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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
3 1833 01103 6388
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HISTORY
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CALIFORNIA,
GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATOGRAPHY SPRINGS AND TIMBER,
ALSO, EXTENDS!) I
Milling, Mining, Piscicultuhe and Wine Interests;
A Full and Particular Record of the Mexican Grants; Early History and Settlement, compiled from the most Authentic Sources; Names of Original Spanish and American Pioneers ; a Full Record of their Organization and Segregation ; a Complete Political History, including a Tabular Statement of Office- holders since the Organization of the Counties.
SEPARATE HISTORIES OF ALL THE TOWNSHIPS IN BOTH COUNTIES,
INCLUDING TOWNS, CHURCHES, SOCIETIES, ETC.,
INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE,
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
OF EARLY SETTLERS, AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. SLOCUM, BOWEN ft CO., PUBLISHERS. 1881.
1132098
PREFACE.
Something more than a year ago the compilation of this work was begun, and has been steadily prosecuted, with the best energies of those engaged upon it, till the present time, and it is the result of this labor that is now placed before the people of Napa and Lake Counties.
No pains or means have been spared to make this work full, reliable, and as nearly perfect in every respect as possible under the circumstances. It must be borne in mind that the events of a third of a century ago have been gradually fading from the minds of the old pioneers; hence, any discrepancies in statements or omissions of facts must be overlooked. All due diligence has been used to have figures and dates perfectly accu- rate, so that the book can be relied upon for reference in all matters included in it.
The publishers promised to give a work of six hundred pages, but the amount of historical and other matter was so very voluminous that it was found impossible to condense it into that limit, and hence the work comes from the press with nine hundred and seven pages, which has entailed no small amount of additional expense ; but surely the reader will appreciate the book so much the more for its fullness. Nothing has been omitted except perforce. Sketches of some of the old pioneers have not been inserted, but it is because full facts could not be obtained, and it was thought not desirable to publish imperfect ones.
In conclusion, the publishers desire most sincerely to thank all who have in any way given them assistance in this enterprise, aud their thanks are especially due to Mr. N. L. Nielsen, County Clerk of Napa ; Mr. H. A. Oliver, County Clerk of Lake, and their deputies ; also to Messrs. G. M. Francis, of the Napa Register; John Walden, of the Napa Reporter; Charles A. Gardner, of the St. Helena Star; J. L. Multer, of the Independent Calistogian; Cook & Jackson, of the Lakeport Bee- Democrat, and J. B. Baccus, Jr., of the Lower Lake Bulletin. SLOCUM, BOWEN & CO. Lyman L. Palmer, A. M., Historian.
San Francisco, November, 1881.
INDEX.
NAPA COUNTY.
General History 3
Geographical Situation and Area 3
Derivation of Name 3
Topography 4
Geology 1
Metals 27
Iron 27
Manganese 28
Tin 28
Silver 28
Gold 28
Quicksilver 28
Minerals 29
Quartz 29
Feldspar 29
Limestone 29
Gypsum 29
Hornblende 29
Talc 30
Serpentine 30
Shale 30
Sulphur 30
Soda 30
Ammonia 30
Coal 30
Petroleum 30
Basalt and Trap 31
Tufa and Scoria 31
Obsidian 31
Springs 32
Timber 32
Soils 37
Watercourses 39
Napa River 39
White Sulphur Creek 39
Conn Creek 39
Dry Creek 39
Saco Creek 39
Napa Creek 39
Soscol Creek 39
Carneros Creek 39
Rector Creek 40
Putah Creek 40
Eticura Creek 40
Watercourses (continued) —
Pope Creek
Other Streams
Climatography
Indians of Napa County
Mexican Grants
Caymus
Entre Napa
El Rincon de los Carneros
Napa
Yajome
Locoallomi
Tulucay
Mallacomes, or Muristul y Plan de Aguas Caliente
De la Jote
Las Putas
Huichica
Catacula
Chimiles
Carne Humana
General History and Settlement. . .
Napa Agricultural Society
Petroleum
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln. . . .
Climate of Napa County
Rainfall
County Infirmary
Old Debt Funded
Railroad History
Court-houses
Statistics of Napa County
Agricultural Statistics
Rate of Taxation
Curiosities of the Great Register
Mount St. Helena
The Future
The Pioneers
Legislative History of Napa County
Organization of the County
Township Boundaries
Napa
Yount 116
Hot Springs 116
Knox 116
Political History of Napa County . . 121
Political Table 136
Homicides of Napa County 143
Murder of S. H. Sellers 143
Murder of — Prieto 144
Murder of George Ettenbrough 144
Killing of James Cuminings 144
Murder of Thomas Wilson 145
Murder of Joseph Warren Osborne. . 145
Murder of Patrick O'Brien 146
Killing of Turner G. Letton 147
Killing of a Chinaman 148
The Jonathan Davis Murder and Sui- cide 148
Killing of John Clark 149
Killing of Patrick Goodwin 149
Killing of Daniel English 149
Killing of Kate Ennis (Indian) 150
The Fred. Coombs Murder and Suicide 151 Killing of Peter Guadalupe (Indian). . 151
Killing of John B. See 152
Killing of John Thomas 152
Killing of Major Harry Larkyns. . . . 152
Killing of Alexander McDonald 153
Murder of Mollie Williams alias
Swartz 153
Killing of Edward Paul Carron 154
Murder of William Perkins and Gua- dalupe (Indian) 154
Killing of Theodore Schurs 155
Killing of Jesse Hawkins 155
Killing of Charles R. Rice 156
Killing of August Puesch 156
Killing of Isaac Wilson 157
Mines and Mining 158
Phcenix 161
Redington 163
Washington 167
Valley 168
Summit 1 68
Oakville 169
Manhattan 170
Napa Consolidated, or Oat Hill 170
Ivanhoe 173
Hamilton 174
Burlington 174
Red Hill 174
Silver Bow 174
Overland 175
Mutual 175
' Mammoth 175
Silver Mines 175
Calistoga Quartz Mill 176
Calistoga District Mines 176
Elephant 177
Hellen 177
Ida Easley 177
Coal Mines 177
Pacific 177
Napa Coal Company 178
Clark Coal Company 178
Atlantic Coal Company 178
Viticulture 179
State Viticultural Society 190
Pests of the Vine 194
St. Helena Viticultural Club 204
Pioneer Sherry Making 205
Napa Viticultural Society 205
Vine Statistics 206
Calistoga District 206
St. Helena District 208
Napa District 214
Summary 217
Wine Product of Napa County in 1880. 218
Wine Cellars 218
L. Kortum 218
J.J. H. Medeau 218
Alta Vineyard 219
J. Schram 219
W. W. Lyman 219
F. H. Rosenbaum 219
J. C. Weinberger 219
J. Laurent 220
C. Krug 220
Berringer Bros 221
Beretta Bros 222
C. Lemme 222
C. Wegele 222
Edge Hill 222
B. Tossetti 223
A. Rossi 223
N. Deguoy 223
0. Schultze 22a
E. W. Woodward 223
Gila Bros 223
H. A. Pellet 223
Dr. G. B. Crane 223
E. Heyman 223
G. C. Fountain 223
F. Sciaroui's Sherry House 224
J. Thomann 224
J. H. McCord 224
Nouveau Medoc 224
H. W. Crabb 224
Wine Cellars (continued) —
J. C. & G. A. Sterner 225
G. Groezinger 225
F. Salmini 225
Occidental 225
White Rock 226
Vine Cellars (continued) —
G. Barth 226
H. Hagan 226
Uncle Sam 226
G. Migliavaeca 227
Other Cellars 227
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES.
Napa Township 228
Geography 228
Topography '. . . . 228
Soil 228
Geology 229
Climate 229
Products 230
Timber 230
Early Settlement 230
Napa City 231
Markets 241
New Year's Day, 1857 241
Trial of Ned. McGowan 241
Napa Guards 242
An Odd Advertisement 242
The Stone Bridge 242
Good Templars 242
Academy for Boys 242
Hanging of Charles Brittian 243
Sanitary and Soldiers' Belief 243
Napa Guard 243
Artillery Company 243
A Reminiscence of Napa City . 243
Earthquake 244
Freedmen's Aid Fund 244
Contributions to the Christian Com-
.... 244
.... 245
.... 245
Gas
Napa City as it was in 186S
Incorporation 245
Small Pox Epidemic 246
Old Indian Graveyard 247
Records of Napa City 247
Legislative Enactments 249
Bridge across Napa River 249
Wharf at Napa City 249
Animals at large in Napa City 249
Napa City Improvement 249
Incorporation of Napa City 249
Street Railroad 250
Orders of the Board of Supervisors . . . 250
Assistance for Napa City 250
Engine House 250
Water for Napa City
Churches
Presbyterian
Methodist Episcopal
Christs Episcopal
Baptist
Catholic
Christian
German Reformed
Seventh Day Advent
African M. E
Public Schools
Central
Collegiate Institute
Ladies' Seminary
Oak Mound
Newspaper Biographies
Reporter
Herald
Echo
Register
Gold Dollar
Robert T. Montgomery
Free and Accepted Masons
Napa Chapter R. A. M
Independent Order of Odd-Fellows . .
Live Oak Encampment, I. O. O. F. Independent Order of Good Templars
Aqua Pura Lodge
Knights of Honor
Knights of Pythias
Ancient Order of United Workmen . . Industries
Sawyer's Tannery
Napa City Tannery
Vernon Mills
Napa City Mills
Moody's Carriage Factory
Hunter's Carriage Factory
Wright & Fowler's Carriage Factory
Soda Works
Coffee and Spice Mill
Marble Works
Industries (continued) —
Tile Factory
Cream Tarter Works
Bachelder Manufacturing Company
Glue Works
(las Works
Planing Mill
Barth's Brewery
Bank of Napa
( Joodman's Bank
Seeley & Bickford's Bank
Business Interests of Napa
Steamboats
Odd-Fellows' College and Home
Fire Department
Coal
Lime
Ferry at Soscol
Dam and Lock
Wharf at Soscol
Rev. Eleazer Thomas
Tulucay Cemetery
Napa Asylum
Napa Soda Springs
Atlas Peak
Yount Township
Geography
T< >p< igraphy
Geology
Soil
Climate
Fn iducts
Timber
Early Settlement
Towns
Vnuntville
Business Interests
Independent Order Good Templars
Baptist Church
Christian Church
Monticello
Business Literests
Berryessa Valley
Chiles Valley
Conn Valley
Cord. in Valley
Captain John Grigsby
Red* I Falls
Vomit Mill
Hot Springs Township
Geography
Topography
Geology
Soil 320
Climate 320
Products 321
Timber 321
Early Settlement 321
Towns 325
Calistoga 325
Free and Accepted Masons 329
Independent Order of Odd-Fellows. 330 Monroe Lodge of Good Templars . 330
Presbyterian Church 330
Methodist Episcopal Church 331
School 331
Flour Mill 331
Business Directory 332
The Bungalow 332
St. Helena 333
Incorporations 334
Baptist Church 336
Methodist Episcopal Church 339
Cumberland Presbyterian Church.. 3t0
Presbyterian Church 340
Seventh Day Advent Church 341
Catholic Church 342
Schools : 342
Free and Accepted Masons 342
Independent Order of Odd-Fellows 342 Independent Order Good Templars. 343 Ancient Order United Workmen . . . 343
American Legion of Honor 344
Fire Department 344
Water Company 344
Banking House 345
St. Helena Star 345
Cream Tartar Works 345
Brewery 346
Business Interests 346
Springs 346
Hot 346
White Sulphur 350
Crystal 351
Clay Cave 351
Petrified Forest 351
Fish Hatchery 353
Manganese Mine 353
Newspaper History of Calistoga 353
Viueland School District 364
Kjjox Township 356
Geography 356
Topography 357
< leology 35"
Soil 358
Climate 358
Products 358
Timber 359
Early Settlement 359
Towns 360
Knoxville 360
Catholic Church 361
Wardners 361
Mills 361
Mines 361
Springs 361
^Etna 362
Walters 364
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Allen, C. H
Anderson, W. E
Allyn, J
Alstrom, S -
Adams, J
Adamson, C. P
Amesbury, H. N
Alden, H. E.
Boggs, Ex-Governor L. W. (deceased) .
Boreo, F
Bounsall, R. C
Bounsall, J. C
Boothe, J. R. (deceased)
Baldridge, Wm
Barnett, E. J
Bailey, P. D
Brown, J. B
Bussenius, H. It
Brun, J. A
Beringer, J. L
Kateman, J
Bell, R. B
Bennett, J. N
Barnett, Jesse
Burgess, C. M
Burbank, C. H. (deceased)
Barth, G
Boyce, W. P
Button, J. A
Brownlee, Robert
Baxter, T. G
Boothe, J 408
Baehelder, J 408
Beach, G. H 408
Crane, G. B 418
Coombs, N. (deceased) 429
< lhapel, B. A 430
Coghlan, J. M. (deceased) 431
Cornwell, G. N 431
Crouch, Robert 432
Cooper, W. R 433
4H6
Cook, J 433
Craddock, S. M 433
Craddock, J. C 434
Carrillo, A. F 434
Conn, C 434
Coombs, F. L 434
Crabb, H. W 434
Clark, Sidney 435
Carter, J 435
Cleghorn, J 436
Conner, J 436
Colman, F. W., M. D 436
Clark, A. G 437
Cyrus, J 439
Castnur, W. H 440
Clark, S. G 441
Carver, D. B 441
Clark, A 442
Clark, I. G 443
Collins, S. W 443
Chesebro, J. A 444
Chiles, J. B 444
Davis, J. C 446
Decker, P. A 446
Dickinson, J. J 446
Davis, C. E 447
Dowdelle, J 448
Dinning, William 44S
Dodge, A. H 449
Dawson, W. J. G 450
Dwyer, Thomas 450
Estee, M. M 451
Epley, T. H 454
Edgington, William 454
Ellis, F. W 455
Elgin, William 456
Earl, Thomas 457
Even, J 458
Emerson, D 458
Fisher, W. F 459
Fisher, W. A 460
Flynn, J. D 460
Francis, G. M 461
Frye, J 461
Fitch, 1 461
Fraser, G. W 462
Fountain, G. C 462
Field, W. A 463
Feally, T. W 463
Fisher, G. W 463
Getleson, H 464
Gildersleeve, G. W 464
Greenfield, T. G 465
Goodman, G. E 465
Gritman, C. E 465
Goodrich, H 466
Giles, J 466
Garner, J. R 467
Grigsby, W. P 467
Gibbs, W. H 468
Gardner, C. A 46S
Griffith, C. C 469
Groezinger, [G 470
Greer, J 471
Grigsby, J 471
Grigsby, P. D 472
Gosling, 0 472
Gillam, J 472
Hastings, S. C 473
Hartson, C 476
Hogan, J. S. (deceased) . 478
Heymann, E 480
Hatt, A. E 480
Horn, J 4S1
Hamilton, W. J 481
Holden, S. E 482
Hill, D. D 483
Hottel, E. W 484
Hull, A. J 484.
Henry, J 4S4
Haas, D. L 185
Hortop, N 4S5
Hagen, H 486
Hartwell, G. F 486
Howlan.l, J. H 4S6
Haeckl, L 487
Harris, H. H 4S8
Hackett, F. M 488
Hale, C.N 4S9
Hewes, F. W 4S9
Hunt, B. E 4S9
Hoover, G 490
Hunt, D. 0 490
Hansen, C 491
Ink, T. H 491
Jaensch, W 492
Jackson, T 492
James, B 492
Jackson, J. P 493
Juarez, C 494
Jackson, A. M 500
Johnston, R. P 500
Jones, S. A 501
Johnson, G. W 501
Johnson, J. SV 502
KJuit, A. P 503
Kichler, P. (deceased) 503
Kortum, L 503
Kettlewell, J. R 503
Kister, J. S 504
Keegan, J 505
Kean, J 505
Kelly, J.N 506
Kennedy, W. W 506
Kelly, L 507
Krug, C 508
Loeber, F. W 510
Lewton, L ."ill
Lamdin, J. F 511
Little, B 512
Laurent, J 512
Lawley; J 512
Locker, W 513
Logan, J. 1 513
Lane, R. F 514
Lewelling, J 515
Lidell, W. H 516
Lyman, W. W 516
Linn, G 516
Lazarus, L 517
Lockwood, F. E 51S
Lawrence, G. W 518
Moody, T. M 518
Mayfield, J. M * 519
McKinzie, A 520
Miller, R 520
McCord, J. H 520
Multer, J, L 521
Mansfield, J. M 522
Mellor, W 523
Migliavacca, G 523
McFarling, J 524
McLennan, D. R 524
Merriam, H. A 525
Meyers, O. P 526
McUermott, J 526
Mauassee, E 526
Melntyre, H. W 527
Topography Geology .... Soil
Climate
Products
Timber
Early Settlement . Upper Lake
Independent Order of Odd-Fellows . . 202
Elliotts Mill.. 203
Planing and Grist Mill 203
Mills 203
Pine Mountain Mill 203
Denison 203
Hansons 203
Bartlett Springs 203
Springs 204
Pearson , . . 204
Witter 205
Whiskey , 206
Mitchell 206
Bartlett 206
Allen 208
Blue Lakes 209
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Alter, 1 213
Ashley, J. G 214
Allen, H 214
Armstrong, C. W 215
Alexander, D 215
Boggs, H. C 216
Bassett, W. D 216
Butler, W. J 216
Britt, E. W 217
Butler, S.G 217
Bower, J 217
Burtnett, P 218
Ballinger, Wm 218
Bond, H 219
Bolter, H. R 219
Bartlett, G 219
Bole, E. B 220
Burger, J. F 220
Burke, W. P 221
Bucknell, G 221
Bynum, J., M. D 2?1
Boggs, J. W 222
Brown, J. W 222
Crump, R. W 223
Crawford, W 223
Carver, J. H 224
Cannon, W. G 224
Crumpton, H. J., M. D 224
Collins, J. M 225
Cox, CM 225
Crigler, J. C 225
Clendenin, E. P 226
Conner, D. V 227
Cobb, J 227
Clendenin, S 229
Daly, P.M 229
Dewell, B 230
Deming, T 230
Davis, J 231
Denison, J. M. (deceased) 231
Downes, J. S., M. D 231
Emerson, S. R 232
English, B. F 232
Fees, J. W 232
Flippen, W. J 233
Fritts, H. R 233
Getz, S 233
Gard, G. W 233
Greene, W. W 234
Gessner, Wm 235
Gillett, C. , 235
Goldsmith, W. C 236
Goodwin, C 236
Gallatin, A 237
Gruwell, L. H 237
Herndon, N 238
Huston, J. H 239
Hanson, J. F 239
Haycock, T 239
Hendricks, G 240
Harris, T. M 240
Hendricks, J. D 241
Hudson, D 241
Harris, J. A 241
Hudson, R. J 242
Hamilton, J. M 245
Hanson, D. M 246
Hanson, G. M. (deceased) 247
Ingram, J. C. W 250
Jones, C. W 251
Jamison, J. H 251
Jones, J. W 251
Kesey, William 252
Kennedy, J 253
Kennedy, H 253
Kerr, William 253
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Vazm, P. W |
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36 Hada»,D.
