Contra Costa-Statewide County CA Archives History - Books .....Contra Costa County 1891
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Book Title: Memorial And Biographical History Of Northern California

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

embraces 490 square miles of hill and mountain and 150 square miles of valley
land, and 110 of tule and marsh lands, making a total of 750 square miles. The
land is well adapted to the raising of grain, fruits, vegetables and live stock.
The name "Contra Costa" signifies opposite coast, meaning the coast opposite to
San Francisco. It was at first proposed to name it Mount Diablo County, but the
present name was adopted after a warm debate in the Legislature. Mount Diablo is
about in the center of the county.

  Many stories are connected with the mountain, and several are told as the
origin of its diabolical name. Its height is 3,400 feet. Very seldom is snow
seen upon its summit.

  "Diablo" is Spanish for devil, and the mount was so named in Jesuitic times on
account of some Spaniards, among whom were Catholic priests, employing a cannon
and other fire-arms there to keep off hostiles.

  The highest summit of this mountain is made the initial point of land survey
toward all directions by the United States Government for Northern California.
The geologist, Whitney, has declared that from its summit a grander and more
extended view is probably obtained than from any other peak in the world,
covering an area that can hardly be less than 4:0,000 square miles and
commanding an uninterrupted view for over 300 miles.

  In 1863 a great excitement was occasioned by the report of the discovery of
copper in the canons of Mount Diablo. Clayton was the center of the mining
operations, and town lots sold at high prices. All at once the bubble burst, the
specimens supposed to be copper being found to be only a worthlesss rock.
Similar excitement, but less intense, has been occasioned by the alleged
discovery of silver, petroleum, salt, etc., about that mountain. As to its coal,
see under head of "Modern Times" a few pages further on.

  In April, 1874, a stage route was established to the summit of Mount Diablo,
but some time afterward it was discontinued.

  The heaviest earthquake in the county occnr-rek October 21, 1868, when several
houses were damaged. The Indians have an interesting legend concerning the
opening of the Golden Gate, by earthquake action.

  The San Joaquin River, gently flowing through a level plain on the northern
borderline of this county, is remarkable for its "crookedness." It is regularly
reliable for steamboat navigation from its mouth, near the middle of the
northern boundary of the county up for a hundred miles or more, namely, to
Stockton. In early days rafts of lumber were "tided" up to that point, that is,
they were permitted to be carried up a distance by the inflowing tide, and then
held fast until the next influx, and so on; and only a week or two was required
to make the trip.

  A very low-grade of Indians used to inhabit this region. Dr. Marsh described
them as being very hairy and full-bearded, with short, broad faces, wide noses
and mouths, thick lips, extremely low foreheads; the hair of the head nearly
meeting the eyebrows, and a few having a strikingly Mongolian eye. They wore no
clothing and lived like the Diggers. Epidemic diseases decimated them, and
civilization completed their destruction. Their music was described by a graphic
writer thus: "A thousand cross-cut saws filed by steam power, a multitude of
tom-cats lashed together and flung over a clothes-line, innumerable pigs under a
gate, all combined, would produce a heavenly music compared to it!" Of their
filth he says: "Talk of the thousand stinks of the city of Cologne! here are at
least 40,000 combined in one grand overwhelming stench, and yet every particular
odor definable;" and oh, such convulsions as they would have in their dances,
with the sweat streaming from every pore!

  The first white American settler of Contra Costa County was Dr. John Marsh, a
native of Massachusetts and a graduate of Harvard, who resided for a time in
Wisconsin and Missouri, and in 1837 arrived in California, settling soon after
upon his ranch, Los Medanos, at the eastern base of Mount Diablo, near the
modern Antioch. Here he built a rude hut and spent the rest of his life,
somewhat hermit-like, gradually accumulating wealth in live-stock. In 1841 he
received the first immigration party,— Bartleson's. of which the celebrated
Captain Weber was a member, but his parsimoniousness with them did not redound
to his honor. He took but slight part in the troubles of 1846-'47, but much
interest in politics, desiring to see California become a part of the United
States. In 1848 his house was robbed, and he tried his fortune in the mines. He
was finally murdered for his money, by a party of young Californians, on the
road between his ranch and Martinez, about September 24, 1856, at the age of
fifty-two years. One of the murderers was ten years later sent to prison for
life. Although a man of honesty and more than ordinary ability, his persistent
parsimony kept him constantly in trouble. His ranch is still known by his name.
He was the first to raise grain in the county, but Elam Brown was the first to
raise it on a large scale for the market.

