Tulare County
Biographies
A. B. ATWELL
A. B. Atwell. --In no portion of the world can
there be found a body of men and women, the history of whose lives contain so
much of stirring adventure and heroic bravery as those who came to this State
during the few years immediately following the discovery of gold in California.
In the life of A. B. Atwell we have a fair example of the forty-niner. An
account of his varied experiences on this coast would make an interesting volume
of no small proportions; even the most condensed narrative of his career
requires much more space than can be given on these pages.
A. B. Atwell was born on his uncle Lemuel Minon's farm in Cattaraugus County,
New York, July 31 1830. His ancestors have been identified with this country
since its early history. His great-great-grandfather came with his family from
the island of Corsica, about the year 1700, and settled in the old French town
of Louisburg, Cape Breton island, and his great-grandfather lost his life in the
defense of that town in 1745. Grandfather Atwell remained in and around
Louisburg till about 1775, when he had a misunderstanding with the English
press-gang and a price was set upon his head. He at once left Cape Breton, and
the next known of him was in the battles of Lexington and Concord, where he
espoused the cause of the colonies, and from that time until the close of the
Revolution did good service as a scout. He was honorably discharged, and ended
his days in peace with the world near the old French town of Kaskaskia,
Illinois. Mr. Atwell's father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was with
Jackson at New Orleans. From that time until his death, in 1849, he led the
quiet life of a civilian in the vicinity of St. Louis, Missouri.
The subject of our sketch was sixteen when the Mexican war broke out, and the
patriotism which fired the spirits of his forefathers was not slow to manifest
itself in him. As a volunteer he was mustered into the service of the United
States at Alton, Illinois; went to the seat of war, acted the part of a brave
soldier, returned to Illinois when the conflict ended, and was honorably
discharged at Alton.
The winter of 1848 young Atwell spent in one round of gayety in St. Louis and
vicinity, but the restless disposition he inherited from his Corsican ancestors
rendered him unsettled and eager for adventure, and when the news of the
discovery of gold in California reached Missouri, he was among the first to
start for the new El Dorado. On March 4, 1849, in company with several young
men, he left that city en route to California. Their outfit consisted of
"prairie schooners," each drawn by four yoke of oxen, the men all having horses
and mules to ride. This journey, which lasted six months, and which was not
unlike that described by many others, terminated on October 6. In many respects
the trip was a most enjoyable one to Mr. Atwell. They were well equipped, game
was plenty, the scenery was charming, and ever changing, and their campfires
were enlivened by stories of exciting adventures told by such men as Joe
Rubedore, Vetal Joro, Tom La Grave and Baties Shautiev, who traveled with them.
They entered California by the Lassen cutoff, having packed their animals and
abandoned their wagons soon after leaving the Humboldt. At Long's Point, on the
Feather river, Mr. Atwell remained one night. By that time his provisions were
almost gone, and he had but one dollar left. Feeling the necessity of going to
work, he went up the river, met a man by the name of Stout, who was working a
lot of Indians, and who had great difficulty to make them understand him. He,
however, had a Spanish interpreter, and as Mr. Atwell could speak Spanish, he
found employment as an interpreter and general manager, receiving $5 the first
day and $16 a day afterward, remaining with him for a time and then going to the
mines. In the mining districts of California Mr. Atwell had the usual experience
of miner and trader until 1852, when he went to Contra Costa County (now Alameda
County) and engaged in farming and stock-raising. In 1857, in company with L. J.
Cralle and John P. Joy, known as "Whisky John," he made a tour of the King's
river district. He returned to Oakland that year, and on October 25, 1858, again
started for King's river, this time in company with Mr. Cralle and E. G.
Robinson and family, taking with them horses and cattle, and being a month in
reaching their destination.
Mr. Atwell has since made his home in this valley. He is loaded with
reminiscences of pioneer life on the river banks, and also on the plains, and
recounts his varied experiences in a graphic manner. When he settled here the
nearest trading point was Visalia, the mail matter all coming from that place
until the overland stage started in 1860, when a post office was established at
Kingston. All the old settlers well remember the flood of 1861. Mr. Atwell and
his family were driven from their home by the rising waters, and for five weeks
camped out in their wagon. About the year 1865 the stock business began to
change from cattle to sheep, and from that time the number of cattle on the
plains decreased yearly, and the number of sheep increased until 1872 when the
farmers began to crowd the sheep out. Mr. Atwell sold his sheep, and in 1879
moved from the river to the plains, locating in the Wild Flower district. He is
at present engaged in farming on a ranch of 200 acres, situated nine miles
southwest of Selma.
In speaking of the wonderful development of this country, Mr. Atwell says: "I
can scarcely realize the improvements that have taken place in the once barren
plains, which are now considered the garden spot of the world. The wheat and dry
and green fruit produced here find a market in all parts of the world, and the
end is not yet. Fresno County is destined to become in wealth and population one
of the first counties of the State of California."
Mr. Atwell was married in 1860 to Ellen Farley, of Iowa. They have no children.
SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare and
Kern, California
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892, Page 486, 487, 488 Transcribed by
Beverly Green