Moore, R. E. F 527
McClure, T. B 527
Miller, J. F • 527
Mclntire, J. J 530
Moore, W 530
McClelland, J. A 530
Newcomer, S 531
Nielsen, X. L 531
Xorton, J. G 531
Norton, A. W 532
Xottage, F. M 532
Osborn, G 533
Owen, J. C 533
Olsen, KG 534
O'Connell, M 534
Plass, C. W 534
Porterfield, H 534
Paccaud, L. 536
Parker, T. R 537
Palmer, P. H 537
Pratt, E. F 53S
Peterson, W 53S
Pratt, G. L 539
Priest, J. J 539
Pettengill, J. A 539
Pellet, H. A 540
Peacock, E. A. 542
Parker, H. C 542
Pearson, I. X 543
Pond,M. B., M. D 544
Pinkham, P 545
Poe, J 546
Polk, T. W 546
Roberts, W. C 546
Eeimers, C 547
Roberta, M. W 547
Robinson, J. H 547
Randall, J. G 547
Robinson, C 548
Raney, A. J 549
Stockton, P. K 550
Shurtleff, B., M. D 550
Smith, W. C. S 551
Schemer, W 552
Smith, J. T 554
Smith, D 554
Shaw, M 554
Sweitzer, L. H 555
Scribner, T. S 555
Safley, A. (deceased) 555
Simmons E. P 556
Smittle, J. \V 557
Souther, C. N 558
Stamer, G. A 558
Seeley, C. B 559
Stockmon, D. M 560
Scott, J 560
Stillwagon, W. W., M. D 560
Stoney, T. P 561
Storey, C. A 564
Smith, W. A. C 565
Schram, J 565
Steves, J. H 566
Straus, J. E 567
Seawell, J. H 567
Spencer, D 568
Shurtleff, G. C 568
Simmons, A 568
Tonolla, A. M 569
Trubody, J. S 569
Trubody, W. A 569
Thompson, 1 570
Trubody, J. P 570
Thomann, J 571
Tucker, J. W. . 571
Taber, I., M. D 572
Tully, T. J ! 573
Thompson, S 573
Thompson, J. M 576
Tucker, G. W 577
Teale, G. W 577
Thompson, C 577
Van Bever, P 578
Van Tassell, T 579
Vann, M 579
Voorhes, A. P 580
Wallace, W. C 580
Wilkins, E. T., M. D 5>2
Walsh, T 585
Watson, J 5S5
Weinberger, J. C 585
Williams, J. W 5S6
Wheeler, C 586
Weller, H. 1 5S 7
Weseott, C. A 587
Weaks, W. P 58S
Wright, Rev. J. M 553
Woolley, E. B 590
Yount, Geo. C. (deceased) 591
Young, E. G 595
Yarrington, J 596
York. J 596
Zollner, J. F 597
PORTRAITS.
Allen, C. H 262
Barnett, J • • • 9*
.Brun, A 525
Earth, G 462
Baldridge, W 21
Beach, G. H 357
Coghlan, J. M 199
Clark, A 346
Clark, S 58S
Crane, G. B., M. D 52
Chiles, J. B 10
Conn, C 283
Coombs, N 42
Dinning, W 294
Davis, J. C 336
Earl, Thos 535
Estee, M. M 134
Fisher, W. F S4
Francis, G. M 430
Garner, J. R , 483
Griffith, C. C T 73
Henry, J 399
Harris, H. H 3S8
Hagen, H 493
Hartson, C 147
Hastings, S. C 304
Ink, T. H 546
Jackson, J. P 115
Juarez, C Frontispiece.
Lawley, J 367
Lewelling, J 126
Maydeld, J. II 231
McCord, J. H 220
Miller, J. F 31
Palmer, P. H 420
Parker, H. C 504
Peacock, E. A 441
Pellet, H. A 241
Raney, A. J 189
Simmi mis, E. P 577
Souther, C. N 556
StiUwagon, W. W., M. D 105
Seeley„C. B 451
Schemer, Wm 514
Schram, J 252
Smittle, J. W 210
Trnbody, J. S 273
Thompson, S 168
Thompson, C 567
Vann. M 315
Walli.ee, W. C 178
Weinberger, J. C 472
Wilkins, E. T, M. D 325
York, J 63
Yount, Geo. C. (deceased) 1
Kister, J. S 37S
Krug, Chas 157
Kelly, L 409
LAKE COUNTY.
General History.
Geography
Derivation of Name
Topography
Valleys
Morgan
Long
Jerusalem 4
Jericho '
LittleHigh 4
Coyote 4
Copsey 4
Lower Lake 4
Loconoma 4
Cobb 5
Riff 5
Valleys (continued) —
Donovan 5
Scotts 6
Bachelor 5
Upper Lake 5
Clover 0
Gravelly 5
Squaw 5
Rice 5
Twin 5
Paradise 5
Watercourses 5
Putah Creek 6
Cache Creek 6
Scotts Creek 6
CloverCreek 8
Middle Creek 6
Adobe Creek 6
Kelse\ (.'reek i
Lakes 7
Clear Lake 7
Blue Lakes 7
Tide Lake 8
Borax Lake S
Boggs Lake S
Rices Lake 8
Geology 9
Gold 9
Sdver 9
Iron 9
Coal 9
Petroleum 9
Quicksilver 10
Borax 10
Umbers and Ochres 10
Petrifactions 10
Copper 11
Sulphur 11
Soda 11
Lime 11
Alabaster 12
Manganese 12
Arsenic 12
Magnesia 12
Potassa 12
Other Metals 12
Minerals 12
Feldspar 12
Mica 13
Limestone 13
Hornblende 13
Serpentine 13
Oxyd of Iron 13
Granite 13
Basalt 14
Trap 14
Obsidian 15
Lava .. 15
Sandstone 15
Springs 15
Timber 16
Soils 19
Climati igraphy ... 20
Indians of Lake County 23
Mexican Grants 41
Lup-Yomi ? 41
Collayomi 45
Guenoc 46
General History and Settlement ... 47
Stone and Kelsey Massacre 49
Chief Augustine's Version 58
Treaty of Peace 62
Game and Hunters 62
Settlement Proper 63
Boundary of Clear Lake Township. ... 70
Shower of Candy 71
Organization of the County 71
Treasurer's Troubles, Safe Robbing, etc. 71
Court-house Burned 72
Peregrinations of the County-seat 73
New Court-house 73
Cache Creek Dam 74
Chapman's Fiasco 84
Southern Relief Fund 85
Cotton Culture 85
Sarshel Bynura 85
County Credit 86
Statistics of Lake County 86
Rate of Taxation 86
Agricultural Statistics S6
School Census 89
Legal Distances 89
Lake County 90
The Need of the Hour 94
Telegraph Line 95
Legislative History 100
County Boundaries 104
Sessions of Court 105
Salary of County Officers 106
Miscellaneous Acts 108
Treasurer made Tax Collector 109
Legal Distances 109
In Third Congressional District. . . . 109
Relief of J. B.Cook 109
Sheriff made Tax Collector 109
Member of Assembly 109
Clear Lake Navigable 109
Municipal Powers 109
Political History 110
Township Boundaries 110
Lower Lake 110
Big Valley Ill
Upper Lake Ill
Knox ville Ill
Supervisorial Districts 112
First 112
Second 112
Third 112
Location of County Seat 113
Local Option Election 116
Political Table 118
Homicides 122
Killing of B. F. Taylor 122
Killing of T. J. Warden 122
Killing of — Holeman 123
Killing of William Laffiu 123
Killing of — Waggoner 123
Killing of — Alexander 125
Killing of J. Rhodes 125
Killing of William Daily 125
Killing of S. Chapman 12li
Killing of C. N. Copsey 127
Killing of F. Thurman 127
Killing of G. Manahan 12S
Killing of J. Wright 12S
Killing of D. Wedig 128
Killing of W. B. Cooper 129
Lynching of J. Meyers 129
Killing of M. Ready 130
Killing of P. Pogue 130
Killing of C. Bates 131
Killing of E. Bynum 131
Mines and Mining 132
Sulphur Bank 132
Great Western 135
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES.
Lowek Lake Township
Geography
Topography
Geology
Soil
Products
Climate
Timber
Early Settlement
Lower Lake
Independent Order of Odd-Fellows.
Free and Accepted Masons
Brewery
Flour Mill
Planing MiU
Newspapers
Agricultural Association. East Lake
Middletown
Independent Order of Odd-Fellows Independent Order of Good Templars American Sunday-School Union Brewery
Springs
Harbin
Anderson
Adams
Howard
Siegler
Carp Ponds
California Borax Company
Stoddards Mill
Big Valley Township
Geography
Topography
Geology
Products Climate .
Timber
Early Settlement
Lakeport
Episcopal Church
Presbyterian Church
Methodist Episcopal Church South . .
Baptist Church
Clear Lake College
Ancient Order United Workmen
Independent Order of Odd-Fellows. . Mt. Hebron Encampment
Free and Accepted Masons
American Legion of Honor
Bank of Lake
Farmers' Savings Bank
Flour ALU
Clear Lake Courier
Lake County Bee
Lake Democrat
Brewery
Sailing Vessels
Steamers
Telegraph, Stages, etc
Kelsey ville
■ Methodist Episcopal Church
Independent Order of Good Templars
Catholic Church Work
Mills
Boggs
Cobb
Harbin
Allison Flour Mill
Highland.
Soda Bay
Glenbrook
Gas Knoll
Mount Konocti
Upper Lake Township. Geography
GEORGE C . YOUNT.
NAPA COUNTY.
HISTORY OF NAPA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA.
Geographical Situation and Area — Derivation of Name— Topography - Geology— Climatography, Etc., Etc.
Napa County is bounded on the north by Lake County, on the east by Yolo and Solano Counties, on the south by Solano County and San Pablo Bay, and on the west by Sonoma County. Napa is one of the smallest counties in the State, but is one of the most highly-favored and richest sections of California. The territory embraced within its limits formerly included what is now known as Lake County, but subsequent changes have altered its area several times. After Lake County had been segregated, the area of this county was four hundred and fifty thousand acres, or eight hundred and twenty-eight square miles. Subsequently another change of the boundary line between the two counties occurred, which added quite an area to Napa County. A full statement of these changes will be found in a subsequent chapter of this work.
DERIVATION OF NAME.— That the word Napa is of Indian deriva- tion, there can be no doubt ; but what its signification may be, is a mooted question. C. A. Menefee, in his excellent work "Sketch Book of Napa," etc. says that the word means fish, and that it was given to this section on account of the great numbers of the finny tribes that infested the streams and brooks, and afforded the dwellers inland a bountiful supply of food. Mr. Menefee says further that this statement is verified by the asser- tions of the early settlers among the Aboriginees, and still further by the cognate tongues of the Pacific Coast. Of the statements made by the pioneers on the subject, we have nothing to say ; but of the cognate dia- lects, we will append the following : While it is a well known fact that Indians only separated by a few miles could not converse with each other, yet there are a few words that seem to have come from some parent stem, and some forms of it pass through all the dialects of the tribes of certain sections, just as roots and elements of the Latin are to be found permeating the Spanish, French, Italian, and all English-speaking sections of the world.
4 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
Thus the word " porno," meaning a man or tribe of men, is found to be common with all tribes south of Eel River, west of Clear Lake, and north of San Francisco Bay ; and the word " patween," having a similar significa- tion, is found to be common with all those peoples east of Clear Lake, south of Colusa, west of the Sacramento River, and north of the Suisun Bay. Now, the Indians of Napa Valley belonged to the " pomos," or that grand family of tribes in which the word "porno" was used instead of "patween," in a generic or tribal sense; so, also, did the tribes on the western shore of Clear Lake. The Indians of Napa Valley have all disappeared, but their distant relatives, the tribes on the Clear Lake, still exist, and naturally we would look to them for names or other traces of habits, customs, etc., to find out what would be probably the condition of things in this section. It is found that the word " Nap-po" occurs frequently, and among this people it is found to signify village. Thus, " Hoo-la-nap-po" signified lily village ; "Ha-be-nap-po," rocky village, and " Kai-nap-po," wood village. Taking this fact into consideration, may we not reasonably conclude that the word has some relation to a town or village that may have been at some time located upon the banks of the stream that now bears that name, and thus it has come down to us ? It seems very likely, indeed, that such was the case ; and, taking all things into consideration, we are inclined to give the preference to this last idea, rather than to the other.
TOPOGRAPHY.— To write fully and completely the topography of Napa County, requires that a man spend weeks in its study, so varied and frequently changed are the topographical features of the section of country embraced within its limits. Beginning at the western side of Napa County, we find that the line passes along the ridge of a chain of mountains the entire length of the county. To the eastward of this range, and at its base, lies the beautiful Napa Valley, which extends from Mt. St. Helena on the north to San Pablo Bay on the south, varying in width from one mile, near the northern end, to five miles, at the southern end. The slope of the range is intersected with a number of ravines, canons, and small valleys; but none of them are of any great importance, except Brown's Valley, which lies to the west and north-west of the city of Napa, and is a lovely little glen, nestled at the foot of the mountains. Several streams come down out of this range of mountains and find their way to the Napa River, the larger of which are the White Sulphur Creek, Dry Creek, and Carneros Creek. The lower end of Napa Valley opens out fan-like to quite a wide expanse, and is low, fiat, tule land, covered with water at high tide, and with tules and swamp grass. Just about midway between the two extremes of Napa Valley, there is a very large hill, attaining almost to the dignity of a moun- tain, and is known as the Yountville Hill. It is also near the center of the valley, from east to west.
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 5
Napa Valley is upwards of thirty miles in length, and is very level and productive. The river of the same name extends its entire length, and serves well the purposes of drainage, and is navigable as far up as Napa City, at which place the tides regularly ebb and flow, rising to a height of from three to eight feet.
At the head of Napa Valley, the grand proportions of Mount St. Helena rear themselves nearly 4500 feet above the level of the sea, and it stands there much like a sentinel at the entrance to a beautiful land of enchant- ment. On the eastern side of Napa Valley, a chain of mountains extend the entire length, which is broken into by but few streams, canons, or val- leys. Conn Creek is about midway of the range, and comes down through a very narrow defile in the mountains. Milliken and Rector Canons are the only ones south of Conn Creek, while to the north there are only gorges in the mountains. Conn Valley is a small widening of the canon through which the creek of that name passes, and is a beautiful and picturesque little dale.
There are three roads passing out of Napa Valley through this range of mountains, viz : the one leading to Berryessa Valley, through a pass near the southern extremity of the range. The second road passes through Conn Valley, and thence up the canon into Chiles Valley, while the third passes over Howell Mountain. Of these two last named, there are two or more branches each, but all pass through the same general course and place. A road from Calistoga to Knoxville was at one time very nearly completed, only some eight or ten miles remaining unfinished, when some obstacle ai'ose and the whole work was let go to ruin.
In this range of mountains there are some quite high peaks — such as Bald Peak, Atlas Peak, Howell Mountain, etc. The height of these peaks range from two to three thousand feet. This range forms a continuation of the St. Helena or Mayacamas range, the two branches being like the two portions of the letter V, with St. Helena Mountain at the point of union, one portion skirting Napa Valley on the west and the other on the east.
Passing over the Howell Mountain grade, we find ourselves in Pope Valley, a beautiful tract of quite level country, extending for about ten miles in a north-westerly and south-easterly direction, and being from one to three miles in width. In the center of the valley, and extending nearly the whole length of it, there is a high range of hills which divides it almost into equal portions. The whole of this valley is drained by Pope Creek, a stream of some considerable size, whose waters find their way to the Bay through Putah Creek.
Passing over a low divide to the south of Pope Valley, we come to Chiles Valley, which is small but productive, being six miles in length and from one to three miles in width. The upper end of it is drained by
6 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
Conn Creek, while the waters of the lower end find their way into Putah Creek. There is quite a high range of mountains lying on the eastern side of Pope and Chiles Valleys and separating them from Berryessa Valley.
Taking the road leading from Napa to Monticello, just when we reach the summit, a beautiful little valley opens out to the view ; but it is not very large. It is truly a lovely gem, set about with a fringe of mountains. This is Capelle Valley. But little more can be said of it in this connection.
Passing to the north, just where the road enters Berryessa Valley, there lies to the right the lovely little vale known as Wooden Valley, and adjacent to it is Gordon Valley, both of which are small but beautiful.
Following the road, we find that the mountains seem to be pressed apart for a considerable distance, and the broad expanse of Berryessa Valley, the second in size in the county, appears before the eyes. This valley is about ten miles long, by from one to three miles in width. It is a level expanse of rich, arable land. It is drained by the Putah Creek, which here becomes almost a veritable river of wildly rushing water during the winter rains. The area of the water-shed which is tributary to this stream is very great, and also precipitous, so that in a very short time indeed after a rain has fallen, the stream is at flood height, and the torrents of water are rushing with an indescribable impetuosity down the stream to the plains below in the vicinity of the town of Winters.
Passing on up to the head of Berryessa Valley, we come to a narrow defile in the mountains which extends to Knoxville, and thence over a low divide into Lake County. There is a mountain stream passing down this canon, of goodly proportions, which evidently is called upon to accommo- date a great amount of water during the rainy season. It empties into the Putah Creek.
To the eastward of Berryessa Valley, the abrupt range of the Blue Ridge rises to a great height. This is the dividing line between Napa and Yolo Counties, and presents an unbroken surface for the whole distance, from the northern boundary line of the former to the southern line of the latter. At this point the Putah passes directly across the range, through a very narrow pass known as Putah Canon.
We have thus hastily given the reader a glance at the principal topo- graphical features of the county as a whole. A fuller and more minute description of each individual section will be found under the heads of the different townships. If one were where he could get a bird's-eye view of the whole of Napa County, or could see a relief map of it, he would be surprised to see what a large proportion of the territory embraced within its limits is mountainous, compared with that which is made up of valleys. And what a beautiful prospect would be spread out before the ej'e of the wondering observer, could he but see the whole of the lovely landscape at
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 7
one view ! Hill and dale, mount and vale, all apparently in an interminable jungle, yet having a grand and wonderful system and order in it.
There are only two systems of drainage in Napa County : one that of the Napa River and its tributaries, and the other Putah Creek and its tribu- taries. These two streams have to carry to the sea all the vast amount of water that falls upon nearly one thousand square miles of territory, the most of which is mountainous ; and hence the water is precipitated quickly into the outlets. It is no wonder, therefore, that floods are of almost yearly occurrence along the banks of these streams. Just imagine for a moment what a volume of water falls upon this area during any of the heavy storms of the winter season, when, as is not unfrequently the case, there has from two to four inches of water fallen !
GEOLOGY. — There is probably no county in the State of California that presents a more interesting field for the student of geology than does Napa. The changes of the geological aspect of the country in passing from one section to another, are oftentimes very marked and remarkable. Another interesting fact is, that the lines of change are so boldly and closely drawn that he that runs may read. Here may be seen in all its glory the action of the great world-building agents, fire and water. In the beds of brooks it is no uncommon thing to be able to pick up boulders with fossils in them adjacent to those formed from lava that never had and never could have life in any way associated with them. The rocks of the Silurian period are not unfrequently found adjacent to those of the Tertiary. Another feature which is of interest, and goes to show how badly things have been " mixed up " in the ages that have gone by, is the fact that there are many places where the soil is what is termed by the farmers " spotted." That means that the soil is oftentimes made up of two or more different kinds in the same field. It is no uncommon thing to see a field with spots of adobe all over the face of it, while the body of it may be a sandy loam. Again it may be made up of adobe principally and have here and there a spot of argillacious soil upon it. Striking examples of both features just described may be found in Pope Valley.
In considering this subject in its general aspect, we have decided to take up the great factors of world-building, fire and water, and to take a hurried glance at the face of the country and see where they have each been at work, and see what they have each had to do in the upbuilding or tearing down of this county. Although it may seen paradoxical to say that world- building is accomplished by the process of tearing down, yet such is often the case. There would be no rich alluvial valleys, in which are produced all that man subsists upon, had there not been a tearing down process by which the particles of matter were dislodged from the everlasting rocks of the mountain sides and deposited below in the basins which we call valleys.
8 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
Taking up the first of these twin Titans, fire, let us see what it has done in this county. The casual observer would say, doubtless, what has it not done in Napa County; for, turn our eyes as we may, we can see traces of the working of fire. But careful investigation will show that the twin brother, water, has had much indeed to do here as elsewhere all over the world. As it was in the beginning, so it has ever been — fire first and then its comple- ment, water. Volcanic action has been a great factor in shaping up the surface of this county. There are many extinct volcanoes in this section, although their craters have become not only extinct, but all traces are lost of them ; but the lava, scoria, and even the very ashes are still extant in large quantities. Go where we will all over Napa County, from the very apex of Mount St. Helena to the very lowest level of the valley to the south of it, and on every hand the evidences of volcanic action are present.
These evidences are not uniform, either in amount, character or general trend. Nor have the upheavals been uniform, for in many places are to be found those rocks which were formed during the earlier ages of the world's existence, while just across the canon are to be found those of quite recent date. A striking example of this may be seen on what is known as Dry Creek, a few miles to the north-west of Napa City. On one side of this stream, the rocks of the outcropping ledges belong to the Silurian system, while those on the other were formed only quite recently, geologically speaking. Here the rocks on the one side of the creek have been eroded and worn away to a depth of nearly one mile ; that is to say, had there have been no erosion the mountain on one side of the stream would have been all of one mile higher than on the other side. Another example may be seen at the north end of Pope Valley. The top of the ridge just back of the Phoenix Mine is formed of very old rock, belonging to the Laurentian age probably, while further to the north and at a much lower level the Tertiary sandstone begins, and continues up the other ridge to the Oat Hill Mine, and probably much further.
