Contra Costa County CA Archives Biographies.....Jones, Nathaniel 1820 - 
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Author: W. A. Slocum & Co., Publishers (1882)

NATHANIEL JONES.—The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this
work, was born, January 20, 1820, in Hawkins county, East Tennessee, where he
resided with his parents until his twelfth year, when they removed to Cooper
county, Missouri; remaining there but one year, they moved to Morgan county. The
country was comparatively new, was rich, and extremely sickly. His father died
within a year after settling there, leaving the care of a large family of
smaller children upon him and a younger brother, in a place where fever and ague
came with the regularity of the seasons. His mother was defrauded of the money
for the Tennessee property, which left the family in very straightened
circumstances; and, as the country was new, almost entirely without educational
privileges. With sickness in the family, as regularly as the years came round,
the outlook for the future was indeed a gloomy one; and when the Platte county
country was opened for settlement, young Jones, who was then about sixteen years
of age, informed his mother that he was going there with some of his neighbors
to take up claims. She told him the idea was absurd; that he was too young in
the first place, and not able to go if he was old enough. But said he, "I am
determined to go, and if I can get a claim, and you will go there with me, I
will take care of you as long as you live; but I am resolved to leave this
sickly hole." He did go, and got a third rate claim of one hundred and sixty
acres, and, in due time, pre-empted it, and divided it with his younger brother.
His mother only lived a few years to enjoy the new home, in what became Buchanan
county. August 10, 1842, he was married to Elizabeth C. Allen. Soon after this,
reports came from the then far-off west that, on the shores of the beautiful
Pacific Ocean, there was a country of perpetual Summer, free from drunkenness
and vice; that the Government would donate to each head of a family six hundred
and forty acres of land. This, to a young man, with a fair prospect for a large
family, and only eighty acres of land, and no reasonable hope of ever being able
to buy more, was sufficient to induce him once more to "Go West."

   On the 20th day of April, 1846, he, in company with fifteen or twenty other
families from Platte and Buchanan counties, Missouri, started with ox-teams for
Oregon, the then "Land of Promise." It was a long and tedious journey, that
tried to the utmost the stuff that men were made of. And it is, perhaps, not
claiming too much, to say that the same number of families never traveled the
same distance and encountered the same difficulties with fewer personal
differences. Hardly ever a quarrel or dispute, and not a single fight occurred
on the entire trip of six months, which cannot truthfully be said of many
emigrant trains. The intention was to go to Oregon. California was a place
scarcely heard of. But the entire train was providentially turned to the latter
State. They had met a number of returning Oregonians, who said that a Mr.
Applegate was looking out a shorter and better route through the Cascade
mountains, and if he was met, and he reported favorably, they need not hesitate
to follow him, as he was a reliable man and well known all over Oregon. This was
the more readily believed as he was related by marriage to several families in
the train. He did get into the old trail not far from Fort Hall, a short time
before his train passed the California trail. He reported having found a shorter
and better route, and that all the trains that he had met had turned on the new
route, which his did not hesitate to do. This took them to the south bend of the
Humboldt, or Mary's river, as it was called by the emigrants, under the
direction of a guide, who, before the train came to the forks of the road,
passed on, leaving a note informing them that it was eighteen miles to the next
camp, where they would find further instructions. Arriving at the new camp, they
found no grass for their stock, and an insufficiency of water, and a note
informing them that it was eighteen miles to the next camp, but neither grass
nor water for their stock, and twenty-five miles to the next camp, where they
would find plenty of grass and water. The Captain of the train called a meeting
for consultation, and being satisfied that they had been deceived in regard to
the road, and understanding that the road to California was open, with plenty of
feed and water, they unanimously resolved to turn back, go to California for the
Winter, and proceed to Oregon in the Spring. After crossing that almost Saharan
desert of sand, from the sink of the St. Mary's river to the Truckee, they were
met by Colonel Fremont's recruiting officers, and learned for the first time of
the war between Mexico and the United States. All the young men that could be
spared from the train enlisted, and started the next morning for the front in
their new role, and as they had been inured to hardships in their long march
across the plains, they became (in connection with the older pioneers of
California) the "Ironsides" of the American army in Upper California. The weary
miles wore away, and it was announced in camp one morning, that to-day the train
would reach the white settlements. All was bustle and excitement, particularly
among the female members of the train, who hunted up their long unused pomade
bottles and starch bags, and in a short time our train, but for the jaded teams,
presented the appearance of a party of pleasure-seekers on a picnic excursion.
Johnson's ranch was reached, the teams halted, and the ladies of the train came
forward to be introduced to the "bon ton" of California. The Californians soon
appeared in full force in undress uniform—that is, all under fifteen years of
age were as nude as when born, and the older ones, but little better clothed.
When they appeared on the field, the women of the train broke ranks and fled in
the wildest confusion to their respective wagons, to meditate on the simplicity
of Californian fashions. At Sutter's Fort the train was met by Colonel Joe
Chiles, who represented that he had a good place for all who desired to winter
there. Mr. Jones, with his own and four other families, accepted his offer and
arrived at his ranch, November 2, 1846. After they were securely housed for the
Winter, more volunteers being called for, our subject, J. C. Allen and Philip E.
Walters volunteered, and served under Captain Martin until the close of the war,
about three months afterwards. Mr. Jones was in the battle of Santa Clara, where
twenty-five or thirty volunteers under Captains Julius Martin and Smith, and
about seventy marines under Captain Marsden, of the regular army, were engaged
with the native forces. The engagement lasted about three hours, and it was
reported that a dog was wounded on the American side, and five or six
Californians killed. Mr. Jones got his discharge at the pueblo of San Jose, and
returned to his family at Chiles' ranch. In the early part of June, 1847, he
left Chiles' taking his family to the Peralta redwoods, to get out timber.

