Marin County CA Archives History - Books .....History Of San Rafael Township, Part 3 1880
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Book Title: History Of Marin County

  THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF SAN RAFAEL.-The following interesting record
of this church we glean from a sermon preached by the Rev. James S. McDonald,
July. 16, 1876, which has been courteously furnished by that gentleman. For
something like a year previous to the organization of the church, the Revs.
Charles R. Clarke and W. H. Cain preached occasionally in San Rafael, but it is
not known positively who was the first Presbyterian clergyman that ministered to
the wants of the residents. The Church Records inform us that on September 26,
1869, religious services were held in the public school-house in San Rafael by
the Rev. W. H. Cain, at the close of which the following request was read:- "San
Rafael, September 11, 1869; We, the undersigned, do hereby request you, the Rev.
W. H. Cain, to form us into an organization to be called the First Presbyterian
Church of San Rafael, under the care of the Presbytery of California and Synod
of the Pacific. Signed, Ai Barney, Harriet B. Shaver, Euphemia Murray, Louisa B.
Stillwell, Sarah J. Anderson, James-Munley, William J. Dickson, David A. Brown,
Jean H. Brown, R. Jane Dickenson, John McElnay, James S. McElnay, A. Elder."
After the request was read, the above-named persons being present, with one
exception, proceeded to the election of Ruling Elders, a proceeding which
resulted in the choice of Ai Barney and D. A. Brown. On the day following,
Monday, the 27th, a meeting was held in the Court House for the purpose of
electing a Board of Trustees, the Rev. W. H. Cain being Chairman, and Judge
Barney, Secretary, and resulted in the nomination of William J. Dickson,
Alexander Elder, D. A. Brown, Ai Barney and J. C. Dickson, who were elected for
one year, or until their successors were appointed. Hereafter the pulpit was
occupied by Revs. W. H. Cain, A. Williams and A. W. Loomis until November 21st,
when, at the end of the service, the Rev. Albert Williams, acting under
commission from the Presbytery, completed the organization of the church by
ordaining and installing the Ruling Elder elect and administering the Sacrament
of the Lord's Supper. From this date on till June, 1870, the church was supplied
for one or more Sabbaths by various ministers. In addition to those already
named, the Revs. P. V. Veeder, now a Professor in the Imperial College of Japan;
O. Hemstreet, Thomas Kirkland, James Woods, T. E. Taylor and E. Park held
services for one or more Sabbaths. At a meeting held June 21, 1870, the Rev.
Town-send E. Taylor was invited to take charge of the church for a year, a call
which he accepted, entering upon his labors July 3, 1870. During his pastorate,
which terminated July 20, 1873, sixteen persons united with the church, all but
one of them by letter. In April, 1871, steps were taken towards raising a fund
to purchase a church building lot, and about May 1st the present plot of ground
whereon the church now stands was purchased at a cost of one thousand dollars.
August 5, 1873, a meeting was convened, with W. N. Anderson, Chairman, and A.
Lee, Secretary, when on motion of Mr. Barstow, a unanimous invitation was
extended to the Rev. James S. Hawk, of Watsonville, to become pastor of the
church. Mr Hawk accepted the call and entered upon his duties September 1, 1873.
He was a man of marked ability and zeal. Owing to failing health he had been
compelled to resign the pastoral charge of a large, influential and warmly
attached church in Pittsburg, and came to this coast, hoping to find relief and
to continue his labors in the cause of God. With gradually receding strength and
health he labored for a year with undiminished zeal, but in the very meridian of
life he was gathered to his Father. During the ministration of Mr. Hawk, five
persons were admitted to the church. The congregation was once more left without
a pastor. At the urgent request of some influential ministers and friends the
Rev. James S. McDonald visited and preached in San Rafael, November 1,1874, in
Masonic Hall, where regular services were held and for which, a rent of
twenty-five dollars per month was paid. As to the call of this gentleman the
Records inform us:-"At the close of the public service in the Presbyterian
Church at San Rafael, California, on Sabbath morning, November 15, 1874, a
meeting of the congregation worshipping with said church was held, in accordance
with notice given from the pulpit on the preceding Sabbath, for the purpose of
considering and taking action as to the call of a pastor for said church. Rev.
Dr. Burroughs, of San Francisco, who had preached the morning sermon, acted as
Moderator; and, after stating the purpose of the meeting, offered prayer. J. M.
Haven was chosen Secretary of the meeting. Rev. Dr. Burroughs, in an appropriate
and feeling address, presented the necessity and usefulness of the pastoral
relation; and read from the Presbyterian Book of Church Discipline, the
requirements of formal procedure to be observed in making a call. On motion of
Mr. Trumbull, seconded by Mr. Dickson, it was unanimously voted that the meeting
do now proceed to call a pastor. A call for nomination of pastor was made by the
Moderator, and Mr. Dickson nominated the Rev. James S. McDonald of Eureka. A
vote was taken, and Rev. Mr. McDonald received the unanimous call of the
meeting. The Moderator then rendered thanks to God for the unanimity of the
action which had been taken, and prayed for a Divine blessing thereon. On
motion, a committee of three was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Trumbull,
Haven and Cook, to present the call of the meeting to the Rev. Mr. McDonald. On
motion, Judge Barney was appointed by the meeting to prosecute the call of Rev.
Mr. McDonald, through the Presbytery." The call was accepted and Mr. McDonald
commenced the labors which he now continues, on January 5, 1875. Immediately on
the assumption of the pastoral care of his parish, Mr. McDonald commenced
earnestly to work for the erection of a suitable church on the lot which had
been already acquired. He saw his noble efforts crowned with success by the
opening of their present beautiful house of worship on the first Sabbath in
January, 1876. The structure, including the furniture, is valued at six thousand
dollars. Up to the time of writing there have been fifty members admitted to the
church, while thirteen of these have united during Mr. McDonald's pastorate. The
present membership is about sixty-five. The Sabbath School numbers one hundred
and thirty, and is superintended by Thomas B. Morris, while the Ruling Elders of
the church. are:- Ai Barney, R. J. Trumbull, Thomas B. Morris and A. C. Nichols.

