Plumas County CA Archives History - Books .....Early History Of Plumas County 1882
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Book Title: Illustrated History Of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

EARLY HISTORY OF PLUMAS COUNTY.

   With the early history of California, its missions and priests, its Spanish
and Mexican rulers, and its conquest by the Americans, these mountain regions
have but little part. The native Californians never penetrated into the heart of
the mountains that skirt the Sacramento valley on the east. Gazing from a
distance upon their snowy crests, they had named them Sierra Nevada—the snowy
mountains—but beyond this they remained terra incognita to them. The trappers of
the Hudson Bay Company and the American Fur Company crossed the mountains first
in 1825, and frequently thereafter, but farther to the south, or by the way of
Pit river or the Sacramento. This region remained unknown and unexplored until
the ignis fatuus of gold drew into the mountain recesses an eager band of
adventurers, and opened to the world these grand mountains and lovely valleys.

   The early history of Plumas properly begins with the naming of the river from
which its name was derived, and whose arms and tendrils reach out into the
county in all directions. Its patron stream, the Feather river, has been for
years the fountain of its wealth and the source of its prosperity. In 1820 a
Spanish exploring expedition passed up the valley, headed by Captain Louis A.
Arguello. By this party the name Rio de las Plumas, or Feather river, was
bestowed upon the stream, because of the great number of feathers of wild fowl
floating on its bosom. At the same time the Tuba river was christened Rio de los
Uva. As the Spanish pronunciation of the word was "Ooba," it is easy to see how
it was Americanized into "Yuba" by the heedless miner. Bear river was named Rio
de los Osos by the same party.

   Passing on, we find the next step to be the settlement of Peter Lassen at the
celebrated Lassen's ranch, on Deer creek, in Tehama county. [See Early History
of Lassen County, farther on.] It was in December, 1843, that this old pioneer
started from Sutter's Fort to settle on his grant on Deer creek, which he
reached about the first of February, 1844, having camped for several weeks at
the Marysville buttes. This was the first settlement north of Marysville, where
Theodore Cordua was then living, and was a celebrated place in the early days
and during the first few years of the emigration to the gold fields. Associated
with Lassen in the pioneer days was a Russian or Pole named Isadore Meyerwitz.
It is probable that these two were the first white men to set foot within the
limits of Plumas county. Certain it is that they were here in 1848, and how much
sooner it is impossible to say—possibly never before that year. In the year 1846
a company of men from the Willamette valley laid out what is known as the
southern route to Oregon [see page 59], running from Fort Hall west to Goose
lake, then to Tule lake and through the Modoc country, across Lost river, around
the south end of Klamath lake, through the pass to Rogue River valley, and
thence up to the Willamette by the old Hudson Bay Company's route. The route
followed by emigrants to Treka and vicinity, in 1851, and later years, was this
Oregon trail as far as Klamath lake, and there it turned to the south-west to.
Treka by the way of Sheep Rock. Two years after the Oregon road was laid out,
Peter Lassen opened up the celebrated Lassen route to California. This was
nothing more nor less than the Oregon road as far as the head-waters of Pit
river. There it branched to the south, and followed down that stream till north
of Lassen Peak, then passing along the eastern base of that lofty mountain it
struck Mountain Meadows, then west to the Big Meadows in this county, then to
the head-waters of Deer creek, and down that stream to Lassen's ranch, where
most of the emigrant parties disbanded.

   Lassen, accompanied by Paul Richeson, went to Fort Hall in the summer of
1848, and induced a train of emigrants to submit themselves to his guidance, and
try the new route to California; the route theretofore traveled leading down the
Humboldt, over to the Truckee, up that stream and across the mountains by the
way of Donner lake and Bear river to Johnson's ranch on the latter stream, and
thence to Sutter's Fort. There were twelve wagons in the train that decided to
attempt the new road, and Lassen led them along safely, though they encountered
some extremely rugged and difficult mountains, until they reached Mountain
Meadows or Big Meadows, where their provisions and animals both became
exhausted, and they stopped to recruit the one and supply the other. Here they
were overtaken by a company from Oregon with twenty wagons, on their way to the
gold fields of California—news of the great discovery not having reached Oregon
till the last of August. This was about the first of November. With the aid of
the Oregon party they made their way safely to Lassen's ranch, where the train
disbanded. A large emigration was diverted from the Carson route in 1849 and
1850, and induced to follow Lassen's cut-off, or, as it was sometimes called,
Lassen's Horn route, sarcastically classing it with the journey around Cape
Horn. The point of divergence from the main route down the Humboldt was
indicated by a post stuck in the desert sands, surrounded by a watchful
body-guard of sage brush, and inclined at an angle of forty-five degrees, across
which was a shake bearing the legend "Lassen Road," to woo the unwary emigrant
from the crooked and broad way he had been following. Many were wooed and won,
and turned from the beaten track to follow this new road, of which they knew
nothing save that it was claimed to be a shorter route to the mines. One of
these was Cyrus Laufman, now and for years a prominent citizen of this county.
Those who came later than Mr. Laufman had a severe experience with snow and
scarcity of provisions, and many would have perished but for the timely succor
sent to them from the valley.   [See page 87.]

