  years,  meantime  improving  his  Lake- 
ville farm,  and  in  1870  made  the  place  his 
home.  In  the  beauty  of  its  location,  command- 
ing as  it  does  such  an  extensive  view  of  the 
surrounding  country,  it  is  not  to  be  surpassed. 
With  his  characteristic  energy  devoted  to  the 
culture  and  improvement  of  his  place  he  has 
made  it  one  of  the  model  farms  of  Sonoma 
County.  He  was  one  of  the  first  in  the  county 
to  engage  in  the  raising  of  tine  stock.  He  has 
a  tine  herd  of  thoroughbred  Devon  cattle,  and 
his  horses  are  among  the  best  in  the  county. 
He  has  in  former  years  made  extensive  exhibits 
both  at  the  State  and  county  fairs  and  has 
taken  many  premiums  on  his  stock  which  has 
become  well  known  all  over  the  State.  Since 
his  settlement  in  the  county  Mr.  Rose  has  been 
one  of  the  most  enterprising  of  its  citizens. 
In  the  organization  of  the  Sonoma  and  Marin 
District  Agricultural  Society  he  was  one  of  the 
prime  movers  and  its  president  for  the  tirst 
three  years,  and  has  since  been  one  of  its  most 
ardent  supporters,  having  since  been  its  presi- 
dent for  two  years,  and  contributing  much  of 
his  time  and  means  to  its  permanent  success. 
Every  public  enterprise  for  the  development  of 
the  resources  of  the  county,  and  for  the  build- 
ing up  of  the  best  interests  of  society,  has 
always  found  him  a  zealous  worker  and  a  hearty 
co-laborer.  During  the  war  he  heartily  endorsed 
the  Union  cause  and  gave  liberally  to  the  Chris- 
tian and  Sanitary  Commission  for  the  benefit  of 
the  sick  and  wounded  of  our  soldiers,  and  also 
sent  large  amounts  to  be  distributed  among  the 
needy    widows  and  orphans  of  soldiers    of  his 


old  liome  in  Ohio.  In  religious  belief  he  is 
a  Baptist  and  labored  assiduously  in  Petaluma 
for  many  years  to  build  up  that  church.  Mr. 
Hose  was  united  in  marriage  to  Annie  Ken- 
worthy,  a  native  of  England,  born  May  2,  1825. 
Mrs.  Rose  died  at  the  old  home  place  Decem- 
ber 21,  1882.  She  was  a  lovely  woman,  of 
great  grace  and  dignity  of  character,  and  held 
in  the  highest  esteem  by  all  who  knew  her. 
She  will  long  be  remembered  by  many  who 
learned  to  appreciate  the  rare  qualities  of  her 
mind  and  heart  in  the  early  days  of  California 
when  all  were  enduring  the  trials  incident  to 
pioneer  life.  Her  helpful  hand  smoothed  many 
a  rough  way  and  her  influence  was  that  that 
only  a  refined  and  good  woman's  can  be.  Her 
last  days  were  cheered  and  comforted  by  the 
tender  care,  she  so  well  deserved,  of  her  devoted 
husband  and  daughters,  and  now  has  left  them 
to  cherish  the  precious  memory  of  a  faithful 
and  devoted  wife  and  mother.  She  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church  of  Petaluma,  first 
uniting  with  the  church  in  Ohio,  in  1857.  She 
was  the  mother  of  two  children,  Anna  E.  and 
Florence  L. 


mON.  JOHN  GOTEA  PRESSLEY,  who  is 
|M]  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Superior  Court 
^^  of  Sonoma  County,  was  born  in  Williams- 
burg district  (now  county).  South  Carolina,  on 
the  24th  of  May,  1833.  His  parents  were  John 
B.  and  Sarah  (Gotea)  Pressley,  both  "na- 
tives and  to  the  manor  born,"  and  of  anctstry 
identified  for  generations  with  the  history  of 
South  Carolina.  His  father  was  a  successful 
planter  of  Williamsburg  district  and  a  man  of 
great  personal  worth  and  social  influence.  The 
son  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  early  moral  and 
religious  training,  and,  after  a  preparatory  course 
in  the  country  schools  of  the  neighborhood,  re- 
ceived an  appointment  in  January,  1848,  to  the 
State  Military  Academy  at  Charleston — an  in- 
stitution whose  system  and  course  of  instruction 
was  very  similar  to  that  of  West  Point.     lie 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


581 


graduated  in  November,  1851.  The  career  of 
young  Pressley  at  the  "  Citadel  Academy,"  as 
it  was  generally  known,  was  marked  by  rigid 
truthfulness,  manly  self-respect,  diligence  in 
study  and  a  conscientious  observance  of  the 
stringent  military  rules  and  regulations  of  the 
institution.  While  a  cadet  he  was,  in  the  year 
1850,  detailed  to  act  as  assistant  professor  of 
mathematics,  and  at  his  graduation,  in  1851,  he 
ranked  fourth  in  a  class  of  twenty-six,  and  held 
the  command  of  one  of  the  companies  of  the 
Cadet  Corps.  From  the  military  academy  he 
entered  as  a  student  of  law  the  office  of  his 
kinsman,  B.  C.  Pressley,  Esq.,  then  one  of  the 
leading  members  of  the  bar  of  Charleston,  and 
now  an  honored  circuit  judge  of  the  State, 
where,  under  the  guidance  of  this  relative  and 
friend,  he  pursued  his  studies  until  February, 
1854.  By  a  special  dispensation  of  the  Court 
of  Appeals  of  South  Carolina  he  was  accorded 
an  examination  in  May,  1854,  while  still  under 
ao-e,  and  received  his  commission  as  attorney 
upon  attaining  his  majority  a  few  weeks  after- 
ward. He  was  the  only  law  student  ever  ac- 
corded an  examination  by  that  court  under  the 
age  of  twenty-one.  He  immediately  opened  a 
law  office  at  Kingstree,  the  county  seat  of 
"Williamsburg  district,  and  entered  upon  the 
practice  of  his  profession,  which  he  pui'sued 
with  diligence  and  STiccess  in  the  districts  of 
Williamsburg,  Marion,  Darlington,  Georgetown 
and  Clarendon  until  January,  1861,  when  the 
war  destroyed  his  lucrative  and  growing  busi- 
ness and  literally  closed  the  doors  of  his  office 
for  five  years.  In  those  early  years  of  his  pro- 
fessional life,  he  represented  his  district  in  the 
Legislature  of  the  State  during  the  sessions  of 
1858  and  1859,  being  the  youngest  member  ex- 
cept one  in  the  Lower  House,  and  assistant 
cashier  of  that  body.  This  of  itself  attests  the 
influence  which  he  had  acquired  and  the  confi- 
dence in  his  judgment  and  fidelity  which  he 
had  inspired  in  the  constituency  that  was  noted 
for  selecting  its  best  citizens  for  positions  of 
public  trust.  Tiien  came  the  war.  Of  his 
participation    in   the  great  strife,  no    sketch   of 


his  life  would  be  complete  without  some  men- 
tion. From  the  commencement  until  its  disas- 
trous end,  he  gave  himself  up  unselfishly  and 
wholly  to  the  cause  of  the  South  and  rendered 
it  loyal  and  efficient  service.  He  entered  the 
military  service  in  January,  1861,  as  captain  of 
infantry,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  of  the  Twenty-fifth  Regiment,  South 
Carolina  Volunteers,  and  commanded  that  regi- 
ment almost  continuously  and  with  marked 
ability  and  gallantry  until  the  end  of  the  war. 
His  regiment  experienced  hard  and  dangerous 
service  and  was  engaged  in  some  of  the  most 
desperate  and  destructive  conflicts  of  the  war, 
in  otie  of  which,  near  Petersburg,  in  1864,  he 
himself  received  a  dangerous  wound  from  the 
effects  of  which  he  still  carries  a  partially  dis- 
abled arm.  The  war  over,  he  honestly  and 
witli  patient  submission  accepted  in  good  faith 
the  situation.  In  January,  1866,  he  reoperied 
his  law  office  at  Kingstree  and  resumed  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  At  the  annual  ses- 
sion of  the  Legislature  for  that  year  (under  the 
reconstruction  plan  of  President  Johnson)  he 
was  elected  district  judge  of  Williamsburg  dis- 
trict, but  on  account  of  the  inadequacy  of  the 
salary,  declined  to  qualify.  He  maintained  the 
struggle  against  the  adverse  influences  of  the 
"reconstruction"  period  until  weary  of  the  un- 
equal strife,  discouraged  concerning  the  future 
outlook,  and  having  regard  for  the  interest  of  his 
family,  he  sought  a  haven  and  a  home  for  them 
on  the  Paciflc  coast.  He  arrived  in  California 
on  the  24th  of  April,  1869,  via  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama,  and  took  uji  his  residence  first  in 
Suisun,  Solano  County,  and  opened  his  law 
office  there  and  afterward  at  Fairfield,  the  county 
seat.  It  should  be  remembered  to  the  credit  of 
the  people  of  California  that  in  spite  of  their 
extreme  devotion  to  the  Union,  and  notwith- 
standing their  strong  sectional  ])rejudices  en- 
gendered by  the  war,  they  never  failed  to  extend 
a  hearty  welcome  to  atiy  worthy  Southerner  who 
came  among  them  with  the  honest  ])urpose  of 
making  a  home  in  this  much  blessed  land  of 
plenty,  beauty   and    pleasantness.     The    people 


HI  STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


of  Solano  County  soon  began  to  appreciate  tlie 
sterling  worth  of  the  stranger  who  liad  come 
among  them  without  friends  and  unknown,  and 
to  recognize  in  John  G.  Pressle}'  a  valuable  ac- 
cession to  their  county.  His  ability  and  fidelity 
as  a  lawyer  becoming  known,  business  came  to 
him,  and  a  lucrative  law  practice  was  the  result. 
He  became  the  city  attorney  of  Suisun  and 
held  this  position  three  years  and  until  his  re- 
moval to  Santa  Rosa.  In  January,  1873,  he 
moved  to  Sonoma  County,  and  took  up  his 
residence  in  Santa  Rosa,  where  he  formed  a  co- 
partnership with  Judge  A.  Thomas,  an  old  and 
respected  citizen  and  able  lawyer.  In  the  fall 
of  1S73  he  became  the  city  attorney  of  Santa 
Rosa,  and  at  the  judicial  election  in  1875,  after 
a  residence  of  less  than  three  years  in  the 
county,  he  was  elected  county  judge  of  Sonoma 
County.  From  this  time  until  January,  1880, 
he  continued  upon  the  bench  of  the  county 
court,  and  at  the  same  time  practiced  at  the  bar 
of  the  district  court  and  engaged  as  counsel  in 
some  of  the  most  important  civilcases  tried  in  the 
county.  The  constitution  of  1879  reorganized 
the  judicial  system  of  the  State,  abolishing  the 
district  and  county  courts  and  substituting  for 
thein  a  Superior  Court  for  each  county.  At  the 
lirst  election  in  Sonoma  County  under  the  new 
system,  John  G.  Pressley  and  Jackson  Temple 
were  elected  judges  of  the  new  court  and  took 
their  seats  on  the  1st  of  January,  1880.  The 
wisdom  of  this  selection  has  been  justified  by 
the  able  and  efficient  services  of  these  judges, 
who  have  justly  earned  for  Sonoma  County 
the  reputation  of  having  one  of  the  best,  if  not 
the  very  best,  Superior  Court  in  the  State.  Both 
of  these  judges  were  re-elected  in  1884.  Judge 
Temple  has  since  been  removed  to  the  bench  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  this  State,  a  position 
which  he  honors.  Judge  Pressley  still  adorns 
the  Superior  Court  bench,  universally  esteemed 
for  his  great  personal  worth  and  faithful  public 
services.  Judge  Pressley  is  emphatically  a 
})opular  man.  He  is  always  and  under  all  cir- 
cumstances courteous,  genial,  considerate  and 
kind,  a  warm  friend  and  a  charming  companion. 


Upon  the  bench  he  presides  with  grace  and 
dignity,  without  severity.  He  is  always  a 
willing  and  attentive  listener.  He  is  as  prompt 
and  positive  in  his  rulings  as  is  consistent  with 
due  deliberation  and  prudent  care.  When  the 
occasion  calls  for  it,  he  is  patient  and  laborious. 
In  legal  knowledge  he  is  well  equipped.  In 
method  he  is  systematic.  In  action  he  is  de- 
cisive and  firm.  In  judgment  he  is  cool  and 
impartial.  His  decisions  have  rarely  been  re- 
versed by  the  Supreme  Court.  In  religion. 
Judge  Pressley  is  and  has  for  many  years  been 
an  earnest  and  zealous  Baptist,  but  not  a  nar- 
row sectarian.  In  every  walk  of  life  his  Chris- 
tian faith, generous,  genial  temper,  and  courteous 
manner,  adorn  a  character  marked  by  purity  of 
mind,  truthfulness  and  sincerity  of  purpose, 
fidelity  to  principle  and  love  and  cliarit}'  for 
men.  In  February,  1854,  Judge  Pressley  mar- 
ried Miss  Julia  C.  Burekmyer,  daughter  of 
Cornelius  Burekmyer,  a  prominent  merchant  of 
Charleston,  South  Caiolina.  She  has  shared 
with  him  the  ups  and  downs  of  an  active,  event- 
ful life,  and  still  remains  the  faithful  companion 
and  comfort  of  his  quiet  domestic  life.  To 
them  have  been  born  ten  children,  six  of  whom 
survive  and  are  residents  of  California. 


fETER  HOLST,  of  Mendocino  Township, 
has  a  ranch  of  172  acres,  on  the  west  side 
of  Dry  Creek,  four  miles  from  Healds- 
burg.  He  has  thirty-five  acres  in  grapes,  which 
range  in  age  from  four  to  twenty  years.  They 
are  mostly  Zinfandel  and  Riesling,  with  some 
Mission  and  a  few  Cabernet  Sauvignon  and 
Mataro.  His  winery,  which  is  30x44  feet  in 
area,  was  erected  in  1884,  and  the  storage  capa- 
city is  16,000  gallons.  He  makes  from  8,000 
to  10,000  gallons  per  year,  all  white  wines  and 
clarets.  His  wine  has  an  excellent  reputation, 
as  he  thoroughly  understands  the  business,  and 
gives  his  personal  supervision  to  the  manufact- 
ure. The  portion  of  the  ranch  not  in  vineyard 
is  devoted  to  general  farming.     Peter  Hoist  is 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


a  native  of  Germany,  born  in  Schleswig-IIol- 
stein,  April  17,  1847,  his  parents  being  Peter 
and  Anna  (Johannsen)  Hoist,  the  iath.er  a  shoe- 
maker. Mr.  Hoist  attended  school  for  nine 
and  a  half  years  from  the  age  of  six,  and  then 
farmed  for  a  time.  In  1869  he  came  to  Amer- 
ica, sailing  from  Hamburg  to  New  York  City, 
where  he  remained  five  years,  employed  in  a 
packing  house.  From  there  he  went  to  Naug- 
atuck,  Connecticut,  where  he  was  engaged  as 
a  wheelwright  for  two  years.  He  then  came  to 
California,  and  in  1877  located  where  he  now 
resides.  He  has  made  about  all  the  improve- 
ments on  the  place  since  that  time.  He  was 
married  in  New  York  City  to  Miss  Caroline 
Thomsen,  also  a  native  of  Schleswig-Holstein. 
They  have  four  children:  Annie,  Mary,  Charles 
and  George.  Politically,  Mr.  Hoist  is  a  Demo- 
crat. 


-Sm^ 


«LAUS  MEYER,  of  Washington  Town- 
ship, has  a  ranch  of  sixty-five  acres,  on 
the  Healdsburg  and  Geyserville  road,  a 
mile  and  a  half  south  of  the  last  named  place. 
He  moved  on  the  ranch  in  1879  and  in  1881 
became  its  owner  by  purchase.  He  now  has 
thirty-five  acres  in  vines,  which  range  in  age 
from  three  to  eight  years,  and  nearly  all  in  bear- 
ing. They  are  Zinfandel,  Riesling,  Charbenau, 
Burgundy,  Golden  Chasselas,  Cabernet  Sauvig- 
non,  all  choice  varieties  of  wine  grapes.  In 
fruit  he  has  about  300  trees,  planted  in  1885, 
and  consisting  of  apples,  pears  and  prunes.  His 
winery,  which  was  built  in  1886,  has  an  area  of 
38  X  54  feet,  with  walls  of  stone  eighteen 
inches  thick.  The  stoiage  capacity  approxi- 
mates 30,000  gallons,  which  is  augmented  by 
the  use  of  a  barn  for  the  same  purpose.  The 
vintage  of  1888  was  about  40,000  gallons.  His 
wine  has  an  excellent  reputation  and  commands 
a  ready  sale.  Claus  Meyer  is  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, born  at  Helmeste,  three  miles  from 
Hamburg,  March  24,  1849,  his  parents  being 
Peter  and  Rebecca  (Elders)  Meyer.  He  attended 


school  from  the  age  of  six  to  fourteen  years, 
then  followed  farm  work  until  1S73.  June  27 
of  that  year  he  sailed  from  Hamburg,  bound 
for  New  York.  After  spending  about  three 
years  employed  in  nurseries  thirty-five  miles 
from  Sing  Sing,  and  at  Morrisiana,  he  came  to 
California.  He  obtained  work  in  the  nursery 
business  at  Oakland,  which  engaged  his  atteii 
tion  most  of  the  time  until  he  came  to  Sonoma 
County.  He  was  married  in  San  Francisco  to 
Miss  Anna  Lohsen,  of  Heyerhofen,  nearPever- 
stedt,  Germany.  They  have  two  children,  Lillie 
and  Ernest.  Mr.  Meyer  is  a  man  of  strict  busi- 
ness principles,  and  is  making  a  success  of  the 
wine  and  grape  industry. 


¥m- 


ILLIAM  L.  KNAPP.— The  subject  of 

I  this  sketch  is  among  the  well-known 
men  and  representative  farmers  of 
Santa  Rosa  Township.  He  is  the  owner  of  320 
acres  of  rich  and  productive  land,  located  at  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  Santa  Rosa  and  Ful- 
ton and  Redwood  roads,  in  the  Piner  school  dis- 
trict, five  miles  northwest  of  Santa  Rosa,  and 
one  and  three-fourth  miles  south  of  Fulton. 
Eighty  acres  of  his  land  are  devoted  to  the 
production  of  wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel, 
Golden  Chasselas,  Riesling  and  Beryer  varie- 
ties. He  also  raises  table  grapes  of  several 
varieties,  among  which  are  the  Rose  of  Peru, 
Flaming  Tokay  and  Muscat.  A  tine  orchard  of 
thirty  acres  is  producing  apples,  peaches, plums, 
French  prunes  and  other  fruit.  The  rest  of  his 
land  is  devoted  to  the  production  of  hay,  grain 
and  stock-raising.  Mr.  Knapp  was  born  in 
Rochester,  Monroe  County,  New  York,  in  1828. 
His  father,  Jonas  Knapp,  was  also  a  native 
of  that  State.  His  mother,  Mary  (Whittaker) 
Knapp,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania.  His  father 
was  a  farmer,  to  which  calling  Mr.  Knapp  was 
reared  until  the  age  of  eighteen  years.  Dur- 
ing this  time  he  attended  the  public  schools. 
After  leaving  school  he  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  a 
grocery  store  in  Rochester,  and  continued  that 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


occupation  until  1852.  January  1st,  of  that 
year  he  left  New  York  via  the  Nicaragua  route 
for  California,  arriving  in  San  Francisco  Febru- 
ary 5,  of  the  same  year.  There  he  engaged  as 
a  teamster.  Wages  were  good  and  Mr.  Knapp 
by  his  industry  and  constant  labor  was  soon  able 
to  purchase  horses  and  a  dray,  and  start  in  life 
upon  his  own  account.  He  continued  liis  oc- 
cupation as  a  drayman  and  teamster  until  1859. 
He  then  went  to  Santa  Cruz  County,  and  for 
the  next  four  years  was  engaged  as  a  foreman 
and  superintendent  in  the  loading  of  lumber 
into  vessels  bound  for  San  Francisco  and  otlier 
ports.  In  1863  he  engaged  in  prospecting  and 
mining,  lirst  locating  in  Nevada,  wliere  he  was 
engaged  for  the  ne.xt  two  years.  He  then 
spent  one  year  in  Idaho.  From  there  he  went 
to  Montana,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the 
same  calling  for  the  next  three  years.  The  next 
four  years  he  spent  in  Utah  and  Nevada.  In 
1873  he  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  took  up 
his  residence  at  Petaluma.  He  was  married  in 
Nevada  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Burnett,  the  daughter 
of  Colonel  John  S.  Burnett,  one  of  the  early 
pioneers  of  Oregon,  and  a  soldier  of  the  war  of 
1812.  The  next  year,  in  1871:,  he  purchased 
his  present  residence.  Since  that  time  Mr. 
Knapp  has  devoted  his  time  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. Mr.  Knapp,  by  his  industrious  and  ener- 
getic habits,  and  sound  business  principles,  lifts 
achieved  a  success  in  his  calling, and  is  building 
up  one  of  the  model  farms  of  the  county.  He 
is  a  strong  believer  in  the  prosperity  and- 
future  wealth  of  Sonoma  County,  and  is  always 
ready  to  aid  in  every  enterprise  which  he  thinks 
will  advance  the  interests  and  welfare  of  his  sec- 
tion. Only  one  child,  "William  D.,  has  blessed 
the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Knapp. 


fHARLES  C.  CHAMPLIN  was  born  in 
Alexander,  Genesee  County,  New  York, 
March  30,  1812.  His  father,  John  Champ- 
lin,  was  a  native  of  Rhode  Island,  and  his 
mother,    Osterhaus,  was    born     in    New 


York.  Mr.  Champlin  was  reared  as  a  farmer 
upon  the  farm  of  his  father,  and  received  such 
an  education  as  the  common  schools  of  that 
date  afforded.  His  parents  moved  to  Illinois 
in  1834,  where  they  resided  until  their  death  at 
a  ripe  old  age.  In  1835  Mr.  Champlin  moved 
to  Illinois  and  located  in  Will  County,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock-growing.  In 
1838  he  was  united  in  tnarriage  with  Miss 
Sarah  Ann  Bartlett,  the  daughter  of  Robert 
and  Versallias  S.  (Newton)  Bartlett,  who  were 
natives  of  Connecticut.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  continued  his  farming  operations  in  Illi- 
nois until  February,  1853,  when  he  started  over- 
land by  ox  teams  for  the  Golden  State.  This 
long  and  toilsome  journey  across  the  plains, 
deserts  and  mountains  was  accomplished  in  due 
course  of  time,  without  more  than  the  usual 
discomforts  attending  a  journey  of  that  charac- 
ter. Upon  his  arrival  in  California  he  located 
in  Solano  County,  near  Suisun,  where  he  pur- 
chased land  and  entered  upon  farming  and  stock- 
growing.  Mr.  Champlin  remained  in  that  county 
until  October,  1856.  In  that  year  he  removed 
to  Sonoma  County,  and  located  upon  a  tract  of 
land  on  what  is  now  the  Sonoma  and  Petaluma 
road,  in  the  AYatmaugh  school  district,  about 
four  miles  southwest  of  Sonoma,  and  there  es- 
tablished a  dairy,  and  also  engaged  in  general 
farming.  He  still  resides  upon  that  tract  of 
land,  but  has  changed  somewhat  his  occupation, 
for,  finding  the  cares  of  a  dairy  farm  too  bur- 
densome, he  has  of  late  years  devoted  his  atten- 
tion more  to  general  farming.  His  present  farm 
comprises  274  acres,  100  acres  of  which  are  de- 
voted to  hay  and  grain.  Ten  acres  are  in  or- 
chard, producing  pears,  apples,  quinces,  peaches, 
apricots,  plums,  etc.,  showing  that  the  climate 
and  soil  are  well  adapted  for  fruit  culture.  With 
the  exception  of  a  small  family  vineyard,  the 
rest  of  his  land  is  devoted  to  the  pasturage  of 
stock,  among  which  are  125  head  of  Southdown 
sheep,  and  such  horses  and  cattle  as  are  needed 
for  farm  purposes.  He  has  some  fine  specimens 
of  Clydesdale  and  Morgan  horses,  of  which  he 
is  justly  proud.     The  subject  of  this  sketch  has 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


been  a  resident  of  Sonoma  County  for  more 
tlian  thirty  years,  and  during  tliat  time  he  has 
gained  many  friends,  by  all  of  whom  he  is 
greatly  esteemed  and  respected  for  his  manly 
qualities  and  straightforward  course  of  life.  Al- 
though fast  approaching  four-score  years  of  age 
he  is  still  hale  and  hearty  and  in  the  full  pos- 
session of  all  his  mental  faculties.  In  politics, 
he  is  Republican,  taking  a  lively  interest  in  the 
political  questions  of  the  day.  From  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Champlin  there  are  now 
(1888)  living  the  following  named  children: 
Emmo  Sophia,  who  married  Samuel  J.  Agnew 
(a  sketch  of  whom  appears  in  this  work);  Asa- 
hel  Warner,  who  married  Miss  Addie  Park,  of 
San  Francisco;  he  is  residing  on  the  old  home- 
stead, and  his  wife  is  the  matron  of  the  State 
Insane  Asylum  at  Agnew,  Santa  Clara  County, 
and  Mary  Louisa,  who  married  Charles  Pressey, 
and  is  now  residing  in  Washingtun  Territory. 


fEORGE  HALL,  Superior  Court  reporter 
of  Sonoma  County,  has  been  in  California 
since  the  winter  of  1861.  He  came  to 
Sonoma  County  the  day  President  Lincoln  was 
assassinated  in  April,  1865.  He  taught  school 
in  different  parts  of  the  county  three  years,  and 
in  the  meantime  studied  short-hand  and  law, 
being  admitted  to  the  practice  in  1868.  He 
then  went  to  San  Francisco.  Up  to  the  winter 
of  18G7-'68  there  was  no  provision  for  steno- 
graphic reporters  for  county  courts;  and  Mr. 
Hall,  conceiving  the  idea  that  they  as  well  as  the 
district  courts  ought  to  have  them,  went  into 
the  Legislature  that  winter  with  a  bill,  prepared 
by  himself,  authorizing  county  courts  to  employ 
reporters,  and  the  bill  became  a  law.  He  went 
to  San  Francisco  with  very  strong  recommenda- 
tions from  the  bench  and  bar  of  Sonoma  County, 
and  was  appointed  by  Judge  E.  W.  McKinstry 
reporter  for  his  court,  the  county  court  of  San 
Francisco.  Judge  McKinstry  was  subsequently 
elected  district  judge,  and  Mr.  Hall  followed 
him    there.       Whcii    Judge    McKinstry    was 


elected  Supreme  Judge,  Mr.  Hall  was  relieved 
by  his  successor,  and  was  appointed  to  this  flis- 
trict  by  Judge  W.  C.  Wallace.  He  then  came 
to  Santa  Rosa,  but  his  home  remained  in  San 
Francisco  until  this  district  was  divided  and  he 
was  appointed  to  the  District  Court  by  Judge 
Jackson  TemplCj  and  to  the  County  Conrt  by 
Judge  Pressley.  He  then,  1877,  moved  to 
Santa  Rosa.  Upon  the  adoption  of  the  new 
constitution  he  was  appointed  reporter  for  both 
departments  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Sonoma 
County,  which  he  has  since  filled.  Mr.  Hall  is 
a  native  of  New  York  City.  When  in  his  teens 
he  left  home  for  California,  sailing  on  board  of 
a  clipper  ship,  before  the  mast,  consuming  120 
days  en  route.  Arriving  in  San  Francisco  he 
went  to  Oregon,  where  he  remained  three  years, 
and  there  taught  his  first  school.  He  left  that 
country  on  account  of  the  extreme  wet  weather 
in  winter.  Mr.  Hall  is  serving  his  third  term 
as  a  member  of  the  city  board  of  education, 
and  is  secretary  of  the  board.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  order,  K.  of  P.,  A.  O.  U.  W., 
and  Knigiits  of  Honor,  and  has  passed  through 
the  chairs  of  the  three  latter  orders.  Mrs.  Hall 
was  formerly  Miss  Flora  McDonald,  a  native  of 
Sonoma  County,  to  whom  Mr.  Hall  was  married 
in  1878.  Since  their  marriage  she  has  studied 
and  mastered  stenography,  and  is  deputy  ofiicial 
court  reporter,  reporting  in  one  department 
when  both  are  in  session.  Mr.  Hall  is  conceded 
to  be  one  of  the  most  efiicient  stenographers  on 
this  coast,  and  in  his  years  of  practice  has  orig- 
inated many  new  and  improved  features  in  re- 
porting difi'ering  from  those  laid  down  in  the 
books. 


PRANK  TURNER  MAYNARD.  —Cali- 
fornia owns  no  prouder  or  more  honorable 
names  among  her  citizens  than  the  Argo- 
nauts— the  men  of  '49,  who  risking  everything, 
even  life  itself,  landed  upon  her  then  wild  shores 
and  founded  deep  and  wide  the  basis  upon 
which  she  has  since  reared   her  wonderful  ad- 


586 


HI  STOUT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


vanceraent  and  prosperity.  Hence  it  is  tliat  we 
never  feel  any  hesitation  in  presenting  the  name 
of  one  of  tliose  men — too  much  cannot  be  said 
about  them.  Among  this  honorable  listinPeta- 
luma  is  found  prominently  that  of  the  gentle- 
man whose  name  heads  this  sketch.  He  was 
born  in  Lyme,  Connecticut,  April  26,  1832. 
Five  years  later  he  went  with  his  parents  to 
Conneaut,  Ohio,  and  resided  there,  attending 
school  and  giving  his  extra  time  to  work  on  his 
father's  farm,  until  1840,  when  he  went  to  Madi- 
son, Indiana,  and  there  learned  the  drug  busi- 
ness in  the  establishment  of  his  brother.  In 
1845  he  accepted  a  position  with  the  drug 
house  of  G.  W.  Norton  at  Lexington,  Ken- 
tucky, where  he  remained  for  four  years.  Upon 
the  news  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Califor- 
nia flying  over  the  land,  he  formed  one  of  a 
company  of  young  men  who  styled  themselves 
the  Kentucky  and  Ca-lifornia  Company.  They 
prepared  the  materials  for  a  large  hotel  build- 
ing, which  they  shipped  along  with  themselves 
and  personal  baggage  upon  the  Andalusia,  which 
sailed  from  Baltimore,  Maryland,  April  22,1849, 
and  arrived  in  San  Francisco  September  27  of 
the  same  year,  the  monotony  of  the  voyage  be- 
ing broken  by  a  stop  of  a  week  at  Valparaiso  to 
revictual.  Upon  reaching  San  Francisco  they 
erected  their  hotel  on  the  corner  of  Kearney  and 
Pacific  streets,  named  it  the  "Graham  House," 
and  it  became  at  once  the  most  fashionable,  as 
it  was  the  finest  hotel  in  town,  having  all  the 
distinguished  men  of  early  days  as  guests.  In 
June,  1850,  the  hotel  was  purchased  by  the  city, 
to  be  used  as  a  city  hall,  for  the  sum  of  $150,- 
000.  The  terrible  conflagration  that  swept  over 
San  Francisco  two  years  later  utterly  destroyed 
it.  xVfter  the  sale  of  the  hotel  Mr.  Maynard 
occupied  himself,  with  the  exception  of  the  year 
1853,  which  he  spent  on  a  visit  to  the  East,  in 
speculation  and  the  investment  of  money  until  in 
1861  he  decided  to  come  to  Petaluma  and  estab- 
lish a  drug  business.  From  that  day  to  this  he 
has  carried  on  what  is  considered  the  leading 
business  in  his  line,  and  has  a  handsome  and 
well  ordered  establishment  on  ^lain   street   that 


would  be  a  credit  to  any  metropolitan  city,  and 
affords  a  creditable  example  of  enterprise  and 
correct  business  principles.  The  high  personal 
popularity  enjoyed  b}'  him  and  the  confidence 
reposed  in  him  is  most  clearly  shown  from  the  fact 
that  he  was  city  treasurer  for  a  period  of  some 
eight  years,  and  has  li^ld  the  important  otticeof 
a  member  of  the  board  of  education  for  this  city 
continuously  for  over  twenty-six  years.  It  is 
admitted  on  all  hands  that  Petaluma  is  excep- 
tionally favored  in  school  matters,  having  large 
fine  buildings  and  eflicient  teachers  in  all  depart- 
ments. A  full  description  of  these  departments 
is  given  elsewhere.  Mr.  Maynard  was  married 
in  1860  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Hoyer  in  San  Fran- 
cisco. They  have  three  living  children:  Harry 
H.,  Eva  E.  and  Grace  Kussell. 

iD     ,      ,     SI 

'°'-4-3"t-^'-^ 


fULIUS  WEGENER.— There  is  no  portion 
of  Sonoma  County  that  has  so  large  a  pro- 
portion of  tlie  German  element  among  its 
representative  business  men  and  farmers  and 
particularly  among  tlie  wine  producers  as  So- 
noma Valley.  These  energetic  and  skilled  men 
of  German  birth  brought  to  the  iiew  counti-y 
the  experience  of  years  in  wine  making  acquired 
at  home,  and,  as  all  other  enterprises  where 
skill  is  required,  it  has  brought  forth  good  re- 
sults. The  gentleman,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  is  justly  entitled  to  mention  in  connec- 
tion with  the  wine  industry  of  the  vallej*.  He 
is  the  owner  of  ninety-seven  and  one-half  acres 
of  vineyard  lands,  located  among  the  hills  about 
one  mile  west  of  Glen  Ellen,  in  the  Glen  Ellen 
school  district.  Forty-five  acres  of  this  land 
have  for  years  been  producing  wine  grapes  of 
the  Zinfandel  variety,  which  he  has  skillfully 
manufactured  into  first-class  wine.  Coming  to 
the  place  in  1868,  when  the  land  was  almost  in 
the  state  nature  had  decreed,  he  commenced  a 
vigorous  clearing  and  cultivation,  making  the 
necessary  building  improvements  as  required. 
His  success  has  been  remarkable.  A  substan- 
tial cottage   residence,    large  barns,  etc  .  and  a 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


perfectly  appointed  M'inery  and  wine  cellars  are 
some  of  the  noticeable  results  of  bis  efforts. 
Mr.  Wegener's  winery  and  cellars  have  a  capac- 
ity of  30,000  gallons  and  he  manufactures  to 
the  full  capacity  every  year,  procuring  grapes 
from  his  neighbors  whenever  the  supply  from 
his  own  vineyard  proves  inadequate.  In  con- 
nection with  his  winery,  he  has  a  distillery  for 
the  making  of  brandy.  Although  not  as  exten- 
sive as  many  others  in  the  valley,  he  has  one  of 
the  best  ordered  establishments  to  be  found. 
His  wines  are  always  first-class  and  find  ready 
sale.  In  addition  to  his  wine  industry  he  de- 
votes some  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  a  large 
variety  of  fruits,  including  lemons  and  oranges, 
having  about  five  acres  devoted  to  this  purpose. 
The  rest  of  his  land  is  ustd  in  pasturing  stock 
and  in  producing  hay.  Among  his  stock  are 
graded  cattle,  improved  with  Durham  and  Jer- 
sey stock.  Mr.  Wegener  was  born  in  Germany, 
October  24, 1840.  He  emigrated  to  the  United 
States,  and,  soon  after  his  arrival  in  New  York, 
came  to  California  and  located  in  Sonoma 
County,  where  he  purchased  the  land  before  de- 
scribed and  took  up  his  present  residence.  In 
addition  to  managing  and  improving  his  farm, 
Mr.  Wegener  has  also  been  engaged  in  other 
occupations.  From  1872  to  1882  he  was  the 
efficient  superintendent  of  the  ranch  of  Colonel 
George  F.  Hooper.  He  has  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances  in  Sonoma  County, 
and  by  his  consistent  course  of  life  and  honest 
business  transactions  he  has  gained  the  respect 
of  all  who  know  liim.  In  political  matters  he 
is  a  Republican,  but  is  liberal  in  his  views.  In 
1882  Mr.  Wegener  married  Mrs.  Mary  Boyle. 
Mrs.  Wegener  has  two  children,  Mary  and 
Katie  Boyle,  by  her  former  marriage,  who  are 
members  of  the  Wegener  family. 

f  OLSON  BPwOTIIERS  are  among  the  en- 
terprising men   of  Mendocino  Township. 
John    and    Ale.x    Colson     have   a    ranch 
of  240  acres  west  of  Dry  Creek  and  about  four 


miles  from  Ilealdsburg  by  the  road.  They  have 
forty  acres  in  wine  grapes,  mostly  Zinfandel. 
The  rest  of  the  place,  except  that  which  is  in 
timber,  is  devoted  to  general  farming  purpo.-es. 
In  1884  they  established  the  wine-making  in- 
dustry on  the  ]ilace.  The  winery  is  72x48  feet 
in  ground  area,  and  two  stories  in  height.  They 
have  the  best  machinery  for  their  business,  and 
employ  the  most  approved  methods  of  manufact- 
uring wine,  making  annually  from  25,000  to 
30,000  gallons  and  having  a  storage  capacity  for 
30,000  gallons.  Alex  Colson,  of  this  firm, 
is  a  native  of  France,  born  April  8,  1834,  and 
of  John  I'aptiste  and  Frances  (Disset)  Col- 
son. The  father  was  a  farmer  and  vineyardist, 
who  was  engaged  to  some  extent  in  wine- 
making.  Alex  Colson  grew  to  manhood  in 
his  native  country,  and  in  1854  sailed  from 
Havre  on  the  steamship  Cat  rick,  bound  for  New 
Oi'leans,  at  which  port  he  arrived  after  a  voyage 
of  forty-nine  days.  He  then  proceeded  up  the 
Mississippi  River  to  St.  Louis,  and  from  there 
to  Keokuk,  Iowa.  In  the  latter  place  he 
learned  the  tinsmith's  trade.  In  1858  he  came 
to  California  via  Panama,  landing  at  San  Fran- 
cisco from  the  steamer  General  Stephens. 
After  remaining  in  the  city  five  months,  he 
went  to  the  mines  and  was  in  the  region  of 
Marysville,  Oroville,  Yerka  and  Siskiyou  for 
three  years,  working  at  his  trade  and  mining. 
He  then  returned  to  San  Francisco,  but  soon 
after  went  to  Solomon  mines,  where  he  remained 
from  March  9th  to  August  4th,  then  returned 
to  San  Francisco  again  and  opened  a  tin  shop. 
He  was  thus  engaged  until  1870,  at  which  time 
he  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  entered  into 
partnership  with  George  Block  in  the  wine 
business,  and  was  thus  associated  until  1884, 
when  the  firm  of  Colson  Brothers  commenced 
operations.  John  B.  Colson,  of  the  firm  of  Col- 
son Brothers,  is  a  native  of  France,  born  in  de- 
partment of  Haute-Saone,  February  9,  1839. 
He  was  reared  there  and  followed  farming  in 
his  native  country.  In  1868  he  sailed  from 
Brest  to  New  York,  and  from  there  proceeded 
to  San  Francisco  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year. 


HISTORY    OF    SOXOMA    COUNT r. 


In  May,  1869,  he  came  to  Sonoma  County,  and 
has  been  associated  with  liis  brother  Alex 
since  that  time,  in  ranciiing,  and  in  the  wine 
business  since  1884.  He  was  married  in  San 
Francisco  to  Miss  Mary  Pedenet,  a  native  of 
France.  In  polities  he  is  a  Democrat.  Nicho- 
las Colson,  another  brother,  has  a  ranch  near  by, 
but  is  not  associated  in  the  wine  business.  He 
was  born  in  the  old  family  home  in  France,  Jan- 
uary 2,  1828,  and  was  there  reared  until  he  had 
reached  the  age  of  twenty  years.  On  the  16th 
of  March,  1848,  he  sailed  from  Havre  to  Kew 
York,  at  whicli  port  he  arrived  after  a  vo^-age  of 
thirty-seven  days.  He  remained  in  the  city  one 
week,  then  went  to  Massachusetts,  and  iifteen 
months  later  to  Lycoming  County,  Pennsylvania. 
After  being  engaged  in  the  latter  place  four  and 
a-half  years  in  a  saw-mill,  he  went  to  Texas. 
He  next  spent  four  months  in  New  Orleans,  six 
months  in  Nauvoo,  Illinois,  three  years  in  Keo- 
kuk. Iowa,  and  six  years  in  Van  Buren  County, 
Iowa.  From  the  last  named  place  he  started 
across  the  plains  with  a  wagon  train,  via  the 
Salt  Lake  route.  At  Reece  liiver  he  stopped 
two  and  a-lialf  years  and  then  continued  his 
journey  by  stage  to  California.  Mr.  Colson  re- 
sided in  San  Francisco  four  months,  then  rented 
a  farm  in  Marin  County,  and  in  the  fall  of  1869 
took  up  the  place  where  he  now  resides,  adjoin- 
ing his  brothers.  On  this  ranch  he  has  a  fine 
vineyard,  six  acres  being  in  Zinfandel  grapes 
and.  four  acres  in  Missions.  Mr.  Colson's  wife, 
a  native  of  Germany,  was  formerly  Miss  Louisa 
Peper.  Like  his  brothers,  Mr.  Colson  affiliates 
with  the  Democratic  party. 


fOHN  BAILIFF. — Among  the  prominent 
pioneers  of  Sonoma  County  is  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  A  residence  of  nearly  forty 
years,  during  which  time  he  has  been  closely 
identified  with  many  interests  tending  to  build 
up  the  county,  has  made  him  well  known.  A 
brief  resume  of  his  histoi'y  is  of  interest  and  is 
herewith  given.     Mr.  Bailifl"  was  born  on   the 


Isle  of  Man,  St.  George's  Channel,  England, 
in  1824.  His  father,  Abraham  Bailiff,  was  a  na- 
tive of  France,  and  his  mother,  whose  family 
name  was  Brown,  was  a  native  of  the  Isle  of 
Man.  Until  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  at- 
tended school,  and  by  close  application  to  his 
studies  obtained  a  good  education.  At  that  age 
he  was  apprenticed  to  the  trade  of  a  carpenter 
and  joiner,  at  which  he  served  for  four  years, 
and  afterward  worked  as  a  journeyman  until 
1848.  He  then  embarked  in  the  ship  Etui's 
Queen  for  the  United  States.  This  ill-fated 
ship  was  plague  stricken  upon  her  long  passage. 
She  was  crowded  with  passengers,  and  the  dread- 
ful fever  swept  away  nearly  half  of  the  jjassen- 
gers  and  crew  before  reaching  New  Orleans,  the 
port  of  her  destination.  Mr.  Bailiff  escaped 
from  the  ravages  of  the  disease  while  upon  the 
voyage,  but  shortly  after  his  arrival  in  New  Or- 
leans he  was  stricken  down  and  for  two  months 
was  an  inmate  of  the  hospital  at  that  place. 
Upon  his  recovery  he  engaged  at  his  trade  as  a 
carpenter,  and  was  in  the  employ  of  the  United 
States  Government  in  constructing  hospital 
buildings  for  the  returning  veterans  of  the 
Mexican  war.  In  the  fall  of  1848  he  went  to 
Vera  Cruz,  Mexico,  and  there  engaged  in  his 
calling  until  the  next  spring.  Tiien  came  the 
news  of  the  wonderful  gold  mines  of  California. 
This  gold  fever  fired  his  ambition,  and  he  joined 
a  company  of  twelve  others,  who,  like  himself, 
were  mechanics,  and  started  across  Mexico  for 
San  Bias.  Being  well  supplied  with  money, 
they  easilY  overcame  the  many  obstacles  attend- 
ing such  a  journey  at  that  period,  and  after 
about  a  month  of  travel  over  mule  trails,  arrived 
safe  at  San  Bias.  Here  his  party,  augmented 
by  quite  a  Humber  of  emigrants  seeking  the  new 
El  Dorado,  purchased  a  schooner  and  embarked 
for  San  Francisco.  But  this  was  destined  to 
end  in  disaster.  The  first  night  out  of  port  a 
severe  storm,  accompanied  by  vivid  lightning 
and  terrific  thunder,  swept  over  the  sga.  Their 
vessel  was  struck  by  lightning,  which  shivered 
and  broke  the  masts,  rent  and  destroyed  the 
sails  and  rigging,  and  left  the  hull  at  the  mercy 


UIHTOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


of  the  waves.  Many  of  tlie  passengers  and  crew 
were  stricken  down  by  the  electrical  bolts,  l)ut  ! 
all  recovered  except  the  Mexican  servant  of  j 
Colonel  McAlpine.  Tiie  next  morning  the  for-  j 
tunate  arrival  of  a  steamer  relieved  theia  from 
their  dangerous  position,  and  they  were  taken 
from  the  schooner  and  landed  in  San  Bias.  Mr. 
Bailiff  considers  this  disaster  almost  as  an  inter-  ; 
position  of  Diviiie  Providence  in  preventing  a 
greater  one  had  the  vessel  proceeded  on  her  way. 
In  littincr  up  and  provisioning  the  schooner  in 
San  Bias,  a  German  was  employed  as  supercargo. 
He  was  a  master  uf  the  Spanish  language  and 
familiar  with  the  port.  He  reported  the  vessel 
fully  provisioned,  but  just  before  sailing  he  was 
missing  or  had  deserted.  H  was  known  after 
the  wreck  of  the  vessel  that  there  were  only  a 
few  days  provisions  and  water  on  board.  Had  ■ 
the  vessel  put  to  sea  the  provisions  and  water 
would  have  been  exhausted  before  a  third  of  the 
voyage  was  completed.  The  vessel  was  crowded, 
and  what  their  sufferings  might  have  been 
under  such  circumstances,  is  fearful  to  contem- 
plate. Shortly  after  their  return  to  San  Bias, 
they  secured  a  vessel  from  Mazatlan,  and  the 
second  time  embarked  for  San  Francisco,  at 
which  place  they  arrived  in  August,  1849. 
Skilled  labor  at  that  time  commanded  almost 
fabulous  wages,  and  Mr.  Bailiff  wisely  con- 
cluded to  take  the  certainties  of  large  wages 
rather  than  the  uncertainties  of  mining.  He 
therefore  went  to  Benicia  and  entered  the  em-  . 
ploy  of  the  United  States  government  as  a 
carpenter  in  the  construction  of  military 
barracks.  In  November  of  the  same  year,  at 
the  government  barracks,  a  company  was 
formed  of  thirty  mechanics  and  others,  to  build 
a  mill  in  Scmonia  County,  located  near  what 
is  now  Freestone,  and  in  honor  to  William 
Blume,  proprietor  of  the  mill-site,  named  it  the 
Blumedale  saw-mill.  The  company  was  formed 
with  Charles  McDerrnott  as  president  and  Mr. 
Bailiff  as  secretary.  The  company,  man}'  of 
whom  like  Mr.  Bailiff,  were  skilled  mechanics, 
erected  a  mill  i>poti  the  land  of  Mr.  Blume,  in 
whose  honor  the  company  was  named.     A  fine 


twelve  horse  power  steam  engine  was  purchased 
at  a  cost  of  $20,000  and  brought  to  this  i)lace. 
Lumber  at  that  time  was  §300  per  thousand, 
and  the  enterprise  was  a  success.  Engaged  in 
this  enterprise  and  at  work  at  the  mill  were 
many  who  have  since  become  well  known 
throughout  the  county  and  State.  Among  them 
may  be  mentioned  Charles  McDermott,  Joshua 
Hendey,  Samuel  Duncan  (now  of  Duncan's 
Mills),  deceased;  Thomas  Smith  (now  of  Valley 
Ford),  also  Mr.  McKnight  and  Mr.  Hobbs.  In 
1852  the  price  of  lumber  was  so  depreciated 
that  the  enterprise  did  not  pay.  The  mill  was 
therefore  sold  and  the  company  disbanded. 
The  engine  was  then  taken  by  its  purchasers  to 
the  north  fork  of  the  American  River,  by  Mr. 
Duncan  and  Mr.  Hendey,  and  used  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  well-known  Duncan's  Mills. 
After  the  disbanding  of  the  mill  company  Mr. 
Bailiff  took  up  laud  on  the  Laguna,  north  of 
what  is  now  Sebastopol,  and  in  partnership  with 
Mr.  James  Hayward,  entered  into  stock-raising. 
Mr.  Hayward  took  charge  of  the  stock  ranch, 
while  Mr.  Bailiff  engaged  in  building.  He  was 
employed  in  the  erection  of  many  buildings  for 
the  Mexican  residents,  receiving  his  pay  in 
cattle,  which  he  sent  to  the  ranch.  By  this 
means  his  stock  enterprise  soon  assumed  large 
proportions,  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  first 
frame  house  that  was  ever  constructed  in  the 
now  thriving  city  of  Santa  Rosa,  was  built  by 
Mr.  Bailiff".  In  1859  lie  purchased  from  Cap- 
tain Cooper  380  acres  of  land  on  the  east  side 
of  the  Laguna,  about  eight  miles  west  of  Santa 
Rosa,  in  what  is  now  the  Russian  River  school 
district,  and  there  entered  into  farming  opera- 
tions and  stock-growing.  He  afterward  in- 
creased his  land  holdings  to  609  acres,  but  in 
1886  sold  160  acres,  which  leaves  him  his 
present  fine  farm  of  449  acres.  Since  1859  Mr. 
Bailiff'  has  devoted  himself  principally  to  stock- 
raising  and  agricultural  pursuits.  He  has  made 
extensive  improvements  upon  his  lands.  At 
present  he  has  a  magnificent  vineyard  of  135 
acres  in  extent,  producing  wine  grapes  of  the 
Ziufaudel  variety;  also  fifteen  acres  of  orchard, 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUA'Tr. 


containing  a  large  variety  of  fruit,  among  which 
are  apples,  pears,  French  prunes,  and  apricots. 
The  rest  of  his  land  is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and 
stock.  Among  the  latter  are  400  head  of  Span- 
ish Merino  sheep  and  100  hogs.  Cattle  and 
horses  are  also  raised,  but  generally  only  such 
as  are  required  for  his  farm  operations.  Mr. 
Bailiff'  has  erected  on  his  farm  a  beautiful  cot- 
tage residence,  in  which  he  has  combined  the 
conveniences  and  many  of  the  luxuries  that 
characterize  a  well  ordered  home.  Commodious 
and  well  adapted  out-buildings  attest  tiie  suc- 
cess which  he  is  attaining  in  his  farm  and  stock 
operations.  In  addition  to  the  large  interests 
Mr.  Bailiff  has  in  tliis  county,  he  is  also  the 
owner  of  4,000  acres  of  land  in  the  southern 
part  of  Humboldt  County,  near  Biocksburg. 
This  land  is  devoted  to  sheep-raising.  Mr.  Bai- 
liff is  widely  known  throughout  the  county,  and 
during  his  long  residence  has  always  been  inter- 
ested in  its  growth  and  development.  Public- 
spirited  and  enterprising,  he  has  been  a  strong 
supporter  of  all  enterprises  which  in  his  opinion 
tend  to  advance  the  welfare  of  the  community 
in  which  he  resides.  Me  is  a  liberal  and  con- 
servative Republican,  taking  an  intelligent 
interest  in  all  political  questions  of  the  day. 
His  interest  in  the  jniblic  schools  has  induced 
him  to  accept  the  office  of  school  trustee  of  his 
district,  but  aside  from  that  he  has  never 
desired,  nor  has  he  held  any  office.  In  18(56 
Mr.  Bailiff  married  Miss  Jeanetta  Ladd,  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Margaret  Ladd,  residents 
of  Sonoma  County.  They  have  two  children  liv- 
ing, viz.:  Geranie  and  John  D.  Geranie  mar- 
ried Charles  Dillon,  and  they  are  now  (1888) 
living  in  Fresno  County. 


-s=^-' 


fEORGE  T.  ESPEY  is  a  descendant  of  one 
:  uf  the  earliest  settlers  of  Tennessee.     His 
^  grandfather,  Alexander  Espey,  was  one  of 
the  lirst  to  locate  where  now  stands  the  thriving 
city  of  Nashville,  and  was  one  of  the  builders 
of  the  block-house  at  that  place,  which  was  so 


necessary  for  protection  from  the  Indians.  His 
father,  John  Espey,  was  born  at  that  place.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Tennessee 
December  15,  1829.  His  mother,  Catherine 
(Wright)  Espey,  was  a  native  of  Virginia.  Mr. 
Espey's  father  was  a  carpenter  and  cabinet- 
maker. In  1838  he  moved  with  his  family  to 
Missouri,  where  he  remained  till  1842  or  1843, 
when  he  located  in  Jackson  County  and  com- 
menced farming  and  stock-raising.  There  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  and  taught 
the  practical  duties  of  farm  life,  being  early 
inured  to  hard  labor  and  receiving  but  a  limited 
education.  He  remained  on  his  father's  farm 
until  1852,  when  he  started  across  the  plains 
for  California.  He  drove  an  ox  team  nearly  the 
whole  distance,  and  after  months  of  toil  and 
weary  journeying  arrived  in  California,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1854  came  to  Sonoma  County  and 
located  at  Mark  West.  He  there  engaged  in 
farm  labor  for  I.  C.  Smith.  In  the  spring  of 
1853  Mr.  Espey  married  Miss  Margaret  Smith, 
the  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Ann  (Eustice) 
Smith.  She  came  to  California  in  1852.  Her 
father  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  her  mother 
of  Pennsylvania.  In  the  fall  of  1853  Mr.  Es- 
pey located  near  what  is  now  Healdsburg,  and 
there  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising  until 
1868.  He  then  moved  to  Mendocino  County, 
where  he  was  extensively  engaged  in  sheep-raising 
and  wool-growing  until  1875.  In  the  latter  year 
he  returned  to  Sonoma  County,  and  for  the  next 
live  years  rented  farming  lands  on  the  Mark  West 
Creek,  and  between  that  place  and  Santa  Rosa, 
upon  which  he  engaged  in  farm  operations  and 
stock-raising.  In  1880  he  purchased  thirty 
acres  of  land  on  the  Sebastopol  and  Green  Val- 
ley road,  in  Analy  Township,  Laguna  school 
district,  about  one  mile  northwest  of  Sebastopol. 
Since  that  time  he  has  devoted  himself  mostly 
to  orchard  cultivatiou.  His  lands  are  situated 
in  one  of  the  finest  fruit-growing  sections  in 
Sonoma  County.  A  beautiful  residence  and 
suitable  out-buildings  were  upon  the  place  at 
the  time  of  his  purchase,  but  nearly  all  the 
Other  improvements  have  been  made  by  him. 


HIHTOBY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


He  now  has  twenty  acres  of  thrifty  3'onng  fruit 
trees  Just  coining  into  bearing,  mostly  peaches 
and  apples.  Of  tiie  latter  it  is  safe  to  say  that 
Mr.  Espey  produced  in  1888  some  of  the  finest 
specimens  of  the  Alexander  variety  ever  grown 
in  the  county.  The  rest  of  his  land  is  devoted 
to  iiay  and  stock,  but  it  is  his  intention  in  the 
near  future  to  increase  his  orchards  until  they 
occupy  all  his  land.  He  is  destined  to  have  one 
of  the  finest  orchards  in  that  section  of  the 
county.  Mr.  Espey  is  a  pioneer  of  Sonoma 
County,  and  his  long  residence  has  gained  him 
a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  by 
whom  he  is  respected  and  esteemed.  An  enter- 
prising and  progressive  citizen  he  takes  a  deep 
interest  in  the  future  prosperity  of  the  section 
in  which  he  resides.  lie  is  a  consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  church,  South.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  a  life-long  Democrat,  but  is  liberal 
and  conservative  in  his  views.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Espey  have  seven  children  living:  Virginia, 
Alma,  Horace  Lee,  Charles,  George  M.,  Benson 
and  Sydney.  Alma  married  J.  Taylor  Bradley, 
and  they  are  now  (1888)  living  in  the  Indian 
Territory.  Virginia  is  a  teacher  in  the  public 
schools  at  Santa  Rosa. 


fBED  CHART,  oueof  the  respected  citizens 
of  Sonoma  Valley,  is  the  owner  of  a  tine 
rural  property  and  cottage  home  three 
miles  south  of  Sonoma,  where  he  established  his 
residence  in  the  autumn  of  1867.  This  place 
consists  of  115  acres  of  the  choicest  valley 
land,  forty  acres  of  which  are  in  vineyard,  the 
rest  being  devoted  to  the  production  of  hay  and 
in  pasture.  Mr.  Chart  also  owns  another  valu- 
able tract  of  land  of  100  acres  not  far  east  from 
his  home.  He  dates  his  birth  in  the  county  of 
Susse.x,  England,  December  18,  1806.  In  his 
youth  he  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade,  and  for 
many  years  made  that  his  vocation.  In  1828, 
in  his  native  county,  he  married  Miss  Mary 
Chandler.  In  1832  they  resolved  on  emigra- 
tion to  the  United  States,  and  made  their  home 


in  Rochester,  New  York,  removing  thence  in 
1839  to  Allegan  County,  Michigan.  There  Mr. 
Chart  became  a  farmer,  and  there  lived  until 
1850.  His  wife  went  to  England  on  a  visit  and 
died  there  in  1843.  Several  years  he  lived 
comparatively  alone,  and  on  August  9,  1852,  in 
that  county,  he  married  Mrs.  Phebe  Wilcox, 
who  is  his  present  wife.  She  was  born  in  Ox- 
ford, England,  February  19,  1820,  and  caine  to 
the  United  States  in  1814.  In  1850  Mr.  Chart 
disposed  of  his  interests  in  Michigan,  and  made 
the  overland  journey  to  this  State.  Two  years 
later  he  returned  to  Michigan  via  the  Isthmus, 
and  soon  after  his  second  marriage  returned  to 
California  by  way  of  Cape  Horn.  Mr.  Chart 
lived  a  few  months  in  the  then  small  town  of 
Sacratnento,  when  he  first  came  to  California, 
and  then  moved  to  San  Francisco,  and  a  year  or 
so  later  engaged  in  dairying  and  gardenino- near 
the  Presidio,  first  as  a  renter  and  afterward  as 
an  owner.  There  his  business  was  conducted 
eneriretically  and  profitably  for  many  years. 
As  before  stated,  Mr.  Chart  established  his 
present  home  in  1867.  But  little  improvement 
had  been  made  on  the  place  prior  to  his  com- 
ing, though  the  house  had  been  erected,  but  no 
trees  planted.  Now  the  gentle  eminence  upon 
which  the  cottage  stands  is  shaded  by  trees,  and 
is  one  of  the  pleasantest  homes  in  the  county. 
Both  are  consistent  members  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church. 


tP.  MOORE,  auditor  and  recorder  of  So- 
noma County,  was  born  November  1, 
®  1831,  in  Brown  County,  Ohio,  where  he 
lived  till  ten  years  of  age,  when  his  parents 
moved  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  His  father,  Cap- 
tafn  John  Moore,  was  a  steamboat  owner  of  a 
line  of  steamers  on  the  Mississippi  and  Ohio 
rivers,  and  on  one  of  these  boats  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  spent  two  years. 
He  attended  school  in  St.  Louis  for  two 
years,  then,  in  1843,  moved  to  Peoria,  Illinois, 
where  he  lived  until  coming  to  California  in 


ni^roHY    OF    80N0MA     COUNTY. 


1851.  C'a}Uain  John  Moore  furuished  the 
money  to  l)nihl  tlie  iirst  distillery  erected  in 
Peoria.  lie  packed  pork  and  conducted  a  large 
mercantile  business  in  tliat  city  prior  to  1850, 
in  which  year  he  came  to  the  Golden  State,  a 
year  before  the  coming  of  his  son.  Judge 
Moore,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  first  located 
in  Marysville,  living  there  six  years,  keeping 
books  and  clerking  for  a  large  wholesale  house. 
In  1857  he  moved  to  Quincy,  Plinnas  County) 
and  there  engaged  in  general  merchandising. 
While  there  he  held  the  offices  of  postmaster, 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  was  county  judge  by 
appointment,  and  afterward,  in  1869,  was  elected 
to  that  ofKce,  serving  in  all  six  years.  Leaving 
that  place  in  1873  he  settled  in  Oakland,  where 
he  remained  four  3'ears,  and  where  he  again 
engaged  in  merchaiidisins;. '  Fi"om  there  he  re- 
moved  to  Geyserville  where  he  held  the  office  of 
postmaster,  aud  also  conducted  a  general  mer- 
chandise store.  On  settling  in  Santa  Rosa,  he 
went  into  the  sheriff's  office  as  under-sherili", 
which  position  he  filled  four  years.  He  was 
then  elected,  on  t'le  Democratic  ticket,  in  1886, 
to  his  present  office,  and  assumed  the  duties  of 
the  same  on  the  first  Monday  in  January.  1887, 
and  was  re-elected  in  November,  1888.  Judge 
Moore  was  married  in  1858  to  Miss  Hannah 
Mastin,  a  native  of  Mississippi.  They  have 
five  cliildren  living  and  one  deceased.  One 
child  is  married  and  lias  three  children.  The 
judge  is  a  member  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W.,  and  has 
been  financier  of  the  lodge  five  years. 


fAPTAIN  J.  S.  YOUNG,  proprietor  of  the 
Sotoyome  House,  Healdsburg,  has  been  a 
resident  of  that  city  since  1888.  He  is  a 
native  of  West  Meath,  Ireland,  born  July  15, 
1839,  and  came  to  this  country  in  May,  1861, 
locating  in  New  York  City.  The  civil  war  then 
progressing  caused  him  to  take  an  active  interest 
in  the  National  cause,  and  his  sympathies  were 
strongl}'  enlisted  on  the  Union  side.  In  May, 
1862,    he    entered    the    service.      He     served 


thioughout  the  war  to  its  closing  days,  and  on 
the  15th  of  April,  1865,  left  the  port  of  New- 
bern,  N\)rth  Carolina,  to  return  to  New  York 
City.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  went  to 
Montana  Territory,  and  was  for  a  time  engaged 
at  the  mines  of  Helena,  and  afterward  at  Stock- 
ton, Utah.  In  1866  he  went  to  the  great  mining 
camp  at  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  where  he  worked 
in  the  mines,  ^xfterward  engaging  in  the  restau- 
rant business  there  on  an  extensive  scale.  He 
became  a  prominent  figure  in  the  social  and 
public  life  of  Virginia  City.  For  eleven  years 
he  was  Captain  of  the  Emmett  Guards,  and  on 
his  retirement  was  presented  with  beautifully 
engrossed  resolutions,  expressive  of  the  high 
esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  the  members. 
He  also  served  on  the  staff  of  Governor  Batter- 
man,  with  the  rank  of  captain.  He  served  one 
term  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  alderman, 
and  in  1876  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city, 
which  office  he  filled  with  honor  and  credit. 
From  Virginia  Citj'  he  went  to  Tombstone, 
Arizona,  in  1880.  and,  although  he  remained 
there  only  four  months,  acquired  property 
interests,  which  he  still  retains.  At  Tombstone 
he  had  just  laid  in  a  large  stock  of  goods,  and, 
before  he  had  finished  unpacking,  the  entire 
outfit  was  destroyed  by  fire.  A  meeting  of 
creditors  was  soon  held,  and  it  was  decided  that 
as  he  had  no  benefit  whatever  from  the  goods, 
he  should  be  given  a  clear  bill  on  payment  of 
twenty-five  cents  on  the  dollar.  When  the 
proposition  was  made  to  Captain  Young  he 
informed  them  that  there  was  only  one  settle- 
ment that  he  would  consent  to,  and  that  was  at 
one  hundred  cents  on  the  dollar.  He  adhered 
to  his  resolution,  and  being  given  carte-blanche 
by  his  wholesale  houses  in  the  matter  of  buying 
goods,  soon  had  a  store  started  in  a  mining 
camp  at  Lake  Valley,  Dona  Ana  County,  New 
Mexico,  far  removed  from  civilization,  the  goods 
having  to  be  carted  many  miles  by  team  before 
reaching  their  destination.  Six  months  after 
his  disastrons  fire,  every  cent  due  his  creditors 
had  been  paid  and  all  claims  at  par,  instead  of 
tweutv-five    cents    on    the  dollar  as    had  been 


KIHTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


ottered  him.  While  lie  was  in  New  Mexico  the 
country  was  in  a  very  disturbed  state  on  account 
of  Indians  and  outlaws,  and  a  viirilanee  com- 
mittee of  twenty-seven  men  was  formed  for 
protection.  Out  of  that  vi^^ilance  committee  a 
military  company  was  organized,  which  was 
attached  to  the  Territorial  militia  as  Company 
A,  First  Regiment,  Lake  Valley  Guards,  and 
Mr.  Young  was  ciiosen  Captain.  He  held  that 
position  until  the  company  disbanded.  October 
19,  1883,  he  came  to  Ilealdsburg  and  purchased 
the  Sotoyome  House,  which,  under  his  manage- 
ment has  taken  front  rank  among  the  hotels  of 
northern  California.  Captain  Young  was  first 
married  at  Virginia  City  to  Rosanna  Bell,  a 
native  of  New  York  City.  She  died  while  at 
the  springs  of  Las  Vegas,  New  Mexico,  whither 
she  had  gone  for  her  health,  June  28, 1882.  By 
this  marriage  there  are  six  children:  George 
(deceased),  William  J.,  John  J.,  Rose  A.,  Perley 
A.  and  Francis  E.  He  married  his  present 
wile  January  1,  1884.  Her  maiden  name  was 
Elizabeth  LaGrange.  She  is  a  sister  of  General 
LaGrange,  a  veteran  of  tlie  late  war,  former 
superintendent  of  the  mint  at  San  Francisco, 
and  now  one  of  the  leading  lawyers  of  New  York 
City.  By  this  marriage  there  are  two  children — 
Lily  and  Hugh.  Captain  Young  is  a  member 
of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  K.  of  P.  He  is  one  of  the 
active,  public  spirited  citizens  of  Healdsburg, 
and  is  one  of  lier  most  energetic  business  men. 
He  is  an  ardent  Republican,  and  is  one  of  the 
leaders  of  his  party. 


fH.  HOAG,  United  States  Storekeeper, 
Fourth  District,  has  been  a  resident  of 
*  Sonoma  County  since  1856,  coming  here 
from  his  native  city,  Poughkeepsie,  New  York. 
He  is  the  youngest  child  of  the  family,  and  his 
parents,  who  are  both  deceased,  were  also 
natives  of  New  York,  and  descendants  of  old 
settlers  from  Vermont.  His  father,  Charles 
Hoag,  died  in  1850.  Tiie  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  educated  in  T'oughkeepsie,  New  York,  and 


there  studied  law  with  H.  A.  Nelson  and  John 
P.  H.  Tallman,  both  still  living.  The  former 
wasSecretary  of  State  of  New  York  in  1860,  and 
is  one  of  the  ablest  lawyers  in  the  State;  the  latter 
is  a  noted  probate  lawyer.  Mr.  Hoag  com- 
pleted his  law  course  and  successfully  passed  his 
examination  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  re- 
ceiving his  certificate  to  be  admifted  to  the  bar 
-when  he  reached  his  majority.  Being  connected 
with  the  prominent  law  firm  above  men- 
tioned, Mr.  Hoag  had  extraordinary  opportuni- 
ties for  obtaining  knowledge  of  actual  practice, 
and  did  a  large  amount  of  it  in  the  subordinate 
courts.  He  made  his  way  to  California  the 
same  year  in  which  he  received  his  certificate, 
arriving  here  in  May,  1857.  He  also  had  two 
brothers  who  came  to  the  Golden  State.  One 
of  them  has  since  died  in  San  Francisco,  and 
the  other  is  still  livintj  there.  Mr.  Hoag  en- 
gaged  in  farming  in  the  vicinity  of  Bodega,  and 
occasionally  tried  a  case  at  law.  Li  1863-'64:  he 
was  elected,  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  to  the 
Legislature, and  re-elected  in  1865-'66, his  brother 
being  one  of  the  opposing  candidates,  the  first 
term  being  the  youngest  member  of  that  body. 
In  1873,  having  been  security  for  a  man  who 
was  largely  interested  in  Monterey  County,  and 
thinking  to  save  himself  from  losses,  he  became 
interested  with  him  in  conducting  a  farm  of 
1,800  acres  in  that  county.  However,  he  lost. 
In  1875  he  was  elected  auditor  and  recorder  of 
Sonoma  County,  and  filled  the  office  two  years. 
After  his  term  of  office  expired  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  law  firm  of  Hoag  ifc  Whipple,  the 
latter,  Edwin  L.  Whipple,  being  then  one  of  the 
brightest  young  men  on  this  coast.  He  died 
here  some  years  after.  After  three  years  this 
partnership  was  dissolved,  and  Mr.  Hoag  em- 
barked in  the  real  estate  and  insurance  busi- 
ness, in  which  he  has  since  been  engaged.  Being 
well  posted  on  the  land  titles  in  Sonoma 
County,  he  has  done  a  great  deal  of  conveyanc- 
ing, and  a  portion  of  the  time  he  did  a  heavy 
loaning  business  in  connection  with  his  brothers 
and  clients,  in  the  way  of  accommodation  loans 
amounting  to  §130,000  a  year.     Mr.  Hoag  has 


HI.<TOHY    OF    SOXOilA    COINTY. 


been  active  in  local  politics,  and  an  energetic 
worker  in  every  campaign  for  twenty-nineyears, 
until  assuming  the  duties  of  his  present  posi- 
tion. His  loyalty  to  liis  party  is  unquestion- 
able. In  November,  1887,  he  was  appointed  to 
his  present  oftice,  with  headquarters  at  ware- 
house No.  2,  Santa  Rosa.  Tlie  house  has  an 
average  of  60,000  gallons  of  brandy.  Mr. 
Hoag  was  married  in  1860  to  the  daughter  of 
Judge  L.  D.  Cockrill,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and 
a  pioneer  of  California,  who  came  to  this  State 
from  Bates  County,  Missouri,  where  he  served 
as  county  judge,  and  was  a  prominent  educator. 
Mrs.  Iloag  is  a  native  of  Missouri.  Her  parents 
both  died  withiii  the  past  eighteen  months,  in 
Bloomfield.  They  were  botli  very  aged,  the 
father  being  about  ninety,  and  having  served  as 
justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hoag  have 
eight  children,  all  at  home,  with  names  in 
the  order  of  ages  as  follows:  Miss  Helen  O. 
Hoag,  Gushing  E.,  0.  H.,  Jr.,  Herbert,  Larena 
^.,  Edeth,  Edwin  Whipple  and  Aletha. 


MSENRY  HUBBARD,  whose  handsome  home 
f|M\  ornaments  one  of  the  prettiest  building 
^li  sites  on  Oak  Mountain,  above  Cloverdale, 
is  a  native  of  Litchfield  County,  Connecticut, 
born  May  6,  1840,  his  parents  being  Ithaner 
and  Lavina  (Barnard)  Hubbard.  Both  parents 
were  natives  of  Connecticut,  and  the  father  was 
a  farmer  and  carpenter.  Henry  Hubbard,  the 
subject  of  this  mention,  was  reared  and  educa- 
ted in  his  native  county,  and  from  there  went 
to  New  Haven,  w'liere  he  followed  mercantile 
pursuits  for  many  years.  In  1868  he  came  to 
California,  via  Panama,  landing  at  San  Fran- 
cisco December  9,  and,  after  four  years  in  this 
State,  returned  to  Connecticut.  He  came  back 
to  California,  and  since  1876  has  resided  on 
Oak  Mountain.  When  he  came  here  he  was 
broken  in  health  and  spirits,  but  has  found  both 
health  and  happiness.  Mr.  Hubbard  was  here 
married  to  Mrs.  Addie  M.  Moody,  a  native  of 


Jefferson  County,  New  York.  Her  parents 
were  Calvin  and  Cynthia  Ann  (Buttertield) 
Wright.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hubbard  are  comfort- 
ably supplied  with  this  world's  goods,  strong  in 
their  religious  convictions,  and  striving  to  so 
live  in  this  life  that  they  shall  be  ready  to  prop- 
erly enter  and  enjoy  that  to  come. 


fH.  SCHNITTGER  is  one  of  the  progres- 
sive men  of  Mendocino  Township.  He 
''  has  a  ranch  of  sixty  acres  on  Dry  Creek 
road,  eight  miles  distant  from  Healdsburg,  which 
he  purchased  in  1883.  Twenty  acres  are  in 
vines,  ranging  from  two  to  four  years  in  age, 
and  of  the  following  varieties;  Gray  Riesling, 
Franklin  Riesling,  Green  Riesling,  Burgundy, 
Johannisberg,  Zinfandel,  and  Golden  Chasse- 
las.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  he  has  kept  in 
view  the  idea  of  progress  in  setting  out  his 
vineyard.  In  orchard  he  has  about  nine  acres, 
the  ti'ees  ranging  in  age  about  the  same  as  the 
vines.  He  has  silver  prunes,  French  prunes, 
yellow  egg  plums,  late  peaches,  (orange  cling 
and  smoked  slatej,  early  peaches  (Honest  Abe, 
AYager,  etc.),  Bartlett  and  late  pears  and  apples. 
The  trees  are  in  excellent  condition,  as  are  also 
the  vines,  and  his  efforts  in  these  directions  are 
a  credit  to  him.  The  rest  of  his  farm  is  devoted 
to  alfalfa,  hay  and  corn.  Mr.  Schnittger  is  a 
native  of  Germany,  born  in  the  province,  of 
Hanover,  January  18,  1844,  his  parents  being 
H.  and  Anna  (Lammers)  Schnittger,  both  of 
whom  are  now  deceased.  He  was  reared  in  his 
native  countrj-,  attending  school  from  the  age  of 
six  to  fifteen  years,  and  after  that  assisting  his 
father  on  the  farm  until  1866.  In  that  year  he 
emigrated  to  America,  landing  at  New  York. 
He  decided  to  try  his  fortune  on  the  Pacific 
slope,  and  two  months  later  was  on  his  way  to 
California,  via  the  Panama  route.  He  landed 
at  San  Francisco  October  13,  1866,  and  became 
connected  with  the  grocery  trade,  in  which  he 
was  interested  until  coming  to  this  county,  the 
last  twelve  years  being  in  business  for  himself. 


.=^5 


4- 


I 


*2s  -5-^, 


0»    /" 


tmn    JJ  f/ey. 


lUSroRY    OF    SONOMA    UOUNTY. 


He  was  married  in  San  Francisco  to  Miss  Etnnia 
Meyer,  a  native  of  Germany.  Slie  died  in  this 
city.  His  present  wife  was  formerly  Friedericke 
Halm,  a  native  of  Hanover.  They  have  two 
children — Arnold  Frederick  and  Johann  Hein- 
rich.  Mr.  Schnittger  made  his  start  in  life 
since  coming  to  California,  and  now  enjoys  a 
high  reputation  for  integrity. 


fOHN  W.  WILEY.  -No  liistory  of  Analy 
Township  or  of  Sonoma  County  could  be 
considered  complete  without  a  mention  of 
the  pioneer  whose  name  heads  this  sketch. 
Besides  his  long  residence  of  over  thirty-eight 
years,  his  connection  with,  and  pioneer  efforts 
in  establishing  the  fruit  industry  in  this  county 
has  made  his  name  known  throughout  the 
county,  but  more  especially  in  Analy  and  Santa 
Rosa  townships.  His  residence  in  Green  Valley 
is  in  one  of  the  finest  fruit-growing  sections  of 
Sonoma  County,  if  not  in  the  State  of  California. 
And  he  has  done  more  than  any  other  man  in  the 
county  in  establishing  this  fact.  Nearly  thirty- 
tive  years  ago  Mr.  Wiley  entered  into  fruit 
cultivation  in  Green  Valley,  at  a  time  when  it 
was  not  considered  suitable  for  anything  but 
agricultural  purposes,  and  he  has  ever  since 
been  the  leader  in  introducing  new  varieties. 
The  famous  Wiley  cling  peach  was  propagated 
by  him  in  1880.  The  seed  of  this  peach  origi- 
nally came  from  Virginia,  but  it  was  under  his 
skillful  and  intelligent  cultivation  that  the 
present  magnificent  peach  that  bears  his  name 
has  been  produced.  A  brief  resume  of 'Mr. 
Wiley's  life  herewith  given  is  of  interest.  He 
was  born  in  Columbus,  Franklin  County,  Ohio, 
November  5,  1880.  His  father,  Levi  Wiley, 
was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  one  of 
the  early  pioneers  of  Ohio.  He  located  at  what 
is  now  the  flourishing  city  of  Columbus  and  the 
capital  of  a  great  State,  when  it  was  only  a 
wilderness,  and  he  was  there  engaged  in  con- 
structing the  first  house  ever  built  in  that 
]ilace.      He    lived    to  be  ovei-  100  years  of  age. 


dying  in  1878.  Mr.  Wiley's  mother  was  a 
Miss  Elizabeth  Legg,  a  native  of  Virginia,  who 
married  his  father  in  Ohio.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  i-eared  upon  his  father's  farm  until 
fourteen  years  of  age,  his  schooling  facilities 
during  this  time  being  merely  nominal.  At 
that  early  age  Mr.  Wiley  displayed  the  charac- 
teristic energy  and  ambition  that  have  carried 
him  successfully  through  so  many  trials  in  after 
life.  He  purchased  his  time  from  his  father, 
paying  $100  per  year  until  he  reached  the  age 
of  twenty-one.  He  commenced  life  upon  his 
own  account  by  farm  labor  and  ot^her  occupa- 
tions, and  despite  being  hampered  by  paying  for 
his  time,  before  reaching  the  age  of  nineteen 
years  was  the  owner  of  a  farm.  Mr.  Wiley- 
made  three  trips  to  the  West,  first  in  1848, 
when  he  went  to  Santa  Fe,  and  second  to  Chi- 
huahua in  1849.  Then  came  the  gold  fever  of 
1849,  and  it  struck  Mr.  AViley  with  its  full 
force,  and  as  soon  as  he  could  arrange  his  affairs 
he  started  in  the  spring  of  1850,  for  the  new 
El  Dorado.  Young,  active  and  ambitious,  he 
started,  across  the  plains,  securing  the  only 
occupation  available,  and  that  was  the  driving 
of  an  o.\  team.  The  trip  was  one  of  toil  and 
hardship  for  him  at  least,  for  of  the  hundreds 
of  miles  of  this  journey  he  walked  and  drove  an 
ox  team  all  but  eighteen  miles.  He  arrived  at 
Placerville  August  20,  1850,  and  immediately 
commenced  mining  operations,  but  he  was  bro- 
ken in  health,  and  after  fonr  weeks'  trial  was 
compelled  to  abandon  the  search  for  wealth  in 
that  occupation.  That  same  fall  he  came  to 
Sonoma  County  and  located  in  Green  Valley. 
Here  he  purchased  from  I.  W.  Sullivan  222 
acres  of  land  in  what  is  now  the  Green  Valley 
school  district,  si.x  miles  northwest  of  Sebasto- 
pol.  In  1858  he  sold  150  acres  of  this  land  to 
Isaiah  Thomas,  retaining  the  rest,  upon  which  he 
has  since  devoted  himself  to  clearing  and  culti- 
vating, until  now  he  has  one  of  the  finest  farms 
in  the  valley.  His  orchard  contains  sixteen 
acres,  eleven  of  which  are  in  peaches,  a 
fruit  which,  as  before  stated,  Mr.  Wiley  has 
devoted  years    in    perfecting.     The  rest   of  his 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


orchard  contains  varieties  of  nearly  all  fruits 
grown  in  Green  Valley.  Ten  acres  are  in  Zin- 
fandel  wine  grapes,  fifteen  acres  contain  a  large 
variety  of  the  most  approved  and  productive 
table  grapes,  and  the  rest  of  his  farm  is  devoted 
to  liay,  grain,  and  stock  purposes,  except  such 
laiids  as  are  producing  corn,  potatoes,  etc.  Mr. 
Wiley  is  also  the  owner  of  forty  acres  of  valuable 
timber  land  two  miles  west  of  liis  home  farm. 
In  1849,  while  driving  a  government  team  Mr. 
Wiley  was  shot  by  an  Indian  with  a  poisoned 
arrow.  In  1866  a  saw-log  rolling  on  him  broke 
seven  ribs  in  his  left  side,  three  in  his  rigirt  side 
a:id  his  collar  bone.  In  1883  he  again  received 
severe  injuries  by  the  gin  pole  of  a  pile  driver 
falling  on  and  crushing  hjs  right  foot,  and  in 
1886  iiis  right  leg  was  broken  by  being  run 
over  with  his  wagon  which  was  loaded  with  oats. 
Again  in  1887,  when  jumping  from  his  wagon 
he  fell  on  his  right  arm,  breaking  it.  Mr. 
Wiley  is  an  enthusiast  over  the  future  prospects 
of  the  beautiful  valley  in  which  he  lives,  and  is 
ever  ready  to  aid  in  all  movements  that  tend  to 
advance  its  interests  and  the  welfare  of  the 
community.  He  is  a  member  of  Sebastopol 
Lodge,  No.  161,  I.  O.  O.  F.  Always  taking  a 
deep  interest  in  his  district,  he  has  served  for 
some  time  as  one  of  the  school  trustees,  and  also 
as  road  master.  In  1855  Mr.  Wiley  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Lucy  Ann  White,  a 
native  of  Chicago,  Illinois.  She  is  the  step- 
daughter of  J.  A.  Steel,  of  Sonoma  County. 
From  this  marriage  there  are  nine  children 
living,  viz:  Lewella  A.,  wife  of  Victor  Piez^i, 
resident  of  Sonoma  County;  John  M.,  wdio 
married  Miss  Hattie  Parmeter;  Elizabeth,  wife 
of  S.  M.  Thomas,  of  Sonoma  County;  William 
N.,  Laura  M.,  Lillie  Arria,  Minnie  H.,  Warren 
D.  and  James  Earle. 


J3|WEN  McCHRISTIAN  was  born  in 
'flM  Rochester,  New  Tork,  in  1840,  and  has 
^^  spent  nearly  all  his  life  in  California. 
His  parents,  Patrick  and  Mary  (Church)  Mc- 


Christian,  came  across  the  plains  to  California 
in  1845.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Down 
County,  Ireland,  and  when  but  fifteen  years  of 
age  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  and  located 
in  Rochester,  New  York,  where  he  grew  to 
man's  estate,  and  married.  After  his  marriage, 
in  1831,  he  moved  to  Perry  County,  Ohio,  re- 
maining there  until  1848.  He  then  moved  to 
Missouri  and  settled  in  Andrew  County,  and  in 
1845  came  to  California.  He  located  in  Napa 
Count}',  where  he  remained  until  1848,  when 
he  came  to  Sonoma  County,  and  settled  in 
Green  Valley.  He  purchased  482  acres  of  land 
from  Jasper  O'Farrell,  upon  which  he  resided 
until  his  death.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  upon  his  father's  farm  until  the  age  of 
twelve  years.  At  this  early  age  he  started  out  in 
life  upon  his  own  account, and  engaged  in  herding 
stock  and  other  farm  labor.  He  continued  this 
occupation  in  Sonoma  and  adjoining  counties 
until  1862.  In  this  year,  during  the  Salmon 
River  mining  excitement,  he  took  a  band  of 
twenty-five  horses,  with  saddle  equipments,  to 
Oregon,  and  established  a  saddle  train  for  the 
transportation  of  travelers  from  the  Dalles  to 
the  John  Day  River  and  Salmon  River  mines. 
After  Conducting  this  enterprise  for  some 
months,  lie  disposed  of  his  train,  and  engaged  in 
mining,  which  he  followed  for  about  three 
years.  He  then  returned  to  Sonoma  County, 
and  engaged  in  stock-raising  at  Cloverdale, 
after  which  he  went  to  Eureka,  Humboldt 
County,  and  was  extensively  engaged  in  the 
same  business  until  1872.  In  that  year  he  took 
a  band  of  420  horses  across  the  plains  to  Omaha, 
being  five  months  on  the  route.  Disposing  of 
a  portion  of  them  at  that  point,  he  took  the 
rest  as  far  east  as  Illinois,  then  went  to  Con- 
necticut, where  he  spent  the  winter.  In  1873 
returned  to  Sonoma  County,  and  settled  on  a 
portion  of  the  old  homestead  in  Green  Valley. 
In  1874  he  married  Miss  Susie  Smith,  the 
daughter  of  Hezekiah  Smith,  of  Iowa.  She 
came  to  California  in  1873.  Since  1873  Mr. 
McChristian  has  devoted  his  attention  to  farm- 
ing and   stock-raising.      He  is  the  owner  of  a 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


fine  tract  of  land,  290  acres  in  extent,  located  in 
the  Spring  Hill  school  district  in  Green  Valley, 
abont  two  and  one-half  miles  northwest  of  Se- 
bastopol.  Twenty  acres  of  this  land  are  in 
orchard,  producing  apples,  peaches,  pears  and 
plums,  eighty  acres  are  devoted  to  the  growing 
of  hay  and  grain,  and  the  balance  is  used  for 
stock  purposes.  Among  his  stock  are  about 
sixt}'  head  of  Merino  and  Southdown  sheep. 
He  also  pays  considerable  attention  to  the  rais- 
ing of  draft  horses,  and  ha§  some  fine  specimens 
of  Norman  horses.  Mr.  McChristian  is  a  pub- 
lic spirited  and  progressive  citizen.  His  suc- 
cess in  life  is  to  bo  attributed  more  to  his  native 
wit  and  natural  good  sense,  than  to  any  educa- 
tional facilities  he  had  in  early  life.  He  is  a 
school  trustee  in  his  district,  and  takes  a  deep 
interest  in  the  public  schools.  Politically  he  is 
a  Democrat,  but  is  very  liberal  and  conservative 
in  his  views.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Lafayette 
Lodge,  No.  126,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Sebastopol,  also 
of  Rebecca  Degree  Lodge,  No.  44,  L  O.  O.  F. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  ai'e  members  of  the  Sebas- 
topol lodge  of  Chosen  Friends.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McChristian  have  five  living  children,  William, 
Owen  E.,  Cecil  G.,  Pearl  and  Chloe. 

^ON.  H.  W.  EYINGTON.— In  every  com- 
|ra\  munity  there  are  always  found  some  few 
^Ig  men,  who,  in  virtue  either  of  their  talents, 
their  energy  or  their  position,  achieve  an  emi- 
nence not  enjoyed  by  their  fellow  citizens,  and 
become,  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  representative 
of  their  section.  The  placing  upon  record  of 
the  life  history  of  these  men — the  leaders  of 
their  age  and  country — is  a  duty  laid  upon  the 
contemporary  historian,  and  should  be  accom- 
plished as  fully  as  may  be,  for  the  two- fold 
purpose  of  ensuring  the  preservation  of  some  of 
the  best  phases  of  our  national  progress,  and  of 
proving  a  means  for  the  instruction  and  encour- 
agement of  succeeding  generations.  This  is  of 
peculiar  value  in  California  for  the  reason  that 
lier  history  is  unique  among  all  countries  of  the 


globe,  for  the  variety,  change,  incident  and  the 
unconquerable  diligence  and  enterprise  of  her 
sons.  Thi.s  is  true  chiefly,  it  should  be  stated 
further,  of  her  pioneers,  the  men  who  came  in 
the  early  days  and  in  the  face  of  the  greatest 
ditticulties,  and  frequently  in  spite  of  them, 
carved  out  of  a  barren  wilderness,  a  success  that 
the  world  has  never  seen  before.  It  is  hence 
with  no  feeling  of  apology  that  we  present 
herewith  a  few  facts  connected  with  the  history 
of  Hon.  H.  W.  Byington,  a  gentleman  whose 
name  has  become  known  across  the  country  as 
one  of  the  Golden  State's  most  talented,  ener- 
getic, successful  and  representative  sons,  one 
who  would  have  been  in  the  lead  wherever  his 
lot  was  cast,  and  who  has  made  noble  use  of  the 
opportunities  afibrded  him  here.  Mr.  Byington 
was  born  in  Litchfield  County,  Connecticut, 
December  1,  1828.  From  his  parents  he  re- 
ceived nothing  to  pave  his  way  to  easy  fortune 
save  alone  that  best  heritage  of  man — a  sound 
frame  coupled  with  intense  energy,  economy 
and  the  strictest  rectitude.  He  is  of  Puritan 
stock,  that  firmest  root  of  the  American  people, 
and  from  his  ancestors  derives  the  peculiar 
qualities  that  have  set  him  in  the  front,  although 
to  reach  there  he  has  had  to  fight  his  way 
against  the  greatest  odds.  At  twelve  years  of 
age,  when  most  boys  think  only  of  play,  he  was 
thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  and  has  had, 
from  that  early  age,  only  himself  to  depend 
upon.  As  a  natural  consequence  his  opportuni- 
ties for  schooling  were  limited.  The  education 
gained  from  experience  and  a  knowledge  of  the 
world  have  been  made  the  most  of,  however, 
and  by  neglecting  no  opportunity  to  improve 
himself  Colonel  Byington  is  fitted  to  adorn  any 
society,  and  moves  with  freedom  in  every 
circle.  In  1842  he  became  an  apprentice  to  a 
clock-maker,  learned  the  business  and  carried  it 
on  until  the  year  1849.  Like  so  many  others 
in  that  year,  he  could  not  withstand  the  tempt- 
ing chances  of  the  wonderful  stories  of  gold  on 
this  distant  western  shore  that  were  flying  thick 
and  fast  over  the  country,  and  determined  to 
test  their  truth  in  person.     Even  at  that  time. 


