Yuba County CA Archives History - Books .....Chapter 18 Other Towns Of The County 1924
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Book Title: History Of Yuba And Sutter Counties

CHAPTER XVIII 
OTHER TOWNS OF THE COUNTY 

    Agriculture and mining, which always have been dependable resources of Yuba
County, are accountable for the advent of many sister settlements since the
birth of Marysville. For the most part these places have looked to Marysville as
the marketing place, as all, save Wheatland, are distant from the line of the
railroad. Wheatland ranks next in importance to Marysville, Smartsville, Browns
Valley, Dobbins, Indiana Ranch, Brownsville, Challenge, Strawberry, Woodleaf and
Clipper all have been in close touch with the county-seat since their birth. 

WHEATLAND 

    Wheatland, located at the four corners of Yuba, Sutter, Nevada and Placer
Counties, was laid out in lots in 1866 by George Holland, under the management
of C. L. Wilson. The chain of title to the town lots begins with the year 1844,
when Don Pablo Gutierrez received a grant of five Spanish leagues of land on the
north bank of the Bear River. He was killed in 1845, and the grant was sold at
auction on April 28, 1845, by John A. Sutter, as magistrate, to William Johnson,
from whom the section gets the name Johnson Rancho. Sebastian Kyser owned a
one-half interest in Johnson's purchase. On November 10, 1849, Kyser sold to
Eugene Gillespie and Henry E. Robinson. March 24, 1849, Johnson sold to James
Kyle, Jonathan B. Truesdale, James Emory, and William Cleveland. Truesdale
deeded his interest to Cleveland, Kyle, and James Imbrie. August 13, 1849,
Cleveland, Kyle, and Imbrie deeded to Gillespie and Robinson, thus giving the
title to the whole grant to these men. September 28, 1854, Robinson deeded a
one-half interest to Elihu Woodruff. By a partition deed, March 28, 1856, John
W. Bray was deeded, among other tracts, the east half of Section 12 of Johnson's
Ranch. August 3, 1857, the United States confirmed the Mexican grant in the name
of William Johnson, thus perfecting the title. November 14, 1857, Bray sold the
southeast quarter of Section 12 to Eli A. Harper. November 20, 1863, Harper
deeded the tract to A. W. Holloman and C. Cauthron. On October 26, 1865, the
property was conveyed by Holloman and Cauthron to George S. Wright. 

    The Central Pacific Railroad was completed to Wheatland in 1866, and a
post-office established. One of the first buildings was erected by Ziegebbien &
Company for a store; this was a wooden structure on the corner of Main and Front
Streets. The first residence was built the same year by C. Holland, at the
corner of Main and D Streets. E. W. Sheets built a blacksmith shop on the corner
of Main and C Streets; and Asa Raymond built a hotel on Main Street, near the
east end of the town. These were all the buildings erected during the first year
of the town's existence. Not until the year 1871-1872 did the sale of lots
become very brisk. 

    On account of the inability of the town to protect itself against fire, and
provide sanitary regulations, etc., the citizens decided to have the town
incorporated, which was accordingly done by act of the legislature, March 13,
1874. The first board of trustees was composed of D. P. Durst, president; H. C.
Niemeyer, clerk; H. Lohse, C. Holland, and S. Wolf; the first treasurer was
David Irwin; assessor, Cyrus Stoddard; marshal, Joseph Trimmer; city justices of
the peace, A. M. Bragg and W. L. Campbell. Wheatland has twice been razed by
fire, but is now well protected against that element. 

    The hop industry, followed in recent years by Durst Brothers, E. C. Horst,
and others, has caused the place to be known as the "Hop Center." Frequent
slumps in this commodity have caused the landowners and growers to turn in
recent years to fruit and vegetables, with marked success. The land about
Wheatland is the richest in the county, particularly the bottom lands along the
Bear River. At the present time a movement is on foot to provide a bridge across
Bear River to connect this section with the rich Rio Oso section in Sutter
County. G. E. Nutt is the supervisor representing the section on the board at
present. 

    The town derived its name from the vast amount of wheat grown in the
vicinity in its early history, and shipped by rail from that point. 

Farmers Bank of Wheatland 

    The Farmers Bank of Wheatland was incorporated October 22, 1874, with a
capital stock of $125,000, divided into 1250 shares of $100 each. The officers
of the bank at that time were Crawford Holland, president; A. W. Oakley,
secretary; and W. W. Holland, cashier. On March 16, 1875. the capital stock was
increased to $250,000, divided into 2500 shares. 

Organizations of the Town 

    Wheatland has a prosperous lodge of Odd Fellows, which body owns its own
hall. Here all lodges of the place meet, including a Masonic lodge and a parlor
of Native Sons. At one time the town supported a branch of the Good Templars and
a branch of the Patrons of Husbandry. 

    The Wheatland Women's Civic Improvement Club is a valuable asset to the
place. Recently the women aided the Chamber of Commerce of Wheatland in the
planting of trees along the State Highway between Wheatland and Marysville. 

    The churches of Wheatland are a credit to the community, being well
attended, and well constructed and preserved as to architecture. The Methodists,
Episcopalians, Christians and Baptists each have large congregations
contributing to the support of pastors. Besides engaging in church work, the
women folks of all denominations are organized into an improvement club, which
looks well to the physical as well as the moral welfare of the community. 

The Weekly Newspaper 

    From the early seventies Wheatland has continuously supported a newspaper.
The Wheatland Enterprise was the name of the first journal, started by A. C.
Pratt, who was editor and publisher. In 1874, W. L. Campbell and F. M. Walsh
bought the plant and changed the name to the Wheatland Free Press. Campbell soon
sold his interest to his partner, and in 1875 the owners were Walsh & Larrabee.
When Frank F. Carnduff, former Marysville attorney, took over the paper, he
called it the Recorder. In later years the paper was conducted by Jonathan
Durst. He sold his interest to John Cleek, who added a linotype to the plant's
equipment. Cleek is the present owner of the paper, which is now known as the
Wheatland Herald. 

