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

GOODWIN TOWNSHIP.

   This comprises all of the county lying south of the middle fork of Feather
river, and west of Quartz township. How the La Porte district was secured from
Sierra county, and erected into Goodwin township, afterwards absorbing the old
township of Washington, has been related in the Official History. This is almost
entirely a mining region, agriculture being carried on in Onion valley and
Little Grass valley to a limited extent only. Mining is being carried on along
the middle fork and its tributaries, and in the vicinity of La Porte. In the
past this was an exceedingly rich mining region, and swarmed with miners, who
dug for the precious dust on every stream and gulch.

   The manner in which this region was invaded about the last of May, 1850, by
the searchers for the fabulous Gold lake has already been related in the Early
History, and needs not to be repeated. Among the hundreds who rushed into these
mountains in the wake of the Stoddard party were two men named Nelson and
Batterton. These two discovered diggings on a stream that was named Nelson creek
in honor of one of them. They were soon joined by others who had been on the
same errand as themselves, and in a few days the creek, as well as its
tributaries— Hopkins and Poorman's creeks—were soon crowded with the
disappointed Gold-lakers. Rich bar, on the middle fork a few miles below the
mouth of Kelson creek, was discovered but a few days later, and was also crowded
by the men returning from the Gold-lake expedition.

   The discovery on Rich bar was made by Captain Blackburn and B. F. Chafee.
From the summit between Onion Valley creek and the middle fork, they noticed the
crater which overhangs the bar, and cherishing the popular notion of the day
that volcanoes were largely responsible for gold, they decided to descend to the
river and prospect. They camped for the night on the south bank, and in the
morning crossed over to the bar, which had impressed them favorably by its
appearance. They effected a crossing by felling trees for a bridge, and spread
their blankets upon one of the richest placers in California. The bar was
shallow and easily prospected, their efforts being quickly crowned with the
highest success. Their provisions being very low, they set out for Stringtown,
in Butte county, from whence they had come, to procure a new supply; not,
however, until having staked off claims. Upon arriving at Stringtown, they were
of course interrogated as to the success they had met with, but preserved a
silence on the subject that only served to convince their questioners that they
had found something. Upon their return to the bar, they found not the peace of
nature that they had left but a few days before, for men were swarming up and
down the stream, staking off claims, and rockers were as plentiful as bowlders.
The Gold-lakers had returned and overrun the whole bar. Their claims were all
right, and they had reason to congratulate themselves upon their foresight in
staking them off before they left.

   The first workers on the bar had taken up claims of a generous size, and soon
the whole bar was occupied. The region was full of miners, and they came pouring
down upon the river, attracted by the reports of a rich strike, until their
tents and camp-fires presented the appearance of a vast army. Those without
claims far exceeded in number the fortunate ones. A miners' meeting was called
to make laws. Majority ruled in a mining camp in those days, and it was voted to
cut down the size of claims to forty feet. The claim owners were powerless to
resist, but had to submit to the fiat of the majority. The miners were then
registered in the order of the date of their arrival upon the bar, and in that
order were allowed to select claims until all were taken. Even then there was a
great crowd of disappointed ones. Many of these went prospecting; while a few
days later the report of rich diggings having been found on the east branch
carried off the others with a rush. All the summer and fall the claims were
worked, and one wing-dam was put in, which developed extraordinarily rich
deposits'. ' When the winter set in the bar was almost entirely deserted, so
great was the fear of wintering in the mountains, and the miners went down to
the lower mines to await the opening of the spring season. In the spring they
came back with a rush, and the scenes of the summer before were repeated: a
score of men visiting the bar for every one who could secure a vacant claim. The
others went on to the dozens of new places that were constantly being discovered.

