Yolo-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Greene, Charles E. 1825 - 1886
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 29, 2007, 4:09 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891)

CHARLES E. GEEENE, deceased, formerly a prominent farmer of Yolo County, was
born in Shelburne, Vermont, May 24, 1825, his parents being Rufus and Betsey
(Weed) Greene. His ancestry is traceable to the De Gras family of France, and
later to the family in Rhode Island named Greene, with whom the famous
Revolutionary General Nathaniel Greene was connected. When the subject of this
sketch was twelve years of age his parents removed to Hopkinton, New York,
resided there seven years, where Charles attended the Hopkinton Academy, and
then removed to Southport (now Kenosha), Wisconsin. There Mr. Greene taught
school awhile and then clerked in the drug store of his brother, Pliny P., a
practicing physician. March 13, 1849, he started for California with an ox team,
and arrived in Sacramento, October 13, after a comparatively pleasant trip.

  Upon his arrival in California, Mr. Greene engaged in mining for a time, with
success; then he was in mercantile business, in partnership with Mr. Hutchinson,
in Sacramento, on J street, where the old Fountain House now stands, until 1852;
and while there the firm was obliged to take some land in Yolo County in
security for a debt, and Mr. Greene took charge of it. It was twelve miles from
Woodland and known as the "Big Ranch." The grant title was proven fraudulent,
after expensive litigation in the courts. This, with other things, caused Mr.
Greene to lose all that he had saved. He lived there, however, until 1860, when
he moved upon the place where his widow now resides. After locating there he had
many discouraging failures, but fortune at length crowned his efforts, and at
the time of his death, in July, 1886, he had one of the most productive farms in
Yolo County. It is situated five miles north and east of Davisville, and
contains 1,280 acres, all enclosed. It is the best of wheat land; and here the
widow and two of the children reside, continuing in agricultural pursuits.

  Mr. Greene was a settled Republican and a public-spirited and exemplary
citizen. In July, 1855, he married Miss Bertha L. Bennett, of Sacramento. She
was a native of Muscatine, Iowa, and a daughter of Milo and Mary J. (Gibson)
Bennett, the father a native of Vermont and the mother of New Hampshire. Mr.
Bennett crossed the plains with his family to Sacramento in 1851, principally
for the sake of his health; but he died the next year. Mrs. Greene has had three
children: the eldest, Kate A., who is now Mrs. B. B. Tuttle, of Portland,
Oregon; Ella A. and Charles E., Jr.

  Mrs. Greene relates the following encounter with Indians while crossing the
plains in 1851:

  "When we left Council Bluffs, our company numbered about sixty persons, all
expecting to go to Oregon, but before reaching the junction of the California
and Oregon roads, my father with some others decided to go to California. Our
division consisted of ten men, two women and seven children, separating from the
main company, taking our way toward California. Occasionally we were visited by
Indians in small numbers, and while we treated them kindly always refused their
request for ammunition, which they seemed anxious to have. A few days after one
of these visits we had some cattle shot, but as they were not greatly injured we
did not leave them. This may have angered the Indians, for we began to notice
signal fires in all directions. Arriving at the Humboldt River, where water and
grass was plentiful, we concluded to rest for a few days, but on a second
consideration we thought it prudent to try and overtake a company who were only
two days in advance of us. The signal fires increased in numbers, making us feel
that danger threatened.

  "At the close of the second day we reached a place called Stony Point, and as
usual one of our number was sent forward to choose our camping grounds; my
sister and myself accompanying him to the place selected, we went down to the
river to get a drink and wash our faces. The gentleman with us stooped down to
get some water and was in the act of putting it to his lips when he discovered
an Indian on the opposite bank just, raising his gun. Simultaneously a report
sounded from both sides, and our escort called to us to run as the Indians were
upon us. This we did crying 'Indians!' 'Indians!' at every step. Our cry was
heard just as the wagons were forming the camp, immediately our captain ordered
a retreat from the willows, and we barely reached a place where the Indians
could not tire on us from ambush, when we were surrounded by between
seventy-five and 100 yelling, dancing Indians. The wounded man had managed to
reach the camp in a short time; two others were disabled, thus reducing our
defenders to seven men. We made breastworks of bed and pillows, thus affording a
slight protection from which our men could return the fire of the enemy.

  "The sun went down on a seemingly doomed company, surrounded by overwhelming
numbers. Our death, or, worse, our capture, seemed inevitable. Within our camp
there was a deathlike stillness, each one realizing that the next moment might
be our last on earth. The tiring from both sides continued until midnight, when
we could see that some sort of a council was being held. We were not left long
in suspense as to their intentions, for suddenly the sky grew red and we were
inclosed in a wall of fire. The grass was about eighteen inches high and very
dry, and as we saw the flames advancing toward us we felt that there was no
longer any hope. Surely God was our defense; for when the fire had reached
within twenty yards of the camp it went out. They did not dare relight it, as
any attempt to do so would have brought them within range of our guns; so they
continued shooting at us until about eight o'clock the next morning. Then,
seemingly discouraged, they disappeared. After a consultation among our company
it was deemed advisable to proceed, but as the traveled road was for the greater
part of the way among the willows we decided to abandon that, taking our way
across the hills with only the sun for our guide. Each man carried his gun in
one hand, a whip in the other, the women and children always carrying weapons.
The wisdom of our course was soon manifest, for the Indians once more swarmed
from their hiding places and commenced firing upon us.

  "For three days and nights we were without water, excepting such as we found
in the stagnant pools, and this so foul that we could only drink it with vinegar
or make it into coffee. The stock was watered by women and children passing
buckets from hand to hand, while every man with gun in hand stood ready to tire
in case of emergency. For a week we dared not stop to rest, making a fire once a
day, and then only enough to make our coffee, lest the smoke should reveal us to
the enemy. Day and night we journeyed on until it seemed as though death was
better than the terrible suspense. Gradually our fears lessened, though it was
weary traveling. As my father had lost all his stock, and only by dividing the
teams belonging to others were we enabled to bring one wagon, which contained
all we possessed in the world. After we met a company of prospectors from
California we felt comparatively safe, experiencing no farther trouble from the
enemy."


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

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

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

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.


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