I m^iJ. ^ ,y
(the new YORK
'PUBLIC- LIBRARY
a8t0h, l^nox and tilĀ»e;j founbat(on8.
_^ .^
HISTORY
-OF-
Santa Clara County, California;
INCLUDING ITS
Geopapliy, Geoloe, Topoirapliy, Climatopply M Descriptloi,
TOGETHKK WITH
A Record of the Mexican Grants; Its Mines and Natural Springs ; The Early History and Settlements, Compiled FROM THE Most Authentic Sources ; The Names of Original Spanish and American Pioneers ; Full Legislative History of the County ; Sepa- rate Histories of Each Township, Showing the Advance in Popu- lation AND Agriculture.
ALSO
INC/DENTS OF PUBLIC LIFE; THE MEXICAN WAR; AND BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND
REPRESENTATIVE MEN ;
AND OF ITS
Cities, Towns, Clmrclies, Colleges, Secret Societies. Etc., Etc.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO:
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO, PUBLISHERS.
1881.
^"^LIC library:
'^'-7
ENTrRED ACrOEBING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, TN THE TEAR 1881, BY AlLEY, BoWEN & Co.,
rs THE Ofeipe of the Lrp.RARiAK OF Congress, at Washington, D. C.
PACIFIC PRESS, PRIMTBRH, HTKREOTTPKRS AND BIKDBRS, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.
PREFACE.
The History of Santa Clara County was undertaken now nearly a twelve- month since ; the result of our labors will be found in the following pages. We claim no literary merit for our work. Our aim is to please the majority by presenting a volume, wherein will be found in convenient shape the prin- cipal events that have transpired within the county limits.
To the old settler, to the pioneer citizen, the events recorded in these pages, many of them in which he has figured, and which have been gradually and surely fading from the mind, will be as a revival of by-gone associations. The emulation of the sire will be revived in the son. The ground that he rescued from the wilderness will be made holy, while the infant will be taught to look with reverence upon the book which holds the annals of his parent's wanderings, and the rise and progress of his native county.
Unhappily many matters that should have found a place in this volume, and several biographies have been omitted, this not through any dereliction on our part; on the contrary, every effort has been made to make the work as complete as might be.
In conclusion we have to thank the residents of the county for their almost uniform kindness in imparting information, while our acknowledgements are due to "Hall's History of San Jose;" Hon. J. J. Owen, of the San Jose Mercury; F. B. Murdoch Esq.; Givens George, Esq.; S. W. DoLacy, of the Daily Morning Times; the publisher of the Daily Herald; and last though not least, A. P. Murgotten of The Pioneer. To the County and City Officers, one and all, we owe a deep debt for valuable assistance in unraveling the archives of the two governments, while, especially are our thanks offered to Horace S, Foote, for the important data embodied in our list of oounty and township officers.
J. P. Munro-Fraser,
Hisfonan. ALLEY, BOWEN &; CO. San Francisco, August, 1881.
INDEX.
GENERAL HISTORY.
Geographical Situation and Area 17
Derivation of Name , 17
Population 18
Geology and Mineralogy 18
Topography 20
Soil and Productions 22
Artesian Wells 23
Climatography 25
The Thermal Belt 27
Mean Temperature . - - 28
Rain-fall 28
General Remarks 28
Earthquakes 29
Descriptive 30
Mines and Springs 32
The New Almaden Mine 32
The Enriquita Mine 37
The Pacific Congress Springs 39
The Madrone Springs 40
The Gilroy Hot Springs 41
Mill's Seltzer Springs 43
Early History and Settle- ment 44
The Mexican War 105
The Legislative History ... 127 The Organization of the
County 127
Original County Boundary.. 129
Court of Sessions 129
Original Township Bounda- ries 130
Washington
San Jose
Gilroy
Santa Clara
Redwood
Board of Supervisors
Present County Boundary. . . Present Township Bound- aries -
Fremont
Redwood
Gilroy
Burnett -
Milpitas
Alviso
Santa Clara
New Almaden
San Jose
School Districts
Election Distincts
Road Districts -
Court of Sessions and Board
of Supervisors
Post-Offices
County Buildings
Court House
County Jail
County Infirmary
The Political History of the
County
Mexican Government
130 130 131 131 131 131 131
132 132 133 133 134 134 135 135 135 130 137 137 138
130 140 141 141 14(1 147
WJ 149
Vi INDEX.
Military Government 150
Constitutional Convention 151
San Jose made State CajMtal- 151 Members of First Legislature 153
Senators 153
Assemblymen 154
Governor Brunett Assumes
Office 155
State Capital Eemoved 155
Judicial Districts 158
County Court. .- 158
Conventions - 170
County Vote 172
Mexican Grants 174
liincofiada del Arroyo de
San Francisquito 174
LasUvas 176
La Polka.. 176
San Antonio 177
liincofiada de los Gatos 178
Los Choches 179
La Purisima, Concepcion 179
Solis 180
Las Animas 180
Santa Teresa 182
Quito 183
Los Capitancillos 184
'ā¢ James Enright" 188
ā ' Mary S. Bennett" 190
Mafiada de Corte Madera 192
Santa Clara Orchard... 194, 200
List of Land Claims 210-218
Homicides 219
Mrs. Fielding Wills 219
Alex. W. McClure 220
Louis Lemercier 220
Lynching of Kelley 221
A ugustin C. Hall 221
Chilenian (name unknown).. 221 Francisco Peralta alias Don
Pancho 222
Pedro Arevena 222
Dolores Araya . - - 223
Jose Galindo 223
Mexican (name unknown) ā 223
Mrs. Olive Knapp 224
Louis Pvelgalado 224
Francisco Berreyessa 224
Jose (a Mexican) - 224
Paul C. Shore 224
Samuel J. Crosby. - 225
L. Posey Fergusson 225
Francisco Hernandez 226
Eafael Ortez 226
William Blanch 262
John Bee 226
Samuel Philips 227
Mrs. Kelley 227
Pedro (a Spaniard) 227
Martin J. Eoohan 228
Peter Yeuve 230
Jose Morio de Polycarp 231
Joseph Henman 231
John Churchill 231
James Saxton 231
James Santina 231
Van Cleave 231
The People vs. Ah Pah 232
Osaque 232
Charles Cheeny 232
Joseph Pelligrini 232
Juan Jose Podriguez 232
Bernada Zunaga 232
The People vs. Edwards 232
Hendricks 232
Jose (at Mountain View) 233
INDEX.
VU
Thomas Walker 233
David Patton 233
William Cooper 234
Harry Love.. 235
Mrs. John Huser 236
Beckwith Kelley 237
Chinaman on Coo's Ranch. . . 237
Taylor Hale 237
Arthur Parsons 238
People vs. George Rashton . . 238
Pottet.. 238
Conratera 239
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES.
Almaden Township 240
Geography 240
Topography 240
Soil 240
Products 240
Timber 240
Climate 240
Early Settlement 240
Goodi'ich's Free-stone Quarry 242
Alviso Township 244
Geography 244
Topography 244
Soil 244
Products 244
Climate 244
Early Settlement 244
Alviso _ 248
Alviso Lodge, No. 77, A. O. U. W 251
Alviso Mills... 252
Burnett Township 253
Geography 253
Topography 253
' Soil.. 253
Products 253
Timber 253
Climate 253
Early Settlement 253
Tennant's Station 254
Fremont Township
Geography
Topography _ ^
Soil
Products
Timber
Climate
Early Settlement
Mountain View
Mountain View Lodge, No
244, I. O. O. P..._
Mountain View House
Enterprise Hall
Mountain View Station
M .E. Church, South
Mountain View Lodge, No.
194, F. and A.M
Mountain View Lodge, No.
59, A. O. U. W. .... Golden Wreath Lodge, No.
327, L O. G.T
Mountain View Hotel
Warehouses
Mayfield
Mayfield Lodge, No. 192, L O. O. F
255 , 255 255 255 255 255 255 256 262
263 263 263 263 264
264
._ 265
265 266 266 266
269
Vm INDEX.
Lumber Yard 269
Mayfield Eailroad Brewery 270
GiLROY Township 271
Geography 271
Topography 271
Streams... ....' 271
Climate 271
Soil 271
Products 272
Timber.... 272
Early Settlement ^ 272
San Ysidro or Old Gilroy.. 278
GiLROY 279
M. E. Church, South 291
St. Mary's Catholic Church 292
Christian Church 293
M. E. Church 293
Presbyterian Church 293
Prot'st'nt Episcopal Church 294
Gilroy nigh School 295
Keith Lodge, No. 187, F. &
A. M 299
Gilroy Lodge, No. 154, I.
0.0. F. 300
Gilroy Lodge, No. 26, A. 0.
U. W 300
Gilroy Fire Department... 300
Gilroy Water Company 301
Gilroy Gas Company 301
Gilroy Cheese Factory 301
Gilroy Brewery 301
Bodfish Mills 301
Gilroy Planing Mills 302
Santa Clara Valley Mills.. 302 Gilroy Wagon and Black- smith Shop 302
Williams Hotel 302
Eailroad House 303
Gilroy Advocate 303
San Felipe 303
San Felipe Hotel 303
San Felipe Cigar Factory . . 303
MiLPiTAs Township 304
Geography 304
Topography . . 304
Soil 304
Products - 304
Timber 304
Climate 304
Early Settlement 304
MiLPITAS 306
Eedwood Township 307
Geography _ _ 307
Topography 307
Soil.. 307
Products 307
Timber 307
Climate 307
Early Settlement 308
Los Gatos 310
Los Gatos Lodge, No. 76,
A.O. U. W 312
Victoria Lodge, No. 328, I.
O. G. T 312
Los Gatos Flouring-Mill . . 313
Lyndon Hall 313
Los Gatos Hotel 313
Davis & Crowell Lime
Quarry 314
Eemillard Lime Quarry 314
Saratoga 314
Saratoga Paper-Mill 3l5
Caledonia Pasteboard-Mills 315
Lexington 316
Alma 316
Wright's Station 316
San Jose Township and City. . 317
Original Plat of Pueblo 320
First Presbyterian Church. . 464
M. E. Church 481
M. E. Church, South 452
Trinity Church (Ej^iscopal) . 484
First U. P. Church 485
First Congregational Church 485
German M. E. Church 486
Society of Friends 487
College of Notre Dame 487
State Normal School 493
San Jose Lodge, No. 10, F &
A. M 495
Garden City Lodge, No. 142,
LO. O. F 495
Stella Eebekah Lodge, No.
22, L 0. O. F ..496
Grange Lodge, No. 295, 1. O.
G. T 497
Allemania Lodge, No. 178, I.
O.O.F 497
Mt. Hamilton Lodge, No. 43
A. O. U. W 497
San Jose Stamn, No. 77, U.
O.E.M 498
Phil Sheridan Post, No. 7, G.
A. R 498
Harmony Lodge, No. 4 (Sons
of Hermann) 499
San Jose Turn-Yerein 499
San Jose German Yerein 499
Handel & Haydn Society 500
S. C. Y. Agricultural Society 500 Santa Clara County Pioneers 510
Bank of San Jose... 514
First National Bank... 515
INDEX. ix
Flour-Mills 516
Moody's Mills 516
Yineyard Mills 516
Foundries 516
San Jose Foundry 516
Joseph Enright's Engine
Works 517
F. Kuchenbeiser's Works. . 517 San Jose Brass Foundry.. 518
Alameda Foundry 518
Manufacturies 518
Pioneer Carriage Manufac- tory 518
Pacific Carriage Factory.. 518 Alameda Carriage Factory 519 Globe Carriage Factory... 519 Albert Lake Box Factory. 519
San Jose Box Factory 519
Eagle Coffee and Spice Mills 519 Santa Clara Yalley Mill and Lumber Co 520
Independent Mill and Lum- ber Co 520
Sierra Lumber Co 521
California Broom Factory. 521 Angora Eobe and Glove Co. 521 California Glove Factory . . 521 Soda Works of Williams
Bros 522
Eagle Brewery 522
Krumb's Brewery. 522
Lion Brewery 523
Fredericksburg Brewery.. 523 Tannery of Grozelier &
Nelson. 524
Soap Manufactory of Carl
Tischer 524
I San J ose Woolen-Mill 524
|
INDEX. |
||
|
Fruit Canning and Packing |
||
|
Establishments- |
528 |
|
|
Porter Brothers |
528 |
|
|
San Jose Fruit Packing Co. |
528 |
|
|
Golden Gate Packing Co... |
529 |
|
|
California Fruit Packing |
||
|
Co - |
529 |
|
|
Non-Commercial Corpora- |
^ |
|
|
tions |
529 |
|
|
San Jose Gas Co |
530 |
|
|
San Jose and Santa Clara |
||
|
Horse R. E. Co.!.. |
531 |
|
|
Market Street and Willow |
||
|
Glen R. R. Co |
531 |
|
|
Peoples R.E. Co |
532 |
|
|
North Side R. R. Co |
532 |
|
|
Bay and Coast Telegraph |
||
|
Co |
532 532 |
|
|
Markets |
||
|
City Market |
532 |
|
|
Central Market |
533 |
|
|
Theaters, Halls, etc |
533 |
|
|
San Jose Opera House |
533 |
|
|
California Theater |
533 |
|
|
Music Hall |
534 |
|
|
San Jose Water Co |
534 |
Live-Oak Yineyard 535
Newspapers - 536
The Pioneer 536
Daily Morning Times 536
San Jose Mercury - 537
Daily Herald - 538
Santa Clara Township 539
Geography 539
Topography - 539
Soil 539
Products . - - - 539
Timber 539
Climate 539
Early Settlement 539
Santa Clara College 547
Santa Clara Feed-Mill 550
Pacific Manufacturing Co 550
Santa Clara Tannery 550
Santa Clara City Flouring-
Mills 551
Santa Clara Brewery 551
Davies Machine Shop 551
Bank of Santa Clara County. 552
Santa Clara Verein 552
" Meridian." 552
BIOGRAPHIES.
Allen. Professor Charles H 681
Ammen, Robert S 682
Anderson, Philip 682
Anderson, Robert 683
Angncy, W. Z. (Deceased) 592
Anson, George 593
A uzerais, John L 683
Awbrey , Joseph 683
Ayer, Samuel F 641
Babb, Silas G 593
Bailey, Boanerges P 555
Bailey, Doctor B 577
Baker, Senator George F 684
Baker, Rev. G. R. (Deceased) . 684
Balbach, John 752
Ballard, John H 569
Barker, Samuel A 685
Barnes, Thatcher F.. 562
Barron, Edward 577
Barry, John 754
Barry, Tom C 754
Beach, Tyler 686
Beauchamp, Wm. W 594
Bclden, Hon. David 686
Bennett, Col. A. G 687
Bennett George E 594
Beverley, Frank P 578
Billings, James M 657
Billings, John E 657
Bishop, S. A.. - 687
Black, J. C- 692
Blake, F. W 595
Blanch, Charles 569
Bly the, Samuel A 693
Boulware, John W 578
Bovrer, Wilson S - 642
Boyce, David S 642
Braly, Eev. John E. (Deceased) 658
Branham, Isaac 755
Brannan, William 595
Brewer, Daniel G 570
Briggs, Hon. H. W 596
Briggs, John G 562
Brock, E. E. (Deceased) 597
Brown, A. M., M. D., Jacob N. 755
Brj-ant, M. D., B 597
Biibb, Benjamin T 579
Bubb, William H. - 579
Burchell, John 598
Burns, John D 599
Cahalan, Michael (Deceased) .. 693
Cahalan, M. M 694
Campbell, James H 694
Carling, Edward 571
Carrick, John 643
Carter, John S - 756
INDEX. XI
Casey, Lewis C 555
Chappell, Alfred 599
Chew, Alfred 694
Chipman, Lemuel J 695
Clark, Charles 643
Clark, Philander 644
Clark, S. A 695
Clayton, James A 696
Cole, Amos G - - 599
Corcoran, Martin 696
Cornth wait, James H 703
Cory, A. M., M. D., Andrew J. 704
Cory, M. D., Benjamin 704
Cottle, John A 600
Cottle, Eoyal 705
Covey, F. W -- 579
Crews, Caleb B 600
Culp, J. D.... -- 601
Daniel, Eev. John (Deceased) . 706
Darling, E. W - - 644
Daves, John E --- 751
Davies, E. H 658
Davis, Col. Peter J. (Deceased) 659
Davis, Schuyler B - - - 660
De Lacy, Stephen W 707
Delmas, D. M - - - 707
Dexter, Albert, 601
Dibble, John H - - 660
Doan, Jacob ā 602
Donavan, E. B - 661
Donnelly, Peter 603
Dornberger, Lambert - 579
Dowdy, John 603
Doyle, Peter H 752
Dreischmeyer, Henry 603
Dryden, David A 604
Duchesneau, John C 580
Dudley, Dr. J. P 757
xn
INDEX.
Duncan, Joseph H 604
Duiu), Capt. Frank... 6G1
Easton, George 605
Kberhard, Jacob 662
Eckhart, Charles F 605
Edwards, Henry W 708
Edwards, Nathan li 757
Eigelberry, John (Deceased) . . 605
Elrod, N. S 750
Emhiy, E 606
Empey, AV. E ^. 758
Erkson, Alex. C 709
Erkson, Hon. William 758
Eustice, George . . 751
Fairfield, Hiram 759
Farley, M. D., Charles K 606
Farman, Truman 607
Farmer, F. E 662
Ferguson, Asa (Deceased) 607
Fine, Spencer P 609
Finger, Otto 663
Fisher, F 572
Fisher, Thomas 571
Fisher, Capt. Wm. (Deceased) . 571
Fitzgerald, James 609
Fitzgerald, John S 609
Fitzgerald, Thomas 555
Fitzgerald, Patrick 610
Fitzgerald, William 610
Foss, Wm. F. F 580
Fowler, N. C 572
Fox, Bernard S. (Deceased) ... 711
Franck, Hon. F. C 663
Francois, Charles 610
Frink, Hon. Daniel 581
Frost, Erwin, Jr 572
Furlong, W. N 610
Gallager, Andrew T ()64:
Givens, George 781
Gladewitz, Christian D 712
Green, William H... 712
Greenawalt, David 712
Goldsworthy, John 648
Goodrich, Levi 759
Goodrich, Sarah L. Knox 767
Gruwell, Laban H 611
Habich, August 664
Ham, Capt. E. K. 665
Hanna, Hon. Wm 612
Hardy, William Benjamin 712
Hargis, Walter F 665
Hartshorn, Wm 612
Hays, Wilson 714
Herold, Adam 613
Hellyer, G. W 760
Hoag, Delevan - 582
Hobin, Martin 572
Hodges, P. C 613
Hogan, Michael 714
Holland, Fredk. T 714
Holsclaw, Milton T 613
Houghton, Hon. S. O 760
HuflP, James A 582
Hunter, A. B 666
Hunter, M. E 615
Hutchinson, Eobert 562
Hutton, Henry 649
Jamison, Hon. Samuel I 666
Jeffries, James 556
J effries, John (Deceased) 556
Johnston, John 716
Jones, Aaron (Deceased) 716
Jones, Hon. Cyrus 715
Jones, Hugh S 615
Karr, John 566
Kent, Delos G 716
INDEX.
Xlll
Kenyon, James M
Kickham, Thomas
Kirby, John C - - -
Knox, M. D., William J
Krum b, L
Laederick, John J. (Deceased)
Lagarde, A
La Pierre, Geo. W -
Lauck, George
Leddy, James. --
Lendrum, George - -
Little, Horace
Lotz, Joseph A
Lovell, L-a J
Lyndon, John W
Lynham, Silas P
Margot, Henry D
Martin, Calvin (Deceased)
Martin, Julius
Mason, John F
Mayer, Bernard.
Mercier, Jules
Messersmith, John
Messersmith, John G - - .
Messing, H
Mills, Luther E
Morey, M. D., H. C
Morrill, John C - - -
Moore, Samuel T
Morris, J. C
Morrison, Samuel
Morrison, William. . -
Munson, M. D., Clinton
Murdoch, Francis B
Murgotten, Alex. P - - -
Murphy, Hon. B. D -
Murphy, James
Murphy, John
GG7
616
573
765
769
668
716
582
668
717
718
769
718
650
650
719
583
719
616
651
584
584
652
668
770
669
618
719
618
720
669
670
573
721
721
723
723
618
Murphy, Sr., Martin (Deceased)
Murphy, Jr., Martin
McCarty, John -
McCleary, Henry
McComas, Hon. Eush
McCoy, Eeuben - -
McKisiek, Judge Lewis D
McNeil, Albert B. --
Neel, David H
Niggle, George
Ogan, J. M --
Oliver, A. W
Ortley, John J
Otto, John G
Ousley, S. M. (Deceased)
Owen , Hon. J. J
Owen, Jehial M.
O'Banion, Wm. F
Page, Eobert
Page, William
Paige, Elgin W -
Paine, John..
Parker, Major L. F
Parkhurst, Walter A -
Parr, Charles
Parr, Charles H. (Deceased) . .
Parr, Edward N
Parr, Jonathan (Deceased) .. . Paul, William -
Payne, Judge D. S
Peckham, Judge E. F
Peebels, Cary
Phegley, James F
Pieper, John H - -
Pitman, Andrew J -
Pogue, Thomas
Pomeroy, Hiram - -
Pullan, Hannibal
724
791
726
584
670
652
726
728
620
621
729
621
566
622
622
729
574
730
730
584
731
622
557
732
557
653
654
653
585
732
770 671 623 733 585 566 644 677
XIV
INDEX.