   Rich bar was a bustling place for the next few years. A flume was built in
1851 for carrying the stream while the bed was being worked. The lumber was
supplied by a saw-mill at the foot of the bar, put up that year and operated by
J. B. Batchelder. This gentleman had the pleasure of saving Mr. Whiting's life
that summer by pulling him out of the river. He had undertaken to cross the
stream on Batchelder's log boom, and had fallen in. Mr. Whiting never alludes to
the incident without expressing his gratitude. Considerable fluming was done on
the stream, and a great many wing-dams were put in; but in a majority of cases,
this class of river mining was unsuccessful. Hundreds of miners lost in this way
the money they had previously made by working claims on the bars. Regular placer
claims on the bars and flats and in the ravines and gulches were the most
remunerative. They were easily worked, and if found not to be good could be
abandoned by their owner without sacrificing expensive improvements, and he
could go in search of a new claim. On the other hand, wing-dams and flumes were
very expensive, and consumed a great deal of time. They were generally carried
on by companies, who, when the season ended, often found themselves poorer than
when they began operations in the spring. Rich bar flourished but a few years,
and then joined the long list of worked-out mining camps.

   The chief mining camps along the middle fork were: Minerva bar, Butte bar,
Rich bar, Hottentot bar, Sailor bar, Rocky bar, Columbia flat, Sunny bar, Bray's
bar, Bowen's bar, Frenchman's bar, Willow creek, Poverty flat, Poplar bar,
Peoria bar, and Nigger bar.

   Among the workers on Nelson creek in the summer of 1850 was the Wisconsin
company, composed of Ripley C. Kelley, Andrew Kelley, Warner Meeker, Abbey, Toy,
Ivey, George Tilly, W. J. Tilly, Myers, John Warly, James Warly, S. B. Hatch,
and Alex. Turner. They opened a rich claim just above Meeker flat in June, and
about the same time started a trading-post on the flat, and placed W. J. Tilly
in charge. Their enterprises were both successful. The company worked out in
three weeks ninety-three pounds of gold. In the fall the company disbanded, and
divided 10,000 lbs. of flour and other goods among themselves. W. J. Tilly is
now a member of the firm of Wellman, Peck, & Co., San Francisco. Ripley C.
Kelley is mining on Poorman's creek. John W. Thompson built a log cabin in
November, 1850, at Nelson Point, and opened a trading post. In the spring he put
up a good canvas store. In 1851-2-3 there were stores and boarding-houses at
Henpeck flat, Meeker flat, Independence bar, and at one or two other points on
Nelson, Hopkins, and Poorman's creeks. Nelson Point became quite a town, having
two stores, one hotel, two saloons, one boarding-house, and a number of cabins.
It was a very central point, and a great many miners procured their supplies
there. A post-office was established there a number of years after, which is now
kept at the bridge crossing the river. When the wagon road was built in 1867,
the place ceased to be a business point, and the store was discontinued. Near
the bridge, a mile and one-half up the river, a store is still being kept. The
most important mining points along Nelson creek were: Graveyard flat, Fiddler's
flat, Buckeye bar, Henpeck flat, Grizzly flat, Scotch flat, Meeker flat,
Independence bar, Dixon creek, Union creek, Poorman's creek, and Hopkins creek.

   Mr. Abram Taylor, now mining near Buck's Ranch, says that on the fifteenth of
April, 1850, having been told by Indians of a rich bar "three sleeps" up the
middle fork, he left Bingham's bar with two companions, Arnold and Fisher, in
search of the spot. Following the divide between the Yuba and Feather to Little
Grass valley, they turned north and reached the river at a place afterwards
known as Stag point. They followed up the stream four days, prospecting, but
found nothing. Their little stock of provisions giving out, they went back to
Little Grass valley, and thence to Bingham's bar by the divide between the south
and middle forks. Arnold and Fisher were amply satisfied; not so Taylor, for a
few days later he started again with four new companions, following the same
route they took on the first trip. They overtook John Bodly at Strawberry
valley. He had two wagons loaded with provisions, liquors, and tools, and was
looking for a place to establish a trading post, well knowing that the mountains
would be full of miners that summer. They piloted him to Little Grass valley,
where he laid claim to the land and opened his store. Taylor and his friends
continued on their way to the river, and in a few days discovered the place they
were seeking, and staked out their claims. Gold was plentiful, and the average
for the five men with two rockers was twenty-four ounces per day. John Bodly,
being a trader, spread the news to attract the roving crowd, of Gold-lakers that
then filled the mountains, and in a few days the bar was swarming with them, and
the canvas and brush town sprang up like magic.