600 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


although  but  twenty  years  of  age,  his  business 
tact  and  splendid  executive  ability  were  already 
appreciated.  One  of  the  organizers,  he  became 
the  prime  mover  in  the  "Brothers  Mining  and 
Trading  Company,"  of  New  Haven,  Connecti- 
cut, which  was  formed  to  make  the  journey  to 
this  State,  young  Byington  being  one  of  the 
first  directors,  and  a  leading  figure,  although  the 
company  comprised  men  of  ages  ranging  as 
high  as  sixty  years,  and  he  was  one  of  the 
youngest.  He  had  contrived,  b}'  rigid  economy, 
in  saving  §800  from  the  small  wages  of  the 
time  (when  he  first  began  clock-making  he  was 
paid  only  twenty-five  cents  a  day),  and  this  he 
contributed  to  the  undertaking.  They  pur- 
chased the  new  bark,  John  Walls,  Jr.,  and 
navigated  her  -'around  the  Horn"'  to  San 
Fi-aneisco,  reaching  there  safely,  after  an  un- 
eventful voyage,  on  January  1,  1850.  Mr. 
Byington  never  missed  an  opportdnity  in  his 
life.  He  took  advantage  of  the  fiush  times  to 
turn  an  honest  penny  by  the  sale  of  three  pairs 
of  boots  he  had  brought  with  him  from  the 
East,  where  they  had  cost  him  .$12.  He  sold 
them  for  $50,  $100,  and  $90  a  pair  respectively. 
This  simple  fact  illustrates  admirabl}'  the  tre- 
mendously infiated  prices  of  those  fiush  days. 
The  first  position  he  held  in  San  Francisco  was 
in  the  office  of  the  county  surveyor,  under  the 
late  AVilliam  M.  Eddy.  Later,  he  embarked  in 
the  mercantile  business  in  the  city  of  Sacra- 
mento, being  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of 
Byington,  Clark  &  Co.  Returning  to  San 
Francisco,  he  opened  a  wood  and  coal  yard  and 
carried  on  a  successful  business  until  1860.  He 
then  engaged  in  the  livery  business,  and  con- 
tinued it  upon  an  extensive  scale  until  the  year 
1875.  In  that  year,  desiring  to  find  a  more 
favorable  location,  he  visited  every  part  of  the 
State,  and  after  a  thorough  investigation  re- 
moved to  Santa  Rosa,  since  which  time  he  has 
been  actively  identified  with  tlie  best  interests  " 
of  that  portion  of  California.  Before  dismissing 
this  period  of  Mr.  Byington's  life,  we  must 
mention  several  incidents  of  the  greatest  inter- 
est.     It  was  by  a  far-sighted  investment  in  San 


Francisco  real  estate  that  he  obtained  his  first 
big  lift  to  financial  independence.  While  he 
was  in  the  surveyor's  office  he  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  the  then  outskirts  of  the  cMy, 
out  among  the  sand  hills.  For  it  he  paid 
$1,000,  and  was  well  laughed  at  by  his  friends 
for  his  folly.  "  He  laughs  best  who  laughs 
last,"  however,  and  when  he  sold  it  in  1860  for 
$45,000,  the  laugh  was  the  other  way.  This  is 
the  tract  now  familiarly  known  as  the  "  Bying- 
ton Tract,"  and  is  to-day  worth  millions. 
During  the  troublous  times  of  1856,  when  the 
vigilance  committee  was  organized  and  the  en- 
tire community  of  San  Francisco  were  excited 
and  a  state  of  chaos  existed,  Mr.  Byington,  who 
belonged  to  a  cavalry  company  known  as  the 
"National  Lancers,"  then  under  command  of 
Captain  Thomas  Hayes,  inspired  by  a  sense  of 
duty  obeyed  the  order  of  his  superior  officer, 
under  the  direction  of  the  governor  of  the  State, 
and  allied  himself  with  wliat  was  tlien  termed 
the  "  law  and  order  "  forces.  Of  all  the  State 
militia  or  volunteer  comjanies  the  "National 
Lancers"  were  the  only  company  whose  arms 
were  not  surrendered  to  the  vigilantes. 
Although  Mr.  Byington  felt  that  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  vigilance  committee  was  a  necessity  to 
eradicate  many  growing  evils  in  San  Francisco, 
he  believed  it  to  be  his  first  duty  to  maintain 
the  laws  of  the  State,  to  whom  he,  as  an  officer, 
had  sworn  allegiance.  In  this  position  Mr. 
Byington  was  consistent,  as  he  was  in  a  later 
period  of  our  country's  history,  when  insurrec- 
tion accrued  and  he  again  stood  loyal  to  his 
country  and  faithful  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him. 
It  was  in  San  Francisco,  also,  that  Mr.  Bying- 
ton began  to  take  that  active  and  intelligent 
interest  in  politics  by  which  he  has  been  always 
characterized.  In  1869  he  received  the  nomina- 
tion on  the  Republican  ticket  for  a  member  of 
the  State  Legislature.  It  was  a  period  of  disas- 
ter, however,  as  the  entire  legislative  ticket  was 
defeated.  Having  settled  in  Santa  Rosa  in 
1875,  Mr.  Byington  immediately  engaged  in 
business  and  opened  a  livery  stable,  buying  the 
lot  on  Fourth  street,  adjoining  the  Occidental 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Hotel  on  the  west.  Here  be  erected  coinmodi- 
ons  stables,  wbicb  stood  until  swept  awaj'  by  the 
tire  of  May,  1885.  lie  immediately  rebuilt,  but 
iu  a  more  substantial  manner,  putting  up  the 
elegant  Byington  brick  block,  120  x  200  feet  in 
dimensions,  two  stories  in  height  and  of  a  light 
and  graceful  style  of  architecture.  The  fine 
livery  stable  now  owned  and  controlled  by  his 
sous  under  the  firm  name  of  the  Byington 
Brothers,  is  80  x  200  feet  in  area,  and  probably 
has  no  superior  in  the  State  in  the  matter  of 
equipment  and  accommodation.  Mr.  Byington 
has  long  been  a  leading  figure  in  the  politics  of 
this  State,  and  is  recognized  as  a  man  of  power 
and  unusual  ability.  Until  1860  he  was  a 
Douglas  Democrat,  but  upon  the  breaking  out 
of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  when  the  life  of  the 
nation  was  threatened,  he  joined  the  Union 
party  and  became  a  pronounced  and  active  Re- 
publican, and  as  such  took  a  prominent  part  in 
San  Francisco,  as  has  been  already  mentioned. 
When  he  first  settled  in  Santa  Rosa,  Sonoma 
County  was  almost  entirely  Democratic,  and 
the  few  Republicans  had  almost  given  up  heart 
and  abandoned  the  fight.  With  his  characteris- 
tic energy,  however,  Mr.  Byington  set  himself 
to  remedy  matters.  In  the  camjiaign  of  1876, 
under  his  leadership,  the  Republicans  mustered 
their  forces  and  made  a  vigorous  and  successful 
contest,  and  for  the  first  time  showed  the  ruling 
party  that  it  could  not  longer  have  things  its 
own  way.  In  1884  a  well- fought  and  aggres- 
sive contest  was  conducted  nnder  the  general- 
ship of  Mr.  Byington  with  the  result  that,  for 
the  first  time  in  its  history,  Sonoma  County 
went  Republican,  giving  Blaine,  the  Presiden- 
tial candidate,  a  majority  of  100.  Mr.  Byington 
was  himself  a  candidate  for  Senator.  He  bent 
all  his  energies,  however,  toward  the  head  of 
the  ticket  and  for  protection.  He  succeeded  in 
his  undertaking,  only  to  suffer  defeat  himself 
by  a  very  few  votes.  In  the  spring  of  1888  he 
was  chosen  by  his  party  as  tlieir  standard  bearer 
in  the  municipal  election  and  became  mayor  of 
Santa  Rosa  by  a  liaTidsome  majority,  being  the 
first  Republican  ever  elected  to  that  office.     He 


was  cliosen  to  represent  the  first  congressional 
district  in  this  State  at  the  national  convention 
assembled  in  Chicago,  which  nominated  General 
Harrison  for  President.  In  this  he  served  with 
honor  and  distinction.  As  an  indication  of  his 
political  sagacity  and  judicious  discrimination 
it  may  be  stated  that  in  his  speech  at  the  recep- 
tion tendered  him  on  his  return  by  his  fellow 
citizens,  he  predicted  that  Harrison  would  be 
elected  and  would  carry  not  only  every  North- 
ern State,  but  the  Pacific  coast  as  well.  In 
business  matters  Mr.  Byington  is  broad  minded 
and  progressive,  quick  to  see  a  favorable  oppor- 
tunity and  prompt  to  take  advantage  of  it.  In 
public  matters,  as  bas  been  already  stated,  he 
has  always  taken  a  prominent  part,  devoting  no 
little  of  his  time,  his  means  and  his  business 
energies  to  the  forwarding  of  all  undertakings 
that  looked  toward  the  general  welfare.  He 
formed  one  of  the  little  band  of  five  or  six  men 
who  inaugurated  the  movement  to  organize  the 
California  State  Board  of  Trade,  and  it  was  at 
his  suggestion  that  the  appropriate  name  it 
bears  was  adopted.  He  was  elected  and  is  now, 
at  time  of  writing,  serving  as  vice-president  of 
that  body,  and  is  one  of  its  most  active  and 
efficient  members.  The  work  accomplished  by 
the  State  Board  of  Trade  is  one  of  the  very 
greatest  importance,  as  it  is  opening  the  eyes 
of  the  world  to  the  unparalleled  climatic  and 
other  advantages,  and  the  enormous  and  as  yet 
but  partially  developed  resources  of  California. 
Mr.  Byington  was  also  one  of  the  organizers  of 
the  Santa  Rosa  Board  of  Trade,  and  was  elected 
its  first  president.  At  the  present  moment  the 
name  of  Mr.  Byington  is  being  urged  by  the 
Republicans  and  other  citizens  of  this  State  for 
the  honorable  and  responsible  appointment  of 
Surveyor  of  the  Port  of  San  Francisco,  as  one  of 
the  first  steps  to  be  taken  by  President  Harri- 
son under  the  coming  administration.  For  this 
post  he  is  eminently  well  fitted  by  every  con- 
sideration, as  his  life  training  has  been  in 
business  and  commerce,  and  his  knowledge  of 
men  is  comprehensive.  We  shall  be  grieviously 
surprised  if  we  do  not  hear  of  his  appointment 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


very  soon  after  the  inauguration.  Personally, 
he  is  a  gentleman  of  captivating  appearance;  a 
speaker  of  clear  and  forcible  oratory;  an  able 
organizer,  and  an  excellent  presiding  officer.  In 
all  his  relations  with  his  fellow  men  he  is  candid, 
outspoken  and  free  from  evasiveness  or  afi'ecta- 
tion;  but  is  conservative  and  considerate  of  the 
opinions  and  feelings  of  those  who  are  of  oppos- 
ing politicalfaith,  conducting  his  contests  upon 
broad  and  liberal  principles,  and  numbering 
among  his  most  ardent  and  eflusive  personal 
friends  some  who  are  most  stoutly  opposed 
politically.  Mr.  Byington  is  married  to  an 
English  lady,  whose  maiden  name  was  Gordon. 
They  have  been  blessed  with  a  family  of  three 
children,  two  of  whom  are  sons  and  one  a 
dauffhter. 


fOHN  TYLE-R  CAMPBELL  is  a  native  of 
Bowling  Green,  Pike  County,  Missouri, 
where  he  was  born  September  9,  1843. 
He  attended  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
town  and  two  years  at  McGee  College,  Macon 
City,  Missouri.  When  the  Civil  war  broke  out 
in  1861  he  joined  the  Union  army  and  attained 
to  the  rank  of  Captain  in  the  Thirty-second 
Missouri  Infantry  Volunteers,  and  participated 
with  the  command  in  the  leading  battles  of  the 
AVest,  including  Vicksbnrg,  Lookout  Mountain, 
and  the  Georgia  campaign.  He  was  appointed 
Major  of  the  Fifty-second  Regiment  of  Mis- 
souri Infantry,  but  the  war  closed  before  the 
regiment  was  mustered  into  the  service.  After 
the  war  he  studied  law  and  located  in  Kansas 
City,  where  he  was  elected  prosecuting  attorney. 
Removing  to  California  in  1875  he  settled  in 
Santa  Rosa,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He 
was  city  attorney  for  two  terms,  and  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  Legislature  of  California,  serv- 
ing in  the  sessions  of  1883  and  1884  as  speaker 
pi'o  tern,  of  the  House.  lu  1886  he  was  ap- 
pointed American  consul  to  New  Zealand,  and 
in  1888  he  was  appointed  consul  to  Foo  Chow, 
China,  one  of  the  most   important  positions  in 


the  foreign  service.  Referring  to  him  the  Santa 
Rosa  liepuhlican  said:  '-Judge  Campbell  is  an 
able  lawyer,  an  exemplary  citizen,  and  has  in 
private  life  won  tlie  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens. 
He  is  a  good,  pure,  excellent  man  of  singularly 
genial  nature  and  correct  deportment.  At  the 
bar  he  has  the  respect  and  kindly  regard  of  all 
his  professional  brethren  and  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  the  bench.  He  is  a  pleasing  orator 
and  is  iionored  throughout  the  county,  and  in 
Santa  Rosa,  where  his  home  has  been,  he  is 
trusted  and  liked  by  all  classes."  The  subject 
of  this  notice  deserves  even  a  more  glowing 
eulogy  tiian  the  foregoing  one  from  the  Santa 
Rosa  papers.  He  is  a  fine  lawyer,  ranking  with 
the  ablest  lawyers  that  have  ever  practiced  at 
the  Santa  Rosa  bar.  He  is  clear,  methodical 
and  learned,  and  in  the  preparation  of  his  plead- 
ings, briefs  and  papers  in  general,  is  a  model. 
AVherever  he  is  known  he  exerts  a  commanding 
influence.  With  a  fine  presence,  a  singular 
sweetness  of  temper  and  a  most  captivating 
address,  he  attaches  people  to  him,  and  his  com- 
panionship is  sought  and  prized.  As  a  legisla- 
tor he  took  at  once  a  high  standing,  grasping 
the  situation  almost  intuitively  and  bringing 
into  play  his  great  resources,  apparently  with- 
out any  effort,  in  accomplishing  the  end  in 
view.  As  presiding  officer  of  the  Assembly,  in 
the  absence  of  the  Speaker,  he  evinced  great 
knowledge  of  parliamentary  law.  was  clear,  em- 
phatic and  at  the  same  time  suave  in  his  decis- 
ions, so  that  even  an  adverse  ruling  caused  no 
bitterness  of  feeling  in  any  heart.  He  is 
charming  in  social  intercourse,  and  the  delight 
of  the  fireside  circle.  Being  comparatively  a 
young  man,  with  high  moral  promptings  and  a 
laudable  ambition,  he  is  destined  to  rise  much 
higher  in  his  professional  and  political  aspira- 
tions. He  is  warm  hearted  and  never  deserts  a 
friend.  Confidence  in  him  is  never  misplaced. 
Iti  a  word,  few  better  men  have  ever  lived  in 
Sonoma  County  than  the  Hon.  John  Tyler 
Campbell,  and  few  are  better  qualified  to  add 
additional  laurels  to  her  fair  renown  in  any  civil 
capacity    to    which    he   may    be  called    by  the 


HISTORY    OF    SOJSOMA    COUNTY. 


603 


people.  As  a  diplomat  Mr.  Campbell  will 
always  be  a  success.  Witli  great  urbanity  of 
manner  and  felicity  of  speecii  he  unites  a  keen 
perception  of  the  motives  of  others,  and  caution 
in  committing  himself  to  any  particular  line  of 
conduct  or  policy.  These  are  the  great  charac- 
teristics of  a  successful  consul  or  minister,  and 
often  prevent  international  complications.  Mr. 
Campbell  is  most  amiable  in  his  domestic  rela- 
tions, and  has  a  charming  family,  consisting  of 
wife,  daughter  and  son. 


f[HARLES  AUGUSTUS  BOD  WELL  was 
bprn  in  Farmington  Township,  Hartford 
1  County,  Connecticut,  November  24, 1822. 
His  father,  Augustus  Bodwell,  was  a  native  of 
Simsbnry,  and  his  mother,  Olive  Williams 
(Duck)  Bodwell,  was  born  in  Farmington,  both 
in  the  same  county.  The  mother  of  Augustus 
Bodwell  was  of  old  Plymouth  stock.  When 
she  was  a  girl  she  lived  with  her  uncle.  Colonel 
Willis,  then  owner  of  the  historic  Charter  Oak 
place.  Mr.  Bodwell  and  his  wife  always  made 
their  home  in  Connecticut,  where  they  died,  the 
latter  January  12,  1839.  They  reared  a  family 
of  four  children,  three  sons  and  one  daughter, 
of  whom  the  eldest  son  and  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  are  living.  Charles  A.  Bodwell  made 
his  home  with  his  parents  until  he  was  sixteen 
or  seventeen  years  old.  He  was  reared  on  a 
farm,  and  received  his  education  at  the  district 
schools  and  at  the  academy  at  Farmington.  He 
went  to  Hartford  and  entered  the  drug  store  of 
Lee  &  Butler,  who  did  a  large  wholesale  and 
retail  business,  where  he  began  the  study  of 
drugs.  The  l)usiness  was  afterward  bought  by 
his  brother,  Woodbridge  Bodwell,  who  ran  it 
for  about  three  years  when  it  was  sold  again, 
this  time  another  brother,  George  Bodwell,  be- 
ing the  purchaser.  Our  subject  remained  in 
the  employ  of  his  brother  until  March,  1849, 
when  he  went  to  St.  Louis.  Tiiere  Mr.  Bodwell 
joined  a  party  bound  for  Salt  Lake  City,  under 
the  management  of  Livingston   and    Kinkead, 


with  a  stock  of  merchandise,  the  first  general 
assortment  in  this  line  that  was  opened  up  in  Salt 
Lake.  The  party  left  Omaha  with  a  Mormon 
train,  and  after  being  six  months  on  the  way, 
arrived  at  their  destination  point.  The  Mor- 
mons were  by  this  time  pretty  badly  in  need  of 
supplies,  having  had  nothing  except  what  they 
brought  with  them  when  the  territory  was 
opened  up  in  1847.  The  proprietors  of  the 
stock  prevailed  upon  Mr.  Bodwell  to  remain 
with  them  in  their  employ,  and  the  next  spring 
he  and  Mr.  Livingston  returned  to  the  East 
after  another  stock  of  goods.  Livingston  bought 
the  goods  and  Mr.  Bodwell  made  the  purchase 
of  cattle  for  the  train.  He  brought  them  from 
Independence,  Missouri,  to  Table  Cr^ek  at  old 
Fort  Kearney,  where  Livingston  had  brought 
the  goods  by  steamboat.  There  the  wagon 
train  was  made  up  and  put  in  charge  of  the 
train-master,  while  the  principals  of  the  enter- 
prise went  on  ahead  and  made  the  trip  to  Salt 
Lake  in  twenty-four  days.  Mr.  Bodwell  re- 
mained there  until  the  spring  of  1851  when  he 
went  to  Fort  Hall,  and  from  there  to  the  Thomas 
Fork  of  the  Bear  River,  in  Idaho,  east  of  Soda 
Springs  and  just  aboVfe  the  Utah  line.  There 
he  built  a  toll-bridge  over  the  stream,  expecting 
to  realize  a  good  thing  from  it  on  account  of  the 
great  emigration  that  was  going  that  way.  That 
year,  however,  the  travel  was  very  light,  as  com- 
pared with  what  it  was  the  year  previous,  and 
not  thinking  very  much  of  his  enterprise  after 
he  had  conducted  it  for  awhile,  gave  it  away. 
The  next  year  emigration  was  increased  and  the 
parties  who  operated  the  bridge  made  about 
$15,000.  From  there  Mr.  Bodwell  went  to 
Kansas  to  a  trading  post  on  Grasshopper  Creek, 
on  the  Santa  Fe  road,  about  forty  miles  from 
Leavenworth.  He  opened  a  store  and  carried 
on  a  trading  business  with  the  Indians,  remain- 
ing there  one  year.  He  then  came  to|California 
with  a  herd  of  cattle  belonging  to  Young  and 
Ross,  being  pretty  well  acquainted  with  the 
road,  having  been  over  it  several  times,  at  least 
as  far  as  Salt  Lake.  He  reached  the  Golden 
State  and  stayed  with  his  cattle  ^n  Butte  County 


HlSrORy     OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


nearly  a  year  until  they  were  fattened  and  ready 
to  dispose  of.  He  then  came  San  Francisco 
and  went  into  the  hay  and  grain  business  for 
himself.  In  the  fall  of  1856  lie  came  to  Sonoma 
County,  and,  with  his  brother-in-law,  J.  B. 
Lewis,  bought  485  acres  of  land,  where  he  lived 
until  1864,  when  he  sold  the  property  to  Mr. 
Lewis,  the  present  owner,  and  bought  the  place 
where  he  now  resides  at  Lakeville.  He  has  255 
acres  of  fine  farming  land  devoted  to  general 
farming  and  stock-raising.  The  Eodwell  land- 
ing was  built  by  him  in  1879,  and  is  a  landing 
for  steamers  and  vessels  plying  along  the  Peta- 
luma  Creek.  Mr.  Bodwell  is  the  agent  for  the 
steamer  Gold.,  which  makes  regular  stops  at  | 
the  landing,  which  is  a  great  shipping  point 
for  that  section  of  the  country.  On  the  5th  day 
of  May,  1875,  he  was  appointed  postmaster  at 
Lakeville,  which  position  he  now  tills.  Mr. 
Bodwell  was  married  in  1864  to  Miss  Charlotte 
Frances  Cadbonrne,  a  native  of  Baldwin,  Maine, 
where  she  was  born  October  17,  1836.  Mrt. 
Bodwell,  with  her  brother,  came  to  California 
in  the  fall  of  1861.  They  have  two  children: 
Charles  Augustus,  Jr.,  and  Charlotte  Elizabeth. 


— ^«@::®»'.^- 

fHARLES  xiSAPH  PERKY,  superintend- 
ent of  the  Santa  Rosa  Fruit  Packing  Com- 
pany, was  born  in  Elkhorn,  Wisconsin, 
October  13,  1859.  He  came  to  California  in 
1862,  and  lived  at  Susanville,  Lassen  County, 
until  1866.  He  then  went  to  Chico,  Butte 
County,  where  he  lived  one  year.  From  there 
he  went  to  Reno,  Nevada,  where  his  father  was 
engaged  as  a  painter.  Mr.  Perry  returned  to 
Wisconsin  in  1871;  at  the  end  of  three  years 
went  to  the  mines  in  northern  Idalio,  and  after 
four  years  of  unsuccessful  labor  in  those  mines, 
came  to  San  Francisco.  He  engaged  with  Mr. 
Black  as  manager  of  a  salmon  cannery  at  Mar- 
tinez and  became  familiar  with  all  the  details  of 
the  canning  business.  Mr.  Black,  the  founder 
of  the  Santa  Rosa  Cannery,  in  1881  employed 
Mr.   Perry   to   superintend    the    work   in   Santa 


Rosa  as  well.  Mr.  Black  started  up  the  can- 
nery with  a  small  force  and  packed  4,000  cases 
of  canned  goods,  employing  about  sixty  hands. 
Business  kept  on  increasing  until  1886,  when, 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  season,  September  19, 
the  cannery  was  burned.  In  the  sprino-of  1887 
the  present  company.  The  Santa  Rosa  Packing 
Company,  was  incorporated,  and  on  June  4th 
the  first  brick  vvas  laid  for  the  new  cannery 
building,  and  under  Mr.  Perry's  management 
was  ready  to  receive  and  can  fruit  on  the  7th  of 
July,  just  thirty-three  days  from  the  timethefirst 
brick  was  laid.  The  main  building  is  80x120, 
uf  brick,  and  in  1887  the  pack  grew  to  30,000 
cases  of  goods,  employing  300  hands.  In  1888 
they  built  a  brick  warehouse,  80  x  100,  as  well 
as  a  wooden  one  80  x  80  feet.  The  pack  in  1888 
was  nearly  50,000  cases  of  canned  goods.  For 
this  year  the  pay-roll  for  labor  was  about 
$28,000;  $60,000  for  fruit,  or  about  $174,000 
for  all  purposes  during  the  season.  During  the 
canning  season  employment  was  given  to  about 
400  hands.  This  is  one  of  Santa  Rosa's  best 
conducted  industries.  October  13,  1885,  Mr. 
Perry  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Ada  Stele, 
and  the  result  of  the  union  is  two  children,  both 
daughters.  The  elder,  named  after  her  mother, 
Margaret  Ada,  was  born  July  15,  1886;  and 
Abbie  Eleuenea  was  born  July  20,  1888;  both 
are  natives  of  Santa  Rosa.  Mr.  Perry  has  made 
the  canning  of  fruits  a  thorough  study,  andean 
command  a  high  salary  for  his  services  in  that 
line  of  business.  He  is  essentially  a  self-made 
man,  and  it  is  seldom  that  one  so  young  in  years 
attains  to  such  prominence  in  business.  But 
his  lineage  runs  back  to  the  Webster  stock, 
which  has  been  heard  of  in  this  American  land. 


fAMES  COOPER,  deceased.— The  subject 
of  this  sketch  was  well  known  to  and  is  re- 
membered by  the  pioneers  of  Sonoma  Val- 
ley. A  man  of  great  energy  and  possessed  of  a 
well  directed  purpose,  he  had  much  to  do  with 
the  early  development  of  Sonoma  and   Sononux 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Yalley.  Full  of  faith  in  the  future  of  this  part 
of  California,  he  feared  not  to  trust  his  all  iu 
the  work  of  its  improvement.  lie  was  born  in 
Scotland  in  1816,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
after  reaching  manhood.  He  was  a  ship-carpen- 
ter by  trade,  and  came  in  a  merchant  vessel  to 
this  coast  in  1845,  locating  in  the  town  of  So- 
noma where  he  became  one  of  the  earliest  of 
early  English-speaking  pioneers  of  Sonoma 
County.  In  tlie  bear  flag  movement  he  had 
part,  as  well  as  in  the  operations  following 
which  led  to  the  acquisition  of  this  sunny  land 
by  the  United  States.  He  wedded,  at  Sonoma, 
in  1847,  Mrs.  Sarah  Flint,  who,  with  friends, 
made  the  long  and  weary  overland  journey  from 
the  State  of  Wisconsin  in  1845,  coming  directly 
to  Sonoma  County.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cooper 
opened  and  conducted,  a  few  years,  the  "Blue 
Wing,"  the  first  public  house  of  which  Sonoma 
could  boast.  The  building,  quite  a  pretentious 
one,  still  stands,  is  now  owned  by  John  Tivnen, 
and  is  still  in  use.  About  1850  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cooper  moved  to  a  splendid  landed  estate  owned 
by  them  on  the  Petaluma  road,  just  across  the 
Sonoma  Creek  from  Sonoma,  and  consists  of 
640  acres.  They  also  owned  160  acres  adjoin- 
ing on  the  southwest,  these  lands  being  among 
the  choicest  in  the  valley.  Commencing  while 
yet  all  was  as  nature  made  it,  the  work  of  im- 
provement was  energetically  pushed  forward 
until  the  deatli  of  Mr.  Cooper,  which  occurred 
in  September,  1856.  He  left  a  widow  and  five 
children.  All  of  the  latter  are  yet  living.  Most 
of  the  original  estate  is  yet  in  the  hands  of  the 
family.  The  names  of  the  children  in  the  order 
of  their  births  are  as  follows:  Thomas  S.,  who, 
with  his  brother,  John  R.,  is  at  the  old  liome, 
and  both  are  ranked  among  the  enterprising 
successful  agriculturists  of  the  valley;  Barbara 
is  the  wife  of  George  Campbell,  of  Watsonville, 
Monterey  Countj';  Emma  is  the  wife  of  James 
R.  McDonald,  of  Stanishius  County;  and  Janet 
resides  with  her  brothers  upon  the  homestead. 
Mrs.  Cooper,  after  some  years  of  widowhood, 
married  Sydney  Harris.  Her  only  child  by  this 
marriage  is  now  engaged  in  the  livery  business 


at  Sonoma.  His  mother  died  May  10,  1886. 
James  Cooper  was  by  nature  a  leader  among 
men.  Stalwart,  energetic,  independent  and  fear- 
less, he  had  hosts  of  friends  and  few  enemies. 
He  was  prominent  in  Masonic  circles  and  was 
one  of  the  charter  members  of  Temple  Lodge, 
No.  14,  Sonoma,  and  one  of  its  first  worthy 
masters. 


"^-^ 


"3=^ 


fOHJSf  GOSS  was  born  in  London,  England, 
November  5,  1850;  when  about  five  years 
of  age  he  was  sent  to  Carlow,  Ireland,  where 
he  lived  with  his  grandfather,  of  the  same  name, 
and  at  the  age  of  ten  he  came  to  California  with 
his  cousin,  H.  G.  Tobin,  of  Walla  Walla,  Wash- 
ington Territory,  and  took  up  his  residence  near 
Santa  Rosa  with  his  mother,  and  has  continued 
to  reside  at  or  near  that  beautiful  city  ever  since, 
except  while  attending  school  and  college  at 
Oakland.  He  attended  the  district  schools  of 
tlie  neighborhood  and  with  such  success  that  he 
passed  an  examination  before  he  became  of  age, 
received  a  first  grade  certificate  and  taught  sev- 
eral schools  which  he  had  attended  as  a  pupil. 
In  1868  he  entered  the  College  of  California, 
but  the  death  of  his  step-father  obliged  him  to 
remit  his  course  for  two  j'ears,  but  he  entered 
college  again  at  the  State  University,  where  he 
graduated  in  1874,  receiving  the  degree  of  A. 
B.,  and  a  commission  as  First  Lieutenant  in  the 
University  Cadets.  He  then  studied  law  with 
Ex-Judge  Oliver  P.  Evans  in  San  Francisco, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  Supreme  Court  January 
11,  1878.  His  alma  inafer  then  conferred 
upon  him  the  degree  of  A.  M.  He  opened  a 
law  office  in  Santa  Rosa,  but  the  new  field  prom- 
ised in  central  California  invited  his  a'mbition 
and  he  located  in  Fresno  in  1880.  Here  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  J.  B.  Campbell,  now 
superior  judge  in  that  county,  and  the  firm  of 
Campbell  &Goss  did  a  large  and  lucrative  busi- 
ness. They  were  engaged  in  nearly  every  im- 
portant case,  both  civil  and  criminal,  that  was 
tried  there  during  the  two  years  they  were  as- 


UIi<TORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


sociated  together.  Ilis  mother's  health,  how- 
ever, becoming  seriously  impaired,  he  gave  up 
his  large  practice  in  order  to  give  his  entire  at- 
tention to  his  afflicted  parent.  lie  returned 
with  her  to  Santa  Eosa  in  1882,  where  she  died 
the  following  year.  He  then  determined  to  re- 
main at  his  old  home  and  resume  his  position 
at  the  bar.  In  1888  he  was  a  leading  candidate 
for  superior  judge  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of 
Judge  Jackson  Temple,  but  witlidrew  in  favor 
of  Ex-Judge  Thomas  Rutiedge.  He  secured  the 
nominntion  for  the  Assembly  but  was  defeated, 
the  district  being  largely  Republican.  Mr. 
Goss  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  of  strong  anti- 
monopoly  tendencies,  and  is  prominent  in  tlie 
councils  of  that  party.  He  is  an  able  and  elo- 
quent speaker,  and  has  in  preparation  a  work  on 
oratory.  Mr.  Goss  is  married,  and  has  an  in- 
teresting family.  He  holds  the  office  of  court 
commissioner  of  the  Superior  Court,  wliich  he 
fills  with  entire  satisfaction  to  the  bar. 


fAMES  HENRY  MoGEE  was  born  in  Cam- 
den, Ray  County,  Missouri,  October  10, 
1847.  He  emigrated  to  California  with 
his  parents  in  the  spring  of  1852,  crossing  the 
plains  with  ox  teams,  in  common  with  the  large 
stream  of  emigration  that  flooded  this  State  in 
the  early  days.  His  fatnily,  upon  their  arrival, 
first  located  in  Sacramento,  but  soon  left  there 
for  Sonoma,  then  the  county  seat  of  Sonoma 
County.  From  there,  in  1854,  they  went  to 
Plumas  County,  and  returned  from  thence  to 
Santa  Rosa  Valley  in  1856,  and,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  occasional  temporary  absence,  have 
been  a  resident  of  said  valley  ever  since.  He 
was  educated  at  the  high  school  and  seminary 
of  Santa  Rosa,  and  later  read  law  with  Latimer 
&  McCnlloiigh  of  Santa  Rosa,  being  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1868.  He  first  practiced  at  Elko, 
Nevada,  after  which  he  located  permanently  at 
Santa  Rosa,  where  he  is  now  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  During  his  resi- 
dence here  he  has  held  the  office  of  justice  of 


the  peace,  to  which  position  he  was  several 
times  re-elected,  and  he  has  also  held  the  offices 
of  city  recorder  and  city  attorney  of  Santa 
Rosa.  Judge  McGee  is  a  leading  member  of 
the  bar  of  the  State,  and  is  a  conspicuous  figure 
in  Sonoma  County,  where  he  has  so  long  resided 
and  practiced  his  profession.  He  has  a  well 
balanced  and  legal  mind,  and  his  familiarity 
with  the  statutes  and  codes  is  well  known 
among  the  lawyers  of  the  county.  He  is  fond 
of  his  profession,  is  industrious,  painstaking, 
studies  his  cases  well,  and  has  the  good-will  of 
his  professional  brethren.  In  1868  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Cerro  Gordo  McMinn,  and  is 
the  father  of  two  children:  William  M.,  aged 
twenty  years,  and  Irene,  aged  twelve  years. 
His  father  and  mother,  H.  W.  and  S.  A.  Mc- 
Gee, are  both  living  in  Lakeport,  California. 


% 


^T; ILL! AM  A.  LEWIS. —The  grandfather 
\b  uf  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  John 
"^F^  Lewis,  was  of  Welsh  and  French  ex- 
traction and  a  native  of  the  State  of  Virginia. 
From  there  he  emigrated  to  Kentucky  where  he 
married  and  afterward  moved  to  Missouri, 
reaching  St.  Louis  on  the  5th  day  of  January, 
1797,  settling  in  a  part  of  the  city  then  called 
Crauve  Car  Lake.  He  was  one  of  the  first — 
probably  the  first — American  agriculturist  that 
acquired  a  permanent  residence  in  what  is  now" 
Missouri.  In  his  family  there  are  seven  chil- 
dren, five  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  one, 
Elizabeth,  was  a  woman  of  strong  intellectual 
powers,  was  closely  allied  to  the  history  of  St. 
Louis,  and  by  her  many  deeds  of  Christian 
charity,  won  for  herself  a  warm  place  in  the 
hearts  of  the  people.  She  was  the  second 
daughter  of  John  Lewis,  and  was  born  in  Harri- 
son County,  Kentucky,  on  the  3d  day  of  April, 
1794,  and  was  taken  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  by 
her  parents.  She  was  thrice  married,  the  first 
time  immediately  after  the  completion  of  her 
thirteenth  year  to  Mr.  Gabriel  Long,  a  wealthy 
merchant  and    planter   of  St.  Louis,  June    25, 


UltiTOHY    UF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


1807;  to  Rev.  Alexander  McAlister,  a  talented 
and  much  respected  clergyman  of  St.  Louis, 
on  the  aOth  of  April,  1823,  and  to  A.  R.  Cor- 
bin,  Esq.,  of  New  York  (then  a  resident  of  St. 
Louis  and  the  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  St. 
Louis  Ar</us,  the  organ  at  that  time  in  that  city 
of  the  old  Jackson  party),  June  11,  1835.  Her 
last  husband,  with  whom  she  lived  more  than 
thirty-three  years,  was  afterward  married  to  a 
sister  of  General  U.  S.  Grant.  Iler  death  oc- 
curred at  the  residence  of  her  husband,  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  on  the  SHh  of  July,  1868, 
in  the  seventy-tifth  year  of  her  age.  Her  end 
was  painless  ;ind  happy;  she  was  surrounded  by 
her  husband  and  daughters,  by  many  grand- 
children, several  great-grandchildren  and  by 
sons-in-law  and  grand-sons-in-law.  Thus  sur- 
rounded and  supplied  with  every  comfort  and 
with  eveiy  alleviation  of  sufl'ering  which  affec- 
tion and  affluence  could  command,  this  early 
emigrant  to  St.  Louis,  this  pious  Christian,  this 
accomplished  lady,  this  most  loving  wife  and 
mother  passed  to  that  blissful  abode  ])rovided  by 
Lifinite  Goodness  for  the  good  of  all  nations  and 
of  every  degree.  Sallie,  another  daughter  of 
Johu  Lewis,  became  the  wife  of  Colonel  Daniel 
M.  Boone,  son  of  the  famous  Colonel  Daniel 
Boone,  the  old  pioneer  and  hunter  of  Kentucky. 
She  lived  to  the  age  of  nearly  seventy  years, 
and  was  the  mother  of  a  large  family,  some  few 
of  whom  are  now  living.  One  of  the  sons  of 
John  Lewis  was  also  named  John,  and  was  four 
years  old  when  his  parents  moved  to  Missouri, 
having  been  born  in  Kentucky  in  1793.  He 
grew  to  manhood  in  St.  Louis,  and  there  married 
Nancy  M.  Curry,  also  a  native  of  Kentucky. 
He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  spent  the 
most  of  his  life  in  St.  Louis  County,  where  he 
died  in  1818.  In  his  family  there  were  ten 
children,  si.x  sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom 
all  lived  to  be  grown.  Those  of  the  family  now 
living  are  Mrs.  Dr.  J.  M.  Bowles,  of  Santa 
Rosa;  Mrs.  Sallie  Johnson,  of  Napa  City; 
Fannie,  now  Mrs.  Dr.  Edward  Weldon,  of  San 
Francisco;  Samuel  Fletcher  Lewis,  of  San 
Diego  County,  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 


William  A.  Lew^s  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, May  1,  1830.  Like  the  majority  of  the 
boys  at  that  time  lie  was  reared  and  grew  to 
manhood  on  his  father's  farm.  In  1852  he 
crossed  the  plains  with  his  uncle,  Lindsey  Lewis, 
and  his  family,  their  party  comprising  seven 
wagons.  After  a  journey  of  seven  months  they 
landed  in  Marysville,  Yuba  County,  California, 
where  he  spent  a  part  of  that  winter.  In  the 
spring  of  1853,  as  soon  as  the  snow  was  off  the 
mountains  so  that  they  could  be  traveled,  he 
crossed  over  to  the  east  side  and  there  met  a 
party  of  emigrants  on  their  way  to  this  State, 
and  purcliased  of  them  a  lot  of  their  horses 
and  cattle,  which  he  brought  into  Sonoma 
County,  arriving  here  in  October  of  the  same 
year.  F^rom  that  time  to  the  present  Mr.  Lewis 
has  made  this  his  home.  With  a  part  of  the 
stock  of  cattle  he  brought  with  him,  he  went 
over  on  the  Borjorques  ranch,  buying  a  portion 
of  that  grant  and  taking  up  some  government 
land  adjoining  it.  He  there  established  his 
fine  dairy  farm,  which  for  its  desirable  location, 
the  quality  of  the  soil  and  the  extensive  im- 
provements, together  with  the  systematic  man- 
agement of  the  ranch,  makes  it  one  of  the 
largest  and  finest  daiiy  farms  in  this  section  of 
California.  The  ranch  consists  of  nearly  2,000 
acres,  a  part  of  which,  including  the  residence, 
is  in  Marin  County.  Here  Jlr.  Lewis  resided 
until  1880,  when  he  moved  into  Petaluma  and 
took  nj)  his  residence  here,  but  he  is  still  man- 
aging and  giving  the  ranch  his  personal  atten- 
tion. He  was  married  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
February  4,  1868,  to  Mary  Louise,  daughter  of 
Dr.  James  H.  Hall,  now  of  Petaluma,  Califor- 
nia. They  have  five  children,  three  daughters 
and  two  sons:  Nannie  M.,  Hall,  Lillian,  Edith 
and  William. 


^iflLLlAM   LONGMORE,  county  assess- 

%» mn  <"■  of  Sonoma  County,  was  elected  to 
I^#^  the  oflice  in  1880  for  four  years.  Pre- 
vious to  his  election  he  had  served  six  years  as 


IIISTOliY    OF    !<ONOMA    COUNTY. 


deputy  county  assessor,  from  1880.  He  came 
to  Sonoma  County  twenty  years  ago,  first  settled 
in  Bodega  Township,  where  he  lived  twelve 
years,  then  moved  to  Analy  Township,  lived 
there  six  years,  and  upon  being  elected  to  the 
office  lie  now  holds,  he  located  in  Santa  Rosa. 
During  these  years  farming  and  dairying  has 
been  his  active  business.  Mr.  Longmore  was 
born  in  the  north  of  Ireland  thirty-seven  years 
ago.  He  crossed  the  ^Atlantic  when  sixteen 
years  of  age,  coming  via  the  Isthmus  of  Panama 
to  California.  His  father's  relations  being  in 
America,  he  from  early  boyhood,  determined  to 
make  this  his  home,  and  at  the  early  age  above 
stated,  in  company  with  an  elder  brother  and 
two  elder  sisters,  came  to  this  country.  One  of 
the  sisters  has  since  died.  Four  years  later  his 
youngest  brother  and  a  sister  came  over.  The 
former  has  since  died,  leaving  one  brother  and 
two  sisters  still  living  in  this  State,  the  sisters 
in  San  Francisco  and  the  brother  in  Solano 
County.  The  parents  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  were  both  descended  from  Scotch  ances- 
try, but  were  born  in  Ireland.  His  father  died 
in  liis  native  country  in  1872,  and  his  mother 
and  one  brother  and  sister  still  live  there.  Mr. 
Longmore  is  what  might  be  termed  a  self-edu- 
cated man,  having  attended  school  only  one  year. 
He  was  deputy  assessor  under  G.  W.  Lewis,  for 
the  townships  of  Analy,  Bodega,  Ocean  and  Salt 
Point.  He  was  elected  assessor  on  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket  by  a  large  majority  of  797  votes, 
over  N.  King,  Republican,  the  Democratic  ma- 
jority that  year  being  only  sixty-eight  votes. 
His  majorities  were  much  higher  in  the 
townships  where  he  had  served  as  deputy 
assessor.  Mr.  Longmore  married,  in  1875,  Miss 
Nannie  Watson,  a  native  of  California,  born  in 
1853,  just  after  iier  parents  crossed  the  State 
line,  en  route  here.  Her  father,  James  Watson, 
came  across  the  plains  in  1849,  and  raised  the 
first  crop  of  potatoes  of  any  magnitude  planted 
in  this  county,  on  what  was  called  Jasper  O'Far- 
rell's  ranch,  in  the  Freestone  Valley.  He  re- 
turned to  Illinois  in  the  fall  of  1850,  remained 
there  until  the  spring  of  1853,   sold  his  farm 


there,  and  brought  his  family  across  the  plains 
that  summer.  He  now  lives  in  Green  Valley, 
where  he  owns  500  acres.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Long- 
more  have  had  five  children,  four  daughters  and 
one  son,  the  latter  deceased. 


f^f  ALTER  S.  DAVIS,  real  estate  broker 
nd  insurance  agent,  has  been  in 
y^^i  the  business  six  years.  He  first  started 
in  1881,  and  is  the  special  agent  for  the  Impe- 
rial Fire  Insurance  Companj-  and  the  Lion  Fire 
Insurance  Company  of  London,  England, the  Ori- 
ent Fire  Insurance  Company  and  the  National 
Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut. He  represents  George  D.  Dornin  of  San 
Francisco,  general  manager  of  the  above  named 
companies  for  the  Pacific  coast,  and  who  does 
the  largest  California  business  of  any  general 
agency  in  that  city.  These  companies  repre- 
sent a  capital  of  about  $18,000,000.  Mr. 
Davis  owus  considerable  real  estate,  consisting 
of  some  choice  city  property  and  sixteen  acres 
just  outside  the  city  limits,  on  the  west.  He 
looks  after  his  own  property,  that  of  his  father, 
and  does  a  general  brokei'age  business  in  prop- 
erty, as  well  as  loaning  monej',  etc.  His  office 
is  in  the  Sonoma  Abstract  Bureau.  From  1884 
to  1886  Mr.  Davis  was  deputy  county  recorder. 
In  1884  he  was  elected  city  treasurer  of  Santa 
Rosa,  and  was  re-elected,  serving  four  years. 
Mr.  Davis'  father,  Josias  Davis,  is  a  native  of 
Virginia.  He  went  to  Ohio  when  a  young 
man,  married  an  Ohio  lady,  a  Miss  lansdale, 
and  settled  in  Champaign  County.  There  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  February', 
1857.  Mr.  Davis  was  for  many  years  engaged 
in  merchandising  in  that  place,  until  fulling 
health  induced  him  to  seek  outdoor  life,  and  he 
bought  and  conducted  a  large  farm  in  that 
county.  Wishing  to  improve  his  health,  he 
came  to  California  in  1870,  and  spent  a  few 
months  in  Humboldt  County,  then  came  to 
Sonoma  County,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
He  is  now  sixty-eight  years  old,  and  has  been 


UISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


609 


an  invalid  for  over  thirty  years.  Three  sons 
compose  their  family,  of  whom  Walter  is  the 
youngest.  Preston  li.  is  the  county  surveyor 
of  Sonoma  county,  and  Charles  N.  is  a  fanner 
in  Humboldt  County.  The  parents  reside  in 
Santa  Rosa.  Josias  Davis  is  largely  interested 
in  real  estate,  mostly  improved.  He  laid  off 
Davis'  Addition  in  1871  or  '72,  comprising  six- 
teen acres,  situated  on  both  sides  of  College 
avenue,  and  west  of  Mendocino  street,  nearly  all 
of  which  has  been  sold  and  built  up. 


PANIEL  R.  STEWART.— This  business 
house,  a  grocery,  provision  and  fruit  store, 
situated  on  Western  avenue,  between 
Maine  and  Kentucky  streets,  was  first  started  by 
A.  F.  Killam  in  June,  1882.  It  was  first 
started  as  a  fruit  store,  and  from  that  a  stock  of 
groceries  was  added  and  the  business  increased. 
After  conducting  it  two  years  and  a-half,  Mr. 
Killam  sold  half  his  interest  to  James  A.  Tat- 
ter?on,  and  the  firm  name  became  A.  F.  Killam 
&  Co.  These  gentlemen  continued  together 
about  a  year,  when  Mr.  Killam  bought  out  Tat- 
terson's  ititerest,  and  a  month  later  Daniel  R. 
Stewart  came  into  the  business,  taking  a  half 
interest,  and  the  name  changed  to  Killam  & 
Stewart.  This  partnership  lasted  about  a  year, 
when  Mr.  Stewart  purchased  tiie  interest  of  his 
partner,  and  since  October  12,  1887.  has 
conducted  the  business  under  the  present 
management.  Mr.  Stewart,  a  young  man  of 
fine  business  qualities,  is  well  and  favorably 
known  in  this  community  from  his  boyhood  up. 
He  was  born  in  this  county  February  21,  1865, 
a  son  of  David  Stewart  (whose  sketch  appears  in 
this  work).  His  early  days  were  spent  on  his 
father's  farm  in  Vallejo  Township,  and  his  edu- 
cation received  at  the  public  schools  of  Petaluma. 
He  graduated  in  the  high  school  June  8,  1883, 
and  shortly  after  entered  Heald's  Business  Col- 
lege of  San  Francisco,  where  he  graduated  in 
October  of  the  same  year.  After  spending  a  few 
months  at  home  he  again  went  to  San  Francisco 

37  *" 


and  engaged  in  the  Occidental  Hotel  as  clerk 
and  assistant  steward,  where  he  remained  about 
five  months.  He  then  took  the  position  of  dep- 
uty superintendent  of  streets  in  that  city,  in 
which  capacity  he  served  for  three  months, 
when,  upon  receiving  news  that  sickness  e.visted 
in  his  father's  family,  he  resigned  his  position 
and  returned  home,  remaining  there  nine 
months  assuming  the  duties  of  the  farm. 
Again  going  to  San  Francisco,  he  engaged  with 
his  brother-in-law,  James  McNabb,  of  the  firm 
of  McNabb  &  Smith,  drayere  of  that  city,  with 
whom  he  staid  about  a  month,  when  he  pur- 
chased a  half  interest  in  his  present  business. 
Mr.  Stewart  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to  Ai-cturus 
Lodge,  No.  22;  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star; 
Petaluma  Lodge,  No.  100,  K.  of  P.,  and  the 
Junior  Order  of  American  Mechanics,  No.  1. 


tICHOLAS  CARRIGER,  deceased.— The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  one  of  the 
earliest  American  pioneers  of  Sonoma 
County.  His  long  residence  and  connection 
with  Sonoma  Yalley  renders  a  review  of  his 
life  of  peculiar  interest  in  the  history  of  the 
county.  He  was  born  in  Carter  County,  Ten- 
nessee, March  30,  1816.  His  father.  Christian 
Carriger,  was  a  native  of  Germany,  who,  early 
in  life,  came  to  the  United  States,  where  he  re- 
ceived his  education,  married,  and  finally  located 
in  the  county  above  mentioned.  His  mother. 
Eliza  (Ward)  Carriger,  was  a  native  of  England. 
Mr.  Carriger  remained  in  the  county  of  his 
birth,  attending  school  and  working  in  a  fiour 
mill  and  distillery  until  he  reached  the  age  of 
nineteen  years,  when  he  volunteered  in  the  First 
Regiment  of  Tennessee  Mounted  Volunteers, 
Captain  J.  Powell's  company,  being  mustered 
into  service  for  the  Florida  war  by  General  John 
E.  Wool,  of  the  United  State  army,  at  Athens, 
Tennessee.  This  was  on  June  26,  1835,  re- 
ceiving an  honorable  discharge  therefrom  one 
year  after.  He  then  went  into  the  iron  man- 
ufacturing business  cfn  his  father's  property   in 


HISTORY    OF    HONOMA    COUNTY. 


his  native  county,  where  he  continued  until 
2s'oveinher,  1840,  then  emigrating  to  "Warren 
Count}',  Missonri,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
stemming  of  tobacco  and  other  affairs.  He 
then  moved  to  Jackson  County,  Missouri,  and 
remained  there  one  year,  when  he  transferred 
his  residence  to  Buciianan  County  and  hiter  to 
Holt  and  Andrew  counties,  finally  settling  at 
Kound  Prairie,  where  he  took  up  a  quarter- 
section  of  land,  fenced  it,  eniered  into  the  cul- 
tivation of  hemp,  tobacco  and  cereals,  and  there 
remained  until  1846,  when  he  once  more  was 
on  the  move.  On  April  27  of  the  latter  year 
Mr.  Carriger  started  from  Round  Prairie  for 
California,  and  was  joined  at  Oregon  City,  Holt 
County,  by  Captain  Grieg,  their  number  being 
further  augmented  on  the  journey  by  the  addi 
tion  of  Major  Cooper,  the  Indian  agent  at 
Council  Elufi's.  This  is  the  same  Major  Cooper 
who  is  now  a  resident  of  Colusa  County,  and  was 
judge  of  the  court  of  first  instance  'for  the 
district  of  Sonoma  in  1848,  a  gentleman  well 
known  in  Sonoma  County.  With  Mr.  Carriger 
were  his  parents;  only  his  mother,  however, 
survived  the  journey,  his  father  having  died 
when  crossing  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  Mrs.  Car- 
riger, his  mother,  made  Sonoma  County  her 
liome  until  her  death,  which  occurred  in 
1863.  "We  make  the  following  extract  from  a 
diary  kept  by  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  now 
in  his  family:  "21st  September,  1846.  We 
struck  the  mountains.  Distressing  bad  road; 
eight  miles  to  the  higii  California  mountains, 
and  got  eight  wagons  up.  22d.  Made  a  roller 
and  fastened  chains  together  and  pulled  the 
wagons,  with  thirty-two  yoke  of  oxen  at  the  bot- 
tom and  twenty-five  at  the  top.  23d.  Hauling 
wagons.  24th.  Traveled  eight  miles  to  the  lake; 
distressing  bad  road.  25th.  Laid  by.  26th. 
Christian  Carriger,  the  father  of  the  writer, 
died.  On  the  same  day,  Joseph  Wardlow's 
wife  died.  On  the  same  day,  Mr.  iV.  Carriger's  . 
daughter  Catherine  was  born."  Such  is  the  sad  j 
story  of  endurance  and  suffering  told  in  honest 
and  simple  words,  that  appeal  to  sympathy  far  ' 
more  forcibly  than  if  clothed  in  the  most  affect- 


ing imagery.  The  first  place  at  which  the  em- 
igrant band  arrived  in  California  was  Johnson's 
ranch  on  Bear  River,  the  stream  being  ferried 
at  the  spot  now  known  as  Fremont,  situated  at 
the  moutli  of  the  Feather  River.  Their  place 
of  destination  was  Sonoma,  and  the  route  lay 
by  William  Gordon's,  now  in  Yolo  Coiintv, 
John  R.  Wolfskin's  on  Putah  Creek,  Solano's 
Ranclierie  at  Rockville,  George  Yount's  in  Xapa, 
where  they  halted  a  few  days,  and  thence  Ijy 
Spanish  trail  into  the  valley  of  their  hopes  and 
fears.  At  the  time  of  Mr.  Carriger's  arrival, 
all  the  young  and  able  bodied  men  had  joined 
Fremont;  indeed,  on  the'  route  it  was  no  un- 
common event  for  the  younger  male  emigrants 
to  flock  to  the  standard  of  the  Pathfinder.  On 
his  arrival,  therefore,  he  was  not  to  be  behind- 
hand, and  as  all  available  soldiers  had  been 
dispatched  to  join  the  gallant  Colonel  and  his 
California  battalion,  our  new-comer  entered  the 
ranks  of  the  nav\',  a  company  of  which  were  then 
quartered  at  Sonoma  under  Lieutenant  Revere. 
Mr.  Carriger  served  in  this  branch  of  the  serv- 
ice under  Lieutenant  Maury,  who  succeeded 
Revere,  and  after  being  with  them  for  some 
months,  finally  got  his  honorable  discharge 
from  Captain  John  B.  Hull,  United  States 
navy,  in  March,  1847.  It  should  be  mentioned 
that,  during  his  term  of  service,  Mr.  Carriger, 
in  the  ordinary  routine  of  duty,  carried  the 
mail  on  horseback  between  Sonoma  and  San 
Rafael,  and  was  also  present  on  duty  when  the 
stones  placed  at  the  boundaries  of  the  city  of 
Benicia  were  put  into  position  by  Dr.  Robert 
Semple.  After  his  discharge  from. the  United 
States  service  Mr.  Carriger  located  in  the 
Pueblo  of  Sonoma.  There  he  built  the  first  red- 
wood building  ever  erected  in  Sonoma  Valley. 
This  house  was  an  object  of  the  greatest  in- 
terest to  the  Indians  andjnative  Californians.  It 
is  still  standing  on  Napa  street  and  is  in  a  good 
state  of  preservation.  He  was  also  the  first  of 
the  Americans  who  planted  vines  and  undertook 
the  cultivation  of  grapes  in  Sonoma  Valley.  In 
1848,  when  the  whole  world  was  set  wild  with 
the  news  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California, 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Oil 


Mr.  Carriger  was  one  of  the  .first  to  leave  for 
the  mines  to  try  his  luck.  He  started  in  com- 
pany with  Joseph  Wardlow,  Elias  Graham, 
Henry  Thornton  and  others,  for  Mormon  Isl- 
and, and  there  found  certain  Mormons  before 
them,  who  claiined  all  the  land  and  the  right  to 
mine  there,  by  priority  of  i-esidence.  The  diffi- 
culty was,  however,  soon  overcome  by  their 
being  allowed  to  prosecute  their  work  beyond  a 
certain  limit,  and  there,  having  been  successful, 
they  constructed  a  skin  boat,  and  crossing  the 
sti-eam  porceeded  to  tiie  south  fork  of  the 
American  River,  staying  there  eleven  days, 
when  intelligence  was  received  that  the  Span- 
iards and  Indians  had  broken  out  into  open 
rebellion  in  Sonoma;  he  therefore  at  once  re- 
paired thither,  to  look  after  his  family,  and  was 
the  first  to  return  from  the  mines  with  dust  to 
that  city  or  valley.  In  this  year  Mr.  Carriger 
removed  his  family  to  Coloma,  where  tlie 
precious  metal  was  first  discovered,  but  he  only 
kept  them  there  for  six  weeks.  He  was  the 
lucky  discoverer  of  the  Northern  Kelsey  and 
Auburn  mines,  and  was,  with  his  associates, 
the  first  to  find  gold  in  the  Aubui-n  district. 
We  next  find  our  hero  prospecting  on  Sutter 
Creek,  but  they  soon  had  to  leave  the  vicinitj^ 
on  account  of  Indians,  who  had  become  trouble 
some;  they  therefore  proceeded  high  up  on  the 
middle  fork  of  the  American  River,  where  they 
came  across  very  rich  diggings,  three  men  in 
one  day  taking  out  as  much  as  fifty  pounds 
weight  of  gold.  A  serious  accident  now  necessi- 
tated his  leaving  the  mines,  when  he  returned 
to  Sonoma.  In  March,  1849,  taking  several 
Sonoma  Indians  with  him,  he  returned  to  the 
mines  at  Auburn,  and  met  those  aboriginals 
who  were  implicated  in  the  death  of  Mr.  Hol- 
lingsworth  and  a  preacher  in  Oregon;  they  at 
once  gave  chase,  and  not  one  escaped.  When 
caught  they  were  tried,  found  guilty  and  hanged 
to  a  limb  close  by  on  Bear  River.  At  Auburn 
Mr.  Carriger  was  fairly  successful.  He  next 
went  to  Bear  River  and  pursued  his  mining  at 
Steep  Hollow,  ami  ultimately  returned  to  So- 
noma   in    184'J.     In    1850  he  took  a  drove  of 


cattle  to  Trinity  County,  the  party  being  coin- 
posed  of  Mr.  Carriger,  his  two  brothers,  Sol- 
omon and  Caleb,  and  Dr.  Storer,  with  eleven 
Indians;  remained  there  until  June,  when  he 
came  back  to  Sonoma,  and  took  up  his  residence 
on  his  rancli,  about  three  miles  west  of  the 
town.  There  Mr.  Carriger  spent  the  most  of 
his  days  and  years  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  June  30,  1885.  For  more  than  thirty- 
five  years  Mr.  Carriger  was  prominently  con- 
nected with  grape  culture  and  the  wine  industry 
of  Sonoma  Valley.  His  energetic  measures 
and  practical  business  habits  soon  produced 
wonderful  results.  The  wild  and  uncultivated 
lands  were  made  to  yield  their  dormant  riches. 
His  vineyards  covered  over  150  acres.  The 
winery  which  he  erected  is  a  magnificent  build- 
ing of  three  stories  in  height,  the  lower  one 
being  of  stone,  forming  a  capacious  cellar,  with 
a  capacity  of  180,000  gallons.  His  landed  pos- 
sessions covered  a  thousand  acres,  upon  the 
hills  of  which  roamed  his  herds  of  stock,  while 
the  valley  lands  produced  bountiful  harvests  of 
golden  grain.  His  residence,  a  fine  two-story 
building,  beautifully  located,  gave  a  magnificent 
view  of  the  valley  stretching  away  to  the  foot- 
hills in  the  east  and  for  miles  in  extent  to  the 
south.  This  magnificent  farm  is  now  (1888) 
under  the  control  and  direction  of  his  widow 
who  with  several  of  the  family  reside  upon  the 
place.  Mr.  Carriger  was  one  of  the  best  known 
men  of  Sonoma  Valley.  A  more  staunch  and 
genial  friend,  hospitable  host  or  honest  and  up- 
right man  did  not  exist  than  "Nick"  Carriger, 
as  his  friends  delighted  in  calling  him.  He 
was  prominent  and  took  a  lead  in  all  enterprises 
tending  to  develop  the  resources  of  his  chosen 
valley.  In  political  matters  he  was  a  Democrat, 
and  while  declining  offices  which  his  friends  de- 
sired him  to  fill,  his  iiifluence  was  felt  in  the 
ranks  of  the  party  and  always  for  what  lie  con- 
sidered to  be  for  its  best  interests.  He  was  for 
muny  years  the  president  of  the  Pioneer  Asso- 
ciation of  Sonoma  County.  In  Andrew  County, 
Missouri,  September  29,  1842,  Mr.  Carriger 
was  united    in    marriage   with  Miss  Mary  Ann 


613 


Hlt^TOKY    OF    aoNOMA    COUNVy. 


WardloAv,  a  native  of  Highland  County,  Ohio, 
born  November  21,  182G.  She  is  the  daughter 
of  John  ai  d  Elizabetli  (Lance)  Wardlow.  Her 
father  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  her  mother 
of  Germany.  From  this  marriage  there  are 
livincr  the  followins:  named  children:  Elizabeth 
Jane,  born  July  28,  1843,  married  Otto  Schet- 
tev,  residing  in  Oakland;  Levisa,  born  January 
22,  1845,  married  L.  L.  Lewis,  living  in  Sacra- 
mento; David  AV..  born  December  20,  1847; 
Albert  J^>oggs,  born  February  13,  1850,  both  re- 
siding on  the  old  homestead;  Lonisa  L.,  born 
January  23,  1852,  married  M.  Powell,  residing 
at  Mark  West;  Eva  N.,  born  March  13,  1854, 
married  C.  A.  Tufts,  living  in  Sacramento; 
William  W.,  born  August  25,  1857,  living  on 
the  old  homestead;  Emma,  born  July  8,  1858, 
married  John  Carriger  (deceased),  residing  in 
Kansas;  and  Solomon  H.,  born  May  11,  1862,  j 
residing  in  Sonoma.  The  two  deceased  children 
were  Sarah  Catherine,  born  in  the  Sierra  Xeva- 
das,  September  2G,  1846,  died  December  of  the 
same  year,  and  John,  born  February  11,  1850 
who  died  September  5,  1857. 

1!!|EMUS  RILEY  GALE  was  born  near 
InOT  Arrow  Rock,  Cooper  County,  Missouri, 
W^  January  17,  1855.  Two  years  after,  his 
parents  moved  to  northeastern  Missouri,  and 
settled  near  Memphis,  Scotland  County.  Uere 
he  grew  up,  passing  his  time  in  working  on  the 
farm,  and  occasionally  attending  the  district 
schools.  His  opportunities  for  ;.cquiring  an 
education  were,  however,  few,  as  the  humble 
circumstances  of  the  family  required  the  help  of 
himself  and  older  brother  John,  as  soon  as  they 
were  able  to  "hoe  corn"  and  "chop  wood.'' 
But  notwithstanding  this  he  found  time  to  read 
books,  which  proved  to  be  of  great  practical 
benefit  to  him  afterward.  Among  these  books 
(the  most  of  them  borrowed  from  acquaintances) 
were  "Napoleon  and  his  Marshals,"  "Abridged 
History  of  the  United  States,"  "Hume's  His- 
tory of  England,"  "Struggles  and  Triumphs  of 


P.  T.  Barnum,"  "Life  of  Washington,"  and 
"  Paley's  Natural  Theology."  These  books  were 
read  and  re-read  by  young  Gale  at  such  leisure 
time  as  he  had.  Another  book  in  which  he 
took  a  special  delight  was  "Sargent's  Life  of 
Henry  Clay."  The  history  of  ihe  struggles  of 
Clay,  together  with  the  many  stories  of  the 
early  life  of  J.  Proctor  Knott  as  told  by  Riley 
Gale,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who 
was  an  intimate  friend  and  acquaintance  of 
"Proc,"  did  raucli  to  shape  tlie  course  of  life 
and  to  arouse  the  ambition  of  this  youth.  In 
May,  1875,  he  left  his  old  home  in  Missouri 
and  came  to  California,  resolved  to  obtain  an 
education  if  possible.  Arriving  at  Petaluma 
with  a  few  dollars  of  borrowed  money,  a  small 
valise  of  clothing  and  a  few  books,  he  sought 
and  soon  found  employment  on  a  farm  near 
Petaluma.  For  a  year  and  a  half  he  worked 
near  Petaluma  at  whatever  employment  he 
could  find,  sending  a  portion  of  his  earnings 
home  to  help  the  family  along.  With  the 
means  he  had  thus  earned  he  entered  Christian 
College  at  Santa  Kosa,  and  pursued  chiefly  a 
literary  and  classical  course,  spending  his  vaca- 
tions at  work  in  the  harvest  fields.  Having 
secured  a  teacher's  certificate,  he  began  teach- 
ing school  near  Petaluma  in  the  spring  of  1879, 
and  continued  in  this  profession  till  the  spring 
of  1884,  studying  law  in  the  meantime  during 
leisure  hours.  Upon  examination  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Supreme  Court  of  California  in 
the  fall  of  1883.  Desirous  of  prosecuting 
more  thoroughly  and  systematically  his  law 
studies,  he  then  went  to  Washington,  D.  C, 
with  the  means  he  had  acquired  by  teaching 
school,  and  there  entered  Columbian  University 
where  he  graduated  with  the  degree  of  Bache- 
lor of  Laws.  He  then  went  to  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  with  the  balance  of  his  slender 
means,  and  entered  Yale  College,  where  he 
graduated  with  the  degree  of  Master  of  Laws, 
and  was  awarded  the  prize  law  books  by  that 
institution.  It  was  only  by  the  exercise  of  the 
most  rigid  economy  that  he  was  able  to  pay  his 
wav   through    this    school.     The   fall    of    1886 


U18T0HY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


found  him  back  in  Petaliima,  but  penniless. 
Through  the  favor  of  Henry  Gherkins,  proprie- 
tor of  the  Union  Hotel  in  Petalunia,  he  was 
given  board  and  lodging  until  he  could  "look 
around,"  the  proprietor  promising  to  virait  for 
his  pay.  On  the  same  day  the  young  attorney 
called  on  J.  Campbell,  an  old  Petaluma  mer- 
chant, and  explained  his  situation.  The  kind- 
hearted  merchant  sold  him  a  few  necessary  arti- 
cles of  clothing,  promising  to  wait  till  they 
could  be  paid  for  out  of  the  yet-to-be-earned 
fees  of  the  lawyer.  After  considerable  effort, 
fiiiling  to  get  a  place  in  any  of  the  law  offices 
in  Petaluma,  and  having  no  means  to  furnish  a 
law  office  of  his  own,  he  went  to  Santa  Kosa, 
where  he  called  on  several  Santa  Rosa  lawyers, 
with  the  view  of  getting  a  place  for  a  time  in  a 
law  office.  But  all  efforts  in  this  direction 
seemed  about  to  fail.  The  penniless  lawyer  at 
last  sought  William  E.  McConnell,  Esq.,  of  the 
Santa  Rosa  bar,  who  listened  attentively  to  his 
application,  and  at  once  gave  him  a  place  in  his 
office,  and  permitted  him  to  hang  out  his  sign. 
He  next  secured  a  small  room  for  lodging  at  a 
cost  of  one  dollar  per  week.  His  fare  was  of 
the  simplest  and  plainest  character,  obtained  at 
a  Mendocino  street  restaurant.  It  was  a  case  of 
"  live  within  your  means,"  and  a  case  of  small 
means.  For  a  period  of  nearly  four  months  it 
was  with  the  greatest  difiiculty  that  enough 
could  be  earned  to  defray  the  expenses  of  board 
and  lodging,  but  becoming  gradually  better 
acquainted,  his  practice  of  law  increased.  The 
debts  of  Gherkins  and  Campbell  were  paid.  A 
much-needed  new  coat  and  pair  of  shoes  took 
the  place  of  the  old.  Tiie  young  attorney  no 
longer  avoided  public  gaze  on  Sunday,  on 
account  of  his  old  clothes.  He  now  occasion- 
ally attended  socials,  to  which  he  had  often 
before  been  invited,  but  could  not  go.  His 
business  was  materially  increased  by  his  be- 
coming assistant  district  attorney  under  Dis- 
trict Attorney  George  Pearce,  about  this  time. 
In  June,  1887,  Mr.  Gale  formed  a  law  copart- 
nership with  A.  G.  Burnett,  Esq.  The  two 
men  were  lironght  together  by  the  rehationship 


which  had  existed  between  them,  Mr.  Burnett 
having  been  Mr.  Gale's  teacher  in  Christian 
College  a  few  years  before.  It  was  the  custom 
of  Mr.  Gale,  during  the  first  three  or  four 
months  of  his  stay  in  Santa  Rosa,  to  attend 
evening  services  at  a  "  little  church  around  the 
corner."  He  was  always  the  first  at  church  in 
the  evening,  and  the  first  away,  as  he  thought 
his  coat  and  shoes  were  not  well  suited  to  stand 
comparison  with  "  John  Wanamaker's  best." 
Here  he  often  saw  a  lady  enter  the  church,  walk 
briskly  up  the  aisle,  and  take  her  place  in  the 
church  choir.  Several  months  elapsed  before 
they  became  acquainted.  The  sequel  is,  how- 
ever, that  on  the  3d  of  October,  1888,  this  lady. 
Miss  Carrie  England,  of  Santa  Rosa,  and  Mr. 
Gale  were  married.  December  31,  1888,  the 
law  copartnership  existing  between  Gale  and 
Burnett  was  dissolved,  Mr.  Burnett  having  been 
elected  district  attorney  of  Sonoma  County. 
Mr.  Gale  is  now  alone  in  a  thriving  law  prac- 
tice, and  has  a  beautiful  little  honie  of  his  own 
on  Third  street  in  Santa  Rosa.  Mr.  Gale  has 
three  uncles  in  Sonoma  County*:  Dow,  Otis  and 
Demus  Gale,  who  are  old  Californians.  He  has 
also  three  brothers  in  this  State:  Dr.  John  P. 
Gale,  of  Colusa  County,  and  Albert  and  Lee 
Gale,  of  Sonoma  County. 


fHILIP  HENRY  VOLLMAR,  proprietor 
of  VoUmar's  Hotel  at  Embarcadero,  was 
born  in  the  Duchy  of  Holstein,  now  a 
part  of  the  German  Empire,  November  25, 
1835.  His  father  died  when  he  was  but  a 
child,  after  which  he  was  taken  into  the  fam- 
ily of  John  Asmus,  and  by  him  reared  and  given 
fair  educational  and  other  advantages.  Reacli- 
ing  the  age  of  nineteen  years,  possessed  of  an 
adventurous  spirit,  and  having  heard  much  of 
the  land  of  the  free,  across  the  ocean,  he  re- 
solved to  emigrate  to  the  United  States.  Mak- 
ing his  way  with  little  difficulty  to  Liverpool, 
he  embarked  on  the  sail  vessel  Grand  Western, 
and    reached    New   'I'ork   City    after    a   tedious 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


voyjige  of  t'urty  days.  Entirely  unacquainted 
with  tlie  English  language,  not  many  avenues 
of  employment  were  open  to  him,  but  he  soon 
apprenticed  himself  to  the  grocer's  trade  in 
Brooklyn.  His  strict  attention  to  business  so 
won  upon  his  employer  that  in  April,  1856,  he 
was  made  by  him  head  clerk  in  another  estab- 
lishment of  his,  in  New  York  City.  But  the 
same  spirit  of  adventure  which  had  led  Mr. 
A'ollmar  to  leave  his  native  land,  caused  him,  in 
October,  1857,  to  come  to  the  Golden  State.  At 
Flacerville  he  engaged  in  placer  mining,  which 
occupation  in  and  around  "  Hangtown  "  he  con- 
tinued until  the  spring  of  1858,  when  he  was 
drawn  into  the  whirlpool  of  excitement  over  the 
supposed  wealth  of  gold  on  Frazier  River,  Brit- 
ish Columbia.  The  privations,  hardships,  sick- 
ness and  sufferings  endured  by  Mr.  Vollmar  the 
following  year  would  have  killed  any  man  not 
possessed  of  the  indomitable  will  and  iron  con- 
stitution which  were  his  in  those  days.  Crip- 
pled for  life,  health  impaired  beyond  all  but 
partial  recovery,  those  months  spent  on  Frazier 
River  in  pursuit  of  the  phantom  goddess,wealth, 
are  only  recalled  with  sadness.  His  foster- 
brother,  John  Asmus,  Jr.,  had  preceded  him  to 
America  and  to  California  several  years.  He 
was  the  eldest  by  twelve  years  or  more.  They 
joined  their  fortunes  in  the  expedition  to  the 
Frazier  River.  It  will  be  impossible  here  to 
give  in  detail  the  history  of  that  expedition. 
Their  lirst  attempt  to  reach  the  mines,  as  part 
of  a  party  of  six  owning  in  common  their  own 
row-boat,  stocked  with  tools  and  six  months' 
provisions,  and  everything  needed  for  use  and 
comfort,  was  frustrated  by  wrecking  their  boat 
in  the  rapids  met  in  the  ascent  of  Harrison 
River.  All  was  lost  but  two  sacks  of  flour — all 
weapons  of  offence  and  defence,  tools,  clothing, 
etc.,  leaving  them  entirely  destitute.  The  escape 
from  death  of  the  whole  party  was  almost  mirac- 
ulous and  with  Mr.  Vollmar  very  narrow.  At 
first  attempts  to  go  on  were  made,  but  all  had  to 
be  abandoned,  though  a  portion  of  the  party 
united  with  other  parties  and  kept  on.  The 
return  of  Mr.  Vollmar  and   his  foster-brother 


to  Victoria  in  their  defenseless  and  destitute 
condition  was  attended  with  extreme  suffering 
and  great  danger.  Their  boat  they  recovered 
and  had  that  to  float  them.  One  night  when 
they  were  surrounded  by  Chinook  Indians,  who, 
observing  their  defenseless  condition,  evidently 
decided  to  massacre  them  to  obtain  their  boat 
and  few  valuables,  they  were  saved  by  the 
inimitable  power  possessed  by  Mr.  Vollmar 
of  mimicry.  No  animal  known  tu  him  lives, 
whose  voice  or  call  he  can  not  mimic  to 
perfection.  The  Indians  looked  upon  him  as  a 
witch  or  "  medicine  man,"  gifted  with  marvel- 
ous powers.  An  opportunity  occurring,  they 
hastily  embarked  and  in  the  darkness  escaped 
down  the  river.  Reachir.g  Victoria,  a  rest  was 
made,  when,  refitting  and  reorganizing,  the  sec- 
ond and  successful  attempt  to  reach  mining 
ground  was  made,  this  time  by  ascending  Fra- 
zier River  direct.  Twenty-two  miles  above  Fort 
Yale,  the  party  established  a  mining  camp, 
which  could  be  reached  only  with  great  diffi- 
culty, a  long  portage  constituting  the  last  stage 
of  the  journey.  Supplies  were  obtained  at  great 
cost  on  account  of  the  labor  of  the  portage,  and 
the  mines  prosecuted  with  the  utmost  energy 
hardly  realized  83  per  day  to  the  man.  Finally, 
November  23,  1858,  a  sad  accident  occurred 
which  placed  Mr.  Vollmar's  life  in  peril  for 
many  months  and  crippled  him  for  life.  While 
at  work  a  detached  bowlder  crushed  him  to  the 
earth,  catching  him  by  the  right  foot  and  crush- 
ing his  ankle  and  right  leg.  He  was  conveyed 
to  the  substantial  though  rude  log  cabin  which 
they  had  erected,  and  there  compelled  to  spend 
the  followiug  winter,  without  medical  aid  of 
any  kind  but  the  rndest.  Scurvy  added  to  his 
misery  and  danger,  though  toward  spring  four 
pounds  of  potatoes  were  obtained  at  a  fabulous 
price,  which  materially  benefited  him.  March 
11th,  Mr.  Vollmar  was  carried  from  camp  by 
his  partners  and  taken  to  Fort  Yale,  they  re- 
turning to  the  diggings.  He  by  easy  stages 
was  transported  by  boats  down  the  river  and  to 
Victoria,  where  the  next  nine  months  he  was 
treated  in  hospital.     Late  in  that  year  (1859)  lie 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY 


reached  San  Francisco,  able  to  walk  with  the  aid 
of  a  crutch  and  cane.  Out  near  the  old  Mission 
he  spent  about  fourteen  months,  with  John  Her- 
man. Mr.  Vollrnar  with  characteristic  energy 
soon  began  to  do  light  work,  and  the  following 
few  years  he  found  light  employment  and 
labored  to  repay  $200  indebtedness  to  his  foster- 
I)rotlier.  After  driving  a  milk  wagon  eighteen 
months,  and  having  saved  $600  he,  in  partner- 
ship with  his  foster-brother,  in  1863,  rented 
iifty  acres  of  land  near  tiie  Ocean  House. 
Their  labors  came  to  naught,  the  extreme 
drought  of  that  year  almost  entirely  ruined 
their  crops,  and  the  close  of  the  season  found 
Mr.  VoUmar  minus  his  investment.  Again  he 
commenced  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  finan- 
cially, but  with  characteristic  energy,  so  well 
succeeded  that,  in  1868,  he  bought  an  interest 
in  a  grocery  store  07i  the  northwest  corner  of 
Eighth  and  Howard  streets,  San  Francisco,  and 
continued  in  that  business  until  1872.  He  then 
bought  the  hotel  property  he  now  owns  and  oc- 
cupies at  Embarcadero.  Mr.  Vollmar  has  made 
improvements  and  additions  to  his  property, 
and  has  been  successful  in  its  management,  as 
well  as  in  winning  by  his  genial  accommodating 
ways  the  good  opinion  of  all  who  know  him. 
He  is  well  known  in  Sonoma  Valley,  and  is  met 
at  his  home  and  otherwhere  by  kindly  greeting 
from  hosts  of  friends.  His  wife,  formerly  Miss 
Mary  Volk,  a  native  of  Germany,  he  wedded 
in  San  Francisco  in  1871.  They  have  one 
daughter.  Flora,  now  sixteen  years  of  age.  Mr. 
Vollmar  is  a  member  of  Sonoma  Lodge,  No.  28, 
I.  O.  O.  F.  Both  himself  and  wife  have  taken 
the  Kebecca  degree  in    Verdont  Lodge,  No.  99. 


fHARLES  W.  WOODWARD,  confectioner, 
No.  619,  Fourth  street,  has  been  in  the 
business  in  Santa  Rosa  since  April  10, 
1885.  He  manufactures  all  grades  of  candies, 
except  part  of  the  steam-made  goods,  and  makes 
by  far  the  larger  variety  of  confectionery  goods 
he  handles.      He  also  manufactures  large  (pian- 


tities  of  ice  cream  which  is  done  by  steam,  his 
steam  engine  being  one  of  the  only  two  used 
exclusively  for  the  manufacture  of  ice  cream. 
His  yearly  output  is  from  twelve  to  fifteen  hun- 
dred gallons.  In  connection  with  his  icecream 
manufactory  he  makes  ice  waters,  Roman 
Punch  and  other  cooling  temperance  bever- 
ages. Resides  his  salesroom  and  factory  he  has 
tastefully  furnished  an  ice  cream  parlor  for  liis 
city  customers.  Mr.  Woodward  has  both  a  re- 
tail and  wholesale  trade  in  candy,  his  wholesale 
trade  extending  throughout  Lake  and  Mendo- 
cino Counties,  as  well  as  Sonoma  County.  Mr. 
Woodward's  father  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey, 
and  his  mother  of  Long  Island.  They  moved 
west  and  settled  near  Mansfield,  Ohio,  in  1826, 
and  thence  to  Noble  County,  Indiana,  where 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born.  Mr.  Wood- 
ward has  been  a  resident  of  Sonoma  County 
since  October  25,  1865.  For  many  years  he 
was  employed  as  a  salesman  in  general  merchan- 
dising establishments,  and  was  engaged  in  the 
grocery  business  on  his  own  account  from  1876 
till  1880.  In  Santa  Rosa,  in  1868,  he  married 
Miss  Mathews,  a  native  ot  Missouri,  who  came 
to  this  State  in  1859.  She  died  of  consump- 
tion in  Healdsburg,  in  January,  1885,  leaving 
two  sons,  George  A.  and  Frederick,  aged  nine- 
teen and  twelve  years  respectively.  Mr.  Wood- 
I   ward  is  a  member  of  the  I.O.  O.  F.  and  K.  of  P. 


l^ETER  N.  STOFEN.-  The  subject  of  this 
W^  sketch  has  the  past  twenty-five  years  been 
^)C  one  of  Sonoma  Valley's  active,  enterpris- 
ing, public-spirited  citizens.  He  dates  his  birth 
in  the  Duchy  of  Holstein,  now  a  part  of  the 
German  Empire,  May  29,  1836,  son  of  Wilken 
and  Catherine  Stofen.  When  seventeen  years 
of  age,  in  company  with  his  brother,  John  J. 
Stofen,  two  years  older  than  himself,  he  left  the 
old  home,  and  as  sailor  lads  they  shipped  be- 
fore the  mast,  and  started  in  life  for  themselves 
as  sailors  on  a  merchant  vessel.  They  reached 
San   Francisco    in    1856.      iiidding    farewell   to 


616 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


ocean  life  they  went  to  Tnolumne  County  and 
engaged  with  fair  success  in  mining  until  1861, 
when,  returning  to  San  Francisco,  they  found 
employment  until  June,  1863.  Then  they 
located  at  Embarcadero,  or  San  Luis  as  it  is 
perhaps  more  properly  called.  There  in  co- 
partnership they  became  the  owners  of  190 
acres  of  land,  and  established  what  is  known  as 
Stofen's  Landing,  on  Sonoma  Creek,  and  became 
actively  engaged  in  the  carrying  and  passenger 
trade  between  Sonoma  Valley  and  San  Fran- 
cisco. Each  of  the  brothers  built  for  himself  a 
tine  cottage  home,  which  was  soon  surrounded 
by  shade  and  ornamental  trees.  A  portion  of 
their  land  was  devoted  to  fruit  culture,  but  the 
greater  part  was  devoted  to  general  purposes. 
The  shipping  business  grew  with  the  produc- 
tions of  the  valley  and  became  large  and  lucra- 
tive, necessitating  the  building  of  four  ware 
houses  and  the  owning  of  several  schooners 
and  barges;  finally  the  steamer  Sonoma,  owned 
by  the  brothers,  was  placed  in  the  trade  in 
1874.  The  Stofen  brothers  were  widely  known, 
and  for  their  energy  and  honorable  dealing  and 
enterprise  in  meeting  all  demands  upon  them 
in  a  business  way,  will  always  be  well  and  fav- 
orably remembered.  The  advent  of  the  Sonoma 
Yalley  Railroad  commenced  the  period  of  de- 
cline in  the  water  carrying  trade  of  the  valley's 
products.  Still  the  business  is  kept  up,  two 
vessels  being  employed  in  making  regular  trips 
to  San  Franeiscu.  John  J.-Stofen  now  resides 
in  San  Francisco  and  is  the  master  of  the  gov- 
ernment steamer,  General  McDoicell.  Peter 
N.  Stofen,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was 
united  in  marriage  November  9,  1875,  with 
Miss  Dora  Thiesson,  who  was  also  born  in 
the  Duchy  of  Ilolstein.  She  has  resided  in 
California  since  sixteen  years  of  age.  They 
have  two  children,  Meta  and  William.  Mrs. 
Stofen  is  a  cultured  lady,  much  respected  by  all 
who  know  her.  She  is  the  worthy  matron  of 
the  "  Valley  of  the  Moon "  Chapter,  No.  85, 
Eastern  Star,  a  Masonic  organization.  Mr. 
Stofen  is  also  a  member  of  the  same  organiza- 
tion, and  of  Temple  Lodge,  No.  14.  F.  &  A.  M., 


having  served  the  lodge  as  secretary,  senior  and 
junior  warden.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  A. 
O.  U.  W.,  No.  168,  Pueblo  Lodge,  and  of  the 
Master  Mariners  Benevolent  Association,  of 
San  Francisco.  Mr.  Stofen's  parents  and  a 
younger  brother,  Herman  W.,  now  a  resident  of 
San  Francisco,  also  an  older  sister,  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet Stademan,  now  a  resident  of  Embarcadero, 
joined  him  in  1870.  Both  of  his  parents  lived 
to  a  ripe  age,  his  mother  dying  in  1883,  aged 
seveuty-eight  years,  and  his  father  dying  De- 
cember 6, 1886,  aged  eighty-six  years.  He  was 
remarkably  strong  physically  and  mentally  to 
the  last,  and  died  of  heart  disease,  without  a 
moment's  sickness.  November  6,  1888,  Mr. 
Stofen  was  honored  by  the  votes  of  Sonoma 
County,  by  being  elected  county  treasurer,  on 
the  Democratic  ticket,  by  a  vote  flattering  and 
complimentary  to  himself.  Since  his  taking 
possession  of  the  office  he  has  been  a  resident  of 
Santa  Rosa.  His  many  warm  friends  in  So- 
noma Valley  and  otherwheres  predict  for  him 
an  honorable  career  as  a  public  ofiicer. 


>~^-<i- 


tOBEPtT  W.  BELL,  proprietor  of  the  Santa 
Rosa  nurseries,  successor  to  Luther  Bur- 
bank,  is  a  native  of  Britain,  but  resided 
in  Canada  for  twenty  years  prior  to  1877,  when 
he  came  to  Santa  Rosa.  He  afterward  removed 
to  Napa  Valley  and  spent  some  time  there  en- 
gaged in  fruit  culture,  returning  to  Santa  Rosa 
in  September,  1885.  In  April,  1888,  he  pur- 
chased the  Santa  Rosa  nurseries  from  Mr.  Bur- 
bank.  These  nurseries  were  established  by  Mr. 
Burbank  ten  years  ago,  and  since  that  time 
have  gained  a  State,  and  even  a  national  reputa- 
tion. The  trees  from  these  nurseries  are  free 
from  the  insect  pests  which  affect  nurseries  in 
many  parts  of  the  State.  They  are  grown 
without  irrigation,  and  hence  are  much  better 
rooted  than  those  produced  by  the  irrigation 
method.  Mr.  Bell  has  made  fruit  culture  a 
study  for  a  large  part  of  his  life,  and  is  passion- 
ately fond  of  his  chosen  calling.     Besides  the 


HI8T0BT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


grounds  on  Tiipper  street,  he  has  lately  added 
twenty-two  and  one-lialf  acres  of  choice  sedi- 
ment land,  well  adapted  to  the  nursery  busi- 
ness, and  located  one  mile  west  of  the  city. 
Being  entirely  isolated  from  other  orchards  he 
can  guard  against  insect  pests  that  might  be 
projiagated  by  shiftless  neighbors;  and  the  land 
being  new,  will  produce  healthy,  vigorous  trees, 
thus  enabling  him  to  maintain  the  enviable 
reputation  which  these  nurseries  already  pos- 
sess. Mr.  Bell  is  determined  to  earn  and  de- 
serve a  reputation  for  reliability  which  is  so 
essential  in  this  business,  wdiere  dishonesty 
cannot  be  detected  for  some  years.  He  employs 
a  foreman,  who  was  for  many  years  foreman  for 
Mr.  Burbank.  He  expects  to  have  over  a  mill- 
ion of  fruit,  shade  and  ornamental  trees  and 
plants  for  the  season  of  1889-'90,  and,  as  busi- 
iicss  may  demand,  will  continue  to  enlarge  his 
nurseries.      May  his  shadow  never  grow  less. 


fRTHUR  L.  WHITNEY  &  CO.— The  above 
named  firm,  one  of  the  largest,  if  not  the 
,,,  largest  grocers,  shippers  and  commission 
merchants  in  the  city  of  Petaluma,  consists  of  A. 
L.  a;id  C.  E.  Whitney.  The  business  was  first 
started  by  A.  P.  Whitney  and  I.  D.  Cross,  who 
remained  together  about  one  year,  when  Mr. 
Cross  sold  his  interest  to  George  Lamoreaux, 
and  the  business  continued  under  the  firm  name 
of  AVhitney  &  Lamoreaux.  About  a  year  later 
Mr.  Whitney  became  the  sole  proprietor  and 
remained  alone  for  some  time  when  H.  T. 
Fairbanks  purchased  an  interest  and  the  firm 
became  Wiiitney  &  Fairbanks.  This  partner- 
sliip  lasted  about  a  year  and  a  half,  wiien  Mr. 
AVhitney  again  became  the  sole  proprietor  and 
continued  as  such  up  to  the  time  of  his  death 
in  188-1,  when  his  sons,  A.  L.  and  C.  E.  Wiiit- 
ney succeeded  to  the  business  and  the  name 
changed  to  what  it  now  is.  Their  business  in 
San  Francisco,  under  the  firm  name  of  C.  E. 
AViiitney  ik  Co.,  dairy  produce  and  provisions, 
corner  of  California  and  Davis  streets,  is  one  of 


the  largest  in  that  city,  and  is  a  solid,  substan- 
tial house.  Arthur  L.  Whitney,  the  manager 
of  the  house  in  Petaluma,  was  born  in  Kingston, 
Minnesota,  May  26,  1858.  He  came  to  Peta- 
luma with  his  mother  and  the  family  in  1861, 
his  father,  A.  P.  Whitney,  being  here  at  that 
time,  having  come  in  the  fall  of  1858.  Arthur 
was  reared  in  Petaluma,  attended  the  public 
schools  of  that  city,  and  graduated  May  26, 
1876.  He  next  entered  the  University  of  Cali- 
fornia at  Berkeley,  and  graduated  from  that 
institution  June  2,  1880,  receiving  the  degree 
Ph.  B.,  also  just  before  graduating,  received  the 
commission  as  Captain  of  the  University  Corps 
of  Cadets.  After  a  short  course  at  Heald's 
Business  College  he  returned  to  Petaluma  and 
entered  tiie  employ  of  his  father,  with  whom  he 
remained  two  years,  when  he  went  to  San  Fran- 
cisco and  became  associated  in  business  with  his 
brother  under  the  firm  name  of  C.  E.  AViiitney 
&  Co.  He  remained  there  until  his  father's 
death  in  1884,  when  he  assumed  the  manage- 
ment of  the  business  in  Petaluma  under  the 
name  of  Arthur  L.  AVhitney  ct  Co.,  at  the  same 
time  retaining  his  interest  in  the  firm  in  San 
P'rancisco.  Mr.  Whitney  is  a  Knight  Templar, 
belonging  to  Mt.  Olivet  Commandery,  No.  20, 
of  Petaluma.  He  was  united  in  marriage  No- 
vember 23,  1882,  with  Anna  B.  St.  John,  step- 
daughter of  E.  Uenman,  president  of  the  Bank 
of  Sonoma  County.  They  have  two  sons — 
Arthur  St.  John  and  Leslie  Denman. 


I^ON.  ROBERT  HOWE._The  subject  of 
^m\  this  sketch  is  well  known  in  California's 
^sll  business  and  political  circles,  having  been 
over  a  third  of  a  century  identified  with  the 
State,  and  at  the  present  time  one  of  the  most 
active  and  progressive  men  of  Sonoma  County. 
It  is  fitting  that  more  than  a  passing  mention 
of  him  should  be  made  in  this  historical  work. 
A  brief  review  of  his  life  gives  the  following 
facts:  He  was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
October  23,  1831,  and  was  educated  and  reared 


618 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY 


in  tliat  city.  In  February,  1853,  he  embarked 
for  California,  via  the  Isthmus  route.  From 
Panama,  on  the  old  steamer  Tennessee,  he  was 
a  passenger  bound  for  San  Francisco.  The  ill- 
starred  steamer  was  destined  never  to  reach  her 
destination,  for  March  6,  in  a  dense  fog,  siie  lost 
her  reckonings  and  ran  ashore  at  Tagus  beach, 
Bolinas  Bay,  Marin  County,  at  a  point  ever 
since  known  as  Tennessee  Cove.  The  passen- 
gers and  their  effects  were  all  saved.  The  first 
nine  years  of  Mr.  Howe's  residence  in  California 
were  spent  in  mining  in  Tuolumne  County.  He 
then  returned  to  ISfew  York  City  and  remained 
in  the  East  until  1856,  when,  returning  to  this 
State,  he  again  made  his  home  in  Tuolumne 
County.  In  that  county,  in  1858,  he  was  elect- 
ed on  the  Democratic  ticket  to  the  Assembly  of 
the  State,  and  in  1859  was  re-elected.  In  1859 
Mr.  Howe  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Mary  Ellen  Hammond,  who  was  born  in  the 
State  of  Tennessee,  but  from  girlhood  was  reared 
in  California.  In  1862  Mr.  Howe  became  a 
resident  and  an  active  business  man  of  San 
Francisco  and  one  of  the  city's  leading  public 
men.  As  one  of  the  tirm  of  J.  W.  Gale  &  Co., 
commission  merchants,  he  engaged  in  business 
on  Davis  Street.  In  1869  the  firm  became 
Howe  &  Hall.  Many  years  this  well-known 
firm  did  an  extensive  business  with  correspond- 
ents in  many  different  parts  of  the  Pacific  coast. 
The  firm  was  dissolved  in  1882,  Mr.  Howe, 
however,  continuing  the  business  until  January 
1,  1884.  In  1873,  when  San  Francisco  elected 
twelve  members  of  the  Assembly  at  large,  or 
upon  one  ticket,  Mr.  Howe  was  a  nominee  npon 
the  Democratic  ticket,  and  the  only  one  on  the 
ticket  of  twelve  who  was  elected,  a  fact  the 
mere  statement  of  which  is  a  great  compliment 
to  him.  In  1875  he  was  elected  one  of  the 
city's  representatives  in  the  State  Senate,  serv- 
ing four  years  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  con- 
stituents, during  which  time  he  acted  upon 
many  important  committees,  and  was  chairman 
on  the  committee  on  commerce  and  navigation. 
In  1872  Mr.  Howe  and  his  partner,  Mr.  Hall, 
bought  100  acres  of  choice  valley  land,  two  miles 


south  of  the  old  historic  town  of  Sonoma,  in 
this  county,  and  at  once  commenced  its  im- 
provement. From  time  to  time  they  added  to 
this  purchase  until  they  owned  an  estate  of 
nearly  400  acres.  This  property  was  equally 
divided  by  the  partners  in  1885,  Mr.  Howe 
having  the  year  previous  established  his  home 
upon  the  portion  he  now  owns.  "  Eden  Dale," 
the  name  of  this  place,  is  one  of  the  finest  rural 
properties  to  be  found  in  Sonoma  County.  Tiie 
estate  of  200  acres  is  under  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation, and  all  in  orchard  or  vine^'ard,  seventy- 
five  acres  being  devoted  to  deciduous  fruits, 
including  twenty  acres  planted  with  quince 
trees,  the  largest  quince  orchard  in  the  United 
States.  Tills  orchard  was  planted  by  Mr.  Howe 
in  1877.  The  crop  of  quinces  for  1887  was 
fully  175  tons.  Peaches  and  pears  form  a  large 
portion  of  the  annual  production,  3,000  bo.xes 
of  pears  being  marketed  in  1887.  Tiie  elegant 
residence,  commodious,  substantial,  furnished 
and  finished  with  regard  only  to  comfort  and 
convenience,  was  erected  in  1879.  All  the 
building  improvements  are  noticeably  good  and 
all  help  to  make  "  Eden  Dale"  a  charming  pic- 
ture of  a  delightful  rural  home.  Sonoma  Creek 
passes  from  the  north  to  the  soutli  through  the 
estate,  and  upun  its  banki  near  the  southern 
boundary  of  the  property,  stands  a  historic 
building,  erected  in  the  early  days,  before  Cali- 
fornia was  a  State.  It  is  40  x  40  feet,  and  is  a 
story  and  a  half  high.  It  is  substantially  built 
of  hewed  square  ti  mber  and  hewed  boards,  and 
originally  had  not  a  nail,  spike,  or  iron  of  any 
kind  in  any  of  its  parts.  In  the  old  time  it  was 
used  as  a  fiour-mill,  but  is  now  occupied  by  men 
in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Howe.  The  public  career  of 
Mr.  Howe  was  not  ended  with  his  coming  to  So- 
nomaCounty.  November  6,  1888,  he  was  elected 
to  the  Assembly  from  the  Twenty-fifth  Assembly 
district,  by  a  vote  peculiarly  complimentary  to 
him.  Generally  voting  Republican  the  district 
gave  him  a  handsome  majority  and  elected  him 
by  a  vote  exceeding  the  vote  for  the  Democratic 
electoral  ticket  of  nearly  100,  and  upon  the 
organization  of  the  Assembly  he  was  elected  its 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT y. 