Purd)', Theodore V. 734
Purinton, Byron 734
Pyle, Darius M 624
Quinn, William 735
Rankin, B. P 735
Eea, Samuel 624
Rea, Thomas 624
Reeve, Henry 625
Regan, Patrick - . 626
Reither, Jacob - - - 626
Richards, Wm. A ^ 736
Riddle, James L - . 587
Riehl, A - 626
Riggs, Zadoc A ... 559
Roberts, John J - 654
Rock, John 736
Rogers, F. S 627
Rogers, Wm. H... 655
Rucker, J. E 780
Russell, John H 780
Sargent, Hon. J. P 628
Satterwhite, Thos. D 628
Saunders, Simon 587
Saxe, Heman A 737
Scheller, Jacob 574
Schofield, Christoph 559
Scott, Thomas 5G7
Seaman, George 629
Seanor, George 751
Shore, Gilbert E _ā¢...._ 588
Singleton, James _ 737
Sinnott, John 645
Smith, Francis J 738
Snell, Thomas E _ 738
Snow, James 739
Sontheimer, John J 740
Spencer, Judge F. E 740
Spring, T. W 740
Springer, Elias F 588
Springer, J. P. (Deceased) 741
Stanley, M.O 588
Statler, John A 678
Stevens, Orvis 574
Swift, E - 629
Taber, Orrin 741
Tarleton, George W 742
Taylor, S. P. (Deceased) 588
Tennant, F. W 742
Tennant, John 743
Tennant, William 575
Thomas, Judge C. G 743
Thomas, Massey 630
Thomas, Hon. T. R 631
Thomson, Robert 743
Thornton, David . 631
Tisdale, Wm. D 744
Topham, Edward 751
Tourtillott, L. L. (Deceased) . . 576
Tremoureaux, Francois 560
Trimble, John 744
Trombly, Peter A 632
Trueman, Marcus 745
Tryon, A. B 632
Tully, Pleasant B 633
Umbarger, Austin F 745
Yan Doren, Isaac N 745
Van Pelt, Daniel 746
Van Reed, James H 589
Vestal, Asa 747
Wagstaff, Geo. T 589
Wallis, Hon. Joseph S 500
W allitz, Frederick 634
Walker, Robert 655
Walsh, Robert 645
Warburton, M. D., H. H 679
Ware, Wm. H 560
INDEX.
XV
Watson, Alexander - 634
Weisshaar, Fred. W 590
Welch, George 747
Weller, Abraham 645
Weller, Joseph E 646
Wells, Dudley - 647
Wentz, Hon. Christian 634
Whitehurst, L. A 635
Wilber,J.M 750
Wilcox, Chas. F 749
Wilcox, Harvey 656
Willson, Albert 635
Willson, Horace 636
Wilmarth, Peter B 637
Wilson, G. W 576
Wolsey, J. S 637
Wood, David 637
Wood, Uriah 638
Woodhams, Joseph 679
Worthington, Chas. H 680
Wright, John A 591
Young, C. W 750
Young, Edward 561
Zuck, David. 639
Zuck, Hon . James C 640
|
Addenda |
750 |
||||
|
Table of County and Township Officers |
783 |
||||
|
PORTRAITS. |
|||||
|
Murphy, Martin... |
Frontispiece |
Frink, Daniel, Facing Page 256 |
|||
|
Houghton, S. 0., Facing Page 32 |
Little, Horace, |
H ( |
272 |
||
|
Knox, VVm. J., ' |
48 |
Jones, H. S., |
a ( |
288 |
|
|
Thomas, T. E., ' |
64 |
Branham, Isaac, |
a ( |
304 |
|
|
Peckhara, E. F., ' |
80 |
Dexter, Albert, |
U ( |
' 320 |
|
|
Baker, G. E., ' |
96 |
Warburton, H. H. |
(( ( |
336 |
|
|
Barron, Edward, ' |
112 |
Knox-Goodrich, Sarah L., ' |
352 |
||
|
Eea, Thomas, ' |
128 |
De Lacy, S. W., |
368 |
||
|
Ayer, S. F., |
144 |
Parr, Jonathan, |
384 |
||
|
Owen, J. J., ' |
160 |
Snell, T. E., |
'' 400 |
||
|
Sargent, J. P., ' |
176 |
Cottle, Eoyal, |
416 |
||
|
Jamison, S. I., ' |
192 |
Cahalan, Michael |
432 |
||
|
Delmas, D. M., ' |
208 |
Hunter, A. B., |
448 |
||
|
Thomas, Massey, ' |
224 |
Boulware, J. W., |
464 |
||
|
Cory, Benjamin, ' |
240 |
Dudley, J. P., |
480 |
XVI
Walker, Uobert, Facing Page Angney, W. Z., Brewer, D. G., "
Weller, J. E., Tennant, William, "
INDEX.
|
age |
496 |
|
a |
512 |
|
i( |
544 |
|
u |
576 |
|
a |
608 |
Baker, George F., Facing Page 640
Trimble, John, " " 672
Murgotten,Alex.P." " 704
Dibble, John H. " " 736
Worthington, C. H." " 768
(g>^ >, (^ ^ ^ft
STOI[Y OF SANT/ CLARjl COUNTY, C/LIFORNIA.
GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION AND AREA ā DERIVATION OF NAME ā POPULATION ā GEOLOGY AND MIN- ERALOGY TOPOGRAPHY ā SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS ARTESIAN WELLS ā CLEVIATOGRAPHY ā THE
THERMAL BELT ā MEAN TEMPERATURE ā RAINFALL ā GENERAL REMARKS EARTHQUAKES
DESCRIPTPVE.
Santa Clara County is bounded on the north by Alameda county, and a portion of the Bay of San Francisco; on the east by Stanislaus and Mer- ced counties; on the south by San Benito county; and on the west by Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties. Its average length from north to south is thirty -five miles; its breadth from west to east, thirty miles; while it comprises about seven hundred thousand acres, or nearly one thousand and fifty square miles.
The immense advantages of location, which the county possesses, may be at once observed on reference to a map of the State. It embraces all of the various lands suitable for the production of fruits, cereals or vegetables, or the raising of stock and timber. Within its boundaries there is little, if any, waste ground, while its poorest and roughest would compare well with what would be considered good farming land in some of the States on the Atlantic coast. Through its center runs that beautiful vale, marvelous in its fer- tility, which is the namesake of the county; on the west the Coast Range protects it from the bitter winds that cross the ocean; to the east a wall of high mountains bars the keen zephyrs from off the Sierra's snow; while the head of San Francisco's glorious bay skirts a portion of its northern extrem- ity, where navigable sloughs and creeks intersect its shores, and penetrate to a considerable distance inland.
Derivation of Name. ā The origin of the name which this county bears is thus described in a report made to the Senate under date April 16, 1850, by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, then the Senator from the District of Sonoma, entitled, "Report of Mr. Vallejo, on the Derivation and Definition of the Names of the several Counties of California." In that report, unequalled in its style, and in the amount of information crowded into a small compass, he says of Santa Clara: "According to the Roman 2
18
HISTORY OF SANTA CLAEA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Book of Martyrs, or Martyrology, as Hortalana, the pious mother of Santa Clara, was once kneeling before a crucifix, praying earnestly that, being with child, she might be happily delivered, she heard a voice whispering, 'Fear not, woman, thou shalt safely bring forth;' whereupon a brilliant light suddenly illumined the place, and the mother, inspired by the myste- rious prediction, baptized her child Clara, which is the feminine of clear, or bright. ā¢ Clara was afterwards sanctified, on account of her many eminent virtues, and accordingly venerated by the Catholics in all Roman Catholic churches.
The Mission of Santa Clara, from which the county derives its name, was founded on the twelfth day of January, 1777."
ā Ā»
POPULATION.
California
SjVKTA CLARA COUNTY.
Almaden Township
Alviso Township
Burnett Township
Fremont Township
Gilroy Township
Gilroy, town
Milpitas Township
Redwood Township
San Jos6 Township
San Jos^, city
Santa Clara Township
Santa Clara, town
Total
1860. 379,994
744
831
220
1,085
1,206
686 4,579
2,559
11,912
1870. 560,247
1,647
588
802
2,018
1,570
1,625
565
1,353
3,420
9,089
3,469
26,246
1880. 865,747
2,412
540 2,160 1,630 1,675 1,508 2,244 5,541 12,615 2,372 2,416
35,113
In 1862, Milpitas was formed out of Alviso township. In 1880, the cen- sus of the two townships was returned in one report, and is credited in the above table to Milpitas.
The total given for 18G0 is greater by two than is shown by the footings, but it is in accordance with the official returns.
Geology and Mineralogy. ā This subject is one of vast importance to Santa Clara county, and requires a more elaborate dissertation than that which we can give it. Our task will be to present simply a general geolog- ical and mineralogical glance of the more prominent parts of Santa Clara. Commencing with the eastern hills, therefore, we find that they consist of a center of metamorphic cretaceous rocks, flanked by an enormous thickness of unaltered cretaceous strata, the latter consisting of sandstones, with inter-stratified shales. A coarse conglomerate, the boulders in which are metamorphic rock, diflTering from that comprising the main mass of the m ountains, occurs on the outer margin of the hills, towards the San Joaquin plain.
GEOGRAPHY, NAME, POPULATION, TOPOGRAPHY, ETC. 19
The unaltered cretaceous and tertiary strata flank the entire range on the eastern side, as far north as its junction with the Sierra Nevada. The absence of the tertiary is marked by the precipitous nature of the range where it joins the plains, as opposed to the low-rolling hills where the ter- tiary overlies the cretaceous.
Along the eastern flank, the tertiary, as far as known, i-ests conformably upon the cretaceous. The metamorphic rocks have the same general char- acter, being marked by jaspers, 'serpentine, and, occasionally, mica slate. Their limits are well indicated by the growth of forest trees, which is very meager upon the hills made up of unaltered strata, they being generally very dry and barren.
The summit of Pacheco's Peak, a little south of east of the town of Gilroy, as well as those of other and higher peaks, in a line crossing the range obliquely to the south-east, are of trachyte. This is the first known occur- rence of eruptive rock in the main Mount Diablo range south of Suisun bay.
The tertiary is more extensively developed on the western than on the eastern side of the Mount Diablo rancre toward the north. The hills bor-
o
dering the San Jose valley on the east belong to this period, and are from one thousand to twelve hundred feet in elevation. The rocks are highly altered in places. A tertiary ridge extends to the north-west, separating San Jos^ and Calaveras valleys.
The geology of the belt of elevated land between the San Jose valley, the Bay of San Francisco and the ocean, is rendered somewhat complicated by the intrusion of granitic rocks among the unaltered cretaceous and tertiary strata of which these hills are chiefly formed. Besides this geological form- ation, rocks similar in lithological character to those of the Mount Diablo range are found. Fossils sparingly occur. A metamorphic belt extends from Redwood City, San Mateo county, to the south-east a distance of about forty miles, forming the eastern edge of the range and the summit of Mount Bache, three thousand seven hundred and eighty feet in height, and of other high points. Limestone in detached masses, occurs at several places through- out this belt ; evidences of what was once, in all probability, a complete lime- stone belt, are found at various places, from the summit of Black mountain, back of Mountain View, to as far south as the New Almaden Mines, which lie in a ridge north-west of that formed by the metamorphic mass of Mounts Bache, Chaoual, and others. It is to be seen on Los Gatos creek, dipping to the north-east, and is less altered thei-e than at other places where it is hard and compact, though not crystalline.
By far the most interesting and important feature of the range under consideration, is the occurrence of the extensive deposits of cinnabar in the metamorphic cretaceous rocks at the New Almaden Mines, a few miles
20 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
south-west of San Jose, and lying in a ridge east of the main range, culmin- ating in Mount Bache, the highest points of which are about seventeen hundred feet above tide water. The three mines ā the New Almaden, Enri- quita, and Guadalupe, are in line extending over a distance of about five miles ; the former is by far the most productive. The cinnabar occurs in altered shales, inclosed by extensive masses of serpentine. The ore is very irregularly distributed, though the metal-bearing portions seem confined to limited areas dipping with the strata. This is but one of the numerous localities throughout the coast ranges where cinnabar is mined, but thus far is the only one that has been worked with very great and continued profit to its owners.
In addition to the important deposits of cinnabar in this county, it also contains several veins of copper ore, which have been worked to some ex- tent. Petroleum and Asphaltura are abundant in the range of mountains between Gilroy and Watsonville, particularly on Sargent's ranch, and in Moody's gulch, near Lexington, at a point one thousand one hundred feet above the sea.
Topography. ā In considering the topography of this county let us pre- mise by saying that the great Santa Clara valley is but a portion of that vast plain which stretches from the Golden Gate in the north to San Juan South, a distance of ninety miles. When first peopled the whole was known as San Bernardino. It is oval in form and attains its greatest width near Mount Bache, where it is about fifteen miles. About four miles from San Jose', and apparently forming a barrier across the valley, are a chain of low hills, called the Hills of Tears, (so named, the legend relates, because in early times when some of the first settlers were coming up from the State of Sonora, they stopped there, and their provisions giving out caused the chil- dren to cry,) but the obstruction, however, is only appai-ent. About eight miles from this point the valley contracts to a width of but three miles, and so continues for some six miles, when it again expands to a breadth of nearly six miles, and thus sweeps out beyond our limits.
A chain of mountains hems in the valley on either side running north-west and south-east. From the time of its entry into the county, the eastern range rapidly rises, becomes broader and very rough, having many elevated points along it, until it culminates on the summit of Mount Hamilton, nearly east of San Jose', four thousand four hundred and forty-three feet above the level of the sea. The range then decreases in height to Pacheco's Pass, the loftiest point of which is fourteen hundred and seventy feet. The western range near the famous Almaden Mines is crowned by two grand- looking peaks that stand like stalwart sentinels guarding the precious treas- ures which lie concealed in the yet unexplored store-houses of their lesser
GEOGRAPHY, NAME, POPULATION, TOPOGRAPHY, ETC. 21
brethren around. To one the Indians gave the name of Chaoual, to the other Ouinouhum. The first of these has an altitude of three thousand five hundred and thirty feet ; the second, which has been modernized into Mount Bache, is three thousand seven hundred and eighty feet above the sea level.
In the Gallons and on the slopes of the western chain are to be found growing in full vigor the useful redwood (Sequoia Sempervirens) as well as many oaks and madrona. Of course the march of civilization has considera- bly thinned the primeval forests, but further back, beyond the county line,, there yet remains enough timber to supply many generations. On the east- ern range, comparatively few trees are found, but its swelling undulations, picturesque ravines, and wealth of natural beauty, pleases the eye, making a grand contrast with its opposite neighbor on the western side of the valley.
At a distance of twenty-five miles from San Jose, in the depth of these eastern gorges, the Coyote stream has its birth, and after springing into vigor, leaves its cradle, joyously leaping and splashing among the roots of trees and playing around the smooth worn sides of boulders, until it rushes into the pastoral valley, where it assumes a more staid demeanor, and lan- guidly flows in many a tortuous curve, at last finding its doom in the great Bay of San Francisco. But what a change comes over its spirit during the rainy seasons ! It then becomes a swirling, treacherous torrent, sweeping here and tearing thither, carrying all before it, until lost in the mighty ocean; yet how different is its normal condition. The Summer's sun has deprived it of much of its life, but none of its beauty ; its clear stream trickles through the caiions, kissing the laughing flowers, and giving life to the parched ferns and grasses in its course, while " its whimpling waters make their way " into the salt water basin. So much like human life is a stream !
The next most important creek in Santa Clara county is the Guadalupe so named after the patron saint of Mexico. It rises in the Sousal, about three miles south-west from San Jos^, is fed by many tributaries and springs,. and runs in a northei'ly direction until it comes near the city when it takes a north-westerly course and empties itself into San Francisco bay, near the debouchure of the Coyote.
There are numerous other streams in the county, many of them being of importance on account of the mills which stand on their banks, but unhap- pily our space will not admit of our describing each in their turn, suffice it to say that all have their advantages both manufacturing arid pastoral.
There are several small valleys in the county, secluded among the hills, where many settlers have made comfortable and pleasant homes. Among these are the Cailon de los Osas (Bears canon,) six miles easterly from Gilroy. which, a few years ago was a favorite resort of the " grizzly." It is a wild but exquisitely beautiful gorge, through a range of high mountains, covered
22 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
with live-oak, sycamore, and a dense imderbush, whicli is still full of small game; but " Bruin " has been exterminated. The red clover and bunch irras.s o-rowino- luxuriantly here, are the favorite food of many kinds of game. The creeks and pools are also full of fine trout.
The Calaveras (Skulls) valley is another gem, which at one time formed the bed of a mountain lake. It is about five hundred acres in extent and is now peopled with a thriving community of farmers.
Besides these there are the San Antonio and Blackbird valleys, in Mil- pitas township; Isabel, San Felipe, Horse, and Hall's valleys in San Jose township, with others of less note.
Soil and PRODUCTiONS.--The following remarks have been culled from "The Natural Wealth of California" by Titus Fey Cronise:ā
The peculiar geographical position of this county, in a broad valley nearly . surrounded by mountains, causes it to enjoy an equable climate; but it is from ten to fifteen degrees warmer than San Francisco, being comparatively free from the cold winds and fogs which prevail nearer the coast. The greater portion of the soil on the lower plains is a rich black, sandless loam, called adobe which yields from twenty-five to thirty bushels of wheat to the acre. Many fields have been planted with grain for ten successive years without manuring ā the last crop being the heaviest. This is particularly the case on what is known as Stockton's ranch, a large tract of land on the east side of the valley, purchased by Commolcre Stockton in 1847. There are other sections where the land is thus continually " croppsd " with wheat, on which the yield is much lighter than formerly. Some of the land when it is new yields as high as seventy-five bushels to the acre. The wheat raised in the eastern portion of the valley, where the soil is somewhat grav- elly, sells for the highest price in the San Francisco mai'ket, and makes the finest flour.
Along Los Gatos creek, about a mile from San Jose, there is a tract of rich bottom-land which, not very long since was covered with willows, but now contains a luxuriant crop of hops. About the town of Santa Clara ā the highest land in the valley ā the soil is lighter and more sandy; similar land extends beyond Gilroy, thirty miles south of San Jose. One reason why much of the hill and mountain land on the west side of Santa Clara valley, about Gilroy, and south of that place, is retained for grazing pur- poses, is, that being within the range of the fogs from the ocean, the grass is green, and afpjrds good pasturage during the Summer. Every year, large numbers of stock are driven from some of the southern and interior counties to be fed on the fresh pasturage of these hills. So valuable are some of these lands for this purpose, that their owners hold them at higher prices than the grain lands of the valleys.
GEOGRAPHY, NAME, POPULATION, TOPOGRAPHY, ETC. 23
The high lands bounding the valley on the east and west are admirably adapted for the cultivation of the grape, to which large tracts have been applied. The soil of these hills is a dark brown, sandy loam, quite unlike that of the valley. The common California grape, which does not ripen until September, in other localities, on the hills south-east of San Jose, ripens in July and August. The highest ridges of the mountains are in man}'' places densely timbered, affording a supply of good lumber and fuel. The slopes around the edge of the valley are covered with wild oats and native grasses and afford excellent pasturage for large herds of cows. The butter and cheese made about Gilroy are famous for their richness. There are very few cattle raised in the county, it being so generally under cultivation with grain and fruit.
From San Jose to Gilroy, a distance of nearly thirty miles, the valley, in the Summer, forms an almost unbroken wheat field. In May, June, and July, when the grain is ripening, the view of this portion of the valley is a marvel of beauty. The farmers' houses, surrounded by gardens and orchards, appear like beautiful green islands in a golden sea. A month later the whole scene is changed: The waving grain has all been cut, and huge stacks of yellow straw and dingy grain bags are piled up in all directions, the latter waiting to be transported to market. In the Spring, it presents still another aspect, when the young grain is just peeping above the black soil, and the purple and white blossoms of the apricot and peach form a striking contrast in color with the hazy neutral tint of the distant mount- ains.
The great extent of level land in this valley admits of the use of all descriptions of agricultural machinery; the consequence is that nearly all the work on the large farms is performed with almost incredible rapidity. A thousand acres are sometimes plowed, seeded and cut in less time than is required on farms of one hundred acres in many parts of Europe. This advantage, together with the much larger yield per acre, compensates for the higher price of land, labor, and material. Large tracts of this valley produce volunteer crops, which are cut for hay, yielding generally about two tons per acre.
Artesian Wells. ā Naturally, Santa Clara county is not well watered. It has but few streams of any importance ā the Guadalupe and Coyote, and they, save in a season when their waters are of no avail, are at best but inconsiderable mountain torrents as they flow through the valley. Happily, it was discovered that far down in her subterranean depths there flowed an abundant supply of pure, sweet, wholesome water. Is it any wonder that the gravity of the usually composed author of "The History of San Jose" should have been disturbed, and that he should have waxed enthusiastic in
24 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
these words: "As this year (1854) came rolling in, the artesian water first came surging up from its hidden depths to play and sparkle in the living light of day. What a change! What a wealth for this beautiful valley Far beyond in value the discovery of a dozen gold mines; it appeared to be the work of enchantment. This was the only thing that seemed to be wanting. All had felt that water for irrigation, and good watei' for drink- ing were the great necessaries of this lovely valley. Here was a genial clime, a rich soil embosomed in the hills, like a jewel in a deep setting. It was brilliant in its vernal freshness; parched in the Summer's. heat. Nature herself seemed dissatisfied with her work. To complete it, she diademed the jewel with the sparkling element, and caused the fame of this land to spread, like the light of Mie sun, all over the earth. And now, how lovely, how enchanting has this valley become, by the just combination of the ele- ments! Now we behold the artificial currents interlacing, like silver threads, the innumerable blooming gardens, and fruitful orchards, nourishing myriads of multiform roots dyeing the leaves with living green-r-the flow- ers with varied colors of deepest hue; quenching the thirst of living man, and causing him to pause, as he beholds the face of nature, to reflect upon the goodness, the wisdom, the power, and wondrous works of the Creator of all things."