   In the Summer or Fall, Elam Brown bought the Acalanes Rancho, and was anxious
for Mr. Jones to take a portion, which he did—an undivided one-tenth—paying
therefor one hundred dollars, the proceeds of his Summer's work in the redwoods.
We here mention the fact that Mr. Jones' wagon was the first that ever crossed
the Straits of Carquinez whole. On his way to the redwoods, in the Spring of
1847, he crossed the Straits in Doctor Semple's ferry-boat—a rude craft
propelled with oars. Two other families were waiting to be crossed, but Mrs.
Jones was the only one of the women brave enough to go aboard the boat with her
family on its experimental trip. There is a belt of country extending through
Contra Costa county, of five or six miles in width, where the small valleys,
nestling among the hills have a soil as rich as can be, a healthy climate, and
scenery of unsurpassed loveliness. In the midst of this Eden of California, the
Acalanes Rancho is situated, of which Mr. Jones owns three hundred and
seventy-two acres; a hundred acres of as fine valley land as can be found in
this State, one hundred and fifty acres of tillable hill land, and the balance
good grazing land; a fine orchard of about five acres of choice fruits, and
around his residence some of the largest locust trees to be seen in the State.
The seed of the locusts were brought to the State in 1846, by Major Stephen
Cooper, but as he settled in Benicia and did not wish to plant the seed there,
he gave them to Mr. Jones, and they were planted in the Spring of 1848, and were
the first black-locust seed planted in the State. Mr. Jones justly claims the
right to christen his place "Locust Farm." His entire farm is enclosed with a
good fence, and he has a comfortable dwelling of eight rooms, and convenient
out-buildings. His title to the land is perfect. Mr. Jones has held several
important offices in the county, being the first Sheriff, afterwards Public
Administrator and Supervisor—all of which positions he has filled with credit.
He has taken a deep interest in all the material interests of the county, and
has ever been an uncompromising opponent of extravagance in the use of county
funds.