Speaker,  an  office  in  which  he  served  with  con- 
spicuous and  marked  ability.  Mr.  Howe  is 
identified  witii  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  a  member  of  Unity  Lodge,  and  of 
Oriental  Encampment  of  San  Francisco.  Hav- 
ing passed  the  chairs  of  his  lodge,  he  is  a 
nieuiber  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State.  Val- 
ley Lodge  of  San  Francisco,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  the 
largest  in  America,  numbering  over  1,000,  also 
claims  him  as  a  member.  The  names  of  the 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Howe,  in  order  of 
their  birth,  are:  Mary,  wife  of  Charles  Wauga- 
man;  Lydia,  wife  of  Asa  Waugaman ;  Nellie, 
Dora,  Zarifa  and  Kobert. 


i^'^. 


^•^^- 


fRRlN  HOWELL.— The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  born  in  Delaware  County, 
New  York,  January  15,  1839,  where  he 
resided  until  1857,  in  which  year  he  emigrated, 
by  way  of  Panama,  to  California,  arriving  at 
San  Francisco  in  August  of  the  same  year.  He 
engaged  at  once  as  clerk  in  a  wholesale  grocery 
store.  This  occupation  he  followed  about 
eighteen  months.  He  then  clerked  for  J.  H. 
Whiton  &  Co.,  in  Cloverdale,  Sonoma  County, 
for  the  same  length  of  time.  We  next  find  him 
in  Humboldt  County,  where  he  remained  until 
1862,  when  he  removed  to  Mendocino  County, 
and,  after  i-emaining  there  two  years,  he  went 
to  Oregon,  where  he  remained  for  over  a  year. 
He  then  returned  to  San  Francisco,  and  in  1868 
he  again  took  up  his  residence  in  Mendocino 
County,  at  Hopland,  where  he  resided  until 
1886.  He  then  removed  to  Sonoma  County, 
and  opened  a  grocery  store  at  Santa  Rosa,  in 
the  Athenenm  building,  in  partnership  with  A. 
Bryant,  the  linn  name  being  Howell  &  Bryant. 
Mr.  Howell  is  now  a  member  of  the  Santa  Rosa 
city  council,  and  an  active  and  energetic  man 
in  all  matters  of  public  concern  to  Santa  Rosa 
and  the  county  at  large.  May  11,  1871,  Mr. 
Howell  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Liz- 
zie, daugliter  of  S.  M.  Brooks,  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, who  was  born  in  Chicago,    Illinois,  Sep- 


tember 14,  1847.  The  result  of  this  union  is 
si.\  children,  twodaughters  and  four  sons.  Clara 
was  born  March  14,  1872;  John,  November  9, 
1874;  Walter,  March  9,  1877;  Frank,  January 
31,  1879;  Eva,  February  4,  1881;  and  Fred., 
March  31,  1884.  Mr.  Ho^^  ell  is  a  man  of  high 
standing  in  the  community  in  which  he  lives 
and  is  a  genuine  type  of  the  self-made  man. 


Ig^ENRY  WINKLE.— Winkle's  vineyard 
llWl  ^'^^'^  ^"*^  one-half  miles  east  of  Sonoma, 
^(|  consists  of  110  acres,  and,  although  not 
the  largest,  is  one  of  the  best  improved  proper- 
ties in  Sonoma  Valley  or  Sonoma  County.  Mr. 
Winkle's  fine  cottage  residence  is  approached 
by  an  avenue  leading  north  from  the  Sonoma 
and  Napa  road,  nearly  400  rods  of  the  avenue 
being  shaded  by  Lombardy  poplars.  Mr. 
Winkle  purchased  the  property  and  commenced 
its  further  improvement  in  1869,  he  being  at 
that  time  a  resident  of  San  Francisco.  In  1876 
he  established  his  residence  upon  it,  since  which 
time  his  almost  undivided  attention  has  been 
given  to  its  care  and  development.  His  wine 
cellar,  a  model  in  architecture  and  equipment, 
was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $20,000,  in  1871.  His 
distillery,  a  building  also  perfect  in  all  its 
appointments,  was  erected  in  1873.  Water  for 
use  in  all  his  establishments  and  grounds  sur- 
rounding is  piped  in  abundance  from  wells  in 
the  neighboring  hills.  The  reader  will  under- 
stand something  of  the  excellence  of  this  ranch, 
when  told  that  it  represents  an  investment  of 
nearly  §80,000.  Mr.  Winkle  dates  his  birth  in 
Hesse  Cassel,  Germany,  March  10,  1821,  and  is 
the  son  of  William  Winkle.  He  was  reared  to 
an  agricultural  life,  and  given  good  educational 
advantages.  Resolving  upon  emigrating  to 
the  United  States,  he  landed  at  New  York  City 
in  the  winter  of  1840.  There  he  learned  the 
baker's  trade,  and  remained  in  that  city  until 
the  autumn  of  1843,  going  thence  to  Florida, 
where  he  engaged  one  year  in  the  hotel  busi- 
ness.    From    there   he   went   to    Fort   Gaines, 


HISTORT    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Georgia,  and  spent  two  years  in  the  bakery 
business.  In  1846  he  returned  to  Pensacola, 
Florida,  where  he  remained  until  1840,  engaged 
in  a  bakery  and  grocery.  In  October  of  tlie 
latter  year  he  came,  via  the  Panama  route,  to 
San  Francisco,  arriving  in  March,  1850,  having 
spent  three  months  in  Panama.  He  located  in 
Sacramento,  opened  a  bakery  and  coffee  restaurant 
and  alsoengaged  in  the  real  estate  business.  No- 
vember 2,  1852,  the  whole  city  of  Sacramento 
was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  Mr.  Winkle  was  a 
heavy  loser.  He  rebuilt  shortly  after,  with 
enormous  expense  for  material,  and  one  month 
later  in  December,  1852,  and  January,  1853,  the 
city  was  overflooded,  so  people  had  to  move  into  the 
second  story  of  their  buildings,  and  Mr.  Winkle 
was  financially  ruined,  property  decreasing  in 
value  to  fifteen  and  twenty  cents  on  the  dollar.  In 
1854  he  went  to  San  Francisco,  and  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Vallejo  and  Battery  streets,  opened 
"  Winkle's  Bakery,"  where  he  conducted  a  large 
business  until  1871.  Later  he  became  engaged 
in  the  wine  and  liquor  business.  It  should  be 
further  stated,  in  connection  with  the  enter- 
prises with  which  Mr.  Winkle  has  been  con- 
nected, that  he  manutactiired  the  first  cement 
made  on  this  coast.  During  his  residence  in 
Sati  Francisco  the  buying  and  selling  of  real 
estate  made  no  small  part  of  his  business,  in 
fact,  he  is  yet  the  owner  of  quite  large  specula- 
tive interests.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Emma  (Steude- 
man)  Winkle,  is  a  lady  of   German  birth. 

I^TflLLIAM  G.  KACKLIFF  has  a  ranch 
^^?1af||  of  sixty-eight  acres  on  Dry  Creek, 
l*=§^r^  seven  miles  from  Healdsburg.  Twelve 
acres  are  in  grapes,  consisting  of  Zinfandel, 
Mataro,  Malvoise,  and  a  few  Mission,  the  vines 
ranging  in  age  from  two  to  three  years.  He 
has  three  acres  of  peaches  and  French  prunes, 
two  years  old,  and  a  small  orchard  of  old  trees. 
Mr.  Rackliff  was  born  in  Sonoma  County, 
March  28, 1862,  his  parents  being  Peter  K.  and 
Lucinda  (Higgins;^  Rackliff.     Peter  K.  Rackliff 


was  born  in  Lincolnville,  Maine,  and  was  a 
school  teacher.  He  came  to  California,  via 
Panama,  early  in  the  oO's,  locating  at  Petaluma 
and  teaching  there  and  in  that  neighborhood 
for  several  years.  He  removed  to  Dry  Creek 
in  1861,  and  after  that  followed  farming  as  well 
as  teaching.  His  wife  was  also  a  native  of 
Maine.  They  were  married  in  Lincolnville, 
Maine,  in  1848.  Mr.  Rackliff  died  in  May, 
1871,  and  his  wife  in  June,  1885.  They  had 
six  children,  of  whom  three  are  living,  viz.: 
Eugene,  Ella,  wife  of  Will  Litton,  and  William 
G.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  The  father  was 
a  Republican,  and  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
lodge  of  Healdsburg.  William  G.  Rackliff  was 
reared  in  the  locality  where  he  now  resides, 
attending  the  schools  of  his  neighborhood  and 
Healdsburg  for  nine  years.  He  has  been  at  his 
present  location  since  1876.  Mr.  Rackliff  is  a 
member  of  Healdsburg  Parlor,  N.  S.  G.  W., 
and,  like  his  fathei-  before  him,  is  a  staunch  Re- 
publican. 


f^EONIDAS  J.  CRALLE  was  born  April 
lyvf  12,  1818,  in  Campbell  County,  Virginia, 
^^  his  parents  being  Lindscy  and  Nanoy 
(Rosser)  Cralle,  both  natives  of  Virginia.  His 
father  was  a  descendant  of  a  French  family  who 
came  to  Virginia  at  an  early  date.  He  died 
when  Leonidas  was  but  four  years  of  age.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  as  a  farmer 
until  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  at  the  same  time 
receiving  such  an  education  as  the  public  schools 
afforded.  In  his  young  manhood  he  took  the 
sole  charge  of  his  mother's  farm,  where  he  be- 
came versed  in  all  the  practical  duties  of  farm 
operations.  Between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and 
twenty  years  he  took  a  course  in  a  private  high 
school.  He  made  rapid  progress,  and  later 
entered  upon  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of 
his  brother-in-law,  Edwin  Bolton.  In  1842  he 
moved  to  Union  County,  Kentucky,  where  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  practiced  law  until 
1840.      In  that  year  he  came  overland   to  Call- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


t'ornia,  arriving  liere  September  9,  1849.  Mr. 
Cralle  was  almost  penniless  upon  his  arrival, 
but  with  his  characteristic  pluck  he  started  as  a 
miner  on  the  Feather  River.  As  an  illustration 
of  Mr.  Cralle's  speculative  tendencies,  and  the 
manner  in  which  business  was  couducted  in  the 
mines  in  the  old  times,  the  following  is  of  in- 
terest. The  second  day  after  his  arrival  in  the 
mines  (his  first  day's  "clean  np"  gave  liim 
thirty-seven  cents),  a  man  who  was  working  a 
claim  hailed  him  and  asked  him  if  he  did  not 
want  to  liny  him  out.  Mr.  Cralle's  financial 
status  was  such  that  he  considered  this  proposition 
as  merely  amounting  to  an  insult,  and  so  told 
the  claim-holder;  but  the  man  meant  business, 
and  after  some  talk  over  pro.spects,  agreed  to 
sell  him  the  claim,  tools  and  tent  for  about 
$1,300,  and  give  him  three  days  in  which  to 
pay  foi'  it.  This  verbal  bargain  was  soon  closed. 
Mr.  Cralle  hired  a  man  and  went  witJi  him  into 
that  claim,  and  in  three  days  took  out  enough 
gold  to  pay  for  it.  This  same  claim  afterward 
yielded  him  several  thousand  dollars.  Mr. 
Cralle  conducted  liis  mining  operations  with 
varying  success  until  1854.  He  then  located 
at  Oakland,  wliere  he  purchased  160  acres  of 
land,  and  engaged  in  farming.  He  also  entered 
into  the  practice  of  law  at  Oakland.  In  1858 
he  moved  to  Fresno  County,  and  settled  on 
King's  River,  where  he  engaged  in  stock-raising 
and  orchard  cultivation.  In  18(30  he  closed  out 
his  business  there  and  moved  to  Mono  County, 
wliere  he  entered  into  mining  and  prospecting 
operations.  He  found  many  rich  lodes  of  gold 
and  silver,  and  in  company  witli  three  others 
put  up  a  mill  for  the  purpose  of  developing  one 
of  them,  he  doing  the  carpenter  work.  Imme- 
diately after  the  completion  of  the  mill  there 
was  an  Indian  outbreak,  and  lie  was  one  of  the 
party  who  went  out  in  defense  of  the  wliite 
settlers.  Fifty  Indians  and  six  whites  were 
killed  before  hostilities  ceased,  whicli  consumed 
three  months'  time,  and  wiien  tliey  returned  to 
their  cam])  they  found  their  mill,  with  others, 
burned.  He  remained  there  until  1804,  when 
he  came  to   Sonoma  County,  and  located  on  a 


farm  near  Petaluma.  In  1804  he  married  Mrs. 
Nancy  J.  Middletoii,  widow  of  William  T.  Mid- 
dleton,  a  farmer  of  Sonoma  County.  In  1867 
he  moved  to  Santa  Clara  County,  and  there  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  stock-raising  until  1870, 
when  he  returned  to  Sonoma  County  and  located 
on  his  old  place,  where  he  lived  two  years.  In 
1872  he  purchased  800  acres  of  land  in  the 
mountains,  about  nine  miles  east  of  Santa  Rosa, 
which  he  stocked  with  500  Angora  goats.  lie 
conducted  this  enterprise  until  1884,  when  he 
sold  out  and  moved  to  Santa  Rosa.  Shortly 
after,  in  company  with  Mr.  [leirshler,  he  bought 
320  acres  of  land  near  his  old  stock  ranch,  and 
planted  130  acres  of  grape  vines.  He  also,  in 
the  same  year,  bought  174  acres  of  land  on  the 
Santa  Rosa  and  Fulton  road,  four  miles  north- 
west of  Santa  Rosa,  and  two  years  later  sold  a 
half  interest  to  William  Benson.  He  subse- 
qutntly  sold  his  interest  in  the  820-acre  tract  to 
his  partner,  Mr.  Heirshler,  and  has  since  de- 
voted himself  to  the  care  and  cultivation  of  the 
last  purchase.  One  hundred  and  sixty-four  acres 
of  tiie  land  is  devoted  to  vineyard,  producing 
wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfa;  del  variety.  There  is 
also  a  small  family  vineyard,  producing  a  large 
variety  of  choice  table  grapes.  The  rest  of  the 
land  is  used  as  a  pasture  for  his  stock.  Mr. 
Cralle  is  a  practical  vineyardist.  The  intelli- 
gent care  and  attention  he  is  devoting  to  his 
present  enterprise  is  producing  grand  results, 
and  he  seems  destined  to  build  up  one  of  the 
model  vineyards  of  the  county.  Among  the 
improvements  on  his  place  is  a  winery,  having 
a  capacity  of  over  70,000  gallons.  Mr.  Cralle 
is  a  California  pioneer  of  '49.  Nearly  forty 
years  of  his  life  have  been  spent  in  the  various 
counties  of  the  State,  and  nearly  half  of  that 
time  in  Sonoma  County.  He  is  a  strong  be- 
liever in  the  future  prosperity  and  wealth  of  this 
"Garden  of  the  World,"  and  is  ever  ready  to  aid 
in  any  enterprise  that  will  tend  to  advance  the 
interests  and  welfare  of  the  section  in  which  he 
resides.  He  is  a  life-long  Democrat,  liberal  and 
conservative  in  his  views,  and  though  not  an 
office-seeker,  he  takes  a  deep  interest  in  the  sue- 


622 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


cess  of  the  best  elements  of  his  party.  Mrs. 
Cralle  ha<  one  child  by  her  previous  marriage — 
Lillie  Middleton,  born  February  12,  1857.  She 
married  A.  M.  Butler,  and  is  now  (1SS8)  re- 
siding in  Fresno  County. 


fTEPHEK  CORJvELL  FOWLEFv  was 
born  in  Lakeville,  Queens  County,  Long 
Island,  January  3,  1797.  His  ancestors 
were  among  the  early  settlers  of  the  Island,  and 
came  from  England  a  hundred  years  prior  to 
the  Revolutionary  war.  His  father  served  with 
the  militia  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  took  part 
in  the  defense  of  the  city  of  -New  York  and 
vicinity.  He  was  married  to  Martha  Fowler, 
on  the  28th  day  of  December,  1819,  who  died 
on  the  25tli  day  of  November  following.  He 
married  Rebecca  Lawrence,  December  31, 1821. 
She  was  the  eldest  daughter  of  "Whitehead 
Lawrence,  who  was  also  descended  from  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  Long  Island,  and  counted 
among  his  ancestors  the  Lawrence  who  first 
settled  that  portion  long  known  as  "Lawrence's 
Neck,"  now  called  College  Point.  The  result 
of  this  marriage  was  ten  children:  Mary,  born 
in  1822,  died  in  1823;  Stephen  Lawrence, 
born  January  31,  1825,  died  at  Valley  Ford, 
California,  March  4,  1868;  Cornelia  Wykoff, 
December  7, 1826;  James  Edgar,  December  28, 
1828;  Benjamin,  May  25,  1832,  died  June 
14,  1833;  Whitehead,  May  5,  1834;  Sarah 
Ann,  February  14,1837;  John  Henry,  Septem- 
14,  1839;  Benjamin,  December  17,  1841; 
jS'athaniel  Darling,  October  15,  1845.  The  two 
eldest  sons,  Stej^hen  and  James,  were  among  the 
first  who  left  New  York  for  California  when  the 
news  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  the  country 
reached  there.  They  took  passage  on  the  ship 
BrooMyn,  whicii  sailed  from  that  port  Januaiy 
12,  1849,  and  arrived  at  San  Francisco  August 
12,  1849.  Cornelia  and  Whitehead  soon  fol- 
lowed. The  subject  of  this  sketch  embarked 
with  his  wife  and  the  remaining  portion  of  his 
family  on  board  the  clipper-ship  Lookout,  Cap- 


I  tain  John  G.  Joice,  and  sailed  from  New  York, 
December  28,  for  San  Francisco  via  Cape  Horn, 
which  port  they  entered  safely  May  6,  1S54, 
and  on  the  12th  came,  per  steamer  Reindeer, 
to  Petaluma,  thence  by  ox  team  to  where  the 
town  of  Valley  Ford  now  stands.  Having 
passed  that  period  in  life  when  they  were  ambi- 
tious to  accumulate  wealth,  they  built  them  a 
home  around  which  they  gathered  fruits  and 
flowers  and   every  thing  that  was  calculated  to 

'  make  life  pleasant  in  their  declining  years. 
Mother  Fowler  being  the  first  female  resident 
of  the  town,  many  still  remember  the  generous 
hospitality  of  the  old  couple.  On  the  31st  of 
December,  1871,  with  their  children  gathered 
around  them,  they  celebrated,  in  a  becoming 
manner,  the  anniversary  of  an  event  that  took 
place  just  fifty  years  previous  amid  the  quiet 
surroundings  of  their  childhood  home,  having 
wandered  toward  the  golden  sunset  and  rested 
within  hearing  of  the  ceaseless  roar  of  the  Old 
Pacific.  Mother  Fowler,  as  she  was  called,  died 
in  April,  1884,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
two  years.  As  she  passed  peacefully  away  her 
last  word  was  "  Home."  Mr.  Fowler  was  a 
lover  of  his  adopted  State,  an  enthusiastic  ad- 
mirer of  her  climate,  and  a  firm  believer  in  her 
destined  greatness.  Particularly  was  he  at- 
tached to  Sonoma  County.  He  took  a  deep 
interest  in  all  that  pertained  to  the  welfare  and 
prosperity  of  the  State,  and  willingly  assisted 
in  aiding  every  enterprise  in  the  community 
in  which  he  lived  that  seemed  to  him  to  have 
for  its  object  the  promotion  of  the  public  good. 
The  Rev.  Thomas  Eraser,  syuodical  missionary, 
thus  speaks  of  him  in  the  Occident  of  January 
1,  1879:  "  Your  fathers,  where  are  they?  and 
the  prophets,  do  they  live  forever?  He  whose 
death  was  noticed  in  a  recent  issue  of  the  Occi- 
dent, was  one  whom  I  dearly  loved,  the  fatlier 
of  a  large  and  most  estimable  family,  and  truly 
a  father  in  Israel.  My  acquaintance  with  him 
commenced  in  the  spring  of  1860,  when  he 
showed  himself,  as  ever  after,  an  humble,  sincere 
and  consistent  Christian.  Thoroughly  attached 
to    the    Presbyterian  church,  he  loved  all  good 


HISTORY    OF    aONOMA    COUNTY. 


people,  and  was  loved  and  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him.  As  a  man,  he  was  kind,  just  and 
true.  As  a  Christian,  he  had  remarkably  clear 
preceptions  of  divine  truth,  with  strong  and 
positive  convictions.  His  religious  feelings 
were  exceedingh'  warm,  easily  excited  and  not 
easily  controlled.  As  a  friend  of  religion  and 
supporter  and  officer  of  the  church  which  he 
loved,  all  knew  where  Father  Fowler  stood.  He 
was  one  of  the  original  members  and  elders  of 
the  first  Presbyterian  church  founded  in  this 
section  of  the  country.  As  the  work  grew  it 
became  necessary  to  organize  another  church, 
and  he  was  a  member  and  elder  of  that  until  he 
died.  During  many  years  missionary  work 
in  Sonoma  County,  he  was  my  warm  and  stead- 
fast friend.  In  his  last  sickness,  which  was  ex- 
tremely painful  and  protracted,  he  waited 
patiently  with  childlike  trust  in  his  Savior  for 
the  relief  which  death  only  could  afford.  His 
last  words  to  me  were:  'I  am  waiting  for  Christ 
to  take  me  to  himself;  you  will  soon  hear  that 
I  am  at  home.'  He  died  just  before  midnight, 
November  27,  1878,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-one  years,  ten  months  and  twenty-four 
days,  and  was  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Bloom- 
field.  His  life  was  a  worthy  example  of 
patience,  industry,  sobriety,  humility  and  broth- 
erly love.'" 


■••■%-3"I'^-'- 

fAMES  E.  FOWLER.— The  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  the  second  son  of  Stephen  C.  and 
Rebecca  Fowler.  He  was  born  in  New 
York  City,  December  28,  182S,  where  he  spent 
the  most  of  his  youth  in  acquiring  an  education. 
His  father  being  a  builder  and  contractor  he 
adopted  that  occupation  as  a  basis  for  future 
0[>eration8.  Unlike  many  city  youths  James  felt 
the  restraint  of  city  life  and  longed  forsome  new 
field  where  he  thought  he  could  use  what  talent 
he  possessed  to  a  better  advantage.  The  fall 
of  1848  brought  vague  rumors  of  the  discovery 
of  gold  in  California.  A  few  weeks  of  suspense 
and  the  most  exaggerated  stories  of  the  wonder- 


ful wealth  of  the  new  El  Dorado  were  confirmed. 
In  company  with  his  elder  brother  Stephen,  he 
sailed  in  the  old  ship  Brooklyn,  January  12, 
18-19,  with  upward  of  200  Argonauts  on  board, 
and  as  motley  a  crowd  as  ever  ventured  forth  on 
old  Neptune's  broad  domain.  One  hundred  and 
twenty  days  brought  them  to  the  Island  of  Juan 
Fernandez  where  Alexander  Selkirk  spent  four 
years  solitary  and  alone,  where  his  cave  dug  out 
of  sandstone  with  its  smoke  begrimmed  walls 
still  stands  as  when  he  left  it  so  many  years  ago. 
A  few  days  spent  there  while  the  ship  took  in 
a  supj)ly  of  fresh  water,  was  like  an  oasis  upon 
the  desert.  After  ninety  days  of  monotonous 
sea  life  varied  by  a  burial  at  sea,  and  a  narrow 
escape  from  shipwreck  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Garcia  River,  they  entered  the  Golden  Gate 
with  every  thing  set  alow  and  aloft  and  came  to 
anchor  o])posite  the  canvas  town  of  Terba 
Buena.  Without  a  parting  tear  they  left  the 
old  ship  that  had  been  their  home  for  seven 
montiis.  In  a  cozy  little  valley  where  they  had 
wood  and  water  convenient  they  pitched  their 
tent.  The  Oriental  Block  now  occupies  the  site. 
All  kinds  of  labor  were  in  demand,  skilled  or 
unskilled.  Mechanics'  wages  were  $12  per  day. 
Laborers  shoveling  sand  received  $8  per  day. 
The  Fowlers  erected  several  buildings  by  con- 
tract and,  having  accumulated  quite  a  pile  of 
doubloons,  concluded  to  try  mining,  sailed  up 
the  Sacramento,  organized  a  party,  chartered  a 
team  for  Dry  Town,  Amador  County,  mined 
successfully  till  January,  1850,  when  they  sold 
out  cabin,  mining  tools,  rocker  and  entire  out-fit, 
and  packed  their  blankets  on  their  backs  and 
were  once  more  on  their  way  to  San  Francisco 
where  they  hoped  to  take  part  in  rebuilding  some 
of  the  burnt  district  j  ust  laid  waste  by  the  first  great 
fire.  A  short  time  had  wrought  great  changes, 
for  it  was  only  in  its  infancy  and  was  yet  the 
most  cosmopolitan  city  in  the  world.  After 
erecting  a  few  small  buildings  they  set  sail  for 
the  new  town  of  Marysville,  built  quicksilver 
machines  for  saving  the  fine  gold  on  the  lower 
Yuba,  and  later  became  interested  in  the  new 
town  of  Plumas  on  Feather  River,  just  laid  out 


HISTOltY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


by  Captain  Sutter  and  G.  H.  Beach.  Who 
could  shove  a  jaek-phme  while  the  stories  of 
the  fabulous  wealth  ot  Gold  Lake  were  being 
repeated  every  day?  With  all  their  worldly 
eflects  upon  a  pack-in ule,  they  reached  Downie- 
ville  just  in  time  to  meet  the  victims  of  mis- 
placed confidence  returning.  However,  nothing 
daunted,  they  went  to  work  on  the  bar  opposite 
the  town.  There  was  no  credit  asked  or  given. 
The  old  rocker  paid  cash  every  night;  if  they 
worked  hard  an  ounce  and  a  half  was  made. 
As  winter  was  approaching  this  could  not  be 
continued.  They  returned  to  Plumas,  were 
taken  with  the  ague  and  could  not  shake  it  off. 
While  in  search  of  a  more  congenial  climate 
they  brought  up  on  the  table-land  above  Salmon 
Creek,  in  Bodega,  and  engaged  in  raising  pota- 
toes. In  the  summer  of  1852  Mr.  Fowler 
bought  land  where  A^alley  Ford  now  stands. 
In  the  fall  of.  1855,  in  company  with  George 
Stanley,  he  opened  a  restaurant  in  Petaluma. 
lie  revisited  the  scenes  of  his  childhood  in  the 
summer  of  1857,  and  was  married  toCliarlotte  E., 
daucrhter  of  Jacob  and  Sarah  Palmer,  of  Morris 
County,  Xew  Jersey.  On  his  return  he  settled 
down  to  agricultural  pursuits,  but  that  soon  be- 
came too  tame  for  one  of  his  temperament  and 
for  fifteen  years  he  was  actively  engaged  in 
merchandising,  lumberiig  and  farming.  In 
1861  he  built  the  residence  in  which  himself, 
wife  and  daughter,  Lottie  Bertha,  who  was  born 
March  3,  1864,  still  reside.  In  1865  he  erected 
the  Good  Templars  Hall,  in  which  Yalley  Ford 
Lodge  has  met  weekly  ever  since.  He  also  as- 
sisted, financially,  in  building  the  church  and 
all  public  improvements  in  the  village.  During 
the  dark  days  of  our  national  trouble,  the 
Union  had  not  a  more  staunch  friend  than  Mr. 
Fowler.  His  liberality  in  aiding  the  Sanitary 
and  Christian  Commission  fund  was  well  known 
throughout  the  community.  His  home  for 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  been  -an 
abiding  place  for  the  stranger  and  the  homeless. 
Many  will  recall  his  genial  welcome  with  pleas- 
ure. During  his  long  residence  in  the  county 
he    has  been   interested    in  developing    the  re- 


sources of  his  section.  He  was  among  the 
prominent  workers  in  bringing  his  district  into 
railroad  communication  with  San  Francisco, 
having  given  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Railroad 
the  right  of  way  for  a  mile  through  his  ranch. 
His  farm  of  340  acres  has  a  fine  orchard,  con- 
taining nearly  all  varieties  of  fruit  and  berries 
that  are  raised  in  liis  section.  He  has  a  dairy 
of  sixty  cows,  and  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
ranch  is  devoted  to  the  production  of  hay  and 
potatoes  for  market.  Mr.  Fowler  has  been  long 
and  favorably  known  as  a  true  friend  to  religion 
and  temperance,  is  honorable  and  upright  in  his 
business  transactions.  He  has  won  for  himself 
the  confidence  and  friendship  of  a  large  circle 
of  acquaintances  all  of  whom  unite  in  according 
him  that  respect  and  esteem  to  whicii  he  is  so 
justly  entitled. 


fTEPHEN  L.  FOWLER,  deceased — 
Among  the  pioneers  of  California  and 
earl}'  settlers  of  Bodega  Township, 
Sonoma  County,  was  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
His  early  advent  into  this  county  and  the  prom- 
inent position  he  occupied  in  his  section  entitles 
him  to  more  than  a  passing  mention  in  this  his- 
torical work.  Mr.  Fowler  was  born  in  JS'ew 
York,  January  31,  1825.  His  parents,  Stephen 
C.  and  Rebecca  (Lawrence)  Fowler,  were  natives 
of  the  State  of  his  birth,  and  his  ancestors  were 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Long  Island,  having 
emigrated  from  England  to  the  American  colo- 
nies over  100  years  prior  to  the  Revolutionary 
war.  Mr.  Fowler  was  reared  in  New  York  City, 
and  received  a  good  education  in  the  public 
schools,  after  which  he  served  an  apprenticeship 
as  a  carpenter,  and  as  a  journeyman  engaged  at 
his  trade  in  New  York  City  and  also  at  Sag 
Harbor.  In  1845  he  engaged  as  ship's  carpen- 
ter on  board  the  ship  Huron,  bound  on  a 
whaling  voyage  on  the  northwest  coast  of  the 
United  States  and  Behring  Sea.  This  voyage 
did  not  terminate  until  the  spring  of  1848. 
Upon  his  return   to   New   York   he  engaged   at 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


his  trade  in  Brooklj'n  -until  early  in  1849,  when 
the  first  news  of  ihe  discovery  of  gold  in  Cali- 
fornia reached  New  York.  Young,  ambitious 
and  fond  of  adventure,  he  promptly  decided  to 
seek  his  fortune  in  tiie  new  EI  Dorado  of  the 
West,  and  on  January  12,  1849,  he  embarked 
with  his  brother,  James  E.  Fowler,  on  tlie  old 
ship  BrooMijii,  a  vessel  of  but  450  tons,  for  a 
voyage  round  Cape  Horn  to  California.  Slow 
progress  was  made  by  this  old  ship,  and  it  was 
not  until  four  months  after  leaving  New  York 
that  they  reached  the  Island  of  Juan  Fernandez. 
After  a  brief  stop  at  tliat  island  the  vessel  pro- 
ceeded on  her  way  to  San  Francisco.  There 
were  over  200  people  on  board  of  the  Brooklyn, 
and  wiien  about  sixty  days  from  the  island  and 
a  long  way  from  San  Francisco,  all  hands  were 
put  npon  a  short  allowance  of  water.  There 
was  much  suffering  on  board,  as  nearly  all  were 
affected  with  scurvy.  The  vessel  also  narrowly 
escaped  being  wrecked  at  the  mouth  of  the  Gar- 
cia River,  and  it  was  not  until  August  12,  1849, 
that  they  reached  San  Francisco,  having  spent 
seven  months  on  the  voyage.  Upon  his  arrival 
in  San  Francisco,  he  and  his  brother  located  in 
Pleasant  Vallej',  pitching  tlieir  tents  where  now 
stands  the  Oriental  Block  in  tiiat  city.  He 
readily  found  employment  at  from  $12  to  $16 
per  day,  but  deeming  it  more  profitable  to  en- 
gage in  contracting  and  building,  he  went  to 
work  with  his  brother  in  that  enterprise.  Tiiey 
were  successful  and  erected  several  frame  build- 
ings in  the  vicinity  of  Clay  and  Montgomery 
streets.  They  were  also  engaged  upon  the  first 
brick  building  ever  erected  in  San  Francisco. 
As  the  winter  approached  tlie  oldest  inhabitants 
predicted  a  season  of  unusual  severity,  and  Mr. 
Fowler  and  his  brother  concluded  it  best  to 
winter  in  tlie  mountains.  Tiiey  therefore  took 
passage  on  the  schooner  John  Dunlap,  for  Sac- 
ramento, and  from  there,  in  company  with 
several  otiiers,  they  chartered  a  team  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Dry  Town,  Amador  County,  where 
they  engaged  in  mining.  This  enterprise  was 
successthily  conducted  until  the  first  great  fire 
occurred  in  San   Francisco.     The  prospect  for 


paj-ing  contracts  in  rebuilding  tlie  city  induced 
them  to  abandon  their  mining  operations  and 
return  to  San  Francisco.  Upon  reaching  the 
city  they  found  the  rebuilding  of  the  burnt  dis- 
ti'icts  nearly  coinjileted.  After  erecting  a  few 
small  buildings  for  Sam  Brannan.  they  left  San 
Francisco  February  1,  1850,  taking  passage  on 
the  schooner  Eclipse  for  Marysville.  Upon 
their  arrival  the}'  spent  some  time  in  making 
quicksilver  machines  for  saving  the  fine  gold  on 
tiie  lower  Yuba  River,  after  which  they  took  up 
their  residence  in  the  new  city  of  Plumas,  a 
town  laid  out  by  Captain  Sutter  and  G.  H. 
Beach.  There  he  worked  at  the  carpenter's 
trade  and  also  engaged  in  mining  enterprises 
until  the  spring  of  1851,  when  he  came  to  So- 
noma County  and  located  at  Bodega,  and  in 
1852  purchased  land  at  V^alley  Ford  and  com- 
menced its  cultivation  and  improvement.  Mr. 
Fowler  brought  to  his  new  occupation  the  same 
energy,  industry  and  sound  business  principles 
that  had  characterized  his  other  enterjjrises,  and 
these  soon  assured  his  success,  and  his  fine  farm 
of  340  acres  soon  ranked  as  second  to  none  in 
the  county.  This  is  best  illustrated  by  noting 
the  fact  that  in  1860  Mr.  Fowler  was  awarded 
the  first  prize,  a  silver  cup,  by  the  Napa  and 
Sonoma  County  Agricultural  Society,  as  having 
the  best  improved  farm  in  the  two  counties. 
Mr.  Fowler  was  a  strong  believer  in  the  future 
growth  and  prosperity  of  Sonoma  County. 
Public-spirited  and  progressive  in  his  views,  he 
was  always  ready  to  aid  in  any  enterprise  that 
tended  to  develop  tlie  resources  of  that  section 
of  the  country.  In  1853  and  1854  he  was  a 
meinber  of  Sonoma  County  board  of  supervi- 
sors, a  position  tiiat  he  filled  with  credit  to  him- 
self and  his  constituency.  May  17,  1855,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ellisifi'a 
Cockrili,  daughter  of  Judge  L.  D.  Cockrill,  of 
Blooinfield.  Mrs.  Fowler  died  August  22, 1860, 
leaving  two  cliildren:  Edgar  J.,  born  March  7, 
1856,  and  William  W.,  born  February  17,  1858. 
Mr.  Fowler's  second  marriage  occurred  Novem- 
ber 19,  1863,  wiien  he  married  ]\riss  Phebe 
Elizabeth   Ames.     She    died    March  10,  1871. 


HISTORY    OK    SoyoMA    COUNTY. 


No  children  were  born  to  this  marriage.  In 
1860  Mr.  Fowler's  ill  health  induced  him  to 
seek  relief  in  other  climes,  and  he  went  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  and  from  thence  around  Cape 
Horn  to  his  old  home  in  New  York,  after  which 
he  returned  to  his  California  home,  where  he 
remained  until  his  death,  which  occurred  March 
4,  1868.  He  was  a  man  universally  respected 
and  esteemed,  and  his  death  was  sincerely 
mourned  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances. In  political  matters  Mr.  Fowler 
always  took  an  intelligent  interest,  and  was  a 
Democrat  until  treason  dared  to  assault  the  old 
riag  that  had  protected  him  in  so  many  foreign 
ports,  when  with  some  regrets  he  abandoned  the 
old  party  to  join  the  new  in  defense  of  the 
[Jnion. 


^=^ 


fDGAR  J.  FOWLER,  oldest  son  of  Stephen 
L.  Fowler,  was  reared  to  farm  life  upon  his 
father's  farm,  receiving  a  liberal  education 
in  the  public  schools  and  at  the  University  Mound 
College  in  Sau  Francisco,  after  which  he  returned 
to  the  old  homestead  and  has  since  devoted  himself 
to  agricultural  pursuits.  This  tine  farm  is  well 
wortliy  of  inention.  It  contains  340  acres  of 
rich  land,  situated  one- half  mile  east  of  Valley 
Ford,  and  under  his  able  management  still  ranks 
as  one  of  the  representative  farms  in  the  valley. 
There  is  a  fine  family  orchard  upon  the  place, 
containing  a  variety  of  apples,  pears,  plums, 
cherries,  etc.,  which  attests  the  adaptability  of 
these  lands  for  fruit  culture.  The  rest  of  the 
land  is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and  stock. 
Among  the  latter  are  seventy-iive  head  of 
graded  cattle,  improved  by  Durham  and  Jersey 
breeds.  Sixty  head  of  these  cattle  constitute  a 
dairy,  producing  a  superior  grade  of  butter. 
Mr.  Fowler  is  also  interested  in  improving  his 
stock  of  horses.  He  has  some  line  roadsters 
improved  by  McClellan  stock,  also  good  speci- 
mens of  draft  horses  from  the  Norman  breed. 
Among  the  improvements  upon  this  place  is  a 
neat  cottage  residence,  beautifully  located  upon 


high  ground,  giving  a  pleasing  view  of  the  val- 
ley. There  are  also  substantial  and  commodious 
barns,  dairy  and  other  out-buildings.  May  23, 
1877,  Edgar  J.  Fowler  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Sarah  Cordelia  Rien,  the  daughter  of 
John  W.  and  Ann  R.  (Brown)  Rien,  born  in 
Missouri.  They  have  three  children,  viz.:  Ada 
R.,  born  June  15,  1878;  William  C,  born  June 
5,  1880,  and  Ethel  E.,  born  August  10,  1882. 
Stephen  L.  Fowler's  second  son,  William  W. 
Fowler,  married  Minnie  A.  Seavey,  April  13, 
1886.  He  was  for  some  years  employed  in  the 
United  States  mail  service,  but  is  now  (1888)  in 
the  employ  of  Wells,  Fargo  &,  Co.,  and  is  a  resi- 
dent of  San   Francisco. 

tLFRED  BUTT,  manufacturing  jeweler  and 
watchmaker.  No.  511  Fourth  Street,  has 
^s#sr  been  in  the  business  in  Santa  Rosa  since 
1884.  He  carries  a  large  stock  of  watches, 
clocks,  jewelry,  silverware,  and  optical  goods. 
He  does  fine  watch  repairing,  at  which  he  is  an 
expert,  also  does  engraving,  enameling  and  lapi- 
dary work,  having  all  the  tools  necessary 
for  the  manufacture  of  any  kind  of  jewelry,  in 
any  design.  He  has  made  all  the  prize  medals 
for  the  Pacific  Methodist  College  that  have  been 
given  since  he  came  to  this  town,  and  the  police- 
men's stars  for  the  force  of  Santa  Rosa,  and 
also  designs  and  manufactures  numerous  prize 
medals  for  societies  and  orders.  Mr.  Rutt  has 
rare  taste  and  skill  in  his  trade,  in  which  he  has 
been  engaged  since  he  was  fifteen  years  of  ago, 
and  he  is  now  thirty-nine.  The  subject  fif  this 
sketch  is  an  Englishman  by  birth,  and  came  to 
America  when  twenty  years  old.  He  was  for 
ten  years  engaged  in  his  business  in  San  Fran- 
cisco. When  he  came  to  Santa  Rosa  he  bought 
the  stock  of  L.  A.  Kelley,  a  small  stock  worth 
about  $1,000,  located  on  Exchange  Avenue. 
From  there  he  moved  to  the  block  on  Fourth 
street,  east  of  Mendocino  street,  and  the  latter 
part  uf  November,  1887,  took  possession  of  his 
present    fine    quarters,    in   the   choice   business 


HIHTOIiY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


block  of  tlie  city.  Mr.  Butt  was  married  iu  his 
native  land  and  had  one  child  born  there.  They 
nuw  iiave  six  suns  and  one  daughter.  The  fol- 
lowing orders  claim  Mr.  Butt  as  a  member:  the 
A.  O.  U.  W.,  K.  of  P.,  and  the  Foresters. 

«LAYTON  AVINKLER.-- Among  the  well 
known  pioneers  of  California,  of  Sonoma 
County  and  of  Green  Valley  is  the  sub- 
]'ect  of  this  sketch,  lie  was  born  in  Estell 
County,  Kentucky,  January  12,  1831,  his  par- 
ents being  David  and  Sarah  (Asbell)  Winkler, 
both  natives  of  Kentucky.  His  grandfather, 
Jacob  Winkler,  was  a  native  of  Germany,  who 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  and  located  in 
Kentucky.  In  Mr.  Winkler's  early  youth  his 
parents  moved  to  Missouri  and  located  near  St. 
Joseph.  They  died  in  1840,  leaving  Clayton 
an  orphan  only  nine  years  of  age.  After  their 
death  he  was  taken  to  La  Porte  County,  Indiana, 
where  he  became  a  member  of  the  family  of 
Steward  A.  Reynolds,  who  had  married  his 
sister.  Mr.  Reynolds  gave  the  little  orphan  all 
the  care  and  attention  that  was  given  to  his  own 
children,  educating  him  in  the  practical  duties 
of  farm  life,  and  giving  him  the  benefit  of  a 
good  schooling,  first  in  the  common  school  and 
then  in  the  high  school  and  academy  at  South 
Bend.  In  184U  Mr.  AVinkler  was  one  of  the 
thousands  that  were  stricken  with  the  California 
gold  fever,  and  though  but  little  over  eighteen 
years  of  age,  he  had  the  spirit  and  ambition  of 
a  man.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  started 
upon  the  long  and  tedious  journey  across  the 
plains.  He  came  as  did  multitudes  of  others, 
toiling  and  driving  ox  teams.  The  emigration 
was  devoid  of  much  interest  until  the  party 
reached  the  Humboldt,  and  there  the  Indians 
stampeded  and  stole  their  cattle.  Fortunately 
the  emigrants  were  able  to  recover  the  most  of 
them  without  any  fighting.  They  suffered  the 
loss  and  proceeded  on  their  way,  arriving  at 
Sacramento,  October  16,  1841*.  Immediately 
after  his  arrival  Mr.  Winkler  went  lo  the  mines, 


and  engaged  in  mining  in  what  is  now  El  Dorado 
County  until  the  spring  of  1851.  At  that  time 
he  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  the  next  year 
purchased  280  acres  of  land  in  Green  Valley. 
He  engaged  in  various  occupations  until  1854, 
and  then  entered  largely  ifito  potato  cultivation 
upon  his  land,  which  occupation  he  continued 
for  two  years.  He  then  engaged  in  mining  and 
other  occupations  mostly  in  California,  but  in 
1862  and  1863  he  was  in  the  mines  in  Nevada. 
He  liad  the  experience  of  thousands  of  others  in 
his  mining  and  other  enterprises — one  day  rich 
and  another  day  poor,  but  lie  always  held  on  to 
the  land  he  had  purchased.  Tiring  of  the  toils, 
struggles,  and  uncertain  fortunes  attending  min- 
ing operations,  he  decided  to  retire  to  his  farm. 
-  In  1866  he  married  Miss  Martha  Brain,  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  and  Sarah  (Powell)  Brain,  natives 
of  England,  but  residents  of  Sonoma  County. 
After  his  marriage  he  took  up  his  residence 
upon  his  farm  and  has  since  devoted  himself  to 
agricultural  pursuits.  His  energetic  and  indus- 
trious nature  found  something  congenial  to  his 
tastes  and  he  has  gone  on  improving  his  lands, 
planting,  building,  etc.,  until  now  he  has  one  of 
the  best  conducted  and  productive  farms  in  his 
vicinity.  It  is  well  worthy  of  a  brief  descrip- 
tion. Mr.  Winkler  is  the  owner  of  150  acres, 
located  on  the  Santa  Rosa  and  Guerneville  road, 
in  the  Oak  Grove  school  district,  in  Green  Val- 
ley, about  nine  miles  west  of  Santa  Rosa.  Of 
tills  fine  farm  twenty-five  acres  are  devoted  to 
orchard  purposes.  Great  attention  has  been 
paid  to  this  and  it  is  in  splendid  condition  and 
yielding  largely.  The  greater  proportion  of  his 
trees  are  peaches  and  apples.  Of  peaches  he 
has  the  Wiley  cling,  orange  cling,  and  Crawford. 
His  peach  crop  is  worthy  of  mention.  As  a 
sample  of  the  productiveness  of  trees  that  are 
coming  into  bearing,  his  books  show  that  from 
800  trees,  occupying  five  acres  of  gn^und,  he 
sold  in  1887,  $1,061  worth  of  fruit:  this  was 
from  trees  four  years  old  (from  the  dormant 
bud).  He  also  raises  pears,  plums  and  French 
prunes.  On  this  place  is  a  family  vineyard  in 
which  there  is  a  large  variety  of  table  grapes  qf 


IIliiTdliY    (IF    bONOMA    COUNTY. 


the  most  approved  varieties.  The  rest  of  his 
hi'nJ  is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and  stock-raising. 
Mr.  Winkler  is  a  strong  believer  in  the  future 
prosperity  of  Green  Valley,  and  also  of  the  value 
of  these  lands  for  fruit  cultivation,  and  he  in- 
tends to  increase  his  orchards  as  the  demand  for 
fruit  increases.  As  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
State  and  Sonoma  County  he  has  gained  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  not  only  in 
Sonoma  County  but  throughout  the  mining 
counties  of  California  and  Nevada,  and  by  all 
are  respected  and  esteemed.  He  is  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  a  strong  be- 
liever in  the  building  of  churches  and  schools, 
and  also  a  liberal  contributor  to  the  support  of 
the  same.  He  donated  one  and  one-half  acres 
of  land  upon  which  the  Congregational  church 
society  of  Green  Valley  built  their  church.  He 
has  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  public  schools 
and  has  for  a  number  of  years  been  a  school 
trustee  in  the  district  in  which  he  resides.  He 
is  a  member  of  Lafayette  Lodge,  No.  126,  F.  & 
A.  M.,  of  Sebastopol.  In  political  matters  he  is 
a  Republican,  but  is  liberal  and  conservative  in 
his  views.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Winkler  have  eight 
living  children,  viz.:  Sarah  Jane,  Arthur  S.> 
George  H.,  Hattie  L.,  Oliver  M.,  Edward  C, 
Samuel  Ernest,  and  Walter  S.  At  the  present 
writing  (1888)  all  are  residing  upon  the  old 
homestead. 


fO.  HEATOX,  of  Mendocino  Township 
one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Sonoma  County, 
®  has  a  ranch  of  266  acres  on  the  Dry 
Creek  road,  seven  miles  from  Healdsburg.  He 
has  over  thirty  acres  "in  grapes,  ranging  in  age 
from  one  year  upward,  about  one-half  acre  of 
Missions  being  some  thirty  years  old.  There 
are  four  acres  that  are  six  years  old,  the  re- 
mainder being  younger.  The  varieties  are 
Zinfandel,  Golden  Chasselas,  Burger,  Grenache, 
Mataro,  Crabb's  Burgundy  and  Gray  Kiesling. 
Mr.  Heaton  has  an  apple  orchard  of  two  acres, 
the  trees  being  twenty-seven  years  old.  He  also 


has  four  acres  of  younger  trees,  two  acres  of  the 
latter  being  plums  and  French  prunes,  and  the 
rest  peaches.  Mr.  Heaton  is  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky, born  in  Nicholas  County,  November  22, 
1831,  his  parents  being  Shaftner  and  Elizabeth 
(Tucker)  Heaton.  Shaftner  Heaton  was  born  in 
Mason  Count}', Kentucky, and  his  parents  in  Mary- 
land. Mrs.  Heaton  was  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Elizabeth  Tucker.  Her  father  was  born  in 
what  is  now  the  District  of  Columbia,  about 
1782,  and  her  mother  was  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
in  which  State  they  were  uiarried.  In  1829 
they  removed  to  Illinois,  and  from  there  across 
the  plains  of  Oregon,  in  1848.  Mrs.  Tucker 
died  in  1839.  He  married  again  in  1840.  They 
died  in  Oregon  at  an  advanced  age.  When  S.  O. 
Heaton  was  but  one  year  old  his  parents  re 
moved  to  Pike  County,  Illinois,  where  the  father 
died  the  following  year,  and  where  the  mother 
contintjcd  her  residence  until  her  death  which 
occurred  eleven  years  later.  Mr.  Heaton  was 
reared  to  manhood  in  Pike  County,  and  in  1852 
accompanied  William  McCloud  and  John  Shafer, 
with  their  wives,  to  California,  making  the  trip 
across  the  plains  in  the  usual  way.  They  also 
brought  along  a  man  named  Haggard  and  his 
son.  Leaving  home  on  the  6th  of  April,  they 
crossed  the  Missouri  River  eighteen  miles  below 
St.  Joe,  the  6th  of  May.  Their  route  took  them  to 
Ft.  Kearney  where  they  forded  the  South  Platte 
above  the  mouth  of  North  Platte,  east  of  Ft. 
Laramie.  They  struck  the  Sweetwater  at  Inde- 
pendence Rock  and  followed  it  nearly  to  the 
summit  of  the  mountains  at  South  Pass.  They 
left  Salt  Lake  to  tlieir  left  and  Ft.  Hall  to  the 
right  and  came  through  the  Thousand  Spring 
Valley,  striking  the  Humboldt  pretty  well  to- 
ward its  head.  In  reaching  the  Carson  River, 
they  crossed  a  desert  of  fifty  miles,  and  thence 
followed  the  Carson  route,  arriving  at  Placer- 
ville  August  8th.  Mr.  Heaton  at  once  com- 
menced mining  and  worked  in  the  following 
camps:  Kelsey's  Bar,  on  Middle  Fork  of 
American  River,  two  months;  Frankfort  Bar,  on 
Weber  Creek,  three  years;  on  Sweetwater  Creek, 
six  months;  nearly  six  months,  below  the  pres- 


lllSTOUy    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


629 


ent  site  of  Folsoin,  on  Atnerican  River;  Frank- 
ford  Bar,  again,  a  niontli  or  tun.  lie  then 
caine  to  Sonoma  County  and  bought  land  on  the 
Tzabaco  grant,  where  he  now  resides.  He  was 
married  in  October,  1872,  in  Mason  County, 
Kentuel<y,  to  Miss  Rebecca  Agnes  Bullock,  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  born  in  Lewis  County,  but 
reared  in  Mason  County.  Siie  is  a  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Cooper)  Bullock.  Her 
fatlier,  a  tiative  of  Mason  County,  Kentucky, 
was  a  son  of  Majoi-  Lewis  Bullock,  who  went 
from  Yirginia  to  Mason  County,  Kentucky, 
where  he  was  an  early  settler,  and  did  most  of 
tlie  surveying.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Heaton 
M'as  formerly  Elizabeth  Coo]ier,  whose  father 
was  a  native  of  Scotland,  but  her  mother  was 
born  in  Fayette  County,  Kentucky,  near  Lexing- 
ton. The  father  of  Mrs.  Heaton  died  in  1841 
and  her  mother  in  1880.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Heaton 
have  four  children — Mary  Lou,  Bessie,  Charles 
and  Robert  Bruce.  Politically,  Mr.  Heaton  is  a 
Democrat,  and  he  takes  an  interest  in  public 
affairs. 


►^Mf^- 


tEAYIS  HENDRIX  resides  on  the  Hendri-x 
road,  in  the  Pioneer  school  district,  about 
one  and  one-half  miles  southeast  of  Fulton, 
at  which  place  he  owns  a  rich  and  productive 
farm  of  154  acres.  With  the  exception  of  a 
family  orchard  and  vineyard,  containing  a  large 
variety  of  fruit  and  table  grapes,  his  land  is  de- 
voted to  hay,  grain  and  stock-raising.  Among 
the  stock  are  some  fine  specimens  of  American 
horses  improved  with  Norman  stock.  His  rich 
soil  is  yielding  thirty  bushels  of  grain  per  acre, 
and  his  hay  land  produces  about  two  tons 
per  acre.  Among  the  improvements  mention 
should  be  made  of  his  comfortable  residence,  in 
which  he  combined  all  the  conveniences  of  a 
well  ordered  and  modern  liouse.  Commodious 
and  convenient  out-buildings  attest  the  pros- 
perity which  has  attended  his  farming  opera- 
tions. The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in 
liutlor  County.    Ohio,  February  25.  1^15.      Ifis 


father,  Eli  Ilendrix,  was  a  native  of  Virginia, 
who  came  to  Ohio  at  an  early  date.  His  mother, 
Mary  (Paugli)  Ilendrix,  was  born  in  New  Jer- 
sey. Mr.  Hendrix  was  reared  as  a  farmer  and 
stock-grower.  His  educational  facilities  were 
limited  to  the  conimon  schools  of  the  pioneer 
settlements  of  that  date.  Early  in  life,  as  soon 
as  he  was  able  to  help  in  farm  labor  he  was 
taken  from  school  to  assist  his  father  on  the 
farm.  In  1833  his  father  removed  to  Fountain 
County,  Indiana,  and  commenced  anew  in 
building  up  a  pioneer  farm.  Mr.  Hendrix 
worked  with  his  father  until  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  and  then  started  in  life  upon  his  own 
account.  In  1838  he  married  Miss  Rebecca  A. 
Cook,  the  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Lidia  (Droll- 
inger)  Cook.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Mason 
County,  Kentucky,  and  her  mother  was  born  in 
Butler  County,  Ohio.  Mrs.  Hendrix  was  also 
born  in  that  connty.  In  1820  Mr.  Hendrix 
moved  his  family  to  Van  Buren  County,  Iowa, 
where  he  located  land  and  entered  iipon  farming 
operations.  He  remained  there  until  1852 
when  he  removed  to  Davis  Connty,  the  same 
State,  where  he  was  engaged  in  like  occupations. 
In  1865  he  started  across  the  plains  to  Califor- 
nia, and  after  months  of  tedious  journe^'ing 
arrived  in  the  Golden  State  and  located  in  So- 
noma Connty.  He  took  up  the  land  where  he 
still  resides,  erected  a  small  dwelling-honse,  and 
commenced  the  building  up  and  improvement 
of  his  lands.  Since  that  date  he  has  devoted 
himself  entirely  to  agricultural  pursuits.  Mr, 
Hendrix's  long  residence  has  gained  him  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances  in  his  sec- 
tion of  the  county,  and  his  straightforward  and 
consistent  course  of  life  have  secured  their  re- 
spect and  esteem.  He  is  an  enterprising  and 
public-spirited  citizen,  a  strong  believer  in  the 
future  prosperity  of  Sonoma  County,  and  ever 
ready  to  aid  in  all  enterjirises  that  he  believes 
will  benefit  the  community  in  which  he  resides. 
He  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  taking  a  deep  interest  in  the  public 
schools.  He  has  served  many  terms  as  a  school 
trustee  in  his  district.      Thci-c^   have    been  born 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hendrix  eleven  children,  three 
of  wliom  are  now  living,  viz.:  Sarah  Ann,  who 
married  l^aac  M.  Harvey,  and  is  now  living  in 
Oregon;  Belle  M.,  who  married  Harvey  T. 
Teagne,  residing  in  Los  Angeles  Connty;  and 
Edwin  U..  wIki  nian-iod  Snsan  A.  Peterson, 
danghter  of  AVilliani  J.  and  ilartha  A.  (Steel) 
Peterson,  of  Sonoma  Connty.  The  first  child, 
Mary  L.,  married  Robert  W.  Herod.  She  died 
in  Kansas  in  1872,  at  the  age  of  thirty-three 
years.  Tiie  third  child,  Emily  J.,  married 
William  S.  Kinney.  She  died  in  Iowa  in  1864, 
aged  twenty- two  years.  Mr.  Edwin  U.  Hendrix 
is  residing  npon  the  old  homestead,  and  is  as- 
sisting his  tather  in  conducting  the  farm  opera- 
tions. He  is  the  father  of  three  children — 
Lewis  E.,  Granville  L.  and  Harvey  L. 


5RS.  I.  M.  HAKTSOCK,  of  Mendocino 
Township,  has  a  ranch  of  eighty-seven 
acres,  on  the  Dry  Creek  road,  about 
eight  miles  from  Healdsbuig.  There  are  ten 
acres  of  the  place  in  orchard,  the  trees  being 
from  five  to  eight  years  in  age,  and  consisting 
of  apples,  pears,  peaches,  plnms,  prunes,  nec- 
tarines, apricots,  cherries,  figs,  etc.  There  are 
three  acres  of  grapes,  the  varieties  being  Rose 
of  Peru,  Muscat  of  Alexandria  and  Malvoise. 
Mrs.  Hartsock  is  the  widow  of  Adolphus  Hart- 
sock,  who  was  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  near 
Indianapolis,  in  Marion  County,  January  12, 
1834.  His  parents  were  Isaac  and  Susan  (Ash- 
poe)  Hartsock,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 
In  1852  he  came  to  California  via  Panama,  and 
went  al  once  into  the  mines,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged for  eleven  years,  a  portion  of  the  time  in 
Amador  and  Placer  counties.  He  then  came  to 
Sonoma  County,  but  afterward  went  back  to 
the  mines.  In  September,  1876,  he  purchased 
the  place  where  the  family  now  live.  Mr.  Hart- 
sock was  a  member  of  Curtis  Lodge,  F.  &  A. 
M.,  and  in  politics  affiliated  with  the  Republi- 
can party.  He  and  Mrs.  Hartsock  were  married 
in  Solano  County.  Julv  31.  1864,  and  his  death 


occurred  in  this  connty,  June  16,  1885.  The 
subject  (if  this  sketch  was  formerly  Miss  Isabel 
M.  Fi-eenian,  a  native  of  Greene  County,  Illinois, 
and  danghter  of  T.  W.  Freeman  and  Elizabeth 
(Fort)  Freeman.  The  former  was  born  in  Sainte 
Genevieve  County,  Missouri,  in  1819.  When 
he  w-as  ten  years  of  age  his  parents  removed  to 
Greene  County,  Illinois,  and  were  among  the 
early  settlers  in  that  section.  There  T.  W. 
Freeman  was  reared  to  manhood  and  there  mar- 
ried to  F^iizabeth  Fort,  a  native  of  Kentucky. 
From  there  they  removed,  in  1855,  to  western 
Missouri.  In  1857  they  crossed  the  plains  to 
California,  and  settled  in  Solano  Connty,  where 
Mrs.  Freeman  died  in  1858,  and  subsequently 
the  family  remo%ed  to  San  Joaquin  County. 
^Ir.  Freeman  now  makes  his  home  with  his 
daughter  in  Sonoma  County.  Mrs.  Hartsock 
has  four  children  living,  viz.:  Emma,  Delia, 
Bonnie  and  Freedom,  all  natives  of  this  connty. 


C.  MICHAELSON,  of  Knight's  Valley 
Township,  has  a  ranch  of  seventy-five 
^  acres  in  Alexander  Valley,  some  sixteen 
miles  from  the  county  seat.  He  has  about  500 
fruit  trees,  which  are  peaches  and  apples,  with  a 
few  young  prune  and  pear  trees.  He  has  eight 
acres  of  twenty  year  old  vines  of  the  Mission 
variety,  and  four  acres  of  table  grapes,  which 
are  Muscats,  Tokays,  Mediterraneans,  etc.  Fie 
has  now  also  sixteen  acres  of  grapes  on  his  hill 
land,  ranging  in  age  from  two  to  four  years. 
The  varieties  are  Carignane,  (rrossblaue,  Mataro 
and  Grey  Riesling.  He  has  been  manufacturing 
5,000  gallons  of  wine  per  year,  and  has  a  stor- 
age capacity  for  that  amount.  His  vintage  is 
excellent,  and  enjoys  the  highest  reputation. 
That  portion  of  his  ranch  not  devoted  to  orchard 
or  vineyard,  is  used  for  general  farming  pur- 
poses. Mr.  Michaelson  is  a  native  of  the  prov- 
ince of  Hanover,  Germany,  born  January  19, 
1824,  his  parents  being  Dietrich  and  Salome 
(Roschen)  Michaelson.  The  father,  a  farmer 
and   merchant,   was  also  a  native  of  Germany, 


•-yw  ^-  ^,^. 


jt.    J^.    J</ulaa0fe. 


HI^TOny    OF   SONOMA    couyiY. 


but  the  mother  was  a  native  of  Lexington, 
^('ortli  Carolina.  Her  father  was  a  minister  of 
the  Lutheran  denomination,  and,  while  in 
America,  was  stationed  for  a  portion  of  the  time 
at  Lexington.  lie  afterward  went  back,  how- 
ever, with  his  family,  to  Germany.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  was  reared  in  his  native 
conntrj-,  and  from  the  age  of  six  to  fourteen  at- 
tended the  public  school,  according  to  the  re- 
quirements of  the  law  of  the  land.  lie  then 
entered  the  seminary  at  Stade,  and  for  over  live 
years  received  the  advantages  of  the  higher 
education  to  be  obtained  there,  with  the  view 
of  becoming  an  instructor.  After  completing 
his  education  he  began  teaching  school,  and 
followed  tliat  profession  in  German}'  until  1866. 
He  then  emigrated  to  Xew  York,  and  thence, 
via  Panama,  to  San  Francisco,  arriving  in  the 
latter  city  on  the  loth  of  August.  On  his  arrival 
he  set  aboiit  obtaining  employment  at  his  pro- 
fession, and  soon  obtained  a  position  as  teacher 
at  St.  Marcus  German  Lutheran  School.  After 
two  years  there  he  became  an  instructor  of 
German  in  the  public  schools.  For  live  years 
he  was  connected  in  this  capacity  with  the 
South  Cosmopolitau  school,  for  tiiree  years  with 
the  North  Cosmopolitan,  and  for  three  years 
with  the  Valencia  public  school.  He  then 
opened  a  private  school,  which  he  conducted 
until  1884,  at  which  time  he  removed  to  So- 
noma County,  and  located  where  he  now  resides. 
He  is  a  member  of  St.  Marcus  Lutheran  con- 
gregation, San  Francisco,  and  was  for  many 
years  associated  with  it  in  an  official  capacity. 
In  politics  Mr.  Michaelson  is  a  Republican. 


fULES  A.  AURA  DO  U,  of  Mendocino  Town- 
ship, is  a  native  of  Paris,  France,  born 
December  12.  1832,  his  parents  being  John 
and  Alexan<lria  ('Cellardj  Auradou,  the  father 
being  a  hotel  proprietor.  Early  in  1819,  after 
hearing  the  news  of  the  great  gold  excitement 
in  California,  .lohn  Auradou  decided  to  come 
with  his  son  to  America  and  try  his  fortunes  in 


the  new  El  Dorado.  March  22,  1849,  they  sailed 
from  Havre  on  the  ship  Meuse,  and  started  on 
the  lengthy  voyage  around  Cape  Horn.  They 
were  favored  with  tine  weather  during  the  jour- 
ney except  when  oQ"  Cape  Horn.  At  Callao 
they  made  their  only  landing,  and  there  learned 
of  the  genuineness  of  the  tales  about  the  gold  of 
California.  They  landed  at  San  Francisco  on 
the  14th  of  September.  At  San  Francisco  they 
remained  about  three  weeks,  making  an  attempt 
to  burn  charcoal,  but  at  the  end  of  that  time, 
having  had  poor  success,  made  a  big  bonfire, 
and  then  took  a  small  vessel  and  proceeded  to 
Sacramento.  At  the  latter  place  they  remained 
three  days  and  then  went  up  the  American 
River  to  Mormon  Island,  staying  there  until  the 
river  got  so  high  they  were  washed  out.  Mr. 
Auradou  and  son  then  went  to  Sacramento  and 
established  a  boarding  house,  but  were  soon 
drowned  out  and  had  to  move  into  an  old  scow. 
They  went  up  the  Sacramento  River  as  far  as 
the  site  of  Marysville,  thence  on  a  mining  expe- 
dition up  Yuba  River.  The  same  year  they 
located  at  Downieville,  and  there  Mr.  Auradou 
and  his  father  engaged  in  prospecting.  In  this 
work  they  had  very  trying  experiences,  and  a 
number  of  times  were  snowed  in  and  nearly 
starved  to  death.  They  finally  settled  down  at 
Foster's  Bar,  and  mined  in  that  vicinity  for  five 
years,  and  along  the  river  until  1857.  Then 
Jules  A.  Auradou,  the  snbject  of  this  sketch, 
left  the  mines  and  went  to  San  Francisco,  where 
he  was  employed  in  a  meat  packing  establish- 
ment. He  became  a  partner  in  the  business 
and  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Auradou  <t  Bunker 
in  the  California  market.  In  1870  he  sold  out 
his  business  interests  in  San  Francisco,  and  went 
back  to  Paris,  where  he  visited  his  father  (who 
had  gone  back  in  1858)  and  friends  and  relatives. 
Both  parents  are  now  deceased,  tlie  fatlier  having 
died  in  1875,  and  the  mother  later  on.  In 
1871  Mr.  Auradou  returned  to  California  and 
located  where  he  now  resides.  His  ranch  con- 
sists of  sixty-six  acres,  and  is  devoted  to  vine- 
yard, orchard  and  general  purposes.  He  was 
married  in  San  Francisco  to  Krne.^tine  Burnouf, 


634 


HIISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


a  native  of  Havre,  France,  whose  parents  came 
to  San  Francisco  about  1862.  They  have  fonr 
children,  viz.:  Maria  Jane,  Louisa,  Jules  and 
John.  Mr.  An  radon  is  a  member  of  Parfait 
Lodge,  No.  17,  F.  &.  A.  M.,  San  Francisco.  lie 
joined  the  Masonic  order  in  1863.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  Abou  Ben  Adhem  Lodge,  No.  112, 
L  O.  O.  F.,  San  Francisco.  Politically  he  is  a 
Democrat.  He  takes  a  deep  interest  in  schools 
and  has  been  a  trustee  in  Grape  district  since 
1878.  Mr.  Auradou  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
California,  and  has  seen  all  phases  of  life  in  this 
State.  He  is  a  hospitable  gentleman,  intelligent 
and  enterprising,  and  a  desirable  acquisition  to 
the  citizenship  of  Sonoma  County. 


tENRY  COFFEY  was  born  in  New  York, 
January  26,  1832.  His  father  was  a  na 
tive  of  England,  who  emigrated  to  the 
United  States  in  his  youtli.  He  died  while  Mr. 
Coffey  was  an  infant.  His  mother,  C^'nthia 
(Beals)  Coff'ey,  was  born  in  Vermont,  and  in 
1834  she  moved  with  her  family  to  Michigan, 
where  she  took  up  Government  land,  and  began 
the  struggle  of  establishing  a  farm  and  support- 
ing her  children.  Here  Mr.  Coffey  was  reared 
until  the  death  of  his  mother,  which  occurred 
in  1844,  and  he  then  lived  with  his  older  broth- 
ers until  eighteen  years  of  age.  At  that  time 
he  went  to  St.  Joseph  County,  Indiana,  and  en- 
gaged in  work  in  saw  mills  and  lumber  busi- 
ness. In  1854  he  married  Miss  Nancy  Gitchell, 
daughter  of  the  liev.  David  D.  Gitchell,  a  well- 
known  Methodist  clergyman  of  St.  Joseph 
County.  He  continued  his  labor  at  tliat  place 
until  1855,  when  he  returned  to  Michigan  and 
located  in  Livingston  County,  where  he  engaged 
in  farming  and  stock-raising.  In  this  same 
year,  February  12,  1856,  his  wife  died,  and  the 
next  year  he  moved  to  Van  Buren  County, 
where  he  rented  land  and  continued  his  farming 
operations.  In  1858  he  married  his  present 
wife.  Miss  Rebecca  Davis,  the  daughter  of  John 
and   Narcissa    (Hall)   Davis.     Mr.  Coffey  con- 


ducted various  enterprises,  farming,  stock-rais- 
ing, etc. — one  year  of  which  time  he  lived  in 
Illinois — until  1862.  He  then  came  overland 
to  California  and  located  in  Sacramento  County, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming.  In  1865  he  re- 
moved to  Contra  Costa  County  where,  in  addi- 
tion to  farm  operations,  he  was  quite  extensively 
engaged  in  stock-growing.  He  remained  there 
until  1870  and  then  removed  to  Hill's  Ferry, 
and  there  established  a  dairy  and  stock  ranch. 
The  drought  soon  compelled  him  to  leave  that 
place  and  he  took  his  herds  to  New  York  ranch, 
near  Antioch.  After  a  few  month's  sojourn 
there  he  drovehis  cattle  into  MendocinoCounty, 
where  he  established  himself  in  the  stock  busi- 
ness and  remained  until  1879.  In  that  year  he 
sold  out,  and  with  his  family — moving  b}'  teams 
in  emigrant  style — started  for  the  southern 
country.  -  He  continued  his  journey  into 
Arizona  and  located  at  Prescott.  Shortly 
after  his  arrival  at  that  place  he  purchased  a 
stock  range  and  Government  station  at  the 
Oaks  and  Willows,  about  fifty-two  miles  from 
Prescott.  He  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising,  his  products  finding  ready  sale  in  sup- 
plying the  United  States  Government  military 
forces  with  cattle,  forage,  etc.  He  was  success- 
ful in  his  operations  in  that  place  and  contin- 
ued them  until  1885.  In  that  year  he  sold  out, 
and  returning  to  California,  located  in  Sonoma 
County,  where  he  purchased  320  acres  of  land 
in  Santa  Rosa  Township,  formerly  known  as 
the  Sampson  Wright  place,  situated  in  the 
Piner  school  district,  about  two  and  one-half 
miles  northwest  of  Santa  Rosa.  This  farm  is 
of  rich  and  productive  soil,  devoted  mostly  to 
the  production  of  hay  and  grain.  There  is  upon 
this  farm  an  orchard  of  about  ten  acres,  pro- 
ducing a  variety  of  fine  fruits,  such  as  French 
prunes,  apples,  pears,  peaches,  nectarines,  etc.; 
also  a  family  vineyard  in  which  table  grapes  of 
the  Sweetwater,  Muscat  and  Rose  of  Peru  varie- 
ties are  grown.  In  purchasing  these  lands  Mr. 
Coffey  was  governed  in  a  large  degree  by  his 
desire  of  furnishing  suitable  homes  for  his  chil- 
dren. To  each  of  his  nine  children  he  has  deeded 


UISrOHT    OF    SONOMA    COUNT V. 


twenty  acres,  upon  which  they  are  establishing 
tlieir  homes  and  fulfilling   his   wishes,  that  the 
family  may   be   united    in   common  enterprises 
during  his  life  at  least.    The  liomestead  portion 
of  140  acres,  with  the  residence  and  out-build- 
ings is  reserved  for  the  mother.     The  lands  are 
worked  by  himself  antl  sons   in    common,  each 
devoting  iiimseif  to  improving  and  building  up 
the  whole.     Mr.  Coffey  is  an  energetic  and  in- 
dustrious    man     of    sound    sense  and  business 
habits.     His  success  in  life  is  the  result  of  these 
qualities  combined    with   straightforward,   hon- 
est dealings.     Wherever  he  has  resided  he  has 
always  been  a  respected    and   esteemed   citizen, 
and  is  a  desirable   acquisition   to  any  commun- 
ity.    He    is    public-spirited    and    progressive, 
ready  to  aid  any  enterprise  that  will  add  to  the 
prosperity  of  his  section,  and  the  county.  While 
nut  a  pi)litician,  he  takes  an  intelligent  interest 
in  the  political  questions  of   tiie  day.      He  is  a 
liberal  and  conservative    Democrat.     As  before 
stated,  Mr.  Coffey  is  the  father  of  nine  children, 
viz.:  James H.,  William  M.,  Maryette,  Charles 
H.,  Joanna,  Samuel  A.,  Adeline  N.,  Minnie  and 
Octavia.     With  the  e.xceptiou  of  Maryette,  they 
are  all    living  upon  the  liomestead    and  lands 
before  mentioned.     The  following  are  the  mar- 
riages in  the  family:  William  M.  married  Miss 
Etty   E.  Cutmire,  and   has   one  child,    William 
H.;  Maryette  married  O.   M.  Tuttie;  they  are 
living  in  Mendocino  County,  and  have  one  ciiild, 
Edith;  Charles  H.  married  Miss  J3elle  Banting; 
Joanna  married  H.  M.   Finley;  they   have  two 
children.  Bertha  and  Lena;  Samuel  A.  married 
Miss  Nellie  Houx,  and   Adeline   married  Fred 
Mize.   William  M.  Coffey  is  a  member  of  Santa 
Rosa  Lodge,  No.  53,  L  O.  O.  F. 


fOHN  A.  LOSEE.— The  subject  of  this 
sketch,  with  his  wife,  has,  since  November, 
1868,  owned  and  resided  upon  a  tine  ranch 
of  moderate  dimensions,  one  mile  and  a  quarter 
south  of.  Sonoma.  A  passing  review  of  the 
lives  of  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Losee  will  prove  of 


great  interest  to  the  reader.     Mr.   Losee  dates 
his   birth  in  Fishkill,    Dutchess  County,  New 
York,  November  27,  1822.     He  was  reared  to 
a  farm  life,  and  received  such  an  education  as 
was  common  to  the   sons   of  fairly  well-to-do 
farmers  in  those  years.     He  early  showed  that 
spirit  of  adventure  that  later  led  him  to  leave 
relatives,    friends    and    native    land,    and    visit 
lands  then  but  little  known.     Endowed  as  he 
was  by  nature  with  rare  courage  and  a  perfect 
command  of  himself  in   moments  of  peril,  he 
was  enabled  to  pass  unscathed  through  scenes  of 
e.xtreme  danger.    His  school  days  having  passed, 
he    mastered  the  painter's  trade.     At  twenty- 
two  years  of  age,  in  the  flush  of  young,  vigorous 
manhood,  he  embarked  for  South  America.     In 
Peru  and  Chili  he  worked  much  of  the  time  at 
his  trade  until  1849;  in  tiiat  year  going  to  New 
Zealand,  wiiere  he  found  profitable  employment 
and  led  an  active  life  several  years.     While  in 
New  Zealand,  January  7,  1851,  he  married  Miss 
Hannah  Brickwell,    a    cultured    English    lady, 
born  in  Buckinghamshire,  England,  and   M'ho 
had  made  her  home  in  New  Zealand  after  reach- 
ing womanhood.     Mrs.   Losee   is  a  little  lady, 
possessed  of  marvelous  energy,  pluck  and  en- 
durance, which  tiie  then  not  distant  future  was 
to  test  in  the    utmost  degree.     In    1853    Mr. 
Losee  and  his  wife'  went  to  Australia,   wiiere 
Mr.  Losee  was  in  business  in  Sydney  the  year 
following.     For  some   time    they  had  contem- 
plated visiting  California  with  a  view  of  estab- 
lishing themselves  permanently.     Accordingly, 
in  September,  1854,  in  the  bark  Sarah  Jlorse, 
the  voyage  to  San  Francisco  was  undertaken,  but 
the  fates  decreed   that  years  of  suffering   and 
separation  were  to  be  passed  before  they  were 
to  reach   the  Golden    State.     Their  ill  starred 
ship  was  wrecked  in  December  at  Ravens  Island, 
one  of  the  Caroline  group  of  islands,  on  a  reef, 
and    became  a  total    loss.     After    making    liis 
wife   as    comfortable    as    possible    among    the 
natives,  Mr.   Losee  made  one  of  a  boat's  crew 
who  attempted  to  reach    Ascension    Island    to 
bring  succor  and  relief,  but  their  boat,  largely 
at  the  mercy  of  tlie  waves  and  currents  of  the 


UISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


ocean,  drifted  so  far  from  its  course,  that 
hunger  and  privation  compelled  them  to  seek 
shelter  and  food  upon  another  of  the  Caroline 
group  of  islands.  There  two  of  the  party  were 
murdered  by  the  natives,  and  their  captain  (not 
their  ship's  captain,  but  a  white  man  hired  for 
the  trip)  died,  and  the  party  was  robbed  of  all 
their  effects.  The  living  made  their  escape, 
largely  through  the  address  and  energy  of  Mr. 
Loses,  to  anotlier  smaller  island  of  the  group, 
having  spent  three  days  and  nights  without 
food  or  water.  Here  they  found  the  natives 
absent,  and  the  island  stocked  with  chickens, 
cocoa-nuts  and  bread  fruit.  Immediately  they 
commenced  laying  in  supplies  for  another  at- 
tempt to  find  relief  for  tlieir  comrades  and 
partners  in  distress.  The  natives  returning, 
their  departure  was  attended  with  danger,  but 
accomplished  in  safety.  Again  on  the  broad 
ocean  the  long  weary  days  passed  into  weeks. 
No  friendly  sail  greeted  the  anxious  strained 
eyes  of  those  poor  men  striving  so  manfully  to 
save  themselves  and  their  dear  ones.  Their 
slender  stock  of  food  and  water  diminished  un- 
til for  fifteen  days  they  were  reduced  to  a  half 
pint  of  water  and  one-half  a  cocoa-nut  to  each 
of  their  party  of  four.  Death  was  the  only  fate 
to  be  expected  from  the  natives,  but  they  were 
compelled  to  accept  the  chance  of  life  among 
them  or  starve  on  the  apparent)  v  deserted  ocean. 
Accordingly,  after  a  voyage  of  twenty-one  days, 
a  landing  was  made  upon  a  small  island  where 
no  white  man  had  ever  been  seen  by  the  natives. 
To  their  great  joy  and  relief  they  were  kindly 
received  and  cared  for,  and  Mr.  Losee  was  so 
evidently  the  master  spirit  among  his  three 
comrades,  that  he  was  awarded  the  distinction 
bestowed  upon  a  chief,  and  taken  under  the 
protection  of  the  head  chief  of  tlie  island.  There 
two  of  his  three  companions  died  and  there 
Mr.  Losee  lived  like  a  native  two  years  and 
eight  months,  learning  their  language  and 
acquiring  great  influence  over  them.  They 
learned  to  love  and  believe  in  him,  and  he  used 
liis  influence  over  them  only  for  good.  Had  we 
space  for  detail,  a  chapter  of  anecdote  and  in  " 


cident  could  be  written  illustrative  of  life 
among  those  simple  minded  sons  of  nature. 
Indeed,  Mr.  Losee  claims  that  they  practiced 
the  attributes  of  justice  and  charity  in  a  greater 
degree  than  is  common  in  many  communities 
boasting  of  civilization  and  Christianity.  At 
the  end  of  two  years  and  eight  months,  upon 
his  promise  to  return  to  them  in  four  moons 
(months)  and  bring  tools  of  iron  and  open  a 
market  foi'them  for  their  cocoa-nuts  and  abalone 
shells,  he  was  allowed  to  depart  with  a  stock  of 
cocoa-nuts  for  food  and  cocoa-nut  shells  filled 
with  water.  Taking  with  him  a  young  boy  to 
whom  he  had  taught  the  English  language  (his 
only  comrade,  Edward  Collins,  had  not  the 
courage  to  again  place  himself  at  the  mercy  of 
the  ocean),  in  a  frail  canoe  his  departure  was 
made,  and  again  Mr.  Losee  was  looking  for  re- 
lief on  the  broad  Pacific.  Only  a  few  hours 
passed  before  quite  a  violent  wind  upset  his 
fiail  bark  and  brought  extreme  peril.  With 
difficulty  he  righted  the  canoe  and  bailed  it  out, 
saving  only  a  small  portion  of  his  food  and 
water.  In  almost  a  perishing  condition  seven 
days  later  he  landed  among  cannibals  in  Green's 
Island,  Solomon's  Group.  The  sparing  of  his 
life  by  the  natives  he  considers  providential. 
He  was  rescued  by  a  small  trading  vessel  after 
some  weeks,  and,  after  an  absence  of  three  years 
and  six  months,  was  again  in  Sydney.  His 
promise  to  his  island  friends  was  faithfully 
kept.  He  induced  a  trading  master  with  his 
vessel  to  visit  them,  and  accompanying  him  was 
the  boy  lie  had  taken  away  with  him.  He  also 
brought  the  promised  tools,  etc.,  and  some 
chickens  and  a  pig.  Returning  to  Sydney,  Mr. 
Losee  sought  by  all  avenues  of  information 
tidings  of  his  wife.  There  we  will  leave  him  to 
speak  of  the  brave  little  woman.  Mrs.  Losee, 
after  spending  six  months  at  Ravens  Island. in 
dreadful  anxiety  and  in  great  suffering  and  pri- 
vation, was  rescued  b}'  the  whale  ship  M.  Tal- 
madge,  and  taken  to  the  Island  of  Guam,  the 
capital  of  the  Phillipine  Islands;  thence  to 
Manilla  on  a  small  Spanish  schooner;  thence  to 
Hong    Kono;,    China;     thence    to    New    York, 


HISTORY    OF    S0N(JMA     COUNTY. 


wliere,  having  no  tidings  of  her  husband,  she 
thought  him  dead,  and  like  the  courageous  ladj 
fhe  is,  she  having  learned  that  business  oppor- 
tunities were  opened  to  her,  returned  to  Ilong 
Kong,  where  she  was  employed  at  a  liberal 
salary  in  an  English  mercantile  establishment. 
In  1859,  having  saved  £200  in  lawful  currency, 
she  joined  her  husband  in  Sydney.  Let  those 
who  will  try  to  imagine  what  the  meeting  must 
have  been  after  a  separation  of  four  years  and 
live  months,  and  to  them  such  eventful  years 
and  months.  In  Sydney  Mr.  Losee  conducted 
an  extensive  business,  dealing  in  hardware, 
paints,  oils,  paper-hangings,  cordage,  etc.,  until 
1868,  when,  again,  and  this  time  attended  by 
no  untoward  event,  the  journey  was  undertaken 
to  this  State.  Their  only  child,  a  daughter, 
^\ll0,  had  she  lived,  would  now  be  a  young  lady, 
died  young.  And  in  conclusion  we  are  pleased 
to  be  able  to  state  that,  surrounded  by  all  need- 
ful comfort,  this  worthy  couple  are  enjoying 
that  peace  and  rest  so  well  earned  and  so  richly 
deserved  by  them. 


fDWARD  SPALDING  LIPPITT.— The 
subject  of  this  memoir  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Woodstock,  Windham  County, 
State  of  Connecticut,  September  17,  1824.  His 
father  was  of  the  stock  of  the  Lippitts  of  Rhode 
Island,  who  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of 
the  Providence  plantations.  His  mother,  nee 
Lois  Spalding,  was  the  daughter  of  a  substan- 
tial farmer  of  Thompson,  Connecticut,  and  on 
edch  side  the  family  was  of  English  extraction. 
While  a  child,  his  parents  removed  to  the  town 
of  Klllingly,  Connecticut,  where  they  resided 
upon  a  farm  until  1832,  when  they  removed  to 
Thompson,  Connecticut,  where  they  also  resided 
upon  a  farm.  Edward  was  the  third  sou  and 
fifth  child  in  a  family  of  nine  children.  His 
early  education  was  limited  to  tlie  four  months 
schooling  each  winter  usually  given  in  tiie  coun- 
try of  New  England  to  all  the  children.  At 
the  age  of  sixteen  lie  attended   tiie  academy  at 


Thompson  for  part  of  one  year  and  one  winter. 
In  the  fall  of  1842  he  entered  East  Greenwich 
Academy,  Rhode  Island,  where  lie  spent  one 
term  in  study,  and  taught  a  district  school  four 
miles  south  of  East  Greenwich,  in  the  winter  of 
1842-'43,  for  four  inontlis.  In  the  fall  of  that 
year  he  entered  the  Ereshman  class  in  Wes- 
leyan  University  at  Middletown,  Connecticut. 
In  his  class  were  Senator  Cole,  of  California, 
Professor  Martin,  of  the  University  of  the  Pa- 
cific, Orange  Judd,  of  New  York,  Bishop  An- 
drews, of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
Alexander  Winchell,  the  naturalist  and  author, 
Drs.  King  and  Pillsbury,  of  the  New  York 
Conference,  and  others  of  distinguished  merit. 
In  April,  1847,  he  was  elected  principal  of  the 
Collegiate  Institute  and  Gymnasium  at  Pem- 
broke, New  Hampshire,  and  left  college  three 
months  before  commencement  to  enter  upon  his 
new  duties,  returning  to  graduate  with  his  class 
in  July,  when  he  was  elected  president  of  his 
class,  and  presided  at  the  class  meetings  and  ex- 
ercises of  commencement.  During  the  year 
1847-'48,  while  teaching,  he  commenced  the 
study  of  law,  spending  his  vacations  at  Harvard 
Law  School.  In  the  fall  of  1848  he  removed 
to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he  was  elected  Pro- 
fessor of  Mathematics  and  Natural  Science  in 
the  Wesleyan  Female  College  in  that  city, where 
he  continued  until  1852,  when  he  founded  the 
Scientific  and  Classical  Institute  of  that  city, 
for  the  instruction  of  young  men.  In  1855  he 
retired  from  school  teaching,  and  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  the  law,  for  which  he  had  been 
preparing  himself  by  assiduous  labors  for  all 
the  years  he  had  been  engaged  in  teaching,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  State  of  Ohio  in 
that  year.  During  the  years  1856-'57  he  was 
a  member  of  the  school  board  of  the  city  of 
Cincinnati,  and  chairman  of  the  committee  on 
text-books.  During  the  next  four  years  he  was 
associated  with  W.  B.  Probasco,  in  the  law 
business.  In  1859  he  was  elected  city  solicitor 
with  R.  B.  Hayes  (President  Hayes),  which 
office  he  held  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war 
in  1801.     After  his  entry  upon  the  practice  of 


HISTORY    OF    aONOJIA    COUNTY. 


the  law,  he  entered  also  earnestly  into  politics, 
making  the  canvass  of  Hamilton  County  several 
tin)es,  and  in  1860  canvassing  the  southern  part 
of  Ohio  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  was  then 
accounted  one  of  the  most  effective  speakers 
among  the  young  men  of  Ohio.  In  1850  he 
was  a  delegate  from  Cincinnati,  First  Congres- 
sional district,  to  the  National  Convention  at 
Philadelphia,  which  nominated  Fillmore  for 
President,  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  cam- 
paign of  that  year.  In  the  spring  of  1862  he 
emigrated  to  California,  making  the  trip  over- 
land, and  was  elected  Professor  of  Mathematics 
at  the  Universit}'  of  the  Pacific  at  Santa  Clara, 
remaining  there  only  one  year.  In  July,  1863, 
he  came  to  Petaluma,  to  take  charge  of  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  the  city,  which  he  retained  for 
four  years,  bringing  them  up  to  a  high  state  of 
excellence.  During  that  time  he  also,  during 
the  absence  of  Mr.  Taylor,  preached  for  the 
Congregational  church  for  the  year  1863-"G4, 
and  under  his  charge  that  church  edifice  was 
enlarged.  The  ne.xt  j'ear  he  took  charge  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  began 
the  erection  of  the  present  structure, 
buying  their  present  location,  and  laying 
the  solid  foundation  and  building  the  first 
story  of  what  was  intended  to  be  one  of 
the  finest  churches  in  the  State.  In  1867  he 
built  the  fine  buildings  on  D  street,  now  occu- 
pied by  the  city  high  school  as  a  collegiate  in- 
stitute, but  in  the  spring  of  1870  was  obliged 
by  his  pecuniary  losses  to  relinquish  the  enter- 
prise, losing  his  whole  investment  therein.  He 
then  returned  to  his  old  profession,  the  practice 
of  the  law,  which  he  has  since  pursued  with  un- 
remitting care  and  attention.  During  the  ten 
years  that  have  intervened,  he  has  built  up 
a  lucrative  practice,  and  taken  rank  among  the 
best  lawyers  of  the  district.  During  the  war 
Mr.  Lippitt  took  an  active  part  for  the  Union 
cause,  and  by  his  endeavor  and  eloquence  raised 
large  sums  of  money  for  the  sanitary  and  Chris- 
tian commissions.  He  is  one  of  the  most  elo- 
quent and  popular  speakers  in  the  State,  and  is 
ever  ready  to  respond   in  behalf  of  every  good 


enteiprise.  On  November  20,  1848,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Helen  M.  Young,  of  Lebanon, 
JS'ew  Hampshire,  who  died  June  27,  1849,  in 
Cincinnati,  of  cholera.  On  July  3,  1851,  he 
married  Miss  Sarah  L.  Lewis,  of  Monroe,  Louis- 
iana. They  have  had  nine  children,  five  of 
whom  are  living.  Mr.  Lippitt  is  still  in  the 
vigor  of  his  manhood,  and  bids  fair  to  add  many 
years  to  his  life  of  usefulness. 


J®®- 


iURANT  LITCHFIELD  was  born  in  Co- 
shocton County,  Ohio,  in  1833.  His  par- 
ents, Chauncey  and  Martha  (Knight) 
Litchfield,  were  natives  of  New  York.  When 
he  was  four  years  old  his  father  removed  with 
his  family  to  Illinois,  and  located  in  Fulton 
County.  There  he  engaged  in  farming,  and 
young  Litchfield  was  reared  to  the  same  calling 
until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  receiving 
at  the  same  time  such  educational  facilities  as 
were  afforded  by  the  public  schools.  At  the  age 
of  twenty-one  he  commenced  life  on  his  own 
account.  His  father  died  in  1843,  leaving  the 
farm  to  the  care  of  mother  and  sons.  Mr.  Litch- 
field continued  on  the  home  farm  until  1862, 
when,  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  being  in  its 
height,  and  his  strong  Union  sentiments  and 
love  of  his  country  prompting  him  to  engage 
in  its  defense,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  soldier  in 
Company  F,  Eighty-fourth  Regiment  of  Illinois 
Volunteers.  He  served  faithfully  until  the  close 
of  the  war.  The  fatigues  and  hardships  of  cam- 
paigns and  dangers  of  battle  were  cheerfully 
encountered,  and  not  until  the  Rebellion  was  sup- 
pressed and  the  last  shot  fired  did  he  return  to 
his  home.  Among  the  many  severe  and  import- 
ant engagements  that  Mr.  Litchfield  participated 
in,  were  the  following  battles  so  well  known  in 
the  history  of  our  country:  Chickamauga,  Stone 
River,  Mission  Ridge,  Dalton,  Ringgold  and 
Chattanooga.  Soon  after  his  return  to  Illinois 
he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Adams,  the  daughter 
of  Hawthorne  and  ]\[ary  (AVertz)  Adams,  both 
natives  of  Pennsylvania.      In  1866  he  moved  to 


UIsrORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


McDonougli  County,  Illinois,  where  lie  pur- 
chased a  farm  and  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising.  He  was  successful  in  this  enterprise 
and  soon  ranked  as  one  of  the  representative 
farmers  of  that  county.  In  1879  Mr.  Litch- 
field came  to  California,  and  after  visiting  several  i 
sections  of  the  State  decided  that  Sonoma  County 
comhined  the  necessary  conditions  that  would  , 
make  life  in  California  a  constant  pleasure.  He 
returned  to  Illinois,  sold  his  farm,  and  in  1881  j 
moved  his  family  to  Sonoma  County.  Upon  | 
his  arrival  he  purchased  fifty-seven  acres  near 
Sehastopol,  moved  his  family  upon  it  and  com- 
menced his  career  as  a  fruitgrower.  Since  that 
time  he  has  devoted  himself  to  its  cultivation 
and  improvement.  This  land  is  just  north  of 
Sebastopol,  in  the  Laguna  school  district,  on  the 
Green  Valley  road.  He  has  twenty  acres  in 
wine  grapes  of  the  Ziufa!idel  variety,  also  a  tine 
orchard  which  is  producing  some  of  the  best 
fruit  grown  in  that  section,  French  prunes  be- 
ing the  principal  production,  but  he  also  raises 
peaches,  apples,  })ears,  plums,  etc.  The  remain- 
der of  his  land  is  devoted  to  ha)-  and  stock.  The 
land  is  all  well  adapted  to  fruit  cultivation,  and 
Mr.  Litchfield  intends  increasing  his  orchard  in 
the  near  future.  Among  the  many  improve- 
ments lie  has  made  during  his  residence  on  this 
place,  is  the  building  of  a  neat  and  attractive 
cottage  residence  It  is  beautifully  situated  in 
a  grove  of  evergreen  trees,  npon  rising  ground, 
which  gives  a  pleasing  and  attractive  view  of 
the  surrounding  landscape.  Well  ordered  and 
commodious  out-buildings,  good  fences,  and  the 
general  air  of  comfort  pervading  his  place,  at- 
test the  success  that  Mr.  Litchfield  is  achieving 
in  his  vocation.  He  is  an  intelligent,  enterpris- 
ing and  public-spirited  citizen,  a  believer  in  the 
glorious  future  that  awaits  his  section  of  the 
State,  and  ready  to  aid  in  all  movements  tend- 
ing to  advance  the  interests  and  welfare  of  the 
community  in  which  he  resides.  During  his 
short  residence  here  he  has  gained  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  his  associates.  He  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  Seba?topul  Grange,  Patrons  of 
Husbandry,  and  their   daughters  are   members 


of  the  G'jod  Templars  Lodge  at  Sebastopol. 
In  politics  lie  is  a  strong  and  consistent  Repub- 
lican. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Litchfield  have  four  chil- 
dren living,  viz.:  Laura  B.,  Alice  M.,  Martha 
Irma  and  Mary  E.  Mr.  Litchfield"  is  liberally 
educating  his  family.  His  daughters,  Laura  B. 
and  Alice  M.,  are  both  graduates  of  theXormal 
School  at  Santa  Rosa,  and  are  now  (1888j  teach- 
ers in  the  public  schools  of  Sonoma  County. 