We will now glance over the county and direct the reader's attention to those localities where the action of fire is most patent, and give a description of the work it has done. Beginning at the south end of the western slope of the range of mountains which lie on the eastern side of Napa Valley, we find that the body of the rocks are of volcanic formation, being either basalt, trap or lava. In the valley, in the vicinity of the Insane Asylum, the boulders are chiefly made up of honey-combed lava, which, when broken present all grades, from the most compact to the very coarsest and loosely united particles, and in color range from black to almost white, many of them being red, green or yellow. In the mountain back of the Asylum, there is a bed of lava rock which is of a dark grayish color, not very com- pact, but very easily worked and very durable. Some considerable of it
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 9
was used in the construction of the Asylum. Passing on farther to the north, to the place where the road crosses over the range to Berryessa Valley, we come to a wonderful formation of a volcanic nature. Here, there are extensive beds of ashes which have hardened into a porous rock, and the study of them is one of remarkable interest. A very remarkable feature about this formation is the fact that it is stratified very similar to water- formed rocks, and to the casual observer they present so natural an appear- ance of aqueous formation that they would deceive almost any one. The strata have been warped and twisted into all manner of shapes by the subsequent upheavals of the mountain range. It would be a matter of interest to know what this flow of lava was deposited upon, but the writer has not seen any shafts or drifts which extended through it so as to expose the underlying strata. From the fact that there are good indications of petroleum in that immediate vicinity, however, it is quite safe to infer that the underlying strata are sandstone, and probably of the early cretaceous period. Just a short distance north of the Napa Soda Springs there is a bluff of lava, and the water has washed a sort of a cave out on the under side of it, exposing the formation on which it rests, which is found to be a metamorphic stratified stone of doubtless quite ancient formation. The point of junction between the lava and the basic rocks affords a study of interest.
At the point mentioned above, the Berryessa road, the strata extend in thickness from a few inches to many feet, and it is no uncommon thing to see the lava rocks so regularly stratified and evenly separated perpendicu- larly, by suture caused by the shrinkage in cooling, that they present the appearance of building stones, shaped by an intelligence for a special pur- pose, and by the aid of one's imagination, he can readily fancy that he sees in the bold cliffs that are exposed, the walls of castles that have long since gone to decay, but that might have been the residences of a long forgotten race of giants. It presents a wonderfully curious spectacle indeed, and one that the student of geology never wearies in studying. There is not a great deal of basalt or trap in any of the volcanic rocks in this section, but the lava is frequently, though soft, the best of building- material.
Passing on to the northward, along the west side of the range, we find that the surface rock is of a volcanic nature, all the way to the very summit of St. Helena. A fine display of lava deposited in stratas is to be seen in passing over Howell Mountain. The strata are so regular and so little dis- turbed, that the writer was in doubt as to the identity of the rock until he had applied his hammer to it, when it was found to be only a soft grayish lava. Just where the road leading to the falls on Howell Mountain turn out of the main road, can be seen a beautiful field of boulders. The fact of its 2
10 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
being a beautiful field depends upon whose eye is viewing it. To the casual observer, it is rough, rugged and unseemly, but to the eye of a geologist or student of nature, it presents a lovely aspect ; for in them he can read the record of the agencies that have been at work in building up the world. These boulders were originally formed by the agency of fire, but after they became dislodged from the main ledge by the action of the ages, they were taken up by the floods that at some time have surged about the sides of the mountain, and " rough-hewn " into the multitude of shapes in which we now find them strewn promiscuously about over the face of the country.
Just to the north of Calistoga, there is a spur of the mountain which puts out well into the valley. Beginning at this point and passing to the northward, there is an indentation of the range which sweeps around to the base of St. Helena Mountain. It is in this location that the rich mineral belt of this range of mountains is found. Here, gold and silver abound in goodly quantities, and it is not saying too much to prophesy that at no great distant day this section of the county will be yielding a handsome return in the way of gold and silver bullion. This subject will be much fuller treated farther on in this work. In this section, very much of interest will be found, viewed from a geological standpoint. When the volcanoes of this section were active, seams, dikes and rifts were left in the rocks, which were then exposed to the surface. In the course of time these spaces began to be filled up with silica, which crystalized into handsome quartz in many cases. Probably the most extensive ledge of this quartz formation in this section, is that formerly known as the Silverado. This ledge was very nearly at the top of Mount St. Helena, on the south side, and the vein was about thirty feet wide, extending entirely across the spur of the mountain, and having a dip of about fifteen degrees. In this the quartz was very lustrous, sparkling like veritable diamonds in the sunshine. It was very porous also, caused probably from the fact that a great amount of gas was imprisoned in the silica at the time of its deposit. This quartz had many shades of coloring, which added much to its beauty, the colors ranging through shades of black, green, yellow and red, the last two predominating, owing to the presence of the oxyds of iron. The black came from the chlorides of silver, and added much to the beauty of the quartz.
In one of these dikes, which is now located upon and known as the Gettleson Mine, there is a most curious and interesting formation. The quartz ledge is about ten feet wide, being made up mostly of coarse quartz, but in the center of these is a deposit of very soft conglomerate, being composed of gypsum or lime, through which there are small veins of quartz. This is all interspersed with sulphurets and chlorides of silver. That the calcareous matter is a carbonate, is evinced upon the application of acid to it. A fuller discussion of the subject of mineral deposit in this and all other sections of the county will be found in the body of this work.
, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 11
That St. Helena Mountain has, at some time, been an active volcano, there seems to be but little doubt. In fact, our observation leads us to believe that the whole range skirting the eastern side of Napa Valley has consti- tuted a series of volcanoes at some past time. Either that is the fact, or else the lava overrun it before it was elevated to its present altitude. That this has not been the case is shown from the fact that the coiirse of the lava flow is still plainly visible, and it universally, almost, extends from the top of the ridge to the bottom. The question is asked by many, " If St. Helena or any of the peaks of the range were ever volcanoes, why are no traces of their craters still visible ? " There are many reasons why this should not be : First, it is reasonable to conclude that the later eruptions were not so vigorous as the former had been, and that they were weaker and weaker in their action, until they ceased altogether. Then, it is not unreasonable to conclude that in its last dying throes it was only able to force the lava just to the top of the crater. Here it cooled and hardened, with here and there a fissure for the escape of gas, steam, etc., until it became as much solid rock as any other portion of the mountain. In the course of time all traces of the crater were obliterated, and to-day, the mountain top from which great rivei's of molten matter once rolled down to deluge the mountain sides and the valley below with a sea of fire, pre- sents only the appearance of common mountains.
Again, it may safely be asserted that time enough has elapsed since these volcanoes were in a state of activity for the accumulated debris of the mountain top to fill up the crater to a level with the top of its continually receding rim, and even to wear the rim down, and leave the solidified debris of the crater as a peak at the summit. That this debris should be solidi- fied is reasonable to conclude, from the fact that the dikes which were formed in the mountain side, and now called ledges, have been filled up with solid matter since then. In regard to the rapidity with which atmos- pheric causes acted in the earlier stages of the work we have just been describing, as compared with the action of the same causes now in the same mountain sides, we would say that it must be borne in mind that in that early time the rocks had not yet become as hard as they now are. Lava does not become the indurate rock that we now find it in a few days or years even, but it recpaires ages of pressure and chemical action to cement the particles together as compactly and tenaciously as they now are.
In considering the results accomplished by the action of the elements, time is an important factor, as it is in the consideration of all geological phenomena. Truly, " a thousand years is as a day with the Lord," and " the mills of the gods grind slowly." That long ages have passed since this lava flow occurred, is evinced by many circumstances, the two most prominent of which we will note. First of these is the Petrified Forest, which has been
12 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
overrun and buried by an overflow from some volcano, not improbably St. Helena. That it was among the last of its eruptions is also likely, too, from the fact that depth of deposit upon them is not very great, many of the trees lying exposed upon the surface of the ground. Still ample time has passed away since that, to them, fatal day, for them to become solid stone by the slow process of petrefaction. It is claimed by some that a great portion of this process occurred simultaneously with their burial in the lava, but such could not have been the case, for there could have been no element of immediate petrefaction in this lava. The truth is that the silica was held in composition with the lava, and it had to be disintegrated from that union, and deposited particle by particle in the pores of the wood, until the very hearts of those monster fathers of the forest were permeated and converted into stone. Now, this was not accomplished in a clay nor a year, but more likely a good beginning was not made in the first century. That the trees did not decay is accounted for in the fact that they were en- cased in a bed of lava, and hence hermetically sealed, as it were, and thor- oughly protected from the action of oxygen or the elements. It will thus be seen by this that long ages passed by before the process of petrefaction was completed. Then who shall say how long these trees have lain here in their present state ? Shall we presume to say that the process was com- pleted only yesterday or last century ? No, indeed, but rather, from what can be seen of the action of time on the surrounding country, it is proper to presume that they have lain in their present condition for ages. We are led to conclude, after a careful survey of the field, that a long period of time has elapsed since the lava flow occurred which entombed these trees.
A second point to be considered in discussing the element of time in this proposition is, that either at the time of the lava flow along the range, or subsequent thereto, the water of either an inland sea or the Pacific Ocean washed high up the side of the mountains. Now, the sides of the moun- tains may possibly not have been so much elevated as they are now. In fact, it is veiy evident that they were not, for it is impossible almost to con- ceive of the water of the present ocean as .ever having been as high as the shore line of this old body of water was. Some may be led to question the assertion that there ever was a sea or body of water of any kind whose waves lashed the rock-ribbed mountain sides of Napa Valley. A casual observer, in passing up the valley, will observe, extending from the lower end of the range, all the way to St. Helena Mountain, a bluff or ridge of rocks, broken down and disappearing in places, being greater in some places than in others, but still having a well-defined existence all the way. The first question suggested is, what could have formed that extensive cliff ? The answer is, and can be only one, and that is, that it was at one time the shore line of an ocean, sea, or bay.
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 13
Now for the application of this fact to the subject under consideration. This sea or body of water had its shore line here along this cliff or bluff just described at the time these eruptions occurred, or at least some of them. We are asked on what grounds do we venture such an assertion as this, and we answer : there is indubitable evidence to be produced to prove it. Two, that may be easily visited and examined, will suffice for the whole array of examples that might be mentioned. First, the road leading from Napa to Berryessa Valleys leads through a grand body of volcanic ashes, and the traveler will observe that the shore line is very high at this place, and the gorges have almost perpendicular walls, showing the action of the waves upon this soft bed of ashes. Again, a few rods to the north of the Napa Soda Springs, it will be noticed that the lava flow is deposited in ten-aces, and at the base of them all there are evidences of the surge and wash of the waves of a body of water, which are revealed in grottos and caves bur- rowed out under the shelving lava. There is one place where the terrace extends from hill to hill across a canon of goodly size, filling it up com- pletely as far as it flowed. But all this proves nothing as to the assertion that this body of water was here at the time of this lava flow. But we argue that these terraces are formed only on account of the fact that the water was present, and in a large body, too. And why ? Because, when the stream of molten matter came into contact with the water it naturally cooled very fast, and soon an outer wall or crust was formed, which held the lava in check behind it until a terrace was reared which reached the surface of the water, then the lava began to flow over this rampart or bar- rier which had thus been reared across its fiery path, and descended the mountain slope under the surface of the water until another terrace began to be formed, and the same process was repeated. Thus would we account for the terraces that are to be found in the lava flows in the mountains of Napa County, and we not only consider it feasible, but look upon it as the only correct solution of the problem.
We now come back to the original proposition — the element of time. If what has just been stated above be true, then there are two problems which confront us, both of which contain the element of time very fully developed. These are, that either the waters of the sea at that time stood much higher than they do now, or that the mountain range had not then attained any- thing like its present elevation. If the former were true, how long indeed must it ' have been since this last flow of lava occurred, and what, indeed, could not the forces of nature have accomplished in that incomprehensible space of time, that it took the waters of the Pacific Ocean to recede to their present level ? The statement that is made, and with seemingly quite good reason, too, that the Bay of San Francisco was originally closed, could not affect this at all, for the shore line of this body of water was far above
14 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
it all. The level of these shore lines would cause water to pass out through Big Valley or the Russian River, in Sonoma County, the low flats of Marin County, and, indeed, directly over the barrier that was supposed to exist at the Golden Gate. In accordance with human comprehension, the time that has elapsed since then more nearly approximates eternity than it does any measurement of time. That the Pacific Ocean did reach this far up on the mountains at one time there is no question, hut that was during the Silu- rian or Devonian period, but not later than that, I or the Pacific Coast was among the first to come to the surface, and was among the first to be in- habited.
The other question to be solved is, whether or not this mountain range has been elevated to its present position since this lava flow occurred. This has certainly as much the element of time in it as has the other, for we may rest assured that mountains do not grow in a day, but that it took long weary ages for the forces of nature to rear the majestic head of St Helena to its present lofty position. If we had the exact altitude of this shore line all the way along the range, we could, perhaps, come nearer to a definite conclusion concerning the question of elevation of the range ; but even that would not be proof positive, for this line might have formed at different stages of the reeedence of the sea, or of the elevation of the mountain at different places along the range. We started out with the proposition that enough time had elapsed since the flowing of lava ceased in this section, for all traces of the craters of the volcanoes to disappear by the action of the corroding tooth of time, and we think that we have proven it conclusively. Whatever else may have been brought out along this line of thought, we are sure will not be without interest to the general reader.
It is a matter of great interest to follow the course of a lava flow, and trace out its various effects upon the rock it flows over. Of course, all boulders and what meager soil there was then upon the top of the surface or bed-rock was taken up by the stream, and we now find them incorporated in one mass. It is no uncommon thing to see a jutting crag of what appears to be a solid stone, which upon examination, proves to be only a conglomer- ate mass of boulders cemented together with lava. At the place referred to above, where a canon is terraced over with lava, near the Napa Soda Springs, there is a very large boulder of Devonian stone incorporated in the body of the lava, and in the face of the ten-ace. It is slowly going to pieces by the action of the elements, while the lava around it remains almost intact. There is a layer of soft volcanic ash on the under side of this boulder, between it and the bed-rock on which the lava bed rests. The interstices of this rock are filled with sulphur, which, when broken, show a display of fine yellow crystals. The pieces of this boulder which have
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 15
been carried down the stream, show in strong contrast with the multitude of the predominating lava boulders of the section.
Another point of interest is to study the line of union between the lava and the underlying bed-rock. This line is well defined, and is easily traceable along the face of a ledge, no matter how tortuous it may be, and there is no mistaking one for the other, as they have nothing in common, except here and there where small crevices occur in the bed-rock which have been filled by the melted lava. At this terrace, mentioned in the last paragraph, there is a fine chance to study this phase of the doings of nature. Here, the bed-rock is a shale which was laid down in strata, but the strata were warped and twisted about greatly before the lava rolled down upon it. It is soft and crumbles down easily, at least on the surface where it has been subjected to the action of the elements. Being much softer than the lava above it, it was cut out much faster by the action of the waves in the days of that old sea, and hence, quite good sized caves have been formed. In places near this, the water has also hollowed out caves in the very face of the lava.
It is a matter of interest also to note the different kinds of lava, or rather the various forms it assumed, and the variety of colors which distin- guish it. Beginning at the hardest form it assumes, probably basalt will stand at the head of the list. It is hard, flinty, brittle, and withal very durable, and is much used for paving streets or macadamizing roads. Trap comes next in the scale — is a blackish-blue or a bluish-black rock, and is only distinguished from basalt in that it is usually full of little nodules, which look like small cobble stones incorporated in the body of the ledge. Of basalt, we have not seen any very extensive ledges in Napa County, though there are numerous boulders scattered almost all over its volcanic regions, showing that it must abound in quarries somewhere. Of trap, we have seen neither ledges nor boulders in any quantities to speak of. The reader is referred to the geology of Lake County in this volume, for an extended description of this particular species of lava. Both of these are fine-grained and compact rocks, and all composed of the same material.
Next in the scale will come the coarse lava that is made up of differently colored and composed parts, giving it an appearance of granite at a short distance away. Some of this is good for building purposes, but the most of it is unfit for use in any direction. Then comes the fine workino- white lava, which makes splendid building material, such as is being used by Col. J. P. Jackson, in the erection of the buildings of the Napa Soda Springs. Then comes the soft, light, fibrous material, that is neither stone nor clay, but a cross between the two. It is in this that the greatest display of colors is to be found. It is often almost pure chrome, being yellow and red.
16 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
The red ranges from carmine to dark blood, and many of the shades are truly handsome.
Another effect of volcanic action, or rather lava flow, is to change the character of the rocks over which it flows, so that their true character is no longer discernible. Rocks thus changed are termed metamorphic ; that is( rocks transformed or changed by heat from their original form or character.
We have now so fully gone over the ground in regard to the various phases of volcanic action and its effects that it will be only necessary to designate hereafter where the results of these agencies and phases may be found. We have taken the section of the county which we have referred to above to illustrate these phases with, because it was the most accessible ; and should any one desire to verify the statements made, they could easily find the location and see for themselves. Seeing is truly believing with many.
We will now proceed to locate the various other sections of the county where igneous or volcanic forces have been active in forming and moulding the surface of the country. The eastern slope of the range of mountains on the west side of Xapa Valley, is almost a counterpart of those on the east, except that the lava deposit is not so heavy or so general. There is a large amount of outcroppings of very old rock ; also, much metamorphic rock. There are many boulders of a coarse sandstone which belongs to the Tertiary period, but we do not know of any defined quarries. We had the pleasure of giving the interior of the Oakville Quicksilver Mine a thorough examination, in company with Professor William Denton, one of the most renowned Geologists in the United States. We found that the ledge was of a serpentine character, and that the wall rocks were of a metamorphic nature and that they belonged to a very remote period. On the surface there were evidences of a lava flow, but not so extended and not so recent as on the eastern side of the valley.
Passing to the east side of the range of mountains lying on the east of Napa Valley, we find that the whole face of the range is covered with evidences of volcanic action. The terraces of lava and the shore line- arc present in great profusion. Especially is this true for a few miles north of where the road to Berryessa passes down the grade to the head of Capelle Valley. Passing along north-westerly, we pass up to Chiles and Pope Val- leys, and still the evidences of lava flows are present ; and so it continues to the very summit of St Helena, as it is on the western slope of the same range. The flow of the lava in the section was from west to east, or from the summit to the base, as it had been on the other side of the ridge ; hence, we are again led to believe that it emanated from craters in the chain.
We now come to a section of the county where the two elements, fire and water, came into direct competition, as it were. Sand and limestone of
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 17
the Tertiary period are prominent features which extend to the eastern limits of the county, and the peculiar thing about it is, that in all this sec- tion the eastern slopes of the mountains are covered with scoria and ashes, while the western slopes are covered with boulders of lime and sandstone. Of these a full mention will be made a little further on. The range of mountains between Pope and Berryessa Valleys shows volcanic action on both sides of it to quite an extent, but it predominates on the eastern slope- At Knoxville there is a very interesting study for the geologist. There the lava flow extended over large fields of serpentine, which have been wrought into all manner of fantastic shapes and contortions by the action of the fiery floods that swept over it at some remote period. In many cases it seemed to melt the serpentine, and when that substance became cooled, it assumed much the appearance of melted glass. In other instances it resem- bles the " slag" that comes from iron furnaces. Very. much more might be said on this branch of our subject. Indeed, a volume could be written on the geology of Napa County alone, by entering into all the intricate details of the matter.
We will now pass to the aqueous agencies which have been at work in shaping up the surface of the country. The work of these agencies are not so obtrusive as those of fire, but are nevertheless wonderfully potent factors in the grand scheme of making a world fit for the existence of man. Most of the valleys have been changed greatly in shape and appearance by the action of water, while many canons and gorges have been cut out directly by it. The hills have been rounded, the mountains made shapely, and the valleys filled with rich alluvium by it ! By it, sand and limestone have been deposited in grand quarries, from which men now draw vast sources of economical supplies. By the action of volcanic forces these layers or strata of aqueous rock have been warped, twisted and changed generally, until it is hard to designate them at times.
Let us take a glance at Napa County and see where we find the bodies of aqueous rock. In the mountains west of Napa Valley there is much of interest to be found in this connection. Here, at different points, may be found rocks from all the geological periods. On Dry Creek, as stated above, on one side the Devonian and Silurian rocks appear, while on the other the Tertiary are to be seen. In many places there is a crust of lava deposited on these rocks, but when this is pierced by the action of the elements, road grades or shafts in mines, the underlying aqueous rocks are discovered. They are mostly of a sandstone nature, although shale and slate are not uncommon, and also a large amount of limestone is to be found in this chain of mountains.