   In the early days of California there were in various places, at different
times, scenes of intense excitement over daring robberies, which frequently
resulted in the hanging of a few of the outlaws. Contra Costa county did not
entirely escape such scenes of excitement, though, be it said to the credit of
the leading citizens of the county, none of the outlaws were ever hanged by the
outraged and excited citizens, as many of them richly deserved to be. In one of
such scenes Mr. Jones took an active and leading part. In December, 1855, James
Lane and Milton Davy, citizens of Contra Costa county, stole a lot of cattle in
San Joaquin county. They were closely followed by the owners of the stock, and
near Antioch were overtaken and captured with the stolen property in their
possession. They were turned over to the Sheriff of Contra Costa to be delivered
to the proper officers of San Joaquin county for trial. On arriving at Martinez
they sued out a writ of habeas corpus, the hearing of which had to be postponed
for a few days, in order to get some important evidence from San Joaquin county.
In the meantime the prisoners were turned loose on what at the time was
believed, and afterwards proved to be "straw bail." Meanwhile the Sheriff, N.
Hunsaker, had requested leading citizens of the county to be in Martinez on the
return day of the writ, as he feared the prisoners and their friends would
resist the transfer to San Joaquin for trial. The day arrived and with it two or
three hundred citizens to assist the Sheriff, if need be, in the execution of
the law. The accused were in Martinez up to a late hour the evening previous,
but in the morning they had disappeared, and when the people began to pour into
the town, many rumors were industriously circulated, all calculated to intensify
the excitement created by the arrest of citizens of the county whose reputations
were good up to this time. It was reported on the street that the Judge was in
league with the prisoners, and the question was asked: "Will he proceed with the
trial in the absence of the accused?" In the midst of the excitement A. J. Tice,
an intimate friend of Lane and Davy, rode into town, his horse panting and
covered with sweat. Reports then began to circulate that many head of stolen
stock were on the Tice ranch, and it became apparent to the cooler-headed
portion of the citizens that unless something was done to allay the excitement
somebody would get hurt. In the midst of an excited and passionate address to
the crowds around the Morgan House, by Colonel Gift, it was moved that they
proceed to the Court House and request the Judge to resign. The motion was
carried, and the crowd moved to the Court House. A. J. Tice was requested to go
with them, which he willingly did. At this time Mr. Jones was appealed to to
speak to the crowd to allay the excitement. He said: "I do not see that I can do
or say anything to allay the excitement, but let us watch our chance." The Court
room was soon full of excited men, Colonel Gift acting as spokesman. Mr. Jones
went to Judge John Curry, the counsel of Lane and Davy, and appealed to him not
to urge the trial in the absence of the accused, but to no purpose. A
proposition was then made to repair to another room to determine what should be
done. As soon as order was restored, Mr. Jones, who had in the meantime
counseled with a lawyer by the name of Reynolds, moved that a committee be
appointed to inquire into the truth or falsity of the reports of stolen stock on
the Tice ranch, A. J. Tice being present and consenting to the proceedings; also
a committee to search the town for the accused, it being reported that they were
concealed in the town. The main object of Mr. Jones and those acting with him
was to get the excited multitude to disperse, giving men time to cool off and
act dispassionately. And, as subsequent facts demonstrated, no better plan could
have been devised, as one committee reported that no stolen cattle were on the
Tice ranch, and the other, that the accused could not be found.

   Here the entire matter should have ended, but it did not. Mr. Tice thought he
had discovered a very rich bonanza, as many of the wealthiest farmers of the two
counties had taken part, one way and another, in the proceedings. He then,
strange as it may seem, went to San Francisco and commenced an action for false
imprisonment against about fifty of the wealthiest citizens of the two counties,
in the Superior Court, Shattuck being Judge. The modest sum of one hundred
thousand dollars was claimed as damages! A Mr. Comstock, who had been called as
a witness before the committee, commenced a similar action, for a like amount,
against the same defendants, with one or two exceptions. Mr. Jones was chosen by
the defendants to manage the suits, so far as procuring witnesses and arranging
the evidence, and after a very tedious and expensive litigation, which lasted
for nearly or quite two years, the cases were decided by giving the plaintiffs
one dollar each damages. In political matters Mr. Jones has always acted with
the Democratic party, except for a short time in 1855, when he joined the
American party for a distinct purpose, which purpose was to compel the then
County Judge, Nat. Wood, to be a little more economical in the disbursement of
the county funds or force him to resign, the latter of which he claims he was
instrumental in bringing about in 1856. In the late "unpleasantness" between the
States, Mr. Jones took an active part against the Republican party, because of
the incendiary speeches and public documents of like character, endorsed by
nearly all of the leading men of the party, that he claimed must, of necessity,
sooner or later, result in the destruction of Constitutional liberty. We cannot
show Mr. Jones' position better than by repeating the substance of a
conversation that took place between him and a prominent physician of the county
during a heated political contest at Clayton, they being engaged in earnest
conversation over the future outlook, when Mr. Jones said:—

   "Doctor, how many secessionists do you honestly believe there are in this
county?"

   The Doctor answered, " About half a dozen," and named them.

   Mr. Jones replied, "Had you asked me the same question, I should have given
the same answer, and named precisely the same persons." and continuing, Mr.
Jones remarked:

   "Doctor, you believe that the Democratic party is just as true and loyal to
the principles of the Government as the Republican?"