   Of the hundreds that traveled through the county, none remained even to
prospect its streams. They were bound for California; and no emigrant thought
himself at his journey's end until the Sacramento valley was reached. Sacramento
City was the objective point of the majority, and thousands passed by camp after
camp of miners to reach that point, only to retrace their steps to the same
mines they had passed a month before. For this reason, Plumas county retained
none of the many that passed through it in 1849. Yet one of these emigrants was
the cause of the opening up of this region the following season, the hero of an
adventure so shrouded in mystery, so possible and yet so improbable, that people
with equal* opportunities for forming an opinion on the subject differ widely
from each other in the amount of credence they give to the story he related. The
writer has conversed with many who were connected with the Gold lake excitement,
listened to their narratives, and heard their speculations and opinions, and
feels himself unable to do more than give the story in its different phases as
it has been presented to him.

   Gold lake, of which Plumas and Sierra counties each has one, is none the less
a creature of tradition. If it ever had an existence other than in the brain of
the man who claimed to have found it, some other name has been applied to it,
and its identity has never been established! We are confronted at the outset by
two stories of the way the author of the excitement claimed the lake was first
discovered, the most probable of which is as follows: Among the emigrants by the
Lassen road in the fall of 1849 was a man named Stoddard, the cause of all the
subsequent excitement. When they arrived in the Sierra, probably in the
neighborhood of Big Meadows, Stoddard, with one companion, went out upon a
hunting expedition, for the purpose of replenishing the depleted larder of his
company. Unversed in mountain life and unskilled in woodcraft, the two Nimrods
lost their way, and wandered about for several days in search of the camp they
had left, but in vain. They then undertook to get out of the mountains by
following the course of the streams. They came one day upon a small lake, with
an area of from ten to fifteen acres, inclosed by high and rocky mountains. In a
ravine on the lake shore, where the water from the melted snow of the previous
spring had washed the bed-rock bare, they found some large chunks of gold.
Frightened by their precarious condition in an unknown wilderness of mountains,
exposed to dangers they know not what, and feeling that no time nor effort must
be wasted if they would extricate themselves from their enforced seclusion and
reach the homes of civilization, they did not stop to examine the place
critically, nor even to make such observations as would enable them to return to
the spot, but put a few of the golden, pieces in their pockets, and hurried on.
The next day they were suddenly treated to a shower of arrows from a party of
Indians, and Mr. Stoddard took to his heels, and by dint of hard running made
his escape. What became of his companion he knew not, but supposed that he fell
a victim to their savage assailants. For several days he toiled over high
mountains and through dark and rocky canons, scarcely stopping to rest, until at
last' he reached the north fork of Yuba river. Here he found the advance guard
of the miners, who had pushed themselves up that stream, and obtained food and
shelter. His story was related, but as the winter was just setting in, no one
dared to trust himself to the cold mercies of a winter in the Sierra, so far
from supplies, and in a region as yet unknown. The sad fate of the Donner party,
in the winter of 1846-47, was fresh in their minds, and the dangers and
hardships of a winter in the Sierra were dreaded by all. Many who had faith in
the tale of Stoddard decided to go into the unknown region in the spring, with
the hope that if the celebrated lake was not found, or even was a myth,
something rich enough to reward them would be discovered. During the winter the
miners moved about from place to place, and in this way the story of Stoddard
and the wonderful Gold lake was circulated along the Yuba and Feather rivers.

   Meanwhile, Stoddard went to San Francisco, where he knew were friends of his
unfortunate companion, to see if, by chance, he had also escaped, and had gone
to meet his friends in that city. Nothing had been heard of the missing man; and
after waiting several weeks, Stoddard became convinced that his body was lying
not far from the wonderful lake. He then went back to the Yuba, and sought to
organize a company to go in search of the marvelous lake of gold. So strange was
his tale, that many believed him crazy, and would have nothing to do with him.
His specimens were a convincing argument, however, and hundreds who placed no
reliance upon the account he gave of the way he had procured them were none the
less anxious to be led to the place where such chunks of gold could be found,
without caring whether they came from a lake, river, or any particular place. At
that time the miners had a theory that the "source of gold" lay high up in the
mountains. They had noticed that the gold became coarser as they ascended the
streams; and what was more natural than to suppose that there was some place up
in the mountains where it all came from, and where it could be picked up in
chunks such as those exhibited by Stoddard? In many places around the old
claims, generally in crevices, had been found "pockets," from which several
hundred dollars were taken out in a few minutes, and it was not a violent
assumption to think that "farther up," near or at the "source of gold," they
could gather in twenty-four hours as much of the precious metal as could be
carried away. Stoddard was therefore watched by those who felt a desire to try
their luck in the search for Gold lake.

