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CONTENTS  OF  VOLUME  V. 

PAHR 

Ofifkers  of  ihc  Histoncal   Socfcty   J900-1901 ....._, 4 

Stores  of  Los  Angeles  in  1850.  ..,,*...,...  ♦ Laura  Evertsen  KinR. .  s 

Sotne  Aboriginal    Alphabets    (Part   1>. .*,,.,. J,    D*    Moody..  9 

To  California  via  Panama  in  the  Early  '6o*s,,,.. J.  M.  Guinn  ij 

Olden  Time   Holiday   Festivities , ...,.,,.... Wm.    H.   Workman . .  32 

Mexican  Governors   of  California H.   D.   Barrows..  25 

Fifty  Years   of   California    Politics, .Walter   R,    Bacon* .  31 

Side  Lights  on  Old  Los  Angeles. ..Mary  E.   Mooncy..  43 

Los  Angeles  Postmasters   (1850  to  it>oo). H.   D.   Barrows.,  49 

Some  Aboriginal   Alphabets    (Part    II}.., J.    D.    Moody..  56 

Historic    Seaports   or   Los   Angeles.....,,..,,, ,. J,    M.    Guiiui..  60 

La  Estrella,  The   Pioneer  Newspaper  of  Los  Angeles J.   M.  Guimi,.  70 

Don  Amon;o    Coroticl .*...,.  ,.,.1L    D.    Barrows  78 

Secretary  s    Report     , , , ,*,..,.,,.,.,,,. 83 

Report  of  the   Publication   Committee ,.,^. .  64 

Treasurer's    Rcpdrt    ,.,..»»»., * ^  ...*......... .  84 

Curators    Report    .,,..., 85 

Otiiccr:^  and  L^ommittces  ot  tne  Society  oi  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles 

County,    1900- igoi 86 

In    Meniorium    , . , , , , .,...,,..,  87 

Constitution    and    By-Law  s ..,.,.. . , , , , 88 

Biographical  Sketches  of  Deceased  Pioneers  , , , 91 

Stephen  C.  Foster H.   D.   Barrows..  91 

Fraiicjsco   Sabichj    ,, Commmee   Report...  91 

Robert   Miller  Town    .,    Committee   Report.,  92 

Pred   W,    Wood    ...» ^*..* Committee   Report..  9^ 

Joseph  Bayer    ,,., «... Committee   Report..  94 

Augustus  Ulyard .,,, Los  Angeles  Daily  Times.,  94 

Rev,  A.  M,  Hough ,...,., ...J.  M.  Guinn,,  95 

Henry  M.    Fleishman , ....* C.    N.    Wilson..  96 

Frank  Lecouvreur. ,. . . ,..  .,-,..,........    Committee   Report..  96 

Daniel  Schejck   , Los  Anijeles   Daily  Times..  96 

Andrew  Glassell Committee   Report. .  98 

Roll  of  Members   Admitted   During    1900 99 

Officers  of  the   Historical    Society    1901-1902. 103 

First  Congregational  Church,  iS^  (Illustration) 104 

Pioneer  Physicians  of  Los  Angeles ,.H.  D.   Barrows..  105 

The  Old  Round  House Geo.   W.   Hazard..  log 

Passing  of  the  Old   Pueblo J.  M.  Guinn  113 

Marine  Biological  Laboratory  at  San   Pedro 

..,..,..,......,...,., , . ,  ,    Mrs,   M.    Burton    Williamson . .  12I 

Early  Clericals  of  Los  Angeles H,  D.   Barrows..  137 

The  Oriffinal   Father  Junipero F,  J.  Policy..  1,14 

Camel  Caravans  of  the  American  Deserts .J.  M,  Guinn. .  I46 

Dilatory   Settlement   of   California .Walter   R.   Bacon,.  T52 

Officers   and    Committees  of    the   Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles 

County,    I90t-I902 .,..,..., 159 

Constitution  and   By-Laws  of  the  Society  of   Pioneers,,,, 160 

Order   of    Business 164 

Inaugural  Address  of  the  President ,,,,,,,.... .  -H.  D.  Barrows. ,  165 

The  Pony  Express J.   M.  Guinn. .  168 

Overland  to  California  in  1850. ............ ..» ,  .J.  M.  Stewart..  176 

Early  Days   in   Washoe...., ,. ,,, .Alfred   James,.  186 


imSii& 


PVGS 

Biographical   Sketches  of  Debased   Pioneers... ..,.   194 

Thomas  E.  Rowan Committee  Report..   197 

George  Gephard ....,..,.    Los  Angeles   Daily   Times..    199 

Elizabeth   Langley  Ensign Committee   Report..   199 

William  F,   Grosser   ....,..,,,..,, ,, Committee   Report.  ►  200 

Samuel  Calvf^rt   Foy    {Portrait}.*. ,«*.,,    Committee   Report..  202 

Charles  Erode * Committee    Report..  304 

Frank  A.    Gibson    , , Committee   Report*  *  306 

In    Memoriam ..^  a>7 

Roll  of  Members,  Complete  to  January.  1902. ..........  ^  .............. .  208 

Officers  of  the  Historical  Society,  1902-1903 *.*,....*...*,......  214 

Early  Art  in  California   ..,.,,. , ,,,,,.   W.  L.  Judson..  215 

Poetry  of    the    Argonauts.......,..-., J.    M.    Guinn..  217 

Ethical  Value  of  Social  Organizations^ ,  .Mrs.  M,  Burton  Williamson,.  228 
Medicinal  and  Edible  Plants  of  So.  California.  ..Laura  Evertsen  King..  237 

Andrew   A.    Boyle.. , ...w,,..H.    D.    Barrows..  241 

El  Canon   Perdido. * * J.  M.  Guinn, .  245 

Some    Old    Letters    251 

Dr.  John  Marsh  to  Don  Abel  Stearns,    1837 251 

Hon.  Stephen  C.   Foster  to  Gen.  B.   Riley,   1849 252 

The  Palomares  Family  of  California.  .,,,,.,,,,..,.,.  .H-   D.  Barrows..  254 

Sister   Scholastica. Wm.    H.    Workman  256 

Officers  and  Committees  of  Che  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles 

County,    1902-1903 2S9 

Constitution   and   By-Laws * 260 

Order  of    Business .,.,...* ,.....,  364 

My  First  Procession  in  Los  Angeles,  March  16,  1847. — 

Stephen    C.    Foster. .  265 

Some  Eccentric  Characters  of  Early  Los  Angeles.  ,,.*.  ..J.  M,  Guinn..  373 

Angel  Pioncera    ...._ -^ ^ ^^ Jesse   Yarnell.,  282 

Trip  to  California  via  Nicaragua.- -*........ J.   M.   Stewart..  283 

Wm.  Wolfskin,  The   Pioneer H.  D.   Barrows..  287 

Pioneer    Ads   and    Advertisers.. ..J,    M.   Guinn..  295 

Biographical    Sketches   of  Deceased    Pioneers ,.....,,,..,.,,  300 

Daniel  Desmond .,....,..  Committee  Report ,  ■  300 

Jessie  Benton   Fremont   ...,,...„ Committee   Report..  300 

Caleb  E.  White    .................. ..........   Committee  Report..  30r 

John   Caleb   Salisbury Committee   Report..  303 

Henry  Kirke  White  Bent ,.,...,    Committee   Report..  304 

John  Charles    Dotter    .., ,,.,.,.. ,,......    Committee    Report..  306 

Anderson    Rose Committee   Report..  307 

John  C  Anderson * * A.   H.  Johnson. .  308 

Jerry  Tllich    ..* ,... . ,.^..,.Loa  Angeles  Daily  Times..     309 

In     Memoriam     ^ * «...  ^ .......... «  310 

Roll  of  Members.  Complete  to  Jantaary,  1903  311 


Org-aniz^d  Norember  1,  1883  Incorporated  February  13,  1891 

PART  I.  VOL.  V. 


ANNUAL  PUBLICATION 

OF  THE 

Historical  Society 

OP 

Southern  California 

AND 

PIONEER  REGISTER 
Los  Angeles 

« 

IQOO 

Published  by  the  Society. 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 

Geo.  Rice  &  Sons. 
1901 


CONTENTS. 


Officers  of  the  Historical  Society,  1900-1901 4 

Stores  of  Los  Angeles  in  1850 Laura  Evt^rtscn  King  5 

Some  Aboriginal  Alphabets  (Part  i ) J,  D.  Moody  g 

To  California  via  Panama  in  the  Early  *6os. . .  .A  M,  Guinn  13 

Olden  Time  Holiday  Festivities Wm.  H.  Workman  22 

Mexican  Governors  of  California H,  D,  Borroivs  25 

Fifty  Years  of  California  Politics. Walter  R,  Bacon  31 

Side  Lights  on  Old  Los  Angeles Mary  E,  Mooncy  43 

Los  Angeles  Postmasters  (1850  to  1900) //,  D.  Barnn^'s  49 

Some  Aboriginal  Alphabets  (Part  II) ,/.  D.  Moody  56 

Historic  Seapcjrts  of  Los  Angeles A  M.  Guinn  60 

La  Estrella — Pioneer  Newspaper  of  Los  Angeles . .  /.  M.  Guinji  70 

Don  Antonio  F.  Coronel H,  D,  Barroics  78 

Secertary's  Report   , , , .  83 

Report  of  the  Publication  Committee ,  84 

Treasurer's  Report 84 

Curator's  Report 85 

PIONEER  REGISTER, 

Officers  and  Committees  of  the  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los  An- 
geles County,  1900-1901    86 

In  Memoriam    87 

Constitution  and  By-Laws  88 

Stephen  C.  Foster 91 

Francisco   Sahichi 91 

Robert  Miller  Town 92 

Fred   W.   Wood 93 

Joseph  Bayer    94 

Augustus  Ulyard , . .  94 

Rev.  A-  M,  Hough 95 

Henry  F,  Fleishman 96 

Frank  Lecouvreur    . 96 

Roll  of  Members  Admitted  since  January,  1900 99 

Dajiiel  Scheick   , 96 

Andrew  Glassell 98 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 
1900 

OFFICERS. 

WAI.TEB  E.  Bacom President 

J.  D.  MooDT First  Vice-President 

Mbs.  M.  Bubtox  Williamson , . . . .  Second  Vice-President 

Edwin  Baxter Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiKN Secretary  and  Curator 

BOARD  OP  DIRECTORS. 

Walter  R.  Bacon,  H.  D.  Barrows, 

A.  C.  Vroman,  Edwin  Baxter, 

j.  m.  guinn,  j.  d.  moodt, 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson. 

1901 

OFFICERS  (ELECT). 

Walter  R.  Bacon President 

A.  0.  Vroman First  Vice-President 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson Second  Vice-President 

Edwin  Baxter Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN Secretary  and  Curator 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 
];  Walter  R.  Bacon,  J.  D.  Moody. 

I  H.  D.  Barrows,  Edwin  Baxter, 

(  J.  M.  GuiNN,  A.  C.  Vroman, 

i  Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson. 


Historical  Society 


OF- 


Southern  California 

LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA,  1900 


THE  STORES  OF  L03  ANQELES  IN  1850 

By   LAURA  EVERTSEN    KING- 

(Read  before  the  Pioneers,  December,  1900.) 

If  a  person  walking  down  Broadway  or  Spring  street,  at  the 
tresent  day,  could  turn  "Time  backward  in  his  flight"  fifty  years^ 
how  strange  the  contrast  would  seem.  Where  now  stand  blocks 
if  stately  buildings,  whose  windows  are  aglow  with  all  the  beauties 
of  modern  art,  instead  there  would  be  two  or  three  streets  whose 
business  centered  in  a  few  **tiendas,"  or  stores^  decorated  with 
strings  of  "chihs"  or  jerked  tjeef.  The  one  window  of  each  "tienda'* 
was  barred  with  iron,  the  "tiendero'*  sitting  in  the  doorway  to  pro- 
|tect  his  wares,  or  to  watch  for  customers.  Where  red  and  yellow 
brick  buildings  hold  their  heads  proudly  to  the  heavens  now%  fifty 
years  ago  the  soft  hills  slid  down  to  the  back  doors  of  the  adobe 
dwelling  and  offered  their  wealth  of  flowers  and  wild  herbs  to  the 
botanist.  Sidewalks  were  unknown,  pedestrians  marched  single 
file  in  the  middle  of  the  street,  in  winter  to  enjoy  the  sunshine, 
in  summer  to  escape  the  trickling  tears  of  *'brea'*  which,  dropping 
from  the  roofs,  branded  their  linen  or  clogged  their  footsteps.  Now 
where  the  policeman  '*wends  his  weary  way,"  the  '*vaquero,"  with 
his  lively  "cuidado"  (lookout)  lassoed  his  wild  steer,  and  dragging 
him  to  the  "mantanza"  at  the  rear  of  his  dwelling,  offered  him 
fon  the  altar  of  hospitality. 

Among  the  most  prominent  stores  in  the  '50's  were  tliose  of 


6 


HlflTOEICAL  SOCIETY  OF  flOUTBEPN  CAUFORNU 


Labat  Bros,,  Foster  &  McDougal,  afterward  Foster  &  Wadhams, 
of  B.  D.  WilsoTi,  Abel  Stearns,  S.  Lazard's  City  of  Paris,  O.  W. 
Childs,  Chas,  Ducommon,  J.  G.  Downey,  Schumacher,  GoUer,  Lew 
Bow  &  Jayzinsky,  etc.  With  the  exception  of  O,  VV.  Child&,  Chas. 
Ducommon,  J,  G.  Downey,  John  Goller  and  Jayzinsky,  all  carried 
general  merchandise,  which  meant  anything  from  a  plow  to  a  box 
of  sardines,  or  from  a  needle  to  an  anchor.  Some  merchants  sold 
sugar  and  silks,  others  brogans  and  barrels  of  flour,  Goller's  was 
a  wagon  and  carriage  shop.  O.  W.  Childs  first  sign  read  '*tins  to 
mend.'*  Jayzinsky*s  stock  consisted  princii>ally  of  clocks,  but  as 
the  people  of  Southern  California  cared  little  for  time^  and  only 
recorded  it  like  the  Indians  by  the  sun,  he  soon  failed.  Afterwards 
he  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  with  N.  A.  Potter.  Jokes 
were  often  played  upon  the  storekeepers,  to  while  away  the  time. 
Thus  one  Christmas  night,  when  the  spirit  of  fun  ran  high,  and 
no  policeman  was  on  the  scene,  some  young  men,  who  felt  them- 
selves "sold"  along  with  the  articles  purchased,  effaced  the  first 
syllable  of  Wadhams'  name  and  substituted  "old'*  in  its  place^  mak- 
ing it  Oldhams.  and  thus  avenging  themselves.  It  was  almost  im- 
possible to  procure  anything  eatable  from  abroad  that  was  not 
not  strong  and  lively  enough  to  remove  itself  from  one's  presence 
before  cooking.  It  was  not  the  fault  of  the  vender,  but  of  the  dis- 
tance and  difficulty  in  transportation.  Mn  Ducommon  and  Mr. 
Downey  arrived  in  Los  Angeles  together,  Mn  Ducommon  was  a 
watchmaker,  and  Mr.  Downey,  a  druggist.  Each  had  a  small  stock 
in  trade,  which  they  packed  in  a  **carreta'*  for  transporation  from 
San  Pedro  to  Los  Angeles,  On  the  journey  the  cart  broke  down, 
and  packing  the  most  valuable  of  their  possessions  into  carpet- 
sacks,  they  walked  the  remaining  distance.  Mr.  Ducommon  soon 
branched  out  in  business,  and  his  store  became  known  as  the  most 
reliable  one  in  his  line,  keeping  the  best  goods,  although  at  enor- 
mous prices.  Neither  Mr,  Downey  nor  any  other  druggist  could 
have  failed  to  make  money  in  the  early  '50's,  when  common  Epson 
salts  retailed  at  the  rate  of  five  dollars  per  pound,  and  everything 
else  was  in  proportion.  One  deliberated  long  before  Fending  for 
a  doctor  in  those  days — fortunately,  the  climate  was  such  that  his 
services  were  not  often  needed.  Perhaps  the  most  interesting 
window  display  in  the  city  in  the  early  '50's  v^'as  that  of  Don  Abel 
Stearns',  wherein  common  candy  jars  filled  wnth  gold,  from  the 
finest  dust  to  ''chispas/'  or  nuggets,  could  be  seen  from  the  street 
adorning  the  shelves.  As  gold  and  silver  coin  were  scarce,  the 
natives  working  the  placer  mines  in  the  adjoining  mountains  made 


THE  9T0RE3  OF  LOS  ANGSLE8  IN  1850 


their  purchases  with  gold  dust  Tied  in  a  red  silk  handkerchief, 
tucked  into  the  waist-band  of  their  trousers,  would  be  their  week's 
earnings;  this,  poured  carelessly  into  the  scales  and  as  carelessly 
weighed,  soon  filled  the  jars.  What  dust  remained  was  shaken 
out  of  its  folds,  and  the  handerchief  returned  to  its  place.  (No 
wonder  that  the  native  became  the  victim  of  sharpers  and  money- 
lenders; taking  no  thought  of  the  morrow,  he  lived  on,  letting  his 
inheritance  slip  from  his  grasp.) 

The  pioneer  second  hand  store  of  Los  Angeles  was  kept  by  a  man 
named  Yarrow,  or  old  *''Cuarto  Ojos"  (four  eyes),  as  the  natives 
called  him,  because  of  the  large  spectacles  he  wore,  and  the  habit 
he  had  of  loking  over  them,  giving  him  the  appearance  of  having 
"four  eyes."  Probably,  however,  this  sobriquet  attached  to  him 
because  his  glasses  had  four  lenses,  two  in  front,  and  one  on  each 
side.  His  store  was  on  the  corner  of  Retjuena  and  Los  Angeles 
streets,  in  the  rear  of  where  the  United  States  Hotel  now  stands. 
The  store-room  was  a  long,  low  adobe  building  with  the  usual  store 
front  of  that  day — a  door  and  a  narrow  window.  This  left  the 
back  part  of  the  long  store  almost  in  utter  darkness,  which  probably 
gave  rise  to  the  uncanny  tradition  that  certain  portions  of  reputed 
wealth  but  strangers  to  the  town  had  been  enticed  into  this  dark 
interior  to  their  undoing,  and  that  like  the  fly  in  the  spider's  den 
they  **ne'er  come  out  agairu"  This  idle  tale  was  all  owing  to  his 
spectacles — for  in  the  early  50s  all  men  who  wore  glasses  were 
under  suspicion — the  general  opinion  prevailing  was  that  they  were 
worn  to  conceal  one's  motives  and  designs,  which  whtn  hidden  by 
the  masque  of  spectacles,  were  suspected  to  be  murderers.  In  the 
**ticnda"  of  "Cuarto  Ojos"  were  heaped  together  all  sorts  and 
conditions  of  things,  very  mtich  as  they  are  now  in  second  hand 
stores,  but  the  articles  differed  widely  in  kind  and  quality  from 
those  found  in  such  stores  today.  Old  "Cuarto  Ojos"  combined 
pawn  broking  and  money  lending  with  his  other  business.  In  close 
contact  with  the  highly-colored  shawls,  rebosos,  gold  necklaces, 
silver  mounted  frenos  and  heavily  embroidered  muchillas,  hung 
treacherous  looking  machetes,  silver -mounted  revolvers  and  all  the 
trappings  and  paraphrenalia  of  the  robber  and  the  gambler  out 
of  luck,  and  forced  there  to  stand  and  deliver  as  collateral  for 
loans  from  old  '*Cuarto  Ojos." 

Coming  up  Requena  street  and  crossing  Main  to  the  southwest 
comer  of  Main  and  Court  streets,  one  arrived  at  the  pioneer  auc- 
tion house  of  1850.  Here  George  F.  Lamson  persauded  the  visitors 
to  his  store  into  buying  wares  that  at  the  present  day  would  find 


8 


maTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CADtFORNlA 


their  way  to  the  rubbish  heaps  of  the  city.  This  story  is  told 
of  his  sale  of  a  decrepit  bureau:  **Ladies  and  g'entlemen," — ladies 
minus,  and  gentlemen  scarce — &aid  the  g^enial  auctioneer,  ''here  is 
the  finest  piece  of  mahogany  ever  broug:ht  across  the  plains  or 
around  the  Horn — four  deep  drawers  and  keys  to  all  of  them;  don't 
lose  this  bargain;  it  is  one  in  a  thousand!"  It  was  knocked  down 
to  a  personal  friend  of  the  auctioneer  for  the  modest  sum  of  $24.00. 
After  the  sale  the  purchaser  ventured  to  ask  for  the  keys,  "Why," 
said  Lamson,  **when  I  put  up  that  article  I  never  expected  you 
would  be  fool  enough  to  buy  it.  There  are  no  keys,  and  more  than 
that,  there  is  no  need  of  keys,  for  there  are  no  locks  to  it." 

On  Los  Angeles  street  in  the  same  location  where  it  stands  to- 
day  and  kept  by  the  same  proprietor,  Sam  C.  Foy,  stood  and  still 
stands  the  pioneer  saddlery  of  Lus  Angeles.  Of  the  pioneer  mer- 
chants of  the  '50*5,  Mr.  Harris  Newmark  was  the  founder  of  a 
house  still  in  existence.  If  any  youth  of  Los  Angeles  would  see 
for  himself  how  honesty  and  strict  attention  to  business  commands 
success^  let  him  visit  the  establishment  of  Mn  Newmark  and 
his  successors. 

In  the  early  '50's  some  merchants  were  accused  of  getting  their 
hands  into  their  neighbors*  pockets,  or  rather  of  charging  exhorbi- 
tant  prices  to  the  depletion  of  the  contents  of  their  neighbors* 
purses.  These  same  merchants  never  refused  to  go  down  into  their 
own  pockets  for  sweet  charity's  sake.  If  a  collection  was  to  be 
taken  up  for  some  charitable  object,  all  that  was  necessary  was 
to  make  the  round  of  the  stores,  and  money  was  poured  into  the 
hat  without  question  of  what  was  to  be  done  with  it.  Now  we 
have  the  Associated  Charties  and  all  sorts  of  charitable  institutions, 
but  for  liberal  and  unquestioning  giving,  we  take  off  our  hats  to 
the  ''stores  of  1850." 


SOME  ABORIGINAL  ALPHABETS— A  STUDY 


PART  I. 

BY    J.    D.    MOODYj   D.D.S. 

(Read  before  the  Historical  Society,  May  3,  1900.) 

The  origin  of  alphabetical  writing  is  lost  in  the  mists  of  an- 
tiquity. But  this  one  fact  is  apparent:  no  matter  how  far  back 
we  earn--  this  study,  the  art  of  writing-  is  found  to  be  a  develop- 
ment. A  pre-existent  form  can  be  logical  ly  supposed  from  which 
every  example  yet  know^n  has  g^rown.  While  in  most  cases,  this 
process  has  been  a  slow  one,  by  patient  study  we  can  trace  out 
the  steps  one  by  one,  until  not  only  the  relationship  stands  dearly 
proven,  but  this  slow  process  of  evolutionary  detail  can  be  seen  as 
a  whole.  To  this  general  rule  there  are  among  aboriginal  people 
some  apparent  exceptions,  two  of  which  we  will  study  l^onight,  as  a 
step  towards  a  solution  of  a  third. 

These  examples  are  the  alphabet  of  the  Vei  tribes  of  Western 
Africa,  and  the  alphabet  of  the  Cherokee  Indians  of  our  own  coun- 
try. These  alphabets  instead  of  being  a  growth  of  centuries,  and 
the  product  of  innumerable  minds,  suddenly  sprang  into  existence; 
each  the  product  of  one  mind,  and  each  in  its  place  bridging  the 
chasm  between  intellectual  chaos  and  order. 

The  Cherokee  alphabet  was  fully  completed  in  1826;  that  of  the 
Vei  in  1834.  The  Cherokee  alphabet  is  certainly  known  to  have 
been  developed  in  one  man*s  brain.  Of  the  Vei  alphabet^  it  is 
known  to  have  been  largely  the  product  of  one  mind,  but  in  its 
development  assisted  probably  by  a  few  contemporaries.  In  each 
case  the  process  of  formation  occupied  but  a  few  years,  and,  while 
the  work  of  one  mind,  it  was  the  sight  of  written  characters  used 
by  foreigners  that  suggested  the  idea  of  an  alphabet  for  them- 
selves. 

Africa  is  a  great  hive  of  humanity.  In  the  earliest  dawn 
of  history,  in  which  we  get  only  the  faintest  glimpses  of  these 
human  movements,  we  see  the  true  blacks  of  Africa  meeting,  on 
the  sands  of  Egypt,  the  lighter  colored  Asiatic.  There  is  a  glimpse 
of  what  is  possibly  a  still  earlier  touch  in  that  first  great  migration 


10 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


from  Central  Europe,  one  wave  of  which  reached  the  northern 
shores  of  Africa,  From  these^  probably,  eome  all  that  diversity  of 
families  and  languages  for  which  Africa  is  so  famous.  Here  and 
there,  among  these  peoples,  sometimes  in  fact  in  the  very  lowest 
of  them,  are  found  evidences  that  the  human  souI»  even  in  the  black- 
est skin,  has  been  struggling  to  free  itself  fromt  its  environmentSi 
and  arise  to  that  place  of  intelligence  which  is  the  inheritance  of 
the  human  race.  But  in  every  instance  where  these  linguistic  at- 
tainments have  been  manifested^  there  is  clearly  seen  the  impress 
of  a  more  advanced  people.  Some  families  have  reached  a  certain 
stage,  and  then  all  further  progress  has  stopped,  as  in  the  Hotten- 
tots of  the  south.  Others  have  inherited  a  capacity  for  improve- 
ment, which,  though  languishing  at  times,  has  not  entirely  died 
out,  as  in  the  Berbers  of  the  north. 

On  the  west  coast  of  Africa  there  is  found  a  tribe  of  natives, 
the  Vei.  belonging  to  the  great  Mandingo  family,  who  have  snown 
a  capacity  for  advancement  not  found  in  ihe  surrounding  tribes. 
They  came  from  the  western  part  of  that  great  fertile  region  of 
Africa  called  the  Soudan.  These  people  are  lighter  in  color  and 
fmer  in  form  than  those  of  other  parts  of  Africa.  Their  intellect, 
low  as  it  is,  has  felt  the  impress  of  a  higher  intelligence,  and  shown 
a  capacity  for  development,  by  originating  and  using  alphal>etical 
writing.  Correspondence  is  carried  on  by  means  of  it,  and  even 
a  history  has  been  written  in  these  characters.  This  alphabet  is 
said  to  have  been  evolved  in  1834.  There  is  some  uncertainty 
as  to  its  origin.  One  statement  is  that  a  servant  in  an  English 
family,  seeing  the  benefits  of  a  written  language,  conceived  the 
idea  of  creating  one  for  his  people,  the  present  Vei  characters 
being  the  result.  There  are  some  indications,  however,  tending  to 
show  that  it  was  a  slower  growth,  and  the  work  of  more  than 
one  individual.  The  initial  impulse  was  probably  caused  by  a  sight 
of  Arab  writing,  and  what  it  did  for  these  masters  of  the  Soudan. 

A  similar  example  is  found  among  the  Cherokee  Indians  of 
our  own  country.  I  have  here  for  your  inspection  two  copies  of  an 
old  paper  printed  in  these  characters,  in  1831,  shortly  after  its  in- 
vention. 

In  the  last  century  the  Cherokee  Indians  occupied  a  good  por- 
ton  of  the  Gulf  States,  what  is  now  the  State  of  Georgia  being 
their  principal  seat  of  residence.  They  were  among  the  most  ad- 
vanced of  the  southern  tribes.  They  had  national  traditions  and 
a  folk  lore  carefully  preserved  by  theij'  prophets,  but  centuries  had 
failed  to  develop  a  writing  to  perpetuate  them.     These  tribes  were 


N 


^ 
N 


under  the  supervision  of  the  general  government,  and  while  people 
were  not  allowed,  at  this  time,  to  enter  their  territory  for  pur- 
poses of  trade  without  first  procuring  a  Hcense.  However,  there 
were  not  wanting  contrabanrl  traders. 

In  1768  one  such,  a  German,  George  Gist  or  Guess,  a  peddler, 
entered  the  Cherokee  country  with  goods  to  trade  for  furs,  and  as 
was  the  custom  of  these  white  traders,  he  took  to  himself  an  Indian 
wife.  She  was  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  principal  chiefs.  This 
gave  him  a  certain  prestige  among  the  Indians.  In  a  Httle  less  than 
a  year  he  had  converted  all  of  his  goods  into  furs,  and,  apparently 
without  the  least  remorse,  left  his  Indian  wife,  never  to  return. 
Shortly  afterwards  a  child  was  born  of  this  union.  The  deserted 
wife  remained  true  to  her  husband  all  her  hfe.  She  educated  her 
boy  according  to  the  highest  standard  of  Indian  knowledge.  She 
lavished  the  love  upon  him  that  would  have  l)een  given  to  the  hus- 
band had  he  remained.  Slie  called  the  the  boy  Se-quo-yah.  He 
inherited  the  cunning  and  taciturnity  of  the  Indian  and  much  of 
the  skill  and  mysticism  of  the  German.  He  associated  but  little 
with  other  Indian  children,  roamed  the  forest  alone,  or  staid  by 
his  mother.  He  early  developed  a  remarkable  mechanical  genius, 
and  made  dishes  and  implements  for  his  mother.  When  he  grew 
up  he  became  a  silversmith,  and  later  a  blacksmith,  and  crowned  it 
all  by  learning  to  draw.  He  had  noticed  the  trade  marks  on  tools 
sold  by  the  peddlers^  and  understood  their  import.  He  got  an  Eng- 
lish friend  to  write  out  his  English  name.  He  generally  was  known 
by  his  father's  name.  George  Guess.  From  this  writing  he  made 
a  steel  die  and  stamped  the  silver  articles  which  he  made.  Some 
of  these  articles  are  heirlooms  in  Cherokee  families  today.  His 
Indian  countrj^men  were  proud  of  him. 

Missionaries  had  gone  into  the  coijtnry  and  founded  schools. 
His  mind  began  to  move.  ''White  man  write  on  paper,  why  not 
Indian?"  He  thought  and  worked.  The  Indian  language  had 
sounds  that  could  not  be  made  by  the  English  alphabet.  From 
this  point  he  lost  the  strictly  alphabetical  idea  and  evolved  a  sylla- 
bic alphabet  of  eighty-five  characters.  It  has  been  pronounced  by 
some  eminent  authorities  as  one  of  the  most  complete  in  existence. 
He  got  an  English  spelling  book  from  one  of  the  teachers,  and 
from  it  copied  a  part  of  his  characters;  the  others  he  invented  him- 
self. 

Dr,  D.  G.  Brinton,  of  the  very  highest  authority  on  American 
languages,  says:  ''The  deliberate  analysis  of  a  language  back  to 
its  phonetic  elements,  and  the  construction  upon  these  of  a  series 


Organized  NoTember  1,  1883  Incorporated  February  13,  1891 

PART  I.  VOL.  V. 


ANNUAL  PUBLICATION 

OF  THE 

Historical  Society 

OF 

Southern  California 

AND 

PIONEER  REGISTER 
Los  Angeles 

■ 

IQOO 

Published  by  the  Society. 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 

Geo.  tUc«  &  Soas. 
19OX 


1 

yj 

1 

JPtm 

^^^^^^H 

^^k^^? 

^^^^H                                      STEPHEN  C.  FOSTEK, 

TO  CALIFORNIA  VIA  PANAMA  IN 
THE  EARLY  '60s 

BY  J.    M.   GUINN. 

(Read  before  the  Pioneers,  March,  i8g8.) 

The  reminiscences  of  the  pioneers  of  a  country  have  a  unique 
historical  value.  While  they  may  be  largely  made  up  of  the  per- 
sonal adventures  of  the  narrators,  even  then,  Ihey  reflect,  as  no 
formal  history  can,  phases  of  the  social  life  of  early  times;  and 
they  have  this  distinctive  feature,  they  present  views  of  historical 
events  from  the  standpoint  of  actual  observation.  The  stories  of 
the  Argonauts  of  '49  have  an  abiding  interest  for  true  Californians. 
Even  though  we  may  know  that  these  returned  seekers  after  the 
golden  fleece  are  drawing  on  their  imagination  to  color  some  of 
their  adventures,  yet  we  listen  to  their  oft^old  tales  with  admiration 
for  their  heroism  and  kindly  toleration  for  their  romancing. 

I  can  recall  the  intense  interest  with  which  ^,  when  a  boy,  lis- 
tened to  the  stories  of  returned  Califomians.  i'ow  I  longed  to 
be  a  man  that  1  might  emulate  their  daring  deeds,  and  see  the  great 
world  as  they  had  seen  it.  When  I  reached  man's  estate,  Califor- 
nia had  lost  its  attraction  for  me.  So  many  of  the  Argonauts  re- 
turned  without  the  golden  fleece — returned  fleeced  of  all  they  had 
possessed — penniless  and  with  so  poor  an  opinion  of  the  country, 
that  I  gave  iip  my  long  cherished  desire;  gave  it  up  to  renew  it 
again,  but  from  different  motives  and  under  widely  different  cir- 
cumstances. The  beginning  of  the  Civil  war  found  me  completing 
a  college  course  in  a  western  college.  Five  days  after  the  fall  of 
Fort  Sumter,  one  hundred  of  us  students  were  enrolled  and  on  our 
way  to  suppress  the  Rebellion.  After  nearly  three  years  of  active 
service,  I  returned  to  civil  life,  broken  in  health  and  all  my  plans 
for  life  demoralized — the  Rebellion  had  very  nearly  suppressed  me. 
And  here  allow  rae  to  digress  briefly  to  make  a  few  remarks 
on  the  cost  of  war,  not  to  the  nation  but  to  the  individual.  For  the 
past  mr^nth  war  microbes  have  infested  the  atmosphere.  The  great 
American  people  have  been  in  a  bellicose  mood.  How  many  of 
those  who  talk  so  glibly  of  war  have  thought  of  what  war  may 


14 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORKIA 


mean  to  them — have  counted  the  cost  to  the  individual  as  well  as 
to  the  nation.  The  history  of  that  student  company  well  illustrates 
the  cost  of  war  to  the  individual  soldier.  Of  the  one  hundred 
young^mcn — their  ages  ranging  from  i8  to  25 — who  marched  forth 
from  the  college  halls  on  that  April  day  in  "61,  four  years  later, 
when  the  war  dosed,  thirty-three  were  dead — killed  in  battle^  died 
of  woundSjOf  disease  or  starved  to  death  in  southern  prison  pens. 
More  than  one-half  of  the  remainder  retunied  home  crippled  by 
wounds  or  broken  by  disease.  Not  one  of  those  who  did  faithful 
service  to  the  country  but  what  began  the  struggle  for  existence 
after  the  close  of  the  war  handicapped  for  the  remainder  of  his 
days.    But  to  return  from  this  digression. 

My  physical  delapidation  precluded  me  from  settling  down  to 
any  civil  pursuit  or  of  again  entering  the  mihtary  service.  A  sea 
voyage  having  been  recommended  as  a  remedial  agent  in  restoring 
my  damaged  constitution,  my  old  desire  to  visit  California  returned 
and  was  s]ieedily  acted  upon.  The  overland  railroad  was  then  the 
dream  of  enthusiasts,  and  its  realization  seemed  to  be  distant,  de- 
cades in  the  future.  The  Indians  on  the  "plains*'  were  hostile,  and 
travel  by  the  overland  stage  was  extremely  perilous.  Nearly  all 
California  travel  then  was  by  steamer.  There  were  at  that  time 
two  lines  of  California  steamships.  One  by  the  Panama  and  the  other 
by  the  Nicaragua  route.  The  rates  of  fare  were  the  same  by  the 
different  routes  and  were  prohibitory  to  a  person  of  small  means — 
first  cabin,  $350;  second  cabin,  $225  to  $250,  and  steerage  $150. 
Time,  26  to  30  days. 

Arriving  at  New  York.  I  repaired  to  the  Nicaragua  Steamship 
Company's  office,  and  was  informed  that  owing  to  a  revolution  in 
Central  America  the  next  steamer  of  that  line  would  go  by  the 
Panama  route.  I  was  still  further  discomfited  to  find  every  berth 
in  the  cabins  sold,  and  I  had  the  alternative  of  going  steerage  or 
of  waiting  fifteen  days  for  the  next  steamer.  Having  during  my 
army  life  slept  on  almost  everything,  from  a  Virginia  rail  fence  to 
a  picket  post,  and  having  subsisted  on  every  form  of  subsistence, 
from  faith  and  hope  to  raw  pumpkins,  I  thought  the  steerage  of  a 
California  steamer  could  present  no  form  of  discomfort  I  had  not 
experienced.  One  night  between  decks  convinced  me  1  was  mis- 
taken. The  foul  and  feted  atmosphere,  crying  children,  quarreling 
women»  dirt  and  discomfort  in  every  form  were  past  my  endurance. 
Gathering  up  my  blankets  I  fied  to  the  upper  deck,  and  for  the  re- 
mainder of  the  voyage  slept  on  the  soft  side  of  a  plank  by  the  smoke 
stack. 


TO  CAUFORNIA  VtA  PANAMA  IN  THE  EARLY  *603 


16 


The  %'essel  was  crowded  far  beyond  her  capacity.  There  were 
a  thousand  passengers  on  board,  about  seven  hundred  of  whom 
were  in  the  steerage.  The  draft  riots  had  occurred  in  New  York 
about  six  months  before,  and  another  draft  was  impending.  The 
disloyal  elements,  both  native  and  foreigTi  bom,  were  endeavoring 
to  escape  enforced  service  to  the  country  by  emigrating  to  Cali- 
fornia, where  there  had  been  no  draft-  After  we  had  gotten  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  United  States,  and  they  had  recovered  from  sea- 
sickness, they  spent  their  lime  cursing  the  government  and  abusing 
Abe  Lincoln  and  the  Union  soldiers*  A  little  squad  of  eight  or 
ten  of  us,  who  had  been  Union  soldiers,  and  were  not  afraid  to  show 
our  colors,  were  the  especial  targets  of  their  abuse.  On  several 
occasions  their  taunts  and  insults  very  nearly  precipitated  a  riot. 
The  only  thing  that  prevented  an  outbreak  was  the  innate  coward- 
ice of  the  creatures,  for  although  they  were  twenty  to  one  of  us, 
they  were  afraid  to  attack  us. 

On  the  twelfth  day  out  we  cast  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Aspin- 
wall.  The  City  of  Aspinwall,  or  Colon,  as  it  is  now  called,  is  the 
Atlantic  terminus  of  the  Panama  railroad.  It  has  an  excellent  har- 
bor and  this  is  about  its  only  virtue.  It  had  a  monopoly  on  the 
vices.  It  was  buih  in  a  mangrove  swamp.  Miasmatic  vapors  hang 
over  it  and  you  breathe  the  malaria  of  its  poisonous  climate  with 
every  breath.  It  had,  at  that  time,  a  population  of  about  3,000.  A 
considerable  number  of  the  inhabitants  were  employees  of  the  Pana- 
ma Railroad  and  of  the  Pacific  and  the  British  steamship  compa- 
nies. In  addition  to  its  regular  population  there  was  at  that  time 
a  floating  population,  or  rather  a  stranded  population,  for  most  of 
it  was  made  up  of  wrecks.  Tliese  denizens  of  the  tropical  city 
were  the  misfits  of  many  nations.  Many  of  them  had  left  their 
country  for  their  country's  good.  Their  leaving  was  not  from 
motives  of  patriotism,  but  more  from  motives  of  economy.  They 
left  to  save  their  governments  the  expense  of  hanging  them.  They 
existed  in  a  sort  of  cannibalistic  way  off  the  California  travel,  and 
were  ready  for  anything  from  stealing  a  grip-sack  to  cutting  a 
throat 

On  account  of  the  change  of  route  our  steamer  on  the  Pacific 
ude  failed  to  make  close  connections,  and  we  were  compelled  to 
remain  in  Aspinwall  eight  days.  This  gave  us  ample  opportunity 
to  study  its  social,  political  and  climatic  conditions.  Usually  the 
California  traveler  passes  from  the  steamer  to  the  rail  cars  and  sees 
but  little  of  the  town.    One  thing  that  struck  us  as  very  strange  was 


16 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORP^A 


the  social  and  political  equality  of  the  races.  (This  was  before 
the  days  of  negro  suffrage  in  the  United  States.)  The  chief  of 
police  was  a  gigantic  Jamaica  negro,  who  promenaded  the  streets 
dressed  in  a  white  linen  suit  and  carrying  a  long  cavalry  saber — 
his  badge  of  oflice.  The  police  force  and  the  ayuntamiento,  or 
town  council,  were  made  up  of  bleached  Caucasians,  brown  or  un- 
bleached natives  and  coal  black  negroes.  They  seemed  to  get  along 
harmoniously. 

As  the  Panama  railroad  has  often  been  described,  I  shall  only 
note  a  few  of  its  most  striking  characteristics.  It  had  one  distinction 
at  that  time  that  did  not  commend  it  to  the  California  immigrant 
It  charged  the  highest  rate  of  fare  of  any  railroad  in  the  world. 
Its  length  is  forty-nine  miles,  and  the  fare  over  it  was  $25 — fifty 
cents  a  mile.  It  is  said  that  to  build  it  cost  a  human  life  for  every 
tie  of  its  forty-nine  miles  of  track.  The  contractors  at  first  at- 
tempted to  build  the  road  by  white  labor.  Men  were  inveigled  to 
work  on  it  by  the  inducement  of  a  free  passage  to  Califomia^ — ^for 
one  hundred  days  labor  on  the  road.  Very  few  of  these  sun,-ived 
the  deadly  climate.  A  shipload  of  these  recruits  would  be  landed 
and  set  at  work — before  the  vessel  returned  with  another  load  of 
laborers  the  first  were  either  under  the  ground  or  dying  in  the 
hospitah  destroyed  by  the  deadly  Chagres  fever  and  exposure  to  the 
tropical  heat.  When  the  evil  reputation  of  the  road  and  the  coutnry 
became  known  abroad,  no  more  white  men  could  be  obtained.  The 
company  then  undertook  to  finish  it  with  acclimated  natives  of  the 
tropics.  Bands  of  Jamaica  negroes  were  enlisted.  These  proved  to 
be  so  mutinous  that  the  few  white  bosses  were  unable  to  control 
them.  Then  some  genius  hit  upon  the  idea  of  utilizing  the  feud 
that  existed  from  time  immemorial  between  the  Jamaica  and  Car- 
thagenian  negroes.  These  antagonistic  elements  were  employed  in 
squads  of  about  eqiml  numbers.  When  the  Jamaicans  rebelled,  the 
Carthagenians  were  turned  loose  upon  them,  and  vice  versa.  In  the 
fight  that  ensued  their  belligerent  propensities  were  mutually  grati- 
fied and  the  survivors  were  satisfied  to  go  to  work  and  obey  orders. 
Such  was  the  story  told  us  at  Colon.  Maybe  it  was  not  true.  The 
town  was  not  noted  for  veracity. 

Our  steamer  on  the  Pacific  side  arrived  at  Panama  and  we  were 
hurried  across  the  isthmus  and  on  board  the  steamer — the  old  City 
of  Panama  was  indulging  in  one  of  its  periodical  epidemics.  This 
time  it  was  small  pox,  and  the  natives  were  dying  by  the  hundreds. 

The  old  City  of  Panama  has  an  interesting  history,  in  fact  two 
histories,  for  there  have  been  two  cities  of  the  same  name;  one  dead 


TO  CALIFORNIA  VIA  PANAMA  m  THE  EARLY  '60s 


17 


and  buried  two  hundred  and  fifty  years — killed  by  the  famous  Eng- 
lish bucaneer,  Sir  Heiiry  Morgan;  the  other  not  dead  but  in  a 
comatose  state  since  the  Panama  riots  of  1856,  when  sixty  Califor- 
nians  were  massacred  by  the  natives.  The  steamship  company's  of- 
ficers, since  the  massacre,  have  been  very  averse  to  passengers  visit- 
ing that  city- 
Five  years  later  on  my  return  from  California  by  the  sanie  route 
I  availed  myself  of  an  opportunity  to  visit  it.  With  your  permis- 
sion i  will  digress  briefly  to  describe  what  I  saw.  On  account 
of  the  shallowness  of  the  bay,  the  Cahfornia  steamers  anchor  four 
miles  out,  and  the  passengers,  baggage  and  freight  are  lightered 
ashore.  Finding  that  it  would  require  six  to  eight  hours  to  trans- 
fer the  fast  freight  and  baggage  (the  passengers  being  kept  on  the 
ship  untii  these  are  landed),  several  of  us  determined  to  do  the  old 
city.  The  officers  did  not  prohibit  our  goings  but  they  absolved 
themselves  of  all  responsibility  for  us.  Four  of  us  chartered  a  na- 
tive and  his  row  boat  to  take  iis  ashore.  Panama  is  a  walled  city — 
the  wall  was  built  to  keep  the  bold  bad  buccaneers  out.  After  see- 
ing the  wall  I  confess  I  lost  my  respect  for  the  buccaneers.  Bad  no 
doubt  they  were;  bold  they  could  not  have  been  to  he  kept  out  by 
such  a  walh  One  regiment  of  veteran  soldiers  of  the  late  war 
would  have  charged  thai  wall  and  with  a  push  all  together  have 
tumbled  it  over  on  its  defenders  and  captured  them  all  before  they 
could  have  crawled  out  of  the  debris. 

The  city  stands  on  a  tongue  of  land  and  the  wall  runs  around 
its  sea  face.  As  we  approached  the  shore  our  boatman  seemed  un- 
certain about  landing.  He  kept  beating  off  and  on  opposite  a  hole 
in  the  city  AvalL  We  urged  him  to  land  us,  but  he  persisted  in 
keeping  too  far  from  shore  to  allow  of  our  jumping  to  it.  His  reason 
for  keeping  us  from  landing  soon  became  evident.  We  found  that 
his  transportation  line  connected  with  a  transfer  company — said 
transfer  companv  consisting  of  half  a  dozen  half-naked  natives, 
who  expressed  Iheir  willingness  to  carry  us  ashore  for  **dos  reales" 
each.  As  the  natives  were  short  and  I  was  long,  how  to  get 
get  ashore  without  wetting  my  feet  worried  me.  Selecting  the 
tallest  native,  I  moimted  his  shoulders  and  was  safely  landed.  Our 
squad  of  four  proceeded  up  town.  We  had  not  gone  far  before  we 
found  a  military  company  drawm  up  to  receive  us  This  w^as  an  un- 
locked far  honor  To  he  treated  to  a  review  of  the  military  forces  of 
the  sovereign  state  of  Darien  in  honor  of  our  arrival  %vas  quite  flat- 
tering. The  commanding  officer,  through  an  interpreter,  questioned 
us  closely  as  to  our  business  ashore — how  long  we  intended  to  stay 


IS 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


etc.  Honors  were  no  longer  easy.  Dim  visions  of  being  stood 
up  before  an  adobe  waU  and  shot  fwll  of  "larg-e,  irregular  holes" 
floated  before  us.  Our  answers  seemed  to  be  satisfactory,  and 
with  our  best  military  salute  to  the  comandante-general  we  were 
allowed  to  depart. 

From  a  French  merchant  in  the  town,  whose  acquaintance  we 
made,  we  learned  the  cause  of  our  rather  unusual  reception.  There 
had  been  a  revolution  that  morning  before  breakfast.  A  distin- 
guished hidalgo  having  been  insulted  by  the  ruling  governor,  fired 
off  a  tierce  pronunciamiento  reciting  the  high  crimes  and  misde- 
meanors of  the  governor,  and  calling  upon  the  people  to  rise  against 
the  tyrant.  An  exchange  of  pollysyllabic  billinsgate  followed. 
The  military  rallied  to  the  support  of  the  hidalgo.  The  goberna- 
dor  and  his  staflf  rallied  to  a  fish  boat  and  sailed  gaily  away  to 
meet  the  incoming  California  steamer.  A  new  government  had 
been  inaugurated  in  time  for  a  late  breakfast.  (From  an  economi- 
cal standpoint  this  is  a  great  improvement  over  our  American  way 
of  changing  governors.  It  costs  us  about  a  quarter  of  a  million  in 
time  and  money,  to  change  governors.  In  Panama  they  do  it  for 
about  '*six  bits/'  and  really  get  about  as  good  an  article  as  we  do.) 
Our  prompt  arrival  from  the  steamer  had  excited  the  suspicions 
of  the  new  governor.  We  were  suspected  of  being  emissaries  of 
the  deposed  ruler,  intent  upon  the  overthrow  of  the  rew  govern- 
ment, hence  our  military  reception. 

The  city  of  Panama  is  credited  with  a  population  of  15,000. 
Its  streets  are  narrow — only  two  being  wide  enough  for  wheeled 
vehicles  to  pass.  Its  inhabitants  are  of  all  shades — black  and  tan 
predominating.  The  city  seems  to  be  a  case  of  arrested  develop- 
ment. It  has  the  appearance  of  having  been  built  two  hundred 
years  ago  and  then  forgotten. 

But  to  resume  our  voyage.  We  found  the  ship,  Moses  Taylor, 
better  known  to  Californians  as  the  "Rolling  Moses,"  awaiting  us. 
It  was  a  high  and  very  narrow  side  wheel  steamer,  and  navigated 
the  ocean  with  sort  of  a  drunken  roll  that  was  very  provocative  of 
sea  sickness.  As  its  capacity  was  a  thousand  tons  less  than  the 
vessel  we  had  left,  our  discomfort  was  increased  in  a  corresponding 
ratio.  Tlie  provisions  were  bad,  many  barrels  of  sea  biscuit  being 
musty.  These  when  the  waiter  s  back  was  turned,  went  over  the 
vessel's  side  to  feed  the  gulls,  whose  taste  was  not  fastidious. 
Slowly  we  rolled  our  way  up  the  Coast,  our  miseries  increased  by 
the  knowledge  that  small  pox  had  broken  out  on  board  the  ship. 
We  reached  Acapulco,  Mexico,  almost  out  of  coal.     Here,  how- 


TO  CAUFORNtA  VTA  PANAMA  IN  THE  EARLY  '60e 


19 


ever,  was  a  coal  hulk  with  a  plentiful  supply.  The  captain  em- 
ployed about  two  hundred  peons  to  carry  the  coal  in  sacks  up  the 
side  of  the  vessel  on  a  rope  ladder,  and  down  into  the  hold — a  pro- 
cess of  coaling  that  took  48  hours.  The  brown,  half-naked  natives, 
with  their  long,  sinewy  arms  and  legs  climbing  up  the  ladder,  looked 
like  a  group  of  monkeys.  Indeed  both  in  looks  and  intelligence, 
it  seemed  as  if  the  work  of  evolution  had  been  unfinished  in  their 
case.  The  method  of  taking  on  cattle  was  as  primitive  as  the  coal- 
ing. The  cattle  were  lassoed  on  shore,  dragged  into  the  water  and 
lashed  by  the  horns  to  the  sides  of  the  boat,  their  noses  above  the 
water  In  this  way  they  were  floated  out  to  the  steamen  A  der- 
rick was  rigged  upon  deck,  a  line  dropped  from  it  around  the  horns 
of  the  steer  and  he  was  hoisted,  hanging  pendent  by  the  horns 
forty  or  fifty  feet  in  the  air  and  then  swung  aboard.  If  his  horns 
broke  off,  as  they  sometimes  did,  he  dropped  into  the  water  and 

b immediately  pulled  for  the  shore. 
While  the  coaling  process  was  going  on,  no  tables  were  set  for 
the  steerage  passengers,  and  we  were  left  lo  skirmish  for  our  ra- 
tions. After  living  on  orEmges  and  bananas  for  24  hours,  my 
partner  and  I  began  to  yearn  for  something  more  substantial. 
Among  our  purchases  from  the  natives  was  a  bottle  of  lujescal,  a 
firery  untamed  liquid  with  the  bad  qualities  of  all  the  intoxicating 
liquors  combined  in  one.  One  sip  each  had  satisfied  us.  Mescal 
is  distilled  from  the  maguey  or  century  plant.  It  is  vile  stuff;  a 
single  drink  of  it  would  mak**  a  man  hate  all  his  relatives,  Accord- 
^Hing  to  a  certain  California  writer,  it  contains  about  fifty  fights  to 
^^he  quart,  a  pronunciamiento  to  the  gallon,  and  a  successful  revolu- 
'  tion  to  the  barrel.  In  skirmishing  around  for  sometliing  to  eat  we 
found  the  negro  cook  on  the  coal  ship,  had  a  well  supplied  galley 
and  was  willing  to  trade.  For  the  consideration  of  a  bottle  of 
something  to  drink,  he  would  get  us  a  dinner  "good  enough  for  a 
commodore."  The  bottle  of  mescal  was  quickly  transferred.  Seiz- 
ing it  greedily,  he  told  us  we'd  better  not  '*let  the  cap'en  see  us 
loafin'  round  dan"  At  the  time  appointed  for  the  dinner  we  re- 
paired to  the  galley.  The  negro  cook  was  lying  dead  drunk  on 
the  floor,  and  the  hungry  captain  of  the  coal  hulk  was  swearing 
fearful  oaths  that  if  he  could  find  the  man  that  made  that  nigger 
drunk  he  would  put  him  in  irons  for  forty-eight  hours.  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  we  did  not  inform  him  we  knew  the  man. 

Our  liberality  to  the  sharks  and  gulls  of  the  Lower  Coast 
reacted  upon  us.  We  ran  short  of  provisions.  When  we  reached 
the  California  Coast  we  were  on  half  rations.     Our  rations,  the 


20 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


last  day  of  the  voyage,  were  one  slice  of  bread  and  a  cup  of  tea. 
We  landed  in  San  Francisco  at  midnight  forty  days  from  the  time 
we  left  New  York.  The  gang;  plank  was  scarcely  down  before  we 
were  ashore,  and  hunting  for  something  to  eat.  We  found  a  little 
hotel  an  Beale  street,  stirred  up  the  proprietor,  the  cook  and  the 
waiters.  The  supply  was  limited  to  bread,  butter.tea  and  coffee. 
We  soon  exhausted  the  landlord's  stock  on  hand  and  demolished 
the  contents  of  two  bake  shops  before  we  were  satisfied  Thanks 
to  the  glorious  climate  of  California,  we  survived  that  meaL 

San  Francisco,  34  years  ago,  although  boasting  of  a  popula- 
tion of  a  hundred  thousand*  had  not  a  street  car  line  in  it.  It  had 
no  free  delivery  of  mail  matter;  if  you  had  no  box  you  Ptood  In  line 
and  got  your  mail  if  your  patience  held  out. 

It  was  then  in  the  midst  of  the  Washoe  mining-  boom.  Every- 
body was  dabbling  in  stocks.  There  were  seventeen  hundred  li- 
censed stock  brokers  in  San  Francisco,  and  double  that  number  of 
unlicensed  and  unprincipled  curb-stone  operators,  whose  chief  aim 
was  to  sell  >vild-cat  stocks  in  mines  located  in  the  sage  brush  of 
Neveda,  or  more  often,  in  the  imagination  of  the  brokers,  to  un- 
sophisticated immigrants,  as  well  as  to  old  time  residents. 

The  true  story  of  the  Washoe  mining  boom  has  never  been 
written.  Ross  Browne  and  Mark  Twain  have  touched  upon  some 
of  its  serio  comic  features,  but  the  tragic  side  of  it  has  ne\'er  been 
portrayed.  The  ruined  homes,  the  impoverished  individuals,  the 
stiicidesj  the  heart  aches  and  wretchedness  left  in  the  w^ake  of  the 
bonanza  king's  march  to  wealth*  are  subjects  upon  which  the  old 
Califomian  does  not  care  to  dwell.  With  that  cowardly  truckling 
to  wealthy  no  matter  how  obtained,  that  so  often  characterizes  the 
press  of  the  country,  the  tragedy  of  lost  homes  and  ruined  lives 
has  been  crowded  out  by  adulations  of  the  vulgar  display  of  the 
ill-gotten  wealth  of  the  bonanza  kings. 

At  the  time  of  our  arrival  the  frenzy  of  Washoe  stock  gambling 
was  raging.  The  man  who  did  not  own  feet  in  some  mine  was 
a  financial  pariah — a  low  caste  individual.  The  prices  were  accom- 
modating; they  ranged  from  "four  bits"  a  foot  in  the  Roaring 
Griazly  or  the  Root  Hog  or  Die  to  $6,000  a  foot  in  the  Gould 
and  Curry.  Everbody  speculated;  the  boot  black,  t!ie  servant  girl 
and  the  day  laborer  invested  their  small  savings  in  some  ignis  fatuus 
mine  in  the  wilds  of  Nevada.  The  minister,  the  merchant,  the 
mechanic  and  the  farmer  drew*  out  their  bank  savings  or  mortgaged 
their  homes  to  speculate  in  Burning  Moscow,  ChoUer  and  Potosi 
or  Consolidated    Virginia.     While   the  then   uncrowned   bonanza 


TO  CALIFORNIA  VIA  PANAMA  IK  THE  EARLY  ,60s 


21 


kings  got  up  corners  on  stocks  and  ^ew  rich  off  the  credulity  or 
their  ruined  dupes. 

Our  ship  load  of  immigrants  was  fresh  fish  for  the  curb-stone 
brokers,  and  soon  every  on^  of  the  new  arrivals  who  had  any  money 
to  spare  was  happy  in  the  possession  of  nicely  engraved  certificates 
of  stock — stock  that  paid  Irish  dividends-assessments,  and  certifi- 
cates that  might  entitle  the  holder  to  a  position  in  the  school  of 
Experience  where  f»x>is  learn.  Mf>ntgoniery  street  was  then  the 
principal  street  of  the  city.  Market  street  below  Fifth  was  lined 
on  either  side  by  high  sand  banks.  A  pony  engine  and  two  cars 
made  a  round  trip  between  the  wharf  and  the  old  Mission  every 
two  hours;  fare,  round  trip,  "two  bits."  The  site  of  San  Fran- 
cisco's five  million-dollar  city  hall  was  then  a  graveyard.  It  is 
still  the  graveyard  of  the  peoples*  money. 

Oakland  was  a  straggling  village,  scattered  around  among  the 
live  oaks.  It  boasted  of  1500  inhabitants.  Stockton  and  Sacra- 
mento were  reached  by  steam  boat  and  San  Jose  by  b<:>at  to  Alviso 
at  the  head  of  the  bay,  and  from  there  by  stage.  Los  Angeles  was 
a.  Mexican  town  some  where  down  South  in  the  cow  countirs.  Its 
[(fxact  location,  population  and  prospects  were  matters  of  such  utter 
indifference  to  the  stock-speculating  San  Franciscan,  tliat  he  had 
never  looked  them  up  an<l  **made  a  note  on  it/'  Even  its  inhabi- 
tants seemed  to  have  Httle  faith  in  its  future.  The  year  of  my 
arrival  in  California  the  lot  on  the  southeast  comer  of  Spring  and 
Second  streets,  wliere  the  magnificent  Wilcox  block  now  stands 
was  sold  for  $37  or  30  cents  a  front  foi:>t  Without  the  building 
it  is  now  worth  prubably  $2000  a  front  foot  or  about  a  quarter 
million  dollars.  The  same  year  all  the  site  of  East  Los  Angeles 
was  sold  by  the  city  council  at  the  rate  of  50  cents  an  acre,  and 
the  purchaser  was  not  proud  of  his  bargain.  The  value  of  a  front 
foot  in  what  is  now  the  business  center  of  Pasadena,  nt  that  time, 
would  have  been  so  infinitesimally  small  that  the  smallest  value 
in  a  currency  table  would  rot  express  it.  Even  an  acre  in  the 
Crown  of  the  Valley  would  not  have  commanded  the  value  of  the 
smallest  circulating  coin  of  California  in  the  early  '6o*s — namely, 
ten  cents. 


OLDHN  TIME  HOLIDAY  FESTIVITIES 


BY  W.   H.  WOEKMAN. 

(Read  before  the  Pioneers,  June  2,  1900.) 

Having  been  requested  by  your  Literary  Committee  to  present 
you  this  evening  some  sketches  of  the  hohday  season  in  early  Los 
Angeles,  1  have  taken  occasion  to  note  down  a  few  episodes  as  they 
recur  to  my  memory, 

Los  Angeles,  when  I  arrived  in  l854>  was  a  small  town  of 
about  3,0OD  inhabitants,  2,500  of  whom  were  natives  of  California, 
and  the  remainder  were  estranjeros,  as  Americans  and  foreigners 
were  called.  The  people,  especially  the  Americans  and  Europeans, 
always  observ^ed  the  various  holidays  by  characteristic  festivities 
and  grand  reunions. 

On  New  Year's  day  almost  alt  of  the  American  element  would 
turn  out  to  make  calls,  for  New  Year's  calls  were  then  the  universal 
custom.  No  friend  was  forgotten  on  that  day,  and  pleasant  were 
the  reunions  of  acquaintances  and  friends,  and  the  making  of  new 
friends.  Nearly  every  family  kept  open  house,  and  not  infrequently 
entertained  hundreds  of  callers  on  this  occasion.  The  custom  was 
so  general  that  many  of  the  prominent  native  Cahfornians  adopted 
it  in  their  hospitable  homes  and  thereby  delightfully  increased  New 
Year's  calling  lists  of  the  Los  Angeles  beaux.  But  alas,  the  picture 
has  its  shadows,  though  my  memory  would  linger  only  on  its 
brightness.  At  each  place  of  visiting  were  prepared  refreshments 
of  no  mean  proportions.  These  refreshments  were  of  a  liquid  as 
well  as  a  solid  nature,  and  if  one  did  not  partake  heartily,  it  was 
a  breach  of  etiquette,  which  the  fair  hostess  was  loath  to  forgive 
or  forget. 

Now,  my  friends,  you  can  readily  see  that  if  each  caller  par- 
took repeatedly  of  turkey  and  cranberry  sauce,  of  plum  pudding,  of 
mince  meat  pie»  of  egg  nog,  of  wine,  etc.,  and  particularly  of  etc., 
he  would  be  pretty  full  before  closing  time  came  round.  As  a  par- 
ticipant for  many  years  in  the  ceremony,  I  can  vouch  for  its  cor- 
rectness, and  I  can  assure  you  that  many  a  fellow  did  not  care  to 
repeat  the  calling  process  before  the  year  rolled  around,  or  at  least 


I 


I 
I 


OLDEN  TIME  HOLIDAY  FESTIVITIES 


until  he  had  thoroughly  digested  all  that  he  had  eaten  or  imbibed. 

T  will  give  you  a  little  story  of  two  Christmas  days  in  Lo5 
Angeles.  On  the  first  of  these  Cliribtmas  days,  I  have  reason  to 
believe,  was  held  the  first  Christmas  tree  ever  prepared  in  Southern 
California  In  1857  Los  Angeles  could  boast  of  but  a  limited 
residence  section.  The  plaza  formed  the  center  of  the  city.  North 
of  it  were  the  adobe  homes  of  the  native  CaHfornJans  population, 
while  south  of  it  were  the  few  business  houses  of  that  date  and  the 
homes  of  the  American  residents.  Los  Angeles  street  marked  the 
eastern  boundary,  and  beyond  large  vineyards  and  orchards  extend- 
ed toward  the  Lc»s  Angeles  riven  First  street,  open  only  to  Main, 
marked  the  southern  limit  of  population,  except,  perhaps,  a  few 
homes  just  the  other  side  of  it. 

On  Main  street,  between  First  and  Court,  there  was  in  those 
days  a  loug  r*>vv  of  adol>e  houses  occupied  by  many  of  the  best 
families  of  primitive  Los  Angeles,  This  neighborhfx>d  was  often 
designated  "the  row/'  and  many  are  the  pleasant  memories  which 
yet  linger  in  the  minds  and  hearts  of  those  who  lived  there  in  "good 
o!d  days*'  and  who  still  occasionally  meet  an  old  time  friend  and 
neighlxjr,  In  "the  row"  lived  an  Englishman  and  his  wife — Carter 
by  name.  Their  musical  ability  was  often  a  source  of  great  delight 
to  those  about  them,  and  they  possessed  the  faculty  (well  called 
happy)  of  bringing  to  a  successful  issne  matters  pertaining  to  the 
scK:ial  entertainment  of  others.  So  it  was  that  about  the  year  1857, 
when  it  was  proposed  that  a  union  Christmas  tree  be  prepared. 
Dr.  Carter  and  his  wife  were  prime  movers  in  the  affair. 

Where  nrjw  stands  the  McDonald  block  was  the  home  of  Dn 
Carter,  and  it  was  there  that  many  Los  Angeles  families  enjoyed 
in  common  the  gaily  decorated  tree  v/hich  had  been  so  lovingly  pre- 
pared by  the  many  willing  hands  of  friendly  neighbors.  The  chil- 
dren were,  of  course,  the  honored  guests,  for  the  t!ir>ught  of  the 
little  ones  had  incited  the  work  of  preparation. 

Los  Angeles,  into  which  no  railroad  came,  was  in  those  days 
far  away  from  the  world,  and  the  limited  resources  of  the  time 
would  restrict  even  Santa  Claus'  possibilities.  But  on  that  Christ- 
mas eve  no  limitations  were  felt,  for  the  true  spirit  of  the  Christmas- 
time illuminated  each  and  every  heart.  Dr.  Carter  ofificiated  as 
Santa  Ctaus,  while  music  and  songs,  dancing  and  games  and  the 
pleasant  chatter  of  friends  completed  the  evening*s  festivities.  That 
night  the  children  of  Lx>s  Angeles,  than  whom  none  of  their  suc- 
cessors are  happier,  did  not  retire  until  the  wee  small  hours  of 
Christmas  day. 


24  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CAUFORNIA 

Another  Christmas  was  in  1861,  and  heavy  rains  had  fallen  for 
one  whole  wedc  previous  to  that  Christmas  day.  The  family  of 
Andrew  Boyle,  living  on  the  high  lands  east  of  the  Los  Angeles 
river,  had  accepted  an  invitation  to  dine  at  the  home  of  Don  Mateo 
Keller,  who  lived  on  what  is  now  Alameda  street,  near  Aliso.  The 
rain  fell  heavily  and  persistently,  and  the  river  rose  gradually 
until  it  was  impossible  to  ford  the  swollen  stream.  There  were  no 
bridges  in  that  day,  and  so  when  Christmas  came  and  the  storm 
still  continued,  the  dinner  across  the  river  was  out  of  the  question. 
This  might  have  been  all,  but  it  soon  became  evident  in  the  family 
of  Mr.  Boyle  that  there  would  be  difficulty  in  securing  a  proper 
repast  at  home,  for,  on  account  of  the  weather,  they  had  been  un- 
able to  replenish  the  larder,  and  there  was  not  a  bit  of  flour  in  the 
house.  The  question  was  how  to  secure  the  necessary  adjuncts  of 
culinary  success.  There  were  no  stores  east  of  the  river,  and  but 
a  few  scattered  adobe  homes.  At  length  it  was  decided  that  a 
serving  man,  Jesus,  a  strong,  stalwart  Sonorean.  faithful  and  dis- 
creet, could  be  sent  upon  this  mission,  for  his  life  and  training  re- 
duced all  danger  to  a  minimum.  He  readily  undertook  the  task. 
A  note  of  regret  was  addressed  to  Mr.  Keller  and  entrusted  to  the 
messenger. 

It  seems  incredible,  perhaps,  to  those  who  have  seen  year  after 
year  the  vast  expanse  of  sand  which  we  call  a  river,  but  on  this 
Christmas  day  it  was  a  torrent.  The  Sonorean  divested  himself  of 
much  of  his  apparel  and  swam  to  the  opposite  shore.  He  reached 
the  home  of  Mr.  Keller,  delivered  his  note  and  secured  from  the 
grocery  store  the  provisions  which  he  needed.  Mrs,  Keller,  in  her 
open-hearted  hospitality,  would  not  allow  the  messenger  to  depart 
without  a  goodly  share  of  the  Christmas  dinner.  Jesus  prepared 
to  return.  He  secured  a  board  of  sufficient  surface.  On  it  he  placed 
the  goods,  securely  wrapped  so  as  to  protect  them  from  the  water, 
and  plunging  into  the  water  he  swam  across,  pushing  before  him 
the  improvised  raft  with  its  cargo.  He  safely  reached  the  opposite 
shore  and  delivered  unharmed  the  articles  entrusted  to  his  care. 
You  may  be  sure  that  the  brave  fellow  enjoyed  to  the  utmost  his 
well-earned  Christmas  dinner,  and,  though  the  rain  fell  as  heavily 
during  the  ensuing  week,  there  was  no  lack  of  cheer  in  the  home  be- 
yond the  river. 


MEXICAN  GOVERNORS  OF  CALIFORNIA 

H.  D.  BARROWS. 

(Read  before  Historical  Society,  Oct.  i,  1900.) 

From  the  time  of  the  achievement  of  independence  by  Mexico 
in  the  year  1822,  till  1846,  July  7,  when  Alta  California  became 
a  territory  of  the  United  States,  eleven  persons  served  as  governors, 
or  Gefes  Politicos,  of  the  Province;  two  of  them  serving  two  terms, 
thus  making  thirteen  administrations  during  the  Mexican  national 
regime.  All  of  these  eleven  governors,  except  Gov.  de  Sola  and 
Gov.  Gutierrez,  who  were  born  in  Spain,  were  natives  of  Mexico; 
and  four  of  them,  namely :  Governors  Arguello,  Pico,  Castro  and 
Alvarado,  were  born  in  California.  It  is  not  known  that  any  of 
these  officials  is  now  living. 

The  first  Mexican  governor  was  Pablo  Vicente  de  Sola,  who  was 
in  office  when  Mexico  gained  her  independence  in  1822;  and  his 
term  extended  till  1823.  He  was  a  native  of  Spain,  where 
he  received  a  good  education ;  and  he  came  to  Mexico  as  a  military 
officer  prior  to  1805.  At  the  time  of  his  appointment  by  the  Viceroy 
as  Grovernor  of  California,  in  1815,  he  was  a  lieutenant-colonel  of 
the  Mexican  army.  He  arrived  at  Monterey  August  30,  181 5.  He 
filled  the  office  of  governor  about  seven  years.  Being  elected  a 
deputy  to  the  Mexican  Congress  he  left  Monterey  November  22, 
1823,  and  San  Diego  January  2,  1824,  arriving  in  the  City  of  Mex- 
ico in  the  following  June,  where  he  soon  after  died. 

Governor  de  Sola  was  succeeded  by  Luis  Antonio  Arguello, 
whose  term  extended  to  June  1825.  Governor  Arugello  was  born 
at  the  Presidio  of  San  Francisco,  June  21,  1784,  He  died  there 
March  27,  1830,  and  was  buried  at  the  Mission  by  Father  Estenega. 
His  widow,  who  was  the  daughter  of  Sergeant  Jose  Dolores  Ortega, 
was  the  owner  of  Las  Pulgas  Rancho.    She  died  in  1874. 

Governor  Arguello  was  universally  commended  by  the  old-time 
Californians  and  Americans  as  an  able,  amiable  and  honest  citizen 
and  governor.  The  Arguellos  of  early  times,  and  their  descendants, 
have  been  accounted  among  the  first  families  of  California. 

Jose  M.  Echeandia  was  the  next  governor.     Gov.  Echeandia 


u 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


Anolher  Christmas  was  in  1861,  and  heavy  rams  had  fallen  for 
one  whole  week  previouf*  to  that  Christmas  <lay.  The  family  of 
Andrew  Boyle,  living  un  the  high  lands  east  of  the  Los  Angeles 
river^  had  accepted  an  invilation  to  dine  at  the  home  of  Don  Mateo 
Keller,  who  lived  on  what  is  now  Alameda  street,  near  Ahso.  The 
rain  fell  heavily  and  persistently,  and  tlie  river  rose  gradually 
until  it  was  impossible  to  ford  the  swollen  stream.  There  were  no 
bridges  in  that  day,  and  so  when  Christinas  came  and  the  storm 
still  coniinued,  the  dinner  across  the  river  was  out  of  the  question. 
This  might  have  been  all,  but  it  soon  became  evident  in  the  family 
of  Mn  Boyle  that  there  would  Ije  difficulty  in  securing  a  proper 
repast  at  home,  for,  on  account  of  the  weather,  they  had  been  un- 
able to  replenish  the  larder,  and  there  was  not  a  bit  of  Hour  in  the 
house.  The  question  was  how  to  secure  the  necessary  adjuncts  of 
culinary  success*  There  were  no  stores  east  of  the  river,  and  but 
a  few  scattered  adobe  homes.  At  length  it  was  decided  that  a 
serving  man,  Jestis»  a  strong,  stalwart  Sonorean,  faithful  and  dis- 
creetj  could  l:>e  sent  upon  this  mission,  for  his  life  and  training  re- 
duced all  danger  to  a  minimum.  He  readily  undertook  the  task. 
A  note  of  regret  was  addressed  to  Mr.  Keller  and  entrusted  to  the 
messenger. 

It  seems  incredible,  perliaps,  to  those  who  have  seen  year  after 
year  the  vast  expanse  of  sand  which  we  call  a  river,  but  on  this 
Christmas  day  it  was  a  torrent.  The  Sonorean  thvested  himself  of 
much  of  his  apparel  and  swam  to  the  opposite  shore.  He  reached 
the  home  of  Mr.  Keller,  delivered  his  note  and  secured  from  the 
grocery  store  the  provisions  w^hich  he  needed.  Mrs.  Keller,  in  her 
open-hearted  hospitality,  would  not  allow  the  messenger  to  depart 
without  a  goodly  share  of  the  Christmas  dinner.  Jesus  prepared 
to  return.  He  secured  a  board  of  sufficient  surface.  On  It  he  placed 
the  goods,  securely  wrapped  so  as  to  protect  them  from  the  water, 
and  plunging  into  the  water  he  swam  across,  pushing  l)efore  him 
the  improvised  raft  with  its  carg-o.  He  safely  reached  the  opposite 
shore  and  delivered  unharmed  the  articles  entrusted  to  his  care. 
You  may  be  sure  that  the  brave  fellow  enjoyed  to  the  utmost  his 
well-earned  Christmas  dinner,  and,  though  the  rain  fell  as  heavily 
during  the  ensuing  week,  there  was  no  lack  of  cheer  in  the  home  be- 
yond the  river. 


MEXICAN  GOVERNORS  OF  CALIFORNIA 

IJ.  D.   BARROWS. 

(Read  before  Historical  Society,  Oct.  I,  1900.) 

From  the  time  of  the  achievement  of  independence  by  Mexico 
in  the  year  1822,  till  1846,  July  7,  when  Alta  California  became 
a  territory  of  the  United  States,  eleven  persons  served  as  g-ovemors, 
or  Gefes  Politicos,  of  the  Province;  two  of  them  sen-ing  two  tenns, 
thus  making  thirteen  administrations  during^  the  Mexican  national 
regime.  All  of  these  eleven  governors,  except  Grtv.  de  Sola  and 
Gov,  Gutierrez,  who  were  brjrn  in  Spain,  were  natives  of  Mexico; 
and  four  of  them,  namely ;  Governors  Arguello,  Ptco,  Castro  and 
Alvarado.  were  born  in  California.  It  is  not  known  thai  any  of 
these  officials  is  now  living. 

The  first  Mexican  governor  was  Pablo  Vicente  de  Sola,  who  was 
'in  office  when  Mexico  gained  her  independence  in  1822;  and  his 
term  extended  till  1823.  He  was  a  native  of  Spain,  where 
he  received  a  good  education;  and  he  came  to  Mexico  as  a  military 
officer  prior  to  1805.  At  the  time  of  his  appointment  by  the  Viceroy 
as  Governor  of  California,  in  1S15,  he  was  a  lieutenant-colonel  of 
the  Mexican  army.  He  arrived  at  Monterey  August  30,  1S15.  He 
filled  the  office  of  governor  about  seven  years.  Being  elected  a 
deputy  to  the  Mexican  Congress  he  !eft  Monterey  Novemher  22, 
1823,  and  San  Diego  January  2,  1824,  arriving  in  the  City  of  Mex- 
ico in  the  following  June,  where  he  soon  after  died. 

Governor  de  Sola  w'as  succeeded  by  Luis  Antonio  Arguello, 
whose  term  extended  to  June  1825,  Governor  Arugello  was  born 
at  the  Presidio  t>f  San  Francisco,  June  21,  1784,  He  died  there 
March  2y^  1830.  and  was  buried  at  the  Mission  by  Father  Estenega. 
His  widow:  who  was  the  daughter  of  Sergeant  Jose  Dolores  Ortega, 
was  the  owner  of  Las  Pulgas  Rancho.    She  died  in  1874. 

Governor  Arguello  was  universally  commended  by  the  old-time 
Californians  and  Americans  as  an  able,  ainiablc  and  hnnest  citizen 
and  governor  The  Arguellos  of  early  times,  and  their  descendants, 
have  been  accounted  among  the  first  families  of  Cahfomia, 

Jose  M.  Echeandta  was  the  next  governor.     Gov.  Echeandia 


26 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETV  Of  SOUTHERN  CAUFORNU 


was  a  native  of  Mexico;  he  was  a  lieutenant-colonel  and  director 
of  a  college  of  engineers,  at  the  time  of  his  appointment  as  Gefe 
Politico^  y  Coniandante  Militar,  that  is  governor  and  military  com- 
mandant of  the  Cahfornians.  He  came  to  Loreto.  Lower  California, 
by  way  of  San  Bias,  in  June,  1825.  where  he  remained  till  October, 
re-organizing  the  political  affairs  of  the  Provinces.  He  arrived 
at  San  Diego  in  November,  and  made  that  Presidio  his  official  resi- 
dence. He  carefully  studied  tlie  country's  needs:  and  tentatively 
tried  some  experiments  to  test  the  feelings  of  the  friars  and  the 
capacities  of  the  Tntlians,  as  to  the  practicability  of  secularizing  the 
Missions,  which  Mexican  statesmen  already  foresaw  must  be 
brought  about  some  time  if  Cabfornia  was  ever  to  ha\e  a  future 
as  a  civilized  State.  As  it  had  lieen  demonstrated  that  it  was  im- 
possible to  make  self-governing  citizens  of  the  Indians,  it  became 
apparent  that  the  settlement  of  the  country  by  Mexican  citi^cfts, 
i,  c,  by  gcntc  dc  rozon,  must  be  encouraged,  by  making"  it  possible 
for  them  to  acqtiire  a  permanent  foothold.  It  was  during  the  in- 
cumbency of  Gnv.  Echeandia  tliat  the  law  or  reglamento  of  1828, 
relating  to  the  granting  of  lands  was  passed  by  the  Mexican  Con- 
gress. The  Padres  naturally  distrusted  him,  because  he  repre- 
sented, according  to  their  views,  the  new  republic,  which  they  in- 
stinctively felt  was  inimical  to  their  interests* 

The  details  of  Gov.  Echeandia's  administration  are  full  of  in- 
terest, and  as  1  have  not  room  to  recount  them  here,  T  hope  some- 
time to  present  them  in  a  separate  paper,  as  I  have  already  done 
in  the  case  of  Gov.  Pico  and  several  other  notable  governors,  whose 
striking  characteristics  are  worthy  of  separate  treatment. 

After  administering  the  office  of  governor  for  nearly  six  years, 
Gov.  Echeandia  sailed  from  San  Diego  in  May,  1833,  and  returned 
to  the  City  of  Mexico,  where,  as  late  as  1855-6,  Mrs.  Gen.  Ord, 
who  knew  him  well  in  California,  saw  him-  frequently,  and,  at  a 
still  later  period,  he  die<l  there  at  an  advanced  age- 
Manuel  Victoria,  who,  after  Mexico  had  gained  her  independ- 
ence, in  the  struggle  for  which  he  took  part.  was.  in  1825.  military 
commandant  at  Acapulco,  of  which  place  he  was  probahly  a  native; 
and  in  1820  be  was  comandante  of  Baja  California;  and  in  the  latter 
year  he  was  appointed  Gefe  Politico  or  Civil  Governor  of  Aha  Cal- 
ifornia* to  succeed  Gov.  Echeandia.  He  arrived  at  Monterey,  by 
land  from  Loreto,  and  assumed  the  duties  of  governor  on  the  31st 
of  January.  183 1,  serving  about  one  year  or  till  January,  1832, 
when  the  people  arose  in  rebellion  against  his  arbitrary  rule,  and 
drove  him  out  of  the  country. 


MEXICAN  GOVERNORS  OV  CAUFORNiA 


27 


Victoria  was  generally  regarded  more  as  a  soldier  than  as  a 
civilian;  and,  while  he  was  a  nian  of  much  force  of  character,  he 
lacked  tact,  and  sought  to  administer  his  civic  duties  by  mthtary 
methods,  and,  naturally,  he  became  a  very  unpopular  ofl^cial.  More- 
over, his  hig-h-hatided  refusal  to  convene  the  Departmental  Assem- 
bly (as  was  his  duty),  in  order  that  the  important  and  heneficent 
land  laws  of  1824  and  1828  might  he  made  effective  in  California, 
so  exasperated  the  people  that  they  forced  him  to  resign,  which  he 
did  at  San  Gabriel,  after  a  hostile  encounter  between  his  forces 
and  the  revolutionists  at  Cahuenga*  and  he  was  succeeded  by  Pio 
Pico  as  the  senior  member  of  tlie  Departmental  Assembly. 

How  abundant  the  causes  were  which  moved  the  people  in  their 
summary  action  may  be  learned  from  the  Manifesto  of  the  revolu- 
tionists, of  isTov.  2g,  1831. 

Gov.  Pio  Pico,  the  fifth  Governor  of  California  after  Mexico 
became  an  independent  nation,  was  a  native  of  the  PHvince,  born 
at  the  Mission  of  San  Gabriel  in  1801.  He  was  twice  governor — 
in  T832,  and  again  in  1845-6.  he  being  incumbent  of  the  guberna- 
torial office  at  the  time  California  came  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  United  States. 

As  I  have  already  presented  to  the  Historical  Society  a  bio- 
graphical and  character  sketch  of  Gov.  Pico  (printed  in  the  Socie- 
ty's Annual  for  1894),  it  is  unnecessary  to  enlarge  here  on  the 
events  and  salient  characteristics  of  his  life.  Our  older  members 
remember  him  well.  He  died  in  this  city  September  11,  1894,  at 
the  age  of  93  years. 

Of  Gen.  Jiise  Figiieroa,  one  of  the  best  and  ablest  Governors 
|of  California,  I  here  give  only  a  brief  sketch,  hoping  at  some  future 
time  to  present  a  fuller  account  of  his  hfe. 

Gov,  Figiieroa  was  one  of  the  heroes  of  Mexico's  long  struggle 
for  independence.  In  1824  he  was  appointed  Comandante  General 
of  Sonera  and  Sinoloa,  He  served  as  Governor  and  Military 
Commandant  of  California  from  January  14,  1833,  till  shortly  be- 
fore his  death  at  Monterey,  September  29,  1835.  During  his  ad- 
ministration he  did  some  very  good  work  in  organizing  terntorial 
and  local  government.  As  a  capable,  patriotic  statesman,  he  served 
the  people  of  California  well,  and  won  their  respect  and  good  will. 
The  older  Califoniians— and  there  are  still  living  some  who  remem' 
ber  him  well — had  nothing  but  praise  far  the  character  and  acts  of 
Governor  Jose  Figiteroa. 

Gov.  Jose  Castro,  the  seventh  Mexican  Governor,  was  a  native 
of  California,  l>orn  at  Monterey  in  afxiut  the  year  1810,  where  he 


28 


HISTORICJLL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


attended  school  from  1815  to  1820,  or  later.  In  1828  he  was  sec- 
retnry  of  the  Monterey  Ayiintamiento,  He  took  an  active  part  with 
other  citzens  in  sending  representatives  to  Mexico  complaining'  of 
Governor  Victoria's  refusal  to  convoke  the  Departmental  Assembly 
and  of  other  arbitrary  acts  of  that  official. 

In  August,  1S35,  Gov.  Figueroa,  because  of  failng  health,  ap- 
pointed Castro  (he  being"  then  the  senior  member  of  the  Depart- 
mental Assembly),  as  Acting-  Gefe  Politico  or  Governor,  In  ac- 
cordance with  the  national  law  of  May  6,  1822,  Gov,  Figueroa.  just 
before  his  death,  ordered  the  separation  of  the  ciaHI  and  military 
chieftainships,  and  directed  that  Jose  Castro  should  succeed  him  as 
Governor  ad  iftterim.  and  that  Nicolas  Gutierrez  (as  ranking  of- 
ficer), should  become  Comandante  General,  Castro  served  as  Gov- 
ernor till  January,  1836,  and  later  held  numerous  other  official 
positions. 

Gov.  Nicolas  Gutierrez  was  a  native  of  Spain,  and  came  to  Mex- 
ico as  a  boy.  He  served  with  Figueroa  in  the  Mexican  revolution, 
and  came  with  him  to  California  in  1833,  as  captain.  He  was  pro- 
moted to  a  lieutenant-colonelship  in  July  of  that  year,  and  in  1834-6 
he  was  commissioner  for  the  secularization  of  the  Mission  of  San 
Gabriel,  He  was  acting  comandante-g:enera1  from  October  S, 
1835,  to  January  2,  1836;  and  from  the  latter  date  till  May  3,  he 
was  governor  and  comandante.  He  was  also  military  chief  in  the 
south  during  the  incumbency  of  Gov.  Chico  (who  succeeded  him  as 
Governor),  or  till  July  31,  and  he  was  again  Governor  till  his  over- 
throw by  Alvarado,  November  4.  1836.  Gov.  Gutirrez  was  arbitrary 
in  his  methods,  and  treated  the  Departmental  Assembly  brusquely, 
and  in  his  intercourse  with  the  people,  he  showed  little  tact  ,and  as 
a  natural  result  he  became  very  unpopular.  Both  of  his  terms 
as  Governor  were  short,  and  his  services  to  the  Province  were  com- 
paratively unimportant.  In  person  he  was  of  medium  stature, 
stout,  with  light  complexion  and  reddish  hair,  and  he  h.^d  a  squint 
in  his  right  eye,  which  gave  him  the  nickname  of  "El  Tiierto." 

Gov.  Juan  Batitista  Alvarado,  whose  term  extender!  from  De- 
cember 7,  1836,  to  December  31,  1842,  was  a  native  of  California, 
born  at  Monterey,  February  14,  1809.  He  was  the  son  of  Sergeant 
Jose  F.  Alvarado  and  Maria  Josefa  Vallejo  de  Alvarado.  He  ac- 
quired such  riidiments  of  an  education  as  were  available  in  his  time; 
and  his  life  was  an  eventful  one,  which  should  be  of  interest  to  ua; 
and  possibly  I  may  some  time  give  our  society  a  more  dej 
sketch  of  his  career,  as  a  somewhat  important  facto"  " 
fomia  history-,  of  the  later  Mexican  period.     H*' 


MEXICAN  GOVERNORS  OF  CALXPORNIA 


29 


official  positions;  and,  being  connected  with  prominent  families, 
and  posessing  sume  natural  ability,  be  exerted  considerable  influence 
in  his  time  prior  to  the  change  of  government.  He  was  secretary 
oi  the  Departmental  Assembly  from  1827  to  1854;  and  in  1836, 
having  been  elected  a  member  of  that  body,  he  became  its  president. 

Gov.  Alvarado  was  elected  to  the  Mexican  Congress  in  1845.  but 
he  did  not  go  to  Mexico.  He  was  grantee  of  several  ranches,  in- 
cluding 1^5  Mariposas,  In  1839  he  married  Martina  Castro^ 
daughter  of  Francisco  Castro.  They  had  several  children.  She 
died  in  1875.    Gow  Alvarado  died  July  13,  1882,  in  his  74tb  year. 

Those  who  knew  him  say  he  was  a  man  of  genial  temperament, 
courteous  manners,  and  rare  powers  of  winning  friends.  There 
are  many  native  Calif ornians  as  well  as  Americans  still  living, 
especially  in  the  upper  counties,  who  knew  him  well  in  his  lifetime. 

Gov.  Manuel  Micheltorena,  the  last  Mexican  Governor  of  Cali- 
fornia but  one,  w^as  appointed  January  32,  1824;  and  he  served  as 
both  Governor  and  mihtarj^  commandant  till  his  surrender  to  the 
revolutionists.  February  22,  1845.  He  was  a  native  of  Oajaca,  of 
good  family  and  some  eduction.  As  a  political  and  military  chief 
he  lacked  sound  judgment,  though  personally  of  amiable  and  courte- 
ous manners.  He  was  seriously  handicapped  by  having  brought 
with  him  to  California  (under  orders  of  the  Mexican  government, 
pursuant  to  a  miserable  policy),  a  considerable  numlxr  of  convicts 
as  soldiers,  whose  lawlessness  and  brutality  shocked  decent  citizens, 
and  tended  strongly  to  make  the  Governor  unpopular.  Micheltorena 
and  his  ''cholos/*  as  his  ragamuffin,  thievish  soldiers  were  called. 
became  a  bye-word  with  the  Californians,  and  are  still  unpleasantly 
remembered  by  the  old  timers.  After  Micheltorena's  return  to 
Mexico,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  congress,  and  later,  in  1850, 
he  ser\Td  as  Comandante-General  of  Yucatan. 

The  following  is  a  chronological  list  of  Mexican  Governors  of 
Alta  or  Upper  California*  which  may  prove  convenient  for  refer- 
ence: 

Mexican  Governors  of  California:  1822*1846. 

Pablo  Vicente  de  Sola. .  .Sept,  16,  to  Nov.  22,  1822. 

Luis  Arguello Nov.  22,  1S22,  to  June,  1825. 

Jose  M.  Echeandia June,   1S25,  to  Jan..  1831. 

Manuel  Victoria^ Jan.,  1831.  to  Jan..  1832, 

Pio  Pico Jan..  TS32,  to  Jan.,  1833, 

Jose  Figueroa , ,  ,  .Jan.,  1833,  to  Aug.^  1835. 

Jose  Castro Aug.,  1835,  to  Jan.,  1836. 


30  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUPORNIA 

Nicholas  Gutierrez Jan.,  1836,  to  May,  1836. 

Marino  Chico May,  1836,  to  July  31,  1836. 

Nicolas  Gutierrez July,  1836,  to  Nov.,  1836. 

Juan  B.  Alvarado Nov.,  1336,  to  Dec.  31,  1842. 

Manuel  Micheltorena Dec,  1842,  to  Feb.,  1845. 

Pio  Pico Feb.,  1845,  to  July.  1846. 


FIFTY  YEARS  OF  CALIFORNIA  POLITICS 


BV    WALTER    R.    RACON. 

(Read  before  the  Historical  Society  Dec.  12,  1900.) 

Fifty  years  of  political  conventions  and  presidential  elections 
in  California  nmy  seem  a  subject  from  which  little  but  idle  statis- 
tcs  can  be  evolved,  but  a  little  study  of  these  events  discloses  the 
error  of  this  conclusion.  The  period  of  ten  years  between  the  be- 
ginntngf  of  the  American  conquest  or  occupation  in  1846.  and  the 
ending  of  the  second  vigilance  committee  in  1856,  was  a  time  of 
trial,  of  intense  excitement  and  kaleidoscopic  changes;  and  every- 
thing that  has  since  happened  in  California,  or  will  in  the  future 
happen,  must  be  considerably  affected  by  the  forces  thai  took  their 
origin  in  that  period.  The  pt^litical  conventions,  composed  of  dele- 
gates straight  from  the  i>eople,  of  course,  reflect  many  of  the  traits 
of  the  people^  and  being  public  and  of  importance  to  large  num- 
bers, sufficient  record  of  them  ha?  been  kept  to  enable  us  to  fairly 
study  them. 

The  American  settlers  of  those  days  fairly  represented  tlie  av- 
erage American  character,  but  nowhere  else  has  the  Amrican  capa- 
city for  self-government  been  put  to  severer  test.  Absolutely 
isolated  from  the  central  government;  a  conquering  iwopic  in  a  land 
of  untold  possibilities,  which  was  settled  in  by  greater  numbers 
in  a  shorter  time  by  more  nationalities  than  any  other  community 
of  which  we  have  knowledge;  add  to  this  the  condition  of  moral 
recklessness  that  seems  to  come  so  naturally  to  any  large  body  of 
men  loosed  from  the  restraint  of  wholesome  family  environments, 
and  set  down  in  a  new  country  where  gold  is  plentiful  and  to  be 
had  for  the  finding,  but  where  no  code  of  laws  existed  at  the  incep- 
tion of  the  occupation,  and,  afterward,  only  such  as  were  adopted 
by  these  same  peculiarly  situated  people,  and  you  have  an  idea  of 
the  task  that  devolved  on  such  of  these  settlers  as  desired  to  luiild 
from  this  community  of  divers  possibilities  a  commonwealth  tliat 
should  1>e  a  fairly  American  State,  entitled  of  its  own  merit,  to  a 
place  in  the  list  of  States  of  the  Union. 

After  the  seriocomic  meetings  of  the  Bear  Flag  patriots  at 
Sonoma,  the  first  real  political  convention  was  the  Democratic  mass 


32 


HISTORICAL  BOCIETT  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUPORNIA 


meeting  held  in  San  Fra^ncisco,  October  25th,  1849.  It  was  called 
to  consider  the  election  to  be  held  November  1 5th,  following-,  to  vote 
on  the  State  Constitution,  and  for  the  election  of  a  Governor  and 
other  Stale  officers,  and  a  State  Legislature,  and  two  members  of 
Congress. 

John  W.  Geary,  for  whom  Geary  street  in  San  Francisco  was 
named,  presided,  and  the  meeting  was  sti  large  that  the  hall  was 
more  than  filled,  and  an  adjournment  to  the  public  square  was  had. 

Tliey  adopted  some  resolutions,  and  especially  cctndemned  those 
who  criticised  the  Mexican  war,  of  which  California  was  the  fruit* 
A  nominating  committee  was  appointed  and  the  convention  ad- 
journed; met  again  October  27th,  to  receive  the  report  of  the  com- 
mittee at  which  time  the  committee  reported  tlmt  they  had  no 
authority,  from  party  usage  to  make  nominations,  and  suggested  a 
party  primary  election  of  eleven  delegates  to  name  the  ticket,  but 
there  is  no  record  of  any  further  action  being  taken. 

No  attempt  seems  to  have  been  made  by  any  other  iK>litica1 
party  to  nominate  a  ticket,  local  mass  meetings  were  held,  inde- 
pendent nominations  made  and  party  lines  were  not  drawn.  The 
constitution  was  adopted  by  a  vote  of  12,061  for,  to  Sit  against, 
and  Peter  H.  Burnett,  Demticrat,  was  elected  governor. 

The  legislature  that  was  then  elected  passed  an  act  providing 
for  the  holding  of  an  election  of  county  officers  and  clerk  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  and  early  in  the  year  attempts  were  made  to  organ- 
ise the  Democratic  and  Whig  parties.  The  first  meetings  by  both 
parties  were  held  at  San  Jose,  where  the  legislature  was  in  session, 
and  soon  the  battle  was  on,  that  has  ever  since  been  waged  with 
varying  fortune.  These  first  California  citizens  made  positive  state- 
ments. The  Democrats  in  their  resolution  declaring  **that  no  Whig 
should  hereafter  receive  a  Democratic  vote  for  any  office  in  the  gift 
of  the  pe:)ple/'  and  the  Whigs  replied  by  inviting  all  Whigs  "to 
repel  the  assertion  that  a  Whig  is  unworthy  to  possess  the  rights, 
and  incompetent  to  perform  the  duties  of  a  freeman.**  They  also 
declared  fnr  federal  aid  in  the  improvement  of  rivers  and  harbors 
and  harshly  criticised  the  Democratic  president,  James  K.  Polk» 
for  his  veto  on  constitutional  grounds^  of  the  National  River  and 
Harbor  bill. 

The  first  Democratic  State  convention  of  regularly  elected  del- 
egates was  held  at  Benicia,  at  the  Episcopal  Church,  on  Monday 
May  19,  1 85 1  John  Btgler,  Samuel  Brannan  and  others  were 
candidates,  but  Bigler  was  nominated  for  governor  The  Whig 
convention  of  this  year  was  held  at  San  Francisco  in  a  Methodist 


FIFTY  YBARS  OP  CALIFORNIA  P0UTIC3 


33 


Church,  and  P.  B.  Reading  was  nominated  for  governor  In  this 
convention  San  Diego  was  represented  by  delegates,  but  Los  An- 
geles was  not  Early  in  the  campaign  the  people  of  this  en<]  of  the 
State  manifested  dissatisfaction  with  both  tickets  because  the  south 
was  not  represented,  and  Captain  Elisha  Kane  of  the  United  States 
army  stationed  in  CaHfomia,  was  nominated  for  Governor,  but 
later  he  withdrew,  and  at  the  election,  Big-Ier,  Detnocrat,  was  elected 
by  a  small  majority.  Early  m  1852  preparations  for  the  first  presi- 
dential campaign  in  California  were  in  full  swing.  There  had  been 
enough  friction  to  cause  some  lieat,  each  party  was  anxious  for 
the  prestige  of  carrying  the  State  at  the  first  presidential  election. 
The  Democrats  were  early  divided  between  adherents  of  Stephen 
A.  Douglas,  and  the  friends  of  other  candidates.  Tlie  Whigs  were 
united;  they  held  their  convention  at  Sacramento  February  19th, 
1852,  and  nominated  delegates  to  the  National  Convention.  Four 
days  later  the  Democrats  met  at  the  same  city.  Neither  convention 
adopted  resolutions  of  any  kind,  but  after  the  national  nominations 
of  both  parties  had  been  made,  they  both  had  conventions  that 
fairly  reveled  in  platforms  and  resolutions;  and  for  the  first  time 
the  Chinese  question  got  into  California  politics  by  way  of  a  resolu- 
tion by  the  Democratic  convention  condemning  "the  attempt  to 
bring  serfs  or  coolies  to  California  to  compete  with  white  laborers^ 
the  democracy  and  aristocracy  at  once,  of  the  State,"  At  the  elec- 
tion General  Scott,  Whig,  received  34.971  votes,  and  Frankhn 
Pierce,  Democrat*  39.965. 

On  June  2 1st,  1853,  at  Benicia  met  the  Democratic  State  Con- 
vention which  nominated  Jtjhn  Bigler  for  Governor;  their  platform 
was  general  in  its  statements.  The  Whigs,  however^  met  in  con- 
vention at  Sacramento  on  July  6th,  1S53,  nominated  W^m.  Waldo 
for  Governor,  and  proceeded  to  roast  the  Democratic  party  for  al- 
leged mismanagement  and  inefficiency  in  the  conduct  of  public  busi- 
ness. Bigkr  was  again  successfni,  receiving  38,090  votes,  to  37.545 
for  Waldo. 

The  Democratic  convention  of  1854  met  in  the  First  Baptist 
Gmrch  at  Sacramento  on  July  i8th;  it  was  a  stormy  one  from  the 
start.  D.  C.  Broderick  then  prominent  and  aftenvard  killeci  in  a 
duel,  was  active  in  the  struggle  for  the  organization.  Two  chair- 
men claimed  election;  both  made  announcements  from  the  same 
platform  at  the  same  time.  They  ran  the  turbulent  meeting  as  a 
double-header  until  about  9  o'clock  at  night,  and  then  quit  business 
and  tried  to  sit  each  other  out,  with  only  one  sickly  candle  on  a 
a  side.    The  trustees  of  the  church  closed  the  show  by  closing  the 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUPORNIA 


building,  but  in  the  riots  that  had  occurred  the  church  had  been 
damaged,  and  one  wing  voluntarily  assessed  each  of  its  delegates 
$5,00  to  repair  it.  The  other  wing  took  a  collection  of  $400,00  for 
the  same  purpose.  They  nominated  two  candidates  for  Congress, 
Denver  and  Herbert. 

The  Whigs  met  in  State  Convention  at  Sacramento  July  25th, 
and  nominated  Geo.  W.  Bowie  and  Calhoun  BenJiam  for  Congress, 
but  Denver  and  Herbert,  Democrats,  were  elected.  This  year  the 
'*Know  Nothings''  made  their  first  appearance  in  politics;  they 
took  no  open  part  in  State  politics,  hut  ran  a  local  ticket  in  San 
Francisco  which  succeeded,  and  before  the  end  of  the  year  they  had 
organisations  in  nearly  every  town  and  mining  camp  in  the  State* 
The  Know  Nothings  were  a  secret  orgajiization,  strongly  native 
American  in  its  feeling,  organized  for  the  purpose  of  acting  politi- 
cally with  the  intention  of  curtailing  the  political  privileges  of  per- 
sons of  foreign  birth  or  descent.  Tiie  Whig  party  practically  dis- 
banded in  1855.  And  this  secret  American  party  toon  its  place. 
It  was  called  Know  Nothing  from  the  fact  that  its  members  were 
required  when  questioned  about  the  order  to  declare  that  they  knew 
nothing  about  it.  The  party  had  cut  some  figure  in  localities  in 
1854.  but  in  1855  it  was  deemed  sufficiently  formidable  to  be  wor- 
thy the  steel  of  the  great  Democratic  party,  and  the  new  party  car- 
ried so  many  of  the  spring  municipal  elections  that  most  of  the 
thunder  of  the  Democratic  organs  was  turned  against  the  secret 
society.  On  March  5th,  at  a  city  election  in  Marysvillc,  then  a 
prominent  town,  the  American  party  elected  every  local  officer,  al- 
though their  ticket  was  not  made  public  until  election  morning.  On 
April  2nd,  at  Sacramento,  they  had  the  same  success  as  at  Marys- 
vilie;  and  the  Democratic  organs  began  to  demand  of  the  divided 
party  reunion  and  a  common  cause  against  the  new  enemy.  Their 
party  had  been  split  in  tw'u,  at  the  stormy  convention  of  '54,  and 
they  had  since  had  two  State  conventions,  each  claiming  to  be  reg- 
ular* In  the  face  of  this  new  party,  the  two  committees  united  in 
one  call  for  a  convention  which  met  at  Sacramento  on  June  27th. 
The  first  business  proposed  in  the  convention  was  a  resolution  re- 
quiring  each  candidate  to  pledge  himself  that  he  was  not  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Know  Nothing  society,  A  substitute  stronger  than  the 
first  was  offered,  both  were  referred  to  the  committee  on  resolutions, 
which  afterward  reported  a  platform  containing  sharp  strictures  up- 
on that  party,  but  holding  out  the  olive  branch  to  such  as  had  inad- 
vertantly strayed  into  it.  John  Bigler  was  renominated  lor  gover- 
nor, and  a  full  State  ticket  was  nominated. 


FIFTY  YEARS  OF  CAUFORNIA  POUTICS 


35 


The  Amwicaji  State  convention  met  at  Sacramento  on  August 
'th.  They  adopted  a  platform  of  fifteen  para^aphs  on  the  lirst 
day;  the  whole  written  platform  would  fill  less  than  a  quarter  col- 
umn of  the  average  newspaper.  J.  Necley  Johnson  was  nomniated 
for  governor  along  with  a  full  State  ticket,  which  included  David 
S.  Terry  for  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court, 

On  June  20th  a  State  Temperance  Convention  was  held  at  Sac- 
ramento which  made  no  nominations;  but  another  convention  was 
held  by  them  August  22nd.  They  called  themselves  the  Independ- 
ent Democracy.  Toward  the  close  of  August  an  effort  was  made 
to  reorganize  the  Whig  party  without  success;  the  election  was  held 
September  5th,  and  the  American  ticket  was  elected  from  top  to 
bottom,  Johnson  (Am.)  receiving  50,948  votes,  and  Btgler  (Dem.) 
45,677.  Judge  Terry  was  elected  to  the  Supreme  Court  by  a  vote 
of  64,677  over  Bryans'  46,892.  The  campaign  had  httn  a  bitter 
one  and  enmities  were  engendered  that  lasted  out  the  lives  of  the 
contestants.  The  State  campaign  for  '55  had  barely  closed  when, 
on  November  13th  of  that  year,  the  American  party  commenced 
their  presidential  campaign  for  1856,  by  holding  a  secret  largely  at- 
tended council,  from  which  they  sent  out  a  long  address  and  plat- 
form, in  which  they  dwelt  largely  on  their  party  policy  respecting 
national  issues.  The  Democratic  papers,  arguing  from  this  plat- 
form, charged  Know  Nothingism  to  be  nothing  but  a  Whig  move- 
ment. The  Democrats  met  at  Sacramento  March  5th,  1856,  to  se- 
lect delegates  to  the  National  Convention.  The  platform  indorsed 
Buchanan  for  President  and  instructed  the  delegates  for  him. 

On  the  evening  of  April  19th,  1856,  the  first  mass  meeting  of 
Republicans  in  California  was  held  at  Sacramento.  Mr.  E.  B. 
Crocker,  who  had  been  a  Whig*  and  who  had  presided  at  Non- 
partisan State  Temperance  conventions,  presided,  and  made  an 
opening  statement  to  a  fair  hearing.  The  next  speaker  was  not  so 
fortunate,  Americans  and  Democrats  cat-called  and  hooted  so  that 
he  could  not  be  heard.  Henry  S,  Foote  made  an  appeal  for  order 
and  fair  play,  which  was  not  heeded;  and  when  the  Republican 
speakers  again  tried  to  talk,  the  crowd  rushed  the  stand,  overturned 
it  and  broke  up  the  meeting.  But  on  April  30th,  the  first  Repub- 
lican convention  met  in  Sacramento,  and  was  called  to  order  by 
E.  B.  Crocker,  who  was  also  elected  temporary  chairman.  The 
slavery  question  was  discussed  and  referred  to  in  the  platform  with 
moderation,  and  the  caution  of  the  convention  is  well  illustrated 
in  the  fact  that  a  resolution  ofered  by  Mr  Crocker,  to  the  effect 
that  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise  absolved  them  from  all 


support  of  any  compromise  respecting  slavery,  and  that  therefore 
they  were  opposed  to  the  admission  of  any  more  stave  States  into 
the  Union,  was  after  discussion  withdrawn  without  coming  to  a 
vote. 

An  attempt  ta  instruct  the  delegates  to  the  National  Conven- 
tion for  John  C  Fremont  was  defeated.  The  campaign  of  1856 
was  the  hottest  and  most  bitterly  contested  of  any  in  the  history 
of  the  State,  Some  ideas  of  affairs  may  be  had  from  the  fact  tliat 
although  Geo.  C.  Bates  a  Repuhlican,  in  attempting  to  speak  at 
Sacramento  in  May,  had  been  peited  with  rotten  eggs  and  the  meet- 
ing broken  up  by  the  use  of  fi re-crackers,  an  American  paper  (the 
Sacramento  Tribune)  next  day  declared  that  the  mere  fact  that  a 
public  discussion  of  the  slavery  question  had  been  allowed,  spoke 
volumes  in  favor  of  public  morals  in  Sacremanto,  and  that  after  the 
Republican  convention  to  nominate  electors  was  held  in  Sacra- 
mento August  27th,  the  State  Journal  (Dem,),  referring  to  it  said, 
among  other  things;  "The  convention  of  Negro  Worshipers  assem- 
bled yesterday  in  this  city,  ecca  signum.  This  is  the  first  time  this 
dangerous  fanaticism  has  dared  to  bare  its  breast  before  the  people 
of  California;  *  *  *  ^  y^gr  ago  no  such  scene  would  have 
been  tolerated  or  thought  of;  a  year  ago  fanatics  would  have  been 
ashamed  to  acknowledge  allegiance  to  a  party  founded  by  Hale, 
Wilson,  Chase,  Sumner,  etc/' 

The  American  State  Convention  met  at  Sacramento  on  Septem- 
ber 2nd,  1856,  After  concluding  the  nominations  a  resolution  was 
handed  to  the  secretary,  but  as  soon  as  he  had  preceded  far  enough 
with  its  reading  to  disclose  its  impoi%  a  stormy  scene  ensued,  pan- 
demonium reigned,  cat-calls,  hisses  and  protests  w^ere  hurled  at  the 
secretary,  the  reading  was  stopped  and  the  document  suppressed. 
This  bombshell  was  a  condemnatory  resolution,  le\-eled  at  the 
vigilance  committee  of  1856  at  San  Francisco,  and  its  reception 
showed  the  convention  to  l>e  heartily  in  sympathy  with  the  work 
of  that  anumakms  body,  whose  fame  has  been  herjilded  to  all  parts 
of  the  earth,  and  whose  acts  and  theories  have  been  discussed  by 
historians  and  political  essayists  in  all  the  modem  languages.  Poli- 
tics makes  as  strange  contretemps,  as  bedfellows.  Judge  Terry 
had  started  bis  political  career  as  a  Democrat;  had  in  '55  been 
nominated  by  the  American  party  and  elected  to  the  Supreme 
bench,  and  at  the  time  of  this  convention  had  barely  returned  to 
his  duties  as  a  judge  after  seven  weeks'  confinement  at  San  Fran- 
cisco by  the  vigilance  committee.  He  had  been  a  white  elephant 
on  the  hands  of  the  committee:  but  here  was  the  place  for  the  con 


I 

I 


nPTT  YEARS  OF  CALIFORNIA  POLITICS 


37 


demnation  of  the  ways  of  the  committee  if  they  were  ever  to  be 
condemBcd;  here  was  the  1855  idol  of  a  great  party,  a  Justice  of 
the  Supreme  Court,  detained  and  held  seven  weeks  by  a  self-ap- 
pointed committee,  for  resisting  by  £orce>  the  unlawful  process  of 
this  unlawful  committee,  and  at  a  convention  in  1856  of  the  party 
of  this  judge,  within  three  weeks  of  his  deliverance,  a  resolution 
that  does  not  even  g^o  far  enough  to  mention  the  name  of  the  com- 
mittee, and  only  condemns  it  in  the  abstract,  is  hooted  out  of  the 
convention  without  even  being  read. 

Another  State  Democratic  convention  met  at  Sacramento  on 
September  9th,  and  nominated  congressmen  and  other  State  officers. 
Their  platform  was  long  and  discussed  the  Union  fully,  advising 
compromise  for  the  sake  of  maintaining  it.  After  the  platform 
had  been  reported,  Mr.  McConnell  offered  the  followmg  resolu- 
tion: *'That  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  and  the  right  of  trial  by 
jury  are  sacred,  and  the  Democracy  of  this  State  will  ever  guaran- 
tee those  sacred  privileges  to  the  humblest  citizen/'  This  was  cer* 
tainly  impersonal,  it  stated  plainly  the  organic  law  of  the  land.  Its 
moral  tone  was  commendable,  it  was  a  good  political  statement, 
from  any  point  of  view,  for  any  party.  But  it  was  understood  to 
refer  to  the  vigilance  committee  that  had  been  ignoring,  in  fact 
defying,  these  and  similar  statements  taken  from  the  Bill  of  Rights. 
rit  received  different  treatment  from  that  accorded  the  resolution 
in  the  American  convention  a  week  before;  it  was  debated  fur  abrut 
ro  hours,  when  the  chairman  announced  that  the  trustees  of  the 
church  in  which  they  were  sitting  would  want  the  building  at  2 
o'clock.  A  motion  to  adopt  the  platform  as  reported  was  adopted 
unanimously.  No  one  demanded  a  vote  on  the  simple  resolution 
ind  the  convention  adjourned. 

Condemnatiiin  of  the  vigilance  committee  had  failed  in  all  polit- 
ical conventions,  although  held  at  a  time  when  feeling  respecting 
it  was  the  highest.  The  doings  of  the  committee  were  not  defensi- 
ble on  legal  or  ethical  grounds,  but  it  had  done  good;  it  had  dem- 
onstrated the  fact  that  in  every  conununity,  however  reckless  and 
aliandoned,  there  is  enough  latent  virtue  and  manly  love  of  decency 
and  order,  if  it  can  but  once  be  aroused  and  centered,  to  clear  the 
moral  atmosphere,  intimidate  or  punish  the  criminal,  and  start  his 
weakly  decent  and  wobbly  apologist  in  the  straight  way,  with 
enough  artificial  stiffening  for  his  spinal  column  to  maintain  him 
for  a  time  in  an  erect  position  and  straight-forward  way.  T  take 
It  that  these  refusals  were  conspicuous  examples  of  leaving  undone 
those  things  that  ought  not  to  be  done.    For  here  was  notice  from 


24  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 

Another  Christmas  was  in  1861,  and  heavy  rains  had  fallen  for 
one  whole  week  previous  to  that  Christmas  day.  The  family  of 
Andrew  Boyle,  living  on  the  high  lands  east  of  the  Los  Angeles 
river,  had  accepted  an  invitation  to  dine  at  the  home  of  Don  Mateo 
Keller,  who  lived  on  what  is  now  Alameda  street,  near  Aliso.  The 
rain  fell  heavily  and  persistently,  and  the  river  rose  gradually 
until  it  was  impossible  to  ford  the  swollen  stream.  There  were  no 
bridges  in  that  day,  and  so  when  Christmas  came  and  the  storm 
still  continued,  the  dinner  across  the  river  was  out  of  the  question. 
This  might  have  been  all,  but  it  soon  became  evident  in  the  family 
of  Mr.  Boyle  that  there  would  l:>e  difficulty  in  securing  a  proper 
repast  at  home,  for,  on  account  of  the  weather,  they  had  been  un- 
able to  replenish  the  larder,  and  there  was  not  a  bit  of  flour  in  the 
house.  The  question  was  how  to  secure  the  necessary  adjuncts  of 
culinary  success.  There  were  no  stores  east  of  the  river,  and  but 
a  few  scattered  adobe  homes.  At  length  it  was  decided  that  a 
serving  man,  Jesus,  a  strong,  stalwart  Sonorean,  faithful  and  dis- 
creet, could  be  sent  upon  this  mission,  for  his  life  and  training  re- 
duced all  danger  to  a  minimum.  He  readily  undertook  the  task. 
A  note  of  regret  was  addressed  to  Mr.  Keller  and  entrusted  to  the 
messenger. 

It  seems  incredible,  perhaps,  to  those  who  have  seen  year  after 
year  the  vast  expanse  of  sand  which  we  call  a  river,  but  on  this 
Christmas  day  it  was  a  torrent.  The  Sonorean  divested  himself  of 
much  of  his  apparel  and  swam  to  the  oj^posite  shore.  He  reached 
the  home  of  Mr.  Keller,  delivered  his  note  and  secured  from  the 
grocery  store  the  i)rovisions  which  he  needed.  Mrs.  Keller,  in  her 
open-hearted  hos])ita]ity.  would  not  allow  the  messenger  to  depart 
without  a  goodly  share  of  the  Christmas  dinner.  Jesus  prepared 
to  return.  He  secured  a  board  of  sufficient  surface.  On  it  he  placed 
the  goods,  securely  wrapped  so  as  to  protect  them  from  the  water, 
and  plunging  into  the  water  he  swam  across,  pushing  before  him 
the  improvised  raft  with  its  cargo.  He  safely  reached  the  opposite 
shore  and  delivered  unharmed  the  articles  entrusted  to  his  care. 
You  may  be  sure  that  the  brave  fellow  enjoyed  to  the  utmost  his 
well-earned  Christmas  dinner,  and,  though  the  rain  fell  as  heavily 
during  the  ensuing  week,  there  was  no  lack  of  cheer  in  the  home  be- 
yond the  river. 


MEXICAN  QOVBRNORS  OF  CALIFORNIA 

H.  D.  BARROWS. 

(Read  before  Historical  Society,  Oct.  i,  1900.) 

From  the  time  of  the  achievement  of  independence  by  Mexico 
in  the  year  1822,  till  1846,  July  7,  when  Alta  California  became 
a  territory  of  the  United  States,  eleven  persons  served  as  governors, 
or  Gefes  Politicos,  of  the  Province;  two  of  them  serving  two  terms, 
thus  making  thirteen  administrations  during  the  Mexican  national 
regime.  All  of  these  eleven  governors,  except  Gov.  de  Sola  and 
Gov.  Gutierrez,  who  were  born  in  Spain,  were  natives  of  Mexico; 
and  four  of  them,  namely :  Governors  Argiiello,  Pico,  Castro  and 
Alvarado,  were  born  in  California.  It  is  not  known  that  any  of 
these  officials  is  now  living. 

The  first  Mexican  governor  was  Pablo  Vicente  de  Sola,  who  was 
in  office  when  Mexico  gained  her  independence  in  1822;  and  his 
terra  extended  till  1823.  He  was  a  native  of  Spain,  where 
he  received  a  good  education ;  and  he  came  to  Mexico  as  a  military 
officer  prior  to  1805.  At  the  time  of  his  appointment  by  the  Viceroy 
as  Governor  of  California,  in  1815,  he  was  a  lieutenant-colonel  of 
the  Mexican  army.  He  arrived  at  Monterey  August  30,  181 5.  He 
filled  the  office  of  governor  about  seven  years.  Being  elected  a 
deputy  to  the  Mexican  Congress  he  left  Monterey  November  22, 
1823,  and  San  Diego  January  2,  1824,  arriving  in  the  City  of  Mex- 
ico in  the  following  June,  where  he  soon  after  died. 

Governor  de  Sola  was  succeeded  by  Luis  Antonio  Arguello, 
whose  term  extended  to  June  1825.  Governor  Arugello  was  born 
at  the  Presidio  of  San  Francisco,  June  21,  1784.  He  died  there 
March  27,  1830.  and  was  buried  at  the  Mission  by  Father  Estenega. 
His  widow,  who  was  the  daughter  of  Sergeant  Jose  Dolores  Ortega, 
was  the  owner  of  Las  Pulgas  Rancho.    She  died  in  1874. 

Governor  Arguello  was  universally  commended  by  the  old-time 
Californians  and  Americans  as  an  able,  amiable  and  honest  citizen 
and  governor.  The  Arguellos  of  early  times,  and  their  descendants, 
have  been  accounted  among  the  first  families  of  California. 

Jose  M.  Echeandia  was  the  next  governor.     Gov.  Echeandia 


24  HISTORICAL  SOQETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CAUPORNIA 

Another  Christmas  was  in  1861,  and  heavy  rains  had  fallen  for 
one  whole  week  previous  to  that  Christmas  day.  The  family  of 
Andrew  Boyle,  living  on  the  high  lands  east  of  the  Los  Angeles 
river,  had  accepted  an  invitation  to  dine  at  the  home  of  Don  Mateo 
Keller,  who  lived  on  what  is  now  Alameda  street,  near  Aliso.  The 
rain  fell  heavily  and  persistently,  and  the  river  rose  gradually 
until  it  was  impossible  to  ford  the  swollen  stream.  There  were  no 
bridges  in  that  day,  and  so  when  Christmas  came  and  the  storm 
still  continued,  the  dinner  across  the  river  was  out  of  the  question. 
This  might  have  been  all,  but  it  soon  became  evident  in  the  family 
of  Mr.  Boyle  that  there  would  be  difficulty  in  securing  a  proper 
repast  at  home,  for.  on  account  of  the  weather,  they  had  been  un- 
able to  replenish  the  larder,  and  there  was  not  a  bit  of  flour  in  the 
house.  The  question  was  how  to  secure  tlie  necessary  adjuncts  of 
culinary  success.  There  were  no  stores  east  of  the  river,  and  but 
a  few  scattered  adobe  homes.  At  length  it  was  decided  that  a 
serving  man,  Jesus,  a  strong,  stalwart  Sonorean.  faithful  and  dis- 
creet, could  be  sent  upon  this  mission,  for  his  life  and  training  re- 
duced all  danger  to  a  minimum.  He  readily  undertook  the  task. 
A  note  of  regret  was  addressed  to  Mr.  Keller  and  entrusted  to  the 
messenger. 

It  seems  incredible,  perhaps,  to  those  who  have  seen  year  after 
year  the  vast  exi>anse  of  sand  which  we  call  a  river,  but  on  this 
Christmas  day  it  was  a  torrent.  The  Sonorean  divested  himself  of 
much  of  his  apparel  and  swam  to  the  opposite  shore.  He  reached 
the  home  of  Mr.  Keller,  delivered  his  note  and  secured  from  the 
grocery  store  the  provisions  which  he  needed.  Mrs.  Keller,  in  her 
open-hearted  hospitality,  would  not  allow  the  messenger  to  depart 
without  a  goodly  share  of  the  Christmas  dinner.  Jesus  prepared 
to  return.  He  secured  a  board  of  sufficient  surface.  On  it  he  placed 
the  goods,  securely  wrapped  so  as  to  protect  them  from  the  water, 
and  plunging  into  the  water  he  swam  across,  pushing  before  him 
the  improvised  raft  with  its  cargo.  He  safely  reached  the  opposite 
shore  and  delivered  unharmed  the  articles  entrusted  to  his  care. 
You  may  be  sure  that  the  brave  fellow  enjoyed  to  the  utmost  his 
well-earned  Christmas  dinner,  and,  though  the  rain  fell  as  heavily 
during  the  ensuing  wedc,  there  was  no  lack  of  cheer  in  the  home  be- 
yond the  river. 


MEXICAN  QOVERNORS  OF  CALIFORNIA 

H.  D.  BARROWS. 

(Read  before  Historical  Society,  Oct.  i,  1900.) 

From  the  time  of  the  achievement  of  independence  by  Mexico 
in  the  year  1822,  till  1846,  July  7,  when  Alta  California  became 
a  territory  of  the  United  States,  eleven  persons  served  as  governors, 
or  Gefes  Politicos,  of  the  Province;  two  of  them  serving  two  terms, 
thus  making  thirteen  administrations  during  the  Mexican  national 
regime.  All  of  these  eleven  governors,  except  Gov.  de  Sola  and 
Gov.  Gutierrez,  who  were  born  in  Spain,  were  natives  of  Mexico; 
and  four  of  them,  namely :  Governors  Arguello,  Pico,  Castro  and 
Alvarado,  were  born  in  California.  It  is  not  known  that  any  of 
these  officials  is  now  living. 

The  first  Mexican  governor  was  Pablo  Vicente  de  Sola,  who  was 
in  office  when  Mexico  gained  her  independence  in  1822;  and  his 
term  extended  till  1823.  He  was  a  native  of  Spain,  where 
he  received  a  good  education ;  and  he  came  to  Mexico  as  a  military 
officer  prior  to  1805.  At  the  time  of  his  appointment  by  the  Viceroy 
as  Governor  of  California,  in  1815,  he  was  a  lieutenant-colonel  of 
the  Mexican  army.  He  arrived  at  Monterey  August  30,  181 5.  He 
filled  the  office  of  governor  about  seven  years.  Being  elected  a 
deputy  to  the  Mexican  Congress  he  left  Monterey  November  22, 
1823,  and  San  Diego  January  2,  1824,  arriving  in  the  City  of  Mex- 
ico in  the  following  June,  where  he  soon  after  died. 

Governor  de  Sola  was  succeeded  by  Luis  Antonio  Arguello, 
whose  term  extended  to  June  1825.  Governor  Arugello  was  born 
at  the  Presidio  of  San  Francisco,  June  21,  1784.  He  died  there 
March  27,  1830,  and  was  buried  at  the  Mission  by  Father  Estenega. 
His  widow,  who  was  the  daughter  of  Sergeant  Jose  Dolores  Ortega, 
was  the  owner  of  Las  Pulgas  Rancho.    She  died  in  1874. 

Governor  Arguello  was  universally  commended  by  the  old-time 
Califomians  and  Americans  as  an  able,  amiable  and  honest  citizen 
and  governor.  The  Arguellos  of  early  times,  and  their  descendants, 
have  been  accounted  among  the  first  families  of  California. 

Jose  M.  Echeandia  was  the  next  governor.     Gov.  Echeandia 


38  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CAUPORNIA 

all  the  political  parties  of  the  State  to  every  thief  and  thug,  every 
keeper  of  bawdy  house  and  dead-fall,  every  pot  house  politician  and 
ward  heeler,  every  law  officer  and  judge,  every  peace  officr  and 
sheriff,  that  the  great  mass  of  the  people  would  not  now,  and  hence 
arg^mentatively,  would  not  in  the  future,  condemn  an  organiza- 
tion, that  although  without  legal  authority  had,  with  high  purpose 
and  apparent  justness,  hung  four  murderers,  pursued  others  to  the 
confines  of  the  Union,  banished  others,  and  compelled  civil  servants 
and  law  officers  to  do  their  duty.  The  full  benefit  of  the  good  done 
by  the  committee  was  preserved  by  wisely  ignoring  its  critics  in 
high  and  influential  places.  And  thus  a  period  of  ten  years  of  strife 
of  parties,  that  had  grown  bitter  almost  beyond  forbearance,  and 
a  similar  period  of  moral  turbulence  that  had  come  to  be  an  af- 
front to  all  decency,  came  to  an  end  in  the  same  year,  and  California 
started  upon  a  new  epoch  in  both  moral  and  political  methods  that 
have  been  totally  unlike  those  going  before. 

At  the  election  held  November  4th,  1856,  the  Democrats  elected 
both  the  State  and  electoral  tickets.  Buchanan  received  51,935 
votes,  Fillmore  35,113,  and  Fremont  20,339. 

July  8th,  1857,  the  Republican  State  Convention  met  at  Sacra- 
mento in  the  Congregational  Church.  The  platform  condemned 
Chief  Justice  Taney's  Dred  Scott  decision.  Edward  Stanley  was 
nominated  for  Governor  on  the  first  ballot.  The  Democratic  State 
Convention  met  in  the  same  place  on  July  4th.  Weller  was  nonv 
inated  for  Governor.  Early  in  1857  the  idea  of  abandoning  the 
organization  of  the  American  party  was  discussed  by  prominent 
members.  Henry  S.  Foote,  who  had  been  their  caucus  nominee 
for  United  States  Senator  in  1856,  published  a  letter  in  which  he 
advised  discontinuance  of  party  organization,  and  oflfering  alle- 
giance to  Buchanan  and  his  administration;  but  after  much  discus- 
sion, a  State  convention  was  called  and  met  at  Sacramento  on 
July  28th,  and  nominated  Geo.  W.  Bowie  for  Governor,  together 
with  a  full  State  ticket.  The  election  was  held  September  2nd,  and 
the  full  Democratic  ticket  was  elected,  Weller  receiving  53,122 
votes,  Stanley  21,040,  and  Bowie  19,481. 

The  year  1858  marks  the  beginning  of  the  period  in  which  the 
questions  that  led  up  to  the  Civil  war  were  discussed  at  political 
conventions,  and  voted  on  at  elections.  Kansas  had  been  made  a 
territory  in  1854,  in  1857  the  legislature  of  the  territory  provided 
for  a  constitutional  convention.  The  history  of  that  struggle  is 
familiar  to  most  of  us.  the  two  legislatures,  the  two  constitutions 
and  all.     President  Buchanan,  in  his  annual  message,  and  in  a 


FIFTY  YEARS   OF   CALIFORNIA  POUTICS 


39 


special  message  of  February  2nd,  185S,  urged  Congress  to  ratify 
the  Lecoinpton  constitution.  This  would  make  Kansas  a  slave 
State.  Stephen  A.  Douglass  took  strong  ground  against  it.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  split  in  the  Democratic  party,  which  re- 
sulted in  two  National  Conventions  in  i860.  The  feeling  between 
the  champions  and  opponents  of  the  President's  policy  ran  high  in 
California;  the  Democratic  party  promptly  split  in  two,  one  faction 
known  as  Lecompton,  the  other  as  anti-Lecompton  or  Douglas 
Democrats,  Both  held  State  Conventions,  that  of  the  administra- 
tion wing  at  Sacramento,  on  August  4th,  1858,  at  which  the  plat- 
form and  resolutions  were  read  by  J.  P.  Hoge  of  the  Committee; 
immediately  he  moved  their  adoption,  and  then  the  previous  ques- 
tion on  his  first  motion.  The  previous  question  was  ordered  hy  a 
vote  of  117  to  49,  and  the  resolutions  were  adopted  as  read  by  a 
vote  of  2Sy  to  2.  Joseph  G.  Baldwin  for  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  and  other  nominations  were  made. 

The  Douglas  Democrats  also  met  on  August  4th,  in  the  Bap- 
tist Churcli  in  Sacramento.  John  Curry  was  nominated  for  Su- 
preme Judge.  The  Republican  Convention  met  at  Sacramento  on 
August  5th;  it  nominated  Curry  for  judge  (he  had  been  nominated 
the  day  before  by  the  Douglas  Democrats),  and  by  resolution  ap- 
proved the  course  of  U.  S.  Senator  D.  C.  Broderick,  who  liad  been 
elected  a  Democrat,  but  had  taken  issue  with  the  President,  This 
convention  also  nominated  L.  C.  Gunn  for  controller.  At  the  elec- 
tion Judge  Baldwin  (LeCompton  Democrat)  received  44,599 
votes.  Curry  (Douglas  Dem.  and  Rep.)  36.198.  while  Gunn.  for  con- 
troller, standing  on  the  Republican  ticket,  only  received  7,481  votes 
out  of  a  total  of  79,525,  or  not  quite  10  per  cent. 

The  gubernatorial  contest  of  1859  coming  on,  found  the  Re- 
publicans without  hope,  but  the  Douglas  Democrats  were  active. 
The  independent  press  advised  the  Republicans  to  unite  with  the 
Douglas  Democrats.  The  advice  was  rejected  as  they  held  a  con- 
vention at  Sacramento  on  June  8th.  and  nominated  Leland  Stanford 
for  Governor,  The  Douglas  Democrats'  convention  met  in  Sacra- 
mento June  15th,  and  nominated  John  Curry  for  Governor,  and  the 
LeCompton  Democrats  met  at  the  same  place  on  June  22nd.  and 
nominated  Milton  S.  Latham  for  Governor,  The  election  on  Sep- 
tember 5th  resulted  in  a  victory  for  the  LeCompton  Democrats. 
Latham  was  elected  by  a  vote  of  62,255  **^  31*298  for  Curry,  and 
10,110  for  Stanford.  Again  the  Republican  vote  was  less  than  ten 
per  cent  of  the  votes  cast.  There  is  not  time  in  the  limit  of  an  arti- 
cle for  a  meeting  like  this,  to  go  into  detail  of  the  controlling  causes 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFOKNIA 


at]  the  political  parties  of  the  State  to  every  thief  and  thug,  every 
keeper  of  bawdy  house  and  dead-fall,  every  pot  house  politician  and 
ward  heeler,  every  law  ot^lcer  and  judge,  every  peace  ofiicr  and 
sheriff,  that  the  great  mass  of  the  people  would  not  now,  and  hence 
argumentatively,  would  not  in  the  future,  condemn  an  organiza- 
tion, that  although  without  legal  authority  had^  with  high  purpose 
and  apparent  justness,  hung  four  murderers,  pursued  others  to  the 
confines  of  the  Union,  banished  others,  and  compelled  civil  servants 
and  law  officers  to  do  their  duty.  The  full  benefit  of  the  good  done 
by  the  conmiiltee  was  preserved  by  wisely  ignoring  its  critics  in 
high  and  influential  places.  And  ihus  a  period  of  ten  years  of  strife 
of  parties,  that  had  grown  bitter  almost  beyond  forbearance,  and 
a  similar  period  of  moral  turbulence  that  had  come  to  be  an  af- 
front to  all  decency*  came  to  an  end  in  the  same  year,  and  California 
started  upon  a  new  epoch  in  both  moral  and  political  methods  that 
have  been  totally  unlike  those  going  before. 

At  the  election  held  November  4lh,  1856,  the  Democrats  elected 
both  the  State  and  electoral  tickets.  Buchanan  received  51,935 
votes,  Fillmore  35,113,  and  Fremont  :!0,339. 

July  Stii,  1857,  the  Republican  State  Convention  met  at  Sacra- 
mento in  the  Congregational  Church.  The  platform  condemned 
Chief  Justice  Taney's  Dred  Scott  decision,  Edward  Stanley  was 
nominated  for  Governor  on  the  first  ballot.  The  Democratic  State 
Convention  met  in  the  same  place  on  July  4th.  Weller  was  nom- 
inated for  Governor.  Early  in  1857  the  idea  of  abandoning  the 
organization  of  the  American  party  was  discussed  by  prominent 
members.  Henry  S.  Foote,  who  had  been  their  caucus  nominee 
for  United  States  Senator  in  1S56,  published  a  letter  in  whicli  he 
advised  discontinuance  of  party  organization,  and  offering  alle- 
giance to  Buchanan  and  his  administration;  but  after  much  discus- 
sion, a  State  convention  w*a&  called  and  met  at  Sacramento  on 
July  2Sth,  and  nominated  Geo.  W,  Bowie  for  Governor,  together 
with  a  full  State  ticket.  The  election  was  held  September  2nd,  and 
the  full  Democratic  ticket  was  elected,  Weller  receiving  53,122 
votes,  Stanley  21,040,  and  Bowie  19,481. 

The  year  1858  marks  the  beginning  of  the  period  in  wMiich  the 
questions  that  led  up  to  the  Civil  war  were  discussed  at  political 
conventions,  and  voted  on  at  elections,  Kansas  had  been  made  a 
territory  in  1854,  in  1857  the  legislature  of  the  territory  provided 
for  a  constitutionaJ  convention.  Tlie  history  of  that  struggle  is 
familiar  to  most  of  us,  the  two  legislatures,  the  two  constitutions 
and  all.     President  Buchanan,   in  his  annual   message,  and  in   a 


I 
I 

I 

I 


FIFTY  YEARS  OP  CAUFORNIA  P0UTIC3 


39 


Special  message  of  February  2nd,  1858,  urged  Congress  to  ratify 
the  Leconipton  constitution.  This  would  make  Kansas  a  slave 
State.  Stephen  A.  Douglass  took  strong  ground  against  it.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  split  in  the  Democratic  party,  which  re- 
sulted in  two  National  Conventions  in  i860.  The  feeling  between 
the  champions  iind  opponents  of  the  President's  pohcy  ran  high  in 
California;  the  Democratic  party  promptly  spht  in  two,  one  faction 
known  as  Lecompton,  the  other  as  anti-Lecompton  or  Douglas 
Democrats,  Both  held  State  Conventions,  that  of  the  administra- 
tion wing  at  Sacramento,  on  August  4th,  1858,  at  which  the  plat- 
form and  resolutions  were  read  by  J.  P.  Hoge  of  the  Committee; 
immediately  he  moved  their  adoption,  and  then  the  previous  ques- 
tion on  his  first  motion.  The  previous  question  was  ordered  by  a 
vote  of  117  to  49,  and  the  resolutions  were  adopted  as  read  by  a 
vote  of  jSy  to  2.  Joseph  G.  Baldwin  for  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  and  other  nominations  were  made. 

The  Douglas  Democrats  also  met  on  August  4th,  in  the  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Sacramento.  John  Curry  was  nominated  for  Su- 
preme Jt^dge.  The  Republican  Convention  met  at  Sacramento  on 
August  5th;  it  nominated  Curry  for  judge  (he  had  been  nominated 
the  day  before  by  the  Douglas  Democrats),  and  by  resolution  ap- 
proved the  course  of  U.  S.  Senator  D,  C.  Broderick.  who  had  been 
elected  a  Democrat,  but  had  taken  issue  with  the  President,  This 
convention  also  nominated  L.  C.  Gunn  for  controller.  At  the  elec- 
tion Judge  Baldwin  (LeCompton  Democrat)  received  44*599 
votes,  Curry  (Douglas  Dem.  and  Rep.)  36J98.  while  Gunn»  for  con- 
troller, standing  on  the  Republican  ticket,  only  received  7,481  votes 
out  of  a  total  of  79*525,  or  not  quite  10  per  cent. 

The  gubernatorial  contest  of  1859  coming  on,  found  the  Re- 
publicans without  hope,  but  the  Douglas  Democrats  were  active. 
The  independent  press  advised  the  Republicans  to  unite  with  the 
Douglas  Democrats.  The  advice  was  rejected  as  they  held  a  con- 
vention at  Sacramento  on  June  8th.  and  nominated  Leiand  Stanford 
for  Governor.  The  Douglas  Democrats*  convention  met  in  Sacra- 
mento June  15th,  and  nominated  John  Curry  for  Governor,  and  the 
LeCompton  Democrats  met  at  the  same  place  on  June  22nd,  and 
nominated  Milton  S.  Latham  for  Governor.  The  election  on  Sep- 
tember 5th  resulted  in  a  victory  for  the  LeCompton  Democrats. 
Latham  w^as  elected  by  a  vote  of  62,255  t^  31.298  for  Curry,  and 
10,110  for  Stanford,  Again  the  Republican  vote  was  less  than  ten 
percent  of  the  votes  cast  There  is  not  time  in  the  limit  of  an  arti- 
cle for  a  meeting  like  this,  to  go  into  detail  of  the  contmlling  causes 


m 


HtSTOETCAL  SOCIBTY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


which  manifested  themselves  in  the  action  taken  by  succeeding-  con- 
ventions. The  momentous  year  of  i860  cante  on.  The  two  Demo- 
cratic organizations  held  conventions;  the  Douglas  wing  denounced 
what  they  termed  the  "Federal  Heresies'  of  Buchanan.  The  ad- 
ministration wing  endorsed  the  President  and  commended  the 
Dred  Scott  decision  as  a  pecuharly  heautiful  and  true  construction 
of  the  law  of  the  land.  The  news  of  the  split  in  the  Democratic 
party  at  the  National  Convention,  and  the  nominations  of  Doug- 
las and  Breckenridge  was  received  in  California  on  July  15th. 
Governor  Downey  immediately  declared  himself  for  Doug-las  and 
Ex-Gt3vernor  Weller  declared  for  Breckenridge,  Twenty-two 
newspapers  in  the  State  were  for  Breckenridge  and  twenty-four 
for  Douglas. 

News  of  the  nomination  of  Lincoln  and  HamJin  was  received 
in  California  on  June  loth,  i860,  and  the  Republican  convention 
to  nominate  electors  met  on  June  20th  at  Sacramento;  their  plat- 
form was  short,  merely  indorsing  the  nominees,  and  not  discussing 
the  slavery  question  in  any  phase.  The  Union  party,  supporting 
Bell  and  Everett,  held  a  convention  and  nominated  electors  on 
September  5th. 

The  Republicans  and  two  Democratic  organizations  were  active 
and  zealous  in  the  campaign,  but  Bel!  and  Everett  men  made  little 
stin  The  election  was  held  Novemlwr  6th,  and  the  official  canvas 
of  the  vote  gave  the  heads  of  the  various  elctoral  tickets  the  fol- 
lowing vote:  Lincoln  38,733,  Douglas  37.999,  Breckenridge  33,969, 
Bell  g,iii.  With  one  exception  the  Democrats  carried  the  State 
annually  for  ten  years;  during  that  time  the  American  secret  society 
party  had  carried  one  election  and  disappeared.  The  Republican 
party  had  been  organized  and  made  four  campaigns^  and  were  now 
successful  in  giving  the  electoral  vote  to  the  first  Republican  Presi- 
dent, During  '61  the  two  wings  of  the  Democratic  party  kept  their 
organizations  and  nonxinated  State  tickets.  The  Republicans  did 
the  same.  At  the  election,  Leland  Stanford  received  56,036  votes 
against  30,944  for  Canness  (Douglas  Dem.),  and  32.751  for  Mc- 
Connell  (Breckenridge  Dem. ). 

After  the  election  a  number  of  southern  sympathizers  left  the 
State  and  joined  the  Confederate  army,  and  numbers  of  other  citi- 
zens enlisted  in  the  Federal  army.  In  1862  the  Repubhcans  put  a 
ticket  in  the  field  under  the  title  of  Union  ticket.  Both  branches 
of  the  Democrats  did  the  same,  the  LTnion  ticket  was  elected,  and  in 
'63  the  Union  Republicans  put  up  a  ticket,  and  the  Democrats  con- 
solidated.   Low,  Republican  for  Governor,  received  64,293  votes,  to 


FIFTY  YEABS  OF  CALIFORKIA  PGUTIC8 


41 


44,622  for  Downey,  Democrat  Lincoln  carried  the  State  in  1864. 
Sam  Bratinaii,  a  former  Democrat,  beaded  the  Republican  electoral 
ticket  and  received  62,053  votes,  the  highest  vote  for  a  Democratic 
elector  being  that  of  43,841  votes  for  Hamillon. 

In  1865,  the  first  serious  division  in  the  ranks  of  the  Union 
party  occurred,  and  this  spht  supplied  our  political  vocabulary  with 
the  two  new  terms,  "Long-  Hairs"  and  "Short  Hairs.'*  Tlie  terms 
originated  in  debate  in  the  legislature  on  a  bill  to  re-district  San 
Francisco,  and  the  tern^  "short  haired"  boys  was  used  as  syonymous 
with  roughs.  The  terms  seemed  expressive,  and  have  been  retained, 
and  even  some  of  our  respectable  members  who  patronize  barbers 
freely  are  often  referred  to  as  long  hairs.  The  division  in  the  Union 
party  seems  to  have  been  on  a  hair-line^  so  to  speak.  At  its  coun- 
ty convention  in  Sacran^nto  on  July  25th,  1865,  two  candidates 
for  chairman  were  put  tn  nomination  similtaneously  and  both 
elected  at  the  same  time,  in  the  rush  to  take  the  speaker's  chair  by 
these  two  officers,  a  melee  ensued,  a  mixture  of  long  and  short  hairs 
took  place.  Solid  hickory  canes,  which  seemed  miraciiously  numer- 
ous, were  plied  lustily;  spittoons  and  ink  Ixjttles  were  used  instead 
of  bombs  and  solid  shot:  chairs  were  used  intact  as  missiles,  and. 
in  some  cases  were  broken  up  so  that  the  legs  could  be  used  as 
clubs-  Victory  rested  with  the  short-hairs.  Such  of  the  long  hairs 
as  could,  got  out  of  the  doors^  others  look  the  window  route,  and 
after  the  battle  the  destruction  of  everything  fragile  or  portable  in 
the  roijni  seemed  complete.  The  destruction  wrought  tc^  church 
property  by  rival  Democratic  factions  at  their  convention  a  few  years 
before  was  inconsequential  in  comparison. 

The  Giinese  question  was  first  a  serious  issue  in  1867,  and  the 
Porter  Primary  law  was  first  applied  in  the  same  year,  and  con- 
tinued in  force  until  1896,  and  in  that  year  (1867)  Haight.  (Dem- 
ocrat) received  49.905  votes  for  Governor,  and  Gorham  (Repub- 
lican) 40,359,  In  1 868,  however.  Grant  and  Colfax  carried  the 
State,  the  vote  being  ^'ery  close:  54,588  against  54,069  for  the 
heads  of  the  tickets. 

In  '69  the  Democrats  at  the  State  election  carried  it,  but  the  see- 
saw went  the  other  way  in  *7i,  and  Newton  Booth  (Republican) 
was  elected  over  ex-Governor  Haigbt  by  a  vote  of  62,581  to  57.520, 
In  72  Horace  Greefey  was  a  candidate  for  President;  his  supporters 
assumed  the  name  of  the  Liberal  party,  and  Greeley  electors  received 
40,718  against  54,007  for  the  Republicans,  and  straight  Democrats, 
In  1873  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry,  or  Grangers,  first  attracted  at- 
tention as  a  political  force;  they  called  themselves  Independents  and 


42 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORNIA 


elected  Judge  McKinstry  to  the  Supreme  Court  by  a  vote  of  25,609 

over  Dwineile  (Rejx)  14,380,  aiid  Ucker  (Dem. )  19,962.  The 
Republicans  carried  tbe  State  for  President  in  1876  by  an  average 
vote  of  79*258  to  72,460, 

On  September  21,  1877,  a  meeting  of  unemployed  men  was  held 
in  San  Francisco.  P.  A.  Roach  was  the  first  speaker  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  Dennis  Kearney.  On  Sunday  afternoon  following  a  sim- 
ilar meeting  was  held  in  the  open  air  opposite  the  new  City  Hall, 
and  from  this  location  the  g^athering;  took  the  name  of  Sand  Lot 
meeting's  and  the  actors  the  name  of  Sand  Lotters.  Tlie  move- 
ment grew  to  considerable  proportions  and  as  a  result  of  agitation 
commjenced  by  them  the  Constitution  of  '79  was  adopted.  In  the 
same  year  Geo.  C.  Perkins  (Rep.)  was  elected  Governor  by  a  plural- 
ity of  aobut  20^cxx3  over  the  Democratic  and  Workingmen's  candi- 
dates. 

In  the  Presidential  election  of  1880,  Edgerton  was  the  only  Re- 
publican elected.  The  vote  was  close,  there  being  only  about  200 
difference,  except  on  Democratic  elector  Terry,  who  ran  about  600 
behind  his  ticket.  California  cast  five  electoral  votes  for  Hancock 
and  English^  and  one  for  Garfield  and  Arthur.  James  G,  Blaine 
carried  the  State  in  1884,  the  average  vote  being  about  102,369  for 
Blaine  to  89,214  for  Cleveland.  And  Harrison  and  Arthur  car- 
ried it  in  1888  by  an  average  of  124,754  to  117,698  for  Qeveland. 

The  Presidential  election  of  1892  was  again  a  close  contest. 
Eight  of  the  electors  were  Democrats  and  one  Republican.  Our 
present  U*  S.  Senator,  Thomas  R.  Bard»  was  the  only  Republican 
elected.  McKinley  got  the  electoral  vote  of  California  in  1896  by 
a  very  small  majority,  and  carried  the  State  again  in  the  present 
year  by  a  plurality  of  something  like  39,000. 


SIDE-LIQH  TS  ON  OLD  L05  ANGELES 


BY  UARV  E,   MOONEY, 

(Read  before  the  Historical  Society,  Dec,  12,  1900.) 

The  m'xlern  resident  in  the  City  of  the  Angels  has  seen  in  the 
past  fifteen  years,  the  many  and  sweeping  changes  wrought  by  in- 
dustry and  capital  and  brains,  which  have  transformed  a  sleepy  litttc 
Spanish-Mexican  pueblo  into  uur  modern,  bustling  and  up-to-date 
metropolis.  So  that  if  a  Fundador  were  to  rise  from  his  tomb, 
under  the  floor  of  la  Mission,  Nuestra  Senora  la  Reyna  de  los  An- 
geles, and  take  a  pasear  over  the  city,  tliere  would  be  few  localities 
his  shade  would  recognize.  The  church  and  the  Plaza,  and  a  part 
of  what  is  now  Oiinatown,  and  old  Sonoratown.  and  an  occasional 
ruined  adobe— these  would  l>e  all.  He  would  look  for  his  caballero 
paisanos  of  the  olden  days,  with  their  great  white  beaded  som- 
breros,  the  caballos  decked  out  in  **frcnos  de  puro  plata/*  and  urged 
on  by  sharp-pointed  "espuellas"  of  the  same  white  metal.  And  he 
would  look  for  ihem  in  vain,  and  in  vain !  The  Fundadores  were 
several  poor  families,  brought  from  Mexico  by  the  government  to 
found  a  town  on  the  plains,  westward  three  leagues  from  the  Mis- 
sion San  Gabriel  Arcangel,  Though  of  pMDor  and  humble  station  in 
their  native  land,  they  were  courageous  and  cheerful,  as  befits  pion- 
eers of  any  race  or  clime  to  l:>e.  This  paper  does  not  pretend  to  treat 
of  the  Spanish  families  of  rank  and  wealth,  which  early  settled  in 
and  near  the  old  pueblo;  but  only  of  the  fortunes  of  some  of  the 
original  founflers.  and  their  descendants.  Of  the  latter*  was  Caye- 
tano  Barelas,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  la  ca!le  Buena  Vista. 
His  mother,  born  Anita  Galinda  y  Pinta,  came  from  Mexico,  as  a 
Fundadores,  with  the  original  party.  She  was  Ana  Galinda  y  Pinta 
when,  in  her  native  Sinaloa,  she  married  Ignacio  Barelas.  At  the 
same  time  came  the  Abila  family,  Santa  Ana  Abila,  and  Ysabel  Ur- 
quidez  de  Abila,  his  wife.  They  came  from  a  place  called  El  Fuerte, 
and  were  styled  Fuertenos.  They  brought  with  them  the  following 
children :  Antonio  Ignacio»  Francisco,  Jose  Maria,  Anastasio, 
Bruno  and  Cornelio,  all  boys;  and  these  girls — Alfonsa,  Augpjstina, 
and  Ylaria.  a  nursing  babe,  Ylaria  was  the  grandmother,  on  the 
maternal  side,  of  Dona  Teresa  Sepulveda  de  Labory,  at  present  re- 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUPORNIA 


siding  on  Boyle  Heig^bts.  This  lady  was  well  known  by  the  pob- 
lanos  of  early  days,  and  is  still  hale  and  hearty  despite  her  seventy- 
three  years,  and  the  many  vicissitudes  of  family  and  fortune,  that 
they  have  brought  her.  Her  only  son  is  a  mining'  man,  residing 
in  the  city.  He  is  married  to  an  American  lady  and  they  have  a 
large  family  of  sons  and  daughters.  So  here  we  have  a  direct  and 
unbroken  chain,  of  two  familiees  of  founders,  down  to  the  present 
day.  And  Dona  Teresa,  who  is  a  naturally  bright  woman,  can 
narrate  off  hand,  all  the  events  of  importance  in  her  family,  on 
both  the  Barelas  and  Abila  sides.  There  were  others  who  came 
with  these  two  families,  and  figured  as  founders.  It  is  said  that 
these  families  brought  grapes,  tunas,  grandas  or  pomegranates,  and 
fither  fruits,  which  they  distributed  at  different  missions  on  their 
way  to  their  destination,  Santa  Barbara.  They  removed  from 
there  after  a  time,  to  the  Pueblo,  '*Nuestra  Senora  la  Rcyna  de  Los 
Angeles."  The  house  of  Cayitano  Barelas  stood  in  aliout  the  cen- 
ter of  the  present  old  Catholic  cemetery  on  Buena  Vista  street  and 
was  of  adobe.  In  the  year  1825  it  sheltered  three  generations  of 
the  Barelas  family,  viz:  Ignacio  Barelas  and  his  wife  Ana,  Caye- 
tano  and  his  wife  and  their  children.  Cayetano  and  his  wife  each 
had  many  brothers  and  sifters,  all  of  whom  were  married  and  had 
from  ten  to  twenty  children  in  each  family.  The  cactus  and  tunas 
they  brought  from  Mexico  are  still  to  be  seen,  tn  and  near  the  old 
missions.  The  indigenous  cacti  have  a  small  red  fruit,  and  attain 
but  to  a  scrubby  growth.  The  Mexican  or  cultivated  varieties 
are  tall  and  graceful,  producing  a  red  and  yellowish  pear,  delicious 
to  the  taste.  The  natives  were  very  fond  of  the  fruit,  and  besides, 
the  cacti  when  properly  set  out,  made  perfect  corrals  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  fine  cattle  of  the  missions. 

Although  the  histories  of  those  early  times  mention  but  few 
names  of  Spanish  settlers,  '"he  decendants  of  the  pobladores  stren- 
uously declare,  that  soon  after  the  founding,  there  were  many 
whole  families  of  Spanish  descent,  in  the  pueblo,  or  settled  on  some 
of  the  adjacent  ranchos.  Almost  the  first  thing  they  erected  was 
the  capilla.  or  chapel,  small,  and  cf  the  old  Dutch  mudhouse  style. 
It  stood  on  the  side  of  the  »hill,  ju^^t  directly  back  of  the  present 
mission  church,  (and  the  ruins  of  it  were  still  to  be  seen  in  quite 
recent  years,)  The  roof  was  thatched  with  tule,  and  over  that, 
coarse  grasses  and  mud,  and  it  is  just  possible  that  it  was  topped 
with  a  layer  of  brea,  which  was  plentiful  in  certain  localities. 
There  was  a  lack  of  hardware  in  finishing  the  "jacales"  of  those 
days;  also  a  lack  of  lumber.     The  small  window  had  neither  sash 


I 


?1DE-LtGHTS  ON  OLD  LOS  ANGELES 


45 


nor  glass.  The  door  often  consisted  of  a  dried  hide  hung^  over 
the  opening.  Oflener  it  was  made  of  willow,  or  elder  branches, 
iaced  together  with  thongs  of  leather  or  rabbit  hide»  and  a  leather 
string  was  used  to  fasten  it  on  the  inside.  Everything  in  the 
house  was  necessarily  of  the  most  primitive  sort.  The  table  was  a 
rude  board,  supported  by  notched  stakes,  stuck  into  the  earth  floor. 
Bancos,  or  benches,  made  in  a  simiiar  way,  served  as  seats.  What- 
ever was  lacking  in  utility  or  elegance,  was  more  than  compensated 
for  in  appetite  and  good  cheer.  The  cooking  utensils  were  of  stone 
and  were  brought  from  the  Coast  islands.  Pots,  oUas  and  metates 
were  made  from  the  two  kinds  of  stone,  piedra-azul  and  mal-pais. 
Vessels  were  made  from  piedra-azul  were  most  highly  prized  for 
their  durability.  They  had  also  clay  ollas  and  coras  or  baskets 
brought  from  Mexico. 

Speaking  of  furniture,  the  bet!  of  those  days  consisted  of  sort 
ol  mde  stretcher,  made  of  willow  or  elder  saplings,  set  down  in  a 
comer  of  the  room,  resting  a  couple  of  inches  above  the  earth  floor. 
This  was  heaped  with  dry  grasses,  and  covered  over  with  a  dry 
hide.  In  some  houses  there  were  a  few  coarse  blankets,  the  gifts  of 
the  missions.  Others  boasted  of  a  seat,  called  a  pretil,  which  was 
of  adobe,  built  around  the  walls  of  the  corridor  or  dining  room. 

In  the  year  of  1825,  the  children  of  the  poorer  families  played 
around  Buena  Vista  street,  clad  in  a  skirt,  or  tunico.  to  the  knee, 
and  made  of  strips  of  tanned  rabbit  skin,  sewn  together.  The 
other  sole  garment  was  a  camisa.  of  unbleached  muslin.  The  food 
of  the  time  consisted  of  verdolade,  (vulgarly  called  pig-weed), 
made  into  a  salad,  frijoles,  niais,  lenteja,  esquita,  or  parched  corn, 
cooked  as  a  much.  Atole  was  made  from  corn  flour,  by  grinding 
com  in  a  metate,  then  straining  through  a  basket  seive.  It  was 
then  cooked  as  a  mush,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  the  manufacturers  of 
modern  cereal  foods  can  produce  annhing  to  equal  it  in  flavor  or 
quality.  But  carne  (beef)  was  the  most  relished,  as  well  as  the 
mast  imiKirtant.  article  of  food,  *Tulpa  la  carne  meant  cut  and 
dried  beef.  Tiiere  were  not  wanting  experts  in  the  art  of  cooking 
fresh  meats.  Rump  steak  was  called  puipas.  "Un  tasajo  de  carne" 
was  a  strip  o(f  the  ^oin.  There  was  tea  ( cha )  brewed  from  a  native 
wikl  herb.  Also  sugar  ami  chocolate,  but  no  coffee.  Cabbages 
were  a  favorite  vegetable,  and  known  \n  the  vernacular  as  "las  co- 
las.'* Garlic,  and  the  firery  chile  fpejiper),  together  with  cavorjas 
or  onions  and  tomatoes^  cut  quite  an  important  figure  in  the  stew- 
pots  of  those  olden  days,  and  at  the  present  time  they  have  lost 
little,  if  any.  of  their  i.)ld-time  popularity.     The  Fnndadores  were 


4S 


HIBTOBICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIPOfiNlA 


treated  with  ihe  g:reatest  respect  by  their  families  and  friends. 
Grace  was  said  Ijefore  and  after  meals,  and  each  child  kissed  the 
grandfather's  extended  hand  before  taking  his  or  her  place,  around 
the  board. 

The  marriage  ceremony  was  ntost  interesting.  The  novios 
knelt  side  by  side  at  the  altar  rail,  upon  which  rested  lighted 
blessed  candles.  On  either  side  knelt  the  padrino  and  the  madrina, 
or  sponsors.  The  bride  if  a  young  girl,  wore  either  a  pink  or  blue 
dress  with  white  over-dress,  and  a  long  white  veil.  If  a  widow, 
or  in  mourning,  (enliitada)»  a  black  dress  and  veil  of  the  same  col- 
or, was  the  correct  thing.  Marriage  was  solemnized  in  the  churches, 
in  Quaresma,  or  lent,  but  tn  La  Semane  Santa  (holy  week),  there 
was  no  *'l3elanda."  So  it  was  customary  for  couples  married  dur- 
ing holy  week  to  go  to  the  church,  some  time  during  the  following 
week,  and  have  that  part  of  the  ceremony  i>erformed.  During  the 
marriage  ceremony,  a  silver  plate  rested  on  the  altar  rail  In  con- 
tained the  two  wedding  rings,  which  the  priest  blessed  and  placed 
on  the  wedding  finger  of  bride  and  groom.  It  also  held  the  sarras 
or  money  gift,  from  the  groom  to  the  bride,  and  was  generally  six 
silver  dollars,  and  sometimes  twelve.  A  nuptial  mass  followed 
the  marriage  ceremony,  through  all  of  which  the  novios  knelt,  cov- 
ered from  shoulder  to  slK)ulder,  with  a  large  silk  handerchief,  which 
the  priest  placed  over  them  as  a  token  of  their  union  in  matrimony. 
The  following  is  said  to  have  been  part  of  the  form:  Priest  asks: 
Anna,  do  you  take  Don  J*,  here  present,  to  be  your  husband  and 
companion?  And  to  the  groom:  J.  do  you  take  this  girl  Anna, 
to  be  your  wife  and  companion  ?  It  is  related  of  a  beuatiful 
daughter  of  the  Vilas  family,  that  she  replied  no,  father,  at  the  crit- 
ical moment,  causing  momentarv^  consternation  in  the  crowded 
church*  But  her  sister,  who  was  the  bridesmaid,  came  to  the  res- 
cue by  saying,  *'Well,  if  you  won't  take  him,  I  will/'  As  the 
groom  was  not  lacking  in  gallantry,  the  ladies  changed  places  and 
the  ceremony  proceeded  without  further  interruption.  There  were 
no  church  organs  in  the  earliest  days,  but  violins,  guitaros  and 
other  stringed  instruments,  furnished  the  choral  music.  As  the 
wedding  party  left  the  church,  old  muskets  were  fired  off  in  salute, 
and  the  people  went  dancing  and  singing  along  the  road,  to  the 
wedding  festival,  which  was  always  as  gootl  as  the  times  afforded, 
and  often  lasted  for  a  week.  Altogether  the  Fundadores  and  their 
descendents  were  a  remarkably  happy  and  cheerful  people,  and 
made  the  most  of  the  few  diversions  that  came  into  their  lives,  in 
those  lonely,  early  days.     They  often  made  merry  at  the  funerals 


SIDE-LIGHTS  ON  OLD  LOS  APJGELES 


47 


of  small  children.     For  instance,  a  funeral  going  from  Los  Angeles 
to  San  Gabriel  Mission,  while  most  of  tlie  people  walked,  a  few 
^of  the  men  rode  horses,  and  at  intervals,  when  tired  walking,  the 
^'Women  and  children  rode  in  the  carretas,  drawn  by  oxen.     At  con- 
venient points  along"  the  road,  the  bearers  laid  down  their  burden 
and  all  rested.     Then  s<;)nte  of  the  merrier  meml>ers  of  the  party, 
danced  and  sang  the  humorous  "versos*'  of  the  period.     At  San 
iabriel  a  temporary  brush   house  or  ramada»  was   ready  for  the 
^beloria,  or  wake.     Some  of  the  people  sang  hymns  and  prayed 
tlirough  the  long  hours  of  the  night,  while  others  were  being  en- 
tertained by  friends  amongst  the  Gabrielenos.     The  next  morning 
the  "MIsa  de  Los  Angeles"  was  chanted  by  priest  and  choir,  and 
after  mass,  followed  the  inlerment  in  the  old  churchyard.     Next 
the  Angelenos  were  dined  by  the  Gabrielenos,  before  starting  back 
for  the  Pueblo. 

There  is  current  a  tradition  of  a  great  flood  in  1826.  It 
is  said  to  have  rained  at  intervals  for  forty  days.  What  was 
at  first  a  mild  drizzle,  toward  the  last  l:»ecanie  a  heavy,  steady 
downpour,  lentil  the  flood  waters  turned  the  city  streets  into  a  lake. 
By  this  time  the  booming  of  the  river  s<3  terrified  the  people,  that 
they  took  to  the  hills,  where  the  high  school  is  now.  An  awful 
cloudburst  above  the  Arroyo  Seco  added  force  and  volume  to  the 
already  raging,  roaring  river,  which,  amidst  blinding  rain  and 
fearful  thunder  suddenly  broke  its  banks  and  rushed  around  the 
southeastern  part  of  what  is  now  the  city,  until  it  dashed  against 
the  bluff,  on  which  is  now  built  the  Hollenbeck  Home.  When  the 
waters  had  receded  it  was  seen  that  the  river's  course  had  changed. 
Its  former  channel  was  through  Alameda  and  out  Figiieroa  streets, 
but  in  that  awful  flof>d  its  bed  filled  with  rocks  and  sand,  and  the 
swift  flowing  currents  soon  were  adjusted  to  other,  and  lower  lev- 
els. After  this  flood  many  of  the  people  moved  from  the  Pueblo 
to  the  beautiful  heights  which  they  named  el  Paredon  Blanco,  or 
the  white  biufT,  The  name  was  changed  after  the  American  occu- 
pation, to  that  of  Boyle  Heights.  It  is  said  that  Petra  Rubio^  y 
Bare!  as,  a  great  aunt  nf  Dona  Teresa  Sepulveda  de  Labory,  was 
the  first  settler  in  el  Paredon  Blanco.  She  had  some  land  from  the 
government  and  set  it  to  vines.  She  made  wine  and  sold  it  to  the 
missions.  She  was  born  Petra  Barelas  and  was  the  daughter  of 
Anna  Casimira,  an  original  founder  of  the  Pueblo  de  Los  Angeles. 
Another  member  of  this  family  was  a  sort  of  Amazon.  She  cul- 
tivated large  fields  of  corn  and  grain  near  San  Bernardino,  and 
brought  her  produce  to  Los  Angeles,  in  the  two-wheeled  carretas. 


48 


HIBTOBICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTREKN  CAUFORNU 


drawn  by  '*bueys.**  Petra  built  the  first  adobe  house  on  Boyle 
Heights.  It  iiad  four  large  rooms  and  a  corridor,  supported  by 
large  pillars  of  adobe.  Around  the  halls  of  comedor  and  corridor, 
ran  the  adobe  pretil.  Anna,  the  nxJther  of  Petra.  died  in  1856 
in  this  house,  and  was  given  an  imposing  funeral.  Her  shroud 
was  a  monk's  habit  of  grey  cloth,  with  a  hood  of  the  same,  and 
fastened  around  the  waist  with  a  grey  cord.  It  had  been  sent  her, 
long  before  her  death,  from  the  mission  of  Santa  Barbara,  as  a 
mark  of  respect,  and  in  recognition  of  her  labors  as  a  founder. 
The  priest  and  acolytes  came  to  the  house  on  the  bluff  to  officiate. 
Her  body,  wrappctl  in  its  shroud  had  laid  on  the  bare  earth  all 
night,  with  an  adobe  brick  for  a  pillow.  When  services  had  l>een 
held  at  the  house,  the  funeral  started,  strong  men  carrying  the 
stretcher  and  corpse,  aloft  on  their  shoulders.  Along  the  road 
passed  the  procession,  priest  and  people  chanting  and  singing  in 
Spanish  the  Penitential  psalms.  Arrived  at  the  churchy  solemn 
mass  for  the  dead  was  sung,  and  everything  was  in  readiness  for 
the  interment.  The  churchyard  w*as  at  the  left  side  of,  and  back 
of  the  church  Nuestra  Senora  la  Reyna  de  los  Angeles,  and  the 
gate  was  just  to  the  left  of  the  front  entrance.  This  was  the  oldest 
cemeter)'  in  the  pueblo.  But  the  ashes  of  Anna,  the  founder,  were 
destined  for  higlicr  honor  than  a  grave  in  the  churchyard*  for  just 
inside  the  baptistry  they  had  dug  her  a  deep,  last  resting  place. 
Her  son  received  the  body  as  it  was  lowered  by  means  of  riatas; 
and  lastly  arranged  it  and  covered  the  face  with  the  monk's  hood. 
Then  he  ascended  and  helped  to  fill  the  grave.  There  were  no  cof- 
fins  or  trappings,  just  "dust  to  dust/'  and  Anna  Casimira  de  Galinda 
y  Barelas  was  left  to  sleep  her  last  sleep.  She  was  the  last  lay  per- 
son buried  under  the  church  floors.  And  the  scenes  have  changed. 
The  funeral  cortege  of  today  mostly  wends  its  solemn  way  to  the 
Campo  Santo,  on  the  plains  beyond  El  Paredon  Blanco. 


LOS  ANGELES  POSTMASTERS— (1850  to  1900) 


BY    H.   D.    BARROWS. 

(Read  before  the  Historical  Society  June  n.  19CW. ) 

Although  California  was  declared  by  proclamation  at  Monterey 
July  7,  1846,  to  be  a  part  of  the  United  States,  and  was  ceded  to 
the  United  States  by  Mexico  by  formal  treaty  February  2,  1848,  a 
postoffice  was  not  estabHslied  at  L<js  Angeles  until  April  g.  1850. 
The  following-  is  a  list  of  the  postmasters  from  1850  to  1900,  every 
one  of  whom,  except  the  tirst.  1  knew  personally,  namely : 

J.  Pugh,  appointed  April  9,  1850. 

Wm.  T.  B,  Sanfordj  apfx)inted  November  6,  1851. 

Dn  Wm.  B.  Osbourne,  appointed  October  12,  1853, 

Jas.  S.  Waite,  appointed  November  i,  1855. 

John  D.  Woodworth,  appointed  May  19,  1858. 

Dr.  T.  J.  White,  appointed  Mar.  9,  i860. 

Wm.  G,  Still,  appointed  June  8,  1861. 
F.  P.  Ramirez,  appointed  October  22,  1864. 
Russell  Sackett,  appointed  May  5»  1S65. 

Geo.  J-  Clark,  appointed  January  25,  1866. 

Geo.  J.  Clark,  re-appointed  March  2,  1870. 

H.  K.  W.  Bent,  appointed  February  14,  1873. 

Col.  1.  R.  Dunkelberg^er,  appointed  February  3,  1877. 

Col,  L  R-  Dunkdberger,  re-appointed  1881. 

John  W.  Green,  appointed  1885, 

E»  A.  Preuss,  appointed  1887. 

J.  W.  Green,  2nd  term,  appointed  1890  (died  July  31,  '91). 

Maj.  H.  J.  Shoulters»  acting  |X)stmaster  about  seven  months, 
August,  1 89 1,  to  February,  1892. 

H.  V,  Van  Dusen,  January  6,  1892. 

Gen.  Jnn.  R,  Mathews,  December  20,  1895, 

Louis  A.  GrofF,  1900. 

Capl.  W-  T.  B.  Sanford,  the  second  incumbent,  was  a  well- 
known  and  thoroug:h-g:oing  business  man,  here  and  at  San  Peilro, 
10  the  early  '50's.  He  was  a  brother  of  Gen,  Banning-'s  first  wife, 
and  was  also  engaged  w^ith  him  in  the  freighting  business. 


50 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


Mr,  J.  M.  Guiim,  our  secretary,  has  already  furnished  the  so- 
ciety with  a  sketcli  of  versatile  Dr.  Wm.  B,  Oslxiurn. 

James  S.  Waite  was  fur  some  years  the  puLiisher  (but  not  the 
founder)  of  the  pioneer  newspaper  of  Los  Ang^eles,  "The  Star/' 

Mr.  J.  D.  WoodwQfth,  who  was  apfKjinted  by  President 
Buchanan,  was  a  native  of  Vermont^  hut  he  came  from  Des  Moines 
or  Keokuck,  Iowa,  to  Los  Angeles.  The  ohice  under  his  administra- 
tion was  located  in  the  one-story  adobe  on  the  west  side  of  Spring 
street,  nearly  opposite  the  Bullard  block.  Wallace  Woodworth,  for 
some  years  president  of  our  county  Board  of  Supervisors,  was  a 
son  of  Mr.  Woodworih;  and  he  died  about  the  lime  of  his  fatlier's 
death.  The  Woodw^orth  family  were  relatives  of  Col.  Isaac  Will- 
iams of  El  Chino  raiicho.  Mr.  Woodworth  was  a  cousin  of  Samuel 
Woodworth,  author  of  **The  Old  Oaken  Bucket.'*  In  the  '6o's  and 
'/o's  he  lived  near  San  Gabriel  Mission,  where  lie  had  an  orcliard 
and  vineyard,  which,  later  he  sold  lu  Mr.  L.  11.  Titus»  who  died 
recently;  and  then  bought  the  Dr.  Hoover  vineyard,  adjoining  the 
Dr.  White  place,  near  the  river,  where  he  died  September  30,  1883, 
aged  70  years. 

Dr.  T,  J.  White  was  quite  an  eminent  physician.  I  think  he 
came  from  St,  Louis  to  Sacramento,  which  district  he  represented 
in  one  of  the  first  legislatures  of  California.  Later  he  moved  to 
Los  Angeles  with  his  family.  Col.  E.  J.  C.  Kewen  married  one  of 
his  daughters,  and  Murray  Morrison,  at  one  time  District  Judge 
here,  married  another  daughter.  All  are  now  dead  except  a  son 
and  daughter  of  Col.  Kewen,  and  young  T.  JefF  White,  the  third  of 
that  name.  This  young  man  is  a  grandson  of  the  old  doctor,  Thos. 
Jefferson  White,  the  distinguished  pioneer  of  Sacramento  and  Los 
Angeles,  whom  many  old-timecrs  w^ill  well  remember. 

Wm.  G.  Still  was  appointed  postmaster  by  President  Lincoln, 
about  the  time  of  the  commencement  of  the  Civil  war.  The  office 
was  located  then  hi  the  one-story  frame  buildings  belonging  to 
Salizar,  on  the  west  side  of  Main  street,  between  the  Downey  block 
and  Lafayette  Hotel  (now  St.  Elmo).  Politcal  excitement,  I  re- 
member then  ran  high  here;  and  a  secessionist  ganihler  tried  to  as- 
sassinate Postmaster  Still  by  firing  a  pistol  ball  at  him  through  the 
thin  hoard  partition  of  the  office. 

I  remember  that  Still,  Oscar  Macey  and  myself  were  sent  as 
delegates  from  this  coimty  to  the  State  Convention  of  the  Union 
party,  held  at  Sacramento  in  1S62. 

Mr.  Still  had  been  a  Douglas  Democrat,  and  he  w^as  a  very  in- 
tense Union  man ;  but  t  recollect  that  when  the  news  first  came  that 


I 


I 


LOS  ANGELKS  F03TMA£TERS 


51 


President  Lincoln  would  issue  an  emancipation  proclamation  as  "a 
war  measure/'  he  remarked  to  me  some^vhat  excitely  that  the  F^res- 
ident  *'had  better  leave  that  slavery  (jiicsliun  alone."  Later  he 
thong^ht  better  of  President  Lincoln's  wise  action,  I  do  not  know 
from  what  State  Mr.  Still  came,  or  if  he  is  still  living. 

Mn  Ramirez  was  a  talented  Cahfomian.  a  native  of  Los  An- 
geles, who  I  think  w^as  educated  by  old  Don  I^iuis  Vignes.  He 
spoke  and  wmte  Enghsh  and  French,  as  well  as  Spanish;  he  repre- 
sented this  county  in  the  Ieg"islature,  and  edited  and  published  for 
several  years,  in  French  and  Spanish^  a  paper  called  "El  Clamor 
Ptiblicft," 

Russell  Sackett,  who  was  postmaster  for  a  brief  period,  was  an 
attorney  and  justice  of  the  peace.  Whilst  I  knew  him  quite  well,  I 
never  happened  to  learn  from  what  part  of  the  country  he  came,  or 
anything  about  his  antecedents.  I  think  he  has  been  dead  a  good 
many  years. 

Captain  George  Johnstone  Clarke  was  for  many  years  a  promi- 
nent citzen  of  Ltis  Angeles.  He  served  two  terms  as  postmaster 
of  this  city,  that  is,  from  1866  to  1873,  and  also  for  a  long  period 
as  nc*tary,  conveyancer,  and  as  school  trustee,  etc.  His  first  post- 
master's commission  is  signed  by  Andrew  Johnson,  and  is  dated 
January  25,  1866,  and  his  second-term  commission  is  signed  by 
U.  5.  Grant,  and  dated  March  2.  1870. 

At  the  commencement  of  his  term  the  ofhce  was  located  on 
Main  street  between  the  Downey  block  and  the  Lafayette,  now  the 
St.  Elmo  Holel.  the  same  place  where  it  had  been  admisintfred 
by  his  predecessor,  Wm.  G.  Still;  afterwards  it  was  removed  to 
the  Temple  block,  on  the  Spring  stret  side,  near  die  middle  of  the 
block,  where  it  remained  to  the  end  of  his  incumbency,  and  till  the 
appointment  of  his  successor,  H.  K,  W.  Bent. 

Capt.  Clarke,  was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire.  He  was  bom 
on  the  J3th  of  July,  J817,  at  Northwood.  Tlie  family  name  of  his 
mother  before  marriage  was  Johnstone.  Young  Clarke  went  to 
Australia  in  1842.  and  came  from  there  to  California  in  1850,  Soon 
after  arrival  in  San  Francisco  he  bought  160  acres  of  land  in  Haves' 
vallev.  He  and  Thomas  Haves,  after  whom  the  v^alley  was  named. 
were  intimate  friends,  and  had  close  business  relations.  From  San 
Francisco  he  went  to  San  Jose,  and  later  to  San  Pablo  and  Russian 
River.  At  one  time  he  ran  a  small  steamer  belonging  to  Col. 
Harasthy^  between  San  Francsco  and  the  Embarcadero  on  Sonoma 
creek :  and  also  to  Petaluma.  where  he  first  met  his  future  wife.  Miss 
Sarah  Finley,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  1859.     He  came  to  Los 


HISTORICAL  SOCrCTY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


Angieles  county  in  1863  and  prospected  for  mines  at  Soledad,  The 
next  year  he  brought  his  wife  here;  and  a  company  was  formed,  of 
which  lie  was  superintendent,  for  working  the  Soledad  copper 
mines.  Afterwards  he  was  interested  with  James  Hayward,  son 
of  Alvinna  Hayward,  in  working  the  Eureka  gold  mine  at  Acton 
in  this  county.  If  1  mistake  not,  he  served  with  Judge  W.  G.  Dry- 
den  and  the  writer  of  these  lines  on  the  school  board  sometime  in 
the  *6o's.  I  remember  he  built  a  fine  two-story  residence,  where 
he  lived  several  years,  on  a  lot  which  fronted  on  both  Fort  (Broad- 
way) and  Hill  strets,  on  a  ix>rtion  of  which  the  Slatison  block,  be- 
low Fourth  street,  now  stands.  His  house  was  then  welt  out  of 
town,  and  was  a  sort  of  landmark,  as  there  were  comparatively  few 
residences  in  that  neighborhood  at  that  time. 

During  his  later  years  he  lived  on  lower  Main  street,  near  21st 
street.  In  1864  a  convention  of  the  Union  party  was  held  in  this 
city;  and  as  a  member  of  that  convention,  1  remember  very  distinct- 
ly that  Captain  Clarke*  as  delegate  from  the  Soledad  precinct,  was 
the  first  speaker  to  urge  the  renomiuation  of  Abraham  Lincoln;  and 
that  he  was  very  urgent  and  outspoken  in  his  advocacy  of  the  im- 
portance of  such  renomination  as  tjcaring  on  the  prosecution  of  the 
war  fertile  preservation  o  fthe  Union. 

Capt.  Clarke  and  CoL  Charles  H.  Larrabee  sent  to  China  (and, 
it  is  believed,  were  the  first)  to  bring  to  California  mandarin  orange 
trees  (two  kinds),  which  were  widely  propagated  by  budding-,  l>y 
Mr.  Garey  and  others.  Col  Larrabee  and  Capt.  Clarke  also  in- 
troduced into  California  at  the  same  time^  Pomelo  and  Loquat 
trees.  Capt.  Clarke  was  an  ardent  Republican,  a  faithful  official  and 
good  citizen.  He  was  genial  and  what  the  Spanish  caU  "corriente" 
m  his  wavs;  he  was  easily  accessible  to  all;  and  was  generally  well 
liked. 

Capt.  Clarke  died  August  2*  1890,  Mrs.  Clarke  is  still  a  resi- 
dent of  this  city.    They  had  no  children. 

Ail  of  the  foregoing  are  supposed  to  have  deceased.  All  incum* 
bents  since  Capt.  Clarke,  except  Mr.  Green,  are  still  (Jnne>  1900) 
living- 
Mr.  Bent,  who  served  as  postmaster  under  President  Grant's 
administration,  is  a  resident  of  Pasadena.  He  is  a  native  of  Wey- 
month.  Mass..  where  he  was  born  October  29,  1831.  He  came  to 
Los  Angeles  in  October.  1868. 

I  assume  that  the  reputation  of  Mr.  Bent  and  of  the  other  in- 
cumbents, his  successors,  who  are  still  living,  are  generally  well 
known;  and.  therefore,  it  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  go  very 


LOS  ANGELES  P09TMAiTER3 


53 


fully  into  details  here  concerning  thenL  I  believe  Mr,  Bent's  ef- 
ficiency as  a  public  official  was  universally  conceded  by  the  com- 
munity whom  lie  served,  from  iSj^  to  1877. 

For  many  years  the  postoftice  at  Los  Angeles  has  been  one  of 
instantly  growing  importance,  bolh  because  of  the  phenomenal 
'growth  of  the  city  in  population  and  l>ecause  this  office  has  prac- 
lically  been  a  distributing  office  for  S<:"Uthern  Califonna  and  Ari- 
►na.    Before  tlie  railroad  era  the  mails  were  largely  carried  over 

re  routes,  on  which  the  mail  matter  couM  not  be  worked  pre* 

itory  to  final  distribution  (as  now  can  be  done  on  postal  cars), 
thereby  throwing  an  immense  amount  of  work  in  the  former  period 
.OTi  the  local  office*  Under  Mr.  Bent's  administration  the  efficiency 
if  the  postal  service  which  radiated  from  Los  Angeles,  was  greatly 
increased  in  many  respects.  Mr  Bent  served  one  or  two  terms  as 
a  member  of  the  city  Board  of  Education.  He  is  at  present  a  resi- 
dent of  Pasadena, 

CoL  Isaac  R»  Dunkelberger  was  appointed  by  President  Grant 
February  3,  1877,  and  re-appointed  by  President  Hayes  in  1881. 
Col.  Dunkelberger  is  a  native  of  Peunsylvania,  born  in  1S32.  He 
was  one  of  the  first,  if  nut  the  first  man,  Ui  enlist  in  that  State  in 
:he  Civil  war.  His  regiment,  the  First  Penn,  Volunteers,  was  or- 
dered to  Baltimore  at  the  time  of  the  attack  on  the  Massachusetts 
troops^  and  while  there  he  received  a  commission  as  second  lieu- 
tenant in  the  First  Dragons,  afterwards  the  First  U.  S.  Cavalry, 
the  same  regiment  which  so  disting^iished  itself  in  Cuba  in  the  late 
war  between  the  United  States  and  Spain.  Col.  Dunkelberger  was 
in  thirty-six  pitched  battles*  and  in  innumerable  skimiishes.  He 
was  twice  wounded — once  through  the  left  shoulder  antl  left  lung, 
lis  wound,  at  the  time,  being;  thought  to  have  been  mortal.  His 
sufferings  from  this  terrible  wound  during  the  last  thirty  odd  years^ 
from  alxesses,  which  contiue  to  recur  at  intervals  to  this  day,  have 
been  most  excruciating.     His  left  arm  is  practically  helpless. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  he  went  to  New  Orleans  with  Gen. 
Sheridan*  who  there  relieved  Gen.  Butler.  From  thence  he  was 
ordred  to  San  Francisco,  and  from  there  to  Arizona,  In  1876  he 
resigned  his  commission  in  the  army,  since  when  he  has  resided  in 
Angeles.  Col,  Dunkelberger  married  Miss  Mary  Mallard  of  this 
city.    They  have  six  children. 

Of  Mn  John  W,  Green's  nativity  and  arrival  in  California,  T 
have  been  unable  to  obtain  information.  He  was  first  appointed 
by  President  Arthur,  in  J885,  and  served  as  postmaster  of  Los 
Angeles  till  1887,  being  succeeded  by  Mr,  Preuss;  he  was  again  ap- 


54 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


I 

I 


pointed  in  1890,  and  ser\ed  till  his  death,  which  occurred  July  31, 
1891. 

Edward  Antliony  Preuss  was  born  in  New  Orleans  June  7»  1850, 
of  German  parentage.  When  he  was  three  years  old  his  family 
moved  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  where  he  lived  till  1868.  when  he  left,  via 
Panama,  for  California,  arriving  at  Saii  Francisco  May  31,  and  at 
Los  Angeles  soon  aften  He  had  learned  the  drug  business  with  his 
uncle,  Dr,  E.  A.  Preuss,  in  Louisville^  and  he  came  with  him  to 
Los  Angeies,  remaining  in  his  employ  some  time  liere  and  later  in 
the  employ  of  Dr.  C  F,  Heinzenian.  In  1876  he  engaged  in  the 
drug  business  on  his  own  account.  During  this  time,  from  187O  tu 
to  1885,  he  had  successively  as  partners,  John  PL  Schumacher,  the 
pioneer,  C.  B,  Pironi,  and  C.  H.  Hance.  In  1885  he  sold  out  his 
interest  to  Capt.  Hance* 

Mr.  Preuss  was  appointed  postmaster  bj'  President  Cleveland 
in  18S7,  and  served  till  July  i.  1890,  when  President  Harrison  re- 
apointed  John  W.  Green,  who  had  been  the  immediate  predecessor 
of  Mr.  Preuss,  The  postoftice  during  Mr.  Preuss'  incumbency  was 
located  on  the  west  side  of  North  Main  street,  southwest  of  the  _ 
Plaza  CathoHc  Church;  and  afterward,  on  S.  Broadway,  below  ■ 
Sixth  street,  in  the  Dnl  block,  now  known  as  the  Columbia  hotel. 
In  1877,  Mr.  Preuss  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Schumacher.  They 
have  one  son,  Kenneth,  now  a  man  grown, 

Mr.  Preuss  gives  some  interesting  statistics  concerning  the 
phenomenal  business  of  our  local  postoffice  in  the  boom  that  culmi- 
nated in  1887.  From  August  I  to  December  31*  of  that  year,  a 
period  of  five  months,  over  39.000  forwarding  orders  and  changes 
of  address  were  received  at  the  office,  w^hich  handled  the  mail  of  ■ 
200,000  transients  annually.  He  tells  of  the  double  rows  of  people 
which,  on  the  arrival  of  the  mails,  extended  from  the  approaches  of 
the  postoffice,  nearly  to  the  Catholic  Church.  He  says  it  was  very 
difficult  to  get  the  department  at  Washington  to  furnish  sufficient  . 
force  to  handle  the  business  of  the  office  at  that  time.  m 

On  the  death  of  Mr.  Green,  Maj.  H.  J.  Shouhers  became  acting 
postmaster  in  August,  i8gi,  serving  till  February,  1S92,  or  about 
seven  months,  Maj.  Shoulters,  who  is  now  assistant  postmasterB 
under  the  present  incumbent.  Judge  GrofF,  is  a  native  of  Montpeher^  " 
Vt.,  born  in  '42.  He  came  to  Los  Angeles  in  '84.  He  was  in  nu- 
merous battles  in  the  Civil  war,  including  the  Wilderness  campaign, 
where  he  had  a  leg  smashed.  He  was  elcted  city  treasurer  in  1892 
and  served  two  years. 

Henry  Van  Dusen  was  born  in  Albion,  N.  Y.,  July  15.  1842, 


I 


LOS  ANG£LES  FOSTUASTEBS 


56 


and  came  to  Los  Ang^eles  in  1885,  and  was  appointed  postma&ter 
by  President  Harris^jn,  January  6,  1892,  and  served  four  years. 
He  enlisted  in  the  nth  U.  S.  regular  infantry  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Civil  war,  was  in  five  battles,  and  lost  his  left  arm  in  the 
battle  of  Gaines'  Mills,  January  27,  1862. 

Gen,  John  R.  Mathews  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Los  An- 
geles December  20,  1895,  by  President  Cleveland,  and  served  some- 
thing over  four  years.  He  is  a  native  of  St.  Louis,  born  in  1848, 
and  came  to  California  in  1883.  Prior  to  his  appointment  as  post- 
master, he  served  as  State  Senator  and  Brigadier  General ;  and  in 
each  and  every  public  position,  he  proved  a  very  efficient  official 
He  labored  diligently  and  successfully  to  improve  the  postal  service 
of  this  office  and  section.  During  his  incumbency,  full  railway 
postal  service  for  Southern  California  was  secured,  and  some  twen- 
ty-seven additional  local  and  mounted  carriers,  clerks  and  station 
men  \vere  ordered. 

The  present  force  of  Los  Angeles  postoffice  is:  Clerks,  41; 
carriers  and  collectors,  62;  clerks  at  stations,  12;  railway  postal 
clerks,  46— total,  i5i. 

The  increase  in  business  of  the  office  in  the  four  years  of  Gen. 
Mathews'  term,  is  indicated  by  the  following  brief  showing:  Re- 
ceipts of  the  office.  1895.  $ijy,gn;  receipts  of  the  office,  1899, 
S2284 1 7— Increase,  $50,506. 

Judge  L<:>uis  A,  Groff,  the  present  incumbent  of  the  Los  An- 
geles postoffice  is  a  man  of  wide  experience*  having  been  Commis- 
sioner of  the  General  Land  Office  under  the  administration  of 
President  Harrison,  and  he  also  served  in  other  offices  of  trust  and 
responsibility.  He  was  only  lately  appointed  postmaster  of  our 
local  office  by  President  McKinley.  VVe  have  every  reason  to  ex- 
pect that  he  will  maintain  the  high  standard  of  efficiency  which  the 
office  bad  attained  under  his  predecessors.  Judge  Groff,  I  believe, 
is  a  native  of  Ohio, 


SOME  ABORIGINAL  ALPHABETS— A  STUDY 


PART  II. 


BY   J,    D.    MOODY,   D,D,S, 

(Read  before  the  Historical  Society  Dec.  12,  1900.) 
It  will  be  remembered  that  1  gave  at  the  May  meeting  a  short 
account  of  two  aboriginal  alphabets — the  Vei  and'  ibe  Clierokee,  I 
traced  their  origin  and  development  with  the  intention  of  con- 
trasting them,  at  a  later  time,  with  a  still  niore  singular  one  that 
was  found  on  Easter  Island  in  the  South  Seas, 

Easter  Island  is  the  most  eastern  point  of  inhabited  land  in 
Polynesia.  This  island,  a  mere  speck  of  volcanic  land  in  the  South 
Pacific  ocean,  holds  one  of  the  human  mysteries  of  the  world. 
It  is  about  ten  miles  long  and  four  broad  ,and  contains  only  about 
thirty-two  square  miles  of  cultivable  land,  tl  is  over  two  thousand 
miles  from  the  nearest  land  towards  the  east,  and  five  hundred  from 
its  nearest  neighbor  on  the  west  in  that  great  archipelago*  It  stands 
like  a  lonely  sentinel  over  that  waste  of  waters,  as  does  the  Sphynx 
over  Egy]}t's  sands,  and  holds  in  its  past  as  unfathomable  a  riddle. 
When  first  discovered,  as  it  was  said  to  have  contained  two  to  five 
thousand  i>enple,  but  as  in  every  instance,  contact  with  the  Caucasion 
has  wrough  havoc  with  their  numbers,  A  century  ago  slave  dealers 
raided  the  island  and  carried  numbers  of  the  inhabitants  into  slavery. 
Even  less  than  one  hundred  years  ago,  the  Peruvian  government 
carried  away  captive  nearly  the  whole  population  to  work  in  their 
guano  islands.  Later,  on  returning  a  portion  of  these  to  their  homes, 
smallpox  was  introduced  and  the  once  populous  island  l^ecame  a 
graveyard.  At  the  present  time  there  are  only  about  150  of  the 
native  population  left.  The  island  is  now  a  dependency  of  Chili. 
It  is  leased  to  a  firm  of  sheepmen,  and  a  resident  manager^  assisted 
by  a  few  nf  the  natives,  rules  over  its  destinies.  These  native?;  he- 
long  to  the  great  Polynesian  family,  and  possess  all  the  racial  charac- 
teristics common  to  this  people.  The  routes  of  emigration,  by 
which  the  South  Sea  islands  were  peopled,  and  the  relative  time  in 
connection  therewith,  are.  approximately,  fairly  well  understood. 
Everywhere  they  either  displaced  a  pre-existent  people,  or  found  the 
evidence  of  snch  having  occupied  the  islands. 


SOUE  ABORIGINAL  ALPHABETS 


67 


In  many  of  the  islands  scattered  througliout  these  re^ons  are 
found  Cyclopean  structures  of  stone,  of  the  origin  of  which  the  pres- 
ent islanders  have  no  knowledge  whatever,  lliese  structures  con- 
sist of  pyramidal  piles  of  stone,  of  walled  enclosures,  of  vast  plat- 
forms, and  of  extensive  roadways  of  the  same  material.  These 
stone  structures  were  laid  without  the  use  of  mortar:  sometimes 
ihey  contained  enclosed  rocmis;  the  true  arch  seems  to  have  not 
been  known,  but  frequent  examples  of  the  overlapping^  arch  are 
seen.  Sometimes  these  hnge  stones  have  been  quarried  nearby,  in 
other  instances  they  have  been  dragged  for  many  miles  overland, 
and  in  still  others  brought  by  water  from  distant  parts  of  the  isJand 
on  which  they  are  found,  or  even  from  a  distant  island.  Many  of 
these  stones  are  so  large  that  it  would  tax  our  mechanicid  ingenuity 
to  put  them  in  place.  Tliese  structures  all  present  the  api>earance 
of  great  ag^;  covered  with  moss  and  earth,  thrown  down  by  earth- 
quakes, and  overgrown  by  dense  forests.  Their  builders  came,  erect- 
ed them,  occupied  them,  ami  vanished,  leaving  not  even  a  memory 
behind.  Common  characteristics  pertain  to  them  all  yet  in  some 
isolated  groups  of  islands  they  have  features  peculiar  to  themselves. 
Thus  Easter  Island,  though  so  remote  from  the  others,  and  as  we 
would  think,  inaccessible,  has  more  striking  ruins  than  any  other 
South  Sea  island.  In  different  parts  of  this  island,  there  have  Ijeen 
erected  great  stone  platforms,  and  on  these  platforms  are  set  up 
huge  statues.  These  statues  only  represent  the  body  from  the  hips 
upward.  The  faces  are  long  and  striking  in  appearance.  They  are 
not  portraits,  as  they  are  all  fashioned  from  one  pattern,  and  for 
the  same  reason  they  cannot  be  totems.  If  they  represent  gods, 
their  m>'tho!ogy  must  have  had  a  strange  sameness  to  it.  On  each 
statue  is  an  immense  stone  head  dress. 

But  few  rock  carvings  are  found  in  the  South  Sea  islands. 
Ttiose  in  Easter  Islands,  while  in  few  in  number,  are  conventional 
in  form  and  present  characteristics  common  to  all  undeveloped  peo- 
ples. On  some  of  these  scupltured  rocks  are  figures  of  birds,  which 
in  some  respects  recall  those  of  our  own  northwest  coast  Indians. 
All  over  Polynesia,  modern  emigration  has  been  from  west  to  east, 
with  lateral  branchings  to  the  north  or  south.  But  strange  to  say, 
Easter  Island  traditions  which  are  given  with  great  minuteness, 
claim  their  arrival  from  the  east  and  from  a  troi)ical  country. 

Every  Polynesian  people  preserved  the  geneology  of  their  rulers 
as  sacredly  as  did  the  old  Hebrews.  Missionaries,  scholars,  and  in- 
telligent tradesmen  who  have  spent  a  life  time  among  them,  all  give 
great  credence  to  these  lists.     The  Easter  Islanders  have  a  list  of 


68 


HISTORICAL  SOOETT  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


57  kings,  the  first  dating  from  their  arrival  in  the  country.  Allow- 
ing fifteen  years  to  a  reigri,  it  would  give  855  years,  or  about  1045 
A,  D,,  as  the  date  of  their  arrival. 

Some  peculiarities  pertaining  to  this  people,  seem'  to  lend  color 
to  this  claim  of  a  different  origin*  Ciraimcission  was  common  to 
the  Polynesians*  but  unknown  to  the  Easter  Islanders. 

A  novel  method  in  war  with  them,  unknown  elsewhere,  only 
among  the  old  Romans^  was  the  use  of  a  large  hand-net,  which, 
cast  over  an  antagonist,  rendered  his  capture  or  destruction  easy. 
With  the  sole  exception  of  these  Islanders,  none  of  the  Polynesian 
race  possessed  the  art  of  writing. 

We  possess  many  examples  of  their  writing,  but  cannot  read  it. 
These  inscriptions  are  all  on  wooden  tablets,  varying  in  size  from 
four  inches  wide  to  six  inches  long  to  one  seven  inches  wide  and 
f\\c  feet  long* 

The  ciiaracters  apparently  have  been  cut  with  an  ohsedian  tool, 
and  are  peculiar  in  design,  the  human  figure  frequently  appearing 
in  a  conventionalized  form. 

*'A  casual  glance  at  the  Easter  Island  tablet  is  sufficient  to  note 
the  fact  that  they  ditTer  materially  from  other  Kyriologic  writings. 
The  pictorial  symbols  are  engraved  in  regular  lines  on  depressed 
channels,  separated  by  slight  ridges,  intended  to  protect  the  hiero- 
glyphics from  injury  by  rubbing.  *  *  *  ^[^^  symbols  on  each 
line  are  alternately  reversed;  those  on  the  first  stand  upright,  and 
those  on  the  next  line  are  upside  down,  and  so  on  by  regular  alter- 
nation. This  unique  plan  makes  it  necessary  for  the  reader  to  turn 
the  tablet  and  change  its  position  at  the  end  of  every  line.  The 
reading  should  commence  at  the  lower  left-hand  comer,  *  *  *  " 
— (William  J.  Thomson,  paymaster  U.  S.  Navy,  in  Te  Pito  Te 
Henua,  or  Easter  Island.) 

I  said  "to  read  it,"  Tliis,  however,  is  only  a  surmise.  In  the 
year  1886,  the  U.  S.  S.S.  Mohican  visited  the  island  for  the  purpose 
of  exploration,  A  party  remained  on  the  island  one  month,  and 
made  a  very  careful  examination  of  ever>'  part  of  it.  They  succeeded 
in  collecting  several  of  these  tablets,  and  in  getting  photographs  of 
others  in  the  hands  of  parties,  who  would  not  dispose  of  them.  Prob- 
ably no  others  will  ever  again  be  found  on  the  islands.  Paymaster 
Thomson,  who  published  the  main  reix>rt  of  the  expedition,  learned 
that  there  was  li\'ing  an  old  man  who  was  able  to  read  these  in- 
scriptions. This  was  possibly  a  last  chance  to  be  by  no  means 
neglected.  This  man  was  hunted  up.  The  natives  today  are  nomi- 
nally Catholic.    Unfortunately  some  former  Catholic  priest,  having 


SOME  ABORIGINAL  ALPHABETS 


59 


a  mission  there,  had  forbidden  the  natives  to  read  these  tablets,  the 
knowledge  of  which  had  been  confined  to  a  few  privileged  persons- 
This  man  was  asked  to  read  the  inscription,  but  for  fear  of  his 
salvation  refused,  and  on  being  importuned,  ran  away  and  hid. 
Science  tnust  not  be  balked.  The  exigency  of  the  case  made  per- 
missible extraordinary  measures.  On  a  rainy  evening  be  '.vas  tracked 
to  his  house.  The  explorers  entered  nnceremoniously  and  took  pos- 
session At  first  he  was  sullen  and  would  not  talk,  but  a  little  ca- 
jollery  and  a  subtrefuge  along  with  the  judicious  use  of  a  little 
stimulant  unloosed  his  tongue,  and  he  began  reading  the  inscrip- 
tions for  them.  It  was  soon  noticed  that  he  was  not  following  the 
lines  closely,  and  he  was  charged  with  fraud.  This  somewhat  dis- 
concertetl  him,  but  he  maintained  that  while  the  signification  of  the 
separate  signs  had  been  lost»  that  his  translation  was  in  the  main 
correct.  This  was  the  best  they  could  do.  and  the  reading  was 
carefully  taken  down  as  it  proceeded.  Afterwards  another  old  man 
was  found  who  claimed  to  be  able  to  read  them.  On  l>eing  tested 
he  read  the  same  way  the  first  one  did,  and  gave  the  same  interpre- 
tation to  each  different  tablet.  Evidently  old  traditions  had  been 
carefully  transmitted,  and  certain  traditions  nnvaringly  attached 
to  certain  tablets.  These  translations  relate  to  their  national  his- 
tory and  religion. 

In  all  probability  there  is  some  foundation  for  the  claim  they 
make.  But  whence  came  tliese  characters?  Did  some  Cadmus  or 
Se-quo-yah  of  that  island  world  invent  them?  Reasoning  from 
my  former  standpoint,  and  one  which  seems  borne  out  by  the  con- 
ditions, they  were  not  produced  by  an  unaided  native  mind.  They 
came  from  without.  From  whence?  Certainly  not  from  the  West. 
Their  traditions  of  a  former  home  so  minutely  recorded,  must  have 
a  basis  of  fact.  But  characters  like  these  are  found  nowhere  else, 
at  least  in  connected  lines.  The  nearest  approach  to  them  are  rude 
pictograpbs  found  on  rocks  in  both  Soutli  and  North  America.  We 
cannot  reconcile  their  racial  characteristics  with  their  traditions  of 
an  Eastern  origin. 

Are  both  correct?  Who  was  the  Se-quo-yah?  Who  will  un- 
ravel the  mystery  ? 


HISTORIC  SEAPORTS  OF  LOb  ANGELES 

BY   J,    M*   GUINN. 

(Read  before  the  Historical  Society,  Oct.  5,  1900.) 

Of  the  half  a  dnzen  or  more  ports  through  which  at  dirf^reirt 
times  the  cotiimcrce  of  Los  Angeles  has  passed,  but  two  can  be 
classed  as  historic,  namely  San  Pedro  and  Wilmington.  Los  An- 
geles was  not  designed  by  its  founder  for  a  commercial  town. 
When  brave  old  Felipe  de  Neve  marked  off  the  boundaries  of  the 
historic  plaza  as  the  center  from  which  should  radiate  the  Pueblo 
de  Nuestra  Senora  La  Rayna  de  Los  Angeles,  no  vision  of  the  fu- 
ture city  of  broad  streets,  palatial  business  blocks  and  princely  homes 
climbing  the  brown  hills  alx>ve  his  little  plaza  and  spreading  over  the 
wide  mesa  below,  passed  before  his  mind's  eye. 