   Butte bar, which is a number of miles farther down the middle fork than the
more noted Rich bar, was a very lively mining camp in 1850 and the few
subsequent years. Like the others, it was deserted in the fall of 1850, the
miners not having provisions enough to last them until spring, and being fearful
of the dangers of a winter in the mountains. In the month of October, 1850, John
R. Mason, now of San Francisco, left Bidwell's bar with five companions to spend
the winter at one of the deserted bars, They packed their supplies on mules,
which were sent back again as quickly, as possible to avoid being caught in the
snow. They found a comfortable log house twelve miles below Butte bar, and
decided to winter there. They worked all winter, had plenty of venison to eat,
but were annoyed by the predatory habits of a band of Indians, finding it
necessary to keep a guard at the cabin constantly to avoid the total loss of
their supplies. They remained until March, and had done a good winter's work;
moreover, being unable to spend it, they had the reward of their labors to show
in the spring, something that many a miner near the gay camps farther down the
stream was unable to do.

   Of a sad incident of that winter Mr. Mason writes: "During a fine spell of
weather, in January, I think, five of us concluded to go to Butte bar. We made
the trip in two days. We arrived just before dark, and began gathering wood for
our camp-fire. While others were cooking, I wandered into the one cabin that
stood on the bar, and saw what appeared to be a pile of blankets lying in a
corner. Thinking it strange that they should have been left there, I went over
to feel them, and was soon convinced that they covered the body of a dead man.
After we had finished our evening meal, I lighted a pine knot, and telling the
boys what I had found, led the way into the cabin, where we found that my
suspicions were correct. In the morning we searched to see if we could find some
clew to the mystery. On his person were only a knife and a little coarse gold.
He was apparently a German, about twenty-two years of age, but his name I could
never learn. We found some old beef bones that he had been biting, and were
satisfied that he had come to his death from starvation. Wrapping the blankets
around the body, we buried them a short distance from the cabin, and returned to
our camp down the river. In the spring of 18511 went to Onion valley, and there
learned more of the sad affair. Three men who had been working on Poorman's
creek had left the creek in December to go to Onion valley, had lost their way
in a severe snow-storm, and wandered down to the river. Seeing this cabin on the
other side, they crossed over and availed themselves of its friendly shelter
until the storm abated. They had been out of provisions for a number of days,
and were becoming rapidly weak and powerless. They again started for Onion
valley, but this one was too feeble to get over the mountain, and the others had
been compelled to go on without him, promising to send relief if they survived.
One of the others gave out on the top of the mountain, while the third struggled
on to within a few miles of the valley, when he was found by a party of miners,
who gave him food and took him to the valley. He related his story, but told
them it was no use to go back after the man at Butte bar, as a storm had
occurred since, and he had surely perished. The second man was rescued, but no
effort was made to go after the first one, whom every one supposed to have died
several days before. If they had gone to Butte bar after him, I think they would
have found him alive, as we saw his foot-marks in the snow after the last storm,
showing that he still lived when the rescuing party was on the mountain."

   Little Grass valley from 1850 until roads were made was the end of wagon
travel from Marysville, and here goods were transferred to the backs of
pack-mules, and carried to their destination beyond. Several cabins were built
here in 1850. One of them was a boarding-house, in the kitchen of which presided
a lady who was famous for miles around for the elegant biscuits she placed
before her guests. A great many miners spent the winter of 1850-51 there, where
there was a trading post and plenty of provisions. In 1850, and for a number of
years, stock was turned out there to graze, and beef-cattle were kept there to
be slaughtered for the mines. For a number of years Toombs of Marysville kept an
ice-house in the valley.

   Onion valley was so named because of a wild onion that grew there in early
days, and which the people used to eat. A house was built in the valley in 1850,
and that winter a great many miners came in from the river and creeks, and
camped until spring. Early in the spring, also, a great many on their way to the
mines from below camped in the valley for a few weeks, waiting an opportunity to
go to the river. This was then an exceedingly lively neighborhood. There were
half a dozen hotels, as many stores and saloons, a large gambling-house, and a
ten-pin alley. Dining 1851, and for several years thereafter, it was the general
headquarters for miles around. Its business began to decline in the fall of
1851, when trading posts became more numerous in the surrounding mining camps. A
few years later a post-office was established here, for this place, Richmond
hill, Sawpit flat, and other adjacent mining points. It was discontinued fifteen
years ago. Mr. Nathaniel Mullen now keeps a hotel and butcher-shop in the valley.