  METHODIST CHURCH.-In the early history of San Rafael, religious services were
held only occasionally; the inhabitants were few and settlements in the
districts north of the Bay of San Francisco very sparse, hence a large territory
was assigned to one minister. As early as 1851 or 1852, Rev. S. D. Simmonds, now
of San Francisco, held services in several places in Marin and Sonoma counties,
and among these San Rafael was included. In 1859 L. K. Walker and A. L. Bateman
alternately visited San Rafael and ministered to the people, gathering together
the few Methodists and those of other churches who had settled there, and
forming the nucleus of a society. As the inhabitants of San Rafael and the
country north of the bay increased the demand for more ministers and smaller
fields arose, which was met in 1862 by the appointment of Rev. Noah Burton to
San Rafael and one or two outposts. As yet the people as well as the pastor,
were compelled to labor under many disadvantages, arising from want of a church
building with services every Sabbath. These were held however in the old adobe
Court House. Under the pastorate of Rev. A. J. Burlingame, in 1866 and 1867, as
well as under that of Rev. B. W. Rusk in 1868 and 1869, the same order was
continued as formerly, but in 1870, under the auspices of Rev. W. Hulbert,
property was purchased and a neat church erected, which gave to the society a
permanent home, without which an organization is apt to be unsettled and
transitory. With the addition of property and building, a church anywhere is
destined to have greater prosperity. The first pastor in the new edifice was
Rev. Aaron Williams, who continued but one year when he was succeeded by Rev.
Noah Burton, who continued for three years. At the session of the Annual
Conference, held at Powell Street Church, San Francisco, in 1875, Rev. E. A.
Ludwick was appointed to the work in San Rafael, but after six months he was
compelled to leave on account of impaired health, still during his short stay he
endeared himself to church and people. During the remaining portion of the year
until the session of conference the vacancy was filled by Rev. R. L. Harford,
who had then lately arrived from the East. Rev. G. W. Beatty, successor to
these, served the church acceptably for three years, when, at the session of
Conference held in San Jose in 1879, Rev. W. M. Woodward was appointed pastor
and still serves the church. Never was the prospect for continued prosperity
more cheering than now, and never did Methodism stand on as firm a footing
in-San Rafael as at the present time. With the foundation she now has she is
destined to go forward in increasing prosperity.