When  the  military  and  religious  services  of  the  foimding  were 
ended  and  the  governor  gave  the  pobladores  (colonists)  a  few  part- 
ing words  of  advice:  admonishing  them  to  be  frugal  and  indtistri- 
ous,  to  be  faithful  servants  of  God  and  the  king:  no  suspicion  that 
the  little  germ  of  civilization  that  he  had  that  day  planteil  on  the 
banks  of  the  Rio  Porciuncula  would  ever  need  a  seaport  entered  his 
thoughts.  The  Spaniards,  though  the  discoverers  of  the  new  world 
and  bold  seamen  withal,  were  not  a  commercial  or  trading  peupfe. 
Their  chief  desire  was  to  lie  let  alone  in  their  vast  possessions. 
Philip  II  once  promulgated  a  decree  pronouncing  death  upon  any 
foreigner  who  entered  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Little  did  the  pirates 
and  buccaneers  of  the  Gulf  care  for  Philip's  decrees.  They  captured 
Spanisli  ships  in  the  Gulf  and  pillaged  towns  on  the  Spanish  Main; 
and  Drake^  the  brave  old  sea  king  of  Devon,  sailed  into  the  harbor 
of  Cadiz,  with  his  tittle  fleet  and  burned  a  hundred  Spanish  ships 
right  under  Philijj's  nose — "singeing  the  king's  l>eard/*  Drake  called 
it.  Nor  content  with  that  exploit — down  through  the  Straits  of 
Magellan,  and  up  the  South  Sea  coast  sailed  Francis  Drake  in  the 
Golden  Hind,  a  vessel  scarce  larger  than  a  fishing  smack,  spreading 
consternation  among  the  Spanish  settlements  of  the  South  Pacific; 
capturing  great  lumbering  galleons  freighted  with  the  **nches  of 
Ormus  and  of  Ind:"  plundering  towns  and  robbing  churches  of  their 
wealth  of  silver  and  gold — silver  and  gold  that  the  wretched  natives 
under  the  lash  of  cruel  task  masters  had  wnmg  from  the  mines.     It 


HISTORIC  SEAPORTS  OF  LOS  ANOELBB 


61 


was  robber  robbing  robber,  but  no  retribution  for  wrongs  inflicted 
reached  down  to  the  wretched  native.  Surfeited  with  plunder,  and 
his  ship  weig^hed  down  with  the  weight  of  silver  and  gold  and  costly 
omamenis.  Drake  sailed  more  than  a  thousand  leagues  up  the  Cal- 
ifornia coast,  seeking  the  fabled  Straits  of  Anian^  by  which  he 
might  reach  England  with  his  spoils;  for  in  the  quaint  language  of 
Chaplain  Fletcher,  who  did  preaching  and  praying  on  the  (j.)I(len 
Hind,  when  Sir  Francis  did  not  lake  the  job  out  of  his  hamh  and 
chain  the  chaplain  up  to  the  main  mast,  as  he  sometimes  did:  "Ye 
governor  thought  it  not  good  to  return  by  ye  Streights  (of  Ma- 
gellan) le^t  the  Spanirds  should  attend  to  him  in  great  numbers," 

So,  for  fear  of  the  sea  robbers^  who  hunted  their  shores,  the 
Spaniards  built  their  principal  cities  in  the  new  world  back  from 
the  coast,  and  their  shipping  ports  were  few  and  far  between.  It 
never  perhaps  crosseil  the  mind  of  Governor  Fe]ii>e  de  Neve  that 
the  new^  pueblo  woukl  need  a  seaport.  It  was  founded  to  supply, 
after  it  became  self-supporting,  the  soldiers  of  the  presidios  with  its 
surplus  agricultural  products.  The  town  was  to  have  no  ci»m- 
merce.  why  should  it  need  a  seaport?  True,  ten  leagues  away  was 
the  Ensenada  of  San  Pedro,  and,  as  Spanish  towns  went,  that  was 
near  enough  to  a  port. 

But  since  that  November  day.  one  hundred  and  eighty  years  be- 
fore, when  the  ships  of  Sebastian  Viscaino  had  anchored  in  its 
waters,  and  he  had  named  it  for  St.  Peter  of  Alexandria,  down  to 
the  founding  of  the  pueblo,  no  ship's  keel  had  cut  the  waters  of  San 
Pedro  bay.  It  is  not  strange  that  no  vision  of  tlie  future  commercial 
importance  of  the  little  pueblo  of  the  Angelic  Queen  ever  disturljed 
the  dreams  of  brave  old  Felipe  de  Neve, 

There  is  no  record,  or  at  least  I  have  none,  of  when  the  mission 
supply  ships  landed  the  first  cargo  at  San  Pedro.  Before  the  end  of 
last  century  the  port  had  become  known  as  the  embarcadero  of  San 
Gabriel. 

The  narrow  and  proscriptive  policy  of  Spain  had  limited  the 
commerce  of  its  California  colonies  to  the  two  supply  ships  sent 
each  year  from  Mexico  with  supplies  for  the  presidios  and  missions. 
These  supplies  were  exchanged  for  the  hides  and  tallow  produced 
at  the  missions.  San  Pedro  was  the  port  of  San  Gabriel  mission 
for  this  exchange^  and  also  of  the  Pueblo  of  Los  Angeles. 

It  is  not  an  easy  matter  to  enforce  arbitrary  restrictions  against 
commerce,  as  Spain  found  to  her  cost.  Men  will  trade  under  the 
most  adverse  circumstances,  Spain  was  a  long  way  off  and  smug- 
gling was  not  a  very  venal  sin  in  the  eyes  of  la}'man  or  churchman. 


62 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHEBN  CALIFOHNU 


So  a  contraband  trade  grew  up  on  the  coast,  and  San  Pedro  had  her 
full  share  of  it.  Fast  sailing  vessels  were  fitted  out  in  Boston  for 
illicit  trade  on  the  California  coast.  Watching  their  opportunities, 
these  vessels  slipped  into  the  bays  along  the  coast.  There  was  a 
rapid  exchange  of  Yankee  notions  for  sea  otter  skins — the  most 
valued  peltry  of  California — and  the  vessels  were  out  to  sea  before 
the  revenue  officers  could  intercept  them.  If  successful  in  escaping 
capture  the  profits  of  a  smuggling  voyage  were  enonnous — rang- 
ing from  500  to  1000  per  cent  above  cost  on  the  goods  exchanged; 
but  the  risks  were  great.  The  smuggler  had  no  protection  from  the 
law.  He  was  an  outlaw.  He  was  the  legititnate  prey  of  the  padres, 
the  people  and  the  revenue  officers.  It  is  gratifying  to  our  national 
pride  to  know  that  the  Yankee  usually  came  out  ahead.  These  ves- 
sels were  armed  and  when  speed  or  strategem  failed  they  fought 
their  way  out  of  a  scrape. 

But  it  was  not  until  the  Mexican  government,  more  liberal  than 
the  Spanish,  had  partially  lifted  from  foreign  trade  the  restrictions 
imposed  by  Spain  that  commerce  began  to  seek  the  port.  First 
came  the  hide  droghers  from  Boston  with  their  department  store 
cargoes.  Trading  and  shopping  were  done  on  board  the  vessel,  and 
the  purchasers  passed  from  ship  to  shore  and  back  on  the  ship's 
boats;  while  lumbering  carretas  creaked  and  groaned  under  the 
weight  of  California  bank  notes,  as  the  sailors  called  the  hides  that 
were  to  pay  for  the  purchases.  As  long  as  the  ship  lay  at  anchor^ 
and  the  bank  notes  held  out.  the  shores  of  the  bay  were  gay  with 
festive  parties  nf  shoppers  and  traders.  Every  one,  old  and  young, 
male  and  female  of  the  native  Califomians,  and  even  the  untutored 
Indian  too,  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  ship's  cargo.  The  drogher's 
display  of  **silks  and  satins  new"  was  a  revelation  of  riches  on  which 
the  rustic  maiden's  mind  could  revel  long  after  the  ship  had  gone  on 
her  way. 

Just  when  the  first  house  was  built  at  San  Pedro,!  have  been 
unable  to  ascertain  definitely.  In  the  proceedings  of  the  Ayim- 
tamineto  for  1835,  a  house  is  sponken  of  as  having  been  built  there 
"long  ago"  by  the  Mission  Fathers  of  San  Gabriel  Long  ago  for 
past  time  is  as  indefinite  as  poco  tiempo  for  future.  I  think  the 
house  was  built  during  the  Spanish  era,  probably  between  181 5  and 
1820.  It  was  a  warehouse  for  the  storing  of  hides,  and  was  located 
on  the  bluff  about  half  way  between  Point  Firmin  and  Timm's 
Point.  The  mins  are  still  extant,  Dana,  in  his  "Two  Years  Be- 
fore the  Mast/'  describes  it  as  a  building  w^ith  one  room  containing 
a  fire  place,  cooking  apparatus,  and  the  rest  of  it  unfurnished,  and 


HISTORIC  SEAPORTS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 


tised  as  a  place  to  store  goods.  Dana  was  not  favorably  impressed 
with  San  Pedro.  He  says:  *'I  also  learned,  to  my  surprise,  that  the 
desolate  looking  place  we  were  in  furnished  more  hides  than  any 
other  port  on  the  coast.  *  *  *  We  all  a^eecl  that  it  was  the 
worst  place  we  had  seen  yet,  especially  for  getting  off  of  hides;  and 
our  lying  off  at  so  great  a  distance  looked  as  though  it  was  bad  for 
southeasters/' 

This  old  warehouse  was  the  cause  of  a  bitter  controversy  that 
split  the  population  of  the  pueblo  into  factions.  While  the  secular- 
ization of  the  missions  was  in  progress,  during  18^4  and  1835,  Don 
Abel  Stearns  bought  the  old  building  from  the  Mission  Fathers  of 
San  GabrieL  He  obtained  permission  from  Governor  Figueroa  to 
bring  water  from  a  spring  a  league  distant  from  the  embarcadero, 
and  also  to  build  additional  buildings;  his  object  being  to  found 
a  commercial  settlement  at  the  landing,  and  to  enlarge  the  com- 
merce of  the  port.  His  laudable  efforts  met  with  opposition  from 
the  anti-expansionists  of  that  day.  They  feared  smuggling  and 
cited  an  old  Spanish  law  that  prohibited  the  building  of  a  house 
on  tlie  beach  of  any  port  where  there  was  no  custom  house.  The 
Captain  of  the  Port  protested  to  the  Governor  against  Steams'  con- 
templated improvements,  and  demanded  that  the  warehouse  be  de- 
molished. Ships,  he  said,  would  pass  in  the  night  from  Santa 
Catalina,  "where  they  lay  hid  in  the  day  time,  to  San  Pedro  and  load 
and  unload  at  Stearns'  warehouse,  and  "skip  out''  before  he»  the 
captain,  could  come  down  form  his  home  at  the  pueblo,  ten  leagues 
away,  to  collect  the  revenue*  Then  a  number  of  calamity  howlers 
joined  the  Captain  of  the  Port  in  bemoaning  the  ills  that  wijuld 
follow  from  the  building  of  warehouses,  and  among  other  things 
charged  Stearns  with  buying  and  shipping  , surreptitiously,  stolen 
hides.  The  Governor  referred  the  matter  to  the  Ayuntamiento,  and 
that  municipal  body  appointed  a  committee  of  three  sensible  and 
public  spirited  men  to  examine  into  the  charges  and  report.  The 
committee  reported  that  the  interests  of  the  community  needed 
a  commercial  settlement  at  the  embarcadero;  that  if  the  Captain  of 
the  Port  feared  smuggling,  he  should  station  a  guard  on  the  beach; 
and  finally,  that  the  calamity  howlers  who  had  charged  Di:>n  Abel 
with  buying  stolen  hides  should  be  compelled  to  prove  their  charge  in 
a  court  of  justice,  or  retract  their  slanders.  This  settled  the  contro- 
versy, and  the  calamity  howlers,  too,  but  Stearns  built  no  more 
warehouse  at  the  embarcadero. 

The  first  shipwreck  in  San  Pedro  bay  was  that  of  the  brig 
Danube  of  New  York,  on  Christmas  eve,  1828.     In  a  fierce  south- 


64 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  9QlITHER?f  CAHFOBMA 


eastern  gale  she  dragged  her  anchors  and  was  driven  ashore  a  total 
wreck.  The  crew  and  officers,  twenty-eight  in  number,  were  all 
saved-  Tlie  news  of  the  disaster  reached  Los  Angeles,  and  a  caval- 
cade of  caballeros  quickly  came  to  the  assistance  of  the  shipwrecked 
mariners.  The  query  was  how  to  get  the  half  drow^ned  sailors  to 
the  pueblo — thirty  miles  distant.  The  only  conveyance  at  hand 
was  the  backs  of  mustangs.  Sailors  are  proverbial  for  their  inca- 
pacity to  manage  a  horse,  and  those  (tf  the  Danube  Avere  no  ex- 
ception to  the  rule.  The  friendly  Californians  would  assist  a  sailor 
to  the  upper  deck  of  a  mustang,  and  sailing  directions  given  to  the 
rider,  the  craft  would  be  headed  towards  the  pueblo*  First  there 
would  be  a  lurch  to  port,  then  to  starboard,  then  the  prow  of  the 
craft  would  dip  toward  China,  and  the  rudder  end  bob  up  towards 
themoun;  then  the  unfortunate  sailor  would  go  head  foremost  over 
the  b<jws  into  the  sand. 

The  Californians  became  convinced  that  if  they  cominned  their 
efforts  to  get  the  sailors  to  town  on  horesabck,  they  would  have 
several  funerals  on  their  hands — so  they  gathered  up  a  number  of 
ox  carts,  and  loading  the  marines  into  carretas,  propelled  by  long 
horned  oxen,  the  twice-wrecked  sadors  were  safely  lauded  in  Las 
Angeles. 

Antonio  Rocha  was  the  owner  of  the  largest  house  in  the  pueblo 
— the  adobe  that  stood  on  the  northwest  corner  of  N.  Spring  and 
Franklin  streets,  and  was  used  for  many  years  after  the  American 
occupation  for  a  court  house  and  city  halL  Antnnio's  heart  was  as 
big  as  his  house,  figuratively  speaking — ^and  he  generously  enter- 
tained the  whole  shipwrecked  crew.  The  fattest  beeves  were  killed 
' — the  huge  beehive-shaped  oven  was  soon  lighted,  and  servants  were 
set  to  baking  bread  to  feed  the  Christmas  guests.  Old  man  Lugo 
furnished  the  wine.  The  sailors  ate  and  drank  bumpers  to  their  en- 
tertainer's health*  and  the  horrors  of  shipwreck  by  sea  and  mustang 
were  forgotten. 

San  Pedro  w'as  the  scene  nf  the  only  case  of  nmrooning  known 
to  have  occurred  on  the  California  coast.  Marooning  was  a  dia- 
bolical custom  or  invention  of  the  pirates  of  the  Spanish  Main.  The 
process  was  as  simple  as  it  was  horrible.  When  some  unfortunate 
individual  aboard  the  piratical  craft  had  incurred  the  hatred  of  the 
crew  or  the  master,  he  was  placed  in  a  lx>at  and  rowed  to  some  bar- 
ren island  or  desolate  coast  of  the  main  land,  and  forced  ashore, 
A  bottle  of  water  and  a  few  biscuits  w^ere  thrown  him,  the  Ijoat 
rowed  back  to  the  ship,  and  left  htm  to  die  of  hunger  and  thirst,  or 


HISTORIC  SEAPORTS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 


65 


to  rave  out  his  existence  under  the  madUening  heal  of  a  tropical 


sun. 


In  January,  18^2,  a  small  brig  entered  tlie  bay  of  San  Pedro  and 
anchored.  Next  morning  two  passengers  were  landed  from  a  boat 
on  the  barren  strand.  Tliey  were  given  two  bottles  of  water  and 
a  few  hi&cuit.  The  vessel  sailed  away  leaving  them  to  their  fate. 
There  was  no  habitation  within  thirty  miles  of  the  landing.  Igiior- 
ant  of  the  country,  their  fate  might  have  been  that  of  many  another 
victim  of  marooning.  An  Indian,  searching  for  shells*  discovered 
them  and  conducted  them  to  the  Mission  San  Gabriel,  where  they 
were  cared  for.  They  were  two  Catholic  priests — -Bachelot  and 
Short — who  had  been  expelled  from  the  Sandwich  Islands  on  ac- 
count of  prejtidice  against  their  religion. 

In  the  many-sided  drama  of  life  of  which  San  Pedro  has  been 
the  theater,  War  has  thrust  his  wrinkled  front  ufx)n  its  stage.  Its 
brown  hills  have  echoed  the  tread  of  advancing  and  retreating 
armies,  and  its  ocean  cliffs  have  reverberated  the  Ixxim  of  artillery. 
Here  Michelt(.«rena,  the  last  of  the  Mexican-born  governors  of  Cal- 
ifornia, after  his  defeat  and  abdication  at  Cahuenga,  with  his  cholo 
army,  was  shipped  back  to  Mexico. 

Here  Commodore  Stockton  landed  his  sailors  and  marines  when 
in  August,  1846,  he  came  down  the  coast  to  capture  Los  Angeles. 
From  San  Pedro  his  sailors  an<[  marines  began  their  victorious 
march,  and,  the  conquest  completed,  they  returned  to  their  ships 
in  the  ha}*  to  seek  new  fields  of  conquest. 

Tu  San  Pedro  came  Gillespie's  men,  after  their  disastrous  ex- 
perience with  a  Mexican  revolution.  Commodore  Stockton  had  left 
Lieutenant  Gillespie^  with  a  garrison  of  fifty  men  to  hold  Los  An- 
geles. Gillespie,  so  it  is  said,  undertook  to  fashion  the  manners 
and  customs  oi  the  Californians  after  a  New  England  model.  But 
he  had  not  obtained  the  "consent  of  the  governed"  to  the  change, 
and  they  rebelled.  Under  the  command  of  Flores  and  Vareles,  three 
hundred  strong,  they  beseiged  Gillespie's  force  on  Fort  Hill,  and 
finally  com{>elled  the  Americans  to  evacuate  the  city  and  retreat  to 
San  Pedro,  where  they  went  alxjard  a  merchant  vessel,  and  remained 
in  the  harbor.  Down  from  Stockton's  fleet  came  Merv^ine  in  the 
frigate  Savannah,  with  300  sailors  and  marines,  intent  on  the  cap- 
ture of  the  rebellious  pueblo.  Once  again  San  Pedro  beheld  the  on- 
ward march  of  an  urmy  of  conquest.  But  San  Pedro  saw  another 
sight,  **when  the  dnmis  beat  at  dead  of  night.*'  That  other  sight 
was  the  retreat  of  Mervine's  men.  They  met  the  enemy  at  Domin* 
guez,  were  defeated,  and  retreated,  the  wounded  borne  on  litters, 


66 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY   OF  SOUTHERK   CAUFORNIA 


their  dead  on  creaking  carretas,  and  their  flag  left  behind.  Mervine 
buried  his  dead,  liivc  in  all,  on  the  Isia  de  Los  Muertos,  and  then — 
if  not  before — it  was  an  Island  of  Dead  Men.  Lieutenant  Duvall, 
in  his  log  book  of  the  Savannah,  speaking  of  the  burial  of  the  dead 
on  Dead  Man's  Island,  says  it  was  '*so  named  by  us."  Jn  this  he  is 
mistaken.  Ten  years  before,  Dana,  in  his  'Two  Years  Before  the 
Mast/'  tells  the  story  of  the  English  sea  captain,  who  died  in  the 
port  and  was  buried  on  this  small,  dreary  looking  island,  the  only 
thing  which  broke  the  surface  of  the  bay.  Dana  says :  "It  was  the 
only  spot  in  California  that  impressed  me  with  anything  like  a  poetic 
interest.  Then,  too,  the  man  died  far  from  home,  without  a  friend 
near  him,  and  without  proper  funeral  rites,  the  mate  (as  1  was  told) 
gtad  to  have  him  out  of  the  way,  hurrying  hini  up  the  hill  and  into 
the  ground  without  a  word  or  a  prayer.'*  Dana  calls  the  isle,  "Dead 
Man's  Island." 

There  are  several  legends  told  of  how  the  island  came  by  its 
gruesome  name.  This  is  the  story  an  old  Calilornian,  who  had  been 
a  sailor  on  a  hide  drogher,  long  before  Dana's  time,  told  me  thirty 
odd  years  ago :  Away  back  in  the  early  years  of  the  present  cen- 
tury some  fishermen  found  the  dead  body  of  an  unknown  white 
man  on  the  island.  There  was  evidence  that  he  had  reached  it 
alivCj  but  probably  too  weak  to  attempt  the  crossing  of  the  narrow 
channel  to  the  main  laud.  He  had  clung  to  the  desolate  island,  vain- 
ly hoping  for  succor,  until  hunger^  thirst  and  exposure  ended  his 
existence.  He  was  sujiposed  to  have  fallen  overlward  at  night  from 
some  smuggler,  and  to  have  been  carried  in  by  the  tide.  From  the 
finding  of  the  body  on  the  island,  the  Spaniards  named  it  Isla  del 
Muerto — the  Island  of  the  Dead^  or  the  Isle  of  the  Corpse.  It  is 
to  be  regretted  that  the  translating  fiend  has  turned  beautiful  Span- 
ish into  gruesome  English :  Isla  del  Muerto,  translated  Dead  Man's 
Island, 

There  have  been  ten  persons  in  all  burie<i  on  the  island — nine 
men  and  one  woman — namely:  The  lost  sailor,  the  English  sea 
captain,  six  of  the  Savannah's  crew,  a  passenger  on  a  Panama  ship 
in  1851.  and  the  last,  a  Mrs.  Parker  in  1855.  Mrs.  Parker  was  the 
wife  of  Captain  Parker  of  the  schooner  Laura  Bevain.  Once  when 
a  fierce  southeaster  was  threatening,  and  the  harbor  bar  was  moan- 
ing, Captain  Parker  sailed  out  of  San  Pedro  bay.  His  fate  was 
that  of  the  *'Three  Fishers,"  who 

"When  sailing  out  into  the  west. 
Out  into  the  west  as  the  sun  went  down. 


HISTORIC  SEAPORTS  OF  L03  ANGELES 


67 


And  the  night  rack  came  rolling  up  ragged  and  brown; 
But  men  must  work  and  women  must  weep, 
Though  storms  be  sudden  and  waters  be  deep; 
And  the  harbor  bar  was  moaning/' 
Nothing  was  ever  seen  or  heard  of  the  Laura  Bevain  from  that 
day  to  this.  The  ship  and  its  crew  lie  at  the  bottom  of  the  ocean.  The 
captain's  wife  was  stopping  at  the  landing.     She  was  slowly  dying 
cf  consumption.     Her  husband's  fate  hastened  her  death.     Rough 
but  kindly  hands  performed  the  last  officers  for  her,  and  she  was 
buried  on  top  of  Dead  Man's  Island.    The  sea  has  not  given  up  its 
dead,  but  the  land  has.     This  vanishing  island — slowly  but  surely 
disappearing — has  already  exposed  the  bc^nes  of  some  of  the  dead 
buried  on  it* 

At  the  time  of  the  American  conquest  of  California,  San  Pedro 
was  a  port  of  one  house — no  wharves  stretched  out  over  the  waters 
of  the  great  bay,  no  boats  swung  with  the  tide;  nature's  works  were 
unchanged  by  the  hand  of  man.  Three  Inmdred  and  five  years  be- 
fore Cabrillo,  the  discoverer  of  California,  sailed  into  the  bay  he 
named  Bahia  de  las  Hunios — the  Bay  of  Smokes.  Through  all  the 
centuries  of  Spanish  domination  no  change  had  come  over  San 
Pedro.  But  with  its  new  masters  came  new  manners,  new  customs, 
new  men.  Commerce  drifted  in  upon  its  waters  unrestricted.  The 
hide  drogher  gave  place  to  the  steamship,  the  carreta  to  the  freight 
wagon,  and  the  mustang  caballada  to  the  Concord  stage. 

Banning,  the  man  of  expedients,  did  business  on  the  bluff  at 
the  old  warehouse;  Tomlinson,  the  man  of  iron  nerve  and  will,  had 
his  commercial  establishment  at  the  point  below  on  the  inner  bay. 
Banning  and  Tomlinson  were  rivals  in  staging,  freighting,  lighter- 
ing, warehousing  and  indeed  in  everything  that  pertained  to  shipping 
and  transporation. 

When  stages  were  first  put  on  in  1852,  the  fare  between  the 
port  and  the  city  was  $10.00;  later  it  was  reduced  to  $7.50;  then  to 
$5.00.  And  when  rivalry  between  Banning  and  Tomlinson  was  par- 
ticularly keen,  the  fare  went  down  to  a  dollar.  Freight,  from  port  to 
pueblo,  by  Temple  &  Alexander's  Mexican  ox  carts,  was  $20  per 
ton — distance,  thirty  miles.  Now  it  can  be  carried  across  the  conti- 
nent for  that. 

In  1858,  partly  in  consequence  of  a  severe  storm  that  damaged 
the  wharf  and  partly  through  the  desire  of  Banning  to  put  a  greater 
distance  between  himself  and  his  rival.  Tomlinson.  he  abandoned  old 
San  Pedro  on  the  blu!T,  and  built  a  wharf  and  warehouse  at  the 
head  of  the  San  Pedro  slough,  six  miles  north  of  his  former  ship- 


68 


HISTOEICAL  SOCmTY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


ping  point,  and  that  much  nearer  to  Los  Angeles.  The  first  cargo 
of  goods  was  landed  at  this  place  October  i,  1S58.  The  event  uas 
celebrated  by  an  excursion  from  Los  Angeles,  and  wine  and  wit 
flowed  freely. 

The  new  town  or  port  was  named  New  San  Pedro,  a  designa- 
tion it  bore  for  several  years,  then  it  settled  tJown  to  be  Wdniing- 
ton,  named  so  after  General  Banning's  birthplace,  Wilmington, 
Delaware^  and  the  slough  took  the  name  cf  the  town.  That  genial 
humorist,  the  late  J.  Ross  Browne,  who  visited  Wilmington  in 
1864,  thus  portrays  that  historic  seajiort:  "Banning — the  active, 
energetic,  irrepressible  Phineas  Banning,  has  built  a  town  on  the 
plain  alx-'itt  six  miles  distant  at  the  head  of  the  slough.  Ke  calls 
it  Wilmington,  in  honor  of  his  birthplace.  In  order  to  bring  Wil- 
mington and  the  steamer  as  close  together  as  circumstances  will 
permit,  he  has  built  a  small  boat  propelled  by  steam  for  the  purpose 
of  carving  passengers  from  steamer  to  Wilmington,  and  from  Wil- 
mington to  steamer.  Another  small  boat  of  a  similar  kind  burst 
its  boiler  a  couple  of  years  ago,  and  killed  and  scalded  a  number 
of  people,  including  Captain  Seely.  the  popular  and  e\'er  to  be  la- 
mented commander  of  the  Senator.  The  boiler  of  the  present  boat 
is  considered  a  model  of  safety.  Passaigers  may  lean  against  it  with 
perfect  security-  It  is  constructed  after  the  pattern  of  a  tea  kettle,  so 
that  when  the  pressure  is  unusually  great,  the  cover  will  rise  and 
let  off  superabundant  steam,  and  thus  allow  the  crowd  a  chance  to 
swim  ashore." 

"Wilmington  is  an  extensive  city  located  at  the  head  of  a  slough 
in  a  pleasant  neighborhood  of  sand  banks  and  marshes.  There  are 
not  a  great  many  houses  in  it  as  yet,  but  there  is  a  great  deal  of 
room  fcr  houses  when  the  population  gets  ready  to  build  them. 
The  streets  are  broad  and  beautifully  paved  with  small  sloughs, 
ditches,  bridges,  lumber,  dry  goods  boxes  and  the  carcasses  of  dead 
cattle.  Ox  bones  and  skulls  of  defunct  cows,  the  legs  and  jaw- 
bones of  horses,  dogs,  sheep,  swine  and  coyotes  are  the  chief  orna- 
ments of  a  public  character;  and  what  the  city  lacks  in  the  eleva- 
tion of  its  site,  it  makes  up  in  the  elevation  of  its  water  lines,  many 
of  them  being  higher  than  the  surrounding  objects.  The  city 
fathers  are  all  centered  in  Banning,  wlio  is  mayor,  councilman, 
constable  and  Avatchman,  all  in  one.  He  is  the  great  progenitor 
of  W^ilmington.  Touch  Wilmington  and  you  touch  Banning,  It 
is  his  specialty— the  offspring  of  his  genius.  And  a  glorious  genius 
has  Phineas  R  in  his  way!  Who  among  the  many  thousand  who 
have  sought  health  and  recreation  at  Los  Angeles  within  the  past 


BiaTOaiC  SEAPORTS  OF  LOS  A.NGELB3 


ten  years  has  not  been  the  recipient  of  Banning's  bounty  in  the  way 
of  accommodations  ?  His  stages  are  ever  ready,  his  horses  ever  the 
fastest.  Long  life  to  Banning;  may  his  shadow  grow  larger  and 
larger  every  day !  At  all  events  I  trust  It  may  never  grow  less. 
1  retract  all  I  said  about  Wilmington — or  most  of  it-  I  admit 
that  it  is  a  fiourishing  place  compared  with  San  Pedro.  I  am  will- 
ing to  concede  that  the  climate  is  sulubrious  at  certain  seasons  of 
the  year  when  the  wind  does  not  blow  up  sand;  and  at  certain 
other  seasons  when  the  rain  does  not  cover  the  country  with  water; 
and  then  again  at  other  seasons  when  the  earth  is  not  parched  by 
drought  and  scorching  suns*" 

During  the  Civil  war  the  government  established  Camp  Drum 
and  Drum  Bannicks  at  Wilmington,  and  spent  over  a  million  dol- 
lars in  erecting  buildings.  A  considerable  force  of  soldiers  was 
stationed  there  and  all  the  army  supplies  for  the  troops  in  Southern 
California,  Utah,  Arizona  and  New  Mexico  passed  through  the 
port.  The  Wilmingtonians  waxed  fat  on  government  contracts 
and  their  town  put  on  metropolitan  airs.  It  was  the  great  seaport 
of  the  south,  the  toll  gatherer  of  the  slough.  After  the  railroad 
from  Los  Angeles  was  completed  to  Wilmington  in  1869,  all  the 
trade  and  travel  of  the  southwest  passed  through  it  and  they  paid 
well  for  doing  so.  It  cost  the  traveler  a  dollar  and  a  half  to  get  from 
ship  to  shore  on  one  of  Banning's  tugs  and  the  lighterage  charges 
that  prevailed  throttled  commerce  with  the  tightening  grasp  of  the 
Old  Man  of  the  Sea. 

In  1880,  or  thereabouts,  the  railroad  was  extended  down  to 
San  Pedro  and  wharves  built  there.  Then  commerce  left  the  mud 
flats  of  Wilmington  and  drifted  back  to  its  old  moorings.  The 
town  fell  into  a  decline.  Banning,  its  great  progenitor,  died,  and 
the  memory  of  the  olden  time  commercial  importance  of  that  once 
historic  seaport  lingers  only  in  the  minds  of  the  oldest  inhabitants. 


LA  ESTRELLA 

TI16  PEoseer  New0|>a|>«r  of  Lo*  Angel^A 

BY  J.  M.  GUINN. 

In  our  American  colonization  of  the  "Great  West,"  tfic  news^" 
paper  has  kept  pace  with  immigration.  In  the  building  up  a  new 
towRf  the  want  of  a  newspaper  seldom  becomes  long  felt  before  it 
is  supplied. 

It  was  not  so  in  Spanish  colonization;  in  it  the  newspaper  came 
late,  if  it  came  at  all,  Tliere  were  none  published  in  California  dur- 
ing the  Spanish  and  Mexican  eras.  The  first  newspaper  published 
in  California  was  issued  at  Monterey,  August  15,  1846, — ^just  thirty- 
eight  days  after  Commodore  ^oat  took  possession  of  the  territory 
in  the  name  of  the  United  States.  This  paper  was  called  "The 
Californian/'  and  was  published  by  Semple  &  Coiton.  The  type  and 
press  used  liad  been  brought  from  Mexico  by  Augustm  V,  Zaruo- 
rano  in  1834,  and  by  him  sold  to  the  territorial  government;  and  it 
had  been  used  for  printing  bandos  and  pronunciamientos.  The  only 
paper  the  publishers  of  The  Californian  could  procure  was  that  used 
in  making  cigarettes  which  came  in  sheets  a  little  larger  than  or- 
dinary foolscap. 

After  the  discovery  of  gold  in  1848,  newspapers  in  California 
multiplied  rapidly.  By  1850,  all  the  leading  mining  towns  had  their 
newspapers,  but  Southern  California,  being  a  cow  country  and  the 
papulation  mostly  native  Californians  speaking  the  Spanish  lang- 
uage, no  newspaper  had  been  founded. 

The  first  proposition  to  establish  a  newspaper  in  Los  Angeles 
was  nuitle  (o  the  City  Council  October  16,  1850.  The  minutes  of  the 
meeting  on  that  date  contain  this  entry:  Theodore  Foster  peti- 
tion»  for  a  lot  situated  at  he  northerly  corner  of  the  jail  for  the 
inirprfse  of  erecting  thereon  a  house  to  be  used  as  a  printing  estab- 
lislimcnl.  The  Council — taking  in  consideration  the  advantages 
which  a  printing  house  oflfers  to  the  advancement  of  public  enlight- 
rnrnrnt,  and  tticre  existing  as  yet  no  such  establishment  in  this 
city :  Kcsitlvcd.  (hat  for  this  once  only  a  lot  from  amongst  those  that 
urc  n»;irked  on  the  city  map  be  given  to  Mr.  Theodore  Foster  for 
the  purpose  of  establishing  thereon  a  printing  house;  and  the  dona- 


LA   fiSTBELLA 


71 


tion  be  made  in  his  favor  because  he  is  the  first  to  inaugurate  this 
public  benefit;  subject,  however,  to  the  following  conditions:  First, 
that  the  house  and  printing  office  be  completed  within  one  year  from 
today.  Second,  that  the  lot  be  selected  from  amongst  those  numbered 
on  the  city  map  and  not  otherwise  disposed  of" 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Council,  October  30th,  1850,  the  records 
say :  ''Theodore  Foster  gave  notice  that  he  had  selected  a  lot  back 
of  Johnson's  and  fronting  the  canal  as  the  one  where  he  intended 
establishing  his  printing  house;  and  the  council  resolved  that  he  be 
granted  forty  varas  each  way/' 

The  location  of  the  printing  house  was  on  what  is  now  Los 
Angeles  street,  then  called  Calle  Zanja  Madre  (Mother  Ditch 
street),  and  sometimes  Canal  street. 

The  site  of  Foster's  printing  office  was  opposite  the  Bell  block, 
which  stood  on  the  southeast  comer  of  Aliso  and  Los  Angeles 
streets.  On  the  lot  granted  by  the  Council  Foster  built  a  small  two- 
story  frame  building;  the  lower  story  was  occupied  by  the  printing 
outfit,  and  the  upper  story  was  used  as  a  living  room  by  the  printers 
and  proprietors  of  the  paper.  Over  the  door  was  the  sign  "Im- 
prcnta"  (Printing  Office),  The  first  number  of  the  pioneer  paper 
was  issued  May  17,  185 1.  It  was  named  'La  Estrella  de  Los  An- 
geles/* The  Star  of  Los  Angeles.  It  was  a  four-page  five  column  pa- 
per; size  of  page,  12x18  inches.  Two  pages  were  printed  in  English 
and  two  in  Spanish.  The  subscription  price  was  $10  a  year,  payable 
in  advance.  Advertisements  were  inserted  at  the  rate  of  $2.00  per 
square  for  the  first  insertion  and  $roo  for  each  subsequent  inser- 
tion. The  publishers  were  John  A.  Lewis  and  John  McEIroy. 
Foster  had  dropped  out  of  the  scheme,  hut  when,  I  do  not  know. 
Nor  do  T  know  anything  of  his  subsequent  history^ 

In  July.  William  H.  Rand  bought  an  interest  in  the  paper  and 
the  firm  became  Lewis^  McElroy  and  Rand.  In  November  McElroy 
sold  his  interest  to  Lewis  &  Rand.  John  A.  Lewis  edited  the  Eng- 
lish pages  and  Manuel  Clemente  Rojo  was  editor  of  the  Spanish  col- 
umns of  the  Star  for  sometime  after  its  founding.  The  press  was  a 
Washington  Hoe  of  an  ancient  pattern.  It  came  around  the  Horn 
and  was  probably  six  or  seven  months  of  its  journey.  Even  with  this 
antiquated  specimen  of  the  lever  that  moves  the  world,  it  was  no 
great  task  to  work  off  the  weekly  edition  of  the  Star,  Its  circula^ 
tion  did  not  exceed  250  copies. 

The  first  job  of  city  work  done  by  La  Estrella  (as  it  is  always 
called  in  the  early  records)*  was  the  printing  of  one  hundred  white 
ribbon  badges  for  the  city  police.     The  inscription  on  the  badge, 


L 


72 


HI9T0RIGAL  80GCBTY  OP  80UTHEBK  GAUPORmA 


which  was  printed  both  in  English  and  Spanish,  read  **City  Police, 
organized  by  the  Conunon  Council  of  Los  Angeles,  July  12,  1851." 
La  Estrella's  bill  for  the  job  was  $25.00. 

The  burning  political  issue  of  the  early  '50's  in  Southern  Califor- 
nia was  the  division  of  the  State,  Tlie  Star,  early  in  its  career,  took 
sides  in  favor  of  division,  but  later  on,  under  a  different  management, 
opposed  it.  The  scheme  as  promulgated  fifty  years  ago  was  the 
division  of  the  State  into  two  parts — the  northern  to  retain  the 
State  organization,  the  southern  to  be  created  into  a  territory.  The 
professed  purpose  of  division  was  to  reduce  taxation,  and  to  "eman- 
cipate the  south  from  its  servile  and  abject  dependence  to  the 
north."  The  real  purpose  was  the  creation  of  a  slave  State  out  of 
Southern  California  and  thereby  to  increase  the  pro-slavery  power  in 
Congress.  Bills  for  division  were  introduced  in  successive  legisla- 
tures for  eight  or  nine  years;  but  all  were  promptly  killed  except  one. 
Jn  1859  under  the  Pico  law  the  question  came  to  a  vote  in  the 
southern  counties  and  was  carried.  The  Civil  war  and  the  emancipa- 
tion of  the  slaves  virtually  put  an  end  to  State  division.  In  July,  1855, 
Wm*  IL  Rand  transferred  his  interest  in  the  Star  to  his  partner  John 
A.  Lewis,  August  ist,  1853.  Lewis  sold  the  paper  to  Jas.  M. 
McMeans.  The  obstacles  to  l>e  overcome  in  the  publication  of  a 
pioneer  newsjjaper  in  Southern  California  are  graphically  set  forth 
in  John  A.  Lewis's  valedictory  in  the  Star  of  July  30,  1853: 

'Tt  is/'  writes  Lewis,  "now  two  years  and  three  months  since 
the  Star  was  established  in  this  city — and  in  taking  leave  of  my 
readers,  in  saying  my  last  say,  I  may  very  properly  be  permitted  to 
look  back  through  this  ixriod  to  see  how  accounts  stand. 

'The  cstahlishnieiit  of  a  newspaper  in  Los  Angeles  was  consid- 
ered something  of  an  experiment,  more  particularly  on  account  of 
the  isolation  of  the  city.  The  sources  of  public  news  are  sometimes 
cut  n(T  for  three  or  four  weeks,  and  very  frequently  two  weeks.  San 
Francisco,  ihc  nearest  place  where  a  newspaper  is  printed,  is  more 
tlian  five  hundred  miles  distant,  and  the  mail  between  that  city 
and  Los  Angeles  takes  an  uncertain  course,  sometimes  by  sea  and 
sometimes  by  land  occupying  in  its  transmission  from  two  to  six 
weeks,  and  in  one  in?itance  fifty-two  days.  Therefore,  I  have  had  to 
depend  mninly  upon  local  news  to  make  the  Star  interesting.  And 
yet  the  more  important  events  of  the  country  have  been  recorded 
as  fully  as  the  limits  of  the  Star  would  permit.  The  printing  of  a 
paper  one-half  in  the  Spanish  language  was  certainly  an  experiment 
hitherto  unattempted  in  the  State.  Having  no  exchanges  with 
papers  in  that  language  the  main  reliance  has  been  upon  translations, 


LA   ESTRELLA 


73 


and  such  contributions  as  several  good  friends  have  favored  me  with- 
I  leave  others  to  judge  whether  the  'EstreJIa'  has  been  well  or  ill 
conducted." 

Under  Lewises  management  the  Star  was  non-partisan  in  politics. 
He  says,  *'I  professed  all  along  to  print  an  indepentlent  newspaper, 
and  although  my  own  preferences  were  with  the  Whig  party,  1 
never  could  see  enough  either  in  the  Whig  or  Democratic  party  to 
make  a  newspaper  of.  I  never  could  muster  up  fanaticism  enough 
to  print  a  party  paf)er/' 

McMeans  went  to  the  States  shortly  after  assuming  the  manage- 
ment of  the  paper.  Wm.  A.  Wallace  conducted  it  during  his  ab- 
sence. Early  in  1854,  it  was  sold  to  M,  D.  BRuidige,  Under 
Brundtge's  proprietorship*  Wallace  edited  the  paper.  It  was  stiH 
pubHshed  in  the  house  built  by  Foster. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1854,  the  Star  was  sold  to  J.  S.  Waite  & 
,Co,  The  site  donated  to  Foster  by  the  council  in  1850,  on  which 
'to  establish  a  printing  house  for  the  advancement  of  public  enlight- 
enment seems  not  to  have  been  a  part  of  the  Star  outfit  A  pros- 
pectus on  the  Spanish  page  informs  us  that  "Imprenta  de  la  Es- 
trella,  Calle  Principal,  Casa  de  Temple/' — that  is.  the  Printing  office 
of  the  Star  is  on  Main  street,  in  the  House  of  Temple;  where  was 
added,  the  finest  typographical  work  will  be  done  in  Spanish,  French 
and  English,  Waite  reduced  the  subscription  price  of  the  Star  to 
$6.00  a  year  payable  in  advance,  or  $9,00  at  the  end  of  the  year. 
Fifty  per  cent  advance  on  a  deferred  payment  looks  like  a  high  rate 
of  interest,  but  it  was  very  reasonable  in  those  days.  Money,  then, 
commanded  5,  10  and  even  as  high  as  15  per  cent  a  month,  com- 
pounded monthly;  and  yet  the  mines  of  California  were  turning 
out  $50,000,000  in  gold  every  year.  Here  Is  a  problem  in  the  sup- 
ply and  demand  of  a  circulating  medium  for  some  of  our  astute 
financial  theorists  to  solve. 

Perusal  of  the  pages  of  the  Star  of  forty-six  years  ago  gives 
us  occasional  glimpses  of  the  passing  of  the  old  life  and  the  ringing 
in  of  the  new.  An  editorial  on  "The  Holidays"  in  the  issue  of  Jan- 
uary 4th,  1855,  says:  **The  Christmas  and  New  Yearns  festivities 
are  passing  away  with  the  usual  accompaniments;  namely,  bullfights, 
bell  ringing,  firing  of  crackers,  fiestas  and  fandangos.  In  the  city, 
cascarones  commanded  a  premium  and  many  were  complimented 
Vtlth  them  as  a  finishing  touch  to  their  head  dress.''  Bull  fights,  fan- 
dangos and  cascarones  are  as  obsolete  in  our  city  as  the  Olympic 
games,  but  bell  ringing  and  firing  of  crackers  still  usher  in  the 
New  Year.    In  June,  1855,  El  Clamor  Publico— The  Public  Cry — 


74 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  aOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


the  first  Spanish  newspaper  in  Southern  California  was  founded  by 
Francisco  P.  Ramirez.  The  Spanish  pages  of  the  Star  were  discon- 
tinued and  the  advertising  in  that  department  was  transferred  to 
the  Clamor.    On  the  17th  of  March,  1855,  the  Co.  dropped  from  the 

proprietorship  of  the  Star  and  J.  S.  Waite  became  sole  owner. 

In  the  early  *5os  a  Pacific  railroad  was  a  standing  topic  for  editor- 
laJ  comment  by  the  press  of  California.  Tlie  editor  of  the  Star,  **while 
we  are  waiting  and  wishing  for  a  railroad.*'  advocates  as  an  experi- 
ment the  introduction  of  camels  and  dromedaries  for  freighting 
across  the  arid  plains  of  the  southwest.  After  descanting  on  the 
merits  of  the  *'ship  of  the  desert/'  he  says:  "We  predict  that  in 
a  few  years  these  extraordinary  ami  useful  animals  will  he  l}rowsing 
upon  our  hills  anri  valleys,  and  numenms  caravans  will  !je  arriving 
and  deparihig  daily.  Let  us  have  the  incomparable  dromedary, 
with  Adams  &  Co.'s  expressmen  arriving  here  triweekly,  with  letters 
and  packages  in  five  or  six  days  from  Salt  Lake  and  fifteen  or 
eighteen  from  the  Missmiri.  Then  the  present  grinding  steamship 
monopoly  might  be  made  to  realize  the  fact  that  the  hard-working 
miner,  the  fanner  and  the  mechanic  were  no  longer  completely  in 
their  grasping  power  as  at  present.  We  might  have  an  overland 
dromedary  express  that  would  bring  us  the  New  York  news  in 
fifteen  to  eighteen  days.  We  hope  some  of  our  enterprsing  capi- 
talists or  stock  breeders  will  take  this  speculation  in  hand  for  we 
have  not  much  faith  that  Congress  will  do  anything  In  the  matter." 

Notwithstanding  our  editor's  poor  opinion  of  Congress,  that 
recalcitrant  hotly,  a  year  or  two  later,  jxissihly  moved  by  the  power 
of  the  press,  did  introduce  camels  into  the  United  States,  and  cara- 
vans did  arrive  in  Los  Angeles.  To  the  small  boy  of  that  day  the 
■  arrival  of  a  caravan  was  a  free  circus.  The  grotesque  attempts  of  the 
western  mule  whacker  to  transform  himself  into  an  Oriental  camel 
driver  were  mirth  provoking  to  the  spectators,  but  agony  long 
drawn  out  to  the  camel  puncher.  Of  all  the  impish,  perverse  and 
profanity  provoking  beasts  of  burthen  that  ever  trod  the  soil  of 
America,  the  meek.  mild,  soft-footed  camel  was  the  most  exasperat- 
ing. That  prototy|?e  of  perversity,  the  army  mule,  was  almost 
angelic  in  disposition  compared  to  the  hump-hacked  burden  bearer 
of  the  Orient. 

In  July,  1^55,  the  subscription  price  of  the  Star  was  reduced  to 
$5  a  year.  The  publisher  informed  his  patrons  that  he  would  re- 
ceive subscriptions  "payable  in  most  kinds  of  produce  after  harvest — 
com,  wheat,  flour,  wood,  butter,  eggs,  etc.,  will  be  taken  on  old 
subscriptions.     Imagine,   if  you  can.  one  of  our  city   newspapers 


LA  ESTRELLA 


75 


today  starting  a  department  store  of  country  produce  in  its  editorial 
rooms.  Times  have  chang^ed  and  we  have  changed  with  theni.  In 
November,  1855,  James  S.  Waite,  the  sole  proprietor,  publisher  and 
business  manager  of  tlie  Star,  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Los  An- 
geles, He  found  it  difficult  to  keep  the  Star  shining,  the  mails 
moving  and  his  produce  exchange  running. 

In  the  issue  of  February  2,  1S56,  he  offers  the  "entire  estab- 
Hshment  of  the  Star  for  sale  at  $1,000  less  than  cost,"  In  setting 
forth  its  merits,  he  says:  **To  a  yotmg  man  of  energy'  and  ability 
a  rare  chance  is  now  offered  to  spread  himself  and  peradventurc 
to  realize  a  fortune.*'  The  young  man*  with  expansive  qualities  was 
found  two  months  later  in  the  person  of  Wm,  A.  Wallace,  who  had 
been  editor  of  the  Star  in  1854.  He  was  ihe  first  principal  of  the 
schoolhousc  No,  i,  which  stood  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Spring 
and  Second  streets,  where  the  Bryson  block  now  stands.  He  laid 
down  the  pedagogical  birch  to  mount  the  editorial  tripod.  In  his 
salutatory  he  says:  "The  Star  is  an  old  favorite  of  mine,  and  I  have 
always  wished  to  be  Its  proprietor."  The  editorial  tripod  proved  to 
be  as  uneasy  a  seat  for  Wallace  as  the  back  of  a  luicking  bronco;  in 
two  months  it  landed  him  on  his  back,  figuratively  speaking. 

It  was  hard  times  in  the  old  pueblo.  Money  was  scarce  and 
cattle  were  starving;  f(}r  1856  was  a  dry  year.  Tlius  Wallace  solilo- 
quizes: ''Dull  time!  says  the  trader,  the  mechanic,  the  farmer — in- 
deed, everylxxly  echoes  the  dull  sentiment.  The  teeth  of  the  cattle  this 
year  have  been  so  dull  that  they  have  been  scarcely  able  to  save  them- 
selves from  starvation;  but  buyers  are  nearly  as  plenty  as  cattle  and 
sharp  in  proportion  to  the  prospect  of  starvation.  Business  is  dull — 
duller  this  week  than  it  was  last;  duller  today  than  it  was  yesterday. 
E.xpensesare  scarecly  realized  and  ty^ry  hole  where  a  dollar  or  two 
has  heretofore  leaked  out  must  l^e  stopped,  Tlie  flush  times  are  past 
— the  days  of  large  prices  and  full  pockets  are  gone;  picayunes,  bad 
liquor,  rags  and  universal  dullness — sometimes  to  dull  to  complain 
of' — have  usurped  the  minds  of  men  and  a  common  obtuseness  pre- 
vails. Neither  pistol  shots  nor  dying  groans  have  any  effect;  earth- 
quakes hardly  turn  men  in  their  beds.  It  is  no  use  of  talking — 
business  stepped  out  and  the  people  are  asleep.  What  is  to  be  done? 
Why  the  first  thing  of  course  is  to  stop  off  such  things  as  can  be 
neither  smoked  or  drank;  and  then  wait  for  the  carreta.  and  if  we 
don*t  get  a  ride,  it  will  be  because  we  have  become  too  fastidious, 
or  too  poor  and  are  unable  to  pay  this  expense/' 

Henry  Hamilton,  the  successor  of  Wallace,  was  an  experienced 
newspaper  man.     For  five  years  previous  to  purchasing  the  Star 


76 


HISTC^RIGAL  SOCXPTT  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


he  had  been  proprietor  of  the  Calaveras  Chronicle.  He  was  an  editor 
of  the  old  school — the  school  that  dealt  out  column  editorials,  and 
gave  scant  space  to  locals,  Hamilton's  forte  was  political  editorials. 
He  was  a  bitter  partisan.  When  he  fulminated  a  thunderbolt  and 
hurled  it  at  a  political  opponent,  it  struck  as  if  it  came  from  the 
hand  of  Jove,  the  god  of  thunder  and  lightning.  He  was  an  able 
writer,  yet  with  him  there  was  but  one  side  to  a  question,  and 
that  was  his  side  of  it  He  was  a  Scotch-Irishman^  and  had  all  the 
pugnacity  and  pertinacity  of  that  strenuous  race.  His  vigorous 
partisanship  got  him  into  trouble.  During  the  Civil  war  he  es- 
posed  the  cause  of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  For  some  severe 
criticisms  on  Lincoln  and  other  officers  of  the  government,  and  his 
outspoken  s\*mpathy  for  the  Confederates,  he  was  arrested.  He  took 
the  oalh  of  allegiance,  and  was  released,  but  the  Star  went  into  an 
eclipse.  The  last  number,  a  single  page,  appeared  October  ist,  1864. 
The  press  and  type  were  sold  to  Phineas  Banning,  and  were  used 
in  the  publication  of  the  Wilmington  JoumaL  The  City  of  the  Sloo 
(Wilmington)  was  then  the  most  prosperous  seaport  on  the  south* 
em  coast.  After  the  war  when  the  soldiers  had  departed  and  Wil- 
mington had  faU'en  into  a  state  of  *'innocuous  desuetude"  the  Jour- 
nal died  of  insufficient  circulation,  and  was  buried  in  the  journalistic 
graveyard  of  unfelt  wants.  The  old  pioneer  press  of  the  Star,  after 
doing  duty  for  fifteen  years,  took  a  needed  rest. 

On  Saturday,  the  16th  of  May,  186S,  the  Star  emerged  from 
obscurity.  "Today."  writes  Hamilton,  *Sve  resume  the  publication 
of  the  Los  Angeles  Star.  Nearly  four  years  have  elapsed  since  our 
last  issue.  The  little  *onpleasanlness/  which  at  that  time  existed 
in  the  family*  has  been  toned  down  considerably^  and  if  perfect  har- 
mony does  not  yet  prevade  the  circle,  our  hope  is  this  brotherly  feel- 
ing will  soon  be  consummated." 

The  paper  was  no  longer  the  bitter  partisan  sheet  that  tt  had 
been  during  the  early  *6os.  Hamilton  now  seldom  indulged  in 
political  leaders  of  a  column  length,  and  when  he  did  they  were  of 
a  mild  type.  The  new  Star  was  a  seven  column  blanket  sheet,  and 
was  devoted  to  promoting  the  welfare  of  the  county.  It  was  ably 
conducted,  and  was  a  model  newspaper  for  a  town  of  5.000  inhabi- 
tants*. June  isl,  1870.  the  first  number  of  the  Daily  Star  was  pub- 
lished by  Hamilton  and  Barter.  Barter  retired  from  the  firm  in  Sep- 
Irmlier  and  founded  the  Anaheim  Gazette,  the  pioneer  newspaper 
of  Onmgc  county.  He  bought  the  old  press  and  type  of  the  Wil- 
mingttm  Journal— the  first  press  of  the  Star — and  again  the  old 
\ttvtis  Iwvame  a  pioneer.    When  tlie  Anaheim  Gazette  office  burned 


LA   ESTRELLA 


77 


down  in  1877,  the  old  press  perished  in  the  flames.  The  last  time 
I  saw  it  it  was  lying  in  a  junk  pile,  crooked  and  twisted  and  warped 
out  of  shape  or  semblance  of  a  printing  press.  If  the  spirit  of  the 
inanimate  ever  visits  its  former  mundane  haunts,  the  ghost  of  that 
old  press  would  search  in  vain  for  the  half  dozen  or  more  office 
buildings  where  in  the  body  long  ago  it  ground  out  weekly  stents 
of  news. 

After  G.  W.  Barter  sold  out  the  Anaheim  Gazette  in  1S72,  he 
leased  the  Daily  Star  from  Hamilton.  He  ran  it  less  than  a  year, 
but  that  was  long  enough  for  him  to  take  all  the  twinkle  out  of  it. 
It  had  almost  sunk  below  the  horizon  when  Mr.  Hamilton  resumed 
its  publication.  In  July,  1873,  he  leased  it  to  Ben  C.  Truman.  The 
genial  Ben.  put  sparkle  in  it.  He  made  it  interesting  to  his  friends, 
but  more  so  to  his  enemies.  Like  Silas  Wegg,  he  occasionally  drop- 
ped into  poetry,  and  satirized  some  of  his  quondam  adversaries  at 
"Sandy  Ague*  (San  Diego),  where  he  had  recently  published  a 
paper.  When  they  felt  the  pricking  of  Ben's  pungent  pen,  they 
longed,  no  doubt,  to  annihilate  time  and  space  that  they  might  be 
near  to  him  to  take  revenge  when  their  wrath  was  hot.  Truman 
continued  its  publication  until  July,  1877,  when  it  was  sold  to  Payn- 
ter  &  Co.  Then  it  passed  to  Brown  &  Co,  The  Rev.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell of  the  Methodist  Church,  south,  conducted  it  for  a  time.  In 
the  last  year  of  its  existence  it  had  several  different  publishers  and 
eclitors.  Its  brilliancy  steadily  diminished  until  in  the  early  part 
of  1879,  it  sunk  below  the  horizon,  or»  to  discard  metaphor  and  state 
facts,  the  sheriff  attached  it  for  debt,  and  its  publication  was  discon- 
tinued. It  remains  were  not  buried  in  the  graveyard  of  unfelt 
wants.  A  more  tragic  fate  awaited  them, — they  were  cremated. 
The  plant  and  the  files  were  stored  in  an  outbuilding  of  Mr.  Hollen- 
beck's  who  was  one  of  the  principal  creditors.  His  Oiinese  laborers 
roomed  in  the  lower  part  of  the  building.  In  some  of  their  heathen 
orgies  they  set  fire  to  the  house.  For  a  few  minutes  La  Estrella 
bla;;ed  up  into  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude  then  disappeared  forever. 

Such  in  brief  is  the  story  of  La  Estrella^  the  pioneer  newspaper 
of  Los  Angeles,  Its  files  contain  a  quarter  century's  history  of  our 
city  and  its  environs.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  its  early  editors 
deemed  political  essays  of  so  much  more  importance  than  local  hap- 
penings. If  these  editors  could  crawl  out  of  their  graves  and  read 
some  of  their  political  diatribes  in  the  light  of  the  Twentieth  cen- 
tury, they  no  doubt  would  be  moved  to  exclaim,  What  blind  leaders 
of  the  blind  were  we  [ 


ANTONIO  F-  CORONEL 


BV  H.  D.  BARROWS. 

(Read  May  7,  1894,) 

In  the  death  since  our  last  meeting",  to-wit,  at  midnight  on  the 
I7th-i8th  of  April,  1894,  of  our  co-member  and  co-laborer.  Don 
Antonio  Franco  Coronel,  this  society  has  lost  a  g'ood  friend,  and 
this  community  and  this  State  have  lost  a  most  valuable  and  useful 
citizen. 

Mn  Coronel,  who  had  been  a  resident  of  Los  Angeles  for  60 
years,  was  in  many  respects  a  remarkable  man;  and  as,  in  the  flight 
of  time,  lie  recedes  gradually  into  the  distance  of  the  past,  he  will^ 
I  imagine,  like  numerous  others  of  his  predecessors  and  contempo- 
raries of  Spanish  ancestry  in  the  CaJifornias  of  whom  English- 
speaking  Califoniians  of  today  have  but  partial  knowledge,  become 
more  and  more  a  striking  figure  in  the  annals  of  the  times  in  which 
he  lived. 

Being  an  educated  and  enlightened  man  in  his  own  language 
and  civilization — for  he  possessed  only  a  limited  knowledge  of  the 
English  tongue — ^and  having  taken  an  active  interest  in  public 
affairs  during  his  long  career,  serving  the  community  in  many  and 
varied  capacities,  it  is  not  an  easy  matter  for  us  who  survive  him 
who  knew  him  well — probably  it  is  yet  too  early — to  rightly  esti- 
mate or  measure  the  extent  of  the  influence  of  his  personality  on 
those  with  whom  he  associated. 

Don  Antonio  was  born  in  the  City  of  Mexico  in  1817,  and  he 
came  to  California  in  1834,  while  yet  a  boy,  with  his  father.  Don 
Ygnacio  F.  Coronel,  who  accompanied  by  his  family,  came  with 
the  celebrated  Padres  "Colonia"  which  arrived  here  thai  year  from 
Mexico.  Tlie  elder  Coronel,  whom  the  writer  knew,  and  who  had 
formerly  been  an  officer  under  General  Yturbide.  established  the 
first  school  in  Los  Angeles,  under  the  Lancastrian  system.  He 
taught  a  public  school  in  the  block  at  the  head  of  Los  Angeles  street, 
as  it  formerly  existed,  just  north  of  the  line  of  Arcadia  street,  from 
1844  till  about  1856,  He  was  an  educated  man  and  gave  his  chil- 
dren a  good  Spanish  education.     He  died  in  1862. 


ANTONIO  F.  COROKEL 


n 


His  eldest  son  Antonio^  because  of  his  excellent  school  training 
and  hecause  be  showed  capacity,  soon  attained  prominence  both  as 
a  citizen  and  in  official  positions  of  responsibility.  The  Ust  of 
offices  filled  by  him  is  a  large  one.  In  1838  he  was  appninted  assis- 
tant secretary  of  tribunals  of  the  city  of  Los  Angeles.  In  1843 
he  was  made  judge  of  the  first  instance  (justice  of  the  peace),  and 
in  1S44  Governor  Micheltorena  appointed  him  inspector  of  the 
Southern  Missions.  In  1845  he  was  made  commissioner  to  treat 
for  peace  between  Gov.  Micheltorena  and  Alvarado  and  Castro, 
commanders  of  the  revolutionary  forces.  In  1846  he  served  as 
captain  with  his  patriotic  countrymen  in  their  attempts  by  inade* 
quate  means,  to  defen-i  themselves  and  their  homes  as  best  they 
could  against  the  invasion  of  the  country  by  the  .'\merJcars.  He 
took  part  in  the  battle  of  the  8th  of  October,  1S46,  on  the  San 
Pedro  rancho,  in  which  the  Califomians  were  victorious.  After- 
wards he  was  appointed  aid-decamp  of  the  commanding  general  and 
took  part  in  the  battles  at  Paso  de  Bartoio  and  la  Mesa.  As  the 
Americans  then  had  superior  numbers  and  resources,  the  Califor- 
nians  were  compelled  to  fall  back  to  the  interior  or  to  the  moun- 
tains, where,  under  General  Flores,  an  attempt  to  continue  the  un- 
equal contest  was  kept  up,  till  finally*  friends  got  word  to  Don 
Antonio,  urging  on  him  the  usdessness  and  hopelessness  of  the 
fight;  and  he  and  others  gave  up  and  came  in.  But  Gen.  Flores 
and  a  remnant  of  his  command  retired  to  Mexico.  After  peace 
was  declared^  and  Alta  California  became  permanently  a  portion 
of  the  United  States  territory,  and  its  inhabitants  became,  if 
they  so  elected,  citizens  of  the  United  States,  Mr.  Coronel  with  the 
great  bixly  of  Califomians^  transferred  their  allegiance  in  good 
faith  to  the  nationality  represented  by  the  stars  and  stripes^  to  which 
ever  afterwards,  or  as  long  as  they  lived,  they  remained  loyal  and 
true. 

In  1847-4S  Mr.  Coronel  was  a  member  of  the  lx)ard  of  magis- 
trates having  in  charge  the  regidation  of  irrigation.  With  this 
very  important  question,  which  was  new  to  Americans,  he  was  both 
the*iretically  and  practically  familiar.  The  whole  theory  of  water 
rights  under  the  laws  and  customs  of  Spain  and  Mexico,  and  of 
all  dry  countries  where  irrigation  is  a  necessity,  is  radically  different 
from  that  of  England  and  the  United  States,  where,  as  a  rule, 
practical  irrigation  is  unknown.  The  persistent  though  futile  at- 
tempts which  Americans  in  California  and  other  semi-arid  States 
and  territ<jries  have  made,  and  are  still  making,  to  apply  the  theories 
relating  to  the  use  and  ownership  of  water  as  evolved  in  wet  coun- 


80 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY   OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


tricSj  to  dry  countries,  have  caused  a  vast  aniount  of  confusioti  and 
loss,  and  frequently  bloodshed,  the  end  of  which  is  not  yet. 

The  writer  of  these  lines  has  often  discussed  this  matter  with 
Don  Antonio,  who  as  often  expressed  his  regret  at  the  inaptitude  or 
self-sufficiency  or  disinclination  to  learn,  what»  in  spite  of  all  their 
preconceived  notions  on  this  subject,  they  will  perforce,  have  to 
learn  at  last,  for  the  simple  reasons  that  the  theories  of  non-irriga- 
tion countries  concerning  water,  are,  in  many  fundamentally  essen- 
tial respects,  utterly  inapplicable  in  practical  irrigation. 

So  of  the  rights  of  cities  and  puebloe  to  running  streams  under 
the  laws  of  Spain  and  Mexico;  Mr.  Coronel  held  that  it  was  of 
tile  utmost  importance  that  the  people  and  officials  of  this  city 
slunifd  know  and  asseri  to  the  last,  all  the  rights  to  all  the  water 
of  ihe  l>)s  Angeles  river,  which  this  city  inherited  as  successor  to 
the  puchlo.  In  a  conversation  I  had  with  him  a  short  time  before 
Ills  death,  it  seemed  as  thougfh  he  could  not  impress  on  me  strong^ly 
cnou^Mi  his  convictions  concerning  this  important  matter, 

Mr.  Coronel  was  assessor  of  Los  Angeles  county  in  1850  and 
*5i,  and  in  185^^  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Los  Angeles  City.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  city  council,  except  during  two  years,  from 
1854  to  1866,  when  he  was  elected  treasurer  of  the  State  of  CaJi- 
fornia  for  four  years,  He  also  ser\'ed  at  various  periods,  as  super- 
visor of  the  county,  member  of  the  State  Horticultural  society, 
president  of  the  Spanish-American  Benevolent  society  of  this  city, 
etc. 

VVheii  the  cause  cdehre^  known  as  the  "Limantour  Claim/'  was 
l>ef<^ire  the  United  States  Courts  in  1857*  Mr,  Coronel  was  sent  on  a 
crttifiilcntial  mission  to  the  City  of  Mexico  to  examine  the  archives 
thca*  and  g;ather  testimony  ,etc..  which  his  knowledge  of  the  Span- 
ish language  and  familiarity  with  Mexican  land  laws,  and  acquaint- 
ance with  public  men  in  that  capital,  enabled  him  to  do  very  effi- 
ciently. Mis  lahcTrs  were  facilitated  by  President  Comonfort  and 
other  high  officials.  The  evidence  be  obtained  was  laid  before  the 
United  States  Court,  with  the  result  that  the  claim  was  rejected 
finally;  nnd  thus  the  title  to  thousands  of  homes  in  San  Francisco 
were  cleared  of  a  cloud  that  hung  over  them.  Only  those  who  were 
cognixant  at  the  time,  of  the  excitment  which  was  stirred  up 
throughout  California  by  this  case,  can  appreciate  how  intense  that 
cxcilnient  was.  Limantour.  who  was  a  Frenchman,  maintained 
his  colnssnl  prcteiUions  with  the  utmost  vigor  and  by  the  most  un- 
scrupulous means,  bringing  witnesses  from  Mexico  to  swear  to  the 


ANTONIO  F.  CORONBL 


81 


genuineness  of  his  alleged  grant,  which,  as  already  stated,  the 
Court  finally  rejected. 

Mr.  Coronel,  in  his  lifetime,  made  a  most  honorable  record  as 
a  freind  of  the  defenceless  Mission  Indians  of  Southern  California. 
Of  this  fact  Mrs.  Helen  Hunt  Jackson  has  borne  warm  testimony 
in  several  national  publications.  When  these  simple,  harmless  chil- 
dren  of  nature  were  imposed  upon^  and  robbed  of  their  lands  and 
of  the  waters  in  default  of  which  those  lands  became  comparatively 
valueless,  by  greedy  and  unscrupulous  American  squatters,  they 
came  to  Don  Antonio  Coronel  for  advice,  and  he  always  befriended 
them.  He  gave  to  Mrs,  Jackson  the  materials  of  her  story  of  "Ra- 
mona/'  and  aided  her  in  many  ways  in  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  the 
customs  and  traditions  of  the  people  of  the  country,  necessary  to 
give  characteristic  coloring  to  the  story.  He  also  gave  her  the  out- 
lines of  another  and  more  dramatic  story,  based  on  real  life  in  the 
olden  time  here  in  Southern  Californiaj  the  beautiful  heroine  of 
which,  Nacha,  was  well  known  by  some  of  the  best  of  the  old  Span- 
ish families.  If  Mrs.  Jackson  had  lived  she  was  to  have  worked 
them  up  as  a  companion  story  of  *'Ramona."  He  also  gave  her 
the  data  of  her  account  of  Friar  Junipero  Serra,  the  vener- 
able founder  and  first  president  of  the  California  Missions,  Mr, 
Coronel  took  an  active  part  with  Father  Casanova  of  Moneterey 
in  the  restoralion  of  the  San  Carlos  Mission,  and  in  the  solemniza- 
tion of  the  centennial,  in  1884,  of  the  death  of  Father  Junipero. 

In  1873,  Mr.  Coronel  married  Miss  Mariana  Williamson.  In 
1887,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coronel  visited  the  City  of  Mexico,  and  in  '93^ 
they  went  to  the  World  s  Fair  at  Qiicago,  where  their  stay  was 
cut  short  by  his  illness;  and  his  health  continued  in  a  precarious 
state  from  that  time  until  his  death,  though  he  was  not  confined  to 
his  house  until  within  a  few  days  prior  thereto.  Toward  the  end 
he  was  fully  aware  that  his  hour  was  near,  which  he  welcomed,  only 
regretting  the  parting  with  his  beloved  wife.  Twice  he  fervently 
embraced  her,  his  last  words  being:  "Querida!  Ya  me  voy!" 
(Dearest,  I  am  go\7  gl)  As  she  gently  laid  him  on  the  pillow,  he 
peacefully  closed  his  eyes  and  one  of  his  attending  physicians,  who 
held  his  wrist,  said,  **His  pulse  has  ceased;"  and  thus  he  died  with- 
out a  struggle.  His  good  friend.  Rev*  Father  Adam,  vicar  general 
of  the  diocese,  attended  him  daily  and  administered  to  him  the  con- 
solations of  the  religion  in  whose  communion  he  had  been  born, 
and  in  which  at  last  he  died. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coronel  were  active  members  of  this  Histori- 
cal Society  of  Southern  California  from  the  time  of  its    founding. 


HigrORlCAL  eOOWTY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORNU 


They  had  ^fathered,  during  the  course  of  many  years,  the  largest  and 
most  valuable  coUection  of  historical  materials  relating  to  this  sec- 
tion and  to  this  coast,  in  the  country.  Mr,  Coronel  ardently  de- 
sired to  co-operate  with  other  citizens  of  wealth  and  enlightened 
public  spirit  in  the  estabhshment  in  this  city  of  a  museum,  in  con- 
nection with  the  Historical  Society  and  the  Public  Library,  to  which 
he  ctmld  donate  his  very  valuable  collection;  and  he  made  a  liberal 
offer  of  either  money  or  land  to  assist  in  endowing  such  an  institu- 
Hatk  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  other  public-spirited  citizens  of  means 
will  be  seized  by  the  same  desire,  and  thus  show  in  a  substantial 
manner  Iheir  willingness  to  aid  tn  preserving  and  safely  guarding 
the  materials  of  local  history  which  they  and  their  fathers  and 
nKJthers  have  helped  to  make,  and  at  the  same  time  manifest  to  the 
world  by  their  acts  the  fact  that  they  recognize  the  obligations 
they  owe  tt>  the  community  in  which  and  off  of  which  they  have 
made  their  weatlh.  In  the  many  conversations  which  the  writer  of 
this  brief  memeroial  tribute  to  our  departed  friend  has  had  with 
him  concerning  the  past  history  of  California,  and  especially  of  the 
part  he  took  in  it,  I  have  been  impressed  with  the  vividness  of 
his  recollections;  and  I  have  felt  that  a  record  merely  of  those  per- 
sonal recollections  would,  to  a  certain  extent,  constitute  a  history 
of  California. 

Onr  kind-hearted  friend  is  gone,  but  his  memory  will  remain. 


REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY, 

1900. 

3b  th^  Officers  and  Members  of  the  Hixtftrical  Sooieiy  ofS(mthem  Oal^orrUa.* 
I  beg  leave  to  submit  the  fQliowing  report : 

Number  of  Meetlngfs  held ...., ..^„    0 

Number  of  Papers  read... *..... , 16 

Number  of  New  Membefselected.....,..,^.^.^ .'.. .,,*<.»«    ft 

TITLES  TO  PAPERS  READ  AND  DATES  OF  READING. 

FEBRUARY. 

Inatigaral  AddrcsBof  the  Preindeat... Walter  R.  Bacon 

Visit  to  the  Grand  Canyon ,,,» Mrs.  M,  Burton  WUUamson 

indi&na  of  the  Lob  An gelea  Valley , ...,..,.. , .....J.  M,  Gmnn 

MARCH. 

The  Palomeres  Family... H.  D.  Barrows 

The  StorBB  of  Los  Angeles  in  IfiSO ,.„,....,..., , Laura  Evertsen  King 

California's  Traneition  from  lionarchy  to  Hepublicanina...... J.  M.  Quinu 

MAY. 

An  Episode  in  the  Life  of  a  Pioneer,.......,. ..„.,„„ „, „.„H.  B.  Barrows 

Abori^nal  Alphabets  (Firat  Paper) , « J,  D.  Mood 

y 

JUNE. 

Log  Ang'eles  Postma^tere .., *.*..• .*>».<*»*.**>•«. ««*,.,.H*  D<  Barrowa 

The  PasiiiDg  of  the  Neophyte... ......,., ♦„,„ ....*-. ..*,.J.  M.  Umnn 

Some  Current  Events  .......«.........»..*,**,.. * Walter  R.  Bacon 

OCTOBER. 

The  Mexican  Governors. *..... ».,.», »<,H.  D.  Barrows 

Historical  Seaports  of  Los  Angeles..,......,...-*,....... .,,*.J.  M.  Qulsu 

DECEMBER. 

Fifty  Years  of  California  Politics „*.*,, ........Walter  R.  Bacon 

Side  Lights  on  Old  Los  Angeles >..,. ................Mary  E.  Mooney 

Aboriginal  Alphabets  (Second  Paper) ...............*,. „.,J,  D,  Moody 

The  meetings  of  the  Society  have  been  held  at  the  roaideace&of  Members 
and  hare  been  well  attended. 

Reapecifolly  Bnbmitted, 

J.  M.  GUINN,  Secretary. 


REPORT  OF  THE  PUBLICATION  COMMITTEE 

1900. 

7b  the  Officers  and  Members  of  the  HUtoriGal  &>metff  of  Southern  Valtfomia: 

We,  tbe  undersipnedf  merabera  of  the  Society's  Committee  on  PiibUcatioti, 
do  respectfully  report  that  iti  accord&ace  with  the  order  of  the  Board  of 
Directors  we  have  bad  printed  aix  hundred  copies  of  the  Society's  Annual  for 
lOtW.  With  thia  i&sue  we  begin  Volume  V.  The  Annual  cantinuea  to  bear  the 
double  l.itle  adopted  at  the  bieginnjag  of  Volume  IV,  ^^Aonual  Publication  of 
the  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California  and  Pioneer  Register,'* 

Papers  for  publication  have  been  aelected  frc^m  the  collectlona  of  both  the 
Historical  and  Pioneer  Societies.  These  papers  embrace  a  wide  rang'e  of  sub- 
jects, but  all  pertam  to  &ome  phase  of  history. 

In  this,  as  In  all  previous  publications  of  the  Society^  it  is  understood  that 
the  authors,  and  not   the   Society  or  the  Committee^  are  respODsible  for  the 
alatemenlB  made  in  their  papers,  and  for  the  viewa  and  opiniona  expresaed. 
Respectfully  aubmilted, 

J.  M.  GUINN, 
H,  D.  BARROWS. 

Committee. 


TREASURER'S  REPORT. 

VEAR  1900. 

1000  RECEIPTS  AND  ASSETS. 

Jany.   l^Balance  on  baud  as  per  last  report.....  ,*....,.. t  00  45 

Feby.  2— Received  from  Pioneei  Society....,.,,,.,*,,-. ..,..,....  50  00 

Jan,  I  to  }  Received  dues  of  Members *..... 57  85 

t>e&  H      t  Beceived  membership  fees , , 8  00 

Total  Receipta , .,t*,*.. ,$  176  SO 

1900  DI8BURSMENTS. 

Jaay.  39 — Paid  Secretary's  bill — postag'e  and  sundries...... „.S  1  90 

F«by,  Sfl — PaidOeo.  Rice  &  Sons,  printtug  Annual..... *...^.«.  125  00 

Dec,    31 — Paid  Secretary's  Uin^postage,  express  and  sundries  It  75 

Total  DiBbursmentB... *,.,,.,. f  J38  OS 

Balance  in  Treasury  January  1,  1001 f    37  85 

Respectfully  submitted, 
January  1,  I90t  E.  BAXTER* 

Treaaurer. 


CURATOR'S  REPORT. 
1900. 


lb  the  Oncers  and  Members  of  the  Historifial  Society  of  Southern  Cat^omia,* 

Id  the  limited  sp&ce  Altow«d  In  oar  Aonual  it  U  lmpo»sib1e  for  me  to  make 
&  full  report  upon  the  condition  of  our  library  and  coUectioDs.  Theae,  con* 
aiBtmg'  of  books,  pamphl^ls,  mag'&ziDes,  newspaper  fllea,  curios,  relics,  pic 
tures,  English  and  Spanish^  manoscripU,  mapfl,  etc.,  are  still  stored  in  a  room. 
In  the  Court  House.  On  account  of  want  of  spEice  much  of  our  collection  has 
beeo  boxad  up  and  is  therefore  inaccessible  for  readj  reference.  We  continue 
adding  to  onr  collection  hoping  that  pc^ibly  some  wealthy  donor  may  be 
tnoved  to  ^ve  ua  ereti  the  limited  amount  Deoea&ary  to  procure  better  quarters 
and  to  catalogue  and  classify  our  collections. 

For  nearly  eighteen  years  a  fen  p^ibtic  spirited  men  and  women  of  Limited 
financial  means  Kare  labored  and  spent  their  money  to  build  up  iu  Soutbera 
California  a  Historical  Society,  In  that  time  we  have  published  four  com' 
plete  volumes  of  history.  These  volumes  are  eagerly  sought  for  by  leadinx^ 
Bistorical  and  Public  Libraries  of  the  United  States,  but  such  eseemB  to  be  the 
contempt  of  Califoruiaus  for  their  local  history  that  these  books  are  almost 
unknown  in  ihe  locality  where  they  are  published. 

Nearly  all  of  the  larger  States  of  the  Union  and  many  of  the  Bmallcr  ones 
ha^re  State  Historical  Societies  supported  by  appropriations  from  the  public 
funda.  California  has  none.  There  is  not  to  my  knowledge  any  Historical 
Society  now  existing  within  her  borders,  except  ours,  which  has  made  any  col~ 
lection  or  published  any  historical  papers. 

Sa4xesaiTe  legislatures  have  gone  on  multiplying  State  schools  and  piling 
up  appropriations  for  our  State  University,  but  have  ignored  the  necessity  of 
opllecting  and  preserWug  our  historical  material.  As  a  consequence  of  this 
neglect  a  large  amount  of  California's  wealth  of  historical  material  has  been 
allowed  to  fall  into  the  handa  of  relic  collectors  and  literary  pot  huntera,  who 
WU  it  to  eastern  museums  and  libraries^ 

With  leas  wealth  and  half  a  century  less  history  than  our  State,  the  State 
of  WiBconain  has  spent  more  than  a  million  dollars  on  her  Historical  Library 
and  Museum  and  in  erecting  her  magnificent^  Historical  Society  Building. 
The  recent  legislature  of  Oregon  appropriated  S5,O00  to  aid  her  State  Histori- 
cal Society,  and  Montana*  with  a  population  about  omj-eighth  the  size  of  oura 
and  less  than  fifty  years  of  history,  spends  S3.S(K)  on  hers.  Recent  California 
legialatures  have  been  more  liberal  in  allowaoccB  for  historical  purposes  than 
past  ones.  Successive  legislatures,  iu  the  past  decade,  have  appropriated  $000 
a  year  to  pay  the  salary  of  the  guardian  of  Sutter's  New  Fort,  built  of  adobes 
of  the  brand  of  ISQO,  and  a  similar  yearly  amount  to  the  keeper  of  the  bronze 
monument  of  Marshall,  who  was  not  the  first  discoverer  of  gold  in  California. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  none  of  our  many  rich  men,  who  have  made  their 
fortunes  in  California,  have  been  moved  to  expend  a  portion  of  their  wealth  in 
preserving  the  history  of  the  State  that  has  been  so  kind  tothem. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

J.  M.  OUINN,  Curator. 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 
1900-1901. 

BOAEB  OF  DIEECTORS. 

LOUIB  S.OEDBB,  E.    R.    HAUnEB, 

Bsn.  S.  Eatoh,  J.  M.  Gunnr, 

Mathbw  Teed, 

OFFICERS. 

Wk.  H,  Wouhmaw ,.....,, ..Preaidcnt 

B.  R*  HAures.. » First  Vice-President 

S.  A,  REMIIA1.L  ...*.,..»,,..,, , .....,,.  Second  Vice-President 

LouiB  R<]Ei>EB. ...,,., . , , ,  ► Treasurer 

J.  M.  Qud™ * . . . ^ ,  - , Secretary 

COMMITTEE  ON  MEMBERSHIP- 
H.  Teed,  Lome  Roxdes,  U.  F.  Qxmnr 

COMMITTEE  ON  FINANCE* 
H.  D.  Barbows,  C.  N.  WiLsojT,  Joel  B,  Pabkkb 

COMMITTEE  ON  LITERARY  EXERCISES. 
Wm.  H.  Woesnan,  B.  &.  Eatoh,  H.  D.  Babrows,  J.  M.  Guxfm 

S.    A.    E»NPALL,  M.     F.    QUINN,  J,    C.     DOTTBLE. 

COMMITTEE  ON  MUSIC. 

Louie  RoEDEB,  Wu.  GBoesEBv  B.  S.  Eaton^  R>  R*  HAiKsft 

Ub,  K,  D.  Wise,  M,  Kiiem^b,  Mbs.  S,  C.  YAicreia.. 

COMMITTEE  ON  ENTERTArNMENT. 

Mrb.  Mary  FRAifKi^iTf.        Mr«.  Eixek  G,  Teks,        Mrh,  Dora  Bil.derbecs 

Mrs.  J.  G.  Newell,       Mrs,  Abbie  Hillbr,       Mita.  E^uly  W.  Davis, 
Mb8.  Cecelia  Ar  Rbwdai*i*»  fJKOROE  W,  Qazard,  3,  W*  Gillette 

JOHI9  Ij.  Slauohteb. 


James  J.  Ajers,       .       ^       .  .   Died  noTcmbcr  10, 

Stephen  C.  Foawr,        _       -       -  Wcd  January  27, 

Horace  fllllcr,          -       _       -  -       -    Di^d  Maj  23, 

Jonn  strotlicr  GiUnn,  -       -       -  -    mcd  August  23, 

Henry  Clay  WUcy,   -       -       *  -       Died  OctoMr  25, 

WUUam  Blackstone  Abemctliy,  -  Died  {foTcmbcr  1, 

StcphcD  W.  La  Dow,        -       -  -        Bled  January  6^ 

Herman  Raphael,        -       -       .  .       Died  AprlU*, 

Francis  Baker,         *       ,       •  -       -     Died  May  tr, 

Leonard  John  Rose,      -       -       -  -         Died  Way  IT, 

E,  n,  ncDonald,      -       »       -  ^       -    i>ied  June  10, 

James  Cralp,       _       _       -       -  j^i^^  December  30, 

Palmer  Hilton  Scott,        -       -  -        Died  January  3, 

Francisco  Sabkbl,       ...  -       Died  April  13, 

Roteri  Miller  Towat,       -      -  -           Died  April  24, 

Fred  w.  Wood, Bled  Way  t9, 

josepb  Bayetr         *       -       -  -       -    ^icd  July  27, 

An^n^stus  Ulyard         -       -       -  -      pted  Ang^ust  5, 

A.  M.  Hou^h,             ,        -        -  -         D[cd  August  28, 

Henry  F.  Fleishman     .       -       _  Died  octotcr  20, 

Frank  Lecouvrcur,          -       -  -       Died  January  i7, 

Daniel  Schelck,  .       -       -       -  Died  January  20, 

Andrew  GlasseU,     *       *       -  -      Died  January  la. 


PIONEERS  OF  LOS  ANQELES  COUNTY 

CONSTITUTION 


[Adopted  September  4,  1897.] 

ARTICLE  L 

This  society  shall  be  known  as  The  Honeers  of  Los  Angeles 
County.  Its  objects  are  to  cultivate  social  intercourse  and  friend- 
ship among  its  members  and  to  collect  and  preserve  tlie  early  history 
of  Los  Angeles  county,  and  perpetuate  the  memory  of  those  who, 
by  their  honorable  labors  and  heroism,  helped  to  make  that  history. 

ARTICLE  IL 
All  persons  of  good  moral  character,  thirty-five  years  of  age 
or  over,  who,  at  the  date  of  their  application,  shall  have  resided  at 
least  twenty-five  years  in  Los  Angeles  county,  shall  be  eligible  to 
membership;  and  also  all  persons  of  good  moral  character  fifty 
years  of  age  or  over,  who  have  resided  in  the  State  forty  years  and 
in  the  county  ten  years  previous  to  their  application,  shall  be  eligible 
to  become  members.  Persons  born  in  this  State  are  not  eligible 
to  membership,  but  those  admitted  before  the  adoption  of  this 
amendment  shall  retain  their  membership,  (Adopted  September  4, 
1900.) 

ARTICLE  III. 

The  officers  of  this  society  shall  consist  of  a  board  of  seven  di- 
rectors, to  be  elected  annually  at  the  annual  meeting,  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  society.  Said  directors  when  elected  shall  choose  a 
president »  a  first  vice-president,  a  second  vice-president,  a  secretary 
and  a  treasurer.  The  secretary  and  treasurer  may  be  elected  from 
the  members  outside  the  Board  of  Directors, 

ARTICLE  IV. 

The  annual  meeting  of  this  society  shall  be  held  on  the  fourth 
day  of  September,  that  being  the  anniversary  of  the  first  civic  set- 
tlement in  the  southern  portion  of  Alta  California,  to  wit,  the  foun- 
ingof  the  Pueblo  of  Los  Angeles,  September  4,  1781. 


CONBTITUnON  AND  BT-LAWB 


ARTICLE  V. 


Members  guilty  of  misconduct  may,  upon  conviction,  after 
proper  investi^tion  has  been  held,  be  expelled,  suspended,  fined  or 
reprimanded  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present  at  any 
stated  meeting;  provided,  notice  shall  have  been  given  to  tlie  society 
at  least  one  month  prior  to  such  intended  action,  Any  officer  of  this 
society  may  be  removed  by  the  Board  of  Directors  for  cause;  pro- 
vided, that  such  removal  shall  not  become  permanent  or  final  until 
approved  by  a  majority  of  members  of  the  society  present  at  a  stated 
meeting  and  voting* 

ARTICLE  VL 

Amendments  to  this  constitution  may  be  made  by  submitting 
the  same  in  writing  to  the  scxiety  at  least  one  month  prior  to  the 
annual  meeting.  At  said  annual  meeting  said  proposed  amendments 
shall  be  suhmitted  to  a  vote  of  the  society.  And  if  two-thirds  of  all 
the  members  present  and  voting  shall  vote  in  favor  of  adopting  said 
amendments  then  they  shall  be  declared  adopted.  (Amended  Sep- 
tember 4,  1900. 


BY-LAWS 

[Adopted  September  4,   1897.] 

Section  i.  All  members  of  this  society  who  shall  have  signed 
the  constitution  and  by-laws,  or  who  shall  have  been  duly  elected 
to  membership  after  the  adoption  of  tile  constitution  and  bydaws 
shall  be  entitled  to  vote  at  all  mieetings  of  the  society. 

Section  2.  The  annual  dues  of  each  member  shall  be  one  dollar, 
payable  in  advance. 

Section  3.  Each  person  on  admission  to  membership  shall  sign 
the  constitution  and  by-laws  with  his  or  her  name  in  full,  together 
with  his  or  her  place  of  birth,  age,  residence,  occupation  and  the 
day,  month  and  year  of  his  or  her  arrival  within  the  limits  of  Los 
Angeles  county. 

Section  4.  At  the  annual  meeting,  the  president  shall  appoint 
a  committee  of  three  on  membership.  He  shall  also  at  the  same  time 
appoint  a  committee  of  three  on  finance.  All  applications  for  mem- 
hership  shall  be  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Membership  for  exam- 
ination. 

Section  5.  Every  applicant  for  membership  shall  be  recom- 
mended by  two  members  of  the  society  in  good  standing.  The  appli- 
cation shall  state  the  applicant's  full  name,  age,  birthplace,  place  of 


BO 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


residence,  ocapation  and  date  of  his  or  her  arrival  in  the  county  of 
Los  Angeles, 

Section  6.     Each  application  must  be  accompanied  by  the  annual 
fee  (one dollar) »  and  shall  lie  over  for  one  month,  when  a  vote  shall 
be  taken  by  ballot.     Three  negative  votes  shall  cause  the  rejection  ^M 
of  the  applicant.  ^1 

Section  7.  Any  person  eligible  to  membership  may  be  elected 
a  life  member  of  this  society  on  the  payment  to  the  treasurer  of  $25. 
Life  members  shall  enjoy  all  the  privileges  of  active  members,  but 
shall  not  be  required  to  pay  annual  dues.  ^M 

Section  8,     The  Finance  Committee  shall  examine  all  accounts  ^B 
against  the  society,  and  no  bil!  shall  be  paid  by  the  treasurer  unless 
approved  by  a  majority  of  the  Finance  Committee,  ^ 

Section  9.     Whenever  a  vacancy  in  any  office  of  this  society  oc-  H 
curs,  the  Board  of  Directors  shall  call  a.  meeting  of  the  society  within 
thirty  days  thereafter,  when  said  vacancy  shall  be  filled  by  election  ^ 
for  the  remainder  of  the  unexpired  term.  f 

Section  10.  Whenever  the  Board  of  Directors  shall  be  satisfied 
that  any  worthy  member  of  the  society  is  unable  for  the  time  being 
to  pay  the  annual  dues,  as  hereinbefore  prescribed,  it  shall  have  the 
power  to  remit  the  same. 

Section  11.  The  stated  meetings  of  this  society  shall  be  held 
on  the  first  Tuesday  of  each  month,  except  the  month  of  Sei>teml>er» 
when  the  annual  meeting  shall  take  the  place  of  the  monthly  meet- 
ings Special  meetings  may  be  called  by  the  president,  or  by  a  ma- 
jority of  the  Board  of  Directors,  but  no  business  sail  be  transacted  at  ^d 
such  special  meeting  except  that  specified  in  the  call.  H 

Section  12,     Changes  and  amendments  of  these  by-laws  may  be 
made  by  submitting  the  same  in  writing  to  the  Board  of  Directors  ^^ 
at  least  one  month  prior  to  any  stated    meeting.     Said    proposed  ^| 
amendments  shall  be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the   soceity.     If  said  " 
amendments  shall  receive  a  two-thirds  vote  of  all  members  present 
and  voting,  the  same  shall  be  declared  adopted. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 

STEPHEN  C  FOSTER. 

Ex-Mayor  Stephen  C.  Foster,  whose  portrait  appears  in  this 
issue  of  the  Annual,  died  in  this  city,  January  28,  1898;  and  a  sketch 
of  his  life  appears  in  Volume  IV.  pp.  179-183,  of  the  Historical  So- 
ciety's publications,  from  which  a  brief  summary  of  the  primary 
facts  of  his  life  is  condensed  here. 

Mr.  Ft^ter  was  bom  in  Maine,  December  17,  1820.  He  grad- 
uated from  Yale  College  in  the  class  of  1840;  later  attending  lectures 
at  the  Louisiana  Medical  College,  and  afterwards  practicing  medi- 
cine in  Jackson  county,  Missouri.  In  1845  he  started  for  Califor- 
nia via  Santa  Fe,  Chihuahua  and  Sonora.  At  Oposura  he  l^imed  of 
the  breaking  out  of  the  Mexican  war;  and  not  being  able  to  find 
any  party  going  to  California^  he  returned  in  June,  1846^  to  Santa 
Fe;  and  in  October  he  was  employed  as  interpreter  of  the  '*Mormon 
Battalion,"  which,  under  the  command  of  Col.  Philip  St.  George 
Cooke,  set  out  for  California,  by  way  of  Tucson,  and  the  Pima  Vil- 
lages, arriving  at  San  Diego  January  20,  1847,  and  at  Los  Angeles, 
March  16,  1847, 

For  more  than  fifty  years,  Mr.  Foster  was  a  prominent  citizen 
of  Los  Angeles.  His  familiarity  with  the  Spanish  language^  in  the 
early  days,  enabled  him  to  serve  the  community  in  many  capacities. 
Col.  Mason,  the  then  military  Governor  of  the  Territory,  appointed 
Mr,  Foster  as  Alcalde  of  this  city^  January  i,  184S.  Mr  Foster 
was  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1849;  ^^  served 
as  State  Senator  during  1851-53,  and  he  was  twice  elected  Mayor 
of  Los  Angeles,  In  1848  he  was  married  to  Dona  Maria  Merced, 
daughter  of  Don  Antonio  Maria  Lugo  and  widow  of  Jose  Perez. 
She  and  their  two  sons  still  survive  him. 

FRANCISCO  SABICHL 

Francisco  Sabichi,  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Los  Angeles  Pion- 
eers, who  died  suddenly  of  heart  disease  on  the  12th  of  April,  1900, 
in  the  59th  year  of  his  age,  was  a  native  of  this  city.  He  was  born 
October  4,  1842.  His  father,  Matias  Sabichi,  was  a  native  of  Aus- 
tria, or  Austrain    Italy,  who  came  to  Los  Angeles  at  a  very  early 


92 


HIBTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORNU 


day;  and  his  mother  was  Josef  a,  daughter  of  Don  Ygnacio  Coronet 
and  sister  of  Antronio  F,  CoroneL  Matias  Sabichi  in  1852,  after  the 
death  of  his  wife,  took  his  two  boys,  Francisco  and  Matias,  and  set 
out  on  his  return  to  his  native  land,  but  he  died  on  the  way.  His  two 
sons  were  taken  in  charge  on  their  arrival  in  England  by  the  Ameri- 
can consul,  Mr.  Joseph  Rodney  Croskey,  who  became  a  true  foster- 
father  to  them,  taking  them  into  his  own  family  and  carefully 
educating  them,  Frank  was  in  the  British  navy  three  years.  Matias 
was  a  portion  of  the  time  at  school  in  France.  Both  learned  to 
speak  French,  and  of  course  English  and  Spanish,  the  latter  being 
their  mother  tongue.  They  returned  to  Los  Angeles  in  i860,  hav- 
ing been  away  about  eight  years.  Matias  Sabichi  was  accidentally 
shot  while  on  a  hunting^  trip,  from  the  effects  of  which  he  died  not 
long  afterwards.  Frank  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar. 
He  was  several  times  elected  a  member  of  the  City  Council  in  the 
early  70's  and  also  once  in  the  8o's.  In  1865,  he  was  married  to 
Magdalena,  daughter  of  Wm.  Wolfskill,  the  pioneer.  She,  with 
their  eight  children  survive  him. 

Mr.  Sabichi  was  prominently  identified  with  the  **Sons  of  the 
Golden  West/'  being  at  the  time  of  his  death,  a  grand  trustee  of  the 
#rder  for  the  State  of  California, 

H,  D,  Barrows, 
Louis  Roeder, 
K.  D,  Wise, 

Committee. 


ROBERT  MILLER  TOWNE. 

Robert  Miller  Towne,  a  charter  member  of  this  societv.  who  died 
in  this  city  April  21,  1900,  was  bom  in  Batavia,  Illinois,  November 
12,  1844,  He  came  to  Los  Angeles  in  the  fall  of  1869.  For  some 
years  he  engaged  in  sheep-raising.  Afterwards  he  went  to  New 
Mexico,  where  he  did  a  freighting  business  between  Las  Vegas  and 
the  mines. 

In  18S1  he  married  Miss  Lillie  M.  Fisher,  daughter  of  Judge 
Fisher  of  this  city,  whom  most  of  the  members  of  this  piopeer  So- 
ciety knew  well.  Two  daughters  were  horn  to  this  union.  Th^ 
with  their  mother  survive  Mr.  Towne.  After  his  marriage  he  and 
kts  family  resided  for  a  time  in  Kansas.  During  the  latter  por- 
tion of  his  life,  and  while  suffering  from  tuberculosis,  he  lived  on 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCOm 


the  desert.  Mr.  Towne  was  a  man  of  much  decision  of  character; 
he  was  ever  a  good  citizen,  and  was  highly  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him.  H.  D   Barrows^ 

^  Louis  Roeder, 

^^  K.  D,  Wise, 

^^f  Committee. 

FRED  W.  WOOD, 
Fred  W,  Wood  was  born  at  Praire  du  Chien,  Wisconsin,  April 
28,  1853.  At  the  breakii^  out  of  the  Civil  war,  his  father  enlisted 
in  the  Union  Army,  and  became  colonel  of  the  17th  llHnots  Volun- 
tter  Infantry.  He  had  two  brothers  in  the  service,  and  only  his 
youth  prevented  him  from  enlisting. 

In  1868  the  family  removed  to  Kansas  City,  Mo,,  where  Fred  W. 
attended  the  High  School.  He  left  school  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  and 
for  a  year  or  more  afterwards  he  was  employed  in  the  office  of  the 
Kansas  City  Engineer.  From  Kansas  City  he  went  to  Northern 
'  Wisconsin,  where  he  was  engaged  for  three  years  in  the  construc- 
tion of  some  of  the  lines  of  the  Chicago  and  Northwestern  Railroad 
system.  In  1873  he  came  to  California  and  in  March  of  the  follow- 
ing year  he  arrived  in  Los  Angeles.  After  spending  a  few  months 
in  varioys  engineering,  surveying  and  mining  enterprises,  he  became 
interested  with  Prudent  Beaudry  in  the  construction  of  the  Los  An- 
geles city  water  works.  For  several  years  he  was  in  the  abstract 
business  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Gillette,  Gibson  &  Wood.  His 
next  employment  was  the  laying  out  and  superintending  the  planting 
of  J.  De  Barth  Shorb's  extensive  vineyards  at  Alhambra  and  estab- 
lishing the  winery  there.  In  1889  he  became  identified  with  the 
Temple  Street  Cable  Railway  line.  He  managed  the  business  of 
the  Beaudry  Brothers,  Victor  and  Prudent,  who  were  largly  in- 
terested in  the  Temple  street  road  After  the  death  of  the  brothers 
he  was  executor  of  their  estates.  In  1895  Mr.  Wood  became  super- 
intendent and  general  manager  of  the  Los  Angeles  Street  Railway 
Company,  the  most  extensive  street  railway  system  in  the  cit>*.  In 
this  service  he  continued  until  his  death.  In  politics  he  was  a  Re- 
publican and  served  as  chairman  of  the  County  Republican  Central 
Committee  from  1894  to  1896.  He  stood  high  in  the  Masonic  and 
Odd  Fellows  orders. 

Seventeen  year  ago  Mr. Wood  married  Miss  Leona  Pigne-Du- 
puj^ren,  who  was  born  in  California,  and  is  grand  niece  of  the  re- 
DOwed  Parisian  physician  Dr.  Dupuytren,  One  son,  Warren  Du- 
puytren,  was  horn  of  this  union. 

Mr.  Wood  died  in  Los  Angeles,  May  19.  1900, 


»4 


HISTOBICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


JOSEPH  BAYER. 

Joseph  Bayer  was  bom  in  Germany,  November  i»  1846.  He 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  during  his  early  boyhood.  During 
the  Civil  war  he  entered  thte  Union  Army,  enlisting  in  the  Second 
United  States  Infantry.  He  served  three  years.  After  the  war  he 
went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  engaged  in  business  until  1868,  when 
he  came  to  California.  He  arrived  in  Los  Angeles  July  4,  1S70.  He 
engaged  in  business  on  the  comer  of  Requena  and  Main  street.  In 
1872  he  went  to  Tucson,  Arizona,  where  he  remained  two  years 
Returning  to  Los  Angeies,  he  opened  a  wholesale  liquor  house  on 
North  Main  street.  He  built  up  an  extensive  business,  dealing  in  im- 
ported and  domestic  wines  and  brandies.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
oil  producers  of  Southern  California. 

In  1875  Mr.  Bayer  married  Miss  K.  B.  Happ,  a  native  of  Buffalo, 
N.  Y.    He  died  in  this  city  July  27,  1900, 

AUGUSTUS  ULYARD. 
(Los  Angeles  Daily  Times.) 

Augustus  Ulyard,  whose  funeral  was  held  yesterday  afternoon 
at  his  late  residence,  No.  809  South  Flower  street,  died  in  his  eighty- 
fifth  yean  He  has  been  a  modest  and  model  citizen  during  the  half 
century  he  lived  in  Los  Angeles,  and  political  honors  were  thrust 
upon  him  but  once  in  all  that  time,  he  having  been  a  member  of  the 
City  Council  in  1856. 

Ulyard  was  born  in  Philadelphia  on  February  22»  18 e6,  where 
in  his  young  manhood  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  baker,  and  must 
very  soon  after  its  completion  have  started  west,  for  he  enlisted  and 
served  as  a  Texas  Volunteer  in  the  war  with  Mexico  in  1837.  In 
184 1  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  opened  a  bakery,  remained  there  until 
1846,  whai  he  married  Miss  Mary  Field,  a  native  of  England,  who 
survives  him.  With  his  new  wife  and  worldJy  l>elongings  he  again 
started  west  and  next  appears  as  a  citizen  of  Council  Bluffs.  Iowa. 
In  1852,  in  company  with  a  large  party  of  immigrants,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Ulyard  set  out  from  Council  Bluffs  for  the  Pacific  golden 
shores,  traveling  by  wagon  train.  Their  passage  across  the  plains 
would  seem  to  have  been  uneventful.  They  profited  by  the  horrible 
catastrophe  that  befell  the  Donner  party  in  1846,  and  in  order  to 
avoid  spending  the  winter  at  Salt  Lake,  or  taking  the  risk  of  the 
cold  passage  over  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  they  chose  the  southern  route, 
by  way  of  the  Cajon  Pass  and  San  Bernardino,  and  arrival  at  Los 
Angeles  on  the  last  day  of  the  year  1852. 

At  that  time  there  were  but  fiv^  American  women 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 


m 


geles  aside  from  Mrs.  Ulyard.  The  town  consisted  of  a  small  g^roup 
of  adobe  buildings  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  plaza,  one  of  which 
Mr.  Ulyard  succeeded  in  renting,  and  as  behooves  the  thrifty  citizen 
at  once  set  himself  up  in  business  as  a  baker.  He  baked  the  first 
loaf  of  American  bread  ever  cooked  in  Los  Angeles,  using  yeast 
brought  across  the  plains  by  his  wife.  He  soon  sought  a  new  loca- 
tion on  the  outskirts  of  the  pueblo,  which  is  the  site  now  occupied 
by  the  Natick  House,  at  First  and  Main  streets.  For  twenty  years 
he  continued  to  follow  his  vocation  as  a  baker,  but  having  ac- 
cumulated a  competency,  he  then  retired.  He  owned  the  property  on 
the  southwest  corner  of  Fifth  and  Spring  streets. 

In  1856  he  was  quite  active  in  politics  and  helped  to  organize 
the  first  Republican  League  in  California,  in  an  old  frame  building 
on  Main  street  belonging  to  Capt.  Alexander  Bell.  It  was  in  the 
Fremont  campaign,  and  Ulyard  was  a  member  of  the  City  Council, 
which  seems  to  have  been  the  only  office  he  ever  held. 

From  the  time  of  his  arrival  to  the  time  of  his  deaths  on  Sunday 
last,  Mr.  Ulyard  was  a  permanent  resident  of  Los  Angeles.  No 
children  were  born  to  him,  but  at  different  periods  he  adopted  home- 
less children  until  there  were  seven  in  all 

He  died  August  5,  1900. 


REV.  A.  M.  HOUGH. 

Rev.  A.  M.  Hough,  a  member  of  the  L:>s  Angeles  Society  of 
Pioneers,  who  died  Aug.,  27,  1900,  was  a  native  of  Greene  county, 
New  York;  born  June  4.  1830.  He  received  his  education  at  the 
New  York  Conference  Seminary  in  Schohaire  county.  In  1S64  Mr. 
Hough  went  to  Montana,  then  a  territory,  as  Superintendent  of  Mis- 
sions, and  established  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Churcli  there.  In 
i868»  on  acct.ant  of  his  wife's  failing  health,  he  came  with  her  to 
California,  driving  his  own  team  from  Montana  to  Los  Angeles, 
where  he  arrived  November  22.  He  served  as  pastor  of  various 
churches,  here,  in  San  Franisco  and  in  Sacramemo,  till  1875,  when 
the  conference  was  divided  and  he  became  presiding  elder  of  the 
southern  body,  in  which  capacity  he  served  four  years.  He  retired 
from  active  service  as  a  pastor  about  1885, 

In  1854  Mr.  Hough  was  marrie<l  to  Miss  Anna  Gould,  a  native 
of  New  York,  who  survives  him.  Mr,  Hough  was  a  man  of  great 
intellectual  force,  and  yet  of  kindly,  gentle  manners,  broad  charity 
and  pure  life:  and  as  a  sequence  of  these  cardinal  qualities  he 
exerted  a  wi<le  influence  for  good  in  the  community  in  which  he 
lived  so  many  years. 


96  HISTORTCAL  SOCIETYOF  fiOtrTBERK  CALIFORNIA 

HENRY  R  FLEISMAN. 
Henry  F.  Fleishman  wa&  bom  at  Charleston.  S.  C,  in  1845;  he 
died  in  this  city,  where  he  had  resided  a  number  of  years,  on  the 
13th  of  October^  1900,  He  served  in  the  Confederate  army  during" 
the  Civil  war,  from  be^nning  to  end^  participating  in  many  of  the 
great  battles,  and  surrendering  with  General  Lee's  command  al  Ap- 
portiatox.  Mr  Fleishman,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was  a  member 
of  several  beneficent  orders,  in  which,  and  in  the  community  gen- 
erally, he  was  universally  respected, 

FRANK  LECOUVREUR. 

Oitr  society  is  called  upon  to  mourn  the  death,  which  occurred 
January  17,  1901,  of  our  associate,  Mr.  Frank  Leoouvreur.  Mr. 
Lecouvreur,  who  was  a  native  of  Ortelsburg,  Prussia,  born  June  7^ 
1830,  came  via  Cape  Horn  to  California  in  1851,  and  to  Los  An- 
geles in  1855.  He  was  by  profession  a  civil  engineer,  and  he  served 
as  County  Surveyor  of  Los  Angeles  for  four  years;  he  also,  first 
and  last,  surveyed  many  ranchos  for  private  parties.  He  at  one  time, 
during- the  *6o's  served  as  deputy  county  clerk,  and  later  was  cashier 
and  a  director  of  the  Fanners*  and  Merchants'  bank.  In  June,  1877, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Josephine  R.  Smith,  who  survives  him. 

The  members  of  this  society,  and  of  this  community,  in  which 
he  lived  so  many  years,  universally  concede  the  sterling  worth  of  our 
brother,  and  sincerely  mourn  his  death. 


DANIEL  SCHIECK. 

(Los  Angeles  Daily  Times,) 

Daniel  Schieck,  a  quaint  old  memento  of  the  days  when  Los 
Angeles  was  a  half  way  Mexican  town,  has  gone  from  the  streets 
forever  He  lies  dead  in  the  home  that  he  built  half  a  cenury  ago, 
on  the  lonely  outskirts  of  the  hamJet  and  lived  to  see  sucked  into 
llii-  licart  of  a  city.     It  is  on  Franklin  street  at  the  head  of  New 

It  was  one  of  the  first  plastered  houses  in  the  pueblo.  Additions 
and  ivew  fronts  and  changes  have  been  made,  but  Schieck  never 
moved  from  the  place  all  through  the  years.  When  he  first  moved 
in,  Mrs.  Schieck  was  very  lonely,  becaui^e  there  would  be  days  wlien 
noi  a  juml  passed  the  house.  For  many  years  the  httle  German  and 
Jiis  wife  have  been  familiar  figures  driving  about  the  city  in  their 
phaciiMi,     Fur  twenty-five  years  since  the  city  reached  out  and  ab- 


BtOGRAPaCIAL  9KErrCHE3 


91 


aorbed  his  suhurban  place,  Schieck  has  been  living  on  his  money  in 
placid  ease. 

He  was  tlie  pioneer  drayman  of  the  city,  an^  for  a  time  was  its 
Gunga  Din,  with  a  water-cart,  peddling  Adam*s  ale  from  house  to 
house. 

He  came  here  in  1852.  He  had  come  over  from  Baden  in  1845 
and  made  the  trip  across  the  plains  in  1852.  The  journey  was  made 
on  horseback,  and  Schieck  was  once  abandoned  by  his  party  to  die. 
About  half  way  across  the  plains  he  was  suddenly  taken  very  ill, 
and  the  party  would  not  take  him  on.  He  was  too  far  gone  to  travel 
anyhow.  They  would  have  deserted  him  like  a  sick  wolf,  but  he 
made  a  bargain  with  one  of  the  men,  who,  having^  no  horse,  was 
walking.  Schieck  told  him  that  he  would  buy  him  a  good  horse 
and  saddle  and  bridle  if  he  wou!d  stay  and  nurse  him  through  the 
iflness. 

They  put  Schieck  out  under  a  tree  by  the  side  of  the  road  and 
the  man  fell  out  of  the  party  to  stay  with  him.  He  was  a  reasonably 
faithful  nurse  for  two  days.  Then  one  morning  Schieck  woke  up  to 
find  that  the  man  had  run  away  in  the  night  with  his  saddle,  horse 
and  outfit.  He  would  probably  have  died  from  hunger  and  neglect 
but  that  he  was  on  the  road  to  one  of  the  Mormon  trading  posts. 
The  Mormon  traders  found  and  cared  for  him  until  he  got  well 

Just  as  soon  as  he  could  possibly  travel,  Schieck  set  out  with  a 
new  horse  with  a  Teutonic  determination  to  find  that  party  that 
deserted  him.  He  paid  tlie  managers  to  take  him  out  to  Sacramento 
and  intended  to  get  his  money's  worth.  By  hard  riding  he  overtook 
the  party  as  it  was  crossing  the  borders  of  California. 

They  took  him  the  rest  of  the  way  into  Sacramento  and  gave 
him  one  of  the  best  pair  of  oxen  in  the  caravan  to  atone  for  having 
allowed  him  to  make  half  the  journey  alone  and  without  the  accom- 
modations due  him. 

He  went  to  farming  near  Sacramento,  but  one  of  the  oxen  died 
before  long,  and  he  wandered  into  the  gold  fields.  He  got  rheuma- 
tism, but  no  gold.  Looking  for  a  better  climate,  Schieck  came 
down  the  State  into  Southern  California. 

When  he  hit  Los  Angeles,  the  nian  who  peddled  water  was  about 
to  leave  and  Schieck  took  hts  place.  For  a  little  while  he  followed 
this  job*  getting  water  every  morning  from  the  zanja  and  delivering 
it  around  to  the  houses.  He  charged  $2  a  month  for  each  of  his 
customers.    This  didn't  pay  and  he  went  into  the  dray  business. 

He  drove  a  funny,  old-fashioned,  two-wheeled  dray  cart  and 
had  a  mononoply.    He  used  to  meet  the  Banning  coaches  coming  in 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  aOUTBERH  CALIFORNIA 


from  San  Pedro,  and  the  other  stage  lines.   He  charged  about  what 
he  liked. 

The  little  place  that  he  bought  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city  ran 
along  seventy-five  feet  on  what  is  now  Spring  street,  and  the  whole 
length  of  Franklin  street.    It  made  him  rich. 

In  the  early  days  he  cut  quite  a  figure  in  aPfairs,  and  one  of  the 
reminiscences  that  he  liked  to  tell  was  of  serving  on  the  first  vigi- 
lance committee  that  introduced  Judge  Lynch  to  Los  Angeles, 

When  he  died  Sunday  night.  January  20,  1901*  he  was  aged 
81  years,  3  months  and  20  days.  It  was  just  old  age  that  took  him 
off.  About  five  weeks  ago  he  was  out  driving  with  his  wife  and 
became  so  dazed  that  he  could  scareciy  drive  home,  narrowly  es- 
caping several  accidents.  He  went  to  bed  when  he  got  home  and 
never  was  up  again* 

He  leaves  a  widow^  who  was  his  second  wife,  and  two  children, 
Mrs.  S.  E.  Boecher  and  Mrs,  C.  E,  Jenkins,  besides  a  daughter-in- 
law,  Mrs*  John  Schieck. 

ANDREW  GLASSELL, 

Andrew  Glassell  was  bom  in  Virginia,  September  30,  1827, 
When  he  was  seven  years  old  his  parents  moved  to  Alabama,  where 
his  father  engaged  in  cotton  planting.  Andrew  was  educated  in 
the  University  of  Alabama,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1848.  Af- 
ter graduating  he  studied  law.  In  1853  he  came  to  California,  and 
the  same  year  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
State.  A  friend  of  his  being  United  States  Attorney  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, Mr  Glassell  received  the  appointment  of  Deputy  United 
States  District  Attorney,  to  assist  in  trv'ing  a  large  number  of 
accumulated  land  cases  pending  in  the  Federal  District  Court,  and 
was  thus  employed  about  three  years.  Then  resuming  his  private 
practice,  he  did  a  prosperous  legal  business  till  the  Gvil  war  broke 
out.  His  sympathies  were  with  the  Confederates,  but  not  caring  to 
take  part  by  discussion  or  otherwise  on  either  side,  he  quit  the  prac- 
tice of  law  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber  and  staves 
near  Santa  Cruz,  employing  a  large  force  of  men  in  a  steam  sawmilL 
After  the  war  he  came  to  Los  Angeles,  and  in  partnership  with 
Alfr«i  B.  Chapman  and  George  H.  Smith,  established  the  law  firm 
of  GlasselK  Chapman  Si  Smith.  In  1883  Mr.  Glassell  retired  from 
the  practice  of  law^  to  devote  his  whole  time  to  his  private  business. 

Mr.  Glassell  was  twice  married.  In  1855  he  married  a  daughter 
of  Dr.  H.  H.  Toland,  an  eminent  phyiscian  of  San  Francisco,  by 
whom  he  had  nine  children.  She  died  in  1S79,  His  second  wife  he 
married  in  18S5.  She  was.  a  daughter  of  Wm,  C.  Micou  of  New 
Orleans.  She  died  about  tw'o  years  since.  Mr,  Glassell  died  Jan- 
uary 28,  190 1. 


^^^  List  of  Members  Admitted  Since  Last  Report, 

I 

1 

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January,  1900, 

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May,  1897 
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'i . 


OrgtLnlxtA  Noyember  1, 1883  Incorporated  FebniKry  13, 1891 

PART  n.  VOX*.  V. 

ANNUAL  PUBLICATION 

OF  THE 

Historical  Society 

OF 

Southern  California 

AND 

PIONEER  REGISTER 
Los  Angeles 

IQOI 


Published  by  the  Society. 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 

Geo.  RIc*  fle  Sons 

190a 


CONTENTS. 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  PAPERS. 

Officers  of  the  Historical  Society,  1901-1902 104 

Pioneer  Physicians  of  Los  Angeles H,  D.  Barrows  105 

The  Old  Round  Hou&e, . . , .George  W,  Hazard  109 

Passing  cf  the  Old  Pueblo /.  M,  Guinn  113 

Marine  Biological  Labratory  at  San  Pedro^ 

Mrs,  M.  Burton  IVilliatnson  121 

Early  Clericals  of  Los  Angles //./>.  Barrozvs  127 

*rhe  Original  Father  Junipero .F,  J.  Polley  134 

Camel  Caravans  of  the  American  Deserts. .  . ./.  M.  Guinn  146 

Dilatory^  Settlement  of  Califoniia IVaUer  R.  Bacon  152 


PIONEER  REGISTER- 

Officers  and  Committees  of  'the  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los 

Angeles  County,  1901-1902. 159 

Constitution  and  By-L,aws 160 

Order  of  Business 164 

Inaugural  Address  of  President H.  D,  Barrows  165 

The  Pony  Express AM,  Guinn  168 

Overland  to  CaHfomia  in  1850 J.  M.  Stewart  176 

Early  Days  in  Washoe .Alfred  James  186 

DIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

Fred  \\^  Wood M,  F,  Quinn  194 

Thomas  E.  Rowan Committee  Report  197 

George  Gephard L.  A.  Times  199 

Elizabeth  Langley  Ensign. ,...,,,.,  .Committee  Report  199 

Willia-m  F.  Grosser Committee  Report  200 

Samuel  Calvert  Foy  (Portrait) Committee  Report  202 

Charles  Brrjde Committee  Report  204 

Frank  A.  Gibson Committee  Report  206 

In   Memoriam    , 207 

Membership  Roll 2c* 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 

1901 

OFFICER. 

Walter  R.  Bacox President 

A.  C  Vroman First  Vice-President 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson Second  Vice-President 

Edwin    Baxter Treasurer 

J.  M.  GuiNN Secretary  and   Curator 

BOARD    OF    DIRECTORS. 

Walter  R.  Bacon,  J.  D.  Moody, 

H.  D.  Barrows,  Edwin  Baxter, 

J.  M.  Guinn,  a.  C  Vroman, 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson. 


1902 

OFFICERS    (elect). 

Walter  R.   Bacon President 

J.  D.  Moody First  Vice-President 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Wiluamson Second  Vice-President 

Edwin    Baxter Treasurer 

J.   M.   Guinn Secretary   and   Curator 

board  OF  directors. 

Walter  R-  Bacon^  J.  D.  Moody, 

H.  D.  Barrows,  Edwin  Baxtee^ 

J.  M.  Guinn,  George  W.  Hazard, 

Mas.  M.  BimroN  Williamson. 


Historical  Society 


-OF- 


Southern  California 


LOS  ANGELES.  CALIFORNIA,  1901 


PIONEER  PHYSICIANS  OF  LOS  ANOELES 

BY    H.   D.   BARROWS. 

[Read  Oct.  7,  1901.] 

The  first  three  educated  physicians  who  practiced  their  pro- 
fession in  Los  Angeles  for  long'er  or  shorter  periods,  of  whom 
we  have  any  record,  were : 

Dn  John  Marsh,  who  came  here  in  January  1836; 

Dr.  Richard  S.  Den,  who  arrived  in  California  in  1843; 

Dr.  John  S.  Griffin,  assistant  surgeon,  U.  S,  A,,  who  arrived 
in  1846. 

A  brief  account  of  each  of  these  trained  physicians  and  sur- 
geons ought  to  be  of  interest  to  the  present  generation. 

Dr.  Marsh  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  a  graduate  of 
Harvard  college,  and  also  of  its  medical  school.  He  came  to 
Los  Angeles  by  way  of  Santa  Fe,  In  the  Archives  of  this  ctty, 
Translations,  Vol,  2,  p,  113,  (session  of  the  Ayuntamiento  or 
Town  Council,  of  i8th  February,  1836,)  the  following  record 
is  found : 

**  .  .  ,  A  petition  from  foreigner,  Don  Juan  Marchet, 
(John  Marsh;  the  sound  of  sh  at  the  ending  of  a  word  is  un- 
known to  the  Spanish  tongue;)  a  native  of  United  States  of  the 
North,  was  read.  He  asks  that  this  illustrious  (honorable) 
Ayuntamiento  consider  him  as  having  appeared,  he  declaring 
his  intention  of  establishing  (locating)  in  this  city,  and  also  that 
he  is  a  physician  and  surgeon^    The  III.  Aynumiento  decided, 


io6 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


in  conformity  with  the  law  of  April  14,  1828,  Art.  3,  as  follows: 
Record  and  forward  the  certified  copy,  solicited,  reminding  said 
Marchet  (Marsh)  that  he  cannot  practice  surgery  until  he  has^ 
obtaine<J  permission  from  this  Ayuntamiei:ito.'*  .  .  .  (Min- 
utes of  this  meeting  were  signed:)  "Manuel  Requena,  Pres.; 
Tiburcio  Tapia,  Rafael  Guirado,  Basilio  Valdez^  Jose  Ma,  Her- 
rcra,  Abel  Stearns,  Narcisco  Botello.'*  (Each  with  his  proper 
Rubric  attached.) 

At  page  117  of  Archives,  (session  of  25th  February,  i836t) 
this  minute  occurs :  ,  .  .  "A  petition  from  Mr.  Juan 
Marchet  (Marsh)  asking-  to  be  permitted  to  practice  his  profes- 
sion, was  read.  The  III  Bod^  decided  to  give  him  permission 
to  practice  medicine,  as  he  has  siibmitted  for  inspection  his  di- 
ploma, which  was  found  to  be  correct,  and  also  for  the  reason 
that  he  would  be  very  useful  to  the  community." 

His  diploma  being  in  Latin,  it  is  said  that,  as  no  one  could 
be  found  in  Los  Angeles  who  understood  that  language,  the 
document  had  to  be  sent  to  San  Gabriel  for  the  Mission  priest 
to  translate^  and  which,  as  noted,  was  found  correct.  Dr. 
Marsh,  however,  only  remained  in  Los  Angeles  about  a  year, 
when,  early  in  1837^  he  went  north  and  settled  finally  on  the 
rancho  Los  Medanos,  or  New  York  ranch,  near  Monte  Diablo, 
of  which  he  became  the  ow^nen  Here  he  lived  until  his  death  in 
1856,  being  murdered  by  natives.  Dr.  Marsh  was  naturalized  as 
a  Mexican  citizen  in  1844. 

Dr,  R,  S,  Den  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1821.  After  receiving 
a  thorough  education  as  a  physician,  surgeon  and  obstetrician, 
he  was  appointed  surgeon  of  a  passenger  ship  bound  for  Austra- 
lia in  1842.  From  thence  he  came  via  Valparaiso  to  Mazatlan, 
where  he  received  with  delight  news  from  his  brother,  Nicolas, 
from  whom  he  had  not  heard  for  some  years,  and  who  was  then 
living  at  Santa  Barbara.  Resigning  his  position  as  surgeon^  he 
came  to  California,  arriving  at  San  Pedro,  August  21,  and  at 
Santa  Barbara,  September  i,  1843,  at  the  age  of  22  years. 

In  the  winter  of  1843-4,  ^^-  ^^^  was  called  to  Los  Angeles 
to  perform  some  difficult  surgical  operations,  when  he  received 
a  petition,  signed  by  leading  citizens,  both  native  and  foreign, 
asking  him  to  remain  and  practice  his  profession.  And  so,  in 
July,  1844,  he  returned  to  Los  Angeles.  From  that  time  on,  till 
his  death  in  1895,  he  made  hi?  home  here,  with  the  exception  of 
a  brief  period  in  the  mines,  and  about  twelve  years,  from  1854 
to  1866,  in  which  he  had  to  look  after  the  interests  of  his  stock 
lancho  of  San  Marcos,  in  Santa  Barbara  county. 


PIONEER  PHYSICIANS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 


107 


A  mtich  fuller  account  of  Dr,  Den  and  his  long  and  honora- 
ble career  in  Southern  California  during  the  pioneer  times,  may 
be  found  in  the  ^'Illustrated  History  of  Los  Angeles  County," 
published  in  18S9,  pp.  197-200,  which  also  contains  a  steel  en- 
graving- and  good  likeness  of  Dr.  Den, 

In  the  Medical  Directory  of  1878  the  following  paragraph 
appears:  *'It  is  of  record  that  Dr.  R.  S.  Den,  in  obedience  to 
the  laws  of  Mexico  relating  to  foreigners,  did  present  his  di- 
plomas as  physician  and  surgeon  to  the  government  of  the  coun- 
try, March  14,  1844,  and  that  he  received  special  license  to 
practice  from  said  government/'  The  document  here  referred 
to,  Dr,  Den,  in  the  latter  years  of  his  life,  showed  to  me.  It  was 
signed  by  Gov.  Micheltorena;  and,  as  it  was  an  interesting  his- 
torical document,  I  asked  that  he  present  it  to  the  Historical 
Society,  which  he  promised  to  do.  At  hig  death,  I  took  consid- 
erable pains  to  have  the  paper  hunted  up,  but  without  success. 
His  heirs,  (the  children  of  his  brother  Nicolas,)  apparently  had 
but  little  idea  of  the  historical  value  of  such  a  document,  and 
therefore  it  probably  has  been  lost. 

Dr-  John  S.  Griflin,  who  for  nearly  half  a  century  was  an 
eminent  citizen,  and  an  eminent  physician  and  surgeon  of  Los 
Angeles,  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  bom  in  1816,  and  a  graduate 
of  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
After  practicing  his  profession  some  three  years  in  Louisville, 
he  entered  the  United  States  army  as  assistant  surgeon,  serving 
under  Gen.  Worth  in  Florida  and  on  the  southwest  frontier. 
As  I  presented  the  Historical  Society  a  condensed  sketch  of  Dr. 
Griffin's  life  on  the  occasion  of  his  death,  three  years  ago,  (pub- 
lished in  the  society*s  Annual  of  1898,  pp.  I83-5.)  I  would  here 
refer  members  to  that  sketch;  and  for  further  details,  to  the  ac- 
count that  I  WTote,  taken  down  mainly  from  his  own  lips*  for  th-o 
Illustrated  History  of  this  county  of  1889,  pp.  206-7,  which  lat- 
ter is  accompanied  by  an  excellent  stipple  steel  portrait  of  Dr. 
Griflfiin.  There  are  many  citizens  of  Los  Angeles  and,  in  fact, 
of  California,  still  living  w^ho  knew  Dr.  Griffiin  well  and  esteemed 
him  highly.     His  death  occurred  in  this  city,  August  23,  1S98. 

Of  other  physicians  and  surgeons  who  practice*!  their  pro- 
fession in  Los  Angeles  in  early  times,  there  were  Doctors  A.  P. 
Hodges,  the  first  mayor  of  the  city,  (July  3,  1850.  to  May  15, 
1851 ;)  and  A.  W.  Hope,  who  was  the  first  State  Senator,  (1850- 
51,)  of  the  First  Senatorial  District,  (San  Diego  and  Los  An» 
geles;)  and  Doctors  McFarlane,  Downey,  fafterwards  Governor 
of  the  State:)  Thos.  Foster,  T.  J.  White.  R.  T,  Hayes,  Winston, 


THE  OLD  ROUND  HOUSE 


BY  GEO,  W.  HAZARD, 


*'In  the  years  from  1854  to  1886,  an  odd-shaped  building 
stood  on  lots  fronting  120  feet  on  Main  street,  Los  Angeles, 
and  running-  through  to  Spring.  The  latter  street  was  in  the 
earlier  part  of  this  time  httle  more  than  a  country  road  The 
building  was  a  conspicuous  landmark  of  the  town,  and  was 
universally  known  as  the  Round  House,  though  within  the  mem- 
ory of  most  American  residents  who  were  here  then  it  was, 
strictly  speaking,  an  octagon  in  shape.  Its  exact  location  was 
ninety-one  and  a  half  feet  south  of  Third  street,  on  the  site  of 
the  present  Pridham  and  Pinney  blocks.  The  old  well,  from 
which  water  was  drawn  by  a  private  arrangementf  called  a  well 
sweep,  consisting  of  a  long  pole,  resting  in  the  middle  on  an  up- 
right forked  timber,  and  a  rope  at  one  end.  to  which  the  bucket 
was  attached^  and  the  other  end  weighted  with  rocks. 

This  land  was  granted  by  the  Ayuntamiento  of  the  pueblo  of 
Los  Angeles  to  Juan  Bouvette  and  Loreta  Cota,  his  wife,  Au- 
gust 31st.  1847.  On  March  3rd,  1854,  it  was  purchased  by  Re- 
raundo  Alexander  and  Maria  Valdez,  his  wife.  Mr.  Alexander 
was  a  native  of  France,  and  came  to  California  as  a  sailor  In 
Africa  he  had  seen  houses  of  stone  built  cylindrical  in  form.  So 
when  he  married  Dona  Maria,  daughter  of  Sefior  Valdez,  a 
prominent  citizen  and  native  of  California,  though  a  grandson 
of  Spain,  he  varied  the  uniform  style  of  building  in  Spanish- 
American  countries  and  fashioned  the  new  adobe  dwelling  for 
his  bride  after  the  architecture  of  Africa.  The  building  was 
two  stories  high,  with  an  umbrella -shaped  shingle  roof,  and  cost 
(Mrs,  Alexander  thinks),  with  the  lawn,  from  fifteen  to  twenty 
thousand  dollars.  On  July  28th,  1856,  it  was  sold  to  George 
Lehman  and  his  wife,  Clara  Snyder.  In  transferring  the  prop- 
erty, the  wording  of  the  deed  follows  established  custom,  for  in 
Spanish  countries  a  woman  does  not  lose  her  maiden  name. 
After  marriage  that  of  her  husband  is  aflfixed  to  her  own  with 
the  preposition  de  (of)  between.  Mr.  L-ehman  was  a  native  of 
Germany,  familiarly  known  to  his  fellow-citizens  as  "Dutch 
George."    He  is  described  by  those  who  knew  him  welL  as  a 


iro 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  01?  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


good-natured,  knid-heartedp  well-nijeaniig;  man,  full  of  vagaries 
and  fantastic  notions. 

After  Lehman  came  into  possession  of  th^  Round  House  he 
enlarged  it  by  enclosing  it  in  a  frame  extension  about  ten  feet 
deep,  which  on  the  exterior  was  an  octagon,  and  in  the  interior 
divided  into  additional  rooms.  Over  the  windows  he  painted 
the  names  o  fthe  thirteen  original  States,  with  that  of  Cali- 
fornia added.  Mr.  Lehman  had  a  strange  hallucination  (excep- 
tional in  Californians)  that  he  had  found  the  garden  of  Eden, 
and  lie  set  to  work  to  make  his  grounds  as  nearly  as  possible 
his  conception  of  the  dwelling  place  of  our  first  parents.  He 
built  a  labyrinth  of  arbors,  which  in  time  were  hidden  under  a 
profusion  of  vines  and  roses.  He  planted  fruit  and  ornamental 
trees,  shnd^ben*-  and  plants,  in  quantity  and  variety,  supposed 
to  have  delighted  the  senses  and  sheltered  the  bodies  of  tho  pro- 
genitors of  the  race. 

The  entrance  to  this  modem  Eden  was  not  guarded  by  cher- 
ubim and  flaming  sward,  but  by  something  probably  more  ef- 
fective in  excluding  intruders;  a  row  of  "tunas'"  (cactus)  ex- 
tended across  the  Main  and  Spring  streets  sides  that  grew  from 
ten  to  fifteen  feet  high,  with  branches  so  closely  interlaced  that 
they  formed  an  impenetrable  hedge.  This  garden  became  a 
thicket  of  foliage  and  bloom,  to  w^hich  the  owner  charged  a 
small  admission  fee:  and  he  sold  beer  and  pretzels  within  its 
shady  recesses.  It  was  embellished  with  cement  statties  repre- 
seniing  Adam  and  Eve  reclining  under  a  tree,  with  the  wily  ser- 
pent presumably  alluring  Mother  Eve  to  take  the  initial  step  in 
himian  progress  that  bequeathed  her  name  to  posterity  as  the 
first  woman  who  aspired  to  a  higher  education.  Scattered  about 
under  the  trees  were  effigies  in  cement  of  the  animals  which 
passed  in  review  before  Adam  to  receive  their  names. 

For  more  than  twenty  years  this  garden  was  one  of  the  re- 
sorts of  the  town,  and  was  used  on  public  occasions,  notably  the 
centennial  celebration  of  July  4th^  1876.  On  March  6th,  1879, 
il  passed  out  of  possession  of  Lehman,  sold  under  foreclosure 
of  mortgage.  The  cactus  hedge  was  cut  down  in  July,  1886, 
when  the  city  ordered  the  laying  of  cement  sidewalks. 

The  building  was  used  as  a  school  house  after  Lehman  left 
it :  then  n??  a  lodging  house,  antl  in  its  last  estate  became  a  resort 
for  tramps.  It  disappeared  before  the  march  of  progress  in  18S7. 
An  air  of  myster\-  in  later  years  surrounded  the  unique  structure 
and  strange  stories  were  told  of  the  eccentric  owner,  not  sub- 
stantiated by  thc^e  who  knew  him  best." 


THE  OLD  ROUND  HOUSE 

The  foregoing  is  from  the  "Land  of  Sunshine"  for  August, 
£897,  written  by  Mary  M.  Bowman, 

It  was  my  pleasure  to  see  the  Round  House  built.  It  was 
the  wonder  of  the  town;  and  when  I  first  saw  it,  the  fountktion 
was  up  about  18  inches.  It  was  buih  of  adobe.  The  exact  num- 
bers of  the  land  it  occupied  are  31 1-3 13-3 15  and  317  South 
Main  street.  The  old  cactus  hedge  was  an  Spring^  street,  where 
the  Breed  block  now  stands;  and,  to  be  exact,  covered  the  space 
now  included  in  Nos,  308-310-312  and  314  South  Spring  street. 
Mrs.  Bowman  says  that  Georgetown  *(called  after  George  Leh- 
man) was  at  the  comer  of  Broadw^iy  and  Fifth  streets;  it  should 
read  Sixth  and  Spring.  Tliere  he  built  an  addition  of  two 
stories  of  brick  to  the  old  house  of  Jose  Rais,  which  is  still  standi 
ing — No.  605  (now  the  Owl  Bakery);  also  No.  607  South  Spring 
street,  now  known  as  "Bob's  Place"  lunch  counter.  Tliat  takes 
you  to  the  alley.  He  cut  the  corner  and  made  it  octagon;  and 
there  today  you  can  read  "'Georgetown  Bakery."  The  Ralphs 
painted  over  it  in  black,  but  it  has  peeled  oflf*  so  you  can  see 
the  gold  letters.  Across  the  alley  is  the  old  house  of  Jose  Lopex, 
now  the  Le  Long  building.  The  Ralphs  brothers  bought  it  in 
1870*  tore  doAvn  the  adobe  and  built  the  present  block  on  the 
comer.  Lehman,  later,  had  a  wine  cellar  on  Sixth  street,  where 
the  Lindley  Sanitarium  now  stands,  between  the  Widney  block 
and  the  First  Methoilist  church. 

It  IS  not  true  that  Lehman  gave  the  Sixth  Street,  or  Central 
Park  to  the  city.  Donations  were  asked  for,  trees  and  shrub- 
bery, etc;  and  he  was  the  first  to  donate.  And  he  did  with  his 
own  hands  plant  the  first  trees  there:  and  he  kept  them  watered 
with  his  five-gallon  cans  from  his  Sixth  Street  house. 

The  following  extract  from  the  Los  Angeles  Star  of  October 
■"sd,  1858.  gives  an  account  of  the  opening  of  the  resort,  v^rhich 
was  then  well  out  in  the  country': 

THE  GARDEN  OF  PARADISE. 

"The  handsome  grounds  of  the  Round  House  in  the  South 
part  of  Main  street  have  lately  been  fitted  up  as  a  public  garden. 


*My  wife  and  I  were  at  the  christening  of  Georgetown^  which  took  place 
at  an  adobe  house  on  tlie  Ea^t  side  oi  Spting  street,  south  of  Sixth  street, 
one  afternoon  when  George  Lehman  brought  a  bottle  or  two  of  wine  and  some 
^■baker's  cookies  and  invited  my  wife  and  nic  to  the  christening:  we  were  then 
fliving  in  a  house  owned  by  him  where  the  store  long  known  as  Ralphs* 
grocery  now  stands.  The  native  California  girls  who  were  there  enjoyed  it 
very  much. — A.  G.  Mappa. 


112  HISTORICAL  SOCI^Y  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 

tinder  the  above  rather  high  sounding-  title.  In  it  are  to  be  seen 
elegantly  portrayed  the  primeval  family,  Adam  and  Eve,  Cain 
and  Abel;  also  the  old  serpent  and  the  golden  apples,  all  accord- 
ing to  the  record.  There  is  beside  a  frame  work  containing 
what  are  called  flying  horses,  for  the  amusement  of  children.  A 
band  of  music  stationed  on  the  balcony  of  the  house  plays  at  in- 
tervals. The  garden  is  tastefully  laid  out  and  is  much  frequented 
by  citizens,  especially  on  Sundays." 


THE  PASSING  OF  THE  OLD  PUEBLO 


BY  J.    M.    GUINN. 

[Read  December,  1901.] 

No  era  of  Califoniia  history  is  so  little  known  or  understood 
as  that  which  may  be  called  the  transition  period — the  period  in 
which  California  was  passing;  from  a  Mexican  province  to  an 
American  state.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  discovery  of 
gold,  shortly  after  the  conquest,  directed  the  attention  of  the 
world  to  the  g:old  regions  in  Northern  California,  which  were 
uninhabited  before  the  conquest,  and  where  no  transition  took 
place;  while  Southern  California,  where  the  population  was  cen- 
tered under  the  Mexican  regime^  received  but  few  accessons 
from  immigration  and  the  native  inhabitants  were  left  to  trans- 
form themselves  into  American  citizens  as  best  they  could. 

The  last  Mexican  stronghold,  Los  Angeles,  surrendered  to 
Commodore  Stockton,  January  10^  1847.  ^  semi-military, 
semi-civil  government  was  inaugurated  and  the  inhabitants  were 
encouraged  to  continue  their  municipal  government  under  the 
Mexican  laws  of  the  Territory,  The  treaty  of  peace  in  1848, 
made  all  the  native  Califomians  who  elected  to  remain  in  the 
country,  citizens  of  the  United  States  nolens  volens.  For  three 
years  and  a  half  the  anomalous  condition  existed  of  citizens  of 
the  United  States  living  in  the  United  States  governed  by  Mex- 
ican !aws  administered  by  a  mixed  constituency  of  Mexican- 
bom  and  American-born  officials. 

Just  what  these  laws  were,  it  was  difhcuk  to  find  out.  No 
code  commissioners  had  codified  the  laws  and  it  sometimes  hap- 
pened that  the  judge  made  the  law  to  suit  the  case.  Under  the 
old  regime  the  alcalde  was  often  law-giver,  judge,  jury  and  ex- 
ecutioner all  in  one.  And  it  did  not  astonish  the  native  to  find 
the  American  following  Mexican  precedents.  That  such  a  state 
of  affairs  produced  no  serious  difficulties  was  largely  due  to  the 
easy  good  nature  of  the  native  Californians.  Had  their  adhesion 
to  the  mother  country,  Mexico,  been  stronger  there  might  have 
been  strenuous  protests  and  even  armed  uprising  against  an 
enforced  allegiance  to  a  government  for  which  they  could  have 
no  love.     But  Mexico,  at  best»  had  been  to  them  only  a  step- 


114 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  S0UTH:^RN  CALIFORNIA 


mother,  and  their  separation  from  her  caused  them  no  heart 
aches. 

Had  they  been  given  a  choice*  it  is  doubtful  whether  many 
of  tliem  would  have  elected  to  become  citizens  of  the  United 
States — a  country  whose  inhabitants  were  alien  to  them  in  race, 
religion  and  customs.  Tlie  conditions  under  which  they  became 
citizens  were  humihating^  to  their  pride  and  were  often  made 
more  so  by  the  arrogance  of  fellows  of  the  baser  sort  who  as- 
sumed the  airs  of  conquerors.  To  the  credit  of  the  native  Cali- 
fornian  be  it  said  that  throughout  the  trying  ordeal  of  transition 
he  bore  himself  as  good  citizen  and  a  perfect  gentleman. 

The  transition  period  (as  I  have  said)  from  the  rule  of  Mex- 
ico to  the  introduction  of  American  laws  and  the  inauguration 
of  American  forms  of  local  governments  lasted  three  years  and 
a  half.  The  Legislature  of  1849-50  divided  the  State  into  27 
counties  and  provided  for  county,  town  and  city  governments. 

The  first  election  for  city  officers  in  Los  Angeles  imder 
American  law  was  held  July  t.  1850,  and  on  July  3,  three  days 
later*  the  most  Illustrious  Ayuntamiento  gave  place  to  the  hon- 
orable Common  Council.  For  nearly  three  score  years  and  ten 
under  the  rule  of  Spain  and  her  descendant,  Mexico,  the  Aytm- 
tamiento  had  been  the  law-maker  of  the  pueblo.  Generations 
had  grown  to  manhood  under  its  clomination.  Monarchy,  em- 
pire and  republic  had  ruled  the  territory,  had  loosened  their  hold 
and  lost  their  power,  but  through  all  the  Ayuntamiento  had  held 
its  sway-  Now.  too.  it  must  go.  Well  might  the  old-time  An- 
gelena  heave  a  sigh  of  regret  at  the  dovvnfall  of  that  bulwark 
of  his  liberty,  Muy  lUustre  Ayuntamiento. 

The  first  Common  Council  of  Los  Angeles  was  organized 
July  3»  1850.  The  records  say  that  Jonathan  R,  Scott,  a  Justice 
of  the  peace,  administered  the  oath  of  office  to  the  members- 
elect,  solemnly  swearing  them  to  support  the  constitution  of  the 
State  of  California — and  yet  there  was  no  State  of  California 
and  no  Iceral  constitution  to  support.  The  people  of  Californiat 
tired  of  the  anomalous  condition  in  which  they  w^ere  held,  had 
rebelled  against  the  delays  of  Congress  and  had  elected  State 
officers,  a  legislature  and  congressmen,  and  had  put  into  opera- 
tion a  state  government  before  the  territory  had  been  admitted 
into  the  Union.  The  legislature  had  made  counties  and  in- 
corporated cities,  had  appointed  judges  and  provided  for  the 
election  of  city  and  county  officers  and  these  when  elected  had 
sworn  to  support  the  constitution  of  a  state  that  did  not  exist. 
The  State  of  California,  at  this  time^  w^as  a  political  nondescript 


tHE  PASSING  OF  THE  OUD  PUEBLO 


II 


— a  governmental  paradox.  It  had  divested  itself  of  its  terri- 
lorial  condition,  but  it  could  not  put  on  the  toga  viriles  of  state- 
hood until  Congress  admitted  it  into  the  Union,  and  the  slave- 
holding  faction  in  that  body  would  not  let  it  in.  It  was  actu- 
ally a  state  dc  facto  nine  months  before  it  became  a  state  de 
jure. 

The  members  of  the  first  Council  of  Los  Angeles  were  David 
W.  Alexander,  Alexander  Bell,  Manuel  Reqnena,  Juan  Temple, 
Morris  L.  Goodman,  Cristoval  Aguilar  and  Juliaji  Chavez.  All 
of  these  except  Goodman,  who  was  an  Israelite,  had  been  citi- 
zens of  Mexico — some  by  birth,  others  by  naturalization. 

The  Legislature  of  1849-50  passed  an  act,  April  4,  1850,  in- 
corporating the  city  of  Los  Angeles.  Fifteen  years  before,  the 
Mexican  Congress  had  decreed  it  a  ciudad.  Twice  by  different 
nations,  it  had  been  raised  to  the  dignity  of  a  city,  and  yet  it  was 
not  much  of  a  city  after  all.  There  was  not  a  sidewalk  nor  a 
graded  street  v\'ithin  its  bounds;  not  a  street  lamp  nor  a  water- 
pipe — ^not  a  school  bouse  nor  a  postoflice;  not  a  printing  press 
nor  a  newspaper.  It  owned  no  municipal  buildings — not  even 
a  jail.  It  had  a  church  and  a  graveyard,  neither  of  which  be- 
longed to  the  city;  and  yet  these  were  the  only  public  improve- 
ments (if  a  s;raveyard  can  be  called  a  public  improvement)  that 
seventy  years  of  Ayuntamiento  rule  had  produced.  It  was  high 
{.!m*e  "to  ring  out  the  old — ring  in  the  new." 

The  act  of  incorporation  gave  the  city  an  area  of  four  square 
miles.  Why  the  Legislatin*e  of  a  "Thousand  Drinks"  pared 
down  its  domain  of  four  square  leagues  that  for  seventy  years 
under  monarchy,  empire  and  republic  tt  had  held  without  dis- 
ptite  does  not  appear  either  in  the  act  or  in  the  city  records. 
As  the  members  of  that  Legislature  were  mostly  tenderfeet.  re- 
cently the  plains  across,  they  may  not  have  known  the  dif- 
ference between  a  Spanish  league  and  an  English  mile,  but  the 
most  charitable  conclusion  is  that  they  deemed  four  square  miles 
area  enotiJ^h  for  a  city  of  sixteen  hundred  people.  Why  incor- 
pornte  chaparral-covered  hills  and  mustard-grown  mesas  inhab- 
ited* by  coyotes,  jackrabbits  and  ground  squirrel??  So  they 
made  its  dimension  a  mile  to  each  wind  from  the  Plaza  center; 
yn<l  the  City  of  Los  Angeles  half  a  century  ago  ended  at  Fifth 
street  on  the  south;  on  the  north  at  the  Catholic  cemetery:  its 
eastern  boundary-  skirtetl  the  mesa  beyond  the  nver  and  its  west- 
cm  was  hopelessly  lost  in  the  hills.  No  one  on  that  side  knew 
just  where  the  city  ended  and  the  country  began;  and  nobody 
cared,  for  the  land  was  considered  worthless 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


The  first  Common  Council  of  the  city  was  patriotic  and  self- 
denying.  The  first  resolution  passed  read  as  follows:  *'It  hav- 
ing been  obsen^ed  that  in  other  places  the  Council  members 
were  drawing  a  salary,  it  was  unanimously  resolved  that  the 
members  of  this  Council  shall  receive  neither  salary  nor  fees  of 
whatsoever  nature  for  discharging  their  duties  as  such/'  But 
some  of  them  wearied  of  serving  an  ungrateful  public  and  taking 
their  pay  in  honors.  Before  sixty  days  passed,  two  of  them  had 
resigned  and  at  the  end  of  the  year  only  two  of  the  original 
members,  David  W.  Alexander  and  Manuel  Requena,  were  left. 
There  had  been  six  resignations  in  eight  months  and  the  first 
Council  of  seven  had  had  thirteen  different  members  during 
its  short  existence.  It  might  be  remarked  in  passing  that  there 
was  no  "solid  six"  in  that  Council, 

The  process  of  Americanizing  the  people  w^s  no  easy  under- 
taking. Tlie  population  of  the  city  and  the  laws  were  in  a  chaotic 
condition.  It  was  an  arduous  task  that  these  old-time  municipal 
legislators  had  to  perform — ^that  of  evolving  order  out  of  the 
chaos  that  had  been  brought  about  by  the  change  of  nations. 
The  native  population  neither  understood  the  language  nor  the 
customs  of  their  new  rulers,  and  the  newcomers  among  the 
Amercans  had  very  little  toleration  for  the  slow-going  Mexican 
ways  and  methods  they  found  prevailing  in  the  city.  To  keep 
peace  between  the  factions  required  more  tact  than  knowledge 
of  law  in  the  legislator.  Fortunately  the  first  Council  was  made 
up  of  level-headed  men. 

What  to  do  with  the  Indian  was  the  burning  issue  of  that 
day- — not  wnth  the  wild  ones  from  the  mountains  who  stole  the 
rancheros'  horses  and  cattle.  For  thern^  when  caught,  like  the 
punishment  provided  in  the  cocle  of  that  old  Spartan  code  com- 
missioner, Draco,  there  was  but  one  penalty  for  all  offenses  and 
that  was  death.  The  rancheros  believed  in  the  doctrine  that 
there  is  no  good  Indian  but  a  dead  Indian  and  with  true  mis- 
sionary zeal  they  converted  poor  Lo  so  effectually  that  there  was 
no  fear  of  his  back-sliding.  It  was  the  tame  Indians — the  Chris- 
tianized neophytes  of  the  Missions  that  worried  the  city  fathers. 
The  Mission  Indians  constituted  the  labor  element  of  the  city 
and  country.  When  sober  they  were  harmless  and  were  fairly 
good  laborers,  but  in  their  drunken  orgies  they  became  verita- 
ble fiends,  and  the  usual  result  of  their  Saturday  night  revels 
was  a  dead  Indian  or  two  on  Sunday  morning.  And  all  the 
others,  o^d  an'd  young,  male  and  female,  were  dead  drunk.  They 
were  gathered  up  after  a  carousal  and  carted  to  a  corral  and 


THE  PASSING  OI^  THE  OU>  PUEBI/) 


U7 


herded  there  until  their  day  of  judgment  came*  which  was  Mon- 
day: then  they  were  sentenced  to  hard  labor.  At  first  thej  were 
worked  in  chain  gangs  on  the  streets^  but  the  supply  became  tot> 
great  (or  city  purposes.  So  the  Council,  August  i6,  1850, 
passed  this  ordinance: 

'*When  the  city  has  no  work  in  which  to  employ  the  chain 
gang,  the  Recorder  shall,  by  means  of  notices  conspicuously 
posted,  notify  the  public  that  such  a  number  of  prisoners  will 
be  auctioned  oflF  to  the  highest  bidder  for  private  service;  and 
in  that  manner  they  shall  be  disposed  of  for  a  sum  which  shall 
not  be  less  than  the  amount  of  their  line  for  double  the  time 
which  they  were  to  serve  at  hard  labor/'  It  would  have  been 
a  righteous  retribution  on  the  white  wretches  who  sold  the  in- 
toxicants to  the  Indians  if  they  couk!  have  been  sold  into  per- 
petual slavery.  Evidently  auctioning  off  Indians  to  the  high- 
est bidders  paid  the  city  quite  a  revenue,  for  at  a  subser|uent 
meeting,  the  Recorder  was  authorized  to  pay  the  Indian  alcaldes 
or  chiefs  the  sum  of  one  real  (1254  cts.)  out  of  ever>'  fin^.-  col- 
lected from  Indians  the  said  alcaldes  may  bring;  to  the  Recorder 
for  trial.  A  month  or  so  later  the  Recorder  presented  a  bill 
of  $15.00.  the  amount  of  money  he  had  paid  the  alcaldes  t'Ut  of 
fines-  At  the  rate  of  eight  Indians  to  the  dollar  the  alcaldes  had 
evidently  gathered  up  a  hundred  and  twenty  poor  Los. 

Usually  poor  Lo  paid  a  higher  penalty  for  sinning  than  his 
white  brother  but  there  was  one  city  ordinance  which  reversed 
this  custom^ArticIe  14 — "For  playing  cards  in  the  streets  re- 
gardless of  the  kind  of  game;  Ukewi&e  for  playing  any  other 
game  of  the  kind  as  is  played  in  houses  that  are  paying  a  license 
for  the  privilege,  the  offender  shall  be  fined  not  less  than  $10  nor 
more  than  $25,  which  shall  be  paid  on  the  spot;  otherwise  he 
shall  be  sent  to  the  chain  gang  for  ten  days.  If  he  be  an  Indian 
then  he  shall  be  fined  not  less  than  $3  nor  more  than  S5,  or 
sent  to  the  chain  gang  for  eight  days." 

At  first  glance  this  ordinance  might  seem  to  have  been 
drafted  in  the  interests  of  morality,  but  a  closer  inspection  shows 
that  it  was  for  revenue  only.  The  gambling  houses  paid  a 
license  of  $100  a  month.  So,  for  their  benefit,  the  Council  put 
p  protective  tariff  on  all  outside  gambling. 

The  whipping  post,  too,  was  used  to  instil  lessons  of  honesty 
?nd  morality  into  the  Indian,  One  court  record  reads:  Chino 
Valencia  (Indian)  was  fined  $50  and  twenty-five  lashes  for  steal- 
ing a  pair  of  shears;  the  latter  fine — the  lashes — was  paid 
promptly  in  full;  for  the  former  he  stands  committed  to  the  chain 


118 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  O^  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


gang  for  two  months  unless  sooner  paid."  At  the  same  session 
of  tire  court  Vicente  Guera,  a  white  man,  was  fined  $30  for  sell- 
ing  liquor  to  the  Indians — ^*'fine  paid  and  defendant  discharged." 
Drunkenness,  immorality  and  epidemics,  civilization's  gifts  to 
the  aborigines,  settled  the  Indian  question  in  Los  Angeles — 
settled  by  exterminating  the  Indian. 

Under  Spanish  and  Mexican  rule  in  California  there  was  no 
municipal  form  of  government  corresponding  to  our  county  or- 
ganizations. The  Ayuntamientos  exercised  control  over  the 
contiguous  country  districts,  but  there  were  no  district  boundary 
lines.  The  Ayuntamiento  of  Los  Angeles  exercised  jurisdiction 
over  territory  now  included  in  four  counties  and  the  old  pueblo 
was  the  seat  of  government  for  a  district  as  large  as  the  Emerald 
Isle.  The  only  drawback  to  the  old  town's  greatness  was  the 
lack  of  inhabitants  in  its  back  country.  The  first  legislature 
divided  the  State  into  counties  beginning  with  San  Diego.  The 
original  county  of  Los  Angeles  was  an  empire  in  ttself.  It  ex- 
tended from  the  Pacific  Ocean  on  the  west  to  the  Colorado 
River  on  the  east,  and  from  San  Diego  County  on  the  South 
to  Mariposa  on  the  north.  Its  area  was  about  32,000  square 
miles,  or  over  one-fifth  of  the  area  of  the  entire  State,  It  was 
equal  in  size  to  the  aggregate  dimension  of  five  New  England 
States,  namely,  Massachusetts.  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island,  Ver- 
mont and  New  Hampshire.  In  1853,  San  Bernardino  sliced  oflF 
from  the  eastern  side  of  Los  Angeles  about  23,000  square  miles. 
In  1866  Kern  County  chipped  off  about  4000.  and  in  1889  Or- 
ange County  cut  oflF  nearly  a  thousand,  leaving  its  present  area 
a  litt[e  less  than  4000  square  miles.  The  county  of  Los  Angeles 
set  up  in  business  for  itself  June  24,  1850.  Tlie  Court  of  Ses- 
sions, an  institution  long  relegated  to  oblivion,  wvs  the  motive 
power  that  started  the  county  machinery  running.  The  first 
judge  of  that  court  was  Augiistin  Olvera,  one  of  the  signers  of 
the  treaty  of  Cahuenga.  His  house  still  stands  on  the  north  side 
of  the  Plaza  and  a  misspelled  street  name  tries  to  perpetuate 
his  memory.  The  associate  justices  were  Jonathan  R.  Scott  and 
Louis  Roubideau,  Roubideau  was  the  ow^ner  of  what  is  now  the 
site  of  Riverside,  then  an  arid  w^aste  so  barren  and  waterless  that 
the  coyotes  were  compelled  to  carry  haversacks  and  canteens 
when  they  crossed  it. 

The  first  Mayor  of  the  city.  Dr.  A.  P.  Hodges,  was  the  first 
County  Coroner;  and  the  first  County  Clerk.  B.  D.  Wilson,  was 
the  second  Mayor.  The  Mayor  took  his  pay  in  honors,  but  the 
office  of  Coroner  was  exceedingly  lucrative.     It  cost  $ioo  to 


THE  PASSING  03?  TH^  OLD  PUfiBtO 


119 


hold  an  inquest  on  a  dead  Indian,  and  as  violent  deaths  were  of 
almost  daily  or  nightly  occurrence  the  Coroner  could  afford  to 
serve  the  city  a^  Mayor  for  the  honor.  Los  AngeleSi  in  the  early 
50".  was  an  ungodly  city,  yet  some  of  the  verdicts  of  the  Cor- 
oner's juries  showed  remarkable  familiarity  with  the  decrees  of 
the  <leity.  On  a  native  Californian  named  Gamacio,  foimd  dead 
in  tlie  street,  the  verdict  was.  *'Death  by  the  visitation  of  God." 
Of  a  dead  Indian  found  near  the  zanja  the  Los  Angeles  Star 
says:  '^Justice  Dryden  and  a  jury  sat  on  the  body.  The  ver- 
dict was  'Death  from  intoxication  or  by  the  visitation  of  God' — 
the  jury  cannot  decide  which/  'Bacilio  (said  the  verdict)  was 
a  Christian  In<lian  and  was  confessed  by  the  reverend  padre  yes* 
terday  afternoon.*' 

Some  one  has  sneeringly  said  that  the  first  public  buildings 
the  Americans  erected  in  California  were  jails.  The  first  county 
jail  in  Los  Angeles  was  an  adobe  building  on  the  hill  back  of 
the  Downey  Block.  There  were  no  cells  in  it.  Staples  were 
driven  into  a  heavy  pine  log  that  reached  across  the  building  and 
short  chains  attaclied  to  the  staples  were  fastened  to  the  hand- 
cuflFs  of  the  prisoners.  Solitary  confinement  was  out  of  the 
<|uestion  then.  Indian  prisoners,  being  considered  unfit  to  as- 
sociate with  the  high-toned  w^hite  culprits  inside,  were  chained 
to  logs  outside  of  the  jail  where  they  conld  more  fully  enjoy  the 
glorious  climate  of  Southern  California.  This  building  was 
not  built  by  the  county,  but  in  1853  the  city  and  county  did 
build  a  jail  on  the  present  site  of  the  People's  Store,  and  it  was 
the  first  public  building  erected  in  the  county. 

Even  at  this  early  day,  before  Caltfornia  had  become  a  State, 
there  w^ere  what  the  native  Californians  called  "Patriotas  de 
Bolsa" — patriots  of  the  pocket — men  who  knew  how  to  set  a 
high  value  on  their  public  services.  In  the  summer  of  1850 
an  expedition  imder  Gen,  Joseph  C.  Morehead  was  sent  against 
the  mountain  Indians,  who  had  been  stealing  horses  from  the 
Los  Angeles  rancheros.  In  a  skirmish  with  these  Indian  horse 
thieves  a  militiaman  named  Wm,  Carr  was  wounded.  Gen. 
Morehead  sent  him  back  to  Los  Angeles  to  be  taken  care  of. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Court  of  Session  the  medico  who  doctored 
the  w^ounded  soldier  presented  a  bill  of  $503;  the  patriotic  Amer- 
ican who  boarded  him  demanded  $120,  and  the  man  who  lodged 
him  charged  $45  for  house  rent.  The  native  Californian  who 
nursed  him  was  satisfied  with  $30,  but  then  he  was  not  a  patriot; 
he  did  not  set  high  enough  value  on  his  services.  The  bills  were 
approved,  but  as  the  county  treasury  was  as  empty  as  the 
rancheros*  corrals  after  an  Indian  raid,  the  accounts  were  re- 


132 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTBgRN  CALIFORNIA 


On  the  Pacific  shore  the  Leiand  Stanford,  Jr.,  University 
has  its  marine  biological  laboratory  at  Padfic  Grove,  and  the 
summer  school  of  marine  biology  at  San  Pedro  has  been  started 
by  the  zoological  department  of  the  State  University  at 
Berkeley. 

An  impottant  undertaking  represents  the  growth  of  an  idea 
expressed  in  action.  Tentative  trials  often  precede  work  of 
greater  significance.  There  are  several  links  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  marine  biological  laboratory  at  San  Pedro,  One 
link  in  the  chain  of  events  was  begun  in  the  summer  of  1891 
at  Pacific  Grove,  In  the  summer  of  1^93  investigation  was  car- 
ried  on  at  Avalon  for  about  one  month.  In  the  simimer  of 
1895  a  party  was  located  at  Timm's  Point,  in  San  Pedro  Bay, 
This  preliminary  work  had  been  carried  on  under  the  super- 
vision of  Prof.  William  E,  Kilter,  now  at  the  head  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Zoology  at  Berkeley.  In  the  sunmier  of  1S99  Prof. 
Ritter  was  with  the  Harriman  party  in  Alaska  and  had  charge  of 
the  marine  vertebrate  work. 

The  undertaking  at  San  Pedro  is  the  expression  of  Prof, 
Ritter's  hope  for  a  permanent  station  in  Southern  California, 
On  the  15th  of  May  of  this  year  (1901)  the  gasoline  launch  Elsie 
was  hired  for  the  purpose  of  dredging.  The  Duffy  bathhouse 
on  Terminal  Island — locally  known  as  East  San  Pedrch — was 
leased  for  the  use  of  the  laborator>\  This  bathhouse,  situated  on 
the  breakwater  of  San  Pedro  Bay*  was  prepared  for  the  use  of 
the  summer  school,  under  the  immediate  supervision  of  Prof, 
Ritter.  In  June  the  bathhouse  was  ready  for  occupancy.  The 
building,  facing  the  inner  harbor  of  the  bay.  stands  a  long, 
white,  one-story  structure  containing  seven  little  rooms,,  a  smalt 
room  for  laboratory  stores  and  a  long  room  for  the  use  of 
the  summer  classes.  In  this  room  each  student  had  the  use  of 
a  window  above  the  long  tables,  fitted  out  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  about  fifteen  pupils.  On  the  outside  of  these  windows, 
of  which  there  are  nine,  on  the  channel  side*  each  one  is  covered 
with  a  white  tent  awning.  The  row  of  little  rooms  referred  to 
was  for  the  use  of  Prof.  Ritter  and  his  corps  of  teachers,  the 
library,  and  for  the  use  of  specialists.  Fresh  water  and  water 
from  the  bay  was  piped  into  the  room. 

The  library  and  equipments  were  brought  from  the  north. 
The  use  of  aquarium  facilities,  glassware,  reagents,  microscopes 
and  books  were  furnished  the  pupils^  but  not  dissecting  iiistru- 
ments.  paper,  etc. 

The  following  were  in  charge:     Prof.  Wm,  E.  Ritter,  As- 


THK  MARINE  BIOLOGICAl,  LABORATORY  AT  SAN  PEDRO 


123 


sistant  Professor  W.  J.  Raymond,  Hydrography;  Assistant  Pro- 
fessor C.  A.  Kofoidt  Zoology;  Dr.  F.  W.  Bancroft,  Pliysiology^ 
and  Mr.  H.  B.  Torrey,  Zoology,  Among  the  specialists  pres- 
f  nt  from  Eastern  colleges  were  ProT  Wesley  Coe  of  Yale,  Prof, 
Samuel  J,  Holmes  of  Michigan  University,  and  Prof.  T.  D.  A. 
Cockereil  of  the  State  Normal  School  at  Los  Vegas,  New 
Mexico, 

Lectures  were  delivered  on  an  average  of  about  twice  a  week 
during  the  term.  They  were  given  in  the  evening,  and  with 
one  exception, — when  one  of  the  ladies  on  the  island  gave  the 
use  of  her  summer  cottage, — they  were  delivered  in  the  class 
room  of  the  school.  The  following  list  of  topics  will  give  an 
idea  of  the  scope  of  these  lectures! 

**The  Ocean  as  a  Habitat  of  Living  Beings  f*  Prof.  William 
E,  Ritter.    (July  3.) 

"A  Sketch  of  the  History  and  Methods  of  Marine  Biolog- 
ical Exploration  f    Dr.  C  A.  Kofoid.    (July  5). 

"Geographical  Distribution  of  Terrestrial  Animals  in  the 
West:"    Prof.  T.  D.  A.  Cockereil     (July  12). 

"The  Habits  of  Amphepod  Crustacea:"  Or,  S.  J,  Holmes* 
(July  12). 

"Some  Problems  of  Regeneration :"  Mr,  H.  B.  Torrey, 
July  16). 

"Locomotion  of  Marine  Animals:*'  Dr.  Frank  W.  Bartcroft. 
(July  18). 

^'Biological  Exploration:"  Prof.  William  E.  Ritter. 
(July  26). 

'The  Study  of  Variation:"    Dr.  F.  W.  Bancroft.    (Aug.  i). 

"Distribution  of  Mollusca  on  the  Pacific  Coast  of  North 
America:*'     Dr,  William  H.  Dall.    (Aug.  5). 

"Phototaxis;"    Dr.  S.  J.  Holmes.    (Aug,  6), 

One  of  the  lecturers  in  this  course  was  Dr.  William  H.  Dall 
of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  who  ivas  a  visitor  at  the  Marine 
Station  for  a  few  days. 

Dr.  F.  W.  Bancroft  and  Mr.  H.  B.  Torrey.  who  had  immedi- 
ate supervision  of  the  class  work,  w^ere  untiring  in  their  efforts 
to  assist  students  in  their  departments-  Five,  and  more  often 
six,  days  in  each  week,  from  June  27,,  to  August  7»  were  covered 
by  the  course  of  instruction.  Occasionally  students  went  out 
with  the  dredging  launch  Elsie.  Little  parties  also  made  early 
morning  excursions  in  quest  of  marine  invertebrates  for  class 
work- 
As  we  all  know,  it  was  during  the  session  of  the  school  that 


124 


HIdTOUCAt  SQCISTY  OF  SOUTHfiRK  CALIFORKIA 


lh«  wonderful  phosphorescence  appeared  on  our  Southern  wa- 
Icm.  The  prc&etice  of  theperidinium,  the  cause  of  the  luminos- 
ity of  the  ocean,  added  to  the  interest  of  the  class-room,  and 
catited  thou&ands  of  persons  to  visit  the  various  beaches. 

On  the  evening  of  July  ii^  1901,  Prof.  W.R.  Raymond  asked 
the  writer  if  she  had  noticed  a  peculiar  light,  or  phosphorescence, 
in  (he  l>ay  on  the  ocean  side.  He  had  remarked  its  presence  in 
the  channel  That  evening  the  phosphorencence  was  j^ainly  vis- 
ible on  the  ocean  side  of  the  bay,  and  each  evening  after,  for 
frevrral  days  the  peculiar  light  was  intensified  in  brilliancy,  and 
the  ilhiniination  increased  in  area.  During  the  rest  of  the  month 
of  July  and  the  first  week  in  Augijst  this  display  of  phosphores- 
cence coiitituieil  During  this  *ime  it  was  visible,  with  varying 
(h'K'^''*''*  ^*f  hjminosity,  from  Santa  Barbara,  Ventura,  Santa 
Mf intra,  l^eiloudo,  Son  Pedro  Bay,  including-  Long  Beach  and 
down  the  coast  to  Coronado  and  San  Diego. 

At  tlie  CDve,  on  Terminal  Island,  when  the  waves  dashed 
hij;h  and  inuncnsc  breakers  rolled  in.  each  billow  was  capped 
li)'  a  Ma/.c  i>f  li^lu  Uiat  broke  against  the  rocks  or  lost  itself  in 
u  Mprontling  5hect  of  gttmniering  undulations.  A  pail  of  this 
water  Kcinly  stirred  in  a  dark  room  was  brilliantly  starred  with 
tiny  lijihu,  and  a  scintillating  mass  of  light  followed  a  more  vig- 
onuis  jj;itation  of  the  water.  Any  object,  like  a  hand,  immersed 
in  the  pail  was  covered  with  little  sparks,  as  of  fire,  when  it  was 
rctnovccl  from  the  water, 

Rfuving  in  a  skiff  over  the  water  at  night,  one  could  plainly 
»cc  fishes  <lartjng  away  from  their  enemies,  sharks  and  stingrays 
in  search  of  prey.  Tlie  movemest  of  the  boat  caused  a  brilliant 
display  of  phosphorescence  on  either  side  of  it,  and  the  splash 
of  the  paddle  was  like  playing  with  burning  brimstone. 

(  htv  »hc  ocean  the  crest  of  the  waves  shone  with  a  brilliant 
flninr*  and  the  light  merged  into  a  glistening,  yellowish-green 
ilhnniiialion  iliat  died  away  in  a  fringe  of  red. 

In  Ihe  (tnytime  the  ocean  was  of  a  red  or  reddish-brown 
color. 

(Jn  Sunday  morning,  July  21,  we  were  conscious  that  there 
Win  lomc  unustial  condition  of  affairs  on  the  beach  at  the  cove. 
*rhi>  *cn-(?ull3i  were  flying  in  flocks,  or  quacking  in  groups  on  the 
wi»t  »ftud  at  the  water's  edge,  and  the  beach  was  strewn  with 
m|Ulrniing  and  flopping  TOung  stingrays,  which  the  gulls  eagerly 
ilvvnurcd.  While  on  the  sand,  on  the  breakwater  side,  the  beach 
Wfltt  covered  by  dead  fish.  In  a  short  space  of  time  Mr  Torrey 
AU\\  MIha  Robertson  of  the  laboratory-  had  collected  almost  a 


THE  MARINE  BIOUXJICAI,  LABORATORY  AT  SAN  PEDRO 


125 


dozen  different  species  of  fish  in  a  small  area  on  the  sand.  These 
fishes  included  flat  sharks,  sting^ys^  edible  fishes,  and  several 
devil-fish  or  octopi;  hundreds  of  sea  cucumbers  and  thousands 
of  small  crabs  were  also  lying  lifeless  on  the  wet  sand. 

Some  of  these  were  too  far  gone  for  laboratory  use»  but  some 
of  them  were  opened  to  see  what  could  be  the  cause  of  this 
wholesale  destruction  of  life.  The  gills  of  the  fishes  were  studied 
to  see  if  they  contained  many  of  the  peridinium, — which  were 
now  dying  in  immense  quantities, — and  the  stomachs  of  the 
fishes  were  dissected  for  the  same  purpose.  When  the  peridi- 
num^  were  dying  and  dead,  the  odor  from  the  ocean  was  unbear- 
able, and  even  enthusiasts,  who  are  supposed  to  be  oblivious  of 
rank  odors^  were  annoyed  and  enervated  by  the  rank  odor  wafted 
by  the  sea  breeze. 

For  days  these  little  protozoas  had  been  the  subject  of  much 
study  in  the  laboratory.  The  peridinums  appeared  to  keep  to- 
gether in  flocks  or  colonies.  In  a  glass  tube  these  microscopic 
animals  could  be  seen  moving  as  a  flock  of  birds  might  move, 
some  leading,  others  following.  Their  appearance,  as  a  whole, 
was  that  of  a  light,  yellow-brown  gelatinous  looking  substance, 
passing  upward  in  a  glass  of  water.  Even  in  a  tube,  their  grega- 
rious nature  was  visible. 

Although  the  season  of  the  summer  school  at  the  Biological 
Station  was  such  a  success,  everyone  knows  this  was  only  of  sec- 
ondary importance.  The  real  object  in  locating  the  Biological 
Station  in  San  Pedro  Bay  was  on  account  of  the  rich  faunse  of 
the  San  Pedro  region.  Santa  Catalina  region  and  that  of  San 
Diego  Bay.  To  make  hydrographic  investigations,  including  a 
study  of  the  temperature  and  salinity  of  the  w^aters,  currents 
and  tides,  exploring  from  loo  to  150  fathoms,  and  collecting 
at  various  depths  the  rare  and  new  specimens  sure  to  be  found 
in  these  rich  areas — these  were  of  first  importance.  The  results 
more  than  equaled  the  expectation.  Eighty-six  stations  were 
dredged,  and  157  hauls  were  made.  Several  (12)  barrels  of  val- 
uable material  was  secured  for  the  University  at  Berkeley, 
Common  species  were  placed  in  the  station  for  school  use,  but 
the  rarer  specimens  w-ere  reserved  for  the  State  University,  The 
dredging  w^as  under  the  supervision  of  Dr.  C.  A.  Kofoid,  re- 
cently from  Berkeley,  but  fonnerly  from  Champlain,  III.  He 
and  his  corps  of  assistants — Dr.  C.  A.  Whiting  of  Los  Angeles, 
Mr,  Cook  of  Whittier,  and  others — dredged  in  the  vicinity  of 
San  Diego  for  nearly  three  weeks.  In  the  San  Diego  region 
there  is  a  deep  depression  or  canon,  and  dredging  in  this  deep 


126 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


gorge  descended  to  over  630  fathoms.  The  hydrography  of 
the  Catalina  and  San  Pedro  regions  was  in  charge  of  Prof.  W. 
R.  Rayrnond,  who  had  also  the  work  of  determining  the  mol- 
luscan  species.  In  this  he  was  very  ably  assisted  by  Mrs.  T.  S- 
Oldroyd.  This  meant  the  sorting  out  and  classifiying  of  im- 
nieJise  quantities  of  drift  material,  rich  in  molluscan  life. 

All  material  collected  was,  after  sorting  out  species,  or  gen- 
era, tied  in  JIttle  cheese-cloth  bags,  containing  labels  of  the  sta- 
tion from  which  each  specimen  was  collected,  then  thei^e  bags 
were  packed  in  barrels  in  alcohol.  Small  or  very  rare  specimens 
were  placed  in  vials  or  bottles  containing  alcohoK  Miss  Rob- 
ertson of  Berkeley  had  charge  of  the  material  temporarily  left 
at  the  Biological  Laboratory,  Miss  Gulilema  R.  Crocker  sorted 
and  identified  the  echinodenns;  Proi  Wesley  R.  Coe  of  Yale 
had  charge  of  the  nemertina,  (worms),  making  drawings  and 
naming  a  number  of  new  species^  and  Dr.  S.  J.  Holmes  of  Mich- 
igan University  had  supervision  of  new  forms  of  Crustacea.  Be- 
sides these,  there  were  a  number  of  persons  engaged  in  special 
study  of  various  branches.  Diatoms,  Dr.  W.  C.  Adler-Musch- 
kowsky;  Peridiniimis,  Mr.  H.  B.  Torrey;  Echinoderms  in  con- 
nection with  the  reproduction  of  rays,  Miss  Monks;  Bryozoa, 
Mis-^  Robertson;  Ascidians,  Dn  Bancroft;  Enteropneusta,  Prof. 
Rtiter;  Sea  Slugs,  Prof.  Cockerell. 

Although  the  university's  endow^ment  is  capitalized  at  about 
^'eleven  million  dollars,"  and  its  yearly  income  is  about  "five 
hundred  thousand  dollars,"  and  it  has  received  "private  bene- 
factions to  the  amount  of  four  million  dollars.'^  there  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  any  adequate  sum  set  apart  for  research  in 
Southern  California.  Capitalists  in  Los  Angeles  were  appealed 
to,  and  they  responded,  as  the  following  note  of  acknowledge- 
jTient.  issued  in  the  University  Bulletin  of  April,  1901,  attests, 
After  this  was  issued,  other  friends  of  the  enterprise  in  Los  An- 
geles responded.    Tliese  are  now  added  to  the  other  names ' 

"The  investigations  here  projected  are  made  possible,  finan- 
cially by  the  co-operation  with  the  university  of  Mr.  H.  W. 
O'Melveny,  Mr.  J.  A.  Graves,  Mr.  Jacob  Baruch,  Mr.  Wm.  G. 
KerckhofF,  Mr.  Wm.  R.  Rowdand,  the  Los  Angeles  Terminal 
Railway.  Mr.  J.  H.  Shankland,  Mr.  Jno.  E.  Plater,  and  the 
Banning  Company,"  Mr.  L  N.  Van  Nuys,  Mr.  C,  M.  Wright, 
Mr.  H.  Newmark,  Mr.  H,  Jevne,  Miss  M.  M.  Fette,  Mr.  H.  H. 
KerckhofF,  Mr.  R,  H.  F.  Varieh  Mr,  W.  J.  Variel,  Mr.  L.  R. 
Hewitt,  Mr.  Russ  Avery,  E.  K.  Wood  Lumber  Co..  Standard 
Oil  Company,  all  of  Los  Angeles. 


EARLY  CLERICALS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 


EV    H.   a    BARROWS. 


[Read  before  the  Historical  Society  Dec.  2,  1901.] 

As  Alta  California  was  settled  by  Spanish-speaking  people 
who  tolerated  no  other  fonti  of  religion  except  the  Roman 
Catholic,  of  course  there  were  no  churches  except  of  that  faith 
in  Los  AngeleSj  from  the  time  of  the  settlement  of  the  ancient 
pueblo,  in  the  year  1781.  until  the  change  of  government  in 
1846. 

From  and  after  the  founding  of  the  mission  of  San  Gabriel, 
in  1778,  until,,  and  after  the  completion  of  the  old  Plaza 
church  in  the  latter  part  of  1822,  that  mission  became  and 
remained  the  center  of  industrial  activity,  as  well  as  the  head- 
quarters of  clerical  authority  for  this  portion  of  the  province. 

Fathers  Salvadea,  Sanchez,  Boscana  and  Estenega  managed 
with  zeal  and  great  ability  the  extensive  concerns,  both  spiritual 
and  temporal,  of  the  mission,  sending  a  priest  occasionally  to 
the  pueblo,  or  coming  themselves,  to  say  mass,  at  the  capilla  or 
chapel  Avhich  had  been  erected  north  and  west  of  the  present 
church.  After  the  latter  was  built.  Father  Boscana  became  the 
first  regular  rector  or  pastor,  scrvang  till  1831.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Fathers  Martinas,  Sanchez,  Bachelot,  Estenega.  Jim- 
enez, Ordaz,  Rosales.  etc., who  ser\'ed  as  local  pastors,  for  longer 
or  shorter  periods,  of  the  only  church  in  the  town,  from  1831 
to  1851. 

The  first  priest,  whom  I  knew  of,  but  did  not  know  person- 
ally, was  Padre  Anacleto  Lestrade,  a  native  of  France,  who  was 
the  incumbent  from  '51  to  '56.  Padre  Bias  Raho,  who  came 
here  in  1856,  I  knew  well»  and  esteemed  highly.  He  was  broad- 
minded  and  tolerant.  He  told  me  that  he  had  lived  sixteen  years 
in  the  Mississippi  valley  before  he  came  to  Los  Angeles,  He 
was  a  native  of  Italy. 

It  was  during  his  pastorate  that  the  old  church  building 
was  greatly  improved.  It  was  frescoed  inside  and  out.  by  a 
Frenchman.  Mr.  H.  Penelon,  the  pioneer  photographer  of  Los 
Angeles,  The  lettering  on  the  front  of  the  building  as  seen  to- 
day was  done  by  Penelon,  viz.  r  "Los  Fieles  de  Esta  Parroquia 


128 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


A  la  Reina  dc  Los  Angeles,  1861;"  and  also  on  the  marble 
tablets ; 

Dios  Te  Salve,  Maria.  Llena  De  Gracia. 
El  Senor  Esta  En  Su  Santo  Tem-plo:    Calle  La  Tierra  ante 

su  Acatamiento. 

Habac  2,  20. 
Santa  Maria  Madre  dc  Dios>  Ru^fa  por  nosotxos  Pecadoros. 

Padre  Raho  was  the  first  Vicar  General  of  the  diocese,  under 
Bishop  Amat. 

Later.  Padre  Raho,  who  served  his  parish  faithfully  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  who  was  respected  and  revered  by  his  par- 
ishoners,  fell  sick  and  went  to  the  Sisters'  Hospital,  which  was 
then  located  in  the  large  two-story  brick  building  which  stood, 
and  I  think  still  stands,  to  the  east  of  the  upper  depot,  and  be- 
tween the  latter  and  the  river,  which  the  Sisters  bought  of 
Mr.  H,  C.  Cardwell,  who  built  it. 

I  visited  Padre  Raho  here  during  his  last  illness,  at  his  re- 
(juest.  He  told  me  that  he  had  not  a  cent  of  money  (having 
taken  vows  of  poverty,)  in  the  world;  and  that  the  good  sisters 
furnished  him  refuge,  etc.  The  venerable  Sister  Ann,  whom 
many  will  remember,  and  who,  I  believe,  is  still  living  at  an 
advanced  age,  at  the  home  of  the  order  of  Sisters  of  Charity, 
at  Emmettsburg,  Pa,,  was  at  that  time  the  superioress  of  the 
order  here. 

Fathers  Duran  and  Mora  succeeded  Father  Raho.  There 
were  other  priests  whom  I  did  not  know  so  well,  who  made 
their  home  at  different  times  at  the  parsonage  adjoining  the  old 
church.  But  none  of  these,  so  far  as  my  acquaintance  per- 
mitted me  to  know,  with  the  possible  exception  of  Father  Mora, 
were  as  liberal  as  Father  Raho.  The  bishop  of  the  diocese  dur- 
ing these  times  w^s  Tadeo  Amat,  who,  though  his  jurisdiction 
extended  to  Monterey,  made  his  headquarters  first  for  a  time 
at  Santa  Barbara,  and  then  at  this  old  church  of  **Nuesta  Senora, 
la  Reyna  de  Los  Angeles."  Bishop  Amat  was  succeeded  by 
Bishop  (formerly  Father)  Mora,  &  gentle  and  scholarly  prelate. 
It  was  during  the  latter's  administration  (in  1S74,  I  think,)  that 
the  cathedral  (and  bishop's  residence)  was  built^  on  Main  street, 
snd  the  official  headquarters  of  the  diocese  were  removed 
thither.  Bishop  Mora  was  succeeded  by  Bishop  Montgomery, 
the  present  head  of  the  local  church]. 

When  Father  Mora  was  made  bishop,  Father  Peter  Verda- 
guer,  who  was  a  very  eloquent  Spanish  orator,  became  pastor  of 
3sc  old  church.    "Father  Peter,"  as  he  was  widely  known,  was 


EARLY  (XKRICAtS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 


139 


made  a  bishop  a  few  years  ag-o,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  the 
present  rector,  a  youngs  and  talented  priest,  Father  Liebana. 
"Father  Peter/'  now  Bishop  Verdagiier,  presides  over  tht  dio- 
cese of  Texas, 

Bishop  Mora,  and  genial,  gentle  Father  Adarn^  long  his 
Vicar  General,  and  long  an  honored  and  active  member  of 
our  Historical  Society,  both  now  reside  with  their  relatives,  in 
retreat,  during  the  closing  years  of  their  lives,  at  Barcelona, 
Spain. 

Of  the  early  Protestant  ministers  who  came  to  Los  Angeles, 
I  knew  personally  nearly  all  of  them,  as  they  were  comparatively 
few  in  numbers;  whilst  of  the  many,  many  who  now  reside  here, 
1  hardly  know  one,  intimately. 

One  of  the  first  to  come  here,  I  think,  was  Parson  Adam 
Bland,  who  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  smart  preacher  and 
a  shrewd  horse-trader.  But  I  heard^how  truly  I  know  not— 
that  after  laboring  here  a  year  or  two  in  the  early  '50's,  he 
abandoned  the  field  as  hopeless^  though  in  after  years  he  came  to 
the  county  again,  when  he  found  the  gospel  vineyard  vastly 
more  encouraging  than  during  his  former  missionary  labors. 
Where  Parson  Bland  is  now  located,  or  whether  he  is  still  living, 
I  do  not  know. 

When  I  came  here  in  '54,  there  was  only  one  church  building 
in  town — that  fronting  the  Pla^a;  and  no  regular  Protestant 
church  edifice  at  all. 

Rev.  James  Woods,  a  Presbyterian,  was  holding  protestant 
services  then  in  the  adobe  that  stood  on  the  present  site  of  the 
"People's  Store;"  and  he  came  to  tnc  and  asked  me  to  assist  in 
the  music  each  Sunday,  which  T  did.  Just  how  long  he  preached 
here,  I  cannot  now  recall.  But  1  remember  that  when  the  bodies 
of  the  four  members  of  Sheriff  Barton's  party,  who  were  killed 
in  January,  1S57,  by  the  Juan  Flores  bandits,  were  brought  here 
to  town  from  San  Juan  for  buriah  there  was  no  Protestant  min- 
ister here  then  to  conduct  funeral  services.  But,  as  it  happened, 
two  of  the  murdered  men  were  Masons,  and  that  fraternal,  semi- 
religious  order,  whose  organization  extends  throughout  the  civ- 
ilized world,  in  sheer  pity»  turned  aside,  after  decorously  and 
reverently  burying  their  own  two  brethren,  and  read  a  portion 
of  the  Masonic  burial  service  over  the  bodies  of  the  other  two 
men.  who  were  not  Masons,  The  alternative,  which  at  that  time 
was  imminent,  of  dumping  those  two  bruised,  dumb  human  be- 
ings into  the  ground  without  any  religious  service  whatever, 
seemed  to  me  then,  and  has  seemed  to  me  since,  a  ghastly  one. 


130 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  Of  SOUTRURN  CALIFORNIA 


Rev,  J.  W.  Douglass,  founder  of  the  *Tacific"  newspaper, 
who  taught  a  private  school  in  the  family  of  Wm.  Wolfskill  in 
ihe  forepart  of  1854,  was  a  minister,  but  I  believe  he  never  held 
public  religious  services  here.  A  Dr.  Carter,  and  also  W,  H, 
Shore,  deputy  county  clerk,  read  the  Episcopal  service  for  brief 
periods  during  the  late  '50*3;  but  with  these  exceptions,  my  im- 
pression is  tliat  there  was  no  resident  Protestant  clergyman, 
or  lay  reader,  who  conducted  religious  services  here  from  the 
time  Rev.  Mr.  Woo<ls  left,  sonietime  in  1855,  till  1858,  or  '59, 
when  Rev.  VVm.  E.  Boardman,  a  Presbyterian  clergyman,  came 
here  and  held  regular  Simday  services,  sometimes  in  one  place 
and  sometimes  in  another,  until  1861  or  '62,  or  until  after  the 
c*omniencement  of  the  Civil  War,  when  he  went  east  and  entered 
the  ser\*ice  of  the  "Christian  Commission,"  an  organization 
which  did  a  noble  work,  similar  to  that  done  by  the  Red  Cross 
Society  in  the  late  Spanish  wan 

Mr.  Eoardman  was  an  able  and  eloquent  preacher  and  writer, 
and  the  author  of  a  popular  book,  entitled  "The  Higher  Chris- 
tian Life,'*  The  want  of  a  commodious  place  of  meeting,  stim- 
ulated a  movement  to  raise  funds  for  the  erection  of  a  church 
building:  and,  as  good  Benjamin  D.  Wilson  had  donated  a  lot, — 
a  portion  of  the  hill  on  which  the  county  court  house  now 
stands — to  the  **First  Protestant  Society/"  which  should  build 
a  house  of  worship,  people  of  various  denominations,  who,  with- 
out regard  to  sect,  attended  Mr.  Boardman's  ministrations, 
formed  an  organization,  under  the  name  of  '*The  First  Protes- 
tant Society  of  Los  Angeles,"  and  erected  the  walls  and  roof  of  a 
church  on  the  lot  donate<l  by  Mr,  Wilson.  But  this  work  came 
to  a  standstill  after  Mr.  Boardman  left;  and  not  until  the  arrival 
of  Rev.  Mr,  Birdsall,  about  Christmas,  1864,  was  any  further 
progress  made  in  the  erection  of  "The  First  Protestant 
Church  building  in  Los  Angeles. 

I  do  not  pretend  here  to  give  a  consecutive  account  of  all 
the  Protestant  ministers  who^  a  quarter  of  a  century  or  more 
ago,  helped  to  establish  churches  of  the  different  denominations 
here,  much  less  to  connect  them  chronologically  with  the  many 
churches  of  today:  but  rather  to  give  some  recollections  of  those 
of  the  former  epoch,  whom  1  knew  well,  either  personally  or  by 
reputation. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Stump  was  a  Methodist  minister  here  in  the  '6o's, 
Rev,  A.  M.  Hough  was  another  early  preacher  of  the  same  de- 
nomination, who  came  in  1868,  and  who,  with  the  exception  of 
brief  intervals,  resided  here  till  his  death,  in  Aifgust,  1900.    On 


,Y  CttRICALS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 


the  establishment  of  the  ''Southern  California  Conference/'  Mr. 
Hough  became  the  Presiding-  Elder.  Revs,  Mr.  Hendon  and 
Mr.  Copeland  were  other  local  Methodist  pastors  of  that  period. 
It  is  said  that  Rev.  J.  W.  Brier  preached  the  first  sermon 
ever  preached  in  Los  Angeles,  in  1850:  but  I  do  not 
think  he  stayed  here  lon^,  as  there  were  neither  Methodist  wor- 
shippers nor  a  house  of  worship  in  Los  Angeles  at  that  early 
period. 

Re\'.  A.  M.  Campbell,  now  deceased,  was  the  pastor  of  the 
first  "Metho<:list  Church.  South/*  established  here  in  1873.  His 
widow,  daughter  of  Judge  B,  L,  Peel,  is  now  a  missionary  in 
the  peninsula  of  Corca. 

Rev.  Elias  BJrdsall,  who  came  to  Los  Angeles  in  December, 
1864,  soon  after  his  arrival  organized  an  Episcopalian  church, 
of  which  he  was  the  rector  for  niany  years.  I  knew  Mr,  Bird- 
sail  %^ery  well,  and  learned  to  admire  and  respect  him  as  one  of 
the  best  men  whom  I  ever  knew.  Although  he  was  a  zealous 
churchman,  he  was  in  all  respects  an  admirable  citizen.  He  was 
a  logical  thinker  and  a  fine  elocutionist.  He  believed— and  most 
laymen  will  certainly  agree  with  him — that  everv^  person  who 
is  to  become  a  pulilic  speaker  should  make  a  special  preparatory 
study  of  elocution. 

At  the  funeral  services  of  President  Lincoln,  held  in  this 
city,  simultaneously  with  those  held  throughout  the  United 
Slates  on  the  iQth  of  April,  1865.  Mr.  Birdsall  delivered  an  ad- 
mirable oration  before  a  large  concourse  of  our  citizens.  Mr. 
Birdsall  died  Noveml>er  3,  1890, 

Other  rectors  of  the  original  Saint  Athanasius  Church  of 
Los  Angeles  (afterwards  changed  to  Saint  Paul's)  were  Dn  J. 
J.  Talbot,  H.  H.  Messenger,  C.  F.  Loop,  Wm.  H.  Hill.  J,  B. 
Gray,  G,  \V.  Burton,  and  again,  subsequent  to  1880.  Mr.  Bird- 
sail.  Dr.  Talbot,  who  came  here  in  i868,  froni  Lousiville,  Ky., 
where  he  had  had  charge  of  a  wealthy  church  at  a  salary  of 
$3,500  a  yean  was  a  venr'  gifted  and  impassioned  orator,  and 
he  had  withal  a  slight  tinge  of  the  sentimental  or  poetical  in 
his  character^  and  his  sermons  were  much  admired,  especially 
by  the  ladies.  His  published  address  on  the  occasion  of  the 
death  of  President  Lincoln,  delivered  in  the  East  before  he 
came  to  Los  Angeles,  w^as  considered  one  of  the  best  of  the 
many  public  orations  delivered  on  that  sorrowful  theme.  Dr. 
Talbot,  sad  to  say,  however,  was  only  another  instance  of  a  man 
with  brilliant  talents  who  threw  himself  a\vay  and  went  to  the 
bad.  He  lived,  in  the  main^  an  exemplary  life  here,  at  least  up 
to  within  a  short  time  before  he  left. 


132 


HISTORlCAt  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERK  CAlJFOIlSIA 


To  those  who  knew  him  intimately  during-  his  brici  residence 
in  Los  Angeles,  he  used  sometimes — ^I  remember  it  well — to 
speak  With  tcnderest  regard  of  his  dear  children  and  his  **wife. 
Betty/*  in  thetr  pleasant  home  near  Louisville.  And  to  rhem» 
i.  e.,  hii5  friends  here — his  last  words,  uttered  at  the  very 
threshold  of  death,  as  quoted  by  Major  Ben.  Truman  in  the 
"Alta  California,"  in  1884.  are  full  of  startling  pathos  and  inex- 
pressible sadness;  indeed,  I  know  of  no  sadder  passage  in  all 
literature: 

"I  had  chilflren — beautiful,  to  me  at  least,  as  a  dream  of 
morning,  and  they  had  so  entwined  themselves  around  their 
father's  heart  that  no  matter  where  he  might  wander,  ever  it 
came  back  to  them  on  the  wings  of  a  father's  undying  love. 
The  dcstoryer  took  their  hands  in  his  and  led  them  away.  I 
had  a  wife  whose  charms  of  mind  and  i>erson  were  5uch  that 
to  'see  her  was  to  remember;  to  know  her^  was  to  love/  *I  had 
?  mother,  ,  ,  .  and  while  her  boy  raged  in  his  wild  de- 
lirium two  thousand  miles  away,  the  pitying  angels  pushed  the 
goklen  gates  ajar,  and  the  mother  of  the  drunkard  entered  into 
rest.  And  thus  I  stand  a  clergyman  without  a  church,  a  bar- 
rister without  a  brief  or  business,  a  husband  without  a  wife,  a  son 
without  a  parent,  a  man  with  scarcely  a  friend,  a  soul  without 
hope — all  swallowed  up  in  the  maelstrom  of  drink!'' 

It  seems  that  Dr,  Talbot,  after  he  left  here,  went  back  east, 
and  was  put  out  of  the  ministr\\  became  a  lawyer,  was  again 
permitted  to  resume  his  clerical  functions,  again  fell,  and  again 
was  compelled  to  retire  from  his  rectorship  in  1879;  shortly  after 
which  he  died  as  above,  with  the  above  pathetic  words  on  his 
lips. 

Mr.  Messenger,  prior  to  his  coming  here,  had  been  a  mis- 
sionar>'  in  Liberia,  Africa.  After  his  rectorship  here,  he.  I  think, 
founded  the  Episcopal  church  of  San  Gabriel. 

Mr.  Messenger  was  a  jovial,  optimistic,  but  withal  a  zealous 
servant  of  the  church,  possessing  not  a  little  of  the  missionary 
spirit.    Afterwards  he  went  to  Arizona* 

There  are  many  old-timers  still  living  who  well  remember 
Revs.  Messrs,  Loop,  Hill  and  Gray,  Mr.  Loop,  after  serving 
the  parish  here  for  a  considerable  period,  moved  to  Pomona, 
where  he  became  a  prominent,  public-spirited  citizen,  and  where 
he  died  a  year  or  two  ago.  Mr.  Hill  moved  from  here  to  San 
Oiicntin,  where,  for  some  years,  he  was  chaplain  of  the  State 
Penitentiary,  and  where,  I  understood,  he  became  totally  blind. 
He  died  se^^eral  years  ago,     Mr.  Gray  went  from  here  to  Ala- 


EARLY  CL^RICAl^  OF  tOS  ANGELES 


133 


I 


bama.  I  know  not  if  he  is  still  living".  Mr.  Burton  is  still  a 
resilient  of  this  city,  where  he  has  been  for  years  connected 
tvith  the  daily  and  weekly  press. 

The  early  ministers  of  the  Congregational  church  in  Los  An- 
g-eks  were  Revs.  Alexander  Parker,  (1866-7);  I-  W.  Atherton, 
(i867-'7i);  J.  T.  WiUs,  (1871^3);  D,  T.  Packard,  (1873-9);  C. 
J.  Ilutchins,  (1 879^*82);  and  A.  J.  Wells,  (1882-87). 

The  first  churcli  building,  erected  under  the  ministration  ol 
Mr.  Parker,  was  on  New  High  street,  north  of  Temple,  a  photo- 
graph of  which  I  herewith  present  to  the  Historical  Society. 

Early  Baptist  clergymen  were  Revs.  Messrs.  Hobbs,  Zahn 
Fryer,  Reed*  etc.,  ail  of  whom  have  deceased. 

Rabbi  A.  W.  Edelman  organized  the  Hebrew  congregation, 
B'nai  B'rith,  in  1862.  Rabbi  Edelman  is  still  a  citizen  of  Los 
Angeles. 

I  should  mention  that  Drs,  J,  W.  Ellis,  A.  F.  White  and  W. 
J,  Chichester  were  comparatively  early  pastors  of  the  Presby- 
terian church;  and  also  that  Dr,  M,  M.  Bovard  was  president  of 
the  University  of  Southern  California, 

Dr  Eli  Fay  was  the  first  Unitarian  minister  to  hold  public 
reiigjous  services  here.  Dr.  Fay  was,  intellectually,  a  very  able 
man,  though  somewhat  aggressive  and  self-assertive.  His  ser- 
mons, barring  a  rather  rasping  flavor  of  egotism,  were  models 
of  powerful  reasoning.  Before  coming  to  Los  Angeles,  Dr. 
Fay  had  been  pastor  of  Unitarian  congregations  at  Leominster^ 
Mass.,  and  at  Sheffield,  England.  In  addition  to  his  sacer- 
dotal qualifications,  Dr.  Fay  was  a  very  good  judge  of  the  value 
of  real  estate.  Soon  after  he  came  here  from  Kansas  City,  he 
bought  what  he  called  "choice  pieces  of  property,"  on  which  it 
was  understocwl  he  afterwards  made  big  money.  Like  many 
other  shrewd  saints  who  came  here  from  many  countries,  his 
Caith  in  Los  Angeles  real  estate  seemed  to  be  only  second  to  his 
faith  in  the  realty  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  or,  in  other  words,  in 
"choice  lots"  in  the  "New  Jerusalem," 

I  might  recount  many  anecdotes  concerning  those  ministers 
and  priests  of  Los  Angeles  of  a  former  generation,  of  whom' I 
have  spoken;  for  in  those  olden  times,  in  this  then  small  town, 
everybody  knew  almost  everybody.  In  a  frontier  town, — which 
this  then  was,^there  are  always  picturesque  characters,  among 
clericals  as  well  as  among  laymen. 


THE  ORFGINAL  FATHER  JUNIPERO 

(Legends  from  the  "Flowers  of  St  Francis.") 


BV  F,  J.  POtLEV, 

We  know  little  of  Father  Serra  prior  to  his  work  in  the  New 
World:  yet  he  was  then  a  man  of  mature  years,  with  refined 
powers  of  mind  and  a  character  so  firm  of  purpose  and  a  plan  of 
work  so  well  considered  that  he  seldom  swerved  from  the  ideals 
of  his  youth. 

It  becomes  an  interesting  problem  to  trace  the  growth  of 
this  man's  ideals^  and.  if  possible,  to  ascertain  who  had  an  as- 
cendency over  him,  and  what  influences  helped  him  to  shaj>e  his 
life. 

As  time  passes,  I  see  more  clearly  that  Father  Serra  was  not 
of  the  eighteenth  centtir^',  but  of  those  before.  I  see  that  he 
was  highly  gifted  in  the  spiritual  sense,  a  devout  churchman,  one 
highly  susceptible  to  the  influence  of  his  order>  and  an  admirer 
of  those  in  whose  footsteps  he  forged  to  follow.  But  just  here 
arises  the  question*  Who  were  his  ideals? 

Naturally*  the  modern  mind  turns  to  St.  Francis  as  the  chief 
among  those  whose  lives  had  influenced  our  priest.  The  litera- 
ture of  St.  Francis  and  his  times  is  abundant  and  accessible. 
This  we  are  entitled  to  use,  having  <lue  regard  for  critical  can- 
ons in  helping  out  the  unknown  hi^itory  of  Scrra's  formative 
years;  but  yet  the  fact  remains  we  are  lacking  in  the  main  details 
of  Serra's  growth. 

Tliat  he  had  an  ideal  is  well  known.  His  assumption  of  the 
name  ^^Tunipero"  perhaps  may  have  been  influenced  by  the  cur- 
rent belief  that  nothing  evil  in  animal  life  could  live  under  the 
shade  of  the  juniper  tree;  so  Serra  had  hoped  by  his  labors  to 
route  the  Devil  and  like  a  juniper  banish  evil  from  the  world. 

Another  mentions  a  certain  Brother  J^nip^i  a  companion 
and  follower  of  the  Holy  St,  Francis,  and  a  man  whose  life  ap- 
pealed so  strongly  to  Serra  that  he  assumed  the  name  in  connec- 
tion with  his  own.     Father  Paiou  says: 

''At  an  early  age  JunJpero-  was  w*e11  instructed  by  his  par- 
ents in  the  rudiments  of  the  Holy  Catholic  faith,"  Later  he 
pursues  his  studies  at  the  Convent  of  Jesu.    I  now  quote  Palou : 


THE  ORIGINAL  FATHER  JUNIPEKO 


135 


"During  the  year  of  his  novitiate,  Junipero  stuped  carefully 
the  austere  rules  of  the  Franciscans,  and  read  the  lives  of  many 
saints  which  that  glorious  order  had  given  to  the  church:  like 
another,  Ignatius  of  Loyola.  This  riding  inflamed  his  heart 
with  love  and  2eal  for  souls,  ,  ,  .  Tlie  year  of  his  proba- 
lion  being  ended,  Fr.  Junipero  was  professed  on  the  15th  of 
September^  1731.  On  account  of  his  great  devotion  to  one  oF 
the  just  confessions  of  St.  Francis — ^Friar  Juniper— he  took  that 
name  in  his  professian.  Such  was  his  spiritual  joy  on  that  sol- 
emn day  that  each  year  he  renewed  his  vows  on  the  anni- 
versary." 

There  is  nothing  scientificaUy  accurate  in  thus  retelling  these 
vague  surmises;  nor  is  there  in  what  follows,  yet  it  is  of  this 
Friar  Juniper  I  wish  to  sf)€ak.  Such  a  mail  existed,  and  his  Hfc 
was  undoubtedly  knowTi  to  Father  Serra.  Beyond  this,  it  is 
merely  a  question  of  inference. 