   It is best at this point, perhaps, to relate the other story about the way in
which the wonderful lake of gold was found. This version says that, in the
spring of 1850, Stoddard and four others went into the mountains to prospect,
some fifty or sixty miles north-east of Downieville, when they lost their way
and wandered about for a number of days. One day they came upon a lake, and went
down to the bank to slake their thirst. While stooping over, they saw something
shining among the moss at the bottom, which proved, upon investigation, to be
lumps of pure gold. While taking some of these out, they were suddenly attacked
by Indians, and two of the party killed. Stoddard and the other two succeeded in
making their escape in different directions, and were never afterwards reunited.
Stoddard made his way out of the mountains and went to San-Francisco, where
there were friends of the two others who, he thought, had escaped, to see if
tidings had been received from them. Nothing had been heard of them; and being
convinced that they, too, had fallen victims to the savages, Stoddard went to
the Yuba to organize an expedition to search for the "bonanza" that had nearly
cost him his life. The improbable part of this version, and one that refutes it,
is that it is not; possible any one could have gone into the upper mountain
regions prospecting so early in the season. The winter of 1849 was a stormy one,
and snow lay upon the mountains thirty feet deep. Snow-shoes had not yet been
introduced. The miners were unused to winter travel in the mountain wilds; and
that a party of prospectors had attempted or were even able to penetrate into
this region at that season, is highly improbable. Allowing Stoddard's story any
foundation in fact at all, the former version must be nearly the correct one.
However that may be, that Stoddard appeared on the Yuba river, told a wonderful
tale of heaps of gold to be found in or near by some mysterious lake high up
amid the summit peaks of the Sierra, and exhibited some large specimens of pure
gold, varying in value from eight to twenty-five dollars, in support of his
story, are facts beyond dispute. Lake or no lake, the chunks of gold were proof
positive that Stoddard had found something, and a great sensation was created
thereby.

   It was about the last of May, 1850, that Stoddard appeared at Nevada City
with his story and specimens. He exhibited a scar on his leg which he said was
the result of a wound received from an arrow at the time he escaped from the
Indians; but the fact that the wound was completely healed did not seem to be
noticed at the time. He organized a select party of twenty-five to go in search
of the lake. They had an opportunity to receive five hundred members, who were
willing to pay anything for the privilege, but the party was considered large
enough as first organized. The only member of this original party that the
writer has ever met or knows of, save Stoddard himself, is George E. Brittan,
now residing in Sutter county. About the first of June they started for the
upper country, followed by from five hundred to one thousand men, who had kept a
close watch upon their preparations, and were ready to follow them to the end of
the world if necessary. They struck right north from Nevada City to the divide
between the North Yuba and Middle Feather, and followed the ridge to the
head-waters of that stream. Wherever they went the crowd of miners clung to them
like a shadow. Having reached the neighborhood where he supposed the lake to be,
Stoddard appeared to know as little about its actual locality as any of his
followers. He wandered about from place to place with his party, closely watched
and followed by the crowd of hangers-on, who supposed that the apparently
aimless movements were made for the purpose of throwing them off the scent and
to tire them out. They entered Sierra valley, crossed north to Red Clover
valley, and then to Last Chance valley (so named from what happened there at
that time). It had now become evident that Stoddard was incapable of leading
them to the wonderful lake, to reach which they had encountered so many
hardships. There were three opinions held by the deluded men who were then
gathered in consultation in Last Chance valley. Some thought that Stoddard was
crazy, and the lake simply a product of his diseased brain; others that he had
never visited the supposed lake, but had heard the story from some one but
imperfectly, and had represented the adventure as happening to himself, with the
hope of forming a party, as he had done, and being able to discover the lake
from the faint idea he had of its general location; others thought that his
story was true, but that his sense 6f locality was bad, and he had become again
lost, as he was when the adventure happened to him. The party was badly
demoralized. Many of their animals had perished, some in the deep snow, and
others by being dashed to pieces upon the rocks of some dark and precipitous
canon. For a number of days they had been discontented, and now they rebelled
openly. A meeting was called to discuss the situation, and it was decided to
hang the author of their woes at once. The sentence of summary execution was
suspended for one day at the solicitation of the few who still believed that the
lake existed, and that Stoddard had only lost his way; but the condemned man was
informed that he would be given a "last chance," and if the lake was not found
by the next night he would be strung up to the limb of a tree and left for the
birds to roost upon. If he was crazy, Stoddard had enough "method in his
madness" to steal quietly from camp that night and retrace his steps to the
mines below, leaving his judges to follow their own inclinations. This incident
is claimed by some to have occurred in Humbug valley, Plumas county, and to have
been the cause of bestowing that appellation upon the valley.

   This was but a small part of the excitement, and these men were but the
advance guard of the army of "gold lakers" who rushed into the mountains that
spring. The news that Stoddard and his party, followed by a crowd of miners, had
left Deer creek in search of Gold lake spread like wild-fire among the mines of
the Yuba and Feather rivers. Many who had before heard of the mysterious lake,
and many others who now learned of it for the first time, rushed off in the
direction the searchers had gone. All the floating population of the mines
imbibed the fever, and many also who had good claims abandoned them to go in
quest of the place where one day's work was worth a thousand. Away they rushed,
carrying but few provisions to subsist upon, and little money or dust with which
to buy. It was a perfect stampede. Some organized into small parties; but as a
general thing they went along in twos and threes, striving to reach the magic
lake as soon as possible. Hundreds had but an indistinct idea of what they were
in search of. All they knew was that somewhere up in the mountains there was a
place where gold could be picked up in chunks, and they were willing to abandon
everything and seek the charmed spot. The infection extended to the American
river and the southern mines, and many started from there to follow in the wake
of the others. A party of these went as far as Donner lake, and the country
immediately to the north of it. The prices of horses, mules, and oxen went up at
a rapid rate. Some started with wagons, but owing to the character of the
country, and the absence of even a trail, this method of conveyance was soon
abandoned, and the pilgrims hurried on, packing their effects upon the backs of
their animals. Many of these, as well as some of their owners, slipped on the
precipitous sides of rocky canons, and plunged headlong to their death, hundreds
of feet below. Perceiving an opportunity for profitable traffic, a number of
merchants accompanied the eager throng with loads of provisions, which they sold
at exorbitant prices, even killing the cattle that drew the loads, and disposing
of the meat to the hungry crowd.