Men Who Made Wheatland 

    Names synonymous with Wheatland's steady growth, sturdy pioneers who knew no
such word as failure, are: W. O. Armstead, D. W. Berry, William A. Creps, B. F.
Dam, C. K. Dam, W. T. Foster, A. N. Garrison, C. P. Gillette, William Harding,
T. B. Hopkins, P. L. Hutchinson, J. M. C. Jasper, F. Kirshner, Samuel Kuster,
Frank R. Lofton, John H. Major, A. W. Oakley, Hugh Roddan, J. W. Sowell, A. J.
Webster, O. Whiteside, and S. D. Wood, all farmers and stock-raisers. Others, in
various callings, are Charles Justis, merchant and butcher; A. M. Neustadt,
hotel-keeper; J. F. Baun, blacksmith and wagon-maker; F. J. Calmes, saddlery and
harness; Frank F. Carnduff, newspaper man; E. P. Duplex, barber; David Irwin,
superintendent lumber company; D. O. Little, blacksmith; W. M. Neustadt, hotel;
E. W. Sheets, blacksmith; John A. Stewart, wagon-maker; A. J. Swift, blacksmith
and wagon-maker; and Matthew A. Scott, drugs. Descendants of this brave band are
now to be found in many sections of Yuba and Sutter Counties. 

BROWNS VALLEY 
Mines and Mining Claims 

    Browns Valley, situated twelve miles northeast of Marysville, received its
name from an early settler named Brown, who in 1850 accidentally discovered gold
upon the present site of the place. Brown made his strike near a huge boulder
adjoining his temporary camp. It is said he took out $12,000 in quartz, and was
satisfied to retire on that amount. 

    Joe Brockman, brother of William Brockman, who now lives near the Sutter
Buttes, tried mining with sluice-boxes shortly after. He was working near a rich
vein, which to him appeared to be "petered out." He did not know how near he had
come to fabulous wealth until after he sold his claim to four Frenchmen, who
knew more about mining ground than Brockman. They were not long in locating the
vein that made the Jefferson Mine famous. It is said they took out enough to
warrant their retirement in a few years. One of the number was the founder of
the resort that thrived at B and Third Streets in Marysville for many years,
remembered by the older residents as "Wideman's Corner." 

    The Flag Mine followed the Jefferson, giving employment to a large number of
men. Then the Donnebrouge Mine was located; and this was followed by the opening
of the Pennsylvania Mine. 

    In connection with the early history of the Pennsylvania Mine, it is told
that one of the early-day superintendents, conniving with the underground boss,
made it impossible for a miner to obtain employment in the claim unless a
royalty of five dollars a month was forthcoming. This system they worked for
years, giving them a competency over their salary to justify their retiring to
the East. 

    The Sweet Vengeance Mine was also a big producer in the palmy days of Browns
Valley. This mine was first owned by Spaniards, who carried the ore to Little
Creek and ground the gold from it with arrastres. A French company bought out
the Spaniards and put in a stamp mill, one of the first to be used in California. 

    Other claims that were worked at Browns Valley in the early days were: The
Daniel Webster, Pacific, Burnside, Paragon, Ophir, Rattlesnake, Bayerque, and
Anderson. The ruins of the old mills and buildings are still standing over
several of the once rich mines. 

    Water in the lower levels always disturbed operations in the larger mines —
those that were sunk deepest. It is this condition that today discourages
capital from reviving such mines as the Pennsylvania and Jefferson. 

    Surface diggings paid in early days in the foothills surrounding Browns
Valley. Traces of this species of mining may still be seen here. 

Hotels, Stores and Stopping Places 

    Browns Valley at one time had five hotels and twenty-four saloons. This
statement is made on the authority of Joseph Bruce, who still lives there, and
who is a member of one of the pioneer families in the lively burg. While none of
the hotels were pretentious, one sold in the sixties for $9000. 

    Matt Woods, who later became sheriff of Yuba County, was the owner of a
store in the mining camp, as was also Charles E. Sexey, who later became a
prominent resident of Marysville, and filled the office of levee commissioner
there. 

    Public houses or stopping places along the stage line in the same region as
Browns Valley, in early days, were the Sixteen-mile House, Comstock Place,
Galena House, Peoria House, Zinc House, Stanfield House, and Bowers' Place. 

    Prairie Diggings, a little way above Browns Valley, was once a great
surface-mining locality. Mining commenced there in 1854, and attracted many who
later became residents of Marysville. Toward the end of its career the Chinese
were the only ones to persist there. 

    When Long Bar was worked out, many of the miners who worked there moved to
Browns Valley. 

The Hooker Guards 

    The Hooker Guards was the name of a military company Browns Valley once
boasted. It was organized in June, 1863, during the exciting times of the Civil
War. The officers were, L. D. Webb, captain; George H. Leland (who owned a hotel
boarding 500 men), first lieutenant; R. P. Riddle, second lieutenant; C.
Sheldon, third lieutenant; and Thomas Cook, first sergeant. 

INDIANA RANCH 

    Indiana Ranch, still regarded as a mining section of Yuba County with
prospects, was first settled in 1851 by Page Brothers and A. P. Labadie, who
opened a hotel. John Tolles also kept a hotel about the same time. Gold was
discovered along the ravine and creek in 1851, and the diggings were called
"Indiana Creek" or "Tolles" New Diggings." One hundred feet square was a mining
claim, and an ounce per day the average yield. In 1851 and 1852 there were
between 400 and 500 miners at work along Indiana and Keystone Creeks, making a
very lively camp. The place received the name from Page Brothers, who came from
the State of Indiana. Among the other early settlers were M. G. Mory, L. S.
Camper, Reuben Reed, A. J. Reed, Reuben Reed, Jr., Owens Owens, and Edward
Medlock. A. Weaver was the first justice of the peace. 

    A private school was kept in 1855 by Miss Phillips, a daughter of Captain
Phillips of the Peoria House. It was held in a private dwelling until 1856, when
a subscription was raised for the construction of a schoolhouse. The school
district was formed in 1857. In that year, the creek and ravine having been
worked out, there was a great decrease in the population, consequent upon the
departure of the miners for other localities. In recent years some rich pockets
have been found here, but none has proved lasting. 