Crossing over to the east side of the Napa Valley we find that the lava deposit is so heavy as to almost entirely hide from view all traces of the 2*
18 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
underlying aqueous rocks. The deep cuts in the grade up the western side of St. Helena Mountain has exposed a considerable of this character of rock, but that, and the place mentioned above as being just north of the Napa Soda Springs, are the only places we have seen this side of the range. The leads, veins, and ledges of the mines in the Calistoga mining district are of course all the result of aqueous action, but they do not belong to anj- general system of rocks, nor is there any means of deciding when this action occurred.
Crossing over into Chiles Valley we find that the coating of lava ex- tends to the very base of the mountains on the west side of the valley. A small stream skirts along the edge of the mountains, which is the divid- ing line between the igneous and the aqueous formations, and in its course it carries along with it boulders, in about equal proportions, of both kinds. The soil of the valley is argillaceous, showing that it has been made up mostly from detritus from the aqueous rocks which lie in the eastern slope. In this slope there is an entire absence of lava or igneous rock of any kind whatsoever. The rock is a sandstone of the Tertiary period and rather fine in texture, and the coloring matter is the peroxyd of iron, which does not appear in any great quantities.
Passing southward from Col. Chiles' place we find that in the course of a few miles the character of the soil changes, and a belt of adobe is found. This soil is always the result of decomposed limestone, hence we know that a bed of that stone'has been at one time in existence in that locality. A little close observation reveals the fact that boulders of limestone are still to be found here. Shale, slate and metamorphic rock have also been ex- posed by this road grade.
Crossing the valley and passing by the school-house, on the way to the place owned by Messrs. Priest, we come into a grand body of sandstone, which extends to the summit of the divide. Here again we strike into a coating of lava, resting on shale and sandstone. In the ridge to the east of the Priest house there are some queer freaks of nature. The surface is covered with lava and lava boulders, with here and there out-croppings and ledges of serpentine, sandstone and metamorphic rocks. Some years ago, during a quicksilver excitement in Napa County, some miners started a tunnel into the eastern side of this ridge, but were obliged to abandon it shortly, for after they had pierced the coating of serpentine and lava they came into a great bed of sand, drift and boulders, which was so loose that it could not be timbered up and made secure. It seems strange at first thought that the top of a mountain should be composed of loose material like that, but it was evidently covered over by the lava flow, and encased inside of that substance when it cooled, and has so remained a prisoner to the present day, and subsequent action has elevated it to its present alti-
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 19
tude. Quite a number of boulders of limestone are to be found near the soda springs, on the Priest place, and the pecidiarity of it is that they are found only in spots. The resultant soil — adobe — is also in spots, the body of the soil being of decomposed lava and sandstone. Boulders of gypsum are also found, and ledges of it are said to exist in that vicinity.
Passing northward we come into Pope Valley, which is divided into two distinct sections by a low ridge or range of hills. This range is composed of soft sandstone, with but very little lava. The slope of the mountains to the east of the eastern section is composed chiefly of sandstone, with shale, slate and limestone also. The grade to Walters Springs reveals much shale and limestone. Along Pope Canon the lava flow has been immense in places, but the underlying stratas of aqueous rocks are visible in many places. A few rods to the north of Mr. Walter's house there is a ledge of limestone, and it is the only one we saw in the valley, although the evi- dences of the former existence of large bodies of limestone are visible on all sides. From Mr. Walter's place northward to Mr. Philip Palmer's place, and beyond that for some distance, the soil assumes the spotted character alluded to above, being adobe and argellacious in turn, with occasional spots of red soil, the result of the decomposition of volcanic matter.
At the iEtna Springs, and on up the valley to the west of them, the whole of the surface of the country is covered with serpentine in massive form, over which a flood of lava has flown and left its traces on every hand, while underlying the serpentine is a large body of beautiful porphyry. This extends to the summit of the range to the north, and the Phcenix and Washington Quicksilver Mines are located in this belt. At the summit there is an outcropping of a very ancient rock, probably of the Silurian period. It is glassy and flinty, and very hard and durable. Strange to say, as we pass down the northern slope of this range, we soon come into a body of Tertiary sandstone which is coarse and not very compact. This belt of sandstone continues down the mountain side, and up the opposite range as high as the Oat Hill Mine, and even beyond that, attaining a much greater elevation on this side of the canon than it does on the other. It is worthy of remark, that this body of sandstone is uninterrupted from its beginning on the south to the altitude of the Oat Hill Mine on the north side of the canon, and that there are no evidences of lava or serpentine here, and also that the range on the south side, where it begins, belongs to the St. Helena group, while that in which the mine occurs on the north side is a part of a separate system. The Oat Hill, or Napa Consolidated, and Ivanhoe Quicksilver Mines occur in this belt of sandstone, and it is the only place in the county where cinnabar occurs in a body of sandstone, and we doubt if there is another such a phenomenon in the State of California or the world. The canon spoken of above seems to have been cut right out
20 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
through this soft sandstone hy the waters of ages. It is possible that gigantic water-falls have worked themselves along this valley in those early days of floods and softer stone. Truly here is a wonderful field for the student of nature.
Crossing over to Berryessa Valley we find that the eastern slope of the mountains to the west of it, have been more or less overrun with lava, and that the underlying rock is a body of sandstone, deposited probably much earlier than the Tertiary, or else in a different epoch in that age, for it is of a different nature from the other Tertiary sandstone in this vicinity, in that it is very compact and rather fine-grained. Just north-west of Mr. Abraham Clark's place there is some adobe, but not a great deal of it, showing that there was once a limestone body there, but it was quite limited in its area. Following this slope to the north as far as Knoxville, which is very near the line of Lake County, we find the same general characteristics present.
Passing to the east side of the valley we come to the true Tertiary sand- stone, and the great bluffs of it overlooking this valley from the east present a grand appearance. The traveler along the highway comes to flat stones or boulders of sandstone in the streams which put down from the eastern range. Presently, as he advances to the northward they become more abundant, and he says to himself that there must be a ledge of this not far distant. Finally he comes upon the ledge, at least small sections of it, which he is surprised to find standing on its edge in a nearly vertical position. A good view of it in this position may be had on the creek just north of Mr. Ward's house, on the road leading from Monticello to Knoxville. There are hosts of other places all along this road where it is exposed in almost all conceivable angles of dip. There is at this place a great amount of deposit upon the sandstone, which thus stands on edge, but it is all of a veiy recent period, there being no lava in it as a body. Far away from here to the eastward rises the bold front of the Blue Ridge range, the bald blufl's of which are formed of this sandstone. The deposit was of course made in regular layers, and the whole body has been raised up perpendicularly from the bottom of the sea, where it was made, to the summit of a very high range of mountains, and the original conformation of these strata have been but very slightly disturbed, and the lines of strati- fication may be easily traced from the valley below, showing a slight dip to the northward. It is evident that this body of stone started up right from the bed of the Tertian sea, and probably before that period had passed into the Post Tertiary, the mountains stood as high islands above that ancient sea.
Passing on northward, until we come to the vicinity of Knoxville, we find a limestone body, which is well filled with fossil shells, afford- ing a fine field for the study of paleontology. A careful examination and
~S» |
^ Ujec/a^^p^
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 21
classification of these fossils would reveal the age in which they were de- posited in the bottom of the sea and subsequently became a part of the solid rock. It is stated that mollusks imbedded in this body of limestone are of the same species as those of to-day. Such, however, is not the truth. They evidently belong to the Tertiary age, which it will be remem- bered embraced many molluski of the former ages, and also that the genera of the present mollusks were in existence. In a boulder of limestone picked up in Putah Creek, the writer discovered a spirifer, which genus had its dawn away back in the Devonian period. This body of limestone can be traced in a north-westerly course as far as Middletown, Lake County, near which it is being successfully burned into lime, and is used for all economical purposes to good advantage, it proving to be a good quality of lime. Gypsum occurs in the southern end of Berryessa Valley, but we have not seen the ledges, hence we do not know how extensive they may be.
In the foregoing we have only given an outline of the geological fea- tures of Napa County. A full and complete dissertation upon the subject would require very much time and call for more space than we can devote to the subject, and we think would not prove of any more interest to the general reader than the cursory glance we have given them. As we have referred in the foregoing to fire and water as the two great factors in the upbuilding of worlds and the modification of the earth's surface, we will append a few very notable examples of their workings in other parts of the world, that the reader may get a just idea of the wonderful agencies that have been at work on all these hills, and in all the broad and beautiful valleys.
Taking the agency of fire first, we notice first that it operates through volcanoes chiefly, and we find that these great fire mountains are distributed throughout the world as follows : Twenty-four in Europe, eleven in Africa, forty-six in Asia, one hundred and fourteen in America, and one hundred and eight in Oceanica, two-thirds of the latter being situated on islands. It will thus be seen that in America there are over one-third of all the vol- canoes in the world. We will now notice the results of the activity of some of the most prominent of these in different parts of the earth. Previous to A. D. 63, Vesuvius was regarded only as an ordinary mountain, just as we now regard St. Helena or Diablo. None but students of nature ever dreamed of the grand old monarch as a slumbering volcano that might burst forth with such wonderful and devastating effect, or that in days gone by and long since forgotten it had sent forth immense floods of molten lava and showers of ashes and stones.
Its sides were adorned with fertile fields, and date trees grew in rank luxuriance upon the very rim of the crater. Large cities flourished at its
22 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
base, whose people followed the avocations of life with never a single thought of the doom that awaited them. In the year 63 the inhabitants were startled by an earthquake, and they followed from time to time till the fatal day. In the year A. D. 79, the great drama culminated in one grand act which swept out of existence three large cities, with quite a per- centage of their inhabitants, devastated beautiful fields, and blasted the bright hopes of a whole nation at one fell swoop. The sun came up out of the east that fatal morning with as smiling a face as he ever deigned to show to any land. Presently dark columns of smoke and ash-laden vapor began to burst from the crater, in the midst of which the lightnings flashed their forked tongues in a revelry of grim delight. The air was ominously quiet and oppressive, and seemed burdened with the awful solemnity of the great event that was about to occur. Finally, the first shower of ashes de- scended upon the ill-fated cities, light and feathery as the gentle falling snow. This was followed by stones, scoria, and the accumulated debris of the crater ; and ere the people could escape even with their lives, the cities were buried deep beneath the accumulated mass of volcanic mattei-. Thus perished in a day the beautiful cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiae.
Strange as it may seem, the very legends of the land failed to retain a trace of the fact that these cities had ever existed. An idea of how little diffused was the general knowledge of history in those days, may be had from the fact that the younger Plin}7, who was present at this time, and escaped, wrote an epistle in which a very minute description of the event was recorded ; still, it was not read enough to keep in remembrance the cir- cumstance by the people who followed as residents of the land. It is read now more generally in the Latin, a dead language, that it was then when the tongue was still common in the land. For seventeen long centuries, almost the duration of the Christian Era, these cities remained undisturbed in the silence of death, and forgotten. Other people had become possessed of the land. Again the fields bloomed with cultivation, and the fruits of industry were to be seen on every hand. Cities thrived and wei'e blotted out again upon the site of the first. Resina was constructed upon the very site of Herculaneum, and in 1631, an eruption destroyed it as completely as did the former one destroy the former cities. In 1713, workmen who were sinking a well, came upon the theatre of Herculaneum, at a depth of about one hundred feet. Pompeii was not discovered till 1750, when a fanner ran his ploughshare against some of the walls of the highest buildings. It was covered as a whole, less than twenty feet deep. Extensive excavations have since been made, and much of the city restored to its former condition.
From that time to this, this volcano has been in more or less activity. In 1794, the lava from it overflowed Torre del Greco, filling the streets and destroying four hundred people. It is estimated that twenty-two
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 23
million cubic yards of lava were thrown out at this time. In 1822, the crater was cleared of all accumulated material and a gulf was found more than one thousand feet deep, and three-fourths of a mile in diameter ; and eight hundred feet of the top of the mountain was carried away.
JCtna, in the island of Sicily, is eleven thousand feet high and ninety miles in circumference. In 1669 the lava from this volcano overrun fourteen towns and villages before it reached Catania, whose walls had been raised to a height of sixty feet as a protection to the molten floods from this moun- tain. Here the lava collected till it rose above the height of the wall and poured in a fiery flood upon the city. The traveler may now see the solid lava curling over the top of the rampart as if still in the act of falling. It then proceeded in a stream forty feet deep and eighteen hundred feet wide, until it entered the sea. During this eruption a fissure six feet wide and of unknown depth, opened in the mountain to the distance of twelve miles.
In 1750-60 Jorullo, in Mexico, experienced a violent eruption, and six volcanic cones were formed in the district of country where before had been fields of sugar cane and indigo. Forty years later Humboldt, the renowned traveler and naturalist, found this lava to be so hot that it would char a stick thrust into it ; some adequate idea of the great heat of this matter can thus be attained.
In 1783 Skapter Jokul, in Iceland, sent forth two streams of lava which flowed in opposite directions. One of these streams was fifty miles long and twelve broad, while the other was forty miles long and seven broad, each averaging one hundred feet in depth. The eruption continued for two years and destroyed twenty villages and nine thousand people.
In 1815 a violent eruption, occurred on the island of Sumbawa, at which time the explosions were heard nearly one thousand miles away, and the falling ashes crushed houses forty miles distant. The ashes filled the air so densely in Java, that it was totally dark at midday, and floating cinders covered the sea west of Sumatra, so that vessels were retarded seriously in their course. The lava flowed over the land and entered the sea ; whirl- winds swept over the island tearing up trees and bearing off men, horses and cattle. Of twelve thousand inhabitants, only twenty-six persons sur- vived the awful catastrophe.
The most remarkable eruptions of the present century have occurred upon the island of Hawaii, in the Pacific Ocean, from Mauna Loa, and the craters upon its sides. This volcano is thirteen thousand seven hundred and sixty feet high. Kilauea, nine thousand seven hundred and ninety feet below its summit, is a crater sixteen thousand feet long, seven thousand five hundred feet wide, and one thousand feet deep. In 1823 a stream of lava issued from this crater, between four and five miles wide, and it is estimated that twenty-seven million cubic feet was ejected at this time.
24 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa
In 184*0 there was another grand eruption from this crater. The lava had gradually raised some four hundred or five hundred feet above its wonted level, and its bosom was raging like an ocean lashed into a fury by a tempest. At length, on the first day of June of that year, the lava made its way through subterranean fissures several miles below the true crater. Then it started on its relentless march down to the sea, sweeping forest, ham- let, plantation and everything before it with resistless energy. When it reached the ocean it leaped over a precipice forty or fifty feet high, and poured in one vast cataract of fire into the deep below, falling with loud detonations, fearful hissings and a thousand unearthly and indescribable sounds. Imagine for a moment to yourself a river of fused minerals, of the breadth and depth of Niagara, and of gory red, falling in one emblazoned sheet, one raging torrent, into the ocean '
The atmosphere in all directions was filled with ashes, spray and gases, while the burning lava, as it fell into the water, was shivered into millions of minute particles. The coast was extended into the sea a quarter of a mile at this time. For three weeks this terrific river disgorged itself into the sea, heating the water for twenty miles along the coast, and destroying multitudes of fishes. The breadth of the stream, where it fell into the sea, was about half a mile, but inland it varied from one to four miles, conform- ing, like a river of water, to the face of the country over which it passed. It varied in depth from ten to two hundred feet, according to the inequali- ties of the surface, and the whole length of the stream was forty miles. During the flow night was converted into day, the light being seen over one hundred miles at sea, and the finest of print could be read forty miles away at midnight. According to Prof. J. D. Dana, 15,400,000,000 cubic feet of matter flowed from Kilauea at this eruption — a mass equal to a triangular ridge eight hundred feet high, two miles long, and one mile wide at its base.
And so we might go on and enumerate thousands of recorded instances of volcanic action, but enough have been given to show the reader the grand and wonderful power that lies hidden somewhere in the bowels of the earth, and which from time to time exerts itself in this manner. The reader will also get some idea of what may be done by volcanic action, and when he looks upon the lava-covered hills and mountains of Napa County he can see that, while this action has been great here, it has been as nothing compared with many other places in the world. It is recorded that one single eruption of Skapter Jokul, mentioned above, would cover an area thirty miles square to a depth of one hundred feet. Napa County is not much larger than that.
The other grand agent in changing and modifying the surface of the earth is water, and we will give the reader some idea of the importance
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 25
and activity of this factor. Improbable as it may seem, the falling of rain upon the rocks of the mountain sides continually wears them away, until eventually they are changed much in appearance and size. As the rain-drop descends through the atmosphere it becomes impreg- nated with carbonic acid, which is able to decompose many kinds of rock, especially those of a calcareous nature. Frost is a powerful modifying agent. Water finds its way into the fissures of the rocks, where it freezes and rends them asunder, often sending the loosened fragments headlong into the valley below, where they are taken up by the torrents of mountain streams, and eventually find their way to the river bed as smooth and nicely rounded boulders. On the top of St. Helena there is a great pile of broken fragments of stone, which very much resembles a dump pile of a mine, which has been formed by this agency alone. The rock was origi- nally deposited in strata, and projected as a great peak on the summit of the mountain. The water permeated between the strata, and the cold tem- perature of the summit did the balance of the work. The rock was forced off in fragments just as deep as the water had gone.
Springs produce rapid and remarkable changes by depositing the sub- stances held in solution by them, such as lime, iron, soda, silica and magnesia, thus forming beds of calcareous tufea, bog iron ore, and serpen- tine. Every one is familiar with the sediment that is deposited by the mineral springs in Napa and Lake Counties. The heaviest deposit made by any springs in these two counties is to be seen at the soda springs on the ranch of Messrs. Priest. There a plateau of over an acre has been formed, varying in depth from a few feet to fifty, and the formation extends down the stream in which the water flows, for a distance of over a mile. In So- lano County, at Tolenas Springs, a few miles north of Suisun, a fine body of white onyx has been deposited.
Rivers cut channels in the superficial accumulations, and through the solid rocks, and transport loose matei'ial to the valleys below, and into the water basins, and what is true of rivers may be said of all streams of water, no matter how small they may be. Every mountain brook, during flood seasons, bears with it much of the substance along its banks down into the streams of the valleys, and they in turn take it up and bear it to the rivers, and they to the bays. An estimate of the greatness of this action may be had when we state that a large portion of Louisiana has been brought down the Mississippi River, and the land is still advancing into the Gulf of Mexico, it being estimated that 28,000,000,000 cubic feet is annually carried down by this river and deposited at its mouth.
The Amazon is so charged with sediment that its waters can be de- tected by their discoloration three hundred miles from its mouth. The Nile has formed vast deltas at its mouth, and there is qood evidence that
26 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
nearly all of Egypt lias been formed in this manner by that river. The Ganges carries such vast quantities of sediment and detritus to the sea during the four months of its flood season, that it would require a fleet of eighty vessels, each freighted with one thousand four hundred tons of mud, to sail by a given point every hour of the day and night, to carry an amount equal to it, and during the entire year there is an amount equal to 20,000,- 000,000 cubic feet deposited at its mouth. Can the human mind grasp even an idea of such vast sums ? Indeed, it cannot ; and yet, this is only really a fraction of the amount that is being transported from the mountains, hills and dales of the whole earth, to the mighty and capacious maws of old Mother Ocean. Would we see near at home this action and its result, we have only to look at the Sacramento River and its tributaries. There was a time when the American River de- bouched into the bay ; but now the mouth of the Sacramento River is forty or fifty miles to the south of it. The San Joaquin River once had its mouth far up, near the site of Stockton, or even above that. All that sec- tion of country now designated as " tule lands," embraced in Sherman, Union, Andrus, Staten, Grand, Schoolcraft and Brannan Islands, was once covered with a deep body of water, and it has only been raised to its present altitude by long and continued depositions of sediment by the streams which empty into it. Of these Cache and Putah Creeks have played no small part; and much of the matter that is now lying in the substratums of Schoolcraft Island were once a portion of the mountains of Napa and Lake Counties.
Tule and other vegetable matter have been found at a depth of eighty and one hundred feet in the locality of Georgetown, Sacramento County, and on Dr. Ziele's place, at the lower end of Brannan Island. This action was comparatively slow and it must have consumed a vast age of time to accomplish it. But since the advent of the white man, especially the Americans, the work has gone on very rapidly. The hardy miner has aided in the matter very materially, and almost in the third of a century the streams have been all filled up, and the Bay is having great encroachments made upon it. In 1850 quite large steamers plied with ease as high up the Feather River as Marysville, while now only light draught steamers are able to reach it during the flood season. Then steamers went up the Sacramento to Red Bluff, and now when a small launch reaches the place it is a matter of rejoicing and cannon are fired, and the citizens turn out en masse to see it. As late as 1852 the water was over fifty feet deep in the Sacramento River for some distance below the State Capital, and such ocean steamers as the " Senator," made the trip from there to San Francisco with ease, while at the present time only very light draught stem-wheel steamers are able to keep above the sand bars.