--i^^-- 


fALEBC.CARRIGER— Among  the  valued 
and  esteemed  men  who  came  to  Sonoma 
^  ■  Valley  in  its  pioneer  days  were  the  Carri- 
ger  brothers.  A  brief  review  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  with  mention  of  other  members  of 
the  family,  gives  the  following  facts.  His 
father,  Chri.-tian  Carriger,  was  of  German 
birth,  and  his  mother,  Lovisa  (Ward)  Carriger, 
was  boi"n  in  England.  After  marriage  they 
located  in  Carter  County,  Tennessee,  and  there 
all  of  their  children  were  born.  When  Caleb  C. 
Carriger  was  a  small  boy  the  family  moved  to 
Andrew  County,  where  stories  reached  them  of 
the  great  fertilit}-  and  delightful  climate  of 
lands  west  of  the  mountains.  The  Carrigers  as 
a  family  were  noted  for  daring  and  adventure. 
It  is  believed  that  the  proposition  to  brave  the 
dangers  to  be  encountered  in  coining  to  this 
coast,  met  with  no  opposition  from  au\-  member 
of  the  family.  April  27, 1846,  the  family  started 
with  the  intention  of  going  to  Oregon,  but 
later  determined  to  make  Califoi'uia  their  desti- 
nation. The  j  >urney  was  attended  by  danger, 
privation  and  great  suffering.  On  Yuba  River, 
September  26,  Christian  Carriger,  the  head  of 
the  family,  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  j-ears. 
Sadly  and  tenderly  the  family  buried  him  in  bis 
lonely  grave,  and  then  pursued  their  weary  way. 
The  first  place  reached  in  California  was  John- 
son's ranch  on  Bear  River.  From  there,  slowly 
but  without  unnecessary  delay,  the  family  made 
their  way  to  Sonoma  Valley,  reaching  Sonoma 
October  6,  1840,  and  making  that  their  home. 
Daniel,  Nicholas  and  Solomon,  the  three  eldest 


lIltiTonr    OF    HONOMA    VOUiWTy. 


of  the  boys,  at  once  enlisted  in  the  war  for  the 
acquisition  of  California,  Daniel  and  Solomon 
under  Fremont,  and  Nicholas  in  the  navy. 
Each  did  good  service.  Daniel,  a  year  or  two 
after,  died  at  Sonoma.  Nicholas  lived  to  acquire 
great  wealth,  his  deatli  occurring  in  1885.  (The 
reader  is  referred  to  his  biography  elsewhere  in 
this  work.)  Solomon,  who  a  few  years  ago  re- 
turned East,  is  now  sixty-two  years  of  age,  and 
lives  in  Tennessee,  in  the  county  of  his  birth. 
One  sister  who  came  to  this  coast  later,  Mrs. 
Phebe  Whitington,  now  lives  in  Oregon;  and 
another  sister,  Mrs.  Lovisa  McAllan,  lives  in 
Missouri.  Caleb  C.  Carriger,  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Carter  County, 
Tennessee,  November  11,  1832,  and  he  was  in 
his  fourteenth  year  when  his  family  left  Andrew" 
County,  Missouri,  to  cross  the  pla  ns  and  moun- 
tains to  this  coast.  His  home  was  made  with 
his  widowed  mother  in  Sonoma  for  several 
years.  She  passed  to  the  better  life  many 
years  ago.  "  In  partnership  with  his  brother 
Solomon,  Mr.  Carriger  bought  640  acres  of  land 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Sonoma  Valley,  nearly 
due  west  of  Sonoma.  Upon  a  portion  of  that 
purchase  he  yet  lives.  In  the  thirty  years  that 
Mr.  Carriger  has  kept  a  record  of  the  tempera- 
ture of  this  location,  but  once  has  tlie  thermome- 
ter jegistered  as  low  as  twenty  degrees  above 
zero,  and  that  was  in  the  winter  of  1887-'88. 
Oranges  grow  abundantly  and  profitably  upon 
his  property.  From  170  trees  a  single  crop  has 
marketed  for  $700.  Apricots,  prunes,  plums, 
quinces,  pomegranates,  pears  and  lemons  all 
thrive  at  this  favored  place,  and  produce  abun- 
dantly. October  29, 1863,  Mr.  Carriger  wedded 
Miss  Lizzie  Veirs,  who  was  born  at  Steuben- 
ville,  Jefferson  County,  Ohio,  and  who  came  to 
California  in  February,  1861.  Six  of  her  seven 
children  are  living  and  at  home,  viz.:  Margaret, 
Frederick,  Nellie,  Lizzie,  Henry  W.  and  Jessie. 
Frank,  the  second  child,  died  at  the  age  of  fif- 
teen months.  Mrs.  Carriger's  father,  Jesse 
Veirs,  an  educated  and  cultured  business  man, 
was  formerly  a  hardware  merchant  at  Steubeti- 
ville.     He    was    of    an     old     Virginia    family. 


Leaving  his  family  in  the  East,  he  came  to 
California  in  1851.  In  San  Francisco  he  was 
for  many  years  intrusted  with  honorable  posi- 
tions, managing  the  interests  of  others.  His 
family  joined  liim  in  1861.  He  lived  a  useful 
and  honorable  life,  was  respected  and  esteemed 
bj'  all  who  knew  him,  and  died  in  Oakland  in 
December,  1876,  at  the  age  of  fiftj'-eight  years. 
Mrs.  Carriger's  mother,  Margaret  (Sweeney) 
Veirs,  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  her  home  is 
now  (1888)  in  San  Francisco. 


fDWIN  HARRISON  BAbiNES,  banker, 
of  Healdsburg,  is  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
born  in  Livingston  County,  not  far  from 
Snjithland,  December  26,  1827,  his  parents 
being  John  and  Diana  Y.  (Harrison)  Barnes. 
He  traces  his  ancestry  back  to  North  Carolina, 
his  father  either  having  been  born  in  that  State, 
or  shortly  after  the  family  left  there  for  Ken- 
tucky. His  mother  was  born  near  Cadiz,  Ken- 
tucky, and  came  of  one  of  the  oldest  families  of 
that  State.  In  1838  the  Barnes  family  removed 
from  Kentucky  to  Missouri,  located  in  Scott 
County,  and  there  the  parents  lived  until  their 
deaths.  E.  H.  Barnes  was  in  his  sixth  year 
when  the  family  removed  to  Scott  County,  Mis- 
souri, and  there  he  received  his  early  education, 
finishing  at  Ford's  Seminary,  Cape  Girardeau. 
On  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  he  de- 
cided to  try  his  fortunes  in  the  new  field  so  full 
of  promise,  and  on  the  lOtli  of  April,  1849,  he 
left  home  to  attempt  the  then  perilous  journey 
across  the  plains.  He  followed  the  regular  emi- 
grant trail  until  the  way  diverges,  one  road 
going  to  Salt  Lake.  Instead,  he  chose  the  route 
by  Sublett's  Cut-off,  thence  via  Bear  River  and 
the  Lawson  route.  He  reached  California  about 
the  10th  of  September,  and  on  the  Ist  of  Octo- 
ber was  at  Bid  well's  Bar,  on  Feather  River, 
where  he  lay  sick  with  fever  previously  con- 
tracted. He  proceeded  to  Sacramento,  and  from 
there  came  to  Sonoma  County,  arriving  about 
the  1st  of  December,  1849.     Here  he  had  rela- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


tives  living,  Josepli  Gordon,  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  the  county,  being  his  mother's  uncle.  For 
ten  months  he  lived  on  Russian  River,  in  Men- 
docino Township,  then  moved  to  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  in  Russian  River  Township, 
and,  in  partnership  with  William  Potter,  opened 
the  first  trading  post  north  of  Sonoma.  The 
land  he  had  selected  lay  in  the  tract  claimed  by 
Captain  Cooper,  under  the  El  Molino  grant,  and 
he  decided  to  take  such  measures  as  would  in- 
sure liis  title,  whether  the  grant  was  confirmed 
or  not.  Going  to  the  captain,  he  offered  him  a 
price  for  250  acres,  which  was  to  be  the  pur- 
chase money  in  case  the  grant  stood  the  test  of 
the  courts,  and  for  the  return  of  which  he  de- 
pended entirely  upon  the  honor  of  Captain 
Cooper,  in  case  of  an  adverse  decision  on  the 
legality  of  tlie  grant.  The  captain  was  glad  to 
be  recognized  in  the  matter  to  that  extent,  and 
the  affair  was  satisfactorily  adjusted,  so  that  Mr. 
Barnes,  liy  acting  with  good  judgment  at  that 
time,  secured  liis  land  at  a  cheap  figure,  with- 
out having  any  cost  of  litigation  to  pay,  or  any 
of  the  aggravating  annoyances  which  others  ex- 
perienced. Of  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  his 
course  there  is  now  no  doubt.  In  1852  he 
bought  out  Mr.  Potter's  interest  in  the  partner- 
ship, and  sold  a  half  share  in  the  land  and  store 
to  Lindsay  Carson,  brother  of  the  noted  scout. 
Kit  Carson.  He  sold  his  share  to  Mr.  Carson, 
who  afterward  sold  to  John  G.  McMeans,  and 
tiie  store  was  removed  by  him  to  Ilealdsburg 
•in  1855.  On  January  5,  1854,  Mr.  Barnes 
started  on  a  trip  back  to  Missouri,  ciioosing  the 
route  via  Nicaragua.  In  Missouri  he  visited 
friends  and  relatives,  and,  buying  cattle,  drove 
them  across  tlie  plains  and  placed  them  on  his 
ranch  in  Russian  River  Township.  He  im- 
proved the  place  and  made  his  residence  there 
most  of  the  time  until  1882,  in  which  year  he 
moved  to  Healdsburg.  From  1804  to  1867  lie 
was  associated  with  R.  A.  Petray  in  business  at 
Windsor.  Since  the  organization  of  the  Farm- 
ers' and  Mechanics'  Bank  of  Ilealdsburg,  he 
lias  been  its  president.  Mr.  Barnes  was  married 
in    this  county,   September  20,  1855,  to  Miss 


Mary  M.  Thompson,  who  came  out  to  California 
in  1853,  from  Johnson  County,  Missouri,  with 
her  parents,  John  D.  and  Eliza  M.  (Steele) 
Thompson.  Both  parents  died  in  this  county. 
Mr.  Barnes  is  past  master  of  Russian  River 
Lodge,  No.  181,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Windsor,  of 
which  he  was  a  charter  member.  He  has  been 
an  eye  witness  to  the  changes  which  have  trans- 
formed Sonoma  County  from  a  wilderness  to  its 
present  prosperous  condition.  When  he  lirst 
came  to  the  county,  Sonoma  was  the  only 
trading  point  or  settlement,  and  the  Carrillo 
adobe  was  the  only  ranch  house  of  any  conse- 
quence between  Sonoma  and  Captain  Fitch's 
place.  The  Pinos  adobe,  where  D.  D.  Phillips 
now  lives,  was  the  only  house  on  Dry  Creek. 
There  are  but  few,  indeed,  left  in  the  county 
who  were  here  during  the  first  year  or  two  of 
Mr.  Barnes'  residence  in  the  county,  yet  he  is 
to-day  one  of  its  active  business  men.  His 
success  in  life  is  due  solely  to  his  own  good 
judgment,  business  sagacity  and  industry,  and 
he  has  always  commanded  the  highest  respect 
and  esteem  of  the  community.  Mr.  Barnes  has 
never  been  from  choice  in  public  life,  though 
always  taking  an  active  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  the  community.  However,  in  1851  he  was 
elected  justice  of  the  peace. 

•^g^^HARLES  McHARVEY  was  born  in  Os- 
iulvi  '^^^go  County,  New  York,  December  21, 
VI  1826.  His  father,  Charles  McIIarvey, 
was  of  Scotch  descent,  but  a  native  of  New 
York.  His  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Amplias  Jones,  was  a  native  of  Vermont  and  a 
descendant  of  the  Puritans  of  New  England. 
The  father  died  just  before  the  birth  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  and  in  1827  his  mother 
moved  to  Crawford  County,  Pennsylvania, 
where  she  married  John  Welch,  a  farmer  and 
shoemaker.  Mr.  McIIarvey  was  reared  upon 
his  step-father's  farm  until  about  seven  years  of 
age,  when  he  left  home  and  worked  for  a  farmer 
in  that  section  of  the  country  until  1836.     He 


HISTORY    OF    S0N031A    COUNTY. 


then  went  to  Titnsville,  Pennsylvania,  in  the 
same  county,  and  there  remained,  earning  such 
a  living  as  he  could  at  farm  and  other  labor, 
until  fourteen  years  of  age.  While  there  Mr. 
McHarvey  gathered  oil  (petroleum)  from  the 
springs,  and  in  the  section  that  has  since  become 
so  noted  for  its  oil  wells  and  mineral  wealth. 
He  returned  to  his  former  home  in  1840,  con- 
tinued his  farm  labor,  obtained  what  schooling 
he  could  nntil  eighteen  years  of  age,  when  he 
entered  upon  a  three  years  apprenticeship  as  a 
blacksmith  and  carriage  maker  in  Meadville, 
Crawford  County,  Pennsylvania.  After  serving 
his  full  apprenticeship,  he  established  a  shop  in 
Randall  Township,  in  the  same  county,  and 
carried  it  on  for  two  years.  In  1849  Mr.  Mc- 
Harvey married  Miss  Arrilla  Near,  a  native  of 
Jamestown,  New  York,  and  in  1852  removed  to 
Meadville  and  carried  on  his  business  until  1854, 
when  he  started  via  the  Isthmus  route  forCalifor- 
nia,  arriving  in  San  Francisco  April  14th  of  that 
year.  Soon  after  hisarrival  lie  located  in  Sor.onia 
County  and  established  a  blacksmith  and  car- 
riage shop  at  Sonoma,  it  being  the  second  shop 
of  this  character  opened  in  Sonoma  Valley.  In 
1855  he  entered  into  partnership  with  R.  B. 
Lyon,  with  whom  he  continued  the  enterprise 
until  early  in  1856,  when  he  disposed  of  his 
interest  to  his  partner,  and  took  a  trip  through 
the  mining  districts.  He  then,  in  the  same  year, 
returned  to  his  old  home  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
after  remaining  about  a  year,  came  back  to  So- 
noma County.  Upon  his  return  he  purchased 
an  interest  in  his  old  shop,  it  being  at  that  time 
conducted  by  his  old  partner,  Lyon,  and  V. 
Hope.  Under  the  firm  name  of  McHarvey. 
Hope  &  Co.  this  enterprise  was  successfully 
carried  on  until  i860,  when  Mr.  Lyon  retired, 
and  eight  years  later  again  purchased  an  inter- 
est in  the  firm,  which  in  1870  he  sold  to  his 
partners,  who  conducted  the  same  nntil  the 
death  of  Mr.  Hope,  which  occurred  in  June, 
1888.  Since  that  time  Mr.  McHarvey  has  con- 
tinued the  business  under  the  old  firm  name, 
the  widow  of  Mr.  Hope  retaining  his  interest. 
Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  for  over  thirty  years 


Mr.  McHarvey  has  been  prominently  connected 
with  one  of  the  most  important  mechanical 
and  manufacturing  industries  of  Sonoma  A^'al- 
ley.  These  works  are  located  on  the  west  side 
of  the  plaza,  and  though  the  manufacturing 
industry  is  comparatively  small,  he  is  well  pat- 
ronized in  the  blacksmith  and  repair  shops.  He 
is  also  dealing  in  wagons,  agricultural  imple- 
ments, etc.  Mr.  McHarvey  is  a  part  owner  in 
the  shops  and  also  owns  a  tine  cottage  residence 
property  on  the  corner  of  Spain  and  Third 
street  west,  also  two  lots  and  cottage  on  Napa 
and  Second  street  east.  Mr.  McHarvey's  long 
residence  and  business  here  has  made  him  one 
of  the  well-known  men  of  Sonoma  Valley.  His 
early  life  was  spent  in  the  struggle  for  a  living 
among  comparative  strangers,  thus  being  de- 
prived of  the  advantages  of  schooling;  never- 
theless, by  his  industry,  mechanical  ability  and 
straightforward  course  in  business,  he  has 
achieved  a  much  greater  success  in  life  than 
many  who  start  in  the  race  with  all  the 
advantages  of  which  he  was  deprived.  He  is  an 
enterprising  citizen  and  has  for  the  past  four 
years  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  city 
trustees,  and  is  now  (1888)  president  of  the 
board.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity  and  has  for  many  j-ears  been  asso- 
ciated with  Temple  Lodge,  No.  14,  of  that  order. 
Politically,  he  is  a  Republican,  taking  a  deep  in- 
terest in  the  success  of  his  party.  From  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McHarvey  there  are 
three  children  living,  viz.:  Tammy,  who 
married  J.  M.  Cheney,  living  in  Sonoma; 
Clarence,  who  married  Miss  Alice  Porterfield, 
of  Cloverdale,  now  living  in  Lake  County,  and 
Mary,  who  is  married  to  R.  M.  Lee,  of 
Jamestown,  New  York,  and  resides  in  San 
Francisco. 


l^jW^US.  FANNIE  McG.  MARTIN,  super- 
Al]i^|;^.  intendent  of  Sonoma  County  public 
"^c&^  schools,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  of 
which    State    her   parents,  Hugh  F.  and  Jane 


UISTOSr    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


(Walker)  McGaii^liey,  were  also  natives.  In  her 
early  childhood  the  fauiily  moved  West  and  set- 
tled in  Macomb,  McDonough  County,  Illinois, 
where  her  parents  passed  the  remainder  of  their 
lives  and  both  died  in  1863.  Some  time  after 
their  decease  Miss  McGaughey  went  to  Minne- 
sota, and  desiring  to  prepare  herself  for  the 
profession  of  teaching,  took  a  course  in  the 
Minnesota  State  Normal  School  at  St.  Cloud, 
from  which  she  was  graduated  in  the  class  of 
1871.  She  taught  in  St.  Cloud  and  Minneapo- 
lis three  years,  and  in  1S74  came  to  California, 
and  has  been  engaged  in  school-work,  either  as 
teacher,  principal  or  superintendent  in  Sonoma 
County  almost  constantly  since.  She  taught  in 
Healdsburg  one  year  as  assistant  principal,  and 
the  two  years  following  was  employed  as  prin- 
cipal of  the  schools  of  that  place.  She  served 
one  year  as  principal  of  the  school  at  Sebastopol, 
after  which  she  was  elected  principal  of  the 
Sonoma  schools  and  occupied  the  position  three 
years,  resigning  to  enter  upon  the  higher  and 
more  important  duties  of  county  superintend- 
ent, to  which  she  was  elected  in  the  fall  of  1886, 
and  for  the  term  of  four  years,  took  charge  of 
the  office  January  1st,  1887.  She  was  elected 
on  the  Republican  ticket  by  the  handsome  ma- 
jority of  over  400  votes  over  her  male  competi- 
tor, notwithstanding  the  county  has  usually 
gone  Democratic.  She  is  the  iirst  lady  super- 
intendent of  schools  elected  in  Sonoma  County, 
and  is  conceded  to  be  one  of  the  most  pains- 
taking, thorough  and  efficient  officers  who  have 
filled  the  position  in  this  or  any  other  cuunty  of 
the  State.  Mrs.  Martin  is  a  zealous  student  of 
her  profession,  and  having  added  to  her  theo- 
retical training  fourteen  years  of  practice  in  the 
school-roo7n  as  teacher  and  principal,  she  ranks 
among  the  leading  public  school  educators  of 
California.  She  belongs  to  the  progi-essive 
school,  and  has  instituted  several  valuable  new 
features  in  the  pedagogical  work  of  this  county. 
On  May  31, 1876,  the  subject  of  this  memoir  was 
nnited  in  marriage  with  Edgar  Martin,  of  So- 
noma County,  but  a  native  of  Iowa,  and  a  de- 
scendant of  Virginia  parentage.      Two  children 

39 


were  born  to  them— Ednable,  born  August  17, 
1878,  died  November  18,  1884,  and  Edgar, 
born  November  9,  1882.  Mr.  Martin  died 
August  7,  1882.  During  the  campaign  which 
elected  her  county  superintendent,  Mrs.  Mar- 
tin made  nine  public  addresses  before  the  people 
of  the  county  on  educational  subjects. 

"••'l-lxl-l'-*' 

^mLONZO  MEACHAM.— Among  the  pion- 
IjTy^  eers  of  California  and  the  early  settlers  of 
^s^"  Santa  Rosa  Township,  is  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  a  brief  resume  of  whose  life  is  as 
follows:  He  started  on  a  schooner  via  the 
Isthmus  of  Panama,  en  route  for  Califor- 
nia. Arriving  at  the  mouth  of  the  Chagres 
River  his  party  proceeded  by  canoes  to  the  head 
waters  of  that  stream,  and  thence  on  foot  to 
Panama.  There  they  chartered  an  English 
bark  and  continued  their  voyage  to  San  Fran- 
cisco. On  account  of  the  long  delays  suffered 
in  crossing  the  Isthmus  and  the  transportation 
of  their  provisions,  supplies,  etc.,  and  the  slow 
sailing  of  their  vessel,  they  did  not  arrive  in 
San  Francisco  until  May  18,  1849.  Immedi- 
ately after  his  arrival  he  went  to  Placer  County 
and  engaged  in  mining.  After  a  few  months 
spent  in  the  mines  he  returned  to  San  Francisco 
where  he  engaged  in  his  old  occupation,  trading 
and  commission  business.  This  business  was 
successfully  conducted  until  the  great  tire  of 
May,  1852,  which  put  an  end  to  that  undertak- 
ing. Mr.  Meacham,  in  June  of  that  year,  came 
to  Sonoma  County  and  located  near  what  is  now 
the  city  of  Santa  Rosa.  The  only  buildings  at 
that  time,  in  the  now  populous'  city,  was  the 
adobe  house  occupied  by  Mallagh  ifc  McDonald 
as  a  public  house.  They  also  had  a  small  stock 
of  goods  and  groceries.  Mr.  Meacham  bought 
them  out  and  established  a  general  merchandise 
store  and  trading  post.  Except  for  the  small 
venture  of  Mallagh  «i:  McDonald,  which  they 
conducted  less  than  a  j'ear,  Mr.  Meacham  is 
justly  entitled  to  the  credit  of  having  established 
the  first  store  in  Santa  Rosa  Township.    Shortly 


jiusTonr   UK  bONOMA   vuuMry. 


after  o.pening  his  store  he  sent  a  petition  to 
Washington  asiving  for  the  establishment  of  a 
postoffice  at  that  point.  This  petition  was 
granted  and  Mr.  JVIeacliam  was  appointed  post- 
master. He  gave  the  ofhce  the  name  of  Santa 
Rosa,  to  which  the  tc)wn  of  Santa  •  Rosa  suc- 
ceeded. Mr.  Meacliani  is  entitled  to  the  grati- 
tude of  })Osteritj  for  eonferi'ing  this  beautiful 
name.  In  the  fall  of  1852  Mr.  Meacham's  old 
partner,  Barney  Ploen,  came  to  Santa  Rosa,  and 
purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  store.  They 
conducted  tiie  business  until  May,  185B,  when 
Mr.  Meacham  sold  his  interest^at  the  old  adobe 
store  to  F.  G.  Ilahmau.  In  1852  Mr.  Meacham 
purchased  seventy  acres  of  land,  where  Santa 
Rosa  now  stands,  from  Julio  Carrillo,  paying 
twelve  dollars  per  acre  for  it.  The  next  year 
he  sold  the  land  to  Iloen  tt  Co.,  and  in  the  same 
year  purchased  480  acres  of  land  on  the  Mark 
West  Creek.  He  took  up  his  residence  upon 
this  land  and  since  that  time  has  devoted  him- 
self to  farming  and  stock-raising,  an  occupation 
in  which  he  has  been  successful,  proving  that 
the  same  energetic,  industrious  habits  and  sound 
business  principles  that  had  secured  him  suc- 
cess in  other  pursuits,  when  applied  to  his 
present  calling  would  produce  like  results.  Mr. 
Meacham  now  (1888)  owns  300  acres  of  his 
original  480  acre  tract.  This  line  farm  is  loca- 
ted on  tli6  south  hank  of  Mark  West  Creek, 
about  two  miles  west  of  the  town  of  Fulton,  at 
Meacham  Station,  on  the  Guerneville  branch  of 
the  North  Pacilic  Railroad.  The  land  is  rich 
and  very  productive,  suited  for  the  varied  pro- 
ductions for  which  Sonoma  County  is  noted. 
Eighteen  acres  are  devoted  to  vineyard,  pro- 
ducing wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel,  Riesling 
and  Chasselas  varieties.  He  also  has  a  line 
family  orchard,  producing  a  large  variety  of 
fruits.  The  rest  of  his  land  is  devoted  to  hay, 
grain  and  stock.  Among  tlie  latter  are  400 
sheep,  mostly  Southdown.  He  also  raises  some 
line  specimens  of  horses  and  cattle,  but  generally 
only  such  as  are  required  for  farm  purposes. 
With  tlie  exception  of  two  years — 1866  to  1868 
— durinir  which   time  he  resided  in   San   Fran- 


cisco, in  order  to  give  his  children  better 
schooling  facilities,  Mr.  Meacham  has  lived  in 
the  county  since  1852.  His  straightforward 
business  habits  and  consistent  course  of  life 
have  gained  him  a  large  circle  of  friends  and 
acquaintances.  He  lias  always  taken  a  deep 
interest  in  the  county  and  done  much  in  aiding 
enterprises  which  he  believed  tended  to  advance 
the  interests  and  welfare  of  the  section  in 
which  he  resides.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  though  not  aspiring  to  office  he  takes  an 
intelligent  interest  in  all  political  matters 
aifecting  county.  State  and  nation.  A  strong 
supporter  of  public  schools,  he  served  for  years 
as  school  trustee  of  his  district.  In  1850, 
while  residing  in  San  Francisco,  Mr.  MeachaiTi 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah  Tate, 
a  native  of  Canada.  From  this  marriage  there 
are  five  children  living,  viz.:  William,  Charles, 
David,  George  and  Elvira, 


OLOXEL  R.  H.  WARFIELD,  of  Healds- 
,,..  burg,  is  a  native  of  New  York,  born  at 
^i  RushviUe,  Yates  County,  June  15,  1843. 
His  father,  Richard  Nelson  Warlield,  was  born 
in  Anne  Arundel  County,  Maryland,  nineteen 
miles  from  Baltimore,  on  a  tract  of  land  1,900 
acres  in  extent,  wliich  was  entered  in  1635  by 
the  founder  of  the  family  in  this  country,  and 
which  is  still  held  intact  in  the  family  name,  an 
uncle  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  making  his 
home  there.  Richard  Nelson  Wartield  removed 
from  Maryland  to  New  York  State,  and  was  for 
many  years  a  wholesale  merchant  of  Rochester. 
He  was  born  March  10,  1817,  and  his  mother, 
Elizabeth  Lamoreaux,  of  Maryland,  who  was  born 
in  1796,  is  yet  living.  She  was  nineteen  years  old 
when  the  battle  of  Waterloo  was  fought.  The 
mother  of  Colonel  R.  H.  Warfield,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Rachel  Elona  Hill,  was  born  iu  Ver- 
mont, January  19,  1822,  but  was  reared  in 
Massachusetts  at  a  place  sixty  miles  from 
Boston.  When  the  family  removed  to  Rochester, 
New  York,  R.  H.  Warfield  was  eleven   years  of 


HlijTOnr     OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


age,  and  he  was  placed  by  his  father  in  the 
public  schools  of  that  city.  He  graduated  from 
the  high  school,  winning  the  first  of  the  three 
prize  scholarships  of  his  class,  and  delivering 
the  valedictory  in  Latin,  lie  at  once  entered 
the  University  of  Rochester,  from  which  he 
graduated  with  honor,  taking  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Arts.  His  first  military  experience 
was  with  the  Rochester  Battery,  known  as  "  the 
Grays  "  (which  was  attached  to  the  Twenty-fifth 
Brigade,  N.  G.  S.  N.  Y.),  during  the  draft  riots 
in  Albany,  Troy  and  New  York  City,  in  July, 
1863.  Returning  home  with  the  battery  after 
its  duties  had  been  faithfully  performed,  he 
began,  with  others,  the  formation  of  Company 
E,  to  be  attached  to  the  Fifty-fourth  Regiment, 
N.  G.  S.  N.  Y.  At  the  organization  of  the 
company,  he  was  elected  Second  Lieutenant,  and 
commenced  at  once  the  study  of  the  drill  and 
discipline,  soon  becoming  familiar  with  the  de- 
tails. The  National  Guard,  however,  being  re- 
moved from  the  active  scenes  of  war,  and  its 
services  then  only  nominal,  he  decided  to  get 
nearer  the  front,  and,  relinquishing  his  com- 
mand, enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  United  States 
service,  and  was  assigned  to  Company  L,  Fiftieth 
New  York  Volunteers — Engineers.  This  com- 
mand was  termed  in  those  days  a  veteran  regi- 
ment, it  having  been  with  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  since  1861.  Through  the  study  of  "Ma- 
han  on  Engineering"  and  other  military  works 
Colonel  Warfield  became  thoroughly  familiar 
with  the  duties  of  his  command,  and  his  pro- 
motion was  rapid.  In  March,  1864,  he  was 
commissioned  Second  Lieutenant,  and  in  De- 
cember was  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant.  He 
participated  with  his  regiment  in  some  of  the 
severest  engagements  of  the  war,  was  at  the 
Wilderness,  Spottsylvania,  North  Anna,  Cold 
Harbor,  Petersburg,  etc.,  down  to  the  surrender 
of  Lee.  Returning  home  with  the  regiment  at 
the  close  of  the  war,  he  was  unanimously  ten- 
dered a  Captain's  commission  by  company 
K,  Fifty-fourth  Regiment,  N.  G.  S.  N.  Y., 
which  he  accepted,  remaining  with  his  company 
until   leaving  Rochester  for  the  West.      While 


residing  there  he  traveled  in  the  interests  of  his 
father's  house.  In  1876  ('olonel  Warfield  came 
to  California,  and,  after  a  residence  of  four  or 
five  months  in  San  Francisco,  located  at  Healds- 
burg.  He  was  instrumental  in  the  organization 
of  the  Farmers'  &  Mechanics'  Bank,  in  1877, 
and  has  been  its  cashier  during  its  existence. 
He  was  a  charter  member  of  Post  No.  1,  G.  A. 
R.,  Department  of  New  York,  and  is  probably 
the  oldest  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  in  California, 
in  point  of  connection  with  the  order.  He  is  a 
companion  of  the  California  Commandery,  M. 
O.  L.  U.  S.,  and  a  member  of  the  Society  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Locally,  he  is  asso- 
ciated with  Rod  Matheson  Post,  No.  17,  G.  A.  R. 
As  Commander  of  the  Department  of  Califor- 
nia he  attended  the  National  Encampment  of 
the  G.  A.  R.  at  Portland,  Alaine,  and  with  his 
delegation  was  given  the  credit  of  obtaining  for 
San  Francisco  tJie  following  National  Encamp- 
ment. When  he  assumed  the  duties  of  the 
office  of  Commander,  the  Department  of  Cali- 
fornia embraced  fifty-nine  posts  and  3,500  com- 
rades. At  the  expiration  of  his  term  these 
figures  had  been  increased  to  ninety  posts  and 
4,545  comrades.  For  five  consecutive  terms  he 
was  Grand  Treasurer  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
Knights  of  Honor,  then  was  made  Past  Grand 
Dictator  by  the  Supreme  Lodge,  and  is  now 
serving  as  Grand  Dictator  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  California.  Since  1886  Mr.  Warfield  has 
made  his  home  at  his  ranch,  on  the  Dry  Creek 
road,  within  two  miles  of  Healdsburg.  This 
ranch  contains  sixty-five  acres,  of  which  seven 
acres  are  in  fruit,  and  all  but  two  acres  of  this 
in  bearing.  He  has  also  15,000  grape  cuttings, 
one  year  old,  the  varieties  being  as  follows,  with 
numbers  of  each:  Carignane, 6,000;  Sauvignon 
Vert,  6,000;  Burger,  1,500;  and  Grossblaue, 
1,500.  The  combinations  of  these  four  varieties 
make  the  finest  qualities  of  Claret  and  Sauterne 
wine.  He  can  thus  sell  his  grapes  or  make 
them  into  wine  as  circumstances  migiit  suggest. 
Some  of  his  fruit  is  marketed  at  canneries, 
while  the  remainder  is  dried  on  the  place.  For 
the    latter    purpose  he  has    a    Piummcr   dryer 


HlaTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT Y. 


(evaporator).  Colonel  Warlield  married  Miss 
Lnta  Emerson,  a  native  of  Albion.  Orleans 
County,  New  York,  but  reared  in  Tonawaiida 
and  Kochester,  same  State.  They  have  two 
children:  George  H.,  and  Richard  Emerson. 
January  8,  1889,  Colonel  Warfield  was  com- 
missioned Lieutenant-Colonel  and  Aid  de-camp 
to  the  Commander-in  Chief,  Governor  R.  W. 
Waterman,  and   is  now  serving  upon  his  staff. 


ATTIIEW  HENRY  DUNN,  landscape 
crardener,  was  born  in  England  thirty- 
^^^  eight  years  ago,  and  was  there  trained 
for  his  work  by  his  father,  Richard  Dunn,  and 
also  by  his  eldest  brother.  For  thirty-two  years 
his  father  had  charge  of  a  wealthy  nobleman's 
grounds,  employing  from  eight  to  ten  men 
under  him.  His  eldest  son,  Thomas  Dunn,  was 
educated  under  him,  and  for  twenty-eight  years 
has  been  in  charge  of  a  similar  large  property, 
and  he  likewise  is  now  training  his  two  eldest 
sons  for  the  same  line  of  work.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  had  charge  of  a  fine  place  for  five 
years  before  emigrating  to  the  United  States 
in  June,  1870.  After  spending  a  short  time  in 
prospecting  for  a  situation,  he  took  charge  of 
the  premises  of  Leander  Frost,  of  Boston,  at 
South  Orange,  New  Jersey,  where  he  remained 
five  years,  having  charge  of  a  beautiful  country 
seat,  embracing  orchards,  lawns,  gardens,  etc. 
On  leaving  there  he  started  for  San  Francisco, 
and  after  a  short  stay  in  that  city  went  to  San 
Jose,  where  he  was  employed  for  a  short  time. 
While  there  a  fiiend  telegraphed  him  of  an 
opening  for  him  in  Oakland,  and  he  at  once  re- 
plied that  he  would  be  there  that  evening.  He 
went,  met  the  owner  of  the  place,  George  B. 
Bailey,  and  closed  a  bargain  to  take  charge  of 
liis  place  on  Castro  street,  and  was  there  seven 
years.  Having  accumulated  some  money,  and 
hearing  many  flattering  tales  of  the  possibili- 
ties of  becoming  wealthy  in  Oregon  and  Wasli- 
ington  Territory,  he  caught  the  fever,  and  went 
north,  and   after  spending  nearly  a   year  there 


and  being  dissatisfied  with  the  climate  of  those 
countries  compared  with  that  of  California,  he 
returned  to  Oakland  in  November.  In  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  1884,  he  came  to  Santa  Rosa, 
and  has  since  made  this  his  home.  The  private 
grounds  here  being  in  a  crude  state  of  ornamenta- 
tion, he  found  a  good  field  for  his  work,  and  has 
since  labored  to  educate  the  tastes  and  develop 
landscape  beauties  among  the  homes  of  this  city. 
That  he  has  succeeded  in  so  doing  is  attested 
by  the  fact  that  many  an  uninviting  yard  has 
been  transformed  into  a  thing  of  beauty.  Among 
the  most  notable  are  the  School  of  the  Sisters, 
consisting  of  about  four  acres,  Judge  Temple's, 
on  B  street,  ilrs.  Runyan's  and  several  others 
on  that  street;  and  Mr.  McDonald's  elegant 
place  on  the  avenue  of  the  same  name,  and  also 
B.  M.  Spencer's,  Dr.  Wiley's  and  Captain 
Good's,  on  the  same  avenue.  April  1,  1888, 
throutrh  the  recommendation  of  private  citizens 
familiar  with  his  ability  in  landscape  gardening, 
the  board  of  supervisors  of  Sonoma  County 
employed  him  to  improve  the  court-house  plaza 
which  was  then  a  bare  piece  of  ground  with 
nothino-  but  stones  and  weeds  for  ornaments. 
On  the  above  date  he  commenced  his  work,  ai.d 
within  four  months  had  transformed  this  un- 
sightly spot  to  one  of  the  most  delightful  places 
to  be  found  anywhere,  and  now,  October  1, 
1888,  it  is  pronounced  the  most  beautiful  court- 
house grounds  in  California.  He  has  had  the 
entire  planning  and  charge  of  the  work,  and  the 
achievement  has  surprised  every  one  and  has 
silenced  all  critics.  The  floral  designs  and  ar- 
rangements are  unique  and  exquisite,  and  lie 
has  furnished  all  tlie  plants  and  seeds  for  the 
decoration.  The  varieties  are  not  less  than  100. 
His  plans  are  to  improve  upon  the  present  and 
increase  from  year  to  year  the  attractions  of  the 
grounds.  Mr.  Dunn  was.  August  11, 1872,  mar- 
ried in  New  Jersey  to  Miss  Eliza  Moffet,  the 
youngest  of  the  family  of  John  Moffet.  She 
came  to  this  country  from  Scotland  in  her  in- 
fancy. Mr.  and  ISIrs.  Dunn  have  three  sons 
living:  Arthur  Stuart,  Ira  Sankey  and  Frank 
Bernard.     Mr.  Dunn  is  entirely  wrapped  up  in 


UlSTOliY    OF    SONOMA    COUSir. 


his  profession.  It  is  almost  his  meat  and  drink. 
The  only  recreation  in  which  he  indulges  is 
vocal  music,  being  quite  an  amateur  expert  in 
that.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Third  Street 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

^.  .,?.3.i;.?.,., 


fOL.  GEORGE  F.  HOOPER.  — There  is 
no  finer  or  better  cultivated  and  produc- 
tive estate  in  Sonoma  Countj  than  the 
"  Sobre  Vista  Ranch,"  owned  by  the  above 
named  gentleman.  This  magnilicent  ranch  is 
located  on  the  west  side  of  the  Sonoma  Yallev, 
about  four  miles  north  of  Sonoma,  and  com- 
prises 900  acres  of  hill  and  valley  land.  Every 
thing  that  talent,  industry  and  money  united 
with  experience  can  do,  has  been  done  to  make 
this  the  model  vineyard  and  orchard  of  the 
county.  Ninety  acres  are  in  vineyard,  produc- 
ing wine  grapes  of  the  most  approved  and 
choicest  varieties.  The  product  of  these  acres 
is  manufactured  into  wine  in  a  capacious  winery 
of  75,000  gallons  capacity,  which  has  been 
fitted  up  with  the  most  approved  machinery 
and  appliances  that  modern  science  and  ex- 
perience has  produced.  In  connection  with 
this  winery  there  is  also  a  distillery.  Of  table 
grapes  this  ranch  produces  a  line  variety  of 
Tokays,  Corneshous,  white  Yerdels,  etc.,  which 
are  shipped  East,  where  they  command  the 
highest  market  rates.  One  of  the  leading  in 
dustries  upon  this  place  is  the  cultivation  of 
French  prunes,  eighty  acres  being  devoted  to 
that  fruit  alone.  The  fruit  is  dried  and  pre- 
pared for  the  markets  in  a  steam  drier  erected 
for  this  purpose.  There  is  hardly  a  fruit  grown 
in  the  State  of  California  that  is  not  being  cul- 
tivated upon  these  lands.  In  addition  to  the 
various  fruits  so  successfully  cultivated  through- 
out the  county,  we  here  find  the  orange,  lemon, 
lime,  etc.,  all  yielding  abundantly  and  without 
irrigation.  There  are  also  groves  of  pecan  nuts, 
English  walnuts,  Japanese  persimmons,  the 
orange  of  China  and  citron.  The  olive  grown 
upon  this  ranch  is  well   worthy  of  mention.      It 


produces  the  finest  oil  in  the  State,  being  awarded 
the  first  premium  in  the  Mechanics'  Institute 
fairs  of  San  Francisco  in  1887  and  1888,  and 
also  in  the  Sonoma  County  fairs  whenever  ex- 
hibited. Among  the  improvem  >nts  upon  this 
estate  is  the  mansion  which  Colonel  Hooper  has 
erected  for  his  residence.  Magnificent  in  pro- 
portions and  of  beautiful  and  pleasing  archi- 
tecture, it  is  situated  upon  a  commanding  slope 
well  protected  by  the  wooded  mountains  of  the 
Sonoma  range  and  overlooks  a  landscape  of  un- 
rivaled beauty.  A  broad  and  shaded  avenue 
leads  from  the  public  road  to  the  beautiful  and 
well  ordered  grounds  surrounding  the  residence. 
No  expense  has  been  spared  by  the  owner  in 
fitting  and  furnishing  this  mansion.  Colonel 
Hooper  took  up  his  residence  here  in  1876, 
after  an  active  and  successful  life  as  a  soldier, 
government  surveyor,  merchant,  and  banker. 
He  is  an  intelligent  and  courteous  gentleman, 
commanding  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all,  and 
his  intelligent  and  successful  efforts  in  his  agri- 
cultural, horticultural,  and  viticultural  pursuits 
are  doing  much  toward  developing  and  showing 
the  wonderful  resources  of  Sonoma  County. 

J^RSON  A.  TAYLOR  was  born  in  Addison 
'v^Ijf  County,  Vermont,  in  1832,  his  parents 
•^^  being  Augustus  and  Eunice  (Willard) 
Taylor,  both  natives  of  Vermont.  Mr.  Taylor 
was  reared  as  a  farmer  among  the  hills  of  his 
native  State,  and  was  early  in  life  schooled  to 
habits  of  industry  and  labor  that  have  insured 
his  success  in  after  life.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  years  he  started  in  life  for  himself.  Leav- 
ing his  native  State  he  sought  the  great  "West, 
and  located  in  Van  Buren  County,  Iowa,  where 
he  engaged  in  farm  labor  and  other  occupations 
until  1854r.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he 
started  across  the  plains  for  California.  This 
journey  was  accomplished  by  ox  teams,  and  after 
undergoing  the  hardships  and  toils  attendant 
upon  such  an  emigration,  he  arrived  at  Sonoma 
County  in  the  fall  of  1S54.     Tbcro  he  entragt'd 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


in  farm  labor  for  D.  Grove  for  a  short  time,  and 
afterward  put  in  a  crop  of  grain  on  shares.  Tiie 
next  year,  being  desirous  of  trying  his  fortunes 
in  the  mines,  he  went  to  El  Dorado  County  and 
engaged  in  mining.  He  was  engaged  in  this 
and  other  employments  until  1857.  He  then 
entered  into  sheep-raising,  a  business  tliat  he 
successfully  followed  lor  many  years,  during 
which  time  he  resided  in  Sonoma,  Sacramento, 
El  Dorado  and  Ivern  counties,  taking  his  flocks 
to  whatever  county  afforded  the  best  advantages 
for  grazing,  etc.  In  1869  he  returned  to  his 
native  State,  and  there  married  Miss  Julia  Ann 
Shep]ierd,  daughter  of  Stephen  and  Mary  Sliep- 
perd,  natives  of  Vermont.  Returning  to  Cali- 
fornia he  resumed  his  former  occupation,  which 
he  continued  until  1877.  In  1873  he  purchased 
a  tract  of  land  in  Sonoma  County,  and  upon  his 
abandonment  of  stock-raising,  he  took  up  his 
residence  upon  that  land,  since  which  time  he 
devoted  himself  to  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
is  one  of  the  representative  farmers  of  his  sec- 
tion. His  fine  farm  comprises  365  acres  in  a 
most  desirable  location,  on  the  north  bank  of  Mark 
West  Creek,  in  Russian  River  Township,  Lone 
Redwood  school  district,  one  mile  west  of  Mai-k 
West  Station,  on  the  North  Pacific  Railroad. 
These  lands,  of  deep  rich  soil,  are  adapted  to 
varied  productions.  Mr.  Taylor  has  thirty-five 
acres  of  vineyard,  producing  wine  grapes  of  the 
Zinfandel,  Chasselas  and  Riesling  varieties.  He 
also  has  a  tine  hop  field  of  thirty-five  acres  in 
extent.  His  lands  seem  particularly  adapted  to 
the  profitable  growth  of  the  latter  product,  for 
he  is  producing  some  of  the  finest  hops  grown 
in  Sonoma  County.  Among  his  improvements 
is  a  substantial  and  well  ordered  dry-hoiise,  con- 
taining all  the  modern  improvements.  This 
dry -house  is  capable  of  drying  and  curing  seven 
tons  of  hops  per  day,  when  run  to  its  fullest 
capacity.  Ten  acres  are  producing  alfalfa,  four 
crops  a  year  being  taken  from  the  fields.  This 
is  remarkable,  as  it  is  not  irrigated  land.  The 
rest  of  the  farm  is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and 
stock-raising.  Among  the  stock  are  125  head 
of  French  merino  sheep,  also  some  tine  speci- 


mens of  American  horses  for  farm  and  road  use. 
In  1878  Mr.  Taylor  married  his  second  wife, 
Mrs.  Cordelia  (McDowell)  Williard,  the  widow 
of  James  Williard,  a  native  of  Penusylvania. 
She  died  in  March,  1882,  leaving  one  child, 
Augustus  Orson,  born  Septembers,  1879.  From 
Mr.  Taylor's  first  marriage  there  is  one  child 
living,  Julia  Pauline,  born  March  10,  1871. 
Mr.  Taylor's  father  is  a  member  of  his  family — 
a  hale  and  hearty  old  gentleman,  now  (1888) 
over  eighty  years  of  age.  Mr.  Taylor  during 
hislong  residence  in  California  has  traveled  much 
and  lived  in  several  counties,  but  his  choice  set- 
tles upon  Sonoma  County.  He  is  a  strong  ad- 
vocate and  supportei"  of  ail  enterprises  that  will 
build  up  the  county  of  his  choice,  and  he  is  a 
firm  believer  in.  the  glorious  future  that  awaits 
his  section.  He  is  a  life-long  Republican, 
taking  a  deep  interest  and  intelligent  view  of 
all  political  questions  of  the  day. 


fW.  YORK  has  been  in  the  blacksmithing 
business  in  Healdsburg  since  1875.  In 
*  that  year  he  and  his  brother,  A.  A.  York, 
opened  a  shop,  but  after  four  or  five  years  C. 
W.  York  controlled  the  entire  business.  He 
does  general  blacksmithing  and  wagon-building 
and  turns  out  only  first-class  work,  all  employes 
being  good  workmen.  He  also  handles  agri- 
cultural implements,  carriages  and  buggies,  and 
in  all  lines  draws  trade  from  many  miles  away. 
Mr.  York  is  a  native  of  Franklin  County,  Maine, 
born  December  6,  1838,  his  parents  being 
Daniel 'York  and  Elmira  Shaw,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Maine,  and  came  of  old  families 
of  that  State.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  in  Maine,  learning  the  blacksmith's  trade 
in  the  town  of  Phillips,  Franklin  County.  On 
the  18th  of  March,  1861,  he  left  home  for  Cali- 
fornia, via  Panama,  and  landed  at  San  Francisco 
from  the  steamer  Golden  Gate,  April  13,  1861. 
He  went  to  Marys ville,  thence  to  Red  Blufl'; 
but  back  from  there  to  Marysville,  from  there 
to  Grass  Valley,  and  three  months  later  to  Red 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


649 


Bluff.  He  worked  at  saw-milling  six  months, 
and  between  mining  and  haying  was  employed 
for  anotlier  year.  He  finally  got  a  footing  with 
Samuel  Isaacs  in  Shasta  City,  and  a  year  later 
became  interested  at  Squaw  Creek  during  the 
mining  excitement  there.  His  ventures  Unally 
turned  out  disastrously  and,  in  1863,  he  went 
to  Virginia  City.  He  was  engaged  at  his  trade 
there  and  at  Dayton  until  1870,  then  came  to 
Sonoma  County  and  located  two  and  one-half 
miles  north  of  Windsor,  where  he  farmed  until 
coming  to  Healdsburg  to  open  his  shop  here. 
He  was  married  at  Virginia  City,  in  1865,  to 
Miss  Dever,  a  native  of  Ii-eland.  They  have 
two  children,  Charles  A.  and  Annie  M.  Mr. 
York  is  a  member  of  the  local  lodge.  No.  31, 
A.  O.  U.  W.  In  1888  he  went  back  to  Maine 
and  made  a  pleasant  visit  among  the  friends  and 
scenes  of  liis  youth. 


fIDNEY  K.  COOPER,  deceased,  late  presi- 
dent of  the  Santa  Rosa  National  Bank, 
was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Sonoma 
County,  having  crossed  the  plains  with  his 
father's  family,  drawn  by  ox  teams,  in  1854, 
then  a  youth  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  was 
born  in  Missouri,  during  a  temporary  stay  of 
his  parents  in  that  State,  in  1838,  and  was  one 
of  a  family  of  eight  children — four  of  each  sex — 
of  John  A.  and  Rhoda  (Clark)  Cooper,  natives  of 
Ohio.  During  the  Black  Hawk  war,  in  1832, 
in  which  he  was  a  soldier,  John  A.  Cooper  re- 
sided in  the  then  little  village  of  Chicago.  He 
moved  to  Iowa  in  1841  or  1842  and  settled  in 
Lee  County.  After  a  few  years  residence  there 
lie  returned  to  Illinois  for  a  short  time;  then 
returning  to  Iowa,  located  in  Mahaska  County, 
where  the  family  remained  until  they  came  to 
California.  Previous  to  bringing  his  family 
across  the  plains  Mr.  Cooper  cajne  witii  his 
eldest  son  to  this  Mecca  of  the  gold  seekers  in 
1850  and  spent  a  year  in  the  mines,  when  ill 
health  compelled  him  to  abandon  the  search  for 
the  yellow  dust,  and  he  returned  to  his  home. 


the  son  remaining  a  year  longer.  On  arriving 
in  California  with  his  family  the  elder  Cooper 
spent  some  time  in  looking  about  for  the  best 
portion  of  the  State  in  which  to  locate,  and, 
finally  deciding  upon  Sonoma  County  as  his 
choice,  he  settled  and  passed  the  rest  of  his  life 
here.  He  died  in  Santa  Rosa  in  1S71,  leaving 
his  widow,  who  still  survives  at  the  advanced 
age  of  seventy-eight  years,  and  occupies  her 
pleasant  home  at  720  Fourth  street.  The  sul)- 
ject  of  this  sketch  spent  the  years  1854  and 
1855  in  the  mines  with  fair  success,  then  came 
to  Sonoma  County  and  engaged  in  farming,  in 
which  occupation,  and  dealirg  in  live  stock, 
most  of  his  active  life  was  spent.  On  starting 
out  to  fight  life's  battle  Mr.  Cooper  realized  the 
truth  of  the  axiom  that  in  union  there  is 
strength,  and  was  united  in  marriage,  in  1860, 
with  Miss  Chrilla  J .  Bowen,  a  native  of  Illinois, 
and  daughter  of  William  and  Mary  Bowen, 
California  pioneers  of  1852.  Being  industri- 
ous, frugal,  and  a  good  financier,  Mr.  Cooper 
was  more  than  ordinarily  successful  in  business; 
and  when  he  retired  from  the  country  to  Santa 
Rosa,  in  1875,  he  owned  several  fine  farms  in 
Sonoma  County.  For  eight  years,  from  1876 
to  1884,  Mr.  Cooper  traveled  with  and  nursed 
iiis  older  brother,  William  M.  Cooper,  who  was 
an  invalid  and  a  great  sufferer  through  all  that 
period,  death  coming  to  his  relief  in  the  last 
year  named.  In  1886  Mr.  Cooper,  with  others, 
organized  the  National  Bank  of  Santa  Rosa,  of 
which  he  was  a  director  and  assistant  cashier 
from  its  inauguration.  He  had  active  supervis- 
ion of  constructing  the  vault  and  fitting  up  the 
bank,  and  it  was  while  thus  employed  that  the 
first  symptoms  of  the  insidious  disease,  that 
proved  fatal  two  years  later,  first  siiowed  them- 
selves. From  the  opening  of  tlie  bank  Mr. 
Cooper  had  charge  of  the  loaning  department, 
for  which  his  extensive  knowledge  of  the  people 
of  the  county  and  his  prudent  financial  policy 
emitiently  qualified  him;  and  upon  the  resigna- 
tion of  Edward  W.  D.ivis  from  the  presidency 
(owing  to  failure  of  health),  ISlr.  Cooper  was 
elected  president  of  tiie  bank,  which  position  he 


050 


UISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


held  till  liis  deatli,  which  occurred  August  22, 
18S8.  Mr.  Cooper  was  a  careful,  conservative 
man  in  Lis  business  methods,  and  one  in  whose 
integrity  and  honesty  those  having  dealings 
with  him  placed  the  utmost  coniidence.  Of 
their  three  children  Dr.  Eugene 'M.  Cooper  is 
practicing  dentistry  in  Santa  liosa,  and  Ella  I. 
and  Ida  M.  reside  with  the  widow,  in  the  home- 
stead on  Healdsburg  avenue. 


T^TILLIAM  E.  McCONNELL,  attorney- 
'  \  \\  :»t-law,  and  president  of  the  Santa 
i*=Si5^  Rosa  Bank,  like  very  many  of  the 
men  who  have  stamped  their  impress  upon  the 
community,  the  State,  or  the  nation  in  which 
the}-  live,  as  molders  of  thought,  or  masters  in 
business,  is  a  product  of  rural  life.  He  was 
born  in  Blount  County,  East  Tennessee,  No- 
vember 23,  1839.  He  is  the  eldest  of  a  family 
of  three  children  of  G.  M.  and  Mary  J.  McCon- 
nell,  who  were  natives  of  Tennessee.  In  the 
spring  of  1850  G.  M.  McConnell  started,  with 
his  family,  to  make  the  journey  overland  across 
the  plains  to  California,  where  they  arrived 
September  1,  and  located  in  the  mines  at  Cold 
Springs,  remaining  there  and  at  Yankee  Jims 
two  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  settled 
on  a  farm  near  Woodland,  in  Yolo  County. 
Opportunities  for  schooling  were  then  very 
meager  in  that,  as  in  most  portions  of  this  then 
young  Commonwealth;  and  the  subject  of  this 
memoir  determined,  in  1858,  to  invest  the  few 
hundred  dollars  he  had  accumulated  in  an  edu- 
cation. At  that  time,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
after,  the  Cumberland  College,  then  located  at 
Sonoma,  was  a  flourishing  institution,  under  the 
control  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church, 
and  there  young  McConnell  took  a  course  of 
study,  e.xtending  over  four  years.  He  then 
came  to  b'anta  Rosa,  and  entered  the  law  office 
of  Judge  Charles  P.  Wilkins,  as  a  student,  in 
the  fall  of  1862.  The  following  year  Judge 
Wilkins  died,  and  Mr.  McConnell  completed 
his  studies  in  the  ofiice  of  Judge  William  Ross, 


and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1864.  After 
spending  a  few  months  in  Me.\ico  he  opened  a 
law  ofKce  in  Santa  Rosa,  where  he  has  ever 
since  been  in  active  practice  of  his  profession. 
He  was  elected  to  tlie  office  of  district  attorney 
in  187-  for  two  years,  and  succeeded  himself  by 
re  election,  thus  serving  four  years  in  that 
office,  and  each  time  being  elected  by  a  very 
large  majority — in  the  first  instance  over  his 
former  preceptor,  Judge  Ross.  This  was  the 
only  political  office  for  which  he  has  been  a 
candidate,  though  he  has  always  been  quite  an 
active  member  of  the  Democratic  party.  Upon 
the  death  of  E.  T.  Farmer,  in  October,  1885, 
Mr.  McConnell  was  elected  president  of  the 
Santa  Rosa  Bank,  as  his  successor,  which  posi- 
tion he  still  fills  with  ability,  and  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  the  stockholders  of  that  prosper- 
ous financial  institution,  whose  history  is  pub- 
lished on  another  page  of  this  volume.  In  his 
law  practice  Mr.  McConnell  has  made  a  spe- 
cialty of  civil  and  probate  law,  and  ranks  among 
the  ablest  probate  lawyers  in  California.  As  a 
business  man  he  is  honest,  sagacious  and  con- 
servative— qualities  which  fit  him  in  a  i-emark- 
able  degree  for  the  very  responsible  jiosition  he 
holds  as  the  head  of  the  largest  and  most  wealthy 
banking  house  in  Sonoma  County.  In  April, 
1868,  Mr.  McConnell  was  joined  in  wedlock 
with  a  former  college-mate.  Miss  Sarah  J. 
Howell,  a  native  of  Missouri,  but  a  resident 
from  earl}'  childhood  of  Merced  County,  Cali- 
fornia, where  her  parents  immigrated  early  in 
the  '50's.  Of  the  five  children  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  M.,  two,  the  eldest  and  the  third — both 
boys — are  deceased.  The  three  living  are. 
May,  aged  fifteen  years;  Mark,  eight,  and  Fred- 
erick W.,  one  year  old. 


-J-) 


lEORGE  FKANKLIXG  KING  was  born 
of  English  parentage,  at  Westtield,  Mas- 
sachusetts, May  19,  1857,  and  is  the  fifth 
of  six  children,  the  first  four  being  sisters,  and 
the  si.xth  a  brother.     The  family  removed  from 


Bl STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Massachusetts  to  Chicago,  Illinois,  where  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  attended  school  until  1871. 
He  then  came  to  California,  and  continued  in 
school  until  1873.  At  that  time  he  took  the 
position  of  assistant  bookkeeper  in  a  leading 
mercantile  establishment  in  San  Francisco,  at 
the  age  of  sixteen.  Tlie  vocation  not  agreeing 
with  his  health,  he  went  to  work  at,  and  com- 
pleted, the  trade  of  whip-making.  He  was  at 
that  time  nineteen  years  of  age.  Being  pro- 
ficient in  dancing,  Mr.  King  directed  his  atten- 
tion to  giving  lessons  in  that  graceful  accom- 
plisliuient.  In  this  he  was  so  successful  that 
he  abandoned  his  trade,  and  devoted  himself 
entirely  to  this  new  vocation.  He  met  with 
such  marked  success  in  his  business,  that  in 
1878  he  built  the  largest  and  most  elegant  hall 
and  dancing  academy  in  San  Francisco.  His 
bcliool  grew  to  such  proportions  that  he  found 
Ills  failing  health  was  not  equal  to  the  work, 
and,  meeting  witii  a  chance  to  dispose  of  his 
academy  to  advantage,  he  sold  it,  and  removed 
to  Santa  Rosa,  Sonoma  County.  Here  he  formed 
a  partnership  with  Clem  Kessing,  and  carried 
on  a  mercantile  business  until  1884.  At  that 
time  Mr.  King  sold  out,  and  opened  a  large 
business  on  his  own  account.  In  two  years  his 
business  had  increased  beyond  the  capacity  of 
his  quarters,  and  he  took  his  present  commodi- 
ous rooms  in  the  Doyle  &  Overton  Block,  on 
Fourth  street.  His  store  is  40  x  100  feet,  and  as 
finely  fitted  up  as  any  store  in  California.  Mr. 
King  built  a  residence  at  the  corner  of  Hum- 
boldt and  Ciierry  streets,  at  a  cost  of  .$6,000, 
and  the  property  now  rates  at  $10,000.  In  his 
business  he  keeps  seven  men  employed,  runs 
three  wagons,  and  publishes  a  small  pamphlet 
monthly,giving prices.  In  1880  Mr.Kingwas  uni- 
etd  in  marriage  witli  Miss  Annie  Josephine  Kes- 
sing, daughter  of  John  F.  Kessing,  one  of  Cali- 
fornia's oldest  citizens.  The  result  of  this  union 
is  three  children:  tlie  first,  a  daughter,  born  in 
1881;  the  second,  a  son,  born  in  1884;  and  the 
third,  a  daughter,  born,  in  1887.  Mr.  King's 
father  died  in  1888.  His  mother  is  still  living, 
and  is  seventy-one  years  of  age.     He  is  a  mem- 


ber of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  active  in  all 
enterprises  conducive  to  the  prosperity  of  Santa 
Kosa. 


fRANCISCO  J.  TACHECO.— Among  the 
principal  business  and  mechanical  iiidus- 
^  tries  of  Fulton  is  the  blacksmith  and  car- 
riage repair  shop  of  Mr.  Pacheco.  In  his  well 
appointed  shop  is  found  all  tools  and  material 
needed  for  the  repair  of  carriages,  wagons, 
agricultural  implements,  etc.,  besides  all  the 
requirements  of  conducting  a  first-class  black- 
smith shop.  Horse-shoeing  with  Mr.  Pacheco 
is  a  specialty,  and  he  is  well  supported  and 
pati'onized  by  the  community  in  which  he 
resides.  A  brief  sketch  of  his  life  in  this  con- 
nection is  of  interest.  He  is  a  native  of  Cali- 
fornia and  dates  his  birth  in  Contra  Costa 
County,  October,  1854.  His  parents,  Joseph 
and  Jetrudes  (Juarez)  Pacheco,  were  born  in 
Santa  Clara  County,  and  were  descendants  from 
the  early  Mexican  or  Spanish  settlers  of 
California.  In  his  early  youth  the  death  of  his 
fatlier  left  him  to  the  care  of  his  grandfather, 
by  whom  he  was  reared  on  a  farm,  where  he 
became  well  versed  in  farming  and  stock-raising, 
particularly  the  latter.  He  also  had  some  ad- 
vantages as  regards  schooling  after  ten  years  of 
age.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  left  the  farm  and 
learned  the  trade  of  a  blacksmith.  At  Pacheco, 
Contra  Costa  County,  November  12,  1876,  Mr. 
Pacheco  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ro- 
sara  Feguraga,  the  daughter  of  Mariano  and 
Maria  Feguraga,  residents  of  San  Francisco, 
where  Mrs.  Pacheco  was  born  in  1859.  Her 
parents  were  natives  of  Chili  and  came  to 
California  in  1849,  during  the  gold  mining 
excitement.  They  died  while  she  was  (juite 
young,  and  after  their  deatii  she  was  reared  in 
Contra  Costa  County.  Mr.  Pacheco  worked  at 
his  calling  in  Pacheco  until  1882.  In  this  year 
he  established  a  shop  in  Concord,  in  tiie  same 
county,  and  successfully  conducted  this  enter- 
prise until  November,  1887.     He  tiien  sold  out 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  moved  to  Sonoma  County  and  started  liis 
present  enterprise  at  Fulton.  He  is  a  thorough 
mechanic  and  a  straightforward  business  man, 
industrious  and  energetic,  and  a  desirable  acqui- 
sition to  the  community.  Ilis  early  education 
was  limited,  but  he  has  schooled  himself  by  read- 
ing and  study  since  arriving  at  man's  estate,  and 
is  now  well  informed  upon  the  current  topics. 
In  politics  he  is  a  strong  Republican,  evincing 
an  intelligent  interest  in  all  political  matters 
att'ecting  the  welfare  of  the  nation.  He  and  his 
wife  are  consistent  members  of  the  Catholic 
church.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pacheco  have  five 
children,  Diana,  Frank,  Bersabe,  Robert  and 
ViUbnso. 

^    :      :':>"!' ^-"'^      '■    *- 

f\  B.  LANG. — The  subject  of  this  sketch  re- 
1  sides  upon  the  property  known  as  the 
®  "Old  Poltner  Homestead,"  on  the  road 
leading  from  Sonoma  to  Glen  Ellen,  on  the  west 
side  of  the  valley.  This  estate  of  183  acres  is 
bounded  on  the  east  by  Sonoma  Creek,  and  on 
the  west  rests  upon  the  foot-hills.  Mr.  Lang, 
while  having  been  a  resident  of  California  since 
1868,  has  but  recently  lived  in  Sonoma  County, 
having  i)ought  his  home  in  February,  1887. 
He  dates  his  birth  in  Monroe  County,  New 
York,  in  1834.  When  he  was  quite  young  his 
family  removed  from  that  State  to  Canada.  At 
the  age  of  fourteen  years  he  commenced  life's 
battle  on  his  own  account,  thus  becoming  the 
architect  of  his  own  fortunes.  At  Rochester, 
New  York,  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade. 
Ambitious,  and  filled  with  a  desire  to  see  the 
West,  he  visited  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  Dubuque 
and  other  points,  and  after  spending  about  two 
years  in  St.  Louis,  he  crossed  the  mountains  to 
the  Pacific  coast.  Reaching  Oregon,  he  en- 
gaged in  mining,  and  so  continued  for  many 
years,  becoming  interested  in  ventures  in  that 
State,  Montana  and  Colorado.  In  1868  he  be- 
came a  resident  of,  and  interested  in  in- 
vestments in  Southern  California,  first  having 
a  home  in  Los  Angeles  County,  where  he  owned 


a  ranch  of  300  acres  at  San  Gabriel.  From 
1869  to  1872  he  had  mining  interests  in  San 
Diego  County,  to  which  he  devoted  most  of  his 
time.  During  those  years  Mr.  Lang  had  many 
different  homes  in  California,  and  a  portion  of 
his  time  he  made  San  Francisco  his  headquar- 
ters. Having  sold  his  San  Gabriel  ranch  he,  in 
1879,  established  his  residence  in  Fresno 
County,  where  he  still  has  mining  interests. 
From  that  county  he  moved  to  his  present  home. 
Few  men  have  led  a  more  active  life  than  Mr. 
Lang,  and  the  quiet  life  of  a  ranch  owner  in  So- 
noma County  has  but  little  charm  for  him, 
though  he  has  been  active  during  his  short  resi- 
dence here  in  improving  his  fine  property.  In 
San  Francisco  in  1880  he  wedded  Miss  Katie 
Nolan,  who  was  born  in  New  York  City.  They 
have  five  children:  Susie  Burnie,  Katie,  Will- 
iam, James  B.  and  Joseph.  In  politics  Mr. 
Lang  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party.  He 
was  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  Free  Masonry 
at  North  Star  Lodge,  Owen  Sound,  Ontario, 
Canada. 


fF.  SEAMAN. — One  of  the  attractions  of 
Healdsburg,  Sonoma  County,  is  it  beauti- 
®  ful  cemetery,  the  courteous  superintendent 
of  which  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  He  was 
born  in  the  city  of  New  York  in  March,  1882, 
of  Quaker  parentage,  being  the  son  of  Obediah 
and  Mary  (Fowler)  Seaman,  natives  of  lower 
Westchester  County,  where  both  families  are 
well  known  and  highly  respected.  Young  Sea- 
man, like  so  many  boys  of  his  age,  conceived  an 
ardent  desire  to  see  the  world,  and  at  nineteen 
decided  to  come  to  California,  which  he  did,  ar- 
riving in  San  Francisco  in  1851.  The  first 
position  which  he  secured  was  a  clerkship  in  the 
comptroller's  office,  in  which  position  and  in  the 
tax  collector's  office  he  spent  two  years.  In 
1855  he  made  a  trip  to  Mexico,  spending  some 
time  in  Colima  and  then  returning  to  California. 
In  1856  he  came  to  Sonoma  County  with 
Colonel    Roderic    Matlieson,  who  had   recenth' 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


653 


bought  1,000  acres  of  land  lying  east  of  what  is 
now  the  town  of  Ilealdsburg,  and  known  as  the 
Sotoyoine  ranch.  It  was  upon  this  ranch  in 
May  of  that  year  that  Mr.  Seaman  first  became 
identified  with  Sonoma  County,  and  it  is  here 
that- he  has  lived  since  that  time,  engaged  in 
fanning  and  stock-raising,  in  which,  especially 
in  tine  horses,  he  has  devoted  much  attention. 
Mr.  Seaman  has  never  married.  Politically  he 
is  a  Republican.  For  many  years  he  has  been  a 
prominent  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  of  Healds- 
burg;  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.,  and  also  of 
the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor.  Mr.  Sea- 
man's geniality  of  disposition  has  endeared  him 
to  many  friends. 


tDWIN  P.  THOMSON.  — Among  the 
many  fine  farms  and  vineyards  in  the 
Sonoma  Valley  are  thofe  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Agua  Caliente,  one  of  which  is  owned 
by  Mr.  Thomson  and  is  100  acres  in  extent. 
It  is  located  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Sonoma 
Creek,  and  is  nearly  all  bottom  land  of  a  rich 
deep  soil.  Fifty  acres  are  devoted  to  vineyard, 
producing  mostly  wine  grapes"  of  such  choice 
varieties  as  the  Zinfandel,  Riesling,  Cabernet, 
Sauvignon  Vert  and  others,  and  also  a  fine 
variety  of  Tokay  and  other  table  grapes.  In 
addition  to  a  familj^  orchard,  which  produces  a 
large  variety  of  choice  fruits,  Mr.  Thomson  is 
still  further  improving  his  farm  by  planting  (in 
1888)  twenty  acres  of  olive  trees,  to  which  this 
locality  is  well  adapted.  The  rest  of  the  land 
is  producing  hay  and  grain.  Mr.  Thomson  pur- 
chased this  place  in  1885  and,  although  not  a 
farmer  or  viticulturist,  he  has  made  a  succes  in 
his  enterprise.  His  previous  training  in  mer- 
cantile and  other  business  pursuits  has  given 
him  practical  business  knowledge  and  habits 
that,  when  applied  to  his  new  calling,  show  that 
successful  agricultural  pursuits  ■  consists  of 
something  more  than  merely  delving  in  the 
soil.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in 
Edinburg,    Scotland,    in     1860.       His    father. 


Thomas  Thomson,  was  a  native  of  that  place. 
His  mother,  Mary  (Phelps)  Thomson,  was  born 
in  England.  Mr.  Thomson's  youth  was  spent 
in  his  native  place,  where  he  had  the  advantages 
of  the  excellent  schools  with  which  the  city 
abounds.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  years  he 
started  in  life  by  entering  into  mercantile  pur- 
suits in  London,  England,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed in  some  of  the  large  East  India  houses. 
He  was  also  an  expert  tea  taster,  in  which  lucra- 
tive occupation  he  was  associated  with  some  of 
the  largest  tea  importing  houses  in  that  metrop- 
olis. In  1881  Mr.  Thomson  visited  the  L^nited 
States  and  traveled  extensively  through  the 
Eastern  States,  finally  locating  in  ilontana, 
where  he  engaged  in  stock-growing.  This  oc- 
cupation he  continued  until  1885,  when  he  came 
to  California  and,  after  visiting  several  sections 
of  the  State  seeking  a  desirable  location,  he  took 
lip  his  present  residence,  since  which  time  he 
has  devoted  himself  to  agricultural  pursuits. 
In  1886,  in  the  city  of  San  Francisco,  Mr. 
Thomson  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Mary  Thomas,  the  daughter  of  Robert  and 
Mary  Thomas,  residents  of  Healdsburg.  One 
child,  Waldo,  has  been  born  to  them. 


fHARLES  L.  TORR  was  born  in  the  city 
of  Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada,  October  31, 
1841.  His  father,  John  Torr,  was  a  na- 
tive of  England  where,  in  the  city  of  Liverpool, 
he  had  seven  forefathers  buried  in  the  same 
cemetery.  Mrs.  Torr  was  a  native  of  France. 
The  family  emigrated  to  Canada,  where  Charles 
was  born  and  reared.  When  he  was  thirteen 
years  of  age  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  his 
trade  in  a  woolen  mill  owned  by  Hunt  &  Elliott, 
large  manufacturers  of  that  city,  and  worked  at 
the  business  in  Canada  and  New  York  up  to 
1870.  In  1867  he,  together  witli  his  brother, 
James  W.  Torr  (now  of  Los  Angeles),  built  a 
mill  at  Mount  Albert,  East  Gilburry,  Canada, 
and  they  conducted  the  business  for  three  years 
when  Mr.  Torr  boucjlit  out  his  brother's  interest 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  continued  it  alone  for  a  short  time.  In 
1870  he  was  sent  for  to  come  to  California  and 
take  charge  of  the  woolen  mills  at  Merced  Falls, 
where  he  acted  as  superintendent  for  about  three 
years.  He  then,  with  two  other  parties,  bought 
a  woolen  mill  at  Los  Angeles,  where  he  was  in 
business  for  nearly  five  years.  He  then  sold  his 
interest  there,  came  to  Petalunia  and  bought 
tlie  controlling  interest  in  the  mill  at  this  place, 
after  which  he  formed  a  copartnership  with 
Maurice  JS'ewburgh,  which  partnership  contin- 
ues to  the  present  time.  Mr.  Torr  is  a  thorough 
mechanic  in  his  profession,  there  being  no  less 
than  seven  different  branches  of  trade  connected 
with  the  woolen  mill,  any  of  which  he  is  capa- 
ble of  doing,  from  the  adjustment  and  setting 
of  any  part  of  the  machinery  to  the  dyeing  of 
some  of  the  finest  woolens.  Mr.  Torr  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  Blue  Lodge  and  chap- 
ter of  Petaluma,  having  first  joined  the  order 
in  Ontario  in  the  spring  of  1863;  he  also  be- 
longs to  the  order  of  the  Eastern  Star,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Petaluma  fire-department.  He 
was  married  in  1862  to  Elizabeth  R.,  daughter 
of  Henry  Crawford,  of  Pickering,  Ontario. 
They  have  five  children:  Dudley  L.,  Ida  May, 
Lee  O.,  Mead  O.  and  Lottie  May. 


tNDPvEW  J.  THOMPSON  was  born  in 
Pictou,  Nova  Scotia,  March  14,  1844,  his 
parents  being  John  and  Margaret  (Mc- 
Donald) Thompson,  both  natives  of  Scotland. 
They  emigrated  to  Nova  Scotia  over  sixty  years 
ago,  the  father  being  engaged  in  farming,  to 
which  occupation  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  until  the  age  of  fifteen  years.  He  tlien 
began  an  apprenticeship  as  a  wagon  maker,  and 
afterward  as  a  carpenter.  In  1861  Mr.  Thomp- 
son came  to  the  United  States  and  located  in 
Maine,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  about 
one  year,  then  going  to  Wisconsin  and  remain- 
ing at  Foud  du  Lac  and  Green  Bay  until  1864. 
In  that  year  he  came  by  the  Isthmus  route  to 
California,  arriving  at  San  F'rancisco  September 


2,  1864.  Immediately  after  his  arrival  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Vancouver's  Island,  and  was  there 
engaged  at  his  trade  for  a  year  or  more,  after 
which  he  went  to  Washington  Territory  and  lo- 
cated at  Seattle.  AVhile  there  he  was  engaged 
as  a  spar  maker  and  ship  carpenter,  as  well  as 
at  his  trade  of  carpenter  and  joiner.  In  1868 
he  started  upon  his  return  trip  East,  but  npon 
his  arrival  at  San  Francisco  learned  of  the  prev- 
alence of  yellow  fever  upon  the  Isthmus.  He 
therefore  delayed  his  trip,  and  went  to  Mendo- 
cino Count}'  where  he  worked  in  the  lumber 
mills  for  some  months.  He  then  returned  via 
steamer  route  to  New  York,  and  thence  to  Wis- 
consin. After  his  return  to  that  State  he 
worked  for  a  number  of  years  at  his  trade  and 
was  also  employed  in  the  railroad  shops  at  Fond 
du  Lac  and  Green  Bay.  In  1874  he  married 
Miss  Hannah  Johnson,  a  native  of  Minnesota, 
and  in  1877  came  with  his  wife  to  California, 
locating  in  Mendocino  County.  After  remain- 
ing there  six  months  he  came  to  Sonoma  County, 
lived  in  Santa  Rosa  a  short  time,  and  then  es- 
tablished a  wagon  making  and  repair  shop  in 
Sebastopol.  This  enterprise  he  conducted  for 
about  a  year,  when  he  sold  out  and  engaged  at 
his  trade  as  a  carpenter.  In  1885  he  was 
severel}'  injured  by  falling  from  a  building, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  unable  to  work 
steadily  at  his  trade.  Alter  recovering  from 
his  injuries  sufficiently  to  enable  him  to  engage 
in  any  business,  he  established  a  variety  store 
in  Sebastopol,  an  enterprise  that  has  prov.en 
successful.  In  1881  Mr.  Thompson  purchased 
fifteen  acres  of  land  on  the  Green  Valley  and 
Sebastopol  road,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
northwest  of  Sebastopol.  This  land  was  en- 
tirely uncultivated  and  in  its  wild  state.  From 
the  time  of  his  purshase  he  has  devoted  a  great 
deal  of  his  attention  to  the  clearing,  planting 
and  improvement  of  his  home,  and  has  now  a 
fine  orchard  of  five  acres,  producing  a  large 
variety  of  fruits,  such  as  peaches,  apples,  pears, 
French  jirunes,  cherries,  etc.  He  also  has  a 
large  variety  of  table  grapes.  A  neat  and  com- 
fortable cottage  residence,  and   substantial    out- 


HISTOIlY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


buildings  (all  the  work  of  his  own  hands), 
attest  the  success  which  has  accompanied  his 
laliors.  His  land  is  all  well  adapted  to  fruit  and 
vine  cultivation,  and  he  is  each  year  iiicreasing 
his  orchard.  Mr.  Thompson  is  an  industrious, 
energetic,  straight-forward  man,  and  is  respected 
and  esteemed  by  the  community  in  which  he 
resides.  He  is  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  church,  and  also  a  member  of  Santa 
Rosa  Lodge,  No.  87,  K.  of  P.  Politically  he 
is  a  Republican,  taking  an  intelligent  interest 
in  all  matters  effecting  the  interests  of  the 
county. 

t[UGENE  FRANKLIN  PRATT  was  born 
at  Downer's  Grove,  Du  Page  County,  Hli- 
i5p'  nois.  in  1851,  being  the  son  of  W.  B.  and 
Alzira  (Page)  Pratt,  the  latter  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont. W.  B.  Pratt,  a  merchant  and  miller, 
emigrated  to  California  in  1869,  settled  at  Cal- 
istoga  and  afterward  removed  to  Durham,  Butte 
County,  where  he  died  in  1880.  Young  Pratt 
spent  the  years  of  his  boyhood  at  school  and  in 
his  father's  store  at  Lake  Forest,  Illinois,  and 
when  the  family  emigrated  to  California  he  came 
with  them,  being  employed  in  his  father's  mill, 
where  his  education  as  a  practical  miller  and 
machinist  was  acquired.  In  1870  Mr.  Pratt 
went  to  Idaho  and  engnged  in  teaming  from 
Winnemucca,  Nevada,  to  Silver  City,  Idaho,  a 
distance  of  210  miles.  Returning  to  California 
in  187-4  he  engaged  in  the  livery  business  at 
Calistoga.  Mr.  Pratt  was  married  in  1875  to 
Emma  J.  Teale,  daugliter  of  Peter  Teale,  one  of 
the  pioneer  settlers  of  Napa  Valley  and  a  native 
of  the  West  Indies,  of  French  and  English  ex- 
traction. They  are  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren: Harry,  Elmer,  and  Robert  Delafield.  In 
1880  Mr.  Pratt  removed  with  his  family  to 
Washington  Territory'.  He  recounts  with  pecu- 
liar interest  many  incidents  which  occurred  on 
the  overland  journey  which  M'as  made  with  a 
four-horse  team,  this  being  during  the  Nez 
Perces  war.     The  Pratt  family  witnessed  the 


battle  of  Umatilla.  They  settled  at  Pataha  and 
engaged  in  farming  for  two  years,  but  the  In- 
dians were  so  troublesome  that  they  became  dis- 
couraged and  returned  to  Napa,  California,  in 
1882.  This  being  about  the  time  of  the  vine- 
yard boom  in  that  section  of  the  State,  he  suc- 
cessfully engaged  in  the  business,  planting, 
selling  and  dealing  in  vines  and  vineyards  until 
1884,  when  he  was  induced  by  Mr.  R.  Dalafield 
to  take  charge  of  his  ranch  in  Knight's  Valley 
and  also  to  engage  in  the  manufacture  of  wine. 
Purchasing  what  was  known  as  the  Foss  cottao-e, 
near  by,  for  liis  family  residence,  he  removed 
his  family  from  Calistoga  and  entered  into  the 
service  of  Mr.  Dalafield,  with  all  the  energy  and 
enterprise  which  are  his  leading  characteristics. 
The  winery  which  has  grown  up  under  his 
supervision  (and  of  which  a  full  description  may 
be  found  on  another  page  of  this  work)  is  an  ex- 
tensive one  and  Mr.  Pratt  has  fully  utilized  the 
mechanical  knowledge  acquired  in  former  years, 
by  introducing  many  improvements  and  making 
it  as  near  perfection  as  possible.  Cleanliness 
and  order  are  the  leading  characteristics  of  the 
establishment,  and  no  expense  of  money,  time  or 
care  is  spared  in  producing  a  vintage  which  is 
already  becoming  favorably  known  to  the  public 
and  which  is  destined  to  take  high  rank  in 
brands  of  California  wines.  Politically,  Mr. 
Pratt  is  a  Republican,  but  believes  in  selecting 
the  best  men  for  any  ofhcial  position  irrespective 
of  part}'  lines.  For  eight  years  he  has  been 
an  active  Odd  Fellow,  and  is  also  affiliated  with 
the  Masonic  order,  being  a  member  in  the  third 
degree,  and  has  been  a  worker  in  his  lodge  for 
several  years.  Above  all  he  is  a  lover  of  home 
life  and  home  influences. 