  MARIN LODGE, NO. 191 F. AND A. M.-The first meeting for the organization of a
Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in San Rafael was held in Short's Hall,
February 1, 1868, when there were nineteen Master Masons present, Henry McCrea
being President and S. Bear, Secretary. Application was made to the Grand Lodge,
and Dispensation granted June 11th, and the first meeting under such was had on
July 1st of the same year, when the following officers were chosen: William N.
Anderson, W. M.; Oliver Irwin, S. W.; William L. Barnard, J. W.; Bradley Hall,
Secretary; S. Bear, Treasurer; Thomas H. Hanson, S. D.; Hiram C. Buster, J. D.;
John P. Bustin, Tyler. The charter was granted October 15, 1868, to the
following members: William N. Anderson, Oliver Irwin, William L. Barnard, Thomas
H. Hanson, Stephen Holden, Hiram C. Buster, Kenry Kirk White; John Clarke,
William Hunter, Daniel Olds, Sr., John P. Bustin, Bradley Hall, Solomon Bear,
Aaron Schroyer, Ira Weid, William Holden. The present membership is forty-three,
while the office-holders are: George W. Davis, W. M.; William H. DeGroot, S. W.;
James P. Christieson, J. W.; C. Grosjean, Treasurer; R. K. Weston, Secretary; F.
J. Jacobs, S. D.; C. E. Bartlett, J. D.; W. J. McElnay, Marshal; J. H. Bugbee,
E. Nelson, stewards, and John Dixheimer, Tyler. Lodge meetings were originally
held in Short's Hall, until their removal to their present commodious and
well-appointed quarters on B street. Meets on the Wednesday on or preceding the
full moon.

  MARIN LODGE, NO. 200, I. O. O. F.-This Lodge was instituted February 24, 1872,
with the following Charter members:-Oliver Irwin, W. H. McGrew, J. Peterson,
John Dixheimer, Julius Goedje, and Thomas Hansen, ihe original officers
being:-Oliver Irwin, N. G.; John Dixheimer, V. G.; W. H. McGrew, Secretary; J.
Peterson, Treasurer; A. F. Bailey, Warden; Julius Goedje, Conductor; Thomas
Hansen, O. G.; A. McLeod, I. G.; Oliver M. Irwin, R. S. N. G.; George W. Bond,
L. S. N. G.; John Simms, R. S. V. G.; John McElnay, L. S. V. G.; A. C.
McAllister, R. S. S.; W. G. Davis, L. S. S. The present membership numbers one
hundred; the office-bearers are:-A. F. McLain, N. G.; T. J. Bowers, V. G.;
George H. Marchant, Recording Secretary; Thomas Hansen, Permanent Secretary;
William Dampier, Treasurer; J. McElnay, Warden; W. J. McElnay, Conductor; N. M.
Lund, O. G.; John Allison, I. G.; D. Sutherland, R. S. N. G.; H. Iverson, L. S.
N. G.; George Mason, R. S. V. G.; E. Barry, L. S. V. G.; L. Polsen, R. S. S.;
Isaac Askelon, L. S. S. This Lodge is in a nourishing condition, and meets in
its own Hall on every Saturday evening.