Coming nearer home, we find an excellent example in the Napa River.
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 27
All the tule land that lies between the city and the bay was formed by this agency. It is not improbable that the Bay of Napa was once a handsome sheet of water, reaching from the present line of the railroad on the east to the foothills on the west, and extending north to the present site of Napa City, or even further. Since the advent of agricultural pursuits in Napa County, this action has progressed very rapidly. Who that has seen the Napa River in a time of flood can doubt as to the amount of sediment borne by it to the bay below. The sti-eets of Napa City attest to that fact after every overflow.
Waves produce geological changes, and the fact can be seen on any of the mountain sides of Napa, where the traces of their action have not been obliterated by subsequent action. The shore line spoken of above, which is to be seen in the western slope of the range to the east of Napa Valley attests this fact. In many places small caves have been hollowed out, and at' one place, near the Crystal Springs Hotel, north-east of the town of St. Helena a few miles, there is a cave over eighty feet in length, in a strataum of clay and shale. Along the present shore line of the Pacific many such places can be found, and are designated by the term " blow-holes." Near Mendocino City there is one so large that a schooner once went into it with one man on board, and neither man or vessel were ever seen or heard from afterwards. How extensive these cavities are is unknown, but they have been explored for the distance of a mile. Near Cahto, in Mendocino County, over forty miles distant from the ocean, and over a high range of mountains, there are some mud springs which ebb and flow with the tide, and it is thought that there is a possibility of these springs being connected with the Pacific by means of one of these " blow-holes." Thus it will be seen that the great agencies of the world have been busily at work in Napa County as elsewhere.
Passing from the general to the special geological features of Napa County, we will name and describe the various metals and minerals to be found within its borders.
Metals.- — Metals are found either native or in the state of ores, the former being pure or simply mixed, but not chemically combined, with some other substance, while the latter is chemically combined with foreign matter. Metals occur in layers or beds, in veins intersecting the rocks, or disseminated through them in grains and crystals. They are only found in the two last forms in Napa County.
Iron. — This metal is found native only in meteorites — those wonderful bodies which occasionally fall to our earth — hence we need not expect to find it in any quantities here. Iron, as an ore, does not occur in any great
28 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
bodies in the county, but in its several forms is very generally dissemi- nated over the surface of the country. It is the oxyd of iron which gives to the rocks, lava, and soils their reddish color, and the protoxyd which gives to all mineral substances their yellowish color. Chromate of iron is an ore of a dark brown color, and is usually found in serpentine. Persons familiar with this latter substance will remember that it bears a large percentage of chromate in this county. Iron pyrites, or sulphuret of iron, is the most common of all the ores, except the oxyds, and is diffused throughout all the minerals and rocks of the county. It is better known as " Fool's Gold," from its yellow color and close resemblance to free gold.
Manganese. — This metal occurs in small quantities in certain sections of Napa County. Its presence is detected by the color of the water that has flowed over it after a rain, rather than by its appearance in bodies.
Tin. — Tin ore, or the oxyd of tin, is said to exist in small quantities at the lower end of Chiles Valley, and a man has a large amount of work done on a tin ledge in that locality ; but he has not yet developed the fact to the satisfaction of his neighbors that the metal exists in quantities sufficient to pay for working. That some tin is in the ledge, they all believe.
Silver. — This metal occurs in three forms in Napa County — native, chlorides, and sulphurets. In its native form, it is found in union with gold ; as a chloride, it appears in black streaks in the substance through which it is disseminated, and as a sulphuret, it occurs in flaky-appearing spots or specks in the quartz in which it is incorporated. In all the mines in the vicinity of Calistoga, it is found in some one of these forms, and often, and indeed, generally, in all three.
Gold. — Gold occurs in union with silver in all the silver mines in the county, and in quite large quantities. It does not occur free, however, as a rule, and but few ledges have been discovered where it is so found.
Quicksilver. — This metal is found in greater or less quantities all over the northern portion of the county, the principal lodes extending from south-east to north-west. The ore on which the Redington Mine is situated extends as far north as the Sulphur Bank in Lake County. The ore on which the Ivanhoe and Oat Hill Mines are situated extends as far north as the Great Western, the Great Eastern lying between the two. The ledge on which the Pho?nix and Washington are located, extends to the top of St. Helena Mountain, while the Oakville is located on the west side of Napa Valley, and that lode extends well into Sonoma County. When we speak of a lode extending to such and such points we do not mean to say that a mine can be opened at any and all points along the line, but that the same
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 29
general systems of rocks and minerals extend over the designated territory. Cinnabar is the form in which this metal usually occurs, and is composed of 81 f grains of quicksilver to 18 \ grains of sulphur. It does not usually occur free, but there are a few instances where it does. It usually occurs in veins of soft talcose rock, and in serpentine districts, but the Ivanhoe and Oat Hill are exceptions, for in them it often occurs associated with sandstone, and so closely that it can not be detected until a metallic sub- stance has been rubbed harshly against it, when the cinnabar is seen by the red streak left upon the rock.
Minerals. — We will now pass to the consideration of the minerals that are to be found in Napa County.
Quartz. — Quartz or silica is the most widely diffused of all the minerals which go to make up the surface of the earth. It is found of every shade of color, owing to the readiness with which it combines with other sub- stances. Beautiful specimens of quartz crystals are to be found in all the mining section around and above Calistoga, and those taken from the Sil- verado Mine, referred to above, are among the choicest to be found in California.
Feldspar. — This substance enters largely into the composition of the earth's crust, and differs from quartz in having a regular cleavage, a pearly luster, and in being somewhat softer than the latter. When this mineral is decomposed it forms a clay called kaolin, much used in the manufacture of pottery. Common brick clay is impure, decomposed feldspar, and the color is due to the oxyd of iron in the clay. There are several localities where brick clay, as well as potter's, is found in Napa County.
Limestone. — This very valuable mineral occurs in Napa County in quite extended quantities and in many localities. A ledge of it extends from the northern end of Berryessa Valley, across the upper end of Pope Valley, and thence into Lake County. Some of this will burn to good advantage, the re- sult being a fair quality of quick-lime. There seems to be an impression that a rock is not limestone unless it will burn and make lime. Such an idea will mislead any one, for there are large bodies of true limestone which will not make lime at all. Limestone is the carbonate of lime.
Gypsum. — The sulphate of lime occurs in several localities in Napa County, beginning at the lower end of Berryessa Valley and extending across the range to the lower end of Chiles Valley. It is a firm, solid, heavy rock, and easily acquires quite a polish, and as readily loses it when exposed to the action of the atmosphere.
Hornblende. — This is a tough mineral, generally dark colored, and occurs everywhere in rocks of volcanic origin, and in some of the older slates and
30 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
in syenite. It is found in small quantities in Napa County in connection with serpentine.
Talc. — This is the softest mineral given in the scale of hardness, and has an unctious or oily feeling. It is in talcose rock, mostly, that cinnabar is found, hence it can be seen in any of the quicksilver mines in the county, except, perhaps, the Oakville.
Serpentine. — This occurs in its massive form in many sections of Napa County, especially near Knoxville, and the Phoenix Mine. It is a grayish color, and may be easily discerned by the smooth, almost oily surface of it. It is mottled by the chromate of iron. None of the finer varieties, such as verd-antique, are met with here.
Shale. — Shale occurs in large quantities in Napa County, and may be seen in most of the road cuts along the mountain sides, notably in the grade up St. Helena. It is formed from clay, which is hardened into rock by pressure and chemical action, together with a species of crystalization which occurs in the mineral base of the clay. Silicious shale is the most common, if not the only kind to be found in Napa County.
Sulphur. — This substance is to be found everywhere in Napa County in composition with other minerals, and in many of the springs of the county, notably the White Sulphur, near St. Helena, and the Hot Springs at Calistoga.
Soda, — This mineral, in the form of carbonates, sulphates and chlorides, is to be found in connection with the waters of many springs in the county, such as the Napa Soda and the Walter Springs.
Ammonia. — This substance is developed in large quantities in the pro- cess of reducing the ores of the Oat Hill Mines.
Goal. — Coal of a good quality has been found in Browns Valley, the vein being four and a half feet thick, but for some cause it has never been advantageously worked. It is not a true coal, however, but is brown or lignitic, and not well adapted to economical purposes. It is sometimes stated that the coal of this State, and, in fact, all coal, is the product of petroleum — that is, asphaltum hardened into the condition in which it now appears — but such is not the case. There has only been, so far, one locality discovered where such a coal occurs, and that is in Albert County, Canada, and the coal is known as Albertite.
Petroleum. — This very useful substance occurs almost all over Napa County in greater or less quantities, being present in all the mineral springs and in many of the pure water springs. On Mr. Cutler's place, north-west of Napa City a short distance, there is quite a considerable quantity of it to
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 31
be found, and Professor Denton visited the locality and gave it a careful examination, and pronounced the showing good for a paying yield. Pro- fessor Denton's theory of the source of petroleum will not be without inte- rest to the readers of our work in this connection. It has always been a mooted question as to what was the true origin of petroleum, many holding that it was the oil of those monster animals which infested the earth during the Carboniferous and subsequent ages of the world. Others held that it was the product of coal, and was closely allied thereto, having been driven out of the coal beds by the force of pressure and heat. Then there were a number of other ideas not worthy of record here, but interesting only as adornments to the great curiosity shop of the theories and vagaries of man- kind. The Professor's solution of the problem is, that the oil is a deposit made by a species of coral insect which existed in the Silurian and Devonian seas, and known as the favosite. They constructed their coral in the shape and style of a honey-comb, and filled the cells with an oily substance. In the course of time other ages deposited their formations upon these beds of coral, and the weight of superincumbent matter crushed these cells and lib- erated the oil. The limestones of the Devonian and Sub-Carboniferous periods were not porous enough to retain the oily matter, nor were the coal fields of the Carboniferous age. The Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous systems all contain rocks too compact to retain the oil, though it is probable that it remained in the sandstones of them all until crushed out by the weight of the upper layers of the earth's structure. In the Tertiary the sandstone is coarse and porous, and well adapted to receive the oil, and as there has not been such a great amount of matter deposited upon this formation, it is there that it is to be found. In substantiation of the asser- tion that the oil was formed by the favosites, the Professor states that he has often found the cells of this insect filled with the pure oil in Pennsyl- vania and West Virginia. It is evident that the oil came from somewhere, and that it was formed by some law of nature, and the thing to do is to decide what is the most feasible theory. The above seems to be that theory, and we incline to believe in its truthfulness, but leave our readers to believe whatsoever may seem best to them.
Basalt and Trap. — Passing into the realm of volcanic action, we find basalt and trap rock as the two best representatives of these rocks. They are hard, compact, and basalt is well adapted to the uses of man. They occur in greater or less quantities all over Napa County.
Tufa and Scoria. — These substances, which result from volcanic action, are found scattered all over the face of Napa County in rank profusion. They are useless in an economic view.
Obsidian. — This is another volcanic substance, and resembles bottle glass
32 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
very much. A mountain of it exists north-east of St. Helena. It was used extensively by the Indians in the manufacture of arrow and spear heads.
SPRINGS. — Napa County is noted far and wide for the abundance and variety of the Springs within its limits, they being both mineral and pure, cold and thermal. From every mountain side beautiful streams of water gush forth and find their way to the nearest brooklet, where their united rivulets form into a beautiful babbling stream, that sings a merry song as it dances over the pebbly bed, or leaps like a merry-hearted school girl, from rock to rock, in its gleeful chase to the valley below. The water from these springs is soft, pure and sweet, and it is truly a delight to quench one's thirst with the pearly draught. The flow of these springs vary from a few gallons to enormous quantities per day. The water is very useful for the purpose of irrigation, and is much used for that.
The mineral springs of Napa County are worthy an extended notice, and the reader is referred to the Township histories, where full and complete sketches will be found of them all; but here only an outline will be given. These springs are divided into two general classes, thermal and cold, and the hot sulphur springs at Calistoga, and the ^Etna Springs afford fine illustrations of the former, while the Napa Soda and Walter's Springs represent the latter. Soda, iron, sulphur and magnesia, are the principal minerals contained in all these springs, their peculiarities existing only on account of the amount of each in the individual springs.
TIMBER. — While Napa County is not pre-eminently a timbered section, yet almost all varieties of wood that are indigenious to this section of Cal- ifornia may be found within its limits.
As many of the conifer xe which grow in California are represented in Napa County, we append the following list, more as a matter of reference than anything else, feeling that it will serve a good purpose for all of our readers who are at all observing of the different trees which grow in their county : —
1. Picea nobilis, a magnificent tree, growing up to two hundred feet in height, flourishing principally in the Shasta Mountains. It has dark green leaves, which appear silvery underneath. It yields excellent timber, and is cultivated largely in Europe for ornamental purposes, being grown there from the seed.
2. Picea amabilis, a similar tree, growing especially near Truckee, where large forests of them exist, called by lumbermen red fir ; it has, however, different cones and lighter foliage than the fir.
3. Picea grand is, a fine tree, rising up to two hundred feet in height, called by lumbermen white or balsam fir. The lumber is, however, not
%phy, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 33
much esteemed, being soft and coarse-grained ; but it is exceedingly hand- some as an ornamental tree.
4. Picea cracteata, perhaps the handsomest of all conifers. It is found growing in the Santa Lucia Mountains, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties. It is a tree of surpassing beauty, and highly esteemed in England, where young trees of this species are growing. The seed is extremely valuable, on account of the fact that many years pass by before the cones become perfect and produce seeds capable of germination. There is in San Luis Obispo County a grove of one hundred of these trees, worth a trip any time to see. Nowhere else are many found. Unless this grove is protected
'it will soon become extinct, as no young trees are growing in it. The tree would seem to have ceased to reproduce itself here. It must have aid and protection. No one has laid eyes on the handsomest cone-bearer who has not been so fortunate as to look up at the Picea cracteata, the beautiful tree, as they call it in Europe, where they consider it a rare gem.
5. Abies Douglasii, a most valuable tree of California, growing easily in almost any soil, excellent for timber, and found largely in Northern Cali- fornia and north to British Columbia.
6. Abies Menziesii, and seventh, Abies Williamsonii, grow chiefly in northern California. The lumber is used only for rough purposes, and is not very valuable. The first four are of the true firs, while the fifth, sixth, and seventh are the spruces of the coast.
8. Pinus Lambertiana, the sugar-pine, the grandest tree of the country cultivated in northern Europe now, largely because of its excellent timber qualities, and most of the growth there is from seeds sent from here, especially from British Columbia, and by the Hudson Bay Company during the last twenty-five years.
9. Pinus Jeffreyii, a beautiful pine growing especially thick near Carson, Nevada. It is esteemed highly in Europe because of its foliage, its usefulness for lumber, and its applicability for ornamentation, and because it will grow upon the meanest soil. It reaches an average height of one hundred and fifty feet. It is one of the hardiest of evergreens It has large cones, with pyramidal hooked scales.
10. Pinus Gonlteri, found only in the Coast Range ; rises about sixty or seventy feet; distinguished as having the heaviest cones of any of the family of conifers.
11. Pinus Manchesteri, named after the Duke of Manchester, who dis- covered it in the Yosemite Valley. Botanists believe it to be only a variety of Pinus ponclerosa. It has, however, larger cones.
12. Pinus tuberculata, a small evergreen found mainly in the Shasta Mountains. The cones do not, often, open for years, and in order to get out
34 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
the seeds a high degree of heat has to be applied, such are the resinous qualities of the cone.
13. Pinus insignis, the Monterey pine, one of the handsomest of the whole species. It has beautiful light green foliage, which is too tender for Europe, where it fails under cultivation.
14. Pinus ponderosa, or heavy wooded pine. It is the pitch-pine of the mountains above the altitude of four thousand feet.
15. Pinus monticola, grows at an altitude of from six thousand to eight thousand feet. It is a tall and erect sugar pine, and is used largely for railroad ties because of its durability.
16. Pinus aristata, grows rarely in California. It is called the awned- cone pine. Some of the trees are to be found near the Calaveras Grove. It reaches fifty or sixty feet in height.
17. Pinus eoncorta, an exceedingly tough wood, and does not rot. It has recently been introduced into Europe. Douglas found it on swamp ground on this coast, near the ocean. It is found in many northern parts of the continent. It is very hardy.
18. Pinus edulis, a small tree found largely in the lower country, and yielding edible nuts.
19. Sequoia gigantea, the big trees of California. Its synonym is Wellingtonia gigantea, and it is also known as Washingtonia gigantea, The cones are described as about two inches long, ovate, terminal, solitary, and with numerous prickled stipitate scales. The honor of the discovery of the great trees is in dispute, as is also the derivation of the name sequoia.
20. Sequoia semperviren. This is the half-brother of that last named, and is the redwTood tree of the coast.
21. Libocedrus decurrens is the California white cedar. The trees grow very large, reaching a height of two hundred feet. It is excellent timber for use underground. Many of the trees are affected by dry-rot.
22. Cujiressus fragrans, or the fragrant cypress. It grows principally in Oregon, and is there called the ginger pine, because of its aromatic flavor. It is a fine wood, and is used largely in the best furniture in Oregon.
Of the conifeiw mentioned in the above list, let us see what ones are indigenous to Napa County. Beginning with the coast or common red- wood (Sequoia semperuirens) , we find that it grows all along the range of mountains west of Napa Valley, and also on Howell Mountain. It would seem a little strange that this tree should be found on the mountains of the Mayacamas range south of Mount St. Helena, and not north of it. In an early day there was quite an amount of milling done among the redwoods of this county, especially in the cafion above Dr. Hitchcock's place, where there were no less than three sawmills.
The next coniferce in importance is the yellow fir (Abies WiUiamsonii),
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 35
which is found all over Napa County in greater or less quantities. It makes excellent lumber, and several mills have been engaged chiefly in working this timber. It is used very extensively, also, in timbering up mines. It grows tall and straight, and makes a beautiful tree.
A congener, white fir (Pieea grandis), grows sparsely in Napa County. It is, however, a much more beautiful tree than the red fir, growing lithe and straight to a lofty height, and having a fine, smooth, light-colored bark, not so very dissimilar to the ash. The stranger would choose it every time in preference to the red fir, for economical purposes, but great would be his surprise to find at the end of a year that his beatiful tree was nought but ashes, as it were, that length of time being sufficient to almost entirely rot the whole body of the tree. H»3rVw3o
Another congener is the red fir (Picea amabilis), commonly known by the name of Oregon pine, but which is really not a pine at all. This is not so generally spread over the county as either of the other two brothers, and is not considered as good lumber here as it is farther north, although it is prized for its toughness, but not for its durability or fineness of grain, in both of which qualities it is sadly lacking.
Of the remaining coniferce the sugar pine (Pinus Lambertiana) is by far the most important, and is in fact the only kind of pine that can be used at all for economic purposes. It is the choicest of all soft woods which grow upon the Pacific Slope. Its fiber is compact, and its grain fine, while it works very easily, and beyond the fault of " season checking " is altogether a desirable lumber. It is used principally for doors, sash, blinds, counters, shelving, and similar purposes. While it does not grow to any extent in Napa County, some good trees of it have been found on Mount St. Helena, and in that vicinity.
The California white cedar {Libocedrus decwrens), is found quite ex- tensively scattered over the surface of Napa County, though it is getting much scarcer than in the earlier days of the county. It is a beautiful tree, growing to a good height, with stately proportions. It was much sought after by the early settlers from the fact that it worked so easily.
The last coniferw that we shall mention as being indigenous to Napa County is the heavy coned pine, commonly known as the " Digger " or " bull pine " (Pinus Coulter i). It is a scraggy, worthlesss tree, and is fit for nothing except kindling wood or cheap firewood. Its cones are very large, and contain large quantities of nuts, which in olden times the In- dians used to relish very much, hence the name " Digger Pine." There is a great amount of pitch in the cones, and the Indians would build a fire and hold them over it till the pitch was melted and the nuts thus released. These cones are now the delight of the camping party in the mountains, and many happy hours are spent in the early night aro.und the cheerful and high blazing fire which they are famous for making.
36 History of Napa and Lake Cotmties — Napa.
Of the other varieties of trees which grow in >»apa the chestnut oak (Quercus densirlcn-a), is the most important, as it is from this tree that the tan-hark is derived. Quite large bodies of it grow in the mountains in the upper end of the county, and large quantities of bark are exported an- nually. The wood is good for fuel only.