REDERICK  JAMES  YANDLE  was  born 

in   Somersetshire,  Enujland,  on  the  12th  of 

7^   July,  1845.     He  remained  at  home  until 

he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  when 

he  embarked  for  America,  landing  in  New  York 

in  1866.     He  went  direct  west  from  New  York 


C56 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  located  at  Eockton,  Illinois,  where  for  two 
years  he  worked  at  his  trade  as  a  mill-wright. 
From  there  he  went  to  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  remained  fonrteen  years,  working  as  a  ma- 
chinist. From  Beloit  he  removed  to  California 
in  1884,  taking  up  his  residence  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, where  for  a  time  he  was  foreman  of  the 
Sutter  Street  Railroad.  In  the  spring  of  1885 
he  moved  to  Santa  Rosa,  where  he  established 
the  Santa  Rosa  Foundry  and  Machine  Works. 
His  establishment  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1886. 
Unfortunately  for  Mr.  Yandle,  his  insurance 
had  expired  only  two  days  prior  to  the  disaster, 
and  he  suffered  the  entire  loss.  But  with  in- 
domitable energy  and  pluck,  he  set  immediately 
to  work,  and  in  less  than  a  month  he  had  his 
Avorks  rebuilt,  and  commenced  operations  again. 
In  the  fiiU  of  1887  Mr.  Yandle  took  in  as  a 
partner  Mr.  F.  B.  Glynn,  and  enlarged  the  busi- 
ness. It  now  comprises  a  foundry,  machine 
shop,  planing  mill  and  a  lumber  yard,  and  is 
at  present  one  of  the  largest  and  best  furnished 
establishments  of  the  kind  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  The  firm  name  is 
now  Yandle  &  Glynn.  Two  years  after  land- 
ing in  America  Mr.  Yandle  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Katie  Carroll,  of  Beloit,  Wis- 
consin. She  was  born  in  London,  England, 
March  (),  1848,  and  came  to  America  with  her 
parents  in  1850.  The  result  of  this  union  is 
two  children:  Willie,  born  in  August,  1872,  and 
Harry,  born  in  December,  1873.     In  the  fall  of 

1888  Mr.  Yandle  returned  to  his  old  home  in 
England  to  visit  his  aged  mother,  as  well  as 
brothers  and  sisters.      In    the    early   months  of 

1889  he  returned  to  his  Santa  Rosa  home,  and 
has  again  settled  down  to  a  supervision  of  his 
extensive  business. 


fUDGE  MURRAY  WHALLON  was  bom 
at  Mayville,  Chautauqua  County,  New 
York,  August  14, 1816.  His  father,  Henry 
Whallon,  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey.  He  was 
married  in  AVashington  County,  New  York,  his 


wife  being  a  native  of  Bucks  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, after  which,  in  March,  1812,  he  went  to 
Mayville,  Chautauqua  County.  He  was  a  car- 
penter and  joiner  by  trade,  working  at  that  a 
part  of  the  time,  and  later  engaging  in  farming. 
He  worked  at  his  trade  in  Erie,  Pennsylvania, 
and  assisted  iti  building  the  fleet  of  Commodore 
Perry.  In  1831  he  moved  to  North  East  Town- 
ship, Erie  County,  where  he  bought  a  farm  and 
resided  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1850, 
at  the  ripe  old  age  of  seventy-seven.  His  wife 
died  in  1858,  in  Mayville,  New  York,  at  the 
same  age.  They  had  a  family  of  eleven  chil- 
dren, of  whom  eight  lived  to  be  grown — six 
sons  and  two  daughters.  One  son,  S.  S.  Whal- 
lon, was  one  of  the  canal  commissioners  for  the 
State  of  New  York,  and  died  in  1858  at  Erie, 
Pennsylvania.  Another  son,  James  H.  AYlial- 
lon,  was  a  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  in  western  New  York  and  western  Penn- 
sylvania for  about  thirty  years,  and  for  several 
years  was  presiding  elder.  He  died  in  1880 
at  Erie,  Pennsylvania.  Murray  Whallon  was 
among  the  younger  members  of  his  father's 
family.  He  was  educated  at  the  Mayville 
Academy,  and  on  the  7th  of  September  went  to 
Erie,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  tanght  school  two 
winters,  and  in  the  meantime  pursued  his 
studies  in  law  under  Sylvester  W.  Randall. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Pennsylvania  in 
1839,  and  practiced  his  profession  in  that 
county  for  several  years,  where  he  took  an 
active  part  in  the  political  issues  of  the  day. 
Early  in  life  he  showed  a  tendency  toward  polit- 
ical matters,  and  before  he  was  of  age  he  at- 
tended a  young  men's  Democratic  convention, 
and  was  placed  upon  a  committee  along  with 
other  able  young  men,  among  whom  was  Frank- 
lin Waite,  of  Jamestown,  New  York,  and  Her- 
man Risley,  of  Fredonia,  New  York.  This 
committee  prepared  an  address  that  was  pub- 
lished and  extensively  circulated  in  western 
New  York.  At  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  he  was 
placed  on  a  committee  of  the  Democratic  party 
of  that  city,  to  call  a  mass  meeting  on  the  10th 
of  September,   1840,    and    was    appointed    and 


lUSTOliV    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY 


acted  as  grand  marshal  of  that  meeting,  which 
was  composed  of  from  thiitj  to  iorty  thousand 
people.  He  was  elected  in  1853  to  the  second 
mayorship  of  the  city  of  Erie,  and  served  that 
term.  These  events  were  immediately  preced- 
ing what  is  known  as  the  Erie  Railroad  war. 
In  1854  a  controversy  was  aroused  between  the 
people  and  the  Erie  &  Northeast  Railway  Com- 
pany, a  short  road  leading  from  Erie  to  the  New 
York  State  line.  Under  the  charter  of  that  road 
the  company  was  prohiljited  by  law  to  occupy 
with  their  track  any  street  or  public  hitrhway 
open.  In  direct  opposition  to  tlieir  contract, 
they,  in  the  construction  of  the  road,  occupied 
about  a  mile  of  the  public  highway  leading  from 
Erie  to  Buffalo,  and  a  mile  of  a  street  in  the 
city  of  Erie.  When  this  controversy  arose,  the 
supervisors  of  tlie  township  of  Harbor  Creek, 
who  had  control  of  the  public  highways,  and 
the  city  council  of  Erie,  by  resolution  and  ordi 
nance,  determined  to  and  did  remove  the  rail- 
road track  from  the  highway  and  street,  or 
enough  of  it  to  make  a  break  of  seven  miles  in 
the  road.  The  matter  was  taken  to  the  Supreme 
Coi^rt  of  Pennsylvania,  which  decided  that  the 
township  and  city  autiiorities  had  a  right  to  re- 
move the  road.  An  application  was  made  from 
that  section  to  the  Legislature.  A  bill  was 
passed  which  was  signed  by  the  Governor,  re- 
pealing the  charter  of  the  railroal  from  Erie  to 
the  Ohio  State  line,  and  placing  the  road  in  the 
hands  of  three  commissioners,  which  consisted 
of  William  F.  Packer,  afterward  elected  Gov- 
ernor ot  Pennsylvania;  Alexander  McClure, 
now  editor  of  the  Piiiladelphia  J'iuies,  and 
Murray  Whallon,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
At  the  next  session  of  the  Legislature,  the  Dem- 
ocratic and  Whig  convention,  the  conventions 
of  both  parties  who  had  opposed  the  course  the 
railroad  couipany  had  taken,  nominated  for  the 
Legislature  Gideon  J.  Ball,  afterward  treasurer 
of  that  State,  and  Murray  Whallon.  During 
tliat  session  the  railroad  corjjorations,  including 
the  leading  railroads  of  Ohio  and  New  York, 
by  corruption,  succeeded  in  passing  a  bill  through 
the  Legislature,  giving  them  alegal  right  to  what 


they  had  claimed  in  this  long  contest.  This  was 
only  done  after  a  protracted  contest  in  the  house, 
lasting  over  two  weeks,  during  which  Mr.  Whal- 
lon and  his  colleagues  held  the  floor  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  bill  until  the  afternoon  of  the  last 
day  of  the  session.  The  speaker  of  the  house, 
having  the  same  views  on  the  matter,  enabled 
them  to  obtain  the  floor.  In  1845  Mr.  Wliallon 
was  appointed  collector  of  customs  at  Erie, 
under  the  Polk  administration.  In  August, 
1857,  he  received  a  letter  from  Judge  Jeremiah 
S.  Black,  the  attorney-general  of  the  United 
States  under  the  administration  of  President 
Buchanan,  offering  him  a  position  as  superin- 
tendent of  Indian  affairs  for  Utah,  which  he 
declined.  In  November  of  the  same  year  he 
was  called  to  Washington  by  letter  from  Gov- 
ernor William  Bigler,  then  United  States  Sena- 
tor from  Pennsylvania.  He  went  there  and 
soon  after  was  appointed,  with  e.x-Governor 
Hugh  J.  Anderson,  of  Maine,  on  a  commission 
to  investigate  the  defalcation  of  the  melter  and 
refiner  in  the  San  Francisco  mint.  Connected 
with  this  were  several  other  important  matters 
pertaining  to  tliis  coast.  After  spending  about 
a  month  e.xamining  the  correspondence  at  Wash- 
ington relating  to  the  matter,  and  gaining  what 
information  he  could  at  the  mint  at  Philadel- 
plna  and  at  the  assay  office  at  New  York,  with 
his  colleagues  he  sailed  from  New  York  for  San 
Francisco,  January  20,  1858,  arriving  at  the 
latter  place  February  14.  They  were  engaged 
in  the  investigation  of  that  question,  the  exami- 
nation of  the  affairs  of  the  custom  liouse  and 
land  office  at  San  Francisco,  and  looking  into 
the  affairs  of  tJie  different  custom  houses  on  the 
coast  from  San  Diego  to  Oiympia,  for  about 
ten  months.  On  the  return  trip  they  sailed 
together  fr.om  San  Francisco  to  Havana,  and 
owing  to  the  condition  of  Mr.  Whallon's  healtli, 
thinking  it  not  best  to  go  north  at  that  time  of 
the  year  (January),  deferred  his  journey,  and 
arrived  in  Washington  in  March,  185'J,  when 
tliey  completed  their  reports  to  tiie  satisfaction 
of  the  authorities  at  Washington.  In  an  inter- 
view with  the   president,   he   learned  from  him 


658 


HI 'STORY    OF    80N0JfA    COUNT  V. 


that  Edwin  M.Stanton  liad  requested  the  presi- 
dent to  appoint  Mr.  Whaiion  to  the  position  of 
superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  for  California. 
The  president  said  he  could  not  do  that,  for  he 
did  not  think  he  was  sufficiently  acquainted 
with  the  Indians  to  take  charge  of  the  affairs. 
He  went  to  the  treasury  department  one  morn- 
ing, where  he  met  his  colleague,  Governor  An- 
derson, who  said  the  president  had  sent  to  the 
department  for  his  name.  It  was  learned  that 
the  president  had  sent  his  name  to  the  senate 
for  tiie  appointment  of  customs  at  Erie,  Penn- 
sylvania. When  Mr.  Whallon  saw  the  presi- 
dent, he  said  he  had  sent  in  his  appointment 
for  the  ])osition,  because  the  appointment  had 
to  be  filled  before  the  senate  adjourned.  Mr. 
Whallon  went  to  Erie  and  discharged  the  duties 
of  that  office  until  May,  1860,  when  Governor 
Bigler  wrote  to  him  that  the  president  had  con- 
cluded to  send  him  to  California  again  to  assist 
in  the  trial  in  the  cases  of  the  United  States 
against  the  defaulting  melter  and  refiner  of  the 
mint,  and  two  cases  against  the  defaulting  col- 
lector of  customs.  He  went  to  Washington 
and  soon  learned  that  the  secretary  of  the  treas- 
ury had  removed  Ross  Brown,  who  had  been 
acting  as  special  agent  of  the  treasury  depart- 
ment for  the  Pacific  coast.  The  secretary  of  the 
treasury  ofiered  him  the  appointment  in  con- 
nection with  this  other  matter.  He  accepted, 
and  after  getting  his  instructions,  sailed  for  this 
coast  in  May,  1860.  He  discharged  the  duties 
of  that  position  for  about  fourteen  months,  and 
in  the  meantime  assisted  the  district  attornej^ 
Calhoun  P>enham,  in  trj'ing  the  cases  of  the 
United  States  against  Ilaraszthy,  the  melter  and 
refiner,  and  his  sureties.  The  other  cases  he 
was  not  able  to  try,  for  the  war  came  on  and 
the  Lincoln  administration  came  into  power, 
when  Mr.  Whallon  was  removed.  Iti  March, 
1861,  he  purchased  a  vine^'ard  in  Sonoma  Val- 
ley, and  in  1862  his  family  removed  to  this 
State.  The  next  year  he  was  nominated,  against 
his  protest,  by  the  Democratic  convention  of 
this  county,  for  the  State  Legislature,  and  after 
an    e.xcitiug  canvass,   in    which    he    made   over 


twenty  speeches,  the  whole  ticket  was  elected. 
He  occupied  a  seat  in  the  Legislature  during  the 
session  of  1863-T)4,  and  was  one  of  the  twelve 
Democrats  in  the  house.  In  1865  he  was  nomi- 
nated and  elected  county  recorder  and  ex-ojficio 
auditor  of  Sonoma  County.  Near  the  close  of 
his  term  he  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Olmton, 
who  was  then  State  comptroller,  stating  that  in 
his  annual  report  he  had  i-ecom mended  to  the 
Legislature  the  appointment  of  a  commission  to 
consist  of  three  auditors,  to  revise  the  revenue 
laws  of  the  State,  and  asking  Mr.  Whallon's 
permission  to  use  his  name,  to  which  he  agreed. 
The  report  was  made  and  printed,  but  nothing 
was  done  in  the  matter  by  the  Legislature.  In 
1883,  seeing  the  contest  coming  up  between 
Carlisle  and  Randall  for  speakership,  and  long 
knowing  Mr.  Randall  and  agreeing  with  him 
upon  his  views  of  the  tariff  question,  and  having 
high  appreciation  of  his  ability  as  a  speaker  and 
admiration  for  his  character  as  a  man  and  legis- 
lator, he  wrote  him  a  long  letter,  giving  his 
views  on  the  tariff,  and  urged  him  to  introduce 
a  bill  to  repeal  the  entire  internal  revenue  sys- 
tem, giving  strong  reasons  for  so  doing.  Mr. 
Randall  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  the  letter 
at  once,  and  said  he  would  ansiver  it  in  two  or 
three  days,  which  he  did  in  a  twelve-page  letter, 
stating  that  he  and  Governor  Curtin  agreed 
with  his  views,  and  entirely  endorsing  what  he 
had  said.  After  thanking  him  for  the  interest 
he  bad  taken  in  the  contest,  he  asked  him  to  do 
what  he  could  to  forward  his  chances  with  this 
litigation.  Up  to  that  time  the  Democratic 
party  in  this  State  was  apparently  solid  for  a 
tariff  for  revenue  only,  believing  with  Mr. 
Randall  and  Governor  Curtin,  the  Democratic 
party  could  not  obtain  and  control  the  majority 
of  the  electoral  vote  of  this  country  on  that 
issue  when  sharply  made,  although  that  was  in 
the  platform  of  the  canvass  of  1876.  J^ut  then 
their  success  depended  and  was  won  upon  the 
issue  of  retrenchment  and  reform,  the  question 
of  the  tariff  not  having  been  discussed,  if  at  all, 
but  slightly.  Mr.  Whallon  moved  to  San  Rafael 
at  that  time  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  in  this 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


659 


work,  and  liis  correspondence  and  personal  in- 
terviews with  the  members-elect  to  Congress, 
succeeded,  with  the  :iiJ  of  others,  in  producing 
a  change  of  sentiment  upon  this  subject.  At 
that  time  many  of  the  leading  Democrats  in  the 
State  took  the  same  view  of  the  subject  that 
Mr.  Whallon  did,  and,  by  themselves  and  with 
him,  joined  in  letter  and  dispatches  addressed 
mainly  to  General  Rosecrans,  a  member  of  Con- 
gress from  this  State,  urging  him  to  support 
Mr.  Randall  for  the  speakership.  Prominent 
among  those  who  did  so  was  William  T.  Cole- 
man, W.  D.  English,  then  and  now  chairman 
of  the  Democratic  State  Central  Committee, 
and  Hon.  J.  S.  Hager,  now  collector  of  customs 
at  San  Fi'ancisco.  Judge  Whallon  moved  to 
Petaluma  in  1883.  He  was  married  in  Janu- 
ary, 1842,  to  Adelia  A.  George,  a  native  of 
Erie,  Pennsylvania.  They  have  had  seven  chil- 
dren, of  whom  two  are  now  living  —  Clinton 
George  Whallon,  residing  at  Modesto,  Califor- 
nia, and  Leila  Emma,  wife  of  Mayor  John 
Brown,  of  Santa  Rosa. 


t  EDGAR  RICKSECKER,  surveyor,  is  a 
native  of  eastern  Pennsylvania.  He 
*  grew  to  maTihood  and  received  his  edu- 
cation in  his  native  State,  and  there  engaged  in 
teaching  for  six  or  seven  years.  In  1868  he 
met,  in  Philadelphia,  the  division  engineer  of 
the  Salt  Lake  division  of  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad,  and  engaged  with  him  to  come  West 
in  the  employ  of  the  company,  which  he  did 
the  same  year  in  the  month  of  February.  They 
came  through  on  stage  coaches  from  Chey- 
enne, the  then  terminus  of  the  road  to  Salt 
Lake  City.  He  remained  in  the  employ  of 
the  company  for  two  years,  and  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  time  had  charge  of  the  division  en- 
gineer's office.  On  leaving  this  comp:iny,  he, 
with  other  civil  engineers,  went  East  and  tor 
some  time  was  engaged  in  making  surveys  for 
railroad  lines  in  the  Central  States,  and  also  did 
other  surveying  work.      In   1871   he   went    to 


Puget  Sound  in  the  emphjy  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  Company.  The  failure  of  Jay  Cook  put 
a  stop  to  the  progress  of  that  company's  opera- 
tions for  a  period  of  years.  In  the  interval  "be- 
tween 1871  and  1881  he  was  variously  engaged 
at  surveying,  ranching,  etc.,  living  several  years 
of  the  time  in  San  Francisco.  In  1881,  the 
work  on  the  JSTorthern  Pacific  Railroad  hav- 
ing been  resumed,  he  was  again  employed  by 
the  company  for  fifteen  months,  with  his  head- 
quarters at  Spokane  Falls.  In  1882  he  came 
to  Sonoma  County  and  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  between  Occidental  and  Duncan's  Mills, 
sixteen  miles  from  Santa  Rosa,  which  he  still 
owns.  This  tract  consists  of  fifty-five  acres,  ten 
acres  in  bearing  vineyard,  and  several  acres  in 
prunes  and  other  trees.  His  vineyard  has  an 
altitude  of  400  feet.  In  1887  Mr.  Ricksecker 
came  to  Santa  Rosa  in  the  interest  of  the  Sebas- 
topol  Railroad,  for  Donahue,  and  surveyed  and 
located  the  line  which  has  not  yet  been  built. 
Since  locating  here  he  has  conducted  a  private 
surveyor's  office,  and  has  had  a  fine  business. 
Mr.  Ricksecker's  father,  Edmond  Ricksecker, 
was  a  surveyor  and  also  an  enthusiastic  student 
of  natural  history,  and  the  son  inherited  his 
tastes  in  both  directions.  He  began  the  study 
of  natural  history  in  early  boyhood,  and  has 
always  devoted  his  spare  time  to  the  collection 
and  classification  of  specimens  in  botany,  orni- 
thology and  entomology,  and  jwssesses  a  fine  cnl- 
lection  in  each  class,  but  he  has  an  extraordinary 
collection  of  entomological  specimens.  Daring 
his  residence  in  San  Francisco  he  collected 
2,000  specimens  of  coleoptera,  and  mounted 
them  elegantly.  These  he  sold  to  the  State 
University  for  the  College  of  Agriculture. 
Since  1881  he  has  collected  and  now  has, 
mostly  mounted,  3,200  species  and  30,000  speci- 
mens of  coleoptera.  They  are  chiefly  a  Pacific 
coast  collection,  although  he  has  many  speci- 
mens from  the  States  east  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, and  some  from  Europe  which  he  obtained 
by  exchange.  Many  of  his  specimens  he  raised 
from  the  larv.B  state.  He  is  one  of  ten  or 
twelve  scientists  on  this  coast  who  have  engaged 


cuo 


IllsritltV     (IF    So.yo.UA     COUNTY. 


in  the  entomological  work  for  life,  and  for  the 
pleasure  it  yields.  Mr.  Ricksecker  is  a  zealous 
eutliusiast  iii  the  study  of  insect  life,  and  reads 
and  discusses  the  volumes  of  beautifully  pre- 
served bugs  and  moths  as  eloquently  as  an 
orator  would  read  a  fine  oration,  or  an  elocution- 
ist, a  book  of  poems.  He  spent  nine  months 
in  the  United  States  service  in  1863-'64,  being 
a  member  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-third 
Pennsylvania  Infantry,  and  participating  in  the 
battles  of  Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg.  Mr. 
Ricksecker  was  united  in  marriage,  in  1881, 
with  Miss  McFarland,  a  native  of  California, 
boru  in  Sierra  County,  near  the  summit  of  the 
range  of  mountains  by  the  same  name.  She  was 
reared  and  educated  in  San  Francisco.  They 
have  three  children.  Mr.  Ricksecker  also  has 
three  children  by  a  former  marriage,  a  son  and 
daughter  married.  Mr.  Ricksecker  is  the  Re- 
publican nominee  for  county  surveyor  of  Sonoma 
County. 

to    ■*'   *    a)' 


.\IiTIN  LITCHFIELD. —  Among  the 
fine  orchards  in  the  neighborhood  of 
S^^  Sebastopol — the  most  productive  fruit- 
growing section  in  the  county — is  tliat  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch.  He  is  the  owner  of 
ninety  acres  of  as  productive  fruit  land  as  there 
is  in  Sonoma  County,  forty-live  acres  of  this 
land  being  devoted  to  orchard,  divided  as  fol- 
lows: Hfteen  acres  of  French  prunes,  fifteen 
acres  of  peaches,  such  as  Wiley  cling,  Orange 
cling  and  Crawfords  (early  and  late),  five  acres 
of  aj)j)les,  five  acres  of  Bartlett  pears,  and  five 
acres  of  Golden  Drop  pears.  There  are  also 
fifteen  acres  of  grapes,  of  the  Zinfandel  variety, 
and  he  has  a  family  vineyard  containing  a  large 
variety  of  table  grapes.  The  rest  of  his  land 
is  still  in  its  wild  state,  covered  with  a  heavy 
growth  of  fir  timber.  Mr.  Litchfield  has  made 
a  ]ierfect  success  in  his  horticultural  and  viti- 
cultural  operations.  His  French  prunes  have 
several  times  been  awarded  the  first  premium  in 
Sonoma  County  fairs.   Nearly  all  of  this  orchard 


and  vineyard  has  been  planted  by  him.     When 
he  took  up  his  residence  upon  the  lands  in  1880 
there  were  but  ten  acres  in  orchard,  and  a  small 
vineyard,   which    he   uprooted  and  planted   the 
ground  with  peach  trees.  There  is  on  this  place 
a  fine  cottage    residence  and  commodious  out- 
buildings, including  a  fruit  dryer,  nearly  all    of 
which  improvements  have  been  made  by  Mr. 
Litchfield.     In  this  connection  a   sketch  of  his 
life  will  be  found  of  interest.       He  was  born 
in    Coshocton    County,  Ohio,    May   22,  1836, 
the  son    of    Chauncey    and    Martha    (Knight) 
Litchfield,  who  were    natives    of   New    York. 
When    he    was    about    a    year    old  his  father 
moved   to    Fulton   County,   Illinois,    and   there 
engaged    in    fanning    and    stock-raising.      Mr. 
Litchfield  was  early  inured  to  farm  labor,  receiv- 
ing at  tiie  same  time   such  educational   advan- 
tages as  the  common  schools  aftbrded.    In  18i3 
the  dtatli    of  his    father    occurred,  leaving  the 
care  of  the  family  and  the    management  of  the 
farm  dependent  upon  the  mother.     It  was  thus 
that  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was,  at  tlie  early 
age  of  fifteen   years,  in  charge  of  tnost    of  the 
out-door  M'ork  upon  the    farm.     He  was  one  of 
the  first  to  enter  into  grape  and  fruit  culture  in 
Fulton  County.       The  experience  and  practical 
knowledge  he  gained  in  his  young  manhood   in 
Illinois,  have  been  shown  by  the  success  before 
mentioned  in  this  county.     Mr.  Litchfield  even- 
tually became  the  sole  owner  of  the  old  home- 
stead by  purchasing  the   interests  of  the  other 
heirs.     In  1858  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Elizabeth  Pollock.     She  was  the  daughter 
of  David  and   Mary    (McMiller)    Pollock,  resi- 
dents  of  Fulton   County.     Mr.  Litchfield  con- 
ducted   his    farming    operations    upon    the  old 
homestead  until  1879.     In  that  year  he  visited 
California,  and  after  making  a  tour  of  various 
sections  of  the  State,  seeking  a  desirable  loca- 
tion, he  came   to    Sonoma   County.      Delighted 
with   the  place,  he  sought  no  further,  but  pur- 
chased the  land  before  described.     He  then  re- 
turned East  and  after  disposing  of  his  interests 
there,  returned  with  his  family  and  took  up  his 
present   residence.     Although    Mr.  Litchfield's 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


residence  in  tliis  county  is  comparatively  brief, 
he  has  identified  liimsclf  from  the  first  with  all 
enterprises  that  tend  to  promote  the  interests 
and  welfare  of  the  comnmnity  in  which  lie 
resides.  He  has  therefore  gained  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  by  all  of 
whom  he  is  respected  and  esteemed.  Always 
a  strong  supporter  of  the  public  schools,  he  has 
served  for  eighteen  years  as  a  school  trustee^ 
ten  years  in  Illinois  and  eight  in  the  Sebastopol 
district.  Pie  is  a  member  of  the  Sebastopol 
Grange,  Patrons  of  Husbandry,  and  is  its  pres- 
ent master.  Politically,  he  is  a  strong  and  con- 
sistent Republican.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Litchfield 
have  eight  children  living,  viz.:  Frank,  Elmer, 
Sophia,  Lavina,  Oscar,  Cora,  Estella  and  Bessie. 
Frank  is  a  resident  of  Occidental,  and  Sojjhia 
is  now  the  principal  of  the  Sebastopol  public 
schools. 


^ILLIAM  H.  HILTON  was  born  in  New 
York  City  in  1829.  His  father,  Will- 
iam Hilton,  was  a  native  of  New  York, 
and  a  veteran  of  the  war  of  1812,  having  served 
under  General  Scott.  His  mother,  Matilda 
(Shonnard)  Hilton,  was  also  born  in  New  York, 
and  was  a  descendant  of  the  old  Dutch  families 
of  colonial  times.  Mr.  Hilton  was  reared  in  the 
city  of  his  birth,  and  was  given  the  advantages 
of  a  good  schooling,  but  being  of  an  adventurous 
and  roving  disposition,  a  life  of  study  was  irk- 
some to  him,  and  when  less  than  fifteen  years 
of  age  he  ran  away  from  a  comfortable  home  and 
embarked  on  a  sailing  vessel  bound  for  Galveston, 
Texas.  Upon  his_arrival  there  he  secured  work 
as  a  clerk  in  a  store  in  Houston.  While  there 
he  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  party  of  Indian 
hunters,  and  joined  them  in  several  of  their 
forays  against  the  Indians  of  northern  Texas  and 
New  Mexico.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Mex- 
ican war  in  18-40,  he  promptly  joined  the  noted 
Texas  rangers,  under  Captain  Henry,  and  served 
with  them  throughout  the  whole  of  that  memor- 
able struggle.     Although  but  eighteen  years  of 


age  he  was  a   man  in  courage  and   daring,  and 
was  selected   as  a  dispatch    bearer  for  General 
Scott  on  many  occasions,  one  of  which  is  worthy 
of  note.     Himself  and  two  others  were  selected 
by  the  General  to  carry  dispatches  from  the  city 
of   Mexico  to   Pueblo.     This  hazardous  under- 
taking   was    successfully  accomplished   by   Mr. 
Hilton.     He  succeeded  in  running  the  eauntlet 
of   the    Mexican    guerrillas    that    infested     the 
country,  escaping  with    a  severe  wound   in   the 
head,  but  his  two  companions  were  killed.     At 
the  close  of  the  war  in  1848  he  returned  to  New 
lorkCity,    where   he   remained  until  the  next 
spring,  when  the  news  of  the  gold    discoveries 
in  California  prompted  him  to  seek  his  fortune 
in  the  new  El  Dorado.      In   February,  1849,  he 
embarked  for  a  voyage  around  the  Horn,  on  the 
ship  Panama.     After    a    long   but  uneventful 
passage,  he  arrived   at   San    Francisco  and  pro- 
ceeded at  once  to  the  mines  on  the  Yuba  River. 
The  heavy  rains  of  the  winter  of  '49  and  '50 
drove  most  of  the  miners  to  the  lower  country, 
and  Mr.  Hilton   located    at  Sacramento.     Of  a 
generous    nature,  he  spent    most  of   liis  small 
gains  in  providing  for  his  sick  comrades,  and 
then  went  to  driving  a  team,  and  by  this  means 
entered    into    teaming  and  freighting  u])on   his 
own  account,  after  which  he  returned  to  mining 
occupations  on  the  American  River  and  in  Grass 
Valley.      During  this  time  he  took  up  the  study 
of  chemistry  and   geology,  under  the   tutorship 
of  his  friend.  Prof.  Durand.      In  1857  he  went 
to  Mexico,  where  he  followed  mining  for  about 
a  year.     AVliile  in  Mexico  Mr.  Hilton  accepted 
the  position  of  superintendent  and  mining  e.x- 
pert  of  some  mines  in  Chili,  South  America, 
where   he  went,  and  after  some   months  spent 
there,  he  returned    to    the    United  States.     In 
1859  and  1860  he  was  engaged  with    the  noted 
prospector,  Erenberg,  in  prospecting  and  locat- 
ing mines  in  Arizona  and  Mexico.      In  the  fall 
of  1860,  Mr.  Hilton  returned  to  California,  and 
went  to  the  Washoe  district,  Nevada.      He  was 
there  engaged  in  mining  and    prospecting  until 
1801,   when    he    was    attacked   by  the   Indians 
while  on  one  of  his   prospecting  tours,  and  sq 


663 


IlIHTORY    Ob'    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


severely  wounded  tliat  liis  life  was  despaired  of, 
and  upon  his  partial  recovery  lie  returned  East 
for  medical  and  surgical  treatment.  As  soon  as 
his  health  permitted  he  came  again  to  California, 
and  engaged  in  his  old  occupation.  The  war  of 
the  Rebellion  then  fired  his  military  ardor,  and 
he  returned  to  New  York  and  enlisted  in 
the  old  Seventh  New  York  Regiment,  but  his 
disabilities  prevented  him  from  engaging  in 
active  service  in  tlie  field.  Consequently  he  left 
the  army  and  returned  to  the  Pacific  coast.  For 
the  ne.xt  ten  years  Mr.  Hilton  was  engaged  in 
various  mining  enterprises,  principally  in  Mex- 
ico. The  year  1872  found  him  so  broken  in 
health  that  he  was  compelled  to  seek  rest.  He 
therefore  located  in  San  Francisco,  where  he 
remained  until  1881,  when  he  came  to  Sonoma 
County  and  purchased  137  acres  of  land  in  Ben- 
nett Yalley,  on  the  Santa  Rosa  and  Glen  Ellen 
road,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  Glen 
Ellen.  Here  Mr.  Hilton  took  up  his  residence, 
and  since  that  time  has  devoted  himself  to 
agricultural  pursuits.  In  this  he  has  been  very 
successful,  and  is  building  up  what  is  destined 
to  be  one  of  the  model  vineyards  and  orchards 
■of  Sonoma  County,  He  has  now  (1888)  thirty 
acres  of  Zinfandel  wine  grapes,  and  a  iine  ten 
acre  orchard  containing  French  prunes  and 
Bartlett  pears,  and  also  a  choice  varietj'  of  other 
fruits.  A  fine  two-story  residence,  commodious 
barns  and  out-buildings  attest  the  enterprise 
and  good  taste  Mr.  Hilton  is  displaying  in  his 
improvements.  Politically,  Mr.  Hilton  is  a 
Republican.  He  is  a  member  of  the  California 
Pioneer  Society  of  San  Francisco.  In  1876  he 
married  Miss  Mary  V.  Glasgow,  a  native  of 
California.  Mrs.  Hilton's  parents  are  natives 
of  Virginia.    They  have  one  child — William  H. 

^..?.  3,  ,;.?■♦■" 


t  PRESS  SMITH,  M.  D.,  has  been  an 
active  member  of  the  medical  profes- 
®  sion  in  Santa  Rosa  for  twenty  years, 
having  settled  here  in  1868,  and  has  for  many 
years  been  recognized  as  one  of  the  representa- 


tive physicians  of  this  part  of  the  Pacific  coast. 
Dr.  Smith  was  born  in  Charleston,  South  Caro- 
lina, October  10,  1839,  and  was  there  educated 
at  the  State  Military  Academy,  also  graduating 
at  the  Medical  College  of  South  Carolina  in 
1861.  He  had  previonsly,  however,  attended  a 
course  of  lectures  in  the  New  York  Medical 
College.  After  his  graduation  he  immediately 
entei'ed  the  Confederate  army  as  a  Lieutenant, 
and  participated  in  the  first  battle  of  Bull 
Run.  During  his  army  service  of  nearly  four 
years  Dr.  Smith  rose  to  the  rank  of  Major,  and 
participated  in  some  of  the  hottest  engagements 
of  the  war,  occupying  posts  of  heavy  responsi- 
bility and  great  im])ortance.  For  (juite  a  time 
he  was  in  command  of  Battery  Greig,  on  Morris 
Island,  opposite  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
during  its  bombardment.  This  was  a  terrible 
position,  the  circumstances  of  which  can  only  be 
appreciated  when  recounted  by  such  a  brilliant 
conversationalist  and  raconteur  as  is  the  Doctor. 
He  was  also  in  command  of  Fort  Moultrie 
for  several  months.  During  his  service  he  was 
three  times  wounded,  the  last  time  quite  serious- 
ly, at  the  battle  of  Averyboro,  in  March,  1865 
by  a  rainie-ball  through  the  left  leg  below  the 
knee,  which  severed  the  tibial  artery  and  nerve. 
This  laid  him  up  for  nearly  a  year.  "When  able 
he  began  the  practice  of  medicine  in  his  native 
State,  continuing  until  he  moved  to  California 
and  resumed  it  in  Sonoma  County.  Dr.  Smith 
was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in  organizing  the 
first  medical  society  in  this  county,  and  was  its 
secretary.  The  society  prospered  for  a  year  or 
two,  then  languished  and  finally  ceased  to  e.xist. 
Its  meetings  were  held  quarterly  in  the  several 
principal  towns  of  the  county.  Years  later  a 
second  medical  society  of  Sonoma  County  was 
organized,  of  which  Dr.  Smith  was  also  a  mem- 
ber, and  which  hrid  a  similar  history  to  that  of 
its  predecessor.  Dr.  Smith  is  a  member  of  the 
State  Mjdical  Society  of  California,  and  is  now 
serving  his  seventh  year  as  physician  to  the 
Sonoma  County  Hospital,  having  been  twice 
chosen  to  that  position.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  descended  from   one  of  the  old  Caro- 


IILsTOlil'    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


(j(i5 


liniaii  families,  and  can  trace  liis  ancestry 
back  in  honorable  line  beyond  the  early  history 
of  America.  On  his  mother's  side  he  is  of 
French  Huguenot  descent.  His  maternal  great- 
grandfatlier  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  war  of 
Independence  on  the  side  of  justice  and  freedom. 
Another  was  adjutant  to  General  Francis  Ma- 
rion, while  a  third,  who  held  the  rank  of  Lieu- 
tenant General,  was  killed  at  Fort  Moultrie.  Dr. 
Smith  has  been  married  twice;  tlie  first  time  in 
South  Carolina,  to  Miss  N.  C.  Dubose.  Tiiey 
had  one  boy — Edwin,  who  is  now  studying  law 
in  San  Francisco.  He  was  again  married  in 
1872  to  Miss  Nellie  M.  Temple,  of  Santa  Rosa. 
They  have  seven  children,  all  small  and  living 
at  home,  three  boys  and  four  girls. 


f  TAMER  &  FELDMEYER,  proprietors  of 
the  Geyserville  winery,  established  their 
present  business  in  1884.  The  firm  is 
composed  of  Julius  C.  Stamer  and  B.  W.  Feld- 
meyer.  Their  winery  is  well  appointed  and  has 
a  storage  capacity  of  75,000  gallons,  though  the 
vintage  of  1888  exceeded  that  quantity.  They 
find  a  ready  market  for  their  wines  in  San  Fran- 
cisco. They  manufacture  nothing  but  clarets 
and  dry  white  wines,  and  these  have  an  excellent 
reputation.  They  have  sixty-five  acres  of  land 
on  Ury  Creek  and  at  Geyserville,  and  about 
thirty  acres  planted  to  Zinfandel,  Riesling, 
Mataro,  Carignan  and  Grenache  grapes,  the 
vines  ranging  in  age  from  four  to  eight  years. 
Julius  C.  Stamek,  of  the  firm  of  Stamer  & 
Feldmeyer,  is  a  native  of  Hamburg,  Germany, 
born  January  4,  1837,  and  son  of  C.  II.  and 
Christina  Stamer,  the  father  a  wine  dealer. 
Julius  C.  was  reared  at  Hamburg,  where  he  was 
educated,  attending  school  from  the  age  of  six 
to  fourteen  years,  and  on  attaining  a  suitable 
age,  entered  the  comtnission  business,  and  after- 
ward banking.  In  1850  he  came  to  the  United 
States,  and  for  three  years  was  engaged  in  the 
grocery  business  in  New  York  City.  In  the 
latter  part  of  1861    lie  departed  from  that  city 


destined  for  California,  via  Panama,  and  landed 
at  San  Francisco,  January  5, 1862.  He  soon  en- 
gaged in  the  grocery  trade,  and  so  continued 
until  1880,  when  ho  located  in  Napa  County 
and  devoted  his  time  to  the  manufacture  of 
wine  below  St.  Helena,  in  connection  with  his 
brother,  G.  A.  Stamer.  He  is  a  thorough  master 
in  this  business  and  his  skill  is  shown  in  the 
high  class  of  wines  turned  out  from  this  winery. 
B.  W.  Felumeyee,  of  the  firm  of  Stamer  & 
Feldmeyer,  is  a  native  of  Oldenburg,  Germany, 
born  September  1, 1846,  and  son  of  Alirend  and 
Catherine  Feldmeyer,  the  father  a  seaman.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  in  his  native 
country,  and  attended  school  between  the  ages 
of  six  and  fourteen  years.  In  1867  he  came  to 
America,  landing  at  New  York.  Two  years 
later  he  came  to  California,  located  at  St.  Helena, 
and  engaged  in  the  business  of  carpentering  and 
contracting.  His  own  skill  as  a  workman 
brought  him  a  tine  class  of  work,  and  he  received 
contracts  for  building  several  of  the  wine  cellars 
in  that  vicinity,  and  continued  to  reside  there 
until  coming  to  Geyserville.  Mr.  Feldmeyer 
was  married  in  California  to  Miss  Wilhelmina 
Baute,  a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany.  They 
have  four  children:  Clemens,  Arthur,  Willie, 
and  Gustav.  Mr.  Feldmeyer  is  a  fine  business 
man,  and  ranks  high  among  those  interested  in 
the  wine  industry. 


4'"».-jH^"4-'-> 


flSHER  &  KINSLOW.— The  Santa  Rosa 
marble  works  were  started  in  1871  by 
^  Ilartwig  &  Fisher,  the  firm  being  Theo- 
dore Hartwig  and  A.  L.  Fisher.  The  works  were 
then  located  on  Hinton  avenue  opposite  the 
plaza  on  which  the  court-house  now  stands. 
From  the  beginning  they  liad  a  stock  consisting 
of  both  marble  and  granite,  but  the  business 
being  comparatively  a  new  one  on  this  coast,  they 
necessarily  began  on  a  small  scale  and  the  busi- 
ness grew  as  the  people  were  educated  up  to  the 
value  of  it.  Two  years  after  engaging  in  this 
enterprise  Mr.  Hartwig  died  and  was  succeeded 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


by  "W.  n.  Koagan,  who  also  died  a  year  later. 
■  Mr.  Fisher  then  conducted  the  business  for  a 
year  alone,  then  took  in  his  present  partner,  J. 
F.  Kinslow,  who  has  been  a  partner  about 
eleven  years.  They  have  been  at  their  present 
location,  corner  of  Fourth  and  Davis  streets, 
ten  years;  and  tiie  firm  does  the  largest  business 
in  their  line  of  any  north  of  San  Francisco,  in 
the  State.  They  deal  in  monnments.  grave 
stones,  mantels,  and  granite  building  material. 
For  monumental  work  ihey  import  Scotch 
granite;  and  they  use  chiefly  Italian  marbles, 
though  some  Vermont  marbles  are  nsed.  They 
furnish  employment  for  an  average  of  seven 
men,  and  do  most  of  the  marble  work  in  So- 
noma, Mendocino,  Lake,  Napa  and  Marin 
counties.  Their  monuments  range  in  price 
from  S500  to  $2,000,  and  they  put  up  one  in 
the  cemetery  at  Santa  Kosa,  costing,  8"~''''00. 
Their  business  runs  from  $25,000  to  $40,000  a 
year,  the  latter  sum  in  1887.  The  coping  work 
around  the  court-house  plaza,  amounting  to 
$20,000  for  coping,  fencing  and  flagging,  was 
done  by  this  firm.  Mr.  Fisher  was  born  in 
Vermont  in  1840,  and  remained  there  twenty- 
six  years  of  his  life.  lie  enlisted  in  the 
Thirteenth  Vermont  Infantry,  in  18G2,  and 
remained  in  the  service  nine  months.  He  was 
a  non-commissioned  officer,  and  he  fought  in  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg,  it  being  his  hardest  en- 
gagement. He  is  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R., 
and  commander  of  Ellsworth  Post,  No.  20,  of 
Santa  llosa,  wiiich  has  about  ninety  members. 
He  learned  the  stone-cutter's  trade  in  Vermont. 
On  coming  to  California  in  1866,  he  visited 
British  Columbia  during  the  mining  excite- 
ment of  the  Big  Bond  raining  interests,  spending 
a  year  there  chiefly  in  prospecting.  He  then 
came  down  to  San  Mateo  County,  California, 
and  remained  there  until  he  came  to  Santa  Rosa 
in  1871.  He  was  married  in  Vermont  to  Miss 
Rebecca  Thompkins,  a  native  of  Fall  River, 
Massachusetts.  They  came  to  California  by 
way  of  the  Isthmus.  Mr.  Fisher  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  order,  and  past  high  priest  of 
the  chapter,  and  a  member  of  the  commandery. 


Mr.  Fisher's  father  died  in  1872  and  his  motlier 
in  18S1,  both  natives  of  Vermont  and  b<_itii 
buried  there.  They  were  the  parents  of  thirteen 
children,  ten  of  whom  grew  to  adult  age.  It 
may  be  further  stated  that  neither  of  Mr.  Fish- 
er's parents  ever  left  their  native  State  until 
after  they  were  sixty  years  of  age.  Mr.  John 
Kinslow  was  born  in  Haydenville,  Massachu- 
setts, learned  his  trade  in  Waterbury,  the  same 
State,  and  was  in  business  there  a  short  time 
before  coming  to  California  in  1875.  He  spent 
a  year  in  San  Francisco,  and  then  came  to  Santa 
Rosa.  In  Jul}',  1883,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Casey,  a  native  Californian,  daughter 
of  Jeremiah  Casey,  a  pioneer  of  Lakeville,  So- 
noma County,  where  he  still  resides  with  his 
family.  Mr.  Kinslow  is  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  and  is  past  chancellor  of 
Santa  Rosa  Lodge,  No.  87. 


(ARLYLE  SMITH  MILLER  was  born  in 
Chautauqua  County,  New  Yorlc,  February 
10,  1828.  His  father,  Elisha  Miller,  was 
of  Dutch  descent  and  was  born  in  the  same 
locality.  The  elder  gentleman  was  reared  to 
manhood  in  Pennsylvania,  learned  the  black- 
smith's trade,  and  worked  at  it  tliere  until  he 
emigrated  from  that  State.  He  married  Sarah 
Adams,  who  was  reared  in  her  native  country, 
Ireland.  About  1833  or  '34  he  moved  to 
Michigan  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  This 
was  before  Michigan  became  a  State,  and  was 
a  wild  and  almost  unbroken  country.  The 
Tiative  red  men  outnumbered  in  great  proportion 
the  few  pioneers  who  had  taken  foot-hold  there. 
They  traded  with  the  Indians,  giving  them 
potatoes  and  other  things  in  exchange  for  ma- 
ple syrfip,  etc.  Their  nearest  little  town,  a 
French  trading  post,  was  called  Centerville. 
After  a  residence  there  of  about  four  years  the 
family  moved  to  Iowa,  soon  after  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  and  thence  to  Illinois.  From  there 
they  continued  their  migration  westward  and 
tinally,  in  1847,  located  in  Oregon,  about   twen 


IIISTOUY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


667 


ty-five  miles  from  Portland.  In  1849  they 
came  to  California  and  stopped  at  the  head  of 
the  Sacramento  River,  near  Redding,  where  they 
stayed  about  three  weeks  and  then  came  down 
into  Sonoma  County.  Mr.  Miller  afterward 
returned  to  Oregon,  and  then  again  to  this 
county,  where  he  died  in  1859.  C.  S.  Miller 
remained  witli  his  parents  until  after  he  was 
twenty-one  years  old,  when  he  went  to  tiie 
mines  at  Nevada  City;  from  there  to  the  mines 
at  South  Yuba,  and  followed  this  occupation  for 
about  nineteen  months  lie  then  came  to  So- 
noma County  and  purchased  a  farm  near 
Sebastopol,  where  he  farmed  a  while  and  then 
sold  out  and  went  to  dealing  in  cattle,  driving 
them  to  the  mines.  After  this  he  engaged  in 
the  logging  business  in  Mendocino  Count}', 
hauling  logs  from  the  mountains  down  to  the 
saw  mills.  In  1860  he  moved  to  Marin  County 
and  bought  a  farm  of  400  acres.  He  has  since 
made  additions  to  it  and  has  at  the  present  time 
600  acres.  In  October,  1873,  he  purchased  his 
present  place,  consisting  of  156  acres  near  Pet- 
aluma,  in  Vallejo  Township,  and  came  here  for 
the  purpose  of  educating  his  children.  In  1882 
or  1883  he  bought  a  ranch  in  Napa  County  of 
412  acres.  In  1857  he  returned  to  the  East 
and  was  married  in  Illinois  to  Sarah  Fairley, 
coining  back  to  California  the  same  year, 
making  w.bat  might  be  called  their  wedding  trip 
overland,  being  five  months  on  the  way.  They 
have  seven  children,  four  sons  and  thi-ee 
daughters. 


fllOMAS  M.  WARD.— Among  the  pio- 
neers of  the  State  and  Sonoma  County 
special  mention  should  be  made  of  the 
gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  sketch.  He 
is  descended  from  a  race  of  pioneers.  His 
grandfather,  a  native  of  Scotland,  emigrated  to 
the  United  States  and  settled  in  North  Carolina 
in  the  colonial  times.  His  father,  David  Ward, 
was  born  in  that  State,  but  was  among  tlie  early 
settlers  in  Cook  County,  Tennessee,  where  the 


subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  May  28,  1815. 
His  mother,  Nancy  (Mitchell)  Ward,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Virginia.  Her  grandfather  was  an  offi- 
cer in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Shortly  after 
Thomas  M.  was  born  his  parents  moved  to  Mis- 
souri, and  after  a  short  residence  in  several 
places  in  that  State  they  removed,  in  1820,  to 
Lafayette  County.  Here  Mr.  Ward  was  reared, 
and  his  eaily  youth  and  young  manhood  was 
spent  on  his  father's  farm,  where  he  became 
inured  to  the  hard  labors  and  privations  attend- 
ing ])ioneer  life.  He  was  naturally  of  an  ingen- 
ious mind,  and  he  became  quite  an  e.xpert  as 
a  carpenter  and  cabinet-maker.  At  the  age  of 
nineteen  years,  in  1834,  he  married  Miss  Glaph- 
gra  Bowman,  the  daughter  of  John  Mitchell 
and  Elizabeth  (Hoi'n)  Bowman.  In  that  year 
he  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising,  and 
four  years  after  he  moved  to  Andrew  County. 
In  1845  he  located  in  Buchanan  County,  where 
he  remained  until  1847,  when  he  returned  to 
Andrew  County,  his  occupation  during  all  these 
years  being  that  of  a  farmer  and  stock-raiser. 
Of  a  restless  disposition  and  ever  a  pioneer,  in 
1849  Mr.  Ward  started  with  his  family,  with 
ox  teams,  across  the  plains  for  the  Golden  State 
of  California.  This  journey  was  performed 
unaccompanied  with  any  startling  incidenis, 
and  after  the  usual  hardships  they  arrived  in 
Yolo  County  in  August  of  that  year.  There 
he  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  his  wife,  who  died 
September  3,  1849.  After  the  death  of  his  wife 
Mr.  Ward  came  to  Sonoma  Connty,  and  in  July, 
1851,  in  connection  with  his  brother,  Nathaniel 
Ward,  opened  a  blacksmith  and  carpenter  shop 
in  Sebastopol.  This  was  the  first  shop  estab- 
lished in  that  now  thriving  village.  He  con- 
tinued his  business  in  Sebastopol  until  February, 
1853,  when  he  came  to  Green  Valley  and  pur- 
chased land  upon  which  he  took  up  his  residence 
and  devoted  himself  to  agricultural  pursuits. 
At  the  early  date  in  which  Mr.  Ward  took  up 
his  residence  in  Green  Valley  it  was  sparsely 
settled  and  the  lands  were  in  their  wild  state. 
He  at  once  set  about  clearing  the  land  and 
erectinj'  his  home.      His  career  as  a  farmer  and 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


horticulturist  is  well  known.  Of  his  original 
land  he  is  now  the  owner  of  108  acres.  This 
land  is  situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  valley, 
near  the  Sebastopol  and  Forestville  road,  in  the 
Oak  Grove  school  district,  four  miles  northwest 
of  Sebastopol  and  two  miles  south  of  Forest- 
ville. The  greater  portion  of  his  land  is  de- 
voted to  hay,  grain  and  stock-raising,  but  he 
also  has  a  fine  orchard  of  ten  acres,  containing 
peaclies,  apples,  pears,  plums,  etc.  The  peaches 
are  the  Crawford,  orange  cling  and  lemon  cling 
varieties.  In  addition  to  a  family  vineyard 
containing  a  large  variety  of  table  grapes,  he 
has  also  six  acres  of  the  Mission  wine  grapes. 
Mr.  Ward  has  some  fine  stock,  his  cattle  being 
improved  with  both  Durham  and  Jersey  stock, 
and  his  horses  with  Norman  and  Goldfinder 
breeds.  On  this  farm  is  a  substantial  and  com- 
fortable residence  surrounded  by  shade  trees, 
situated  upon  high  ground  from  which  he  has 
one  of  the  finest  views  of  the  beautiful  Green 
Valley  imaginable.  Commodious  barns  and 
other  out-buildings  attest  the  success  that  has 
attended  his  efforts  in  building  up  a  home. 
His  knowledge  of  building  and  carpentering  has 
enabled  him  to  construct  nearly  all  his  build- 
ings without  the  aid  of  other  than  common 
labor.  It  should  be  mentioned  tliat  Mr.  Ward, 
as  early  as  1854,  planted  his  first  fruit  trees,  and 
in  the  first  fruit  exhibits  from  Green  Valley  in 
the  county  fairs,  products  from  his  orchard  were 
among  those  that  took  the  first  premiums.  Mr. 
Ward  has  long  been  identified  with  the  growth 
and  prosperity  of  his  section  of  the  county, 
and  is  a  firm  believer  in  its  glorious  future. 
He  has  for  years  served  as  a  school  trustee  in  the 
Oak  Grove  district.  In  politics  he  is  a  life-long 
Democrat,  and  is  consistent  in  his  views.  He 
takes  a  deep  and  intelligent  interest  in  all  the 
political  questions  of  the  day.  Mr.  Ward's 
second  wife  was  Miss  Elizabeth  Janes,  to  wliom 
he  was  married  in  1850.  She  is  the  daughter 
of  Henry  F.  and  Kesiah  (Talbot)  Janes.  Her 
fath  was<-  '\  ^oneer  in  every  sense  of  the  word. 
He  went  to  Wisconsin  at  a  very  early  period  and 
settled  where  the  citv  of  Janesville  now  stands. 


building  the  first  house  in  that  place,  that  now 
bears  his  name.  He  was  also  a  pioneer  of  the 
State  of  California,  coming  to  this  State  in 
18-10,  and  finally  taking  up  his  residence  in 
Humboldt  County.  To  Mr.  Ward's  first  mar- 
riage there  were  born  seven  children,  only  one 
of  whom  is  now  living — David  M.,  a  resident 
of  Colorado.  By  his  second  marriage  he  has 
eight  children  living:  William  H.,  residing  near 
the  old  homestead;  John  L.,  who  married  Miss 
Frances  Fordalie,  living  in  Forestville;  Charles 
M.,  who  married  Miss  Lydia  Branscom,  resid- 
ing in  Mendocino  County;  Edward  L.,  married 
Miss  Ella  Carey,  and  is  living  in  Green  Valley; 
James  A.,  married  Miss  Minnie  Ross,  and  is 
living  near  the  old  homestead;  Benjamin  F., 
married  Ethel  Perry,  and  resides  in  Green  Val- 
ley; Julia  A.,  the  wife  of  T.  J.  Janes;  and 
George  S.  The  two  last  named  are  living  under 
the  parental  roof. 


7^,HRI8TOPHER  D.  NEAR,  who  owns  and 
fli^i  occupies  the  well  known  "  Root  Home- 
^^  stead,"  on  the  Healdsburg  road,  two  miles 
north  of  Santa  Rosa,  was  from  eight  years  of 
age  reared  at  his  present  home.  The  estate  con- 
sists of  ninety  acres,  and  was  for  many  years  the 
home  of  Jeremiah  Root,  who  crossed  the  plains 
with  his  family  from  Iowa,  in  1853,  and  after  a 
short  residence  in  Alameda  County  commenced 
the  improvement  of  the  homestead  above  men- 
tioned. Mr.  Root  now  lives  in  San  Benito 
County,  where  his  wife  died  in  March,  1888,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  ninety  years.  Christopher 
D.  Near  was  born  in  Fremont  County,  Iowa, 
December  19,  1848,  his  parents  being  Christo- 
pher D.  and  Sophronia  A.  (Culp)  Near.  In 
1850  his  father  was  killed  by  lightning  in  Iowa, 
and  in  1851  his  mother  married  Jeremiah  Root. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  in  his  fifth  year 
when  his  step-father  and  mother  crossed  the 
plains  to  this  State.  Among  his  early  recollec- 
tions are  incidents  that  occurred  on  the  long 
journey.      Reared  from  eight  years  of  age  at  his 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


present  borne,  its  ownership  passed  to  him  not 
long  ago.  lie  has  one  brother,  John  Henry 
Near,  who  also  lives  in  Santa  Kosa  Township. 
Two  children  were  born  to  his  mother  by  her 
second  marriage,  of  whom  only  one,  Mrs.  Ella 
Kange,  a  resident  of  Los  Angeles  Connty,  is 
now  living.  November  3,  1872,  Mr.  Near 
married  Miss' Nancy  Van  Winkle,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Nancy  (Fanght)  Van  Winkle.  She 
was  born  in  Sonoma  County,  February  26, 1855. 
Her  father  is  now  deceased,  and  her  mother  is 
a  resident  of  tliis  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Near 
are  the  parents  of  live  children,  viz.:  James, 
Franklin,  AViliie,  Faimie  and  Washington.  Mr. 
Near  is  a  member  of  the  Santa  Rosa  lodge  ot 
Masons.  In  politics  he  is  identified  with  the 
Democratic  party. 


-^^^ 


tABAN  ANDEEW  HARDIN.— The 
father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Will- 
iam Jeflerson  Hardin,  is  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky, where  he  was  born  in  1820.  When  he 
was  a  boy  liis  parents  moved  to  Missouri,  wliere 
he  lived  for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  there 
married  to  Rebecca  Smith,  whose  parents  were 
from  Tennessee,  and  moved  from  that  State  to 
Missouri.  In  1852  Mr.  Hardin,  with  his  wife 
and  three  children,  emigrated  to  California. 
Leaving  Missouri  on  the  1st  day  of  May,  they 
made  the  trip  overland,  and,  after  a  journey  of 
six  months,  landed  in  Sonoma  County.  The 
first  year  he  lived  on  the  Laguna  Creek,  near 
Sebastopol,  and  from  there  moved  into  Vallejo 
Township,  and,  in  the  fall  of  1855,  to  the  Ketch 
eside  rancli  in  the  hills,  now  owned  by  John 
Lynch.  In  the  fall  of  1850  he  bought  the  Har- 
din property  direct  from  General  Vallejo.  It 
then  consisted  of  400  acres,  and  the 
following  year  he  purchased  from  tiie  same 
party  200  acres  more.  Mr.  Hardin  made 
this  his  home  until  1877,  since  which 
time  he  has  lived  in  Santa  Rosa  and  Petaluma, 
and  is  now  residing  in  Cloverdale.  The  family 
consisted  of  seven  children,  as  follows:  William 


Plenry,  James  Taylor  (who  died  in  May,  1878), 
Laban  Andrew,  Mary  Francis,  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son (wlio  died  \n  1870),  John  Marcus  and  Lester 
Rond.  Laban  Andrew  Hardin  was  born  in 
Johnson  County,  Missouri,  May  21,  1848.  He 
was  four  years  old  when  his  father  came  to  this 
State,  and  with  them  he  made  his  home  until 
he  was  twentj'-three  years  of  age.  He  then  went 
to  Nevada,  where  he  was  engaged  in  driving 
horses  and  cattle  for  market.  Two  years  later 
he  made  another  trip  to  the  same  place,  taking 
with  him  a  band  of  cattle,  and  remaining  here 
about  two  years,  dealing  in  and  raising  stock. 
He  then  returned  to  this  county,  where  he  has 
since  made  his  home,  living  on  part  of  the 
homestead.  Mr.  Hardin  was  united  in  mar- 
riage, October  1,  1877,  to  Mrs.  Sallie  Wise,  a 
native  of  Johnson  County,  Missouri.  They 
have  three  children:  James  Taylor,  Lurena  and 
William  Graves.  Mr.  Hardin  is  a  successful 
farmer  and  stock-man,  having  on  the  place  a 
large  herd  of  cattle  and  a  number  of  horses, 
some  of  which  are  particularly  fine.  The  soil 
of  the  ranch  is  very  fertile,  well  watered,  and 
is  adapted  to  the  raising  of  all  kinds  of  both 
fruit  and  grain.  Hay  grows  in  abundance, 
without  sowing  any  seed. 

-^^Mm^^ — 

fS.  MERCHANT. —The  Magnolia  and 
Healdsburg  Fruit  Cannery  stands  in  the 
fF''  "*  front  rank  of  the  industrial  concerns  of 
Sonoma  County,  though  i,t  was  only  established 
in  1888.  The  plant  is  located  on  what  was  the 
property  of  the  Grangers'  warehouse,  purcliased 
by  Mr.  Merchant  early  in  1888.  The  warehouse 
building, which  was  50  .x  150  feet  in  ground  area, 
has  been  utilized,  and  an  .addition  made  40x75 
feet,  and  another  in  the  rear,  40  x  70.  The  tin 
shop  is  28  X  32  feet  in  ground  dimensions,  and 
two  sheds  added  make  the  building  in  which  it 
is  located  50x50  feet  on  the  ground.  In  this 
department  the  cans  are  made  '  m  t^  >  tin 
plates  and  wooden  boxes  from  the  "  shook." 
The  fruit  is  principally  obtained  from  the  territo 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


17  naturally  tributary  to  Healfisburg,  but  owing 
to  the  newness  of  tbe  canning  industry  here,  it  is 
as  yet  difficult  to  obtain  all  the  early  fruit  desired 
from  the  surrounding  country,  and  it  has  been 
necessary  to  procure  souie  of  the  apricots,  cher- 
ries and  currants  packed  from  more  distant 
points.  Soon,  however,  with  the  encourage- 
ment to  fruit  raising  oifered  by  the  develop- 
ment cf  fruit  packing,  all  these  fruits  will  be 
raised  in  sufficient  quantities  in  this  vicinity. 
During  the  packing  season  the  number  on  tlie 
pay-roll  ranges  from  400  to  500,  and  all  the 
work  is  done  by  white  labor.  While  the  pref- 
erence is  given  to  the  neighborhood  in  the  mat- 
ter of  employing  help,  many  hands  are  engaged 
who  come  from  distant  points,  and  many  camp 
near  the  cannery  during  the  packing  season. 
There  is  a  waiting  market  for  the  product  of 
this  establishment,  and  every  case  of  fruit  has 
a  place  to  go  to  as  soon  as  it  is  ready  for  the 
market,  the  entire  out-put  being  taken  by  the 
Territories  of  Montana,  Idaho,  Utah  and  Wj-om- 
ing,  and  the  State  of  Nevada.  Every  kind  of 
large  and  small  fruit  raised  in  this  portion  of 
Califoruia  is  here  put  up,  besides  corn,  toma- 
toes, string  beans,  etc.,  four  car-loads  of  the  last 
mentioned  article  having  been  packed  in  1888. 
The  cannery  is  located  in  the  best  corn  district 
of  California,  thus  having  a  great  advantage  in 
that  regard.  One  of  the  noteworthy  features  of 
the  establishment  is  the  jelly  department,.where 
all  kinds  of  fine  jellies  and  jams  are  prepared  in 
tempting  form  by  expert  jelly  makers.  These 
jellies  and  jams  have  taken  the  first  jiremiurn 
over  all  competitors  at  every  fair  where  they 
have  been  exhibited.  When  it  is  considered 
that  the  weekly  pay  for  labor  alone  runs  as  high 
as  $2,500,  exclusive  of  all  fruits  and  mate- 
rials, the  immense  advantages  of  the  great  hive 
of  industry  to  this  community  may  be  some- 
what appreciated.  Mr.  Thomas  S.  Merchant, 
the  founder  and  proprietor  of  the  Magnolia  and 
Healdsburg  P^ruit  Cannery,  is  a  native  of  Aus- 
tralia, born  August  18,  1841,  and  is  a  son  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  Jane  (Lasson)  Merchant. 
When  he  had  reached  the  age  of  thirteen  years 


his  parents  removed  to  the  United  States,  loca- 
ting at  San  Francisco,  where  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  reared  to  manhood.  He  engaged  in 
the    butcher  business  at  an  early  age,  but    in 

1866  commeuced  the  life  of  a  commercial  trav- 
eler, representing  a  San  Francisco  house.  His 
success  as  a  salesman  was  almost  at  once  estab- 
lished, and  his  services  came  to  be  in  demand 
by  many  houses  of  the  coast  metropolis.     In 

1867  he  became  the  representative  of  the  coffee 
and  spice  house  of  G.  Yenard,  and  soon  after- 
ward of  Nichols  &  Brown  and  Rochschild  & 
Ehrenford,  with  whom  he  yet  retains  his  con- 
nection. Among  tlie  other  large  wholesale 
firms  whose  goods  he  handles  over  a  large  scope 
of  territory  maybe  mentioneil  Macoudary  &  Co., 
teas;  California  Cracker  Co.  (with  whom  he  has 
been  associated  for  seventeen  years);  Martin 
Fusseir,  F.  G.  Conkling  &  Co.,  gloves;  Napa 
Valley  Wine  Co.;  Horn  &  Co. ;»and  Leegan  & 
Mills,  successors  to  G.  Venard.  The  great 
trade  which  he  has  built  up  for  these  firms  in 
California  and  the  Territories  has  grown  to  pro- 
portions much  beyond  the  ability  of  any  one 
man  to  handle,  yet  it  remains  under  his  control, 
and  he  employs  his  own  assistants,  giving  em- 
ployment to  two  additional  men  in  this  capacity. 
Mr.  Merchant  has  made  his  home  in  So- 
noma County  since  1880,  and  has  a  ranch 
worthy  of  particular  mention,  on  the  road  be- 
tween Healdsburg  and  Guerneville.  He  com- 
menced improvement  on  this  ranch  in  earnest 
in  the  spring  of  1881,  .and  now  has  about  110 
acres  of  vineyard,  planted  in  choice  varieties  of 
wine  grapes,  and  about  14,000  trees,  mostly 
peaches,  pears  and  plums.  He  has  uniform 
success  with  both  vines  and  trees,  and  all  pre- 
sent a  perfectly  healthy  appearance.  The  ranch 
is  supplied  with  every  building  and  implement 
which  could  be  suggested  as  useful,  and  pre- 
sents the  appearance  of  a  village  at  first  sight. 
Mrs.  Merchant  was  formerly  Miss  Mary  Hob- 
son.  Mr.  Merchant  has  been  twice  married, 
his  first  wife's  maiden  name  having  been  May 
Cohlan.  lie  has  three  children,  Thomas  Charles, 
Fred,  and  May.      Politically  he  is  a  Republican, 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


and  i.s  a  member  of  Abou  Ben  Adliem  Lodge,  I. 
O.  O.  F.,  San  Francisco.  Mr.  Merchant  has  the 
reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most  pushing 
business  men  on  tlie  Pacific  coast. 


tPUMPHREY.  — Tiie  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  born  in  Belmont  County, 
'^  Ohio,  October  15,  1S28,  but  was  reared 
on  a  farm  in  Licking  County,  receiving  such  an 
education  as  the  public  schools  of  Ohio  in  those 
days  afforded.  In  his  twenty- third  year  he  left 
his  native  State,  leaving  in  June,  1851.  Tiie 
following  winter  was  spent  near  Boonville, 
Missouri,  and  the  next  spring  the  overland 
journey  was  made  to  this  State.  He  first 
located  in  Salina  County,  but  soon  he  became 
engged  in  placer  mining  in  Placer,  Sierra, 
Klamath,  and  Amador  counties.  This  occupa 
tion  and  farm  labor  in  Salina  and  Yolo  counties 
was  followed  about  eleven  years  with  varying 
success.  Mr.  Pumphrey  became  one  of  a  party 
that  opened  the  mines  at  Kenon  City,  Hum- 
boldt County,  eastern  Oregon,  in  18(32.  Later 
he  built  a  saw-mill.  Full  of  energy  and  capable 
of  conducting  almost  any  enterprise  that  prom- 
ised profit,  Mr.  Pumphrey  became,  in  1864, 
engaged  in  quite  extensive  dealings  in  stock, 
buying  and  driving  from  Humboldt  County  to 
other  points,  and  selling  at  a  profit,  hundreds  of 
cattle.  The  following  year  he  drove  stock  to 
Montana.  Buying  and  selling  stock  constituted 
a  large  part  of  his  business  and  was  continued 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  he  also  opened  a 
meat  market  at  Diamond  City,  Confederate 
Gulch.  In  October,  18G8,  he  changed  his  busi- 
ness to  Colorado,  for  a  time  making  Denver  his 
headquarters.  In  June,  1869,  he  drore  700 
head  of  cattle  into  Denver  from  New  Mexico. 
The  same  year  he  wintered  near  Denver  cattle 
brought  and  driven  by  him  from  southern 
Colorado.  February  8,  1870,  at  Denver,  Mr. 
Pumphrey  married  Miss  Ellen  Tawlor.  Some- 
time afterward  they  made  their  home  in  San 
Luis  Valley,  200  miles  west  of  Denver.     There 


Mr.  Pumphrey  owned  800  acres  of  land,  but 
his  stock  ranged  over  a  much  larger  extent  of 
territory.  His  home  was  near  Saguache,  the 
county  seat  of  the  county  bearing  the  same 
name.  In  1880,  in  company  with  two  other 
men,  Mr.  Pumphrey  made  a  contract  to  furnish 
the  United  States  government  the  supply  of 
beef  for  the  Ute  reservation,  and  for  that  pur- 
pose collected  6,000  head  of  cattle.  After  one 
year  he  bought  out  his  partners,  and  in  1882  he 
closed  out  his  business  and  settled  at  his  present 
home  in  the  Todd  district^Santa  Rosa  Town- 
ship, this  county.  The  estate  of  .3.30  acres  now 
owned  by  Mr.  Pumphrey  is  well  known  as  the 
Ricklif  ranch.  It  lies  on  the  road  between 
Santa  Rosa  and  Stony  Point.  Among  the 
choice  Santa  Rosa  Valley  farms,  perhaps  in 
fertility  none  surpass  this  well-known  property, 
one-half  of  which  is  rented  by  Mr.  Pumphrey 
to  other  parties  for  dairy  purposes,  the  rest  be- 
ing devoted  mainly  to  raising  stock.  Mi*,  and 
Mrs.  Pumphrey  have  four  children:  Milton  G., 
Martha  E.,  Horace  B.,  and  Edward  A.  In 
political  action,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  aftili- 
ates  with  the  Democratic  party.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Santa  Rosa  Lodge  of  Free  Masons. 

^-^-^ 


f|]|ILLIAM  F.  RUSSELL,  city  attorney 
y||  of  Santa  Rosa,  is  a  native  son  of  Gall- 
ic fornia,  and  is  thirty  years  of  age.  Llis 
father,  Syvestus  Russell,  came  to  California  in 
1856  from  his  native  State,  Ohio,  and  a  year 
later  settled  in  the  agricultural  district  in  So- 
noma County,  where  he  died  in  1871.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  two  children,  and 
the  only  son.  He  attended  school  in  Sonoma 
County,  and  studied  law  in  James  H.  McGee's 
office  in  Santa  Rosa.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  September,  1883,  and  immediately  en- 
tered into  practice  in  Santa  Rosa,  being  very 
successful,  and  especially  in  criminal  cases.  He 
was  elected  city  attorney  on  the  Republican 
ticket  with  a  majority  of  forty  votes,  against  one 
of  the  strongest  men  in  the  county  as  his  oppo- 


67;i 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


nent — Attorney  Gale.  His  official  term  extends 
over  a  period  of  two  years,  beginning  April, 
1888.  In  March,  1886,  Mr.  Russell  bought  the 
Russian  River  Flag,  one  of  the  oldest 
newspapers  in  the  county,  published  in 
Heaklsburg,  and  edited  it  for  a  year,  when,  find- 
ing he  could  not  attend  to  that  and  his  profes- 
sion too,  he  sold  the  paper.  Upon  assuming 
the  duties  of  the  city  attorneyship,  Mr.  Russell 
found  the  municipal  affairs  of  the  city  in  a 
jumbled  and  unsettled  state.  Among  otlier 
things  he  has  framed  the  ordinance  creating  and 
regulating  the  police  department,  and  raised 
some  important  financial  questions,  which  has 
revolutionized  the  city's  financial  metliods.  Mr. 
Russell  is  also  attorney  for  the  sheriff's  office. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  J^ative  Sons  of  the 
Golden  West,  and  in  1885  was  president  of  the 
Western  Star  Parlor,  and  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee of  arrangements  for  the  annual  celebra- 
tion of  the  order  for  the  State,  he  having  charge 
of  the  pi-eparations  by  the  local  parlor  to 
entertain  the  order  of  the  State.  The  order 
then  numbered  5,000  members,  and  now  about 
10,000.  He  is  a  charter  member  of  tiie  Santa 
Rosa  Parlor. 


tENRY  CASTEXS.— Among  the  represent- 
ative and  well-known  farmers  of  the  Mark 
West  Creek  Valley  in  Analy  Township,  is 
the  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  sketch. 
A  brief  resume  of  his  life  is  as  follows:  Mr. 
Castens  was  born  near  Bremen,  in  Germany,  in 
1834,  his  parents  being  Henry  and  Sophia 
(Voight)  Castens,  both  natives  of  the  place  of 
his  birth.  His  father  was  a  farmer,  and  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  was  reared  to  that  calling  till 
sixteen  years  of  age.  At  that  time,  in  1850,  he 
came  to  the  United  States.  Upon  his  arrival  in 
New  York,  he  proceeded  to  the  Western  States, 
and  located  in  Morgan  County,  Missouri,  where 
he  worked  at  farm  labor  until  1852.  He  then 
started  across  the  plains  to  California,  engaging 
himself   as  an    ox    teamster.      His    party   were 


months  in  performing  this  journey,  and  did  not 
reach  Napa  County,  their  destination,  until  Oc- 
tober, 1852-  Upon  his  arrival  in  that  county 
Mr.  Castens  worked  at  farm  labor  for  about  one 
year.  He  then  rented  land  and  commenced 
farming  and  raising  grain  upon  his  own  account, 
at  which  he  continued  until  1856.  He  then  en- 
gaged in  stock-raising,  and  the  next  year  came 
to  Sonoma  County,  and  located  in  Salt  Point 
Township,  on  the  Valhalla  Creek.  Mr.  Castens 
was  largely  engaged  in  his  business  and  success- 
fully conducted  tlie  same  until  1869,  when  he 
sold  out  and  the  next  year  purchased  530  acres 
of  land  in  Analy  Township.  In  1870  he  went 
to  Nevada,  where  he  engaged  in  stock-raising. 
He  was  also  employed  in  freighting  supplies  to 
the  mines,  and  was  interested  in  mining  opera- 
tions. His  various  enterprises  were  attended 
with  success,  and  in  1875  he  closed  up  his  busi- 
ness in,  Nevada,  returned  to  Sonoma  County 
and  took  up  his  present  residence.  Since  that 
time  Mr.  Castens  has  devoted  his  attention  to 
general  farming  and  stock-raising.  This  fine 
farm  of  530  acres  is  located  on  the  south  bank 
of  the  Mark  West  Creek,  in  the  Vine  Hill 
school  district,  Analy  Topnship,  and  is  on  the 
Fulton  and  P'orestville  road,  seven  miles  west  of 
Fulton  and  two  miles  east  of  Forestville.  The 
Guerneville  branch  of  the  San  Francisco  &  North 
Pacific  Railroad  passes  through  his  lands.  His 
farm  is  mostly  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and  stock- 
raising,  although  the  lands  are  admirably 
adapted  for  fruit  or  vine  culture.  He  has  a 
small  orchard  of  six  acres,  producing  peaches, 
apples,  pears,  French  prunes,  figs,  plums, 
cherries  and  almonds,  and  there  are  also  four 
acres  in  vines  of  the  Mission  and  table  grapes. 
Upon  the  river  bottom  land  he  has  twenty  acres 
in  alfalfa,  which  yields  three  crops  per  annum 
besides  furnishing  pasture  for  stock  during  the 
dry  months.  Among  the  stock  upon  his  farm 
are  about  500  head  of  sheep  of  the  Southdown, 
Shropshire  and  Spanish  Merino  breeds,  also  fine 
specimens  of  draft  horses  of  the  Clydesdale 
stock.  His  cattle  are  improved  with  Durham 
stock,  at  the  head  of  which  is  a  fine  Durham 


U'l.iTOlir    OF    .SONOMA    COUNTY. 


bull.  About  eighty  acres  of  his  land  are  still 
heavily  timbered.  Nearly  all  the  iinpiovemeiits 
aud  the  clearing  and  cultivation  of  this  farm  have 
been  accomplished  by  Mr.  Castens  since  1875, 
and  the  success  he  has  attained  has  been  the  re- 
sult of  his  characteristic  energy  and  sound  busi- 
ness (]ualities.  Mr.  Castens,  during  iiis  long 
residence  in  Sonoma  County  has  ever  been  a 
strong  supporter  of  all  enterprises  for  developing 
its  I'esources,  and  is  a  firm  believer  in  its  future 
pros])erity  and  progress.  In  political  matters, 
he  is  a  consistent  Democrat.  A  strong 
supporter  of  schools  and  churches,  he  has  for 
many  years  been  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  church.  In  1863  Mr.  Castens  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Mrs.  Anna  (Jaeobson) 
Hagler,  widow  of  Gerhardt  Hagler,  natives  of 
Germany.  Mrs.  Castens  died  in  1873,  leaving 
one  child,  Sophia,  who  died  in  1878.  In  1878 
Mr.  Castens  married  Mrs.  Anna  (Franks)  Shaw. 
They  have  two  children,  Emelia  and  Frederick. 
There  is  also  one  son  of  his  first  wife's,  Ger- 
hardt Hagler,  who  is  married  and  is  residincr  in 
Santa  Rosa. 


fSIMI,  wine  manutacturer  and  vineyardist, 
came  to  Healdsburg  in  1868.  At  that 
®  time  and  for  some  years  thereafter  his 
business  consisted  of  buying  grapes  and  ship- 
ping to  San  P^rancisco,  and  there  making  them 
into  wine.  The  well  equipped  brick  winery,  of 
which  Mr.  Simi  has  charge  at  Healdsburg,  is 
the  property  of  the  brothers,  G.  and  P.  Simi, 
and  was  erected  in  1881.  There  is  a  storage 
here  for  100,000  gallons  of  wine,  and  the  annual 
out-put  from  the  winery  is  fiom  40,000  to 
70,000  gallons.  Grape  brandy  is  also  manu- 
factured, some  years  as  much  as  5,000  gallons 
being  made.  P.  Simi  conducts  the  San  Fran- 
cisco portion  of  the  business,  the  headquarters 
in  that  city  being  at  Xo.  429  Green  street.  G. 
Simi  purchased  126  acres  of  land  just  north  of 
Healdsburg.  in  the  winter  of  1883.  This  tract 
was  then   mostly  timbered,  but  is  now  nearly 


all  cleared,  and  all  but  ten  acres  have  been 
planted  in  desirable  varieties  of  wine  grapes, 
.principally  Zinfandel.  It  is  the  intention  to 
build  another  winery  on  this  land.  G.  Simi, 
the  proprietor,  is  a  native  of  Lucca,  Tuscany, 
Italy,  born  on  the  3d  of  August,  1825,  his 
parents  being  Jacob  and  JS'anciata  Simi.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  in  his  native 
country,  and  in  1859  decided  to  emigrate  to 
America.  For  that  purpose  he  went  to  Mar- 
seilles, thence  to  Havre,  and  then  took  passage 
on  a  Tessel  bound  for  New  York,  landino-  on 
the  29th  of  October.  From  there  he  came  via 
Panama  to  San  Francisco,  where  for  one  month 
he  was  engaged  in  gardening.  He  then  went 
to  the  mines  of  Calaveras  County  and  worked 
in  Comanche  camp  for  seven  months,  after 
which  he  returned  to  San  Francisco,  and  was 
employed  one  year  near  the  Mission  Dolores. 
From  there  he  went  eleven  miles  north  of  San 
Francisco  and  again  engaged  in  gardening. 
After  four  years  he  sold  out  and  rented  land  on 
San  Pedro  ranch.  While  there  he  went  to 
Sacramento  County,  and  there  rented  1,000 
acres  of  land.  One  year  later  be  rented  1,800 
acres  of  land  in  Grande  Valley.  He  farmed 
this  land  one  year,  then  gave  it  up,  but  after 
two  years  renewed  his  lease.  After  this  he 
rented  1,840  acres  in  Kern  County,  and  1,600 
acres  near  Pescadero,  which  engaged  his  atten- 
tion for  six  years.  From  there  he  came  to 
Healdsburg.  Mr.  Simi  was  married  in  this 
State  to  Miss  Nora  Cavenna,  a  native  of  County 
Galway,  Ireland.  She  is  now  deceased.  His 
present  wife  was  formerly  Niccoletta  Bacchica- 
loupa,  a  native  of  Italy,  born  at  Chicania,  five 
miles  from  Genoa.  Mr.  Simi  has  two  children, 
Louisa  and  Isabella. 

fOSIAII  H.  WHITE,  one  of  the  honored 
citizens  of  Sonoma  County,  was  born  in 
Westminister,  Worcester  County,  Massa- 
chusetts, February  3,  1838.  He  resided  tiiere 
until  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  when  he  went 


HI8T0HY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


to  Illinois,  remaining  tliere  eight  months.     He 
then  returned   East,  and  after  attending    school 
for  six  or  seven   months   in   Jefferson   County, 
New  York,  he  went  to  Lancaster,   Massachu- 
setts, where  he  remained  two  years.     Returning 
to  Illinois  again  in  the  fall  of  1855,  he  entered 
the  employ  of  the   Jacksonville  &   St.    Louis 
Railroad  in  the  engineering  department,  in  the 
construction  of  the  road,  and    remained    tliere 
until  the  hard  times  of  1857    came    on,  when 
work  on  the  road  was  practically  stopped.      He 
was  shortly  after  elected  county  surveyor   for 
Jersey  County,  and  served  one  term.     In  1860 
he  came  to  California  and  did  considerable  sur- 
veying in  Sacramento.      He  afterward  received 
a  contract  from   the  Central    Pacific  Company 
for  building  seven   miles  of  their  road.     After 
the  big  flood  in  Sacramento,  in  1861,  he  took  a 
contract  for  building  a  part  of  the  levee  to  pro- 
tect the  city  from  tiie  high  waters  of  the  Sacra- 
mento  and    American    rivers.      After    this    he 
gave  much  of  his  attention  to  mining  and  also 
to  surveying.     From  1864  to  1876  his  head- 
quarters  were  at  San   Francisco,    from    which 
point  he  carried  on  quite  an  e.xtensive  business. 
In  the  winter  of  1877-'78  he  became  interested 
in  a  quartz   mine  at  Tombstone,  Arizona,  since 
which    time    lie    has    been    its    superintendent. 
This  mine  has   been  a  big  paying   investment, 
taking  the  greater  part  of  Mr.  Wiiite's  time  in 
the    management   of  its   affairs.     In    1879    he 
purchased   his     property    in    Sonoma     County, 
which  is  now   the  family  home.      It  contains  a 
little  over  1,500  acres,  situated  in  Vallejo  Town- 
ship, about  si.\   miles    southeast  of  Petaluma. 
He  has  a  vineyard  of  twenty  acres,  in  full  bear- 
ing, which  is  six  years  old  and  which  bore  last 
year  about  three   tons  to  the  acre.     There    is 
also  a  variety  of  other    kinds    of   fruit.     Mr. 
White  has  the  finest  herd  of  thoroughbred  cat- 
tle in  the  county,  if  not  in  the  State.     The  herd 
numbers    forty-two,  which    were  purchased  in 
quarantine    at    New    York    in    1884.      He  has 
altogether  about  150  head — quite  a  number  of 
them  half-breeds.     The  stock  has  been  exhibited 
at  the  different  fair.'^  and  is  always  sure  to  take 


the  laurels.  At  the  Golden  Gate  fair  at  Oak- 
land he  made  a  display  of  sixteen  head  of  cattle 
and  took  first  premium  on  everything  with  the 
exception  of  two-year-old  bulls.  His  horses  are 
among  the  finest  to  be  seen  anywhere.  He  has 
about  forty  head  of  horses  and  colts,  which  are 
bred  from  the  Electioneer  stock.  His  d.-iry  is 
conducted  on  an  extensive  scale,  milking,  on  an 
average,  from  seventy-five  to  eighty  cows,  and 
making  about  300  pounds  of  butter  a  week, 
which  is  shipped  to  Arizona.  Mr.  White  is 
president  of  the  Sonoma  and  Marin  District 
Agricultural  Society,  an  organization  in  which 
he  takes  a  deep  interest.  His  marriage  occurred 
in  1879.  His  wife  was  formerly  Annie  R. 
Daniels,  a  native  of  Milton,  Saratoga  County, 
New  York,  and  a  daughter  of  an  old  pioneer  of 
this  county.  Tiiey  have  four  children,  three 
sons  and  one  daughter. 


■*5r""- 


flMPSON  &  ROBERTS,  contractors  and 
builder.-,  corner  of  Third  and  B  streets, 
have  been  in  business  in  Santa  Rosa  since 
May  23,  1886.  They  make  plans  and  contracts 
for  all  kinds  of  buildings,  stone,  brick,  or  wood; 
make  all  kinds  of  store  fixtures,  and  do  every 
kind  of  job  work.  The  firm  consists  of  Willie 
B.  Simpson  and  Charlie  D.  Roberts.  They 
started  in  business  in  a  small  shop  20  x  50  feet, 
and  employed  three  men.  They  soon  doubled 
the  size  of  their  shop,  and  increased  their  force 
to  seventeen  men,  and  at  the  end  of  the  first 
3-ear  they  employed  thirty-three  men,  steadily 
increasing  to  forty-six.  They  have  this  year 
enlarged  their  shops  by  an  addition  of  50  x  60 
feet,  and  now  have  the  finest  shop  in  the  city, 
covering  an  area  of  150 x  120  feet.  At  one  time 
they  had  under  contract  eleven  residences,  one 
church,  and  four  barns.  Showing  the  immense 
amount  of  business  they  do,  we  state  the  fact 
that  inside  of  eight  months,  they  put  over 
$60,000  through  the  bank.  They  contract  for 
work  all  over  Sonoma  County.  Among  the  build- 
ings  they    have    recently    erected    are:  a  large 


nisToUy     OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


winery  in  Knight's  Valley,  for  Robert  H.  Dalie- 
tield;  a  fine  residence  for  F.  Tahmige,  in  Santa 
Rosa,  costing  §6,000;  an  adcition  of  two  large 
rooms  to  the  Davis  Street  school,  erected  and 
completed  in  thirty  days,  during  vacation;  a 
house  for  J.  McLane,  corner  of  B  and  Seventh 
streets,  costing  $4,000.  They  finished  and  fitted 
up  Guy  E.  Grosse's  real  estate  otiice,  one  of  the 
largest  and  finest  real  estate  ofKces  on  the  coast- 
Mr.  Simpson  laid  off  the  walls  for  the  Atheneum 
building.  They  erect  a  large  number  of  tanks 
for  windmills.  The  first  house  the  firm  erected 
after  starting  in  business,  was  the  beautiful  res- 
idence of  George  F.  King,  at  the  corner  of 
Cherry  and  King  streets.  This  firm  has  the 
largest  run  of  job  work  of  any  firm  in  the  city. 
This  season  they  employ  an  average  of  twenty- 
seven  of  the  best  skilled  mechanics,  the  most  of 
them  receiving  §3  per  day.  During  the  year 
1887  they  erected  forty  houses,  ranging  from 
$1,000  to  §6,000  each.  Mr.  Simpson  was  born 
in  New  Hampshire  twenty-nine  years  ago,  and 
has  been  a  resident  of  Santa  Rosa  ten  years. 
After  coming  to  California  he  worked  on  a  farm 
for  fifteen  months,  then  began  to  learn  the  car- 
penter's trade,  starting  at  §1.50  per  day.  He 
has  now  been  working  at  his  trade  nearly  nine 
years.  He  does  all  the  drafting  for  their  build- 
ings, and  the  most  of  the  contracting.  For  two 
and  a  half  years  he  had  full  superintendence  of 
the  men  and  work  for  Mr.  Ludwig,  and  hence 
has  had  a  large  experience.  Mr.  Simpson  mar- 
ried Miss  Heath,  a  former  school-mate  from  his 
native  State.  Mr.  Roberts  is  a  native  of  Canada, 
born  in  August,  1857.  He  learned  his  trade  in 
his  native  country,  and  his  first  experience  as 
proprietor  of  business  was  the  present  partner- 
shi]).  He  superintends  and  takes  charge  of  the 
job  work  department. 


^s♦^>^^ 


tEROY  S.  ANDERSON.— Among  the  rep- 
resentative orchard  and  vineyard  properties 
ill  the  vicinity  of  Forestville  is  that  of  the 
above  named  gentleman.     He  is  the  owner  of 


twenty  acres  of  fine  fruit  land  on  the  Forestville 
and  Healdsburg  road  at  Forestville,  nine  acres 
of  which  are  producing  peaches  of  the  early 
Crawford,  Wiley  cling,  and  Orange  cling  varie- 
ties, also  apples,  pears,  plums,  and  cherries.  Five 
acres  are  planted  with  vines  of  the  Zinfandel 
variety.  The  rest  of  his  land  is  devoted  to  past- 
ure. Mr.  Anderson  is  located  in  one  of  the 
most  productive  sections  of  Green  Valley,  and 
has  made  all  the  improvements  upon  his  place, 
building  a  neat  cottage  residence,  also  com- 
modious and  well  ordered  out-buildings.  The 
land  when  first  occupied  by  him,  in  1872,  was 
wild  and  uncultivated,  and  its  present  beautiful 
appearance  and  productive  qualities  are  due  to 
his  untiring  energies.  As  an  illustration  of  the 
yield  of  his  orchard,  we  cite  the  following:  from 
325  Crawford  peach  trees,  five  years  old,  in  1888, 
he  gathered  thirteen  tons  of  first-class  marketable 
fruit,  and  also  took  peaclies  enough  beside  that 
to  make  one  ton  of  dried  fruit.  This  was  a  yield 
that  brought  liim  over  §500  in  the  aggregate. 
Mr.  Anderson  is  also  the  owner  of  sixteen  acres 
of  land  in  the  Home  Fruit  Tract,  about  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  north  of  his  home  orchard. 
This  land  is  being  cleared  and  improved.  He 
has  now  (1888)  eight  acres  in  orchard  upon  this 
place,  containing  jieaches,  pears,  cherries,  etc. 
It  is  his  intention  to  devote  the  whole  tract  to 
fruit  culture.  As  one  of  the  representative  fruit 
growers  of  his  section  of  the  county,  a  brief 
sketch  of  the  life  of  Mr.  Anderson  is  of  interest. 
He  dates  his  birth  December  17, 18-42,  in  Dear- 
born County,  Indiana.  His  father  was  a  native 
of  New  Jersey  and  died  in  Dearborn  County 
shortly  after  the  birtli  of  Mr.  Anderson.  After 
his  death,  his  widow,  Clarisa  (Sisson)  Anderson, 
married  Mr.  Eli  Carson.  In  1848  they  removed 
to  Boone  County,  Kentucky,  where  they  re- 
mained till  1855,  and  then  located  in  Clark 
County,  Missouri.  Mr.  Anderson  was  reared 
to  a  farm  life,  his  schooling  facilities  being 
limited  to  the  common  schools.  While  still  a  lad 
of  but  fifteen  years  of  age  lie  started  in  life  for 
himself,  and  engaged  in  farm  occupations  and 
teaming.     He  continued  these  occupations  until 


HISTORY     OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


1863,  when,  desirous  of  improving  his  condition 
in  life  he  decided  to  go  west,  and  in  that  year 
started  across  the  plains  for  California.  This 
journey  was  made  by  ox  teams,  and  it  was  not 
until  September  1,  that  he  arrived  in  Plumas 
County.  His  lirst  occupation  was  as  a  miner  in  a 
quartz  mine  in  that  county,  but  soon  tiring  of 
that  he  engaged  in  chopping  wood  and  other 
labor  until  tiie  next  spring.  In  the  spring  of 
1864  he  went  to  Nevada,  but  not  tinding  em- 
ployment suited  to  his  taste,  he  returned  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  after  a  short  stay  in  Plumas  County, 
finally  located  in  Modoc  County.  While  there 
he  was  engaged  principally  as  a  farm  hand  until 
1865,  when  he  began  teaming  and  was  employed 
by  Charles  Clark  in  teaming  from  Lassen  County 
to  Nevada  and  Boise  City.  In  the  fall  of  1866 
Mr.  Anderson  came  to  Sonoma  County.  It  was 
his  intention  then  to  return  East,  but  liking  the 
location,  climate,  etc.,  he  decided  to  stay  in  the 
county.  He  purchased  a  team  and  commenced 
teaming  between  the  redwoods  and  Petalnma. 
In  1867  Mr.  Anderson  married  Miss  Martha  J. 
Shortridge,  a  native  of  Indiana.  After  his 
mai-riage  he,  in  connection  with  his  brother, 
bought  a  tract  of  timber  land  in  Pocket  Canon 
where  he  resided  for  two  years,  being  still  en- 
gaged in  teaming.  He  then  purchased  160  acres 
of  land,  two  miles  southeast  of  Guerneville  in 
Mary's  Canon,  upon  which  he  resided  one  year, 
after  which  he  returned  to  Pocket  Canon  where 
he  resided  until  1872.  In  that  yeir  he  moved 
to  Forestville,  purchased  village  lots  and  built 
himself  a  home.  While  here  Mr.  Anderson  was 
engaged  in  selling  chairs  from  the  Forestville 
manufactory.  In  1874  he  took  up  his  present 
residence.  At  that  time  the  building  of  the 
railroad  into  the  redwoods  had  made  his  team- 
ing operations  unprofitable.  Therefore  he  aban- 
doned that  enterprise  and  purchased  a  steam 
threshing  machine  with  a  complete  outfit  such 
as  would  enable  him  to  successfully  carry  on  the 
operations  of  a  grain  thresher.  For  the  next 
ten  years  Mr.  Anderson  was  employed  during 
the  harvest  season  in  threshing  grain  in  Colusa 
County,  and  during  the  other  portions  of  the 


year  in  improving  and  cultivating  his  orchard 
and  vineyard  property  at  Forestville.  In  1884 
he  sold  his  threshing  outfit  and  since  that  time 
has  devoted  himself  entirely  to  horticultural 
pursuits.  Mr.  Anderson  is  an  enthusiastic  and 
successful  orchardist.  In  this  calling  he  has  dis- 
played his  usual  energy  and  good  sound  business 
qualities,  so  essential  to  success  in  any  enter- 
prise. He  is  a  liberal  minded  and  public 
spirited  citizen,  ready  at  all  times  to  aid  in  any 
enterprise  that  he  believes  will  advance  the  in- 
terests and  prosperity  of  his  section.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church.  In  politics, 
he  is  a  Democrat,  but  entertains  liberal  and  con- 
servative- views  upon  the  important  political 
issues  of  the  day.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anderson  have 
two  children,  Clara  and  Albert,  both  residing  at 
home. 

...  ,u?.?|  tt.^i..  ... 

i^SklPvAM  C.  MANUEL.— One  of  the  most 
ffW!  noticeable  industries — aside  from  those  of 
"^(1  an  agricultural  nature — of  Sonoma  County 
and  its  vicinity,  is  that  of  the  quarrying  of 
basalt  paving  blocks.  This  enterprise  gives 
employment  to  a  large  number  of  men  and 
brings  thousands  of  dollars  into  the  county  each 
month.  Among  the  most  extensive  of  these 
industries  is  that  conducted  by  the  subject  of 
this  sketch.  He  has  four  quarries,  one  of  which 
is  located  upon  a  seventeen  acre  tract  which  .he 
owns,  situated  a  short  distance  north  of  Sonoma. 
The  other  three  are  leased  from  the  following 
persons:  J.  Snyder,  C.  Badger  and  W.  M.  Read. 
Mr.  Manuel  employs  from  forty-five  to  fifty  men 
and  from  sixteen  to  twenty  horses  in  his  busi- 
ness, quarrying  an  average  of  80,000  blocks  per 
month.  The  most  of  this  is  shipped  to  San 
Francisco,  but  San  Jose  and  Stockton  are  also 
supplied  upon  demand.  Mr.  Manuel  com- 
menced operations  in  Sonoma  in  1882,  and  has 
constantly  increased  his  business  since.  Upon 
his  seventeen  acres  he  has  a  comfortable  resi- 
dence, barns,  etc.,  also  a  family  orchard,  orna- 
mental trees  and  other  improvements.     He  also 


HISTORY    OP    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


owns  sixty  acres  near  Calistoga,  Napa  County. 
The  subject  of  tliis  sketch  was  born  in  Orleans 
County,  Vermont,  June  9,  1837,  his  parents  be- 
ing Chandler  and  Betsey  (Young)  Manuel,  both 
natives  of  Vermont.  Mr.  Manuel  was  reared 
upon  his  father's  farm  until  twelve  years  of  age, 
and  at  that  early  period  in  life  began  to  care  for 
himself,  and  for  the  next  three  years  worked  at 
such  occupations  as  were. adapted  to  a  boy  of 
his  age.  When  but  fifteen  his  roving  propensi- 
ties seemed  to  have  gained  full  sway,  and  he 
engaged  as  a  sailor  upon  the  lakes,  starting  from 
Sackett's  Harbor,  New  York.  He  followed  this 
(tailing  until  1857,  at  which  time  he  came,  via 
steamer  route,  to  California.  Soon  after  his  ar- 
rival in  San  Francisco  he  started  for  the  mines, 
and  during  the  next  eight  years  he  pursued  that 
fickle  goddess — gold — in  the  mines  of  Yuba  and 
Nevada  counties.  In  1865  he  returned  to  his 
calling  as  a  sailor,  and  purchased  a  schooner, 
which  he  commanded  and  placed  in  the  freight- 
ing business,  between  Napa  and  Sonoma  coun- 
ties and  San  Francisco.  That  occupation  he 
followed  until  1867,  when  he  located  in  Placer 
County,  leased  a  quarry,  and  engaged  in  (quarry- 
ing building  stone  and  paving  blocks.  Tiie 
paving  blocks  thus  obtained  were  the  finest  ever 
quarried  in  California.  He  conducted  his  busi- 
ness in  Placer  County  until  1873,  in  which 
year  he  located  in  Napa  County  and  there 
opened  quarries  which  he  continued  to  operate 
until  1875,  when  he  moved  to  Solano  County, 
engaging  in  the  same  business  there  until  he 
came  to  his  present  location.  Mr.  Manuel,  al- 
though but  a  comparatively  new-comer  in  So- 
noma County,  is  greatly  interested  in  its  growth 
and  prosperity.  An  energetic  and  enterprising 
citizen,  he  is  ever  ready  to  aid  in  all  movements 
that  will  tend  to  advance  the  interests  of  the 
community  in  which  he  resides.  He  is  one  of 
the  city  trustees  of  Sonoma,  a  position  lie  has 
held  for  the  past  four  years.  He  is  a  member 
of  Sonoma  Lodge,  No.  28, 1.  O.  O.  F.,  and  also 
of  the  K.  of  P.  Politically,  he  is  a  consistent 
Kepublican.  In  1865  Mr.  Manuel  visited  the 
Eastern   States,  and   while  there  married  Miss 


Nettie  Young,  a  native  of  New  York.  They 
have  seven  children:  Harvey  S.,  Leroy,  Flor- 
ence, Pearl,  Bertha,  Cora  and  Raymond.  Harvey 
S.  married  Miss  Sophia  Baettge,  of  Sonoma,  at 
which  place  he  resides. 

l^EV.  GEORGE  B.  CLIFFORD  was  born 
IM  in  Indiana,  August  3,  1823.  His  father 
~^^  was  a  native  of  Danville,  Vermont,  and 
his  mother  of  Bangor,  Maine.  Soon  after  their 
marriage  they  moved  West,  residing  for  a  time 
at  Newport,  Kentucky,  where  their  first  son  was 
born.  Thence  they  settled  in  Rush  County, 
Indiana,  where  Dr.  William  Clifford  practiced 
medicine  for  many  years  and  died.  Rev.  George 
B.  Clifford  received  a  common  school  education 
before  leaving  Indiana.  He  went  to  Des  Moines 
County,  Iowa,  near  Burlington,  where  he  pur- 
sued his  education  under  a  private  tutor.  After 
taking  the  four  year's  course  prescribed  by  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  he  entered  the 
ministry  in  1852.  His  first  pastoral  charge  was 
at  Mount  Vernon,  Iowa,  the  seat  of  Cornell 
College,  and  after  an  absence  of  seven  years  he 
returned  and  passed  three  years  more  there  as 
pastor.  He  was  engaged  in  the  ministry  in 
Iowa  from  1852  to  1866,  and  in  the  latter  year 
he  was  transferred  from  the  Upper  Iowa  Con- 
ference to  the  California  Conference,  in  which 
he  has  served  ten  years  as  presiding  elder. 
Three  times,  in  1864,  in  1867  and  in  1884,  he 
has  been  elected  to  the  general  conference — the 
highest  council  and  the  law  making  body  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Rev.  Clifford 
has  been  two  years  pastor  of  the  Third  Street 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Santa  Rosa.  This 
church  was  his  first  charge  in  California,  which 
he  served  one  year,  the  church  being  at  that 
time  an  infantile  body,  and  the  pastor  acting  as 
janitor  and  general  utility  man.  His  pastoral 
duties  at  that  time  included  Santa  Rosa,  Sebas- 
topol,  Green  Valley  and  Bennett  Valley,  and 
during  that  year  he  raised  the  money  to  build 
a  church  at  Sebastopol  and  one  at  Green  Val- 


UI'SrOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


ley.  He  has  also  been  pastor  at  Santa  Clara 
and  several  other  points,  and  has  been  on  the 
Pacitic  coast  twenty-two  years,  all  the  time  in 
active  church  work.  During  his  official  duties 
as  presiding  elder,  he  made  his  home  for  ten 
years  in  Napa  City.  Mr.  Clifford  has  a  line 
prune  orchard  of  eleven  acres,  a  mile  and  a 
lialf  south  of  Santa  Rosa,  from  which  he  gath- 
ered three  tons  of  fruit  this  year,  it  being  the 
first  year  of  bearing.  He  also  owns  some 
choice  lots  in  San  Francisco  and  in  Pacific 
Grove.  He  is  a  joint  owner  in  the  famous 
Petrified  Forest  in  Sonoma  County,  embracing 
244  acres,  a  large  part  of  wliich  is  fine  fruit 
land.  This  property  he  and  Dr.  Crowder  pur- 
chased for  s(),500,  securing  it  at  a  uiarvelously 
low  price.  Immediately  after  the  purchase 
they  were  offered  §10,000  for  it.  Mr.  Cliftbrd 
was  married  in  Iowa  to  Miss  Alice  Hamilton. 
They  have  two  daughters,  both  bora  in  California. 