The credit of having bored the first artesian well in Santa Clara county, belongs to Merritt Brothers, who, in January, 1854, completed operations on Fifth street, near St. John's street, in the city of San Jose'. In the same month and year, J. S. Shepherd bored a well about three miles east of San Jos^. When at eighty feet, the water was forced into the pipe .sixteen feet above the surface of the ground. T. Meyers bored the next well, in Febru- ary. The most remarkable of these wells in the valley, however, was that constructed by G. A. Dabney, in August, 1874, near San Fernando street. San Jos(i, when, in defiance of all efforts to control it, the water ru.shed out when a depth of sixty feet had been reached. We are told it flooded all the surrounding lands, and the Common Council of the city declared it a nui- sance, and ordered Dabney should pay a fine of fifty dollars for eveiy day that he allowed the water to run ; but this had no effect on the well, which for six weeks produced a stream four feet wide, and six inches deep. At the end of this time, the flow of water was reduced by the sinking of other wells in the neighborhood. The following are some of the deepest wells in the county: At the old hospital grounds, three Hundred and fifty-five feet; Mrs. Hensley's, three hundred and two feet; Mountain View, four hundred and sixty feet; China Smith, three hundred and seven feet; James Murphy's four hundred and thirty-seven feet; St. James Square, three hundred and sixteen feet.
It has been .said by some, writing as with authority, that the artesian water
GEOGRAPHY, NAME, POPULATION, TOPOGRAPHY, ETC. 25
is confined to only the northern part of this valley. The error of this state- ment is too well known to require contradiction. As a fact, artesian wells can be bored, with success, in any part of the valley, the proof of this being the existence of upwards of a thousand of these in full operation in the county.
Climatography. ā The climate of California varies with almost every local- ity, preserving but one feature that is in any sense uniform ā wet Winters and dry summers. During the AVinter snow falls to a great depth in the Sierra Nevada, and in small quantities upon the mountains of the Coast Range, but seldom any in the principal valleys. Along the sea-board, and wherever the country approaches the ocean level, the Winters are warm and pleasant, showers alternating with sunshine, in agreeable contrast. In the Summer, the cold, northern trade-winds set in about the first of May, and sweep the coast regularly. The Spanish galleons, bound from Manilla to Acapulco, three centuries ago, steered for Cape Mendocino, wdiere they would encounter the north-west trade, and run before it, with swelling sails, to their beautiful harbor. Cool, cloudless nights, and delightful mornings, attend these winds, but in the remote valleys beyond their influence, the Summer heat is intense and the air dry. In the valleys that lie near to the coast, like that of Santa Clara, Napa, and the Great Russian River country, the intervening chains of mountains break the blast, and make the Summers pleasureable ā neither too hot nor too cold.
In Santa Clara county the Winter, or rainy season, though ushered in by occasional showers usually commences in the month of December, when veg- etation starts. The Summer winds have died away, save those that blow from the south, and come laden with welcome rain. It must not be thought, however, that we wish to convey to the uninitiated the impression that this is a season of continuous rain. Such is not the case. It is a season of show- ers, sometimes of several days' duration, followed by weeks of fine, clear, balmy weather, during which the farmer tills his soil, and sows his seed. By the month of March, the heavy rains cease, and occasional showers infil- trate the earth until May, when the verdure attains its fullest perfection, and the country looks its best. Snow seldom falls in the valley, but it fre- quently is to be seen upon the summits of the distant hills, where, how- ever, it remains but a few days, and frosts occur severe enough to destroy the more tender plants, but not to interfere with the growth of grasses, and many kinds of vegetation.
We should here observe that the Winter of 1879-80 was an unusually cold one, both snow and frost being severely felt. On January 28, 1880, a heavy fall of snow was general throughout the State, and frosts were almost too frequent. Of the snow-storm, Julius Martin, of Gilroy, a pioneer of 1843,
26 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
states tliat tlic only other storm of like severity, that he remembers, occurred in the Winter of 1848-9. At that time the snow in the valley was at an average depth of three inches, and all the natives looked upon the sight with astonishment, while it remained on the ground two days, when it was fol- lowed by a heavy rain, which caused the streams to rise and overflow. In the followino- Winter, in November, 1849, rain fell in torrents, and con- tinned to pour almost incessantly, until April, 1850, when the Santa Clara valley was inundated for weeks. But these are only isolated instances, the like of which may not occur again in a lifetime.
But to return to our subject. Except alfalfa, the grasses are annuals. Alfalfa is a coar.se variet)^ of clover with deep roots, sometimes extending from ten to fifteen feet into the earth. It has a hard, woody fibre about an inch in diameter, retains its verdure from year's end to year's end, and aflbrds excellent pasturage for cattle. Roses remain in foliage throughout the Win- ter, and blossom in sheltered places, while various species of evergreen shrubs and trees, unknown to the Eastern climate, at once lend a cheerful aspect to the landscape. The apple, pear, peach, plum, and other varieties, are denuded of their leaves, as at the East.
And now comes the season of harvesting, which the farmers perform at their leisure, leaving their stacks unprotected, and their grain in sacks piled in the open fields for months at a time. No rain ever disturbs their labors. It is the finest harvest weather imaginable. The days are uniformly cool, with rare exceptions, enabling man and horse to accomplish the largest amount of work with the least fatigue. During the forenoon, a good breeze springs up from the north, blowing steadily till night; but unlike the cold winds of the sea-board, it is tempered to a genial mildness by the fervid rays of the sun. From May until October, the sky is usually cloudless, save with an occasional fog-bank hovering over the valley, in the early morning, which is soon dispelled by the sun. There is but very little dew; vegetation dries up; the fields become sere and brown; the roads exceedingly dusty; and a iiniversal drought prevails. Yet, though dry, the grasses retain their nourishment, and the stock thrive thereon, until the Winter's rain again descends, and a new growth commences.
These lengthy, dry Summers are truly the perfection of this climate, the desiccated, cool atmosphere being a sure protection against malaria, hence fevers are almost unknown. The nights are positively sublime. Invariably cool enough to require thick covering, sleep becomes a luxury rarely enjoyed in other lands. It is this peculiarity of climate that gives such per- fection to the cereals, such luster and lusciousness to the Summer fruits pro- duced in the Santa Clara valley.
Next come the hazy Autumn days. The trade- winds have ceased; the atmosphere grows thick with gathering moisture ; the changing currents
\
GEOGRAPHY, NAME, POPULATION, TOPOGRAPHY, ETC. 27
whirl the dust and leaves into weird columns; the south wind settles down to its work ; and the drama of the seasons is repeated.
The Thermal Belt. ā ^In a pamphlet from the pen of J. J. Owen, editor of the Mercury, entitled the " Resources of Santa Clara Valley," published under the auspices of the San Jose' Board of Trade in the year 1875, we find the following remarks in regard to what is usually know as " The Warm Belt : "ā
" A few years ago, the writer, while visiting the mountains in the vicinity of Lexington, late in the Fall of the year, observed a vineyard on the mount- ain side, in the lower portion of which the leaves were sered and blighted with the frosts, while the vines further up the hill were still fresh and green. Upon inquiring into the matter he found that such was a common occur- renceā that the frosts seldom affected the upper portion of the vineyard. Other portions of the mountains were examined, on both sides of the valley, and from comparing notes with the settlers in those localities, it was ascer- tained that there was a belt of country lying upon the mountain sides that was almost entirely exempt from frost. This belt commences at an altitude of about four hundred feet above the level of the valley, and extends to an altitude of about twelve hundred feet ā including a belt of country upon the mountain sides of from one to three miles in width, and stretching alonof the whole length of the valley. It is so distinctly defined that residents of the mountains in riding up from the valley, in the night time, when the air is still, can tell within a few rods where they will enter the warmer cur- rents.
" The section is known to all old residents as the Warm Belt. The explanation of this singular feature is supposed to consist in this : The warm air of the valley rising at night along the mountain sides, meets the currents flowing in over the mountains, and is formed into an eddy which hugs the land and wards off the colder temperature. In this region frost is rarely known to occur. We have seen potatoes harvested in March, in this belt, that grew and ripened in the open air during the pi'eceding months. Oranges, too, as fine as any of the best tropical production, are grown in the. same belt ā as yet upon a small scale, but indicative of what can be accom- plished.
" It must be borne in mind that these hills are yet almost in a state of nature They are sparsely settled, and but few improvements have yet been made ā the settler preferring the valley lands at a much greater cost. At the same time the hills offer attractions and adv^antages for country homes that cannot be found in the valley. The lands are cheap, and the titles generally unquestionable. Their immunity from frosts will no doubt be taken advan- tage of, at no distant day, in the cultivation of the orange, lemon and many
28 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
kinds of tropical fruits not entirely indigenous to the valleys. This region is also e.specially adapted to the culture of the English walnut, pecan nut, almond, etc., and possesses the natural soil and climate for the olive, the raisin grape, and fig."
Mean Temperature. ā The following table shows the mean temperature at San Jose' for the year ending May 31, 1851. The record was kept by Jack- son Lewis, and may be relied upon as accurate. We have no later record than this. It is, however, a fair sample of every year: ā ā¢
MONTH. Deg. 6 A. M. Deg. 12:30 p. m. Deg. 6 p. m.
.June 52:40 77:03 60:40
July 55:32 81:71 64:84
August 53:16 83:74 64:87
September 55:63 79:17 65:10
Octol)er .-". 46:48 74:68 63:06
November .34:40 59:77 52:30
December 3():61 53:68 45:26
.January 36:68 54:42 48:00
February 38:93 58:32 48:61
March 39:99 62:58 51 :29
April 50:37 69:23 54:00
May 48:26 69:90 54:97
Rainfall. ā The following table shows the exact amount of rain that has fallen from 1860 to 1880, inclu,sive:ā
1860-61, 16.44 inches 1871-72, 17.88 inches
1861-02, 25-61 " 1872-73, 17.23 "
1862-63, 10.08 " 1873-74, 18.02 "
1863-64, 24.73 " 1874-75, 16.50 "
1864-65, 17.00 " 1875-76, 10.23 "
1865-66, 18.00 " 1876-77, 12.00 "
1866-67, 16.30 " 1877-78, 20.00 "
1868-69, 15.68 " 1878-79, 12.00 "
1869-70, 19.31 " 1879-80, 22.00 "
1870-71, 14.40 "
General Remarks. ā In concluding our subject of the climatography of Santa Clara county, let us quote from Lieutenant Maury, that eminent scientist, whose fame is world-wide: He says : "The calm and trade-winds regions, or belts, move up and down the earth, annually, in latitude nearly a thousand miles. In July and August, the zone of equatorial calms is found between seven degrees north and twelve degrees north; sometimes higher; in March and April, between latitude five degrees south and two degrees north. With this fact, and these points of view, before us, it is easy to per- ceive why it is that we have a rainy season in Oregon, a rainy season and a dry season in California, another at Panama, two at Bogota, none in Peru, and one in Chili. In Oregon it rains every month, but about five times more in the Winter than in the Summer months. The Winter there is the Summer of the Southern hemisphere, when this steam engine is working with the greatest pressure. The vapor that is taken by the south-east trades is borne along over the region of north-east trades to latitude thirty-five or
GEOGRAPHY, NAME, POPULATION, TOPOGRAPHY, ETC. 29
forty degrees north, where it descends and appears on the surface with the south-east winds of those latitudes. Driving upon the high lands of the continent, this vapor is condensed and precipitated, during this part of the year, ahnost in constant showers, and to the depth of about thirty inches in three months. In the Winter, the cahn belt of Cancer approaches the equator. This whole system of zones, viz.: of trades, calms, and westerly winds, follows the sun; and they of our hemisphere are nearer the equator in the Winter and Spring months than at any other season. The south-east winds commence, at this season, to prevail as far down as the lower part of California. In Winter and Spring the land in California is cooler than the sea air, and is quite cold enough to extract moisture from it. But in Summer and Autumn the land is warmer, and cannot condense the vapors of water held by the air. So the same cause which made it rain in Oregon makes it rain in California. As the sun returns to the north, he brings the calm belt of Cancer and the north-east trades along with him; and now, at places where, six months before, the south-Avest winds were the prevailing winds, the north-east trades are found to blow. This is the case in the latitude of California. The prevailing winds, then, instead of going from a warmer to a cooler climate, as before, are going the opposite way. Consequently, if under these circumstances, they have the moisture in them to make rains of, they cannot precipitate it. Proof, if proof were wanting, that the prevailing winds in the latitude of California are from the west- ward, is obvious to all who cross the Rocky Mountains, or ascend the Sierra Madre."
It will thus be seen that the winds which have so genial an influence upon our climate come directly from the Pacific ocean; forces its way through the Golden Gate, and, striking the Contra Costa hills, is wafted into the Santa Clara valley.
Earthquakes. ā Thei-e is a sort of nameless terror about an earthquake to those who have never experienced one, and to many who have, the sensation is anything but pleasant. But they are trifles compared with the terrible thunder-storms and hurricanes that prevail on the other side of the conti- nent. Hundreds of people are killed by lightning there to every one that loses his life by earthquakes here. The thunder-storms and tornadoes have this advantage, however : they send their warning signals of gathering, skurrying clouds ahead, to prepare people for the dire disaster which may soon follow. The earthquake steals upon one when he least expects it. A sudden jarring of the earth, with perhaps a deep rumbling noise, followed by a quick oscillating motion, which dies away in a gentle, tremulous vibra- tion, and all is quiet. The shock seldom lasts longer than eight or ten sec- onds. Many months sometimes intervene between these earth shocks, and
30 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
then af^ain we have known several to occur in a single day. For the last three or four years they have been very rare.
"The heaviest shock in this valley, of which we have any recollection, occurred in 1 8G8, when some brick buildings in San Jose' were more or less injured ā fire walls and chimneys were thrown down, plastering cracked, etc. The shock extended for several hundred miles along the coast, causing considerable damage to property in San Francisco and other places. It taught architects the necessity of improving their methods of building, by bracing and strengthening their walls in a more secure manner. In the construction of chimneys, also, galvanized iron has been substituted largely for brick. Wooden buildings are considered earthquake proof. They are seldom damaged to any considerable extent by the shocks.
" There are various theories concerning the cause of these disturbances, which at present, however, are mainly speculative. It is possible that scien- tific research may eventually fathom the cause, if not provide a remedy. The electric theory has many advocates. In other countries the equi- librium of the upper air currents of electricity and those of the earth is estab- lished and brought about through the medium of cloud conductors, as wit- nessed in the lightning's flash followed by the thunder peal. Here there are no cloud conductors during the Summer months. The earth, it is sup- posed, becomes overcharged with electricity which seeks an equilibrium with the upper air currents ; hence the disturbance. This theory is strengthened by the fact that earthquakes usually occur in the Fall of the year when the clouds besfin to orather and the air becomes filled with moisture. " Good earthquake weather," is what old residents designate a warm, cloudy day preceding the Winter rains. The " internal fire " theory has also its advo- cates. But whatever may be the cause, we much prefer an occasional earth- quake to the frequent electrical disturbances that cause so much disaster-vto life and destruction to property in the Atlantic States."
Descriptive. ā Our poor pen is too feeble to do justice to so grand a theme as a description of Santa Clara valley. Better is it, thei-efore, that the lan- guage of the gifted traveler and author. Bayard Taylor, should tell the tale. Of this valley he writes, in his "Pictures of California:" "How shall I describe a landscape so unlike anything else in the world ; with a beauty so new and dazzling, that all ordinary comparisons are worthless? A valley, ten miles wide, through the center of which winds the dry bed of a Winter stream, who.se cour.se is marked with groups of giant sycamores, their trunks gleaming like silver through masses of glossy foliage. Over the level floor of this valley, park-like groves of oaks, whose mingled grace and majesty can only be given by the pencil; in the distance, redwood, rising like towers; westward, a mountain chain, nearly four thousand feet in
GEOGRAPHY, NAME, POPULATION, TOPOGRAPHY, ETC. 31
height, showing through the bhie haze dark green forests on the background of blazing gold. Eastward, another mountain chain, full-lighted by the sun, rose-color, touched with violet shadows, shining with marvelous transpar- ency, as if they were of gla.ss, behind which .shone another sun. Overhead, finally, a sky whose blue luster seemed to fall, mellowed, through an inter- vening veil of luminous vapor. No words can describe the fire and force of the coloring ā the daring contrast, which the difference of half a tint changed from discord into harmony. Here the great artist seems to have taken a new palette, and painted his creation with hues unknown elsewhere. Driving along through these enchanting scenes, I indulged in a day-dream. It will not be long, I thoughtāI may live to see it before my prime is ovei' ā until San Jose' is but five days' journey from New York. Gars, which shall be, in fact, traveling hotels, will speed, on an unknown line of rail, from the Mississippi to the Pacific. Then let me purchase a few acres on the lowest slope of these mountains, overlooking the valley, and with a distant gleam of the Bay; let me build a cottage, embowered in acacia and eucalyptus, and the tall spires of the Italian cypress; let me leave home, when the Christmas holidays are over, and enjoy the balmy Januarys and Februarys, the heavenly Marches and Aprils, of my remaining years here, returning only when May shall have brought beauty to the Atlantic shore! There shall my roses outbloom those of Passtum; there shall my nightingales sing, my orange blossoms sweeten the air, my children play, and my best poem be written. I had another and grander dream. One hundred years had passed, and. I saw the valley, not as now, only partially tamed, and revel- ing in the wild magnificence of nature, but, from river-bed to mountain- summit, humming with human life. I saw the same oaks and sycamores, but their shadows fell on mansions, fair as temples, with their white fronts and long colonnades. I saw gardens refreshed by gleaming fountains, statues peeping from the bloom of laurel bowers; palaces built to enshrine the new Art, which will then have blossoms here; culture, plenty, peace, happiness, everywhere. I saw a more beautiful race in possession of this paradise ā a race in which the lost symmetry and grace of the Greek was par- tially restored; the rough, harsh features of the Oriental type gone; milder manners, better regulated impulses, and a keen appreciation of the arts which enrich and embellish life. Was it only a dream."
Let us not disturb the poetic vision, but rather say, with the immortal Bard of Avon ā
"Oh, if this were seen, The happiest youth ā viewing his progress through, What perils past, what crosses to ensue ā Would shut the book, and sit him down and die."
32 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
THE MINES AND SPRINGS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY.
THE NEW ALMADEN QUICKSILVEB MINE ā THE ENRIQUITA MINE ā PACIFIC CONGRESS SPRINGS ā
MAliRONE SPRINGS ā GILROY HOT SPRINGS, ETC.
Mines ā The New Almaden. ā It is usually supposed that the New Alma- deu Mine was known to the Indians more than three-quarters of a centuiy a,(ro, as more than fifty years since, it was made known by them to the Robles family and Luis Chabolla. The ore, or cinnabar is a red sulphuret of mer- cury, which when pulverized and moistened forms a red pigment. This matter the Indians called Mohetka ā red earth, and used as a paint where- with to color their faces and body.
In 1824 the existence of the mine was communicated to Don Antonio Suiiol, by Robles, who worked it for a year believing that it contained silver, but not finding anything to repay their labor, Mr. Sunol abandoned the mine, and the four hundred dollai's capital he had invested in it. They had no idea that it contained quicksilver, nor did their knowledge extend to the ore that contained such metal.
On November 12, 1845, there arrived from Sutter's Fort ab the Mission of Santa Clara a Mexican officer named Andres Castillero, to whom was shown some specimens of the ore which he pronounced to be silver, with an intermixture of gold. While experimenting he, however, discovered quick- silver, and observed to those present. Father Real and Jacob P. Leese, that his fortune was made if it proved to be as rich as the quicksilver mines of Spain, for there was a standing reward of one hundred thousand dollars offered by the Government for the discovery of such a mine in the Republic of Mexico.
We are informed that according to the Spanish and Mexican mining laws, the foundation of the right to a mine is discovery ; but the right is lost, unless the discoverer makes known the fact before the judicial tribunal, authorized to receive such declarations. The proceedings are ex parte, and consist of a production of the ore, a description of the place where it was discovered and of the person of the discoverer. These facts being duly make known and recorded, the title passes by operation of law, unless within the time limited, some one having a better right, appears. Before he is entitled to a registry and juridical possession, the discoverer is required to perform two acts : First, he must appear with a written statement of the
MINES AND SPRINGS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 33
facts necessary to be set forth ; and, Second, lie must within ninety days thereafter, make a pit in the vein of his registry of the required dimensions. These performed, lie may receive formal possession.
To the end that he should obtain a formal title to the mine, Castillero, on November 22, 1845, went before Pedro ChaboUa, the Alcalde at San Jo.s^ and filed the following document : ā
" Sen or Alcalde of First Noinination ā
" Andres Castillero, Captain of permanent Cavalry, and at present resi- dent in this Department, before your notorious justification makes repre- sentation, that, having discovered a vein of silver, with a ley of gold on the rancho pertaining to Jose' Reyes Berreyessa, retired Sergeant of the Presidio Company of San Francisco, and wishing to woi'k it in company, I request that in conformity with the ordinances on mining, you will be pleased to fix up notices in public places of the j arisdiction, in order to make sure of my right, when the time for the juridical possession may arrive, according to the laws on the matter. I pray you to provide in conformity, in which I will receive favor and justice ; admitting this on common paper, there be- ing none of the corresponding stamp.