   It is claimed by some that miners from Feather river started up that stream
even before the Stoddard party left Deer creek, and were, therefore, the pioneer
prospectors of Plumas county. The writer has met or heard from no one who claims
personally to have been, or knows surely of any one who mined, within the limits
of this county prior to June, 1850, and there is but little doubt that the
Stoddard party headed the army of invaders. The files of the Marysville Herald,
the Sacramento Placer Times, and the Alta California for the month of June speak
of Stoddard's party as having just started, and contain long accounts of the
excitement and exodus of miners—a correspondent of the Placer Times accompanying
the throng to the vicinity of the present town of La Porte, where word was
received that Stoddard's party had abandoned the search, and he returned. The
excitement lasted but about a month, and then resolved itself into the
regulation movement from old to new mines. When the party awakened that June
morning in Last Chance valley, and discovered that their intended victim had
fled in the darkness of night, they concluded to abandon the search upon which
they had been engaged. They started back, prospecting as they went. The cloud of
followers also took to prospecting. The news passed along the line of the army
of invaders that Stoddard was a fraud and Gold lake a myth, carried along by the
disgusted ones who were hastening back to the claims they had abandoned. The
thousands that had rushed into the mountains commenced prospecting in all
directions, or hastened back again, only to find their claims in the happy
possession of others. News of the utter failure of the Gold lake expedition was
received on Deer creek within a month from the time it had started from that place.

   Before considering the effect of this expedition upon Plumas county, it is
well to dispose of the Gold lake story entirely. Upon his return to the lower
mines, Stoddard endeavored to form another company to search for the elusive
lake, but in vain. He was looked upon as crazy, and no one would place any
confidence in him or his story. For three or four years he hung about the mines,
chiefly on North Yuba river, relating his tale to every one who would listen to
him, and spending his summers searching for the lake in the existence of which
he appeared to have unshaken confidence. Mr. Brittan, who was a member of
Stoddard's party, does not believe him to have been crazy. He thinks the
specimens exhibited were ample evidence that Stoddard had found something. To be
sure, he could Lave procured these little nuggets in the lower mines, for they
were frequently found; but there appeared to be no reason why he should do that,
and then lead a company up into the mountains on an apparently hopeless errand.
Many believe that he was perfectly sincere and truthful, and account for the
fact that the lake was not there, and has not since been found, with the theory
that a landslide occurred that winter and filled up the lake, or covered that
portion where the gold was discovered. If this be true, the Gold lake must be
one of a number of little lakes known by different names in this section, none
of which have given any indication of possessing deposits of gold like the one
in the legend. There is still another story that may give a clue to the whole
affair. Before the excitement broke out there occurred a secret expedition to
the same locality, which was beyond doubt the first prospecting trip into this
county, and the members of the party the first miners to penetrate into this
region. This was related to us by John Rose, an old pioneer who came to
California in 1841, and after whom the celebrated Rose bar on the Yuba river was
named, and near which he is still living. Early in 1850, two men, one of them
named Marks, were living, with the Indians north of the Yuba river, when an
Indian came into camp with some splendid specimens, and said that he had found
them on a river farther north, and that they lay loose in the gravel. Marks did
not understand the Indian tongue as well as the other man, and asked him what
the Indian said, but the man would not tell him, intending, when he recovered
from an attack of sickness with which he was then suffering, to go in search of
the place himself. Marks had understood enough of the Indian's tale to learn the
general direction and about how far to go to reach the desired spot. He went to
Marysville and related a tale of adventure, saying that he had been to a certain
place and found great quantities of gold on the river bank, and had been driven
away by Indians. He offered to lead a company there; and a select company of
thirty, of which John Rose was one, started with him in search of the river.
Marks led them along the divide between the Yuba and Feather rivers, as far as
the mouth of Nelson creek, where he admitted that he had lost his way. The party
returned in disgust. Mr. Rose thinks that Rich bar, on the middle fork of
Feather river, was the place where the Indian obtained his specimens, and that
Marks, who had led them to the general locality, was unable to find the exact
place because he had never been there. These were no doubt the pioneer
prospectors of Plumas county. There is an idea suggested by this story, which,
so far as the fact of a party having been led by Marks to the mouth of Nelson
creek is concerned, is certainly true. The idea is, that Stoddard may have
received his inspiration from this source, and adopted the same ruse employed by
Marks to form his company, claiming the adventure to have happened to him for
the purpose of inspiring more confidence, and trusting to luck to find something
when they reached the proper locality.