ILLIAM  D.  CANFIELD.—Amongthe 
well  kixiwn  representative  farmers  of 
Analy  Township  is  the  pioneer  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch.  No  history  of  Sonoma 
County  could  be  considered  complete  without  a 
more  than  passing  notice  of  Mr.  Canfield.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  native  of  Arlington, 
P>ennington  County,  Vermont.  He  dates  his 
birth  October  22,  1810.  His  father,  Israel  Can- 
field,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  his 
mother,  Sarah  (Sherman)  Canfield,  was  born 
in  Massachusetts,  both  being  descendants  of 
some  of  the  oldest  families  of  New  England. 
Mr.  Canfield  was  reared  as  a  farmer  until  fif- 
teen years  of  age,  when  he  was  apprenticed  to 
learn  the  trade  of  a  blacksmith.  After  working 
at  this  two  years  he  bought  out  his  employer's 
shop  and  conducted  the  business  upon  his  own 
account.  Of  an  energetic,  ambitious  and  pro- 
gressive disposition,  he  assumed  a  man's  duties 
in  life  at  an  age  when  the  majority  of  young 
men  are  still  in  their  school  days.  June  10, 
1828,  when  less  than  eighteen  years  of  age,  he 


married  Miss  Sallie  Ann  Lee,  the  daughter  of 
Nathan  Lee,  a  native  of  Vermont.  In  1837 
Mr.  Canfield  moved  to  Springfield,  Erie  County, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  for 
two  years.  In  1839  he  took  up  his  residence 
in  Jersey  County,  Illinois,  where  he  toiled  upon 
the  farm  until  June,  1842.  After  a  residence 
in  Jett'erson  County,  Iowa,  of  eleven  months,  he 
settled  upon  the  present  site  of  the  city  of 
Oskaloosa,  Mahaska  County,  Iowa.  Here  Mr. 
Canfield  erected  the  first  house  and  laid  out  the 
public  square,  the  lines  of  which  have  never 
been  changed  to  this  day.  The  house,  no  doubt, 
has  crumbled  and  gone  to  decay;  but  the  grounds 
of  the  park,  so  tastefully  arranged  aiul  laid  off 
by  the  artistic  eye  of  the  energetic  frontiers- 
man, will  ever  remain  as  oneof  the  garden  spots 
of  earth,  and  a  base  to  the  monument  of  the 
early  pioneers  of  Oskaloosa.  It  was  through 
his  influence  and  exertions  also  that  the  county 
seat  of  Mahaska  County  was  located  here,  where 
it  remains  at  present.  On  INIay  4,  1847,  Mr. 
Canfield  emigrated  with  his  wife  and  five  chil- 
dren, across  the  plains  to  Oregon.  The  journey 
was  made  with  little  difliculty,  save  the  hard- 
ships that  are  incident  to  all  pioneers  in  ci-oss- 
ing  the  trackless,  uninhabited  wilds  over  which 
they  passed.  On  October  20,  1847,  they  reached 
Dr.  Whitman's  mission  in  Walla  Walla  Valley. 
Upon  their  arrival  they  not  only  found  Dr. 
Whitman,  but  quite  a  little  settlement,  consist- 
ing of  the  doctor  and  wife,  seven  mission  chil- 
dren by  the  name  of  Sager,  Mr.  Saunders,  wife 
and  five  children,  Mr.  Kimball,  wife  and  five 
children,  Mr.  Hall,  wife  and  five  children,  Mrs. 
Hayes  and  two  children.  The  whole  party,  in- 
cluding Mr.  and  Mrs.  Canfield  and  their  five 
children,  numbered  as  follows:  Fourteen  men, 
seven  women  and  thirty-two  children.  Here 
they  were  treated  in  a  very  hospitable  manner, 
and  were  made  to  feel  perfectly  at  home.  As 
they  had  found  such  comfortable  quarters  and 
a  perfect  haven  of  rest,  they  decided  to  remain 
at  the  mission  until  the  following  spring,  when 
they  would  contin\ie  on  their  journey  to  the 
Willamette    River,  the  place  of  their   destina- 


nisrORY    OF    tiONOMA    COUNTY. 


tion.  Here  the  residents  of  the  happy  little 
village  were  nestled  together  iti  one  family,  as 
it  were,  and  the  last  accession,  that  of  the  Can- 
field  family,  evidently  felt  as  safe  and  free  from 
harm  as  they  did  when  sheltered  beneath  the 
roof  or  gathered  aronnd  the  hearthstone  of 
their  far  Eastern  home.  But  it  must  not  be  for- 
gotten that  tiiey  were  in  a  hostile  country, 
althougli  there  had  not  been  any  Indian 
trouble  in  this  immediate  locality  for  several 
years,  none  in  fact  since  Dr.  Whitman  located 
here,  whicli  was  about  the  year  1837.  The 
C'ayuses  (this  being  the  name  of  the  tribe  with 
whicl)  the  doctor  had  to  deal)  had  always  been 
kind  and  obedient  to  him,  and  were  seemingly 
perfectly  satisfied  with  tlie  treatment  they  had 
received  at  his  hands.  Indeed,  so  much  confi- 
dence did  Dr.  Wiiitman  have  in  his  little  band 
of  Cayuses,  that  if  there  was  a  word  dropped 
by  any  one  of  the  company  questioning  the 
friendliness,  or  in  any  way  expressing  any  fear 
of  the  aborigines,  their  minds  were  soon  set  at 
rest  by  the  convincing  answer  from  the  doctor, 
whose  feelings  would  seem  hurt  when  any  allus- 
ion of  this  nature  was  made.  However,  we  will 
see  how  we  are  victimized  sometimes  by  mis- 
placed confidence,  and  made  to  drink  the  bitter 
dregs  of  deception,  deceived  and  murdered  by 
those  whom  we  once  held  close  to  our  bosoms, 
and  were  our  compaTiions  for  many  ahmgyear. 
Soon  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Canfield  and  fam- 
ily at  the  !nission,  there  arrived  missionaries  of 
a  different  persuasion,  and  whom,  it  is  said,  in- 
fluenced the  Indians  against  their  old  teacher. 
Dr.  Whitman.  There  were  no  visible  evidences 
of  treachery  upon  the  part  of  the  aborigines, 
and  every  one  about  tlie  mission  felt  as  secure 
and  safe  as  they  did  before  receiving  the  visit 
from  these  missionaries,  who  proved  to  be  trait- 
ors in  the  camp,  Tlie  morning  of  the  29th  of 
.November,  1847,  dawned  as  bright,  fresh  and 
beautiful  as  ever  lit  up  the  picturesque  valley  of 
the  Walla  Walla;  all  nature  seemed  to  smile  in 
answer  to  the  iimocent  prattle  of  little  children, 
and  all  reposed  in  confiilence  and  security.  But, 
alas!  a  little  later  in  the  day  they  were  surprised 


and  fired  upon  by  the  Indians  whom  the  doctor 
had  labored  with  so  many  years.  Imagine  for 
an  instant,  and  try  to  picture,  if  such  a  thing 
be  possible,  the  condition  of  Dr.  Wiiitman  and 
his  little  party,  surprised  as  they  were  without 
a  moment's  warning,  and  coiisei|uently  no  means 
of  defense  or  escape.  Tiiey  being  entirely  at 
the  mercy  of  the  red  devils,  were  siiot  down 
like  dumb  brutes.  The  men  were  all  killed  ex- 
cept Mr.  Canfield  and  a  man  named  Osborn. 
Mrs.  Whitman  was  also  killed.  The  rest  of  the 
women  and  all  the  children  were  taken  prison- 
ers. Mr.  Canfield  was  sliot  in  the  hip,  but 
managed  to  seclude  himself  in  the  old  adobe 
house.  During  the  night  following  he  received 
intelligence  from  the  mission  children  that  iie 
was  to  pay  the  deatli  penalty  in  the  morning. 
As  he  did  not  feel  disjwsed  to  depart  this  life  at 
that  time  he  acted  upon  the  warning  he  had  re- 
ceived and,  bidding  adieu  to  his  hiding-place, 
started  immediately  on  foot  for  Mr.  Spaulding's 
mission  at  Lai)away  Station,  in  Wasliington 
Territory,  a  distance  of  140  miles,  this  being 
on  Monday  night,  reaching  the  mission  on 
Saturday  afternoon,  making  the  whole  trip  on 
foot  and  without  eating  or  sleeping.  The  morn- 
ing after  his  escape  the  blood-thirsty  redskins 
donned  their  war  apparel,  surrounded  the  house, 
and  were  just  on  the  pciint  of  massacring  all 
the  women  and  children,  when  their  former 
chief  known  as  "  Old  Beardy,"  rode  into  camp 
with  the  speed  of  lightning,  and  standing  up 
right  on  his  horse,  pleaded  with  iiis  tribe  not  to 
kill  the  prisoners,  and  after  listening  attentively 
to  his  remarks,  they  abandoned  their  murderous 
intentions  and  informed  their  victims  that  their 
lives  would  be  spared,  but  ihey  would  be  held 
as  prisoners.  The  women  were  forced  to  do  the 
cooking  for  the  Indians,  sixty-two  in  number, 
and  the  children  were  forced  to  attend  to  all 
their  other  wants  that  would  add  comfort  and 
ease  to  the  lords  of  the  wilds.  On  December 
29th,  just  one  month  after  they  were  captured, 
there  came  to  their  relief,  to  Fort  Walla  Walla, 
a  man  by  the  name  of  I'eter  Ogden,  the  chief 
factor  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Fur  Comi)any,  from 


lUslOUY    iiF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Vancouver.  After  a  talk  of  three  days  and 
nights  with  tlie  Indians  he  succeeded  in  pur- 
chasing the  prisoners,  first  promising  tliem  tliat 
they  (the  fur  company)  would  not  molest 
them,  but  could  not  make  the  same  promise 
for  the  Boston  hoys  in  punishing  them  for  what 
they  had  done.  So  the  bargain  was  made,  and 
they  were  paid  in  guns,  blankets,  ammunition, 
knives,  etc.  After  gaining  possession  of  the 
prisoners,  he  made  a  contract  with  the  Nez 
Perces  to  bring  Mr.  Canlield  and  Mr.  Spauld- 
ing's  family  to  Walla  Walla  fort,  if  they  wished 
to  come,  where  he  joined  his  children  and  grief- 
stricken  wife.  Not  only  was  he  received  with 
outstretched  arms,  but  weeping  for  jo}-,  as  it 
was  supposed  by  all  that  he  had  perished.  On 
his  arrival  Mr.  Ogden  took  the  party  in  three 
small  boats  and  proceeded  down  the  Columbia 
River,  landing  at  Oregon  City  January  12. 1848. 
Upon  their  arrival  they  had  nothing  but  the 
clothes  upon  their  backs.  After  procuring  com- 
fortable quarters  for  his  family,  Mr.  Cantield 
joined  the  volunteers  and  went  back  for  the  pur- 
pose of  pursuing  the  Indians  and  to  drive  them 
from  their  reservation,  wiiich  was  accomplished, 
when  they  returned  to  Oregon  City,  and  the 
company  disbanded  on  July  1,  1848.  The  chief, 
Tetokite,  and  four  of  the  Indians  were  hanged 
at  Oregon  City  in  1850.  March  4,  1849,  Mr. 
Cantield  and  family  took  passage  on  a  sailing 
vessel  for  San  Francisco,  where  they  arrived 
March  10,  1849.  Here  they  remained  until 
August  1,  1850,  when  they  became  residents  of 
this  county,  settling  in  Sonoma  City.  Soon 
after  settling  here  he  went  to  Sacramento  and 
engaged  in  the  soda  manufacturing  business, 
leaving  his  family  at  Sonoma.  Not  finding  this 
business  congenial  to  his  taste  he  soon  returned 
to  this  countj^,  and  in  January,  1852,  he  moved 
upon  his  present  estate.  Since  that  time  Mr. 
Canfield  has  devoted  his  attention  to  agricult- 
ural pursuits.  His  magnificent  farm  comprises 
550  acres  of  rich  and  jjroductive  land,  located 
in  Blucher  Valley,  in  the  Canfield  school  dis- 
trict, four  miles  northeast  of  Bloomfield.  With 
the  exception  of  ten  acres  in  orehaid,  which  is 


producing  a  large  variety  of  fruits,  and  six  acres 
in  Zinfandel  grapes,  his  land  is  devoted  to  hay, 
grain  and  stock.  Among  the  latter  is  a  dairy 
of  seventy  cows.  This  fine  farm  and  the  many 
improvements  is  the  result  of  years  of  energetic 
labor  and  sound  business  principles  on  the  part 
of  Mr.  Canfield,  and  he  may  well  be  proud  of 
the  success  he  has  achieved.  Mr.  Canfield  is 
well-known  throughout  Sonoma  County.  His 
long  residence,  straightforward  consistent  mode 
of  life,  and  honest  manly  dealings  have  gained 
him  hosts  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  by  all 
of  whom  he  is  universally  respected  and  es- 
teemed. During  his  long  residence  he  has 
always  been  a  public-spirited  and  progressive 
citizen,  always  ready  to  aid  in  any  enterprise 
that  tends  to  advance  the  interests  and  welfare 
of  the  community  in  which  he  resides.  A 
staunch  supporter  of  the  pul)lic  schools,  he'has 
for  many  years  been  one  of  the  leading  school 
trustees  of  his  district.  In  political  matters 
Mr.  Canfield  is  a  strong  supporter  of  the  Repub- 
lican party,  and  has  been  since  its  organization 
in  1856.  Before  that  date  he  has  been  associ- 
ated with  the  Democratic  party.  Mrs.  Canfield 
was  born  in  Arlington,  Bennington  Count}', 
Vermont,  August  12,  ISIO,  and  died  on  the  old 
homestead,  March,  1888.  From  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Canfield  the  following  named 
children  were  born:  Nathan  L.,  born  in  Arling- 
ton, July  7,  1829,  and  died  February  18,  1835; 
Ellen  S.,  born  at  Arlington,  June  5,  1831,  died 
July  12,  1865;  Oscar  F.,  born  at  Springfield, 
Pennsylvania,  March  8,  1888,  married  Miss 
Ann  Maples,  of  Sonoma  County,  and  is  now 
living  in  Idaho;  Clarisa  A.,  now  Mrs.  J.  H. 
Knowles,  of  Petaluma,  born  in  Delphi,  Jersey 
County,  October  31,  1840;  Sylvia  Ann,  born 
at  Fairfield,  Jefferson  County,  Iowa,  February 
7,  1842,  died  in  Sonoma  County  February  4, 
1854;  Albert,  born  at  Oskaloosa,  Iowa, May  18, 
1845,  married  Miss  Matilda  Baker;  he  died  in 
1880,  and  his  widow  and  son,  Albert  E.,  are 
now  living  with  Mr.  Canfield;  William  D.,  Jr., 
born  in  Oregon  City,  February  3,  1848,  and 
died  in  San  Francisco  July  5,  1849:  Julia,  born 


IIlSTUliY    OF    !<i>NOMA    COUNTY. 


in  San  Francisco  August  3, 1850,  and  died  Au- 
gust 6,  of  the  same  ^-ear.  In  1853  Mrs.  Canfield 
visited  her  brother  in  tlie  East.  After  remain- 
ing a  short  time  she  set  out  on  her  journey  back 
in  company  with  her  mother,  wiio,  when  one 
day  out  from  Panama,  was  taken  ill  and  died. 
Once  more  Mrs.  Canfield's  heart  was  made  to 
bleed,  and  yet,  when  she  thought  of  what  slie 
liad  passed  through  in  '47,  she  felt  grateful  to 
Him  that  her  life,  as  well  as  that  of  herhusbaiid 
and  children,  had  been  spared,  when  at  one 
time  it  hung  by  a  little  thread.  On  June  10, 
1878,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Canfield  celebrated  their 
golden  wedding  at  their  home,  all  the  family 
being  present  but  their  eldest  son  and  family, 
who  were  at  the  time  in  Idaho. 

Alas!  how  time  flies  on  apace, 

We  cannot  stay  its  flight; 
It  waits  for  neither  priest  nor  king, 

And  soon  will  all  be  nis'ht. 


J^^OBERT  MOORE,  one  of  the  enterprising 
\^1  men  of  Healdsburg,  and  senior  member  of 
^((n^  the  tirm  of  Moore  &  Dennes,  is  a  native 
of  Devonshire,  England,  born  August  18,  1850, 
and  a  son  of  Abraham  and  Matilda  (Olide) 
Moore.  He  was  reared  at  his  native  place  until 
reaching  the  age  of  twenty-iive  years,  and  ac- 
quired a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  butchering 
business.  He  then  came  to  America,  and  ob- 
tained employment  at  Cincinnati.  Ohio.  In 
1874  he  came -out  to  ('alifornia,  locating  at 
Healdsburg,  and  has  since  been  identified  with 
that  locality.  For  several  years  he  was  in  the 
employ  of  John  D.  Hassett,  and  afterward  with 
Seawell  Bros.,  butchers.  In  1881  he  bought  an 
interest  in  the  Inisiness,  and  the  firm  became 
Seawell  &  Moore.  Since  February,  1887,  the 
present  firm  of  Moore  &  Dennes  has  been  in 
existence.  Before  coming  to  this  country  Mr. 
Moore  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Clara 
Dennes,  a  native  of  Somerset,  England.  They 
have  two  children,  William  and  Rosalie.  Mr. 
Aloore   is  a  nicinl)or  and   past  master  wrirknian 


of  the  Healdsburg  Lodge,  A.  O.  U.  W.  Polit- 
ically he  is  a  Democrat.  Edward  Dennes, 
junior  member  of  the  firm  of  Moore  vt  Dennes, 
is  a  native  of  England.  He  has  charge  of  the 
slaughtering  department  of  the  firm's  business, 
the  abattoir  lieing  located  north  of  the  city. 

^    ■       :,^.  ♦^^^■^ 

IIJJAM  1!.  WHITNEY,  of  the  firm 
fl  of  Miller  iV:  Whitnej-,  druggists,  Healds- 
burg, is  a  native  of  Belfast,  Maine, 
born  in  December,  1852.  His  parents,  William 
and  Mary  H.  (Condon)  Wliitney,  were  also  born 
in  Maine.  In  18(i8  the  family  removed  to 
California  via  Panama,  landing  in  San  Francisco 
in  July  of  that  year,  and  locating  in  Sonoma 
County.  The  father,  who  had  been  a  sea  cap- 
tain, gave  up  his  former  calling  after  coming  to 
this  State,  and  after  spending  some  time  in  min- 
ing, etc.,  retired  to  his  ranch  near  Healdsburg. 
William  B.  Whitney,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
became  associated  with  George  T.  Miller  in  the 
present  drug  firm,  in  1886.  This  house  is  one 
of  the  oldest  in  the  city,  having  be^in  founded 
b}'  Cannon  &  Ilutton  back  in  the  '60's.  Wright 
&  Brown  succeeded  that  firm  in  1870.  and  the 
last  named  memljer  dropped  out  in  1883,  the 
remaining  partner  conducting  the  business  alone 
until  he  sold  out  to  the  present  owners,  in  1886. 
This  business  is  ably  conducted  and  is  an  exten- 
sive one,  the  stock  of  goods  carried  averaging 
about  $6,500.  Mr.  Whitney  was  married  in 
Healdsburg  to  Miss  Laura  A.  Cavanagli,  a  na- 
tive of  Petaluma.  They  have  one  child,  John 
C.  Mr.  Whitney  is  the  owner  of  a  ranch  of 
seventeen  acres,  on  the  west  side  of  Dry  Creek, 
about  nine  miles  from  Healdsburg,  and  due 
west  from  Geyscrville,  the  place  being  a  portion 
of  the  old  Kennedy  I'ell  ranch,  and  purchased 
by  the  present  owner  in  1885.  When  lie  bought 
the  rancli  it  was  entirely  unimproved,  but  the 
first  year  he  planted  eight  acres  of  Zinfandel 
grapes,  which  acreage  has  since  been  increased 
to  twelve.  He  has  also  set  out  two  acres  in 
apricots,  an<l  two  acro.-^  in  mixed  fruits.      Every 


HISTORY    OF    HONOMA    COUNTY. 


thing  on  the  place  has  shown  such  fas'orable 
progress  as  to  exceed  the  expectations  of  the 
owner,  and  the  peaches,  planted  in  1885,  are 
bearing  nicely  in  1888.  Mr.  Whitney  is  an 
active,  energetic  man,  and  owes  his  business 
success  to  his  own  endeavors.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  local  lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F. 


fEORGE  PEARCE,  district  attorney  of 
Sonoma  County,  is  the  oldest  practicing 
attorney  in  the  county,  having  been  in 
active  law  practice  here  since  1856.  He  came 
to  Sonoma  from  Stockton  in  June,  1849,  and 
has  been  a  resident  of  the  county  ever  since. 
He  went  to  Stockton  from  San  Francisco  the 
previous  spring,  and  being  attacked  with  malaria, 
he  came  over  to  Sonoma  to  recover  his  health, 
and  was  so  delighted  with  the  climate  that  he 
decided  to  make  this  county  his  home.  There 
was  no  lawyer  within  what  is  now  Sonoma 
County,  except  Charles  P.  Wilkins,  who  came 
about  that  time  and  first  settled  in  the  old  town 
of  Sonoma.  After  the  removal  of  the  county 
seat  from  Sonoma. to  Santa  Rosa,  he  moved  to 
Santa  Rosa  and  practiced  inany  years  in  the 
county,  married,  reared  a  family  and  died  here. 
He  was  a  man  of  ardent  temperament,  an  en- 
thusiastic and  able  advocate  before  a  jury.  Mr. 
Wilkins  held  the  ofKce  of  Prefect  for  this  dis- 
trict, a  judicial  otSce  under  the  Mexican  Gov- 
ernment. Lilburn  "W.  Boggs,  ex-Governor  of 
Missouri,  C.  P.  Wilkins,  Richard  A.  Maupin, 
Robert  Hopkins  and  Mr.  Pierpant  were  all  at 
Sonoma  as  early  as  1849,  coming  in  the  order 
named,  save  the  two  last,  who  came  together. 
Robert  Hopkins  was  the  first  District  Judge  of 
this  district,  being  appointed  by  the  Legisla- 
ture. Daring  the  winter  of  1849-'50  the  people 
of  Sonotna  learned  that  the  boundaries  of  So- 
noma County  were  being  so  located  as  to  throw 
the  Sonoma  Valley  in  Napa  County,  and  a  pub- 
lic meeting  was  held,  at  which  Mr.  George 
Pearce  was  selected  to  go  to  San  Jose,  then  the 
r-apital,  and  enter  their  protest.     While   there 


he  secured  the  appointment  of  Robert  Hopkins 
by  tiie  first  Legislature,  to  be  District  Judge. 
This  was  in  January,  1850.  Hopkins  continued 
judge  several  years,  and,  after  making  an  unsuc- 
cessful run  for  election  to  the  Legislature,  left 
the  county.  The  others  above  mentioned  all 
settled  here  in  the  practice  of  law.  Martin  E. 
Cook,  a  New  York  gentleman,  came  to  Sonoma 
as  early  as  1850.  He  was  subsequently  not 
only  a  prominent  lawyer,  bxit  a  leading  active 
politician,  and  served  a  term  in  the  State  Senate. 
He  died  at  Sonoma.  Attorney  Pearce  began 
the  study  of  law  in  the  otfice  of  Mr.  Maupin 
and  Thomas  J .  Boggs  at  Sonoma.  These  men 
remained  in  partnership  until  the  death  of 
Boggs,  and  years  later  Mr.  Maupin  also  died  in 
this  county.  After  the  county  seat  was  re- 
n:oved  from  Sonoma  Mr.  Pearce  went  to  Reta- 
in ma  and  completed  his  law  course  in  the  office 
of  J.  B.  Southard  (afterward  judge  of  this  dis- 
trict), and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1856. 
On  July  1,  1856,  Mr.  Pearce  opened  a  law  office 
in  Petaluma,  in  which  he  continued  practice 
until  he  was  elected  district  attorney,  in  the  fall 
of  1886,  when  he  moved  to  Santa  Rosa.  Mr. 
Pearce  was  born  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  Janu- 
ary 5,  1822.  He  came  to  California  as  a  regu- 
lar United  States  soldier  in  1846,  under  the 
command  of  General  S.  W.  Kearney.  He  en- 
listed at  Louisville  as  a  member  of  Company  C, 
First  United  States  Dragoons,  General  Kearney 
(then  Colonel  Kearney)  in  command.  The  fifth 
of  June  of  that  year  Mr.  Pearce's  company  and 
one  or  two  others  started  from*  Fort  Leaven- 
worth, in  pursuit  of  a  man  named  Spires,  who 
had  started  from  Independence,  Missouri,  with 
a  cargo  of  ammunition  for  Santa  Fe,  with  in- 
structions to  follow  him  as  far  as  the  line  of 
New  Mexico  if  not  successful  in  capturing  him 
sooner.  They  did  not  catch  him,  however.  This 
advance  was  overtaken  at  the  old  Santa  Fe 
crossing  of  the  Arkansas  River  by  the  rest  of 
the  command,  and  then  came  on  via  Santa  Fe, 
thence  down  the  Rio  Del  Norte  to  the  head  of 
the  Gila  River,  thence  to  where  Fort  Yuma  now 
is,  thence  to  San   Diego,  which  then    contained 


UltiTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


683 


but  one  business  house,  it  being  conducted  by 
Captain  Fitch.  At  Albuquerque  their  com- 
mand had  been  divided,  the  larger  portion  going 
with  Colonel  Doniphan  to  Chihuahua,  leaving 
only  eighty  men  to  come  on  through.  These 
men  were  mounted  on  broken  down  mules  and 
jaded  horses.  They  had  a  sharp  fight  with  100 
Calitbrnians  at  San  Pasqual,  in  which  twenty  of 
Mr.  Pearce's  comrades  were  killed,  and  twent}-- 
two  wounded.  Xotwithstanding  this  lieavy  loss, 
the  American  troops  held  the  ground.  They 
took  possession  of  Los  Angeles  shortly  after. 
At  the  crossing  of  the  San  Gabriel  River,  near 
Los  Angeles,  Kearney's  command  had  a  sharp 
tight.  Mr.  Pearce  left  Los  Angeles  with  a  de- 
tachment of  Government  troops  in  the  fall  of 
1848,  to  take  charge  of  Government  property 
at  San  Francisco  and  at  Pisido.  He  remained 
in  San  Francisco  until  his  term  of  service  ex- 
pired, July  1,  1849,  when  ho  was  discharged  at 
Sonoma.  From  1853  to  1855  he  served  as 
deputy  sheriff,  under  the  first  sheriff  of  Sonoma 
County.  Mr.  Pearce  has  made  a  specialty  of 
civil  practice  in  his  legal  work,  largely  in  land 
suits,  though  he  has  conducted  some  important 
criminal  cases.  Li  1863  he  was  elected  to  the 
State  Senate,  and  served  six  j'ears.  Mr.  Pearce 
married  Miss  Brown,  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
youngest  daughter  of  Dr.  Oscar  Brown,  for- 
merly of  Kentiick}',  who  came  to  California 
early  in  the  sixties,  and  settled  in  Sacramento, 
where  Mr.  Pearce  married  the  daughter  in  1868. 
They  have  a  family  of  one  son  and  four 
daughters. 

1^  OTHER  W.  BURRIS  has  been  a  resident 
T^'fi  of  Santa  Rosa  twelve  years,  and  has  been 
^555^  connected  with  the  Santa  Rosa  Bank  the 
entire  time;  first,  as  bookkeeper,  and,  in  1882, 
upon  the  resignation  of  W.  B.  Atterbury,  Mr. 
Burris  succeeded  him,  and  has  been  cashier 
since  that  time.  Mr.  Burris  is  a  native  son  of 
Sonoma  Valley,  born  in  April,  1852.  His 
father,   William    I'nrris,  .settled   here    in    1850, 


coming  from  Iowa,  and  originally  from  Mis- 
souri. He  was  extensively  engaged  in  wine 
grape  culture,  having  been  a  pioneer  in  that 
line  here.  His  vineyard  was  the  third  one 
planted  in  Sonoma  Valley,  and  was  of  the  old 
Mission  variety.  The  other  two  vineyards  were 
the  Vallejo  and  the  Kebsy.  Mr.  Burris'  vine- 
yard is  the  only  one  of  the  three  now  bearing, 
the  stock  of  the  vines  being  as  thick  as  a  man's 
body.  Mr.  Burris  died  July  15,  1888,  leaving 
an  estate  valued  at  ^40,000.  The  family  con- 
sists of  the  widow  and  tiiree  sous.  Mrs.  Burris 
is  living  on  the  home  place  in  Sonoma  Valley 
with  her  youngest  son,  who  is  managing  the 
farm,  there  being  at  the  father's  death  seventy- 
five  acres  in  vineyard,  chiefly  of  the  European 
varieties.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  in  all 
his  early  life  in  the  vineyard  and  wine  business. 
He  was  for  three  years  foreman  of  the  old 
Buena  Vista,  a  joint  stock  company,  that  has 
the  most  extensive  wine  cellar  on  the  coast. 
They  made  extensive  experiments  to  produce 
Champagne,  and  took  the  second  premium  at 
the  World's  Exposition  in  Paris.  This  com- 
pany had  wine  tunnels  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long, 
and  expended  a  million  of  dollars  there.  After 
leaving  the  common  schools  Mr.  Burris  took  a 
course  in  Heald's  Business  College.  He  was 
then  three  years  with  his  uncle,  David  Burris, 
in  the  Souoma  Valle;)'  Bank,  of  which  his 
brother  is  now  cashier.  David  Burris  is  largely 
interested  in  both  the  Sonoma  Valley  Bank  and 
the  Santa  Rosa  Bank,  and  is  also  a  heavy  land 
owner  in  Tulare  County.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  elected  to  the  city  council  of  Santa 
Rosa  in  1886,  for  a  term  of  four  years,  and  is 
one  of  the  most  active  and  influential  meiubers. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Fair  Association  and  the 
Atheneum  Company;  is  also  a  luember  of  the 
Masonic  Hall  Association, and  is  treasurer  of  all 
three.  He  is  a  Mason  and  an  Odd  Fellow,  and 
is  dictator  of  the  Knights  of  Honor.  He  is  the 
owner  of  several  tracts  of  redwood  timber  in 
this  and  Mendocino  counties.  Mr.  Burris 
married  Miss  Mathews,  a  native  of  Santa 
Rosa,  and  daughter  of  John  ^lathews,  a  promi- 


684 


UIHTORY    OF    bONOMA    COUNTY. 


nent  citizuii  of  the  same  place,   until  his  death, 
vhich  occiiiTed  several  j-ears  ago. 


— •^■m-^ — 

tARRISON  MECHAM,  an  early,  pioneer 
of  the  county,  was  born  in  St.  Lawrence 
County,  Kew  York,  June  20,  1833.  His 
father,  Joseph  Mechani,  was  a  native  of  New 
Hampshire,  and  his  mother,  Hannah  (Tyler) 
Mecham,  was  a  Vermont  lady.  In  1834  the 
family  moved  from  New  York  to  Pennsylvania 
and  six  years  later  to  Columbus,  Ohio.  After  a 
year  they  again  turned  their  faces  westward  and 
arrived  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  at  the  time 
the  first  turnpike  road  was  built  in  that  State 
from  Indianapolis  to  Springfield,  Illinois.  In 
1S43  they  continued  their  migration  to  Iowa 
and  settled  in  Lee  County  near  Keokuk.  They 
remained  till  about  1845  and  then  moved  to 
Atchison  County,  Missouri.  The  place  where 
they  located,  however,  was  afterward  cut  off  into 
Iowa  and  became  a  part  of  Fremont  County. 
During  their  residence  there,  our  subject,  in 
his  filteenth  year,  fell  in  with  some  old  Califor- 
nians  who  were  acting  as  guides  for  Commodore 
Stockton  on  his  trip  back  to  the  East.  Their 
course  of  travel  took  them  through  the  neigh- 
borhood where  the  Mechams  lived,  and  the  mar- 
velous tales  they  told  of  the  romantic  life  peculiar 
to  the  western  country  such  as  lassoing  wild 
horses  and  cattle,  killing  grizzly  bears,  elk  and 
other  wild  animals,  all  so  worked  upon  the  im- 
agination of  young  Mechain  that  he  decided  to 
go  and  see  for  himself  the  many  things  that 
had  been  told  him.  When  the  California  party 
came  back  that  way  the  next  spring  (1848),  he 
met  them  by  appointment  unbeknown  to  his 
parents,  and  with  the  party  continued  the 
journey,  arriving  at  old  Fort  Kearney  on  the 
Missouri  River,  which  at  that  time  was  the 
farthest  west  that  any  government  troops  were 
stationed.  There  he  met  a  man  named  Dr. 
Saint  Clair,  who  had  been  through  the  Texan 
war,  and  was  then  on  his  way  to  California. 
Youn^  Mecham  hired  out  to  Saint  Clair,  driving 


an  ox  team  all  the  way,  besides  standing  guard 
half  of  every  third  night,  for  which  he  received 
his  board.  The  route  was  by  the  way  of  Fort 
Hall,  where  they  took  the  Oregon  route  down 
to  Snak^  River  to  where  the  California  trail  struck 
across  from  there  to  the  head  of  the  Humboldt, 
down  the  stream  to  the  sink,  across  the  desert 
by  the  way  of  the  great  hot  spring  to  the 
Truckee  River.  They  traveled  up  that  ri\er, 
crossing  it  twenty-seven  times,  to  Truckee  and 
the  Cainbal  camp  where  the  Donner  party  met 
their  fate.  They  went  to  the  remains  of  their 
cabins  and  saw  the  bones  of  those  who  perished 
there,  and  saw  where  the^'had  been  cut  and  sawed 
in  two  by  the  surviving  ones  as  long  as  they  lived, 
getting  what  nourishment  they  could  from  the 
marrow.  From  there  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mount- 
ains were  crossed  and  they  came  down  on  the 
other  side  and  entered  the  Sacramento  Valley 
at  Johnson's  ranch,  on  Bear  River.  There  they 
first  met  Nicholas  Carriger,  one  of  the  old  pio- 
neers of  Sonoma  County,  -who  came  to  Mr. 
Mecham's  tent  on  the  first  evening  of  their  ar- 
rival and  said  the  Indian's  had  just  killed  two 
of  his  men  and  wanted  the  arriving  party  to 
join  in  an  effort  to  catch  the  murderers.  The 
result  was  they  set  out  in  pursuit  and  went  to 
where  the  Indians  were  in  camp.  The  party  of 
whites  surrounded  the  Indian  huts  and  captured 
the  old  chief  and  took  him  down  to  their  camp, 
leaving  word  w'th  the  Indians,  however,  that  if 
they  did  not  produce  the  ones  who  did  the  kill- 
ing, by  ten  o'clock  the  next  day,  they  would  hang 
the  old  chief.  Before  the  time  appointed,  on 
the  following  morning,  the  guilty  ones  were 
brought  forward  and  delivered  to  the  whites, 
who  hung  them  all  on  the  same  limb  of  a  big 
white  oak  tree.  The  executions  took  place  one 
at  a  time,  and  the  unfortunate  dangling  by  the 
neck  under  the  tree,  writhing  in  his  death 
agonies  would  form  a  source  of  amusement  for 
the  other  red  men  who  were  waiting  their  turn 
for  a  similar  proceeding.  The  dead  bodies  were 
then  given  back  to  the  tribe  who  cut  them  down 
and  piled  them  on  top  of  a  big  brush  heap  they 
had  gathered,  and  on  which   they   then  burned. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


This  was  the  manner  the  Indian's  had  of  dis- 
posing of  tiieir  dead.  By  this  tiine  gold  liad 
been  discovered.  The  first  our  party  knew  of 
it  was  from  a  California  regiment  of  Mormons 
who  were  on  their  way  back  to  settle  Salt  Lake 
City,  and  sliowed  them  some  of  tlie  gold  dust- 
The  party  went  to  the  gold  mines  on  the  Yuba 
River  at  a  place  called  Parks  Bar,  which  was 
named  after  one  of  the  party.  There  they 
came  across  Holt  and  Abraham  Fine,  who  were 
at  work  in  the  mines.  Mr.  Mecliam,  with  two 
others  bought  the  "Fine''  claim  and  their 
tools  which  consisted  of  a  little  rocker  or  cradle 
about  three  feet  long  that  was  used  to  separate 
the  gold  from  the  dirt,  a  crowbar,  a  flat  milk 
pan,  and  two  picks.  The  prices  paid  for  the 
articles  were  as  follows:  rocker,  §300;  crowbar, 
which  was  a  little  piece  of  iron  about  three  feet 
long,  si.x  ounces,  or  $90;  picks,  §64  each;  milk 
pan,  $32;  two  wooden  buckets,  $20  each.  The 
prices  paid  for  other  articles  used  in  a  miner's 
camp  were  as  follows:  flour,  one  dollar  per 
pound;  little  Spanish  beans  and  salt  pork,  one 
dollar  per  pound.  Beef  was  cheap  at  $25  per 
head,  delivered  at  the  camp.  There  were  no 
vegetables  of  any  description  at  that  time,  in 
fact  no  one  supposed  they  could  be  raised.  -The 
cost  of  clothing  was  in  proportion  to  what  they 
had  to  pay  for  some  other  things.  It  took  $32 
to  buy  a  pair  of  blue  overalls.  Blankets  were 
$100;  boots  the  same  price,  a  butcher  knife, 
$82,  and  an  iron  frying-pan,  $64.  The  idea  pre- 
vailed then  that  flour  would  never  be  made  in 
this  country,  their  supply  coming  from  Chili  or 
being  packed  down  from  Oregon  on  horses. 
California  is  now  one  of  the  great  wheat  pro- 
ducing countries  of  the  world.  To  show  what 
the  value  of  real  estate  was  at  that  time  we  will 
refer  to  a  ranch  where  Marysville  now  stands. 
It  consisted  of  eleven  leagues  of  land  upon 
which  were  1,200  head  of  cattle  and  600  horses, 
and  the  ranch  and  stock  sold  for  $12,000. 
Another  one,  the  Johnson  rarch  on  Bear 
River,  consisted  of  three  leagues  of  land,  about 
3,000  head  of  cattle  and  000  head  of  horses, 
which  Mr.  Mecham  and  two  others  bought  early 


in  the  spring  of  1849  for  $6,000.  Where 
Sacramento  now  is  there  was  not  a  piece  of  land 
fenced  in  between  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains 
and  the  Pacific  coast,  except  some  of  the  older 
ranches  which  had  a  few  lots  enclosed  for  the 
purpose  of  raising  a  few  beans  and  peas.  There 
was  no  Sacramento  then,  the  business  all  being 
done  three  miles  from  there  at  what  was  called 
old  Sutter's  Fort.  All  the  merchandise  was 
brought  from  San  Francisco  up  the  Sacramento 
River  in  little  schooners  to  where  the  city  now 
stands,  and  fi'om  there  packed  by  Indians  on 
their  heads  to  the  fort.  Mr.  Mecham  helped  to 
cut  the  first  trail  to  get  a  wagon  from  Sutter's 
Fort  down  to  the  Sacramento  River.  Returning 
to  the  narrative  of  the  mines,  Mr.  Mecham, 
after  buying  out  the  claim  and  outfit,  remained 
there  until  1852,  when  he  came  down  the 
Sacramento  Valley  and  bought  a  ranch  near  the 
junction  of  the  Feather  and  Sacramento  rivers, 
at  a  place  called  Fremont,  lie  remained  there 
until  June,  1853,  when  he  went  into  the  stock 
business.  He  was  shortly  after  married,  and  in 
July  of  that  year  came  to  Sonoma  County  and 
moved  on  a  portion  of  the  ranch  he  now  occu- 
pies, where  he  is  quite  extensively  engaged  in 
dairying,  farming  and  stock-raising.  The  high- 
est amount  of  grain  he  has  produced  in  any  one 
year  was  a  103,000  bushels.  He  has  generally 
had  from  500  to  1,000  head  of  cattle,  and  also 
raised  hogs  for  market,  usually  about  2,500  a 
year.  From  1,000  to  2.500  acres  were  devoted 
to  potatoes.  All  this  was  prior  to  1864.  In 
October  of  that  year  he  moved  into  Petaluma 
for  the  purpose  of  educating  his  children,  and 
rented  his  ranch  out  to  different  parties,  having 
in  all  about  fifty  tenants.  Finding  that  renting 
did  not  pay  for  the  wear  and  tear  of  the  fences 
and  keeping  up  the  buildings  on  the  place,  he 
gradually  abandoned  it  and  went  to  stocking  his 
farm  with  sheep,  horses,  and  cattle,  still  re- 
siding in  Petaluma  until  October,  1885.  At 
that  time  his  elegant  new  residence  was  com- 
pleted and  he  returned  with  his  family  to  the 
ranch.  The  ])lace  on  which  he  lives  comprises 
about  4,000  acres,  and  he  also  owns  the  Sears 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Point  ranch  of  2,600  acres  in  Vallejo  Town- 
ship, and  one-lifth  interest  in  the  Juanita  ranch 
in  Santa  Barbara  County,  consisting  of  27,000 
acres.  He  was  married  in  Fremont,  Yolo 
County,  California,  April  17,  1853,  to  Mary 
Jane  Stewart,  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  danghter 
of  Abel  Stewart.  They  have  had  six  children, 
four  of  whom  are  now  living:  Frank  A.,  Lo- 
retta,  Harriette,  and  Belle,  the  wife  of  Waiter 
Fritsch,  of  Petaluma. 


fHOMAS  STOKES  PAGE,  M.  1).,  deceased, 
was  born  in  Moorestown,  Burlington 
Comity,  New  Jersey,  in  1815.  He  gradu- 
ated in- the  medical  department  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania  when  he  was  twenty-one 
years  of  age.  After  that  he  took  a  short  jour- 
ney through  Great  Britain  and  France,  and  from 
there  went  to  Valparaiso,  South  America,  where 
he  made  his  home  for  a  great  many  years.  He 
was  married  to  Ana  Maria  Liljevalch,  a  native 
of  Chili.  Dr.  Page  was  one  of  the  most  cele- 
brated physicians  in  that  part  of  the  country. 
Many  times  he  was  called  to  make  professional 
visits  up  and  down  the  coast.  He  was  a  man 
wlio  attended  strictly  to  his  business,  and  in 
that  wa}'  accumulated  a  large  fortune.  In  1860 
he  made  a  flying  visit  to  the  United  States  for 
the  purpose  of  visiting  his  parents  whom  he 
had  not  seen  for  a  great  many  years,  and  in  so 
doing  made  a  trip  to  California,  via  Panama,  for 
the  purpose  of  looking  after  his  possessions  in 
this  State,  which  he  had  purchased  in  1849,  and 
which  consisted  of  the  Cotate  ranch,  in  Sonoma 
County.  Wiiile  here  he  made  investments  in 
fine  breed  sheep  and  short-horn  cattle  and  put 
them  on  the  estate.  He  then  returned  to  Chili 
and  resumed  his  practice  there,  remaining  until 
1869,  when  his  health  broke  down  and  he  was 
compelled  to  give  it  up.  He  came  to  California 
to  make  it  his  home  and  to  regain,  if  possible, 
his  lost  health.  He  brought  witii  iiim  his 
family  with  tlij  exception  of  tiiree  sons,  who 
remained  there  in  business  and   in  the  ]>ractice 


of  medicine.  TJie  next  year  two  of  the  sons 
came  to  this  State.  In  June,  1871,  Dr.  Page's 
health  gave  way,  and  after  a  long  illness  he  died 
January  10,  1872.  His  widow  now  resides  in 
San  Rafael,  this  State.  Thei-e  are  in  the  family 
seven  sons  and  three  daughters,  viz.:  Olof,  a 
practicing  physician  in  Valparaiso,  South  Amer- 
ica; Henry,  in  business  at  the  same  place; 
Charles,  attorney  at  law  in  San  Francisco;  Wil- 
fred, manager  of  the  Cotate  ranch;  Arthur  and 
George  T.,  who  constitute  the  firm  of  Page 
Brothers,  ship  and  merchandise  brokers  of  San 
Francisco;  William  D.,  an  assistant  on  the 
estate.  The  daughters  all  have  residences  in 
California.  Besides  the  Cotate  ranch.  Dr.  Page 
had  a  ranch  in  Sonoma  County  of  over  3,500 
acres.  The  Cotate  ranch  originally  contained 
17,238  acres,  and  was  an  old  Spanish  grant, 
patented  by  the  United  States.  About  7,600 
acres  of  the  grant  have  been  sold,  leaving  about 
9,600  acres  still  in  the  possession  of  the  estate, 
the  great  bulk  of  which  consists  of  low  black 
meadow  land,  lying  in  the  sink  of  the  Santa 
Rosa  Valley.  Of  that  portion  there  are  abou 
1,500  aci'es  which  are  occupied  by  tenants  who 
devoted  their  time  to  the  cultivation  of  grain. 
The  rest  of  the  land  being  adapted  to  stock- 
raising,  has  been  used  heretofore  for  the  pur- 
pose of  raising  large  herds  of  sheep,  but  that 
business  has  been  reduced,  and  they  now  have 
more  liorses  and  cattle,  and  also  run  a  large 
dairy.  The  first  purchase  of  fine  stock  was 
made  in  1860,  and  again  in  1872  importations 
were  made  of  thoroughbred  short-horn  bulls 
and  cow-s  selected  from  the  best  herds  of  Ken- 
tucky, Illinois  and  Missouri.  Others  have  been 
purchased  from  time  to  time  as  required  to  keep 
up  the  old  stock  and  for  the  infusion  of  new 
blood.  The  list  of  prizes  taken  at  the  different 
fairs  indicate  that  they  stand  high.  The  man- 
agers have  always  selected  the  stock  not  only 
for  their  beef  quality,  but  also  with  regard  to 
their  milking  qualities.  There  is  altogether  in 
the  neighborhood  of  1,200  head  of  cattle,  young 
and  old.  They  have  a  fine  line  of  draft  horses, 
and   are    now    crossing  the  English    draft   and 


IIISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Clydesdale  mares  that  are  on  the  place  with  the 
Suflblk  Punch  stallions,  while  tlie  roadsters  and 
trotting  stock  are  being  bred  to  the  highest  type 
of  standard-bred  trotting  stallions. 

fEANVILLE  S.  HARRIS,  proprietor  of 
the  Union  Livery  Stable  at  Sonoma,  was 
born  in  Sonoma  Valley,  November  7, 
1858,  son  of  Sydney  and  Sarah  Harris.  Never 
having  known  the  care  of  a  father,  he  was  reared 
at  the  home  of  his  mother,  two  and  one-half 
miles  southwest  of  Sonoma,  known  as  the  Cooper 
homestead.  His  youthful  days  were  spent  in 
farm  labor  and  in  attendance  upon  the  public 
schools  where  the  foundation  of  a  thorough  prac- 
tical business  education  was  laid.  Later  he  spent 
two  years  in  attending  the  State  Normal  School 
at  San  Jose,  and  the  Golden  Gate  Academy  at 
(Oakland,  finishing  his  school  education  at  the 
age  of  twenty  years.  Mr.  Harris  has  led  an 
active  business  life  since  he  attained  his  major- 
ity. In  October,  1879,  in  partnership  with 
Charles  Haskins  of  Oakland,  he  established  a 
conunission  business  at  Portland,  Oregon,  which 
was  continued  one  season  only.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Sonoma  and  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits  on  his  mother's  farm,  following  that 
vocation  until  1883,  when  he  purchased  a  one- 
half  interest  in  the  livery  business  at  his  present 
stand.  Under  the  firm  name  of  Corbaley  & 
Harris  the  business  was  conducted  until  1886,  at 
which  time  Mr.  Harris  bought  the  interest  of  his 
partner.  The  establishment  is  finely  equipped, 
employing  an  average  of  about  eighteen  horses. 
A  branch  of  the  business  is  an  omnibus 
and  mail  line  between  Sonoma  and  El  Verano 
Station  on  the  Carquinez  &  Santa  Rosa  Rail- 
road. In  1884  Mr.  Harris  wedded  Miss  Roena 
Spencer.  Their  two  children  are  Granville  S. 
and  Janet.  Mr.  Harris  owns  a  cottage  home  on 
Broadway  in  Sonoma,  and  twenty  acres  of  the 
old  homestead,  lifteen  acres  of  which  are  in  vine- 
yard. Enterprising,  energetic  and  public  spirited, 
no  movement  i)romising  advantages  to  his  city  or 


neighborhood  fails  to  find  an  earnest  supporter 
in  Mr.  Harris.  Politically,  he  is  a  thorough 
Republican.  He  is  a  native  of  California,  and  is 
the  president  of  Parlor  No.  Ill,  N.  S.  G.  W.,  at 
Sonoma;  also  a  member  of  Temple  Lodge,  No. 
14,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  of  its  sister  organization,  the 
Eastern  Star.  Of  the  mother  of  Mr.  Harris,  a 
passing  mention  must  be  made.  Perhaps  none 
of  the  pioneer  women  of  Sonoma  County  are 
better  remembered  than  she.  Possessed  of  great 
energy,  full  of  neighborly  kindness,  and  endowed 
with  one  of  those  rare  unseltish  natures,  she  was 
devoted  to  her  children  and  her  memory  will 
ever  be  cherished  by  them.  A  pioneer  of  the 
pioneers,  she  came  to  this  coast  from  Wisconsin, 
via  overland  route,  with  friends,  in  1845,  being 
then  twenty-three  years  of  age.  Her  maiden 
name  was  Sarah  Biglow.  Not  long  after  her 
ariival  here  she  was  united  in  marriage  with 
James  Cooper,  a  thorough-going,  wide-awake 
pioneer  of  Sonoma,  who  also  located  here  in 
1845.  (The  reader  will  find  biographical  men- 
tion of  him  in  this  volume.)  Mrs.  Cooper  was 
the  landlady  of  the  first  hotel  opened  in  Sonoma, 
in  1847.  Later  they  moved  to  their  large  ranch 
on  the  west  side  of  Sonoma  Creek.  There  she 
reared  her  children  and  spent  the  rest  of  her  life. 
Her  first  husband  died  in  1856.  By  him  she  had 
five  children,  now  all  living  and  settled  in  life. 
By  her  socond  husbiind,  Sydney  Harris,  she  had 
only  one  child,  Granville  S.  Harris,  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch. 


fOSEPH  LEININGER,  one  of  the  old  Cali- 
fornians  now  residing  in  Sonoma  County, 
is  a  native  of  Snyder  County,  Pennsylva- 
nia, born  February  11,  1839,  and  son  of  John 
and  Barbara  (Wilt)  Leininger,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  In  1849  the 
family  removed  to  Stephenson  County,  Illinois, 
and  there  Joseph  grew  to  manhood.  In  1859 
he  joined  the  tide  of  emigration  wending  its 
way  that  year  over  the  western  plains.  His 
party  started  from  a  point  in  Vernon  County, 


088 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT Y. 


Missouri,  fifteen  miles  east  of  Fort  Scott,  on 
the  3d  day  of  ifay,  and  spent  tlie  summer  on 
the  journey.  Tliey  cliose  the  route  by  Lander's 
Cut-off,  and  arris-ed  in  Chico  September  25, 
1859.  From  that  point  Mr.  Leiniiiger  soon 
changed  his  location  to  Butte  Creek,  and  there 
he  followed  the  fortunes  of  mining  for  fifteen 
months.  He  afterward  embarked  in  the  saw- 
mill work,  and  finally  gave  up  other  pursuits 
for  ranching  in  Butte  County.  There  he  resided 
until  1885,  wlien  he  came  to  Sonoma  County 
and  bonglit  the  ranch  where  he  now  resides. 
Mr.  Leininger  was  married  while  in  Pennsylva- 
nia on  a  visit  in  1869,  to  Miss  Annie  Ryan,,  a 
native  of  the  Keystone  State.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Leininger  are  the  parents  of  seven  children,  viz.: 
John  W.,  who  is  in  the  Pacific  Press  Publish- 
ing House,  Oakland;  Ralph,  Maggie,  Cora,  Car- 
rie, ^losie  and  Charlie.  Mr.  Leininger  and  fam- 
ily are  members  of  the  Seventh  Day  Adventist 
denomination.  His  original  purchase  in  Sonoma 
County  consisted  of  thirty-five  acres,  the  ranch 
being  located  on  the  west  side  of  Dry  Creek, 
three  miles  from  Healdsburg.  There  are  nearly 
fourteen  acres  in  fruit,  the  trees  ranging  in  age 
from  two  to  five  years.  Among  the  trees  are 
almonds,  peaches,  pears,  nectarines,  cherries, 
plums,  etc.  Xo  irrigation  is  required,  and  all 
varieties  of  fruits  named  do  well.  Mr.  Leinin- 
ger is  making  a  fine  place  of  this  tract  of  land, 
and  has  largely  added  to  it  by  purchase  in  the 
fall  of  1888. 


fHEODORE  SKILLMAN  was  born  in 
Hunterdon  County,  New  Jersey,  Septem- 
ber 20,  1830.  There  appeared  to  have 
been  originally  but  one  Skillman  family,  who 
settled  in  Rocky  Hill,  New  Jersey,  and  were 
probably  of  German  extraction.  Washington 
and  Ann  (Stilhvell)  Skillman,  parents  of  Theo- 
dore Skillman,  were  both  natives  of  that  State, 
the  latter  a  descendant  of  the  Holland  Dutch. 
The  grandfathers  of  both  families  were  soldiers 
in    the    Revolutionary     war.      In     Washington 


Skillman's  family  there  were  five  children,  tliree 
sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  Theodore  and 
two  sisters  are  the  on  y  ones  now  living.  When 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  thirteen  or  four- 
teen years  old,  after  the  death  of  liis  father,  he 
went  to  New  Brunswick  to  learn  a  trade,  and  in 
the  meantime  his  mother  emigrated  to  Michi- 
gan. He  served  his  apprenticeship  at  the 
baker's  trade  and  remained  there  until  1849, 
when,  on  February  7,  he  sailed  from  New  York 
on  board  the  bark  Isabella,  rounded  Cape  Horn, 
and  never  made  a  port,  until  he  arrived  in  San 
Francisco  on  the  4th  of  August,  after  a  voyage 
of  six  months,  lacking  three  days.  There  was  a 
party  of  forty  members  who  organized  a  stock 
company  and  bought  the  ship,  giving  the  crew 
a  half  interest  in  her,  but  as  soon  as  they  landed 
in  San  Francisco  the  crew  deserted  them.  It 
was  supposed  at  that  time  by  a  great  many  ad- 
venturers that  there  was  nothing  but  gold  in  the 
State  of  Caliturnia,  consequently  the  part}'  laid 
in  a  two  years  stock  of  provisions,  and  started 
with  the  vessel  up  to  Sacramento.  Just  after 
arriving  there  seven  of  the  party  died  from  dis- 
ease contracted  while  on  the  voyage,  after  which 
the  company  disbanded  and  went  out  in  parties  of 
four  and  five  each.  Mr.  Skillman  was  sick  at  the 
time  and  was  intending  to  return  to  the  East, 
but  did  not  want  to  go  back  without  first  bavins: 
seen  something  of  the  mines.  He  got  up  as  far 
as  Mormon  Island  and  there  found  work  at  his 
trade.  Being  much  improved  in  health,  he 
stayed  there  that  winter,  then  went  to  Marys- 
ville,and  from  there  into  Nevada  County,  where 
he  bought  out  a  bakery  and  provision  store  in 
Grass  Valley,  remaining  there  eight  years.  Dur- 
ing his  residence  there  he  was  very  successful 
in  business,  although  he  met  with  some  pretty 
heavy  losses,  having  passed  through  three  difler- 
ent  fires.  In  1859  he  came  down  to  Petaluma 
and  bought  land  near  where  he  is  now  located. 
In  1860  he  went  to  Nevada  and  remained  five 
years.  He  engaged  in  teaming  for  the  Golden 
Curry  Company,  who  were  building  a  mill,  and 
after  that  was  completed,  had  the  contract  for 
haulinff  the  ore  from   the   mines   to   the   mill. 


UlSrORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Iletnruiiig  to  tliis  (^uunty,  he  sold  his  property 
and  bought  liis  present  phice  of  150  acres,  on 
which  he  had  at  that  time  a  hotel.  He  conducted 
the  business  for  some  five  years  when  it  was 
discontinued.  Mr.  Skillman  is  one  of  the  first 
who  imported  fine  liorses  into  this  section  of  the 
country,  in  fact,  in  1876,  when  he  imported  his 
first  Norman  horse,  which  was  the  first  one 
north  of  the  bay,  there  were  only  one  or  two  in 
the  State  and  they  had  been  brouojht  here  only 
a  few  months  before.  Since  1884  he  has  been 
importing  direct  from  France,  making  annual 
trips  there  in  selecting  liis  horses.  He  is  the 
largest  individual  importer  on  the  coast,  making 
almost  annual  exhibits  of  his  stock  at  the  State 
and  district  fairs,  and  taking  more  premiums 
with  his  horses  than  atiy  other  individual.  Mr. 
Skillman  was  first  married  in  Grass  Valley  in 
May,  1853,  to  Catherine  Henley,  a  native  of 
New  York.  She  died  May  2,  1883,  leaving 
three  children:  Ann  Louisa,  Charles  Carroll, 
and  Oliver  Ernest.  He  was  again  married  in 
June,  1886,  to  Eleanor  liice,  a  native  of  Cali- 
fornia. 


fOHN  O'BKIEN.— Among  the  old  residents 
and  representative  farmers  of  Sonoma  Val- 
ley is  the  above  named  gentleman.  His 
fine  farm  of  400  acres  is  located  upon  the  west 
side  of  the  valley  in  the  Harvey  school  district, 
about  four  miles  west  of  Sonoma.  This  rich 
and  productive  land  is  about  t'(|ually  divided 
between  hill  and  valley  land.  At  the  present 
date  (1888)  his  farm  is  devoted  principally  to 
liay,  grain  and  stock.  Among  the  latter  are 
about  fifty  head  of  cattle,  of  which  thirty  are 
used  for  dairy  purposes.  Mr.  O'Brien  also  has 
some  fine  specimens  of  horses  improved  by 
Norman  stock.  His  lands  are  well  adapted  to 
grape  culture  and  fruit  growing.  As  early  as 
1858  and  1859  he  planted  twenty  acres  of  wine 
grapes,  erected  a  winery,  etc.,  and  for  over 
twenty  years  was  engaged  in  the  wine  industry 
of  the   county.      Besides    this    well    improved 


property  Mr.  O'llrien  also  owns  1,000  acres  of 
hill  land,  locateil  about  one  mile  south  of  his 
home  farm.  This  land  is  devoted  almost  en- 
tirely to  stock  piir[)oses,  supporting  about  150 
head  of  cattle,  of  which  100  head  are  used  as  a 
dairy.  This  place  is  also  well  improved  and  is 
rented,  as  Mr.  O'Brien  finds  plenty  to  occupy 
his  attention  on  his  home  farm.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  born  in  Limerick  County,  Ire- 
land, in  1828.  He  is  the  son  of  Patrick  and 
Margaret  (Maloney)  O'Brien,  botli  natives  of 
the  county  of  his  birth.  Mr.  O'Brien  was 
reared  to  agricultural  pursuits  until  he  arrived 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  when  he  launched 
out  in  life  for  himself,  and  emigrated  to  the 
United  States.  Upon  his  arrival  in  New  Voi'k, 
in  1849,  he  located  on  Long  Island,  where  he 
engaged  in  farm  labor  until  1850.  In  that  year 
he  went  as  far  west  as  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and 
engaged  in  steamboating  on  the  Ohio  and  Mis- 
sissippi rivers  until  1853.  He  then  started 
from  New  Orleans,  via  the  Nicaragua  route,  for 
California.  Arriving  in  San  Francisco  in  tlie 
fall  of  1853,  he  proceeded  at  once  to  the  mines 
in  El  Dorado  County.  He  was  engaged  in  the 
occupation  of  mining  for  the  ne.\t  four  years, 
undergoing  the  varying  fortunes  upon  a  miner's 
life.  In  the  fall  of  1857  Mr.  O'Brien  decided 
to  abandon  mining  and  seeli  his  fortune  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits.  He  accordingly  came  to 
Sonoma,  purchased  the  farm  upon  which  he 
now  resides,  and  has  since  devoted  himself  to 
its  cultivation  and  improvement.  His  success 
in  this  enterprise  is  well  deserved,  for  he  is  an 
energetic,  industrious  and  straightforward  man. 
His  more  than  thirty  years'  of  residence  here 
has  made  him  familiar  with  Sonoma  Valley  and 
its  resources,  and  he  is  a  firm  believer  in  its 
future  growth  and  prosperity.  Mr.  O'Brien  is 
a  consistent  member  of  the  Catholic  church,  and 
in  political  matters  is  a  Democaat.  In  1848 
Mr.  O'Brien  married  Miss  Mary  Scott,  daughter 
of  Richard  and  Ilonora  (Ryan)  Scott,  natives  of 
Limerick  County,  Ireland.  From  this  marriage 
there  are  living  the  following  named  children: 
Margaret,  Mary,  Alice,  Nellie,  and  Catherine. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


Mari^aret  married  Michael  Goff  and  is  now  re- 
siding in  Sonoma.  Alice  married  Alexander 
Sperry,  of  San  Francisco.  The  other  daughters 
are  residing  on  tlie  home  farm.  The  second 
child,  Thomas,  died  in  1871,  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen years. 


fe--^- 


^ON.  THOMAS  RUTLEDGE.— The  Hon. 
^m  Thomas  Rutledge,  since  January  1,  1877, 
^ii  a  resident  of  California,  and  present  judge 
of  the  Superior  Court  of  Sonoma  County,  is  a 
native  of  Ireland.  His  father's  family  emi- 
grated to  Wisconsin  when  he  was  a  child,  there 
resided  until  he  had  attained  his  majority,  and 
in  1856  emigrated  to  Minnesota.  He  studied 
law  in  the  city  of  Mankato,  that  State,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1866.  He  immediately 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  at 
Madelia,  Minnesota.  Here  lie  soon  gained  the 
confidence  of  the  business  men  of  the  com- 
munity, and,  although  quite  a  young  man,  was 
elected  assessor  of  his  county.  In  18G2  he 
joined  the  United  States  army  to  aid  in  subdu- 
ing the  Rebellion.  A  volunteer  of  the  First 
Minnesota  Cavalry,  he  was  made  a  Corporal  and 
subsequently  Ssrgeant  in  the  Eleventh  Minne- 
sota Infantry.  He  was  mustered  out  of  tlie 
United  States  army  at  Gallatin,  Tennessee,  and 
discharged  in  Minnesota  at  Fort  Snelling.  His 
cavalry  service  was  rendered  against  the  Indians 
on  the  western  plains,  and  his  infantry  service 
was  under  General  George  H.  Thomas.  Upon 
his  return  from  the  army  he  was  elected  treas- 
urer of  Watonwan  County,  served  two  years, 
and  subsequently  was  honored  successively  with 
the  people's  confidence  by  the  election  to  the 
offices  of  county  judge,  county  attorney  (two 
terms),  superintendent  of  county  schools,  and 
in  1874  was  chosen  to  represent  his  district  in 
the  State  Legislature.  In  1876  Judje  Rutledge 
made  a  trip  to  California.  After  visiting  vari- 
ous sections  of  the  State  he,  in  1877,  took  up 
his  residence  at  Santa  Rosa.  Here  he  at  once 
opened  a  law  office  as  a  partner  with  Judge  W. 


W.  Porter,  now  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Arizona.  Judge  Rutledge  was  subsequently 
associated  professionally  with  William  E.  Mc- 
Connell,  now  president  of  the  Santa  Rosa  Bank. 
He  was  a  very  successful  trial  lawyer  and  during 
his  practice  was  in  nearly  all  important  civil  or 
criminal  cases,  promptly  retained  by  plaintiff' or 
defendant.  He  was  appointed  superior  judge  of 
the  court  of  Sonoma  County  to  succeed  Judge 
Jackson  Temple  upon  his  election  to  the  supreme 
bench,  and  assumed  his  duties  of  office  October 
22, 1886.  Judge  Rutledge  was  born  November 
14,  1834.  He  is  a  man  of  strong  physical  con- 
stitution and  mental  vigor.  He  was  married  in 
October,  1855,  to  Miss  Griffin,  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont. Her  father  was  a  native  of  Vermont  and 
her  mother  of  New  Hampshire.  Six  of  their 
eight  children  are  still  living.  Their  eldest 
daughter  and  son  reside  in  Washington  Terri- 
tory. The  youngest  son  is  practicing  law  at 
Los  Angeles.  One  daughter  is  married  and 
lives  in  Colusa  County,  California,  and  two 
children  are  at  home. 


I^ILLIAM  SHAW,  proprietor  of  the  Third 
Street  Photograph  Gallery,  came  to 
V  op^"*J  Santa  Rosa  in  May,  1875,  from  the 
State  of  Michigan,  where  he  had  lived  from 
boyhood,  his  parents  having  come  at  that  time 
from  Canada,  where  he  was  born  forty-seven 
years  ago.  In  youth  he  learned  the  trade  of 
iron-molder,  and  pursued  it  until  after  coming 
to  California.  He  came  to  this  State  for  the 
double  purpose  of  restoring  his  broken  health 
and  bettering  his  financial  opportunities,  and 
on  reaching  the  Pacific  coast  his  health  greatly 
improved,  but  the  outlook  for  business  at  his 
trade  was  not  very  flattering.  After  working 
at  it  for  a  time  he  concluded  to  try  another 
vocation,  learned  the  miller's  trade,  and  for  six 
years  was  employed  in  the  Empire  Mill  of  Santa 
Rosa.  In  1885  he  purchased  a  half  interest  in 
the  Third  Street  Photograph  Gallery,  with  J. 
K.   Piggott,  the    partnership  continuing   until 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


July  1,  1888,  when  Mr.  Shaw  bought  Mr.  Pig- 
gott's  interest,  thus  becoming  sole  proprietor. 
This  is  the  oldest  photographic  studio  in  Sono- 
ma County,  having  been  established  in  1868 
by  E.  Kraft.  During  the  more  than  twenty 
years  of  its  existence  it  has  changed  ownership 
a  number  of  times.  Among  the  former  proprie- 
tors were  Downing,  Ilea  &  Ranscher,  who  were 
succeeded  by  Rea  &  Piggott,  they  by  Piggott 
&  Shepherd,  they  by  J.  K.  Piggott,  Mr.  Shaw's 
predecessor  and  former  partner.  Being  both 
mechanical  and  artistic  in  his  tastes,  Mr.  Shaw 
is  an  enthusiast  in  his  work,  and  constantly 
aims  at  a  high  standard  of  perfection  in  the 
photographic  art,  keeping  pace  with  the  march 
of  progress  in  improved  appliances  and  methods. 
In  addition  to  sun-light  portraits,  he  makes  por- 
traits in  crayon  and  water  colors;  and  also  makes 
a  specialty  of  fine  landscape  and  view  photogra- 
phy, skilled  and  experienced  assistants  being 
employed  in  every  department  of  his  art  wcrk. 
Before  leaving  Michigan  J\Ir.  Shaw  was  united 
in  wedlock  with  Miss  Alice  McCollum,  a  native 
of  that  State,  and  their  only  child,  Clara  E., 
was  born  there. 


fAUL  F.  GREEN.— The  hardware  firm  of 
Baxter  &  Green,  composed  of  T.  P.  Baxter 
-\,  and  Paul  F.  Green,  whose  store  is  situated 
at  527  Fourth  street,  represents  the  oldest  mer- 
cantile house  of  its  kind  in  the  city  of  Santa 
Rosa,  it  having  been  established  by  one  of  their 
predecessors  twenty  years  ago.  After  passing 
tiirougli  several  changes  of  ownership,  James 
Morrow,  Jr.,  sold  to  the  present  firm  in  Novem- 
ber, 188f).  They  keep  in  stock  all  kinds  of 
shelf  and  builders'  hardware,  stoves  and  ranges, 
farm  machinery  and  agricultural  implemerits  of 
all  kinds,  being  agents  for  the  leading  manufact- 
urers of  these  goods  in  the  United  States,  and 
have  a  fine  trade  in  them.  Their  sales  in  stoves 
and  ranges  and  builders'  liardware  are  especially 
large  and  rapidly  increasing.  Indeed,  the  busi- 
ness of  the  house  has  been  nearly  thirty-three 


per  cent,  larger  in  1888  than  it  was  the  year 
previous,  reaching  about  $50,000.  The  fiim 
does  a  good  business  in  roofing,  spouting  and 
plumbing,  employing  an  average  of  five  men  in 
the  jobbing  and  plumbing  department.  Both 
members  of  this  energetic  and  prosperous  firm 
are  natives  of  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Green's 
father,  William  S.  Green,  brought  his  family  to 
Calilbrnia  in  1853,  when  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  ten  months  old,  and  settled  in  the 
vicinity  of  Oroville,  Butte  County,  where  he 
lived  many  years,  engaged  successively  in  the 
several  occupations  of  mining,  conducting  a 
hotel,  running  a  large  turpentine  distillery,  and 
manufacturing  lumber.  When  Paul  was 
eighteen  years  of  age  the  family  returned  to  the 
Old  Bay  State,  and  his  father  carried  on  a  large 
shoe  manufactory  twenty  miles  out  of  Boston,  in 
which  500  hands  were  employed.  During  the 
twelve  years  he  remained  back  East,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  not  only  became  familiar  with 
every  branch  of  the  work  in  his  father's  shoe 
factory  and  superintended  the  fitting  depart- 
ment, but  he  also  learned  the  machinist's  trade 
in  the  great  locomotive  works  at  Taunton,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  1,200  men  are  employed.  In 
1882  he  returned  to  California,  bought  a  fine 
ranch  in  Sonoma  County,  and  engaged  in  liorti- 
cultui'e  until  he  went  into  the  hardware 
business.  Ilis  parents  also  came  back  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  now  reside  Oii  theii-  fine  stock  ranch 
near  Scagg's  Springs,  in  Sonoma  County.  Mr. 
Green  married  Miss  Scribner,  a  Massachusetts 
lady,  and  a  relative  of  the  proprietor  of  the  cel- 
ebrated publishing  house  which  bears  that  name. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Green  have  two  children.  Mr. 
Green  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order. 

*^.  t'^M"^^.  ■  '^, 


ipv.ON.  F.  B.  MULGREW,  Representative 
|rpj\  from  the  Twenty-third  District  in  the  pres- 
*S<1|  ent  Legislature  of  California,  is  a  native  of 
San  Francisco,  born  July  30,  1854.  Ilia 
parents,  Felix  and  Susanah  (McNamee)  Mnl- 
grew,  were  both  natives  of  Ireland,  who  came  to 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY 


America  when  young,  locating  in  Rliode  Island. 
The  father  came  out  to  California,  via  Fanama, 
in  the  early  mining  days,  and  in  1852  he  was 
joined  by  the  family.  They  resided  in  San 
Francisco  until  1856,  at  which  time  they  came 
to  Healdsburg,  and  Mr.  Mulgrew  opened  a  black- 
smith shop.  He  resided  here  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  May,  1876.  Felix  B.  Mul- 
grew, whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was  reared 
at  Healdsburg.  At  the  age  of  thirteen  years  he 
entered  the  office  of  the  Russian  liiver  Flag, 
and  there  learned  the  printer's  trade.  For  five 
years  he  was  connected  with  that  publication, 
and  then  went  to  Santa  Barbara  to  assume 
editorial  control  of  the  Index.  Six  months 
later  he  returned  to  Sonoma  County  to  become 
local  editor  of  the  daily  Santa  Rosa  Democrat. 
In  May,  1876,  the  publishiug  lirni  became  Mul- 
grew Brothers,  and  afterward  Felix  B.  Mulgrew 
purchased  his  brother's  interest,  thenceforward 
carrying  on  the  publication  alone.  When  Mr. 
Thompson  was  elected  Secretary  of  State,  he 
offered  him  the  position  of  deputy  in  his  office, 
which  was  accepted,  and  he  removed  his  family 
to  Sacramento.  While  in  that  position  Gov- 
ernor Irwin,  president  of  the  board  of  harbor 
commissions,  appointed  him  State  wharfinger. 
He  held  that  office  about  three  and  one-half 
years,  then  resigned  to  take  personal  charge  of 
the  Healdsburg  Enterprise,  which  in  the  mean- 
time he  tiad  purchased.  He  subsequently 
bouglit  out  the  plant  and  good  will  of  the  Rus- 
sian River  Flag,  and  consolidated  the  two 
papers,  retaining  the  name  of  the  Enterprise. 
While  conducting  the  paper  hu  entered  into 
partnership  with  W.  H.  Moulton  in  the  real 
estate  business,  and  subsequently  disposed  of 
the  newspaper  to  give  his  sole  attention  to  the 
business.  This  firm  has  been  prosperous  in  its 
undertakings,  and  in  1887  consummated  the 
largest  sale  ever  made  in  Sononui  County,  by 
which  the  "Marshall  tract"  was  transferred  to 
Moses  Hopkins  for  S325,000.  In  December, 
1888,  Moulton  &  Mulgrew  established  a  branch 
office  in  San  Francisco,  of  which  Mr.  Mulgrew  has 
control,  with  the  idea  of  enlarging  the  scope  of 


their  business  and  looking  more  thoroughly 
after  the  interests  of  Sonoma  County.  At  the 
Democratic  Count}'  Convention  of  1888,  Mr. 
Mulgrew  was  nominated  for  Representative  from 
the  Twenty-third  District,  and  waschosen  forthe 
honor  at  the  ensuing  election.  He  is  a  member 
of  Sotoyome  Parlor,  X.  S.  G.  W.,  of  the  Y.  M. 
I.,  and  of  Alcazar  Council,  Order  of  Chosen 
Friends,  San  Francisco.  Mr.  Mulgrew  was 
married  in  San  Francisco  to  Miss  Alice  Hall,  a 
native  of  San  Francisco.  She  died  December 
23,  1886,  leaving  three  children-  Flora,  Lulu, 
and  Martin. 


fAVID  M.  WINANS  was  born  in  Elk- 
hart County,  Indiana,  September  11, 
1838,  the  place  of  his  birth  being  about 
three  miles  from  the  Michigan  State  line.  His 
father,  James  Winans,  was  born  in  Xew  Jer- 
sey, in  1810,  and  when  he  was  a 
small  child  his  parents  moved  to  Ohio, 
and  settled  in  Miami  County.  He  grew 
to  manhood  there,  married,  and  afterward 
lost  his  wife,  and  also  their  onl}'  child.  From 
Ohio  he  moved  into  Indiana,  and  there  married 
again  on  the  28th  of  September,  1837,  his  wife 
being  Martha  Ashby.  The  country  was  new 
and  the  land  thickly  covered  with  timber,  which 
was  being  chopped  down  by  the  settlers  in  clear- 
ing places  for  homes,  and  carrying  on  agricult- 
ural pursuits.  Mr.  Winans  bought  a  farm  in 
Elkhart  County,  and  erected  a  log  cabin,  in 
which  the  family  made  themselves  very  com- 
fortable, considering  the  disadvantages  of  those 
early  days.  In  1854  he  came  across  the  plains 
with  a  party  bound  for  California,  being  about 
six  months  from  the  time  they  left  the  Mis- 
souri River-  until  they  arrived  in  the  valley  of 
San  Jose.  In  the  fall  of  1855  he  returned  to 
Indiana,  and  one  year  from  that  time  disposed 
of  his  property  there,  and  again  embarked  for 
the  Golden  State,  this  time  bringing  with  him 
his  children,  his  wife  in  the  meantime  having 
died.     They  sailed   from   New  York,   via  Pan- 


J/lSTuUr    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


693 


aina,  and  arrived  in  San  Francisco,  on  board  the 
Ooldeii  Oate,  about  the  last  of  November,  1856. 
He  located  in  Marin  County,  and  bought,  what 
he  supposed  at  that  time  to  have  been,  govern- 
ment land,  .upon  wiiich  he  lived  a  number  of 
years,  before  he  found  that  the  title  was  not 
good,  and  was  compelled  to  give  it  up.  He 
afterward  leased  the  place  for  two  or  three 
years,  then  changed  his  residence  to  a  place  near 
San  Rafael,  and  finally  moved  into  that  city, 
where  he  died  September  4,  1878.  In  the  fam- 
ily there  are  four  children,  three  daughters  and 
one  son.  David  M.  Winans,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  lived  with  his  father  until  he  became  of 
age,  when  he  hired  out  to  William  and  Sam 
JSJay,  a  greater  portion  of  the  time  employed  in 
the  dairy  business.  During  the  first  year  he 
was  thus  emfiloyed  he  purchased  400  acres  of 
land  near  San  Rafael,  for  a  part  of  which  he 
went  in  debt.  He  continued  on  in  the  employ 
of  the  Nay  brothers  for  another  year,  chopping 
wood,  and  doing  various  other  kinds  of  work, 
and  all  the  time  saving  his  earnings,  in  order 
to  pay  for  his  land,  which  he  did  by  the  close  of 
the  second  year.  After  a  time  he  bought 
twenty  cows,  and  established  a  dairy  on  the 
place,  remaining  there  two  years.  He  then, 
with  Sam  Nay,  leased  the  Saise  ranch,  and 
began  dairying  with  a  hundred  cows,  increasing 
the  stock  from  time  to  time,  and  carried  on  a 
successful  business  for  five  years,  after  which 
the  stock,  numbering  150  head,  was  sold  at 
$55  a  head.  In  1870  Mr.  Winans  returned  to 
Indiana,  and  was  married,  April  7,  of  that  year, 
to  Maria  E.  Newell,  who  was  born  and  reared 
in  the  same  neighboriiood  that  he  was,  in  Elk- 
hart County.  He  returned  to  California  tlie 
following  year,  and  bought  his  present  place  in 
this  county,  about  three  miles  from  Petaluma. 
Mr.  Winans  is  paying  considerable  attention  to 
the  raising  of  fruit,  having  about  twelve  acres 
in  orchard,  devoted  mostly  to  winter  apples  and 
Bartlett  pears,  together  with  a  variety  of  other 
kinds  of  fruit.  He  has  been  an  Odd  Fellow 
since  1872.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Winans  have  one 
son,  William  James,   born  January   29,  1872. 


Misfortune  came  to  them  in  the  death  of  their 
eldest  child,  Anna  May,  who  was  born  April  8, 
1871,  and  died  March  20,  1888. 


|mxNDREW  P.  G AVER.— Among  the  rep- 
}|W|  resentative  farmers,  large  land-owners,  and 
-J^  business  men  of  the  American  Valley 
school  district,  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  His 
magnificent  farm  of  1,600  acres  is  located  one  and 
one-halt  miles  east  of  Valley  Ford,  on  the  Bloom- 
field  and  Valley  Ford  road.  With  the  exception 
of  a  family  orchard  containing  a  large  variety  of 
fruits,  such  as  pears,  apples,  plums,  cherries,  etc., 
his  land  is  devoted  to  hay,  grai  n  and  stock  purposes. 
Among  the  stock  are  340  head  of  cattle,  250  head 
of  which  are  milch  cows,  comprising  his  two  fine 
dairies.  Alargeportionof  the  cattleare  improved 
by  Durham  stock.  He  has  a  fine  thorougiibred 
Durham  bull  upon  his  farm.  Heuses  such  horses 
as  are  required  in  his  farming  operations,  they 
being  draft  horses  improved  by  Norman  stock. 
Nearly  all  the  improvements,  including  a  neat 
cottage  residence,  two  dairies,  large  barns,  etc., 
have  been  made  by  Mr.  Graver  since  1863.  He 
has  also  other  real  estate  in  the  county,  consisting 
of  480  acres  near  Occidental,  upon  whicli  are 
twelve  acres  of  wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel 
variety,  and  an  apple  orchard  of  six  acres. 
Ninety  head  of  cattle  are  also  upon  this  place. 
He  is  the  owner  of  100  acres  north  of  Stony 
Point.  Upon  that  place  are  forty  acres  of  Zin- 
fandel wine  grapes,  and  a  twelve-acre  orchard, 
containing  apples,  pears,  plums,  etc.  The  Val- 
ley Ford  flour  mills  are  also  owned  by  Mr. 
Gaver.  These  mills  are  located  at  Valley  Ford, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  flourishing  industries  in 
the  valley,  producing  about  twenty  barrels  of 
flour  per  day.  A  superior  grade  of  flour  is 
manufactured  by  the  roller  process,  which  finds 
a  ready  sale.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
born  in  Columbiana  County,  Ohio,  November 
6,  1838.  His  father,  Joseph  Gaver,  was  a 
native  of  Maryland,  and  of  German  descent,  his 
father  having  emigrated  from  Germany  at  an 


iiisrouy   OF  honoma  county. 


early  day,  and  settled  in  Manlaiid.  Mr.  Gaver's 
mother,  Elizabeth  (Poe)  Gaver,  was  born  in 
Ohio.  She  is  now  (1888)  living  with  her  son, 
and  is  eighty-two  years  of  age.  Mrs.  Gaver  is 
descended  from  tlie  earliest  families  of  Ohio. 
Iler  grandfather,  Adatn  Poe,  was  engaged  in 
the  early  Indian  wars  of  the  West.  The  noto- 
rious Indian  chief,  Big  Foot,  was  killed  by  him 
during  one  of  those  engagements.  Her  father, 
Andrew  Poe,  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  was  one  of 
the  representative  men  of  liis  section.  Mr. 
Gaver's  early  life  was  spent  upon  a  farm  in  his 
native  place  until  1857.  In  Jiine  of  that  year 
lie  started, via  the  Isthmus  route,  for  California. 
Upon  his  arrival  in  San  Francisco  he  came 
immediately  to  Sonoma  County,  and  located  in 
Bloomfield.  He  was  entirely  without  means, 
liaving  walked  neai'ly  forty  miles  before  reach- 
ing Blooniiield;  he  sought  work  at  once,  took 
the  first  that  could  be  obtained,  and  engaged  as 
a  teamster.  Then,  next  year,  1858,  he  located 
land  near  what  is  now  Valley  Ford,  and  started, 
in  a  small  way,  in  the  dairy  business.  In  that 
undertaking  he  was  successful,  and,  in  1862, 
sold  the  place,  purchasing,  in  the  spring  of  the 
following  year,  600  acres  of  the  land  he  now 
occupies.  Since  that  time  he  has  devoted  his 
attention  mostly  to  dairying  and  general  farm- 
ing, gradually  increasing  his  landed  possessions, 
until  they  reached  their  present  large  acreage. 
Mr.  Gaver  has  been  uniformly  successful  in  his 
agricultural  and  business  operations.  He  is  an 
energetic  and  progressive  man,  and  these  char- 
acteristics, combined  with  good,  sound  business 
principles  and  straightforward  dealings,  liave 
secured  him  a  competency.  He  has  always 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  prosperity  and 
growth  of  his  section  of  the  county,  and  has 
done^much  toward  advancing  the  interests  of 
the  community  in  which  he  resides.  The  first 
school-house  built  in  the  American  Valley 
school  district,  was  erected  upon  Mr.  Gaver's 
land.  He  has  been  a  school  trustee,  and  one  of 
the  strongest  supporters  of  that  school,  for  over 
thirty  years.  He  is  a  member  of  Vitruvius 
Lodge.    No.  145,    F.   ct  A.  M..   of  Bloomfield. 


Politically,  Mr.  Gaver  is  a  Republican,  and, 
although  not  an  office-seeker,  he  has  always  taken 
an  intelligent  interest  in  the  policy  of  that 
party,  at  the  same  time  being  liberal  and  con- 
servative in  his  views. 


fOHN  SCHEODER  was  born  near  Bremen, 
Germany,  forty-four  years  ago,  and  was 
educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land. 
When  twenty  years  of  age  he  emigrated  to 
America  and  spent  nine  months  in  New  Vork 
before  coming  to  San  Francisco.  Securing  em- 
ployment in  the  latter  city,  he  remained 
there  si.x  years,  at  the  e.xpiration  of  which 
time  he  returned  to  Germany,  being  absent 
from  the  Pacific  coast  four  years.  While  in, the 
fatherland,  Mr.  Schroder  found  a  wife  in  the 
person  of  Miss  Annie  Steflens,  whom  he  mar- 
ried in  1871  and  brought  back  with  him  to  the 
home  of  his  adoption.  On  his  return  to  San 
Francisco  he  entered  the  employ  of  a  wholesale 
produce  house  as  salesman  and  continued  with 
the  firm  ten  years  and  three  months.  Decid- 
ing to  leave  the  metropolis,  he  came  to  Santa 
Rosa  and  purchased  three  and  one-half  acres 
near  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  city,  on  So- 
noma avenue,  settled  there  in  1884,  and  engaged 
in  the  poultry  business,  in  which  he  has  been 
very  successful.  He  started  in  a  small  way, 
his  first  purchase  being  but  half  a  dozen  hens. 
Another  dozen  was  soon  added,  and  from  these 
he  has  increased  his  flock  until  it  now  numbers 
over  400  fowls,  mostly  of  the  white  and  black 
leghorn  breeds,  as  he  finds  these  to  be  the  most 
profitable  for  eggs.  During  the  winter  of 
1888-'89  his  egg  crop  averaged  sixty  dozen  a 
week  prior  to  January  1,  and  after  that  consider- 
able more.  The  price  varies  from  twenty  to 
fifty  cents  per  dozen  according  to  the  season, 
and  for  adult  fowls  he  gets  from  §6  to  §8.50 
per  dozen.  Mr.  Schroder  devotes  his  entire 
time  and  attention  to  his  business,  has  fine 
yards  and  buildings  for  his  fowls  and  is  making 
money.      His  place  is   nicely   improved    and  is 


HISTORY    OF    aONOMA    COUNTY. 


worth  about  $5,000.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schroder 
have  no  children  except  an  adopted  daughter, 
Josephine,  teti  years  of  age,  wiioin  tiiey  adopted 
when  an  infant  of  two  vears. 


fOHN  S.  OLIVER.— The  suljject  of  this 
sketch  was  born  in  Delhi,  Delaware  County, 
New  York,  May  4,  1845,  his  parents  being 
Walter  and  Christina  (Satton)  Oliver,  both  na- 
tives of  Scotland,  who  came  to  the  United  States 
and  located  in  the  county  above  named,  where 
the  fatiier  was  engaged  in  farming.  Mr.  Oliver 
was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  until  between 
sixteen  and  seventeen  years  of  age  when  he  be- 
gan a  three  years  apprenticeship  to  the  black- 
smith's trade  with  Fletcher  &  Stoddard,  of 
Delhi.  At  the  expiration  of  his  apprenticeship 
he  worked  as  a  journeyman  for  that  firm  until 
the  winter  of  1865,  when,  desirous  of  seeing 
something  of  the  United  States,  and  establish- 
ing himself  in  life,  he  started,  via  the  Isthmus 
route,  for  California,  and  arrived  in  San  Fran- 
cisco in  January,  1866.  After  a  short  stay  in 
that  city  he  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  located 
at  Bloomfield.  He  at  once  secured  work  at  his 
trade  in  the  shops  of  A.  H.  Knapp.  After 
w'orking  as  a  journeyman  about  a  year  and  a 
half,  he  purchased  the  interest  of  Mr.  Stocking 
in  the  blacksmith  shops  connected  with  Mr. 
Knapp's  works,  which  he  conducted  until  1869, 
and  then  took  George  Pringle  as  a  partner,  con- 
tinuing the  enterprise  with  him  about  two 
years.  Thomas  Mooney  then  pui-chased  Mr. 
Pringle's  interest  in  the  works,  and  from  that 
time  until  1883  Messrs.  Oliver  &  Mooney  car- 
ried on  the  business.  They  were  successful  in 
the  undertaking  and  had  the  most  complete 
works  for  general  blacksmithing,  repairing  of 
agricultural  implements,  etc.,  in  that  section  of 
the  county.  October  1,  1883,  Mr.  Oliver  sold 
out  his  shop  to  Thomas  Moore  and  then  rented 
the  fine  farm  of  "William  Jones,  consisting  of 
640  acres,  located  on  the  Bloomfield  and  Val- 
ley Ford  road,  about  two  miles  west  of  Bloom- 


field. Since  that  date  Mr.  Oliver  has  devoted 
himself  to  agricultural  pursuits.  He  is  a  tine 
business  man,  and  his  industrious  and  energetic 
habits  have  secured  him  a  well  deserved  success 
in  his  farming  operation  s.  He  is  the  owner  of 
120  head  of  fine  graded  cattle,  improved  by 
Durham  and  Ayrshire  breeds.  Eighty  head  of 
these  cattle  form  a  splendid  dairy,  the  products 
of  which  are  first-class  and  command  the  best 
market  rates.  Mr.  Oliver  is  justly  proud  of  his 
horses,  among  which  may  be  found  splendid 
specimens  of  draft  and  roadsters,  of  the  Nor- 
man and  McClellan  stock.  He  also  has  upon 
the  farm  eighty  hogs  of  the  Berkshire  and 
Poland  China  bretds.  Mr.  Oliver  finds  the 
most  profit  in  diversified  farming,  and  in  addi- 
tion to  stock  is  raising  hay,  wheat,  oats  and 
barley,  and  is  also  successful  in  the  cultivation 
of  potatoes,  to  which  he  has  devoted  from  fifty 
to  sixty  acres  each  year.  Mr.  Oliver  is  well 
known  throughout  his  section  of  the  county. 
Flis  business  has  been  of  that  character  that  has 
brought  him  in  contact  with  the  agricultural 
and  business  portion  of  the  community,  and  his 
manly  and  consistent  course  of  life  and  straight- 
forward business  dealings  have  gained  him 
hosts  of  friends.  He  is  a  public-spirited  and 
enterprising  citizen  and  one  who  is  never  back- 
ward in  aiding  any  enterprise  that  in  his  belief 
will  advance  the  interests  of  the  community  in 
which  he  resides.  He  was  for  many  years  a 
school  trustee  in  his  district  and  is  a  strong  sup- 
porter of  the  public  schools.  In  political 
matters  Mr.  Oliver  is  Democratic,  and  his  influ- 
ence has  always  been  exerted  for  what  he  con- 
sidered for  the  best  interests  of  his  party.  He 
has  several  times  times  been  chosen  as  a  dele- 
gate to  represent  his  section  in  the  Democratic 
county  conventions.  He  is  a  member  of  Vit- 
ruvious  Lodge,  No.  145,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Bloom- 
field, and  of  Santa  Rosa  Cha[)ter,  Xo.  45,  R.  A. 
M.  He  is  also  a  member  of  Bloomfield  Lodge, 
No.  191,  and  Bloomfield  Encampment,  No.  61, 
I.  O.  O.  F.  In  1871  Mr.  Oliver  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Etta  Hickman,  daughter  of 
Hiram  and  Elenor  Hickman,  natives  of  Indiana 


U16T0liY    OF    bOXUMA     COUNTY. 


but  residents  of  Bloonifield.  Mrs.  Oliver  died 
in  1873,  leaving  one  child — Walter  Engene. 
In  1877  Mr.  Oliver  married  Miss  Catherine 
Lloyd,  the  daughter  of  "William  and  Catherine 
Lloyd,  of  Sonoma  County.  They  liave  one 
child — Gertrude  L-ene. 

fDWARD  SURRY IINE  was  born  in  Gen- 
esee County,  Michigan,  September  22, 
1839,  his  parents  being  William  and 
Phebe  (Gathwaite)  Surryhne,  the  former  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  latter  of 
Wales.  Mr.  Surryhne  was  reared  as  a  farmer, 
receiving  such  an  education  as  the  common 
schools  atibrded.  He  was  of  an  energetic  and 
ambitious  disposition,  and  at  the  age  of  seven- 
teen years  started  in  life  upon  his  own  account, 
and  engaged  in  farm  labor.  Before  the  age  of 
twenty-cme  he  was  the  owner  of  a  farm.  In 
1S58  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  M.  Van  Due- 
sen,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Forbes) 
Van  Duesen,  natives  of  New  York,  where  Mrs. 
Surryline  was  born.  Mr.  Surryhne  continued 
his  farming  operations,  also  trading  in  stock, 
etc.,  until  1861.  In  that  year  the  war  of  tlie 
Rebellion  broke  out,  and  the  North  was  called 
upon  to  save  our  country  from  secession  and 
disruption.  Mr.  Surryhne  did  not  long  hesi- 
tate. His  patriotism  was  stronger  than  the 
ties  of  home  and  his  moneyed  interests,  and  he 
enlisted  as  a  private  soldier  in  Company  E, 
Twenty-third  Regiment  of  Michigan  Infantry. 
This  regiment  was  attached  to  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland,  and  partook  of  the  dangers  of  bat- 
tle, the  hardships  of  marches,  and  duties  of 
camp  life  of  that  army  so  well  known  to  history. 
Mr.  Surryhne  shared  the  fate  of  his  regiment 
until  the  ne.xt  year.  In  one  of  the  night  marches 
a  bridge  or  culvert  broke  under  the  weight  of 
the  column  he  was  marching  with,  and  in  this 
fall  he  received  such  injuries  as  to  incapacitate 
him  from  the  further  duties  of  a  soldier.  He 
was  therefore  honorably  discharged  and  returned 
to  his  home.     Upon  his  return  he  devoted  him- 


self to  snch  farming  operations  as  his  health 
would  permit,  until  1865.  In  this  year  he  came 
by  the  steamer  route  to  California.  Soon  after 
his  arrival  in  San  Francisco  he  went  to  Oak- 
land, where  he  engaged  in  tiie  poultry  business. 
After  a  few  mouths  he  sold  out  and  returned  to 
San  Francisco,  opening  a  feed  store  on  Market 
and  Ecker  streets,  and  combining  with  this  the 
water  business.  He  was  also  engaged  in  a  like 
occupation  on  the  corner  of  First  and  Market 
streets.  In  1867  he  sold  out  his  interests  and 
moved  to  Oakland,  where  he  established  a  lum- 
ber yard.  This  business  soon  assumed  large 
proportions,  and  under  the  name  of  Surryhne 
6c  Vo.  dealt  extensively  in  lumber,  coal,  hay, 
grain,  blinds,  sash,  doors,  lime,  and  in  fact 
building  materials  of  all  sorts.  Mr.  Surryhne 
successfully  conducted  this  large  enterprise 
until  1880.  In  that  year,  desirous  of  a  life  in 
the  country,  he  closed  out  his  business  and 
came  to  Sonoma  County,  and  purchased  300 
acres  of  land  on  the  Santa  Rosa  and  Guerne- 
ville  road,  on  the  Laguna,  seven  and  a  half 
miles  west  of  Santa  Rosa,  in  the  Vine  Hill 
school  district.  Since  that  time  Mr.  Surryhne 
has  devoted  liimself  to  Hgricultural,  horticul- 
tural and  viticultural  pursuits,  in  connection 
with  stock-raising.  He  has  one  of  the  finest 
farms  in  Analy  Township.  The  great  variety 
of  his  ]iroductions  are  deserving  of  special  men- 
tion. Sixty  acres  are  devoted  to  orchard,  as 
follows:  twenty  acres  of  peaches,  fifteen  acres 
of  plums,  twenty  acres  of  apples,  and  five  acres 
of  pears,  French  prunes  and  other  fruit.  This 
magnificent  orchard  has  been  planted  by  i[r. 
Surryhne.  He  also  established  a  nursery  and 
produced  his  own  trees,  which  are  all  of  the 
most  approved  varieties.  Among  his  peaches 
are  the  Wiley  Cling,  Orange  Cling,  Lemon 
Cling,  Crawford,  Australian,  Muir,  Strawberry, 
Kingsberry,  and  others.  There  is  also  a  large 
family  orchard  which  was  planted  before  he 
bought  the  place.  In  this  there  are  filberts, 
walnuts,  nectarines,  figs,  apples,  peaches,  pears, 
plums,  cherries,  prunes,  and  also  berries  of  vari- 
ous  kinds.     One  apple  tree  in  this  orchard  is 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


worthy  of  mention.  It  is  healthy,  productive, 
and  of  immense  growth,  covering  a  space  sixty 
feet  in  diameter.  His  vineyard  occupies  lifty 
acres  (all  l)ut  five  acres  planted  by  himself), 
producing  wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel  and 
Perdeges  variety,  also  twenty-three  otlier  varie- 
ties of  table  grapes  mostly.  Thirty-one  acres 
are  devoted  to  hay,  and  six  acres  in  alfalfa  for 
pasturage.  The  rest  of  his  land,  except  twenty 
acres  of  corn,  potatoes,  etc.,  is  devoted  to  stock 
purposes,  nearlj'  100  acres  of  this  being  tim- 
bered and  still  in  its  wild  state.  Among  the 
stock  are  100  sheep  of  the  Southdown  and 
French  Merino  hreeds.  Horses  and  cattle,  such 
as  are  required  to  conduct  his  farm  operations, 
are  also  bred.  Among  the  cattle  are  some 
thoroughbred  Jerseys.  Among  the  many  build- 
ing improvements  made  by  Mr.  Surryhne,  is  a 
winer}'  and  dry-house,  both  capable  of  caring 
for  a  large  portion  of  the  products  of  his  vine- 
yard and  orchard.  A  comfortable  residence  in 
which  he  has  many  of  the  luxuries  of  modern 
life,  and  commodious  out-buildings,  bespeak 
the  prosperous  farmer.  Mr.  Surryhne,  during 
his  comparatively  short  residence,  has  so  identi- 
fied himself  with  all  enterprises  tending  to 
promote  the  interests  of  the  county,  and  par- 
ticularly of  his  section,  that  he  is  well  and  ex- 
tensively known.  His"previous  business  habits, 
coupled  with  unbounded  energy  and  enterprise, 
have  enabled  him  to  accomplish  as  much,  in 
less  than  ten  years,  as  many  do  in  a  life-time. 
He  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  also  a  member  of  the  order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  the  A.  O.  U.  W.  Of  the  latter  order 
lie  was  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  first 
lodge  started  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  was  its 
first  master  workman.  He  was  first  assistant 
chief  of  the  Oakland  fire  department.  At  pre- 
sent he  is  a  school  trustee  of  his  district,  a 
position  he  has  held  for  eight  years.  Politically 
he  is  a  Republican,  and  was  the  treasurer  of  the 
Republican  Central  Committee  of  Oakland  in 
1880.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Surryhne  have  nine  chil- 
dren, namely:  Emma  I.,  who  married  W.  F. 
Price,  now  living  in  Oakland;  Charles  K.,  i^cn- 


jainin    Franklin,    George    J.,     Robert,    Mabel, 
Hiram,  Elizabeth  ami  John  C. 


fDWARD  P.  COLGAN.— This  gentleman, 
who  is  one  of  Sonoma  County's  most 
esteemed  and  popular  native  sons,  was 
born  in  Santa  Rosa  in  1856.  His  father,  for 
whom  he  was  nauied,  was  one  of  the  famous 
forty-niners,  having  come  from  New  York,  the 
State  of  his  nativity,  and  settled  in  San  Fran- 
cisco in  that  year.  In  1853  he  moved  to  Santa 
Rosa,  then  an  infant  village,  where  he  passed 
the  remainder  of  his  life,  and  passed  away  in 
1878,  leaving  a  widow  who  is  still  a  resident  of 
the  City  of  Roses.  In  his  youth  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  learned  the  trade  of  blacksmith,  and 
about  eight  years  ago,  in  company  with  W.  R. 
Smith,  established  the  blacksmithing  and  car- 
riage and  wagon  manufacturing  business  in  his 
native  city.  Several  changes  have  taken  place 
in  the  partnership  since  that  time,  the  firm  now- 
being  Colgan  &  Simpson,  and  they  do  a  large 
"  business  on  West  Fourth  street,  near  A  street,  and 
employquite  annmber  of  skilled  mechanics  in  the 
manufacture  of  all  classes  of  vehicles  and  repair 
work  and  general  blacksmithing.  In  the  fall 
of  1886  Mr.  Colgan  was  nominated  for  sheriff 
of  Sonoma  County,  on  the  Republican  ticket, 
and  though  the  county  had  always  been  Demo- 
cratic by  a  large  majority,  he  was  elected  over 
his  competitor  by  a  majority  of  816  votes.  He 
filled  the  office  with  so  much  ability  and  satis- 
faction to  his  constituents  that  he  was  again 
nominated  in  1888,  and  notwithstanding  that  a 
special  contest  was  made  by  the  opposing  party 
for  the  office  of  sheriff,  and  his  competitor  was 
an  old,  highly  respected  and  wealthy  citizen, 
Mr.  Colgan  was  re-elected  by  about  400  major- 
ity, while  the  general  ticket  went  Democratic 
in  the  county  by  about  100  majority.  This  re- 
sult needs  no  comment  as  to  his  pojiularity  as 
an  officer  and  a  gentleman.  Mr.  Colgan  is 
identified  with  a  ?uiinber  of  the  social  and 
fraternal  societies,  litMiii;-  h  member  of  the  f>rd('r 


700 


inSTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


of  the  Native  Sons  of  the  Golden  West,  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  and  a  trustee  in  the  local 
lodge;  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men, and  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
ITfllows — lodge  and  encampment  —  and  has 
served  as  treasurer  of  the  Santa  Rosa  lodge  for 
six  years.  Mr.  Colgan  nuirried  Miss  MoUie 
Smith  of  Santa    Rosa. 


fRED  T.  liUOWN,  of  Russian  River  Town- 
ship,   has    a  ranch   of    240  acres    on    the 
^     llealdsburg    and   Santa  Rosa   road,    some 
two   miles  north  of  Windsor,   on  which  many 
noteworthy  improvements  have  been  made  since 
the  present  owner  came   into  possession.     lIis 
vineyard  covers  an    area  of  seventy-five  acres, 
with  all  vines  in  excellent  condition  and  of  good 
varieties,     namely:     Zinfandel,     Riesling     and 
Golden  Chasselas.      Of  these  vines  twenty-five 
acres  were  planted  in  1881,  while  the  remaining 
fifty    acres    were    set    out   by    Mr.    Brown    in 
1885.     It  is  his  intention  to  erect  a  commodious 
and  substantial  winery  in    1889.       Mr.    Brown 
has  also  set  out  over  forty  acres  of  orchard  and 
has    chosen    the   trees    and    varieties   with    the 
utmost  care  and  judgment,  so  that  the  products 
of  the  place  will  always  be  in  demand.     He  has 
prunes,  Bartlett  pears,   Japan    plums,  shipping 
cherries,  and  peaches  of  the  Orange  cling,  Sal- 
way,  Crawford  and  Honest  Abe  varieties.     All 
are  in  the  most  healthy  condition.     Mr.  Brown 
will   plant  one  acre  of  olives  in  1889,  and  if 
successful  with  them   will  go  more  extensively 
into  the  culture  of  that  excellent  and  valuable 
fruit.     While  tree  fruit  and   grapes  command 
most  of  his  attention,  general  farming  is  also 
carried   on   to  some  extent  on   the  ranch.     A 
never  failing  spring  of  water  supplies  all  needs 
of  house  and  stock,   and  its  capacity  is  not  ex- 
hausted by  a  windmill,  constantly  in  operation, 
using  an  incli  and   a   quarter  pipe.     All  in  all, 
the  ranch  has  an   excellent    location  and  shows 
by  its   appearance  the  care  and  trouble  which 
have  been  bestowed  upon  it,  as  well  as  the  capi- 


tal expended  to  bring  it  to  its  present  condition. 
Fred  T.    Brown,    the   proprietor,  is   a  native  of 
Columbus,  Ohio,  born  September  26,  1852,  and 
son  of  Abraham  C.and  Frances  (Taylor)  Brown, 
the  former  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and   the 
latter  of  Ohio.     The  family  came  to  f -alifornia 
via   Panama    in     1855,    locating     in     Alameda 
County,  where  Mr.   Brown,   senior,  engaged  in 
farming.     Plis  farm  of  that  day   is  now  in   the 
heart    of  Oakland,    Telegraph    avenue  running 
through  a  portion  of  it.     A.   C.   Brown  died  in 
1880,  and  his  wife  in   1872.     Fred  T.  Brown 
was  educated  in  Oakland,  and  in  1874  engaged 
in  business  for  himself      He  embarked  in  the 
grocery    trade,   and   also  dealt  largely  in  hay, 
grain,  wood  and  coal.     Three  years  later  he  re- 
moved to  Nevada  City,  where  he   engaged  in 
mining  and  afterward  in  the  wholesale  tobacco 
trade.     In  1881  he  returned  to  Oakland  and  re- 
sumed his  old  business,  but  in   1883  sold  out, 
bought  where  he  now  resides  and  has  since  de- 
voted his  time  to  the  improvement  of  his  ranch, 
which  he  has  transformed   from  a   rough  place, 
covered  with  stumps  and   trees,    to  one  of  the 
most  handsome  appearing  farms  in  the  county. 
He  was  married   in   Nevada   City,  in  1881,  to 
Miss   Ella   Hamilton,    a    native    of   California, 
whose  parents  came   to   the  State    in  an  early 
day.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  have  three  children, 
viz.:  Addie,  Harry  and  Edna.      In  politics   Mr. 
Brown  is  a  Republican. 