" Pueblo of San Jose Guadalupe, November twenty-second, eighteen hun- dred and forty-five. Andres Castillero."
On December 3d, another document is transmitted to the same Alcalde, wherein he states that apart from the silver with a ley of gold he had found liquid quicksilver, and this in the presence of several persons who could be summoned if necessary, therefore he wished this communication to be placed on record, and that he might be placed in possession according to law. Possession was given to him by First Alcalde Antonio Maria Pico, in the absence of a Professional Judge, December 30, 184.5, in these terms : " I have granted three thousand yards (varas) of land in all directions, sub- ject to what the general ordinance of mines may direct, it being worked in company, to which I certify, the witnes.ses signing with me." The certifi- cate was signed by Alcalde Pico, with Antonio Sufiol and Jos(^ Noriega, as assisting witnesses.
Having declared his intention of working the mine in company, Castillero formed a copartnership at the Santa Clara Mission, divided the mine into twenty-four shares; gave four shares to Rev. Father Jose Maria R. S. del Real ; four to Don Jose Castro ; four to the brothers Secundino and Teodero Robles ; and presuinably kept the remainder for himself. He next employed an American named William G. Chard, from Columbia county, New York, who commenced the reduction of the ore and so continued for some weeks after the following primitive fashion described by Mr. Hall : He took a gun-barrel, ā charged it with pieces of ore, the size of a bean, stopped the vent with clay, 3
34 HISTOKY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
put the muzzle in a vessel of watei-, and built a fire around the other end. The heat drove oft" the mercury in the form of vapor, which passing out at the muzzle, was condensed in the water, and precipitated itself to the bot- tom in the i'orm of liquid metal. Three or four gun-barrels were used in this way at the same time.
In the meantime, what was termed "juridical po.ssession" of the mine was given to Castilleio, and a short time after Chard erected a furnace near the creek, whither he transported the ore to be reduced, but, owing to its faulti- ness, it proved of no use, and was abandoned. With commendable deter- mination and ingenuity Chard next essa3ed the following process: Obtain- ing six whaler's try-pots, capable of holding three or four tons of ore, he inverted three over the other three, and thus formed a furnace. By build- ing a fire around these, and having so arranged them that the mercurial vapor was conducted to the water, he succeeded in reducing about two thousand pounds of quicksilver. This primitive method of reduction was continued until August, 1846, when Chard and his Indian workmen left, and nothing further was done until the following Spring.
In 1845, the Governor of California received the information of the dis- covery of the mine, a specimen of the ore being, at the same time, sent to the authorities in Mexico. In 1846, Consul Thomas 0. Larkin forwarded the like information to the United States' Government at Washington, and described the mode of acquiring title according to the Mexican law; and, that same 3'ear, the mine was visited by Fremont, who is reported to have estimated its value at about thirty thousand dollars.
ā During the Winter of 1846-7, Castillero disposed of certain of his shares to the firm of Barron, Forbes & Co., Tepic, Mexico, who appointed as their agent, Robert Walkinshaw. He and a man named Alden took possession of the mine. May 5, 1847. Nothing but "holding" the property would appear to have been done by these custodians, until the arrival, in November, of Alexander Forbes, one of the above-mentioned firm, with a corps of work- men, funds, and all the necessary appliances for the process of reduction. A searching examination was made, and the mine gave evidence of great promise. The works were therefore prosecuted with vigor. Retorts were quickly established, and used until 1850, when furnaces were constructed, and the metal produced in large quantities, under the superintendence of the late General H. W. Halleck.
Above we have given Mr. Hall's description of the primitive method of reduction adopted by W. G. Chard in 1846; let us now see what he says of that pursued under the late eminent soldier: "These furnaces (speaking of these erected in 1850), with the condensing chambers, are from one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet long, and about ten feet high. The furnace proper is about fifteen feet long, and is divided into two compartments.
MINES AND SPRINGS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 35
The first is for the fuel; the second lor the ore, which is termed the oi-e-bed. The partition wall between the fire and ore-bed has several apertures, of the size of a brick, through which the heat reaches the ore. Next, and adjoin- ing the ore-bed, is a tower from twenty to thirty feet high, the top of which is bricked air-tight, and has a perpendicular brick partition. The wall of the tower adjoining the ore-bed is perforated with several holes of the size of two bricks. The partition wall of the tower, has, within a foot of the top, an aperture about a foot square. The long condensing chamber is next adjoining the tower. It is divided into various compartments. The second chamber of the tower connects with the first compartment of the condens- ing chamber by an aperture about the size of four bricks, which is withm a foot of the top of the chamber. The various compartments are thus con- nected with like apertures, alternately, at the top and bottom of the cham- ber. At the farther end of the condensing chamber is a high chimney to carry off the smoke. Between the chimney and the long and large condens- ing chamber is a smaller chamber, over which water continually drips, for the more rapid condensation of the mercurial vapor. Along the whole lenfjth of the condensinc; chamber, is an exterior trough. At the bottom of all the compartments of the condensing chambers, are holes which lead to the trough. At the farther end of the trough, near the chimney, is an iron kettle which is the receiver of the quicksilver. For the purposes of reduc- tion, the ore is pounded into pieces of about the size of a hen's egg, then placed in the ore-bed. The fuel is then fired, and when the ore has received a suf- ficient degree of heat, through the apertures of the wall, the quicksilver, in the form of vapor, is emitted, and passes with the smoke into the first chamber of the tower, thence it rises to the aperture in the partition wall, through which it goes into the second chamber of the tower ; thence down that chamber, through the the aperture near the bottom, into the first compartment of the long condensing chamber; thence it rises again, and passes through the aperture near the top, into the second compartment; and thus continues, rising and falling alternately, until it is condensed. By the time the smoke has reached the chimney, it is quite robbed of its mercurial companion. As the vapor passes from one compartment to the other, more or less of it is condensed and falls to the bottom, and oozes out of the holes that lead to the exterior trough ; thence it runs into the iron kettle. Some of the smoke halts in its passage, and drops, in the form of soot, at the bottom and sides of the various compartments. The same is removed by means of small doors thereto attached for that special purpose. Undoubtedly, a small percentage of the metal is conducted with the smoke up the chimney; but the process of condensation is now so complete that the waste is inconsiderable."
Of the chemical analvsis and character of the ore of this mine Professor
36 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
J. D. Whitney, in his "Metallic Wealth of the United States," says. " The ore found in connection with sedimentary strata, composed of alter- nating beds of argillaceous strata and layers of flint, which are tilted up a higli angle, and much flexed. They are considered by Mr. Black to be of Silurian age, but their position has not been determined with certainty. With these rocks the mercurial ores are mingled in a series of beds and lamina- tions of great number and extent, so that the whole workings are very irregular and contorted. The masses of ore are separated by intercalated strata of rock of variable thickness, which are themselves often filled with seams and bunches of the sulphuret. Numerous veins of carbonate of lime traverse the rock in diflerent directions, cutting through the ore and dislocating the small veins ; and the same mineral lines cavities in the masses of cinnabar, being there finally crystalized, and sometimes containing bitu- men in minute globules. The sulphurets of iron and copper, and arsenical pyrites are associates of the ore, but they occur in very small quantities. An analysis of the ore by Professor Hoff"man gave: Murcury, 67.25; Sul- phur, 10.33; silica, alumina, etc., 22.55 = 100.13."
The search for the metal has resulted in the expenditure of much money and labor. In the first four years of activity, 1846 to 1850, the amount of money paid out was nine hundred and seventy-eight thousand one hundred and fourteen dollars, while metal to the value of five hundred and thirty- five thousand five hundred and forty dollars was extracted, being four hun- dred and forty-two thousand five hundred and seventy-two dollars less than the amount expended. In the years 1850 and 1851 the expenses amounted to forty thousand dollars per month, while the amount of metal produced was .seven thousand five hundred pounds, worth sixty- three thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars. During these years the number of men employed was about two hundred, composed of Mexicans and Indians. Now the men employed belong to all nationalities, but principally Mexicans and Cornishmen. The ore then was altogether transported from the mine to the furnaces on pack-mules ; these gave way to wagons ; now it is carried on cars or slid down on incline planes.
The mine is entered about two hundred feet below the first opening by an adit-level, ten feet square, stoutly braced with timber, and about a thousand feet long. Through this the ore is transported on cars run. ning on iron rails.
Perhaps the reader may not have been able to appreciate the vast resources of the New Almaden Mine; in such a case a glance at the annexed table will give some idea of the great wealth produced from it : ā
MINES AND SPRINGS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY
37
PRODUCTION OF QUICKSILVER AT NEW ALMADEN, FOR TWENTY-EIGHT
YEARS AND THREE MONTHS.
|
OBI |
1 ā¢ |
Flasks of ' |
Percentage |
No. of |
|
|
DATES. |
|||||
|
Tons. |
Pounds. |
Quicksilver. |
Yield. |
Months. |
|
|
Till V 1 1S50 to June 30. 1851 |
2,485 |
717 |
23,875 |
36.74 |
12 |
|
Tnlv 1 1851 to June 30 1852 |
2,321 2,419 |
1290 |
19,921 |
32 82 |
12 |
|
July 1. 1852, to June 30, 1853 |
1520 |
18,035 |
28.50 |
12 |
|
|
July 1, 1853, to June .30, 1854 |
3,724 |
26,325 |
27.03 |
12 |
|
|
.Tnlv 1 1854 to .lune 30. 1855 |
4,554 |
1300 |
31,860 |
26 . 75 |
12 |
|
.Tnlv 1 1855 to June 30. 1856 |
5,177 |
1200 |
28,083 |
20.74 |
12 |
|
.Tnlv 1 1856 to June 30. 1857 |
5,149 5,498 |
1900 |
26,002 |
19.31 |
12 |
|
-Tnlv 1 1 Si)? to June HO. 1858 |
1170 |
29,347 |
20.41 |
12 |
|
|
July 1, 1S5S, to October 31, 1858 |
1,930 |
1085 |
10,588 |
20.91 |
4 |
|
November 1, 1S5S, to January 31, 1861. |
|||||
|
(Closed by Injunction.) |
|||||
|
February 1, 1861, to January 31, 1862. . |
6,661 |
1200 |
34,765 |
19.96 |
12 |
|
February 1, 1862, to January 31, 1863. . |
7,640 |
1400 |
40,391 |
20.22 |
12 |
|
February 1, 1863, to August 31, 1863. . . |
3,586 |
660 |
19,564 |
20.86 |
7 |
|
September 1, 1863, to October 31, 1863 . |
1,173 |
.... |
5,520 |
18.00 |
2 |
|
November 1, 1863, to December 31, 1863. |
1,179 |
1300 |
4,447 |
18.65 |
2 |
|
January 1, 1864, to December 31, 1864. . |
11,638 |
1600 |
42,489 |
13.96 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1865, to December 31, 1865. . |
15,974 |
400 |
47,194 |
11.30 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1866, to December 31, 1866. . |
13,442 |
1 300 |
35,150 |
10.00 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1867, to December 31, 1867. . |
13,011 |
1933 |
24,461 |
7.19 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1868, to December 31, 1868. . |
14,702 |
1530 |
25,628 |
6.66 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1869, to December 31, 1869. . |
12,729 |
175 |
16,898 |
5.07 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1870, to December 31, 1870. . |
10, .548 |
1700 |
14,423 |
5.23 |
12 |
|
ā January 1, 1871, to December 31, 1871. . |
11,017 |
700 |
18,568 |
6.44 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1872, to Decembor 31, 1872. . |
10,708 |
600 |
18,574 |
6.63 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1873, to December 31, 1873. . |
8,665 |
375 |
11,042 |
4.87 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1874, to December 31, 1874. . |
11,727 |
. > ā¢ . |
9,084 |
2.96 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1875, to December 31, 1875. . |
15,553 |
200 |
13,648 |
3.35 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1876, to December 31, 1876. . |
16,658 |
950 |
20,549 |
4.72 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1877, to December 31, 1877. . |
18,615 |
1600 |
2.3,996 |
4.93 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1878, to December 31, 1878. . |
18,472 |
1808 |
15,852 |
3.28 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1879, to December 31, 1879. . |
27,5.32 |
1135 |
20,514 |
2.85 |
12 |
|
January 1, 1880, to December 31, 1880. . |
30,677 |
850 |
23,465 |
2.92 |
12 |
|
Totals and averages |
315,185 |
1598 |
700,258 |
8.50 |
339 |
Product of Enriquita from 1860 to 1863ā10,571 flasks..
Total product of all the mines on the Company's property, 710,829 flasks of 76i pounds each, or 54,378,418^ pounds.
The Enriquita Mine, about two miles to the north-west of the New Ahnaclen, is the property of the same company.
The landed estate of this corporation consists of about seven thousand eio-ht hundred acres ; while at the two establishments there are one hundred and fifty dwelling houses, stores and workshops. The population employed in or dependent on the mines amounts to fifteen hundred; the company hav- ing, at the present writing, March, 1881, four hundred and fifty men on their pay roll.
The principal markets for the sale of the quicksilver procured at these mines are in Mexico, China, South America, and the gold and silver produc- inĀ£[ districts of California.
38 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Let US now turn for a while to the legal phases through which the title to the New Alniaden mine has passed. Mr. Hall, the able historian and lawyer, remarks in this regard : " The title was claimed by the persons who occu- pied the premises, under the name of the New Almaden Mining Company, but the petition was filed before the Board of Land Commissioners, in the name of Andres Castillero, for his benefit and those holding under him.
" The petition set forth that Castillero discovered a mine of cinnabar in 1845 ; that he formed a company to work it on the twenty-second of Novem- ber ; that on the third of December, 1845, he denounced it, and on the thirtieth of December received juridical possession, in due form, from the Magistrate of that jurisdiction ; that the record of his mining pos- session was afterwards submitted to the Junta de Fomento y Adminis- tracion de Mineria, which declared it to be legal, and recommended to the Executive not only that it be confirmed, but that two square leagues be granted him on the surface of his mining possession ; that the grant of two square leagues was made on the twentieth of May, 1846, and an order or patent of title issued to him on the twenty-third, with which he started to take possession, but was prevented by the war ; that as soon as possible, he got a survey made ; that by virtue of these facts, he acquired a perfect title, under which he and his grantees have held possession ever since 1845, expending immense sums of money upon it. The petition prays the Board to confirm to him 'the two square leagues of land, as embraced in his mining possession and grant, as aforesaid.' Such are the facts as laid before the courts, together with documentary and oral evidence in support thereof.
" The Board of Land Commissioners decided adversely to petitioner's claim, whereupon an appeal was taken to the United States District Court, where, January 18, 1861, the decision of the Commissioners was reversed, and the claiui of petitioner declared to be good and valid to the mine known by the name of New Almaden, and of all ores and minerals of whatsoever description, in fee simple. That the mine is equal to seven pertenencias being of solid or a rectangular base, two hundred Castillian varas long, of the width established by the Ordenanzas of 1783, and a depth, including the surface, to the center of the earth ; that they may select the said perte- nencias, so that they shall be contiguous to each, that is, in one body, and to include the mouth of the original mine.
"From this decision an appeal was taken to the United States Supreme Court. This Court at the December term, 1862, held that no such registry of the particulars concerning the mine, nor of the action of the Alcalde upon the allegations of the petition, nor of his proceedings in respect to the juridical possession of the mine was ever made, as is required by the ordinance ; nei- ther were tha jjertenencias measured nor definitely located ; nor the boundaries
MINES AND SPRINGS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 39
fixed, nor the stakes set, as therein required. Registry has been required as the basis of the title to a mine wherever Spanish law has prevailed, for more than three centuries. The Court was of opinion that no case ever showed the necessity of such registry more than the present one. The Court further held that the Alcalde could not act in the place of a Judge of First Instance, under the mining regulations. The Court seemed to think that the case was spotted all over with fraud; and the conclusion arrived at was, that the claim was invalid, and therefore the decree of the District Court was reversed, and the cause remanded, with directions to dismiss the entire petition.
" Justice Catron gave a dissenting opinion, holding that Castillero acquired an incipient right, by discovery of the mine, and the surface of land lying above the mine, to the extent that it was adjudged to him by the District Court. He also was of opinion that the Alcalde had jurisdiction as a judicial magistrate, in the absence and non-existence of any authority in California, to make the registry and give possession.
" The mine was claimed by four different parties ; that is, by parties claim- ing under four distinct sources of title, namely : under the Ju.sto Larias grant, the Jose R. Berreyessa grant, the title denouncement by Castillero, and by the United States as being on public land. It was finally decided that the mine was on the Justo Larias grant, and that the furnaces and im- provements of the company below the hill were on the Berreyessa grant. The company bought in these two titles to protect themselves."
An injunction was laid upon the mine in October, 1858, and remained thereon until February, 1861 ; during which period no work was performed. In 1864 the company disposed of the mine and all improvements for the sum of one million seven hundred thousand dollars, the purchasers beino- a company chartered under the laws of New York and Pennsylvania as " The Quicksilver Mining Company," with a capital stock of ten millions of dollar^, divided into one hundred dollar shares. This company is the pres- ent owner of the mine, while tlie managers under it since 1864 have been : S. F. Butterworth to June 1, 1870, succeeded by J. B. Randol.
Springs ā The Pacific Congress Springs. ā One mile above the beautiful village of Saratoga, and north-west from it, on Campbell's creek, are situated the Pacific Congress Springs, so called because of the resemblance of the waters to those of Congress spring, one of the fountains at Saratoga, New York. This is one of California's most picturesque and popular watering-places and Summer retreats, and, also, is in great favor as a Winter resort. It is open the year round. There are at this place three of these spring.s, the two lower but four feet apart, the third being separated from them by a space of about fifty feet. They are but a foot or two deep, being excavated from
40 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
the sandstone, the lower one which receives the drainage of the others; sending oti" a stream about two inches in size. The water from these springs are so nearly aUke that the difference can scarcely be perceived by the taste. By analysis it is shown to contain 335.8.37 grains of solid matter to the gal- lon, composed as follows: Chloride of sodium, 119.159; Sulphate of soda, 12.140; Carbonate of soda, 123.351; Carbonate of iron, 14.030; Carbonate of lime, 17.295, and Silica alumina, with a trace of magnesia, 49.882. It is considered a healthful and refreshing beverage, and has gained much favor with the public, several dozens of bottles being sent away daily. The gas is collected in a receiver placed over the principal fountain of the group, whence it is conducted through a pipe and forced into the bottles.
Congress Hall, originally only fifty by fifty feet, was established as a Summer resort by D. Q. Mills, A. Hayward, A. J. Easton, E. W. Knight, O. F. Grirtin, Louis JVIcLane, John 0. Earl and George R. Spinney. It was opened June 16, 18GG, since which time it has been growing in favor and its accommodations increasing. Belonging to, and rising about it, are seven hundred and twenty acres of wooded hill-side. The present length of the building is two hundred and twenty-five feet, with sixty-three well venti- lated rooms ; surrounding it are homelike cottages, while it is possessed of every modern appliance and convenience, there being over five miles of water-pipe distributed through the buildings and grounds. The present proprietor, Lewis A. Sage, has owned and successfully conducted the estab- lishment since 1873; he has his own dairy, vineyai'd and fish-pond, while he is suflicient of a sportsman to rigidly preserve the game on his property.
The springs are five minutes', walk from the Hall, and are controlled by Bliven and Mitchell, No. 29, New Montgomery street, San Francisco.
For a nice, quiet, homelike place, and charming climate, this resort is unexcelled on the Pacific coast. It is connected by easy stages with Los Gatos, on the South Pacific Coast Railroad, only four miles distant, and with San Jose, ten miles away.
The Madrone Springs. ā The now well-known Madrone Mineral Springs are situated in Burnett township, about twenty-five miles south- east from San Jos^, in the Coast Range, at an altitude of two thousand feet, and located in a sheltered and picturesque canon at the foot of the Pine Ridge. The place is free from fogs ; the atmosphere is pure and invig- orating, and the temperature is mild and pleasant. The mountains are clothed with such trees as pine, oak, maple, laurel, madrone, while medicinal plants ai-e found in profusion in the vicinity.
The early traditions of the Madrone Springs state that they were known to the Indians, and there is little doubt that they were the " medicine waters " of one of their tribes, for many relics in the shape of mortars, hatchets, arrow-
MINES AND SPKINGS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 41
heads and such like, have been aad are being still turned up in all directions. Of their later history the following has been garnered : In the year ISGG a na- tive Californian named Juan Moreno, discovered the springs while on a hunt- ing expedition, but took no heed, at any rate he did nothing; in 1868 he was joined by John Luce, an old mountaineer, when a log cabin was constructed, and a residence established, whence they could overlook the few cattle they had on the range. C. S. Adams, of Gilroy, who had become an invalid, hearing of the place, visited it and derived much benefit therefrom. In 1874 he purchased Moreno's interest, and erected four cottages, which still remain, though considerably altered, but he did not advertise the place as a resort. In 1879 he bought the remaining claim on the property from Luce, and thus became the sole ])roprietor. In that year. Dr. Clinton Munson, of Oakland, finding his health failing, knowing of the existence of these springs, visited them, and derived much benefit. In the month of June, 1879, in con- junction with Marshall E. Hunter, of Gilroy, he purchased the springs from Adams, the present proprietors being Munson & Hunter, the former of whom resides on the premises.