You  will  find  no  mention  of  this  old  saint  in  the  general 
discussion  of  our  local  history*  and  yet,  if  we  grant  a  grain  of 
truth  back  of  the  reason  assigned  for  Serra's  name  Junipero*  he 
must  have  known  and  approved  the  main  outlines  of  the  life  I 
now  present.  I  trust  T  shall  not  be  misunderstood  as  claiming 
either  absolute  truth  for  the  old  biography  and  collection  ctf 
monkish  legends  that  I  have  drawn  upon,  nor  as  stating  it  to 
be  more  than  a  reasonable  hope  that  I  niay  be  correct  when  I 
make  my  suggestion  that  in  this  collection  fay  one  of  the  inspi- 
rational sources  of  Serra's  life. 

Edward  Everett  Haie  ha.s  published  a  paper  on  the  probabil- 
ity of  the  name  California  having  been  borrowed  from  a  romance 
widely  known  in  that  period  of  discovery,  and  hence  in  the 
minds  of  the  men  who  iirst  visited  our  coasts.  The  argumen* 
of  Dr.  Ha!e  is  equally  useful  in  my  present  inquiry,  and  I  adopt 
it  iTi  the  main  as  applicable  to  my  paper,  i.  e.,  a  book  existed 
telling  of  the  life  of  a  certain  Brother  Jimiper,  and  our  Serra 
had  read  and  believecl  it  all  Unrterstand,  then,  that  what  fol- 
lows is  ofTered  solely  as  a  contribmion  towards  the  solution  of 
an  interesting  point  in  our  local  annals  and  nothing  more. 

First,  as  to  the  prevalance  of  monkish  legends  of  the  past. 
Yon  see  from  the  quotation  from  Father  Palmi  that  Juni^tero 
Serra  was  deeply  read  therein.  They  constitute  an  important 
part  of  the  early  literature  of  the  Romance  nations.  The  col- 
lections were  widely  known  and  extensively  cofwed,  were  reaid, 
discussed,  used  in  sermons  with  a  firm  belief  in  their  literal  truth 
by  the  mass  of  the  people,  though  modem  criticism  can  now 


n6 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  01*  SOUTlIfiRN  CALIFORNIA 


detect  the  symbolic  nature  of  parts  that  once  passed  for  truth 
as  sacred  as  hps  could  utter  1  have  spent  days  in  the  ancient 
libraries  of  Europe,  and  the  charm  of  th^e  old  records,  with 
their  beautiful  vellums  and  lovely  lettering,  grows  greater  as 
each  opportunity  arises  to  examine  them.  It  is  impossible  to 
make  one  realize  in  California  what  tangible  evidence  these  old 
manuscripts  offer  of  the  loving  care  bestowed  upon  them  and 
how  highly  their  contents  were  prized,  Mr  Aldrich,  in  Friar 
Jeronie*5  Beautiful  Book,  has  done  more  than  tell  a  legend;  he 
has  entered  into  the  true  spirit  of  the  past.  As  printing  arose, 
the  Golden  Legend  of  Caxton,  with  its  lives  of  saints,  at  once 
testifies  to  the  importance  of  these  stories  as  material  for  books. 
Not  to  be  tedious  on  a  non-debatable  subject,  think  of  the  vast 
iaier  compilations  known  as  Butler's  Lives  of  the  Saints  and 
their  present  importance-  You  will  find  full  legends  of  our 
Padre  Juniper  in  a  book  entitled  "TheFlowers  of  St.  Francis" 
and  long  used  by  the  common  people  of  Italy. 

The  earliest  dated  manuscript  is  1390,  The  book  is  almost 
unknown  to  the  Protestant  people.  It  is  accessible  to  the  trans- 
lators,  by  T.  W,  Arnold,  printed  by  Dent  fit  Co.,  of  London. 

In  the  Italian  compilation  known  as  the  Flowers  of  St.  Fran- 
cis, the  life  of  Padre  Juniper  is  placed  toward  the  latter  part  of 
the  book. 

As  to  the  book  from  which  I  have  drawn  these  legends,  it 
is  not  my  purpose  to  speak. 

My  paper  is  not  critical,  because  the  legends  are  not  histor- 
ically true  as  to  facts;  no  one  pretends  they  are,  and  my  aim 
is  simply  to  enforce  this  well-known  fact  to  your  minds  that 
thev  were  immensely  popular  in  the  centuries  succeeding  St. 
St.  Francis'  life  and  death.  In  the  Italian  our  brother  is  known 
as  Eorther  Ginipero.  It  was  the  pun  made  by  St,  Francis  that 
converted  the  name  into  Junipero,  or  the  Juniper  tree, 

Mrs.  Alithaut  retells  a  few*  legends  in  her  work  on  St, 
Francis,  but  Sabatier.  in  his  great  critical  work  on  St.  Francis, 
p.  415,  et  seq.,  goes  so  fully  into  the  authorities  for  these  Fioretti 
that  nothing  more  need  be  said  in  this  paper  except  to  copy  a 
couple  of  short  extracts. 

The  fioretti. 

"With  the  Fioretti  we  enter  definitely  the  domain  of  legend. 
This  literary  gem  relates  the  life  of  Francis,  his  companions  and 
disciples*  as  it  appeared  to  the  popular  imagination  at  the  begin- 
mng  of  the  fourteenth  century.    We  have  not  to  discuss  the  lit- 


THE  ORIGINAL  FATHER  JUNIPErO 


^17 


erary  value  o\  this  document,  one  of  the  most  exquisite  reli- 
gious works  of  the  Mi<!d]e  Ages,  but  it  may  be  said  that  from 
the  historic  point  of  vie\v  it  does  not  deserve  the  neglect  to 
which  it  has  been  left* 

'*Yel  that  which  gives  those  stories  an  inestimable  worth  is 
what,  for  want  of  a  better  term,  we  may  call  their  atmosphere. 
They  are  leg"endaryt  worked  over,  exaggerated,  false  even^  if  you 
please,  but  they  give  us,  with  a  vivacity  and  intensity  of  color- 
ing, something  that  we  shaJ!  search  for  in  vain  elsewhere — the 
surroundings  in  which  St,  Francis  lived.  More  than  any  other 
biography,  the  Ftoretti  transport  us  to  Umbria,  to  the  motm- 
tains  of  the  March  of  Ancon;  they  make  us  visit  the  hennitages, 
'dn<\  mingle  with  the  life,  half  childish,  half  angelic,  which  was 
that  of  their  inhabitants. 

"it  is  difficult  to  pronounce  upon  the  name  of  the  author. 
His  work  was  only  that  of  gathering  the  f1o\vers  of  his  bouqiiet 
from  WTJtten  and  oral  tradition.  The  question  whether  he  wrote 
in  Latin  or  Italian  has  been  much  discussed,  and  appears  to  be 
not  yet  settled;  what  is  certain  is  that  though  this  work  may 
be  anterior  to  the  Conformities,  it  is  a  little  later  than  the  Chron- 
icle of  the  Tribulations,  for  it  would  be  strange  that  it  made  no 
mention  of  Angelo  Ciareno,  if  it  was  written  after  his  death. 

**The  stories  crowd  one  another  in  this  book  like  flocks  of 
memories  that  come  upon  us  pell-mell,  and  in  which  insignifi- 
cant details  occupy  a  larger  place  than  the  most  important 
events:  our  memor>^  is.  in  fact,  an  overgrown  chiid,  and  what 
it  retains  of  a  man  is  generally  a  feature,  a  word,  a  gesture, 

"It  is  easy  to  understand  the  success  of  the  Fioretti.  The 
people  fell  in  love  with  these  stories,  in  which  St.  Francis  and 
his  companions  appear  both  more  human  and  more  divine  than 
other  legends;  and  they  began  ver}'  soon  to  feel  the  need  of  so 
completing  them  as  to  form  a  veritable  biography. 

'The  second,  entitled  Life  of  Brother  Gtnepro,  is  only  indi- 
rectly connected  with  St.  Francis;  yet  it  deser\^es  to  be  studied, 
for  it  offers  the  same  kind  of  interest  as  the  principal  collection, 
lo  which  it  is  doubtless  posterior.  In  these  fourteen  chapters 
we  find  the  principal  features  of  the  life  of  this  Brother,  whose 
ma<I  and  saintly  freaks  still  furnish  ntaterial  for  conversation  in 
Umbrian  monasteries.  These  unpretending  pages  discover  to 
tts  one  aspect  of  the  Franciscan  heart.  The  official  historians 
have  thought  it  their  duty  to  keep  silence  upon  this  Brother, 
who,  to  them,  appeared  to  be  a  supremely  indiscreet  personage, 
very  much  in  the  way  of  the  good  name  of  theOrder  in  the  eyes 


138 


HIStORICAI,  SOaETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUPORNIA 


of  the  laics.  They  were  right  from  their  point  of  view,  but  wc 
Bwe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  the  Fioretti  for  having  presented  for 
us  this  persofiaJity,  so  blithe,  so  modest,  and  with  so  arch  a 
good  nature.  Certainly  St.  Francis  was  more  like  Ginipero  than 
like  Brother  Elias  or  St,  Bonaventura/* — Sabatier,  p.  415. 

I  have  drawn  from  the  book  alluded  to  by  Sabatier  the  fol- 
lowing legends  of  this  Brother  Ginipero,  making  my  abstract 
as  brief  as  possible  to  economize  time  and  space,  though  by  so 
doing  the  literary  flavor  of  the  original  is  hopelessly  lost  to  you. 
It  certainly  is  "an  exquisite  religious  work." 

The  narrative  begins  abruptly,  as  follows:  "Brother  Juni- 
per was  one  of  the  most  elect  disciples  and  first  companions  of 
St  Francis,  a  man  of  deep  humility,  of  great  fervor  and  great 
chanty,  of  whom  St.  Francis,  speaking  on  a  time  with  his  holy 
companions,  said:  'He  would  be  a  good  Brother  Minor  who 
had  conquered  himself  and  the  world  iike  Brother  Juniper.'  " 

This  is  all  by  way  of  prelude.  The  brother  thus  introduced 
is  taken  rapidly  through  a  series  of  episodes  in  his  hfe  that  illns- 
irate  his  character. 

In  the  first  legend  he  is  visiting  a  sick  man,  and,  all  on  lire 
with  love  and  compassion,  he  asked,  "Can  I  do  thee  any  serv- 
ice?" The  sick  man  replied.  '*Much  comfort  would  it  give  me 
H  thon  couldst  get  me  a  pig's  trotter  to  eat." 

Brother  Junipero  rushes  to  a  forest,  seizes  a  pig,  severs  its 
foot.  pre|>ares  the  morsel  and  presents  it  to  the  sick  man.  But 
while  Brother  Juniper,  with  *'great  glee  for  to  glad  the  heart 
of  the  sick  man/'  is  telling  him  the  tale  of  its  capture,  a  different 
scene  is  being  enacted:  The  owner  who  saw  the  mayhem  of 
Ills  pig.  reports  to  his  lord,  and  from  thence  hurries  to  the  house 
of  the  brothers,  whom  he  upbraids  with  a  copious  selection  of 
choice  epithets  as  hypocrites,  thieves,  liars,  rogues,  knaves,  etc. 
St.  Francis  could  not  appease  him.  even  though  he  ofiFered  the 
man  restitution,  for  he  leaves  in  a  rage,  telling  his  woes  to  all 
be  meets  upon  the  road. 

St,  Francis  is  shown  as  a  student  of  human  nature.  He 
Leeps  counsel  and  wonders  if  Brother  Juniper  be  not  the  cul- 
prit *'in  zeal  too  indiscreet/'  so,  secretly  calling,  he  asks  him* 
The  brother,  glorying  in  the  deed,  details  the  facts,  and  thinks 
100  pigs  could  be  similarly  sacrificed  and  yet  he  would  say  "well 
done.'*  But  St.  Francis*  level  head,  foreseeing  the  evil  effect  of 
the  owner^s  wrath,  gently  reprimands  Brother  Juniper,  who  now 
gioes  forth  ch^ged  to  apologize  until  the  man  is  pacified. 

Juniper  is  unable  to  understand  the  nature  of  his  wrong,  "for 


THE  ORIGINAL  FATHER  JUNIPERO 


I3Q 


it  seemed  to  him  these  tcinporal  things  were  naught  save  so 
far  as  men  of  their  charity  shared  them  with  their  neighbors." 

A  doctrine  certainly  now  objected  to  by  the  property  owners 
md  governing  classes  of  our  age  and  by  those  of  the  past  as  well. 

The  man  heaps  abuse  upon  our  brother^  who  cannot  under- 
stand why  the  owner  should  do  so,  for  it  seems  to  him  a  matter 
of  rejoicing  rather  than  wrath;  but  yet  he  rejoiced  to  be  "ill 
spoken  of." 

Once  again  the  incredulous  brother  retells  his  tale,  and  by 
tears  and  caresses  so  works  up  the  irate  fellow  that  he  capitu- 
^tes,  and,  conquered  by  the  devotion  and  humility  of  Brother 
Juniper,  kills  his  pig,  cooks  it  and  serves  it  to  St.  Francis  at  St. 
Mary  of  the  Angels,  The  episode  ends  with  the  sentence  that 
]  think  lodged  in  Father  Serra's  memory  and  influenced  his 
life — '^A.nd  St.  Francis,  pandering  on  the  simplicity  and  .the 
patience  of  said  holy  Brther  Juniper,  in  the  hour  of  trial,  said  to 
his  companions  and  others  standing  around,  **Would  to  God 
my  brothers  that  I  had  a  whole  forest  of  such  Junipers.*' 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  give  a  full  analysis  of  this  valuable 
record,  and  I  have  given  one  chapter  more  in  detail  as  a  type  of 
the  rest  than  for  any  special  interest  attached  to  it  beyond  the 
closing  sentence  last  quoted,  and  which  is  so  pertinent  to  my 
theme. 

Of  the  remaining  chapters  it  must  suffice  for  the  limits  of  my 
paper  to  say  that  in  each  and  every  one  Brother  Juniper,  out  of 
many  adventures,  emerges  more  holy  and  beloved  by  all.  I 
will  now  abstract  a  few  narrations  and  anecdotes. 

A  man  afflicted  with  demons  had  a  rational  moment,  be- 
cause. Juniper  passing  that  way,  the  devils,  by  their  owri  con- 
fession, could  not  endure  his  holiness,  and  fled  until  he  passed. 
After  this,  when  an  afflicted  man  was  brought  him,  St.  Francis 
would  say,  *'H  thou  come  not  out  of  this  creature  straight  away, 
]  will  send  for  Brother  Juniper  to  deal  with  thee*"  A  most 
efficacious  threat,  and  far  more  sure  of  a  cure  than  all  the  medi- 
cal science  in  our  modern  asyhams,  if  we  are  to  believe  this  little 
book. 

The  most  detailed  episode  relates  how  this  devil  attempted 
revenge  by  assuming  the  guise  of  a  peasant,  and  then  in  this 
form  warning  the  tyrant  Nicolas  of  a  spy  who  will  attempt  his 
life.  Says  the  wily  devil :  **He  will  com^  as  a  t>eggar,  in  gar- 
ments torn  and  patched,  his  cowl  hanging  all  tattered  on  his 
shoulder,  and  he  will  bring  with  him  an  aul  wherewith  to  kill 
you,  and  a  tinder  box  to  set  fire  to  your  castle/' 


142  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORKIA 

picture  shows  Juniper  silent  for  six  months — the  first  day  for 
love  of  God,  the  next  for  the  Son,  for  the  Holy  Spirft,  for  th€ 
Virgin^  and  then  a  saint  for  each  succeeding  day.  Surely  the 
li^  of  saints  did  not  give  out,  but  presumably  the  brother  s  the- 
ory did,  and  he  welcomed  a  change;  else  there  might  have  been 
eternal  silence  and  no  more  tales  to  chronicle.  Once  to  abase 
himself,  he  made  a  bundle  of  his  clothes  and  stood  half  naked 
the  day  in  the  market  place  of  Niterbo.  The  description  of  the 
howling,  taunting.  mud-slinging:»  rock-casting  mob  is  quite 
vivid,  as  is  also  the  fierce  rage  of  his  brothers,  when  they  heard 
of  it.  They  said  he  was  a  madman  and  deserved  jail  and  hanging 
for  the  disgrace  and  ill  repute  brought  upon  the  convent.  And 
"Brother  Juniper,  full  of  joy,  replied  in  all  humility,  'Well  and 
truly  have  you  spoken,  for  these  punishments  am  I  worthy,  and 
of  much  more.*  *' 

Upon  another  occasion^  hearing  of  a  festival  to  be  held  at 
Assisi.  he  stripped  himself  to  his  breeches,  and  so  made  the  jour- 
ney to  its  convent.  These  brothers  were  for  hanging  him.  and 
when  the  General  reproved  htm  severely  for  the  disgrace  and 
ill  repute  he  brought  upon  them,  all,  until  he  knew  not  what 
penance  he  could  inflict,  Juniper  asked  "Tliat  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  I  came  hither,  so  for  penance'  sake  T  should  return  to  the 
place  whence  I  started  for  to  come  to  this  festival."  ■ 

Such  an  utterly  silly  and  illogical  request  carries  its  own         f 
commentary;  yet  apparently  his  reputation  for  sanctity  grew 
with  each  new  episode.  _ 

When  a  friend  and  brother  died,  he  wished  to  go  to  the        ■ 
grave,  disinter  the  body,  sever  the  head  and  from  it  make  two 
porringers  to  use  in  his  eating  and  drinking  in  memory  of  the 
deceased.    Only  his  certain  knowledge  of  the  rage  of  his  broth- 
ers at  such  an  act  prevented  its  accomplishment. 

At  his  devotions  he  was  wrapped  in  ecstacies.  He  saw  a  hand 
in  mid  air  and  heard  a  voice  say,  "O,  Brother  Juniper,  without 
this  hand  thou  canst  do  nothing;*'  and  for  days  after  he  went 
about  repeating  in  a  loud  voice^  "  'Tis  true,  indeed;  'tis  true  in- 
deed." 

One  episode  is  partly  comic,  though  the  writer  meant  it  as 
£1  glorious  recital    It  is  long,  and  I  brief  it  baldly. 

Visiting  a  monastery^  Juniper  is  asked  to  prepare  food  for 
the  brothers'  return.  He  plans  to  provide  a  week's  rations  at 
one  cooking  that  more  time  may  be  had  for  prayer  He  begs 
cooking  pots,  provisions  and  fuel  and  begins. 

"Everything  is  thrown  into  the  pots— flovis  with  their  fca- 


"h^  originai,  father  juntpero 


141 


w 


clever  just  in  proportion  as  he  is  able  to  baffle  the  opposing  at- 
torney who  asks  for  it.  It  is  a  matter  that  can  be  relegated  to 
Hamlet's  class  of  'Hliings  more  honoretl  iti  the  breach  than  in 
the  observance/*  and  we  who  live  in  glass  houses  oug'ht  to  be 
tender  with  Brother  Juniper,  with  his  quibbles  and  white  lies. 

Our  Brother  Juniper  seems  to  have  had  no  conception  of 
private  ownership,  ^ving;  away  everything  that  came  to  his 
bands,  or,  more  properly,  what  his  hands  came  to,  for  be  levied 
toll  upon  all  until  books,  vestments  and  mantels  were  locked  and 
guarded  from  him. 

The  altar  especially  rich  in  decorations  had  a  zealous  guar- 
dian, who  took  much  pride  in  an  altar  piece  fringed  with  gold 
and  set  with  silver  bells  of  great  price.  While  at  the  table»  a 
sudden  fear  of  Brother  Juniper,  who  was  at  solitary  worship, 
caused  him  to  rush  suddenly  from  the  table.  He  was  too  late; 
3  woman  had  solicited  alms,  and  the  brother,  meditatively  say- 
ing, "These  things  are  a  superfluity,  had  cut  them  from  the 
fringe  and  given  them  to  the  poor  woman,  '*for  pity's  sake," 
What  follows  is  a  delightful  picture  of  a  monastic  tempest.  We 
have  details  of  the  sacristan's  rage,  his  search  throughout  the 
city  for  the  fringe,  the  formal  complaint  to  the  Father  General, 
who  severely  alludes  to  the  sacristan's  stupidity,  he  well  know- 
ing Juniper's  weakness^  but  he  adds,  "Nevertheless,  1  will  correct 
him  well  for  this  fault,*' 

Juniper  is  summoned,  and  the  Father  General  is  so  lovingly 
true  to  his  promise  that  eventually,  from  over-wrath,  has  to  de- 
sist from  hoarseness  and  inability  to  scold  more.  The  brother, 
however,  "cared  little  and  well-nigh  nothing  for  his  words,  for 
he  took  delight  in  insults  whenever  he  was  well  abused,  but  in 
piety  for  the  hoarseness  of  the  General,  he  began  to  bethink  him 
of  a  remedy/'  Juniper  wishes  to  cure  the  throat,  so  that  he  can 
be  cured  at  great  length.  Next  we  find  the  remedy  in  process — 
a  pottage  of  flour  and  butter.  It  is  well  into  the  monung  hours 
when  Juniper  knocks  at  the  Generars  celh  They  have  another 
scene,  the  irate  General  calhng  him  scoundrel  and  caitiff  for  dis- 
turbing him  at  that  unseemly  hour^  for  how  can  he  eat  in  semi- 
darkness?  At  last  Jumper,  in  the  simplicity  of  his  heart,  pro- 
poses  that  the  General  hold  the  candle  while  he  (the  brother) 
consumes  the  pottage,  "that  it  be  not  wasted/'  This  breaks  the 
Generars  wrath.  He  is  reconciled,  and  together  **they  twain 
eat  the  pottage  of  flour,  by  reason  of  his  unfortunate  charity,  and 
they  were  refreshed  much  more  by  devotion  than  by  the  food/' 

Devotional  acts  were  not  neglected,  and  another  side  of  the 


*^ 


144 


mSTOiWCAI.  SOCIETY  OV  SOUTHERN  CAUPORNIA 


Absurd  as  many  of  the  acts  enumerated  are  now,  they  were 
the  acts  of  so-called  holy  men,  and  the  authors  who  wrote,  and 
the  people  who  read,  saw  only  the  deeds  of  saintly  persons,  fit 
to  be  held  up  for  profitable  imitation. 

If  we  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  such  recitals  formed  the  basis 
and  guide  for  preaching  and  practical  living,  and  consider  them 
merely  as  literature,  we  miss  the  key  that  unlocks  the  inner 
meaning  of  a  past  religion  and  life,  just  as  surely  as  will  the 
future  historian  misunderstand  our  age  who  one  day  writes  of 
the  nineteenth  century  Bil>Ie,  considered  purely  as  literature 
and  not  as  the  religious  guide  of  the  century  under  his  critical 
discussion. 

The  vital  question  is  not  how  we  judge  the  tales,  but  how 
Father  Serra  did.  The  problem  of  his  life,  to  us,  in  the  present 
inquin',  lies  in  the  sources  from  which  he  drew  his  inspinition. 
He  lived  according  to  his  light,  for  be  was  not  great  enough 
like  Wiclif  to  be  a  beacon  for  a  waiting  world.  Father  Serra  was 
no  "morning  star  of  a  Reformation. "  He  was  a  disciple,  not  a 
creator — spiritual  within  his  narrow  credulities,  but  not  an  orig- 
inator of  his  ideals.  Through  life  until  death  he  was  zealous  for 
the  interests  intrusted  to  him.  and  within  the  lines  of  his  trust 
he  brought  such  worthy  characteristics  into  action  that  he  was 
then  and  now  a  man  among  men  in  the  history  of  the  West, 

Yet  in  all  this  any  sincere  admirer  of  Serra  sees  his  limita- 
tions, and  reasoning  from  the  causes  of  early  piety  and  inspira- 
tions, can  trace  the  effects  of  a  highly  de\^elopei:l  belief  in  mira- 
cles and  special  providences  that  are  to  be  opportunely  furnished 
when  unreasoning  zeal  had  rendered  a  natural  solution  of  diffi- 
culties incurred  almost  an  impossibility.  The  man  with  a  call  on 
miracles  does  not  have  to  look  before  he  leaps,  and  the  doctrine 
and  its  effects  are  often  serious  for  the  world. 

This  book  of  tales  must  have  proved  a  great  comfort  to  one 
of  Serra's  temperament-  He  could  read  of  men  whoUy  devoted 
lo  their  order — over-zealous,  meek  bevond  reason ;  almost  sense- 
less in  the  extreme  to  which  their  emotional  instincts  led  them — 
seeking  martyrdom,  assuming  burdens^  mocked  at  and  generally 
themselves  inviting  the  occasion  for  trouble,  yet,  all  in  all  .tri- 
umphing in  each  and  every  case  of  wild  folly  of  conduct;  revered 
by  high  and  !ow.  and  at  their  death  received  among  the  saints 
by  miracles  so  taxing  nature  that  the  episodes  of  Christ's  cruci- 
fixion and  resurrectian  seem  to  pale  beside  the  reversal  of  nat- 
ural laws  called  out  to  do  honor  to  these  dead. 

This,  however,  is  dead  issue  with  us,  but  when,  in  studying 


'HE  ORIGINAt  FATHER  JUNIPERO 


M3 


thers  on  and  eggs  in  their  shells,  and  all  the  rest  in  like  fashion." 
The  roaring  fire  burns  him.  He  lashes  a  plank  in  front  of  his 
body,  a.nd  thus  warded,  skips  and  jumps  from  pot  to  pot  in  a  fe- 
ver of  earnestness.  Brothers  return,  peep  in  and  are  lost  in  won- 
der. The  summons  comes  for  refreshment.  Brother  Juniper,  all 
heated  and  flushed,  serves  his  stew,  and  says,  eat  quickly  that  we 
may  hasten  to  prayer.  When  the  covers  are  lifted,  the  stew 
gives  forth  such  a  frightful  odor  that  not  a  pig  in  the  land  of 
Rome  could  have  eaten  it. 

The  brothers  rage  over  the  waste  of  so  much  food,  and 
the  guardian  rebukes  him  for  stupidity.  When  the  evil  is  done, 
Juniper  begins  to  see  the  eflfects  of  his  unthinking  acts,  and 
with  tears  and  lamentations  begs  that  his  eyes  be  put  out  or  that 
he  be  hung  for  the  waste  to  the  Order  committed. 

He  hides  for  a  day  in  shame.  "Then,  quoth  the  guardian, 
my  brothers  dear,  if  only  we  had  it,  I  would  that  every  day  this 
brother  spoiled  as  much  as  he  hath  today,  if  so  we  might  be  ed- 
ified, for  great  simpltcitv  and  charity  have  made  him  do  this 
thing.'* 

Upon  a  journey  to  Rome,  our  brother  displayed  another 
trait.  People  crowded  from  Rome  to  welcome  and  escort  him 
to  the  convent  of  the  Brothers  Minor,  but  he  wished  to  turn 
their  devotion  to  scorn,  and  so  we  are  told  that  upon  the  road 
''There  were  two  children  playing  at  see-saw,  to  witj  they  had 
put  one  log  across  another  log  and  each  sat  at  his  own  end  and 
so  went  up  and  down,"  Brother  Juniper,  displacing  one  child, 
assumed  its  place  upon  the  log.  The  people  gather,  salute  and 
wait. 

"And  Brother  Juniper  paid  little  heed  to  their  salutations, 
their  reverence  and  their  waiting  for  him,  but  took  great  pains 
with  his  see-sawing."  Some  thought  him  mad;  others  more 
devout  than  ever;  but  the  crowd  disperses  and  then  Brother 
Juniper  remained  altogether  comforted,  because  he  had  seen 
some  folk  that  made  a  mock  at  him.  So  he  went  on  bis  way  and 
entered  Rome  with  all  meekness  and  humility,  and  came  to  the 
convent  of  the  Brothers  Minor.** 

And  here,  for  the  limitations  of  time,  we  m-ust  leave  him, 
and  even  forbear  critical  comment  upon  the  strange  episodes 
enumerated.  In  this  brief  summary  no  attempt  has  been  made 
to  reproduce  the  genuine  charm  of  the  child-like  narrative. 

As  a  guide  for  mod'em  life,  it  may  lapse  into  obscurity,  but 
as  a  naive,  unconscious  picture  of  the  p^t,  it  is  worth  more  than 
a  baJf  contemptuous  glance. 


CAMEL  CARAVANS  OF  THE  AMERICAN 
DESERTS 


BY  J.   M.  CUINN. 

[Read  May  6,  1901] 

The  story  of  the  experiment  made  nearly  fifty  years  ago,  to 
utilize  the  Arabian  camel  as  a  beast  of  burden  on  the  arid  plains 
of  Arizona,  New  Mexico  and  the  deserts  of  the  Colorado  is 
one  of  the  many  unwritten  chapters  in  the  history  of  the  South- 
west. A  few  fugitive  locals  in  the  newspapers  of  that  time  and 
the  reminiscences  of  some  of  the  camel  drivers  who  survived  the 
experiment  are  about  the  only  records  of  a  scheme  that  its  pro- 
genitors had  hoped  would  revolutionize  travel  and  transporta- 
tion over  the  American  deserts.  The  originator  and  chief  pro- 
moter of  the  project  was  Jefferson  Davis,  late  president  of  the 
Southern  Confederacy. 

During  the  last  days  of  the  session  of  Confess  in  185 1, 
when  the  army  appropriation  bill  was  under  consideration,  Mr. 
Davis,  then  Senator  from  Mississippi.  ofTered  an  amendment 
providing  for  the  purchase  and  introduction  of  30  camels  and 
20  dromedaries,  with  ten  Arab  drivers  and  the  necessary  equi- 
page. 

In  advocating  his  amendment,  Mr  Davis  alluded  to  the  ex- 
tent to  which  these  animals  are  used  in  various  countries  in  Asia 
and  Africa  as  beasts  of  burthen;  and  among  other  things  stated 
that  they  are  usetl  by  the  Engli.sh  in  the  East  Indies  in  trans- 
porting army  supplies  and  often  in  carrying  light  guns  upon 
their  hacks;  that  camels  were  used  by  Napoleon  in  his  Egyptian 
campaigns  in  dealing  with  a  race  to  which  our  wild  Coman- 
ches  and  Apaches  bear  a  close  resemblance.  Mr.  Davis  thought 
these  animals  might  be  used  with  effect  against  the  Indians  on 
our  Western  frontier.  Drinking  enough  water  before  they  start 
to  last  for  one  hundred  miles;  traveling  continually  without 
rest  at  a  rate  of  ten  or  fifteen  miles  an  hour,  they  would  over- 
take these  bands  of  Indians,  which  our  cavalry  cannot  do. 

They  might  be  made  to  transport  small  pieces  of  ordnance 
with  great  facility;  and  in  fact  do  here  all  that  they  are  capa- 


CAMEL  CARAVANS  O^  THH  AMERICAN  DESERTS  1 47 

ble  of  doin^  in  the  East,  where  they  are  accustomed  to  eat  the 
hardiest  shrubs  and  to  drink  the  same  kind  of  brackish  water 
which  is  stated  to  exist  in  some  portions  of  our  Western  des- 
erts. Ewing  of  Ohio  expressed  the  opinion  that  our  climate 
was  too  cold  for  the  camel,  Mr  Ranrtoul  of  Massachusetts  had 
no  doubt  the  camel  might  be  useful,  but  thought  $200  apiece 
sufficient  to  pay  for  the  animals. 

The  amendment  was  lost—ig  yeas  and  24  nays.  The  ap- 
propriation of  $30*000  to  buy  camels  with  was  a  reckless  extrav- 
agance that  the  Senators  could  not  sanction. 

This  was  long  before  the  days  of  billion  dollar  Congresses. 
The  total  appropriations  for  all  purposes  by  that  Congress  was 
$41,900,000 — eight  millions  less  than  the  appropriation  of  the 
River  and  Harbor  bill  alon-e  that  Senator  Carter  of  Montana 
talked  to  death  in  the  last  Congress, 

Then  the  newspapers  of  California  took  up  the  scheme,  and 
the  more  they  agitated  it.  the  mightier  it  became.  They  dem- 
onstrated that  it  was  possible  to  form  a  lightning  dromedary  ex- 
press»  to  carry  the  fast  mail  and  to  bring  eastern  papers  and  let- 
ters to  California  in  15  days. 

It  would  be  possible,  too,  if  Congress  could  only  be  induced 
to  import  camels  and  dromedaries  to  have  fast  camel  passenger 
trains  from  Missouri  River  points  to  the  Pacific  Coast.  The 
camel,  loading  up  his  internal  water  tank  out  of  the  Missouri 
and  striking  straight  across  the  country  regardless  of  watering 
places,  and  boarding  himself  on  sage  brush  the  plain?  across, 
would  take  his  next  drink  of  the  trip  out  of  the  Colorado  River; 
then  after  a  quiet  pasecer  across  the  desert  he  would  land  his  pas- 
sengers in  the  California  coast  towns  in  two  weeks  from  the  time 
of  starting.  Ko  more  running  the  gauntlet  of  Panama  fevers 
and  thieving  natives  on  the  isthmus.  No  more  dying  of  thirst 
on  the  deserts.  No  freeizng  to  death  in  the  snows  of  the  Sierras; 
no  more  shipwrecks  on  the  high  seas*  The  double-decked  camel 
train  would  do  away  with  all  these  and  solve  the  transportation 
problem  until  the  Pacific  railroad  was  built. 

Although  beaten  in  his  first  attempt  at  camel  importation, 
Jefferson  Davis  kept  his  scheme  in  view.  While  Secretr-ry  of 
War  under  President  Pierce  from  1853  to  1857  he  obtained  re- 
ports from  army  officers  stationed  on  the  Southwestern  frontier 
in  regard  to  the  loss  of  animals  on  the  plains — the  cost  of  trans- 
portation of  array  supplies  and  the  possibility  of  utilizing  the 
camel  in  hunting  Indians.  These  reports  were  laid  before  Con- 
gress and  that  body  authorized  the  sending  out  of  a  commission 


148 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


from  San  Antonio,  Texas,  to  Arizona  to  ascertain  the  military 
uses  to  which  camels  could  be  put  in  the  Southwest.  The  com- 
mission made  a  favorable  reiwrt  and  Congress  in  1854  appropri- 
ated $30,000  for  the  purchase  and  importation  of  camels. 

In  December,  1854,  Major  C.  Wayne  was  sent  to  Eg>'pt  and 
Arabia  to  buy  seventy-five  camels.  He  bought  the  first  lot  in 
Cairo  and  taking  these  in  the  naval  store  ship  "Supply/'  he 
sailed  to  Smyrna,  where  thirty  more  of  another  kind  were 
bought.  These  had  been  used  on  the  Arabian  deserts.  They 
cost  from  seventy-five  to  three  hundred  dollars  each,  some\vhat 
more  than  had  been  paid  for  the  Egyptian  lot.  The  ship  ''Sup- 
ply" with  its  load  of  camels  reached  Indiaiiola,  Texas,  on  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico.  Feb.  10,  1857.  Three  had  died  during  the  voy- 
age, leaving  seventy-two  in  the  herd. 

About  half  of  these  were  taken  to  Albuquerque,  New  Mex- 
ico, where  an  expedition  was  fitted  out  under  command  of  Lieut, 
Beale  for  Fort  Tejon,  California,  The  route  lay  along  the  35th 
parallel,  crossing  the  Mojave  desert.  The  expedition  consisted 
of  44  citizens,  with  an  escort  of  20  soldierSj  the  camels  carrying 
the  baggage  and  water 

The  expedition  arrived  safely  at  Tejon  and  the  camel  caravan 
made  several  trips  between  Fort  Tejon  and  Albuquerque.  The 
other  half  of  the  herd  was  employed  in  packing  on  the  plains 
of  Texas  and  m  the  Gadsen  Purchase,  as  Southern  Arizona  was 
then  called. 

The  first  caravan  to  arrive  in  Los  Angeles  reached  the  city> 
Jan,  8,  1858.    The  Star  thus  notes  its  arrival: 

"A  drove  of  fourteen  camels  under  the  management  of  Lieut. 
Beale  arrived  in  Los  Angeles.  They  were  on  their  way  from 
Fort  Tejon  to  the  Colorado  River  and  the  Mormon  country,  and 
each  animal  was  packed  with  one  thousand  pounds  of  provisions 
and  military-  stores.  With  this  load  they  made  from  30  to  40 
miles  per  day,  finding  their  own  subsistance  in  even  the  most 
barren  country  and  going  without  water  from  six  to  ten  days  at 
a  time." 

Again,  the  Star  of  July  21,  1858,  makes  note  that  "the 
camels  have  come  to  town."  It  says:  "The  camels,  eight  in 
number,  came  into  town  fromi  Fort  Tejon,  after  provisions 
for  that  camp.  The  largest  ones  pack  a  ton  and  can  travel  six- 
teen miles  an  hour." 

It  would  seem  that  a  beast  of  burden  that  could  pack  a  ton, 
travel  sixteen  miles  an  hour,  subsist  on  sage  brush  and  go  from 
six  to  ten  days  cm  on-e  drink  would  have  supplied  most  effectu- 


CAMEL  CARAVANS  OF  THE  AMEMCAN  DESERTS 


149 


ally  the  long-felt  want  of  cheap  and  rapid  transportation  over 
the  d-esert  plains  of  the  Southwest*  The  promoters  of  the 
scheme,  to  utilize  the  camel  in  America,  made  one  fatal  mis- 
take. They  ftgured  only  on  his  virtues;  his  vices  were  not 
reckoned  into  the  account. 

Another  mistake  they  made  was  in  not  importing^  Arab 
drivers  with  the  camels.  From  the  very  first  meeting-  of  the 
camel  and  the  American  mule-whacker  who  was  to  be  his  driver 
there  developed  between  the  two  a  mutual  antipathy. 

To  be  a  successful  camel  driver,  a  man  must  be  bom  to  the 
business.  Indeed,  he  must  come  of  a  guild  or  trade  union  of 
camel  drivers  at  least  a  thousand  years  old;  and,  better  still,  if 
it  dates  back  to  the  days  of  Abraham  and  Isaac.  The  first  disa- 
greement between  the  two  was  in  the  matter  of  language.  The 
vig-orous  invective  and  fierce  profanity  of  the  quondam  mule- 
driver  irritated  the  rentes  and  shocked  the  finer  feelings  of  the 
camel,  who  never  in  his  life,  perhaps,  had  heard  anything  more 
strenuous  than  "Allah,  el  Allah '^  lisped  in  the  softest  Arabic. 

At  first  the  mild  submissiveness  of  the  camel  provoked  his 
drivers.  They  could  appreciate  the  vigorous  kicking  of  an  army 
mule  in  his  protest  against  abuse.  But  the  spiritless  dejection 
and  the  mild-eyed  pensiveness  of  the  Arabian  burden-bearer  was 
exasperating;  but  they  soon  learned  that  in  pure  meanness  one 
lone  camel  could  discount  a  whole  herd  of  mules.  His  sup- 
posed virtues  proved  to  be  his  worst  vices.  He  could  travel 
i6  miles  an  hour.  Abstractly  that  was  a  virtue;  but  when  camp 
was  struck  in  the  evening  and  he  was  turned  loose  to  sup  off 
the  succulent  sage  brush,  either  to  escape  the  noise  and  pro- 
fanity of  the  camp  or  to  view^  the  country,  he  was  always  seized 
with  a  desire  to  take  a  pasear  of  twenty-live  or  thirty  miles 
before  supper.  While  this  only  took  an  hour  or  two  of  his 
time,  it  involved  upon  his  cnfortunate  driver  the  necessity  of 
spending  half  the  night  in  camel  chaffing;  for  if  he  was  not 
rounded  up  there  was  a  delay  of  half  the  next  day  in  starting 
the  caravan.  He  could  carry  a  ton— this  was  a  commendable 
virtue- — but  when  two  heavily  laden  *'ships  of  the  desert"  col- 
lided on  a  narrow  trail,  as  they  always  did  when  an  opportunity 
cflfered,  and  tons  of  supplies  were  scattered  over  miles  of  plain 
and  the  unfortunate  camel  pilots  had  to  gather  up  the  flotsam 
of  the  wreck;  it  is  not  strange  that  the  mariners  of  the  arid 
wastes  anathmctized  the  whole  camel  race  from  the  benst  the 
prophet  rode,  down  to  the  smallest  imp  of  Jefferson  Davis's  im- 
portation. 


150 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


The  aniiy  horses  and  mules  &hared  the  antipathy  of  the 
drivers  for  ihe  Arabian  desert  trotters.  Whenever  one  of  the 
humpbacked  burden  bearers  of  the  Orient  came  trotting  along 
past  a  corral  of  horses  and  lifted  his  voice  in  an  evening;  orison 
to  Mahommed  or  some  other  Turk,  every  horse  of  the  caballada 
^•as  seized  with  fright  and  broke  loose  and  stampeded  over  the 
plains. 

All  of  these  little  eccentricities  did  not  endear  the  camel 
to  the  soldiers  of  Uncle  Sam's  army.  He  was  hated,  despised 
and  often  persecuted.  In  vain  the  officers  urged  the  men  to 
give  the  camels  a  fair  trial  No  one  wanted  anything  to  do  vi^ith 
the  misshapen  beast.  The  teamsters  when  transformed  into 
camel  drivers  deserted  and  the  troopers  when  detailed  for  such 
a  purpose  fell  back  on  their  reserved  rights  and  declared  their 
was  nothing  in  army  rules  and  regulations  that  could  compel 
American  soldiers  to  become  Arabian  camel  drivers.  So  because 
there  was  no  one  to  load  and  navigate  these  ships  of  the  desert 
their  voyages  became  less  and  less  frequent,  until  finally  they 
ceased  altogether;  and  ihe  desert  ships  were  anchored  at  the 
different  forts  in  the  Southwest. 

It  became  evident  to  the  army  officers  that  the  camel  experi- 
ment was  a  failure.  Every  attempt  to  organize  a  caravan  re- 
sulted in  an  incipient  mutiny  among  the  troopers  and  teamsters^ 
No  attempt,  so  far  as  I  know,  was  ever  made  to  utilize  the  camel 
for  the  purpose  that  Davis  imported  him — that  of  chasing  the 
Apache  to  his  stronghold  and  shooting  the  Indian  full  of  holes 
from  light  artiller>'  strapped  on  the  back  of  a  cameL  Instead 
of  the  camel  hunting  the  Indian,  the  Indian  hunted  the  camel. 
In  some  way  poor  Lo's  untutored  appetite  had  learned  to  love 
camel  steaks  and  stews.  So,  whenever  an  opportunity  ofleredi 
the  Apaches  killed  the  camels;  but  the  camel  soon  learned  to 
hate  and  avoid  the  Indian,  as  all  living  things  learn  to  do.  Some 
were  allowed  to  die  of  neglect  by  their  drivers;  others  were  sur- 
reptitiously shot  by  the  troopers  sent  to  hunt  them  up  when 
they  strayed  away — the  trooper  claiming  to  have  mistaken  the 
wooly  tufts  on  the  top  of  the  twin  humps  of  the  camel  as  they 
bobbed  up  and  down  in  the  tall  sage  brush,  for  the  top'knot  of 
an  Indian,  and  in  self-defense  to  have  sent  a  bullet  crashing,  not 
into  an  Indian,  but  into  the  anatomy  of  a  camel. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War,  some  thirty-five  or 
forty  of  the  camel  band  were  herded  at  the  United  States  forts — 
Verde,  EI  Paso,  Yuma  and  some  of  the  smaller  posts  in  Texas. 
When  the  Eastern  forts  were  abandoned  by  the  government 


CAMBL  CARAVANS  OT  ThB  AMERICAN  DESERTS 


I5T 


the  camels  were  turned  loose  to  take  care  of  themselves.  Those 
at  Ynma  and  Fort  Tejon  were  taken  to  Benicia,  condemned 
and  sold  at  auction  to  the  highest  bidder.  They  were  bought 
by  two  Frenchmen  who  took  them  to  Reese  River,  Nevada, 
where  they  were  used  in  packing  salt  to  Virginia  City.  After- 
wards they  were  taken  to  Arizona  and  for  some  time  they  were 
used  in  packing  ore  from  the  Silver  King  mine  down  the  Gila 
to  Yuma,  But  even  the  Frenchmen's  patience  gave  out  at  last. 
Disgusted  with  their  liunch-backed  burden  bearers,  they  turned 
the  whole  herd  loose  upon  the  desert  near  Maricopa  Wells. 

Free  now  to  1^0  where  they  pleasetK  instead  of  straying  away 
beyond  the  reach  of  cruel  man^  the  camels  seemed  posessed  with 
a  desire  to  linger  near  the  haunts  of  men.  They  stayed  near  the 
line  of  the  overland  travel  and  did  mischief.  The  apparition  of 
one  of  these  ungainly  beasts  suddenly  looming  up  before  the 
vision  of  a  team  of  mules  frightened  the  long-eared  quadrupeds 
out  of  all  their  senses;  so  they  ran  away,  scattering  freight  and 
drivers  over  the  plains.  The  mule  drivers,  out  of  revenge,  shot 
the  camels  whenever  they  could  get  in  range  of  them.  In  1882 
several  wild  camels  were  caught  in  Arizona  and  sold  to  a  mena- 
gerie* but  a  few  have  survived  all  enemies  and  still  roam  at  large 
in  the  desert  regions  of  Southern  Arizona  and  Sonora,  Mex. 
The  Tnternattonal  Boundary  Commission  that  recently  surveyed 
the  line  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico,  reported  see- 
ing wild  camels  on  the  alkali  plains  amid  sage  brush  and  cactus. 
These  are  probably  descendants  of  the  imported  ones,  as  those 
seen  appeared  to  be  in  their  prime.  OccacionaJly  the  soldiers 
in  the  garrisons  of  New  Mexico  and  Arizona  catch  sight  of 
a  few  wild  camels  on  the  alkali  plains.  All  reports  agree  that 
the  animals  have  grown  white  Avitb  age.  Their  hides  have  as- 
sumetl  a  hard  leathery  appearance  and  they  are  reported  to  have 
hard  prong  hoofs,  unlike  the  cushioned  feet  of  the  well-kept 
came!.  Whether  these  are  some  of  the  survivors  of  the  original 
importation  brought  into  the  country  nearly  fifty  years  ago, 
I  or   whether   their   descendents    are    gradually    being   evolved 

I  to  meet  the  conditions  with  which  they  are  surrounded,  I  do 

I  not  know. 

L__ 


THE  DILATORY  SETTLEMENT  OF  CALIFORNIA 


BY  WALTER  R.  BACON. 


(Read  Nov.  4,  1901.) 

We  have  read  considerable  of  late  about  the  influence  of 
the  Japanese  current  upon  our  climate  and  of  the  possible  ef- 
fects from  a,  deflection  of  it  from  its  accustomed  course 
One  writer  lately  claims  to  have  discovered  that  ow- 
ing to  seismic  disturbances  to  the  east  and  north  of 
Japan  that  the  current  is  turned  southward  five  hun- 
dred miles  from  its  usual  path.  This,  of  course,  brings 
it  to  our  shores  at  a  higher  temjjerature  than  it  would  have, 
had  it  (lov,^  farther  north  to  meet  tlie  cold  currents  (as  it 
usually  does)  that  flow  out  of  Bchrjng;  sea,  and  being' warmer 
will  cause  more  humidity  in  the  atmosphere,  more  rain  on  land, 
larger  crops  on  the  farms,  more  money  in  the  pockets  of  the 
people,  making  necessaries  easier  and  luxuries  possible,  life  bet* 
ter  and  a  higher  civilization  for  alt  the  people,  all  flowing  from 
a  casual  earthquake  in  the  west  Pacific  Ocean.  This  may  be 
a  fanciful  conclusion,  but  if  the  earthquake  did  happen,  and  the 
current  was  defiectefU  all  these  things  arc  easily  possible  as  a 
result  of  that  simple  event. 

The  summer  trade  winds  blowing  shoreward  from  the  north- 
west, and  they  alone  make  this  country  comfortably  habitable 
during  the  summer.  Next  to  the  winter  rains  these  winds  are 
the  most  valuable  of  our  climatic  assets,  yet  these  same  winds 
were  without  doubt  the  most  potent  factor  of  delay  in  the  set- 
tlement of  the  country  after  its  discovery  and  exploration  by 
the  Spaniards, 

California  was  known  to  the  maritime  nations  more  than 
400  years  ago.  The  Spanish,  the  Portuguese  and  the  English 
knew  of  its  salubrity  and  many  of  its  natural  resources,  and 
that  its  settlement  would  be  practically  without  opposition  from 
aboric^ines.  yet  the  English  planted  their  colonies  in  India,  the 
Spanish  theirs  on  the  west  coast  of  South  America  and  in  the 
tropical  Ph'*'  '      Dutch  in  Sumatra  and  Java,  while 

Califr  Mexico  than  any  other  of  its 

Pj=  ty  at  one  side,  and  its  settle- 


THE  DILATORY  SETTLEMENT  OP  CALIFORNIA 


ment  never  attempted — that  is  to  say,  the  usual  Spanish  settle- 
ment was  not  attempled;  for  the  missionary  invasion  of  1769 
was  not  for  commercial  aggrandizement  nor  for  gold  or  trade^ 
for  as  long  as  the  Missions  existed  trade  was  discouraged  and 
isolation  courted.  It  can  be  demonstrated  that  the  beneficent 
Northwest  summer  trad-es  had  much  to  do  with  this  stale  of  af- 
fairs. Just  think  of  it,  in  1578  Sir  Francis  Drake  landed  in 
California  just  north  of  San  Francisco;  Raleigh  had  not  yet 
sailed  on  his  first  voyage  to  Virginia,  and  nine-tenths  of  the  Pil- 
grims wht^  afterward  landed  on  Plymouth  Hock,  had  not  yet 
been  bom.  But  2^  years  before  this,  in  1542,  Cabrillo,  the  Span- 
ish explorer,  had  discovererl  and  named  many  bays  and  islands 
including  Cape  Mendocino  and  the  Farralone  Islands.  The 
Monks  in  the  Philippines  were  thrifty  and  soon  developed  a 
large  trade  with  Spain,  a  large  part  of  which  passed  through 
Mexico.  Their  westbound  vessels  left  Acapulco  and  kept  in  a  sea 
lane  between  latitude  to°  and  15°  N„  thus  getting  the  benefit 
of  the  westerly  tropic  breeze  and  returned  at  about  latitude  35° 
to  37*^  North  to  get  the  benefit  of  the  northwest  trades.  They 
thus  sighted  California  near  San  Francisco,  from  whence  they 
coasted  down  to  Acapulco.  There  the  cargo  was  transferred 
by  mules  to  Vera  Cruz  and  thence  by  sail  to  Spain.  This 
trade  was  of  great  magnitude,  as  evidenced  by  the  fact  that 
Anson,  an  English  commodore,  in  1742  took  one  of  the  vessels 
engaged  in  this  trade  and  realized  $1,500,000  in  coin  from  the 
single  transaction.  The  vessels  were  half  men-of-war  and  half 
merchantman,  but  wholly  lazy,  as  it  usually  took  six  months  to 
make  one  way  of  the  voyage,  and  scurvy  was  almost  invariably 
present  at  the  close  of  the  trip.  They  were  improvident,  as  wit- 
nessed by  their  dependence  for  drinking  water,  upon  catching 
rain  water  en  route. 

This  trade  was  carried  on  for  centuries.  The  Spanish  ves- 
sels engaged  in  it  and  the  British  pirates  that  preyed  upon  it 
drifted  along  our  coasts  for  hundreds  of  miles  and  no  doubt 
prior  to  the  Missions,  the  entrance  oF  San  Francisco  Bay  was  in 
view  from,  the  decks  of  more  than  a  hundred  of  these  vessels 
\hat  passed  it  lazily  to  the  South. 

The  Count  of  Monterey,  then  Viceroy  of  Mexico,  under  the 
direction  of  the  King,  sent  out  an  expedition  in  charge  of  Se- 
bastian Viscayno.  that  landed  at  Monterey  and  named  the  place, 
on  December  i6th,  1602.  and  there  is  no  record  or  tradition, 
oral  or  written,  that  it  was  again  visited  by  a  white  man  for  168 
years. 


154 


HISTOaiCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUtHtRN  CALIFORNIA 


The  vessels  engaged  in  California  exploration  by  the  Span- 
ish were  mostly  constructed  at  Acapulco,  and  the  Northwest 
trade  wind  seems  to  have  been  an  almost  insuperable  obstacle 
to  their  coasting  north,  as  there  was  hardly  a  vessel  so  engaged, 
however  well  equipped  and  provisioned,  but  that  landed  its  men 
in  California  in  ill  health  and  generally  afflicted  with  scurvy* 
Even  the  iate  expedition  of  Junipero  Serra  had  much  trouble 
to  gel  even  as  far  north  as  San  Diego,  their  first  landing  place 
in  Alta  California, 

In  1769  the  history  of  white  men  in  California  began,  and 
in  the  expedition  of  the  Franciscan  friars  of  that  year  was  wafted 
to  the  shores  of  California  the  last  ripple  of  the  wave  of  Spanish 
conquest  that  for  two  himdre^l  years  had  rolled  along  the  shores 
of  the  Pacific,  The  story  of  their  effort,  the  establishment  and 
decline  of  the  Missions  is  famitiar.  Tlieir  efforts,  as  such,  wxre 
appreciated  at  their  full  worth,  and  the  Mission  buildings  that 
still  remain  are  held  in  proper  regard  as  interesting  survivors  of 
a  curious  incident  in  our  history^  but  the  enterprise  with  all  its 
effort,  had  little  influence  upon  civilization. 

Sixteen  years  after  the  first  voyage  of  Serra,  La  Perouse,  a 
celebrated  French  explorer,  came  to  Monterey  in  the  month 
of  September,  1786,  and  made  a  ten  days'  stay;  he  was  a  Cath- 
olic,  and  carried  credentials  that  gained  him  the  co-operation 
of  the  Fathers  in  securing  all  possible  information  concerning 
the  country;  of  course,  the  Mission  was  the  country.  All  their 
methods  were  the  most  primitive  and  laborioiis,  and  he  pre- 
sented the  Mission  with  a  small  hand-mill  for  grinding  corn, 
which  was  for  many  years  the  only  mill  of  any  kind  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

In  November,  1792,  George  Vancouver  dropf>ed  anchor  in 
San  Francisco  Bay.  La  Peronse  and  Vancouver,  besides  the 
Mission  Fathers,  were  the  only  recorded  visitors  to  California 
after  Drake,  and  before  the  beginning  of  the  19th  century, 
Menzies,  the  celebrated  naturalist,  whose  name  is  inseparably 
interwoven  in  the  nomenclature  of  California  flora*  accompanied 
Vancouver. 

They  were  hospitably  received  and  given  opportunity  for 
observation,  and  their  narrative  corroborates  La  Perouse  as 
to  the  primitive  conditions  that  prevailed  among  the  converts 
at  the  Missions,  Vancouver  spent  the  following  year  explor- 
ing the  coast  to  the  northward,  and  on  his  return  was  received 
coldly,  the  haibtual  jealousy  of  race  overcoming  the  natural 
hospitality  of  the  Spanish  fathers. 


THE  DILATORY  SETTLEMENT  OF  CALIFORNIA 


TS5 


For  fourteen  years  after  this  visit,  the  pious  Franciscans  of 
San  Francisco  and  Monterey  saw  no  foreign  ships,  They  had 
no  occasion  for  fear  of  invasion  and  contamination.  Then  in 
March,  1806,  the  Russian  ship  Juno  came  to  San  Francisco  for 
supplies  for  the  Russian  settlement  at  Sitka,  then  in  a  starving 
condition.  Langsdorff,  an  ofl^icer  of  the  expedition,  wrote  the 
best  detailed  account  of  California  as  it  then  existed  that  was 
ever  written.  Tlie  jealousy  of  foreigners  prevented  their  land- 
ing for  son>e  lime.  The  Spanish  had  notice  that  two  Russian 
vessels  would  call,  and  the  authorities  had  been  directed  to  re- 
ceive them  courteously,  and  the  Russian  commander  of  this 
expedition  with  the  usual  Russian  diplomacy,  by  shrewdly  rep- 
resenting- that  he  came  instead  of  the  expected  vessels,  secured 
for  himself  the  courtesies  reserved  for  them,  and  was  allowed 
to  purchase  provisions  and  make  repairs.  While  their  ship  was 
thus  lying  in  the  Bay,  Langsdorff  and  two  men  tried  to  make 
the  San  Jose  Mission  in  a  small  boat;  after  many  hardships  they 
'got  back  to  the  ship,  barely  escaping  death,  Langsdorflf  says 
that  there  was  not  a  single  Spanish  boat  on  San  Francisco  Bay, 
that  they  knew  nothing  at  all  of  the  North  and  East  shore  of 
the  bay  from  lack  of  facilities  for  crossing  the  bay.  That  part 
of  the  country  accessible  on  foot  they  never  explored,  and  had 
no  knowledge  of»  except  such  as  was  derived  from  the  excuf' 
sions  of  the  soldiers  who  went  into  the  interior  hunting  for 
converts. 

On  these  pious  crusades  the  soldiers  had  penetrated  to  the 
East  and  South  as  far  as  the  San  Joaquin  River,  which  they  dis- 
covered. 

These  outposts  of  Spian  were  truly  afar  off — it  took  two 
months  by  courier  from  Mexico,  though  the  route  and  stations 
for  the  entire  distance  were  kept  by  the  military,  and  the  Euro- 
pean news  that  the  courier  brought  was  six  months  old  when 
they  started  with  it.  Langsdorff  comments  on  this  isolation 
and  upon  the  filthy  vermin  and  general  misery  with  which  the 
converts  were  inflicted,  he  says  that  the  monks  complained  of 
the  Tn(h"an  converts,  that  as  soon  as  one  gpt  sick  he  became 
despondent,  and  was  hard  to  do  for.  The  only  medicines  pos- 
sessed by  the  monks  were  emetics  and  cathartics,  which  they 
reserved  exclusively  for  themselves. 

On  October  1st,  1816,  Kotzebue,  another  distinguished  Ris- 
sian,  entered  San  Francisco  Bay  and  stayed  a  month  for  repairs. 
He  is  authority  for  the  statement  that  at  that  time  trading  ves- 
sels were  not  allowed  at  the  ports  of  San  Francisco  and  Mon- 
terev.     He  came  again  in  1824. 


iS6 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUtH^RK  CAUI^ORNIA 


Between  his  two  visits,  California,  with  Mexico,  had  de- 
clared its  independence  of  Spain,  and  from  lack  of  support  of 
the  imipertal  ami,  the  Mission  Fathers  had  lost  prestige,  the  con* 
trol  of  the  soldiers  and  many  of  their  converts,  all  of  which  con- 
tributed to  one  of  those  opera  bouffe  incidents  that  seem  to 
happen  only  in  Spanish-ridden  countries  or  in  China.  As 
Kotzebue  passed  the  fort,  he  noticed  that  all  of  the  populace 
were  out,  and  that  all  of  the  military  in  full  regimentals  were 
in  attendance  on  the  guns  and  under  arms  in  battle  array.  In 
their  honor  he  fired  a  salute^  which^  to  his  amazement,  was  not 
returned.  Shortly  a  boat  put  off  from  the  shore  containing  an 
officer,  who,  being-  taken  aboard,  begged  that  he  be  supplied 
with  powder  (of  which  the  garrison  had  none)  sufficient  to  re- 
turn the  salute.  This  incident  fairly  illustrates  the  comic  opera 
phase  of  military  operations  of  that  period^  which  is  so  strongly 
characteristic  o^  all  the  Spanish  troops  that  were  in  California 
from  the  foundation  of  the  missions  to  the  Mexican  war. 

Kotzebiie  observed  and  remarked  the  utter  lack  of  people  in 
the  countr)\  He  saw  not  a  single  canoe  on  this  voyage;  but 
some  of  hife  remarks  about  the  future  of  the  country  seem  pro- 
phetic* He  says:  *'It  has  hitherto  been  the  fate  of  these  re- 
gions, like  modest  merit  or  humble  virtue,  to  remain  unnoticed* 
but  posterity  will  do  them  justice.  Towns  and  cities  will  here- 
after flourish  where  all  is  now  desert;  the  waters  over  which 
scarcely  a  solitary  boat  is  seen  to  glide  will  reflect  the  flags  of 
all  nations,  and  a  happy,  prosperous  people  receiving  with 
thankfulness  what  prodigal  nature  bestows  for  thetr  use,  will 
disperse  her  treasures  over  every  part  of  the  world.'*  He  also 
speculated  on  what  great  use  the  country  would  be  to  Russia. 
He  landed  on  Goat  Island,  and  claims  (as  he  probably  was)  that 
he  was  the  first  white  man  to  set  foot  thereon.  He  went  down 
and  examined  the  Santa  Clara  Mission,  noted  the  convent  where 
the  Indian  girls  were  kept,  how  the  girls  were  married  off,  and 
generally  condemned  the  missions  as  cruelly  oppressing  the 
natives. 

The  Commandante  of  San  Diego,  Don  Jose  Maria  Etsudillo, 
and  a  small  party  went  with  him  to  the  Russian  settlement  of 
Bodega,  and  from  there  made  the  first  recorded  expedition  into 
Marin  county's  interior.  He  says  that  to  the  east  of  the  Russian 
settlement  was  a  large  valley  known  as  White  Man*s  Valley, 
the  Indians  relating  that  years  before  a  ship  had  been  wrecked 
and  the  survivors  had  gone  into  the  interior,  where  they  lived 
for  years  at  ararity  with  the  Indians.     On  this  trip  Estudillo 


^B  DILATORY  SETTLEMENT  OP  CALIFORNIA 


told  him  that  the  cavalry  supplied  the  converts  by  going  into 
the  mountains  and  capturing  with  a  lasso  such  free  heathen  as 
seemed  lusty  and  worth  keeping. 

Kotzebue  spent  two  months  ia  San  Francisco  Bay,  He 
went  up  it  as  far  as  the  Sacramento,  and  seems  to  have  fully 
appreciated  the  beauties  and  value  of  that  wonderful  sheet  of 
water.  With  this  expedition  was  the  botanist,  Escholtz,  after 
whom  the  golden  yellow  California  poppy  was  named. 

After  the  Mexican  revolution,  California  ports,  instead  of 
repelling  trade,  invited  it;  but  for  years  it  seemed  to  have 
been  considered  by  Europeans  and  Americans  living  on  the 
Atlantic  coast  as  the  most  distant  and  impossible  of  all  coun- 
tries, China,  India  and  the  South  Sea  islands  were  familiar 
ground  to  Yankees  compared  with  California  as  late  as  the  war 
of  1812,  and  to  have  been  to  California  was  a  passport  to  won- 
dering admiration  in  any  comnmmity.  In  the  years  immedi- 
ately following  1824,  many  adventurous  spirits  visited  and  ex- 
plored California.  The  first  of  these  was  Jedidiah  S.  Smith* 
who,  commencing  in  1825,  made  two  trips  into  and  through 
California.  In  one  of  these  he  traversed  the  State  from  San 
Gabriel  to  the  Oregon. 

Edmund  Randolph,  in  an  oration  delivered  to  California 
pioneers  at  San  Francisco  in  i860,  spoke  eloquently  or  Smith 
and  his  accamplishments*  He  shortly  afterward  received  a 
letter  from  a  Mr.  Sprague,  who  then  lived  in  Nevada,  who  said 
he  knew  Smith;  that  although  he  had  lived  for  many  years  on 
the  farthest  frontier,  he  was  a  man  of  education,  a  linguist,  a 
man  of  sentiment,  refinement  and  great  force  of  character,  and 
that  in  1825.  in  returning  to  Salt  Lake  from  San  Diego,  Smith's 
party  had  discovered  fine  placer  gold  deposits  in  California,  at 
what  he  thinks  is  now  Inyo  county.  Smith  was  an  adventur- 
ous trapper  and  explorer,  a  close  and  scholarly  observer.  He 
made  copious  notes,  and  many  maps  of  the  country  he  explored. 
These  he  sent,  as  opportunity  offered,  to  St.  Louis,  intending 
to  publish  a  narrative  of  his  travels;  but  all  this  data  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  and  he  was  soon  after  killed  by  Indians.  Many 
lovers  of  the  natural  sciences  came  into  the  country  after  Smith. 
David  Douglas^  a  rare  soul,  by  his  gun,  won  his  Hving  from 
the  interior  mountains  and  valleys  of  California  for  five  years. 
From  1S26  to  1831,  he  explored  the  almost  impenetrable  fast- 
nesses of  its  great  Sierras,  ranging  from  the  Santa  Lucias  at 
Monterey  to  the  Columbia  and  its  tributaries.  He  discovered 
and  classified  many  new  plants  and  trees — Pinus-Sabiniana,  and 


'58 


HISTORICAL  SOCrETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


Finus  Grandus,  among  others,  were  contributed  by  him,  Doug- 
las, in  all  his  wanderings  in  California,  was  accompanied  by  a 
f-ersistent  little  Scotch  terrier.  Taking  his  dog  with  him,  he 
started  on  his  return  to  England  via  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
There  he  strayed  away  from  port  one  day  and  fell  into  a  pit 
that  had  been  constructed  by  the  natives  to  trap  the  native 
wild  cattle.  Into  this,  before  him,  had  fallen  a  wild  bull.  The 
terrier,  still  his  companion,  by  his  distressed  howling,  discov- 
ered Douglas  to  his  friends.  They  found  him  in  the  pit,  gored 
and  trampled  out  of  all  semblance  to  man  by  the  infuriated  bull 
In  1831,  before  leaving  California,  Douglas  met  Dn  Thomas 
Coulter,  who  was  in  the  country  on  the  same  errand,  having 
penetrated  it  from  Central  America, 

Coulter  traveled  and  explored  California  from  the  Sacra- 
mento to  the  south  line  of  the  State.  Tlie  pine  bearing  the 
heaviest  cone  of  all  pines  perpetuates  his  name. 

In  1826  Beechy,  in  command  of  H,  M,  ship  Blossom,  visited 
San  Francisco  Bay  and  surveyed  it  as  far  as  Benicia,  He  was 
struck  with  the  beauty  of  the  bay,  and  wrote  such  a  favorable 
and  glowing  account  of  it  as  to  greatly  excite  British  cupidity. 

Sir  Edward  Belcher,  who  was  with  Beechy,  in  1837  returned 
in  another  British  ship,  and  again  attempted  a  survey  of  the 
bay  and  the  Sacramento  river  as  far  as  the  San  Joaquin.  Al- 
though he  had  a  soldier  with  him  who  had  formerly  hunted  that 
part  of  the  country^  for  converts,  they  did  not  find  the  San 
Joaquin,  and  hence  he  would  not  believe  it  existed. 

In  1841,  Commodore  Wilkes,  with  a  U.  S,  squadron,  came 
to  California,  His  report  of  that  voyage  is  familiar  to  all  stu- 
dents of  California  history.  The  British,  who  had  had  an  eye 
on  the  country  since  1824,  caller!  at  Monterey  in  force  in  1846; 
but  it  had  already  fallen  into  the  hands  of  America. 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 
I 90 I -1902 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 

Henry  D.  Barrows^  George  W.  HazarDj 

Louis  Roedeh^  Wm>    H.   Workman^ 

James  M.  Guinn,  J.  W.  Gillette. 
M,  F,  QoiNN, 

OFFICERS. 

Henry    D.    Barrows. ,..  ..President 

M-    F.    QuiNN First    Vice-President 

George  W.  Hazard .,..,...,....,. ,., ..Second  Vice-President 

LoLns    RoEDER Treasurer 

J.    M.    GuTNN ,  * Secretary 

COMMITTEE  ON  MEMBERSHIP. 
Mathew   Teedf  Robert   McGakvin,  Jerry   Newujl, 

COMMITTEE  ON  FINANCE. 

Will  D.  Gould,  J.  M.  Stewart,  *  E.  K.  Green. 

COMMITTEE  ON  LITERARY  EXERCISES. 

B.  S.  Eaton,        Wm,  H-  Workman,        J,  M,  GcnwN,        H.  D.  Barrows. 
Mrs.  Laura  Evertsen  King. 

COMMITTEE  ON  MUSIC 

Louis  Roedeji,  H,  W.  Stoll,  J.  C.  Dotteb. 

N.  Mercadante,  Mrs.  VtRcrNtA  Whisler  Davis. 

COMMITTEE  ON  ENTERTAINMENT, 

Mrs.  Mary  Frankuk,       Mrs.  Dora  Eilderbeck,      Mrs.  Ellen  G.  Teed^ 
Mrs*  HARRrET  S,  Perry,      Mrs.  Emm.a  E.  Hehwig,      George  W.  Hazard^ 

J,  VV.  Gillette. 


PIONEERS  OF  L05  ANGELES  COUNTY 


CONSTITirriON 

[Adopted  September  4,  1897.] 

ARTICLE  I. 

This  society  shall  be  known  as  The  Pion^rs  of  Los  Angdea 
County.  Its  objects  are  to  cultivate  social  intercourse  and 
friendship  among  its  members  and  to  collect  and  presence  the 
early  history  of  Los  Angeles  county,  and  perpetuate  the  mem- 
ory of  those  who,  by  their  honorable  labors  and  heroism,  helped 
to  make  that  history. 

ARTICLE  II. 

All  persons  of  good  moral  character,  thirty-five  years  of  age 
or  over,  who,  at  the  date  of  their  application,  shall  have  resided 
at  kast  twenty-five  years  in  Los  Angeles  county,  shall  be  eligi- 
ble to  membership;  and  also  all  persons  of  good  moral  char- 
acter fifty  years  of  age  or  over,  who  have  resided  in  the  State 
forty  years  and  in  the  country  ten  years  previous  to  their  appli- 
cation, shall  be  eligible  to  become  n>embers.  Persons  bom  in 
this  State  are  not  eligible  to  membership,  but  those  admitted 
before  the  adoption  of  this  amendment  shall  retain  their  mem- 
bership,   (Amended  September  4,  1900.) 

ARTICLE  III. 
The  officers  of  this  society  shall  consist  of  a  board  of  seven 
directors,  to  be  elected  annually  at  the  annual  meeting,  by  the 
members  of  the  society.  Said  directors  when  elected  shall 
choose  a  president,  a  first  vice-president,  a  second  vice-president, 
a  secretary  and  a  treasurer.  The  secretary  and  treasurer  may 
be  elected  from  the  members  outside  the  Board  of  Directors, 

ARTICLE  IV. 

The  annual  meeting  of  this  society  shall  be  held  on  the 
Tuesday  of  September,     The  anniversary  of  the  foun 'i  ■ 
the  society  shall  be  the  fourth  day  of  September,  that  bi 
anniversary  of  the  first  civic  settlement  in  the  50"**— ^ 
of  Alta  California,  to  wit,  the  founding  of  th- 
Angeles,  September  4,  1781. 


CONSTITUTION  AND  BV-LAWS 


l6l 


ARTICLE  V, 

Metnbers  guilty  of  misconduct  may,  upon  conviction  after 
proper  investigation  has  been  held,  be  expelled,  suspended,  fined 
or  reprimanded  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present 
at  any  stated  meeting;  provided,  notice  shall  have  been  given  to 
the  society  at  least  one  month  prior  to  &uch  intended  action. 
Any  officer  of  this  society  may  be  removed  by  the  Board  of 
Directors  for  cause;  provided,  that  such  removal  shall  not  be- 
come permanent  or  final  until  approved  by  a  majority  of  mem- 
bers of  the  society  present  at  a  stated  meeting  and  voting. 

ARTICLE  VI. 
Amendments  to  this  constitution  may  be  made  by  submit- 
ting the  same  in  writing  to  the  society  at  least  one  month  prior 
to  the  annual  meeting.  At  said  annual  meeting  said  proposed 
amendments  shall  be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  tl^e  society.  And 
if  two-thirds  of  all  the  members  present  and  voting  shall  vote 
in  favor  of  adopting  said  amendments,  then  they  shall  be  de- 
clared adopted,    (Amended  September  4,  1900, 

BY-LAWS 


MEMBERSHIP. 

[Adopted  September  4,  1897;  amended  June  4,  1891.] 

Section  i.  Applicants  for  membership  in  this  society 
shall  be  recomrnended  by  at  least  two  members  in  good  stand- 
ing. The  applicant  shall  give  his  or  her  full  name,  age*  birth- 
place, present  residence^  occupation,  date  of  his  or  her  arrival 
in  the  State  and  in  Los  Angeles  county.  The  application  must 
be  accompanied  by  the  admission  fee  of  one  dollar,  which  shall 
also  be  payment  in  full  for  dues  until  the  next  annual  meeting. 

Section  2.  Applications  for  admission  to  membership  in 
the  society  shall  be  referred  to  the  committee  on  membership, 
for  investigation,  and  reported  on  at  the  next  regular  meeting 
of  the  society.  If  the  report  is  favorable,  a  ballot  shall  be  taken 
for  the  election  of  the  candidate.  Three  negative  votes  shall 
cause  the  rejection  of  the  applicant. 

Section  3.  Each  person,  on  admission  to  meml?ership,  shall 
sign  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws. 

Section  4.  Any  person  eligible  to  membership  may  be 
elected  a  h*fe  member  of  this  society  on  the  payment  to  the 
treasurer  of  SzK.     Life  members  shall 


l62 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


of  active  members,  but  shall  not  be  required  to  pay  annual  dues. 
Section  5.     A  member  may  withdraw  from  the  society  by 
giving  notice  to  the  society  of  his  desire  to  do  so,  and  paying 
all  dues  charged  against  him  up  to  the  date  of  his  withdrawal. 

DUES. 

Section  6,  The  annual  dues  of  each  member  (except  life 
members)  shall  be  one  dollar,  payable  in  advance,  at  the  annual 
meeting  in  September. 

Section  7,  Any  member  delinquent  one  year  in  dues  shall 
be  notified  by  the  secretary  of  said  delinquency,  and  unless  said 
dues  are  paid  within  one  month  after  said  notice  is  given,  then 
said  member  shall  stand  suspended  from  the  society.  A  mem- 
ber may  be  reinstated  on  payment  of  all  dues  owing  at  the  date 
of  his  suspension. 

DUTIES  OF  OfflCERS. 

Section  8.  Tlie  president  shall  preside,  preserve  order  and 
decorum  during  the  meetings  and  see  that  the  Constitution  and 
By-Laws  and  rules  of  the  society  are  properly  enforced;  appoint 
all  committees  not  otherwise  provided  for;  fill  all  vacancies  tern** 
porarily  for  the  meeting.  The  president  shall  have  power  to 
suspend  any  officer  or  member  for  cause,  subject  to  the  actioa 
of  the  society  at  the  next  meeting. 

Section  9.  In  the  absence  of  the  president,  one  of  the  vicc^ 
presidents  shall  preside,  with  the  same  power  as  the  president, 
and  if  no  president  or  vice-president  be  present,  the  society  shall 
elect  any  member  to  preside  temporarily. 

Section  10.  The  secretary  shall  keep  a  true  record  of  all 
the  members  of  the  society;  and  upon  the  death  of  a  member 
fwhen  he  shall  have  notice  of  such  death)  shaJl  have  published 
in  two  daily  papers  of  Los  Angeles  the  time  and  place  of  the 
funeral;  and,  in  conjunction  with  the  president  and  other  officers 
and  members  of  the  society,  shall  make  such  arrangements  with 
the  approval  of  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  as  may  be  necessary 
for  the  funeral  of  the  deceased  member.  The  secretary  shall 
collect  all  dues,  giving  his  receipt  therefor;  and  he  shall  turn 
over  to  the  treasurer  all  moneys  collected,  taking  his  receipt  for 
the  same, 

He  shall  make  a  full  report  at  the  annual  meeting,  setting 
forth  the  condition  of  the  society,  its  membership^  receipts,  dis- 
bursements, etc. 

He  shall  receive  for  his  services  such  compensation  as  the 
Board  of  Directors  may  allow. 


CONSTITUTION  AND  BY-LAWS 


163 


Section  II.  The  treasurer  shall  receive  from  the  secretary 
all  moneys  paid  to  the  society  and  give  his  receipt  for  the  same, 
and  shall  pay  out  the  money  only  upon  the  order  of  the  society 
upon  a  warrant  signed  by  the  secretary  and  president,  and  at  the 
end  of  his  term  shall  pay  over  to  his  successor  all  moneys 
remaining  in  his  hands,  and  render  a  true  and  itemized  account 
to  the  society  of  all  moneys  received  and  paid  out  during  his 
term  of  office. 

Section  12,  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  finance  committee 
to  examine  the  books  of  the  secretary  and  treasurer  and  any 
other  accounts  of  the  society  that  may  be  referred  o  them,  and 
report  the  same  to  the  society. 

COMMITTEES. 

Section  13.  The  president,  vice-presidents,  secretar)'  and 
treasurer  shall  constitute  a  relief  committee,  whose  duty  it  shall 
be  to  see  that  sick  or  destitute  members  are  properly  cared  for. 
In  case  of  emergency,  the  committee  shall  be  empowered  to  ex- 
pend for  immediate  relief  an  amount  from  the  funds  of  the  soci- 
ety not  to  exceed  $20,  without  a  vote  of  the  society.  Such  expen- 
diture, with  a  statement  of  the  case  and  the  necessity  for  the 
expenditure  shall  be  made  to  the  society  at  its  next  regular 
meeiing. 

Section  14.  At  the  first  meeting  after  the  annual  meeting 
each  year,  the  president  shall  appoint  the  following  standing 
com^mittees:  Tbree  on  membership;  three  on  finance;  five  on 
program;  five  on  music;  five  on  general  good  of  the  society,  and 
seven  on  entertainment. 


MlSCEl^t^ANgOUS. 

Section  15.  Whenev^er  a  vacancy  in  any  office  of  this  soci- 
ety occurs,  it  shall  be  filled  by  election  for  the  unexpired  term. 

Section  16.  The  stated  meetings  of  this  society  shall  be 
held  on  the  first  Tuesflay  of  each  month,  and  the  annual  meeting 
shall  be  held  the  first  Tuesday  of  September.  Special  meetings 
may  be  called  by  the  president  or  by  a  majority  of  the  Board 
of  Directors,  but  no  business  shall  be  transacted  at  such  special 
meetings  except  that  specified  in  the  calh 

Section  17.  These  By-Laws  and  Rules  may  be  temporarily 
suspended  at  any  regular  meeting  of  the  society  by  unanimous 
vote  of  the  members  present. 

Section  18.     Whenever  the  Board  of  Directors  shall  be  satis- 
fied that  any  worthy  member  of  this  society  is  unable,  for  the 


164 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


time  being,  to  pay  the  annual  dues  as  hereinbefore  prescribed, 
it  shall  have  power  to  remit  the  same. 

Section  19.  Changes  and  amendments  of  these  By-Laws 
and  Rules  may  be  made  by  submitting-  the  same  in  writing  to 
the  society  at  a  stated  meeting.  Said  amendment  shall  be  read 
at  two  stated  meetings  before  it  is  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the 
society.  If  said  amendment  shall  receive  two-thirds  of  the 
votes  of  all  the  members  present  and  voting,  then  it  shall  be  de- 
clared adopted. 


Ordhk.  of  Business. 


CALL  TO  ORDER. 

Reading  minutes  of  previous  meeting. 

Music, 
Reports  of  committee  on  membership. 

Election  of  new  members. 
Reading  of  applications  for  membership. 

Music. 

Reminiscences,  lectures,  addresses,  etc. 

Music  or  recitations. 

Recess  of  10  minutes  for  payment  of  dues. 

Unfinished  business. 

New   business. 

Reports  of  committees. 

Election  of  officers  at  the  annual  meeting  or  to  fill  vacancies. 

Music, 

Is  any  member  in  need  of  assistance? 

Good  of  the  society. 

Receipts  of  the  evening. 

Adjournment, 


INAUGURAL  OF  PRESIDENT  BARROWS 


[Tuesday,  October  i,  1901,] 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Pioneer  Society: 

In  assuming  the  duties  of  president  for  the  current  year  of 
the  society's  existence,  I  desire,  first  of  all.  to  express  my  thanks 
and  appreciation  of  the  honor  that  has  been  conferred  on  me 
by  my  election  as  the  presiding  o-fificer  of  this  honorable  body. 

For,  I  assure  you,  that,  though  the  duties  of  the  office,  if 
properly  and  faithfully  performed,  are  somewhat  onerouSj  and 
would  seem  to  require  the  services  of  a  younger  and  more  active 
man  than  I  am;  nevertheless,  the  honor  that  attaches  to  the 
position  is  one  that  any  member  might  be  justified  in  coveting. 

And.  in  this  connection,  I  cannot  forbear  remarking  that,  in 
my  opinion — in  which  I  am  sure  you  will  all  concur — much  of 
the  prosperity  and  success  of  our  society  have  been  the  result 
of  the  faithful  and  active  work  of  our  associate,  who,  during 
the  last  three  years,  has  served  as  your  presiding  officer.  If  I 
can  serve  you  anywhere  near  as  well,  during  the  next  one  year, 
I  shall  be  content. 

I  have  thought  that  the  present  is  a  fitting  occasion  on  which 
to  offer  some  observations  concerning  the  aim  and  scope  of  our 
Pioneer  Society,  and  to  snggest  the  best  means,  so  far  as  I  may, 
of  realizing  the  same. 

Our  society  has  come  to  seem  like  one  large  family,  bound 
together  by  strong  ties  analogous  to  those  which  bind  together 
an  ordinary  family.  Our  bond  of  union  extends  back  25  years 
or  more — and  in  some  cases,  30.  40  and  50  years — to  times 
when  we  were  neighbors,  and  more  or  less  intimate  friends — or 
perhaps  even  only  distant  acquaintances — in  a  community  and 
amidst  surroundings  in  many  respects  vastly  different  from 
those  in  which  we  now  live.  For,  probably  in  few  cities  in  the 
United  States,  have  such  great  changes  occurred  as  in  Los  An- 
geles during  the  same  period  of  time 

When,  as  a  large  family  of  former  neighbors,  we  meet;  or 
when  we  meet  each  other  on  the  street  or  elsewhere,  we  in- 
stinctively are  remanded  of  former  times  and  of  a  former  world, 
in  wliich  we — each  one  of  us — were  actors,  and  of  scenes  and 
associations  with  companions  and  dear  friends  or  near  relatives, 


i66 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


who  long  ago  passed  away,  leaving  to  us,  now  reduced  to  a 
comparatively  small  band,  the  privilege  of  cherishing  their 
memof)',  and  of  living  over  again  a  former  life,  which  then  was 
in  fact  so  real,  but  which  now  almost  seems  like  a  dream. 

It  is  indeed  a  source  of  genuine  pleasure,  in  these,  our 
monthly  meetings,  to  renew  and  cultivate  our  acquaintanceship 
of  former  years,  and  to  learn  to  know  each  other  better  and 
better  as  the  end  of  life's  drama  for  each  of  us  draws  near 

Only  a  few  days  ago  I  met  an  old  friend  (Col,  I.  E,  Mess- 
more),  and  an  old  man- — though  he  is  not  a  meinber  of  our  so- 
ciety— who  stopped  and  saluted  me,  saying.  *AVhenever  I  see 
you,  I  have  a  kindly  feeling  towards  you  and  desire  to  extend  a 
friendly  greeting/'  The  cordial,  and.  as  T  believed,  entirely  sin- 
cere manner  in  which  he  said  ihis^  gave  me  great  pleasure;  and 
T  instantly  responded,  and  with  perfect  truth:  'That's  exactly 
the  way  I  feel  towards  yon." 

In  the  renewal,  in  this  society,  of  our  old  acquaintanceship, 
we  have  come  lo  have,  more  and  more,  a  ''kindly  feeling**  for 
each  other.  Let  us,  in  every  way  we  can,  encourage  and  stimu- 
late that  friendly  feeling. 

And  one  of  many  wavs  in  which  this  can  be  done  is  bv  giv- 
ing more  time  at  our  monthly  gatherings  to  informal  social 
intercourse.  This  can  be  done  without  changing  the  regular 
time  of  8  o'clock  for  our  formal  opening,  by  having  it  generally 
understood  that,  if  members  will  get  together  an  hour  earlier — 
say  at  7  o'clock — that  much  time  can  be  devoted  to  social  in- 
tercourse, in  talking  over  "old  times"  as  well  as  present  times, 
and  matters  of  present  current  interest,  etc.;  and  then  we  can 
commence  the  formal  or  regular  business  of  the  evening 
promptly  at  8  o'clock,  and  dispatch  it  without  running  far  into 
the  night,  which,  I  think,  would  be  satisfactory  to  all  our  mem- 
bers. This  innovation  can  easily  be  adopted,  as  the  evenings 
in  the  winter  season  are  long, 

I  am  moved  to  offer  this  suggestion,  as  I  have  often  noted 
the  great  interest  with  which  members  engage  in  conversation 
before  each  meeting,  sometimes  delaying  the  call  to  order  from 
one-half  to  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  Instead  of  repressing  this 
desire  of  members  "to  talk  over  old  tim^"  informally,  I  think 
their  wish  in  the  matter  is  entirely  commendable,  and  should 
be  encourage*'!,  as  it  can  be  by  the  plan  I  suggest,  and  that 
without  interfering  at  all  with  our  regular  programs. 

I  desire  to  repeat  tonight  what  I  have  often  urged  before, 
namely,  the  desirability  of  this  Pioneer  Society's  possessing,  in 


I 


INAUGURAI*  OF  PRESIDENT  BARROWS 


167 


writing",  either  briefly  or  in  extenso,  a  sketch  of  the  life  of  every 
one  of  its  members.  We  have  already  a  record  in  the  ''Pioneer 
Register*'  of  the  dates  of  the  births  and  coming  to  California 
of  each  member.  But  those  primary  facts  should  be  supple- 
mented by  some  details,  long  or  short,  and  in  writing,  for  pres- 
ervation for  the  benefit  of  those  who  come  after  us,  of  the  life 
of  every  member.  Some  members  have  recounted  to  us  verb- 
ally, stirring  episodes  of  their  lives,  which  were  of  exceeding' 
interest,  but  which,  as  they  were  not  of  record,  will  not  be 
available  for  their  and  our  children,  unless  they  shall  yet  be 
written,  out.  The  recorded  story  of  the  principal  events  of 
every  member  of  this  society,  if  preserved,  will  be  of  inesti- 
mable value.  And  I  earnestly  hope  the  society  will  yet,  and 
at  no  distant  day,  possess  such  a  recortl,  as  it  may,  if  each  mem- 
ber who  has  not  already  done  so,  will  furnish  the  same,  so  far 
as  it  refers  to  his  own  individual  life. 

The  last  half  of  the  nineteenth  century  in  Southern  Califor- 
nia— in  Los  Angeles  county^ — was  certainly,  as  we  all  of  its  well 
know,  an  exceedingly  interesting  and  eventful  period.  Let  us 
all  contribute  what  we  can  to  preserve  the  memory  of  the  life 
we  have  lived  here  in  the  olden  times,  and  w*hich  we  know  more 
intimately  than  any  outsider  can  know. 


THE  PONY  EXPRESS 


BY  J.    M.   GUltm. 

[Read  before  the  Pioneers,  May  7,  1901,] 

With  our  daily  newspapers  before  breakfast,  chronicling  the 
history  of  the  whole  world  for  the  previous  day,  it  is  hke  going 
back  into  the  Dark  Ag'es  to  take  a  retrospect  of  California  as  it 
was  fifty  years  ago. 

Then  Eastern  Slate  news  a  month  old,  and  European  dis- 
patches that  had  voyaged  on  two  oceans  for  50  days  or  more, 
w^ere  the  latest,  and,  on  the  arrival  of  the  steamer,  the  San  Fran- 
cisco papers  got  out  extras,  and  prided  themselves  on  their  en- 
terprise as  news  disseminators.  When  mail  matter  was  sent  out 
from  the  metropolis  of  California  to  the  mines  in  the  north  ajid 
the  cow  counties  in  the  south,  it  often  took  it  another  monh  to 
reach  its  destination. 

It  is  of  record  that  one  mail  from  San  Francisco  for  Los 
Angeies,  in  1851,  was  fifty-two  days  in  reaching  the  old  pueblo; 
and  four  weeks  was  not  uncommonly  slow  time.  Tlie  Star  of 
October  i,  1853,  under  the  head  of  "Information  Wanted/' 
wants  to  know  "what  has  become  of  the  mail  for  this  section  of 
the  uorkL"  ''Some  four  weeks  since,**  says  the  editor,  '*the 
mail  actually  did  arrive;  since  then,  two  other  mails  are  due, 
but  none  have  come/' 

A^ain.  the  Star  of  November  20,  1852,  says  the  latest  dates 
from  San  Francisco  are  October  28,  now  23  days  ok!.  Of  the 
results  of  the  State  election  that  took  place  three  weeks  ago, 
we  are  in  the  most  profound  ignorance,  having  received  returns 
from  no  county  in  the  State  except  Los  Angeles.  Think  of  the 
protracted  agony  of  a  candidate  still  waiting  three  weeks  after 
the  election  to  know  his  fate! 

While  the  newsmongers,  the  merchants  and  the  candidates 
suffered  from  the  mairs  delay*  how  was  it  with  the  honest  min- 
ers, in  the  lonely  mining  camps?  No  novelist  or  sentimentalist 
has  written  of  the  hope  fleferred  that  made  the  heart  sick  of 
many  an  Argonaut — and  all  because  of  the  maiPs  uncertainty. 
Isolated  from  the  world  in  mountain  mining  camps,  where  no 
mail  reached  them,  the  miners  of  the  early  '50's  were  depend- 


THK  PONY  EXPRESS 


ent  upon  private  carriers,  who  brought  them  at  irregular  inter- 
vals the  few  letters  that  ran  the  gauntlet  of  ocean  disasters, 
careless  postmasters  and  reckless  stage  drivers. 

As  the  Argonaut,  in  most  cases,  was  a  young  man,  fresh 
from  home,  who  had  left  a  girl  behind  him  to  await  his  return 
with  a  fortune,  the  anxiety  with  which  he  watched  for  a  letter 
from  home  to  know  whether  his  girl  was  still  waiting  for  him  or 
whether  some  other  fellow  was  waiting  on  her,  was  truly  pa- 
thetic. Home-sickness  killed  many  an  Argonaut,and  the  defect* 
ive  mail  system  of  the  early  '50's  ought  to  have  been  indicted 
for  manslaughter.  I  know  we  laugh  at  a  homesick,  individual, 
but  a  genuine  attack  of  the  disease  is  no  laughing  matter.  The 
medical  reports  of  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil  War  attrib- 
ute no  less  than  lo^ooo  deaths  to  nostalgia,  the  medical  name 
for  home-sickness. 

As  the  population  of  the  Pacific  Coast  increased*  the  de- 
mand for  quicker  mail  service  became  more  imperative.  The 
scheme  of  im.porting  camels  and  dromedaries  and  using  them 
in  carrying  the  mail  and  express  across  the  plains  was  agitated. 
It  was  claimed  that  the  camel,  filling  his  internal  water  tank 
out  of  the  Missouri  river,  could  strike  straight  across  the  water- 
less wastes  of  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  stopping  occasionally 
lor  a  meal  of  sage  brush,  and  taking  a  drink  at  the  Colorado 
river,  he  could  trot  across  the  Colorado  desert  and  deliver  the 
mail  in  the  California  coast  towns  fifteen  days  from  New  York. 

As  some  of  you  will  recollect,  the  camels  did  come  to  the 
coast  in  1857,  but  they  were  not  delivering  mail;  they  were 
carrying  freight,  and  were  not  miich  of  a  success  at  that.  The 
Butterfield  stage  route  was  established  in  1858,  It  was  the 
longest  stage  line  in  the  world.  Its  western  terminus  was  San 
Francisco,  and  its  eastern  termini  Memphis  and  St.  Louis.  It 
brought  the  eastern  news  in  20  days.  That  was  such  an  un- 
precedented quick  time  that  the  Los  Angeles  Star  rushed  out 
an  extra  edition  and  proposed  a  hundred  guns  for  the  overland 
stage.  But  the  people  wanted  faster  time,  and  the  Pony  Ex- 
press was  established  in  i860.  I  take  the  following  graphic  de- 
scription of  its  first  trip  across  the  plains  from  the  Kansas  City 
Star: 

"An  important  event  in  the  history  of  St.  Joseph,  Mo>,  was 
the  starting  of  the  Tony  Express'  on  April  3»  i860.  The  facts 
and  incidents  connected  with  this  ride  of  2,000  miles  to  San 
Francisco  form  a  most  interesting  chapter  in  the  story  of  early 
western  progress. 


170 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


"In  1859  St.  Joseph  was  the  western  terminus  of  railroad 
communication,  Beyonfl  the  Missouri  river  the  stage  coach* 
the  sar]<|]e  horse  an<]  the  ox  trains  were  the  only  means  of  com- 
merce and  communicaiion  with  the  Rocky  Mounlams  and  the 
Pacific  Slope,  across  a  space  now  traveled  by  a  do^en  vestibuled 
trains  daily, 

"In  the  winter  of  i860  a  Wall  street  lobby  was  in  Washing- 
ton trying  to  get  $5,000,000  for  carrying  the  mails  one  year  be- 
tweeti  New  York  and  San  Francisco.  The  proposition  was 
nothing  more  or  Jess  than  an  attempt  to  bunko  the  government. 
William  II,  Russell,  who  was  then  interested  largely  in  freight- 
ing business  on  the  plains,  backer!  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  re- 
solved to  give  the  lobby  a  cold  ?ho\ver  bath.  Russell  offered  to 
wager  $200,000  that  he  could  put  on  a  mail  line  between  San 
Francisco  and  St.  Joseph  that  couUl  make  the  distance.  1,950 
miles,  in  ten  days.  The  wager  was  accepted,  and  April  8.  i860, 
was  fixed  upon  as  the  date  for  starting. 

"Mr.  Russell  summoned  his  partner  and  general  manager 
of  business  on  the  plains,  A.  B,  Miller,  for  many  years  a  prom- 
inc  citizen  of  Denver,  told  what  he  had  done,  and  asked  if  he 
could  perfnrm  the  feat.  Miller  replied^  'Yes,  Fll  do  it.  and  Til 
do  it  by  pony  express/ 

"To  j'.ccnfnplish  this  service,  Miller  bought  300  of  the  fleet- 
est horses  he  could  f\ni\  in  the  West,  and  employed  125  brave 
an<l  har<ly  riders.  These  men  were  selected  with  reference  to 
their  light  weight  and  courage.  It  was  highly  essential  that 
the  horses  shoultl  he  loaded  as  lightly  as  possible,  because  some 
sections  of  the  route  had  to  be  covered  at  the  rate  of  20  miles 
an  hour 

'The  horses  were  stationed  from  10  to  20  miles  apart,  and 
each  rider  was  required  to  ride  J$  miles.  For  each  change  of 
animals  and  the  transfer  of  the  United  States  mails  two  minutes 
were  allowed,  Where  there  were  no  stage  stations  at  proper 
distances,  tents  capable  of  accommodating  one  man  and  two 
horses  were  provided.  Indians,  it  was  supposed,  would  some- 
times give  chase,  but  their  cayuse  ponies  could  make  only  sorry 
show  in  pursuit  of  Miller's  thoroughbreds,  many  of  which 
could  make  a  mile  in  !  mintite  and  50  seconds. 

"All  nrraugements  being  completetl  for  this  great  under- 
taking, a  signal  gun  on  a  steamer  at  Sacramento  proclaimed 
the  meridian  of  April  8,  tS6o,  the  hour  for  starting.  At  that 
signal  Mr.  Miller's  private  saddle  horse.  Border  Ruffian,  with  a 
brave  rider  in  the  saddle,  bounded  awav  toward  the  foothills 


Thk  pony 


171 


of  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  The  first  20  miles  were  covered  in  49 
minutes,  and  this  feat  was  repeated  until  the  mountains  were 
reached.  Tlie  snows  were  deep  in  the  nionntains,  and  one 
rifler  was  lost  for  several  hours  in  a  snow  stomi.  After  Sa]t 
Lake  Valley  had  been  reached,  additional  speed  became  nec- 
essary to  reach  St.  Joseph  in  lime.  From  there  on,  however, 
all  went  well  until  the  Platte  river  was  to  be  crossed  at  Jules- 
burg, 

'The  stream  was  swollen  and  running  rapidly,  but  the  horse 
plunged  into  the  flood,  only,  however,  to  mire  in  quicksand 
and  drown.  The  courier  succeetled  in  reaching  the  shore  with 
his  mail  bag  safe  and  traveled  ten  miles  on  foot  to  reach  the 
next  relay.  The  journey  from  this  point  to  within  60  miles 
of  St.  Joseph  was  made  quickly  and  without  incident. 

Johnny  Fry,  a  popular  rider  of  his  day,  was  to  make  the 
finish.  He  had  60  miles  to  ride,  with  six  horses  upon  which  to 
do  it.  When  the  last  courier  arrived  at  the  60-niile  post  out 
from  St.  Joseph*  he  was  one  hour  behind  time,  A  heavy  rain 
had  set  in  and  the  roads  were  slippery. 

*'Fry  hati  just  3  hours  and  30  minute^  in  which  to  win.  It 
was  the  finish  of  the  longest  race  and  largest  stake  ever  run 
in  America. 

'*When  the  time  for  Fry's  arrival  was  nearly  up,  at  least 
5,000  people  stood  upon  the  river  bank,  with  eyes  turned  to- 
ward the  woods  from  which  the  horse  and  its  rider  should 
emerge  into  the  open  country  in  the  rear  of  Ehvood^  one  mile 
from  the  finish. 

'* 'Tick,  tick!'  went  hundreds  of  watches.  The  time  was 
nearly  up.    Only  seven  minutes  remained. 

"Hark  ! 

*'  'Hurrah  !'  A  shout  goes  up  from  the  assembled  multi- 
tude. The  courier  comes*  A  noble  little  mare  darts  like  an 
arrow  from  the  bow  and  makes  the  run  of  the  last  mile  in  i 
minute  and  50  seconds,  landing  upon  the  ferryboat  oflE  Francis 
street  with  five  minutes  and  a  fraction  to  spare. 

"The  story  of  this  remarkable  feat  is  only  2  scrap  of  history 
now.  A  fe%v  of  the  riders  who  participated  in  the  great  race 
are  stiil  living,  and  hundreds  of  old  timers  recall  the  scenes  and 
incidents  that  marked  the  finish  of  the  splendid  contest  against 
time.     It  w^as  a  great  event  in  the  history  of  St.  Joseph. 

"It  was  ^\'€  days  prior  to  the  running  of  the  great  race  for 
the  $200,000  wager  that  the  first  Pony  Express  left  St.  Jcseph 
for  the  west.    At  7:15  p.  m.  on  Tuesday,  April  3.  i860,  a  rider 


*74 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


ia^  letters  nineteen  hundred  miles  in  eight  days!  Think  ol 
that  for  perishable  horse  and  human  flesh  and  blood  to  do!  The 
pony  rider  was  usually  a  little  bit  of  a  man,  brimful  of  spirit 
and  endurance.  No  matter  what  time  of  the  day  or  night  his 
\\-atch  came  on,  and  no  matter  whether  it  was  winter 
or  summer,  raining,  snowing,  haihng  or  sleeting,  or  whether 
his  beat  was  a  level,  straight  road  or  a  crazy  trail  over 
mountain  crag^s  and  precipices,  or  whether  it  led  through  peace- 
ful regions  or  regions  that  swarmed  with  hostile  Indians,  he 
must  be  always  ready  to  leap  into  the  saddle  and  be  off  like 
the  wind.  There  was  no  idling"  time  for  a  pony  rider  on  duty. 
He  ro<le  fifty  miles  without  stopping  by  dayhght.  ntoonlight, 
starlight,  or  through  the  blackness  of  darkness— just  as  it  hap- 
pened. He  rode  a  splendid  horse  that  was  bom  for  a  racer 
and  fed  and  lodged  like  a  gentleman — kept  him  at  his  utmost 
speed  for  ten  miles,  and  then,  as  he  came  crashing  up  to  the 
station  where  stood  two  men  liolcling  fast  a  fresh,  impatient 
steed,  the  transfer  of  rider  and  mail-bag  was  made  in  the  twink- 
ling of  an  eye.  and  away  flew  the  eager  pair  and  were  out  of 
sight  before  the  spectator  could  get  hardly  the  ghost  of  a  look. 
Both  rider  antl  horse  went  flying  light.  The  rider's  dress  was 
thin  and  fitted  close;  he  wore  a  roundalx>iit  and  a  skull  cap, 
and  tucked  his  pantaloons  into  his  boot-tops  like  a  race  rider. 
He  carrird  no  amis — he  carried  nothing  that  was  not  absolutely 
necessary,  for  even  the  postage  on  his  literary  freight  was  worth 
five  dollars  a  letter, 

"He  got  but  little  frivolous  correspondence  to  carry — his 
bag  had  business  letters  in  it.  mostly.  His  horse  was  stripped 
of  all  unnecessary  weight  too.  He  wore  a  little  wafer  of  a  rac- 
ing saddle,  and  no  visible  blanket.  He  wore  li,c:ht  shoes  or 
none  at  all.  The  little  flat  mail  packets  strapped  under  the 
rider's  thighs  would  each  hold  about  the  bulk  of  a  child's 
primer  They  held  many  and  many  an  important  business 
chapter  and  newspaper  letter,  but  these  were  written  on  paper 
as  airy  and  thin  as  gold  leaf,  nearly,  and  thus  bulk  and  weight 
were  economized.  The  stage  coach  traveled  about  a  hundred 
to  a  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  a  day  of  24  honrs:  the  pony 
rider  about  250,  There  were  eighty  pony  riders  in  the^addle 
all  the  time,  night  and  day,  stret-  In  ^  tr.no   scattering  pro- 

cession from  Missouri  to  C  jr  j;  eastward  and 

forty  toward  the  west  kmsUun^  fi>tir  hundred 

gallant   horses  r  je  a  deal  of 

scenery  every 


TITE  POKY  EXPRESS 


«73 


tare  of  a  man  on  horseback  spurring  at  a  gallop  across  the 
plains.  During  the  exciting  times  at  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Civil  War  in  1861,  the  pony  express  was  the  sole  reliance  of 
the  whole  Pacific  Coast  far  the  quickest  news.  The  Indians 
on  the  western  end,  and  the  Confederates  on  its  eastern  end 
had  destroyed  the  Butterfield  stage  line*  It  was  to  the  Pony 
Express  that  every  one  looked  for  the  latest  intelligence. 

Although  the  enterprise  failed  to  pay  expenses,  to  the  praise 
of  Russell  and  Majors,  be  it  recorded,  they  kept  it  up 
until  the  overland  telegraph  was  cotnipleted,  in  November, 
1861. 

The  Pony  Express  required  to  do  its  work  nearly  500 
horses*  about  190  stations,  200  station  keepers  and  80  riders. 
Each  rider  usually  rode  the  horses  on  about  75  miles,  though 
tonietime^  much  greater  distances  were  made.  One  rider — 
Robert  H*  Haslam — or  Pony  Bob,  as  he  was  usually  called — on 
one  occasion  made  a  continuous  ride  of  380  miles  within  a  few 
hours  of  schedule  time.  Another — Wm.  F.  Cody,  now  famous 
as  Buffalo  Bill — rode  in  one  continuous  trip  384  miles  without 
stopping,  except  for  meals  and  to  change  horses.  The  greatest 
feat  performed  by  the  Pony  Express  was  in  carrying  Presi- 
dent Lincoln's  inaugural  message,  in  March,  1861.  The  time 
on  that  trip  from  the  Missouri  river  to  Sacramento  was  7  days 
and  17  hours,  which  is  perhaps  the  quickest  time,  considering 
the  distance^  ever  made  on  horseback. 

Majors,  the  originator  of  the  Pony  Express^  a  veteran  of 
70  years'  pioneering  on  the  frontiers,  died  a  few  weeks  ago* 
He  was  a  man  who  had  done  much  for  his  fellow  men.  He 
was  a  public  benefactor.  Yet  a  few  lines  in  an  obscure  corner 
of  the  daily  newspapers  told  the  story  of  his  life — at  least,  it 
told  all  the  reporter  or  editor  o-f  the  paper  knew  of  it:  and  hun- 
dreds who  read  it  had  no  idea  what  the  Pony  Express  was. 
Most  of  the  riders  who  forty  years  ago  braved  the  perils  of 
mountain  and  desert  and  savage  beast  and  more  savage  men, 
in  lonesome  rides  of  the  Pony  Express  have  crossed  the  divide 
between  time  and  eternity. 

The  following  graphic  description  of  the  pony  rider  on  his 
journey  is  taken  from  Mark  Twain's  "Roughing  It,"  Mark 
saw  himi  in  all  his  glot7  on  his  ride,  when  he  (Twain)  crossed 
the  plains  in  the  overlanti  stage^in  1S61 : 

"In  a  little  while  all  interest  was  taken  up  in  stretching 
our  necks  watching  for  the  pony  rider,  the  fleet  messenger  who 
sped  across  the  continent  from  St.  Joe  to  Sacramento,  carry- 


OVERLAND  TRIP  TO  CALIFORNIA  IN  1850 


BY  J.  M.  STEWART. 


[Read  before  the  Los  Angeles  County  Pioneers  Sept.  3,  1901] 
Fifty-one  years  ago,  on  the  22nd  of  March  last,  five  young 
men  left  their  homes  in  Central  Wisconsin  on  a  trip  overland 
for  the  gold  mines  in  California,  of  which  we  had  been  reading 
some  favorable  accounts,  yet  knowing  very  little  of  what  we 
mig^ht  expect  on  a  joruney  of  2,000  miles,  mostly  through  a 
country  partially  occupied  by  hostile  Indians^  with  only  one 
settlement  of  white  men  between  the  Missouri  river  and  the 
western  slopes  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas — that  at  Salt  Lake;  but  as 
others  had  successfully  made  the  journey  the  previous  year,  we 
felt  equal  to  the  undertaking, 

I  was  the  youngest  of  the  party,  being  twenty-two  years 
old,  the  eldest  twenty-seven.  Our  route  through  Wisconsin 
and  Iowa  to  Council  Bluffs  direct,  was  through  a  partially  set- 
tled community,  but  through  Western  lowa^  where  are  now 
found  large  towns  and  cities,  we  saw  the  bare  prairies  only. 

On  the  19th  of  April,  1850,  we  crossed  the  Missouri  at  the 
Mormon  winter  quarters  of  three  years  before,  and  near  where 
is  now  the  flourishing  city  of  Omaha,  Our  route  was  the  Mor- 
mon road  to  their  settlement  in  Utah,  Like  most  other  emi- 
grants in  those  days,  we  thought  the  only  safe  way  to  travel 
was  in  large  companies  for  protection  from  the  wily  Indian, 
So  we  joined  a  company  of  150  men  with  45  wagons,  and 
stuck  together  just  three  days..  As  our  outfit  consisted  of 
eight  American  horses  and  two  wagons,  we  did  not  wish  to  go 
into  camp  after  making  only  15  or  20  miles,  as  many  of  the 
ox  teams  did,  but  we  wished  to  make  the  trip  inside  of  three 
months:  and  to  do  so  we  must  make  an  average  of  twenty 
miles  for  every  day,  so  when  the  ox-drivers  commenced  to  un- 
yoke, we  kept  on  with  a  few  companions  for  six  or  eight  miles, 
and  encamped  on  the  famous  Platte.  The  bed  of  this  stream 
being  composed  largely  of  quicksand,  renders  it  almost  impos- 
sible to  ford,  except  in  favorable  places,  and  the  water  only  a 
few  inches  deep  most  of  the  way,  is  difficult  to  navigate  with 
boats.     Had  it  been  necessary  to  cross  here,  as  we  expected 


OVERLAND  TRIP  TO  CALIFORNIA  IN  185O, 


^77 


to  do,  the  only  way  would  have  been  to  wade  out  a  mile  or 
two  to  deep  water,  and  there  establish  a  ferry.  But  the  animals 
must  not  be  allowed  to  stop  even  for  a  few  minutes,  or  they 
would  sink  out  of  sight.  We  kept  the  north'  side,  and  did  not 
have  to  cross  till  we  reached  Fort  Laramie.  Some  one  of  our 
company  asked  the  question,  ''What  was  sucha  river  ever  made 
for?*'  But  so  far  as  I  know,  never  gat  a  satisfactory  answer. 
Two  days'  travel  from  this  point  brought  us  to  Loupe  Fork, 
a  stream  600  feet  wide,  on  April  26th.  Like  the  Platte,  this 
was  a  tlifficult  stream  to  cross,  but  after  a  hard  day's  work  we 
encamped  on  the  right  bank;  saw  a  few  friendly  Indians,  but 
all  they  said  or  did  was  to  beg  for  tobacco.  About  this  time, 
at  the  close  of  one  of  the  warmest  days  we  had,  dark  and  heavy 
columns  begn  to  rise  from  the  southwest,  indicating  a  severe 
storm.  At  sundown  the  wind  commenced  blowing,  and  soon 
changing  to  the  northwest,  it  blew  a  perfect  gale  for  several 
hours.  We  exerted  our  best  skill  and  strength  in  attempting  to 
keep  the  tent  over  us.  but  all  in  vain.  We  crept  into  the  wagon 
to  escape  the  fur>'  of  the  blast  "and  wished  for  the  day/'  For- 
tunately for  us,  no  rain  fell  during  the  nighty  but  it  was  ex- 
tremely cold.  When  the  morning  dawned  we  found  that  we 
were  not  alone  in  our  misery,  for  not  a  solitary  tent  was  stand- 
ing on  the  ground.  For  a  week  or  ten  days,  commencing  with 
April  28th,  our  road  was  through  a  territory  burned  over,  or 
the  dry  grass  the  n  burning,  the  fires  having  been  set  by  emi- 
grants ahead  of  us  through  carelessness  or  neglect  to  put  out 
their  camp  fires.  This  was  a  great  hardsliip,  for  our  horses  had 
nothing  to  eat  but  a  little  grain  from  the  wagon.  On  this 
burned  territory,  black  and  dreary  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
we  met  our  first  buffalo,  many  of  them  with  hair  completely 
burned  ofT.  and  entirely  blind.  We  were  obliged  to  kill  eight 
or  ten  to  keep  them  from  running  into  the  teams.  One  nigrt 
we  heard  the  most  unearthly  noise  you  could  imagine.  It  was 
one  entirely  new  to  me,  but  some  of  the  boys  more  used  to 
frontier  life  sai(!  "Prairie  wolves/*  and  that  probably  there  were 
not  more  than  three  or  four  of  them^  but  I  thought  there  must 
be  a  thousand. 

May  4th.  We  have  succeeded  in  getting  ahead  of  the  fires, 
but  they  are  raging  in  the  dr>*  prairie  grass  behind  us,  to  tlie 
right,  with  inconceivable  h^ry\  Today  we  passed  the  grave  of 
a  man  from  Towa  who  died  four  days  ago;  the  first  fresh  grave 
we  have  yet  seen  on  our  route,  but  have  passed  many  bearing 
date  of  *49,  nearly  all  of  whoch  had  been  opened  by  the  wolves, 


A 


78 


PIOKEES   REGISTER 


ynih  occasionally  a  stray  human  bone  lying  about  the  opening, 
the  only  exceptions  being  those  which  their  friends  had  taken 
the  precaution  to  cover  with  large  stones.  The  following  day 
was  Sunday,  and  as  there  was  dry  grass  for  the  horses,  we 
laid  by  to  give  them  and  ourselves  a  day  of  rest.  Away  to  the 
south  and  west  was  a  beautiful  valley,  extending  at  least  four 
miles,  to  the  ven'  hank^  of  the  Platte,  and  over  this  vast  area 
were  innumerable  buflPalo  feeding  leisurely  all  day  long.  It  w^as 
by  far  the  largest  herd  we  had  seen,  and  by  a  careful  estimate 
there  must  have  been  at  least  4^000,  with  wolves  and  antelope 
in  larj:;fe  members  scattered  here  and  there  among  them.  One 
of  the  latter  was  brought  into  camp  by  tw*o  of  our  exf>ert  hunt- 
ers, and  we  enjoyed  a  royal  feast.  Choice  steaks  from  a  buflfalo 
calf  were  ver\'  acceptable  and  much  sought  for(  but  the  meat 
from  the  full  grown  animal  was  not  to  our  liking,  being  too 
tougli  and  of  an  undesirable  tlavor.  Some  of  these  old  fellows 
are  har.l  to  kill,  and  one  I  saw  die  only  after  18  rifle  balls  had 
been  shot  into  him  at  short  range.  On  the  9th  we  had  rain, 
the  first  since  we  crossed  the  Des  Moines  back  in  Iowa,  nearly 
six  weeks  a^o.  And  here  w*e  found  the  first  green  grass  <^f  the 
season.  Saw  many  Indians  of  the  Sioux  tribe,  all  kind  and 
frienflly.  Passed  "Chimney  Rock"  on  the  nth.  situated  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river,  resembling  a  steeple  or  chimney,  200 
feet  high,  and  visible  at  the  distance  of  40  miles.  This  is  one 
of  the  main  landmarks  for  the  California-bound  emigrant  who 
travels  on  either  the  north  or  the  south  side  of  the  Piatte. 

On  the  13th  we  came  to  timber,  the  first  we  have  seen  on 
our  side  of  the  riven  save  one  lone  tree,  for  200  miles. 

Like  all  others  who  travel  that  road,  we  had  to  resort  to 
buffalo  chips  for  fuel  to  cook  our  daily  meals,  and  they  proved  a 
good  substitute.  The  next  day  we  reached  Fort  Laramie,  after 
crossing  the  Platte  on  a  good  ferry.  It  is  522  miles  from  the 
Missouri  river,  and  we  were  22  days  traveling  this  distance,  av- 
eraging 24  miles  per  day.  After  first  striking  the  Platte  our 
route  was  an  unbroken  level  as  w*e  followed  along  the  river  bot- 
tom most  of  the  way,  but  when  the  bluffs  came  down  to  the 
river,  as  we  found  they  often  did.  sometimes  for  miles  together, 
our  only  alternative  was  to  pass  over  them,  where  the  road  was 
invariably  a  deep,  heavy  sand.  The  valley  is  several  miles  in 
width  from  the  river  bank  to  the  sand  hills,  and  has  a  rich 
soil.  Our  grain  being  gone,  we  exchanged  the  heavy  wagon  at 
the  fort  for  a  pack  horse,  and  with  the  light  wagon  and  two 
horses  packed  with  3CHD  pounds  of  flour,  started  on  our  journey 
up  the  south  side  of  the  Platte. 


OVERtAND  TRIP  TO   CALIFORNIA   IN    185O. 


Our  road  lay  during  the  day  over  high,  steep  bluffs  and 
through  deep  ravines*  as  we  are  now  ascending  the  foothills  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  night  set  in  dark  and  rainy.  To 
add  to  our  troubles,  one  of  our  men  who  had  been  ailing  for 
several  days,  was  taken  down  with  mountain  feven  We  nursed 
him  in  the  tent  by  night  and  carried  him  in  the  wagon  by  day. 
Eleven  days  afterwards  he  was  sufficiently  recovered  to  surren- 
der his  couch  to  another  who  was  attacked  by  the  same  fever. 
Two  days  after  leaving  Fort  T.aramie,  we  re-crossed  the  Platte 
on  a  ferry,  and  the  first  20  miles  was  over  heavy  sand.  A  week 
or  so  later,  we  parsed  the  first  alkali  springs  that  we  s:iw  oti 
our  journey,  but  they  were  not  the  last.  On  the  2istf  we 
reached  the  Sweetwater,  a  swift-running  stream,  but  fordable, 
which  we  followed  to  its  very  source  in  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
We  met  several  ox  teams  from  Salt  Lake,  bound  for  the  States 
to  assist  the  Mormon  immigration.  We  passed  Independence 
Rock,  another  celebrated  landmark,  noted  for  its  great  size. 
It  covers  several  acres,  and  rises  to  a  great  height,  and  is  cov- 
ered with  the  names  of  passing  emigrants.  Two  mountain 
sheep  were  killed  and  brought  into  campj  furnishing  all  with  a 
most  delicions  meal. 

On  the  23rd  we  passed  DeviTs  Gate;  the  name  is  suggestive. 
It  is  the  passage  of  the  Sweetwater  through  a  deep  cut  in  the 
solid  rock.  The  river  is  about  75  feet  wide  on  an  average, 
bnt  as  it  approaches  the  rocks  which  rise  400  feet,  perpendicu- 
largely.  on  each  side,  it  is  compressed  into  half  that  width,  and 
rushes  through  the  narrow  apace  a  foaming  cataract. 

Sunday.  May  26th.  we  encountered  snow  and  sleet  the  whole 
day,  and  traveling  with  overcoats  was  the  most  comfortable 
way  of  spending  the  Sabbath,  We  were  all  the  day  traveling 
far  up  in  the  South  Pass  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

When  we  reached  the  top,  it  did  not  seem  as  if  we  w^ere  on 
the  summit  of  the  great  divide  between  the  Atlantic  and  the 
Pacific  Oceans,  for  we  were  in  an  extensive  valley,  nearly  leveL 
several  miles  in  width  and  thirty  in  length.  Its  altitude  is 
6085  feet.  As  we  came  out  on  the  western  side  ne.xt  morning, 
where  the  waters  run  to  the  Pacific,  and  raised  out  eyes  to  the 
lofty  chain  of  mountains  on  the  right  and  gazed  on  their  sum- 
mits, still  thousands  of  feet  above  us,  and  the  countless  glaciers 
sparkling  in  the  sunbeams,  the  scene  w^as  grand  beyond  de- 
scription. The  first  night  after  leaving  the  Pass,  we  reached 
Pacific  Springs.  A  pony  turned  out  to  graze  with  a  halter  about 
its  neck,  became  entangled  and  was  cast;  before  morning  the 


i8o 


PIONEER  RECISTES 


wolves  actually  ate  htm  alive.  The  next  day  we  traveled  30 
miles  over  a  sandy  desert  all  the  way  to  Black  Fork,  a  small 
stream  usually  fordable,  but  now  greatly  swollen  by  the  melt- 
ing snow  on  the  mountains,  Tlie  Mormons  had  a  small  ferry 
established  here,  but  as  many  were  already  waiting  few  a  pas- 
sage, and  the  price  was  exorbitant,  we  thought  best  to  establish 
an  opposition.  So,  calking  one  of  our  wagon  boxes,  we  trans- 
ported our  loading,  pulling  our  Ixjai  back  and  forth  by  a  rope, 
swam  the  horses  and  drew  our  wagon  across  by  hand,  all  at  the 
expense  of  three  hours*  time.  Others  profiting  by  our  example, 
reduced  somewhat  the  receipts  of  the  Mormon  ferry*  Here  we 
found  an  encampment  of  friendly  Indians,  but  we  did  not  learn 
to  what  tribe  thy  belonged.  We  were  told  by  friends  along  the 
road  that  a  few  days  before  a  young  man  from  a  western  State, 
while  camping  here,  made  the  acquaintance  of  these  Indians  to 
such  an  extent  that  he  married  one  of  the  good-looking  young 
squaws;  at  least  the  Indians  so  considered  it  as  far  as  they  were 
concerned,  and  were  well  pleased  with  the  idea  of  one  of  their 
tribe  being  chosen  by  a  pale-face.  Next  morning  when  his  com- 
pany was  ready  for  a  start*  the  young  woman  was  on  hand  with 
her  dowry,  consisting  of  a  camp  kettle,  a  skillet  and  same  few 
other  traps  suitable  for  Indian  housekeeping,  and  insisted  on 
going  with  him  to  California.  The  indiscreet  young  man  was  in 
a  fix,  and  a  bad  oiie^  too,  for  the  Indians  insisted  that  she  was 
his  wife*  according  to  their  customs,  and  he  must  take  her 
along.  That,  of  course,  was  impossible,  for  his  company  would 
not  consent  to  it,  even  if  he  was  so  disposed,  which  he  was  not. 
To  say  the  least,  there  was  one  fellow  badly  scared.  To  get 
out  of  a  bad  scrape  and  pacify  the  Indians,  cost  him  his  riding 
pony  and  all  the  money  he  had. 

Our  company,  which  numbered  45  wagons  at  the  starting 
point,  and  15  when  we  left  Fort  Laramie,  has  continued  to  de- 
crease, some  going  ahead,  others  falling  behind,  till  now  it  is  re- 
duced to  four. 

June  1st  we  met  a  large  number  of  Snake  Indians  with  a  big 
herd  of  cattle  and  horses.  Passed  Fort  Bridgen  and  for  two 
days  had  a  difficult  road,  following  up  a  canyon  crossing  the 
stream  back  and  forth  many  times,  the  water  frequently  com- 
ing to  the  top  of  our  wagon  box.  On  either  side  were  bluffs, 
300  to  400  feet  high,  tn  many  places  leaving  us  barely  room  for 
a  wnjfjon  road.  Sorae  emigrants  had  established  a  ferry,  com- 
posefl  of  six  cedar  logs  for  a  raft,  and  charged  $3  to  transport 
each  wagon  and  the  men.    We  dared  not  to  attempt  to  cross 


OVERLAND  TRIP  TO  CAI^IFORNIA  IN    185O, 


t8i 


in  DUr  frail  boat,  for  the  river  was  150  feet  wide,  with  a  rapid 
current.  When  in  midstream,  on  account  of  not  being  prop- 
erly balanced,  one  end  of  the  raft  begfan  to  sink,  and  before 
reaching:  shore  was  a  foot  under  water, 

June  6th  we  reached  Salt  Lake  City,  where  we  remained 
nearly  two  days.  As  no  rain  falls  here  during  the  summer 
months^  the  farmers  resort  to  irrigation.  The  city  is  located 
three  miles  from  the  foot  of  the  mountains  on  the  river  Jordan, 
the  outlet  of  Lake  Utah,  and  ^z  miles  from  Great  Salt  Lake. 
It  is  handsomely  and  well  laid  out.  Salt  Lake  is  a  beautiful 
sheet  of  water,  whose  specific  gravity  is  so  great,  being  strongly 
impregnated  with  salt  as  to  buoy  almost  every  object  upon 
its  surface.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  sink  in  it,  and  it  is 
a  great  bathing  resort.  Vast  quantities  of  saJine  matter  are 
cast  upon  the  short  every  autumn,  and  the  moisture  retained 
in  the  deposit  evaporates  during  the  next  summer,  leaving  a 
bank  of  the  purest  white  salt,  which  may  be  shoveled  up  by  the 
ton.  In  the  center  of  the  lake  is  a  large  island  that  towers  up 
mountain  high^  and  from  its  sides  gush  out  the  purest  springs 
of  fresh  water.  There  the  Mormons  have  vast  herds  of  fine 
cattle,  and  this  mountain  island  is  the  shepherd^s  home. 

Just  north  of  the  city  is  a  spring  60  feet  in  diameterj  strongly 
impregnated  with  salt  and  sulphur,  said  to  contain  medicinal 
qualities,  with  a  temperature  above  blood  heat.  The  Mormons 
are  preparing  to  pipe  it  into  the  city.  The  weather  is  delightful, 
so  mild  in  winter  that  the  cattle,  which  are  suffered  to  run  at 
large,  thrive  well  and  are  fat  in  the  spring,  and  yet  the  moun- 
tains, whose  base  is  but  three  miles  distant,  have  their  summits 
covered  with  perpetual  snow. 

We  became  acquainted  with  a  young  man  by  name  of 
Davis,  from  Wisconsin,  who  told  us  he  had  an  uncle  who  moved 
to  Utah  with  his  family  three  years  before,  when  the  Mormons 
first  settled  here,  but  he  was  no  polygamist,  and  he  would  like 
very  much  to  find  his  uncle  and  aunt.  We  met  him-  again  a 
few  weeks  later,  out  on  the  desert.  He  said  he  called  on  his 
uncle  a  few  miles  out  of  the  city,  and  found  him  living  in  per- 
fect happiness,  apparently,  with  three  wives.  The  distance 
from  Fort  Laramie  to  this  point  is  509  miles,  and  103 1  from  the 
Missouri  river,  about  one-half  of  our  journey  over 

Instead  of  finding  the  Black  Hills  and  Rocky  Moimtains 
covered  with  timber,  as  we  expected,  we  found  them  entirely 
destitute  of  trees  of  any  kind.  Greasewood  serve<i  as  fuel  for 
many  miles.     Having  purchased  a  guide  book  describing  the 


lS2 


PIONEER  EECISTER 


route  to  Sacramento,  and  tarried  with  the  Mormons  a  day  and 
a  half,  we  again  started  on  our  western  journey,  June  8th,  We 
found  settlements  along  the  road  for  20  miles,  and  reached 
the  second  crossing  of  Bear  river  on  the  nth,  swam  our  horses 
and  paid  $5  for  wa^n  on  a  Mormon  ferry.  For  several  days 
nothing  occurred  worthy  of  note.  Some  days  our  road  w^as 
good,  on  others  bad — very  bad.  Some  days  we  found  both 
feed  and  water,  other  days  we  found  neither. 

On  the  i8th  of  June  we  were  at  Cold-Water  Creek^  in 
Thousand-Spring  Valley, 

The  prairie  dag  \Tnages  are  a  real  curiosity.  We  have 
passed  through  several  of  them,  each  covering  several  acres, 
and  each  hole  inhabited  by  a  curious  combination,  consisting 
of  the  dog  an<l  a  small  owl  and  a  rattlesnake.  We  saw  many 
of  the  dogs  and  owls  enter  the  holes  together,  but  the  rattle- 
snakes did  not  show  themselves,  Sunday,  the  23rd.  we  laid  by, 
and  not  less  than  a  hundred  wagons  passed  us,  with  five  times 
that  number  of  men,  from  whose  hearts  "the  root  of  all  evil," 
or  the  love  of  it,  had  for  the  time  being  absorbed  their  love  of 
ease,  of  friends  and  even  social  comfort.  The  27th,  we  en- 
camped on  the  banks  of  the  Humboldt,  which  stream  we  found 
unusually  high,  being  on  an  average  75  feet  wide,  8  to  10  feet 
deep,  with  a  swift  current  Crossed  over  in  our  wagon-box- 
boat,  swimming  the  horses.  We  found  the  bottom  land  adja- 
cent to  the  river  where  the  Mormon  trail  ran,  overflowed  to 
such  an  extent  we  were  compelled  to  keep  along  the  bluffs  on 
higher  ground.  We  had  learned  our  route  would  be  down  the 
Humboldt  to  the  sink,  where  the  river  loses  itself  in  the  sands 
of  the  desert.     But  of  the  distance  we  had  little  knowledge. 

After  a  day's  travel,  we  were  told  here  was  the  place  to  pre- 
pare our  hay  for  crossing  the  desert,  which  we  would  reach 
after  18  miles'  travel  But,  to  our  utter  dismay,  no  grass  was 
to  be  found  A\Hthout  wading  into  the  marsh  knee  deep  for  nearly 
half  a  mile.  We  had  learned  long  before  this  that  an  overland 
journey  to  California  was  not  in  all  resj>ects  a  pleasure  excur- 
sion, butt  like  every  other  means  to  the  accomplishment  of  a 
desirable  end,  it  was  attended  with  some  labor  and  sacrifice. 
So  we  spent  the  afternoon  and  the  next  day  in  cutting  grass 
with  a  scythe,  when  we  could  borrow  one.  othenvise  with  our 
belt  knives,  packing  it  out  on  our  backs,  drying  and  sacking  it 
for  an  early  start  the  following  morning.  At  12  o'clock  we 
were  roused  by  the  guard,  and  in  less  than  an  hour  were  on 
the  niove  in  high  hopes  of  soon  reaching  and  passing  that  40 


OV^RI^ND  TRIP  TO  CAI.IPORNIA  IN    1850. 


183 


miles  of  barren  sand  and  no  water,  so  much  dreaded  by  all 
emigrants.  We  goaded  ourselves  on  after  the  first  few  hours, 
till  the  sun  hsd  climbed  into  the  mid^heavens,  having  traveled 
25  miles,  but  no  desert  yet.  During  the  afternoon  we  again 
waded  the  marsh  for  fresh  grass  that  the  horses  might  eat  dur- 
ing the  night.  Next  morning  the  rising  sun  found  us  ready 
to  resume  our  joumeyH,  expecting  ever^'  hour  to  have  a  view  of 
the  desert.  Thus  we  passed  on  till  10  o'clock,  when  we  found 
a  company  preparing  hay  for  the  desert,  who  assured  us  it  was 
80  miles  ahead.  **Never  fret"  had  been  our  motto,  so  now  we 
made  up  our  minds  to  take  it  easy  as  circumstances  would 
permit.  During  the  day  we  passed  many  dead  horses  and  ten- 
antless  wagons;  saw  clothing,  tools  of  every  description  and 
many  other  articles  too  numerous  to  mention,  strewn  along  the 
road,  which  nobo<:Iy  wanted.  At  night  those  of  our  company 
who  could  ?wim  crossed  the  river  and  brought  back  grass  on 
their  backs  for  the  horses.  We  had  all  read  about  the  *7^'"^y 
Mosquitoes,"  but  if  they  are  larger,  or  more  numerous,  or  blood- 
thirsty than  those  we  met  on  the  Humboldt,  I  have  no  wish  to 
see  them.     They  actually  shut  off  the  rays  of  the  sun. 

July  I  St  we  had  a  general  consultation  as  to  the  best  method 
of  getting  to  the  golden  land.  On  leaving  the  Missouri,  it 
was  supposed  we  had  provisions  for  100  days.  Although  we 
added  somewhat  to  our  stock  at  Salt  Lake,  it  was  found  that 
what  we  had  would'  not  serve  us  more  than  ten  days,  and  we  are 
300  nii!es  from  California,  the  worst  part  of  our  journey  be- 
fore us  and  our  teams  nearly  exhausted.  Shall  we  take  our 
wagon  across  the  desert  and  over  the  mountains,  consequently 
protracting  our  journey  several  days,  or  shall  we  leave  our 
wagon  and  things  we  can  best  part  with,  and  pack  our  horses 
with  what  is  essential,  and  make  all  possible  dispatch?  To  the 
latter  proposition  we  all  agreed,  and  it  was  done  with  the 
greatest  unanimity,  because  all  our  neighbors  were  reduced  to 
the  same  extremities  with  ourselves,  and  neither  love  nor  money 
could  obtain  provisions.  Next  day  we  came  to  the  forks  of 
the  road,  the  right  being  an  old  trail  to  Oregon,  made  by  trap- 
pers years  ago.  This  was  the  road  taken  by  so  many  unfortu- 
nate emigrants  last  season,  who  perished  in  the  mountains. 
About  100  teams,  by  mistake,  took  the  same  road  this  year, 
and  among  them  were  some  who  left  Missouri  with  us.  After 
traveling  six  or  eight  days  across  the  desert  and  up  into  the 
mountains,  they  discovered  their  mistake.  Some  returned  al- 
most famished;  others  struck  out  for  a  settlement  in  Oregon, 
400  miles  distant,  with  what  success  we  never  heard. 


184 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


The  4th  of  July  was  celebrated  by  our  second  attempt  in 
preparing  for  the  desert  crossing.  It  was  a  repetition  of  our 
former  effort — wading  knee  deep  across  the  Humboldt  bottoms, 
cutting  grass  with  our  knives,  and  packing  it  on  our  backs 
half  a  mile  away-  The  next  day  we  came  in  sight  of  the  long 
looked  for  desert,  and  the  sink  of  the  Humboldt,  This  river, 
anlong  whose  banks  we  had  been  traveling  for  the  last  300 
miles,  entirely  disappears  and  is  lost  to  sight,  if  not  to  memory. 
The  water  was  thoroughly  saturated  with  alkali,  and  has  proved 
w^ry  destructive  to  stock,  both  cattle  and  horses.  Here,  too, 
we  found  the  "Sulphur  Spring"  spoken  of  in  most  of  the  guide 
books,  that  has  caused  the  death  of  so  many  horses,  and  the 
sickness  of  many  emigrants.  We  had  received  warning  of  its 
ill  effects,  and  profited  thereby. 

Our  stock  is  now  reduced  to  four  horses;  the  other  four 
having  been  left  at  diflferent  points  along  the  road  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  the  Indians.  The  big  company  to  which  we  once 
belonged  has  entirely  vanished.  At  4  o'clock  p.  m.  we  started 
out  across  the  desert  for  15  miles,  where  we  were  to  leave  the 
wagon.  We  had  no  difficulty  in  getting  fuel  to  cook  our  last 
meal  with  the  A\^gon;  by  placing  the  camp-kettle  on  the  hub 
of  one  of  the  wheels  and  filling  in  around  it  among  the  spokes 
portion  of  the  wagon  box.  we  soon  had  a  rousing  fire.  The 
night  was  cool  and  pleasant,  far  more  so  than  if  we  had  crossed 
in  the  day  time.  At  sunrise  we  struck  the  heavy  sand,  where  we 
found  w^ter  for  sale  at  one  dollar  per  gallon.  The  next  ten 
miles  was  through  loose  sand,  ankle  deep,  to  the  Carson  riven 
Pure,  cold  water  never  looked  better,  and  we  all  made  good  use 
of  a  liberal  portion.  We  passed  many  horses,  both  dead  and 
dying,  and  hundreds  of  wagons  abandoned  by  owners.  We 
have  been  able  to  walk  from  20  to  30  miles  each  day,  and  found 
tit  no  great  hardship.  Out  of  the  nearly  2000  miles,  we  have 
made  nt  lea^t  1500  on  foot.  No  one  rode  but  the  driver  and  the 
sick.  But  the  hard  part  was  standing  guard  at  nighty  when  one 
wanted  to  sleep,  but  was  not  allowed  to  do  so.  One  night  I 
went  on  at  dusk,  taking  the  horses  a  short  distance  where  a 
little  bunch  grass  was  found  here  and  there,  and  was  to  be 
relieved  at  12  o'clock.  T  sat  down  by  the  side  of  a  big  rock, 
in  full  view  of  the  horses  and  the  plains  for  a  long  distance,  and 
drew  around  me  the  blanket  I  had  brought  from  home,  for  the 
night  was  chilly.  I  had  no  thoughts  of  sleep,  but  alas!  I  did 
fail  asleep,  and  when  I  awoke  20  minutes  later,  not  a  horse  was 
in  sight,    I  went  direct  to  camp,  told  the  boys  the  horses  were 


OVERLAND  TRIP  TO  CALIFORNIA  IN    185O. 


t8s 


all  gxjne — for  I  supposed  they  had  been  stolen — told  them  to 
charge  it  up  to  me,  and  I  would  settle,  if  ever  able.  But  they 
said,  "We  will  help  you  find  them/*  which  they  did  in  a  half 
hour's  time,  where  they  had  found  better  feed.  Any  one  who 
has  traveled  **the  plains  across"  will  admit  that  on  this  trip  is 
a  good  place  for  the  display  of  human  nature.  I  saw  many 
wordy  quarrels  among  the  members  of  other  private  compa- 
nies, but  I  will  say  for  all  five  of  us,  we  never  had  any  disputes 
or  differences  that  were  not  settled  on  the  spot  at  the  time,  and 
to  the  satisfaction  of  all.  At  the  base  of  the  mountains  was  a 
trading  post  recently  established,  where  we  replenished  our 
short  stock  of  provisions  with  flour  and  sugar  at  $2  per  pound 
and  fresh  beef  at  $1.  From  the  gth  to  the  14th  of  July  we  were 
crossing  the  Sierra  Nevada  mountains,  which  we  found  heavily 
timbered.  Snow  covered  both  hill  and  valley  for  twenty  miles, 
with  a  few  exceptions  of  the  latter,  and  on  the  13th  we  en- 
camped in  a  deep  mountain  gorge;  the  frost  was  severe  and  the 
water  was  frozen  in  our  camp  kettle.  On  the  15th  we  arrived 
at  Hangtown,  now  called  Placerville,  83  days  after  leaving  the 
Missouri  river,  and  our  journey  was  at  an  end. 


EARLY  DAYS  IN  WASHOE 

BY  ALFR^  JAM^. 

[Read  before  the  Pioneers^  December,  1901.] 

I  will  say  as  a  prelude  and  introduction  to  what  I  may  say 
directly  touching  the  discovery  of  the  Comstack  mine,  that 
prior  to  1856  there  was  very  httle  inter-communication  be- 
tween California  and  the  country  east  of  the  Sierras,  known  as 
Washoe,  for  the  reason  that  the  great  Sierras  presented  a  for- 
midable barrier  to  travel — -rendering  such  inter-conimuntcation 
both  difiticuit  and  expensive.  Moreover,  the  country  was 
sparsely  settled  and  but  little  known,  there  being  up  to  this 
time  no  mineral  discoveries  in  the  country  worthy  of  mention, 
an<l  withal,  it  was  regarde<l  as  very  uninviting. 

It  therefore  Ijecomes  a  pertinent  inquiry  as  lo  what  should 
primarily  lead  one  to  leave  so  attractive  and  prosperous  a  coun- 
try as  California  to  seek  a  home  in  this  land  of  sage  brush  and 
desert  wastes;  the  sequel  to  which  may  not  be  uninteresting  as 
a  scrap  of  unwritten  history,  even  at  this  late  period  in  the 
history  of  this  interesting  country. 

Along  the  eastern  base  of  the  Sierras,  the  summit  of  which 
forms  tPie  coterminous  boundary  between  California  and  Ne- 
vafla.  as  it  did  between  Utah  and  California,  there  is  a  chain  of 
beautiful  antl  comparatively  fertile  valleys,  which  even  in  their 
primeval  condition,  were  sufficiently  inviting  to  attract  thither 
a  mmiber  of  settlers  who  establishexl  homes  here  and  there 
throughout  these  valleys.  These  settlers  were  nearly  all  dis- 
ciples of  Brigham  Young.  In  1S57  the  Saints  were  having  a 
Httle  difficulty  with  Uncle  Sam,  on  which  occasion  the  Mormon 
President  called  in  all  his  disciples  from  these  distant  outlying 
settlements.  Most  of  them  obeyed  the  call  and  returned  to 
Salt  Lake  City,  whereupon  a  few  adventurous  spirits,  citizens 
of  Downieville,  rear  the  border,  consisting  of  J.  J,  Musser, 
Abraham  Curry,  Benjamin  Green,  Frank  Proctor  and  myself, 
crossed  over  the  mountains  in  July*  1858.  to  possess  ourselves 
of  some  of  the  vacated  territory. 

We  did  not  contemplate  the  broad  field  For  enterprise  and 
adventure  which  we  were  then  entering,  nor  di  dwe  even  dream 


EARLY  DAYS  IN  WASHOE. 


of  the  fact  that  we  were  upon  the  very  threshold  of  the  most 
marvelous  mineral  discoveries  known  to  the  world's  history. 
Our  ultimate  object  was  to  push  the  proposition  of  the  organi- 
zation of  a  new  territor\*  out  of  Western  Utah. 

With  this  object  in  view,  after  visiting  nearly  all  the  valleys 
and  becoming'  fully  satisfied  with  the  outlook,  and  considering 
the  probable  outcome  of  the  scheme  in  contemplation,  as  to 
a  beterment  of  chances  financial,  political  and  otherwise,  I 
returned  to  CaJifoniia.  Here,  having  associated  with  me  W.  L. 
Jemigan,  a  practical  printer,  then  in  an  office  in  Downieville, 
we  issued  a  prospectus  of  the  Territorial  Enterprise. 

Leaving  Mr  Jemigal  to  complete  details  for  the  purchase 
of  press  and  office*  I  returned  to  Washoe,  by  way  of  Placerville, 
leaving  there  on  horseback  the  latter  part  of  October.  About 
six  miles  out  from  Placerville  I  overtook  Mr.  Klauber,  late  of 
the  firm  of  Klauber  &:  Levi^  of  San  Diego,  who,  as  he  informed 
me,  was  on  his  way  to  Carson  Valley  for  the  purpose  of  pur- 
chasing a  ranch.  I  also  disclosed  to  him  my  purpose.  We  trav- 
eled the  entire  distance  in  a  merciless  snow  storm,  and  being 
fellow  sufferers  as  well  as  fellow  travelers,  we  became  confiden- 
tial friends, 

I  digress  to  make  mention  of  this  incident,  as  I  may  make 
mention  of  further  co-relative  circumstances  of  interest  later  on. 

I  had  on  my  first  visit  determined  to  locate  at  the  town  of 
Genoa»  in  Carson  Valley,  which,  though  a  mere  village  of  not 
more  than  50  inhabitants,  was  the  largest  and  most  important 
settlement  east  of  the  Sierras  and  west  of  Salt  Lake  City.  The 
business  houses  consisted  of  two  hotels,  two  stores,  post  office 
and  telegraph  office,  the  latter  established  in  November,  1858* 
After  the  Mormon  exmlus.  there  were  very  few  settlers  left  in 
any  of  the  valleys.  In  Eagle  Valley,  near  the  center  of  which 
Carson  City,  the  capital  of  the  state  is  situated,  there  were  uM 
at  that  time  more  than  a  dozen  inhabitants,  and  not  a  single 
house  on  the  site  of  the  present  capital  city.  The  subscriplion 
list  of  the  Enterprise  embraced  a  wide  territory,  forty-five  o! 
them  being  in  Salt  Lake  City.  Forty  of  these  subscribers 
cancelled  their  subscriptions  on  the  appearance  of  an  article 
which  I  wrote  and  published  in  the  sixth  number,  criticising 
the  polvgamons  side  of  Mormonism,  in  view  of  the  treasona- 
ble and  defiant  attitude  of  the  Mormons  against  the  govern- 
ment. 

I  felt  fully  justified  in  doing  this,  as  the  Enterprise  was  the 
only  gentile  paper  then  published  tn  the  territory.     A1!  per- 


x88 


PIONKER  RKOISTER 


sons  in  Utah  at  that  time  not  members  of  the  Mormon  church 
were  catted  "gentiles." 

The  Enterprise  was  a  success  from  its  incq>tion;  but  I  must 
concede  that  its  long  and  prosperous  career  was  largely  due  to 
the  unanticipated  discovery  of  the  great  Comstock  Lode,  and 
its  marvelous  consequences — an  event  which  ended  Us  tabors 
in  its  chosen  field  in  a  few  months,  when  the  territory  of  Nevada 
was  organized. 

The  discovery  of  the  Comstock  lode,  with  the  coincident 
and  manifold  results  pertaining  thereto,  and  resulting  there- 
from, comprises  one  of  the  most  marvelous  and  noteworthy 
mining  events  in  the  world's  history;  and  therefore,  any  retro- 
flpective  and  reliable  narrative,  embracing  its  prehistoric  con- 
dition, its  discovery,  and  the  incidents  and  circumstances  lead- 
ing thereto*  is  lx>th  interesting  and  instructive. 

in  contemplating  and  passing  over  in  review,  the  unwritten 
history  of  the  discovery  and  development  of  this  great  mine, 
embracing  the  flush  times  of  the  early  *'Sixties/*  wliat  tragic 
and  dramatic  scenes  are  rehearsed!  What  tales  of  woe  and  dis- 
appointed hopes  are  told!  What  an  array  of  dissipation  and 
moral  depravity,  and  what  a  pathetic  record  of  the  broken  foun- 
tains of  domestic  felicity,  are  unfolded — all  of  which  leads  one 
to  believe  that,  verily,  as  a  sage  has  said,  *'Money  is  the  root  of 
all  evil" 

I  might  present  a  pitiable  array  of  disastrous  effects  in  a 
large  percentage  of  instances,  of  sudden  transition  from  poverty 
to  affluence  which  came  under  my  personal  observation  during 
the  early  days  of  the  Comstock,  consisting  of  broken  domestic 
ties,  wreck,  ruin  and  premature  death,  of  many  persons  of  my 
personal  acquaintance  of  the  class  herein  referred  to,  many  of 
whom  were  young  men  of  ability,  with  bright  hopes,  lead  into 
temptation,  gambling  and  dissipation,  either  through  personal 
financial  flush  times,  or  through  environment.  But  the  picture 
is  a  sad  one,  which  awakens  unpleasant  memories,  over  which 
it  is  more  pleasing  to  spread  the  mantle  of  charity  and  forget- 
futness. 

The  great  vein  of  the  Comstock  is  located  on  the  eastern 
slope  of  Mount  Davidson,  and  passes  southeasterly  through 
the  divide  between  Virginia  and  Gold  Hill,  coming  out  on  the 
Gold  Hill  side,  very  n^rly  in  the  head  of  Gold  Canon,  the 
length  of  which  is  about  seven  miles,  and  its  course  is  south- 
easterly. It  contains  gold  its  entire  length,  which  was  in  paying 
quantitira  at  the  time  of  my  first  visit  some  time  previous  to  the 
discovery  at  Gold  Hill  and  in  "Six-Mile  Canon." 


EARLY  DAYS  IN  WASHOE. 


189 


Six-Mile  Canon  virtually  heads  at  the  Com^tock  lode.  It 
is  six  miles  long,  and  its  course  is  very  nearly  east.  Both  of 
these  caiions  discharge  into  Carson  river.  It  appears  from  an 
item  in  the  Enterprise  of  January  29th,  1 859,  that  Com&tock 
and  French  discovered  and  located  very  rich  diggings  at  the 
head  of  Gold  Canon,  which  created  no  little  excitement,  and 
resulted  in  the  location  of  the  entire  ground  in  the  vicinity 
within  a  few  days. 

These  locations  were  the  first  made  at  Gold  Hill,  and  were 
subsequently  found  to  be  on  the  south  or  Gold  Hill  end  of 
the  Comstock,  in  which  gold  largely  predominated,  while  the 
north  or  Virginia  end  of  the  vein,  carries  very  little  gold.  A 
few  days  prior  to  this  discovery,  the  discovery  was  made  in 
Six-Mile  Canon  by  Yount  and  Gould,  where  they  obtained 
gold  in  large  quantities.  This  gold  contained  so  large  a  per- 
centage of  silver  that  it  sold  for  only  $8.00  per  ounce,  while 
that  obtained  at  Gold  Hill  was  worth  $13.00. 

The  deposits  of  gold  in  both  these  canons  doubtless  resulted 
from  erosion  and  disintegration  of  ore  from  the  great  lode. 
None  of  the  miners  in  the  vicinity  being  familiar  with  the  quartz, 
it  was  some  months  later  before  they  realized  the  existence  or 
magnitude  of  the  great  vein. 

In  fact,  the  original  discoverers  and  locators  of  this  great 
lode,  with  very  few  exceptions*  entertained  but  the  most  limited 
and  crude  conception  of  the  great  magnitude  of  the  discovery, 
and  the  enormous  fortunes  which  they  had  within  their  grasp, 
as  manifested  by  the  astonishing  low  figures  at  which  they 
parted  with  their  holdings. 

As  to  the  all  important  fact  in  a  historical  point  of  view  as 
to  who  was  the  actual  first  discoverer  of  this  great  mineral  won- 
der, considering  aJI  the  circumstance  and  facts  which  I  have 
been  able  to  summarize  in  relation  thereto,  I  find  it  a  most  diffi- 
cult problem. 

From  the  items  which  I  gathered  in  the  premises  for  the 
Enterprise,  and  from  personal  information,  I  am  satisfied  that 
at  least  Comstock  and  French  made  the  first  discovery  of  the 
rich  placers  at  Gold  Hill,  and  which  ultimately  and  in  a  very 
short  time,  led  to  the  ledge  which  made  great  fortunes  for  Sandy 
Bowers  and  many  others, 

I  remember  also  that  Comstock  was  a  prominent  figure  on 
the  north  end  or  Virginia  side,  and  was  among  the  first  locat- 
ors on  the  lode  on  that  side  of  the  Gold  Hill  divide,  and  that  by 


I  go 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


mutual  consent,  he  was  accredited  with  the  honor  of  making  the 
discovery. 

However,  the  miners  working  in  Six-Mile  Canon  encoun- 
tered great  quantities  of  float  from  the  croppings  of  the  vein, 
which  would  have  led  a  modem  prospector  to  the  vein  in  twenty 
mimites.  This  increased  in  quantity,  in  its  metaliferous  appear- 
ance, and  in  weight,  to  such  an  extent,  as  they  worked  up  the 
canon,  as  to  arouse  a  suspicion  that  possibly  it  might  contain  the 
silver  which  so  depreciated  the  value  of  their  gold  dust.  None 
of  these  miners  were  familiar  with  mineral  ores  cm-  mineral  veins 
of  any  kind,  and  were  especially  unfamiliar  with  silver  ore,  or 
the  appearance  of  silver  veins. 

About  this  time  two  Mexicans  made  their  appearance  in  the 
camp,  and  being  familiar  with  silver  ore,  on  examination  of  this 
f^oat,  pronounced  it  silver  ore  of  probable  high  grade.  Upon 
this  information,  a  quantity  of  the  ore  was  Fent  over  to  Cali- 
fornia for  assay,  and  showed  the  astonishing  result  of  $1500.00 
per  ton.  This  was  about  the  later  part  of  June  or  early  in 
July,  1859. 

Conspicuous  among  the  miners  on  the  ground  at  that  time 
were  Comstock,  **01d  Virginia,"  or  James  Finney;  Peter 
O'Reily.  Patrick  McLaughlin,  Gould  and  Yount.  and  practi- 
cally all  oF  the  eighteen  whom  I  met  at  Johntown  on  my  first 
visit:  many  of  whose  names  I  do  not  remember  now,  who  made 
a  rush  for  the  new^  diggings  upon  catching  the  first  breeze  of  the 
exciting  ncw's  from  Gold  Hill. 

And  thus  it  was  that  this  little  band  of  miners,  this  van- 
guard of  wandenng  prospectors,  in  this  desolate  and  apparently 
almost  worthless  country,  discovered,  located  and  ovmed  that 
which  has  gi^en  business,  commercial,  political  and  social  life 
to  a  vast,  trackless  desert  waste;  peopled  and  changed  the  face 
of  a  great  inland  empire,  from  the  Rocky  Mountains  on  the 
east  to  the  Sierra  Nevada*s  on  the  west.  **That  which  has  pri>- 
ducerl  hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars,  inspired  and  hastened  the 
construction  of  the  first  great  trans-continental  railway, 
stretched  cables  under  the  sea.  built  palaces,  and.  perhaps.  ha( 
much  to  do  with  deciding  the  result  of  the  migli-tiest  war  of  mod- 
em times." 

It  is  evident  from  the  circumstances  here  related,  that  the 
discovery  and  many  of  the  locations  were  practically  made  si- 
multaneously. About  this  time,  or  to  be  more  exact,  on  July 
9lh,  1859.  an  item  was  published  in  the  Enterprise  stating  that 
Bowers  &  Co.,  of  Gold  Hill,  from  one  pan  of  rock,  pounded  up 


EARLY  DAYS  IN  WASHOE. 


191 


in  a  mortar,  obtained  $100,00,  This  item  is  the  first  historical 
or  authentic  mention  of  the  recovery  of  gold  or  silver  from 
rock  in  place  in  the  State  of  Nevada. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Enterprise,  writing  from  Gold  Hill, 
under  date  of  July  16th,  '59,  says:  that  the  hills  are  swarming 
with  prospectors  and  adventurers;  that  claims  are  changing 
hands  at  from  $i,ocx)  to  $5000^  and  that  Rogers  &  Co.,  with  a 
run  of  three  days,  with  two  arastras  cleaned  up  $776.00. 

While  these  exciting  discoveries  were  being  made  on  the 
Gold  Hill  or  the  south  side,  the  discoveries  on  the  north  or 
'Virginia  side  were  equally  sensational.  These  sensational  items, 
together  with  the  $1500,00  assay,  caused  a  rush  from  the  neigh- 
boring valleys,  and  from  every  village,  town  and  city  in  Cali- 
fornia came  excited  thousands.  New  conditions  and  exigencies 
were  presented  and  continually  multiplied,  and  called  for  non- 
existent remedies. 

Silver  mines  were  unkncm-n  in  America  and  to  Americans; 
the  metallurgy  of  silver  was  a  sealed  book.  Tlaere  were  a  few 
Freyburgers  in  the  country,  notably  Kutstell  and  Mosheinier, 
who  were  familiar  with  the  system  in  vogue  in  Germany  for  the 
reduction  of  silver  ores,  and  their  services  were  invoked  with 
success  in  this  emergency.  This  slow  process,  however,  which 
had  been  satisfactorily  used  in  Germany  for  a  century  or  more, 
was  unsatisfactory  to  American  push  and  American  genius.  In 
a  few  months  the  Freyburg  process  was  supplanted  and  rendered 
obsolete  by  the  substitution  of  American  machinery  and  Ameri- 
can methods,  since  which  time  there  has  been  but  little  demand 
for  Freyburgers  in  American  reduction  works. 

Previous  to  the  introduction  of  Freyburg  reduction  works, 
claim  owners  having  become  fully  informed  by  frequent  and 
numerous  assays  of  the  great  value  of  the  ore  discovered,  not 
only  in  the  croppings.  but  of  the  float  as  well — which  they  had 
been  casting  aside,  commenced  shipping  to  California;  and  as 
the  road  over  the  summit  of  the  mountains  was  not  in  condition 
to  admit  of  teaming,  the  ore  was  packed  on  mules  to  Placerville 
at  an  expense  of  ten  cents  per  pound.  In  this  manner  large 
quantities  of  ore  from  the  float  and  croppings  was  shipped. 

Much  carelessness  was  manifest  in  making  locations  of 
claims.  Interminable  disputes  arose  and  endless  litigation  en- 
sued. Personal  conflict  with  tragical  consequences  was  of  fre- 
quent occurrence,  and  vahiable  ground,  in  some  instances,  was 
fortified  and  held  by  force  of  arms.  New*  laws  had  to  be  evoJved 
to  meet  the  extraordinary  circumstances,  which  had  been  so 
suddenly  and  unexpectedly  thntst  upon  the  country. 


192 


PIOK^ER  REGISTER 


To  meet  this  serious  emergency,  the  people  of  Carsaa 
County  elected  my  brother,  John  C*  James,  a  representative 
to  the  Utah  legislature,  shortly  to  convene,  to  secure  such  legist 
latton  as  was  imperatively  demanded.  Whether  he  was  a  good 
Mormon  during"  his  stay  with  the  "Saints"  I  cannot  say,  but 
being  the  only  Gentile  member,  he  secured  the  passage  of  every 
measure  which  he  introduced. 

Of  all  the  great  mining  excitements,  which  have  so  often 
convulsed  the  mfining  commumties  on  the  PaciHc  Coast,  the 
Washoe  was,  perhaps,  in  point  of  numbers  and  impetuosity,  the 
most  extraordinary;  and  by  the  time  these  laws  were  in  force, 
the  country  was  literally  swarming  with  an  excited,  unrestrained 
and  restless  people,  and  matters  were  becoming  somewhat  cha- 
otic, which,  however,  assumed  a  normal  condition  when  re- 
straining and  equitable  laws  were  put  in  force. 

I  find  that  I  am  approaching  a  period  presenting  too  broad 
a  fidd  for  eventful  narrative  for  the  pr^ent  occasion,  and  T  will 
therefore,  revert  back  to  those  whom  I  shouJd  be  pleased  to 
designate,  as  the  fortunate  discoverers  and  owners  of  the  most 
wonderful  and  valuable  mine  in  America,  if  not  in  the  world. 

But  were  they  fortunate?  Let  the  following  events  an- 
swer: 

Henry  Page  Comstock,  who  was  an  honest,  confiding,  rather 
simple-minded  man,  with  but  little  knowledge  of  the  wicked 
ways  of  the  world,  through  a  number  of  unfortunate  and  un- 
business-like  transactions,  (which  I  might  mention:  including 
the  sale,  for  a  trifling  consideration,  of  property  which  should 
have  made  him  a  multi-millionaire),  was  soon  divested  of  his 
little  fortune,  became  a  roving  prospector  through  Idaho  and 
Montana,  and  finally  committed  suicide  in  a  small  mining  camp 
in  Montana. 

McLaughlin,  with  his  full  claim  on  theComstock — a  princely 
fortune,  sold  for  $500  and  died  in  penury  in  California.  Peter 
O'Reily  held  on  to  his  claim  until  he  received  $50,000  for  it^ 
which  he  lost  in  stocks  and  finally  died  in  a  mad-house.  James 
Finney  v^s  thrown  from  a  mustang,  or  California  horse,  and 
sustained  injuries  from  which  he  died. 

Sandy  Bowers,  one  of  the  early  locators,  a  conspicuous 
operator  at  Gold  Hill,  recovered  from  his  mines  a  considerable 
fortune;  built  what  is  known  as  the  "Bower's  Mansion/'  in 
Washoe  Valley,  in  which  the  door  knobs  are  all  solid  silver,  and 
died  of  consumption  many  years  ago.  His  widow  was  left  in 
poverty  and  has  made  a  precarious  living  practicing  clairvoy- 
ancy. 


EARLY  DAYS  IN  WASHOE 


^93 


A.  Klauber,  whom  I  have  heretofore  mentioned  in  this  nar- 
rative as  having  been  my  companion  in  crossing  the  mountains 
from  Placerville,  with  the  apparent  business  intuition  of  his 
people,  proceeded  at  once  on  his  arrival  in  Carson  Valley,  to 
buy  the  ranch  which  he  had  mentioned  on  the  way^  and  from  it 
he  cut  a  great  quantity  of  hay.  He  also  built  a  large  store  house 
in  Genoa  and  filled  it  with  goods,  the  like  of  which,  as  to  quan- 
tity, had  never  been  seen  on  the  eastern  slope,  which  was,  under 
all  business  and  speculative  conditions  at  that  time,  an  appar- 
ently doubtful  business  adventure.  Yet,  I  paid  him  in  the  fol- 
lowing spring  $25  for  a  fifty-pound  sack  of  flour,  and  at  the  rate 
of  $500  per  ton  for  a  considerable  quantity  of  hay,  under  cir- 
cumstances which  I  may  hereafter  relate. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 


FRED  W.  WOOD, 

Once  more,  we  are  called  upon  to  chronicle  the  loss  of 
one  of  our  most  honored  and  brightest  members,  who,  by  his 
skill  and  enterprise  built  for  himself  a  lasting  monument  in  the 
hearts  of  the  people  of  Los  Angeles  City. 

Fred  W.  Wood  was  bom  in  Prarie  du  Chien,  Wisconsin, 
April  28th,  1853.  and  died  in  Los  Angeles,  California,  May  19th, 
1900,  His  father,  Dn  E.  P.  Wood,  was  a  Colonel  of  the  17th 
Illinois  Infantry  in  the  Civil  War.  Dr.  E.  P.  Wood,  father  of 
our  subject)  married  Miss  Miriam  P.  Cleaveland,  July  3,  1836, 
in  Peoria,  Illinois.  She  was  the  great-granddaughter  of  Gen, 
Joseph  Warren  who  was  killed,  June  17,  1775  at  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill  When  Gen.  Washington  heard  of  his  death,  he 
knelt  an<l  said :  "May  God  receive  hts  soul  in  heaven.  He 
won  the  day,  and  fell."  Thus  Fred  W,  Wood  was  a  descendant 
of  noble  stock,  of  which  he  was  justly  proud.  And  it  may  well 
be  said,  he  has  added  lustre  to  his  ancestry. 

At  the  close  of  the  Civil  War.  his  father  and  family  moved  to 
Kansas  City*  where  young  Fred  entered  the  High  School.  He 
remained  in  this  school  but  a  s-hort  time  when  he  entered  the 
L^niverstty  of  Michigan.  His  chief  aim  and  specialty  was  to 
complete  his  studies  as  civil  engineer,  which  he  chose  as  his  pro- 
fession. He  remained  at  the  University  about  two  years,  then 
returned  to  Kansas  City  and  entered  the  office  of  the  city  en- 
gineer as  draughtsman.  The  accuracy  of  his  work  and  the  skill 
of  his  designs  soon  won  for  him  the  confidence  of  the  head  of 
the  department 

At  the  age  of  eighteen  his  efficiency  became  so  well  known 
that  he  was  offered  and  accepted  a  portion  in  the  civil  engineer 
department  of  the  Chicago  &  Great  Northwestern  Railroad 
service,  where  he.  at  nineteen,  became  Assistant  Chief  Engineer 
in  selecting  and  locating  the  lines  of  this  enterprise.  Endowed 
by  nature  with  an  earnest,  energetic  and  progressive  spirit*  he 
soon  rose  to  a  position  of  prominence  in  his  profession,  and 
gained  the  confidence  of  the  great  railroad  magnates. 

At  the  age  of  twenty,  after  two  years  service  in  this  great 
railroad  company,  he  resigned  and  entered  the  University  at 


BTCXJSAPHICAt   SKETCHES, 


Ann  Arbor,  Michigan,  in  order  to  polish  his  practical  acquire- 
ments, but  he  soon  concluded  that  the  University  polish  was 
not  of  sufficient  importance  to  justify  the  time  required  to  com- 
plete his  studies,  so  he  soon  left  the  University. 

He  came  to  California  in  the  fall  of  1873,  and  in  March,  1874, 
came  to  Los  Angeles,  His  ability  as  an  eng-ineer  soon  became 
known.  He  suggesterl  the  scheme  and  became  interested  with 
Mn  Prudent  Beaudry  in  the  construction  of  the  Beaudry  City 
Water  Works*  which  proved  to  be  a  great  success  in  the  de- 
velopment in  the  hills  west  of  old  Los  Angeles,  supplying  that 
portion  of  the  city  with  good^  pure  water.  In  this  enterprise  he 
established  his  engineering  ability,  and  his  services  were  in 
great  demand. 

He  soon  became  afRhated  in  the  devdopment  of  the  Lake 
Vineyard  Land  &  Water  Company  at  Pasadena,  of  which  he 
was  secretary'  for  five  years.  In  18K2  he  was  given  charge  of, 
and  became  general  manager  of  the  laying  out  and  planting 
of  the  great  San  Gabriel  vineyard,  and  building  of  the  immense 
San  Gabriel  winer\'  and  distillery,  which,  at  that  time,  was  con- 
sidered the  largest  winer%'  in  the  world.  All  of  which  wa>s  done 
with  so  mwch  skill  and  ability  that  Mr.  Shorb,  the  principal 
owner  and  president  of  the  company  said :  "This  man.  Fred 
Wood>  is  the  genius  of  the  age." 

In  1886  he  resigned  management  of  the  winery,  and  again 
became  identified  with  Mr.  Prudent  Beaudry  in  reconstructing 
the  Temple  Street  Cable  Railway  line  in  Los  Angeles,  which 
proved  a  great  benefit  and  success,  and  he  soon  became  the 
general  manager  of  the  business  of  Prudent  Beaudry'  and  Victor 
Beaudry,  and  upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Victor  Beaudry,  Mr.  Wood 
was  appointed  executor  of  his  large  estate,  without  bonds.  He 
managed  this  estate  and  settled  it  up  to  the  full  satisfaction 
of  all  the  parties  interested. 

In  1893  Mr.  Prudent  Beaudry  died,  he  also  leaving  his 
immense  estate  and  the  management  of  his  business  in  the  hands 
of  Mr,  Wood,  which  he  continued  to  look  after  and  manage 
until  his  death,  at  which  time  every  part  and  parcel  was  found 
by  the  heirs  to  be  straight  and  satisfactory. 

In  1895  Mr.  Wood  became  the  general  manager  of  the  Los 
Angeles  Street  Railway  Company  which  controls  nearly  all  of 
the  most  important  street  railways  in  Los  Angeles  City,  the 
system:  and  sen^tce  of  which  is  equal  to  any  large  city  in  the 
L^nited  States.  Under  the  judicious  supervision  of  Mr.  Wood, 
the  general  efficiency  of  the  system  was  greatly  improved  and 
placed  on  a  paying  basis. 


196 


PIONEER  KEGISTSR 


His  greatest  ambition  was  the  success  of  this  railway  sys- 
tem and  the  upbuilding  of  the  City  of  Los  AngeJes.  He  con- 
tinned  the  general  management  of  this  street  railway  until  his 
death.  When  he  was  too  feeble  to  leave  his  sick'bed^  he  had 
his  stenographer  come  and  sit  by  his  bedside  while  he  dictated 
instructions. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  American  Society  of  Mechanical 
Engineers,  The  American  Electrical  Engineers,  and  the  Ameri- 
can Institute  of  Architects.  He  studied  law  at  home  in  his 
leisure  moments  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  Supreme 
Court  in  1893;  this  knowledge  of  law  assisted  him  greatly  in  the 
management  of  his  business  affairs.  During  his  earlier  life  he 
was  a  great  student  and  seldom  found  time  for  light  amuse- 
ments. He  always  kept  a  room  fitted  up  as  a  laboratory  where 
he  spent  his  leisure  time  studying — and  even  the  late  hours  of 
night  often  found  him  experimenting  in  chemistry,  electricity  or 
engineering  problems.  He  tried  to  learn  everything  he  could 
about  the  different  methods  and  results  of  each.  \Vlien  he  could 
learn  no  more  from  others,  he  would  forrn^  new  ideas  of  his  own 
upon  which  he  would  practice  until  success  would  reward  him 
for  his  labor.  He  w^as  a  great  admirer  of  Edison,  to  whom  he 
^ve  credit  for  the  success  of  his  business  life. 

He  was  a  man  of  exceptionally  good  habits,  temperate  in  all 
things.  He  had  the  fullest  confidence  and  respect  of  all  his 
business  associates.  He  had  strong  convictions  of  right  and 
wrong,  paid  strict  attention  to  his  own  business:  he  w^s  shrewd 
and  honest  to  the  core;  his  heart  was  pure  and  tender  as  that  of 
a  child.  His  influence  and  sympathy  was  always  with  the  de- 
ser\'ing  and  the  weak.  The  writer  once  asked  him  why  it  was 
he  knew  so  little  about  ancient  history:  his  reply  was»  **I  have 
never  found  time  to  read  it;  it  takes  all  of  my  leisure  time  to  read 
and  study  modern  science:  this  is  an  age  of  progress;  there  is 
something  new  to  learn  every  day  that  needs  our  attention." 

He  possessefl  a  clear,  logical  mind,  a  capacity  to  compre^ 
hend  details,  a  strong  will  power,  with  great  perseverance  and 
industry.  He  knew  how  to  handle  men.  so  that  they  loved 
him  for  his.  kindness  and  iustice.  Mr,  Wood  said  to  a  friend 
shortly  before  his  last  illness.  "Yes,  I  know  I  cannot  live  many 
more  years,  but  I  would  rather  make  my  life  a  success  and  live 
the  remainder  of  my  day*^  among  successful  business  men,  than 
to  give  up  an  active  career  merely  to  live  in  idleness/* 

His  mother  said  of  him,  "Fred  was  always  a  good,  obedient 
child;  he  never  gave  me  any  uneasiness.     When  he  was  about 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES, 


197 


fifteen  years  of  age,  I  noticed  him  getting  letters  from  men  of 
note*  which  he  seemed  to  cherish*  He  would  read  them,  then 
store  them  away  carefully.  I  asked  him  why  he  read  them  with 
so  much  interest  and  of  what  use  were  they  to  him  aher  he 
read  them.  His  reply  was,  "Mother,  they  may  come  handy 
and  be  useful  some  day."  And  so  they  were.  They  were  letters 
from  some  of  the  greatest  civil  engineers  in  America.  She 
also  said,  "My  advice  to  him  was,  let  your  life  be  such  that  the 
world  will  be  the  better  for  your  having  Jived  in  it,  and  when 
you  look  in  the  glass  you  will  look  in  the  face  of  an  honest 
man." 

Mr.  Wood  was  married  in  Los  Angeles,  December,  1882, 
to  Miss  Lcona  P,  Dupuytren,  a  native  of  California,  and  a 
grand  niece  of  the  celebrated  French  physician,  Dr.  Dupujrtren. 
Mrs.  Woo<l  is  a  highly  educated  lady  of  fine  business  ability. 
She  proved  herself  a  good  helpmeet.  One  son*  Warren  Du- 
puytren  Wood,  bom  October  15th.  1885,  is  tlieir  only  child. 
He  is  a  bright,  vigorous  young  man  of  sixteen,  the  pride  of 
his  mother.  The  mother,  wife  and  son  have  a  warm  place  in 
the  affections  of  this  commiunily,  and  in  the  hearts  of  all 
pioneers. 

Respectfully, 

M.  R  OuiNN. 

Committee. 

Los  Angeles,  CaL,  July  2nd,  1901. 

IN   MEMORIAM. 


THOMAS  E.  ROWAN. 

Los  Angeles,  May  7,  1901. 
To  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County. 

Brothers:  We,  your  committee  appointed  to  report  a 
memorial  record  of  our  departed  member,  Thomas  E.  Rowant 
respectfully  submit  the  following: 

Our  brother,  who.  at  the  age  of  59  years,  passed  behind  the 
vail  that  limits  earthly  vision,  was  bom  A.  D,  1842*  in  the  State 
of  New  York,  of  honest  parents,  whose  strong  industrial  traits 
they  transmitted  nndiminishetl  to  him.  In  1858  the  whole  fam- 
ily came  to  San  Francisco,  remaining  in  the  upper  part  of  this 
State  until  i860,  when  they  came  to  Los  Angeles.  Here  the 
lather  started  the  American  Bakery,  which  prospered  until  he 
died.     Thomas,  with  an  eye  on  a  business  future,  sought  and 


PIONEER  RfiGISTDR 


obtained  a  position  with  1.  W.  Hellman  (our  now  famous 
banker),  who  had  a  general  merchandise  establishment  on  the 
comer  of  Commercial  and  North  Main,  where  h  now  the 
Farmers  &  Merchajits'  Bank.  This  position  was  additionally 
valuable  to  Mr.  Rowan  in.  fitting  him  for  a  useful  business 
career,  for  he  learned  of  nne  who  has  shown  what  ability  he 
possessed  by  his  marvelous  success  in  finance.  The  Pacific 
Union  Express,  a  quasi-corporation  doing  a  surety  steamer 
business  between  this  city  and  San  Francisco  (with  a  branch  to 
Sacramento)  then  competed  with  Wells-Fargfo,  and  L  W.  Hell- 
man  was  its  first  ag;ent  here;  Mr.  Rowan,  asystant.  Later  Mr. 
Hellman  resigned  the  ag'ency,  and  Mr  Rowan  took  his  place. 
In  the  year  i86q.  the  Pacific  Union  suspended  business,  and 
Wells,  Farg-o  &  Co.  took  over  the  property  (all  personal)  of  the 
defunct  cnrporation.  It  was  not  long  till  banks  were  organized, 
and  through  each  mutation  Mr.  Rowan  accompanied  Mr.  Hell- 
man till  he  became  a  prominent  and  tnisted  officer  in  the  operat* 
irg"  force  of  the  Farmers  &  Merchants'  Bank.  Mr.  Rowait 
faithfully  ser\^ed  there  till  called  by  his  fellow  citizens  to  public 
life,  filling  the  honored  position  of  City  Treasurer,  Mayor, 
County  Treasurer,  Under  Sheriff,  and  Supervisor.  In  all  these, 
correctness^  promptness,  neatness  and  affability  were  dominant. 
During  his  term  as  Supervisor,  our  noble  court  house  was 
mainly,  by  liis  insistence,  decided  necessary,  and  l>efore  he  left 
the  board  the  magnificent  structure  was  complete.  There  were 
few  who  coincided  with  his  views  how  necessary  then  to  begin 
what  people  have  never  adequately  given  him  due  praise  for; 
we  having  what,  even  in  its  greatness,  is  hardly  commensurate 
with  our  needs. 

He  has  done  with  years,  but  he  was  one  of  those  who 
left  in  their  steps  for  those  to  come,  and'  so  left  car\'ed  in  the 
history  of  his  field  of  action  the  imperishable  record  of  a  true 
pioneer 

Of  his  domestic  life,  a  loving^  wife  and  children  hold  sacred 
memories.  Friends  he  had  in  platoons,  but  we  have  only  to 
view  him  in  the  light  of  achievement,  and  that  done,  we  can  only 
say,  "Peace  to  thy  ashes,  good  and  faithful  servant/'  His  re- 
ward is  not  only  in  our  grateful  remembrance,  but  with  God, 
who  doeth  all  things  well. 

Respectfully, 

J,    W.    GiLLETTS, 

Louts  Roeder, 
H,  D,  Barrows, 

Committee. 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 


T99 


IN    MEMORIAM. 

GEORGE  GEPHARD. 

George  Gephard,  a  California  pioneer  of  1850,  died  April  12, 
1901,  at  his  residence,  No.  238  North  Grand  avenue.  He  had 
been  in  failing;  health  for  some  time,  but  had  been  bed-ridden 
for  a  little  more  than  a  week. 

Mr,  Gephard  was  born  in  Germany  tn  1830,  but  was  brought 
to  America  as  a  babe  in  the  arms  of  his  mother.  His  early 
boyhood  was  spent  in  Pennsylvania,  and  he  came  across  the 
plains  to  CaUfornia  In  1850,  He  soon  became  engrossed  in 
mining"  and  lumbering  in  Nevada  county,  CaL,  and  tn  his  iate 
years  spent  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State,  he  owned  a  toll* 
road  from  Grass  Valley  tn  Smartville.  In  1875  he  removed 
to  Los  Angeles,  and  at  once  invested  in  real  estate.  When 
he  died  he  was  the  owner  of  valuable  property  on  Broadway, 
HilK  Fifth,  Temple  and  other  streets  in  this  city. 

He  was  always  a  modest  and  unassuming-  gentleman,  with 
the  deepest  interest  in  every  public  improvement.  He  had  a 
particular  regard  for  the  State  Normal  School,  and  when  a 
site  was  to  be  purchased,  in  order  to  get  the  appropriation  for 
the  building,  he  personally  assumed  charge  of  the  matter  and 
raised  $8000  to  buy  the  ground.  He  was  an  active  member  of 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  was  for  one  term  a  member  of  the 
City  Council,  and  at  one  time  came  within  a  few  votes  of  being 
elected  County  Treasurer,  although  the  majority  was  strongly 
against  his  party. 

He  leaves  a  widow  and  two  daug-hters.  One  daughter  is 
the  wife  of  Capt,  J.  J.  Meyler  of  this  city,  and  the  other,  Miss 
Nettie  Gephard,  lives  with  her  mother. 


IN    MEMORIAM. 

ELIZABETH  LANGLEY  ENSIGN, 

September  20th,  190T,  another  one  of  this  society  received 
the  summons  to  go  forward,  and  quietly,  peacefully  passed  to 
the  realm  of  eternal  rest. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Langfley  Ensign  was  bom  in  Morgan  county, 
Missouri,  April  i6th,  1845.  Her  father,  Mr,  Shrewsbury, 
brought  his  family  to  this  State,  November,  i860.    Miss  Bettie, 


a 


200 


the  second  daughter,  l>ecanie  the  wife  of  Mr.  Samuel  Ensign, 
a  teacher  in  the  county  public  schools,  in  the  fall  of  1875*  Two 
children  were  bom  of  this  union,  a  son*  Ralph,  who  died  when 
young  hfe  is  so  filled  with  promise,  at  the  age  of  17  years;  a 
daug^hter,  Miss  Ohve  L.  Ensign,  is  a  resident  of  this  city,  an 
honored  member  of  our  schools. 

Many  of  us  present  will  recollect  with  pleasure  the  Miss 
Bettic  Shrewsbury  fas  her  friends  loved  to  call  her)  of  thirty 
years  ago.  Her  charming  personality,  quiet  wit  and  humor, 
and  her  exalted  consideration  for  others,  made  her  a  favorite  in 
the  social  circles  of  pioneer  society.  The  Shrensbury  home 
was  a  synonym  for  old-time  Virginia  hospitality*  the  family  hav- 
ing originally  come  from  the  State  from  which  that  article  is 
supposed  to  have  originated.  The  presence  of  two  young  ladies 
and  several  grown  up  sons  added  much,  also,  to  the  attraction 
of  the  home.  If  we  were  privileged  to  lift  the  veil  of  years,  and 
disclose  the  struggle  and  trials  of  this  life*  we  would  discover 
gold,  tried  in  the  furnace  nf  affliction — womanhood,  mother- 
hood, widowhood,  become  consecrated,  idealized. 

Mrs,  Ensign  was  a  member  of  Bethany  Presbyterian  Church 
in  this  city.  At  the  memorial  service,  both  pastor  and  people 
gave  earnest  expressions  to  her  work  as  a  Christian,  as  well  as 
to  her  faithfulness  as  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday  school. 

In  this  brief  chronicle  of  a  beautiful  life*  we  may  not  esti- 
mate character  or  give  its  results,  but  all  should  know  that 
Elizabeth  Shrewsbury  Ensign's  desires  and  efforts  were  for  the 
highest  and  noblest  ideal  in  this  life,  which  shoiUd  prepare  one 
for  a  death  that  should  be  without  fear. 

''Some  one  has  gone  from  this  strange  world  of  ours^ 

Xo  more  to  gather  its  thorns  with  its  flowers; 

One  more  departed  to  heaven's  bright  shore; 

Ring  the  bells  softly,  there's  one  gone  before/' 
Respectfully^ 

Virginia  W.  Davis^ 
M,  F,  Qltikn, 

Committee. 


m   MEMORIAif. 

WILLIAM  R  GROSSER. 

At  his  home,  622  South  Spring  street,  on  the  15th  of  April, 
J901.  died  Wm,  F,  Grosser.  Such  is  the  brief  record  that  tells 
the  end  of  a  useful  hfe. 


;raphicai,  sketch  el 


For  more  thaa  a  quarter  of  a  century  the  people  of  Los 
Ang-eles  have  known  William  F.  Grosser  as  a  business  man*  a 
citizen,  a  scientist  and  an  astronomer;  and  in  every  sphere  of 
life  in  which  he  has  moved  he  has  been  respected  and  honored. 

William  F.  Grosser  was  bom  at  Potsdam,  Prussia,  Decem- 
ber i6,  1835.  When  but  1 1  years  of  age  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  New  York  City,  where  his  father  located  and  set  up 
in  business.  He  was  a  skillful  optician,  and  besides  had  devoted 
his  leisure  time  to  the  study  of  astronomy.  His  son  William 
learned  his  fathers  trade,  and  also  acquired  a  knowledge  of 
astronomy.  This  knowledge  he  turned  to  practical  use. 
Equipped  with  a  powerful  telescope,  he  visited  most  of  the 
larger  cities  in  the  United  States,  giving  astronomical  lectures 
and  exhibitions. 

March  15,  1S62,  Mr,  Grosser,  at  Washington,  D,  C,  was 
married  to  Miss  Eleanor  Nipper,  a  native  of  Weimar,  Germany. 
The  iinion  proved  a  happy  one,  husband  and  wife  being  de- 
voted to  each  other  until  death  removed  the  former. 

In  October,  1873.  Mr.  Grosser  came  to  California  via  Pan- 
ama. Early  in  1874,  they  located  in  Los  Angeles.  Here  he 
first  engaged  in  the  furniture  business,  his  store  being  located 
at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Main  streets.  He  purchased  a  tract 
of  land  on  Vejar  street,  south  of  Fourteenth  street,  now  known 
as  the  Grosser  tract.  This  was  subdivided  into  lots  during  the 
great  real  estate  boom  of  1887,  and  a  portion  of  it  sold. 

He  erected  a  three-story  brick  block  on  the  corner  of  San 
Julian  and  Fifth  streets,  where  he  and  his  sons  established  in 
the  grocery  business. 

After  retiring  from  active  business,  he  again  devoted  him- 
self to  his  favorite  study,  astronomy.  In  addition  to  his  knowl- 
edge of  astronomy,  he  was  an  expert  microscopist.  He  was 
always  ready  to  give  his  services  to  the  schools  and  scientifiG 
societies  of  the  city  in  the  study  of  astronomy  and  kindred  sub- 
jects, with  the  aid  of  his  telescope  and  microscope.  He  gave 
public  astronomical  exhibitions,  not  so  much  for  pecuniary  re- 
ward as  for  the  pleasure  he  derived  from  giving  instruction  id 
this  favorite  science. 
He  is  survived  by  his  widow  and  five  children — three  sons 
and  two  daughters.  William  and  Arthur  are  engaged  in  the 
grocery  business.  George,  the  youngest,  is  an  accomplished 
musician.  The  elder  daughter,  Amelia,  is  a  well-known  and 
highly  accomplished  vocalist,  and  the  younger,  Lenore.  is  an 
instructor  of  painting  in  the  art  department  of  the  University 


202 


FIONEEK  REGISTER 


of  Southern  California,  of  which  institution  she  is  a  ^duate. 
Mr.  Grosser  was  a  member  of  the  Tumverdn  Gerniania  of 
Los  Angeles,  and  had  held  almost  every  position  of  honor  in 
the  gift  of  the  order.  He  was  a  charter  memiber  of  Los  Angeles 
Lodge,  No.  55,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  and  also  a  member  of  the  Pioneers 
of  Los  Angeles  County. 

Loving  husband,  kind  father*  faithful  friend  and  brother 
pioneer,  thou  art  gone  from  among  us,  but  thy  memory  shall 
be  treasured  and  thy  name  honored. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  this  memorial  be  sent  to  the 
family  of  our  deceased  brother,  and  that  one  be  preserved  in 
the  archives  of  the  society  for  publication  in  the  Pioneer 
Register. 

Respectfully, 

Louis  Roeder, 
August  Schmidt, 
G^o-  W.  Hazard^ 

Committee. 


IN    MEMORIAM. 


SAMUEL  CALVERT  FOY. 

Samuel  Calvert  Foy  died  in  Los  Angeles,  California,  April 
24th.  19Q1,  He  was  bom  September  23rd,  1830*  in  Washing- 
ton, D,  C.  His  father,  Capt.  John  Foy;  was  bom  in  the  county 
of  Roscommon,  Province  of  Connaught,  Ireland,  about  1783, 
and  emigrated  to  America  when  a  young  man,  and  settled  in 
the  city  of  Washington.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Trinity  College, 
Dublin*  and  was  a  civil  engineer.  He  laid  out  and  superin- 
tended the  grounds  of  the  White  House  and  the  Capitol,  and 
for  many  years  had  charge  of  the  botanical  gardens.  Much 
of  his  work  there  still  remains  as  a  monument  to  his  taste  and 
skill.  He  died  in  Washington,  July  23rd,  1833.  He  was  the 
sixteenth  child  of  his  parents.  He  was  married  about  1817  to 
Miss  Mary  Calvert,  of  Lexington,  Kentucky,  daughter  of  Chris- 
topher and  Eliza  Calvert,  nee  Cox,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Virginia.  The  Calverts  of  Virginia  were  of  the  Maryland 
Calverts,  well  known  in  the  history  of  those  States,  Capt.  John 
Foy  and  wife  spent  all  of  their  married  life  in  Washingtort 
where  their  children  were  bom.  After  his  death  his  widow, 
with  her  three  little  boys,  returned  to  her  people  in  Kentucky, 
where  she  married  Mr  Rich  of  Covington.     Mrs.  Foy  was  a 


BIOGHAPHICAL    SKETCH^* 


203 


woman  of  much  force  of  character^  and  she  took  great  pride  in 
the  education  of  her  children,  training  them  for  the  proper  pur- 
suits of  Hfe. 

Mr.  Samuel  C.  Foy,  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  was  educated 
at  the  Burlington  Academy,  Kentucky.  Among  his  teachers 
were  Prof.  Ray,  the  author  of  Ray's  Arithmetic;  and  Prof.  Mc* 
GufTey,  author  of  AlcGufTey's  Readers  and  SpeJiing  Books. 
After  completing'  his  education^  he  learned  the  harness  trade 
with  Mr.  Perkins  of  Cincinnati,  who  estabhshed  the  Perkins* 
Campbell  firm  of  Cincinnati,  which  firm  is  still  in  existence,  and 
Mn  Foy  continued  to  order  goods  from  them  until  his  death. 
After  completing  his  trade,  Mr  Foy  went  to  Natchez,  Miss., 
and  worked  at  harness  making.  Like  niany  others  of  his  day, 
he  was  "stricken  with  the  California  gold  fever,''  and  left  for 
California  by  way  oi  Panama,  and  arrived  in  Saii  Francisco 
about  January,  1852.  He  immediately  left  for  the  gold  mines 
in  Calaveras  county,  where  he  joined  his  brotherSj  John  and 
JameSt  who  had  preceded  him.  Not  being  very  successful  in 
the  mines,  he  concluded  to  return  to  his  trade.  In  1S54  he  pur- 
chased a  stock  of  goods  in  San  Francisco  and  came  to  Los  An- 
geles and  started  the  harness  business.  Later  his  brother  John 
came  to  Los  Angeles,  and  Ihey  formed  a  co-partnership,  which 
continued  until  1865.  During  this  period  they  also  engaged  in 
cattle  raising,  which  business  was  managed  by  Mr,  Samuel  C. 
Foy.  having  headquarters  at  San  Juan,  San  Benito  county,  and 
Stockton,  San  Joaquin  county.  The  partnership  was  dissolved 
in  1865.  John  M.  Foy  going  to  San  Bernardino,  and  S,  C.  Foy 
continuing  the  business  at  No.  315  North  Los  Angeles  street, 
where  they  had  established  themselves  in  1861. 

Mr.  S.  C.  Foy  was  married  to  Lucinda  Macy.  daughter  of 
Dr.  Obed  Macy,  in  Los  Angeles,  by  Rev,  Wm.  E.  Boardman, 
on  October  7th,  i860.  She  came  with  her  parents  to  California 
in  1S50,  arriving  at  the  Palomares  Rancho.  where  North  Po- 
mona now  stands,  on  New  Year's  Day^  185 1.  Dr.  Macy  set- 
tled one-fourth  mile  east  of  the  present  town  of  El  Monte, 
where  they  lived  until  1853,  when  he  moved  to  Los  Angeles, 
and  bought  the  Bella  Union  Hotel,  now  known  as  the  St. 
Charles.  His  death  occurred  in  1856.  Mrs.  Macy  was  a  grand- 
daughter of  Charles  Polk  and  Delilah  Polk^  nee  Tyler,  related 
respectively  to  Presidents  Polk  and  Tyler. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foy  had  ten  children^ — four  sons  and  six 
daughters — of  whom  one  son,  James  Calvert^  and  five  daugh- 
ters— Mary  E..  Cora,  Edna,  Alma  and  Florence — are  living. 


204 


PIONEER  RE;GISTER 


James  Calvert  married  Adell,  daughter  of  the  late  H.  K.  S. 
O'Melveny,  and  they  live  in  this  city.  Alma  marrieil  Thomas 
Lee  Woohnne,  formerly  of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  now  of  this  city. 
The  other  daughters  are  unmarried,  and  reside  with  their 
mother  at  the  old  home  on  Figrieroa  street.  The  son  for  many 
years  assisted  his  father  in  the  management  of  his  business  in- 
terests, and  he  is  well  known  throug-hout  this  State,  being  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Native  Sons.  Mary  has  long  been 
identified  with  the  educational  interests  of  our  city,  and  is  at 
present  a  teacher  in  the  English  departmrent  of  the  High  School. 
Cora  is  a  reader  of  no  mean  ability.  Edna  is  a  violinist^  whose 
education  was  supplemented  by  three  years'  study  in  London. 
Florence  is  a  student  in  the  senior  class  of  the  High  School. 

Mr  Foy  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order. 
He  took  no  active  part  in  politics^  although  always  a  strong 
Democrat,  He  was  a  careful  business  man.  and  the  fever  of 
speculation  nether  attacked  him.  His  investments  were  made 
with  care,  and  the  competency  he  left  to  his  family  was  the 
result  of  industry,  economy  and  the  natural  increase  in  values 
of  real  estate,  Mr.  Foy  was  a  man  of  exceptionally  good  hab- 
its, and  was  devoted  to  his  home  and  family.  He  enjoyed  the 
fullest  respect  and  confidence  of  all  his  business  associates,  His 
long  residence  in  Los  Angeles  and  his  straight  forward,  genial 
manner  brought  around  him  many  friends,  who  regret  his  death, 
and  will  long  cherish  his  memory.  His  fellow  pioneers  of  Los 
Angeles  county  extend  to  his  bereaved  family  their  warmest 
friendship  and  deepest  sympathy. 

Respectfully, 

M.  R  QuiNN, 
J,  M.  GuiNN, 
J.  M.  Stewart, 
r  Committee. 


IK    MEMORIAM. 

CHARLES  ERODE. 

Charles  Erode  was  born  at  Boreck,  province  of  Posen.  Prus- 
sia, February  6,  1836.  At  the  age  of  19  he  left  his  native  land 
for  Australia,  where  he  engaged  in  mining  for  seven  years.  At 
the  age  of  26  he  came  to  the  United  States,  engaging  in  various 
kinds  of  business  in  the  territories  of  Montana,  Idaho  and  Utah. 

In  1868  he  came  to  Los  Angeles  and  engaged  in  grocery 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


20S 


business,  which  he  followed  for  nearly  twenty  years.  His  store 
was  located  on  South  Spring  street,  adjoining-  the  Hollenbeck 
Hotel,  He  acquired  some  other  valuable  property  on  Spring 
street  in  early  days,  which  he  recently  disposed  of.  His  real 
estate  investments  gave  him  a  comfortable  income.  In  1890 
he  retired  from  the  grocery  business.  He  was  a  director  of 
the  Germ  an -American  Savings  Bank  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Odd  FeJlows  and  the  Tumverein  Ger- 
mania. 

Charles  Erode  was  one  of  the  sterling,  enterprising  German 
pioneers  who  formed  so  large  an  element  of  the  early  business 
community  of  Lo«s  Angeles* 

He  was  intelligent,  progressive,  public-spirited  and  pos- 
sessed a  high  sense  of  justice  which  made  him  respected  and 
esteemed  by  his  fellow  citizens. 

He  died  at  his  home  in  this  city  August,  13,  1901.  He  i^ 
survived  by  a  widow  and  six  children — Mrs,  Emma  Friese,  Mrs. 
Louisa  Bruntng,  A,  C.  Brocfe,  W,  C.  Erode,  Mrs.  Oscar  Lawler 
and  Leopold  Erode.  For  23  y^ars  he  has  lived  among  us  and 
has  been  identified  with  the  city's  growth  and  prosperity.  A 
man  without  reproach,  honest  and  honorable  in  e^ery  trust  that 
he  has  held. 

Respectfully, 

John  Osbornt, 
J,  D,  Young, 
John  Shaffef, 

Cummtttee. 


IN    MEMORIAM, 

FRANK  A.  GIBSON. 

Los  Angeles,  Nov,  30,  1901. 
To  the  Honorable  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County: 

Brothers  and  Sisters :  We,  the  committee  by  you  appointed 
to  submit  a  tribute  to  the  memory  of  our  late  brother,  F,  A. 
Gibson,  respectfully  present  the  following: 

Mr,  Gibson  was  bom  November  23,  185 1,  in  Pittsburgh, 
Iowa,  and  died  in  this  city  October  13,  1901,  aged  49  years  10 
months  28  days,  leaving  in  the  home  a  widow  and  son,  with 
whom  we  deeply  sympathize,  and  to  whom  we  would  say.  look 
for  strength  to  the  Father  of  all,  who  has  spared  us  all  so  long 
on  life's  toilsome  road. 


206 


PIONEER  REGISTER 


In  the  year  1866,  the  Rev.  Hugh  Gibson,  a  Methodist 
clergyman,  with  his  family — among  them,  our  late  brother, 
Francis  Asbury  Gibson^ — came  to  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  Cali- 
fornia. The  father  was  appointed  ag^ent  of  the  Round  Valley 
Indian  reservation,  and  the  son  served  as  his  clerk.  The  father 
W3S  a  man  of  impressive  presence,  noted  for  his  integrity;  the 
mother,  a  model  matroti.  noted  for  her  active  charity.  In  his 
varied  career  in  this  city,  where  he  arrived  in  1872,  Frank 
showed  these  traits  strongly  in  his  daily  life — his  helpfulness 
of  others  drawing  not  alone  on  his  purse,  but  on  his  strength 
of  brain  and  body,  and  the  tim«  needed  for  rest  was  unself- 
ishly given,  till  at  last,  tired  nature  could  do  no  more,  and  he 
fell  in  the  harness — died  at  an  age  that  shoudl  have  been  his 
prime  The  death  of  his  father  in  1873  saw  him  the  head  and 
support  of  the  family,  and  his  active  talent  led  him  through  im- 
portant undertakings  to  a  high  position  where  his  word  and 
judgment  were  sought  fon 

His  blessed  mother  went  long  years  ago  to  her  rest,  where 
the  parents  await  the  son.  To  use  a  pioneer  expres5ion.  our 
brother  "over-drove"  himself.  True,  he  willingly  did  all,  but 
we  lament  the  sacrifice* 

His  team  outspanned  and  gone,  , 

His  camp  deserted — lone; 
Our  brother  Pioneer 
Has  reached  the  last  frontier — 
And  that  is  Heaven. 
Frank  A,  Gibson  died  in  this  city.  October  11,  1901. 
Respectfully, 

A.  H,  JUDSON 
J.   W.   GlLLETTfi, 

G^.  W.  Hazard, 

Committee. 


1 


In  Memoriam. 


Oeceftsed  Membors  of  tHo  I^ioiteera  of  l#os  An^elea 
County. 


Jame«  J.  Ayret   ., ,..,,..   Died  November  10, 

eteptien  C^  Foster „.,...,.  Oled  January  27, 

Horace  Hiller Died  May  23, 

John  Slrother  Gritnn  Died  August  23, 

Henry  CJay  Wiley Died  October  25, 

William  Blackstone  Abernethy  ....  Died  November  i, 

Stephen  W.  La  Dow Died  January  6, 

Herman  Raphael ,...   Dfed  April  19, 

Francis  Baker ,,,,,,..,...  ^ ... .  Died   May   17, 

Leonard  John   Rove   , , , , *.,,,...  ^ , ,    Died   May  17, 

E.  N.   McDonald Died   June   10, 

James   Craig DJed    December   30, 

PaJmer   Milton  Soott... Died  January   3, 

Franciitco  SabtchI Died  April    13^ 

Robert   Miller  Town     ,   Died  April  24, 

Fred  W.  Wood   Died  May  19, 

Joseph   Bayer    ..,,,,. , ,..    Died   July  27, 

Augustus  Ulyard    « Died   August  5, 

A.    M.    Hough    .. ,, ,.,.,.,.,,,.    Died    August   28, 

Henry  F.  Fletshnnan   ..............  Died  October  20, 

Frank  Lecouvreur ,,.. Died  January  17, 

Daniel  Shieck Died  Jansuary  20, 

Andrew   Glasael)    ,.,,.,..,    Died   January   28, 

Thomas  E.   Rowan Died   March  25^ 

Mary  Ulyard Died  April  5, 

George  Gephard   ...., , ,   Died  April  12, 

Williann  Frederick  Grosser  ., Died  April  23, 

Samuel  Calvert  Foy   ...< Died  April  24, 

Joseph   Stoitenberg    ...  ^, .,,,,,,,., ,    Died   June  25, 
Charles  Brode   .......  ^ ...  ^ ...... .  Died  August  13, 

Joseph  W.  Junkins Died  August^ 

L^ura  Gibson  Abernethy , ,  .Died  May  16, 

Elizabeth  Langley  Ensign Died  September  20, 

Frartk  A.  Gibson  ...,..., Died  October  tt, 

Godfrey  Hargltt Died  November  14, 


1897. 

189a 

1898. 

1898. 
1898. 
1898. 
1399. 
1899. 
1899. 
1899, 
1899, 
1899. 
1900- 
1900. 
1900. 
1900. 
1900, 
1900. 
1900. 
1900. 
1900. 
1901, 
1901. 
1901. 
1901 
1901, 
1901- 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
19Q1. 
1901, 
1901. 
1901. 


2IO 

PIONEER  ROISTER 

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Ohio 

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H.  t. 

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Jime. 

•7» 

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N.    C. 

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Ire. 

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J«i.. 

J«1t. 

'66 

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1873 

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Banker 

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1871 

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Ala. 

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Ant   5. 

'69 

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N.  Y. 

Ilau&eirtfe 

Oct., 

'69 

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Prui 

Farmer 

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N.   Y. 

llou^rirife 

April  17. 

*56 

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iM 

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nL 

Miner 

Sept.  3v, 

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Oblo 

Miner 

Feb.    »7. 

'73 

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i8jj 

Houjhtao,  Sheman  0. 

N.  Y. 

Lawyer 

Jtdy  1. 

*M 

Bultard  Block 

i«47 

Houehton.    EH«a    P, 

IlL 

Housewife 

J«ir  I. 

*»6 

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iM 

H»kcU.   John   C 

Me. 

Farmer 

Oct. 

>o 

Fernando 

Hmrtg,   Ewtna   E. 

Australia 

Housewife 

Auk- 

*ss 

Florence 

tS5« 

Hatit«,    Ah 

IlL 

Farmer 

'53 

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1^9 

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la 

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•s« 

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>^^ 

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Al3Vt. 

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4 

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1 
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■65 

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Maia. 

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'si 

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f*4y 

JniuoB.   A.    iL 

N.    Y. 

Attomey 

May. 

•yo 

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1870 

Jordon,   Js»eph 

Aa«t 

Retired 

June, 

*«5 

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>aj$ 

1             Johanseu.    Mrx    Cecilia 

Germ. 

Houaevifc 

'74 

Los    ARCclei 

187* 

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MEMBERSHIP  ROtU 

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^^^^ 

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H.AC1 

DCCu^ATIOJf, 

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CO, 

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Cmrier*  A.  T. 

Maine 

FannCT 

July  I 

.'69 

Spadrft 

iMi        ^T| 

a*tk,  Frank  E. 

Coun. 

Fann«r 

Feb.    3j, 

'69 

Hyde  Park 

t669              J 

Carter,    N,    C 

Mass. 

Farmer 

Nov. 

.'71 

Sierra  Madre 

1&7>         ^1 

Conner,    Mfs,    Kate 

Genu, 

Hqiijiewife 

June  32, 

>i 

1QS4  S.  Grand 

- —     ^H 

ChapmuL,  A.   B. 

Ala. 

Attorney 

April. 

'S7 

San  Gabriel 

iSiS        ^I 

CuBitBiogs.   Geo. 

Aua. 

Stockman 

March 

'53 

First  street 

i8S3 

Cunningham.    RobL   G. 

Ind. 

Dcntijt 

Nov.    ts. 

'73 

[501   W>  Second 

1S73          ^ 

Clarfcc^  N.  J. 

N.  H. 

Retired 

'4« 

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1^    H 

Compton,  Go.   D 

Va. 

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May, 

'^7 

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——      ^H 

Ci»wan.    D,   W,   C 

Pcan. 

Parmer 

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'SB 

B24  W.  Tenth 

i84»         ^ 

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VL 

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March  4. 

■7* 

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1875 

Clarke,  Jamu  A, 

N.  Y. 

Lawyer 

'83 

,13  W-  Second 

i8S3 

C&mpbelU  J.  U. 

Ire. 

Chrk 

•73 

716  Bonnie  Brae 

f«73 

Cable.  Jonathan  T. 

N.  Y. 

Farmer 

April  10 

*Gi 

n6   Wilhardt 

i»6t         ^J 

Culver^  Francis  F. 

Vt 

Farmer 

Nov., 

■7« 

Cotnpton 

iS4»         ■ 

Dalton,   W.   T. 

Ohio 

Fruit  Gro«er 

'St 

1^0  Central  avenue 

1851    H 

Davis,  A.  E. 

N.  y. 

Fruit    Grower 

Kov,. 

**s 

Clendara 

'Bi7         ^ 

DmDcr.   P,    W. 

Cjia. 

Lawyer 

May   I. 

'72 

848   S.   Broadway 

187a 

Dohs,    Fred 

Gerta. 

CapitaJiat 

Sept, 

'69 

6t4  E.  First 

i«sa 

I>citeef,  John  C 

CerBL 

Merchant 

June  20, 

•59 

$0&  Temple 

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Irt. 

MerchsDt 

Sept-  s, 

'6q 

9i?  S.  Hill 

isfia           1 

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Ma». 