  SAN RAFAEL LODGE, I. O. G. T., No. 244.-This Lodge was organized April 22,
1878, the Charter members being Mrs. E. Gardner, Charles F. Weekes, Antonio G.
Wood, William Weekes, Miss Ida Hughes, Charles Crockford, George Taylor, Will.
T. Hughes, Mrs. L. Bartlett, Albert La Rock, Robert Jones, Mrs. Mary Weekes,
Mrs. M. Scott and Miss Emma Liberty. The officers elected for the first quarter
were:-Antonio G. Wood, W. C. T.; Mrs. M. Scott, W. V. T.; William Weekes,
Chaplain; Miss Ida Hughes, Secretary; Robert Jones, Assistant Secretary; Will T.
Hughes, Financial Secretary; Albert La Rock, W. Treasurer; Charles Weekes, W.
Marshal; Charles Crockford, Dep. Marshal; Miss E. Gardner, Inside Guard; George
Taylor, Outside Guard; Mrs. E. Bartlett, R. H. S.; Miss E. Liberty, L. H. S.;
Mrs. Mary Weekes, P. W. C. T. Since its incorporation the Lodge has gradually
increased in strength until now its membership is forty-seven. It is in a
flourishing condition, and meets in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Present
officers:-A. T. Kerr, W. C. T,; Miss C. M. Perry, W. V. T.; Mrs. Roville
Gulclie, Recording Secretary; Miss Ida Hughes, Asst. Secretary; Mrs. B. O.
Burrough, Financial Secretary; W. M. Woodward, Treasurer; Palmer Shaw, Marshal;
Miss Ida Taylor, Dep. Marshal; Miss C. Clark, R. H. S.; Miss Olivia Coulter, L.
H. S.; Miss Charlotte Weekes, Inside Guard; Houston Jones, Outside Guard; Miss
Shaw, Organist; Charles Miller, Grand Lodge Deputy; F. J. Jacobs, P. W. C. T.;
Mrs. M. Fraitas, Chaplain.

SAN RAFAEL LODGE, A. O. U. W., No.___.-This Lodge was instituted March 11, 1878,
the Charter members being the original office-holders, who were:-George W.
Beatty, P. M. W.; Edwin Gardner, M. W.; S. M. Augustine, Gen. For.; O.
Collister, Guide; Charles S. Barney, Recorder; A. La Rock, Financier; C. E.
Bartlett, Receiver; Frank Jacobs, Overseer; John Woods, Inner Watchman; James T.
Stocker, Outer Watchman. The membership in good standing is now twenty-five,
while the present officers are:-S. F. Barstow, P. M. W.; William F. Waite, M.
W.; Thomas Hansen, General Foreman; Jacob Gardner, Guide; S. M. Augustine,
Recorder and Medical Examiner; J. H. Leszinsky, Financier; H. Iverson, Receiver:
Edward Eden, Overseer; James Duncan, Inner Watchman; James F. Stocker, Outer
Watchman. The Lodge meets in the Methodist Church on the first and third Tuesday
of each month.

  SAN RAFAEL AND COAST RANGE MINES.-The following report will fully explain the
probabilities, or rather, the possibilities of these mines, for we believe that
their working has been suspended for a time at least.

                           SAN FRANCISCO, December 22, 1879.
  To the Directws of the San Rafael and Coast Range Mining Companies, No. 646
Market Street, San Francisco-GENTLEMEN:-I have the pleasure to report to you,
after having carefully examined the property of your respective companies, and
obtained by information from others, much of interest to you in connection with
them, that the mines are located in Marin county, about four miles from the town
of San Rafael.

  They lie contiguous to the line of the North Pacific Coast Railroad and the
county road, east, and west from San Rafael runs nearly parallel to the general
course of the outcroppings, which can be plainly seen to extend from near
Fairfax station, on the above mentioned road, for about four miles, in a south
eighty degrees west course.