These springs are situated six miles north of the celebrated Gilroy Hot Springs, connecting with which there is a bridle path ; there is a fine road to the Madrone station of the Southern Pacific Railroad, with which there is a du-ect stage line to the springs, making four trips daily in the season, the ride being through some of the finest scenery in the Coast Range; here the visitor will find accommodation for thirty guests, in eight detached, comfortable cottages. The springs are chiefly one of natural soda water, the principal properties of which are soda, iron and magnesia. This has proved of great medicinal virtue in dyspepsia, liver complaints, kidney dis- eases, and neuralgic affections. Another is strongly impregnated with iron and arsenic, which, for debility, skin diseases, asthma, and other affections, has proved an excellent curative. There is a white sulphur spring, which is also utilized, while guests may be supplied with hot and cold baths of natural soft water. Dr. Munson, who we have said resides at the Springs, giving his personal attention to invalids visiting the place, informs us that it is not the intention of the proprietors to make this a " fashionable " place, hut Si homelike resort, where gixeats can enjoy complete rest, and that it is their intention to erect a building to be used as a Sanitarium, where patients will be received at all seasons of the vear, and obtain medical treatment in connection with the waters.
The Gilroy Hot Mineral Springs. ā 'About twelve miles from the depot of the Southern Pacific Railroad, at Gilroy, in a small rocky ravine, in the Coyote Canon, near the headwaters of that creek, where the mount- ains, timber-clad to their summits, rise several hundred feet on both sides of
42 HISTOKY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
that stream, Francisco Cantua, a Mexican shepherd, while hunting for some of his stray tlock, in 1865, discovered what are now these famous springs. He lost no time in filing a squatter's claim to the premises, and for some years used it as a camping-ground for himself and friends. It is not probable that the Indians were aware of their existence, for no remains have been found, besides, the hills were much infested with wild beasts, a fact which may account for their lack of knowledge on the subject. Cantua sold his interest a short time after to Geo. Roop, who at once commenced the grading of a road to the springs, the erection of houses, and the ' general clearing and adornment of the locality. He then took into partnership Charles H. Twombly, Cashier of the First National Gold Bank in Oakland, Alameda county, who, in 1872, sold his share to John A. Cottle, and the pro- prietors became Roop & Cottle, the latter gentleman taking charge, and commencing a series of much needed improvements. In 1874 a building, containing three dining rooms, capable of accommodating two hundred guests, with sitting room besides, and on the upper floor sleeping apartments, was erected at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. In addition to this pala- tial structure there are eiofhteen cottasfes for families, and buildino^s contain- ing bedrooms alone, the whole being capable of housing two hundred and forty visitors.
Situated about one hundred yards from the hotel, in a well-protected spot, and covered with a shapely kiosk, is the hot spring, represented as possessing such remarkable medicinal qualities. It discharges continuously about three inches of water, of a nearly uniform temperature of one hundred and eighteen degrees, Fahrenheit, and contains in solution sulphur, iron, soda, magnesia, baryta, arsenic (in small quantities), and alum (in small quanti- ties). It is pungent, but by no means unpleasant to the taste. The bathing accommodation is commodious and well arranged, there being two sepai'ate plunge-baths for ladies and gentlemen, and a dozen tub-baths in neat and clean apartments. Within fifteen feet of the hot spring there are a dozen or more large springs of pure cold water, while nearly three-fourths of a mile from the hotel is a romantically situated garden, where anything and every- thing will flourish, from an orange to a turnip. The place is supplied with all modern impi^overaents: there is telegraph communication with the out- side world ; on March 28, 1873, a post-office was established, which is still in operation; and there is stage communication with Gilroy twice a day.
The situation of the Gilroy Hot Springs is twelve hundred feet above the sea level, in the very heart of the mountains, amid.st groves of pine and oak, which are filled with game of all kinds ; near by, the Coyote affords a harvest of trout to the disciples of Izaak Walton, to this add the delif^-htful climate, the picturesque walks, the opportunities for thrilling adventure, and the curative qualities of the water, and no more charming resort for the
MINES AND SPRINGS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 43
pleasure-seeker, or the invalid, is to be f(jun(l on the Pacific coast. The present proprietors are Cottle & Arrick, who are ably assisted by the ever- popular Pete Wilmarth.
Mills' Seltzer Springs. ā These springs are situated ten miles west from the town of Santa Clara where the proprietor owns sixteen acres. They are almost inexhaustible, their capacity being about forty thousand gallons in the twenty-four hours, while the fluid is declared to be equal in its properties and flavor to any foreign liquid of the same nature.
In concluding this chapter it would be well to remark that these are not the only mines and springs in Santa Clara: we were unable to obtain histo- ries of the others, through no fault of ours, for repeated application was made in the proper quarter, but, unhappily, with no result. Should any remarks, therefore, be made under this head, it must be remembered that repeated journeys for information on one especial subject is beyond possi- bility, where an entire county has to be visited in the search for the vast amount of m.atter collated in these pages.
44 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
THE EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT OF SANTA CLARA
COUNTY.
" Let us depart ! the universal sun
Confines not to one land his blessed beams; Nor is man rooted, like a tree, whose seed The winds on some ungenial soil have cast There, where it cannot prosper."
America was discovered by Columbus on the twelfth day of October, 1492, and what a feat was this! Not so much a marvel is it that he came upon the vast contincyit, as that, in those so-called dark ages there were found men of such great courage and knowledge, unscientific though that may be, to sail away into the darkness, as it were, and sustain themselves against peril on every hand to eventually give, not only to their country, but to mankind, the rarest continent of a beatific creation. As the veriest school-boy knows and utters in a sing-song drawl, America was discovered as stated above, and became the territory of Spain. The Pacific ocean was given to the world by Vasco Nunez de Balboa, who looked down from the heights of Panama upon its placid bosom on the twenty-fifth day of Sep- tember, 1513. In 1.519 Mexico was conquered by Hernando Cortez, and sixteen years thereafter, in 1537, his pilot, Zimenez, discovered Lower Cali- fornia. In 1542 a voyage of discovery was made along the Californian coast by the famous Captain Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, on the 5 th July of which year, he landed at St. Lucas, in Lower California, and following the coast he finally entered the delightful harbor of San Diego, in Upper California on September 28th. This place he named San Miguel, which was after- wards changed by Viscaiho to that which it now bears.
The noted English voyager, Sir Francis Drake, sailed along the coast in 1579, but historians are doubtful as to whether he discovered the San Fran- cisco bay. It would appear that this voyage was made from Oregon, where it is said his Spanish pilot, Morera, left him, and thence found his way over- land to Mexico, a distance of three thousand five hundred miles. The name of New Albion was given to the country by Drake, with the evident inten- tion of securing it for the British crown.
It was not until 1602, however, that the Spaniards took any actual steps to possess and colonize the continent. In that year Don Sebastian Viscaiho was dispatched by the Viceroy of Mexico, acting under the instructions of his royal master, King Philip III., on a voyage of search in three small ves- sels. He visited various points on the coast, among them San Diego; was well pleased with the appearance of the country, and on December 10th dis-
EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. 45
covered and entered a harbor, which he named in honor of Count de Monte- rey, the viceroy who had dispatched him on the cruise. We are told that part of this expedition reached as high as the Columbia river, and that the whole subsequently returned to Acapvilco. Its efforts were pronounced satisfac- tory, a glowing description of the landscape was given, but whether they discovered the San Francisco bay is as much a matter of conjecture and doubt as Drake's visit.
For some unexplained cause not much use had been made of the informa- tion gained from these trips, which were of frequent occurrence, and it was not for one hundred and sixty-eight years that any steps towards the perma- nent settlement of Upper California were undertaken. Under the joint manao-ement of Church and State a plan with this end in view was com- menced in the year 1683, but it failed, the State being there represented b}' Admiral Otondo, and the Church by a Jesuit Father named Kino, La Paz beino- their point of operation; but we believe we are correct in stating that they did not all visit Upper California. The settlement of the peninsula was finally undertaken fourteen years later, when sixteen missionary estab- lishments were founded by Father Salva Tierra. The order which he rep- resented falling into disgrace in Europe, however, was banished from the dominions of Spain and Lower California in 1768, after laboring for sev- enty years. They were in turn succeeded by the Franciscans and Domini- cans, .the former of whom, under the guidance of Father Junipero Serra, proceeded to the conquest and conversion of this part of the country. This Reverend Father is recognized by the Roman Catholic Church as the apostle of Upper California, and acknowledged in history as its founder.
The first permanent settlement was made in San Diego in 1769, when was also established the first mission, whence further operations were directed and new missions founded. On July 14, 1769, Caspar de Portala, who commanded the expedition that called a halt at San Diego, left that place for Monterey, and there erected a cross:
" Pious Portala, journeying by land. Reared high a cross upon the heathen strand,
Then far away, Dragged his slow caravan to Monterey."
With Father Junipero Serra; he continued his northward journey and, by the merest accident, came upon the world-renowned Bay of San Francisco.
Finding it a place answering every requirement he named it after San Francisco de Asisi, and seven years later, June 27, 1776, possession was taken of the spot and a presidio established, the mission being located on the site of the present church. There may be a doubt as to whether the bay was ever discovered by Drake or Viscaiiio, but there is none of the visit of Gaspar de Portala, then Governor of the Californias. Henceforward the establishment of missions was rapid, as will be gathered from the accom- panying list: ā
46 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Mission San Diego, in San Diego county, founded under Carlos III., July 16^
17(39; containing 22.24 acres. Mission San Luis Rey, in San Diego county, founded under Carlos IV., June
13, 1798; containing 53.39 acres. Mission San Juan Capistrano, in Los Angeles county, founded under Carlos
III., November 10, 1776; containing 44.40 acres. Mission San Gabriel Arcangel, in Los Angeles county, founded under Carlos
III., September 8, 1771; containing 190.69 acres. Patented. Mission San Buenaventura, in Santa Barbara county, founded under Carlos
III., March 31, 1782; containing 36.27 acres. Mission San Fernando, in Los Angeles county, founded under Carlos IV.,
September 8, 1797; containing 76.94 acres. Mission Santa Barbara, in Santa Barbara county, founded under Carlos III.,
December 4, 1786; containing 37.83 acres. Mission Santa Inez, in Santa Barbara county, founded under Carlos IV.,
September 17, 1804; containing 17.35 acres. Mission La Purisima Concepcion, in Santa Barbara county, founded under
Carlos III., December 8, 1787. Mission San Luis Obispo, in San Luis Obispo county, founded under Carlos
III., September 1, 1772, containing 52.72 acres. Patented. Mission San Miguel Arcangel, in San Luis Obispo county, founded under
Carlos IV., July 25, 1797; containing 33.97 acres. Patented. Mission San Antonio de Padua, in San Luis Obispo county, founded under
Carlos III., July 14, 1771; containing 33.19 acres. Patented. Mission La Soledad, in Monterey county, founded under Carlos IV., October
9, 1791; containing 34.47 acres. Patented. Mission El Carme, or San Carlos de Monterey, in Monterey county, founded
under Carlos III., June 3, 1770; containing 9 acres. Patented. Mission San Juan Bautista, in Monterey county, founded under Carlos IV. ^
June 24, 1797; containing 55.33 acres. Patented. Mission Santa Cruz, in Santa Cruz county, founded under Carlos IV., August
28, 1791; containing 16.94 acres. Patented. Mission Santa Clara, in Santa Clara county, founded under Cai'los III.,
January 18, 1777; containing 13.13 acres. Patented. Mission San Jose', in^lameda county, founded under Carlos IV., June 11,
1797; containing 28.33 acres. Patented. Mission Dolores, or San Francisco de Asisi, in San Francisco county, founded
under Carlos III., October 9, 1776; two lots, one containing 4.3 acres
and the other 4.51 acres. Patented. Mission San Rafael Arcangel, in Marin county, founded under Fernando
VII., December 18, 1817; containing 6.48 acres. Patented. Mission San Francisco Solano, in Sonoma county, founded under Fernando
VII., August 25, 1823; containing 14.20 acres.
EAELY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. 47
With this preliminary generalization let us now attempt our actual task of giving to the reader those chronicles which more especially appertain to Santa Clara county.
In the month of September, 177G, His Excellency the Viceroy of Mexico penned a communication to Don Fernando Rivera, the officer commanding at San Diego, informing him that he had received the intelligence that two missions had been founded in the vicinity of the Bay of San Francisco, and as the Commandante had been provided with the military guards for these, he should be happy to have his report. On the arrival of the dispatch Don Fernando, without loss of time, made arrangements for visiting the places designated and placing the guards, which he had retained at San Diego, in their proper quarters, and after a long journey, covering many days, he, with his twelve soldiers, arrived at Monterey, where he leained that only the Mission of San Francisco had been founded. Hence he started for that place, accompanied by Father Tomas de la Pena, who, with another, had been appointed to perform the religious duties of the expedition. On their jour- ney they came to the spot afterwards occupied by the Santa Clara Mission, and being captivated by its many charms and advantages, at once resolved there to locate a mission. The party then continued their way to San Francisco, where they arrived on the 26th November. After visiting the presidio, as became a soldier, on the 30th the Commandante set out for Monc- erey, and dispatched Father Joseph Murguia from the San Carlos Mi.ssion, where all the preparations had been made, accompanied by an escort, and proper requirements, to found the new mission in the Santa Clara valley, then known by the name of San Bernardino.
Towards the last days of the year, 1776, the soldiers and their families, wiio were to take part in the establishment of the new mission, arrived at San Francisco, and on January 6th Padre Pena, the officer in command of the presidio, the soldiers and their families, took up the line of march in quest of the chosen spot. Their first duty on reaching their destination was to erect a cross, which, with all solemnity, was blessed and adored ; on Jan- uary 12, 1777 ā one hundred and four years ago ā an altar was raised under its outspread arms, and the first mass ever breathed in the valley was said by Father Tomas de la Pena. In a few days Father Murguia and his fol- lowers joined them, with the necessaiy paraphernalia for a settlement, and on January 18, 1777, the formal ceremony of founding the Santa Clara Mission took place. This was the first settlement in the county.
Cannot the readers conjure up the picture we have so faintly outlined ? Cannot he now see before him the devotional piety of the Holy Father Tomas, the respectful quiet of his followers, and the amazed gaze of the aboriginals ; with what care the sacred emblem of the Cross is raised ; with what reverential caution the building of the altar, sheltered as it is, is
48 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
effected ? No sound is heard save prayerful utterances, mayhap broken by grunts of astonishment from the bewildered natives who stand closely observing the holy work from a respectful distance. The names of Fathers Pena and Murguia must ever be held in welcome recognition of the part they took, far from society and kinsfolk, in founding a mission which has become a landmark for all time in a valley where it would seem as if the Divine Hand had put forth its utmost skill to produce the fairest scene under the blue canopy of Heaven.
About i^even years after the events above noted the holy Father Junipero Serra, President of the Missions of California, feeling that old age was fast overtaking him, as well as having some spare time, determined to visit some of the missions, to hold his last confirmations, and having been invited to dedicate the Santa Cla^-a Mission, also to perform that ceremony. About the first of May he visited the selected spot, and on the 4th continued his weary journey to San Francisco, accompanied by that devoted fellow-countryman. Father Palou, a brother Franciscan Monk, a co-voyager to these shores, and afterwards his biographer, preferring to make his confirmations on his return. He had tarried in San Francisco but a few days when the distress- ing news of the illness of Father Murguia was received, he thereupon dispatched Father Palou to Santa Clara, who found Murguia .sick of a low fever. Unhappily this worthy father never rallied, and on May 11, 1784, his soul to'ok its flight, while nought was left to his followers but the conso- lation that
"Death's but a path that must he trod, If man would ever pass to Clod."
The funeral took place, but the venerable prelate was too enfeebled to attend ; he, however, accompanied Don Pedro Fages, the Governor of the Territory, to the dedicatory services of the mission, arriving on the loth. On the meeting of the two Fathers their hearts were too full to speak ; with eyes suffused in tears, they grasped each others hands, and finally in a long, silent embrace, each sent aloft a prayer to Him who had seen fit in His wisdom to take away their revered brother.
(3n May IG, 1784, the ceremony of dedication took place, there being assembled to witness the imposing scene the troops, many citizens, and a large number of unchristianized Indians, while on the succeeding Sunday, mass was chanted by the aged priest in a solemn and impressive manner. On that day he held his confirmation. Father Murguia was succeeded by Friar Diego Noba, a supernumary from Monterey.
The venerable Junipero Serra, the founder of the missions which were the fir.st settlements of civilized man in California, was a native of one of the Bal- earic Islands, having been born in Majorca, part of the kingdom of Spain, November 24, 1713. At the age of sixteen he became a Monk of the Order
l^.^
rUBLiCLlBR/
EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. 49
of St. Francis, and the new designation of Junipero was then. substituted for his baptismal name of Miguel Jose.
After entering the convent ho went through a collegiate course of study, and before he had received the degree of Doctor, was appointed lecturer upon philosophy. He became a noted preacher, and was frequently invited to visit the larger towns of his native island in that capacity. Junipero was thirty-six years of age when he determined to become a missionary in the New World. In 174-9, he crossed the ocean in company with a number of brother Franciscan Monks, among them several who afterwards came with him to California. He remained but a short time in the City of Mexico, and was soon sent a missionary to the Indians of the Sierra Madre, in the district now known as the State of San Luis Potosi. He spent nine years there, and then returned to the City of Mexico, where he stayed for seven years in the Convent of San Fernando.
In 1767, when he was fifty-four years of age, he was appointed to the charo-e of the missions to be established in Upper California. He arrived at San Diego in 1709, and there passed most of his life. He died at the Mission of Carmel, near Monterey, August 28, 1784, in the same year of his dedicating the Santa Clara Mission, aged seventy-one years.
We will now for a" moment glance at the mo;!e of construction of these establishments. Father Gleeson tells us in his able " History of the Catholic Church in California," that the missions were usually quadrilateral buildings, two stories high, inclosing a courtyard ornamented with fountains and trees. The whole consisting of the church. Fathers' apartments, store-houses, bar- racks, etc. The quadrilateral sides were each about six hundred feet in length, one of which was partly occupied by the church. Within the quadrangle and corresponding with the second story, was a gallery running round the entire structure, and opening upon the workshops, store-rooms and other apartments.
The entire management of each establishment was under the care of two Religious; the elder attended to the interior and the younger to the exter- ior administration. One portion of the building, which was called the mon- astry, was inhabited by the young Indian girls. There, under the care of approved matrons, they were carefully trained and instructed in those branches necessary for their condition in life. They were not permitted to leave till of an age to be married, and this with a view of preserving their morality. In the schools, those who exhibited more talent than their com- panions, were taught vocal and instrumental music, the latter consisting of the flute, horn and violin. In the mechanical departments, too, the most apt were promoted to the position of foremen. The better to preserve the morals of all, none of the whites, except those absolutely necessary, were employed at the mission. 4
50 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
The daily routine at each establishment was almost the same as that fol- lowed by tlie Jesuits in Lower Califoinia. At sunrise they arose and pro- ceeded to church, where, after mornint^ prayer, they assisted at the holy sac- rifice of the mass. Breakfast next followed, when they proceeded to their respective employments. Toward noon they returned to the mission, and spent the time from then till two o'clock between dinner and repose; after which they a_o-ain repaired to their work, and remained engaged till the even anffelus, about an hour before sundown. All then betook themselves to the church for evening devotions, which consisted of the ordinary family prayers and the rosaiy, except on special occasions, when other devotional exercises were added. After supper, which immediately followed, they amused themselves in divers sports, games and dancing, till the hour for repose. Their diet, of which the poor of any country might be justly envious, consisted of an abundance of excellent beef and mutton, with veg- etables in the season. Wheaten cakes and puddings, or porridges, called " atole and pinole," also formed a portion of the repast. The dress was, for the males, linen shirts, pants, and a blanket to be used as an overcoat. The women received each, annually, two undergai'raents, a gown, and a blanket. In years of plenty, after the the missions became rich, the Fathers distributed all the surplus moneys among them in clothing and trinkets. Such was the general character of the early missions established in Upper California.
The foregoing ixmarks point to missions generally. The only account of the Santa Clara Mission that is attainable is that of the distinguished trav- eler. Captain Vancouver, who visited it in the latter end of 1792. He observes: "Soon after dark w^e reached Santa Clara Mission (from San Francisco). Our journey, except through the morass, had been pleasant and entei'taining, and our reception at Santa Clara by the hospitable Fathers of the mi.ssion, was such as excited in every breast the most lively sensations of gratitude and regard. Father Tomas de la Pena appeared to be the prin- cipal of the missionaries. The anxious solicitude of this gentleman, and of his colleague, Father Joseph Sanchez, to anticipate all our wishes, unequiv- ocally iiianifestcd the piinciplcs by which their conduct was regulated.
"The buildings and ofhces of the mission, like those of San Francisco, form a square, but not an entire inclosure. It is situated in an extensive, fertile plain, the soil of M'hich, as also that of the surrounding country, is a rich, black, productive mold, superior to any I had before seen in America.
"The church was long and lofty, and as well built as the rude materials of which it is composed, would allow, and compared with the unimproved state of the country, was infinitely more decorated than might have been reason- ably expected.
"Apartments, within the square in which priests resided, were appropriated
EAIll.Y UlSTUllY AND SETTLEMENT. 51
to a number of young female Indians, and the like reasons were given as at San Francisco, for their being so selected and educated. Their occupations were' the same, though some of their woolen manufactures surpassed those we had seen before, and wanted only the operation of fulling, with which the Fathers were unacquainted, to make them very decent blankets. The upper story of their interior oblong square, which might be one hundred and seventy feet long, and one hundred broad, was made use of as granaries, as were some of the lower rooms; all of which were well stored with corn and pulse of different sorts; and, besides these, in case of fire, there were twĀ© spacious warehouses for the reception of grain, detached from each other and the rest of the buildings, erected at a convenient distance from the mission^ These had been recently furnished, contained some stores, and were to be. kept constantly full, as a reservoir in the event of such a misfortune.