Merchajit 

Sept., 

'70 

724  Coronado 

2870         i 

Diinkclberffcr,  I.  R. 

Pa- 

Retired 

anu., 

*66 

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iS««              { 

■       DunUp,  J.   D. 
I      Drydcn,   Wm. 
»      Durfce,  Jaa.  D, 

N.  H- 

Miner 

Nov., 

'so 

Silverado 

iSso                   1 

N-  Y. 

Far  Bier 

May. 

'6A 

Los  Angeles 

1861                    1 

IIL 

Farmer 

Sept.    IS, 

*5S 

El  Monte 

165s                   1 

Davis.  Kmily  W 

IlL 

Housewife 

'&S 

Glendora 

i8s&                 1 

Davis.  John   W. 

Ind. 

Publiaher 

Dec,   10.   fSyj 

51a  San  Julian 

187a        ^i 

ft      Davis.  Virginia  W. 

Art 

Housewife 

Sept.,  I 

852 

SrS   San  Julian 

TS51      ^H 

ft       Delann.    TboE.    A. 

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'50 

Newhall 

isso      H 

■     Davis,  Phoeb« 

N-   Y. 

Htiu»cT»ife 

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*5J 

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ifi63         ^1 

Eaton,    B«nj.    S. 

Ct/ua. 

Hyd.  engineer 

'5i 

43 J   Sherman 

1850 

EhinscT,  Louis 

Genn. 

Merchant 

Oct.  9^ 

'?i 

755   Maple 

1366 

Elliott,  I,  M. 

s.  C 

Banker 

Nov., 

'70 

Alhambra 

^ 

Evart3,  Myran  E 

N.  Y. 

Pai  Dtcr 

Oct  26. 

'S« 

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iSsa         H 

Eddman.   A.   W. 

PoL 

Rabht 

Junei 

'fii 

134J    Flower 

»SS9          ^ 

E6e&u  Mfi.  W.  F. 

N.  y. 

Retired 

April  iS* 

'6S 

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ia6s 

Fnrguson,   Wm. 

Ark, 

Retired 

April, 

^6g 

303  S.  HiU 

1S50           . 

PtiTTcy,  Wra,    C. 

N.    Y- 

Merchmt 

Aog. 

>* 

1103   Ingraham 

t«*5 

French.  LpiiiiB  W, 

Ind. 

Dentist 

Oct., 

'68 

83;'  Alvarado 

1863                  1 

Franklin,  Mrs.  Mary 

Ky, 

Seamstren 

Jan.  I, 

■53 

^5^   Avenue  ii 

■asa      ^ 

Fickett,    Chrarlea    R. 

Mi^s 

Pander 

July  5. 

>J 

El  M6nte 

i86a         ^H 

Fisher.  L.  T. 

Ky. 

Publisher 

Mar.   ^4, 

'7^ 

Loa  Angelefl 

1873         ■ 

Fojr,  Mrs.   I,ucinda  M. 

Ind. 

Houjcwifc 

Dec.  14, 

'so 

65:    S,    Figueroa 

1S30      H 

French,    Cai.    E- 

Maine 

Retired 

April, 

'71 

141    i-J  N.   BroadwDiy 

i£fig          H 

Flood,   Edward 

N,  y. 

Cement  worker 

April, 

'SO 

131  j    Palmer  avenue 

rSS9          H 

-      Foflle,  Lswreqee 

Mau. 

Farmer 

Dec., 

•S5 

43S   Avenue  J3 

1^55          ^M 

ft      Foulks,    Irving 

Ohio 

Farmer 

Oct.     T&. 

■7P 

404   Btaudry  avenue 

1853          H 

1      Carey,   Thamagi  A, 

Ohio 

Nurberyman 

Oct-    14. 

'53 

28^3  Maple  avenue 

i6sa         H 

m      Garvcy.    Richard 

Ire. 

Faj-tner 

Dec. 

'58 

San  Gabriel 

E858       V 

Caee.  Hearr  T 

N.  y. 

Gflv.    Stale 

Aug,, 

'74 

1 146    W.   Twenty-cightli 

'S74 

Gillette,  J.   W, 

N,  Y. 

Inftpector 

May, 

•«3 

Saa    Temple 

I85S 

Gill^te,  Mra.  K-   S, 

III. 

Houseinfe 

Aug., 

'«8 

322  Temple 

i8«4 

Gould.  Win   D, 

Vt 

Attomey 

Feb.  aB. 

'7a 

Bcaudry  avenue 

1 87  J                   . 

214 


PTOKEES  REGIST8E 


n.*ot      oGcuvATim. 


Worfcaaa.  Wm.  H. 

Ma 

City    Treunrcr 

•54 

375  Boyfc  anna 

>«M 

Warfann.  E.  H. 

Ma 

Real  Ectata 

•S4 

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i«54 

Witt,  KcniKtb  a 

lad. 

Pfajflciaa 

Sept.   '7M 

IJ5I  S.  Grand  avcane 

iS7« 

WilKiMinn,  G««k  W. 

UL 

Capitalist 

•71 

Loa  Ai^clca 

it7i 

Wcyac,  Rodolph  a 

CaL 

Bookkeeper 

Jan.a»,-Ca 

Tbompaoa  MraeC 

itCa 

Wcirac^  Mn.  A.  W. 

a          CaL 

Honarwifc 

Jaly  ■«,-«> 

Santa  Monica 

laCa 

Wri^c  Chark*  H. 

Vt, 

Farmer 

J»»y.  •» 

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its» 

WUtcv  Charlo  H. 

Mml 

&  P.  Ca 

NoT..>a 

1137  lagrahaa 

its> 

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Dcanuk 

laodlord 

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OUa 

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J«-.  9.  Vi 

Pcraaado 

ity« 

Wafd.  Jaacs  P. 

N.  Y. 

Fmnaer 

Jan..  '7» 

list  S.  Grand 

toartMn,  Alfred 

E-daad 

Broker 

Not.  jS.  'CS 

jij  Boyle  avesne 

White,  Caleb  E. 

MaaB. 

HorticiiltBriit 

Deca4*-CS 

PomoM 

iS4» 

Waadhead,  Chai.   R 

OUo 

Dairyman 

Febw  at.  '74 

■5«  Bneaa  Vlrta 

tS73 

Waitaabcrg.   Looia 

GcTBaay 

Com.  Trav. 

Nor.,  'si 

1057  S.  Grand  BTcaac 

1I5I 

WUder,  laae 

AA. 

Miner 

A-t..  '5* 

S3S  Saa  IVdro  Mree* 

i*5« 

WofB.  AoptX  W. 

Gcmany 

Retired 

15 

pio  W.  nth 

itM 

Wrigkt,    Edward   T. 

in. 

Sarreyor 

Mareh,'75 

aj6  S.  Sprinc 

ia7s 

WaUfarth,  Aagnrt 

Gcrauny 

Saddler 

Sept.. '74 

■604  Pleamat  aveana 

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WUlCh  J.   P. 

Ky. 

WcU-Borcr 

May, 'TO 

9S9E.  55th 

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YaradI,  Jcae 

Ohio 

Printer 

April.  -67 

1808  W.  ist 

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Yooac  JTohB  a 

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Parmer 

Oct.  '53 

J607  Ficneroa 

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YatiKiU  Mn.  S.  C 

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Housewife 

April.    -67 

1808  W.  lit 

■tsc 

CONTENTS 


HISTORICAL  fiOaETY  PAPERS. 

Officers  of  the  Historical  Society,  1902-1903. .  .  * 214 

Early  Art  in  California, W.  L.  Judson  215 

Poetry  of  the  Argonauts J.  M.  Guinn. .  217 

Ethical  Value  of  Social  Organizations. 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Willianison , .  228 

Some  Medicinal  and  Edible  Plants  of  Southern  California 

Laura  Evertsen  King  237 

Andrew  A.  Boyle H.  D.  Barrows, .  241 

EI  Canon  Perdido J.  M.  Guinn. ,  245 

Some  Old  Letters;  251 

Dr  John  Marsh  to  Don  Abel  Stearns,  1837 251 

Hon  Stephen  C.  Foster  to  Gen.  B,  Riley,  1849,  .,.,,,..  252 

The  Palomares  Family  of  California H.  D.  Barrows. .  254 

Sister  Scholastica Wm.  H,  Workman,  .  256 

PIOKEER  SOCIETY  PAPERS. 

Officers  and  Committees  of  the  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los 

Angeles  County^  1902-1903  , , 259 

Constitution  and  By-Laws , . ,  260 

Order  of  Business 264 

My  First  Procession  in  Los  Angeles — March  16,  1847.  - . . 

- Stephen  C.  Foster , .  265 

Same  Eccentric  Characters  of  Early  Los  Angeles , 

,. J.  M.  Guinn. .  2^^ 

Angel  Pioneers ...,,,..,,,  Jesse  YarnelL  .  28e 

Trip  to  California  via  Nicaragua J.  M.  Stewart. .  283 

Wm.  Wolfskin  The  Pioneer H-  D.  Barrows. ,  287 

Pioneer  Ads  and  Advertisers J.  M.  Guinn. ,  295 

BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES   OF  DECEASED   PIONEERS. 

Daniel  Desmond Committee  Report . .  300 

Jessie  Benton  Fremont Committee  Report, ,   300 

Caleb  E,  White Committee  Report . .  301 

John  Caleb  Salisbury Committee  Report . .   303 

Henry  Kirke  White  Bent Committee  Report. ,   304 

John  Charles  Dotter .Committee  Report. .  306 

Anderson  Rose .Committee  Report.  *   307 

John  C.  Anderson A.  H.  Johnson . .  308 

Jerry  Illich Los  Angeles  Daily  Times , ,  309 

In  Memoriam   310 

Roll  of  Members,  Complete  to  January,  1903 311 


OPPICBRS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 


1902 

OFTICERS. 

WAL-not  R.   Bacon President 

J.  D.  Moody First  Vice-President 

Mxs.  M.  Burton  Williamson Second  Vice-President 

Edwin  Baxter Treasurer 

J.  M,  GuiNN Secretary  and  Curator 

board  op  directors. 

Walter  R.  Bacon,  H.  D.  Barrows, 

J.  D.  Moody,  Edwin  Baxter, 

J.  M.  GuiNN,  George  W.  Hazard, 

Mrs.  M.  BtTRTOK  Williamson. 


1903 

OFTTCERS    (elect). 

Walter  R.  Bacon President 

A.  C  Vroman First  Vice-President 

Mrs,  M.  Burton  Williamson Second  Vice-President 

Edwin   Baxter Treasurer 

J.  M.  Guinn Secretary  and  Curator 

board  of  directors. 

A.  C  Vroman,  Walter  R.  Bacon, 

H.  D.  Barrows,  J.  M.  Guinn, 

J.  D.  Moody,  Edwin  Baxter, 

Mrs.  M.  BtntroN  Wiluamson. 


Historical  Society 


OF 


Southern  California 


LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA,  1902 


EARLY  ART  IN  CALIFORNIA 

BY  W-  L.  JUDSON. 

In  the  early  art  of  California,  when  carefully  examined,  we 
find  evidences  of  a  crude  and  primitive  yet  genuine  art  impulse 
which  must  have  been  a  measurable  factor  in  the  happiness  of 
bygone  generations. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  go  back  to  the  barbaric  hieroglyphs 
of  the  Santa  Catalina  caves,  or  to  retrace  the  theoretic  voyages 
of  ancient  South  American  peoples,  whose  frequent  rock  pic- 
tures repeat  the  familiar  outlines  of  Sugar  Loaf  rock  in  Avalon 
bay.  Theories  point  to  an  early  international  commerce  and 
an  Aztec  or  Peruvian  origin  of  the  latent  art  talent  of  the  coast 
tribes.  In  the  Santa  Barbara  cave  pictures  there  is  unmistak- 
able evidence  that  a  certain  graphic  talent  did  exist,  whatever 
its  origin  may  have  been.  And  in  some  of  the  native  tribes 
of  today,  notably  witli  the  Pimas,  this  pictorial  and  artistic  in- 
stinct is  well  illustrated  in  their  basketry,  which  displays  a  degree 
of  aesthetic  discernment  far  above  that  of  the  ordinary  savage. 

The  crude  work  of  some  Indians  of  early  mission  times,  both 
in  carving  and  paintings  is  very  Interesting.  They  strove  with 
inadequate  materials,  poor  tools  and  awkward  hands  to  imitate 
what  had  doubtless  impressed  thetn  deeply  in  the  paintings  and 
architectural  designs  which  had  been  brought  out  from  Spain 
by  the  mission  fathers. 

In  the  lumber  room  of  the  old  Plaza  church  lie  fourteen  pic- 
tures covered  with  dust  and  broken  furniture.  They  are  evi- 
dently considered  of  no  value,  for  they  receive  no  care,  except 


2l6 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY   OF  SOUTHERN   CAUPQRKIA 


the  shelter  of  a  roof,  and  yet  they  bear  the  potential  of  a  very 
great  value  in  the  future. 

Considered  as  fine  art,  from  the  nnodem  standpoint^  they 
are  worthless,  but  as  relics  of  the  most  interesting  period  in  the 
development  of  Southern  California  they  become  endowed  with 
great  interest. 

Who  painted  them?  An  Indian  evidently.  What  was  his 
name?  No  one  remembers  it.  When  were  they  painted? 
Probably  in  the  days  of  mission  building,  when  it  was  impos- 
sible to  obtain  originals  or  even  decent  copies  of  originals  with- 
out delays  of  many  months,  perhaps  years.  They  are  painted 
on  a  coarse  linen  doth  similar  to  that  we  Icnow  as  butcher's 
linen .  glued  in  the  orthodox  way  to  preserve  the  fiber  of  the 
cloth,  heavily  covered  with  oil  paint  as  a  ground  and  executed 
with  common  earth  pigments,  probably  ground  by  hand  and 
with  a  base  of  common  white  house  paint. 

There  is  something  intensely  pathetic  in  the  work,  which  was 
surely  a  labor  of  love.  The  sweetness  and  sincerity  which  are 
evident,  coupled  with  the  unconscious  simplicity,  makes  even 
such  crude  and  imperfect  work  worth  while. 

There  is  no  attempt  at  shading  and  very  little  at  perspective 
in  these  pictures,  the  drawing  is  childish  and  the  execution  as 
rough  and  crude  as  can  be  imagined,  and  yet  they  tell  the  story 
of  the  via  crucis  in  a  vivid  and  startling  manner. 

There  are  some  remains  of  primitive  frescoes  at  Pala  mis- 
sion and  in  the  remaining  half  dome  at  San  Juan  Capistrano, 
which  ten  years  ago  had  some  charm  of  color  and  story,  but 
they  are  rapidly  fading  out  of  existence. 

There  are  also  some  evidences  remaining  that  the  pastoral 
period  of  California  life  had  its  art.  There  were  wandering 
artists,  portrait  painters^  who  seem  to  have  wandered  from  one 
great  estate  to  another,  painting  the  dons  and  their  ladies  and 
an  occasional  altar  piece  for  the  private  chapel.  In  the  Coronel 
collection  of  relics  of  this  picturesque  period  there  is  shown  the 
work  of  at  least  twK>  of  thiese  early  artists,  but  their  names  have 
been  lost.  Primitive  as  the  work  may  be,  tt  still  shows  an  ad- 
mirable sense  of  both  beaut v  and  character. 


THE  POETRY  OF  THE  ARGONAUTS 


BY  J.   M.  GUINN. 

Never  before  in  the  world  history  has  there  been  a  migration 
similar  to  that  which  peopled  California  after  the  discovery  of 
gold.  There  have  been  greater  outflows  of  population  but  they 
have  been  slow-moving.  The  Aryan  migration  into  Europe 
went  on  for  centuries.  The  Children  of  Israel  wandered  forty 
years  in  the  wilderness  before  they  reached  the  promised  land. 
An  Argonaut  of  '49  would  have  made  the  journey  in  forty  days 
with  an  ox  team. 

In  the  year  1849,  it  is  estimated  that  100,000  people  found 
their  way  into  the  land  of  gold.  They  came  from  almost  every 
country  on  the  globe— from  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  America  and 
the  islands  of  the  sea — all  grades,  castes  and  conditions  of  men 
came — the  good  and  the  bad,  the  virtuous  and  the  vicious — the 
industrious,  the  idle  and  the  profligate.  Australia  and  Tasmania 
sent  their  ex-convicts  and  ticket-of-Ieave  men;  Mexico  its  vicious 
peones ;  Polynesia  its  reckless  gamblers  and  the  Flowery  Kingdom 
its  '*Heathen  Chinee."  They  came  by  every  known  means  of 
conveyance  and  by  every  possible  route — around  Cape  Horn 
storm  tossed  and  scurvy  racked  tn  floating  channel  houses — 
across  the  isthmus  of  Panama  scourged  by  miasmatic  fevers  and 
decimated  by  cholera — by  the  isthmus  of  Tehauntepec — around 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  and  across  the  broad  Pacific.  Those 
who  came  by  land  traveled  the  unpeopled  and  almost  unknown 
expanse  between  the  Missouri  and  the  Sierras  by  a  dozen  routes 
unheard  of  before.  They  lost  themselves  by  taking  mythical 
cut-offs  and  in  their  wanderings  they  penetrated  mountain  fast- 
nesses and  floated  down  unknown  rivers.  Ignorant  of  their 
danger,  they  strayed  into  waterless  deserts  and  perished  alone, 
uncoffined  and  unknelled.  Lured  by  the  treacherous  mirage  they 
entered  valleys  of  death  and  lay  down  to  die  on  their  burning 
sands  haunted  by  visions  of  green  fields  and  babbling  brooks. 
They  climbed  np  into  the  eternal  snows  of  the  Sierras  seeking  a 
gateway  into  the  land  of  sunshine  and  perished  of  cold  and 
hunger  on  the  very  verge  of  warmth  and  plenty.  Stricken  by 
that  dread  plague  cholera,  five  thousand  graves  by  the  wayk- 
side  marked  the  line  of  their  march  from  the  Missouri  to  the 
Sacramento. 


218 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY   OF   SOUTHERN    CAUFORNIA 


The  one  bait  that  lured  them  all  was  Gold!  Gold!  Gold! 
Their  pilgrimage  in  the  land  of  gold  brought  out  the  noblest 
quaJities  and  the  meanest.  It  made  and  unmade  men.  There 
they  wore  no  masks*  The  inherent  character  of  the  man  came 
to  the  surface.  The  accretions  that  social  standing  at  home  had 
thrown  around  a  nature  base  born  and  sordid,  gilding  it  into 
respectability  and  high  standing  were  often  rudely  torn  away 
by  the  rough  life  of  the  mines  and  the  individual  was  shown  up 
in  all  his  inherent  baseness.  The  wild  free  life  of  the  mines  was 
the  crucible  of  character,  separating  the  dross  from  the  pure 
gold. 

There  was  enough  of  the  heroic,  enough  of  adventure  in 
the  search  of  these  modern  Argonauts  for  the  *'Golden  Fleece" 
to  have  furnished  material  for  an  epic  grander  and  more  fasci- 
nating than  the  Odessy  of  Homer  but  it  has  never  been  written. 
There  were  poets  among  the  Argonauts,  but  it  was  seldom  they 
sang.  Life  was  too  strenuous  and  the  battle  for  existence  too 
fierce  for  them  to  tune  the  lyre.  Their  occupation  was  not  con- 
ducive to  wooing  the  muses.  Gold  digging,  in  early  days,  was 
a  socialistic  leveler.  The  standard  of  merit  was  a  man's  capacity 
to  perform  so  much  physical  labor.  The  unlettered  hind  mip:ht 
surpass  the  finished  scholar.  The  ex-convict  might  labor  beside 
the  judge  who  had  sentenced  him  and  be  classed  as  the  better 
man.  It  was  an  anomolous  condition  of  society.  Under  such 
conditions  and  amid  such  surroundings  it  was  not  strange  that 
the  hards  but  rarely  tuned  their  harps,  and  when  they  did  sing 
it  was  not  of  California  in 

"The  days  of  old. 
The    days    of   goJd, 
The  days  of  '49." 

"Tticy  sang  of  love  and  not  of  hmc. 

Forgoi  was  Britain^s  glory: 
Each    heart    recalled    a    different   name, 

Bm   all   sang   Annje  Laiirie." 

Unlike  the  soldiers  of  the  Crimea  on  the  eve  of  battle  it 
was  not  "Annie  Laurie"  the  miners  sang,  but  when  they  did  sing 
of  home,  like  the  soldiers  before  the  "dark  Redan,'* 

"Each  heart  recalled  a  different  name." 


There  was  one  song  of  purely  Argonau*' 
has  been  sung  around  miners'  camp  fires 
to  the  jungles  of  Panama;  sung  amid 


THE   POETRY   OF   THE   ARGONAUTS 


219 


Sierras  and  on  the  burning  sands  of  the  Colorado,  Although  in 
composition  it  was  somewhat  crude  and  homelyt  and  its  the-me 
an  oft-told  story,  there  was  a  sentiment  in  it  that  touched  a  re- 
sponsive chord  in  the  breast  of  many  a  miner.  The  ballad  I 
refer  to  bore  the  inexpressive  title,  "Jpe  Bowers  of  Pike/'  The 
sentiment  that  made  it  popular  among  the  Argonauts  in  the 
early  '50's  you  may  possibly  detect  in  the  stanzas  I  quote: 

"My  name  is  Joe  Bowers,  Tvc  got  a  brother  Ike, 
I  came  from  Old  Missouri,  yes  all  the  way  from  Pike. 
rtl  tell  you  why  I  left  thar,  and  how  I  came  to  roam. 
And  leave  my  poor  old  mammy  so  far  aw^ay  from  home, 

I  used  to  court  a  girl  thar,  her  name  was  Sally  Black, 
I  axed  her  if  she'd  marry  me,  she  said  it  was  a  whack, 
But  then  says  she,  *'Joe  Bowers,  before  we  hitch  for  life 
You  ought  to  get  a  little  home  to  keep  ycr  Httle  wife." 

Oh   Sally,  dearest  Sally!     Oh   Sally  for  your  sake 
rU  go  to  California  and  try  to  raise  a  stake. 
Says  she  to  me,  "Joe  Bowers,  you'r  the  man  to  win ; 
Here's  a  kiss  10  hind  the  bargain/*  and  she  hove  a  dozen  in. 


Right  soon  I  went  to  the  mines^  put  in  my  biggest  Ucks, 
Came  down  on  the  boulders  jest  Uke  a  thousand  o'  bricks* 
I  worked  both  late  and  early,  in  sun*  in  rain,  in  snow. 
I  was  workin'  for  my  Sally — 'twas  all  the  same  to  Joe/* 

Joe  continues  to  work  in  the  mines,  but  he  doesn't  raise  a 
stake.  Time  passes  and  the  denoument  comes  to  Joe's  little 
romance  in  a  letter  from  brother  Ike  which  said  '*Sally  has  wed  a 
butcher  whose  hair  is  red."  The  bell  rings,  the  curtain  drops, 
Joe's  life  drama  is  played  out.  From  this  point  in  the  song  the 
singer  was  at  liberty  to  improvise  any  continuation  to  the  story 
he  pleased  or  rather  that  would  please  his  auditors.  One,  that 
I  recollect,  was  that  the  auburn  haired  vendor  of  steaks  and 
prime  roasts  dies^  Joe  makes  a  raise  in  California,  returns  and 
marries  the  widow  and  they  live  happily  ever  afterward.  Who 
was  the  author  of  the  ballad?  T  do  not  know,  It  may  not 
have  had  an  author,  but,  like  Topsy.  "just  growed," 

The  Argonauts  of  California,  and  particularly  those  who 
crossed  the  plains,  were  nearly  all  young  men.  Many  of  these, 
like  Mr.  Joseph  Bowers,  had  left  girls  behind  them,  wham  they 
had  promised  to  marry.  Each  hoped  to  pick  up  gold  enough 
in  a  few  months,  or  a  year  at  most,  to  get  "a  little  home  to  keep 
his  little  wife."  In  the  language  of  a  song  popular  in  the  days 
of  ^49, 


220 


HiSTOmCAL  SOCIETY    OF   SOUTHERN    CAUFORKIA 


"I  soon  <iha]l  ht  in  Frisco 

And  then  I'll  took  all  rouii4» 
And  when  I  see  the  gold  lumps  ihere 

I'll  pick  'em  off  the  groimd; 
I'll  scrape  the  mountains  clean,  my  boys, 

ril  drain  the  rivers  dry. 
A  pocket  full  of  rocks  bring  home; 

O!  Susanna,  don't  you  cry," 

But  the  miner  soon  found  gold  was  not  be  picked  up  in  lumps, 
Like  Joe,  he  put  in  his  biggest  licks,  he  dammed  creeks  and  turned 
rivers,  tunneled  into  mountains  and  ground-sluiced  hills  away, 
joined  in  a  wild  rush  to  Gold  Lake,  to  Silver  Mountain,  searched 
for  the  Lost  Cabin,  the  Padres  Mine,  the  Wagon  Tire  Diggings 
and  other  ignes  fattti  that  have  deluded  honest  miners,  and  came 
back  from  his  chase  after  phantoms  rich  in  experience  but  poor 
in  gold.  Meanwhile  time  was  passings  and  it  kept  doing  so 
with  great  regularity.  He  was  growing  old  and  Susanna,  who 
had  ceased  to  cry,  was  growing  impatient.  Then  the  denoue- 
ment comes  in  a  letter  from  home — Susanna  has  wed  a  man  who 
had  not  learned  to  roam  but  who  had  a  little  home,  Another 
romance  is  ended.  The  miner  curses  his  luck — perhaps  he  gets 
drunk.  He  ceases  to  write  home,  he  becomes  driftwood  on  the 
current  of  fate.  In  the  homely  ballad  of  Joe  Bowers  many  a 
miner  has  beheld  his  own  life  drama  portrayed.  Hence  its  olden 
time  popularity  in  the  mines. 

The  earliest  poem  printed  in  a  California  periodical  appeared 
in  the  issue  of  the  Californian  of  October  3,  1846,  and  is  en- 
tilled  "On  Leaving  the  United  States  for  California."  This  was 
followed  in  the  next  issue  of  the  paper  by  a  poetical  effusion  en- 
titled *'On  Leaving  California  for  the  United  States,"  Both  are 
anonymous.  They  were  probably  written  by  the  same  author 
In  the  Californian  of  October  31st,  1846^  is  a  poem  bearing  the 
title,  "To  My  Mother."  It  is  signed  A.  D.  F.  R.  All  these 
mentioned  are  sentimental  and  have  but  little  local  coloring.  In 
the  Californian  of  November  14,  1846,  is  a  poem  on  the  con- 
quest of  Los  Angeles.  Commodore  Stockton  and  Captain  John 
C,  Fremont,  with  their  united  forces — Stockton  advancing  from 
San  Pedro  and  Fremont  from  San  Diego — entered  Los  Angeles, 
August  13,  1846,  Governor  Pio  Pico  and  Genera!  Jose  Castro 
had  lied  to  Mexico  at  the  approach  of  the  American  troops,  and 
the  Californian  soldiers  disbanded  and  returned  to  their  homes. 
The  gringo  army  under  Stockton  took  possession  of  the  city 
without  firing  a  shot.  The  *'sounds  of  woe/'  "the  blood-stained 
earth,"  "the  murdVous  arms"  and  "haggard  eyes"  in  the  poem 


THE   POETRY   OF   THE   ARGONAUTS 


221 


are  figments  of  the  poet's  imagination.     Evidently  his  muse  was 
fooled  with  a  fake  report  of  the  conquest. 

In  the  first  conquest  of  Los  Angeles  nobody  was  hurt,  not 
a  hostile  shot  was  fired.  It  was  during  the  second,  in  January, 
1847,  that  the  battles  of  Paso  de  Bartolo  and  La  Mesa  were 
fought-  The  poem  is  entitled  "Angeles/'  and  is  signed  W.  G. 
I  give  it  in  full. 

ANGELES. 


Soft  o'er  the  vale  of  Angeles 

The  gale  of  peai^c  was  woul  to  blow 
Till   discord   raised  her  direful   horn 

And  fillcd  the  vale  with  sounds  of  woe. 

The   blood    stained   earth,  the   warlike  bands. 
The  trembling  natives  gaw  with  dread. 

Dejected  labor  left  her  toil^  t 

And  summer's  blithe  enjoyments  fled. 

But  soon  the  avenging  sword  w^s  sheathed. 
And  mercy*s  voice  by  "Stockton"  heard 

How   pleasant  were  the  days  which  saw 
Security  and  peace  restored. 

Ah  think  not  yet  your  trials  o'er; 

From  yonder  mountain's  hollow  side, 
The  fierce  banditti  issue  forth, 

When  darkness  spreads  her  ctirtains  wide. 

With  murdVous  arms,  and  haggard  eyes, 
The  social  joys  away  they  fright ; 

Sad   expectation  clouds  the  day. 

And  sleep  forsakes  the  fearful  night 

Now  martial  troops  protect  the  robbed. 
At  distance  prowl  the  ruffian  band ; 

Oh  coniidence  f  that  dearer  guard. 

Why  hast  thou  (eft  this  luckless  land. 

We  droop  and  moum  o'er  many  a  joy, 

O'er  some  dear  friend  to  dust  consigned. 

But  every  comfort  is  not  fled, 
Behold  another  friend  we  find. 

Lo  "Stockton"  comes  to  grace  the  plan. 
And  friendship  claims  the  precious  prize; 

He  srrants  the  claims  nor  does  his  heart 
The  children  of  ihe  vale  despise. 


W.  G. 


In  my  researches,  the  earliest  poem  that  I  have  found  which 
has  a  local  coloring,  is  one  entitled  "Blowing  Up  the  Wind/'  It 
was  written  by  Edward  C  Kemble,  editor  of  the  California 
Star,  and  published  in  that  paper  April  24,  1847.  Kemble  came 
to  the  coast  in  1S46  and  became  editor  of  Sam  Brannan's  paper, 


222  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY   OF  SOUTHEEN    CALTFORKIA 

the  California  Star,  in  April,  1S47.  The  Star  was  the  first  paper 
published  in  San  Francisco,  or  Yerba  Buena,  as  the  town  was 
then  called,  (The  Californian  was  established  at  Monterey  and 
afterwards  removed  to  San  Francisco.)  Kcmble  was  an  Ar- 
gonaut of  the  Argonauts.  He  visited  the  gold  diggings  shortly 
after  their  discovery  io  1848 — pronounced  them  a  fake  and  ad- 
vised people  to  stay  at  home.  His  subscribers  all  went  to  the 
mines.  He  followed  them,  made  a  hundred  dollars  a  day  for 
a  few  weeks,  then  came  back  and  resurrected  his  newspaper. 
Any  one  who,  in  early  times  before  the  streets  of  San  Francisco 
were  paved,  has  wandered  over  its  sand  hills  and  had  his  face 
rasped  and  his  eyes  blinded  by  the  flying  sand  will  appreciate  the 
blowing  up  that  Kemble  gives  the  winds  of  Trisco. 

BLOWING  UP  THE  WIND. 

"Ever  blowing,  colder  growing,  sweeping  madly  through  the  town. 
Never  ceasing,  ever  teasing,  never  pleasing,  ncvct  down; 

Day  or  night,  dark  or  Mgnt, 
Sand  a-flying,  clapboards  sighing^ 

Groaning,   moaning,   whistling   shrill,  ^ 
Shrieking  wild  and  never  still. 

In  September,  in  November,  or  December,  ever  so. 

Even  in  August,  will  the  raw  gust,  flying  fine  dust,  roughly  blow. 

Doors  are  slamming,  gates  a-banging, 
Shingles   shivering,  casenienU   quivering, 
Roaring,  pouring^  madly  ydlitig^ 

Tales  of  storm  and  shipwreck  telling. 

In  our  bay,  too,  vessels  lay  to,  but  find 

No  shelter  from  the  blast, 

Whitecaps  clashing,  bright  spray  splashing, 

Light  foam  flashing,   dashing  past. 
Yards  arc  creaking,  blocks  a  squeaking^ 
Rudder  rattling^  ropes  all   clattering. 
Lugging,  tugging  at  the  anchor. 

Groaning  spsirs  and  restless  spanker. 

Now  the  sun  gleams,  bright  the  day  seems, 

Hark !  he  comes  is  heard  the  roar ; 
Haste  to  dwelling,  dread  impellingt  heap  the  fire, 

Close  the  door. 
Onward  coming,  humming,  drumming. 
Groaning,  moaning,  sighing,  crying. 
Shrieking,  squeaking,    (reader,  'tis  so). 
Thus  blowelh  the  wind  at  'Frisco," 

Kemble's  "Crow/'  a  parody  on  Poe's  "Raven,"  is  another 
pioneer  poem  antedating'  the  discovery  of  gold.     The  city  coun- 
jCil  of  San  Francisco  had  passed  an  ordinance  forbidding  any- 
one from  killings  the  carrion  fowl  that  frequented  the  streets  of 


THE   POETRY   OF   THE  ARGONAUTS  223 

the  city,  Tlie  crows  were  the  scavengers  that  removed  the 
garbage.  One  of  these  birds  of  ill  omen  flies  into  Kemble's 
house  and  perched  beneath  the  ceiHng  proceeds  to  help  himself 
from  a  side  of  bacon.  The  poet  raises  his  gun  to  shoot,  when 
his  eyes  fall  on  the  ordinance.     1  quote  the  closing  stanzas ; 

"Then  the  thrilling  and  revealing  of  thai  crow  still  neath  my  ceiling, 
Perching,  peckin;g  on  that  bacon  which  never  may  he  devour 
And  that  paper  open  spreading  and  that  fla:^hing  Pica  heading 
Of  that  ordinance  forbidding,  ah  I  must  deplore* 
And  my  eyes  from  off  that  ordinance  frowning,  rustling  on  the  floor 
Shall  be  iifled  nevermore. 


And  I  reached  me  down  my  gun,  charged  with  slugs  half  a  score; 
Croaked  he  hoarsely,  No,  Sefior." 

The  following'  poem,  which  Samuel  C  Upham  in  his  "Scenes 
in  Kl  Dorado— 1849-50/*  says  was  the  earUest  poem  written 
and  published  in  California,  appeared  in  the  Pacific  News  of 
March  22,  1850,  Mr.  Upham,  although  good  authority  on  the 
days  of  ^49,  is  in  error  when  he  claims  that  it  was  the  earliest, 
I  have  shown  that  there  were  several  published  over  three  years 
before  this  one.  The  poem  in  the  News  is  anonymous.  It  is 
entitled  "A  Rallying  Song  for  the  Gold  Diggers/*  It  consists 
of  eight  stanzas  and  a  repeat  of  the  first*  I  omit  two  which 
seem  to  be  defective: 

To  the  mines!  to  the  mines!  away  to  the  mines 
Where  the  virgin  gold  in  the  crevice  shines  I 
Where  the  sha]e  and  the  slate  and  the  quartz  enfold. 
In  their  stony  arms  the  glittering  gold, 

'Tis  in  vain  that  ye  seek  any  longer  to  hide 
Your  treasures  of  gold  in  your  rivers  so  wide. 
In  your  gulches  so  deep,  or  your  wild  canon  home* 
For  the  Anglo-American  race  is  come. 

And  the  noise  that  ye  hear  is  the  sound  of  the  spade, 
The  pick,  the  bar,  and  the  bright  shining  spade. 
Of  the  knife  and  Che  shovel,  the  cradle  and  pan. 
Brave  adjuncts  of  toil  to  the  laboring  man  I 

Far  lip  in  the  mountains,  all  rugged  and  steep. 
Far  down  in  the  canon^  all  foaming  and  deep. 
In  the  bars  of  the  river,  the  small  mountain  plains. 
Lies  the  wealth  that  ye  seek  for,  in  numberless  grains. 

Turn  the  stream  from  its  bed — search  the  bottom  w»th  care. 
The  largest,  the  richest,  the  finest  is  there; 
Dig  deep  in  the  gulches,  nor  stop  till  the  stone 
Reveals  there  it's  trcastjres,  or  tell  there's  none. 


224 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY   OP   SOUTHERN    CAUFQBNIA 


Nor  be  ihou  dish^rtened^  dismayed  nor  c^st  down, 
If  success  should  decline  thy  first  efforts  to  crown; 
Go  ahead!  Go  ahead  I  Since  Crcaiion  began* 
"No  wealth  without  toiT*  is  the  record  to  man. 


To  the  mines!  to  the  tnines!  away  to  the  mines! 
Where  the  virgin  gold  in  the  crevice  shines! 
^Vhere  the  shale  and  the  slate  and  the  quartz  enfold. 
In  their  stony  arms  the  gltltering  gold. 

Of  the  anonymous  poetical  gems  of  Argonaiitic  days  this 
one  describing  the  inflowing  human  tide  to  the  golden  shores  of 
California  is  among  the  best : 

From  the  sunny  Southern  Islands,  from  the  Asiatic  coast, 
The  Orient  and  the  Occident  arc  mingled  in  the  host. 
The  flowing  star  of  Empire  has  forever  stayed  its  way. 
And  Its  western  limb  is  restinfif  o'er  San  Francisco  Bay. 

A  hundred  sails  already  swell  to  catdi  the  willing  breeze, 
A  hundred  keets  are  cleaving  through  the  blue  Atlantic  seas, 
Full  many  a  thousand  leagues  behind  their  tardy  courses  borne 
For  a  hundred  masts  already  strain  beyond  the  stormy  Horn. 

Soon  from  the  channel  of  St.  George  and  from  the  Levant  shore^ 
To  swell  the  emigrating  tide,  anotner  host  shall  pour 
To  that  far  land  beyond  the  west  where  labor  lords  the  soil, 
And  thankless  task&  shall  ne'er  be  done  by  unrequieted  toil. 

To  banks  of  distant  rivers  whose  flashing  waves  have  rolled 

For  long  and  countless  centuries  above  neglected  gold, 

Where  nature  holds  a  double  gift  within  her  lavish  hand, 

And  teeming  fields  of  yellow  grain  strike  root  in  golden  Sand.  i 

No  state  in  its  infancy  could  boast  of  so  many  talented  men 
as  California.  Among  these  there  were  none  more  gifted  than 
Col.  Edward  D.  Baker.  As  an  orator  he  had  no  superior;  as  a 
statesman  he  towered  above  his  compeers;  as  a  warrior  he  won 
fame  on  the  bloody  fields  of  Cerro  Gordo  and  Buena  Vista.  He 
was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Ball's  Bluff.  After  his  death  the  fol- 
lowing beautiful  poem  from  his  pen  was  published.  It  was  writ- 
ten about  1850,     It  is  entitled 


TO  A  WAVE. 

Dost  thou  seek  a  star,  with  thy  swelling  crest 
O,  wave,  that  lavest  ihy  mother's  breast  ? 
Dost  thou  leap  from  the  prisoned  depths  below 
In  scorn  of  their  calm  and  constant  flow? 
Or  art  thou  seeking  some  distant  land 
To  die  in  murmurs  upon  the  strand? 


THE   POETKY   OF  THE  ARGONAUTS 


Z2S 


Hast  thou  tales  to  tell  of  pcarMk  deep. 
Where  the  wave*whclmed  manner  rocks  in  sleep? 
Can'st  thou  speak  of  navies  that  sank  in  pride 
Ere  the  roll  of  their  thunder  in  echo  died? 
What  trophies,  what  banners,  are  floating  fre« 
In  the  shadowy  depths  of  that  silent  sea? 

It  were  vain  to  ask,  thou  rollest  afar, 
Of  banner,  or  mariner,  ship  or  star^ 
It  were  vain  to  seek  in  thy  stormy  face 
Some  tale  of  the  sorrowful  past  to  trace. 
Thou  are  swelling  high,  thou  art  fiashmg  free. 
How  vain  are  the  questions  we  ask  of  thee ! 

1,  (oo,  am  a  wave  on  a  stormy  sea ; 

I,  too,  am  a  wanderer,  driven  like  thee ; 

I,  toO|  am  seeking  a  distant  land 

To  be  lost  and  gone  ere  I  reach  the  strand. 

For  the  land  I  seek  is  a  waveless  shore. 

And  Ihey  who  once  reach  it  shall  wander  no  more. 

Among  the  versatile  writers  of  California  in  the  early  '50^8 
few  rank  higher  than  William  H.  Rhodes,  better  known  by  his 
nom  de  plume,  "Caxton/*  One  of  his  best  efforts  is  a  short 
poem  on  the  death  of  James  King  of  WiJIiam. 

In  1855-56  the  criminal  element  of  San  Francisco  had  vir- 
tually obtained  control  of  the  city.  The  officials^  were  either  too 
weak  or  too  corrupt  to  enforce  the  law.  Many  of  them  had  se- 
cured their  offices  through  ballot  box  stuffing  and  violence,  and 
the  thieves,  incendiaries  and  murderers  who  had  helped  them 
into  office  went  unwhipt  of  justice.  King,  through  his  paper, 
the  Bulletin,  exposed  the  prevailing  corruption  and  poured  out 
invective  on  the  corrupt  officials.  He  was  shot  down  on  Mont- 
gomery street  by  James  P.  Casey,  a  supervisor  of  the  Twelfth 
ward,  whose  state's  prison  record  King  had  exposed,  Casey 
and  Cora,  another  murderer,  were  hanged  by  the  Vigilance  Com- 
mittee while  the  bells  were  tolling  King's  funeral  Caxton's 
poem  is  entitled 


"HE  FELL  AT  HIS  POST  DOING  DUTY.'^ 

The  patriot  sleeps  in  the  land  of  his  choice. 

In  the  robe  of  a  martyr,  all  gory, 
And  heeds  not  the  tones  of  the  world-waking  voice, 

'Ihat  cover  his  ashes  with  glory. 
What  recks  he  of  riches?     What  cares  he  for  fame^ 

Or  the  world  decked  in  grandeur  or  beauty? 
If  the  marble  shall  speak  that  records  his  proud  name, 
'*Hc  died  at  his  post,  doing  duty!" 

The  pilot  that  stood  »ie  the  helm  of  our  bark^ 

Unmoved  by  the  tempest's  commotion, 
Was  swept   from  the  deck  in  the  storm  and  the  dark, 


226 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY   Of  SOCTHEKK   CALIVOttmJl 


Aad  taok  m  the  deaths  of  the  ooea. 
Bat  Istdc  bell  gnttt  ior  the  life  it  hM  cost. 

If  ow  Ittaoer  shall  ttQl  Ooai  in  beauty. 
And  onbluc  Ofi  its  fokt  of  tlw  piloc  we  lost, 

*^c  died  au  his  po«t,  «lo«ng  dotyT 

Tile  mrrien-'diiefiaixi  las  smdc  to  hi«  rrtt — 

The  sod  of  Looe  Monntaio  liis  pilknr; 
For  his  bed,  Califortkia  ha$  oposed  bcr  breast; 

His  dirge,  the  Pacific's  sad  bilknrl 
As  lofw  ^  ilie  oceao-w3Tc  «e<ep8  on  our  sbore. 

And  otar  Tallcrs  bloom  oat  in  titcsr  bcaaCy, 
So  kiQK  ttrJli  our  caamrj  bcr  hero  deplore^ 

Wbo  Idl  at  his  post  aoa^  datyl 

The  Argonauts  in  their  long  voyag«s  to  California  by  way  of 
Cape  Horn^  which  lasted  all  the  way  from  six  to  ten  tnonths» 
were  put  to  their  wits*  ends  to  devise  amusements  to  while  away 
the  monotony  of  the  voyage.  One  means  quite  popular  was  to 
publish  a  newspaper  aboard  the  vessel  These  papers  were  writ- 
ten out  by  hand  (for  this  was  long  before  the  days  of  type- 
writers) and  often  illustrated  by  pen  and  ink  sketches  of  scenes 
and  incidents  on  board-  The  paper  was  read  once  a  week  and 
furnished  a  source  of  amusement.  It  was  my  good  fortune  sev 
era]  years  since  to  secure  for  the  Historical  Society  several  copii 
of  the  "Petrel/*  a  paper  published  on  the  ship  Duxbury^  which 
sailed  from  Boston  via  Cape  Horn  for  San  Francisco  in  184^ 
From  its  numerous  poetical  effusions  I  quote  one  entitled  "SkiiH| 
ning  the  Duff/'  Duff,  as  you  know,  is  a  kind  of  pudding  popu- 
lar with  sailors.  It  is  made  of  flour,  tallow,  raisins  and  other 
ingredients  and  boiled  in  a  bag.  Skinning  the  duff  consisted 
in  removing  the  cloth  bag  in  which  the  pudding  was  boiled. 

SKINNING  THE  DUFF. 


Oh,  'tis  pleasant  to  sail 

Before  the  gale 

Aa  the  wind  pipes  loud  and  free 

And  we  da^h  away 

Amid  foam  and  spray 

Across  ite  dark  blue  sea. 

And  we  feel  the  wrath 

Of  the  tempest's  breath, 

As  it  fills  our  spreading  iail, 

Atid  we  shouE  with  glee 

Ai  the  foAming  ^ea 

Dashes  high  o'er  the  Dujtbuiy's  rail 

But  a  pleasaiiter  sight 

Than  ihe  tempest's  flight 

As  it  roars  in  tones  so  gruff 

U  to  see  ecr  the  larboard  watch  b  called 
The  Steward  skinning  the  duff. 


THE  POETRY  OF  THE  ARGONAUTS  227 

And  *tis  pleasant  to  ride 
O'er  the  swellii^  tide. 
On  the  breast  ofthe  oi>en  sea. 
To  the  waves*  soft  chime 
In  their  low,  sweet  melody, 
And  'tis  pleasant  to  gaze 
On  the  moon's  mild  rays. 
Reflected  wide  o'er  the  deep. 
While  the  evening  star 
Her  vigils  of  love  to  keep. 

But  it  is  pleasanter  far 

Than  moon  or  star, 

Or  wind  so  smooth  or  rough, 

To  sec  e'er  the  larboard  watch  is  called 

The  Steward  skinning  the  duff. 

And  'tis  pleasant  at  night 

When  day's  rich  light 

Has  faded  away  and  gone; 

And  the  crowd  collects 

Between  the  decks 

To  listen  to  story  or  song; 

And  the  full  heart  swells 

And  the  eyes  will  611, 

As  we  talk  of  friends  afar. 

And  our  pulses  bound 

As  the  toast  goes  round, 

God  bless  them  wherever  they  are; 

But  a  pleasanter  sight 

Than  day's  rich  light 

Or  music  or  any  such  stuff 

Is  to  see  e'er  the  larboard  watch  is  called 

The  Steward  skinning  the  duff. 


ETHICAL  VALUE  OF  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS 


BY  MBS.  11.  BURTON  WILUAJCSOK. 


Social  organizations  have  tbcir  rise  in  the  social  instinct. 
And  it  will  be  my  purpose  this  evening  to  sketch  vei^'  briefly  the 
origin  and  develc^ment  of  this  instinct,  as  well  as  to  prove  the 
value  of  social  organizations.  By  these  terms  I  do  not  include 
the  purely  social  clubs,  the  rendezvous  for  eating*  smoking  and 
lounging;  nor  any  of  the  various  secret  societies.  Strictly 
speaking,  a  social  organization  would  not  come  under  the  classi- 
fication of  a  club  formed  for  philanthropy,  reform^  or  study 
along  social  lines,  although  the  social  clement  is  often  so  closely 
allied  with  clubs  organised  for  work  of  some  kind  that  a  strict 
line  of  demarcation  is  difficult,  unless  the  object  of  the  club  is 
kept  in  mind. 

What  is  its  object?  Has  a  social  organization  any  ethical 
value  ? 

Before  attempting  to  answer  these  questions  it  will  be  nec- 
essary to  study  the  genesis  of  the  social  instinct  and  also  the 
intellectual  development  that  has  given  rise  to  social  organiza- 
tions. We  know  the  social  instinct  is  inherent  and  can  be  traced 
back  through  gradations  of  animal  life.  Not  in  the  form  which 
we  mean  when  we  allude  to  social  feelings,  but  in  the  more  prim- 
itive segregation  of  species  into  colonies^  schools,  flocks  and 
herds  of  animals.  In  invertebrate  Hfe  the  gregarious  masses 
are  due  to  the  immense  quantities  that  are  generated  in  certain 
localities,  and  these  only  represent  a  part  of  the  germs  that  fail 
to  survive.  This  gregariousness  was  illustrated  in  the  little 
pelagic,,  miscroscopic  peridiniums  which  were  so  abundant  on 
our  coast  at  one  time,  summer  before  last,  A  vial  filled  with 
sea  water  was  seen  to  be  alive  with  peridiniums.  Not  scattered 
in  haphazard  fashion  in  the  vial»  but  these  tiny  brown  specks 
were  seen  following  each  other  in  two  moving  streams,  as  a  flock 
of  birds  flying,  some  leading,  others  following.  We  cannot, 
strictly  speaking,  call  this  a  social  instinct,  yet  in  these  gregari- 
ous masses  we  might  see  the  germs  of  a  more  advanced  segre- 
gation of  animals.  A  tiny,  one-celled  animal  cannot  represent 
much  more  than  a  possibility.  The  social  instinct  to  be  recog- 
nized as  such,  must  be  evolved  from  a  more  complicated  system 


ETHICAL  VALUE   OF   SOCIAL   ORGANIZATIONS 


229 


of  nerve  tissue  than  is  found  in  any  invertebrate  represented  by 
a  jelly  fish,  or  an  oyster.  But  in  an  insect,  a  bird  or  an  animal, 
scientists  tell  us  the  structural  units  or  microscopical  cells  and 
fibers  are  more  or  less  similar,  and  that  "mind  has  a  physical 
basis  in  the  functions  of  the  nervous  system  and  that  every  men- 
tal process  has  a  corresponding  equivalent  in  some  neural  pro- 
cess/'* With  the  evolution  of  the  nervous  system  the  social 
instinct  evolves. 

Social  instincts  not  only  are  shov^n  in  animals  of  the  same 
genera  and  species,  but  animals  both  wild  and  domesticated  have 
formed  friendships.  In  domestic  life  the  friendship  of  birds, 
cats,  dogs  and  horses  for  their  owners  or  keepers  is  of  common 
occurrence.  "Cats  often  like  to  associate  with  horses,  and  in 
some  cases  with  dogs,  birds  and  rats,"  Anecdotes  of  this  social 
instinct  are  numerous.  A  pet  minorca  chicken  raised  by  our 
family  showed  a  decided  preference  for  one  member  of  the 
household.  Dade  knew  his  name  and  would  run  to  his  mis- 
tress whenever  she  called  him.  Often  he  would  perch  for  the 
half  hour  on  the  arm  of  her  chair  if  she  were  in  the  garden.  For 
a  short  time  he  had  two  or  three  hens  under  his  supervision. 
He  always  called  them  to  eat  first  and  would  wait  until  they,  the 
greedy  ones^  had  satisfied  themselves  before  he  would  swallow  a 
mouthful^  although  he  would  pick  up  a  grain  of  corn,  then  place 
it  in  front  of  a  hen.  In  going  into  the  chicken  yard  of  evening 
it  was  always  noticed  that  Dade  called  the  hens,  then  when  they 
were  in  front  of  the  gate,  he  would  stand  on  one  side  with  as 
much  grace  as  a  cultured  human,  then  pass  in  after  the  hens. 

In  Romanes*  "Mental  Evolution  in  Animals*'  he  gives  an  il- 
lustration of  a  dog's  attachment  for  his  mistress.  The  anecdote 
was  told  by  the  author  to  show  that  dogs  have  an  imagination, 
but  it  also  adds  another  illustration  of  a  dog's  fondness  for  hu- 
man society,  "I  have,"  he  says,  "known  a  case  in  which  a  ter- 
rier of  my  own  household,  on  the  sudden  removal  of  his  mis- 
tress, refused  all  food  for  a  number  of  days*  so  that  it  was 
thought  he  must  certainly  die,  and  his  life  was  only  saved  by 
forcing  him  to  eat  raw  eggs.  Yet  all  his  surroundings  remained 
unchanged,  and  every  one  was  as  kind  to  him  as  they  always 
had  been.  And  that  the  cause  of  his  pining  was  wholly  due 
to  the  absence  of  his  beloved  mistress  was  proved  by  the  fact 
that  he  remained  permanently  outside  of  her  bedroom  door  (al- 
though he  knew  that  she  was  not  inside),  and  could  only  be 


230 


HISTORICAL   SOCIETY    OF   SOUTHERN    CAUFORNIA 


induced  to  go  to  sleep  by  giving^  him  a  dress  of  hers  to  sleep 

upon." 

The  author  just  quoted  from  not  only  enumerates  the  social 
feelings  as  one  of  the  products  of  the  emotional  development 
of  animal  life,  but  he  lists  among  the  products  of  the  intellectual 
development  comnnmication  of  ideas  and  w.hat  he  Lalls  *'indefi- 
nite  morality/'  That  is,  the  morality  that,  in  a  psychogenetic 
scale,  would  be  equal  to  an  infant  of  15  months.  Under  this 
category  he  lists  dogs  and  anthropoid  apes. 

What  is  the  impulse  that  has  been  the  origfinal  source  and 
stimulus  of  organic  activity?  The  struggle  for  existence,  or, 
in  other  words^  the  craving  for  food,  the  nutritive  impulse. 
Evans  says ;  '*Every  expression  of  feeling,  every  exercise  of 
the  will,  every  exhibition  of  intelligence  in  the  lower  animals 
and  in  man  can  be  traced  to  hunger  as  its  fountain  head.  From 
the  pressure  of  hunger  and  the  desire  to  prevent  its  occurrence 
spring  the  love  of  acquisition,  the  systematic  accumulation  of 
wealth,  the  idea  of  ownership  in  things,  or  the  general  concep- 
tion of  personal  property,  which  is  the  strongest  element  of  so- 
cial and  domestic  life,  codes  of  laws  and  system  of  morals,  dis- 
coveries, inventions,  industrial  and  commercial  enterprises,  scien- 
tific researches,  and  the  highest  achievement  of  culture  and 
civilization.** 

He  further  says :  "It  is  true  that  as  man  arises  in  the  scale 
of  intelligence,  other  and  nobler  incentives  to  activity  come  into 
operation  and  act  even  more  powerfully  than  the  primal  nutri- 
tive impulse.  The  latter,  however,  always  assert  and  insists 
upon  the  priority  of  its  claims,  and  not  until  these  have  been 
satisfied  and  the  stress  of  hunger  relieved,  and  in  some  way  per- 
manently guarded  against^  does  the  individual  think  of  devoting 
his  energies  to  higher  pursuits/' 

This  has  been  illustrated  in  the  struggle  for  existence  of  pio* 
ncer  life.  Plowing,  and  hunting,  for  food,  and  a  rude  habita- 
tion, were  necessities.  From  the  rough  cabin,  or  shack,  to  the 
palace,  there  is  represented  the  evolution  of  man  from  primitive 
labor  to  that  of  large  conimcrcial  and  industrial  enterprises 
where  many  men  labor  together  in  the  interest  of  one  man.  He 
rears  a  palace  to  adequately  meet  his  social  requirements  that 
must  follow  along  the  line  and  keep  pace  with  his  monetary 
interests.  Society,  in  its  restricted  sense,  could  only  be  possible 
when  the  struggle  for  existence  was  not  the  dominant  idea. 
The  social  code,  the  particular  attention  to  forms  and  the  fre- 
quent and  punctilious  occasions  of  social  Intercourse  have  no 


ETHICAL   VALUE   OF   SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS 


231 


meaning  to  the  man  who  is  daily  haunted  with  the  impulse  of 
nutrition  for  himself  and  his  family. 

We  have  seen  that  with  the  social  instinct  inherent  there 
must  still  be  certain  conditions  to  influence  the  growth  and  pro- 
gress of  social  development. 

It  is  my  aim  to  show  that  social  organizations  are  due  to  the 
growth  of  both  mental  and  social  development.  Not  either 
alone,  but  together.  The  intellectual  modified  and  influenced 
by  social  customs  and  the  social  elevated  by  seeking  pleasure  in 
a  more  rational  manner  than  mere  recreation  as  an  excuse  for 
passing  time.  Living  in  a  world  of  activity,  yet  trying  to  kill 
time.     This  is  the  abuse  of  the  social  instinct. 

It  may  be  urged  that  the  intellectual  status  represents  tfie 
highest  intelligence,  or  capacity  for  the  function  of  the  intel- 
lect, then  how  can  it  be  modified  and  influenced  by  society? 

I  would  not  be  misunderstood ;  there  is  nothing  that  should  be 
more  valued  than  the  intellect,  the  power  to  understand*  but  if 
the  intellectual  person  fails  to  adjust  himself  to  his  social  en- 
vironment, if  his  own  personality  is  at  war  with  the  social  judg- 
ments of  his  times,  his  influence  is  circumscribed,  his  intellectual 
attainments  are  not  valued.  He  must  care  for  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  his  fellow  men. 

Whatever  faults  or  failings  may  be  laid  at  the  door  of  polite 
society,  it,  in  its  best  sense,  is  polite,  seeking  for  the  happiness 
of  individual  members  of  it.  In  social  relations  the  ethical  must 
necessarily  be  the  groundwork  of  such  relationships.  The 
"ought"  and  ought  not  of  the  individual  in  his  relation  to  so- 
ciety is  ever  present.  Without  this  regard  for  the  happiness  of 
others  there  could  be  no  such  thing  as  ethical  culture,  which 
is  only  another  rtame  for  refined  altruism.  Take,  for  instance, 
a  company  of  what  we  term  ladies  and  gentlemen ;  what  is  their 
characteristic  in  their  relation  to  others?  Poliieness,  No  one 
must  be  made  unhappy;  self  must  be  secondary  to  the  feelings 
of  others,  and  although  this  is  often  abused  into  a  form  of  un* 
truth,  knoi,vn  as  "white  lies"  or  ''fibbing/'  the  exaggeration  often 
has  its  root  in  the  desire  to  do,  and  say,  things  that  give  pleasure. 
Politeness  is  not  only  the  sesame  to  good  society  but  is  a  strong 
factor  in  making  life  easier  in  every  avenue  of  life, 

A  lady  was  once  trying  to  give  her  little  grandchild  a  lesson 
in  politeness  when  the  application  of  the  lesson  came  home  to 
her  in  a  way  she  had  not  anticipated,  ''G — ' — ,'*  said  she  to  the 
child,  who  was  visiting  her,  '*if  you  want  any  one  to  do  any- 
thing for  you,  you  must  be  polite,  you  must  say  'please/  "     A 


232 


HISTORICAL  SOaETY  OF  SOUTHEBH   CAUFORNIA 


little  white  after  that  the  child  had  made  some  paste  in  a  tin-cup 
and  was  busy  on  the  floor  pasting  bits  of  paper  together.  The 
grandmother  after  a  while  became  tired  of  the  litter  and  said : 

*'G? ,  you  have  played  with  that  paste  long  enough;  take  the 

cup  out  into  the  kitchen.''  The  little  five-year-old  arose,  straight- 
ened herself  erect,  and  said  with  much  indignation,  "\N'here 
is  your  polite  ?" 

James  Mark  Baldwin,  in  a  study  in  social  Psychology,  en- 
titled, "Social  and  Ethical  Interpretations/'  lays  much  stress 
upon  the  ability  of  a  person  to  conform  to  the  social  community. 
We  know  there  must  be  variation  if  there  is  growth,  but  he  says 
that,  **The  limits  of  individual  variation  must  lie  inside  the  possi- 
ble attainment  of  the  social  heritage  by  each  person,  in  the 
actual  attainment  of  this  ideal,  any  society  finds  itself  embar- 
rassed by  refactory  individuals." 

He  further  says:  '*It  is  the  duty  of  each  individual  to  be 
born  a  man  of  social  tendencies  which  his  communal  tradition 
a  man,  then,  as  faj  as  his  variation  goes,  he  is  liable  to  be  foun-^ 
requires  of  him:  if  he  persist  in  being  born  a  different  sort  of 
a  criminal  before  the  bar  of  public  conscience  and  law,  and  to 
be  suppressed  in  an  asylum  or  a  refomtatorv.  in  Siberia  or  in 
the  Potter's  field.'* 

This  refers,  of  course,  to  society  in  general,  not  to  social 
organizations,  for  in  these  there  is  a  selection  of  the  fittest,  the 
unfit  is  seldom  invited  or  is  soon  socially  suppressed.  Not  of 
course  by  drastic  measures  such  as  general  society  advocates, 
but  merely  ignoring  his  personality — not  rudely,  but  silently,  yet 
none  the  less  effectively.  For  social  organizations  must  be  com- 
posed, for  the  most  part,  of  individuals  whose  judgments  are  in 
unison  with  the  social  judgments  of  the  club.  A  man  or  woman 
to  be  eligible  to  membership  ntiust  be  a  clubable  person.  By  this 
is  meant  a  person  who  respects  the  rights  of  others.  One  whose 
attitude  is  aggressive,  who  is  unmindful  of  others'  rights,  would 
certainly  be  unsuitable  to  a  social  club- 
Receptions  to  notable  persons  and  monthly  banquets  or 
luncheons,  or  cosy  teas,  combine  two  inherent  instincts  in  life. 
The  instinct  of  nutrition,  as  has  been  satd.  is  the  first  organic 
emotion,  and  it  is  still  a  dominant  factor  in  friendly  intercourse. 
Even  the  *'Man  of  Sorrows"  gathered  his  chosen  twelve  around 
the  social  bfiard  when  he  broke  the  bread  and  drank  the  fruit  of 
the  vine  while  he  foretold  the  saddening  future. 

If  social  organizations  have  introduced  more  hospitable  rela- 
tions between  the  member?  than  was  practicable  in  a  club  formed 


ETHICAL  VALUE  OF   SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS 


233 


^ 


for  work,  they  are  also  fine  mediums  for  educating  women  to- 
wards greater  simplicity  in  entertaining.  This  question  cannot 
be  discussed  in  society  functions  where  discussion  is  strictly  ta- 
booed»  but  is  a  legitimate  topic  at  the  club,  where  anything  that 
is  carried  to  extreme  may  be  criticised  in  a  general  way.  Articles 
written  upon  such  topics  by  persons  who  are  conversant  with 
social  abuses  have,  and  dOf  popularize  simplicity  and  grace,  rather 
than  display  that  borders  upon  vulgarity*  If  there  is  one  trait 
of  character  that  is  the  ruling  passion  in  America,  not  of  women 
only,  it  is  that  of  imitation.  In  business,  if  one  man  branches 
out  in  a  new  line,  he  runs  the  risk  of  becoming  bankrupt  by  com- 
petition in  this  new  line.  Women  imitate  in  dress,  furnishings, 
and  style  of  living  and  entertaining^ — with  the  desire,  however, 
to  do  a  little  more,  or  add  more  elaborate  features  of  display. 
The  social  instinct  would  impel  the  victim  even  to  the  verge  of 
bankruptcy  in  money  and  nerve!  Intellectual  culture  would  seek 
the  happy  medium.  The  social  club,  in  this  respect,  can  be  a  po- 
tent factor. 

In  the  intellectual  activity  of  such  a  club,  the  discussion  of 
topics  of  general  interest  covers  a  wide  field.  The  best  talent, 
both  outside  and  inside  of  the  club  membership,  is  at  its  service. 
Specialists  along  various  lines  readily  use  their  talents  for  the 
good  of  such  a  club. 

This  is,of  itself,  of  great  ethical  value  to  the  members.  Sci- 
ence is  presented  in  a  popular  form ;  philosophy  is  given  in  terms 
less  didactic :  tbe  best  fiction  is  reviewed;  music  is  interpreted  by 
professionals :  art  is  made  more  realistic*  and  educational  meth- 
ods are  presented.  All  this  is  inspiring,  uplifting  and  helpful 
as  social  steps  in  the  advance  in  life. 

I  would  not  be  misunderstood — mental  growth  does  not  de- 
pend upon  cktbs,  nor,  we  may  say,  colleges,  alone.  With  books 
and  free  libraries  for  their  dissemination,  there  is  no  lack  of  edu- 
cational aids.  But  such  clubs  are  useful  to  persons  who  are  by 
nature  students.  When  one  reads  and  studies  alone,  he  sees  only 
one  side  of  the  author's  meaning  or  intent.  This  may  be  correct, 
and  yet  it  is  helpful  to  learn  how  other  minds  receive  the  sniue 
information.  Social  expression  of  ideas  is  an  adjunct  to  mental 
growth.  Growth  is  an  ethical  factor.  When  we  think  of  de- 
generation, we  immediately  form  an  image  of  something  that 
has  been  dwarfed  for  want  of  nutrition.  This  argument  also 
holds  good  in  a  study  club,  but  in  such  a  club  the  tendency  is  to 
specialize;  consequently  there  is  not  so  much  diversity  in  the 
range  of  topics  discussed  before  the  same  persons. 


^34 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTBERK    CAUFORNTA 


There  is  an  tnspiratioti  in  associating  in  dub  life  with  men 
and  women  who  have  a  broader  insi|^t  into  life,  a  finer  concep- 
tion of  relative  values,  a  more  comprehensive  \ision  of  humanity 
than  one  possesses. 

The  social  club  is  a  be^p  in  breaking  down  imaginary  social 
boundaries. 

Genius  is  often  the  child  of  penury^  and  brains  have  been 
rocked  in  a  pine  cradle.  But  when  genius  and  brains  cocne  to 
the  front,  social  distinctions  vanish. 

Social  organizations  for  women  are  often  connecting  links 
l>etween  the  mother  and  society.  A  club  represents  individual 
home  factors,  held  together  by  a  coramon  interest,  yet  diversified 
by  hereditary  gifts  and  home  environments.  The  social  club 
supplies  a  human  want  in  the  life  of  the  mother.  She  may  have 
no  time  to  study*  with  her  young  family  clamoring  for  her  atten- 
tion; but  she  may  possess  her  soul  in  peace  for  an  occasionai 
half  day  in  the  club.  The  club  demands  less  of  her  than  society 
would.  It  gives  her  ideal  thinking  for  a  time  which  is  a  refresh- 
ing change  from  purely  domestic,  economic  details.  Surely  it 
needs  no  argument  to  prove  thai  such  a  mother  would  be  happier 
because  of  her  glimpse  of  the  world  outside  her  narrow  horizon ; 
nor  that  her  home  would  also  be  benefited.  As  happiness  is  the 
desideratum,  if  not  the  ultimatum,  of  human  desires,  any  club 
that  tends  towards  the  happiness  of  its  members  and  of  society 
at  large  is  of  value. 

The  social  organization  is  a  medium  through  which  reforms 
can  be  disseminated.  For  a  progressive  club  must  discuss  some 
of  the  issues  of  the  day.  Clubs  for  philanthropy  or  reform  have 
taken  their  rise  from  such  a  club.  As  an  instance,  some  years 
ago  a  member  of  the  Friday  morning  Club  was  in  favor  of  hav- 
ing a  cooking  school  for  girls  in  one  of  our  poorer  districts.  A 
graduate  of  a  Boston  co<jking  school  was  asked  to  present  this 
subject  to  the  club.  The  need  of  such  a  school  was  discussed, 
and  the  result  was  the  formation — outside  of  the  club—of  such 
a  school*  Through  the  liberality  of  another  member  an  indus- 
trial department  was  added,  and  the  Stimson-Lafayette  Indus- 
trial Association  was  incorporated,  and  is  now  in  a  flourishing 
condition. 

While  furnishing  the  impetus  to  organized  activity,  the  ideal 
social  club  commits  itself  to  no  restricted  line  of  labor.  In  this 
respect  it  shows  its  strength*  for  it  is  able  to  educate  and  send 
out  workers  in  many  lines.  Its  sympathies  are  as  broad  as  hu- 
man wants. 


ETHICAI,  VALUE   OF   SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIOKS 


235 


In  such  clubs  there  must  be  neutrality  in  religious  beliefs,  and, 
it  naturally  follows  that  this  religious  liberty  cannot  do  other- 
wise than  have  a  reflex  influence  in  ^eneraJ  society.  Without 
the  social  elements  in  clubs  and  societies  do  you  believe  that  the 
Jewish  women  of  our  country  could  have  been  recognized  and 
given  a  place  at  the  Jewish  Congress  during  the  World's  Fair? 

It  was  said  that  never  before  in  the  history  of  Judaism  had 
a  body  of  Jewish  women  come  together  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
senting their  views,  nor  for  any  purpose  but  that  of  charity  or 
mutual  aid;  never  in  the  representation  of  Judaism.  The  club 
formed  for  social  improvement  draws  no  line  between  Jew  and 
Christian,  Theosophist  and  Agnostic. 

Is  this  too  broad  a  platform?  It  may  be  for  narrow  secta^ 
nanism,  but  not  for  a  belief  in  the  brotherhood  of  man  I  Not  for 
Christian  ethics. 

Social  organizations,  or  clubs^  are  not  usually  organized  for 
the  good  of  the  public,  but  for  the  pleasure  of  its  individual  mem- 
bers; but  that  does  not  invaHdate  the  claim  that  such  organiza- 
tions are  of  ethical  value. 

In  answer  to  a  letter  of  inquiry  regarding  the  Sunset  Club, 
which  meets  once  a  month,  Mr.  Charles  Dwight  Willard  says; 

"Usually  about  forty  attend.  The  papers  are  on  all  classes  of 
subjects;  and  there  is  usually  one  principal  paper,  about  twenty 
minutes'  long,  and  two  short  ones  of  five  minutes  each,  after 
which,  in  the  discussion,  five  to  twelve  men  usually  participate. 
Literary  topics  are  infrequent,  and  economics  occur  most  often. 
I  have  generafly  found  that  sociological  subjects  are  most  satis- 
factory to  the  general  club  membership." 

A  club  like  the  Sunset  Club,  composed  of  a  number  of  rep- 
resentative men  of  the  city,  men  who  are  identified  with  various 
lines  of  activity  as  doctors,  lawyers,  ministers,  bankers,  archi- 
tects, authors,  merchants  and  men  in  other  special  fields  of  in- 
dustry, must  tend  towards  the  ethical  growth  of  the  individual 
members,  and  consequently  influence  society  at  large.  If  the 
tendency  is  to  ''broaden  those  who  are  participants  in  the  discus- 
sions/' then  certainly  the  community  is  benefited.  Public  opin- 
ion is  something  that  changes;  it  never  remains  the  same.  Every 
lecture,  every  public  discussion^  has  some  share  in  the  growth 
of  ideas.  The  masses  are  led  by  the  few.  The  discussion  of  so- 
ciological subjects,  questions  that  deal  with  the  phenomena  of 
society,  of  the  right  relations  of  man  to  man,  which  include  ques- 
tions of  "rightness"  and  **oughtness."  might  not  seem  to  the  sixty 
members  of  any  great  benefit  to  persons  outside  of  the  club,  but 


236 


HISTORICAL   SOaETY    OF   SOUTHERN    CALIFORNIA 


no  body  of  intellectual  men  could  meet  monthly  to  think  and  talk 
over  topics  that  are  bound  up  in  society  at  large  without,  in  some 
way,  affecting  the  general  public. 

No  life  stands  all  alone,  and  it  is  the  problem  of  social  psy- 
choid^ to  ascertain  to  what  extent  the  development  of  the  indi- 
vidual mind  applies  to  the  evolution  of  society  and  how  far  so- 
ciety influences  the  individual. 

No  thought  is  useful  to  society  while  it  remains  merely  in 
the  mind  of  the  individual  Social  organizations  are  excellent 
mediums  for  the  expression  of  ideas.  Thoughts  must  have  pub- 
licity; they  cannot  have  any  general  value  until  they  find  expres- 
sion and  are  available;  then  they  become  alive*  a  part  of  the  gen- 
eral mind.  If  socia!  organizations,  composed  of  men  or  w*omen 
of  intellectual  abilities  and  culture,  did  nothing  more  than  require 
that  all  members  should  be  persons  who  are  known  for  their 
moral  character,  persons  whose  influence  is  in  an  ethical  direc- 
tion, who  would  say  that  such  a  club  was  not  of  ethical  value. 
In  chemistry  we  know  by  analysis  the  character  of  any  substance, 
and  in  the  same  way  we  judge  of  a  society  by  its  units,  or  indi- 
viduals composing  its  membership.  Moral  growth  must  be 
greater  when  societies  are  composed  of  individuals  who  aim  to 
act  ethically,  and  who  are  indulging  in  ideal  thinking.  The 
moral  nature  develops  when  the  individual  aspires  to  reach,  in 
himself,  an  ideal  status.  A  combination  of  such  individuals  is 
the  ideal  social  organization. 


SOME  OF  THE  MEDICINAL  AND  EDIBLE 
PLANTS  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


BY  LAURA  EVERTSEN  KING. 


Three  or  four  days  succeeding  the  first  rains  of  the  season 
there  conies  over  the  face  of  nature  in  Southern  California  a 
marked  and  magical  change — from  a  dry  and  apparently  bar- 
ren landscape,  the  sweet-scented  "Pelio"  with  its  musky  odor 
covers  the  earth  with  a  mantle  of  vivid  green.  The  early  in- 
habitants of  this  countrj',  living  very  near  to  nature  and  believ- 
ing that  the  spicy  perfume  of  the  fresh  and  tender  grass  was  in- 
vigorating and  rejuvenating^  to  the  old  and  infirm,  brought 
them  into  the  sunlight  on  their  respective  rawhide  beds  and  left 
them  to  doze  and  dream  the  day  long.  From  the  first  rains  and 
throug'h  all  the  seasons  of  the  year  until  the  last  dry  days  of 
fall  and  early  winter  can  be  gathered  herbs  and  plants,  of  va- 
rieties too  numerous  to  mention  in  this  brief  paper,  for  edible 
and  medicinal  purposes.  Their  range  is  from  the  mountain  tops 
to  the  seashore.  I  say  from  the  mountain  tops,  because  the 
mehing  snows  of  winter  and  the  cloudbursts  of  spring  and  sum- 
mer wash  the  seeds  down  the  canons'  sides  into  the  valleys 
below. 

Seventy  years  or  more  ago,  when  physicians  were  like  an- 
gels' visits^  "few  and  far  between/'  each  mother  of  a  family  con- 
stituted herself  the  adviser  of  her  family  and  friends,  and  in 
every  small  village  or  "pueblo"  there  was  the  "Vieja,"  whom 
every  one  respected  and  consulted,  and  who  dispensed  with  a 
lavish  hand  her  various  herbs,  which  she  had  gathered,  dried 
and  put  into  safe-keeping  for  future  use.  A  call  from  a  fever 
patient  hastened  her  with  a  package  of  "sauco,"  which  she  made 
into  tea  and  administered  at  stated  intervals,  until  relief  came  in 
the  shape  of  a  profuse  perspiration.  If  her  patient  became  too 
weak  or  debilitated  she  administered  "Paleo"  as  a  tonic.  For 
cancer  she  made  a  poultice  of  the  pounded  leaves  of  "Totoache," 
which  removed  cancerous  growths  if  applied  in  time.  For  in- 
ducing an  appetite  a  decoction  of  "Concha  L'agua"  was  given 
until  the  patient  was  able  to  eat  his  accustomed  allowance  of 
broiled  beef  and  '*AtoIe."     If  in  the  annual  "rodeo"  a  vaquero 


238 


HISTORICAL  5QC1ETV    OF    SOUTHERN    CALIFORNIA 


was  thrown  from  his  horse  or  otherwise  bruised,  he  was  removed 
to  his  home  and  "Yerba  del  Goipe*'  applied  to  his  contusions. 
Then  a  bath  of  "Ramero"  to  rejuvenate  his  discolored  flesh 
was  used  and  soon  the  rider  was  at  work  again  among  his  cattle. 
Week  and  inflamed  eyes  were  cured  by  a  wash  nxade  of  "Rosa 
de  Castilla."  A  pomade  of  the  same  was  used  for  tenderness 
or  chafing  of  the  skin.  '*Yerba  del  Manso"  and  **  Verba  del 
Pasmo'*  were  favorite  remedies  and  used  for  almost  every  form 
of  disease. 

There  is  a  sweet  smelling  little  flower  of  pure  white  called 
"Selama/*  whose  root  of  crimson  furnished  the  young  Indian 
^rjs  a  paint  to  improve  their  complexions,  which^  unlike  the 
cosmetics  of  latter  days,  left  no  bad  effects^  remaining  the  same 
day  after  day, 

In  the  early  morning  when  the  dew  was  on  the  ^rass,  the 
old  women  gathered  "Lanten"  for  boils  and  inflamed  swelling^. 
The  large  leaves  bruised  and  soaked  in  olive  oil  served  to  con- 
centrate the  inflammation.  The  leaves  of  the  "Tmira"  were  used 
for  the  same  purpose.  We  all  know  how  deliciously  refreshing 
the  fruit  of  the  Tuna  is  on  a  hot  summer  day,  and  it  formed  one 
of  the  principal  items  of  an  Indian's  winter  store — ^Tunas.  ground 
acorns,  "Pinones,"  roasted  "Mescal*'  and  "Chia"*  made  the  Indian 
wax  fat  and  happy. 

When  a  washerwoman  wished  her  black  clothes  to  look 
bright  and  new,  she  sought  the  '^Campo"  for  "Verba*"  or 
"Amole/'  which,  pounded  and  soaked  over  night  in  water»  made 
a  beautiful  and  cleansing  suds.  ^*Cichiquelite/'  a  small  seed  for 
edible  purposes,  was  also  beneficial  as  a  gargle  for  sore  throats 
"Petata"  is  a  root  eaten  by  the  Indians  before  the  introduction  of 
the  potato — in  fact,  served  the  same  purpose.  In  the  "zanias" 
and  |X)oIs  along  the  rivers  grows  a  plant  which  makes  a  salad 
highly  prized  by  the  native  Californians,  called  "Flor  del  Aqua  *" 
It  possesses  a  slightly  bitter  flavor,  which  is  very  appetizine- 
There  is  another  with  the  small  name  "Beno"  also  relished  for 
salads  by  "Paisanos." 

Hair  tonics  and  hair  washes  grow  everywhere  in  both  sprine 
and  summer,  "Caria"  being  one  of  the  many.  And  every  C^i* 
fornian  knows  of  tlie  medicinal  virtues  of  the  different  "Malvas  " 
both  black  and  white  being  used  for  congestions,  and  as  a  wash 
for  "Yedra"  (or  poison  oak)  it  is  healing  and  soothing  '"Cardo" 
and  '^Yuelite*'  are  spring  greens  and  may  be  eaten  also  as  salads 
and  hundreds  of  persons  can  speak  of  the  "Mostassa,"  the  best 
spring  vegetable  of  all. 


MEDICAL   AND   EDIBLE    PLANTS   OF   CALIFORNIA 


239 


Then  there  is  the  San  Lucas  plant  for  rheumatism  and  many 
others,  whose  names  are  difficult  to  pronounce  on  account  of 
their  Indian  origin.  Some  of  these  medicinal  herbs  may  be 
found  in  various  pharmacies  under  botanical  names — these  are 
the  native  Californian  and  Indian  names  given  here.  But  in  the 
surrounding  country,  where  hve  Indians  and  natives,  the  old 
women  still  administer  their  herbs  under  the  well-known, 
homely  and  suggestive  names  given  in  this  paper.  The  early 
pijysicians  of  Lo<s  Angeles  could  vouch  for  the  efficacy  of  nu- 
merous herbs  used  by  them  in  their  practice  among  the  residents 
if  they  were  here  to  tell. 

This  has  been  writen  to  show  that  the  lazniess  of  the  Cali- 
fornian is  in  a  measure  excusable.  For  what  use  had  he  for 
work  when  everything  grew  at  his  hand— bis  food,  his  medicine, 
his  shelter.  If  his  "adobe^*  house  or  **Ramada*'  required  sweep- 
ing, he  had  but  to  gather  his  "Escobita"  or  **Tules/'  tie  them  in 
broom  shape  and  sweep  when  necessary.  Disinfectants  in  the 
form  of  lovely  flowers  grew  on  the  hills  and  on  the  plains.  A 
hundred  pages  could  be  writen  of  the  herbs,  edible  and  medicinal, 
that  are  "born  to  bloom  and  blush  unseen  and  waste  their  sweet- 
ness on  the  desert  ain" 

In  continuation.  I  should  say  that  there  were  many  plants 
used  by  the  Indians  in  wicked  incantations,  herbs  used  in  con- 
juring decoctions  so  powerful,  that  a  small  quantity  adminis- 
tcred*  crippled  or  blinded  a  subject  for  life.  It  could  not  have 
been  that  his  mmd  was  wrought  upon,  for  these  herbs  were  given 
unbeknown  to  the  sufferer,  and  therefore  affected  him  tbrough 
their  poisonous  influences.  Except  the  few  plants  which  the 
native  Californian  has  discovered  for  himself,  the  knowledge 
of  the  medicinal  and  edible  plants  of  Southern  California  has 
been  handed  down  to  him  through  his  Indian  aticestors,  who 
subsisted  on  the  roots  and  seeds  of  this  countryp  gathering  some 
in  the  mountains  and  others  in  the  valleys  below,  but  always 
busy  in  the  different  seasons  of  their  growth  and  ripening. 

After  the  founding  of  the  missions  the  Indians  had  tbeir 
corn,  beans  and  different  edibles  for  consumption  which  were 
introduced  by  the  "padres,"  and  under  their  subjection  ceased 
to  gather  seeds  and  herbs,  but  now  and  then  there  would  be  an 
eld  woman  who  still  dung  to  tradition  and  believed  that  there 
was  nothing  better  than  the  old  way  of  living,  and  consequently 
lived  and  suffered  under  the  "sobriquet"  of  "Chisera/'  or  witch, 
who  was  only  visited  in  secret  by  the  jealous  husband,  or  sought 
for  love  potions  by  the  Indian  maiden  in  the  "dark  of  the  moon.*' 


2^ 


HISTORICAL  SOaETV   OP  SOUTHERN   CALIFORKIA 


These  old  women  crept  about  with  packs  upon  ihdr  backs  filled 
with  dri«d  fruit,  seeds  and  countless  small  and  mysterious  pack- 
ages, which  were  the  awe  of  the  uninitiated.  They  lived  in 
small  jacalcs  or  huts  made  of  "tules"  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
mission  and  died  of  old  age,  true  to  their  convictions. 

There  are  also  plants  deleterious  to  animals,  one  in  particular 
— "Ramaloco" — which  when  eaten  by  horses  causes  them  to  be- 
come dangerously  mad,  and  while  under  its  influence  to  endan- 
ger the  lives  of  human  beings  as  well  as  other  animals.  There 
IS  also  '*Bledo  Cimaron,"  which  when  dry  seems  to  have  an 
affinity  for  others,  thus  forming  into  immense  rolling  mounds 
and  skipping  before  the  winds,  terrorized  and  stampeded  the 
countless  herds  of  cattle  and  horses  tliat  roamed  the  plains. 
There  is  a  weed  which  is  deadly  poison  to  sheep.  In  a  little 
wayside  plant  not  unlike  a  tiny  apple  in  looks  and  odor,  called 
**MansaniIla,"  we  have  a  strong  purgative,  used  to  reduce  the 
temperature  in  fever.  If  you  walk  or  ride  with  an  old  native 
woman  she  will  pick  flowers  and  plants  by  the  wayside  and  ex- 
pound their  virtues  to  you  until  you  arc  convinced  that  you  are 
walking  over  untold  treasures.  Indeed,  every  creeping  plant  in 
Califomia  has  a  meaning  and  a  history* 


ANDREW  A,  BOYLE 


BY  H.  a  BARILOWS. 


In  learning  the  life-story  of  many  of  the  early  English- 
speaking  settlers  of  Los  Angeles,  as  recounted  to  me  by  them- 
selves, I  have  been  struck  with  the  infinite  variety  of  adven- 
tures and  dangers  which  they  went  through. 

Many  of  the  older  members  of  this  society,  or  those  who 
lived  here  in  the  sixties  or  fifties,  or  before  (of  these  latter,  how- 
ever, very  few  remain),  well  remember  Andrew  A.  Boyle,  that 
early  Pioneer,  after  whom  '*Boyk  Heights"  was  named.  But 
not  all  of  you,  I  presume,  are  aware  of  the  fact  that  Mr.  Boyle 
was  one  of  the  three  or  four  men  of  Col.  Fanning's  unfortunate 
band  of  more  than  400  Texas  soldiers  who  escaped  slaughter  in 
the  terrible  tragedy  at  Goliad,  Texas,  in  1836. 

Mr.  Boyle  was  bom  in  Ireland,  county  of  Mayo,  in  i8i8» 
eighty-two  years  ago.  At  the  age  of  14  years  he  came  to  New 
York.  Two  years  later,  he  with  his  brothers  and  sisters  went 
to  Texas  with  a  colony,  which  settled  at  San  Patricio,  on  the 
Nueces  river. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  revolution,  Texas  then  being  a 
province  of  Mexico,  Mr.  Boyle  enlisted  January  7^  1836,  in  West- 
over^s  artillery  of  the  Texan  army,  and  his  command  was  or- 
dered to  Goliad,  where  it  was  incorporated  with  the  forces  of 
Col.  Fanning,  and  after  sundry  engagements  with  greatly  su- 
perior numbers,  the  Texans  were  compelled  to  surrender.  Mr. 
Boyle,  who  had  been  wounded,  expected  to  be  shot,  as  nearly  all 
his  comrades  were,  to  the  number  of  almost  400  men,  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  by  the  terms  of  their  capitulation  they 
were  guaranteed  their  lives.  Mr.  Boyle,  who  understood  Span- 
ish, learned  that  this  was  to  be  their  fate,  but  before  their  exe- 
cution an  officer  asked  in  English  if  there  was  any  one  among 
their  number  named  Boyle,  to  which  he  answered  at  once  that 
that  was  his  name.  He  was  immediately  taken  to  the  officers' 
hospital  to  have  his  wound  attended  to,  where  he  was  kindly 
treated  by  the  officers. 

A  Mr.  Brooks,  aid  to  Col.  Fanning,  who  was  there  at  the 
time  with  his  thigh  badly  shattered,  knew  nothing  of  what  had 


242 


HISTORICAL   SOCIETY  OP  SOimiERN   CAUFORNIA 


happened,  or  what  was  to  be  their  fate,  and  upon  being  in- 
fornic'il.  he  remarked*  "I  suppose  it  will  be  our  turn  next/'  In 
less  than  five  minutes,  four  Mexican  soldiers  carried  him  out, 
cot  and  all,  placed  him  in  the  street,  not  fifteen  feet  from  the 
door,  where  Mr.  Boyle  could  not  help  seeing  him,  and  there 
shot  him.  His  body  was  instantly  rified  of  a  gold  watch, 
stripped  and  thrown  into  a  pit  at  the  side  of  the  street. 

A  few  hours  after  the  murder  of  Mr.  Brooks,  the  officer  who 
hAd  previously  inquired  for  Mr,  Boyle^  came  into  the  hospital, 
and.  addressing  him  in  English,  said:  "Make  your  mind  easy, 
sir;  your  life  is  spared.** 

Mr.  Boyle  responded,  "May  I  inquire  the  name  of  the  person 
to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  my  life?" 

^'Certainly ;  my  name  is  General  Francisco  Garay,  second  in 
command  of  General  Urrea's  division." 

It  seems  that  when  Gen,  Garay's  forces  had  occupied  San 
Patricio  that  officer  had  been  quartered  at  the  house  of  the  Boyle 
family,  and  had  been  hospitably  entertained.  Mr.  Boyle's 
brother  and  sister  had  refused  all  remuneration  from  him,  only 
asking  that  if  their  younger  brother,  then  in  the  Texan  army. 
should  ever  fall  into  his  hands  he  would  treat  him  kindly*  Af- 
terward, by  order  of  Gen.  Garay,  Mr.  Boyle  obtained  a  pass- 
port, and  went  to  San  Patricio,  where  he  remained. 

After  the  battle  of  San  Jacinto  and  the  capture  of  Gen.  Santa 
Ana  and  the  retreat  of  the  Mexican  forces.  Gen,  Garay.  in  pass- 
ing through  San  Patricio,  called  to  see  Mr.  Boyle,  wlio,  at  the 
General's  request,  accompanied  the  latter  to  Matamoras.  The 
General  also  invited  Mr.  Boyle  to  accompany  him  to  the  city 
of  Mexico,  but  this  invitation  he  was  compelled  to  decline;  and 
so  he  set  out  on  foot  for  Brazos,  Santiago,  where  he  took  passage 
on  a  brig  for  New  Orleans,  Being  out  of  money  and  in  rags 
on  arriving  at  New  Orleans^  he  engaged  at  $2,50  a  day  in  paint- 
ing St.  Mary's  market.  Working  !ong  enough  to  buy  some 
I  clothes,  he  availed  himself  of  the  Texan  Consul's  offer  of  a  free 
passage  to  the  mouth  of  the  Brazos  river,  where  Gen.  Burnett, 
the  first  President  of  the  Republic  of  Texas,  gave  him  a  letter  to 
Gen.  Rusk,  at  that  time  in  command  of  the  army  on  the  river 
Guadalupe. 

Mr,  Boyle  walked  to  Gen.  Rusk's  carnp^  a  distance  of  150 
miles*  Gen.  Rusk  gave  Mr.  Boyle  his  discharge  on  account  of 
impaired  health.  After  recovering  from  a  severe  sickness,  he 
went  to  Columbia,  the  seat  of  government  of  T^cas,  where  he 
obtained  a  passport  for  New  Orleans, 


ANDREW    A.    BOVLE 


243 


After  his  return  to  the  latter  city  and  the  rc-establishtnent 
of  his  health,  he  engaged  in  merchandizing  on  the  Red  river 
till  about  the  year  1842, 

In  1846  Mn  Boyle  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  A.  Christie 
at  New  Orleans.  Miss  Christie  was  a  native  of  British  Guiana; 
from  whence,  in  1838,  her  father  brought  his  family  to  New 
Orleans,  One  daughter  was  born  to  this  marriage,  who  is  now 
the  wife  of  Ex-Mayor  William  H.  Workman.  Mrs,  Boyle  died 
in  New  Orleans.  October  20,  1849,  This  daughter  (Mrs.  Work- 
man) was  cared  for  and  brought  up  by  her  great  aunt,  Char- 
lotte Christie,  who,  at  the  age  of  over  80  years,  died  rec-ently  in 
this  city,  at  the  home  of  her  foster-daughter. 

Returning  from  the  Red  river,  Mr.  Boyle  went  to  Mexico, 
where  he  engaged  successfully  in  business  till  1849,  when  he 
set  out  for  the  United  Staes  with  about  $20,000  in  Mexican  sil- 
ver dollars,  which  he  had  packed  in  a  claret  box.  At  the  mouth 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  in  passing  a  sidewheel  steamer  in  a  small 
skifF,  his  frail  boat  was  upset,  and  his  treasure  sank  to  the 
bottom,  and  was  a  total  loss,  and  he  himself  came  near  losing 
his  life. 

Mr.  Boyle  finally  returned  to  his  home  in  New  Orleans,  to 
find  that  his  wife,  who  was  in  delicate  health,  had  died  two 
weeks  before,  from  nervous  shock  and  brain  fever,  caused  by 
hearing  that  he  had  been  lost  at  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
From  that  time  on,  all  his  interest  centered  in  his  infant  daugh- 
ter, then  a  year  and  a  half  old. 

The  next  year  the  family  started  for  California  via  the  isth- 
mus, arriving  in  San  Francisco  in  the  early  part  of  1851*  Here 
Mr.  Boyle  engaged  in  the  boot  and  shoe  business,  but  he  was 
burned  out  by  iKith  of  the  fires  that  occurred  that  year. 

In  company  with  a  Mr.  Hobart,  he  then  went  into  the  whole- 
sale boot  and  shoe  business,  and  they  built  up  a  very  large  trade, 
which  extended  to  Los  Angeles  and  other  coast  towns.  Among 
their  customers  in  those  years  (1851-58)  were  Mr.  Kremer,  the 
late  Mr.  Polaski  and  others. 

Mr.  Boyle  made  the  acquaintance  of  Don  Mateo  Keller  in 
Texas  and  at  Vera  Cruz,  Mexico,  whither  both  went  on  trading 
expeditions  in  the  early  40*5.  It  was  through  the  influence  of 
Mr.  Keller  that  Mr.  Boyle  was  in<hiced  to  sell  out  his  intrests 
in  San  Francisco  and  come  to  Los  Angeles,  which  he  did  in 
1858.  Here  he  bought  a  vineyard  (planted  in  1S35  by  Jose 
Rubio)  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  under  the  bluffs.  Here 
he  made  his  home,  and  in  1862  or  '63  he  commenced  making 


a44 


HISTORICAL  SOaETY  OP  SOUTHEttN   CAUFORKIA 


wine,  and  dug  a  cellar  in  which  to  store  it^  just  under  the  edge 
of  the  bluff-  Prior  to  1862  he  shipped  his  grapes  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, as  did  many  other  vineyardists  here  at  that  period,  gi^pes 
then  bringing"  high  prices  in  that  market.  In  the  '50's  and 
earlier,  and  before  vineyards  had  been  generally  planted  in  the 
upper  country,  and  during  the  flush  mining  era.  grapes  and  other 
fruit  conunanded.  at  times,  fabulous  prices-  Those  who  had 
bearing  vineyards  in  Los  Angeles  at  that  period  had  a  better 
thing  than  a  gold  mine  or  than  oil  wells, 

Mr,  Boyle  was  a  valuable  member  of  the  City  Council  sev- 
eral years  during  the  '6o's.  Mr.  Boyle  and  Mr.  George  Dalton 
were  the  only  members  who,  on  the  final  vote,  cast  their  ballots 
against  the  thirty  years  lease  of  the  city's  domestic  water  system 
to  a  private  company.  Mr.  Boyle  made  a  strong  minority 
committee  reix>rt  against  said  lease,  which  we  can  now  see.  as  we 
look  back,  was  a  prophetic  document.  If  the  city  had  followed 
Mr.  Boyle's  advice  it  would  have  saved  millions  of  dollars  and 
no  end  of  vexatious  and  costly  htigation, 

Mr.  Boyle  was  of  a  very  genial,  social  nature,  and  all  who 
visited  his  hospitable  home  were  cordially  received  and  enter- 
tained. I  have  only  pleasant  memories  of  ray  visits  to  the  Boyle 
mansion  during  the  lifetime  of  its  former  owner — as  so  many 
others  in  later  years  have  of  their  visits  to  the  present  hospitable 
owners. 

Down  to  the  time  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Boyle,  there  were  hut 
few  houses  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  either  in  that  beautiful 
suburb  now  known  as  *'Boyle  Heights"  or  in  '*East  Los  An- 
geles.*' Mr.  Clemente  lived  on  the  flat  near  the  river;  the  old 
John  Behn  place  was  south  of  Mr.  Boyle,  and  the  Bors  mill  and 
the  Julian  Chaves  and  Elijah  Moulton  places  were  further  up  the 
river,  on  the  east  side. 

Perhaps  I  should  add  that  General  Garay,  the  savior  of  Mr. 
Boyle's  life  at  Goliad,  had  been  educated  in  tlve  United  States 
and  that  he  spoke  English  perfectly,  and  that  he  keenly  regretted 
the  barbarous  butchery  of  the  disarmed  Texans  at  Goliad,  which, 
as  he  afterward  told  Mr.  Boyle,  would  ever  be  looked  upon  as  a 
blot  and  a  disgrace  on  the  Mocican  name. 


EL  CANON  PERDIDO 


BY  J.   M.   GUINN. 


The  Stranger  strolling  through  the  city  of  Santa  Barbara 
will  be  forcibly  impressed  by  the  Spanish  nomenclature  of  its 
streets.  The  famous  men  of  the  Spanish  and  Mexican  eras  of 
California's  history  have  been  remembered  in  the  naming  nf 
the  highways  and  byways  of  the  channel  city.  Sola,  Victoria, 
Ftgueroa,  Ortega,  Carrillo,  de  La  Guerra  and  many  others  have 
their  streets.  Nor  alone  have  the  famous  men,  but  also  famous 
and  infamous  deeds,  too,  have  been  immortalized  in  choice  Cas- 
tilian  on  the  guide  boards.  Sandwiched  in  among  the  calles 
named  for  bygone  heroes  the  stroller  will  find  one  street  name 
that,  if  he  is  not  up  in  his  Spanish,  \v\]]  impress  him  with  the 
unpleasant  sensation  as  he  reads  its  name, — Canon  Perdido,*' — 
that  he  has  entered  upon  the  broad  road  that  leads  down  to 
perdition  canon;  and  he  will  be  on  the  qui  vive  for  some  tra- 
dition of  the  days  of  the  padres  or  the  story  of  uncanny  orgies 
held  in  some  lonely  canon  by  the  Indian  worshipper  of  Chupu, 
the  channel  god.  If  he  should  ask  some  Barbareno  what  the 
street's  name  means^  he  will  be  informed  that  its  name  in  Eng- 
lish is  *'Lost  Cannon  street" — for  cafaon  is  California  Spanish 
for  a  grm  or  a  gulch,  and  perdido  may  mean  in  Castilian  simply 
'lost'*  or  intensified — doomed  to  eternal  perdition,  Of  the 
deed,  the  legend  or  the  tradition  that  gave  the  calle  its  queer 
appeJationt  unless  your  informant  is  an  old-timer,  you  will  learn 
but  little  and  that  little  perhaps  may  be  incorrect. 

The  episode  that  the  street  name  commemorates  occurred 
away  back  in  the  clo-sing  years  of  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  In  the  winter  of  1847-48,  the  American  brig  Eliza- 
beth was  wrecked  on  the  Santa  Barbara  coast.  Among  the 
flotsam  of  the  wreck  was  a  brass  cannon  of  uncertain  caliber — 
it  might  have  been  a  six,  a  nine  or  a  twelve-pounder.  The  ca- 
pacity of  its  bore  is  unknown.  Nor  is  it  pertinent  to  my  story 
for  the  gun  unloaded  made  more  commotion  in  Santa  Barbara 
than  it  ever  did  when  it  belched  forth  shot  and  shell  in  battle. 

The  gun,  after  its  rescue  from  a  watery  grave,  lay  for  some 
time  on  the  beach  devoid  of  a  carriage  and  useless  apparently 
for  offense  or  defense. 


24S 


RISTOUCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORKIA 


the  treaunent  of  the  citizens  and  expressed  his  fear  that  the  en- 
forcement of  the  assessment  might  result  in  an  outbreak.  After 
talking  the  matter  over  with  Col  Stevenson,  he  became  soroe- 
wliat  mollified,  and  asked  the  Colonel  to  make  SanU  Barbara  his 
headquarters.  ?Ie  inquired  about  the  brass  band  at  Colonel  Ste- 
venson's headquarters  and  suggested  that  the  Califomians  were 
very  fond  of  music.  Stevenson  took  the  hint  and  sent  for  his 
band.  The  band  arrived  at  Carpinteria  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
3d  of  July,  The  4th  had  been  fixed  upon  as  the  day  for  die  pay- 
ment of  the  fines,  doubtless  with  the  idea  of  giving^  the  Cali- 
fomians a  lesson  in  American  patriotism  and  fair  deahng. 
Colonel  Stevenson  met  the  leader  of  the  band  and  arranged  with 
him  to  serenade  Don  Pablo  and  his  family  with  ail  the  Spanish 
airs  in  the  band's  repertoire.  The  musicians  stole  quietly  into 
town  after  night,  reached  the  de  La  Guerra  house  and  broke 
the  stillness  of  the  night  with  their  best  Spanish  airs.  The 
effect  was  tnagpcal.  The  family,  who  were  at  supper,  rushed  out 
as  if  a  temblor  had  broken  loose.  Don  Pablo  was  so  delighted 
that  he  shed  tears  and  hugged  Colonel  Stevenson  in  the  most 
approved  California  style.  The  band  serenaded  all  the  dons  of 
note  in  the  old  pueblo  and  tooted  until  long  after  midnighL 
Then  started  in  next  morning  and  kept  it  up  until  10  o'clock,  the 
hour  set  for  each  man  to  contribute  his  dos  pesos  to  the  com- 
mon fun<L  By  that  time  every  honibre  on  the  list  was  so  filled 
with  patriotism*  wine  and  music  that  the  greater  portion  of  the 
fine  was  handed  over  without  protest. 

Don  Pablo  insisted  that  Colonel  Stevenson  should  deliver  a 
Fourth  of  July  oration,  all  the  same  as  they  do  in  the  United 
States  of  the  North.  So  Stevenson  orated  and  Stephen  C. 
Foster  translated  it  into  Spanish.  The  day  closed  with  a  grand 
ball.  The  beauty  and  chivalry  of  Santa  Barbara  danced  to  the 
music  of  a  gringo  brass  band  and  the  brass  cannon  was  for- 
gotten for  a  time.  But  the  memory  of  the  city's  ransom  rankleil 
and  although  an  American  Imnd  played  Spanish  airs,  'American 
injustice  was  still  remembered.  When  the  city's  survi 
made  in  1850  the  nomenclature  of  three  streets  kept_ 
episode  green  in  the  memory  of  the  Barbarenr 
dido  (Lost  Cannon  street).  Quinientos  (Five  I 
and  Mason  street.  It  is  needless  to  say  th- 
favorite  thoroughfare  nor  a  very  prominei 

When  the  pueblo  by  legislative 
it  became  necessary  to  have  a  city 
pondered  long  over  a  design.  an< 


EL  CANOK    PERDIDO 


247 


First,  a  capitation  tax  of  $2.00  on  all  males  over  20  years  of 
age;  the  balance  to  be  paid  by  the  heads  of  families  and  property 
holders  in  the  proportion  of  the  value  of  their  respective  real 
and  personal  estate  in  the  town  of  Santa  Barbara  and  vicinity. 

Second,  Col.  J.  D.  Stevenson,  commander  of  the  Southern 
Military  District,  will  direct  the  appraisement  of  property  and 
the  assessment  of  the  contribution,  and  will  repair  to  Santa  Bar- 
bara on  or  before  the  2Sth  of  Jane  next,  when,  if  the  missing 
gun  is  not  produced,  he  will  cause  said  contribution  to  be  paid 
before  July  1st.  When  the  whole  is  collected  he  will  turn  it  over 
to  the  acting  Assistant  Quartermaster  of  the  post  to  be  held  for 
further  orders. 

Third,  Should  any  person  fail  to  pay  his  capitation,  enough 
of  his  property  will  be  seized  and  sold  at  public  auction  to  realize 
the  amount  of  the  contribution  due  by  him  and  the  cost  of  sale* 
By  order  of  Colonel  R.  B.  Mason. 

Wm.  T.  Shehman, 
First.  Lieut.  3rd  Art.  &  A.  A.  Adjt-General. 

The  order  was  translated  into  Spanish  and  promulgated  in 
Santa  Barbara. 

Then  there  was  indignation  in  the  old  pueblo,  and  curses, 
not  loud,  but  deep  and  withering  in  their  bitterness,  against  the 
perfidious  gringos.  To  be  taxed  for  a  cannon  used  in  their 
own  subjugation  was  bad  enough,  but  to  be  charged  with 
stealing  it  was  an  insult  too  grievous  to  be  borne,  and  the  loudest 
in  their  wail  were  the  old-time  American  born  residents  of  the 
town.  Had  not  their  New  England  ancestors  gone  to  war  with 
the  mother  country  because  of  "taxation  without  representa- 
tion?*' and  put  British  tea  to  steep  in  Boston  harbor-  without  the 
consent  of  its  owners?  And  here  on  the  western  side  of  the  con- 
tinent they  were  confronted  with  that  odious  principle.  Why 
should  they  be  taxed?  They  had  not  a  single  representative 
among  the  cannon  thieves. 

Col.  Stevenson  ordered  Lippitt  to  make  out  a  roll  of  those 
subject  to  assessment.  This  order  was  issued  June  15,  and  the 
Colonel  left  Los  Angeles  for  Santa  Barbara^  arrivftig  there  June 
23d,  Immediately  on  his  arrival  he  held  an  interview  with 
■Don  Pablo  de  La  Guerra,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  citizens 
of  Santa  Barbara,  and  a  man  highly  respected  by  both  the  na- 
tives and  the  Americans, 

Colonel  Stevenson  expressed  his  regret  at  the  ridiculous 
course  of  Captain  Lippitt.     Don  Pablo  was  very  indignant  at 


250 


HISTOUCAJ.  SOCIETY   OF    SOUTHeSX   CJOJTKMXIA 


mended  the  gnn,  it  was  adjtK^nl  to  bdon^  to  tbem.  They 
sold  it  to  a  loercbam  for  $8a  He  shipped  it  to  San  Francisco 
and  soAd  it  at  a  handsome  prodt  for  old  brass.  And  then  it  was 
Vale  (Earewdl)  Canon  Perxlidor 

The  names  of  the  five  men  who  buried  the  gun  were  Jose 
Garcia,  Joec  Antonio  de  La  Gncrra,  Jose  Lugo,  Jose  Dolores 
Garda  and  Padfioo  Cota. 

It  was  auTcndy  reported  that  the  Prefwrt,  believing  that 
Santa  Barbara  desencd  a  handsocner  and  more  commodious 
jail  than  ^oo  would  build,  risked  the  whole  ajDotmt  of  the  mili- 
tary cOQtribatfOfi  on  a  card  in  a  game  of  inontc.  hoping  to 
doubk  it  and  thus  benefit  the  city,  but  luck  was  against  him*  and 
the  deaJer,  with  no  patriotism  in  his  soul,  refusing  to  return  it, 
raked  the  coin  into  his  coffers ;  and  the  mimicipality  had  to  worry 
along  several  years  without  a  jail. 

Sudi  is  the  true  story  of  how  Calle  dd  Canon  Pcrdido — the 
Street  of  the  Lost  Cannon— came  by  its  queer  name. 


SOME  OLD  LETTERS 


The  first  letter  published  below  was  written  by  Dr,  John 
Marsh,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  the  first  American  physician  to 
locate  in  Los  Angeles.  Dn  Marsh  was  a  gratluate  of  Harvard 
College  and  also  of  its  medical  school.  He  came  to  California 
in  1835  from  Santa  Fe,  where  he  had  lived  several  years.  He 
petitioned  the  Ay^ntamiento  to  be  allowed  to  practice  medicine. 
He  was  given  permission.  The  proceedings  of  the  Illustrious 
Ayuntamiento  for  February  25,  1836,  read:  "The  Illustrious 
Bo<ly  decided  to  give  Juan  Marchet  (Marsh)  permission  to  prac- 
tice medicine,  as  he  has  submitted  for  inspection  his  diploma, 
which  was  found  to  be  correct;  and  also  for  the  reason  that  he 
would  be  very  useful  to  the  community," 

He  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession,  but  as  money 
was  an  almost  unknown  quantity  in  the  old  pueblo,  he  had  to 
take  his  fees  in  horses,  cattle  and  hides,  a  currency  exceedingly 
inconvenient  to  carry  around.  So  early  in  1S37  he  abandoned 
the  practice  of  medicine,  quitted  Los  Ang-eles  and  went  up  north 
to  find  a  cattle  range.  Verba  Buena,  now  San  Francisco,  at  the 
time  the  letter  was  wrtten  contained  two  houses.  He  located 
on  the  Rancho  Los  Medanos,  near  Monte  Diablo,  where  he  lived 
until  he  was  murdered  by  a  Mexican  in  1856,  A  letter  written 
by  him  descriptive  of  California,  and  published  in  a  Missouri 
paper  in  1840,  was  instrumental  in  causing  the  organization  in 
the  spring  of  1841  of  the  first  immigrant  train  that  crossed  the 
plains  to  California.  J.  M.  Guinn, 

Verba  Buena^  March  27,  1837. 

Dear  Sir: — I  have  been  wandering  about  the  country  for 
several  weeks  and  gradually  becoming  acquainted  both  with  it 
and  its  inhabitants.  This  is  the  best  part  of  the  country,  as  you 
very  well  know,  and  is  in  fact  the  only  part  that  is  at  all  adapted 
to  agriculturists  from  our  country.  Nothing  more  is  wanted  but 
just  and  equal  laws  and  a  goverrmient — yes,  any  government  that 
can  be  permanent  and  combine  the  confidence  and  good  will  of 
those  who  think.  I  have  good  hope,  but  not  unmixed  with  doubt 
and  apprehension.  News  has  just  arrived  that  an  army  from 
Sonora  is  on  its  march  for  the  conquest  and  plunder  of  Cali- 
fornia. Its  force  ts  variously  stated  from  two  to  600  men.  This, 
of  course,  keeps  everything  in  a  foment. 


252  BiSTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOVmWMfi    CAUFORNIA 

I  have  had  a  choice  of  two  districts  of  land  offered  to  me» 
and  in  a  few  days  I  shall  take  one  ch-  the  other.  A  brig  of  the  H. 
B.  Co.  (Hudson  Bay  Co.)  is  here  from  the  Columbia  with  Capt. 
Young^  (who  has  come  to  buy  cattle)  and  other  gentlemen  of  the 
company.  I  have  been  at  the  head  waters  of  the  Sacramento  and 
met  with  near  a  hundred  people  froin  the  Colunibia;  in  fact, 
they  and  the  people  here  regard  each  other  as  neighbors.  In- 
deed, a  kinder  spirit  exists  here  and  less  of  prejudice  and  dis- 
trust to  foreigners  than  in  the  purlieus  of  the  City  of  Angels. 

It  is  my  intention  to  undergo  the  ceremony  of  baptism  in  a 
few  days*  and  shall  shortly  need  the  certificate  of  my  applica- 
tion for  letters  of  naturalization.  My  application  was  made  to 
the  Most  Illustrious  Council  of  the  City  of  Angeles,  I  think  in 
the  month  of  January  last  year  ( 1836) .  1  wish  you  would  do 
me  the  favor  to  obtain  a  certificate  in  the  requisite  form  and 
direct  it  to  me  at  Monterey  to  the  care  of  ^lr.  Spence.  Mr, 
Spear  is  about  to  remove  to  this  place.  Capt.  Steele's  ship  has 
been  damaged  and  is  undergoing  repairs  which  will  soon  be 
completed.  His  barque  is  also  here.  I  expect  to  be  in  the  An- 
gelic City  some  time  in  May. 

Please  give  my  respects  to  Messrs.  Warner  and  William  M- 
Prior  and  all  "enquiring  friends," 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  ob't.  servant, 

John  Marsh. 
A.  Stearns,  Esq.,  Angeles. 

Los  Angeles,  September  29,  1S49. 

To  His  Excellency,  B,  Riley,  Brig.-Gen,,  U,  S.  A.,  Gmfemor  of 
California,  Monterey — 

Sir: — I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
appointment  of  myself  as  Prefect  of  the  District  of  Los  Angeles, 
dated  Sept  i,  1849,  While  thankful  for  confidence  reposed  in 
me,  I  trust  my  poor  services  may  prove  acceptable  to  all  con- 
cerned. 

As  Prefect  of  said  District  of  Los  Angeles  I  beg  leave  to 
state  that  this  district  is  particularly  exposed  to  the  depredations 
of  Indian  hor^  thieves — and  other  evil  disposed  persons,  and  at 
present  the  inhabitants  are  badly  armed  and  powder  cannot  be 
obtained  at  any  price.  Under  these  cricumstances  I  would  re- 
spectfully request  that  you  place  at  my  disposal  for  the  defense 
of  the  lives  and  property  of  the  citizens  of  said  district,  subject 


SOME  OLD  LETTERS  353 

to  such  conditions  as  you  may  deem  proper,  the  followii^  arms 
and  ammunition,  viz. : 

One  hundred  flint  lock  muskets  with  corresponding  accoutre- 
ments; ten  thousand  flint  lock  ball  and  buckshot  cartridges;  five 
hundred  musket  flints. 

Respectfully  your  ob't,  serv't, 

Stephen  C  Foster, 
Prefect,  Los  Angeles, 


THE    PALOMABES    FAMILY    OF    CALIFORNIA 


255 


killed,  both  good  and  valuable  citizens.  The  people  of  this  part 
of  the  territory,  feeling  that  they  had  abundant  cause  to  resist 
the  oppressive  acts  of  Victoria^  had  risen  in  rebellion;  and,  as  a 
result  of  the  hostile  meeting  at  Cahuenga,  Gov.  Victoria  was 
driven  out  of  the  country, 

Senora  Palomares  de  Arenas  retains  a  very  vivid  remem- 
brance of  the  exciting  events  of  that  day,  nearly  70  years  ago, 
when  she,  then  only  16  years  of  age,  lost  within  a  few  hours, 
both  her  dashing,  chivalrous  husband,  and  her  aged  father :  for 
her  father  was  at  the  time  very  ill,  and  the  shock  he  received 
from  hearing,  of  the  tragic  end  of  his  son-in-law,  caused  his 
own  death  the  same  day. 

Shortly,  or  two  or  three  months  after  their  death,  the  be- 
reaved young  widow  gave  birth  to  a  posthumous  child. 

Gov.  Victoria  was  seriously  wounded  at  Cahuenga  and  he 
retired  to  San  Gabriel,  where  he  voluntarily  resigned  his  office 
and  left  the  country,  and  his  tyranical  administration  of  the  af- 
fairs of  the  territory  came  to  an  end;  and  thus,  the  revolution 
was  successful,  Pio  Pico  becoming  Victoria's  successor. 

Four  years  after  the  death  of  Senora  Abila's  first  husband, 
she  married  Luis  Arenas, 

The  children  of  this  second  marriage  are:  Josefa,  married 
to  J.  M.  Miller;  Amparo,  married  to  L,  Schiappa  Pietra;  Luisa, 
married  to  L.  Stanchfield ;  Amelia,  married  to  Charles  Ross. 

Although  Mrs.  Abila-Arenas  from  advanced  age  is  quite 
infirm,  as  is  natural,  she  is  still  a  fine  looking  woman.  She  re- 
tains the  clear  use  of  her  mental  faculties;  her  reminiscences  of 
the  olden  times  of  fifty,  sixty  and  seventy  years  ago  are  exceed- 
ingly interesting. 


258 


HISTORICAL  SOaETV   OF  SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA 


They  always  delighted  to  tell  of  how  generous  the  people 
were  when  they  held  their  Fairs  in  the  old  Perry  and  Wood- 
worth  building  or  in  the  old  Stearns'  h^l  in  the  Arcadia  block, 
and  how  they  received  most  valuable  aid  from  Jewish  and 
Protestant*  as  well  as  from  Catholic  women.  There  were  im- 
portant considerations  to  decide  the  date  of  a  Fair.  It  could  not 
be  held  except  on  "Steamer  day,"  as  there  was  no  ice  save  that 
which  came  from  San  Francisco,  and  it  could  not  be  held  except 
at  the  right  time  of  moon  as  no  one  cared  to  grope  about  the 
streets  in  Egyptian  darkness.  In  spite  of  all,  the  generous  wo- 
men of  Los  Angeles  aided  the  Sisters  in  their  work,  and  the 
Sisters  of  Qiarity  do  not  forget  their  friends. 

In  1889,  on  the  50th  anniversary  of  Sister  Scholastica's  life 
as  a  Sister  of  Charity,  many  of  her  friends  gave  her,  as  a  sub- 
stantial tribute  of  their  esteem  and  love,  the  gift  of  a  purse  of 
$3,000,  which  she  at  once  devoted  to  the  building  fund  for  the 
erection  of  a  new  and  more  commodious  home  for  the  rapidly  in- 
creasing number  of  orphans*  On  the  9th  of  February ,  1890,  was 
laid  the  comer  stone  of  the  magnificent  Orphanage  now  overlook- 
iag  the  city.  When  the  home  was  completed,  the  Sisters  moved 
thither,  and  here  it  was,  surrounded  by  a  family  of  nearly  four 
hundred  orphans^  that  Sister  Scholastica,  whose  life  was  all  gen- 
tleness and  peace  even  in  the  midst  of  trials,  folded  her  willing 
hands  in  her  last  long  sleep.  She  had  lobored  long  and  with 
steadfast  purpose,  each  day  found  her  the  same,  faithful  in  all 
things,  ever  kind,  ever  courageous.  When  her  body  failed 
through  age,  she,  whose  life  had  been  so  pure  and  undeviating, 
knew  no  physical  ailment.  She  was  just  tired,  she  said,  and  un- 
complainingly bore  the  gradual  ebbing  of  her  strength.  Of  the 
band  whose  leader  she  was,  but  two  survive  her,  Sister  Ann,  now 
at  Emmitsburg,  and  Sisters  Angelita,  at  present  in  El  Paso, 
Texas. 

Sister  Scholastica's  eulogy  I  cannot  pronounce,  for  that  can  be 
justly  given  only  where  she  now  receives  her  "hundred  fold." 


PIONEERS  OF  LOS  ANQELES  COUNTY 

CONSTTTUnON 

ARTICLE  L 

This  society  shall  be  known  as  The  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles 
County.  Its  objects  are  to  cultivate  social  intercourse  and 
friendship  among  its  members  and  to  collect  and  preserve  the 
early  history  of  Los  Angeles  county,  and  to  perpetuate  the 
memory  of  those  who,  by  their  honorable  labors  and  heroism, 
helped  to  make  that  history. 

ARTICLE  IL 

All  persons  of  good  moral  character^  thirty-five  years  of  ag^ 
or  over,  who,  at  the  date  of  their  application,  shall  have  resided 
at  least  twenty-five  years  in  Los  Angeles  county,  shall  be  eligi- 
ble to  membership;  and  also  all  persons  of  good  moral  char- 
acter fifty  years  of  age  or  over,  who  have  resided  in  the  State 
forty  years  and  in  the  country  ten  years  previous  to  their  appli- 
cation^  shall  be  eligible  to  become  members.  Persons  born  in 
this  State  are  not  eligible  to  membership,  but  those  admitted 
before  the  adoption  of  this  amendment  shall  retain  their  mem- 
bership,   (Amended  September  4,  1900.) 

ARTICLE  III. 

The  officers  of  this  society  shall  consist  of  a  board  of  seven 
directors,  to  be  elected  annually  at  the  annual  meeting,  by  the 
members  of  the  society.  Said  directors  when  elected  shall 
choose  a  president,  a  first  vice-president,  a  second  vice-presi- 
dent, a  secretary  and  a  treasurer.  TTie  secretary  and  treasurer 
may  be  elected  from  the  members  outside  the  Board  of  Di- 
rectors. 

ARTICLE  IV, 

The  annual  meeting  of  this  society  shall  be  held  on  the  first 
Tuesday  of  September.  The  anniversary  of  the  founding  of 
the  society  shall  be  the  fourth  day  of  September,  that  being  the 
anniversary  of  the  first  civic  settlement  in  the  southern  portion 


CONSTITUTION    AND   BY-LAWS 


261 


of  Alta  California,  to  wit;  the  founding  of  the  Pueblo  of  Los 
Angeles*  September  4,   1781. 

ARTICLE  V. 

Members  guilty  oi  misconduct  may,  upon  conviction  after 
proper  investigation  has  been  held,  be  expelled,  suspended,  fined 
or  reprimanded  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present 
at  any  stated  meeting^;  provided,  notice  shall  have  been  given  to 
the  society  at  least  one  month  prior  to  such  intended  action. 
Any  officer  of  this  society  may  be  removed  by  the  Board  oi 
Directors  for  cause;  provided,  that  such  removal  shall  not  he- 
come  permanent  or  final  until  approved  by  a  majority  of  mem- 
bers of  the  society  present  at  a  stated  meeting  and  voting, 

ARTICLE  VI. 

Amendments  to  this  constitution  may  be  made  by  submit- 
ting the  same  in  writing  to  the  society  at  least  one  month  prior 
to  the  annual  meeting.  At  said  annual  meeting  said  proposed 
amendments  shall  be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  society.  And 
if  two-thirds  of  all  the  members  present  and  voting  shall  vote 
in  favor  of  adopting  said  amendments,  then  they  shall  be  de- 
clared adopted.     (Amended  September  4,  1900.) 


BY-LAWS 


MEMBERSHIP, 

[Adopted   September  4,    1897;   amended  Jime  4r    1901] 

Section  i.  Applicants  for  membership  in  this  society 
shall  be  recommended  by  at  least  two  members  in  good  stand- 
ing. The  applicant  shall  give  his  or  her  full  name,  age.  birth- 
place, present  residence,  occupation,  date  of  his  or  her  arrival 
in  the  State  and  tn  Los  Angeles  county.  The  application  must 
be  accompanied  by  the  admission  fee  of  one  dollar,  which  shall 
also  be  payment  in  full  for  dues  until  the  next  annual  meeting. 

Section  2.  Applications  for  admission  to  membership  in 
the  society  shall  be  referred  to  the  committee  on  membership, 
for  investigation,  and  reported  on  at  the  next  re^lar  meeting 
of  the  society.  If  the  report  is  favorable,  a  ballot  shall  be  taken 
for  the  election  of  the  candidate.  Three  negative  votes  shall 
cause  the  rejection  of  the  applicant 


262 


PIONEERS   OF    LOS    ANGELES    COUNTY 


Section  3.  Each  person,  on  admission  to  memberships 
shall  sign  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws. 

Section  4,  Any  person  eligible  to  membership  may  be 
elected  a  life  member  of  this  society  on  the  payment  to  the 
treasurer  of  $25.  Life  members  shall  enjoy  all  the  privileges 
of  active  members,  but  shall  not  be  required  to  pay  annual  dues. 

Section  5.     A  member  may  withdraw  from  the  society  by 
giving  notice  to  the  society  of  his  desire  to  do  so,  and  paying*! 
all  dues  charged  against  him  up  to  the  date  of  his  withdrawal 

DUES. 

Section  6.  The  annual  dues  of  each  member  (except  life 
members)  shall  be  one  dollar,  payable  in  advance,  at  the  annual 
meeting  in  September* 

Section  7.  Any  member  delinquent  one  year  in  dues  shall 
be  notified  by  the  secretary  of  said  delinquency,  and  unless  said 
dues  are  paid  within  one  month  after  said  notice  is  given,  then 
said  member  shall  stand  suspended  from  the  society.  A  mem- 
ber may  be  reinstated  on  payment  of  all  dues  owing  at  the  date 
of  his  suspension. 

DUTIES  OF  OFFICERS. 


Section  8.  The  president  shall  preside^  preserve  order  and 
decorum  during  the  meetings  and  see  that  the  Constitution  and 
By-Laws  and  rules  of  the  society  are  properly  enforced ;  appoint 
all  committees  not  otherwise  provided  for;  fill  all  vacancies  tem- 
porarily for  the  meeting.  The  president  shall  have  power  to 
suspend  any  officer  or  member  for  cause,  subject  to  the  action 
of  the  society  at  the  next  meeting. 

Section  9.  In  the  absence  of  the  president,  one  of  the  vice- 
presidents  shall  preside,  with  the  same  power  as  the  president, 
and  if  no  president  or  vice-president  be  present,  the  society  shall 
elect  any  member  to  preside  temporarily. 

Section  10.  The  secretary  shall  keep  a  true  record  of  all 
the  members  of  the  society;  and  upon  the  death  of  a  member 
(when  he  shall  have  notice  of  such  death)  shall  have  published 
in  two  daily  papers  of  Los  Angeles  the  time  and  place  of  the 
funeral;  and,  in  conjunction  with  the  president  and  other  offi- 
cers and  members  of  the  society,  shall  make  such  arrangements 
with  the  approval  of  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  as  may  be 
necessary  for  the  funeral  of  the  deceased  member.  The  secre- 
tary shall  collect  all  dues,  giving  his  receipt  therefor;  and  he 


COKSTITUTION  AND  BY-LAWS 


263 


shall  turn  over  to  the  treasurer  all  moneys  collected,  taking  his 
receipt  for  the  same. 

He  shall  make  a  full  report  at  the  annual  meeting,  setting 
forth  the  condition  of  the  society,  its  membership,  receipts, 
disbursements,  etc. 

He  shall  receive  for  his  services  such  compensation  as  the 
Board  of  Directors  may  allow. 

Section  11,  The  treasurer  shall  receive  from  the  secretary 
all  moneys  paid  to  the  society  and  give  his  receipt  for  the  same, 
and  shall  pay  out  the  money  only  upon  the  order  of  the  society 
upon  a  warrant  signed  by  the  secretary  and  president,  and  at  the 
end  of  his  term  shall  pay  over  to  his  successor  all  moneys 
remaining  in  his  hands,  and  render  a  true  and  itemized  account 
to  the  society  of  all  moneys  received  and  paid  out  during  his 
term  of  office. 

Section  12.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  finance  committee 
to  examine  the  books  of  the  secretary  and  treasurer  and  any 
other  accounts  of  the  society  that  may  be  referred  to  them,  and 
report  the  same  to  the  society. 


COMMITTEES. 

Section  13.  The  president,  vice-presidents,  secretary  and 
treasurer  shall  constitute  a  relief  committee,  whose  duty  it  shall 
be  to  see  that  sick  or  destitute  members  are  properly  cared  for. 
In  case  of  emergency,  the  committee  shall  be  empowered  to  ex- 
pend for  immediate  relief  an  amount  from  the  funds  of  the  so- 
ciety not  to  exceed  $20,  without  a  vote  of  the  society.  Such 
expenditure,  with  a  statement  of  the  case  and  the  necessity  for 
the  expenditure  shall  be  made  to  the  society  at  its  next  regular 
meeting. 

Section  14.  At  the  first  meeting  after  the  annual  meeting 
each  year,  the  president  shall  appoint  the  following  standing 
commtitees:  Three  on  membership;  three  on  finance:  five  on 
program;  five  on  music;  five  on  general  good  of  the  society,  and 
seven  on  entertainment. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


i      Section   15.  Whenever  a  vacancy  in  any  office  of  this  so- 
ciety occurs,  it  shalf  be  filled  by  election  for  the  unexpired 
term. 
Section   16-  The  stated  meetings  of  this  society  shall  be 


264 


PIONEERS   OF    LOS   ANGELES   COUKTY 


hefd  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  each  month,  and  the  annual  meet- 
ing shall  be  held  the  first  Tuesday  of  September.  Special  meet- 
ing's may  be  called  by  the  president  or  by  a  majonty  of  the 
Board  of  Directors,  but  no  business  shall  be  transacted  at  such 
special  meetings  except  that  specified  in  the  calL 

Section  17.  These  By-Laws  and  Rules  -may  be  temporarily 
suspended  at  any  reg^ular  meeting  of  the  society  by  unanimous 
vote  of  the  members  present. 

Section  18.  Whenever  the  Board  of  Directors  shall  l>e 
satisfied  that  any  worthy  member  of  this  society  is  imable,  for 
the  time  being,  to  pay  the  annual  dues  as  hereinl^efore  pre- 
scribed, it  shall  have  power  to  remit  the  same. 

Section  19,  Changes  and  amendment?  of  these  By-Laws 
and  Rules  may  be  made  by  submitting  the  same  in  writing  to 
the  society  at  a  stated  meeting.  Said  amendment  shall  be  read 
at  two  stated  meetings  liefore  it  is  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the 
society.  If  said  amendment  shall  receive  two-thirds  of  the 
votes  of  all  the  members  present  ami  voting,  then  it  shall  be 
declared  adopted. 


ORDER  OF  BUSINESS, 


CALL  TO  ORDER. 

Reading  minutes  of  previous  meeting. 

Music. 
Reports   of  committee  on   membership. 

Election  of  new  members. 
Reading  of  applications  for  membership. 

Music. 

Reminiscences,    lectures,   addresses*    etc. 

Music  or  recitations. 

Recess  of  10  minutes  for  payment  of  dues. 

Unfinished  business. 

New  business. 

Reports  of  committees. 

Election  of  officers  at  the  annual  meeting  or  to  fill  vacancies. 

Music. 

Is  any  member  in  need  of  assistance? 

Good  of  the  society. 

Receipts  of  the  evening. 

Adjournment. 


REMINISCENCES:     MY     FIRST    PROCESSION 
IN  LOS  ANQELES,  MARCH  16.  1847 


BY  STEPHEN  C.  FOSTER. 

(Read  before  Historical  Society^    1887.     Read  before  Pioneer 

Society,  1902.)  ^ 

The  writer  has  witnessed  forty  celebrations  of  the  4th  of  July 
in  this  city,  commencing  with  1847,  when  he  read  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence  on  Fort  Hill,  in  Spanish,  for  the  infor- 
mation of  our  newly-made  fellow-citizens,  who  spoke  only  the 
Castilian  tongue.  As  I  marched  in  the  procession  the  other 
day  (July  4,  1887),  I  recalled  the  appearance  of  the  city  when 
I  first  knew  it,  so  widely  different  from  the  present. 

The  outbreak  of  the  Mexican  War  (May.  1846)  found  the 
writer  at  Oposura.  Sonera*  \Vh'ich  place  he  reached  December. 
1845  on  his  way  to  California,  by  the  way  of  Santa  Fe  and  El 
Paso,  from-  Missouri.  The  first  news  we  had  of  the  war  was 
of  the  capture  of  Capt.  Thornton's  command  of  U.  S.  Dragoons 
by  the  Mexican  cavalry,  on  the  Rto  Grande,  and  the  people 
rang;  the  bells  for  joy.  But  shortly  after>  we  g'ot  the  news  of 
the  battles  of  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma^  and  they  did 
not  ring  the  bells  then. 

In  June,  1846.  arrived  at  Oposura,  a  small  party  of  Ameri- 
cans headed  by  James  Kennedy,  a  machinist  from  Lowell, 
Mass..  who  with  his  wife  had  come  around  Cape  Horn,  three 
years  before,  to  the  cotton  manufactory  at  Horcasitas,  Sonora; 
the  husband  to  superintend  the  machinery,  and  the  wife  to 
teach  the  Mexican  girls  the  management  of  the  looms  and  spin- 
dles. As  there  was  no  chance  to  leave  by  sea,  Kennedy  had 
made  up  a  party  to  see  him  safe  through  the  Apache  range  to 
Santa  Fe.  where  he  expected  to  secure  passage  in  the  traders' 
wagons  across  the  plains  to  Missouri,  and  I  accompanied  him; 
and  after  a  hard,  hot  trip,  we  reached  Santa  Fe  safely  in  Jiuly. 

"August  18.  1846.  I  witnessed  the  entry  of  the  American 
army,  under  General  Kearney,  into  Santa  Fe, 

in  1845,  the  Mormons  were  driven  out  of  Nauvoo.  T!l,  and, 
under  the  leadership  of  Bri^ham  Ynung-.  took  up  their  march 


FIONEERS  OF   LOS  AKCEL£S   COUNTY 


wcstwardly.  Their  first  intention  was  to  reach  California,  then 
occupied  by  a  sparse  Mexican  population  and  a  few  hundred 
American  emigrants.  They  stopped  one  season  at  Council 
BlulTs,  to  raise  a  crop  and  procure  means  for  further  progress. 
When  the  call  was  made  for  volunteers  in  Missouri,  for  service 
in  New  Mexico  and  California,  none  were  willing  to  enlist  as 
infantr)',  to  make  such  long  marches  afoot,  and  Capt.  James 
Allen»  of  the  First  U.  S.  Dragoons,  was  sent  to  Council  BlulTs 
to  try  and  raise  a  battalion  of  infantry,  enlisted  for  twelve 
months,  to  be  discharged  in  California-  The  order  was  given 
by  Brigham.  and  within  forty^eight  hours  five  full  companies 
(500  men)  were  raised  and  on  their  march  to  Fort  Leavenworth. 
The  conditions  were,  that  they  were  to  choose  their  company 
officers,  but  were  to  be  commanded  by  an  officer  of  the  regu- 
lar army,  and  were  to  receive  army  clothing  at  Fort  Leaven- 
worth. The  Missouri  troops  furnished  their  own  clothing,  for 
which  the  Government  paid  each  man  $29.50  a  year. 

So  they  started  on  their  long  march  with  their  poorest 
clothing.  When  they  reached  the  Fort  they  learned  that  the 
steamboat  bringing  their  clothing  and  percussion  muskets  had 
been  snagged  in  the  Missouri*  and  everything  was  lost.  Their 
commander,  Capt.  Allen,  was  taken  sick  and  died.  He  had 
their  confidence,  and  they  objected  to  serving  under  another 
commander,  and  to  start  for  California  without  the  promised 
clothing;  but  the  order  was  imperative  to  march,  and  the  cloth- 
ing could  not  be  replaced  in  less  than  a  month.  So  they  sent 
to  Brigham  for  advice,  and  he  ordered  them  to  push  on,  even 
if  they  had  to  reach  California  barefooted  and  in  their  shirt- 
tails.  So,  flint-lock  muskets,  of  the  pattern  of  1820.  were  fur- 
nished them,  and  they  reached  Santa  Fe  under  the  command 
of  Lieut.  A.  J.  Smith,  of  the  First  Dragoons — the  Maj.  Gen. 
A.  J.  Smith  of  the  Civil  War.  On  their  arrival  at  Santa  Fe, 
Gen.  K!eamey  ordered  Capt.  Cooke,  of  the  ist  Dragoons, 
to  command  them,  and  Lieut.  Smith  went  with  them  to  Califor- 
nia, to  rejoin  his  company  which  had  started  a  month  before 
with  Gen,  Kearney.  Lieut,  (now  Gov.)  Stoneman,  who  had 
just  graduated  at  West  Point*  also  went  with  them. 

Gen,  Kearney  had  started  with  six  companies  of  dragoons, 

•  on  the  Rio  Grande  he  met   Kit  Carson  with  dispatches 

■^'ashington,  From  Com.  Stockton,  announcing  that  Cal- 

had  been   taken   possesion  of,  without   resistance.     So 

only  took  two  companies,  mounted  on  mules,  with 

o  convey  their  provisions,  by  way  of  the  Gila  River, 


MY    FIRST    PROCESSION    IK    LOS    ANGELES 


267 


At  Santa  Fe  -mnles  were  scarce,  and  money  scarcer  vvith  the 
quartermaster,  who  also  had  to  provide  transportation  for  the 
1st  Missouri  Cavarly,  under  Col.  Doniphan,  then  starting  on 
their  famous  march  through  Northern  Mexico  to  Camargo, 
where  their  period  of  enlistment  expired.  But  seventeen  6- 
mule  teams,  hauling  sixty  days*  rations,  could  be  spared  for 
Cooke's  coimnand,  and  no  wagon  had  ever  crossed  from  the 
Rio  Grande  to  California;  so,  a  road  had  to  be  found  and  made 
as  they  went,  after    leaving  the  Rio  Grande. 

Kit  Carson  had  accompanied  Kearney  as  guide,  and  Pauline 
Weaver,  the  pioneer  of  Arizona,  who  had  come  with  Carson 
from  California,  awaited  Cooke.  Five  new  Mexican  guides 
were  hired,  all  under  command  of  Joaquin  Leroux,  an  old 
trapper,  who  had  trapped  on  every  stream  from  the  Yellowstone 
to  the  Gila. 

I  was  then  clerking  in  a  store,  waiting  for  something  to  turn 
up,  when  I  was  informed  that  an  interpreter  was  wanted  to  ac- 
company Cooke  to  California,  and  I  went  to  Capt.  McCusick, 
the  quartermaster,  with  my  recommendations.  Enoch  Barnes, 
who  was  killed  in  a  drunken  brawl  at  the  Ballona,  in  this  countv, 
some  twenty  years  ago.  who  drove  a  wa^on  across  the  plains  in 
1845.  in  the  same  caravan  as  myself,  was  also  an  applicant. 
McCusick  was  a  prompt,  stern  man.  and  the  competitive  exami- 
nation of  the  Yale  graduate  and  the  Missouri  mule-Avhacker  was 
short,  and  turned  on  transportation  and  money.  I  had  a  good 
mule,  rifle  and  blanket,  and  as  to  money,  I  could  wtait  until 
Uncle  Sam  was  able  to  pay  me,  as  long  as  my  wages  were  run- 
ning on  and  I  got  my  rations.  Barnes  was  just  off  a  spree* 
in  which  he  had  drank  and  gambled  off  all  his  money,  and 
pawned  bis  rifle,  and  it  would  have  cost  $!00  to  fit  him  out. 
So  I  won  the  appointment,  and  the  contract  was  quickly  drawn» 
that  for  $75  a  month  and  rations  T  was  to  serve  as  interpreter 
to  California,  furnish  my  own  animal,  clothing'  and  arms.  The 
contract  was  made  October,  1846,  and  I  served  under  it  until 
May  17th,  1849.  when  the  people  of  Los  Angeles  selected  their 
Ayuntamiento.  and  the  garrison  evacuated  the  place,  and  the 
last  seventeen  months  of  my  term  T  also  acted  as  1st  Alcalde 
of  the  district  of  Los  Angeles,  without  any  extra  compensation. 
On  leaving  the  Rio  Grande.  I  volunteered  to  join  the  guides, 
as  there  was  nothing  for  me  to  do  in  camp,  and  we  did  not  ex- 
pect to  pass  through  any  Mexican  settlements  until  we  reached 
the  Pima  villages,  on  the  Gila.  Leroux's  party,  ten  in  number, 
started  ahead,  with  six  days'  rations,  on  our  riding  animals,  to 


268 


nONEERS   OF    LOS   ANGELES   COUNTY 


find  a  practicable  route  for  wagons,  and  wood,  and  water,  at 
such  intervals  as  infantry  coultl  march — fifteen  to  twenty  miles 
a  day.  in  one  case  forty  miles,  between  camps;  one  man  to  be 
sent  back  from  each  watering  place  to  guide  the  command  until 
our  rations  were  expended*  and  then  all  to  return  to  the  com- 
mand. We  thus  found  our  way  by  the  Guadaiiipe  Canyon  and 
San  Pedro  River  to  Tucson,  from  which  place  there  was  a  trail 
to  the  Pima  villages,  and  from  there  to  California.  Weaver  had 
just  come  over  the  road,  and  there  was  no  diflficuhy  in  finding 
our  way.  We  ate  our  last  flour,  bacon,  sugar  and  coffee  by 
January  14th,  1847,  on  the  desert,  between  the  Colorado  and 
Warner's  Pass.  A  supply  of  beef  cattle  met  us  at  Carrizo  Creek, 
on  the  west  side  of  the  desert,  and  we  lived  on  beef  alone  imtil 
April.  1847.  when  supplies,  brought  from  New  York  on  the 
ships  that  brought  CoL  Stevenson's  regiment,  reached  us  at 
Los  Angeles.  At  Gila  Bend,  we  met  two  Mexicans,  w^ho  told 
us  of  the  outbreak  that  took  place  in  Los  Angeles,  September, 
1846;  and  at  Indian  Wells,  on  the  desert,  we  met  Leroux.  who. 
with  most  of  the  guides,  had  been  sent  ahead  from  Gila  Bend, 
to  get  assistance  from  the  San  Luis  Indians,  who  had  declared 
for  the  Americans,  and  held  all  the  ranches  on  the  frontier; 
and  he  brought  the  news  that  Stockton  and  Kearney  had 
marched  from  San  Diego  to  retake  Los  Angeles.  We  pushed 
on  by  forced  marches  toward  Los  Angeles*  and  at  Temecula 
received  a  letter,  stating  that  Los  Angeles  w^as  taken,  that 
Kearney  and  Stockton  had  quarrelled  about  who  was  to  com- 
mand, and  that  Kearney  had  returned  with  his  dragoons  to  San 
Diego,  to  wBiich  place  we  were  ordered  to  proceetl.  Arriving 
there,  together  with  the  dragoons,  we  were  ordered  to  San  Luis 
Rey,  where,  from  the  Rancho  of  Santa  Margarita,  we  procured 
beef,  soap  and  candles,  the  only  articles  of  rations  the  country 
could  furnish.  In  a  few  days,  fifty  of  the  men  were  attacked 
with  dysentery,  and  the  surgeon  said  breadstuff  of  any  kind 
would  be  of  more  use  to  check  the  disease  than  all  his  medicine. 
So  the  commissary  and  myself  w^ere  ordered  to  Los  'Angeles^ 
to  try  and  get  some  flour.  We  found  the  town  garrisoned  by 
Fremont's  Battalion,  about  400  strong.  They,  too.  had  noth- 
ing but  beef  served  out  to  them,  but  as  the  people  had  corn  and 
beans  for  their  own  use.  and  by  happening  around  at  the  houses 
about  meal-time,  they  could  occasionally  get  a  square  meal  of 
tortillas  y  frijoles.  Here  we  met  Louis  Roubideau,  of  the  Ju- 
rupa  Ranch,  wiho  said  he  could  spare  us  some  2.000  or  3.000 
pounds  of  wheat,  which  we  could  grind  at  a  little  mill  he  had 


MY    FIRST    PfiOCESSlON    IN    LOS   ANGELES 


269 


on  the  Santa  Ana  River,  So,  on  our  return,  two  wagons  were 
sent  to  Jiurupa,  and  they  brought  1,700  pounds  of  unbolted 
wheat  flour  and  two  sacks  of  beans,  a  small  supply  for  400  men. 
I  then  messed  with  one  of  the  captains,  and  we  ail  agreed  that 
it  was  the  sweetest  bread  we  ever  tasted. 

March  12th,  184^,  we  received  important  news  in  six  weeks 
from  Washington,  overland.  Stockton  and  Kearney  had  been 
relieved,  and  ordered  East,  and  Com.  Shubrick  and  Col.  R.  B. 
Mason  were  to  take  their  places,  and  the  military  to  command 
on  land,  and  what  was  of  far  more  interest  to  us,  that  Steven- 
son's ships  were  daily  expected  at  San  Francisco,  and  that  we 
should  soon  have  bread,  sugar  and  cofFee  again,  and  we  were 
ordered  to  Los  Angeles  to  relieve  Fremont's  Battalion,  So, 
with  beautiful  weather^  and  in  the  best  of  spirits,  we  began  our 
march  to  the  city  of  the  Angels.  Our  last  day's  march  was 
only  ten  miles»  and  we  camped  on  the  San  GabrieU  at  the  Pico 
crossing,  early,  and  all  hands  were  soon  busy  preparing  for 
the  grand  entree  on  the  morrow.  Those  who  had  a  shirt — 
and  they  were  a  minority — could  be  seen  washing  them,  some 
bathing,  some  mending  their  ragged  clothes,  and  as  thert  was 
plenty  of  sand,  all  scouring  their  ^muskets  till  they  shone  again. 
We  made  an  early  start  the  next  morning,  and  when  we  forded 
the  Los  Angeles  River,  at  Old  Aliso,  now  Macey  street,  there 
was  not  a  single  straggler  behind.  The  order  of  march  was, 
the  dragoons  in  front.  They  had  left  Missouri  before  receiving 
their  annual  supply  of  clothing,  and  they  presented  a  most 
dilapidated  appearance,  but  their  tattered  caps  and  jackets  gave 
them  a  somewhat  soldierly  appearance.  They  had  burned  their 
saddles  and  bridles  after  the  fight  at  San  Pascual,  but  a  full 
supply  of  horses  to  remount  them  had  been  purchased  of  the 
late  Don  Juan  Forster,  and  all  the  Mexican  saddlers  and  black- 
smiths in  the  country  had  been  kept  busy  making  saddles^ 
bridles  and  spurs  for  them.  Their  officers  were  Capt.  A,  J. 
Smith,  ist  Lieut.  J.  B.  Davidson,  2nd  Lieut,  George  Stoneman; 
then  came  four  companies  of  the  Towa  Infantry,  Company  B 
having  l>een  left  to  garrison  San  Diego.  In  all  we  numbered 
300  muskets  and  80  sabres.  The  line  of  march  was  by  Aliso 
and  Arcadia  streets,  to  Main,  and  down  Main  to  the  Govern- 
ment House,  where  the  St.  Charles  now  stands,  where  the  dra- 
goons dismounted  and  took  up  their  quarters.  The  infantry 
turned  out  of  Main  street  past  the  house  of  John  Temple,  now 
Downey  Block,  and  pitched  their  tents  in  the  rear,  where  they 
remained  until  they  were  mustered  out.  June.  1847. 


2JO 


PIOWEEftS  OF   LOS   AKC£L£S   COUNTY 


I  have  described  the  apfH^arance  of  the  dragoons,  but  can- 
not do  justice  to  the  infantry-,  only  by  saj'ing  it  was  FalstafTs 
ragged  company  multiplied  by  ten.  The  officers  had  managed 
to  have  each  a  decent  suit  of  clothes,  but  they  brought  out  in 
stronger  contrast  the  rags  of  the  rank  and  file.  On  Los  An- 
geles street  were  some  300  or  400  Indians,  the  laborers  tn  the 
vineyards,  who  had  taken  a  holiday  to  witness  our  entry,  while 
a  group  of  about  100  women,  with  their  heads  covered  by  iheir 
rebosos,  who  had  met  at  the  funeral  of  the  mother  of  the  late 
Don  Tomas  Sanchez,  ex-Sheriff  of  the  county,  stood  looking 
at  the  ragg^ed  gringos  as  they  marched  by.  On  Main  street 
were  some  thirty  or  forty  Califomians.  well  dressed  in  their 
short  jackets  and  breeches  with  silver  buttons,  open  at  the  sides 
showing  the  snow-white  linen  beneath.  I  noticed  they  looked 
with  most  interest  at  the  dragoons,  so  many  of  whose  comrades 
had  fallen  before  their  lances  at  San  Pascual  that  cold  I>ecem- 
bcr  morning,  and  lay  buried  in  that  long  grave,  or  lay  groaning 
in  the  hospital  at  San  Diego.  We  had  no  wavng  flags,  but 
waving  rags,  and  many  a  one;  nor  brass  bands,  only  a  solitary 
snare  drum  and  fife,  played  by  a  tall  Vermont  fifer,  and  a  stout, 
rosy-cheeked  English  drummer;  and  they  struck  up  the  "Star 
Spangled  Banner*'  as  we  passed  the  Government  House,  and 
kept  it  up  until  orders  were  given  to  break  ranks  and  stack 
arms.  And  then  came  a  loud  hurrah  from  all  that  ragged  sol- 
diery. Their  long  and  weary  march  over  mountains,  plain  and 
desert,  of  2,200  miles,  was  over, 

I  wit!  now  describe  two  indviduals  who  marched  in  that 
procession-  One  is  the  writer.  *Tis  nearly  forty  years  ago. 
and  I  was  a  younger  and  a  better-looking  man  than  I  am  now. 
I  had  left  Santa  Fe  with  only  the  clothes  on  my  back,  and  a 
single  change  of  under-clothing.  T  had  been  paid  off  at  San 
Lus  Rey,  and  had  $200  in  my  pocket,  and  I  tried  to  find  some 
clothing  in  Los  Angeles  on  my  first  visit,  but  could  find  none. 
So,  I  rode  to  San  Diego,  and  through  the  kindness  of  a  friendly 
man-of-wat^s  man  T  got  a  sailor's  blue  blouse,  a  pair  of  marine's 
pants  and  brogans,  for  which  I  paid  $20,  My  place  in  the  col- 
umn, as  interpreter,  was  with  the  colonel,  at  the  head,  and  I 
rode  with  my  rifle  slung  across  the  saddle,  powder-horn  and 
bullet-pouch  slung  about  my  shoulders.  My  beard  rivaled  in 
length  that  of  the  old  colonel  by  w»hose  side  1  rode,  bi3t  mine 
was  as  black  as  the  raven's  wing,  and  his  was  as  grey  as  mine 
is  now.  But  if  I  was  not  the  best-looking,  nor  the  best-dressed 
inar.  I  was  the  best-moimted  man  on  Main  street  that  day. 


MV   FIRST    I'ROCESSION    IN    LOS   ANGKUES^ 


When  the  horses  were  delivered  for  the  dragoons,  a  young 
man  named  Ortega,  a  nephew  of  Don  Pio  Pico,  rode  an  iron 
grey  horse,  with  flowing  mane  and  tail,  and  splendid  action. 
I  tried  to  buy  him  for  the  colonel,  but  he  would  not  sell  him. 
The  day  we  left  San  Luis,  I  had  mounted  my  mule,  and  w^as 
chatting  with  Ortega,  admiring  his  horse,  when  he  offered  to 
sell  him,  and  I  could  fix  the  price.  I  gave  him  $25.  The 
dragoon  horses  cost  $20  each,  'A  few  days  after  my  arrival  in 
this  city,  Lieut-  Stoneman  was  ordered  to  scout  with  a  party  of 
dragoons  towards  San  Bernardino,  to  look  out  for  Indian  horse 
thieves,  and  I  sold  the  horse  to  him;  and  well  the  Governor 
remembers  the  gallant  grey  that  bore  him  on  many  a  long  and 
weary  scout, 

I  have  thus  described  my  appearance  at  my  first  public 
entry  into  this  city,  from  no  spirit  of  egotism,  but  only  to  give 
my  fellow-citizens  some  idea  of  the  appearance  of  the  former 
Alcalde,  Prefect,  Mayor  and  Senator  of  Los  Angeles. 

But  the  most  conspicuous  man  on  Main  street  that  day  was 
of  a  different  type.  On  our  march.  December,  1846,  we  were 
moving  from  the  Black  Water,  just  south  of  the  present  Mexi- 
can line,  towards  the  San  Pedro  River.  TTie  snow  was  falling 
steadily,  but  it  was  not  very  cold-  Our  order  of  march  was, 
with  an  advance  guard  of  twenty  men,  and  twenty  pioneers  with 
pick-axe  and  shovel,  commanded  by  Capt.  A.  J.  Smith,  to  re- 
move any  obstruction  to  our  wagons.  I  was  riding  that  day, 
with  the  colonel  and  surgeon,  when  we  overtook  the  advance 
guard.  The  pioneers  had  been  cutting  down  some  mesquite 
trees  that  obstructed  our  way,  and  had  just  finished  as  we  over* 
took  them.  Tlieir  officer  gave  the  order  "fall  in.  shoulder 
arms/*  and  they  formed  in  ranks  of  four,  so  that  for  about  fifty 
yards  we  could  not  turn  out  to  pass  them.  The  right-hand 
man  in  the  rear  rank  was  at  least  six  and  a  quarter  feet  tall. 
The  crown  of  his  hat  was  gone,  and  a  shock  of  sandy  hair,  pow- 
dered by  the  falling  snow,  stuck  out  above  the  dilapidated  rim. 
while  a  huge  beard  of  the  same  color  sw^ept  his  breast,  His 
upper  garment  had  been  a  citizen's  swallow-tailed  coat,  but- 
toned by  a  single  button  over  his  naked  chest,  but  one  of  the 
tails  had  been  cut  off  and  sttched  to  his  waistband,  where  it 
would  do  the  most  good,  for  decency's  sake,  and  an  old  pair 
of  No-  12  brogans,  encased  with  rawhide,  protected  his  feet. 
The  right  sleeve  of  the  coat  was  gone,  and  his  arm  was  bare 
from  wHst  to  elbow,  and,  by  way  of  uniform,  the  left  leg  of  the 
pants  was  gone,  leaving  the  leg  bare  from  knee  to  ankle,     His 


272 


PIONEIERS    OF    LOS    ANGELES    COUNTY 


underclothing  had  long  since  disappeared.  Bui  the  way  he 
marched  and  shouldered  his  musket,  showed  the  drilled  and  vet- 
eran soldier  That  ragged  scarecrow  had  seen  fifteen  years* 
service  in  the  British  army,  from  the  snows  of  Canada  to  the 
jungles  of  Burmah.  The  conirasi  between  the  soldierly  licar- 
ing  of  the  man  and  his  dilapidated  dress  brought  a  smile  to 
every  face.  After  we  had  passed,  the  colonel  pulled  his  long 
grey  mustache,  and  said,  "I  never  thought,  when  1  left  West 
Point,  that  1  should  ever  command  such  a  set  of  ragamuffins 
as  these.  But,  poor  fellows,  it  is  not  their  fault;  and  better 
material  for  soldiers  I  never  commanded."  And  that  day,  when 
J  sat  on  my  horse,  where  Ducommun's  Block  now  rears  its  tall 
front,  to  see  my  old  comrades  march  by,  in  the  front  rank  of 
Company  A,  with  cadencecl  step  and  martial  mien,  as  he  had 
marched  in  his  younger  days  to  the  martial  music  of  the  regi- 
mental band,  dressed  in  the  scarlet  uniform  of  a  British  gp"ena- 
dier,  strode  ihe  old  ragged  veteran. 


SOriE   ECCENTRIC    CHARACTERS    OF  EARLY 
LOS  ANQELES 


k 


BY  J.   M.  GUINN. 

The  early  years  in  the  history  of  the  new  towns  of  the  West 
were  productive  of  eccentric  characters — men  who  drifted  in 
from  older  civilizations  and  made  a  name  for  themselvsc  or 
rather,  as  it  frequently  happened,  had  a  name  made  for  them  by 
their  fellow  men. 

These  local  celebrities  gained  notoriety  in  their  new  homes 
by  their  oddities,  by  their  fads,  their  crankiness,  or  some  other 
characteristic  that  made  them  the  subject  of  remark.  With 
some  the  eccentricity  was  natural;  with  others  it  was  cultivated, 
and  yet  ag^in  with  others  force  of  circumstances  or  some  event 
not  of  their  own  choosing  made  them  cranks  or  oddities,  and 
gave  them  nick-names  that  stuck  to  them  closer  than  a  brother. 

No  country  in  the  world  w^s  more  pro<hictive  of  cjuaint 
characters  and  odd  g-eniuses  than  the  mining  camps  of  early 
California,  A  man's  history  beg^ii  with  his  advent  in  the 
camp.  His  past  was  wiped  out — was  ancient  history,  not 
worth  making-  a  note  of.  What  is  he  now?  What  is  he  good 
for?  were  the  vital  questions.  Even  his  name  was  sometimes 
wiped  out,  and  be  was  re-christened — given  some  cognomen 
entirely  foreign  to  his  well-known  characteristics.  It  was  the 
Irony  of  Fate  that  stood  sponsor  at  his  baptism.  'Tious  Pete'' 
was  the  most  profane  man  in  the  camp,  and  Pete  was  not  his 
front  name.  His  profanity  was  so  profuse,  so  impressive*  that 
it  seemed  an  invocation,  alnK>st  a  prayer. 

Deacon  Sturgis  was  a  professional  gambler  of  malodorous 
reputation,  but  of  such  a  solemn  face  and  dignified  mien  that 
he  often  deceived  the  very  elect.  Sometimes  these  nick-names 
were  utilized  in  advertising.  I  recollect  a  sign  over  a  livery 
stable  in  the  early  mining  days  of  Idaho,  which  informed  the 
public  that  the  Pioneer  Stables  were  kept  by  Jpws  Harp  Jack 
and  Web'Foot  Haley.  On  one  comer  of  the  sigri  was  painted 
an  immense  jews-harp ;  on  another  corner  was  a  massive  foot 
with  webs  between  the  toes.     Haley  came  from  Oregon,  and 


374 


PIONEERS  OF    LPS   ANGELES   COUNTY 


as  the  legend  goes,  on  account  of  the  incessant  rains  in  the  big 
Willamette  ValJcy  the  inhabitants  there,  from  paddling  around 
in  the  water,  grow  webs  between  their  toes,  Haley  brought 
hi s  nick-name  and  his  webs  wi th  him,  H ow  Jews  Harp 
Jack  picked  up  his  name  I  do  not  know.  In  a  residence  of 
several  years  there  I  never  heard  any  other  name  for  the  man. 

My  first  mining  partner  was  known  as  Friday.  Not  one 
in  iifty  of  his  acquaintance  knew  that  his  real  name  was  William 
Geddes,  Years  before  in  California  he  had  owned  in  a  claim 
with  a  man  named  Robinson,  Robinson  was  a  man  of  many 
expedients  and  make-shifts.  Geddes  was  an  imitator  or  echo 
of  his  partner.  The  miners  dubbed  the  first  "Robinson  Crusoe** 
and  the  other  "My  Man  Friday,"  a  name  that  followed  him 
through  a  dozen  mining  campus,  and  over  two  thousand  miles 
of  territory.  If  he  is  still  Hving  I  doubt  whether  he  has  outlived 
that  nick-name. 

Bret  Hartc,  in  his  "Outcasts  of  Poker  Flat/'  has,  in  John 
Oakhursl,  pictured  the  refined  and  intelligent  gambler.  There 
were  very  few  of  that  class  in  the  mines,  and  none  that  carried 
around  such  an  elegant  and  aristocratic  name  as  Oakhurst.  In 
the  Idaho  mines*  where  I  was  initiated  into  placer  mining,  the 
professionals  of  the  pasteboard  fraternity,  who  w1ere  mostly  old 
Californians,  had  all  been  re-christened  by  their  constituents 
or  patrons,  and  the  new  cognomen  given  each  was  usually  more 
expressive  than  elegant.  Vinegar  Bill,  Cross  Roads  Jack, 
Snapping  Andy  and  Short-Card  Pete  are  short-cut  names  of 
real  characters,  who  passed  in  their  checks  years  ago;  i,  e,,  died 
with  their  boots  on.  Each  nick-name  recalls  some  eccentricity 
not  complimentary  to  the  bearer,  but  which  lie  had  to  bear  with- 
out wincing.  It  was  one  way  in  which  their  victimized  patrons 
tried  to  get  even  on  the  deaL 

There  was  another  class  of  eccentricities  in  the  cities  and 
towns  of  California  wliere  life  was  less  strenuous  than  in  the 
mining  camps.  These  were  men  with  whims  or  fads  sometimes 
sensible,  sometimes  half-insane,  to  which  they  devoted  them- 
selves until  they  became  noted  as  notorious  cranks. 

San  Francisco  had  its  Philosopher  Pickett,  its  Emperor 
Xorton  and  a  host  of  others  of  like  ilk.  Los  Angeles  had 
representatives  of  this  class  in  its  early  days,  but  unfortunately 
the  memorv  of  but  few  of  them  has  been  salted  down  in  the 
brine  of  history. 

In  delving  recently  among  the  rubbish  of  the  past  for  scraps 
of  history.  I  came  across  a  review  of  the  first  book  printed  in 


SOME   ECCENTRIC    CHARACTERS 


275 


Los  Angeles — the  name  of  the  book,  its  author  and  its  pub- 
lisher. But  for  that  review,  these  would  have  been  lost  to 
fame. 

It  is  not  probable  that  a  copy  of  the  book  exists,  aJid  pos- 
sibly no  reader  of  that  book  is  alive  today — not  that  the  book 
was  fatal  to  its  readers;  it  had  very  few— but  the  readers  were 
fataJ  to  the  book;  they  did  not  preserve  it.  That  book  was  the 
product  of  an  eccentric  character.  Some  of  you  knew  him. 
His  name  was  William  Money,  but  he  preferred  to  have  the 
accent  placed  on  the  last  syllable,  and  was  known  as  Money'. 
Bancroft  says  of  him:  "A  Scotchman,  the  date  and  manner  of 
whose  coming  are  not  known,  was  at  Los  Angeles  in  1843/' 
I  find  from  the  old  archives  he  was  here  as  early  as  1841.  In 
the  winter  of  1841-42  he  made  repairs  on  the  Plaza  Church 
to  the  amount  of  $126.00.  Bancroft,  in  his  Pioneer  Register, 
states:  "He  is  said  to  have  come  as  the  servant  of  a  scientific 
man,  whos€  methods  and  ideas  he  adopted.  His  wife  was  a 
handsome  Sonorena.  In  '46  the  couple  started  for  Sonora 
with  Coronel,  and  were  captured  by  Kearny's  force.  They 
returned  from  the  Colorado  with  the  Mormon  battalion.  Mo- 
ney became  an  eccentric  doctor,  artist  and  philosopher  at  San 
Gabriel,  where  his  house,  in  1880,  was  filled  with  ponderous 
tomes  of  his  writings,  antl  on  the  simple  condition  of  Imying 
$1,000  worth  of  these  I  was  offered  his  pioneer  reminiscences. 
He  died  a  few  years  later.  His  wife»  long  divorced  from  him, 
married  a  Frenchman.  She  was  also  living  at  Los  Angeles 
in  '80.    It  was  her  daughter  who  killed  Chico  Forster," 

Bancroft  fails  to  enumerate  all  of  Money's  titles,  He  was 
variously  called  Professor  Money,  Dr.  Money  and  Bishop 
Money.  He  was  a  self-constituted  doctor,  and  a  self-anointed 
bishop.  He  aspired  to  found  a  great  religious  sect.  He  made 
his  own  creed  and  ordained  himself  Bishop,  Deacon  and  De- 
fender of  the  Reformed  New  Testament  Church  of  the  Faith 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Dn  Money  had  the  inherent  love  of  a  Scotch- 
man for  theological  discussion.  He  was  always  ready  to  attack 
a  religious  dogma  or  assail  a  creed.  When  not  discussing  the- 
ological questions  or  practicing  medicines,  he  dabbled  in  science 
and  made  discoveries. 

In  Book  II  of  Miscellaneous  Records  of  Los  Angeles 
County,  is  a  map  or  picture  of  a  globe  labeled,  Wm,  Money's 
Discovery  of  the  Ocean,  Around  the  North  Pole  are  a  number 
of  convolving  lines  which  purport  to  represent  a  "whirling 
ocean."     Parsing  down  from  the  north  pole  to  the  south,  like 


278 


PIONEERS    OF    LOS    ANGELES    COUNTY 


About  this  time  he  commenced  those  powerful  discussions 
with  the  Romish  cJergy  in  which  our  author  launched  forth 
against  the  Old  Church  those  terrible  tlenunciations  as  effect- 
ive as  they  were  unanswerable,  and  which  for  thirty  years  he 
has  been  hurling  against  her. 

Perhaps  the  most  memorable  of  all  his  efforts  was  the  occa- 
sion of  the  last  arguments  had  with  the  Roman  clergy  concern- 
ing abuses  which  came  off  in  the  Council  of  Pitaquitos,  a  small 
town  in  Sonora,  commencing  on  the  20th  of  October,  1835,  and 
which  continued  to  May  1st,  1840,  a  period  of  live  years.  This 
convocation  had  consumed  much  time  in  its  preparation,  and 
the  clergy,  aware  of  the  powerful  foe  with  whom  they  had  to 
deal,  and  probable  great  length  of  time  which  would  elapse, 
selecte<:l  their  most  mighty  champions;  men.  who  in  addition 
to  a  glib  tongue  and  subtle  imagination,  were  celebrated  for 
their  wonderful  powers  of  endurance.  There  were  seven  skilled 
disputants  arrayed  against  Money,  but  he  vanquished  them 
single-handed. 

**The  discussion  opened  on  the  following  propositions :  The 
Bishop  of  Culiacan  and  he  of  Durango  disputed  that  \Vm.  Mo- 
ney believeti  that  the  Virgin  Mary  was  the  mother  of  Jesus» 
but  not  the  mother  of  Christ.  William  Money  makes  his  ap- 
plication to  God,  but  not  to  the  Virgin  Mary." 

These  and  other  learned  propositions  were  discussed  and 
re-discussed  constantly  for  five  years,  during  which  writing 
paper  arose  to  such  an  enormous  price  that  special  enactments 
were  made»  withdravving  the  duties  thereon.  Time  would  not 
admit  of  detailing  the  shadow  of  what  transpired  during  the 
session. 

Suffice  -it  to  say  that  through  the  indomitable  faith  and 
energy  of  Mn  Money,  his  seven  opponents  w^re  entirely  over- 
come; one  sickened  early  in  the  second  year  and  was  constrained 
to  take  a  voyage  by  sea;  two  others  died  of  hemorrhage  of  the 
lungs;  one  went  crazy;  two  became  converted  ami  left  the  coun- 
cil in  the  year  1838  and  were  fotmd  by  Mr.  Money  on  the  break- 
ing up  of  the  council  to  have  entered  into  connubial  bonds,  and 
were  in  the  enjoyment  of  perfect  happiness.  The  other  two 
strenuously  held  out  to  the  year  1840,  when,  exhausted,  sick 
and  dismayed,  the  council  in  the  language  of  the  author,  was 
broken  up  by  offering  me  money  to  give  up  my  sword,  the  Word 
of  God,  but  I  protested,  saying,  "God  keep  me  from  such  treach- 
erous men,  and  from  becom-mjcr  a  traitor  to  my  God," 


SOME  ECCENTRIC   CHARACTEfiS 


sits  Upon  seven  hills,  and  is  linely  gotten  up  and  executed 
af  the  Star  office  in  this  city.  Its  title  denotes  the  general  ob- 
jects of  the  work  which  have  been  followed  ont  in  the  peculiar 
style  of  the  well-known  author,  and  in  the  emphatic  language 
of  the  Council  General,  Unper  Cahfoniia.  City  of  Los  Angeles. 
"We  pronounce  it  a  work  worthy  of  all  dignified  admiration,  a 
reform  which  ecclesiastics  and  civil  authorities  have  not  been 
able  to  comply  with  yet." 

The  work  opens  with  an  original  letter  from  the  aforesaid 
Council  General,  which  met  August  the  7th,  1854,  near  the 
main  zanja  in  this  city;  said  letter  was  indited,  signed,  sealed 
"by  supplication  of  the  small  flock  of  Jesus  Christ"  represented 
by  Ramon  Tirado,  president,  and  Francis  Contreras,  secretary, 
and  directed  with  many  tears  to  the  great  defender  of  the  new 
faith,  VHflho,  amid  the  quiet  retreats  with  which  the  rural  dis- 
tricts abound,  had  pensively  dwelt  on  the  noble  objects  of  his 
m^ission,  and,  in  fastings  and  prayer,  concocted,  this  great  work 
of  his  life." 

"Tlie  venerable  prelate,  in  an  elaborate  prefix  to  his  work, 
informs  the  public  that  he  was  bom,  to  the  best  of  his  recollec- 
tion, about  the  year  1807,  from  which  time  up  to  the  anniver- 
sary of  his  seventh  year,  his  mother  brought  him  up  by  hand. 
He  says,  by  a  singular  circumstance  (the  particular  circum- 
stance is  not  mentioned).  I  was  born  with  four  teeth,  and  with 
the  likeness  of  a  rainbow  in  my  right  eye/' 

It  would  seem  that  his  early  youth  was  marked  by  more 
than  ordinary  capacity,  as  we  find  him  at  seven  entering  upon 
the  study  of  natural  history;  how  far  he  proceeded,  or  if  he 
proceeded  at  all,  is  left  for  his  readers  to  determine.  At  the 
age  of  twelve,  poverty  compelled  him  to  "bind  himself  to  a 
paper  factory,"  Next  year,  being  then  thirteen  years  of  age. 
having  made  a  raise,  he  commenced  the  studies  of  philosophy* 
civil  law,  medicine,  relation  of  cause  and  effect,  philosophy  of 
sound  in  a  conch  shell,  peculiar  habits  of  the  muskrat,  and  the 
component  parts  of  Swain's  vermifuge.  Thirsting  for  still  fur- 
ther knowledge,  four  years  afterwards  we  find  him  entering 
upon  the  study  of  theology:  and  as  he  says,  "In  this  year  (1829) 
I  commenced  my  travels  in  foreign  countries/*  and  the  succeed- 
ing year  found  him  upon  the  shores  of  the  United  States,  inde- 
fatigable in  lx>dy  and  mind;  the  closing  of  the  same  year  found 
him  in  Mexico,  still  following  the  sciences  above  mentioned, 
but  theology  in  particular. 


PION'EERS   OF   JJOS   ANGELES    COUNTY 


Cain  was  a  philosopher,  and  had  original  aud  rather  start- 
ling theories  which  he  propounded  from  the  steps  of  the  old 
Court  House  whenever  he  could  get  an  audience. 

A  colored  preacher,  the  Rev.  John  Jasper,  of  Richmond, 
Va,,  made  himself  famous  by  a  sermon  that  he  vi^as  accustomed 
to  deliver  from  the  text,  '*The  sun  do  move."  In  that  sermon 
he  demolished  the  theory  that  the  earth  moved  around  the 
sun^  "The  sun  does  the  movnn',  not  the  yearth.  The  good 
book  says  that  once,  when  Joshuar  had  a  big  killing  of  Akak- 
elites  o;i  hand;  he  says  'sun  stand  stilT  till  I  get  through  with 
the  killin',  and  she  stopped  and  stood  still/'  Now,  said  the 
Rev.  Jasper*  how  could  a  thing  stop  if  it  wasn^t  going?  How, 
indeed!  And  the  Rev.  Jasper  removed  that  theological  stum- 
bHng  block  that  has  tripped  over  theologians  for  centuries. 

Professor  Cain's  theory  was  more  original  and  more  start- 
ling than  Jasper's,  It  was  that  the  original  color  of  the  human 
race  was  black.  Adam  was  the  first  Sambo,  and  Eve  the  primi- 
tive Dinah.    The  white  race  were  bleached-out  blacks. 

Cain*s  proof  was  conclusive,  if  you  admit  his  premises,  "The 
good  book,  says  Adam,  was  created  out  of  the  dust  of  the 
yearth.  WTiar  did  the  Lord  get  that  dust?  Cain  was  accus- 
tomed to  ask.  "In  the  Garden  of  Eden.  The  soil  of  the  garden 
was  a  black  soil,  bec;ause  it  was  rich  and  produced  all  manner 
of  yarbs  and  trees.  Now,  if  Adam  was  made  from  black  dust 
his  color  was  black,  wa'n't  it?  And  Eve  being  made  from  Ail- 
am*s  rib,  the  rib  were  black,  and  consequently  Eve  was  black, 
too." 

As  long  as  Adam's  descendants  remained  in  warm  countries 
they  retained  their  primitive  color^  but  after  a  time  some  of 
them  wandered  off  to  cold  countries  and  lived  in  the  shade  of 
the  woods,  where  the  sun  could  not  get  at  them.  Then  they 
began  to  fade,  just  as  a  plant  grown  in  the  shade  loses  its  orig- 
inal color  and  turns  white.  Consequently^  the  Professor  would 
say,  as  he  clinched  his  argument,  "Tlie  white  man  is  only  a 
faded-out  nlggah." 

Some  practical  jokers  induced  the  old  philosopher  to  di 
a  lecture  on  his  favorite  theme.     He  secured  th« 
Theater*  which  still  stands  up  near  the  Pico  Hoilj 
charge  an  admittance  fee,  and  he  acted  as  hi^  nwnj 
So  popular  was  his  lecture  that  before  he  en 
making  change  with  some  of  the  ^t^ 
come  in  a  nish  and  filled  the  house. 


SOME   ECCENTRIC    CHARACTERS 


281 


the  receipts  were  lig-ht.  In  knocking  around  the  world  he  had 
picked  up  a  number  of  big  words  that  he  used  indiscriminately- 
He  put  them  in  because  they  sounded  well.  To  give  force  to 
his  argument  he  would  quote  at  length  from  some  authority. 
The  quotations  were  manufactured;  the  Professor  could  not 
read.  He  would  preface  a  quotation  by  saying,  *'Thus  says  the 
famous  Sock-rats"  (meaning  Socrates),  or  "I  find  this  in  the 
writings  of  the  distinguished  Hypocrits"  (meaning  Hippoc- 
rates, the  father  of  medicine).  Tlie  lecture  was  as  amusing  as 
a  circus. 

The  old  gentleman  was  very  prond,  and  quite  dignified.  In 
assemblages  of  the  colored  brethren,  when  they  d-id  not  agree 
\vith  his  views,  he  was  accustomed  to  berate  them  as  a  pa'cel 
of  plantation  niggahs.  Consequently  he  was  not  popular  with 
his  colored  brethren. 

There  are  some  other  eccentric  characters  of  early  days  that 
might  come  in  for  a  notice  but  my  paper  is  already  too  long. 


ANQEL  PIONEERS 


We  are  angel  pioneers. 

As  for  fivc-and-twenty  years, 

With  our  wives,  the  preiiy  deiiT% 

We  have  had  the  land  of  angels  for  a  home ; 
We  came  here  long  ago, 
And  we  like  the  country  so. 
That  we*r«  going  to  stay  you  know. 

For  wc  never  want  to  einigraTc  or  roam. 

Yes,  weVe  angels  without  wings, 
Without  feathers  and  such  thingSj 
And  each  heart  with  rapture  rings. 

Thinking  of  the  glorious  country  wc  have  found; 
With  our  climate  and  our  soil. 
Bringing  fruits  with  little  toil. 
Let  U5  live  without  turmoil, 

And  let  Joy  and  peace  and  jollity  abound. 

We  have  seen  our  city  grow. 
With  a  pace  that's  far  from  slow, 
And  the  country  'round  us,  too, 

Where  frwit  and  flowers  bloom  on  every  hand; 
But  there's  room  enoitgh  for  all. 
Rich  and  poor  and  great  and  small, 
And  may  pleasant  places  fail 

To  the  tender-foot  from  each  and  every  land. 

Let  them  come,  yes  let  them  come — 
And,  you  bet,  theyVe  coming  some — 
Don't  you  hear  the  car-wheels  hum, 

Bringing  tho^e  who  storm  and  bliziards  wish  to  shun 
We  extend  a  welcome  true, 
From  our  hearts   we  mean  it,  too, 
For  there's  room  for  not  a  few, 

To  fin  the  places  we  leave  when  we  are  gone. 

We  will  tell  from  whence  we  came — 
How  we  gat  here,  just  the  same — 
And  we're  surely  not  to  blame, 

If  we  pass  some  resolutions  when  we  diej 
As  our  hair  is  turning  gray. 
We  may  not  have  long  to  stay^ 
When  we  have  to  go  away, 

Let  us  hope  we'll  find  as  good  a  place  on  high. 


TRIP  TO  CALIFORNIA  VIA  NICARAGUA 


BY  J.   M.  STEWART, 


[Read  before  the  Los  Angeles  County  Pioneers,  Feb.^  19C2*] 

It  was  on  the  morning  of  an  October  day  in  1865,  with  my 
wife  and  daug;hter,  we  took  passage  on  the  steamer  Santiago 
de  Cuba,  via  the  Nicaragua  route  for  San  Francisco.  The  sev- 
eral forts  at  the  entrance  of  New  York  harbor  present  a  bold 
and  warlike  appearance^  as  viewed  from  the  deck  of  a  passing 
steamer.  In  less  than  two  hours  after  leaving  the  dock  a  call 
for  tickets  was  made,  and  among  the  passengers  was  a  young 
lady  who  told  her  story  in  this  wise:  Said  she  came  from 
Massachusetts,  expecting  to  meet  a  neighbor  of  hers,  accom- 
panied by  his  wife,  with  whom  she  had  previously  entrusted  her 
money.  But  not  meeting  them  at  the  hotel  as  she  expected, 
had  come  on  board  the  ship  to  look  for  them.  Here  she  was, 
W'ithout  money  or  friends.  The  officers  of  the  ship  said  they 
would  have  taken  her  through  and  given  her  letters  of  recom- 
mendation to  officers  on  the  Pacific  side,  if  they  could  have  be- 
lieved her  story.  Shortly  after,  our  boat  stopped  to  discharge 
the  pilot,  and  this  lady,  whether  worthy  or  other\vise,  was  com- 
pelled to  enter  the  small  boat  with  him.  when  they  were  con- 
veyed on  board  a  steamer  which  was  in  waiting,  and  taken 
directly  back  to  New  York. 

Having  now  got  outside  the  harbor,  our  l>oat  glides  more 
r.oidly  over  the  smooth  surface  of  the  water,  and  the  distatit 
J^-sey  shore*  as  it  becomes  more  indistinct,  with  the  high  tow- 
ers of  the  great  city,  the  broad  expanse  of  waters  on  either  side, 
together  with  the  approach  of  a  beautiful  sunset,  render  the 
scene  worthy  to  be  transferred  to  canvas. 

Our  course  was  a  southwesterly  direction,  along  the  west- 
erly coast  of  Cuba,  only  a  few  miles  distant.  How  very  differ- 
ent were  our  feelings  now  as  to  safety  from  what  they  were  a 
year  previous  while  traveling  over  these  same  waters,  on  our 
way  to  New  York  by  the  Panama  route!  Then  our  beloved 
country  was  in  the  throes  of  a  mighty  civil  war.  Privateers 
were  supposed  to  be  at  any  point  on  the  Atlnntic  waters,  and 


^84 


PIONIiERS   OF    LOS    ANGELES   COUNTY 


the  Panama  steamers  were  known  lo  carry  large  amounts  of 
treasure  (for  no  overland  road  was  then  completed),  and  it  was 
feared  these  privateers  might  attack  the  steamers  returning 
from  California.  At  any  rate*  as  we  were  leaving  the  Caribeaa 
sea  on  the  afternoon  of  a  southern  summer  day,  a  steamer  was 
sighted  following  in  our  track,  and  apparently  gaining  on  us 
rapidly.  Our  captain  gave  orders  for  all  steam  to  be  used  that 
could  be  done  with  safety,  and  it  was  easy  to  see  our  good  ship 
was  goinf'  at  a  more  rapid  rate  than  usual  towards  her  destined 
port.  We  had  nothing  to  do  but  \\'atch  the  craft,  whatever 
she  might  be,  and  speculate  on  what  would  be  our  fate  if  over- 
taken.  The  sumnilng*up  of  the  opinions  of  the  many  passen- 
gers was  numerous  and  various.  Soon  as  it  became  dark  all 
the  lights  above  the  water  line  were  turned  down,  the  course  of 
the  ship  changed  to  nearly  a  right  angle,  and  the  evening  spent 
in  utter  darkness.  The  morning  sun  found  us  on  our  regular 
course  with  no  other  ship  in  sight,  and  we  all  felt  relieved.  Now 
the  cruel  war  was  over,  and  peace  reigned  throughout  our  bor- 
ders. 

Our  captain  had  made  the  trip  to  and  from  Aspinwall  many 
times,  but  this  was  his  first  trip  to  Greytown.  By  carefully 
studying  his  charts  he  took  us  safely  into  port  in  eight  days. 
Here  we  were  transierred  to  a  small  steamer,  which  was  to  take 
us  up  the  San  Juan  river  to  Lake  Nicaragua.  We  were  very 
comfortably  housed  on  the  ocean  steamer,  but  when  you  come 
to  put  600  passengers  on  a  boat  less  than  one-fourth  the  size 
of  the  formter»  you  can  make  your  calculations  there  was  not 
much  vacant  space,  A  portion  of  the  way  along  this  river, 
which  is  the  outlet  for  the  waters  of  Lake  Nicaragua,  is  low 
and  marshy,  but  most  of  it,  if  properly  cleared,  looked  like  good 
farming  land. 

The  vegetation  and  scenery  it  would  be  hard  to  excel  any- 
where: and  the  climate  is  said  to  be  very  healthy.  It  h  no 
more  like  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  than  day  is  like  night.  Ban- 
anas seem  to  grow  spontaneously  all  along  the  river,  but  no  doubt 
would  do  much  better  by  proper  cultivation.  Vines  of  various 
kinds  hang  from  the  tall  trees,  making  an  impenetrable  thicket, 
and  covered  with  bright  flowers,  with  every  color  of  the  rain- 
bow- During  the  day  some  of  the  passengers  amused  them- 
selves and  others  by  shooting  aUigators  as  they  lay  sunning 
themselves  in  the  sand  on  the  banks. 

The  day  passed  quickly,  for  the  country  was  so  unlike  any- 


TRIP    TO    CALIFORNIA    VIA    NICARAGUA 


285 


thing  we  had  ever  before  seen,  it  was  very  interesting.  As 
night  came  on,  inquiry  was  made  about  sleeping  accomnioda- 
tions»  especially  for  the  ladies.  But  it  was  &eH-€vident  that  so 
small  a  boat  could  not  accommodate  the  number  of  passengers 
she  was  carrying^,  except  in  an  upright  position.  So  a  few  of  us 
who  ha  1  become  acquainted  while  on  the  ocean  steamer,  got 
together  amidships  for  a  sociol  hour,  more  or  less*  which  finally 
led  into  story-telling,  on  any  subject  whatever;  several  gave 
their  experiences  of  hatr-breadth  escapes,  or  told  us  of 
some  love  affair,  whether  true  or  false  it  mattered  not,  so 
long  as  it  amused  and  helped  to  pass  away  the  time  and  keep 
us  wide  awake. 

The  few  who  first  gathered  there,  by  12  o'clock  had  in- 
creased to  hundreds,  and  better  order  \v^s  never  observed  in 
any  Quaker  meetinp"  than  during  the  small  hours  of  that  night 
on  the  San  Juan  river.  One  of  these  stories  I  remember  in  par- 
ticular, and  as  it  is  short  I  will  here  relate  it.  It  was  told  by  a 
njiddle-a^ed  man,  a  doctor  of  medicine,  who,  with  his  wife  and 
family,  was  making  his  first  trip  to  California.  He  commenced 
by  saying  his  story  was  of  ancient  origin  and  would  be  on  the 
subject  of  political  economy.  He  went  on  for  several  minutes 
before  he  got  down  to  the  real  stor>\  causing  us  to  believe  we 
were  to  hear  something  instructive,  if  not  amusing,  for  he  was 
knowti  to  be  an  educated  gentleman.    And  this  was  his  story: 

Jack  Spratt  could  eat  no  fat; 
His  wife  could  eat  no  lean;  * 

Between  them  both  Ihey  * 

Licked  the  platter  clean. 

Daylight  found  us  still  entertaining  one  another,  when  it 
was  announced  we  were  nearing  the  greatest  rapids  on  the  river, 
(the  name  of  which  I  have  forgotten).  The  company  broke  up 
to  go  and  see  how  the  boat  could  climb  the  rapid  current.  A 
large  cable  was  anchored  on  shore  and  attached  to  the  engine. 
In  two  hours'  time  we  were  in  comparatively  still  water. 

Here  is  where  most  of  the  locks  will  be  required  when  the 
Nicaragua  canal  is  built,  as  we  all  hope  it  soon  will  be.  After 
one  night  and  two  days  on  the  river  we  reached  Lake  Nicar- 
agua, a  beautiful  sheet  of  water,  surrounded  by  low  rolling  hills. 
Crossed  over  by  daylight  on  a  steamer  Which  accommodated  all 
our  passengers  without  a  murmur.  Twelve  miles  bv  stage  took 
us  to  San  Juan  del  Sur  on  the  Pacific, 


286 


PIONEERS   OF    LOS    ANGELES   COUNTY 


This  was  a  most  imeresting-  ride  over  a  good  mountain  road, 
or  what  we  in  California  would  call  foothills.  The  native  pop- 
ulation were  numerous  at  certain  points  on  the  road,  offering 
their  fniits,  wares  and  curios  for  sale.  Passed  jnany  acres  of 
pineapple  and  bananas,  apparently  under  a  good  state  of  culti- 
vation, in  rows  as  straight  a5  our  orange  orchards  in  Southern 
California. 

On  our  arrival  at  San  Juan  the  connecting  steamer  had  not 
arrived,  but  next  day  she  made  her  appearance,  and  we  were 
soon  on  board.  On  the  followintf  day  she  v\ias  ready  for  her 
departure  north.  As  is  known  to  many  of  you,  we  are  in  plain 
view  of  the  coast  most  of  the  way  up;  only  at  one  pomt  are 
we  out  of  sight  of  land — while  crossing  the  Gulf  of  Califoniia. 

When  the  ship's  doctor  was  making  his  daily  rounds  on  the 
fourth  day,  he  found  a  very  sick  man  in  the  steerage,  whose 
disease  he  at  once  pronounced  to  be  confluent  smallpox.  The 
captain's  cow  was  at  once  hustled  out  of  her  comfortable  berth 
and  tied  to  a  stanchion  alongside  the  dining  tables  of  the  steer- 
age passengers,  and  the  poor  unfortunate  fellow  placed  therein. 
But  it  was  the  safest  place  for  him  and  the  other  pasengers,  to 
be  found  on  board. 

Five  days  later  sometime  during  the  night,  he  died,  and 
was  buried  at  sea.  Everything  in  the  shape  of  bedding  was 
put  into  the  furnace,  and  the  room  thoroughly  fumigated.  In 
the  morning  the  cow  \vas  back  in  her  former  pen.  and  the  num- 
ber of  passengers  was  one  less.  Whether  any  one  contracted 
the  disease  or  not.  \ve  never  knew.  Tliere  was  also  a  birth  on 
board — a  child  was  born,  whose  young  life  went  out  in  a  few 
hours,  when  the  captain  ordered  it  to  be  buried,  but  out  of  re- 
spect for  the  feelings  of  the  mother,  the  little  body  was  kept  for 
two  days  and  buried  on  Mexican  soil. 

Fourteen  days  on  the  Pacific  brought  us  into  San  Francisco. 
nraking  twenty-eight  from  New  York. 


WILLIAM  WOLFSKILL,  THE  PIONEER 

[Read  June  23.  1902.] 

BY  H.  D.  BARROWS. 

Of  that  notable  group  of  American  pioneers  who  arrived  in 
Los  Angeles  about  the  year  1830,  and  who  afterwards  became 
permanent  and  influential  citizens  of  this  then  almost  exclu- 
sively Spanish-speaking  province,  I  have  already  presented  the 
Historical  Society  with  brief  sketches  of  John  Temple,  Abel 
Steams  and  J,  J^  Warner;  and  I  now  propose  to  give  some  ac- 
count of  WilUam  WolfskilL  Mn  Wolfskill  was  born  in  Madi- 
son county,  Kentucky,  March  20,  1798,  and  was  reared  from 
the  age  of  eleven  to  twenty-one,  in  wihat  is  now  Howard  county, 
Missouri,  but  which  then  was  in  the  heart  of  the  Indian  country. 
The  Indians  of  that  region  during  the  War  of  1812  were  so 
bafi  that  the  settlers  had  to  carry  their  fire-arms  at  the  plow 
and  to  he  unceasingly  on  their  guard,  night  and  day- 
After  the  w^ar^  in  1815,  William  went  back  to  Kentucky  to 
attend  school  In  1822,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four,  he  started 
out  in  the  world  on  his  own  account  to  seek  his  fortune,  to 
penetrate  still  farther  into  the  far  West,  and  to  find  "a  better 
country"  in  which  to  settle. 

With  a  party  under  a  Captain  Becknell,  he  went  to  Santa 
Fe.  New  Mexico.  He  spent  the  summer  of  1822,  at  Santa  Fe. 
and  in  the  fall  enjTaged  in  trapping  beaver.  He  went  down  the 
Rio  Grande  to  El  Paso  clel  Norte  in  January,  1823. 

He  was  accompanied  on  this  trip  by  a  single  companion,  a 
New  Mexican,  w:ho  had  trapped  beaver  wath  him  the  fall  before. 
They  caught  what  beaver  they  could  as  they  proceeded  down 
the  river.  The  weather  was  cold,  the  ground  being  covered 
with  snow;  and  to  protect  themselves  from  the  cold  they  built 
a  small  brusii  house 

Within  this,  with  a  fire  in  front,  they  could  lie  down  and 
keep  warm.  One  night  (the  27tli  of  January,  1823)  Mr,  Wolf- 
skill  waked  up  and  saw  that  the  New  Mexican  had  built  a  big 
fire  at  the  door;  hut  he  thought  nothing  of  it,  and  dropped 
asleep  again.  But  some  time  after  he  w^^as  aroused  to  con- 
sciousness by  receiving  a  rifle  ball  in  his  breast.     He  jumped 


288 


PIONEERS   OF    LOS    AKCELES    COUKTV 


up  and  rushed  outside,  where  he  stumbled  and  fell,  and  although 
it  was  moonlight  he  saw  no  one.  He  had  first  reached  for  his 
rifle,  which  had  been  lying  beside  him.  but  that  was  gone,  only 
the  shot-pouch  remaining. 

Supposing  that  maraxjding  Indians  had  shot  him  and  killed 
his  companion,  who  was  missing,  he  thought  it  was  all  over 
with  him.  At  first  he  believed  himself  mortally  w^ounded,  which 
doubtless  he  w^ould  have  been  had  not  the  hall  been  retarded 
by  passing  through  his  blankets  and  also  through  his  right 
arm  and  left  hand,  his  arms  having  been  folded  across  his  breast 
while  asleep. 

He  was  able  to  rise  again,  and  he  started  back  on  foot  for 
the  nearest  Spanish  settlement,  called  Valverde  (Green  Va'V^-*i 
twenty  or  twenty-five  miles  distant,  where  a  small  military  force 
was  stationed,  and  where  he  finally  arrived  late  the  next  morn- 
ing, well-nigh  exhausted — cold,  faints  and  weak,  from  the  loss 
of  blood.  He  went  to  the  Alcalde,  who  made  the  matter  known 
to  the  guard. 

Meantime,  who  should  make  his  appearance  but  the  New 
Mexican,  who  reported  that  he  had  been  attacked  by  Indians, 
and  that  his  partner  (Mr.  Wolfskill)  was  killed.  But  he  was 
considerably  astonished  to  learn  that  Mr.  Wolfskill  had  got 
in  before  him. 

He  was  compelled  to  eo  back  with  the  soldiers  at  once 
(much  against  his  will),  and  show  them  w^here  Mr.  Wolfskill 
had  been  shot. 

There  they  found,  in  the  snow,  the  footprints  of  the  two 
trappers,  and  none  others. 

The  New  Mexican  had  told  the  soldiers  that  the  Indians 
shot  Mr.  Wolfskill  and  had  taken  the  gim,  etc,  and  that  he  (the 
New  Mexican)  had  shot  several  arrows  at  them.  No  signs  of 
Indians  were  discovered,  and  of  the  arrows  he  had  been  known 
to  have  had  beforehand,  none  were  found  missing. 

They  took  him  back  to  Valverde  bound,  and  kept  him  con- 
fined several  days,  where  he  came  near  being  frozen.  He  fin- 
ally promised  to  go.  and  did  go,  and  show  them  where  the  gun 
was  Hidden.  He  then  pretended  that  he  had  shot  Mr.  Wolf- 
skill accidentally,  not  being  used  to  the  hair-trigger  of  the  rifle. 
He  got  on  his  knees,  and  opening  his  shirt,  bared  his  breast  and 
asked  Mr.  Wolfskill  to  take  his  life,  if  he  had  wronged  him.  etc. 

Bnt  the  evidence  was  too  strong  to  be  evaded,  or  to  be 
explained,  except  by  his  guilt. 

He  was  examined  by  the  Alcalde,  who  ordered  htm  to  be 


WILLIAM    WOLFSKILL,    THE    PIONEER 


289 


sent  off  to  the  Governor  of  New  Mexico,  at  Santa  Fc,  for  trial. 
But  Mexican  fashion— is  it  not  sometimes  also  an  American 
fashion? — his  punishment  was  delayed,  and  he  was  kept  going 
back  and  forward,  under  escort,  between  Valverde  and  Santa 
Fe;  and  at  last,  as  Mr  Wolfskill  afterwards  learned,  he  was 
turned  loose — a  denouenient  which  in  similar  cases  has  been 
known  to  happen  i]i  the  United  States. 

What  motive  the  New  Mexican  could  have  had  for  thus 
shooting-  his  companion.  Mr.  Wolfskill  never  could  imagine, 
unless  possibly  it  was  for  the  sake  of  the  old  ritie,  for  that  was 
about  all  Mr.  Wolfskill  had  in  the  world,  except  a  few  old  beaver 
traps;  and  there  existed  no  enmity  between  them.  They  had 
never  had  any  quarrel,  or  any  cause  for  quarrel, 

But  an  old  Mexican — a  g'ood-hearted  man,  with  whom  they 
had  once  stopped,  up  the  river — had  warned  Mr.  Wolfskill  to 
be  on  his  guard  aga-inst  that  man,  "for/'  said  he,  '*he  -is  a  bad 
man," 

For  so  little  cause,  or  for  no  cause  at  alK  other  than  the 
ir.stincts  of  a  deviltsh  heart,  will  some  men  attempt  mnrden 

Mr.  Wolfskill  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  loss  of  blood,  and 
his  nearly  freezing  in  that  long  tramp  to  the  settlement,  saved 
his  life.  The  ball  did  not  penetrate  his  breast-bone,  and  was 
soon  afterwards  extracted.  He  bore  the  marks  of  the  wounds 
on  his  person  to  his  dyin^  day.  In  fact,  it  is  a  question  if 
they  were  not  the  remote  origin  of  the  (heart)  disease  of  which 
he  died,  although  his  death  o<:curred  many  years  after  those 
ghastly  wounds  were  received. 

If  this  society  could  gather  the  multitudinous  and  exciting 
episodes  of  hair-breadth  escapes  of  each  one  of  the  adventurous 
pioneers  who  came  to  this  distant  land,  either  overland  or  by 
water,  the  collection  would  be  unique  In  variety  and  interest  as 
well  as  in  permanent  historical  value. 

Mr.  Wolfskill  returned  to  Santa  Fe,  and  about  Christmas 
he  went  to  Taos.  In  1824  he.  with  others,  fitted  out  a  trapping 
expedition  for  the  head-waters  of  the  Colorado,  or  the  Rio 
Grande  of  the  West,  as  it  was  then  called,  returning  to  Taos 
in  June,  Soon  after,  with  a  Captain  Owens  and  party,  he  went 
to  Chihuahua  to  buy  horses  and  mules  to  take  to  Louisiana. 
With  many  adventures,  and  with  the  loss  of  many  of  their  ani- 
mals by  attacks  of  hostile  Indians,  Mr.  Wolfskill  finally  returned 
by  way  of  the  Mexican  settlements,  to  avoid  the  Indians  along 
the  Gulf,  and  up  the  Mississippi,  to  his  father's  home,  where  he 
arrived  in  ill  healthy  June»  1825.     Thus  ended  his  first  expedi- 


290 


PIONEERS    OF    LOS    ANGELES    COUNTY 


lion  westward,  be  having  been  gone  something  over  three  years, 
and  having  penetrated  as  far  as  the  tributaries  of  our  great 
Colorado  River  on  the  Pacific  Slope. 

He  soon,  however,  left  for  Natchitoches,  where  Belcher  had 
promised  to  meet  him  on  the  Fourth  of  July  of  that  year,  with 
the  mules  of  Capt*  Owens,  who  had  been  killed  in  an  attack  by 
the  Indians  near  the  Presidio  del  Norte  in  November  of  the 
previous  year.  These  mules  were  to  be  taken  East  by  Mr.  Wolf- 
skill  and  sold  for  the  benefit  of  Capt.  Owens'  family.  The  latter 
were  near  neighbors  of  his  father  and  they  had  authorized  bini 
to  act  as  their  agent.  Not  finding  Beldier  at  Natchitoches  at 
the  time  agreed  upon,  he  traveled  on  west  to  San  Felipe,  where 
he  found  Belcher. 

Mr.  Wolfskin  took  charge  of  the  mules,  and  proceeded  with 
them  across  Louisiana  and  Mississippi  to  Greenborough,  Ala- 
bama, where  he  wintered  and  sold  the  animals.  In  March,  1826, 
he  left  by  way  of  Mobile  and  New  Orleans  and  the  Mississippi 
river^  for  his  home  in  Missouri  to  make  returns  to  the  family  of 
Capt,  Owens*  Here  he  found  Capt.  Young  with  whom  he  first 
went  to  Santa  Fe,  in  1822,  and  with  whom  he  had  trapped  on 
the  Rio  Pecos  and  the  Rio  Grande  of  the  West,  etc.,  and  en- 
gaged with  him,  after  a  brief  stop  at  home,  to  go  again  to  Santa 
Fe.  Arrived  there,  Yoimg  was  taken  sick,  and  he  hired  Mr, 
Wolfskin  to  go  with  a  party  (Sublette,  Peg-Leg  Smith,  etc., 
being  of  the  number),  that  he.  Young,  had  fitted  out  to  trap  on 
the  ^v-aters  of  the  Rio  Gila.  The  party  being  only  eleven  men 
strong,  was  attacked  by  Indians  and  driven  back  to  Taos. 
Young  soon  after  started  out  with  about  thirty  men  for  the 
same  place,  where  he  chastised  the  Indians,  so  that  his  party 
were  enabled  to  trap  unmolested. 

During  the  winter.  1826-7,  in  company  with  Wm.  and  Rob- 
ert Carson,  Talbot,  and  others,  Mn  Wolfskil!  made  a  trip  from 
Santa  Fe  to  Sonora.  to  buy  work -mules,  mares,  etc..  to  take 
back  to  Missouri.  He  was  at  Oposura,  Arispe  and  other  towns 
in  Ihe  northern  part  of  that  State.  Taltot  and  himself  gath- 
ered about  200  animals  and  started  back  with  them  by  way  of 
Taos:  but  they  lost  all  but  twenty-seven  of  them  by  the  Indians. 
With  these  they  finally  arrived  at  Independence  a  little  before 
Christmas,  Most  of  this  winter  he  spent  at  home,  only  making 
a  short  visit  to  Kentucky  on  business  for  his  father. 

The  next  Spring.  1828.  he  left  home  finally — never  after  re- 
turning thither  He  bought  a  team  and  started  with  goods  on 
bis  own  account  for  Santa  Fe.    There  were  about  too  wagons 


WILLIAM    WOLFSKILL,    THE   PIONEER 


291 


(in  two  companies),  which  went  out  at  the  same  time.  On  ar- 
rival at  Santa  Fe  he  sold  his  goods  to  his  old  friend.  Young, 
wiho  had  returned  from  his  Gila  expedition.  Some  time  after, 
Young,  with  whom  he  had  formed  a  co-partnership,  made  an- 
other trip  to  the  Gila*  while  Mr.  Wolfskin  went  to  Paso  del 
Norte  after  a  lot  of  wines,  brandy,  panoche.  etc.,  which  he 
brought  up  to  Taos  in  the  spring  of  1829.  He  remained  in  Taos 
the  balance  of  this  year^  waiting  the  return  of  Young,  who,  it 
seems*  had  come  on  into  California, 

In  1830,  as  soon  as  the  trading  companies  from  the  States 
got  in,  which  was  not  till  Jiuly,  MnVVoIfskil]  got  ready  himself 
for  an  expedition  to  Cahfornia  to  hunt  beaver,,  expecting  to  find 
Young  somewhere  in  the  comitry. 

Of  the  company  of  twenty-txvo  or  twenty-three  men,  of 
which  Mr,  WoUskill  was  the  leader,  which  started  for  California 
at  this  time,  Messrs,  Branch,  Burton,  Yount.  Shields,  Ham  and 
Cooper  remained  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  whilst  the  bal- 
ance, soon  after  their  arrival  in  California,  generally  returned  to 
New  Mexico  or  to  the  United  States.  Probably  not  one  of  this 
pioneer  band  is  now  living.  Shields  and  Ham  died  soon  after 
arrival  in  the  country,  and  the  others  all  died  now  many  years 
ago:  Yotmt  in  Napa,  Branch  in  San  Luis  Obtspo.  Cooper  in 
Santa  Barbara,  and  Young  in  Oregon. 

The  party  had  intended  to  reach  the  Tulare  and  Sacramento 
valleys  to  make  a  winter  and  spring  hunt.  For  this  purpose 
they  obtained  a  license  from  the  Governor  of  New  Mexico. 
Winter  compelled  them  to  turn  south,  and  they  reached  Los  An- 
geles in  February,  1831.  Here  the  party  broke  up — being 
mostly  without  means.  Some  members  fitted  out  with  what 
guns,  traps,  etc,  there  were  left,  and  went  to  hunting  otter  on 
the  coast*  Very  few  of  the  disbanded  party  had  any  intention 
of  stopping  in  California  permanently.  But  they  must  do  some- 
thing to  enable  them  to  ^et  away. 

Mr  Wolfskin  with  several  others  went  to  work  and  built  a 
schooner  at  San  Pedro,  with  which  to  hunt  otter  among  the 
neighboring  islands.  The  timber  was  cut  in  the  mountains  and 
hauled  a  hundred  miles  or  more  to  San  Pedro.  The  schooner 
was  named  the  "Refugio,"  and  was  larger  than  some  of  the  fieet 
of  Columbus. 