DOBBINS RANCH 

    William M. Dobbins and his brother, Mark D. Dobbins, settled on the creek
that bears their name in 1849. William Dobbins, when quite young, participated
in Commodore Perry's memorable engagement on Lake Erie, and at the time of his
death, in 1876, was the last surviving witness of that historic contest. He was
elected justice of the region in 1849 and was later county clerk. In 1856 he
went East as a delegate to the national convention that nominated Buchanan for
the Presidency. He never returned. 

    After passing through the hands of several parties, the ranch came into the
possession of Joseph Merriam in 1862. It was in 1867 that Slingsby & Gettins
opened a store in Dobbins, supplying the surrounding country, and keeping a pack
train upon the road continually. William Slingsby was at one time chairman of
the board of supervisors. Daniel Gettins, his partner, though very popular,
never dabbled in politics, being content to labor among and befriend the miners.
Both Slingsby and Gettins died at the scene of their life activities, honored by
all. 

    Religious services were held by the Catholic clergy from Marysville every
two weeks, at the residence of James McMenamin. 

GREENVILLE 

    Greenville, once a lively camp for its size, is now a quiet settlement of
the county's mountain district. It is situated in a small basin on Oregon Creek,
and was once called Oregon Hill. This place was first worked in 1850, but did
not become well developed until the construction of the Nine-horse Ditch. The
company that constructed this ditch was composed of nine members; and in order
to let it be known that it was no "one-horse affair" they named it the
"Nine-horse Ditch." 

    The first school was opened in 1861, and was taught by Miss Henley. A
schoolhouse was erected in 1860 at a cost of $2000, and the Greenville district
was formed. About fifty people now receive their mail at Greenville. 

STRAWBERRY VALLEY 

    Many Marysville people now find in Strawberry Valley, near the line of Butte
County, an inviting resort to which they can motor for the week-end and enjoy
fishing, hunting and camping. Strawberry Valley, familiarly known as Strawberry,
is situated in a beautiful valley, in a large mining district, forty-three miles
northeast from Marysville. At one time it was the most thriving locality in
Northeast Township. 

Name and Early History 

    The old Indian name of the place was "Pomingo," the Indians' name for a
plant that grew there. Why the name of Strawberry was applied to this locality
has been the subject of considerable inquiry. One story, and probably the
correct one, is to the effect that when the first settlers arrived there, in the
year 1848, they found quantities of delicious wild strawberries, and from that
circumstance gave it the name which it still retains. In keeping with this
explanation, it is stated that the place was so named early in 1851 by Capt.
William Mock, the name being suggested by the large number of wild strawberry
vines found around the head of the valley. Another account states that the first
two settlers were named respectively Straw and Berry, and each vied with the
other in the attempt to have the place honored by being called after him.
Considerable jealousy was occasioned thereby, which was happily alleviated by
the suggestion of the other residents that, as it could not be called Straw
appropriately, and as Berry was not significant, they should join Straw with
Berry and Berry to Straw, thus forming the word Strawberry, which was readily
assented to, and all past grievances by this means settled. 

    In 1851 a few miners came and commenced prospecting in the ravines, and some
rich diggings were found on Deadwood Creek. The places were called Kentucky
Gulch, Rich Gulch, and Whiskey Gulch. 

    In the fall of 1858 the first public school was kept, Miss Wyman being
chosen as the teacher. 

The Town at Present 

    The present town of Strawberry consists of a hotel, one store, the
post-office, a school and a number of dwelling houses. For many years the late
Joel Bean was mine host at the Strawberry Hotel. On account of his hospitality
and that of the members of his family, once a guest meant a longing to return.
Joel Bean made welcome the birds of spring as well as members of the human
family. In front of the hotel he raised a staff fifty feet high, at the top of
which he placed a home for the robins. Almost to the day each spring these birds
would return to this cote, and Mr. Bean then knew that spring had really arrived. 

    Without the members of the Bean family, the voting strength of Strawberry
Valley would now be greatly reduced. During the lifetime of Joel Bean the family
had fourteen of the thirty-four votes cast in the precinct. Those of the family
who still use the right of franchise there are: Mrs. Anna R. Bean, Abraham
Lincoln Bean, Francis L. Bean, John A. Bean, Miss Laura B. Bean, Mrs. Mabel C.
Bean, Mrs. Mary Ann Bean, Morgan George Bean, Mrs. Nellie Orr Bean, Paris G.
Bean, Vernon J. Bean, and Walter Paris Bean. 

    The inhabitants of the place are intelligent and hospitable, and take a live
interest in the advancement of the village. Strange as it may appear, the main
and only street, at one time, was the dividing line between Yuba and Butte
Counties, the business places on opposite sides being in different counties. An
act of the legislature, however, changed this state of affairs, and the town
that was once divided against itself is now united. 

    There are various sawmills in the vicinity, of large capacity, the lumber
from which is shipped to Marysville. A most excellent dirt road affords ingress
and egress to and from the place. 

HANSONVILLE 

    This once flourishing town was situated on the Hansonville branch of the
Honcut, twenty-eight miles from Marysville. It was first settled in 1851, by
James H. Hanson, after whom the town was named. A number of miners commenced to
work along the creek in the spring of 1851, and more soon followed. R. M.
Johnson settled with Hanson, and together they built a house in which they kept
the first store and hotel. William Denton, later of Marysville, and Henry
Critcher both opened stores in 1851. In 1852 there were seven stores, eight
hotels and a population of 1000 people in the town of Hansonville, of which only
a trace now remains. Every store had a bar. There was also a bowling alley in
the town. Gambling was very generally indulged in. 

    In 1852 religious services were held in the barrooms and private houses, by
Rev. Merchant. One day he was preaching back of a saloon, the gamblers having
ceased operations in order to hear the sermon. One of them opened a faro game
and won about $50, which he presented to the minister at the conclusion of the
services. The minister said he would take it, as it had been in bad use long
enough. From 1864 to 1876 the Methodists held regular services in the
Hansonville schoolhouse. The schoolhouse was built in 1864 at an expense of $500. 