  The foot wall of syenite as well as the hanging wall, can be plainly seen at
various points over the four miles, and show a very wide and true fissure, these
walls being from two hundred and fifty to two hundred and seventy-five feet
apart. The croppings at many places over the entire distance are very heavy, and
on the "San Rafael mine," where I measured them carefully, they stand boldly
above the surrounding soil to a height of from eight to ten feet, and show a
width above the ground of eighty-five feet. I took from these croppings about
nine hundred pounds of the ore, obtaining it from various places on them, and as
fair an average of the ore, as in my judgment could be selected; this I retained
in my possession and sent it to this city, and had about seven hundred pounds of
it crushed and properly sampled by Messrs. Mendheim & Hofmann; sample bottles
under their seal being delivered to my order. These I have had assayed by a
number of assayers, who have made the following returns:-

  William Gardner reports by fire assay:-gold, twenty-five and one
one-hundredths dollars; silver, ten and ninety-nine one-hundredths dollars;
total thirty-six dollars. J. H. McCrorey reports by fire assay:-gold,
eighty-four and thirty-three one-hundredths dollars; silver, twelve and
twenty-eight one-hundredth s dollars; total ninety-six and sixty-one
one-hundredths dollars.

  A vapor assay made by an entirely new discovery shows wonderful and startling
results, which I need not refer to here, as any of the other assays shows
sufficient gold to pay well for working the ore.

  Upon the mines no work had been done beyond surveying for roads to the tunnel
location, as well as surveying for a tunnel site, building a boarding-house for
miners, and blacksmith's shop near the proposed tunnel. A road from the county
road to the mouth of the tunnel, can be made at a very small expense, nearly the
whole distance requiring but the clearing out of the growth of the underbrush to
make it suitable for all the ordinary uses. A side-track from the main line of
the North Pacific Coast Railroad can be easily made, requiring little grading or
other work than laying the ties and rails upon the ground.

  Timber, lumber and wood can be had at extremely low rates; the whole Russian
river country being the general source of supply, though a large amount of wood
can be obtained in the immediate vicinity of the mines.

  Water in sufficient supply for large mills can be had immediately at the
mines, and every facility for successfully working them can be secured at the
very minimum of cost.

  Before making any suggestions for the future working of these valuable mines,
I will state that after a careful examination of them at and in the immediate
vicinity of the point from which my samples were mostly obtained, I proceeded in
a general westerly direction upon the croppings, which continue at intervals to
the extreme western end of the claims, each claim embracing an area of six
hundred feet in width by seven hundred and fifty feet in length, upon the course
of the out-crop.

  From the lowest point (at which I took the samples herein referred to) the
surface of the ground rises very sharply and reaches a height, at the western
end of the ground belonging to the "Coast Range Company," of some five hundred
or six hundred feet above the railroad track. The land at the western end of the
last mentioned claim falls very abruptly away, and at an angle of from forty to
fifty degrees, opening a valley nearly two miles wide-All traces of the ledge
are lost here, and do not appear again until the hills rise sharply on the
opposite side of this valley.

  I proceeded across this valley and found the same general character of ore, or
of croppings; but giving lower assays, say about ten dollars per ton, and being
more broken, but showing apparently as great a width of vein matter as the "San
Rafael" or "Coast Range" mines.

  On this side of the valley above referred to, the out-crop can be traced for
about three thousand six hundred feet. The entire distance has been located, and
four companies have been incorporated, but only one company, the San Geronimo,
is, I believe, doing any work. On this mine many permanent improvements had been
made. They have small steam hoisting works, and a one compartment shaft two
hundred feet deep, from bottom of which a cross-cut has been run for two hundred
feet, no walls having been found in that distance.

  At about one hundred feet from the shaft, and after running most of that
distance in black-spar, the ledge was struck, and for forty-two feet is a solid,
continuous body of quartz crystals, cemented by lime rock, and also containing
some feld-spar. This ore assays very rich in gold and silver, and gives promise
of great value in the near future. The assays from this crosscut, I am informed,
are as follows: No. 1 gold, $90.74; No. 1 silver, $3.79; total, $94.53. No. 2
gold, $77.09; No. 2 silver, $8.93; total, $86.02.

  Beyond this forty-two feet of ore, black-spar with streaks of quartz and
limestone were found, and the head of the cross-cut was in such a formation at
the time of my visit.

  Since I visited the San Geronimo mine, which was made specially to examine the
underground deposit of ore, I am informed that the company have started drifts
north and south upon the vein, and that the ore is showing in the face of these
drifts to be equally good with that found in the cross-cut, and that
preparations are now being made to erect suitable machinery to work the ores.