"The maize, peas and beans, are sown in the Spring months, and succeed extremely well, as do hemp and flax, or linseed. The wheat affords, in general, from twenty-five to tl\irty for one, according to the season, twenty- five for one being the least return from their fields, notwithstanding the enormous waste occasioned by their rude method of threshing, which is per- formed in the open air by the treading of cattle. Neither barley nor oats were cultivated. As the superior grains could be cultivated with the same labor that the inferior ones could, they had sometime ago declined the culti- vation of them.
"Here were planted peaches, apricots, apples, pears, figs and vines, all of which, except the latter, promised to succeed well. The failure of the vine here, as well as at San Francisco, is ascribed to a want of knowledge in their culture, the soil and climate being well adapted to some sorts of fruits. The priests had a guard of a corporal and six soldiers."
Let us leave the worthy Fathers at Santa Clara for a time, and observe the second settlement in the county ā that of the Pueblo de San Jos^ de Guadalupe.
Don Felipe de Neve, the third Spanish Governor of California, commenced his administration in December, 1774, and continued in that position till September, 1782. Among the chief duties of his office were the making of official leports to the Central Government, through the Viceroy in Mexico concerning the condition of the province, and the choosing of suitable sites for the location of settlements. On June 3, 1777, he suggested the estab- lishment of three of these, one of them being on the bank of the river Guad- alupe, seventy-eight miles from Monterey, forty-eight from the presidio at San Fi-ancisco, and two miles and a quarter from the Mission of Santa Clara. In the course of time Lieutenant Don Jose' de Moraga, commanding at San Francisco, w^as directed to detach nine soldiers, of known agri- cultural skill, two settlers, and three laborers, to form a settlement on the
52 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
margin of that stream, which they effected November 29, 1777 (though Father Palou says the date was November 7th), and gave to it the naine of San Jose' de Guadahipe, the approval from Spain being dated March 6,
1779.
On December 24, 1782, during the regime of Governor Don Pedro Fages the same Lieutenant Moraga was ordered to partition off tlie lands to the settlers, a duty he effected between the 13th and 19th of May, 1783; the recipients of land being Ignacio Archuleta, Manuel Gonzales, Jose Tiburcio Vasquez, Manuel Amesquita, Antonio Romero, Bernardo Resales, Francisco Avila, Sebastian Alvitre, and Claudio Alvires. The relative position of each man's land will be found described in our chapter on San Josd township.
This first location was made nearly a mile and a quarter from the center of the present city ā ^about where the first bridge spans a little stream on the road to Alviso. The ground was too low at this point, and these early residents were the victims of yearly recurring floods, and thieving Indians; therefore permission was asked to remove to higher land and a more advan- tageous site. It takes long, however, to move the wheels of oflicial machin- ery. In the year 1785, the question of transfer was mooted ; it was not until 1797, that the removal was accomplished ā the center of the new site being near the corner of Market and San Fernando streets in the city of San Josd.
Before proceeding farther with our narrative of events, it may be well to give to the readei' some insight into the appearance of our beautiful valley in those early times.
The visit of Captain Vancouver in 1792, has been already alluded to. His journey from San Francisco he thus describes: " We considered our cour.se parallel to the .sea-coast; between which and our path the ridge of mount- ains extended to the south-ea.stward ; and as we advanced, their sides and summits exhibited a high degree of luxuriant fertility, interspersed with copses of various forms and magnitude, and verdant open spaces encircled with statel}'^ fruit trees of different descriptions. About noon avc arrived at a very pleasant and enchanting lawn, situated amid a grove of trees at the foot of a small hill, by which flowed a very fine stream of excellent water. We had not proceeded far from this delightful spot, when we entered a country I little expected to find in these regions. For almost twenty miles it could be compared to a park which had originally been planted with the true old English oak ; the underwood, that had probably attained its early growth, had the appearance of having been cleared away, and had left the stately lords of the forests in complete possession of the soil, which was covered with luxuriant herbage, and beautifully diversified with pleasing eminences and valleys, w^hich, with the lofty range of mountains that bounded the prospect, required only to be adorned with neat habitations of
EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. o6
an industrious people to produce a scene not inferior to the most studied efiect of taste in the disposal of grounds."
The native tribe which roamed the then valley of San Bernardino, now known as Santa Clara, were the Olhones, sometimes called the Costanes, who were worshipers of the sun, and believed in an evil spirit who took cognizance of their actions, whom they were wont to propitiate. They had some very crude ideas as to a future state, while their traditions, if they had any, were of the most meager kind. When a member died they decorated the corpse with feathers, flowers, and beads, along with a bow and arrows, the body being extended on a pile and cremated, amid shouts and propitia- toiy exclamations.
The tribes in this valley were usually severalized by the rancherias in which they dwelt, while all of them made use of the temescal. This struct- ure was an adobe oven with a hole at the top to let out the smoke, and one at the side to let in the people, many of whom, as a rule, entered at one time in pitris naturalibiis. Here they lit a lire near to the entrance, adding fuel as it smoldered, until at last the heat was unbearable, when suddenly they would plunge into the convenient river, for these buildings were always erected on the bank of a running stream. Superstition wrapped these savages like a cloud, from which they never emerged. The phenomena of nature on ever}^ hand, indeed, taught them that there was some unseen cause for all things ā some power which they could neither comprehend nor resist. The volcano and the earthquake taught them this, and many accounts of these in past ages are preserved in their legends; but farther than this, their minds could not penetrate.
Mr. Hall, says: "Nearly all of the Indians in this region, and t'.ose of Santa Cruz, were in the habit of visiting the hill in which the New Alma- den Mine was first opened and worked, to obtain red paint to adorn their faces and bodies. The cinnabar is of a reddish hue, and when moistened and rubbed, easily produces a red pigment, highly esteemed by the savages in the arrangement of their toilet. While the color of their decoration was pleas- ing to their eyes, its effect on their system was by no means agreeable. It salivated them ā a result as mysterious and unexplained to them as the setting of the sun. Although a little painful, they seemingly forgot their illness as they witnes.sed the lustre of their skin, and were as resolute in their pride of dress as the proud damsel groaning in tight corsets and tight shoes."
In following the chronological order of events, perhaps it would be proper here to mention the foundation of the Mission of San Jose, although it no longer forms a part of Santa Clara county, but of Alameda. It was estab- lished June 11, 17i)8, while Diego de Borica was Governor of the Territory. The site chosen was ten miles to the north (jf tlie Pii.'blo de San Jose, and forty to the east of San Francisco, on a plateau indenting the Contra Costa
54 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
rancre, and facing the southern extremity of the Bay of San Francisco. Beliind it were the beautiful Calaveras and Sunol valleys. Mission Peak rose immediately in its rear like a giant sentinel indexing its location, while in its vicinity nature had abundantly supplied every want. Here was a pellucid stream of sweetest water perennially running from never-failing springs; here too were the paramount advantages of climate; wood was abundant; pa.sturage Avas luxuriant; killing fro.sts were unknown; an embarcadero was not far distant; and within an houi's walk were w^arm springs, possessed of the potent healing quantities. "What n-.ore was needed?
They w^ho had charge of the foundation of the Mission San Jose were Friar Ysidro Barcilano and Augustine Merin. At first the chapel was a small adobe edifice, which was extended seven varas, in the second 3'ear of its existence. A wall forty-seven varas long, four high, and six wide, thatched with tules was constructed, water flumes laid, and, being in the presidial jurisdiction of San Fi-ancisco, soldiers were sent from there to keep guard over it, and to bring in the natives for education.
Who has not heard of the Alameda, that renowned grove, or avenue of trees, that to-day links the two towns of San Jose and Santa Clara, but which were planted eighty-two years ago to protect the w'ayfarer journey- ing between the pueblo and the mission. In the year 1799, these trees were started by Father Maguin de Catala, who employed, it is said, two hundred Indians to perform the work, to attend upon them, and protect them from nib- bling goats and bi'owsing cattle. The eastern limit of the grove was at the Guadalupe, but the march of progress necessitated the removal of some of the trees, in oi-der to make way for houses and streets. From the depot of the South Pacific Coast Railroad to Santa Clara, there still remains sufficient of its glories and its usefulness to make the pedestrian feel an inward thankful- ness that the foresight of a Christian gentleman, in the expiring year of the last century, should have done such thoughtful good for the benighted and uncultivated savages wdio then peopled the valley, and the little more enlightened Mexicans, who had settled near the mission. Since the planting of these trees, what events have occurred; what acts committed, and deeds done! Continents have been shaken to their centers; empires have been dashed into nothingness; and a mighty nation has arisen where there then were but a few colonists in a far-away section of a vast territory. Aye, how the aspect of civilized mankind has been changed ! The world has been surrounded by a belt of wire, along which flashes, in defiance of space and time, messages that speak with a correctness as if heard from the human voice; an iron bridge has been laid that binds the rock-bound coast of the tempestuous Atlantic with the fertile slopes of the "Peaceful Sea;" steam, that annihilator of distance, has peopled worlds where formerly roamed the beasts of prey ; science has enlightened their inhabitants beyond the most
EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMP:NT. 55
vivid conception ; and coininerce has planted cities on sea-coast, lake and rivers, where the pi'oduct of effective labor is borne to every clime and country, and responsive mountain and valley pour forth their wealth of metals, where naught erst a while were found but lion, bear and panther. Oh, were these trees able to talk, what a chapter they could relate, what experiences of the past they could narrate. Let us not attempt to put action in their crooked limbs, nor speed into their gnarled trunks, rather do we leave it to the imagination of the contemplative reader to picture the scenes which have been enacted beneath their umbrageous boughs, not only in by-gone days, but in the present, when the fashionable world is abroad, and the even- ing shades countenance the Byronic couplet, that
"Soft love looked love to eyes which spake again, And all went merry as a marriage Lull."
Let us now, for a moment, turn to the Santa Clara Mission. The orio-inal Mission of Santa Clara stood near where now are erected the stations of the Southei'n Pacific and South Pacific Coast Railroads in that city. Its walls were cracked by an earthquake in the year 1812, but no portion of it fell at that time. In 1822, however, another and more severe shock caused so much injury to the building, that, though it was not thrown down, the damage done was so great that it became necessary to take it down, rather than that any attempt should be made to repair it. A site for a new mission was chosen a few hundred yards to the south-west, and in 1825-6, the present mission church was completed. Of late years, so great had been the decay, it became necessary to encase its walls, while, dur- ing the work of renovation, the front fayade was remodeled, and two towers substituted for the single tower, which, in the tirst instance, was the only ornamentation which the edifice boasted. This served the purpose of a look- out. The face of the structure was painted in a rude fashion with biblical scenes intended to attract the eye of the aboriginal, while within were like tableaux and allegorical pictures. Time has sped along with unswerving strides, yet no change has been worked in the interior embellishments. What has been effected needs no comment at our poor hands; the magnifi- cent college adjoining it is the best exponent of its unerring progress.
We will now glance at the state of the mission in the early part of the present century. In the year 1767, the property possessed by the Jesuits, then known as the Pious Fund, was taken charge of by the Government, and used for the the benefit of the missions. At tiiat time this possession yielded an annual revenue of fifty thousand dollars, twenty-four thousand of which were expended in the stipends of the Franciscan and Domin- ican missionaries, and the balance for the maintenance of the missions gener- ally. Father Gleeson says: "The first inroad made on these pious dona- tions was about the year 1806, when to i-elieve the national wants of the
56 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
present country, caused b}^ the wars of 1801 and 180-i, between Portugal in the one instance and Great Britain in the other. His Majesty's fiscal at Mex- ico scrupled not to confiscate, and remit to the authorities in Spain, as much as two hundied thousand dollars of the Pious Fund." By this means the missions were deprived of most substantial aid, and the Fathers left upon their own resources; add to these difficulties the unsettled state of the country betwen the years 1811 and 1831, and stiil their work was never stayed. To demonstrate this let us here state that between the years 1802 and 1822, in all the eighteen missions which then existed in California, there were: baptized, seventy-four thousand six hundred and twenty-one Indians; twenty thousand four hundred and twelve w' ere married ; forty-seven thousand nine hundred and t^venty-Jive died; and there were twenty thousand nine hun- dred and fifty-eight existing. Of these, seven thousand three hundred and twenty -four were baptized in the Santa Clara Mission; two thousand and fifty-six were married; six thousand five hundred and sixty-five had suc- cumbedā the greater number to disease; and one thousand three hundred and ninety-four were existing.
Of what nature was this plague it is hard to establish; the missionaries themselves could assign no cause. Syphilis, measles and small-pox carried off' numbers, and these diseases were generated, in all probability, by a sudden change in their lives from a free, wandering existence to a state of settled quietude.
Father Gleeson, in his valuable work, says: " In 1813, wdien the contest for national independence was being waged on Mexican territory, the Cortes of Spain resolved upon dispensing with the services of the Fathers, by plac- ing the missions in the hands of the secular clergy. The professed object of this secularization scheme was, indeed, the welfare of the Indians and colon- ists; but how little this accorded with the real intentions of the Govern- ment, is seen from the seventh section of the degree by the Cortes, wherein it is stated that one-half of the land was to be hypothecated for the payment of the National Debt. The decree ordering this commences as follows: 'The Cortes, genei-al and extraordinary, considering that the reduction of common land to private property is one of the measures most imperiously demanded for the welfare of the pueblos, and the improvement of agriculture and in- dustry, and wishing at the same time to derive from this class of land aid to relieve the public necessities, a reward to the worthy defenders of the coun- try and relief to the citizens not proprietors, decree, etc., without prejudice to the foregoing provisions one-half of the vacant land and lands belonging to the royal patrimony of the monarchy, except the suburbs of the pueblos, is hereby reserved, to be in whole or in part, as may be deemed necessary, hypothecated for the payment of the National Debt' etc.
" This decree of the Government was not carried out at the time, yet it
EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMKNT. o7
had its efit'ct on the state and well-being of the missions in general. It could not be expected that with such a resolution under their eyes, the Fathers would be as zealous in developing the natural resources of the coun- try as before, seeing that the result of their labors was at any moment liable to be seized on by Government, and handed over to strangers. The inse- curity thus created naturally acted upDU the converts in turn, for when it became apparent that the authority of the missionaries was more nominal than real, a spirit of opposition and independence on the part of some of the people Avas the natural result. Even before this determination had been come to on the part of the Government, there were not wanting evidences of an evil disposition on the part of the people; for as early as 1S03 one of the missions had become the scene of a revolt; and earlier still, as we learn from an unpublished correspondence of the Fathers, it was not unusual for some of the converts to abandon the mi.'tsions and return to their former wandeiing life. It was customary on those occasions to pursue the deserters, and com- pel them to return. * * * * * * * * *
"Meantime, the internal state of the missions was becoming more and more complex and disordered. The desertions were more frequent and numerous, tlie hostility of the unconverted more daring, and the general disposition of the people inclined to revolt. American traders and freebooters had entered the country, spread themselves all over the province, and sowed the seeds of discord and revolt among the inhabitants. Many of the moi-e reckless and evil-minded readily listened to their suggestions, adopted their counsels, and broke out into open hostUities. Their hostile attack was first directed against the Mission of Santa Cruz, which they captured and plundered, when they directed their course to Monterey, and, in common with their American friends, attacked and plundered that place. From these and other like occurrences, it was clear that the condition of the missions was one of the greatest pei'il. The spirit of discord had spread among the people, hostility to the authority of the Fathers had become common, while desertion from the villages was of frequent" and almost constant occurrence. To remedy this unpleasant state of affairs, the military then in the country was entirely inadequate, and so matters continued, with little or no diti'er- ence, till 1824, when by the action of the Mexican Government, the missions began rapidly to decline.
"^Two 3'ears after Mexico had been formed into a i-epublic, the Govern- ment authorities becran to interfere with the riMits of the Fathers and the existing state of affairs. In 1826, instructions were forwarded by the Fed- eral Government to the authorities of California for the liberation of the Indians. This was followed a few years later by another act of the Legis- lature, ordering the whole of the missions to be secularized and the Reli- gious to withdraw. The ostensible object assigned by the authors of the
58 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
measure, was the execution of the original plan formed by Government. The missions, it was alleged, were never intended to be permanent estab- lishments; they were to give way in the course of some years to the regular ecclesiastical system, when the people would hi formeil into parishes, attended by a secular clergy." * * * * * * *
"Beneath these specious pretexts," says Dwinellc in his Colonial History, " was undoubtedly, a perfect understanding between the Government at Mexico and the leadinof men in California, an 1 in sa3h a onlition of thingfs the Supreme Government miglit absorb the pious fun 1, under the pretense that it was no longer necessary for missionary purposes, and thus had reverted to the State as a quasi escheat, while the co-actors in California .should appropriate the local wealth of the missions, by the jvipid anl sure process of administering their temporalities." And again: "These laws (the secularization laws), whose ostensible purpose was to convert the mis.sionary establishments into Indian pueblos, their churches into parish churches, and to elevate the Christianize] Inliins t ) the rank oi: citizens, were, after all, executed in such a manner that the so-called sesularization of the missions resulted only in their pUmder and complete ruin, and in the demoralization and dispersion of the Christianized Indians."
Immediately on the receipt of the decree, the then acting Governor of California, Don Jose Figueroa, commenced the carrying out of its provisions, to which end he prepared certain provisional rule^, and in a33ordin3o there- with the alteration in the missionary system was begun, to be immediately followed by the absolute ruin of t>oth missions an.1 country. Within a very few years the exertions of the Fathers were en^iroly destroyed; t!ie lands which hal hitherto teemed with abundance, were han led over t) the Indians, to be by them neglected and permitted to return to thieir primitive wildness, and the thousands of cattle were divided am^ng tlie p3)ple and the administrators for the personal benefit of either.
Let us now briefly follow Father Gleeson in his contrast of the state of the people before and after secularization. He says : " It has been stated already that in 1822 the entire number of Indians tlien inhabiting t!ie ditfer- ent missions, amounted to twenty thousanl an:l upwards. To these others were being constantly added, even during these years of political strife which immediately preceded the indepandence of Mexico, until, in 1833, the num- bers amounted to thirty thousand and more. Provided with all tlie necessa- ries and comforts of life, instructed in everything requisite for their state in society, and devoutly trained in the duties and requirements of religion, these thirty thousand Californian converts led a peaceful, happy, contented life, strangers to those cares, troubles and anxieties common to higher and more civilized conditions of life. At the same time that their relio-ious con- dition was one of thankfulness add grateful satisfaction to the Fathers, their
p:aiily history and settlkmknt. 59
worldly position was one of unrivalcil abundance and prosperity. ])ivided between the different mi-ssions t'ron^ St. Lucas to San Francisco, clo.se upon one million of live-stock belonged to the people. Of these four hundred thousand were horned cattle, sixty thousand horses and more than three hundred thousand sheep, goats and swine. The united annual return of the cereals, consisting of wheat, maize, beans and the like, was upwards of one hundred and twenty thousand bu.shels; while at the same time throughout the different missions, the preparation and manufacture of soap, leather, Avine, brandy, hide.s, wool, oil, cotton, hemp, linen, tobacco, salt and soda, was largely and extensively cultivateil. And to such perfection were these articles brought, that some of them were eagerly sought for and purchased in the principal cities of Europe.
" The material prosperity of the country was further inci'eased b}^ an annual revenue of about one million of dollars, the net proceeds of the hides and tallow of one hundred tliousand oxen slaughtered annually at the differ- ent missions. Another hundred thousand were slaughtered by the settlers for their own private advantage. The revenues on the articles of which there arc no specific returns, is also suppcsed to have averaged another mil- lion dollars, which, when added to the foregoing, makes the annual revenue of the Ca,!ifornia Catholic missions, at the time of their supremacy, between two and three million dollars. Independent of these, there were the rich and extensive gardens and orchards attached to the missions, exquisitely ornamented and enriched, in many instances, with a great variety of Euro- pean and tropical fruit trees, plums, bananas, oranges, olives and figs; added to which were the numerous and fertile vineyards, rivaling in the quantity and quality of the grape those of the old countries of Europe, and all used for the comfort and maintenance of the natives. In a word, the happy results, both spiritual and temporal, produced in Upper California by the spiritual children of St. Francis, during the sixty years of their missionary career, were such as have i-arely been equalled and never surpassed in mod- ern times. In a country naturally salubrious, and it must be admitted fertile bej'ond many parts of the world, yet presenting at the outset numer- ous obstacles to the labors of the missionary, the Fathers succeeded in estab- lishing at regular distances along the coast as many as onc-and-twenty mis- sionary establishments. Into these holy retreats their zeal and ability enabled them to gather the whole of the indigenous race, with the exception of a few wandering tribes who, it is only reasonable to suppose, would also have followed the example of their brethren, had not the labors of the Fathers been dispensed with by the civil authorities. There, in those peace- ful, happy abodes, abounding in more than the ordinary enjoyment of things, spiritual and temporal, thirty thousand faithful, simple-hearted Indians passed their days in the practice of virtue and the improvement of
60 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
the country. From a wandering-, savage, uncultivated i-ace, unconscious as well of tlie God who created them as the end for which thev were made they became, after the advent of the Fathers, a civilized, domestic, Christian people, whose morals were as pure as their lives were simple. Daily attend- ance at the holy sacrifice of the mass, morning and night prayer, confe.ssion and communion at stated times ā the true worship, in a word, of the Deity, .succeeded the listless, aimless life, tlie rule pagm games and the illicit amours. The plains and valleys, which for centuries lay uncultivatel and unproductive, now teemed under an abundance of every species of corn; the hills and plains were covered with stock ; the fig tree, the olive and the vine yielded their rich abundance, while lying in the harbors, waiting to carry to foreign markets the rich products of the countrj'', might be seen numerous vessels from different parts of the world. Such was the happy and prosper- ous condition of the country under the missionary rule; and with this the reader is requested to contrast the condition of the people after the removal of the Religious, and the transfer of power to the secular authorities.