BROWNSVILLE 

    Brownsville is on the Marysville-La Porte road thirty-three miles from
Marysville. I. E. Brown built a sawmill there in August, 1851, at a cost of
$8000. In November, 1852, Martin Knox, after whom the Knox turnpike was named,
and P. E. Weeks bought the mill under the firm name of Weeks & Knox. The mill
was abandoned about 1857. In addition to the mill, Brown and his partner, John
Hoyt, kept hotel in a log house. When Weeks & Knox bought them out, they named
the place Brownsville, in honor of Brown. In 1853, a store was started in
connection with this hotel. In 1855, Weeks & Knox built a large hotel. The first
blacksmith came in 1855, a man named Sheets. In 1861, the store was given up.
The hotel was burned in 1866, and another was built the same year. 

    Quite early the town supported a lodge of Odd Fellows, and later a lodge of
Good Templars existed for a time. 

    The first religious services were held by a minister of the Methodist
Episcopal denomination at the residence of Mrs. Foss. A church was built by
subscription, at a cost of $500, and was dedicated on October 20, 1866. The
pastor in charge was Rev. C. A. Leaman. 

Later Growth 

    In 1878, there was quite an impetus given to the town. A large addition was
made to the hotel, an educational institution was opened, a hall association was
formed, a store was started, and some $15,000 were spent in improvements. From
1861 to 1878, the town had been without a store, but in the latter year Hawkins
& Hawley opened one with an excellent assortment of goods. The Knoxdale
Institute was founded by Mr. and Mrs. Martin Knox, and the school opened on
September 9, 1878, with Prof. E. K. Hill as principal. There were but five
scholars when the school was opened, but this number was increased the second
term to seventeen. This school, which is described more fully in the chapter on
schools, continued in existence as an educational institution for about seven
years. 

CHALLENGE 

    The present town of Challenge, the home of Supervisor W. J. Mellon, derived
its name from a lumber mill built on the site in 1856 by Cook and Malory. The
Union Lumber Company bought the mill, and sold it in 1874 to A. M. Leach.
Lumbering and some mining supports the town. 

FOSTER'S BAR 

    Foster's Bar, famous in its palmy days, was situated on the bank of the
north Yuba River, between the mouths of Willow and Mill Creeks. It was named
after William Foster, one of the original proprietors, who lived in Marysville,
and who mined at the bar early in 1849. 

BULLARD'S BAR 

    Bullard's Bar was another large mining bar, three-fourths of a mile below
Foster's Bar. Work was commenced here in 1849, and the bar soon became a
populous one. It was named after Dr. Bullard of Brooklyn, N. Y., who was one of
the pioneer miners. Dr. Bullard was lost in a shipwreck while on his way to the
Sandwich Islands. Among the early settlers at the bar were Charles E. DeLong,
afterwards minister to Japan; C. E. Lippincott, editor of the Sierra Citizen in
1855 and later auditor of the State of Illinois; Daniel Gettins, later of the
firm of Slingsby & Gettins of Dobbins Ranch; and Roger McMenamin, whose daughter
was married to William Slingsby later on. 

    The first lady to make an appearance at the bar was Mrs. Colonel Ewing. She
came in 1850 and assisted her husband in mining. He carried the dirt in buckets
to water, and she rocked the cradle, an occupation usually considered the
portion of the better half, at least in its domestic sense. 

    A company of sixteen shareholders was formed in January, 1850, for the
purpose of turning the river, so as to mine the river bed. They worked until
September and made a failure of the project, after having expended $47,000. The
river was afterward turned by a flume, and the bed was then found to be worthless. 

    The first bridge in the township was erected in 1850 by E. S. Gifford. It
was the custom to erect a light structure in the summer, so that if the high
water of the winter season should carry it away, the loss would be comparatively
light. After passing through several hands, it came into the possession of
George Mix, who in 1858 erected the first permanent structure, at a cost of
$7000. He also constructed wagon roads to the bar. The great flood of 1862
carried the bridge away, and another was constructed further up the stream,
which was afterward sold to John Ramm and made a toll bridge. In the flood of
1875 this bridge also was destroyed. Ramm later built a bridge at an expense of
$15,000. 

    In 1852 a military company called the Bullard's Guards was organized. The
uniforms consisted of blue shirts, with a sash around the waist. 

    Other bars in the vicinity in early days were: Stony Bar, Poverty Bar, Horse
Bar, Condemned Bar, Frenchman's Bar, Missouri Bar, Negro Bar, Clingman's Point,
English Bar, Winslow Bar, Kanaka Bar, Long Bar No. 2, Oregon Bar, Pittsburg Bar,
Rock Island Bar, Elbow Bar, Missouri Bar No. 2. 

Bullard's Bar Dam 

    Bullard's Bar at present is attracting the eyes of California, for at that
point is to be built a dam at a cost of $24,000,000 for the purpose of
permitting the resumption of hydraulic mining in Sierra and Yuba Counties under
government regulations, which require the restraining dam. The work is the plan
of the Yuba River Power Company, which concern bought out the Marysville and
Nevada Power and Water Company. Back of the company are a number of wealthy men.
The immense dam will hold back water sufficient to supply irrigation for a vast
acreage in the foothills below it, and it also will provide electrical energy
for power concerns of the State. The project of which this dam is a part is more
fully discussed in the chapter on Gold Mining in Yuba County. 

CAMPTONVILLE 

The traveler over the ridge between Dobbins Ranch and Sierra County encounters
the town of Camptonville. This thriving mountain town nestles in a typical
California glen and originally covered 159 acres of ground. The old trail to
Downieville led through this place; and as early as 1851, and perhaps 1850, J.
M. and J. Campbell built a small mountain hotel here, called the Nevada House.
Early in the spring of 1852, a company from Nevada, Samuel Whiteside, J.
Compton, William Cowan, William R. Dixon, Hiram Buster, Charles O'Hara, and Jeff
Vanmetre, came here prospecting, and at the instance of Whiteside a shaft was
sunk on the hill, where gold was struck in paying quantities. This was the
opening of a series of rich hill diggings through this region. The hill was
named Gold Ridge. 