[  At  that  time  no  one  was  permitted  to  hunt  fine-furred  ani- 

I  mals  within  the  jurisdiction  of  Mexico  unless  he  held  a  license 

I  from  the  Governor  of  a  State  or  Territory,     In  New  Mexico 

I  the  provincial  name  of  beaver  is  nutria  (otter).    From  ignorance, 


292 


PIONEERS  OF   LOS    ANGELES   COUNTY 


or  more  l-ikely  carelessness,  on  the  part  of  the  Governor  or  of 
his  secretary,  the  license  of  Mr.  Wolfskill  to  hunt  beaver  (cas- 
tor) was  written  nutria.  By  this  inadvertence  of  the  New  Mexi- 
can officers,  Mr,  Wolfskill  was  possessed  of  a  license  to  hunt  the 
highly-prized  sea  otter,  which  license  he  could  not  have  obtained 
from  tile  then  Governor  of  California,  A  strong  objection  was 
made  by  the  officers  here  against  the  validity  of  a  hcense  given 
by  the  Governor  of  New  Mexico;  but  through  the  interposition 
of  Father  Sanchez,  who  was  at  that  time  a  power  in  the  land, 
the  objections  were  overcome.  With  this  schooner,  the  "i^e- 
fugio/'  Mr.  Wolfskin  and  his  party  hunted  along  the  coast  of 
Baja  California  as  far  south  as  Cerros  or  Cedros  Island.  They 
had  indifferent  luck,  and  this  was  about  the  only  trip  they  made 
with  her;  and  they  afterwards  sold  her  to  a  Captain  Hinkley, 
who  took  her  to  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

Mr.  Wolfskin  then  directed  his  attention  to  vineyarding  and 
to  general  horticulture,  which  he  followed  with  great  success 
till  his  death,  which  occurred  October  3,  1866,  It  was  not» 
however,  till  some  years  after  his  arrival,  that  he  finally  made  up 
his  mind  to  settle  in  the  country.  He  bought  and  moved  onto 
his  homestead  vineyard  (now  known  as  the  W^olfskill  Orchard 
Tract),  in  March.  1838,  with  his  brother  John,  who  came  10 
California  the  preceding  year.  The  growth  of  the  city  compelled 
the  dividing  up  of  his  extensive  orchards,  situated  as  they  were 
near  the  heart  of  the  city,  some  fourteen  years  since,  and  the 
old  house  which  he  built  more  than  sixty  years  ago.  and  around 
which,  to  so  many  persons,  both  living  and  dead  (for  he  always 
had  a  large  number  of  people  in  his  family),  so  many,  many 
pleasant  associations  and  remembrances  have  clung,  is  now  be- 
ing demolished. 

Mr.  Wolfskin  married  Magdalena,  daughter  of  Don  Jos^ 
Ygnacio  Lugo  and  Dona  Rafaela  Romero  Lugo,  of  Santa  Bar- 
bara, in  January.  184 1.  by  whom  he  had  six  children,  three  of 
whom  are  still  living,  namely,  Joseph  W,  Wolfskill,  Mrs.  Fran- 
cisca  W.  de  Shepherd,  and  Mrs.  Magdalena  W.  de  Sabichi. 
Of  grandchildren  there  i>s  a  goodly  number.  Mrs.  Woifskill  died 
in  1862,  the  eledest  daughter.  Juana,  in  1863,  and  Luis,  the 
youngest  son,  in  1884. 

In  the  year  1841  Mr.  Woifskill  planted  an  orange  orchard, 
the  second  in  California,  the  first  being  planted  by  the  Mission 
Friars  at  San  Gabriel. 

In  ihe  same  year  (1841)  he  went  to  the  upper  country  to 
look  for  a  ranch  on  the  then  public  domain.     He  selected  lands 


WTLLUM    WOLFSKILL,    THE   PIONEER 


393 


lying  on  both  sides  of  Putah  creek  (now  in  Yolo  and  Solano 
counties),  and  the  next  year  he  obtainetl  a  grant  from  Governor 
Alvarado  in  his  own  name»  of  four  square  leagues.  His  brother 
John  took  up  stock  to  put  on  the  rancho  in  1842,  The  latter 
lived  on  the  rancho  thereafter  till  his  death,  receiving  one-half 
of  the  same.  Of  the  five  brothers  Wolfskill  who  as  pioneers  set- 
tled in  California,  only  one.  Mr.  Milton  Wolfskill,  is  now  living 
in  Los  Angeles  at  an  advanced  age. 

After  the  old  Padres,  William  Wolfskill  and  Don  Louis 
Vignes  may  be  called  the  pioneer  growers  of  citrus  fruits  in 
California,  a  business  which  is  now  worth  many  millions  of  dol- 
lars to  the  people  of  California,  and  especially  to  the  people  of 
Southern  California- 
William  Wolfskin,  who  was  of  German-Irish  ancestr)%  had 
a  strong  physical  constitution  and  an  immense  amount  of  vital 
energy.  During  his  long  and  useful  life  he  saw  a  great  deal 
of  the  world  and  picked  up  not  a  httle  of  hard,  sound  sense.  He 
was  an  extensive  reader,  and  being  possessed  of  a  xvonderftilly 
retentive  memory,  he  gained  a  store  of  information  on  most 
subjects  of  practical  human  interest  that  would  not  have  shamed 
those  who  have  had  a  more  liberal  education,  and  who  may  have 
passed  their  lives  with  books,  instead  of  on  the  frontier. 

He  was  a  man  of  no  mere  professions:  What  he  was,  he 
was,  without  any  pretense. 

In  religion  he  believed  in  the  teachings  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment,  and,  at  the  last,  he  received  the  consolations  of  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  church.  But  in  all  things  he  loved  those  prime 
qualities  of  human  character,  simplicity  and  sincenty.  He 
was  one  of  that  large  number,  of  whom  there  are  some  in  all 
churches,  and  more  in  the  great  church  of  outsiders,  who  be- 
lieve that  a  loyal,  honest  heart  and  a  good  life,  are  the  best 
preparation  for  death.  He  was  disposed,  to  as  great  an  extent 
as  any  man  whom  I  ever  knew,  to  always  place  a  charitable 
construction  on  the  acts  and  words  and  motives  of  others.  He 
believed  (and  acted  as  thongh  he  believed)  that  there  ts  no  room 
in  this  world  for  malice, 

William  Wolfskill  was  one  of  the  very  few  Americans  or 
foreigners,  who  came  to  California  in  early  times,  who  never, 
as  I  firmly  believe,  advised  the  native  Californians  to  their  hurt, 
or  took  advantage  of  the  lack  of  knowledge  of  the  latter  of 
American  law,  or  of  the  English  language,  to  benefit  themselves 
at  the  expense  of  the  Californians.  As  a  consequence,  the 
names  of  *'Don  Guillern^o"   Wolfskill  and  a  very  few  other 


294 


PIONEERS   OF    LOS    ANGELES   COUNTY 


Americans  of  the  olden  time,  were  almost  worshipped  by  the 
former  generation  of  "hijos  del  pais/'  who  spoke  only  the  Span- 
ish lang^uage,  and  who,  therefore,  in  many,  many  important 
matters,  needed  honest  and  disinterested  advice, 

Mr.  Wolfskin  was  one  of  the  most  sociable  of  men.  In  his 
interconrse  with  others  he  was  direct,  and  sometimes  blunt  and 
brusque;  but  in  the  language  of  Lamartine,  "Bluntness  is  the 
etiquette  of  sincerity." 

In  reality  he  had  one  of  the  kindest  of  hearts.  Finally,  in 
honesty,  and  in  most  of  the  sterling  qualities  that  are  accounted 
the  base  of  true  manhood,  he  had  few  superiors, 

I  should  add  that  most  of  the  above  facts  of  Mr.  WolfskiU's 
life — and  especially  the  account  of  the  building  of  the  first  ves- 
sel or  schooner,  the  "Refugio,"  at  San  Pedro,  about  which  con- 
flicting versions  have  been  promulgated — were  derived  directly 
from  his  own  lips  in  1866;  and  therefore  they  may  be  depended 
upon  as  authentic. 

In  conclusion  I  am  permitted  to  quote  the  following  com- 
ments, in  verse,  on  the  foregoing  paper,  by  Miss  Gertrude  Dar- 
!ow.  a  talented  member  of  the  staff  of  the  Los  Angeles  Public 
Library : 


"It  is  from  sturdy,  stalwart  sons  Mk^  this 

Our  State  has  reared  its  splendid  edifice; 

Men  who  explored  life's  hard   and   dangerous  ways, 

Who  'scorned  delights  and  lived  laborious  days.' 

The  stirring  incidents  oi  such  careers. 

Their  toils  and  !>tnisgles,  varying  hopes  and  fcars^ 

Tenacious  courage,  honesty  and  pride ; — 

By  a|]  of  these  our  past  ts  glorified  I 

II. 

"Now,  on  the  ground  tlietr  rugged  virtues  won, 
T*is  ours  Eo  forward  what  was  ttell  begun. 
Cities  have  risen  where  they  planted  tree*. 
Old  land-marks  vani&h.    But  the  names  of  these 
Brave  Pioticers,  ah  let  us  not  forget: 
Time  cannot  cancel^  nor  we  pay  the  debt 
We  owe  to  lives  so  simple  and  sincere. 
Whose  memories  we  should  cherish  and  revere," 


PIONEERS  ADS  AND  ADVERTISERS 


BY  J,  M.  GUINN. 


About  three  thousand  years  agOj  Solomon,  King  of  Israel, 
remarked  that  there  is  nothing  new  under  the  sun.  Solomon 
had  the  reputation  of  being  a  wise  man.  No  doubt  he  was. 
With  700  wives  to  keep  him  posted,  he  certainly  ought  to  have 
been  "up  to  date."  Our  inordinate  conceit  -inclines  us  to  be- 
lieve Solomon  somewhat  of  a  back  number  and  his  sayings  out 
of  date,  just  as  the  Native  Sons  are  inclined  to  regard  the  Pio- 
neers as  a  little  slow  and  their  old  yarns  ancient  history. 

Self  conceit  is  perhaps  the  most  dominant  characteristic  of 
the  present  age.  We  pride  ourselves  on  our  wonderful  achieve- 
ments and  draw  invidious  comparisons  between  the  progressive 
present  and  the  benighted  past.  And  yet  it  -may  be  possible 
that  in  the  progress  of  the  race  for  the  past  five  or  six  thousand 
years  there  may  have  been  more  arts  and  inventions  lost  than 
ue  now  possess. 

Before  the  Christian  era  the  Phoenicians  made  maleable 
glasSt  yet  with  all  our  wonderful  discoveries  in  chemistry  we 
have  never  yet  been  able  to  weld  a  broken  pane.  No  modem 
artist  has  ever  been  able  to  make  such  permanent  or  so  bright 
colors  as  the  ancient  painters  used. 

It  !S  supposed  that  the  original  Argonaut,  Jason,  came 
home  from  Ithica  on  a  steamboat.  His  vessel  had  neither  oars 
nor  sails  to  propel  it.  Tlie  remains  of  a  railroad  have  been 
found  among  the  ruins  of  Thebes.  The  Panama  ship  canal  is 
just  now  one  of  the  burning  issues  before  Congress.  An  Isth- 
mian canal  is  regarded  as  such  a  wonderful  undertaking  that  it 
has  taken  the  progressive  nations  of  the  world  fifty  years  to 
talk  about  it  before  beginning  to  dig,  yet  Egypt,  5,000  years 
ago.  dug  a  canal  deepen  broader  and  longer  than  the  Panama 
ditch  will  be  when  Congress  gets  through  talking  about  it  and 
some  country  digs  it. 

The  crime  of  '73  was  perpetrated  in  Assyria  four  thousand 
years  before  John  Sherman  or  Wm.  J.  Bryan  were  bom.  and  the 
question  of  the  demonitization  of  silver  was  fought  over  during 
political  campaigns  in  Babylon  years  before  Nebuchadnezer  was 
turned  out  to  grass. 


^ 


PIOKEERS  OP   LOS   ANGELES   COUNTY 


The  discoveries  that  explorers  are  making  among  the  buried 
cities  of  Assyria,  Egypt  and  Greece  reveal  to  us  that  many  of 
our  inventions  are  onlv  the  discovers  of  lost  arts,  and  that  Solo- 
mon  was  about  correct  when  he  remarked  that  there  was  noth- 
ing new  under  the  sun. 

It  would  not  surprise  me  if  some  delver  in  Egyptian  ruins 
discovered  that  that  wonderful  invention,  the  telephone,  was 
known  and  used  in  the  time  of  the  Shepherd  kings  and  that  the 
children  of  Israel  got  the  start  of  Pharaoh  because  the  wires 
were  crossed.  It  may  be  possible  that  some  antiquarian  may 
find  hidden  away  in  an  Egyptian  sarcophagus  the  mummy  of  a 
hallo  girl,  and  when  the  mummy  cloth  has  been  lifted  from  her 
face  she  will  sweetly  lisp,  "'Line's  busy;  hang  up,  please/' 

Now  all  this  may  seem  a  little  foreign  to  my  subject,  but  I 
have  introduced  it  here  to  vindicate  Solomon,  A  man  who 
could  keep  peace  in  a  family  as  large  as  his  was  long  enough  to 
write  a  book  of  proverbs  deserves  our  respect. 

My  subject,  "Pioneer  Ads  and  Advertisers,"  relates  to  the 
advertisers  and  advertisements  in  Los  Angeles  more  than  half 
a  century  ago.  Recently  in  loc4dng  over  some  copies  of  the 
Los  Angeles  Star  of  fifty  years  ago  I  was  amused  and  inter- 
ested by  the  quaint  ways  the  advertisers  of  that  day  advertised 
their  wares  and  other  things.  Department  stores  are  great  ad- 
vertisers and  the  pioneer  department  store  of  Los  Angeles  was 
no  exception.  Its  ad  actually  filled  a  half  column  of  the  old 
Star,  which  was  an  astonishing  display  in  type  for  those  days. 
It  was  not  called  a  department  store  then,  but  I  doubt  whether 
any  of  the  great  stores  of  Chicago  or  New  York  carry  on  so 
many  lines  of  business  as  did  that  general  merchandise  store  that 
was  kept  in  the  adobe  house  on  the  corner  of  Arcadia  and  North 
Main  street  fifty  years  ago.  The  proprietors  of  that  store  were 
our  old  pioneer  friends.  Wheeler  &  Johnson.  The  announce- 
ment of  what  they  had  to  sell  was  prefaced  by  the  following 
philosophical  deductions  which  are  as  true  and  as  applicable  to 
terrestrial  affairs  to  day  as  they  were  half  a  century  ago. 

"Old  things  are  passing  away,"  says  the  ad;  ''behold  all 
things  have  become  new.  Passing  events  impress  us  with  the 
mutability  of  human  affairs.  The  earth  and  its  appiirtenances 
arc  constantly  passing  from  one  phase  to  another.  Change  and 
consequent  progress  is  the  manifest  law  of  destiny.  The  forms 
and  customs  of  the  past  are  become  obsolete  and  new  and  en- 
larged ideas  are  silently  but  swiftly  moulding  terrestrial  matters 
on  a  scale  of  enhanced  magnificence  and  utility. 


PIONEER   ADS    AND  ADVERTISERS 


*Terhaps  no  greater  proof  of  these  propositions  can  be 
adduced  than  the  evident  fact  that  the  old  mercantile  system 
heretofore  pursued  in  this  community  with  its  7x9  stores,  its 
exhorbitant  prices,  its  immense  profits,  its  miserable  assortments 
of  shop-rotten  goods  that  have  descended  from  one  defunct  es- 
tablishment to  another  throug"h  a  series  of  years,  g^reeting;  the 
beholder  at  his  every  turn  as  if  craving  his  (wty  by  a  display  of 
their  forlorn,  .mouldy  and  dusty  appearance.  These  rendered 
venerable  by  ag*e  are  now  considered  relics  and  types  of  the 
past. 

**The  ever  expanding  mind  of  the  public  demands  a  new  state 
of  things.  It  demands  new  goods,  lower  prices,  better  assort- 
ments, and  more  accommodations.  The  people  ask  for  a  suit- 
able consideration  for  their  money  and  they  shall  have  the  same 
at  the  new  and  magnificent  establishment  of 

**WHEELER  &  JOHNSON, 

"in  the  House  of  Don  Abel  Stearns  on  Main  street,  where  they 
have  just  received  $50,000  worth  of  the  best  and  most  desirable 
merchandise  ever  brought  to  the  country." 

Wiien  the  customer  had  been  sufficiently  impressed  by  the 
foregoing  propositions  and  deductions  they  proceed  to  enu- 
merate, and  here  are  a  few  of  the  articles: 

''Groceries,  soap,  oil,  candles,  tobacco,  cigars,  salt,  pipes, 
powder,  shot.  lead.  Provisions,  flour,  bread,  pork,  hams,  bacon, 
sugar,  coflfee.  Dry  Goods,  broadcloths,  cassi  meres,  blankets, 
alpacas,  cambrics,  lawns,  ginghams,  twist,  silks,  satins,  colored 
velvet,  nets,  crepe,  scarlet  bandas.  bonnets,  lace,  collars,  needles, 
pins. 

"Boots,  shoes,  hats,  coats,  pants,  vests,  suits,  cravats,  gloves, 
hosiery, 

"Furniture,  crockery,  glassware,  mirrors,  lamps,  chandaliers, 
agricultural  implements,  hardware,  tools,  cutlery,  house-fur- 
nishing goods,  liquors,  wines,  cigars,  wood  and  w^illow  ware, 
brushes,  trunks,  paints,  oils,  tinware  and  cooking  stoves. 

"Our  object  is  to  break  down  monopoly,*' 

Evidently  their  method  of  breaking  down  monopoly  was  to 
monopolize  the  whole  business  of  the  town. 

When  we  recall  the  fact  that  all  of  this  vast  assortment  was 
stored  in  one  room  and  sold  over  the  same  counter  we  must  ad- 
mire the  dexterity  of  the  salesman  who  could  keep  bacon  and 
lard  from  mixing  with  the  silks  and  sattns.  or  the  paints  and  oils 
from  leaving  their  impress  on  the  broadcloths  and  velvets. 


pioxES&s  OF  vos  AJiGBLes  cotimr 


Ladies'  botmcts  were  kept  in  stock*  The  sales-lady  had  not 
yet  made  her  appearance  in  Ijos  Angles  and  the  sales  gentle- 
utan  £OJd  bonnets,  IxEiagiDC  him  ii^h  from  supplying  a  pur- 
chaser with  a  side  of  bacoo,  fitting  a  boonet  on  the  head  of  a 
lady  customer — giving  it  the  proper  tilt  and  stiddng  the  hat 
pin  into  the  coil  of  her  hair  and  not  into  her  cranium.  Fortun- 
ately for  the  salesman  the  bonnets  of  that  day  were  capacious 
affairs,  tnodded  after  the  prairie  schooner,  ^id  did  not  need 
hat  pins  to  hold  them  on. 

The  old  time  department  store  sales  gentleman  was  a  genius 
in  the  mercantile  line;  he  could  dispose  of  an}thing  from  a  lady's 
lace  collar  to  a  caballada  of  broncos. 

Here  is  the  quaint  ad^^ertiscment  of  oar  Pioneer  barber. 
The  Pioneer  barber  ot  Lx)s  Angeles  was  Peter  Biggs — a  gentle- 
man of  color  who  came  to  the  state  as  a  slave  wnh  his  master, 
but  attained  his  freedom  shortly  after  his  arrival.  He  set  up  a 
hair  cutting  and  shaving  saloon.  The  price  for  hair  cutting  was 
a  dollar — sha^'ing  50  cents.  In  the  Star  of  1853  he  advertises 
a  reduction  of  50  per  cent.  Hair  cutting  50  cents,  shampooing 
50 cents,  shaving  25  cents.  In  addition  to  his  tonsorial  services 
he  advertises  that  he  blacks  boots,  waits  on  and  tends  panics, 
runs  errands,  takes  in  clothes  to  wash,  iron  and  mend;  cuts, 
splits  and  carries  in  wood;  and  in  short  performs  any  work, 
honest  and  respectable,  to  earn  a  genteel  living  and  accommo- 
date his  fellow  creatures.  For  character  he  refers  to  all  the 
gentlemen  in  Los  Angeles.  Think  of  what  a  character  he  must 
have  had. 

Among  the  quaint  advertisements  in  the  old  Star  of  the 
early  50s  is  this  one,  signed  by  Stephen  C.  Foster: 

"The  undersigned  offers  himself  as  a  candidate  for  the  office 
of  Mayor  in  the  election  that  will  take  place  on  the  25th  inst 

"Confident  that  the  motives  which  caused  my  resignation 
are  good,  as  also  my  conduct  afterwards  and  approved  by  my 
fellow  citizens,  I  appeal  to  their  judgment  and  let  them  manifest 
it  by  ihdr  votes/' 

On  its  face  this  advertisement  has  an  innocent  and  inoffen- 
sive look,  but  between  the  lines  old  timers  can  read  the  story 
of  a  deep  tragedy. 

The  motives  which  caused  Mayor  Foster  to  resign  were  to 
take  part  in  a  lynching.  Two  murderers,  Brown,  a  native 
American^  and  Alvitre*  a  native  Californian.  had  been  convicted 
and  sentenced  to  be  hanged.  Just  before  the  day  set  for  their 
execution  a  reprieve  came  for  Brown,  but  the  poor  Mexican 


PIONEER   ADS   AND  ADVERTISERS 


299 


was  left  to  his  fate.  The  people  were  indignant.  A  mob  gath- 
ered for  the  puq>ose  of  seeing  that  either  both  were  reprieved 
or  both  hanged.  The  sheriff  proceeded  with  the  execution  of 
Alvitre.  The  mob  threatened  to  prevent  it.  The  military  was 
called  out  atid  ablootly  riot  was  imminent.  At  this  point  Mayor 
Foster  harranged  the  people,  advising  that  they  allow  the 
sheriff  to  proceed  with  the  execution  of  Alvitre  according  to 
the  forms  of  law.  And  when  that  was  done  he  would  resign 
the  office  of  Mayor,  head  the  vigilantes  and  execute  Brown, 
He  was  as  good  as  his  word.  The  military  was  dismissed,  their 
arms  stacked  in  the  jaii^  the  sheriff's  posse  discharged.  Then 
it  was  the  vigilantes'  chance,  The  Mayor  resigned  and  joined 
the  lynchers.  The  jail  door  was  broken  down,  the  arms  of  the 
nvilitary  guards  seized,  Brown  was  taken  out  and  hanged  from 
a  beam  over  the  gate  of  a  corral  on  Spring  street,  opposite 
where  now  stands  the  People's  store^  within  two  hours  after  the 
legal  execution  of  Alvitre,  A  special  election  was  called  to  fill 
the  vacancy  in  the  office  of  Mayor.  So  thoroughly  and  com- 
pletely did  his  fellow  citizens  approve  of  Foster's  course  that 
he  had  no  opposition,  and  was  the  unanimous  choice  of  the 
people. 

There  is  often  both  tragedy  and  comedy,  as  well  as  business, 
mixed  up  in  advertisements.  In  the  Star  of  forty-eight  years 
ago  appears  the  ad  of  a  great  prize  lottery  or  gift  enterprise. 
It  was  called  the  Great  Southern  Distribution  of  Real  Estate 
and  Personal  Property,  by  Henry  Dalton.  The  first  prize  was 
an  elegant  modern-built  dwelling  house  on  the  Plaza  valued 
at  $lijOOO.  There  were  84*000  shares  shares  in  the  lottery, 
valued  at  $1.00  each,  and  432  first-class  prizes  to  be  drawn. 
Among  the  prizes  were  240  elegant  lots  in  the  town  of  Benton. 
Who  among  you  Pioneers  can  locate  thac  lost  and  long  s-inc^ 
forgotten  metropolis  of  the  Azusa?  The  City  of  Benton.  For 
some  cause  unknown  to  me  the  drawing  never  came  off,  A 
distinguished  Pioneer  whom  many  of  you  know  sued  Dalton 
for  the  value  of  one  share  that  he  (the  Pioneer)  held.  Tlie  case 
was  carried  from  one  court  to  another  and  fought  out  before 
one  legal  tribunal  after  another  with  a  vigor  and  a  viciousness 
unwarranted  by  the  trivial  amount  involved.  How  it  ended  I 
cannot  say.     I  never  traced  it  through  the  records  to  a  finish. 

Old  ads  are  like  old  tombstones.  They  recall  to  us  the 
memory  of  the  "has  beens;"  they  recall  to  our  minds  actors  who 
have  acted  their  little  part  in  the  comedy  or  tragedy  of  life  and 
passed  behind  the  scenes,  never  again  to  tread  the  boards, 


302 


PIONEERS   OF    LOS    ANGELES    COUNTY 


nineteen  years  of  age  he  started  to  California,  being  one  of  a 
party  of  fifteen  who  purchased  the  brig  Arcadia  which  sailed 
from  Boston  January  1849  for  San  Francisco  via  the  Straits  of 
Magellan,  After  a  tedious  voyage  of  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
three  days  the  vessel  passed  through  the  Golden  Gate,  October 
29, 1849. 

In  1850  Mr.  White  embarked  in  the  general  mercantile  biisi- 
iress  in  Sacramento  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Haskell,  White 
8:  Co,  This  firm  dissolved  in  a  short  time.  Subsequently  he 
engaged  in  farming  on  a  ranch  on  the  American  riven  For 
se\^enteen  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  firm  of  White  &  Hol- 
lister  in  the  nursery  business.  December  24.  1868,  he  came  to 
Los  Angeles  and  engaged  with  a  partner  in  the  sheep  industry* 
The  firm  was  White  &  Denman^  and  the  ranch  was  near  Flor- 
ence. In  1874  he  became  a  member  of  the  Los  Angeles  Immi- 
gration and  Land  Co-operative  Association.  This  association 
was  incorporated  December  10,  1874,  with  a  capital  stock  of 
$250,000.  Its  first  board  of  directors  consisted  of  the  foHowing 
named  Pioneers:  Thomas  A.  Garey,  president;  Caleb  E.  White, 
vice-president;  L.  M.  Holt,  secretary;  Milton  Thomas,  man- 
ager; R,  M,  Town,  assistant  manager;  H,  G,  Crow,  treasurer. 
Only  two  of  these,  Garey  and  Holt^  are  living.  The  principal 
object  of  the  association  was  the  purchase  and  subdivision  of 
large  land  holdings  and  the  placing  of  these  on  the  market  in 
small  tracts.  The  association  in  1874  purchased  2.500  acres  of 
the  San  Jose  Rancho,  subdivided  it  and  founded  the  City  of 
Pomona. 

In  1880  Mr.  White  took  up  his  residence  at  Pomona  and 
engaged  in  fruit  growing.  He  owned  an  orchard  of  sixty  acres 
just  east  of  the  city.  He  was  active  in  advancing  the  growth 
of  the  young  city-  He  served  on  the  board  of  town  trustees 
several  terms.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  for  many  years 
vice-president  of  the  People's  Bank  of  Pomona,  and  was  always 
active  in  furthering  any  measure  that  would  benefit  the  city  and 
aid  in  developing  the  resources  of  the  district  in  which  he  lived* 

In  1854  Mr,  White  was  married  to  Miss  Rebecca  Holship 
of  St.  Louis.  Mo.  Three  children  were  born  of  this  union — 
Helen  M,,  the  wife  of  Hon.  R.  F.  Del  V^alle  of  Los  Angeles; 
Annie  C,  wife  of  Charles  L.  Northcraft,  also  of  Los  Angeles, 
and  Harry  R.  cf  Pomona. 

Mr,  White  died  at  his  residence  in  Pomona  September  2, 
1902,  at  the  age  of  72  years.    In  the  language  of  one  of  his  old 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 


301 


General  Fremont,  which  occurred  at  her  home  in  this  city  De- 
cember 27,  1902, 

Tlie  names  of  both  General  and  Mrs*  Fremont,  so  intimately 
and  so  romanticaJly  associated  with  early  California  history, 
will  always  possess  peculiar  interest  for  us  and  for  our  children 
and  for  our  children's  children. 

Senator  Thomas  H.  Benton,  Mrs.  Fremont's  father,  Gen. 
John  C  Fremont,  her  husband,  and  Jessie  Benton  Fremont  her- 
self, probably  had  more  to  do  with  the  acquisition  of  Alta  Cali- 
fornia in  1846  by  the  United  States^  than  any  other  three  per- 
sons who  took  part  in  the  stirring  events  of  that  dramatic 
period. 

Jessie  Benton  Fremont  was  a  noble  woman  of  high  intel- 
lectuality and  culture,  and  of  amiable  disposition,  w*ho,  because 
of  the  possession  of  these  admirable  qualities,  and  because  of 
her  prominence  in  our  early  national  and  State  history,  may  well 
be  classed,  as  doubtlessly  she  will  be  by  the  future  historian, 
alongside  of  Martha  Washington  and  Dollie  Madison,  as  one  of 
the  grand  dames  of  the  republic. 

Inasmuch  as  the  Fremont  family  made  their  home  in  Los 
Angeles  since  December,  1887,  they,  and  each  of  them,  seem 
especially  dear  to  our  people;  and  the  warm  aflFection  we  all 
frel  for  the  father  and  mother  %vill  be  continued  with  unabated 
strength  to  the  devoted  daughter,  whose  loving  solicitude  and 
care  solaced  the  last  years  of  both  her  parents,  as  the  infirmities 
of  age  undermined  their  health  and  strength;  wherefore,  it  is 
hereby 

Resolved,  by  the  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County, 
that  the  heartfelt  sympathies  of  the  members  of  the  Society  are 
respectfully  tendered  to  the  children  and  grandchildren  of  the 
deceased  in  this,  their  great  affliction. 

H.  D.   BARROWS, 
K.  D.  WISE, 

Committee.      ^ 

CALEB  E.  WHITE. 


Caleb  E.  White,  a  California  Pioneer  of  1849,  was  born  at 
Holbrook,  Mass.,  February  15,  1830.  His  father,  Jonathan 
White,  was  the  son  of  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  His  mother, 
Abigail  Holbrook,  was  a  descendant  of  the  man  after  w^om 
the  town  of  Holbrook  was  named.  Caleb  received  his  education 
in  tlie  grammar  and  high  school  of  his  native  town.     When 


304 


PIONEERS   OF   LOS    ANGELES    COUNTY 


in  Illinois,  by  wliom  he  had  one  son,  Fred  A,  Sahsbury.  now 
residing  in  this  city.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Ellen  A,  Graves 
in,  Merrill  Lodge,  Order  of  Good  Templars,  in  this  city,  in  1876, 
by  whom  he  had  one  son,  Howard  G.  Salisbury,  also  residing- 
in  this  city. 

Brother  Jphn  C  Salisbury  was  an  honest  member  of  the 
Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County,  many  of  whom  attended  his 
funeral  He  was  burierl  with  Masonic  rites  in  Rosedale  Ceme- 
tery. 

Respectfully, 

J,  M.  STEWART, 
C  N.  WILSON. 
J,  L.  SLAUGHTER. 
Committee. 


HENRY    KIRK   WHITE  BENT, 

Henry  Kirk  White  Bent  was  born  at  Weymouth,  Mass.» 
October  29,  183 1,  He  w^s  educated  at  WilHston  Seminary 
and  Mason  Academy^  and  was  ready  to  enter  Amherst  when 
measles  prevented  by  seriously  impairing^  his  eyesight.  He 
then  engaged  in  civil  engineering  on  railroad  construction  in 
Southern  Wisconsin,  In  1858  he  came  to  California,  worked 
at  mining  for  a  year  at  French  Corral,  Nevada  County;  taught 
school  a  year  and  a  half  at  Downieville;  was  elected  County 
Surveyor  in  1861,  and  later  Public  Administrator  of  Sierra 
County.  During  the  war  he  was  chairman  of  the  Republican 
County  Committee,  and  worked  as  mining  engineer  until  1866. 

His  health  gave  way,  and  he  went  to  Boston,  where  he  un- 
<Ierwent  medical  treatment  for  two  years.  Returning  to  Cali* 
fornia  in  1868,  he  located  in  Los  Angeles,  as  an  experiment, 
wTth  the  result  that  he  tarried  in  this  section  until  his  death. 
Here  he  recovered  his  health  almost  completely,  the  climate, 
in  his  opinion,  doing  more  for  him  than  all  the  medical  treat- 
ment he  had  tried.  Soon  he  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business, 
taking  the  agency  of  the  Santa  Gertrudes  Land  Association, 
and  later  he  went  into  the  sheep  industry.  With  returning 
health  began  his  active  and  successful  career  in  public  works, 
which  he  continued  up  lo  within  but  a  few  months  ago. 

Under  Gen.  Grant*s  second  administration  from  1873  to 
^^77.  be  was  postmaster  of  Los  Angeles. 

In  1878  he  was  elected  to  the  Los  Angeles  City  Board  of 
Education,  and  was  made  president  of  that  bo<ly.    At  this  pe- 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES 


305 


riod  he  was  an  active  and  powerful  (actor  in  many  municipal 
works;  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  present  Public  Library 
and  for  a  number  of  years  was  vice-president  and  acting  head  of 
the  Horticultural  Society.  In  the  religious  field  he  was  a  de- 
voted worker  for  a  hfetime.  He  was  a  charter  member  of  the 
First  Congregational  church  of  this  city,  and  for  many  years 
trustee  and  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school;  also  a  charter 
member  of  the  North  Congregational  Church  of  Pasadena, 
where  he  was  trustee  and  deacon  for  the  past  fourteen  years. 

To  education  Mr,  Bent  devoted  the  best  of  his  abiUty  and 
his  unselfish  record  over  a  period  of  nearly  a  score  of  years^  and 
his  work  attained  marked  and  lasting  success.  In  1S88  he  be- 
came one  of  the  original  trustees  of  Pomona  College,  and  re- 
mained a  member  until  within  the  past  year,  when  failing  health 
compelled  bis  retirement.  For  seven  years  he  was  president 
of  the  board,  often  being  re-elected  when  differing  in  judgment 
from  the  majority  of  the  members— a  special  tribute  to  his 
honor  and  ability.  Under  his  guidance  the  Claremont  institu- 
tion has  passed  through  many  dangerous  crises  and  been  placed 
on  an  enlarged  and  permanent  foundation. 

Mr.  Bent  was  a  kind  man.  After  the  history  of  his  life  work 
is  related,  that  tells  all  the  rest.  'Among  the  pioneers,  business^ 
church  and  political  associates  he  will  be  mourned  by  a  host. 
But  it  19  among  the  student  body  which  has  within  the  past 
decade  gone  forth  into  active  life  that  his  passing  will  be  most 
sincerely  lamented^  In  his  w^ork  in  Los  Angeles  and  at  Clare- 
mont he  exerted  a  rare  influence  over  the  young  people  stri\nng 
for  learning,  and  many  were  assisted  to  their  desired  ambition 
through  his  kindly  interest  and  substantial  aid.  Scores  of  the 
younger  generation  in  active  life  throughout  Southern  Califor- 
nia owe  their  education  and  success  to  the  encouragement  or 
assistance  of  Mr  Bent. 

During  most  of  his  long  life  deceased  combated  disease  in 
some  form,  and  for  the  past  several  months  had  been  confined  to 
his  bed  with  a  lung  affliction  not  at  all  like  tuberculosis,  but 
wliich  baffled  cure,  and  the  end  has  for  some  time  been  known 
to  be  approaching  rapidly  and  inevitably.  He  was  twice  mar- 
ried* and  all  of  his  five  children  and  widow  survive  htm.  In 
1855  he  married  Miss  Crawford  of  Oakham,  Mass..  and  the 
children  of  this  union  are  Mrs.  Florence  Halstead  of  Smarts- 
ville,  Arthur  S,  and  H,  Stanley  Bent  of  this  city.  Mrs.  Bent 
died  in  1876,  and  in  1878  he  married  Miss  Mattie  Fairman. 
There  are  tw^  sons  by  this  union.  Earnest  F.  and  Charles  E. 


3o6 


PIONEERS   OF    LOS   ANGELES    COUNTY 


Bent,  the  latter  being  city  editor  of  the  Pomona  Daily  Review. 
The  death  of  Mn  Bent  removes  a  character  that  for  over 
thirty  years  has  been  a  potential  influence  in  the  progress  of 
the  educational,  religious  and  political  life  of  Southern  Cali- 
fornia, 

Mr.  Bent  died  at  his  home  on  Marengo  avenue,  Pasadena^ 
July  29,  1902,  ag^  70  years  and  9  months. 

J.  M.  GUINN, 

J.    W,    GILLETTE, 

Committee. 


Cham.ber  of  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County, 

Los  Angeles,  Cal,,  April  i,  1902. 

John  Charles  Dotter,  a  native  of  Lohr,  Germany,  was  born 
May  4th,  1837,  and  immigTated  to  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica in  A.  D.  1852,  working  his  way  westerly  across  the  continent 
via  the  Great  Salt  Lake  route  to  Los  Angeles,  California,  arriv- 
ing in  1S56,  and  has  ever  since  made  this  city  his  home. 

He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Kemy  and  the  issue  of  said  mar- 
riage was  George  C,  Corine  Frances  (the  wife  of  Prol  Milton 
Carlson),  Idella  and  Charlotte,  all  of  whom  survive  him. 

His  home  life  was  exemplary  as  a  loving  and  kind  husband, 
a  devoted  and  affectionate  fattier,  and  when  freed  from  business 
requirements  he  spent  his  time  with  his  devoted  family  and  old 
time  friends. 

He  was  a  student  of  political  economy  and  delighted  in  true 
progress,  advancement  and  civilization;  was  a  truly  assimilated 
citizen  of  this  republic,  patriotic,  and  devoted  to  the  principles 
of  our  country  and  the  cause  of  freedom. 

He  never  failed  to  vote  accord-ing  to  the  dictates  of  his  own 
conscience  and  "principles/*  not  men,  was  his  motto* 

In  his  diary  under  date  of  February  27,  1902,  is  found  the 
following:  "V^ery  dizzy;  wonder  what  is  the  matter.*'  On  the 
28th  he  remained  at  home,  and  the  day  following  he  kept  his 
bed.  On  Sunday,  March  2nd,  1902,  visited  his  office  and  enter- 
tained a  few^  friends.  On  Monday,  March  3rd,  at  about  IT  :oo 
a.  m.,  he  was  attacked  with  nausea,  continuing  until  3  :oo  p.  m,, 
when  he  passed  into  a  quiet  and  unbroken  sleep  for  three  hours. 
When  awakened  he  complained  of  pains,  which  continued  until 
8:30  p.  m.,  when,  from  a  stroke  of  apoplexy,  he  passed  to  the 
great  beyond. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 


307 


Therefore,  be  it  resolved  by  the  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los 
Angeles  County^  State  of  California,  in  regular  session  con- 
vened, that  while  we  humbly  bow  to  the  inevitable,  in  the  removal 
from  our  midst  of  our  esteemed  and  beloved  brother,  John 
Charles  Dotter,  we  deplore  the  loss,  and  sincerely  sympathize  with 
his  family  and  relatives  in  their  bereavement  and  the  irreparable 
loss  of  a  loving  husband,  a  kind  and  devoted  father  of  whose  life 
it  can  be  said  he  was  honest  and  conscientious  through  all 
the  walks  of  an  upright  life. 

Quoting  his  own  words  when  commenting  on  the  death  of 
his  numerous  Pioneer  friends  who  passed  away,  "Another  good 
man  gone." 

LOUIS  ROEDER, 
J.   F.   BURNS, 
W,  H.  WORKMAN, 
Committee. 


To  the  Officers  and  Members  of  the  Pioneer  Society  of  Los  An- 
geles, California: 

We,  your  committee  appointed  at  your  last  meeting,  Sep- 
tember 8th,  for  the  purpose  of  drafting  resolutions  of  respect 
to  the  memory  of  the  late  Anderson  Rose,  would  respectfully 
report  that  said  Anderson  Rose  was  born  in  Macon  County, 
Mo.»  February  17th,  1836,  and  in  the  year  of  1852  he  came  to 
California  over  the  plains  with  an  ox  team,  locating  in  El  Dorado 
County,  where  he  resided  with  his  parents  until  about  1867,  at 
which  time  he  came  to  this  county  and  located  near  the  Ballona, 
where  he  purchased  large  estates,  and  he  has  beeti  a  resident  of 
this  county  ever  since.  Mr.  Rose  was  a  frugal,  industrious  man, 
always  attentive  to  his  business,  at  the  same  time  mindful  of 
the  welfare  of  his  fellow  men,  courteous  to  his  friends,  for  they 
were  legion.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
and  took  active  part  in  advancing  the  interests  of  this  section; 
was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity  for  Ihirty-five  years. 
He  was  married  to  Miss  Annie  E.  Shirley  in  i86g.  He  departed 
this  life  Ausjust  30th.  1902,  leaving  a  wife,  one  son  and  two 
daughters  to  mourn  his  untimely  taking  off. 

And,  Whereas,  he  who  rules  all  things  for  the  best  has  seen 
fit  to  call  him  from  among  us,  w^  deeply  mourn  our  loss  and 
point  to  that  particular  portion  of  Scripture  as  our  guiding  star, 
viz.:  "Be  ye  also  ready,  for  in  such  a  time  as  you  think  not 
the  Son  of  man  cometh." 


3o8 


FIONEERS   OF    LOS   ANGELES   COUNTY 


And,  now  therefore,  be  it  resolved,  by  this  society,  tliat  we 
extend  to  the  widow  and  family  our  heartfelt  sympathy  in  this 
their  hour  of  grief. 

And  be  it  further  resolved,  that  a  copy  of  these  resolutions 
be  forwarded  to  the  family,  and  that  a  copy  of  said  resolutions 
be  spread  upon  our  minutes. 

J.  L.  STARR, 
J,  G.  NEWELL. 
W.  H,  WORKMAN, 

Committee. 


JOHN  C.  ANDERSON. 

John  C  Anderson  was  born  in  Columbiana  County,  Ohio, 
on  June  1st,  1844,  and  passed  his  youth  and  young  manhood 
there.  In  July,  1863,  at  the  age  of  19,  he  joined  the  Ohio  Na- 
tional Guards  and  in  May,  1864,  in  response  to  the  call  for  one 
hundred  day  men,  he  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  ser\'- 
ice — 1430!  Ohio  Infantry,  from  which  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged as  Corporal,  in  December  of  the  same  year,  also  re- 
ceiving a  Certificate  of  Thanks  for  Honorable  Service,  signed 
by  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Edvrin  M.  Stanton. 

Mr.  Anderson,  from  early  manhood,  was  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  Fraternity. 

He  learned  the  carpenter  trade  with  his  father,  and  worked 
at  it  in  his  native  state  until  1S73,  when  he  came  to  Los  Angeles, 
California,  and  has  followed  his  trade  -in  this  part  of  the  State 
ever  since,  having  had  charge  of  the  construction  of  the  Nadeau 
Hotel  and  other  large  buildings.  In  the  Fall  of  1880  he  re- 
turned to  his  old  home  for  a  visit,  returning  to  Los  Angeles  in 
March.  1881.  The  following  winter  he  again  visited  Ohio,  and 
was  married  to  M-iss  Lizzie  Lindersmith;  and  in  March,  1882^ 
brought  his  wife  to  Los  Angeles  to  reside.  Two  sons  were  bom 
to  them,  Louis  H.*  in  1B83,  and  George  H.,  in  1886.  In  the 
spring  of  1887  he  moved  his  family  to  Monrovia,  and  ever  after 
he  made  that  city  his  home  till  his  death. 

He  was  elected  and  served  one  term  in  the  Monrovia  City 
Council;  was  re-elected,  but  obliged  to  resign  on  account  of  fail- 
ing health. 

In  the  fall  of  1899  his  health  began  to  fail,  and  he  had  to 
give  up  work  almost  entirely.  Being  of  an  active,  energetic 
disposition,  it  was  a  great  trial  for  him  to  keep  quiet.  He  con- 
tinued with  light  occupation  up  to  within  a  few  days  of  his  death, 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES 

-which  occurred  on  the  25th  day  of  January.  1902;  and  on  Jan- 
nary  27th  he  was  buried  in  Live  Oak  Cemetery,  at  Monrovia, 
California,  with  Masonic  honors,  assisted  by  members  of  the 
G.  A.  R, 

He  leaves  his  family  in  comfortable  circumstances.  He  was 
a  good  soldier,  a  loving  and  devoted  husband,  a  kind  and  in- 
dulgent parent,  a  good  neighbor,  and  a  citizen  whom  we  de- 
lighted to  honor. 

A.  H.JOHNSON. 


JERRY  ILLICH. 

Jerry  IlHch  is  dead.  After  lying  for  many  months  on  a  bed 
of  suffering  the  well-known  restaurateur  passed  away  Dec.  5th, 
at  his  home,  No.  1018  South  Hill  street.  The  funeral  will 
be  held  at  2  o'clock  Sunday  aitemoon  at  the  Masonic  Temple. 

For  twenty-five  years  the  residence  of  Mn  Illich  was  in  Los 
Angeles,  and  during  his  closing  years  he  was  a  prominent  figure 
in  the  life  of  the  city,  being  a  member  of  various  fraternal  or- 
ganizations and  owning  considerable  property  in  business  and 
residence  sections.  He  is  remembered  principallv  for  his  good 
fellowship  and  for  his  ability  to  provide  good  things  to  eat. 

Starting  in  a  modest  way  with  a  small  chop-house  on  North 
Main  street  in  the  late  '70s.  his  business  expanded  until  he  be- 
came proprietor  of  the  largest  restaurant  in  the  city.  His  con- 
nection with  the  old  Maison  Doree  on  North  Main  street  made 
that  resort  popular  with  business  and  club  men.  and  when  he 
moved  into  his  own  building  on  Third  street  in  1896  his  patron- 
age fonowed.  "J^^rry's"  was  headquarters  for  political  and  so- 
cial banquets,  and  there's  many  a  man  in  Los  Angeles  who  still 
has  pleasant  memories  of  the  celebrated  "paste'*  and  other  for- 
eign dishes  that  were  served  at  midday  luncheon. 

The  ravages  of  Bright's  disease  laid  Illich  low  several  years 
^go,  causing  his  retirement  from  business  to  seek  health  in  travel 
and  recreation.  His  demise  was  expected  on  many  dates^  but 
his  constant  good  cheer  buoyed  him  up,  and  the  end  came  only 
when  his  constitution  had  become  so  undermined  that  his  will 
power  was  ineffective  in  retaining  the  spark  of  life. 

Jerry  Illich  was  bom  in  1850  in  Dalmatia.  Austria.  From 
the  age  of  i^^  until  he  was  20  he  sailed  the  seas,  finally  leaving 
his  vessel  at  San  Francisco  and  engaging  in  the  restaurant  busi- 
ness. A  w^tdow  and  a  young  son  and  daughter  survive  him. — 
Los  Angeles  Daily  Times, 


In  Memoriam 


Deceaseti  Men^ber^  of  the  Pioneers  of  Loa  Angeles 
County. 


Jame*  Jp  Ayrei   .,.,... Died   November  10^ 

Stephen  C-  Foster ,*,,,,,   Died  Januarys  Z7, 

Horace    HiUer    Died    May  23^ 

John   Strother  Griffin    Died  August  23, 

Henry  Clay  Wiley Died  October  25, 

WMIiam   Blackstone  Abernethy- - -Died   November     1, 

Stephen  W.  La  Dow Died  January     6, 

Herman    Raphael    Died    April  19, 

Franc l«    Baker    ....,,*....*..**. Died    May  IT, 

Leonard  John  Roee  ♦ ,..*...,.....   Died   May  ^7^ 

E.   N.    McDonald    Died  June  ^0, 

Jame«  Craig   ...,...,.. Died  December  30» 

Palmer  Milton  Scott  ...w.^w.*.  Died  January     3> 

Francisco  SablchI    Died  April  13, 

Robert  Miller  Town Died  April  24, 

Fred   W.   Wood Died    May   19. 

Joeeph  Bayer  ,...,.,  ^ Died  July  27* 

Augufttua  Ulyard Died  Auguat    5, 

A.  M,   Hough    Died  August  28, 

Henry  F.  Fleishman   .,.   Died  October  20, 

Frank  Lecouvreur  .,..,,.* Died  January  17, 

Daniel  Sbieok Died  January  20, 

Andrew  Glaseell Died  January  28, 

Thomas  E.  Rowan   ...... ... ....... .   Died  March  25, 

Mary  Ulyard Died  April     5* 

George  Gephard    .,...,... Died  April   12, 

WUtiam   Frederick  Grosser   ..........    Died  April   23, 

Samuel   Calvert  Foy Died  April  24, 

Joseph    Stoltenberg Died  June  25, 

Charles  Brode    Died   August  13, 

Joseph   W.  Junkina Died    August, 

Laura  Gibson  At^ernetKy   Died  May  16, 

Elizabeth    Langley    Ensign^ . . . . .  .Died   September  20, 

Frank  A.  Gibson   Died  October  IK 

Godfrey  Hargttt *,....   Died  November  14j 

John  C*  Anderson   Died  January  25« 

John    Charles   Dotter Died   March     3, 

John  Caleb  Salisbury Died  July  10, 

H.  K.  W.  Bent   Died  July  29. 

Anderson  Rose  ..,,.,..  ^  .....*,... .   Died  August  30. 

Caleb  E.  White ,,..* Died  September     2, 

Jerry   lllich    .,.,,.    . , .  .Died  December     5, 

Daniel    Desmond Died  January  23, 


1897. 
1S38. 
1898. 
1398, 
1898. 
1398. 
1899. 
1899. 
1399. 
1339. 
1899, 
1899. 
1900. 
1900. 
1900. 
1900, 
1900. 
1900. 
1900. 
1900. 
1901. 
1901, 
^901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1901. 
1902. 
1902. 
1902, 
1902. 
1902. 
1902. 
1902. 
1903. 


■ 

MEMBERSHIP  ROLL  ^^^ 

1 

^^^^^ 

OF  THE 

1 

^^H 

W^^           PIONEERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY 

^^ 

^ 

niTH- 

Ut.    IN 

HMMt. 

PLACC 

□CCtTFATIOir. 

AfttlV.  IN  CO. 

Ma. 

BTAll. 

AndenOD,  L.  U. 

Pi. 

Collector 

July  4.  '73 

Los  Anacles 

I»7J 

Anderson.  Mri.  David 

Ky, 

Housewife 

Jan.   1.  *53 

641   S.  Grand  *v. 

iBsa 

Auslifl,    Hefifj'   C. 

Mua. 

Attorney 

Aug^  jD,   '6^ 

jiifi  FiguerM 

iStf9 

MrtTtx.,  Ferdinaad 

Mo. 

Butcher 

May  1,  •?> 

647  s.  Sichd 

iByj 

AdAOii.  JulU  A.  r. 

Afk, 

Housewife 

July  u.  'B8 

Los  AnselcB 

iS43 

BarclflT.  John  H. 

Can. 

CirpcDter 

Ao(.,  Vi 

Fernando 

1869 

Barrowi,  Heary  D. 

Conn, 

Retired 

Dec.   [j,  '54 

7^14  Beacon 

I»S* 

Bftrrnws,  )amt»  A. 

Conn, 

Sett  red 

May,  '68 

236   W.  JefferBOQ 

i8ti8 

Bilderbeck,    Mr*.    Dora 

Ky. 

Dreiamaker 

Jan.   14,  *6] 

1000  E.  Eiijttb 

1861 

Bi*by,  Jonathan 

Maine 

CapttalJBt 

June»  %6 

Long  Beach 

1BS8 

Bic knell.  Jofaa  D. 

Vt, 

Attorney 

May.  *7a 

1115  W.  Seventh 

lS«ft 

BoutoOt  Ed-<M«Td 

N,  y. 

Rtfll   Estate 

Aor.  '6S 

1J14   Bond 

1S6S 

Brd&imer^  Slfl. 

Germ. 

Builder 

N».  ja.  '6g 

id^  WilmifljptOft 

lUf 

Bush,  Cbirlei  H. 

Penn* 

jeweler 

March,  'yo 

3t&  N.  Main 

ilTO 

BiimB.  Jiraw  F, 

N.  Y. 

Affeat 

Not,   18,  'S3 

153    W right 

i>» 

Buttcriidd,   S.   H. 

Penii. 

Fanner 

Aug.,  'A« 

Loa   Angeles 

18U 

Bell.    Horace 

lod. 

Lawyer 

Oct,  *sa 

tJ37  Figueroa 

1850 

hUzM,  Hn,   €t]»betfa  S. 

Gni. 

Housewife 

J«ty.  'y3 

141    N.  Olive 

layj 

Biles^  AJhert 

Eti*. 

Contractor 

July.  '7J 

141    N.   Olive 

i»« 

■             Broaimfr,    Mrs.    E. 

Germ. 

Housewife 

May  16.  '68 

17 1 J  Brooklyn 

iB«S 

I             Blanchard,    Jaifica   II, 

Mich. 

Attorney 

April.  '?a 

9T9  W.  Second 

tl7* 

I            Bftldwin,  Jeremiah 

rrc. 

Retired 

April.  >4 

7JI    Darwin 

lis* 

f            BtrcUjr.   Henry  A. 

Pa. 

AttoThry 

An  J.   t,  '74 

tjji  S.  Main 

tsr4 

Bitiford.  JoMph   B. 

Mo. 

Banlt  Teller 

July  16.  *?4 

150J  E.  First 

tin 

BArrowft,  Carnelta  S- 

Conn. 

Houses  tfe 

May,  '68 

236  W.  Je£fer«ofl 

tt68 

BiAg^,    Anicl    M. 

Maine 

Retired 

Nov.,  '7j 

i£o    Hewitt 

jm? 

Bright.    Toney 

Oitit, 

LivcryEun 

Sept.  '74 

jift  Requena 

1I74 

Buffum,    Wm.    M, 

Uau. 

Storekeeper 

July  4.  '59 

144  W.   Twelfth 

I«BTham,   RicbsTd    M. 

111. 

U.    &.    Gauger 

Feb,  aj,  V4 

114J  W.   Se^entb 

1B49 

Braly,    Jdhn    A. 

Mo. 

Banker 

Feb..  'flt 

Van  Nuya 

I«4fl 

Balei,  Lcooldu 

Ohio 

F«rmer 

*£« 

i4$z  Iambic 

«»4? 

Blumve,  J,  A. 

N.   J. 

Merchant 

Dec.  aS,  "yj 

J  lot     Hoover 

it74 

Braffum.  Bebetca  E. 

Pa. 

Hoaiewif^ 

Scp(.  19,  '64 

144  W.  Tweirtb 

lis* 

BeH.  AleuDder  T. 

Pa. 

Saddler 

Dec.  ao.  'tifl 

ioj9  S.  HtU 

iMI 

Biktt,  Edwwd  L, 

N.  Y, 

Miner 

Dec.,  *« 

141   S.  Flower 

ilM 

Baxter.   Wijlim  0. 

Eng. 

Broker 

May,  U? 

Santa  Monica 

114^ 

BTdTiJjeaiu,  Jiiliui 

N.   Y. 

Lawyer 

Jan.  16,  '7? 

34 J4   Hooter 

1177 

Burkt,  Joseph  H. 

Tenn, 

Farmer 

April  i3*  '$i 

BiTera 

it53 

Booth,    Edward 

Ohio 

Salesman 

'75 

740  W.  Seventeenth 

1875 

Caiwell,  Wn,  M. 

Cil. 

Cashier 

Aug.   3.  '67 

I09J  £.    WailiiAitQD 

itsr 

Cerelli,  Scbaitimn 

luly 

Rcstaurateitr 

Nov,  34.  '74 

Bi  1    San  Fernanda 

l»47 

312 

PIONEERS    OF   LOS 

ANGELES 

COUNTY                    ^^B 

■ 

•ItTlt- 

1 

Aft.  nr 

HAJir 

njtCL 

occurhnoH. 

AUiv.  IK  ca. 

ltXI~ 

tTATS. 

CDnkelmAn.    Bemird 

C«nD. 

Retired 

J»ft-  J. 

'67 

J 10  S.  L<rt  Anjele* 

1864 

Cohn,   Kacpare 

Genu. 

Merchant 

Dec., 

*S9 

1601   S.  Grand 

1859 

Coronel,  Mm.  M.  W.  De 

T^tMM 

HouMirife 

Feb.. 

'59 

Lm  Aneclef 

i8S? 

Crimmicis,  John 

ite. 

Muc.  Flunber 

Marth. 

'H 

1*7  W.  TwCTty-fifth 

]8«9 

Crawford.  J.  S* 

N,  Y. 

Dentist 

^6« 

Downey    Block 

iSsS 

Currier,   A.    T. 

Maiac 

Parmer 

Jub    I, 

'69 

Spadra 

iMl 

Qark.  Frmnk  B. 

Conn. 

Fanner 

Feb.  23. 

*«9 

Hyde   P»rk 

tUt 

Carter,  K-   C. 

Mass. 

Fanner 

Nov.. 

■71 

Sierra   Madre 

ityi 

Conutr,  Mrs,    Kate 

Germ. 

Housewife 

June  ai. 

■71 

1054   S.   Gfud 

QimpiMOt   A,   B. 

Ala. 

Attoroer 

April. 

*5r 

San    Gabri«| 

»tss 

Canminss,  Ceo. 

AUB. 

Stockman 

March, 

*5i 

First    itreet 

Its* 

Cunningbsnij   Robt.   C 

Ind. 

Den  tilt 

KOT.     lit 

'73 

UDi   W.  Secflnd 

I87J 

Cluke,  N.  J- 

N.   H. 

Retired 

*4Q 

]i7  S.  Hill 

tU9 

ConptDn,  Ceo-   D. 

Va. 

KrtiTed 

May. 

'67 

a?8  W.   Jefferwn 

Cowmn,  D.  W-  C. 

Penn. 

Farmer 

Junt  I. 

'&« 

8^4   W.    Tenth 

t«4» 

Carter,  Jutiu*   M, 

Vi. 

ReiirMi 

March  4. 

'76 

Pasadena 

J«7S 

CUrke.  jMtnti  A. 

N.  Y. 

L«*y«f 

■83 

tti  W.   Second 

18S1 

CKiiipbell,  J.    M. 

T«. 

Clerk 

*73 

7  If!   Bonnie   Brae 

li?3 

Catilfr,  Jondftban  T, 

N.  Y. 

Parmer 

April   to. 

'61 

)i£    Wilhudt 

ift«t 

Culver.  Francii  F. 

Vt. 

Farmcf 

Nov., 

'?* 

Comptoa 

t&4t 

Crtne,  W.  H. 

N,  Y. 

AKhtcect 

t 

S8« 

r^e  W.  Seventh 

tss« 

Cook,   Atonxo  C. 

Value 

Flir"CLan 

I«74 

Ironff  Beacb 

1S74 

Dalton.  W.  T. 

Ohio 

Fruit  Gr Direr 

'si 

lOoA   Central   ■venue 

1*51 

Davii.  A.  E- 

N,  Y. 

Fruit    Grower 

Not., 

'«5 

Glcndora 

<«S7 

Doonet.  R  W, 

Can. 

Lawyer 

May   ). 

'71 

84S  S.   Broadway 

■  S7i 

Dobfl.  Frtd 

Germ. 

Capitaliat 

Sept., 

'69 

614  £.   Pint 

l*5» 

Cetraond.  C  C. 

Ua». 

Merc  bant 

Se[M„ 

'70 

r«  Coron*do 

ll^ 

Dunkelbcrger.   L  R. 

Pa, 

Retired 

Jan., 

'6« 

ots  W.  Ninth 

l»«f 

Dunlap.   J.    D. 

N.   H. 

Miner 

Not., 

*S9 

Silverado 

rfts» 

Dry  den,  Wm 

N.  Y, 

Farmer 

May. 

'6S 

Lod    Angles 

lUi 

Durfee,  Jm.  D. 

HL 

Firmer 

SetJt,  15. 

'5« 

El  Mont* 

tflH 

DiYiji,  Emily  W. 

IlL 

HauKwJfc 

'fi5 

Glendora 

iftSC 

Davis,  Jofaci  W. 

Ind, 

PuWiBher 

Dec.   I*, 

'7* 

$iS   San  Julian 

tar* 

DtT»,  Viffrinia  W. 

Ark. 

HouKwife 

Sept.. 

'51 

5tS  San  Juliaa 

TSSa 

DeUna,  Thoi.  A. 

N.  H, 

FanDCT 

April, 

*50 

Mewball 

r«S« 

Davii,   PhDcbe 

N,  Y, 

Housewil* 

Dec.  IS. 

'5J 

797   E-   SeTentecnth 

i8«j 

D»vi9,  John 

N.  Y, 

Carpenter 

AprtU 

>1 

University 

187* 

Dougherty,  Omer  R, 

Ind. 

Retired 

Marcb  jj, 

'77 

South  Paudcna 

1877 

De  Turk.  Jas  G. 

Pi. 

Fanner 

April   14. 

'75 

241*  Edwin  street 

187$ 

DiUejr.  UuTs 

Germ. 

Cftrjienter 

D«c., 

'75 

Tosf  S.   FIgrueroa 

tSTS 

Eaton,   Beni.   S* 

Conn. 

Hyd.    Engineer 

'5t 

43J  Sherman 

1059 

Ebin^er,  L«uls 

Gtrnv, 

Merchant 

Oct.    9. 

'71 

755  Maple 

i8<6 

EUioK,  J.  M. 

s.  c 

Banker 

Nov., 

•7» 

9M  W.  Twenty -etglith 

10S2 

Evarcs»  Hyron  E. 

N.  y: 

Painter 

Oct   36, 

^58 

Lo*  Angrlet 

Edctman,  A.  W. 

PoL 

Rflhbi 

J  line. 

'6j 

t343   Flower 

r85» 

Edgar,  Mn.  W.  F. 

K  Y. 

Retired 

Apnl  1 8, 

*<S 

514  W.   Waibineton 

1S65 

ElUworth,   DBnicl 

N.    Y. 

Oil   Prodocer 

Sept  . 

'?!! 

6j9  S.   Flower 

inn 

Eaien,  Theadore  A. 

Ohio 

Architect 

March< 

*&7 

J626    S.    Figueroa 

'BSJ 

FurriMn,  Wm. 

Ark. 

Retired 

Apra, 

*«fl 

303    S.  HiU 

tBso 

TuTTty,  Wm.  C 

N.  Y. 

Merchant 

Anff.» 

v» 

nej  Ingraham 

rV| 

French,  LoriRS  ^^^- 

Ind. 

Dentist 

Oct., 

'68 

3j7   Alvarado 

tMj 

Fianklin,  Mn.   Mary 

Ky. 

Seamatreu 

Jan,  .. 

*53 

*5J  Avenue  jj 

{<$> 

Pkkett,  Cfaarlei  R. 

MiM. 

Ftrtaef 

Jaty  J. 

*71 

El    Monte 

life 

P 

MEMBERSHIP   ROLL 

1 

■ 

31^^ 

iiatH- 

U.IM                 ' 

■                HAHC 

PLACS. 

oeCUF*.TMII* 

AIKIV  '9  CD, 

RB8. 

fftAT*.                   ' 

Fisber.  L.   T. 

Ky 

Pobliaber 

Mar.  24. 

V4 

t,oa  Angelea 

^^7Z 

Foy.  Mrs.  Lucinda  M. 

Ind. 

Hooscwife 

Dec.  a4. 

'so 

65]   S.  Figueroa 

rBso 

French,  Cbas.  E, 

Maine 

Retired 

April, 

^F 

Mij4   N.    Brnadwar 

m9 

Flflod,  Edward 

N.  V. 

Cement  workcr 

April, 

'59 

ijiS  Palmer  avenne 

i«59 

Foglc,  L>wreiic« 

M»SA. 

Farmer 

Dec,. 

•55 

43S    Avenue    3J 

iiss       ; 

Fotilk5,  Irvine 

Ohio 

Farmer 

OcL   IB. 

Vo 

404   Bcaudry  avenue 

t85» 

Franck,   Adolph 

G*f1B. 

Janitor 

May. 

*6? 

4aS   Col  y ton 

Il5> 

Frankel.   Samud 

Cenn. 

Farmer 

■6S 

818  S-  Hope 

■  8«5 

Fel«.  L,   Pcnni* 

Can. 

Gardener 

May, 

'7S 

11*5  S.  Grand  avenue 

iS7S      ^ 

Garry^  Tbocnas  A- 

Otiio 

Nnraeryojwi 

Oct.    M. 

'S3 

*82J  Maple  avenue 

185^      ■ 

Garvcy>  Richard 

Ire. 

FtJincr 

Dec, 

*S6 

San   Cahricl 

16&8              1 

G«Bff.  Henry  T. 

S.   Y. 

Attomer 

Aug., 

'?* 

1146  W.   Twesiy-fifbth 

«874               1 

Gillette,  J.  W, 

N,  Y, 

Itiit>ector 

May, 

'61 

312  Temple 

[8sfi              ' 

Cillttte.  Mrs,  E-  S. 

111. 

Houjcwif* 

Auff. 

'68 

322   Temple 

tS&4              1 

Gould,  Wdi  D. 

VL 

Attorney 

Feb,   aB, 

•73 

Bcaudry  avenue 

iSya            \ 

Griffith,  Jw,  R. 

Mo. 

Slockraiicr 

May, 

•8t 

Gtendale 

i«45       ; 

Creeo,    Mcirria   M. 

V.  Y, 

Ret\Ted 

Nov., 

'(Sv 

3017    Ktngsley 

i8«9 

Collrarr,    Charles 

Germ. 

Merchant 

'66 

T5^0    Flower 

f868 

Griffith,  J.  M. 

Md. 

Retired 

April. 

**i 

Los  Angele* 

■as*          , 

Gr«n,    E.   K. 

N.  Y. 

Manufacturer 

M»y, 

■7a 

W.    Ninth 

i87«             ' 

Green,  Floyd  E. 

Til. 

Mannfactnrer 

May, 

'73 

W.   Ninth 

i87# 

Culnn,  Jamrft  M. 

Ohio 

Author 

Oct.  it. 

'69 

lis   S.   Grand  avenue 

lSti4 

Gotdswarthy,  John 

Ere- 

Surveyor 

M4r.  io. 

■<Sc 

107  N.   Main 

■  8sj              1 

Gilbert,   Harlow 

N    Y. 

Truit  Grower 

N0¥.     I, 

•6g 

Bell   Station 

.e«9 

Cerlrin9«  Jacob  F. 

Germ. 

Farmer 

Jan., 

*S4 

Glen  dale 

1854         1 

Girrelt,  Robert  L. 

Ark. 

Lrndertaker 

Hov.  5. 

'fta 

701    N\  Grand  avenue 

rStii 

Grebe,  Christian 

Gtrm. 

RcEtaurateur 

J*n.  a. 

'74 

Stt  San  Fernando 

laa 

Card,   Ceorgt  E- 

Ohio 

Detective   agetKj 

'fi< 

488  San  Joaquin 

t«59 

Geller.  Margaret  F. 

Mo. 

Hcrutt'ktcpet 

Nov,, 

'60 

Figueroa 

rB6a             < 

Greenbaum,  Ephraini 

Pol. 

Mercbant 

'Sa 

tfity   Cherry 

i85»             i 

Qidden,  Edward  C. 

N.  H. 

Mfr.    agent 

Feb.. 

'70 

756    Avenue   2a 

iB6«              1 

Gower«  George  T. 

H.  1. 

Farmer 

Not.. 

Vj 

Cotgrovc 

]86e 

Grossen  Eleauore 

Gem, 

Housewife 

Jn.. 

*?J 

663   S.   Spring 

■  8?3 

Gotding.  Thomaa 

Etir. 

Contraetor 

'tfS 

Los  Angel ei 

1861 

G]«*i.    Henry 

Germ. 

Booltbinder 

June  21. 

'7S 

\V.   Fourth  street 

_. 

Gordon,  John  T» 

D.   C 

'6fi 

Axusa 

iS«8 

Grow,  G.   T. 

Vt. 

Contractor 

■71 

7j8  S.  Rampart 

i8<a 

Gicae,  Hcnr^ 

Iowa 

Merchant 

■73 

T944   Estrella 

!87S 

Haines.   Rufui   K, 

Maine 

Telegrapher 

Jnne. 

Vi 

ai«  W.  TwcTily-seventh 

»8S7 

Harris^   Emil 

Prus. 

Detective 

ApTit  9. 

'67 

102S  W.  Eighth 

1857 

H«per,   C.    K 

N.   C. 

Merchant 

May. 

*68 

Laurel 

iWj 

Haiard.   Geo,   W. 

in. 

Gerk 

Dec.  J 5. 

'54 

T307  S,  Alvarado 

1854 

Haiard,  Hcnrjr  T. 

ni. 

Attorney 

Dec-  as, 

'54 

38a6  S.  Hope 

1*54 

HeHman,    Hertnati    W. 

Germ. 

Banker 

May  14. 

'5» 

fi$4  Hill 

■«3* 

Uctnzemafi,  C  F. 

G«nn. 

Drusffist 

June  i. 

•68 

£jo  S-  Grand  avenue 

J«6« 

Hunter,    J*ne   E- 

N.    Y, 

J*n.. 

'66 

327   S.    Broadway 



Hob*T,   C,    E. 

Ky. 

Acent 

July. 

*S» 

S16   S.    Broadway 

1839 

HamiltDTi.  A.   N. 

Mich. 

Miner 

Jan.  >4i 

'73 

61 1    Temple 

>I7* 

HclbTook,  J.    F, 

Ind. 

Manufaettirer 

May  JO, 

'?3 

155    Vine 

1873 

Heimann.   Cuatave 

AubL 

Banker 

July, 

'71 

727    CalifomiiL 

.B71 

Button,  Auftliua  W. 

All. 

Attorney 

An*,  i. 

'69 

Lot    Angelci 

iB6g 

Hiller,  Mrs,  Abbie 

N.   Y, 

Housewife 

Oct, 

'fi« 

147  W.  TweDty^third 

1864 

Hemvie,    Henry   J. 

Pruj. 

P«rmeT 

Dec.  asi 

'S3 

Florence 

itsj          1 

Htibbell.  Stephen  C. 
^ 1 

N.  Y. 

Attorney 

'«P 

1515    Pleasant  avcDDc 

i8«9 

314 

^PIO^^R^F    LOS   ANGELES    COUNt?^^^^^^B 

■ 

HatH- 

Al.  IN 

VAUL 

ruCL 

ace  ir  ratio  if. 

aitiv.  lit  CO. 

Ml. 

STATL 

Hiyi.  Wftde 

Mo, 

Mtber 

Sept., 

*S3 

Colerove 

1^53 

Han.  Screpta  S. 

N.  Y. 

Houaewife 

April  tj. 

■5< 

iS(9  W.  Eitfhth 

its< 

Hamilton,  Ern  U. 

TIL 

Miner 

Sept.  JO, 

•75 

310  Avenue  ts 

>i5J 

Hewitt,  Roicoe  E. 

Ohm 

Miner 

Feb.  J7. 

'73 

J3r  S.  OUve 

«•*! 

Houshtoa.  SbennmD  0, 

N.  Y. 

I,aMfT«r 

July  u 

'flti 

Butlard  Btofk 

xUf 

HouK^ton,    Hliia   P. 

111. 

Houflcwife 

July   I. 

•&6 

Los    Angeles 

k««< 

Hasket],  Jobn  C 

Me. 

Farmer 

Oct.. 

'70 

Fernando 

Herwj^,    Emm*   E, 

Auitnlia 

Housewife 

Aoc. 

•56 

Florence 

KftStf 

Hunter,  An 

111. 

Farmer 

*S* 

ho*  Angeles 

<><* 

Hutit«r  Jti« 

Iowa 

Farmer 

's» 

Rivera 

««« 

Haucb,    Isuc 

Cera. 

Tailor 

April  14* 

'^ss 

514  Temple 

tBtil 

Hall,   ThDm»j   W. 

K   Y, 

Farmer 

Jin.. 

'73 

La  CaEada 

1S73 

Hoplcini,  Susan  Clubjr 

Man. 

Farmer 

J*!!-. 

•73 

Long   Beack 

ia7« 

Hewitt,   L«liF   R. 

Waih. 

Attorne; 

Mar^  21, 

'7* 

t7t}   S.    Olive 

|S7« 

HartQJck,  August 

Germ, 

Cftoptr 

Aui.. 

>* 

74B  Gladys  avcBue 

iS7« 

Herrick,   Jdbo 

Ma«>. 

Hackmu 

Feb.  27. 

'59 

6ai  Main 

<SS9 

JuobSTi  NttboQ 

Pfttt. 

MerchiHl 

July. 

•*l 

739   Hope 

tSfl 

Jacchy,   Mom* 

Prui, 

Merchant 

*65 

Los   Antelea 

tS65 

J«iii«^    AUrtd 

Ohio 

Miner 

April, 

'68 

101    N.   Bunker   Hill   ave 

f»S3 

Jcnkstis,    Charles   M. 

Ohio 

Miner 

Mar.  19. 

*Si 

ris8    Santcc 

IBs  I 

Johnsoa,   Chftrlet   R, 

Mass. 

Accountant 

'SI 

Lo9  Anffeles 

1S47 

JudMii,   A.    H, 

N,  y. 

Attorney 

Blay. 

V* 

FuadEtia  avenue 

(B7a 

Jordon^  Joseph 

Aust. 

Retired 

June, 

•«5 

Los   Angclea 

i>5S 

jobanien,    Mr*.    C«iUs 

Genn. 

Housewife 

'7* 

Los  Angrle* 

iMu 

Jenliiai.   Wm.   W- 

Ohio 

Miner 

Mar.   10, 

'Si 

NewbalL 

iSli 

Jobnton,   Micijili   D, 

Obia 

Miner 

Mar.  ji. 

'76 

136  N.  Griffin  STenut 

rSTS 

Jofita^  John  J. 

Germ. 

Farmer 

'75 

Hollywood 

tSyS 

J«htUKa.  Edvard  P. 

I  Ad. 

Prea.  L.  A.  Fonu  Co.    June. 

'?« 

547  S.   Hope 

'•'*■ 

K«y«,  CtaarlH  C. 

Vu 

C*anty  Clerit 

Nov.  as. 

'68 

a 09  N*  Worlnnu 

i8s»  ™ 

Kremer,    M. 

France 

Ina.    agent 

Mar^b, 

's» 

9 S3  Lake  street 

iSsn 

Krtmef.  Mfi.  Matilda 

N.  Y. 

S..pt. 

'£4 

QSX  Lake  street 

tSsj 

Kuhrts,   Jacob 

Germ. 

Merchant 

May  to. 

*i7 

J07  W.   First 

I«4t 

Kurts,    Joiieph 

Germ. 

Phyiteian 

Feb.  a. 

*68 

36i    Buena  Vista 

1W7 

KyMT,    E.   F, 

N.  Y. 

Retired 

April, 

•69 

j2j   Bonnie   Bne 

■<6s 

Kut£,    Samuel 

Pa. 

Dept   Co.  Clerk 

Oct.   39, 

'74 

aiy  S.   Soto 

[874 

Germ. 

Housewife 

May. 

'6J 

107   W.    First 

tft6t 

Kmgr  T^ura  £, 

Flor. 

Housewife 

Nov.  J7. 

*49 

413   K,   Breed 

1U9 

Klocktnbrmk,   Wcru 

Germ. 

Bookkeeper 

Oct., 

'70 

Hewitt 

1S70 

KniKMen.  Will  A, 

I  ad. 

MtniFter 

Oct, 

'69 

150  W.  Thirty.finl 

IS4» 

Kiefer,  Peter  P. 

Germ. 

Retired 

J»n.   IS, 

'S2 

240  N.  Hope 

iBCo 

Kearney,   John 

Can. 

Zanjero 

Sept.   il, 

■?1 

7^6   E.   Efxbch 

tayt 

Kipp,  Nicholas 

Germ. 

Hackman 

'7S 

749  Bannine 

iMa 

Ljnch*  Joseph  D. 

Pt. 

Editor  and   Fob. 

Dec, 

'74 

3JI    New  High 

it^  V 

LAmb«    Cbas.    G. 

Rl. 

Real    Estate  iffcnt 

'74 

Puadena 

1«74 

Lambourn^    Fred 

Eng. 

Grocer 

D«.t 

'59 

S^o  Judwn 

lass 

Lapker^im,   J.    B 

Mo. 

CapiUlitt 

■7* 

950  S,  OUve 

l«54 

Liizatd*    Solomon 

Fraocc 

Retired 

'ji 

607    SercnCh 

1851 

Locb.  Leflia 

Fr»nee 

MeTchant 

Feb.. 

'6fi 

t^ai    Westlake  arenue 

i8e$ 

L«ck,  Henry  Vander 

Cal 

Merchant 

Dec.   14. 

*S9 

2309    Flower 

ias« 

Lembecke-    Chartei   M. 

Germ. 

Pickle  works 

Mar.    20, 

'57 

577   Loi  Ante  lea 

iBjl 

LevT,  Michael 

France 

Merchant 

Oct. 

■fi8 

6ii  Kip 

)6si 

Lyon.  LewU  H. 

Maine 

Bookkeeper 

0«t. 

'6» 

KewbaU 

i8«8 

Lccbler,  George  W, 

Pa. 

Apiafiit 

NPIF.. 

's« 

Kewball 

iM 

■■ 

MEMBERSHIP    ROLL 

1 

■ 

■ 

^^ 

BtaTB^ 

AM.  ijr          1 

MAHB. 

">C». 

OCCurATIO*. 

AUtV,  IH  CD. 

aS4. 

■TAT«.                1 

Leiu.    Edmund 

Germ, 

Insurance 

June  tj, 

•74 

J907  S.  Hope 



Ling.    Robert   A. 

Can. 

Attorney 

Sept,, 

Vj 

ttoj   Downey  arenufe 

1871 

Lockliart,   Tbomu  J. 

tnd. 

Re*l    Estate 

May   i. 

>j 

19*9  Lovelace  avenue 

iB7> 

LockhAft,  Levi  J. 

Ind. 

Coal  mere  bant 

May   I, 

'73 

J&14  S-  Grand  avenue 

a«73 

LcKkwood.  James  W. 

N.  Y, 

Ptaiterer 

April  I, 

'75 

Water  street 

iSiC 

techier,  Abbie  J. 

UL 

Housevrtfe 

Dec., 

'S3 

Ri^h   street 

i«5J 

LoouDorc,  James 

Ep«, 

Parmer 

Jan.  t6. 

'7S 

ttji    Lafajrette 

Loybcd,  Mollie  A. 

III. 

Housewife 

'S6 

Wiflfield 

«S53 

Lanning,  Sfttnue]  W, 

N.  j. 

Stair  builder 

Sept- 

'86 

7SD    S.    Olive 

it59 

Lewis,   WiH.    Robert 

Ala. 

Contractor 

Sept., 

'?! 

Loa   Angeles 

i«f« 

Mwy,    Oscar 

tnd. 

Farmer 

'50 

Alhambra 

itso 

M4ppa,  Adam  G. 

K.  Y, 

Searcb.  Rec. 

Nov.. 

.64 

Los  Angel M 

tetf4 

Mercadante,    N. 

TUly 

Grocer 

Apn)   ]6, 

*6o 

43$  San  Pedro 

iS«i 

Mcfmer,  Joseph 

Ohio 

Merchant 

Sept, 

'SO 

170$  Manitou  avenue 

1*59 

Me«<r,   R. 

Gerni. 

Retired 

Feb,. 

'S4 

326   J^cltion 

iBsi 

Meyer.    Samuel 

Cerm. 

McnJiant 

April. 

'3J 

1 35?  S.   Hope 

liss 

Mel£cn   Louif 

Bohemia 

Stationer 

April   (. 

'70 

900   FigueroB 

laa 

Mitchell    rfewell    H. 

Ohio 

Hotel  keeper 

Sept.  26, 

'68 

Pasadena 

>a«i 

Moore*   Isaac   N, 

III. 

Retired 

Nov., 

'«9 

Cal.  Truck  Co. 

i86p 

Mullally,   Joseph 

Ohio 

Retired 

Marcfa  s. 

^54 

4 1 7    CoUe^ 

iftSO 

Mct.ain*   Geo,    P, 

Va. 

Merchant 

Jan,  a. 

'68 

446  \,  Grand  avcfluc 

t8«r 

McLean,  Wm. 

Scotland 

Contractor 

•6« 

5«i  S.  Hope 

rBGg 

McMuIUti.  W,   G. 

Canada 

Farmer 

J*fi.. 

'70 

Station   D 

1U7 

Moulton*    Klijah 

Canada 

Retired 

Mir  ti. 

Us 

Los  Atigeles 

«»4S 

MeCflmai,  Jos,  E. 

Vr. 

Retired 

Oe(„ 

>a 

Pomona 

«t5J     1 

Motl.   Thomas  D. 

M,  Y, 

Retired 

'5a 

*45   S-   Matt! 

-S«9   H 

Miller,  Willum 

N.   Y. 

Carpenter 

Nov,  3  a, 

'60 

Santa  Monica 

—  ■ 

Marxaon.    Bora 

Genu. 

Housewife 

Nov.   14, 

'7J 

213  E,  Sevcnteeflth 

I87i            1 

Mndr,   John 

Ire. 

Retired 

Sept,  6, 

'69 

J03  W.  Eiffbteenth 

tS«o 

Mnrsn.  Samuel 

D.  C. 

Painter 

May  15. 

•73 

Colpgrove 

1S7J 

Maicr,  Simoa 

Genn. 

Butcher 

•76 

13?  S,  Grand 

1S76 

Melvill.  J.   H., 

Mass. 

Sec.  Fid.  Ah.  Co, 

Auit. 

'?!E 

4S5  N.  Feaudry  avenue 

1874 

Montaeue.   XewelL   S- 

ni. 

Farmer 

Oct.  a. 

'S6 

i3;t   E,   Twenly-egbtli 

iftSiS 

Mc  Far  land,    SiUi    R. 

Pa. 

Livery 

Jan.   iB. 

'7J 

i334  W.  Twelfth 

iBsi 

Mtn,  Henry 

Germ- 

Retired 

Au(E-, 

•7* 

106   Jewett 

Uoodj,  Alexander  C 

N.  S. 

Carpenter 

Jan.  9. 

^66 

1*5  Avenue  35 

Moore,  Mary   E. 

N.  Y. 

'66 

1467  E-  T*entieth 

Morgan,    OctaviuB 

Eni. 

Architect 

May. 

•74 

iSt^  Westlake  avenue 

*«74 

M<x>re,  AUnd 

Hng. 

E^ipress 

July  *T, 

V4 

70&  S.  Workman 

1B7* 

Morton.  A,  J, 

Ira. 

Macbinist 

>4 

315  New  High 

Morris,    MoHti 

Germ. 

Retired 

■5  J 

33.6   S,  Eroadway 

'815 

Morton^  Job?)  Jay 

Micb. 

Fanner 

Auf.. 

'67 

Cdmpton 

(Mt 

McArthuT,  John 

Can. 

Miner 

■«* 

1^04   5,   FigueroR 

MtArthur,   Catheriac 

N.  Y. 

Housewife 

'7a 

igog   S.   Figueroa 

McC.arvin,    Robert 

Can. 

Real  Estate  agent 

April  s. 

*75 

aao$^   S.  Sj^rinff 

10^5 

Uc Donald.  Juneft 

Teoo. 

En^tittt 

Oct. 

^5  7 

T509  G'  Twentieth 

iBsj 

McCfccry,  Mary  B. 

N.  Y. 

HQUsewife 

Nov.  3, 

'69 

9 1 1    5.  Hope 

McCrctry.    Rufua  K. 

Md. 

Rerired 

Nov.  3, 

•6fl 

Q[]    S,  Hope 

^^ 

Mcllmoil,  John 

N,  V. 

Capitaliat 

May  JO, 

'So 

Hinci 

lib 

McCoyc.  Frank 

N.  Y. 

Broker 

May. 

ve 

ij8  S.   Broadway 

tS74 

Worton,  Iiaae 

Poutid 

Sec.  Loan  AiiD. 

Nov., 

'69 

13G4    Pisneroa 

iSfi4 

Kcfrmark.    Harril 

Gem. 

Merchant 

Oct.    32. 

•53 

tosi  Grand  avenue 

1853 

Ncwmark.   M.   J. 

K.  V. 

Merchant 

Sept. 

•S4 

1047  Grand  avenue 

|BS3 

Kewe]l.  J.  C. 

Can. 

Labofcf 

July  14. 

.SB 

1417  W.  Ninth 

ilio 

M 

■ 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^1 

^^^^H 

^H 

^^^^^■^H^^I^HI 

l^^^^^^^l 

3«6 

PIONEERS   OF  LOS    ANGELES 

COUNTY             ^^^B 

■ 

aiini- 

U.  tH 

HAVL 

rLACt. 

QCeurATlOM. 

AlVEV,  IK 

CO. 

■t& 

fir  At  E. 

Nithel*.  Thoniai   E. 

C*L 

County  Auditor 

■sa 

aai  W.  Thirty^firrt 

iSsS 

NtwcU.  Mrt.  J.  a 

Ind. 

Housewife 

JUIK, 

*5J 

24*7  W.  Ninth 

iBsa 

N*dt.u.  G*a,  A. 

Cu, 

FkriDCf 

'6S 

Florence 

Ne»mfirh.  Mra,    H. 

N.  Y. 

Sept.   i6, 

*S4 

losi    S.  Crmnd 

I«M 

Nadcfiii   Martha    F. 

N,  a 

Housewife 

Sct^U, 

^68 

iSDi   CcntrtI  ftvcBuc 

t86a 

Nicteng«r,    Edward 

Conn. 

Reml  Estate  broJ»r 

l>ec.. 

*?4 

Fifth    street 

ja74 

Orme,   Henrjr    S. 

C«. 

Phyucian 

JttJy  4. 

*68 

Douglas    Block 

■  868 

Oibortie^  John 

EniF. 

Retired 

N*r.    14, 

'68 

3*a   W.    Thirties 

ift54 

OfthorTi,   Wm.    M- 

N,  Y. 

Livery 

iMarch. 

■58 

9?3  W.  Twelfth 

>ass 

O'Melvcny.  Hcnty  W. 

III. 

Attorney 

Nov.. 

■6b 

Baker    Block 

1B64 

Qwcp,  Edward  H. 

Ala. 

Clerk  V.  S.  Court 

Oct.. 

*70 

Garvanu 

S870 

Orr,  Beujamin  F. 

P*. 

UnderUlwr 

May. 

*75 

lAij   Bush 

1^53 

Ftrker,  Robert 

Pa. 

Prist4r 

April  to. 

*75 

:3jo  S.  Dcaudry 

t»75 

Pwker,  Jw]  B. 

N,  Y. 

Fanner 

April  aq, 

>o 

sra  E.  Twelfth 

li^ 

Puchkt,   Willivn 

C«rqi. 

Krtii^ed 

April   ij,. 

'65 

5JB    Uacy 

«»S* 

Pike,  Geo,   H. 

MasL 

Retired 

*6? 

Lh  Angelet 

tast 

Peek,  Ceo,   H. 

Vt 

Parmer 

Dec.. 

*6« 

El    Monie 

iBm 

Potiet.   Victor 

Bcl^ufn 

Capitalist 

Oct.. 

*«, 

Shernian 

'■•r 

Pndham,   Wm. 

N.  y. 

Supt.   W.   F.   Co. 

Aug.   x&. 

*68 

Baker    BtrKk 

iAM 

PriEcr^   Saniue] 

Prussia 

Notary 

Feb., 

' 

LoA  Angelea 

1*54 

PrectOT.  A,  A, 

N,  Y. 

Elacksniitb 

Drc-  «, 

'f3 

tfioi    M*plc  »«n«e 

!«?* 

Pilkm^tob,  W.  H. 

Ens- 

Gardener 

'7i 

jifi  N.   Cumoun^ 

lB7i 

Pfoifii,  Gretft  L, 

Mo, 

Retired 

Nov.. 

•&7 

t5i*  W.  Twelflb 

■B5J 

Perry.   Harriet   S. 

Ohio 

Hanaewife 

May  IS. 

>S 

(7^3    Iowa 

i«7S 

Few  like,   Emil 

Germ, 

Merchant 

Nov.  jOt 

*7S 

040  Summit  »Ttnii» 

^ 

Pye,  Thomaa 

Eag. 

Fanner 

•77 

Paudena 

ii4«    H 

FfHioa.  John  £. 

En*. 

Merchant 

July  7. 

'yfi 

S14  Golding  BveDu« 

tsr«  H 

Quinn,    Hi£bard 

Ire 

Farmer 

J*n. 

/*! 

El  Monte 

IMI     " 

Qutnn,   Michael  F. 

N,  Y* 

Farmer 

MATCh   J, 

'59 

El  Uoote 

list 

Rub,   David  M. 

Germ. 

Dairymaa 

Hay  12. 

■6s^ 

South   Fasadena. 

lUtf 

RaytifS,    Frank 

Eng. 

Lumberman 

AuB.. 

>l 

Pomona 

ft?I 

Reichard,  Daoicl 

Ottio 

Livery 

July, 

'6a 

4S9  Beaudry 

Ifl6< 

Riley,   Jamei    M> 

Mo^ 

Maiiufdctufci 

D«:.* 

'66 

M05  S.  Olive 

i*S7 

Richardson,   E-   W. 

Ohio 

Dairyman 

Sept., 

'71 

Tfopico 

zByt 

RjcturdKiii,  W.  C  B. 

N.  e. 

Surveyor 

*6S 

Tropica 

tB68 

Rocder.  Louii 

Genn, 

Retired 

Nov.  jS 

/5* 

Jig   Boyd 

»«*« 

Robinson,  W.   W- 

N.  S. 

Clerk 

Sept.. 

'68 

It?     S.     OtJM 

1051 

Hob*tti.    Henry    C 

Pt 

Fniit  Grower 

'54 

Antia 

iS»o 

Rinaldi,  Carl  A.   R. 

Germ, 

Horticulturut 

April. 

■54 

Fernando 

1S54 

Rendall.    Stephen   A, 

Ene 

Rtyil   Estate 

May  t, 

'66 

9(1  S   Alvarado 

1S61 

Rcavis,    Walter    S. 

Mo. 

Collector 

June  8, 

'69 

[407   Sunset   Boulevard 

■  BSd 

Hoffcrs,  AtejE  H. 

Bid. 

Retired 

Aug., 

*7i 

iisa   Wall 

iS&> 

Ready,  RuewU  W. 

Mp, 

Actor  ncy 

Dec.  [B, 

'7J 

Saji  Pedro  street 

J«7I 

Raft*,  Eirakine  M. 

Va. 

U  S.  Judge 

June   ig, 

'6S 

Lob   Angeles 

isea 

Rm«n,  Wm.  H. 

N,  Y. 

Ffuit  Grower 

April  $, 

*6« 

Whittier 

i»6i 

RTwton,  Albert  St  C. 

Eflff. 

Surveyor 

Sept.. 

>3 

iji  N.  Main 

i87» 

E«ivi«.  Wm.  E. 

Hq. 

Liverynuli 

April    33, 

'73 

T40S    Scott 

>«73 

RoIsiDD,  Wm 

111. 

Farmer 

•?J 

£1  Monte 

Read,  Jennie  Sanderson 

N.  Y. 

Vocal  Mlrtitt 

June  3Q, 

'76 

T153  Lerdo 

iBfiS 

Koque£,  A.   C. 

France 

Clerk 

Aui.  ifi. 

Vo 

City  Hall 

J 

MEMBERSHIP   ROLL 

i 

■IKT0- 

AM.  IN 

ItAKt. 

M>Ct. 

dCC(T»ATU«. 

CO. 

naa. 

■TATI. 

Schmidt.  CoEtfned 

Denmark 

Farmer 

Aui. 

'64 

Los  Angeles 

*M4 

Schmidt,  Auffttsc 

Cenn, 

Retired 

May. 

4» 

710  S-  Olive 

tio* 

Sluil«r.   John 

Holland 

Ketired 

Maicb. 

V- 

aoo  N.  Boyle  arenue 

■  049 

Shorb.  A-  S. 

Ohio 

Phjrticito 

June, 

>( 

6^*   Adams 

<»7« 

StolU  Simon 

Ky. 

Merchant 

Aug., 

*69 

80*  S.  Broad^^ay 

i«69 

Stewart,   S,    Bi, 

N.  H. 

Retired 

May  14. 

'70 

SI3   W.   Tbifticth 

1850 

Stephens,   Diniel  G. 

N    J 

Orchardiit 

April. 

*6i 

Sinth  and  Olive 

iSS9 

Stepli*hs,   Mr*.    E.  T 

Maine 

•69 

Sixth   and  OLivt 

i8«tf 

Smith.  liaac  S- 

K.  Y. 

Sec.  Oil  Co. 

Noy., 

'ti 

*i*  N.   Olive 

1856 

Smith.    W.   J.    A. 

Eng, 

Draughtaman 

April    11, 

'74 

Sao  Linden 

I8y4 

S*ntous.   Je»n 

France 

Retired 

April, 

's« 

54$  S.  Grand  avenqe 

iSjtf 

SbcAfcr.  Mrs.  Ti[ltc 

III. 

Houfewtfe 

July. 

*7< 

TIJ4   EI  Molino 

iSsa 

Strong,    Robert 

H.  y. 

Brokvr 

March. 

'7a 

Pasadena 

187* 

Snxdcr.   Z.    T, 

Ind. 

Parmer 

April. 

'7* 

Tropico 

iAr> 

Sliughter,  John  L. 

u. 

Retired 

Jan.  10. 

'61 

614   N.   Bunker  Hill 

1B56 

Scott,    Mr*.    Annnds 

W.       Ohio 

House  wife 

Dec.  *r. 

'so 

sag  Misaiob   Road 

X859 

StgM,  H.   W. 

Germ, 

Manuafcturer 

Oct.  1, 

'67 

U*  S.  Hill 

1867 

Sumner,  C.  A. 

Enff. 

Broker 

May  8, 

*7J 

tjni     Oringe 

ti73 

Si&ith,  Mrs.   Sirah  J. 

Ill 

House  vrife 

ocpt.1 

'7  a 

Temple   street 

tmm 

Starr^  JoKph  L,^ 

Teuu 

Dairyman 

'71 

Les   Aagcltt 

iMt 

Schmidt,    Frederick 

Germ. 

Farmer 

'7i 

Los  Anselc* 

HlfS 

Sprjwe.   Mrs*   Annie 

Ire. 

Housewife 

*7n 

445  S.  OUve 

tS6f 

Smith,  Simon  B, 

Conn. 

Insunnee 

May  17, 

V« 

fja  N.  Avenue  jt 

i8y6 

Sharp,   Robert  L. 

EtiB- 

Funeral   Director 

May. 

Ve 

Loa    Angeles 

tB£9 

Shaffer,    Cornelia    R. 

Holland 

Housewife 

April. 

'?* 

.»DO  N.  Boyle  avenue 

iBSJ 

Slaughter.    Fnnk    R. 

N,  Y. 

Horticulturist 

Nov., 

*74 

Lrgt   Angeles 

1874 

Stauib,   George 

N.  Y. 

Farmer 

'?3 

1,0*  Angeles 

>373 

Short,  Corneliu*  H- 

Del 

Farmer 

Aug.   B. 

•69 

M17   MisKion   Boulevard 

1859 

Etarle*.  JohB  F. 

Md, 

liro*er 

March, 

*S5 

St.  ElmQ  Hotel 

'849 

Stewart,  MelisM  A. 

M.  Y. 

Houaewife 

March, 

'71 

iij  W.   Thirtieth 

ms 

Steer*.  Robert 

N.  Y, 

Retired 

March. 

'75 

i6o  S.  Olive 

>8so 

Tobennin,  J.  R. 

Va. 

Farmer 

ApnK 

'63 

<iS  S-  FiRuerda 

I8SV 

Teed,   Matbew 

Eng. 

Carpenter 

Jan.. 

*63 

J13  Califflroia 

>8S4 

Thorn.    Cameron    E. 

Vfc 

Attorney 

April 

'S4 

118  E.  Third 

1S4O 

Taft.  Mrs.   Mary  H. 

Mich. 

Housewife 

Dee.  as. 

*54 

Hollywood 

l8S4 

Thomas,  John  M. 

Ind 

Farmer 

Dec.  J, 

'6S 

Monrovia 

1S59 

Truman*   Ben  G. 

R.   L 

Authof 

Feb.  I. 

':a 

looi   Twenly-tliird 

jB6« 

Turner,    Wm.    F. 

Ohio 

Grocer 

May. 

'38 

6o3   K.    Gr)%o 

IBSB 

Tha.yer,  John  S. 

N.  Y 

Mc^rt^hant 

Oct.  as, 

'34 

14?  W.  Twcnty.fifth 

[874 

TuWji,  Geo.  W, 

Vt. 

Retired 

Oct, 

Vi 

1641  Central 

tB6g 

Udell,  Joaeph  C 

Vt. 

Attorney 

*6o 

St.    George   Hotel 

1850 

Vignolo,  Ambroiio 

lur^ 

Merchant 

Sept.  t6, 

'?a 

535  S.   Main 

ffijo 

Vetiable.  Joseph    W. 

Kt. 

Fanner 

July. 

'*g 

Downey 

1849 

Vogt.   Henry 

Germ. 

Builder 

Jan.  4. 

'tig 

Caste  lar 

i8S4 

Viwter,  E.  J. 

Ind. 

Florist 

April   ta. 

'73 

Ocean    Park 

I«75 

Vaorter,  W.  S, 

Ind, 

Farmer 

July  10. 

*7i 

Sani*  Monica 

1875 

WorkniM,  Wm.  H. 

Mo. 

City  Treasurer 

'54 

J7i   Boyle  aTenoe 

18S4 

Worlcmaa,   E.   H. 

Mo. 

RcaI  Estate 

*54 

lao    Boyle   avenue 

l8S4 

Wi»e>   Kenneth  D. 

Ind. 

Ptaysieian 

Sept- 

'?J 

il$i  S.  Grand  avenue 

t87J 

Weyie,    Rudolph   G- 

Cal. 

Bookkeeper 

Jan.  *9, 

■«o 

Thompson   street 

1U9 

Weyse,  M".   A.  W. 

B.            Cal. 

Houaewife 

July  i6. 

*£a 

Bas  Wcstlakc  avenue 

t*6j 

Wright.   Ciurle*  U. 

Vt. 

Farmer 

Uiy. 

•s« 

Spadrt 

t«34 

^ 

J 

_J 

3i8 


PIONEERS  OP  LOS    AKGELES  COUNTY 


nmTV- 

AW.  Ill 

VAKt, 

FUIC«. 

dCctrrATioH, 

aimv,  !}■  CO. 

BU. 

STAirt 

\^'bi^p.  Cbftrles  H. 

Mua. 

S.  P.  Co. 

Nov.. 

'71 

J 137   Inffnhtm 

iSsa 

Weid,  Wit  A. 

Denmark 

Landlord 

*?» 

741    S>   Main 

]S«4 

WilMD,  C  N. 

Ohio 

Lawyer 

JVL    9, 

'71 

Frmando 

*i870 

Wtrd,  Jarne*  F. 

N.  Y. 

Farmer 

!»«.. 

'?^ 

iiji  S-  Grand 

WDrbrnaR,    Alfred 

Etij. 

Broker 

Not.  >8. 

■*8 

aia   Boyk  avenue 

Woodhead,  Ch»«.  B. 

Ohio 

Dairytnaii 

P^  11. 

*T4 

Sja  Buetia  Vina 

1S75 

Warlenberg,    Louii 

Genu. 

Com,  Trav. 

No*., 

•S8 

1057   S.    Grand  avenue 

TJt5« 

Whiilcf.    Is*»C 

Ark. 

Miner 

Auj., 

*S^ 

SJS   San   Pedro  street 

iBja 

Wcrm,  Ausu«t  W. 

GcnD. 

Retired 

^B5 

g](}  W.  Eleventh 

iSSff 

Whght,  Edwird  T. 

TIL 

Surveyor 

Manfa, 

•75 

326    S.    Sprmg 

<B7S 

Woh]f*rth,  August 

Germ, 

Saddler 

Sept.. 

'74 

1604  Flr:iunt  avenue 

tfl74 

WTiit*.  J.  P. 

Kr 

Well  borer 

MaT, 

Vo 

Q89  E.  Fifty  fifth 

TS70 

Wrait,  Umtj  TtiompMa 

Tex, 

Houfewife 

Sept. 

•53 

Downey 

185a 

Wyitt.  J,  Blftckbtirn 

Va, 

Farmer 

\9 

Downey 

.849 

Wolf,   George   W. 

Ind. 

Farmer 

Oct.  s. 

'73 

4J31  VertDOMt  avenue 

1*73 

WoHikUU  JobA 

Mo. 

Ranch«r 

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(ANNUAL   PUBLICATIONS  OF   1 90J- 1904- 190 j) 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  SOCIETY 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL 


II 


II 


III 


Contents  of  Vol.  VI 


Officers  of  the  Historical   Society,   1903-1904 

Portrait  of  Captain    Benjamin    Daviess   Moore 

A  Flag  Staff  and  Flag  for  Fort  Moore. .    .Evening  Express. 

Flag  Raising  on  Site  of  Fort  Moore, Daily  Times. 

Fort  Moore J.  M,  Guinn  , 

Captain  Benjamin  Daviess  Moore M.  J.  Moore 

History  of  Santa  Catalina  Island ,  .Mra,  M.  Burton  Willianison . 

Illustration:     Indian  Soapstone  Quarry. ,,..... 

Illustration :    A valon , 

American  Governors  of  California H.   D.    Burrows. 

Renunciation  of  Chona , Laura  Everteen  King. 

Two  Decades  of  Local  History. . J.  M.  Guinn, 

Yuma  Indian  Depredations  and  the  Glanton  War, J.  M*  Guinn . 
Yuma  Depredutions^Massacre  of  Dr.  Lincoln  and  His  Men. 

Deposition  of  William  (Wr 

Deposition  of  Jeremiah  Hill 

Officers  of  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County,  1903-1904. .  . 

Constitution  and  By-Laws .  . 

Reports  of  Secretary  and  TreELSurer 

In  the  Days  of  '49 J,  M,  Guinn. 

An  Exciting  Episode  of  the  Early  '60'e H,  D.  Barrows, 

Los   Angeles   Pioneers   of    1836. .  .    . .  .  .Steplieii  C.   Foster. 

The  Myth  of  Gold   Lake J.   M.   Guinn. 

Biographical  Sketches  of  Deceased  Pioneers 

George  Huntington  Peck .,,...... .  .Autobiography. 

Edmund  C.  Glidden ...,....._  .J.  M.  Guinn. 

Samuel  Meyer Committee  Report . 

Carl  Felix  Heinzman .Committee  Report. 

Jean  Sentoiis , H,  D,  Barrows . 

Micajah  D.  Johnson Loa  Angeles  Times 

Ivar  A.  Weid. * , Committee  Report 

Julius   Brousseau L.   A.   Evening  Express 

Morits  Morris H.  D.  Barrows 

In  Memoriam 

Roll  of  Members ... , 

Officers  of  Historical  Society,  1904-1905 

Portrait  of  Prof.  Marcus  Baker 

In  Memory  of  Marcus  Baker Dr.  Robt.  E.  C,  Steams 

Down  in  Panama J-  M.  Guinii 

Sequoyah Dr.  J.  D.  Moody 


A  ITolaUe  KailHte H.  D.  B^mm 

.  lAon  ErertBCB  Kiog 
of  the  I'iocwers  of  Loo  Angela  C4xxxKty,  19M-1905 

tC^M tittrtioo  and  Bj-Lawv 

of  the  ScrretATT'  and  Treasurer 

Report  of  th«  FinaiKe  ConuniCMe  . 

loi  Ang^;le»— The  Otd  and  Tbe  Ke«  U  T.  Fisber 

Borne  ilwtonc  Fads  acid  Fakts J.  )f  -  Gutnn 

Borne  of  M  v  Indian  Expenenee«  .  i.  W.  Gillette 

Portrait  of  Wm.  H.  Workman 

FtooMn  CroMing  the  Plains Ohistration 

Baoqnet  Ciiveo  to  the  I^oneeiv  by  Wm.  H.  WoHcman 

Rain  and  Itajn-makem . .       J.  M.  Guinn 

Biographicat  Sketches  of  Deceased  Pionaers 

Mathew  Teed Cdm|»ied 

Nathaniel  (*obuni  Carter Committee  Report 

Oniri  J,  llultitf Committee  Report 

Geor««  IvJwin  Gard Committee  Report 

Joimthun  l>i<rkcy  Dunlap.  , Committee  Report 

K  C<*rncli II  R,  .Shaffer.  -    ..  Committee  Report 

lOH  U.  Miitt   .......  ...  LoB  Angeles  Times 

Kil juri  Me«ser ,...».  Committee  Report 

PuMf'fLl  Ballade.  <  ^ .  * Committee  Report 

John  (Yimrnina. .....  Committee  Report 

In  Mcmoriam .    .   

Roll  of  Memljers. , , , 

Officcnt  of  the  Historical  Society  1905-1906       

Lob  Angeles  Fifty  Years  Ago H.  D.  Barrows. 

How  New  Zealand  Got  Its  Honey  Bees,. Mary  M.  Bowman. 
Pioneer  Courts  and  Lawyers  of   Los  Angeles,   W.  R.  Bacon, 

How  (-Vlifornia  Escaped  State  Division J.  M.  Guinn. 

Two  Pioneer  Phyaicians  of  Los  Angeles. .  .     H.  D,  Barrows. 

J.  JvancHster   Brent H,  D.  Barrows . 

Extrartft  Kroui  the  Los  Angeles  Archives H.  J-  I^lande. 

The  Old  Highways  of  Los  Angeles. J.  M.  Guinn. 


Pioneers 


Los  Angeles  County 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL 

Gbo,  Bice  &  Sohb 

1904 


I 


I  'I 


n 


% 

■]\i 

li! 


CONTENTS 


HISTORICAL  SOCierV  PAPERS, 

Officers  of  the  Historical  Society,  1903-1904 4 

Portrait  of  Caplain  Benjamin  Daviess  Moore 4 

A  Flag  Staff  and  Flag  for  Fort  Moore,  .L.  A,  Evening  Express. ,  5 
Flag-  Raising  on  Site  of  Fort  Moore. ..,..,  .h-  A,  Daily  Times, ,  6 

Fort  Moore J.  M.  Guiim.,  7 

Captain  Benjamin  Daviess  Moore ,  ,M,  J,  Moore. .   lO 

Historj'  of  Santa  Catalina  Island.  .Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson,  *    14 

Illustration — Indian  Soapstone  Quarry 20 

Ilustration — Avalon .  . , , ^8 

American  Governors  of  California H.  D.  Barrows. .  32 

Henunciation  of  Chona ,  . . . . .Laura  Evertsen  King. .  38 

Two  Decades  of  Local  History. , . ,  J,  M.  Guinn.  .  41 

Letter  of  CoL  J.  C.  Fremont  to  Secretary  of  War 48 

Yuma  Indian  Depredations  and  the  Glanton  War,  .J,  M.  Guinn, .   50 
Yuma  Depredations — Massacre  of  Dr.  Lincoln  and  His  Men, . . ,  52 

Deposition  of  William  Carr 52 

Deposition  of  Jeremiah  Hill 57 

PIONEER  SOClEtY  PAPCRS. 

OfScers  of  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County,  1903-1904.  .  -  - .  63 

Constitution  and  By-Laws 64 

Order  of  Business 68 

Reports  of  the  Secretary  and  Treasury. , , ^ .  69 

In  the  Days  of  '49. J.  M,  Guinn, .  71 

An  Exciting  Episode  of  the  Early  '60s. H,  D.  Barrows. ,  78 

Los  Angeles  Pioneers  of  1836  > Stephen  C.  Foster. .  80 

The  Myth  of  Gold  Lake J.  M,  Guinn. ,  82 

BIOGfiAPBICAL  SKETCHES  OF  DECEASSd  PIONEERS. 

George  Huntington  Peck Autobiography. .  87 

Edmund  C,  Glidden J.  M.  Guinn, .  89 

Samuel  Meyer .Committee  Report,  .  90 

Car!  Felix  Heinzman, .  *  * Committee  Report. .  90 

Jean  Sentous. . , .H.  D.  Barrows. ,  92 

Micajah  D.  Johnson, Los  Angeles  Times. .  92 

Ivar  A.  Weid. ... Committee  Report. .  93 

Julius  Brousseau. Los  Angeles  Evening  Express. ,  95 

Morit2  Morris H.  D.  Barrows . .  96 

In  Memoriam  ,,....,.».....,.* * 07 

Roll  of  Members 9^ 


Officers  of  the  Historical  Society 

1903 


WALTn   FL   Bacoh .., .President 

A.   C   Vrowan Firit  Vice- President 

MUi.    M.    BuKTON   W[LUAM30iv..,< *...,,Second  Vlct-Presidcnl 

Edwin    Baxtes ^ ,.»»» Treasurer 

J,  M.  Gumtt .SecrcUrr  and  Curator 

BOARD    OF  UTSSCTQtS^ 

A.   C  Vroman,  WALtES  R-  Bacon, 

H.  D»  Baeeows,  J.  M-  Gurww, 

J.  D.  Moody,  Edwin    Baxtei, 

MkS,    M.    BuBTON    WnjJAMSOK. 

1904 

omcESS  (elect). 

Walter  R.  Bacon ,,...., , ,  President 

Mas,  M.  Burton  WtU-fAifsoN  ■ First  Vice-President 

DiL  J.  E.  CowLES, .Second  Vice  President 

EiJwiN   Baxt£b * ,..,.*.., « Treasurer 

J,  M.  GiJiNW Socretajy  and  Curator 

SOASD  or  DtftKCTORS. 

Waltxr  R*  Bacon,  Edwin  Bax 

H.  D.  Barrows,  A,  C  Vi 

Da.  J.  E.  CawLES»  J.  M.  Guinn 

Mas.  M.  Bumon  William?<»v 


Historical  Society 


OF- 


Southern    California 

LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA 
1903 


A  FLAG  STAFF  AND  FLAG  FOR  FORT  MOORE, 
(Evening  Express  Sept.  3,  1903.) 

Fort  Moore,  the  first  Amenican  fort  erected  in  So'uthern 
California,  is  to  have  a  mem^orial*  the  Native  Sons  and  Daugh- 
ters of  California,  the  Pioneer  Society*  the  G.  A.  R.  and  the 
Historical  Society  having'  united  in  the  project  of  erecting;  a 
flag  pole  on  the  site  of  the  famous  fort,  on  the  crest  of  Fort 
Hill,  at  the  head  of  Broadway,  just  over  the  Broadway  tunnel. 

Yesterday  the  pole  arrived  in  the  city.  It  was  procured 
in  Siskiyou  County  and  was  brought  by  water  to  San  Pedro, 
from  where  it  was  hauled  by  wagonj  the  stick  being  too  long  to 
be  handled  by  the  railway  company.  It  is  a  magnificent  fir  tree, 
127  feet  long,  fourteen  inches  in  diameter  at  the  base,  eight 
inches  at  the  tip,  and  straight  as  an  arrow. 

Recently  the  allied  societies  applied  to  the  City  Council 
for  permission  to  erect  a  pole  over  the  Broadway  tfunnel,  and 
this  was  granted  with  the  understanding  that  the  work  should 
be  done  under  the  supervision  of  Julius  W,  Krause,  the  City 
Superintendent  of  Buildings,  It  is  his  intention  to  have  the 
pole  set  in  cement,  thus  insuring  its  solidity,  for  it  is  expected 
to  remain  for  many  years  as  a  landmark  in  the  city.  The  flag 
is  to  be  provided  by  Stanton  Post  G.  A.  R.,  the  Women's  Re- 
lief Corps*  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  and  other 
patriotic  organizations. 


6  HTSTORICAt   SOCIETY  OF   SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA, 

Several  months'  time  was  passed  in  th€  search  for  a  pole 
suitable  for  the  purpose.  Thanks  are  expressed  to  the  E.  K, 
Wood  Luiriber  Company,  which  aided  in  securing  a  spar  of 
such  superior  quality,  there  being  few  like  it  even  on  this 
coast.  No  date  has  been  set  for  the  flag^  raising,  as  the  erection 
of  <he  pole  will  be  a  work  of  considerable  care.  It  is  intended 
to  have  the  formal  exercises  within  a  month,  and  the  occasion 
doubtless  will  be  one  that  will  long  be  remembered. 


THE  FLAG  RAISING. 

(From  Los  Angeles  Times  December  19,  1903-) 
One  hundred  yards  south  of  where  the  American  flag  was 
raised  in  Los  Angeles  over  fifty-six  years  ago,  on  the  site  of 
Fort  Moore,  two  thotisand  people  assisted  yesterday  (Decem- 
ber :8)  in  the  exercises  attending  the  raising  of  another  flag 
in  commemoration  of  the  olden  days  when  this  queen  city 
was  in  her  swaddling  clothes. 

The  flag  raising  was  under  the  auspices  of  the  Native  Sons 
and  Daughters  and  was  preceded  by  a  lengthy  programme 
of  music  and  speeches.  Mrs.  A.  K.  Prather,  of  the  Native 
Daughters,  was  chairman,  and  F.  A.  Stephenson,  of  the  Na- 
tive Sons,  master  of  ceremonies.  The  programme,  which  be- 
gan at  2  o'clock,  was  as  fallows:  Music,  Seventh  Regiment 
Band;  depositing  "sacred  earth"  from  famous  American  bat- 
tlefields, Mrs,  Sade  L,  Rios;  music,  band;  speech,  "Conquest 
of  Los  Angeles,*'  Grant  Lorain e  of  Los  Angeles  High  School; 
speech,  "The  Pioneers,"  by  Mendle  Silberberg  of  Commercal 
High  School;  music,  band;  address,  ''Buildng  of  Fort  Moore/' 
by  J.  M.  Guinn,  of  the  Historical  Society  and  Pioneers;  music, 
band;  address,  John  G  Mott,  of  the  Native  Sons;  music,  band; 
presentation  of  flag,  by  Rev,  Will  A.  Knighten,  of  Stanton 
Post  G.  A.  R.;  unfurling  the  flag,  Mrs.  A.  S,  C  Forbes,  chair- 
man of  Flag  Committee,  and  Mrs.  A.  K,  Prather,  chairman 
of  Flag  Pole  Committee;  music,  "Star  Spangled  Banner,"  by 
the  band;  national  salute  by  detail  of  Co,  F,  Seventh  Regiment, 
N.  G.  C 

The  exercises  were  held  on  a  platform  surrounding  the  base 
of  the  big  flag  pole,  planted  as  everyone  knows  on  the  hill 
crowning  the  southern  or  city  end  of  the  Broadway  tunnel 
The  big  flag  was  presented  by  the  Women's  Relief  Corps, 
Stanton  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  Daughters  of  American  Revolution  and 
navaJ  organizations,  and  was  unfurled  from  a  pole  115  feet  in 


A  FLAGSTAFF  AND  FLAG  FOR  FORT  MOORE. 


height  above  the  ground  and  buried  fifteen  feet  in  the  ground. 

A  feature  of  the  occasion  was  the  presence  on  the  platform 
of  a  son  of  Capt.  Moore  (M.  J.  Moore  of  Carpinteria), 
after  whom  the  fort  was  named,  and  a  daughter  of  Gen.  Fre- 
mont, the  pathfinder. 

Another  noteworthy  circumstance  was  the  presence  of  a 
spectator — Willam  Beddome — one  of  the  soldiers  who  helped 
build  Fort  Moore,  who  lived  in  it  with  400  other  soldiers  for 
five  months,  and  who  witnessed  that  other  flag  raising  July 
4,  1847.  He  is  a  hale,  hearty  veteran,  74  years  old,  and  has 
many  interesting  stories  to  teH  of  those  old  days  when  the  pop- 
ulation of  Los  Angeles  was  about  fifteen  hundred.  He  has 
lived  in  this  vicinity  for  twenty  years  and  now  conducts  a 
ranch  at  Garvanza,  He  is  the  only  kno^\'n  person  alive  here 
today  who  helped  huild  Fort  Moore. 


h 


FORT  MOORE. 


BY  J,    M.    GUINN. 


Los  Angeles  was  surrendered  to  Conunodore  Stockton  and 
General  Kearny,  January  10,  1847.  General  Flores'  army, 
which  had  been  defeated  by  the  American  troops  in  the  battle 
of  Paso  de  Bartolo,  January  8th,  and  in  the  battle  of  La  Mesa, 
January  9th,  were  still  in  the  neig^hborhood  of  the  city.  Com- 
modore Stockton  decided  to  erect  fortifications  not  only  to 
resist  an  attack  should  one  be  made  by  Flores,  but  also  in  the 
event  of  another  revolution,  (as  Lieutenant  Emory  puts  it)  "to 
enable  a  small  garrison  to  hold  out  till  aid  might  come  from 
San  Diego,  San  Francisco  or  Monterey,  places  which  are  des- 
tined to  become  centers  of  American  settlement." 

On  the  nth,  Lieutenant  Emory,  of  General  Kearny's  staff, 
was  detailed  "to  select  a  site  and  place  a  fort  capable  of  con- 
taining- one  hundred  men."  On  the  12th,  the  plan  of  the  fort 
was  marked  out  and  ground  broken.  Work  was  continued 
on  it  up  to  the  17th  by  the  marines  and  soldiers. 

In  the  meantime  General  Andres  Pico,  in  command  of  the 
Mexican  troops*  surrendered  to  Colonel  Fremont  at  Cahuenga, 
and  the  war  was  over.  Work  on  the  fort  ceased.  Commodore 
Stockton  and  General  Kearny  having  quarreled,  Kearny  left 
for  San  Diego,  Stockton  and  his  sailors  rejoined  their  ships 
at  San  Ped*o,  and  Lieutenant  Emory  was  sent  ELast  via  Panama 
with  dispatches.  Fremont's  battalion,  numbering  about  five 
himdred  men,  was  left  in  command  of  the  city. 


8 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY   O^   SOUTHERN    CAI^IFORNIA* 


On  the  2oth  of  April,  1847,  reports  supposed  to  be  reliable 
reached  Los  Angeles  stating  that  the  Mexican  Congress  had 
appropriated  $600,000  for  the  conquest  of  California,  and  that 
a  force  of  1500  men  under  oomtnand  of  General  Busiamente 
was  advancing  by  way  of  Lower  California  against  Los  An- 
geles, On  the  23rd  day  of  April,  work  was  begun  on  a  second 
fort  planned  by  Lieutenant  J.  W.  Davidson  of  the  First  Reg- 
iment U.  S,  Dragoons.  Its  location  was  identical  with  Lieu- 
tenant Emory's  fort,  but  it  was  twice  the  size  of  that  earth- 
work. The  work  on  it  was  done  by  the  Mormon  Battalion. 
This  battalion  was  recruited  from  the  Mormons  in  the  spring 
of  1846,  who  were  encamped  at  Council  Bluffs,  la,,  prepara- 
tory to  their  migration  to  Salt  Lake.  The  battalion  came  to 
California  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Cooke,  arriving  at 
Los  Angeles  March  16^  1847,  Its  route  was  by  way  of  Santa 
Fe,  Tucson,  Yuma  and  Warner's  Ranch  to  San  Luis  Rey,  and 
from  there  to  Los  Angeles.  The  battalion  numbered  500  men 
at  starting,  but  a  number  gave  out  on  the  march  and  were 
sent  back. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  1847,  the  fort  having  been  completed, 
the  Stars  and  Stripes  were  raised  to  the  top  of  the  flag  pole, 
which  was  150  feet  high.  The  timber  for  the  flag  staff  had 
been  brought  down  from  the  San  Bernardino  mountains  and 
consisted  of  two  pine  tree  tnmks.  one  about  eighty  and  the 
other  seventy  feet  long.  These  were  spliced  together  and 
fashioned  into  a  beautiful  pole  by  the  carpenters  of  the  bat- 
talion. It  was  raisd  in  the  rear  of  the  fort  about  where  is 
now  the  southeast  corner  of  North  Broadway  and  Fort  Moore 
Place. 

Col.  J.  D.  Stevenson  of  the  Seventh  Regiment,  New  York 
Volunteers,  who  had  succeeded  Colonel  Cooke  in  the  command 
of  the  Southern  Military  District,  issued  an  official  order  for 
the  celebration  of  the  4th  of  July  and  the  dedication  of  the  fort. 

"At  sunrise  a  Federal  salute  will  be  fired  from  the  field 
work  on  the  hill  which  commands  this  town,  and  for  the  first 
time  from  this  point  the  American  standard  will  be  displayed," 

The  troopSj  numbering  about  700,  were  formed  in  a  hollow 
square  at  the  fort  and  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was 
read  in  Eng-lish  by  Capt.  Stuart  Taylor  and  in  Spanish  by 
Stephen  C.  Foster.  To  Lieutenant  Davidson,  who  had  planned 
the  fort  and  superintended  the  work  on  it,  was  g-iven  the  honor 
of  raising  the  flag  to  the  top  of  the  flag  pole. 


A  FLACSTAFP  AND  FLAG  FOR  FORT  MOORE. 


Colonel  Stephenson  in  dedicating-  the  field  work  paid  this 
high  tribute  to  Capt.  Benjamin  D.  Moore,  after  whom  the 
fort  was  named : 

"It  is  the  custom  of  our  country  to  confer  on  its  fortifica- 
tions the  name  of  some  distinguished  individual  who  has  ren- 
dered important  services  to  his  country,  either  in  the  councils 
of  the  nation  or  on  the  battlefield.  The  Commandant  has 
l|herefore  determined,  unless  the  Department  of  war  shall 
otherwise  directt  to  confer  upon  the  field  work  erected  at  the 
post  of  Los  Angeles  the  name  of  one  who  was  regarded  by  all 
who  had  the  pl^sure  of  his  acquaintance  as  a  perfect  specimen 
of  an  American  ofhcer,  and  whose  character  for  every  virtue 
and  accomplishment  that  adorns  a  gentleman  was  only  equaled 
by  the  reputation  he  had  acquired  in  the  field  for  his  gallantry 
as  an  officer  and  soldier,  and  his  life  was  sacrificed  in  the  con- 
quest of  this  territory  at  the  battle  of  San  Pasqual.  The  Com- 
mander directs  that  from  and  after  the  4th  inst.  it  shall  bear 
the  name  of  Moore." 

The  fort  was  simply  an  earthwork  with  six  embrasures 
for  cannon.  It  was  not  inclosed  in  the  rear  Two  hundred 
men  could  have  held  it  against  a  thousand  if  the  attack  had 
come  from  the  front,  but  it  could  have  been  captured  from  the 
rear  by  a  small  force.  It  stood  intact  for  about  thirty  years. 
It  was  demolished  when  the  streets  that  pass  through  its  site 
were  graded  and  the  lots  it  crossed  were  built  upon.  No  trace 
of  it  now  remains. 


SKETCH  OF  CAPTAIN  BENJAMIN  DAVIESS  MOORE. 


BY  M.  J.  MOORE. 


{Bod  of  Capt,  B.  D.  Moore.) 

My  father  was  bom  at  Paris,  Kentucky,  September  lo, 
1810.  I  know  little  of  his  boyhood.  A  few  years  after  his 
father's  death,  about  1820,  his  mother  removed  to  Shelbyville, 
Ilhnois*  where  lived  her  two  sons  by  a  former  husband,  Captain 
Matthew  Duncan  and  the  Jpseph  Duncan  who  was  afterward 
Governor  of  the  State,  He  received  the  best  education  to  be 
had  in  those  days,  and  at  18  was  appointed  midshipman  in  the 
navy  and  assigned  to  duty  on  board  the  U.  S.  ship  Erie,  David 
Connor  commanden  The  Erie  was  soon  afterAvard  ordered  on 
a  long  cruise,  touching  at  Mediterranean  ports,  spending  some 
time  in  the  West  Indies  and  in  the  Caribbean  Sea.  He  was  at 
home  on  leave  in  1832,  when  the  news  came  of  the  rising  and 
threatened  invasion  of  Black  Hawk.  Captain  Duncan's  com- 
pany, of  which  my  father  was  made  First  Lieutenant  by  ex- 
change from  the  navy,  was  among  the  first  to  respond  to  the 
call  of  the  Governor,  and  was  soon  floundering  through  the 
mud  and  swollen  streams  of  the  all-but-submerged  country. 
The  campaign  was  a  short  one,  and  the  old  chief  was  worsted 
at  the  battle  of  Bad  Axe. 

In  1S33,  "The  U.  S.  Regiment  of  Dragoons" — of  which 
Henry  Dodge  was  Colonel,  S.  W.  Kearny,  Lieutenant  Colonel, 
and  R.  B.  Mason,  Major— was  organized  by  Congress^  with 
Jefferson  Davis  as  Adjutant,  my  father  being  First  Lieuten- 
ant of  Co.  C.  The  regiment  became  the  First  Dragoons  in 
'36,  when  the  Second  Regiment  was  raised.  In  '33  the  five 
companies  were  sent  to  Fort  Gibson,  and  in  '34  on  the  "Paw- 
nee Expedition/'  in  which  one-fourth  of  the  command  died  of 
fever.  From  '36  to  '45  there  were  numerous  Indian  expedi- 
tions, without  serious  losses,  but  much  severe  service,  being 
interchanges  between  Forts  Leavenworth,  Gibson.  Wayne  and 
Des  Moines.  In  1839  my  father  was  married  to  Martha,  a 
daughter  of  Judge  Matthew  Hughes  of  the  then  recently  nego- 
tiated Platte  Purchase.  My  mother  died  in  '43  from  exposure 
the  previous  winter  on  the  march  from  Fort  Gibson  to  Leaven- 
worth,    In  May,   1845,  General  Kearny,  with  Companies  A, 


SKETCH  OF  CAPTAIN  BENJAMIN  DAVIESS  MOORE. 


TZ 


C,  Fp  G  and  K,  left  Leavenworth  on  an  expedition  to  the 
South  Pass,  in  the  Rocky  Mountains.  They  reached  Laramie 
Jiune  14th  and  South  Pass  July  6th,  returning  by  Laramie 
and  Bent's  Fort  to  Fort  Leavenworth  A^ugust  24tb,  having 
made  a  march  of  2000  miJes  in  97  days.  The  officers  and  men 
were  comphmented  on  the  length  of  the  march,  rapidity  of 
the  movements  and  small  losses,  with  '*pride  and  pleasure" 
June  30,  1846,  Colonel  Kearny  was  promoted  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral and  placed  in  command  of  the  "Army  of  the  West."  In- 
cluding five  companies  of  Dragoons,  there  were  about  1800 
men  under  his  immediate  command.  After  conquering  New 
Mexico,  he  started  from  Santa  Fe.  September  26th,  with  the 
five  companies  of  Dragoons  for  Caifornia*  I  insert  here  some 
extracts  from  a  letter  dated  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  September  i6th, 
addressed  to  Judge  Hughes — the  last  that  was  received : 

"My  Dear  Father: — I  am  sorry  I  did  not  know  the  Ex- 
press left  so  soon,  that  I  might  have  written  you  a  longer  let- 
ter^  but  it  leaves  for  the  United  Slates  in  one  hour^  so  you 
must  excuse  a  short  one.  *  ♦  *  xhe  people  so  far  seem 
to  be  well  pleased  with  their  new  government;  how  long  it 
will  continue,  time  will  show.  All  the  Dragoons  leave  here 
the  25th  with  General  Kearny  for  California.  It  not  being 
practicable  for  horses,  the  General  has  directed  the  Quarter- 
master to  purchase  mules  to  mount  the  whole  command. 
♦  *  *  \Ve  have  a  march  before  us  of  1300  or  1400  miles, 
and  almost  a  desert  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the 
journey.  From  all  accounts  it  is  a  very  severe  trip  on  ac- 
count of  the  scarcity  of  water,  grass  and  game.  Some  say  we 
will  never  get  through,  but  I  know  better.  The  trip  has  been 
performed  (though  not  by  so  large  a  party)  and  we  can  go 
where  Mexicans  or  Indians  can,  and  can  stand  as  much  fa- 
tigue, cold,  hunger  and  thirst  as  they  can*  *  *  *  Gen- 
eral Kearny  told  me  yesterday  that  he  was  going  to  the  United 
States  next  summer.  *  *  *  1  tdc^  \^\^  that  if  it  was  prob- 
able that  my  company  was  to  be  stationed  there  (in  California) 
that  I  would  not  stay;  I  would  resign.  I  told  hire  I  would 
not  be  separated  from  my  children  longer  than  the  war  con- 
tinued; that  they  were  a  greater  consideration  to  me  than  a 
commission  of  any  grade  in  the  army  could  be.     *     *     * 

Affectionately, 

B.  D.  MOORE/' 


12 


HISTOXUCAL  SOCIETY  09  SOUTHEBN   CALIFORNIA. 


Near  Socorro,  New  Mexico*  October  6th,  General  Kear- 
ny's command  met  Kit  Carson  bearing  an  express  from  Com- 
modore S'ocktoii  to  Washington,  to  the  effect  that  "Califor- 
nia had  surrendered  without  a  blow  and  that  the  American 
flag"  floated  in  every  port/*  Tliis  news  caused  General  Kear- 
ny to  reduce  radically  the  personnel  of  his  force.  Major  Sum- 
ner with  250  Dragoons  was  ordered  to  retrace  his  steps,  and 
General  Kearny,  taking  Carson  as  his  guide,  with  one  hun- 
dred Dragoons  officered  by  Captain  Moore,  Captain  Johnston 
and  Lieutenants  Hammond  and  Davidson^  proceeded  October 
15th  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Mimbres,  a  tributary  of  the  Gila, 
which  they  soon  reached  and  followed  to  its  junction  with  the 
Colorado,  With  the  loss  of  half  their  mules,  they  reached  War- 
ner's ranch  December  3rd,  In  answer  to  a  note  informing  Stock- 
ton of  his  comingj  Captain  Gillespie  with  35  men  joined  Gen- 
eral Ktamy  on  the  5th  with  a  note  from  Commodore  Stockton 
advising  him  of  the  proximity  of  Pico's  Cahfornians  and  sug- 
gesting that  he  "attack  and  defeat  them," 

Judge  Pearce  of  Sonoma  County,  who  \vzs  a  member  of 
Company  C,  but  had  been  detached  as  body  guard  to  Gen- 
eral Kearny,  in  his  biography  (see  "History  of  Sonoma  Coun- 
ty), relates  the  following  facts — not,  that  I  am  aware,  else- 
where accessible: 

"After  a  fatiguing  day's  journey  in  the  rain,  we  camped 
in  the  mountains  about  eight  or  ten  miles  from  the  enemy's 
forces  under  Pico.  After  the  camp  fires  were  lighted,  Gen- 
era! Kearny  sent  Mr,  Pearce  with  his  compliments  to  Cap- 
tains Moore  and  Johnston  and  Lieutenant  Hammond,  and 
asked  them  to  a  conference  on  the  propriety  of  reconnoitering 
the  enemy's  position  that  night  and  attacking  him  in  the 
morning.  Captain  Moore  opposed,  mainly  on  the  ground 
'that  discovery  of  our  presence  would  necessarily  follow  a  re- 
connoisance,  and  discovery  would  result  in  failure  to  obtain 
an  advantage,  as  the  enemy  were  well  mounted  and  were,  per- 
haps, the  most  expert  horsemen  in  the  world,  and  we  were  for 
the  most  part  on  poor,  half-starved  and  jaded  mules;  that  it 
would  be  kr  better  for  the  whole  of  us  to  move  and  make  the 
attack  at  once;  that  by  this  course  we  should  more  than  likely 
get  all  the  horses  of  the  enemy^.  and  to  dismount  them  was  to 
whip  them,*  The  objections  of  Captain  Moore  were  overruled 
and  Lieutenant  Hammond.  Sergeant  Williams  and  teji  men 
were  forthwith  detailed  and  did  reconnoitre  the  enemy's  posi- 
tion.* 


SKETCH  OP  CAPTAIN  BENJAMIN  DAVIESS  MOQRE. 


13 


I 


Mr.  Pearce  was  present  at  the  conference  above  mentioned 
and  was  present  and  heard  the  report  of  Lieutenant  Hamanond 
on  his  return  from  the  reconnoissance-  They  had  seen  Pico's 
men  asleep  in  some  Indian  huts,  and  while  talking  to  an  In- 
dian outside  of  one  of  the  huts  the  detachment  was  hailed  by 
a  sentinel.  As  soon  as  this  report  was  made  '^boots  and  sad- 
dles" was  sounded  and  the  little  army  advanced. 

In  a  letter  from  Judge  Pearce,  written  June  18,  1884,  to 
me,  he  says:  **1  was  near  your  father  during  the  engagement 
and  saw  him  remount  his  horse  after  his  first  wound.  He  was 
mounted  on  a  fresh  horse^  was  in  the  very  front,  and  seemed 
to  me  to  be  trying  his  utmost  to  do  all  the  fighting  himself." 

Two  years  ago  in  a  conversation  with  Philip  Crosthwaite^ 
who  was  a  volunteer  in  Captain  Gillespie's  detachmient  from 
San  Diego,  and  who  it  will  be  remembered  captured  the  only 
prisoner  taken  at  the  battle  of  San  Pasqual,  he  informed  me 
of  some  occurrences,  a  part  of  which  I  had  heard  from  other 
sources,  but  which  I  have  not  seen  in  any  printed  account. 
Crosthwaite  knew  personally  many  of  Pico's  men,  and  was 
an  eye  witness  to  a  part  of  the  event  here  related : 

Andres  Pico  was  not  lacking  in  personal  courage,  but  for 
some  reason  *his  heart  was  not  in  the  fi^ht'  at  San  Pasqual. 
While  his  men  and  the  Dragoons  under  Captain  Moore  were 
still  engaged,  he  started  away  from  the  field.  Captain  Moore 
saw  and  followed  Pico  and  in  a  few  hundred  yards  came  up 
with  him.  Two  Califomians,  Celis  and  Osuna,  drew  out  of 
the  fight  and  went  in  pursuit  of  them,  stopping  a  few  yards 
away,  as  they  said,  *to  see  which  would  win — lance  or  sabre/ 
'After  a  few  passes  Captain  Moore's  sword  was  broken  off  a 
few  inches  from  the  guard.  He  attempted  to  draw  his  pistol 
from  the  holster  and  was  lanced  by  Osuna.  Lieutenant  Ham- 
mondj  coming  up  at  this  time,  in  an  eflFort  to  save  Captain 
Moore  was  mortally  wounded.  They  were  brothers-in-law, 
and  warmly  attached  to  each  other.  It  seems  not  too  much 
to  say,  in  the  words  of  St.  John.  "Greater  love  hath  no  man 
than  this,  that  he  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friend."  Thty  lie 
side  by  side  at  Point  Loma. 


HISTORY  OF  SANTA  CATALINA  ISLAND 


BY   MRS.   M.   BURTOir  WtLLli^MSON. 


(Read  Dec.  7,  1903.) 

Santa  Catalina  is  one  of  an  interesting^  group  of  islands  ly- 
ing south  of  Point  Concepcion,  along  the  coast  of  Southern 
California.  These  are  often  divided  into  two  groups,  the 
jnore  northern  ones,  known  as  the  Qiannel  Islands,  being  com- 
posed of  San  'Miguel,  Santa  Rosa,  Santa  Cruz  and  Anacapa, 
along  the  coast  of  Santa  Barbara  and  Ventura  Counties.  Santa 
Catalina,  Santa  Barbara,  San  Nicolas  and  San  Clemente  are  the 
group  of  Santa  Barbara  Islands  that  lie  along  the  coast  of 
Los  Angeles  and  San  Diego  Counties. 

Although  belonging  to  Los  Angeles  County,  some  twenty 
mtil^  or  more  must  be  sailed  over  before  Santa  Catalina  is 
reached. 

The  length  of  Santa  Catalina  is  variously  estimated  at  froni 
18  to  22  miles.  The  greatest  width  is  estimated  at  eight  miles, 
the  narrowest  being  at  the  isthmus,  which  is  only  one-half  mile 
across. 

The  island  is  mountainous  and  covered  with  jutting  peaks 
that  rise  on  every  side.  There  are  no  beaches  excepting  in  the 
crescent-shaped  cafions,  for  bold  rocks  stand  out  in  the  water,  in 
some  places  like  immense  granite  walls,  against  which  the  ocean 
dashes  in  its  fury.  Even  at  the  isthmus  the  curving  beaches 
are  limited  to  small  areas. 

Prof*  Lawson,*  the  geologist,  says  the  "larger  part"  of  the 
island  is  "composed  of  volcanic  rocks,  not  essentially  different 
in  their  general  field  character  from  those  of  San  Clemente," 
The  greatest  elevations  on  the  island  are  known  as  Orizaba  and 
Black  Jack,  which  rise  near  the  center  of  the  island  to  a  height 
of  over  2000  feet, 

*'There  are  half  a  dozen  or  more  springs  and  creeks  which 
do  not  dry  up  during  the  sunrmier,  and  a  few  wells  supply  the 
other  points.     All  the  water  is  decidedly  alkaline."* 

*  "The  Past  Pliocene  Diastrophism  of  the  Coast  of  Southern 
California,"  by  Andrew  C.  Lawson,  University  of  Cal  "Bull. 
Dept,  GeoL,  Vol.  i,  No.  4.) 


HIStORV  OP  SANTA  CATAZ«INA  ISI«AHD. 


IS 


A  casual  visitor  on  Santa  Catalina  Island  in  the  summer 
time  will  tetl  you  that,  aside  from  trees  and  plants  under  culti- 
vatioHj  the  island  is  devoid  of  vegetation,  save  a  few  scrubby 
trees,  the  prickly  pear  cactus  (Opuntia)  running  in  riotous 
growth  over  the  hills,  and  the  long  yellow  grass  that  covers 
the  otherwise  bare  earth, 

But  Ehe  botanist  tells  another  taJe  of  rare  trees  and  shrubs 
not  reported  elsewhere.  And  besides  these  he  finds  plants  that 
lie  hidden  in  the  canons,  needing  the  winter  rains  to  encour- 
age their  unfolding.  Many  years  ago  a  friend  of  mine,  who 
was  something  of  a  botanist,  was  enthusiastic  over  the  wealth 
of  wild  flowers  that  followed  in  the  train  of  the  winter  showers 
and  grew  in  beauty  on  the  hills  and  in  the  vale  of  Avalon.  Our 
so-cailed  Mariposa  Lily,  which  is  a  tuhp,  was  first  reported 
from  the  island,  and  bears  the  name  of  '^Calochortus  Catalinse/' 
Wats,  or  *'Catalina  Mariposa  TuHp."  This  is  only  one  of  a 
number  of  plants  new  to  science  found  on  this  island. 

To  one  who  loves  to  indulge  in  the  play  of  fancy  amid  prim- 
itive surroundings,  there  is  no  spot  more  ideal  than  one  of  the 
lonely  foothills  overlooking  the  ocean  in  this  island.  Encom- 
passed by  a  wild  and  tangled  growth  that  climbs  the  perpen- 
dicular mountains*  with  dry  grass  under  one's  feet,  the  blue 
Pacific  splashing  and  dashing  against  the  upright  rocks  below, 
one  can  sit  and  forget  he  is  a  part  of  the  rushing  procession  of 
the  world.  The  petty  cares  of  yesterday  with  the  multitude 
have  gone;  they  have  fallen  off  like  a  mantle  that  is  too  heavy 
when  the  sun  has  risen.  Surrounded  by  the  Eternal,  your  sour 
ts  at  peace. 

This  is  the  Isle  of  Summer  as  it  has  arisen  from  the  hand 
of  nature,  but  man — restless^  struggling  man — has  invaded  the 
island  and  a  new  environment  is  replacing  the  primitive  one. 
The  calculating  engineer,  the  landscape  gardener  and  architect. 
with  all  their  concomitant  following,  are  dotting  the  canons, 
and  the  slippery  trail  of  the  wild  goat  gives  place  to  the  upland 
stage  drawn  by  many  horses.  The  fame  of  the  nervy  jew  fish 
and  albacore  has  given  the  island  an  international  reputation, 
and  the  unrest  of  the  summer  visitor  is  fast  converting  the  land 
of  sweet  idleness  into  a  fashionable  watering  place. 

Many  years  ago  when  I  visited  the  little  crescent-shaped 
vale  of  Avalon,  it  was  only  a  diminutive,  quiet  tent  town, 
nestled  between  towering  peaks.     In  other  cafions  a  Ittle  soli- 

*  "The  Geology  of  Santa  Catalina  Island,*'  by  William  Tan- 
gier Smith.     (Proc*  Cah  Acad.  Sciences.) 


i6 


UISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN    CALIFORNIA. 


tary  shack  of  a  home,  and  at  the  isthmus  the  deserted  barracks 
of  the  U*  S*  government,  used  during  the  Civil  war,  was  stand- 
ing in  sohtary  abandonment. 

On  my  last  visit  in  1902  the  automobile  rushed  along  the 
shaded  avenues  of  transplanted  trees  to  the  golf  grounds,  and 
up  the  steep  hills  the  wireless  telegraph  had  caught  a  sound- 
proof resting  place,  A  teeming  crowd  of  restless  humanity 
surged  up  and  down  the  beach  in  front  of  Avalon,  with  her 
numerous  hotels  and  stores,  and  her  cottages  dotted  the  hill 
sides,  only  reached  by  steep  flights  of  steps. 

Instead  of  a  two-masted  yacht  landing  her  dozen  passen- 
gers, two,  and  oftener  three,  steamships  daily  filled  from  the 
upper  to  the  lower  deck  with  a  crowd  of  passengers^  puffed  up 
to  the  pier  with  the  haste  of  a  time  limit. 

Even  the  shore  has  felt  the  change.  Dredging,  so  as  to 
enable  boats  of  deeper  caliber  to  land,  has  changed  this  gently 
receding  beach  to  one  of  more  abrupt  declension.  The  dead 
shells  no  longer  are  stranded  upon  the  beach;  they  He  amid  the 
sands,  rarely  uncovered  by  the  tide.  The  white  valves  of  the 
Cliione  and  the  rare  pink-ljned  ones  of  the  Hemicardium  and 
the  pure  white  pebbles  no  longer  strew  the  beach. 

Bath  houses,  rustic  seats  and  fishing  stands,  hung  with  fish 
whose  single  weight  runs  up  into  the  hundreds  of  pounds,  en- 
circle the  water  front  almost  to  Sugar  Loaf  rock. 

Where,  years  ago,  tiny  golden  fish  played  in  and  out  under 
the  skiff  as  we  rowed  over  the  water,  on  my  last  visit  to  Ava- 
lon an  expert  diver  went  down  into  the  water  to  seek  for  miss- 
ing diamonds  dropped  overboard  by  a  hotel  visitor  as  she 
returned  on  a  vessel  from  a  pleasure  trip  to  the  isthmus. 

But,  while  diamonds  and  dollars  pervade  the  Avalon  of 
other  days,  and  have  sought  a  landing  place  at  the  isthmus — 
which,  no  doubt,  will  be  joined  by  the  rushing  trolley  car — yet 
the  hills,  with  their  rugged  sides,  cannot  be  irrigated  in  a  day, 
and  so  will  long  jut  out  alluring  peaks  to  tempt  the  lover  of 
Nature  to  seek  the  solitude  of  uncultivated  slopes. 

We  are  glad  the  scientists'  iron-clad  rule  of  precedence  in 
nomenclature  does  not  obtain  in  the  naming  of  the  island,  else 
the  more  euphonius  name  of  Santa  Catalina  would  give  place  to 
that  of  'Victoria/'  named  by  Cabrillo,  the  earlier  navigator. 
For  Vizcaino  (variously  spelled  Viscaino,  Vircaino  and  Vis 
cayno)  sighted  this  pile  of  mountains  in  the  sea  at  a  later  date 
than  Cabrillo,  but  he  remembered  it  was  Saint  Catherine's  day 
and  he  gave  her  the  island  as  a  namesake.     But  Victoria  would 


HISTORY  OF  SANTA  CATALINA  ISI^ND. 


17 


have  been  far  more  preferable  than  "Pimugna"  (also  printed 
Pineug^a),  the  Indian  name  [or  this  island. 

Viscaino  journeyed  from  San  Die^o  when  he  sighted  the 
tslandj  and  Hittell  says: 

"Here  he  found  many  Indians — ^men,  women  and  children — 
all  clothed  in  seal  skins,  and  was  received  by  them  with  extreme 
kindness.  They  were  a  fine-looking  race,  had  large  dwellings 
and  numerous  rancherias;  made  admirable  canoes,  some  oi 
which  would  carry  twenty  persons;  and  w^ere  expert  seal  hunt- 
ers and  fishermen.  There  were  many  things  of  interest  there, 
but  the  most  extraordinary  were  a  temple  and  idol,  the  most 
remarkable  of  which  any  account  remains  among  the  Califor- 
nians*  The  temple  consisted  of  a  large  circular  place  orna- 
mented with  variously  colored  feathers  of  different  kinds.  With- 
in the  circle  was  the  idol,  a  figure  supposed  to  represent  the 
devil*,  painted  in  the  manner  in  which  the  Indians  of  New 
Spain  were  accustomed  to  depict  their  demon,  Eind  having  at 
his  sides  representatives  of  the  sun  and  moon.  To  this  idol 
it  was  said  the  Indians  sacrificed  large  numbers  of  birds,  and 
that  it  was  with  their  feathers  that  the  pJace  was  adorned.  When 
the  Spanish  soldiers,  who  were  conducted  thither  by  an  In- 
dian, arrived  at  the  spot,  they  found  within  the  circle  two  ex- 
traordinary crowstt  much  larger  than  common,  whicli,  upon 
their  approach,  flew  away  and  perched  upon  the  neighboring 
rocks.  Struck  by  their  size,  the  soldiers  shot  and  killed  them 
both;  whereupon  their  Indian  guide  began  to  utter  the  most 
pathetic  lamentations.  *I  believe/  says  Father  Torquemanda, 
'that  the  devil  was  in  those  crows  and  spoke  through  them,  for 
they  were  regarded  with  great  respect  and  veneration;'  and  in 
further  illustration  of  this  he  relates  that  on  another  occasion, 
when  several  Indian  women  were  washing  fish  upon  the  beach, 
the  crow's  approached  and  snatched  the  food  from  their  hands; 
and  that  the  women  stood  in  such  awe  that  they  dared  not  drive 
them  away,  and  were  horrified  when  the  Spaniards  threw  stones 
at  them.''** 

To  quote  further,  Mr.  Hittell  says:  *'Amon^  the  natural 
productions  of  Santa  Cataliua  were  large  quantities  of  edible 
roots,  called  '*gicamas/'  and  in  these,  according  to  Viscaino,  the 
Indians  carried  on  a  sort  of  trade  with  their  neighbors  of  the 
mainland"t _^ 

*  See  Hugo  Reid's  account  in  this  paper. 

t  See  also  Bancroft's  Native  Races,  Vol.  III. 

**Hitten*s  History  of  California,  Vol.  I. 

t  Torquemanda  L.  V,.,  Chap.  LII,  quoted  in  HitteH's  Hist, 
California,  Vol.  I. 


18 


BiarOfilCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA. 


He  also  mentions  as  another  significant  fact  that  the  wo- 
men of  the  island  had  pleasant  conntenanccs,  fine  eyes,  and 
were  modest  and  decorous  in  their  behavior*,  and  that  the 
children  were  white  and  ruddy  and  all  very  affable  and  agree- 
able. Frotnr  these  statements,  as  well  as  from  those  made  by 
Cabrillo  in  reference  to  the  Indians  of  the  opposite  coast,  it 
is  evident  that  the  natives  of  these  regionst.  on  account  of  a 
difference  either  in  blood  or  in  the  circumstances  under  which 
they  lived,  were  far  in  advance  of  the  other  natives  of  Califor- 
nia/' 

Bancroft*  mentions  some  of  the  uses  that  shells  were  put 
to;  that  "The  beard  is  plucked  out  with  a  bi-valve  shell  which 
answers  the  purpose  of  pinchers/*  and  also  that  "The  more  in- 
dustrious and  wealthy  embroider  their  garments  profusely  with 
small  shells/'* 

In  Farnham's  quaint  volume  on  the  "Early  Days  of  Cah- 
fornia/*  he  says  of  Viscaino's  voyage  to  the  island,  which  he 
calls  Santa  Catarina:  "The  inhabitants  of  Santa  Catarina  make 
the  most  noisy  and  earnest  invitations  for  them  to  land.  Tlic 
General  (Viscaino)  therefore  orders  Admiral  Gomez,  Captain 
Peguero  and  Ensign  Alaxcon,  with  twenty*four  soldiers,  to 
land  on  the  island  and  learn  what  the  natives  so  earnestly  de- 
sire. As  soon  as  they  reach  the  shore  they  are  surrounded  by 
Indian  men  and  women»  who  treat  them  with  much  kindness 
and  propriety,  and  intimate  that  they  have  seen  other  Span- 
iards. When  asked  for  water,  they  give  it  to  the  whites  in  a 
sort  of  bottle  made  of  rushes 

'*They  explore  the  island.  It  appears  to  be  overgrown 
with  savin  and  a  species  of  briar*  A  tent  is  pitched  for  re- 
ligious service,  and  Padre  Tomas  (de  Aquino),  being  ill,  Padres 
Antonio  (de  la  Ascencion)  and  Andrez  (de  la  Assumpcion) 
celebrate  mass  in  presence  of  all  the  people.  These  Indians 
spend  much  of  their  time  in  taking  the  many  varieties  of  fish 
which  abound  in  the  bay/* 

Besides  having  plenty  of  fish,  the  natives  were  supplied 
with  quail,  partridges,  rabbits,  hare  and  deen 

At  that  time,  according  to  this  writer,  the  people  of  the 
neighboring  islands  were  in  direct  communication  with  the  na- 
tives of  this  island. 


♦Torquemanda  L.  V.,  Chap,  LIII,  translated  in  Hittell*s 
Hist.  Cal..  Vol  I. 

t  "Other  islands  of  Santa  Barbara  Channel/* 

*  Bancroft's  Native  Races,  Vol.  T 

*  Bancroft's  Native  Races,  Vol  I. 


HISTORY  OF  SANTA  CATALtNA  ISLAND. 


19 


From  the  landing  of  Viscaino  to  the  time  of  the  Missionary 
Fathers,  history  furnishes  us  with  little  data  regarding  the 
people  of  this  island,  A  writer  in  Bancroft's  Native  Races  says: 
"When  first  discovered  by  Cabrillo,  in  1542,  the  islands  off  the 
coast  were  inhabited  by  a  superior  people,  but  these  they  were 
induced  by  the  padres  to  abandon,  following  which  event  the 
people  faded  away."* 

The  Very  Reverend  Joseph  J.  O'Keefe,  Superior  of  the 
Franciscans^  in  a  letter  on  this  subject  says :  "The  lapse  of  time, 
from  the  exploration  of  Cabrillo  to  the  coming  of  the  Mission- 
ary Fathers  to  this  part  of  the  coast,  was  somewhat  over  two 
centurieSf  during  which  long  period  many  and  radical  changes 
could  have  easily  taken  place,  and  must  have  taken  place,  if 
Cabrillo  found,  as  Bancroft  states,  a  superior  people  on  the 
islands.  The  f^ct  that  there  is  no  record  by  the  Fathers  of  their 
having  found  any  such  people  on  the  islands,  after  their  arrival 
here  in  I768'9»  goes  far  to  prove  that  if  such  people  existed  at 
the  time  of  Cabrillo's  explorations  in  1542,  they  had  even  be- 
fore the  advent  of  the  Fathers  (1769)  either  left  the  islands  and 
become  mixed  up  with  the  Chumas  and  other  tribes  on  the 
mainland,  or  were  exterminated  by  disease  or  war." 

William  Henry  Holmes^  the  well  known  anthropologist  of 
the  U.  S,  National  Museum,  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  natives 
cf  this  island  did  "not  differ  essentially,  in  blood  or  culture,  from 
the  people  of  the  mainland,"* 

The  question  has  often  been  asked.  "Why  didn't  the  Fath- 
ers establish  a  mission  on  Santa  Catalina  Island?"  In  his  bi- 
ennial report  of  the  missions  in  1803-4  it  appears  that  President 
Estevan  Tapis  did  favor  the  founding  of  a  mission  on  the  isle 
which  he  calls  "T  imu."  In  his  report  he  says :  "Limu  abounds 
with  timber,  water  and  soil  Tliere  are  ten  rancheri:.s  on  the 
island,  the  three  largest  of  which,  Cajatsa,  Ashuael  and  Liam, 
have  124,  145  and  122  adults  respectively.  The  men  are  naked^ 
live  on  fish,  and  are  eager  for  a  mission."*  He  also  reports  that 
the  natives  of  Santa  Rosa  were  willingc  to  move  to  Santa  Cat- 
aline,  or  Limn,  ^s  they  had  *'no  facilities  for  a  mission."  But 
in  his  later  report  of  1805-6,  according  to  Bancroft,  "the  presi- 
dent confessed  that  as  the  sarampion,  or  measles»  had  carried 
off  over^wo  hundred  natives  on  the  two  islands^  and  as  a  recent 

*  Bancroft's  Native  Races,  Vol.  I. 

*  Anthropological  Studies  in  California,  by  William  Henry 
Holmes.     (Report  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus,  1900,) 

*  Bancroft's  History  of  California,  VoL  IL 


k 


20 


HISTORlCAl,  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN   CAUFORNIA, 


investigation  had  shown  a  lack  of  good  lands  and  of  water, 
the  expediency  of  founding  a  mission  was  dotibtfuL" 

Captain  Wm.  Shaler,  of  the  Lelia  Byrd,  who  landed  at 
Santa  Catalina  in  1805,  reported  that  he  found  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  Indians  un  the  island,  and  they  were  very  friendly 
to  hin>— "he  believed  himself  the  first  explorer"t  of  the  harbor 
where  he  anchored,  and  he  named  it  after  his  former  partner, 
Port  Rouissillon.t  He  stayed  at  the  island  about  six  weeks, 
and  afterward  published  a  narrative  of  his  voyages. 

In  1807  Jonathan  Winship  of  the  vessel  0*Cain  "hunted] 
otter  for  a  time  at  Santa  Catalina  Island,  where  he  found  forty 
or  fifty  Indian  residents  who  had  grain  and  vegetables  to  sell'** 

The  reports  of  these  two  Captai^s^  one  of  150  Indians  in 
1805,  and  the  other,  two  years  later,  of  50  Indians,  would  indi- 
cate that  the  measles,  or  some  other  cause^  had  greatly  reduce* 
the  number  that  in  1803-4  had  been  reported  by  the  president 
of  the  m-issions  as  almost  400. 

The  Rev.  Father  O'KeeFe  f^ives  us  the  reasons  why  no  mis- 
sion was  founded  upon  the  island.  He  writes  :t  '*!  always 
understood  that  there  were  not  many  Indians  on  Santa  Cata- 
lina Island  at  the  time  of  the  missions;  also  that  the  govern- 
ment was  opposed  to  and  would  not  aid  in  founding  any  mis- 
sions, except  on  the  mainland.  So  this  is  the  true  reason  why 
no  mission  was  established  on  the  island,  apart  from  the  fact 
that  the  Indians  were  but  few  at  the  time*  As  missions  could 
not  be  established  on  the  islands,  lacking  government  consent, 
I  know  the  Fathers  invited  the  few  Indians  of  the  islands  to 
join  the  missions  on  the  coast,  so  they  might  more  conveniently 
instruct  them  in  Christian  doctrine;  as  the  Fathers  were  not 
many,  and  those  appointed  to  the  newly  established  missions 
could  not  be  absent  from  them  for  many  days»  they  could  go 
but  seldom  to  the  islands^  and  then  with  great  hardship  and 
inconvenience. 

There  is  a  legend  that  the  male  natives  of  Santa  Catalina 
were  killed  by  the  Aleuts,  or  Kodiak  Indians,  of  Russian  Amer- 
ica, but  I  have  not  been  able  to  verify  this  statement.  In  Rob- 
inson's Life  in  California,  in  referring  to  the  importance  of  the 

t  "Captain  Shaler's  narrative,  published  in  1808,  was  the 
first  extended  account  of  California  printed  in  the  United 
States." — Bancroft's  History  of  California,  Vol.  II. 

*  Count  Rouissillon,  a  distinguished  Pole. 

*  Bancroft's  History  of  California,  Vol.  II. 
t  In  a  letter. 

*  Bancroft's  History  of  California.  Vol  11. 


HISTORY  OF  SANTA   CATALINA  ISLAND. 


21 


trade  in  fur  seals  and  sea  otters,  which  had  "called  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Russian  Codiaks"  to  the  islands,  he  says:  "On  one 
occasion,  in  a  quarrel  with  the  islanders  at  St-  Nicholas  (San 
Nicolas),  they  inhumanly  massacred  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
male  inhabitants,  which  act  naturally  induced  the  entire  pop- 
ulation of  these  islands  (Santa  Cruz,  Santa  Rosa  and  San  Nic- 
olas) to  seek  refuge  and  protection  among  the  several  mis- 
sionary establishincnts  on  the  mainland.*' 

As  Mr.  Robinson  was  familiar  with  Santa  Catalina^  where 
as  super-cargo^s  clerk  his  vessel  often  weighed  anchor,  if  the 
islanders  had  met  a  similar  fate,  he  certainly  would  have 
mentioned  it. 

In  the  autumn  of  1838,  according  to  Bancroft,*  Captain 
John  Bancroft  of  the  ship  Llama  landed  at  Santa  Rosa  Island 
with  "twenty*five  fierce  Kaiganies."  Later  he  went  to  Santa 
Catalina  Island  to  hunt  otter,  and  on  November  21,  after  a 
quarrel  with  one  of  these  northwestern  Indians,  he  was  shot  in 
back  and  mortally  wounded.  His  wife,  who  was  on  board  the 
vessel,  threw  herself  upon  his  body  and  was  also  wounded.  Mrs. 
Bancroft  died  about  two  months  afterward,  "from  the  effects 
of  her  wounds." 

Father  Geronimo  Boscano*  interviewed  some  of  the  natives 
to  ascertain  their  original  conceptions,  and  his  MSS,,  trans- 
lated after  his  death,  give  us  some  insight  into  the  religious  be- 
liefs of  the  Indians  of  Alta  Cahfornia.  Boscano  writes:  *'It 
is  difficult,  I  confess,  if  unacquainted  with  their  language,  to 
penetrate  their  secrets."  To  their  god,  Chinigchioick,  they 
attribute  this  command:  '"And  to  those  who  have  kept  my 
commandments  I  shall  give  all  they  ask  of  me;  but  those  who 
obey  not  my  teachings*  nor  believe  them*  I  shall  punish  severely. 
I  will  send  unto  them  bears  to  bite,  and  serpents  to  sting  them; 
they  shall  be  without  food  and  have  diseases  that  they  may  die/* 
They  evidently  feared  punishment  only  in  this  world, 

*  Chinigchinick:  A  Historical  Account  of  the  Indians  of 
Alta  California,  by  the  Rev.  Father  Friar  Geronimo  Boscano. 
Translated  from  the  original  MS.  by  one  who  was  many  years 
a  resident  of  Alta  California  (1844).  This  translation  by  Al- 
fred Robinson  was  bound  with  his  Life  in  California  by  an 
American  (Alfred  Robinson). 

Hugo  Reidt  or  Prefecto  Hugo  Reid,  a  Scotchman,  who 
came  to  California  in   1834  or  *3S  and  settled  neaj^  the  San 

*  See  Hist,  of  Cal.  by  Hubert  Howe  Bancroft,  Vol.  IV, 
pages  90-119* 


aV  HISTOiUCAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN   CALIPORNLA. 

Gabriel  Mission,  has  given  \is  a  series  of  articles  on  the  Indians 
of  Los  Angeles  County.  These  letters  were  written  for  the 
Los  Angeles  Star  in  1852.*  Hugo  Reid  had  mamed  an  In- 
dian woman  and  lived  much  among  the  natives.  He  is  re- 
puted to  have  been  a  man  of  education.  Although  referring 
mostly  to  the  Indians  of  ihe  mainland,  reference  is  occasionally 
made  to  those  upon  the  islands.  Keid  makes  no  mention  of 
the  islanders  as  being  unlike  those  of  the  rest  of  Los  Angeles 
County.  Had  they  been  so  at  the  time  he  knew  them*  he 
certainly  would  have  noted  their  differences. 

Mrs,  Laura  Evertsen  King,  who  knew  the  Indian  wife  of 
Hugo  Reid,  speaks  of  her  as  a  refined  woman  of  affectionate 
disposition.  She  was  very  proud  of  her  Scotch  husband.  They 
had  two  children,  from  whom  presents  were  often  received  from 
Scotland.  Of  Mr.  Reid,  she  says  he  bad  been  a  great  traveler, 
had  a  large  library,  for  that  time.  Among  his  eflfects  was  a 
letter  of  Byron's  written  to  his  publisher.  While  living  in  San 
Gabriel.  Reid  often  was  gone  three  months  at  a  time.  Mrs. 
King  speaks  of  him  as  being  a  reticent  man.  Both  his  son  and 
his  daughter  died  before  reaching  20  years  of  age.  The  Indian 
wife  died  of  smallpox  in  1864. 

In  Davis'  Sixty  Years  m  California,"  he  also  says  of  Reid's 
wife:  '*We  were  surprised  and  delighted  with  the  excellence 
and  neatness  of  the  housekeeping  of  the  Indian  wife,  which 
could  not  have  been  excelled.  The  beds  which  were  furnished 
us  to  sleep  on  were  exquisitely  neat,  with  coverlids  of  satin, 
the  sheets  and  f  illow  cases  trimmed  w^th  lace  and  highly  or- 
namented." 

Reid  says:  "Fish,  seals,  whales,  sea  otter  and  shell  fish 
formed  the  principal  subsistence  of  the  immediate  coast  range  of 
lodges  and  islands," 

Acorns  were  dried,  pounded  and  careftilly  prepared  and 
cooked  to  form  a  mush.  "Salt  w^as  used  sparingly,  as  they  con- 
sidered it  having  a  tendency  to  turn  the  hair  grey/'  All  of 
their  food  was  eaten  cold,  or  nearly  so.  He  says  that  next  to 
the  acom»  the  favorite  "food  was  the  kernel  of  a  species  of 
plum  which  grows  in  the  mountains  and  islands,  and  called 
by  them  islay."  "Some  call  it  the  'mountain  cherry/  although 
it  partakes  little  of  either  the  plum  or  cherry." 

These  mountain  cherries  (Prunus  illidfoUa  Walp,)  still  grow 
on  Santa  Catalina,  and  Cherry  Valley  received  its  name  from 
the  presence  of  these  shrubs,  or  small  trees,  in  the  cove.    Their 

♦  Hugo  Reid  died  in  December,  1852, 


A 


HISTORY  OF  SANTA  CATALINA  ISLAND. 


23 


pots  to  cook  in  were  made  of  soapstone  of  about  an  inch  in 
thickness  and  procured  from  the  Indians  of  Santa  Catalina; 
the  cover  used  was  of  the  same  material. 

The  natives  of  Santa  Catalina  and  those  of  the  coast  line 
appear  to  have  exchang:ed  their  local  productions  and  to  have 
had  much  in  common.  Pottery  from  the  now  famous  soap- 
stone  quarries  (see  cut  of  Indian  quarry)  of  the  island  figured  in 
the  '^barter  and  trade"  carried  on  with  the  Indians  of  the  inter- 
ior, who  brought  their  "deer  skins  and  seeds"  to  trade  with  the 
aborigines  of  the  coast. 

Hug"o  Reid  gives  some  very  interesting  accounts  of  mar- 
riage and  burial  ceremonies,  use  of  medicines,  sports^  games 
and  legends.  The  chief  instructed  some  of  the  male  children 
orally  with  long  stories,  which  they  repeated  word  for  word 
until  they  became  such  adepts  at  recitation  that  no  oration  was 
too  long  for  them  to  recite  it. 

He  says  of  one  legend  that  he  has  reproduced :  "Whenever 
this  legend  was  to  be  told,  the  hearers  first  bathed  themselves, 
then  came  to  listen/' 

As  much  of  the  data  gi^^en  us  by  this  writer  was  related  to 
him  by  the  old  Indians  or  was  noted  by  the  writer  himself,  I 
am  tempted  to  quote  still  further:  ''Before  the  Indians*  be- 
longing to  the  greater  part  of  this  county  were  known  to  the 
whites,  they  comprised,  as  it  were,  one  great  family,  under 
distinct  chiefs.  They  spoke  nearly  the  same  language,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  words,  and  were  more  to  be  distinguished 
by  a  local  intonation  of  the  voice  than  by  anything  else. 

"Being  related  by  blood  and  marriage,  war  was  never  car- 
ried on  between  them.  When  war  w^as  consequently  waged 
against  neighboring  tribes  of  no  affinity^  it  was  a  common 
cause." 

Like  Giristian  nations,  they  had  their  family  feuds,  often 
passing  down  from  one  generation  to  another,  yet  their  vari- 

*  In  judging  Los  Angeles  County  Indians  during  the  period 
of  their  degeneration  we  must  bear  in  mind  the  influences  sur- 
rounding them — aside  from  the  Fathers.  Alex.  Forbes,  Esq., 
writing  in  1835,  says:  '^For  whatever  soldiers  are  sent  to  Cal- 
ifornia are  the  refuse  of  the  Mexican  army»  and  most  frequently 
are  deserters,  mutineers  or  men  guilty  of  military  crimes."  Add 
to  this  influence,  whisky  for  the  Indians,  and  the  absence  of 
marriage  vows  toward  the  Indian  women,  and  degeneration 
is  the  natural  result. 


24 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOLJTHEKS   CALIFORNIA. 


ances  never  reached  the  point  of  bloodshed,  in  which  they 
could  not  be  likened  to  Christian  nations. 

*'Their  huts  were  made  of  sticks  covered  in  around  with  fiag 
mats,  worked  or  plaited,  and  each  village  generally  contained 
from  500  to  1500  huts." 

Of  language  he  says:  "They  have  many  phrases  to  which 
we  have  no  equivalent."  He  said  that  after  the  coming"  in  of 
the  Spaniards,  or,  as  he  puts  it,  *'the  conquest/'  their  language 
degenerated  until  **the  present  generation  barely  comprehends 
a  part  of  what  one  of  the  old  'standards'  says."  "They  believed 
in  one  God,  the  maker  and  creator  of  all."  The  term  "Giver 
of  Life"  was  used  for  ordinary  occasions.  "The  name  of  God" 
was  never  taken  in  vain»  Iheir  nearest  approach  to  an  oath 
being  a  term  equivalent  to  "Bless  me!"  They  had  "never 
heard  of  devil  or  hell  until  the  coming  of  the  Spaniards."  They 
*'had  no  bad  spirits  connected  unth  their  creed."  They  "be- 
lieved in  no  resurrection  whatever,"  but  beheved  in  the  trans- 
migration of  souls  into  the  botlies  of  animals. 

The  "chiefs  had  one,  two  or  three  wives,  as  their  inclina- 
tion dictated.  The  subjects  only  one."  *'The  last  case  of  big- 
amy, or  rather  polygamy*  was  one  of  the  chiefs  from  Santa 
Catherina  (Catalina),  who  was  ordered  by  the  priest  to  San 
Gabriel  and  their  baptized.  He  had  three  wives,  the  first  one 
of  whom  was  allowed  him,  and  the  others  discarded.'*  Reid 
said  this  Indian  was  still  living  at  San  Fernando  and  called 
"Canoa  or  Canoe." 

Children  were  taught  to  be  respectful  to  their  elders,  "for 
if  an  adult  asked  a  boy  or  girl  for  a  drink  of  water,  they 
were  not  allowed  to  put  it  to  their  lips  unti!  the  other  had  satis- 
fied his  thirst.  If  two  were  in  a  conversation,  a  child  was  not 
permitted  to  pass  between  them,  but  made  to  go  around  them 
on  either  side.  No  male  from  childhood  upward  was  allowed 
to  call  his  sister  *liar'  even  in  jest,  the  word  for  liar  being 
'yayare.* " 

That  such  refined  regard  for  the  amenities  of  life  existed 
among  the  aborigines  of  this  coast  appears  incredible. 

Shells  have  always  been  prized  by  af>origines  for  adornment, 
and  Santa  Catalina,  as  well  as  the  other  isles  of  Southern  Cal- 
ifornia, has  always  been  rich  in  beautiful  irridescent  abalones 
(Haliotts  splendens,  H.  Cracherodii)  as  well  as  other  forms. 

*Note — If  Reid  is  right  the  Spanish  writers  were  mistaken 
in  supposing  the  idol  was  a  demon  or  devil. 


HISTORY  OF  SANTA  CATALINA  ISLAND. 


H 


"Althoug^h  money  in  ihe  strict  sense  of  the  word  did  not 
exist  among  them,  they  had  an  equivalent  consisting  of  pieces 
of  thick  rounded  shells,  less  than  a  five-cent  piece.  These  had 
a  hole  in  the  center  and  were  strung  on  long^  strings.  Eight  of 
these  yards  of  beads  (for  they  were  also  used  as  such)  made 
about  one  dollar  of  our  currency."* 

Before  passing  from  the  occupation  of  Santa  Catalina  by  the 
aborigines,  to  its  usurpation  by  the  white  man,  some  notice 
must  be  taken  of  history  written  by  their  own  hands  as  they 
shaped  their  implements  of  bone  and  stone  and  carved  their 
"ollas"  from  the  serpentine  quarries.  These  utensils  are  today 
the  pride  of  the  archaeologist  as  well  as  the  study  of  the  eth- 
nologist. A  few  years  ago  anthropologists  were  enthusiastic 
over  these  "finds."  It  was  rumored  that  "a  vast  collection  of 
curios"  had  been  removed  and  sent  to  the  Smithsonian  Insti- 
tute. Through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  W.  de  C.  Ravenel,  adminis- 
trative assistant  of  the  U,  S.  National  Museum,  I  have  received 
a  list  of  Santa  Catalina  relics  now  in  that  museum*  A  fine  list 
of  Indian  relics  now  in  the  Peabody  Museum  at  Cambridge 
has  very  kindly  been  furnished  by  Prof.  F.  W,  Putnam,  Pea- 
body  Professor  of  American  Archeology  and  Ethnology. 
Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Frank  Wiggins.  Secretary'  Los 
Angeles  Chamber  of  Commerce^  I  have  been  able  to  copy  a  list 
of  relics  found  on  Santa  Catalina  Island,  and  now  in  the  Cham- 
ber of  Commerce.  These  lists  will  be  published  by  the  U,  S. 
CaL  Acad.  Science. 

The  soapstone  specimens  were  made  from  the  soapstonc* 
quarries  of  Empire  Landing,  or  Potts  Valley.  Mexican  Joe 
says  there  is  one  big  rock  from  which  as  many  as  64  pots  have 
been  cut.    (See  cut  of  Indian  quarry.) 

Charles  Frederick  Holderf  says  of  these  serpentine  ollas: 
"There  was  little  need  for  pottery  with  such  vessels.  From  this 
Btone,  which  today  is  made  into  mantels  and  tiles,  and  lines  the 
entrance  to  the  Los  Angeles  Court  House,  the  ancients  formed 

*  For  data  regarding  the  use  of  shells  by  Sou.  Cal  Island- 
ers»  see  *'Ethno-Concholog>*:  A  Study  of  Primitive  Money/* 
by  Robert  K  C  Stearns,    Rep't  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus..  1886-87. 

*  In  Mr,  Wm,  Henry  Holmes'  Anthropological  Studies  in 
California,  he  mentions  a  series  of  relics  collected  by  him  when 
on  the  island. 

*  Also  known  as  Catalina  marble,  or  Verde  antique. 

t  An  Isle  of  Summer:  Santa  Catalina.  By  Charles  Fred- 
erick Holder. 


HISTORICAL  SOCTETV  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIKJBNIA. 


w 


dishes,  spoons,  stone  plates,  medicine  stones,  sinkers  and  a 
variety  of  objects. 

"The  old  out'door  manufactory  is  most  interesting,  and  the 
unfinished  ollas  can  still  be  seen,  with  others  marked  in  the 
rock  ready  to  be  cut,  when  the  workmen  dropped  their  tools, 
never  to  return." 

The  remains  found  upon  the  island  prove  that  the  largest 
townsite  was  at  the  isthmus^  where,  according  to  William  Henry 
Holmes,  "an  important  village  stood  for  a  long  period."* 

As  early  as  1826  or  '27  the  Mexican  governor,  Echeandta, 
appears  to  have  entertained  fears  of  American  usurpation. 
Hittell*  says:  'The  general  feeling  of  distrust  against  Ameri- 
cans was  further  exhibited  in  1827^  in  reference  to  a  house 
erected  in  1826  by  Captain  Cunningham  of  the  American  ship 
Courier,  on  Santa  Catalina  Island.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  the 
maintenance  of  this  establishment,  though  claimed  to  be  for 
hunting  purposes,  may  have  had  something  to  do  with  illicit 
trade. 

Captain  John  Bradshaw  of  the  Franklin  was  accused  "of 
having  touched  at  Santa  Catalina  in  defiance  of  special  orders/' 
and  John  Lawlor  of  the  Hawaiian  brig  Karimoko  had  been  ac- 
cused of  departing  from  San  Pedro  without  paying  duties.  It 
is  said :  "He  had,  in  spite  of  repeated  warnings,  touched  at 
Santa  Catalina  Island  and  had  even  deposited  goods  there,  he- 
sides  breeding  animals,  the  exportation  of  which  was  contra 
band."* 

As  the  policy  of  the  Mexican  government  was  opposed  to 
foreign  traffice  on  California  shores,  unless  heavy  duties  w^ere 
paid,  most  American  ships  indulged  in  contraband  trade,  and 
Santa  Catalina  Island,  with  its  natural  harbors,  was  a  very  con- 
venient port  for  such  trade.  Charles  Dwight  Willard  in  his 
History  of  Los  Angeles  City  says:  "During  the  years  from 
1826  to  the  American  occupation,  Catalina  was  a  favorite  resort 
for  smugglers,  and  some  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  Los 
Angeles  were  believed  to  take  part  in  contraband  trade," 

Santa  Catalina  also  had  her  period  of  gold  excitement. 
Professor  J.  M.  Guinn,*  our  Secretary,  has  given  an  interesting 

*  Anthropological  Studies  in  California^  by  William  Henry 
Hohnes.    (Rept,  U,  S.  Nat.  Mus.) 

*  Hitteirs  History  of  California,  Vol.  IL 

*  Bancroft's  History  of  California,  VoL  TIL 

*  An  Early  Mining  Boom  on  Santa  Catalina,  by  J.  M. 
Guinn.    Overiand  Monthly,  Vol.  XVI  (1890). 


HISTORY  OF  SANTA  CATALINA  ISLANa 


history  of  mining  in  the  island.  He  says:  "The  existence  of 
these  metals  on  the  Island  of  Santa  Catalina  was  known  long 
before  the  acquisition  of  California  by  the  United  States. 
George  Yount,  a  pioneer  of  1830,  who,  with  Pryor*  Wolfskill, 
Laughlin  and  Prentiss,  built  a  schooner  at  San  Pedro  for  the 
purpose  of  hunting  sea  otter,  found  on  one  of  his  trips  to  the 
island  some  rich  outcroppings.  It  does  not  appear,  however, 
that  he  set  much  value  upon  his  discovery  at  the  time.  He 
was  hunting  sea  otter,  not  gold  mines.  After  the  discovery 
of  gold  at  Coloma,  and  the  wild  rush  of  gold  hunters  to  the 
coast,  Yount  recalled  to  mind  his  find  on  Santa  Catahna.  He 
made  three  trips  to  the  island  in  search  of  his  lost  lode,  but 
without  success.     His  last  trip  was  in  1854/' 

Professor  Guinn  further  says:  "A  tradition  of  Yount's  lost 
mine  was  still  extant  in  Los  Angeles.  This  directed  attention 
to  Catalina  as  a  prospective  mining  region." 

The  first  location  of  a  claim  was  made  in  "April,  1863,  by 
Martin  M.  Kimberly"  and  "Daniel  E.  Way." 

''The  first  discoveries  were  made  near  the  isthmus  on  the 
northwestern  part  of  the  island.  The  principal  claims  were  in 
Fourth  of  July  Valley,  Cherry  Valley  and  Mineral  Hill.  Later 
discoveries  were  made  on  the  eastern  end  of  the  island."  Ac- 
cording to  Professor  Guinn  there  must  have  been  something 
like  a  real  estate  boom  on  the  island:  "A  site  for  a  city,  called 
'Queen  City/  was  located  on  Wilson  Harbor/'  lots  were  staked 
off  and  numerous  claims  *'were  recorded  in  the  Recorder's  of- 
fice of  Los  Angeles  County/*  "Numerous  assays  were  made, 
showing  the  lands  to  be  rich  in  gold  and  silver-bearing  rock, 
the  assays  ranging  from  $150  to  $800  per  ton/*  "Stock  com- 
panies were  formed  with  capital  bordering-  on  the  millions/' 
But  the  millions  in  stock  did  not  materialize  in  cash  for  their 
enterprise,  as  the  busy  miners  soon  found  themselves  without 
money  to  develop  their  mines.  As  the  writer  says:  "It  was 
the  famine  year  of  Southern  California,  the  terrible  dry  season 
of  1863-4.  Cattle  were  dying  by  thousands,  and  the  cattle 
baronSj  whose  wealth  was  in  their  flocks  and  herds,  saw  them- 
selves reduced  to  the  verg'e  of  poverty/' 

Another  difficulty  arose,  and  this  effectually  stopped  the 
progress  of  mining  on  this  island  during  the  Civil  war.  As 
the  island  had  fine  harbors  for  the  landing  of  ships*  it  was  ru- 
mored that  privateers  from  the  Confederacy  were  intending  to 
make  the  island  a  rendezvous,  so  the  U.  S.  government  built 
the  barracks  and  stationed  troops  on  Santa  Catalina.       Orders 


I 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA, 


were  published  forbidding  any  **person  or  persons,  others  than 
owners  of  stock  and  corporate  companies'  employes."  to  land 
on  the  island.  This  order  was  issued  from  the  headquarters  on 
Santa  Catalina  Island,  February  5,  1864. 

Mrs,  S.  A.  Rowland  tells  me  that  something  like  eight  or 
ten  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  ^old  was  sent  to  San  Francisco, 
but  the  one  who  carried  it  there  failed  to  report  afterward;  also 
that  the  "Gem  of  the  Ocean*'  mine  in  Fourth  of  July  Valley 
was  blasted  for  ore,  with  the  result  that  the  blast  stopped  all 
future  expectations,  as  water,  instead  of  ore,  now  filled  the  mine. 
The  "Argentine/*  another  mine  in  this  valley,  could  only  be 
worked  at  low  tide;  at  other  times  the  mine  was  completely 
out  of  sight. 

Before  this  time  the  island  had  become  well  known  as  a 
fine  grazing  island  for  sheep.  Men  settled  on  it  to  look  after 
their  sheep  interests  and  little  homes  or  shacks  were  butlt  in 
some  of  the  coves.  In  some  cases  men  had  their  wives  w'ith 
them,  and  the  settlers  on  the  island  began  the  era  of  "squatter 
suprenxacy."  Trees  and  vines  were  planted,  wells  dug,  and  each 
settler  raised  his  vegetables,  tended  his  herds  of  sheep,  and 
only  made  trips  to  the  mainland  for  necessities  he  could  not 
raise. 

I  am  indebted  to  Mrs.  S*  A.  Rowland,  widow  of  Captain 
Howland,  for  the  following  data  relative  to  those  days: 

The  cove  now  called  Johnson's  Landing  was  settled  by  John 
Benn,  a  German,  and  his  wife.  He  built  the  present  house,  but 
this  was  not  the  first  one  he  lived  in  at  that  place.  The  cove 
was  known  as  John  Benn's  Place.     His  wife  was  Spanish. 

About  ten  years  after  John  Benn  settled  in  the  cove,  Cap- 
tain and  Mrs.  Howland  bought  a  squatter's  right  to  the  valley 
now  known  as  Howland  Valley,  They  bought  the  right  of 
Mr,  Harvey  Rhoads. 

Samuel  Prentiss,  or  Prentice,  a  native  of  Rhode  Island,  and 
known  as  "Old  Sam,"  was  one  of  the  settlers.  He  died  on 
the  island  about  the  year  1865,  and  was  buried  at  Rowland's 
Valley.     A  small  picket  fence  surrounds  his  grave.* 

*Samuel  Prentiss  was  a  sailor  said  to  have  deserted  from  an 
American  man-of-war,  in  South  America.  He  was  subsequently 
one  of  the  crew  of  the  brig  Danube,  December  25,  1828.  Ste- 
phen Foster  writes  "Prentiss,"  Prentice.  Mrs.  Howland  tells 
me  that  this  hunter  and  trapper  was  an  unlettered  man  but  full 
of  information  gathered  in  his  roving  and  outdoor  life. 


HISTORY  OF  SANTA  CATAJLXWA  ISLAND. 


zg 


Avalon  Valley  was  settled  by  two  bachelor  brothers,  Ger- 
mans, named  Johnson — not  related  to  the  Johnson  who  gave 
his  name  to  Johnson's  Landing".  There  were  about  five  families 
on  the  island  when  Mr.  Howland  lived  there. 

The  first  Ainerican  child  born  on  the  island  was  William  Per- 
cival  Howland.  on  April  8.  1866.  He  was  the  second  son  of 
Captain  and  Mrs,  Howland.  He  grew  up  to  manhood,  but  died 
ten  years  ago. 

Sheep  shearing  and  election  days  were  events  on  the  island. 
Election  was  held  at  the  cove  of  the  Johnson  brothers^  now 
known  as  Avalon,  and  the  big  fig  tree  on  F  street  was  planted 
by  Mrs.  Howland  to  commemorate  the  re-election  of  Abraham 
Lincoln.  The  election  was  in  November,  1S64,  but  the  tree 
planting  was  deferred  until  February,  1865, 

Captain  and  Mrs.  Howland  lived  on  the  island  for  over  thir- 
teen years.  After  some  htigation  the  settlers  learned  that  the 
U.  S.  Government  had  never  owned  the  islands  it  having  passed 
from  the  Mexican  Government,  through  Pio  Pico  to  Don  Jose 
Covarrubias."  After  James  Lick  acquired  the  island  the  *'set- 
tlers''  left  it. 

As  the  statement  is  frequently  made  that  Santa  Catalina  at 
one  time  belonged  to  the  United  States  Government  and  "was 
sold  by  the  government  to  James  Lick,"  the  following  reliable 
data  received  from  Mr.  S.  J.  Mathes,  of  Avalon,  may  set  this 
vexed  question  of  ownership  at  rest. 

**The  Island  of  Santa  Catalina  never  belonged  to  the  U.  S. 
Government.  It  was  given  as  a  grant  by  the  Mexican  Govern- 
ment along  in  the  forties,  to  Don  Jose  Covarrubias,  of  Santa 
Barbara  (father  of  Nick  Covarrubias,  of  Los  Angeles),  He  sold 
it  to  a  lawyer  of  Santa  Barbara  named  Packard.  After  this 
there  were  quite  a  number  of  transfers,  perhaps  a  dozen  persons 
being  interested  in  the  island  before  James  Lick  acquired  it. 
Lick  owned  it  about  twenty-five  years. 

^'George  R.  Shatto  bought  it  in  1887,  owned  lE  about  a  year 
or  a  little  more,  when  he  sold  it  to  an  English  syndicate.  They 
were  to  pay  $400,000.  They  actually  paid  $40,000  and  defaulted 
in  their  payments.  The  sale  fell  through  because  the  mines 
did  not  prove  to  be  as  valuable  as  they  thought  them.  They 
supposed  from  the  specimens  shown  them  that  they  had  a  ver- 
itable bonanza. 

*The  Bannings*  acquired  the  island  in  1891.  I  do  not  know 
just  what  they  paitl.    Shatto  paid  $150,000. 

*The  Banning  brothers  of  the  Wilmington  Transportation 
Company. 


30 


HISTORICAL   SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA. 


*'Shatto  held  an  auction  sale  of  lots  while  he  owned  the 
island  and  disposed  of  about  200  lots.  The  Banningfs  have  re- 
duced this  by  purchase  to  about  eighty  lots,  which  are  in  other 
hands/' 

I  am  indebted  to  Mrs,  E,  J.  Whitney  of  Avalon,  Santa  Cata- 
lina  Island,  for  valuable  information  regarding  the  early  days 
of  Avalon.     She  says: 

"George  R-  Shatto  of  Los  Ang^eles  purchased  the  island 
from  the  Lick  estate  of  San  Francisco  in  July,  1887,  and  im- 
mediately began  to  lay  out  the  town  site  and  prepare  for  the 
buiiding  of  a  hoteli  the  first  load  of  lamber  for  it  coming  over 
the  first  week  in  August/'  This  town  was  called  '*Shatto"  in 
the  first  maps  which  were  printed,  but  Mr,  Shatto  did  not  accept 
the  name  and  the  map  was  not  recorded.  How  did  the  town 
come  to  be  called  Avalon?  In  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Whitney,  who 
is  a  relative  of  the  Shattos  by  marriage,  she  writes:  **Mn  and 
Mrs.  Shatto  and  myself  were  looking  for  a  name  for  the  new 
town^  which  in  its  significance  should  be  appropriate  to  the 
place,  and  the  names  which  I  was  looking  up  were  'Avon'  and 
'Avondale/  and  I  found  the  name  'Avalon/  the  meaning  of 
which,  as  given  in  W^ebster's  unabridged,  was  *Bright  gem  of 
the  ocean/  or  'Beautiful  isle  of  the  blest/  "  Mrs.  Whitney  was 
certainly  very  happy  in  her  choice  of  names,  as  none  could  be 
more  appropriate.  The  site  of  the  town  had  only  been  used 
as  a  camping  ground  and  called  ^'Timm's  Landing/'  I  quote 
farther  from  Mrs.  Whitney's  letter:  "The  first  meeting  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  'Catalina  School  District'  was  held  July 
4,  1891.  They  were  Mrs.  S.  A.  Wheeler,  Mr.  Frank  P.  Whitt- 
!ey  and  Mr,  E.  J.  Whitney.  The  first  teacher  was  Mrs.  M.  P. 
Morris,  wife  of  the  pastor  of  the  church  The  first  church  v/as 
'The  Congregational  Church  of  Avalon/  organized  July  15, 
1889,  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Chas.  Uzzell.  A  Catholic 
church  was  built  almost  two  years  ago/' 

The  first  child  bom  in  the  town  of  Avalon  was  Douglass 
McDonell,  about  eleven  years  ago. 

Among  the  first  permanent  residents  of  Avalon  were  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  S.  A.  Wheeler,  Mr,  Wheeler  was  the  first  tn  buy 
property  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  in  business.  He  built  tije 
"Avalon  Home'*  (hotel)^  afterward  called  by  the  Banning  Co. 
"The  Island  Villa  Hotel"  Mr.  Wheeler  conducted  the  first 
bakery  on  the  island.  Mrs.  Wheeler  reported  many  plants  new 
to  science  and  others  before  unknown  on  the  island. 


HISTORY  O?  SANTA  CAfALINA  ISI*AND. 


31 


The  Banning  brothers  built  an  aquarium  on  the  water  front 
of 'Avalon  and  opened  it  to  the  public  in  July,  1899.  The  build- 
ing is  30x60  feet  and  has  10  large  tanks  and  13  smaller  ones. 

In  the  summer  of  1902  Santa  Catalina  Island  was  connected 
with  the  mainland  at  White's  Point  by  wireless  telegraph.  The 
first  message  was  sent  to  Ava!on  on  August  2,  1902.  This  sys- 
tem,* on  the  island^  was  perfected  under  the  management  of 
General  A.  L.  New. 

Santa  Catalina  Island  is  widely  known  as  a  "watering  place," 
and  !t  is  estimated  that  the  little  town  of  Avalon  has  numbered 
6,000  persons  at  one  time. 

The  need  of  another  town  on  the  island  has  become  appar- 
ent to  the  Banning  Co.  The  site  chosen  is  at  the  Isthmus,  the 
old  Indian  townsite.  Here  a  large  hotel  is  to  be  built  and  houses 
erected.  Boulevards,  wharves  and  a  new  steamship  are  among 
the  expected  improvements*  And,  in  the  evolution  of  events, 
the  little  isthmus  site,  lying  between  mountains  on  two  sides 
and  washed  by  the  Pacific  ocean  on  the  others,  will  rise,  as  if 
by  magic,  over  the  deserted  graves  and  forgotten  middens  of 
a  race  that  has  almost  ceased  to  exist. 

The  writer  wishes  to  acknowledge  her  obligation  to  the  fol- 
lowing : 

The  Rev.  Father  J.  Adam.  Barcelona,  Spain. 

The  Very  Rev,  Ji.  J.  0*Keefe,  Superior  of  the  Franciscans, 
San  Luis  Rey. 

Mr.  S.  J.  Mathes,  Avalon,  Santa  Catalina  Island, 

Mrs.  S.  A-  Howland,  Loma  Vista,  CaL 

Mrs,  E.  J.  Whitney,  Avalon,  Santa  Catalina  Island, 

Professor  Ji.  M.  Guinn,  Secretary  Southern  California  His- 
torical Society,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

Also  to  Miss  Mary  L.  Jones,  librarian  of  the  Los  Angeles 
Public  library,  and  her  able  corps  of  assistants,  for  many  favors, 

*A  newspaper,  "The  Wireless,"  was  started  at  Avalon  on 
March  25,  1903,  Tliis  is  stated  to  have  been  the  first  newspaper 
in  the  world  to  receive  its  press  notices  by  wireless  telegraph. 


GOVERNORS  OF  CALIFORNIA, 

BY  H.  D.  BARHOWS. 

Althoug^h  the  flag  of  the  United  States  was  raised  over 
Monterey  by  Commodore  Soat,  conunander  of  our  naval  forces 
on  the  Pacific  Coast,  on  the  7th  of  July,  1846.  Los  Angeles, 
the  then  capital  of  the  Province  of  Upper  California,  was  only 
taken  possession  of  by  the  combined  forces  of  Commodore 
Stockton  and  Colonel  Fremont  on  the  13th  day  of  August, 
1846,  Don  Pio  Pico,  the  Mexican  Governor,  ha\nng  left  the 
city  Augi^st  1 2th.  These  being  the  facts  of  the  case,  the  ob- 
vious inference  would  seem  to  have  been  that  the  true  legal 
date  of  the  change  of  government  should  have  been  the  latter 
date,  instead  of  Jfuly  7th,  as  is  commonly  understood. 

On  the  17th  of  Augusts  1846,  Commodore  Stockton,  who 
had  succeeded  Commodore  Sloat  as  commander  of  the  Pacific 
squadron,  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  people,  signing  him- 
self *'Commander-in-Chief  and  Governor  of  California,'*  He 
announced  that  the  country  now  belonged  to  the  United 
States  and  that  as  soon  as  possible  would  be  governed  like  any 
other  territory  of  that  nation,  but  meanwhile  by  military  law, 
though  the  people  were  invited  to  choose  their  local  civil  of- 
ficers, if  the  incumbents  declined  to  serve. 

On  the  same  date.  to-TA'St,  August  17th,  the  "Warren," 
Comfmander  Hull,  anchored  at  San  Pedro  from  Mazatlan, 
bringing  definite  news  of  a  declaration  of  war. 

California,  as  an  unorganized  territory,  remained  under  mil- 
itary Governors  from  the  time  of  the  change  of  sovereignty 
till  December  20,  1849,  or  over  three  years,  and  during  a  very 
important  period  of  its  history. 

August  22,  1846.  Governor  Stockton  ordered  an  election 
of  Alcaldes  and  other  local  municipal  officers  to  be  held  Sep- 
tember isth  in  the  several  towns  and  districts  of  the  territory. 

Governor  Stockton  on  the  2nd  of  September,  the  last  day 
of  his  stay  in  Los  Angeles  (and  before  the  receipt  of  the  order 
from  Washington  requiring  the  Governorship  to  be  turned  over 
to  a  ranking  military  officer),  issued  a  general  order  creating 
the  oflFice  of  Military  Commandant  of  the  Territory,  which  was 
divided  into  three  departments,  and  appointing  Fremont  to  fill 
the  new  command. 


GOVERNOKS  OP  CALiroRKIA. 


,« 


Orders  from  Washington  were  brought  by  Colonel  Rich- 
ard B.  Mason,  who  arrived  at  San  Francisco,  February  12,  1847, 
that  Gen,  S.  W,  Kearny  on  his  arrival  in  California  (and  the 
senior  officer  before  his  arrival)  was  to  be  recognized  as  Civil 
Governor  After  Kearny's  departure  for  the  East*  Colonel 
Mason  succeeded  him  in  command  and  also  as  Governor, 
May  31,  1847.  Alcaldes  who  had  been  elected  or  appointed 
continued  to  administer  justice  within  their  several  districts, 
according  to  Mexican  law  and  usage,  appealing  to  the  Gover- 
nor only  in  difficult  cases,  it  being  his  j>olicy  to  interfere  as 
little  as  possible  in  local  matters. 

But  before  these  orders  were  received  in  Cahfomiaj  Com- 
modore Stockton,  namely  J  on  January  16,  1847,  issued  com- 
missions to  Fremont  as  Governor  and  to  W,  H.  Russell  as 
Secretary  of  State. 

January  22nd  Governor  Fremont  issued  a  proclamation 
announcing  the  establishment  of  civil  rule.  His  headquarters 
were  at  Los  Angeles,  where  he  won  many  friends,  especially 
among  the  native  Califomians,  by  joining  in  their  festivities, 
and  to  some  extent  in  their  ways  of  dress  and  life.  He  occu- 
pied the  large  two-story  house  (since  demolished)  of  Capt. 
Alexander  Bell,  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Aliso  and  Los  An- 
geles streets. 

The  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  by  which  Alta  Califor- 
nia w^as  ceded  to  the  United  States  by  Mexico,  was  signed  on 
February  2,  1848,  and  was  proclaimed  by  the  President  on 
June  19th,  and  news  of  the  same  reached  California  and  was 
proclaimed  by  Governor  Mason,  August  7,  1848. 

Gen.  Persifer  F.  Smith  arrived  and  superseded  Governor 
Mason,  February  26,  1849.  General  Mason  left  California  May 
I,  1849,  and  died  of  cholera  at  St  Louis  the  same  summer  at 
the  age  of  60  years. 

Gen.  W,  T.  Sherman,  who  had  ample  opportunity  to  judge 
of  his  work  as  Governor,  in  his  Memoirs  says  of  Governor 
Mason:  '*He  possessed  a  strong  native  intellect,  and  far  more 
knowledge  of  the  principles  of  civil  government  and  law  than 
he  got  credit  for/'  and  that  *'he  was  the  very  embodiment  of 
the  principles  of  fidelity  to  the  interests  of  the  general  govern- 
ment." 

Genera]  Smith's  incumbency  of  the  office  of  Governor 
was  brief  and  unimiportant;  it  extended  only  from  February 
26  to  April  12,  1849, 


3i 


HISTORICAI.  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERM   CALIFORNIA. 


On  the  latter  date  Gen.  Bennett  Riley,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
of  the  Second  U.  S.  Infantry,  arrived  at  Monterey,  with  in- 
structions to  assume  the  administration  of  civil  affairs  in  Cali- 
fornia, not  as  Military  Governor,  but  as  the  executive  of  the 
existing  quasi-civil  government  which  the  people  under  Gov- 
ernor Mason  had  established. 

On  the  3rd  of  June,  1849,  Governor  Riley  issued  a  procla* 
mation  calling  for  an  election  on  August  ist  of  delegates  to 
formulate  a  Constitution,  who  were  to  meet  at  Monterey  Sep- 
tember 1st. 

Among  the  notable  men  in  that  convention  was  W,  E, 
Shannon,  an  Irishman  by  birth  and  a  lawyer,  who  introduced 
that  section  in  the  bill  of  rights  which  made  California  forever 
a  free  State;  borrowed,  it  is  true,  but  as  illustrious  and  imper- 
ishable as  it  is  American. 

At  the  first  general  election  held  in  the  Territory,  Novem- 
ber 13,  1849,  the  Constitution  was  adopted  by  a  vote  of  i2»o64 
ayes  to  811  noes;  and  on  the  same  day  Peter  H,  Burnett  was 
elected  Governor  and  John  McDougal  Lieutenant  Goveinor. 

Governor  Riley's  term  extended  from  April  12th  to  Decem- 
ber 20,  1849,  He  made  a  most  excellent  executive  during  a 
transition  period,  when  the  affairs,  pohtical,  social  and  eco- 
nomic, of  the  territory  were  in  a  somewhat  chaotic  condition. 
General  Riley  continued  to  reside  at  Monterey  until  Jiily  1, 
1850.  when  he  returned  to  the  Eastern  States.  The  ciiy  of 
Monterey  voted  him  a  medal  of  gold  weighing  one  pound, 
with  a  heavy  chain  composed  of  nuggets  of  gold  in  their  native 
shapes.  One  side  of  the  medal  was  inscribed  with  this  pithy 
motto:  **The  man  who  came  to  do  his  duty  and  who  ac- 
complished his  purpose,"  which  expressed  epigramatically  the 
general  appreciation  by  the  people  of  his  thoroughly  prac^ic^l 
administration. 

P.  H.  Burnett,  the  first  Governor  of  California  under  the 
Constitution^  was  a  native  of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  bom  in  1807. 
He  moved  to  Oregon  in  1843,  and  to  California  in  1848;  was 
elected  Governor  in  1849;  resigned  January  9,  185 1,  and  was 
appointed  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  1857. 

On  the  resignation  of  Burnett,  Lieutenant  Governor  John 
McDougall  became  Governor,  and  served  from  Jianuary,  1851, 
till  January,  1852.  when  he  was  succeeded  by  John  Bigler. 
Governor  McDougall  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  1818.  He 
arrived  in  California  in  February,  1849.  He  w^s  elected  a 
member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1849  from  the 


GOVERNORS  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


35 


Sacramento  district.  He  died  at  San  Francisco  March  30, 
1866. 

Governor  Bigler  was  bom  in  Pennsylvania  in  1805.  He 
came  to  CaJifornia  in  1849,  and  served  as  Governor  from  Jan- 
uary, 1852,  till  January,  1856;  he  v^as  afterward  appointed  by 
President  Buchanan  Minister  to  Chili,  which  office  he  held 
till  1861.     He  died  at  Sacramento,  November  29,  1871. 

J.  Neely  Johnson,  a  native  of  Indiana,  was  born  in  1825; 
came  to  California  in  1849,  and  served  as  Governor  from  1856 
to  1858,  during  the  exciting  era  of  the  great  San  Francisco 
Vigilance  Committee.  He  afterward  moved  to  Nevada,  where 
was  elevated  to  the  Supreme  Bench.  He  died  in  Salt  Lake  City 
in  1872. 

John  B.  Weller  was  Governor  from  1858  to  i860.  He  was 
born  in  Ohio,  February  22,  i8r2;  served  in  the  Mexican  war; 
was  appointed  by  President  Polk  in  1S49  as  a  commissioner 
to  mn  a  boundary  line  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico; 
was  elected  U.  S,  Senator  in  1852  to  succeed  Fremont,  and 
served  the  full  term  of  six  years,  and  for  two  years  was  the 
only  Senator  from  California.  He  served  as  Minister  to  Mex- 
ico from  November,  i860,  till  May,  1861.  He  died  at  New 
Orleans  August  7,  1875. 

Milton  S.  Latham^  sixth  Governor  of  California  under  the 
Constitution,  was  born  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1827.  He  was 
graduated  from  Jefiferson  College,  Pennsylvania,  in  1845;  went 
first  to  Alabama,  and  from  there  came  to  California  in  1850; 
was  elected  to  Congress,  and  was  appointed  Collector  of  the 
Port  at  San  Francisco  in  1856;  was  elected  Governor,  with 
John  G.  Downey  as  Lieutenant  Governor,  in  1859.  Two  days 
after  his  inauguration,  Januar}'  nth,  he  was  elected  Senator, 
and  Downey  became  Governor.  Governor  Latham  died  at 
New  York  March  4,  1882. 

John  G  .Downey,  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  for  many  years 
a  citizen  of  Los  Angeles,  having  been  elected  Lieutenant  Gov- 
ernor, became,  by  virtue  of  the  provisions  of  the  Constitution, 
Governor  on  the  resignation  of  Governor  Latham,  and  served 
from.  January  14,  iB60y  to  January  9^  1862.  He  died  in  Los 
Angeles  March  i,  1894. 