  Enormous yields of wheat are reported for those early days,—50 to 105 bushels
per acre! About two-thirds of the cultivated land in the county is now devoted
to wheat.

  Before the advent of Dr. Marsh, in 1823, Francisco Castro and Ignacio Martinez
obtained grants of land and the next year settled upon them,—the former upon the
San Pablo Rancho and the latter upon the Pinole. These were the actual pioneer
settlers of this county. Their nearest neighbors were the Peralta family at San
Antonio and the Castros at San Lorenzo. In 1826 Jose Maria Amador settled upon
the San Ramon Rancho. In 1828 Valencio occupied the Acalanes rancho (Lafayette),
Felipe Briones, the rancho that bears his name, and Moraga the redwood rancho,
or Lagunas Palos Colorados. Briones was afterward killed by the Indians. In 1828
came also Salvio Pacheco.

THE TOWN OF MARTINEZ

takes its name from Ignacio Martinez or his family. Ignacio was born in the city
of Mexico in 1774, became a military man and as such came to California in 1800.
In 1829 he obtained the rancho Pinole, Contra Costa, and in 1836 settled
thereon. In 1837 he was alcalde at San Francisco. He died some time before 1852,
leaving several children. The town is a pleasant place, favored as a residence
of well-to-do San Franciscans. It possesses a fruit-canning establishment, and
near by is a good fruit and vineyard country, much wine being made in the
vicinity. It has good schools and churches. The county buildings are old and no
way noteworthy. Martinez was incorporated in 1885, and has gas and water. At
Antioch is a distillery. Pacheco, Concord, Clayton, Walnut Creek are lively
agricultural towns, with much fruit and grape growing. From Byron and Point of
Timber, four miles away, are shipped more chickens and eggs than from any other
point in the State. Near Byron are the Byron Hot Springs, a popular sanitarium.
At Martinez are published the Morning Item, established in 1884, and the Contra
Costa Gazette, a weekly, 1858.

  At Antioch is the Ledger (1859), weekly. At Concord the Sun (1882), a weekly.
All these are lively and thriving journals.

THE MEXICAN LAND GRANTS

in Contra Costa County have been: Boca de la Canada del Pinole, 13,316 acres, to
M. M. Valencha in 1878; Canada del Hambre y las Bolsas, 13,354 acres, to
Theodora Soto in 1866; Los Medanos, 8,859 acres, to J. D. Stevenson in 1872, and
Los Meganos, 13,316 acres to Alice Marsh in 1867; Las Juntas, 13,293 acres, to
the heirs of William Welch in 1870; Laguna de los Palos Colorados, 13,316 acres,
to J. Morgaga and others in 1878; Monte Del Diablo, 17,921 acres, to S. Pacheco
in 1859; El Pinole 17,761 acres, to M. A. M. de Richardson in 1868; San Pablo,
17,939 acres to J. Y. Castro in 1873; San Ramon, 4,451 acres to Leo Norris, in
1882; El Sobrante, 20,565 acres, to J. J. and V. Castro, in 1883. In Contra
Costa and Alameda counties: San Ramon, 16,517 acres, to J. M. Amador in 1865. At
the close of the Mexican war the Californians had possession of 320 square miles
of land within the present limits of Contra Costa County; and at the
organization of the State government in 1850 the following Mexican families were
the most conspicuous: Francisco Galindo, Salvio Pacheco, Silverio Soto, Ignacio
Silverian, Juan B. Alvarado, V. Castro and V. Martinez.

PERSONAL.