    The Campbell brothers built a store in 1852, which was placed in charge of a
man named Fuller. In the spring of 1853 the place had grown to considerable
size, and a large number of miners commenced work on Gold Ridge, which extended
for several miles. That year the Campbells built a large three-story hotel. It
was called the National Hotel. In 1861 the ground on which it was built was sold
for mining purposes, and the building was torn down. In 1853 Ed Brooks built a
store, and in 1856 erected a large brick building, at a cost of $12,000. J. R.
Meek, father of the present county surveyor and of William B. Meek, who resides
in Camptonville, later became the owner of this structure. William B. Meek is
interested in the leading store in Camptonville. To him is left the handling of
whatever Camptonville arranges in the line of celebrations. An expert driver,
Meek takes delight in giving the visitors thrilling rides over the mountain
roads as a feature of such gatherings. 

    Robert Campton came in 1852 and opened a blacksmith shop. He was a general
favorite, and in 1854 the town was named Camptonville, in honor of the sturdy
artisan. 

    The first dramatic entertainment ever given in the town was presented by
Miss Goodwin on the upper floor of a saloon building, in 1854. 

    A bowling alley was built in 1853 by William Green. The alley was made from
one-half of a tree trunk, cut by a whipsaw. At a miners' meeting held in the
bowling alley in the spring of 1854, it was decided that mining claims should be
75 by 75 feet and town lots 75 by 150 feet. 

    In the fall of 1854, the wagon road was finished to Camptonville, and in
1855 the California Stage Company began to run stages to the town. Previous to
this, pack trains were the only means of transportation. Isaac Green started an
opposition line, and finally compelled the other to abandon the route. Warren
Green succeeded his brother in the stage business. 

    The first school in Camptonville was a private one opened in 1854, taught by
Mrs. A. Brooks at her residence. The same year a public school was opened. Miss
Budden was the teacher. 

Early Water Companies 

    The necessity of having good water in Camptonville was early recognized by
Sanford Hall, and in 1857 he undertook the task of supplying it. From a large
spring, two and one-half miles east of the town, he constructed a flume, through
which water was brought to a reservoir within the town limits. This reservoir
had a capacity of 12,000 gallons, and was built of planks at a cost of $200.
Another flume ran from the reservoir over the tops of the houses, from which
water was drawn off in supply pipes for use by the citizens. In 1858, he laid
down 700 feet of four-inch pipe, at a cost of 
$1500. In 1859 he sold the property to J. D. Andrews. 

    In 1860, Everett, McClellan, & Elwell built a flume from a spring on Oregon
Creek, two and three-fourths miles distant, and brought water into two
reservoirs, 16 by 24 feet in size and 10 feet deep. They laid 1200 feet of
six-inch main pipe in the town, and 800 feet of supply pipe. They also furnished
four fire plugs. These improvements cost $6500. In 1861 these men bought out
Andrews, and consolidated the water business. At one time the property was all
owned by J. P. Brown. 

Yuba Light Infantry 

    Company E, 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, N. G. C, was organized in
Camptonville, November 7, 1863, with eighty members. The first officers were J.
P. Brown, captain; J. G. McClellan, first lieutenant; S. W. Wardner, second
lieutenant; and Charles Gray, Jr., second lieutenant. The company was supplied
with the regulation Springfield breech-loading muskets. 

    The armory was enlarged from time to time, and was used as a dance hall and
theater. Two balls were given by the company each year, in May and September.
The company had a military band of nine pieces that was organized in 1878 as the
Camptonville Brass Band. The first troupe to play on the new armory stage was
the Wilbur & Mills Minstrel Troupe. 

SMARTSVILLE 

    Smartsville obtained its name from a man named Smart, who built the first
hotel there in the spring of 1856. This was the first building, except a cabin
here and there occupied by the miners. The only large settlements at that time
in the township were Timbuctoo and Sucker Flat. L. B. Clark bought the hotel in
1857 and kept a store. Rich mines were developed, the remains of which are still
to be seen, as also the traces of the days of the hydraulic miner. Prominently
identified with the history of the place were the late James O'Brien, Sr.,
Daniel McGanney, Thomas Conlin, John H. McQuaid and John Cramsie. Descendants of
these pioneers are to be found in the once thriving mining camp, having taken up
the burdens of their ancestors where they laid them down. 

Union Church 

    A union church was built in Smartsville in 1863 by subscriptions from the
citizens of the town, costing about $1500. The Presbyterians, Methodists and
Episcopalians held services here, though none were then strong enough to supply
a regular pastor. The Presbyterians had a resident pastor two or three years.
The Methodists were supplied by the circuit minister. Episcopalian clergymen
occasionally came from Marysville and elsewhere and held services. A union
Sunday school and a library of 300 volumes were maintained. The late John T.
Vineyard was the superintendent. 

Church of the Immaculate Conception 

    The first services of the Catholic denomination in the vicinity were held by
Rev. Father Peter Magganotta at Rose Bar in 1852, at which time the church was
organized. The first church edifice was erected in 1861 and was called St.
Rose's Church. It was burned in 1870, and another was built in the following
year. The successive pastors were Rev. Maurice Hickey, Rev. Daniel O'Sullivan,
Rev. Matthew Coleman, Rev. Father Twomey, Rev. J. J. Hines, Father Dermody, and
Father Enright. At present the parish is visited by a priest from Grass Valley. 

Catharine Johnson Berry* 
    *The author wishes to acknowledge, with thanks, the following sketch of Mrs.
Berry's life as the contribution of Miss Agnes M. O'Brien of Smartsville,
daughter of the late James O'Brien, honored and dependable pioneer of Yuba
County, whose name is inseparable from the story of the agricultural and mining
development of this section. The story of Mrs. Berry's trials and noble
sacrifices in the West is that of many another noble woman. It is regrettable
that space cannot be given to all the pioneer women who so handsomely assisted
in the building of the great commonwealth in which the present generation
flourishes as a result of their labors. 

    A history of Yuba County would be incomplete without mention of its valiant
pioneer women. There comes before my mind the picture of one of these noble
women who left a life of ease and social distinction, to follow the fortunes of
her husband in the far West. 

    Catharine Johnson Berry, the subject of this sketch, was born of Irish
parentage in Baltimore, Md., August 25, 1817. She received her education at the
even then famous convent of Emmitsburg, and was graduated later from a French
school in Philadelphia. She mingled for years in Southern society, and in the
early forties went to Dubuque, Iowa, where, in 1843, she married John Van
Antwerp Berry. The latter was born in Montgomery County, N. Y., in 1810, and was
descended from the hardy Dutch burgomasters. He studied law and was admitted to
the bar in 1834 by Chief Justice Savage, and moved to Iowa in 1838. 