Letand  Stanford,  a  native  of  New  York,  became  the  eighth 
Governor  of  California  under  the  Constitution  in  January, 
1862,  and  served  till  December,  1863.  He  died  at  Palo  Alto, 
the  seat  of  the  University  he  founded,  June  20j  1893. 


36 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN   CAtlFORKlA. 


Governor  Stanford  was  succeeded  by  Frederick  F.  Low, 
who  was  bom  at  Frankfort,  Maine,  January  30,  1828,  and  who 
came  to  CaJifomia  in  1849.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  in  1862-3.  ^^  ^^  elected  Gov- 
ernor and  served  from  December  10,  1863,  to  December  5, 
1867,  four  years*  His  death  occurred  at  San  Francisco  July 
24*  1894, 

H.  H,  Haight.  son  of  Fletcher  M.  Haighi,  U.  S.  J,ud^e  of 
the  Southern  District  of  California,  and  a  native  of  Rochester, 
N.  Y.  (1825),  became  Governor  by  election,  and  filled  that 
office  from  December,  1867,  to  December,  1871.  Governor 
Haight  arrived  in  California  in  1850.  He  was  a  graduate  of 
Yale  College  in  1844.  He  died  at  San  Francisco  September 
2,  1878. 

Newton  Booth,  eleventh  Governor,  was  born  in  Indiana, 
December  30,  1S25.  He  arrived  in  California  in  1850;  he  was 
elected  State  Senator  from  Sacramento  in  1863,  and  was  elected 
and  served  as  Governor  from  1871  to  February  27,  1875,  when 
he  resigned,  having  been  elected  U,  S.  Senator.  Governor 
Booth  died  at  Sacramento  July  14,  1892. 

On  the  resignation  of  Governor  Booth,  Lieutenant  Gover- 
nor Romiualdo  Pacheco  became  the  chief  executive  of  the 
State,  and  served  from  February  27,  1875,  to  December  9th  of 
the  same  year.  Governor  Pacheco  was  a  native  of  California, 
both  his  parents  being  of  Spanish  descent 

Wm.  Irwin,  a  native  of  Ohio,  bom  in  1S27,  came  to  CaU- 
fornta  in  1852.  He  represented  Siskiyou  County  in  both 
branches  of  the  Legislature  between  the  years  i860  and  1S75, 
and  as  President  of  the  Senate  be  became  acting  Lieutenant 
Governor  as  a  result  of  the  advancement  of  Pacheco  to  the 
Governorship.  At  the  general  election  in  September,  1875, 
he  was  elected  Governor,  and  was  inducted  into  office  Decem- 
ber 9th  of  that  year.  His  term  ended  January  8,  1880.  He 
died  in  San  Francisco  March  15,   1896. 

George  C.  Perkins,  the  fourteenth  Governor  of  California 
under  her  first  or  old  Constitution,  and  the  first  under  the  new 
Constitution^  is  a  native  of  Maine,  born  August  23.  1839.  He 
came  to  California  in  1855,  and  his  term  as  Governor  of  the 
State  extended  from  January,  1880,  to  January,  1883.  Gov- 
ernor Perkins  is  now  serving  his  second  term  as  U.  S.  Senator 
from  California. 

General  George  Stoneman.  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  and 
afterward  Lieutenant  of  the  First  Dragoons,  U,  S.  A.,  and  who 


GOVERNORS  OF  CyM.lFORNtA. 


37 


came  to  Califomia  as  Assistant  Quartermaster  o[  the  Mormon 
Battalion  in  1847,  was  born  in  Chautauqua  County,  York 
State,  AijgTist  8,  1822.  He  was  elected  Governor  and  served 
from  1883  till  January,  1887.  As  Captain  of  the  Second  Cav- 
alry, he  served  in  Texas.  August  13,  1S61,  he  became  Brig- 
adier General  of  U.  S.  Volunteers  and  Chief  of  Cavalry.  He 
was  in  many  battles  of  the  Civil  War  and  was  promoted  to 
brevet  Major  General  U.  S.  regular  army.  He  retired  from  the 
army  in  1871  and  settled  near  Sail  Gabriel,  in  Los  Angeles 
County.  Governor  Stoneman  died  at  Buffalo,  N,  Y.,  Sep- 
tember 5,  1894. 

Washington  Bartlett,  bom  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  February 
29,  1824,  and  who  arrived  in  California  via  Cape  Horn  in  1849, 
was  elected  Governor  for  the  term  commencing  January  8, 
1887,  but  he  only  served  till  his  death,  which  occurred  Sep- 
tember 1 2th  of  the  same  year,  or  during  a  period  of  a  little 
over  eight  months. 

Governor  Bartlett  was  succeeded  by  Lieutenant  Governor 
Robert  W,  Waterman,  who  filled  the  office  for  the  balance  of 
the  term,  or  till  1891  He  died  at  San  Diego  April  12,  1891, 
0T)ly  a  few  months  after  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  ofKce  as 
Governor. 

H.  H.  Markham*s  term  as  Governor  extended  from  Jan- 
uary 8,  1891,  to  January,  1895.  Colonel  Markham  was  born 
in  Wilmijng^on,  Essex  County,  New  York,  November  16,  1840, 
He  served  through  the  Civil  war,  first  as  private  in  the  Thirty- 
second  Wisconsin  Infantry,  and  afterward  as  Lieutenant.  He 
was  in  many  battles,  and  was  with  Sherman  in  the  march  to 
the  sea.  In  1879  he  removed  from  Milwaukee  to  Pasadena, 
which  city  is  still  his  home. 

James  H.  Budd's  trem  commenced  January  n,  1895,  and 
ended  January  4  ,1899.  Governor  Budd  is  a  native  of  Cali- 
fornia.    He  is  still  living. 

Henry  T.  Gage  was  the  twentieth  constitutional  Governor 
of  California,  his  term  extending  from  January  4,  1899,  to 
January,  1903.  Governor  Gage  is  a  native  of  New  York.  He 
has  been  a  citizen  of  Los  Angeles  County  for  many  years.  He 
was  a  delegate  from  California  to  the  National  Republican 
Convention  of  1888  at  Chicago. 

George  C.  Pardee,  the  present  incumbent  of  the  Guberna- 
torial office,  commenced  his  term  in  January,  1903-  Gover- 
nor Pardee  is  a  native  son,  having  been  born  in  San  Francisco 
July  25,  1857,  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  State  University  and 
also  of  the  University  of  Leipsic,  Germany. 


THE  RENUNCIATION  OF  CHONA, 


BY  3LAURA  EVERTSEN  KING. 


Old  "Chona"  was  the  best  washer-woman  in  the  Mission 
San  Gabriel;  her  clothes  were  the  whitest  and  sweetest,  and 
when  she  broug-ht  theni  home  tied  in  a  snowy  bundle,  balanced 
so  expertly  on  her  head,  La  Senora  exclaimed  with  delight  over 
their  fragrance,  which,  she  said,  was  like  unto  the  fresh  spring 
grass  on  which  they  had  lain  and  bleached  from  Monday  until 
Saturday.  She  disdained  to  use  common  soap  for  her  wash- 
ing,  preferring  that  made  by  the  Padres  of  the  mission,  the 
soft,  velvety  soap  of  Castile.  What  difference  if  it  were  more 
expensive;  were  not  the  clothes  sweeter  and  whiter?  As  she 
adjusted  her  native  washboard  in  the  dear  rippling  stream, 
putting  two  stones  under  the  upper  length  that  it  might  have 
the  proper  incline,  she  talked — talked  to  her  clotheSi  which 
she  had  invested  with  human  attributes,  and  was  rough  or  gen- 
tle according  to  their  quality  and  beauty.  Coming  upon  a  gar- 
ment lace-trimmed  and  dainty,  she  was  wont  to  clasp  it  in  her 
hands,  and  smile  and  pat  it,  her  simple  and  loving  Indian  na- 
ture investing  it  with  life.  "Here  I  shall  put  you  in  this  new 
and  clean  basket,  within  the  clear  stream>  so  that  nothing  shall 
injure  your  fineness.  How  pretty,  how  soft,  how  sweet  it  is/* 
she  would  exclaim;  Eind  turning  reluctantly  away»  would  give 
her  attention  to  the  clothes  of  coarser  fibre,  rubbing  and  slap- 
ping them  upon  her  board,  conscienciously  and  honestly  giving 
them  all  the  attention  due  them,  but  with  a  feeling  of  disdain 
for  their  coarseness. 

Old  "Chona"  had  never  worn  shoes;  when  she  was  younger 
none  of  her  people  wore  them;  but  in  later  years  often  times 
came  the  thought  and  wish  to  possess  a  pain  When  her  hus- 
band, Gabriel,  used  for  drink  the  money  she  had  so  laboriously 
earned,  she  never  once  dreamed  of  shoes,  but  now^  that  she  was 
alone,  and  he  in  the  church  yard  behind  the  mission  church, 
the  thought  would  come  unawares — why  not  have  shoes? 
There  was  no  one  but  herself,  unless  she  gave  to  others.  Others 
micant  the  little  Indian  children  who  tormented  her  when 
washing  by  throwing  stones  into  the  stream,  disturbing  its 
clear  depths.  Her  anger  wasn't  more  lasting  than  the  dis- 
turbed water,  and  she  punished  them  by  bringing  them  "dukes" 


THE  RENUNCIATION  OF  CHONA. 


39 


from  the  mission  store  when  she  returned  home  in  the  evening. 
Old  "Chona's*'  feet  had  become  hard  and  caloused  from  con- 
stantly traversing  the  narrow  paths  which  led  to  the  homes  of 
her  patrons;  this  she  had  done  for  many  long  years  uncomplain- 
ingly, *'and  now  perhaps  she  might  be  able  to  work  far  into 
old  age  if  her  feet  did  not  hurt  so."  She  had  confided  her  dream 
to  La  Seiiora,  who  sympathizingly  listened  and  donated  a  pair 
of  bright  stockings,  which  old  *'Chona"  clasped  in  her  hands 
and  exclaimed  in  an  ecstacy  of  feeling,  "How  beautiful T'  Now 
that  the  dream  had  taken  definite  shape,  she  began  to  save; 
even  the  little  Indian  children  got  no  more  "dulces/*  She  said 
her  *'heart  was  getting  hard.**     Was  it  because  she  had   let 

a  selfish  thought  creep  in? 

♦         •***♦♦*         +         ♦ 

Lent  was  almost  over;  it  was  Saturday,  the  eve  of  Palm 
Sunday.  Old  "Giona"  had  delivered  her  last  bundle  of  clothes, 
and  safe  in  her  bosom,  wrapped  about  with  her  bright  stock- 
ing;Sj  lay  the  money  for  her  shoes.  The  sun  was  only  an  hour 
high  as  she  turned  into  the  little  narrow  path  which  led  her 
to  the  mission.  The  long  spring  afternoon  had  been  balmy 
and  the  air  was  filled  with  the  f>erfume  of  the  "pelio"  and  wild 
flowers.  The  slim  shadows  of  the  younger  willows  cast  them- 
selves before  her  and  fled  across  the  tinkling  stream  to  lose 
themselves  in  the  tall  grass  beyond.  Her  tired  feet  sank  into 
the  gophers'  freshly  plowed  earth,  which  felt  cool  and  refresh- 
ing to  her  after  her  long  walk.  Soon  her  thoughts  became 
words:  "Little  Chonita  (her  namesake).  Lulita,  Juan  and  Ga- 
brielito  would  be  there  to  see  her  shoes;"  they  would  stand 
round-eyed  in  admiration  and  forget  to  take  their  fingers  from 
their  mouths.  '*But  she  would  have  more  dulce  and  cakes, 
too:  they  should  celebrate  for  her  good  fortune." 

The  last  rays  of  the  setting  sun  were  gilding  the  old  church 
as  she  drew  near.  The  old  church  yard  lay  in  the  shadows  of 
the  aged  peach  trees  which  gleamied  paley  pink  behind  the 
old  church  wall,  a  still,  bright  spot  in  the  evening  twilight. 
Standing  before  the  broad  church  door  was  a  'Vareta/'  the 
weary  oxen  with  drooping  heads  supporting  their  heavy  yoke 
standing  with  closed  eyes,  dreaming  of  the  fresh  and  dewy 
grass,  for  their  day  had  been  long  and  weary.  Far  from  home 
had  they  traveled  that  day;  many  miles  had  they  hauled  the 
heavy  cart  up  steep  mountain  roads,  mere  paths  some  of  them, 
their  driver  being  in  search  of  palms  and  laurel  for  the  Padre 
to  bless  and  distribute  among  his  faithful  followers.     Old  Chona 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  9DUTB£SK   CAUrtMUflA. 


watched  the  unloading  of  the  greeos,  and  with  a  sharp  indraw- 
ing  breath  exclaimed,  "iladre  mta;  I  had  foi^tteo!"  Putting 
her  hand  to  her  bosom,  she  drew  forth  her  precious  and  hard- 
earned  mone)-,  and  drawing  nearer,  she  whispered  to  the  In- 
dian driver,  who  knew  her  well»  ''Give  me  a  leaf  of  palm;  see,  I 
have  money/'  She  received  it,  and  putting  it  under  her  shawl 
near  her  heart,  she  turned  away.  Next  morning  as  the  bells 
of  the  mission  were  ringing  for  early  mass,  old  "Chona"  entered 
the  church,  proudly  carrying  an  unrecognizable  branch  of  palm 
braided  and  gaily  tied  in  bits  of  red  and  yellow  and  green 
ribbons.  Waiting  patiently  until  the  last  olive  branch  had  been 
blessed,  she  crept  to  the  altar,  knelt  and  silently  asked  a  bless- 
ing upon  hers.  Rising,  she  placed  it  at  the  feet  of  a  blue-robed 
figure,  saying.  **For  thee.  Virgin  Mother."  With  what  feel- 
ings she  left  the  church  none  but  those  who  understand  the 
Indian  nature  can  surmise.  What  her  thoughts  were  she' 
would  never  tell.  She  bad  made  her  renunciation;  that  w^as 
sufficient  for  her.  When  La  Sefiora  asked  her  about  her  shoes, 
she  smiled  and  shrugged  her  shoulders.  When  her  friends^  the 
little  Indians,  asked  her,  she  said.  "Oh,  do  not  molest  me,"  and 
they  were  silenced  with  "dulces." 

Then  there  came  a  day  when  Old  "Chona'*  failed  to  come 
for  her  washing,  and  I-a  Senora  sent  a  messenger  to  inquire 
the  cause.  All  was  silent  in  the  little  hut,  except  the  mocking 
bird  which,  flitting  in  and  out  among  the  eaves  of  the  "ramada/' 
sang  his  cheery  song.  The  Indian  boy,  creeping  to  the  door 
with  a  feeling  of  awe  at  the  silence,  saw  that  which  made  him 
cry  out  with  feeling.  Old  **Chona'*  lay  on  her  rawhide  bed 
with  her  hands  clasped  over  a  pair  of  bright  red  stockings- 


TWO  DECADES  OF  LOCAL  HISTORY 


BY  J*  M.  GUINN. 

(Read  November  i,  1903.) 

This  evening-  we  celebrate  the  twentieth  anniversay  of  the 
org;anization  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Southern  Cahfornia, 
It  is  the  oldest  historical  society  on  the  Pacific  Coast;  the  only 
literary  association  in  Southern  California  that  has  maintained 
its  organization  intact  for  twenty  years.  In  this  paper  I  have 
briefly  outlined  the  origin  of  our  society  and  have  given  some 
of  its  early  history.  I  have  contrasted  the  city  as  it  was  twenty 
years  ago  with  what  it  is  now^  and  have  endeavored  to  show 
that  had  our  society  done  nothing  more  than  preserve  the  rec- 
ords of  two  decades  of  our  city*s  history,  it  would  deserve  well 
of  the  community. 

In  conclusion  I  have  called  attention  to  the  almost  crim™ 
inal  neglect  of  our  State  in  not  collecting  and  preserving  her  his- 
torical material,  and  have  contrasted  her  remissness  in  this  re- 
spect with  what  other  states  with  less  history  and  less  wealth 
have  done. 

On  the  evening  of  November  i,  1883,  twenty  years  ago, 
a  little  coterie  of  representative  men  of  the  city  gathered  in  a 
room  of  the  old  Temple  Block  to  organize  a  histoiical  so- 
ciety. Some  of  these  were  comparatively  new  comers,  others 
were  pioneers  whose  residence  in  the  city  covered  periods  of 
thirty,  forty  and  fifty  years.  They  had  watched  its  growth 
from  a  Mexican  pueblo  to  an  American  city,  had  witnessed  its 
transition  from  the  inchoate  and  revolutionary  domination  of 
Mexico  to  the  stable  rule  of  the  United  States, 

The  purpose  for  which  they  had  gathered  was  clearly  stated 
in  the  call,  but  the  scope,  the  purpose  and  the  province  of  a 
historical  society  were  not  so  evident.  Only  one  of  the  assem- 
blage had  been  a  member  of  a  historical  society,  and  there  were 
those  who  doubted  whether  a  society  purely  historical  could 
be  maintained.  They  argued  that  it  would  be  better  to  or- 
ganize a  society  dual  in  its  nature — part  historical  and  part 
scientific,  A  few  weeks  laten  when  a  constitution  was  evolved, 
among  the  objects  for  which  the  society  was  created  were  "the 
discussion  of  historical  subjects,  the  reading  of  such  jmpers 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAU^ORKIA. 


and  the  tria!  of  such  scientific  experiments  as  shall  be  deter- 
mined by  the  General  Cominittee/* 

This  General  Committee  deserves  a  passing  notice.  Tt  has 
long  since  passed  out  of  the  existence  of  the  society,  and  the 
memory  of  it  has  become  ancient  history. 

It  was  a  decemvirate,  a  body  of  ten  that  was  supposed  to 
stipervise  the  affairs  of  the  society.  It  decided  who  should  be- 
come members,  what  papers  should  be  read  before  the  society, 
and  who  outside  of  the  society  should  listen  to  their  reading. 

The  society  was  organized  as  a  close  corporation.  It  was 
very  select.  If  any  outsider  yearned  to  hear  the  historical 
discussions  or  to  witness  the  scientific  experiments  made  with- 
in the  society's  sanctt^n  sanctorum,  he  apphed  to  some  mem- 
ber of  the  General  Committee  for  permission  to  enten  His 
application  was  submitted  to  the  decemvirate,  and  if  that  aug*- 
ust  body  deemed  him  worthy  of  the  honor  and  capable  of  un- 
derstanding the  mysteries  of  the  inner  sanctuary,  he  was  al- 
lowed to  enter.  This  was  the  theory  of  admission.  It  never 
got  beyond  the  theoretical  stage.  No  outsider  ever  ran  the 
gauntlet  of  the  General  Committee,  The  uninitiated  remained 
outside,  nor  sought  to  enter;  and  the  society,  after  trying  for 
several  years  to  be  very  exclusive,  mended  its  rules,  abolished 
its  General  Committee  and  opened  its  doors  to  the  public. 

Of  the  fifteen  men  who  gathered  in  that  room  twenty  years 
ago  to  form  a  historical  society,  nine  are  dead,  two  have 
dropped  out  of  the  society  through  non-payment  of  dues^  two 
have  removed  from  the  city,  and  only  two — H,  D.  Barrows 
and  J.  M,  Guinn — are  now  members. 

The  names  of  those  who  formed  that  coterie  are:  J.  J, 
Warner,  Antonio  R  Coronel,  J.  G.  Downey.  George  Hansen, 
H.  D.  Barrows,  J.  M,  Guinn,  C.  N.  Wilson,  John  Mansfield, 
Noah  Levering,  Ira  More,  J.  B.  Niles,  A,  Kohler,  A.  J,  Brad- 
field,  E.  W.  Jones  and  Marcus  Baker. 

The  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California  is  not  proud 
of  its  birthplace.  The  room  where  it  %vas  bom  was  then  used 
for  a  Police  Court.  There  the  Mayor  as  Police  Judge  meted 
out  punishment  to  tramps  and  drunks  and  other  transgressors 
of  municipal  ordinances. 

The  walls  were  dingy  and  smoke-begrinimcd;  the  furni- 
ture consisted  of  a  few  wooden  benches,  A  rough  table  and 
a  few  chairs  completed  the  scanty  furnishings.  Two  smoky 
lamps  dimly  lighted  the  interior.  Uncongenial  as  were  the 
environments,  they  were  the  best  the  society  could  aflford  then, 


TWO  DECADES  OF  IjOCAL  HISTORY, 


43 


for  it  was  poor  and  obscure  at  its  birth;  and  it  might  be  added 
that  in  its  mtaturer  years  it  is  still  poor,  but  not  obscure. 

A  scare  of  years  is  less  than  the  third  of  the  allotted  span 
of  a  human  life,  and  but  an  atom  of  time  in  the  life  of  a  city. 
Looking-  backward  through  the  mist  and  murk  of  t>venty  years 
to  the  time  when  our  society  was  born,  and  comparng  Los 
Angeles  of  1883  with  the  city  of  today,  it  seems  as  if  some 
magician's  w^nd  had  wrought  the  wondrous  change.  ThcB 
there  was  not  a  business  house  on  Spring-  street  south  of  Sec- 
ond. Fort  street  (now  Broadway)  was  the  aristocratic  resi- 
dence street  of  the  city,  and  we  pointed  with  pride  to  the  pa- 
latial homes  of  our  aristocracy  that  lined  the  western  side  of 
that  street  between  Second  and  Third.  The  city  then  had 
but  two  parks — the  Plaza  and  Central  park.  The  latter  was 
enclosed  by  a  dilapidated  picket  fence.  An  open  ditch  rati 
through  it  and  irrigated  the  straggling  trees  that  were  making 
a  pretense  of  growing.  There  w^ere  no  flowers  in  it  and  no 
grass.  A  sign  at  the  corner  of  Sixth  and  Olive  streets  warned 
heavy  teams  not  to  cross  it.  The  zanja  that  watered  it  mean- 
dered through  the  principal  part  of  the  city  before  it  reached 
the  park.  It  flow*ed  through  the  Chinese  market  garden  that 
occupied  the  present  site  of  the  Westminster  Hotel.  It  crossed 
Main  street  south  of  Fourth  and  then  zigzagged  across  the 
block  bounded  bv  Main  and  Spring,  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets, 
just  below,  where  now  looms  up  the  Southern  California  Sav- 
ings Bank  sky  scrapen  Then  it  meandered  across  Fort  street 
and  on  to  the  Dark,  and  out  beyond  that  to  the  rural  regions 
of  Figueroa  and  Adams  street,  where  it  watered  the  orcharads 
and  the  barley  fields  of  that  sparsely  peopled  suburb.  Thai  ditch 
was  not  the  Zanja  Madre^the  mother  ditch — of  the  pueblo:  it 
was  not  even  a  pretentious  ditch  as  irrigating  ditches  go;  and 
yet  from  the  view  point  of  cost  it  was  the  most  expensive  im- 
provement the  city  has  ever  made. 

A  few  years  before  the  city  fathers  had  given  two  of  our 
enterprising  citizens  t6o  acres  of  city  land  extending  from  Main 
to  Figueroa  and  lying  between  Seventh  and  Ninth  streets  for 
constructing  that  irrigating  canal.  The  land  donated  for  that 
insignificant  improvement — for  the  digging  of  a  ditch— that 
long  since  disappeared  from  the  face  of  the  earth— that  is  lost 
to  sight  but  to  memory  so  expensive — is  today  worth  fifteen 
millions  of  dollars.  At  that  time  the  city  authorities  consid^ 
ered  they  had  received  full  value  for  the  few  worthless  acres  of 
the  many  thousands  they  had  at  their  disposal,  but  posterity 


44 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERK  CAI^IPORNIA, 


rises  up  in  judgment  against  them  and  rails  at  them  for  thdr 
woeful  waste  of  a  royal  patrimony.  It  is  not  in  good  taste,  nor 
is  it  just  to  bring  railing  accusations  against  our  olden  time 
Councilmen  for  thetr  seemingly  lavish  disposal  of  our  city  lands. 
Without  water  the  pueblo  lands  were  worthless.  With  irri- 
gating facilities  they  could  be  made  productive.  Homes  wotild 
be  built*  population  would  increase,  and  the  city's  exchequer. 
which  was  chronically  in  a  state  of  collapse,  would  expand  and 
become  plethoric.  To  make  two  blades  of  grass  grow  where 
but  one  grew  before  is  the  secret  of  agricultural  wealth.  The 
city  fathers  well  knew  that  neither  the  one  blade  nor  the  two 
would  grow  without  water.,  Had  they  known  that  posterity 
would  plant  houses  where  they  plantetl  trees,  and  would  grow 
sky  scrapers  where  they  grew  grain,  they  might  have  done  dif- 
ferently and  escaped  the  waiUngs  and  the  railings  of  posterity. 
It  is  easy  to  look  backward  and  see  errors  you  have  .made,  but 
to  look  forward  and  avoid  making  others — that  is  another  story. 
If  the  surviving  padres  and  madres  of  the  pueblo  could  live 
their  lives  backward  to  the  beginning,  they  would  be  both 
wealthy  and  wise  when  they  reached  that  goal.  In  giving  away 
city  lands  for  public  improvements,  the  city  fathers  followed 
the  policy  of  the  national  government  in  the  disposal  of  the 
public  domain. 

But  to  return  from  this  long  digression.  Twenty 
years  ago  when  our  historical  Society  was  in  its  infancy, 
that  beauty  spot  of  the  municipality  of  which  we  are  all 
so  proud — ^Westlake  Park — was  an  alkaline  gulch.  A  few 
years  before  the  City  Council  had  offered  in  vain  the  square 
now  occupied  as  a  park  for  25  cents  an  acre  but  found  no 
takers.  The  old  timers  who  had  been  accustomed  to  get  a  35- 
acre  tract  of  city  land  for  the  making  of  a  hundred  dollars*  im- 
provements scorned  to  purchase  refuse  real  estate  and  perforce 
the  city  wus  compelled  to  keep  the  undesirable  alkali  hole. 
Two  decades  ago  that  aristocratic  region  that  now  surrounds 
Westlake  Park,  if  not  quite  a  howling  wilderness,  was  not  ex- 
empt from  the  coyote's  nightly  wail.  Then  the  scattered  fam- 
ilies living  west  of  Figueroa  street  and  south  of  Sixth  street 
only  furnished  school  population  enough  to  fill  a  single  school 
room — the  little  school  house  at  the  comer  of  Georgia  and 
Eighteenth  streets.  The  latter  street  was  then  called  Ocean 
avenue.  Then  the  public  school  department  of  Los  Angeles 
employed  fifty  teachers — now  seven  hundred.  Then  the 
monthly  pay  roll  of  the  teachers  footed  up  $3,700 — now  $53,- 


TWO  DfiCADieS  01*  LOCAL  HISTORY, 


45 


ooo,  or  more  than  haJf  a  million  a  year.  Then  there  was  not  a 
telq>hone  in  the  city.  The  n^ail  and  the  messenger  tx>y  were 
the  mediums  of  intercommunication  between  citizens,  and  the 
wrath  o£  a  sender  as  often  boiled  hot  against  the  leaden-footed 
errand  boy  as  it  now  does  against  the  slow-moving  hallo  girl 

Twenty  years  ago  the  street  car  system  of  Los  Angeles  con- 
sisted of  two  horse  car  lines.  One,  starting  from  the  junction 
of  Spring  and  Main,  ran  down  to  Washinerton  street,  then  west 
on  Washington  to  Figueroa  and  southwestward  to  Agricul- 
tural Park.  The  other  line  extended  from  Pear!  and  Sixth 
streets  to  Jphnson  street  in  East  Los  Angeles.  Time  on  these 
lines,  a  car  every  15  minutes.  This  was  regarded  a  great  im- 
provement; only  a  short  time  before  the  cars  ran  every  half 
hour — that  is  if  the  mules  consented.  Should  the  propelling 
power  object,  or  if  the  car  jumped  the  track,  as  it  frequently 
did  when  the  mule  became  frightened,  there  might  be  a  delay 
of  half  an  hour  or  so  in  prying  it  back  to  the  track,  a  labor  in 
which  the  passengers  were  expected  to  lend  a  hand.  There  was 
a  branch  line  that  ran  up  Main  to  Arcadia  and  on  to  AUso  and 
across  the  river  to  Boyle  Heights.  The  one  car  of  this  system 
made  a  round  trip  every  two  hours.  It  was  regarded  as  a  great 
convenience  to  the  dwellers  on  the  Heights.  A  single  fare  was 
10  cents,  and  a  patron  bad  to  buy  a  dollar's  worth  of  tickets  to 
secure  a  five-cent  fare. 

When  our  society  was  born  there  was  no  free  mail  delivery — 
no  letter  carriers,  and  not  a  mail  box  in  the  city  except  at  the 
postoflice.  E\'ery  one  went  to  the  postoffice,  then  located  near 
the  corner  of  Spring  and  First  streets,  for  his  mail.  The  popu- 
lation of  the  city  was  about  14,000, 

The  conditions  in  the  country  around  were  as  primative  as  in 
the  city.  There  was  not  an  intenirban  railroad  in  the  country- 
Electricity  as  a  propelling  power  was  unknown  and  as  an  illu- 
minating agent  it  was  regarded  as  a  bugbear  to  frighten  gas 
companies. 

Los  Angeles,  two  decades  ago,  had  but  one  transcontinental 
railroad,  the  S.  P.  R.  R.  Many  of  the  flourishing  towns  of  the 
county  that  now  aspire  to  be  cities  had  neither  a  habitation  or  a 
name.  T!ie  site  of  Monrovia  was  a  cattle  range,  and  that  of 
Ocean  Park  uninviting  sand  dunes.  The  sites  of  Azusa  City, 
Duarte,  Glendora,  Liortlsburg,  Claremont,  Covina,  Arcadia, 
Garvanza,  Burbank,  Alhambra,  Ocean  Park,  Whittier,  Holly- 
wood and  Avalon  were  either  barley  fields  or  barren  wastes. 
Pasadena  had  a  postoffice  and  a  cross-roads  store — these  and 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF    SOUTHERN   CALI^HNIA. 


nothing  more  in  the  shape  of  a  town.  That  aristocratic  city  of 
millionaires,  twenty  years  ago,  had  no  railroads,  no  hotels  and 
no  public  conveyance  to  and  from  Los  Angeles  except  a  spring 
w^gon  that  made  a  round  trip  once  a  day  and  carried  passengers 
when  there  were  any  to  carry  at  the  rate  of  50  cents  fare  each 
way.  Long  Beach,  then  known  as  Willmore  City,  was  an  in- 
significant burg  of  a  dozen  rough  board  houses.  It  was  vainly 
trying  to  attract  settlers  by  promising  to  be  veiy,  very  good, 
and  to  exclude  forever  from,  within  its  portals  intoxicating 
drinks.  Its  promises  were  regarded  as  pipe  dreams.  How 
could  a  city  thrive  and  grow  without  stimulants?  Tliere  was 
not  then  a  temperance  town  in  the  county.  Avalon*  the  me- 
tropolis of  Catalina  Island,  had  no  place  on  the  map.  Its  site 
Vr^as  a  houseless  waste  where  the  wild  goats  nibbled  the  scanty 
verdure  unscared  by  sound  of  human  footfall.  Three  years  later 
the  wild  goats  were  driven  away  and  the  jew  fish  vexed  by  the 
founders  of  Shatto  City — the  predecessor  and  progenitor  of 
Aval  on. 

Briefly  and  imperfectly  I  have  endeavored  to  limn  for  you  a 
picture  of  Los  Angeles  and  the  country  around  as  they  were 
when  our  society  was  formed.  Then  and  now  are  only  two 
decades  apart,  yet  what  changes,  what  momentous  events  fill 
up  the  space  between!  Even  had  our  society  done  nothing 
more  than  record  the  current  events  of  our  city's  history  as 
they  passed  it  would  deserve  well  of  the  community.  It  has 
done  more.  It  has  gathered  the  history  of  the  long  past  as 
well  as  that  of  more  recent  years.  We  have  endeavored  to  pre- 
serve these  for  the  future  historian.  We  have  published  five 
volumes  of  history,  aggregating  1500  octavo  pages.  We  have 
issued  seventeen  annual  publications  of  papers  read  before  the 
society.  Ten  thousand  copies  of  these  have  been  distributed 
throughout  the  United  States  and  foreign  countries.  They  have 
gone  into  England,  France,  Germany,  Austria,  Sweden,  Italy 
and  Spain.  They  have  crossed  the  wide  Pacific  to  Australia 
and  New  Zealand,  They  may  be  found  in  the  historical  so- 
cieties and  universities  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  Through- 
out the  United  States  from  Maine  to  Alaska  and  from  the  great 
lakes  to  the  gulf  in  public  or  in  historical  society  Hbraries  you 
may  find  copies  of  the  annual  publications  of  the  Historical 
Society  of  Southern  California.  Our  publications  are  valued 
and  appreciated  by  the  librarians  of  the  great  libraries  of  our 
own  and  foreign  countries.  Bound  volumes  of  our  books  could 
be  found  on  the  shelves  of  the  great  historical  Hbrary  of  Wis- 


TWO  DECADES  O^  WCAh  HISTORY. 


47 


consin;  in  the  library  of  the  University  of  New  York;  and  in 
that  of  the  Royal  College  of  Belles  Lettres  of  Stockholm,  Swe- 
den, long  before  they  appeared  in  the  reference  room  of  our 
own  city  library. 

Judging  by  the  past  it  would  seem  as  if  Californians  were 
•afraid  or  ashamed  to  have  the  history  of  their  state  written. 

The  one  man — Hubert  Howe  Bancroft — who  by  collecting 
and  preserving  historica]  material  that  but  for  him  would  have 
been  destroyed — has  made  it  possible  to  have  a  complete  and 
reliable  history  of  California,  has  been  abused  and  his  work 
belittled  by  scribbling  flunkeys  and  partisan  bigots  because  he 
told  some  unpalatable  truths  about  certain  men  and  certain 
institutions.  The  state  should  buy  his  collection  and  build  an 
historical  building"  in  which  to  place  it  where  it  might  be  made 
available  to  students  of  history. 

No  state  of  the  Union  has  a  more  varied^  a  more  interesting 
or  a  more  instructive  history  than  California,  and  no  stare  in 
the  Union  has  done  less  to  preserve  its  history. 

Wisconsin,  with  less  wealth  and  half  a  century  less  history, 
has  spent  a  million  dollars  on  her  historical  building  and  library. 
Minnesota,  that  was  an  inchoate  territory  with  a  few  white  in- 
habitants In  it  when  California  become  a  state,  has  recently 
completed  a  handsome  and  commodious  building  for  its  his- 
torical society.  When  Kansas  and  Nebraska  were  uninhabited 
except  by  buffaloes  and  Indians,  California  was  a  populous  state 
pouring  fifty  millions  of  gold  yearly  into  the  worId*s  coffers. 
For  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  these  states  from  their 
public  funds  have  maintained  historica!  societies  that  have  gath- 
ered great  stores  of  valuable  historical  material,  while  Califor- 
nia, without  a  protest,  has  allowed  literary  pot-hunters  and 
curio  collectors  to  rob  her  of  her  historical  treasiires. 

Montana,  Washington  and  the  two  Dakotas,  that  were  In- 
dian hunting  grounds  when  California  wai  a  state  of  a  quarter 
million  inhabitants,  have  each  its  State  Historica!  Society  sup- 
ported by  appropriations  from  the  public  funds.  How  long 
will  California  endure  the  disgrace  of  being  the  only  state 
west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  that  has  no  state  historical  so- 
ciety—the only  state  that  does  not  appropriate  a  dollar  to  pre- 
serve its  history?    How  long!     How  longf 


LETTER  FROM  COL.  JOHN  C.  FREMONT, 

(Presented  to  the  Historical  Society  by  his  daughter,  Miss 
Elizabeth  B.  Fremont-) 


Washington  City,  October  Sth,  1847. 

To  the  Secretary  of  War. 

Sir:  In  the  execution  of  my  duties  as  military  commandant 
during  the  war  in  California  and  afterwards  as  civil  governor 
of  the  territory  I  incurred  many  liabilities,  some  of  which  I 
think  it  absolutely  necessary  to  bring  to  your  attention.  These 
are: 

1st,  The  payment  of  the  volunteers  for  their  services  dur- 
ing  the  war  and  for  supplies  in  arms  and  other  necessaries  fur- 
nished by  them. 

2nd.  Payment  to  citizens  of  that  territory  of  money  loaned 
to  me  by  them,  and  which  was  required  and  expended  in  ad- 
ministration of  the  government  and  partial  payment  of  the 
troops. 

The  principal  amount  required  for  payment  of  the  troops 
is  comprehended  in  what  is  due  to  the  volunteer  emigrants  for 
services  during  the  insurrection  in  the  southern  part  of  Upper 
California.  These  men  were  just  arriving  on  the  frontier  of  the 
territory  and  at  the  first  call  for  their  service  quitted  their  fami- 
lies, leaving  them  unprotected  and  exposed  to  the  inclemencies 
of  a  rainy  winter,  and  repaired  to  my  camp,  bringing  with  them 
armSt  ammunition,  wagons  and  money,  all  of  which  they  freely 
contributed  to  the  public  service.  These  men  returned  to  their 
families  without  money  and  without  clothes,  and  the  long  delay 
of  payment  has  consequently  created  much  dissatisfaction. 

Paper  given  to  them  by  properly  authorized  officers  as  cer- 
tificates of  service  has  been  depreciated  by  officers  recently  in 
command  and  much  of  it  consequently  sold  at  one  tenth  of  its 
true  value.  As  these  public  services  were  rendered  promptly 
and  in  good  faith  by  all  concerned  at  a  time  of  imminent  gan- 
ger to  the  American  army,  I  trust  that  some  measure  will  be 
taken  properly  to  recognize  them  and  to  redeem  the  pledges 
made  to  the  people  by  myself  in  my  public  and  private  ca- 
pacity. For  this  purpose  I  enclose  a  brief  estimate  from  the 
paymaster    of    the    battalion,      (This    paper    has    been  lost.) 


LETTER  FROM  COU  JOHN.  E.  FEEMOl^T. 


49 


Amounts  of  money  required  for  civH  and  military  purposes  were 
at  different  times  an<l  by  different  individuals  principally  Mex- 
ican citizens  loaned  to  me  as  the  Governor  of  the  Territory, 
acknowledged  as  such  by  them.  The  sums  of  money  are  not 
large,  but,  having  been  obtained  under  the  high  rates  usual  in 
that  countr3^  public  interest  is  suffering  by  the  delay.  The 
Hbilities  which  require  immediate  attention  amount  to  forty 
thousand  dollars. 

The  two  subjects  which  I  have  here  presented  for  your 
consideration  are  causes  of  much  dissatisfaction  in  the  terri- 
tory, and  I  have  thought  it  a  matter  of  duty  to  myself  and  the 
people  with  whom  I  have  been  connected,  as  well  as  to  the 
government,  respectfully  to  apply  for  the  means  of  removing  it. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be  with  much  respect 
Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  C  FREMONT 
Lieut,  Col.  Regiment  Mounted  Riflemen. 


YUMA  INDIAN  DEPREDATIONS  AND  THE  GLAN- 

TON  WAR- 

(By  J.   M.  Gainn.) 

The  following  depositions  taken  before  First  Alcalde  Don 
Abel  Steams  of  Los  Angeles  in  1850  give  the  most  correct  ac* 
count  in  existence  of  the  Indian  depredations  on  the  Colorado 
which  gave  rise  to  the  first  Indian  war  in  which  the  Americans 
were  engaged  after  the  conquest  of  Califomia. 

These  depositions  have  nev^er  before  been  published,  nor  is 
there  a  correct  account  of  the  massacre  of  Dr.  Lmcoln^s  party 
given  in  any  history  of  CaUfomia, 

Dr.  A,  L.  Lincoln,  an  educated  man,  a  native  of  Illinois, 
and  a  relative  of  President  Lincoln,  came  from  Mexico  to  Cali- 
fornia in  1849,  After  \isiting  the  mines  he  relumed  to  the 
Colorado  river*  and  about  the  first  of  January,  1850,  estab- 
lished a  ferry  at  the  junction  of  the  Colorado  and  Gila*  The 
Sonoranian  migration  to  the  gold  mines  of  California  was  then 
at  its  height  and  the  ferry  business  was  immensely  profitable. 
Glanton's  party,  mainly  Texans  and  Missonrians,  came  by  way 
of  Chihuahua  and  arrived  at  the  Colorado  February  12,  1850. 
Dr.  Lincoln,  being  short  of  hands,  employed  nine  of  them  to 
assist  him,  and  the  six  men  then  in  his  employ  remaining  made 
a  party  of  fifteen.  Glanton,  from  all  accounts,  seems  to  have 
been  somewhat  of  a  desperado,  and  Lincoln  would  have  been 
glad  to  have  gotten  rid  of  him;  but  he  constituted  himself  chief 
manager  of  the  ferry.  His  overbearing  conduct  and  ill  treat- 
ment of  the  Indians  no  doubt  brought  about  the  massacre  of 
the  eleven  ferry  men.  The  Americans  and  Sonoranians  had  not 
suffered  from  Indians  previous  to  Glanton's  arrival.  The  ac- 
count of  the  origin  of  the  hostility  of  the  Indians  to  the  Ameri- 
cans, as  given  by  Hill  in  his  deposition  is  doubtless  the  true  one. 
The  Yumas  continued  to  commit  atrocities  on  American  immi- 
grants by  the  Gila  route  for  several  years.  They  were  finally 
subjugated  by  CoL  Heintzelman  and  forced  to  sue  for  peace. 

11-u  -  .1.- *     f  ^i^g  massacre  of  the  ferrymen  reached 

<hp  nor  Burnett  ordered  the  sheriff  of  Los 

ty  men  and  the  sheriff  of  San  Diego 
placed  under  the  command  of  Major 


YUMA   INDIAN  DEPREDATIONS  AND  THE  GLANTON   WAR, 


51 


General  Bean  of  the  State  Militia,  a  resident  of  Los  Angeles. 
Bean  ordered  his  quartermaster,  General  Joseph  G  Morehead, 
to  provide  supplies  for  the  expedition.  Morehead  did  so,  buy- 
ing Hberally  at  extravagant  prices  and  paying  in  drafts  on  the 
state  treasury. 

Gen.  Morehead,  with  a  force  of  forty  men  and  supplies  for  a 
hundred,  marched  against  the  Indians.  By  the  time  he  reached 
the  Colorado  his  force  had  been  increased  to  125  men — ^recruited 
principally  from  incoming'  immigrants.  On  the  approach  of 
the  troops  the  Indians  fled  up  the  riven  Morehead  and  his  In- 
dian fighters  encamped  at  the  ferry  crossing  and  vigorously 
attacked  their  rations.  After  a  three  months*  campaign  against 
their  rations,  liquid  and  solid,  Governor  Burnett,  who  in  the 
meantime  seems  to  have  lost  sight  of  the  fact  that  he  had  an 
army  in  the  field,  issned  a  peremptory  order  to  Major  Gen. 
Bean  to  disband  his  troops.  Bean  ordered  Morehead  to  return, 
but  that  valiant  soldier  chimed  he  was  affording  protection  to 
the  immigrants  by  the  Gila  route,  and  asked  for  an  extension  of 
time.  But  the  orders  from  the  Governor  were  imperative,  and 
the  force  was  disbanded. 

Thus  ended  the  "Gila  Expedition/'  or,  as  it  was  sometimes 
called,  the  ''Glanton  War."  It  was  short  and  inglorious,  but 
fearfully  expensix^e.  It  cost  the  infant  commonwealth  $120,000 
and  was  the  first  item  of  the  Indian  war  debt  that  two  years  later 
amounted  to  nearly  a  million  dollars  and  came  near  bankrupt- 
ing the  state.  So  far  as  known  no  Indians  were  killed.  Neither 
Bean  nor  Morehead  made  an  official  report  of  the  expedition, 

William  Carr.  whose  deposition  is  given,  like  Achilles,  was 
shot  in  the  heel  with  an  arrow»  but,  unlike  that  doughty  chief- 
tain, he  survived  the  wound.  Carr,  after  his  escape  from  the 
Indians,  although  wounded,  went  to  San  Diego  to  secure  some 
mules  left  there  by  Glanton.  He  came  from  there  to  Los  An- 
geles, when  he  fell  into  the  hands  of  good  Samaritans,  who 
dressed  his  wounds  and  cared  for  him.  The  doctor  who  dressed 
his  wound  charged  $500.  The  man  who  boarded  him  put  in  a 
bill  of  $120.  The  patriot  who  housed  him  wanted  $45;  and  the 
paisano  who  nursed  him  figured  his  services  at  $30.  The  Los 
Angeles  Court  of  Sessions  allowed  the  bills  and  charged  them 
up  to  the  state.  With  such  charges  for  one  wounded  man  it 
was  fortunate  for  the  state  that  Morehead's  Gila  Expedition  was 
a  bloodless  affair. 


DEPREDATIONS  BY  THE  YUMAS. 


Declarations  Taken  in  Relation  to  the  Massacre  of  Dr.  Lincoln 
and  His  Party  on  the  Colorado  Riven — Deposition  of 
WiJIiam  Cam 

On  this  ninth  day  of  May,  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord,  Eighteen 
Hundred  and  Fifty,  before  me,  Abel  Stearns,  first  Alcalde  of 
the  District  of  Los  Angeles,  and  Judge  of  the  first  instance  in 
the  criminal  law,  personally  appeared  William  Carr*  who  being 
duly  sworn,  deposeth  and  saith,  that  on  the  23rd  day  of  April 
in  said  year,  being  one  of  the  company  hereinafter  named  as 
owning  the  boats  and  other  property  connected  with  the  ferry 
on  the  Colorado  at  the  junction  of  said  river  and  the  Gila»  he 
and  Marcus  L,  Webster  and  Jpseph  A.  Anderson,  were  engaged 
about  midday  in  the  woods  within  three  hundred  yards  of  the 
houses  belonging  to  said  company  at  said  ferry,  which  said 
houses  were  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  river  and  on  the 
American  side,  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  state  of  California. 
Deponent  and  the  persons  above  named  were  cutting  poles, 
and  while  thus  engaged,  some  fifteen  or  twenty  Indians  of  the 
Yuma  tribe  came  out,  some  of  them  saying  that  the  captain, 
that  is  to  say,  John  Glanton,  had  sent  them  to  cut  poles,  and 
asking  for  a  hatchet*  As  it  was  unusual,  in  fact,  they  had  never 
before  been  thus  employed,  deponent  determined  to  watch 
them;  a  hatchet  was  given  to  one  of  them,  vrith  which  he  com- 
menced cutting.  Deponent  observed  that  he  was  cutting  very 
near  the  head  of  one  of  the  said  Americans,  and,  distrusting  his 
intentionSt  drew  a  pistol,  whereupKJn  they  ran  away,  circling 
round  to  get  to  the  houses.  Deponent  and  his  said  companions 
immediately  determined  to  make  for  the  houses,  but  before  they 
got  out  of  the  woods  heard  a  yell;  they  went  on  out  of  the 
bushes  and  instantly  were  fired  upon  by  the  Indians,  Deponent 
thinks  at  least  forty  guns  were  fired.  There  being  Httle  chance 
for  escape,  deponent  and  the  others  commenced  firing,  running 
at  the  same  time  to  gain  the  houses;  from  these  they  made  for 
a  Mexican  camp,  but  were  refused  admittance;  they  then  made 
for  the  river,  the  Indians  retreating  from  the  boat,  which  depon- 
ent and  the  others  immediately  entered.  When  deponent  went 
to  the  woods  as  above  stated,  six  men  of  the  company  had 
crossed  to  the  other  side  with  one  of  the  boats,  for  the  purpose 


DEPREDATIONS  OF  THE  YUMAS. 


53 


of  bringing  over  the  animals,  etc.,  of  the  Sonoranians.  many  of 
whom  were  crossing  at  this  time.  The  rest  of  the  company, 
numbering  five,  remaining  on  the  American  side  at  the  houses. 
Deponent,  on  approaching  the  shore,  was  well  satisfied  that  the 
imUviduals  last  named  were  all  killed,  but  thongl"it  the  others 
who  had  crossed  were  safe,  seeing  them,  as  he  supposed,  in  the 
boat;  he  called  to  them,  but  received  no  answer,  though  tlie 
boat  was  crossing  then.  In  the  meantime,  the  fight  between 
the  deponent's  party  aiid  the  Indians  continued,  during  which 
they  received  many  voUies  from  the  Indians,  both  of  arrows  and 
balls,  and  from  each  side  of  the  river,  deponent  receiving  a 
wound  with  an  arrow  in  his  leg.  Deponent's  party  pushed  ofif 
with  the  boat,  down  the  river,  the  Indians  pursuing  on  foot  anil 
horseback;  but  alter  going  thus  about  fourteen  miles,  deponent 
found  they  had  outstripped  the  Indians,  only  one  being  able  to 
keep  up.  He  and  his  companions  landed  on  the  side  of  the 
river  nearly  opposite  Algodones,  abandoned  the  boat  and  took 
to  the  woods,  and  remained  there  till  moonrise.  Going  down  to 
the  river  they  found  the  Indians  had  taken  their  boat  and  towed 
it  up  the  river.  Apprehensive  that  the  Indians  were  still  in  the 
neighborhood,  they  returned  to  the  woods  and  proceeded  that 
night  down  the  river  some  fourteen  miles  below  Algodones, 
where  they  made  a  raft  and  crossed  the  river,  this  being  the 
24th;  unexpectedly,  having  taken  up  a  creek,  they  came  upon 
some  twenty  Indians  who  had  evidently  been  watching  them. 
On  presenting  a  pistol  at  them,  all  ran  for  their  animals,  except 
a  man  and  boy,  who  followed  deponent's  party,  saying  in  Span- 
ish :    "You  had  better  get  away,  for  we  intend  to  kill  you." 

These  were  repeatedly  defied  to  come  near,  but  they  never 
could  be  got  within  pistol  shot.  Deponent  turned  and  ran  after 
them,  when  aJI  the  Indians  fled,  and  were  not  seen  again.  At 
this  time  two  of  deponent's  party  each  had  five  shots  with  their 
six-shooters,  and  one  of  the  party  only  a  single  shot.  That 
night  the  party  went  up  the  river  and  struck  the  main  road  with- 
in a  mile  of  Algodones^  passing  in  the  meantime  several  Indians' 
houses  where  they  all  were  asleep,  and  could  easily  have  been 
killed,  but  deponent's  companions  were  unwilling  to  have  it 
done,  upon  the  ground  of  being  without  ammunition,  though 
deponent  desired  it.  Pursuing  the  main  road,  they  reached  the 
Mexican  camp  that  was  at  the  ferry  when  the  Indian  attack  com- 
menced. They  reached  this  camp  at  daylight  of  the  251h,  not 
having  eaten  anything  since  dinner  on  the  23rd.  Deponent 
alone  had  seen  the  dead  body  of  Glanton  at  the  house,  which 


A 


54 


HISTORIC^.  SOCIETY   OF   SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA, 


they  had  attempted  to  reach  as  first  above  slated;  he  did  not 
see  any  of  the  others,  but  the  particulars  of  the  affair  were  ex- 
plained by  the  Mexicans.  As  usual,  that  day  the  Indians  had 
been  playing  about  the  establishment,  some  on  one  side  of  the 
river,  some  on  the  other,  though  on  that  day  they  seemed  to 
have  collected  in  a  verj^  large  number;  though,  neither  by  their 
arms,  or  uther  circumstance,  excited  any  suspicion,  Glanton 
and  Dr.  A*  L,  Lincoln  were  asleep  at  the  time  of  the  attack. 
A  Mexican  woman  who  was  at  the  time  sewing  in  Lincoln's  tent 
told  deponent  that  the  chief  of  the  Yumas  came  in  and  hit  the 
doctor  on  the  head  with  a  stone,  whereupon  he  sprang  to  his 
feet,  but  was  immediately  killed  with  a  club.  Another  woman 
relates  the  death  of  Glanton  as  occurring  in  the  same  manner. 
The  three  others  were  killed,  the  manner  not  known,  and  none 
had  an  opportunity  of  killing  any  of  the  Indians.  Three  of  the 
tribe  were  killed  in  the  fight  with  deponent's  party.  Deponent 
is  well  convinced  that  the  men  who  had  crossed  the  river  were 
all  killed,  and  the  Mexicans  say  that  the  bodies  of  five  of  them 
were  brought  over  to  this  side  and  burned^  as  also  were  the 
bodies  of  Dr.  Lincoln,  Glanton,  and  the  others  killed  on  shore. 
Dr.  Lincoln's  dog,  and  two  other  dogs,  were  tied  to  his  body 
and  that  of  Glanton  and  burnt  alive  with  them.  A  large  quan- 
tity of  meat  was  thrown  into  the  fire  at  the  same  time.  The 
houses  were  also  burnt  down.  The  bodies  of  John  A,  Johnson, 
Wm.  Prewett  and  John  Dorsey  were  burnt  up  with  the  cook's 
house,  which  had  been  set  fire  to.  One  of  the  men  in  the  boat 
was  a  negro;  his  name  John  Jackson;  he  made  some  resistance 
and  in  the  scuffle  was  thrown  overboard  and  drowned.  It  seems 
that  the  attack  was  made  just  as  those  who  had  crossed  with  the 
boat  struck  the  shore,  the  Indians  being  in  the  habit  of  jumping 
in  to  help  them.  The  Indians  immediately  dressed  themselves 
in  the  clothes  of  the  men,  a  circumstance  that  deceived  depon- 
ent when  he  first  reached  the  river  as  above  stated,  for  he  then 
supposed  he  saw  the  men  on  the  other  side  and  called  to  them 
to  make  haste  over  with  the  boat.  The  names  of  the  five  thus 
killed  in  the  boat  were  Thomas  Harlin,  of  Texas;  Henderson 
Smith,  of  Missouri;  John  Gunn,  of  Missouri;  Thomas  Watson, 
of  Philadelphia;  James  A.  Miller,  New  Jersey;  Dr.  Lincoln  was 
of  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  Jphn  J.  Glanton,  of  San  Antonio,  Texas; 
John  Jackson,  of  New  York;  Prewitt^  of  Texas^  and  Dorsey,  of 
Missouri.  Deponent  knows  that  there  were  in  the  hands  of  Dr. 
Lincoln  $50*000  in  silver — but  knows  not  the  amount  of  gold; 
supposes  it  to  be  between  $20,000  and  $30,000:  all  this  is  of 


DEPREDATIONS  01^  THE  YDMAa 


55 


the  proceeds  of  the  ferry  during  the  time  said  company  occupied 
it,  to-wit,  from  about  the  first  of  March  last.  The  company 
also  owns  $6000  now  deposited  with  Judge  Hays,  of  San 
Diego,  California,  and  also  22  mules  and  two  horses  and  pro- 
visions, all  at  San  Diego.  No  other  persons  were  interested  in 
said  company  but  the  above  named  persons  (except  Jackson 
and  Miller),  and  another  now  in  San  Diego^  to-wit.,  David 
Brown  was  also  interested;  the  Mexicans  say  that  the  Indians 
declare  that  they  are  at  war  with  the  Americans,  do  not  intend 
to  suffer  them  at  the  ferry,  and  will  kill  all  who  come  to  their 
country;  that  they  want  to  fight  with  the  Americans.  These 
Indians  have  since  pursued  two  Americans  who  are  now  in  Los 
Angeles,  some  thirty  miles,  and  previously  robbing  them  of 
everything  they  had. 

Deponent,  since  he  has  been  in  Los  Angeles,  has  heard 
some  reports  in  reference  to  Glanton,  or  others  of  said  company, 
robbing  or  otherwise  mistreating  Americans  and  Sonoraians. 
He  has  been  with  said  company  from  the  beginning,  and  posi- 
tively and  unequivocally  denies  the  truth  of  such  reports.  As 
to  the  charges  of  ferriage,  they  were  high,  but  the  expenses  of 
maintaining  such  a  ferry,  transportation  of  provisions  from  a 
great  distance*  etc.,  amply  justify  the  charges.  There  was  one 
man  killed,  an  Irishman  named  Callahan,  who  had  once  been 
in  the  employ  of  said  company,  but  discharged  for  incompe- 
tency, and  had  worked  a  while  with  the  Indians  at  their  ferry; 
he  soon  returned,  informing  us  that  the  Indians  had  robbed 
him  of  money  and  a  pistol,  which  deponent  afterwards  saw  in 
the  possession  of  an  Indian.  Some  days  afterwards  he  was 
found  dead,  lying  in  the  river  near  our  ferry  premises.  His 
death  could  not  be  accounted  for,  though  he  seemed  to  have 
been  shot.  Dr.  Lincoln  had  furnished  him  with  supper  the  night 
before  his  death;  he  left  in  good  humor,  and  went  away,  saying 
he  was  going  to  California,  Deponent  believes  that  he  was 
killed  by  the  Indians, 

As  to  the  Indians,  they  always  professed  great  friendship  for 
the  company,  were  continually  about  the  premises,  ate  habitually 
in  the  houses,  and  were  always  treated  with  kindness  personally. 
The  boat  of  the  Indians  was  set  adrift,  being  at  our  ferry  in  the 
night;  it  was  a  boat  of  hides,  the  only  one  they  had  to  ferry 
people  across.  It  belonged  to  a  Mexican,  who  consented  to  its 
being  set  adrift.  We  gave  them  a  skiff  to  ferry  with  at  the 
lower  ferry,  and  never  destroyed  any  of  their  property.  The 
Mexicans  say  that  the  Yumas  still  have  the  boat  Gen.  Ander- 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHgRX   CALlFORJflA. 

son  gave  them,  and  also  the  two  boats  belonging  to  said  com- 
pany. 

Deponent  further  states  that  he  firmly  believes  that  said 
Yumas  intend  to  do  harm  to  all  Americans  who  may  pass 
through  their  country;  that  many  emigrants,  including  women 
and  chikiren.  are  now  on  the  point  of  reaching  the  junction  of 
the  Gila  au<l  Colorado  rivers,  who  in  all  probability  will  arrive 
in  small  parties,  unapprized  of  danger,  and  unprepared  to  meet 
it,  unless  some  immediate  steps  be  taken  by  the  public  authori- 
ties with  this  view.  Deponent  has  made  affidavit  substantially  of 
the  massacre  on  the  Gila,  before  the  Alcalde  at  San  Diego,  and 
applied  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  U,  S.  troops  at  that 
place  for  assistance,  but  none  has  been  sent.  There  are  forty 
U.  S*  soldiers,  infantry,  at  said  town  of  San  Diego. 

WILLIAM    CARR, 
ABEL  STEARNS. 


We,  the  imdersigued,  two  of  the  persons  named  in  the  fore- 
going statement  of  William  Carr,  have  heard  statement  read, 
and  fully  concur  in  all  the  facts  therein  stated,  believing  the 
same  to  be  true  in  all  respects. 

JOSEPH  A.   ANDERSON. 
MARCUS  L.  WEBSTER. 
Signed  before  me. 
ABEL  STEARNS. 

I  St  Alcalde  de  Los  Angeles. 

Be  it  remembered  that  on  the  ninth  day  of  May»  A,  D.  1850^ 
before  me,  Abel  Steams,  first  Alcalde  of  Los  Angeles,  personally 
appeared  the  aforesaid  William  Carr,  Joseph  A.  Anderson  and 
Marcus  L.  Webster,  whose  declarations  are  above  written,  and 
subscribed  and  made  oath  to  the  same  in  manner  and  form  as 
appears  above.  Given  under  ray  hand  this  9th  day  of  May. 
A.  D,  1850.  ABEL  STEARNS. 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  TROUBLE  BETWEEN  THE  YUMAS 
AND  GLANTON. 


DEPOSITION  OF  JEREMIAH  HILL, 

This  23rd  day  of  May,  A.  D.  1850,  before  me,  Abel  Steams, 
first  Alcalde  af  the  disirki  of  Los  Angeles,  and  State  of  Cali- 
fornia, and  Judge  of  the  first  instance  in  the  Criminal  Law, 
personally  appeared  Jeremiah  Hill,  who  being  duly  sworn,  de- 
poseth  and  sailh,  that  he  is  one  of  a  party  of  fourteen  Ameri- 
can emigrants,  who  have  crossed  the  Colorado  since  the  mas- 
sacre of  Jphn  J.  Glanton  and  his  companions  by  the  Yumas, 
About  five  days  before  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  Gila,  they 
met  a  Creek  Indian  by  the  name  of  John  Lewis,  who  speaks 
the  English,  Spanish  and  Yuma  languages,  and  had  come  from 
Tucson  previously  with  Gen.  Anderson  of  Tennessee,  This 
Creek  Indian  showed  them  a  certificate  given  to  the  Yumas  by 
Gen.  Anderson,  to  the  efTect,  that  he  left  them  the  boat  which 
he  had  built  for  the  purpose  of  crossing  his  company,  upon  con- 
dition that  they  would  cross  all  Americans  at  $1.00  for  a  horse, 
$1.00  for  a  man,  and  $1.00  for  the  cargo  (pack),  and  that  upon 
a  violation  of  this  contract,  by  any  higher  charge  than  this»  said 
boat  should  be  forfeited.  As  deponent  understood,  this  boat 
was  used  at  the  lower  crossing,  commonly  called  "Algodones." 
Tlie  Creek  said  he  and  three  other  men  were  then  up  the  river, 
by  orders  of  Glanton,  hunting  planks  to  make  a  raft  for  the 
purpose  of  going  down  to  build  another  boat,  that  he  (the 
Creek)  was  a  partner  with  Glanton,  and  also  owned  half  of  the 
aforesaid  In<lian  l^oat.  That  Glanton  had  a  ferry  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Gila,  and  plenty  of  provisions.  One  of  the  men  of  de- 
ponent's party,  by  the  name  of  Anderson,  an  old  acquaintance 
of  Glanton's,  immediately  started  ahead  to  get  provisions  and 
anaimals  from  Glanton,  but  on  the  23rd  of  April,  about  9  o'clock 
in  the  niglu,  he  returned,  saying  that  from  the  signs  eiven  by 
the  Mexicans  at  the  mouth  of  the  Gila,  not  understanding  their 
language,  he  believed  that  Glanton's  party  were  all  killed.  He 
related  that  as  he  approached  close  to  the  ferry,  signs  were 
made  to  him,  but  which  he  did  not  understand,  and  went  on, 
being  on  horseback,  until  finally  the  Mexican  women  pulled  him 
off  his  horse,  stripped  him,  gave  him  the  hat  and  clothes  of  a 
Mexican,  and  hid  him,  which  perhaps  was  all  that  saved  his 


58 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN   CALlFORNI.\. 


life.  This  was  about  30  miles  from  the  mouth  of  Ihe  Gila.  De- 
ponent's party  went  next  day  perhaps  20  miles,  but  saw  no  In- 
dians, though  some  Mexicans  said  that  the  Indians  bad  fol- 
lowed Anderson  to  within  five  miles  of  our  camp  of  the  previous 
day  (23d).  Next  day  the  road  led  us  to  within  600  yards  of 
Glanton's  late  ferry  where  there  is  a  mound;  here  the  road 
forks,  one  leading  down  to  Glanton's  ferry,  the  left  hand  leading 
about  six  miles  further  to  the  present  ferry  occupied  by  the  In- 
dians. We  stopped  only  to  see  that  Glanton's  ferry  was  en- 
tirely evacuated,  and  no  sign  of  boat  or  habitation  on  either 
side;  three  Indians  were  there,  but,  as  we  rode  towards  them, 
they  ran  and  hid  in  the  bushes.  We  went  on  then  towards  the 
Indian  ferry,  the  approach  to  which,  for  four  miles,  is  through 
the  thick  brush  of  mesquite*  young  willow  and  cottonwood,  by 
a  very  narrow  path,  barely  sufficient  for  a  single  horse,  the 
bushes  dragging  the  packs  on  each  side  most  of  the  way.  We 
had  stayed  all  day  and  night  of  the  25th,  at  our  camp,  about 
iO  miles  beyond  Glanton's  ferry;  on  this  day,  in  the  afternoon, 
about  4  o'clock,  teii  Yumas,  unarmed,  came  up  to  our  canip^  by 
one  of  whom  we  sent  for  the  chiefj  for  the  purpose,  as  we  as- 
sured them»  of  having  a  talk  with  him  and  making  him  some 
presents.  The  chief  came  the  same  night  about  J  o'clock;  we 
gave  him  shirts,  handkerchiefs,  jewelry,  pinole,  etc.,  after  which 
we  asked  him  in  reference  to  the  massacre  of  Glanton.  The 
chief  said  that  Gen.  Anderson  had  left  him  a  boat  on  the  con- 
tract as  above  stated,  and  that  he  would  comply  with  it  when* 
ever  any  Americans  came  to  cross,  but  as  yet  none  had  come; 
since  the  departure  of  Gen.  Anderson,  many  Mexicans  had 
come  to  cross  at  the  Indian  ferry,  which  had  made  Glanton 
mad,  and  that  he  (the  chief)  knew  of  no  other  offense  the  In- 
dians had  given  said  Glanton;  that  one  day  Glanton  sent  his 
men  down,  and  had  the  Indian  boat  destroyed,  and  took  an 
American  whom  they  (the  Indians)  had  with  them,  engaged  in 
working  their  boat,  up  to  his  (Glanton's)  carnp,  wnth  all  said 
American's  money,  and  that  Glanton  had  shot  said  American 
and  thrown  him  into  the  river.  The  chief  said  that  he  then 
went  up  to  see  Glanton,  and  made  an  ofifer  that  Glanton  should 
cross  all  the  men  and  baggage,  while  the  chief  should  cross  the 
animals  of  the  emigrants,  and  thus  they  would  get  along  quietly. 
Whereupon  Glanton  kicked  him  out  of  the  house,  and  beat  him 
over  the  head  with  a  stick;  the  chief  said  he  would  have  hit  him 
back,  but  was  afraid,  as  the  Americans  could  shoot  too  straight. 
This  was  before  Glanton  went  to  San  Diego*  according  to  the 


ORIGIN  OF  tnZ  TROUBLE  BETWEEN  THfi  YUMAS  AND  GLANYON.     59 


Chief's  statement,  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  whisky  and 
provisions.  The  chief  said  he  immediately,  on  receiving  this 
insult,  went  back  and  held  a  council  of  his  people.  The  result 
was  a  determination  to  kill  all  the  Americans  at  the  ferry,  and 
another  chief  was  sent  up  to  see  the  position  of  the  Americans, 
who  found  that  Glanton  was  gone  to  San  Diego.  They  then 
deteimined  to  wait  until  he  returned,  as  their  main  object,  the 
chief  said,  was  to  kill  Glanton.  The  chief  who  had  been  sent  up 
as  just  stated,  went  up  aftenvards  from  day  to  day,  to  the  Ameri- 
can camp,  and  ftnally  one  day  came  back  with  the  report  that 
Glanton  had  returned.  Then  the  chief  who  had  been  before 
insulted  went  up,  and  found  Glanton  and  his  men  drinking; 
they  gave  him  something  to  drink,  and  also  his  dinner.  After 
dinner,  five  of  the  American^  laid  down  and  went  to  sleep  in  a 
hut,  leaving  him  sitting  there;  others  were  ferrying,  and  were 
on  the  opposite  side;  three  had  gone  up  on  this  side  for  some 
purpose.  The  chief  said  he  watched  till  he  thought  the  five 
were  asleep,  when  he  went  out  to  his  people  on  this  side,  who 
were  all  hid  in  the  bushes  just  below  the  houses;  a  portion  of 
them  he  sent  up  after  the  three  Americans  who  were  up  cutting 
poles,  instructing  his  men  to  get  possession  of  their  arms;  he 
had  previously  posted  500  Indians  on  the  other  side,  instructed 
to  mix  a-mong  the  Americans  and  Mexicans,  and  get  into  the 
boat  without  suspicion.  He  himself  then  went  up  on  the  little 
mound  perhaps  as  high  as  his  head,  but  commanding  a  view  of 
all  his  Indians,  and  the  whole  scene;  from  this  mound  he  was  to 
give  the  signal.  There  he  was  to  beckon  to  those  hid  in  the 
bushes  to  come  near  the  American  tents,  which  they  were  im- 
mediately to  enter  and  give  a  yell  as  they  killed  the  Americans, 
whereupon  he  was  to  give  the  sign  with  a  pole  having  a  scarf  on 
it  to  the  Indians  on  the  other  side  as  well  as  those  who  were 
watching  the  three  above.  He  gave  the  signal^  when  those  in 
the  boat  and  at  the  houses  were  all  killed,  The  Indians  who  had 
been  sent  after  the  three  Americans  ran,  and  these  three  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  into  a  Httle  skiff  and  escaped  by  going  down 
the  river.  His  men  pursued  on  the  shore,  on  both  sides,  but 
several  were  killed  by  the  Americans,  and  many  wounded.  He 
showed  us  two  of  the  wounded,  and  when  asked  if  "as  many 
as  ten"  of  the  tribe  were  killed,  he  said,  "More/*  He  said 
one  of  the  Americans  would  row,  while  the  others  fired,  and  his 
people  hesitated  to  pursue  further  When  the  chief  went  up  to 
see  Glanton,  as  above  stated,  about  the  ferry,  Glanton  said 
that  he  would  kill  one  Indian  for  every  Mexican  they  should 


6o 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA, 


cross.  He  showed  us  by  sigiis  the  amount  of  money  in  bags 
which  he  took  from  the  Americans*  camp.  It  seemed  from  his 
description  to  5e  about  three  bags  of  silver,  each  about  three 
feet  high,  and  about  two  feet  round,  which  must  have  contained 
at  least  $80,000,  besides  a  bag  of  gold,  about  a  foot  high  and  a 
foot  round.  This,  he  said,  he  divided  amongst  his  people,  then 
burnt  the  houses  over  the  bodies  of  the  dead.  Tlie  six  who 
were  killed  in  the  boat  were  thrown  into  the  river  as  fast  as  they 
were  killed,  all  killed  with  clubs.  The  five  on  shore  were  killed 
with  clubSj  except  Glanton,  who  was  killed  with  a  hatchett  which 
the  chief  showed  to  us;  their  clothes  were  burnt^  and  perhaps 
their  flesh  somewhat  burnt  by  the  burning  of  the  little  shed  of 
brush  in  which  they  had  been  killed;  their  bodies  were  then 
thrown  into  the  river.  After  giving  this  account  of  the  trans- 
action, the  chief  said  that,  upon  the  death  of  these  Americans, 
another  council  was  held  as  to  whether  they  should  kill  all 
Americans  who  might  come  along,  at  which  it  was  resolved  by 
every  Indian  that  they  would.  He  said  that  in  two  days  they 
could  muster  four  thousand  warriors;  he  said  their  arms  were 
principally  bows  and  arrows  and  clubs:  and  that  they  had  a  few 
guns,  including  all  the  arms  they  got  from  Glanton's  party,  but 
that  they  intended  to  collect  all  they  could  from  every  source. 
We  sa  wthem  take  guns  away  from  the  Sonorantians  by  force. 
The  Sonoranians  refused  to  sell  or  buy  arms  of  them.  They 
offered  deponent  two  fine  Colt's  revolvers,  one  five-shooter,  the 
other  a  six-shooter  (the  same,  no  doubt,  worn  by  Glanton,  as 
the  chief  satd^  and  deponent  had  seen  it  in  his  belt),  for  his 
double-barreled  shot  gun,  saying  they  knew  the  use  of  a  gun,  but 
not  of  the  pistols.  Deponent  refused  to  trade  with  them,  of 
course;  and  the  Sonoranians  or  Mexicans  there  passed  a  resolu- 
tion not  to  trade  any  arms  of  any  description  wnth  them. 

He  told  us  finally  that,  if  we  would  go  to  the  river  next  day* 
he  would  be  there,  and  keep  the  Indians  from  coming  into  our 
camp,  and  secure  us  an  unmolested  passage.  We  went,  accord- 
ingly, on  that  day  (26th),  but  he  was  not  on  the  ground,  nor 
did  we  ever  see  him  again.  On  touching  the  bank,  Senor 
MontenegTc,  who  was  on  a  little  island  about  30  steps  from  the 
shore,  called  to  us  to  come  over,  which  we  did  immediately,  the 
water  being  only  belly  deep  for  the  mules,  A  great  number  of 
Indians  were  on  the  island,  including  a  few  women  and  chil- 
dren. The  Indian  men  said  very  little  to  us,  but  the  %vomen 
and  children  would  come  within  three  feet  of  us,  pointing  at 
us,  and  using  very  abusive   language,    sometimes    in    Spanish, 


OSICIN  OF  THE  TROUBLE  BETWEEN  THE  YUMAS  AND  CLANTON.     6l 


and  every  now  and  then  the  boys  used  the  plain  English,  in  such 
expressions  as  "God  d — m  your  souls,  Americans!"  They 
agreed  to  cross  us  that  day;  and  all  got  over  except  two,  who 
remained  that  night  amongst  the  Indians.  When  they  crossed 
seven  of  us  they  refused  to  take  any  more,  unless  they  were  paid 
over  again  for  all;  and  we  had  to  pay;  they  watched  us  all  night, 
apparently  with  the  view  of  getting  into  our  camp,  but  we  had 
a  strong  guard,  and  very  few  slept.  They  could  be  disintctly 
heard  slipping  through  the  bushes.  Our  animals  were  nearly 
all  still  on  the  other  side.  We  had  already  paid  them  twice  for 
crossing  men,  animals  and  baggage. 

Next  morning  (27th)  the  Indians  came  down  to  the  river 
with  bottles  of  whisky  in  their  hands,  and  pretty  well  drunk* 
We  had  to  pay  them  over  $3.00  apiece  for  crossing  the  balance 
of  the  animals;  they  drowned  one  mule;  we  gave  them  a  horse, 
blankets,  shirts,  jewelry,  etc.,  besides  about  $80.00  in  cash.  The 
crossing  was  finally  effected  the  evening  of  the  2jth,  but  Mr. 
Sled  and  Setlor  Montenegro  were  told  by  the  Indians  that  they 
had  better  get  away  from  the  island  or  they  would  kill  them; 
and  when  asked  if  they  intended  to  cross  the  animals  the  chief 
replied  that  he  did  not  know  whether  he  would  or  not,  that  he 
would  keep  them  if  he  thought  proper,  but  that  they  had  better 
get  away.  Consequently  these  gentlemen  crossed  ahead  of  the 
animals.  Another  Mexican  gentleman  who  still  remained,  had 
to  give  them  a  mule  belonging  to  Seiior  Montenegro,  and  other 
presents^  before  they  would  cross  the  animals  at  all.  after  being 
paid  three  times.  On  the  evening  of  the  27th,  after  we  had 
crossed  everything,  and  were  preparing  to  start  immediately, 
the  Indians  commenced  coming  over  in  great  numbers,  some  in 
boats,  and  some  swimming.  After  they  had  got  across  they 
went  to  Senor  Montenegro,  and  told  him  to  separate  his  men 
from  the  Americans,  as  they  were  going  to  fight  us,  and  had 
come  over  expressly  for  that  purpose.  Seiior  Montenegro,  hav- 
ing no  intention  of  doing  so,  arranged  that  our  aniinals  should 
be  driven  with  his  advance  company  of  fifty  men,  that  we  should 
keep  disengaged  from  the  care  of  the  animals  to  meet  an  Indian 
attack,  while  he  brought  up  the  rear  with  the  rest  of  his  animals 
and  one  hundred  men.  After  we  had  got  ont  some  distance  from 
the  river.  Sefior  Montenegro  remaining  behind  to  see  his  mules 
off,  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians,  and  accused  by  them,  of 
protecting  the  Americans,  and  threatened  wtth  death.  We 
knew  nothing  of  this.  And  they  would  doubtless  have  killed 
him,  but  one  of  his  men  with  a  pack  mule  happened  to  be  a  little 


63 


HlSTORTCAl,   SOCIETY  OF   SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA. 


behind.  To  him  Senor  Montenegro  called,  and  he  got  off  by 
giving  the  Indians  a  bag  of  pinole  and  one  of  panoche.  opening 
at  the  same  time  trunks  containing  his  and  his  son*s  clothes,  out 
of  which  the  Indians  helped  themselves*  He  overtook  us  at 
dark  and  related  these  circumstances^  and  the  further  promise 
he  had  to  make  the  Indians*  that  when  he  returned  from  Cali- 
fornia, he  would  bring  each  of  the  chiefs  a  suit  of  red  cloth. 

The  next  day,  three  of  these  Indians  came  through  otir 
campf  ten  miles  this  side  of  the  river,  near  the  first  well,  and 
when  questioned^  said  they  were  going;  to  California;  we  saw  two 
more  of  the  Yumas  at  New  river,  who  told  the  Mexicans  that 
they  were  there  looking  out  for  the  Americans  who  might  be 
sent  from  San  Diego,  or  other  part  of  California,  to  fight  them. 
Twenty  times  in  our  presence  they  stated  that  they  were  at  war 
with  all  Americans,  and  the  chief  himself  told  us  we  were  the 
last  pajty  that  should  ever  cross  there,  and  that  he  intended  to 
keep  "muchos"  Indians  scattered  along  the  road,  to  kill  the 
Americans  as  they  came  along  and  take  their  animals.  Depo- 
nent thinks  there  are  between  75  and  100  Americans,  men,  women 
and  children,  whom  he  supposes  now  to  be  about  at  the  Gila, 
and  who  will  be  on  the  Colorado  in  less  than  a  month,  and  are 
compelled,  from  the  usual  way  of  traveling  in  that  quarter,  to 
come  there  in  very  small  parties,  easily  exposed  to  a  successful 
Indian  attack.    And  further  deponent  saith  not, 

JEREMIAH  HILL. 

State  of  California,  County  of  Los  Angeles,  ss: 

Be  it  remembered  that  on  this  23rd  day  of  May,  A.  D.  1850, 
before  me,  Abel  Stearns,  first  Alcalde,  and  Judge  of  the  First 
Instance,  of  the  Criminal  law,  of  said  county,  personally  ap- 
peared Jeremiah  Hill  and  subscribed  and  made  oath  to  the  above 
statement.     Given  under  my  hand. 

ABEL  STEARNS. 


^H 

PIONEERS   ^^^B 

^^^H 

Los  Ange.  gs  Countv    B 

OFHCERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY                  ^| 

1^03-1904                                      ^M 

hOAm  OF   DIRECTOR,                                                                             ^^H 

W.  H.  Workman, 
J.  Frank  Burns, 
H.  D.  Baerows, 
Louis  Roedee, 

Chas.  H.  White,                                    ^^^H 

J.    W.    GULFTTE.                                                        ^H 

J.  M.  GuiNN.                                         ^^^1 

omcEKs.                                                   ^^^H 

J.  Frank  Burns 

.,,,..... , ,, .,.,,.  .President           H 

J.  W.  Gillette 

Chas.  H.White 

Louts  Roeder . ,.., 

, First  Vice-President           H 

Second  Vice-President           H 

Treasurer           ^M 

J,  M,  Gum?r , . .... 

, , . ........  Secretary           ^t 

utn^m^uiv  .C0MMirn££.                                              .^^^M 

C.  N.  Wilson, 
M.   F.  QuiNN^ 

Russell  W.  Ready,                               ^^^H 

yiNANCE  committee:                                                ^^^I 

W.  H.  Workman, 
H.  A.  Barclay^ 

Cbas.  G.  Keybs.                                    ^^^I 

COMUTTTEE  ON   PROGRAMME.                                                             ^^^| 

Louis  Roeiier,                                          Mrs.  AserE  Hilleb,                               ^^^| 
Dk.  K.  D.  Wise,                                       Mrs.  Jennie  S.  Raad,                     ^^^^H 
Mrs.  VmciiNiA  W.  Davis,                       N.  C.  Cakt^                               ^^^^^M 
Mrs.  Elinor  Grosser,                              J.  J.  Gospeel                                     ^^^^^H 
Dr.  a.  H.  Wkhn,                                                                                              ^^^^I 

,i 

GOOD   07  TJIE  ORDER.                                                                            ^^^H 

Ds.  H.  S.  Obme,                                      Jrrrv  Newell.                                      ^^H 
J.  M.  Riley,                                                Mrs.  Dora  Bilderbeck,                          ^^^H 
E.  J.  Vawter,                                             SmoN  B.  Smith,                                    ^^H 
Oscar  Macv,                                              Alfred  James.                                         ^^H 
X  L.  Stair,                                                                                                    ^^H 
couMrrnxoN  entertainment.                                           ^^^^ 

Mrs.  Mary  Franklin, 
,                   Mrs.  Harriett  S.  Perri 
'                  Mrs.  J.  W.  GnTriTE, 

Mrs.  J.  a  Newell, 
1                Mrs.  5u5an  C  Hopcimb 

1 

Chas.  H.  White,                                 ^^H 

N.  C.  Carter,                                          ^^H 
£.  K.  Green,                                          ^^M 
N.  Mercadante,                                     ^^^B 
J.  M.  Stewart.                                    ^^H 

Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County 

CONSTITUTION 


ARTICLE  I. 

This  society  shall  be  known  as  The  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles 
County.  Its  objects  are  to  cultivate  social  intercourse  and 
friendship  among  its  members  and  *o  collect  and  preserve  the 
early  liistory  of  Los  Angeles  county>  and  to  perpetuate  the 
meiTiiory  of  those  who,  by  their  honorable  labors  and  heroism, 
helped  to  make  that  history. 

ARTICLE  IL 

All  persons  of  good  moral  character,  thirty-five  years  of  age 
or  over,  who,  at  the  date  of  their  application,  shall  have  resided 
at  least  twenty-five  years  in  Los  Angeles  county,  shall  be  eligible 
to  membership;  and  also  all  persons  of  good  moral  character 
fifty  years  of  age  or  over,  who  have  resided  in  the  State  forty 
years  and  in  the  county  ten  years  previous  to  their  application, 
shall  be  eligible  to  become  members.  Persons  born  in  this 
State  are  not  eligible  to  membership,  but  those  admitted  before 
the  adoption  of  this  amendment  shall  retain  their  membership. 
(Amended  September  4,  1900.) 

ARTICLE  III. 

The  officers  of  this  society  shall  consist  of  a  board  of  seven 
directors,  to  be  elected  annually  at  the  annual  meetings  by  the 
members  of  the  society*  Said  directors  when  elected  shall 
choose  a  president,  a  first  vice-president,  a  second  vice-presi- 
dent,a  secretary  and  a  treasurer.  The  secretary  and  treasurer 
may  be  elected  from  the  members  outside  the  Board  of  Di- 
rectors. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

The  annual  meeting  of  this  society  shall  be  held  on  the  first 
Tuesday  of  September.  The  anniversary  of  the  founding  oi 
the  society  shall  be  the  fourth  day  of  September,  that  being  the 


ii 


CONSTlTLfTrON    AXD   BY-LAWS. 


65 


anniversary  of  the  first  civic  settlement  in  the  southern  portion 
of  Alta  California,  to  wit:  the  founding  of  the  Pueblo  of  Los 
Angeles,  September  4,  1781. 

ARTICLE  V, 

Members  g'uilty  of  misconduct  may,  upon  conviction  after 
proper  investigation  has  been  held,  be  expelled,  suspended,  fined 
or  reprimanded  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present 
at  any  stated  meeting;  provided,  notice  shall  have  been  given  to 
the  society  at  least  one  month  prior  to  such  intended  action. 
Any  officer  of  this  society  may  be  removed  by  the  Board  of 
Directors  for  cause;  provided,  that  stich  removal  shall  not  be- 
come permanent  or  final  until  approved  by  a  majority  oE  mem- 
bers of  the  society  present  at  a  stated  meeting  and  voting. 

ARTICLE  VL 

Amendments  to  this  constitution  may  be  made  by  submit- 
ting the  same  in  writing  to  the  society  at  least  one  month  prior 
to  the  annual  meeting.  At  said  annual  meeting  said  proposed 
amendments  shall  be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  society.  And 
if  two-thirds  of  all  the  members  present  and  voting  shall  vote 
in  favor  of  adopting  said  amendments,  then  they  shall  be  de- 
clared adopted.    (Amended  September  4,  1900.) 


BY-LAWS 

MEMBERSHIP. 
[Adopted  September  4,  1897;  amended  June  4,  1901*] 

Section  i.  Applicants  for  membership  in  this  society 
shall  be  recom-mended  by  at  least  two  members  in  good  stand- 
ing. The  applicant  shall  give  his  or  her  full  name.  age.  birth- 
place, present  residence,  occupation,  date  of  his  or  her  arrival 
in  the  State  and  in  Los  Angeles  county.  The  application  must 
be  accompanied  by  the  admission  fee  of  one  dollar,  which  shall 
also  be  payment  in  full  for  dues  until  next  annual  meeting. 

Section  2.  Applications  for  admission  to  membership  in 
the  society  shall  be  referred  to  the  committee  on  membership, 
for  investigation,  and  reported  on  at  the  next  regular  meeting 


66 


PIONEERS  OP  U>S  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


of  the  society.  If  the  report  is  favorable,  a  ballot  shall  be  taken 
for  the  election  of  the  candidate.  Three  negative  votes  shaU 
cause  the  rejection  of  the  applicant. 

Section  3,  Each  person,  on  admission  to  membership,  shall 
sign  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws. 

Section  4  Any  person  eligible  to  membership  may  be 
elected  a  life  member  of  this  society  on  the  payment  to  the 
treasurer  of  $25.  Life  members  shall  enjoy  all  the  privileges 
of  active  members,  but  shall  not  be  required  to  pay  annual  dues. 

Section  5.  A  member  may  withdraw  from  the  society  by 
giving  notice  to  the  society  of  his  desire  to  do  so,  and  paying 
all  dues  charged  against  him  up  to  the  date  of  his  withdrawaL 

DUES. 


Section  6.  The  annual  dues  of  each  member  (except  life 
members)  shall  be  one  dollar,  payable  in  advance,  at  the  annual 
mectiiig  in  September. 

Section  7.  Any  member  delinquent  one  year  in  dues  shall 
be  notified  by  the  secretary  of  said  delinquency,  and  unless  said 
dues  are  paid  within  one  month  after  said  notice  is  given,  then 
said  member  shall  stand  suspended  from  the  society.  A  mem- 
ber may  be  reinstated  on  payment  of  all  dues  owing  at  the  date 
of  his  suspension. 

DUTIES  OF  OFFICERS. 

Section  8.  The  president  shall  preside,  preserve  order  and 
decorum  during  the  meetings  and  see  that  the  Constitution  and 
By-Laws  and  rules  of  the  society  are  properly  enforced;  appoint 
all  committers  not  otherwise  provided  for;  and  fill  all  vacancies 
temporarily  for  the  meeting.  The  president  shall  have  power  to 
suspend  any  officer  or  member  for  cause,  subject  to  the  action 
of  the  society  at  the  next  meeting. 

Section  9.  In  the  absence  of  the  president,  one  of  the  vice- 
presidents  shall  preside,  with  the  same  power  as  the  president, 
and  if  no  president  or  vice-president  be  present^  the  society  shall 
elect  a  member  to  preside  temporarily. 

Section  10,     The  secretary  shall  keep  a  true  record  of  all 
the  members  of  the  society;  and  upon  the  death  ofj 
(when  he  shall  have  notice  ' 
in  two  daily  papers  of  Los 
funeral;  and,  in  conjunction 


CONSTITUTION   AND  BY-LAWS. 


67 


cers  and  members  of  the  society,  shall  make  such  arrangements 
with  the  approval  of  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  as  may  be 
necessary  for  the  funeral  of  the  deceased  member.  The  secre- 
tary shall  collect  all  dues,  giving-  his  receipt  therefor;  and  he 
shall  turn  over  to  the  treasurer  all  moneys  collected,  taking  his 
receipt  for  the  same. 

He  shall  make  a  full  report  at  the  annual  meeting,  setting 
forth  the  condition  of  the  society,  its  jnembership,  receipts, 
disbursements,  etc. 

He  shall  receive  for  his  services  such  compensation  as  the 
Board  of  Directors  may  allow. 

Section  ii.  The  treasurer  shall  receive  from  the  secretary 
all  moneys  paid  to  the  society  and  give  his  receipt  for  the  same, 
and  shall  pay  out  the  money  only  upon  the  order  of  the  society 
upon  a  warrant  signed  by  tfie  secretary  and  president,  and  at  the 
end  of  his  term  shall  pay  over  to  his  successor  all  moneys 
remaining  in  his  hands,  and  render  a  true  and  itemized  account 
to  the  society  of  all  moneys  received  and  paid  out  during  his 
term,  of  office. 

Section  12.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  finance  committee 
to  examine  the  books  of  the  secretary  and  treasurer  and  any 
other  accounts  of  the  society  that  may  be  referred  to  them,  and 
report  the  same  to  the  society, 

COMMITTEES. 


Section  13,  The  president,  vice-presidents,  secretary  and 
treasurer  shall  constitute  a  relief  committee,  whose  duty  it  shall 
be  to  see  that  sick  or  destitute  members  are  properly  cared  for. 
In  case  of  emergency,  the  committee  shall  be  empowered  to  ex- 
pend for  immediate  relief  an  amount  from  the  funds  of  the  so- 
ciety not  to  exceed  $20,  without  a  vote  of  the  society.  Such 
expenditure,  with  a  statement  of  the  case  and  the  necessity  for 
the  expenditure  shall  be  made  to  the  society  at  its  next  regular 
meeting. 

Section  14.  At  the  first  meeting  after  the  annual  meeting 
each  year,  the  president  shall  appoint  the  following  standing 
committees:  Three  on  membership;  three  on  finance;  five  on 
program;  five  on  music;  five  on  general  good  of  the  society,  and 
seven  on  entertainment. 


f^lOKECXS  OF  LOS  AJfCCLCS  COUNTY. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


Whenever  a  vacancy  in  any  office  of  this  ao- 
shalJ  be  filled  by  election  for  the  unexpired 


Section  15. 

cicty  occurs,  it 
term. 

Section  16.  The  stated  meetings  of  this  society  shall  be 
held  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  each  month,  and  the  annual  meet- 
ing shall  be  held  the  first  Tuesday  of  September.  Special  meet- 
ings may  be  called  by  the  president  or  by  a  majority  of  the 
Board  of  Directors,  but  no  business  shall  be  transacted  at  such 
apecial  meetings  except  that  specified  in  the  call. 

Section  17.  These  By-Laws  and  Rules  may  be  temporarily 
suspended  at  any  regular  meeting  of  the  society  by  unanimous 
vote  of  the  members  present. 

Section  18.  Whenever  the  Board  of  Directors  shall  be 
satisfied  that  any  worthy  member  of  this  society  is  unable,  for 
the  tune  being,  to  pay  the  annual  dues  as  hereinbefore  pre- 
scribed, it  shall  have  power  to  remit  the  same. 

Section  19,  Changes  and  amendments  of  these  By-Laws 
and  Rules  may  be  made  by  submitting  the  same  in  writing  to 
the  society  at  a  stated  meeting.  Said  amendment  shall  be  read 
at  two  stated  meetings  before  it  is  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the 
society.  If  said  amendment  shall  receive  two-thirds  of  the 
voles  of  all  the  members  present  and  voting,  then  it  shall  be 
declared  adopted. 


ORDER  OF  BUSINESS. 

CALL  TO  ORDER. 

Reading  minutes  of  previous  meeting. 

Music. 

Reports  of  committee  on  membership. 

Election  of  new  members, 

Reading  of  applications  for  membership. 

Music. 

Reminiscences,  lectures,  addresses,  etc. 

Music  or  recitations. 

Recess  of  10  minutes  for  payment  of  dues. 

Unfinished  business. 

New  business. 

Reports  of  committees. 


i 


CONSTITUTION   ANB  BY-LAWS. 


6q' 


Election  of  officers  at  the  annual  meeting  or  to  fill  vacancies. 

Music. 

Is  any  member  in  need  of  assistance? 

Good  of  the  society. 

Receipts  of  the  evening. 

Adjournment. 

REPORT  OF  THE  TREASURER. 

To  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County: 

I  beg  leave  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the  finances 
of  the  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County  for  the  year 
ending  September  i,  1903: 

Balance  on  hand  Oct.  ist,  1902 $1 19-36 

Collections  to  Sept.  1st,  1903 221 .50 

Total  balance  and  receipts $340.86 

Disbursements  to  Sept.  ist,  1903 248. &o 

Balance  cash  on  hand $  92 .  06 

Itemized  receipted  bills  covering  all  disbursements  are  here- 
with submitted.  Respectfully  submitted, 

LOUIS  ROEDER. 

Treasurer* 


REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY, 

To  the  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County: 

Gentlemen  and  Ladies:  In  accordance  with  the  require- 
ments of  our  By*Laws  I  herewith  present  my  annual  report  for 
the  year  ending  August  31,  1903: 

The  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County  completes 
this  evening  the  sixth  year  of  its  existence. 

Since  its  organization  420  members  have  been  enrolled.  Of 
these  54  have  died  and  15  have  been  dropped  for  non-payment 
of  dues,  leaving  at  present  a  membership  of  351. 

Forty-eight  new  members  have  been  taken  into  membership 
since  the  last  annual  meeting. 


7D  PIONEERS  OP  UyS  ANCCLeS  COUNTY. 

FINANCES, 

Balance  on  hand  October  ist,  1902 $119.36 

Collections  to  September  ist,  1903 221 ,50 

Total  balance  and  collections $340  <  86 

Total  disbursements  per  receipted  bills 248.80 

Balance  on  hand  Sept.  ist»  1903 $  92.06 

The  receipts  and  disbursements  in  this  report  cover  a  period 
oC  eleven  months,  viz,,  Oct.  i,  1902,  to  Sept,  i,  1903,  The  re- 
ceipts for  the  evening  of  Sept.  2,  1902,  were  included  in  the  re- 
port of  last  year.  Adding  the  receipts  of  that  evening,  $94,  to 
$221,50  collected  in  the  subsequent  jnontbs  makes  the  total  col- 
lections for  12  months  $315.50. 

Respectfully  submitted,  J,  M.  GUINN, 

Secretary. 


"IN  THE  DAYS  OF  '49." 
By  J,  M.  Guinn. 

In  the  life  of  a  nation,  as  in  that  of  the  individual,  accident 
more  often  than  design  shapes  career.  Scattered  through  the 
histories  of  nations  are  the  records  of  unforseen  events — acci- 
dents that  have  changed  the  whole  future  of  empires.  In  the 
history  of  our  own  country  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California, 
which  was  purely  accidental»  marks  the  beginning  of  a  new 
epoch.  It  marks  the  turning  point  in  our  career  as  a  nation 
from  agriculturisni  to  commercialism. 

Before  that  event  agriculture  had  been  the  absorbing  indus- 
try of  the  couotrj'.  We  were  the  bread  growers  of  Europe — 
content  to  grow  wheat  for  a  foreign  market,  and  cotton  for  the 
mills  of  England,  Then  seven-tenths  of  our  population  lived 
on  farms  and  tilled  the  soil^there  were  no  vast  combinations 
of  capital;  no  trusts;  no  great  railroad  systems i  no  multi-mil- 
lionaires; no  Pierpont  Morgans. 

Before  1850,  John  Jacob  Astor^  the  Indian  fur  trader  and 
founder  of  the  Astor  family,  was  the  only  millionaire  in  the 
United  States,  He  was  a  veritable  curiosity  to  the  people — a 
man  worth  a  million  dollars!  Men  craned  their  necks  to  see 
him  as  he  passed,  and  women  turned  to  gaze  after  him  in  the 
streets. 

The  gold  mines  of  California  in  half  a  decade  after  their  dis- 
covery became  known  abroad  added  to  the  wealth  of  the  United 
States  $300,000,000,  equivalent  to  an  increase  of  $15  per  capita 
to  every  man,  woman  and  chifd  in  the  country  at  that  time.  No 
nation  ever  before  grew  rich  so  rapidly,  Rome  at  the  height 
of  her  power  and  in  the  palmiest  days  of  her  plundering,  never, 
in  so  short  a  time,  gathered  from  conquered  peoples  such  heaps 
of  gold.  The  golden  ransom  that  Francisco  Pizarro,  the  swine- 
herd  of  Truxillo,  exacted  from  the  Incas  of  Peru  for  the  re^ 
lease  of  their  captured  chieftain,  Atahua^pa^  amounted  to  a  little 
over  $6,000,000,  an  amount  scarcely  equal  to  the  yield  of  the 
California  placers  for  a  single  month.  Such  a  sudden  increase 
in  wealth  prompted  great  undertakings,  stimulated  every  form 
of  industry  and  encouraged  immigration.  It  built  up  great  in- 
land cities  and  hastened  by  at  least  two  decades  the  settlement 
of  the  vast  unpeopled  expanse  between  the  Missouri  and  the 


72 


PlOffCERS  Of  UJS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


Sierra  Nevadas.  The  admission  of  California  into  the  Union 
as  a  free  State,  which  was  made  possible  by  the  discovery  of 
goldj  stmck  the  first  note  in  the  death  knell  of  human  slavery 
and  was  the  precursor  of  the  Civil  War. 

Tlie  exact  date  of  Marshall's  discovery  of  the  golden  nug- 
gets in  the  mill  race  at  Coloma  is  still  a  matter  of  dispute.  Mar- 
shall in  his  lifetime  gave  three  different  dates,  the  i8th,  igth 
and  20th,  and  today,  55  years  after  the  event,  one  society  of 
Pioneers  celebrates  January  the  19th  as  the  true  date  and  an- 
other the  24th. 

The  discovery,  at  first,  was  not  regarded  of  great  impor- 
tance. It  took  six  weeks  for  the  news  to  reach  San  Fran- 
cisco, although  that  city  was  only  120  miles  away.  And  it 
was  nine  months  before  the  report  of  Marshall's  find  reached 
the  Eastern  States,  When  the  news  was  confirmed — when  there 
was  no  longer  doubt  or  cavi!  about  the  enormous  wealth  of  the 
California  placers — then  there  was  an  awakening  of  the  nation 
hitherto  unparalelled  in  its  history.  The  spirit  of  adventure  be- 
came epidemic  and  men  who  never  before  had  ventured  a  day's 
journey  from  home  cut  loose  from  all  the  ties  that  bound  tin 
and  joined  in  a  pilgrimage  to  the  shrine  of  Mammon  that  was' 
fraught  with  dangers  and  beset  with  difBculties  appalling  to 
the  stoutest  hearts. 

In  the  year  1849,  one  hundred  thousand  people  found  their 
way  to  California,  They  came  by  ever>^  known  route  and  many 
by  routes  hitherto  unknown.  They  came  by  every  means  of 
conveyance  known  to  travel  by  land  or  sea.  They  came  from 
every  civilized  land  on  the  globe.  All  castes  and  conditions  of 
men  came — the  good  and  the  bad,  the  industrious  and  the  in- 
dolent, the  virtuous  and  the  vicious.  This  rapid  influx  of  popu- 
lation wrought  magical  changes  in  the  land  of  gold.  It  trans- 
formed it  from  a  land  of  matlana — n  land  of  tomorrow — to  one 
of  today.  It  changed  it  from  a  lotus  land  of  ease  where  hfe  was 
a  sensuous  dream  to  the  arena  oJ  the  most  resistless  energy  and 
the  fiercest  struggle  for  existence. 

WHieii  ^old  was  discovered,  San  Francisco  was  a  little  hamlet 
of  a  few  houses  clustering  close  to  tlie  shores  of  Verba  Buena 
cove.  In  a  little  more  than  two  years  after,  it  had  grown  to  be 
a  dty  of  25,000  souls.  It  had  climbed  the  sand  hills  and  built 
out  over  the  bay,  Tlie  commerce  of  the  world  sought  its  harbor 
and.  it  might  be  added,  much  of  it  remained  there.  Five  hun- 
dred ships  deserted  by  their  officers  and  crews,  lay  rotting  on 
the  Mission  fiats.     Repeatedly  swept  out  of  existence  by  great 


IN  THE  DAYS  OF    49. 


73 


fires,  phoenix  like  it  arose  from  its  ashes  and  grew  better  and 
bigger  after  each  conflagration. 

In  the  beginning  it  was  a  make-shift  city,  built  on  an  emer- 
gency. No  one  expected  to  remain  in  it  longer  than  to  make 
his  fortune*  Its  first  inhabitants  had  no  municipal  pride  in  its 
appearance.  The  strip  of  level  land  that  skirted  the  cove  was 
soon  built  over,  then  the  cJty  had  either  to  climb  the  hills  like 
Rome,  or  wade  out  into  the  bay  like  Venice,  It  did  both,  but 
first  it  tilted  the  tops  of  the  hills  into  the  bay  and  sat  down  on 
dr^'  land.  Its  principal  streets  are  successions  of  cuts  and  fills. 
Market  street,  its  grandest  avenue,  is  in  places  60  feet  below  its 
old  level  and  in  others  30  above.  Rome  was  built  on  seven 
hills,  but  the  city  of  Saint  Francis  has  climbed  over  seventy. 
Its  municipal  infancy  was  beset  with  many  discouragements. 
Flood  as  well  as  fire  conspired  against  it. 

Eighteen  hundred  and  forty-ntne  was  one  of  the  great  flood 
years  of  California.  As  in  Noah's  days,  the  windows  of  the 
heavens  were  opened,  the  rains  descended  and  the  floods  came. 
Fifty  inches  of  rain  are  said  to  have  fallen  in  San  Francisco^ 
and  the  Pluvial  downpour  was  even  greater  in  the  mining  re- 
gions. The  newly  arrived  Argonauts  had  been  told  before  their 
departure  from  the  States  that  California  was  a  hot,  dry  coun- 
try where  little  rain  fell.  As  a  consequence  they  made  but 
scanty  provision  against  winter  storms  . 

The  rainy  season  of  1849  began  early  in  November  and  was 
heralded  in  the  mountains  by  a  downpour  of  nine  inches  in  a 
single  night.  The  miners  were  driven  from  their  camps  by  the 
floods,  and  as  they  shivered  in  the  pitiless  storm  they  ironically 
discussed  the  question  whether  it  was  pleasanter  to  die  of  thirst 
on  a  waterless  desert  or  be  drowned  by  inches  in  a  country  where 
it  seldom  rains. 

In  San  Francisco  the  wash  from  the  hills  flooded  the  un- 
paved  streets.  The  continued  rains  and  traffic  soon  reduced  the 
detritus  into  the  consistency  of  pea  soup.  Men  and  animals 
floundered  through  the  liquid  mud.  Drunken  loafers  roister- 
ing around  the  streets  at  night  fell  into  the  Serbonian  bogs  mis- 
name<l  streets*  and  if  no  friendly  hand  was  near  to  extricate 
them  they  sank  deeper  and  deeper  into  ready-made  graves,  un- 
coiHned,  unwept,  and  unsung.  A  story  is  told  that  one  day  a 
hat  was  seen  floating  down  the  muddy  tide  of  Montgomery 
street.  A  spectator  lassoed  it  and  as  it  was  lifted  a  man's  head 
appeared.  He  was  rescued  and  brought  ashore,  when  he  begged 
the  spectators  to  save  his  horse,  which  was  still  below.     The 


74 


PIONEERS  OF  LOS  ANCECES  COUNTY, 


Story,  however,  does  not  rest  on  any  more  substantial  founda- 
tion than  did  the  submerged  rider  and  his  mythical  steed. 

It  was  during  this  winter  that  the  famous  sidewalk  of  flour 
bags,  cooking  stoves,  tobacco  boxes  and  pianos  was  con- 
structed. The  only  sidewalks  then  were  made  of  pieces  of 
boards,  dry  goods  boxes,  crockery  crates  and  other  refuse  of  the 
stores.  These  were  continually  disappearing  in  the  ooze.  Lum- 
ber was  $600  per  thousand  and  retailed  at  a  dollar  a  square  foot. 
A  sidewalk  of  plank  would  have  bankrupted  the  municipality. 
The  walks,  such  as  they  were^  were  built  by  the  merchants  to 
help  their  trade. 

Tliis  famous  sidewalk  was  on  the  west  side  of  Montgomery 
street,  between  Clay  and  Jackson.  It  extended  from  the  Sim- 
monSj  Henderson  &  Co.  building  to  the  Adams  Express  Com- 
pany's office.  It  began  with  1 00-pound  sacks  of  Chilean  flour. 
Then  followed  a  long  row  of  cooking  stoves^  over  which  it  was 
necessary  to  carefully  pick  your  way,  as  some  of  the  covers  were 
gone.  A  damaged  piano  bridged  a  chasm  and  beyond  this  a 
double  row  of  large  tobacco  boxes  completed  the  walk.  This 
sidewalk  has  been  held  up  as  an  example  of  the  extravagance  of 
the  days  of  '49.  And  yet  the  material  in  it  was  the  cheapest 
sidewalking  in  the  market.  A  few  months  before  flour  was  sell- 
ing at  $400  a  barrel  Everybody  in  trade  ordered  f^our.  The 
nearest  place  to  secure  it  was  Chile,  and  ship  load  after  ship 
load  was  thrown  on  the  San  Francisco  market  until  it  was  not 
worth  the  storage. 

Some  merchants  in  New  York,  witnessing  the  great  rush  to 
California,  conceived  the  idea  of  shipping  consignments  of  cook- 
ing stoves  to  California.  The  miners  would  need  them  in  their 
housekeeping  and  it  would  be  a  fine  stroke  of  business  to  fore- 
stall the  demand.  The  shippers  did  not  know  that  the  miners' 
kitchen  outfit  consisted  of  a  frying  pan  and  a  coffee  pot.  The 
freight  on  a  cooking  stove  up  into  the  mountain  mining  camps 
would  have  bankrupted  a  miner's  claim.  So  the  consignment 
of  cooking  stoves  was  left  to  rust  and  rot  until  utilized  for  side- 
walks. As  to  pianos,  nobody  had  time  to  play  on  them,  and 
the  scarcity  of  houses  made  their  room  more  valuable  than  their 
company. 

In  the  East,  ignorance  of  the  needs  of  the  miners  and  the 
customs  of  the  country  were  responsible  for  some  ludicrous 
mistakes.  A  merchant  of  New  York  bound  for  California,  who 
had  dealt  in  millinery  goods,  conceived  the  idea  that  it  would  be 
a  fine  stroke  of  business  to  ship  a  consignment  of  ladies'  bon- 


IN  tHE  DAYS  O?  '49. 


nets  to  San  Francisco.  The  Leghorn  bonnet  of  '49  was  a  ca- 
pacious affair — model ed  a f ter  th e  p rairie  schooner,  0 r  the 
schooner  was  modeled  after  the  bonnet,  I  am  not  certain  which. 
The  bonnet  had  a  dtp  in  the  middle  and  sharp  peaks  fore  and 
aft;  so  had  the  schooner 

The  merchant  sent  his  consignment  around  Cape  Horn  and 
came  to  California  himself  via  the  Isthmus.  Arriving  here  he 
found  to  his  dismay  that  the  Spanish  women  did  not  wear  bon- 
nets, but  covered  their  heads  with  rebosas,  and  the  Spanish 
ladies  were  about  all  the  women  in  California  then.  The  poor 
fellow  was  in  despair;  all  his  money  was  invested  in  bonnets. 
The  bonnets  were  down  at  Cape  Horn  or  thereabouts,  and  there 
was  no  way  of  intercepting"  the  shipment  and  returning  it  before 
it  completed  its  voyage  of  18,000  miles. 

In  due  time  the  vessel  arrived  .  In  those  days  there  were  no 
warehouses  and  ship*s  cargoes  were  auctioned  off  on  their  ar- 
rival Almost  in  despair,  the  merchant  put  up  his  bonnets  at 
auction.  The  city  happened  to  be  full  of  miners  well  supplied 
with  gold  dust.  The  sight  of  a  woman's  bonnet  recalled  memo- 
ries of  home,  of  mothers,  wives,  sisters  and  sweethearts.  In  a 
spirit  of  freakishness  they  bid  off  the  bonnets  at  an  ounce  ($16) 
apiece.  Red  shirted  miners  paraded  the  streets  with  heads  en- 
sconced in  fashionable  bonnets  of  the  vintage  of  '49 — and  were 
happy.    So  was  the  merchant,  whose  venture  paid  him  well. 

Merchandising  in  the  fall  of  *49  and  spring  of  '50  was  a  make- 
or- break  business.  If  a  consignment  of  goods  reached  San 
Francisco  when  the  market  was  bare  of  needed  articles  which 
the  consignment  contained  the  merchant's  fortune  was  made 
who  secured  it.  If  it  reached  there  when  the  market  was  over- 
stocked he  was  in  danger  of  bankruptcy. 

At  one  time  5-cent  papers  of  carpet  tacks  sold  at  $5  each. 
A  pound  of  salaratus  retailed  at  $16,  and  a  drop  of  laudanum 
at  a  dollar*  A  hogshead  of  New  England  rum  arrived  when 
the  market  was  empty  of  that  beverage.  The  rum  retailed  at 
$20  a  quart,  and  one  man  offered  $10  for  the  privilege  of  suck- 
ing a  straw  through  the  bung  hole.  His  offer  was  refused,  as 
his  capacity  was  known  to  exceed  a  pint* 

The  yield  of  the  mines  in  early  days  was  enormous,  and 
rich  strikes  numerous.  No  occupation  is  more  exciting  than 
placer  mining.  The  stroke  of  a  pick  may  open  one  of  nature's 
treasure  vaults  and  make  you  independently  rich.  Hope  buoys 
you  up  to  brave  hardships  and  fatigues  that  would  crush  you  in 
other  occupations.  Think  of  taking  out  ten  thousand  dollars  in 
a  day  or  picking  up  a  nugget  that  was  worth  a  princess  ran- 


Of  bOs 


cxxnm. 


no 


of  tbeoK 

K>ridi  that  dicremigfal 


m  the  6aj%  o£  '49.    The 


d  dsy  00  the  iiuiiof  liuii  * 
$100  &  day.    When  the 


thir^ 


beyond-    Sai 


or 


other 
fiist  spread  abroad 


liilj 


were 


the  states  ol  the  vraodcrfnl  gold  dauwecaes  in  Califor 
cnidest  ideas  prerailed  in  regard  to  the  v^  gold  wai 


nra 


Not 
gokL  aiid 


then  in  50,000  had  1 
one  in  loaooo  had 


gaan 


of 


TiTgin 


r  seen  a  gold  mime.  The 
only  gold  mines  in  the  United  States  beiore  the  acqttisitkHi  of 
Cahionna  were  in  the  mountains  of  North  Carohna  and  Geor^gia, 
and  theK  were  so  situated  that  many  intdtigcnt  persons  had 


heard  of  dieir  existence     It 


that  gold 


foitiid  in  the  sand  and  grayel  and  to  separate  it  &om  diese 
Yankee  ingennity  set  to  work  to  invent  labor-sa>Hng  machines. 
Patented  machines  with  cranks  and  treadles  to  be  propelled  by 
hand  or  foot  power;  overshot  wbcds  to  work  inventions  l^ 
water  power;  and  powerful  ez^ines  oonstmcted  so  as  to  be 
placed  oo  scows  and  driven  by  steam  were  destiEfned  to  dredge 
the  bottoms  of  rivers,  which  were  believed  to  be  covered  with 
gold.  Then  there  were  buckets  with  augm-  and  vahre  attach- 
CDent  at  the  bottom,  and  long  iron  handles — these  were  intended 
to  bore  down  into  the  subaqoeons  deposits  and  bring  up  the 
gold,  that  the  augur  loosened*  and  deposited  in  the  buckets. 
Even  diving  bells  were  constructed  for  deeper  water,  and  the 
dtver  was  expected  to  pick  the  golden  nuggets  off  the  bottom 
of  the  river. 

Haskins  in  bis  *' Argonauts  of  '49"  describes  one  of  these 
jnacfaines,  which  was  on  board  the  ship  he  came  on.  **Oi>e  ma- 
chine," says  he,  "requires  special  mentiotL  It  was  in  the  shape 
of  a  huge  fanning  mill  with  selves  properly  arranged  for  assort- 
ing the  gold  ready  for  bottling.  All  chunks  too  large  for  the 
bottles  would  be  consigned  to  the  pork  barrels.  This  immense 
machine,  which  during  our  passage  exdted  the  envy  of  all  who 
had  not  the  means  and  opportunity  of  securing  a  similar  one, 
required  the  services  of  a  hired  man  to  turn  the  crank  whilst 
the  proprietor  would  be  busily  engaged  in  shoveling  in  pay  dirt 
and  pumping  water,  the  greater  portion  of  his  time,  however, 
being  required,  as  was  firmly  believed,  in  corking  of  bottles  and 
fitting  the  heads  to  the  pork  barrels  as  they  were  611ed  with 
gold.  This  machine  was  owned  by  Mr.  Allen  of  Cambridge, 
Mass..  who  had  brought  with  him  a  colored  servant  10  turn 
the  crank  of  this  invaluable  invention.    Upon  landing  we  found 


IN  THE  DAYS  O^    49. 


77 


lying  upon  the  sands  and  half  buried  in  the  mud  hundreds  of  sim- 
ilar machines  bearing  silent  witness  at  once  to  the  value  of  our 
gold-saving  machinery  without  the  necessity  of  a  trial." 

Nor  was  it  those  who  came  by  sea  alone  that  brought  these 
curious  but  worthless  inventions.  Men  hauled  gold  machines 
across  the  plains,  over  waterless  deserts,  over  precipitous  moun- 
tains, often  sacrificing  the  necessaries  of  life  to  save  the  prized 
instruments  that  were  to  make  their  fortunes;  and  when  they 
reached  the  mines  haggard,  half  starved,  but  bringing  in 
triumph  their  labor-saving  machines — only  to  find  ihemse.ves 
the  butt  of  ridicule  and  their  machines  the  laughing  stock  of 
the  mining  camp,  Haskins  says :  "Animated  and  often  acri- 
monious discussions  were  carried  on  while  on  the  voyage  to 
California  in  regard  to  the  better  means  of  getting  their  gold 
down  from  the  mines*  Some  were  in  favor  of  bottles,  others 
favored  pork  barrels.  The  pork  barrel  advocates  won  by  show- 
ing that  the  barrels  could  be  rolled  down  to  the  Coast,  thus 
saving  freight."  John  S.  Hittell  says  when  he  and  some  others 
discovered  a  wonderfully  rich  pocket  of  gold  at  the  foot  of 
Mount  Shasta  in  the  fall  of  '49,  supposing-  the  whole  galch  un- 
derlaid with  gold,  they  seriously  discussed  the  question  whether 
they  should  send  for  a  train  of  pack  mules  or  a  number  of  ox 
teams  to  bring  out  the  gold.  They  were  relieved  of  the  neces- 
sity of  sending  for  either 

The  rush  and  greed  for  gold  and  the  ways  of  getting  it  is 
not  all  there  is  to  the  story  of  the  Argonauts.  There  were  deeds 
of  charity  the  most  noble  and  acts  of  self-sacrifice  the  most  un- 
selfish. There  were  friendships  formed  stronger  than  that  of 
Damon  and  Pythias.  There  were  romances  in  their  lives  most 
thrilling  and  adventures  most  daring.  There  was  enough  in 
their  search  for  the  golden  fleece  to  have  formed  material  for 
an  epic  grander  than  the  Illiad  and  more  fascinating  than  the 
Odessy.  The  California  immigrants  of  the  early  fifties  who 
came  from  the  older  states  were  a  superior  class.  They  were 
drawn  from  the  most  intelligent,  the  most  progressive  and  the 
most  venturesome  of  the  population  of  the  different  localities 
from  whence  they  came.  All  honor  to  the  noble  men  and 
women  who  braved  perils  by  sea  and  land  to  lay  strong  ind 
deep  the  foundations  of  a  new  commonwealth.  They  did  their 
work  well.  They  left  the  impress  of  their  characters  on  the 
State  they  founded.  To  them  it  owes  much  of  its  renown  for 
progress,  intelligence  and  enterprise.  All  honor  to  the  Pioneers 
living  and  respect  for  the  memory  of  those  who  have  passed  over 
the  divide  that  separates  time  from  eternity. 


AN  EXCITING  EPISODE  OF  THE  EARLY  '60s. 


BY    H.   D.   BARROWS. 


The  picturesque  mountain  valley  known  as  Santiago  can- 
yon, in  Orange  county,  is  located  within  tlie  rang^e  of  moun- 
tains between  the  Santa  Ana  and  San  Juan  valleys  on  the  south 
and  El  Chino  ranch  and  Jurupa  on  the  north.  It  is  several  miles 
wide  and  perhaps  twenty  miles  long,  and  is  drained  by  Santiago 
creek,  which  finds  its  outlet  in  the  Santa  Ana  river,  not  very 
far  from  the  old  Yorba  homestead.  The  Yorba  and  Peralta 
families,  whose  forebears  originally  came  from  Spain,  were  the 
former  owners  of  both  the  Santiago  and  Santa  Ana  ranches. 

Teodosio  Yorba  was  the  ancient  owner  of  the  Santiago 
ranch,  who  sold  it  to  William  Wolfskill,  and  he  sold.  I  believe, 
to  Flint,  Bixby  &  Co.  It  is  now  owned  by  the  James  Irvine  es- 
tate. Of  course  the  Yorba  grant  includes  only  a  limited  portion 
of  the  extensive  Santiago  canyon.  Years  ago,  mining  was  car- 
ried on^  in  what  is  known  as  the  ^'Silverado"  branch  of  Santiago 
Not  very  far  above  the  mouth  of  the  canyon  there  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  natural  parks  to  be  found  anywhere.  It  is  as 
level  as  a  house  floor,  and  is  densely  shaded  by  evergreen  live- 
oaks  that  must  be  five  hundred  years  old,  more  or  less,  with 
plenty  of  living  springs  of  pure  mountain  water  near  by.  It  is 
an  ideal  place  for  picnicking  parties,  and  was  resorted  to  by 
them  extensively  in  former  years  when  it  was  widely  known  as 
the  "Picnic  Grounds"  of  the  Santiago.  J.  E.  Pleasants  was  one 
of  the  first  settlers  of  the  valley*  and  he  still  resides  there.  He 
and  others  had  bee  ranches  ten  or  twelve  miles  above  the  Pic- 
nic Grounds  in  the  ^705  and  *8os.  He  named  his  place  "Refu- 
gio" (Refuge,  or  place  of  rest)  after  his  deceased  wife.  Later, 
this  place  became  the  home  of  Mme.  Modjeska  and  her  husband. 
Count  Charles  Bozenta  Clapowski,  who  have  enlarged,  im- 
proved and  beautified  it,  creating  a  lake  for  irrigation,  thus  es- 
tablishing for  themselves  a  romantic  and  luxurious  mountain  re- 
treat, which  they  have  felicitously  named  "Arden,"  and  which, 
in  fact,  is  no  unworthy  nor  unlike  counterpart  of  that  "Arden" 
of  Shak^peare's  idyllic  masterpiece. 

Away  back  in  the  early  '60s  a  very  exciting  episode  occurred 
at  a  point  about  three  miles  above  the  picnic  grounds,  in  which 
Mr.  Pleasants,  who  had  charge  of  a  stock  ranch  at  the  time,  was 


WS  ANG^X^ES  PIONRERS  OP   1836, 


81 


name  appears  in  the  list^  died  in  1S58,  leaving  sons  and  a  daug'h- 
ter  in  this  city.  His  German  name  was  such  a  jaw-breaker  to 
the  natives  that  they  turned  it  into  Juan  Domingo,  in  English, 
John  Sunday, 


Name. 


Age    Native  of 


Luis  Vignea 60 

Morris  Carver *....*......)  31 

John  J*  Warner 

John  Temple 

Carlos  Baric    

Jean    D.    Mayen 

Nathaniel    Pryor    , 

James  McPhcrson   * . 

Charles  Hall    .....*■*. 

Mjjnuel    D.    Olivers.    

Luis    Batichett    ........ ... 

Juan  Domingo   

Isaac  Williams    ....... 

John  Marsh 

Richard  Laughlin  

Samuel  Preatice 

Alexander  Sales    ............. 

William  Wolfskin  

Daniel   Ferguson    ...» -  ■ . 

Victor   Prudon   

Daniel  Rice , 

John  Davis  .  * 

Je§us   Ferguson 

Juan  L,  Braun  ................ 

Pierre  Romero   .... 

Albert  Fernando  , ,  * , 

Jose  Fevirn  ,....,.. 

Tames  Dobe 

Luis  A.  Tolmayes 

Pedro  Cornelero  .......... 

Frank  Hiyarez    

William   Gwinn    

Tames  Johnson   

William  Chard ,,,.,....,, 

Jonas  Bailey 

Lemuel    Carpenter    ............ 

Alexander   Dunn    ............. 

Thomas  Luse    

William  Bailey  .,,, 

John  Ray   , , , 

Joseph   Gibson    

Thomas  Tole  ..,,**...,*..,.., 

Bernabcl  Costo , 

Jordan   Pacheco 

Juan  B,  Laudry... 


France  

United  States 
United  States 
United  States 

France  

France  ...,,.. 
United  States 
Scotland    . . . . . 
TTnited  Sutea 

Portugal   

France  ....... 

Germany   

United  States 
United  States 
United  States 
United  States 
United  States 
United    States 

Ireland    * 

France  . . . 

United  States 

Norway 

United  States 

France 

France  . . , 

Great  Britain  . 
France  .,,..., 
London   ...... 

France  

Italy   ........ 

Ireland    .. 

St*  Domingo  . 

England    . 

United  States 
United  States 
United  States 
Uniteu  States 
United  States 

England   

United  States 
United  States 

Europe    

Italy   

Portugal  ..,., 
Italy 


Ar'vd. 


1831 
1831 
1 831 
1828 
1834 
t832 
1828 
1824 
183a 
1839 
i32g 
18^ 
1832 
1836 
i8z8 
1829 
1833 
1831 

1835 
T832 
1828 
1828 
183 1 
1831 
1834 
1833 
1833 
1836 
'T836 
1833 
1834 
1833 

1836 
1833 

tB36 
1833 
1831 
1S30 
1S31 
1836 
1836 
]S29 
1827 


THE  MYTH  OF  GOLD  LAKR 

BY  J.  M.  Gunnr. 

(Read  before  the  Pioneers.) 

The  history  of  the  early  California  "gold  rushes**  has  never 
been  written.  In  the  flush  days  of  California  gold  mining,  life 
was  too  strenuous  to  waste  time  in  writing  the  current  Tilstoi-jr 
of  events  that  seemed  unimportant  then.  If  the  rumor  that 
started  the  rush  proved  a  fake,  the  disgusted  miners  pocket«l 
their  disappointment  and  kept  silent  If  it  resulted  in  the  dis- 
covery of  rich  diggings,  it  was  their  policy  to  conceal  the  fact 
lest  too  many  came  to  share  their  good  fortune 

The  gold  rush — that  is,  a  rush  to  unknown  and  unexplored 
regions  on  a  rumor  that  rich  deposits  of  the  precious  metals 
abounded  there — did  not  originate  with  the  early  California 
miners.  It  is  as  old  as  civilization.  Ulysses  and  his  Argo- 
nauts were  off  on  a  gold  rush  when  they  set  out  to  find  the 
golden  fieece  of  Phryxus*  ram.  The  myth  of  Quivira  and  its 
king,  Tartarax,  who  adored  a  golden  cross,  sent  Coronado 
and  his  four  hundred  gold  hunters  on  a  weary  tramp  across 
deserts,  mountains  and  plains. 

The  fabled  island  of  California,  peopled  with  Amazons 
whose  arms  and  the  trappings  of  the  wild  beasts  they  rode  were 
of  pure  gold,  lured  Cortes  and  his  followers  into  a  gold  rush 
that  ended  like  many  a  one  since  has — in  death  and  disaster. 
Myth  and  mystery  have  always  been  potent  factors  in  incit- 
ing a  gold  rush.  Credulity  is  one  of  the  strongest  motive  pow- 
ers in  moving  humanity,  whether  it  be  exerted  in  promoting 
a  gold  rush  or  successfully  launching  a  get-rich-quick  scheme. 

One  of  the  first  of  the  famous  California  gold  rushes  was 
the  quest  for  Gold  Lake.  The  myth  of  a  Lake  of  Gold  ts  al- 
most as  old  as  our  knowledge  of  America.  Away  back  in  the 
days  of  Cortes  and  Pizarro  there  was  a  wide-spread  legend  of 
El  Dorado  and  a  Lake  of  Gold,  On  the  table  lands  of  New 
Granada,  in  South  America,  lived  a  people  known  as  Chibchas. 
Th^were  more  advanced  in  civilization  than  the  Incas  of 
Peru,  They  possessed  populous  cities,  paved  roads  and  pur- 
.':piacd- varied  industries.  They  made  golden  ornaments  and  itn- 
ageSf  and  "used  gold  for  a  circulating  medium  in  trade.     Among 


TH£  M¥TH  O^  QOW  lAKt. 


83 


^ 


these  people  existed  a  strange  custom.  Once  a  year  the  ruler 
or  cacique  was  annointed  with  an  adhesive  ointment  and  gold 
dust  thickly  scattered  over  his  nude  body  until  he  literally  be- 
came a  gilded  man.  Then  he  was  rowed  on  a  raft  to  the  mid- 
dle of  Lake  Gautivita,  into  the  waters  of  which  he  plunged  un- 
til freed  from  his  glittering  robe.  In  the  center  of  the  lake 
was  supposed  to  dwell  an  enormous  serpent.  The  glittering 
dust  was  a  propitiary  offering  to  appease  the  avarice  of  the 
demon  w^ho  dwelt  far  down  in  the  depths  of  the  lake. 

The  legend  of  El  Dorado,  which  is  a  Spanish  phrase*  lit- 
erally meaning  "The  Gilded/'  and  contracted  from  "el  hom- 
bre  dorado/*  spread  far  and  wide  throughout  Spanish  America, 
and  even  reached  Europe,  It  inflamed  the  avarice  of  the 
Spaniards  and  expedition  after  expedition  was  fitted  out  to 
search  for  the  land  of  El  Dorado  and  its  Lake  of  Gold.  Im- 
mense sums  were  spent  in  the  search,  and  countless  lives  sac- 
rificed. Even  the  English  became  imbued  with  enthusiasm 
and  joined  in  the  quest.  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  made  four  unsuc- 
cessful attempts  to  enter  the  valley  of  the  Orinoco,  where  he 
supposed  the  kingdom  of  the  Gilded  Man  was  located.  At 
length  Gonzalo  Ximinez  de  Quesada»  with  a  force  of  seven 
hundred  men,  marching:  up  the  valley  of  Rio  Magdalena,  pene 
trated  the  land  of  El  Dorado  and  conquered  its  inhabitants. 
Of  the  seven  hundred  men  with  whom  he  began  his  marcli. 
only  180  were  alive  when  the  conquest  was  completed,  and  the 
brave  Chibchas  were  almost  annihilated.  To  foil  the  Spaniards 
they  sank  their  golden  images  and  ornaments  in  the  waters 
of  the  sacred  lake. 

During  the  reign  of  Philip  II  an  attempt  was  made  to  drain 
the  Golden  Lake  Gautivita,  but  the  undertaking  w^s  not  suc- 
cessful. A  few  golden  images  and  ornaments  were  his  reward 
for  an  immense  outlay.  The  glittering  dust  washed  from  the 
gilded  bodies  of  numberless  caciques  tn  long  ages  past  lay 
deep  down  in  the  lair  of  the  demon  of  the  lake.  Such  is  the 
legend  of  El  Dorado.  How  many  who  use  the  phrase  know 
its  origin? 

The  Indians  dwelling  around  Colo.ma  at  the  time  of  Mar- 
shairs  discovery  had  a  similar  legend  of  a  Lake  of  Gold  inhab- 
ited  by  an  aquatic  monster.  Far  up  among  the  fastness  of 
the  Sierra  Nevadas,  according  to  this  myth^  was  a  lake  whose 
sides  were  lined  with  gold,  and  the  cliffs  that  lifted  above  it 
glittered  in  the  sunlight,  but  in  its  waters  dwelt  a  horrible  mon- 
ster who  devoured  all  that  came  near  his  abode.     No  Indian 


^4  PIONEERS  OF  LOS  ANCEtES  COUNTY. 

ever  bathed  in  the  waters  of  Gold  Lake.  Some  rornanciiig  miner, 
catching  fragments  of  the  Indian  myth  aiid  conveniently  leav- 
ing out  the  demon  of  the  lake,  told  as  a  fact  the  story  of  the 
discovery  by  the  Indians  of  a  L>ake  of  Gold.  The  story  passca 
from  one  to  another  and  grew  in  size  and  more  elaborate  in 
details  as  it  traveled.  Then  the  story  of  the  discovery  got  into 
the  papers,  and  with  that  reverence  for  whatever  appears  in 
print  that  possesses  us,  people  said  the  story  must  be  true;  the 
papers  say  so;  and  then  the  rush  was  on.  The  center  of  the 
excitement  was  at  Marysville,  but  it  spread  ali  over  the  north- 
ern mines.  1  quote  from  an  editorial  in  the  Placer  Times  of 
June  17,  1850.  Under  the  heading,  '*Gold  Lake/'  the  editor 
said:  "We  were  incUned  to  give  only  an  average  degree  of 
credit  to  stones  that  have  reached  its  during  the  past  few  days 
of  the  unprecedented  richness  which  that  locality  (Gold  Lake) 
has  developed.  A  few  moments  passed  in  Marysville  last  Sat- 
urday convinced  us  that  there  is  much  more  reality  in  this  last 
Eureka  report  than  usually  attaches  to  such.  In  a  year's  ex- 
perience of  local  excitement  from  the  same  cause  we  have  seen 
none  equal  to  that  which  prevails  in  that  town, 

**The  specimens  brought  into  Marysville  are  of  a  value  from 
$1500  down.  Ten  ounces  is  reported  as  no  unusual  yield  to 
the  panfull,  and  the  first  party  of  60,  which  started  out  under 
the  guidance  of  one  who  had  returned  successful,  were  assured 
that  they  would  not  get  less  than  $500  each  per  day-  We  were 
told  that  200  had  left  town  with  a  full  supply  of  provisions 
and  400  mules.  Mules  and  horses  have  doubled  in  value  and 
400  were  considered  no  more  than  enough  for  a  start, 

*'The  distance  to  Gold  Lake  was  first  reported  200  miles. 
It  lies  at  a  very  considerable  elevation  among  the  m^^untains 
that  divide  the  waters  of  the  south  fork  of  Feather  river  from 
the  north  branch  of  the  Yuba,  The  direction  from  Marysville 
is  a  little  north  of  east," 

In  the  Placer  Times  of  the  18th  the  editor,  under  the  head 
line  of  "Further  From  the  Infected  District,"  says:  "On  the 
arrival  of  the  Lawrence  (steamboat)  yesterday  from  Marysville, 
we  received  more  news  of  the  Gold  Lake  excitement.  It  prom- 
ises to  spare  no  one.  It  is  reported  that  up  to  last  Tiiursday 
2000  persons  had  taken  up  their  journey.  Many  who  were 
working  good  claims  deserted  them  for  the  new  discovery. 
Mules  and  horses  were  almost  impossible  to  obtain.  Although 
the  truth  of  the  report  rests  on  the  authority  of  but  two  or  three 
who  have  returned  from  Gold  Lake,  y^t  few  are  found  who 


THE  MYTH  OF  GOlwO  LAKt. 


8S 


doubt  the  marvelotis  revelations.  The  first  man  who  came 
into  Marysville  took  out  a  party  of  forty,  as  guide,  on  condi- 
tion they  paid  him  $100  each  if  his  story  was  verified,  even  of- 
fering his  life  as  a  forfeit  for  any  deception.  "A  second  guide 
has  left  with  a  much  larger  party,  who  are  to  give  him  $200 
each,  and  the  same  forfeit — his  life^ — if  there  is  any  deception. 

**The  spot  is  described  as  very  difhciilt  of  access,  and  it  is 
feared  many  will  lose  their  way*  A  party  of  Kanakas  are  re- 
ported to  have  wintered  at  Gold  Lake,  subsisting  chiefly  on  the 
flesh  of  their  animals.  They  are  said  to  have  taken  out  $75,000 
the  first  week. 

'*When  a  conviction  takes  such  complete  possession  of  a 
whole  community,  who  are  fully  conversant  of  all  the  exaggera- 
tions that  have  had  their  day,  it  is  scarcely  prudent  to  utter  a 
qualified  dissent  from  that  which  is  universally  unquestioned 
and  believed," 

The  Sacramento  Daily  Transcript  of  June  19th  says: 
"Places  of  business  in  Marysville  are  closed.  The  diggings 
at  Gold  Lake  are  probably  the  richest  ever  discovered.  A  story 
is  current  that  a  man  at  Gold  Lake  saw  a  large  piece  floating 
on  the  lake  which  he  succeeded  in  getting  ashore.  So  clear 
are  the  waters  that  another  rnan  saw  a  rock  of  gold  on  the  bot- 
tom. After  many  efforts  he  succeeded  in  lassoing  it.  Three 
days  afterward  he  was  seen  standing  holding  on  to  his  rope 
and  vainly  trying  to  land  his  prize." 

The  Placer  Times  of  Jfuly  ist  gives  the  denouement  of  the 
rush:  'The  Gold  Lake  excitement,  so  much  talked  of  and 
acted  upon  of  late,  has  almost  subsided.  A  crazy  man  comes 
in  for  a  share  of  the  responsibility.  Another  report  is  that 
they  have  found  one  of  the  pretended  discoverers  and  are  about 
lynching  him  at  Marysville*  Indeed,  we  are  told  that  a  demon- 
stration against  that  town  is  feared  by  many.  People  who  have 
returned  after  traveling  some  150  to  200  miles  say  that  they 
left  vast  numbers  of  parties  roaming  between  the  sources  of 
the  Yuba  and  Feather  rivers." 

After  all  the  definiteness  of  its  location  and  the  minuteness 
of  details  in  regard  to  it;  the  Kanakas  living  on  the  flesh  of 
their  steeds  and  piling  up  $75,000  a  wxek  on  its  shores;  the 
man  who  rescued  float  gold  from  its  bosom,  and  the  other  man 
who  lassoed  the  massive  nugget  far  down  in  its  crystaline  wat- 
ers; the  guides  who  had  been  there  and  who  placed  their  lives 
as  a  forfeit  against  falsehood — after  all  these  and  more,  Gold 
Lake  was  a  phantom,  a  fake,  a  figment  of  an  Indian  myth. 


9S 


tWVtSMS  or  IjOS  ANG£L£S  covkty. 


It  is  a  good  illustration  of  the  marvelous  capacity  that  peo- 
pie  have  for  beUe^Tng  what  they  wish  and  hope  may  be  true 

We  laugh  at  the  phantom  chasing  ol  early  days,  the  wild 
rush  for  Gold  Lake,  the  mad  scr^nble  to  Gold  Bluffs,  the  search 
for  the  Lost  Cabin»  the  weary  qu^t  for  the  Padre's  mine  and  the 
pursuit  of  other  igne^  fatui  that  have  deluded  honest  miners 
and  sent  them  chasing  over  mountains  and  across  deserts  af- 
tcr  illusions;  and  yet  it  is  not  strange  that  such  things  occurred. 
The  interior  of  California  in  the  days  of  '49  was  a  tora  incog- 
nita— ^an  unknown  land. 

There  was  a  common  belief  among  the  early  miners  that 
the  gold  in  the  streams  came  from  mother  lodes  far  up  in  the 
mountains.  For  ages  the  attrition  of  the  elements  had  disin- 
tegrated these  quartz  lodes  and  the  floods  had  floated  down 
the  streams  gold  dust  and  nuggets.  Could  the  mother  lode 
or  lead  be  found,  the  fortunate  finder  would  chip  off  a  few  tons 
of  gold-bearing  quartz*  pulverize  it,  extract  the  gold,  and  re- 
turn to  the  States  to  the  girl  he  had  left  behind  him — a  multi- 
milHonaire. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


«7 


GEORGE  HUNTINGTON  PECK 

George  Huntington  Peck,  A*  B.,  A.  M.^  class  of  '37,  Uni- 
versity of  Vermont,  and  son  of  Ainiira  Keyes  and  John  Peck, 
was  bom  in  Burlington,  Vermont,  March  4,  1819. 

He  entered  the  University  of  Vermont  in  August,  1833, 
being  a  Httle  over  14,  not  any  too  well  prepared,  and  at  an  age 
much  too  early  for  his  own  good,  or  to  cope  with  one  of  the 
severest  curricula  of  any  college  in  the  United  States.  The 
aggravation  of  the  position  was  increased  from  the  fact  that 
college  hfe  in  those  days  was  all  study  and  comparatively  no 
play;  i.  e,,  there  were  no  athletic  amusements  so  necessary  for 
the  development  mentally  as  well  as  physically,  for  young  stu- 
dents. As  a  consequence  of  these  deficiencies,  organic  paina 
and  weaknesses,  now  readily  understood,  but  which  seemed 
beyond  the  ken  and  control  of  the  physicians  of  nearly  seventy 
years  ago,  found  the  subject  of  this  notice  at  his  graduation  not 
strong,  as  he  should  have  been>  but  instead  a  chronic  invalid 
and  a  martyr  to  pains.  To  obtain  relief  through  change  of  air 
and  scenes,  he,  in  the  summer  of  1838,  made  a  cod-fishing  voy- 
age north  through  the  Straits  of  Belle  Isle,  and  as  far  as  the 
Esquimaux  Moravian  missionary  settlements  of  Okak  and  Naim 
on  the  Labrador  coast.  The  winter  of  1839-40  was  spent  in 
the  Island  of  Santa  Cruz,  Danish  West  Indies,  and  in  touring 
through  the  West  Indian  Islands  of  St  Thomas,  Porto  Rico, 
Hayti,  Jamaica  and  Cuba,  In  1841  Mr.  Peck  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  and  began  practicing  in  Burlington.  But  the  re- 
sult of  the  unfortunate  college  experience  forced  him  from  a 
growing  and  profitable  law  business  to  active  sea  life.  From 
December,  1842,  to  18461  he  followed  the  sea  as  a  sailor  before 
the  mast,  visiting  in  this  capacity  southern  ports  of  the  United 
States,  several  of  the  West  Indian  Islands,  Rio  Janeiro  and 
England.  Returning  to  Vermont,  he  spent  the  three  follow- 
ing years  in  the  mercantile  business  and  in  water  cures.  On 
the  first  of  December,  1849,  he  landed  in  San  Francisco,  Cal. 
In  the  same  month,  with  partners^  he  began  farming  near  Al- 
viso,  about  fifty  miles  south  of  San  Francisco.  They  were  the 
first  California  farmers  of  the  pioneers  of  '49.  In  May,  1850, 
he  was  the  first  person  established  in  San  Francisco  as  a  pro- 
duce merchant,  hay  being  $200  a  ton,  cabbages  $1.50  for  a 


pionei;rs  of  los  angeles  county. 


bunch  of  leaves  called  a  head,  peas  25  cents  a  pounl  in  the 
pod,  and  potatoes  $25  a  cental  Everything  in  California  in 
its  earliest  days  was  wild,  rough,  unsettled  and  constantly 
changing.  In  1851  and  1852  Mr.  Peck  was  a  successful  miner 
on  the  middle  fork  of  the  Amen  can  Riven  Then,  for  about 
two  years,  he  was  a  pioneer  farmer  in  Yolo  county  (where  he 
owned  several  thousand  acres),  and  until  sickness  and  the  exi- 
gencies of  a  new  country  forced  him  to  Sacramento,  where,  on 
the  14th  of  February,  1854,  he  opened  the  first  public  school 
in  the  State  outside  of  San  Francisco.  In  1857-8  he  was  prac- 
ticing law  at  Dutch  Flat,  a  mining  settlement  in  Nevada  county. 
In  1858,  on  his  return  to  California  from  a  visit  to  Vermont, 
he  opened  a  commercial  class  and  was  a  pioneer  teacher  of  dou- 
ble entry  bookkeeping  in  San  Francisco,  In  May,  i860,  he 
opened  the  San  Francisco  Industrial  SchooK  and  from  1861  to 
1863  was  Grammar  Master  (then  the  highest  educational  position 
in  California)  and  a  principal  in  the  San  Francisco  schools  until 
1863,  when  he  entered  into  and  continued  in  successful  mer- 
cantile pursuits  until  1869,  when  misfortunes  caused  his  re- 
moval to  a  farm  of  about  500  acres  at  El  Monte,  Los  Angeles 
county.  In  1869  the  city  and  county  of  Los  Angeles  had 
about  20,000  inhabitants,  and  the  latter  was  just  emerg- 
ing from  a  pastoral  state.  Markets  were  limited,  and  every- 
thing was  very  primitive.  Mr,  Peck  had  the  privilege  of  ad- 
miring his  land,  paying  taxes  and  waiting  for  the  future.  Tcach- 
ing,  fortunately,  in  such  a  new  country,  was  always  for  him  an 
available  crutch.  He  began  instructing  and  became  School 
Superintendent  of  Los  Angeles  county  from  January,  1874.  to 
1876.  Always  enterprising,  he  was  ever  ready  to  promote  use- 
ful and  improved  methods  among  the  farmers.  As  a  member 
of  the  Episcopal  church,  he  has  for  many  years  been  senior  war- 
den of  the  Church  of  Our  Savior  at  San  Gabriel,  an  ancient 
mission  of  Southern  California.  Mr.  Peck  is  an  ardent  Ver- 
monter,  and  has  no  doubt  that  Providence  for  over  sixty  years 
has  permitted  his  native  State  the  high  privilege  of  sending 
out  its  popular  increase,  and  with  it,  its  advanced  civilization  and 
strong  patriotic  government  system,  into  the  western  and  other 
new  States,  to  the  most  remarkable  degree. 

Mr.  Peck,  whilst  painfully  and  fully  realizing  that  the  mis- 
take of  overstudy  and  excessive  confinement,  with  too  little 
exercise  whilst  in  college,  worked  him  an  irreparable  injury 
in  destroying  his  health,  and  consequently  compelling  an  aban- 
donment of  his  profession  and  making  his  future  subject  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES.  ©9 

1  umerous  changfes,  new  adaptations,  adverse  conditions  and 
risks^  is  happy  in  the  beHef  that  under  the  present  system  of 
education,  college  students  can  receive  the  highest  education 
and  have  a  lifetime  of  health  in  which  to  use  it  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage- 

On  the  30th  of  April,  1864,  he  was  anarried  to  Miss  Mary 
Wanostrocht  Chater,  an  English  lady.  The  union  has  been 
most  happy.  Their  present  home  is  at  Pasadena,  Los  Angeles 
county.  They  are  the  happy  heads  of  five  families  and  numer- 
ous descendants.  Although  he  entered  college  the  youngest 
and  weakes-t  of  a  class  of  .8,  he  was  for  many  years  its  sole 
survivor. 

Mr  George  H.  Peck  died  at  Pasadena,  April  12,  1903*  aged 
84  years,  one  month  and  eight  days.  He  leaves  a  widow  and 
four  children — two  sons  and  two  daughters,  viz. ;  John  H.  F. 
Peck  of  Los  Angeles,  George  H,  Peck  of  San  Pedro,  Mrs, 
Albert  Gibbs  of  South  Pasadena,  and  Mrs*  John  E.  Jardme. 


EDMUND  CERMY  GLIDDEN. 

Edmund  Cermy  Glidden  was  born  at  Tustinbough,  N.  H.» 
October  4,  1839.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of 
his  native  place.  He  came  to  California  via  Panama,  arriving 
in  San  Francisco  in  February,  1868.  He  engaged  in  business 
there  until  February,  1870.  when  he  removed  to  Los  Angeles. 
He  engaged  in  the  sewing  machine  business.  He  bought  an 
orange  orcharad  near  San  Gabriel  and  for  several  years  was 
employed  in  orange  culture,  but  the  venture  was  not  a  success. 
He  returned  to  the  city  and  for  a  time  was  a  member  of  the 
police  force.  In  1883  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Josephine  Blan- 
chette,  H'C  was  a  charter  member  of  Southern  California 
Lodge  No.  191,  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  He  wa5 
also  a  member  of  University  Lodge  of  Independent  Order  of 
Foresters,  and  of  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County,  His 
last  occupation  was  that  of  district  manager  of  the  Chicago 
Crayon  Company.  He  died  at  Visalia,  March  2,  1903.  Be- 
sides his  widow,  he  leaves  a  son,  Edmund,  a  sister  and  two 
brothers.  He  was  a  quiet,  unassuming  man  who  did  his  duty 
faithfully  in  every  station  of  life  which  he  filled. 


90 


PIONEEKS  OF  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY- 


SAMUEL  MEYER, 

To  the  Society  of  Koneers  of  Los  Angeles  County: 

The  undersigned  committer,  by  you  appointed  to  submit 
a  memorial  of  our  late  member,  Samuel  Meyer,  respectfully 
submit  the  following: 

Samuel  Meyer  was  by  birth  a  Prussian,  native  of  Strass- 
burg.  He  came  to  New  York  in  1849.  Resided  during  the 
four  years  following  in  the  South,  at  Macon,  Ga,»  Louisville, 
Ky.,  and  Vicksburg.  In  1853  he  came  (via  Nicaragua)  to  Los 
Angeles  and  immediately  entered  commercial  life,  in  which  he 
was  prominent  for  half  a  century,  and  was  founder  of  a  sue* 
cessful  and  large  crockery  and  g^Iassware  establishment,  which 
he  conducted  til!  shortly  before  his  death,  He  was  also  prom- 
inent in  Masonry,  being  treasurer  of  Lodge  No.  42  for  some 
50  year^. 

In  1861  Mr.  Meyer  married  Miss  Davis^  and  now,  besides 
the  widow  five  daughters  and  two  sons  survive  him.  His  re- 
mains lie  in  the  Jewish  Cemetery  on  Boyle  Heights. 

Samuel  Meyer  was  like  Nathaniel  of  old,  an  Israelite  without 
guile.  He  was  always  bright  faced  and  amiable.  His  life  dur- 
ing the  trying  formulative  period  in  Los  Angeles  was  worthy 
of  the  true  Pioneer,  and  later  generations  will  fare  well,  if  they 
but  have  such  in  business  and  social  life. 

Benevolent,  too,  he  was;  an  all-around  good  citizen*  whose 
memory  we  will  cherish  till  earthly  faculties  fail  us  likewise;  but 
the  Book  of  Life  wilK  already  does,  for  him  attest  he  did  his 
best  below,  and  what  better  record  can  any  transmit  to  his  de- 
scendants?   He  died  March  25,  1903. 

We  respectfully  commend  the  entry  on  our  record,  and  trans- 
mission of  a  copy  hereof  to  his  widow. 

(Signed)  LOUIS  ROEDER, 

J.  W.  GILLETTE, 

Committee, 


CARL  FELIX  HEINZEMAN. 

This  worthy  member  of  the  Society  of  the  Pioneers  of  Los 
Angeles  County  was  born  in  the  year  1841  in  Wallmerod,  in 
Nassau,  Germanvi  and  died  in  Los  Angeles  City  on  April  29, 
1903,  after  an  illness  of  only  a  few  weeks,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Rosedale  cemetery  on  the  first  day  of  May,  1903, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


91 


C  F.  Heinzeman  received  his  education  in  his  fatherland 

in  pharmacy  and  chemistry,  and  as  a  practical  druggist.  In 
1868  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  After  a  short  stay  in 
New  York  and  in  San  Francisco  he  came  to  Los  Angeles.  Soon 
after  he  arrived  in  this  city  he  estabhshed  his  well-known  phar- 
macy on  North  Main  street  which  he  maintained  throughout  the 
remainder  of  his  life. 

Shortly  before  coming  to  Los  Angeles  he  married  Miss  An- 
tonie  Preuss,  daughter  of  Dr  Preuss,  formerly  of  New  Orleans 
and  later  of  Los  Angeles.  The  issue  of  this  marriage  was  three 
sons  and  five  daughters^  all  of  whom  survive  him.  Four  of 
his  daughters  are  married  and  are  now  Mrs.  J.  O.  Cashin,  Mrs. 
W.  Murray,  Mrs.  E.  Clark  and  Mrs,  J.  Munro.  The  two  oldest 
sons,  Carl  and  Edward,  are  now  conducting  their  father's  phar- 
macy, while  the  two  younger  children  still  attend  school. 

He  was  a  very  active  business  man  and  was  deeply  interested 
in  the  welfare  and  progress  of  this  community  and  had  high 
ideals  for  the  advancement  of  humanity  and  for  the  elevation  of 
the  poor.  Every  day  of  his  many  years  of  active  business,  from 
morning  until  late  at  night,  he  could  be  found  in  his  drug  store, 
not  allowing  himself  a  much-needed  vacation,  and  it  was  not  al- 
ways for  money  making.  To  the  poor,  who  were  unable  to  pay, 
he  often  gave  medicine  free.  His  great  experience  and  thorough 
knowledge  of  drugs  enabled  him  to  give  poor  persons  who  were 
unable  to  employ  a  physician  beneficial  advice  and  treatment. 
He  was  ever  ready  to  aid  the  deserving  poor  with  money  or  in 
any  other  way  he  could  help  them.  He  was  a  man  of  unfailing 
perseverance.  It  was  through  his  friendly  manner,  his 
kindness  and  generosity,  that  he  gained  the  love  and'  respect 
of  his  fellow  men.  He  was  more  widely  and  better  known 
than  almost  any  other  citizen  of  Los  Angeles,  and  every- 
body who  knew  him  had  a  word  of  praise  for  him.  He  was  be- 
loved by  the  rich  as  well  as  the  poor,  by  his  own  countrymen, 
by  Americans,  and  by  men  of  all  nationalities.    Therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  members  of  the  Society  of  Los  Angeles 
Pioneers  do  deeply  regret  the  loss  of  our  esteemed  brother  and 
friend,  C.  F.  Heinzeman.  and  do  herewith  extend  our  sincerest 
sympathies  to  his  family  and  relatives  in  their  hour  of  sorrow 
over  their  bereavement  of  a  loving  father  and  husband,  and  a 
true  friend  to  all  who  knew  him. 

Respectfully,  your  committee.      AUGUST  SCHMIDT. 

LOUIS  ROEDER. 
HENRY  HERWIG. 
J.  F.  BURNS- 


9» 


PiOKEERS  OF  U>S  AMGELgS  COUXTY, 


JEAN  SENTOUS. 


Mr.  Jean  Sentous  came  to  Los  Angeles  in  1856,  47  years 
ago.  He  was  a  native  of  France,  bom  January  i,  1836.  He 
was  engaged  in  dairying  and  cattle  raising  for  many  years.  He 
was  a  man  of  the  highest  probity  and  worth,  and  was  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him,  and  most  highly  by  vhose  who  knew  him 
best.  He  was  of  a  quiet,  retiring  disposition,  strongly  at- 
tached to  his  family,  which  at  the  time  of  his  death  consisted  of 
his  widow,  Mrs.  Teodora  Sentous  (born  Casanova)  and  six 
children — three  sons  and  three  daughters — all  grown.  He  be- 
longed to  no  societies  other  than  the  Pioneers  and  the  French 
Benevolent  Society,  of  which  latter  he  was  one  of  the  founders, 
and  for  many  years  the  president.  The  estimation  in  which 
Mr.  Sentous  was  held  by  his  countrymen  was  evidenced  by  the 
fact  that  the  French  colony  turned  out  en  masse  in  attendance 
at  his  funeral,  in  token  of  their  respect  for  their  compatriot. 
The  procession  of  carriages  that  followed  his  remains  to  Cal- 
vary cemetery  was  one  of  the  longest  funeral  corteges  ever  seen 
in  Los  Angeles.  Eloquent  and  appreciative  orations  in  French 
were  pronounced  at  the  grave  by  Messrs.  Fuesenot,  the  French 
Consul,  and  editor  of  L'Union  Novelle,  and  others. 


MICAJAH  D.  JOHNSON. 

At  the  California  Hospital  last  Saturday  died  one  of  the 
old  guard  of  Los  Angeles  citizens,  who  witnessed  the  growth 
of  the  city  from  a  small  beginning  and  contributed  in  large 
measure  to  its  prosperity. 

Micajah  D.  Johnson  was  born  of  Quaker  stock  in  the  town 
of  Waynesvilie,  C,  in  March,  1844*  He  held  to  the  faith  of 
his  people  through  life,  retaining  his  membership  in  the  old 
church  to  the  end.  His  education  was  completed  at  Pardue 
Institute,  Battleground,  Ind.,  and,  at  the  age  of  21,  he  went 
westward  to  seek  his  fortune,  settling  in  Virginia  City,  Mont. 
His  first  position  of  responsibility  was  in  the  banking  house  of 
Nolan  &  Wearie,  of  which  institution  he  soon  became  cashier. 
Afterwards  he  severed  his  connection  with  the  bank  to  engage 
in  the  mining  supply  business. 

In  1874  he  married  Miss  Susie  Avery  of  Virginia  City,  and 
two  years  later,  witht  his  young  wife,  removed  to  Los  Angeles. 

Mr.  Johnson's  first  business  venture  here  was  the  conduct 


BIOGRAPniCAI,  SKETCHES. 


93 


of  the  first  hotd  built  at  Santa  Monica — a  rather  pretentious 
affair  for  that  day,  which  was  long  ago  destroyed  by  fire.  Sub- 
seqtjently  Mr.  Johnson  removed  to  Los  Ang;e]es,  becoming  a 
partner  in  the  old  Grange  Store  of  happy  memory. 

In  later  years  he  went  into  public  life  and  served  two  terms 
consecutively  as  City  Treasurer.  In  more  recent  years  he  has 
been  engaged  in  real  estate  and  mining-  operations. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  always  a  man  of  right  standards  and  pro- 
^essive  impulses.  His  word  was  "yea^  yea,  and  nay,  nay,*' 
and  everybody  placed  implicit  confidence  in  him.  He  waA 
one  of  the  principal  workers  in  securing-  the  location  of  the 
Soldiers'  Home  near  this  city.  He  was  also  one  of  the  found- 
ers of  Whittier,  and  gave  that  place  its  name  after  the  Quaker 
jK>et*  He  was  vice-president  of  the  Equitable  Loan  Associa- 
tion from  the  beginning  of  that  organization.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  order  and  of  the  Pioneer  Society, 

Mr.  Jphnson  had  suffered  for  nearly  two  years  from  a 
chronic  stomach  trouble,  which  was  only  recently  diagnosed  as 
cancen  The  disease  assuming  a  violent  form,  he  was  taken 
to  the  California  Hospital,  May  25th,  where  an  operation  was 
performed  by  Dr.  Lasher,  assisted  by  Drs.  Visscher  and  Yost, 
The  patient  passed  the  operation  successfully,  and  at  first  it 
was  thought  that  his  life  could  be  saved,  but  complications  en- 
sued  which  resulted  in  death  at  11  a.  m.,  Saturday,  June  6th. 

Mr  Johnson  leaves  a  widow,  a  son,  Bailey  Johnson,  just 
grown  to  man's  estate,  and  an  adopted  daughter,  Mrs.  Ben- 
jamin McLouth  of  Hartford,  Ct.  He  also  leaves  a  brother, 
who  resides  in  Los  Angeles. 


IVAR  A,  WEID. 

Ivar  A-  Weid,  for  forty  years  a  resident  of  Southern  Cali- 
fornia, died  of  heart  failure  at  Copenhagen  the  latter  part  of 
August*  Mr.  Weid  had  gone  back  to  his  native  land  for  a 
short  stay  ,acco.mpanied  by  his  wife  and  youngest  son,  'Axel, 
and  by  H.  J.  Whitley  of  Hollywood.  News  of  the  sudden  death 
was  received  yesterday  by  the  relatives  from  Mr.  Whitley. 

The  dead  pioneer  came  to  California  about  i860,  seeking 
his  fortune,  and  through  careful  investment  amassed  wealth  and 
placed  himself  in  an  enviable  position  socially-  Shortly  after 
the  boom  of  1887  he  went  back  to  Denmark  on  a  short  visit. 
Returning  to  California  he  interested  himself  in  real  estate  to 
quite  an  extent,  obtaining  large  holdings  in  Hollywood  and  the 


9f 


.  V 


VaDcT  m  mck  properties  wliidi  have  iiiice  been 
iSvided  and  sold  at  a  big  profit  It  was  largdj  tliroagfa  his 
nntmng  cxicrgy  and  liberalitj  that  the  tittle  dnoiiBy  hne  was 
boilt  to  Hollywood,  aiid  later  he  associated  himself  with  H.  j. 
NVhitlcj  and  CoL  GtilEth  J.  Griffith  in  the  coostmction  of  the 
Hollywood  branch  of  the  dcctric  Kae  oot  Prospect  Botslevard 
which  later  was  sold  to  the  Lot  Angeles  &  Pacific  Electric 
R.ItCb. 

As  a  public  man,  Wetd  was  always  to  the  fore  in  the  np- 
bailding  of  this,  the  city  of  his  adoption,  as  well  as  Hollywood. 
He  was  a  generous  tnan,  of  temperate  habits  and  mild  dispo- 
sition, a  man  of  few  enemies  and  many  friends.  He  was  a 
strong  beliocr  in  good  roads  and  the  assistance  of  railroads, 
and  always  stood  ready  to  aid  the  interests  of  an3rthing  along 
these  linca.  He  was  one  of  the  promoters  oi  the  Simsct  Boule- 
vard. 

He  built  the  Wetd  block  on  the  comer  of  Eighth  and  Spring 
streets,  and  at$o  owned,  in  addition  to  much  other  property  at 
the  lime  of  his  death,  a  large  store  on  Los  Angeles  street  be- 
tween First  and  Requena.     He  leaves  a  snur  fortune. 

Mr.  Weid  was  about  65  years  of  age  and  leaves  a  widow, 
two  daughters  and  three  sons  to  mourn  his  loss.  His  eldest 
son,  Otto,  is  connected  with  the  Union  Hardware  &  Metal 
Company  of  this  city  and  resides  in  Hollywood.  Mr.  Weid 
was  holding  the  office  of  gauger  for  the  United  States  Internal 
Revenue  Office  and  had  been  living  for  some  time  at  138  North 
Bunker  Hil!  avenue. 

Resolutions  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  Bro,  Ivar  A,  Weid, 
October  31,  1903: 

Again  we  have  to  announce  the  death  of  one  of  our  honor- 
able members,  Captain  Ivar  A.  Weid.  a  native  of  Denmark, 
bom  in  1837.  He  died  suddenly  while  on  a  pleasure  trip  in 
Copenhagen^  on  the  25th  of  last  August. 

The  deceased  was  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.;  also  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity.  He  came  to  Los  Angeles  in  1871;  had  the 
hotior  of  holding  the  position  as  U.  S.  Gauger  both  under  the 
Republican  and  Democratic  administrations.  Although  he  had 
a  commercial  education,  he  started  fanning  when  he  first  came 
here.  Later  on  he  was  one  of  the  lessees  of  the  old  United 
States  Hotel 

Resolved*  That  we,  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles,  have  lost 
in  the  late  Captain  Ivar  A.  Weid  a  good  and  active  member, 
and  the  people  of  I^os  Angeles  an  energetic  citizen;  his  wife. 


BIOGRAPHICAI,  SKETCHES. 


9S 


a  loving'  husband;  his  children^  a  self-sacrificing  father;  and  be 
it  further 

Resolved.  That  we  proflfer  his  bereaved  family  in  this  their 
hour  of  sadne&s  and  affliction,  our  tenderest  and  kindest  sym- 
pathies for  their  irreparable  loss;  and  be  it  further 

Resolved,  That  these  resolutions  he  spread  on  the  minutes 
of  this  meeting-  and  that  a  copy  oE  them  be  presented  to  the 
family  of  our  deceased  member,  as  a  token  of  our  joint  sorrow 
and  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  the  Pioneer*  So- 
ciety of  Los  Angeles. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

AUGUST  SCHMIDT, 
W,  H.  WORKMAN, 
HENRY  HERWIG. 


JULIUS  BROUSSEAU. 

On  October  15th,  after  a  brief  illness,  Julius  Brousseau,  well 
known  lawyer  and  Democratic  politician,  died  of  Bright's  dis- 
ease at  the  apartments  of  his  daughter,  Miss  Mabel  Brousseau, 
at  the  corner  of  Pico  and  Figueroa  streets.  Since  the  death 
of  his  wife,  two  years  ago,  Mr.  Brousseau  has  gradually  been 
failing,  and  he  retired  from  active  practice  a  year  and  a  half 
ago,  since  which  time  he  had  been  devoting  his  attention  to  his 
ranch  at  Redlands,  During  the  last  three  weeks  he  was  con- 
fined to  his  bed.  He  was  a  Scottish  rite  Mason  and  the  funeral 
was  conducted  by  that  order. 

Julius  Brousseau  was  bom  December  17,  1854^  at  Malone, 
Franklin  county,  N.  Y.,  and  while  he  was  an  infant  his  parents 
removed  to  Monroe  county  in  that  State,  where  he  was  educated 
in  the  public  school^  and  in  Lima  Seminary,  and  where  he  lived 
until  he  reached  the  age  of  25  years.  After  teaching  school 
eight  or  nine  years  he  went  to  Flint,  Mich.,  and  from  there  to 
Saginaw,  where  he  practiced  law  seven  years,  serving  the  city 
as  attorney  two  terms.  In  1870  he  moved  to  Kankakee,  IIU, 
where  he  was  again  elected  to  the  position  of  City  Attorney, 
serving  two  term^, 

He  came  to  Los  Angeles  in  1877  and  soon  thereafter  formed 
a  partnership  with  Volney  E.  Howard  and  the  latter's  son, 
Frank  Howard,  the  firm  being  known  as  Howard ^  Brousseau 
&  Howard.  Later  he  was  also  in  the  law  firm  of  Brousseati 
&  Hatch.     This  partnership  was  not  dissolved  until  1882,  and 


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loi  S.  Flower 

iM^H 

Baxter,   WiUiftm   O. 

Eof. 

Broker 

May,  -47 

Santa  Uoaiea 

■i^^^ 

Burke,  JOKi^h  H. 

TcoiL 

Famier 

April  *J.  ^53 

RiTeim 

it^^l 

BoDtb,    Edward 

oyo 

SileiEnaH 

'?5 

740  W.  Seventeenth 

tlfM 

Cuw«tl,  Wm.  K. 

cu. 

Cufaler 

Ani.  *p  '67 

1093   %  Waibingbn 

it^l 

CerclU,  Scbutiu 

It^ 

Refteuratotir 

Not,  «4»  V4 

Si  I  San  Femudo 

iiiJ^H 

^^^^^^                 PIONEERS  or  uOS  ANGfiLBS  COUNTY. 

V 

1 

iiaTa- 

*M.  IH 

1                     HAUt, 

FW«. 

DCCUFATIOW. 

Aaarv.  iv  co. 

aitt. 

•tAtt 

1           CoBkelmin,   BenaH 

Germ. 

Retired 

Jaa.  J,  '6? 

3 to  S.  Loi  Angeles 

ia64 

1           Cohn,  KAtptre 

Gemu 

MeTcbant 

Dec.  's^ 

March,  % 

3601  S.  Grand 

iSsg 

1            Crimmiiu.  Jdin 

Ire. 

Mast.  Pluniber 

13?  W.   Twenty-fifth 

1869 

Crawford,  J.  S. 

N.  Y. 

Dcntiit 

■6e 

Downey    Block 

iSstt 

Currier,  A.  T. 

Maine 

Farmer 

July  r  '69 

Spadra 

186 1 

Gwk,  Frank  B, 

Coo& 

Parmer 

Feb.  »t,  '«« 

Hyde  Park 

i8«g 

CMrtcr.   N.  C 

Man. 

Farmer 

KtJT.,    >I 

Sierra   Madrc 

187. 

Conner,  Mn.   Kate 

Germ, 

Houiewife 

June  JA,  *ji 

1054   S-   Grand 

Cbaptnan^  A.   B. 

Ala. 

Ajttdrne/ 

April,  'J7 

Sao    Gabriel 

I8SS 

CnnninBhuD,   RobL  C 

Ind. 

Dentiit 

Nffr.   .5r  '73 

1 301  W.  Second 

1879 

Clarke^  N.  J, 

N.  H. 

Retired 

'« 

317   S.  Hill 

I84fl 

Com^an,  Geo.  D> 

Vs. 

Retired 

MlT,  '67 

SsS  W.  Jeffenoii 

Cowan,  D.  W,  C 

Fenn. 

Farmer 

June  It  '^ 

B24  W.  Tsidi 

1849 

Cart«r»  Julius  M. 

Vt 

RcCir^ 

March  4.  '76 

PMftd«na 

1873 

CUrke,  Jamu  A. 

N.  Y. 

Lawrer 

»J 

113   W.    Second 

1S53 

CMpbdl.  J.  M. 

Ire 

Clerk 

•73 

716   Bonnie  Brae 

iSyj 

Cable,  Jonithmn  T, 

N,  Y, 

Farmer 

Apri]  10.  '61 

I  lis    Wilhardt 

iB«t 

Culver,  Francil  F, 

Vt 

Paftner 

Not..  '76 

Compton 

1849 

Cnne,  W.  H. 

N.  Y. 

Afchitecl 

18S6 

738  W.  Sered^ 

jas» 

Cook,  AloDxo  G. 

Maine 

Phyiieiu 

lar* 

Long  Beach 

1874 

Coalter,  Framk  M.. 

Tenn. 

Merchant 

Sept  '77 

lois    S.    Figueroa 

1S77 

Daltpn,  W.  T. 

Ohio 

•si 

1900   Cmtnl   vTcnue 

iftSt 

D»Ti..  A_  B, 

N.  Y* 

Fniil    Grower 

N(XT,.  *6s 

GVndoraL 

iBiT 

1 Doonen  P.  W. 

Cuu 

Lawrer 

liiy  I,  '7* 

648  S.  Broadvuy 

187^ 

^H  I>oht,  Fred 

Genu. 

CapitaliBt 

Sept.  »69 

*i4  E.  Firat 

iSsA 

^H  Pcnztond.   C  C 

Mati. 

Merchant 

Sept.  '7n 

7»4    CoTonado 

1870 

^^    Duaktlberser,  I.  R. 

Pi. 

Retired 

JfcTL.   '66 

ijiB  W.   Ninth 

tB66 

Duiitap,  J.  ID. 

K,  H. 

Milter 

Not.,  'so 

SLlreftdo 

ISSS 

Dryden,  Wm 

N*  y* 

Parmef 

Maj,  -68 

L,ot   Aogetet 

tUi 

DuH«,  Jaa.  D. 

IIL 

FarmfF 

Sept  IS,  's8 

El  Monte 

iSSS 

t>iri9.  Emily  W, 

ItL 

Housewife 

•«J 

Gleodora 

i85tf 

tHrii,  John  W. 

Ind. 

Publisher 

Dec,  10,  V* 

518  San  Julian 

187* 

BaWi,  VirginU  W. 

Art 

Housewife 

Sept,,  -5, 

£i8   San  Julian 

185- 

Delano,  Tbot.  A. 

N.  K, 

Farmer 

April,  *5o 

Kewhalt 

i8$0 

Davtfl,  Phoebe 

N,  Y. 

Houaewife 

Dec.  15.  'S3 

797  E.  Seventeenth 

1^63 

Davw,  John 

N.  Y, 

Carpcattf 

ApHl,  •?* 

Univcnity 

iS7- 

Dou«bcrtr>    Oscar    R. 

Ind. 

Rrtired 

March  jl,  '77 

South  Pasadena 

187? 

U«  Turk.  Jm  G> 

n. 

Farmer 

April  U.  '?S 

A<i8  Edwin  ttrtel 

1875 

Dillej',  Louli 

Gimn^ 

Carpenter 

Dee.,  '7S 

1055  S,  Figueroa 

i«75 

UoT.    Victor 

pTvnce 

Retired 

Oct    li,    '7* 

Si 3  S.   Broidwiy 

1S6S 

Elton,   Ben/.   S, 

Coon. 

ajOi-   EnciiMtf 

'at 

45S  Shermui 

t8s<. 

Eberlc.    Cha*.    H. 

Pa. 

Editor 

March,    •80 

Downey 

1849 

EbinEer,  Louii 

Germ. 

M««h4nt 

Oct  9*  *7t 

75S  Miple 

t8«6 

Hdgerton,    Salvln 

Vt 

Lawyer 

'Ss 

Loi  Angele* 

iB6r 

EUintt,  J.  U. 

8.  C. 

Banker 

Not.,  '70 

9x4  W.  TwcntT-ei^th 

t8ja 

EvArta,  Hyron  E. 

K.  Y. 

Painttr 

Oct  j6,  '5S 

IvOi  Angele* 

Edehoan,  A.  W. 

PoL 

Rabbi 

Jane,  *6j 

1343   Flower 

>8S9 

Edgar.  Mrt.  W,  F. 

N.  Y. 

Retired 

April  18,  '6s 

S14   W.   Waihingtoo 

iSfij 

EtUw4rtb»  Daald 

N.  Y. 

Oil  Producer 

Sept.  '7 J 

629  S.  Flower 

1875 

^^^  SiKOj  Tlicodan  A. 

Ohio 

Architect 

Mareb,  *&7 

»6ae  S.  Figuere* 

iSSS^ 

^VnrweJl  Wm. 

Irt 

Plumber 

Attff.    15,    '67 

540    S.    Figueroa 

rtSi" 

r         Foitcr,    Geo,    S. 

Me. 

Retired 

Mar,  IS.  *7S 

73S   S.    Oliv« 

IBSJ 

1          FurfUHO,  WoL 

Ark 

Retired 

AprU,  *«^ 

301  S.  Hill 

t8s« 

1           FoRcrt  Wn.  C. 

N.  V. 

Mer&baDl 

A«i., -r* 

iial  IngnULtn 

itfis 

100 

PIONEERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY.                      ^^H 

1 

aiKTB- 

^ 

aa.  t> 

■ut*. 

rtAC*, 

DCCcrATigv. 

anv'n  Co. 

a«a. 

RATS. 

Fttncb«  Lorinf  W. 

led. 

Dentist 

Oct 

'«8 

837   Aivarado 

i8*S 

Pruklin,  Mrs.   Mftry 

Kt, 

S-eamitrcH 

Jan.  I* 

'5J 

iSj   Avenue   3a 

lajj 

Pickett.  Charles  R, 

Miaa. 

Farmer 

July  s. 

'73 

EX   MoRte 

i86e 

TuhcT,  t.  T. 

Ky. 

Putilj*ber 

Mar.  34. 

'74 

I,oa  AjLgelei 

r»73 

For.  Mfa,  Lucinda  IL 

Ind. 

Housewife 

Dec  a4. 

*S0 

651  S.  FJsucToa 

i%io 

FrcDcb.  Cliu.  E* 

Maine 

Retired 

April 

'r 

r4tH    N,    Broadway 

ta69 

Flood,  Edward 

N.  Y. 

Cement  worker 

April 

*5ff 

1515  Palmet  avenue 

l«54 

^^H   Fotfle,  t«wrcfice 

Mkaa. 

FamMT 

Dec., 

*ss 

433    Avenue   aa 

iS$5 

^^H  F«u1kft.  Irving 

Obto 

Farmer 

Oct.  iS. 

'70 

404  Bcaudry  avenue 

i»5a 

^  Franc:  k*   Adolph 

Gam 

Janitor 

May 

■*7 

4^8    Colyton 

ISSJ 

PraQkei,   Sunnd 

Germ, 

Farmer 

■fis 

SiB  S.  Hope 

1W5 

Felu.  t.  DtBBli 

Cail, 

Gardener 

May. 

'75 

116  S.  Grand  arcntie 

tS7S^_ 

GiltDOfc,   Fred  J 

Mus. 

Merchant 

Oct  s. 

V4 

loo   E.    Twenty-fifth 

i»M^^ 

G4fey.  Thoma*  A. 

Ohio 

Nurseryoun 

Oct  14. 

"sa 

38t3  Mapte  aventic 

.il$a          1 

Gftrve/p  Ricbwd 

Ire. 

fari&cr 

Dec. 

'5« 

Sas  Oabriet 

l&Sl 

Gage,  Henry  T, 

N.  Y. 

Attoropy 

Aug.. 

'74 

1146   W,    Twcnty^eighth 

'*r4 

CiUetle.  J.  W. 

N«  Y. 

Inspector 

May. 

'6a 

iMx  Temple 

iB5« 

GUlctti!,  Mn.  E*  & 

m. 

Hi>a9ewi£« 

Aujc.. 

'6S 

J  a*  Temple 

1S64 

Could.  Will   D. 

Vt 

Attflfoty 

Feb.  3S, 

V* 

Bcaudry  avenue 

i&ra 

Griffith,  Jaa.  R< 

Mo. 

Stockraiser 

May, 

•81 

Gleudalc 

tB45 

QrHD,  Morrii  M. 

N.  Y, 

Retired 

No*.. 

'is» 

JO  17  Kingaley 

tM» 

GoUmer.    Charles 

Germ. 

Merchant 

'68 

1530   Flower 

iM 

Griffith,  3.   M. 

Md. 

Retired 

April, 

■*i 

L«a  Angelca 

Its* 

GrecD,  £.   K. 

N.  Y, 

ManufoctQler 

May, 

'7* 

W-   Ninth 

t«7» 

Green.  Floyd  E- 

111 

Manufacturer 

May. 

'fa 

W.    Ninlh 

i8?i 

Guiniit  J^mci  U, 

Ohio 

Author 

Oct  iS, 

*«* 

115   S-    Gr«.Dd  at^entt* 

i8«4 

Goldiworthi^,  JehD 

Eng. 

Survcytir 

Mar.  ad. 

'** 

107  K.  Main 

ilSa 

Gilbert,  Harlow 

N.  Y. 

Fruit  Growcr 

Nor,   1, 

'69 

Beli  Station 

tt6f 

Gerkiiu,  Jacob  F^ 

Germ. 

Fwmer 

J^. 

'54 

GUndale 

l8S4 

Gwettf  Roocit  I«a 

Ark. 

Undertaker 

Nov,  s, 

•63 

;oj   N.    Grand  avenue 

I  Ada 

Grebe*  CbrinJan 

Cefffli. 

Restaurateur 

Jan.  a, 

'74 

flu  San  Fernando 

i&6a 

Gird,  Gcorse  B^ 

Ohio 

D'etre  tive  ajvicj 

*66 

4a;S  San  Joaquin 

18S« 

■             Grccnbamn,  ^phraini 

FoL 

Merchant 

'S* 

1817  Cherry 

i&st 

GDwer»  GeorKt  T. 

H.  L 

Farmer 

Not., 

'7* 

Colerove 

1161 

Grosaer,  Elctaore 

Germ. 

Houaewife 

Jin., 

■?4 

663  S.  Spring 

iByj 

Colding,  Tbomm* 

EfisE. 

ContTBclOT 

'« 

Loa.  Angela 

iBtiS 

Gla*?,    Benry 

Ceno. 

Booklimder 

Jnne  aa. 

'75 

W.   Fourth  atrecl 

Cordon,  Joha  T. 

B.  C 

Farmer, 

*68 

Asusa 

■«6S 

Crow,   G.  T. 

vu 

ConCnictor 

■71 

71S  S.  Rampart 

tStfl 

Gicse,  Henry 

lova 

Merchant 

'73 

1944  Evtrelta 

t«7l 

Gosper.   John    J. 

Ohio 

Mminir   Broker 

'76 

to3   E-    Second 

iS^ 

Haines,   Rufui    R. 

Maine 

Tcksrapher 

June, 

•71 

aiB  W.  Twenty-icvefitli 

tBsr 

HurU»  Emil 

Fnii. 

DetectiTe 

April  9> 

•«7 

tai6  W.  Eighth 

1863 

Harper,   C   F, 

N,   C. 

Merchant 

May^. 

'6S 

Laurel 

Haiard,    Geft    W. 

ID. 

Oerb 

Dec  as. 

^54 

IJ07   S-  Aivarado 

■«S4 

Haiard,  Henry  T. 

UL 

Aetomey 

Dec  aj« 

'54 

MB36  S,  Hope 

1^54 

Hellman.  Herman  W. 

Germ. 

Badcer 

May  14* 

•S9 

954   Hill 

tB» 

HuDtef.  Jane  ^ 

N.   Y. 

Jan., 

■66 

337  S.  Broaaway 

Huber,   C.   E. 

Ky. 

AjECBt 

JUITP 

•59 

Sj6  S-   Broadway 

i8s» 

Hamilton,  A.  N, 

Uleh. 

Miner 

Jan.  a4. 

•ri 

*tl    Temple 

««7- 

Holbrook.   J,    F. 

Ind, 

Manufatlurer 

May  aft, 

'7S 

155    Vine 

Ii7» 

HcimatJiip    Guttftve 

Auat. 

Banker 

Juir. 

Vi 

737   California 

It7i 

Button,  Aurdiui  W. 

Ala. 

Attorney 

Aug.  S* 

'69 

Lot   Angelct 

te«f 

HiUer,  Ura.  Abbk 

N.  Y, 

Housewife 

Oct, 

•6fl 

147  W.  Tweoty-tbird 

te$t 

Henriff,   Henry  J. 

FrUL 

Firmei' 

Dec  15* 

*sa 

FkinoM 

lUi 

MEMBERSHIP  HOLU 

\ 

^ 

101    ^M 

nSTH* 

ML  IW         ^B 

1              HAVt. 

t-LACe. 

occur  ATI  Olt. 

U*. 

MtaT&       ^H 

^      Hufabel),   St«j>hen  C. 

N.  Y. 

Attorney 

•*9 

MIS  Pieuam  aveoH 

Tft«*          ■ 

HudscFD.  J.    W. 

N.  Y. 

Farmer 

*6e 

Puente 

1868          ^1 

Holi,   Martha  A- 

Ttdn- 

House  arifc 

■S6 

San   Gabriel 

iBs&          ^ 

Hays.  Wftd« 

Mo. 

Miner 

Sept.. 

'53 

Colgfo^e 

IBS3 

Hus,  SerepCa  S. 

N.  Y. 

Houiewife 

April   [?, 

'S6 

151*  W.  Eighth 

385ft 

HsmJltoD,  Eiri  U. 

III. 

Miner 

Sept.  20. 

'7S 

31D  Avenue  ij 

>8» 

Hewitt.  Rmcoc  E. 

Ohio 

Miner 

Feb.  37, 

*73 

3i7   S.   Oliire 

iBSJ 

Hough  too  r  Sberman  O. 

K.  Y. 

Lawyer 

July  I. 

*i6 

Bullard  Block 

1S47 

Hpughtpra,   ElUi   P. 

IIL 

HouKwife 

July  i. 

'86 

Los    Angela 

1B46 

Hukcll.  John  C. 

Me- 

Farmer 

Oct.. 

'70 

Fcrtiajado 

Hcrwig,    Emma   E. 

Australia 

Hoiucwife 

Au£,, 

'S6 

Flareace 

tft56 

Hunter,  Jesse 

Iowa 

Farmer 

'5a 

Rivera 

I&49 

H>iicb,    laaic 

Germ. 

Tailor 

April  14. 

■65 

534  Temj»Ie 

iB«5 

Halt.   Thomaa   W. 

N.   Y. 

Parmer 

Jan., 

*73 

La  Cafiada 

187J 

Eopkini,  Saun  Cliftby 

Maa*. 

Fartner 

Jan.. 

'73 

LonK  Beach 

iBt* 

Hewitt,  Leslie   R. 

Wub. 

Attorney 

March   xt, 

V6 

laia    S.    Olive 

i«7tf          _. 

Hartniclci   August 

Gcnn. 

Cooper 

Aug.. 

*7a 

748  Gladys  avcntie 

187J       M 

Hcrrickt   John 

Mall. 

Hackman 

Feb.  27 > 

'59 

631  Main 

ifiso        ■ 

jHobr.  NMhui 

Prtia. 

Merchant 

July. 

'6t 

735   Hope 

I86I       ^1 

jAcoby,   MDrrii 

PfUft. 

Merchant 

•«5 

Loa   Angeles 

i8*S          " 

Junes.    Alfred 

Ohio 

Miner 

April, 

'6A 

101   N.    Bunker  Hill  ave 

,853 

Jenkins.    Cbarlcs   M. 

Ohio 

Miner 

Mar.   ig, 

'5t 

1 158    Santce 

1851      ^ 

Jobnson,    Chmrles   R. 

Mbu< 

Accountant 

*5» 

Loa  Angeles 

IB47     ■ 

Jadson,   A.    H. 

N,   Y. 

Attorney 

May, 

'70 

Pasadena   avenue 

f87D         ^ 

Jordon,   Jgiepb 

AusL 

Retired 

June, 

'6s 

Lob   Angetea 

iSss 

Johanacn,   Mri.    Cecilia 

Gem. 

Hoyseirife 

'74 

Los  Angeles 

1S74      ^ 

Jenldna,  Wm.   W. 

Ohio 

Miner 

Utr.   10. 

'51 

Ncwh4ll 

iBsi         ■ 

Jones,  John   J. 

Germ, 

Fartner 

•7S 

Hollywood 

1B75        ■ 

JohnHQi),   Edw»rd  P, 

Ind. 

prca,  L.  A.  Fura. 

C&.    June, 

'7« 

947   S,   Hope 

..e  m 

K«res,   Ctiarles  G- 

Vt. 

County  Clerk 

Nov.  35, 

%i 

J09  N.   Workman 

iSSA            ^ 

KretQ*f,    M. 

France 

Ins.    agent 

March, 

'5^ 

952  Lake  street 

iSsfl 

Kreiner^  Mrs.   Matilda 

N.   Y. 

Sept, 

'54 

95*  Lake  street 

jSm 

Kuhrti,   Jacob 

Germ. 

Merchant 

May  TO, 

'sr 

107   W.   Fi"t 

iM 

Kiirti,    Jojepb 

Germ. 

Physician 

Feb.  ?, 

'68 

361    Btiena   Vista 

1867 

KysoT,    E.    F. 

N.   Y. 

Retired 

ApT\t, 

•69 

S3S  Bonnie  Brae 

iStiS 

Kutx,    Sainuet 

Pa. 

Dept.  Co.  Cterk 

Oct.   30, 

'?4 

3t7  S.  Soto 

IB74      J 

Kuhrtt,    SflUM 

Germ. 

Housewife 

May, 

•63 

107   W.    First 

iWt         ^ 

King,  Latin  E. 

Flor. 

Housewife 

Not,  ?7* 

'4* 

41*   N.    Breed 

tB49         V 

Klockcnbrink.   Wm. 

uerm. 

Bookkeeper 

Oct.. 

*70 

Hewitt 

i87«          ^ 

Knighten.  Will  A. 

iDd. 

Miniiter 

Oct., 

*69 

150  W.   Thirty-firrt 

ii49 

Kiefer,  Peter  ?. 

Cenn. 

Retired 

Jan.   IS. 

•82 

240  N.   Hope 

iB6a 

KcarT3ey«   Jobn 

Can. 

Zanjero 

Sept.   18, 

'7» 

7^8   H,  Eighth 

1871 

Kurrlc,    Frederick 

Germ. 

Retired 

May    t£, 

*77 

133   Carr 

i«77           ^ 

Lynch,  jDiepb   D. 

Pa. 

Editor  and    Pub. 

D«., 

*74 

^11    New  High 

187a          " 

Lamb,    Cha^.    C< 

in. 

Real   Estate  agent 

'?4 

Puadeai 

1S74 

Latabourn,    Fred 

Enff. 

Grocer 

Dec,, 

'5* 

840  Judson 

1859 

LAnkerabiin,  J,    6 

Mo. 

Capitalist 

'7* 

Stjo    S.   Olive 

1854 

Laxard,    Soloman 

France 

Retired 

'51 

te?    Seventh 

iSsi 

Loeb,   LcDD 

France 

Merchant 

Feb,. 

'H 

isai   Wcstlake  iTenw 

iS«« 

Leek,  Henry  Vander 

Cal. 

Merchant 

Dee.  14. 

'5» 

3309    Flower 

iflsv 

Lembecfcp.    Chitlei   M. 

Germ. 

Pickle  work! 

Mar.  20, 

*5T 

S?7  Lofl  Angela 

■Sm 

Levy.   Michael 

France 

Merchant 

Oct. 

'6S 

i&i3  Kip 

iSsi 

Lyon,  Lewit  H. 

Maine 

Bookkeeper 

Oct, 

'6ft 

Newhall 

lUB 

LKhler.  G«rge  W. 

Pa. 

Apiarist 

Nov., 

'58 

Ncwhall 

iBst 

^^^^^H 

^^1 

102 

PIONEERS  OF  T^S  ANGELES  COUNTY.                       ^^^H 

■ 

StSTX- 

jlittt^ 

VAHIt 

ruec 

DCCcrATioir. 

AMVV.  in  C&. 

SLM. 

VtATK 

N.    Y. 

Retired 

July  J. 

>» 

5?7    VVaU 

I»S7 

Loaamore.  Iiabellik  F. 

Conn. 

Hauiewife 

Jan.    I, 

'77 

iia  CypTcai  areniu 

(877 

Lockwood,   Georce  H- 

Mich. 

Dffi.    Sheriff 

Feb,. 

■68 

763   MeccbAot 

i&€S       J 

Lcu»   Ediatifld 

Gena. 

ItisuraAce 

JttM    17, 

V* 

a9«y  S.  E4^ 

—^ 

Une.   Rohftn  A. 

Can. 

Attoffley 

Sept. 

Va 

iioi  Dovney  avenue 

r«^ 

Lwkhnrt.  TbottiM  }. 

la± 

Real    Eitete 

May  I. 

•73 

[$29  LoreUce  avenue 

.87*^ 

Loclihin,  Levi  J. 

lad. 

Coal  merchant 

May   i. 

'73 

1B14  S.  Grand  avenue 

l«7J 

Lockwood.  Jama  W, 

N.  Y. 

PlAiterer 

Apnl  1. 

Vs 

Water  atreet 

[856 

L«hlcr,   Abbi«   J. 

IlL 

Houiewife 

Dec. 

'51 

Rich  atreet 

1*53 

Loo«iDon,  Jamcm 

Eng. 

Farmer 

Jaru  t6, 

'?S 

ttit   Lafarette 

Loyhed.  MoUk  A. 

IlL 

Housewife 

*S6 

Winfield 

iSSJ 

leaning,  Samud  W. 

N.  J. 

Stair  builder 

Sept. 

*8fi 

750  S*  OUtc 

ifts* 

Lewift.   Wu.   Robert 

Ala. 

CantTBctar 

Sept.. 

'71 

L»  Angdea 

IB7I 

UkT'  0*aT 

Ind. 

Farmer 

*Sf> 

Albaffibra 

itso        1 

Mappa,  AdRffl  C 

N.  Y. 

Searr:!!.  Rec 

Nov., 

.64 

Loi  Angelea 

.«fi4         ' 

^^H     Hercadante,    N. 

EUly 

Grocer 

April  1 6, 

•69 

4^0  San  Pedro 

iBfii 

^^B    IteuDcr.  Jiiupb 

Obift 

Mercbwit 

Sept. 

'5* 

troti  Manjtou  aveoue 

I  as* 

^^B    Ifcsscr,    E- 

G*nn, 

Retired 

Feb.. 

'54 

336    Jackion 

i8ji 

^^^1     MejcT,    Samuel 

Genjj. 

Merchant 

April, 

'S3 

U3?   S.   Hope 

»BS3 

V     Uelier,   Louii 

BdhemiA 

SUtioncr 

April  1, 

'?0 

^0   Figueroa 

i&a 

Mttcb«n.    KeweU    H. 

obio 

Hotel  keeper 

Sei>t.  a<. 

'6« 

Paaadeni 

IMS 

Moore.    Isaac   N. 

lit 

Retired 

Not.. 

■*S9 

C*l.  Truck  Co. 

iWs 

MutlaUr.  Joseph 

Ohio 

Retired 

March  s, 

^S4 

itj   Collefe 

iBjo       ' 

McLrtO.  Wm. 

Scotland 

Contractor 

**9 

3«i  S.  Hope 

r8«D 

UcMuWm.  W,  C. 

Canada 

Farmer 

J«i.. 

'70 

Station   D 

[S67 

McComas,  Jol.   E. 

Va. 

Retired 

OCL, 

'7* 

Pomona 

tSsj 

Moeu  Tbomu  D. 

N.  V. 

Retired 

'M 

64  s  £'  Main 

tS49        , 

Mtller.  WiUlaiD 

N,  Y. 

Carpeijtcf 

No«.  ti. 

'60 

Saeta  Moaica 

^_ 

MarxaoUt    Dora 

Germ. 

HouKwiffl 

Not.   14, 

■73 

aj3  E,   Seventeenth 

1873 

Ucadc.    John 

Ire. 

Retired 

Sept  6, 

•«9 

303  W.  Eighteenth 

iB6g 

Uoran.  Samuel 

D.  C 

Paiatcr 

May  15. 

*73 

Colegrove 

te73 

Mai«r,  Simon 

Germ. 

Butcher 

'7* 

137  S,  Grand 

l«7* 

MtlvilU  J.  H., 

Mail. 

See.   Fid,  Ab.  Gh 

Aug., 

'?S 

46s  N*  Beaudfy  avenue 

l«74 

Montapie,    Nfrurd]    S. 

nL 

Farmer 

Oct    2. 

*S6 

133  E.  Tweftty-eghth 

ias< 

BfcFjrtand,    Silak   R. 

Pa. 

Uvery 

Jvi.  aS. 

*75 

1334  W.  Twelfth 

iHi 

Ueri,   Htnry 

Germ. 

Retired 

Aug., 

'74 

106   Jewett 

^^ 

Uood^,  Alexander  C 

N.  S. 

Carpenter 

Jan.  B( 

■66 

135  Avenue  a  J 

Moore,  Hsir  E. 

N.  Y. 

'6« 

14*7  E.  Twentieth 

Morgan,    OcUTiui 

Ehe^ 

Architect 

May, 

'74 

i£i9  WeaUafce  avenue 

!t74 

Moore,   Alfred 

Eag. 

EiprcM 

July  »i. 

•74 

703   S.  Workffiin 

1874 

Monon,  A.  J. 

Irt 

Machtmit 

•74 

JJ5  New  High 

Morton,  John  Jay 

Miclu 

Farmer 

Auf., 

'67 

ComptOB 

iS6r 

Mulrein,    David 

Irt. 

Ruildrr 

*S4 

419    Beaudry 

j8s3 

McArthur,   Jobq 

Cm. 

Miner 

*«9 

Ijio^  S-   Figueroa 

McArthur.  Catherltw 

N.  Y. 

Housewife 

•?* 

190P  S.  Figuen* 

McGarrin,    Kobert 

Cam 

Real  Eatate  aoent 

April  s. 

•75 

»jeM   S.  Spring 

l«7S 

UcDotiald^  Jamei 

Teoa. 

Engineer 

Oct. 

■S7 

fjofl  E-  Twentieth 

iSsj 

McCretry^  Mary  B. 

N.  Y. 

Housewife 

Nor.  a 

•6» 

01 1   S.  Hope 

McCreery.    Rufua   K. 

Md. 

Retired 

Not,  3 

'6fl 

on  S.  Hope 

McTloioit,  Joha 

N,  V. 

Capital  ift 

May  30 

^80 

Hinei 

iS0A 

McCoye,  Prank 

N.  y. 

Broker 

May, 

'7« 

is8   S.   Broadway 

iB7« 

McMahon.    P.    J* 

Ire. 

Retired 

July. 

*8l 

3619  Hanitou 

1853 

McDoniJd,    Un,   J,    C 

Mo. 

HouMvife 

JM.      Jt 

'SO 

Loi    Angeica 

iSSO 

NortoB,  Ivuc 

Poland 

Sec.  Load  Aaa. 

Nor. 

*69 

IS64  FigdCfH 

iB6» 

Newmarb;,   Harrii 

Germ. 

Merchaat 

Oct  «a 

.  'SJ 

iDji  Grand  aTennv 

i«SJ 

^^^^^^^■^^^^ 

^^^m 

^H 

^^^1 

■ 

^1 

■ 

\ 

^H 

^ 

^ 

MEMBERSHIP  fiOLU 

1 

^^^^ 

103    1 

aiiTiT* 

iif    ^1 

HAUt. 

FLACt 

OCCVtAtlOK. 

AJtalV.  IK  Co. 

a«a. 

tJATIL         ^M 

Kewnmrk,  U.  J. 

N.    Y. 

Merchant 

Sept., 

'S4 

1047  Grand  avenue 

•SSI        ■ 

Newell,  J.  C, 

Can. 

Laborer 

Jtilr  14. 

.5* 

1417  W.  Ninth 

i«50        ■ 

Ncwtrjfi,  J.    C 

N.  Y. 

Farmer 

Jan.   29. 

'71 

South    Pafladena 

lS7<         ^ 

Nicbols,   TbonuB   E. 

CaL 

Comity  Auditor 

'S8 

aaj   W.  Thirty.firit 

.esft      ^ 

IfeweU,  Mn.  J.  G. 

Ind. 

Housewife 

June, 

'S3 

3417  W.  Ninth 

iBsa 

Nadan.  Geo.  A. 

Can. 

Farmer 

'fi8 

Florence 

Newmmrk,  Mrs,  H, 

N,  Y- 

Sept  i«. 

'54 

105 1  S,  Grud 

I«W                1 

Nittcn^r^   Edward 

Conn, 

Real  Ettate  broker 

Dec.. 

'74 

Fifth   atreet 

1874        ^ 

Orroc,   Henrr    S, 

Go. 

Phy$iciaa 

July  4. 

'68 

Douglas    Bloclc 

]S6S       H 

Oabornc,  John 

Eog. 

Retired 

Not.  m. 

'6B 

322  W.   Thirtieth 

1S54        ■ 

Osborn.   Wtn.  M, 

N.  Y. 

LiTcry 

March. 

*S8 

973  W.  TwcUth 

»85S         ~ 

O'Melvenr,  Henry  W. 

Ul 

Attorney 

Nov,. 

^68 

Baker   Block 

tm         ^ 

Owen*  Edward  H. 

Ala, 

Clerk  U.   S.   Cottrt 

Oct, 

■70 

Garvanxa 

1S70        ^ 

Orr,  Beniamia  F. 

Pa. 

Undertaker 

May* 

'75 

iBif   Buih 

tajB     ■ 

Pirkcfi  Koocrt 

Fa. 

Printer 

April  10. 

'?S 

330  S»  Bcaudrjr 

..  1 

Parker.  Joel  B. 

N.  Y. 

Fanner 

April  ao. 

•7fl 

Sta  E.  Twelfth 

tS/o          ^ 

Ftichkt.  William 

Germ. 

Retired 

April   tj. 

'6S 

S38  Macy 

185a 

Pik*.   Ceo.   H. 

U^^. 

Retired 

■«? 

Los    Angetea 

iSs* 

Ponet*  Victor 

BeT^iam 

Capitalirt 

Oct.. 

'*9 

Sbfi-man 

ie67 

Pddham,  Wa. 

N.  V. 

supL  w.  r.  Cft 

An?.  >S, 

'68 

Baker  Block 

1854     ^ 

Prai^er,  Samuel 

PmBal« 

KfftaiT 

Fab- 

'■ 

Los  Aneelea 

18!!4        fl 

Proctor*   A.   A. 

N.    Y. 

Elackatnitfc 

Dec-  a*. 

'?> 

i^Pi  Maple  BTcnae 

iS7a       V 

PilScrngtoD.  W.  M. 

Ena. 

Gafdener 

*73 

atB  N.   Cummtngs 

1S73 

Proffil.  Green  L. 

Mo, 

Retired 

Ko^., 

•S7 

151=  W*  Twelfth 

isss 

Perry,  Harriet  S, 

Ohb 

Housewife 

Kit  is. 

'7S 

1723  rowi 

i8TS 

PsBchlce,    Erail 

Germ. 

Merchant 

Not.  30. 

'75 

940  SuHunJt  ■Tcnue 

Vye;,   Thomaa 

Kng* 

Farmer 

'TT 

Pasadena 

t«4* 

Preston,  John  E» 

Eng. 

MetchanC 

July  7. 

'7S 

Waterloo 

iByfi 

QuEnn,    Ricfaard 

Ire. 

Farmer 

Jafl. 

.■61 

El   Monte 

iMf 

Quina,  Micba«t  F. 

N*  V. 

Farmer 

Mareb  i, 

'59 

El  Monte 

1859        H 

fiaynea,    Frank 

Hna. 

XrUmbemaEl 

Auff., 

*?t 

Pomona 

..    ■ 

Riley,  JamM   M. 

Mo* 

Mantifactnref 

Dec.* 

•6fi 

1105   S,  Olire 

iSS7 

Richardson,   H-   W, 

Ohio 

Dairyman 

Sept., 

Vi 

TropicD 

J871 

RJcUrdaon,  W.  C  B, 

N.   B. 

Surveyor 

'68 

Tropico 

im 

RocdcT*  Louis 

Germ, 

Retifed 

Not*  »i 

;.'s« 

319   Boyd 

iSsS 

Rohitiaon,  W.  W* 

K*  S. 

Clerk 

Sept., 

*fia 

T17   S.   Olive 

1351 

Roberta,    Henry    C. 

Pa. 

Frnit  Grower 

'54 

Aznaa 

iBso 

Rinaldi,   Carl   A,   R, 

tJcmii 

Horticnltnriat 

April, 

'S4 

Fernando 

1834 

Rtndall,    Stephen   A* 

Enff* 

Real  Estate 

Mayt. 

'6fi 

9^05   Alvarado 

T8«f 

Reavia,   Walter  S. 

Mo. 

Collector 

June  S. 

'Sg 

1407   Sunset  Boulevmrd 

T859 

R  Off  en,  Alex  H, 

Md. 

Retired 

Aug., 

'73 

itss   Wall 

1B5S 

Ready,   RimmH  W. 

Mo. 

Attorney 

Dee-  ifl, 

•73 

San  Pedro  street 

!873 

Ros5,  HrsWne  M. 

Va, 

U.  S.  Jndffe 

June  10* 

'68 

Los    Angeles 

I66S 

Russell*  Wm.  H. 

K.  Y. 

Fruit  Grower 

April  9, 

'66 

Whittle  r 

t86« 

Rtixton,  Albert  St.  G. 

Kng 

Surreyor 

Sept, 

•73 

ijS  N*  Mftio 

TS73 

TitvAs.  Wm.  E. 

Mo. 

Liveryman 

April  33, 

'73 

1405  Scott 

1873 

Kolrton,  Wm 

ni. 

Farmer 

■7* 

El  Monte 

Read,  Jennie   Sanderaoi 

1      K.  Y, 

Vocal  aoloist 

June  ao, 

'rff 

rifj  Lerdo 

iSffS 

Ttoquea,  A.  C 

Franee 

Clerk 

Ant.  r«, 

.  '70 

City  Hall 

Raphael.   C 

GCPBli 

Retired 

May  g. 

*69 

Lo»  Anffclea 

taufl         J 

1      104 

PtONEBES  OF  LOS  AKC^LES  COUNTY.                     ^^^V 

■MTH- 

A*.  Til 

H 

KACC 

QCCVtATKmt, 

Aamiw.  r*  co. 

KES. 

itAVa. 

H              Sctinitll.  Qgnfried 

D«amaffe 

Farmer 

Aug.. 

'U 

Loi  Atigclcs 

[B64 

^M              Scfamtdl,  Augiul 

Qerm. 

Retired 

May, 

'H 

710   S.   Olive 

iM» 

^^             StufTer,   Jobn 

IlaUiEld 

Retired 

Uareb. 

*J' 

l.oftg    Beacli 

IU9 

^^m      Shi»rb,  A.  S. 

Ohio 

Phyjiician 

June^ 

'71 

6$i    Adlms 

1871 

^^B     Stall.  Simon 

Ky. 

Merchant 

Aug.. 

■64J 

Soa  S.  BfOidway 

iMf 

^^B      Sttwmit.    J.    bi. 