The laurel (Oreodaphne OalifarnUsa) is a wood much prized for veneer- ing and ornamental purposes, and some very fine trees of it are to be found in Napa County, it being pretty generally distributed all over this section of the State.
The live oak (Querent tnrens) is the most numerous of any of the oaks which grow in Napa County, but its chief use is for firewood. It is con- sidered the best wood for fuel that grows upon the coast, and always com- mands the highest prices in the markets where it is offered for sale. It is to be found on all the mountain sides in the county. There are several other varieties of oak, such as the black, white, valley, etc., in the county, but none are of any importance except for firewood, and some of them are not to be praised very much for even this purpose.
Probably the widest diffused tree and of the least value in Napa County is the madrona (Arbutus Mmziesii). It is to be found in all the moun- tains, and the traveler becomes so accustomed to seeing its face that he really falls in love with it.
Quite a considerable alder (Alnus) grows along the streams of the county, and is useful for nothing except light, summer firewood. There is occasionally a white ash (Fraxinus alba) and rarely a white poplar (Popu- lus alba) growing on the mountain sides, but not in any bodies.
Passing from trees to shrubs we find the manzanita growing everywhere in the mountains, its bright red bark and deep green leaves contrasting beautifully, and producing a charming effect on the landscape. Here and there, in clumps and clusters, the buckeye (jEscvZus porta) grows all over the county, and in time of blooming they make the air redolent with rich perfume. Another shrub, which is the chief of all the flowering shrubs in the county, is the azalea, which is found along the banks of almost all the mountain streams. It is a member of the rhododendron family, and its flower is white. During the time of its first fresh blooming it presents a very handsome appearance, the flowers being almost as pure and wax-look - in<* as orange blossoms. All over the mountains there is a shrub called chemisal (pronounced chemeese), with which every citizen of the county is familiar. It is useless for any purpose, and grows so dense in places that even a mountain sheep is bothered to find its way through it. The wild hazel grows quite commonly all over the county, but does not seem to be so prolific a bearer of nuts as its Eastern congener, nor do the bush or hull look quite like those found at the East. Wild grapes are found in great
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 37
profusion in the mountains of Napa County, but they are small and sour, with an excessively large seed, hence are unfit for use. The poison oak is found all over the mountains and is well known, to the sorrow of many pleasure seekers.
There are other trees and shrubs growing in Napa County, such as the willow, pepper-wood, etc., but those of any importance have been mentioned above. There is one other shrub, however, which deserves special mention, the holly {Ilex opaca). It is commonly known as the bear-berry, from the fact that the berries were a favorite relish of Bruin's, in the days of his free ramblings over these mountains. The shrub grows in height from three to ten feet, the leaves are glossy and bright green, and the berries turn a beautiful red about midwinter, and are used much for purposes of adorn- ment for festive occasions during the holidays. The berries soon wither and lose their beauty, however, after they are severed from the parent stem.
SOILS. — The soil of Napa County may be divided into five classes, viz : argillaceous, adobe, loam, lava and tule. The first named is the result of the decomposition of sandstones and shales, and fine examples of it may be seen on all those mountain sides in the eastern portion of the county where there are sandstone outcroppings or boulders. Ordinarily it is not very productive, but is good for grasses and cereals, as much silica is re- quired in the production of straw. Fruits and vegetables do not do so well here. It will be noticed that Berryessa and Chiles Valleys are pre- eminently adapted to the growing of grain, and it is owing to this quality of the soil. When loam and argillaceous soils are well mixed, a compound is formed which is well adapted to the growing of fruits, vegetables and cei-eals. Thus it will be observed that the former thrive best near the banks of streams ; while cereals may grow as rank, if not ranker, here, yet the quality of flour will not be equal to that grown further back, and upon the purely sandy soil.
The soil that we find now upon the surface of the country is but the result of the decomposition of the underlying rocks. As we said above that argillaceous soil is found in sandstone sections, so we must look for the next variety, adobe, in limestone sections. We find adobe soil in Napa County on the west side of Putah Creek in Berryessa Valley, in spots all over Chiles and Pope Valleys, and near the foot of St. Helena, and in Brown's Valley. It is a stiff, cold and disagreeable soil, and one that- is not easily worked. In the winter, when it is wet, it is tenacious, and sticks to a plow-share so as to almost preclude its being worked ; and in the sum- mer season it is full of widely yawning cracks which seem ready to engulf anything that may pass over it. Cereals thrive upon it, but it will be no-
38 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
ticed that the straw is always short, owing to the lack of silica in it as a straw-builder. It is common in the adobe sections to mix sand with it, to reduce it to a compound that will grow vegetables and flowers in gardens. The berry of the wheat is always very plump and full, owing to the fact that in the soil there is a large quantity of the phosphate of lime, which is a great berry -builder in grain. The flour will be always dark and heavy, and is not a favorite with the thrifty housewife, who prides herself upon white and spongy bread. It makes, however, rich food ; and when ground into graham flour, is a great up-builder of bone and brain.
We now come to the consideration of the best of all soils to be found in the county, namely, loam. This is found in all the valleys of Napa County, especially in the broad and beautiful Napa Valley. It is composed of the sedimentary deposit which is washed down from the mountains and country above, and is thus composed of all the various kinds of soil that are to be found in the region over which the stream passes. It is hence well adapted to the growing of all kinds of vegetables, cereals and fruits. It is a rich alluvium, and is much sought after by the agriculturalist.
Tule soil is composed of decaying vegetation, roots, sediment, guano, detritus, and whatever else may have been borne down on the bosom of the stream. Much of this soil is to be found from Napa City southward, and along the margin of the bay. It is very rich and productive where the water can be kept off from it. Much of it in this county is so charged with salt from the overflow of the tides of the bay that it is not very pro- ductive. Where such is not the case, it produces vegetables in great profu- sion, and grows fruits and cereals quite well.
We now come to the consideration of the last characteristic soil of Napa County, that formed from lava. This is produced by the decomposition of lava and other volcanic products, and it may be seen on almost all of the mountain sides of the county. It is characterized by its strong shades of color, being mostly red or yellow, owing to the presence of the oxyds of iron in it. It is, however, sometimes white, as the result of decomposed volcanic ash, again it is bluish, and is veiy often quite spotted. There is also a greenish soil formed from decomposed serpentine. This volcanic soil is spoken of generally b}r the residents of the county as chemisal lands, and it is claimed that it is excellent for the production of vines. Large tracts of it are being planted into vineyards on Howell Mountain. Should these vineyards prove a success, there is a large amount of this class of land yet available in Napa County for the same purpose, and the future yield of the vine will be something wonderful to contemplate, when all these red chemi- sal hill and mountain sides become thrifty vineyards. Thus have we noticed all the soils of Napa County, and noted what is produced to the best advantage in all of them, but it is not to be understood that we have
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 39
stated all that will grow in the soils. It is well, however, for people to know the nature of the soil they are cultivating, and to study what is the best adapted to it. Money will be made by it.
WATERCOURSES.— The watercourses of Napa County are small as a rule, but quite numerous, as may naturally be expected in a mountainous country. We will begin with Napa River and its tributaries.
Napa Rivee. — This stream rises at the head of Napa Valley and at the western foot of Mount St. Helena, and flows in a south-eastern direction in a very sinuous course, and empties into Napa Bay, an arm of the San Pablo Bay. It is navigable as far up as Napa City, at which point the rise and fall of the tide is very considerable, being perhaps five feet on an average. This river serves as an outlet for the drainage of all the western portion of the county, and as the water-shed is quite extended and precipitous, over- flows are not uncommon, and large amounts of water are discharged into it in a very short time during a heavy storm.
White Sulphur Creek. — Beginning at the source of Napa River, and passing southward, the first tributary of importance we come to is the above- named stream. It rises in the mountains west of the town of St. Helena, and flows eastward through the southern limits of that town, and thence into the Napa River. It is of no importance, however, except for drainage.
Conn Creek. — This stream rises in Chiles Valley, and flowing westerly through Conn Valley empties into Napa River. It is a small creek, but quite a body of water is discharged through it.
Dry Creek. — The next stream to the south is Dry Creek, so named on account of its being almost dry during the summer season. It rises in the mountains west of Yountville, and flows south-easterly and its waters are discharged into Napa River.
Saco Creek. — This is a small stream which rises in the mountains east of the Napa Soda Springs, and flowing south-westerly debouches into the Napa River.
Napa Creek. — This stream has its source in the mountains north-west of Napa City, and flows south-easterly, and unites with Napa River at Napa City. It carries a large body of water during the flood season, and it is from this stream that the city suffers the most during an overflow.
Soscol Creek. — -This stream has its source in the mountains east of Thompsons' place, and flowing westerly, it passes through their farm and discharges into the Napa River.
Carneros Creek. — This'is the last stream that empties into the Napa River. It rises in the range of mountains south-west or west of Napa City,
40 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
flows south-easterly, and empties as above stated. It is also an inconsider- able sti-eam.
Rector Creek. — Belonging to this system, but not emptying directly into Napa River, is the above named stream. It rises in the mountains north-east of Yountville, and flows in a westerly direction into Conn Creek.
Putah Creek. — The drainage of Napa County is comprised in two general systems — the Napa River and the Putah Creek ; and what the former is to the western portion of the county, the latter is to the eastern. Putah Creek, or " Rio de las Putas," as the Spaniards used to call it, has its source far away in the summits of Mounts Cobb and St. Helena, in Lake County. Thence, it flows easterly, until near the Napa County line, when it trends to the southward, flowing in a southerly direction, through Berry- essa Valley. It then bends its course easterly, and flows through the rugged pass known as Putah Canon, to the plains of Solano County, and thence easterly to the Sacramento River. It is not navigable in any portion of it, but is a wild, fearful mountain stream in the winter season, assuming the proportions of a river.
Eticura Creek. — This is a small stream which has its source in the mountains west of Knoxville, and flowing south-westerly, empties into Putah Creek.
Pope Creek. — This is a stream of quite goodly proportions, and has its source in the mountains at the head of Pope Valley. Thence it flows south- easterly through that valley, and thence through a pass in the mountains to Putah Creek.
Other Streams. — The above comprise all the watercourses of Napa County that are of any importance, except for drainage. They extend from the babbling brook in the mountains, to the considerable stream. Some of them are known by some local name but are not of enough importance to require a general name. Many of these are most beautiful streams, and are rilled with schools of finny beauties, especially trout. Truly, the disciple of old Isaak Walton can find an elyseum here.
CLIMATOGRAPHY.— To write of the excellence of the climate of Napa Count}', would require the pen of a master. To say that it is lovely, salubrious, and to apply all the other adjectives expressing the optimism of it in the highest degree, would not portray it in overdrawn colors. Truly, this is the resort of the Goddess of Health. Here, with proper dietetic and hygienic habits, desease may become practically unknown. We will begin with the winter season and follow the year through, and try to portray to the reader what each season develops. The rains usually begin about the
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 41
•month of November. The weather just previous has been quite cold, for California, and frost is no uncommon thing, especially in the valleys. But now a perceptible change occurs. The weather moderates cpiite consider- ably, and the frosty nights are not so common. When it rains here, it generally makes a business of it, and soon the dry and parched earth be- comes saturated. The vegetation begins to spring into newness of life, and the russet spots on the mountain sides are turned to green, and the entire face of the country assumes an emerald hue, presenting a prospect un- excelled anywhere. Then come days of sunshine and days of storm, days of beauty and days of dreariness, interspersed with each other, till the spring-time comes.
Finally, the days of sunshine begin to be in the majority, and the rains are broken up into showers, until the April days come all smiles and tears, like the face of a maiden when the first flush of her new-born love breaks suddenly upon her innocent soul. The vegetation and foliage grows daily denser, and now the whole face of the land is fresh and green. The joyous birds are again swarming the woods in flocks, filling the air with their sweet melodies. These are the days of mating and nest-building, and man can learn both a lesson of love and industry from the merry songsters of the woods. The flowers begin now to peep forth ; first the violet, then the buttercups and daisies, poppies, etc. The trees are also full of bloom, har- bingers of the fruitage that is to come later, and to bless and cheer the heart of man.
Spring-time wanes and early summer begins, and then comes the sweetest, loveliest days of the year. The world is now an emerald tapestry as far as the eye can reach. Mountain and vale, hill and dale, field and glade, fen and brake, meadow and fallow, all, all is of one and the same charming hue. Then comes to the sweet valleys of Napa County days of royal splendor, days when the unobstructed rays of an ascending sun fall in grand profusion upon a world of serenest beauty, days when the heart of man cannot help being exhilarated by the charming landscape, and the blood courses through his veins in the full and strong pulsations of re- newed health and vigor, and as he drinks in the pure air, redolent with the perfumes of many flowers, bracing and sparkling as champagne or the very elixir of life, he is brought to a full realization of the wonderful bounties he enjoys at the hands of a beneficent Providence, and is led to thank God that his lines have been cast in such pleasant places.
Later on and the summer proper is upon us. The grass begins to sere on the mountainsides, beginning always at the lower end of the valley, and the russet spots thus formed contrast beautifully with the green of the shrubs and trees around them, being a landscape painted by the veritable brush of nature, and no human limner can begin to touch the scene with
42 History of Napa and Lake Counties — -Napa.
the sweet and delicate tracings of this master artist. The sun now shines down upon the world from a zenith almost above our heads, and across its flood of radiant light never a hand breadth's cloud passes. The days are now quite, though not often uncomfortably warm, but the nights are truly har- bingers of paradise itself. The trade winds now sweep up from the ocean, cool and refreshing, and bearing comfort to the fevered valleys upon their wings. Across the lower end of the valley they blow quite strongly, and are, sometimes, in a measui-e, disagreeable, but farther up their sharp chill has been exhausted, and they become gentle zephyrs, which must be en- joyed to be fully appreciated. The nights are cool and cheerful, and weary humanity lies down to sound and refreshing slumber, and awakes rested and happy, to go forth and witness charming sunrises, and to breathe de- licious and exhilarating air.
Last of all comes the autumn — the season of fruitage. It is the dying of the year, but the lines of the poet —
" The melancholy days have come The saddest of the year,"
Is not at all true in this section of the State of California, at least. The air that has been so light and pure for the past several months, begins to be filled with haze, and a light film seems to rest on all the mountain sides, which serves in a measure to hide them from view. The air is just as balmy and delicious as it has been during the spring and summer, and more so, indeed, if such a thing were possible. The trade winds come in fitful gusts, veering occasionally to the south-east, betokening the coming storms of winter. Field and orchard are now groaning under their burden of ripened grain and fruit, and the husbandman is reaping in plenteous measure the reward of his summer's toil, and basking in the sunny smiles of Fortune, he cannot but be happy. Farther south each day recedes the declining sun, and shorter and shorter grow the days, betokening that the winter solstice is fast approaching with its meed of storm and rain. And so the years go by in this Arcadia of the Pacific, gliding along in a merry round, made up of but little shadow and storm, but much of sunshine and joy. Thrice blest is he whose home is here ; blest in health, blest in climate, and blest in the thrifty products of a rich and fertile soil. What more but the love of wife and children to bless his home and heart, and the love of God in that heart to make him thankful to the Author of all our good, to make a man supremely blest, supremely happy, and supremely con- tent with his lot in life !
There are some shadows to the picture, however, else it would not be a true portrait of things as they exist in this world. Lights and shadows make up all the pictures in- this life, and he who blends them most har-
NATHAN COOMBS.
Geography, Name, Topography, Geology, Etc. 43
moniously is he who best adapts himself to his environments, and derives the best and sweetest pleasures from his earthly living. Perhaps the darkest shadow in the picture is the fog, which at times envelopes the whole valley in a dense cloud, rendering the early morning hours damp and disagreeable, but it seldom continues through the day. These fogs of course are more common in the winter season than in the summer. Then there are trade winds, which are sometimes rather too sharp and chilly for comfort. That scourge of California, the north wind, sometimes comes howling down from his home in the upper regions, and gives the people of these delightful valleys a test of his withering strength, but, fortunately, these occasions are rare.
But all in all, the lights are far in the ascendency of the shadows, and at the end of the year, when a retrospect is had, the latter pass into such utter insignificance that they are lost sight of altogether. There are some remarkably healthful sections in Napa County. When the Branch Asylum was about to be located, a committee visited all sections of the State, and determined upon Napa Valley as presenting all the advantages of a health- ful climate ,and hence it was located here. Lately a State Commission has been casting about for a suitable place to establish a sanitarium for con- sumptives, and Atlas Peak is spoken of by them as being most favorably located for the purposes required, and it is quite probable that this institu- tion will be established at that place. Added to the excellent, healthful and charming climate of Napa County, is the fact that there are many health resorts, and the hundreds who annually flock to them attest the appreciation in which they are held by the suffering humanity of the State at large, and especially of San Francisco. We will close this notice by serving it all up in one word — desideratum.
44 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
INDIANS OF NAPA COUNTY.
The beautiful valleys and mountain recesses of Napa County afforded a grand home for the aboriginal tribes. Here they swarmed in great num- bers, went through the drama of life, birth, consorting and death with stolid indifference. How far back in the course of time this race extends, whence came their progenitors, no man knoweth. If, as some scientists state, the very first evidences of the human race appear on the Pacific Coast (at Angel's Camp, Tuolumne County), why should we doubt that they are not the descendants of this primitive race ? Wars, disease, natural phenomena and other causes may have conspired to destroy the original race from the face of the earth, or it may have remained for the pale-faced progeny of a kindred, yet far removed race, to do the final act in the great drama of their existence as a race. Be all this as it may, the great fact still remains, that when the Whites came to this coast they found it inhabited with a race of copper-colored people of peculiar physique and habits, differing very much indeed from their brothers of the East, the Algonquins. Napa Valley was no exception to the general rule, but was infested by a horde of these rude barbarians. To describe these people, their habits and customs, will be the province of this chapter.
H. H. Bancroft, in his excellent work, " Native Races of the Pacific Coast," states, giving Mr. Hittell as authority, that there were originally six different tribes living in Napa Valley, designating them as follows : Maya- comas, Calajomanas, Caymus, Napas, Ulucas, and Suscols. He also gives, on the authority of Mr. Taylor, the Guenocks and Tulkays, but does not give the location or tribal boundaries of any of these people. Mr. Menefee, in his " Sketch Book," gives Mr. George C. Yount, who arrived among the Indians of Napa Valley as early as 1831, as authority for there being six tribes of them here, designated as above, and he locates them as follows : The Mayacomas tribe dwelt near the Hot Springs, now Calistoga ; the Cal- ajomanas on the lands now known as the Bale Rancho, near St. Helena ; the Caymus on the Yount grant, near the present site of Yountville; the Napas occupied the Mexican grant of Entre Napa, that is, the lands between Napa River and Napa Creek ; the Ulucas on the east side of Napa River, and near Don Cayatano Jaurez's rancho ; and the Suscols had ther habita- tions in the vicinity of Thompsons' place.
Indians of Napa County. 45
Of the two tribes mentioned above, as noted by Mr. Taylor, the Guen- ocks had their home in the valley of that name in Lake County, and the location of the Tulkays is unknown to the writer. It will be observed that no mention is made in the above lists of any tribes who dwelt in Pope, Chiles or Berryessa Valleys. These valleys were filled with Indians, how- ever, no less than six very large rancherias being in Berryessa Valley alone. We regret that we are unable to place on record the names of these people, but all knowledge of them seems to have passed away.
We will now take a cursory glance at these people as they were in their primitive state. Truly they wei-e a primitive people when the white set- tlers first began coming to the valley. What a race of people that hardy old pioneer, George C. Yount, must have found in possession of this fair valley when he first entered it ! These people did not differ essentially from the other tribes in this section of the State, presenting very similar physical characteristics, habits and customs to those of the central portion of the State. They were of medium stature, broad shouldered, strong, lazy, filthy, and vagabondish generally. Nature had provided with a lavish hand for her children in this favored valley, and all they had to do was to reach forth their hands, pluck and eat. No vain ambitions lured them on in the great race of life. No baubles of riches enticed them into hardships of labor, either mental or physical. Theirs only to exist and die. Whence or why they came upon the stage of action, it was not theirs to inquire ; and " whither are we drifting?" was a question over which they stopped not to puzzle their dull brains. And who shall say that they were not as happy in their listless life as are we of the higher tjrpe who wrestle with the in- evitable almost from our infancy to our dotage ? From an ethical stand- point, and viewing the matter through the lenses of our education, of course we would say that their lives were worse than wasted ; and when they van- ished before the overwhelming tide of civilization, the world was rid of so much garbage. But it is the old stor}' of the man and the lion repeated : seeing a picture of a man, the man remarked to the lion that " there stood the lord of creation." The lion asked who painted the picture, to which the man replied, " a man did." "Ah ! " said the lion, " it makes all the dif- ference in the world who paints the picture of the lord of creation. I should have painted a lion." And so it is in this case. Indian ethics are not our ideas of duty to self or man ; and it is not improbable that they lived up to the light they had on that subject quite as near as do their suc- cessors.