    When the news of the discovery of gold reached Dubuque, Mr. Berry decided to
leave a promising future and try his fortune in the land of gold. With his wife
and two small sons, he joined an emigrant train which left Galena, Ill., on the
17th of March, 1849. Mr. Berry's diary contains the following list of purchases
made for that long journey. Two wagons, $200; six yoke of oxen, $300; four
barrels of flour, $16; two barrels of pork, $15; two barrels of crackers, $8;
one keg of lard, $15; one keg of butter, $10; cheese, $5; one barrel of sugar,
$15; and numerous other articles of various kinds, including tools. 

    The long, tedious trip was not marked by any misfortunes; but in after years
Mrs. Berry often spoke of the discomforts and anxiety endured in crossing the
plains. During their journey they joined a New Jersey train; and after the last
mountain had been passed, they abandoned one wagon and used all the oxen on the
remaining one, thus reaching their destination more quickly. Part of their
itinerary reads as follows: Fort Laramie, June 12; City of Salt Lake, July 14;
Steeple Rocks, July 25; Summit of the Sierra Nevadas, September 2; Valley of the
Sacramento, September 20. Arriving at Long Bar on the 10th of October, they
established their camp on the south bank of the Yuba River on Hayes Flat, a
little below the Parks Bar bridge. 

    Mrs. Berry was the first white woman to venture this far, and the miners
journeyed from long distances to get a glimpse of her. According to her
chronicle of those exciting times, the letter carrier charged the modest sum of
$1 a letter to and from Marysville. A letter written by Mrs. Berry in the spring
of 1850 describes the winter as unusual in its severity. She speaks of the
inexhaustible wealth of the mines, but deplores the hardships of pioneer life.
"One thing alone, in this modern Eldorado," according to Mrs. Berry, "has not
been exaggerated. It is emphatically the land of flowers; the whole surface of
the earth is a gay pasture; every hill, every vale speaks in the language of
flowers." 

    Here I must digress from the subject of this sketch and devote some space to
Mr. Berry. At this period he joined a company known as "The Canal Company,"
organized for the purpose of draining Yuba River at this point, and mining the
river bed. The list of stockholders in the company reads like a roster of Yuba's
prominent pioneer settlers. They were: A. F. Benedict, W. H. Peck, J. B.
Henderson, S. F. Daggett, George Boyd, C. Hampton, S. M. Royen, C. E. Stone
(afterward a Marysville physician), D. H. Ferguson, J. F. Bigelow, and William
Torrance. 

    In the fall of 1850, Mr. Berry moved to Marysville and resumed the practice
of law, and likewise revived his interest in politics. He was a member of the
first legislature that met in San Jose, and was conceded to be one of the most
brilliant lawyers in the new State. Among his contemporaries of the bar in
Marysville were: H. P. Haun, T. B. Reardon, C. E. Filkins, G. N. Swezy, Charles
H. Bryan, and Stephen J. Field. Following a heated argument, which led to
personalities, Mr. Berry challenged Mr. Field to a duel, which was the accepted
mode of settling difficulties in those days. Field's apology was one of Mrs.
Berry's cherished possessions. It reads as follows: 

    "Mr. Field's compliments to Col. Berry, and he regrets that he indulged in
the remarks which led to the unpleasant occurrences of this morning. Mr. Field
desires that Col. Berry will likewise withdraw the offensive words used by him
on this occasion." 

    Aided by his scarcely less brilliant wife, Mr. Berry's future seemed most
promising, when he was suddenly stricken, and died in Marysville on July 2,
1853. The resolutions passed by the County Bar Association bespeak the esteem in
which he was held. His death left his widow with insufficient means to raise her
young sons and maintain her position in Marysville's social life. After visiting
her husband's people in New York, she returned to Marysville in 1856. At this
period Judge Field desired to marry her, but she could never consent to anyone
filling the place of her cherished husband. In a letter written shortly before
his death, Judge Field speaks of Mrs. Berry as "a woman of great beauty,
cultured mind, and varied accomplishments, and one of the most brilliant and
charming women of those early days." 

    In 1857, Mrs. Berry was engaged to teach the public schools in Smartsville,
and took up her residence in that then thriving town. An ardent Southerner, her
sympathies were with her beloved Southland when the Confederate States seceded.
In her capacity as teacher, she was obliged to teach the iron-clad oath of
allegiance to the Union. She looked upon this as the bitterest moment of her
life. Prompted solely by the necessity of providing for her sons, Mrs. Berry
proved a wonderful educator; and even after her retirement from the schools, in
1874, she conducted a private school until age and physical disability forced
her to relinquish such arduous labor. She died after a short illness, February
7, 1899; and with her passing closed one of the most interesting and eventful
lives this section has ever known. A charming personality, a mind which was
veritably a storehouse of knowledge, she was even in her less prosperous days
ever the type of the "grand dame." Sorrows and trials were often her portion;
but she bore them with truly Spartan fortitude, as did all that noble band of
pioneer mothers. How little we of this later day realize what a debt we owe to
our heroic parents who braved such dangers and surmounted such difficulties,
that we, their children, might bask in the sunshine of this promised land! 

TIMBUCTOO 

    Timbuctoo, related to the same town in Africa, is a suburb of Smartsville.
Due to the fact that a negro was one of the first to work one of the ravines
near the camp, the ravine was named Timbuctoo, and soon the name attached itself
to the settlement. The first mining was done in the ravines near the town, in
1850. William Monigan, who later had a store in the place, was one of the first
to try his luck in the ravines. It was Monigan and another man named L. B. Clark
who were responsible for the christening of the place. 

    A number of cabins were early built in the vicinity, but the first dwelling
house was erected by William Gregory, early in 1855. A hotel was built in 1855
by Jacob Duffird. It stood across the road from the post-office, and was burned
by the fire of 1878. Timbuctoo was the largest and most thriving locality in
Rose Bar Towmship in 1859. At that time there were two hotels, six boarding
houses, eight saloons in addition to the bars in the hotels and boarding houses,
one bank, one drug store, two general stores, three clothing and dry-goods
stores, three shoe shops, one blacksmith shop, two carpenter shops, one lumber
yard, three bakeries, one livery stable, one barber shop, two cigar and tobacco
stores, one theater, and a church. 