N.  H. 

Retired 

May  14, 

'70 

5Ja  W.  Thirtieth 

tftj> 

V             Stcphcni.    Daniel    G- 

N.    J 

(Irchardiat 

April. 

'«i 

Si^h  and  Olive 

tB» 

H              Stepfaeni.  Mrs.    £,  T. 

Maine 

'69 

Sivlh  and  Olive 

ift«« 

H              Snitti,  fiuc  S. 

N.  Y. 

Sec,   Oil  Co. 

Nov., 

*7l 

jio   N.   Olive 

i85« 

■              Smith.    W-    1-    A. 

Eng- 

Draughtsman 

April    12, 

'74 

ft  JO  Linden 

i«74 

H               Scutoui,   Jean 

France 

Retired 

April, 

*S* 

54  S  S.  Grand  avenue 

'«** 

■              5h«irer,  Mrs,  TJLlie 

IIL 

HouMwife 

Juiy. 

'7S 

IIJ4   El  Molino 

ilj* 

^^H      Stronir,   Robert 

N,  Y. 

Broker 

Manrh, 

•?» 

Pasadena 

187a 

^^P     S«r<3«r,   Z,    T. 

iBd. 

Farmer 

April. 

'7i 

Tropica 

ift7J 

^"      Sliuahwr,  John  L. 

u. 

Retired 

Jan.   10, 

'fit 

«i4   N.   Bunker  Hill 

iM 

Scott,    Mrs.    Amanda 

W.      Ohio 

Housewife 

I>ec.   ai, 

'59 

$8g   Mission    Road 

>8S» 

Stall,  H.  W. 

Germ. 

ManuaCctufer 

Oct.  1, 

'6? 

844  s.  Hia 

iM? 

Sumner.  C.  A. 

Eng. 

Broker 

May  &. 

'7J 

£joi    Orange 

187J 

Snitb,  Mn,   Sanli  J, 

111. 

Housewife 

Sept., 

■yj 

Temple  street 

TB«« 

Starr*  jOTcph  L. 

Texas 

Dairyman 

Vi 

Los    An^lei 

|B«3 

Schmidt.    Frederick 

Germ. 

Farmer 

'73 

L-Qi  jVngclci 

i*U 

Spence.    Mrs.   Annie 

Ire, 

Housewife 

'70 

445  S,  Olive 

tH64 

Smith,  Simoa  B, 

Conn. 

tnsunnce 

May  17. 

•76 

i^a  K.  Avenue  ai 

(*7* 

Sharp*  Robert  h> 

Ens. 

Funeral    Director 

May. 

'7« 

Loi    Angeled 

t«ti9 

ShafiFer,    Cornelia    R. 

Holland 

HouBcwitc 

April, 

'rii 

Lung    Beach 

IBs  J 

SUuEbter.    Frank   R, 

N.    Y. 

Horticukuriit 

Not.. 

*74 

Loi   Angeles 

1874 

SUub,  C«or«e 

N.  Y. 

Farmer 

'?J 

Lo*  Angele* 

1871 

Short*  Cornelius  R. 

Del. 

Farmer 

Aug.  a. 

'69 

1417  Mission  Boulevard 

IBs* 

Staples,  John  P. 

Md. 

Drover 

March. 

•S9 

St.  Ebna  Hotel 

l«4f 

Stewart,  MetJBu  A. 

N.  Y. 

Houficwife 

March. 

*7I 

513  W.  Thirtieth 

*«* 

Sleere,  Rot>en 

N.  Y. 

Retired 

March. 

*75 

360  5.  Olive 

>S58 

SclirQcdpT,    Hu£o 

111. 

Sign    Painter 

April, 

*75 

Tjio  S.    Figueroa 

.«« 

Schrotder.    Adelmo 

Ill 

Siev.   Painter 

Dec., 

'74 

[357    Hoover 

l«7* 

Taberraan,  J.  R. 

Va. 

Farmer 

April, 

'63 

615  S.  Ftgueroa 

i*5» 

Teed,    MAth«ff 

Eng. 

Caipeniet 

JWL. 

'ej 

513   California 

t8S4 

Thotn,     Caoitraci    ^ 

Va. 

Attorney 

Apri], 

's-* 

J18  E.  Third 

'«** 

Taft.  Mr*.   Mary  H. 

Mich. 

Hoiuewitc 

Dec.  J5, 

'S4 

Hollywood 

1854 

Tbomas,  John  M. 

tad. 

Firmer 

Dec.  ?. 

'68 

Monrovia 

>8S9 

Truman,   Ben  C- 

H.  L 

Author 

Feb.  i, 

'7^ 

1001    Twenty^Chird 

i8«« 

Turner,    Wm.    F- 

Ohio 

Grocer 

May. 

'sB 

60a   N.    Griflfin 

t8s« 

Thayer,  John  S. 

N.  Y, 

Merchant 

Oct.  iS* 

'74 

147  W.  Twenty-fifth 

t«74 

Tuhba.  Geo,  W. 

Vt. 

Retired 

Oct.. 

'71 

1641  Central 

tMH 

Vifaola,  Ambrocia 

Italy 

Merch»flt 

ScDt.  t6. 

*7A 

535  S.  Main 

ift5» 

Veoabk.  Joseph   W. 

Ky. 

Farmer 

J«lr. 

'69 

Downey 

1844 

VoBt,   Henry 

Cerrn. 

Builder 

Jad.  4. 

'6» 

Castelar 

««M 

Vawter,  5,  J* 

lad. 

Florist 

April   I  J, 

'M 

Ocean   Park 

(»7S 

Vawler.  W.  S- 

led. 

Farmer 

July  10. 

'7S 

Sanu  Monica 

t«75 

Workman,  Wm,  H. 

Ma 

City  Treanrer 

'S4 

J75   Boyle  avenue 

tBS4 

Worltman,   E.  H. 

Mo. 

Real  Eitate 

*S4 

130  Boyle  avenue 

tSM 

Wise.  Kenneth   D. 

Ind. 

Physician 

Sept.. 

'7* 

i3St  S,  Grand  avenue 

t87J 

Wright.   Charici  M. 

Vt. 

Fanner 

J«b. 

^59 

Spadra 

tSsg 

Widney.    Kobtrt    M 

Ohio 

Fruit   Grower 

March, 

*6S 

Los   Angeles 

f8s7 

WeCiel.    Martin 

Ky. 

Engineer 

Aug,     3?. 

'67 
J 

4114   Puadena   avenue 

1S67 

Weston,    Ben    S. 
White.  Chirlet  H, 
Wilion,  C.   N. 
Ward,  JamcA  F. 
Workmui,   Alfred 
Woodhcad.  Cbas,  B. 

Wern^    Auguflt    W. 
Wriffat,  Hdward  T. 
Wolilfartb.  Auciut 
Wbite,  h  P^ 
Wyjtt,^  Mirf  ThompMti 
Wyatt,  J.  Blackburn 
Wotf.  C«arffe  W, 
Wolfildll.   Ji^bD 

YaracElt  Jflae 
Youag,  Joha  D. 
Virnell,   Mrs.   S.  C 
Yeuaf ,  Robert  A. 


URtH- 

ruc«. 

occnPAnov. 

Masi, 

Ffirtncf 

Uasi, 

S,   P.   Co, 

Ohio 

U*yer 

N.  Y. 

Fanaer 

Enff. 

Bfolter 

Ohio 

Dairyman 

G«flB. 

Com.    TrpT. 

Ark. 

Miner 

Germ. 

Retired 

III. 

Surveyor 

Germ, 

SaddJcr 

Kr. 

WeU'borer 

Te.. 

Housewtfe 

Va. 

Fartdcr 

Ind. 

Fanner 

Uo. 

Rancher 

Ohio 

Printer 

Ho. 

Farmer 

Wi4. 

Housewife 

Ire, 

Uiner 

AMMTf,  IV  CO. 

'Si 

How.t  ■?" 

Jan.  9^  *jt 

Jan.,  *7a 

Not,  iS.  '63 

Feb.  31^  '74 

Not.,  *sa 

Aug:.,  *£j 

Harcb,  >$ 
Stpt..  '?4 

Sept,  *sa 

Oct   S.  *73 
Dec.    I  a,  '34 


tta. 

Redonda 
IIJ7  Ingraham 
Pcmandoi 
iiai  S.  Grand 
ai3   Boyle  avenue 
S53   Bucna   Vista 
1057   S.    Grand  aTcnue 
S3S  San   Pedro  street 
722    Valencia 
ix6  S.   Sprm; 
(€^4  Pleasant  iTcauc 
gS?  E,  Fifty-fiftfa 
Downey 
Downey 

433ta  Vermont  avenue 
1419  S'  Grand  avenue 


itsa 

117a 


llS« 

lis  J 
i«39 

1&70 
li7# 
iSja 
lS4* 


April,  *£?  lAoS  W.   First 

Oct,  ';j  3607  Figucro* 

Apri],  '6?  iBoB   W.   Firat 

*66  Lo»  Anflclei 


itSJ 

lisi 


1  1 


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M 


CONTENTS 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  PAPERS. 

Officers  of  the  Historical  Society,  1904-1905 108 

Portrait  of  Marcus  Baker no 

In  Memory  of  Marcus  Baker Dn  Robt.  E.  C.  Stearns.  .  11 1 

E>o\VTi  In  Panama J.  M,  Guinn. .  115 

Sequoyah Dr.  J    D.  Moody. ,  122 

A  Notable  Manifesto , . . ,  H.  D.  Barrows   . ,  126 

Pinacate Laura  Evertsen  King. ,  132 

PIONEER    SOCIETY    PAPERS. 

Oflficers  of  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Ar^;^les  County,  1904-1905.  135 

Constitution  and  By-Laws 1 36 

Order  of  Business *..,..,., 140 

Reports  of  the  Secretary  and  Treasurer.  .,..,.... 141 

Report  of  the  Finance  Committee 142 

Los  Angeles — The  Old  and  the  New L.  T,  Fisher. .  143 

Some  Historic  Fads  and  Fakes. J,  M.  Guinn. ,  148 

Som«  of  My  Indian  Experi-ences J.  W.  Gillette. .  158 

Portrait  of  Wm.  H.  Workman 165 

Pioneers  Crossing  the  Plains .Cut. .  165 

Banquet  Given  to  the  Pioneers  by  Wm.  H.  Workman 165 

Rain  and  Rainmakers , J,  M.  Guinn,  .  r/l 

BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  OF  DECEASED  PIONEERS. 

Mathew  Teed  , Compiled .  .  177 

Nathaniel  Cobum  Carter Committee  Report. .  178 

Oinri  J.  BuHis , *  .Committee  Report.  .  179 

George  Edwin  Gard .Committee  Re]X)rt.  .  iSo 

Jonathan  Dickey  Dunlap Committee  Report .  .  181 

Mrs.  Cornelia  R.  Shaffer .Committee  Report. .  182 

Thomas  D.  Mott L.  A.  Times .  .  184 

Kilian  Messer   .,.._.., , Committee  Report .  .  186 

Col.  Isaac  RothermeT  DunkelUerg^er.  .  .  .Committee  Re|>Drt,  .  186 

Pascal  Ballade .Committee  Report. ,  187 

John  Crimmins Committee  Report . .  188 

In  Memoriam 189 

Roll  of  Members loi 


t 


Officers  of  the  Historical  Society 

1904 

OFFICERS. 

Walter   R.    Bacon President 

Mrs.  M.  Burtok  Williamson First  Vice-President 

Dr.  J.   E.   CowLES Second  Vice-President 

Edwin    Baxter    Treasurer 

J.   M.   GuiNN Secretary   and   Curator 

board  op  directors. 

Walter  R.   Bacon, 
H.  D.  Barrows, 
Dr.  J.  E.  CowLES, 
Edwin  Baxter* 
A.  C.  Vrouan, 
J.  M.  Guinn, 
Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson. 

1905 

officers. 

Walter   R.    Bacon President 

Mrs.  M.  Burton  Wiluamson First  Vice-President 

Hon.    Henry    E.   Carter Second   Vice-President 

Edwin    Baxter    Treasurer 

J.   M.   GuiNN Secretary   and   Curator 

BOARD  OF  directors. 

Walter  R.  Bacon, 
Hon.  Henry  E.  Carter, 
J,  M.  GuiNN, 
A.  C  Vroman, 
H.  D.  Barrows, 
Edwin  Baxterp 
Mrs.  M.  Burton  Williamson. 


Historical  Society 


OF 


Southern   California 

LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA 
19  0  4 


IN  MEMORY  OF  MARCUS  BAKER. 
By  Robert  E*  C.  Stearns. 

Emerson  tells  us  that  "all  virtue  lies  in  minorities*"  This 
dictum  of  the  great  philosopher  appears  to  be  essentially  true 
when  we  investigate  the  genesis  of  public  institutions,  and  find 
as  we  do,  that  the  initiative  which  led  to  their  establishment  and 
subsequent  development  into  an  organized  force,  was  made  by 
a  few  enlightened  and  public-spirited  persons. 

If  we  inquire  into  the  birth  and  progress  of  such  organiza- 
tions as  are  universally  admitted  to  be  beneficial  to  mankind, 
we  find  here  on  the  West  Coast  as  well  as  elsewhere,  the  sub- 
stantial truth  of  the  axiom  above  quoted,  We  can  point  to  a 
few  conspicuous  examples  like  the  California  Academy  of 
Sciences  founded  fifty  years  ago,  in  the  very  height  of  the  "gold 
fever,"  by  a  "a  little  coterie"  of  eight  men^  of  whom  none  are 
left  lo  see  the  tree  that  has  grown  from  the  seed  they  planted. 
The  "College  of  California,"  developed  logically  into  the  pres- 
ent "University  of  California,"  with  its  staff  of  175  professors 
and  instructors,*  and  we  are  not  without  proof  of  the  per- 
tinency of  Emerson's  words  when  we  consider  the  beginning 
of  the  "Historical  Society  of  Southern  California." 

The  worthy  and  honored  secretary  of  our  society  has  pub* 


*Th*s«  figures  apply  to  the  number  at  Bcrkekyj  to  these  we  may  add 
the  150  professors  and  teachers  connected  with  affiliated  colleges  in  San 
FranciEco,  exclustve  of  demonstrators  and  other  assistants.  The  number  of 
students  at  Berkeley,  March,  1904,  is  given  in  the  official  slatemeiit  as  3700; 
in  San  Francisco,  575. 


X12 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERK  CALIFORNIA, 


lished  the  story  of  its  birth.  He  has  told  us  how  some  twenty 
years  ago  when  Los  Angeles  was  a  city  more  in  name  than  in 
fact,  with  a  scattered  population  of  14,000,  "a  Jittle  coterie  of 
representative  men"  gathered  "to  organize  a  historical  society,"' 
"Some  of  these  were  comparatively  new  comers,  others  were 
pioneers,  whose  residence  in  the  city  covered  periods  of  thirty, 
forty  and  fifty  years.  They  had  watched  its  growth  from  a 
Mexican  pueblo  to  an  American  city,  had  witnessed  its  transi- 
tion from  the  inchoate  and  revolutionary  domination  of  Mexico 
to  the  stabte  rule  of  the  United  States." 

Of  the  fifteen  men  who  assembled  on  that  occasion,  a  truly 
small  minority  of  the  population  of  that  day,  nine  have  passed 
into  the  realm  of  silence;  the  membership  of  four,  terminated 
in  various  ways;  two,  only  two*  remain,  to  whom  be  all  honor 
and  praise  for  having  kept  the  lamp  burning,  which  they  and 
their  companions  lighted  two  decades  ago. 

Of  that  little  band  of  fifteen,  it  has  been  my  privilege  to  know 
the  late  General  Jphn  Mansfield,  soldier  of  the  Civil  War,  Lieu- 
tenant Governor  (1880-1883)  ex-officio  president  of  the  State 
Senate  and  regent  of  the  University  of  California,  "a  gentle- 
man of  the  old  school,"  with  wham  I  have  passed  many  pleasant 
hour,  also  our  mutual  friend,  Marcus  Baker,  It  is  of  the  latter 
more  particularly,  whose  recent  death  is  a  most  painful  be- 
reavement to  all  who  had  the  good  fortune  of  his  acquaintance, 
that  these  remarks  especially  apply. 

Some  men  are  born  of  the  spirit  or  with  the  spirit,  under  a 
lucky  star  whose  serene  influence  generates  that  greatness  of 
heart  which  finds  expression  in  good  will  and  generous  service^ 
flowing  naturally  as  a  summer  stream,  the  same  yesterday,  to- 
day and  tomorrow,  inspiring  confidence  and  inviting  intimacy, 
while  free  from  those  changing  moods  that  cloud  the  sky  o£ 
friendship  or  chill  with  doubt*  Such  a  man  was  Marcus  Baker, 
as  known  to  me  during  an  acquaintance  and  friendship  of  thirty 
years.  After  this  tribute  of  personal  feeling  his  public  career  and 
the  various  activities  of  his  too  short  life  may  be  briefly  stated. 

Mr.  Baker  was  born  in  Kalamazoo,  Michigan,  September  28, 
1849.  He  was  the  son  of  John  Baker,  a  farmer  well-known  in 
the  region  wehre  he  lived  as  is  seen  by  the  fact  that  he  was  twice 


♦Annual  Publication  of  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California,  VoL 
VI,  Fart  I,  for  1903*  (1904).  Two  £>ecades  of  Local  Hi&tory,  by  J.  M- 
Guinn»  no,  41-47- 


•H.  D.  Barrows  and  J.  M.  Guinn. 


IN  MEMORY  OF  MARCUS  BAKER. 


lis 


elected  sheriff  of  his  county,  Marcus^  one  of  nine  children,  had 
first  such  a  common  school  education  as  the  neighborhood  of- 
fered and  afterwards  entered  the  preparatory  department  of 
Kalamazoo  Colkge.  While  in  the  sophomore  class  he  entered 
the  University  of  Michigan,  graduating  A.B.  in  1S70.  He  was 
one  of  the  speakers  at  the  Commencement  exercises. 

During  the  summer  vacation  of  that  year,  he  worked  with 
the  eminent  astronomer.  Professor  James  C.  Watson,  in  com- 
puting data  for  reconstructing  lunar  tables.  In  September  he 
applied  for  the  position  and  was  appointed  professor  of  mathe- 
matics in  Albion  College,  Michigan,  where  he  remained  one 
year.  In  1871,  he  was  offered  and  accepted  a  tutorship  in  the 
University  of  Michigan*  In  January,  18-73,  Pfof-  J-  E.  Hilgard, 
superintendent  of  the  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Sur- 
vey, wrote  to  Professor  Watson,  requesting  him  to  recom- 
mend same  one  in  the  University  of  Michigan,  qualified  for 
astronomical  field  work,  in  an  Alaskan  expedition  party,  and 
Mr  Baker,  then  24  years  of  age,  was  named  for  the  position. 
In  March,  1873,  he  went  to  Washington  and  entered,  as  he  said, 
"upon  what  proved  to  be  his  life  \vork." 

In  the  same  year  he  came  to  California  when  his  career  as 
a  geographer  commenced  through  his  connection  with  the  geo- 
graphical reconnoissance  of  the  Aleutian  region  of  Alaska,  for 
the  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  in  charge  of  Dr. 
W,  H.  DalL  Of  the  various  difficulties  and  impediments  en- 
countered in  the  pursuance  of  this  work,  and  the  importance  of 
Mr,  Baker's  services,  the  leader  has  given  his  testimony  in  a 
recent  address  before  the  National  Geographic  Society  in 
Washington,* 

The  Alaska  work,  "being  interrupted,  Mr.  Baker  was  placed 
in  charge  of  one  of  the  Coast  Survey  primary  magnetic  stations^ 
*  *  *  (that)  at  Los  Angeles,  *  *  *  a  work  the  re- 
sults of  which  experts  in  magnetism  pronounced  admirable." 
It  was  while  Mr  Baker  was  in  charge  of  this  station  that  he  be- 
came one  of  the  fifteen  founders  of  our  Historical  Society, 

Soon  after  his  return  to  Washington  his  connection  with 
the  Coast  Survey  terminated,  and  he  was  appointed  to  a  posi- 
tion in  the  United  States  Geological  Survey,  where  his  labors 
were  chiefly  geographic  and  related  to  the  topographic  and 
other  charts  issued  by  the  Survey,      He  was  secretary  and  one 


*See  the  National  Geographic  Magazine,  Vol.  XV,  No.  t,  Wa*-"- 
D.  C,  January,  1904^ 


114 


HISTORICAL  SOCtfitV  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


of  the  most  efficient  members  of  the  Board  of  Geographic  Names 
formed  by  President  Harrison  to  regulate  the  nomenclature  of 
official  publications.  He  was  cartographer  of  the  Venezuela 
Boundary  Commission  and  compiled  the  fine  Historical  Atlas 
that  was  used  during  the  deliberations  in  Paris.  This  Atlas  and 
the  volumes  he  saw  through  the  press  while  in  the  service  of 
the  Commission  would  alone,  it  has  been  publicly  stated^  form 
a  worthy  monument  to  any  geographer.  Upon  the  conclusion 
of  the  above  he  returned  to  his  work  in  the  Survey,  his  labors 
being  given  to  the  preparation  of  a  work  on  the  Synonymy  and 
History  of  the  Geographic  Names  of  Alaska,*  "The  immense 
labor  involved  in  preparation,  and  its  usefulness  to  the  cartog- 
rapher and  geographer  make  it  of  exceptional  importance/' 
Aside  from  his  scientific  pursuits  he  had  studied  law  and  was 
a  gradute  (LL.B)  of  the  Law  School  of  Columbian  University 
(1896),  though  he  never  followed  the  profession,  as  a  business, 
Mr,  Baker  was  perhaps  more  widely  known  in  the  scientific 
circles  in  the  City  of  Washington  than  any  other  man,  being 
actively  identified  with  the  management  of  several  of  the  scientific 
societies;  the  Historical  Society  of  the  District  of  Columbia, 
the  Philosophical  Society^  the  Washington  Academy  of  Sciences 
and  the  National  Geographic  Society,  Of  the  latter  he  was  one  of 
fifteen  original  signers  of  the  Certificate  of  Incorporation,  Jan- 
uary 27,  1888.  He  was  also  a  Fellow  of  the  American  Asso- 
ciation for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  and  was  at  the  time  of 
his  deathp  December  12,  1903,  assistant  secretary  of  the  Carne- 
gie Institution.  He  was  a  man  of  great  industry  with  extraor- 
dinary capacity  for  accomplishment  in  many  ways,  and  doing 
whatever  he  undertook  thoroughly  and  well.  He  kept  steadily 
at  work  practically  to  the  end,  attending  to  his  duties  with  char- 
acteristic spirit.  So  closed  his  honorable  and  useful  career,  be- 
loved by  many  and  highly  esteemed  by  all, 

*'*A  Geographic  Dictionary  of  Alaska,"  U.  S,  Geol.  Survey,  Bulletin  No. 
1S7,  1903. 

"Like  driftwood  spars  which  meet  and  pass 

Upon  the  boundless  ocean  plain, 
So  on  the  sea  of  hit,  alas  I 

Man  meets  man—meets  and  parts  again.'* 


DOWN  IN  PANAMA 
By  J.  M.  Guinn. 

The  isthmus  of  Panama,  or  Darien,  as  it  was  formerly  called, 
13  a  tie  that  binds  together  two  continents  and  a  barrier  that 
separates  two  oceans.  To  break  the  barrier  and  unite  two 
oceans  is  a  problem  that  has  engaged  the  attention  of  commer- 
cial nations  for  centuries.  Whether  the  United  States,  the 
youngest  among  the  great  maritime  countries  will  successfully 
solve  that  problem  remains  to  be  seen. 

It  is  not  of  the  Panama  canal,  which  is  a  thing  of  the  future 
with  a  history  unmade,  that  I  write,  but  of  the  Panama  Rail- 
road, which,  in  event  of  the  canal  being  dug,  will  become  a 
thing  of  the  past»  and  of  Panama  itself  as  the  old-time  Califor- 
nians  saw  it. 

For  nearly  four  hundred  years,  Panama  has  figured  in  the 
world's  history.  In  but  little  more  than  a  decade  after  the  dis- 
covery of  the  main  land  of  America,  Balboa  had  scaled  the 
mountain  rampart  of  the  isthmus  which  divides  two  mighty 
oceans  and  discovered  the  placid  waters  of  the  broad  Pacific. 

A  century  before  the  Pilgrims  landed  on  Plymouth  Rock 
the  Spaniards  had  founded  the  old  city  of  Panama  on  the  shores 
of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  From  the  old  City  of  Panama,  Pizzaro 
and  Almargo  fitted  out  their  expeditions  for  the  conquest  of 
Peru.  For  a  century  and  a  half  that  city  was  the  entrepot  for 
the  treasure  wrung  from  the  land  of  the  Incas.  Convoys  car- 
ried it  over  the  isthmus  to  Porto  Bella  and  great,  lumbering  gal- 
leons bore  it  across  the  Atlantic  to  enrich  the  kings  and  nobles 
of  Spain.  The  old  City  of  Panama  prospered  and  grew  rich 
from  the  mines  of  Peru  and  the  commerce  of  the  south  seas. 
Its  chivalrous  dons  and  protid  dames  reveled  in  luxury  nor 
dreamed  of  the  doom  impending  over  their  city.  The  buc- 
caneers of  the  Spanish  Main  had  long  coveted  the  riches  and 
wealth  garnered  within  it,  but  the  tropical  jungles  of  the  isthmus 
presented  an  almost  insurmountable  barrier  to  these  robbers  of  the 
high  seas. 

In  1670,  Henry  Morgan,  the  bravest  and  most  brutal  of  the 
buccaneers,  with  a  force  of  one  thousand  men,  3^ 


116 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY    OF   SOUTHERN    CAUI^RNIA. 


almost  incredible  hardships,  crossed  the  isthmus,  captured  the 
proud  old  city,  plundered  it  and  burned  it.  It  \vas  never  re- 
built. Tropical  verdure  covers  its  ruins  and  its  tragic  fate  is 
forgotten.  The  present  City  of  Panama  is  located  some  five 
or  six  miles  south  of  the  site  of  the  old  city. 

The  Panama  Railroad  was  not  an  outgrowth  of  the  dis- 
covery of  gold  in  Caiifornia.  Its  inception  antedated  the  re- 
port of  the  discovery  in  the  east,  but  not  the  actual  date  of  the 
event  itself.  It  took  nine  months  for  the  report  of  the  discov- 
ery of  gold  in  California  to  reach  the  eastern  states. 

The  acquisition  of  California  and  the  settlement  of  the 
northwest  boundary  question  which  gave  us  undisputed  pos- 
session of  Oregon,  turned  the  attention  of  our  government  to 
the  necessity  of  some  shorter  route  to  our  western  possessions 
than  via  Cape  Horn.  Congress  in  the  winter  of  1847-48  author- 
ized the  subsidizing  of  two  mail  steamship  lines — one  from  New 
York  and  New  Orleans  to  Chagres  and  the  other  from  Panama 
to  California  and  Oregon.  William  H,  Asptnwall  secured  the 
contract  for  the  line  on  the  Pacific  side  and  George  Law  that 
on  the  Atlantic  side.  The  establishment  of  the  steamship  lines 
necessitated  the  building  of  a  railroad  across  the  isthmus.  Wil- 
liam H.  Aspinwall,  Henry  Chauncy  and  John  L.  Stephens  were 
the  principal  promoters  of  the  enterprise.  The  New  Granadian 
Government  granted  these  men  the  exclusive  right  to  build  a 
railroad  across  the  isthmus.  The  contract  was  to  continue  in 
force  49  years  and  the  road  was  to  be  completed  in  eight  years. 
The  discovery  of  gold  in  California  and  the  wild  rush  to  the  new 
El  Dorado  hastened  the  completion  of  the  road  several  years 
and  made  it  from  the  beginning  a  profitable  enterprise.  In 
1849  a  contract  was  let  to  build  the  road  and  early  in  1850  work 
was  begun  on  it  at  Gautum,  on  the  Chagres  River. 

The  Atlantic  terminus  was  located  on  the  island  of  Man- 
zanilla,  near  old  Navy  Bay.  The  site  of  the  prospective  sea- 
port town  was  one  of  the  most  inhospitable  spots  on  God's  foot- 
stool. No  white  man  had  ever  set  foot  on  it.  Nor  had  the 
Indians  ever  disturbed  the  red  monkeys  and  reptiles  that  held 
possession  of  it. 

In  the  month  of  May,  1850,  the  work  of  clearing  a  space 
to  land  supplies  was  begun.  The  site  was  a  mangrove  swamp. 
The  fantastic  roots  of  that  queer  shrub  were  interlaced  with 
vines  and  thorny  bushes,  so  as  to  form  an  almost  solid  mass  of 
jungle.  In  the  black  and  slimy  mud  of  its  surface  alligators 
and  other  reptiles  abounded,  while  the  air  was  laden  with  pesti- 


DOWN   IN  FANAICA. 


117 


lential  vapors  and  swanning  with  sand  fives  and  mosquitoes.  It 
was  at  first  attempted  to  build  the  road  by  native  labor,  but 
the  natives  found  it  more  profitable  to  pole  the  gold  seekers  up 
the  Chagres  River  m  their  bungoes^  or  to  pack  the  immigrants' 
baggage  over  the  Cruces  Road.  So  they  would  not  work  on  a 
road  that,  it  built,  would  deprive  them  of  a  job. 

Then  the  contractors  tried  to  procure  laborers  froan  the 
United  States,  Placards  were  posted  up  in  the  cities  oflfering 
a  free  passage  to  California  for  one  hundred  days  labor  on  the 
road.  The  bait  took  and  thousands  availed  themselves  of  the 
chance  to  obtain  a  cheap  passage  to  the  land  of  gold.  Most 
of  them  remained  in  Panama.  The  hot  sun,  the  malarious  cli- 
mate, bad  supplies,  cholera,  Chagres  fevers  and  home-sickness 
killed  them  off  before  their  hundred  days  were  up.  A  ship 
would  land  a  force  of  laborers  and  turn  back  for  another  supply; 
by  the  time  of  her  return  the  first  were  dead  or  in  the  hos- 
pitals. When  the  reports  of  the  state  of  affairs  on  the  road 
became  known  in  the  States  no  more  laborers  could  be  obtained. 

Then  European  laborers  were  induced  to  come  to  the  isth- 
mus. English,  Irish,  French,  German  and  Austrian;  and  beside* 
these  coolies  from  Hindostan  and  Chinamen  from  China  were 
imported  to  build  this  highway  of  the  nations*  At  one  time 
there  were  7,000  men  of  all  colors,  creeds  and  races  employed. 
The  Chinamen  became  melancholic.  An  epidemic  of  suicide 
broke  out  among  them  and  fevers  carried  them  off  until  there 
was  scarce  200  of  the  1000  left*  Nor  did  the  Caucasians  fare 
much  better  than  the  Mongolians.  The  remnant  of  these  were 
shipped  back  to  their  homes. 

The  white  man,  the  brown  man  and  the  yellow  man  had 
failed  and  the  only  recourse  left  was  the  black  man  and  he 
proved  a  success.  Jamaican  and  Cartagenan  negroes  were  em- 
ployed. They  could  stand  the  climate — grow  fat  on  malaria 
and  bask  in  the  tropical  sunshine  without  fear  of  being  sun-^ 
struck.  They  were  a  mutinous  lot,  and  it  was  diflBcult  for  the 
few  white  bosses  to  control  them.  Then  some  genius  hit  upon 
the  idea  of  utilizing  the  feud  that  has  existed  from  time  imme- 
morial between  the  Jamaicans  and  Cartagenans*  These  antag- 
onistic elements  were  employed  in  about  equal  numbers.  When 
the  Cartagenans  rebeled  the  Jamaicans  wei^e  turned  loose  upon 
them  and  vice  versa.  Those  who  survived  the  fight  were  willing 
to  go  to  work  and  obey  orders.  Such  was  the  story  they  told 
me  at  Colon  forty  years  ago. 

The  road  was  pushed  out  from  the  Pacific  side  and  at  mid- 


118 


HISTORICAL  SOClBty  OP  SOUTH tftK  CALIPQRKlA. 


night  on  January  27,  1855,  amid  darkness  and  rain  the  last  rail 
was  laid  and  next  day  a  locomotive  passed  over  the  road  from 
the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  No  ceremony  had  been  observed 
when  ground  was  first  broken  and  no  golden  spike  was  driven 
when  the  mighty  enterprise  was  completed. 

There  is  a  saying  in  Panama,  and  it  has  been  published  over 
and  over  again  as  a  fact  by  the  people  who  have  heard  it  in 
crossing  the  isthmus,  that  the  building  of  the  road  cost  a  human 
life  for  every  tie  in  its  49  niiles.  If  this  were  true  then  about 
130,000  lives  were  sacrified.  But  it  is  not  true,  A  great 
many  of  the  people  down  in  Panan^a  seem  to  be  descendants 
of  Ananias,  although  they  are  not  engaged  in  the  real  estate 
business  as  that  worthy  was. 

The  fare  over  the  road  from  Aspinwall  (or  Colon,  as  it 
is  now  called)  to  Panama  was  $25,  or  50  cents  a  mile,  including 
switches.  I  believe  it  is  less  now,  To  many  an  old  Califomian 
who  came  to  the  Coast  via  Panama  in  the  early  50s,  his  ex- 
perience on  the  isthmus  rises  up  before  him  like  a  horrible 
nightmare.  When  the  wild  excitement  that  followed  the  re- 
ports of  the  wonderful  gold  discoveries  in  California  spread 
throughout  the  eastern  states  prospective  gold  seekers  studied 
lines  of  travel  to  ascertain  which  would  land  them  quickest  in 
the  new  El  Dorado*  The  Panama  route  appeared  to  be  the 
shortest  and  the  fact  the  Pacific  Mail  Steamship  Company 
bad  been  established  on  that  route  induced  thousands  to  take  it. 

It  was  easy  enough*  by  sailing  vessels  or  steamship  to  reach 
the  isthmus  from  New  York  or  any  other  Atlantic  seaport,  but 
after  landing  there — then  came  the  rub.  The  passengers  were 
put  ashore  on  the  mud  fiats  at  the  mouth  of  the  Chagres  River. 
The  next  stages  of  the  journey  were  up  the  river  to  Gorgona 
or  Cruces  in  canoes,  bungoes  or  sampans.  Then  from  these 
river  points  by  mules,  donkeys^  on  foot  or  on  the  backs  of  the 
natives  to  Panama.  In  perils  from  a  treacherous  river  and  still 
more  treacherous  native  boatmen;  in  perils  from  false  brethren; 
in  perils  from  Chagres  fever,  cholera,  yellow  jack,  mud,  mules  and 
miasma:  if  the  prospective  Argonaut  escaped  all  these  and 
landed  safely  in  Panama  he  congratulated  himself  that  the  worst 
was  overcome,  but  frequently  he  found  that  his  miseries  were 
only  begun. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  gold  excitement  there  were  but  few 
ship  on  the  Pacific  side.  Men  who  had  bought  through  tick- 
ets to  California  found  on  their  arrival  at  Panama  that  the  con- 
neicting  vessel  on  the  Pacific  side  had  to  make  a  voyage  around 


m 


DOWW    IN   PANAMA. 


119 


Cape  Horn  before  it  was  due  at  Panama;  and  that  they  must 
wait  three  months  before  its  arrival. 

Provisions  were  high,  accommodations  poor,  the  climate 
vile,  all  manner  of  diseases  prevalent,  thieves^  thugs  and  gam- 
blers abundant,  the  natives  deceitful  and  to  the  extent  of  their 
ability  desperately  wicked.  In  the  long  wait  the  money  of 
many  of  the  voyagers  gave  out,  sickness  overtook  them  and 
death  ended  their  miseries.  In  1856,  occurred  what  are  known 
as  the  Panama  riots.  While  the  passengers  who  had  been  landed 
from  the  railroad  were  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  Californian 
steamer  an  altercation  occurred  between  a  native  orange  vendor 
and  a  blustering  drunken  American.  In  the  melee  that  fol- 
lowed  blows  were  struck,  a  pistol  discharged  and  a  native  killed. 
The  sight  of  blood  aroused  the  wolf  in  the  natures  of  the  natives 
who  had  congregated  in  great  numbers,  and  they  massacred 
some  forty  or  fifty  of  the  California  passengers,  men,  women 
and  children.  The  fellow  who  provoked  the  riot  unfortunately 
escaped  unharmed.  After  that,  the  steamship  company  required 
the  west-bound  passenger  to  remain  at  Aspinwall  and  the  east- 
bound  on  the  steamer  until  everything  was  ready  to  take  them 
directly  across  the  isthmus.  Thus  the  old  city  was  deprived  of 
the  California  trade  (its  chief  resource)  and  it  deserved  to  be. 

Panama  is  a  land  of  revolutions.  Most  of  them  farcical*  but 
some  of  them  sanguinary  enough.  It  was  my  fortune,  or  good 
luck,  to  witness  one  of  the  former.  It  was  on  a  return  voyage 
to  the  States  over  thirty-six  years  ago*  The  Bay  of  Panama 
is  so  shallow  that  the  California  steamers  anchor  about  four 
miles  out.  The  freight  and  passengers  are  taken  ashore  on 
lighters,  Learning  that  it  would  take  nine  or  ten  hours  to 
land  the  freight  and  baggage,  the  passengers  in  the  meantime  re- 
maining on  the  steamer,  four  of  us  decided  to  do  the  old  city, 
Chartering  a  native  and  his  boat  we  were  rowed  to  within  two 
or  three  rods  of  the  shore.  Here  we  found  our  boat  connected 
with  a  transportation  company,  said  company  consisting  of 
half-a-dozen  half-naked  natives  who  offered  to  carry  us  ashore 
for  *'doB  reales"  each.  The  natives  were  short  and  I  am  long, 
so  I  selected  the  tallest  member  of  the  company  and  -mounting 
his  shoulders  was  safely  landed  outside  the  city  wall.  Passing 
through  a  hole  in  the  wail  probably  made  by  the  buccaneers 
two  hundred  years  ago  and  not  closed  up  since,  we  found  our- 
selves in  the  old  city.  Proceeding  up  street  we  saw  that  the 
natives  were  greatly  excited  about  something.  The  bells  were 
ringing  out  merry  peals.    We  were  not  quite  conceited  cnoueh 


120 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 


to  think  it  was  all  on  account  of  our  arrival.  We  made  the 
acquaintance  of  a  French  merchant,  an  old  resident*  and  from 
hrni  we  learned  that  there  was  a  revolution  going  on,  or  rather 
it  had  gone  on^  and  we  were  just  in  time  for  the  ringing  out  of 
the  old  and  the  ringing  in  of  a  new  government.  And  that 
was  what  the  bells  were  doing.  It  seems  that  the  governor  of 
the  sovereign  state  of  Panama  had  insulted  a  chivalrous  hidalgo, 
who  had  a  string  of  titles  as  long  as  a  ship's  cable  and  a  pedigree 
that  ran  back  to  one  of  PiEzaro's  freebooters.  The  hidalgo  fired 
off  at  the  governor  a  pronunciamiento  a  yard  long.  The  gov- 
ernor gave  him  back  two  yards  of  vituperation*  Then  followed 
volleys  of  Castillian  billingsgate.  The  military  induced  by  the 
offer  of  a  square  meal  and  a  bottle  of  wine  each  rallied  to  the 
support  of  the  hidalgo  and  the  governor  and  his  stafT  rallied  to 
a  fish  boat  and  rowed  out  to  meet  the  incoming  California 
steamer.  The  new  government  was  in  the  process  of  incubation. 
The  military  were  much  in  evidence.  The  wasp-waistcd  of- 
ficers in  their  tight-fitting  coats,  their  brass  and  tinsel  trap- 
pings, were  quite  pretty,  but  the  common  soldiers  were  a  sight 
to  behold.  In  complexion  they  ran  the  gamut  of  colors  from 
semi-bleached  white  to  ebony  black.  The  only  thing  uniform 
about  them  was  their  uniform  poverty  of  clothing.  They  were 
all  barefooted.  Some  had  a  pair  of  pants  each,  others  but  a 
vulgar  fraction  of  a  pair  to  the  man.  In  the  matter  of  shirts  the 
individuality  of  the  individual  cropped  out.  If  the  rainbow 
could  have  seen  the  colors  there  displayed  it  would  have  gone 
out  of  business.  As  to  the  remainder  of  their  uniforms  there 
was  nothing  to  speak  of. 

In  the  matter  of  arms  there  was  a  pleasing  variety.  Some 
were  armed  with  old  flint-lock  muskets  that  had  done  duty 
against  Morgan's  buccaneers  and  had  probably  not  been  fired 
off  since.  Others  had  more  modern  and  if  possible  more  use- 
less arms.  We  were  informed  that  these  soldiers  were  not 
the  regulars,  but  raw  levies.  The  government  evidntly  had 
not  had  time  to  cook  and  dress  them  into  veterans, 

Some  of  our  statesmen  at  Washington  are  anxious  to  an- 
nex the  new  republic  to  our  family  of  states.  My  advice  to 
these  statesmen  is,  go  slow — very  slow,  so  slow  that  the  annexa- 
tion buisness  wuU  come  off  sometime  in  the  next  ceutnry — the 
later  along  the  better. 

We  have  two  or  three  race  problems  on  our  hands  now  that 
will  keep  us  busy  the   greater  part  of  the  present   century 
The  race  problem  in  Panama  would  be  a  question  in  complex 


DOWN   IN  PANA] 


121 


fractions.  The  roots  of  the  genealogical  trees  of  most  of  the 
natives  are  more  twisted  and  contorted  than  roots  of  a  man- 
grove shrub  and  that  product  of  Panama  can  perform  more  fan- 
tastic tricks  with  its  roots  than  any  other  member  of  the  vege- 
table kingdom.  It  is  these  racial  nondescripts — the  fellows  of 
undefined  lineage — that  give  government  the  most  trouble. 
There  are  educated  and  refined  ladies  and  gentlemen  in  Panama, 
both  natives  and  foreigners,  but  the  majority  of  the  natives  and 
some  of  the  imports  are  ignorant,  indolent,  superstitious  and 
bigoted.  They  hate  foreigners.  My  advice  to  our  annexing 
statesmen,  if  it  were  asked,  would  be — Let  the  new  republic  of 
Panama  work  out  its  own  salvation) — or  the  opposite — and  it 
will  be  the  opposite  if  it  does  any  working. 


SEQUOYAH, 

Honor  to  Whom  Honor  is  Doc 

By  Dr.  J.  D.  Moody. 

In  the  eariy  part  <^  the  ei^teenth  ceotttry  there  was  quite 
an  imigration  of  Gennan  peofde  from  Bavaria  to  that  part  of 
our  country  which  is  now  included  in  the  state  of  Georgia. 
Like  the  Mayflower  emigration  from  Holland  this  one  wm> 
also  a  religious  movemenL  An  effort  was  otadc  to  cxdnde  un- 
worthy people  from  these  companies. 

However,  in  one  such  company,  in  1739.  a  family  managM 
to  be  included  who  belonged  to  this  latter  class.  Instead  of  be- 
ing religious  in  profession,  as  were  the  others,  they  were  in- 
dolent.  ignorant  and  superstitious.  Their  name,  which  is  va- 
riotiily  given  as  Gist,  Guest,  Guess  or  Gisb,  was  destined  to  be 
perpetuated  by  a  singular  combination  of  circumstances. 

Soon  after  their  arrival  there  was  born  to  them  a  son  to 
whom  the  name  of  George  was  given.  He  grew  up  the  black 
sheep  of  the  community. 

Their  bonic  was  within  the  limits  of  the  great  Cherokee 
nation.  Trading  privileges  with  the  Indians  was  closely  guarded 
by  the  whites-  George  Guest,  as  he  was  called,  sought  such  3 
peddler's  license,  but  being  held  in  low  repute,  he  was  refused. 
This  did  not  seem  to  worry  him  in  the  least  and  he  became  a 
contraband  trader. 

In  1768  he  started  on  a  trading  trip  through  the  Cherokee 
nation.  While  on  this  trip,  he  married  an  Indian  maiden, 
after  the  loose  manner  of  the  times.  They  lived  together  for  a 
number  of  months,  but  tiring  of  his  bargain,  the  German  ped- 
dler quietly  stole  away  one  night  and  was  never  afterguards 
heard  from. 

In  1770  there  was  bom  to  this  deserted  wife  a  boy  baby* 
In  the  soft  language  of  the  Cherokee  people  she  named  him  Se- 
quo-yah,  which  means  "he  guessed  it/' 

This  Indian  woman  was  possessed  of  more  than  ordinary  in- 
telligence and  energy.  Her  family  were  among  the  leading  spir- 
its of  the  nation.  The  love  which  would  have  been  given  to  the 
husband,  was  now  bestowed  upon  the  child.    As  he  grew  up 


It. 


SEQUOYAH, 


123 


he  was  taught  all  of  the  traditions  and  cunning  of  his  Indian 
ancestry.  He  did  not  care  to  mingle  in  play  with  other  Indian 
boys,  but  wandered  much  alone  in  the  forest,  when  he  was 
not  with  his  mother.  He  would  build  little  houses  in  the  woods, 
and  developed  considerable  skill  in  carving  objects  from  wood 
with  his  knife.  As  he  grew  older  he  made  wooden  milk  pails 
and  skimmers  for  his  mother.  He  helped  her  in  many  ways, 
preferring  to  do  this  to  other  work,  which  he  did  not  like. 

About  this  time  missionaries  came  to  the  Indian  people  and 
established  schools  and  churches.  He  heard  much  about  this 
new  religion,  and  the  learning  of  the  schools.  He  talked  with 
his  associates  upon  all  the  knotty  points  of  law,  religion  and  art. 
Indian  tbesim  and  panthesim  were  measured  against  the  gospel 
as  taught  by  the  land-seeking,  fur-buying  adventurers* 

"From  his  mother  he  inherited  his  energy  and  persevering 
nature,  his  meditative  and  philosophical  inclinations  from  his 
father." 

He  inherited  an  "odd  compound  of  Indian  and  German  tran^ 
scendentalism,  essentially  Indian  in  opinion,  but  German  in  in- 
stinct and  thought."  His  pagan  faith  was  unsettled,  but  he  did 
not  become  a  convert  to  Christianity. 

In  time  he  became  a  good  trader,  traveling  throughout  the 
country  and  accumulating  some  property.  His  mechanical 
ability  seems  to  have  developed  rapidly.  Much  of  the  silver 
which  he  got  in  trade,  he  beat  into  rings,  bands  for  the  headj 
breast  plates,  necklaces,  etc.,  etc.  He  soon  became  the  greatest 
silversmith  of  his  tribe. 

Later,  he  took  up  blacksmithing,  making  all  of  his  own 
tools  and  appliances.  He  had  seen  trade  marks  stamped  upon 
metal  goods  in  possession  of  the  whites.  He  thought  it  would 
be  an  advantage  to  him  to  have  the  same  on  his  wares.  He  got 
an  English  friend  to  write  his  English  name,  and  from  this  he 
made  a  steel  die,  and  henceforth  all  of  his  silver  goods  were 
stamped  with  his  name — George  Guess,  Many  such  stamped 
articles  are  said  to  be,  even  now,  in  the  possession  of  old  Chero- 
kee families. 

He  next  began  to  turn  his  attention  to  art,  and  made 
sketches  of  the  familiar  animals  about  his  home.  At  first  these 
were  rudely  drawn,  but  he  improved  in  this  and  did  some  cred- 
itable work. 

He  became  a  famous  story-teller  around  their  campfires  and 
in  their  gatherings. 

About  this  time  he  saw  a  letter  in  the  possession  of  a  white 


124 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERK  CALIFOIINIA. 


man.  For  the  first  time  he  realized  the  far-reaching  possibili- 
ties that  lay  in  a  written  language.  '*Much  that  red  man  know 
they  forget/'  said  Sequoyah,  '*they  have  no  way  to  preserve  it. 
White  men  make  what  they  know  fast  on  paper,  like  catching 
a  wild  animal  and  taming  it." 

The  thought  took  possession  of  him.  He  pondered  over  it 
continually.  From  one  of  the  missionaries  he  got  a  spelling 
book,  and  studied  the  alphabet.  He  tried  to  arrange  one  for 
the  Cherokee  language.  After  many  trials  based  upon  a  pro- 
found reasoning  hardly  to  be  expected  in  an  Indian,  Sequoyah 
invented  a  syllabic  alphabet.  Some  of  the  characters  were  taken 
from  the  English  and  some  were  of  his  own  devising.  To  teach 
it  to  his  own  people  now  became  the  passion  of  his  life.  His 
young  daughter  was  his  first  pupil,  and  she  proved  a  very  apt 
one*  White  men — men  of  intelligence —  laughed  at  his  idea 
and  denounced  it  as  unpracticable.  But  with  a  dogged  perse- 
verance he  induced  some  Indian  friends  to  learn  it,  and  to  their 
astonishment  they  were  easily  able  to  read  their  own  language 
in  the  new  writing.  And  in  a  comparativly  short  time  the 
Indians  were  generally  able  to  carry  on  a  correspondence  by 
means  of  it.  Books  and  papers  were  published  in  the  new 
characters,  Sequoyah,  at  one  bound,  became  one  of  the 
world's  noted  men.  This  story  is  one  of  the  literary  romances 
of  the  age. 

Sequoyah  had  now  become  a  sufferer  from  rheumatism  and 
for  some  time  was  confined  to  his  cabin.  He  had  time  to  think. 
He  did  think.  His  associations  with  intelligent  whites  had 
given  him  new  ideas,  and  now  his  days  were  given  up  to 
dreaming.  'As  a  result,  "he  formed  a  theory  of  certain  relations 
in  the  languages  of  the  Indian  tribes,  and  conceived  the  idea 
of  \vriting  a  book  on  the  points  of  similarity  and  divergence." 
But  to  do  this  he  needed  a  wider  acquaintance  with  Indian  lan- 
guages. To  gain  this  he  packed  a  few  belongings  in  an  ox 
cart  and  started  in  on  a  unique  "philological  crusade."  He 
made  several  Journeys  among  different  tribes  near  the  home 
land. 

Among  his  own  people  there  was  a  tradition  that  in  some 
period  antedating  the  arrival  of  the  whites,  a  portion  of  the 
Cherokee  nation  had  emigrated  to  the  far  west  in  the  region  of 
what  is  now  New  Mexico.  He  formed  the  resolve  to  go  in 
in  search  of  them  and  to  visit  all  tribes  on  the  way  in  the  in- 
terests of  his  theory.  Accompanied  by  a  boy,  in  his  ox  cart^ 
he  started  on  this  long  journey  some  time  in  the  year  1840. 


S^UOYAH. 


125 


He  journeyed  into  New  Mexico  interviewing  everyone  as 
to  tlie  whereabouts  of  his  people,  and  as  to  their  languages. 
He  was  received  kindly  wherever  he  went.  But  in  some  way 
his  mission  was  not  a  success.  He  became  despondent.  The 
trip  was  too  exhausting  for  one  of  his  age*  At  last  he  found 
his  way  to  San  Fernando,  in  Northern  Mexico,  and  there  in 
the  year  1842  he  was  taken  sick  and  died,  and  with  him  died  the 
great  dream  of  his  mature  years. 

There  is  but  little  to  be  found  in  print  about  Sequoyah.  Te- 
cumseh,  Blackhawk,  Pontiac,  King  Philip  and  other  noted  war- 
riors are  known  to  every  school  boy,  but  Sequoyah,  I  venture 
to  say,  is  unknown  to  ninety-nine  in  every  hundred  of  our 
people. 

Though  having  white  blood  in  his  veins  he  was  essentially 
an  Indian,  Many  white  people  proudly  trace  their  lineage  back 
to  Pocahontas,  yet  our  hero,  so  little  known,  did  more  for  the 
advancement  of  his  people  than  did  any  aborigine  known  to 
history.  He  deserves  a  better  fate.  His  name  might  well  be  em- 
blazoned in  song  and  story. 

In  some  city  in  our  land — once  his — a  monument  should  be 
erected  to  his  memory.  Congress,  at  one  time,  contemplated 
having  his  remains  removed  and  a  monument  erected  over 
them.    But  this  was  never  done. 

And  now  I  desire  to  state  my  reason  for  reading  this  paper. 
It  is,  that  we  might  do  ourselves  the  honor  in  taking  the  initia- 
tive in  having  his  remains  removed  to  American  soil*  preferably 
his  native  land,  and  a  suitable  monument  erected  to  his  mem- 
ory. 

I  urge  that  steps  looking  to  such  action  be  taken*  Can  the 
grave  be  located  now?  I  do  not  know.  We  can  only  try,  and 
until  then,  with  Bryant,  question — 

"Are  they  here — 
The  dead  of  other  days?" 

Scattered  all  over  our  country  are  the  tombs  of  its  former 
inhabitants.  They  are  silent  witnesses  to  human  hopes  and 
human  tragedies.  We  who  have  come  into  the  heritage  of  this 
ancient  people  owe  it  to  them  that  all  record  of  their  past  be 
not  blotted  out,  but  that  they,  at  least,  have  a  name  left  to  them 
in  he  earth. 

This  one  lonely  grave  in  foreign  soil  calls  for  recognition. 
Will  we  not  heed  it? 

"No  other  voice  nor  sound  is  there, 
In  the  army  of  the  grave," 


CALIFORNIA  REVOLUTION  OF  1831: 

A  NOTABLE  MANIFESTO, 

By  H.  D.  Barrows, 

The  Native  Cailfornians  have  been  charged  with  fomenting 
frequent  revolutions.  But  when  we  consider  their  treatment  by 
both  the  Spanish  and  the  Mexican  governments,  we  are  not 
surprised  at  their  resentment,  nor  at  their  attempts  to  redress 
the  wrongs  which  they  suffered. 

The  Protest,  or  Pronunciamiento,  of  1831,  promulgated  by 
Pico,  Bandini»  Carrillo  and  others,  which  inau^rated  the  move- 
ment against  Governor  Victoria,  and  which  resulted  in  his  being 
driven  out  of  the  country,  was  a  statesmanlike  document.  It 
gave  good  and  valid  reasons  for  the  action  of  the  patriotic  men 
who  sought  to  terminate  evils  which  had  become  intolerable^ 
and  which  are  briefly  and  in  part  recounted  in  the  following 
manifesto. 

If  the  reasons  given  in  our  own  Declaration  of  Independence 
for  revolution  received  the  approval  of  mankind,  certainly  those 
cited  in  this  document  are  equally  entitled  to  indorsement  by  all 
fair-minded  men. 

Bancroft,  in  the  third  volume  of  his  History  of  California, 
chap.  VII,  pp.  181-215,  gives  a  vivid  account  of  the  rule  and 
overthrow  of  Governor  Victoria.  Indeed,  in  some  respects  this 
chapter  describes  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  dramatic  epi- 
sodes in  early  California  history. 

Some  of  the  principal  causes  of  the  Revolution  of  1831  are 
herewith  briefly  pointed  out : 

I.  After  the  organization  of  republican  government  in 
Mexico,  which  succeeded  the  downfall  of  the  imperial  regime 
under  Iturbide,  the  Mexican  Congress  by  law  provided  for  the 
distribution  of  the  public  lands  of  the  nation  among  the  citizens 
in  conformity  with  regulations  that  were  to  be  issued  by  the 
executive  branch  oi  the  government,  but  which  were  not  pro- 
mulgated until  1828, 

And,  inasmuch  as  under  this  law  and  these  regulations  the 
co-operation  and  approval  of  the  legislative  department  of  the 
government  of  California  were  necessary  in   order  to  make 


A   NOTABLE    MANIFESTO. 


127 


grants  of  lands  to  citizens  legal;  and,  as  Victoria  neglected  and 
finally  flatly  refused  to  take  any  steps  to  carry  out  the  same» 
or  to  call  the  Territorial  Legislature  together,  the  people  natur- 
ally became  indignant  that  the  beneficent  land  laws  of  the  re- 
public should  be  thus  arbitrarily  rendered  absolutely  inopera- 
tive so  far  as  they  related  to  California, 

2,  The  people  of  Los  Angeles  had  become  exasperated 
with  Victoria,  because  of  their  belief  that  the  acts  of  the  Alcalde 
of  Los  Angeles,  Vicente  Sanchez,  who,  during  the  year  1831 
had  kept  a  large  number  of  the  most  influential  citizens  of  the 
pueblo  under  arrest  in  the  guardhouse*  mostly  for  contempt  of 
his  authority,  or  for  some  trivial  offence,  etc.,  were  inspired  by 
Victoria, 

His  suspension  of  the  Departmental  Assembly  and  his  at- 
tempts to  have  all  elective  ayuntamientos  abolished  and  to  have 
military  rule  substituted;  and  his  barbarous  ordering  that  sev- 
eral persons  should  be  shot  for  comparatively  trivial  offences, 
etc,  etc.,  were  among  the  causes  of  the  people's  exasperation, 
and  as  a  result  of  which,  the  foilowing  proclamation  was  issued : 

Pronunciamiento  de  San  Diego  contra  el  Gefe  Politico  y 
Comandante  General  de  California,  Don  Manuel  Victoria,  en 
29  de  Noviembre,  y  i  d«  Diciembre  cJe  1S31.  MS. 

MEXICAN     CITIZENS,     RESIDING     IN     THZ    UPPER    TERRITORY    OF     TUE 

CALIFORNIA. 

If  the  enterprise  we  undertake  were  intended  to  violate  the 
provisions  of  the  laws,  if  our  acts  in  venturing  to  oppose  the 
scandalous  acts  of  the  actual  Governor,  D.  Manuel  Victoria, 
were  guided  by  aims  unworthy  of  patriotic  citizens^  then 
should  we  not  only  fear,  but  know,  the  fatal  results  to  which 
we  must  be  condemned.  Such,  however,  not  being  the  case, 
we,  guided  in  the  path  of  Justice,  animated  by  love  of  our  Soil, 
duly  respecting  the  laws  dictated  by  our  supreme  legislature  and 
enthusiastic  for  their  support,  find  ourselves  obliged,  on  ac- 
count of  the  criminal  abuse  noted  in  the  said  chief,  to  adopt  the 
measures  here  made  known. 

Being  conscious  of  the  purity  of  our  motives  we  proceed, 
not  against  the  Supreme  Government  or  its  magistrates,  but 
rather  against  an  individual  who  has  violated  the  fundamental 
bases  of  our  system;  or,  in  fact  against  a  tyrant  who  has  hypo- 
critically deceived  the  national  authorities,  in  order  that  he 
might  thereby  reach  the  rank  to  which,  without  deserving  it  he 


128  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OP  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

has  been  raised. 

The  Ruler  of  the  Universe,  and  Searcher  of  all  hearts, 
knows  that  we  are  actuated  only  by  the  sincerest  love  of 
country,  respect  for  the  laws,  a  desire  to  obey  them  and  make 
them  obeyed,  and  to  banish  the  abuses,  which,  with  accelerated 
steps,  the  actual  ruler  is  committing  against  the  liberties  of  the 
people.  These  sentiments  we  insist  are  in  accordance  with 
public  right  and  moral  law. 

We  will  maintain  these  truths  before  the  National  Sov- 
ereignity with  confidence  that  our  course  will  meet  with  full 
and  unqualified  approval. 

From  the  sentiments  herein  indicated  may  be  clearly  in- 
ferred the  patriotic  spirit  which  moves  us  to  the  proceeding  this 
day  begun;  and  the  knowledge  that  such  sentiments  are  enter- 
tained by  the  people  of  Alta  California,  assures  us  that  our  action 
will  be  sustained  by  all  who  live  in  this  unfortunate  country. 

As  for  the  military  officers  in  actual  service,  opposition  is 
naturally  to  be  expected  from  them  to  our  plan,  and  we  must 
allow  them  at  first  this  unfavorable  opinion  demanded  by  their 
profession;  but  not  so  later,  when  they  shall  have  fully  learned 
the  wise  and  beneficient  intentions  with  which  we  act;  for  they 
also,  as  Mexican  citizens,  are  in  duty  bound  to  maintain  inviolate 
the  code  to  which  we  have  all  sworn. 

We  believe  that  your  minds  are  ever  decided  in  favor  of  tne 
preservation  of  society,  and  your  arms  are  ready  for  the  service 
of  whomsoever  may  assure  happiness,  and  in  support  of  the 
laws  which  promulgate  its  representation. 

You  have  had  positive  proof  of  the  contrary  spirit  shown 
by  the  arbitrary  acts  of  the  present  chief  executive  of  our  Prov- 
ince. We  point  you  to  many  of  his  criminal  acts,  to  his  plain 
infractions  of  the  laws,  committed  against  the  Territorial  repre- 
sentation, which  has  been  suppressed  on  pretexts  that  amply 
confirm  his  absolutism,  though  the  members  were  elected  by 
you  to  be  the  areas  (repository)  of  your  liberties;  to  the  total 
suppression  of  the  Ayuntamiento  (Town  Council)  of  Santa 
Barbara:  the  shooting  of  several  persons  by  his  order  at  Mon- 
terey and  San  Francisco,  without  the  necessary  precedent  form- 
alities prescribed  by  the  laws;  the  expatriation  suffered  by  the 
citizens  Jose  Antonio  Carrillo  and  Abel  Stearns  without  notifica- 
tion of  the  reasons  demanding  it;  the  scorn  with  which  he  has 
treated  the  most  just  demand  which,  with  legal  proofs,  was  pre- 
sented by  the  Honorable  Pueblo  of  Los  Angeles,  leaving  un- 
punished the  public  crimes  of  the  present  Alcalde;  and, — not  to 


A  NOTABLE   MANIFESTO- 


129 


weary  you  with  further  reflections  of  this  nature* — please  con- 
sider the  arbitrarj^  powers  which  he  has  assumed  in  the  depart- 
ment of  revenues,  making  himself  its  chief,  with  grave  injury  to 
the  public  funds. 

We  trust  that  after  you  know  our  aims  you  will  regard  the 
removal  of  all  these  evils  as  demanding  the  co-operation  of  every 
citizen.  The  said  ruler  has  not  only  shovvn  himself  shameless 
in  the  violation  of  law,  but  has  at  the  same  time  imperiUed  our 
security  and  interests  by  reason  of  his  despotism  and  incapacity. 

You  yourselves  are  experiencingf  the  misfortunes  that  have 
happened  during  his  brief  administration,  of  the  office  of 
Governor. 

For  all  these  reasons  we  have  proposed : 

1st.  To  suspend  the  exercise  of  Don  Manuel  Victoria  in 
all  that  relates  to  the  command  which  he  at  present  holds  in  this 
Terrhory  as  Comandante-Gen>era]  and  Gefe- Politico,  for  infrac- 
tion and  conspiracy  against  our  sacred  institutions^  as  we  will 
show  by  legal  proofs. 

2nd.  That  when  at  a  fitting  time,  the  Excelentisima 
Diputacion  Territorial  (Honorable  Territorial  Assembly)  shall 
have  met,  the  military  command  and  the  political  command  shall 
fall  to  distinct  and  separate  persons,  as  the  laws  of  both  juris- 
dictions provide,  until  the  question  is  definitely  decided  by  the 
supreme  Federal  authority. 

These  two  objects,  so  just  for  the  reasons  given,  are  those 
which  demand  attention  from  the  true  patriot. 

Then  let  the  rights  of  the  citizen  be  born  anew;  let  Liberty 
spring  up  from  the  ashes  of  oppression^  and  perish  the  despotism 
that  has  trampled  ruthlessly  on  our  sacred  rights! 

Yes,  Citiz-ens!  Love  of  country  and  observance  of  th^^ 
laws  prescribed  and  approved  by  the  Supreme  Republic  are  and 
should  be  the  fundamental  basis  of  our  action.  Property  must 
be  respected  as  we!!  as  the  rights  of  each  citizen.  Our  Dipu- 
tacion Territorial  will  work  and  will  take  all  the  steps  conducive 
to  the  good  of  society;  but  we  be  that  body  that  it  make  no 
innovation  whatever  in  the  matt-er  of  the  Missions*  respecting 
their  communities  and  property,  since  our  object  is  confined 
solely  to  the  two  articles  as  stated.  To  the  Supreme  Govern- 
ment belongs  exclusively  the  power  to  decide  what  it  may  deem 
proper  on  this  subject,  and  it  promises  to  the  Padres  to  observe 
respect,  decorum,  and  security  towards  the  property  instrusted 
to  their  care. 

Thus  we  sign  it.  and  we  hope  for  indulgence  in  considera- 


lao 


HtSTORlCAL  SOCiETV  OF   SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA. 


Hon  of  our  rights  and  justice.     Presidio  of  San  Diego,  Nov. 
29,  1831. 

(Signed  with  respective  titles.) 

PIO  PICO, 
JUAN  BANDINI, 
JOSE  ANTONIO  CARRILLO. 
Approval  of  Pronuncianiento  by  Citizens  of  Los  Angeles. 

We,  Jose  Maria  Echeandia,  Pio  Pico,  Juan  Bandini,  Jose 
Antonio  Carrillo,  Pablo  de  la  Portilla,  Santiago  Argucllo,  Jose 
Maria  Ramirezi  Ignacio  del  Valle^  Juan  Jose  Rocha^  and  Ser- 
geant Andres  Cervantes  (as  Comandante  of  Artillery)  being' 
acquainted  with  the  preceding  plan  signed  by  Pico,  Bandini  and 
CarriUo,  (according  to  which  the  people  of  this  place  surprised 
the  small  garrison  of  this  Plaza  on  the  night  of  Novernber  29th), 
consider  it  founded  on  our  national  right,  since  it  is  known  to 
us  on  satisfactory  evidence,  that  the  Gefe  Politico  (Governor) 
and  Comandante  General  (Military  Commander)  of  the  Terri- 
tory»  Don  Manuel  Victoria,  has  infringed  our  Federal  Consti- 
tution and  laws  in  that  part  relating  to  individual  security  and 
popular  representation;  and  we  find  ourselves  not  in  a  position 
to  be  heard  with  the  promptness  our  rights  demand  by  the 
supreme  powers  of  the  Nation,  which  might  order  the  suspen- 
sion that  is  effected  in  the  plan,  if  they  could  see  and  prove  the 
accusations  which  give  rise  to  so  many  complaints. 

But  at  the  same  time,  in  order  to  secure  in  this  movement 
the  best  order,  and  a  path  which  may  not  lead  us  away  from 
the  object  proposed^  we  declare  and  ordain  that  Lieut.-Col.  of 
Engineers,  citizen  Jose  Maria  de  Echeandia,  shall  re-assume 
the  command,  political  and  military,  of  the  Territory,  which 
this  same  year  he  gave  up  to  the  said  Senor  Victoria — this  until 
the  Supreme  (Federal)  Government  may  determine,  after  the 
proper  correspondence,  or  until,  the  Diputacion  ( Legislature} 
being  assembled,  distinct  (separate)  persons  may  in  legal  form 
take  charge  of  the  two  commands.  And  the  said  chief  having 
appeared  at  our  invitation,  and,  being  informed  on  the  subject, 
he  decided  to  serve  in  both  capacities  as  stated,  protesting. 
however,  that  he  does  it  solely  in  support  of  public  liberty  ac- 
cording to  the  system  which  he  had  sworn,  and  for  the  preser- 
vation of  order,  pending  submission  to  the  approval  of  the 
supreme  powers  of  the  Nation. 

Thus,  all  being  said  publicly,  and  the  proclamation  in  favor 
of  Senor  Echeandia  being  general,  he  began  immediately  to  dis- 


A  KOTABtE  MANIFESTO.  131 

charge  the  duties  of  the  command.  And  in  token  thereof  wc 
sign  together  with  said  chief — ^both  the  promoters  of  the  plan 
who  signed  it  and  wte  who  have  seconded  it — ^today  between  ii 
and  12  o'clock,  Dec.  i,  183:1. 

(Signed)    Jose  Maria  Echeandia,  Pio  Pico,  Juan  Bandini, 
Jose  Antonio  Carrilo,  Pablo  de  la  Portilla,  San- 
tiago Arguello,  Jose  Maria  Ramirez,  Ignacio  del 
Valle,  Juan  Jose  Rocha,  (and  as  comandante  of 
the      Artillery     detachment) ,      Sergt.     Andres 
Cervantes. 


184 


HISTORICAI,  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN   CAtlFOKI^tA. 


the  fading  sky.  he  rested  upon  the  dusty  roadside  and  communed 
with  himself.  Yes,  no  one  would  know  him  in  the  Pueblo.  He 
would  play  upon  his  flute  and  some  one  would  give  him  money, 
and  he  could  drink  and  forget.  And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  the 
little  rippiing  staccato  air  echoed  every  afternoon  in  the  comers 
of  the  old  plaza*  and  down  the  main  street.  Horsemen  and  pe- 
destrians turned  to  look  and  smile  at  the  player,  feeling  the  cheer- 
ful note.  If  he  felt  sad,  no  one  knew  it,  for  the  brightness  of  the 
little  air  left  no  doubt  in  their  minds.  If  the  bells  of  the  old 
church  awakened  any  feeling  of  regret  in  his  heart  none  knew, 
as  he  never  spoke. 

Years  went  by  and  then  the  little  air  was  heard  no  more.  One 
morning  *'La  Senora,"  sitting  at  her  window  sewing,  seeing  the 
Indians  going  out  to  the  grape  pruning  in  the  vineyards,  called 
to  them  and  asked  *'Where  is  Pinacate?  I  have  not  heard  his 
flute  lately."  Capitan,  Tin  Tin,  Ramona.  and  others  of  Pinacate'? 
friends  turning  and  gazing  sadly  at  her,  said»  *'Did  you  not  know 
Senora.  We  found  him  in  the  vineyard  just  able  to  sp^k,  'Take 
me  back  to  the  mission/  he  said;  *Mc  and  my  flute/  So  we  took 
him  in  the  carretta  that  Chona  brought  from  San  Gabriel  and  now 
he  lies  behind  the  church/'  Time  has  long  since  effaced  his 
grave*  but  there  are  some  who  still  remember  his  quaint  figure, 
his  happy  little  air»  and  the  tragedy  of  his  life. 


PlNACAtE. 


133 


was  changed  for  Pinacate  and  his  companions.  Small  "tiendas" 
were  S€t  up  in  close  proximity  to  the  church  and  all  things  to 
entice  the  poor  Indian  were  displayed  in  them  from  bright  blan- 
kets and  red  and  yellow  banner-like  handkerchiefs  to  the  more  se- 
ductive *'Agua  ardiente."  Whether  it  was  his  own  weakness  or 
the  cupidity  of  the  Tiendero  that  caused  his  fall  who  can  tell? 
Both,  perhaps.  Now  he  no  longer  cHmbtd  the  old  stairway 
on  Sunday  but  lay  at  the  bottom,  oblivious  to  the  call  of  the  bells 
— an  object  of  derision,  even  his  name  forgotten.  Some  one  had 
given  him  an  old  black  coat  whose  tails  swept  the  ground,  and 
in  a  spirit  of  mockery  his  formtr  friends  named  him  "Pinacate," 
The  only  thing  that  remained  with  him  of  his  past  was  his  little 
reed  flute  to  which  he  clung  with  childish  tenacity — the  one  tie 
between  him  and  his  past.  His  life  now  had  become  so  unbear- 
able that  it  was  impossiblt  to  live  in  the  mission.  No  money,  no 
friends,  no  position,  even  the  little  Indian  children  who  had  fol- 
lowed the  music  on  Sunday  now  ran  behind  him  calling  "Pina- 
cate I    Pinacate!" 

A  golden  sun  was  setting  in  a  sea  of  golden  dust*— beneath 
the  purple  hills  lent  themselves  as  a  bordo"  to  the  skirt  of  the 
yellow  sky,  a  glow  blushed  over  the  mountain,  and  reflected  in 
the  sky  above^  making  them  look  as  though  pressed  by  some 
gigantic  roller  against  the  horizon — the  glory  was  of  the  heavens 
— all  earth  was  dry,  as  no  rain  had  fallen  for  many  months;  all 
seemed  as  sad  and  sorrowful  as  the  heart  bereft  of  love  and  hope, 
and  happiness.  The  tumble  weeds  lay  in  the  roadside  ruts  as  if 
in  waiting  for  the  winds  to  speed  them  on  their  travels  across 
the  undulating  plains.  The  ground  owl  sat  a  solitary  sentinc; 
on  the  mound  of  his  companion,  the  squirrel.  Along  the  dreary 
and  dusty  road,  around  the  breast  of  a  sloping  hill,  from  its  deep 
shadows  into  the  dazzling  light  of  the  setting  sun  came  walking 
haltingly  a  drooping  figure.  Pausing^  Pinacate  pushed  his  old 
dust-covered  hat  back  from  his  seamed  and  careworn  face»  and 
looked  back  upon  the  dreary  road  trailing  its  dusty  gaiments 
in  the  gathering  twilight — its  distance  from  the  Mission  to  the 
Pueblo  not  measured  by  miles,  but  by  his  irrevocable  separation 
from  all  that  he  had  cared  for  in  his  youth — his  church,  his  music. 
With  feelings  too  deep  for  words  he  smote  his  chest  with  his  fist 
and  heaved  a  sigh  from  the  depths  of  his  heart,  a  sigh  so  deep 
that  the  motionless  owl  winked  his  amber  eyes,  and  hid  his  head 
beneath  the  mound  on  which  he  had  sat.  **No!"  he  muttered, 
and  turning,  he  set  his  face  towards  the  setting  sun.  Coming  to 
a  bright  patch  of  **Concha  Taguas*'  their  pink  faces  upturned  to 


Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  Counlv 

CONSTITUTION 

ARTICLE  I. 

This  society  shall  be  known  as  The  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles 
County.  Its  objects  are  to  cultivate  social  intercourse  and 
friendship  among  its  members  and  to  collect  and  preserve  the 
early  history  of  Los  Angeles  county,  and  to  perpetuate  the 
memory  of  those  who,  by  their  honorable  labors  and  heroism, 
helped  to  make  that  history. 

ARTICLE  11. 

All  persons  of  good  moral  character,  thirty-five  years  of  age 
or  over,  who,  at  the  date  of  their  application,  shall  have  resided 
at  least  twenty-five  years  in  Los  Angeles  county,  shall  be  eligible 
to  membership;  and  also  all  persons  of  good  moral  character 
fifty  years  of  age  or  over,  who  have  resided  in  the  State  forty 
years  and  in  the  county  ten  years  previous  to  their  application, 
shall  be  eligible  to  become  members.  Persons  born  in  this 
State  are  not  eligible  to  membership,  but  those  admitted  before 
the  adoption  ofthis  amendment  shall  retain  their  membership. 
(Amended  September  4,  1900.) 

ARTICLE  III. 

The  officers  of  this  society  shall  consist  of  a  board  of  seven 
directors,  to  be  elected  annually  at  the  annual  meeting,  by  the 
members  of  the  society.  Said  directors  when  elected  shall 
choose  a  president,  a  first  vice-president,  a  second  vice-president, 
a  secretary  and  a  treasurer.  The  secretary  and  treasurer  may  be 
elected  from  the  members  outside  the  Board  of  Directors. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

The  annual  meeting  of  this  society  shall  be  held  on  the  first 
Tuesday  of  September.  The  anniversary  of  the  founding  of 
the  society  shall  be  the  fourth  day  of  September,  that  being  the 


CONSTITUTION  AND  BV-tAWS. 


187 


anniversary  of  the  first  civic  settlement  in  the  southern  portion 
of  Alta  California,  to  wit:  the  founding  of  the  Pueblo  of  Los 
Angeles,  September  4,  1781. 

ARTICLE  V, 

Members  guilty  of  misconduct  may,  upon  conviction  after 
proper  investigation  has  been  held,  be  expelled,  suspended,  fined 
or  reprimanded  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present 
at  any  stated  meeting;  provided,  notice  shall  have  been  given  to 
the  soci-ety  at  least  one  month  prior  to  such  intended  action. 
Any  officer  of  this  society  may  be  remo^-cd  by  the  Board  of 
Directors  for  cause;  provided,  that  such  removal  shall  not  be- 
come permanent  or  final  until  approved  by  a  majority  of  mem- 
bers of  the  society  present  at  a  stated  meeting  and  voting. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

Amendments  to  this  constitution  may  be  made  by  submit- 
ting the  same  in  writing  to  the  society  at  least  one  month  prior 
to  the  annual  meeting.  At  said  annual  meeting  said  proposed 
amendments  shall  be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  society.  And 
if  two-thirds  of  all  the  members  present  and  voting  shall  vote 
in  favor  of  adopting  said  amendments,  then  they  shall  be  de- 
clared adopted*    (Amended  September  4,  1900,) 


BY-LAWS 


MEMBERSHIP. 
(Adopted  September  4,  1S97;  amended  June  4,  1901.) 

Section  i.  Applicants  for  membership  in  this  society  shall 
be  recommended  by  at  least  two  members  in  good  standing. 
The  applicant  shall  give  his  or  her  full  name,  age,  birthplace, 
present  residence,  occupation,  date  of  his  or  her  arrival  in  the 
State  and  in  Los  Angeles  county.  The  application  must  be  ac- 
companied by  the  admission  fee  of  one  dollar,  which  shall  also 
be  payment  in  full  for  dues  until  next  annual  meeting. 

Section  2,  Applications  for  admission  to  membership  in 
the  society  shall  be  referred  to  the  committee  on  membership, 
for  investigation,  and  reported  on  at  the  next  regular  meeting 
of  the  society*    If  the  report  is  favorable,  a  ballot  shall  be  taken 


138 


PIONEERS  OF  tOS  ANGLES  COUNTY. 


tor  the  election  of  the  candidate.  Three  negative  votes  shaU 
cau&e  the  rejection  of  the  applicant. 

Section  ^.  Each  person,  on  ad-mission  to  membership,  shall 
sign  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws. 

Section  4.  Any  person  eligible  to  membership  may  be 
elected  a  life  member  of  this  society  on  the  payment  to  the 
treasurer  of  $25.  Life  members  shall  enjoy  all  the  privileges  of 
active  members^  but  shall  not  be  required  to  pay  annual  dues. 

Section  5*  A  member  may  withdraw  from  the  society  by 
giving  notice  to  the  society  of  his  desire  to  do  so,  and  paying 
all  dues  charged  against  him  up  to  the  date  of  his  withdrawal 

DUES, 

Section  6.  The  annual  dues  of  each  member  (except  life 
members)  shall  be  one  dollar,  payable  in  advance,  at  the  annual 
meeting  in  September. 

Section  7.  Any  member  delinquent  one  year  in  dues  shall 
be  notified  by  the  secretary  of  said  delinquency,  and  unless  said 
dues  are  paid  uithin  one  month  after  said  notice  is  given,  then 
said  member  shall  stand  suspended  from  the  society.  A  mem- 
ber may  be  reinstated  on  payment  of  all  dues  owing  at  the  date 
of  his  suspension. 

DUTIES  OF  OFFICERS. 


Section  8>  The  president  shall  preside,  preserve  order  and 
decorum  during  the  meetings  and  see  that  the  Constitution  and 
By-Laws  and  rules  of  the  society  are  properly  enforced;  appoint 
all  committees  not  otherwise  provided  for;  and  fill  all  vacancies 
temporarily  for  the  meeting.  The  president  shall  have  power  to 
suspend  any  officer  or  member  for  cause,  subject  to  the  action 
of  the  society  at  the  next  meeting. 

Section  g.  In  the  absence  of  the  president*  one  of  the  vice- 
presidents  shall  preside,  with  the  same  power  as  the  president, 
and  if  no  president  or  vice-president  be  present,  the  society  shall 
elect  a  member  to  preside  temporarily. 

Section  10.  The  secretary  shall  keep  a  true  record  of  all 
the  members  of  the  society;  and  upon  the  death  of  a  member 
(when  he  shall  have  notice  of  such  death)  shal!  have  published 
in  two  daily  papers  of  Los  Angeles  the  time  and  place  of  the 
funeral;  and,  in  conjunction  with  the  president  and  other  offi- 
cers and  members  of  the  society,  shall  make  such  arrangements 
with  the  approval  of  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  as  may  be 


CONSTITUTION  AND  BY-LAWS, 


139 


necessary  for  the  funeral  of  the  deceased  member.  The  secre- 
tary shall  collect  all  dues,  giving^  his  receipt  therefor;  and  he 
shall  turn  over  to  the  treasurer  all  moneys  collected,  taking  his 
receipt  for  the  same. 

He  shall  make  a  full  report  at  the  annual  meeting,  setting 
iorth  the  condition  of  the  society,  its  membership,  receipts, 
disbursements^  etc- 

He  shall  receive  for  his  services  such  compensation  as  the 
Board  of  Directors  may  allow. 

Section  ii.  The  treasurer  shall  receive  from  the  secretary 
all  moneys  paid  to  the  society  and  give  his  receipt  for  the  same, 
and  shall  pay  out  the  money  only  upon  the  order  of  the  society 
tipon  a  warrant  sig^ned  by  the  secretary  and  president,  and  at  the 
end  of  his  term  shall  pay  over  to  his  successor  all  moneys 
remaining  in  his  hands,  and  render  a  true  and  itemized  account 
to  the  society  of  all  moneys  received  and  paid  out  during  his 
term  of  office. 

Section  12.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  finance  committee 
to  examine  the  books  of  the  secretary  and  treasurer  and  any 
other  accounts  of  the  society  that  may  be  referred  to  them,  and 
report  the  same  to  the  society. 

COMMITTEES. 

Section  13.  The  president*  vice-presidents,  secretary  and 
treasurer  shall  constitute  a  relief  committee,  whose  duty  it  shall 
be  to  see  that  sick  or  destitute  members  are  properly  cared  for 
In  case  of  emergency,  the  committee  shall  be  empowered  to  ex- 
pend for  immediate  relief  an  amount  from  the  funds  of  the  so- 
ciety not  to  exceed  $20,  without  a  vote  of  the  society.  Such 
expenditure,  with  a  statement  of  the  case  and  the  necessity  for 
the  expenditure  shall  be  made  to  the  society  at  its  next  regular 
meeting. 

Section  14.  At  the  first  meeting  after  the  annual  meeting 
each  year,  the  president  shall  appoint  the  following  standing 
committees:  Three  on  m-eimbership;  three  on  finance;  five  on 
program;  five  on  music;  five  on  general  good  of  the  society^  and 
seven  on  entertainment. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Section  15.  Whenever  a  vacancy  in  any  office  of  this  so- 
ciety occurs,  it  shall  be  filled  by  election  for  the  unexpired 
term. 

Section  16.     The  stated  meetings  of  this  society  shall  be 


Pioneei^s  of  Los  Angeles  Coua^/ 

CONSTITUTION 

ARTICLE  L 

This  society  shall  be  known  as  The  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles 
County.  Its  objects  are  to  cultivate  social  intercourse  and 
friendship  among  its  members  and  to  collect  and  preserve  the 
early  history  of  Los  Angeles  county,  and  to  perpetuate  the 
memory  of  those  who.  by  their  honorable  labors  and  heroism^ 
helped  to  make  that  history, 

ARTICLE  IL 

All  persons  of  good  moral  character,  thirty-five  years  of  age 
or  over,  who,  at  the  date  of  their  application,  shall  have  resided 
at  least  twenty-five  years  in  Los  Angeles  county,  shall  be  eligible 
to  membership;  and  also  all  persons  of  good  moral  character 
fifty  years  of  age  or  over,  who  have  resided  in  the  State  forty 
years  and  in  the  county  ten  years  previous  to  their  application, 
shall  be  eligible  to  become  members.  Persons  born  in  this 
State  are  not  eligible  to  membership,  but  those  admitted  before 
the  adoption  ofthis  amendment  shall  retain  their  membership. 
CAmended  September  4,  1900/) 

ARTICLE  IIL 

The  officers  of  this  society  shall  consist  of  a  board  of  seven 
directors,  to  be  elected  annually  at  the  annual  meeting,  by  the 
members  of  the  society.  Said  directors  when  elected  shall 
choose  a  president,  a  first  vice-president,  a  second  vice-president, 
a  secretary  and  a  treasurer.  The  secretary  and  treasurer  may  be 
elected  from  the  members  outside  the  Board  of  Directors. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

The  annual  meeting  of  this  society  shall  be  held  on  the  first 
Tuesday  of  September,  The  anniversary  of  the  founding  of 
the  society  shall  be  the  fourth  day  of  September,  that  being  the 


CONSTITUTION  AND  BY-LAWS. 


137 


anniversary  of  the  first  civic  settlement  in  the  southern  portion 
of  Alta  Caiifornia,  to  wit:  the  founding  of  the  Pueblo  of  Los 
Angeles,  September  4,  1781. 

ARTICLE  V. 

Members  guilty  of  misconduct  may,  upon  conviction  after 
proper  investigation  has  been  held,  be  expelled,  suspended,  fined 
or  reprimanded  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present 
at  any  stated  meeting;  provided,  notice  shall  have  been  given  to 
the  society  at  least  one  month  prior  to  such  intended  action. 
Any  officer  of  this  society  may  be  removed  by  the  Board  of 
Directors  for  cause;  provided,  that  such  removal  shall  not  be- 
come permanent  or  final  until  approved  by  a  majority  of  mem- 
bers of  the  society  present  at  a  stated  meeting  and  voting. 

ARTICLE  VL 

Amendments  to  this  constitution  may  be  made  by  submit- 
ting the  same  in  writing  to  the  society  at  least  one  month  prior 
to  the  annual  meeting.  At  said  annual  meeting  said  proposed 
amendments  shall  be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  society.  And 
if  two-thirds  of  all  the  members  present  and  voting  shall  vote 
in  favor  of  adopting  said  amendments,  then  they  shall  be  de- 
clared adopted.    (Amended  September  4,  1900.) 


BY-LAWS 


MEMBERSHIP. 
(Adopted  September  4,  1897;  amended  June  4,  1901.) 

Section  i.  Applicants  for  membership  in  this  society  shall 
be  recommended  by  at  least  two  members  in  good  standing. 
The  applicant  shall  give  his  or  her  full  name,  age,  birthplace, 
present  residence,  occupation,  date  of  his  or  her  arrival  in  the 
State  and  in  Los  Angeles  county.  The  application  must  be  ac- 
companied by  the  admission  fee  of  one  dollar,  which  shall  also 
be  payment  in  full  for  dues  until  next  annual  meeting. 

Section  2.  Applications  for  admission  to  membership  in 
the  society  shall  be  referred  to  the  committee  on  membership, 
for  investigation,  and  reported  on  at  the  next  regular  meeting 
of  the  society.    If  the  report  is  favorable,  a  ballot  shall  be  taken 


PIONEERS  OF  LOS  AXCELES  COUNTY. 


for  the  election  of  the  candidate.  Three  negative  votes  shall 
cause  the  rejection  of  the  applicant. 

Section  3.  Each  person^  on  admission  to  membership,  shall 
sigTi  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws. 

Section  4.  Any  person  ehg^ble  to  membership  may  be 
elected  a  life  member  of  this  society  on  the  payment  to  the 
treasurer  of  $25.  Life  members  shall  enjoy  all  the  privileges  of 
active  members,  but  shall  not  be  required  to  pay  annual  dues. 

Section  5.  A  member  may  withdraw  from  the  society  by 
giving  notice  to  the  society  of  his  desire  to  do  so,  and  paying 
all  dues  charged  against  him  up  to  the  date  of  his  withdrawal 

DUES, 

Section  6.  The  annual  dues  of  each  member  (except  life 
members)  shall  be  one  dollar,  payable  in  advance,  at  the  annual 
meeting  in  September. 

Section  7.  Any  member  delinquent  one  year  in  dues  shall 
be  notified  by  the  secretary  of  said  delinquency,  and  unless  said 
dues  are  paid  within  one  month  after  said  notice  is  given,  then 
said  member  shall  stand  suspended  from  the  society.  A  mem- 
ber may  be  reinstated  on  payment  of  all  dues  owing  at  the  date 
of  his  suspension. 

DUTIES  OF  OFFICERS, 

Section  8.  The  president  shall  preside,  preserve  order  and 
decorum  during  the  meetings  and  see  that  the  Constitution  and 
By-Laws  and  rules  of  the  society  are  properly  enforced;  appoint 
all  committees  not  otherwise  provided  for;  and  fill  all  vacancies 
temporarily  for  the  meeting.  The  president  shall  have  power  to 
suspend  any  ofHcer  or  member  for  cause,  subject  to  the  action 
of  the  society  at  the  next  meeting. 

Section  g.  In  the  absence  of  the  president,  one  of  the  vice- 
presidents  shall  preside,  with  the  same  powder  as  the  president, 
and  if  no  president  or  vice-president  be  present,  the  society  shall 
elect  a  member  to  preside  temporarily. 

Section  10.  The  secretary  shall  keep  a  true  record  of  all 
the  members  of  the  society;  and  upon  the  death  of  a  member 
(when  lie  shall  have  notice  of  such  death)  shall  have  published 
in  two  daily  papers  of  Los  Angeles  the  time-  and  place  of  the 
funeral;  and,  in  conjunction  with  the  president  and  other  offi- 
cers and  members  of  the  society,  shall  make  such  arrangement? 
with  the  approval  of  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  as  may  be 


CONSTITUTION  AND  BY-LAWa 


139 


necessary  for  the  funeral  of  the  deceased  member.  The  secre- 
tary shall  collect  all  dues,  giving  his  receipt  therefor;  and  he 
shall  turn  over  to  the  treasurer  alt  moneys  collected,  taking  his 
receipt  for  the  same. 

He  shall  make  a  full  report  at  the  annual  meeting,  setting 
forth  the  condition  of  the  society,  its  membership,  receipts, 
disbursements,  etc. 

He  shall  receive  for  his  services  such  compensation  as  the 
Board  of  Directors  may  allow. 

Section  ii.  The  treasurer  shall  receive  from  the  secretary 
all  moneys  paid  to  the  society  and  give  his  receipt  for  the  same, 
and  shall  pay  out  the  mon^  only  upon  the  order  of  the  society 
upon  a  warrant  signed  by  the  secretary  and  president,  and  at  the 
end  of  his  term  shall  pay  over  to  his  successor  all  moneys 
remaining  in  his  hands^  and  render  a  true  and  itemized  account 
to  the  society  of  all  moneys  received  and'  paid  out  during  his 
term  of  office. 

Section  12,  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  finance  committee 
to  examine  the  books  of  the  secretary  and  treasurer  and  any 
other  accounts  of  the  society  that  may  be  referred  to  them,  and 
report  the  same  to  the  society. 

COMMITTEES. 

Section  13.  The  president,  vtce-presidents,  secretary  and 
treasurer  shall  constitute  a  relief  committee,  whose  duty  it  shall 
be  to  see  that  sick  or  destitute  members  are  properly  cared  ton 
In  case  of  -emergency,  the  committee  shall  be  empowered  to  ex- 
pend for  immediate  relief  an  amount  from  the  funds  of  the  so- 
ciety not  to  exceed  $20,  without  a  vote  of  the  society.  Such 
expenditure,  with  a  statement  of  the  case  and  the  necessity  for 
the  expenditure  shall  be  made  to  the  society  at  its  next  regular 
meeting. 

Section  14,  At  the  first  meeting  after  the  annual  meeting 
each  year,  the  president  shall  appoint  the  following  standing 
committees:  Three  on  mermbership;  three  on  finance;  five  on 
program;  five  on  music;  five  on  general  good  of  the  society,  and 
seven  on  entertainment. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Section  15.  Whene<ver  a  vacancy  in  any  office  of  this  so- 
ciety occurs,  it  shall  be  filled  by  election  for  the  unexpired 
term. 

Section  16.  The  stated  meetings  of  this  sodet"            '^ 


■i 


140 


PIONEEKS  OF  LOS  AHCELES  COUKTY. 


held  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  each  month,  and  the  annual  meet- 
ing shall  be  held  the  ftrst  Tuesday  of  September.  Special  meet- 
ings may  be  called  by  the  president  or  by  a  majority  of  the 
Board  of  Directors,  but  no  business  shall  be  transacted  at  such 
special  meetings  except  that  specified  in  the  call. 

Section  17.  These  By-Laws  and  Rules  may  be  temporarily 
suspended  at  any  regular  Jiieeting  of  the  society  by  unanimous 
vote  of  the  members  present* 

Section  18.  Whenever  the  Board  of  Directors  shall  be 
satisfied  that  any  worthy  member  of  this  society  is  unable,  for 
the  time  being,  to  pay  the  annual  dues  as  hereinbefore  pre- 
scribedf  it  shall  have  power  to  remit  tlie  same. 

Section  19,  Changes  and  amendments  of  these  By-Laws 
and  Rules  may  be  made  by  submitting  the  same  in  writing  to 
the  society  at  a  stated  meeting.  Said  amendment  shall  be  read 
at  two  stated  meetings  before  it  is  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the 
society.  If  said  amendment  shall  receive  two-thirds  of  the 
votes  of  all  the  members  present  and  voting,  then  it  shall  be 
declared  adopted. 

ORDER  OF  BUSINESS. 

CALL  TO  ORDER. 


Reading  minutes  of  previous  meeting. 

Music. 
Reports  of  committee  on  membership. 

Election  of  New  Members. 
Reading  of  applications  for  membership. 

Music. 
Reminiscences,  lectures,  addresses^  etc. 

Music  or  recitations. 

Recess  of  10  minutes  for  payment  of  dues. 

Unfinished  busmess. 

New  business. 

Reports  of  committees. 

Election  of  officers  at  the  annual  meeting  or  to  fill  vacancies 

Music. 

Is  any  member  in  need  of  assitsance? 

Good  of  the  society. 

Receipts  of  the  evening. 

Adjournment. 


CONSTITUTION   AND  BY-LAWS, 


141 


REPORT  OF  THE  TREASURER, 

To  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County : 

I  beg-  leave  to  submit  th^  following  report  of  the  finances 
of  the  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County  for  the  year 
ending  August  31,  1904: 

Balance  on  hand  August  31,  1903 $  92,06 

Collections  to  September  i,  1904 , .......     318.50 

Total  balance  and  receipts $410.56 

Disbursement  to  September  i,  1904 *  $308,05 

Leaving  a  balance  cash  on  hand  of *$io2,si 

Receipted  bills  covering  each  item  of  the  disbursements  are 
submitted  with  this  report. 
September  1,  1904. 

Respectfully  submitted, 
LOUIS  ROEDER, 

Treasurer. 

REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY. 

To  the  Society  of  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County: 

Gentlemen  and  Ladies: — In  accordance  with  the  require- 
ments of  our  By-Laws,  I  herewith  present  my  annual  report  for 
the  year  ending  Au^st  31,  1904  .  With  this  meeting  the  So- 
ciety of  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County  completes  the  seventh 
year  of  its  existence. 

Since  its  organization  454  members  have  been  enrolled.  Of 
these  y^  have  died  and  15  have  been  dropped  for  non-payment 
of  dnes.  leaving  at  present  a  membership  of  366. 

Thirty-two  new  members  have  been  taken  into  its  member- 
ship since  our  last  annual  meeting  and  19  have  died. 

FINANCES. 

Balance  in  the  hands  of  the  Treasurer  August  31^  1903  $  92*06 
Collections 318.50 

Total,  balance  and  receipts $410.56 

Disbursements    $308.05 

Balance  on  hand $102 ,  5* 


148 


PIONEERS  OP  LOS  AKCELES  COUNTY. 


RELIEF. 
Our  deceased  brother,  J^.  D,  Dunlap,  during  his  long  sick- 
ness, was  voted  $20  relief.     And  for  another  needy  brother  a 
collection  amounting  to  $7.50  was  taken  up. 

The  meetings  of  the  society  have  generally  been  well  at- 
tended and  interesting  programs  presented. 
September  i,  1904. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

J.  M.  GUINN. 

Secretary. 

Los  Angeles,  Dec,  3,  1904. 
To  the   Pioneers   of  Los   Angeles   County:     Gentlemen   and 
Ladies; 
Your  Committee  on  Finance  to  whom  was  referred  the 
reports    of  the  Secretary  and  Treasurer  for    the    year    ending 
August  31st,  1904,  beg  leavCj  respectfully,  to  report  that  wc 
have  examined  carefully  the  receipts,  expenditures,  stubs,  etc., 
for  the  fiscal  year  commencing  Aug.  3ist^  1903^  and  ending 
Aug.  31st,  1904,  and  find  the  same  correct,  leaving  a  balance  in 
the  Treasury  at  the  latter  date'  of  $102,51, 
Respectfully  submitted, 

W.  H.  WORKMAN, 
C.  a  KEYES, 
H.  A,  BARCLAY, 

Finance  Committee. 


LOS  ANGELES— THE  OLD  AND  THE  NEW. 

(Extracts  from  a  paper  read  by  L,  T.  Fisher  at  the  January 
meeting  of  the  Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County,) 

The  winter  of  1872-73  was  an  exceptionally  co!d  one  in 
Central  Kentucky.  The  writer  then  and  there  decided  to  hiirit 
for  a  more  genial  climtae.  In  the  following  May  he  left  his 
home  in  Paris  for  California.  After  a  stay  of  nine  months  :n 
San  Francisco  he  came  south  to  assist  a  Methodist  preacher  in 
starting  a  newspaper  at  Wilmington,  The  reverend  gen- 
tleman soon  tined  of  his  "joV  and  I  fell  heir  to  the  situation 
From  that  day  to  this  I  have  been  more  or  less  identified  with 
newspaper  work  in  this  genial  southland. 

My  first  experiences  in  Southern  California  were  novel, 
indeed,  coming  as  I  did  from  the  interior  of  a  middle  state. 
The  great  Pacific  ocean,  the  barren  mountains  and  brown 
plains.  tl>e  different  growths  of  trees  and  grasses,  the  fenceless 
country,  and  its  wide-spread  wastefulness,  and  the  great  diver- 
sity of  peoples,  with  their  "confusion  of  tongues"  and  strange 
manners  and  customs,  all  combined  into  a  strange  spectacle. 
These  things  were,  however,  a  stimuhis  to  me  in  my  newspaper 
work^  as  I  had  in  them  the  spur  of  novelty.  In  a  little  while  I 
'*caught  on*'  to  the  inflated  style  of  bragadocio  about  the  coun- 
try^  and  my  friends  back  in  Kentucky  began  to  think  that  I  had 
become  a  veritable  Munchausen. 

The  material  for  reference  I  found  so  super  abundant  that 
I  at  once  gave  up  in  despair  and  determined  to  rely  upon  my 
own  accumulated  knowledge,  and  a  few  facts  gathered  from 
others. 

As  a  "starter**  I  decided  to  take  a  bird's-eye  view  from  an 
elevated  station  on  Beaudry  avenue.  It  had  rained,  and  the 
hills  and  valleys  were  clothed  in  a  beautiful  velvety  greeny  and 
their  roya!  highnesses  the  mountains,  had  put  on  great  white 
crowns.  The  view  was  an  inspiring  one,  indeed,  I  could  sec 
the  valley,  in  an  entire  circuit  bounded  by  the  mountains  and 
ocean,  *'01d  Baldy,  "Old  Grayback"  and  San  Jacinto,  snow> 
crowned,  and  brightened  by  the  golden  sunshine,  favored  the 
conceit  of  three  fine  old  gentlemen  smiling  ^"'~      *  -^^nn 


144 


PIONEERS  OP  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


the  beautiful,  rich  prospect  spread  out  at  their  feet.  This  valley 
is  the  territory  that  forms  the  chief  semi-tropic  glory  of  our 
southland.  On  a  rough  estimate.  I  should  guess  that  it  covers 
about  fifteen  hundred  square  miles.  There  is  scarcely  a  territory  of 
equal  proportions  on  the  face  of  the  globe  towards  which  so 
many  people  are  wistfully  turning  their  thoughts.  While  it  is 
on  the  great  highway  of  commerce,  its  unmatched  climate,  mar- 
velous productive  capacity,  natural  beauty  and  easy  accessibility 
will  always  render  it  pre-eminently  the  land  of  homes. 

Los  Angeles  county  contains  4,000  square  miles,  much  of 
which  is  desert  and  mountains,  but  little  of  tt  is  waste,  as  one 
contains  much  valuable  mineral,  and  the  other  is  a  valuable 
water  source.  I  have  no  data  as  to  the  assessment  of  '74,  when 
I  came  here.  The  country  was  covered  by  big  ranches  that 
were  little  else  than  barren  plains  over  which  inferior  cattle. 
horses  and  sheep  roamed.  It  was  sneeringly  referred  to  by  the 
up-country  people  as  a  "cow  county/'  (They  sing  in  a  difFerenc 
key  now.)  A  scant  belt  of  orange  and  lemon  trees  were  aCiout 
the  suburbs  of  the  city,  and  a  few  duplicates  at  San  Gabriel, 
San  Fernando,  and  San  Juan  Capistrano.  These  were  the  oases 
in  a  comparative  desert  of  waste  land.  There  were  a  few  dilapi- 
dated villages,  such  as  Wilmington,  EI  Monte,  Do\vney,  Ana- 
heim»  Santa  Ana,  and  a  few  others. 

The  closing  of  the  thirty  years,  since  '74.  presents  a  very 
different  spectacle — some  of  the  older  villages  have  expanded 
into  cities,  and  many  new  and  prosperous  places  have  come  into 
existence.  Pasadena,  Santa  Monica.  Pomona,  San  Pedro,  Re- 
dondo,  Long  Beach,  and  many  others  have  become  important 
centers,  and  are  the  nuclei  of  prosperous  districts.  The  water 
development  has  been  immense,  and  as  a  result  extensive  cul- 
tivation and  tree-planting  have  followed,  and  railroad  develop- 
ment and  home  building  have  not  lagged.  Under  the  care  of 
push  and  enterprise  the  desert  has  been  made  to  blossom  and 
the  mountains  to  give  up  their  richness. 

The  old  pueblo  of  Los  Angeles  was  five  miles  square,  mak- 
ing twenty-five  square  miles.  Greater  Los  Angeles  spreads  over 
a  surface  of  43.27  square  miles,  or  27.695  acres.  In  '74  the  city 
had  a  population  of  10,000;  now  it  is  over  150,000.  Downey 
Block  was  the  center  of  business,  and  along  with  the  Temple 
&  Workman  block,  were  the  "swell"  edifices  of  the  city.  The 
former  is  now  being  torn  down  to  make  room  for  a  great  post- 
office.  The  territory  between  First  street  and  the  Plaza,  and 
Broadway  and  Alameda  street,  included  about  all  the  business. 


tOS  ANCEI*ES — THE  0U>  AND  TH«  NKW. 


145 


There  was  quite  a  ragg^cd  suburbs  of  orchards,  vineyards  and 
small  residences — mostly  adobe.  A  horse  corral  occupied  the  site  of 
the  Nadeau  Hotel,  and  another  that  of  the  Hollenbeck  Hotel. 
The  Pico  House  (now  the  National  Hote!)  was  the  Angelus  of 
those  days.  A  lot  of  adobe  shanties  held  the  place  of  the  Baker 
Block,  Board  sidewalks  where  ther«  was  any,  or  dirt,  full  of 
chuck  holes,  were  the  terror  of  belated  '^clubmen/'  hunting  for 
their  awaiting  spouses*  In  a  word,  the  City  of  the  Angels  was 
unique*  from  any  standpoint. 

This  "Cow-county"  capital  was  out  of  touch  with  the  out- 
side world,  except  by  stage  and  steamboat,  and  far  aw^ay  San 
Francisco  was  the  metropolis.  There  were  three  daily  papers 
of  a  most  provincial  type.  And  they  satisfied  the  sleepy  curiosity 
of  the  times. 

My  advent  into  the  city  was  exceedingly  pleasant^  because 
I  got  into  good  fellowship  with  a  lot  of  as  royal  souls  as  ever 
dwelled  in  human  breast.  (And  just  here  so  many  delightful 
memories  crowd  upon  my  mind  that  I  can  only  send  forth  a 
prayer  for  the  eternal  peace  of  those  good  souls  that  have  gone 
over  on  the  other  side.    Only  a  few  of  them  are  left.) 

The  boom  days  mark  the  line  that  divides  the  old  from 
the  new.  Of  course  they  didn't  come  all  at  once.  The  tender- 
foot came  in  by  the  carload,  and  began  to  catch  on.  This  rather 
jarred  the  Arcadian  peaoe  of  the  dolce  far  niente  dreamers. 
Wellj  the  hurricane  finally  broke  loose.  There  were  1500  real 
estate  brokers;  and  a  good  many  thousand  suckers.  Those  were 
unique  times,  when  Ben  Ward  sold  real  estate  with  a  brass 
band  and  a  free  dinner  on  the  ground.  Men  stood  in  line  all 
night  to  get  a  first  choice  of  lots.  It  was  a  time  of  ecstatic 
delirum  or  gloomy  cussedness,  according  as  it  panned  out. 
Some  had  wealth  forced  upon  them  and  some  had  it  forced  from 
them.  However^  we  may  view  the  matter  it  is  certain  that  Los 
Angeles  took  a  number  of  steps  forward  that  she  has  never 
lost.  There  have  been  lulls  and  lessons  of  caution  learned,  but 
this  sunny  land  has  never  made  any  back-steps  that  it  has  not 
quickly  regained. 

The  new  Los  Angeles  is  one  of  the  .most  unique  cities  of 
modern  times.  The  mental  vision  of  all  civilized  peoples  is 
more  or  less  focused  on  this  semi-tropic  capital.  It  is  embraced 
in  the  itinerary  of  all  globe-trotters.  It  is  a  Mecca  for  all  tramps 
— some  of  whom  come  in  palace  cars,  some  ride  break-beams, 
and  others  walk.  The  circus,  the  theater  and  the  hurdy-gurdy 
find  it  a  rich  harvest  field.    The  famous  eastern  preacher,  whose 


146 


PIONEERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


voice  has  succumbed  to  th-e  rigors  of  a  bad  cHmate  and  over- 
work considers  it  a  God-send  to  spend  his  vacation  here.    And 
those  who  have  been  ushered  by  Horace  Greeley's  advice  con 
sider  this  as  Jar  west  as  they  want  to  go. 

We  have  not  traveled  as  far  heavenward  by  the  elevator 
route,  as  New  York,  but  we  can  give  that  rushing  city  pointers 
in  selling  real  estate.  We  sell  the  climate  and  offer  the  land  as 
premium,  and  raise  flowers  enough  to  throw  bouquets  at  any 
old  thing  that  comes  along.  In  fact,  our  climate  is  the  magnet 
that  draws,  where  everything  else  fails.  There  are  only  a  few 
hundred  square  miles  of  it  and  there  is  no  more  like  it.  Hence 
we  draw  all  kinds  of  people,  and  our  social  and  business  char- 
acteristics are  as  farreaching  as  human  taste  and  needs  can  make 
them*     In  a  word  the  Angel  City  is  cosmopolitan. 

In  manufactures  and  trade,  in  mechanic  and  fine  arts,  in 
science  and  literature,  in  journalism,  in  home-maktng.  in  fun 
and  folly,  we  are  on  the  crest  of  a  high-rolling  wave,  and  the 
breaking  point  is  not  yet  in  sight. 

Notwithstanding  this  city  is  on  the  outer  rim  of  the  'Vild 
woolly  west,"  it  is  a  thought  center.  There  is  some  sort  of  or- 
ganized recognition  of  every  vagary  that  agitates  the  human 
mind — we  have  people  here  who  believe  everything,  and  some 
who  believe  nothing,  and  every  shade  of  thinker  between  these 
extremes.  There  are  churches  and  churches,  societies  and  so- 
cieties, clubs  and  clubs,  and  one  who  cannot  find  something  to 
suit  him  must  be  hard  to  please,  indeed. 

The  city  is  making  a  wonderful  growth,  but  there  is  method 
in  all  this  push.  The  former  boom  was  a  little  "wild/'  in  the 
present  there  is  a  careful  counting  of  the  cost  at  each  advance. 

The  Angeleno,  who  is  thoroughly  ''acclimated,'*  is  not  gov* 
emed  by  the  notions  of  slower  communities.  We  have  built  a 
railroad  to  the  top  of  the  nearby  mountains;  and  from  these 
heights  we  amuse  ourselves  at  night  by  illuminating  the  mil- 
lionaire palaces  of  Pasadena  with  a  powerful  search-light.  We 
have  also  built  an  observatory  on  the  same  elevation  and  em- 
ployed an  expert  to  keep  watch  on  the  fellows  on  other  planets^ 
who  might  possibly  open  up  some  scheme  that  would  interfere 
with  our  future  plans. 

They  are  also  engineering  some  unique  movements  at  the 
seaside.  There  is  now  a  stretch  of  resorts  from  Santa  Monica 
to  Newport — a  distance  of  some  fifty  miles.  There  wharves, 
bath  houses,  pavilions  and  cottages  by  the  thousand — and  a 
miniature  Venice  is  in  progress  at  one  of  the  points.     All  of 


W)S  ANGEl^ES — THE  OLD  AND  THfi  NEW, 


147 


these  seaside  resorts  and  other  places  over  this  great  valley  are 
reach-ed  by  an  electric  system  of  railways^  that  spread  out  from 
the  city  like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel,  and  the  accommodation  is 

not  surpassed  anywhere  in  the  world. 

While  Los  Angeles  is  performing  some  marvelous  **tricks" 
she  is  going  to  take  herself  seriously.  This  city  is  in  line  with 
the  great  world  movement,  and  there  is  no  way  to  shut  her  out. 

In  a  few  years  the  *'City  of  the  Angels"  will  be  ready  for 
the  big  ships  from  over  the  sea.  The  Panama  canal  is  amon^ 
the  certainties,  great  railway  improvements  are  already  com- 
pleted, and  still  greater  projects  are  in  embryo.  Railroad  enter* 
prise  is  planning  to  traverse  the  full  length  of  South  America. 
The  Central  American  states  will  continue  the  line  to  Mexico; 
from  which  point  continuous  rail  connection  extends  to  Port- 
land, Oregon,  A  preliminary  movement  is  already  on  foot  for 
a  grand  rail  extension  up  through  Alaska,  and  we  are  promised 
a  great  float  (as  at  Port  Costa)  to  carry  trains  across  Behring's 
strait.  Russia  has  built  a  trunk  line  southward,  and  China  is 
getting  ready  to  throw  open  her  vast  possessions  to  railway  en- 
terprise and  trade.  Powerful  syndicates — starting  from  Cape 
Colony  and  the  Mediterranean — will  meet  somewhere  in  the 
heart  of  the  dark  continent.  These  great  trunk  enterprises  once 
completed,  tributary  movements  will  quickly  start  up  and  the 
whole  world  will  be  "gridironed"  with  the  bands  of  commerce 
and  travel. 

In  the  meantime,  Edison,  Tesler,  Marconi,  Dumont,  and 
others  will  go  on  performing  "miracles/'  widening  the  road 
that  leads  to  permanent  independence  and  comfort.  All  na^ 
tions  will  soon  be  in  close  touch,  and  the  race  will  become  more 
and  more  homogeuous,  with  its  united  interests  and  perhaps  a 
common  language.  The  New  West  will  send  back  to  the  Old 
East  not  only  the  principal,  but  compound  interest  for  past 
favors. 

This  oneness  will  engender  finer  and  more  tender  senti- 
ments of  brotherhood.  Modern  methods  will  be  so  complete 
the  machine  will  be  the  only  slave,  and  do  such  faithful  service 
that  there  will  be  an  abundance  for  all,  and  greed  will  retire, 
shame-faced,  forever  from  human  sight.  There  are  great  things 
in  sight  for  the  human  family,  and  before  the  first  quarter  of  the 
20th  century  shall  have  passed,  we  will  all  have  learned  that  the 
grandest,  profoundest  of  all  lessons, — the  fruitage  of  the  long 
past,  is  this:  Man  was  not  made  to  mourn;  happiness  is  the 
true  goal  of  human  existence? 


SOME  HISTORIC  FADS  AND  FAKES. 


By  J,  M.  Guinn. 

The  title  of  my  subject — "Fads  and  Fakes" — ^is  not  classi- 
cal English.  It  is  not  dictionary  English,  Dr.  Johnson,  the 
great  lexicographer  of  England,  was  dead  a  century  or  more 
before  the  words  were  coined,  and  Noah  Webster  never  heard 
of  a  fad  or  a  fake — so  he  did  not  get  them  into  his  Unabridged. 

As  to  the  philological  genealogy  of  "fad"  I  confess  my 
ignorance*  It  may  be  derived  froin  some  Latin  or  Greek  word» 
or  it  may  be  Chinese  or  Choctow — more  than  likely  it  has  no 
paternity,  but  like  Topsy  "just  growed."  It  is  simply  United 
States  slang  made  for  an  emergency — fitted  to  the  circumstance 
that  called  it  into  existence;  and  it  stuck  because  it  struck  that 
popular  fancy  that  likes  to  take  short  cuts  in  its  vocabulary^ — 
a  fad  is  a  new  idea — fashion,  trick,  notion  or  get-rich-quick 
scheme  that  suddenly  becomes  popular,  has  its  run  wanes,  dies 
and  is  forgotten, 

A  fake  is  a  near  relative  to  a  fakir  The  fakirs,  you  know, 
are  a  guild  of  oriental  monks  or  priests  who  eke  out  an  exist- 
ence by  begging,  by  tricks  of  legerdemain  and  other  dubious 
methods.  Consequently  a  fake  is  closely  allied  to  fraud.  Fads 
and  fakes  often  hunt  in  couples  and  when  a  fad  begins  to  degen- 
erate into  a  fake  it  has  lost  all  claim  to  respectability.  To  write 
the  history  of  all  the  fads  that  have  had  their  day  since  the  tulip 
fad  of  Holland  two  or  three  centuries  ago,  when  a  rare  tulip 
bulb  sold  for  $30,000  and  stolid  Dutch  merchants  traded  ships 
and  their  cargoes  for  choice  collections  of  tulip  tubers  that 
were  of  no  utility  and  scant  beauty,  down  to  the  Belgian  hare 
craze  of  two  or  three  years  ago  in  California,  when  a  buck  hare 
whose  commercial  value  was  25  cents  sold  for  a  thousand  dol- 
lars— to  write  the  history  of  al!  these  would  ftU  volumes.    The 


SOME  HISTORIC  FA0S  ANtI  FAK^. 


149 


story  of  by-gone  fads  and  fakes,  if  well  written  would  amuse 
and  possibly  instruct — that  is  if  credulous  humanity  ever  profits 
from  the  experiences  of  its  forbears. 

In  my  brief  story  I  shall  confine  myself  to  fads  and  fakes 
of  California  origin,  and  of  recent  date. 

The  famine  years  of  1863  and  1864  put  an  end  to  cattle 
raising  as  the  distinctive  industry  of  Southern  California  and 
compelled  the  agriculturists  of  the  south  to  cast  about  for 
some  other  use  to  which  their  lands  could  be  turned.  The  later 
60s  and  the  early  70s  might  be  called  the  era  of  agricultural  ex- 
periments. Some  of  these  experiments  took  on  the  nature  of 
fads  and  were  failures^  others  were  moderately  successful 
Olden  time  tillers  of  the  soil  will  recall  perhaps  with  a  sigh  the 
silk  culture  craze,  the  Ramie  plant  fad,  the  castor  bean  experi- 
ment, and  other  experience  with  tree  and  plant  and  vine  that 
were  to  make  the  honest  farmer  happy  and  prosperous,  but 
which  ended  in  dreary  failure  and  some  times  in  great  pecuniary 
loss. 

One  of  these  fads — the  silk  culture  craze — deserves  more 
than  a  passing  notice. 

A  series  of  letters  written  by  a  French  savant  proved  be- 
yond controdiction  that  California  was  the  natural  home  of  the 
silk  worm  and  that  if  Californians  would  turn  their  attention  to 
seri-culture,  the  Golden  State  would  outrival  France  in  silk 
production  and  put  China  out  of  the  business.  These  letters 
were  extensively  copied  by  the  press  of  the  state  and  the  fad 
was  started. 

To  encourage  silk  culture  in  California^  the  Legislature  of 
1866-7  passed  an  act  giving  a  bounty  of  $250  for  every  planta- 
tion of  5,000  mulberry  trees  two  years  old,  and  one  of  $300  for 
every  100,000  merchantable  cocoons.  This  greatly  encouraged 
the  planting  of  trees  and  the  production  of  cocoons  if  it  did  add 
to  the  number  of  yards  of  silk  in  California. 

In  1869,  it  was  estimated  that  in  the  central  and  southern 
portions  of  the  state  there  were  ten  millions  of  mulberry  trees 
in  various  stages  of  growth.  One  nursery  in  San  Gabriel — the 
Home  of  the  Silk  Worm,  as  its  proprietor  called  it' — advertised 
700,000  trees  and  cuttings  for  sale,  while  the  nurseries  in  and 
around  Los  Angeles  added  a  million  more  of  moms  multicaulis, 
morus  alba  and  morus  moreti  mulberry  trees  to  feed  the  silk 
worms. 


160 


PrOKEERS  OF  LOS  ANGEUCS  COUNTY. 


At  the  head  of  the  silk  Industry  in  the  state  was  Louis 
Prevost,  an  educated  French  gentleman,  who  was  thoroughly 
conversant  with  the  business  in  all  its  details.  He  had  esta!>- 
Itshed  at  Los  Angeles  an  extensive  nursery  of  mulberry  trees 
and  a  large  cocoonery  for  the  rearing  of  silk  worms.  His  en- 
thusiasm induced  a  number  of  the  leading  men  of  the  south  to 
enter  into  an  association  for  the  purpose  of  planting  eniensive 
forests  of  mulberry  trees  and  for  the  establishment  of  a  colony 
of  silk  weavers.  The  directors  of  the  association  cast  about  for 
a  suitable  location  to  plant  a  colony,  I  find  this  item  in  the  Los 
Angeles  Star  of  June  15,  1869,  from  its  correspondent  in  San 
Bernardino :  **Messrs.  Prevost  and  Garey  have  been  here  look- 
ing  out  for  land  with  a  view  to  establish  a  colony  for  the  cul- 
ture and  manufacture  of  silk.  The  colony  is  to  consist  of  one 
hundred  families,  sixty  of  whom  are  ready  to  settle  as  soon  as 
the  location  is  decided  upon.  Both  of  these  gentlemen  are 
highly  pleased  with  our  soil  and  climate  and  consider  our  county 
far  better  adapted  to  the  culture  of  the  mulberry  than  any  other 
of  the  southern  counties." 

The  directors  of  the  California  Silk  Center  Association  of 
Los  Angeles,  through  its  superintendent,  Prevost,  purchased 
4,000  acres  of  the  Rubidoux  Rancho,  where  the  city  of  River- 
side now  stands,  and  arranged  for  the  purchase  of  about  4,000 
acres  more  of  the  Jurupa  Rancho  adjoining.  Here  was  to  be 
the  great  silk  center  of  seri-cuUure  in  California.  The  fad  was 
maturing  into  a  great  enterprise.  Then  reverses  came,  unmer- 
ciful disacter  followed  it  fast  and  followed  it  faster.  Prevost, 
the  brains  and  the  motive  power  of  the  enterprise,  died;  the  dry 
year  of  1869-70  prevented  the  planting  of  mulberry  planta 
tions,  and  the  Silk  Center  Association  found  itself  in  hard  lines. 
It  sold  its  land  holding  to  Judge  North's  Riverside  Colony,  and 
now  where  Prevost  once  hoped  to  found  a  colony  that  would 
supply  the  world*s  markets  with  the  finest  silks  stand  the  orange 
groves  of  Riverside* 

As  the  millions  of  mulberry  trees  throughout  the  state  came 
of  age  the  demands  for  the  bounty  poured  in  on  the  commis- 
sioners in  such  a  volume  that  the  state  treasury  was  threatened 
with  bankruptcy  and  the  Legislature  in  alarm  repealed  the  act 
granting  bounties.  The  immense  profits  that  had  been  made  in 
the  beginning,  by  selling  silk  worm  eggs  to  those  who  had  been 
seized  by  the  craze  later,  fell  oflf  from  over  production.  The  re- 
peal of  the  bounty  put  a  stop  to  tree  planting.  The  care  ana 
cost  of  looking  after  the  silk  worms  exceeded  the  profits.    The 


SOUt  HISTORIC  FADS  AKD  FAKES, 


151 


trees  died  from  neglect  and  the  silk  worms  starved  to  death 
The  sen-culture  mania  quickly  subsided.  Of  the  millions  of 
mulberry  trees  that  once  fluttered  their  leaves  in  the  breeze 
scarce  one  is  alive  today. 

The  next  agricultural  fad  that  attracted  the  tillers  of  the 
South  was  the  ramie  plant  experiment.  Somebody  discovered, 
or  thought  he  had,  that  the  ramie  plant,  a  near  relative  of  the 
nettle,  was  an  excellent  substitute  for  hemp,  if,  indeed,  it  was 
not  superior  to  it.  There  had  been  recently  quite  a  demand  for 
hemp  by  the  numerous  vigilance  committees  throughout  the 
state  and  it  was  deemed  a  good  stroke  of  political  economy  for 
California  to  grow  her  own  hemp  or  a  substitute  for  it.  The 
prevalence  of  hemp  might  be  a  warning  to  evil-doers  or  a  sug- 
gestion to  them  to  reform  or  move  on,  or  it  might  act  as  a 
sort  of  suggestive  therapeutics  for  the  cure  of  crime. 

The  fad  never  reached  the  mania-stage.  If  ever  there  was  a 
strand  of  rope,  or  a  gunny  bag  or  a  grain  sack  made  from 
the  fields  of  ramie,  I  never  heard  of  them. 

Passing^  rapidly  down  the  corridors  of  time  we  come  to  the 
Belgian  hare  fad.  I  need  not  describe  to  you  a  Belgian  hare. 
You  have  all  seen  the  animal.  I  need  not  describe  to  you  the 
rabbitries  in  the  back  yards  built  with  so  much  care  after  approved 
models.  Some  of  you  have  built  them.  And  the  kings  and  lords 
and  dukes  and  queens  and  princesses  and  their  progenies  that 
dwelt  in  royal  state  in  those  same  rabbitries,  you  have  minis- 
tered to  them,  admired  them,  counted  the  profits  in  them,  and 
suffered  the  losses,  too.  Then  there  were  those  wondrful  pedi- 
grees that  traced  the  ancestry  of  Lord  Brittons  and  King  Fash- 
odas  back  to  the  pair  that  Adam  built  a  rabbitry  for  in  the  Gar- 
den of  Eden.  There,  too,  were  the  fine  points  in  the  make  up  of 
a  thoroughbred  that  only  an  expert  in  hare  heraldry  could  find — 
the  peculiar  markings  on  the  back,  the  particular  shade  of  red 
on  the  feet,  the  wink  of  his  eye,  the  flap  of  his  ears.  From  all 
these  signs  the  expert  could  read  his  lordships  title  clear  to  a 
noble  ancestry. 

Exactly  what  the  hares  were  good  for  except  to  sell  to  some 
one  who  had  an  attack  of  the  craze,  no  one  seemed  able  to  find 
out.  When  the  supply  exceeded  the  demand,  what  then?  Oh, 
that  never  could  be — all  the  worid  wanted  hares.  Southern 
California  was  the  only  place  where  they  could  be  grown  to  per- 
fection and  the  craze  increased — but  there  came  a  time  when  it 
was  all  supply  and  no  demand.  As  an  article  of  food  the  most 
aristocratic  of  the  red-footed  gentry  was  not  up  to  the  standard 


152 

of  a  Calif. 
of  the  bn- 
dukes  an'i 
the  tenar.: 
chicken  o- 
business  j^ 
that  were 

Take 
with  a  <k 
the  ten  ■• 
Times  ui  ■ 
She  visii 
with  a  I . 

The  . 
lying.     I 
to   the 
Shem.  I 
as  to  V. 
hares  h 
ciiliar  1: 
Time  ] 
coats  tv 
them, 
white 
pearc'i 
into  i- 
Frenc 
That 
there 

V. 
"It  0 
and  • 

c; 

begn 

beet 

oil  i 

of  I 

the 

da> 

CO: 

an 

d<. 

tV. 


SOME  HISTORIC  ^ABS  AND  ?AKES. 


153 


to  incorporate  a  company.  The  profits  came  from  selling  stocks, 
not  oih  I  am  speaking  now  of  the  fakes  that  followed  the  fad. 
Th'Sre  were  many  legitimate  oil  companies  that  were  unfortu- 
nate in  their  efforts  to  develop  new  territory  and  money  was 
lost  to  stockholders,  but  the  business  in  these  was  conducted 
honestly.  During-  the  prevalence  of  the  fad  you  could  buy 
stocks  at  all  prices  from  a  cent  a  share  up.  Stocks  in  a  new 
company  would  be  advertised  at  5  cents  a  share,  in  a  short  time 
advanced  to  10  cents,  then  raised  to  15c,  and  when  buyers  began 
^0  lag  the  last  call  was  sounded.  At  the  last  stroke  of  the 
clock  at  midnight  next  Saturday  the  stock  of  the  Grizzly  Bear 
Oil  Development  Company  will  be  advanced  to  25  cents* 
Oil  sand  has  been  struck  in  the  company's  wells  and  all  unsold 
stock  will  be  withdrawn  from  the  market  in  a  few  days.  The 
amount  of  oil  sand  struck  by  the  fake  companies  would  have 
made  a  Sahara  desert  of  Southern  California  if  it  could  have 
been  brought  to  the  surface. 

One  company  of  enterprising  promoters,  to  satisfy  a  crying 
need  of  the  times., cheap  stock — organized  a  company  with  a 
capital  of  $5,000,000,  and  placed  its  stock  at  a  cent  a  share.  The 
stock  advanced  to  2  cents  a  share  on  the  report  that  the  com- 
pany had  secured  a  derrick.  It  might  even  have  gone  half  a 
cent  higher  had  not  the  boom  burst  and  the  company  been 
forced  into  insolvency^  After  it  went  out  of  business  the  only 
assets  of  the  company  were  found  to  be  a  second-hand  derrick 
on  another  company's  land. 

During  the  oil  mania  there  were  certain  fakirs  who  claimed 
to  be  gifted  with  occult  powers  that  enabled  them  to  discover 
the  presence  of  oil  far  down  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth.  For  a 
liberal  consideration  in  coin  they  would  indicate  the  point  at 
which  to  bore  a  well  and  tell  its  producing  capacity;  It  re- 
quired a  considerable  stretch  of  credulity  to  believe  in  their 
powers,  yet  there  were  plenty  equal  to  the  requirement-  These 
fakirs  did  not  seek  oil  veins  with  a  witch-hazel  twig»  as  the  oUl- 
time  water  witches  used  to  do  when  seeking  water  wells  and 
springs.  They  claimed  to  possess  contrivances  curiously  con- 
structed of  certain  sensitive  substances  so  delicate  that  the  efRu- 
via  of  oil  coming  up  through  thousands  of  feet  of  rock  and 
earth  would  set  their  machinery  in  motion  and  they  would  reel 
off  the  number  of  barrels  a  day  that  wdls  bored  where  the  con- 
trivances indicated  would  produce.  Some  friends  of  mine,  di- 
rectors of  an  oil  company,  were  firm  believers  in  the  mysterious 
powers  of  a  certain  professor  of  the  occult  to  find  oil.     At  con- 


164 


PIONEERS  OP  LOS  ANCELES  COUNTV. 


siderable  expense  the  professor  and  bis  rnachine  were  trans- 
ported to  Ventura  county,  where  Iheir  clairn  was  located.  After 
traniping  over  the  hills  they  finally  came  to  where  they  thought 
their  claim  was  situated.  The  professor  sat  down  with  his  ma- 
chine under  a  hve-oak  tree.  It  had  scarcely  touched  the  ground 
before  it  began  to  reel  off  oil  wells  of  a  thousand-barrel-a-day 
capacity  and  as  it  got  warmed  up  to  the  job  it  spun  off  40,000 
and  50.000-barrel  wells.  Had  they  kept  it  going  for  a  week  it 
would  have  supplied  the  world  with  oil  and  put  the  Standard 
Oil  Company  out  of  business.  The  most  singular  thing  about 
that  machine  was  its  intelligence.  It  was  only  when  the  pro- 
fessor's palms  were  crossed  with  coin  that  it  would  exert  its 
powers.  The  directors  returned  greatly  elated.  A  few  weeks 
later  they  took  up  a  surveyor  to  locate  their  claim.  To  their 
dismay  they  found  that  the  like  oak  was  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
beyond  their  holdings  and  the  clinal,  or  anti-clinal  lines,  or 
whatever  those  subterraneous  race  courses  are  calkd  along 
which  oil  flows,  did  not  run  in  the  direction  of  their  claim. 

The  oil-stock  craze  subsided.  Beautifully  lithographed  cer- 
tificates of  stock  are  the  only  relics  left  to  many  of  us  for  the 
cash  invested.  They  are  not  done  in  oil]  if  we  were.  Yet  some 
of  these  cost  us  more  than  paintings  by  the  old  masters  would 
have  done, 

A  historical  fak^*  once  conjured  up  like  the  ghost  of  Banqiio 
will  not  down  at  your  bidding.  Take  for  illustration  the  fake 
of  Fremont's  alleged  headquarters.  It  is  well-known  to  every 
one  acquainted  with  our  local  history  that  Colonel  Fremont's 
official  residenc-e  in  Los  Angeles  while,  for  the  few  months  in 
1847,  that  he  was  military  governor  of  California,  was  the  upper 
floor  of  the  Bell  Block,  which  stood  on  the  southeast  corner 
of  Los  Angeles  and  AHso  streets. 

Some  eighteen  or  t\venty  years  ago  a  newspaper  writer  made 
an  important  discovery,  namely*  that  an  old  adobe  house  on 
South  Main  street,  near  Fourteenth,  was  Fremont's  headquar- 
ters while  he  was  military  governor  of  California,  and  cons-e 
quently  one  of  the  numerous  capitols  of  the  state.  He  exploited 
his  discovery  through  a  column  or  two  of  his  newspaper.  With 
that  inherent  capacity  for  believing  whatever  appears  in  print 
which  the  average  citizen  possesses,  there  was  rejoicing  that 
Fremont^s  headquarters  had  been  discovered  and  that  Los 
Angeles  possssed  a  historic  capitol  The  Historical  Society 
published  a  refutation  of  the  story,  but  people  went  on  believnng 
it  all  the  same. 


soMS  HistORic  Pads  akd  Pak£s. 


155 


It  was  true»  as  shown,  that  Fremont  had  never  seen  the 

old  adobe,  which  was  built  nearly  a  decade  after  he  left  Los 
Angeles.  It  was  true  too,  that  the  site  of  the  old  building  was 
two  and  a  half  miles  from  the  place  where  Fremont's  troops 
encamped,  The  stupidity  of  a  co-mmander  pitching  his  head- 
quarters two  and  a  half  miks  away  from  his  troops,  where  he 
was  liable  to  be  captured  by  the  enemy^  seems  not  to  have  oc- 
curred to  the  repeaters  of  the  story.  It  was  their  forte  to  believe, 
not  to  reason.  Notwithstanding  the  inconsistencies  shown,  not- 
withstanding numerous  refutations  written  and  oral,  there  are 
people  who  still  believe  that  the  old  adobe  house,  once  a  dwell* 
ing,  later  a  saloon,  and  for  the  past  ten  or  twelve  years  a  Chinese 
wash  house,  was  once  the  headquarters  of  Colonel  Fremont. 

Its  fame  and  its  name  have  been  spread  far  and  wide.  Il- 
lustrated journals  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  have  pub- 
lished pictures  of  it.  Tourists  have  taken  snapshots  at  it.  Cam- 
era clubs  have  trained  their  instruments  on  it.  Souvenir  seekers 
have  invaded  its  precincts  much  to  the  disgust  of  its  Mongolian 
proprietor,  and  have  carried  away  bits  of  adobe  from  its  walls 
as  precious  relics.  Within  the  past  six  months  the  oldest  daily 
newspaper  in  Los  Angeles  printed  in  its  illustrated  annual  edi- 
tion a  picture  of  this  old  Chinese  wash  house  labeled  *'Freniont's 
headquarters." 

A  few  years  since  the  officers  of  the  Historical  Society  were 
tempted  by  a  glittering  proposal.  A  certain  prominent  pro- 
moter proposed  to  organize  a  joint  stock  company  with  a  capi- 
tal of  $50,000,  buy  the  lot  and  the  old  house  and  erect  a  Fremont 
memorial  building*  preserving  intact  the  historic  headquarters. 
The  company  would  promise  to  donate  to  the  Historical  So- 
ciety commodious  quarters  in  the  proposed  building  on  condi- 
tion that  it  (the  society)  would  lend  its  name  and  influence  to 
furthering  the  scheme.  When  told  the  society  would  not  lend 
itself  to  the  perpetuation  of  a  fake,  he  was  very  much  disgusted 
at  the  "finicky  notions  of  certain  persons."  People  generally 
beheved  that  the  old  building  was  Fremont's  headquarters  and 
what  was  the  use  in  undeceiving  them — an  excuse  that  has  kept 
the  life  in  many  another  historical  fake. 

This  is  the  very  commonplace  history  of  the  old  house,  In 
1856  or  1857  it  was  built  by  Henry  Hancock  for  a  residence. 
Hancock  was  the  surveyor  who  made  in  1853  what  is  known  as 
the  Hancock's  survey  of  Los  Angeles  city-  The  house  stands 
on  Lot  I,  Block  A,  of  that  survey.  Hancock  planted  a  vineyard 
on  the  lot,  which  contained  thirty-five  acres.    This  lot  and  the 


166 


PIONEEftS  OF  LOS  AKGELES  COUNTY. 


house  passed  into  the  possession  of  Moritz  Morris  on  the  fore- 
closure of  a  mortgage  and  is  still  known  as  the  Morris  vme3'ard 
tract.  Several  acres  from  the  northeastern  portion  of  it  con- 
taining the  house  were  sold  to  J/ohn  S.  Carr,  and  is  still  known  a» 
the  Carr  tract.  Both  tracts  long  ago  were  divided  into  city  lots 
and  arc  compactly  built  up  with  residences  and  business  blocks. 
The  old  house  has  had  many  different  owners  and  has  been  put 
to  a  variety  of  uses. 

How  did  it  come  to  be  known  as  Fremont's  head- 
quarters? There  is  a  tradition  (whether  founded  on 
fact  or  pure  fiction  deponent  saith  not)  that  away  back  in  the 
later  '505  a  German  resident  of  Los  Angeles  opened  a  saloon  in 
it  and  to  give  his  enterprise  a  good  send  off  named  the  build- 
ing Fremont*s  Headquarters.  All  travel  then  to  and  from  Los 
Angeles  came  and  went  by  way  of  San  Pedro,  From  the 
embarcadero  to  the  city  was  a  long  distance  between  drinks.  So 
this  enterprising  disprenser  of  the  ambrosia  of  the  gods  moved 
out  two  and  a  half  miles  on  the  San  Pedro  road  to  greet  the 
coming  stranger  and  to  speed  as  well  the  departing  citizen.  It 
was  a  first  and  last  chance  saloon.  The  memory  of  the  nectar 
there  quaffed  lingering  in  the  mind  of  some  old-time  patron 
caused  him  to  become  garrulous  over  the  good  times  spent  at 
Fremont's  headquarter's,  and  a  reporter  catching  a  fragment  of 
the  tale,  conjured  from  it  a  fake  that  twenty  years  has  not 
downed. 

This  historic  building  without  a  history  is  doomed  to  de- 
struction. The  march  of  improvement  will  soon,  if  it  has  not 
already,  trample  it  into  dust.  Only  a  few  weeks  since  a  reporter 
sent  by  the  editor  of  an  enterprising  morning  journal  inter- 
viewed me  in  regard  to  taking  steps  to  avert  its  impending 
doom.  If  the  Historical  Society  would  procure  a  site  the  enter- 
prising journal  would  aid  in  removing  this  historic  building  in- 
tact to  a  new  site  where  it  could  be  preserved  for  all  time.  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  the  society  did  not  respond  to  the  appeal  and 
the  narration  of  the  facts  in  the  history  of  the  old  building 
knocked  into  pie  columns  of  sensational  reports.  There  are 
several  other  historical  fakes  to  which  I  had  intended  paying  my 
respects,  but  time  and  space  forbid.  Briefly  in  closing,  to  point 
a  moral : 

The  headquarters  fake  is  a  good  illustration  of  how  much 
that  passes  for  history  has  been  manufactured.  Some  one  con- 
cocted a  plausible  story  about  a  certain  historical  event.  The 
story  may  have  been  an  adulteration  of  a  fact  and  fiction,  or  it 


160 


PIONEEES  or  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


as  lost  the  years  I  was  there  employed. 

The  arrival  of  stage  and  mail  under  Lance  Toffilmier  or  Billy 
Passmorc  was  the  chief  daily  event.  Old  time  freighters  as 
Horace  Clark,  Chuck  Warren,  etc.,  would  camp  there;  also 
miners  like  Nat  Lewis,  Gus  Spear  and  Bicdeman  of  Amargoza 
(whose  mill  was  burned  by  Indians) ;  Hi  Jolly,  Greek,  mail  car- 
rier to  Camp  Cady  and  Fort  Mohave;  Dr.  Wozen craft  about  to 
make  the  Colorado  desert  an  inland  sea;  John  Brown,  a  noted 
pioneer;  Billy  Rubottom,  who  kept  a  near-by  staiton,  all  these 
and  more  of  their  ilk  made  the  balmy  evenings  delightful  in 
detailing  experiences,  with  more  in  store  for  each.  Of  the  lit- 
tle coterie  gathering  there,  J.  B.  Kipp  was  killed  in  this  city 
some  twenty  years  ago.  and  J.  Turner  was  killed  by  Indians 
near  Death  Valley  about  1866. 

After  a  disastrous  trading  expedition  in  Lower  California, 
where  I  tost  heavily  and  meeting  Celestine  Allpaz  and  others 
who  had  been  run  out  of  this  country,  nearly  lost  my  life,  for 
lack  of  other  adventure,  I  engaged  with  an  outfit  (Billy  Mar- 
getson  leader)  to  take  cattle  collected  for  John  Reid,  James  Wa^ 
ters,  Ed  Parrish  and  E.  K.  Dunlap  to  Stinking  Water  river,  a 
source  of  the  Missouri  in  Montana.  Much  of  the  stock  was  on 
the  rancho  of  Parrish  and  Dunlap  (later  owned  by  Burcham), 
in  the  valley  over  the  Sierra  Madre  from  Arrowhead  Springs, 
and  through  which  flows  a  fork  of  tlie  Mojave  joining  a  mile  or 
so  below  that  from  Holcombe  valley.  About  March  12,  1866, 
Dunlap,  Parrish,  a  driver,  myself  and  a  vaquero,  Antonio  (we 
two  last  on  horseback)  left  Cucamonga  for  that  ranch.  Arriving" 
at  that  point  on  the  road  where  David  N.  Smith,  keper  of  Sum- 
mit Station,  was  marvelously  recovering  from  being  twice  shot 
the  previous  year  by  Indians,  all  of  whom  wei^e  believed  to  have 
left  never  to  return,  we  watered,  and  the  leader  instructed  Anton 
and  me  to  make  a  detour  northwesterly  through  a  fine  bunch 
grass  region,  and  bring  such  stock  as  we  met  to  the  valley,  where 
ranch  houses  were,  the  wagon  proceeding  there  direct.  Meet- 
ing no  cattle,  the  first  object  attracting  our  attention  was  the 
soft  trail  full  of  moccasin  tracks.  Antonio,  being  a  native  of 
San  Bernardino  valley,  I  asked  him  what  make  and  how  many. 
He  examined  closely  and  laconically  replied  Chimahueva, 
twelve,  very  bad  Indians,  and  from  Rock  Creek  heading  for  the 
Mojave  Forks  (as  he  then  supposed).  At  supper  we  reporte<I 
all  this,  but  Parrish,  long  on  the  frontier  for  one  so  young,  ridi- 
culed the  idea  of  danger  to  life  or  stock.  Citing  from  his  own 
experience  with  Indians,  he  argued  that  while  they  might  not 


SOME  INDIAN  EXpeRl£NC£S. 


161 


relish  the  stock  being  removed,  he  would  simpty  kill  a  beef, 
give  them  all  they  could  eat  and  carry,  if  they  showed  up,  which 
he  doubted. 

A  shiftless  fellow  (one  Anderson (  had  lately  been  in  charge. 
He  was  an  arrant  boaster,  and  finding  the  skulls  of  two  Indians 
killed  in  one  of  the  encounters  thereabouts,  he  fastened  them 
on  the  posts  of  the  big  gates.  He  gave  out  that  better  than  any 
one  else,  he  knew  the  why  and  wherefore  of  those  skulls,  and  that 
any  Indians  prowling  near  him  would  meet  the  same  fate. 

To  return  to  Parrish,  he  declared  carrying  of  revolvers  to  be 
inconvenient  in  the  close  undergrowth  abounding  there,  and 
wherein  cattle  hid  in  gathering  time. 

Next  morning  all  were  out  early,  save  Mr.  Dunlap,  who  was 
sick,  an  old  man  (Strickland)  the  cook;  a  discharged  soldier 
(Porter),  a  boy  of  12  (Reeves),  all  of  whom  found  plenty  to  do 
preparing  for  the  long  drive.  East  of  the  stream  a  herd  was  started 
to  which  was  brought  in,  all  stock  as  found.  The  forenoon  passed 
satisfactorily  save  that  at  noon  Pratt  Whiteside  (who,  with 
Nephi  Bemis  had  come  as  helpers  the  previous  -evening),  de- 
clared he  must  carry  his  revolver  because  of  a  vicious  cow  dan- 
gerous to  man  and  horse,  that  prevented  the  removal  of  stock 
w4th  hen  He  was  allowed  to  do  so.  After  the  noon  meal  the 
same  force  was  out.  That  day  I  was  riding  a  mule  (as  I  was 
saving  my  faithful  Tamole  for  the  Montana  journey),  and  ac- 
companying Parrish  and  Bemis.  Finding  some  ten  head  I  was 
instructed  to  take  them  to  the  herd,  take  Whiteside's  place  there 
and  send  him  with  his  well-trained  horse  to  join  them.  All 
which  was  done,  and  as  the  herd  was  fat  and  quiet,  I  laid  low  t'j 
the  ground  to  avoid  the  granite  particles  borne  on  the  strong  cold 
wind  from  the  north,  by  a  hair  rope  retaining  my  hold  on  my 
mule.  Very  soon  Anton  came  loping  round  to  say  he  and  the 
other  herder  had  heard  a  peculiar  discharge,  too  loud  for  a  dis- 
tant revolver,  and  asked  if  he  should  investigate,  he  having 
the  Chimahueva  band  in  mind.  I  referred  to  Whiteside  being 
armed,  and  he  was  about  to  reply.  My  mule  suddenly  tightened 
the  hair  rope  and  following  her  gaze  we  saw  a  riderless  horse 
speeding  for  the  ranch.  Anton  was  instantly  in  pursuit  and 
caught  him  before  the  ranch  was  reached,  an  ounce  ball  in  the 
hip  and  saddle  bloody.  While  yet  I  hesitated  whether  to  leave 
the  herd  we  had  collected  to  one  man,  from  the  trees  studding 
the  skirt  of  the  valley  fled  as  thie  wind  another  riderless  horse. 
Him  I  caught  at  the  ranch  gates.  This  saddle,  too.  was  bloody, 
and  the  terror  of  the  poor  beast  was  infectious  from  its  intensityt 


ie2 


PIONEERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


for  I  knew  now  that  Parrish  and  Bemis  were  slaughtered.  And 
Whiteside — what  of  him.  His  horse  we  never  again  saw.  Dun- 
lap,  still  sick,  rose  to  meet  the  emergency,  enfeebled  in  body, 
stunned  by  the  tragedy  (Parrish  being  his  brother-in-law),  arms 
were  collected,  prepared*  and  a  wagon  went  forth;  myself.  Anton 
and  the  remaining  man  at  the  herd  on  horseback,  we  started 
for  the  bloody  ground,  Dunlap  issuing  orders  from  the  wagon 
over  a  total  of  five,  Strickland^  defective  of  sight^  being  left,  with 
the  boy,  at  the  ranch.  Carrying  a  long  rifle  I  was  ordered  to 
ride  up  a  ridge  that  promised  a  commanding  view,  and  followed 
it  until  I  found  the  trial  of  the  hostiles  leading  toward  mountain 
fastnesses,  where  it  was  folly  to  go.  I  gazed  eagerly  for  Indians, 
but  could  see  none.  Then  signalling  by  waving  my  hat  down- 
ward that  I  had  discovered  something,  I  was  signalled  to  re- 
turn. I  was  glad,  (or  I  was  too  prominent  among  those  brushy 
hills  just  then.  Returning,  I  learned  that  by  following  a  queer 
acting  coyote  the  naked  body  of  Bemis  had  been  found,  with  an 
ounce  ball  through  the  neck.  Later  was  found  the  nude  body 
of  Whiteside.  All  signs  indicated  that  as  Parrish.  Bemis  and 
Whiteside  were  threading  a  small  ravine,  the  Indians,  from  the 
left,  in  ambush,  had  poured  in  the  volley  that  had  sounded  to 
Anton  as  one  shot,  sending  an  ounce  baU  into  the  neck  of 
each  victim,  not  differing  in  location  over  three  inches,  so  de- 
liberate and  perfect  was  their  aim.  The  first  two  evidently  clung 
instinctively  but  for  moments  only  to  their  reddening  saddles.  The 
shock  of  his  wound  knocked  Whiteside  from  his  horse,  then  he 
scaled  the  ridge  and  died  among  his  foes,  receiving  in  addition 
a  pistol  shot  possibly  from  his  own  weapon,  but  not  till  he  had 
put  a  bail  into  the  groin  of  one  of  the  savages,  as  evidenced  by 
the  drag  of  a  limb  shown  in  their  trail.  They  had  thrown  a 
great  stone  upon  the  poor  fellow's  face,  crushing  the  frontal 
bone.  As  we  found  him  lying  nude  on  his  back,  with  the 
cold,  rigid  arms  up  as  a  guard  against  more  barbarity,  broken 
arrows  lying  around,  we  mutely  looked  the  sentiment.  "See 
how  a  brave  man  dies." 

Not  till  nightfall  did  we  give  over  the  search  for  Parrish  and 
reverently,  tearfully  bear  the  two  bodies  to  the  ranch.  Arriving 
there  a  messenger  was  dispatched  over  the  mountain  trail  eight- 
een miles  to  San  Bernardino  asking  aid  of  the  sheriff  and  de- 
tailing the  tragedy.  Forthwith  we  put  out  two  guards  for,  while 
the  foe  might  have  gone  into  the  mountainSj  they  might  be  al- 
ready doubling  their  trail,  and  as  we  had  sacrificed  three  men 
to  lack  of  prudence,  an  ounce  of  lead  ready  for  every  Indian  was 


SOME  INDIAK  EXPERIENCES. 


163 


the  course  for  that  night.  The  excited  condition  of  the  ranch 
dogs  was  ominous,  and  we  were  now  few.  The  ranch  building's 
were  two  log  cabins  on  the  north  side  of  the  drive,  the  stables 
and  great  hay  stacks  on  the  other,  or  south  side,  and  danger- 
ously close  to  the  houses,  if  fired  by  our  foe,  who,  from  the  sur- 
rounding darkness  could  pick  off  each  as  he  ran  from  the  flames. 
Only  thorough  vigilance  prevented  it  that  night.  About  lo 
o*clock  after  the  ample  meal  we  sorely  neded,  Dunlap,  Porter 
and  Strickland  were  in  the  smaller  cabin  of  one  large  room,  sornt 
preparing  the  bodies  for  the  morrow's  journey  to  San  Ber- 
nardino (that  of  Bemis  most  prominently  in  sight)  when  a 
heavy  knocking  at  the  only  door  startled  us.  Each  looked  th« 
question,  ''What  is  it?  Who  shall  open  that  door?'*  Only  an 
instant  and  one  of  the  others  threw  it  open  (in  the  same  move 
jumping  aside)  and  disclosed  to  us  Harrison  Bemis;  and  to 
him  the  bodies  of  his  brother,  Nephi,  and  Whiteside,  whom  he 
last  saw  in  full  health,  and  told  he  was  coming  over  to  stop  at 
the  ranch  and  hunt  near  by.  What  could  we  do  but  go  out  into 
the  darkness^  leaving  him  with  the  dead  till  his  mingled  grief 
and  rage  could  run  their  course.  Fatal  valley;  in  it  a  man  was 
killed  by  a  grizzly  about  two  years  later. 

Night  passed  sleeplessly.  Before  dawn,  well  fed,  armed  as 
best  we  could,  we  were  oflf  for  the  bloody  ground.  Rain  had 
fallen  and  the  fork  was  swollen,  but  through  it  we  went,  feeling 
we  must  find  Parrish  that  forenoon  if  men  could  do  it,  and 
fear  of  the  Indians  somehow  eliminated.  About  noon,  despair- 
ing, the  signal  to  collect  was  given;  but  one  saw  the  white 
foot  of  Parrish,  whose  body  was  otherwise  covered  with  masses 
of  twigs  gathered  by  wood  rats.  !ying  between  the  three  trunks 
of  a  scrub  oak.  Suspense  relieved  we  were  thankful.  He  had 
been  stripped  and  dragged.  A  thirty-five  mile  wagon  ride  must 
be  encompassed  before  three  widows  and  their  orphans  could 
receive  their  dead,  and  the  rest  of  the  day  was  consumed  in 
mournful  preparations.  At  evening  a  messenger  arrived  who 
reported  the  sheriff  and  a  large  force  to  leave  next  morning. 
These  later  caught  up  with  the  raiders,  but  the  best  I  have 
heard  of  their  efforts  was  that  two  Indians  were  killed  ana  a 
trinket  or  two  recovered  identifying  them  as  the  band  who  struck 
us.  Early  the  following  morning  our  sad  cortege  set  forth  and 
reached  San  Bernardino  in  the  early  evening,  met  by  grief- 
stricken  families  and  angered  people.  I  knew  strong  drink  to  be  the 
first  resort  of  a  weak  one  and  a  b^t  resort  of  the  strong,  but  I 
had  to  take  my  fo  uke  that  night.  When 


164 


PlOKEtRS  O?  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY, 


we  left.  Porter  and  Strickland  were  instructed  to  hold  the 
ranch  until  part  of  the  shenflf's  force  arrivedj  unless  it  was  plain 
they  could  not,  in  which  event  the  two  rnen  should  steal  up 
through  the  willows  to  Cajon  Pass  summit,  and  come  in  with 
some  teamster,  but  first  the  boy  was  to  be  mounted  on  a  swift 
horse  kept  ready  therefor,  and  dispatched  by  the  same  route  to 
San  Bernardino.  Our  departure  was  evidently  noted  by  our 
dusky  foes,  for  that  evening,  hardly  had  darkness  settled  before 
the  dogs  heralded  their  approach.  In  the  brief  interval  the  boy 
was  dispatched,  being^  shot  at  by  the  Indians  as  he  rounded 
the  exterior  enclosure,  and  the  two  men  waiting  till  they  saw 
it  was  the  same  foe  and  too  numerous,  hustled  for  the  pass 
The  yelp  of  the  faithful  dogs  told  the  fate  awaiting  man  and 
beast  till  this  band  was  driven  away.  About  midnight  or  later, 
the  boy  delivered  the  latest  news  from  the  ranch  in  a  modest 
way  that  showed  the  true  hero.  There  was  a  joint  funeral  the 
next  day  yel  remembered  by  many  San  Bernardino  pioneers. 
When  a  posse  reached  the  ranch  next  morning  word  was  sent 
that  they  found  alj  the  improvements  smoking  ruins.  I  never 
visited  the  place  aftenvard,  though  I  did  go  as  planned  to  Mon- 
tana with  that  outfit,  and  till  we  got  to  Bridgeport  we  had 
charge  of  the  widow  and  children  of  Parrish. 

As  we  traversed  Owens  river  valley  and  saw  the  ruins  of  sta- 
tions attacked  in  the  Ind  n  war  of  1864  and  learned  some  of  its 
incidents,  it  seemed  Mr.  Indian  was  to  us  a  continued  story, 
of  which  I,  at  least,  pined  for  the  last  chapter,  which  came  in  the 
Shoshone  county,  Diamond  Spring  Valley,  where,  while  on 
day  guard  I  shot  an  Indian  dog  that  persisted  in  running 
through  the  herd  of  750  Spanish  cattle.  This  was  in  sight  of  a 
dozen  bucks^  and  I  realized  that  maybe  it  was  in  this  lone  land 
I  was  to  die;  for  the  buck  chosen  to  visit  the  camp  came  to  me, 
and  touching  his  forefinger  on  my  breast  said  I,  having  killed 
his  dog*  he  would  kill  me.  He  ran  the  scale  of  demands,  first 
blood,  then  money;  then  I  had  the  cook  fill  him  on  table  rem- 
nants. Then  he  wanted  tobacco;  I  gave  him  that  and  he  left. 
We  moved  across  the  valley  and  killed  a  beef.  I  felt  pokey 
till  my  guard  was  over,  but  they  had  eaten  to  their  fill  of  the 
meaner  parts  of  the  beef,  and  rage  was  stifled  through  the  stom- 
ach. In  February^  1867*  I  reached  San  Bernardino  with  Carlos 
Shepherd  of  Beaver,  Utah,  and  now  I  believe  I  have  ended  all  my 
Indian  experience  worth  relating. 


\Vm.  h.  wokkman 


A  BANQUET  GIVEN  TO  THE  PIONEERS   BY  WM.  H, 

WORKMAN. 

in  Commemoration  of  the  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  His  Arrival 

in  Los  Angeles, 
Turn  Verein  Hall,  January  21.  1905. 

(Compiled  from  the  L.  A,  Herald  and  other  papers.) 

Ex-Mayor  and  present  City  Treasurer  W,  H.  Workman  cele- 
brated the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  his  arrival  in  Los  Angeles  last 
night.  "Uncle  Billy,"  as  everybody  calls  him  and  as  he  lovcb 
to  be  called,  did  not  celebrate  the  occasion  in  solitary  grandeur. 
At  his  table  in  Turn  Verein  hall  500  of  his  friends  were  as- 
sembled. 


186 


FIOHEERS  OF  tOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


No  man  in  California  has  so  many  nephews  and  nieces  as 
"Uncle  Billy*'  and  no  uncle  ever  loved  his  brother's  offspring 
half  so  well.  One  phrase  of  his  last  night  indicated  the  com- 
pass of  his  hospitality.  "I  only  wish,"  he  said.  '*that  I  could 
have  entertained  all  of  the  14,000  friends  I  had  on  the  fifth  of 
December/'  (Number  of  votes  he  received  at  the  city  election  for 
Treasurer  on  that  day. 

The  speeches  were  a  mirror  of  the  growth  of  Los  Angeles 
from  a  strag-gltng  Mexican  Pueblo  to  its  present  commanding  po- 
sition as  the  queen  city  of  the  southland.  The  gathering  was  one 
distinguished  by  a  larger  number  of  the  men  and  women  who 
butlded  the  state  than  has  been  seen  in  this  city  for  a  long  time. 

It  was  indeed  a  notable  gathering  of  those  who  have  been  in- 
si  rumental  in  making  Los  Angeles, 

Among  the  'old  boys.**  as  a  jocular  pioneer  phrased  n.  v;ere 
ooticed:  Commodore  R.  R.  Haines,  ex-Chief  of  Police  Bums, 
Lugene  Germain,  H.  Z.  Osborne,  Oscar  Macy,  Judge  B.  S.  Ea- 
ton, William  Dodson,  John  Young,  Dr.  Nadeau,  ex-Mayor  John 
Uryson,  Victor  Ponet,  William  Fnrgeson  ex-United  States  Sena- 
tor Cole,  C  H.  White.  J.  M.  Guinn,  H.  D,  Barrows.  H.  T,  Haz- 
ard, M.  F.  Qiiinn,  Louis  Roedcr,  H,  W.  Hellman,  E.  H.  Work- 
man,  J.  G.  NewelK  J.  W.  Gillette,  A.  G,  Mappa,  Ben  C,  Tniman. 
Ed.  Nittenger*  J*  W.  Davis*  J.  L,  Slaughter,  Will  A,  Harris, 
Join  Brown,  Jr..  of  San  Bernardino;  Dr.  H.  S.  Onne,  A.  J.  King, 
Fred  Alles  and  many  others. 

Among  the  pioneer  women  present  were  noticed  Mrs,  Laura 
E/ertsen  King,  Mrs.  Virginia  Whisler  Davis^  Mrs.  Mary  Frank- 
lin, Mrs.  J.  G.  Newell,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Gillette.  Mrs.  Dora  Bilderbcck, 
Mrs.  Annie  Spence,  Mrs,  H,  T.  Hazard,  Mrs.  B.  C,  Truman, 
Mrs.  William  H.  Workman,  Mrs.  B-  S,  Eaton,  Mrs.  A.  G,  Mappa, 
Mrs.  Isabella  Loosmore,  Mrs.  Cecelia  Johansen,  and  many  others. 

Maj  or  Ben  C.  Truman,  the  veteran  journalist  and  good  fel- 
low, acted  as  toastmaster.  M.  F.  Quinn,  president  of  the  pioneer 
society,  welcomed  the  guests  on  behalf  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Work- 
man. 

"Mr.  Workman,''  said  Mr.  Quinn,  "arrived  here  when  but 
16  years  of  age.  Now  he  is  66  years  old,  a  hale  and  hearty  man 
and  one  of  whom  it  may  be  said  *Hail  fellow  well  met.'  He 
has  seen  fit  to  call  the  pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  together  that 
we  may  enjoy  with  him  an  old-time  banquet.  We  thank  htm 
for  this  kind  expression  of  good  will,  and  we  say  'Long  may  he 
live  and  prosper/    We  will  now  eat  and  be  merry.*' 


BANQUET  GIVEN  BY  W.  H,  WOBKMAN.  167 

The  banquet  was  made  up  of  Spanish  dishes.  The  following 
menu  was  served : 

Frijoles,  Mcjicanos 

Pan  Frances  y  Viena 

ChiH-Salza  a  la  Capistrano 

Francisco  Wiggins*  Camara  de  Comercio  Ponche 

Tamales  de  Sonora 

Empanada  de  Jamon  y  queso 

Apio  Olivas  Pepinas 

Cafe 

The  following  was  the  programme  of  literary  exercises  for 

the  evening : 

President^  M.  F.  Quinn 
Toastmaster,  Major  Ben  C  Truman 

Address  of  Welcome   M.  F.  Quinn 

Music  by  Ahrens'  Orchestra 
The  Pioneers — How  They  Came  to  California : 

( l).     "The  Plains  Across,"    . , . .   Henry  T.  Hazard 

(2.)     Via  Panama   , J.  M,  Guinn 

Music 
(3.)     Via  the  Santa  Fe  Trail  . .  Mrs,  Virginia  Whisler  Davi;^ 
(4.)      "Fifty  Years  in  Los  Angeles,"   ....   W.  H.  Workman 

(5,)     Via  Nicaragua. Louis  Roeder 

Music 

Five  Minute  Speeches Other  Guests 

"Auld  Lang  Syne/*  The  Pioneers 

"Home  Sweet  Home/' Orchestra 

Adios 
Henry  T.  Hazard  responded  to  the  sentiment,  "Crossing  the 
Plains/'  and  said  he  once  belonged  to  an  ancient  debating  society 
of  which  M.  F,  Quinn  was  president, 

The  guests  cheered  and  Hazard  stopped  speaking  and,  looking 
very  serious,  remarked  that  when  he  was  talking  he  didn't  want 
members  of  the  family  to  interfere.  He  said  every  old  pioneer 
had  two  very  clear  recollections  of  the  trip  across — the  ox  team 
and  the  navy  six  shooter.  These  were  the  chief  things  upon 
which  the  argonauts  depended. 

J.  M.  Guinn  told  of  the  pioneer's  trip  by  way  of  the  isthmus  of 
Panama.  "It  took  nine  months  for  the  story  of  the  gold  dis- 
covery to  reach  the  east  and  then  the  rush  set  in. 

"There  were  three  routes  by  which  the  pioneers  could  reach 
California.    One  by  way  of  the  isthmus,  another  by  way  of  Cape 


168  FIONBERS  OP  IX)S  ANGSI^ES  COUNTY. 

Horn  and  the  third  by  crossing  the  plains.    No  matter  which  vfzy 
a  man  came  he  always  wished  he  had  come  by  some  other.*' 

Mrs,  Virginia  Whisler  Davis  told  an  interesting  story  of  ex- 
periences she  encountered  while  coming  across  by  the  Santa  Fe 
trail. 

Louis  Roeder  told  of  crossing  by  way  of  Nicaragua,  and  a 
narrow  escape  his  party  had  during  the  troublous  days  of  Walk- 
er's filibustering  in  Central  America. 

Major  Truman  said  that  a  great  number  of  letters  had  been 
received  by  the  president  of  the  Pioneer  Society.  As  a  sample 
of  these  one  from  the  veteran  journalist,  Col  Joseph  D.  Lynch, 
was  read.  This  letter  sketched  Mr.  Workman's  career  gracefully 
and  clearly.  Commenting  upon  it.  Major  Truman  said  he  had 
known  Mr.  Workman  almost  forty  years,  and  was  one  of  those 
who  attended  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Workman  thirty- 
seven  years  ago. 

The  host  of  the  evening  and  his  good*  wife  were  then  intro- 
duced. They  were  given  a  great  ovation.  Responding  to  this 
reception,  Mr.  Workman  said : 

"I  am  most  happy  to  greet  my  fellow  pioneers  here  tonight  in 
such  large  numbers.  From  the  looks  of  this  assemblage  it  shows 
that  after  all  many  of  us  are  left.  I  have  long  had  a  desire  to 
entertain  my  pioneer  friends,  and  I  only  regret  that  available  space 
prevented  me  from  including  many  of  those  outside  of  the  Pio- 
neer Society, 

"It  would  indeed  be  the  joy  of  my  life  to  entertain  in  this 
manner  my  14,000  friends  of  December  5,  1904.  I  had  intended 
celebrating  the  actual  day  that  marked  my  fiftieth  arrival  in  Los 
Angeles,  but  being  absent  at  that  time  visiting  the  St.  Louis  ex- 
position I  could  not  do  it. 

"After  January  i  I  resolved  to  defer  the  pleasure  no  longer, 
and  because  of  the  uncertainty  of  the  weather  at  this  time  of  the 
year  I  have  been  obliged  to  give  up  my  original  plan  of  an  out- 
door barbecue. 

"Fifty  Years  in  Los  Angeles''  is  the  toast  assigned  to  me. 
Fifty  years,  or  half  a  century,  is  a  long  time,  and  yet  I  feel  as 
though  I  would  like  to  live  fifty  years  more  in  this  angelic  city. 
Coming  here  a  mere  lad  more  than  fifty  years  ago,  when  Los  An- 
geles was  a  small  town  of  2500  inhabitants,  today  I  am  proud 
to  say  that  I  have  seen  it  grow^  to  a  beautiful  city  of  nearly  200.000 
people. 

*'In  1880  Los  Angeles  contained  but  11.000  people.  This 
immense  increase  of  population  has  occurred  within  the  last  twen- 


BANQUET  GIVEN  BY  W.  H.  WORKMAN. 


169 


ty-five  years.  Imagine,  if  you  please,  what  this  city  will  be  fifty 
years  hence,  reaching  from  the  mountains  to  the  sea  and  spreading 
out  east  and  west  over  a  vast  area  and  containing  tnillions  of  peo- 
ple. This  is  no  visionary  or  idle  talk,  but  certainly  within  the 
possibilities,  for  there  is  but  one  Los  Angeles  and  one  Southern 
California. 

"When  I  came  here  First  street  was  I  might  say  the  southern 
boundary  of  the  populated  portion  of  the  city ;  now  the  city 
stretches  out  in  every  direction,  north,  east,  south  and  west.  Then 
we  had  no  railroads;  today  Ave  are  about  to  celebrate  the  opening 
of  the  third  transcontinental  railroad  in  Los  Angeles.  Our  countT 
is  fairly  gridironed  with  many  excellent  railway  systems,  electric 
as  well  as  steam.  There  were  no  street  cars,  no  telegraphic  com- 
munication with  the  outside  world,  no  banks,  no  conveniences  of 
modern  commercial  life  when  I  came  here. 

''The  occasional  steamer  at  San  Pedro  and  a  consequent  occa- 
sional stage  coach  in  Los  Angeles  were  the  only  links  with  the 
rest  of  mankind.  Those  were  not  lonely  days,  however,  for  the 
early  residents  of  Los  Angeles  were  a  hospitable  and  generous 
people.  Many  pleasant  recollections  must  ever  remain  in  ray 
memory  of  those  early  Spanish  and  American  families, 

*T  came  here  an  ambitious  lad  trying  to  succeed  in  life;  how 
well  I  have  accomplished  that  I  leave  you  to  judge.  Political  hap- 
penings have  likewise  come,  while  there  remains  a  certain  simi- 
larity  of  procedure. 

'*Our  worthy  secretary,  Prof.  J.  M.  Guinn,  and  myself  were 
candidates  on  opposing  tickets  for  the  legislature  in  this  county  in 
1873,  and  we  both  got  left.  We  canvassed  the  entire  county, 
including  what  is  now  Orange  county.  We  visited  a  place  called 
Gospel  Swamp,  near  Santa  Ana.  Gospel  Swamp  w^as  inhabited 
by  a  very  large  number  of  good  Methodists,  and  produced  the 
tallest  corn,  the  largest  pumpkins  and  the  finest  babies  in  the 
world. 

'*Our  opponents  both  being  of  that  denomination  got  the  best 
of  us.  They  went  to  camp  meetings  and  caressed  and  kissed  the 
beautiful  children.  Our  worthy  secretary  and  myself  being  un- 
sophisticated youths,  did  not  follow  that  art  in  campaigning, 
and  were  both  defeated. 

'Times  have  changed,  however,  for  Mr.  Guinn  and  myself. 
Last  December  we  ran  on  the  same  ticket  and  were  both  elected 
by  handsome  majorities,  and  we  have  never  forsaken  our  prin- 
ciples either.  I  have  always  had  a  fondness  for  Professor  Guinn, 
we  have  been  good  friends  ever  since  our  first  political  annihila- 


170 


PI0NS8KS  OF  LOS  ANGELAS  COUNTY. 


tion. 

"I  would  rather  have  the  esteem  and  good  will  of  my  fellow 
citizens  than  all  the  wealth  of  the  Rockefellers.  I  am  proud  to 
be  a  pioneer  among  you.  I  am  proud  of  my  fellow  pioneers,  to 
have  their  love  and  esteem ;  to  have  them  as  friends  in  adversity 
and  prosperity.  I  am  proud  of  my  numerous  nephews  and  nieces 
who  stood  in  the  front  ranks  to  encourage  and  aid  me.  Their 
memory  shall  never  fade  from  the  memory  of  their  'Uncle  Billy.' 
Long  may  you  live  and  prosper,    God  bless  you  all." 

A  few  five  minute  speeches  followed  Mr.  Workman's  address 
and  then  while  the  orchestra  played  "Auld  Lang  Syne"  the  guests 
bade  their  host  and  hostess  good  night. 


RAIN  AND  RAINMAKERS. 


BY  J-  M.  GUINN. 

From  the  earliest  dawning  of  intelligence  in  man — through  all 
his  intervening  steps  from  barbarism  to  civilization,  next  to  the 
struggle  for  existence,  no  other  subject  has  so  engrossed  his  atten- 
tion as  the  atmospheric  phenomena  we  call  weather.  Nor  is  this 
strange,  so  intimately  is  his  physical  welfare  depentlent  upon  cli' 
matte  conditions  that  it  would  be  stranger  still  if  it  were  not  so. 
The  science  of  meteorology — if  indeed  it  may  be  said  that  there 
is  such  a  science — is  comparatively  young.  Its  kindred  science^ 
astronomy,  dates  its  origin  far  back  in  the  childhood  of  the  race. 

The  star  gazers  on  the  plains  of  Asia  evolved  the  fundamental 
facts  of  the  science  of  astronomy  centuries  before  the  Christian 
era;  but  weather  prophets,  pagan  and  Christian,  through  all  the 
centuries  down  to  almost  to  the  present,  have  been  content  to  at- 
tribute atmospheric  phenomena  to  supernatural  causes — to  the 
agency  of  beneficent  or  malignant  weather  makers.  The  gentle 
rain,  the  warm  sunshine  and  the  refreshing  south  wind,  were  the 
gifts  of  a  beneficent  detty;  while  the  thunder's  roar,  the  light- 
ning's flash  and  the  hurricane's  blast,  were  the  manifestations  of  a 
god's  displeasure,  or  were  attributed  to  the  malign  influence  of 
demons, 

The  Indian  tribes  of  North  America  have  their  weather  mak- 
ers— medicine  men,  who  by  certain  observances  and  incanta- 
tions, through  the  intercession  of  fetiches  and  spirits  of  the  air, 
are  believed  to  be  able  to  change  the  wind  and  bring  rain  in  time^^ 
of  drought.  Years  ago  an  old  skipper  who  commanded  a  small 
sailing  vessel  that  traded  along  the  northwest  coast,  gave  me  his 
experience  with  an  Indian  weather  maker.  He  had  been  de- 
tained by  contrary  winds  for  several  weeks  in  a  little  harbor  on 
the  Oregon  coast.  The  situation  was  becoming  desperate,  when 
one  day  the  medicine  man  of  the  Indian  tribe  which  inhabited 
that  part  of  the  coast,  came  to  him  and  offered  for  the  considera- 
tion of  a  sack  of  flour  to  change  the  wind.  A  bargain  was  made — 
the  flour  to  be  given  when  the  wind  changed.  The  medicine  man 
repaired  to  a  high  bluff  overlooking  the  harbor  and  began  his  in- 
cantations. For  twenty-four  hours  he  kept  up  a  succession  of 
shrieks,  howls  and  blood  curdling  war  whoops,  occasionally  vary- 


172 


P10N££BS  Of  U)S  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


mg  his  lingual  gymnastics  by  frantically  waving  his  arms  in  the 
direction  he  wished  the  wind  to  blow.  Suddenly  the  wind 
did  change,  and  the  captain,  in  his  anxiety  to  catch  the  favorinj 
breeze,  sailed  away  without  giving  the  Indian  his  sack  of  tfour. 
Hcre  was  proof  positive  to  the  Indians'  untutored  minds  that 
their  medicine  man  did  change  the  wind,  and  proof  as  positive 
of  the  perfidy  of  the  white  man. 

In  California,  during  Spanish  and  Mexican  domination,  in 
seasons  when  the  former  and  the  latter  rains  carne  not;  and  the 
dreaded  dry  year  threatened  death  to  the  flocks  and  herds,  the 
people  besought  the  intercession  of  some  saint  who  was  sup- 
posed to  have  control  of  the  celestial  weather  bureau.  Alfred 
Robinson,  in  his  **Life  in  California,"  thus  describes  an  "inter- 
cession" that  he  saw  in  Santa  Barbara  during  the  great  drought 
of  1833; 

"The  holy  father  of  the  Mission  was  besought  that  the  Virgin, 
Nuestra  Senora  del  Rosario  might  be  carried  in  pnacession 
through  the  town  w^hilst  prayers  and  supplications  should  be  of- 
fered for  her  intercession  with  the  Almighty  in  behalf  of  their 
distress.  This  was  complied  with  as  was  customary  on  such  oc- 
casions, and  conducted  in  the  following  manner:  First  came  the 
priest  in  his  church  robes»  w*ho  with  a  fine  clear  voice  led  the 
rosary.  On  each  side  of  him  were  two  pages  and  the  music  fol- 
lowed; then  four  females  who  supported  on  their  shoulders  a  kind 
of  litter,  on  which  rested  a  square  box  containing  the  figure  of  the 
Holy  Virgin.  Lastly  came  a  long  train  of  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren, who  united  in  the  recital  of  the  sacred  mysteries.  The  fig- 
ure was  ornamented  for  the  occasion  with  great  finery,  and  every 
one  who  had  pleased  had  contributed  some  rich  ornament  of 
jewelry  or  dress  for  its  display.  In  this  manner  they  proceeded 
from  the  church  through  the  town  to  the  beach ;  chanting  verses 
between  the  Mysteries  accompanied  by  violins  and  flutes.  From 
the  beach  they  returned  to  the  church  in  the  same  order,  where  the 
prayers  were  concluded. 

"After  this  performance  all  looked  for  rain  with  as  mucn 
faith  as  onr  countrymen  look  for  the  steamer  from  Liverpool 
on  the  thirteenth  or  fourteenth  day  of  her  time  of  departure. 
Should  these  expectations,  however,  not  be  reaJized,  the  proces- 
sion would  be  repeated  until  they  were." 

The  belief  that  human  agency  by  intercession  or  other  means 
can  change  the  laws  of  nature  and  produce  storms  still  exists. 
Not  twenty  miles  away  from  Los  Angeles  at  the  present  time  in  a 
mountain  canon  on  a  platform  that  he  has  erected,  a  man  with 


RAIN    AND    RAINMAKERS. 


173 


certain  chemicals  claims  that  he  can  produce  rain  to  order.  It  is 
reported  that  he  claims  to  have  produced  the  recent  storms  with 
his  rainmaking^  ingredients.  As  proof  positive  he  shows  that  the 
rainfall  was  heaviest  near  his  tower  and  gradually  diminishes  as 
you  descend  into  the  valley.  He  seems  to  be  unaware  of  the  fact 
that  in  some  places  in  the  San  Bernardino  mountains  sivty, 
seventy  and  a  hundred  miles  away,  the  rainfall  was  more  than 
double  the  quantity  that  fell  where  his  platform  is  located.  If  he 
was  alone  in  his  belief  that  rain  can  l>e  produced  by  artificial 
means  it  might  be  attributed  to  his  conceit,  but  the  opinion  that 
human  influence  can  effect  changes  in  weather  conditions  is  wide- 
spread. 

There  is  a  report  current  that  Rainmaker  Hatfield  is  to  receive 
$1000  from  some  benevolently  disposed  citizen  on  condition  that 
he  causes  a  rainfall  of  eighteen  inches  before  the  first  of  May, 
1905.  If  the  report  is  true  it  appears  that  we  have  persons  who 
are  willing  to  back  their  faith  in  rainmakers  with  their  coin. 

At  what  point  or  place  the  pluvial  downpour  is  to  be  meas- 
ured for  the  award  the  report  does  not  state.  There  has  been 
a  greater  difference  this  year  in  the  rainfall  at  different  points 
than  usual.  At  present  writing  (Febuary  ly,  1905)  Forecaster 
Franklin  reports  that  the  rainfall  a:  the  Weather  Bureau  station, 
located  near  the  center  of  this  city,  is  12.19  inches.  In  the  eastern 
portion  of  the  city  a  local  observer  reports  a  small  fraction  less 
than  17  inches.  On  Mount  Wilson  2^  inches  are  reported  and 
at  some  points  in  the  San  Bernardino  mountains  as  high  as  36 
inches  have  fallen,  while  at  Santa  Monica  the  record  gives  only 
nine  inches.  The  difference  in  the  rainfall  between  the  extreme 
eastern  and  that  in  the  extreme  western  limits  of  the  city  is  six 
mches;  the  eastern  receiving  that  excess  of  favors  from  Jupiter 
Pluvius  or  Hatfield.  It  might  be  well  for  Hatfield  until  his  finan- 
cial backers  call  time  on  him  to  distribute  the  moisture  that  he 
coaxes  from  the  clouds  more  evenly  and  thus  avoid  complica- 
tions that  may  rob  him  of  his  award. 

For  centuries  good  Christian  people  throughout  Europe  and 
America  believed  in  the  power  of  WHtches  to  produce  devastat- 
ing storms  and  many  an  innocent  person  has  been  burned  at  the 
stake  for  complicity  with  Satan  in  producing  destroying  floods. 
During  the  Middle  Ages  the  belief  in  the  diabolical  origin  of 
storms  was  universal.  The  great  churchman*  Bede,  had  full 
faith  in  it.  St*  Thomas  Aquinas  gave  it  his  sanction.  *Tt  is/*  he 
says,  "a  dogma  of  faith  that  the  demons  can  produce  winds, 
storms  and  rain  of  fire  from  heaven."     Luther  declared  that  he 


174 


PIONEERS  OP  IjOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


had  himself  calmed  more  than  twenty  storms  caused  by  Satan. 
If  Haifickr*  rain  macliine  should  slip  a  cog  or  get  beyond  his 
control  and  bring  upon  us  a  devastating  flood  he  is  in  no  danger 
of  being  burned  for  a  witch.  But  the  belief  in  the  diabolical 
origin  of  storms  still  exists.  It  is  only  a  few  years  since  that 
an  evangelist  holding  forth  in  this  city  told  how  he  by  prayci 
turned  aside  a  storm  raised  by  Satan  that  threatened  to  destroy 
his  lent  where  he  was  preaching. 

It  is  exceedingly  fortunate  for  us  that  the  laws  of  nature 
can  not  be  amended,  suspended  or  set  aside  at  the  caprice  of  the 
individual.  Contemplate  even  from  a  local  standpoint,  the  power 
for  evil  that  a  man  would  have  who  could  produce  rain  at  wilL 
Suppose  out  of  a  spirit  of  pique  or  revenge  because  he  did 
not  get  a  promised  reward  for  his  services  lie  should  turn  loose 
his  rainmaking  apparatus  in  midsummer  and  let  it  run  until  it 
flooded  our  valleys  and  made  tropical  swamps  of  our  fields — 
producing  malaria,  miasma,  mosquitoes  and  other  afflictions  of 
the  tropics — ruining  our  climate  and  drowning  out  our  tour;st 
crop;  how  earnestly  we  would  pray  for  a  restoration  of  Nature's 
laws  and  even  yearn  for  occasional  dry  years.  Our  recent  storm 
extended  from  Alaska  to  Mexico  and  from  the  Pacific  Coast  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  A  rainmaker  who  at  will,  can  cause 
atmospheric  changes  that  afi'ect  half  a  continent  comes  danger- 
ously near  being  omnipotent. 

Our  rainstorms  are  originated  by  electrical  disturbances  in 
the  North  Pacific  ocean.  They  enter  the  land  at  some  point  be- 
tween Southern  Alaska  and  Northern  California.  Occasionally 
one  drifts  down  the  ocean  with  the  current  and  strikes  the  land 
south  of  Point  Concepcion.  The  mo5t  of  the  storms  that  reach  us 
come  down  the  coast  from  the  northwest  and  arrive  here  from 
36  to  24  hours  from  the  time  they  are  Rrst  reported  in  the  north. 
There  is  a  paradox  about  our  rainstorms  that  I  do  not  recollect 
to  have  seen  explained.  Our  storms  travel  down  the  coast 
from  the  northwest,  but  it  is  always  a  southeast  wind  that  brings 
rain. 

It  is  not  the  rain,  that  travels  down  the  coast,  but  a  wind  cur- 
rent. The  northwest  wind  is  an  upper  cold  current,  the  southeast 
wind  a  lower  warm  current  of  air.  The  meeting  of  the  winds 
produces  electrical  disturbances  that  act  as  condensers  of  the 
moisture  that  is  always  present  in  the  atmosphere.  This  is  my 
explanation  of  the  seeming  paradox  of  a  southeast  rainstonn 
when  according  to  all  appearances  we  ought  to  have  a  northwest 
one.    You  can  take  it  for  what  it  is  worth. 


^ 


I 


I 


RAIN    AND   RAINMAKERS. 


176 


There  is  a  very  prevalent  belief  that  great  battles  and  heavy 
discharges  of  artillery  are  followed  by  rain-storms. 

I  recently  read  what  purported  to  be  a  scientific  article  on  the 
causing  of  rainfall  by  mechanical  disturbance  of  the  atmosphere* 
The  author  delved  into  history  to  prove  his  theory.  He  showed 
that  all  the  great  battles  of  the  civil  war  as  well  as  of  other 
wars  were  foUoAved  by  rain-storms.  It  happened  to  be  my  fortune 
or  my  fate  to  take  part  in  some  of  the  great  battles  of  the  civil 
war  which  this  author  cites  to  prove  his  theory.  As  I  was  there 
and  he  Avas  not  I  think  I  am  the  better  authority.  The  battle  of 
Antietam  was  one  of  the  bloodiest  battles  of  the  war.  Between 
sunrise  and  sunset  there  was  an  incessant  roar  of  artillery,  but  no 
rain  followed.  At  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run  for  two  days 
there  was  a  continuous  roar  of  musketry  and  artillery,  yet  no 
rain  followed  except  a  little  thunder  storm  of  a  few  moments 
duration  which  occurred  about  midnight  after  the  battle  when 
our  army  was  on  the  retreat.  With  the  first  crack  of  thunder 
some  of  the  teamsters  of  our  baggage  train  which  was  ten  m'-Jles 
long  cut  loose  their  saddle  mules,  abandoned  their  wagons  and 
made  a  mad  ride  for  Washington.  They  mistook  the  crack  of 
thunder  for  the  boom  of  artillery  and  supposing  the  train  at- 
tacked started  off  on  a  wild  rush  to  carry  the  news  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  or  somebody  else  at  the  capital.  Had  they  known 
of  this  scientist's  theory  th:it  rr^.in  alvvnys  follows  a  battle  they 
would  have  been  listening  for  thunder  and  would  not  have 
made  the  mistake  they  did.  It  did  rain  the  4th  and  5th  of  July, 
after  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  in  1863,  and  so  it  did  the  4th  and 
5th  of  July,  1904,  and  yet  there  was  no  fighting  within  ten  thou- 
sand miles  of  Gettysburg  last  year.  At  the  siege  of  Petersburg, 
in  the  fall  of  1864,  there  was  a  constant  succession  of  artillery 
duels  with  guns  of  the  heaviest  calibre.  According  to  the  the- 
ory there  should  have  been  continuous  rains.  On  the  contrary  it 
was  rather  a  dry  season  for  that  country. 

How  will  the  theory  of  rain  after  a  battle  apply  to  the  war 
between  Russia  and  Japan,  I  cannot  say,  as  weather  reports  from 
the  seat  of  war  are  scarce,  I  have  no  doubt  some  theorist  will 
discover  that  our  recent  rain-storms  are  due  to  the  heavy  can- 
nonading at  the  siege  of  Port  Arthur,  the  battle  of  Mukden,  or 
the  sortie  on  Meteor  Hill  The  concussions  of  the  atmosphere 
caused  by  the  discharge  of  heavy  artillery  disturbed  the  meteoro- 
logical conditions  of  the  Kuro  Siwo  or  Japan  current  and  sent  the 
rain  currents  drifting  do^vn  the  northwest  coast  of  America, 

There  is  no  more  popular  topic  of  conversation  than  the 


176  PIONBSRS  OP  LOS  ANGRLSS  COUNTY. 

weather.  If  you  doubt  this  listen  to  the  opening  of  a  conversa- 
tion between  persons  when  they  meet.  And  yet  we  know  less 
about  the  weather  than  almost  any  other  subject  you  can  name. 
What  was  the  cause  of  the  climatic  changes  that  sent  the  ice- 
bergs during  the  great  ice  age  drifting  over  nearly  all  the  land  of 
North  America?  What  changed  the  tropical  regions  that  once 
surrounded  the  North  pole  into  a  country  of  eternal  ice  and  snow  ? 
Or  coming  near  home,  what  dried  up  the  arm  of  the  sea  that  once 
covered  what  is  now  the  Colorado  desert?  What  asmospheric 
cataclysm  depopulated  and  made  almost  a  desert  of  the  once  fer- 
tile and  densely  inhabited  plains  of  Arizona?  Why  does  it  not 
rain  in  California  during  the  summer  months? 


BIOGRSPHICAL  SKETCHES 


MATHEW  TEED. 


Mathew  Teed,  the  youngest  of  seven  brothers  and  sisters, 
was  bom  in  Devonshire,  England^  ApriJ  17,  1828.  After  corn- 
pleting  a  course  of  study  in  the  local  schools  he  served  five  y-ear*s 
apprenticeship  to  the  carpenter's  trade.  Soon  after  reaching  his 
majority  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States.  Landing  at  Nev; 
York  he  found  employment  at  his  trade.  From  New  York  he 
went  to  Adair,  Michigan,  where  he  remained  four  years.  Hav- 
ing; learned  much  about  the  gold  excitement  on  the  Pacific 
Slope,  Mr.  Teel  decided  to  seek  his  fortune  there.  He  came  to 
California  via  the  Nicaragua  route,  landing  at  San  Francisco. 
From  there  he  proceeded  to  Stockton.  After  a  short  stop  in 
that  city  he  proceeded  to  Mariposa,  where  he  tried  placer  min- 
ing. He  was  not  successful  as  a  gold  miner.  Abandoning  the 
gold  fields  he  returned  to  Stockton,  where  he  found  employment 
at  his  trade.  He  remained'  there  until  1858,  He  then  decided 
to  quit  California.  He  bought  a  ticket  for  New  York.  Three 
hours  out  from  the  Golden  Gate  the  shaft  of  the  ship  was  dis- 
abled and  the  passengers  were  landed. 

Mr,  Teed  and  eight  other  men  fitted  up  a  pack-train  at  San 
Jose  and  started  overland  through  Southern  California,  Ari- 
zona and  New  Mexico.  They  suffered  many  hardships  on  ac- 
count of  the  scarcity  of  water  and  feed  on  their  trip.  After 
four  months  of  weary  plodding  over  desert  sands  and  arid 
regions,  six  men  and  seven  mules  arrived  at  Las  Vegas  more 
dead  than  alive.  Two  of  the  men  and  twenty  ol  the  mules  had 
perished  on  the  journey. 

Mr,  Teed  remained  at  Las  Vegas  ten  weeks  to  recuperate, 
and  then  pushed  on  to  Denver.  Arriving  there  he  found  a 
camp  comprising  about  twenty-five  miners.  He  claims  to  have 
built  the  first  log  cabin  on  the  site  of  Denver.  He  remained 
there  until  1862,  engaged  in  mining  and  contracting.  Rumors 
of  gold  discoveries  in  Montana  reaching  him  he  joined  in  a  rush 
for  the  Montana  gold  mines.  The  journey  was  hard  and  dan- 
gerous.    They  were  compelled  to  abandon  their  teams  and 


SIOOftAPHlCAL  SfCrrCH^S, 


days  before)  been  proposeil  for  membership,  and  trerefore  was 
not  generally  acquainted  with  most  of  our  body,  but  those  who 
knew  him  best  can  truthfully  say  he  was  a  real  pioneer  in  our 
valley,  and  his  name  welcome  on  our  roll. 

Born  in  1837,  at  Chatham,  Columbia  county^  New  York,  he 
at  an  early  age  went  to  New  York  City,  rendering  faithful  ser- 
vice on  its  police  force  for  five  years.  He  came  to  Compton  in 
1872,  settling  at  what  is  known  as  Lynwood,  and  became  an 
influential  farmer.  In  politics  he  was  Democratic,  and  was 
several  years  ago  elected  County  Tax  Collector,  proving  a  faith- 
ful, painstaking  official 

He  died  aged  67  and  the  record  of  his  life  proves  a  g-ood 
use  of  his  time.  He  was  a  faithful  friend  and  kindly  neighbor, 
as  attested  by  the  great  concourse  at  his  funeral.  He  leaves  a 
widow,  son»  daughter,  two  brothers  and  a  sister  to  whom  we 
extend  our  sympathy. 

Respectfully, 

J.  W.  GILLETTE, 
M.  F.  QUINN, 
H.  B.  BARROWS. 


GEORGE  EDWIN  CARD, 

George  Edwin  Card  was  bom  in  Warren  County,  Ohio, 
in  1843,  and  resided  in  his  native  state  until  1859,  when  he  came 
overland  to  California  in  company  with  an  uncle.  He  lived  two 
years  in  San  Jose,  and  then  engaged  in  mining  in  the  County 
of  Mariposa,  State  of  California.  He  enlisted  in  Company  *'H'\ 
7th  California  Infantry  in  1864,  for  service  in  the  civil  war,  and 
was  active  in  the  organization  of  his  company,  and  by  vote  ol 
his  company  received  appointment  as  first  sergeant,  and  servetf 
with  his  company  until  March.  r866.  In  1871,  he  was  on  the 
city  police  force  and  did  excellent  work  in  his  office,  disiinc- 
uishing  himself  above  his  fellow  officers  for  his  tact  in  the  cap- 
ture of  criminals.  Later  he  was  a  deputy  in  the  County  Clerk's 
office,  and  was  chief  deputy  under  Recorder  Charles  E»  Miles. 
He  was  appointed  United  States  Marshall  by  President 
Harrison. 

In  1881,  Mr.  Card  was  appointed  Chief  of  Police  and  in 

882  was  a  deputy  sheriff  of  Los  Angeles  County^  and  in  l88i 

was  elected  sheriff.     In  1886  he  engaged  in  orange  growing 

near  A^usa  in  Los  Angeles  County,  and  later  w^as  the  leading" 

private  detective  in  this  part  of  the  state.    His  services  being 


BIOGRAPBICAI.  SKlSTCHes. 


ISl 


sought  for  in  Arizona  and  Mexico  in  most  difficult  and  daring 
enterprises  for  the  capture  of  criminals  of  all  classes. 

Major  Gard  was  active  in  the  formation  and  organization 
of  the  Eagle  Corps,  the  first  company  oi  the  present  7th  Regi- 
ment National  Guard  of  California,  He  was  a  leading  spirit  in 
matters  pertaining  to  the  G,  A.  R.,  being  a  charter  member  of 
Bartlett  Post,  No.  6,  being  at  one  time  post  commander.  In 
1890  he  was  elected  Department  Commander  of  G.  A,  R.  of 
California,  which  included  the  state  of  California,  Nevada  and 
Hawaiian  Islands. 

In  1869,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Kate  Hammell,  a  sister  of 
our  present  efficient  Chief  of  Police  of  Los  Angeles  City.  She 
died  some  years  ago,  leaving  two  children,  William  Brant  and 
Georgetta  Gard,  who  are  both  living. 

Major  George  Edwin  Gard  arrived  in  Los  Angeles  County 
in  1866,  and  died  in  Pasadena,  March  lOth,  1904,  being  at  the 
time  of  his  death  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Society  of 
Pioneers  of  Los  Angeles  County. 

"Peace  to  his  ashes  and  honor  to  his  memory.*' 

C  N.  WILSON, 
J.  M.  STEWART, 
W.  H.  WORKMAN, 
Committee. 


JONATHAN  DICKEY  DUNLAP. 

J*  D.  DunJap  was  born  in  the  town  of  Antrim,  New  Hamp- 
shire, May  2S,  1825.  In  the  early  forties  he  went  to  Zanesvillc, 
Ohio,  and  in  1846,  from  there  he  went  to  Mexico,  arriving  at 
Matamoras  about  Christmas  of  that  year.  Joining  the  commis- 
sary department  there,  he  was  ordered  by  Col.  Taylor  to  report  to 
Capt.  Wm*  Barksdale  of  the  Second  Mississippi  Rifles,  at 
Carmago,  to  serve  as  chief  clerk.  Captain  afterwards  General 
Barksdale  of  the  Confederate  Army,  was  Icilled  en  the  Potomac 
river  in  the  civil  wan 

After  the  close  of  the  Mexican  War,  Mr,  Dunlap  returned 
to  Ohio.  In  1849,  he  started  for  California  by  way  of  New 
Orleans  and  the  Isthmus,  He  remained  some  time  at  Panama, 
engaging  in  auction  and  commission  business.  He  was  a  wit- 
ness of  the  celebrated  May  riots  of  Panama  in  1850.  He  saw 
one  American  stoned  to  death,  and  several  natives  shot,  and,  he 
himself,  had  a  narrow  escape  from  being  starved  to  death.  He 
left  Panama  for  San  Francisco,  where  he  arrived  in  September, 


182 


PIONEERS  OP  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


1850.  He  worked  in  the  mines  near  Georgetown,  in  Placer 
County,  til!  the  spring  of  '51,  from  there  he  moved  to  Shasta 
County,  where  he  remained  till  1859,  when  he  came  with  J,  J. 
Tomlinson  to  Los  Angeles  County,  and  acted  as  his  agent  for 
tw^o  years  at  the  "Embarcadero/*  or  Port  of  San  Pedro,  in  the 
lightering^  staging  and  teaming  business  between  San  Pedro 
and  Los  Angeles. 

For  several  years  thereafter  he  followed  various  occupations 
in  Idaho,  Nevada*  Montana  and  Utah.  He  was  employed  by 
Campbell  &  Buffum  as  bookkeeper  at  Prescott,  Arizona,  for 
two  years;  returning  to  Los  Angeles  he  took  a  grading  contract 
on  the  Los  Angeles  and  San  Pedro  Ratlroad  then  being  built. 
He  served  as  Deputy  U.  S.  Marshall  from  1868  to  1890  or  '91, 
or  about  twenty-three  years,  under  Marshals  Rand,  Governeur 
Morris.  Marcellus,  Poole,  Drew,  Risley  and  Gard. 

He  acted  as  land-grader  for  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad 
for  three  years.  One  of  the  notable  episodes  connected  with  this 
service  was  the  eviction  of  the  settlers  of  the  Mussel  Slough,  in 
Tulare  County,  when  seven  men  were  killed, 

Mr.  Duntap  was  married  to  Mrs.  Clara  S.  Crooks,  January 
28,  1885,  at  San  Francisco. 

Mr.  Dimlap  was  the  possessor  of  many  sterling  qualities 
and  was  highly  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 

He  died  June  26,  1904,  in  his  80th  yean  His  wife  and 
children  survive  him. 

Los  Angeles,  Sept,  6,  1904. 

H.  D.  BARROWS. 
W.  H.  WORKMAN, 
WM,  FERGUSON. 

Committee. 


MRS.  CORNELIA  SHAFFER. 

Mrs.  Cornelia  ShafTer,  wife  of  our  esteemed  brother 
Pioneer,  Mr,  John  Shaffer,  died  at  her  home,  No.  200  Boyle 
Ave,,  this  city,  July  28,  1904. 

Mrs,  Shaffer  was  bom  at  Deleasel,  Holland,  September  25, 
1825,  where  she  and  her  husband  were  reared  and  schooled  to- 
gether. Her  father  was  for  many  years  a  custom  house  officer 
Her  marriage  to  John  Shaffer  was  a  romance  pure  and  simple. 
At  the  age  of  16.  after  plighting  their  troth,  he  bade  her  good 
bye  and  left  his  native  land  to  seek  his  forttine,  and  make  a  home 
for  himself  and  his  sweetheart.     After  wandering  for  several 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SK^CSSS. 


183 


years  as  a  sailor,  in  1848,  he  landed  in  California,  and  immedi- 
ately struck  out  for  the  gold  fields^  where  he  soon  ''made  a 
stake," 

In  the  fal!  of  1850  he  returned  to  Holland  to  the  "girl  he 
left  behind/^  who  was  still  waiting  for  his  return.  They  were 
soon  married  in  the  same  httle  town,  in  February,  1851,  and 
left  immediately  for  America,  arriving-  in  N-ew  York  in  March, 
same  year.  For  several  years  they  were  unsettled,  living  in 
diflFerent  states  without  any  special  financial  advancement ; 
finally  they  decided  to  go  west,  and  arrived  in  Los  Angeles  in 
1872,  "flat  broke."  He  soon  Avent  into  the  business  of  making 
tents  and  asvnings  on  a  small  scale,  toiling  with  the  needle  early 
and  late.  Mrs.  Shaffer  was  always  her  husband's  counselor  in 
business  matters.  The  fe\^er  of  speculation  never  attacked  them. 
They  lived  economically,  devoted  to  each  other,  and  to  their 
business  interests,  caring  little  for  society.  As  their  business  in- 
creased they  made  investments  with  care,  and  the  competency 
which  they  accumulated  for  their  old  age  was  the  result  ol  tne 
increase  in  value  of  these  investments.  Mrs.  ShafTer  was  a 
woman  of  kind  hearty  quiet  and  retiring  in  her  nature,  sympa- 
thetic and  generous  to  the  needy.  Her  home  was  a  synonym 
of  the  old  time  hospitality  of  Holland,  and  those  who  were  so 
fortunate  as  to  possess  her  friendship  found  the  latch  string  of 
her  door  always  on  the  outside. 

Three  years  ago  last  February  she  and  her  husband  cele- 
brated their  golden  w^edding  with  a  beautiful  reception  to  their 
friends,  and  fellow  Pioneers.  About  200  guests  were  present 
and  enjoyed  the  evening,  and  the  sumptuous  banquet  prepared. 
The  occasion  will  be  long  remembered  by  those  whose  fortunate 
enough  to  be  present. 

Mrs.  Shaffer  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Compton  Chap- 
ter 01  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star,  under  whose  auspices  the 
funeral  services  w^ere  conducted,  together  w^ith  the  closing  ser- 
vices of  the  Masonic  Order.  The  pall  bearers  were  composed 
of  three  Pioneers  and  three  Masons.  She  was  laid  to  rest  in  a 
lot  in  Evrgreen  Cemetery  that  she  selected  a  long  time  ago. 
where  stands  a  beautiful  monument  waiting  to  be  inscribed  with 
the  names  of  Cornelia  and  John  Shaffer. 

M.  R  QUINN, 
EMMA  S.  GILLETTE. 
MARY  FRANKLIN. 

Committee. 


184  FIONS^S  O?  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 

THOMAS  D.  MOTT. 

Thomas  D.  Mott,  pioneer  and  capitalist,  died  suddenly  of 
heart  failure  at  his  residence.  No.  8zo  South  Union  Avenue. 
February  19,  1904. 

It  was  in  a  historic  place  that  Mr.  Mott  first  saw  the  light 
of  day.  He  was  bom  Jiuly  31,  1829,  at  Schuylerville,  Saratoga 
County,  N.  Y.,  which  place  was  the  scene  of  important  inci- 
dents in  the  War  of  the  Revolution.  Young  Mott  began  his 
business  career  at  the  age  of  14  as  clerk  in  a  general  mer- 
chandise store  in  his  native  town.  Salaries  for  boys  did  not  run 
high  there  in  those  days.  As  conpensation  for  plenty  of  hard 
work  young  Mott  received  his  board  and  $25  per  year. 

His  natural  aptitude  and  ambition  led  him  to  seek  a  more 
inviting  field  for  the  exercise  of  his  business  abilities  and,  soon 
after  the  beginning  of  the  gold  excitement  in  California,  he 
left  his  home  and  came  to  San  Francisco  by  way  of  Panama. 
The  journey  occupied  the  greater  part  of  six  months  and  was 
accompanied  by  numerous  perils  and  privations. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  in  San  Francisco  Mr.  Mott  secured 
lucrative  employment  in  the  mines  of  the  northern  counties. 
With  great  persistency  and  rigid  economy  he  secured  sufficient 
capital  to  embark  in  a  general  merchandise  business  in  Stockton, 
where  fortune  smiled  on  him.  At  the  age  of  21  he  started  out 
with  a  snug  sum  of  accumulated  capital  to  invade  other  fields  of 
enterprise. 

His  attention  was  directed  to  the  commercial  possibilities 
of  establishing  a  suitable  ferry  system  over  the  San  Joaquin 
River  and  in  that  venture  he  succeeded  to  his  utmost  expecta- 
tions until  in  1852  he  disposed  of  his  interests  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  state,  and  cast  his  lot  with  what  was  then  the  pueblo 
of  Los  Angeles.  Here  in  Southern  California  he  made  his  home 
for  more  than  fifty  years. 

Mr.  Mott  was  so  thoroughly  enthusiastic  over  the  future 
of  his  new  home  that  he  readily  invested  his  capital  in  real  estate 
here.  In  after  years  he  reaped  a  rich  harvest  on  the  faith  of  his 
good  judgment  and  foresight. 