"In 1833, the decree for the liberation of the Indians was passed by the Mexican Congress, and put in force in the following year. The dispersion and demoralization of the people was the immediate result. Within eight years after the execution of the decree, the number of Christians diminished from thirty thousand six hundred and fifty to four thousand four hundred and fifty! Some of the missions, which in 1831 had as many as one thou- sand five hundred souls, numbered only a few hundred in 1842. The two missions of San Rafael and San Francisco Solano decreased respectively within this period from one thousand two hundred and fifty and one thou- sand three hundred, to twenty and seventy! A like diminution was observed in the cattle and general products of the country. Of the eight hundred and eight thousand head of live-stock belonging to the missions at the date above mentioned, only sixty-three thousand and twenty remained in 1842, The diminution in the cereals was equally striking; it fell fi-om seventy to four thousand hectolitres. * * * By descending to particular instances, this (the advantage of the Religious over the civil administration) will become even more manifest still. At one period during the supremacy of the Fathers, the principal mission of the country (San Diego), produced as much as six thousand fanegas of wheat, and an equal quantity of maize, but in 1842 the return for this mission was only eighteen hundred fanegas in all."
In 1823, the Mission of Santa Clara branded twenty-two thousand four hundi-ed calves as the increase of that year; while in 1825 the mission is reported to have owned seventy-four thousand two hundred and eighty head of cattle, four hundred and seven yoke of working oxen, eighty-two thou- sand five hundred and forty sheep, one thousand eight hundred and ninety
EARLY mSTOllY AND SETTLEMENT. Gl
horses broken to the sa Idle, four thousand two liuiuh-ed and tliirty-five breeding marcs, seven liundred and twenty-five mules, and one thousand hogs. In 1834, at the time of the secularizition of the missions, the number of Indians belonirino: to the Santa Clara Mission was eighteen hundred. In 1842, there were but four hundred. In a like manner did everything decrease. In 1842, there Avere but fifteen hundred head of cattle, two hundred and fifty horses, and three thousand swine.
That the Fathers Avho had charge of the missions in Upper California, before the advent of the Americans, paid strict attention to the duty of Chris- tianizing the native race, is evidenced by documents still in existence. The following report and order, dated Monterey, May G, 1804, though belonging to the chronicles of an adjoining county, is now produced to show the strin- gency with which religious observances were carried out: "In accordance with the rules made by the Governor, requiring a monthly report from the Commissioner of Branciforte, .showing who of the colonists and residents do or do not comply with their religious duties, the official report for the month of April, 1804, certified by the reverend minister, has reached its destina- tion. The Indian, Toribio, at some time past was derelict, but now has been brought to a proper sense of the requirements of a Chi'istian era, and is absolved from further stricture upon his failures and the reverend Fathers are to be so notified. The rebellious Ignacio Acedo, for failure to comport himself outwardly as a devotee, is to be arrested and turned over to the church authorities, where flagellation and confinement in the stocks will cause him' to pay a proper respect, and to be obedient to the precepts and commandments of the church, of which he has been a contumacious member. The Governor is to be informed of the punishment to which Acedo will be sentenced, and requires the information in writing, that it may be used by him, if he requires it, as an example of what those under his command may expect should they fail in the observance of the requirements of the church." Then follows Government Order No. 29, signed by Jose M. Estudillo, Secre- tary of Josd J. de Arrillaga, Military Commander of Alta California, and which is to this effect: "I am in receipt of the list, certified by the reverend minister of the Mission of Santa Cruz, of those who have observed the rules of religion, in having confessed and received the sacrament. The Indian, Toribio, has complied herewith, having done both, and I will send word to such effect to the Fathers. You will cause Ignacio Acedo to" be arrested, and notify the reverend Fathers, -when you have done so, that they may do with him as they think proper, and inform ine what the pastors of the church do to its members who fail to conform to the precepts of the holy religion, and have the revei'end Fathers put it in writing. May God protect j-ou many years." The order is addressed to the Commissioner of the village of Branciforte.
62 HISTORY OF SANTA CLAEA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
In its early day the whole military force in Upper California did nob number more than from two to three hundred men, divided between the four presidios of San Diego, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Francisco, while there were but two towns, or pueblos, Los Angeles and San Jose. Another was subsequently started in the neighborhood of Santa Cruz, which was named Branciforte, after a Spanish Viceroy. It may be conjectured that the garrisons were not maintained in a very effective condition. Such a supposition would be correct, for everywhere betokened the disuse of arms and the long absence of an enemy. The cannon of the presidio at San Francisco were grey with mould, and women and children were to be seen snutdv located within the militarv lines. The soldiers of the San Francisco dis- trict were divided into three cantonments ā one at the presidio, one at Santa Clara Mission, and one at the Mission of San Jose'. Wo here append a list of the soldiers connected with the presidio in the year 1790, which has been copied from the Spanish archives in San Francisco. Here will be found the names, positions, nativity, color, race, age, etc., of the soldiers, as well as those of their wives, when married : ā ā Don Josef Arguello, Commandante, age 39. Don Ramon Laro de la Neda, Alferez de Campo, age 34. Pedro Amador, Sergeant, Spaniard, from Guadalaxara, age 51: wife,
Ramono Noriega, Spanish, aged 30; 7 children. Nicolas Galindo, mestizo, Durango, 42. Majio Chavoya, City of Mexico, 34; wife, a Bernal. Miguel Pacheco, 36 ; wife, a Sanchez.
Luis Maria Peralta, Spaniard, Sonora, 32; wife, Mario Loretta Alviso, 19. Justa Altamarino, mulatto, Sonora, 4-5.
Ygnacio Limaxes, Sonora, 49; wife, Maria Gertruda Rivas, Spaniard. 38. Ygnacio Soto, 41 ; wife, Barbara Espinoza. Juan Bernal, mestizo, Sonora, 53; wife. Maxima I de Soio. Jph Maria Martinez, Sonora, 35; wife Maria Gai'cia, mulatto, 18. Salvador Iguera, L. C, 38; wife, Alexa Marinda, Sonora, 38. Nicolas Berreyessa, mestizo, 25; wife, Maria Gertrudis Peralta, 24. Pedro Peralta, Sonora, 2G; wife, Maria Carmen Grisalva, 19. Ygnacio Pacheco, Sonora, 30; wife, Maria Dolores Cantua, mestizo, age 16. Francisco Bernal, Sinaloa, 27; wife, Maria Petrona, Indian, 29. Bartolo Pacheco, Sonora, 25; wife, Maria Francisco Soto, 18. Apolinario Bernal, Sonora, 25.
Joaquin Bernal, Sonora, 28; wife, Josefa Sanchez, 21. Josef Aceva, Durango, 26.
Manuel Boranda, Guadalaxara, 40; wife, Gertrudis Higuera, 18. Francisco Valencia, Sonora, 22; wife, Maria Victoria Higuera, 15. Josef Antonio Sanchez, Guadalaxara, 39 ; wife, Maria Dolora Moxales, 34.
EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. G3
Josef Ortiz, Gnadalaxara, 23.
Josef Aguila, Guailalaxara, 22; wife, Concllaria Rcmixa, 14.
Ale'xaiidro A\isto, Durango, 23.
Juan Josef Higucra, Sonora, 20.
Francisco Florcs, Gnadalaxara, 20.
Josef Maria Castilla, Guadalaxara, 19.
Ygnacio Higuora, Sonora, 23; wife, Maria Micaclo Borjorques, 28.
Ramon Linare, Sonora, 19.
Josef Migu 1 Saens, Sonora, 18.
Carto Serviente, San Diego, Indian, 60.
Augustin Xirviento, X- C. 20.
Nicolas Presidairo, Indian, 40.
Gabriel Peralta, invalid, Sonora.
Manuel Vution, invalid, Indian.
Ramon Borjorques, invalid, 98.
Francisco Remero, invalid, 52.
A recapitulation shows that the inmates of the presidio consisted alto- gether of one hundred and forty-four persons, including men, women and chil- dren, .soldiers and civilians. There were thirty-eight soldiers and three labor- ers. Of these one was an European, other than Spanish, seventy-eight Span- iards, five Indians, two mulattocs, and forty-four of other castes.
An inventory of the rich men of the presidio, bearing date 1793, was dis- covered some years since, showing that Pedro Amador was the proprietor of thirteen head of stock and fifty-two sheep; Nicolas Galindo, ten head of stock; Luis Peralta, two liead of stock; Manuel Boranda, three head of stock; Juan Bernal, twent3'-tiiree head of stock and two hundred and forty- six sheep; Sal valor Youere, thre3 head of stock; Aleso Miranda, fifteen head of stock ; Pedro Peralta, two head of stock ; Francisco Bernal, sixteen head of stock; Bartol Pacheco, seven head of stock: Joaquin Bernal, eight head of stock; Francisco Valencia, two head of stock ; Berancia Galindo, six head of stock ; Hermenes Sal (who appears to have been a secretary, or something be.sides a soldier), five head of stock and three mares. Com- puting these we find the total amount of stock owned by these men were one hundred and fifteen cattle, two hundred and ninety-eight .sheep and seventeen mares.
Prior to considering the American Occupation of California it will be as well to intioduce the reader to a few of the characteristics, manners, customs and mode of living pursued by the native Californians.
These were a half-caste race, between the white Castillian and the native Indian, very few of the families retaining the pure blood of old Castile ; they were consequently of all shades of color, and developed, the women especially, into a handsome and ccHiicly race. Their wants ware few and
G4 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
easily supplied ; they were contented and happy ; the women were virtuous and great devotees to their church and religion ; while the men in their normal condition were kind and hospitable, but when excited they became rash, fearless, yet cruel, with no dread for knife nor pistol. Their generosity was great, everything they had being at the disposal of a friend, or even a stranger; while socially they loved pleasure, spending most of their time in music and dancing, indeed such was their passion for the latter, that their horses have been trained to curvet in time to the tones of the guitar. When not sleeping, eating, or dancing, the men passed most of their time in the saddle, and naturally were very expert equestrians ; horse-racing was with them a daily occurrence, not for the gain which it might bring, but for the amusement to be derived therefrom, and to throw a dollar upon the ground, lide by at ful] gallop and pick it up was a feat that almost any of them could perform.
Horses and cattle gave them their chief occupation. They could use the riata or lasso with the utmost dexterity ; whenever thrown at a bullock horseman, or bear, it rai*ely missed its mark. The riata in the hands of a Californian was a more dangerous weapon than gun or pistol, while to catch a wild cow M'ith it, throw her and tie her, without dismounting, was most common, and to go through the saine performance with a bear was not considered extraordinary. Their only articles of export were hides and tallow, the value of the former being one dollar and a half in cash, and two in goods, and the latter three cents per pound in barter. Young heifers of two 3^ears old, for breeding purposes, were worth three dollars; a fat steer, delivered in the Pueblo of San Jose, brought fifty cents more, while it was considered neither trespass nor larceny to kill a beeve, use the flesli, and hang the hide and tallow on a tree, secure from coyotes, where it could be found by the owner.
Lands outside of the towns were only valuable for grazing purposes. For this use every citizen of good character, having cattle, could, for the asking, and by paying a fee to the officials, and a tax upon the paper on which it was written, get a grant for a grazing tract of from one to eleven square leagues of land: These domains were called Ranchos, the only improve- ments on them being usually a house and a corral. They were never inclosed; they were never surveyed, but extended from one well defined landmark to another, and whether they contained two or three leagues, more or less, was regarded as a matter of no consequence, for the land itself was of no value to the Government.
It was not necessary for a man to keep his cattle on his own land. They were ear-marked and branded when young, and these established their ownership. The stock roamed whithersoever they wished, the ranchero sometimes finding his animals fifty or sixty miles away from his grounds.
i^c^^y^tro^
'ā i-iKl
/0'^^'Ā«41
EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. 65
About the middle of March commenced the " Rodeo " season, which was fixed in advance by the ranchero, who would send notice to his neighbors, for leagues around, when all, with their vaquei'os, would attend and participate. The rodeo was the gathering in one locality of all the cattle on the rancho. When this was accomplished, the next operation was for each ranchero present to part out from the general herd all animals bearing his brand and ear-mark and take them off to his own rancho. In doing this they were allowed to take all calves that followed their mothers, what was left in the rodeo belonging to the owner of the rancho, who had them marked as his property. On some of the ranchos the number of calves branded and marked each year appears to us at this date to have been enormous, Joaquin Bernal, who owned the Santa Teresa Rancho, eight miles south of San Josd, having been in the habit of branding not less than five thousand head yearly. In this work a great many horses were employed. Fifty head was a small number for a ranchero to own, while they frequently had from five to six hundred trained animals, principall}' geldings, for the mares were kept exclusively for breeding purposes. The latter were worth a dollar and a half per head ; the price of saddle horses was from two dollars and fifty cents to twelve dollars each.
In the month of December, 18G5, a writer under the caption of " Yadnus," thus writes to the San Jose Mercury : ā
" Not many years ago, in the agricultural counties, or, as they are more elegantly termed, in the parlor language of California, " Cow Counties," pre- vailed to a great extent the custom which has given rise to the following rough verses. Until the heavy floods and severe weather of the memorable Winter of 1861, had more than decimated their herds, it was the practice (in accordance with law, I believe), for the wealthy rancheros ā men who counted their cattle, when they counted them at all ā by the thousands, to hold, twice a year, rodeo {rodere), to which all who owned stock within a circuit of fifty miles repaired, with their friends, and often their families. At the appointed time, the cattle, for many leagues around, were gathered up by the horsemen, or vaqueros (buckaros), of the different stockmen, and driven into a large corral, where the branding, markinfj and claiming of stock occupied sometimes a week. At the largest rodeo I ever witnessed, there were gathered together some thirty thousand head of cattle, and at least three hundred human beings, among whom were many of the gentler sex. These rodeos were usually presided over by a ' Judge of the Plains,' an officer appointed by the Board of Supervisors, and whose duty was to arbitrate between owners in all disputes that might arise as to cattle- property, overhaul and inspect all brands of stock being driven from or through the county, and to steal as many ' hoobs ' as he possibly could, without detection. In fact, the 'perquisites' constituted pretty nearly the 5
66 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
entire pay of this valuable officer, and if they all understood their business as well as the one it was my fortune to cabin with for a number of months, they made the office pay pretty well."
The following poetic description of a rodeo Ls well worthy the perusal of the reader: ā
EL RODEO.
Few are the sunny years, fair land of gold,
That round thy brow their circlet bright have twined; Yet, each thy youtliful form hath still enrolled
In wondrous garb of peace and wealth combined, few are the years since old Hispania's sons
Reared here their missions ā tolled the chapel bell; Subdued the natives with their priestly guns,
To bear the cross of God ā and man as well. ā * Oft have the holy Fathers careless stood
Within thy valleys, then a blooming waste; Or heedless, toiled among the mountain flood.
That, rich with treasure, downward foamed and raced. Those times and scenes have long since passed away,
Before the white man's wisdom-guided tread, As fly the shades before the steps of day,
When in the east he lifts his radiant head.
But. still, thy valleys and thy mountains teem
With customs common to the race of old ; Like Indian names bequeathed to lake and stream,
They'll live while Time his restless reign shall hold, 'Tis of one such that I essay to sing,
A custom much in vogue in sections here. Till flood and frost did such destruction bring.
That scarce since then was needed a rodeo.
Last night, at sunset, down the stream, I saw
The daik vaqueros ride along the plain. With gingling spur, and bit, and jaquima,
And snake-like lariats scarce e'er hurled in vain; The steeds they rode were champing on the bit.
The agile riders lightly sat their "trees," And many a laugh and waif of Spanish wit
Made merry music on the evening breeze.
Far out beyond the hills their course they took.
And, where there lies in early-summer days, A lake, or slough, or, chance a pebbly brook,
The coyote saw the camp-fire wildly blaze, All night they lay beneath the lurid glare.
Till had upsprung morn's beauteous herald star, And then, received each horse the needed care,
Quick o'er the plains they scattered near and far.
They come ! and thundering down the red-land slope. The fierce ganado madly tears along,
EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. 67
While, close heliiiul, urged to their utmost lope,
The wild cn/ialloa drive the surgiuy tiu-oug. At headlong speed the riders keep the baud,
^V^ith yells, and oaths, and waving hats and coats. Till in the strong corral they panting, stand,
And rest is gained for horses and for tiiroats.
Then conies the breakfast ; soon the steer they kill,
And quickly is the dressing hurried through ; The meat is cooked by rude, yet well-liked skill.
And ā all do know what hungry men can do. The I'adron sits beneath yon old oak tree.
Encircled by a group of chatting friends ; For, at rodeo, all one can eat is free,
So all around in greasy union blends.
The breakfast finished, cigarettes alight,
Unto the huge corral all hands proceed ; The strong-wove cinches are made doubly tight,
And the riata's noose prepared for need. The lire is kindled, and the iron brand.
Amid its coals, receives the wonted heat ; The Padron waves assent, with eager hand,
And the dark riders bound to saddle seat.
Where yon dark cloud of dust is rising high,
The swart vaqueros like the lightning dart. And singling out their prey with practiced eye.
Rush him from the affrighted herd apart. Then whirls the lasso, whistling through the air,
In rapi.d circles o'er each horseman's head, Till round the yearlings throat is hurled the snare
Burning like a huge coil of molten lead.
Then, heedless of its struggles to get free,
They drag it to the Major-domo's stand. Who, though of tender heart he's wont to be.
Now, merciless, sears deep in its flesh the brand. The Spanish mother at her youngling's cry
Comes charging down with maddened hoof and horn, While far and wide the crowd of gazers tly.
And hide behind the fence-posts till she's gone,
In faith, it is a sight well worth to see.
For those who like excitement's feverish touch ; And he, who can look on and passive be,
Has ice within his nature overmuch. What frantic bellowings pierce the startled air.
What clouds of dust obscure the mid-day sky, W^hat frenzied looks the maddened cattle wear.
As round and round, in vain, they raging fly!
These things and many more tend well to fill
The eager cravings of the morbid mind ; Akin to passions that full oft instill
(j,S HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Feelings that prompt the torture of its kind ; But he wlio rashly seeks a closer view
Of tortured calf, to mark each groan and sigh, Receives, full oft, rebuke in black and blue.
Pointed with force to where his brains most lie.
By the time the rodeo season was over, about the middle of May, the " Matanza," or killing season, commenced. The number of cattle slaughtered each year was commensurate with the number of calves marked, and the amount of herbage for the year, for no more should be kept alive than the pasture on the rancho could support. After the butchering the hides were taken off and dried; the tallow, fit for market, was put into bags made from hides; the fattest portions of the meat were made into soap; while some of the best was cut, pulled into thin shreds, dried in the sun, and the remainder thrown to the buzzards and the dogs, a number of which were kept ā young dogs were never destroyed ā to clean up after a matanza. Three or four hundred of these curs were to be found on a rancho, and it was no infrequent occurrence to see a ranchero come into town with a string of them at his horse's heels.
Let us consider one of the habitations of these people: Its construction was beautiful in its extreme simplicity. The walls were fashioned of large sun-dried bricks, made of that black loam known to settlers in the Golden State as adobe soil, mixed with straw, measuring about eighteen inches square and three in thickness; these being cemented with mud, plastered within with the same substance, and whitewashed when finished. The rafters and joists were of rough timber, with the bark simply peeled oflf and placed in the requisite position, the thatch being of rushes or chapari'al fast- ened down with thongs of bullock's hide. When completed these dwellings stand the brunt and wear and tear of many decades, as can be evidenced by the number which are still occupied throughout the county. The furniture consisted of a few cooking utensils, a rude bench or two, sometimes a table, and the never-failing red camphor- wood trunk. This chest contained the extra clothes of the women ā the men wore theirs on their backs ā and when a visit of more than a day's duration was made, the box was taken along. They were cleanly in their persons and clothing; the general dress being, for females, a common calico gown of plain colors, blue grounds with small figures being those most fancied. The fashionable ball-dress of the young ladies was a scarlet flannel petticoat covered with a white lawn skirt, a com- bination of tone in color which is not surpassed by the modern gala costume. Bonnets there were none, the headdress consisting of a long narrow shawl or scarf. So graceful was their dancing that it was the admiration of all strangers ; but as much cannot be said for that of the men, for the more noise they made, the better it suited them.
EAKLV HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. 6(^>
The dress of the men was a cotton shirt, cotton drawers, calzonazos, sash, serape and hat. The calzonazos took the place of pantaloons in the modern costume, and differed from these by being open down the side, or, ratlier, the seams on the sides were not sewed as in pantaloons, but were laced together from the waistband to the hips by means of a ribbon run through eyelets, thence they were fastened with large silver bell-buttons; in wearing them they were left open from tlie knee down. The best of these garments were made of broadcloth, the inside and outside seams being faced with cotton velvet. The serape was a blanket with a hole through its center, through which the head was inserted, the remainder hanmnrr to the knees before and behind. These cloaks were invariably of brilliant colors, and varied in price from four to one hunched and fifty doUai's. The calzonazos were held in their place by a pink sash worn around the waist, while tlie serape served as a coat by day and a covering by night.