^-^-^ 


imUGUST  MICHAELS  resides  on  the  Santa 
W|  Rosa  and  Sebastopol  road,  about  four  and 
^^  one-half  miles  west  of  Santa  Rosa,  at 
which  place  he  has  a  blacksmith  shop,  in  which 
he  follows  his  trade  of  blacksmith;  he  also  has 
at  this  point  a  wayside  saloon  and  residence,  and 
is  the  owner  of  two  and  one-half  acres  of 
land.  His  shop  is  well  patronized  and  is  a  de- 
sirable acquisition  to  the  neighborhood.  Mr. 
Michaels  is  a  native  of  Prussia,  and  was  born  in 
1826  in  Adersedt  Anhalt,  Bernberg.  His  par- 
ents were  August  and  Katrina  (Ilolwig)  Mich- 


HlSTOHY    UF    SONOMA    COUNTY 


701 


aels,  who  were  also  natives  of  that  place.  Ills 
father  was  a  blacksmith,  and  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen years  he  was  put  into  h  s  father's  shop  to 
learn  that  trade.  lie  worked  at  this  calling  at 
the  place  of  his  birth  until  1855,  and  in  that 
year  came  to  the  United  States.  He  located  in 
New  Haven,  Connecticut,  where  he  worked  at 
his  trade  until  the  followitig  year  when  he  came 
to  California.  Upon  his  arrival  in  San  Francisco, 
being  unable  to  secure  employment  at  his  trade, 
he  shipped  as  a  cook  on  a  schooner  bound  for 
Oregon,  and  after  making  one  or  two  voyages, 
left  that  occupation  and  worked  at  his  trade  in 
Portland,  and  also  for  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment at  the  Dalles,  Oregon.  He  also  worked 
as  a  butcher  in  Portland.  In  1858  he  returned 
to  San  Francisco,  where  he  worked  for  the  ne,\t 
three  years,  after  which  lie  went  to  San  Jose  and 
was  there  employed  two  years.  He  engaged 
in  mining  for  some  time  at  Oroville;  for  sev- 
eral years  conducted  a  shop  in  Bolinas  Bay  and 
also  in  San  Rafael;  in  1878  engaged  in  work  in 
Alameda;  several  years  later  located  in  Peta- 
luma,  Sonoma  County;  and  in  1885  purchased 
the  place  he  now  occupies.  Mr.  Michaels  is  a 
self-made  man,  and  his  success  in  life  is  due  to 
his  good  meciianical  ability  and  energetic  and 
industrious  l*bits.  Mr.  Michaels  was  united 
in  marriage  in  1872,  in  San  Francisco,  to  Miss 
Anna  Mitchell,  daughter  of  Arthur  and  Susana 
Mitchell,  natives  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany. 
They  have  two  children:  Anna  and  Albert,  who 
are  residing  with  their  parents. 

— ^^m^m^^- 

j;'K:\SA  HIGGINS  was  born  on  Cape  Cod  in 
(y  the  town  of  Orleans,  Barnstable  County, 
^3?  ^Massachusetts,  September  22,  1829.  The 
family  is  of  English  descent.  Asa  Iliggins, 
grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
born  in  England  September  B,  170(5,  and  his 
wife,  Lucy  Iliggins,  was  born  March  18,  1709. 
They  emigrated  to  the  United  States  and  settled 
in  Massachusetts,  where  they  reared  a  family  of 
seven  chihlren,  of  whom    Ilorton    Iliggins.   the 


father  of  our  subject,  was  born  August  23, 
1816.  He  was  an  old  seaman  and  followed  that 
vocation  during  his  life  time.  He  died  Sep- 
tember 12,  1842,  after  which  his  widow,  Sallie 
(Nickerson)  Iliggins,  made  her  home  with  her 
children  in  this  State  until  her  death.  They 
had  two  children:  Asa,  and  Lucy  A.,  wife  of 
Samuel  Morrison,  of  Santa  Clara.  Asa  Ilig- 
gins lived  with  his  parents  until  he  was  fifteen 
years  of  age,  when  he  went  to  Boston  and  en- 
gaged in  the  Faneuil  Hall  market,  where  he 
remained  until  he  was  nineteen.  He  then  sailed 
from  Boston  in  the  schooner  Boston,  a  vessel  of 
ninety-six  tons  burden,  rounded  Cape  Horn, 
and  after  stopping  about  a  month  in  port  at  St. 
Catherine,  landed  in  San  Francisco  July  5,  1849. 
After  remaining  there  some  two  or  three  weeks, 
he  went  up  to  Sacramento  and  from  there  to  the 
mines  on  the  Little  Fork  of  the  American  River 
where  he  worked  about  a  year  and  a  half.  From 
there  he  went  to  Amador,  and  remained  in  that 
vicinity  until  he  left  that  section  of  the  coun- 
try. He  had  fair  success  at  mining.  The  cost 
of  living  was  pretty  high,  and  about  all  they 
could  get  to  eat  was  flour,  pork  and  beans. 
From  there  he  went  to  Santa  Clara  County  and 
took  up  a  quarter  section  of  Government  land, 
situated  between  Alviso  and  Santa  Clara,  where 
he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1858.  He  then 
sold  his  land,  changed  his  residence  to  Sonoma 
County  and  bought  the  place  where  he  now 
lives,  consisting  of  220  acres.  There  were  no 
improvements  when  he  came  here,  no  public 
road  anywhere  near  him,  and  it  was  a  good  day's 
work  sometimes  to  drive  to  Petaluma  and  back, 
a  distance  of  only  four  miles.  The  ranch  is  now 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  and  is  devoted 
mostly,  to  raising  grain  and  stock.  The  land  is 
particularly  adapted"  to  the  raising  of  wheat,  the 
highest  yield  in  any  one  year  being  forty-eight 
bushels  to  the  acre.  The  average  crop  now 
ranges  from  twenty-five  to  thirty-five  bushels  to 
the  acre.  He  has  about  fifteen  head  of  cattle, 
of  which  ten  are  thoroughbred  stock.  Mr.  Ilig- 
gins is  a  great  admirer  of  fine  horses,  and  has 
turned  his  attention    to    breeding  and   raising 


702 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


some  of  the  finest  liorses  in  the  county.  He 
lias  some  particularly  fine  ones  of  Electioneer 
and  Pachen  trotting  stock,  and  also  some  draft 
horses.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Sonoma 
and  Marin  District  Agricultural  Society  for 
about  ten  years,  and  takes  a  great  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  the  organization.  Mr.  Higgins 
was  first  married  in  1858  to  Rebecca  T.  Wis- 
well,  a  native  of  Maine,  who  came  to  this  State 
in  1855.  She  died  December  29,  1874,  at  the 
age  of  forty-seven  years.  She  was  the  mother 
of  two  children:  Anson  "W.,  born  February  15, 
1860,  died  September  26,  the  same  year; 
Charles  B.,  born  August  22,  1861,  died  March 
7,  1885.  Mr.  Higgins  was  again  married  Jul\' 
2,  1876,  taking  for  his  second  wife  Helen  H. 
Jones,  a  native  of  New  York  and  a  lady  of 
most  e.xcellent  worth.  She  died  May  28,  1887, 
at  the  age  of  forty-nine  years. 

tEOPOLD  S.  GOODMAN.— Among  the 
prominent  merchants  and  business  men  of 
Bodega  Township  is  the  above  named 
gentleman.  A  brief  review  of  his  life  and  con- 
nection with  the  business  interests  of  Sonoma 
County,  herewith  given,  is  of  interest.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Germany  in 
1838,  his  father  being  Solomon  Goodman,  a 
stock-dealei-  and  farmer.  Mr.  Goodman  re- 
mained at  home,  attending  school  and  working 
on  his  father's  farm  until  he  was  seventeen  years 
of  age.  His  energetic  and  ambitious  disposition 
then  prompted  him  to  seek  his  fortune  in  newer 
countries,  and  in  1858  he  emigrated  to  the 
United  States,  landing  in  New  York  in  the 
spring  of  that  year.  Mr.  Goodman  stopped  in 
New  York  for  about  a  year,  engaging  in  various 
occupations,  a  portion  of  the  time  being  in  a 
hotel.  In  1857  he  came  by  the  Isthmus  route 
to  California.  Shortly  after  his  arrival  in  San 
Francisco  he  commenced  the  business  of  a  ped- 
dler, confining  his  operations  to  the  city,  but  as 
his  capital  increased  he  enlarged  his  business 
and  made  regular  trips  through  the  counties  of 


Yolo,  Napa,  Solano  and  Sonoma.  During  the 
time  he  was  engaged  in  peddling  he  was  also 
seeking  a  desirable  location  in  which  to  engage 
in  permanent  business.  Sonoma  seemed  to  have 
the  most  attractions,  and  in  186-1  he  established 
a  general  merchandise  store  at  Bodega  Corners, 
an  enterprise  which  he  has  since  conducted.  In 
1874  a  disastrous  tire  completely  destroyed  his 
store  and  stock  of  goods,  but  nothing  daunted, 
he  started  again  and  in  less  than  a  week  was 
meeting  the  demands  of  his  customers  in  his 
new  establishment.  Mr.  Goodman  is  a  fine 
illustration  of  the  success  that  men  of  his  char- 
acteristics achieve.  He  came  to  California  with 
no  capital  but  untiring  industry  and  a  desire  to 
succeed  in  life.  These  traits  of  his  character, 
combined  with  a  manly  course  of  life,  and  square 
straightforward  dealin£:s  have  insured  his  suc- 
cess  and  secured  him  a  competency.  He  has 
now  one  of  the  representative  mercantile  estab- 
lishments of  Bodega  Township,  and  is  well 
supported  by  the  community  in  which  he  re- 
sides. His  establishment  is  complete  in  all  its 
appointments,  and  his  well  laden  shelves  contain 
all  articles  necessary  in  meeting  the  most  ex- 
acting demands  of  the  community,  even  to  drugs 
and  medicines.  Mr.  Goodman  has  also  large 
-real  estate  interests  in  the  county^  He  is  the 
owner  of  1)14  acres  of  timber  and  farming  lands 
near  Glen  Mills,  with  substantial  improvements, 
including  orchard,  etc.  This  place  supports  a 
large  dairy  of  120  cows.  He  also  owns  419 
acres  in  Ocean  Township,  consisting  mostly  of 
grazing  lands.  He  is  the  owner  of  the  buildings 
occupied  in  his  business,  and  a  residence  at 
Bodega  Corners.  For  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury Mr.  Goodman  has  been  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile pursuits  in  Bodega  Township.  He  is 
well  known  throughout  his  section,  and  has 
gained  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  community 
in  which  he  resides.  Enterprising  and  progres- 
sive in  his  views,  he  believes  in  the  full  growth 
and  prosperity  of  Sonoina  County,  and  is  ever 
ready  to  aid  in  any  enterprise  tending  to  de- 
velop its  resources.  In  1885  he  was  appointed 
postmaster,  a  position   he  still  retains.      Politi- 


UISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


cally,  he  is  a  Democrat.  He  is  associated  with 
Bodega  Lodge,  No.  213,  F.  it  A.  M.,  was  one 
of  the  cliarter  members  of  that  lodge,  and 
is  now  its  master.  In  1874  Mr.  Goodman 
married  Miss  Fanny  Kline,  a  native  oi"  Germany, 
but  a  resident  of  San  Francisco.  They  have 
three  children  living — Rebecca,  Frederick  S., 
and  David  L. 


fDWARD  T.  BALE,  of  Healdsburg,  is  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  earliest  white 
settlers  of  California.  He  was  born  at  St. 
Helena,  Napa  County,  January  7,  1844.  His 
father,  Dr.  E.  T.  Bale,  was  born  in  London, 
England,  in  1811,  and  there  was  reared  and 
educated  to  the  medical  profession.  He  was 
commissioned  by  the  Queen  as  surgeon  of  the 
English  ship  Harriet,  which  in  the  year  1832 
made  a  voyage  around  Cape  Horn  and  to  the 
California  coast.  The  ship  put  into  port  at  Mon- 
terey, and  soon  afterward  the  young  surgeon 
was  married  to  Donna  Maria  Ignacia  Soberanes, 
daughter  of  a  Spanish  military  officer,  who  had 
come  out  to  Mexican  California  in  the  interest 
of  the  Spanish  Government  and  had  married  a 
sister  of  General  Yallejo.  Dr.  Bale  located  at  • 
San  Francisco,  and  was  soon  after  granted  four 
leagues  of  the  finest  land  in  Xapa  County,  the 
tract  extending  from  what  is  now  Rutherford 
Station  to  the  line  of  Napa  and  Sonoma  Coun- 
ties. He  located  at  St.  Helena,  and  beinga  man 
of  extraordinary  push  and  enterprise,  he  soon 
comtiienced  improvements  which  were  the  won- 
der of  the  natives.  Among  these  were  a  grist 
and  saw-mill  (the  first  in  California),  which  were 
operated  by  water  power,  and  which  arc  still 
standing  on  that  portion  of  the  Bale  grant  known 
as  the  "  Lyman  place."  It  yet  retains  the  name 
of  the  Bale  Mill.  Mr.  Bale  let  the  job  of  its 
construction  to  Sam  Brannan,  the  Mormon,  who 
disappeared  after  its  completion  without  having 
paid  his  help.  He  took  an  active  interest  in  all 
matters  promising  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the 
country,  and  was  one  of  the   party  who  raised 


the  bear  flag  at  Monterey.  In  1849  he  went  to 
the  mines,  but  became  sick  with  fever,  and  re- 
turned to  his  ranch,  where  he  died  in  October 
of  the  same  year.  His  widow  is  still  living  on 
the  old  homestead,  aged  seventy-two  years. 
Their  children  were  six  in  number,  as  follows: 
Loleta,  wife  of  Louis  Brooks,  of  Napa  County; 
Caroline,  wife  of  Charles  Krug,  one  of  the 
prominent  men  of  Napa  County;  Edward  T.,  Jr., 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch;  Anita,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty;  Juanita  and  Mariano,  who 
reside  in  Napa.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  at  the  home  place  in  Napa  County  until 
he  was  thirteen  years  of  age  when  he  was  sent 
to  Boston  to  be  educated.  After  spending  five 
years  at  Cambridge  College  he  returned  to  the 
ranch.  He  was  yet  a  boy  at  the  breaking  out 
of  the  civil  war,  but  he  enlisted  in  the  service  of 
the  Union,  and  was  assigned  to  the  First  Cali- 
fornia Cavalry,  and  commis.sioned  Second  Lieu- 
tenant by  Gov.  Lowe.  He  was  promoted  to 
First  Lieutenant,  and  finally  received  from  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  his  commission  as  Captain.  He 
served  with  credit  at  Salt  Lake  and  in  Arizona 
until  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he  received  an 
honorable  discharge  and  returned  to  the  ranch. 
From  1878  to  1880  he  represented  the  railroad 
company  and  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co.,  at  Calistoga, 
and  then  removed  to  Sonoma  County  to  look 
after  his  interests  there.  He  has  resided  in 
Healdsburg  since  November,  1887.  Mr.  Bale 
was  married  in  May,  1872,  to  Miss  Francisca 
Juarez.  They  have  had  nine  children,  viz.: 
Edward,  deceased;  Freddie,  Loleta,  Anita, 
Ernest,  Charles,  Carolina,  Edward  and  Dora. 
Mr.  Bale  has  a  membership  in  the  N.  S.  G.  W. 
and  I.  O.  O.  F.  at  Calistoga,  and  in  the  A.  O.  H. 
W.  at  Healdsburg.  Mrs.  Bale  also  belongs  to 
the  historic  families  of  California.  Her  father, 
Don  Ceyetano  Juarez,  was  born  at  Monterey 
Presidio  February  24,  1809,  and  is  the  seventh 
son  of  Joaquin  and  Josefa  Pas(juala  Guarnuno 
de  Juarez.  He  received  his  education  from 
private  tutors,  and  on  April  1,  1827,  enlisted  in 
the  Mexican  army.  He  was  stationed  at  Presi- 
dio, San  Francisco,  until  August  14  of  that  year. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


when  he  went  with  his  command  to  Sonoma  to 
keep  the  Indians  of  Sonoma  and  jSapa  Valleys 
in  subjection.  One  night  in  February,  1849, 
he  was  informed  by  an  Indian  that  the  citizens 
and  soldiers  stationed  at  San  Rafael  had  bjen 
driven  out  by  2,000  Indians.  The  Don  took 
live  picked  ineu  and  started  for  the  scene.  After 
his  arrival  there  he  found  out  the  situation  and 
started  in  pursuit  of  the  hostile  Indians.  He 
overtook  them  at  the  Laguna,  southwest  of  the 
present  site  of  Petaluma,  and  after  a  skirmish 
the  Indians  retreated,  but  were  again  overtaken 
at  the  Wahluni  rancheria,  near  where  Sebastopol 
now  stands.  There  he  defeated  them,  and  re- 
leased 200  prisoners — civilized  Indians,  whom 
the  hostiles  had  made  prisoners  at  San  Rafael. 
In  the  fight  Don  f.  Juarez  was  wounded,  an 
arrow  entering  his  breast  after  having  passed 
through  a  vest  made  from  some  thicknesses  of 
rawhide.  He  sent  a  courier  to  the  Presidio, 
San  Francisco,  with  news  of  the  affair,  and  forty 
soldiers  were  sent  to  meet  the  Indians.  At  the 
present  site  of  Ilealdsburg  the  two  forces  canie 
together,  and  this  time  the  Indians  were  victo- 
rious. The  soldiers,  most  of  whom  were  wound- 
ed, returned  to  San  Francisco,  not  having 
accomplished  as  much  as  did  Juarez  and  his 
little  band.  He  was  honorably  discharged  from 
the  army  February  19,  1836.  In  the  winter  of 
1837-'38  he  brought  horses  and  cattle  into  Napa 
Valley,  and  herdiug  them  during  the  day  time, 
would  return  at  night  to  Sonoma,  where  his 
family  lived.  In  December,  1837,  his  assistance 
was  required  by  General  Vallejo  in  quelling  a 
mutiny  among  the  soldiers,  and  he  aided  in  the 
successful  accomplishment  of  that  purpose,  not 
without  peril  to  himself.  In  1839  he  accom- 
plished the  return  of  twenty  Indian  soldiers 
who  had  deserted  from  General  Vallejo,  again 
placing  his  life  in  jeopardy  in  carrying  out  the 
dictates  of  his  indomitable  will.  In  1840  he 
removed  his  family  to  his  present  place,  the 
Tulucay  grant  (of  two  leagues),  which  was  ceded, 
to  him  by  the  Mexican  Government  October  6, 
of  that  year,  and  built  an  adobe  house  for  a 
residence.      In  1845  he  l)uilt  a  larger  adobe,  and 


both  are  yet  standing.  In  1848  he  was  elected 
Alcalde  of  the  District  of  Sonoma.  The  same 
year  about  twenty  Americans  assembled  near 
where  Healdsburg  now  stands,  and  Juarez 
raised  a  force  and  drove  them  away.  The  ex- 
citement was  thereby  raised  to  a  high  pitch, 
bad  feelings  prevailed,  and  the  bear  flag  war 
resulted.  On  January  14, 1846,  the  Americans 
captured  Sonoma  Presidio,  taking  the  garrison 
as  prisoners.  On  June  18,  Juarez  was  sent  to 
join  the  Mexicans,  who  proposed  to  engage  the 
Americans  in  war.  He  arrived  at  the  rendez- 
vous, near  Santa  Rosa,  in  time  to  save  the  lives 
of  two  Americans,  and  this  act  subsequently 
gained  for  him  immunity  from  disturbance  by 
the  Americans.  He  took  a  neutral  part  during 
the  subsequent  troubles,  and  although  he  was 
often  put  to  annoyance,  received  no  personal  in- 
jury and  suffered  noserious  pecuniary  loss.  He  is 
one  of  tlie  few  men  granted  lands  by  the  Mexi- 
can Government,  who  preserved  his  possessions 
until  they  reached  a  large  valuation,  and  he  is 
now  a  wealthy  man.  His  life  has  been  full  of 
adventure,  and  if  published  would  read  like  a 
romance.  He  was  married  February  14,  1835, 
to  Maria  de  Jesus  Higuena,  daughter  of  Fran- 
cisco Higuena.  She  was  born  in  San  Francisco 
'December  4,  1815.  They  have  seven  living 
children,  viz.:  Aujustin,  Cayetano  F.,  Dolores, 
Francisco  J.  (Mrs.  Bale),  Pasquala,  Domitila 
and  Sintoresa. 


fOHN  STRONG.— The  subject  of  this 
sketch  resides  in  Bennett  Valley,  about 
two  miles  southeast  of  Santa  Rosa,  in  the 
Santa  Rosa  school  district,  at  which  point  he 
owns  240  acres  of  rich  and  productive  land. 
He  has  twenty-five  acres  of  vineyard,  producing 
wine  grapes  of  the  Zinfandel  variety,  also  three 
acres  of  orchard  containing  a  large  variety  of 
fruits,  among  which  are  apples,  peaches,  pears, 
quinces,  plums,  and  figs.  The  rest  of  his  land 
is  devoted  to  hay,  grain  and  stock-raising.  A 
comfortable  cottage  residence,  large  and  eommo- 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


dioiis  barns  and  oiit-l)iiildings  attest  the  success 
wliicli  Mr.  Strong  is  attaining.  A  brief  resume 
of  this  gentleman's  life  is  of  interest  and  is  as 
follows:  He  was  born  in  County  Donegal,  Ire- 
land, in  1838,  and  is  the  son  of  George  and 
Jennie  (Vance)  Strong,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Ireland.  LFntil  the  age  of  seventeen 
years  he  was  reared  u  pon  his  father's  farm; 
where  he  became  well  versed  in  the  practical 
details  of  farming  and  stock-raising.  In  1855 
he  emigrated  to  Canada,  and  there  engaged  in 
farm  labor  until  1858.  He  then  served  an  ap- 
prenticeship as  a  miller  until  1862.  In  this 
latter  year  he  started  by  the  Istlunus  route  for 
California.  Upon  his  a'rrival  at  San  Francisco, 
not  being  able  to  secure  work  at  his  trade  as  a 
miller,  he  went  into  the  country  and  engaged  in 
farm  labor,  and  later  went  to  Santa  Clara 
County,  where  he  worked  as  a  miller  for  about 
eighteen  months.  Pie  then  located  in  Plumas 
County,  and  for  a  short  time  was  engaged  in 
mining  and  also  in  farm  work.  In  1864  the 
Washoe  mining  excitement  induced  him  to  try 
his  luck  in  that  direction.  A  short  stay  at 
Washoe  convinced  him  that  he  was  not  suited 
to  the  business  of  a  miner,  and  he  went  to 
Napa  County,  engaging  in  agricultural  pursuits 
until  1865.  At  this  time  cotton  growing  in 
Mexico  was  attracting  considerable  attention, 
and  Mr.  Strong  concluded  to  embark  in  that  en- 
terprise. He  jjroceeded  to  Mexico,  but  finding 
the  climate,  people  and  condition  of  the  enter- 
prise utterly  unsuited  to  him,  after  a  short  stay 
he  returned  to  San  Francisco.  He  then  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  and 
was  for  several  months  at  work  near  Antioch. 
He  then  located  in  Knoxville,  Lake  County, 
where  he  was  employed  in  the  quicksilver  mines. 
He  then  returned  to  ISIapa  County,  and  in  1866 
came  to  Sonoma  County  and  located  in  Franze 
Valley,  near  Calistoga.  There  he  rented  a  farm 
which  he  conducted  for  the  next  two  years.  In 
1868  he  moved  to  Santa  Ilosa,  where  he  rented 
172  acres  of  land  from  Winfield  Wright,  which 
he  occupied  for  about  a  year.  He  then  rented 
the  Clark  farm  near  Sebastopol,  and  conducted 


the  same  until  1872,  when  he  rented  and  moved 
to  the  Ogan  farm  on  tiie  Petahima  road.  In 
June,  1873,  Mr.  Strong  married  Mrs.  Catherine 
(Morrow)  Martin,  the  widow  of  William  Mar- 
tin, formerly  a  resident  of  Sonoma  County.  Mr. 
Strong  remained  upon  the  last  mentioned  farm 
until  1875,  when  he  purchased  the  land  and 
took  up  his  residence  upon  the  farm  described 
at  the  beginning  of  this  sketch.  Since  that 
time  he  has  devoted  himself  to  its  cultivatiun 
and  improvement.  He  has  been  successful  in 
both  and  now  has  one  of  the  best  and  most  pro- 
ductive farms  in  Bennett  Valley.  Mr.  Strong 
is  well  known  throughout  a  large  portion  of  So- 
noma County,  and  wherever  known  is  respected 
and  esteemed  as  one  of  the  honest,  straightfor- 
ward and  representative  citizens  of  Sonoma 
County.  He  is  a  member  of  Santa  Hosa 
Grange,  Patrons  of  Husbandry.  A  strong 
supporter  of  the  public  schools,  he  has  for  ten 
years  been  a  school  trustee  in  his  district.  He 
is  a  faithful  and  consistent  member  of  the  Epis- 
copal church.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Strong  have  six 
children,  viz.:  John  H.,  Emma  J.,  Margaret 
A.,  Joseph  A.,  Mary  E.  and  Samuel  H.  Mrs. 
Strong  has  two  sons- by  her  first  marriage,  Will- 
iam G.  and  James  Thomas  Martin,  who  are 
members  of  Mr.  Strong's  household. 


&^     <^r^'  '^ 


ILLIAM  STEPHENS,  of  the  firm  of 
t't/VMH  Stephens  &  Co.,  wine  manufacturers, 
!^  conducts  the  extensive  business  of  the 
establishment  at  Windsor.  The  firm  is  com- 
posed of  George  P.  Norman  and  Mr.  Stephens, 
the  partnership  having  been  effected  in  August, 
1887.  The  plant  was  purcliased  from  Bernard 
Iloben,  who  established  the  business  in  East 
AVindsor,  and  after  losing  his  wooden  buildings 
there  by  lire,  rebuilt  on  the  present  site  in  1883. 
The  buildings  are  of  brick,  the  main  portion 
having  a  ground  area  of  85x105  feet  and  being 
two  stories  in  height.  The  fermenting  cellar 
stands  72x84  feet  on  the  ground,  having  had 
extensive  additions  made  in  1888.     The  storasre 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


capacity  has  been  increased  from  200,000  to 
300,000  gallons  under  the  present  management. 
A  distillery  was  added  to  the  plant  in  1887,  and 
during  the  season  of  1888  their  department 
turned  out  4,800  gallons  of  grape  brandy  in 
eight  and  a  half  days.  The  products  of  both 
winery  and  distillery  have  a  high  reputation  and 
command  a  ready  sale.  They  sell  only  to  the 
wholesale  trade,  and  place  on  the  market  over 
160,000  gallons  per  annum.  William  Stephens, 
under  whose  strict  supervision  the  business  of 
tlie  winery  is  carried  on,  is  a  native  of  Columbia, 
Adair  County,  Kentucky,  born  January  11, 
1841,  his  parents  being  Nathaniel  and  Gillea 
(Bowmer)  Stephens.  His  grandfather,  AVilliam 
Stephens,  removed  to  Kentucky  from  the  vicin- 
ity of  Jamestown,  Virginia,  in  an  early  day,  and 
Nathaniel  Stephens  was  born  in  what  is  now 
Russell  County,  Kentucky.  The  grandfather 
of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  on  his  mother's 
side,  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  who 
moved  from  there  to  Kentucky,  and  in  the  lat- 
ter State  the  mother  of  Williatn  Stephens  was 
born.  His  ancestors  on  the  Stephens  side  were 
Scotch,  and  were  driven  to  Holland  at  the  time 
of  the  "Roundhead'"  agitation.  The  name  of 
the  mother's  family,  Bowmer,  was  originally 
Boehtner,  and  her  grandfather,  a  Russian,  was 
sent  into  exile.  He  reared  two  sons,  one  of 
whom,  Elijah,  located  in  Alabama,  while  John 
Bowmer,  grandfather  of  William  Stephens,  lo- 
cated in  Kentucky  as  before  mentioned.  He 
died  in  1857,  at  the  age  of  ninety-four  years. 
Nathaniel  Stephens  was  a  farmer,  but  the  grand- 
fathers of  William  Stephens  were  both  distillers. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  at 
Columbia,  Kentucky,  and  incidentally  learned 
the  distilling  business  with  his  grandfather.  In 
1858  he  left  his  native  State  and  removed  to 
Indiana,  where  he  resided  for  some  time  in  War- 
wick and  Spencer  counties.  From  there  he 
went  to  Iowa  and  traveled  through  that  State, 
Nebraska  and  Missouri,  in  the  interest  of  an 
agricultural  implement  house.  In  1871  he  came 
to  the  Pacific  coast  and  traveled  throughout 
California,  Oregon,  etc.      In   1879   being  asso- 


ciated with  Mr.  Wooden,  the  manufacturer,  he 
went  to  Australia  on  business  connected  with 
the  construction  and  sale  of  wind  mills  and  well- 
boring  machinery.  He  remained  there  about 
three  years,  with  headquarters  at  Melbourne, 
and  returned  to  San  Francisco  September  4, 
1882.  He  engaged  in  farming  and  in  real  es- 
tate transactions,  and  still  retains  farming  prop- 
erty near  Santa  Rosa.  He  leased  the  Windsor 
winery  in  1886,  and  eleven  months  later,  in 
cormection  with  his  partner,  purchased  the 
property.  On  his  ranch  seven  miles  west  of 
Santa  Rosa,  on  the  Healdsburg  and  Sebastopol 
road,  he  has  forty  acres  in  grapes.  They  are 
Zinfandel,  planted  in  i883,  and  there  is  no 
better  vineyard  in  the  county.  In  1888  they 
turned  out  three  and  a  half  tons  to  the  acre. 
On  a  new  road  between  Santa  Rosa  and  Forest- 
ville  he  has  140  acres  more.  Mr.  Stephens  has 
been  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Annie 
E.  Rice,'and  is  now  deceased.  By  this  marriage 
there  are  two  children:  William  C.  and  Laura 
D.  His  present  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Louisa 
Gessford,  daughter  of  P.  G.  and  Louisa  J.  Gess- 
ford,  and  sister  of  Senator  Gessford.  Her 
father  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  ot 
Napa  County.  Politically,  Mr.  Stephens  is  a 
Democrat. 


fHKISTOPF  SPRINGER  was  born  in 
Holstein,  Lower  Germany,  near  the  town 
of  Elmshorn.  August  8, 1836,  his  parents 
being  Christopher  and  Margueretta  (Timm) 
Springer.  The  foriuer  is  now  a  resident  of 
Germany  and  the  latter  died  in  1861.  They 
were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  of  whom 
Hve  died  in  infancy  and  another,  Margueretta, 
died  in  1866  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years. 
The  living  members  of  the  family  are  Christopf 
and  Frank.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  grew 
to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm,  living  with 
his  parents  until  he  was  thirty-four  years  of 
age.  According  to  the  laws  of  Germany  every 
boy  as  soon  as  he  is  old  enough  is  compelled   to 


UlSToltY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


attend  school  until  he  is  fifteen,  except  in  cases 
where  he  is  of  poor  parents,  when,  during  the 
suinuier  months  lie  is  allowed  to  stay  out  with 
the  exception  of  iwo  half  days  in  each  of  these 
months.  Mr.  Springer  was  married  May  27, 
1866,  to  Mary  E.  Kroger,  who  was  horn  May 

12,  1840.  In  1870  he  and  his  family  sailed 
from  Hamburg  on  the  steamer  Ilosased,  and 
landed  in  New -York  where  they  had  to  wait 
nine  days  for  a  steamer  to  Panama.  From  there 
they  came  to  San  Francisco,  landing  there  May 

13.  The  following  day  he  came  to  Petaluma, 
where  he  lived  about  two  months  and  then 
rented  the  farm  on  which  he  now  resides.  In 
187G  he  purchased  the  place,  which  contains 
forty-eight  acres  of  improved  land,  devoted  to 
raising  fruit,  hay  and  potatoes.  There  are  about 
ten  acres  in  trees  of  various  kinds  of  fruit  and 
one  aci'e  in  vines,  which  is  principally  for  home 
use.  Mrs.  Springer  died  October  28,  1884. 
She  was  the  mother  of  five  children,  of  whom 
the  eldest,  John,  was  born  in  German^',  and  the 
others,  Katie  M.,  Mary  E.,  Frank  and  Lena, 
were  born  in  this  country. 


fW.  &  E.  W.  DAVIS,  proprietors  of 
Yulupa  Ranch  and  Vineyard.  This 
''  magnificent  ranch  and  vineyard  is  one 
of  the  most  valuable  and  best  improved  prop- 
erties in  Bennett  Valley.  The  ranch  comprises 
365  acres  of  rich  and  productive  land,  situated 
in  the  above  named  valley,  five  and  one  half 
miles  southeast  of  Santa  Rosa.  Fifty  acres  are 
devoted  to  vineyard,  producing  wine  grapes  of 
Zinfaudel,  Mission  and  other  approved  varieties. 
A  fine  orchard  produces  a  large  variety  of  fruits, 
such  as  are  grown  throughout  the  valley,  also 
many  that  are  cultivated  in  other  sections  in- 
cluding oranges,  lemons,  persimmons,  almonds, 
walnuts,  etc.  The  location,  climate,  soil,  etc., 
seem  adapted  to  an  innumerable  variety.  Gen- 
eral farming  and  stock-raising  are  also  conducted 
in  the  most  approved  style,  seventy-five  acres 
being  devoted  to  hay  and  grain  while  the  stock 


finds  abundant  pasturage  in  the  hills.  Among 
the  sheep  are  found  170  head  of  thoroughbred 
Shropshire  sheep,  also  tine  specimens  of  Dur- 
ham and  Devon  cattle  and  the  most  approved 
and  valuable  grades  of  draft  and  road  horses. 
The  improvements  on  this  model  farm  are  num- 
erous and  first-class  in  every  respect.  Among 
them  are  a  modern  residence,  commodious  and 
complete  in  all  its  appointments,  large  and  well 
ordered  barns  and  out-buildings.  There  is  also 
one  of  the  most  completeand  the  largest  winery  in 
the  valley,  with  a  capacity  of  150,000  gallons. 
Attached  to  the  winery  is  a  distillery  of  a 
capacity  of  2,000  gallons.  The  products  of 
this  winery  and  distillery  rank  as  among  the 
best  in  Sonoma  County.  The  owners  of  the 
above  named  property,  G.  W.  &  E.  W.  Davis, 
are  well  known  pioneers  and  representative 
business  men  of  Sonoma  County.  They  have 
also  a  fine  ranch  of  287  acres,  situated  one  and 
one-half  miles  southeast  of  their  home  farm, 
upon  which  there  is  a  vineyard  of  100  acres  of 
Zinfandel  wine  grapes,  and  also  thirteen  acres 
of  orchard  producing  French  prunes  and  plums. 
These  lands  are  admirably  adapted  to  general 
farming,  having  some  timber  and  plenty  of 
running  water.  G.  W.  Davis  and  his  son,  E. 
W.  Davis,  also  own  160  acres  of  hay  and  grain 
land,  two  and  one-half  miles  south  of  Santa 
Rosa,  upon  which  farming  operations  are  con- 
ducted in  connection  with  their  Bennett  Valley 
farm.  The  Yulupa  ranch  was  originally  owned 
by  I.  De  Turk,  of  Santa  Rosa,  and  was  pur- 
chased and  occupied  by  the  present  owners  in 
1885. 


fAMILLE  AGUILLON.— The  world  wide 
reputation  that  the  wines  of  Sonoma 
Valley  have  gained  for  purity,  bouquet 
and  excellence  has  not  been  the  work  of  a  day 
or  a  year,  nor  the  result  of  chance,  but  is  the 
result  of  years  of  careful  attention  and  study  of 
skillful  and  expert  wine  makers.  Many  of 
these  skilled  wine   producers  are  from   the  old 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


wine  districts  of  France  and  Germany,  among 
which  mention  must  be  made  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketeli.  Mr.  Agnillon  is  a  native  of  the 
Department  of  IJasses  xVlpes,  France,  born  in 
1828.  His  father,  Francois  Agnillon,  was  a 
larcre  farmer  and  wine  manufacturer,  and  died 
when  the  subject  of  this  tnemoir  was  quite 
young.  Mr.  Agnillon  was  reared  upon  the  es- 
tate and  became  skilled  in  all  the  practical 
duties  of  farming  and  wine  growing,  and  from 
an  early  age  was  in  charge  of  the  management 
of  the  farm  in  all  its  details.  In  1851,  the  es- 
tate being  sold,  Mr.  Agnillon  decided  to  emigrate 
to  the  United  States.  He  therefore  proceeded 
to  London  and  secured  passage  on  a  sailing  ves- 
sel around  Cape  Horn  to  California.  Soon 
after  his  arrival  in  San  Francisco,  he  located  in 
the  n)ines  where  he  remained  for  a  year  or 
more.  Not  being  suited  to  a  miner's  life,  he 
returned  to  San  Francisco  and  entered  upon  the 
occupation  of  gardening.  He  spent  many  years 
there  working  at  that  and  other  occupations 
until  1865  when  he  came  to  Sonoma  and  estab- 
lished himself  in  the  wine  making  industry. 
Mr.  Aguillon's  success  was  assured  from  the 
start.  Square  business  dealing,  combined  with 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  his  business  enabled 
him  to  increase  his  operations,  and  to-day  he  has 
the  largest  and  most  complete  winery  in  the 
city  of  Sonoma.  This  is  located  on  the  west 
side  of  the  plaza,  where  he  owns  a  lot  80x75 
feet  upon  which  are  large  two-story  adobe 
buildings  well  adapted  to  his  business.  The 
capacity  of  the  winery  is  75,000  to  80,000  gal- 
lons, and  in  connection  with  the  winery  is  also 
a  distillery.  The  products  of  this  wintry  are 
mostly  clarets,  bnt  some  white  wines  are  also 
manufactured.  In  addition  to  the  property 
above  mentioned  Mr.  Agnillon  is  also  the 
possessor  of  forty-tive  acres  of  land  jnst  north 
of  Sonoma,  which  are  devoted  to  fruit  culture, 
thirty  acres  being  in  orchard,  producing  French 
prunes,  cherries.  ap|)les,  pears,  peaches,  quinces, 
etc.  This  land  he  purchased  in  1879,  and  since 
that  time  has  made  all  the  improvements  upon 
the  place.     Mr.  Aguillon  is  a  good  citizen,  and 


one  who  by  his  consistent  and  straightforward 
course  of  life  has  gained  the  respect  of  the 
community  in  which  he  resides.  Politically,  he 
is  a  strong  and  consistent  Republican.  In  1860 
he  visited  France,  and  while  there  married  Miss 
Camille  Tnrrcll,  a  native  of  that  country.  From 
this  marriage  there  are  three  children:  Elsie, 
Berthe  and   Gabrielle,  all  natives  of  Calilbrnia. 

tLBERT  BURN  HAM  was  Ix.rn  in  Penob- 
scot County,  Maine,  in  1809,  his  parents 
being  Jesse  and  Elizalieth  (Harvey)  Burn- 
ham,  both  natives  of  that  State.  Mr.  Burnham 
was  reared  to  the  hard  labor  attending  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  soil  in  his  native  State,  and  was 
also,  in  his  young  manhood,  engaged  in  the 
lumber  woods  on  the  Penobscot  River.  At  the 
age  of  twenty -one  years  he  commenced  life  upon 
his  own  account,  and  he  then  purchased  good 
hind  at  a  SI. 75  per  acre  and  commenced  the 
clearing  and  establishing  of  a  farm.  In  1832 
lie  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Adah 
Thayer,  the  daughter  of  Spencer  and  Abigail 
Thayer.  Mrs.  Burnham's  parents  were  also  na- 
tives of  Maine.  For  nearly  twenty  years  Mr. 
Burnham  devoted  himself  to  tilling  the  almost 
sterile  soil  of  his  native  State.  Desirons  of 
bettering  his  condition  he,  in  1851,  embarked 
for  California.  Upon  his  arrival  here  he  en- 
gaged in  mining  and  farm  labor  until  1853. 
In  that  year  he  sought  his  fortune  in  the 
Klamath  River  mines.  There  he  was  fairly  suc- 
cessful and  in  1855  he  returned  East  and  re- 
sumed work  at  his  old  home.  In  1862  he 
returned  to  California  bringing  his  family  with 
him.  This  time  he  came  overland,  and  upon 
his  arrival  came  to  Sonoma  County,  and  located 
in  Bennett  Yallev,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
Mr.  Burnham,  in  connection  with  his  two  sons, 
is  the  owner  of  320  acres  of  hill  land  in  the 
valley  before  named.  His  lands  are  situated  in 
the  Strawberry  school  district,  on  the  Petaluma 
and  Bennett  Yalley  road,  about  ten  miles  from 
Santa  Rosa  and  about  twelve  miles  from  Peta- 


HliSTOHY    OF    tiOlf/OMA    COUNT F. 


709 


Imna.  lie  liiis  fine  hay  and  grazing  lands,  wliich 
are  also  well  adapted  for  grape  cnltivation. 
During  the  past  lew  years  Mr.  iiurnham  and 
his  sons  have  made  vine  growing  a  success. 
Tiiey  have  now  (1888)  twenty-five  acres  of 
wine  gra]ies  of  the  Zinfandel  variety,  besides  a 
family  vineyard  which  is  producing  a  large 
variety  of  table  grapes.  In  order  to  reap  the 
full  benelit  of  their  vine  culture,  they  have 
erected  a  winery  upon  their  lands  with  a  capacity 
of  00,000  gallons.  This  enaljles  them  to  con- 
vert the  product  of  their  own  vineyard  into 
wine,  and  also  that  of  their  neighbors  who 
have  no  wineries.  Their  enterprise  has  been  of 
great  benefit  to  that  section  of  the  valley,  and 
is  duly  appreciated.  AV'itli  the  exception  of  a 
small  quantity  of  white  wines,  tiieir  production 
is  entirely  claret.  They  also  raise  considerable 
hay  and  grain  and  their  farm  is  well  stocked. 
Among  the  stock  are  200  head  of  Shropshire 
slieep,  and  fine  specimens  of  both  horses  and 
cattle.  Mr.  Buridiam,  although  four  score  years 
of  age,  is  hale  and  hearty,  and  in  the  full  pos 
session  of  his  mental  faculties.  His  strong 
physique  enables  him  to  successfully  conduct 
his  farming,  stock  and  wine  industries,  and  his 
enterprising  sons  are  reaping  the  benefits  of  the 
rich  and  practical  experience  which  his  long  and 
useful  life  has  gained  him.  As  might  natu- 
rally be  expected  after  so  long  a  residence  in  the 
county,  he  has  a  host  of  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances, all  of  whom  unite  in  awarding  him  the 
respect  and  esteem  which  his  consistent  course 
of  life  so  justly  entitles  him  to  receive.  In 
political  matters  he  is  a  strong  IlLpublican. 
From  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buridiam 
the  following  named  children  have  been  born, 
viz.:  Isabel,  John  and  Joseph  C.  Isabel  mar- 
ried James  W.  Sylvester,  and  is  now  residing  in 
Ilealdsburg.  John  married  Miss  Emma  Lums- 
den  and  has  two  children,  Mabel  and  Ada, 
They  are  residing  on  the  home  farm.  Joseph 
C.  married  Miss  Mary  M.  Wilson  and  has  two 
children,  Christina  and  Albert.  He  and  his 
family  also  reside  on  the  home  farm.  As  before 
stated  Messrs.  John  and  Joseph  C.  Buniham  are 


associated  with  their  father  in  the  farming, 
stock  and  wine  industry,  and  much  of  the  suc- 
cess that  has  been  secured  in  conducting  these 
industries  must  be  attributed  to  their  energetic 
habits  coupled  with  intelligent  business  prin- 
ciples. 


m. 


^•ARTIN  HUDSON,  deceased,  one  •  of 
Y  V.  the  pioneers  of  Sor.oma  County,  was 
■^':>?^  born  in  the  State  of  Virginia,  July  24, 
1807.  At  a  youthful  age  he  became  a  resident 
of  Tennessee,  where  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
McAlroy,  May  24,  1832.  Later  he  became  a 
resident  of  Missouri,  from  which  he  started 
early  in  May,  1848,  with  his  family,  consisting 
of  his  wife  and  five  children,  with  ox  teams  for 
an  overland  trip  to  California.  Spending  the 
winter  following  with  his  brother,  William 
Hudson,  a  pioneer  of  a  still  earlier  date,  he  set- 
tled  in    Los   Guilicos   Valley  in   the  spring  of 

1849.  After  the  Los  Guilicos  Rancho  became 
the  property  of  William  Hood,  which  it  did   in 

1850,  Mr.  Hudson  bought  of  him  about  2,300 
acres.  There  he  ever  afterward  lived  the  quiet 
life  of  an  agriculturist,  devoting  himself  to  im- 
proving his  fine  estate.  After  coming  to  Cali- 
fornia he  became  the  father  of  two  children, 
and  of  his  family  of  seven  children,  five  are 
still  living,  though  onl}'  his  son  Henry  and  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Atterbury,  are  residents  of  Sono- 
ma County.  Mr.  Hudson  died  December  14, 
1871.      His  widow  survived  until  1888. 


'^■^■-^ 

fOL.  WALTERS,  of  Mendocino  Township, 
is  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  born  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1840,  his  parents  being  William 
and  Jerusha  (Miller)  Walters.  Both  parents 
were  natives  of  North  Carolina,  of  which 
colony  their  ancestors  were  residents  previous 
to  Revolutionary  times.  In  1849  the  family 
remove<l  to  southwestern  ^Missouri,  locating  in 
McDonald  County.     In  1852  the  father  crossed 


UISTOHY    OF    tiONOMA    COUXTY. 


the  plains  to  California,  gjing  into  the  mines 
of  the  Siiasta  region.  In  1854  he  returned  to 
Missouri  with  the  intention  of  bringing  his 
family  out  to  tiie  Golden  State,  which  he  did  in 
1856.  The  train  in  which  they  came  was  made 
up  at  "Westport,  and  after  a  trip  of  five  months' 
duration,  coming  across  the  plains,  the  family 
arrived  in  Napa  County.  A  month  later  they 
came  to  Sonoma  County,  and  Mr.  Walters  took 
up  land  on  the  Sotoyome  grant.  After  a  resi- 
dence there  of  nearly  nine  years,  the}'  removed 
to  a  place  on  Mill  Creek.  The  mother  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  died  in  this  county  in 
1879,  and  his  father  in  1884.  Sol.  Walters 
grew  to  manhood  in  Sonoma  County.  When 
a  boy  sixteen  years  of  age  he  started  out  as  a 
vaquero,  and  engaged  in  trading  in  stock. 
When  in  his  twentieth  year  he  bought  a  ranch 
in  the  mountains,  about  three  miles  from 
Skaggs'  Springs,  and  was  there  engaged  in  the 
raising  of  cattle  and  horses  until  1871.  He 
then  went  to  Texas,  and  from  there  he  drove 
cattle  to  Idaho,  following  much  of  the  way  the 
route  by  which  the  family  had  journeyed  to 
California  in  1856.  He  stocked  a  ranch  in 
Owyhee  County,  Idaho  Territory,  and  in  con- 
nection with  George  T.  Miller,  had  7,000  cattle 
there.  He  sold  out  in  1879  and  came  to  Sono- 
ma County  again,  locating  where  he  now  re- 
sides. Mr.  Walters  was  married  in  the  Palace 
Hotel,  San  P>ancisco,  in  June,  1880,  to  Miss 
Susan  J.  Uarley,  a  native  of  Oregon,  and  reared 
in  Idaho.  They  have  two  children — Willis  R. 
and  Adelma.  Politically  Mr.  Walters  is  a  Re- 
publican. He  is  a  member  of  Sotoyome  Lodge, 
F.  &  A.  M.,  Healdsburg.  The  ranch  owned 
by  Mr.  Walters  consists  of  380  acres,  and  occu- 
pies a  picturesque  location  about  six  miles  from 
Healdsburg,  on  the  main  highway  between  that 
place  and  Guerneville.  About  thirty  acres  of 
the  place  are  planted  to  grapes,  the  vines 
ranging  in  age  from  three  to  nine  years.  The 
varieties  are  Zinfandel,  Gray  Riesling,  Carig- 
nane,  Grenache,  Malvoiseand  Grossblaue.  About 
100  acres  of  the  place  are  devoted  to  general 
farming.      He   usually  has  about  forty  acres  in 


alfalfa,  of  which  a  portion  is  cut  three  times 
annually  and  then  pastured,  the  three  crops 
averaging  over  six  tons  per  acre.  About  forty 
acres  of  wheat  turn  out  forty  bushels  to  the 
acre  annually.  There  are  twenty  acres  usually 
in  barley,  which,  being  on  high  land,  averages  a 
little  less  per  acre  than  the  wheat.  The  place 
is  well  watered,  there  being  five  good  springs 
on  the  hill  land.  Mr.  Walters  usually  pastures 
about  300  head  of  Shropshire  and  Merino 
sheep,  selling  off  the  increase  each  year.  He 
keeps  about  100  head  of  fine  Berkshire  and 
Poland-China  hogs,  and  also  buys  and  sells  cat- 
tle. For  work  horses  he  uses  the  Normans  and 
Clydesdales,  and  for  driving,  the  McClelland 
and  Belmonts,  etc.  Mr.  Walters'  residence 
cocupies  a  beautiful  location  in  a  natural  grove. 
It  is  a  very  handsome  structure  and  was  erected 
in  1884,  at  a  cost,  all  told,  of  86,000.  The 
barn,  which  is  situated  across  the  road,  was 
built  in  1888.  It  is  large  and  presents  a  fine 
[  and  substantial  appearance,  and  has  all  the 
modern  conveniences  for  the  breeding  and  care 
of  stock.  The  buildings  are  a  credit  to  the 
township,  and  reflect- credit  on  Mr.  Walters, 
who  has  done  so  much  by  his  example  to  ad- 
vance the  standard  in  this  direction. 


§AYID  HUDSON,  deceased.— Tlie  subject 
of  this  sketch  was  born  July  7,  1843,  son 
■^g?  of  Martin  and  Elizabeth  (McAlroy)  Hud- 
son. Almost  the  earliest  recollections  of  his 
life  were  incidents  impressed  upon  his  youthful 
mind  connected  with  the  journey  across  the 
plains,  deserts  and  mountains  on  the  overland 
journey   made  from  Missouri  to  this  State   in 

1848.  At  the  pioneer  home  established  by  his 
father  in   Los  Guilicos  Valley,  in  the  spring  of 

1849,  his  youthful  and  manhood  days  were 
spent  in  agricultural  pursuits.  After  his 
father's  death,  in  1871,  he  succeeded  to  the 
ownership  of  the  residence,  and  quite  a  portion 
of  the  original  large  estate.  December  20, 
1868,  Mr.  Hudson  was  united  in  marriage  with 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


Miss  Elizabeth  Bower,  who  was  born  in  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  but  reared  in  this  State 
IVoin  the  age  of  ten  years,  or  from  1862.  To 
tlieni  four  children  were  born,  viz.:  Alvin  T., 
Bettie,  Mettie,  and  Lena.  From  his  sixth  year 
the  life  of  David  Hudson  was  spent  at  the  old 
home  in  the  beautiful  valley,  his  death  occurring 
April  30,  1879.  There  his  family  still  live, 
his  widow  having  become  the  wife  of  Bu- 
chanan McClelland. 


PUCHANAN  McClelland,  whose  resi- 
dence is  upon  the  old  Hudson  ranch  on 
the  Santa  Rosa  and  Sonoma  road  in  Los 
Guilicos  Valley,  five  miles  east  of  Santa  Rosa, 
is  a  Sonoma  County  man  by  birth,  dating  his 
birth  i'l  Bennett  Valley,  a  son  of  John  and 
Mary  C.  McClelland,  January  3,  1856.  His 
boyhood  and  manhood  have  thus  far  been  spent 
in  agricultural  life  in  the  county  of  his  birth. 
His  parents,  who  were  among  the  pioneers  of 
the  county,  having  settled  in  Bennett  Valley  in 
1852,  are  still  living  and  at  this  writing  have 
their  home  in  Los  Angeles  County,  this  State, 
having  removed  from  this  county  in  1882.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  is  now  the  only  represent- 
ative of  the  family  living  in  Sonoma  Vallej'. 
November  25,  1881,  Mr.  McCllelland  wedded 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hudson,  widow  of  David  Hud- 
son, since  which  time  he  has  resided  at  the  old 
Hudson  home  established  in  18-49.  The  estate 
under  the  management  of  Mr.  McClelland  con- 
sists of  117  acres,  twenty  acres  of  which  are  in 
vineyard.  Mr.  McClelland  is  a  native  son  of 
Sonoma  County,  has  great  pride  in  the  land  of 
his  birth,  and  nothing  in  his  power  tending  to 
build  up  its  best  interests,  is  ever  withheld. 


tOBERT  B.  LYON. — Among  the  mechanics 
and  business  men  of  Sonoma  is  the  sub- 
ject of  tliis  sketch,  whose  shops  are  located 
on  Broadway.  Mr.  Lyon  has  at  that  point  a  black- 


smith and  general  repair  shop.  He  is  a  thorough 
mechanic  and  an  inventor  of  no  little  note. 
Among  the  many  improvements  and  inventions 
made  by  him,  two  are  specially  worthy  nf  men- 
tion. The  Lyon's  driveway  gate,  one  of  the 
most  simple  and  durable  of  the  class  of  self 
opening  gates  that  can  be  conceived,  requiring  a 
force  of  but  twelve  or  fourteen  pounds  to  operate 
it,  is  his  invention,  as  is  also  the  Lyon's  vine- 
yard and  gang  plow,  the  special  feature  of  which 
is  that  each  plow  has  a  roller  or  lateral  motion 
that  enables  all  the  blades  to  cut  at  a  uniform 
depth.  Mr.  Lyon  claims  to  have  constructed 
the  first  riding  plow  ever  used  in  Sonoma  Val- 
ley. He  has  also  made  other  improvements 
well  known  in  the  community  in  which  he  re- 
sides. The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  La 
Fayette  County,  Missouri,  December  9,  1832. 
His  parents,  John  and  Sarah  (Philpott)  Lyon, 
were  natives  of  Patrick  County,  Virginia,  who 
emigrated  to  Missouri  in  1832.  His  father  was 
a  farmer  and  stock  grower  and  to  this  calling  Mr. 
Lyon  was  reared  until  the  death  of  his  father  in 
1847,  his  mother  having  died  the  preceding 
year.  He  was  thus  thrown  upon  his  own  re- 
sources, and  at  sixteen  years  of  age  apprenticed 
himself  to  learn  the  blacksmith  and  wagon 
making  trade.  After  serving  his  time  he  started 
in  business  for  himself  and  opened  a  shop  in 
Harrisonville,  Missouri,  which  he  conducted 
until  the  spring  of  1854,  at  which  time  he 
started  overland  for  California,  driving  an  ox 
team  the  whole  distance.  Upon  his  arrival  in 
California  he  located  in  Sonoma  County,  and 
in  partnership  with  his  uncle,  A.  G.  Lyon, 
established  a  blacksmith  and  wagon  shop  at 
Sonoma.  In  1855  he  went  into  partnership 
with  Charles  McHarvey  in  the  same  business. 
This  partnership  continued  until  1856  when  he 
purchased  Mr.  McHarvey'sinterestand  soon  after 
took  V.  Hope  into  the  business  as  a  partner. 
They  conducted  the  business  until  May,  1857, 
when  Mr.  McHarvey  returned  from  the  East 
and  again  entered  the  firm,  which  then  became 
McHarvey,  Hope  &  Co.,  so  remaining  until 
1860,  when  Mr.  Lyon  retired  from  the  business. 


iimroRy  of  honoma  county. 


lie  reiiteil  a  farm  in  Sonoma  Valley  which  he 
conducted  the  next  year,  then  established  a  shop 
at  the  Einbarcadero,  running  it  until  18G3,  anp 
spending  the  next  two  years  in  the  United 
States  Government  employ  at  the  Mare  Island 
Navy  Yard.  Keturning  to  Sonoma  in  1865,  he 
again  entered  into  partnership  with  McHarvey 
and  Hope,  where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of 
1868.  He  was  then  employed  at  the  navy  yard 
until  1870  at  which  time  he  returned  and  estab- 
li.-~lied  his  present  shops.  Mr.  Lyon  has  long 
been  identified  with  Sonoma  County  and  is  well 
known  throughout  tlie  Valley  of  Sonoma.  He 
has  for  over  thirty-three  years  been  a  member 
of  Sonoma  Lodge,  Xo.  28,  I.  O.  O.  F.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Pueblo  Lodge,  No.  168, 
A.  O.  U.  W.  In  political  matters  he  is  a  strong 
Kepublican.  An  ardent  believer  in  the  public 
school  system,  he  has  for  several  years  served  as 
school  trustee.  In  1857  Mr.  Lyon  married 
Miss  Harriett  Akers,  the  daughter  of  Stephen 
and  Lotha  (Snead)  Akers,  of  Sonoma  Valley.  To 
this  marriage  six  children  have  been  born,  three 
of  whom  are  now  living:  Nellie,  who  married 
Professor  C.  L.  Ennis,  living  at  Anaheim,  Los 
Angeles  County;  Ada,  wife  of  Albert  F.  Panli  of 
Sonoma;  and  Grace. 


fUGENE  H.  LIGHT  was  born  in  Elkhart 
County,  Indiana,  June,  22,  1840.  Hig 
-^  father,  Emanuel  Light,  was  a  native  of 
Virginia,  and  in  early  life  located  in  Ohio, 
where  he  married  Miss  Harriet  Prudent,  a 
native  of  that  State.  In  1838  his  parents  moved 
to  Indiana,  and  there  his  father  engaged  in 
farming,  and  also  worked  at  his  trade  of  a  car- 
penter and  builder.  Mr.  Light's  mother  died 
in  1842.  His  father  then  married  Miss  Emily 
Bentley,  a  native  of  New  York.  In  1853  his 
father  and  family  crossed  the  plains  with  ox 
teams,  to  California,  and  located  in  Monterey 
County,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock-raising  until  1856.  In  that  year  he  came 
to  Sonoma  County,  and  took  up  his  residence  in 


Santa  Rosa.  Here  he  purciiased  twelve  acres  of 
land — wliat  is  now  known  as  Kroucke's  Park — 
which  he  planted  with  fruit  trees,  and,  in  1859, 
he  purchased  100  acres  just  east  of  the  town  of 
Santa  Rosa.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a 
member  of  his  father's  family  during  these  vari- 
ous moves.  He  was  reared  as  a  farmer  and 
fruit  grower,  and,  after  his  arrival  in  this 
county,  received  the  advantages  of  schoolino-  in 
the  public  schools,  and  also  later  was  in  attend- 
ance at  Professor  Scott's  academy  in  Santa 
Rosa.  His  father  sold  off  his  100  acre  tract, 
forty  acres  to  G.  W.  Davis,  twenty  acres  to 
George  Hood,  and  twelve  acres  to  Mr.  Brad- 
shaw.  Mr.  Light  purchased  the  rest,  which  he 
sold  in  1866  to  G.  W.  Davis.  In  1866  tie  accom- 
panied his  father  (who  had  sold  his  twelve  acre 
homestead  to  William  Hinton),  to  Dry  Creek, 
above  Healdsburg,  and  for  the  next  two  years 
was  engaged  in  farming  upon  the  Bennett  place, 
which  he  and  his  father  had  rented.  His  father 
then  moved  to  Tulare  County,  and  Mr.  Light 
returned  to  Santa  Rosa  and  rented  140  acres  of 
G.  W.  Davis.  After  harvesting  one  crop  of 
grain  from  this  land  he  purchased,  in  1869,  108 
acres  from  William  Cooper,  on  the  Petaluma 
road,  five  miles  south  of  Santa  Rosa.  He  there 
engaged  in  general  farming  until  1873,  when 
hesold  out  to  H.  Moore,  and,  returning  to  Santa 
Rosa,  he  again  rented  and  tilled  the  farm  of  Mr. 
Davis  for  about  two  years.  He  also  purchased 
a  town  lot  of  one  acre,  upon  which  he  took  up 
his  residence.  After  ceasing  his  farm  occupa- 
tions he  engaged  in  teaming  and  contracting  in 
Santa  Rosa  until  1882.  In  that  year  he  sold 
his  town  property  and  purchased  eighteen  acres 
of  improved  land  one  mile  and  a  half  east  of 
Santa  Rosa.  Since  that  time  Mr.  Light  has 
devoted  his  attention  to  the  improvement  and 
cultivation  of  this  land.  Mountain  A^iew  Farm 
— as  he  appropriately  names  it — under  his 
energetic  and  intelligent  labors,  is  destined  to 
become  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  produc- 
tive orchards  in  his  section.  There  are  now  six 
acres  in  orchard,  producing  French  prunes, 
pears,   apples,   peaches,  apricots,  figs,  walnuts. 


HTSTOnr    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


etc.  There  is  also  a  small  vineyard,  yielding  a 
large  variety  of  the  most  approved  table  grapes. 
Bisidsi  thd  fruit  already  mentioned,  a  great 
variety  of  berries  are  also  cultivated.  These 
lands  are  well  watered,  there  being  several  never- 
failing  springs  upon  the  place.  Mr.  Light  has 
availed  himself  of  this,  and  devoted  a  consider- 
able portion  of  his  land  to  the  cultivation  of 
vegetables,  which  find  a  re  idy  and  remuner- 
ativd  market  in  Smta  liosa.  A  neat  and  sub- 
stantial cottage  and  suitable  out-buildings  are 
among  his  improvements.  Mr.  Light  has  from 
early  boyhood  been  identified  with  Sonoma 
County.  He  is  a  well  known  and  respected 
citizen,  progressive  in  his  views,  and  ready  to 
aid  in  any  movement  tending  to  advance  tlie 
interests  and  welfare  of  the  community  in  which 
he  resides.  He  is  a  consistent  memlier  of  the 
Christian  church.  In  pjlitical  inatters  he  is  a 
strong  Republican.  In  1870  Mr.  Light  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nannie  Robinson. 
No  children  have  blessed  this  union.  Mrs. 
Light  is  the  d  uighter  of  John  W.  and  Sarah 
(Whitton)  Robinson,  who  came  to  California  iu 
1849,  and  resided  in  Napa  County  until  1865, 
when  they  t)ok  up  their  residence  in  Sonoma 
County.  Mr.  Light's  parents  are  n  jw  residents 
of  Shasta  County. 


^'T^  ^-  SINK  is  president  of  the  Cloverdale 
'  i/V'  Wine  Company,  which  has  an  exten- 
l-=©/ri^*  sive  plant  iu  Cloverdale,  near  the 
depot  of  the  San  Francisco  &  North  Pacific  Rail- 
road. The  winery  was  established  in  1878  by 
I.  DeTurk,  whom  the  present  owner  succeeded. 
The  building  is  of  brick,  100  feet  square,  and  is 
two  stories  in  height.  The  possible  storage 
capacity  is  300,000  gallons,  and  about  70,000 
gallons  of  wine  are  made  per  annum,  the  most 
improved  machinery  being  used.  They  usually 
keep  over  from  25,000  to  30,000  gallons.  The 
officers  of  the  Cloverdale  Wine  Company  are  as 
follows:  W.  D.  Sink,  president;  J.  G.  Ileald, 
secretary;    and    William     Caldwell,    trea.«urer. 


Their  wines  have  a  high  reputation,  and  com- 
mand a  ready  market.  W.  D.  Sink,  the  presi- 
dent, is  a  native  of  Piiiladelphia,  born  May  2, 
1841,  his  parents  being  Daniel  at)d  Phelje 
(Hodges)  Sink,  the  former  a  native  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  the  latter  of  Philadelphia.  When 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  two  years  old  his 
parents  removed  to  Rome,  New  York.  In  1849, 
the  father  came  out  to  California,  via  Cape 
Horn,  on  the  ship  George  Washimjtoii,  and  was 
followed  by  his  wife  in  1851.  In  1853  W.  D. 
Sink  came  out,  also  via  Panama,  landing  at 
San  Francisco  February  16,  from  the  steamer 
Sierra  Nevada,  and  at  Stockton  joined  his 
father,  who  was  in  business  there.  A  short 
time  afterward  they  went  to  the  mines  at  Em- 
pire Gulch,  in  Calaveras  County,  and  were  there 
and  at  Reynolds'  P'erry  until  1859,  when  they 
came  to  Cloverdale.  Here  the  father  started 
the  first  stage  line  out  of  Cloverdale,  running  to 
Ukiah,  and  W.  D.  Sink  had  charge  of  the  stable 
at  the  [Jkiah  end  of  the  line.  After  two  years 
he  went  to  ranching  near  Cloverdale,  and  his 
father  also  has  a  ranch  near  by.  Mr.  Sink  was 
married  in  this  county,  in  1865,  to  Miss  Mary 
Etta  Cooley,  a  native  of  Marietta,  Ohio.  They 
have  five  children,  viz.:  Carrie,  Walter,  Fred, 
Pert  and  Addie.  Mr.  Sink  is  a  member  of  the 
order  of  Chosen  Friends,  1.  O.  O.  F.,  and  of  the 
A.  O.  U.  W.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  a 
member  of  the  county  central  committee,  and 
and  has  been  a  delegate  to  the  State  and  county 
conventions  of  his  party.  He  is  an  active, 
enterprising  man,  and  takes  an  interest  in 
everything  tending  to  the  advancement  of  the 
interests  of  Cloverdale  and  Sonoma  County. 
His  ranch,  containing  600  acres,  is  situated  one 
raile  north  of  Cloverdale,  on  the  old  Ukiah  ro  id. 
When  he  settled  on  it  in  1861  it  was  all  timber 
land,  with  no  improvements,  but  has  undergone 
a  wonderful  transformation  since  that  time. 
He  has  now  twent}'  acres  in  fruit,  ranging  in  age 
from  five  to  twenty  years,  only  about  one  acre 
of  the  latter  age,  but  all  in  bearing.  The  trees 
are  peaches,  plums,  pears,  apricots,  cherries, 
etc.     He  has  fifty  acres  in  vineyard,  from  three 


Ul-<Tony     OF    SuyoMA     COCATY. 


to  fifteen  years  old,  about  tive  acres  being  of  the 
older  vines.  They  are  Missions,  Zinfandel,  Feher 
Szacfos,  Muscat  and  Black  Hamburg.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  place  is  devoted  to  general 
fanning. 

^e^,  ^^•'^^~  ■  ,^    

tlI.\KLES  KNUST  is  proprietor  of  the 
Sulphur  Creek  Vineyard  and  AVinery, 
,^  situated  at  the  head  of  Cloverdale  district 
Russian  River  Valley,  one  mile  from  Clover- 
dale.  The  ranch  contains  215  acres  of  land,  of 
which  thirty-four  acres  are  in  vineyard,  two  in 
orchard,  sixteen  in  grain,  and  sixty  in  bench 
land,  partly  cleared,  wliich  will  be  set  out  in 
prunes  and  olives,  with  probably  some  peaches. 
The  vineyard  ranges  in  age  from  five  to  fifteen 
years,  the  vines  being  principally  Zinfandel, 
Burgundy,  Chasselas,  Tenturier,  Kose  of  Peru, 
Black  Hamburg,  Black  Malvoise,  Black  Prince, 
Tokay,  Black  Morocco,  Muscat  of  Alexandria, 
Mission,  and  small  amounts  of  many  other 
choice  varieties.  The  storage  capacity  of  his 
winery  is  10,000  gallons,  and  the  entire  cooper- 
age is  12,000  gallons.  He  makes  up  only  his 
own  grapes.  He  has  been  making  San  Francisco 
the  market  for  his  wines,  and  gets  the  very  high- 
est prices.  His  orchard  consists  of  prunes  and 
peaches  principally,  also  some  figs,  oranges, 
cherries,  etc.  Mi'.  Knust  is  a  native  of  Han- 
over, born  January  31,  1837,  his  parents  being 
Christopher  and  Dorothea  (Wissel)  Knust.  He 
attended  public  school  from  the  age  of  six  to 
fourteen  years.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  went 
to  Hamburg,  where  he  attended  private  school 
and  took  English  lessons.  He  traveled  through 
various  Rhenish  provinces,  where  he  had  many 
relatives,  and  there  became  familiar  with  the 
wine  business.  In  May,  1850,  he  sailed  from 
Hamburg  on  the  sailing  vessel  Horizon,  and 
with  only  one  stop,  at  Valparaiso,  arrived  at 
San  Francisco  in  December,  1856.  He  re- 
naaiued  there  over  two  years,  turning  his  atten- 
tion to  anything  he  found  to  do.  He  went  to 
the  mines  at   Downieville,  Sierra  County,  and 


engaged  in  mining  there,  but  afterward  was 
employed  in  the  quartz  mills  of  Mr.  Reese  at 
Sierra  Buttes,  where  he  was  engaged  for  over 
three  years.  He  then  bought  a  ranch  on  the 
bank  of  Truckee  River,  at  O'Neill  Station,  and 
named  the  place  the  '-Truckee  House,"  and 
when  the  railroad  passed  through,  he  went  to 
Reno,  Nevada,  and  engaged  in  the  mercantile 
business.  P^rom  1870  to  1882  he  was  one  of 
the  largest  merchants  in  Reno.  He  came  to 
Sonoma  Count}-  in  1882,  and  located  where  he 
now  resides.  While  a  resident  of  Reno,  he 
was  married  in  Ukiah  to  Miss  Sarah  Bartlett,  a 
native  of  Missouri.  They  have  five  children, 
viz.:  Lillian,  wife  of  Judge  Hastings,  one  of 
the  leading  men  of  California;  August  E.,  who 
is  in  charge  of  the  Hastings  wine  cellar  in 
Lake  County,  where  he  has  been  very  successful 
in  wine-making;  Edwin,  who  is  with  theClover- 
ilale  Banking  and  Commercial  Company;  and 
James  and  William.  Air.  Knust  is  a  member 
of  the  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  at  Cloverdale.  He  took 
his  blue  lodge  and  chapter  degrees  at  Downie- 
ville. For  five  years  he  was  master  of  the  Reno 
Lodge,  and  high  priest  of  the  chapter  at  Reno 
three  years.  He  was  made  a  Knight  Templar 
in  De  Witt  Clinton  Commandery,  Virginia 
City,  and  now  belongs  to  Santa  Rosa  Com- 
mandery. 


fOHN  H.  OVERTON  was  born  in  Lex- 
ington, La  Fayette  County,  Missouri,  March 
2,  1833.  His  parents,  John  W.  and  Mary 
(Tetherow)  Overton,  were  natives  of  North 
Carolina,  the  latter  of  German  descent.  The 
Overton  family  were  of  Scotch  descent,  repre- 
sentatives of  the  family  first  coming  to  this 
country  during  the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  of 
England.  The  Overtons  were  in  sympathy  with 
the  Cromwell  movement,  and  when  Charles  was 
restored  to  the  throne,  they  had  to  leave  England, 
and  emigrated  to  America,  settling  in  Virginia. 
John  Overton,  grandfather  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary 


UISTOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


war.  After  he  was  discharged,  in  1784,  he 
moved  from  Virginia  to  North  Carolina,  a!id 
from  tliere  to  Tennessee  in  1807.  Tliere  were 
several  members  of  the  family  who  moved  to 
Tennessee,  and  Overton  County  of  that  State 
was  named  for  some  of  them.  In  1829  the 
family  moved  to  Illinois,  near  Vandalia,  and  in 
1831  to  Missonri,  where  tho  old  gentleman 
died  in  1833.  In  1848  John  W.  Overton  and 
his  family  moved  to  Dallas  County, Texas,  where 
he  remained  until  April,  1853.  At  this  time 
the  family,  consist! ngot  Mr.  Overton,  his  wife  and 
si.x  children  —  five  sons  and  one  daughter — 
crossed  the  plains  to  California,  coming  from 
San  Diego  by  steamer  to  San  Francisco.  They 
went  to  Stockton,  wh^re  they  resided  five  years, 
and  then  moved  to  Vallieita,  Calaveras  County. 
In  the  winter  of  1863  he  moved  to  Sonoma 
County,  where  he  died  in  Auguct,  1875.  His 
wife  is  still  living  in  the  county.  John  H. 
Overton  spent  ten  years  in  the  middle  and 
southern  mines  of  California  and  in  the  mines 
of  Arizona  and  Mexico.  In  1864  he  came  to 
this  county  and  has  since  resided  here.  Octo- 
ber 14,  1865,  he  moved  onto  his  present  place 
in  Vallejo  Townsliip,  consisting  290  acres,  de- 
voted principally  to  dairying  and  stock-raising. 
Mr.  Overton  was  married  in  1876  to  Sarah 
Beeson,  a  native  of  England.  They  have  four 
children:  Mary  A.,  William  R.,  Arthur  E., 
and  John  A. 

§E  HAY  BROTHERS,  vineyardists  and 
proprietors  of  the  Icaria  winery,  are 
•^r  located  soutli  of  Cloverdale.  Living  on 
separate  places  they  have  a  winery  on  each 
ranch,  the  total  storage  capacity  being  40,000 
gallons.  Their  land  is  well  adapted  to  the 
culture  of  the  grape,  and  the  wine  manufactured 
by  them  enjoys  a  high  reputation  and  com- 
mands the  most  advanced  prices.  Their  land 
is  a  portion  of  what  was  formerly  the 
property  of  the  Icarian  Colony.  A.  De  Hay, 
senior  member  of  the  firm,  purchased  the  pro])- 


erty  from  the  Bank  of  California  for  the  colony 
in  1881,  and  in  1886  it  was  divided  up.  On  his 
place  he  has  110  acres,  of  which  twenty-five 
acres  are  planted  to  the  following  varieties  of 
wine  grapes:  Gray  Riesling,  Sauvignon  Vert, 
Carignane,  Mataro,  MalbecandZinfandel.  These 
vines  range  in  age  from  three  to  seven  years. 
In  the  spring  of  1889  he  added  ten  acres  more 
of  vineyard,  the  varieties  being  Sauvignon  Vret 
and  Pinot  Blanc.  A.  De  Hay  is  a  native  of 
France,  born  June  16,  1842,  his  parents  being 
Pierre  Antoinne  and  Louise  (Fagnez)  De  Hay. 
His  paternal  grandfather  was  a  soldier  of  the 
great  Napoleon.  On  his  mother's  side  his  re- 
mote ancestry  is  traced  back  to  Spain.  Mr.  De 
Hay  spent  his  early  life  at  his  native  place,  and 
there  received  his  schooling.  When  in  his 
fourteenth  year  he  went  to  Aras,  and  there 
learned  the  trade  of  barber.  Pie  afterward 
traveled  all  through  France  and  was  four  years 
in  Paris.  One  summer  he  spent  in  the  Pyre- 
nees Mountains,  at  a  famous  resort,  and  the  fol- 
lowing winter  he  spent  at  Saragossa,  Spain.  He 
then  returned  home  and  entered  the  army  for 
the  short  term,  returning  home  subject  to  call 
after  six  months'  drill.  In  1864  he  went  to 
London,  and  two  years  later  took  passage  on  the 
ship  Hudson  for  New  York,  where  he  landed 
August  3,  1866.  A  few  days  later  he  went  to 
Philadelphia  with  a  young  English  friend,  and 
for  three  or  four  months  following  was  engaged 
on  a  farm  seven  miles  from  Westchester,  among 
the  Quakers.  About  Christmas  he  went  to 
Washington,  and  was  engaged  at  his  trade  that 
winter  at  the  National  Hotel.  Thence  he  went 
to  Chicago,  and  a  few  months  later  to  Atchison, 
Kansas,  and  from  there  to  Topeka.  He  then 
went  to  a  French  settlement  in  the  same  State, 
and  embarked  in  the  general  mercantile  business. 
A  year  later  he  sold  out  and  went  to  Wamego, 
where  he  conducted  a  barber  shop  for  about  two 
years.  He  next  went  to  Adams  County,  and 
bought  a  barber  shop  in  Corning.  After  three 
or  four  years  there  the  colony  of  which  he  was 
a  member  dissolved,  and  he  with  relatives,  came 
to  California,   locating   for  a  short   time  at  St. 


716 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


Helena.  He  boiiglit  an  interest  in  a  barber 
shop,  and  then  set  about  seeking  a  location  for 
a  colony  of  his  friends,  finally  picking  out  the 
locality  where  he  now  resides.  He  was  married 
in  Kansas  to  Miss  Maria  Laroux.a  native  of  the 
Island  of  Jersey.'  Her  father,  a  prominent  man, 
having  been  a  member  of  the  Republican  Con- 
gress of  France,  was  exiled  by  Napoleon  III. 
He  died  in  Sonoma  County,  where  he  was  pub- 
lishing a  French  paper,  in  1885.  His  brother 
Pierre  was  a  great  philosopher.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
De  Hay  have  t^ix  children  living,  viz.:  Paul, 
Emil,  Alice,  Henrietta,  Louise  and  Armand. 
One  child,  Marie,  is  deceased. 


APvTLEY  CAPtY  was  born  in  Crawford 
M  County,  Ohio,  May  15,  1829.  His  parents 
"^^  were  Quakers  and  were  both  natives  of 
Pennsylvania.  Able  Cary,  his  father,  was 
born  under  the  shade  of  the  Alleghany  Moun- 
tains. By  his  lirst  marriage  there  were  seven 
children,  and  after  the  death  of  his  wife  he  was 
married  again  to  Susanna  Quaintance,  by  whom 
he  had  fonr  children.  Mr.  Cary  was  among  the 
first  settlers  of  Bucyrus,  Ohio,  where  he  lived 
until  1840.  when  he  moved  to  Steuben  County, 
Indiana,  and  died  there  in  1855  or  1856.  Bart- 
ley  Cary  is  a  son  by  his  father's  last  marriage. 
AVhen  he  was  cpite  young  he  was  bound  out  to 
his  cousin,  Aaron  Cary,  for  a  period  of  seven 
years.  He  was  to  learn  a  trade  and  go  to  school 
three  years  of  the  time,  but  so  far  as  the  school- 
ing was  concerned  he  received  very  little,  and 
was  put  to  work  in  a  tannery,  where  the  most 
of  the  time  he  was  grinding  bark.  A.fter  being 
thus  employed  for  about  four  years,  he  became 
tired  of  his  lot,  and  leaving  his  cousin,  he  went 
to  Indiana,  where  his  father  was  then  residing. 
For  a  part  of  a  year  he  worked  in  a  tannery 
there.  He  then  went  into  the  pineries  of  Wis- 
consin, and  engaged  in  logging  on  the  Chippewa 
River,  and  in  rafting  on  the  Mississippi  as  far 
as  St.  Louis,  making  two  trips  to  that  place, 
one  in  18-48  and  the  other  the  next  year.     He 


then  returned  to  Angola,  Indiana,  and  entered 
a  cabinet  shop,  where  he  remained  one  3'ear, 
after  which  he  went  over  the  State  line  to  Hills- 
dale, Michigan,  and  hired  out  as  a  journeyman 
to  a  man  named  Peck,  who  carried  on  the 
cabinet  business  at  that  place.  In  1852  Mr. 
Cary  started  overland  for  the  Pacific  coast, 
leaving  Angola  on  the  9th  of  May,  and  on  the 
27th  of  August  following,  landed  in  Gold  Caii- 
on,  Nevada,  where  the  city  of  Dayton  now 
stands.  There  he  spent  the  winter  with  some 
forty  miners  and  the  next  spring  went  to  Placer- 
ville  in  this  State.  He  engaged  in  the  mines 
there  until  1854,  when  he  returned  to  Nevada 
and  located  in  the  Carson  Valley.  He,  in  con- 
nection with  his  nephew,  Edwin  Cary,  bouglit 
and  took  up  land,  where  they  carried  on  busi- 
ness together  for  live  years.  They  opened  a 
store  in  the  valley,  within  two  miles  of  where 
Sheridan  now  stands,  and  right  under  the 
mountain  Toncodilum,  which  towers  upward  a 
distance  of  5,075  feet,  and  there  conducted  a 
business,  trading  with  the  emigrants  on  their  way 
to  California..  Their  goods  were  packed  over 
tlie  mountains  from  Placerville.  Some  rough 
and  exciting  events  took  place,  one  in  particular 
which  stands  as  a  jnatter  of  history  in  that 
locality,  and  that  is  the  hanging  of  a  man  known 
as  Lucky  Bill.  He  was  a  noted  and  dangerous 
character,  who  at  that  time  had  a  ranch  about  a 
mile  from  where  Mr.  Cary's  was,  and  he  was 
also  engaged  in  trading  and  dealing  in  stock. 
For  a  crime  in  which  he  became  implicated  he 
was  hanged  by  a  vigilance  party  of  about  fifty 
men,  on  a  flat  near  Clear  Creek.  At  the  time 
of  leaving  that  neighborhood,  Mr.  Cary  sold  his 
interest  to  his  nephew,  went  over  on  Carson 
River  and  touk  up  a  piece  of  land  where  he  re- 
mained until  the  fall  of  1861.  In  that  year  he 
returned  to  the  East,  and  on  the  4th  of  February, 
1862,  was  married  in  Angola,  Indiana,  to  Maria 
Bigler,  a  native  of  Richland  County,  Ohio. 
The  following  March  he,  with  his  wife,  again 
crossed  the  plains,  arriving  in  Carson  Valley 
August  4.  They  remained  on  the  I'anch,  on 
Carson  River,  wliere  Mr.  Cary  was  engaged   in 


IIISTOUY     OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


stock-raising  until  November,  1867,  wlien  he 
again  went  East,  this  time  via  the  Nicaragua 
route.  They  then  made  their  residence  in  Indi- 
ana for  over  three  years,  during  which  time  the 
rancli  in  Nevada  was  rented,  until  sold  for  them 
by  Mr.  Gary's  brother.  In  1870  Mr.  Gary 
returned  to  the  coast  and  bought  of  his  nephew 
the  original  place  where  he  first  settled  in  Gar- 
son  Valley,  and  remained  in  that  locality  until 
1881.  The  last  two  years  of  his  residence  there 
lie  rented  the  ranch  and  lived  in  Garson  Gity. 
From  there,  after  selling  his  ranch  in  October, 
he  moved  to  Santa  Glara  Gounty,  Galifornia, 
and  for  nearly  a  year  kept  a  livery  stable  in  San 
Jose,  and  on  the  13th  of  July,  1882,  came  to 
this  county'  and  bought  his  present  place  in 
\''allejo  Township,  two  miles  from  Petaluina. 
The  ranch  contains  fifty  acres,  and  is  devoted  to 
general  farming.  It  can  be  credited  to  Mr. 
Gary  that  he  has  made  seven  trips  across  the 
plains.  He  has  been  a  Mason  since  1868,  and 
now  belongs  to  Arcturus  Lodge,  No.  180,  of 
Petaluma.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gary  have  had  three 
chidren:  Hattie  Mabel,  born  in  Angola,  Indi- 
ana, May  5,  1864,  and  died  January  25,  1867; 
Ed  and  Fred,  as  they  are  commonly  called,  are 
twins,  and  were  born  in  AYaterloo,  DeKalb 
Gounty,  Indiana,  May  25,  1868. 