A  natural  gift  of  organization  and  an  ambition  to  master 
men  and  affairs  led  him  into  politics  and  for  more  than  a  quarter 
of  a  century  his  reputation  as  a  Democratic  leader  extended 
throughout  the  state.  He  was  an  intimate  personal  friend  and 
associate  of  Leland  Stanford,  Collis  P.  Huntington,  Charles 
Crocker  and  William  F.  Herrin. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES, 


185 


N 


In  1863  he  was  elected  first  the  County  Clerk  of  Los  An- 
geles County  and  was  re-elected  for  three  consecutive  terms 
thereafter.  He  discharged  the  manifold  duties  of  his  office 
which  at  that  time  embraced  the  responsibiUties  of  ex-officio 
Recorder  and  Auditor  with  unfailing  courtesy  and  fideHty. 

When  in  1871  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Company  first 
expressed  its  readiness  to  build  into  Southern  California  pro- 
vided proper  inducements  were  offered,  Mr,  Mott  was  chosen 
to  represent  his  district  in  the  Legislature.  There  he  soon 
became  a  commanding  figure  and  won  the  r-egard  of  his  con- 
stituency by  insuring  the  construction  of  the  railroad  over 
Tehachepi  and  through  the  Soledad  Canyon,  a  route  which 
though  very  expensive  to  the  railroad  company,  secured  an 
immense  advantage  to  Los  Angeles  and  probably  first  brought 
the  southern  city  into  public  notice. 

In  his  political  undertakings  as  well  as  in  private  business, 
Mr.  Mott  was  associated  with  his  brother*  Stephen  H.  Mott,  the 
capitalist  and  fonuer  secretry  of  the  Crystal  Spring  Water  Com- 
pany, and  a  director  in  the  W.  H.  Perry  Lumber  Company,  In 
1876  he  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  National  Democratic  Con- 
vention in  St.  Louis,  which  nominated  Samuel  J.  Tilden  for  the 
Presidency.  In  1896  when  the  Democratic  party  turn-ed  to 
silver,  Mr.  Mott  cast  his  lot  with  the  Republicans. 

Mr,  Mott  was  closely  identified  with  various  civic  move- 
ments inaugurated  to  build  up  the  resources  of  Southern  Cali- 
fornia. In  1886  with  rare  business  foresight  he  erected  Mott 
Market  on  South  Main  Street,  which  was  at  that  time  one  of  the 
most  pretentions  and  ambitious  undertaking  in  the  city.  He 
was  also  identified  with  the  Los  Angeles  Chamber  of  Commerce 
and  other  kindred  organizations. 

Tall  of  figure  and  commanding  in  appearance,  Mr.  Mott 
possessed  a  rare  personal  charm  of  manner  which  endeared  him 
to  a  host  of  friends  and  admirers. 

Property  interests  left  by  him  include  the  Mott  Market,  on 
Main  Street,  considerable  frontage  on  North  Spring  Street  and 
local  bank  stocks  and  other  holdings,  valued  at  over  $200,000. 

One  brother.  Stephen  H«  Mott,  of  this  city,  and  one  sister, 
Mrs.  Rebecca  Lewis,  of  Schuylerville,  N.  Y,»  survive  him.  Other 
surviving  members  of  the  family  are  his  widow,  who  was  for- 
merly Ascencion  Sepulveda.  a  sister  of  former  Snpenor  Judge 
Sepulveda;  one  daughter,  Mrs.  Henry  Vander  Leek  of  Nogales, 
Ariz.,  and  four  sons  .  The  sons  are  Thomas  D.  Mott,  Jr.,  a 
prominent  attorney  of  Porto  Rico;  Stephen  D.  Mott  of  Porto 


PIONEERS  OF  LOS  AKCELfiS  COUNTY. 


Rico,  Y.  L.Mott  of  Nogal^s,  Ariz.,  and  John  G.  Mott  of  Los 
Angeles, 


KILIAN  MESSER. 

In  memory  of  our  departed  friend  and  fellow  pioneer.  Mr. 
Kilian  Messer,  we  offer  the  following  sketch  of  his  life  and  of 
his  residence  in  the  city  of  Los  Angeles,  in  which  he  lived  for 
50  years.  He  was  born  in  Germany,  August  2^^  1S24,  where 
he  spent  the  early  years  of  his  life  up  to  1850,  tiring  of  home 
he  set  out  to  seek  his  fortune'  in  a  foreign  county.  He  sailed  for 
the  golden  state  of  California  via  Cape  Horn.  In  those  days  it 
was  not  an  easy  journey.  He  was  shipwrecked  on  the  way,  but 
finally  reached  San  Francisco,  after  being  one  year  on  the  way. 
From  there  he  went  to  the  mines,  where,  after  spending  a  few 
years,  he  tired  of  that  kind  Ufe.  He  left  for  Los  Angles  in  1&54. 
and  so  became  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  our  beloved  city. 
Here  he  -engaged  in  diffrent  pursuits  of  life  in  all  of  which  he  was 
successful.  He  w^as  married  in  October,  1862,  to  Miss  Louise 
Schmidt  and  raised  two  sons  who  are  now  engaged  in  business 
here,  and  who  enjoy  the  respect  of  their  fellow  citizens.  He 
died  December  30,  1904. 

LOUIS  ROEDER, 
AUGUST  SCHMIDT, 
EMIL  PESCHKE, 

Committee. 


COL.  ISAAC  ROTHERMEL  DUNKELBERGER. 

Col.  Dunkelberger.  who  was  so  widely  and  favorably  known 
in  this  community,  was  born  in  Northumberland  County,  Penn., 
in  1832.  He  died  in  Los  Angeles,  December  5,  1904,  at  the  age 
of  72  years. 

Col.  Dunkelberger,  who  had  studied  civil  engineering  and 
read  law^  in  the  office  of  Simon  Cameron,  was  one  of  the  first, 
if  not  the  first  man  to  enlist  in  Pennsylvania  in  the  civil  war. 
His  regiment,  the  First  Penn,  Volunteers,  was  ordere'd  to  Balti- 
more at  the  time  of  the  attack  on  the  Massachusetts  troops,  and 
while  there  he'  received  a  commission  as  second  lieutenant  in  the 
First  Dragoons*  after%vards  the  First  U,  S.  Cavalry,  the  same 
regiment  which  distinguished  itself  in  Cuba  in  the  late  war  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Spain,     Col  Dunkelberger  in  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES* 


187 


civil  was  was  in  thirty-six  pitched  battles,  and  in  a  number  of 
skirmishes.  He  was  twice  woiinded — once  through  the  left 
shoulder  and  left  lung,  his  wound  at  the  time*,  being  thought  to 
have  been  mortal*  His  sufferings  from  this  terrible  wound, 
during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  nearly  forty  years,  from  ab- 
scesses, which  recurred  at  intervals  till  his  death,  were  most  ex- 
cruciating.    His  left  arm  was  practically  useless. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  ordered  to  New  Orleans 
with  Gen.  Sheridan,  who  there  relieved  Gen.  Butler.  From 
thence  he  was  ordered  to  San  Francisco,  and  from  there  to  Ari- 
zona. In  1876  he  resigned  his  commission  in  the  army  and 
thereafter  made  his  home  in  Los  Angdes. 

Co!-  Dunkelberger  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Los  An- 
geles by  President  Grant,  February  3,  1S77 ;  and  re-appointed 
by  President  Hayes  in  1881. 

In  1867,  Col.  Dunkelberger  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Mallard  of  this  city,  who,  with  six  children,  three  sons  and  three 
daughters,  survive  him. 

In  1901,  President  McKinley,  after  reviewing  the  war  rec- 
ord of  Colonel  Dunkelberger.  and  letters  of  Generals  Grant, 
Sheridan  and  Meade,  appointed  him  captain  of  cavalry  in  the 
regular  army,  and  he  was  confirmed  and  retired  the  same  day  by 
Congress  without  a  dissenting  vote. 

There  are  many  old-timers  still  living  in  Los  Angeles  who 
have  a  warm  place  in  their  hearts  for  gallant,  bluff  Colonel 
Dunkelberger,  His  name  will  ever  remain  green  in  their 
memories. 

H.  D,  BARROWS, 

L,  T.  FISHER, 

W.  H.  WORKMAN. 

Committee- 


PASCAL  BALLADE, 

P.  Ballade,  a  resident  of  Los  Angeles  for  over  thirty  years, 
was  a  native  of  France,  born  April  6,  1839.  He  came  to  Cali- 
fornia in  1862.  After  a  residence  of  three  years  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, he  went  to  Santa  Clara  County  and  was  employed  at  the 
New  Almaden  Quicksilver  mines  for  several  years.  He  next 
went  to  Monterey  and  engaged  in  sheep  raising  until  1872, 
when  he  came  to  Los  Angeles  and  stsccessfuUy  followed  the 
same  business  near  San  Juan  Capistrano. 


188 


PIONEERS  OF  LOS  AKGELES  COUNTY. 


Later  he  came  to  this  city  and  engaged  in  mercantile  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Ballade  was  married  December  9,  i&6g,  to  Miss 
Marie  Marilius.  who  was  also  a  native  o£  France.  For  two  or 
three  years  preceding  his  death,  he  suffered  from  the  dropsy* 
He  died  December  1,  at  the  age  of  6g  years.  His  wife  and  three 
children,  John,  Mary  and  Antoinette,  survive  him. 

Mr.  Ballade  was  a  somewhat  reserved,  quiet  man,  but  he 
was  held  in  high  estimation  by  his  neighbors  for  his  staling 
worth. 

H,  D.  BARROWS. 

L.  T,  FISHER. 

W.  H.  WORKMAN. 

Committee. 


JOHN  CRIMMINS, 

John  Crimmins,  who  died  in  this  city,  November  24,  1904. 
aged  fifty-four  years,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  in  1850, 
November  10.  He  came  to  the  United  States  with  his  parents 
when  six  years  old,  and  lived  with  them  in  Boston  till  the  fall 
oi  1868.  when  he  came  to  Los  Angeles,  where  eventually  he 
established  himself  in  business  as  a  master  plumber,  in  which 
business  he  continued  with  success  till  about  two  years  before 
his  death.  Mr,  Crimimns  maintained  throughout  his  life  a  name 
for  probity  and  thoroughgoing  honesty,  and  as  a  consequence 
he  was  esteemed  highly  by  his  neighbors  and  by  all  who  knew 
him.  including  the  members  of  this  Pioneer  Society,  of  which 
he  was  an  honored  member. 

Two  sisters  ofour  deceased  associate  survive  him»  one  a 
resident  of  this  city  and  the  other  residing  in  the  east. 

H.  D.  BARROWS. 
L.  T.  FISHER, 
\V.  H,  WORKMAN, 

Committee. 


In  Mennoriak.iTi 


Dece&aed  M«itib«ra  ot  th*  Plone«ra  of  Los  Angeles 
County 


James  J,   Ayres.. Died    Navember  10«  ' 

Stephen   C.    F«*t«P«....* ...,.>.... ...Died   Januarys?,' 

Horace    HIIIbp    OletJ    May  33.  " 

John   Strothcr  Grlfflii Dkd  Auguit  SA,  ' 

Hanry   CUy    Wllfty... Died    October  25,  ' 

Winiam    BlBfiktton*  AbApntthy ...Died   November    1,  ' 

Stephen  W,  Li   Dow Died  Janunry    t,  ' 

Herman    Raphael Died    Aprir  10,  ' 

Francte   Baker    , Died   May  17, 

Leonard  Jo^n   Roe» ,,,,,..,,. ,.,.,,, Died  May  17, 

S,    N.    McDonald.-,. .,*,,«.  ,.,.01fcd    June  ID, 

Jamee  Craig    ,,..,..., , DJed    December  80, 

Palmer  Milton  dicott  Died  January  Z, 

Prancleco  SablchI   ,,.,«,*.,.«,,,»,,,,   Died  AprN  IS, 

Robert  Mtller  Town   , Died  AprtI  24, 

Fred  W.  Wood   «.^,.*,. ,.,.   Died   May  IB, 

Joeeph   Bayer ......,.,. ...^.«.. Died  July  27, 

Auguatuft   Utyard    , Died   Auguit  B, 

A.   M.    Houeh   ,,.*., DIod  Auguet  28, 

Henry  F«  Flelahman , >   Died  October  20^ 

Frank  Lecouvreur  *..... D)«d  January   17, 

Daniel  Shieck   ., Died  January   20, 

Andrew  Glai«ell    , , Died  January  2S, 

Thoniaa  E.  Rowan Olad  March  2fl, 

Mary  Ulyard   , Died  April  S, 

George  Gophard ,.. Died  April  12, 

William   Frederkk  Groiaar Died   ApHI  13, 

fiamuet  Calvert   Foy * Died  April  24, 

Joieph  Stoltenberfl , Died  June  29, 

ChariBi   Brode    ........,.<  ,,,*^.,  ,..**<. ..    Died   Auguit  1)^ 

Joieph  W.  Junklna  ^ , Died  Aunuet, 

Laura  GIbton  Abernethy   , ,,.,,,   Pled  May  Itt, 

Elizabeth   Langley   Cnalgn    ...,*.,,,.,    Died   Saptember  20, 
Frank  A.  GIbaan   ..,,,.,<,.>««,«*  ^^.i.,* .    Died  October  11, 

Oodfrey   Hargitt ,, Died   November  14, 

John  C,  Andereon  r ...,,,..,..   Died  January  3S, 

Elijah  Moulton   Died  January  26, 

John  GTiarlei  Ootter Died   March  a, 

John  Caleb  Sallibiiry   .., Died  July  10, 

H,  K.  W<  Bent  , Died  July  29, 


Antf*r«Ofl    ROM    , * Dltd    Augutt    10,    1902. 

Calvb   £^   Whlt«   ..*..*....*.     «* Died  September   2.    1902. 

Jerry   tJttch    *^^**^* ,..    Dl«d   September    S^    ISOZ* 

Danl«l   Detmond    >.,.... Died   January    2Z»    IMS. 

Edmund  Cmrmy  Qlldd«n  Died    March  2«   1901. 

ftartiu*)    Mvy*r Oled    MarcN    25,    1003. 

G*Qra«  HuntJfio^en  P«clc ,.   Dl«d   April   12^  IMA. 

Carl   Fflrix  Hclnxman    ,...,.   O\v0    April    29,    ISOI. 

Je&n    8«nloui    ,,..., ,*.«...    Dl«<|    ApfJir    190*. 

MJCAjAh  D.  Johnson .,..   Died  June  0,  IBOJ. 

MorrUz  Marrit ,.,... ^... D(»d   Jun*    1l7.   1901. 

Jutlua  firoituetu    .«.-«.•>. ,.., Dl«(f  October    15,    1903^. 

Ivar  A^  Weld   ...^ , Died  Auguat  ZS,  1909. 

AiJe«  W.  B.  Weyta Died  Ngv«mb«r  6,  190X 

Nicholii  KIpp Di<d  November,   1901. 

Gcorg*  Cummtng* Died  December  4.  1903, 

Mn.   Mflrthi  Natftiu , ,.,..  Dltd  January  7,   1004. 

Mathew   Teed    ....,.., * *..D+ed   March   31.    TWM. 

Thomfft    D.    Mott Dted    February    IS.    1904. 

Geprpe   E.  Card.......... ..,    Died    March   10,  1904. 

Ch4rte4  R,   JohnHffi *.. ........Died  March  26»   19CM. 

A,  A,  Proctor... ,,, ....>, Died   May  2.  1904. 

Lcwii  H    Lxon» , Died  May  29,  1904, 

Jonathan   D.   DunUp..., ., ,.,.,..Died  June  2G    1904. 

Cornelia  R.  Shaffer Oled  July  2S,  1904. 

Omrl  Buiilt Died  Augyst.  1904. 

Nathanel  C.  Carter Oled  September  4,  1904, 

M.   M.   Green ,.,,,, , Oled  September  10,  1904, 

C.  E,  Huber Died  June  10,  1904. 

John  CNmrrtlne Oled   November  24.  1904. 

laaac  R.   Dunkeiberfier.  ..........*......<  »Dlied   December  5,  1904. 

Pascal  Sallade..... Died   December  4,  1904. 

David   Mulreln. ..,..,. Died   Detem&er  13,  1904. 

Killan  Messer Died  December  30.  1904. 

D.  W.  C.  Cowan ,..,..,..........., , .  DIad  January  2Z,  1905. 


ly^ 


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MDVIBERSHIP  POLL     ^( 

1 

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or  THE 

^^H 

■               I3IONEERS  or  LOS  ANGELrS  COUNTY 

H 

w 

nrrtf- 

AL  Tir 

VAHM. 

w^ct 

OCCUrATIOJI. 

aitaiv.  IV  CO. 

a«a. 

traTX. 

Andttton,  L.  H. 

Pa. 

Cdilectof 

July  4*  '71 
Jan.   1,  '53 

Lo«  Angeles 

J»« 

Aaderson*  Mr*.  DftVid 

Ky- 

Hcu&evrifc 

641    S.  Grand  *v. 

1S5- 

Austin,   Henry   C 

Mau. 

Attorney 

Uf;,-1i 

3116   Figueroa 

iS6u 

Atbini,  Julia  A.  T, 

Ark. 

Housewife 

?33    E.    Eiehtecnth 

1843 

Barrowt,  Henrr  D. 

Cddd. 

Retired 

"^ki;:  'u 

;r24  Beacon 

ia$a 

B*fTOwi,  Jam«  A, 

CDTin. 

Bctired 

Jje  W.   Jefterion 

iai& 

Bildcrbfck,    Mri.    Dora 

Ky. 

Drcaamaker 

Jan.   i4»  'fii 

tiiHD^  E.  l^iKbtb 

iflAl 

rixby,  Jonathan 
RieknelUJohn  D. 
Bautou,  Edward 

Maine 

Capitalist 

June.  '66 
May,  *ya 

Long  Qeach 

lasfi 

Vt, 

Attorney 

his  W>  Seventh 

iMq 

N.  y. 

Real    KBtate 

Aug.,  *6& 

1314   Bond 

186S 

BroMiiieT,    Sigt 

Germ. 

Builder 

Nov.  3a»  '6a 

134  WilminatOD 

1867 

Rush.  ChtTlw  H. 

Penn. 

Jeweler 

March.  *70 

3t8  N.   Main 

i»70 

Burn:.  Jamrt  F. 

N.  y. 

Agent 

Not.   iS.  *S3 

152   W.   Seventecnib 

iSS3 

Rutterfield.  S.  H. 

Peon, 

Farmcf 

All(f..    '«Q 

Ma^^J1^l.ln     BeacS 

ii^6H 

Be]].    Horace 

Ind. 

Lawyer  ^ 

Oct.,  "SJ 

1337   Figucroa 

1S50 

Birei,   Mra.    Elimbcth   S 

Fill. 

Housewife 

July,    73 

■  ^[    N.   Olive 

1»?J 

BilM,   Albert 

Kng. 

Contractor 

r4t    N.    Olive 

1873 

RradJihaw.   T.   T. 

£ng. 

Landlord 

V6 

634   S.    Spring 
jr3    San    Pedro 

1H$4 

Breer,    LoutS 

GcTtn. 

Blacksmith 

'58 

Isis 

Brmsmer,  Mri,   R. 

f'^fm. 

Housewife 

May  i6.  '«S 

27 1 7    Hrooklyn 

Hro*n,    Geor^   T. 

T,  Y. 

Fruit   Grower 

Feb.    26,  'As 

Zrwind^lc 

it6a 

Bftldwin,  Jeremiah 
Bare  lay,   Hcniry  A* 
Binford,  Jourcilb    B. 

Ire. 

Retired 

April,  'y^ 

711    Darwin 

1B59 

Pa. 

Attdrney 

Auff.   1,  '74 

133T   S.  Main 

1874 

Md. 

Bank  Teller 

July   t6.  '74 
Vay.  '6B 

Octi.in    Pafli 

[874 

BaTrgvrsH   Cornelia  S, 

Conn. 

Housewife 

33*  W.  Jefferson 

tsea 

BrmffFc.    Ansel    M. 

Maine 

Retired 

Nov,.   *73 

Ctajxnnia 

1867 

Briaht.    Toney 
Buffum.    Win.    M. 

Ohio 

Livery  nian 
Storekeeper 

Sefht.,  '74 

318  Requeni 

1B74 

Mas*. 

Juiy*^4.  'sS 
Feb.  J 3*  '74 

144   W.    Twelfth 

rfigo 

>^Arham.    Richard   M. 

TIL 

ir.   S.   Gamer 

1141  W.   Sevenlb 

l«44 

Braly,    Tobn    A. 
Balcri,  Leonidas 

Mo. 

Hanker 

Feb.,  '01 

Van  Nuys 

■&49 

Otiio 

Farmer 

*6e 

1493   r.-Bnibie 

<»4r 

Blumve,   f.   A. 

N.  J- 

Merchant 

Dec   aB,  '7S 

jiot     Hoover 

TB74 

Buffmn,  Rebecca  R 

pi. 

ITouMwifc 

Sent  ■«:  'I; 

144  W.  Twelfth 

iS;o 

Bell,  Ale«nder  T. 

Pa, 

Saddler 

Dec.  JO.  'SB 

toi9   S.   Hill 

186S 

Tttk^,   Edward    U 

K.  Y. 

Miner 

Der.»  '«« 

10 )   S.  Flower 

rBA« 

Baxttr,    William    O. 

Enff, 

Brnker 

May.  *47 

SanU  Monies 

1^47 

Btlfkc.  Joseph   H. 

Tenn. 

Farmer 

April  11.  '53 

Hiv*ra 

iSSS 

BMtb.    Edward 

Ohio 

Salesman 

•7S 

74a  W,  Screnteefith 

187s 

Binford.   Ifcnry   M. 

Mo. 

.\wt.  W.F.  Co. 

Exp.  July   14,  '74 

tto    N.    Belmont    Ave. 

IB74 

Barton.    Tohn    W- 

Mtch. 

Farmer 

'Si 

Kl   Moflic 

t814 

Bryant.   Barney  S. 

Ga. 

Constable 

Nov.   ij.  *S4 

Aiusa 

1854 

Beck.   John   R. 

Ind, 

Retired 

'54 

El   Monte 

ISS4 

CereJIi.    Sebastian 

Italy 

Re^ftAurantctir 

Nov,    34,   '74 

TfmpT*   Si. 

1647 

Caswell.   Win.    M. 

CAt. 

r3f.hii?r 

An?.   3.    '67 

le'tj    E.    Wa*binertun 

(«4>) 

Conketman,    Bernard 

Genu. 

Retired 

Jan.  3*  '67 

31b  S.  Los  AngelcB 

ie£4 

Cohn,  Kaspare 

Germ, 

Mirrcbnnt 

I>«.^  '59 

a  60 1  S.  Grand 

1859 

Crawford.  J.   S. 

N.    Y. 

Dentist 

'65 

nowney    Block 

,p.n     ^ 

Currier,  A.  T. 

Maine 

Farmer 

Tuly  I,  '60 

Spadra 

fl 

Clark,  Frank  B^ 

Conn. 

Farmer 

Feb.  i3,  "69 

Hyde   Park 

Conner,  Mri.   Kate 

Gcnn. 

Houicwife 

June  M.  *7i 

1054   S.   Grand 

J 

^^^^^1 

^^^^H             VV 

f              PIONUIES  OF  LOS  ANCELSS  COUKTV.                        ^^M 

^^H 

■ 

^^^^^^^^^^^^H 

ruc«. 

occui-aTiok. 

AUtV,  tM  Cft. 

ao-                           ^^H 

^^^^^^^^^^H                    Cli«pnuii, 

Ala. 

Attorney 

ApKI»  'ST 

San    G^bri'cJ                          ^H 

^^^^^^^^^H                    Carter.  Vulftu 

iDd. 

[Icntial 

Nor.   ts.  Vj 

J  JO)   W*    Second                 H 

H.  H. 

Retired 

PaEtdciiA                               H 

Vt 

Retired 

Maicb  4p  '76 

^^^^^^^^^^^^■f                   Oarkc,  J«f»n  A^ 

N.  V, 

^isr 

ttj    W'.    Second                   ■ 
jtS  Bonnie    Brae                 ^H 

^^^^^^^^^H                    Camrbvlt, 

tr*. 

'71 

^^^^^^^^^^H                          CMh\e,   Junatlmn 

H.  Y. 

Kanner 

Apnl  lo.    6i 

116    Wilhardt                      ■ 

^^^^^^^^^^^^H 

Vt 

Ptnotf 

N(JT„  »7« 

Compti>n                               ^1 
?3S  W.   Seventh           ^^1 

^^^^^^^^^H 

N.  y. 

Afchitert 

|S«« 

^^^^^^^^^^^^H 

Utinm 

Phyikian 

i»M 

Long    Beach                   ^^M 

^^^^^^^^^^H                                   Fr»iik  U. 

TcQB' 

Merchant 

Sept   '77 

1015   S-    Fisueroa      ^^^H 

^^^^^^^^^H 

Miu. 

Lumber    Dealer 

J«rie.    *7. 

901    S.    Union                 ^^^H 

^^^^^^^^^^^^H                                            Jatnri 

Ha. 

Farmer 

July  4.  '57 

El  Monte                     ^^H 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H                       ClcmiiUepn^ 

ia. 

HouKwife 

Vj 

El  Munie                      ^^H 

^^^^^^^^H 

Qhio 

Fruit  Grower 

.,         > 

iftoo    CentrmI    arenue 

^^^^^^^^H 

N.  V. 

Fruit  Gfower 

Saw.,  *65 

CJeador* 

^^^^^^^^H                    Dacmer. 

Can. 

Tawyer 

May   1.  Va 

64^    S.    Broadway 

^^^^^^^^H                   Dohi.  Fvtd 

Gttvx, 

Capttalift 

bept,  ;«* 

6r4    E.    Ficmt 

^H  ^^^^^^^^K                    Dcimond,  C   C 

Hua. 

Merchant 

i3£;  'S 

7M4    Coranado 
Loa   An^eka 

^1  ^^^^^^^B                                     Wn 

N.  Y. 

Fjirmec 

^B  ^^^^^^H^                  Durf#e.  Jul 

lu. 

Farmer 

Sept,    15.  '58 

El  UanV« 

IlL 

Housewife 

'<S 

Glendora 

IticL 

Publi»heT 

Dec,   to.  •?* 
Sept..  'sj 

f>i«   S.   W.hrkman 

Ark, 

HouMwift 

.'iiS    M.    W'rtrkrtiaii 

^H^^^^^^^^H 

K.  H. 

Fanner 

April  *50 

Newhill 

^^■j^^^^^^^H                                Phoebe 

W,  Y, 

HouMwife 

Dec.   ip,  'SJ 

M?  E.  Sevectecoth 

UnivcrSnty 

^^^r^^^^^^^^^^H                                   John 

N.  V, 

Carpenter 

Apnl,  ^1 

^^H '  ^^^^^^^^^B 

l»>( 

Rf^^red 

March  ji.  '77 

South  Pa&adens 

^^■^^^^^^^H                                   JM  G. 

Pa. 

Parmer 

April   14.  '75 

J41B    Edwin   str««t 

^■^^^^^^H                     DiElcy,   LrniU 

C«m. 

Carpeutef 

Dec.,  *75 
Oct    M.  Ve 

io$5    S.    Pisuerofe 

^H  ^^^^^^H 

France 

Retired 

6)>    S.    Broadway 

^^H  ^^^^^^^H                     Dc  Camp.   Edgir 

Ohio 

k:;nchcr 

J  u  nc     74 

Sherman 

^^H  ^^^^^^^^H                   Decker. 

.^^- 

Slagr    Carpenlcr 

!^* 

a«4  N.   Union 

^^^1  ^^^^^^^^^^B                                          John   M. 

Minn. 

FhrskiaTi 

Judc    tfi,     72 

2$ih   N.   Grand  avc 

^^H  ^^^^^^^^H                     DiuDe,   Robt. 

Maw. 

Clerk 

July  6,  >5 

«i7  S    Oltve 

^^H  ^^^^^^^^H 

Mc. 

Rctited 

Feb.    -flp 

M27    Wall 

^^H  ^^^^^^^H 

Mo. 

Housewife 

■51 

E\    Mnnle 

^^^H  ^^^^^^^^^^1 

Ark. 

llottrl-ltKtitr 

Sept.    *68 

El     Monii: 

^^^1  ^^^^^^^^1                   Eaton,  Benj, 

Conn. 

Hyd.   Ent^iieef 

*SI 

4^3    Sherma.o                  ^^^^| 

^^■^^^^^^H 

Pl 

Editor 

March.    "So 

Dowtiey                              ^^^H 

^^^H  ^^^^^^^^H 

G*rm 

MerthtnT 

Oct.    (h    '?! 

^^^^1 

^^■^^^^^^^1                   EvirtA.  Myron  £, 

Vt- 

Vnwrmr 

•85 

Loa    .Angeles                     '^^^H 
9.4  VV.  Twenty-ciffhth       ■ 
l^u  Anfrles                            B 

1343    Flower                          ^1 

s.  c 

BftDlier 

Nov.,  '70 

K,  Y. 

Painter 

Oct,  *«.  *?8 

Pol 

Rabbi 

Tune.  *6t 

^H  ^^^^H                                    Mr..  W.  H, 

K,  Y. 

Retired 

Apnt  IB,  Mj 

514  W.   Wsshiostodi          H 

^^^H  ^^^^^^^H                   EtIswfirLhf  DbdicI 

N.  Y. 

Oil    Produter 

Sept..  '7S 

62Q  S.    Ptower                        ^1 

^^^H  ^^^^^^^H                    Eikh,   Theodare   A. 

Ohio 

Architect 

March,  *&7 

mm    S.    Ft(1ierOS                 ^^| 

^^■^^^^^H 

]ir 

Ilarntsamskcr 

March  1.  '<>j 

El    Monte                                 ■ 

^^H^^^^^H 

Ire. 

Plumber 

Au«.    J5,    "67 

54«    S.    FiffiirroA                ^H 

^^^^1  ^^^^^^^H 

Me. 

Retired 

^■ip'rf.->4 

nA  s.  oir^c             ^^M 

^^^■^^^^^^H                   FunruKq,  Wm. 

Ark- 

Retired 

J03  S.  HtU                  ^^M 

^^^^^1  ^^^^^^^^H                        Filrr«jr,                C- 

N.  T. 

Merchant 

Aae..  >> 

TtiGrraham            ^^^^H 

^^^■^^^^^H                                        Mn.   M^ry 

Kt. 

Scamrtreaa 

Un.  t»  'S3 

_7SJ    Avintir                        ^^^^H 

^^^■^^^^^^H                  Fickett^  Cbarlci  tt. 

Mit*. 

Farmer 

July  s»  '?£ 

£1    Moate                      ^^H 

^^^■^^^^■1 

Ky, 

Pdbliiher 

Mar.  a4.  'T4 

toa  Anseln                 ^^H 

^^^^H  HBHIBIfn  1             ^^y-  ^'^-  I'^cinda  m. 

Ind. 

?ioiise-wtfe 

Dec,  »4.  'so 

April,  »' 

a^Fv^nva                         ^^^B 

^^^HlWl  IT    ffli  1                       l^rrnch.    fhas.    E. 

Maine 

Rctirerl 

MtH   N.    BroadwftT         ^1 

^^^H  Uh  li    B  i                     Flond,   Kdward 

V-  V. 

Cement    wOfkcr 

ApHI,  's* 

IJ15    Palmer  avenue            ■ 

^^^^■j  HIH  HHH 1 

Mn*. 

Farmer 

Dec.,   's- 

4.1s    Avenue    a  a                     ^M 

^^^^^H  ^^^^^^^^H 

Ohio 

Fanner 

Oct-   \S.  '70 

404  Feaudry  avenue          ■ 

^^^^H^^^^^^HI                                 Adolph 

G«A 

fanitor 

itay.  '*T 

4dS   Colytoo                          ^1 
S18  S,  Hop«                  ^^H 

^^^^■^^^^^■1                                   Samuel 

Genn. 

Fanner 

•6S 

p 

MEMBERSHIP  ROLL. 

1 

I93B 

■ 

flUTBt 

At.  IM 

^^P  IfAlIt, 

nAcc 

OCCVPATTOH. 

asuv'h  CO. 

«<s. 

st«t. 

^^frelis.  h.  Dennil 

Cut 

Gardener 

Mir. 

« 

1 1$  S.  Craod  aTtoM 

>»7S 

1          I'ranklin,    DeWilt   C 

N.    J- 

Ri  tired 

Feb.    3. 

'64 

153    '*^'    -'^vc.    JJ 

[S64 

1         Frost,   Frank  A. 

Germ, 

Vatmer 

April, 

'66 

Kl  Monte 

i86« 

G*rey.    rhoroas  A- 

Maaa. 

Merchant 

Oct.     Sr 

*7* 

joo   E.    Twenly-fifth 

IS74 

Obio 

Nurseryman 

Oct   14. 

'sa 

jS^j  Maple  avenue 

I85A 

Cirrey,    Richard 

Ire. 

farmer 

Dec, 

'58 

San  Gabriel 

185a 

Cage.  Htnfv  T. 
Cifietle,  J,  W. 
GiU<:tti^.  Mt>.  e.  s. 

N.  Y 

Ateoraey 

Aur* 

'74 

M4(S   W.  Twenty -eigh til 

1*74 

N.  Y. 

Inspeeur 

May. 

*63 

3Jt3  Temple 

l85« 

IlL 

Housewife 

Aug., 

•68 

13 J   Temple 
Bcaudry  avenue 

GJendafe 

1S64 

Gould.  Will  a 

Vt, 

Attorney 
StockraiAer 

Feb.  a&. 

'41 

li^ 

Crifiith,  Ju.  8. 

Mo. 

May. 

'.SH 

GoUmtr,  Charlu 

Genu. 

Merc  bam 

'6S 

1510  Flower 

Griffith,  J.  M. 
Green,    E-   K, 

Md. 

Retired 

April. 

'*! 

Iroa  Angelra 

i«5i 

N,  V, 

Manufacturer 

May. 

■73 

W.    Ninth 

il^ 

Green,  Floyd  E- 

IlL 

Manufacturer 

May, 

'7a 

W.    Ninth 

it7S 

Cuinn,  James  M. 

Ohio 

Author 

OcL   t8. 

'*B 

5539    Mcintt    ViAlfl 

jSri4 

Coldsworlhy,  Jobfl 

N^"/: 

Surveyor 

M^r.  ». 

'69 

J07   N.   Maia 

tftSA 

Gilbert.  Harlow 

Fruit  Grower 

Nov.  1. 

'6g 

wsa  w  3i 

I86g 

Gcrkins.  Jocpb  P. 
Girrctt,  Kohert  1*. 

Gcrra. 

Farmer 

Jan.. 

'54 

Glendale 

lUi 

Ark. 

Undertaker 

NoF.  s. 

'6a 

70  ]    N.   Grand  flveatie 

Grebct  Oirislian 

Gcrn. 

Rcstauiratcur 

Jul-  >. 

>4 

811  San  Fernando 

j8^ 

Grcenbaum^   Ephrtlni 

PoL 

Mrrehtnt 

';?• 

1817   Cherry 

j8si 

r.ewer,  George  T. 

H.  r. 

FarmcT 

Not,. 

ColfTove 

t&68 

1          CrQSKr,   ElcanO'rc 

Germ 

Housewife 

Jan.. 

66a  S.    Spring 

;|y 

GtildlnB.    Thomas 

Kng- 

Contractor 

'68 

L05    Angeles 

Class,    lleary 

Cenru 

BoqkbiHder 

JuRC  aa. 

'7S 

W.    Fourth  street 

GofdoHt  John  T. 

D.  C 

farmer. 

•« 

Axusa 

1068 

Grow,  G.  T. 

Vt. 

Contractor 

*rt 

MS  S,  Rampart 

xUm 

Gicsc,   Henry 

lova 

Merchant 

'7J 

ip44   EstreNa 

itrs 

Go?iper,    John    J. 

Ohio 

Mining   Broker 

'76 

103   E.    Second 

>B7« 

CJevcr,    Nellie 

Maas. 

Housewife 

April    1, 

'?9 

W:  Ave-    53 

1879 

Glynn,    John 

Nev* 

Farmtr 

Aug.. 

*6? 

San    Gabriel 

1867 

Germain,    ^ugene 

Switt 

McTchant 

May    ij. 

'67 

OSi    S.    Hope 

1867 

Gu»s*  John 

Ark, 

Farmer 

'5^ 

El  Monte 

ifiSa 

Gums,   Sarali  C. 

Ala- 

Housewife 

'70 

El   Monte 

l»7o^y 

F^inei,   Rufut  R. 

Ifaine 

Telegrapher 

June» 

'71 

a)8  W.  Twenty  KWDlb 

tg^fi  W.  Kigbth 

iBsr^^ 

Harris,   ^eail 

PruL 

Detective 

April  9, 

*67 

18  &  J 

Harper.    C.    F. 

N.    C 

Merchant 

May. 

'68 

Laurel 

Katard.  Cce>.    W. 

riL 

Ocrk 

I>ec  as. 

'S4 

1307  S.  Atvarado 

]8S4 

Hazard.  Henry  T, 

Hi 

Aitorpey 

Uec.  3^, 

4*, 

J&36   ^.    HotMS 

t&S4 

Hcllman,    Uermin    W. 

Germ, 

Banker 

May  M, 

Jan.* 

9S4  Hill 

lS$9 

Hunter,    Jane    E- 

N,   Y, 

•66 

iij  S.    Broadway 

Hamllton,  A.   N. 

liiclu 

Miner 

Ian.  a*. 

'7a 

St  I    Temple 

(«7J 

Holbrook.   J,    F, 
Heimann«    GuflU^C 

iBd. 

MsaufMturer 

k4y  », 

"75 

iSJ    Vine 

ift74 

Ami, 

Banker 

July. 

.'" 

?2y    California 
torn   Angeles 

tSyi 

Hutton,   Aureliui  W. 

Ala. 

Attorney 

^"?lct. 
Dee.  J  5, 

•6U 

1869 

HJller,   Mri.   Abbie 
Herwin,    Utfiry    J. 

N.   Y. 
Pma. 

Houeewife 
Farmer 

'SI 

147  W-  Twentytfaird 

Fbrencc 

ilfj 

Hosmcr^    NnThan    II, 

M^5  4. 

Fruit  Grower 

Apr.  iy, 

7« 

Sierra   Madre 

iB^S 

Haas.    John     tl. 

Germ. 

Dcp.   Insjj.  StTPets 

May 

fitii    E,    (4ih 

1854 

HnS^turler.  11.  H, 

Mo. 

FarmEr 

*«s 

El  Monte 

rSfis 
1860 

Hubt^U,  Stephen  C. 

N    Y. 

Attorney 

•6* 

15(5   Pleasant  iTcntu 

Hudson.   J.    W. 

N.  Y, 

Farmrr 

•68 

Puentc 

■  863 

Holi.  Mgrtbfl  A. 

Tenn, 

Home  wife 

•sfi 

San   Gabriel 

.«S6 

1847 

Hayi,  Wade 

Mo, 

Miner 

S«pt 

*S3 

Col^TOVC 

Ha»^  ScrepU  S. 
H^miltQn.    Ezra  M, 

N.  Y. 

Housewife 

April  17 

;s< 

151^  W.  Eighth 

HI, 

Miner 

?ept.  20, 

'75 

310  Avenue  ai 

Hcwiti.  Roicoe  E- 

Ohio 

Miner 

Feb.   ij, 

"7.^ 

337    S.    Olive 
Billiard    niock 

Hftughion^  Sherman  O. 

N.  y. 

Lawyer 

July   t 

'86 

Houirhton.    Eliia  P. 

111. 

Housewife 

'&6 

htm   AnRelcA 

iK 

Haikell.  JohB  C. 

iAf, 

Farmer 

*70 

Fernando 

Herwii;,    Emma    E- 

Australia 

Housewife 

Aug. 

■56 

Florence 

«J3< 

1           Hunter>  J«5« 

Iowa 

Farmer 

Rivera 

1             Hauch.    Isaac 

Germ. 

Tailflr 

April  1 4 

S*4  Temple 

N,  V. 

Farmer 

Jan.. 

Va 

La  Caftarla 

u 

^^ 

J 

PIONRERS  OP  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


OCCtrpjk-rtOV. 


AtUftamy 


4JL1UT.  IX  CO. 


Mmnh  31,  '7JE 

Aug..  ;m 

Feb.  37.  'j* 


Jtt»r. 


Uercbant 
Mcrclunt 
Winer 

Anorncjr 

Kelt  red 

HnufiF*ifc 

Miner 

hanoer 

Prca.  i«.  A.  Puro.  Co.    June, 

HDu#ew)le 

Real  Csiate  June  JV, 


Aprilt 

jMftc, 

M*r.  ID. 


'01 
'6J 


CountT  Qerfe 

Merchant 

I'faystcian 

Retired 

Dept.  Co.  Cterk 

Iloufcwtfe 
Bogkkecper 
Mini  iter 
Retired 

Kcfired 


Editor  and    Puk 
Kbii  £4t«tc  ■ffcot 
Grocer 
Capiulisc 

Retired 

i'ickle  workt 
Merc  bam 
A[Hari«I 

Housewife 
Retired 
HouKwife 
Dtfp.    Sbcriff 
Iniurmnce 
Attonwj 
Kernl    Estate 
Ccwl  EncrctLBfiB 

PlA&ttf tt 

Hou»wif« 

Farmei- 

Stair  builder 
Cantrictm: 


Farmer 

Search.  R«c. 

Cr«er 
Merchant 
Hotel  keeper 
Retired 


ll&rcta,  '$a 

Sept,.  '54 

Btajr  10.  '57 

Feb.  3.  '6k 

April,  '69 

Oct.  39.  '74 

Mar,  'tij 

NffY,    J7,   '^^ 

Oct,  '?o 

Oct,  '69 

Jan,   15,  *Sj 

Sept.   tS,  '71 

May    J  J,    '77 


Dec..  '7* 

Dec.,  /it 

SI 

Feb,.  -6* 
Dec  ■♦.  'ss> 
klar.  2a»  'j? 

Oct..  'ftS 

Sci>t.    16,    *7D 
Oct.    '87 

Jan.    1.    '77 

FcT>,    '«» 

JuTie   I7i   *74 

Sept,  '73 

May  I      73 

May  I,    7J 

April   r»  '75 

,    Dee..    S3 

J.n.  16,  ;|| 

Sept,  '8« 
Sept,  '71 


Not.*  .64 
April  f«.  '6$ 
^  S#pt.  '50 
Sept.  a«,  *&B 

Nov.,  '69 


>2t«    5,    Olrve 

fijt    ■" 


7J9   Uoptt 

<L(ia  Anceics 

ioj    M.    iiunker   HiU  «*« 

tiSB    Saat«« 

l*aM4cna    aivetiuc 

Uoi    Aagclc^ 

Loa  AngcJea 

NewhaU 

Uallxarood 

W7    S'    Uoiw 

Ji>oH    S.    Main 

i5«  VV.  Pico 


J0«  N.   Worfantta 
950  Lafae  Mnict 
95 J  irikc  nreei 
107  W,   Pirat 
jti  I    Buca*    Vista 
3JJ    Boanie-    3rae 
3(7    S>   SoCo 
107   W.    First 
412   N.   Brved 
Hewitt 

150  W.  Thirty^6r»t 
J4D   N.  Hope 
7j8    K.   El^bth 
1 33  Carr 


3 IT   New    Higb 

PaAndem 

&4a    Jud*Dll 

^$0   S.    (J Jive 

607   Sevcntb 

ijii    Wciciake  avcnac 

zjoy    Flower 

$7 J  L<i$  Angles 

6jj  Kip 

NewhaU 

Aii\   N.  Alvftrado 

Kt   Mome 

5?7    Will 

liar  Crpress  avenu« 

763    Uercbuat 

9907  8,   Hope 

not  Downey  aTcnuv 

1Q30  Lovelace  avenue 

iBi4  S-  Graod  avenue 

Wafer  ttrert 

Kich  ittKt 
FIJI    Lafayeti^ 

WinfifLd 
7SO   S.   OliTfr 
Loa  Aogrlea 


Alhambra 

Lea  Angles 

4J0  San  Pedro 

rrofi  Manitou  tTcnuf 

Paaadcni 

Cat  Trwk  C*. 


p 

■ 

MEMBERSHIP  ROtL. 

1 

1 

B 

HSTB. 

iS^i^^l 

HAUC 

ri^c<. 

OCCUPATIOK. 

MBiv.  I  If  CO, 

U*. 

JTAT*. 

McL«fl.  Wm. 

Obio 

Retired 

Mar^b   5. 

5* 

417    CoUege 

;ii; 

Scotland 

Contractor 

'69 

tSi   S.  Hope 
Station  D 

McMulLin,  W.  C. 

Canada 

Fanoer 

Taxi., 

'70 

■My 

Miller,  Williara 

Va. 

Retired 

Oct,, 

'7a 

Pontona 

1853 

N,  V. 

Carpenur 

Nov.    33, 

'6a 

Santa  Monica 

Marxson,    JJora 

Germ. 

HouKwife 

Nor.   14, 

'?3 

3i;»   E.   Seventeenth 

1873 

Ire. 

Retired 

Sept  e. 

'H 

toi  W.  Eighteentb 
Colterave 

137  S.  Grand 

iS«g 

D.  C 

Painter 

May   15. 

73 

1873 

liflier,  Simon 

Gtrm. 

Bulcber 

'?* 

1876 

Mdvill,  J.  H., 

Mate. 

Sw.   Fid.  Ab.  Cp. 

Aug., 

'7S 

465  N.  Beaudjy  a*enue 

1874 

Montague,   Newell   S. 

111. 

Fatmcf 

Oct.  .. 

*S6 

ijj  E.  Twenty eghth 

t8$6 

McFarland,    Silma    R. 

Pa. 

Livery 

Jan.  3B, 

•?5 

1334  W.  Twelfth 

*B53 

Men,   Henry 

Germ. 

Retired 

,Au(., 

'Jt 

106  Jewen 

135   Avenue  as 

MoD[ly,  Alexaoder  C 

N.   S. 

CarpeAter 

Jan-  9, 

Moore,   Mary  E,. 

N.  Y. 

*66 

1467   E.   Twentietb 

MorEan,    OcUviuS 

Enr 

Afcbitcct 

May, 

'?4 

]8ig   Wcstlake  avenue 

l«74 

Moore.   Alfred 

Enf. 

l^xprcu 

July   11, 

•?4 

708    S.    Workman 

1374 

Mortoa.  A»  J, 

J«* 

Macti;ni«t 

'74 

jiS  New  High 
ComptOii 

MbTtdn,  Jobn  JTir 

Mick. 

Ptrm«r 

,   Aur, 

'67 

1*67 

1            Marsh,    Marlin    C. 

Cati. 

Contractor 

Jan.    10, 

V6 

Iowa 

1876 

1            M»^e    tluffh 

Ire- 

Teamrter 

'59 

Lo*  Angeles 

l»5ff 

Martin,   Mm,   T. 

Tex. 

Farmer 

"SJ 

PoiHona 

tSSJ 

Meserve,    Alviti   .R 

Me. 

Rehired 

>7 

so,  E.  4S  Ave 

l«77 

Mcserve,  EliMbeth  H. 

Mo, 

Kotisewife 

'7? 

30  E.  54«t  ■«■ 

MtArthur.   John 

McArthur*   Catherine 

C«i. 

Miner 

'69 

i^ojr  S.  Figuero* 

m 

N.   Y. 

Houacwifc 

>* 

1900  S.  Figueroa 

McGarvin,    Robert 

C*n. 

R»I  Estate  *seql 

April  5. 

" 

saoK  S,  Spring 

1873 

McDonald.  Jamea 

Tenn. 

Engineer 

Oct.. 

V. 

1500  E.  Twentieth 

l8S3 

McCrcery,    Mary   B, 

N.  Y. 

Housewife 

Nov.   J, 

«ii   S,  Hope 

McCrecry,     Ru(uS    K- 
Ucllmail,  John 
McCoye,   Frank 

Md, 

Retired 

Nov.  3. 

'61 

on   S-  Hope 

a  V. 

Capitaliit 

May  30, 
May. 

*8o 

Hinn 

186J 

N.  Y. 

Broker 

'76 

idB  ij.   Broadwfty 

iS7« 

McMaKon.    P.    J. 

Irt 

Retired 

,    July. 

•Sl 

i6i9    Manitou 

l«S3 

McDonald,    Mre,    J.    G. 

Mfr 

Housewife 

Jan.     I, 
March   8» 

*L9 

hoi   Angeles 

>859 

McDonald.    Luella    M. 

Pa. 

— 

Vt. 

1439   Essex 

1874 

McAtiany,    Fiiilip 

Irp. 

Farnicr 

'6& 

La    D»w 

1863 

McM^illcn,   JuUa    M, 

Me. 

HottMwifo 

Aug.    I, 

'74 

j6jr    Brighton  nve. 

1874 

Norton,  Iiaac 

Poland 

Sec.  Loan  Ann, 

Nov., 

■6« 

1364  Figucroa 

)8«* 

Ncwmark,    Harrif 

Germ. 

Merchant 

Oct    M3, 

'5J 

1051   Grand   avenue 

tSsi 

Newmarfc,    M.   J. 

N.  Y. 

Merchant 

Sept., 

:ii 

1047  Grand  avenue 

>B53 

Newell.  3.  G. 

Ctn, 

Laborer 

July  t4. 

,[an,    19. 

1417  W.  Ninth 

iBso 

Nrwti^n.    T,    C, 

N.  V- 

F.iTmcr 

'7' 

S'uslli    Pfl'iaden.T 

1871 

tihhoU,   Tbpmas   E. 

Cal. 

County  Auditor 

J21   W.  Thirty-first 

iBjB 

Newrll.   Mrs.  J.    C. 

Ind. 

Housewife 

June, 

14 1 7  W.    Ninth 

Florence 

iSjta 

Nad»u,  Geo.  A. 

Can. 

Fftrmer 

New  mark,  Mrs.   H. 

N.  Y. 

Sept  J  6, 

'S4 

tosi    S,  Grand 

1S54 

Nitleoffer.   Edward 

Conn, 

Real  Bstate  broker 

Dec,. 

*74 

Fifth   fltreet 

t«74 

Onne,    Henry    S, 

Go. 

Pbyfkiu 

July  4. 

'6K 

DougUfl    Block 

1868 

Osborne,   Jobn 
Osborn,   Wm.   M. 

N^-?: 

Retired 

Nov,    14. 

■6a 

37?    W.    Thirtieth 

1854 

Livery 

March, 

'58 

P73  W.  Twelfth 
Batter    Block 

iKss 

O'Melyenr,  Henrr  W. 
Oiwen.  Edwird  H. 

Ill, 

Attorner 

Clerk  CI,  S.  Court 

Nov,. 

*(SS 

I8«9 

Alft. 

Oct,. 

'7fy 

GarvAttM 

isTo 

Vrr,   Benjamin   P. 

Pa, 

Undertdcer 

May. 

'75 

tgij   Buflh 

tBsB 

Parker,   Robert 

P*. 

Printer 

April  I  a, 

Vs 

IJ3&  \V.  Third 

'87s  iH 

Parker,  Joel  B, 

N.  V. 

Fanner 

April  M, 

'70 

ji*  E.  Twelflb 

Jlj»^^ 

Ppsrhlce,    WlllUm 

Genn. 

Retired 

April  13, 

'*5 

«3B    Maty 

Loa   Angela 

i8s#          ' 

Pike.  Gm.  H. 

Mau. 

Retired 

*67 

iSsB 

Ponet,  Victor 

Be^um 

Capitalist 

Oct. 

**9 

Sherman 

iB«r 

Pridbam,   Wm, 

Supt,  W.  F,  Co. 

Aug.  ?8. 

•68 

Baker   Block 

t«S4 

rragpr,   Samuel 

Prutsia 

Not»fy 

Feb.. 

Los  Afigele* 

tss^. 

PIONEKRS  OF  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


Scbroidt^  GDllfricd 
Scbmidt,  Au0u*t 
ShAMcr,   John 
Shorb.  A.  S, 
StoU,  Simoa 
Stewart.    J.    M, 
Stephens,  Daniel   G. 
Stephens,   Mn.   E.  T. 
Smith,  I&aac  S. 
Smith.    W.    J.    A. 
Sliesrer.  Mra,  TiJlie 
Strong.    Rohtrt 
Snyder,   Z.   T* 
bUughler^  John  L,. 
Scott,    Mrs.    Amanda 
StoIL  H.   W. 
Sumnert   C,    A. 
Se«rr,  Touph  L. 
Schmidt,    Frederick 
Spfncc,    Mrs.    Annie 
Smitbt   Simon    B* 
Sharp,    Robert   L. 
Stauehteri   Fr»nk   R. 
EUub,   George 
Shorty  Corncliua  R. 
Staple*.  John   F, 
Stewart.  Meliua  A. 
Stecre,  Robed 
Schroedtr.    IJuffO 

r*   Adclmo 


Eng. 
Mo. 

Obi  a 

N.  B. 
Germ. 
N.    S. 

Hnc 
Mo. 
Md. 
Uo. 

N.  Y. 

Eng. 
Mo. 

ni. 

Fnace 

Germ. 
Mc 

Ohio 


Gcrtii. 

HolUnd 
Ohio 

N.  J. 

Mbidc 

N,  Y. 

iTl. 

N.  Y. 

IdiL 

U. 

Obio 

Germ,. 

Gcnn, 
Ire. 

Conn. 

N.  Y. 
N.  Y. 
Del. 
Md. 
N.  Y. 
N.  Y, 

in. 

TIL 


Ciirdciier 
Retired 

HouMvlfe 
Mcrchmnt 
Fimicr 
Ucrdumt 

I'armct 

n<her 


Fanner 
Farmer 


IfUmberman 
iMiQufacturer 

pairynun 

Surveyor 

Retircil 

Clerk 

Horticulturist 
Ueal    t3tst« 
CollectuT 
Retired 

Attorney 
U.  S.  JudCe 
I'rmt  LpfowM 
^Surveyor 
Ljvcryntan 
l-'arlTipr 

Vocal  loloirt 

Uerh 
Retired 

t  ii:  Die; 
PubUaher 


Farmer 

Hciired 

Retired 

Ptay9Jcl&n 

Ucrcbant 

Retired 

Orcbarditt 


AUtrv.  iv  Co. 

'r$ 

Not.,  '»7 
May  IS-  '75 
Not.  jq^  Vs 

July  T.  '^ 

July  '70 


Mirch  J.  '59 


Auf..  •?! 

U«c,.  'W 

Sept,,  '71 
'6B 

Nov.    3Bi*5& 

Sept.   '68 

Apnl,  *54 

M«y    I.   '6Q 

June  S,  *<>9 

Au«,,  '7  J 

Uec.   IB.  *73 

J«oe  tQ,  *M 

April  g,  *66 

April   i»,  Vj 

'ya 

Jane  as.  '76 

Aufl.  i«.  *y4 

Mar  S,  *69 

July  '69 

Auff.    13.    '79 


Ay«.,  '«4 
Mar,  '69 

MarcL  *M 

June,  *yi 

AtJC.»  *69 

May   14*  '70 

April,  "61 

'6© 


See.  OQ  Co, 

Nov.. 

*yi 

JJraughtiimail 

April    I  a. 

>/. 

Houiewtfc 

July. 
Mfcrcb, 

Broker 

■7J 

Farmer 

April. 

V. 

rtetired 

te^?: 

IfouKewife 

"so 

Manuftfcturer 

Oct   1, 

•6? 

Broker 

May  S. 

;^^ 

najryman 

yt 

Farraer 

73 

HoBiewifc 

^^ 

Insurance 

May    r?. 
May, 

'7* 

Funeral    DirtCfOt 

'7* 

llorticultumt 

Nov,. 

»^* 

Farnief 

%% 

Farmer 

Aug,  S. 

Drove  f 

March, 

's» 

Housewife 

March. 

•71 

R«iifcd 

March, 

'75 

SiETi    Painter 
Sii^n   Painter 

1S^'; 

:J3 

ai8  N.  Cumfflinn 
151*  W.  Twelfth 
i?aj    Iowa 

Summit  aveottc 


r. 


Waterloo 

Kl  Moitte 
Loi    Aagele* 
Holly  wo  wl 


HI  Monte 

hi  Monte 


Pofnom 

ti 

ngS  S-  t)ti» 

■1 

Trapteo 

H 

Tro|)rrci> 

«l 

jifl   Itoyd 

ll 

117    b.    UhTC 

fl 

femaado 

vt 

905  Alvarado 

ll 

1407    Sunwrt    Boulevard 

iC 

M5«    Wall 

ll 

San  Pedro  vtrect 

a 

Loa   Angeles 

ll 

Wbi  titer 

ii 

i2»  i\.  Main 

a 

1^05   Scott 
in  Monte 

1 1 53  Jh,«*!o 

^ 

City  Hall 

■ 

tos  Aniclea 

■ 

Sjo    Lov      Anfele* 

■ 

^ji3«   Paiadena   uvt 

1 

1,0a  AiiE^lea                  ^H 
no  S.   Olive                 ^" 

I 

^ 

LoiTf;    Iteacb 

t 

6s «   Adatiii 

a 

80 »  S-   Broad wa* 

11?  W,   Thirtieth 
bi*th  and  Olive 

Mi 

iJ 

ll 

Sixth  and  Olive 

ll 

aio   N.    Olive 

ll 

Sao  Linden 

■4 

IIJ4    E;1   Molino 

ll 

Paaadcna 

ll 

Tropica 

ll 

614   N,    Bunker   Hilt 

li 

sSa  Mi^^JQti    Hoad 

fl 

II44   S.    Hill 

ll 

[  5a  1    Oran^ 

ll 

Los   Anffcles 

n 

I.D1  AngTlea 
445    S.    OllTe 

ll 

rl 

1^3  N.  Avenue  ra 

ll 

Los   Ange^ea 

ll 

L,Nis    \ii^'l!c* 

D 

toB  Angeles 

il 

I4t7  Mission  Boulevfer^ 

fl 

St.   Elmo  Hotel 

li 

Sii  W.  Tbirtictli 

M 

a«o  S,  Olive 

U 

ijio  S-   Fiffuero* 

^ 

1 3^7    Hoo*M 

■ 

H 

F 

MEMBERSB 

P  ROLL. 

1 

\ 

H 

WHTEI' 

u.  >ir^m 

tiAun. 

l^i^C*, 

O'CCUPATlOM. 

Aaur,  IK  c^o. 

Its. 

tTAT*             " 

Schuttc,   August 

Gcnn. 

Retired 

Nov. 

75 

loto    W.    Second    st 

^874                 f 

Slotterb«k.    Sofihia 
Spencer^   Amanda   IL 

Germ. 

Housewife 

Aug, 

?a 

33a  Bucna  Vista 
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Published  by  the  Society 


LOS  ANGELES,  CAL 

Geo>  Rice  Jh  Sons 


I 


1 1 


t':i 


n  •■  I 


i 


CONTENTS 


Officers  of  the  Historical  Society  1905-1906 202 

Los  Angeles  Fifty  Years  Ago H.  D,  Barrows . .  203 

How  New  Zealand  Got  Its  Honey  Bees . .  Mary  M.  Bowman . .  208 

Pioneer  Courts  and  Lawyers  of  Los  Angeles.  ,W.  R.  Bacon. .  211 

How  California  Escaped  State  Division J.  M.  Gmnn. .  223 

Two  Pioneer  Physicians  of  Los  Angeles H.  D.  Barrows . .  233 

J.  Lancaster  Brent H.  D.  Barrows . .  238 

Extracts  From  the  Los  Angeles  Archives H.  J.  Lelande. .  242 

The  Old  Highways  of  Los  Angeles J.  M.  Guinn. .  253 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


or  Series  of  valleys*  lying  between  the  great,  grisly  Sierra  Madre 
or  series  of  valleys,  lying  betweon  the  great  grizxly  Sierra  Madre 
mountains  and  the  ocean,  and  estenJiner  80  or  90  rnU^s  fnr 
Simi  Pass,  to  Mount  San  Bernardino,  at  that  period  was  one  vast, 
almost  treeless  region,  over  which  roamed  nnmimbened  cattle, 
horses  and  sheep.  The  pSanting  since  of  the  various  species 
of  the  Australian  Eucalypti,  and  of  continuous  orange,  walnut 
and  other  orchards,  throughout  thesfe  valleys,  has  radically 
changed  their  appearance.  To  the  uew-comer  of  today*  the 
landscape  of  these  prairie-valleys  of  Southern  California  presents 
the  appearance  of  a  wooded  country,  similar  to  other  sections  of 
the  United  States. 

The  city  of  Los  Angeles,  when  I  first  saw  U^  half  a  century 
ago,  was  a  one-story,  adobe  town,  of  less  than  five  thousand 
inhabitants,  a  large  portion  of  whom  were  of  Spanish  descent, 
and  among  whom,  of  course  Spanish  customs  and  the  xise  of  the 
Spanish  language  prevailed.  There  were,  I  think,  not  to  exceed 
three  or  four  two-story  buildings  in  thie  town. 

Behold,  what  a  magical  change  half  a  century  has  wrought  I 
The  population  of  the  former  Spanish  Pueblo  or  Ciudad  of  5,000 
or  less,  has  risen  to  nearly  200,000  soub.  The  quaint,  flat-roofed 
white-washed,  oue-story  houses,  clustering  around  or  near  the 
Plaza,  have  given  way  to  splendid,  fire-proof,  brick  and  steel 
blocks,  of  two,  three,  five  and  ten  stories;  and  to  pHcturesque, 
luxurious  homes  "extending  throughout  and  beyond  the  four 
square  leagues  of  territory  granted  to  the  ancient  Pueblo,  by  the 
King  of  Spain,  under  \vhoso  authority  its  foundations  were 
laid  by  that  wise  Spanish  Governor^  Don  Felipe  de  Neve,  nearly 
a  century  and  a  quarter  ago. 

When  I  first  came  here,  Los  Angeles  had  but  one  Roman 
Catholic  church  edifice,  that  fronting  the  plaza;  and  not  one 
Protestant  or  other  church  building.  How  many  places  of  wor- 
ship there  are  now,  of  the  numerous  religious  sects  of  th>e 
city  and  county.  I  do  not  know.  There  were  then  but  two  publit 
school  houses  in  the  city;  one,  on  the  site  of  the  present 
Bryson  Block,  on  Spring  street;  the  other,  was  located  on  the 
east  side  of  Bath  street,  north  of  the  Plaza.  Today  theiv  are^ 
I  know  not  how  many^  large,  commodious  school  buildings  scat- 
tered throughout  the  widely  extended  sections  of  the  munici- 
pality, and  TJiew  ones  are  constantly  being  built,  to  meet  the 
pressing  necessities  of  our  rapidly  increasing  population.  The 
number  of  pupils  attending  the  two  schools  in  '54,  probably 
did  not  exceed  200.    The  number  of  children  between  the  agea 


Historical  Society 


OF 


Southern   California 

LOS  ANGELES   CALIFORNIA 
1005 


LOS  ANGELES  FIFTY  YEARS  AGO 

J^ad  before  Historiiial  Society,  April  16,  1905 

By  H.  D.  Barrows 

The  first  time  th-at  I  ever  heard  that  there  was  such  a  placQ 
as  Los  ADgeles,  was  in  tho  sunimer  of  1854,  at  Beaicia,  where,  in 
buying  som-ii  fruit,  which  at  that  time,  was  both  of  indifferent 
quality  and  scarce,  as  well  as  dear,  a  friend  told  me  that  Los 
Angeles  grapes  would,  later,  be  in  the  market  and  that  they 
would  be  far  superior  to  any  other  kind  of  fruit  then  to  be 
had. 

I  arrived  in  Los  Angeles  December  12.  1854,  and  it  has  been 
my  home  ever  since.  I  came  from  San  Fraucisco  on  thn?  steamer 
*'Goliah/'  in  company  with  the  late  William  Wolf  skill,  the 
Pioneer,  and  his  nephew  John  Wolfskil),  the  latter  still  a  resid^^nt 
of  this  county*  The  fare  ou  the  steamer  at  that  time  was  forty 
dollaris.  Arriving  at  the  Port  of  San  Pedro^  we  came  ashore 
on  a  lighter^  and  from  thenee  by  stage  to  Loa  Angeles,  where  we 
arrived  about  noon. 

There  are  many  striking  contrasts  bt^ween  both  the  city  and 
county  of  that  day,  and  the  Los  Angeles  of  today.  Topograph- 
ically, this  then,  was  an  imperial  county,  including,  as  it  did, 
all  of  San  Bernardino  and  Orange  counties,  and  the  greater 
part  of  the  present  county  of  Riverside.     The  immense  valley 


206 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHEBN  CALIFORNIA 


I  contributed  a  few  books  to  it,  but  I  remember  that^  having  made 
a  trip  to  (he  Atlantic  Stales  in  *57,  when  I  came  back,  I  learned 
that  the  library  had  been  abolished  and  that  the  books,  includLn^ 
those  I  had  donated,  had  been  sold. 

We  had  neither  mercantile  nor  savings  banks  during  the 
entire  decade  of  the  *50s,  and  but  few  money  safes.  All  mer- 
chandise not  produced  here,  was  brou^^ht  from  Sau  Francisco 
by  steamer  or  sail-vessels,  lightered  at  San  Pedro,  and  brought  up 
to  town  by  bi^  mule  trains  of  **prairiK?  schooners."  Until  vine- 
yards and  orchards  were  planlfd  and  came  to  bearing:  in  the 
upper  country,  after  the  chancre  of  Government,  the  people 
of  that  part  of  thie  State,  includJTiR  the  population  of  the  mining 
regions,  depended  on  the  vineyards  of  Los.  Angeles  for  their 
fruit  I  know  that  for  several  years  large  shipments  of  mission 
grapes,  the  only  kind  grown  here  then,  were  made  by  each 
steamer  during  the  g-rape  season.  The  'Wignerones*'  heiv,  real* 
jzed  all  the  way  from  one  to  two  bits,  (reales)  a  pound  for 
their  grapes.  Other  fruits  besides  the  '^mission  grape"  (which 
was  origjiually  brought  from  Spain,  and  which  was  one  of  the 
best  raised  there,)  were  scarce  here  also,  as  well  as  in  the 
north,  and  s^nv^rally  of  inferior  quality,  until  improved  varieties 
were  introduced  from  the  eastern  states.  Among  the  enterpris- 
ing pioneers  who  first  brought  the  best  standard  fruits  and 
vegetables  to  Los  Angeles,  were  Dr,  Wro.  B.  Osborne,  Las 
Angeles'  lirst  Postmaster,  H.  C.  CardwvlJ,  O.  W.  Childs,  etc. 

The  Hollistiera  of  Santa  Barbara  brought  a  flack  of  American 
improved  sheep  all  the  way  from  Ohio  to  Loa  Angeles,  arriving 
here  in  the  early  part  of  1854.  Los  Angeles  was  long  known  as 
one  of  the  "Cow  counties/'  as  stock  raising  was  lextensively  car- 
ried on  throughout  Southern  California  for  some  years  under 
American  rule,  as  it  had  been  in  mission  times;  and  it  was  very 
profitable  ew^n  in  spite  of  occasional  severe  drouths,  as  these  coun- 
ties were  natural  ,grasa  countries;  burr-clover,  alfileria  and 
wild  oats  being  espeeially  valuable  indigenous  grasses.  Cattle 
did  not  need  to  be  fed  and  housed  in  winter  in  our  mild  climate,  a^ 
they  are  required  to  be  fed  in  colder  countries  Besides  the  best 
known  breeds  of  horse^  sheep  and  neat  cattle  stock  were  gradually 
introduced.  But  eventually,  as  the  admirable  adaptation  of 
Southern  California  for  the  perfection  in  growth  of  citrus  fruits 
was  demonstrated,  and  the  splendid  seedless  n^vel  orange  was  dis- 
covered the  immense  cattle  ranges  were  gradually  converted  into 
orange  and  lemon  orchards.  The  English  Walnut  crop  has  been 
found  to  be  profitable  here  also,  and  thus,  as  we  now  see,  our  orch- 


LOS  ANGELES  FIFTY  ^TIARS  AGO 


20T 


-ards  have  taken  the  place  of  what  were  formerly  «extenfiive  cattle 
ranges* 

In  *55,  Ihe  **Star/^  established  in  *51  by  McKlroy  and  Lewis, 
and  the  ''Southern  California/'  published  by  Whk^eler  and  Butts, 
both  weekly,  were  the  only  local  newspapers  Los  Angeles  eould 
boast  of.  We  heard  from  the  outside  world  by  steamer  from  San 
Francisco,  twice  a  month. 

When  Johnny  Temple  built  a  theatre  in  *58,  on  the  site  of 
the  present  Bullard  Block,  our  list  of  entertainments  was  some- 
what enlarged.  Instead  of  high-toned  "Horse  Shows"  like  that 
Just  held  in  Pasadena^  we  sometimes  had  in  those  firimitive  times, 
Bear  and  Bull  fijjhta,  cock  fights  and  frequent  horse,  mule  and 
donkey  races,  and  occasionally  a  Span'ish  eircus,  or  ''maroma,** 
and  at  Christmas  times  we  were  regaled  with  the  quaint,  beauti- 
ful eharaeteristically-Spanish  **Pastorela/'  which  was  very 
effectively  and  charmingly  presented  by  a  thoroug-hly  trained 
company  under  the  direct*ion  of  Don  Antonio  Corooel.  So  that 
despite  our  isolation,  we  had  many  and  varied  amusements. 

Of  the  adult  people  of  Los  Angelv^s  \vho  were  living  here  when 
I  came  here,  and  with  whou  I  gradually  beoame  more  or  less  ac- 
quainted very  very  fiew  are  now  alive^  aithough  many  of  their 
children  have  grown  up,  aud  have  become  heads  of  families. 

I  cannot  suppress  a  feeling  of  sadness  as  I  recall  the  past  and 
review  the  changes  that  have  occurred^  in  persons,  and  scenes  that 
Dow^  as  I  look  back  seem  but  dreams,  but  which  then  were  indeed 
so  real.  And  the  thought  arises,  if  such  great  changes  have  oc- 
curred during  the  past  fifty  years,  who  can  till  or  even  imagine 
what  Loa  Angeles  will  be  fifty  years  hence,  or  what  is  "in  store  for 
our  children  and  grandchildren  f  Of  the  present  citizens  of 
Los  Angeles  except  the  younger  portion,  very  few  indk^ed  will  then 
be  alive.  And  allhough  we  may  strain  our  eyes  to  peer  into  the 
future, 

**And  strive  to  see  what  things  shall  be;" — 

tt  •  «  •  » 

"Events  and  deeds  for  us  exist, 
As  figures  moving  in  a  mist; 
And  what  approaches — bliss  or  woe^ 
We  cannot  tell,  we  may  not  know- 
Not  yet,  not  yet!" — 


now  NEW  ZEALAND  GOT  ITS  HONEY  BEES. 
By  Mary  M.  Bowman. 

Most  people  whose  faces  time  has  turned  toward  the  setting 
«un  would  feel  gratified  could  they  be  assured  that  when  the 
light  of  earth  fades  from,  the  vision  some  one  had  bieen  happier 
because  they  had  lived;  that  some  little  spot  of  earth  had  been 
made  bett^^r  and  brighter  that  they  had  labored  in  it.  To  few 
men  has  it  been  ^iven  to  create  a  great  industry  to  add  to  the 
wealth  of  a  country  and  the  welfare  of  its  inhabitants  by  one 
unselfish,  unpretentious  service. 

This  opportunity  came  to  my  friend,  Mr.  Noah  Levering,  the 
founder  of  this  society  and  how  well  he  improved  it,  is  the 
purpose  of  this  paper  to  set  forth.  Mr.  Le\iering'a  interest  and 
enthusiasm  in  local  history  has  been  the  inspiration  of  much 
useful  and  permanent  work  being  done,  in  the  preservation  of 
landmarks  and  valuable  records  of  the  past,  not  only  here  but 
much  more  extensively  in  other  localities  in  which  he  has  lived, 
Wlien  he  related  the  story  of  how  New  Zealand  procured  its 
Ligurnian  or  honey  bees,  which  transformed  it  from  an  annual 
importer  of  red  clover  seed  into  an  extensive  exporter  of  that 
important  factor  of  the  dairy  products  of  the  country,  as  though 
it  were  an  everyday  affair,  I  whs  intensely  interested.  It  was 
history  interwoven  with  the  industrial  progress  of  two  continents 
and  worthy  of  record  in  the  annals  of  this  society,  more  per- 
manent than  the  columns  of  ephemeral  newspapers.  At  my 
earnest  solicitation  Mr.  Levering  was  induced  to  furnish  the 
notes  from  which  this  brief  account  is  written,  of  his  very  suc- 
cessful experiment  in  sending-  the  little  captains  of  industry 
across  the  equator  and  e^ght  thousand  miles  over  seas  to  a 
foreign   country. 

For  several  years  previous  to  1880,  when  this  shipment  was 
sent,  numerous  trials  had  been  mode  by  the  best  apiarists  of 
Europe  and  America  in  exporting  the  Ligurnian  bee  to  the 
island  of  New  Zealand,  but  in  every  instance  it  had  resulted  In 
failure ;  when  the  hives  reached  their  destination  the  occupants 
were  dea^.  T(he  success  of  the  project  w^e  considered  so 
essential  to  tba  welfare  of  the  country,  the  Commissioner  of 
Colonial  Industries  urged  the  appropriation  of  $2500  to  send  a 


HOW  NEW  ZEALAND  GOT  ITS  HONEY  BEES 


209 


man  to  Europe  on  this  especial  errand.  But^  white  the  matter 
was  under  consideration  private  enterprise  was  at  work  strivings 
to  bring'  about  it^  accomplishment.  S.  C.  Farr,  secretary  of  the 
Canterbury  j^ccllmation  society,  liad  communiesit^ed  with  R, 
J,  Creighton  of  the  San  Francisco  Post,  the  official  representativia 
of  New  Zealand  in  that  city.  Mr.  Creighton  wrote  to  Mr.  Lever- 
ing, a  pioneer  bee  keeper  in  Los  Angeles  county,  then  conducting' 
a  department  of  apiaculture  in  the  Los  Angeles  Herald,  request- 
ing his  assistance,  which  was  readily  given. 

Mr.  Cn^ighton  ordered  two  colonies  of  bees  sent  to  San  Fran- 
cisco early  in  July  in  time  for  the  steamer  Australia,  whictt 
was  to  sail  for  Aukland,  under  command  of  Captain  Cargilh 
All  the  details  were  left  to  Mr.  Levering"'s  well  known  knowl- 
edge and  i^xperieDce  in  bee  culture.  He  had  hives  constructed 
after  his  own  plan,  similar  to  those  used  in  his  apiary,  except 
that  special  provision  was  made  for  ventil-ation  in  crossing 
the  efjuaton  An  orifice  was  left  in  the  side  of  thv  hive  in  front, 
covered  with  wire  cloth.  A  small  V-shaped  box  was  placed 
over  the  opening  on  the  outside  with  a  sliding  covier  on  top. 
The  box  was  filled  with  sponge  to  be  moistened  occasionally 
with  fresh  water,  which  the  bees  could  inhalie  through,  the  wire 
cloth  and  which  also  cooled  the  atmosphere  of  their  prison.  A 
similar  opening  was  left  in  the  top  of  the  hive,  eovened  wth 
wire  and  provided  with  a  sliding  Hd  for  protection  against 
possible  cold.  Several  three-quarter  inch  augiir  holes  in  tbi?  fioor 
permitted  a  circulation  of  air.  The  alighting  hoard  and  the 
top  board,  each  extended  out  about  four  inches  and  tlK*  space 
between  being  securely  covered  with  wire  cloth  formed  an  air 
chamber  through  which  the  honey-makers  could  circulate  at 
will,  or  at  the  promptings  of  instinct,  as  the  case  may  be.  A 
sotfficient  amount  of  honey  in  old  comb  well  sealed  over,  was 
provided  for  food,  a  frame  or  two  of  brood  comb,  empty  frames 
and  fram^es  of  empty  comb,  kept  in  place  by  wooden  slats,  filled 
the  remaining  space  and  supplied  the  working  implemenls  for 
the  ever-busy  and  industrious  inmates.  About  one-half  the 
colony  with  a  queen  was  put  in  each  hi\\?  and  the  tops  firmly 
screwed  down ;  the  object  of  dividing^  the  colony  being  to 
obviate  the  heat  that  the  whole  would  en^endi^r  in  crossing 
the  equator,  which  would  have  melted  the  comb  and  caused  the 
bees  to  perish  in  their  own  sweetness.  In  Mr.  Levering  *s  opinion 
the  failures  of  other  shippers  were  due  to  their  putting  an  entire 
colony  in  a  hive^  which,  with  the  honey  and  the  comb  neoi'ssary, 
could  not  withstand  the  heat  of  the  equator;  au  important 
factor  in  the  success  of  the  undertaking  which  had  been  over- 


310 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHORN  CALIFORNIA 


lookied.  After  the  bees  were  placed  aboard  the  steamer  a 
gentlemata  t^oBsidered  an  authority  on  bee  cnJlurct  assured 
Captain  Cargill  that,  they  could  not  survive  the  voyage,  owing 
to  the  faulty  construction  of  the  hives. 

In  October  following,  the  Herald  of  Aukland  announced  the 
safe  arrival  of  the  Los  Angeles  county  bees;  a  public  demon- 
stration of  rejoicing  was  held  and  more  orders  for  bees  followed. 
In  the  course  of  a  few  months  Mr,  Levering  shipped  a  number  of 
colonies  without  the  loss  of  a  sing:le  bee,  and  the  'increase  soon 
supplied  New  Zealand.  Mr.  Levering,  having  been  so  suctvssful 
with  Italian  bees,  was  asked  to  send  bumble  bees,  but  after  a 
long  and  fruitless  seareh  for  them  in  Southern  California,  he  was 
forced  to  abandon  the  project,  as  they  are  not  natives  of  this 
part  of  the  world. 

Red  clover  had  previously  been  raised  in  New  Zealand,  but 
produced  no  seed,  there  being  no  insect  there  to  polleuize  the 
blossom,  consequently  seed  for  each  crop  had  to  be  imported 
from  other  countries.  In  1889  the  newspapers  of  Aiikland  stated 
that  the  island  was  then  exporting  clovv?r  seed  of  home  raising. 
New  Zealand  is  unquestionably  deeply  indebted  to  California  and 
to  Mr,  Levering  for  the  growth  of  its  resources  in  apiaculture 
and  a  v^ry  valunble  and  appetizing  food  product,  but  aside  from 
newspaper  glory,  the  mere  price  of  the  colonies  of  bees  and  the 
Batisfaetion  of  a  deed  well  done  there  has  been  no  subst-antial 
acknowledgement  of  the  debt. 


PIONEER  COURTS  AND  LAWYERS  OF  LOS 

ANGELES 

By  Walter  R.  Bacon 

The  first  Constitution  of  California  provided  a  judicial  system 
that  was  installed  under  the  acts  of  the  legislature  of  1850,  and 
was  continued  practically  unchanged  until  the  adoption  and  going 
into  force  of  the  Constitution  of  1879.  Under  this  system  triinsi- 
tion  was  made  from  the  Spanish  to  the  American  method  of  pro- 
cedure in  law  courts.  Under  the  first  Con^itution  the  judiciary 
comprised  i  the  Court  of  Sessions,  the  County  Court,  the  District 
Court  and  the  Supreme  Court. 

The  Legislature  on  April  11,  1850,  adopted  Chapter  86  of  the 
laws  of  that  year  which  established  the  Court  of  JSesKiona.  The 
court  as  constituted  consisted  of  three  judges.  The  County 
Judffe  being  ex-offic^o,  one  member,  the  other  two  being  justices 
of  the  peace  from  the  body  of  the  County,  the  law  providing 
that  after  the  first  election  all  the  justices  of  the  peace  of  the  coun- 
ty should  meet  in  the  court  room  of  the  County  Court  and  select 
two  of  their  numher  to  serve  as  members  of  the  County  Court 
for  a  ^iven  term,  at  the  end  of  which  two  successors  should  be 
elected  in  the  same  manner. 

This  court  had  jurisdiction  of  all  cases  of  assault,  assault  and 
battery,  breaches  of  the  peace,  affrays,  petit  larceny,  and  all 
misdemeanors  punishable  by  tine  of  no  more  than  i|'50(3^  or 
imprisonment  of  not  more  than  three  months,  or  both. 

Its  ministei^al  and  executive  functions  embraced  the  entire 
care  of  all  County  property.  It  ordered  expenditure  of  money  for 
county  purposes^  fixed  the  roads,  audit«^d  the  expenses  of  all  de- 
partments of  the  County  Government,  ordered  them  paid  and  lev- 
ied taxes.  Thus  in  additon  to  its  manifold  and  important  duties 
as  a  court  it  performed  all  the  duties  now  devolving  on  the  Super- 
visors. 

COUNTY    COUHT 

On  the  14tb  day  of  April,  1850,  the  legislature  passed  an  act 
to  put  into  effect  the  provision  in  the  Constitution  for  a  County 
Court,     Each  County  elected  a  County  Judge,  who  was  president 


212 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


at  County  Court,  The  court  had  exclusive  probate  jurisdiction, 
heard  appeals  from  Justices'  Courts  and  had  original  jurisdiction 
in  the  issuance  of  writs  of  extraordinar>'  remedies,  such  as  habeas 
corpus^  maudanius,  injunction  and  attachments. 

DISTRICT    COUHTS 

The  District  Courts  had  jurisdiction  much  similar  to  our 
Superior  Courts.  The  notable  difference  being  that  all  probate 
matters  were  then  cognizable  by  the  County  Court,  whilst  now 
the  Superior  Court  has  this  jurisdiction.  One  fruitful  source  ot 
pride  for  Anglo  Saxons  is  the  apparent  excellence  of  its  judicial 
Byatem  under  the  old  common  law,  in  which  reason  and  justice  are 
given  lar^e  play.  The  English  point  with  pride  to  the  fact  that 
the  Dreyfus  incident  could  never  have  occurred  in  England,  which 
is  doubtless  true,  but  we  Americans  believe  that  we  have  taken 
all  that  is  good  of  the  common  law  and  by  appropriate  machinery 
adapted  "its  rules  and  prineiplea  to  our  peculiar  political  exigencies 
and  social  conditions,  in  such  a  manner  that  no  where  in  the  world 
is  life  or  liberty  under  the  law  less  subject  to  caprice  in  judges,  or 
prejudice  of  juries  than  here.  So  that  from  the  beginning  of 
a  legal  assault  on  either  of  these,  the  defendant  if  gnilty,  knows 
that  the  law  will  but  proceed  against  him  in  an  orderly  manner 
and  without  the  spirit  of  vengance,  and  if  innocent,  that  although 
circumstances  may  point  to  his  guilt  he  will  have  the  presumption 
of  innocence  in  h'is  favor  under  the  law,  and  all  the  machinery  of 
the  law  to  procure  the  evidence  of  the  innocence  of  apparently 
guilty  circumstances,  and  then  if  convicted  an  appeal  to  a  court 
of  ample  power,  whose  judges  are  good  men  and  nearly  always 
good  lawyers,  who  have  but  recently  submitted  their  qualifi- 
cations to  thi3  people  at  an  election,  are  close  enough  to  th-e 
eoil  to  have  retained  what  sacred  writ  terms  *'the  bowels  of  com- 
passion/*  and  an  intimate  sympathy  with  the  short-coni'ings  and 
needs  of  the  people^  yet,  by  our  system  are  enough  removed  from 
local  influences  not  to  be  swayed  by  popular  prejudices; 
then  in  case  of  ultimate  failure  in  the  courts,  intelligent 
executive  clemency  may  be  appealed  to,  so  that  we  are  quite 
certain  that  the  Graves  incident  in  England  could  never  have 
occurred  in  America. 

There  is  inherent  respect  for  law  and  its  exponents  in  all 
civilized  peoples.  And  the  ease  of  transition  from  life  under 
one  system,  of  jurisprudenoe  to  a  system  radieal'y  different  with 
as  little  friction  as  attended  the  change  from  the  regime  of  crude 


PIONEER  COURTS  AND  LAWYERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 


Spanish  law  to  the  American  system  in  CaUfornia  is  a  pleasant 
commentary  upon  the  law-abiding  character  of  Califomians  and 
of  the  beneficence  of  Amenaan  laws.  The  leaders  of  the  old 
naturally  became  leaders  under  the  new. 

FIRST  COUNTY  JUDGE 

Aguatin  Olvera  waff  elected  the  first  county  Judge  of  this 
county.  He  seems  to  have  been  a  fair  lawyer  and  was  a  polished 
gentlemaQ  with  a  good  education.  He  was  prominent  as  a 
Callfornian  prior  to  the  Mjexican  war  and  was  one  of  the  signa- 
tories of  the  Cahuenga  treaty,  and  was  otherwise  a  man  of  promi- 
nence. For  a  long  time  he  resided  in  his  house  which  is  still 
Btanding  on  the  north  aide  of  the  Plaza  at  the  corner  of  Olivera 
and  Marchessault  atreets,  Olivera  street  was  named  for  him, 
although  some  cartographer  has  ckanged  the  spelling,  the  maps 
having  it  * 'Olivera/'  while  his  old  county  Court  records  in  hia  own 
fine  hand,  apell  it  without  the  ''i".  On  May  31,  1850,  Judge 
Olvera  opened  County  Court  and  made  a  provisional  order 
dividing  the  county  into  four  towns  or  township^^  naming  them 
Los  Angeles,  San  Gabriel,  San  Bernardino  and  Ban  Juan  Cap- 
istrano. 

The  county  then  comprised  all  the  territory  now  in  Los 
Angeles,  Orange,  Riverside  and  San  Bernardino  countries,  and  a 
portion  of  Ventura.  On  the  22nd  of  August^  1850,  the  Court 
of  Sessions  created  the  new  town  of  Santa  Ana  out  of  portions 
of  the  towna  of  San  Bernardino  and  San  Juan  Capistrano. 

This  WH»  done  according  to  law  upon  petition  of  Leonardo 
Cota  and  52  others,  the  Justice  for  that  town  to  reside  at  San 
Antonio,  These  towns  stood  aa  the  legal  subdivisions  of  the 
county  for  a  number  of  years,  and  each  town  elected  a  Justice 
of  the  peace.  Immediately  after  the  first  election  in  1850, 
the  County  Judge,  Agustin  Olvera,  convened  the  township  justices 
and  they  selected  Jonathan  R.  Scott  and  Louis  Roubidoux, 
two  of  their  members,  as  members  of  the  County  Court.  The 
county  was  districted  into  towns  on  May  31.  An  election  of 
justices  was  held  ^n  this  wide  and  sparsely  settled  territory. 
The  justicee  elected  theareat  met  and  selected  two  of  their 
number  as  members  of  the  Court  of  Sessions,  and  the  Court  of 
Sessions,  then  duly  constituted,  met  for  business  on  the  24th 
day  of  June,  1650. 

The  County  Judge  presiding  and  Jonathan  R.  Scott,  Asso- 
ciate Justice,  were  the  only  two  Judges  present  at  the  first  few 


2ie 


>nsiA 


• 


ability.  On  July  8,  1850,  the  first  criminal  docket  was  called  in 
a  court  in  this  County. 

Casildo  Aguilar  was  tried  on  a  plea  of  guilty  of  assault  and 
battery   aud   fined  one  dollar  and   costs. 

Juan  Joae  ViUeros  charged  with  an  affray  with  Juan  Am- 
borsis  pleaded  gnilty  and  was  fined  one  dollar  and  costs, 

Refugio  Guaternos  charged  with  an  affray  and  resisting  an 
officer  was  fined  one  dollar  and  costs. 

Pedro  DoraingTiez,  charged  with  battwry  upon  the  person 
of  Nasario  Dominguez,  pleaded  not  guilty,  and  a  jury  of  six  was 
impanelied  to  try  him,  composed  of  the  following  citizens: 

Lewis  GrangCFj  W.  Jones,  G.  W.  Robinson,  A.  J.  Courtni^y^ 
Charles  Burrows  and  Louis  Llamareus.  The  jury  found  defend- 
ant guilty  and  fixed  his  fine  at  $5.00  and  costs,  and  judgment  was 
entered  accordingly. 

Nasario  DomingU'^z  then  under  the  bonds  to  keep  the  peace 
was  then  tried  by  the  same  jury  and  was  ordered  to  give  bond 
in  the  sum  of  $1000  to  keep  the  peace  for  six  months  toward  the 
people  of  the  state  and  particularly  toward  Manuel  Dominguez, 
and  finally  Conwnlo  Mejio  pleaded  not  guilty  to  a  charge  of 
petit  larceny,  was  tried  by  the  same  jury,  found  not  guilty  and 
prisoner  was  discharged. 

There  wiere  three  trials  to  a  jury  with  verdict  and  judgment 
following  in  each  case,  besides  pleas  of  guilty  and  judgment  in 
three  other  cases,  all  in  one  day,  at  the  very  first  day's  session  of  a 
criminal  court  in  thie  County,  and  still  people  nowadays  after 
witnessing  a  two  or  three  or  four  days*  jury  trial  of  a  petty 
offender  in  our  police  courts  patronizingly  refer  to  the  old 
Californians  as  slow. 

On  the  9th  and  10th,  several  more  such  caaes  were  tried, 
resulting  in  verdicts  of  guilty  with  fines  fixed  by  the  jury  at  from 
$1,00  to  $20,  but  on  the  afternoon  of  the  10th  the  case  of  tbi 
people  vs.  Henry  Hines  for  assault  on  the  person  of  Lewis  Gran- 
ger was  tried  to  tbe  same  jury  as  were  all  the  preceeding  cases, 
except  that  Mr.  Granger,  now  the  complaining  witness,  was 
relieved  of  jury  duty  and  W,  B,  Osburn  took  his  place.  The 
trial  consumed  only  the  usual  short  timi?  and  resulted  in  a 
verdict  of  guilty,  the  jury  fixing  the  punishment  at  aix  months' 
hard  labor  and  judgment  of  the  court  went  accordingly  and  the 
prisoner  was  remanded. 

The  minutes  of  this  trial  are  dispassionate,  and  disclose 
nothing  more  than  do  the  minutes  of  the  other  trials,  so  that 


PIONEER  COURTS  AND  LAWYERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 

inquiry  as  to  the  real  reason  for  this  great  disparity  of  punish- 
ment for  crimes  of  the  same  name,  ia  but  speculation,  unless 
we  consider  that  the  jury  felt  outraged  that  a  member  of  their 
aug^ist  body  should  be  assaulted  by  a  common  citizen,  and  deem- 
ing it  a  heinous  offense,  ''made  the  penalty  fit  the  crime/'  but 
^n  their  zeal  they  '* overlooked  a  bet."  Three  months'  imprison- 
ment was  the  extent  of  the  jurisdiction  of  that  court,  but  as  to 
whether  Hines  ever  availed  himself  of  this  fact  the  records  are 
silent. 

On  July  12,  1850,  the  Court  of  Sessions  appointed  Abel 
Stearns,  Francisco  Figueroa  and  B.  D.  Wilson  to  recommend  a 
site  for  a  county  jail  and  the  M^yor  and  Council  of  Loa  Angeles 
were  requested  to  confer  with  the  court  on  the  subject  of  a 
Bite  at  the  next  sensiou. 

On  the  16th  of  July  the  court  met  and  adjourned  to  the 
Mayor's  office,  the  committee  reported  verbally^  recommending 
that  the  city  donate  for  a  jail  site  Lota  1,  2,  3^  7,  8,  and  9  of 
Square  34  of  Ord's  Survey,  and  the  court  ordered  that  the 
city  be  requested  to  donate  the  site  and  loan  the  County  $2000 
with  which  to  build  a  jail,  the  city  to  have  free  use  of  it  for  its 
prisoners  until  the  loan  was  repaid. 

On  July  22,  1850  Judge  Roubidoux  sat  as  one  of  the  justices 
of  the  court  of  sessions.  The  court  had  been  in  existence  for 
about  a  month,  had  transacted  much  business  in  an  apparently 
intelligent  manner  and  was  now  in  full  swing.  On  this  day  the 
County  Treasurer  filed  a  report  showing  that  he  had  sold  the 
effects  of  Doctor  Francisco  Fallon,  deceased,  for  $505.06,  Ad 
inquest  had  been  held  by  the  coroner  and  a  jury*  upon  the 
remains  of  the  deceas3d  Doctor  and  on  this  day  the  coroner, 
the  sherifF  and  the  interpreter  and  the  jurors  filed  bills  for 
services  at  thte  inquest  and  the  disposition  of  his  effects  as 
follows ; 

Dr.  Hodges,  Coroner $80.00 

Sheriff  Geo.  T.  Burrill. 32.00 

Interpreter  Q.  Thompson  Burrill ,   50.00 

And  other  claimants  for  sums  from  $20  to  $91.15  each  to  bring 
the  total  to  $351.15,  The  utext  day  the  court  allowed  to  each  of 
sis  jurors  $26.00 — $156.00  and  $27.50  each  to  three  witnesses, 
182.50  and  all  but  the  $50.00  for  interpreter— a  total  of  $539.65 
was  ordered  paid  out  of  the  proceeds  of  the  deceased's  estate. 
We  sometimes  object  to  the  delays  in  settlement  of  estates  by 
our  public  administrator  and  think  that  his  fee  of  T'^  per  cent 


21S 


HISTORICAL  SGaETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


for  himself  and  the  same  amount  for  his  attorney  in  small  estates, 
is  too  much,  but  here  was  iio  delay.  The  doctor  shuffles  off  on 
the  20th  day  of  July.  An  inquest  is  li»eld,  his  effects  are  sold  for 
$505,06  July  22,  and  on  the  23rd  this  money  is  reported  on  hand 
by  the  treasurer  and  on  the  same  day  the  entire  <estate  and 
$34.59  more  ia  ordered  distributed  in  fees  and  *expenses,  and  the 
incident  and  estate  are  closed,  and  still  we  sometimes  hear  people 
sighing  for  the  return  of  the  good  old  days. 

This  incident  shows  conclusively  that  though  unused  to  forms, 
tbeir  genius  of  self-government — that  is,  the  art  of  taking  care 
of  themselves,  waa  of  high  order  and  though  possibly  latent, 
needed  only  opportunity  to  spring  full  Howered  into  existence. 

The  County  Court  had  littk*  business  during  the  first  few 
months  of  its  existence.  The  district  court  for  this  County  con- 
vened in  Los  Angeles  for  the  first  time  on  Jtme  5,  1850,  with 
District  Judge  O.  S.  Witherby,  pivsiding.  And  the  court  being 
advised  that  William  F.  Ferrill  had  been  elected  District  At- 
torney, George  T.  Burrill,  Sheriff,  and  Benjamin  D.  Wilson, 
Cterk,  that  all  had  qualified  and  all  were  present,  declared  the 
court  organized.  William  F.  Ferrill,  Al  II,  Clark,  Jonathan  R, 
Scott  and  Benjamin  Hays,  attorneys  of  Los  Angeles,  were  duly 
admitted  to  practice*  There  being  no  other  busimess,  court  ad- 
journed to  the  next  term.  On  October  7,  1850,  the  fall  term 
convenied  and  the  first  case  heard  was  the  suit  of  Abel  Stearns 
against  Jose  Antonio  Carillo,  in  which  plaintiff  had  judgment 
for  amount  prayed  for  and  costs.  Abel  Stearna  was  the  most 
prominent  litigant  in  all  the  courts  for  years  thereafter. 

Antonio  F,  Coronel  was  also  fnecjuently  mentioned  in  court 
proceedings  of  the  time.  It  will  be  remembered  that  he  was 
sworn  in  as  Assessor  in  June  1850.  On  October  8th  of  that  y^ar 
he  was  also  drawn  on  and  served  as  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Jury.  And  Abel  Stearns  was  drawn  and  served  on  the  first 
pietit  jury  in  the  District  Court, 

The  first  criminal  ease  filed  in  the  District  Court  was  en- 
titted,  ''The  People  vs.  Manuel  Duarte,"  and  on  the  same  day, 
October  15th,  1850,  the  Grand  Jury  indicted  Vicente  Alisado  for 
manslaughter  and  his  case  was  set  for  trial  on  th^  18th.  There 
is  no  further  mention  of  the  ease  in  the  records  of  the  District 
Court,  but  on  the  ISth  the  case  of  *'the  People  vs  Jose  Salvador'' 
"for  manslaughter'*  was  tried.  This  case  had  not  been  men- 
tioned previously.  The  defendant  was  an  Indian  and  only  two 
Indian  witnesses,  "Darius^'  and  "Pasqual"  wene  examined.    The 


PIONEER  COURTS  AND  LAWYERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES  219 

jury  found  the  defendant  not  giailty  '*for  want  of  sufficient  evi- 
dence that  the  crime  was  committed  in  the  county/' 

It  is  fairly  inferable  that  when  the  defendant  was  called  for 
trial  he  gave  a  name,  aa  his  true  name,  different  from  the  one 
under  which  he  was  indicted. 

On  this  day  the  Grand  Jury  brought  in  an  indictmeut  which 
was  tantilled^  '*The  People  of  the  State  of  California  vs-  the 
County  Jail."  The  iDdictment  is  lost,  but  the  minutes  of  the 
court  say  respecting  it,  **  Court  refers  so  much  of  it  as  relates 
to  the  condition  of  the  jail,  the  building  being  at  San  Pedro* 
which  obstructs  the  public  highway  and  the  Indian  Village  as 
being  a  nuisance,  to  the  Court  of  Sessions.  And  so  much  as 
relates  to  the  filthy  condition  of  the  City  to  th*e  Common  Council 
of  this  City/' 

Such  a  state  of  the  record  simply  stimulates  the  imagination 
in  an  endeavor  to  realize  what  the  local  conditions  ivally  were 
at  that  time  with  the  jail  at  San  Pedro,  and  the  Pueblo  in  such 
condition  that  a  Grand  Jury  of  that  day  composed  almost  entirely 
of  nativ»e  Californiana,  called  it  ** filthy." 

On  the  lyth  of  October,  1850,  the  Court  admitted  to  practice 
J.  R.  WoolridgCt  Louis  Granger  and  J.  L,  Brent. 

The  first  murder  trial  in  the  District  Court  that  attracted 
much  attention  to  the  lawyers  then  practicing,  was  that  of  Wm. 
B.  Lee,  who  was  tried  in  December,  1854.  Benjamin  Hays,  who 
was  admitted  to  practice  at  the  first  session  of  the  court  in 
1850,  was  now  judge  of  the  District  Court,  and  Jonathan 
Scott,  who  was  one  of  the  first  Justiees  of  the  Court  of 
Sessions,  was  one  of  the  attorneys  for  the  defendant.  Scott 
and  Hays  had  been  partners  prior  to  the  elevation  of  llays  to 
the  bench, 

Lee  had  killed  a  man  named  Frederick  Leatherman  in  a 
dispute  over  a  boundary  fence.  On  the  5th  of  December  when 
the  caas  was  called  for  trial,  Scott  and  J.  L,  Breut  for  the  de- 
fendant, moved  for  a  change  of  venue,  and  filed  in  support  of 
their  motion  affidavits  charging  prejudice  in  the  Judge.  Tbe 
motion  was  denied  and  case  tried.  All  the  testimony  including 
the  examination  of  jurors  was  reduced  to  writing  as  the  case  pro- 
ceeded and  the  defendant  finally  fonnd  guilty  by  the  jury, 

C.  E.  Thorn  and  I.  Hartman  assisted  the  District  Attorney 
to  prosecute.  On  the  16th  day  of  December  1854,  Lee  was 
sentenced  to  be  hanged  at  the  County  Jail  on  February  12,  1855. 
Just  before  sentencing  the  defendant  the  court  called  Messrs, 


220 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  C.U.IFORNIA 


Scott  BBci  Brent  to  the  bar  and  informed  them  that  they  were 
in  contempt  of  court  by  reason  of  the  aflfldavits  they  had  filed 
in  support  of  their  motion  for  change  of  venue.  That,  the  affidav- 
its were  false  and  defamatory  in  the  highest  degree  and  that 
they  knew  they  were  lies  at  the  time  they  were  penned,  that 
the  court  held  them  beneath  his  contempt,  that  he  could  find 
no  "way  under  the  law  to  punish  them  for  ^t,  but  would  order  the 
offending  affidavits  stricken  from  the  files.  The  Court  used 
language  that  reeked  with  invective  adjeetiv«es  and  to  the  extent 
that  their  record  takes  a  whole  page  of  a  large  minute  book. 

John  G.  Downey  was  admitted  to  citi2i>nsh]p  in  the  Dis- 
trict Court,  as  appears  by  the  records  of  that  Court  for  June  21, 
1851,  and  on  the  same  day,  one  James  R,  Holman  executed  a 
peculiar  indk^nture  which  was  by  the  Court  ordered  copied  into 
the  minutes  imd  there  appears  at  length,  a  reminder  of  conditions 
we  have  all  heard  about,  but  the  real  purport  of  which  we  have 
forgotten.  This  document  ^oes  on  to  say  that  Holman  had 
removed  from  Crawford  county,  Arkansas,  to  California  in  1850^ 
and  brought  with  him  as  his  slave  a  negro  womau  named  Clarissa 
about  29  years  old.  That  by  bringiug  hv^r  into  a  free  state  she 
became  free,  but  that  she  had  two  boys,  three  and  six  years  old 
respectively,  that  had  been  left  behind  under  a  chattel  mortgage 
to  Whitfield  Brown,  Holmau  in  this  remarkable  iastrument 
agreed  that  if  Clarissa  would  serve  him  two  years  more  she 
should  be  free  and  that  he  would  pay  the  mortgage  on  the  boys 
and  set  them  free  when  they  became  21  yearn  of  age^  and  he  lises 
tl>e  date  of  this  event  for  one  of  the  boys  at  October  15,  1865. 
and  the  other  January  15th,  1866,  A  higher  power  than  Holumn 
set  the  boys  free  before  the  time  fixed  by  this  agrn?i.3ment.  Just 
why  such  a  paper  should  be  found  in  the  minutes  of  thk^  Distriut 
Court  is  not  clear,  as  there  is  no  mention  of  any  proceeding 
thereon*  or  statement  that  Holman  was  even  in  court,  but  there 
it  stands  at  pages  110  and  111  of  the  first  minute  book  of  our 
District  Court*  as  notice  to  the  student  that  man  has  not  always 
been  free  and  lest  we  be  careful  we  may  at  any  time  fall  into 
bondage. 

In  the  courts  at  this  time  pleadings  were  allowed  to  be  file<^ 
in  either  th*^  Spanish  or  English  language  and  were  translated 
by  an  oJTicer  of  the  court, 

1  have  spent  much  of  your  time  with  recitals  of  the  doinga 
of  the  Court  of  Sessions,  a  court  of  inferior  jurisdiction,  but  this 
was  with  design.     To  appraise  an  iedifice  we  always  inspect  its 


PIONEER  COURTS  AND  LAWYERS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 

foundation*  If  this  is  unsafe  we  value  the  superstructure  lightly, 
because  when  the  foundation  gives  way  there  is  no  saving  the 
building,  but  if  the  foundation  is  broadly  laid  and  solid,  the 
building  can  be  repaired  with  profit  at  any  time  it  is  out  of  order. 
The  common  people  are  the  people — ^tbe  country — ^and  their  in- 
stitutions^— their  courts,  that  is  the  courts  that  they  administer 
and  in  which  most  of  their  litigation  occurs,  are  the  criterions 
of  the  liberties  of  all  the  people.  Appellate  Courts  decide  ab- 
stract questions  of  law,  they  are  impersonal.  The  judges  of  the 
Court  of  Sessions  shook  hands  with  trouble  and  looked  crime  di- 
rectly in  the  face.  Justice  was  dispensed  at  short  arms  length, 
hence  such  a  court  reflected  ditvctly  the  genius  of  the  people. 
With  this  view  of  their  functions  and  import*  the  early  courts  of 
this  county  as  disclosed  by  their  reeords  and  traditions  show  that 
the  orderly  proc«ess  of  courts  in  the  administration  of  justice  in 
the  spirit  of  American  laws,  was  as  well  appreciated  by  the 
early  settlers  of  this  country  as  it  is  now  by  their  descendants 
and  tba  immigjrants  that  have  followed  them. 

Some  incidents  peculiar  to  frontier  courts  occurred  in  early 
times  in  our  courts.  W,  G,  Drydeu  was  for  a  long  time  a  prom- 
inent man  in  the  affairs  of  the  courts  of  this  County.  He  wa^ 
a  member  of  the  first  Grand  Jury  impaneled  in  this  County  in 
1850.  Was  afterward  admitted  to  the  bar  and  was  for  many 
years  County  Judge  of  the  County,  He  died  about  36  years  agoj 
to  be  exact  on  the  llth  day  of  Sepbember,  1869. 

During  the  storniy  period  which  embraced  the  years  of  the 
Civil  War  he  was  County  Judge  and  proved  himself  a  faithful 
official  and  just  judge.  The  etiquette  of  courts  and  particularly 
that  of  the  inferior  courts  was  not  strict  at  that  time.  In  fact 
it  may  be  said  that  the  intercourse  between  Court  and  bar  was 
informal,  indeed  very  informaL  Judge  Dryden  while  realizing 
that  in  deciding  each  ease  aright  he  was  doing  his  full  duty  by 
litigants,  also  £elt  that  too  much  levity  in  court  was  unseemly 
and  tended  to  bring  the  courts  into  contempt  with  the  masses. 
So  that  on  a  certain  day  in  1867  be  caused  to  be  entered  a  minute 
order  reciting  the  fact,  that,  *'the  Court,  having  due  regard  to 
the  rights  of  attorneys  practicing  herein  and  realizing  by  exper- 
ience that  a  lawyer  is  but  human  and  subject  to  the  temptation 
of  looseness  of  habits  that  are  always  engendered  in  a  warm 
climate,  has  after  due  consideration  of  the  matter  concluded 
that  the  proceedings  of  this  court  are  not  conducted  in  that 
dignified  and  orderly  manner  to  which  their  iir'*' 


222  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  OAUFORNIA 

them.  That  the  personal  habits  of  many  members  of  the  bar  are 
not  suited  to  lend  dignity  to  the  court  in  which  they  practice, 
and  in  view  of  these  facts,  it  is  ordered  that  hereafter  attorneys 
while  in  attendance  upon  court  will  be  required  to  wear  a  coat 
of  some  kind  and  will  not  be  allowed  to  rest  their  feet  on  the 
tops  of  tables,  or  whittle  or  spit  tobacco  juice  on  the  floor  or 
stove.  And  the  Court  sincerely  hopes  that  all  attorneys  will  ob- 
serve this  rule  to  the  end  that  decent  order  and  decorum  may 
be  had  without  trouble." 

I  had  intended  to  relate  some  of  the  incidents  of  the  more  im- 
portant trials  of  early  days  and  give  you  some  short  biographical 
sketches  of  the  early  judges  and  prominent  lawyers.  It  is  a  rich 
field  and  I  have  been  able  to  collect  mAich  authentic  data  that 
is  very  entertaining.  Many  of  the  early  lawyers  were  men  of 
great  natural  ability  and  high  attainments,  with  spLandid  social, 
qualities,  and  the  part  they  played  in  getting  the  machinery 
of  state  started  is  well  worth  study.  I  hope  soon  to  have  ready  a 
paper  of  more  popular  interest  than  this,  but  time  will  not 
permit  reciting  any  of  it  here. 


HOW  CALIFORNIA  ESCAPED  STATE  DIVISION 

By  J.  M.  Guinn 

Tlie  aiitagonisni  between  Northern  and  Southern  California, 
which  still  to  a  limited  extent  exists  and  which  in  times  past 
ha&  culminated  in  attempts  to  divide  the  state  and  from  the 
parts  form  new  commonwealths,  ante-dates  the  American  occu- 
pation many  y*ears. 

Away  back  in  the  first  quarter  of  the  last  century  Ech'andia, 
who  was  governor  of  Las  Californias^  made  San  Diego  his  official 
residence.  The  politicians  of  Monterey  were  greatly  offended. 
They  demanded  that  the  governor  should  reside  at  Monterey,  the 
capital ;  but  Echandia  who  was  somewhat  of  an  invalid  preferred 
the  gentle  sea  broenea  and  the  genial  sunshine  of  8aa  D^ego  to 
the  fogs  and  north  winds  of  Monterey.  When  Victoria,  the 
successor  of  Echandia,  was  overthrown!  at  the  battle  of  Lomitas 
by  the  soldiers  of  San  Diego  and  Los  Angeles  and  compelled  to 
abdicate,  Echandia  again  became  governor. 

He  established  the  seat  of  his  government  at  San  Diego.  Tba 
rebellioue  arribanos  (uppers)  of  the  north  induced  Agustin  V. 
Zamarano,  "^^letoria'a  Secretary  of  State,  to  raise  the  standard  of 
revolt  and  make  Monterey  bis  capital.  Each  governor  mar- 
shaled his  adherents  in  battle  array,  but  finally  compromised  by 
dividing  California  into  two  territories-  The  northi^^m  limit  of 
Eebandia*«  dominions  was  San  Gabriel  Mission,  and  the  southern 
boundary  of  Xaraorano's  jurisdiction  was  the  Mission  of  San 
Fernando.  Between  the  borders  was  a  strip  of  neutral  ground — 
a  no  man's  land — across  which  the  respective  armies  of  the 
frontier  cotild  defy  their  opponents  and  threaten  to  do  things 
to  them  if  they  dared  to  cross  the  line.  There  is  no  record 
that  tbe  defies  were  heeded.  No  David  and  Goliath  chHrapion- 
ing  the  respective  sides  settled  the  contest  with  sling  shots. 

Governor  Figueroa  united  the  divided  territory,  made  Mon- 
terey his  official  residence,  and  for  a  time  peace  reigned,  but  the 
lend  of  the  controversy  was  not  yet — the  politicians  of  the  south 
were  placid,  but  they  were  plotting. 

In  1835,  Jose  Antonio  Carrillo,  the  Machievali  of  California 
history,  secured  the  passing  of  a  decree  by  the  Mexican  Con 


224 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETk'  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


grens  raising  Los  Angeles  to  the  dignity  of  a  city  and  making 
it  the  capitiil  of  the  two  Californias.  The  denizens  of  Angeles 
sent  H  demand  to  Jlonterey  for  the  archives  and  a  request  that 
the  gorernor  remove  to  the  capital.  The  pol'iticians  of  the  old 
cftpital  were  complaisant.  They  would  obey  the  orders  of  the 
supreme  government,  but  first  Los  Angeles  must  provide  a 
wiitHhle  "palacio"  for  the  government  and  they  sent  committees 
ilown  to  find  one.  Search  as  they  might,  never  a  suitable  house 
eodUl  they  find.  Then  to  add  insult  to  injury,  they  exasperated 
the  dwellers  in  the  Angel  City  by  invidious  compariaons — taunted 
them  with  lack  of  polHsh,  twitted  them  on  their  proviueialisms 
and  sneered  at  their  poverty. 

Then  came  the  Revolution  of  1836,  when  Alvarado  and  Castro 
drove  out  the  Mexican-born  Governor  Gutierrez  and  set  up  a 
government  with  the  takititr  title — El  Estado  Libre  de  Alta  Cali- 
fornia^The  Free  State  of  Alta  California — a  state  that  was  to  b^ 
independent  of  the  supreme  governnient  and  whose  affairs  should 
be  administered  by  the  hijos  del  pais — the  native  sons. 

In  the  attempt  to  make  California  independent  the  people 
of  Angeles  discerned  a  scheme  to  defraud  them  of  the  capital. 
They  promptly  rebelled,  San  Diego  joined  them  and  ouo3  more 
the  North  and  the  South  w*ere  arrayed  against  each  otl».?r.  Each 
raised  an  army  aud  prepared  for  hostilities.  Alvarado  and 
Castro  marehed  down  the  coast  with  a  superior  foreo  and  the 
Southerners  surrendered.  Then  Jose  Antonio  Carrillo  turned 
Warwick-kinBTnaker  and  with  the  assistance  of  President  Bus- 
tamente.  made  not  a  Idng,  but  a  governor,  Carlos  CarriDo,  Jose's 
brother  was  made  governor  of  California. 

The  people  of  Lns  Angieles  invited  Carlos  to  make  their  city 
the  seat  of  his  government.  He  accepted  and  was  inaugurated  with 
imposing  cciemonies.  Never  before  was  the  old  Pueblo  the  scene 
of  such  festivities  and  rejoicing.  Never  before  or  since  was  it 
RO  auprcmir?ly  happy  Then  Alvarado  determined  to  punish  the 
recalcitrant  Surenoa  (Southerners).  He  gathered  together  an 
army  of  two  hundred  men  and  moved  down  the  coast.  He  met 
the  Southern  army  at  San  Buenaventura  or  rather  he  found 
it  safely  sheltered  in  the  Old  Mission  building.  For  two  da3^s 
the  battle  raged.  The  walls  of  the  old  mission  were  mortally 
wounded  in  many  places,  Castenada's  mustangs  were  captured 
and  the  Southern  army  was  compelled  to  surrendier.  Alvarado 
and  Castro  moved  down  upon  the  Southern  capital,  which  aur* 
rendered  Vithout  opposition.    Carlos  Carrillo  with  the  remnants 


I 


HOW  CALIFORNIA  ESCAPED  STATE  DIVISION 


225 


of  his  grand  army,  which  had  escaped  capture,  fled  to  San  Diego, 
where,  being  reinforced,  his  troops^under  a  Gen.  Tobar,  of  Mexico, 
moved  northward  to  confront  Alvarado.  The  armies  met  at 
Campo  de  Las  Flores  and  a  bloodless  battle  ensued,  Carlos  Car- 
rillo  was  defeated  and  captured .  Ilia  soldiers  were  sent  to 
their  hamos  and  ordered  to  stay  there  and  behave  themselvee. 
El  Estado  Libre — ^the  free  state — was  united  under  one  govern- 
or and  Monterey  was  the  capitaL 

AVith  the  overthrow  of  Micheltorena,  the  last  of  the  Mexi- 
can governors,  at  the  battle  of  Cahuenga.  Pio  Pico  became 
povernor  and  Los  Angeles  was  the  capital.  For  twenty  years  the 
internecine  strife  between  the  North  and  the  Bouth  had  existed. 
Three  times  the  territory  had  been  rent  assunder  by  the  war- 
ring factions.  For  ten  years  Los  Angeles  had  struggled  to 
become  the  capitaL  It  had  won,  but  the  victory  was  dearly 
bought^  and  it  was  but  half  a  victory  at  best.  The  archives 
remained  at  Monterey.  The  standing  army  ol"  the  territory, 
if  it  could  be  called  an  army,  was  stationed  there  and  there 
Castro,  the  military  eommandante,  resided. 

Castro,  was  accused  of  plotting  to  set  up  a  government  in 
the  old  capital  in  opposition  to  Pico.  The  last  act  in  the 
drama  of  Mexican  domination  in  California  was  an  attempt 
of  Pico's  with  his  little  army  of  Southerners  to  suppress  Castro 
and  the  plotting  politicians  of  Monterey.  He  had  advanced 
northward  as  far  as  San  Luis  Obispo  when  a  courier  met  him 
with  the  sad  tidings,  that  Commodore  Sloat  had  raia^d  the  Amer- 
ican flag  at  Monterey  and  taken  possession  of  California  in  the 
name  of  the  United  States.  Pico  and  his  Southei'n  adherents 
retreated  to  Los  Angeles  and  Castro  with  the  fragment  of  hia 
army  followed  after.  The  war  of  factions  that  for  two  decades 
past  had  distracted  California,  was  ended.  The  fued  between 
the  arribcnos  and  the  abajenos— between  the  Uppers  of  Mon- 
terey and  the  Lowers  of  Angeles — was  forgotten  in  the 
presence  of  an  enemy  that  threatened  their  political  extinction. 
But  repentance  came  too  late.  California  was  lost  to  the  sons 
of  the  soil,  to  the  hijos  del  pais. 

Under  its  new  master  Calfornia  became  the  bone  of  con- 
tention betttven  the  North  and  the  South.  It  was  not  the  old 
territorial  contest  of  Uppers  and  Lowers  for  supremacy,  but 
a  faction  fight  in  Congress  to  determine  which  should  gain 
the  new  state — the  slaveholders  of  the  South  or  the  freemen 
of  the  North.     The  balance  of  power  then  was  nicely  adjusted. 


224} 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOCTRERS  CALIFORNIA 


There  were  fifte^!-!!  slave  states  and  fifteen  free.  Into  which' 
ever  scale  the  new  state  was  thrown  the  balanee  would  be 
destroyed.  The  tidal  wave  of  immigration  that  swept  uver  Cali- 
fornia after  the  news  of  the  discovery  of  gold  spread  abroad, 
made  her  a  free  atate.  When  sh^  knocked  at  tln^  doors  of 
CoQgresa  asking  admission  into  the  union  of  states  the  slave 
oligarchs  of  the  South  d*enied  her  request.  In  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  of  1849  the  Southern  faction  led  by  Gwin 
made  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  inchoate  state  the  crest  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  Gwin's  plan  was  to  make  the  area  of  the 
atatie  so  large  that  Congress  would  refuse  to  admit  it  as  one 
state,  and  would  divide  it  into  two  states  on  the  Line  of  the 
MiBSOuri  Compromise  36  degrees  30  minutea.  The  Northern  men 
in  the  convention  discovered  Gw^in's  scheme  and  defeated  it  by 
a  reconsideration  of  the  boundary  section  at  the  very  close  of  the 
Convention.  A  majority  of  two  votes  changed  the  boundary 
from  the  cre&t  of  th^  Rockies  to  the  crest  of  the  Siierra  Nevadas. 
After  a  long  and  bitter  contest  betw^^en  the  two  factions  in 
Congress,  California  was  admitted  into  the  Union  as  a  free 
state,  but  its  admission  as  a  free  state  did  not  in  the  opinion 
of  the  pro  slavery  men  of  the  state  preclude  the  possibility  of 
securing  a  portion  of  its.  ti.>rritary  for  the  peculiar  institution 
of  the  South^alavery. 

For  a  decade  after  it  became  a  state,  its  division  and  the 
creation  of  a  mw  state  or  states  from  its  area  came  up  in 
some  form  at  nearly  every  session  of  the  State  Legislature.  The 
pro  slavvry  men  in  the  state  reasoned  that  if  a  new  state  could 
be  cut  off  from  the  southern  portion  it  conld  be  made  slave 
territory.  Many  pro  slavery  men  had  settled  in  that  section 
and  although  slave  labor  might  not  be  profitable,  the  accession 
of  two  pro  slavery  senators  would  help  to  maintain  the  bal- 
ance of  power  to  the  South  in  the  Senate,  In  the  Legislatutx^  of 
1854-55  Jefferson  Hunt,  Assemblyman  from  San  Bernardino 
County,  introduced  a  bill  to  civate  and  establish  out  of  the 
territory  embraced  within  the  limits  of  the  state  of  California  a 
new  state  to  be  called  the  State  of  Columbia.  TK^  territory 
embraced  within  the  Counties  of  Santa  Cruz.  Santa  Clara,  San 
Joaquin,  Calaveras,  Amador,  Tuolumne,  Stanislaus,  Mariposa* 
Tulane,  Monterey,  Santa  Barbara,  San  Luis  Obispo,  Los  Angeles, 
San  Bernardino  and  San  Diego  with  the  islands  on  the  coast 
was  to  constitute  the  new  state. 

**The   peo;ple    residing    within    the   abow   mentioned    terri* 


I 

I 

I 
I 


HOW. CALIFORNIA  ESCAPED  STATE  DIVISION 


227 


tory  shall  be  and  they  are  hereby  authorized  80  soon  as  the 
consent  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  shall  be  obtained 
thereto  to  proceed  to  organiz*^  a  state  government  under  such 
rules  as  are  prescribed  hy  th*^  Constitution  of  the  United 
States.-' 

The  Bill,  which  was  Assembly  BHII  No.  262,  was  referred  to 
a  select  committee  of  thirte*i?n  members  representing  different 
sections  of  the  state.  This  committee  reported  as  a  substi- 
tute, "An  Act  to  create  three  states  out  of  the  territory  of 
California-/'  and  also  drafted  an  address  to  the  people  of  Cal- 
ifornia, advocating  the  paaaage  of  the  bill. 

The  line  as  proposed  by  this  section,  says  the  committee's  report, 
'* Altera  the  boundary  line  of  California  on  the  east,  so  as  to 
embrace  every  portion  of  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains,  which  borders  the  present  state  of  California,  which 
can  be  brought  under  profitable  cultivation.  The  eastern  line 
will  run  through  the  center  of  the  Great  American  Desert.*' 

The  eastern  line  as  stated  in  the  section  was  to  be  the  119 
degree  of  longitude  west  of  Greenwich.  This  line  passes  through 
Nevada  considerably  west  of  the  center  of  that  State.  These 
legislators  seem  to  have  been  somewhat  hazy  in  regard  to  the 
location  of  the  Great  American  Desert, 

Section  2,  of  the  Act  creates  a  new  state  to  be  called  Colo- 
rado containing  the  portion  of  the  territory  now  known  as  the 
counties  of  San  Diego,  San  Bernardino,  Los  Aogeles,  Santa 
Barbara,  San  L^iis  Obispo,  Monterey,  Merced,  Tulare,  Buena 
Vista  Hnd  part  of  Mariposa.  Buena  Vista  was  a  mythical 
country  that  for  five  or  six  years  put  in  a  spec- 
tral appearance  in  the  legislative  records,  but  never  was 
officially  created.  It  would  have  included  the  territory  now 
embraced  in  Kern  County,  had  it  been  organized.  The  northern 
boundary  of  the  State  of  Colorado  began  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Pajara  Hiver,  running  up  that  river  to  the  summit  of  the  Coast 
rBii^e;  thence  in  a  straight  line  to  the  mouth  of  the  Merced  river, 
then  up  that  river  to  the  summit  of  the  Sierra  Nevadaa,  and 
thence  due  east  to  the  newly  established  state  line. 

Section  3  creates  a  new  state  called  Shasta.  The  southern 
boundary  commenaas  at  the  mouth  of  Maron's  Eiver^  thence 
ete^terly  along  Hhe  boundary  line  between  Yuba  and  Butte 
and  the  line  between  Sierra  and  Plumas,  to  the  summit  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada  and  thence  to  the  newly  established  state  line. 
Maron's  Riwr  was  a  mythical  river.    The  committee  found 


22B 


HISTOKICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORNIA 


the  name  on  Eddy's  map  of  California,  but  no  one  to  my  knowl- 
edge ever  found  the  stream.  The  state  of  Shasta  included  the 
counties  of  Klamath  (now  Modoc),  S^skiyou^  Humbolt,  Shasta, 
Ti^nity,  Plumas  and  part  each  of  the  following;  Butte,  Colusa 
and  Mendocino. 

The  territory  not  embraced  in  the  states  of  Colorado  and 
Shasta  was  to  eonstitute  the  State  of  California. 

The  eommittee  in  its  address  to  the  people  proceeds  to 
show  that  the  revenue  derived  from  taxes  and  other  sources 
would  be  ampW  to  support  the  state  governmenta  of  the  pro* 
posed  states.  The  taxable  property  of  Shasta  for  the  previous 
year,  1854.  amounted  to  $7,000,000,  an  amount  le&s  than 
one-third  of  the  assessed  value  of  the  city  of 
Pasadena*  The  revenue  from  all  sources  was  estimated 
at  $100,000  a  year,  a  sum  barely  sufficient  to  pay 
the  present  salaries  of  the  -teachers  of  Los  Angeles 
City  for  five  weeks.  The  taxable  property  of  the  new  State  of 
California  for  1854  amounted  to  $97,661,000  about  one-half  of 
the  present  assessed  value  of  Loa  Angeles  City,  The  yearly 
revienue,  it  was  estimated,  would  amount  to  $970,000^  a  sum  about 
equal  to  the  amount  Los  Angeles  City  now  expends  on  its 
schools  alone. 

The  value  of  the  taxable  property  in  the  proposed  State  of 
Colorado  for  the  year  of  1854  amounted  to  $9,764,000.  Its  total 
revenue  from  all  sources  was  estimated  at  $186,000,  a  sum  that 
would  pay  the  present  expense  of  our  police  department 
for  about  three  months.  Thie  committee  states  that  in  its  opin- 
ion, *'each  of  the  states  will  be  amply  able  to  support  the  expense 
of  a  separate  government.**  Evidently  it  did  not  require  a 
large  revenue  to  run  a  state  government  in  the  olden,  golden 
days  of  fifty  years  ago. 

The  relative  size  of  the  three  states  as  described  is  as  fol- 
lows, viz.;  '* Colorado  will  be  the  second  in  its  dimensions  in 
the  rank  of  the  states  now  in  the  union— California,  the  third 
and  Shasta  the  ninth.  The  committee  in  its  long  address  to 
the  people  of  California  set  forth  the  evils  experienced  from  our 
now  i^stenaive  territory. 

'*The  difficulties  of  intercommunication  between  the  inhabi- 
tants of  an  overgrown  territory  are  so  great  also,  that  it  is 
nest  to  impossible  to  find  that  unanimity  of  sentimient  or  to 
create  that  identity  of  interest  which  renders  popular  action 
consistent  and   efficacious.     The   center  reaps  all   the   benefits^ 


HOW  CALIFONRIA  ESCAPED  STATE  DIVISION 


229 


() 


enjoys  all  the  advantages  of  govermnent  favor^  while  the  extrem- 
ities ane  compelled  to  bear  a  large  proportion  of  the  burden 
of  taxation.  *  •  *  *'As  the  matter  now  stands,  even  the 
poor  privilege  of  supplying  officers  of  the  state  is  not  allowed 
them;  thw  populous  center  outnumbering  the  extremities  in 
votes  controls  all  official  patronage.  California  as  now  bounded 
contains  188,981  square  miles;  23,315  square  miles  more  than 
the  area  of  ten  states  on  the  Atlantic  seaboard.  These  states 
have  twenty  Senators  in  the  United  States  Senate,  while  Cali- 
fornia has  but  two.  Division  of  tbe  state  would  give  the 
Pacific  Coast  six  (Oregon  had  not  then  become  a  state).  ATter 
all,  it  was  *'theni  offices '',  as  Nasby  used  to  say^  that  was  the 
chief  incentive  to  stabe  division. 

Thte  bill  met  with  very  little  opposition.  It  passed  the 
Assembly,  but  the  legislative  session  came  to  an  end  before  it 
reached  the  Senate.  It  was  confidently  predicted  that  it  would 
pass  both  houses  of  the  next  legislature  and  state  division 
would  be  effeebed;  and  so  undoubtedly  it  would  have  been,, but 
for  one  of  those  political  cataclysms  that  occasionally  over- 
whelm the  schemes  of  politicians.  California  had  been  solidly 
democratic  since  its  admission  into  the  Union,  The  pro  slavery, 
wing  of  that  party  rnled  in  state  affairs,  represented  the  state 
in  Congress  aud  controlled  the  federal  patronage  of  the  state. 
If  the  state  wss  divided  the  party  *8  power  would  be  increased 
in  Congress,  and  would  give  the  South  six  votes  instead  of  two. 
At  the  fall  election  in  1855  the  Know  Nothing  or  American 
party  carried  the  Slate,  elected  a  governor  and  state  officers, 
the  legislature  and  the  congressmen.  This  political  cyclone 
swept  away  the  hopes  of  the  State  divisionists.  The  question 
did  not  come  up  in  the  legislature  of  1856.  The  Mtter  fued 
beween  Gwin,  th-e  leader  of  the  pro  slavery  or  chivalry  cohorts, 
of  the  democratic  party  and  Broderick  the  leader  of  the  liberal 
element,  still  further  disconcierted  and  delayed  the  sch-emes  of 
the  divisionists. 

The  Legislature  of  1858-59  was  strongly  democratic  with 
the  chivalry  w'ing  in  the  ascendancy  and  State  division  again 
came  to  the  front.  In  January,  1859,  Daniel  Rogers  introduced 
a  bill  in  the  Assembly  to  set  off  the  six  southern  counties  and 
form  a  separate  territorial  government  for  them ;  it  passed 
both  the  Assembly  and  the  Senate  and  was  approved  by  the 
governor  April  19,  1859. 

Tbe  boundariea  of  tbe  proposed  state  were  as  follows:    ''All 


230 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


that  portion  of  the  present  territory  of  thia  state  lying  alt  south 
of  a  line  drawn  eastward  from  the  west  boimdary  of  the  state 
along  the  sixth  standard  parallel  south  of  the  Mount  Diablo 
meridian  east  to  the  summit  of  the  Coast  range;  thence  south- 
erly following  said  siimmit  to  the  seventh  standard  parallel; 
thence  due  east  on  snid  standard,  paraUet  to  its  interaection 
with  the  northwest  boundary  of  Los  Au^'eles  County;  thence 
northeast  along  said  boimdary  to  the  ifiastern  boundary  of  the 
Btate^  including  the  counties  of  San  Luis  Obispo,  Santa  Bar- 
bara, Los  Angeles,  San  Diego,  San  Bernardino  and  a  part  of 
Buena  Viata  shall  be  segregated  from  the  remaining  portion  of 
the  state  for  the  purpose  of  the  formation  hy  Congress  with  the 
concurrent  action  of  said  portion  {the  consent  for  the  segreg-a- 
tion  of  whitih  is  hereby  granted)  of  a  territorial  or  other  gov- 
ernment under  the  name  of  the  "Territory  of  Colorado'  or  such 
nanve  as  mny  be  deemed  meet  and  proper.'* 

Section  2,  provided  for  the  submitting  of  the  question  of  "For 
a  Territory  or  against  a  Territory"  to  the  vote  of  the  people 
living  in  the  portion  sought  to  be  segregated  at  the  nest  general 
election  i  and  in  case  two-thirds  of  the  whole  number  of  voters 
voting  thereon  shall  vote  for  a  change  of  government,  the  consent 
hereby  given  shaJl  be  deemed  consummated.  In  case  the  vote 
was  favorable  the  Secretary  of  State  was  to  send  a  certified  copy 
of  the  result  of  the  election  and  a  copy  of  the  act  to  the  President 
of  the  United  States  and  to  the  aenatora  and  representatives 
in  Congress, 

In  the  list  of  counties  to  be  segregated  again  appears  the 
county  of  Buena  Vista.  For  fi\e  years  this  county  had  haunted 
the  legislators  and  yet  it  had  no  official  existence.  The  territory 
that  would  have  been  included  in  it  was  still  part  of  Tulare. 
Later  it  became  part  of  Kern  county,  when  that  county  was 
created.  At  the  general  election  in  September,  1859,  the  ques- 
tion of  dismemberment  of  the  State  was  submitted  to  a  vote 
of  the  people  of  the  southern  counties,  with  the  following  result: 

Los  Angeles  Co For,  1,407  Against,  441 

San  Bernardino  Co For,     441  Against,     29 

San  Luis  Obispo  Co For,        10  Against,  283 

San    Diego For,      207  Against,     24 

Santa   Barbara...... For,      395  Against,    51 

Tulare For,       17  Against,      0 

Total  for,  2,477;  against  828.  The  returns  of  the  election 
showed  considerably  more  than  two-thirda  in  favor  of  a  new 


HOW  CALIFORNIA  ESCAPED  STATE  DIVISION 


231 


state.  The  results  of  the  vote  and  the  aet  were  sent  to  the  presd^ 
dent  and  cong^ress.  And  although  Milton  Latham  a  northern 
man  with  southern  principles  and  a  proDouneed  divisionist 
representv^d  California  in  the  U,  S.  SeDate^  no  notice  seems  to 
have  been  taken  of  the  request  of  the  inchoate  state  of  Colorado. 
The  Southern  senators  and  congressmen  were  preparing  for 
aecession.  A  sparsely  settled  state  on  the  Faciiic  coast,  2,000 
miles  away  from  the  prospective  Confederacy  was  not  worth  eon- 
siderlngj  nad  the  secessionists  of  Southern  California  were  left  to 
work  out  their  scheioe  alone. 

The  question  of  division  slumbered  for  twenty  years.  In 
18S1  an  <?lfort  was  made  to  resurrect  the  seheme.  Feb-  1,  1881 
a  citizens*  mass  meeting  was  held  in  Los  Angeles  to  diseuss  the 
subject  of  how  to  iraprovie  Wilmington  harbor  and  ineidentaUy 
the  question  of  8tate  division.  A  committee  was  appointed  to 
take  the  question  under  advisement.  This  committeie  selected  a 
legal  committee  of  nine  attorneys  to  which  was  submitted  the 
questions  whether  the  Act  of  1859  was  still  in  force  and  if  so 
what  steps  were  necessary  to  complete  the  di%'ision  and  estab- 
lish  the  new  state  of  Southern  California.  Thu  legal  committee 
decided  the  Act  of  1B59  was  still  in  force  and  it  only  remained 
for  Congress  to  admit  the  new  state,  A  mass  convention  was 
called  to  meet  in  Los  Angeles,  Sept.  8,  1881,  to  take  futher  action 
in  the  matter.  Th*^  convention  met,  but  there  was  not  a  very 
large  mass  of  it.  Los  Angeles  County  was  in  evidence,  but  the 
other  counties  of  the  prospective  State  of  Southern  California 
were  not  largely  represented.  Los  Angeles  City  wanted  to  be 
the  capital  of  the  new  state,  wanted  to  monopolize  the  offices, 
wanted  to  be  *-it,"  The  other  counties  were  not  enthusiastic. 
They  could  not  »?e  clearly  how  they  were  to  be  benefitted;  so 
the  question  of  division  fell  into  a  state  of  innocuous  desuetude. 

In  1888  Gen.  Vandever  of  V«entura  Co.,  member  of  Congress 
from  the  sixth  California  district,  introduced  a  bill  to  divide 
the  state  and  create  the  State  of  Southern  California,  Thia  bill 
is  still  slumbering  on  the  files.  There  let  it  siteep.  Nearly  two 
decades  have  passed  since  the  last  attempt  was  made  to  divide 
tbe  state.  The  necessity  for  division  if  it  ever  existed  exists  no 
longer.  The  south*  with  its  rapid  increase  in  population  and 
wealth,  will  soon  hold  the  balance  of  power  or  if  not,  it  will 
be  able  to  hold  its  own  with  the  north.  Its  astute  politicians 
win  always  see  to  it  that  it  gets  its  full  share  of  **them  offices." 

While  the  men  who  in  the  past  championed  dismemberment 


232  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 

of  the  state  were  no  doubt  sincere  in  their  belief  that  such  action 
would  be  beneficial  to  the  people  of  the  various  sections,  we 
should  be  thankful  that  tbeir  schemes  failed — that  our  ma^ifi- 
cent  state  escaped  division. 


TWO  PIONEER  DOCTORS  OF  LOS  ANGELES. 
By  H*  D.  Barrows. 

In  turning  over  to  the  Historical  Society  the  accompaaying 
brief  historical  document  (which  I  lately  received  from  Ex- 
Sheriff  Wm.  R.  Rowland),  containing  the  signatures  of  four 
early  physicians  of  Los  Angeles^  I  have  thought  that  some 
account  of  two  of  the  sigjners  whom  I  knew  quite  well,  would 
be  of  interest  to  the  members  of  our  Society. 

The  document  referred  to,  which  Es-Sheriff  Rowland  found 
among  aid  papers  of  the  Sheriff's  officej  was  a  public  notice, 
or  "Aviso/*  of  the  scale  of  charges  (in  Spanish),  by  the  doctors 
of  that  period  (January,  1850),  for  their  profes^onal  services, 
as    follows : 

Aviao* 

A  la  junta  de  la  Facultad  de  Modicos  de  Los  Angeles,  EBero 
14,  1850,  la  segainte  lista  de  precios  era  adoptado: 

Art.  1.    Por  una  prescription   en   la  offlcina $5.00 

Art.  2,    For  una  vi^ta  en  la  ciudad  de  dia 5.00 

Art.  3,    Por  una  vista  en  la  ciudad  de  uoche 10.00 

Art,  4.     Por  una  visita  en  el  earapo  par  cada  iegua . .       5.00 

Art.  5.     For  una   Sangria. 5.00 

Art.  6.     Por  e^da  aplicacion  de  Yentoses 10.00 

Firmamos   nuestros   nombres   al   antecedente; 
[Firnados.]  CHAS.  R.  CULLEN. 

A,  I,  BLACKBURN, 
J.    W|    DODGE, 
GUILLERMO  B.   OSBOURN. 

(Translation.) 

Notice. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Medical  Faculty  of  Los  Angeles,  January 
14,  1850,  the  following  list  of  prices  was  adopted: 

Art,  1.     For  an  office  prescription $5.00 

Art.  2.    For  a  day  visit  within  the  city 5.00 

Art,  3,     For  a  night  vi^t  within  the  city ,     10.00 

Art.  4.    For  a  visit  in  the  country,  for  each  league..       5.00 


234 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CAUFORNIA 


Art.  5.    For  bleeding 5^00 

Art.  6.    For  cupping ICIOO 

We  subsci^be  our  names  to  the  foregoing: 

[Signers.]  ClLAS.  R.  CULLEN- 

A.  L  BLACKBURN, 
J.    W.   DODCrB, 
WM.  B.  OSBOURN. 

Dr.  Guillermo  B,  Oabourn,  one  of  the  signers,  who  was  a 
native  of  New  Yorb  earae  to  California  in  1847  in  Col.  Stephen- 
son's regiment.  lie  established  the  first  drug  store  "in  Los 
Angeles  in  1850,  which  was  succe<?ded  in  ^51  by  that  of  McFarlaud 
and  Downey.  Daguerreotypes  were  first  taken  in  Los  Angeles 
by  Dr,  Osbourn  and  Moses  Searles,  on  August  9,  185L  In 
fact  Dr.  Osbourii's  versatility  was  something  remarkable.  It 
is  not  easy  to  recount  all  the  offcial  positions  he  filled,  or  the 
numerous  important  public  functiona  he  performed.  In  those 
ear!y  days  imuipdiately  after  the  change  of  Government,  by 
means  of  his  keeu  intellectual  ability,  together  with  his  knowledge 
of  the  Spanish  language,  he  made  himself  a  very  useful  citizen 
in  various  capacities.  When,  as  often  happened  in  that  periods 
an  acquaintance  with  Spanish  was  a  necessity,  he  often  acted 
as  Deputy  Sheriff.  In  1853  he  was  appointed  Postmaster  of  this 
city  by  President  Pierce.  In  1855  he  projected  the  first  artesian 
well  in  Southern  California,  at  the  foot  of  the  hills  not  very 
far  from  the  present  junction  of  First  street  and  Broadway. 
It  reached  a  depth  of  800  feet  in  June^  1856,  being  still  in  blue 
clay,  when  it  was  abandoned  for  want  of  funds. 

In  1852  fruit  grafts  of  improved  varieties  had  been  introduced 
by  Mayor  J.  G.  Nichols.  In  1855  Dr,  Osbourn  imported  from 
Rochester,  a  grand  collection  of  roses  and  other  choice  shrubbery, 
as  well  as  many  varieties  of  the  best  American  fruit  treesi  which 
up  to  that  time  were  almost  unknown  here.  He  was  the  first, 
too,  in  October,  1854,  to  ship  East,  fresh  Los  Angeles  grapes, 
which  w^ere  exhibited  and  commanded  admiration  at  a  meeting 
of  the  business  committee  of  the  New  York  Agricultural  Society 
at  Albany.  And  it  is  worthy  of  mention  in  this  connection,  that 
as  late  as  November^  1856?  when  Matthew  Keller  sent  a  like 
specimen,  it  was  almost  doubted  at  the  U.  S.  Patent  Office,  *'if 
such  products  w^ere  common  in  California. " 

Henry  Osbourn,  a  son  of  the  doctor  by  his  first  wife»  was 
for  years  and  until  recently,  an  interpreter  in  our  local  courts* 
He  lost  his  life  through  an  accident  not  very  long  ago. 


TWO  PIONEER  DOCTORS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 

Dr.  O&bourn^s  second  wife,  who  was  a  Eative  Californian, 
is  I  believe,  still  liviag  in  this  city. 

Dr.  Osbourn,  with  all  h^a  versatility,  was  not  always  over- 
scrupulous as  to  the  means  he  sonietinies  employed  iu  carrying 
out  his  schemes.  He  once  recounted  to  me,  without  a  semblance 
of  self  reproach,  but  on  the  contrary  with  a  palpable  chuckle 
because  of  his  success,  how  he  took  an  active  part  on  a  certain 
occasion  in  a  political  contest*  Soinetimo  in  the  early  '503, 
when  an  election  was  on  for  a  State  senator,  and  San  Bernardino 
was  a  part  of  Los  Angeles  county,  he  was  exceedingly  anxious 
to  carry  the  precinct  of  Agua  Mansa^  which  was  mostly  settled 
by  Mexicans,  who  knew  very  little  or  no  English,  So  he  went 
to  the  Paclre  who  had  more  influence  in  his  parish  than  any  other 
person,  and  used  his  most  suave  methods  of  electioneering  with 
the  Dominie  in  behalf  of  his  candidate;  and  then  to  clinch  the 
matter,  he  asked  the  Padr*.^  to  pray  for  the  repose  of  the  soul 
of  his  mother — who  was  then  alive  and  well  in  New  York  State. 
And  on  the  nest  feast  day  the  wily  doctor  was  on  hand  at  the 
church  and  on  his  knees.,  joining  the  Padre  and  his  flock,  in 
praying  for  the  repose  of  his  mother *s  soul.  He  added  with  just 
a  shade  of  exultation^  that  his  candidate   was  elected. 

Drs.  Blackburn  and  Dodge^  two  other  signers  of  the  accom- 
panying document,  I  was  not  acquainted  wHth. 

Dr,  Charles  R.  Cullen  I  knew  intimatelyi  as  he  was  my 
room-mate  for  a  considerable  portion  of  the  time,  from  my  arrival 
in  Los  Angeles  in  1854,  tHll  he  left  for  his  home  in  Virginia  in 
the  latter  part  of   '5G. 

Dr.  Cullen  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  a  graduate  of  Brown 
University.  He  and  his  brother  John  came  to  California  soon 
after  the  discovery  of  the  mines.  The  doctor  was  a  cultured  and 
genial  gentleman  whom  all  who  made  hia  acquaintance,  could 
not  help  liking.  The  Spanish-speaking  portion  of  our  community 
of  that  period  were  especially  attached  to  him,  both  as  a  sym- 
pathetic friend  and  as  a  physician  5  and  for  years  after  he  Vi^nt 
away^  I  remember  that  if  his  name  was  mentioned  in  the  presence 
of  those  native  Californians  who  had  made  his  acquaintance, 
they  would  invariably  manifest  pleasure  at  the  recall  of  hia 
memory,  and  would  exelain :  *'Ay  Don  Carlos!  donde  esta  el?'* 
or,  *'Que  buen  hombre  eraT'  or  sim'ilar  expressions  of  kindly 
feelings  towards  him. 

When  the  San  Francisco  Bulletin  was  established,  Mr.  C.  0. 
Gerberding  {father  of  several  persons  of  that  unme  in  California, 


236 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOl'THERN  CALIFORNIA 


and  also  I  believe  of  Mxs.  Senator  Bard),  was  the  business 
manager*  and  James  King,  of  William,  was  the  brave  and  ac- 
complished editor.  Sir.  Gerberding  and  Dr.  CuUen  had  been^ 
old  friends  in  Richmond,  before  they  came  to  California;  and  as 
the  management  of  the  paper  desired  to  have  a  permanent  resi- 
dent  correspondent  at  Los  Angeles,  they  entered  into  an  engage- 
ment  with  Dr.  Cullen  to  fill  that  position,  paying  him  at  the  rate 
of  ten  dollars  a  column..  Late  ^n  November,  '56,  Dr.  Cullen 
concluded  to  return  East,  and  stopping  on  hi&  way  at  San  Pran- 
ciscot  it  appears  recommended  me,  without  my  knowledge,  as 
his  successor  as  correspondent  of  the  Bulletin:  and  accordingly 
he  wrote  at  their  request,  asking  me  to  keep  up  the  correspond- 
ence, on  the  same  terms,  etc.,  wHch  I  did  for  several  years 
thereafter,  writing  generally  by  aach  semi-monthly  steamer^ 
giving  a  general  resume  of  currents  events  in  Southern  California* 
The  doctor's  letters^  as  were  mine»  were  headed  in  the  columns 
of  the  Bulletin — in  small  capitals:  ^'Letter  from  Lob  Angeles" 
— **From  Our  Own  Correspondent,"  and  were  signed  *'Observa- 
dor."  This  signature,  however,  I  soon  dropped.  My  first 
letter  was  dated  December  6,  1856.  I  would  like  to  add  that 
in  all  my  dealing's  with  Mr,  Gerberding,  the  business  manager, 
I  found  him  to  be  a  thorough  gentleman  and  a  good  frdend. 

Before  I  had  any  connection  with  the  paperi  the  assasination 
of  James  King  of  William  had  given  the  paper  much  prominence, 
and  it  had  already  become  and  it  long  remained  the  leading 
journal  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  It  was  very  tih]y  edited  ostensibly 
by  a  brother  of  James  King  of  "William,  but  in  reality  by  James 
Nisbet,  a  Scotchman,  one  of  the  most  industrious  and  the  finest 
literary  journalists  whom  I  ever  had  any  acquaiutance  with. 
Afterwards,  Dr.  Tuthill  was  associated  with  Mr.  Nisbet  and  they 
made  a  very  strong  editorial  team. 

In  1857  I  made  a  trip  East,  and  I  went  to  Richmond  to  visit 
Dr.  Cullen.  I  found  his  mother  and  sisters  and  also  his  uncle, 
the  widely  known  and  venerable  Dr.  Patrick  Cullen-  by  whom 
I  was  cordially  welcomed.  Di\  Charley  Cullen  was  then  located 
and  practising  his  profession  near  Hanover  Court  House,  a  very- 
few  years  afterwards  the  locality  of  some  terrific  flighting  in  the 
great  Civil  War. 

In  after  years  I  kept  up  more  or  less  intermittent  correspon- 
dence with  the  doctor,  till  his  death  several  years  ago. 

Dr,  Culien  was  a  thoroughly  conscientious  man  and  a  relig*iDus 
man— co-operating  with  Parson  Bland,  Revs.  Mr.  Brier  and  Mr. 


J,  LANCASTER  BRENT. 
By  H.  D.  Barrows. 

A  very  few  of  our  older  citiat^na,  both  Americans  and  native 
CaliforniaoK,  who  rpsided  hero  in  the  fifties,  and  who  are  still 
livint?.  ri'meinbpF  well  Jasepli  Lanoaster  Bivnt  who  was  a  man  of 
proraiDence  and  preat  influence  in  Los  Aiifrdos  during  the  years 
of  that  deeadie.  Ilia  recent  death  at  Baltimore  awakens  many 
memories  of  events  which  occurred  here  in  the  olden  times,  in 
which  Mr.  Brent  was  an  actor,  or  in  which  he  made  his  influence 
fielt  in  potent  fashion.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  he  was  one  of  the 
moat  briltiant  figurea  of  our  early  history  after  California  became 
a  State  of  the  Atnerican  Union. 

Mr.  Brent  was  a  native  of  Maryland.  He  came  to  Los  Angeles 
in  1850  and  immediately  acquired  the  reputation  of  beiu^  a  very 
able  lawyer  and  a  very  astute  politician.  He  was  employed  by 
many  rancheros  to  prespout  and  prosecute  their  Spanish  and 
Mtexiean  land  titles  before  the  Laud  Commission  and  before  the 
Courts  to  final  confirmation.  The  Spanish  rant^heros  especially. 
who  felt  themselves  so  helpless  before  an  American  Court*  came 
to  have  unboundied  confidence  in  his  ability,  and  in  his  fidelity 
to  their  interests. 

In  1S56  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Legislature,  and 
although  a  democrat,  all  parties  had  confid'enee  in  him.  and 
took  pride,  because  of  his  ability,  in  sending  him  to  assist  in  the 
councils  of  the  State,  at  Sacramento. 

At  one  time  Mr.  Brent  owned  the  Sftn  Pasqual  rancho  which 
iiichid^?d  the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Pasadena. 

Mr.  Brent  was  active  in  orf^aniziug;  the  Democratic  party  of 
the  State,  Although  seldom  holding  official  position  himself,  he 
Tvas  a  very  aBtiite  political  manaper,  and  he  not  only  acquired 
wide  political  influieoce  among  Americans,  but  he  was  able  to 
enlist  many  native  Californiatm  as  partisans  of  democracy.  It 
was  said,  and  I  believe  truly  that  he  influenced  the  venerable 
patriarch,  Don  Julio  Verdugo,  ow*n*er  and  original  grantee  of  San 
Rafael  rancho,  to  vote,  with  his  twelve  sons,  the  straight  demo- 
cratic  ticket^  which,  according  to  tradition,  they  continued  to 
do^  without  a  bolt,  during  the  remainder  of  the  life  of  the  vener- 
able Don. 


During  the  yeur  1859,  a  notable  eonvention  of  the  democratic 
party  of  Los  Angeles  County,  waa  h^ld.  At  that  period,  the 
democracy  had  everj-thingj  their  own  way  hereabouts, — their 
numerical  strength  as  compared  with  that  of  the  repiiblieans 
being  as  two  or  three  or  five  to  one.  In  fact,  they  were  so  strong 
that  they  sometimes  got  into  fights  amongst  themselves. 

In  the  convention  to  which  I  refer^  Mr.  Brent  was  the  leader 
and  mauagisr  of  one — the  stronger — faction,  and  Mr.  Downey 
was  the  Devis  ex  machina  of  the  other  faction,  though  both,  for 
the  most  part,  remained  invisible  during  the  progress  of  the 
convention. 

As  I  wrote  an  account  of  the  doings  of  this  Convention  at  that 
time*  for  the  San  Francisco  Bulletin,  of  which  I  was  then  the 
regular  Los  Angeles  correspondent,  and  as  Mr,  Brent  was  the 
silent  manager  and  adviser  of  one  faction,  I  am  tempted  to  ap- 
pend here^  my  description  of  the  affair.  My  letter  to  the  Bulletin 
was  dated  June  14.  1859,  After  ref^^rring  briefly  to  the  fijiht 
in  the  ranks  of  the  harmonious  Democracy  as  continuing  with 
unabated  fury,  I  said : 

"The  county  convention  held  in  this  city  on  the  8th  instant, 
hopelessly  split  into  two  factions.  •  •  •  Upon  the  organiza- 
tion of  that  volcanic  body,  it  appiL^ars  that  one  portion  found 
itself  in  the  minority — always  a  sad  predicament,  to  be  sure;  hut 
by  shrewdness  it  had  secured  the  chair  and  committee  on  creden- 
tials almost  lesclusively  on  its  side,  (the  side  led  by  Downey),  So 
two  precincts — San  Jose  and  La  Bnllona^were  attempted  to  he 
excluded,  because  in  one  the  primary  election  was  li^^ld  not  on 
the  1st,  biit  on  the  f5th,  and  in  the  other  the  polls  were  clost.*d 
half  an  hour  or  an  hour  before  the  usual  time.  At  the  same  time, 
both  are  k^gal  precincts  and  both  elections  were  legally  called 
by  the  Central  Committee^  and  all  that.  By  (piibblps  in  voting, 
as  to  who  had  a  right  to  vote,  etc.,  and  the  Chair  on  call,  voting 
twice,  etc.,  the  four  votes  from  these  procinels,  out  of  forty  in 
the  Convention,  were  excluded — and  that,  it  is  averred,  wholly 
on  frivolous  pret-exts. 

Thus,  only  36  members  were  left.  Here  the  Convention  split  i 
Id  delegates  finding  their  Avill  cheekmati^d  by  the  gerrymander- 
ing disgusted,  as  they  say,  with  the  way  things  were  going  on, 
organia:*d  on  their  own  hook — appointed  Mr,  Parrish,  (still  res- 
ident of  this  county,)  Chairman,  admitted  the  Ballona  and  San 
Jose  delegates— making  their  number  2'3 — and  went  throngh 
with  their  business  ''according  to  Hoyle,"  and  adjourned.  The 
"shadowy  17"  also  proc*,?eded  to  huainess  on  their  own  account, 
and  as  their  opponents  wickedly  assert,  first  AnTii^ved  the  absur- 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 

dily  of  admitting  5  persons  as  delegates  from  localities  wherein 
theiv  was  neither  a  legal  preeinct  nor  an  election  ordered;  and 
this,  after  having  adopted  in  joint  convention,  a  resolation 
declaring  that  no  delegate  should  be  received  who  was  not  chosen 
m  a  It^gal  precinct  at  an  election  called  by  the  Coraiuittee.  That 
Iheir  foolishness  might  not  be  so  apparent,  the  report  containing 
this  resolution  was  suppressed. 

This  present  correspondent  is  not  mitch  of  a  poHtician^  and 
he  has  no  *ax  tt>  grind' — not  teven  a  small  hatchet — but  accord- 
ing to  his  unsophistocatcd  notions,  the  case  seems  a  plain  one: 
On  a  basis  of  representation  to  which  all  agreed,  the  Parrish 
Convention  was  in  th"^  majority  any  w*ay;  rejecting  all  doubtful 
precincts,  and  it  had  19  members  to  the  other  17;  admitting 
all  precincts,  and  localities  not  precincts,  and  it  had  23  to  the 
other  22.  Of  the  13  legal  precincts  of  the  county  the  Parrish 
Convention  had  ll>— and  23  out  of  40  members  of  the  ConypntTon 
— white  their  opponents  had  but  3  precincts  and  17  members,  who 
after  the  break  received  into  church  fellowship  the  5  unapostolic 
and  unorthodox  delegates  elected  outside  of  the  true  and  lei^al 
fold.  So  this  latter  body,  composed  of  various  materials,  went 
through  lugubrious  incubation  and  hatched  out  a  complete  set 
of  chicklets  including  by  *  understanding,'  J.  G.  Downey  for 
Lieut--Oovernor. " 

The  foregoing  contemporaneous  account  of  that  convention, 
held  in  this  city  nearly  forty-seven  years  ago,  would  be  lacking 
in  completeness,  unless  supplemented  by  a  record  of  some  of  the 
sequels  that  grew  out  of  it. 

As  a  specimen  of  successful  sharp  practice  by  a  minority 
faction  of  a  political  convention,  it  was,  I  think,  sul  generis.  For 
that  the  faction  engineered  by  Downey,  of  which  Charley  Ross 
acted  as  Chairman,  was  clearly  in  the  minority,  was  made  man- 
ifest at  the  subsequent  general  election  in  the  county  when  most 
of  the  local  nominees  of  the  Parrish  convention  were  elected. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  delegates  of  the  Downey 
faction  of  the  State  Convention  from  Los  Angoles  county,  only 
represented  a  minority  clique  of  the  local  Democracy,  neverthe- 
less they  were  admitted  to  the  State  convention,  and  Jlitton  S. 
Latham  and  John  G.  Downey  were  nominated  and  elected  as 
Governor  and  Lieiit.-Governor,  respectively;  and  as  on  th^a  second 
day  after  the  meeting  of  the  Legislature  in  January,  18tiO, 
Latham  was  elected  U.  S.  Senator,  Downey  thereby  by  constitu- 
tional provision,  became  Governor. 

And  as  a  further  sequel  to  this  result,  the  constitution  of  the 


J.  LANCASTER  BRENT 


241 


State  was  later  amended  by  the  people,  prohibiting  the  election 
of  a  Governor  as  a  U.  S.  senator, 

0£  the  personnel  of  that  county  convention  when  Democracy 
**waa  in  flower"  in  Los  Angeles  county^  only  E.  C,  Parriah,  I 
beti\_^ve,  is  still  living'.  Charlie  Ross  was  killed  in  a  land  quarrel 
in  San  Francisco,  years  ago.  And  now,  llr.  Brent,  who,  though 
not  a  member,  was  its  dominating  organizeri  has  recently  passed 
Hway. 

When  the  Civil  War  broke  out,  in  1861,  Mr.  Bnent.  bein^  an 
ardent  sympathizer  with  the  South,  went  east  and  joined  the 
Confederaey,  and  in  '64  became  a  brigadier  general.  After  the 
war,  he  settSed  in  Louisiana,  where  he  married,  and  where, 
because  of  his  intellectual  abiiit'ies,  he  became  a  prominent  and 
influential  citizen.  As  a  member  of  the  Legislature,  he  did  effect- 
ive work  in  fighting  the  Louisiana  lottery. 

lie  left  a  widow  and  n  son  and  daughter. 

Perhaps  1  should  mention  one  other,  though  rather  unim- 
portant outgrowth  of  that  convention  or  of  the  campaign  which 
followed  it.  A  dispute  arose  between  Downey  and  one  of  his 
henchmen,  Jose  Rubio,  a  native  Californian,  in  which  Rubio 
accused  Downey  of  not  having  paid  him  an  ''electioneering" 
debt.  In  thv*  wrangle.  Rubio  gave  Downey  the  lie,  whereupon 
Downey  knocked  Rubio  down  with  his  cane,  giving  him  a  terri- 
ble black  eye.  Rubio  challenged  Downey,  which  the  latter 
refused,  as  he  did  not  consider  the  former  his  equal,  etc.  The 
bearer  of  the  belligerent  document.  Gen,  Andres  Pico,  there- 
upon, as  required  by  the  code  duello,  challenged  the  Democratic 
candidate  for  Lieutenant  Governor.  The  latter  accepted  the 
challenge*  and  for  a  time,  a  fight  seemed  inevitable;  but,  by  the 
intervention  of  friends,  matters  were  amicably  adjusted.  And 
&o  both  the  Senator,  and  a  Lieutenant-Gow^rnor  in  prospect,  (and 
eventually,  as  it  turned  outj  a  Governor),  were  saved  to  the 
Commonwealth. 

And  now,  after  all  these  years,  the  hot  contestants  of  that 
far-distant  time,  save  alone  Mr.  Parriah,  rest  within  their  widely- 
scattered  graves,  in  everlasting  peace. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  LOS  ANGELES  ARCHIVES 

Compiled  by  H.  J.  Lelande,  City  Clerk 

(Note) — ^Mr.  IL  J.  Lelande,  City  Clerk  in  whose  keeping  are 
the  archives  of  Los  Angeles  City,  in  prepanng  an  address 
which  he  delivered  before  the  Friday  Morning  Chib  collated 
from  the  different  volumes  of  the  city  archives  a  large  amount 
of  interesting  data.  He  ^ave  the  editors  of  the  Annual  Publica- 
tion of  the  Historieal  Society  of  Southern  California,  a  copy  of 
his  estraets.  From  these  we  have  selected  those  that  illustrate 
different  phases  of  life  in  the  Mexican  and  early  American 
periods  of  the  city 'a  history.  The  earliest  records  of  oiir  city 
which  have  been  preserved  bear  date  of  October,  1827.  This  is 
a  record  of  a  trial.  Some  years  sinee  the  archives  of  the 
Mexican  period  comprised  in  three  v(tluraes  and  of  the  first  three 
years  of  the  American  rnle  which  were  also  written  in  Spanish, 
were  by  order  of  the  City  Council  translated  into  English, 

The  explanations  interpolated  in  this  articles  are  inserted  by 
one  of  the  editors  (J.  JL  Guinn).  Much  of  interest  In  Mr.  L  s 
eolleetion  had  to  be  omitted  for  lack  of  space^  The  thanks  of 
the  society  are  tendered  to  Mr  Lelande  for  the  use  of  hia  valu- 
able manuscript. 


EL  MUY  ILUSTRB  AYUNTAMIENTO. 

The  mtinicipality  of  Los  Angeles  under  Spanish  and  Mexican 
domination  was  gioverned  by  a  town  council  called  an  Ayun- 
tamiento.  It  was  usually  spoken  of  as  the  Mny  Ilustne  Ayunta- 
raiento — (most  illustrons  council).  The  term  was  used  in  the 
same   sense   as   we   speak    now   of   the    honorable    city    council.. 

The  early  records  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Ajiintamiento 
of  Los  Angeltt?s— if  any  were  kept — have  been  lost.  The  first 
record  of  its  proceedings  preserved  in  the  City  Archives  bears 
date  of  January  14,  1832.  At  that  time  the  Ayiintaraiy^uto  con- 
sisted of  five  members,  called  **regidores/'  The  first  alcalde 
was  the  presiding  officer  and  in  his  absence  the  second  took  his 
place.  The  secretary  who  was  appointed  from  outside  its  mem- 
bership,  was  an   important     personage   and   the   only   salaried 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  LOS  ANGELES  ARCHIVES 


243 


official  of  the  town  government.  Besides  his  duties  as  secre- 
tary of  the  to'wn  eouneil,  he  waa  clerk  of  the  Alcalde's  Court  and 
keeper  of  the  archives.    Hit*  salary  in  1832  was  $80  a  jiionth. 

The  proceedings  began  (in  Spanish)  with  El  Pueblo  Nuea- 
tra  Senora  de  Los  Angeles."  (The  town  of  our  Lady  of  the  An- 
gels). 

The  juristiiction  of  the  Ayuntamiento,  after  the  secularization 
of  the  missions  extended  from  San  Juan  Capistrauo  on  the  south 
to  and  ineludinfj  San  Fernando  on  the  north;  and  eastward  to 
the  San  Bernardino  Mountains.  It  extended  over  an  area  now 
comprised  in  four  counties  and  eo wring  territory  as  large  as 
three  New  England  States.  Its  authority  was  as  extensive  as 
its  jurisdictioTi.  It  granted  town  lota  and  indorsed  application 
for  grants  of  ranchos  from  the  public  domain.  The  grants 
were  made  by  the  governor.  In  addition  to  its  legislative  du- 
tie^t  its  members  fiometimes  acted  as  executive  officers  to  enforce 
its  laws.  It  acted  as  a  board  of  health,  a  board  of  education, 
a  police  commission  and   a  street   department. 

The  Ayuntamiento  to  a  certain  extent  regulated  tlna  social 
functions  of  the  pueblo  and  also  provided  for  the  spiritual  needs 
of  the  inhabitants.  It  was  local  government  epitomized. 
The  Ayuntamiento  of  Los  Angeles  was  abolished  in  1840  by  a 
decree  of  the  Mcxiican  Congress  which  provided  that  tdttas 
with  lesa  than  4,000  inhabitants  should  be  governed  by  a  pre- 
fecto  and  the  enactments  of  the  department  nJisembly,  The 
Ayuntamiento  was  restored  in  1844  and  continued  to  be  the  local 
governing  power  until  July  Srd*  1850,  when  it  was  superseded 
by  the  City  Couneil.  J.  M.  Guinn,  Editor. 


SESSION  OF  THE  14th,  DAT  OF  JANUARY 

In  the  town  of  our  Lady  of  the  Angels  'in  the  Territory  of 
Upper  California  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  January  in  the 
year  one  thousand  eight  hundred^  thirty-two,  the  Ayuntamiento 
of  the  place  convened  in  their  hall,  the  meeting  being  presided  over 
by  its  Alcalde  Citizen,  Manuel  Dominguez,  who  immediately 
manifested  an  official  document  he  had  received,  dated  thie  9th 
Inst.  From  the  regular  member  of  the  Exeeleutisina  Deputation, 
CitiEen  Fio  Pico,  and  then  proceeded  to  take  the  oath  required 
by  law,  from  the  second  member  of  the  same  Deputation,  Citi- 
aen  Tomaa  Yorba, 

After  the  above,  the  said  deputies  took  the  seats  occupied  by 


244 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


the  Iliustrious  Ayimtamienlo  eoncludirig  the  session  and  signing 
the  present  instrumeat  on  the  same  day^  month  and  year. 
Manuel  Dominguea  (rubric)  Juaa  Nepomitseno  Albarado  (rubric) 
Jose  Maul  Cota  (rubric)  Felipe  Lugo  (rubric) 

Juan  Ballesteros  {mbric)  Ygnat^io  Ma.  Albarado  (rubric) 

Vicente  de  la  Ossa,  Secretary  (rubric) 
(The  rubric  was  a  series  of  tlovirishes  made  by  the  pen  and 
took  the  place  of  th)^  seal  in  legal  documents.     Each  man   had 
a  rubric  of  his  own). 

SESSION  OF  THE  19th  DAY  OF  JANUARY 

In  the  town  of  Our  Lady  of  the  Angels  in  the  Territory  of 
Upper  California,  on  the  19th  day  of  January  in  the  year 
One  thousand  eig'ht  hundred,  thirty-two,  the  Illustrious  Ayonta- 
miento,  dwelt  on  the  lack  of  improvemtent  shown  by  the  Public 
School  of  this  town  and  on  the  necessity  of  civilizing  and  mor- 
ally training  the  children.  It  was  thought  wise  to  place  Citi- 
zen Yieente  Moraga  in  charge  of  said  school  from  this  date, 
recognizing  in  hinij  the  necessaty  qualifications  for  the  discharge 
of  said  duties,  allowing  him  fifteen  dollars  monthly,  the  same 
that  was  paid  the  retiring  citizen  Luciano  Valdez, 

Signed  as  an  act  on  the  same  day,  month  and  year. 

(Here  foUow  the  signatures  of  the  regidores  the  samie  as  the 
above.) 

The  following  extract  illustrates  the  method  of  designating 
election  precincts  under  the  rule  of  Mex'ico,  three-quarters  of  a 
century  ago.  The  blocks  here  named  were  not  city  blocks  and 
the  houses  dsasignated  were  often  miles  apart.  Block  3.  com- 
prising the  ranches  of  the  Nietos  and  that  of  the  Yorbas  included 
alt  of  the  territory  from  the  San  Gabriel  river  to  Sau  Juan 
Capistrano. 

The  Berdugos  and  Felia  Ranchos  added  to  Block  2,  included 
all  the  country  east  of  the  City  to  Pasadena  and  north  to  Bur- 
bank. 

SESSION  OF  THE  19th  DAY  OF  NOVEMBER,  1832. 

At  to-day *s  session,  in  consequence  of  the  law  of  June  12th  of 
1830  the  following  has  been  determined;  Notice  to  the  Public :- 
Being  that  a  primary  election  is  to  be  held  on  the  first  Simday  of 
December  for  the  election  of  tlie  Ayuntamiento  of  this  towTi  accord- 
ing to  the  law  of  June  12th,  1830,  th*e  said  corporation  in  observ- 
ance of  articles  G,  7  aod  8  determined  to  divide  this  town  into 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  LOS  ANGELES  ARCHIVES 


245 


four  blocks,  and  name  the  commissioners  that  are  to  act  under 
the  ternis  of  the  abovG  cited  laWt  and  in  consequence  of  which  the 
foUowing  articles  were  framed. 

1st-  Tb^  first  block  shall  comprise  the  houses  froni  that  of 
citizens  Tibursio  Tapia  to  that  of  citizenJose  Anto,  Romero,  nam- 
ing as  its  commissioner,  citizen  Tibursio  Tapia. 

2nd.  The  second  block  shall  comprise  from  citizen  Jose  An- 
to.  Romero  house  to  that  of  citizen  Cayetano  Barelas  and 
to  Romero  house  to  that  of  citizen  GiJ*  Ybarra. 

3rd.  The  voting  place  for  these  2  blocks  shall  be  held  in 
Gil.  Tbarra/s  yard,  whiere  the  commissioners  shall  meet  as  a 
board  of  election  on  the  first  Sunday  of  next  December. 

4th.  The  third  block  shall  comprise  the  houses  from  that 
of  citizen  Tibursio  Tapia  to  that  of  citizen  MaecSno  Alanis,  cit- 
izen  Tomas   Yofoa   acting   as   its   commissioner. 

5th.  The  rancho  of  the  Kietos  and  that  of  the  Yorba*s  shall 
comprise  the  third  block, 

6th.  The  fourth  block  shall  comprise  from  citizen  Maccno 
Alanis'  house  to  that  of  Xemesio  Domiu^uez  and  the  commissiou- 
er  shall  be  citizen  Francisco  Javier  Albarado. 

7th.  The  commissioners  as  a  board  of  election  shall  meeb 
to  hold  the  said  eli.?ction  in  citizen  Francmco  Javier  Albarado 's 
yard. 

8th.  The  Berdugas  and  Felis  ranches  shall  be  added  to 
block  number  2, 

9th.  The  Ayuntamlento  supposes  that  the  commissioner 
named  to  act  for  the  different  blocks  will  not  need  any  instruct- 
ion through  their  lack  of  a  knowledge  of  the  law. 

They  may  however  apply  for  such  instruction  to  this  body, 
in  order  that  the  laudable  intentions  for  which  they  were  ap- 
pointed will  not  suffer  to  any  extent.  Let  it  be  known  to  the 
public  that  the  reason  for  proceeding  after  the  time  determned 
by  law  is  merely  the  result  of  some  inadvertence. 

Town  of  our  Lady  of  the  Angets  Nov.  10th,  1832,  llanl.  Do- 
mingWL^z,  (Rub)  Juan  Nepomuseno  Albarado  (Rub)  Jose  Manuel 
Cota  (Rub)  Felipe  Lugo  (Rub)  Juan  Ballesteros  (Rub)  Vincente 
de  la  Ossa. 

The  election  was  not  held  at  the  time  appointed,  the  first 
Sunday  in  December.  Nearly  all  the  commissioners  appointed 
pliead  sickness,  or  some  other  dlsablity.  There  was  no  pay  for 
serving  and  no  honor  either. 


HISTORICAL  SCCl 

SESSION  OF  THE  18th  DAY  OP  DECEMBER. 

In  the  town  of  Our  Lady  of  the  Angels,  in  the  territory  of 
Upper  California  on  the  14^th  day  of  Deciember,  iu  the  year  One 
Thousantl  eight  hundred  and  thirty-two.  The  Illustrious  A^'iin- 
tamiento  met  for  the  purpose  of  repairing  Xh^  delay  suffered  by 
the  elect'ions  for  the  renewal  of  this  Ayiintamiento  according-  to 
the  law  of  June  12th,  1830. 

The  Ayuntamiento  having  considered  whether  the  causes 
leading:  to  this  delay  were  or  were  not  sufficient  to  justify  it, 
took  into  consideration  the  physical  inability  of  the  majority  of  the 
commissioners  and  that  of  most  of  the  people  inelud'ing  theAlcaide  ; 
and  oeeasioned  by  a  past  experience  in  this  town  at  the  time  tho 
law  prescribes  this  election  should  take  place  acting"  under 
such  circumstances,  the  commissioners  havinfj  recovered  tb^ir 
health  by  this  time^  except  the  one  named  for  block  3,  who  re- 
mains ill,  this  corporfltion  has  seen  fit  to  name  in  his  stead  citizen 
Anto.  ilatdmdo  and  orders  that  the  primary  election  be  held  on 
the  22nd  inst,  in  the  same  manner  heretofore  made  known ;  leaving 
the  same  eommisioners  and  informing  them  when  to  fulfill  their 
commission.  The  present  step  has  been  taken  for  the  inform- 
ation and  satisfaction  of  the  people  that  the  action  of  this  cor- 
poration may  appear  justifiable  and  no  responsibility  attached  to 
them.  Passed  and  signed  as  an  act  of  said  body  on  this  same 
day.  month  and  year, 

Manl,  Dominguiez   (Rub)   Felipe  Lu^o    (Rub)    Vicente  de   la 
Ossa  Tgnacio  Ma.  Albarado  (Rub)  Juan  Ballesteros  (Rub) 


I 


SESSION  OF  THE  19th  DAY  OF  DECEJLBER 

In  the  town  of  Our  Lady  of  the  Angels  in  the  Territory  of 
the  Upper  California^  on  the  19th  day  of  December,  in  the  year 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  thirty-two,  the  Illustrious  Ay- 
untemiento  meketing  in  the  regidar  session,  acted  on  a  communi- 
cation of  this  date  from  citizen  Anto.  Machado,  setting  forth  his 
physical  inability  to  fulfill  the  duties  as  commissioner  of  block 
3  of  this  town.  Acting  on  the  above  and  so  as  to  occasion  no 
further  delay  in  the  election  for  members  of  this  Ayuntamiento 
Qtiiien  Victo.  Moragn  was  appointed^  who  was  immediately  offi- 
cially notified  of  the  same  and  asked  to  consult  this  body  on  the 
law  of  June  12fh,  1830,  that  he  might  act  intelligently. 

Manl,  Dominguez,  Felipe  Lugo  (Rub)  Juan  Ballesteros  (Rub) 
Tgnacio  Ma.  Albarado  (Rub)  Vincent  de  la  Ossa,  Ses.  (Rub) 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  LOS  ANGELES  ARCHIVES 

SESSION  OF  THE  21st  DAY  OF  DECEMBEE, 

In  the  towD  of  our  Lady  of  the  Angels,  in  the  Territory  of 
Upper  California,  on  the  Slat  day  of  December  in  the  j^ear,  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  thirty-two.  The  constitutional  Alcalde 
citizen  Manl.  Dominguez  manifested  a  eommuoication  from  citi- 
zen Victo.  Moraga,  the  commissioner  appointed  for  block  3  of  this 
town  on  the  19th  inst,  where  he  seta  forth  hia  inability  to  accept 
said  commission,  not  being  possessed  of  the  necessary  qualifica* 
tions.  After  some  discussion  on  the  matter  and  not  finding  any 
other  citizen  in  the  abovie  mentioned  block  3,  who  could  be  com- 
missioned  according  to  the  law  of  June  12th,  1830,  reappointed 
aaid  Moraga  for  the  reason  above  stated. 

Passed  and  signed  as  an  act  in  this  town  this  same  day,  month 
and  year. 

Manueh  Dominguez  (Rub)  Felipe  Lugo  (Rub)  Juan  Ball^s- 
teroa  (Rub)  Ygnacio  Ma.  Albarado  (Rub)  Vincent  de  la  Ossb, 
(Srio)    (Secnatary) 


From  the  following  extract  it  is  evident  that  enough  of  the 
GommiBsioners  recovered  their  health  to  hold  an  election. 

SESSION  OF  THE  3rd  DAT  OF  JANTJAEY. 

In  the  town  of  our  Lady  of  the  Angels,  in  the  Territory  of 
Upper  California,  on  the  3rd  day  of  January  in  the  year  on^ 
thousand  t^ight  hundred  and  thirty-three.  The  Illustrious  Ay- 
untamiento  met  in  their  hall  at  the  call  of  the  Alcalde,  its  pres- 
ident. At  the  outset  there  was  presented  an  offieial  circular 
dated  December  31at,  last  past  directed  to  this  corporation  by 
the  most  Excellent  Territorial  deputation  through  its  president. 

The  contents  of  said  communication  are  reduced  to  the  fol- 
lowing: 

1st.  Giving  notice  to  the  Aynntamiento  of  the  dissolution  of 
said  corporation  the  term  of  the  majority  of  its  members  having 
expired. 

2nd.  Seeking  answers  to  several  communications  sent  to 
this  corporation  last  year,  the  first  dated  January  27th  and  the 
second  March  25th, 

3rd.  Exhorting  them  to  comply  with  the  law  of  June  12th, 
1830  BO  as  to  begin  the  elections  corresponding  to  the  nomi- 
nations of  deputies  to  the  general  territorial  sovereign  congress 
that  the  new  Jefe  (governor)  may  find  all  In  readiness  upon  his 


I 


248  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 

arrival.  After  sufficiently  discussing  the  matter  it  was  agreed 
to  answer  the  most  excellent  deputation  congratulating  them 
upon  the  good  sentiments  expressed. 

In  reference  to  the  answers  claimed^  the  two  regidores  of  the 
last  Ayuntamiento  confessed  having  received  those  communica- 
tions but  that  the  then  Alcalde,  citizen  Manl.  Dominguez,  notwith* 
standing  their  requests,  could  not  be  induced  to  answer  the  same, 
for  said  reason  it  was  decided  that  he  should  be  asked  for  such 
communications  thought  to  be  in  his  possesion  that  they  may 
be  answered  as  prayed. 

With  reference  to  the  election  it  was  resolved  to  invite  the 
people  of  the  territory,  through  this  Ayuntamiento  so  that  each 
one  for  himself  in  compliance  with  the  law  for  June  12th,  1830, 
should  verify  the  primaries  being  that  this  municipality  has  the 
right  of  intervention.  That  in  case  the  Jefe  should  be  absent  from 
the  country  and  his  delay  be  so  excessive  after  verifying  the 
above  the  Ayuntamiento  of  the  Capital  take  the  proper  legal 
steps  to  carry  out  the  general  elections,  so  that  the  territory  will 
not  suffer  through  the  lack  of  representation,  by  means  of  which 
towns  are  made  happy  and  remedy  their  wants.  With  this  under- 
standing the  session  adjourned,  Regidor  Jose  Sepulveda  being 
absent  attending  to  official  duties. 

Jose  Anto.  Carrillo  (Rub),  Felipe  Lugo  (Rub),  Antonio  Ma- 
chado  (Rub)»  Tiburcio  Tapia  (Rub),  Ygnacio  Ma.  Albarado  (Rub) 
Vicente  de  la  Ossa  (Srio)  (Rub). 

SESSION  OF  JANUARY  22nd. 

Immediately  after,  the  said  president  alluded  to  the  great 
necessity  of  having  a  priest  in  this  town  to  minister  to  the  wants  of 
the  spiritual  flock  and  asked  if  the  corporation  thought  it  wise 
to  procure  the  services  of  Rev.  Alejo.  Buchelot,  by  consent  of  the 
Prelate.  It  was  the  opinion  of  the  corporation  that  this  matter 
be  considered  at  the  coming  session  when  the  question  of  his 
maintainance  as  well  as  other  subjects  might  be  discu.ssed  and 
decided.  The  meeting  then  adjourned,  there  being  present  the 
same  members  as  at  its  last  session. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read  and  approved.  The 
question  of  the  maintenance  of  a  priest  for  this  town  was  discussed 
and  unanimously  decided  by  the  corporation  that  the  entire  town 
be  summoned  and  informed  of  the  matter  on  the  first  holiday,  so 
they  may  stipulate  the  amount  of  their  contribution  to  said  main- 
tenance.    This   brought   the   atfair  to   an   end,   whereupon  the 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  LOS  ANGELES  ARCHni^S 


249 


meeting  adjourned,  the  same  members  being  present  as  at  ita 
last  meeting. 

Jose  Anto,  Carrillo  (Rub),  Felipe  Lugo  (Rub),  Antonio  Ma- 
chado  (Rub)^  Tibureio  Tapia  (Rub),  Ygnaeio  Ma,  Albarado  (Rub) 
Vicente,  de  la  Oasa. 

Indian  Raids  were  quite  common  in  those  days.  The  savages 
preferred  horses  to  cattle  beeause  horses  traveling  more  rapidly 
the  thieves  eould  more  easily  make  their  escape  with,  their  booty. 

SESSION  OF  27th  DAY  OP  FEBRUARY,  1833. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  session  were  read  and  approved.  The 
•Alcalde,  president  of  the  meeting,  made  known  that  citizen 
Pedro  Feliz,  owner  of  the  8an  Jose  Rancho*  informed  him  that  on 
the  24th  inst.  there  had  been  stolen  from  his  lands,  the  greatest 
number  of  hia  gentle  horses,  and  according  to  the  tracks  on  the 
ground,  they  were  being  conducted  toward  th**  **Tulares/*  and 
for  other  reasons  given,  he  sought  permission  to  go  in  pursuit  of 
them,  accompanied  by  four  citizens  whom  he  would  take  at  hia 
own  expense. 

The  corporation  opined  he  should  go  on  this  errand  only  to 
the  Rancho  8an  Francisco,  on  account  of  the  evident  dangers 
existing  beyond  that  place. 

Meeting  then  adjourned,  all  members  being  present. 

Jose  Antonio  ^'arillo  (Rub),  Felipe  Lugo  (Rub),  Jose  Sepul- 
veda,  Antonio  Machado  (Rub),  Tibureio  Tapia  (Rub),  Vicente 
Mjoraga. 

THE  AMERICAN  PERIOD, 

Vol  4,  page  548.  An  auction  was  held  in  the  year  1849,  at 
which  91  lots  in  the  district  bounded  by  Main,  Hill,  Third  and 
Fourth  Streets  sold  for  $6648.00.  This  property  is  now  worth 
from  one  to  ^vc  thousand  dollars  per  front  foot. 

MAY  30,  1849. 

Vol.  4,  page  572.    The  Council  convened  in  special  session  to 

consider  a  communication  from  Tomas  Talamantes,  which  stated 
that  the  Squata  Indians  of  the  Sierra  SanVicentc,  Santa  Monica 
Mountains,  are  damaging  his  ranch,  committing  barefaced  depre- 
dations, such  as  coming  up  to  his  house  and  stealing  three  horses 
that  had  been  securely  staked,  and  driving  away  some  of  his 
cattle  from  the  adjoining  pasture. 

The  Council  instructed  Messrs.  Jose  Lopez  and  Francisco  Ruia 


250 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


to  solicU  from  among  our  citizens,  arms  and  ammuDition  with, 
which  to  aid  Talamantes,  with  this  understanding  however,  that 
he  should  return  all  borrowed  arms,  and  as  much  am.munitioil 
aa  had  not  been  used  in  the  pursuit  of  the  marauders. 

June   9,   1849, 
ORD*S  SURVEY. 

Vol.  4,  page  575.  '"'In  view  of  a  note  received  from  the  supe- 
rior territorial  Government,  ordering  the  making  of  a  city  map  to 
serve  as  a  ba^s  for  granting  vacant  eity  Lots  out  of  the  unap- 
propriated lauds  belonging  to  the  muuicipalityj  Council  resolved : 

'*lat.  That  the  said  Superior  Government  be  assured  of  the 
committee's  desire  to  give  prompt  and  due  compliance  to  ats 
order,  and  to  inform  the  same  that  there  is  no  city  map  in 
existence  whereby  concessions  of  land  may  be  made,  and, 
furthermore  that  there  is  no  surveyor  in  tMs  town  who  could 
get   up   such   a  map. 

"2nd.  That  this  Honorable  body  desiring  to  have  this  done, 
requests  the  territorial  government  to  send  down  a  surveyor 
to  do  this  work,  for  which  he  will  receive  pay  out  of  the 
municipal  funds,  and  should  they  not  suffice,  by  reason  of  other 
demands  having  to  be  met^  then  he  can  be  paid  with  unap- 
propiated  lands  should  the  governraeut  give  its  consent/' 

"Tour  committee  charged  by  your  Hornorable  body  with 
the  duty  of  conferring  with  I/ieutenant  Ord,  the  surveyor  who 
is  to  get  out  a  map  of  this  city,  has  had  a  conference  with  that 
gentleman  and  he  offers  to  make  a  map  of  the  city,  demarking 
thereon  in  a  clear  and  exact  mannor,  the  boundary  lines  and 
points  of  the  municipal  lands,  for  wWch  work  he  demands  a 
compensation  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars  in  coin,  ten  lota  selected 
from  among  those  demarked  in  the  map  and  vacant  lands  to 
the  extent  of  one  thousand  varas,  in  sections  of  200  varas  each, 
and  whei^oever  he  may  choose  to  select  the  same*  or  in  case 
this  proposition  is  refused,  then  he  wants  to  be  paid  the  sum  of 
three  thousand  dollars  in  cash.  Your  committee  finds  the  first 
proposition  very  disadvantageous  to  the  city,  because  conceding 
to  the  surveyor  the  right  to  select  not  only  the  said  ten  lots, 
but  also  the  thousand  varas  of  vacant  land,  the  eity  would  de- 
pi^ve  itself  of  the  most  desirable  lauds  and  lots  which  some 
future  day  may  bring  more  than  three  thousand  dollars. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  LOS  ANGELES  ARCHIVES  251 

The  City  fimds  cannot  now  defray  this  expense,  but  should 
your  Honorable  body  deem  it  indisponsable  a  losn  of  that  amount 
may  be  negfotiated,  pledging;  the  credit  of  the  City  Council  and 
paj^ng  an  interest  of  one  per  cent  a  month;  this  loan  could 
be  repaid  with  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  the  first  lots  dis- 
posed of/' 

The  same  day  the  president  was  authorized  to  negotiate  a 
loan  of  three  thousand  dollars  and  provision  waa  made  for  the 
sale  of  lots  frnm  the  proceeds  of  which  the  Uian  waa  to  be  paid. 

On  the  19th  day  of  September  the  syndic  Juan  Temple  sub- 
mbtted  to  the  Council  the  "Finished  city  map,  as  well  as  a 
receipt  showing  that  he  had  paid  the  surveyor  the  sum  of  three 
thousand  dollarst  this  amount  being  h  loan  made  by  him  to  the 
city,  to  enable  it  to  pay  for  said  map." 

The  following  December,  41  lots  lin  the  survey  were  sol<^ 
out  of  a  total  of  60  offered,  from  which  the  Council  realized 
$2490.00^  whif^h  was  paid  to  Juan  Temple  on  account,  leaving 
a  balance  of  $510.00  in  his  favor»  which  the  Couad!  pledged  itself 
to  pay  out  of  the  proceeds  of  the  first  lots  sold  iu  the  future. 

WATEB  BONDS,  1862, 

Act  of  Legislature. 

Section  1.  The  Mayor  and  Common  Council  of  the  City  of 
Los  Angeles  arc  hereby  authorized  to  borrow  money  for  the 
purpose  of  municipal  improvements'  either  for  irrigation  or  for 
furnishing  water  for  domestic  purposes,  to  the  amount  and  in 
the  manner  hereinafter  set  forth. 

Sec.  2.  The  amount  borowed  under  the  provisions  of  this 
aet,  shall  uot  exceed  $25,000.00;  the  rate  of  linterest  shall  not 
exceed  ten  per  cent. 

ACT  OF  INCORPORATION. 

Vol.   7  of  Archives,  page  299, 

An  Act  to  incorporate  the  City  of  Los  Angeles. 

The  people  of  the  State  of  California  represented  in  Senate 
and  Assembly,  do  enaet  as  follows: 

Section  1,  All  that  tract  of  land  included  within  the  limits 
of  the  Pueblo  de  Los  Angeles,  as  heretofore  known  and  aoknowU 
edged.  shall  henceforth  be  known  as  the  City  of  Los  Angeles; 
and  the  said  City  is  hereby  declared  to  he  incorporated  accord- 
ing to  the  provisions  of  the  act,  entitled  *'An  act  to  provide 
for  tlie  incorporation  of  cities,"  approved  March  ISth,  1850: 


I 


I 


252  fflSTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 

Provided,  however,  that  if  such  limits  include  more   than 
four  square  miles,  the  Council  shall  within  three  months  after 
they  are  elected  and  qualified,  fix  by  ordinance  the  limits  of  the 
dity*  not  to  include  more  than  said  quantity  of  land,  and  the 
i,{  boundaries  so  determined  shall  henceforth  be  the  boundaries 

of  the  city. 

Sec.  2.  The  number  of  Councilmen  shall  be  seven.  The 
first  election  of  city  oflGicers  shall  be  on  the  second  Monday 
of  May  next. 

Sec.  3.  The  corporation  created  by  this  act,  shall  succeed 
to  all  the  rights,  claims  and  powers  of  the  Pueblo  de  Los 
Angeles,  in  regard  to  property  and  shall  be  subject  to  all  the 
liabilities  "incurred  and  obligations  created  by  the  Ayuntamienta 
of  said  Pueblo. 

JOHN  BIGLER, 

Speaker  of  House  of  Assembly. 
E.  KIRBY  CHAMBERLAIN, 
,i  Pre^dent  pro  tem  of  the  Senate. 

Approved  April  4th,  1850. 

PETER  H.  BURNETT, 
Governor. 


THE  OLD  HIGHWAYS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 

By  J.  M.  Guinn. 

Of  the  old  highways  thrit  k:ul  out  from  the  Pueblo  of  Loa 
Angeles  sixty  years  ago  little  remains.  Tht-  mareh  nf  improvement, 
the  sipirit  of  progress  or  some  other  iconoclast  has  transformed, 
transposed  or  obliterated  them,  so  that  but  little  is  left  to  us 
beyond  the  direetion  in  which  they  ran.  Even  the  land  marks  that 
in  the  olden  time  guided  the  traveler  on  his  way  where  the  trail 
"was  faint,  have  disappeared  or  have  been  ehanged  beyond  recog- 
nition.   These  old  caminos  were  not  like  the 

"   road  from  Winchester  town 
A  good  broad  highway  leading  down'^ 
instead   they  were   narrow   trails   on  which   the   nimble   footed 
mustang  easily  found  his  way  but  over  which  wheeled  vehicles 
seldom  ventured. 

Along  these  roads  there  were  no  milestones  to  tell  the  dis- 
tance;  no  guide  boards  to  direct  the  way;  no  bridges  aeross  the 
rivers;  no  cuts  through  hills  or  fills  of  the  gulehes.  If  a  mud 
hole  impeded,  it  was  easier  to  go  around  it  than  to  fill  it.  If  the 
winter  ra^ns  cut  a  deeper  channel  in  the  arroyo  leaving  steeper 
banks  on  the  sides  it  was  more  convenient  to  go  up  stream  or 
down  to  find  a  crossing  than  to  grade  an  incline  to  the  former  one. 
Even  in  the  narrow  canons  where  travel  must  follow  in  the  same 
beaten  track  three-quarters  of  a  century's  use  had  not  cut  down 
a  deep  road  bed  like  the  sunken  road  of  Ohain  that  was  the 
undoing  of  Napoleon  at  Waterloo, 

Under  the  rule  of  Spain  and  Mexico  In  Californ'ia  there  seems 
to  have  been  no  road  laws  enacted.  When  a  ranehero  applied  to 
the  government  for  a  grant  he  was  requested  to  file  a  map  of  the 
tract  of  the  land  asked  for.  If  there  was  a  road  crossing  the 
proposed  grant,  it  was  marked  on  the  diagram  but  as  the  maps 
■usually  were  not  drawn  to  any  scale  the  road  might  vary  miles 
from  where  it  was  delineated. 

After  the  Amerieans  possessed  themselves  of  California,  the 
old  roads  for  some  time  remained  in  the  same  condition  that  they 
had  been  under  the  domination  of  Spain  and  Mexico.  The  country 
was   too   extensive   and   population    too   sparse   to   improve   the 


254 


ITIBTORICAL  SCKUETY  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 


highways.  For  several  decades  the  aaiuea  were  not  chaaged* 
There  was  the  Camino  Real  para  San  Gabriel  y  San  Bernardino 
the  hifrhway  to  San  Gabriel  and  San  Barnardino,  The  Camino 
para  Ln  Jaboneria  appeared  on  the  eounty  maps  until  quite  a 
recent  date.  It  was  the  lower  road  to  San  Juan  Capistrano  ani 
San  Diego.  The  upper  road  was  via  La  Habra  and  Santa  Ana 
(upper)  to  San  Juan.  On  some  of  the  maps  it  was  called  El  Camino 
Viejo  (the  old  road). 

Leadinj::  out  from  the  old  pueblo  to  San  Pedro  were  two  his- 
toric roads,  one  by  the  Punta  de  La  Laguna  (point  of  the  lagoon), 
and  the  other  by  the  Hancho  Los  Cuervos.  Over  these  in  the  olden 
time  passed  the  commerce  of  Los  Angeles  and  the  contipfuoua 
country,  The  exports  were  hides  and  tallow  transported  on 
wooden  wheok'd  ox-earts.  The  imports  were  family  snppiS^es, 
dress  goods  and  Yankee  notions  that  had  come  from  Bost  >n 
around  Cape  Horn  in  hide  droghers. 

Over  the  Camino  by  the  Punta  de  La  Lagiina  sixty  years  ago, 
came  the  advance  guard  of  the  Saxon  invaders  —  Stockton's 
sailors  and  marines.  Along  its  dusty  length,  mounted  on  wooden 
wheeled  carretaa  ilrawn  by  oxen,  they  hauled  their  cannon. 
By  DO  stretch  of  the  itnagiDation  eould  Stockton's  light  ox- 
battery  be  tranRformed  into  flying  arfillery.  Louder  than  the 
■amp,  tramp,  of  the  boys  a  marching  rose  the  shrickings  and 
creakings  of  the  ungrcased  wooden  axles  of  the  earretaa. 

On  the  Camino  by  the  way  of  the  liancho  de  Los  Cuervjg, 
Mervine  and  his  men  suffered  defeat  in  the  battle  of  Dominguez 
Raucho ;  and  weary  and  worfb  bearing  their  wounded  and  dea*i 
they  retreated  to  their  ship.  They  buried  their  dead  on  the  Isla 
de  Los  Muertoa,  Isle  of  the  Dead  (now  Deadman'a  Island), 

Commerce  long  since  deserted  these  old  t-^hannels  of  trade; 
and  travel  found  means  of  easier  access  to  the  City  of  the  Angels. 
These  historic  old  roads  have  been  in  part  abandoned  and  \n 
part  changed.  Steam  lirst,  electricity  next;  and  lastly  the  real 
estate  promoter  with  his  subdivisions,  his  streets  and  avenues,  has 
so  transformed  the  landscape  that  the  oldest  inhabitant  eould  not 
now  locate  with  certainty  a  mile  of  the  former  road  bed  of  these 
old  caminos. 

As  population  increased  and  the  cattle  industry  decreased  the 
subdivision  of  the  great  rauchos  began  and  the  existence  of  the 
old  roads  and  the  old  system  of  free  and  easy  road  maldng  ended. 
The  rnads  wer^^  fenced  in  and  the  traveler  wa.s  no  lop^nr  allowed 
to  make  a  trail  where  he  pleaaed.     Cut-offs  were  made  in  the 


THE  OLD  HIGHWAYS  OF  LOS  ANGELES 


255 


roads  by  bridging  streains  and  by  filling  guJehea  that  greatly 
reduced  the  distance  between  towns  and  settlements. 

Some  forty  years  a^o  the  Stearns*  Ranchos  a  ^ueat  body  of 
land  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county  containing  nearly 
200,000  acres  was  subdivided  into  sections  and  fractional  parts  of 
sections.  Following  the  custom  in  many  western  states  reser- 
vations were  made  along  section  lines  for  roads.  As  the  land  was 
sold  and  settler:^  improved  their  hnldioffs  the  old  caminos  were 
wiped  out  of  existence  and  new  roads  made  on  section  lines. 
There  is  p^^rhaps  not  five  consecutivt*  miles  of  the  old  hitrhways  of 
the  Spanish  and  Mexieaji  eras  to  day  in  use  between  the  Los 
Angeles  and  the  Santa  Ana  river  and  the  same  is  true  to  a  greater 
OP  less  extent  throughout  the  state. 

Under  the  rule  of  Spain  and  Mexico,  as  I  have  said,  there 
aeems  to  have  been  no  laws  or  no  ordinances  passed  locating  roads 
in  California.  Use  establiished  the  rig^ht  of  way.  After  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  gained  possession,  with  his  proclivity  for  organization,  it 
was  noit-  lonp"  till  roads  were  officially  located  and  laws  and  ordi- 
nances enacted  for  their  government. 

In  the  archives  of  Los  Angeles  County  there  is  a  decree  of  the 
Court  of  Sessions  made  May  19,  1851,  »dstablishiug  Camiuos  Pub- 
lieos  or  Camiuos  Eeales  (public  hi^hwi*ys)  in  the  County  of  Los 
Angeles  whieh  then  included  all  the  territory  now  embraced  in 
the  counties  of  8a n  Bernardino  and  Orange,  and  also  parts  of 
Kern  and  Riverside  countries.  This  decree  officially  establishes 
certain  roads  between  the  missions  as  public  highways  and  where 
no  subset^ucnt  ordinance  has  changed  the  road  the  old  road  is 
still  a  camino  real  and  needs  no  lee:islation  to  establish  it.  I 
give  the  decree  in  fxdl : 

State  of  California,  County  of  Los  Angeles  in  the  Court  of 
Sessions,  May  tv*rm  A,  D.  1651  (May  19).  Ordered  that  the  foK 
lowing  are  declared  to  be  public  highways  within  thia  county 
as  heretofore  ordered  by  this  court,  to-wit : 

Santa  Barbara  Road.  (Caiuiijo  para  Hanta  Barbara)^From 
Los  Angeles  to  Cahuenga,  from  Cahuenga  to  Encino,  from  Encino 
to  Las  V^rgenea.  from  Las  Virgenes  to  Triumfo. 

Tulare  Road  to  the  Mines  by  the  Tulares  and  to  Santa  Barbara 
(Camino  para  Las  Minaa  por  I.os  Tulares  y  para  Santa  Barbara.) 
By  Cahuenga  or  Verdugo  to  San  Fernando;  from  San  Fernando  to 
the  Rancho  of  San  Francisco;  from  San  Francisco  to  the  Canada  of 
Alamos;  from  the  Canada  of  Alamos  to  Habbit  Lake;  from  Rabbit 
Lake  to  Tejon. 


posed  the  Court  of  Sessions  (the  county  judge  aod  two  justices  of 
the  peace)  had  never  heard  of  the  so-called  King^s  highway,  yet 
th^y  had  been  in  the  country  before  the  secularization  of  the 
missions,  and  some  of  them  were  born  while  Mexico  was  under 
the  rule  of  a  king. 

The  San  Bernardino  and  Sonora  Road  named  in  the  decree 
was  also  known  as  El  Camino  Real  de  San  Gabriel  y  San  Bernar- 
dino^the  road  to  San  Gabriel  and  San  Bernardino.  It  is  traced 
on  the  old  maps  of  the  ranchos  through  which  it  passed*  It  forms 
the  south  boundary  of  the  Azusa  rancho,  passes  through  the  San 
Jose  and  marks  the  boundary  line  between  the  ranchos  Cueo- 
mongo  and  del  Chino  and  on  to  San  Bernardino  and  Souora, 

This  old  Camino  Real  that  leads  out  from  the  pueblo  of  Augelea 
to  the  Mission  of  San  Gabriel  to  the  hill  of  spouting  water,  to 
Ague.  Manza,  to  the  Land  of  ApoHtan,  through  th^  Pass  of  San 
Gorgonia,  across  the  desert  of  Colorado  and  on  to  Tubac  in  So- 
nora  Hs  the  only  one  that  baa  any  claim  to  be  called  a  King's 
Highway.  Thirty  thousand  dollars  were  appropriated  from  the 
royal  treasury  to  pay  the  espenses  of  Captain  Aniia's  exploring 
expedition  wh»an  in  1774  he  opened  up  this  route  for  travel. 
Over  it,  in  1775,  Anza  lead  the  first  immigrants  who  came  to 
California — a  band  of  240  men.  women,  and  children  bringing 
with  them  more  than  a  thousand  domestic  animals.  These 
pobladores  were  the  advance  guard  of  civilization.  They  built 
the  presidio  of  San  Francisco  and  founded  San  Jose  the  first 
eolony  in  California.  (A  portion  of  this  road  stretching  from 
Tuma  to  San  Domingo  on  the  border  of  Sonora  was  named  by 
the  Spanish  Pioneers  Camino  del  Diablo  and  today  retains  its 
evil  name  Devirs  Highway.  There  is  hardly  a  mile  of  its  two 
hundred  that  is  not  marked  by  one  or  more  cross-shaped  stone 
heaps  raised  over  the  grave  of  victims  who  died  of  desert  thirst.) 

Over  this  Camino  Real  came  eitiTjen,  soldier  and  priest. 
Across  its  desert  stretches  went  Rivera  and  his  fated  band  to 
their  death,  when  the  fierce  Yumas  sacked  the  misaiona  on  the 
Colorado.  Along  its  dreary  length  rode  Amador,  Santa  Ana's 
flying  courier^  with  a  message  that  saved  the  mission  from  the 
clutches  of  Hijar  and  Padres.  Through  its  mountain  passes  and 
over  its  desert  sands  fled  Castro  and  his  adherents  from  the 
American  invaders  who  had  dispossessed  them  of  the  land  of  their 
birth.  Over  it  came  the  vanguard  of  the  Argonauts— ^tbe  evan- 
gels of  a  stnanuous  life — the  harbingers  of  a  new  era  for  Califor- 
nia, the  most  romantic,  the  most  poetic,  the  grandest  and  most 
glorious  in  her  history. 


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