   The Doctor replied, "I certainly do."

   "Then," said Mr. Jones, "don't you believe that if everybody in the State
admitted that fact, we would beat your party by forty thousand in the coming
election?"

   " Not to that extent," said the Doctor, "but I believe you would certainly
carry the election by a handsome majority."

   "Then," said Mr. Jones, "you are compelled to admit that if you succeed, you
do it upon a falsehood?"

   To which the Doctor has, to this day, made no reply. Previous to the Civil
War, there lived at Lafayette a Reverend Mr. Briare. a very radical
Abolitionist. He left Lafayette, and, after several years absence, returned and
remained some time. On his return he claimed to be very conservative, and to
prove his conservatism, told all whom he met that he was going to see Brother
Jones, and, on seeing him, commenced a conversation by saying:—

   "Brother Jones, I can now conceive how a man can or may be a Christian, and
be at the same time a secessionist?"

   Mr. Jones replied, "Parson, I do not understand."

   The Parson paused a moment, apparently in deep study, and then repeated a
second and third time the question.

   Mr. Jones said: "Parson, you do not mean to infer that I hold that a man
cannot be a Christian and an abolitionist; if so, you do not understand me at
all. You do not know what I am opposing, and that we may clearly understand each
other, I will read to you a portion of the testimony of a witness on Kansas
affairs."

   Mr. Jones then read from Report No. 200, page 921, of the Committee of the
House of Representatives, Thirty-fourth Congress, First Session, as follows:

   "I supposed that the military organization was to shoot down law-abiding men,
if they should attempt to enforce the laws. That was my supposition. And an
avowed object of the self-defense spoken of, was to defend themselves against
the enforcement of those laws, even though they were enforced by United States
authority and United States officers."

   "This," said Mr. Jones, "is a small portion of the testimony of one Doctor
Andrew J. Francis, a captain of one of the military companies that the party
claimed was organized for self-defence."

   "Here are pages 1135-6-7 of a letter from ex-Governor Reeder to his dear
friend in diabolism:

   " 'Let my name go before the Legislature, and if the party will then say they
do not need my services, well and good. I shall be honorably relieved of labor,
responsibility and danger. If they elect me, I shall feel bound to stand by
them, and fight their battles pertinaciously, zealously, faithfully. As to
putting a set of laws in operation in opposition to the Territorial Government,
my opinion is confirmed instead of being shaken. My predictions have all been
verified so far, and will be in the future. We will be, so far as loyalty is
concerned, in the wrong; and that is no trifle, in so critical a state of
things, and in view of such bloody consequences. It will be an invitation to the
powers that be to bring down the Missourians upon us in the assumed character of
the vindicators of the law.' "

   The Parson dropped his head between his hands, his elbows on his knees, and
remained for some time as if in deep thought, when he replied:

   "Brother Jones, I saw that before, and as I am in a great hurry, I will call
and see you again when I have time."

   But he has never had time, or has never called since.

   In conclusion, Mr. Jones says upon such testimony as this, to which volumes
may be added of the same character, he is willing that future generations may
judge as to his fealty to Constitutional Government.

   Besides three children deceased, Mr. Jones has now living the following
family: Robinson M., born July 2, 1844; Martha A. (now Mrs. John Slitz), born
December 18, 1847; Eliza J. (now Mrs. D. E. Cameron), born June 8, 1850; Jasper
J., born June 28, 1854; Wallace L., born May 28, 1860.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
INCLUDING ITS GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATOGRAPHY AND DESCRIPTION;
TOGETHER WITH A RECORD OF THE MEXICAN GRANTS; THE BEAR FLAG WAR; THE MOUNT
DIABLO COAL FIELDS; THE EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT, COMPILED FROM THE MOST
AUTHENTIC SOURCES; THE NAMES OF ORIGINAL SPANISH AND MEXICAN PIONEERS; FULL
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; SEPARATE HISTORY OF EACH TOWNSHIP, SHOWING
THE ADVANCE IN POPULATION AND AGRICULTURE;
ALSO,
Incidents of Pioneer Life; and Biographical Sketches
OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
AMD OF ITS TOWNS, VILLAGES, CHURCHES, SECRET SOCIETIES, ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO: W. A. SLOCUM & CO., PUBLISHERS
1882.

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