   Sawpit flat is one and one-half miles west from Onion valley. It derived its
name from the fact that lumber was whip-sawed there in 1850. A little mining was
done on Onion Valley creek in 1850 and later, but in 1854 the miners began to
work the flat by tunneling. For fifteen years thereafter it was an exceedingly
lively mining camp, containing three stores, two hotels, and the usual
complement of saloons and other buildings. Its glory has been departed for
several years, and no store is maintained there now. The post-office for this
place and for Richmond hill was at Onion valley. Richmond hill is one-half mile
farther down the creek, and commenced to be worked about the same time as the
flat.    Several stores, hotels, etc., existed there for a number of years.

   LA PORTE.—The most important settlement in the extreme southern portion of
Plumas county, and one that in former years belonged to the county of Sierra, is
the old town of La Porte. It is pleasantly located on the banks of Rabbit creek,
4,500 feet above the sea, and sixty-one miles from Marysville, twenty from
Downieville, and thirty-five from Quincy. With the last-named place it is
connected by a finely graded road, built at an expense of over $30,000. Bald
mountain rises 1,000 feet above the town, and from its summit the citizens can
obtain an unobstructed view for miles in every direction. Gold was discovered on
the creek and at the head of Little Grass valley in the fall of 1850, by
Hamilton Ward, his brother, and James Murray. The vicinity was known for several
years as the Rabbit creek diggings. Siller's water ditch was completed in 1851,
and Foster's ditch in 1852. The completion of these, and the Martindale or
Geeslin ditch in 1855, led to the introduction of hydraulic mining, and upon
this was founded the growth and prosperity of the town.

   The first house on the town site of La Porte was erected in the fall of 1852
by Eli S. Lester, and was called the Rabbit Creek Hotel. It stood on the north
side of Main street, on the ground lying between Sherman's stage barn and
Runnell's blacksmith shop. It was built and opened simply as a country hotel,
and no town grew up around it for two years. The next house was built for a meat
market in 1854, by Thomas Fregaskis. Eli Lester opened a store that year, and a
number of new buildings were erected along Main street, forming quite a town. A
great impulse was given to mining in the vicinity, that and the next year, and
Rabbit creek became an exceedingly thriving and well-known camp. Frank Everts,
who had been running the express business of Everts, Snell, & Co., was appointed
agent for Adams & Co. in this region, and upon the failure of that firm, early
in 1855, began a general banking business at Rabbit creek, the buying of
gold-dust being the leading feature of the business. A post-office was
established there in 1854, with landlord Lester as postmaster.

   Rabbit creek grew rapidly, especially after the introduction of hydraulic
mining in 1855, and was the general commercial center for a great many mining
camps within the radius of a dozen miles. The Mountain Messenger, a weekly
paper, began publication in 1855. The citizens were not satisfied with the name,
and in 1857 Frank Everts, who was the leading spirit of the town, and possessed
the largest share of the public confidence, requested that the name be changed
to La Porte, in honor of his own home in Indiana. A meeting was held, at which
it was agreed to adopt the name of La Porte, and a petition was accordingly sent
to the postal department to that effect, which was fortunately successful.
Rabbit creek disappeared, and La Porte "sprang full armed from the brain of"
Frank Everts. The town still continued to grow. B. W. Barnes brought to town in
1858, by the medium of log pipes, the water of a fine spring, this has always
been the water supply of the town. The water has a fall of only sixty feet, and
is not adequate for defense against fire.