^-^^--^^    

«HARLES  GEARING,  of  Mendocino  Town- 
ship, is  a  native  of  Prussia,  born  Janiiary 
31,  1826,  and  a  son  of  Ghrist  and  Eliza 
Gearing.  His  father  was  a  dealer  in  stock, 
hides,  tallow,  etc.  Gharles  was  reared  in  his 
native  country,  and  between  the  ages  of  five  and 
fourteen  years  he  attended  school,  after  that 
accompanying  his  father  in  his  business.  In 
1846  he  went  to  Bremen,  and  there  took  pas- 
sage on  the  sailship  Capdar  (Gaptain  Krndop), 
bound  for  Baltimore,  which  ])ort  he  reached 
after  a  voyage  of  forty-si.K  days.  He  remained 
in  the  vicinity  of  Baltimore  fur  a  time,  then 
went  successively  to  Philadelphia,  New  York, 
and    Boston.      At   the   latter  city   hi^    remained 


quite  awhile,  then  went  to  Baltimore  again. 
From  there  he'journeyedby  stage  to  Gumberland, 
Maryland,  and  from  there  to  Wheeling,  West 
Virginia.  He  was  for  some  time  employed 
thei'e  on  the  construction  of  the  suspension 
bridge,  and  afterward  in  farming  iti  that  vicinity. 
From  there  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1852.  In  that  year  he  went  to 
New  Orleans,  and  in  company  with  others, 
chartered  a  steamer  for  Ghagras.  Instead,  how- 
ever, they  were  landed  at  Aspinwall.  From 
there  he  went  afoot  across  the  Isthmus.  He 
remained  in  Panama  about  si.x  weeks,  campinc. 
A  large  party,  including  Mr.  Gearing,  took  pas- 
sage in  an  old  sailing  vessel  bound  for  San 
Francisco.  The  vessel  was  quite  unmanaofeable, 
and  the  voyage  became  a  tedious  one.  When 
1,500  miles  from  port  they  found  the  water  was 
giving  out,  and  all  hands  were  placed  on  an 
allowance  of  one  pint  a  day.  They  headed  for 
land,  and  reaching  a  Mexican  port,  took  in  a 
fresh  supply  of  water  and  started  anew.  They 
lost  their  bearings  and  put  into  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  By  paying  a  large  price,  fifty  of  the 
passengers  were  enabled  to  take  passage  on  a 
schooner  for  San  Francisco.  As  Mr.  Gearin* 
had  but  .$2.50  left  he  was  compelled  to  stay  by 
his  ship.  Finally  they  got  a  good  start,  and 
sailed  through  the  Golden  Gate  twelve  days  be- 
fore the  schooner  arrived.  The  boat,  which  was 
the  Sacramento,  Captain  Henry  commanding, 
was  condemned  as  soon  as  it  reached  San  Fran- 
cisco. They  had  been  at  sea  143  days  in  a  tide 
which  was  liable  to  have  gone  to  the  bottom  at  any 
time.  After  a  time  Mr.  Gearing  went  to  the 
mines  of  the  North  Fork  of  the  American 
River,  near  Auburn.  After  remaining  there 
five  or  six  months  and  getting  a  splinter  of 
rock  in  his  eye,  he  was  compelled  to  go  to  Sac- 
I'amento  where  he  could  be  doctored.  From 
there  he  went  to  a  point  below  Thompson's 
Flat,  near  Ghico,  wliere  he  again  followed  min- 
ing for  one  winter.  He  then  engaged  in  farm- 
ing on  a  ranch  fourteen  miles  from  Sacramento, 
for  another  man,  and  after  a  couple  of  years 
was  compelled   to   take  the   ])hu',o   for  his    pav. 


■(18 


UIsrORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


He  farmed  there  several  years,  and  also  burned 
charcoal.  In  1857  he  went  to  Oregon,  and  in 
the  following  year  returned  to  California  and 
located  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Ross,  Sonoma 
County,  where  he  dealt  in  cattle.  In  1862  he 
sold  his  cattle,  on  account  of  the  severe  win- 
ter, and  disposing  also  of  a  fruit  store  which 
he  had  in  Petahuna,  he  went  to  Truckee,  Ne- 
vada County,  and  there  followed  gardening. 
He  then  returned  to  Sonoma  County,  and  re- 
mained with  friends  in  Blucher  Valley  for  a 
time.  Mr.  Gearing  was  married  in  San  Fran- 
cisco to  Miss  Jessie  McKay,  a  native  of  Nova 
Scotia,  and  soon  after  engaged  in  farming  in 
Crane  Valley,  Sonoma  County.  One  year  later 
he  opened  a  butcher  shop  in  Sebastopol.  In 
1872  he  came  to  Healdsburg  and  opened  a  meat 
market  here.  Four  years  later  Mr.  Miller  (of 
Miller  ct  De  Lano)  became  his  partner,  this 
partnership  continuing  three  years.  His  health 
would  not  allow  him  to  continue  in  the  business, 
and  he  has  since  resided  at  his  present  home, 
convenient  to  Markwell's  slaughter-house,  which 
he  is  conducting.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gearing  are 
rearing  a  child,  Maggie  Powell,  daughter  of 
Mrs.  Gearing's  sisten  Politically  Mr.  Gearing 
is  a  Republican. 


fULIUS  ORT,  one  of  the  leading  agricult- 
urists and  stock-growers  of  Santa  Rosa 
Township,  has  a  beautiful  home  on  his 
splendid  ranch,  two  and  one-half  miles  south  of 
Santa  Rosa,  on  the  road  leading  to  Petaluma. 
Mr.  Orthas  been  identified  with  SonomaCounty 
since  1861,  and  a  resident  upon  the  property  he 
now  owns  and  occupies  since  1866.  His  estate  in- 
cludes about  250  acres  of  land  in  the  foot-hills,  a 
large  portion  of  which  is  especially  adapted  to  fruit 
and  vine  growing,  and  all  or  nearly  all  adapted 
to  cultivation.  One  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of 
this  property  are  of  the  choicest  valley  land. 
The  whole  was  in  a  state  of  nature  when  Mr. 
Ort  became  the  owner.  The  modest  residence 
occupied  as  the  family  home  up  to  1883  was  in 


that  year  abandoned,  and  the  family  now  occupj' 
one  of  the  finest  rural  homes  in  the  Santa  Rosa 
Valley,  costing  about  87,000.  From  the  bills 
one-half  mile  away  pure  water  for  all  purposes 
is  brought.  Nothing  conducive  to  comfort  and 
convenience  seems  to  be  overlooked  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  home.  The  beautiful  sur- 
roundings and  other  building  improvements  all 
combine  to  make  the  property  noticeable  and 
very  attractive.  A  brief  review  of  the  former 
life  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  gives  tlie 
following  facts.  Mr.  Ort  was  born  in  the 
Electorate  of  Hesse  Cassel,  Germany,  son  of 
Herman  and  Martha  Julia  Ort,  July  29,  1827. 
In  his  3'outhful  days  he  received  a  good  German 
education,  attending  the  high  school  at  Ham- 
burg. Reaching  his  seventeenth  3'ear,  and  be- 
ing possessed  of  a  spirit  of  adventure  and  anx- 
ious to  commence  life  for  himself,  he  resolved 
upon  emigrating  to  America,  a  land  giving 
more  freedom  to  an  ambitious  youth.  Anxious 
to  make  his  way  in  the  world,  in  September, 
1844,  he  landed  in  New  Orleans,  after  a  voyage 
of  fifty  days.  In  that  city  he  found  employ- 
ment and  there  learned  the  language  of  our 
country,  remaining  in  that  place  until  the  dis- 
covery of  gold  in  California.  Almost  with  the 
first  whirl  of  outward  emigration  he  started  for 
the  new  El  Dorado.  After  a  voyage  of  250 
days  around  Cape  Horn,  he  landed  in  San  Fran- 
cisco in  June,  1849.  On  the  North  Fork  of  the 
American  River  and  at  other  points,  with  pan 
and  rocker  and  crevice  knife,  etc.,  he  spent 
eighteen  months,  industry  and  prudence  en- 
abling him  to  save  $4,000.  He  then  became 
the  owner  of  640  acres  of  land  in  the  Sacra- 
mento Valley  in  Colusa  County.  There  he  en- 
gaged in  general  farming  and  stock-raising,  and 
there,  April  2,  1855,  he  married  Miss  Virginia 
Josephine  Rollias,  a  daughter  of  Lloyd  Rollins, 
a  pioneer  of  southern  Iowa.  She  was  bora  in 
that  State  (then  a  Territory)  June  14,  1834. 
"With  her  father  she  left  her  native  State  in 
1849,  went  to  Oregon,  and  thence  came  to 
Colusa  County  in  1852.  Her  parents  are  now 
deceased.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ort  have  four  children. 


&.     W     'Ma/,, 


'^6^. 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


two  sons  and  two  daughters.  Clara,  the  eldest, 
is  aow  the  wife  of  Rufns  A.  Temple,  of  Santa 
Kosa;  Kosa  H.  as  yet  remains  at  the  home  of 
her  parents;  Otto  V.  is  a  business  man  of  Santa 
Cruz;  and  the  youngest,  Julius  E.,  is  with  his 
parents.  Mr.  Ort  is  a  member  of  the  Santa 
Rosa  Grange,  No.  17,  P.  of  U.  Politically  he 
is  identified  with  the  Democratic  party.  lie  is 
one  of  the  stock-holders  and  a  director  of  the 
Santa  Rosa  Savings  Bank.  His  sterling  worth 
and  strict  integrity  are  the  leading  qualities 
which  have  won  for  him  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  all  who  know  him. 


f  LIVER  PERRY  POULSO-N,  of  Russian 
River  Township,  is  an  old  settler  of  Cali- 
fornia. He  is  a  native  of  Loudoun  County, 
'^'^irginia,  born  December  17,  1821,  his  parents 
being  John  and  Hannah  (Buflington)  Poulson. 
When  he  was  but  four  years  of  age  his  parents 
removed  to  Holmes  County,  Ohio,  locating  near 
Millersburg,  in  which  vicinity  they  were  early 
settlers.  There  Oliver  Perry  Poulson  was  reared 
to  manhood.  In  1841,  in  company  with  a 
brother-in-law,  William  Davenport,  he  removed 
by  team  to  Henderson  County,  Illinois.  There 
he  resided  until  1846,  when,  together  with  some 
acquaintances,  he  decided  to  try  his  fortunes  on 
the  Pacific  coast,  which  was  then  attracting 
considerable  attention  among  those  seeking 
homes  in  tlie  far  AVest.  When  eight  wagons 
were  gathered  together,  the  part}'  set  out  on 
their  long  journey.  They  left  home  about  the 
middle  of  April,  and  when  they  crossed  the 
Missouri  River  at  St.  Joe  the  cavalcade  had 
been  augmented  until  there  were  over  forty 
wagons.  The  year  1846  is  a  memorable  one  in 
the  annals  of  travel  across  the  plains,  on  account 
of  the  many  perils  that  beset  the  path  of  the 
liardy  people  who  attempted  the  journey.  For 
a  considerable  time  during  the  trip  Mr.  Poul- 
son was  in  the  train  commanded  by  Captain 
Donner,  but  luckily  he  was  one  of  those  who, 
chafing  at   the  slow   progress   made,  decided  to 


increase  the  speed,  and  thus  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  one  of  those  small  parties  which  branched 
off  from  the  main  train,  and  crossed  the  moun- 
tains before  winter  set  in,  thus  escaping  their 
share  of  tlie  terrible  experiences  of  the  ill-fated 
"  Donner  party,"  as  it  is  known  to  history.  It 
had  been  the  intention  of  most  of  the  emigrants 
to  locate  in  Oregon,  but  after  leaving  Donner's 
train  they  were  met  by  a  man  acquainted  with 
the  northern  route,  who  told  them  of  the  almost 
certain  danger  that  awaited  them  if  they  under- 
took to  carry  out  their  original  intention,  and 
all  the  wagons  bound  for  Oregon  were,  there- 
fore, turned  toward  California.  Mr.  Poulson's 
party  found  their  provisions  running  short  to- 
ward the  close  of  the  journey,  and  the  members 
were  placed  under  the  restraint  of  stipulated 
rations.  His  own  wagon  had  been  well  sup- 
plied, but  some  of  the  others  on  account  of 
prodigality  in  the  use  of  their  supplies,  or 
owing  to  undue  preparation,  became  destitute, 
and  those  well  equijaped  generously  divided 
with  their  less  fortunate  neighbors.  Money 
was  not  scarce,  however,  and  it  was  supposed 
that  when  they  reached  Johnson's  ranch  they 
could  obtain  provisions,  including  flour,  as  it 
was  known  that  a  mill  was  among  Johnson's 
possessions.  In  many  respects  they  were 
doomed  to  disappointment,  however,  as  scarcely 
anything  eatable  was  to  be  had  there,  and  the 
nearest  approach  to  flour  to  be  obtained  was  a 
little  bran.  An  exchange  of  two  horses  for  a 
cow  was  afl'ected,  and  when  this  was  slaughtered, 
a  pudding  of  the  meat  and  some  of  the  bran 
was  made.  This  pudding  did  not  turn  out  to 
be  a  success,  and  was,  to  say  the  least,  unpalat- 
able. They  were  enabled,  however,  to  push  on 
to  Sutter's  Fort,  where,  for  the  first  time  in 
many  days,  they  ate  good,  nourishing  food. 
Though  their  experiences  in  this  regard  were 
alone  suflicient  to  make  their  journey  memora- 
ble to  them  during  life,  these  liad  not  been  their 
only  troubles.  Several  times  during  their  trip 
across  the  plains  their  stock  had  been  stampeded 
by  Indians,  and  in  one  attack  they  lost  a  man 
killed,    while   others    were    severely    wounded. 


HItiToRY    OF    mNOMA    COUNTY. 


From  Slitter's  Fort  Mr.  Poulson  went  witli  Fre- 
mont's battalion  on  the  expedition  to  southern 
California,  bringing  up  at  Los  Angeles  on  IS'ew 
Year's  day,  1847.  He  took  part  in  all  the  ex- 
periences of  that  patriotic  band,  and  in  May 
started  on  the  return  trip  in  a  small  party,  with 
Major  Bidwell.  He  next  went  up  on  the  Ameri- 
can River,  onto  what  is  now  known  as  the  Nor- 
ris  (now  Sinclair)  ranch.  He  -was  engaged  by 
Captain  Sutter  to  get  out  a  lot  of  timber  and 
sliingles,  going  into  the  mountains  for  that  pur- 
pose. He  and  a  man  named  James  Anderson 
afterward  broke  forty-one  mustangs  to  harness 
for  Captain  Sutter.  In  the  spring  of  1848  he 
came  down  to  the  town  of  Sonoma,  and  there 
engaged  at  the  carpenter's  trade,  doing  a  good 
deal  of  work  for  Greneral  Vallejo.  In  company 
with  John  Stark  he  operated  a  saw-mill  at  So- 
noma, turning  out  a  great  deal  of  hunber. 
When  gold  was  discovered  at  Coloma,  he  de- 
cided to  go  there,  and  two  months  later  was  on 
the  scene  and  at  work.  He  remained  there  till 
fall,  and  then  returned  to  Sonoma  with  nearly 
$2,600,  his  season's  profits.  In  the  following 
spring  he  went  back  to  the  mines.  He  worked 
there  that  season,  then  removed  to  Napa  County, 
lucatiniT  four  miles  above  St.  Helena.  There 
his  family  resided  until  1868,  Mr.  Poulson 
himself  being  in  the  meantime  engaged  in 
mining  on  Mokelumne  River,  about  five  miles 
from  Mokelumne  Hill,  also  in  trading  in  stock, 
etc.  In  1868  he  removed  to  the  lower  part  of 
Lake  County,  near  Middletown,  and  there  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  stock-raising.  He  still 
retains  250  acres  of  the  1,250  acres  which 
comprised  his  Lake  County  farm.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1887,  he  purchased  twenty  acres  of  land  in 
Russian  River  Township,  Sonoma  County,  near 
Healdsburg,  and  soon  after  moved  to  it.  Nearly 
eleven  acres  are  planted  to  fruit,  mostly  prunes, 
plums,  peaches  and  pears,  and  all  are  in  bear- 
ing. The  place  is  a  valuable  one,  and  makes  an 
attractive  home.  Mr.  Poulson  was  married  at 
Sonoma  by  Governor  Boggs,  February  28, 
1847,  to  Miss  Harriet  Ritchey,  a  native  of  Lit- 
tle York,  Mercer  County,  Illinois,  and  daughter 


of  M.  D.  and  Caroline  Ritchey.  Her  parents 
came  to  California  in  1846.  Both  died  at  Napa 
City.  Her  father  was  a  prominent  man,  and 
was  known  as  Colmel  Ritchey.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Poulson  have  had  twelve  children,  viz.:  John, 
resides  in  Lincoln  County,  Washington  Terri- 
tory; Caroline,  wife  of  Samuel  Shilling,  resides 
in  Santa  Barbara  County;  Mary,  wife  of  Horace 
Schwartz,  lives  at  Santa  Anna;  Cj'nthia,  wife  of 
Robert  Quigley,  who  resides  in  Lake  County; 
Emily,  died  in  Napa  County,  aged  three  years; 
Angeline,  wife  of  John  Nelson,  resides  in  Lake 
County;  Amanda,  wife  of  Charles  Armsti'ong, 
a  druggist  of  Calistoga;  Lizzie,  wife  of  William 
Foster,  agent  of  the  Southern  Pacitic  Railroad 
at  Los  Angeles;  Addie,  at  home;  Nettie,  wife 
of  Nias  Decker,  of  Healdsburg;  Willie  and 
Mattie,  at  home.  Mr.  Poulson  is  a  Republican 
politically.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Adventist  church.  He  can  justly  lay 
claim  to  being  a  pioneer  of  California,  having 
been  one  of  those  who  preceded  the  Argonauts 
of  '49,  and  made  the  way  for  them  compara- 
tively easy.  He  was  a  resident  of  Sonoma 
County  when  most  of  it  was  an  almost  unknown 
and  unbroken  wilderness,  while  his  contempo- 
raries in  the  county  at  that  time,  who  are  still 
here,  can  be  counted  on  the  lingers  of  one  hand. 


T^TILLIAM  AMESBERRY,  of  Mendocino 
ill/.'All  Township,  has   a  ranch  of  over  thirty 

i-^jifci  acres,  convenient  to  Healdsburg,  which 
he  purchased  in  1884.  Nearly  twenty-eight 
acres  of  the  place  is  in  fruit,  only  a  small  por- 
tion of  which  had  been  planted  'before  the  pre- 
sent owner  took  possession.  Most  of  the  trees, 
which  are  in  splendid  condition,  were  set  out  in 
1885.  The  trees  are  principally  French  prunes, 
with  some  plums,  peaches  and  apples.  Large 
quantities  of  pumpkins,  potatoes,  etc.,  are 
raised  on  the  place.  Mr.  William  Amesberry, 
the  proprietor,  is  a  native  of  England,  born  in 
Somersetshire  in  1840.  When  but  a  child  he 
accompanied   his   parents  to  America,  and  was 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT r. 


reared  to  manhood  in  Onondaga  County,  New 
York.  In  1858  he  started  for  Washington  Ter- 
ritory, and,  in  company  with  two  ccunpanions, 
made  that  perilous  trip  by  way  of  Britisli 
America.  Those  wlio  have  made  that  journey 
in  winter  by  the  Canadian  Pacific  Kailroad  can 
possibly'  appreciate  the  hardships  of  tliose  men 
who  traveled  all  winter  over  that  route  thirty 
years  ago.  They  were  nearly  eleven  months  on 
the  journey,  and  at  one  time  were  nearly  nine 
days  without  food,  and  their  hunger  was  only 
allayed  by  linding  a  few  red  haws.  Almost  by 
a  miracle  they  reached  their  destination  on 
Frazer  River,  over  the  mines  of  which  location 
there  was  then  great  excitement.  There  Mr. 
Amesberry  followed  mining  for  some  time,  and 
was  thus  employed  in  Idaho  and  Washington 
Territory  until  1867,  when  he  removed  to  Lake 
County,  California.  Since  that  time  he  has  been 
engaged  in  blacksmithing,  saw  milling  and 
mining  until  coming  to  Sonoma  County  in  1882. 
Two  years  later  he  located  where  he  now  re- 
sides. He  was  married  in  this  State  to  Miss 
Mary  Hanna,  a  native  of  the  East,  who  came  to 
California  when  a  child.  They  have  six  chil- 
dren, viz.:  Milton,  Annie,  George,  William, 
Ehhel  and  Karel.  Mr.  Amesl)erry  is  a  Demo- 
crat, and  takes  an  active  part  in  politics.  He  is 
a  member  of  Healdsburg  Lodge,  K.  of  P. 


im  p.  PASSALAQUx\,  of  Healdsburg,  is  a 
I  pi  native  of  Italy,  born  about  twelve  miles 
*^*  from  Genoa,  March  12,  1845,  his  parents 
being  Lorenzo  and  Rose  (Roccatelliata)  Passa- 
laqiia,  the  father  a  farmer.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  reared  to  the  age  of  nineteen  years 
at  Iiis  native  place,  assisting  his  father  on  the 
farm.  February  2,  1865,  he  sailed  from  Genoa 
for  New  York,  which  port  he  reached  April 
23.  Twenty-two  days  later  he  sailed  for  Cali- 
fornia via  Panama,  arriving  in  San  Francisco 
June  5.  F(jr  two  months  he  followed  fishing 
and  then  went  into  the  mines  in  Calaveras 
County.     One  year   later    he  returned  to  San 


Francisco  and  engaged  in  gardening.  One  year 
in  this  pursuit  was  followed  by  a  similar  period 
devoted  to  fishing.  He  then  followed  garden- 
ing for  four  years  at  Sacramento,  after  which  he 
went  to  Stockton.  A  year  and  a  half  later  he 
sold  out  and  went  to  the  vicinity  of  Vallejo, 
where  he  conducted  a  vegetable  garden  for  six 
years.  Lie  then  sold  out  and  for  the  next  six 
months  was  in  business  in  San  Francisco.  He 
then  came  to  Healdsburg,  and  has  resided  he>.e 
since  that  time  with  the  exception  of  six  years 
spent  at  Cloverdale.  In  1882  he  purchased 
about  sixty  acres  of  the  best  land  in  Sonoma 
County  immediately  adjoining  Healdsburg,  but 
he  has  sold  off  portions  of  it  until  now  he  has 
only  nine  acres,  it  being  wonderfully  productive. 
He  raises  all  kinds  of  vegetables  for  which  there 
is  a  demand  in  this  market,  and  has  a  crop  of 
something  at  every  season  of  the  year.  From 
three-fourths  of  an  acre  of  strawberries  he  picks 
1,000  to  1,200  baskets  a  week.  He  has  a  vari- 
ety of  fruits,  including  apricots,  blackberries  and 
currants.  He  has  an  engine  of  six  horse  power 
for  irrigating  purposes,  the  water  being  drawn 
from  a  ten-inch  bored  well,  125  feet  in  depth. 
The  pump  has  a  capacity  of  drawing  20,000  gal- 
lons per  hour.  -  Mr.  Passalaqua  also  has  a  hand- 
some piece  of  residence  property  on  one  of  the 
desirable  streets  of  Healdsburg.  He  made  his 
start  since  coming  to  California,  and  by  indus- 
try and  perseverance  has  placed  himself  on  a 
solid  financial  footing.  He  has  purchased  a 
handsome  properly  in  Italy,  twelve  miles  from 
Genoa,  where  all  kinds  of  tropical  fruits  are 
raised.  Mr.  Passalaqua  was  married  at  A''allejo 
to  Miss  Laura  Lodjevello,  a  native  of  Italy. 
They  have  two  children,  viz. :  Edward  and  Sylvia. 


--^€ 


ii^g*-^ 


fR.  WILLIAMSON,  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
California,  was  i)orn  in  Bedford  (!ouiity, 
^  Virginia,  April  8,  1830,  being  a  descend- 
ant of  an  old  Virginia  family.  His  father, 
Jesse  Williamson,  early  in  life  married  Miss 
Frances   Richardson,  and  when   the  subject  of 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


this  sketch  was  quite  young  they  moved  to  Boone 
Connty,  ilissourl,  and  later  to  Lawrence  County, 
in  the  same  State,  where  both  himself  and  wife, 
after  useful  and  honorable  lives,  died  at  an  ad- 
vanced age.  J.  R.  Williamson  led  tbe  quiet 
life  of  a  boy  reared  to  farm  life  principally, 
until,  seized  by  the  gold  fever,  he  joined  an 
overland  train  fitted  out  with  ox  teams,  and  left 
the  old  home  April  22, 1849,  reaching  Bidwell's 
Bar  on  Feather  River,  October  22.  With  fair 
success  he  engaged  in  mining,  continuing  in 
that  occupation  for  eighteen  months.  He  then 
went  to  Butte  Mountains,  near  Marj'sville,  and 
there  engaged  in  genei'al  farming  and  stock- 
raising  until  he  came  to  this  county  in  Septem- 
tember,  1853.  Here,  after  farming  one  year, 
he  entered  into  the  livery  business  at  Santa 
Rosa,  which  business  he  conducted  until  1865, 
after  which  he  was  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits  at  Dry  Creek,  near  Healdsburg,  for 
four  years.  A  few  years  after  this  he  resumed 
a  trade  he  had  partly  learned  in  his  youth,  that 
of  blacksmithing,  and  worked  at  it  in  Healds- 
burg. In  1878  Mr.  Williams  established  iiis 
present  residence  upon  the  well-known  David- 
son Ranch,  a  little  west  of  Santa  Rosa.  He 
recalls  with  vivid  recollection  and  peculiar  in- 
terest the  excitement  attendant  upon  the  re- 
moving of  the  county's  official  records  from  the 
old  town  of  Sonoma  to  Santa  Rosa,  when  the 
county  seat  was  changed  to  the  latter  place. 
Owing  to  the  belief  on  the  part  of  the  Sonoma 
people  that  they  had  been  unfairly  treated,  they 
were  determined  to  at  least  exhaust  all  lecral 
process  to  prevent  the  carrying  away  of  the 
records.  Mr.  Williamson,  with  his  speediest 
team  was  employed,  and  to  his  individual  effort 
much  of  the  success  of  the  removal,  attended  by 
no  delay  or  opportunity  to  serve  legal  process, 
is  due.  May  22, 1856,  Mr.  Williaiuson  married 
Miss  Mary  L.  Davidson,  daughter  of  J.  E. 
Davidson,  one  of  the  pioneer  agriculturists  of 
Sonoma  County,  a  biographical  notice  of  whom 
appears  in  this  work.  Mrs.  Williamson  was 
born  May  30,  1834.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williamson 
have   had    three    children,  onlv  one  of   whom. 


Jesse  C,  is  living.  He  is  yet  a  school-boy. 
One  daughter,  Fannie  A.,  died  at  the  age  of 
three  years  and  nine  months;  and  one,  Laura 
B.,  died  at  the  age  of  two  years  and  two  months. 
In  politics,  Mr.  Williamson  is  identified  with 
the  Republican  party. 


F.  KILLAM. — The  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  born  in  the  western  part  of  Canada, 
in  the  town  of  Chatham,  April  16,  1851. 
Ilis  parents,  Jacob  and  Ruth  (Corning)  Killam, 
were  both  natives  of  Nova  Scotia,  from  which 
place  they  moved  into  Canada  where  they  made 
their  home,  with  the  exception  of  a  short  res- 
idence in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  until  the  time  of 
their  death,  the  former  in  1870  and  the  latter  in 
1869.  They  reared  a  family  of  eight  sons  and 
three  daughters.  A.  F.  Killam  spent  his  boy- 
hood days  in  Canada,  where  a  part  of  his  educa- 
tion was  received.  When  he  was  thirteen  years 
of  age  he  began  life  for  himself  and  has  made 
his  own  wa}'  in  the  world  from  that  time  on. 
While  living  in  Canada  he  was  apprenticed  at 
the  shoemaker's  trade,  at  which  he  labored  one 
year,  when  he  came  to  Cleveland.  In  1867  he 
entered  the  employ  of  W.  P.  Southward  »fe  Com- 
pany, which  to-day  is  the  largest  wholesale  and 
retail  grocery  house  in  that  city.  After  remain- 
ing in  his  employ  about  a  year  Mr.  Killam  en- 
gaged with  J.  A.  Barstow  ct  Company,  cigar 
and  tobacco  dealers,  with  whom  he  remained 
four  years,  buying  and  selling  for  the  house,  and 
a  part  of  the  time  traveling  on  the  road.  In 
1873  he  came  to  California  and  settled  in  Peta- 
luma,  engaging  in  the  dairy  business  and  start- 
ing a  cheese  factory  just  below  the  city  at  what 
was  called  Newton,  it  being  the  first  cheese  fac- 
tory put  in  operation  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
About  a  year  later  the  factory  was  moved  on  the 
San  Antonia  Creek  in  Marin  County.  Mr. 
Killam  associated  other  gentlemen  with  him  in 
the  business,  which  was  carried  on  under  the 
firm  name  of  Payne,  Killam  &  Co.  The  busi- 
ness was  run   on   a  large   scale,    manufacturing 


lllaTOHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


725 


during  the  milking  season  about  a  ion  of  cheese 
a  day  from  the  milk  of  two  thousand  cows.  After 
being  thus  engaged  for  about  three  years,  Mr. 
Kiilain  sold  his  interest  in  tlie  business  and 
started  a  city  express  in  Petaluma,  also  receiv- 
ing tlie  contract  from  the  Government  to  carry 
the  mail  between  the  depot  and  pustoffice,  wliich 
business  he  ran  for  two  years.  He  then  took 
the  management  of  a  grocery  house  lor  Mitchell 
&  Gleason,  a  Petaluma  iirni,  who  started  a 
branch  business  in  San  Francisco.  Afti  r  serv- 
ing in  this  capacity  for  fourteen  months,  Mr. 
Killam  not  being  able  to  endure  the  climate  of 
San  Francisco  was  compelled  on  account  of  his 
health  to  relinquish  this  position  and  return  to 
Petaluma.  In  June,  1882,  he  entered  into  the 
grocery  and  fruit  business  in  the  Lodge  building 
on  Western  avenue,  where  he  remained  for 
about  three  years,  during  which  time  betook  in 
as  a  partner  James  Patterson  under  the  firm 
name  of  Killam  et  Co.,  and  moved  the  business 
into  the  Case  building  on  the  same  street.  This 
firm  continued  about  a  year  and  the  location 
was  again  changed  to  the  Mutual  Relief  build- 
ing. In  April,  1886,  Mr.  Patterson's  interest 
was  sold  to  Daniel  R.  Stewart  and  the  firm 
became  Killam  k,  Stewart,  which  partnership 
continued  until  October  12,  1887,  when  Mr. 
Killam  sold  his  interest  to  Mr.  Stewart  and 
on  the  12th  of  November  of  the  same  year 
opened  his  present  business  in  the  Case  Building 
on  the  corner  of  Kentucky  Street  and  Webster 
avenue.  lie  carries  a  full  assortment  of  gro- 
ceries and  provisions  and  also  handles  a  choice 
line  of  fruits  and  vegetables.  Mr.  Killam  is  a 
courteous  gentleman  of  sterling  business  quali- 
ties and  conducts  his  affairs  on  a  basis  that  has 
placed  him  among  the  better  class  of  business 
men.  lie  was  married  in  Petaluma,  April  22, 
1878,  to  Parmelia  L.,  daughter  of  Ilu-rh  Col- 
quhon,  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  a  veteran  of 
the  Union  army,  who  enlisted  in  1801,  and  fell 
in  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Rum.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Killam  have  one  son,  Waiter,  born  January  31, 
1883.  Mr.  Killam  became  a  member  of  the 
Washington  Lodge,  K.  P.,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio, 


and  was  transferred  from  that  lodge  to  the 
Petaluma  Lodge,  No.  100.  He  has  been  master 
of  finance  of  this  lodge  for  the  last  four  years. 

l^^flLLIAM  BRAUNERN,  of  Russian 
\  \\'  liiver  Township,  is  a  native  of  Nassa- 
;=l,-~j  oii-the-Rhine,  Iwrn  October  16,  1828, 
h'.s  parents  being  Christian  and  Elizabeth 
(Zapa)  Braunern,  the  father  a  shueniaker  by 
trade.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  attended 
school  from  the  age  of  si.\  to  fourteen  years, 
and  in  1844  sailed  from  Hanover  for  America, 
landing  at  New  Orleans,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood.  He  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade  in 
the  Crescent  City,  and  followed  it  there  until 
1852,  when  he  came  to  California  via  Panama, 
landing  in  San  Francisco  in  May.  He  pro- 
ceeded to  Yuba  County,  and  after  a  time  went 
to  the  Territories.  He  remained  in  Montana, 
Idaho  and  Nevada  until  1878,  when  he  returned 
to  California,  and  located  where  he  now  resides, 
opposite  Healdsburg,  on  Bailhache  avenue. 
Mr.  Braunern's  ranch  consists  of  nine  and 
three  fourths  acres,  of  which  five  are  devoted  to 
hops,  the  yard  having  been  planted  in  1881. 
In  this  undertaking  he  has  been  very  success- 
ful, harvesting  on  an  average  three  and  one-half 
tons.  He  has  about  four  and  one-half  acres  in 
fruit,  the  trees  being  mostly  Coe's  Golden  Drop, 
Yellow  Egg  and  Prince  of  Wales  plums,  and 
Gross  prunes,  with  a  few  cherries  and  apples. 
This  place  is  in  excellent  condition,  and  reflects 
credit  on  the  proprietor.  Mr.  Braunern  was 
married  in  this  State,  to  Miss  Kate  Recher. 
They  have  one  child — William.  Politically  Mr. 
Braunern  is  a  Democrat. 


^I^ERHARD  DIETZ,  of  Guernevillc,  is  a 
native  of  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  born 
April  26,  1846.  his  parents  being  John 
George  and  Maria  (Kirshten)  Dietz.  His  father 
was  in  the  government  employ,  a  cashier  in  the 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


revenue  service.     Gerhard  Dletz,  the  subject  of 
this   sketch,   was    reared    and    educated    in    his 
native   city.     The    civil    war    in    America    had 
great  interest  for  him,  and    lie  decided  to  take 
lip  arms  in  the  Union  cause.     Being  unable  to 
gain  the  consent  of    his   parents,   he  ran  away 
from  home  in  1863,  and  came  to  America.     He 
enlisted  in  the  service  of  the  United  -States  at 
Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  November  15,  1862, 
and    proceeded   to   the  front    near    Richmond, 
where  he  joined  Company  D  of  the  Sixth  Con- 
necticut   Infantry,    which    was    a    part    of   the 
Second    Brigade,  First  Division,  Tenth  Army 
Corps.      After  spending  three  months   in  front 
of  Richmond,   his  command    went  with   Sher- 
man's  army.     They    marched     with    Sherman 
through  North  and  South  Carolina,  and  partici- 
pated  at   Morris  Island,  Fort  "Wagner,  Chester 
Station,   Bermuda   Hundred,   Deep   Run  (Va.), 
and  Fort  Fisher.    At  the  latter  place  Mr.  Dietz 
was  taken  sick  with  ty[)hoid  fever,  and  was  sent 
to   Hampton    hospital,    near    Fortress    Monroe. 
After  two  months  he  rejoined  the  command  at 
Wijmington,  North  Carolina,  and  served  until 
August,  1865,  when  he  was  discharged  at  New 
Haven,   Connecticut.     He- soon  went  to    New 
1  ork,  and    two  or  three  weeks  later  to  Balti- 
more, where    lie  was    engaged    until    1869    at 
watch-making,  the  business  he  had  commenced 
in  Germany.     In    1869    he  went    back   to    his 
native  country,  but  after  one  year  he  returned 
to  Baltimore.     He  remained  there  a  little  over 
a  year,  then  went  to  Humboldt,  Allen  County, 
Kansas,  where  he  was  in  business  until  1875. 
In  that  year  he  came  to  California,  and  resided 
at  Lakeport  until  May,  1879,  when  he  came  to 
Guerneville.     In  May,  1880,  he  became  agent 
for  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co.,  and  in  June,  1880,  he 
was    appointed    postmaster,   holding    the  office 
until  1886.     He   is  yet  agent  for  the  express 
company,  and   does    an    extensive    business   in   I 
watch-making    and    jewelry.     Mr.    Dietz    was 
married    in    Kansas,    to    Miss   Bessie   Bacon,  a   I 
native  of  Wisconsin.    They  have  three  children,   [ 
viz.:     Daisy,    Edith    and    Warner.     Mr.    Dietz 
was  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Guerne-    I 


ville  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  and  has  been  adjutant 
since  the  organization.  He  also  belongs  to  the 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  K.  of  P.     He 

has  been  treasurer  of  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  for 
eight  years.  Politically  he  is  a  staunch  Repub- 
lican. 


fRANK  STEELE  was  born  in  Amherst, 
Lorain  County,  Ohio,  August  11,  1848. 
His  father,  John  B.  Steele,  was  a  native  of 
Delaware,  and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  When 
ten  years  of  age  the  death  of  his  father  left  him 
an  orphan  (his  mother  having  died  when  he  was 
but  two  years  old),  and  shortly  after  he  became 
an  inmate  of  the  family  of  his  uncle,  Smith 
Steele.  He  was  reared  to  farm  life,  receiving  a 
fair  schooling  until  sixteen  years  of  age,  when 
he  commenced  work  in  a  blacksmith  shop.  Not 
suited  with  this  occupation,  after  a  six  months' 
trial,  he  returned  to  farming  and  was  employed 
by  Mrs.  Mary  Ernst  to  take  charge  of  her  farm. 
He  conducted  that  farm  until  1868.  In  that 
year  he  came  by  steamer  route  to  California, 
arriving  in  San  Francisco  in  November.  Soun 
after  his  arrival  in  the  Golden  State,  Mr.  Steele 
went  to  San  Mateo  County,  where  he  was  era- 
ployed  upon  the  dairy  farm  of  I.  C.  Steele  until 
1870.  The  next  two  years  he  spent  in  San  Luis 
Obispo  County,  and  in  1872  returned  to  San 
Mateo  County  and  rented  the  dairy  farm  of  R. 
E.  Steele.  This  large  farm  of  2,000  acres,  with 
a  daily  of  200  cows,  was  conducted  by  him  for 
many  years.  His  energetic  and  intelligent 
management  secured  his  success,  and  in  1878 
he  purchased  1,370  acres  of  land  in  San  Mateo 
County,  and  commenced  stocking  it.  He  en- 
gaged in  the  daily  business  and  stock-raising 
tmtil  1884,  when  he  took  up  his  present  resi- 
dence in  Sonoma  County.  He  is  the  owner  of 
ninety-four  acres  of  choice  land  in  the  Lewis 
school  district,  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of 
Santa  Rosa,  upon  which  he  resides.  With  the 
exception  of  a  family  orchard  and  vineyard,  his 
land  is  devoted  to  hay  and  grain.    He  has  made 


HIHTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


many  improvements  upon  this  farm,  among  the 
most  prominent  of  which  is  a  beautiful  and 
well  ordered  two-stury  residence,  which  is  sur- 
rounded by  fine  lawns  and  shade  trees,  making 
one  uf  the  most  pleasant  homes  in  the  district. 
Mr.  Steele  still  owns  his  ranch  in  San  Mateo 
County,  which  he  is  devoting  to  stock-growing. 
Mr.  Steele  is  an  enterprising  and  progressive 
citizen,  and  a  desirable  acquisition  to  tiie  com- 
munity in  which  he  has  taken  up  his  residence. 
He  is  an  earnest  supporter  of  the  public  schools, 
and  is  a  school  trustee  of  his  district.  He  is  a 
liberal  and  conservative  Democrat  in  politics. 
In  1874  Mr.  Steele  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Catherine  Ernst,  the  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (Younglove)  Ernst.  Her  father  was 
a  native  of  Germany,  and  her  mother  was  born 
in  Massachusetts.  Mrs.  Steele  was  born  in 
Ohio.  To  this  marriage  have  been  born  four 
children,  viz.:  John  E.,  Henry  B.,  Jay  and 
Benjamin  L. 

^.|^,..^3 


ETER  SCHMIDT,  of  Russian  River  Town- 
jtvi^  ship,  was  born  in  Gernnin}',  near  the 
^  Rhine,  October  23,  1824,  and  is  a  son  of 
Anton  and  Catherine  (Issala)  Schmidt,  the  father 
having  been  a  land-owning  farmer.  Peter 
Schmidt  was  reared  at  the  home  place,  and  re- 
ceived the  advantages  of  a  common-school  edu- 
cation. In  1850,  going  to  Liverpool,  he  took 
passage  tliere  on  a  vessel  bound  for  America, 
and  landed  at  New  York  after  a  voyage  of  six 
weeks.  He  soon  went  as  far  west  as  Illinois, 
and  located  at  Galena,  where  he  went  to  work 
in  the  lead  mines.  In  1854  he  came' to  Cali- 
fornia, making  the  journey  across  the  plains, 
with  a  party  made  up  in  the  vicinity  of  Galena. 
Tiiey  crossed  the  Missouri  River  at  (Jouncil 
Bluifs,  and  Mr.  Schmidt  arrived  in  Rinmas 
County,  California,  August  8,  his  trip  having 
lasted  to  that  time  from  April  20.  He  was 
engaged  in^mining  until  1859.  After  that  he 
spent  some  time  in  traveling  over  California, 
and    finally    located    in    Lake    County,  coming 


from  there  to  his  present  location  in  1873.  He 
has  a  place  of  five  acres  on  Bailhache  avenue, 
across  the  river  from  Ilealdsburg.  He  set  out 
this  place  to  hops  in  1885,  and  though  his  land 
is  not  large  in  extent,  he  has  made  it  remunera- 
tive by  his  careful  attention  and  his  knowledge 
of  the  hop  business,  his  yard  yielding  an  aver- 
age of  1,500  pounds  per  acre.  Mr.  Schmidt 
has  traveled  extensively  over  the  Pacific  coast, 
and  has  resided  in  Arizona,  Utah  and  Nevada, 
in  the  latter  State  two  years.  He  was  njarried 
to  Mrs.  Mai'garet  Sheridan,  a  widow,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Kane.  By  her  first  marriage 
she  has  two  cliildren — Thomas  and  .\braham. 
Politically  Mr.  Schmidt  is  a  Lenioerat.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  F.  ct  A.M. 
lodges. 


•g?{^  J.  PARKERSON,  roadmaster  of  Mendo- 
ftfc-  cino  district  in  1888,  has  a  ranchof  forty 
^1®  acres  on  the  west  side  of  Dry  Creek, 
twelve  miles  from  Ilealdsburg.  He  has  eight 
acres  in  vines,  which  average  three  years  in  age, 
the  leading  varieties  being  Zinfandel  and  Golden 
Chasselas.  He  also  has  an  orchard  of  one  acre, 
planted  to  a  variety  of  fruit.  Mr.  Parkerson  is 
a  native  of  Winnebago  County,  Illinois,  born 
nine  miles  from  Rockford,  July  27,  1856,  his 
parents  being  J.  C.  and  Maud  (Killington) 
Parkerson,  both  of  whom  were  born  and  reared 
in  England.  In  1862  the  family  went  back  to 
England,  but  a  few  months  later  started  for 
New  Zealand.  There  they  lived  three  years  and 
three  months,  and,  at  the  expiration  of  that 
time,  came  to  California,  landing  at  San  Fran- 
cisco June  10,  1866.  For  a  year  and  a  half 
they  resided  at  Oakland,  and  tlien  removed  to 
Contra  Costa  County,  where  they  lived  on  a 
ranch  until  1870,  in  which  year  the}'  removed 
to  Sonomji  (]i)unty,  finally  settling  on  a  ranch  in 
Russian  iiiver  Township.  C.J.  Parkei'son  was 
but  ten  years  of  age  wlien  the  family  came  to 
California.  He  received  his  education  mostly 
in  Contra  Costa  County,  and  at   Petaluma.     In 


UISrOHY    OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


tlie  latter  place  he  was  in  the  livery  business 
four  years,  and  was  engaged  in  V^allejo  Town- 
ship before  couiing  to  his  present  location.  He 
was  married  in  this  county  to  Miss  Annie  East- 
lake,  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  in  Bureau 
County,  near  Princeton.  Her  parents,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Edward  Eastlake,  now  reside  in  Cloverdale 
Township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parkerson  have  three 
children,  Eva,  Herbert  and  Pearl.  Politically, 
Mr.  Parkerson  is  a  Democrat,  and  takes  an 
active  interest  in  public  aiFairs.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Healdsburg  Lodge,  K.  of  P.,  and  is  an 
enterprising  young  man,  who  commands  the 
respect  and  confidence  of  all  who  know    him. 

'^-^■^ 


fPETITDIDIER  has  a  ranch  of  seventy 
acres  on  the  west  side  of  Dry  Creek,  six 
"  miles  from  Healdsburg.  He  lias  about 
fourteen  acres  in  vinevard,  averacrincr  about  five 
years  in  age,  the  vines  being  Zinfandel  and 
Mission.  Two  aci-es  are  in  orchard,  thirty-five 
years  old,  the  fruit  mostly  apples.  The  rest 
of  the  place  is  devoted  to  general  farming  pur- 
poses. Mr.  Petitdidier  is  a  native  of  Depart- 
ment of  Vosges,  France,  born  July  22,  1834, 
his  parents  being  Joseph  and  Marie  Ann 
(Lambli)  Petitdidier,  the  father  a  farmer.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  in  his  native 
country,  and  in  1856,  going  to  Havre,  took 
passage  on  a  vessel  bound  for  America.  He 
landed  at  New  York  July  4  from  &\\\\)  Mercury, 
and  at  once  went  to  Illinois.  He  located  at 
Ottawa,  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
plows  for  Drew  &  Meyerhofier.  Having  learned 
the  wheelwright  trade  in  France,  his  mechan- 
ical knowledge  now  stood  him  in  good  stead. 
After  being  employed  at  Ottawa  three  years  he 
came  to  California,  via  New  Orleans  and  Te- 
hauntepec,  arriving  in  San  Francisco  December 
1,  1858.  He  went  to  the  mines  in  Nevada,  and 
was  engaged  in  mining  there  and  in  Siskiyou 
County  for  some  time.  From  there  he  went 
back  to  France,  but  one  year  later  he  returned 
to  San  Francisco.     He  had  a  route  of  the  San 


Francisco  Guide  for  nearly  three  years.  Since 
that  time  he  has  been  farming.  Mr.  Petitdi- 
dier was  married  while  on  his  trip  to  France,  to 
Justinia  Cherrer.  They  have  two  children — 
Julian  and  Victor.  Mr.  Petitdidier  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Franco-American  Lodge,  No.  207, 
L  O.  O.  F. 


1|^ENDERS0N  P.  HOLMES,  one  of  the 
r  \  repi-esentative  farmers  of  Santa  Rosa 
~^i  Valley,  and  a  California  pioneer,  is  a 
native  of  Tennessee,  and  dates  his  birth  in  Bed- 
ford County,  November  21,  1821.  His  parents 
were  Phinchas  and  Rachel  (Stewart)  Holmes, 
the  former  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  and  the 
latter  of  Georgia.  When  he  was  about  two 
years  old  his  parents  moved  to  Carroll  County, 
Tennessee,  and  in  1836  emigrated  to  Arkansas, 
settling  in  Benton  County.  Mr.  Holmes  was 
reared  to  a  farm  life,  receiving  in  his  youth  but 
a  limited  education.  Early  in  1849  he  joined 
an  emigrant  party  from  Arkansas  and  the  Cher- 
okee Nation,  and  started  across  the  plains  for 
the  Golden  State.  This  party  was  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Evans,  who  brought  them 
to  their  destination  after  a  journey  of  five 
months  duration.  Immediately  after  his 
arrival  Mr.  Holmes  commenced  mining  in 
Yuba  County,  and  continued  this  occupation 
until  the  fall  of  1850,  when  he  located  near 
Marysville,  and  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising.  He  also  engaged  in  the  business  of 
supplj'iug  the  miners  with  beef  In  the  fall  of 
1851  he  returned,  via  the  Isthmus  of  Panama 
and  New  Orleans,  to  Arkansas.  While  there 
he  purchased  300  head  of  fine  milch  cows,  and 
in  the  spring  of  1852  he  started  upon  his  second 
trip  across  the  plains,  bringing  his  stock  with 
him.  Upon  his  arrival  he  located  in  Sonoma 
County,  on  lands  which  be  still  occupies.  Mr. 
Holmes  was  successful  in  his  enterprise,  and 
was  among  the  first  to  introduce*  American 
cattle  stock  into  Sonoma  County.  In  1853  he 
visited  Texas,  and  returned  with  a  large  drove 


BISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


729 


of  cattle  from  that  State,  lie  continued  his 
stock-growing  enterprise  for  a  nnmher  of  years, 
visiting  Texas  and  Arkansas  several  times  for 
the  purpose  of  procuring  American  cattle.  In 
185'l,  while  on  a  visit  to  Ai'kansas,  he  married 
J\liss  Mary  E.  Smith,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  and 
daughter  of  J'ressley  R.  and  Mary  (Woodruff) 
Smith.  Her  fathei-  was  a  prominent  citizen  of 
Washington  County,  Arkansas.  Returning  to 
}iis  liome  in  Sonoma  Cvounty  Mr.  Holmes  con- 
tinned  his  stock  enterprises,  and  also  engaged 
extensively  in  general  farming.  In  1860  his 
l)i-other,  Calvin  H.  Holmes,  who  had  heen  asso- 
ciated witli  liim  in  business,  removed  to  Knight's 
A'alley.  Mrs.  Holmes  died  July  13,  1806.  In 
1869,  in  Collin  County,  Texas,  Mr.  Holmes 
married  Mrs.  Rebecca  Oldham,  widow  of  Leigh 
Oldham,  a  native  of  Carroll  County,  Tennessee. 
Her  parents  were  John  and  Susan  (Anient) 
Ilutfman,  natives  of  Kentucky.  During  his 
long  residence  here  IVIr.  Holmes  has  taken  a 
prominent  part  in  developing  the  varied  re- 
sources of  Sonoma  County,  and  is  also  associated 
with  its  civic  and  political  history.  Politically, 
he  is  a  Democrat,  being  a  leader  in  his  party, 
and  having  represented  it  many  times  in  county 
and  State  conventions.  In  18()2  and  "63  he  was 
the  county  treasurer  of  Sonoma  County,  and  in 
1878-''79  he  was  a  member  of  the  constitu- 
tional convention  that  gave  to  California  its 
present  constitution.  He  has  always  been  a 
liberal  supporter  of  schools  and  churches.  He 
is  a  member  of  Santa  Rosa  Lodge,  No.  52,  F. 
A:  A.  M.,  and  also  of  Santa  Rosa  Chapter. 
The  magnificent  farm  owned  by  Mr.  Holmes 
contains  394  acres  of  hill  and  valley  land,  loca- 
ted about  two  and  one-half  miles  north  of  Santa 
Rosa,  on  the  Santa  Rosa  and  Healdsbnrg  road. 
He  has  a  vineyard  of  200  acres,  producing  wine 
grapes  of  the  Zinfandel,  I'urger,  Riesling  and 
Mission  varieties.  Ten  acres  are  in  orchard, 
yielding  a  large  variety  of  the  choicest  fruits 
grown  in  the  county.  The  rest  of  his  land  is 
devoted  to  grain,  hay  and  stock.  Mr.  Holmes 
has  for  many  years  spent  much  time  and 
expense  in  the  improvement  of   the    stock  of 


Sonoma  County.  '\'\w  first  of  the  famous 
"Argyle"  horses  ever  brought  to  this  county 
was  brought  by  Mr.  Holmes,  from  Arkansas. 
He  has  some  fine  horses  of  the  "  Anteo"  stock, 
and  also  some  tine  Jersey  cattle.  His  farm  is 
thoroughly  cultivated  and  improved.  From 
the  iirst  marriage  of  Mr.  Holmes  thei'e  are  now 
living  two  children:  Ilachael  and  Frank  II. 
The  former  is  a  teacher  in  Miss  Chase's  sem- 
inai-y  at  Santa  Rosa,  and  the  latter  is  in  the 
United  States  postal  service,  having  been  the 
agent  who  had  charge  of  the  first  United  States 
mails  going  by  the  all-rail  route  from  Portland, 
Oregon,  to  San  Francisco.  From  the  second  mar- 
riage there  is  one  child,  Ella  Elizabeth.  Mrs. 
Holmes  is  the  mother  of  two  children  from  liei- 
former  marriage,  viz.:  William  Oldham  and 
Leigh  (JIdham. 


fUDGE  AMOS  M.  RAKEIi,  of  Mendocino 
Township,  is  a  native  of  Ontario,  Canada, 
born  twenty-two  miles  west  of  Toronto, 
August  3,  1836,  his  parents  being  George  and 
Harriet  (Grace)  liaker.  The  former  was  a  na- 
tive of  Ireland  and  the  latter  of  Maine.  .\.  AL 
Baker  was  reared  in  Canada,  and  in  Michigan 
fifteen  miles  west  of  Detroit.  In  iMiO  he  cuine 
out  to  California  via  New  ^'orlc  and  Panama, 
leaving  home  about  the  Iirst  ot  Octohcr  and 
arriving  in  San  Francisco  one  month  later,  his 
vessel  having  a  race  with  the  Mofie  Taijlor. 
Three  or  four  months  after  arriving  in  San 
Francisco  he  went  into  the  i-edwood  region 
tributary  to  Redwood  City,  and  made  shingles 
for  a  man  named  Purdy  Ferris.  He  then  started 
for  lioise  mining  camp  in  Idaho.  (letting  to 
the  slide  of  the  Ilundioldt,  his  horse  died  and 
he  joui-neyed  on  afoot,  liehind  him,  and  going 
in  the  same  direction,  was  a  band  of  cattle,  and 
from  the  drovers  he  tried  to  buy  a  horse.  I'aiU 
ing  in  this  he  hired  to  them  and  afterward  en- 
tered into  partnei-ship  with  them,  buying  cattle 
in  Santa  ('lara  (.ounty  and  driving  them  to 
Boise,  to  the  John  Day  country,  etc.     In  1866 


730 


niSTOHY     OF    SONOMA    COUNTT. 


lie  came  to  Sonoma  County  and  bought  a  place 
above  where  he  now  resides.  He  was  also  en- 
gaged for  two  3'ears  in  stock-raising  on  a  ranch 
he  had  Iwnglit  in  the  hills.  He  was  married  in 
this  county,  iXovember  8,  1873,  to  Miss  Julia 
Rebecca  Derrick,  a  native  of  this  county  and 
dan  crhter  of  Joseph  A. and  Elizabeth  (Thompson) 
Derrick.  Her  father  was  born  in  Tennessee, 
but  roared  in  Missouri.  Her  mother  was  born 
ill  Portacre  County,  Ohio,  fourteen  miles  from 
llavenna.  Her  father  who  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Mexican  war,  came  here  in  an  early  day,  and 
died  in  this  county  August  4,  1880,  and  his 
widow  died  in  May,  1887.  The  Judge  and 
Mrs.  Baker  have  seven  children,  viz.:  Joel 
Franklin,  Harriet,  Lydia,  ]\[illie,  Grace,  Chris- 
tobel  and  Lewi.-;.  Politicalij,  Judge  Baker  is  a 
staunch  Jlepulilican,  and  takes  an  active  interest 
in  public  affairs.  He  was  elected  justice  of  the 
peace  in  1884,  and  was  the  Republican  candidate 
in  1888.  He  is  a  member  of  Healdsburg  Lodge, 
A.  ().  U.  W.  His  tine  ranch  contains  160 
acres  and  is  situated  on  the  west  side  of  Dry 
Creek,  seven  miles  from  Healdsburg.  About 
fourteen  acres  are  in  grapes,  of  which  ten  acres 
are  Mission  and  tlie  rest  mostly  Zinfandel  with 
a  few  other  varieties.  The  remainder  of  the 
place  is  devoted  to  general  farming  purposes, 
with  tlie  exception  of  four  acres  in  peaches,  and 
one  in  ajiphs,  pears  and  ]ilums. 

-^.3^MC'^°"S&k.^^==S,- 


tEVI  Til  KENS,  of  "Washington  Townshi]i, 
is  a  native  of,  Fayette  County,  West  V^ir- 
ginia,  born  October  19,  1824,  his  parents 
lieing  James  and  Susan  (Skaggs)  Likens.  At 
the  outbreak  of  the  troubles  with  Mexico,  Mr. 
Likens  went  to  St.  Louis,  and  there  enlisted  in 
the  service  of  the  United  States.  His  command 
proceeded  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  but  was  there 
discharged,  as  it  was  decided  that  no  further 
additions  to  the  army  were  needed.  Three 
weeks  later  Mr.  Likens  went  to  Platte  County, 
Missouri,  and  there  resided  until  the  fall  of 
1S49,  when  be   took  charge  of  a  train   to  take 


supplies  to  Santa  Fe,  for  the  commission  laying 
out  the  boundary  line  between  the  United  States 
and  Mexico.  It  was  the  intention  of  Mi-. 
Likens  to  proceed  to  CJalifornia,  but  he  had  to 
lay  idle  at  Santa  Fe  for  three  months,  waiting 
for  a  party  from  Missouri  bound  for  the  Pacific 
slope.  Out  of  the  original  train  of  300  peo- 
ple, Mr.  Likens  came  through  with  a  party  of 
thirty,  and  their  route  took  them  through  Mex- 
ico and  Arizona  to  California.  They  proceeded 
to  San  Diego,  where  they  took  steamer  for  San 
Francisco,  arriving  there  January  5, 1850.  He 
went  to  Sacramento  on  a  little  sloop,  being  tliree 
days  on  the  trip,  the  rain  descending  all  the 
time.  From  there  he  went  to  Weaver  Creek 
with  his  party,  they  packing  provisions,  blankets, 
etc.,  on  their  backs.  On  reaching  the  mines 
they  went  to  work  at  once,  and  the  first  day  J\lr. 
Likens  took  out  $10  in  gold.  That  was  the 
smallest  day's  work  he  did,  while  the  highest 
netted  him  S75.  P.efore  a  year  had  passed,  he 
was  taken  sick  and  was  compelled  to  leave  the 
camp.  He  went  to  San  Jose  and  was  one  of  the 
first  to  sow  wheat  there.  He  was  the  first  mill- 
wright to  work  on  the  mill  of  James  Lick,  who 
offered  him  $9  a  day  for  five  years  to  run  it 
after  it  was  finished.  He  made  his  home  in  a 
cabin  with  Mr.  Lick.  He,  however,  declined  to 
accept  Mr.  Lick's  offer,  as  he  had  decided  to  go 
back  to  Missouri,  which  he  did  b}'  the  way  of 
Panama  and  New  Orleans.  Everything  was 
flourishing  at  his  old  home  and  he  went  into 
the  stock  business,  so  remaining  until  his  health 
broke  down.  He  lost  $40,000  by  fire  and  the 
ravages  of  war.  He  was  very  extensively  en- 
gaged in  business,  some  of  his  interests  being  a 
grist  mill,  saw-mill,  cotton  factory,  besides  hav- 
ing steamboats  plying  on  the  Missouri  River. 
He  decided  to  again  come  to  California,  and  in 
1873  he  located  at  Georgetown  and  engaged  in 
quartz  mining.  Afterward  he  went  to  Colusa 
County,  and  from  there  to  Mendocino  County, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  sheep  raising.  His 
next  location  was  a  ranch  one  mile  south  of 
Cloverdale,  where  he  resided  four  years.  After 
living  in  Oaklaml  one  year  he  bought  the  ranch 


HISTORY    OF    SOiiOMA    COUNTY. 


731 


now  owned  by  Hon.  Robert  Briggs,  wliich  he 
sold  since  moving  to  tlie  place  where  he  now 
resides.  Mr.  Likens  was  married  in  Missouri, 
to  Miss  Eliza  N.  Hunt,  a  native  of  Clay  County, 
Missouri,  reared  in  Platte  County.  Tiiey  have 
had  tliree  children,  of  whom  one  is  living — 
James  L. — who  resides  at  Ilopland.  Those  who 
died  were  Zilf'a  Susan,  aged  three,  and  a  boy 
two  years  of  age.  Mr.  Likens  is  a  Democrat 
politically,  and  takes  an  active  interest  is  public 
attairs,  though  he  has  never  been  an  office  seeker. 
After  he  was  burned  out  in  Missouri  his  friends 
wanted  him  to  run  for  sherifl',  but  he  declined. 
He  prefers  a  retired  life  and  devotes  his  time  to 
his  ranch,  which  consists  of  130  acres,  four 
miles  from  Plealdsburg,  on  the  road  between 
that  place  and  Cloverdale.  He  has  about  five 
acres  in  apples,  pears,  plums,  prunes,  peaches 
and  cherries,  the  trees  having  been  planted  in 
1882.  All  are  bearing  and  yielding  good  crops. 
He  also  has  about  an  acre  in  table  grapes. 
Eighty  acres  of  the  ranch  are  devoted  to  wheat, 
of  which  an  average  crop  is  twenty-five  bushels 
per  acre.  He  usually  has  twenty  acres  of 
alfalfa,  which  is  cut  three  times  a  year  and  from 
which  he  gets  an  average  of  six  tons  per  acre 


(l)WARI)  L.  HATHAWAY.  —  Among 
the  attractive  residence  properties  in  the 
beautiful  Green  Valley,  in  Analy  Town- 
ship, is  that  of  Edward  L.  Hathaway.  It  is 
located  in  the  Oak  Grove  school  district,  about 
two  and  a  half  miles  northwest  t)f  Sebastopol. 
A  fine  two-story  residence,  substantial  out- 
buildings and  hop  dry  house,  surrounded  hy 
well  laid  out  grounds  arrest  the  passer-by,  all 
denoting  the  thrift  and  success  that  must  attend 
the  owner's  operations  in  agricultural  and  horti- 
cultural pursuits.  Mr.  Hathaway "s  landed  pos- 
sessions, while  not  extensive  are  very  productive. 
He  has  forty-three  acres  of  land,  of  which  twenty- 
seven  acres  surround  his  residence.  Seven 
acres  are  devoted  to  fruit  culture,  producing 
splendid   specimens  of  apples,    peaches,  pears, 


plums,  cherries,  figs,  and  also  small  fruits,  such 
as  strawberries,  currants  and  gooseberries.  Of 
vineyard  he  has  nine  acres  producing  the  Zin- 
fandel  wine  grape.  J^ive  acres  in  pasture  fur- 
nish sufficient  feed  for  his  stock,  which  is  only 
such  as  are  needed  for  farm  purposes.  Tlic  rest 
of  this  land  is  producing  hay  and  grain.  Sixteen 
acres  of  his  land  is  situated  on  the  Green  Valley 
Creek,  about  one  and  one-half  miles  west  of 
his  liome  farm  and  is  all  devoted  tn  hoji  cultiva- 
tion. 


1^  G.  LEE,  one  of  tlie  leading  fruit  growers 
l(  of  the  Geyserville  district,  has  a  vahia- 
^^■^^  ble  I'anch  of  thirty  acres,  on  which  lie 
has  resided  since  1878.  He  did  not  engage  in 
fruit  culture,  however,  until  ten  years  later.  In 
1883  he  planted  eighteen  acres  of  fruit,  and  the 
following  year  added  seven  acres  more.  Among 
them  are  1,400  peach  trees,  mostly  orange  cling 
and  Crawford,  equally  divided,  with  a  few  other 
varieties.  There  are  also  200  Bartlett  pears  and 
300  French  prune  trees,  with  some  apples.  He 
has  found  a  market  for  most  of  his  fruit  with 
the  Santa  Rosa  Packing  Company.  The  orchard 
is  in  splendid  condition,  and  its  appearance  re- 
flects credit  upon  the  owner.  Albert  (i.  Lee 
is  a  native  of  Holt  County,  Missoui'i,  born  .Jan- 
uary 7,  1852.  His  father,  Pai'ton  Lee,  was  a 
native  of  Tennessee,  but  an  early  settler  in  Holt 
C(iunty,  Missouri.  His  mother,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Mary  Harris,  was  born  in  Virginia. 
In  May,  1SG2,  the  family  started  for  California, 
and  after  a  journey  across  the  plains  of  five 
months  and  sixteen  days'  duration,  they  arrived 
at  Healdsburg.  There  they  lived  nuc  year, 
then  bought  a  place  a  mile  and  a  half  south  of 
Santa  Rosa,  which  now  belongs  to  Mr.  liuuyon. 
In  1873  the  family  removed  to  (Jeyserville,  and 
here  the  father  died  in  ISSl.  His  wi<li>\v  is 
now  a  resident  of  Santa  Rosa.  Albert  G.  l^ee 
A\as  married  in  this  county  to  Miss  Ellen  Jacobs, 
a  native  of  Maine,  and  daughter  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  James  B.  Jacobs,  who  came  to  California 


HISTORY     OF    SONOMA     COUNTY. 


ill  1848.  They  residotl  in  Sacramento  County, 
afterward  in  ^larin  County,  and  from  tliere 
)no\ed  to  Sonoma  County  wliere  Mrs.  Jacobs 
now  lives,  iier  laisliand  liaving  died  in  tlie 
county  in  1SS5.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lee  liave  four 
children,  viz.:  Jennie,  Addie,  Fred  and  Llojd. 
Politically,  Mr.  Lee  is  a  Democrat.  He  lias 
taken  an  active  part  in  ilevelopino-  the  fruit  in- 
terest ill  his  iieighiiorhood,  and  now  has  an 
orchard  second  in  appearance  to  none  in  tlie 
couiitv. 


f  ON  RAD  WAGELE,  of  Mendocino  Town- 
ship, is  a  native  of  Germany,  horn  in 
Baden,  >.'ovcinl)er  lo,  1841,  his  parents 
heing  John  and  Louisa  (^Oshwald)  Wagele. 
There  the  father  was  a  large  randier,  having 
240  acres  of  land.  Conrad  "Wagele  w'as  reared 
at  his  native  ])lace,  attending  day  school  from 
the  age  of  six  to  fourteen  years,  and  Sunday- 
scliool  till  twenty  years  old,  and  in  the  mean- 
time assisting  his  father  on  the  farm.  In  1863 
lie  sailed  from  Havre  to  New  York,  and  hav- 
ing arrived  at  tlie  last  named  port,  set  out  for 
Chicago.  He  was  employed  on  a  farm  twenty- 
two  miles  from  Chicago  for  about  two  montlis, 
tlien  spent  about  three  months  in  the  city. 
l'"roni  there  he  went  to  Oconto,  Wisconsin, 
where  he  worked  in  saw-mills  and  timber  for 
a  ye:  r  and  a  half,  and  in  the  fall  of  18G4  came 
to  California  via  New  York  and  Panama,  land- 
ing at  San  Francisco  from  the  steamer  Sacra- 
'inento,  on  the  T^h  of  September.  After  making 
an  effort  to  obtain  employment  in  the  city  and 
failing,  he  went  to  the  country,  getting  work  at 
Fort  lloss.  Two  years  later  he  went  to  the 
mines  of  British  Columbia,  during  the  time  of 
the  Big  P)end  excitement.  Four  inontlis  later 
he  went  to  Washington  Territor}',  where  he 
worked  in  a  saw-mill  on  J>lue  Mountains,  ad- 
joining the  Oregon  line.  He  worked  eight  or 
ten  months,  making  shingles,  etc.,  for  the  Walla 
Walla  market,  thence  went  to  the  mines  of 
Montana,  and  was  about  tVnir  years  in  Washino-- 


ton  Gulch,  ten  or  twelve  miles  from  Beartown, 
engaged  in  mining,  with  fair  success.  He  tiien 
went  back  to  the  old  country,  visited  his  father 
and  relatives  and  then  returned  to  California,  via 
Hamburg,  Boston  and  the  Pacific  llailroad.  He 
located  at  St.  Helena,  bought  a  place,  set  out  a 
vineyard,  erected  a  winery  and  commenced  the 
manufacture  of  wine.  From  tliere  he  moved 
to  his  present  location  in  August,  1881.  He 
was  married  in  Napa  County  to  Miss  Doris 
Lohmann,  a  native  of  Germany.  They  have 
one  child,  Charley.  Mr.  Wagele's  ranch,  con- 
sisting of  seventy-seven  acres,  is  located  on  Dry 
Creek,  and  is  distant  from  Geyserville  three  and 
one-fourth  miles.  He  put  up  his  present  hand- 
some residence  in  1881,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1882  set  out  twenty-one  acres  of  grapes,  to  which 
he  lias  since  added  until  he  now  has  twenty- 
eight  acres.  The  vines  are  as  follows,  with  num- 
bers of  each  stated:  Chasselas,  0,500;  Riesling, 
G,000;  Zinfandel,  4,000;  Black  Malvoise,  1,200; 
Mataro  (Upright  Burgundy),  2,500;  Biirgen, 
1,000.  The  vineyard  is  kept  in  splendid  con- 
dition, and  nearly  all  vines  are  in  bearing.  Mr. 
Wagele  has  one  acre  in  orchard,  all  old  trees. 
He  raises  about  one  acre  of  alfalfa,  and  in  four 
cuttings  gets  three  tons.  Li  1887  four  acres  of 
wheat  hay  turned  out  fifteen  tons.  In  1881^  he 
built  his  winery  which  is  two  stories  in  height, 
with  ground  area  of  46  x  22  feet,  exclusive  of 
porches,  which  are  two  in  number  and  ten  feet 
wide.  His  crushing  is  done  on  the  second  floor, 
and  throughout  tlie  winery  only  im])ro\ed  ma- 
chinery is  used.  He  has  storage  capacity  for 
20,000  gallons  of  wine,  the  product  having  a 
high  reputation  and  commanding  a   ready  sale. 


^HISEPPE  LAFRANCHL— Among  the 
nfe  successful  dairymen  of  Sonoma  County, 
^W^  is  the  self-made  gentleman  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch.  He  stands  as  an  example  of 
what  energy,  industry  and  straightforward  manly 
dealing  will  do  in  any  calling.  A  brief  sketch 
of  his  life  is  of  interest  and  is  as  follows:      Mr. 


Iir STORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


733 


Laf'rarichi  is  a  native  oF  Switzoriiuid  iiiul  was 
born  in  Tessin  Canton  of  tl'iat  Republic  in  1843. 
lie  was  tlie  son  of  Joseph  and  Catlieriiie  l^a- 
franclii,  liotli  natives  of  the  district  of  his  hirth. 
When  lie  was  hut  eight  years  of  age  he  had  the 
misfortune  to  lose  his  father,  who  went  to  Austra- 
lia, dying  there  after  a  few  months  residence.  Mr 
Lafranchi  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  his  na- 
tive home  until  fifteen  years  of  age.  At  this 
youthful  age,  in  185S,  he  started  in  life  for 
himself,  following  the  focjtsteps  of  his  father, 
going  to  Australia.  Landing  in  Melbourne,  he 
sought  such  work  as  could  l)a  had  and  engaged  as 
a  waifei'  in  a  hotel.  After  some  mnnllis  of  this 
labor  he  went  to  the  mines,  a!id  there  engaged 
in  various  occupation.  He  was  also  employed 
as  a  ranch  hand.  In  1862  he  went  to  New 
Zealand  and  engaged  as  a  wood  chopper  and  a 
miner  until  18()7.  In  that  year  he  returned  to 
his  native  home  in  Switzerland,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  the  dairy  business.  There  he  married 
Miss  Eugenia  Ileghetti  in  186'J.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  John  Antone  Ileghetti,  a  native  of 
Switzerland.  Mr.  Lafranchi,  desirous  of  im- 
proving his  condition,  left  Switzerland  in  1871, 
and  emigrated  to  the  United  States.  Upon  his 
arrival  in  IS'ew  York,  he  immediately  sought 
the  golden  west,  and  came  to  Sonoma  County, 
locating  at  I'etaluma,  where  he  worked  in  the 
dairy  business.  After  some  months  thus  spent 
he  went  to  Nevada  and  engaged  at  labor  as  a 
charcoal  burner.  This  work  not  being  suited 
to  his  tastes,  he  returned  to  Petaluma,  and  was 
employed  at  hi.-,  old  i.iccupatio?i  as  a  dairy  hand 
for  ;i  few  month^.  He  then  went  to  work  at 
farm  labor  near  i'rescott,  Marin  County.  Al- 
ways industrious  and  econotnical,  he  saved 
some  mimey  and  then  started  in  business  on  his 
own  account  by  taking  up  a  quarter  section  of 
government  land,  and  establishing  a  small  dairy. 
This  he  increased  gradually  until  he  became 
desirous  of  eidarging  his  business  beyond  the 
capacity  of  his  16U  acres,  lie  cons"<piently 
returned  to  Sonoma  ('ounty  and  rented  land  from 
John  Walker  in  Santa  Kosa  Township.  This 
he  stocked,  and   conducted   his   business  there 


until  1882.  In  that  year  he  purchased  310 
acres  of  rich  bottom  land  on  the  Santa  Rosa 
and  Sebastopol  road,  five  miles  west  of  Santa 
llosa,  and  there  took  up  his  residence.  Mr.  La- 
franchi has  a  fine  dairy  of  fifty  cows,  all  of  good 
graded  stock.  He  is  a  thorough  master  of  his 
calling  and  his  products — always  of  the  best — 
command  the  highest  market  ])rices.  His  farm 
is  mostly  devoted  to  hay,  grain,  and  stock  pur- 
poses. He  has  but  five  acres  of  orchard,  but 
the  varied  products,  such  as  apples,  peaches, 
prunes,  plums,  etc.,  all  yielding  well,  show  that 
his  lands  are  well  adapted  to  horticidtural  jiiir- 
poses.  Mr.  Lafranchi  although  not  ;t  long 
resident  of  Santa  Kosa  Township,  has  by  his 
honest  dealing,  and  manly  course,  made  many 
friends.  He  is  a  pul)lic  spirite<l  and  progressive 
citizen.  In  political  matters  he  is  a  strong 
Republican.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lafranchi  have  five 
children,  Adela,  Oliinpia,  Clara,  Eldorado  and 
Marino. 


tDAM  IJARTH  resides  on  the  Santa  Rosa 
and  Healdsburg  road,  one  mile  south  of 
Windsor,  in  the  ^VMndsor  school  district. 
He  is  the  owner  of  152  acres  of  rich  and  pi-o- 
ductive  land,  well  adapted  for  the  cultivation  of 
the  varied  productions  of  Sonoma  County. 
Thirty  acres  of  this  land  arc  ])roduciiig  wine 
graj)es  of  the  Zinfandel  and  Goodell  varieties. 
He  also  has  a  large  variety  of  table  grapes  for 
family  use,  and  two  and  a  half  acres  of  orchard 
gi\e  him  a  large  variety  of  the  most  apjiroved 
fruit,  such  as  apples,  peaches,  pears,  French 
prunes,  plums,  cherries  and  figs.  The  balance 
of  his  farm  is  devoted  to  liay,  grain  anil  stock. 
Among  the  latter  are  forty  head  of  Spanish 
merino  sheep,  and  twenty  head  of  cattle,  im- 
proved by  Durhairi  stock;  also  some  fine  speci- 
mens of  draft  horses.  This  farm  is  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  and  the  improvements 
are  noticeable,  particularly  his  beautiful  two- 
story  residence,  in  which  he  has  comliincd  the 
comforts  and  conveniences  that  characterize  the 


734 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


well  ordereil  inodcni  lioiiie.  Mr.  Earth  was 
born  January  -i.  1811t.  lie  is  a  native  of  Prus- 
sia and  his  parents,  Jacob  and  Christina  (Fox) 
Barth,  were  also  natives  and  residents  of  tiic 
])!ace  of  his  l)irtii.  Ilis  father  was  a  well-to-do 
fanner  and  liis  early  life  was  spent  on  his 
father's  farm.  Afterward  he  eni^aged  in  mechan- 
ical and  cheiuical  pursuits,  and  was  schooled  in 
tlie  practical  details  of  the  manufactureof  paints, 
oil.  etc.  In  1842  Mr.  Barth  came  to  the  United 
States  and  soon  after  his  arrival  in  New  Vork. 
secured  employment  in  the  large  paint  works  at 
Poughkeepsie,  New  York.  He  was  the  efficient 
foreman  of  those  extensive  works  for  many 
years,  or  until  1854,  when  he  entered  into  Iiusi- 
ness  upon  his  own  account,  establishing  large 
paint  and  oil  works  in  Poughkeepsie.  He  con- 
ducted this  business  until  1856.  In  that  year 
a  fire  destroyed  his  works,  sweeping  away  all 
his  property  and  destroying  the  accumulations 
of  years  of  toil.  He  had  no  means  with  which 
to  rel)uild  his  mannfactorj'.  Nothino;  daunted 
he  started  for  California  with  the  determination 
of  retrieving  his  fortunes.  He  came  in-  the 
steamer  route,  and  upon  his  arrival  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, proceeded  to  Sacramento  County,  where 
he  engaged  in  mining  until  1857.  He  then  went 
to  Nevada  and  located  at  Austin,  where  he  es- 
tablished a  wholesale  liquor  store,  and  also  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  vinegar.  He 
remained  there  until  the  great  excitement 
sprung  up  over  the  White  Pine  mining  dis- 
trict. He  was  one  of  the  first  arrivals  at  that 
place.  The  second  building  ever  erected  at 
White  Pine  was  built  by  Mr.  Barth,  the  lum- 
ber costing  him  $300  per  thousand  feet.  He 
early  saw  that  more  money  was  to  be  made  in 
some  legitimate  Imsiness  than  mining,  and  he 
l)uilt  and  established  the  first  brewery  in  that 
district — the  Philadelphia  Brewery,  lie  also 
engaged  in  the  li«|Uor  trade  and  vinegar  manu- 
facturing. These  enterprises  were  successfully 
conducted  by  him  until  he  saw  the  collapse  that 
was  to  follow.  He  then  sold  out  his  business 
interests  at  a  good  round  j)rice  and  came  to  So- 
noma County    in    188(5.     Upon    his   arrival  he 


purchased  a  farm  about  one  and  a  half  miles 
north  of  Windsor,  where  he  engaged  in  farming 
and  stock-raising  until  1880,  when  he  sold  out 
and  purchased  his  present  residence.  Mr.  Barth, 
during  his  residence  in  Sonoma  County,  has 
gained  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  commun- 
ity. His  success  in  life  lias  been  the  result  of 
straightforward,  honest  dealing,  and  sound  busi- 
ness principles.  In  politics  he  is  a  strong  Re- 
publican, but  is  conservative  and  liberal  in  all 
local  matters.  In  1845  he  married  Miss  Cath- 
erine Lahr,  daughter  of  Henry  Lahr,  a  nativ* 
of  Hesse-Darmstadt,  (rermany.  Her  father 
was  a  soldier  under  Napoleon  I.  ,Vfter  t!ie  war 
he  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  and  located 
in  Orange  County,  New  York.  From  this 
marriao-e  three  children  are  living,  viz.:  Adam 
H.,  Louise  and  Mary  E.  Adam  H.  is  unmarried 
and  is  living  upon  iiis  father's  farm,  which  he 
manages  and  in  wiiich  he  has  an  interest.  He 
is  an  enterprising,  industrious  and  practical 
farmer,  and  the  successful  results  produced 
upon  his  farm  are  due  to  his  efficient  manage- 
ment. He  is  a  member  of  Osceola  Lodge,  No. 
215,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Windsor.  Louise  married 
Frank  E.  Curtis,  of  Sonoma  County.  He  died 
in  1883,  leaving  one  child,  Edwin  Barth  Curtis. 
Mrs.  Curtis  and  son  are  members  of  her  father's 
familv.     Marv  E.  is  also  residing  at  home. 


-<s-^-4^ 


r'S:  JINEIl  II.  KNAPP.—For  thirty  years  the 
(' \  subject  of  this  sketch  has  been  Identified 
'^'"^-  with  the  business  interests  of  Bloomfield, 
and  he  has  done  much  toward  developing  the 
resources  of  that  section  of  the  country.  A  brief 
sketch  of  his  life,  herewith  given,  is  of  interest. 
Mr.  Knapp  is  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  old 
families  of  New  England.  His  father,  AViilia:n 
Knapp,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  who  located 
in  ^ew  York  in  1808;  and  his  mother,  Saraii 
(Seeley)  Knapp,  was  also  born  in  (^Connecticut. 
Mr.  Knapp  was  born  in  Sullivan  County,  New 
York.  January  7,  1824.  His  father  was  a  mill- 
writdit  and  lumber  dealer,  and   in  early  life  the 


in.sroHY    OF    SONOMA    COUNT y. 


subject  of  this  sketch  was  scliooled  in  inechiuii- 
cal  pursuits,  first  us  a  wood- turner  aiul  then  as 
a  carriage-maker.  At  tlic  age  of  twenty  years, 
in  1844,  he  went  to  Delaware  County,  wlierc  lie 
engaged  in  farm  labor  for  about  a  year,  and  then 
established  a  turning  shop.  After  that  he 
located  in  Shandaken.  Ulster  County,  where  he 
worked  at  hi>  trade  as  a  tiiiMier,  as  well  as  car- 
riage-making and  other  occupations.  In  the 
fall  of  1847  he  i-ctiinied  t(.i  Fallsburg,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  bnsiness  until  March, 
1^51,  when  he  moved  to  Ituckland  and  engaged 
in  farming,  and  also  built  a  saw-mill  on  the 
Willemack,  whi(di  he  ojicrated,  rafting  his  lum- 
ber to  Philadelphia.  In  1855  he  returned  to 
Fallsburg  and  ran  a  market  line  to  Newburg 
until  December,  1857,  when  lie  left  New 
York  for  California,  via  the  Isthmus  route,  and 
arrived  in  San  Francisco  January  14,  1858. 
After  a  short  stay  in  that  city  he  came  to  Sonoma 
County  and  located  at  llealdsburg,  where  he 
worked  at  his  trade  until  the  fall  of  that  year, 
when  he  came  to  JJlooiiilield.  Upon  his  arrival 
here  he  worked  at  his  trade  as  a  carriage-maker 
for  some  months,  ainl  then  established  a  shop 
for  the  manufacture  and  rejiair  ot'  wagons, 
agricultural  implements,  etc.  Mr.  Kuapp  has 
successfully  conducted  this  business  since  that 
date.  In  1873  he  established  a  general 
merchandise  store,  which  business  he  is  still 
conducting,  lie  has  made  many  improvements, 
has  purchased  a  large  brick  store,  livery  stable, 
dwelling-houses,  etc.,  and  is  the  owner  of  some 
of  the  finest  projtcrty  in  liloomfield.  In  1873 
he  was  a])pointed  postmaster,  a  position  he  has 
lield  since  that  date.  He  is  also  notary  public. 
Mr.  Kiiap|)  is  one  of  tlie  representative  men  of 
his  section.  Progressive  and  pui)lic-sj)irited,  he 
has  done  much  in  advancing  the  interests  of  his 
section  of  the  county.  Politically,  he  is  a  Ke- 
juiblican,  but  is  liberal  and  conservative  in  his 
views.  He  is  a  i^rominent  member  of  Ploom- 
field  Lodge,  No.  I'Jl,  I.  O.  O.  F.  Mr.  K'napp 
went  to  New  York  for  his  family  in  the  fall  of 
1860,  returning  to  Bloomfieid  in  the  fall  of  1861, 
and    had   some  trouble  when    passing  through 


JS'ew  Y'ork  City  on  account  of  the  draft  incident 
to  the  outbreak  of  Southern  hostilities.  Janu- 
ary 1,  1848,  Mr.  Knapp  married  Miss  Harriet 
Hare,  a  native  of  New  York.     She  died  August 

4,  1872,  leaving  the  following  named  children: 
(Miarles  H.,  (iciieral  W.,  Denman  L.  and  Sophia 

5.  Tlie  latter  was  the  wifeof  W.  J.  Mills,  both  of 
whom  are  deceased.  They  left  three  children  — 
Ilattie.  AVilliam  and  Allie  Mills.  Charles  H. 
married  Miss  Mattie  McAllister,  of  Sonoma 
Comity,  and  they  are  now  (1888)  living  in 
IloUisteii,  San  lienito  County.  (Tcneral  AV. 
married  Miss  Alice  Hamilton.  Thev  make 
their  home  in  Bloomfieid.  Mr.  Ivnajij)  was 
married  again  to  Miss  Ella  J.  Eastman,  of  Uls- 
ter County,  New  York.  They  have  one  child-— 
(Miarles  A.  Mr.  Denman  L.  Knaj)p  is  a  resident 
of  nioomfield,  and  is  engaged  with  his  father  in 

■conducting  his  mercantile  enterprise. 


^^JIAllLESAVlLPUltSAVA(,E.— Thesub 
illlvi  ■l^'^'-  *^^'  '■'^'''^  sketch  was  born  in  AVindsor, 
%?^'  Kennebec  County,  Maine,  on  the  17th  of 
January,  1854.  He  moved  with  his  father  in 
1857  to  Lee  County,  Illinois,  where  the  family 
remained  three  years,  and  then  remo\cd  to 
Auburn,  Sangamon  County.  At  the  age  of 
eighteen  .Mr.  Savage  commenced  the  study  of 
dentistry  at  Edwardsville,  Illinois,  but  at  the 
end  of  a  year  he  conchuled  t<.i  stu(iy  I'oi'  the 
practice  of  medicine.  To  <io  this  he  taught 
school  during  the  winter  months  to  pro\ide 
the  wherewith  to  jirosecute  his  studies.  .\t 
the  age  of  twenty-two  years  he  graduated  at 
the  Homeopathic  Medical  College  of  Missouri, 
at  St.  Louis.  This  was  in  1876,  and  he 
stai-ted  immediately  for  California,  and  for  a 
time  located  at  Marysville,  where  he  devoted 
a  portion  of  his  time  to  [irofessional  work, 
remaining  in  and  about  Marysville  for  a  year 
and  a  half  In  the  fall  of  1877  he  came  to 
Sonoma  Coiinly,  locating  at  Santa  Kosa.  Deem- 
ing the  field  a  better  one  for  <lentistry  than 
medicine,  he  opene  1    up    well-arranged  dental 


736 


HISTORY    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


rooms  iinil  has  built  up  a  good  business.  But 
outside  of  his  j)rotession  Dr.  Savage  liiids  time 
to  perform  well  his  part  as  an  active,  enterpris- 
itipr  citizen.  He  is  one  of  the  trustees  of  the 
Santa  Rosa  Library  Association;  an<l  as  an 
Odd  Fellow,  has  passed  every  chair  belonging 
to  the  subordinate  lodges  of  that  order,  and  ha- 
l)ecn  a  delegate  to  all  Grand  Lodges  and  En- 
campments of  the  order  in  tlie  State,  and  also 
held  offices  in  the  same.  Dr.  Savage  is  a  typi- 
cal American  wlio  has  fought  his  way  up  in 
life  liy  dint  of  energy  and  pluck,  lie  is  a  gen- 
tleman who  stands  high  in  the  community  in 
which  he  resides,  respected  and  esteemed  by  all 
wliii  know  him.  During  hisresidence  in  Marys- 
ville  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Julia 
(4.  Hempstead,  daughter  of  Dr.  W.  C.  F.  Hemp- 
stead. This  marriage  has  been  blessed  with 
three  children,  all  daughters:  Tessie  L.,  born 
Deceml)er  1,  1877;  Florence  W..  March  30, 
1882  (now  deceased),  and  Helen  Gertrude, 
July  4.  1885. 

^^TKFHEX  AKERS.— No  personal  or  local 
"l^t  history  of  Sonoma  County  or  tiie  bcauti- 
""^  ful  Sonoma  Valley  would  be  considered 
complete  without  a  more  than  passing  mention 
of  the  pioneer  and  representative  man  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch.  The  facts,  in  brief,  in 
i-egard  to  his  life  and  advent  into  Sonoma  County 
are  of  interest.  Mr.  Akers  is  a  native  of 
Patrick  County,  Virginia,  and  be  dates  his  birth 
J  uly  8,  1815.  He  is  a  descendant  of  one  of  the 
old  families  of  the  Old  Dominion.  Nathaniel 
Akers,  his  father,  was  a  native  of  Franklin 
County,  his  motiier,  Elizabeth  Akers,  was  also 
a  native  of  Virginia.  Mr.  Aker's  early  life  was 
spent  upon  his  father's  farm,  receiving  such  an 
education  as  the  common  schools  of  that  date 
afforded.  Being  of  an  ambitious  and  self-reliant 
disposition,  he  started  early  in  life  to  seek  his 
fortunes  in  the  newer  States  of  the  AVest,  and 
in  1831,  at  the  age  of  si.vteen  years,  he  located 
in   Saline   County,  Missouri,  where   he  was  en- 


gaged in  fanning  and  stock-raising.  In  1832 
Mr.  Akers  joined  a  party  of  traders  atid  with 
tliein  made  a  trip  through  the  southwestern 
Territories,  this  expedition  e.\tending  into  New 
Mexico.  A  comj)any  of  United  States  soldiers 
accompanied  and  convoyed  the  trains,  and  estab- 
lished some  of  the  frontier  ])osts.  In  1834  Mr. 
Akers  wa^  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  J^etlia 
Snead,  a  native  of  \'irginia.  Mrs.  Akers 
parents,  Thomas  and  Cynthia  (Penn)  Snead, 
were  descendants  of  the  Penn  colonists.  Her 
mother  was  a  direct  descendant  of  the  historic 
William  Penn.  the  founder  of  the  colony.  In 
1850  the  subject  of  this  sketch  started  overland 
for  California.  This  long  and  toilsome  journey 
was  accomplished  by  the  typical  ox  teams  of  the 
period,  ami  aside  from  the  usual  luirdshijis  en- 
countered upon  plains,  mountains,  etc.,  was 
devoid  of  any  startling  incidents.  October  11. 
1850,  he  arrived  in  Sonoma  County  and  located 
in  Sonoma  Valley,  antl  engaged  in  teaming,  etc., 
until  the  next  year.  He  then  purchased  a  tract 
of  laud  about  four  miles  south  of  the  town  of 
Sonoma  and  commenced  his  career  as  a  fanner 
and  stock-grower.  The  rich  and  fertile  soil  was 
then  in  its  wild  and  uncultivated  state,  but  the 
energetic  and  well  directed  efforts  of  Mr.  Akers 
soon  produced  good  results  and  ere  long  he  had 
one  of  the  representative  farms  of  the  section. 
Although  devoting  his  time  principally  to  iarni- 
ing  occupations  he  also  engaged  in  other 
business  enterprises,  and  in  1853,  he,  in  part- 
nership w'ith  AVillis  C.  Goodman,  established  a 
general  merchandise  store  at  San  Luis,  better 
known  as  the  Embarcadero,  which  business  was 
successfully  conducted  for  two  or  three  years. 
Mr.  Akers  is  now  (1888)  the.  owner  of  114 
acres  located  on  his  original  tract,  at  what  is 
now  Shellville,  on  the  Santa  liosa  and  Cai- 
(|uinez  Railroad,  in  the  San  Luis  school  district. 
The  most  of  the  land  is  devoted  to  general 
farming,  producing  hay,  grain  and  stock.  His 
land  is  well  adapted  to  the  varied  products  of 
Sonoma  Valley,  as  attested  by  the  fine  fruits 
grown  in  his  family  orchard,  and  eight  acres  of 
vineyard   which,  in  addition   to  producing  wine 


IIISTORT    OF    SONOMA    COUNTY. 


grapes  of  the  Zinfandel  variety,  also  produces  a 
large  variety  of  table  grapes.  For  nearly  forty 
years  the  subject  of  tiiis  sketch  has  been  ideiiti- 
iied  with  the  growth  and  progress  of  Sonoma 
Yalley.  Ills  long  residence,  consistent  mode 
of  life,  and  sterling  (pialities  have  gained  him 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  coinmunity  in 
which  he  resides.  In  the  earlier  days  he  was 
called  upon  to  take  a  pi-ominent  part  in  the 
atl'airs  of  the  county,  and  in  185G  and  1857  was 
the  supervisor  of  his  district.  In  1858  he  was 
elected  justice  of  tlie  peace  of  Sonoma  Town- 
sliip,  a  position  wiiich  he  held  until  18(54.  He 
was  a  strong  supporter  of  the  ]iul)lic  schools, 
and  was  one  of  tlie  drst  school  trustees  of  So- 
noma, and  for  many  succeeding  years  held  tiiat 
office,  lie  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  was  one  of  the  charter  members 
of  Temple  Lodge,  JS'o.  11,  F.  A:  A.  .A[.,  which 
was  organized  in   1851.      In   p  )litici[    matters, 


Mr.  Akers  is  a  consistent  Democrat  of  the  -^ci'- 
fersonian  stamp.  From  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Akers  there  are  five  children  living, 
viz.:  Harriet,  (!ynthia,  Montgomery,  Ellen, 
and  Martlia.  Harriet  married  K.  15.  Lyon,  and 
resides  in  Sonoma.  Cynthia  is  the  wife  of  Willis 
C.  Goodman,  living  in  Sonoma  County.  Flleu 
married  William  Cassebohin  (deceased].  Slie  is 
now  (1888)  living  under  the  parental  roof. 
Martlia  married  Charles  Dillon,  residinjj;  in 
Petaluma.  Montgomery  married  Miss  Mary  Hen- 
derson, a  native  of  Jackson  County,  Missouri. 
From  this  marriage  there  are  two  children, 
Willie  May  and  Stephen.  Mr.  Montgomery 
Akers  and  family  are  residing  ui)on  the  oM 
home-tead,  where  he  is  associated  with  lii:^ 
father  in  CDuducting  the  fanning  operations. 
He  is  also  the  postmaster  of  Shell ville,  being 
the  first  postmaster  ever  appointed  at  this  ofK.'e. 
whicli  was  estaljlished  in  1888. 


LRpf' 


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