Yolo County CA Archives History - Books .....Early Times In Tule Town 1913
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Book Title: History Of Yolo County

CHAPTER VIII 
EARLY TIMES IN TULE TOWN

    The marriage of Nathan Coombs with Elizabeth Gordon, or Belle Gordon, a
daughter of the pioneer, was the first matrimonial alliance between whites in
this portion of the Great Valley. As only Slitter in that part of the territory
could lawfully join them together, they mounted their horses and rode
twenty-seven miles through the wild country. After the Captain, in accordance
with the laws of Mexico, had tied the two into one, hard and fast, they
remounted their horses, recrossed the Sacramento river, and then this Mr. and
Mrs. Lochinvar Coombs rode back into "the west," to their home on Cache creek,
making fifty-four miles that day. It was late, the Gordon household were asleep,
but the young "Nath Coombs" couple ate their wedding supper out of the cupboard
and were satisfied though tired. In after years portions of the Gordon family
moved farther west and into Napa county and we see Gordon Valley named from this
people. July 30, 1912, Joseph, one of the sons of William Gordon, died at his
home in the Valley, where he was well and favorably known. The Coombs of Napa,
prominent citizens of that county, are of that memorable union in Sutter's Fort
in the fall of '44, William Gordon Coombs being the first birth. A notable
contemporary of these early Yoloites was Joe R. Wolfskill, who lived on Puto or
Putah creek, but his cabin was on the southern or Solano shore of the stream.

THE LOST KNIGHT RANCHO

    About that time the Berryessa Brothers, Californians, obtained grants to
what is now known as Berryessa valley, also that nine square leagues of land
along the "Jesus Maria" river, now known as Cache creek. This is the grant of
the Canada de Capay. On this date Knight received his grant of ten league, and
of which rancho the papers could not be found for confirmation by the United
States Land Commission after his death. Like all lands originally owned by
native Californians, or Mexicans, the great Berryessa holdings were soon held by
strangers. The names of the Berryessas were Santiago, Nemecia and Francisco.
George Schwartz about this time turned up with a grant for three square leagues
along the west shore of the Sacramento where Broderick (or Washington), now
stands. Schwartz, an odd and somewhat mysterious person, lived in his tule cabin
among the Indians there for several years, but his claim was rejected by the
United States courts.

THE KELSEY HOODOO

    D. T. Bird and a company of immigrants from Oregon landed that year in this
state, and in this party was the Kelsey family. Of the males there were two
brothers, David and Andrew; and David's sons, Benjamin and Samuel; and
misfortune appeared to mark them for its own. David died with smallpox in his
cabin on the site of Stockton City and his wife was blinded by the same horrible
pestilence. A couple of hunters found the dead man in his bed, and the others of
the family except one little girl—a heroine trying to nurse the
patients—helpless with the disease. Joseph Buzzle, one of the hunters who
rescued this unlucky household, afterwards married a Kelsey, and a few years
subsequently was accidentally drowned in Half Moon Bay, San Mateo county. Andrew
Kelsey was murdered in his cabin in Lake county. Kelseyville, named for its
pioneer settler, is on the site of this tragedy. Benjamin Kelsey was never at
rest and never could escape the family bad luck. He began his Wandering Jew life
in 1841, when with his family he crossed the plains to California, soon
afterwards moving away to Oregon. In 1844 they again appeared in California, but
the old spirit of unrest was rampant and the voice "move on" sounded in their
ears and they started for their original eastern home. Going through Texas they
were attacked by Indians and their daughter Annie killed and scalped. The family
remained a short time in the east and then struck out again for the far west,
eventually reaching California for the third time. Their further wanderings are
unknown.

THE PIONEER WHEAT PATCH

    In the Kelsey party that reached California via Oregon in 1844 were D. T.
Bird and Granville Swift, Henry and William Fowler. W. H. Winter and William
Hargrave. All of these except Bird finally settled in Napa county. Swift became
a resident of Sonoma county and was one of the Bear Flag party of 1846. He was
killed by a fall from his mule in Napa county, where he was living at the time,
in 1876. The era of cereals on the western side of Sacramento river may be said
to have opened in 1845, when William Gordon raised about seven acres of wheat
and five acres of corn. The great grain fields sweeping over Solano, Yolo and
Colusa are evidences of the growth of this golden product. Among other
immigrants who came to Gordon's in Capay valley in 1845 were John Grigsby, John
and William Scott and William Lincoln Todd. John Scott was the messenger who
notified Captain Fremont at Sutter's Fort that Commodore Sloat had hoisted the
United States flag at Monterey. Todd was a nephew of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln—whose
family name is Todd. He was one of the Bear Flag immortals, and was the famous
artist of that equally famous ensign, even if its bear did resemble a pig, and
its lone star was not very brilliant or very artistic. For many years Todd was a
resident of Yolo county. William E. Roulette and wife, Joseph Davis and John
Sears and J. M. Rhodes also settled in Capay. A grant of eleven square leagues
of land lying between Willows slough and Puto creek had been issued to Victor
Pudon and Marcus Vaca. It was first known as the Rancho Laguna de Santos Calle.
During that year, 1845, the Colonel Blyman party of thirty-nine persons, among
whom was S. U. Chase, landed at the "Gordon ranch." Mr. Chase soon returned to
Oregon, but was again in California in 1848. In the spring of 1846 James
McDowell, a gunsmith living at Sutter's Fort, crossed the river and built a
cabin on what is now the site of Broderick, or originally Washington, and this
was the beginning of that town. He moved his family across to their new home and
several of its members lived in the place for years after. McDonald was an
officer in the California Battalion of Volunteers. He was assassinated in
Sacramento May 24, 1849, and died two days after.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]


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