   The first set-back the town received was on July 27,1861, when it was nearly
annihilated by fire. Nine-tenths of the whole town were completely destroyed.
Every business place except Schuster's brewery was reduced to ruins. The loss
was 8160,000, with only $30,000 of insurance. A new town immediately sprang up
amid the ruins of the old, and in a few months scarcely a trace of the
conflagration could be found. Business was good, and the cheap board buildings
usual to those times were quickly constructed. A brick fire-proof building was
erected by Fuller & Buel, called the Alturas block. Twelve other structures were
erected which were at that time called fire-proof, but were found not to be so a
few years later. During the year 1862 La Porte reached the zenith of its
prosperity, and from that time it began to wane. It then contained three hotels,
half a dozen large stores, a ten-pin alley, fourteen liquor bars, shops,
stables, M. E. church, Catholic church, two halls, and many residences and cabins.

   In 1866, after vainly endeavoring to become the county seat of a new county,
La Porte was taken from Sierra county by the legislature and annexed to Plumas.
[See Official History and La Porte and Quincy Road.] A fine wagon road was built
to Quincy, and a trade established with the farmers of American valley. The town
still gradually declined as the number of men engaged in mining became less. In
1869 another fire swept the town, burning both sides of Main street-in fact, the
whole business portion except the Alturas block, which only lost its roof. It
was again rapidly rebuilt, to suffer destruction a third time in January, 1871.
This time the Union Hotel and the Alturas block were saved, the latter again
losing its roof. For the third time new buildings were erected amid the smoking
ruins of the old, but the fires had been severe blows to the prosperity of their
victim. It has always had and stills enjoys the trade of a large contributing
section of mining country; and notwithstanding its repeated misfortunes, is
still a most flourishing business center. Port Wine, Wahoo, Poverty Hill,
Morristown, Howland Flat, St. Louis, Whisky Diggings, and a number of other
places are within a few miles, and contribute largely to its support.

   The business may be summed up as follows: five stores, three hotels, two
markets, one saloon, one livery stable, one shoe-shop, one blacksmith shop, one
bank, one school, two churches, four fraternal societies, two physicians, one
surveyor, and one attorney. The bank was established in 1855 by John Conly, and
was owned by himself and others interested with him until 1871. It was then
incorporated as the Bank of La Porte. In 1874 Kleckner Brothers & Wheeler bought
all the stock, and in August, 1876, Dixon Brabban and Simeon Wheeler purchased
the stock, since which time Mr. Brabban has been the manager; he is also agent
for Wells, Fargo, & Co. The population is about 400 souls. A. Harris
manufactures here the well-known Harris patent hydraulic pipe nozzle, which is
extensively used in Plumas, Sierra, and Butte counties.

   The M. E. church, which was first dedicated in 1858 by Rev. G. C. Pierce and
Sealey C. Peck, was converted, in December, 1880, into a public school-house. It
is still used for Sunday-school and occasional church services. The Catholic
church is still maintained.

   JEFFERSON LODGE NO. 97, F. & A. M.—This lodge was organized in La Porte May
8, 1856, W. W. Brainard, Fred Howard, J. C. Hawley, E. Lane, E. Goeb, W. S.
Myers, and W. T. Head being the charter members. The lodge is still in a
flourishing condition. A chapter that was organized here a number of years ago
was recently removed to Quincy.

   ALTURAS LODGE NO. 80, I. O. O. F.—James St. Clair Wilson, D. D. G. M.,
instituted this lodge December 8, 1858, the charter members being B. W. Barnes,
H. G. O. Drake, C. Lowry, A. H. Crew, Charles Serch, and D. Gore. It still holds
its stated convocations at La Porte.

   A lodge of Ancient Order of United Workmen and. one of the Independent Order
of Good Templars exist here also.

   SIERRA COUNTY BLUES.—From 1858 to 1860 this military company flourished in La
Porte. Creed Haymond was the captain, Eli Evans, William Moffitt, and John W.
Bradley were lieutenants, and George A. Davis and John H. Hudson were first and
second sergeants. In 1858 Colonel E. D. Baker was paid $1,000 to deliver a
Fourth-of-July oration, and William S. Byrne was engaged as poet. The Blues, not
liking this expensive arrangement, invited Moses Kirkpatrick and Mathew Taylor
to be orator and poet, also. The result was, that a double celebration was held,
two orations were delivered, and two poems read. The militia boys made the most
noise, much to the disgust of the "nobs," as they called their rivals in
patriotic fervor.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)

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