    Of this colony there now remain a few dwellings and the old building in
which Wells, Fargo & Company did business for years. The latter structure, up to
a few years ago, was occupied by Chinese as a store and lodgings. This brick
structure, in the days of the express company, housed millions in gold dust
shipped from the mines in the vicinity. It is now in a stage of dilapidation;
but the Native Sons of the Golden West have plans to restore it, as being among
the landmarks of the State deserving of preservation. More extended description
of this building is given in another chapter. 

    The vote of the Timbuctoo precinct was at one time as high as 800, and the
total population about 1200. In 1859 a fine wooden theater with a basement was
erected. It had a seating capacity of 800 and was frequently occupied by
traveling companies, which theretofore used an old church. The first school at
Timbuctoo was conducted by a Mr. Potter in 1856. The first public schoolhouse
was built in 1862. In 1873 it was moved to Smartsville and made an annex to the
one at that place. The cemetery lying just west of the place was started in 1855. 

SUCKER FLAT (FORMERLY GATESVILLE) 

    This place got its name, which at first was Gatesville, through the fact
that one of the early settlers, hailing from Illinois, was named Gates. A store
was started here in the winter of 1850 by a man named McCall. Rose Bar was on
the river and Sucker Flat was just back of it, the two places being practically
one. In 1851, the joint population was 300 men and five women. The nearest
post-office was at Parks Bar, a few miles below, and on the opposite side of the
Yuba River. 

    When Rose Bar and Parks Bar began to be worked out, and the hydraulic mines
were developed, Sucker Flat became quite a town and the other bars were abandoned. 

ROSE BAR 

    This bar had the honor of being the first where gold was discovered on Yuba
River. It received its name from John Rose, who came there in 1848, from the
American River. Accompanying the party was John Ray with his wife and several
children. This was the first family at the bar. It was Jonas Spect, from Colusa,
who found gold at this point, on June 2, 1848. 

    In the fall of 1848, John Rose and his partner, William J. Reynolds, started
a store at the bar. Rose did the buying at Sacramento, and in that way the place
came to be known as Rose Bar. When the miners began to arrive from the East, it
became a little crowded, and in the spring of 1849 a meeting was held at which
it was decided that a claim should be 100 feet square, and that the miner should
be confined to his claim. Rose, Reynolds and Kinloch, a young man they had taken
into partnership, furnished beef from their ranch in Linda Township. 

    In 1849 a company of fifty men, among whom was William H. Parks, who later
represented this district in the legislature, and was a prominent resident of
Marysville, commenced to dam the river, so as to mine the bed. They completed
the dam and commenced work early in October. The rain set in on the 8th, and in
two days the water overflowed the dam and washed it away. In the few days' work
they had taken out $1000 each. A few days before the destruction of the dam,
Parks sold out and, with an experienced baker, started a store, bakery and
boarding house. 

    During the year the bar became very populous, and in 1850 there were 2000
men working there. At that time there were three stores (one of which was kept
by Baxter & States), three boarding houses, two saloons, bakeries, blacksmith
shops, etc. The course of the river was turned seven consecutive years, cleaning
it up as a rich place to mine. It was later covered by tailings. When the high
water came in 1849, the miners moved back into the ravines, where they found
very rich surface diggings. Squaw Creek was a very rich locality. One of these
ravines was worked by the man Gates, after whom Sucker Flat was at first named. 

SICARD FLAT 

    Sicard Flat, still existing as a settlement, is a flat just back of Parks
Bar and the early-day Sicard Bar. It derived its name from Theodore Sicard, who
opened the mines. Work was commenced here in 1860, in the ravine, where rich
surface diggings were found. When the gravel mines were discovered, Sicard Flat
became a great hydraulic-mining point. 

LONG BAR 

    This bar derived its name from the fact that it was the longest bar on the
river. It was developed about the first of October, 1849, by a company of
gold-seekers who were directed to the place by Major Cooper, of Benicia, who was
the pioneer of Parks Bar, in 1848. There were three girls in the party, members
of a family named Nash. They were the first females to appear at the bar, and
were recipients of the attentions of many young miners, who oftentimes came
miles to see them. 

    An amusing story is told of one young man who sought to make an impression
on the girls in the Nash family. At Sawmill Bar this young man, a lawyer from
Tennessee, named Wiley H. Peck — a handsome man, six feet five inches tall —
decided to make a call at the Nash home. In the rough camp life of the mines,
fine clothes were scarce, and facilities for making an elegant toilet were few
indeed. One Sunday morning Peck asked a lady acquaintance to lend him a white
towel that was hanging on the line at her camp at Sawmill Bar. She readily
assented, thinking he desired it to use in making his toilet. After a little
while he presented himself before the astonished lady for her approval of his
tout ensemble, as he was about to pay a state visit to the Nash girls. He was
faultlessly arrayed in a suit of broadcloth that he had brought across the
plains. The lady, commencing at his carefully combed locks, could detect not a
flaw in his "get-up" until she came to his feet, when — lo! what a sight! Having
nothing with which to encase his pedal extremities except heavy miner's boots,
and being ashamed to make a call with those unsightly things on his feet, he
decorated his bare feet with blacking to represent boots! Also, the towel,
instead of being used in making his toilet, had been placed in his pocket, with
the end protruding to represent a white handkerchief. Thus arrayed, he had
sallied forth to "conquer or die." 

    Claims on Long Bar were taken up so rapidly that by the spring of 1850 there
were 1000 people there. Work here continued later than at many other of the
mining camps, although the place was not so rich as its two great rivals, Parks
and Rose Bars. 

OREGON HOUSE 

    Oregon House, situated twenty-four miles from Marysville, on the
Camptonville road, is one of the landmarks of Yuba County. It was first settled
in 1850 by Larry Young, who built a log cabin in the valley at the head of which
the present house stands. The Oregon House was built in 1852. In January, 1853,
on the anniversary of the battle of New Orleans, a grand party was given at the
Oregon House. This was the first party in the hills. Two hundred fifty tickets
were sold. There were eighteen ladies present, which was a good showing for
those days. 