   There is still another phase of the Gold lake story which carries out the
idea that Soddard had a foundation to build upon, but claimed, as happening to
him, an adventure that he had simply chanced to hear of, and for that reason was
unable to lead the-party to the lake which he firmly believed to exist. The
following version was published in the Marysville News in 1858: "Our friend and
fellow-citizen, William C. Stokes, of the firm of Stokes & Shields, proprietors
of the United States Hotel of Marysville, has furnished us with a statement in
relation to this Stoddard and Gold lake affair which strips it of much of its
mystery. Early in 1850 Mr. Stokes was working as a hired hand for a Mr. Terrel,
in a rich claim at Beer creek, now Nevada City. One day a man, a stranger to all
hands, came to Mr. Terrel's cabin with a large sack of gold. He held a long and
confidential conversation with Mr. Terrel, which was overheard by Mr. Stokes,
who was lying in a bunk and supposed to be asleep. He wished to raise a company
to return with him to a lake somewhere north-east of the "Forks," now known as
Downieville, where gold was to be found in great quantities on the shores. His
large sackful had been gathered there, with the aid of the Indians, whom he had
left under promise to procure provisions and return to them. The only tools
necessary for the expedition, he told Mr. Terrel, would be crowbars, cross-cut
saws, picks, shovels, and pans. The saws were to be used in cutting out wheels
from the trunks of trees to make cars to haul the auriferous earth to the lake
for washing. The reason he gave for not wishing to go back alone was his dread
of the Indians, with whom he had been guilty of bad faith in not returning with
the provisions as he had promised. He offered to pledge his gold to Mr. Terrel
for the truth of his story, if Mr. Terrel would raise the required company. Mr.
Stokes never knew the reason why Mr. Terrel did not close with the stranger's
proposition. All he knows on this point is, that no company was raised, and that
the stranger disappeared from Terrel's mining claim, and Mr. Stokes has never
seen or heard of him since. Not long after this—it was in April, 1850, when Mr.
Stokes was mining at French Corral—a man who gave his name as Stoddard came to
his cabin, stating that he was a miner from Frenchman's bar on the South Yuba,
and that he was out on a prospecting tour. Mr. Stokes received him hospitably,
after the manner of miners in 1850, invited him to dinner, and after dinner, as
the weather was warm, spent three hours in social chat. Mr. Stoddard gave a
history of his life. He was of either Scotch or Yorkshire parentage, had served
in his younger days in the British navy, was on board the Asia, a ship of the
line, on which he was wounded at the bombardment of Acre. He showed his scar of
the wound on one of his legs, which might readily be mistaken for the scar made
by an arrow wound. Afterwards he had resided in Pennsylvania, and had flourished
as a school-master and also as an editor in Philadelphia. In process of time he
had followed the crowd of fortunes-seekers and come to California. When he
finished his autobiography he asked Mr. Stokes to tell him his experience, which
Mr. Stokes did, making a considerable feature of that portion of it which
related to the man with the heavy sack of gold, who wished Terrel to join him in
an expedition to the lake where gold was so abundant. Mr. Stokes is not certain,
but he rather thinks that he amplified this portion of his experience very
considerably. On this slender foundation Mr. Stokes feels certain Mr. Stoddard
based his theory of Gold lake, and induced some hundreds of romantic miners to
trot after him, over mountain and, dale, in search of his fabulous El Dorado.
The next time, which was the last time that Mr. Stokes saw Stoddard, was the
first of June, 1850. It was in the previous April when he first saw him. Mr.
Stoddard had then got his company of adventurers at his heels, and happened to
bring up in the evening at a roadside house which Mr. Stokes, having dropped
mining, was keeping at a place called Deerville, twelve miles from Middle Yuba.
Mr. Stoddard entered Mr. Stokes's house, but declined recognizing him. He had a
crowd with him, some of whom Mr. Stokes endeavored to dissuade from the rash
enterprise, but in vain.

   The result was, as may readily be anticipated, that poor Mr. Stoddard, having
no other knowledge of the golden lake than had been furnished to him by Mr.
Stokes, never found it. His followers undertook to hang him, but relented, and
he is now a living man, and as the Sierra Citizen certifies, well to do in the
world. Mr. Stokes, we may as well remark, is himself fully convinced that such a
lake as was described to Mr. Terrel does really exist, and that it will yet be
found somewhere to the north-west of Downieville." With this, we will dismiss
Gold lake from our thoughts, and turn to what is known of the results upon this
section that flowed from the great crusade.