These people lived in wickeups, which were very small huts made of the boughs of trees, or in thatched lodges, which were huts of a larger pat- tern, and constructed of poles stuck into the ground in a circular shape, and the tops all bent to a common center and fastened, and the sides were cov-
46 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
ered with thatched wild swamp grass. The climate was so mild that little or no fire was required beyond the purposes of cooking, and this latter art was not a very general custom among them. Raw flesh was as good, if not better to them, than the cooked article. In the matter of clothing they were very indifferent, the males generally roaming about perfectly nude, while the women wore a small protection about the waist, made of the fibres of bark, or grass, or tule stalks.
Of their language, but little is left. Here and there a word has fastened itself upon some ranch or town, and will be handed down through at least a few generations. Thus we have Napa, Tulucay, Caymus, Soscol and a few others. Their language was a deep gutteral, resembling in many respects that now spoken by the Chinese, though we will not venture the assertion that there is any relation existing between the two tongues. As their general habits, customs, legends, etc., were so nearly like those so fully described in the body of this work, in the history of Lake County, we will refer the reader to that chapter for a f ui-ther consideration of the matter.
It was stated by Mr. Yount, that there were in Napa and Lake Counties some ten or twelve thousand when he arrived in the country, and of this number, from one-third to one-half were in Napa County. A short half cen- tury has sufficed to see them become so entirely extinct that the sight of an Indian has become a great rarity. And what has done this ? Disease was the prime cause, for it is stated that the cholera took them off' by thousands in 1833 ; and it is said that they died so fast that the living were unable to care for the dead. Whole tribes became extinct, it being reported by a traveler on the Sacramento River, that all of one tribe died within a few days except one little girl. Then came war and its kindred calamities as another great decimator of their ranks. Contact with civilization had much to do with it also. Soon after the Whites came among them, prostitution became general, and the women quit bearing children, and the tribes gradually died oft* and no young ones grew up to take the places of the old ones. Truly, it seemed a matter of destiny, for it was impossible for the two races to exist in contingency. Mr. Cronise states that the Mission system had much to do with the degradation and final extinction of the Aborigines, but as there never was a Mission in this valley, nor were the Indians of this section ever subject to a Mission, except, possibly, in a very general way, this charge will not hold good here, and the Indians seemed to have dis- appeared here about as soon as anywhere else.
Their great " cure all " was the sweat-bath which was taken in the " sweat-house," which institution was to be found in every rancheria. A fire was lighted in the center and the patient taken into the " sweat-house " and kept at a high stage of perspiration for sevei-al hours ; he then rushed out and plunged into a bath of cold water, and the result can be imagined,
Indians of Napa County. 47
without stating that it ultimately proved fatal. Some years ago a gentle- man in Lake County paid a visit to one of these " sweat-houses " during a festal occasion, and he thus graphically gives his experience, which we reproduce here, although it first appeared in the Napa Reporter, and was copied thence into Mr. Manifee's " Sketch Book." We will give it for the benefit of those of our readers who have not had an opportunity of reading it before. It is too good to be lost, and will surely bear repeating. It is as follows :
" A sweat-house is of the shape of an inverted bowl, and is generally about forty feet in diameter at the bottom, and is built of strong poles and branches of trees, covered with earth to prevent the escape of heat. There is a small hole near the ground, large enough for Diggers to creep in one at a time ; and another at the top to give out the smoke. When a dance is to occur, a large fire is kindled in the center of the edifice, and the crowd assembles, the white spectators crawling in and seating themselves anywhere out of the way. The apertures, both above and below, are then closed, and the dancers take their positions.
" Four and twenty squaws, en deshabille, on one side of the fire, and as many hombres, in puris naturalibus, on the other. Simultaneously with the commencement of the dancing, which is a kind of shuffling hobble-de- hoy, the ' music ' bursts forth. Yes, music fit to raise the dead. A whole legion of devils broke loose. Such screaming, shrieking, yelling and roaring was never before heard since the foundation of the world. A thousand cross-cut saws, filed by steam power — a multitude of tom-cats lashed to- gether and flung over a clothes line — innumerable pigs under a gate — all combined would produce a heavenly melody compared with it. Yet this uproar, deafening as it is, might possibly be endured, but another sense soon comes to be saluted. Talk of the thousand stinks of the City of Co- logne ! Here are at least forty thousand combined in one grand over- whelming stench, and yet every particular odor distinctly definable. Eound about the roaring fire the Indians go capering, jumping and screaming, with the perspiration streaming from every pore. The spectators look on until the air grows thick and heavy, and a sense of oppressing suffocation over- comes them, when they make a simultaneous rush at the door for self pro- tection. Judge their astonishment, terror and dismay to find it fastened securely — bolted and barred on the outside. They rush frantically around the walls in hope to discover some weak point through which they may find egress, but the house seems to have been constructed purposely to frustrate such attempts. More furious than caged lions, they rush bodily against the sides, but the stout poles resist every onset. Our army swore terribly in Flanders, but even my Uncle Toby himself would stand aghast were he here now.
48 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
" There is no alternative but to sit down, in hopes that the troop of naked fiends will soon cease from sheer exhaustion. Vain expectation ! The uproar but increases in fury, the fire waxes hotter and hotter, and they seem to be preparing for fresh exhibitions of their powers. The combat deepens. On, ye brave ! See that wild Indian, a newly elected captain, as with glaring eyes, blazing face, and complexion like that of a boiled lobster, he tosses his arms wildly aloft as in pursuit of imaginary devils, while rivers of perspiration roll down his naked frame. Was ever the human body thrown into such contortions before ? Another effort of that kind, and his whole vertebral column must certainly come down with a crash ! Another such a convulsion, and his limbs will assuredly be torn asunder, and the disjointed members fly to the four points of the compass ! Can the human frame endure this much longer ? The heat is equal to that of a bake-oven ; temperature 500 degrees Fahrenheit ! pressure of steam 1000 pounds to the square inch ! The reeking atmosphere has become almost palpable, and the victimized audience are absolutely gasping for life. Millions for a cubic inch of fresh air ! Worlds for a drop of fresh water to cool the parched tongue ! This is terrible. To meet one's fate among the white caps of the lake, in a swamped canoe, or to sink down on the bald mountain's brow, worn out by famine, fatigue and exposure were glorious ; but to die here, suffocating in a solution of human perspiration, carbonic acid gas and charcoal smoke, is horrible ! The idea is absolutely appalling ! But there is no avail. Assistance might as well be sought from a legion of unchained imps, as from a troop of Indians, maddened by excitement.
" Death shows his visage not more than five minutes distant. The fire glimmers away leagues off. The uproar dies into the subdued rumble of a remote cataract, and respiration becomes slower and more labored. The whole system is sinking into utter insensibility, and all hope of relief has departed, when suddenly, with a grand triumphal crash, similar to that with which the ghosts closed their orgies when they doused the lights and started in pursuit of Tarn O'Shanter and his old gray mare, the uproar ceases, and the Indians vanish through an aperture opened for that pur- pose. The half dead victims to their own curiosity, dash through it like an arrow, and in a moment more are drawing in whole buckets full of the cold, frosty air, every inhalation of which cuts the lungs like a knife, and thrills the system like an electric shock. They are in time to see the In- dians plunge headlong into the ice-cold water of a neighboring stream, and crawl out and sink down on the banks, utterly exhausted. This is the last act of the drama, the grand climax, and the fandango is over."
Mexican Grants. 49
MEXICAN GRANTS.
The Caymus Grant. — The first tract of land ever granted by the Mexi- can Government to parties in what is now known as Napa County, was ceded to that wonderful pioneer of 1831, George C. Yount. He was here when the whole domain lay in its virginity ; when the foot of white man had not even trod upon it, and his was the first to press it. The Cay- mus grant lies in the very heart of Napa Valley, and just east of where the present village of Yountville now stands, and was ceded to Mr. Yount by Nicolas Gutierrez, March 23, 1836. The grant comprised two square leagues. The petition for confirmation of title was filed before the Board of Land Commissioners May 26, 1852. This Board confirmed the title February 8, 1853, and the United States Courts re-confirmed it, or concurred in the action of the Board, July 7, 1855. The grant contains eleven thou- sand eight hundred and fourteen and fifty-two-hundredths acres.
The Entre Napa Rancho. — This tract of land lay where Napa City now stands, and the grant was ceded to Nicolas Higuerra by Manuel Chico, May 9, 1836. The claim to eighty and forty-eight-hundredths acres of this grant was made before the Board of Land Commissioners by Nathan Coombs March 3d, 1853, and that body confirmed his title April 11, 1854. It was also confirmed by the Courts March 2, 1857.
Rancho El Rincon de los Carneros. — This tract of land lay to the west- ward of Napa City, and came up to where a portion of the city now stands. It was granted to Nicolas Higuerra May 9, 1836, by Manuel Chico. The claim to it was filed before the Board of Land Commissioners by Julius Martin September 4, 1S52. The Board rejected the claim September 19, 1854. The decree of the Board was i-eversed September 2, 1856. This is a part of the Entre" Napa Rancho, and was bounded on the east side by the Napa River, and on the west by the Arroyo de los Carneros. The Court confirmed the title to this tract of land May 15, 1857, and it contains two thousand five hundred and fifty-seven and sixty-eight-hundredths acres.
The Napa Rancho. — Salvador Vallejo, and his wife, Maria de la Luz
Carrillo Vallejo, filed their claim before the Board of Land Commissioners
March 3, 1853, for a title to the tracts of land known as Trancas and
Jolapa, containing three thousand and twenty acres, more or less, being a
4
50 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
part of the Napa Rancho granted to Salvador Vallejo February 21, 1838, by Juan B. Alvarado, Governor ad interim of Upper California, and ap- proved by the Departmental Assembly September 23, 1838. The claim was confirmed by the Board November 7, 1854, and it was confirmed by the Court February 23, 1857. Mrs. Vallejo's interest in the property was conveyed to her by Narciso Ramires May 12, 1851, and it covered three thousand one hundred and seventy-eight and ninety-three-hundredths acres.
Julius K. Rose filed a claim before the Board of Land Commissioners March 2, 1853, for five hundred and ninety-four and eighty-three-hundredths acres of the Napa Rancho. His claim was confirmed by the Board Decem- ber 13, 1853, and the title was re-confirmed by the Court March 2, 1857.
Angus L. Boggs filed his claim to a portion of the Napa Rancho March 2, 1853, before the Board of Land Commissioners. This claim was con- firmed by the Board April 11, 1854, and by the Court March 2, 1857. It contains three hundred and twenty and fifty-five-hundredths acres.
The Yajome Rancho. — This tract of land was granted to Damaso Antonio Rodriguez March 16, 1841, by Juan B. Alvarado, then Constitu- tional Governor of the Department of the Californias, and approved by the Departmental Assembly May 18, 1841. Claim to this land was filed by Salvador Vallejo before the Board of Land Commissioners April 20, 1852, and the Board confirmed it February 21, 1853. The Court confirmed title to it February 9, 1857. It contained one and a half leagues, or six thousand six hundred and fifty-two and fifty-eight-hundredths acres.
The Locoallomi Rancho. — This grant of land was made by Manuel Jimeno, Acting Governor of California, to Julien Pope, September 30, 1841, and embraced two leagues, or eight thousand eight hundred and seventy- two and seventy-three-hundredths acres. The heirs of Pope filed their claim to the grant before the Board of Land Commissioners March 2, 1853. August 1, 1854, the Board confirmed their title to it, and August 25, 1856, the Court also confirmed their title. This tract of land was located in what is now known as Pope Valley.
The Tulucay RavcJw. — This tract of land lies just east of Napa City, and was granted to Cayetano Juarez by Manuel Jimeno October 26, 1841, and approved by the Departmental Assembly June 16, 1845. The claim to this land was filed with the Board of Land Commissioners March 23, 1852, and confirmed by the Board April 11, 1853, and also confirmed by the Court February 25, 1856. The rancho contains two leagues, or eight thousand eight hundred and sixty-five and fifty-eight-hundredths acres.
Rancho Mallacomea or Mv/risfad y Plan de Aqua Caliente. — This was a four-league grant, which was made to Jose" Santos Berryessa October 14,
Mexican Grants. 51
1843, by Manuel Micheltoreno. The claim to the tract was filed before the Board of Land Commissioners February 20, 1852, and confirmed by that body June 27, 1854, and by the Courts March 24, 1856. This ranch con- tained seventeen thousand seven hundred and forty-two and seventy-two- hundredths 'acres, and was situated near the head of Napa Valley, embracing the present site of Calistoga and the country adjacent thereto.
Martin E. Cook and Rufus Ingalls as claimants to a portion of the above rancho, filed their petition before the Board of Land Commissioners February 28, 1853, and the Board confirmed their title to two square miles of it August 7, 1855. Their portion was located in the north-west part of the ranch, and comprised two thousand five hundred and fifty-nine and ninety-four-hundredths acres. An appeal was taken on the part of the United States, but was not prosecuted, and on the 16th day of April, 1857, the Court confirmed the title.
Rancho de la Jote. — This grant of land was made by Manuel Michel- toreno to George C. Yount October 23, 1843, said grant to be one square league of land situated in Napa Valley. April 5, 1852, Mr. Yount, as claimant, filed his petition with the Board of Land Commissioners. Octo- ber 21, 1853, the Board rejected the claim. The claimant took an appeal in the matter, and it came before the District Court of the United States for the Northern District of California, for hearing, and it was ordered that the decree of the Land Commissioners be reversed, and that the claimant be given a valid title to one league and no more. This contained four thousand four hundred and fifty -three and eighty-four-hundredths acres.
Las Pittas Rancho. — This is an enormous grant of land, comprising eight leagues, or thirty-five thousand five hundred and fifteen and eighty- two-hundredths acres, and is situated in and covers the most of Berry- essa Valley. It was granted to Jose- Jesus Berry essa and Sis to Berryessa, by Manuel Micheltoreno, November 3, 1843. The wives of the grantees, Maria Anastasia Higuerra de Berryessa and Maria Nicolosa Higuerra de Berryessa as claimants, filed their petition before the Board of Land Com- missioners May 21, 1852. Their claim was confirmed by the Board September 5, 1854, and confirmed by the Court August 13, 1855.
The Huichica Rancho. — This grant was made to Jacob P. Leese in two parcels, as follows : First, for two leagues of land issued by Manuel Jimeno, October 24, 1841; second, for three and one-half leagues additional issued by Manuel Micheltoreno July 6, 1846. The title to the rancho was confirmed by the Board of Land Commissioners April 18, 1853, and by the Court April 22, 1856. It contained altogether eighteen thousand seven hundred and four and four-hundredths acres, and was situated to the south-west of Napa City.
52 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
The Catacula Rancho. — This tract of land is located in Chiles Valley, and was granted to Col. J. B. Chiles by Manuel Micheltoreno November 9, 1844. Claim to this grant was filed before the Board of Land Commis- sioners April 21, 1852, and confirmed by it November 4, 1853. Confirmed by the Court August 13, 1855. It comprised two leagues or eight thousand five hundred and forty-five and seventy-two-hundredths acres of land.
The Chimiles Rancho. — This grant was made to Ygnacio -Berryessa by Pio Pico May 2, 1842. William Gordon and Nathan Coombs, as claimants, filed their petition before the Board of Land Commissioners April 28, 1852, and the claim was confirmed April 11, 1853. Confirmed by the Court July 27, 1857. It comprised four leagues or seventeen thousand seven hundred and sixty-two and forty-four hundredths acres.
The Gayne Humana Rancho. — This tract of land comprised the whole of Napa Valley lying north of the Caymus Rancho, and was granted to Dr. E. T. Bale. It has gone through all the legal processes, and a patent has been granted, but is not recorded; hence we are unable to give any further facts or dates in reference to it.
m
^#;4w ^
General History and Settlement. 53
GENERAL HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT.
" I hear the tramp of pioneera — Of nations yet to be ; The first low wash of wares, where soon Shall roll a living sea."
" O'er the mountain's height, Like ocean in its tided might,
The living sea rolls onward, on. And onward, on, the stream shall pour, And reach the far Pacific shore, And fill the plains of Oregon."
Strange as it may seem, the first settler in Napa County was an American. The Spanish-Mexicans, who had been in California almost three quarters of a century before the discovery of gold, had visited all the border counties on the bay, and had settled on the best lands in them. This was also true of all the country south of San Francisco, but here and there an American, who had drifted far away from the environments of civilization, was living in isolation in this great country. Notable illustra- tions of this are Dr. Marsh, who settled in Contra Costa County as early as 1835. That brave old Scotchman, John Gilroy, who landed on the shores of California in 1813, and wended his way to the Santa Clara Valley soon afterwards, and George C. Tount, who settled in Xapa Valley as early as 1831, thus being the first settler in the valley.
The Spaniards had visited the country long previous to this, but had made no settlement — at least none that extended for any length of time. In 1876, General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo delivered an address in Santa Rosa, of a historical character, in which he said : " Padre Jose Altimira and Don Francisco Castro went in June and July. 1S23. with an armed escort, under ensign Jose Sanchez, to select a proper site for a new Mission. Padre Altimira went on with his survey to Huichica, now the property of Messrs. Winter and Borel, and on the fifth day, after exploring the Napa Valley, ' bike to Sonoma in every respect,' the party climbed the ridge of Suysunes, now the property of Cayetano Juarez, where the State Insane Asylum stands, and there found stone of excellent quality, and so abundant that a new Rome might be built. Between 1840 and 1845, a considerable number of emigrant wagons arrived across the Sierras, bringing American
54 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
families, and families of other nationalities, most of whom settled among us, and to whom these valleys owe much of their progress."
A writer, in a work published by Smith & Elliot, in 1878, says : " In 1776 a fort was erected by the Spanish Governor, Felipe de Neve, a short distance north-west of Napa, on an elevated plateau. Part of the original fort is now standing, the wall being of adobe, and three feet in thickness. It is situated on the Rancho Viljo, and is occupied as a residence and wine cellar by J. J. Sigrist." We are obliged to take issue with this statement. We do not know the writer's authority, but are conversant with the history of the movements of the Spaniards in this part of California during that year. It was in 1776 that the first location was made at San Francisco, and the grant to the Mission is dated October 9th of that year. While waiting for the vessel to arrive, which had been dispatched with supplies, etc., excursions were made into the interior, and the circuit of the bay was made by way of San Jose", and far up the Alameda side. Another party crossed the strait at Saucelito, and passed as far northward as the Olom- poli Rancheria, south of Petaluma a few miles, where they taught the Indians how to make adobe houses, and one was erected which stood there until a very few years ago, when it was torn down. The writer has seen adobes from the old structure, which was evidently the first one ever built north of San Francisco Bay. But in none of the records of these excursions is any mention made of the erection of a fort at the place mentioned above. We should be glad to establish the fact if it were possible, and to confer, sub- stantiated, upon Napa County, the honor of having such an ancient relic of the Spanish regime within its boundaries, but a due regard for the truth prevents us from giving the statement unqualifiedly.
As stated above, George C. Yount came into Napa Valley in February, 1831, and was thus the first permanent settler in the county. .He was piloted hither by a young man by the name of Guy F. Fling, or Flynn. This guide afterwards became a settler in the county also, but it is not known when he came here to locate permanently. Evidently, he did not remain with Yount at the time they came here in 1831. It is known that Flynn came to the State in 1825, and that he became more like an Indian than a white man, and that his last days were spent among the Indians, near Napa, he living in a little old house at their rancheria. He died hi 1872. After Mr. Yount arrived in the valley, he followed the occupation of hunting and trapping. In 1836 he built the first log house ever erected in California by an American. It was eighteen feet square below, with an upper story, which was twenty-two feet square, in which there were port holes, through which it often became 'necessary for him to defend himself from the savages, with which the valley then fairly swarmed. He obtained a grant to the Caymus Rancho, and lived there until his death, which oc- curred October 5th, 1865.