  Juan Bautista Alvarado, for several years the central figure in California's
history, was born in 1809,in Monterey; 1827-'34 he was secretary of the
deputacion, being named in 1831 as commisionado for San Luis Obispo, and
meanwhile employed as clerk by different Monterey merchants; 1834—'36 he was an
appraiser in the custom-house there; in 1834 he was elected a member of the
deputacion for a two-years term, and during 1836 he was president of that body.
Leading a revolution against Governor Gutierez, he was revolutionary governor of
California from December 7, 1836, to July 9, 1837; from that date, submitting to
Mexico, he became governor ad interim as president of the deputacion till
November 8, 1839, when he became constitutional governor by Mexican appointment,
and continued in the office until December 31, 1842. From 1843 he held a
colonelcy in the Mexican army, with pay; and from 1847 the position of colonel
of the defensores de la patria. He was a leading spirit in the revolution of
1844—'45 that made Pico governor, and by the latter was made administrator of
the Monterey custom-house; was elected to Congress in 1845, but did not attend;
being also the grantee of several ranches, including the famous Mariposas.
Though serving as colonel under Castro, he took but slight part in the affairs
of 1846, being arrested and paroled in September, and residing as a citizen in
1847-'48 upon his rancho near Monterey, although he was appointed assistant
inspector of the California presidial companies.

  In the flush times and period of land litigation Alvarado saved little or no
money, but in 1849 moved to the San Pablo estate, north of Oakland, inherited by
his wife—Martina, daughter of Francisco Castro, whom he married in 1839—where,
though the property was always in litigation, he was enabled to live comfortably
until his death, July 13, 1882, from a bronchial affection. At this time he had
three sons and two daughters. His wife had died in 1875, but he left several
children.

  Personally, Alvarado was of medium stature, stout build, fair complexion and
light hair; of genial temperament, courteous manners and rare powers of winning
friends. Bancroft specifies much in his character to commend and much to condemn.

  Jonathan D. Stevenson, a native of New York state, and a Democratic politician
there, came to California in 1847, in command of a regiment of New York
volunteers. After 1848 he settled in San Francisco as a real-estate agent and
made special efforts to build up New York of the Pacific, near the mouth of the
Sacramento River, being also a claimant of the rancho of Los Medanos, Contra
Costra. He is still living, in San Francisco.

  James T. Walker, a native of Tennessee and a nephew of Captain Joe Walker,
came to California in 1848; followed mining, teaming and trading in cattle for a
year or so, returned East, and in 1850 came again to California overland, but
went East again; and in 1853 he settled in Contra Costa, where he was still
living in 1882, at the age of fifty-seven, with wife and three children.

  Elam Brown was a delegate from the district of San Jose (including this
county) to the convention which was organized in Monterey, September 1, 1849,
and lived to become the oldest pioneer resident of the county. In 1846 came also
Nathaniel Jones, the first sheriff of the county, J. D. Taber, James M. Allen,
Leo Norris, John M. Jones and S. J. Johnson. Most of these continued to reside
in the county, and some are yet living.

  At first this county included what is now Alameda County, according to the act
of February 18, 1850. March 25, 1853, the present boundaries were fixed. The
seat of government has always been at Martinez. The first officers of the
county, in 1850-'51 were: W. R. Bascom, Senator;. Elam Brown, Member of the
Assembly; John H. Watson, District Judge; F. M. Warmcastle, County Judge; J. F.
Williams, District Attorney; Thomas A. Brown, Clerk, Recorder and Auditor;
Nathaniel Jones, Sheriff; Daniel Hunsaker, Collector and Treasurer; N. B. Smith,
Assessor; R. R Holliday, Coroner; and Warren Brown, Surveyor.

  The representatives to the State Assembly from Contra Costa County have been:
Elam Brown, 1851; Thomas A. Brown, 1865-'68; Warren Brown, 1855; J. H.
Carothers, 1869-'70; H. W. Carpentier, 1853; G. W. T. Carter, 1883-'85; Jos. W.
Galloway 1871-'72; A. W. Hammitt, 1873-'74; Benjamin S. Hines, 1859; A. Inman,
1857; Joseph P. Jones, 1881; A. R. Melone, 1856; Chas. B. Porter, 1861-'62; D.
N. Sherburne, 1880-'87; Napoleon B. Smith, 1852; F. M. Warmcastle, 1854, 1858;
Charles Wood, 1875-76; T. J. Wright, 1863-'64; Cornelius Yager, 1860; Albert J.
Young, 1877-'78.

  Among the prominent citizens of Contra Costa County of the present day may be
mentioned: Professors John Swett and John Muir, A. T. Hatch, H. H. Bancroft, A.
L. Bancroft, A. Hemme, Webster Treat, Paul de Martinez, etc.