   Even before the search for Gold lake was abandoned by the Stoddard party and
their immediate followers, who then amounted nearly to a thousand, considerable
prospecting was indulged in by those who came a few days later than the first
invaders. The result was, that the diggings on Nelson, Poorman's, and Hopkins
creeks were discovered early in June; and those on Rich bar, middle fork, but a
few days later. As soon as the mythical character of Gold lake was proclaimed,
these places were flooded by the disappointed gold seekers. They poured in upon
the few who were at work there, and took up every inch of ground. In many cases
where the first workers had measured off generous-sized claims, the new-comers
called a meeting, made laws reducing the size of claims, and proceeded to stake
out their locations. Even this failed to give claims to all, and the hundreds
who did not secure ground in these places sought elsewhere. Rich bar, on the
east branch, was discovered about this time, and an immense crowd rushed to that
place. In this way, the middle fork, east branch, and north fork, with their
tributaries, were occupied by several thousand miners during the summer and fall
of 1850. [See the local histories of these places for details of the discovery
of each.] The fear of wintering in the mountains had not yet become dispelled,
and as the winter season set in, the miners began to depart for the foot-hills,
leaving the mines almost deserted. Where the smoke of hundreds of camp-fires had
ascended, and where the rattle of many rockers had echoed from the rocky walls
of the river canons, now was scarcely a sign of animation to be found. Many went
to Bidwell's bar and other points on Feather river; others to Downieville and
the Yuba river mines; while many more passed the winter in Onion and Strawberry
valleys. A few who were well provided with supplies decided to brave the rigors
of winter in the strong log cabins they here and there erected. The mines were
practically deserted.

   Before the Gold lake excitement occurred, the first legislature of California
had divided the state into counties, attaching to Butte county this whole
region—then, of course, an unknown wilderness. This work the legislature had
found to be one of great perplexity! Not only was the geography of the state but
imperfectly known, but the population was so shifting and uncertain that a
proper assignment of territory was impossible. Sections that were then
unoccupied, and almost unknown, were liable in a few days to be filled with
thousands of eager miners, or perhaps might never become populated or of
sufficient importance to demand a county organization. In this dilemma, they did
the best the circumstances and a crowd of eager land and city proprietors as
members and lobbyists would permit. The courses of the rivers and the character
of the mountains were unknown, and thus many queer boundaries were given to
counties of a most ungainly shape. From the Sacramento river to the eastern line
of the state was a general and most absurd boundary, thus cutting up the valley
into little patches, and tacking each patch as a tail to a long strip of
mountainous country, and curiously enough making "the tail wag the dog" by
locating the seat of justice in the valley portion, generally at the extreme
end. A little stream that scarcely floated a feather in summer, as the Honcut
between Tuba and Butte, would separate contiguous and easily accessible sections
of valley land; while within the limits of the county to which either belonged
were to be found high mountains, whose deep snows almost severed the one part
from the other for months at a time. One of the counties thus formed by the Act
of February 18, 1850, was Butte, embracing the present counties of Butte and
Plumas, the major portion of Lassen, and a part of Tehama, Colusa, and Sutter.

   With the return of spring in 1851 came a throng of miners, who crowded the
streams of Plumas county, spreading out and making new discoveries in all
directions. Claims were taken upon all sides; flumes and wing-dams were built;
substantial cabins were erected, and in every way the people indicated their
intention of staying at least as long as the diggings held out. A few took up
land claims in Indian, American, and other valleys; several saw-mills were
built, and in every way tokens of a permanent occupation were given. Large
stocks of goods were laid in as the winter approached, and though a great many
returned to the valley, the majority of miners who expected to work there the
next season remained on the ground. The winter was passed without much
inconvenience, and work that had been for the most part suspended was resumed;
while spring brought with it several thousand men to try their fortune in the
rich mines of Plumas county.

   During the year 1852 a number of settlements were made on the fine
agricultural land of the valleys. The fall before, the court of sessions of
Butte county had set off this section into townships, and justices of the peace
and constables were elected; but the authority exerted by these was slight, the
miners for the most part preferring to settle their disputes in their own
way—miners' courts being the tribunals for the adjudication of differences and
the trial of offenders. [See Courts and Judiciary, Miners' Courts, and Criminal
Annals.] Though a part of Butte, Plumas county was governed but little by it.
During the year 1852 emigrants came into this region through Beckwourth pass, in
which the celebrated Crow chieftan, Jim Beckwourth, had built a cabin and hotel.
Many of these were families, and it was this season that the gentler sex began
to appear in the camps in considerable numbers. The effect of their presence was
beneficial in the extreme. The softening and ennobling influence of women and
the presence of children soon changed the rough scenes of the pioneer mining
into the homes of civilization. The camp-fire gave place to the domestic hearth.