The Yuba Mountaineers 

    There was a military company organized in this locality during the Civil
War, and the Oregon House was the rallying point. They were called the Yuba
Mountaineers. The officers of this company in 1863 were: John Brown, captain; H.
Camper, first lieutenant; J. A. Clay, second lieutenant; J. A. Barnhart, third
lieutenant; and W. Moon, first sergeant. 

PARKS BAR 

    This point on the northeast side of Yuba River, fifteen miles above
Marysville, was one of the first spots where gold was found on that stream, and
was probably the richest of all the many bars so thickly spread along its banks.
David Parks, from whom the bar derived its name, came here on September 8, 1848.
He, with his family, consisting of his wife and several children, was on his way
overland when he was met by a train of Mormons who informed him of the discovery
of gold here. He at once altered his course, and came to this place. Mrs. Parks
was the first white woman to arrive in the township. 

    Parks mined and kept a trading post and store, his customers being the
Indians and the many miners that now began to cluster about this spot. Goods
brought enormously high prices, especially among the Indians, who knew little of
the worth of gold dust and set great value upon beads and sugar, which they used
to buy from Mrs. Parks. They would give a tin cup even full of gold dust for the
same quantity of beads, and would buy sugar, weight for weight. 

    The Parks family, with the exception of the sons David and John, remained
only about six months, and then returned to the States by way of the Isthmus of
Panama. They landed in New Orleans in the summer of 1849, being among the first,
if not the first, to return to the East from the gold region. The excitement was
great at that time, and hundreds were leaving on every steamer. When Parks went
to the bank and exchanged $85,000 in dust for coin, the excitement knew no
bounds, and he was looked upon as a living evidence of the reality of the gold
discovery. So little was known of the value of this dust, that he could obtain
but $12 an ounce. His sons, David and John Parks, remained in California and for
some time were prominent men of Marysville. 

    Early in 1849, the miners began to gather rapidly at this point, and the bar
soon became a populous and thriving town. It was very rich, and many a
hard-working miner returned from the bar to his Eastern home with a golden belt.
Dr. C. E. Stone, prominent physician in later days in Marysville, was among the
early settlers at Parks Bar. The place began to decline in 1854, and each
successive year thereafter saw it becoming more and more deserted. Nothing now
remains on the site of the once flourishing place. 

SETTLEMENTS OF SHORT DURATION 

    Early-day settlements of comparatively short existence, some of which have
been mentioned in the foregoing, but are repeated here for convenience of
reference, were as follows: 

    In East and West Bear River Townships: Barham's Crossing, Trimble's
Crossing, Kempton's Crossing, Johnson's Crossing, Kearney, Camp Far West, Wire
Bridge (also known as McDonald's Mills), McCourtney's, Graham's, Melon's Hotel,
Round Tent, Plumas Landing, Eldorado City (sometimes known as Messick Ranch),
Reed's Station, McDonald's Distillery, and Von Schmidt's Mill. 

    In Rose Bar Township: Spect's Camp, Cape Horn, Cordua Bar, Sawmill Bar,
Lander's Bar, Kennebec Bar, and Sand Hill. 

    In Long Bar Township: Long Bar, Swiss Bar, Prairie Diggings, Sixteen-mile
House, Comstock Place, Galena House, Peoria House, Zinc House, and Bowers' House. 

    In Parks Bar Township: Parks Bar, Sicard Bar, Sicard Flat, Barton's Bar,
Malay Camp, Union Bar, Clark Valley Ranch, Frenchtown, McQueen's Sawmill, Garden
Ranch, Dry Creek Mill, Virginia Ranch, Bell Valley, Enterprise Mill, Martin
Ranch, Golden Ball, Willow Glen House, and California House. 

    In New York Township: Natchez, New York House, New York Ranch (or Flat),
Ohio and Garden Ranch Flats, Mount Hope, Sharon Valley Mill, Washington Mill,
American Mill, Columbia Mill, Gnaggy Mill, Beaver Ranch, Sawmill Cottage, Ross
Ranch, Hansonville, Paige's Mill, Union Mill, Jefferson House, White Sulphur
Spring House (called sometimes Stewart), New York Point, Clayton's Ranch,
Washington Mill Huse, Jack's Ranch, Union Hotel, Paulineville, Pike County
House, Ohio Mill, Switzer's (or Monitor Mill), Willow Glen, Pennsylvania House,
Hedge's House, Plaskett's Mill, and Woodville Mill. 

    In Foster's Bar Township: Foster's Bar, Bullard's Bar, Stony Bar, Poverty
Bar, Horse Bar, Rice's Crossing, Condemned Bar, Frenchman's Bar, Missouri Bar,
Negro Bar, Clingman's Point, English Bar, Vance Wingdam, Winslow Bar, Kanaka
Bar, Long Bar No. 2, Oregon Bar, Pittsburg Bar, Rock Island Bar, Elbow Bar,
Missouri Bar No. 2, Mountain Cottage, Keystone Hotel, Maple Springs House, Eagle
Bird Hotel, Fountain House, Riverside Hotel, McCrutch Place, Binninger's Ranch,
and Labadie's. 

    In Northeast Township: Woodville House, Missouri Bar No. 1, Buckeye House,
Eagleville, Willow Bar, New York Bar, Alabama Bar, Hampshire Mill, Eagle Mill,
Deadwood Mill, and Independence Mill. 

    In Slate Range Township: Garden Valley Ranch, Ferry Bar, Wisconsin House,
Junction House, Dad's Gulch, Young's Hill, Railroad Hill, Freeman's Crossing,
Galena Hill, Moonshine Creek, Oak Valley, Celestial Valley, Pittsburg Hill,
Slate Range, and Weed's Point. 


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF YUBA and SUTTER COUNTIES 
CALIFORNIA 
WITH 
Biographical Sketches OF 
The Leading Men and Women of the Counties Who Have Been Identified with Their
Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present 

HISTORY BY 
PETER J. DELAY 

ILLUSTRATED 
COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME 

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1924



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