MODERN TIMES.

   Even did it not possess a tithe of the great natural resources that it does,
Contra Costa County could not fail of being a busy and important factor in the
industrial progress of California Lying at the head of deep water navigation on
the Sacramento River and having such close proximity to San Francisco, it is but
natural to expect in it many manufacturing and other enterprises of an important
nature. At the same time, the county has always grown and shipped large
quantities of hay and grain, and of later years an increasing amount of fruit,
grapes, wine and other of the higher products. •The county is exceptionally well
supplied with railroads. It is traversed throughout its entire length by the San
Pablo division of the Southern Pacific, over which runs the trains for Stockton
and southern points, while the main line of the road, now double-tracked the
whole distance, runs from the county line to Port Costa, from which point trains
are tran-shipped by ferry to Benicia. In addition the Southern Pacific has
agreed to build a branch road across the county from Martinez to Pleasanton in
Alameda County through the Pacheco, Ygnacio and San Ramon valleys, for which
surveys were recently completed. The California & Nevada Railroad, a
narrow-gauge line, now has a line running from Oakland via San Pablo to Walnut
Creek, with the probable intention of completing the line through the county to
connect with some road, yet unbuilt, in the San Joaquin Valley. Along the whole
length of the northern and western front of the county also extends the San
Joaquin River, Suisun, San Pablo and San Francisco bays, giving it water
communication from a score or more landings and shipping points.

  One of the most important of the natural resources of the county is the coal
fields on the slopes of Mount Diablo. They were discovered in the later fifties,
and in 1860 production began. The annual output is increasing, that for 1889
having been 71,718 tons from two mines, the Empire and the Pittsburgh Mining
Company, which are all that are working at present. A number of men are
employed, the coal being carried by a railroad six miles long to Pittsburgh
landing on the river, where it is shipped. Another leading coal mine is the
Black Diamond, not now being-worked. Coal is brought to the Bay cities from
foreign countries as ballast in sea vessels, and sold cheaply here. Other
minerals occur in the Mount Diablo region, but nothing is being done with them.

  About two miles west of Martinez begin the great Nevada Warehouse and Dock
Company's warehouses, the largest on the Pacific Coast. Beside them during the
cereal season there are always lying a number of deep-water ships loading for
Europe. The annual shipment of wheat sometimes runs as high as 400,000 tons.
These warehouses are 2,300 feet in length along the shores of the Straits of
Carquinez, by 150 to 300 feet wide. Below them, at Port Costa, are the great
warehouses belonging to D. G. W. McNear, completed in 1881, and the pioneer in
the business at this point. They are only second in size to those already
described, having the same water frontage of 2,300 feet. Next below these come
the warehouses of the Granger Association, with a water frontage of 1,000 feet.
Balfour Guthrie & Co's warehouse adjoins the Grangers', and is also large. From
these warehouses the great bulk of the wheat crop of California is put on board
ship.

   At a bend on the road, at a station called Crockett, looms up the mammoth
flouring-mill of the "Starr Company," six stories high and very large, having
also large wharves and warehouses. The capacity of this mill is 9,000 barrels of
flour per day, when run at full power. Adjoining the Starr mill is the machine
works of J. L. Heald, one of the most extensive manufacturers of wine-making
machinery, irrigating pumps .and steam threshing-engines in the State. One mile
further west are the large wharfs of the Port Costa Lumber Company, comprising
3,000 feet of water front. Another large lumber company is now engaged in
building wharves adjoining. Below this again, at Vallejo Junction are the Selby
Smelting Works, the most extensive gold and silver refining works on the coast,
having an annual output of the precious metals of about $25,000,000. At Powning,
a short distance further along, are the works of the Safety Nitro Powder
Company, engaged chiefly in the manufacture of dynamite. At Pinole Point, near
by, are the California Powder Works, which makes the Hercules powder, also a
dynamite, and is a large establishment. Near Sobrante are the works of the
Vulcan Powder Company. At Stege station the California Cap Company make blasting
caps, bombs, rockets, etc. At Pinole are also now being constructed buildings to
be utilized as meat packing and canning works, toward which Eastern capitalists
have subscribed a capital of $2,500,000. They have purchased 1,400 acres of land
at the point and are apparently determined to command an extensive business.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.

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