   The winter of 1852-53 will never be forgotten by the pioneers of California
so long as one remains who witnessed its scenes of death and destruction. All
summer the miners on the rivers had been working on flumes and wing-dams, only
to find, in a majority of cases, that their labor had been very unprofitable. In
this condition of affairs the merchants failed to lay in as large a stock of
goods for the winter as would otherwise have been the case. In addition to this,
the winter set in early, blocking up the mountain trails with snow in November.
The miners confidently expected new supplies of goods until late in December,
when it became certain that the trails were sealed against all pack-trains for
many weeks to come. A great rush was then made from all parts of the county to
reach some source of supplies. Many mining camps were completely deserted, while
in others there remained but two or three—seldom more than half a dozen—men who
had purchased the scant supplies of those who departed, and had thus secured
sufficient to last them till spring. Miners from the middle fork and its
tributaries spent the winter in Onion or Strawberry valleys, to which points
goods could be brought from Marysville, or scattered themselves' through the
mines on Yuba river. Those from the north fork and east branch went to Bidwell's
bar and other points on the Feather river. Many of these took their departure
before the dangers of travel became so great; but the later ones encountered
hardships that the pen fails adequately to describe. The severest storms of the
season occurred during the week between Christmas and New Year's, and for
several days thereafter; and in those dreadful tempests suffering and death came
to many amid the snow of the mountains. Men who had families in the valleys
struggled bravely with wind and snow to go for the food they required.
Pack-trains were brought up by almost superhuman exertion nearly to Nelson
Point, and then their loads were taken in small lots upon the backs of men. One
instance is recorded where a man took a pack-train to within one-half mile of
his destination, and then had to pay fifty cents a pound to have the goods taken
by men the remainder of the distance. At another point a train of mules refused
to go over the top of the mountain where the wind had piled the snow up in a
huge bluff; and they were blindfolded, led to the top, and pushed over, rolling
with their packs clear to the bottom. Such extreme measures as these had to be
resorted to that food could be taken to those who otherwise would have starved.

   It was early in the morning of December 28 of that dreadful winter that the
miners on Rich bar, east branch, came to the conclusion that they must make a
bold push to pass the barrier of snow and reach Bidwell's bar, or they would all
perish from starvation. The snow lay four feet deep on the level at the river,
and on the mountains it was about thirty feet, the top four or five feet being
loose, newly fallen snow. They had but a week's provisions, with no prospect of
any more. These were purchased by seven men who decided to remain, and the
others, taking some cooked food with them, started on their perilous journey. It
was a motley throng that commenced the ascent of the mountain that icy winter
morning. There were over seventy in all—Americans, Frenchmen, Mexicans, Kanakas,
and Chinamen. At that time snow-shoes were unknown, and the traveler had to
flounder through the soft snow as best he could. The men took turns in plunging
into the snow and beating out a path, so that the others could follow. In this
way a man would work at the head of the column for a few yards, and then step
aside into the snow until the others passed him, and fall in at the rear. By
wallowing in this way, the party advanced foot by foot, several of the men
becoming so exhausted in their efforts that they were unable to proceed, and
perished in the snow. The remainder reached the cabin on top of the mountain,
six miles from the bar, which was vacant, and was found after much searching.
The snow there was over fifteen feet deep, and a descent was made through it and
into the cabin by means of the doorway. The shakes which composed the floor were
torn up to make a fire to instill a little warmth into their benumbed bodies.
After taking a hearty meal of the food they had brought with them, the party
rolled themselves up in their wet blankets, and, cold, shivering, and completely
exhausted, sought the presence of the "sweet restorer." Such a motley crew never
before lodged together in so contracted quarters. So packed and woven in
together were they, that when one awoke in the morning it took him some time to
discover whether he was a Chinaman, Kanaka, or white man. Early the next morning
they renewed their struggle with the snow and a terrible storm that had set in,
and after wallowing through it all day, reached Spanish Ranch, six miles
distant, where they procured a good warm supper. Here they found a great crowd
of miners who had come from other points, and so many were there that the
landlord sent them all away the next morning, as his stock of provisions were
too low to spare any for so great a crowd. They went on to Meadow Valley house,
two miles distant, and Dean & McCoy, the proprietors, kept them one day, and
then told them they must move on. The next day they set out for Buck's Ranch,
kept by R. H. Fairchilds, and struggled through the eight miles of snow to that
place. Here they paid one dollar and a half each for supper and breakfast, and
one dollar for the privilege of spreading a blanket on the floor for a bed.
During the night it rained a little, and then froze, forming a hard crust on the
snow, so that their journey of sixteen miles to Peavine the next day was
comparatively easy. Another day brought them to Bidwell's bar, where the river
was "booming." All travel by the ferry across the turgid stream had ceased; but
a man was engaged in crossing travelers in a small boat, taking only one at a
time. It was a most perilous undertaking; but the river was between them and
food, and go they must. One at a time they crossed, the last two being old
sailors, who rigged ropes to the ferry cable, and pulled themselves over. Now
that they had reached the land of Canaan for which they had struggled and
suffered, they felt as jubilant as children. They scattered through the mines in
search of claims, and early in the spring returned to their old claims in Plumas
county, dragging provisions over the snow on hand-sleds from Buckeye, where they
had paid fifty cents a pound for them. This is but one incident of the great
exodus of that memorable season.