Their courtship was to the western mind peculiar, no flirting or love-mak- ing being permitted. When a young man of marriageable age saw a. young lady whom he thought would make a happy help-mate, he had first to make his wishes known to his own father, in whose household the ehgibility of the connection was primarily canvassed, when, if the desire was regarded with favor, the father of the enamored swain addressed a letter to the father of the young lady, asking for his daughter in marriage for his son. The matter was then freely discussed between the parents of the girl, and, if an adverse decision was arrived at, the father of the young man was by letter so informed, and the matter was at an end ; but, if the decision of her parents was favorable to him, then the young lady's inclinations were consulted, and her decision communicated in the same manner, when they were affi- anced, and the affair became a matter of common notoriety. Phillis might then visit Chloe, was received as a member of her family, and when the time came the marriage was celebrated by feasting and dancing, which usually lasted from three to four days. It may be mentioned here that when a refusal of marriage was made, the lady was said to have given her lover the pumpkin ā Se dio la cabala.
The principal articles of food were beef and beans, in the cooking and preparing of which they were unsurpassed; while they cultivated to a cer- tain extent, maize, melons, and pumpkins. The bread used was the tortilla, a wafer in the shape of the Jewish unleavened bread, which was, when not made of wheaten tlour, baked from corn. When prepared of the last-named meal, it was first boiled in a weak lye made of wood ashes, and then by hand ground into a paste between two stones ; this process completed, a small por- tion of the dough was taken out, and by dexterously throwing it up from the back of one hand to that of the other the shape was formed, when it was placed upon a fiat iron and baked over the fire.
70 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
The mill in which their grain was ground was made of two stones as nearly round as possible, of about thirt}^ inches in diameter, and each being dressed on one side to a smooth surface. One was set upon a frame some two feet high, with the smooth face upwards; the other was placed on this with the even facet downwards, while through an inch hole in its center was the wheat fed by hand. Two holes drilled partly througli each admitted an iron bolt, In' means of which a long pole was attached ; to its end was harnessed a horse, mule or donkey, and the animal being driven round in a circle, Qaused the stone to revolve. We are informed that these mills were capable of grinding a bushel of wheat in about twelve hours! Their vehicles and agri- cultural implements were quite as primitive, the cart in common use being formed in the following^ manner: The two wheels were sections of a log with a hole drilled or bored^ through the center, the axle being a pole .sharpened at each extremity for spindles, with a hole and pin at either end to prevent the wheels from slipping off. Another pole fastened to the middle of the axle served the purpose of a tongue. Upon this framework was set, or fastened, a species of wicker-work, framed of sticks bound together with strips of hide. The beasts of burden were oxen, which were yoked with a stick across the forehead, notched and crooked so as to fit the head closely, and the whole tied with rawhide. The plow was a still more quaint affair. It consisted of a long piece of timber which served the purpose of a beam, to the end of which a handle was fastened ; a mortise was next chiseled in order to admit the plow, which was a short stick with a natural crook, having a small piece of iron fastened on one end of it. With this crude implement was the ground upturned, while the branch of a convenient tree served the purposes of a harrow. Fences there were none so that crops might be protected ; ditches were therefore dug, and the crests of the sod covered with the branches of trees, to warn away the numerous bands of cattle and horses, and prevent their intrusion upon the newly sown grain. When the crops were ripe they were cut with a sickle, or any other convenient weapon, and then it became necessary to thresh it. Now for the modus O'pe^xmdi. The floor of the corral into which it was customary to drive the horses and cattle to lasso them, from constant use had become hardened. Into this inclosure the sfrain would be piled, and upon it the nnamatha, or band of mares, would be turned loose to tramp out the seed. The wildest horses, or mayhap the colts that had only been driven but once, and then to be branded, would be turned adrift upon the straw, when would ensue a scene of the wildest confusion, the .excited animals being urged, amidst the yelling of vaqueros and the cracking of whips, here, there, and everywhere, around, across, and length- wise, until the whole was trampled, and naught left but the grain and chaff. The most difficult part, however, was the separating these two articles. Owing to the length of the dry season there was no urgent haste to effect
EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. 71
this; therefore, when the wind was high enough, the trampled mass would be tossed into the air with large wooden forks cut from the adjacent oaks, and the wind carry away the lighter chaff, leaving the heavier grain. With a favorable breeze several bushels of wheat could thus be winnowed in the course of a day; while, strange as it may appear, it is declared that grain so sifted was much cleaner than it is now.
The government of the native Californian was as primitive as the people. There were neither law-books nor lawyers, while laws were mostly to be found in the traditions of the people. The head oflficer in each village was the Alcalde, in whom was vested the judicial function, who received on the enactment of a new law a manuscript copy, called a hando, upon the obtain- ing of which a person was sent round beating a snare drum, which was a signal for the assemblage of the people at the Alcalde's office, where the Act was read, thus promulgated, and forthwith had the force of law. When a citizen had cause of action against another requiring the aid of court, he went to the Alcalde and verbally stated his complaint in his own way, and asked that the defendant be sent for, who was at once summoned by an officer, who simply said that he was wanted by the Alcalde. The defendant made his appearance without loss of time, whei-e, if in the same village, the plaintiff was generally in waiting. The i^lcalde commenced by stating the complaint against him and asked what he had to say about it. This brought about an altercation between the parties, and nine times out of ten the Justice could get at the facts in this wise, and announce judgment immediately, the whole suit not occupying two hours from its beginning. In more important cases three "good men " would be called in to act as co-justices, while the testi- mony of witnesses had seldomto be resorted to. A learned American Judge has said that "the native Californians were, in the presence of their courts, gener- ally truthful. What they know of false-swearing or perj ury they have learned from their associations with Americans. It was truthfully said by the late Edmund Randolph, that the United States Board of Commissioners to set- tle private land claims in California, had been the graves of their reputa- tions."
They were all Roman Catholics, and their priests of the Franciscan Order. They were great church-goers, yet Sunday was not the only day set apart for their devotions. Nearly every day in the calendar was devoted to the memory of some saint, while those dedicated to the principal ones were observed as holidays; so that Sunday did not constitute more than half the time which they consecrated to religious exercises, many of which were so much in contrast to those of the present day, that they deserve a short description.
The front door of their churches were always open, and every person passing, whether on foot or on horseback, did so hat in hand; any forgetful-
72 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
ness on this head caused the unceremonious removal of the sombrero. During the holding of services within, it was customary to station a number of men without, who at appointed intervals interiupted the proceedings with the ringing of bells, the firing of pistols, and the shooting of muskets, sustaining a noise resembling the irregular fire of a company of infantry.
In evei-y church was kept a number of pictui-es of their saints, and a tri- umphal arch profusely decorated with artificial flowers, while, on a holiday devoted to any particular saint, after the performance of mass, a picture of the saint, deposited in the arch, would be carried out of the church on the shoulders of four men, followed by the whole congregation in double file, with the priest at the head, book in hand. The procession would march all round the town, and at every few rods would kneel on the ground while the priest read a prayer or performed some religious ceremony. After the circuit of the town had been'made, the train returned to the church, entering it in the same order as that in which they had departed. With the termination of these exercises, horse-racing, cock-fighting, gambling, dancing, and a gen- eral merry-making, completed the work of the day. A favorite amusement of these festivals was for thirty or forty men on horseback, generally two but sometimes three on one horse, with their guitars, to parade the town, their horses capering and keeping time to the music, accompanied with songs by the whole company, in this manner visiting, playing and singing, at all the places of business and principal residences; and it was considered no breach of decorum for men on horses to enter stores and dwellings.
Some of their religious ceremonies wei'e very grotesque and amusing, the personification of " The Wise Men of the East," being of this character. At the supposed anniversary of the visit of the Wise Men to Bethlehem, seven or eight men would be found dressed in the most fantastic styles, going in company from house to house looking for the infant Saviour. They were invariably accompanied by one representing the devil in the garb of a Fran- ciscan friar, with his rosary of beads and the cross, carrying a long rawhide whip, and woe to the man who came within the reach of that whip ā it was far from fun to him, though extremely amusing to the rest of the party. The chief of these ceremonies, however, was the punishment of Judas Isca- riot for the betrayal of his Master. On the supposed periodicity of this event, after nightfall and the people had retired to rest, a company would go out and prepare for the forthcoming ceremonies. A cart was procured and placed in the public square in front of the church, against which was set up an efiigy made to represent Judas, by stufiing an old suit of clothes with straw. The houses were then visited and a collection of pots, kettles, dishes, agricultural implements ā in fact almost every conceivable article of personal property was scraped together and piled up around Judas, to represent his effects, until in appearance he was the wealthiest man in the whole country.
EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. 73
Then the last will and testament of Judas had to be prepared, a work which was accorded to the best scribe and the greatest wit of the connnunity. Every article of property had to be disposed of, and something like an equal distribution among all the people made, each bequest being accompanied by some very pointed and witty reason for its donation. Among a more sensi- tive people, some of these reasons would be regarded as libelous. The will, when completed and properly attested, was posted on a bulletin board near the eSigy, and the night's work was performed. As soon as sufficiently light, the entire population, men, women and children, congregated to see Judas and his wealth, and to hear read, and discuss, the merits of his will, and appropriateness of its provisions. Nothing else was talked of; nothing else was thought of, until the church bell summoned them to mass, after which a wild, unbroken mare was procured, on the back of which Judas was firmly strapped; a string of firo-crackers was then tied to her tail, they were lighted, she was turned loose, and the ultimate fate of the figurative Judas was not unlike that which we are told occurred to his perfidious prototype.
The native Californians were a temperate people, intoxication being almost unknown. Wines and liquors existed in the country, but were sparingly used. In a saloon when a " bit's worth " was called for, the decanter was not handed to the customer, as is now the case, but was invariably measured out, and if the liquor was a potent spirit, in a very small dose; while a " bit's worth" was a ti^eat for a considerable company, the glass being passed around from one to the other, each taking a sip. The following amusing episode in this regard, which occurred in 1847, may find a place in this chapter. Juan Soto, an old gray-headed man and a great friend to Americans ā for every one who spoke English was an American to him ā had come into possession of a " bit," and being a generous, whole-souled man, he desired to treat five or six of his friends and neighbors. To this end he got them together, marched
them to Weber's store in the Pueblo de San Jos^, and there meeting ,
who, though hailing from the Emerald Isle, passed for an American, invited him to join in the syinpositun. The old Spaniard placed his "bit" upon the counter with considerable eclat, and called for its value in wine, which was
duly measured out. As a mark of superior respect he first handed it to ,
who, wag that he was, swallowed the entire contents, and awaited the denoueinent with keen relish. Soto and his friends looked at each other in blank' amazement, when there burst out a tirade in their native tongue, the choice expressions in which may be more readily imagined than described.
There was one vice that was common to nearly all of these people, and which eventually caused their ruin, namely, a love of gambling. Their favorite game was monte, probably the first of all banking games. So passionately were they addicted to this, that on Sunday, around the church, while the women were inside and the priest at the altar, crowds of men would have
74 HISTORY OF SANTA CLAKA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
their blankets spread upon the ground with their cards and money, playing their favorite game of monte. They entertained no idea that it was a sin, nor that there was any thing in it derogatory to their character as good Christians. This predilection was early discovered and turned to account by the Americans, who soon established banks, and carried on games for their amusement especially. The passion soon became so developed that they would bet and lose their horses and cattle, while, to procure money to gratify this disposition, they would borrow from Americans at the rate of twelve and a half per cent, per day; mortgaging and selling their lands and stock, yea, even their wives' clothing, so that their purpose should be gratified, and many unprincipled Westerns of those days enriched themselves in this man- ner at the expense of those poor creatures.
Before leaving this people, mention should be made of their bull and bear fights. Sunday, or some prominent holiday, was invariably the day chosen for holding these, to prepare for which a large corral was erected in the plaza in front of the church, for they were witnessed by priest and layman alike. In the afternoon, after Divine service, two or three good bulls (if a bull-fight only), would be caught and put into the inclosure, when the combat com- menced. If there is anything that will make a wild bull furious it is the sight of a red blanket. Surrounded by the entire population, the fighters entered the arena, each with one of these in one hand and a knife in the other, the first of which they would flaunt before the furious beast, but guardedly keeping it between the animal and himself. Infuriated beyond degree, with flashing eye and head held down, the bull would dash at his enemy, who with a dexterous side spring would evade the onslaught, leaving the animal to strike the blanket, and as he passed would inflict a slash with his knife. Whenever by his quickness he could stick his knife into the bull's neck just behind the horns, thereby wounding the spinal cord, the bull fell a corpse and the victor received the plaudits of the admiring throng. The interest taken in these exhibitions was intense; and, what though a man was killed, had his ribs broken, was thrown over the fence, or tossed on to the roof of a house ; it only added zest to the sport, it was of no moment, the play went on. It was a national amusement.
When a grizzly bear could be procured, then the fight, instead of being between man and bull, was between bull and bear. Both were taken into the corral, each being made fast to either end of a rope of sufficient length to permit of free action, and left alone until they chose to open the ball. The first motion was usually made by the bull endeavoring to part company from the boar, who thus received the first " knock down." On findinsf that he could not get clear of Bruin, he then charged him, but was met half-way. If the bear could catch the bull by the nose, he held him at a disadvantage; but he more frequently found that he had literally taken the bull by the
EAllLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT. 7o
horns, when the tight became intensely interesting-, and was kept up until one or other was killed, or both refused to renew the combat. The bull, unless his horns were clipped, was generally victorious.
This custom of bull and bear fighting was kept up by the native Califor- nians, as a money-making institution from the Americans, until the year 1854, when the Legislature interposed by " An Act to prevent Noisy, and Barbarous Amusements on the Sabbath."
Judge R. F. Peckham tells the following incident in regard to this Act, which though not having occurred in this county, still took place in the Santa Clara valley. Shortly after the foregoing enactment became a law, great preparations were made for havinga bull-fight,on the Sabbath as usual, at the old Mission of San Juan Bautista. They were notified by the officers of the existence of the new law, and that they must desist from the undertak- ing. Doctor Wiggins, a mission pioneer in California since 1842, was then residing at San Juan; he spoke Spanish fluently, and was looked upon as a great friend by the native Calif ornians. He never smiled nor appeared to jest, yet he was the greatest tale-teller, jester and punster on the Pacific coast. In sallies of genuine wit he stood unequalled. In their perplexity about the new law, the Californians took counsel with the doctor; he examined the title of the Act with much seriousness and great wisdom : " Go on with your bull-fights," was the doctor's advice; " they can do nothing with you. This is an Act to 'prevent noisy and barbarous amusements on the Sabbath. If they arrest you, you will be entitled to trial by jury; the jury will be Amer- icans ; they will, before they can convict you, have to find three things: first, that a bull-fight is noisy; this they will find against you; second, that it is barbarous; this they will find against you; hut an American jury will never find that it is an amusement in Christ's time. Go on with your bull-fights." They did go on and were arrested, to find that the doctor had been practicing a cruel joke on this long-cherished institution. They were sentenced to pay a fine, and it was the last of the bull-fights. Thus passed away the only surviving custom of a former civilization.
The history of the settlement of any county of California follows as sequen- tially, and is so cJosely allied with the history of the Pacific coast in general, and this State in particular, that to commence the chronicling of events from the beginning naturally and properly takes us back to the first discoveries in this portion of the globe, made by the bold old voyageurs who left the known world and charted seas behind them and sailed out into an unknown, untrav- ersed, unmapped and trackless main, whose mysteries were to them as great as those of that " undiscovered country " of which the Prince of Uenmai'k speaks.
In the year 1728 a Dane named Vitus Bering, was employed by Catharine of Russia to proceed on an exploring expedition to the north-west coast of
7(i HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
America and Asia, to find if possible an undiscovered connection between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. On this voyage he solved the riddle and gave to the world the straits which now bear his name. On his return he tendered to the Empress the handsome skins which he had procured on his cruise, and so delighted was she, and so excited was the cupidity of capitalists from other countries, that soon settlements were established on the coast, and the collec- tion of furs commenced. In 1799 the Russian American Fur Company was organized and located in what is now known as Alaska ; Sitka was founded in 1805 ; and for many years the neighbors of the Russ were the Aiistrians and Danes. Now came the British. An association known as the King George's Sound Company was organized in London in 1784, for the purpose of making a settlement on the Pacific coast, whither many of their vessels ibund their way, up till 1790. Between the years 1784 and 1790, the coast was visited by ships of the East India Company ; and about the last-named year craft of the United States were first seen in these waters.
The ship Columbia, Robert Gray, Captain, arrived at the Straits of Fuca June 5, 1791, and traded along the coast, discovering the Columbia river, which he named after his vessel. May 7, 1792. In 1810, a number of hunt- ers and trappers arrived in the ship Albatross, Captain Smith, and estab- lished the first American settlement on the Pacific coast. In the same 3'ear, under the leadership of John Jacob Astor, the Pacific Fur Company was organized in New York; and in 1811 they founded the present town of Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia river. The British, however, soon after wrested it from their hands and drove all the Americans out of the country, many of whom found their way into California. Between the years 1813 and 1822, save deserters from vessels, and those connected with trading-posts, there were no Americans on the coast.
In his " Natural Wealth of California," Titus Fey Cronise informs us that from 1825 until 1834, the whole of the California trade was in the hands of a few Boston merchants. A voyage to this coast and back, during that time, was an enterprise of very uncertain duration, generally occupying two or three years. The outward cargo, which usually consisted of groceries and coarse cotton goods, had to be retailed to the missionaries and settlers, as there were no "jobbers " in those times, and neither newspapers, telegraphs, nor stages through which to inform customers of the ship's arrival. The crew had to travel all over the country to convey the news, which occupied considerable time. It was this portion of their duties that caused so raany of them to desert their ships. They saw so much of the country, became so charmed with the freedom, ease and plenty, that prevailed everywhere, that they preferred to remain on shore. Each of these vessels generally brought several young men as adventurers, who worked their passage out for the privilege of remaining. Many of the early settlers, whose children are now
EARLY HISTORY AND SKTTLEMENT. 77
amoncr the wealthiest citizens of the State, came to California in this mannei'.
The outward cargo being disposed of, the homeward one had to be pro- cured. Sometimes, when the season had been too dry, or too wet for the lazy vaqueros to drive the cattle into the missions to kill, there were no hides or tallow to be had. On such occasions the vessel was obliged to remain till the next season, when a sufficient number of cattle would be slaughtered to pay for the goods purchased, as there was no "currency" used iu the country, except hides and tallow.
First in California to settle, and foremost in Santa Clara county, was John Cameron, commonly called Gilroy. He was born in Invernessshire, Scotland, in the district of Lochaber, in the year 1794, and in the year 1813 arrived in Monterey in one of Her Britannic Majesty's ships, on board of which he was rated as coxswain of the captain's gig. From here he deserted in company with a comrade known as "Deaf Jimmy," and waiting carefully hid until the vessel had departed, the two friends then sought employment, and finding their way into this valley, Gilroy established himself at the little town of San Ysidro, now generally called Old Gilroy, and there marrying, remained till his death, which occurred in July, 1869. His comrade, " Deaf Jimmy," after staying Svith his confrere for some time, went to the north of the Bay of San Francisco and died in Sonoma county. At this time there were not half a dozen foreign settlers in the whole country, save the Russians who then occupied Bodega and Fort Ross on the coast of Sonoma, while, from San Francisco to Los Angeles, there were only eight ranchos, the property of Mexican colonists.
In the year 1818 there arrived at Monterey another of those grand noble- men, cast in nature's mould, in the person of Don Antonio Sunol. His birth- place was Barcelona in Spain, but a love for the French people induced him to enter their naval service and he was present when the First Napoleon sur- rendered as a prisoner before his exile to the island of St. Helena. He died at his residence in San Jos^, March 18, 1865, having earned in life by his generosity, the respect of the entire community.
Prior to the year 1820 the manner of living was most primitive, and had it not been that horses were plentiful, the mode of locomotion would have of a necessity been confined to pedestrianism, for, as there were no roads there were no vehicles, while the wheels of those which existed were innocent of fellah, spoke, hub, or tire. Not a hotel, or public house of entertainment was to be found throughout the length and breadth of the land, while there was no sawed timber ; that used for building being hewn with axes by Indians. A fire-place or stove was unknown in a dwelling, nor did these come into use until 1846, after the American Occupation.
The first American-born settler in Santa Clara county, was Philip Doke
78 HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
or Doak, a block and tackle maker, who having left a whaling vessel in Monterey about the year 1822, came into this valley, settled on the rancho of Mariano Castro, near Gilroy, and married one of his daughters. About the same time, 1822, Mathew Fellom, a Dane, having landed from a whaler at either Bodega or Fort Ross, travei'sed the intervening wilds, and located on land now occupied by W. N. Furlong, near San Ysidro, or Old Gilroy. This gentleman died in 1873.
In the year 1828 there was an Englishman named William Willis living in the Pueblo de San Jose, but when he came to the county we have no means of ascertaining.
It is believed that in or about the year 1830 there were not more than a hundred foreigners in the whole of California. About that year there came to this county the future Alcalde during the Auierican Occupation: Jahn Burton, who married in 1831. In the Fall of 1833, Harry Bee came to San Jose from Monterey, where he had arrived in company with Dr. Douglas, a naturalist, in October, 1827. He was born in the parish of Westminster, London, England, and is to-day the oldest living settler of Santa Clara county. In 1833 there also came with the Hijas colonization expedition to the valley, William Gulnac, a native of Hudson City, New York, where he was born, August 4, 1801. In the year 1819 he sailed around Cape Horn and settled in Lower California, where he married Maria Isabel de Casena, in 1825. He died July 12, 1851, having heen mayordomo of the Mission San Jos^ for a considerable period. In this year, too, came James Alexander Forbes, afterwards Vice Consul for Great Britain, who died in Oakland, Alameda county, May, 1881, and James Weekes, who served as Alcalde in 1847. In that year thei'e