  The vein at the depth of two hundred feet may be considered remarkably strong,
and the entire formation indicates that it will improve both in width and
quality as depth is obtained.

  No water of moment has been encountered in sinking the two hundred feet.

  I have referred fully to the San Geronimo mine in this report, as it is the
only one upon which work has been done below the surface out-crop, and to show
that the croppings over the entire distance are exactly of the same character,
and that at the depth of two hundred feet the quality of the ore has greatly
improved from that found at the surface, and that the same improvement may be
reasonably expected when depth shall have been obtained in the mines of the "San
Rafael" and "Coast Range" companies; and as the assays of the croppings on these
last mentioned mines are much richer than the San Geronimo croppings, so we may
look for proportionately richer ore at the depth of a few hundred feet in them. 

  For the development of your mines I should suggest the following:-

  At a point yet to be determined, below the out-crop on the south side of them,
a tunnel should be run into the hill, and when the ledge is struck, a cross-cut
should be made to the hanging wall, and drifts upon the vein be started, both
along the hanging and foot walls, which by the time they reach a point
perpendicular from the first large croppings on the surface, will be at least
one hundred feet below them.

  While this work is being prosecuted, I should advise that immediately below
the prominent croppings above referred to, that across the ledge an open face be
made, and the ore taken out and piled up to be worked when required. This will
give you a large amount of good ore, and the level ground made by this work will
be available for future hoisting works^ mills, etc.

  The process for working the ore, I advise, should not at present be decided
upon, as some important developments in that direction are now being made, which
promise to revolutionize the present plan of amalgamation, and by the time you
have your mine properly opened, and taken out a reserve of ore, these
developments and improvements will be fully determined upon.

  Enough is now known to enable me to say pretty positively that the improved
manner of working gold ores, is particularly well adapted for the ores of the
"San Rafael" or "Coast Range" mines.

  In conclusion I can say that the out-look for the future of these mines,
located as they are, convenient to everything necessary to work a mine cheaply,
with the finest climate in the world, and with an out-crop of ore of wonderful
richness, and in such large quantities, and, as shown in the San Geronimo mine,
extending already two hundred feet deep, is very favorable, and as a prospective
investment, where it all looks so nearly certain of success, I know of nothing
equal to it.    Yours respectfully,
                                      CHAS. H. SWAIN, M. E.
                                  SAN FRANCISCO, January 3, 1880.

  San Rafael and Coast Range Mining Companies-GENTLEMEN:-There having been some
difference of opinion among assayers and others, as to the value of the ores
from your mines, and for the purpose of satisfying myself before allowing my
report upon them to be distributed, that they do contain gold and silver in
large and paying quantities, I have assayed from one of the sample bottles
referred to in my report, in two ways, with results as follows:-

  No. 1-Treated with chemicals, and after being acted upon for sixteen hours,
put into a strong fire and partially fused, after which a fire assay gave-gold,
$210.95; silver, $5.65; total $216.60.

  No. 2-Treated direct from the sample bottles, with the use of no chemicals,
and by an ordinary fire assay, gave-gold, $60.27; silver, $5.65; total
$65.92.    Very truly yours,              CHAS. H. SWAIN.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA;
INCLUDING ITS
Geography, Geology, Topography and Climatography;
TOGETHER WITH
A Full and Particular Record of the Mexican Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the most Authentic Sources; Names of Original Spanish
and American Pioneers;

A Full Record of its Organization; A Complete Political History, including a
Tabular Statement of Office-holders since the Formation of the County;

Separate Histories of Bolinas, Nicasio, Novato, Point Reyes, San Antonio, San
Rafael, Saucelito, and Tomales Townships;

Incidents of Pioneer Life, and Biographical Sketches of its Early and Prominent
Settlers and Representative Men;
ALSO
An Historical Sketch of the State of California,
In which is embodied the Raising of the Bear Flag

ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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