General History and Settlement. 55
Next in order comes Don Cayetano Juarez, who came into the county as a permanent settler in 1840, although he had stock in the valley since 1837. In 1840 he built a small adobe house on his present place, the Tulucay Raneho, and brought his family from Sonoma, and has ever resided within sight of the City of Napa, and has seen a wilderness and jungle transferred into a beautiful city, and has seen the wild plains, on which Indians and wild animals roamed at will, changed into wide stretches of smiling grain. He still survives the storms of life, and is as hale and hearty as he was thirty years ago.
The next settler in the county was Nicolas Higuerra, sometimes referred to as Jose Higuerra. It is not now known just what year he came in, but certainly previous to 1841. He located on the banks of the Napa Creek, about half a mile above its mouth, where he had a wicker house, plastered over with a thick coat of mud, and covered with a thatched roof of tule and grass. Here he lived, having a large family; the two daughters marrying the Berryessas, of the valley of that name.
In 1839 Dr. E. T. Bale, an Englishman, obtained a grant to the Come Humana Raneho, and settled there some time afterwards. He married a sister of General Vallejo, and lived upon his immense estate, which in- cluded all of the Napa Valley north of the Caymus Raneho, until his death, in 1850.
Salvador Vallejo obtained a grant to the Napa Raneho September 21, 1838, and subsequently erected a very large adobe house, north-west of Napa some three miles. It is not known now just when his settlement dates to, as he really made his home at Sonoma.
In 1843 Jose" Jesus and Sisto Berry essa obtained a grant to the Las Putas Raneho, and shortly afterwards located upon it, constructing a large adobe house, which went to ruin, and a second one was built, a portion of which is still standing on the estate of Abraham Clark.
In 1840 E. Barnett came to the valley, and remained with Mr. Yount till 1843, when he settled in Pope Valley. William (or Julien) Pope obtained a grant to the Raneho Locoallomi in September, 1841, and moved his family there in 1843, where he shortly after lost his life by an accident. He and William Gordon had come via Mexico, in which country Pope had married a native wife. She subsequently married the pioneer mentioned above, E. Barnett, who lived in Pope Valley until a few years ago, when he died.
In 1844 William Baldridge arrived at Napa Embarcadero, and thence he proceeded to Yount's place, and is still residing near Oakville, a hale and hearty old pioneer. Bartlett Vines, son-in-law of Yount, crossed the plains with him, and came to Napa County at the same time, on board Captain Sutter's schooner " Sacramento." To the Vines family was born the first white child in Napa County, and, it is claimed by some, the first white child
56 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
in California, but this is a mooted question, the honor lying between the Vines family, of Napa County, the Julius Martin family, of Santa Clara County, who crossed the plains with Baldridge and Vines, and the James Gregson family, of Sonoma County. Colonel J. B. Chiles, who first came to California in 1841, came again with the Baldridge party in 1843, and lo- cated in Chiles Valley in 1844 or 1845. With this party came also Miss Elizabeth Yount, daughter of the old pioneer, who, in 1849, was married to John C. Davis.
In 1845, John York, John Grigsby, William Hudson, Harrison Pierce, David Hudson, Benjamin Dewell, William Elliott and sons, William Fow- ler, Sr., Henry Fowler, William Fowler, Jr., Calvin C. Griffith, Col. James Clyman, Harvey Porterfield, and William Hargrave, came in and settled in different portions of the county.
When Mr. York arrived in the valley in 1845, he found the following settlers in the county. Ben. Kelsey lived on the place now owned by Peter Teal, which was then the property of Ralph Kilburn. This was about one mile south of the present site of Calistoga. Next to him, and on what is now the George Tucker place, E. Barnett was living, in a small log house. This is the man referred to above as having married the widow Pope. Sam Kelsey lived at the place where Bale's mill now stands, and he had a wife and two or three children ; his wife being among the first, if not the first woman who ever came overland to California.
At this time Ralph Kilburn had begun the erection of a saw mill on Napa River, just a little north-east of Krug's wine cellar, and for this work, and the running of the mill for a certain length of time, Dr. Bale was to give him three-quarters of a league of land. Dr. Edward Bale then lived in an adobe house, which was about 60 x 20 in size, and situated near the foot-hills west of Pine Station. The next settler was George C. Yount, who also lived in an adobe, near the present mill property of F. W. Ellis. The next place was the Salvador Vallejo estate, on which there were three adobes, one at the site of Barth's wine cellar, one at the Trancas, and one on the opposite side of the river. He made his home when in the county at the former. Nicolas Higuerra had an adobe (wicker, plastered with mud) at the Patchett place ; Cayetano Juarez had an adobe between Napa and the Asylum, and General Vallejo had an adobe on the Suscol Rancho, where he kept a few of his retainers. The Pope family were living in the valley of that name ; the Berryessas in the valley of that name, and Col. Chiles, and William Baldridge in Chiles Valley. Peter Storm was living on the Kilburn place at that time. Nathan Coombs came into Napa Township during this year.
When Mr. York arrived in Napa County he proceeded at once to the vicinity of Calistoga, then known as Aquas Caliente, as did William Hud-
General History and Settlement. 57
son. William Elliott and family also spent the first winter there. Of the young men who came over the mountains with Mr. York, Benjamin
Dewell, John Gibbs, H. Sanders, Ford, B. Fowler, who was so brutally
murdered during the Bear Flag excitement near Santa Rosa, all settled in the county. David Hudson's first house at Calistoga, built in the fall of 1845, was a cabin constructed of little round logs, " chinked " with mud, and covered with shakes. Mr. York cut and split a redwood log, and con- structed his cabin out of slabs, and covered it with shakes. It was 10 x 12 in size, but afforded ample protection against the rigors of a California winter.
In 1846 there came in Enoch Cyrus and family, William H. Nash and family, John S. Stark and family, Col. M. D. Ritchie and family, Charles Hopper and family, and John Cyrus. In this year F. E. Kellogg and family arrived from Illinois, and settled on what is now known as the Lyman place.
In 1847 the Bale mill was completed, and John York drew the first logs to it from the adjacent hills. It was during this year that the first celebration of the natal day of our coimtry occurred. The place of meet- ing was under the shade of a mammoth oak tree at the mouth of Rector Canon. The families of York, Hudson, Bale, Vines, Yount, Rector, and Grigsby were present, and a good social time generally was had. During the day singing was indulged in, and the grand strains of the " Star Spangled Banner " echoed through the hills and up the canon for the first time. It will be remembered that California was yet a part of Mexico, and the celebration of the day on foreign soil was rather incongruous, but prophetic. Among the settlers who came in in 1847 were William Edg- ington, who settled in Chiles Valley, J. W., S. J., R. P. and G. W. Tucker, who settled near Calistoga.
In 1848 there came in John Custer, who settled near Napa; John Adams, also near Napa ; George N. Cornwell, at Napa. At this time John Kelley, Frank Kellogg, William McDonald and Hiram Acres are known to have been in the county, but it is not known just when they came. Also William Russell, J. P. Thompson and Capt. Brackett.
In 1849 there came Peter D. Bailey, George Linn, Turner G. Baxter, and James H. McCorcle.
In 1850 J. H. Sea well, William Dinning, in Hot Springs Township ; Leonard Tully, in Yount ; P. D. Grigsby, in Napa ; William A. Haskin, Hot Springs ; T. F. Raney, Napa ; H. Amesbuiy, Napa ; E. G. Young, Napa ; J. S. Trubody, Yount; and Jesse Grigsby, Napa. In 1851 William Locker, T. Grigsby, Yount ; P. G. Gesford, Hot Springs ; J. H. Howland, Napa. In 1852 A. W. Norton, Napa; John M. Davis, Napa; Matthew Vann, Hot Springs ; John Lawler, Hot Springs ; John T. Smith, Napa ;
58 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
P. T. and G. W. Teale, Hot Springs ; W. S. Jacks, Napa. In 1853 M. A. Elgin, Napa; J. G. Randall, Napa; B. Little, Napa; William Middleton, Napa ; Charles Robinson, Napa ; C. H. Allen, Napa ; H. Goodrich, Napa ; H. H. Harris, Yount ; H. A. Pellet, Napa ; W. A. Fisher, Napa. In 1854 Joel Barnett, Hot Springs ; Robert Miller, Napa ; John S. Kister, Hot Springs ; Jesse Barnett, Knox ; R. F. Lane, Knox ; J. Watson, Napa. In 1855 Connelly Conn, Yount; W. E. Anderson, Napa. There are many other pioneers whose names will be found mentioned elsewhere, that are omitted here. The reader is referred to the township histories, and to the biographical departments for further names. Of course it is impossible at this late date to make the list complete, but we have it as full as it is pos- sible to make it.
We will now take up the principal events which have occurred in the history of Napa County, and record them in the order of their occurrence.
As early as 1841, John Rose and John C. Davis built a schooner and launched it from a point of land just above the stone bridge on First street. This must have been a small affair, probably not much larger than a whale boat. In 1845, they built a barge which was used as a trading boat in all the bay inlets. In 1847, they constructed a saw-mill for Salvador Vallejo, on the east side of Napa River, about seven miles above town, and the site is still visible.
Among the early pioneers who came over the unknown and untraveled desert and mountains to California, in 1846, was ex-Governor Lilburn W. Boggs. In those days, it will be remembered that California was a Mexican province, and it was necessary for an American citizen to have a passport from his Government to secure his safe passage through the country. The passport given to Governor Boggs was as follows :
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
To all to whom these Presents come, Greeting : No. 951.
I, the undersigned, Secretary of State of the United States of America, hereby request all whom it may concern, to permit, safely and freely to pass, Lilburn W. Boggs, wife and eight children, a citizen of the United States, and in case of need to give him all lawful aid and protection.
Given under my hand and the impression of the seal of the Department of State, at the City of Washington, the 25th day of April, a. d. 1846, in the seventieth year of the Inde- pendence of the United States.
(Signed) James Buchanan.
General History and Settlement. 59
August 1, 1849, an election was held at Sonoma, in the Territory of Cal- ifornia, at which James Cooper, John G. Ray and Nathan Coombs acted as Judges, and Richard H. Maupin and George Pearce acted as clerks. The poll list was certified to by H. W. Halleck, then Brevet-Captain and Secre- tary of State. Ex-Governor Boggs, as First Alcalde of the District of Sonoma, filed the following certificate in regard to this election :
Alcalde's Office, Sonoma, August 21, 1849.
I, L. W.TJoggs, First Alcalde of Sonoma, do hereby certify that the above returns are correct, with the exception of the vote for First Alcalde, which office is not vacant.
Given under my hand and seal at my office in Sonoma, the 2d day of August, 1849.
(Signed) L. W. Boggs, First Alcalde.
The vote certified to above was as follows : For Delegate to the Con- vention, Schoolcraft, 1 ; Stephen Smith, 3 ; M. G. Vallejo, 4 ; Salvador Val- lejo, 23; Robert Semple, 32; John B. Frisbie, 16; Lilburn W. Boggs, 34; James Clyman, 37 ; Jasper O'Farrell, 38 ; Joel P. Walker, 65, and Richard A. Maupin, 75. For Judge of the Superior Court. J. E. Brackett, 85. For Prefect, Charles P. Wilkins, 45 ; William E. Taylor, 26 ; Jose" Berryessa, 19, and John Cameron, 7. For First Alcalde, John G Ray, 19 ; John A. Griffith, 5 ; George Yount, 3, and Peter Campbell, 1. For Second Alcalde, Ralph Kil- burn, 43. For Justices of the Peace, Peter Campbell, 28, and James Griffith, 14. For Sheriff, Israel Brockman, 86.
The first record of the Alcalde's Court in Napa County is under date of October 20th, 1849, when the following proceedings were had: "Napa Valley, Territory of California, District of Sonoma. For Petty Larceny : And now comes the said parties, Charles L. Cady appearing for the Territory of California, being ready for trial, a jury of six men was subpoenaed and sworn, viz : D. Q. Tucker, William Russel, J. Brown, William Edgington, William Morgan and John Taylor. Case adjourned till 6 P. M. Parties and jury appeared, and after hearing could not agree on a verdict. Case ad- journed till 10 o'clock Sunday, 21st October, 1849. Sunday, October 21st, 1849, parties appeared Another juiy subpoenaed and sworn, viz : H. John- son, C Briggs, A. Guthrie, N. Kennedy, William Watson and I. Boles. N. McKimmy, Constable or Sheriff, and R L. Kilburn, Alcalde.
The next case recorded is under date of November 8, 1849, and was a civil action, entitled " Nicholas Agara vs. — Jarrus." The judgment rendered in the case was as follows : " Judgment is hereby rendered in favor of said Nicholas for damages, $75.00, and for costs of the suit, also the
60 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
further sura of $10 ; total, §85.00. On further proof that said Jarrus has no property, and with his consent, and the petition of said Nicholas, it is ordered that the said Jarrus work for said Nicholas, at wages to be agreed upon between them, at as high a rate as Jarrus could obtain elsewhere, continuously from day to day until the said sum of $85.00 is fully paid and satisfied."
The District Attorney at this time was Joseph W. Brackett. In August, 1850, the Justice for Napa County was John S. Cripps, and in November of that year S. H. Sellers is found to hold that position. Charles P. Wil- kins was Prefect in Sonoma in 1849.
Among the curiosities of the olden days, many of our readers will re- member the pioneer carriage of this section, which was the property of General Vallejo. It was at one time the state carriage of the Duke of Wellington. General Vallejo purchased it in London in 1833, and brought it to California shortly after. The driver rode on one of the horses.
The first election held in Napa County after its organization was on the first Monday in April, 1850. The first deed recorded in Napa County is dated April 3, 1850, and is from Nicholas Heguera to John C. Brown, and acknowledged before M. H. N. Kendig, Recorder. The second is 'dated February 15, 1850, from Nathan Coombs and Isabella, his wife, to Joseph Brackett and J. W. Brackett, " of Napa Valley, District of Sonoma, in the Northern Department of California." The property conveyed was " lot 3, in block 5, Napa City," acknowledged before R. L. Kilburn, Alcalde. The next deed is dated November 29, 1848, from Nicholas^Higuera to Joseph P. Thompson, acknowledged before L. W. Boggs, Alcalde of Sonoma. Another early deed is dated October 18, 1845, from George Roch to Jacob P. Leese, conveying the grant called "Guenoc." It is in the Spanish lang- uage, and acknowledged before Jose" de la Rosa u seventh Constitutional Alcalde of Sonoma. As an illustration of the value of money in those early days, we may mention that a mortgage was given October 20, 1850, from Jose- S. Berryessa to W. R. Bradshaw for $1,000, at 10 per cent, interest per month. The principal and interest were paid in a few months.
The first Grand Jury in Napa County comprised the following gentle- men: Thomas Knight, Enoch Cyrus, William A. H&skin, William D. Dearing, George C. Yount, Joseph Green, George W. Moodie, Angus L. Boggs, Edward H. Cage, John Barbour, Anderson Farley, Horatio N. Ames- bury, Lyman Chapman. The following persons were subpoenaed for this jury, but did not put in an appearance ; Thomas Hensley, Leonard Miller, Joseph Mount, Joseph White, Turner G. Baxter and Joseph Reed. The meeting of this jury was held August 4, 1851.
On the same date the following gentlemen were subpoenaed, comprising the first Trial Jury in Napa County : Preston G. Gesford, Henry Boggs,
General History and Settlement. 61
William Baldridge, John Grigsby, Anson White, F. J. Benjamin, John Guthrie, Isaac McCoombs, and Edward McGarry. The following were absent, William James, Em. A. d'Himicourt, Robert Catherwood, and John S. Cripps.
In December, 1851, Edward H. Cage, better known as " Ned " Cage, was appointed to the position of Judge of the Plains, for the lower precinct, and the Sheriff of the county was delegated to perform the same duties for the upper precinct. As that position and its duties are long since things of the past, a word of explanation will not be out of place here. It will be remem- bered that in the early days everybody's cattle ran at large here, and as a matter of course the bands got very promiscuously mixed up during the year. Once each year there was a general grand gathering up of all the cattle in the county, and the young stock was branded. This was called by the Spainards a rodeo, pronounced " rodero." It often occured that disputes arose among the stockmen in regard to the ownership of the stock, and it was to arbitrate these matters that the Judge of the Plains was appointed.
The first Board of Supervisors of Napa County convened December 6, 1856, and was composed of the following members. John M. Hamilton, Florentine E. Kellogg and Jessie Whitton. J. M. Hamilton was chosen chairman of the Board. Pressley Thompson presented the first claim against the county, which was for building a bridge across Napa Creek, and the amount of the claim was $1,190.00.
May 17, 1853, Napa River was declared to be a navigable stream by the Legislature.
April 10, 1855, the following Act of the Legislature was approved. " The people of Napa County may levy a tax not to exceed one-half of one per cent., half of which is to be applied to the removal of snags from the Napa River, and the other half to the construction of a wagon road from Napa Valley to Clear Lake via Pope and Coyote Valleys."
November 7, 1855, the Board of Supervisors ordered that the Treasurer purchase a safe for the county, not to cost more than $200.
April 7, 1856, the first school districts were organized in what is now Lake County, but was then a portion of Napa. There were two of them organized.
May 19, 1856, the Board of Supervisors issued an order for funding the county debt. The new bonds were to be of the denominations of $50, $100 and $500, and the rate of interest was to be 10 per cent, per annum.
62 History of Napa and Lake Counties — Napa.
The condition of the finances of the county in 1856 is indicated by the following report of the Treasurer, rendered October 31st of that year :
in County Fund $1,319 78
Balance in Contingent Fund 171 82
Balance in Road Fund 444 20
Balance in Sinking Fund 427 74
Balance in School Fund 287 63
Total on hand $2,651 17
The indebtedness could not be ascertained at that time.
Among the historical curiosities which we have unearthed in Napa County, we present the following copy of an old political poster, which was issued in 1856, as being of considerable interest:
REPUBLICAN RALLY.
" There will be a meeting of the Republican party at the Court-house in Napa City on Saturday, October 18, 1856, at 2 p. it, to adopt such measures as will promote the success of Republican principles, and the triumph of the party. Trenor W. Parks, Esq., of San Francisco, will be present and address the meeting. Let all come who are in favor of the im- mediate construction of the (Central) Pacific Railroad ; opposed to violence and bloodshed at the National Capital, and who believe that the truths of the Declaration of Independence are practical. Come one! Come all!!" (The following names were signed to the call.) C. Hartson, Dr. Henry, James Glasford, Thomas Knight, William Hargrave, S. Wing, William McDonald, J. M. Mansfield, Reese Smith, Seth Dunham, Isaac Allen, John Wilford, Jacob McCoombs, Levi Hardman, J. W. Osborne, Josiah Trubody, Isaac Pastelow, Dr. W. W. Stillwagon, J. McCoombs, George C. Yount, James Lefferts, A. L. Haven, Phil. Howell, Charles H. Allen, Ed. Chesebro, Silas Ritchie, John McCloud, Capt. L. T. Wilson, Dr. White, Capt. Clayton, William Fisher, Lyman Chapman, D. L. Cheeney, H. R. Curtis, L. G. Lillie, Israel Putnam, Benjamin McCoombs, A. C. Welch, John Wolf, Samuel Cook, James Blake, Stephen Broadhurst, S. T. Mount, Simon Loveland, James Record, Capt. Nichols, James Buckman, David Howell, Pierce Wig- gins, William Lord, W. S. Jacks, Joseph Baker, George F. Reeves, Henry Baker, William Sherman.
The first move toward telegraphic connection in Napa County was made in 1857. In November of that year we find that twenty-five shares of stock at $100 each had been subscribed towards constructing a line of telegraph from Napa to Vallejo. ' Only ten shares more were required to be sub- scribed to insure the success of the enterprise. February 13, 1858, the
John Yor^k
General History and Settlement. 63
first meeting of the Napa and Vallejo Telegraph Company was held, and the following officers were elected : President, James Lefferts ; Vice-Presi- dent, R. D. Hopkins ; Treasurer, Richard Dudding ; Secretary, Robert R. Pierpont. Directors — G. N. Cornwell, W. H. James, Smith Brown, Henry Sage and Thomas Earl. It would seem that nothing further than getting the thing to booming on paper was accomplished until 1859. On the 25th day of January of that year the first pole was set, and the line was soon after completed.
NAPA AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.— There was a small Agricultural Society organized in 1854, but it did not amount to very much, there being only a small exhibition in a building in Napa City. October 17, 1857, active measures were taken looking to the organization of an Agricultural Society in Napa County, and a meeting was called on that day of the citi- zens of the county to take the matter under advisement. This convocation was organized by calling J. W. Osborne to the chair, and J. M. Dudley was chosen to act as Secretary. Hon. Pulaski Jacks introduced the following resolutions