   We will relate two more incidents of that terrible exodus, and that must
suffice. Late in December, 1852, M. Madden, Thomas Schooly, Mordicai Dunlap, and
____ Bain, left Soda bar to break their way through the snow out of the
mountains. After two days of struggle with snow and water, during which they one
time waded in water up to their waists, they reached Buck's Ranch. On the
morning of the 2nd of January, 1853, they left that place for Peavine, against
the advice of Captain Fairchilds, the proprietor, who called their attention to
a storm that was gathering. Bain was the only member of the party that had ever
been over the route; but as others had left the place that morning, they gave no
heed to Fairchilds's warning, and set out to follow the tracks left in the snow.
They had gone but a few miles when a severe storm set in. The wind blew a
perfect gale, and the rapidly falling snow was blown into their faces, nearly
blinding them. Lowering their heads, they struggled on against the tempest. They
were but scantily clothed for such a journey. None had a full suit of clothes;
and Bain wore but boots pants, hat, and woolen shirt, from which the buttons
were gone, leaving his breast exposed to the storm. When they reached Frenchman
hill they began to experience difficulty in keeping the trail, which was fast
being obliterated by the snow. They walked four abreast, so that the judgment of
all could be used as to the location of the trail. In this way they reached the
ruins of the old Rock River house, and pushed on to strike Walker's plains. Soon
they discovered that they were not in the road, and followed their tracks back
again to the Rock River house, to take a new start. This they tried several
times, losing their way each time, and having great difficulty in retracing
their steps; for though they sank nearly to their hips at every step, the
drifting snow soon filled up their tracks. The last time they found themselves
astray they were close to an old pine stump, the hollow part of which was filled
with pitch. This they knew would burn all night if they could ignite it, but all
their efforts were fruitless because of the dampness of their matches. They then
struggled back to the Rock River house in the hope of getting shelter, but were
again grievously disappointed. Only a few of the peeled poles that once formed a
frame upon which to stretch canvas remained to testify to a house having once
stood there. After digging about in the snow with their hands, to see if they
could not resurrect something to aid them in constructing a shelter, they
abandoned hope of accomplishing anything. What a terrible situation was theirs—
cold, wet, exhausted with fatigue, poorly clad, the darkness of night
enshrouding them, miles away from food, warmth, or shelter, and exposed to the
drivings of a pitiless storm! A faint-hearted man would have lain himself down
in the drifting snow and died. But a few yards from the old ruin was a brook,
running in a narrow channel between walls of snow twenty feet deep, where it had
been banked up by the wind. Into this they descended, and waded up and down in
the water, which was less than a foot deep, and was warmer than the snow. Here,
also, they were sheltered from the fury of the gale by the banks of snow on
either hand. Up and down the creek they waded, always moving to keep the blood
circulating, until poor Bain gave up in despair, and could make no further
effort to retain his hold upon the thread of life that was fast slipping from
his grasp. His companions caved down some snow on one side, and made a level
bench on which they sat in turns, holding Bain in their laps. The poor fellow
died in Schooly's arms. In this way the night wore on; the suffering men
scarcely hoping to see the return of another day. At last the dawn appeared.
Their pilot was dead; they knew not the road; all traces of travel had been long
since obliterated; and in this dilemma they decided to find their way back to
Buck's Ranch if possible. Their weakened condition and the increased depth of
loose snow made progress extremely difficult, and after struggling along for
some time, and finding themselves going down a mountain they had never seen
before, they made a resolve to turn back and push as hard toward the south as
possible, with the hope of getting out of the deep snow and reaching Peavine.
They retraced their steps, nearly covered by the falling snow, to where they had
spent the night, took Bain's pistol and money, and started in a southerly
direction. Soon they saw a blaze on a tree, then another, and renewed energy and
hope came with the knowledge that they were on the trail again. The storm
ceased, and the sun came out to cheer them, but the darkness of another night
settled down before they had reached their destination. Among the heavy timber
they tramped a long path of solid snow, up and down which they paced,
occasionally leaning against a tree for a short nap, and to dream of warm
firesides and tables groaning with the weight of juicy meats, and then waking to
tramp the path in cold and hunger, until again the morning broke and lighted
them on their way. The last efforts of exhausted nature brought them to Peavine,
where they were most kindly treated, and their frozen members nursed back to
vitality. After resting a few days they went back and gave poor Bain's body a
decent burial, then continued their journey to Marysville, where Bain's money
was deposited in Adams & Co.'s bank to the credit of his partner, who had
remained on Soda bar. This was but one of the many cases of suffering and death
amid the snows of that dreadful winter.

   Early in the month of January another party of twelve started from Nelson
Point to make their way out of the mountains. The first day they reached Onion
valley, where they remained for the night. In the morning, six of them, led by
J. H. Whitlock, started to break a path through the snow, it being agreed that
the other six would follow their trail at noon and break the road for the
balance of the day. The first party became lost in the snow, and wandered about
for three days, suffering from cold and hunger to a degree beyond description,
and finally reaching a house alive, but in a most pitiable condition. The second
party followed the trail of the first until they, too, became bewildered, and
sought to retrace their steps to Onion valley. One of them succeeded in doing
this, and sent help to the others. The relief party found Walter Goodspeed dead,
and H. Brown and William Phillips so badly frozen that they both died afterwards.

   In the spring of 1853 the miners came flocking back to the deserted claims,
and once again was seen the stir of civilization, and the transformation of the
wilderness into the abode of man. Emigrants came pouring in through Beckwourth
pass, with their families, to settle upon the rich lands of the valleys; and
these, with the settlements that had been previously made, laid a solid
foundation for the prosperous communities that afterwards sprang up. No more
fear, then, of starvation; no more necessity to flee to the valley at the
approach of winter; a new era had dawned upon Plumas, and it had begun to be
self-sustaining.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)

File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/plumas/history/1882/illustra/earlyhis106gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/

File size: 50.9 Kb